Star Dust
Chapter 10
We Need To Talk
In a quick flash, Star Dust soon found herself surrounded by a familiar room and furniture. “It certainly does feel good to be back,” she said. “But I still wouldn't mind the more rustic simplicity of Ponyville's library,” she then thought while taking her jacket off.
She gave the dark blue colored room another gaze as a new idea came to her. “Guess I have some re-decorating to do...” With that, Star closed her eyes and soon a magical aura surrounded her entire figure.
Slowly, the light blue mane started growing, turning darker along with her figure. She also grew a couple more inches. The horn grew a few inches longer while two dark wings sprouted from her back. She let out a relieved sigh as her coat turned into darker hue. Her Cutie Mark changed to a dark sky with a crescent moon.
In Star Dust’s place stood Princess Luna.
“OH! How I missed the feeling you two!” she called out to her wings, as if they were her long gone companions. “I don't think I've ever worn one shape this long before.”
She could have swore she heard a couple of sounds coming from her stiff wings. Using her magic to levitate the jacket, she left it hanging onto her bed as she walked outside. Once on her balcony, the cold air greeted her. With a quick thought, she created a small barrier around her and the balcony to keep her warm.
While she had gotten used to the cold, the one thousand year imprisonment on a frozen satellite did wonders for her cold tolerance, she rather enjoyed the warmth she felt now. “Is it already time to raise the moon?” Luna realized when she saw the setting sun. “I certainly hope that Tia didn't bother to raise and lower the moon a couple times,” she thought as her horn started to glow. The moon started slowly to climb over the horizon.
“I see you've finally decided to return.”
Luna felt a pang of shock run through her, and almost jumped into the air after hearing her older sister’s voice. She had been expecting it, but Celestia seemed to know when to startle her.
“I just got back,” Luna replied. She showed no sign of her surprise.
A moment of silence came between them as Celestia walked right up to her sister. “I hope my absence wasn't too much of a trouble to you,” Luna finally said, breaking the stillness between them.
“Oh please dear sister.” Celestia smiled. “I've raised the moon for a millennia during your absence. I don't think a couple days would be that much trouble.” Luna let out a small giggle. “So, did you have fun?”
Luna could hear a teasing tone in her sister’s voice. “You could say that.”
The moon now hung fully on the sky, creating an amazing glow that brought more light into the darkness than normal. “That Pinkie can sure throw a party. You certainly seemed to be enjoying yourself.”
“I may have had a small cider-drinking contest with Twilight's pegasi friend, Rainbow Dash,” Luna begrudgingly admitted while turning to head back inside. Celestia just grinned, knowing where that had taken her younger sister.
“I hope I don't need to lock the castle's cider cellar from you,” the elder princess teased. “After all, you never could stay away from a “good drink” as you did put it.”
Celestia followed her sister back inside. Luna replied with an annoyed groan. “That was many years ago. I've matured after that...” she muttered. It was something she always would say, but Celestia would always find a way to prove her wrong. Luna hated that to no end.
“That's what you always say.” Celestia laughed, making Luna feel even more annoyed and embarrassed.
“I hope you have something else to say besides pestering me with your petty words,” Luna muttered, obviously annoyed.
Celestia chuckled, apologizing. “I'm sorry Lulu.”
“And don't use that name!” Luna said loudly.
“I thought we agreed that I can use it while we are alone.” Celestia smiled, walking next to her sister and putting a comforting wing over her. Luna couldn't help but nod at that, but it didn't change the fact that she still found the nickname annoying. “But then again, she did hate the name “Celly.” Made her feel old.” A brief smirk then formed on Luna’s lips.
“So?” Celestia asked.
“Well, Twilight showed me around Ponyville a bit before taking me to the party.” Luna then started retelling her experience throughout the party and the ponies she met. She even divulged the details about her drinking contest with Rainbow and her small incident with her Royal Voice. That last bit she only explained because Celestia insisted.
“That sounds like a good time,” Celestia said, smiling warmly. Despite that superficial warmth, Luna could sense small pang of sadness in it.
“The next day was a rather... interesting one,” Luna mused, pondering how to explain the day.
“How so?” Celestia asked, obviously interested.
“Well, Twilight had thought of showing me more of the town and meeting some of her friends, allowing me to know them better.” Luna then started explaining. “But things didn't go that well,” she added, to which Celestia raised a questioning brow.
“It seemed that Twilight was part of this Winter... uuh...” Luna struggled remembering what it was called. “How could I have forgotten it?!”
“Winter Wrap Up?” Celestia offered.
“Yes!” Luna answered. “She meant to plan their next event with the Mayor and had to leave me alone for the rest of the day.”
“And how did Twilight react exactly?” Celestia asked, slightly amused. “Usually she doesn't forget anything and can get little bit overboard.”
“A little?” Luna asked, shocked.
“You were told about the Love Spell Incident then?” Luna nodded and Celestia chuckled. “Well, how did she take the sudden reminder?” Celestia asked.
