//------------------------------// // Flashback IV: The Knights of Ra // Story: Heir of the Nightmare // by Polaris501 //------------------------------// Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters The Night Before Nightmare Moon’s Banishment Luna It was nearing the end of her Court of the Moon, and Luna was glad for it, for it had not changed at all in the slightest. They were still extraordinarily dull, as nopony ever came. She was once again sitting on her jaded blue throne, her expression neutral as she gazed across the empty room. Luna had become even more impatient with these sessions of court lately, as she imagined the time she wasted sitting in an empty room waiting for nopony could have been time she could have well spent with Twilight instead. However much she wanted to be with Twilight though, she had to keep going to court and attend her other regular duties so as to not to arouse any suspicion that something was amiss. Normally, most ponies didn’t pay attention to her and didn’t care what she did, but it wasn’t them she was concerned about. It was the nobility. They had become even more hostile towards her lately, as they had a figure to rally around, a unicorn named Moloch. Lord Moloch was from the trading hub of Rainbow Falls and the great-nephew of the late Princess Platinum. He was a very ambitious lord who had risen through the ranks of the nobility through a combination of cunning and aggressive political tactics. Luna also suspected that no short amount of Black-Mail was involved, since many of his opponents either backed off or fell out of power in disgrace. She couldn’t prove it however, since she and the Night Watch had not been able to find any evidence of any wrongdoing on Moloch’s part. He was also the leader of a radical extremist group called the Knights of Ra, a movement started by some of the elite nobility to oppose everything that had to do with Luna and the night. Of course, it was not widely known that these nobles had sworn to oppose Luna, in fact, to the common pony they were known as the Gentry Society. The Gentry Society was a front for the real secret organization the Knights of Ra, and only Luna and her top officers in the Night Watch knew their true purpose. Luna couldn’t confront them directly; not only would that vilify her in the eyes of the public, who viewed the disguised society as a group of esteemed nobles, but they had not actually committed any crimes against the law. For now, they had merely obstructed Luna’s efforts to reach out to the common pony and try to restrict her freedom through various and subtle laws. The only thing that stopped the Knights from just outright trying to depose her, was their almost god-like worship of Celestia, whom they venerated. A knock on the door to the throne room interrupted her musings, and with a raised eyebrow Luna looked over to her seneschal, a Lunar Pegasi mare, who looked back at her in equal surprise. “I am not aware of any visitors, your highness, nopony has scheduled time in your court.” Intrigued, Luna looked back towards the door, and awaited the pony on the other side. I haven’t had a petitioner in years. Who could it be? The doors opened, and whatever hopes Luna had for a petitioner dropped instantly as she beheld her visitor. Speak of the devil… It was Lord Moloch, looking haughty and self-important as he strode across the silent hall. Moloch’s coat was the color of bones, pale and white, lacking any luster or sheen. He was wearing the robes of House Platinum, white and royal blue trimmed with silver. Attached to the front of his robes was a small pin. It was a sun insignia, almost identical to Celestia’s Cutie-Mark with the exception that instead of rays curling gently from the center, there were six swords that pointed outwards. Luna recognized the symbol for what it was, a pin signifying membership in the Knights of Ra. “Why Princess Luna! I had just come to see you. I thought I might have arrived too late to entreat you, expecting long lines of petitioners this late into your Court of the Moon. Ha! It must be my good fortune that there was nopony here!” Luna scowled at him, his false politeness and oily voice did nothing but raise her ire. Beside her, the two Night Watch guards and her seneschal looked equally displeased by his appearance. Despite her obvious disdain for him, Luna decided to humor Moloch. “What is your petition Lord Moloch? What do you wish to bring before the Court of the Moon?” A few moments of silence as the stallion finished crossing the throne room, taking his time and trotting slowly as he approached the thrones of the Royal Sisters. He stopped ten yards from the dais and continued looking up at her, smiling slyly and lazily. Luna was losing patience quickly, although she had almost none to begin with in the first place. Luna opened her mouth to address the disrespectful noble, but Moloch beat her to it. “I have come before your most…illustrious court, to bring before your most honored presence a most dire matter in need or your utter attention.” Moloch said sarcastically, holding himself in a