Inflorescence

by Reptilicus

How soft your fields so green

Fluttershy never really thought about how large Celestia was. There was never really a reason to ponder why the princess was so tall compared to most ponies. But it was one of many things in her mind as she held Celestia's forelimbs in her own, her wing gently rubbing the back of her leader. Celestia had been unconscious when they had brought the ailing princess to her chambers. Fluttershy felt it would be best to try and assist her princess within Celestia's room. Not only because it was large and spacious but, should something go wrong and Celestia indeed pass away, at least she would be in her favorite place, as dreadful as the idea was that Celestia should die while Fluttershy tried to help. The Canterlot Castle medical staff had been called in immediately to help as well. Palace guards stood by at the doorway with other members of the royal council, all staring in fear and horror at the events transpiring within. Smelling salts had been used to rouse Celestia from unconsciousness. Immediately she had tried to speak, only to find that her throat was painfully swollen. She had coughed up some blood which caused several ponies to faint. A mixture of sugar, water, lavender oil, and poppyseed milk had been mixed into a thin drink which Celestia was asked to force down, with hopes of causing Celestia's stomach to expel whatever was causing her such pain while also providing some light pain relief.

Now Fluttershy held Celestia's large trembling form in her arms, a large porcelain medical basin sitting in front of the princess, as she waited. There was a loud gurgle and Celestia squirmed uncomfortably, heaving repeatedly as a pained grunt came from her mouth. She retched, filling the basin with vomit and blood, and after a few minutes of this fell silent, sliding backwards out of Fluttershy's arms to lay on her belly as the doctors wiped her face. Fluttershy and the doctors prepared a new drink, composed of crushed wintergreen sprouts to relax Celestia's stomach and throat muscles, along with extract of cloves, chamomile, water, and a little bit of apple cider. Celestia quickly drank several glasses of the substances and lay still, seeming to fall asleep quietly. Fluttershy places the rest of the poppyseeds into a chalice with wax from bees and some pure water, smashing it into a gooey balm with her hoof to help rid Celestia of the red hives that had broken out all over her face.

"Is....is she going to be alright?" asked one of the royal guards quietly.

"She's going to be fine." replied one of the doctors as he collected his things. "You're very lucky Fluttershy was able to identify this as an extreme allergic reaction. Quick thinking has saved Celestia, and Equestria as well."

"Fluttershy....." Celestia whispered, her voice nearly inaudible. "...you....you have saved my life."

"No it's my fault you're like this in the first place." Fluttershy bowed her head, feeling ashamed. "You were allergic to something in the cake Twilight and I made. You almost died because of us."

"Shhh...you could....not have known....." Celestia mumbled, a pained chuckle echoing across the room. "....I should have recognized...that it was pineapple. Please....don't feel guilty....if it weren't for you..."

Tears began to fill Fluttershy's blue eyes, she tried to hold back, hold in her grief. But Fluttershy had never been very good at keeping her emotions in check, and found herself weeping quietly as the onlookers stared. Her tiny yellow form shook as the sobs came, doing her best to hide behind the long pink hair she'd had for ages.

"I'm so sorry Celestia!" the yellow pegasus coughed out. "I'm so sorry this happened. Please forgive me! I...I'll help in any way I can!"

"No need for tears, Fluttershy. I know...you would never hurt me. Or anyone." Celestia whispered. "If you want to help I could use some company while I recover in here. And perhaps......more cider as well."

A few uncomfortable chuckles came from the crowd of onlookers. Celestia weakly raised her head and gave them all a respectful but clearly very weary nod.

"I....feel I should....apologize for frightening you all." Celestia began. "But....I'm feeling better....or at least not as bad. You may go home if you wish. You need not stay here if you have business to attend to."

"What about us, my queen?" asked one of the guards as the politicians began to shuffle out.

"Well....do as you have always done." Celestia said, laying her head down onto a pillow. "Do not fret for me. Today is a beautiful day like any other. Spend it as you always do. We will speak more when I am able."

And with that, Celestia drifted off into a fitful sleep, her body still in great pain.

*************************************************

Luna breathed heavily as she quickly jogged through Canterlot. Her day's plans having now gone off the deep end from all the chaos surrounding her. She had planned on going to an art festival. Before being exiled, Luna had quite the passion for art, being an artist herself. The sky was her canvas and the stars her paint. She had greatly encouraged many artists in the old days, or at least those who had not found the Princess of the Night to be terrifying. Having been thrust back into the modern world had reawakened some old flares that had resided within her heart. One being her love of art, particularly public displays. And now that she was incognito with the brilliant disguise Rarity had concocted for her, Luna was free to attend public art and music festivals without causing a ruckus.

Glee had turned to annoyance when she had arrived to find that the festival had shut down, a hastily scribbled sign claiming it was due to a local emergency. That annoyance had turned to worry as she had followed a crowd of gossiping onlookers to the gates outside the royal palace. Worry became panic as she heard shouting and watched the royal guard pushing townsfolk away. Panic became chaos as ponies claimed there had been an attack upon Celestia. Chaos became a riot as Luna had fled from the angry crowd. And the riot quickly became pandemonium as up in the sky a great moon had appeared. But not the moon that ponies were familiar with. This one didn't shine, didn't gleam, didn't give one a sense of peace. It had Discord's face upon it, and it made the ground tremble as its mouth stuck out it's tongue and made a very loud PLBBLBLLBLBLBLBLBBTBTBTBTBT noise. The crowd had scattered far quicker than it had formed as ponies assumed the worst, fleeing to their homes and families.

'Rarity! Help!' had floated around the moon briefly, giant glowing letters spelling out a message clearly meant for Luna. Now she jogged quickly down the cobblestone streets to the place she usually met Rarity in secret. She had no guarantee that the unicorn was there. She couldn't be sure what she would find. If Discord had already broken his vow to be civil, then Luna could have a real problem on her hooves. Particularly now that they no longer had the Elements of Harmony to rely on to turn him into stone once more. The tension became almost agonizing relief as she saw the cafe nearing on the horizon. Only two customers were there, sitting on a bench in the veranda with two cups of coffee. An unlikely pair to not only see together, but particularly on a day where the world seemed to be falling apart. Discord, the spirit of chaos, and the newly crowned Princess Twilight Sparkle, element of magic, sitting side by side looking impatient and worried. Luna let out a long sigh as she sped up her pace, slowly coming to a stop in front of the table on the porch and giving the two there a pensive glance.

