Luna is a happy filly, and wants her sister to be happy too. She doesn't know why Celestia cries at night, so she's going to raise the sun and let her big sister sleep in.
Celestia watches her waiting to raise the sun from inside her chambers, torn between a love that she wants to acknowledge and the machinations of politics that have kept her from doing so.
What would a good sister do?
What would a good mother do?
Proofreading by Minds Eye
Cover Art: Then I Heard Your Heart Beating - Riz Cifra
Featured on Equestria Daily
Chapters (3)
It was a pleasure, as always.
Good start
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And thank you for helping me look over the background for this AU. It is much appreciated.
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Thank you.
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Not a problem my friend
Ooh, a Celestia mother story. Politics thrown in to boot. I'm listening.
Wow. Just, wow. I want to cry right now. This is so sweet!
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More to come in the next chapter. And a look back at Celestia's path to where she is, and a decision to be made.
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I'm glad you enjoyed it! Chapter 2 is actually pretty close to finished. I just need to make sure the world building is consistent, then go back through and put a fine polish on the characters.
4529366 Awesome!
I get the feeling I'm not going to like the ending. I'll enjoy it, and it will be well written....but it will not be happy...
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The ending is already outlined and partially written. I included all of the tags that I thought this story would need from start to finish.
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Sorry, but I just don't trust authors..we lie...alot..
Still the hints of world building was very nice. Its the little things you know..
So I wonder if Shining Light is actually related to Shining Armor and Twilight...
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I know. Still. I am being honest as I can be without spoiling everything. But, if you'd like to look at the background that leads up to this story. Like to the very doorstep of the first chapter, please take a look at the Celestia entry "Darkest Before the Dawn, A Heroine's Journey" in this blog: Characters
It's a fairly accurate, if not exactly in depth look at Celestia's past as relates to this story.
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How about proofreaders? Do you trust proofreaders?
From what I know, this story doesn't need a Sad tag. Or Tragedy or Dark or anything to suggest a not-so-happy ending.
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Shhh! Oh. What the hey.
I thought the best introduction to an AU was sort of In Medias Res slice of life. Everything that split off from the main branch of the MLP universe has already happened. Later, I'll go back and explore that adventure in more depth. It will have a dark tag, and a sad tag. But no tragedy. Upheaval is painful, but sometimes necessary.
So... Consider this a sort-of-official 'Prequel' notice, I guess.
So, was NMM Luna's angsty teenage phase. I guess Tia told Luna to go to her room and think about what she did.
4529453 I would call that fairly in depth. The only way to get more would be to get down into the nitty gritty of it all. Much through the trenches, go over the top. Stand next to Starswirl when he was slinging the fateful spell..that sort of thing...
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I actually kinda plan to explore that path in Daughter of the Sun, a partially thought out probable sequel. But... Like, pretty far down the road. So many things to write!
4529469 I'll concede the point. I worry though. I truly mean no insult to such a finely crafted tale.
Hmm... Celestia as Luna's mother. Wowm this would make the whole Nightmare Moon debacle that much more soul crushing to Celestia. One question though, and I probably missed this point because I'm tired as a word that rhymes with bell, but does Luna know Celestia is her mother?
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Bell no. Not yet at least.
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And none taken! I'm glad you're enjoying it enough thus far to keep going in spite of any reservations.
4529568 The only reason I haven't faved is I want to see more before I do. Given the level of detail you've thought out I have no doubts I will enjoy this.
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No worries. I like comments and discussion better than favorites anyway. Much more engaging.
4529575 I know, I'll be vocal in the comments then.
You've made the Popular Stories List (The one on the homepage side)
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Yis! Trying not to pay too much attention... that little sidebar is so distracting. Got a chapter to edit!
4529747 Ha! I'm flitting between the home page and my own writing. I just noticed and thought I'd pass it along
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Thank you!
I honestly had this thought about the relationship between Tia and Luna before too. Someone beat me to it.
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Yeah. Apparently God Empress of Ponykind had this idea too. Haven't read it, but I think Celestia's Paladin told me about it. Or maybe it was God Empress of Equestria? Not really sure, to be honest.
A promising start! Luna is adorable and I have high hopes for Shining Light. I'm far too out of it to put the rest of my feelings into words, but if I could then they'd be good ones.
I can't tell if the story felt rushed or if my mind is just working too slowly to keep up with it... I'll have to get back to this after work.
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A little from A, little from B, maybe? Luna's attempt to cheer up her sister is not the primary conflict of the story. It's the inciting event that throws things into motion. It's also a bit of the hook.
I didn't want to linger on it for too long because it's not the conflict, nor is it a real source of tension, but I also wanted to use the time to show Luna in her world. Luna is a big part of the story, and it was important to show just how much she does love her sister.
This chapter also had the responsibility of introducing the world and some of the differences between it and mainstream MLP as well as hint at some of the conflict and reasons for the conflict later. Without bogging down in exposition. Cuz that's boring history stuff. I'm paraphrasing Luna, of course.
We'll actually get some in character exploration of the world and the history between Shining and Celestia next chapter.
The title is a bit of a spoiler... unless you intended for the reader to know the secret truth behind the Royals' relationship right off the bat.
Congrats on making the popular box.
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I didn't intend for that to be a twist, honestly, or a part of the tension. It was kinda meant to be the hook.
It's not that Celestia is Luna's mother that's important, it's why she hides that fact even from her daughter.
I absolutely love this. The idea, the characters, how solid everything feels; this is why I come to Fimfiction, for stories like this.
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Thank you! More coming out soon. I had chapter 2 almost finished by the time I decided to just go ahead and finish polishing off chapter 1 with Minds Eye's assist.
Chapter 2's pacing is slower, with more detail about the world and the situation. The third and final chapter is also partly written, but will be shorter than the first two. It's more of an epilogue, really, a final welcome to the alternate universe and the things I want to explore.
A sweet, atmospheric, and well-written piece. It's interesting to see an altered take on Celestia and Luna's relationship, and I'm interested to see how it develops and the questions it raises answered. Have a well-earned like and fave.
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Question answering is under way! I hope to have it done tonight, but I'm not going to paint myself into a corner and promise it. I'm editing the last scene of the chapter now. Then to proofreading!
Thank you very much for the kind words. I fell in love with this story back when it was just a cute little Woona fic in my head a couple weeks ago. It's grown up big since then. I still love it.
4530010 sounds neat
I haven't read it yet, but I do want you to stay featured as long as possible. Plus, I know enough about it that I'd favorite it eventually anyway. Lol.
Oh that was so very awesome! Go Tia!
-coughs- One thing I've always agreed with is a good noble burning...
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Do not get in the way of a mother on the warpath.
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Harmony help any noble who tries
Good on both of them to tell Luna
Also, why do I get the feeling that Celestia has had many uncomfortable moments over the years with ponies named like, or that are like, the ones she'd loved in the past. Hell Ponyville in this verse must be strange for her.
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I think she would see them as old friends come back to visit for a while. They might have different stories, but they're still her friends come back to check on her. A bittersweet idea, maybe, but if it helps her stay in a healthy mental place, then I'm happy for her.
4534494 That's actually a rather beautiful way to look at it. It would make some of her decisions harder. This also colors her interactions with Sunset, and Twilight very differently in this verse. Both like daughters to her, while she was trying to guide them to help her bring back her real one.