Green

by Steel Resolve

Chapter 38: Word of Power

Luna woke with a smile lightly gracing her lips. She hadn’t been disturbed all afternoon! While it was a wonderful feeling to have friends that relied on her, it was likewise nice to get a good day’s rest every once in a while. She briefly wondered how Rainbow Dash was faring, though it was a casual thought at best. She had other mares on her mind.

First and foremost was her sister, and that was the reason she’d slept so soundly. Celestia was no longer drowning herself in pity, or if she was, she at least kept it out of her daydreams. With a little luck—and Luna was feeling particularly lucky at that moment—she might actually be thinking about the wisdom in Luna’s words. Their actual effectiveness would remain to be seen, but at least it was a step in the right direction.

She had been worried, for a moment or two, that she had gone too far. Celestia had been on edge for much of that conversation. But in the end, all had gone as planned, more or less. All it had required was a little improvisation.

Her eyes darted to her closet, where a lone gown waited to be donned. She idly wondered about the state of her wardrobe at the old castle. Perhaps Rarity would like to make a trek with her to see what remained after so many centuries. The castle had not held up well, from what little she remembered of her last visit there. That was the problem with being intoxicated by dark forces beyond the ken of mortal ponies; she really did not recall much of what had occurred during her... episode. Well, that, and the whole trying to kill everypony thing, but that was more of an inconvenience for everypony else than for Luna herself.

She eyed the dress, picking up on a few little details she’d missed that morning. It was simple, yet elegant, and the way it hugged her curves was most satisfying. She decided that she would try it on again, just to see how it fit. And perhaps show it off to her sister while she was at it.

Doffing her regalia and crown, she picked up the gown in her magic. It should have been easy to slip it on, but the dress briefly frustrated her as she tried to figure out which holes were for the wings and which ought to contain her forelegs. Her first guess was wrong, and the whole thing fit very poorly as a result.

She huffed in irritation, carefully removing the dress and trying again. It really had been some time since she’d worn anything but her own regalia or battle attire. But, it would be worth it.

Finally getting the thing settled, her ears perked up as a quiet knock announced a supplicant. She looked over her reflection, posing for imagined admirers. “You may enter,” she announced.

Her personal assistant, Midnight Oil, stepped into her room, wearing the usual dour expression on his ashen face. “Princess,” he intoned. “I just stopped by to remind you that the astrologists and astronomists will be attending Night Court this evening to bring up their requests for revised star charts—”

“What do you think, Middy? Does the cut flatter my flank?” Luna asked, turning her body to examine the other side.

“Errrm, well, yes—”

Luna turned away from her own reflection. “Good, good. Now, what did you need?”

“The... astro—”

“Oh, them.” Luna waved a hoof dismissively. “It’s going to have to wait. As a matter of fact, announce that Night Court is canceled for the evening. I have plans.”

“Princess... that is highly irregular—”

“Yes, well, just take care of it.” After a moment’s consideration, she added: ”Please.” The staff seemed to do her bidding more willingly when she was appreciative. She gave a last look in the mirror, flashing herself a smile. It was nearly time to pick up her accessories. She wondered if they were awake.

She strode out to the balcony, seeing the sun dip down low to the horizon. Celestia was at her own balcony, guiding her charge to its rest. The moon eagerly waited for its cue, and she had to restrain herself from bringing it up that moment.

“Good evening, sister!” she called out.

“Good morning, Lu,” Celestia called back.

“What do you think?” she asked as she twirled around in her gown. “Does it suit me?”

Celestia chuckled despite herself. She was tired, and emotionally wrung out, but seeing Luna pleased with herself, she could not help but smile. “Very fetching.” She nudged the sun below the horizon, beginning its descent. As she did so, she felt the moon rise like a small child on its birthday. “I’m headed for bed, Lu. Enjoy your evening.”

“Sleep well, sister mine,” Luna called back, “And I shall, thank thee!”

Luna skipped back into her room, heading for the door. Midnight was just standing there, looking dumbfounded. “I’m going now, Middy. Did you need anything else?”

“Just some painkillers, Princess. I feel a migraine coming on,” Midnight replied softly, pressing a hoof to his temple.

