//------------------------------// // Dimming Stars // Story: Futures Forged From Friendships Past // by RC2101_Copey //------------------------------// The night air was crisp as Celestia looked upon the weak light of the moon. She would have normally smiled when she looked around, but something was missing. The lights of the stars were dim, and the moon’s muted glow looked as if it was ready to go out like a candle. She knew that her sister’s mood was a direct influence on the night sky and its beauty. Spreading her wings, Celestia took a short flight to Luna’s balcony and walked through the still open door. After a brief scan of the room, she found it empty. She was about to leave and search elsewhere when the covers of Luna’s bed caught her eye. Walking up next to the bed and removing the dark covers with her magic, she found Luna lying with her back towards her, her movements showing signs of distress. Celestia leaned her head closer in an attempt to lure her sister’s attention, but Luna shifted her position and buried her head in her pillow. “Luna, what’s bothering you?” “Nothing that requires worrying, dear sister,” Luna said through her pillow. “Luna.” Celestia walked to the other side of the bed, and Luna rolled over to again avoid her sister. “Luna, the stars are dimming; something is wrong.” “You could say it is fatigue from a lack of sleep. And it would not be hard to point the hoof at the reason for that; it seems to be standing at my bedside.” Celestia huffed in frustration before walking around to the other side. “Luna, I’ve seen you go a week without sleep and still have your stars bright enough to blind.” “If you enjoy staring at stars so much, go back to your room and stare at your marefriend’s flank; she has six of them.” Luna rolled over again, still refusing to look at her sister. Celestia, red in the face, couldn’t form a coherent sentence, but she couldn’t let Luna get away with the jab about Twilight. Lighting her horn, she lifted the bed, tilting the head up to the ceiling and the foot to the floor. Luna squeaked as gravity took hold and she slid down. With a small ‘oompf,’ she fell in a heap, bed-sheets and all, at her sister’s hooves. Luna managed to untangle her head and, lifting it, gave Celestia a glare that could level mountains. Celestia took it, and sat down to be face to face. “Luna—we both know that our charges reflect our innermost feelings. Yours have been getting dimmer. Please, stop keeping things bottled up. Luna, what is wrong?” Luna was silent for a short while; instead of speaking, she looked out through her balcony doors at the nightscape she had painted. The stars were indeed dull. Knowing that she had no way out, she turned back to her sister. “Truthfully, Tia, I must confess that I have been feeling lonely as of late.” Celestia’s eyes widened. “What do you mean? You have friends, you have—” Luna silenced her sister, her magic holding her mouth closed. “I know what you are going to say. First, you would start off with the Element Bearers. Yes, those six mares are, and will always be, my friends; I owe them that much for what they did for me. I have our niece, Cadenza, and her husband. One could go so far as to say I am friends with every denizen of Ponyville, after the Tantabus escapade.” Luna looked away, not bearing to look her sister in the eyes. “But they are your friends, Sister. I met them through you, and I know that means nothing to them, and it shouldn’t to me, but it does—it leaves a gnawing feeling inside.” She looked back up. “With my thousand-year absence, I have yet to make a friend that wasn’t already yours. I know it may be selfish, but I want a friend that I can call truly mine, and I fear it may take another half century before such an event can come about.” She finally released her sister’s mouth, expecting to be admonished for her selfishness. Instead, Celestia just sat there, half-stunned, half-worried. The verbal tirade never came; Luna found herself engulfed in two white wings and a neck pressed against her own. Feeling something splatter on her back, Luna pulled away to find her sister crying slightly. “Oh, Luna,” said Celestia. “I can see why you didn’t want to tell me, but I still wish you had.” She drew them both back together. “I can’t believe I never considered this would happen. What kind of sister am I?” Luna pushed her back until they were eye to eye. “You are the best sister a mare could ask for, and far more than I deserve.” Celestia sniffled loudly, wiping her eyes slightly. “I still don’t know how I could overlook this. There must be somepony.” “Neigh, sister. I have spent the last few nights pondering this, and I have come up blank.” Luna shuffled around so that she was now resting side by side with Celestia, merely enjoying her warmth. But Celestia had already zoned out. I know there must be somepony. I mean, it’s not as if one of her friends from before her banishment are … still… around. Huh. An idea was forming. An idea so crazy, it just might provide the solution for her sister’s unhappiness, as well as a threat to national security. Turning to Luna, she composed her expression into one of innocence. “Luna?” “Yes, Sister?” Luna asked, partly concerned for whatever her sister was planning. “What about your old friend, Chrysalis?” Luna went slack-jawed, her eyes blinking rapidly. After all this time, Luna never once thought Celestia would willingly bring up the Changeling Queen, not in a context like this. One of the many things she had been briefed upon her return was the fate of the Changelings. Celestia had given her a detailed report of how relations had almost ceased overnight and devolved into varying attacks on outlying villages. Couple that with what the queen had done at her niece’s wedding, and she couldn’t fathom what she had just heard. From all accounts, her fillyhood friend was now an enemy of the state, one who had physically attacked her sister. She wasn’t sure she could forgive her after all that was said and done; yet still there was something in her that made her sad to think about her former friend. “No.” Celestia frowned slightly at that. She started to say, “But—” “No, Sister, just leave it at that…” “Luna… let me at least explain my reasoning.” Luna wanted to consider this; she did want to know what her sister was thinking. But something in deep inside of her still hurt when the subject was brought up. She was frustrated, hurt, and slightly mortified when she thought of how Chrysalis had carelessly attacked her sister, saying it was for her people. “Look, Luna, I know I have said some pretty bad things about her since, but that is one of the reasons I want you to consider this.” Luna looked sceptical, but decided against saying anything while Celestia continued, “Back, way back before your banishment, you two were good friends. I know what you feel like right now; remember how while you had Chrysalis, my best friend was Discord? “Well, even after what he did and we were forced to turn him into stone, part of me still hoped there was part of the sweet and playful side of him left. It hurt, losing him. It still hurts now; I know we have him back, but it hasn’t been the same. In a way, I envy Fluttershy.” Celestia looked away, a wistful look to her. “But that is what I want. I want to be able to return to how things were. Something changed after you left; Chrysalis never did anything to harm Equestria or it citizens before. She even aided us on occasion.” She placed a hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “And Luna, I think that was down to you.” Not knowing what to think, Luna sat there in silence, mulling over everything. It wasn’t until a few moments had passed before she opened up again. “And you think that I should make friends with her again, after everything she has done? Sister, no. She threw you across a room for Mother’s sake and tried to enslave our ponies.” Luna stood, sparing a glance, before making for the door. “Luna, please. Don’t you see? Chrysalis listened to you then, she might still now. You can bring an end to the conflict without violence, and it could even help you!” A scowl was etching itself deeper into Luna’s features. She opened the door to her room and stuck her hoof at the corridor outside. “Out.” “Luna, I—” “OUT!” Not wishing to cause her sister any more discomfort, and knowing this battle was lost, Celestia left the room, her hooves heavy and neck bent low.