Curtain Call

by lunabrony

03 - Inspiration

Luna began walking with Comet down the hallway, offering her support as best she could. "It would not be completely unheard of for me to assist you vocally, if you needed it. Magic would be useful there. But if I understand correctly, that would defeat the significance of the art." She wondered aloud. "You really must bring your cast and set and come to Canterlot and give us a private viewing when it's done."

"Oh, we'll definitely tour Equestria when its done, but I was actually hoping to get to talk to you about the script. It was written for my great great grand father, so it's a bit outdated, and... well, first I need you take you through the mayhem." And he opened a door and she was in what could only be described, as Celestia had recently explained to her, as a clusterbuck. Earth ponies, and unicorns were hammering away at things, gluing things together. Pegasi were flying around with buckets of paint which only by the grace of the unicorns did not splash everywhere. A hive of activity. A surrealistic wood workshop. Stars were painted in the sky, a moon rolled by. Curtains showing various scenes were sewn together on the floor, a river was carried past them. For once no ponies eyes were on her, and Luna felt a surge of excitement from that. Comet and Luna managed the entire trip through the workshop, unable to communicate without attracting any attention. They exited into a lounge, the sounds of hammers muted by the double doors. Comet continued, as if nothing had happened. "I've always wanted to get your feedback on the script. It's good, the songs are fantastic, but the problem with this is that I don't feel comfortable performing now that you're here."

He searched for an explanation. "Don't misunderstand me, I love that you're here, but all ponies know who Celestia is, her character is simple, she's everyone's mom or bigger sister, eternal ruler blah, blah, blah… you're a mystery. No pony ever knew much about you, other than you were Nightmare Moon. You know, a big scary villain."

Luna looked rather hurt by this. Comet didn't notice.

"Artists filled in gaps, legends and stories on the few scraps of history they had. When I go on that scene, I want to know that you approve of the story we tell. It doesn't have to be perfectly historically accurate, but... I want to capture the spirit and I want to be true to you. Not my great great grandfather's vision of you or some strange long dead guards version of you."

Luna's horn glowed, and some of the stars painted on the ceiling in the previous room moved position. The pegasus painting them nearly fell off his ladder. It was a bit of an OCD habit of hers, she hated when stars were portrayed incorrectly, and that time she'd fixed an important constellation. No excuse. She smiled a bit, more satisfied now. "Tell me your story, and I will tell you mine." She said soothingly, and sat next to him. "The only secrets I hold are that of my sister, dignitaries, and political tactics. Most else is fair game."

Comet told the story, which was actually part of a larger series of tales interwoven called the Banishing Epic. "Most of that stuff we don't reenact, not all stories translate into our times. See plays and art are often ponies first way of understanding something, so after the war, many ponies wanted to understand why it had happened, and since artists knew next to nothing about you they took the folk legends and made it into this. The story begins actually with a song."

The tale started with Rope Thresher, an aging earth pony singing a complaint about never having riches and always working too hard, urging his son to seek out better fortune. It was a deceptive tale, because it lured her in until she had forgotten that it was to become a love tale. The young earth pony, fallen on hard times, gave up his dreams to return home to the farm and stay there.

"And then we have the scene where he wishes upon the high moon, that he would one day find the mare of of his dreams… that's my call to enter, yes, I fly by wire. Winds caused a storm knocking the princess who was drawing down the moon across the heavens, breaking her wing. She was a bitter creature." They made much out of her supposed resentment of Celestia, Luna didn't appreciate that bit.

The jealous creature, embittered by the following of her sister, able to raise the moon wherever she was was, was slowly nursed back to health by the earth pony. Scenes developed their characters, him infatuated by her, unapproachable though she was. At some point during these talks, food and delicacies were served to Comet and Luna. He would act out scenes and… when he did that, though he was white, and a colt.. his motions changed, his voice was that of a mare. Not her voice, not exactly, but she could easily believe the voice belonged exactly to the character he portrayed. As the story continued, eventually of course their love was cemented, as she swore to live a life outside of her sisters presence, with many children.

"And then the tragedies start… the first was he was barren, he sired no children with her… and lastly, and most cruelly he grew older, despite desperate attempts from her in keeping him from aging, to the embitterment of the local towns who grew jealous of his long life." He sang the whole last song for her, holding a pillow as tenderly and as lovingly, as if his sister was lying dying in his arms. Tears, seeming utterly real flowed from his eyes and the voice… that voice… a young princess in her deepest sorrow. Praising her long life, and yet her love had been true, and had seemed worth it and yet because of that so much more painful.

Luna had tears flowing down her cheeks by the time he had finished, between the song and the story, she related to it all too well. Even if it was fairly ridiculous. Yes, she herself had many times wished she had time for a stallion, but between her near immortality and relentless responsibilities, there was no time. There had been one, one whom she cared for deeply, and who had cared for her in return. Maybe in another time something would have happened with him. But she had become Nightmare Moon, and he in turn an enemy of Canterlot. They were separated, and it was not to be. She hid herself with a wing as the colt finished, quickly composing herself. "That's a lovely story, Comet." She said, calm again. "All that, based on folklore?"

"Just about everything in my family back then, which is two hundred years ago, were able to find. Mare's tales, and what little we had heard from Celestia when she had remarked on life. And spun a tale from that, though it's a good story right? But I want to know if it was true, and if it wasn't... was the Luna in the story similar to you? What's your take on it?" He was already himself again, though he seemed moved to tears as well, wiping them away quickly and easily with a hoof.

Luna smiled softly. "It is not a story based upon myself, or Celestia, but a relatable one to any pony whom is gifted with long life." She said. "Alicorns such as Celestia and myself, we haven't time for many things that others take for granted. Being a princess is not always easy, an alicorn princess even harder." She said quietly. "I think..." She began to say something, but changed her mind, shaking her head. "Never mind."