Twilight tilted her head to gaze at the stocky earth pony that stood before her, with a coat of grey and a mane of dark brown, small white spots on her shoulders and flank. "....L...Luna?"

"Hello Looney." Discord nodded with a hint of affection. "Nice getup. Enjoying your paid vacation?"

"Let us drop the pretense, shall we? And converse as equals." Luna said sternly as there was a quick radial flash of darkness before she had returned to a more familiar form.

Luna was not as tall as Celestia, nor did she gleam with a brilliant solar light as her sister, but Luna was no less impressive to behold. A slender almost gangly mare, easily taller than most, her coat a deep midnight cerulean, and a black splotch with a white crescent moon for a cutie mark. Her mane was like layers of fragile shadows upon the sky, flowing with a ghostly movement from spectral winds none could see or sense besides she. Tiny specks of starlight moved through these shadows, giving Luna's mane the appearance of staring through a hole into deep space itself. Her eyes were blue, and had the smallest look of aloofness to them. Whether it was her natural appearance or from the years of living as a being of pure hatred was anyone's guess.

The wooden bench opposite Twilight and Discord creaked as Luna plopped herself down on it.

"Well what has happened? I awake in the hopes of enjoying the frivolities of the public art spectacles to find there is mischief and whispers of my sisters undoing. Now there is an imposter moon in the sky making....toots. If this is some sort of practical jest, it appears no ponies are laughing. In fact, the very opposite is taking place."

"Oh yes, that. Let me just clean up my mess, shall I?" Discord flailed his arm wildly in the air as the moon in the sky shrank, disappearing with a loud quack and a starburst.

"Luna something.....terrible....has happened...." Twilight began, beginning to tremble. She couldn't look into Luna's eyes. Not after all that had occured. Her words blurted out, a stream of almost incoherent babbling. "We...I was....at the royal summit and....I'm not sure how....but we screwed up the cake and Celestia started choking and coughing and there was so much blood and so I ran away and left Fluttershy there and Celestia didn't seem like she was able to breathe and she might be dying and I don't know what to do so we decided to find you!"

"We fear the cake might be have been tampered with." Discord mentioned nonchalantly, putting a comforting claw on Twilight' back. "Poisoned? Sabotaged? Infected? Who knows, really. I had a piece myself and tasted nothing out of the ordinary. It was a bit flaky, could have used more butter and maybe a pinch of nutmeg, but in the end it seemed like a normal cake. I already mentioned to Twilight that....should Celestia die....I can fix it. But you, Luna, you of all ponies know the high price of me fixing something like that. You know the price that comes when I reverse something as final as death."

Luna nodded sagely. "I do. And I'm in no rush to see our universe be destroyed and birthed anew. Not without Celestia's guidance, that is. If what you two say is true, then perhaps my sister has been affected by some other means. Magical venoms are uncommon now, but they do still exist for those who know how to apply them. If she's been hurt by one of these, then I can purge them from her with an aether connection within our minds."

"You can connect to Celestia?" Twilight asked, shaking even harder as tears bubbled in her purple eyes. "But...she couldn't connect to you...or find you when you left the castle."

"She could not because I did not want her to. There are some things that I have more skill at then my sister." Luna reached a hoof forward and placed it under Twilight's chin, lifting the purple mare's head so she could look into her eyes. "Calm yourself, Twilight. Now is not the time for grief. That may come later, should my sister pass. Your behavior is unbecoming of a princess."

Twilight tried to sit upright and stop trembling, wiping her tears with her foreleg.

"Sorry." she squeaked.

"Go easy on the poor thing." Discord muttered in Luna's direction. "She's had a rather ghastly day."

"I can only imagine." Luna mumbled, turning to look skyward.

For a brief moment the evening sky began to fill with stars, then all at once they were gone, replaced again by the fluffy orange-tinted clouds of the hour. Luna's eyes glowed a bright white, yellow shafts of light beaming upwards and dissipating into the warm air. Silently Twilight and Discord watched as Luna murmured incantations to herself.

"Sol...Högni....Keph....Nach....Xeper....." Luna spoke quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"What is she saying?" Twilight questioned quietly to Discord who was staring intently.

"Beats me." Discord said with a plain shrug. "Maybe it's some sort of moon magic."

With a sniff, Luna lowered her head, the lights receding as a small smile crept over her face. She let out a long relieved sigh. She nodded silently at Twilight and Discord.

"Celestia is fine." Luna lay her head upon the table, feeling exhausted from her brief connection spell. "She has not been poisoned. In fact the cause of her great pain is something far simpler. Twilight...was there pineapple in the cake you served to my sister for supper?"

"Yes." Twilight said looking horrified. "Why?"

"She is deathly allergic to pineapples. At one point in time we tried to incant a spell that could remove allergies from a pony so they could enjoy things they previously could not. It did not work, obviously. But Celestia is alive and the fruit that was causing her such pain has been removed. She is resting...and speaking to Fluttershy. From what I sense it seems like Fluttershy may be the one who nursed my sister back to health."

Twilight slouched back in her chair feeling both relief and a new dread overtake her. Relief from knowing her longtime mentor was now safe, and dread from the realization that while Twilight could no longer be accused of purposefully poisoning Celestia, she had still served her mentor a fruit that had made Celestia deathly ill and could have very well killed her. She would never be forgiven for this. No pony would ever be forgiven for this. The guilt pushed Twilight down further and further until she was nearly doubled over. She had doomed herself and Fluttershy.

"I thought I had no more love for my big sister." Luna shakily sat back up, wiping her eyes of a few stray tears. "But I feel so....relieved yet cautious. As if I were being strangled by my own hubris. I suppose some bonds truly can't be broken."

