A Thousand Moons Missed

by WuRs

Chapter 2

Although all this time had passed, Blaze still remembered how the old castle looked like. It was made of grey stone, well-fortified and, for its time old fashioned. It was settled in the middle of the Everfree Forest, which meant not a lot of unnecessary visits. Back then Celestia didn’t mind that but it was clear she wasn’t pleased by it. The only reason keeping her from changing her address was her sister, Luna. Luna loved that castle - has did Blaze – Luna preferred isolated places where she could be at peace. She liked to socialize but only with the right ponies. Canterlot was almost the polar opposite of the old castle. It was made of what seemed to be white marble and it was right in the middle of Equestria’s Capital, Canterlot. Although, there were missing some key fortifications, it made that up with guards, many guards, to many to properly train. Blaze could sense Luna didn’t partake in choosing the castle. It was clear Celestia had chosen it while Luna was banished.

As soon as they set hoof in Canterlot, Blaze could feel the eyes of the curious looking at them and the mutter of the crowds forming. From where they were they could see the castle’s gates; the castle was just a couple of meters away.

“Alright, from now on let me do the talking or else the guards won’t let us in” Twilight ordered.

“Yes, you are the princess after all, but let’s get out of the streets, crowds are forming.” Blaze was right.

As Twilight looked around she could see a lot of curious ponies had stopped to look at her, or possibly Blaze. He did look like a zebra with wings. They trotted to the entrance; all four guards recognized Twilight and let them through. Behind the thick wood doors there was a spacious and well-decorated hall with a grand stair case in front of them leading to two doors, one on each side. In the bottom floor there was also two narrow corridors.

“I’m going to search for the princesses in their chambers. You… stay here. Don’t go anywhere!” Twilight yelled has she entered in one of the corridors.

Blaze might not know this castle but he learned one trick to know where the princesses are in whichever castle they are in: the most guarded room, that’s where you find the princesses. Blaze looked around and almost immediately spotted two guards guarding the right double-doors on top of the stair case. Although he promised Twilight to wait there, he had waited for too long for this moment so he went without her. As soon as he got close to the guards they crossed their spears to close the path. One of them spoke.

“Hold! Requesting time as ended the last citizen is already in the throne room. You must wait until tomorrow.”

He spoke with a harsh voice, as all guards should, but it didn’t faze Blaze.

“I have to see the princesses. I have urgent matters I wish to discuss.”

“Well, too bad. Didn’t you hear me? Time is over! Leave! That’s an order!”

But Blaze didn’t take it as an order but more of a challenge. He knew he could take both the guards out, even without a weapon. He was already in close range with the guards but before he could do anything, Twilight showed up behind him.

“It’s alright he’s with me we wish to speak with the princesses so let us in.”

“I am sorry princess I didn’t realize… Of course!” He said as he holstered his spear and opened the double doors.

“They are in the throne room.”

“Thank you!”

They went through the doors and they closed behind them. There was still another double door in front of them.

“So this is it?”

“Yes they should be in there but let me go first to take care of whom ever is inside.”

“I’ll let you go first but I can’t hold on much longer…”

“I won’t take long. And… Good luck…”

He sighed. “Thank you, I’ll probably need it.”

With that said Twilight opened the doors to the throne room while Blazed slid to the left to stay out of sight. As soon as twilight entered the room she was greeted by a pony she didn’t recognize.

“Oh princess Twilight it’s an honor to meet you. But I’m afraid I have errands to run and I already spent my time speaking with the royal sisters.”

And just like that she continued her way out passing by Blaze without even noticing him – he was like a shadow – when she turned around the princesses were there, sitting in their thrones, waving her in.

“Twilight, what a wonderful surprise! Are you here to give back my scroll, you could have just asked Spike to send it.”

“Yes about that… I’m sorry prin-”

She didn’t even finish the sentence and the princesses’ expressions changed, they were in shock. But they weren’t like that because of her, Blaze had entered the room. They were all dead silence. Until Blaze started walking towards them.

