–––Chapter XI–––
They reached the edge of the desert and crossed the mountain range, passing over the cave that had been their shelter for that second night. Then they were flying onwards again over the same forests and fields above which they had previously soared on their outbound trip. Except now in many places the landscape beneath them was twisted, churned, burned and cratered. A symptom of the horrendous storms that had seemingly hit everywhere and at once. Luna couldn't take her eyes off it, and for every blackened tree or tornado-ravaged meadow, her guilt grew a little. Then she would shift on Valkyrie's back, feel the slowly-enlarging moon sway gently in her saddlebag, and that guilt would transform into resolve.
Even in spite of the weight, Valkyrie's wings carried them at a far greater speed than they were capable of on their own. Distances that would have taken them an hour were dealt with in just over half the time, and it was not long after the sun left the horizon and began to rise again before they found themselves back within the borders of Equestria.
When Luna looked down upon what the storms had done to her own country, no amount of resolve could have prepared her. Meadows and fields, farms and forests all lay ruined, devastated by a combination of high winds, lightning strikes and earthquakes. Fortunately the few populated areas over which they sailed were much less damaged – no doubt a credit to the courageous efforts of her little ponies to keep each other safe. But it still struck a blow.
"It is no good," called Valkyrie, now obviously breathing heavily. "Unless you can make that thing lighter, I am going to have to rest for a minute."
"I'm afraid I cannot," responded Luna. "I can't apply a new spell without releasing the old one first. Imagine the full size and weight of the moon suddenly appearing on your back."
"There is small town nearby," Celestia called to Valkyrie. "It is as good a place as any to rest."
Celestia guided Valkyrie a few degrees to the east and sure enough, the settlement came into view. A small secluded township nestled in a circular clearing in the midst of a large and inviting forest. The village consisted almost entirely of unvarnished natural wood-built buildings arranged in sectors in a roughly circular pattern around a central town hall. Several of the buildings showed storm-damage, but even more were obviously newly-repaired and the locals had clearly wasted no time in cleaning up and getting back on with life as quickly as possible. About a hundred meters to the northwest of the village itself lay a large lake – no doubt used as the local water supply – connected by a dirt track to the town clearing. With nowhere to land in the close-built village, it was towards the lake that Valkyrie descended, touching down heavily on all fours on the shoreline.
Nearby, several ponies out for a walk along the lakeside caught sight of the dragon and wasted no time fleeing down the dirt track back in the direction of the town. Celestia and Luna fluttered to the ground, too late to prevent the panicked exodus.
"How long do you need to rest?" asked Celestia looking back at Valkyrie.
"Depends on how much heavier that thing is going to get in the meantime," he snorted at the saddlebags worn by Luna. "Not long."
Celestia looked back at Luna with a little smile. "We should go and avert a panic before it starts."
Luna nodded, but remained contemplative as they walked the dirt track. She had known the storms had hit. She had known there had been consequences. But...to see it... "Tia? Did you see it? All the damage? The destruction? That...I caused?"
"Luna, it was not deliberate. It was a tragic mistake, and from what Twilight told me, the damage looks worse than it is."
"I'm supposed to protect Equestria. How can I remain in Canterlot and call myself fit to rule after I have nearly destroyed it?"
"Luna, you mustn't blame yourself," said Celestia kindly, as they reached the end of the dirt track and passed beneath an arched pine sign stood on high wooden legs and extending over the road, carved into which were the words, Welcome to Hollow Shades.
"I will be blamed by many, and rightly so," said Luna morosely, "I might as well add my own voice. I...will return the moon, Tia. But it may be best if I no longer sit the throne. Perhaps I will leave Canterlot. Perhaps even Equestria. I may...travel," she finished with a shrug.
"You would not do so without me with you," Celestia began soothingly. But ponies were already gathering round with a mixture of expressions. Some had obviously heard of the commotion at the lake, some only knew that someone new had arrived. In no time at all, a thin crowd of ponies had formed a semicircle around the princesses at the junction where the dirt road entered the town clearing. Then the questions started coming. Thick, fast, anxious and haphazard, before Celestia held up an authoritative hoof and fixed the crowd with a regal smile.
