• Published 29th Aug 2013
  • 50,299 Views, 679 Comments

Softening the Stone - TheMyth



After a thousand years of banishment, Luna has finally returned to Equestria. However, not everything is quite as Celestia had hoped for.

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The Timorous Dusk

How could this have happened!?

Celestia was walking up the stairs towards Luna room, immediately after lecturing Rainbow Dash for the foalish deed she had just committed.

Who gave her the right to just blast my sister like that for something she couldn’t help?!

And who gave you the right for hurting your sister first?

When her conscious finally spoke, Celestia stopped dead in her tracks, realization coming to her like an oncoming train. She remembered the last time Luna ran off like that in tears; the night before Nightmare Moon happened. She remembered every word she spoke to her sister, when the latter merely wanted a day where she would could be appreciated like her elder.

Nopony wants to celebrate in the night when they are too tired from working in the day Luna! Nopony cares!

Celestia shook her head, clenching her teeth as he shut her eyes in shame. How she regretted saying those words to her sister and denying her equality she so deserved, and giving her a thousand year torture session instead.

She finally arrived at the door leading to Luna’s temporary sanctuary. Celestia froze and began to ponder what she could say to her sister. Knowing the past, mostly any excuse she would throw to her would be a hypocrisy herself, seeing as she was the prime benefactor of Luna’s suffering.

Celestia sighed and finally lifted her hoof to knock on the door.

“Luna? May I come in please?”

No answer came from the other side of the door, as Celestia waited patiently for a response.

“Please Luna. We really should talk about what happened.”

She could hear some shuffling on the other side, but still, her sister remained completely silent.

Celestia tried her best to contain herself, though a few tears started to leak their way from her eyes. “Luna, please. Just talk to me. I just want to help you. I… I just…”

As her voice began to crack, she was silenced by a hoof suddenly tapping her on the shoulder. She turned and was surprised to see that Fluttershy was standing there. Being lost in her own thoughts so much, she had completely forgotten that Fluttershy had actually run off to check on Luna as well.

“Um… Do you think, if it’s alright with you I mean, maybe I could try to talk to her instead?”

Celestia turned back looking at the locked door once more. Of course, there was nothing stopping her from simply unlocking the door or teleporting in either. Still, it was clear that whatever was going through Luna’s mind at that moment, she didn’t want to talk. “I don’t know, Fluttershy,” Celestia said softly. “I think maybe we should just give her some space right now.”

“Oh, well…” Fluttershy said sadly, “can’t I at least try?”

Celestia sighed. She ran her hoof along the grain of the door, before slowly nodding. “Alright.”

As Celestia stepped aside, Fluttershy quickly moved in behind her. Taking a deep breath, she reached up and lightly tapped on the door.

“Princess Luna?” she called softly. “It’s me, Fluttershy. Would it be alright if I came in and talked with you for a little bit?”

Once again, there was no response from the other side as Luna remained completely silent.

“I’m really sorry about what happened earlier. Rainbow Dash was completely out of line. She shouldn’t have said what she said.”

Still no response.

“Please princess. You’re beginning to worry us. We just want to talk to you. We just want to help—”

She was cut off as Celestia rested her hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder. She turned and looked at the princess who shook her head with a sad look in her eyes. “I’m sorry Fluttershy,” she said, “but I don’t think that Luna is ready to talk with us yet. Let’s just give her some time and try again later.”

Fluttershy wanted to argue that she wasn’t ready to give up yet, but the look in Celestia eyes made her reconsider. With a sigh, she lowered her head in defeat. “Alright… If you say so Princess.”

Celestia gave her a smile and started to turn and trot away, Fluttershy following close behind. However, she froze in her tracks as the distinct sound of a lock clicking echoed through the hallway. The two turned back quickly, just as the door began to crack open.

Luna’s eyes appeared at the opening, seeing the two ponies leaving. “Wait.” She called out softly, though she got the attention of Celestia and Fluttershy.

“Luna!” Celestia called out as she marched to the door, a smile present on her face. “May I come in?” She asked politely, but was greeted with Luna shaking her head.

“Just her.” She pointed Fluttershy, who let loose a ‘eep’ when Luna looked at her.

Fluttershy blinked, surprised at what Luna was requesting. She looked at Celestia, who seemed just as surprised. Surprised, with a hint of mortification present on her face. She slowly made her way to the door that remained only opened enough for Luna’s eyes to peek out of. Fluttershy looked back at Celestia, but she was met with Celestia downcast eyes and a sigh that came from her as she walked away.

The door finally opened wide enough for Fluttershy to squeeze through, leading her inside and she saw Luna walking back to the bed lying down on it. When her whole body was inside, the door behind slammed shut and the sound of it locking came from it.

