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// Part 3b Side A 
// Story: Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying 
// by l0x0r 
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I didn't rip off Young Frankenstein, I referenced it. There's a difference.

Loading Side A .............. (OK)
Loading Side B .............. (FAILED)
retrying .....

--

For Luna, the weeks passed by in one long, perpetual night. Between her nocturnal court, the days spent researching, and the scant few hours of sleep she guiltily stole, Luna had seen little daylight, and even less of Celestia. Despite her sister’s repeated efforts to spend time with her, to Luna, every moment not spent researching was a moment wasted, and an offense against her feelings for Twilight.

But now, finally, after so many caffeine fueled, sleepless days, Luna could feel the solution to her problem drawing close. Of course no pony had ever accomplished such a thing, defeating the spectre of death so soundly that they practically became immortal, so there were no set guidelines on how to go about it. However, from the bits and pieces of spells Luna had found in the dustier tomes, from the hints and conjectures in the margins of long forgotten pages, in the whisper of ideas not written down, but left between the lines, Luna believed she had pieced together a spell the likes of which Equestria had never seen.

The spell was elegantly simple, if you wanted a pony to live as long as an alicorn, you simply made them an alicorn. The actual implementation of such a simple concept was vastly more complex unfortunately. After all, there was more to an alicorn than simply giving a pegasus a horn or a unicorn wings. The subtle flow of energies in the body was vastly different, almost as foreign as the reshaped structure of the skeleton and muscles. Even the manner in which their essence interacted with the magical plane had to be altered. In short, a pony would have to relinquish their original body and rebuild it, almost to the point of creating a new one, all without altering their mind, their consciousness, the spark of life which made them the pony they were.

It would be a difficult spell, to say the least, requiring hundreds, thousands, perhaps even millions of tiny spells that fit into each other like tiny cogs in a horribly complicated timepiece. In addition, it would require a great deal of power. Perhaps even more than Luna herself possessed. Celestia’s aid would be required at least, and perhaps the full force of the Elements of Harmony might have to be harnessed in order to power such a multitude of interlocked spells.

However, despite all the difficulties facing her, the multitudes of spells she would have to design and practice on how they connected together, the politics behind finding the power necessary, and the monumental amount of trial and error ahead of her, for the first time in weeks, Luna felt something akin to joy. Yes, it would be difficult, but it was possible. The faint spark of hope she felt in her breast  was infinitely more than she’d had even days before.

The night was coming to a close, and after a final marathon session of researching, checking and double checking her assumptions and conclusions, Luna finally allowed herself to pause and bask in the warmth of her hope. She pushed herself away from the overburdened desk she’d been leaning heavily against for so long. A part of her wanted to leap up, to shout and prance with joy, but she was too physically and mentally drained to do much else other than collapse backwards onto the large cushion she’d been sitting on the edge of.

Luna didn’t even mind the plume of dust which shot off of its cover as her weight quickly descended upon it with a soft pomf. Nothing in the small room she’d commandeered for her work had been all that clean to begin with, but that didn't matter. Her criteria for a private study in which to perform her research had been simple; small, inaccessible, and in a part of the palace few ponies frequented. When properly focused, everything, including dirt, disappears. Besides which, if the room was too small and out of the way for the maids and other custodians of the castle to clean properly, then it was all the less likely that Celestia, or somepony else would stumble in and interrupt her work with something as blase as reminding her of the need for food or sleep.

Certainly her order that nopony else trespass upon her minor domain hadn’t helped the cleanliness of the room either, Luna thought to herself as she surveyed the chamber with half-lidded eyes. The large desk before her dominated the room, and it was in turn dominated by a pile of books and scrolls which were stacked in mounds shaped by the avalanches of literature from hours past. The floor was covered with a thin carpet that had been used so much that any design it might have once had was obliterated into a uniform grey which bled into the dark blue marble floor revealed between the carpet and the walls. Walls that were unadorned, save for the empty squares of stone where the outline of dust revealed where tapestries once hung, now secured over the room’s scant few windows to keep out the unwanted interruption of daylight. The only illumination she needed was provided by a few lamps scattered between the desk and the few bookshelves and tables that lurked elsewhere in the room, empty save for uneven stacks of dirty, dry tea cups. Lights augmented by will-o-wisps that Luna created whenever she needed the additional light to better examine something more fully. This was no fit place for a princess, but it suited her well.

Thanks to her standing order, aside from the occasional visit by Gimlet Lime, to deliver further research material, Luna had been blessedly uninterrupted during her non-court hours. Which made it all the more surprising when the door swung open and crashed into the adjacent wall with enough force to cause small cascades of dirt and dust to rain down from the bookshelves lost in the gloom, and for a few of the more precarious scrolls to slide off the table and bounce across the carpet. Surprised, Luna jerked her head up, ready to repel any and all hostile invaders, only to find a rather sheepish appearing Celestia standing in the doorway.

“I’m sorry, Luna, the door was stuck,” she said by way of explanation. Luna sighed and lowered her head back fractionally, trying to regain at least a sliver of the wonderful elation that had just been overflowing within her. “It’s a rather heavy door, and I don’t think the hinges have been oiled this century. In fact, I think this whole room could use a thorough cleaning,” Celestia continued as she stepped into Luna's research study, her head swiveling about to take in everything.