"Please do not be alarmed. I can assure you that the dragon some of you have seen land at the lake is no danger. He is a friend and helping us reach Canterlot with the moon. I promise that tonight, the sun will set, the moon will rise, and everything will be as it–"
"There she is, guys!" came an excited yell from the rear of the crowd. Then there was the impression of movement within it, legs and bodies shuffling as though parted by several unseen objects rushing through the throng at ground level, straight towards the Princesses. Until finally, reaching the front, there burst forth three excitable foals; two colts and a filly, who looked up at Princess Luna with rapt amazement and a chorus of 'wow's, 'I can't believe it's and 'I told you so's.
It took a moment for Luna to realise, with some great surprise, that the impromptu leader of the trio was a colt she had seen before. Her somber mood lifted and she could not help but give a warm smile as she dipped her head. "Why, hello there. How is your new griffon friend doing?"
Rather than answer her he turned to his two friends. "See? I told you she was there! And it's not a Bogey-Poney at all, it was a griffon the whole time!" He looked up at princess Luna, to answer her question. "She's doing okay. I keep dreaming about her and we go on adventures and stuff! Thanks for introducing me to her," he finished somewhat abashed.
Luna's smile fell into a more serious expression. "I know it must have been very scary here the past few times the sun has set. The storms must have been terrible. I'm sorry that it happened. I hope you were not too frightened."
"Well, maybe it was a little scary. But I wasn't frightened. Not really. I knew nothing bad was really going to happen." The colt beamed up at her.
"And how did you know that?" asked Celestia, already with a good feeling where this was going.
"Because of Princess Luna," said the foal. "Everypony knows that Princess Luna is the princess who makes sure nothing bad happens at night. And I saw how brave she was when we went hunting for the Bogey-Pony. So I knew that Princess Luna would make sure we were all safe. She's my favourite princess!" he finished triumphantly. Then very embarrassedly, as he realised what a faux pas he had just made in front of Princess Celestia...
...who simply smiled and chuckled. "She is a great many ponies' favourite princess, and she is the bravest pony I know. And I can assure you...I can assure all of you," she said raising her head to the crowd, "That it is thanks to Princess Luna that you will all be safe tonight when the sun sets."
There was a wild assortment of cheering, whistling, stomping and general applause. Luna's name was yelled in exhaltation, and every pony in the crowd had a look of immense relief and gratitude on their face.
"Call me silly," said Celestia in Luna's ear, "but it doesn't sound like they are blaming you at all."
The cheering died and the crowd broke up a little, but did not disperse. The vast majority wanted to come forward and thank Luna and Celestia personally, and Luna even let a couple of the younger and more inquisitive among them get a peek at the moon in her saddlebag. The overwhelming theme of the populace was that they had enjoyed the Festival of the Eclipse immensely, been a bit worried when the moon had vanished, relieved when they heard that the Princesses were on the case, and had endured two nights of bad storms followed by several weird days of...well, day. But they had adapted and got on with life, and they had nothing but good things to say about Princess Twilight and her 'Canterlot Six,' as they were colloquially known. And even when Luna owned up that the removal of the moon hadn't been an accident, there were usually a couple of follow-up questions and, once she gave the honest answers, the response was still positive. In fact there wasn't a single accusatory glare cast, or hoof pointed. No pitchforks were raised and everypony seemed willing to forgive. Just as they had done once before.
"I...I do not deserve such wonderful subjects as these..." said Luna at one point between conversations, wiping a tear from her eye.
Celestia looked at her. "Every single pony here believes they do not deserve as wonderful a princess as you. A princess who would literally go to hell and back to ensure they were safe. A princess who would take time out from a perilous journey of critical importance to go hunting the Bogey-Pony because she didn't want a foal to be afraid. The princess who makes sure nothing bad happens at night." She smiled. "Sometimes I wonder if I deserve as wonderful a sister as you."
If there had been a tear in her eye before, there were two now. "Tia...I..." but she didn't have any words. And from the look on Celestia's face, nor did she need them.
That is the sister I know and love.
Eventually they had to take their leave. The world was still in jeopardy after all, and the moon wasn't getting any lighter. It seemed to Luna that by now that her saddlebags had been filled to bulging with bars of gold, and as Luna and Celestia returned down the dirt path to the lake, the constant weight was taking its toll. Goodness only knew how bad it would be for Valkyrie.
