Cadance sighed as she walked into her room in the Canterlot Castle. Her eyes took in the lavishly decorated, four-poster bed, the dresser crafted from very expensive looking wood, and the jewelry which was laid out on display for her. Each and every piece of jewelry looked absolutely beautiful; they were exquisitely crafted by the most skilled jewelry smiths. Any mare she knew would give anything to get their hooves on at least one piece of it, but at the moment she cared so little for it, it was truly remarkable.
Her horn lit with cyan magic and forcefully tugged the similarly-colored bow out from her mane. The hair fell out around her face as she tossed the ribbon on her bed; without a second glance she trudged out to the balcony attached to her room. She walked up to the railing and looked down on the city below her. Glowing windows dotted the grey roads and colored rooftops; occasionally a light would go out, signaling the end of another day for a pony.
The alicorn’s eyes searched until she found the particular house she was searching for. It was settled in amongst the houses which sat rather close to the castle gates, but it had one spire-like extension which set it apart from the rest. She knew that, even though it was hidden from her gaze, a section of the roof could open outwards to reveal a telescope and room filled with star charts, drawings, and other various diagrams. Night Light loved to stargaze, which worked rather well for his job as one of the castle astronomers.
Her eyes traveled further downwards to the main body of the house. Two windows faced her current position, with one more hidden from view. The hidden window located on the far side of the house was where the parents of the household, Night Light and Twilight Velvet, were probably just getting ready for bed.
One of the windows turned towards her was dark, “As it should be,” she thought with a small smile. In that room was Twilight Sparkle, the little filly of the two ponies. Cadance was Twilight’s foal sitter, a job which she had been a little nervous to take, but she was very glad she had. The filly was an interesting mix of traits- one minute she would be spouting some little bit of trivia which Cadance had never know (most often because she didn’t need to know it) and the next she would be acting up and being an adorable little hassle like every other filly her age. Cadance loved the filly like the sister she never had. Her ears perked for a moment as she saw a flicker of light in the room, and she smiled again when she realized Twilight was probably trying to get in some late-night reading. Cadance had caught the filly multiple times for the same offense while foalsitting her.
She finally turned her gaze to the other window, not far from the semi-dark one which housed the filly. This window was still lit, and probably would be for another hour or so. Shining Armor, Twilight’s “B.B.B.F.F.” resided in this room; he was a colt that was near the same age as she and loved the little filly just as much, probably more. He was a kind-hearted pony, though he always seemed just a little bit shy. She rather liked him, and worked hard to break his bashful shell.
Her chin rested on the stone railing as she contemplated the house and family below her. She did not know many ponies to begin with, but this family easily ranked as her favorite. Twilight, the sweet, lovable filly, Shining Armor, the kind, likeable colt, even Night Light who gladly shared his knowledge of the night sky, and Twilight Velvet, who always had a treat for Cadance when she stayed over to look after Twilight. She had never failed to offer a helping hoof or word of advice when she detected the alicorn was feeling off, just as she had done today.
Cadance turned her eyes skyward. On the horizon she could still make out an orange shade from the recently set sun. While watched as the stars winked into sight, brought out from their indiscernibility by the setting sun. As the sky darkened, a white edge peeked over the horizon as it did every night. The moon rose into the sky, taking the place of its daytime sister. Cadance’s eyes shone as she studied the fabled “Mare in the Moon.” She remembered being told the story when she was a young filly. Of course, that was before Celestia had come and adopted her as her niece. That was before her life had changed so much.
The alicorn started at the sound of the door behind her. She turned and saw her aunt quietly shutting the door behind her. Celestia turned and smiled at the younger pony politely. “Hello Cadance. I do hope I’m not intruding on anything.” Cadance shook her head and turned back to the sky, quietly hoping her aunt would leave her in peace soon.
