The Second Sister

by Novella Paperback

Only one was memorable

That night, Equestia was anything but silent.

The Canterlot that Luna had known and loved all her life was altered beyond recognition. Ponied were out well after sunset, lights lit the streets, large areas were filled with music and it was almost as if . . . as if ponies in this time enjoyed the night. What a thought. After a thousand years had her subjects finally, at long last, realized what a pure gift the night truly was? It was as if, finally, all of her dreams had come true.

And yet, Princess Luna found herself sitting alone on the same balcony where she had challenged her sister. The view no longer gazed out over a natural landscape, now instead she could see almost every inch of the expanding city with just a hint of the world beyond it. Oddly, the new change didn't enrage her like it once might have. She watched as ponies strolled around the streets and had fun even though the moon was high, and she inwardly rejoiced that she was finally able witness their joy in her world.

Celestia had been right all along. The world had changed, and in her opinion, it had done so for the better. Now matter how fulfilled she felt now, there was still one small thing that kept tugging at her attention, and the only way she would be able to satisfy her curiosity would be at the Library.

---

"Hoofbare before Hoovesington but before Hoofapple, there it is." Smiling when the found the small open space between covers at least three shelves high, Novella slid the book into it's proper place and swished her tail in accomplishment. Some might say her job wasn't all that important, or that feeling accomplished simply by making sure everything was in the right place was a little silly, but what pony wouldn't feel the same way she did? She was in chage of the largest collection of knowledge in all of Equestria, it was up to her (and a small number of part time fillies and colts) to keep everything perfect so ponies could locate whatever they wanted. Just imagine if some unlucky little pony couldn't find a beginners magic guide when they needed it!

Luckily, such a thing wouldn't happen while she was in charge of things. Novella had yet to even lose a book among the masses and she planned to keep her record spotless.

"I saw her! She was outside with Princess Celestia while she rose the moon!"

"So it IS true then! Princess Luna really is back? I thought I was all rumors."

The hushed whispers drew her to a halt on her way back to her desk in the front of the room. It was true? She sidestepped once and leaned near the bookshelf with an ear perked curiously, listening in to the conversation just on the other side.

"So did I! But I actually saw her. She looks just like she did in the old paintings. She certainly doesn't look evil."

"So she didn't look like," a pause and audible gulp could be heard, "Nightmare Moon?"

"No, she didn't look anything like ... Her. Princess Luna is actually back."

The mares were walking off by then and their voices faded, but Novella was still buzzing with information. It wasn't just a rumor? All this time she'd assumed that the ponies in Canterlot were just reading the Equestrian Enquirer again, that trash magazine was full of rubbish, but if the Princess was actually back... This was history in the making! One thousand years of banishment and finally Celestia's sister was free to rule as well, what were the odds that SHE would get to see such a momentous occasion come to pass? It was so exciting!

Giddy with excitement, Novella practically pranced back to her desk, imagining scenarios when she'd get to see the second princess at last. No... third. She had a hard time remembering that Cadence was a princess as well, since she'd grown up practically alongside the kindhearted alicorn. She still saw her wandering the gardens or out for a stroll in the city every now and then and she was so easy to love that the fact that she was royalty slipped ponies minds a lot of the time.

But Luna... This was different. The mysterious second half of Celestia was back and Equestria could be whole once more, it was mind blowing, so exciting, so exhilarating so...

"WE DESIRE A BOOK OF OUR KINGDOMS HISTORY."

The booming voice that echoed around the domed library drew a shriek from the unicorn just as she reached her desk and she dropped to the floor with her hooves covering her head. What sort of creature made that loud a voice? Hearing perhaps a dragon, Novella's green eyes peeked out to scan the room, but where was no dragon in sight. In fact, the only thing she saw besides books at all was a blue Mare standing beside the large double doors that lead outside. Her lighter colored mane was shorter than most mares wore it, but what caught her attention was the gleaming three pronged crown behind her horn. And when she saw that, she stayed on the floor for an entirely different reason.

"Your Highness." She gasped out as she bowed respectfully. This would explain the yelling, she was using the long since disbanded Royal Canterlot Voice. After being gone for a thousand years she was sure to think it was still proper to use it when addressing her subject. "It is an honor to have your presence here." She glanced up again from her low bow, expecting some sore of reply, but the Princess just watched her with those bottomless eyes, seeming to be frozen in place. "Princess?"

