-*- Princess Celestia -*-
For over a thousand years, she had awaited the day that she could bring her sister home. For over seven hundred of them, she had been seeking a way that would allow her to do so even earlier, so that she could fill the aching hole that lay in her heart. Her mortal subjects could not comprehend the pain she had been in for so long, with her beloved sister sealed in the moon above them.
Her release from her imprisonment should have been a joyous time, one full of the two sisters making up for lost time, and her showing dear Luna how much she wanted to earn her sister’s forgiveness.
Yet somehow… something was missing. Something was not right… and Luna’s behavior since she had been freed from the prison of Nightmare Moon did not help that gut instinct that told her something was simply not right.
Was it… guilt? Was her sister still feeling burdened by the weight of her actions so long ago, and her attempt to bring back eternal night upon the land?
Suddenly, her thoughts were jumbled as she felt something she had not felt in a long, long time. She looked up and watched as the moon changed, shifting from the full moon, to a waxing moon.
For the first time in over a thousand years, the moon wasn’t full and the stars… they all shimmered with a gleam that she had never been able to replicate. It was a sight to behold, something she had longed for just as much as she had longed for the presence of her beloved sister.
Truly, it was a marvel. And there could only be one source...
"Sister?" Celestia called, looking around and eventually spotting Luna slowly making her way through the hedge garden. Celestia felt an urge to go out and speak with her, to tell her how lovely the night was… but for some reason, she held back.
Her sister’s posture and her recent behavior made it clear she wanted to be left alone right now… should she really intrude when she wished to be alone with her thoughts?
But if I leave her be… if I don’t try to help her with whatever is bothering her… the Nightmare might return… and I cannot allow that to happen, for her sake, mine and that of Equestria.
That thought bade her to do something… which was she soon stepped out onto the balcony and took flight, silently gliding through the cool night air. She scanned the maze for a moment, considering her options, before eventually landing in another passageway… one that was opposite to her sister and that would remain adjacent to hers for some time.
Eavesdropping and tailing her like this might not be the kindest of things to do… but I need to do everything in my power to protect both Equestria, and my sister. If I can learn what it is that is troubling her… then I will be better equipped to help her.
And so she followed along, walking softly and quietly along with her sister, using a spell to peer through and make sure she was still nearby as she strained her ears for even the softest whisper from Luna. It was a relatively quiet night, but this didn’t mean that if she wasn’t careful she wouldn’t miss something.
This kept on for nearly an hour, when Celestia realized they were reaching the center of the maze, where a great tree rested and provided both ample shelter from the sun and a gorgeous view of the palace grounds. It was a place they had visited once after dethroning Discord and restoring harmony to the lands of Equestria… only back then the tree had been a mere sprout.
It was there that they had, together with the remnants of the Kingdom of Unicornia, had planned out the construction of a majestic city built straight from the mountain… a city that would come to be called Canterlot, and would serve as the home of the Platinum dynasty as they worked to rebuild what had been lost in Discord’s reign of chaos.
Had Luna come out here to reminisce? Or had she simply wished to find some place where she could be alone with naught but her own thoughts and the celestial body that she represented?
Soon, Luna left the maze and stepped towards the ancient tree, circling around it and sitting in the exact same spot they had sat a millenia ago. Celestia walked on out of the shadow of tall arch, casting her gaze towards her younger sister and edging closer… until she heard something she hadn’t heard in a very, very, very long time.
Her sister… was singing.
It… it was a song that spoke to how her sister had felt all those years ago… but what made it worse was the sad, sorrow filled tone that Luna was using. Guilt dripped from every word, and she could feel her heart breaking as she listened.
I cannot leave my sister alone like this… I need to help her. Celestia thought to herself as she silently approached Luna, the Princess of the Moon finishing her song in a tearful whisper as she gazed up at her namesake. She didn’t seem to register the presence of Celestia until Celestia draped a wing around her…
Celestia felt more pain flow through her heart as she saw and felt her sister flinch at the contact, but years of experience kept that pain from showing on her face as she wrapped her in a tight embrace.
“My dear sweet sister… Lulu… please… don’t shut yourself out from me again. Whatever is bothering you… whatever troubles you… I will move the heavens and Equis itself to help you… just please…” Celestia says, tears beginning to form in her own eyes as she feels Luna beginning to shake from held back sobs.
Then Luna hugged her back while she cried. "You… you were alone for a thousand years, every night reminding you of our fight."
Her sister then smiled "But you never lost hope did you? You knew that one day the monster would escape and then there would be a chance to… t-to get m-me back."
Celestia silently nodded, wanting to say so much more but afraid on how her sister would react.
Luna then shifted about nervously, looking about uncertainly before finally looking up and asking “Tell me dear sister… did you not try to find some other way to bring me back? Did you have no choice but to wait for the Element Bearers?”
Celestia was caught off guard by this question, unsure how best to respond. Should she really tell her how many paths she had tried? How many experiments she had attempted? That she had even considered going down a dark path herself, just to have her sister come home as herself again?
"Tell me, because I know you Tia, even if the stars had promised to aid my escape, I know you would be unable to try nothing until the right time came. How many times did you try to bring me back? How far did you push to bring me home?”
Maybe hearing about her own screwups would make her little sister feel better… but she had an image to maintain, and anypony could be listening…
"I… I have many regrets, things I could have prevented, things I shouldn’t have done. Ponies who fell due to my arrogance and foolishness. Heavy is the head that carries the crown, especially since I had to do it alone." Luna seemed to droop a bit upon hearing this… even as she spoke up once more.
"Tia… do you think my return is the herald for bad news? I… I had nightmares of old foes returning."