"Would you like me to carry the moon for a while?" asked Celestia. She had to admit, it was not a question she'd ever imagined herself asking.
"No, I am alright for now. Canterlot is not far. I'll...let me see it home."
They reached the lake to find Valkyrie engaged in deep, philosophical conversation with a young foal from the town...
"No, go away."
"Please?"
"No. Go away."
"Pleeease?"
"No. Go aw– oh, thank heavens, Celestia, Luna, you're back. Let's be away as quickly as possible. Please."
"What is going on?" asked Luna with a little smirk.
"The child wishes to–"
"Princess princess princess! Will you take my picture with the dragon?" asked the excited foal, handing her camera to Luna.
Smiling and taking the camera in her magic Luna looked at Valkyrie, while Celestia argued: "It will help us be on our way more quickly." She had a hidden smirk of her own, though.
Valkyrie grumbled loudly but acquiesced to continuing to lie still for the purposes of a picture, until...
"If you open your mouth, I could stand in it and the picture would look so cool!"
Valkyrie's eyes widened for an instant in surprise, then narrowed dangerously. "Don't tempt me," he growled under his breath. But the foal was already dancing up to him, and any further argument was only going to delay their departure. Reluctantly he lay his head on the ground and opened his jaw wide as the foal completely heedlessly bounded up and into his waiting maw, standing between two of his lower fangs. A few tense seconds passed during which...there was absolutely no look of concern on the faces of the two pony princesses before him. A young pony child was literally stood in his mouth, potentially an instant from death...and it did not worry them at all? They must be such fools not to see the inherent danger here! Ugh. Never mind. More seconds passed during which he very very carefully ensured that his tongue remained perfectly still and he did nothing foolish like sneeze or cough.
The photo taken, the foal jumped down, retrieved her camera with exhuberant thanks to the Princesses and then turned back to him. "Thank you, mister dragon. Thanks a lot!" And with that she bounded away down the dirt track towards the town.
"That was very kind of you," said Celestia, even as she and Luna once more found their perches upon his back.
"Kindness had nothing to do with it. I was impatient. That was an extremely idiotic thing to do," he grumbled. He took to the air, the period of rest enabling him to regain the sky with just a little difficulty.
"Idiotic?" asked Celestia innocently from his back.
"What if I had eaten the child?" retorted Valkyrie.
"Would you have?"
Valkyrie grumbled again. "No. Dragons don't eat live prey. Gemstones are tastier and far easier to catch. But why did you allow such a thing?!" Then, with a start, he answered his own question. "This is more trust, isn't it?"
"Yes it is," confirmed Celestia.
Valkyrie growled. "A foolish gamble to demonstrate a level of trust not yet earned."
"Don't you see, Valkyrie? It was not my trust you earned, it was that foal's," said Celestia with a smile. "You are not just building trust with us. You are building trust with Equestria. And you are off to a wonderful start."
"In fact," added Luna, "I would say you have even made a friend."
Valkyrie grumbled loudly once again. This was ridiculous!
So why did he feel a sense of...accomplishment?
He...he'd made a friend.
–––
The sun had descended into late-afternoon by the time they finally saw it.
Valkyrie, circumventing a mountain and then bursting through a thin wisp of cloud, beheld the great Plain of Equestria and there, in the distance, built into the side of a mountain...
Canterlot.
The Equestrian capital city. White-stone buildings capped with spires and towers of gold and purple, dominated by a huge castle hung out over the mountainside. Flags and banners fluttered in the breeze and the whole city had a kind of magical quality far removed from the dry, plain desert that was his own home.
Stunning.
The castle itself though looked in poor shape. Several of the towers were in ruins and much of the stonework looked as though it had been scorched, though even from this distance he could make out the beginnings of repair-work upon them.
As they approached, a loud, ringing horn-call sounded and reverberated through the air. Almost through the entire valley.
"That is an alarm call," explained Luna. "The Guard believe you are a threat."
"Aren't I?" sulked Valkyrie. "Baldur was right. I'm going soft."
