“Sister, we need to talk.”
“Of course. You know you can always tell me what is on your mind.”
“It is not about what is on my mind. It’s what you have been putting in Twilight’s.”
“Ah. You’ve been holding this in for a while, haven’t you?”
“Too long.”
“Then it’s best not to waste any more time, hmm? I believe I can guess at some of your concerns. Tea?”
“No, thank you. I expect you do know some of what I have to say. But then, you were always the clever one.”
“Luna—”
“No. This needs to be said. You need to hear it, from one other than yourself.”
“Very well. Please, enlighten me.”
“I owe Twilight Sparkle my life. I would forever be in her debt, even had we never met again. But that was not the end of it.”
“With her, it rarely is.”
“Quite. She approached me, that first Nightmare Night, comforted me when nopony else would. I am honored beyond words that she would call me a friend. And it is as a friend that I am asking you to stop toying with her life.”
“Twilight is no less dear to me than she is to you.”
“Really? Because it looks a great deal as though you only care about her when you have some mess for her to clean up.”
“Luna—!”
“Tirek! Sombra! Discord! Chrysalis! ME! Your mistakes, all of them, and it was Twilight and her friends who put everything right!”
“This has nothing to do with—”
“It has everything to do with them! Everytime some threat from the past comes back to haunt you, you make sure Twilight’s in the way.”
“She would do so regardless.”
“Yes, she would, if you would give her the chance. Then again, look at what happened the last time you gave your student a bit of freedom. How is Sunset Shimmer these days? Oh, of course, Twilight Sparkle saved her, too. Naturally, when one student runs away, you keep her replacement on a leash.”
“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Go on, then. Tell me all about how it’s for the good of Equestria. I’m sure you’ve had plenty of time to rehearse.”
“It was never about Equestria. It was about you. It was always about you. I failed you that night, a thousand years ago, abandoned you to the darkness I had never noticed. I could not fight you, even after you fell. How could I? So I locked you away, hoping that a thousand years might make me strong enough to face you again. I learned to rule alone. I learned to manipulate ponies, how to nudge them down the right path, and how to do it without being seen. I had to be perfect, a symbol of all that was good and true, or everything we’d fought for would have been lost. And every night I would raise the moon and see the symbol of my failure. It reminded me that I would never see my sister again. Can you imagine that? A thousand years of waiting to see my only family, knowing that I would have to destroy her?”
“Yes.”
“Then you know that I could never do it. Towards the end, I became desperate. The Elements were my last hope, but they would never answer me again. I searched for another to take them up. One who could wield them as we once did, able to use their true power: to heal, not to destroy. There were some, through the years, but something always went wrong. It was too early; their destinies led elsewhere. Sunset Shimmer… she was the last. I was so sure, Luna. She was talented, confident, and brilliant, but I pushed her too hard. I failed her, as I failed you.”
“You already knew Twilight Sparkle, though, did you not?”
“I did. Twilight was always special, even from the beginning. Whenever a new student wishes to learn magic at my school, I give them a test. They are told to hatch a dragon’s egg. It is an impossible task for any unicorn, let alone an inexperienced foal. The point is to see how they react.”
“But Twilight Sparkle succeeded.”
“You have met Spike, of course. The two of them have been inseparable ever since.”
“You knew all along, then. Of course you would want her to take up the Element of Magic.”
“Luna.”
“It is the truth, is it not? Fine, I am sorry for interrupting. Please continue.”
“As a matter of fact, I never intended for Twilight to take up the Elements. At first, it was because I had Sunset Shimmer, but after she denounced me and fled Equestria, I did not have the heart to try again. I kept her away from anything to do with your return. It seems I have a habit of underestimating her.”
“She found out.”
“Yes. Two days before the thousandth anniversary of the Summer Sun Celebration, I received a warning from her about your return. She saw it as her duty to take action if I would not. It gave me hope, a final, foolish hope that I had not felt in a long time. And then…”
“She did it.”
“She did it. She saved you. Twilight Sparkle, the new bearer of the Element of Magic, undid in one night the mistake that had haunted me for a thousand years. I… I wanted to give her everything.”
“You made her into a weapon.”
“I gave her a future!”
“You didn’t give her a choice! Can you honestly tell me, right now, that what Twilight Sparkle wanted more than anything was to be a princess? To rule a kingdom of her own from a castle of crystal spires? To bear the burden of leadership every day for the rest of her life?”
“She was always destined for—”
“Do not talk to me about destiny. She wanted to be like Starswirl. Did you know that? She thought her destiny was to spend her days by your side, learning and discovering new magic with you. She can never have that now. She is a princess, with a kingdom and a crown, and she will never live the life she could have had.”
“I did not make her a princess.”
“No. She earned it herself, and I can think of none more deserving. But you put her on that path. And do you know the worst part? I h-helped! I agreed to send her Starswirl’s journal b-because I trusted you to know what was b-best for her! I t-trusted you.”
“Luna, it’s alright. You’re okay. I’m here, and you can talk to me.”