“So this is the welcome back reception I get after all these years…” He said with a calm yet angry voice.

“It... It’s impossible.” It was all Celestia could say.

“But… I thought you were dead!” Luna almost shouted with tears forming in her eyes.

Blaze stopped now just a few paces from the princesses.

“Dead!? Was that what Tia told you? Well Tia, it seems you have some explaining to do!” Blaze was using an increasingly more powerful and angry voice.

“Sister?” Luna said surprised now with tears running through her eyes.

“Princess? What’s happening?” Twilight spoke from the left side of the room.

“Twilight, leave I’ll talk to you when I get this solved” Celestia said without breaking eye contact with Blaze.

“No! Twilight, please stay. She was the one who helped me get here and if I’m not mistaken she’s one of your students or was, so why should she leave? She also deserves an explanation.” Blaze protested.

“Why did you come here, Blaze?” Celestia was good with masking her emotions but it was clear she was not happy with his return.

Blaze’s eyes snapped.

“Why did I come here? WHY DID I LEAVE IN THE FIRST PLACE!!??”

Blaze shouted has he toke two full paces forwards and trusted his hoof as hard as he could against the floor, shattering it in the process. He looked at the princesses and they had gotten up in shock. He could see the fear in their eyes. The guards heard him and rushed to the room. Behind him were five of them. He walked a couple of paces back and looked at his right hoof that had shattered the marble floor, it was slowly dripping blood. It was just a cut from a shard of marble. After a few seconds he broke the silence yet again.

“After all we’ve been through… After all we’ve done together… You’re scared of me?”

Almost all the anger was gone from his voice and it was replaced with sadness. The tears joined the small pool of blood that had formed beneath him. A cyan glow involved his right hoof and his face, healing his wound and cleaning his eyes of tears. He could recognize Luna’s magic even without seeing its glow and that small gesture meant the world to him. It also seemed to affect Celestia’s heart because her eyes were watery and she called off the guards, making them holster their weapons and taking a step back.

“Celestia I am willingly to forgive you. But if you’re not going to tell them what happened… I am.”

A silence settled once again. But this time Celestia broke it.

“I’ll do it. If somepony has to tell this it’s me. I have had a thousand years to think and rethink about what I’ve done.” Tears were rolling from her eyes but her voice didn’t change.

“I may have acted out of jealousy and false rumors but at the time I was certain that Blaze was nothing but trouble to us and our kingdom. So when I had the opportunity I trapped him in Tartarus.” She cleaned her tears with her wing and sat back in her throne.

“How could you? How could lie to me? How could you do that to Blaze?”

Luna was devastated she could barely see with so many tears in her eyes. She was facing Celestia and this time Celestia looked straight at her but words failed to leave her mouth.

“I’m sorry to interrupt but I still don’t know who Blaze is.” Twilight interrupted after a long time of listening.

“Blaze is an –“ Celestia started to explain only to be interrupted by Luna.

“Don’t even… You don’t deserve to tell who Blaze is. Not after all you’ve done.”

Celestia stuttered at hearing that from her sister. Luna also used her wings to clear her face of tears and sat again in her throne.

“So Princess Twilight, let’s start from the beginning.”

Blaze was abandoned as an infant at our old castle door step. We never met or saw his parents. It was clear that he was not a normal pony and most likely he was abandoned by a wealthy family who didn’t want their reputation to be lost. I have to admit that when I first saw him I wasn’t quite fond of him…

“Who was it?” Luna asked seeing her sister open the main doors.

“I don’t know but they seem to have abandoned a young colt… or zebra. I’ve never seen somepony like this…” Answered Celestia as she levitated the basket containing the small colt.

“Leave him to the timber wolves. We don’t need more responsibilities.”

“Luna! Sometimes I wonder if you have a heart… Look at him. Have you seen anything like him? And are you brave enough to send him to the wolves?” Celestia passed the basked around and the magical auras involving it switched from yellow to cyan.