"I doubt you two could ever truly hate each other." Discord took a sip of his tea. "You two don't know what true hatred is. It consumes you entirely and eats you away til there's nothing left. What you and Celestia have is nothing more than petty sibling squabbles, I'd say."

Luna gave Discord a very unpleasant glance.

"Just tellin' it like it is, sister." Discord grinned. "Not trying to offend. Anyway, we should all be pleased that Celestia isn't dead and was in fact simply sick. I suppose she'll want me to feed her noodle-soup and read her bedtime stories while she recovers because I clearly don't have better things to do. I guess that wraps up this little caper."

"Well not entirely....." Luna began, turning around as she flicked her ear.

There was a faraway sound, like that of a small child crying. It grew in volume, echoing down the alleys of the street. Then Luna saw it, a small purple speck rushing towards them, growing in size as a small purple dragon scuttling on all fours down the street.

"Your apprentice is here, Twilight." Luna barely got the words out when Spike had rushed by, tackling Twilight and clinging to her chest, large tears rolling down his chubby face.

"Spike! Spike, what's wrong!" Twilight wrapped her arms gently around the whelp, trying to comfort him.

Spike gasped for air a bit between sobs before finally getting a handle on himself. "I...I woke up an, an, you were all gone so I decided to go explore the castle...cause I hadn't been there in so long and...there was all this screaming and shouting and ponies sayin' Celestia was dead! And some of them were saying YOU had killed her, Twilight! And when I told them you'd never do that they chased me out of the castle and down the street and I was so scared cause I couldn't find you!"

"Back when I ruled, royal pets were treated with much more respect." Luna quipped, looking disappointed.

"Spike's not a pet." Twilight sternly stated, looking back down at the dragon. "He's family. I've cared for him ever since he first came out of his egg and started following me around thinking I was a momma dragon. I'm so sorry, Spike. I didn't mean to be gone for so long. Fluttershy and I were going to head back but just...so many terrible things happened at once."

The lavender alicorn gently kissed the small dragon's forehead several times until his weeping had subsided into quiet hiccups. Spike wiped his face with his flat spiked tail, sheepishly gazing at Twilight with the same large green snakelike eyes he had done so all his life.

"Is....is Celestia...ok?" Spike's voice was scarcely above a whisper. It seemed cruel to even ask, considering how important Celestia was.

"She's fine, Spike. She was very sick but...she's better...maybe. I...I don't know how she feels right now, Spike. She's at the castle with Fluttershy now."

"Ponies panicked over poison pineapples but it was just allergies apparently." Discord rolled his eyes. "Not nearly as exciting as someone trying to usurp the throne. Blech."

Luna cleared her throat loudly, drawing attention back to herself.

"Speaking of Fluttershy....when I was peering into the minds of those at the castle to locate my sister...I felt a very strong connection. A connection of a very strong and pure love. Not the ubiquitous kind one sees between various equines of camaraderie, but a far more powerful one. And as I sit here I realize that connection ends...but also begins...at you, Twilight Sparkle."

Luna tilted her head. "Art thou courting miss Fluttershy, Twilight? Harboring feelings for the quiet forest mare?"

"Oh THAT." Spike smiled mischievously. "Twilight and Fluttershy went into the woods to check out a weird plant and ever since then they haven't been able to keep their hooves off each other."

"Spike!" Twilight looked flustered and aggravated.

"That's far less pleasant than the version of the story Fluttershy told me." Discord said with a smile. "Still, good effort there, Spiffy."

"It's, Spike." huffed the tiny dragon.

"Magic and Kindness have taken a liking to each other." Luna murmured, thinking to herself. "In the old days we had a saying for when two ponies found love. For you and yours, two souls weaved. Thine hearts amend, and joy not leave. Fluttershy is a very kind and loving filly. I am sure you will both be very happy."

"I remember that old saying." Discord began with a faraway look in his eyes. "I recall a pony saying it when I turned an entire guest-list at a wedding into frogs with trumpets for noses. Ah, that was a fun day."

"We...I mean, I...am surprised you can even recall memories from the past, Discord." Luna quipped, smiling mischievously. "After all, it has been so long since this earth has born thee hence."

"Was that an attempt at making an old joke? Are you calling me old?" a tone of annoyance rising in Discord's throat as he snorted. "You're calling me old while using words like 'thee' and 'hence'?"

"Perhaps!? Who can say, Discord? Art thou not the master of these sort of jests?"

Discord was about to unleash what he hoped was a witty retort when Spike turned to Twilight and asked the question that had been in the back of everyone's mind since the beginning of the conversation.

"Is...Celestia going to be angry with us?" Spike asked innocently.

For his entire life, any time Spike had a problem or had run into trouble, Twilight was there to help. She was the support the baby dragon needed as he grew into a child in a world he could never quite fit into. It was more than reliance, it was a maternal connection. And Twilight never disappointed. She knew the answers to everything and was always so reassuring when Spike was troubled. Which made it all the harder when Twilight looked down at Spike and simply whispered....

"I...I don't know, Spike."

"You don't know?" Spike turned to Luna, looking frightened.

"My sister is in comfort now, young Spike. But I could still feel the mortal terror that languishes in the back of her mind. It has been many eons since my sister has courted Death itself in such closeness. I imagine she is probably upset, yes. Though how upset I can not be sure. Celestia was always very good at repressing her more negative emotions." Luna nodded. "Something we...I mean I... always envied."

"Do you think Celestia might....banish us?" Twilight squeaked, her eyes filling with tears.

"It was only an accident right?" Spike spat in panic. "She wouldn't do that, right?"

"I......." Luna cleared her throat, looking to Discord. "Perhaps I am not the best person to ask...about what requisites one must fulfill to earn banishment from Celestia. While I attacked my sister...and hurt others in the process....I never came as close to killing her as you have this night, Twilight. My sister has a tendency to....do away with....or ignore...the things she finds pestersome."

Twilight's eyes grew wide with fear.