Luna turned over onto her stomach to better watch Celestia as she entered the room. “And what brings you to such a forlorn section of the palace such as this?”

Celestia was silent for a few moments as she nonchalantly perused the many volumes crowding Luna’s desk amongst a sea of papers covered with her small, cramped, short-hoof. At length she replied, “I’ve been hearing reports about your studies that are a bit … disconcerting.”

Luna’s eyes narrowed dangerously and she curtly asked, “From whom?”

“Gimlet Lime, among others.” Seeing Luna’s eyes shift to a far corner of the room thoughtfully, and her frown deepen into an outright scowl, Celestia quickly added, “She’s just worried about you, we all are, Luna. It isn’t healthy to lock yourself away for days on end, studying things like this.” She lifted up a copy of De Lu’s Art of Magic that Luna had left open face down on the desk before quickly dropping it as if it were covered with a contagious virus, its dragon-hide bound cover colored with the blood of various other creatures only hinted at the dark secrets hidden within. “When I tried to warn you about the consequences of our long lives, of the ephemerality of other ponies, I didn’t mean for you to drive yourself insane searching for a way to pervert nature.”

Luna’s exhaustion was transforming into a simmering anger that bordered on outright rage. She glowered at Celestia as she uncoiled from the cushion and stood up to her full height. “A perversion of nature?” She quietly, calmly asked. “Are you unnatural, Celestia? Am I? The fact that we exist shows that ponies can transcend their natural limitations and become something ... more.” Luna began to pace through the shadows that gathered in the gloom of the room. “And what right do you have to question what I do with my time? I’ve attended to all my duties as the ruler of the night, rose and set the moon exactly on time, listened to and arbitrated many matters of great import. On what ground do you have to question me or my methods?”

Celestia shook her head and frowned in concern. Imploringly she said, “On what ground … Luna, listen to yourself. I’m only concerned about you. When was the last time you ate, or even slept? You’re pushing yourself too hard.”

Luna’s rage briefly died back into exhaustion and she closed her eyes wearily for a few seconds and the steel left her voice as she replied, “Perhaps you’re right, I have been working hard, but it’s all been worth it.” Her voice took on a breathless, excited tenor, “During my tireless hours of study, in the midst of this darkness, a sudden light broke in upon me, a light so brilliant and wondrous, and yet so simple.  I alone have succeeded in discovering the cause of lengthening life, neigh, even more. Celestia, I have found an answer to death itself. We can transform her into an alicorn, turn her into one of us!” 

“To go to such lengths for anypony, even one as special as Twilight, is madness, Luna, even if it were possible.” Celestia said sadly.

“It could work!” Luna cried out loudly, defiantly. From outside a crack of thunder reverberated throughout the castle, the lightning accompanying it flashing so brightly that it shot through the room, revealing the dark circles around Luna’s eyes and her heaving chest. “It will require a spell, no, a series of spells more complex than any I’ve ever known, and vast amounts of power, but it is possible. It must be. And she isn’t just somepony, Twilight is … she’s … I am …” Luna trailed off, her energy deserting her; she slumped down to the ground defeated. “Heavens help me, Celestia, I love her so much. I can’t lose her.”

Celestia’s eyebrows shot up and she asked incredulously, “You love her?”

Luna closed her eyes wearily and sighed. “Yes. I think I do. I don’t know how or when it happened, but I love her so much it hurts.” Luna’s voice trembled slightly from exhaustion, mostly from fear. Without saying anything, Celestia crossed the room and settled down by her side. Luna pressed her face tightly against her sister’s rainbow hued mane, too afraid to move away or to look up and discover Celestia’s expression.

Celestia reached out with her hoof and pulled Luna into a tight hug, opening her wing wide to bring them even closer, before setting it down over Luna’s back. They stayed that way for several silent minutes as Luna composed herself against Celestia’s side, her sister as steady and unflappable as ever. Luna found herself resting against her, breathing in her familiar, comforting scent.

Eventually though, even silence must end, and Celestia quietly, hesitantly, said, “Luna, I'm glad you've found a special somepony ... but -”

“I know,” Luna said a tad curtly. She reluctantly pushed away from Celestia, her head still turned away, refusing to look her sister in the face. She sighed in resignation. “I know. That's why I'm doing all of this. Why I'm driving myself so hard. I don't want her to leave me, Celestia. I want to see her smile, to hear her laugh, forever and always.” Luna cut her eyes toward Celestia to find her chewing her lower lip in though, her brow wrinkled in confusion.

“I wasn't aware that your relationship had progressed so far. Have you told her how you feel yet?” Celestia asked, sounding reserved, but non-judgemental. However her eyes were unfocused, lost.

“No, I haven't told her yet. I wasn't sure of my own feelings until just recently, and even once I was, how can I be sure of how she feels? What if she doesn't love me as I love her, or thinks that I'm strange and ... unnatural?”

It was Celestia's turn to give out a small sigh as she focused on Luna. “You're not unnatural Luna. I'm sorry I mentioned that. I never meant for you to take it so personally. But you shouldn't doubt yourself so much, you're a wonderful pony and Twilight would never intentionally hurt you. Even if you confess your love to her, and she doesn't feel the same way, I'm sure that she would want to remain your friend.”

