Every pony happily talked and pranced about. The mayor of Ponyville was announcing Princess Celestia’s arrival! The Princess Celestia had come to their tiny town! The ponies were excited to see the sunrise, but one pony was concerned. Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Celestia and gifted unicorn, knew today was when the Mare in the Moon would be free. Today, the evil sister of her teacher would come.
“Fillies and gentle colts, as mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!” Every pony but Twilight cheered and stomped. “In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise and celebrate this; the longest day of the year!” Twilight nervously gazed at the moon. Four stars moved around it. In a small flicker of light, the Mare in the Moon vanished! The thousand year curse was broken. Twilight shifted about uncomfortably and kept her eyes on the curtains.
“Oh no…”
“And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, and the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria…”
“Ready?” Fluttershy kindly asked her bird choir.
“Princess Celestia!” Rarity pulled a rope and the curtains parted. A spotlight hit the exposed area, but no pony came out.
“Huh?!” Rarity shrieked. Confusion and fear took over the crowd as gasps and other shrill noises were exchanged.
“This can’t be good…” Twilight said. The mayor looked around and saw the confusion.
“Remain calm every pony, there must be a reasonable explaination.”
“Oo! Oo!” A pink party pony bounced in excitement. “I LOVE guessing games! Is she hiding?” Pinkie looked around in childish wonderment. Rarity trotted to the curtains she had carefully arranged to check on the princess, but one step toward the curtain and it shut automatically. The crowd gasped in confusion with anxiety and questions spreading like a virus. “There she is!”
A little earlier…
Celestia watched the moon with careful and excited eyes. The second the stars released her sister, she turned around. Curled in a little ball across from her was a pony. Her coat was blue like the gentle evening sky right after the sunset. Her mane and tail were colored like her royal shoes that adorned her hooves; a silvery, pastel blue or perhaps periwinkle. Upon her head was a black crown of the night, on her neck was the emblem of the night, and on her rump was the cutie mark only the Princess of the Night possessed. Tears sparkled out of Celestia’s eyes. It was her sister. Not a speck of that possessive, angry magic could be sensed on her. Her sister had returned. The thousand years were not for nothing. Her baby sister had returned.
“Princess-” Celestia shut the curtain. The moment was delicate. Nothing could go wrong here. She wouldn’t allow it.
Her sister’s eyes fluttered a bit. The slight move swallowed her attention. She moved to her side as soon as she could. Her eyelids finally lifted revealing two, perfect aquamarine eyes. They spun around in confusion; looking for something to focus on.
“Luna?” Their eyes met.
Sadness…regret…confusion…fear. They reflected each other one thousand years of pain neither could ignore. But somewhere in there, they both saw love.
“Ce-Celestia?” Her voice was raspy with time, but light with innocence.
“Oh Luna,” Celestia fell to her sister’s eye level and wrapped her sister in a feathery embrace. “I-” *sniffle* “I missed you…” Fresh tears wet her white furred neck.
“I-I’m so sorry!” She cried. “I’m so sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” She continued as Celestia shushed and nuzzled her soothingly.
“It’s okay Luna. It’ll be okay. Shhhh,” Celestia did her best to hold back tears, but with no success. It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Behind the curtains lay two sisters and nothing more.
“Princess Celestia?” Their heads shot up. The Princess of the Sun scowled at the intruder with white flames burning out of her eyes. Her rainbow mane swiftly became alight with scarlet flames. Twilight ran out as fast as she could.
Celestia stood up as her eyes burnt out and her mane settled. She smiled warmly and looked at her sister who smiled back.
“If it is alright, I wish to make an announcement to my- neigh, our little ponies,” Celestia corrected, “of your return.” She sighed as her mirth left her. “It’s been one thousand years, Luna and I wish for you to reclaim your place as co-ruler of Equestria.” Luna had tears running down her eyes. Never in any of her time on the moon did she think she could be allowed on the throne again.