“Report to the infirmary at once. I’ll tell one of the guards to pass the message along that court is cancelled,” Luna said, decisively. She really needed to figure out why her assistant tended to be prone to headaches. Something environmental, perhaps?

She wondered idly if Rarity and Fluttershy would still be agreeable to her request to join her at the party. Rarity had looked particularly ragged after her battle.

Well then, we shall have to ensure their attendance!

She briefly considered ordering them to come, but that would be a little unfair. Besides, if she was going to order them to do that, she may as well order them into her bedroom.

The thought, having been formed, seemed unduly attractive. She shook her head with a chagrined smile. Too easy; those two deserved better.

Oh, that might be fun.

She had been furiously flirting with the pair, but what if she actively paid court to them, as she had suggested she might do with Pinkie and Twilight? That had a pleasant sound to it. At the very least, she enjoyed their company. Well, that, and the fact that she had sensed more than a little sexual tension between the three of them during her fitting, which frustratingly had not been acted upon. There was something to be said for the thrill of the chase...

Opening the door, she nodded to her night guard standing firmly silent by either side. Feeling naughty, she swished her tail back and forth to unveil a glimpse of her backside as she passed them, smiling wickedly all the while. The reactions she saw as she whirled around to face them were most gratifying. “Please announce that Night Court is cancelled. I’ll be out tonight, but I won’t require an escort.” At their looks of concern, she only grinned wider. “Don’t wait up.”

With that, she diffused into a murky cloud of stardust, her tinkling laughter echoing in the halls.

Celestia returned to her bedroom, giving her bed a longing look before turning her attention to the stacks of proposals waiting on her desk. Not for the first time, she considered copying her signature approval on all of them and just shoving it all in her outbox, but the last time she’d done that, a million bits had been spent on a bridge that lead to a deserted island. And although it was a very nice bridge, and lead to a very nice island, the treasury department hadn’t wanted to talk to her for months.

She truly wished she could entrust some of this to her staff, but given enough power, even the most trustworthy of ponies would find themselves lavished by gifts to make certain that some proposals ended up at the top of her stack and others never even crossed her desk.

Her eyes fell on a report from Lieutenant Bulwark on his findings after the ‘Security Drill’. She blinked, having to think a moment before recalling Pinkie Pie’s escapade. Apparently the investigation continued, as the document was comprised largely of carefully worded apologies and promises to discover how it was equinely possible for a lone mare to evade and resist capture so easily as Pinkie had done.

She tapped the paper thoughtfully. Granted, Pinkie was a friend, but she had thoroughly flummoxed her entire security staff and gotten all the way to the throne room largely unchecked. It posed a problem that needed addressing sooner rather than later. She might need to debrief Pinkie after all, just to ask how she’d done it.

Perhaps... that was the excuse she needed. She could talk to Pinkie about her escapade, and gently make her aware of Twilight’s problems relating to past crushes at the same time.

She groaned, frustrated. That would hardly work. It would only lead to unpleasant questions like who the crushes were and how Celestia knew. Perhaps it was best to just be forthright with her?

A small, petty part of her whispered insidiously that their problems were not hers, and if she didn’t interfere at all, she might have a chance to be there for Twilight when it all fell apart. Thankfully, it was a small voice, which was easily squelched. She wondered if it had begun as such for her sister; small things building up over time.

She rubbed her temples with a hoof, shaking her head, unsure as to when her life had gone from complicated to... well... more complicated. She briefly considered taking some time off to come up with a word that better represented how it felt but eventually decided against it. As interesting as it might be to create new words solely for the purpose of expressing her displeasure, it wasn’t very productive.

Despite Luna’s best efforts, she knew that butting in would be the worst possible thing she could do. At best, it would lead to a heartbroken Pinkie, a mare that could end up hating her forever and with the uncanny ability to penetrate the castle’s defenses. And that was the best possible scenario. She could live with seeing her student be happy from a distance, but seeing hatred on Twilight’s face? She wasn’t sure she could bear that.

Nevertheless, something had to be done, and having taken herself out of the equation, a plan materialised, the pieces falling together perfectly like they always did. “And it starts with a letter,” she told herself, taking up quill and paper with her magic and beginning to scribble. Separation wasn’t going to be a popular suggestion, but she knew that…

She stopped, wondering if she was really so deeply in love with Twilight that she would try to sabotage what Twilight had, even if it was subconsciously. After a minute, she started writing.