“Perhaps you're right,” Luna said thoughtfully. In truth she didn't require very much convincing. After so much time spent obsessing over Twilight, it was clear to Luna that at least for now it simply wasn't enough for her to be Twilight's friend. Perhaps in time when her feelings cooled, when the first blush of her ardor died down, she could settle for being only her friend, but at that moment such a prospect seemed tortuous. “Perhaps, now that I have a possible answer to her mortality, now that we can truly share our lives, now I'll be able to tell her my feelings. If she even feels a fraction of what I feel for her, it will be enough.”

“Luna,” Celestia said chidingly. “While you should tell Twilight the truth, and let her know how you feel, you shouldn't put so much faith in this spell of yours. Whether you or she will be here forever, or whether you'll never see one another again after tomorrow, shouldn't change how you feel for her. And you should respect her decision whether she returns your feelings or not.”

“I know,” Luna said shortly as she climbed to her hooves. “Twilight's feelings are her own, and I will respect them no matter what they are. But who are you to lecture me on how much importance I should place on lengthening her life, my love's life? I know my research is far from complete and I have much further to go before I can guarantee that she'll live as long as I do, but it will work. If not this exact spell, then something else. There has to be an answer. I will find a way, Celestia. You might not be able to understand my feelings for Twilight, or the lengths I would go to for her, but I will do whatever it takes.” She coldly looked down at her sister.

Celestia's frown deepened as she too stood up. “Luna, listen to yourself. You're starting to sound like you did before you transformed into Nightmare Moon. It isn't healthy to be so obsessed like this.”

Luna's eyes narrowed and she backed further away from Celestia. “Is that what you think, is that what you fear? That I'll return to being Nightmare Moon, that I'll terrorize you and all of Equestria?”

The hesitation before Celestia replied was answer enough, and from her guilty expression, Luna could tell that Celestia knew it as well. Apologetically she said, “Quite frankly, yes, I am afraid of seeing you so dedicated to something. I saw it a millenia ago and stood by without saying anything. But now I can see that Twilight has replaced your moon and stars. Love is beautiful, but you can't allow it to rule you, Luna. It's dangerous to have so much passion. What will happen when Twilight vanishes? Where will all that passion, all that intensity go” Luna's stony, accusatory silence stretched between them.

Celestia sighed deeply before taking a shuddering breath and continuing, “Luna, I do ... I know how you feel. I too was once in love.” Celestia's eyes could no longer meet Luna's and she turned around, taking a few steps away. “I-it was a long time ago, sometime after you'd gone away, when I was alone, for the first time in my life. I met him, and it was wonderful.” Her voice took on a wistful, reminiscent tone for a moment. But as she continued, it hardened into her normal speaking voice, and her momentary sad smile slipped back into her normal mask as she turned towards Luna once more. With clipped words she said, “But, the years flow by so fast, as fast then as now, and as I watched, he faded away, growing older every moment, while I ... while I did not. And all too soon he was gone forever, and I was left standing at his grave, more alone than I had been even when you'd been sent to the moon. They say it's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all. But then those who say that are themselves mortal, there is an end to their pain, to their suffering, not like it is with us, Luna. I know how deep the pit of despair is, and how dangerous it is for us, for all of Equestria, for us to fall into it. That's why we must never love, or hate, or feel, too deeply.”

Luna's hardening heart softened, and she quietly murmured, “I never knew,” as she took a few steps forward, unsure what she should do, but instinctively wanting to comfort Celestia.

“No, nopony ever did. We kept it a secret, and even the few rumors which where whispered around court died after a few decades.”

A soft silence permeated the room as Luna turned to contemplate one of the artificial lights, mulling over Celestia's revelation. But Twilight was not some mystery stallion forgotten in the sands of time, and she was not her sister. With resolution in her heart, and an inner fire in her eyes, Luna looked up and stated, “I'm sorry for your loss, Celestia. But Twilight is different, and abandoning your feelings is not the answer. Just watch, I'll turn her into an alicorn and give her the same power we enjoy. She will never grow old, she will never leave me, and our love will last for all eternity.”

Celestia snorted sadly, her smile humorless, and Luna could tell she was upset. “Luna, ponies have been searching for the secret of eternal life for centuries, but none have ever been successful, not even me. I know that you're smart, but really, what hope do you have that this spell will even work?”

Luna intellectually knew that Celestia was hurt, raw from sharing such a personal secret, but she couldn't keep the steel from her voice as she heatedly replied, “It doesn't matter if nopony has been able to do it before now. No pony has ever had the impetus that I have. The theory is sound, it should work. It will work.”

“'It should.' Are you willing to so casually risk Twilight's life on such a sentiment?” Celestia relentlessly, almost cruelly pressed. “This spell will be complex and powerful, what happens, if, for some reason, you're interrupted in the midst of it, if something goes wrong?”

Truthfully, Luna hadn't had the time to consider the possible ramifications of failure. She'd only just found the possible solution, and had focused solely on success. In sullen silence she turned her head to sightlessly examine a stack of books in the far corner.

Still, Celestia pushed her, “I know it's difficult, but you have to accept the fact that Twilight is a normal pony, and like a normal pony she will live and she will die.”