confidant but relaxed posture. “Dispense with your false pleasantries Moloch, what is it that you want?” “Do my manners displease you, your highness? I assure you they are only the best for someone of your stature." “Moloch you—“ “But despite your busy schedule, I expect that you would not ignore the needs of children.” Perturbed, Luna blinked a little though her posture did not show her surprise at his statement. “Children?” “Oh yes. My city of Rainbow Falls, the trading hub of the north, has become rampant with Mares of the Night and their hapless foals. Something must be done, your majesty.” Luna sighed and shook her head in frustration. Mares of the Night were the term nobility had coined for street prostitutes. It was not lost on Luna on why the nobility would nickname the practitioners with that particular wording. Though the Royal Sisters discouraged such practices, it was difficult to completely bury it. Mares thrust into poverty were desperate enough to begin such desperate lives, and the foals they bore had little hope of escaping the poverty cycle. It was a problem in every city, but none more than the centers of economic prosperity. Where the rich prosper, the poor you will find buried beneath them. Luna looked down at Moloch who was gazing up at the tapestry behind her, which depicted Luna herself with a backdrop of a blue sky filled with stars. If his words were true, which would be simple enough to prove with a discrete investigation by her Night Watch, then Luna would do everything to help, regardless of their mutual opposition to one another. Her little ponies’ priorities were much more important than the displeasure of nobles forever lost to her. “Very well Lord Moloch, what—“ “In fact, it’s not just my city that is plagued with this problem. It has become so rampant that I fear it has spread even to this very castle!” Moloch’s tone was dripping with false indignation and his face still kept his smug expression, his lips curved up in a sneer as he looked up at Luna. Luna hesitated. It was now clearly obvious that Moloch was not here to discuss his city’s prostitutes, and it angered her that the unicorn lord would blatantly use the issue as a means to somehow bother her. Moloch continued, walking around the throne room and looking up at a portrait on the wall of Luna and her sister as young fillies, when they had just taken the throne and before they had earned their Cutie-Marks. “Can you imagine the scandal of some of the higher nobility becoming so desperate that they would mate with the commoners and have a foal? Why, such behavior is unbecoming of ponies of our stature and will surely be most shocking when Princess Celestia finds out. Wouldn’t’ you agree, Princess Luna?” His words shook her to the core, for there was only one scrap of knowledgs that could hide behind his honeyed words. He knows… Her muscles clenched in terror as dread seized her, Luna did not even dare to move for showing the slightest acknowledgment of the unspoken statement. “It’s a funny thing about foals.” Moloch continued, still facing the portrait but his eyes were locked onto Luna. “They’re here one day, gone the next. We need to take care of them while we can. Isn’t that right your majesty?” Eyes boring into him, Luna said nothing. Her thoughts were coming together to try and figure out how Moloch of all ponies could have found out about Twilight. Luna had kept Twilight in her foal room, safe and secure, and she had told nopony about her daughter and had given no hints of it whatsoever. Luna had kept to her schedule and performed her duties without fail, there should have been no reason for the unicorn lord to suspect that she had foaled a child. Teeth gritting unnoticeably beneath her muzzle, Luna wished to growl out a threat or a denial but to do so would only acknowledge Twilight’s existence. But perhaps Moloch had heard only rumors? Despite all of her hard work, it was possible that somepony realized that Luna now spent more time in her personal quarters than she had before Twilight’s birth. Also, she was sure Moloch had spies amongst the castle staff, specifically maids and cleaning crews. With Twilight becoming more vocal and adventurous, it was possible however unlikely, that Twilight’s crying could have been noticed by a cleaning maid while Luna had been away. Luna had placed sound-proof spells on the foal room of course, but Twilight was a growing foal with unpredictable magical surges, alicorn surges. It was possible that the spell might have faltered and a maid or somepony could have heard something. Rumors circling in servants quarters would have been easily been picked up by one of Moloch’s spies, and if his suspicion was aroused, Moloch could have looked into her activities for the past year and made a hypothesis as to what had happened. Maybe he’s bluffing. If unsure of the correctness of his suspicions, Moloch could be here to see her reaction to tell if it was true or not. If Moloch was truly bluffing to gauge her reaction, Luna had to pull her best poker face. For Twilight’s sake. “It is indeed as you say Lord Moloch, such