“As I said, she had to leave me by myself for a while,” Luna shrugged. “She was obviously upset. I found spending sometime by reading a... certain, adventure book.” Luna hesitated if she should tell Celestia more.
Luna prided herself in reading books that were a little bit more closer to reality and had a long time ago said that most of the adventure novels were just for little fillies. “And it was rather... intriguing.” Celestia just smiled, nodding slightly.
“And after that?”
“Well, I then decided to head outside and soon came across another friend of Twilight’s, Rarity.”
“And this fine jacket is from her?” Celestia asked, nodding towards the coat strewn across Luna’s bed.
“Yes.” Luna replied. “She thought I should be wearing my own clothing and not have to always rely on Twilight's spares.”
Celestia examined the jacket and couldn't help but smile. It was good to see that Luna was doing so well already. This had been better when she had tried to celebrate Nightmare Night. “But THAT is the problem…” Celestia frowned, but hid it when she faced her sister.
“I guess your day didn't just end after getting a new jacket?”
“Oh heavens NO!” Luna gasped. “As if fate had planned this for me, Rarity had to leave for Canterlot a little later, leaving me to foalsit.”
Luna made sure to add a slight dramatic tone in her voice at the end. Celestia raised an interested brow. “This is something new,” she thought to herself. “And it sounds so juicy.”
“I couldn't have been that horrible,” she said, a slight amusement slipping into her tone.
Luna didn't seem to notice or care. “It can be. Especially if the fillies are trying far too hard to acquire their Cutie Marks...and more still if you try to teach an untrained unicorn some basic magic and she might get over excited,” Luna muttered.
Although she now felt embarrassed that Celestia knew that she had trouble with such simple unicorns; it was a bit hard to not to tell anything to Celestia. There was just something about her older sister that made Luna always tell her about her problems. If she decided to leave them out Celestia would find a way or another to find out about them. “She always was the much more understanding one,” Luna thought to herself as she allowed her mind to drift bit into the past. “Like her.”
Luna then realised that the room was awfully quiet and her sister’s face was twitching badly.
Celestia then burst into laughter. “You... you actually...” Celestia had to take deep breaths so she could talk properly through her laughing, “...had trouble of keeping a unicorn filly in check?”
Celestia only laughed harder when finishing her sentence. That only made Luna blush even more. “It's not exactly easy when she has some help and they distract you!” Luna countered. Activating her horn, Luna shut Celestia's snout with her magic.
The Sun Princess continued to giggle through her closed lips. They were like that for a moment and soon Luna could feel Celestia's magic trying to pry her magical grip from her. Luna eyed her sister for a moment before letting go. “At least the laughter finally stopped.”
“I hope you will keep your thoughts to yourself sister,” Luna said, giving her a small glare. “Otherwise, I may have to use a certain spell again.”
Celestia this time was able to hold her laughter, but a giggle still came through. “Oh Lulu, my dear sister. Did you forget how badly that turned out for you? Furthermore, had you forgotten how you were when you first time used your magic?”
More giggling erupted; Luna's face burned from embarrassment. “No, I haven't forgotten. I might have slightly mentioned them a little bit of my... mishaps...”
“Well, it is good to know you knew how to handle it before anything bad happened.”
“Ugh...” Luna face-hooved and Celestia snickered. After a long explanation of what had happened between the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Celestia's teasing and amused smirk slowly turned to a much warmer smile.
“It's good to see that you are good with little fillies.” Celestia smiled, while Luna smiled back proudly.
“Even if you couldn't handle the responsibility at first.”
A small frown now replaced Luna's smile.
“So what happened then?” Celestia asked.
“I was so exhausted that I immediately went to bed and slept the rest of the night,” Luna said simply. Celestia was rather surprised that the three fillies were able to wear down Luna who most certainly wouldn't get tired so easily.
“But then again. If these are the fillies I've heard from Twilight, they certainly have a talent to wear a pony down,” she thought, her amusement knowing no end.
Luna then went on telling Celestia about her new travels in Ponyville and meeting Twilight's friends. She then described how things still haven't exactly went the way Twilight had planned and they had to leave many of their visits rather short because of the upcoming snow storm.
“Yes, it looked rather nasty from up here,” Celestia commented. “And in a couple hours it had spread to Canterlot too.”
“Was there any “extra work” for the Royal Guard?” Luna asked, wondering just how much work there was to clean up the extra snow.
“Oh no, not just the guards,” Celestia grinned. “I decided that it would not be just the work of the Royal Guard and many citizen of Canterlot would no doubt benefit from some exercise.”
Luna couldn't help but let out a loud, but still short laugh. Now she was slightly hoping that she would have left before, to see many of those snobbish nobles doing real work. But only slightly. “What about you?” Celestia then asked.
“Well, most of Ponyville was already mostly cleaned up when we woke up,” Luna explained, not noticing the slight smirk that formed in her older sister’s lips. “So, when we had returned to the library, Twilight decided that we should have a slumber party.”
