You Too Will Deteriorate

by cleverpun

12. Let Me Quaff this Kind Nepenthe

Celestia took a deep breath. “The weather team did a wonderful job with the autumn air. It is just the right temperature.”

“Indeed,” Luna replied.

Celestia continued walking. She barely remembered the last time she had went out disguised. The walk felt so long when her legs were shorter.

“Anyway, as I was saying.” She nodded to a bend in the road. “The garden is just this way.”

Celestia glanced sideways at Luna. Or ‘Moon Crater’, she should say. Luna had elected to be a unicorn this time. Her coat and mane were the same general colors. Her cutie mark looked almost identical, just slightly smaller.

“It has been so long since I went out in disguise. I keep worrying I will trip on these shorter legs,” Celestia said.

“Hmm.”

A thought struck Celestia. “Is this how you feel all the time, sister? Scrunched into a body that is slightly too small?”

“I suppose I adjusted to it, after a while.”

Celestia decided not to press the matter.

Finally they arrived. The public garden looked vibrant, as always. A concrete wall ringed the entire park, but the curtain of plants and flowers over it had grown so thick that it looked like a single, dense hedge.

Celestia waved a hoof, and Luna followed after her toward the center of the park.

A few ponies glanced at them. A few whispered amongst themselves. It had certainly been some time since Celestia had last gone for a walk. The ponies left her be. The disguise was meant to broadcast her desire for privacy, not hide her identity. At least the ponies in the park could guess the general purpose.

Celestia sat down on a rough wooden bench. “Here it is.”

Luna showed no emotion. She sat down next to Celestia. “It is quite lovely,” she said.

The flowers looked just as immaculate as they had the first time. A half-moon made of white lilies and blue gromwell took up one side of the display. A half-sun made from orange poppies and yellow bush daisy took up the other. Purple roses circled the area, pockmarked with flowers meant to represent birds and clouds and other ornaments of the sky.

“It has been quite a long time since I visited here.” Celestia sat back on the bench. “I suppose I never told you the story.”

“I suppose there were other things to catch up on.”

Celestia nodded. “I had it commissioned some time after you were banished. One day, I looked at all the buildings and bridges, and I realized something. I had too much control over everything. Every piece of architecture in the city, I had input in its design. The weather team would report to me monthly, weekly, daily about how the clouds and rain and wind should progress. The sun and moon ticked away because I told them, too.”

Celestia smiled. “So I had an idea. I commissioned a new park, a public area. I intentionally offered no oversight, no direction, no advice. The city planners and architects certainly tried to get my guidance, but I would always tell them I was busy, or that I trusted their judgement.

“I wanted to see my little ponies make something, anything, all by themselves. I wanted a part of the city I could go to that I had nothing to do with.”

Celestia waved a hoof at the central display. “This is what they came up with.”

Luna smiled. “Perhaps they misunderstood your orders.”

“Perhaps. Perhaps they wanted to pander to me.” Celestia frowned. “After the usual openings and ribbon-cuttings, I never visited this park again. This is the first time I’ve been here since.” Celestia sighed. “I’m still not sure why. Seeing that sun and moon…perhaps it made me think of you. Perhaps looking at it was too painful. Perhaps I wanted to bring you here with me, like going here without you was some sort of crime. I guess I can’t really say why I ignored it for so long.”

They both stared at the garden.

“Earlier, when I asked if you hated me…you never gave me a proper answer,” Luna said.

“I don’t hate you, Luna.” Celestia continued staring at the garden. “But…I don’t love you either. After everything that has happened, it will be a long time before I can.”

Luna continued staring at the garden as well. She blinked and a tear trickled down her cheek. “Thank you for being honest with me, sister.”

“I’m sorry, sister.”

Luna shook her head. “No, I’m glad. I would take the unpleasant truth over a pleasant lie any day.”

“Maybe it is a sign of growth, in its own way.”

“It is really quite a lovely display.”

Celestia nodded. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

Comments

[GarrusVakarian]

RANDOM COMMENT, that's some nice cover art you found.

[FOXTrot2]

Ponder.
that's all I can say

[GeorgeOfTheJungle]

7968901 What? If you are referring to "Perhaps they wanted to pander to me.”, then you are incorrect. Pander is the correct term.

[Csquared08]

That was pleasant. But for some reason, that feels off