activities in your city must be taken care of and those foals taken cared for immediately. I assume you have a plan to remedy the situation?” His sneer faltering slightly, Moloch started to scowl as if disappointed by her lack of reaction. “Yes, I would appreciate it if you would allot a sum of 2,500 bits to go towards my project to set up new foster homes in Rainbow Falls.” “Very well,” Luna replied, mentally relieved that Moloch perhaps now doubted any possible rumors. “I shall set aside the amount in an account in a local bank with instructions that the money is only to go towards the project you have just specified. If you require more, I shall send a representative from my Night Watch to verify your need and more bits will be transferred if the initial investment is not enough. Is this acceptable?” “It is your highness.” “Then our business is concluded. You are dismissed Lord Moloch.” Without another word Moloch swiftly bowed to her before turning around and trotting away, not taking near as much time to leave as it did for him to enter. When the doors closed behind him, Luna turned back towards her seneschal. “This concludes tonight’s Court of the Moon. I am retiring to my quarters where I shall lower the moon.” “Yes your highness.” Descending the dais Luna did not even bother to walk back as she was becoming excited again to by the prospect of being with Twilight again. Instead she summoned her magic and teleported away, reappearing a second later in the confines of her private residence. Once again harnessing her magic, Luna sealed her room with the usual enchantments, ensuring none could disturb her. Smiling as she lifted up the trap door leading to Twilight’s room, Luna lifted off her crown and torc as well as kicking aside her crystal shoes before she finished descending down the hidden stairway. She could hear Twilight happily laughing as her daughter heard Luna approach, a sound which brought untold amounts of joy to her mother. Emerging from the staircase, Luna was almost skipping as she made her way across the foal room to the crib on the other side, where the foalish giggling was coming from. Sitting down in front of the crib, Luna leaned over to look down at her daughter. Twilight was awake and playing with her two favorite dolls, the one of Luna herself as well as a plushy with Celestia’s likeness. She was rolling around in her blankets gleefully when Twilight noticed a shadow hanging over her, her purple eyes then peered curiously up at Luna, who smiled lovingly down at her. Upon seeing that it was her mother, Twilight’s eyes immediately sparkled with mirth and the lavender foal turned over onto her back with her wings splayed out to her sides as she giggled up at her mother. “Hello little one, did you miss me?” “Abaaabbabbaaa!” Twilight said, reaching out with her forelegs to Luna, wanting to be picked up. Her tail wagged back and forth as she grew excited at her mother’s presence. Gently picking up her beautiful daughter in her magic, Luna levitated Twilight out of the crib. Her precious child giggled as she seemingly flew through the air until she was cradled in Luna’s forelegs. Luna then proceeded to lovingly rock Twilight back and forth, cooing at her while Twilight nuzzled deeper into her plush blue fur. After a few minutes of rocking her, Luna set Twilight down onto the soft carpet on the floor. Luna then stood over Twilight and leaned her head down, gently prodding her with her muzzle. This past few weeks, she had been trying to teach Twilight to walk. “Come on my little star, you can do it.” Twilight pushed up on her back legs first, trembling as she did so. Her small face scrunched up in determination as she tried to push up on her forelegs and get into a standing position. Twilight succeeded, and now her four legs shook with the effort of holding her up. Luna reached down with her head and nudged Twilight a little, trying to propel her forward. Twilight, encouraged by her mother’s prodding, put her right hoof forward, only for her knee to buckle and she went sprawling back onto the floor. Twilight rolled over and her face scrunched up a little and she started to sniffle. She reached out with her forelegs again for Luna, babbling as she desired to be held again. Instead of picking her up however, Luna laid down herself until she was on Twilight’s level, she then nuzzled Twilight again, much to her daughter’s delight. Twilight giggled from the ticklish feeling of her mother’s muzzle nuzzling her little belly, and she tried to escape the tickling attack. Rolling away from Luna, Twilight laid on her stomach and tried to crawl away from the much larger alicorn, giggling as she did so. This was one of their favorite games together. Twilight would try to crawl away and Luna would, slowly, creep up to her until she could tickle her foal again. As she watched Twilight try to escape her mother’s ticklish muzzle, Luna slowly crawled on her belly like a giant predator, fanning her wings out as she approached her foal. “I’m gonna get you!” Twilight only laughed as she doubled her efforts to crawl away. However, Luna was