Celestia did not seem to have any intention of doing so; she walked over and sat beside her niece. She looked up at the sky and sighed. “I’m afraid tonight’s sky was more difficult than usual. The stars never seem to be right, no matter how hard I try.” She looked sideways down at Cadance, but the younger mare avoided her gaze. Celestia sighed and returned to staring at the sky. “What is the matter little one? You have not been yourself today, or yesterday for that matter. I was willing to let it slide, but when Night Light mentioned it to me, I felt I must try to discuss it with you.”
Cadance inwardly growled at Twilight’s father. She did not want this coddling by anypony; she simply wanted to be left alone! After another moment of silence, Celestia spoke again. “I did not always do the night sky you know.” Cadance glanced up at her aunt despite herself. This time it was Celestia who did not meet her gaze; she merely continued staring at the sky. Cadance followed her gaze and found herself looking at the moon.
The younger alicorn waited for her aunt to continue, but Celestia did not. After a few more seconds of silence, Celestia stood. “Please come and find me when you are ready to speak of what is bothering you little one. I truly wish to help you.”
Celestia was halfway to the door when she heard Cadance speak up behind her. “Who did the night sky?” The white alicorn smiled a little to herself and turned. She returned to the balcony at Cadance’s side and sat down again.
“It was long ago, much longer than anypony remembers. Nearly 1000 years ago.” Celestia extended a wing around her niece. “It was not long after we had defeated the spirit of chaos, Discord. My sister and I.” she said in response to Cadance’s confused look. Cadance’s eyes widened in surprise, but she said nothing. “Yes, I had a sister. Luna. My other half, if you will. We defeated Discord together with the Elements of Harmony, and we subsequently took the responsibility of rebuilding and ruling Equestria together.” Celestia smiled sadly, reminiscing on her past. “Those were difficult years, but among the best I can remember. We were so close during that time.”
Celestia chuckled softly in bittersweet remembrance. “We spent years helping the land recover together. Aside from the politics of creating a new country, we also had to take control of the sun and moon, to bring order to the chaos Discord had left us with. I took the sun as my charge, and Luna took the moon and night sky as hers.” Celestia looked up at the stars. “I wish you could have seen it Cadance. She had such skill in painting the night sky with the stars and nebulas. Each night was a treat to see what masterpiece she had crafted.”
“Unfortunately not everypony appreciated it as I did. Ponies slept during the night, and Luna’s beautiful works of art went largely unnoticed. As time went on she began to grow resentful of it, and like the fool I was I ignored it. I hoped she would overcome it, but she did not. Her anger boiled over one night; it transformed her into a terrible creature, a mockery of what she had been. You and thousands of other ponies know her as Nightmare Moon.”
Cadance looked sharply at her aunt, but Celestia paid her no heed. The younger princess looked up at the moon and its famous pattern which resembled a mare’s head. Suddenly the ramifications of what she had been told hit home. Cadance opened her mouth to say something, anything to offer comfort to her aunt, but no words came to mind.
The two mares sat in silence for a minute before Celestia spoke again. “It is a hard thing, Cadance. To endure while everything around you crumbles. To be an unchanging being in a changing world.” A tear threatened her eye, but she blinked it away. “Before I was comforted with the knowledge I would have my sister by my side through the years, but even that was taken from me.” Her voice hitched. “It was taken from me, and my own folly was to blame.”
Celestia tightened her wing around the younger mare, and then withdrew it. “I apologize; this is not what a mare your age should hear.” She arose and started again towards the door. “Sleep well tonight Cadance.”
Her horn alit and began to open the door. Once more Cadance spoke up from behind her in a voice so quiet she almost missed it. “Will that happen to me?”
Celestia stopped in her tracks; she turned slowly, uncertain she had heard correctly. “What did you say?”
Cadance had not turned or moved at all. Then, slightly louder than the last time, she asked again. “Will that happen to me?”
