Finally! After what seemed like an eternity, Luna finally finished sifting through the nearly endless stack of papers. Levitating them over to one of the guards, she let out a small sigh. A thousand years on the moon were not this tedious. How does Celestia do this day in and day out?
The guard trotted off with the papers in his aura. A new guard stood next to Luna in his stead. He gave a crisp salute. "Princess, your meeting is scheduled to begin soon."
Luna nodded at him before getting up. "I shall see to it," she said as she began to walk out of the throne room.
As she neared the door, voices from beyond reached ears, "...is pregnant."
"That's not what I heard. She has fallen ill."
"That's impossible—"
The voices came to a dead stop the moment the doors opened. Luna looked to each guard on either side of the door. They dared not so much as glance at the Princess of the Night. As she kept her gait steady, she couldn't help but to wonder if they would have kept talking if it were Celestia and not her. Surely they would have at least greeted her.
Pushing the thoughts from her mind, Luna continued her march. The bright light filtering through the windows of the grandiose halls only served to remind Luna that she was out of her element. To this day, Luna just couldn't understand why most ponies preferred the harsh, piercing glare of day to the soft, cool glow of the night. Glancing behind her to ensure that the hall was devoid of any prying eyes, Luna sighed and hung her head. I do not want this, Sister...
Several extravagant hallways later, and Luna marched into a grandiose room. Luxurious chandeliers hovered over a long, ornate table. Standing around the table were delegates and representatives from Equestria and beyond. Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor were there along with Princess Twilight. There were also mayors and V.I.P.s from several Equestrian cities and settlements. Even chancellors from places as far-flung as the Griffon Kingdom and the Zebra Tribes were present.
Luna walked to the head of the table and stood between Princess Twilight and Princess Cadance. "Thank all of you for coming here on such short notice," Luna said, her voice stern and authoritative. "I'm sure you must be wondering what is so important as to call all of you here today." A din of murmurs echoed the truth of Luna's words.
"As you may or may not know, I have been standing in for my sister, Princess Celestia, for a few weeks now. In that time, several rumors have emerged. At my sister's behest, I am here to put them to rest," Luna said, looking to all the faces around the table.
Twilight glared at Luna as she spoke up, "She hasn't been responding to my letters."
"I know," Luna replied, lowering her gaze ever-so-slightly. "There have been rumors that she is pregnant or sick—that she has been corrupted by a sinister force and locked away. There are even rumors that I have surreptitiously usurped her throne." Receiving a bevy of glares, Luna sighed.
"None of these are true," Luna said, sending her own ferocious glare at the representatives. "The truth is much simpler...and so much worse." She took a moment to compose herself before clearing her throat. "My sister, Princess Celestia, is dying."
The gasps and sharp whispers were loud enough to be painful. A pair of hooves slamming into the table silenced them. "That's impossible!" Twilight shouted. "Princess Celestia can't just die!"
Luna looked away from Twilight and towards the rest of the delegates. "For a time, I truly believed myself and my sister to have life unending." She spoke carefully and evenly. "All those around us grew old and sick. They died, but we stayed, unchanged, through the centuries. But, after my banishment, something happened…"
After the expulsion of the changelings from Canterlot and the royal wedding, my sister was not as well as she appeared. She had retired to her quarters long before the festivities ended. I went to her room to speak with her about what had transpired, but found her sprawled out on the floor.
I panicked, rushing to her side. "Sister! Are you all right!?"
The sound of my voice stirred her, but she was unable to so much as get her hooves underneath herself. Enveloping her in my aura, I carried her to her bed. Gingerly setting her down, I caressed her cheek with my hoof. Her eyes slowly opened. When she saw me, she forced a small smile.
"Sorry if I worried you, Little Sister," she said to me, her voice quiet and weak.
"What is wrong!?" I asked, not knowing how to help. "Shall I send for a doctor!?"
"No," she said. "Just… some water, please."
I scrambled to comply, rushing her a glass of water as quickly as I could. I had to help her hold up her head to drink it. I nearly cried, seeing my invincible big sister so weak and frail. It was nearly incomprehensible.
"Please, Celestia, tell me what plagues you!"
