//------------------------------//
// Luna Faces the Music 
// Story: Cries of a Self-Tormented Soul 
// by twilightsparkle3562 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 8

"Luna Faces the Music"

From the moment the door to Sweetheart's office had officially closed, Luna realized that there was no turning back now. She knew that her feelings were going to be coming out and there was nothing she could do about it. Luna found herself sitting across from Celestia, Cadence and Twilight who stared at her carefully.

"Now, we all know why we are here," said Sweetheart. "Luna, your sister and fellow princesses have been worried about you and you have been acting strange around them and your subjects."

Everypony could see that they were going to be in for a bumpy ride. Luna's body language showed that this wasn't going to be an easy meeting between Equestria's four monarchs.

"That is not true," protested Luna, turning away rudely from everyone around her. "I don't act strange around my subjects. Tis a lie!"

"Luna, it is true," cried Celestia, rising from her seat. "Many of our subjects can sense that you are hiding something from them. We need to move on from the past and we can't do that unless you learn to let go!"

The sounds of Celestia's voice were enough to send chills down Cadence and Twilight's spines. Out of the princesses affected by Luna's behavior, Celestia was the most affected.

"Why should I let go?" protested Luna, rising to her feet and storming towards Celestia. "Everypony didn't have to suffer of my actions, but I couldn't control myself and I greatly regret it! This is something for me and me to suffer to alone, so back off, sister!"

This caused Celestia to grow very cross upon this insulting remark. She did not like being told what to do and not even her younger sister was subjected to her wrath.

"No," hissed Celestia, her horn glowing and tears forming at the corners of her eyes. "I will not back off, Luna! I'm your older sister and I am responsible for you along with the rest of Equestria! I will continue to be this way until you speak to me what is truly on your mind!"

Celestia continued to glare at Luna as the princess of the night scrunched herself to the ground. It was at this point that Cadence got up and raised a wing to push Celestia back slightly, in an effort to maintain peace and to keep the session from going out of control.

"Don't you see, Aunt Luna?" she cried, keeping Celestia at bay. "This is what is happening to us! I don't want us to be fighting amongst ourselves like fillies. We are princesses and we need to be open with each other. Hiding our feelings is wrong and you know it."

With each word that was spoken to her, Luna felt more and more like breaking down and crying. For she was beginning to realize that there was no turning back now.

"They are right, Luna," said Sweetheart, who along with Twilight, was staying calm amidst the tense atmosphere. "Its very unhealthy for ponies to hide their feelings. It affects our mind and our ability to live our normal lives."

Luna tried to cover her ears and attempted to use a spell to make herself disappear, but Twilight used a counter spell to prevent it from happening.

"You cannot hide any longer, Luna," cried Celestia, who used her magic to put Luna back in her seat. "Tell us what is on your mind!"

At that moment, Luna finally gave herself in and with tears flowing out of her eyes, she subjected herself to reveal exactly what she had said during the battle with the Tantabus.

"All right, sister!" she sobbed, her head lowering in shame and sorrow. "I'll tell you! I'll tell you! Just stop talking, please! All of you!"

The entire room fell silent with Luna scream for silence using her royal Canterlot voice. Taking a raggedly deep breath, Luna began to reveal what was in her mind.

"Sister," she cried, her eyes closed trying to hold back her flowing tears. "I created the Tantabus to give myself the same nightmare every night…to punish myself for the evil I caused as Nightmare Moon!"

A hushed gasp came from Celestia and Cadence's mouths upon hearing those words. Twilight didn't respond for these were indeed the same words that Luna uttered during the battle against the Tantabus, however even she felt a small tear form in her eyes.

"Why?" cried Celestia, who was already crying herself. "Why would you do that, Luna? You could have come to me and we could have talked about this long ago! I love you and so does all of Equestria!"

"I wanted to make sure I never forgave myself for how much Equestria suffered because of me!" sobbed Luna, who crumpled onto the floor and buried her head in the carpet. "But it seems I have not learned my lesson, for now I have only made you suffer more!"

Celestia then bended down and joined her sister on the floor as Cadence stepped back slightly, allowing the sisters to have some space.

"Luna, don't you see?" sobbed Celestia. "Do you know what you are doing now? You are only hurting yourself and I can't allow myself to see you like this! I love you and we have a chance to rebuild our lives to the way it was before all this happened."

"Celestia is right, Luna," said Twilight, talking to them from the couch. "We can't turn back time, but we can improve ourselves of our mistakes. Who is the pony who helped the Cutie Mark Crusaders when they had their nightmares? Who is the pony that made Nightmare Night fun for all of Ponyville? Don't you see? Nopony cares about Nightmare Moon anymore. All they care about is Princess Luna. Can you make yourself realize that?"

Luna continued to sob quietly as she absorbed all that everypony in the room was saying to her. For the first time in her life, Luna felt the weight of her guilt leave her body and she felt the Tantabus struggle inside her body, knowing that it was dying from the lack of Luna's guilt.

"I can make myself realize that," cried Luna, who felt exhausted from all the hard crying she had done. "I don't know what I would do without you all and I promise…to be more open…to you all. I love you, big sister."

Celestia then pulled her sister close to her chest and the two sisters sobbed in happiness for the first time since their reunion after Luna was freed from her Nightmare Moon persona.

"I love you too, little sister," cried Celestia.

As they watched the sisters reconcile with Sweetheart, Twilight and Cadence looked over to see the master standing in the far corner of Sweetheart's office and smiled.

"Well done, Luna," said the master, smiling warmly at what he was seeing. "Well done."