Luna stared at the golden coated unicorn bowing before her, unable to gather any coherent thoughts that she could use to reply. The small mare looked so familiar, the same golden color, the shade of green in her eyes was the same as well, a deep forest green. Her mane was two colors however, purple and maroon striped, but the maroon was a similar shade she remembered as well. If it weren't for the blue book cutie mark adorning her flank, this unicorn could had been Starsing herself after a dye job for her mane. The similarities were so prominent that her knees threatened to give out and she had to shake herself physically from her stupor. "TELL US YOUR NAME, LIBRARIAN." She commanded, hoping her voice didn't sound too shaky.

The other pony didn't seem to notice if it did. She remained bowed and although she shook as if the Royal Voice had frightened her, her voice was much stronger than Luna felt hers was.

"I am Novella Paperback your Highness." Was the reply she was waiting for. Of course. Of course this would not be Starsing. That mare who had spent a full night soothing her aching soul was long since dead. This reminder was like a jab to her very heart.

"RISE," Luna spoke again and this time her voice hardened against her will. She noticed the librarian flinch but she rose as she was told. She considered apologizing for her harshness, but her wound was raw again with the reminder of her would-be saviors death and humbling herself further was not something she wanted to do. "SHOW US WHERE THE ROYAL HISTORY IS. WE WISH TO READ OF THE EONS PASSED WHILE WE WERE ABSENT FROM OUR RULE."

Novella didn't miss a beat, and Luna respected her for that. "Of course your Highness. Please follow me." She turned and began to lead down the large center aisle. There was dozens of smaller aisles splitting off on both sides between rows and tall book shelves. Each case was almost completely filled with pages upon pages of writing, it was a startling difference from what she was used to. The Canterlot Library used to be a much smaller room, with a considerable less abundant book collection. She supposed a thousand years was more than enough time for ponies to fill this large hall.

But her guide didn't turn down any of the smaller routs, instead she lead her through a large archway in the wall that seemed to lead to another section. In this one, the lighting was softer, with fewer candles lit that the main room, and the room itself was round. It seemed as if two long book cases curved along with the wall, but they didn't meet opposite of the archway. Instead, at the far end of the room facing the opening was a mural of miniatures of all of the stained glass windows in the castle, as if it were only a reference guide. There were glass cases spaced around the circular room, most of them protecting a single book on a velvet surface.

"This is the Hall of Equestrian History." The librarian spoke in a soft voice, as if she did not was to disrupt the peace of the room. "The books in these glass cases are the oldest in all of Equestria, and only accessible through magic and must be read through the glass. The others." She gestured to the curved book shelves that circled almost the entire room. "And yours for the choosing. May I ask what in particular you are looking for, Princess?"

Luna studied the room, and when she spoke her voice was softer as well. There was a quiet magic here, one that seemed to resonate a peaceful feeling. She didn't want to disrupt that. "We are looking for any reference on... a chef." She nearly flushed at the look of odd curiosity the mare gave at her request.

"A chef? Your Highness this is not the proper room for a subject like that." Novella explained to her slowly.

"We are not daft!" Luna frowned. "Not any chef, there was a chef who served in the castle one thousand years ago. She began the most revered chef in all of Equestria. We wish to read of her life."

The golden unicorn seemed to think for a moment on that, then her entire face lit in a smile that had Luna's chest tightening to near pain, it was so similar to how Starsing had smiled at her. "Do you mean Starsing?" The unicorn asked and her horn lit and a book slid from the shelf on the left and floated over to them. The book opened onto a picture of the mare in question. "Starsing was the chef for all of Canterlot castle, after...ahem... you're..... after you were gone, it's said that she poured herself into her work, she traveled all over learning different recipes to better herself and became celebrated for her skill. The only family she had was a daughter she had late in life."

Luna almost choked on her tongue. Surely she could not have heard correctly. "A daughter?" She asked, not caring if her voice was frail from her shock.

"Yes." Novella looked up from the book and smiled at her. "Her daughter went on to carry her legacy, but she focused more on documenting how the chemistry of cooking worked And HER daughter carried on the legacy but turned it more towards chemistry in general instead of cooking."

"And you know all of this? This is all in the book?" Luna stepped forward, becomming desperate to get her hooves on that book now.

"Oh, not it's not all in this book, it's in my family history book at my house." Novella replied with a casual smile. "Starsing was my great great great great great great grandma!"

Comments

[Romalisk]

Luna: Dwahhh??!?!?!?!?!?