Luna burst into a small room off the throne room filled with light. It was the place where she felt closest to her sister while she recovered from the spell used to save Soarin’s life. Luna was practically bouncing in place as her magic quickly shut the door behind her.
“She did it!” Luna exclaimed excitedly, hovering a foot or so in the air in her joy. Luna could feel that Celestia returned her sister’s smile, despite her lack of physical presence.
“I’m surprised you waited this long to find out… I almost expected you to cut into your sleep and go see for yourself how your student did since you couldn’t discover the outcome from her last night,” Celestia replied with a teasing note in her mental ‘voice’. Luna landed lightly on the floor, looking uncertain.
“You never did that for Princess Twilight…” Luna responded as though she’d been chided, her forehoof making an idle pattern against the tile. Celestia chuckled and Luna felt her sister’s presence beside her.
“Dear sister… You are not me,” the elder alicorn said, and Luna felt something like her sister’s horn gently touching hers. “You are more subtle and discreet, while I am direct. I saw Twilight Sparkle’s display of power, and wasted no time taking her as my student. You took your time. I knew you had your eye on young Witching Hour long before you made it official… You will teach your student differently from how I taught mine…”
Luna looked up, a little startled but smiling shakily. “I know… But…” she started again, but Celestia ‘spoke’, silencing her again.
“You are not me, Luna… What works for me may not work for you, if it does at all…” Celestia explained again. “If you could not see yourself taking Witching Hour under your tutelage immediately upon finding her a suitable candidate, then there’s no reason for you to do as I have done.” She again ‘smiled’ down at her younger sister. “Now… I take it she just contacted you with her lucid dreaming and you found out that way?” she prompted, causing Luna’s elated mood to come back with a side of humor.
“Yes! Last night she was too exhausted to do so. Apparently, the results were better than expected too! Miss Monkey Wrench was apparently quite the sight today, careening wildly about the physical therapy room because her normal wing movements provided too much force,” Luna laughed. “It was almost as bad as when Princess Twilight was learning to fly if Witching Hour’s memory wasn’t exaggerating. Little Spike still has nightmares about that experience.”
Celestia laughed heartily at her sister’s words. “Good… I’m glad to hear it…” She paused briefly, turning thoughtful. “Luna… Where do you want her to go?”
The question brought Luna up short, but in a show of playfulness, she smiled at up at the glowing ceiling. “The long term planning was always your speciality, sister. As I am not you, I have endeavored to not give it much thought…”
Celestia snorted in bemusement at her sister catching her with her own words. “True enough, dear sister… What fleeting thoughts have crossed your mind then?” she rephrased her question, hoping to get a better answer.
Luna sighed, unable to avoid the question any longer. “You once said that when the Crystal Empire is filled with hope and love, those things are reflected across all Equestria… Princess Cadence is obviously already there, and she is the Princess of Love. But what of hope?”
“What of it, indeed?” Celestia prompted, teasing Luna for not quite giving her a full answer.
“Witching Hour inspires such hope in ponies… Since the accident and before Witching Hour spoke to her, Monkey Wrench’s mind was so dark and morose, her dreams dismal of a life on the ground - as you might imagine, given the state her wings were in… But after just speaking to her of possibly getting any use of her wings, her dreams changed… It’s been the same with many of her patients… She brings them hope when they feel there is naught left,” Luna elaborated before stopping herself. “She has only begun to realize it, though…” she added with a wistful sigh.
Celestia nodded thoughtfully, remaining silent. “Then that will wait until she’s ready to fully accept it… In the mean time,” the elder alicorn sighed heavily. “Your student… How is she with spells outside of her astonishing healing abilities?”
Luna looked confused briefly before answering. “To be honest, I think she could’ve done anything she wanted to, but she wanted to help others the most… Her previous teachers all have said she has a great capacity for learning and it’s difficult even now to direct her studies down one line… I’ve managed to keep it mostly straight by leaving a majority of her education to the hospital doctors, but she studies seemingly random topics on her off time, or goes back to old favorites like logic, spell theory, and music.”
Celestia made a noncommittal, thoughtful noise. “Then, my dear sister, I think I have an idea that will keep her busy, but allow her to continue on her path…”