To my faithf Dearest Dear Twilight,

After your surprise visit to the castle, and Pinkie’s subsequent visit, I have been doing some thinking. Realizing that there are some things we never really discussed, I am writing you this letter to do just that. I it There are aspects of love, the importance of which I would like to show you impress upon you. At the very least, I hope you will listen so that you need not experience them first hoof. You see, I Pinkie Pie loves you. A fact that may seem inconsequential to you at present, but trust me when I say that pure love like mine hers is a precious thing that you will find once, maybe twice in a lifetime. Losing that love is the worst mistake you could ever make, but you appear to be risking that by hiding from a pain that is no longer relevant.

It is a pain I could have protected you from, and for not doing so I hope you will accept my deepest apologies. I realize, only now, how blind I have been (as Luna keeps reminding me) And I implore you not to make the same mistakes I have.

I would love it if You deserve to be happy, but for that to work, you need to move forward with an open heart, unfettered by the shadows of the past. So do what I did not. Take a plunge into the deep end and allow Pinkie to see everything you are, mistakes and all. It will not always be easy or painless, but I she loves you enough that it will not matter.

I will always love you be here, should you need my advice.

Love With regards With well wishes and happiness.
~Princess Celestia of Equestria.

She looked over the mess she had written, the various mistakes, smudges, and even a few tear stains marring it. She carefully folded it and placed it in a drawer guarded by her strongest defensive spells. That would never do. She was trying to impress the need for communication on these two, not further trouble them with her own issues. It was harder than she had expected it to be, but then, doing the right thing was always the hardest.

She took out a fresh sheet of paper and began anew.

Dear Twilight...

Rarity opened her eyes, seeing nothing but darkness.

This was not worrisome at all. She had a sleep mask on, so it was only natural.

What was worrisome was that when she tried to take it off with her magic, it did not move.

Still more worrisome was that she could not feel her magic at all. For a unicorn... that was terrifying. She did her best to remain calm. She was... not in her own bed. The sheets around her were not her own. Where was she?

Calm, she had to remain calm. She was in a strange place, and she couldn't use her magic. Where was Fluttershy?

“Fluttershy? Are you nearby, love?”

Silence, only broken by a slight echo. Alone. In a strange place. No magic. Can’t see. Calm, have to remain calm.

A second later found her helplessly bound in the bedding as she thrashed to get loose from her bed. She stopped struggling, beginning to weep silently.

“Help?” she called out to anypony who could hear.

“Help!” she cried out, louder this time.

There was a horrible, ghastly sound. One that she’d only heard once before, when Rainbow had crash landed into the middle of her boutique.

“Help!” she cried out again, hoping against hope that the sound was someone coming to her aid. She tried to free herself from her bedding once more.

“Calm thyself, Rarity,” a commanding voice said. “We cannot free thee if thou continues to wind the cloth around thyself!”

Rarity stilled, feeling herself lifted by another’s magic and the various layers of fabric removed from her. She was feeling very sympathetic to that poor mare who had suffered a similar fate at Discord’s claws at that moment.

Finally, the last of the bedding was removed, and the sleep mask was removed from her face.

“Luna,” she said, letting out a relieved breath. “Thank the stars.”

Luna smiled at the expression, setting Rarity down on her own hooves. “The stars appreciate the sentiment. How did you come to be trapped in your bedding?”

“Yes, well, thank you too, of course,” Rarity muttered, blushing. “Sorry, I’m not at my best. I had a little mishap. Cracked my horn. It was a little frightening to wake up in a strange place, unable to see...”

“We understand perfectly, Rarity. Sit down, calm yourself,” Luna replied, eyes twinkling in amusement.

“Yes... thank you again,” Rarity replied, sitting down and trying to slow down the beating of her heart. She looked around the room, seeing a pitcher of water and a glass nearby. She tried using her magic again, face falling when nothing happened. “Errm... Princess, would you mind terribly... I’m a little parched...”

“Oh, be my guest, Rarity. Don’t let my presence dissuade you from taking care of basic needs!” Luna replied amiably.

