A Time Before

by Blue Turtle

Dirt Ch.24

"Tia!" Luna happily called out, she ran into the throne room, looking up to her sister who seemed busy with paper work. However she didn't seem to notice that.

Celestia smiled and looked up.

"Good morning Luna, how has your training been going?" Celestia said, the young alicorn beaming.

"Great! Starswirl said I was doing very well for someone my age." Luna said proudly and she ran up to give her sister a hug

It had a little over a month since what was now called 'The Six days of fire" (However sometimes The Seven days of Fire) Peace had returned for the most part, the other Kingdoms were a little hesitant to meet with Celestia but those who did had been quite respectful. The same couldn't be said for some of her own subjects though.

"Well that's some good news." Celestia's smile widened.

"Oh yea, he told me that He'd like to resume training with you as well, when you had that time. He said he knew the council had been pushing you around a lot lately, so you might as well let them take the reins while you adjust n' stuff." Luna said, tapping her chin.

"Well, I can't said I disagree with him." Celestia let out a quick sigh before the smile returned to her face.

"Hey.. um, Celestia? Do you wanna go flying with Wind Song and Spark Shower tonight? They said you could come if you wanted." Luna said, twirling her mane like she always did when she felt uncomfortable. Celestia bit her lip to think.

"Yes. it's been a while since we've gotten to talk." Celestia said, clearing her throat. Luna's ears perked up and her smile came back.

"Yay!" Luna said happily, bouncing around her sister.

A council member looked up to them with a faint smile.

"Princess Celestia, if you'd like I think the Council would allow you to take the next few days off if you'd like." The council member said, the deep furrows in her face softened. Some younger members of the council groaned and a few seemed relieved that Celestia was leaving.

"Er.. okay." Celestia said, slightly surprised that she'd been let out so early.

Luna followed behind her sister as they walked out the large set of doors. Luna would run around Celestia's hooves, smiling and talking with her. Luna giggled and ran ahead of her sister.

"Hey wait up!" Celestia called out as Luna disappeared behind the corner of a hallway. Celestia trotted forward, giggling to herself with a pleasant smile growing on her face.

"Luna? Where did you-" Celestia's sentence got cut off as soon as she rounded the corner and almost walked straight into two lavishley decorated mares.

The first one, a unicorn was a sky blue with cold gold eyes. A jeweled necklace was laced around her neck along with a fluffy gown that in all honestly looked difficult to walk in. Her grey mane was tied back in a long braid with tiny gold beads studding the bow that tied her wavy gray mane back. The pony next to her was soft pink with a white mane tied into a glamourous looking bun, a net held together with silver beads kept the snow white hair in place. She dressed much like her friend; Lavish dress that looked hot and uncomfortable and lots of gems. Very complicated. Though the height difference was starting to become obvious, the two looked up at her and scoffed.

"My apologies. I didn't mean to run into you like that." Celestia said with a small bit of nervous laughter.

"No problem." The first unicorn said like she suppressing a smile or a laugh. Her friend's lips twitched just the same. Celestia walked past them, however she could clearly hear them.

"How does such a unproper mare become Princess, or even keep her title after everything that's happened."

"As if I know."

The two girls laughed as they disappeared down the hallway.
Celestia walked slowly, keeping her head upward. SHe knew her face had gone cold; from a warm smile to an expression of slight saddness.

Luna jumped out from behind another corner, yelling "Boo!" then giggling, but she stopped when she saw Celestia's hurt expression.

"Are you okay Tia?" Luna said, her light voice turned to concern.

"I'm fine." She lied. She didn't want to bother Luna.
Luna pursed her lips and nodded. She knew it was a lie, but she wouldn't pry. She would talk to Tia later, when they ate dinner together.

"Okay then. Hey, do you wanna go help out in the gardens?" Celestia asked her sister and she continued to walk forward, Luna picking up her pace to walk alongside her sister.

"Ooh Ooh! Can we check on the moonglow first?" Luna said as they walked up the stairs to their room.

Luna always thought the moonglow was beautiful. It's soft white petals twisted at the ends and smelled like night air. She always liked looking down from the ledge and looking down to the garden, watching as the flowers would start glowing then slowly turn off. It looked almost like they were talking with one another, flashing their barely blue lights then fading, but then beginning to glow once more. But the old plants were long gone; destroyed when she was younger. But her mother had made a point of planting the new flowers within the balcony's viewpoint.