The cream mare looked back Luna, seeing the red-rimmed eyes on her face. No doubt from crying endlessly since the encounter with Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy gulped and slowly walked towards Luna, taking a seat by the end of the bed.

“Um… how are you feeling?” She asked meekly, shuffling her hooves as she spoke with Luna.

No answer came from Luna, who just continued to stare at the ceiling above her.

Fluttershy sighed. “Listen… about earlier. I’m sorry about what Rainbow Dash said to you out there. She shouldn’t have said those things. She was just worried is all. Just give her a bit of time, I’m sure that she’ll eventually come around.”

Luna kept looking at the ceiling, but managed to nod in response.

“She’s not the only one who’s worried either. Your sister is worried about you too. She really just wants to see you happy, you know that right?”

Again, Luna nodded, but didn’t say anything.

An awkward silence filled the room as Fluttershy struggled to think of what else to say. This conversation wasn’t going quite how she had expected. “Anyways… I’m sorry about everything. I hope that you can forgive Rainbow Dash. She’s really not that bad once you get to know her.”

Luna lowered her head and sighed. “I know,” she said softly. “It’s just…”

Fluttershy waited for Luna to finish her sentence, but after a moment of silence, she never did. “It’s just what?”

Luna shook her head. “Nothing,” she muttered.

Fluttershy sighed. Obviously, Celestia had been right about Luna not being ready to talk yet. “Well, alright then,” she said standing up. “If you ever want to talk, just know that I’m always willing to listen, alright?”

“...Alright,” Luna said quietly, not bothering to look up at the pegasus.

Fluttershy gave one last look at the downcast alicorn before turning towards the door with a shake of her head. As quietly as she could, she started to make her way out. Reaching up, she grabbed the doorknob, preparing to undo the lock.

“She’s right you know.”

Fluttershy jumped a bit as Luna suddenly spoke up. She turned around quickly to see Luna still lying on the bed with her head turned away from her.

“Your friend, Rainbow Dash. She was right. I am a monster.”

“No!” Fluttershy shook her head as she spoke. “You’re not a monster! It wasn’t your fault th-”

“But it is my fault,” Luna continued with a monotone voice, but she raised her head and sat up right as she rested her head against her hooves. “Everything that happened to me I deserve, and every hate I receive from ponies is just for them to say.”

Fluttershy’s lips quivered as her eyes were watering from Luna’s words. Why did this happen to you Princess? She scooted closer to Luna and gently placed a hoof over the princess’ shoulder. “Princess, we found out that it wasn’t your fault. You were just controlled by some meany. It wasn’t your fault.”

Luna removed her hooves from her head and looked to Fluttershy’s eyes confused. “How can you ever forgive a pony like me? It’s my fault you nearly entered eternal paradise.” She told Fluttershy, remembering a conversation Celestia had with Twilight not so long ago about Fluttershy’s condition.

“Because it was my fault for not speaking to my friends about it.” Fluttershy smiled softly to Luna. “Back when we saved you and we saw how hurt you were, I thought I was a bad pony for hurting you. I can’t stand to see anypony or any other creature hurt thanks to me.”

The lunar princess backed away slightly from hearing Fluttershy’s words. Luna was flabbergasted by the kind words exiting Fluttershy’s mouth, even after everything that has happened. Luna was sure that she would no doubt side with her friend Rainbow Dash’s accusations. Instead, she did the opposite and came to the aid of a pony who was not worthy of such privileges.

“But still,” Luna insisted. “After everything that I’ve done. I don’t deserve your pity.”

“I told you already. That wasn’t your fault. It was—”

“But it was my fault!” Luna shouted. Fluttershy had never heard Luna raise her voice before and it caused her to stumble back a bit. “It’s my fault because I let the Nightmare into my heart. I was upset and angry and hurt when it came to me. I willingly gave into it and let the darkness take hold of my heart.”

Luna began to shake as she covered her head with her hooves, cowering from the mere thought of it. “I can still hear it’s voice everytime I close my eyes. I can still feel it’s anger and hatred whenever I look at anypony. I can still hear it’s maniacal laughter all around me-- I can—”

She suddenly stopped as Fluttershy grabbed her, pulling her into a tight hug. “It’s alright now Princess,” she said between her tears. “That creature is gone now. You don’t have to worry about it anymore.”

Luna sat in shock for a moment before turning her head away from Fluttershy. “But what if it isn’t? What if it’s only a matter of time before it comes back?” she muttered softly. “I… I don’t want to go back,” she cried, trembling as the tears started flowing anew. “I can’t go back there. Not again. Never again.”