Her sister had been having prophetic dreams? Of old enemies of Equestria? No… she didn’t want to think that more trouble was on the way, not when she had just gotten her sister back. It must have simply been remnants of the Nightmare trying to mess with her head…
"I saw… so many bad things my dear sister, in old times ponies seeked the stars trying to divine the future and asking for wishes. Yet after both the fall of the Crystal Empire and Discord's defeat… that was no longer the case. And while I hope this new era has a place for the night, will ponies ever forgive me?"
The sudden change in topic was a confusing, if welcoming one. “Of course my dear sister… there is a place for the night… I have done everything I can to help show the Ponies until the day of your return… and they have already forgiven you, as I have.”
Luna was silent for a moment, simply turning her gaze back up at the moon and her night sky… yes, it was her’s once more. Her shifting of the moon had shown and proven that… and Celestia couldn’t be happier to drop the mantle of Regent of the Night.
She was so busy admiring her sister’s glorious nocturnal sky that she nearly missed the soft, hushed whisper she uttered. Celestia’s own ears drooped slightly as she thought about what her sister had just said.
'Her time in the prison must have weighed heavily on her…' I’m sure that I can help her forgive herself for her own actions. She wrapped her wing tighter around Luna, smiling down at her as she said “If you would like, tomorrow you could begin the Night Court again… or begin selecting recruits for your Lunar Guard.”
At the downcast look that graced Luna’s face at these suggestions, her smile softened as she said “Or you can take your time adapting to things. I’m happy to do whatever I can to make you feel comfortable until you are fully ready to return to your position by my side, as an equal.”
Luna said nothing for a moment, seeming to mull things over, before hesitantly beginning. "E-Equestria has changed much since my banishment. I do not think I am ready yet to rule our subjects again.” She kicked at the ground, tacking on “I don't even know the current laws and customs of Equestrians are.”
“Learning that will take time, but I don't want to just shut myself in the library, isolating myself from everypony… I… I want someone who can help teach me what I need to know… while also helping me learn to make friends…”
Celestia hummed to herself at that
"While your student Twilight Sparkle seems to have a good heart, she also seems to be quite powerful. There lies a problem that could have grave consequences if left unattended."
Celestia stared at her sister in confusion "What are you trying to say? Is my student in danger?"
"Twilight Sparkle's cutie mark is the symbol of magic. Because of that, any magic is theoretically possible for her. Even spells that you or I together could not do. She… she needs somepony to teach her what you could not."
Celestia seemed shocked at what her sister had said. "You… you want to take Twilight Sparkle as your student?'
"I… I know Equestria has changed since my banishment. As I said before I am not ready to rule our subjects again when I don't even know the current laws and customs. Learning that will take time but I don't want to just guard the dream lands and study, isolating myself. What I know and is still relevant is magic. Spells that probably have been lost in time, secrets that most do not know. You have teached her restrain, but she isn't an alicorn. She probably struggles with high level spells because she never allows herself to use all her power. Because…. because she doesn't know how."
"How… how do you know that?" Celestia was even more confused, her sister had just isolated herself since they came back from Ponyville, yet what she said was accurate.
"My blessing and curse is that I can see ponies nightmares and dreams. Your student greatest fear is losing control of her magic." Luna said then seemed to think about it for a moment. "Well, maybe not exactly her greatest fear, but is one of the big ones."
"And you think you can help her?"
“I need to be able to talk to somepony who isn't family. I need to learn how to relate to ponies of this era. I don't want to deal with rump kissers and fake politeness, with ponies who praise me in my presence and curse me when they think I am not listening.” She let out a sigh as she glanced back up at the moon, then to Celestia.
"Eventually I will have to, but until I am sound of both mind and body… I think it would be too dangerous. Twilight and her friends... and the Ponies of Ponyville have shown me kindness that I don’t yet feel I deserve. I know they can help me heal… and yes I think I can help her.”
Celestia was silent for a moment, considering the idea in her own head. It would mean she wouldn’t be able to see her sister every day, but it might actually speed up the process of returning Luna to her former self. What was more, Luna could learn the Magic of Friendship right alongside her star pupil… And Luna herself could likely teach Twilight a few things about magic in turn, things that Celestia had only the tiniest understanding of.
She was about to give her approval, when Luna spoke up. “I promise to meet you in your dreams every night. I don’t want you to think of me as a horrible sister, especially when here you are, wanting to expend time and energy with me and I want to run into a small town to make some friends and teach magic."
She chuckled at this, a soft, warm hearted sound that kept Luna from looking insulted or upset. “My dear, beloved Sister… you not only have my permission, but my blessing.” Celestia leaned in, giving Luna a kiss on the forehead before nuzzling her. “What I want above all else is for you to be happy, to be the Luna I have missed for so long. If you need to get your help from somepony else… then I shall wait patiently for the day when you can take your place by my side in Canterlot.”
And then Luna cried as she hugged her big sister. Celestia calmed her while she smiled, their moment being interrupted minutes later by Luna's stomach grumbling.
"I guess I should not have skipped meals. " Luna said while her face was red as a tomato and she separated from her sister "Is anypony in the kitchen awake as this hour or I will have to look over your usual hide spots for snacks?"
"Don't you dare! I mean, I am quite sure I stationed a few ponies to run the kitchen at night and they will make you whatever you want." Celestia's face was a soft pink at her sister teasing about her eating habits.
"I knew that It was not just me shrinking down what made your behind look so big." Luna said smiling then looked herself over. "And look at me, unlike you I could use some meat in my bones, I am a growing mare after all."
Then Luna's stomach growled again "Yes, I should get some to eat right now." And after that Luna horn glowed and she teleported away, leaving behind a very confused princess.
"Did… did she just joke and called me fat?" That, that had been nice, to joke and talk with her sister like so long ago.
And... maybe she had let herself go a bit after all.