“Um... right,” Rarity muttered, getting up and walking over to the pitcher. She stared at it helplessly for a moment, uncertain of whether to grip the glass handle in her teeth or perhaps pick it up in both hooves... Then there was the matter of how to tilt it to pour the liquid into the glass... and how to grip said glass afterwards. How did anypony manage this without magic? More than ever, she found herself shocked at her complete inability to accomplish something her marefriend did with ease and grace.

“Is something the matter?” Luna asked, watching her curiously from the couch.

“I… I’m just realizing how very dependant I am on my horn,” Rarity responded sadly. “I can’t even figure out how to pour myself a drink.”

“Your horn?” Luna asked, peering at it intently. “Ah! A regeneration spell! So you can’t—”

“No. No magic at all for a few days, at least. Could I possibly impose?” Rarity asked, wilting internally at even having to request such aid. Here she was, four working hooves, and yet she was an invalid.

“Of course! Forgive me, Rarity. I should have asked,” Luna replied, quickly pouring Rarity a glass of water and putting it into her waiting hooves. “How did this come about?”

“I was a bit reckless during my first round of sparring. My opponent was a bit of a trickster, so I finally just got frustrated and charged him horn-first. Horn versus metal armor was a poor matchup,” Rarity said, wincing at the memory. She walked back to the couch with her cup, gesturing for Luna to sit as well. “Still, I won, so that’s something.”

“Ah, so you won the day, then?”

“Not… quite. I was supposed to fight Posey, but with the horn injury, that was out of the question. Fluttershy stood in my stead,” Rarity admitted, taking another sip of water.

“Fluttershy? I would have pictured her as more of a lover than a fighter,” Luna mused, refilling Rarity’s glass.

Rarity set the glass down, having had her fill for the moment. She leaned back on the couch, smiling with a hint of a blush coloring her cheeks. “She… ah… she is, though she is apparently versatile enough to be an excellent fighter as well. With the right motivation, which I am lucky enough to count myself amongst, she can move mountains, or at the very least a dragon. A mere mother or father didn’t stand a chance…”

Raising her eyebrow, Luna leaned forward conspiratorially. “Father? Don’t tell me—”

“She got quite cross with him and popped him a good one right in the cheek!” Rarity confirmed, grinning even wider. “I could hardly believe it. And goodness… watching her spar with her mother…” Rarity hugged herself, feeling warm just thinking about it. “She was… it’s so hard to describe! I mean, I’ve seen her angry, but this was… focus. She knew exactly what she wanted, and she went after it. It was similar to when she told me she wanted me.” Rarity giggled, feeling giddy.

Luna smiled to herself. It was good to see Rarity well rested and happy. It would make her more amenable to her proposition. “Well, I am pleased to hear your trials went well. And I presume the father was suitably cowed after his daughter asserted herself?”

“Silver? No, he’s still insufferable. I suspect he always will be.” Rarity sighed heavily. “I finally snapped at him myself, though I didn’t hit him. But I did extract a promise from him to attend the nuptials, once they occur, and he will be visiting Fluttershy’s home now. He can continue to be what he is. I won’t waste my time worrying about whether he likes me. I’d hardly be the first pony to have a hated in-law.”

Luna made mental note that she’d need to have a long talk with a certain troublesome father if these two did become her consorts. Perhaps it would be best to avoid public announcements of such things.”Still, a victory in the end! You should celebrate.”

“Oh, I did, believe me. I laid down and got the best sleep I have had in ages!” Rarity rubbed her horn sheepishly. “Well, until the moment I woke up terrified by my own bedsheets.”

“Come now, Rarity. You were sleeping just fine a few days ago.”

“Yes, a few days ago, before I had the bright idea to come here and ingratiate myself to my father-in-law to be, only to find he’s an infuriatingly bigoted tribalist who seems to care more about his own expectations for how his daughter can be happy than for her actual happiness—”

Rarity cut herself short as the suite door opened, seeing Fluttershy entering with a tray of donuts and coffee in her hooves and a very sad look on her face.

“—But he’s also a wonderful pony who cares very much for his daughter and I’m just going to go remove this hoof from my mouth,” Rarity said hastily, fleeing the room and heading to the bathroom to freshen up and calm down, not necessarily in that order.