“But…sister, I betrayed our little ponies. I sent the land into darkness. I let myself be engulfed by my feelings!” as the weight of the past returned with the suppressed force of a millennium, Luna became more and more hysteric, “I threatened an eternal night! I threatened the ponies I loved the most! I threatened you!” She sobbed out. Her body trembled with emotions. Her indigo ears heard Celestia coming closer. Each hoofstep seemed to come down like a judge’s gavel to declare the final verdict. Luna kept her head down as some kingdoms decree that low ranking ponies could not meet their superiors’ eyes.
The steps stopped. A final judgment was imminent. It’d only take a moment. Luna frantically whispered apologies and regrets to those she may meet again in the next realm when her sister was upon her. It stopped when she was met with a feathery embrace and her sister head over her shoulder. What shocked her beyond comprehension was the distinctive hot wetness dripping from both their eyes.
“No Luna, I betrayed you.”
“But-”
“Hush,” Celestia removed herself from her sister and knelt down to her eye level. The desperation and fear in her tone matched with an expression of irreversible regret and misery was enough to silence the Princess of the Moon. “I promised you many things Luna. I promised you an extension of night. I promised you our subjects would see the beauty of the stars. I promised you that for one day; one day, I would take a break from work and be the big sister you needed me to be. You received nothing of the sorts. You didn’t betray us. We betrayed you.”
So star struck by the moment, Celestia put on a sad smile and stood. She guided her sister toward the curtains she had closed before. With a flick of the horn, they flew open. The two alicorns stepped forward.
The crowd’s faces were nothing but confusion. Celestia cleared her throat.
“My little ponies, I thank you for your patience and I apologize for the delay. My sister has returned to the throne and I wish for you all to welcome her warmly.” Luna stepped forward on cue and looked around. The ponies were somewhat puzzled, but as soon as a pink pony began cheering and hoof stomping, the others did as well. Luna was surprised to see them so happy to see the mare they had once shunned. Ponies who cowered in fear from her very appearance were now applauding her like…royalty. She turned back to Celestia, but the eldest sister simply gestured to continue.
“We…” she wiped a few tears, “we are so grateful for your applause. We do not deserve such an honor from our little ponies. After the tragedy and pain we forced on all of thou, thou hast chosen to forgiveth me. And for that, we can not thank you enough.” The cheers came back louder. No pony really understood what this was all about, but no pony was about to mistreat a relative to Princess Celestia.
“There is something you may do, sister.” Celestia came to her side and pointed with a wing to the window. “It is time for the sun to rise, sister. Would you please lower the moon?” Those were the same words that started it. Memories of her anger and hatred melted into guilt and misery. But one look at Celestia’s face and Luna knew she was forgiven. She smiled at her sister.
“And what if we decide not too?”
“Then our little ponies will have to walk home in the dark.” Luna lit up her horn and concentrated on her old prison. She watched it be, not swallowed, but taken into the loving horizon. On the other side, Celestia raised the sun of a new day overhead and all the ponies eagerly watched. They cheered for their Sun Princess like they always had. Luna felt a twinge of pain, but was dismissed when Celestia’s hoof held her shoulder. She smiled as Celestia let her into the spotlight. “We were meant to rule together little sister. Now,” Celestia faced the audience and smiled brighter than the sun. Every pony put their attention on the Sun Princess, then on the Moon Princess when she gave her sister a caring, but serious gaze. “Princess Luna, it has been one thousand years since I have seen you. It’s time to put our differences behind us. Will you accept my friendship?” Luna sprung forward and nuzzled her sister.
“Of course I do! I missed you so much, big sister!” The crowd cheered once more. Celestia was so overfilled with joy, she couldn’t stop the tears despite being in front of her subjects. Everything had gone much better than she had hoped. She had expected her sister to still be full of fury and hatred and possibly too powerful for Celestia to handle. But she was so grateful of what did happen and grateful her sister had returned the way she was meant to be.