With an angry scowl, Luna defiantly shook her head and stared back, determinedly at Celestia. “No. She's not just a normal pony. I love her, and I won't allow her to die.”

Celestia laughed coldly. “'You won't allow it?' We are powerful Luna, but even we must face reality. Some problems are too large, too complex to solve with magic.”

“If magic won't work, then I'll find something else that will,” Luna practically snarled. “You may have squandered your chance, Celestia, but I will not bend, I will not give up as easily as you did. No matter what it takes, I will pay the price, and nopony will stand in my way. Twilight and I will be happy together.”

Celestia's face was pinched by anger, and she practically growled, “You're impossible to reason with sometimes.”

“At least I don't banish ponies for a thousand years in ice, or stone, or space when the conversation doesn't go my way,” Luna coldly replied.

A wave of shock passed over Celesita's face, quickly replaced by a tight frown as she nearly shook with the effort of reigning in her anger. Through clenched teeth, she said, “We've both had a trying week, squeezing more work than normal into our courts in order to clear our schedules for the holiday. We're both tired, and I think it would be best if we both rested before we continue this discussion.”

Luna snappily retorted, “Well, I think -”

Without warning, Celestia's horn flared to life and the drapes that had been covering the windows flew apart, and despite the earlier thunderbolt, brilliant sunlight flooded the room. With a small cry, Luna threw up a hoof to ward off the brightness as if it were a physical blow. She was entirely blinded for several seconds as her sensitive eyes adjusted to the searing light. Celestia's heavy hoofsteps stomped across the room as she said, “It's well past your bedtime. I suggest you retire and reexamine your plans with a rested mind. Good day, dear sister.” Her farewell was punctuated by the heavy door slamming shut with enough force to shake the walls.

Her eyes watering from the intense glare, Luna scowled toward the door her sister had disappeared through as she used her own magic to lower the drapes back into place. The darkness that swept in was too deep for her taste, so she allowed a crack in each drape to let in just enough light.

On an intellectual level, Luna could appreciate Celestia's arguments. However, her thoughts at that moment were far from intellectual. Why was it that every time she found happiness, Celestia would come to tear it all down? She never did it out of spite, and always seemed to want the best for her, but Luna could scarce remember an occasion where she'd been truly happy which had not been overthrown by Celestia. Luna loved her sister, but sometimes she made it so difficult to do so.

At any rate, it was obvious that Celestia would be unwilling to support her plan, and that severely limited the options she had for power sources upon which she could draw for the spell. Luna sighed. Why couldn't Celestia simply support her in this, didn't she care for Twilight as well? Luna knew her solution wasn't foal proof, and there could be other, possibly better ways to lengthen a pony's life. But if Celestia worked together with her, there was no problem, not even this one that they couldn't solve.
Outside, a cloud must have passed overhead because the light peeping in from the window dimmed. An electrical shiver ran up and down Luna's spine. A small corner of her mind began to whisper quietly, seductively. Perhaps Celestia didn't care for Twilight quite as much as she did. Perhaps she didn't approve of just how much attention Twilight was paying Luna. Maybe she had some very different plans for the young unicorn, plans which didn't involve Luna.

But Luna didn't need Celestia, or her schemes, did she? She was powerful in her own right, and while her current form may lack the power necessary for such a spell as she had envisioned, by tapping into the resources she'd locked away, by truly and fully embracing the darkness within her, she could have all the power she would ever need, and more. She could force Twilight to live forever, by her side, and together they could rule all of Equestria.

The room had grown dark, silent and still, and Luna's mind had trespassed into the shadows of her consciousness. With an almost painful shake of her head, Luna threw open the drapes and the tall glass windows to allow a breath of fresh air into the stagnant room. She then summoned a stiff breeze to blow away the intruding cloud hanging over the castle, likely playing havok with the weather ponies on duty that day.

But Luna didn't care as she trotted over to one of the windows and basked in the clear, warm sunlight. Celestia had been right about one thing at least, she was dreadfully tired, and had been sequestered in her dusty room for far too long if she was seriously considering Nightmare Moon's tempting offer. But even if her darker self spoke the truth, by succumbing to her thirst for power, Luna would lose Twilight as surely as if she'd killed her herself. While Nightmare Moon would certainly try her hardest, it was impossible to force your will upon somepony else. And love, true love, could never be demanded, or taken in the manner Nightmare Moon believed. It had to be given, to be earned.

No, she would not accept Nightmare Moon simply because she was having an argument with Celestia. Especially not when something as important as Twilight's love was in jeopardy. Perhaps, in time, Luna would be able to convince Celestia to help her, or if she couldn't, then other solutions would come to her. Luna was nothing if not a resourceful pony, and given enough time, she was confident she could overcome any obstacle. Giving up and transforming into Nightmare Moon wasn't the answer, it would never be the answer to any of her problems, and once more, Luna resolved that she'd never fall into that madness ever again, no matter what her life would bring.

As she basked in the sunlight, with the light breeze playing in her mane, resting against the window frame, Luna allowed her eyes to drift shut. It had been hours, possibly days since she'd last slept. She'd been so focused on finding a cure for Twilight that it had been all too easy to dismiss the physical needs of her body. But now that the most difficult portion of her work was at an end, Luna's exhaustion was pulling her deep into its velvety embrace.