"I suppose I have to agree." Discord mumbled, a bitter tone entering his voice. "I feel like I'm stepping on eggshells whenever I'm around Celestia. Like even an innocent prank might land me back into being a gargoyle on her lawn again. I mean...I came back for a day and messed with some ponies heads and turned some clouds into cotton candy but....is that really worth locking me away for ANOTHER thousand years? I'm anxious half the time I'm around her that I'm going to screw up and get tossed away like garbage again."

"Thou preach to the choir, Discord." Luna said sadly, staring down at the table. "I love my sister but...sometimes I feel...the punishments she gives...do not fit the crimes. I deserved my banishment....I did some cruel...unforgivable things. Things that even now haunt me at times. But you, Discord.....I....I'm sorry. I helped lock you into stone and never thought about the idea that....as strange, confusing, and often evil as you were...you were still a living thing. A living thing with your own ideals and culture that we could not comprehend. Death would have been preferable to being locked in stone for so long."

"It would have been, yes." Discord grumbled. "Every day...unable to move. Unable to feel the sun on my face. But retaining my mind. But I did some cruel and unforgivable things as well, my dear. I'm no spring chicken. I did the crime and did the time. I'm flattered you want to apologize but I really can't accept it. But Twilight doesn't deserve what happened to us."

"And neither does Fluttershy." Twilight felt a small notion of confidence returning. "If what I've done gets me banished then I'm going to take all the credit for this incident. I could never forgive myself if I got Fluttershy removed from her home."

"What about me, Twilight?" Spike asked.

"I'd want you to remain in Ponyville, Spike. Where my friends could care for you. Where you could still go to a normal school and live a normal life. You'd be able to stay there and grow up and be like a regular citizen. Instead of traipsing around the wilderness with me! That'd be ok, wouldn't it?"

"Nooo!" Spike wailed, burying his scaly face in Twilight's chest. "I don't wanna go to pony school or stay in a pony town if you aren't there! I wanna stay with you!"

"You might not be able to, Spike." Twilight whispered, stroking the sobbing dragon's head. "Much as I wish I could bring you."

"Before we get TOO ahead of ourselves in the pity party...." Discord began. "Perhaps, Twilight, you should visit Celestia herself? Beg her for forgiveness and...lenience, hm? Groveling, flank-kissing, the works. You ARE her apprentice...and probably her favorite pony...no offense, Luna. I'm sure she'd be civil with you."

"You're right, Discord." Twilight sat up, depositing the mewling Spike onto her back as she puffed out her chest and began to march away. "I need to go and speak with Celestia. I need to tell her how sorry I am. I'm sure Fluttershy is worried sick about me as well. I can't stay here any longer."

"I pray you find better fortunes than us, Twilight." Luna sighed with a nod. "This will all blow over, I'm sure of it."

"Yeah, like a concrete balloon." Discord leaned back and banged his fist on the glass window of the cafe and began to shout gruffly. "Whose life do I have to ruin to get a cold drink around here!?"

*************************************************************

The sun was setting, which made Fluttershy feel better. It could not set on it's own without a powerful force instructing it to do so. And at the moment Celestia was sleeping quietly, her ragged breaths echoing around the bedchambers. A mug that had once had several droughts of cider in front of it lay on it's side near her, empty. Celestia had mumbled how rarely she drank, as it was unbecoming of royalty to drink outside of social gatherings, but having survived a very violent allergic reaction seemed like enough cause to celebrate. Fluttershy had cautiously joined her, taking a few sips of the sweet cool liquid that burned in the throat and belly before watching Celestia fall asleep. Now the small yellow pegasus sat on the floor, watching the sun set, knowing that it was a good sign. For the only other pony with the power to control the cosmos in such a way was Celestia's sister. Which meant somewhere, someplace out there in the city of Canterlot, Luna was aware that Celestia was too weak to control the sun, and was taking care of it.

Now all Fluttershy could do was sit patiently and wait for Twilight to return. Curled up at the foot of the very short stairs that led to the elevated platform that the royal bed sat upon, she stared at the giant redwood doors that made up the entrance to Celestia's chambers. Gold stiles worked around the frames of the giant doors, molded to be shaped like decorative wings, ancient etchings of unicorns and pegasi going along the edge's. Brass lintels arced over the doorways, covered in minute brass leaves of ferns and holly, wrapping around the plaster columns and down to the red marble sills upon the floor. Fluttershy's eyes roved around the room, thinking how beautiful this castle was and how little the occupants probably even noticed. How many times had Twilight sat in front of these doors as a little filly, waiting patiently for her teacher to exit, eager for a new lesson or spell. How often had the marble halls outside this door echoed with the laughter of little unicorns, all happy to be chosen to be taught by Celestia herself, causing a noisy ruckus as they stampeded around the castle. It was hard to imagine with the silence. A silence that was broken as the two doors swung open with a loud thud, a scruffy and bedraggled purple alicorn stomping her way in, a fledgeling dragon clinging to her backside.

"Twilight!" Fluttershy squeaked, tripping on her hair as she rushed forward to embrace her friend. "Oh I'm so glad you're alright. Did you find Luna? Where's Discord?"

"I left him with Luna." Twilight said breathlessly, warming her body as she pressed her lips up against Fluttershy's own, feeling a brief elation amongst the panic. "Is Celestia...ok?"

"Well, no. Um...she's probably going to feel awful for at least a week or two. I already told her she should probably eat cold soup for a few days until her tummy's inner lining has healed a bit."

"So it was you...Luna was right...it was you who saved Celestia." Twilight wrapped her forelegs around Fluttershy and held her close, swallowing the lump in her throat. "You're amazing, Fluttershy. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you around."

"I saved her but...it was us she needed saving from." Fluttershy mumbled sadly. "She hasn't seemed upset at me for the incident....yet."

"M-maybe we should try to sneak out while she's still asleep? I could write her an apology letter and we could hide in Zecora's hut for a few weeks. Although that might make her more disappointed in me." Twilight whispered, urgently looking back at the doors she had just entered through, considering her options and also noticing her passenger was missing. "Spike?"