Luna watched the sudden shift in mood with bemused confusion. Her expression cleared as she saw Fluttershy sitting down. “Ah, hello, dear Fluttershy.”

“H-hello, Luna,” Fluttershy replied, her voice soft and subdued.

“So, a very proud marefriend was just regaling me with tales of your exploits this day! Bravo!” Luna said, clapping her hooves together.

Fluttershy shook her head. “No, she isn’t proud at all. She hates my dad, and I don’t blame her. He’s not a very nice pony when it comes to her.”

Luna pursed her lips, uncertain how to respond. “Yes… well… Oh!”

She got up, turning this way and that in the gown Rarity had made. “How do I look? I just had to try it on again.”

This seemed to shake Fluttershy out of her funk. “Oh!” She looked Luna over appreciatively. The gown was very... shapely. Or perhaps that was just the way Luna filled it out. “I think you look… nice,” she said, at a loss to say more.

“I think so as well,” Luna replied, noting the slight blush on the other mare’s face. Goodness, but this is fun! “But it’s missing something. I came by hoping to get some accessories for it.”

There was a loud sound of the fumbling of hooves on a doorknob, followed by a door being wrenched open in Rarity’s mouth. “Did somepony say shopping?” Rarity asked, as she at last bested the door.

“Well… no…” Luna began, trying to get the conversation back on track.

“Oh, you’re wearing it!” Rarity said excitedly. “It looks gorgeous! Accessories… well we could get you some nice earrings, perhaps a sash… I think you’d look wonderful with a pair of anklets… unless you plan to wear your regalia…” She looked up in surprise. “Your crown! I… I don’t think I’ve seen you with it off!” She trotted forward, looking at Luna from all directions. “You know, somehow you look even more regal! Oh, that’s hardly fair!”

“Thank you—” Luna replied during the brief moment Rarity took a breath.

“Do you get some sort of a royal discount?” Rarity asked, plowing right over whatever Luna was about to say.

“Well… most of them do seem to—” The princess flashed a panicked look to Fluttershy, who only smiled at her sheepishly.

“We simply must go hit the shops! They are still open at this hour, aren’t they?”

“Some of them are?” Luna spouted out, helpless to do much more in the wake of Rarity’s enthusiasm.

“We must go then!” Rarity exclaimed, walking to the door and clearly expecting the others to follow. When they didn’t immediately follow suit she looked back in exasperation. “Well? Come on!” With that, she attempted to open the door with her magic, which of course did nothing, and promptly slammed horn-first into the door.

Luna looked down at the comatose mare, at a loss for words. “Is she always this excitable?”

“Um... when shopping is mentioned, and… other times.” Fluttershy replied, looking worriedly at Rarity’s unmoving form.

“Ah, she’s a screamer. I suspected as much,” Luna said with a little grin.

“Um...” Fluttershy’s face lit up in a nice rosy hue, confirming Luna’s guess.

The princess lifted one of Rarity’s hooves with her magic, allowing it to drop back to the floor on its own. “Out cold. Shall we put her back in bed?”

“Actually, I wanted to take her back to the infirmary, if you don’t mind. She might have cracked her horn all over again!” Fluttershy replied, a little frown replacing the pleasing blush that had been present a moment ago.

“I wouldn’t be too concerned. The spell they have tied to her magic is a powerful one. She could snap her horn clean off and it would grow back. Actually…” Luna’s eyes turned into twin pools of darkness as she examined the spell matrix. “Yes… it wasn’t just the blow to the head that knocked her out. The spell is drawing on more of her energy to alleviate the concussion she just gave herself. She should come to on her own. For the moment, we should make her comfortable and wait.”

“Are you sure, Luna?” Fluttershy asked, worriedly.

“I invented that spell, dear Fluttershy. It’s very effective, though taxing on the body. Celestia’s healing spells are cast by the healer themselves and draw on their reserves. This one was made for injuries that require accelerated healing rates while leaving the caster capable of treati—” She stopped, seeing Fluttershy’s attentive yet uncomprehending gaze. “It is a spell they use when the injuries are severe but not life threatening; broken bones for instance.”

“Oh!” Fluttershy’s expression cleared. “So that’s the one they use on Rainbow after her crashes!”