She struggled to give me a smile. "I'm tired, Luna. Nothing more."
"I-I don't…"
"We have lived a long time, have we not?" she asked closing her eyes with a peaceful look on her face. "Had I been a hundred years younger, Queen Chrysalis would not have bested me." Celestia sighed before opening her eyes again to gaze upon me. "Do not cry for me, Sister, but I am not long for this world."
I couldn't help but to disobey her. Tears built up in my eyes, blurring my vision. "Y-you cannot leave me! Don't die, Tia! Please!" I begged her, throwing my hooves around her neck. I nuzzled her cheek and felt her hoof run through my hair.
"Shhh." Her calm voice sounded in my ear. "I won't be leaving you tonight. There is still some life left in me. Months… years maybe, but not tonight."
I pull back, wiping the tears from my eyes. "I-I don't understand."
"Decades before Twilight helped return you to me, I began to notice that it was becoming more difficult to move the sun and moon. I grew weary and tired. Even flying has become difficult for me," Celestia explained. "I've known for some time now that my end was near." She shook her head a bit, smiling again at me. "My biggest fear was that I would never get to see you again. I can't tell you how happy I am to know the old you again after so long." She reached a hoof out to wipe away the last of my tears. "You have grown so much, Luna. I can go in peace knowing that I have left behind a legacy that I can be proud of."
I shook my head, refusing to believe any of it. "You cannot leave me! Equestria needs their Princess. I need my sister!"
Celestia just shook her head. "Equestria has you, now. I know you can do it."
"No," I replied, caressing her cheek with a hoof. "I… you are not that much older than me! This-this cannot be true. There must be some illness. A sinister force—"
"The only force that besets me is time," she said, placing her own hoof on mine. "I know not if it was your exile or the Nightmare Forces that plagued you, but you have been spared a thousand years." Celestia closed her eyes with a serene smile. "I couldn't believe it myself. After the Elements of Harmony purged the Nightmare Forces from you, you appeared just as you had a thousand years ago. You still have millennia ahead of you. I'm glad your exile did not steal away your precious time."
"Please, Sister, there must be something I can do!"
Her hoof slipped away from mine as she opened her eyes to look at me. "Be strong."
Luna pulled at her eyelids, wiping away unshed tears. "She—Princess Celestia—recovered then," she said, lowering her gaze away from the delegates', "but this time, she will not."
"H-how long…?" Twilight squeaked, her emotions strangling her voice.
Luna cast a sideways glance at Twilight before turning her attention to the room. "It will not be long now. A few days, at most," she announced. This time, Luna's words brought forth a din of murmurings. "I shall continue to rule Equestria, as well as perform the duties of raising and lowering the moon and sun," she said, her voice rising above the whispers and questions. "I trust that all here will handle this information with the utmost discretion."
Her words failed to calm the panicking guests. Luna's face contorted in indignation as she grit her teeth. Finally losing her cool, she utilized the royal Canterlot voice, "Silence!" The assembly fell completely silent. Breathing out a sigh, she addressed the ponies next to her. "Princess Cadance, Princess Twilight, my sister would like to speak to the two of you, in private. You may find her in her room."
Twilight and Cadance hastily excused themselves, leaving out the same door Luna came in. As they did, Luna again addressed the guests. "I know you may be worried about the future of Equestria, but do not forget, I have long ruled alongside my sister. She has faith in me. I ask that you give me that same faith."
"That's a tall order, coming from you," Shining Armor spoke up, glaring at Luna.
Luna frowned. "Just what are you implying, Prince Armor?"
"If Twily and Cadance aren't back soon…"
An audible growl sounded as Luna rounded the table. She brought her face right up to Shining Armor's, locking horns with him. "You insinuate that I have orchestrated this!"
"You expect everypony to just believe you? You've betrayed Princess Celestia before!"
Shining Armor's head snapped away as Luna's hoof crashed into his cheek. "You dare to make light of my sister's plight again…" she said, glaring hatred at the stallion.
Shining walked around Luna, storming out without another word.
Luna turned her attention back to the remaining delegates as she slowly approached the head of the table again. "Do not hold your tongues," she said. "Is this how you feel? That, without my sister's presence, I cannot be trusted?"