Fluttershy and Twilight swiveled their heads around briefly, looking for the small dragon who had mysteriously vanished. They both simultaneously felt their bodies turn to ice when they noticed the tyke pulling his chubby scaly body over the pillows where Celestia lay, extending his chubby webbed paws to her shoulder and giving it a gentle shove.

"Oh no! Spike she's sleeping!" Fluttershy whispered urgently.

Undeterred, Spike continued nudging Celestia's shoulder, his large green eyes looking moist as he let out a sad whine. Celestia groaned in pain and fluttered her eyes open, using a hoof to wipe her eyes as she slowly raised her head. A small grin slowly grew on her face as she looked down upon the small familiar dragon at her side.

"Well hello, Spike. You look very troubled. What's wrong?" Celestia asked softly, lowering her head to look him in the eyes.

"Please don't send us away." Spike croaked, his harsh high pitched voice cracking under the strain of not wanting to panic and cry when surrounded by friends.

"Send you away?"

"I know you're probably really upset cause Twilight nearly killed you but I know she didn't mean it and you know she'd never try to hurt anyone! She's been trying really hard to be the best princess she can be and she's been up all night almost every night since the coronation just working as hard as she can while I help!" Spike blubbered, while Fluttershy and Twilight looked on in agony. "We're sorry if we made you upset but we'll do anything to make it up to you! Please don't banish us!"

Celestia sat for a moment staring at the dragon, then turned her eyes to look at the two small ponies a few meters away, their eyes full of fear and apprehension, quivering as they sat. It was heartbreaking for the goddess of the sun, to see her subjects act in such a way. Having them look upon her with mortal fear instead of love. Celestia let out a long pained sigh and gently stroked Spike with one of her giant white wings, trying to calm the sniffling child. As she sat she found herself sniffling as well, trying to understand how it all had led to this. How had things gotten this bad so quickly?

She turned to look upon the two Elements of Harmony who sat in her bedchambers, looking remorseful.

"What kind of monster do you take me for? Twilight you have known me...ever since you were very small. I have given you so much....so much love. Why do you...of all ponies...think I would ever send you away?"

A silence followed as Twilight hiccuped, a pained sound emanating from her throat as she tried to contain her grief. But it was too late, the breaking point had been reached. Her cries echoed through the chambers.

"BECAUSE YOU DID IT TO ME BEFORE!"

Celestia's eyes widened in shock. "What do you mean?"

"YOU SENT ME AWAY BEFORE! I TRIED TO WARN YOU ABOUT CADANCE NOT ACTING LIKE HERSELF AND YOU SENT ME AWAY! I TRIED TO WARN YOU THAT NIGHTMARE MOON WAS RETURNING AND YOU FORCED ME TO MOVE AWAY! YOU MADE ME LEAVE EVERYTHING BEHIND! I HAD TO LEAVE MY FAMILY, MY HOME, YOU, EVERYTHING I CARED ABOUT!"

Twilight collapsed to the floor, sobbing loudly as Fluttershy draped her body gently over Twilight, trying to calm the alicorn.

"YOU SENT ME AWAY WHEN ALL I WANTED TO DO WAS HELP! YOU TAUGHT ME EVERYTHING AND THE ONE TIME I GOT TO USE MY KNOWLEDGE TO DO SOMETHING GOOD YOU SENT ME AWAY AND MADE ME FEEL LIKE I WAS....NOTHING! LIKE I MEANT NOTHING! AND THEN YOU EXPECTED ME TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS IN A TOWN I'D NEVER EVEN HEARD OF! YOU EXPECTED ME AND SPIKE TO JUST BE HAPPY WITH OUR NEW LIVES LIKE THE OLD ONE WASN'T IMPORTANT OR MEANINGFUL!"

Twilight curled into a ball, her voice lowering in volume.

"I KNOW...I know....I've been awful. You've given me so much. You've given me everything and all I've managed to do is complain. You made me into an alicorn and all I've done is try to get away from it, to ignore my own promotion. But I can't handle it. I CAN'T. I've spent my whole life trying not to disappoint you and I can't do it this time, Celestia. All I've managed to do since my coronation is make things worse. I can't handle all the work. I can't handle the responsibility. I can't handle how ponies look at me differently. I'm supposed to be connected to my friends and the world on some sort of new level now, but I've never felt more disconnected from them than I do these days. I didn't even realize I was in love til I had an anxiety attack while being lost in the Everfree Forest. You've given me everything...and...I just wanted to feel like I deserved it. Like I deserved any of this. But I don't. I don't deserve any of it....and I'm sorry, Princess. I'm sorry."

Celestia's jaw hung open, trying to process all the information that just hit her. This was the last thing she was expecting on a visit from Twilight.

"But Twilight...are you not....happy in Ponyville?" Celestia asked softly, her eyes brimming.

"Of course I am! Of course I'm happy in Ponyville!" Twilight squeaked out. "I don't ever want to leave Ponyville!"

"Then why are you so upset at my decision?"

"BECAUSE YOU NEVER EVEN GAVE ME A CHOICE!" Twilight shrieked, crying again as she tried to hide her face in Fluttershy's chest. "You made me pack up and leave and made me feel like I wasn't wanted anymore. Like I wasn't your number one student anymore. And I see why, now. I don't deserve to be your number one student. I nearly killed you and I'm the one complaining. I'm terrible."

"Please....she doesn't mean any of the things she's yelling right now." Fluttershy asked quietly. "She's...just...um....really stressed out."

A light yellow mist billowed out from the end of Celestia's horn, drifting calmly over the steps and enveloping Twilight and Fluttershy, carrying the two up into the air and gently depositing them next to Spike. Celestia adjusted her wing to gently caress all three as they sat on the pillows to her side. Eventually Twilight got a hold of herself and looked up at her mentor, her coat stained with tears and her hair in tatters, sticking out in every direction.

"You look like a mess." Celestia murmured affectionately. "But I think that is my fault."