Circling the city once, Valkyrie spotted an open expanse of green land on the side of the mountain, adjacent to which was a fast-flowing river-cum-waterfall and a large, wide drawbridge – currently raised. It was by far the easiest landing site he could see and, with wings billowing furiously he landed upon it on all fours, his tired wings now glad to be on the ground and free of that cursed weight.
Celestia and Luna hopped down to the ground at his feet even as the drawbridge opened and fell flat with a great whump. Across the bridge in perfect step galloped scores of Royal Guards, armor gleaming, weapons ready. Then suddenly, they were also at every window, every terrace, every vantage point on the city wall, arrows nocked into bows and spears high. Valkyrie had to give them credit. Their readiness was instant and, even for him, formidable.
At the head of the column of guards spewing from the castle galloped six slightly smaller ponies of various colours – and one baby dragon even! – led by a purple-coated pony with a look of intense determination. She led her vanguard to the end of the bridge and they began to spread out slightly before him. Then the purple leader was striding forward, brimming with desperate bravado, and addressing him.
"Alright, you! Just give us the Princesses and no-one will–"
"Twilight!" Celestia's happy voice rang through the air as she trotted over to meet her, Princess Luna following close behind. Celestia reached Twilight and gave her a very happy hug and a nuzzle. "It is so good to see you."
"...get...hurt. Run, Princess...we'll...hold him off?" Twilight blinked, shook her head and stepped back to look up at Celestia. "This isn't that, is it?"
Celestia chuckled happily and, turning, presented the large red dragon standing before them. "Princess Twilight, may I introduce Valkyrie? His help has been invaluable to us. And he has brought us home safely."
"Uh..." Twilight began talking out of the corner of her mouth, "Isn't he the one you said in your letter...?"
"Yes he did. But it's okay, Twilight. He's a friend now."
Valkyrie flinched at the word, but didn't have time to dwell. Because now the purple one – that was Princess Twilight Sparkle, apparently – was looking up and addressing him with great sincerity in her eyes. "Well, on behalf of all of Equestria, Mr. Valkyrie, thank you for bringing our princesses home safely. We owe you a great debt of gratitude."
Valkyrie snorted in derision. What good was gratitude? You could not hoard gratitude!
On impulse, he fixed the small, purple dragon below him in his vision. He reached out and plucked him from the ground with a claw, smoothly placing him into his palm, bringing him to eye-level.
"Spike!" cried Twilight.
"Hey, you. Leggo'a me. Put me down!" Spike protested.
Every guard shifted a little. Every pegasus flexed their wings; every earth-pony planted their hooves; every unicorn lowered their horn a tad, even as Rainbow Dash took to the air, ready to swoop in and rescue Spike from...being looked at?
Valkyrie paid them no mind, instead regarding the baby dragon – 'Spike', apparently – in his palm. "You live among these...ponies? You call them 'friends'?"
"Yeah. And you're not gonna hurt 'em! Uh...please?"
An interesting reaction. "I'm not planning on it. Tell me, how much do you trust them? How much do they trust you?"
The small dragon looked blankly for several moments, then replied in a most sincere tone, "I trust them with my life. I'd...well...I'd do anything for 'em." There were various sounds of approval from the ponies beneath him reciprocating the sentiment.
Valkyrie narrowed his eyes. When he spoke, it was as though only to himself. "So...it is possible then." He made eye-contact with Celestia and grinned. "A week ago, I'd have thought it preposterous. Yet here is proof. Nice to know I haven't been wasting my time." Then his eyes focussed on Spike once more. "You have a couple of nasty scratches to your tail," he noted.
"Uh...yeah," Spike agreed. "They don't hurt much any more, but they just won't go."
Valkyrie gave a low hum, examining the purple scales. "Melt some amethyst and use it as a salve, or bathe in it depending on how much you can get. Your scales will shine like new." He gave a little grin. "Don't go letting the side down around these..." he stopped. One of Princess Twilight's advanced guard was behaving in a most un-guard like fashion. Shivering and looking up at him with wide-eyed terror. "What is wrong with that one?"
"Fluttershy? Oh, she's kinda terrified of dragons. Big dragons. Big, sharp-toothed, massive-claw-having dragons. Dragons like you, I guess."