"No! Don't you d-d-dare! How can you be so – so you? It's not fair! So perfect, all the time, and I-I'm—"
"Luna."
“It’s all m-my fault! All of this! Just because—”
“Luna, calm down. It’s alright. Deep breaths, that’s it. You don’t have to say anything, not if you don’t want to.”
“No, no, I – This needs to be said. But…”
“Yes?”
“You mentioned tea, before. By any chance, is there also…?”
“Of course. Would you prefer chocolate sponge, Discord’s food, or lemon?”
“Chocolate, please.”
“I’ll have some brought up.”
“One of these days, we will talk about your sweet tooth. Equestria ill needs a spherical alicorn of the sun.”
“It would be thematically appropriate, at least. Besides, am I not allowed to indulge while I am still young?”
“Celie, I have seen mountains younger than you. Lighter ones, too.”
“Well then, surely a mare of my age can make her own decisions about the proper amount of cake. I will hear no more on the subject, and I’ll thank you to stop smiling like that.”
“Very well, Your Pie-ness. But I fear we have drifted off-topic.”
“Yes. I am still willing to listen, to whatever you wish to say.”
“I suppose you were right, earlier. It was always about me. I may not be on speaking terms with fate, or destiny, or what-have-you, but even I can see that Twilight would never be satisfied with less than greatness. Maybe you guided her down a different path than she would have hoped, but you did it for the best of reasons, and I know that she knows it as well.”
“But…”
“But you should not have needed to! Twilight Sparkle only took up the Elements because I was stupid, and jealous, and selfish—”
“Luna! You are not Nightmare Moon. What she did was not – is not – your fault, and I will not allow you to blame yourself for my failure.”
“I am not a fool, sister. I did not control Nightmare Moon, but I did give her purchase and a place to grow. But just as she is not me, nor is she you; you are no more to blame than I am for her actions. It was not your failure.”
“I cannot accept that. I should have seen—”
“Nightmare Moon was angry. So angry that I could not feel anything else. All the time I was trapped on the moon, I was aware of little but the need for revenge. I barely felt the centuries flowing by. But you… One thousand years of blaming yourself, just as I blamed you tonight, for things beyond your control. Can you ever forgive me?”
“Luna, I forgave you one thousand years ago.”
“Then allow me to forgive you. And maybe, one day, we’ll be able to forgive ourselves.”
“Let us hope so.”
“Celie?”
“Luna. Shouldn’t you be receiving the Night Court?”
“Should you not be asleep? Come. I want to show you something.”
“Oh? The moon is a bit full for stargazing.”
“It is just as well; I would not want to strain your elderly eyes. No, tonight we direct our gazes downward. Tell me what you see.”
“I seem to recall a young, blue alicorn hating my little riddles. Oh, how the tables have turned.”
“Bite me. You are far too stubborn to listen otherwise.”
“And there she is. Very well, I’ll play along. I can see the lands in the southwest of Equestria. Ponyville lies below us, nestled between the foothills of Unicorn Range to the north and the Everfree Forest to the south. In daylight, I would be able to see the ruin of our old castle, right at the forest’s heart. Beyond it is Ghastly Gorge, and further still is Appleloosa, though it is too far and too dark to be seen. On a clear, moonless night, I might just make out the glow of Las Pegasus.”
“And yet the moon shines and the sky is cloudy. I can read a map, sister. What do you see?”
“Tonight? I can only see Ponyville, with Twilight’s castle rising above it. A few lights are on in town, probably ponies working late or enjoying the warm weather while it lasts. Most ponies do not share my enthusiasm for fall.”
“Describe Ponyville for me.”
“Ponyville is a young settlement, founded by earth ponies of the Apple family on lands granted by me personally. Its residents are mostly earth ponies, though a fair number of pegasi and several unicorns call it home. It is known for its produce, and it is Equestria’s only source of zap apple jam.”
“It is an agricultural town, then. What of its nightlife?”
“It’s where Pinkie Pie lives. Other than that, it has little activity after dark, as is common of small towns. It is a tourist destination and a rail center, but Ponyville has long prided itself on its avoidance of urbanization.”
“And yet, lights are on, and many ponies do not sleep.”
“Mmm. Not, by itself, cause for concern. In light of recent events, however…”
“Tirek was a deeply unwelcome revelation for many ponies. It will take time before they feel safe again. I do what I can to ease their burdens, and they are strong. But I cannot help them all. Look again, and tell me what you see.”
“Twilight’s castle. She’s awake.”
“She is scared and hurt. She needs you.”
“Haven’t I done enough? You were right, earlier. I’ve spent so long playing games with ponies’ lives that I’m not sure I know how to stop.”
“Who better to teach you than her? You know she would do anything for you.”
“Maybe that’s the problem. I wouldn’t even know what to say.”
“That is a first. Just tell her the truth. Tell her what she means to you. Tell her that she will be alright. Be there for her, as you have for me.”
“Truth. It does seem to be that sort of night, doesn’t it? Maybe, one day, she’ll even forgive me.”
“Oh, dear sister, she already has.”