The older princess was struck dumb at the question. She hadn’t really considered the thought before- that her adopted niece would live to be just as old as she herself was, possibly older. She worked to formulate a response, but Cadance continued before she could respond. “Am I going to live for thousands of years? Am I immortal, like you?” Celestia could now hear the suppressed sobs in her niece’s voice “Will I have to watch everypony I love die?”
In that sentence it became clear to Celestia- the younger pony’s mood for the past few days, her seeming indifference to anything presented to her, and the source of Night Light’s worry. Cadance was worried she would have to endure the same torment Celestia herself had to endure for the past nine centuries. She felt a surge of pity and love for Cadance. Without thinking she was at the mare’s side in an instant, wings wrapped around her in a consoling embrace. Cadance, no longer able to suppress it any longer, let out all the feelings she had been bottling up for two days. The tears came hot and fast once she let them, and they did not let up. Celestia wrapped her wings tighter around the mare while whispering consoling words to her. Cadance cried into the warm, soft feathers, thinking of Twilight and Shining Armor, and even the city she lived in. Would she have to see it all fade away?
For five minutes she cried and cried, and Celestia comforted her in the moonlight. Celestia thought of all the ponies she had had to watch die in her long lifespan. She remembered each and every one of them, and the pain of their loss remained fresh. She wondered how she had possibly endured through it all, and how such a sweet, innocent mare like Cadance could possibly endure it as well.
Finally the flow of tears began to ebb as Cadance began to calm herself. A dull ache remained where hurting worry had been, no less from the outpouring of tears. How could she ever watch the ponies she love die while she remained unchanged? She would rather die herself that face such a fate. “I don’t want to live forever Aunt Tia.”
Celestia drew her wings tighter at the sound of the name Cadance had used for her as a young filly. She could hardly believe that little foal had grown into such a stunning mare in such a short time- an eye blink when compared to her own extensive lifespan. “I know little one. I know.”
Cadance looked up at her aunt- the only mother figure she had ever known in all her life. “Will I?”
Celestia opened her mouth to say no, you will not. She wanted to give the young mare words of comfort and reassurance, to let her know she would not have to face such a terrifying and doomed destiny. What came out of her mouth, however, were the only words she could truthfully say. “I do not know, Cadance. You may or may not live for as long as I have; I cannot say. I wish I could lay your fears to rest child, I truly do. But I cannot.”
Cadance’s heart fell at her aunt’s confession. Her mind painted images in her head- standing beside bedsides as ponies took their final breath, watching coffins being lowered into the grounds, cities growing old and crumbling to dust as she stood amidst the ruins. “But,” Celestia continued, bringing the mare out of her trance. “I do know this Cadance.” The older mare looked down at her niece with love shining in her eyes. “I will be here by your side no matter what comes. Whether you live to die as a normal pony, or share my fate and exist for centuries, I will stay with you through it all. I will not leave you alone, little one. I promise you.”
The young mare took in her aunt’s words for a moment, and then she felt her heart begin to lift. She would not be entirely alone in her journey; she would always have at least one other to endure the years with her. Tears sprang to her eyes again, but these tears were filled with happiness and relief rather than bitterness and despair. She embraced the elder princess and sobbed, so thankful that she would not be left alone.
Celestia held the mare close. She lifted her eyes to the moon once more; the white alicorn considered the patterned craters which marked her greatest regret in her life. As she held the pony close to her chest, her thoughts went out to the mare she knew dwelled on the barren surface of the satellite. She imagined her sister witnessing the events unfolding here; she wished they could both be here for the younger pony. She imagined how things could have been different had she not been so ignorant so long ago. She imagined the past nine centuries going by with a pony she loved and trusted at her side the entire time.
The princess of the sun closed her eyes and mentally sent her regrets and love outward, hoping somewhere her sister would sense it. Celestia lowered her head and rested it beside the pink mare’s own head. “I will never leave you Cadance,” she whispered, her thoughts still on her sister. “I promise I will never leave you alone.”