"Oh." On any normal day, he would have been immensely proud of his own ability to strike terror into the hearts of all who looked upon him. But today was proving very far from a normal day, and the fact that his mere presence was having such a horrifying effect on the creature before him – and the fact that she might have some say in how the hundreds of spears currently arrayed against him were employed – made him decidedly uneasy.
Lowering his claw to the floor and allowing Spike to disembark, he brought his head down as low as he could and looked the yellow-and-pink one in the eyes, causing her to shrink back and hide her face behind her mane. Hah! As if that was any defen–! He caught himself. Deep breath. Building trust. It was a strain to make his voice low and quiet. "Do not be alarmed. I am not here to gobble you up or lay your city to waste. If I were, it would be in flames by now." Hmm. Not great. This was more difficult than he imagined.
"Um...thank you?" It was a tiny, barely even audible squeak.
"I would...prefer it if you were not afraid of me...on this occasion..."
"Okay..." it was a strained, strangled sound.
"I am...trying to 'build trust.'" Cripes, he was desperate!
"I–I'm sorry. I know I'm being rude," she was having trouble getting the words out, but she was just about managing it. "And you're being a lot nicer than the last dragon I met. It's just–"
"The...last dragon you met?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow.
"Oh...um..well...there was a dragon who was snoring in a cave on a mountain and breathing smoke all over Equestria and we had to go up there and convince him to leave and I had to...tell him off."
Valkyrie blinked in recognition. "Freyr?" He couldn't help but laugh out loud as he looked at Celestia. "Ragnarok tore a strip off him for that!" He looked back at Fluttershy. "You told him off? You're Freyr's Bane?" He narrowed his eyes and grinned. "You are supposed to be as large as an Ursa, with, 'eyes of raging fire and a will that can be broken by none alive.' Oh, how wonderful. Thank you. And thank you too, Celestia. The trip has been worth it for that alone." His grin was so wide as to make his jaw hurt. Then he looked the frightened pony in the eyes once more. "When I get back, I will make sure that every dragon respects and fears the name, 'Fluttershy.' If you wish, you need never fear another."
The pony was still shrinking back and hiding her face, but she was at least no longer trembling. He wasn't sure what the problem was. He had said she had nothing to fear from him. And she wouldn't have anything to fear from any other dragon once he was through. Why was her fear not allayed?
There was a very tiny squeak from behind the pink mane. "Thank you."
Valkyrie looked at Celestia and raised an eyebrow. "I suppose it is not always easy, is it?"
"No," Celestia replied with a smile. "But the fact that you are trying so hard means a great deal." Slowly, gently, the pink mane in front of him shifted a little, briefly revealing a single eye and the hint of a nervous smile.
Valkyrie drew himself up and regarded Celestia and Luna. All of this dialogue was little more than a distraction. "The moon..." he said.
"The sun will be due to set in an hour," began Celestia.
"After it has gone down, I will return the moon to the heavens," continued Luna. "It is best if we not have the sun and moon in the sky at the same time at the moment. I do not want any complications."
Valkyrie nodded slowly. "I won't loiter, in case more of your citizens react like Fluttershy here. I'll find somewhere on the mountain until the moon is safely back in the sky. Then I will leave." He gave a bow to the three princesses before him, and with that he extended his wings and leaped into the air with an ease he had not experienced in hours, wheeling away in search of a good vantage point to monitor the sunset.
At a signal from Celestia, the Guard stood down, dispersing immediately and returning to their posts, leaving eight ponies and one dragon stood with each other at the end of the drawbridge. Twilight looked up at Celestia once more, unable to keep the happiest grin from her face, until... "You're hurt!" she gasped.
Not quite catching on, Celestia had to crane her neck to see the almost completely-faded scratches on her coat to which Twilight was referring. "It's okay, Twilight. They were only scratches." She looked at her seriously. "Are you alright? Your wing looks painful."
"Oh...it's getting better," she said, giving it a demonstrative flap and hardly wincing at all. Then Luna stepped forward.
"Twilight? Spike?" She bowed her head. "I am so sorry that my actions caused you injury. I hope you can both forgive me one day. I know that it was thanks to you...thanks to all of you," she said now addressing all of Twilight's friends, "that this catastrophe was not worse. I had no right to ask so much of you, and you all have my eternal gratitude," she finished solemnly, head bowed.