Although none had the gall that Shining Armor did, the cacophony of murmurs and whispers told Luna everything she needed to hear. She grimaced as she hung her head. I cannot do this without you, Sister.
Just outside of Princess Celestia's private quarters, Shining Armor found Twilight. "Twily!" he greeted. As he did, Twilight looked up, her cheeks wet with tears. "T-Twilight?" As soon as he got close enough, she wrapped her hooves around his neck. "What's wrong, Twily?"
Twilight shook her head a bit as she felt Shining's hoof on her back. "It's awful. I've never seen Princess Celestia like this, Shining. She's really… Princess Celestia is really dying! I don't know what to do."
Stroking his sister's mane, Shining racked his brain for something to say to comfort her. "I—Twily, what did the Princess say?"
Leaning into Shining's embrace, Twilight shook her head again. "She wanted to talk to Cadance alone."
Shining opened his maw, but no words came. He had served Princess Celestia for years, but he never had an emotional connection to her like his wife or sister. He was also blessed not to have to go through anything like this just yet. "I-I'm sorry, Twily," he finally said. "I wish there was something I could do."
"Me too… Me too."
The siblings held each other for several minutes before a misty-eyed Cadance quietly exited Celestia's room. Giving Twilight one last squeeze, Shining Armor let go and rushed to his wife's side. "Cadance, are you all right?" he asked, putting a hoof on her back as he stood next to her.
Cadance nuzzled him as she draped her forehooves around his neck. After a moment, she pulled back and looked to Twilight. "Twilight, she wants to speak with you, now."
Twilight nodded as she stepped past the duo and approached the massive door leading into Princess Celestia's room. She placed a hoof on the handle and hesitated. Breathing out a slow sigh, she pressed forward.
All of the curtains were drawn, muting the sunlight that filtered in. Twilight slowly approached Celestia's enormous bed. Aside from her lying motionless on her bed, the Princess of the Sun didn't look too different. Her coat was still a pristine white and her hair still flowed with a multitude of pastels. "P-Princess?"
Celestia opened her eyes and gave Twilight a small smile. "I cannot tell you how good it is to see you," she said, her voice steady, yet soft. "I am so sorry that I have not replied to your letters, but this is something that is best said face-to-face."
Twilight shook her head. "What Princess Luna said can't be true," she said. "There has to be something—anything!"
"No," Celestia said with a small shake of her head. "I am dying, Twilight, and there is nothing to be done to stop it. You must accept that."
"I-I can't! I won't!" Twilight replied, tears spilling over. "There must be something! Some kind of magic that can save you!"
"Twilight, I have lived a long, long time. I have left my mark on this world, and now it's time for me to go," Celestia said. "I know this is difficult for you. It will be difficult for everypony. But I know you will persevere, Twilight. You always do."
Twilight shook her head. "I don't—why did you never tell me!?" she asked, struggling against the constricting feeling in her throat. "You knew this whole time…"
Celestia smiled just a bit. "You know that you will perish someday, too, don't you?" She closed her eyes, her smile fading away. "I was still hoping I had more time. It's another reason I didn't return your letters. I wanted to wait so that I may send you good news instead of… this."
Wiping away her tears and sniffling, Twilight replied, "D-does it hurt?"
"No," Celestia said, shaking her head. "It doesn't hurt. I'm just… tired."
"Princess Celestia, please," Twilight said, practically begging, "there must be something I can do."
That small smile returned. "I'm glad you asked, Twilight." Celestia breathed out a sigh. "Have I ever told you just how proud I am of you?"
"Princess?"
"When we first met, I saw a little filly who had more raw talent than I had ever seen," Celestia said. "I had very high expectations of you, especially when I learned that you not only had talent, but you were also driven, intelligent, and diligent." She chuckled a bit as she shook her head. "And, still, every time I turned around, you didn't just meet my expectations—you shattered them. You didn't just stop Nightmare Moon, you returned my dear sister to me. You didn't just defeat Discord, you and your friends reformed him. I sent a filly away to study friendship, and, in just one, short year, she became Equestria's expert on friendship. Its newest princess."
