//------------------------------// // Painful Memories // Story: Moonlit Shadows // by rooberry //------------------------------// Luna sat at her desk tears in her eyes as painful memories played through her mind. ~~~~~~~ Luna leaped up from Shadow's side to chase after her sister. She slammed the door behind her. "You can’t do that!" Luna screamed across the room. "Just watch me!" Celestia turned to face two guards, "Please have Sombra Bright's and Coal Dust's things removed from the castle premises, and make haste." "NO!" In rage, Luna aimed her horn at her sister. Swiftly, Celestia cast a spell, pinning Luna to the wall, "Don’t even think about it." Celestia released her magical grasp. Luna fell to the floor weak, and blacked out. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Luna gathered the last of the ink and continued to write. "Maybe if you had not gotten hurt then I would never........you would never." Luna sat in her dark room crying, alone. ~~~~~~~~~~~ Luna woke up to find she was no longer laying in the hospital floor but in her bed in the castle. She looked around and was startled to find her sister at the window looking into the world and drinking some sort of coffee. Luna rubbed her head, "How long have I been out?” “Two weeks.” Celestia took a sip of her drink. “WHY DIDN’T YOU WAKE ME!” Luna yelled at her sister. Celestia turned to look at her sister. Luna could see that her sister had dark circles and bags near her eyes. Luna gasped and tried to sit up but was returned with pain. Celestia approached her sister's bed. “You need to rest." "How long has it been since you've slept?" Celestia rubbed her head. “15 or 16 days.” “Sister you need to get some sleep.” Luna fought the pain from standing up to help her sister to her room where she fell asleep immediately. Luna trotted through the long halls to the kitchen where every pony just stared at her. One chef approached Luna. "Your majesty," he said bowing, "Your sister said you would not be back from Saddle Arabia for another week." Luna thought for a moment. "My uh meeting was um… cut short." Every pony shrugged off the questionability of her statement and continued to cook some brunch. Luna gasped as she came to a sudden realization and whispered one word, one single word, "Shadow". She leapt up and flew through the castle as fast as she could only to find that the once dirty, filthy, cluttered room belonging to her best friend was empty except for a single bed in the middle of the room to the back wall. She slowly made her way to the bedside and collapsed on the soft mattress. She cried there for hours and hours the time ticking by slowly, until she heard a knock on the bedroom door. "Princess Luna?" A kindhearted old mare's voice called out softly. Without looking Luna answered bluntly. "Yes Fiona? What do you want?” The elderly mare was indeed Fiona the castle nurse that took care of not only the staff but the princesses themselves. As Fiona made her way toward the bed, luna quickly tried to compose herself but it was no use. Fiona sat next to Luna and stroked her long mane in comfort as she had done for luna so, so long ago. “I know you loved him but he… well… He’s gone my dear” she embraced Luna in a warm hug. “I’m so sorry there was nothing we could do.” Luna broke free from her embrace. "You mean…" Luna’s lip quivered as her tears swelled in her eyes. "Yes." Fiona said solemnly. Luna stood emotionless. “no” She whispered to herself, “no, no, no, No, No, NO, NO” She went from whispering to yelling. She collapsed on the floor with a full mental brakedown. ~~~~~~~~~~~ “Thinking back on it, I was such a child. My mistake not asking more questions. But to be honest children make the best mistakes. It took me the longest time to get over you. I cried for a week. HA HA HA. Children will be children.” ~~~~~~~~~~~ A knock came from Luna’s bedroom door. Luna sniffled before answering, “Go away.” The door opened softly as Celestia walked into the dark room. “Sister, you've been in here for a week and a half I know Fiona brings you food but she tells me that you are barely eating. Maybe you should go back to the hospital just for, you know a check to make sure that..” “That you didn't accidentally almost kill me with your magic!!” Luna snapped back cutting off her sister. “Fine be that way. I just want to know your ok. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ “Although I hate to admit it she was right, there was something wrong.” ~~~~~~~~~ As Luna sat in the waiting room she imagined what could have been with Shadow. “I should have told him sooner, told him that loved him. I mean I've loved him and wanted to be more for a long, long time. It’s my fault if I…. he wouldn't. Shut up Luna don't think like that. But it's true.” Luna whispered to herself furiously. She swiftly looked around to see if anypony had heard her ranting, thankfully no one had. The sound of multiple sets of hoof steps filled the hall. Luna could faintly hear what the nurse was saying but became more distinct as they got closer. “Right this way Mr. Bright.” Luna jumped to her feet and rushed down the hall only to find a stallion with a rainbow mane. She stood disappointed. “I guess he’s really gone.” She whispered to herself. She turned around and walked down the hall. As she turned the corner to the waiting room and came to a sudden halt, dead in her tracks. She didn’t move, she didn’t blink, she didn’t breath for in that moment she was staring at a ghost. face to face with the ghost of her former love. Both statue still. “Luna?!” Sombra ran up to the frozen princess and pulled her close in a tight embrace. “Shadow?”