//------------------------------// // Chapter 1: Shadows in the Light // Story: Lullay Moon Princess // by Queen Sanguine Dreams //------------------------------// The Castle of the Two Sisters. The place of which Princesses Celestia and Luna rule all of Equestria. A castle hidden the the forest of the Everfree. Crafted by the sisters themselves to memorialise their defeat of Discord, and to signify their protection of all the ponies of Equestria. Walls, battlements and towers of stone lined its perimeter; a large castle of stone and marble, its center. Houses and shops lined the wall and filled the empty spaces between the fortifications, but the two Sisters relied more on the Solar guard to keep the peace of their subjects. This is what was troubling Luna as her weary guard slowed and landed the chariot to the castle's entrance. The Solar Guard were exhausted. Up night and day at times, when it was stretched thin. Celestia was certain that it was all that was needed, but Luna was the more experienced soldier of the two. She had lead armies against the forces of Discord, and the mad sorcerer known as Sombra. Celestia handled the management of the kingdom, and metaphorically fought the aristoponies with a broom like pests. Luna herself wished no part in this, but she could at least offer her sister a solution to the Solar Guard's plight. "Tia!" Luna called as she landed, Celestia walking towards her with weary concern on her face. "How fares thy day?" "Luna, good to see you too," Celestia smiled, before bopping Luna on the nose with a decorated hoof. "You flew off into the night without warning! I was worried about you." Rubbing her nose, Luna protested, "We art not a foal, Tia. We take care of ourselves quite easily." Celestia gave a tired sigh. "I know, Lulu. I still have a right to be concerned about my sister, don't I?" Luna draped a wing over her taller sister, walking by her side as they entered the castle proper. "You do indeed, Tia. We were out on a mission of great importance to us!" "Oh? What mission is this?," Celestia smirked, "Have you gone to 'secure the chocolate pies of the moon' from the bakery again?" She teased. Luna stared blankly at her sister, not rising to the bait. "We have discovered a new species of ponies in the frozen north, and made contact." She smugly retorted, her head held high. Celestia was suprised. "Really? This is wonderful news, Luna!" She turned to stand in front of Luna. They were now standing in the dining hall of the castle as servants floated about, setting trays and glassware for the coming meal. "What were they like?" Luna and Celestia took seats opposite another, their silverware and plates decorated thematically to their position. Celestia's was golden with white accents, and Luna's was dark purple with silver accents. "They call themselves 'Thestrals'. They are a hybrid in appearance of bat and pegasus. Generally grey coats, with some variation on mane and tail coloring. Their eyes hold slit pupils, colored yellow with others having rare colorations in defiance of the norm. They have wings like a bat, exempting the claws, and fangs." Celestia lifted the lid from her food, floating them to the side to look at their breakfast. She was listening eagerly to her sister's tale, but her spirits sank when she saw her meal. "Sister, had a famine befallen the land whilst We were away?!" Luna blurted in alarm. Celestia lifted a single celery stalk from her plate in a yellow field of magic, looking crestfallen with her ears drooping down. "No, Lulu," she heaved a heavy sigh, "I'm on a diet again." Luna blinked. Twice. "S-sister... What dost thou mean? Thy are perfectly healthy for thy age!" Celestia's stomach grumbled in protest at the meal presented to it, and The sun goddess herself agreed. "This is true, Luna. However, I deal with the nobility. If it looked as if I was becoming fat, all mannor of gossip and hearsay would spring up. Can you imagine?" Her hoof hovered from left to right, posting imaginary words of a headline, "Celestia; FAT! Kingdom; doomed!?" Luna hid her laughter behind a hoof. "Tia, thou art taking this out of proportion. Well, many portions, should thou ask thy stomach." Luna lifted her own lid to a freshly baked chocolate moon pie, the subject of teasing earlier. Celestia's mood was broken as the confectionary treat's smell contacted with her treasonous nose. "No, Lulu no!" She protested, hiding her face with the lid of her own meal. "Don't tempt me!" She cried. Luna was unable to contain her laughter any longer, using her forehooves to hold herself up on the table and to keep her muzzle from squashing her dinner. "Very well, Tia. We shall tempt thee no longer!" She declared, floating her treat to her mouth and summarily devouring its deliciousness in one bite. Celestia peeked from her lid, whimpering at the loss of deliciousness before regaining her royal composure with exaggerated stuffyness. "Indeed, we art a princess! We must have greater force of will