"Of course!" Celestia said, a golden aura lifting her crown off and setting it onto the vanity.

Celestia set her crown down, helping Luna take off her own garments.

"One, two three.Okay good, the necklace is off." Celestia said as she lifted off the dark blue garment, a silver moon in the center that seemed to have it's own glow to it.

"Alright, now that the fancy stuff is off we can get down to business!" Luna said, reaching up to put her crown right next to her sister's.

Luna hopped up onto Celestia's back, snuggling her mane close to her face. The green streaks smelled like dirt so at first Luna scrunched up her nose.

"Something the matter?" Celestia said, turning her head a little to look her sister in the eye.

"No, you just smell like dirt." Luna.

"Was that supposed to be an insult?" Celestia said, cracking smirk.

"No, it literally smells like dirt." She said back, rubbing her nose.

"Well that's strange." Her sister said as she continued to walk down the stairs.

Luna had to hold on a bit tighter while Celestia descended the staircase, which didn't help because she had her face snuggled into a mane that smelled partially of dirt and lavender.

They walked in silence for a while, sunny rays coming through the windows; dappling warm light through the tall hallways. The light cyan walls were plane, however they retained a sort of elegance to them. It was different from the old castle; With it's long lonely corridors that seemed to impose themselves upon anyone in them. The castle was mostly grey bricks; However any room that was used frequently besides personal chambers were beige or a creamy white.

Luna blinked and realized she was sticking her head into was essentially her sister's hair dirt and pulled herself out. Now, she didn't hate the smell of dirt per say; But when someone's hair smelled like it, that just was weird. Her question was how did no one else notice? It'd been almost a month and no one had said anything?

"Tia, when wa sthe last time you took a bath?" Luna said as they walked by two ponies in so fancy-smancy dresses. The grey maned giggled to herself.

"Last night, why?" Celestia said, trying to her her eyes contect away form the two mares.

"Your hair smells like someone was trying to cover up dirt with lavender." She said casually, lifting up a green piece of hair.

The mares burst out laughing, Celestia's face burned red as she came to a stop.

"What's so funny?" Luna said, turning her head to look directly at the two mares. Her innocent question made them laugh even more. Luna didn't think it was possible, but Celestia's face became redder.

"Her hair smells like dirt! I didn't think it was any more possible to be so improper."

"She must roll with the pigs!"

The mares laughed at their own jokes, Celestia tensing. Luna frowned and hopped off her sister. She walked straight up to the amres and looked them straight in the eye, eve though she had to look up to.

"I'll have you know that my sister is way too busy to roll around with pigs. She's doing important work UNLIKE YOU TWO WITH YOUR STUPID DRESSES WHICH MAKE IT REALLY HARD TO WALK SO ALL YOU DO IS TRUDGE EVERYWHERE AT THE SPEED OF A TURTLE."

The mares looked at her in blinked, their blank faces showing that clearly, they had no idea what to say to that.

"Oh please, you don't scare us." The grey maned one said, her eye narrowing with a confident but cold smile.

"Oh, I wasn't trying to scare you. I was putting your in your place, PEASANT. I am your princess and you will respect me as such. I lower and raise the moon so you and the other unicorns down have to." Luna said, getting her own confident smirk.

"Well at least we're not ticking time bombs." Her friend interjected, pointing at Celestia who opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Luna herself felt hurt by the comment.

"How dare you say that! What gives you the right to, huh? Do you even know what you're saying?! My sister was trapped inside her own body, only able to watch as she burned and hurt the ponies she cares so much about, and you make it an insult?!" Luna's face conformed with enraged disgust, stamping her hoof to glare into the grey mare's eyes. The grey mare pulled her head away, but seemed dragged into Luna's gaze.

"If you dare ever say anything like that ever again, You are going to see what it's like when I get really angry." She finished with, the mares scurrying away.

Luna turned to her sister with a soft smile creeping onto her face.

"Well, let's get going before they get the nerves to get back." Luna said, hovering over to Celestia and landing on her back

Celestia walked forward, silently thanking her sister. Luna knew this though, she didn't need to hear her sister say it though.

Luna leaned forward to snuggle herself in her sister's green and pink mane.

She liked the smell of her sister's mane.