still fast approaching, even though she was moving at a slow pace. “Gotcha!” Luna prodded Twilight with her muzzle as she caught her and rolled the giggling foal back onto her back before proceeding to tickle Twilight’s cute little foal belly. Twilight’s high-pitched laughter only increased as Luna smiled and tickled her further. Luna encircled Twilight with her body then and looked down at her wonderful daughter as Twilight smiled up at her. She then leaned down again and whispered to Twilight in her cutest foal-talking voice. “Aww…you’re just so cute I could just eat you up!” Twilight had other ideas however, for she started to prod Luna’s stomach with her muzzle as she looked for her own dinner. Knowing what Twilight was looking for, Luna straightened back up. “Oh are you hungry? I guess it's time for you to eat so you can grow big and strong!" Luna leaned over onto her side and allowed Twilight to access her lower stomach, where her foal happily began to suck on one of her teats. Spreading a wing out over Twilight as she nursed, Luna turned her thoughts to other things as Twilight was otherwise preoccupied. A small amount of pressure began to build up behind her horn, and Luna knew what time it was. Extending her awareness towards the heavens, Luna realized it was time to put away the Moon and let Celestia’s Sun dawn. In the past, Luna and Celestia had done the swapping of Day and Night together. But slowly, they did it less and less often as time passed, until they just did their celestial duties in accordance with their nature. Her horn lighting up in a gentle blue glow, Luna expanded her awareness into the heavens above the world where the Moon and Stars awaited her. It seemed to Luna and her sister that the celestial bodies had a mind of their own sometimes. While Luna certainly had an intimate bond with the moon, the same with Celestia and the Sun, she still could still feel the Moon and Stars shimmer and move with an innate consciousness. Tonight the Moon felt tired, and a little sad. For some reason the Moon seemed to be concerned for Luna, but Luna reassured the Moon that everything was fine. Reluctantly, the Moon let Luna push it down below the horizon with her magic, letting the Sun rise on the opposite side of the world. Around her, Luna could feel the Stars murmur and mumble as the sky changed from day to night. The Stars were a curiosity to Luna. They followed her will most of the time, but the Stars had a rebellious streak. They also seemed to know about things, important information and knowledge, and would most of the time tell Luna these things. Stars, much like the Sun and Moon, could look down upon the world and view its inhabitants, but unlike its counterparts, the Stars knew far more since they could divide their attention. The Stars didn’t converse in a language or in writing, it was more like a passing of a feeling or memories. Sometimes even, the Stars would rearrange themselves without telling Luna so as to send a message to the world below them, for the Stars sometimes had glimpses of the future that they would try to convey to ponies and the Sun and Moon alike. Starswirl the Bearded was best at reading their messages, and was one of the few mages that could still converse with them sometimes, though not as often or with such accuracy as Luna. It was a dying art, as more unicorns did not learn magic regarding the celestial orbs since they no longer had to care for them. Luna extended her magic to all the Stars, passing on an urge for them to sleep and rest while the Sun followed his path through the sky. Most acknowledged her message and turned over and fell asleep, winking out until the next night. Others though, particularly the ones belonging to the various constellations, seemed to ignore her efforts and refused to blink out. Putting more of her magic into the effort, Luna firmly sent the feeling that the Stars time was over, and that they needed to rest. Grudgingly, it seemed, the constellations flickered out one by one, until the sky seemed empty once more. Satisfied that her duty was done, Luna let go of her celestial awareness and shrunk back into her body until she no longer could feel the sky. Shaking herself of the powerful magic, Luna lifted her wing up once more to find that Twilight had finished and had snuggled firmly into her side. Her daughter had fallen asleep after she had finished nursing and Luna watched her small chest rise and fall as she breathed, content in staying warm as she was nestled in her Luna’s midnight blue fur. Watching her most beloved daughter, her most precious star, Luna knew what she had to do. Reluctantly, and quietly so as to not awaken Twilight. Luna levitated her foal back into the crib against the wall, where she lowered the oblivious Twilight back among the discarded sheets. Leaning over the crib herself, she tucked Twilight in until she was sure her daughter was nice and comfortable. Nuzzling Twilight gently, Luna lightly kissed her before leaning back. “I’ll be back soon, Mama has to go talk to your Aunt ‘Tia.” Luna had thought it over for some time, and she realized that she had better soon reveal Twilight to Celestia. Twilight was growing bigger by the night, and it would not be long until she might be able to escape the foal room. Luna didn’t want to keep her down here forever, she wanted Twilight to grow and to play and be a part of the world, no matter how much she wanted to keep Twilight to herself. It would mean a lot of changes for the both of them, but Luna had to do it now while still she had the courage to tell her sister. For better or worse. Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters Two Hours Until the Banishment of Nightmare Moon Celestia It was certainly another beautiful day, and Celestia would have it no other way. The tall white alicorn was perched upon her golden throne while the preparations for the Court of the Sun were under way. She smiled as ponies hustled back and forth trying to prepare for this session of court for a great many things were on her agenda today. Budgets, censuses, laws, parties, social parties, food tastings, grand openings, and even more parties! It just seemed ponies everywhere wanted her to be there whenever they were throwing a get together. Celestia happily waved at a few of the nobles that waved back enthusiastically. The nobility of Equestria just seemed to adore her! The throne room was just bursting with all sorts of ponies as they organized themselves before the start of court. Ambassadors from foreign nations milled about one another in their social circles while merchants plied them about tariffs and embargoes. Ladies of her court huddled together and would gossip excitedly as different Lords would pass by. Knights of the realm stood stoically as they regaled their great triumphs to young maidens. Her personal half of the Royal Guard, the Day Guard, all stood sentry at the entrances and exits while an elite few stood at the base of the dais upon which the Sister’s thrones sat. “Your Shining Majesty!” Distracted from her observations, Celestia searched about for the voice until she spotted the owner among the crowd at the foot of the dais. The deep voice belonged to a tall white stallion wearing the sash of House Platinum. “Lord Moloch!” She greeted, extending a hoof so as to motion him forward. “Good Morning! How do you fare upon this bright and shining day?” Celestia knew Moloch was a true gentlecolt. He was the head of a large social club called the Gentry Society, which made regular donations to charity and discussed how to improve city sanitation and public education. At least, that’s what the members told her. Celestia had never actually been to one of their meetings or parties, as she had never been invited. Moloch beamed at her with a wide and pleasant smile. “I am only doing as well as the rest of the ponies that live and flourish under your most magnificent day.” “Oh Moloch you flatterer!” Celestia giggled, she loved hearing praise for her work. “What brings you to today’s Court of the Sun? Do you need more bits for the orphanages in Rainbow Falls?” Moloch shifted uncomfortably and avoided her eyes. “Well…no. I…uh…recieved some help from Princess Luna last night during the Court of the Moon.” Taken aback, Celestia cocked an eyebrow at him. It was unlike Moloch to go to her sister’s court. But, she wasn’t jealous by any means, she loved hearing about Luna’s success just as much as her own. Celestia used to see Luna’s interactions with their ponies during court when they shared the Dawn and Twilight Courts when they switched day and night. That had ended some fifty?... seventy?...Oh! It didn’t matter! It had ended some years ago when the nobility had suggested they have two separate court times so that they could cover more ponies 24/7! Luna had seemed reluctant to the idea but Celestia thought it was a grand thought and switched her court times immediately. Now she only heard about her sister’s court from whatever the nobility told her. Luna didn’t talk about it that much and from what Celestia could gather, her Court of the Moon was extremely boring, so she didn’t force the issue and she just let it slide. “Oh how was it? I barely hear about Luna’s court these days. Were there lots of ponies that wanted her attention?” She pried him. “Of course it was Your Shining Majesty!” Moloch said smoothly. “Lots of them, mostly common folk wanting justice and what not.” “Oh good! And stop calling me, ‘Your Shining Majesty.’ It’s such a long title, simply ‘Princess’ or ‘Your majesty’ will do.” Celestia reproached gently. While she appreciated the title Moloch and the rest of the Gentry Society had given her, it did lose its luster after a while. Moloch smiled and stepped up closer, bringing out a small box from his jacket pocket. He held it aloft in his magic while he talked. “Well your majesty, the other members of the Gentry Society and I have come to a unanimous agreement and would like to extend an invitation to you to join our great society.” He opened the box to reveal a large gold pin with a sun that greatly resembled her Cutie-Mark, with the exception of the sun’s rays being replaced with sharp swords. Celestia almost squealed in delight, she had heard only great things about the Gentry Society’s gatherings from all her nobles. This was finally her chance to go and see for herself what they did at their parties. She reached out with her own magic and clipped it firmly to her torc. “I accept Lord Moloch. When is your next gathering?” “Tomorrow your majesty, when the sun reaches its apex in the sky.” Moloch said brightly. Celestia smiled but a nagging thought raced forward to the forefront of her mind. “Did you invite Luna? I’m sure she’d love to go too! In fact, we can go together!” She told him, entertaining thoughts of a nice outing with her beloved sister. Moloch winced and shook his head. “I’m sorry your majesty, but we didn’t invite her.” “Oh, why not?” Celestia asked, she was very disappointed the Society hadn’t done such a simple courtesy to her counterpart, she expected better of such an esteemed elite. Now she was less inclined to go at all. It wasn’t fair for them to invite Celestia and not Luna. “It’s just that Princess Luna sleeps during the day, when we have our meetings. We didn’t want her to feel obligated to go and interrupt her sleep. Will you still come? It will mean the world to the rest of us.” Celestia thought it over. On one hoof, she was still peeved that the Society didn’t invite Luna. But on the other hoof…Moloch was right, Luna did sleep during the day, and it would mostly inconvenience her. “Oh alright.” She conceded reluctantly. “But there better be cake!” Moloch chuckled. “Of course your majesty. Now if you will excuse me, I must go inform the others of your impending arrival tomorrow.” “Of course, you’re free to go.” He bowed low, his forehead almost touching the ground. “May your Glorious Day always shine! Thank you Your Shining Majesty!” And with that he departed, exiting a door that led deeper into the castle towards the Royal Apartments where she and Luna had their bedrooms. Now that Moloch was gone, Celestia could once again busy herself with the beginning of court. She watched her seneschal take her place at the foot of the dais and most ponies in the crowd had finally calmed down enough for her to start today’s proceedings. “Um…sister?” Spoke a very familiar voice. Celestia whirled around in surprise, her crown tilting to one side as she gaped at her visitor in shock. But there emerging from the door from which Moloch had just exited through, looking very shy and out of place, stood Luna. Her sister very much seemed out of place among the gold and white of the gathered ponies in her dark blue fur and nightly vestments. Luna’s face was scrunched up in noticeable discomfort as ponies across the room mumbled and murmured as they registered Luna’s arrival. Her starry mane seemed agitated and flicked about rather than smoothly flow in the cosmic winds. Luna’s wings were ruffled and there were small bags beneath her teal eyes. Her sister shuffled uncomfortably as she looked up at her big sister. This was unprecedented, Luna hardly ever came out during the day any more, especially during the Court of the Sun. But, Celestia was always glad to see her sister. “Luna! This is such a pleasant surprise, you’re usually asleep by now.” A thought struck her. “I don’t suppose you’d be willing to be awake tomorrow around noon will you?” Luna looked confused and clearly wanted to talk about something else, her ears flickering to the curious murmuring coming from the nobles. But curiosity seemed to get the better of her. “I um…suppose I could be. Why do you ask?” She said quietly. Celestia motioned for Luna to come closer, ignoring the grumbling of the nobility as court was delayed. As Luna ascended the dais and approached her, Celestia showed her the pin Moloch had given her. “Lord Moloch—“ Celestia started, but Luna interrupted her. “Moloch was here?” “Why yes, in fact he told me he got more money from you for his orphanages in Rainbow Falls.” Luna scowled. “Did he now?” But then her teal eyes caught the Society’s pin on Celestia torc, and they widened in shock. “Is that—Tia! Is that the Kni…the Gentry Society’s pin?” “Yes it is! Isn’t it wonderful! The Society has invited me to become a member and asked me to attend one of their gatherings tomorrow at noon! Do you want to come?” Luna hesitated, her ears flickering backwards. “I…um…no. I don’t think so sister.” Celestia pouted, disappointed in Luna’s lack of adventure. “Oh come on! It’ll be fun! All you have to do is stay up with me until noon. You have nothing else going on during the day, come with me!” Luna looked away and back towards the hallway that led to their apartments before answering. “No, I…uh…have something important that I need do.” Her interest piqued, Celestia leaned in closer. “What is it? I know you never leave your chambers during the day.” Luna hesitated and leaned back in forth as if uncomfortable. “That’s…what I wanted to talk to you about sister. There’s something I need to tell you.” “O.K., I’m all ears. Fire away.” Luna looked away from her and back towards the crowd in the throne room, her face twisting in discomfort as she gazed at them. Celestia could see