“I don’t think courage is the word you’re looking for. And I suppose I’m not. But you can send him to the orphanage. But you aren’t are you?” Luna looked at Celestia and back to the colt.

“I suppose he is …”

“Cute? It’s been a couple of years since I toke care of a child maybe it’s time don’t you think?”

Celestia and Luna were side by side looking at the levitating basket with the colt inside. He looked so fragile. Celestia extended her right wing and used one of her pinions – which were bigger than the colt itself – to move him around and extending one of his tiny wings.

“Pour thing… Look at his wing joint. He might be handicap.”

“Different doesn’t mean handicap. Remember Half-Horn Larry? Everyone said he was handicapped until he became the most powerful battle-mage.”

“Let’s hope so. I’ll make sure that he is well treated.”

“We’ll make sure. If you are going to do this you know you have my full support. As always and forever.”

“As always and forever…”

Blaze grew up with us but Celestia didn’t call him his son and neither did he call her mom. He was too smart for that. I think he was three when he first asked us who is parents were. His wing joint problem gave more benefits than problems. It allowed his wings to have more motion letting him do stunts that no other pegasus could do. This made him very agile in flight which gave him his cutie mark, a white pegasus wing. But all that free mobility came with a price; he couldn’t fly at high speeds. He grew up to be our best friend and our trusted personal guard. We were very close and as time went by we were getting closer and closer, me and Blaze that is, Celestia seemed to think he was a good friend, nothing more. And with time she started being jealous of Blaze for spending so much time with me. Blaze did everything he could to remain close to her but she kept pushing herself away from him, and from me. Then came the day she went out with Blaze in a mission and returned alone… After a couple of weeks I realized that Blaze also helped me deal with my sister. We were so close yet… at the time I felt like I didn’t knew her anymore… Two years later I turned into Nightmare Moon. The rest you already know…

The room fell quite once again. Tears could be seen in Luna’s, Celestia’s and Blaze’s eyes. Only Twilight eyes remained dry. She was in shock. Her mentor, the pony in which she most trusted… had been so evil. She wanted explanations but before she could speak, Celestia broke the silence.

“Twilight, now that you know who Blaze is and what I’ve done I have to ask you to leave so I can resolve this situation. But don’t worry once this is settled you can ask me whatever you want.”

Twilight simply nodded and left the room afraid to say something she would regret. When Twilight left Celestia signaled the guards to leave. Only the three remained in the room. A few seconds later Blaze spoke.

“So, what now?”

“Now… Me and Luna are going to have lunch. In the afternoon we have a meeting with Ponyville’s mayor, and I think I’ll stay and speak with Twilight afterwards.” Celestia answered.

“Then I’ll go with you.”

“Nonsense! You’ll stay here in the castle dungeons! We may have accepted you staying here but that doesn’t mean we trust you.”

Blaze knew she had reason to not trust him but had she forgotten who he was? He looked at Luna in hope she would disagree with her sister.

“I’m sorry Blaze… but she’s right. You may still be our Blaze but, a thousand years in Tartarus is a lot… no one has ever done that… and the few that exited Tartarus, they were… changed…”

Although it wasn’t what Blaze wanted to hear, it was the truth and Blaze accepted it.

“I understand. But I didn’t come here to stay in a dungeon for the rest of my life! I want to be with you, both of you. I want us to get along again, just like old times.” Luna spoke next.

“That we can agree on. Starting of tomorrow we will help you in your integration in society and if everything works out, your rank of Royal Sisters Protectors will be restored.” Celestia wasn’t so sure.

“Luna, I don’t think this is wise. We still don’t know his intentions.”

“Weren’t you listening? He clearly stated them.” Blazed was happy that Luna still trusted him.

“Thank you. Now I believe I have a dungeon cell waiting for me.” Blaze looked around.

“I would go alone if I knew where they were…” Celestia didn’t wait to call for help.