The sun felt like a warm blanket, and the soft sandstone of the sill was as wonderful a pillow as anypony could ask for. But before sleep could claim her, Luna gave herself a shake and blearily pushed away from the window. With thoughts made thick and slow from her desire for slumber, she peered around the room and retrieved a pair of saddlebags that had been tucked beneath the desk. In a matter of moments, and with a bit more concentration than it should have warranted, Luna retrieved the most pertinent documents from atop the desk she'd labored over for far too many hours. She tucked them into the bags and tossed them across her back. With a final glance around the room, she made her exit.

The halls just outside her secreted away study were sparsely populated, but they grew more crowded as the stone transitioned from granite and blue marble to gold and white marble, signifying her return to the newer sections of the palace. Several of the ponies she passed seemed rather surprised to see her still awake and roaming the halls, but they all smiled, bowed, or greeted her warmly. Luna tried her best to return their smiles and nodded congenially back to them, but she didn't break her stride. The endless white, gleaming halls decorated by swirling whorls of turquoise and dense, soft carpets passed by in a whirl, but soon enough Luna found herself safety ensconced in her perpetually shadowed chambers. 

It was a herculean struggle on her part not to simply collapse on the luxuriously plush carpet and drift off to sleep. Instead, she shrugged off her bags, letting them fall where they may. As an afterthought, she took a moment to cast a simple protective ward over them to make sure that nopony accidentally went through them and mistakenly upset her research.

The minuscule amount of power necessary to cast the ward seemed to be the limit of Luna's reserve. With the angelic, relieved smile of a pony who'd had all their burdens lifted from them, Luna collapsed on her bed, not even bothering to crawl under the covers. It was almost too much effort to wiggle into a position enabling her to lay her head on one of the many pillows. 

With a contented sigh, Luna gladly let sleep overtake her. She could finally rest. For the first time since her return from Ponyville, she had a modicum of peace, of happiness. She had the beginnings of an answer to her worries. It was with a light and easy conscience that Luna went to a far, far better rest than she'd known in many days.

--

Several hours later and Luna awoke, suddenly and fully, as if instead of having slept for hours on end, she'd just blinked her eyes open. Yet the lethargy and weariness which had plagued her were entirely gone, replaced by an alertness and a sense of well being that she'd not felt in many nights.

Her room was completely dark, the sun having long set, and Luna had either a dream-like memory, or a memory-like dream of having roused herself enough to call forth the moon and the stars. But, whether she'd ushered in the night sky, or if Celestia had, the moon was just past its nightly zenith. That of course meant that only a few short hours remained until sunrise, and after that, only a few hours more until the early train from Ponyville could be expected, and with it, Twilight.

In the course of their recent correspondence, Luna had offered to send a fleet of flying carriages for her friends, but Twilight had gently rebuffed the offer, confiding that the train would be better thanks to the voluminous amount of luggage her friends, chiefly Rarity, were bringing along with them. And so Luna would have to wait, patiently if possible. But, at least today was the day she'd been looking toward for so long. 

She'd calculated the exact amount of time the journey from Ponyville by train would take, how much time it would require to navigate the early morning Canterlot traffic, and knew approximately to the minute when she could expect to see Twilight again in the flesh. However, that didn't stop her from hoping against hope that by some miracle, at any moment there would come a knock at her door announcing the arrival of Twilight and the rest of the delightful ponies from Ponyville.

With such an unreasonable hope in her heart, a smile on her lips, and the confidence to take on every and anything life could put in her path that day, Luna leapt out of bed and began her evening ablutions. For such an important day, she spent an inordinate amount of time combing her mane and tail, brushing her coat until it glistened, and polishing her tiara until it glowed. She even went so far as to apply a hint of perfume in a few discrete places. Without a hair out of place, Luna felt ready to face the rest of the night, and whatever lay beyond.

She eyed her saddlebags, but decided that she had earned a reprieve from her studies, at least for one day. So she lifted them from the ground and placed them on a nearby bookshelf before she strode out her door. Luna paused for a moment to contemplate the entrance to Celestia's room across from her own. She fancied that she could feel her sister's energy resting inside and reflected upon the argument they'd had the previous day. While at the time Luna had thought Celestia was being hard-headed and intractable, now, with the benefit of a wonderful day's sleep, she could appreciate her sister's sentiment, if not her exact arguments. Simply because nopony, not even Celestia had ever been able to do something, didn't necessitate that it was impossible. And, while there were still many variables and unknowns that had to be dealt with, it wasn't as if Luna was going to rush in and being casting spells on Twilight the moment she stepped hoof inside the castle. Luna would never let anypony, even herself, endanger Twilight's safety. Still, Celestia had only spoken out of concern for both her and Twilight, and Luna could appreciate that.

Luna's stomach rumbled loudly and for the first time in days she noticed that she was hungry. With a bounce in her step, Luna set off down the corridor in search of a literal midnight snack. So late in the evening, or early in the morning, depending on your perspective, there was no set meal planned, especially on what was ostensibly a holiday. Due to this, Luna bypassed their regular dining room and continued on through the labyrinthine halls covered in white marble decorated with blue and gold mosaics of prancing ponies. Soon she arrived at the small chamber near the throne room which served as the palace's mail stop, in which she'd appropriated a desk as her own. A part of her enjoyed the bustle and flurry of activity that always filled the room, and made her feel less lonely during the long nights.

