//------------------------------// // Anger and Cowardice // Story: Heir of the Moonlight // by Skylas //------------------------------// The day had passed incredibly slowly. While I was voraciously tired, I also did not want to sleep at the time, every time I slept I could feel my own doubts ruining my rest. I had waited most of the day inside of my room, but I felt the temptation of sleep creeping over me, so I decided to see if I could speak to Twilight. I hadn’t been paying much attention to Twilight’s advice, I still wasn’t sure if I even wanted this responsibility, despite Luna believing I was the one right for the job, I didn’t believe I was, I had never asked or expected his, and to drop it all on me felt… Unfair. I had entered the throne room cautiously, I didn’t want anypony to see me except for Twilight. I saw her sitting alone upon the throne, slowly scribbling her name onto papers. As I approached she looked over at me and gave a small smile.         “You’re up early Stardust, have you gotten some actual sleep this time?” Her humor went through one ear and out the other, which prompted a slight frown, she seemed to understand once I got a bit closer.         “You’ve been doubting yourself haven’t you?” I clenched my jaw softly, I didn’t exactly enjoy being patronized, but I took a sharp breath in and managed to respond without grumbling.         “Maybe a little, but perhaps that is because I have not even come close to lowering it?” I tried my hardest not to give a smug smile. I failed pretty badly, she sighed and slowly walked down the steps to me and motioned for me to follow.         “Listen Stardust, you cannot possibly expect to get it right the first time, there has never been anything wrong with accepting help when you needed it.”         “Luna’s job, the one she so graciously dumped on me when I was already feeling terrible, involved only her strength and will alone to lower the moon! It doesn’t matter what magic she bestowed upon me if I am simply too weak to do it!” I hadn’t realized I was shouting until the last word left my lips, I looked up at Twilight and grit my teeth.         “Even your job Twilight, when Celestia had passed on her duties to you, I am guessing it was incredibly easy wasn’t it? You were Celestia’s personal student, but beyond that, from day one she had been preening you to assume control of Equestria when she was gone! It’s not like that for me Twilight! I have not even finished my training, or even KNOWN that she was going to pass on her duties to me!” I let out a snort, looking up at Twilight who was merely staring down at me with a frown. I had growled in anger, unable to control myself at this point.         “The reason why I am struggling to accept help is because if I cannot do this on my own, then I am not worthy of the position that has been given to me! From day one, you have always been able to handle things on your own because that is what you were PREPARED for!” I didn’t realize how far we had walked, but Twilight had stopped us and put a hoof on my mouth. I pulled away and snarled angrily before I looked up at the stained glass window that she had lead us to.         “I know, Stardust, I was prepared for this job, but there was plenty before that I was not prepared to do on my own. Even when I was told that a job had counted on being completed by my hooves alone, but in the end you must realize when you need help, you cannot be willing to put the fate of Equestria at risk for your own desires.” I stared up at the window depicting a young dragon with the Crystal Heart above it’s head, with Princess Cadence and her subjects powering it, I stared up at it for a long while before Twilight’s voice brought me back.         “Celestia had tasked me with defending the Crystal Empire, and had said that in the end, it had to be me that saved the day.” I watched her slowly walk up to the window and gently place a hoof onto it’s surface, smiling softly.         “I had fallen into a trap, and I did not have time to figure out how to get out. So I told Spike to retrieve the heart and bring it to Cadence. Like you, I initially had believed because I was unable to complete the task as Celestia asked me to, I was going to fail the test, but in the end, Celestia had praised me for knowing when I needed help.”         “Twilight…”         “It’s fine Stardust, I understand that you have been put through more than I could possibly imagine, but there is nothing wrong with recovering. If you do not take care of yourself, you only hurt your ability to do the great honor that has been given to you. So please, for my sake, do not worry, in time you will make Luna even prouder than I am sure she already is of you.” I nodded slowly, feeling Twilight embrace me and put her head against mine. I don’t remember how long we were sitting there, but it seemed to last forever. I realized she was waiting for me to pull away and I slowly wiped the tears from my cheeks, I didn’t realize I had started crying. I slowly pulled away and let out a soft huff, looking outside one of the windows and standing slowly.         “It’s time to lower the sun isn’t it?” Twilight nodded and began to head to the terrace at the tallest tower, she didn’t seem to expect me to follow, but I did anyways.         “Shouldn’t you get some sleep Stardust?”         “I will Twilight, but before I do, I want to try and raise the moon for tonight.”         “Stardust…”         “Don’t worry Twilight, only one attempt, if I cannot then I will let you do so, there is no harm in trying is there?         “There isn’t, I’m glad you are already thinking much clearer Stardust.” She smiled down at me and I had followed closely behind her until we reached the terrace, watching her horn glow brightly as she walked out, and slowly dipped her head as the sun disappeared from sight. She then motioned for me to step out onto the terrace. I took a slow breath in, my horn glowing softly, then slowly getting brighter, thinking of the moon as I slowly brought my head up, my breathing becoming quickly more labored as the moon crested the landscape and slowly slid into place. I gasped as I let go and watched the moon sit firmly in the sky, beginning its cycle. I suddenly felt like everything was in a haze as I looked up at the moon, and my eyes shimmered as I stared up at the sky. I heard Twilight speaking but her voice had become incredibly muffled, I felt an urge to go up into the night sky. My horn glowed softly, I heard the patter of hooves behind me.         “Stardust! Don’t!” That was all I heard before I felt myself melt away, escaping amongst the stars.