Twilight wasn't even trying to stem her tears at this point. "Twilight, I have one more task for you. I know I can rest easy if I trust in you to do it, because you always astound me," Celestia said. "Can you do me one, last thing?"
"Yes," Twilight said, emphatically nodding, "anything!"
"I want you to look after Luna for me," Celestia said. "I know full well that she is more than capable of ruling Equestria, but I also know that, without me, she will be very lonely. She will need emotional support. She will need… a friend."
"You don't even have to ask."
"Quiet down, everypony!" Cadance shouted, silencing the raucous protests. "I know you all have concerns, but we must put our faith in Princess Luna!" Luna stepped back from the head of the table, letting Cadance stand there. "Princess Celestia is… at the end of her life," Cadance said, loud and confident. "For a thousand years, she was the only princess Equestria knew, and for a thousand years, Equestria prospered. Princess Luna has more than proven herself a great leader. With her, Equestria can prosper another thousand years."
A crash sounded as one of the delegates clopped her hooves onto the desk in front of her. "Lies!" the tawny pegasus decried. "Equestria prospered for a thousand years because Princess Celestia ruled alone! If Princess Luna had her way, Equestria would've suffered a thousand years of darkness and despair!"
"That's not—!"
Luna shoved Cadance aside. "What you say is true!" she replied, her wings flaring out as she glared at the delegate. "A thousand years ago, I succumbed to the darkness in my heart. A thousand years ago, I sought to plunge Equestria into eternal night. This is not a thousand years ago! I have learned from my mistakes, and I no longer have such visions for Equestria. My vision for Equestria now is little different from my sister's. I seek nothing for Equestria but for things to continue as they are. The ponies here are in an age of unrivaled peace and happiness. I have no desire to jeopardize that."
A grey unicorn stallion further down the table leaned in, speaking up, "Those are nice, honey words, Princess, but how can we trust anything from the pony who stabbed her righteous sister in the back? If you would betray your own sister, why wouldn't you betray us!?"
Luna seethed as she glanced about the table. "This is how you feel!? All of you!?"
As the room fell silent, Cadance put a hoof on Luna's shoulder. "Princess—"
"Leave me!" Luna roared, shoving Cadance away. The delegates stared incredulous at the incensed princess. The delegation table glowed blue just before launching across the room, smashing the windows as it met the far wall. "I said leave!"
A din of murmurs sounded as the prestigious ponies quickly filed out through a door opposite the one Luna used. The only ponies that refused to leave were Cadance and Shining Armor. Shining Armor lifted the table back into its place as Cadance moved over next to Luna. "Princess," she softly said, draping a wing over her.
Luna flared out her wings, pushing Cadance away. "The only reason they have tolerated me this long is because of my sister," she said, seething. "Without her absolution, I am nothing more than a villain—no different than Nightmare Moon!"
Cadance and Shining Armor looked on helplessly as Luna stormed out. A few seconds later, and Twilight stumbled in. "What-what just happened?" Twilight asked. "I just passed Princess Luna in the hall. It looked like she was crying!"
"It seems as though nopony is ready to trust her, even after a thousand years," Cadance said. She shook her head, looking to the shattered windows. "Things deteriorated very quickly. I… I don't know how to fix this."
Shining rubbed his neck. "I, uh, I might have made things worse." He sheepishly admitted, though he didn't elaborate.
Twilight looked back to the door. Princess, what am I supposed to do?
Luna muttered incoherently as she poured over ancient and forbidden tomes. She had them sprawled out over several tables. Each one contained a similar theme: eternal youth, aging, life preservation, mortality, and longevity. In her desperation, Luna gambled that there would be an answer here. She just had to find it before time ran out.
And time was not kind.
She had already been dragged away from her fervent research several times to raise and lower the celestial bodies. It had been days since Luna started. Celestia barely clung to her very life, if she didn't find an answer soon...
The ancient scribbles blurred before Luna, though she couldn't tell if it was another wave of tears or sheer exhaustion that made the text incomprehensible. Some small part of her understood the futility of her efforts. Life and death consumed the thoughts of everypony but her and her sister. They collectively devoted a thousand lifetimes to find a way to cheat time. None succeeded.