As usual, in contrast to the rest of the desolately populated palace, the small, brilliantly lit room was a whirlwind of activity. Five of her attendants were rushing between the several pigeonhole cupboards lining the walls and the many tables spread throughout the room; rummaging through haphazard piles of scrolls, sorting through stacks of papers, furiously writing volumes of new documents and placing them in tremulously tall pillars, and generally correlating, processing, and documenting reams upon reams of paper.

Luna's entrance was largely unnoticed, although, the pony closest to the door did slow down to offer her a perfunctory bow. Unfortunately he continued to walk forward as well, which ended in him tripping over his own hooves, causing him to give out a cry. The thick sheaf of papers he'd been carrying went flying, and a passing unicorn noticed his coworker's plight. Bravely, he leapt into action and adroitly caught one of the papers with his magic, allowing the rest of the stack to hit the floor and burst into a flurry which covered a large portion of the carpet. The unicorn intensely studied the paper he'd saved for half a moment, then sighed in relief and turned to file it in one of the stacks he seemed to be tending.

The pony who had planted is face into the floor smiled ruefully up at Luna and began to pick up the scattered papers. Luna shook her head slightly at the lunacy which was bureaucracy and used her magic to gather together the leaves of paper on the floor, arranging them in a neat, albeit unordered ream, which she floated over to her attendant. He gave her another self-conscious smile before dashing off to file, or transcribe, or destroy the documents.

Luna looked about her, and while the attendants bustling around the room were all familiar to her, there was no sign of her steward. “Where is Gimlet Lime?” she asked one of the nearby ponies.

He stopped shuffling papers long enough to look up at her in surprise. “She's asleep, probably, Your Highness. Don't you remember, you gave her the night off in preparation for tomorrow?”

“Did I?” Luna frowned in thought. To be honest, aside from her research, the past several nights were jumbled together and hazy. “Well, I hope that she enjoys her rest. If you happen across a courtier, please send them to me.”

Without waiting to hear a reply, Luna weaved in between the hurrying ponies and took her normal seat in front of a desk slightly less cluttered than the other tables in the room. If she were truly being dutiful, she would have immediately delved into the many memos, notices, and petitions asking for her attention. But instead she rested her elbows on the table and her head on her hooves, letting her mind wander. Of course her thoughts immediately turned to Twilight. Not on the spell she was developing, or the upcoming arrival of her love, but of the far future, of how happy they could be together, how happy they would be. Moonlit strolls through the growing night district of Canterlot, late evenings locked away in the library discussing and debating various topics of academia, trips to the remotest reaches of Equestria where they could be alone together, appreciating the majesty and beauty of nature uninterrupted by anypony else. Luna could easily picture them on a precipice soaring so high that even the clouds would bow to them. In the far distance nameless mountains would stand, awaiting their hoovesteps, and stretching between them and the far off vistas would be all of Equestria, waiting for them in all its glory. Although, with their recent history concerning precipices, perhaps they could visit a more terrestrial climate which would give them the same ambiance. 

Luna’s reverie was interrupted by a soft cough at her shoulder. One of the normal nightly servants stood there, wearing a pleasant and expectant smile. “Was there something you needed, Princess Luna?”

It took Luna a moment to recall her thoughts, but her blank stare transformed into a grateful smile as she replied, “Ah yes, thank you. I would greatly appreciate a cup of tea, and perhaps a small meal.”

“Right away,” the other pony said, quickly turning to go.

Luna was in the midst of returning to her paperwork, when a thought occurred to her and she held out her hoof to forestall the courtier. “Before you go, please arrange to have the rooms in the east wing cleaned soon. I know nopony goes there all that often, but if a room is shut up for too long, the dust and shadows grow deep, and the air breeds dark thoughts.” Luna said mournfully, her eyes drifting away from the present for a brief moment.  When she returned, she found the servant staring at her uncertainly. Luna lowered her hoof and cleared her throat. “That is to say, please have a schedule made to keep all the rooms in the palace thoroughly cleaned, whether they're in use or not.”

With a slight curtsy, the servant answered, “Yes, Your Majesty.” She rushed off, nearly colliding with one of the secretaries who had just finished rearranging a stack of papers to his satisfaction. Luna tracked her flight from the room, then turned her hoof to more princessly duties. The first document staring up at her from the desk, patiently waiting her attention was a rather verbose and convoluted request from the mayor of Canterlot asking whether it would be appropriate to exchange the current streetlights with newer magical globes powered by an improved spell which was expected to allow the lights to last for far longer. In addition there was a plan to increase the number of streets covered by the lights. The letter ended with a statement revealing that since the streetlights affected the ability of ponies in Canterlot to view the night sky, the mayor felt it was important to get Luna's opinion before moving ahead with the plan.

Luna put down the letter and mentally considered the vista from atop the palace for a few moments, of the stars twinkling far above and the lights of Canterlot twinkling far below. It was difficult sometimes to remember that most ponies didn't, or couldn't view the stars from such a vantage. How different the night must be for a pony in the city, their night made artificial day thanks to the streetlights. Lights put in place to keep ponies safe and allow them to see where they were going, but which drowned out all but the brightest stars.

