• Published 22nd Apr 2012
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A Rising Moon - Metal Squirrel Chaos



Collection of Short Stories about Luna and her return to Equestria.

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A Week With a Lune: Prologue

A Week With a Lune: Prologue

By Metal Squirrel Chaos (A.K.A. Sword of Squirrels)

Power.

Pure, unhindered power. It was one of the most fantastic feelings. Raw emotion drove her forward. Ancient magics, long forgotten by normal ponies, were manipulated by her every thought. It was palpable in the air around her, almost a physical thing that you could reach out and touch. She would have advised against that.

Princess Luna, Guardian of the Night and Diarch to the throne of Equestria, stood just as still as the statues in the garden below her. The Midnight Maiden was perched at the edge of the balcony atop the tallest tower of Canterlot castle, the same tower where both her and her sister slept. The cool night air whipped her mane back and forth, stars sparkling inside of it. Her eyes were shut tight with concentration, completely focused on the task at hand.

Behind her stood her two constant guardians and companions, Morningstar and Equinox. The two royal guard were now dressed to the pleasure of their ruler, encased in armor of her own design. Princess Celestia had warned the two of her younger sister's unusual aesthetic taste, and now they knew why. Morningstar did like the bat wings, however.

At the moment, the two were more interested in what they were witnessing. Princess Luna made a note to chat with them about being constantly vigilant later. It was like they had never seen a goddess rearrange the sky before.

Above the world, and all the ponies who lived in it, the normally still stars held in the night sky were arranging themselves into all new and beautiful patterns. It was going to be a slow process, Luna knew, but it would be well worth it. Time and effort were things best reserved for what you loved, and Luna loved her night. She hated seeing it in disarray.

Especially after Celestia had loused it up for a thousand years.

As if summoned by these thoughts, the Solar Sylph appeared on the balcony behind them. As always, she wore a warm, inviting smile. "Good evening, you three. How goes things?" she asked in her soft tone.

Luna looked back for a moment, the power swirling around her fading only slightly. “Evening, Dear Sister. Why have ye not retired to your chambers for the night? Thou shall wear yourself out if you continue this spree of staying up late.”

“Oh I’ve long gotten use to that,” The Sun Monarch retorted, before looking up into the night sky. She looked at the newly forming constellations and let out a small giggle. “The astronomers will be unhappy about all this.” she grinned.

“Pah,” Luna spat. “Let them fret themselves if they wish. The night sky is not theirs to rule or control.”

“I know, dear sister. I meant no offense,” Celestia said, the constant warm smile still painted on her face. “Though I would suggest keeping the North Star in the same place. Many ponies use it to navigate when they are far from home, you know.”

The Midnight Maiden looked up at the sky again, checking everything over. She gave a small smile, before spreading her wings, giving off one last burst of strength. With that single wave, all the stars in the sky twinkled brightly, lighting up the entire surface below them just a bit more. With that, Luna’s mane stopped shining as the powerful aura around her seem to finally fade. Even the stars inside her mane disappeared. She turned back to her sister.. “We shall take your suggestion to heart, Celestia.”

“Why thank you, Lulu. I appreciate your thought.” the older sibling smiled, grinning at the sudden distress on her younger sister’s face.

“We would appreciate it if you would not use our old nickname, dear sister.” Luna scowled. “Neither of us have used those ridiculous nicknames in a very long time.”

“I know, Lulu,” Celestia said with a wide grin, “but I think we should be more friendly and less formal when together.” She reached her foreleg upward and placed it over her sister’s shoulder. “You should relax more, take a load off. These are times of peace and plenty. You should try and enjoy it all.”

Luna gave a huff and turned toward her fellow ruler.”We shall try, if thou think it would be best. However, we are more interested in what you said before. About being use to staying up late into the night?”

“Oh, yes,” Celestia said. “You see, I had to take over your duties while you were...gone.” She let a bit of sadness spread across her face, but only for a moment. “Doing so required me to stay up later than I normally did, so I had to completely change my schedule.”

Luna’s eyes shot open in realization. “Wait, does that mean that thou has not received a full night’s sleep in over a thousand years?!”

“Well,” Celestia flushed, “when you put it like that, yes.”

“Travesty!” Luna shouted, stomping her hoof against the marble, leaving a very small crack. “We will not allow this. Get thee hence to bed and do not bother to wake thyself in the morning.”

“What?” Celestia blinked. “You can’t be serious. I can’t take a day off.”

“A day?” Luna narrowed her eyes. “You shall receive more than a day, dear sister. For we shall be subject to your own torture, and present you with one thousand years of rest and relaxation, while we rule in your stead.”

Celestia tried very hard not to face-hoof. “Luna, no, I can not take that long off...as tempting as it may be.” she added. “Perhaps a day would be nice though.”

“We insist on longer,” the younger Matriarch held.

“Not a thousand years.”

“Merely eight hundred?”

“No, Luna.”

“One hundred.”

“Not happening.”

“Fifty years?”

“No!”

Morningstar and Equinox looked back and forth between the two arguing sisters and rulers. The former leaned toward the later and gently whispered. “This could take a while.”

***

The Royal Breakfast was always a big deal, as far as the nobles of Equestria were concerned. Attendance here was a status symbol, showing who was and was not in Canterlot’s elite. All of the highest of highbrows had a seat reserved in the Royal Dining Room, a huge and expansive room that could hold well into the hundreds of ponies if need be. Today there were only two dozen or so in attendance, which was slightly more than the normal. Word had gotten out that there would be a large announcement to be made this morning.

Everyone of interest was there. The Blood Clan’s head, Prince Blueblood, sat tall at his normal seat at the table. Across from him was Fancy Pants, and the two chatted extensively of the goings on in Canterlot. Princess Cadence was notably absent from her usual seat, which spread many a rumor about her and a young, up and coming royal guardsman.

But the topic that was on most lips was the absent seat at the head of the table. The largest chair at the table was empty. It was unlike Princess Celestia to be late to the Royal Breakfast.

“Where could she be?”

“It’s quite bizarre to see the seat empty.”

“Perhaps she’s sick?”

“I’ve never even heard of the Princess being sick.”

All the chatter in the room suddenly died down as the sound of trumpets filled the room. The doors at the back of the room burst open, and in walked Morningstar and Equinox, both gazing around the room for inspection, their slit eyes not missing a detail.

The nobility quickly started gossiping again.

“Night guards? What are they doing? Their shift ended hours ago.”

“Those uniforms, those are the Royal Night Personnel.”

All the chatter suddenly stopped again as another figure entered the room, much taller than the two guards who flanked her.

Princess Luna held her gaze forward the chair at the head of the table. She walked toward it with the regal air that can only be gained from centuries of experience. She held a wide smile on her face as she sat delicately but firmly in the seat her sister usually took.

Citizens, Nobility,” she let the Royal Canterlot Voice fill the room, everypony but her two guardsman cringing, “It is with great pleasure that we make an announcement. It has come to our attention that, in our absence, our dear sister, Princess Celestia, has not had a true night’s sleep, or single day off, in over one thousand years. We believe this to be a travesty of the highest order.”

Luna gazed around the room, to make sure everyone was paying attention. Most were rubbing their sensitive ears, not yet use to her Royal Voice. They will soon learn to love it, she thought.

“As such,” she continued, “while our sister recuperates from her exhaustion, we shall take the helm.”

The shock in the room was palpable, The nobility as a whole seem completely taken aback by their Princess’ announcement.

Luna smiled brightly as she sat up as straight as she could. “For the next week’s time, we, Princess Luna, shall rule all of Equestria!”