that the nobles were hanging on to every word they said, and some tried to inch closer to better catch their words. Luna looked quickly back at Celestia and she spoke softly, just above a whisper. “Can we, talk about this…privately?” She asked timidly. Celestia huffed. “Surely it won’t take that long.” Once again, Luna shifted in obvious discomfort and shuffled her hooves, avoiding Celestia’s eyes. “It’s important. Can we please talk somewhere else sister?” “I don’t see why we can’t talk here, I’m about to start court. Can it wait?” “No, not really.” “Well then spit it out! I have a really busy morning today sister! I can’t just go gallivanting off right before the Court of the Sun! I have a schedule to keep!” Celestia picked up her morning schedule from her seneschal with her magic and scanned the list quickly. “Look, I have a fifteen minute break between my afternoon tea with Duchess Obsidian and my daily meeting with the Day Guard. Will that be enough time?” Luna scowled and stomped her hoof in determination, much to Celestia’s chagrin. “It’s important Celestia. Please, please can we speak somewhere else? I need to tell you this, I…I know you might be disappointed at first, but…I just need to talk with you!” She pleaded. Celestia frowned at her sister and rolled up her schedule. “Disappointed? Your Night Guard didn’t ransack another town did they?” Luna gaped at her. “What?! Of course not, they would never!” “Well then I don’t see what all the fuss is about Luna. Now please, the nobles are getting impatient. Can’t you wait until this afternoon?” Luna looked lost and shook her head, seemingly trying to figure out how to answer her. But she seemed to steel herself and her lips trembled as she tried to speak once more. “Tia, I…I…I have a daug—“ “COURT IS NOW IN SESSION!!” Her seneschal boomed out to the crowd, drowning out whatever Luna had said. He scowled impatiently up at the two princesses as he tapped his watch. “Your highness, it’s time for you to start the Court of the Sun!” Celestia nodded and shooed Luna off, eager to start the day. “I’ll talk to you later Luna, I’m busy!” “But…but, Tia I—“ “Later!” She pressed. “I’ll talk to you later!” Luna seemed to wilt in resignation, turning her back to Celestia as she skulked off the dais. “Fine.” Celestia heard her say. “I’ll talk to you later, sister.” And with that, Luna was gone. With her sister placated, Celestia shifted back on her throne and smiled at the gathered ponies. “What’s first on today’s agenda?” Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters One hour and Forty-Five Minutes Until the Banishment of Nightmare Moon Luna How could she! I was about to tell her and she brushed me off! Again! Luna was fuming as she stomped back to her chambers, ignoring ponies as they scuttled past her in fear. A smoldering anger had taken place in her heart, festering like an unhealed wound. Why?! Why can’t she just listen to me? I’m her sister! Because she’s busy… It was Celestia’s number one excuse. Luna hated it. She hated how Celestia was always too busy doing this or that to spend time with her anymore. She hated how her sister was so engrossed with the nobility and running their country that she couldn’t even tell when her own sister needed her. Luna hated. We should use that anger… But like a tree shrugging off snow, Luna released her anger. In its stead, she let memories and feelings of Twilight take its place. Love rebuilt her heart, and smothered the fires in her soul, love for a little lavender alicorn. Luna sighed deeply, regretting storming off away from her sister. That hadn’t been the best way to approach Celestia, and Luna was sure she had time to tell her about Twilight. Luna was fast approaching her chambers, the lack of ponies in her hallway another idle thought to store away in her mind. Wearily, she entered her chambers and closed the doors behind her. It was time to go back and be with Twilight, possibly the only comfort she could receive right then. Later, when it was closer to that time Celestia had mentioned, she would get up and try to tell her sister about her niece again. She had time. Right? Luna lifted up the stone cap and descended once more through the hidden stairwell, her spirits lifting at the promised prospect of another cuddle session with Twilight. “Twilight?” Luna called lovingly into the silent foal’s room. “Mama’s back!” She strained her ears, but Luna didn’t hear anything. In fact, it was too quite. Luna reached the end of the stairwell and dismissed her concerns, she smiled instead and happily trotted over to the crib. “Hello my little s—“ The empty crib. Ice chilled Luna’s blood and her heart picked up instantly, thumping in her chest like a drum. Twilight’s sheets were cast aside and there was no sign of her beautiful daughter. Quickly looking under the crib, Luna frantically searched about the room. “No, no, no, no, no, no…” She lit her magic and searched fervently for the little spark that was her foal, hoping beyond hope that Twilight was there. But she found nothing. Twilight was gone. Somepony had taken her. “TWILIGHT WHERE ARE YOU!!!”