There was a silence as Celestia cleared her throat, trying carefully to think of her next words. With great effort she shifted her body and lifted her foreleg so she could hold her hoof aloft before the three guests.

"You know...when you first came to me Twilight...you were so small you could fit right here in the cup of my hoof. Sometimes you'd fall asleep while reading and I'd just watch you because you'd make magic while you slept. Little visions of your dreams would fly out of your horn and dance around before fading away." Celestia lay back down, trying to smile. "I remember my royal advisor, Kibitz, asked me why I wanted to teach you in particular. And I showed him how you made magic in your sleep. I remember saying to him, she is the one. She's the one, Kibitz. She's going to do what Sunset and Starswirl never could. She's going to understand magic in a way that I never could dream of."

Celestia smiled. "And I was right. You were the one, Twilight. But I was frightened. Your thirst for knowledge was so great. And as much as I tried...I couldn't satisfy it. I'd already lost so many ponies close to me. I never understood friendship the way you do now, Twilight. I couldn't be a friend to my sister in her time of need when she felt outcast and lonely. And we were both punished for it for a thousand years. I couldn't be a friend to Starswirl when I let his experiments in magic destroy him from the inside because I too, let my curiosity get the best of me. For that I lost him forever. And I couldn't be a friend to Sunset Shimmer when I let her own thirst for knowledge turn to greed, then jealousy, and then hatred. For that I will most likely never see her again."

Celestia pulled Twilight closer to her form.

"I've lost many things so precious to me, my little Twilight. And I didn't want to lose you. I didn't want you to become a shut-in. A hermit. Or worse, to grow to detest me for keeping you by my side like Sunset. So I sent you away to spare you the rigors of Canterlot royalty. But I didn't think it through very clearly did I, my faithful student?"

"It's ok, Celestia." Twilight sniffled. "I shouldn't have yelled."

"No, do not apologize." Celestia commanded as gently as she could. "You're right. You're right to tell me these things. Ponies are afraid to tell me when I've made mistakes, and so I can never learn what I've done wrong. And I have wronged you, Twilight. I never thought how you might feel, when I took your life from you and thrust you into a new one. I sabotaged you while trying to save you. I took away all your self-esteem and then expected you to have the confidence to meet and befriend strangers in a land that was foreign to you. I am lucky it happened but it could easily have been a disaster. And for that I am sorry, Twilight."

Celestia used her magic to lift the mug that had once held cider up to her eye, frowning a bit when she noticed it was empty, and letting it clatter the ground as she rested her head back upon the pillow.

"Hmmph. Empty. Now that I think of it, I've wronged you a few times, Twilight. I trusted your judgement to take care of so many problems in Ponyville, then doubted you when you came to me about Cadance's kidnapping. I made you into a princess and gave you no time to adjust to your new body, the changes that would come with your new power. And then I thrust a bunch of work upon you, giving you no room to breathe."

"That's why we came to Canterlot, princess." Fluttershy said softly. "Twilight wanted to take a break from all the work that she'd been up to."

"Yes I remember the letter you two sent." Celestia said with a wink. "You know when Cadance became an alicorn, she was still very very young. She had few responsibilities, being a small child, so she was able to relax, and think about her new power, get used to her new wings. I never gave you that chance, Twilight. I was so busy with my own problems I forgot all about how tired you must have been. But that's always been something I've struggled with. Empathy. And that is why my sister isn't here, now. Because I couldn't see as she saw. Or feel as she felt. And I did it to you as well."

With a grunt of pain, Celestia had forced herself into a sitting position, and softly clutched Twilight to her chest.

"You and Cadance are like daughters to me, Twilight. I love you so much. I will love you until the sun burns out and the stars drop from the sky. And I know things can be hard. I know I can be a hard pony to speak with. But you should tell me when something is wrong. And you should REALLY tell me when I've hurt your feelings. But most importantly...you should never be afraid that I will ever send you away. When I said how proud I am of you, I meant it. You could never disappoint me Twilight. Ever. And I would never ever even consider sending you away. I'm never sending someone I care about away again for as long as I live and breathe. So put such thoughts out of your head. And that goes double for you....Luna."

Celestia looked up from her embrace with Twilight at the empty room. A dark shadow slithered from behind a pillar and made its way to the steps, forming into the former Princess of the Night, her expression that of nervousness. She took a tentative step towards the others, her voice shaking.

"Thou aren't cross at me for abandoning my post, sister?" Luna asked, the usual authoritative tone of her voice missing.

"No, Luna." Celestia brought Luna to her side as well, embracing her sister. "I made the same mistake I made a thousand years ago. I hurt your feelings. I forgot how different you are from the rest of us and mocked you for it. I made you not wish to be in my presence. Luna....if you don't want to be a princess any longer....I'd understand completely. When you came back I assumed you'd want to go back to doing your old job as if nothing had happened between us."

"It is...fine, sister. We...I mean I...enjoy making the night sky. In this day and age, ponies are much more fond of the night than before my banishment. I simply wish they were more fond of....myself."

Twilight finally peeled herself away from the embrace to wipe her eyes and glance at Luna.

"Luna....you've had so much fun in Ponyville the few times you've visited us. If you aren't happy visiting Canterlot and Manehattan why not just...come to Ponyville more often? Me and the other Elements would be more than happy to accommodate you."

"Could..I?" Luna asked looking up at Celestia.

"You don't need my permission." Celestia smiled warmly. "We rule as one, Luna. You may go as you please. But if you want my personal opinion I think it sounds like a splendid idea."

Luna smiled happily. "Good. I shall schedule time to stay there. Also Twilight...I am sorry I contributed to your small vacation being ruined. I was entirely unaware of the stress you've been under."

"It's fine, Luna. Um...I am curious though did you follow me here all the way from the cafe?"

"Ahem, well yes. I wished to be certain my big sister was recovering and in good health without drawing attention to myself."

"If you're here....." Fluttershy began. "Then where....is Discord?"

"Well he WAS following me." Luna began. "I'm not quite sure where he ran off to...."