“Yes, precisely. It’s very efficient, though it does ground a pegasus quite thoroughly. During the initial healing period flight is not even possible. Likewise, when used for earth ponies, it robs them of their innate strength. It draws on a pony’s natural magic, you see,” Luna finished, pleased. It was rather pleasant to have somepony express interest in one of her creations, even if it wasn’t her life’s passion.

“So... how long will it take?” Fluttershy asked.

“There is no real telling. I would have expected her to be up by now. How am I supposed to drag you both along to the party if she stubbornly refuses to remain conscious?” Luna huffed. “’Tis most rude!”

Fluttershy gave one last look at Rarity. While she wanted to believe Luna, it didn’t look like she had Rarity’s best interests in mind. Having come to that conclusion, she had no other choice in the matter; she’d have to get Rarity the help she needed. “I don’t like just leaving her there. If it’s all the same to you, I think I’ll take her to the infirmary after all.” She lifted Rarity’s foreleg over her shoulders, easing the other mare up onto her back.

“Wait!”

Fluttershy’s ears perked up at Luna’s exclamation, but she did not pause in her task. “I’m very sorry about your party, Luna, but I really think she needs a doctor.”

“Yes, and I am a doctor!”

Fluttershy shot her a doubtful look.

“Well, all right, not a trained one,” Luna said in the face of the other mare’s unspoken protests. “But I conceived most of the spells used in practice today! Just… give me a moment, and I will find a way.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? The doctors are very good here. I’m sure they can—”

“Yes, and they would put her in bed for days hence. I want the both of you now,” Luna said, stomping a hoof firmly on the floor.

Fluttershy’s expression hardened, and she turned towards the door. If there was any doubt in her mind before, there was none now. What Luna wanted wasn’t important. Rarity was.

Luna gawked at the insolence of the other mare for a moment before rushing forward to block her way. “Halt, we said!”

“I heard you, princess,” Fluttershy said, calmly. “Now please get out of the way.”

“We order you to cease moving!” Luna shouted, making Fluttershy’s ears clamp back on her head, but otherwise the mare may as well have been made of stone for all the reaction she was giving.

There was a tense moment where neither mare moved. Then Fluttershy took a firm step forward. “Listen to me very carefully,” Fluttershy said, taking another deliberate step, making Luna take one backwards in sheer surprise. “Maybe you are a princess. And maybe you scared the willies out of me when I was younger, and maybe even when I wasn’t so young.”

Fluttershy’s voice slowly rose in volume, not angry per se, but commanding. Luna suddenly could very well see the warrior’s spirit within her. “And maybe you did try to kill me and all my friends that one time. But Rarity needs help, and I love her. So neither you nor anypony else is going to tell me I can’t get her help!” She butted noses with Luna, calmly meeting the alicorn’s startled eyes. “Now. Move.”

Luna found herself cowed. It was an unpleasant sensation and certainly not one she would have thought Fluttershy could bring her to. She knew very well she could destroy this pony with little effort, but she had come here hoping to pursue further relations with these two, which would hardly be aided if they were both smoldering piles of ash. Unable to decide the issue with force of arms or force of will, she was at a loss to do anything but what had been requested of her.

After the princess had moved, Fluttershy walked past her, walking neither quickly nor slowly. The princess had assured her that Rarity was not in immediate danger; Fluttershy believed that much, but Rarity needed help to wake up. Fluttershy was going to get her anypony she needed.

A hesitant voice called out behind her. “Please wait?”

Fluttershy’s ear flicked back, but she kept up a steady pace down the hall. “If you want to come with me, you can,” she called back, “but I am taking Rarity to the infirmary.”

Luna stared uncomprehendingly at the still moving form of Fluttershy with her unconscious marefriend draped over her back. She had even said ‘please’! She had been assured that word had magic to it!

She scrambled past the mare, stopping in front of her, but not directly blocking her. “Dear Fluttershy… I recognize that I have been… forceful in my demands to see to her myself, but—”

Fluttershy calmly walked past without pausing.

Getting frustrated anew, Luna dissipated her form, moving at the speed of darkness to a spot a few hooflengths ahead of Fluttershy. “Will you please trust me to try something very quickly? I simply want to supply her with a little more magic for the spell to draw on. If it works, she will wake this very instant!”