Luna took great pride in her night sky, and at one time might have been perturbed by the thought of deliberately obscuring it with magical lights. But now she felt as if she had a deeper understanding for the common pony. Most ponies didn't look up and appreciate the night sky out of maliciousness, but rather because they simply lacked the understanding of the natural world which some ponies possessed. They were busy with their lives, their thoughts turned toward their homes and occupations without straying from such a comfortingly small view of the world. It was for their sake that things such as streetlights were necessary. The scientists, the poets, the artists, and all the other dreamers who looked at the world differently, who truly appreciated the night sky, they would find the will to leave the safety of the city behind and journey to the remote places, far from the pollution from lights, or from the casual concerns which threatened to pull their lofty thoughts from the heavens back down to Equestria.

Luna looked down again at the document before her. After a moment's further consideration, she magically opened one of the drawers of the desk and lifted out a freshly trimmed quill as well as a glass inkwell capped with an ornate and intricate gold mesh. After delicately dabbing the quill's nib in the ebony ink, she proceeded to write her reply in an even script unconsciously made elegant by archaic flourishes. 

Her reply was much more concise than the question had been. Luna assured the mayor that it was a wonderful idea to expand the coverage of streetlights in Canterlot, and that so long as the new spell had been adequately tested, it made perfect sense to use globes which wouldn't have to be replaced so frequently. She gently blew on her message to speed along the drying ink, then rolled it into a scroll and sealed it with a piece of soft wax that she turned molten with a thought, and into which she pressed her signet. She set the scroll down on the corner of her desk reserved for outgoing mail, and in a matter of seconds it was whisked away, as if by magic.

The first message taken care of, Luna turned her attention to the next, and her mouth quirked into a delighted smile. It was a request by the Equestrian Academy of Science to build a new observatory on a remote mountain in the midst of the royal preserve, far from the polluting influence of artificial light. With a flourish of her quill, Luna agreed to the plea, with the provision that the academy provided a detailed plan of how they were going to build the observatory while leaving the rest of the preserve untouched.

Her reply had just disappeared into the capable hooves of one of the secretaries when the servant from earlier returned and announced her presence by sliding a tea service also containing a covered plate onto an unoccupied corner of Luna's desk. “I'm sorry it took so long, Princess Luna, there were only a few cooks still on duty tonight.”

“That's quite all right,” Luna replied with a grateful smile. “Thank you very much.”

“Do you need anything else, Your Majesty?”

“No, thank you. I believe I have all that I need for now.” 

The servant nodded and silently, respectfully left. Luna lifted the ornately wrought silver platter to find a large plate of artfully arranged, neatly cut sandwiches. As she floated up one of the sandwiches and sampled it, she lifted the heavy silver teapot and poured the steaming tea into one of the thin walled porcelain cups. The sandwich was honestly unremarkable. But when she took a sip of the fragrant tea, she found it sweeter than what she was accustomed to, and smiled softly, pleased that somepony had noticed her preference. She took another sip of the tea thoughtfully, and then stirred in one of the sugar cubes stacked in a pyramid on a small dish. While it was sweeter than normal, it still wasn’t quite sweet enough for Luna’s tastes.

The rest of the morning passed quickly. Luna diligently read through the stack of documents requiring her attention, approving some, denying others, and requesting additional information for most. Despite the best efforts of her secretaries, the stack of papers awaiting Luna’s perusal dwindled, and far overhead, invisible in the depths of the palace, the moon charted its course across the night sky.

Only the cold dregs of the tea were still left in the bottom of the teapot, and Luna had nearly worn away the nib on her third quill by the time she stretched and pushed herself away from the desk. The moon hung low in the sky, which meant that it would soon be time for the sun to rise, and then, for Twilight to arrive.

With a heart made light by expectation, Luna smiled charmingly upon the markedly slower moving secretaries. “Thank you so much for your hard work, gentlecolts. Dawn is nearly upon us, and so I’ll bid you all a good morning.” The bleary eyes stallions smiled and muttered their thanks as Luna stood and worked the kinks out of her hind legs. They set down their many reams of papers in a more-or-less sorted manner and began to move toward the exit as Luna passed through the opposite doorway and made the short journey to the throne room.

Thanks to the lack of any scheduled courts, the throne room was abandoned, even by the guards normally stationed at its doors. None of the lights had been lit, but the gentle moonbeams and soft starlight that tumbled through the tall stained glass windows provided more than enough illumination for Luna. Indeed, without the harsh glare of any pony made light, the room seemed less of a cyclopean vault, and more like a sacred sanctuary.

Luna’s hooves made no sound as she crossed the marble floor to the deep, plush carpet that ran across the center of the room. On a whim she followed the runner and slowly climbed the familiar path up to the throne. With all her normal pomp, she regally ascended to her rightful place and haughtily scanned the hall as if it were packed with ponies awaiting her review. The moment soon passed, and with a wry snort of amusement at her antics, Luna settled heavily into the throne of Equestria, her crown resting upon a troubled brow.

Her mind freed from her duties, Luna's thoughts traveled over the well worn paths leading back to Twilight, and Celestia. Her love for Twilight was without question, and she would pour all her passion, all her energy into insuring that her love would never die. But what of Celestia? She obviously had some deep and personal reservations about Luna's feelings, stemming from her own history. Yet did that invalidate her point? Could there ever come a time when Luna's feelings for Twilight potentially interfere with her ability to govern Equestria? 