With a loud crash the other doorway in Celestia's chamber swung open, and Discord came trotting in, his arms full of food from the earlier banquet, spilling over onto the floor.

"Goodness, Tia. All these overpaid bigwigs you have in the parliament are such pansies. One small brush with the possibility of death or poison and they've all lost their appetites. Most of this food is cold by now but I'm sure it's still good. Let's try to keep away from anything that reeks of pineapples this time, shall we? Speaking of, did Twilight ever show up?" Discord stretched out his neck to peer out from behind a stack of trifles and pies that were blocking his vision. "Oh so she's here. So are Fluttershy and Luna. Are we having a group hug of some sort? A pow-wow?"

Celestia chuckled a bit while Twilight shook her head in disbelief. Discord trotted over and dumped the food unceremoniously around the area where the ponies sat, licking his lips greedily as he began stuffing treats into his maw.

"Nobody is going to have anything?" he asked around a mouthful of cake, sending crumbs and spit splattering everywhere.

"Celestia really shouldn't eat anything so sugary for a while...um...not that I want to sound pushy." Fluttershy said softly.

Celestia placed Spike into Twilight's arms and gave Fluttershy a gentle nudge, causing the butter yellow mare to turn around.

"Fluttershy you have done me a great kindness this day and saved my life." Celestia said softly. "You're a hero now, you know that?"

"Oh...well...not really...I was just.....I don't like seeing ponies in pain." Fluttershy mumbled looking at the ground.

"Fluttershy's been doing a really good job helping Twilight learn to relax." Spike peeped up.

"And they both showed excellent leadership skills today I thought." Discord mentioned, causing the rest to look at him. "What? I'm serious. Oh I'm not allowed to give a non-jokey compliment now? You all expect me to have some sarcastic retort every time I do something nice? Hm? Is that it? How rude of you all! The very nerve! I am completely offended!"

Discord went back to eating and looking bored while Celestia and Luna both rolled their eyes at him.

"Discord was very helpful today." Twilight began. "At first I was infuriated at him because he accused me of something awful....but after he realized he was wrong he helped me locate Princess Luna. He took me around Canterlot and made a giant fake moon to get her attention when we weren't sure where she was. In a way, he's a hero today as well, even though our trip to find Luna didn't really help you at all."

"I think it helped." Luna said quietly, leaning against her big sister.

"Thank you, Twilight." Discord looked away, feeling slightly sheepish at the praise.

It was a good feeling, seeing them all get along, thought Celestia. She had always hoped to have peace with all those she once called enemies. Things seemed to be moving in the right direction. But there was still one important thing left to talk about.

"Twilight I don't think I've ever seen you in a worse state than you are in right now." Celestia said with a smile. "You sort of look like how Cadance did when Shining asked her to marry him. Your coat is sticking out everywhere and your mane looks sort of a bit like a bird's nest."

"Yeah, Rarity is probably going to freak out." Twilight giggled, wiping her face with her foreleg. "It's been a long day."

"Twilight as your teacher, and as chief of state, I am hereby ordering you to take as long of a vacation as you need." Celestia said sternly. "We can't have you feeling like this the next time Equestria needs you. You need to be well rested and perky. Looking and feeling your best is a very important part of being a princess."

"Perky?" asked Luna with a snicker.

"Oh shush." Celestia turned back to Twilight. "Obviously you lack the self-control to relax on your own, and me sending you paperwork is not helping so I will cease at once, but we will need an advisor of relaxation to help you. It should be someone smart. Someone very good at understanding emotions. Someone who knows how to relax. With a talent for being peaceful and tranquil. Someone who loves both you and Spike very much. But most importantly, someone who can help you be the best you can be."

Celestia's horn glowed, small rays of sunlight beaming out as she lifted Twilight into the air and deposited her, bridal style, into Fluttershy's arms. Both ponies faces turned bright red while Spike laughed and snorted at their reactions.

"Perfect." Celestia said with a smile. "The job is yours, Fluttershy."

"I...w-w-will do my b-best, princess." Fluttershy stuttered, holding Twilight close, and giving her marefriend a gentle nuzzle along the cheek.

"I know you will." Celestia nodded respectfully. "First you saved Discord. Now me. You continue to find ways to impress me, Fluttershy. And I owe you a big favor for saving my life. Ask anything of me, and I will make it so."

"Anything?" Fluttershy asked meekly.

Celestia nodded sagely. This was not something she did on a regular basis. But this was a special occasion.

"Oh...w-well....um." Fluttershy wrinkled her snout as she thought. "I already have such a nice life. I have my house near the river that I built myself. And I have so many good friends now. I don't really need money and now I've found love....so....um...I guess all I really want is me and all my friends back together...so we can enjoy the rest of the weekend."

"Then it shall be so!" Celestia's horn began to glow.

"OH! Wait!" Fluttershy panicked. "Also could you maybe...also...please...remove Discord's curfew? I...I'm pretty sure he doesn't like it very much...if that's ok with you, that is."

"I think Discord has proved I no longer need to keep such a watchful eye on him anymore." Celestia gave Discord a nod. "You are no longer bound by a curfew, Discord."

"Thank you, Fluttershy....oh and Celestia." Discord said with a cheeky smile, giving a small wave from behind a large roasted eggplant he was chowing down on. "I am very grateful! Now I can stay up late like a big boy!"

Celestia and Luna rolled their eyes again.

"I'm going to send you three back to the Canterlot Bed & Breakfast Royale where Rarity is staying. I hope that will be alright." Celestia asked as her horn began to glow brighter.

"That seems fine to me." Fluttershy said, dipping her head to nuzzle Twilight. "What do you think?"

"Yeah, let's go." Twilight looked up at her mentor, amazed again at Celestia's nobility and forgiveness. "Thank you, Celestia."

"No, thank you...princess. Remember that I love you and you shouldn't be so concerned with my approval. You make me proud ever day." Celestia said softly. "We should speak more often."