“Luna, I’m very sorry, but I won’t risk Rarity’s health for a party. There will be others.”

“But there is no risk!” Luna insisted. “Well, not to her, at least,” she amended. “The only side effect is that she might possibly live a few years longer than she would have otherwise.”

That made Fluttershy stop. “What do you mean?” she demanded. “You’ve done this before?”

“Only once,” Luna admitted. “It was a grievous injury to somepony I cared for deeply. She did live to a ripe old age but she may well have done so without my intervention. It was necessary at the time.”

“But this isn’t.” Fluttershy said, pressing the point home. “You said it yourself; she will recover.”

“Yes, she will, given time.” Luna admitted. “But by giving her a small infusion of my own magic, the spell would greatly accelerate. She could be awake in no time, and able to use her magic by the dawn of the new day.”

“Why would you do that?” Fluttershy asked, suspicious of the other mare’s motives, though she was concerned enough about Rarity that she felt like agreeing on the spot.

“Because I…” Luna stopped, realizing she was about to spill the beans prematurely when she had intended to pay court in the more customary manner. She bit back her initial response, giving the other mare a wan smile. “Can we not just call it a gesture of friendship?”

Fluttershy seemed even more uncertain. “You said it won’t hurt her, what about you? What would you be risking? Giving your magic away seems dangerous.”

“It is... not pleasant, I admit,” Luna replied. “It does hurt a fair bit, but ’tis a trifle for one of the ponies who saved me from myself. Please, will you let me do this for her?” Luna was really beginning to wonder if that word had any power at all. She’d been repeating it over and over, but Fluttershy seemed unswayed.

A long moment passed, during which Luna considered commissioning a research team to look into the matter once and for all. Finally, Fluttershy seemed satisfied. “Okay. If you’re sure it won’t hurt Rarity… or yourself, then... okay. What should we do?”

Ah, so some subjects require repetition of the word in order for it to take effect. I shall have to mention that to the team.

“Just lay her down. I’ll do the rest.”

After Rarity had been laid to rest on the floor, Luna looked down over her, preparing herself. The process of giving up her magic was not a complicated one, but holding back the torrent of energy to the small trickle needed for this to work was far more difficult. She reached down into the core of her being, picturing a swirling maelstrom of darkness, and imagined unwinding a small tendril of it.

The small thread pulsated with her life’s essence. She moved it towards Rarity and allowed it to light upon a much smaller core within the unicorn. It was surprisingly powerful for a mortal pony, making Luna raise her eyebrows in surprise, though it seemed greatly diminished by the regeneration spell. That would change. When the thread made contact, she allowed a very small amount of her life’s energy to pass through it.

The effect was alarming. For one brief moment, Luna saw the other mare’s inner core light up brighter than the sun, and in the next moment Rarity opened her eyes with a gasp.

She looked around excitedly, her eyes moving at a constant rate. “I need paper now. I have ideas for several new lines, and some song lyrics I must commit to words, and I simply must learn how to crochet in the near future and—” Her eyes fell on Fluttershy, and she smiled widely. “Darling! I have so many things I want you to try on as soon as I make them! Just give me a few minutes, won’t you?”

Fluttershy looked at Luna in worry. The princess seemed to be barely maintaining her balance. “What happened?!”

Luna smiled wearily. “I… I may have overdone it. Does… anypony have any coffee?”

“Coffee! That sounds delightful! Come on, ladies! We need coffee and ink and quills and paper and yarn and needles—” Rarity casually picked them both up in her magic and carried them along in her wake, chattering all the way back to their suite.

The drawer was getting full.

Celestia looked down at the various attempts to convey so simple a thing, all botched so dismally. It shouldn’t be this hard. Pick up the quill, write out a very simple message: ‘You need to talk with your marefriend.’ So why was she running short on ink and private document storage space?

Because, despite everything, you still hope they will fall apart. A treacherous part of her mind whispered.

She let out a sound that was halfway between a snarl of anger and a cry of despair. That was not true, no matter what her own doubts suggested. Twilight and her friends were all important to her—

Yes, they are. But how telling is it that it’s not Pinkie and Twilight, but ‘Twilight and her friends’? Of course they are important as a group, but you’d rather be very close to one of them, and the other makes that inconvenient. So inconvenient you hesitate to help them.