against such temptation!" Luna's brow arched. "Tia, dost thou mimic us?" She asked with amusement. "Nay!" Declared Celestia with a raised hoof, "We art completely serious! Cool thy jets, Lulu!" Both sisters broke into laughter at this, and spent the remainder of the meal discussing the happenings of the Day Court and Luna's experiences with the Thestrals. Eventually, Celestia had to lower the Sun in preparation for her sister's night. ***** Standing on a balcony overlooking the horizon, Luna raised the moon and directed its course over the heavens. Her sister Celestia stood nearby. "It never gets old watching you do that, Luna." She said wistfully, a wing around her younger sister. "We think it would get old after the first century, Sister." Luna replied somberly. Celestia looked with concern to Luna. "Why would you say that, Luna? I think of your night as the highlight of my day." "Even if thou remains asleep through it." Luna pouted. "Hey," Celestia cooed, "Don't let your thoughts drag you down, Lulu. You know as much as anypony how much I adore and love you." She lifted Luna's chin with her wing. "Don't let doubt and worry make you think otherwise, alright?" She smiled reassuringly. Luna sniffled. "We sought out the Thestrals because they could assist us, sister. They would remain awake to watch over our night, and allow thy guards rest." Her gaze met Celestia's as she continued. "Would thou allow them to join us? They survive in horrid conditions, yet are unaware of a better life here." Celestia thought for a while, cosidering the toll of her suster's request. "Lulu... I know you mean well." She began, to Luna's increased distress set by the tone. "Consider how our little ponies would react, after they just learned how to deal with their own kind? If we rush this, we'll have another war on our hooves just from distrust alone. We have to let the scars of our ponies fade before we ask this of them. I know your intent was pure, but this is too soon for them." Luna sighed in resignation. "We understand, sister." She then left Celestia's embrace and walked into her room, Celestia following. "We must guard our subjects this night. Goodnight, Tia." She softly smiled, and Celestia wished her a good night as well before leaving. Luna's horn lit with its telltale glow, as her eyes became solid white and glowed with power, entering the Dreamwalk. ***** Luna walked amongst the many doors of her people, signifying the entrance to their dreams. She found her mark, and stepped into Aegis' mind. It was the celebration they held last night, all the ponies happy and cheerful. Memories were much more vivid and constructed than those of pure dream. They held every detail, but faded with every viewing as time marched on. The colt spotted Luna and floated over to her, not bound by the laws of reality in the dreamscape. "Hello, Princess Luna!" He chirped. "Greetings, Aegis. How fares thy night?" "I was hoping to see you, actually. I was talking with some of my friends and they want to be your protectors, too!" Luna kept her expression blank, not revealing her dissapointment that she couldn't grant his request. "We ask thy forgiveness, Aegis. We cannot allow thee to enter our service." The colt was understandably saddened by this, and sunk to the floor. "W-why not? Did I do something wrong?" He asked. "Nay, tis no fault of thy own making. Our subjects are... ill prepared to recieve you. I fear it will take many seasons for them to accept thee." Luna replied evenly. "Can you ask them to visit us? We can get a feast ready again!" He hopefully offered. Luna barely hid a frown, "Nay. We do not wish to speak of this further, Aegis." "Aww... okay then." He pouted for a moment before an idea struck him. "Wait! What if you bring Princess Celestia here? Then she can convince other ponies to come!" Luna was annoyed by Aegis' persistance for a moment, before mulling over his suggestion. "Very well. We will offer sister to conduct day court in her stead." Luna was subsequently kicked out of Aegis' dream as he awoke with excitement plastered on his face. ***** "Are you sure, Luna?" Celestia asked over their next meal. "I don't think you've done Day Court before." "We art perfectly suited for the task, Tia." Luna replied, munching on a rather large carrot she had requested raw. Celestia's brow was raised at the display, but thought against pursuing the questionable meal further. "Very well, Luna. I'll visit the Thestrals." "Hushah!" Luna cheered, spraying bits of munched carrot on the table by accident. The sisters looked at the mess with a moment of joint horror before laughing it off. "Be prepared to deal with the endless requests by aristoponies for meaningless garbage, Lulu. It's a complete waste of time most days, to be honest." "Aye, we remember our own Night Court. Mostly drunkards and jesters." She grumbled. "I'm sure you'll be excellent, Luna." "We thank thee for the compliment, Tia." Luna smiled. ***** Princess Luna entered the Day Court. An