Luna drew a hoof across her eyes, redoubling her efforts. They never had so much at stake. This wasn't just a life. This was the most important pony in Equestria's history. This was the future prosperity of a nation. This was her sister!
And, just as Luna began to think she might have stumbled upon a solution, a royal guard burst in, stampeding up to her. "Princess! Urgent news!"
"What is it!" Luna replied, tearing herself away from her studies.
"It's Princess Celestia! She requests your immediate presence. It—she is not well!"
"No! Not yet!" she said, spreading her wings. With an angry flap, she took wing. In a flash of blue, she was gone.
A burst of blue light preceded Luna's appearance in Celestia's bedchamber. "Sister!" Luna hissed, rushing to Celestia's side. "Sister, please, just a little longer," she said, stroking the motionless princess's faded mane.
Slowly, a single eyelid lifted to reveal a pale, pink iris. Celestia struggled to draw in a lungful of air before speaking in a tired, breathy voice. "I'm sorry… Luna."
"Please, do not leave me, Tia," Luna whispered. "I-I cannot do this without you."
"Don't be silly," Celestia said softly, her weary eyes closing. "You will shine. I know it."
"No," Luna replied. "The citizens do not trust me. They may never trust me. Not without you."
"Your actions and time… are all that are needed," Celestia said, drawing a long breath in and out. "They will trust you. They will… love you."
Tears spilled over as Luna shook her head. "No… not after all I have done. I welcomed the darkness into my heart, and even I cannot say that I will not accept it again!" she said. "I am not the one everypony needs. It's you! They need you! I need you!" Luna wrapped her hooves around her sister's neck. "Do not leave me, please. Please, Tia…"
"Don't be afraid," Celestia said, her breath barely carrying her voice. "I love you… They will, too."
"It's not—I cannot lose you again!" Luna cried, gripping her sister tight. "Another thousand years… I-I cannot do it! Not again!"
Celestia didn't reply.
She didn't even move.
Quickly drawing back, Luna found her sister to be completely still. Her multi-colored, ethereal mane dwindled to nothing more than a pink mop of hair. Luna moved a hoof to Celestia's shoulder. "Sister… Answer me!" she demanded, her voice raw with emotion. No matter how much she shook her big sister, Celestia didn't stir. "Celestia!" she shouted, using both hooves to shake her.
"No… No!" Luna cried as she stepped back from her sister squeezing her eyes shut. "I cannot do this without you! I won't!" Her wings flared out as an azure aura emanated from her horn. Tears streaked down her cheeks as her eyes opened. They glowed in sync with her horn.
"It's you, Sister." Luna's voice echoed, an ethereal vibration straining her voice.
Wisps of blue reached across Luna's body before strings of blue flowed towards Celestia's still form. "You are the one they love."
"It's always been you…" The strings grew into great glowing streams, brightening to an omnipresent glare.
Then, it was gone.
In its wake, Celestia's chest slowly drew out, and in. Her body trembled as she let out a series of coughs. Her eye shot open as she gasped for air. She quickly sat up with an almost alien vigor. Her fatigue had vanished, her body no longer sore and wasting. Her eyes darted about her body, seeking out an explanation.
"Luna, what did you…?" Celestia asked, turning to where her sister stood.
She wasn't there.
"Luna?" she called out, stumbling out of bed. She stopped dead as her pupils shrank. "No…" Celestia breathed.
Before her, a scorch mark marred her floor. Scattered there were four silver shoes. In the middle was a necklace and an ebony crown. The only signs remaining of the Princess of the Night were a few azure feathers.
"Luna!" she cried out, desperately looking around the room for any signs of her little sister. "Luna!"
Celestia found her gaze drawn back to her scorched floor. "What have you done?" Celestia said in disbelief. Tears streamed down her cheeks as her head rocked slowly back and forth. "Why!"
She fell to the floor. Slowly, delicately, she scooped up Luna's crown. "I lived my life!" she shouted at the ebony crown as her tears continued to flow. "I stood in the sun long enough! This was your time to shine!"
Gripping the crown tight to her breast, she began to sob.
"Luna..."