Again, not a fair assessment of the situation. She cared deeply for all of Twilight’s friends—she stopped, surprised at herself. Had she ever thought of them as anything other than Twilight’s friends? Seen them for the individuals they were? She’d talked to each of them, of course, but she supposed she’d always thought of them as a group. They were important to her because they were important to Twilight. It filled her with a deep sense of shame, because Pinkie treated her as a friend, not just because of how important she was to Twilight, but because she was a pony who could feel sad and may need cheering up.

She had remembered feeling so unnerved, and touched, that Pinkie would walk a mile in her shoes just because she felt like seeing what it was like. But thinking on it more carefully, she did care for Pinkie, and would not want her to go through another breakup. She just wished it could have been otherwise; she envied Pinkie the chance that she never had, and now would never have.

If you simply want a companion, perhaps instating a royal harem might not be a bad idea.

Celestia rolled her eyes at the thought. Yes, a harem. Where she could debauch herself and try to pretend that physical pleasure was more important than the emotional fulfillment that came with genuinely being in love, and being with somepony she loved. If that was all she wanted, she could surely go to the guard and find several willing and able volunteers of both sexes.

And would that be so bad? Affection comes in all forms, after all. But then, a harem is more than one, isn’t it? Why does that bother you so much?

The niggling doubts Luna had given her resurfaced, and she found herself questioning once more why it was so difficult to consider what her sister had suggested. If she cared for Pinkie, and she wanted Twilight, what exactly was stopping her?

Yes, what is stopping you? You three could have a lifetime of happiness together, full of enough memories to fill your dreams for centuries afterwards.

It couldn’t be that simple. She didn’t want to join them for a bit of fun as Luna did; she loved Twilight. And if she couldn’t say the same for Pinkie…

Are you so cold-hearted and petty that you can’t find something to love in another pony?

“Not cold-hearted at all. Just... cautious,” she said to the empty room.

Yes, cautious. You’ve been cautious since a pony you loved tried to strike you down. But one thousand years later, you still haven’t let down your guard. Perhaps you think they would hurt you?

“It’s already happened, hasn’t it? Otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to myself.”

It’s not like your choices are terribly varied. Twilight is out for obvious reasons, Luna has made her opinion abundantly clear, and there are very few ponies in this city who would comprehend the problem, much less be able to offer advice. Face it, this is your only option for intelligent discourse.

It was hard to argue with that.

So, you’ve been hurt because you know there was a chance for something once, and that’s gone. But there is another chance, something you hesitate to try, because it would involve another mare. Are you so cautious that you can’t even give that a chance?

That was hardly fair. Pinkie was a friend, to be sure, but Celestia was not sure if she could ever see her as more. And if she couldn’t… it wouldn’t be fair to supplant her. She may as well just come right out and tell her she was taking Twilight for her own as slowly edge the other mare out of her own relationship.

Goodness, you are vain, aren’t you? You just assume you would win a contest of affections without question. No wonder the elements rejected your call.

The suggestion, even coming from herself, stung. Did she really think that Twilight would suddenly choose her over Pinkie if given the option? No, Twilight had come to her for comfort when things had gone bad, but it was unlikely that she would have even thought of coming back to Canterlot while everything was fine with Pinkie.

Exactly. You would lose now, and you long since lost the chance to have Twilight’s affections without opposition. You lost without even knowing there was something to win.

“I know.”

And so, having lost, you will just slink off to nurse your wounds forever. So set in your ways. Pathetic.

“Perhaps I am, but I won’t risk Twilight’s happiness for my own.”

So, she’d decided at last. Approaching the pair as Luna suggested was out of the question. But still, they did need guidance, and who better to advise them of how to avoid heartache than the mare who’d had her heart broken countless times before?

Ah, pride. The last bastion before the fall.

“Pride? Perhaps. But at least this I have plenty of experience with.”

Unfortunately, a letter was not going to work. She was so wrapped up in her own emotions that it was affecting her writing. The only other option was going to them directly.

So be it. She would go to them. She would sit them both down, and she would act as a mediator. She was, as Luna said, a peacemaker. Surely she could make peace between these two.

And perhaps... she could make peace with herself as well.

The little voice in the back of her mind laughed uproariously.