expansive room of gleaming marble with many windows letting in her sister's light. The floor was decorated with a long red carpet, and dual banners of the sun and moon hung over the entryway to the court itself. The carpet lead up to a single large throne, giving Luna some pause. Wasn't there supposed to be -two- thrones? Luna shook her head. Small details like that didn't matter now, she had to remain awake and conduct court! She took a seat on the cushioned throne. She was wearing her standard regalia, not wanting to display the same level of jewelry and flair that her sister had. "Princess Ce- er... Luna, we are ready to recieve petitioners." A caller announced. "Let them enter." The ornate double doors swung open to allow a line of petitioners to progress. At the front was a very posh noblemare with her muzzle in the air, glaring with haughty contempt at the servants scurring past. Her view fell on Luna, and she looked as if she might have a heart attack. "Wh-what, who?!" She babbled, her monocle falling from her face. "Who are you?" She demanded. Luna kept her royal mask on, her face devoid of emotion as she answered in an even tone. "We art Princess Luna, Ruler of the Night. Who art thou?" The noble seemed even more flustered. "WellI want to speak with Celestia!" She cried. "I don't know you, so you're nopony!" The Solar Guards seemed to fear for this Noblemare's continued freedom, and decided to drag her from the Court. Luna heaved a sigh, calming herself and hoping for things to get better. "Now calling, Golden Delicious and Apple Smith!" Two earth ponies entered. One a bright green in coat, the other a golden yellow. Luna took no more note beyond that as the mare, Smith she assumed, began to speak. "H-hello yer highness!" She stammered. "Greetings, Apple Smith." The two ponies looked between each other nervously before addressing Luna. "Oh feathers. We're just gonna be honest wit' 'cha. We don't got no bits and we're wantin' to start us a farm." "Eeyup." Replied delicious. Luna's brow raised in interest. "Thy wish to work the fields?" "Yes'm!" Luna looked to the side in thought, before reaching a decision. "Very well. We offer thee the fields nearest the Everfree. A small town has begun to settle there, and we would ask thee to provide nourishment. You may work these lands and sell thy bounty on this condition." The two ponies stood awestruck by this, having expected to be thrown out. "Thank ya, yer excellence!" She cheered. Then a stray thought struck Luna, and she raised a hoof. "Hold a moment, Apple. We ask a question of thee." Smith halted her cheering and her mood sank to cautious suspicion. "An... What's that, yer highness?" She asked. "Does thou know our name?" Smith started sweating nervously, looking to Golden for help. "U-uhh, that's easy! Yer the Princess! Why else'd ya be on the throne?" Luna's eyes narrowed, causing the farmer to shrink in fright. "Very well. Thy leave is granted." Luna said finally with a dismissive wave of her hoof. "Thank ye, Princess!" "Eeyup!" The Apples bolted out of the room quickly after that, and the remainder of the court proceeded in similar fashion. Ponies would come in, notice Celestia wasn't there, and either try their luck with their request (not knowing who Luna was) or they would demand to see Celestia. It became even more distressing as the numbers of ponies walking in and seeing Luna, then walking out grew. Do these ponies not remember the sacrifices we gave? The deeds we have comitted for thy safety? Luna wondered. ***** The day was near its end, and Luna could dreamwalk in her sleep almost as well as awake. The only issue being ther own subconcious could interfere with the dreams of another. She lay in her bed, having fallen asleep from exhaustion in the middle of day court. Having seen this, the guards decided to close the court and carry Luna to bed. In her sleep, Luna ran over the events of the day. All the ponies pleading for useless titles or trinkets, or demanding special treatment. She turned them all away, and listened only to the genuine troubles of her subjects. She was glad to have helped the Apples, and several other ponies like the Dashes. They sought a way to control the weather on a larger scale, and set up the first weather team for a unique pegasus village in the sky named Cloudsdale. What troubled the Moon Princess however, was all the petitioners hadn't even known who she was. Not a single one. What's more, the throne held only her sister's. She clould understand such a thing, as Luna had not attended a court in so long. But her subjects forgetting her entirely? That sorrow cut deep. She had given a great deal to the ponies of Equestria. She and her sister defeated the reign of Discord, and saved an entire empire from the mad rule of King Sombra. What would cause them to forget so quickly? *Your sister!* a voice called into her mind. "Who dares trespass?!" called Luna, her voice echoing in her mind. She waited, and heard nothing further.