“Did you play the Truth Or Dare game?” Celestia teased. It wasn’t just teasing, but Celestia didn’t want Luna to realize it.
“Oh thank goodness no!” Luna gasped from relief. “But we did do many other activities.” Luna then went on to explain to Celestia about their slumber party and what had happened when she had used her magic to tell the tale of Mountain Trolls.
“Oh no, you didn’t Luna!” Celestia giggled while facehooving.
“Well, she did say she wasn’t afraid of that story!” Luna defended herself. “So I thought she might be strong for this.” an embarrassed look crept onto her face. “But hoped I would be able to scare her a bit…”
“And…?” Celestia smirked. Knowing well what had happened.
“I might have taken it a bit too far,” Luna mumbled. “And later would have to sleep with her…” Luna was now blushing madly. She didn’t want to add the fact that she rather liked the prospect of cuddling up with the bookish purple unicorn. Celestia, for her part, was having a really hard time trying to hold her laughter.
“Don’t say a word!” Luna then hissed to her sister. Her face felt quite warm. All Celestia did was to make a “zip” line to her mouth, then “threw away” her hoof.
“And the next day, well, I guess we just spent some more quality time together.”
Luna shrugged, her blush now fading a bit, but it was still there, and she now wore a small smile without realizing it. Celestia stood silent in her place inspecting Luna before talking again. “So, I guess you and Twilight agreed a new meeting?” she asked.
Luna didn't like Celestia’s tone. It almost felt a bit accusatory. Actually, now that she thought about it, Celestia had been asking questions about her staying in Ponyville with Twilight and her friends this whole time. Then realization came to her. “I should have known!” Luna grimaced. “Why I didn't I notice this before?”
“In a couple weeks,” Luna replied. “Why? What exactly are you playing at now, Celly?”
Celestia flinched, and this time Luna noticed. Celestia let out a defeated sigh.
“Well, truth be told Luna, I'm worried about what you are doing with Twilight and her friends,” Celestia said, worry and sadness in her eyes.
Luna stared at her older sister in shock. “What are you talking about?” she queried, a small glare forming on her face. Celestia sighed again.
“Don't take this the wrong way,” Celestia corrected herself, taking a couple steps closer to Luna. “I'm glad that you've been able to make better friends with Twilight and her friends. But...you have to realize that you soon have to tell them the truth.”
“I know that!” Luna countered. Her voice was not convincing.
“For how long exactly?” Celestia asked, her voice and look even more serious. “You do realize that you can't let the past be who you are. What was in the past, should stay there. It should not take a form in the present.”
Luna gasped at this remark. “How could you say something like that?!” Luna exclaimed loudly. The reaction was just what Celestia had expected.
“How can I just forget... that!?” Celestia could see Luna's eyes slowly tearing up, and she hated to be this cruel to her sister. Luna then took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. “That what I, what we had so long ago. Why must we forget that!?”
“I didn't mean forgetting about the past,” Celestia corrected. Taking a few steps closer to Luna, the Sun Princess comforted her little sister. “What I meant was that you should not try to deceive yourself of who you are. The same goes for your friends. If you are not careful, it can turn into something really ugly really quickly.”
Luna stood frozen in front of Celestia, not sure what to think or feel about her sister and what she had said. “I'm sorry Luna,” Celestia said, closing her eyes. “You've already found yourself happiness and now I try to ruin it.”
A small tear rolled down Celestia's cheek.
Luna quickly came to comfort her sister. “No, of course not. I-I think I understand what you are saying here, dear sister.” Luna carefully swept the tear away, offering Celestia a warm smile.
“But I can't just yet tell them,” she insisted. “I just want to learn more about them. And maybe they can learn more about me.”
“But how they are going to know you when you wear that face and form?” Celestia asked seriously. “And what about those two here in Canterlot? Do they know?”
Luna lowered her head in shame, while letting out an annoyed growl. “Why does she has to be so precise... and so right?” Luna let out a quiet sigh. “I will tell them in time sister. But I don't feel like just yet. I... I need more time! But I promise, I will try to tell them the truth soon.”
Celestia eyed Luna for a moment. She could see that her sister was speaking the truth, but there was still something there that held her words to be completely sincere. “I hope you won't do anything that makes me regret this Lulu…”
“I hope so, my dear sister.” Celestia offered her own warm and comforting smile. “I hope so...well, I guess I'll leave you alone. Give you some privacy.” she smiled. “You certainly are going to have an interesting night no doubt.”
Luna snorted at this comment. “I highly doubt that.”
“Good night, dear Luna.” Celestia smiled. Exiting the room.
“Good night, Celestia,” Luna called back. Turning her gaze to the window, she could already feel the anxiety rising when thinking about revealing herself; if they would accept her or...reject her.
“I just need a little more time!” Luna thought to herself. But in a way she knew that it wasn't the full truth.