“It’s alright princess,” Fluttershy cooed gently, pulling the princess in just a bit tighter. “We’re all here for you. We’ll make sure that nothing bad happens. Nopony’s going to send you away.”

Luna began shaking a bit more, before throwing her own hooves around Fluttershy and sobbing into her fur. “I don’t want to go back. Please, don’t make me go back. I don’t want to go back.”

As the two sat, with Fluttershy trying to comfort the princess while she cried, neither were aware of the other Alicorn seated outside with her ear pressed firmly against the door.


Celestia pried herself from the door, with her breathing becoming heavier by each second. She felt sick. Sick from how disgusted she felt. How disgusting she was for installing fear and despair in Luna when she should have given her hope and happiness.

She slowly walked towards her own room, with memories of events from a thousand years ago flooding her mind. From the time Luna and her were just fillies, to when she held her close during the night and stargazed with her. Memories of birthdays celebrated, to innocent pranks on each other. More images came from events from Luna crying and pleading to be loved but scoffed off as jealousy, to the night when Nightmare Moon came and to the morning when Celestia lost everything.

When she finally reached her own room, she mouthed off soundlessly as she stood still with her eyes threatening to break free the dam building up from behind. She saw her crown resting on her desk and she grabbed it with her magic, bringing it closer to her. Celestia inspected it as it shined brightly, her own reflection casting from it. The reflection suddenly changed to multiple ponies ranging from Cadance, Blueblood, Twilight and lastly Luna who was crying.

She clenched her teeth in rage and threw the crown to the opposite side of the room, where it clattered on the ground still in one piece. Celestia finally fell to the floor and cried with her head in her hooves. For what seemed like hours to her, she just let it all out.

She finally raised her head, with her eyes burning from the tears and from a new found determination. She narrowed her eyes as she stood up, looking down on the crown before closing her eyes.

“Luna… I promise, I will set things right…”


“Wow…” was all that Sweetie Belle managed to say as the three crusader fillies trotted down the path towards Sweet Apple Acres.

“‘Wow’, is right,” Apple Bloom responded equally as surprised. “I mean, I did not see that coming.”

“I know right,” Scootaloo said triumphantly. Out of the three, she was the only one who didn’t seem to be shocked. “And you two didn’t believe me when I said there was something fishy going on around here.”

“Well, how were we supposed to know that Starry Sky was actually a prin...”

Apple Bloom quickly placed a hoof over Sweetie Belles mouth, shushing her loudly. “Didn’t y’all hear Twilight? We’re not supposed to talk about that!”

“Oh lighten up Apple Bloom,” Scootaloo said laughing. “There isn’t anypony else around here right now anyways.”

“Doesn’t matter,” the earth filly insisted. “Twilight told us that for explaining to us what Rainbow Dash was going on about, we had to keep quiet about the whole thing. And that’s just what I plan to do.”

Scootaloo huffed and fell silent. Apple Bloom was right of course. After realizing that the crusaders had been in the room during all of Rainbow’s outburst, Twilight knew that there was no way to get the fillies to stay quiet unless she told them the truth. She did so, but also told them that in order for Luna to fully recover, she needed her identity to remain secret.

The three trotted on in silence for a bit, before Scootaloo finally spoke up with a smirk. “Still, I told you there was a reason she called her Luna.”

Apple Bloom shot her a dirty look, while Sweetie Belle sighed. “Yeah,” the unicorn said. “I still can’t believe it though.”

Scootaloo smiled widely. “I know. We’re actually friends with a princess! I mean, how awesome is that?” She paused for a second. “I wonder if you can get a cutie mark for being friends with a princess…”

“Oh please,” Apple Bloom said rolling her eyes. “What would a cutie mark for that even look like?”

“I don’t know,” Scootaloo retorted sticking out her tongue. “I just know that it would be awesome.”

Apple Bloom sighed. “Why are we talking about this anyways? Twilight told us not to talk about Princess Celestia or her sister Luna to anypony at all. That includes each other, you hear? Now, let’s just forget about it for now, alright.”

Scootaloo was about to argue back, but was stopped by a look and shake of the head from Sweetie Belle. Grumbling, she turned her head back and nodded. “Fine…”

Satisfied, Apple Bloom turned and started back down the path with her two friends following close behind. Scootaloo looked at her with a smirk as they trotted. “It still would be an awesome cutie mark though.”

Apple Bloom paused for a moment before laughing. “Yeah… it probably would be.”

The three fillies all started to laugh as they continued to walk down the path. They were so preoccupied, not one of them noticed the pair of eyes staring at them from behind one of the apple trees in the orchard.

“Her sister Luna, huh?” the shadowy stallion said to himself tapping his hoof against his chin. “Very interesting…”