Deep down, being perfectly honest with herself, Luna herself was unsure of the answer, but feared it. She knew that she would be wiling to sacrifice many things for Twilight, even her own life if necessary. If it came down to a choice between Twilight and Equestria, Luna wasn't certain which she would put above the other.

Perhaps Celestia was right, perhaps having such deep feelings could be potentially detrimental. However, that didn't mean that it was appropriate for her to go to the other extreme, abandoning all her feelings completely, suppressing them behind the mask of the perfect ruler. Certainly she had experienced a loss that not even Luna could fully understand, yet shouldn't that enable her to better understand Luna's feelings, her love? Couldn't she reexamine the lesson she'd learned and draw new, better conclusions from it, ones unclouded by bereavement and loss? Perhaps it was Luna's turn to help her sister, to open her eyes to the fact that she didn't have to close herself off to the softer, nobler emotions which made a pony a pony.

As Luna brooded on these thoughts and others, the reign of the night came to an end, and the day began. She felt the familiar push of the sun, and Luna eagerly pulled down her moon, enshrouding the throne room in darkness. The impenetrable gloom lasted only a few moments until a gradual brightening heralded the first rosy strands of light striking the uppermost windows. In the otherwise silent room, Luna could clearly discern the faint popping that arose as the glass expanded thanks to the energy of the sun. In a matter of minutes, as the sun rose, the beams of colored light swept down the walls of the throne room painting it in vibrant reds, greens, blues, and a thousand other colors. Just when its dazzling brilliance reached the top of the throne and threatened to ensnare Luna's eyes, the door to the throne room was opened and in strode Celestia.

She stopped short when she found Luna sitting upon the throne, and her face blossomed with a warm, welcoming smile. “Luna, good morning!”

Luna instinctively smiled in return. “Good morning, Celestia.” Luna replied as she stood up and made her way down off the throne. An awkward silence stretched out between them, though they were now on an equal field, both smiling at one another pleasantly. The good mood that Luna had awoken in echoed through her and resonated with her anticipation of her soon to be realized joy. Feeling a bit magnanimous, and ready to forgive anypony anything, Luna said, “I'm sorry about yesterday, Celestia. I was exhausted and perhaps a bit overworked, but I shouldn't have taken my frustration out on you. I know that you have only my, and Twilight's best interest at heart. I shouldn't have ... snapped at you the way I did.”

Celestia's smile grew wistful as she replied, “No, Luna, I'm the one who should apologize. These past few weeks haven't been the most pleasant for me either. And when I heard that you were secreting yourself away from everypony, again, well, I acted and spoke without thinking things through. I know you wouldn't hurt anypony willingly, least of all Twilight, but I allowed my fears to get the better of me for a little while. I still don't agree with the course of action you've taken, I know how it will end, but no matter what happens, I'll always be there for you.”

Luna's smile fell slightly. While she appreciated Celestia's apology, her promise of support rung somewhat hollow. “Thank you. But you only believe you know how this will turn out. I'm sorry for what happened to you in the past, but that was a different time, with different ponies. I'm not you, and Twilight's not that stallion. We will make this work, somehow. If this fails, or I can't discover a safe means to perform the spell, we'll find something else. I'll never give up, but I promise you that I will never put Twilight in danger, no matter what.”

Celestia sighed in resignation, but her smile removed most of the sting from it. “I'm sure you will, Luna. But don't let your feelings, your ambition, blind you.  I worry for you, not only because of your eventual heartbreak, but also because of your ability to become ... obsessed, with your mind focused upon a single thought, ruling all others. Please, be careful how you tread, Luna. Please don't follow the paths you once walked.”

Any vestige of Luna's smile had fled her, and she backed a little away from Celestia, turning her attention to one of the banners decorating the hall. “If you fear the return of Nightmare Moon, you have no need to worry. You have my word that I will never allow my heart to become so corrupted as to transform into her ever again.”

Celestia nodded, but still she looked unconvinced. She turned her attention away from Luna to look around the throne room. Its early morning splendor had faded, the vibrant mosaic of light had coalesced into a cheerfully warm yellow glow that suffused throughout the room. Obviously not wanting to dwell on the subject, she asked, “It's still early, but have you eaten yet?”

Luna's frown lessened slightly, there was still more she'd like to say to somehow convince her sister that she wasn't the pony that she thought she was. But she allowed herself to be redirected. “No, although, I must confess that I'm not all that hungry. I'm too ... excited. Twilight and the others will be here soon, and I'm both anxious to see them, and nervous.”

“I understand, but I'm afraid we still have a few hours until they arrive.”

“I know, but -”

Luna broke off as the soft cacophony of several hooves striking marble echoed through the partially open door behind Celestia. Both princesses regarded each other questioningly just before the doors burst open to reveal all of Luna's friends from Ponyville as well as several of the servants from the palace, including Gimlet Lime. They all stopped short when they saw the princesses together and dropped into low bows. Rainbow Dash was the first to straighten out of hers, and she sported a wide grin at seeing Luna's shocked expression. “See, I told you we'd surprise them.”