"That's okay, Princess," said Twilight softly. "Believe me, I know how it feels to try and do something for the right reasons, only for it to end up out of control, or hurting someone you care about." Luna raised her head at that and smiled gratefully.
She started to lead them across the drawbridge and into the city, but about halfway across she stumbled, only just managing to remain on her hooves.
"Princess Luna?" asked Twilight. "Are you hurt too? Are you alright?"
"It's the moon," said Luna, a little breathless now and through gritted teeth. "It feels like there is a ton of bricks on my back."
"Well, let me help," said Twilight, lighting her horn automatically. Her aura enveloped Luna's saddlebags, but as she tried to lift it, nothing happened. She focussed more of her energy, but again there was no effect. "Huh?"
"You are trying to levitate the moon, Twilight Sparkle. It weighs seventy billion-billion tonnes. It is not possible," explained Luna.
"But...it doesn't weigh that much right now," Twilight said, confused.
"I can assure you, magically speaking, neither the size nor the mass of the moon has changed."
"Sister, please..." started Celestia, but Luna cut her off.
"It's okay, Tia. There are but a few more steps until the moon is safely within Canterlot. I can carry it that far," she said with a weary smile.
They crossed the drawbridge and entered the city, and as they crossed the threshold, there was an immense feeling of relief in both sisters and they gave each other a warm smile.
They'd made it.
And didn't it show! If their departure had been low-key and muted, their return was anything but. Banners, flags, streamers – oh so many streamers! – were everywhere! And so were the ponies. They crowded the streets, peered from windows, flew overhead. And all of them were uproarious. Celestia and Luna's names were, literally in some cases, shouted from the rooftops. Music started from somewhere, then confetti began pouring into the streets as Luna and Celestia headed towards the castle. They reached the courtyard before the main entrance, and quickly realised they wouldn't be going much further due to the fact that it too was absolutely jam packed with happy ponies waiting for their Princesses. In fact every pony in Canterlot had been waiting for them.
To welcome them home.
Celestia betrayed a reserved, happy smile through her composure, but try as she might to remain equally serene, Luna's smile was far wider and she could not keep her eyes from watering.
"Twilight," Celestia smiled. "You did not have to do this."
"Do?" Twilight grinned back. "I didn't have to do anything! This is a party."
On cue there was a pink blur, only there for a moment, and when Luna and Celestia looked again, each of them were suddenly and somehow holding a cupcake on one hoof, iced with mint-green frosting. Then from somewhere behind and above them came a high-pitched voice. "They're brand new! Try 'em! They're fantastic!"
The party already underway, Celestia and Luna celebrated in typical restrained fashion while the citizens of Canterlot rejoiced and congratulated them. Twilight even found time to relax. After so many days of constant stress over the Princesses, the storms, the sun and the end of the world, it was nice to be able to cut loose knowing that now, everything was going to be okay.
She caught Celestia looking up at the part-repaired but in-reality-still-ruined towers above them, and then by chance she happened to look down and make eye-contact. Twilight couldn't stop herself. "Sorry sorry sorry!"
Celestia just gave her a chuckle. "Twilight, it is quite alright. Walls can be rebuilt. Lives cannot be replaced. I am very, very proud of you. Of everything you and your friends have done. I told you I had absolute faith in you. And I knew you were ready. Thank you, Twilight, for keeping Equestria safe."
"Uh...excuse me your highness," interjected a unicorn guard. "The sun has reached the horizon. It is time for it to set."
"Oh. Right," said Twilight.
The three princesses, Twilight's friends, and a great many of the crowd made their way to a green, open space a little way away from the castle. It gave way to a steep drop to the west and afforded a view out over the plain below and the sun in the western sky. Now, facing the sun, Twilight lit her horn, concentrated hard, and...
She looked at Princess Celestia stood next to her. "Sorry!"
"Don't be sorry, Twilight," she chuckled again. "If you wish to set the sun, you are quite welcome to."
"No! Please. Take it back. I don't know how you do it every day!"