There was a bright light. Bright as the sun. And a muffled thud as the gleaming specks of a million tiny stars enveloped Fluttershy, Twilight, and Spike and in an instant they were gone, leaving the gods alone in the bedchamber with only the echoes of Discord's noisy chewing filling the room. Celestia let out a grunt of pain and flopped back onto her pillows, wiping the sweat from her brow.

"Art thou alright, sister?" asked Luna, her face etched with concern.

"I just need to sleep a little. Long range teleportation spells consume so much energy. And I already felt drained. I think I'm going to sleep for a bit. You should help Discord eat what's left of dinner, Luna. Besides the pineapple crumb cake, all the food there is excellent."

Luna got up and shuffled over to the food pile, eyeballing it hungrily.

"We...I mean I...must admit, that while the cheap street foods about the streets of Canterlot are most delectable in their own way...particularly the donut sandwich at Donut Joe's...I have dearly missed well prepared meals such as these."

And so Luna and Discord tucked into what was left of the feast. The feast that had caused so much chaos and sadness this day. But their hearts were no longer as heavy, and they felt a sense of happiness as Celestia quietly slept, knowing everything was going to be alright.

*********************************************************

It was growing late when Discord had finally had his fill, turning himself into a large flock of moths and hurtling out one of the open windows declaring he was off on an adventure. Luna had smiled, knowing most likely the reformed villain was off to get cruel jollies off a few odd pranks in town. Her stars had been twinkling for some time now. It would soon be time for all the nightclubs and music bars of Canterlot to open, admitting the nocturnal denizens of the city in. Luna was eager to go into town and see it for herself again. Being an average pony had been an eye-opening experience. Trying foods she never got to try, drinks she would never have imagined to exist, and dancing the night away for the mere sake of having fun. It had been intoxicating, but impossible now since Rarity's disguise spells had long since worn off. Altering appearances was not a skill Luna was talented with. If she wanted to go out on the town without drawing attention she would need a more efficient method than asking Rarity to dress her up every time. But that was something she could figure out for another day, another night. For now, she had a mess of plates and tins to clean up.

A dark blue magic enveloped the mess and lifted it into the air, crushing it into a ball of trash that Luna could easily fling into the royal dumpster. Or perhaps into outer space if she was in the mood. The alicorn winced as the refuse made loud crunching noises as she compacted it. She glanced over at her sister, unsurprised to see Celestia's eyes wide open.

"Apologies, sister. This rubbish was in need of management and eradication, and it would seem rude to call one of the royal maids to clean at this hour. We, I, did not mean to wake thee. Sleep once more and try to feel better."

Celestia smiled. "I haven't been sleeping, really. Though not for a lack of trying. My insides still feel like they're on fire. And my poor stomach feels like it was run through a washing machine."

"I find it strange that ponies wear garments so often in this age. And that they use bewitched electrical apparatuses to clean them."

"I'm sure you find many things strange in this time now, little sister." Celestia's smile faded. "And I should have been more supportive when you were frustrated. I thought things would return to normal after the summer sun celebration."

"Do not dwell on it, sister. It is in the past." Luna said simply, returning to collecting the garbage on the floor. "Would you like me to move thee onto the royal bed?"

"No no, I must admit I am not fond of that bed anymore. I find myself falling asleep in my chair usually, reading letters."

"More pillows, perhaps?"

"Don't worry about me, Luna. I'm fine."

Silence and squishing noises filled the room again as Luna nodded and returned to attending to the leftover trash from the earlier feast. She flicked her ear as she heard a rustling noise behind her. Turning with a worried expression to see Celestia struggling upright.

"You should be resting." Luna clucked with annoyance, walking to where Celestia stood.

"I have something I need to say." Celestia whispered. "And I would like to stand before you when I say it, instead of lying on the floor."

Luna creased her brow with worry as Celestia's horn faintly lit up. There was a tiny sparkle of light as a small flat object hovered out from one of the many creases in Celestia's spectral mane. The object appeared to be a folded piece of paper, covered in strange designs and stripes. It unfolded in front of them, gentle prods of Celestia's magic easing it back into its original form. When it had finished Luna's eyes roved the object, curious and with a sense of wonder. The paper had unfolded into a flower. A flower unlike any she had ever seen. A strange orchid, with multiple sky-blue flowers dotting its stem, their undersides striped with bright red vein-like markings. The curled branches between the flowers unfurled, like a forest fern, each small dark teal leaf uncurling to reveal bright yellow petiole arteries that ran down the length of each leaf, giving them the appearance of being painted. The dark red markings on the petals of the flower brightened to a cheery magenta as the buds began to bloom, happily absorbing the sunlight and moonlight it was being showered with as it sat between the two radiant goddesses. Out of the center of every bud uncurled several stamens, each a deep dark purple that ended in a lighter shade of lavender near the tip. Small mists of yellow pollen took to the air creating a gentle cloud around the plant that dissipated as it flowed upwards, making a pleasant scent similar to that of ginseng as it wafted around the room. The Pyrola Lunata Borealis sat tall and proud between both ponies, as beautiful now as it had been on the day of its creation.

"Sister...w...what IS this beautiful thing?" Luna asked, her voice barely above a whisper as the plant seemed to lean towards her, clearly preferring the moonlight to the sunlight.

"Over a thousand years ago, Luna, I made the mistake of ignoring you when you needed me most. I let the divide between us become a chasm of hatred. I lacked the empathy to see your pain. And worst of all....in the heartbreak that followed I forgot to give you this. It was something I made just for you, Luna. A precious thing I thought I had lost long ago, as I had lost you. Twilight and Fluttershy traveled all the way to Canterlot to bring it back here. It's what brought them together."

"You...you made this?" Luna's jaw hung.

"I made it for you, Luna. A plant to bloom when your moon was in the sky. Something to decorate our home with, so with mother and father gone, and me being so busy, you would not feel so lonely. I never got the chance to give it to you."

Celestia put her hoof on Luna's indigo shoulder, nodding.

"I know this gift is very late, but....I'd just like to say....Happy Birthday, little sister."

Author's Note:

Mmmm delicious closure.