Celestia laughed at that. "Very well." She faced the sun herself and closed her eyes. Lighting her horn, she reached out gently until her magic touched it and...oh, it was glorious. The sun. Her charge. Her companion. The constant presence in her life. It was right there, where it had always been. It welcomed her back with a flood of warmth and made her smile a very happy smile. Her magic wrapped around it, enveloped it gently and coaxed it slowly beneath the inviting horizon as its glow began to fade from the sky.
A great cheer arose from the crowd at the sight of a sunset not seen for three days. Then Luna stepped forward as Twilight retreated towards her friends, leaving Luna and Celestia stood together in front of the drop away to the west.
Luna shed her saddlebags with a grunt and a measure of satisfaction, though they hit the ground with a very solid thud, and the one containing the moon made a shallow impression in the soft dirt beneath. Luna's saddlebag was almost ready to burst, and as she rolled the moon out Luna saw that it was now the size of a beach-ball, and probably as heavy as two such balls made from lead. She glanced up at the sky even as a strong wind began to rise – the world reminding them that it was watching, but had not forgotten.
Luna crouched and, using her forelegs, gathered the moon to her chest in a firm grip. Then, with a determined expression she spread her wings and leaped into the sky.
But it was too much for her. The toll she had taken carrying the moon for so far, in addition to its current weight and size, prevented her from ascending more than a dozen meters before her wings began to tire and she descended inexorably back to the ground. No matter how hard she strained and flapped, she lost height and landed on the same spot from which she had taken off.
Panting hard, teeth clenched, she gripped the moon tighter and launched herself into the air again, wings beating furiously against gravity's grip. But she gained even less height this time, and her return to earth was swifter. She let out an exasperated growl even as Celestia approached her and put a hoof on her shoulder. "Luna, let me–"
"No, sister! The moon is my responsibility and I will return it to the sky. I just need a moment's rest."
"Luna..." said Celestia softly, stepping closer to her, the hoof on her shoulder becoming a hug, "Do you remember when we spoke days ago? When you were so keen to recover the moon by yourself? Do you remember what I said to you?"
Luna looked up. "You...said you wanted to come with me...to help me and keep me safe..."
"Because you're my little sister," Celestia finished with a smile and hugged her harder, nuzzling into her. "The moon is your responsibility, Luna...but you are mine." There were tears in her eyes now. "And you are the most wonderful responsibility I could ask for. The little sister that I know and love. That I trust and cherish. Who makes me laugh and who makes me so, so happy." She broke the hug and looked into Luna's eyes. "And I wouldn't be much of a big sister if I let you down when you needed me. Please, Luna...let me help."
Luna looked up into Celestia's eyes, her own tears in evidence. "Together?"
"Together."
Luna nodded and together, they gathered the moon up between them and spread their wings. Beating them in perfect synchronisation they slowly ascended. Higher and higher over Canterlot, they rose into the clear night sky, punctuated with a thousand tiny ice-white stars while between them they carried the stunning, silver moon.
Watching the two sisters from the ground below was driving Twilight crazy. She had absolutely no idea what spell Luna had used on the moon. She had somehow made it smaller and lighter, but at the same time it wasn't lighter at all according to her own magic. Whatever it was, perception seemed to be a big part of it and as she watched the sisters carry the moon into the sky, her theory seemed to be borne out. Because as they rose, the moon they carried got no smaller. In fact the moon remained the same size throughout the ascent – the same size as the moon in the sky always looks – except the princesses were getting further and further away.
There came a point when the moon seemed to stop moving in the sky entirely, and a few moments later she could no longer make out the silhouettes of either of the sisters, either against the moon or the night. Then all of a sudden there was the briefest flash of white light that seemed to come from the moon itself...and nothing else. Except that the moon suddenly seemed somehow like...it belonged in the sky.
It was too weird and Twilight had all sorts of questions. What would that have even looked like to someone seeing it from elsewhere? Ponyville, for example? Did perception-magic have different effects depending on your viewpoint? What had the Princesses who'd carried it up there seen? And how far up had they had to carry it? Urgh! She'd be scratching her head for days thinking about this. She was going to need accounts from different eyewitnesses, all the information she could dig up on the moon, a few questions to Luna...it was going to take a lot of research.
She looked around to ply her friends with a couple of questions as to what they'd seen, so that she could compare notes...
And found Applejack stood next to her, looking up at the sky with a serene little smile. A distant, contemplative expression as she gazed up in wonder at the moon in the heavens. It didn't feel right to disturb her, so she looked the other way, but found a similar expression on Fluttershy's face. In fact all of her friends...and the entire crowd...were looking up at the moon in the sky and smiling the same smile. What exactly were they seeing up there? It was just the moon. She looked up at it herself to see if anything–
Oh.
It was just the moon. The same moon it had always been. The same one they'd always taken for granted. It was just the moon.
But it wasn't just the moon. It was more than that. Because now it was safety. It was peace. It was relief after all the worry and stress. Full, round, stunning, silver and beautiful. She gazed up at it in calm, placid wonderment, and felt her brain file all of the questions it had away. They'd still be there in the morning, but for now, she could just enjoy this simple moment with all her friends.
The moon had risen.
And there was no storm. No earthquake.
Only a peaceful night.
–––
Descending back towards Canterlot, the two sisters spotted Valkyrie lying calmly on an earthen, grassy plateau on the mountain, almost out of sight of the city itself. Angling towards him, they landed and came to rest as he regarded them carefully.
"Very impressive," he said. Then, just this once, he allowed himself a little, genuine smile.
Celestia looked up. "We would not have come this far without your help. Thank you."
He gave a short, sharp laugh. "I am certain you'd have done what was necessary to reach this point one way or the other. But you are welcome all the same." He stood and stretched a little. "I'll take my leave. I'd be lying if I said I'd enjoyed it all. But it certainly has been interesting."
"You are welcome to return any time, my friend," offered Celestia.
The smile disappeared and Valkyrie looked his typical annoyed self as he glanced back at both sisters. "You presume too much, Celestia. We are not yet friends." Then he cracked a little grin. "But we are not enemies. That is more than Ragnarok would admit to. At least I understand now how a frilly pony princess managed to garner so much of his respect. You both certainly have mine."
His face turned serious. "If there is to be a new king down the line...and if it is to be me...then be assured that you and your land will be as safe for the next thousand years as it has been for the last thousand."
He gave a curt nod at that, and received grateful ones in reply. "Until we meet again." He spread his wings, beat them twice and was airborne. He sailed quietly away into the night sky back in the direction of home, and was gone.
Luna and Celestia watched him fade from view. Then they stood quietly together on the plateau, gazing up at the moon in the night sky. Their quest completed. Their goal achieved. The moon back where it belonged and the earth at peace once more.
"I truly had no doubt you would do it, Luna," Celestia almost whispered.
"I would not have got very far at all without your help, Tia. I can't believe I ever thought I could have done it alone."
Celestia fixed her sister with a kind gaze, though her eyes betrayed just a little guilt. "You'll never have to be alone again, Luna. I promise you."
Luna looked back up and smiled. "Likewise."
They remained at peace for long minutes, just enjoying the tranquility of the night and the warm breeze upon their coats. Then, unable to stifle it, Luna gave an involuntary yawn and her eyelids drooped for a moment.
"You know, we do not need to be back in Canterlot until morning. Not really," said Celestia, looking down at her sister. "One more night under the stars together?"
"I think I would like that."
With no bedrolls they simply settled themselves comfortably on the dry grass next to each other. There was no need for a camp fire; the warmth instilled in the earth after three days of constant sun lingered in the ground and promised a balmy, clear night. And as they settled they each draped a wing contentedly over the other in a tender gesture as they looked to the heavens once more. The sky overhead arrayed its thousands of perfect stars in constellations familiar and peaceful, but it was the moon that was ever their focus.
"What did you say the moon reminded you of, sister?" asked Luna. "Hope, even when things are at their bleakest?"
"No, Luna," Celestia smiled back. "I think of it as a symbol of hope..." she met her gaze, "Because it reminds me of you."
There were no other words needed. They rested side by side, quietly, basking in the moon's silver light. Not two princesses. Not right now.
Two sisters.
No secret that they would not tell. No worry that they would not share. No threat that they would not face united.
Luna looked to her sister, a tear in her eye, and offered a warm, faithful smile. "Sweet dreams, Tia."
–––End–––