“Guards, escort Blaze to the Dungeons!”

The three guards walked forwards and tried to grab Blaze. Before they could do anything Luna said.

“Escort not drag.” And so they obeyed. Blazed chuckled a bit.

“Before there were five guards and even those sometimes needed help. Crime as seen better days.”

“Silence!” One of the guards shouted but that only made Luna shout louder.

“Guard consider yourself dismissed if something like that happens again! This pony might be your superior tomorrow!”

“Luna, you know I don’t like to boss around.” Luna just smiled. And after a couple of steps, the guards and Blaze exited the throne room.

The guards toke him through the main hall, they passed through multiple corridors and stairs. Has they walked further and further, the castle decorations began to fade , the walls turned from painted marble to cold dark grey stone and the light was beginning to disappear. After a narrow corridor there were multiple cells, almost all of them empty. They showed him the way to his cell and one of the guards pushed him inside and closed the door behind him. Blazed looked around, the cell wasn’t small but it wasn’t big either, it had some hay in the ground where he could sleep, a small window on top of one of the walls and a bucket if he needed to use it. That’s what anyone could see but Blaze noticed much more. He flew to the window; although there were metal bars blocking anyone from escaping, the stone where they were attached was weak. Blaze, with a bit of strength pushed and pulled the bars and the whole window detached from the wall.

“Well I have a way out if I need it.” He said to himself.

He placed the window on the wall and with a bit of moving around it looked like nothing happened. Next he went to the door. It was an old wooden door with some metal bars so you could see through, but again it was weak, he could easily break it open. With nothing else to do Blaze sat on the hay and started to preen his wings.

“Can’t remember the last time I did this.” He thought to himself.

After Blaze left Luna and Celestia went to the dining room where their lunch was waiting. Neither of them spoke in that meal. After that they embarked on the carriage that would bring them to Ponyville. For the entire journey not one word was spoken, after all that was said a little silence didn’t hurt. They arrived at Ponyville and the mayor was there to greet them. But Celestia was the first to talk.

“We are sorry for arriving so late. We had some issues in Canterlot.”

“There’s absolutely no problem your highnesses. You are only a few minutes late. Oh where are my manners? Welcome to Ponyville!”

With that said the three of them moved to the Town Hall where they spend almost all the afternoon debating Ponyville’s economies.

Once the meeting was over the two sisters stood near the carriage. This time it was Luna who talked.

“Remember what you said you would do. Go talk to Twilight. Or you might lose her.”

“I know I have to talk to her… I’m afraid, Luna…”

“You should be. I’m going back to the castle.”

Luna took a few steps but before leaving she said.

“If you can’t talk at least listen.”

Luna entered the carriage and signaled the guards to take the carriage. Celestia was alone in the streets of Ponyville, she could see Twilight’s castle, by far the tallest building there. She decided to teleport to its entrance so she didn’t have to walk through all Ponyvilles citizens. She knocked at the doors of the crystal castle and almost immediately Spike opened the doors.

“Princess! Something’s wrong with Twilight she hasn’t come out of her room after she returned from Canterlot! I’ll show you the way.”

The little dragon ran through corridors and up stairs leading the princess to Twilight’s room.

“She’s inside!” The little dragon said worried.

“I’ll talk to her. Can you leave us alone for a moment?”

“Yes princess… Just make sure she’s alright…” and he left.

Celestia looked at the door. Inside there was the little filly she toke care of, the mare that become Princess of Friendship and most of all, her friend… she needed to make things right between them. She knocked. A muffled voice spoke. “Go away Spike…”

“It’s me…” Celestia answered in a sweet and quite tone. Almost a minute passed before a purple glow surrounded the door handle and opened the door. Celestia walked inside. It was dark only a few rays of sun light managed to find the way into the ground. The purple alicorn was lying in bed. Celestia moved closer.

“You’re here...” Twilight said in a neutral tone.

“Yes, just like I said I would be… Twilight, listen…”

“Don’t…” interrupted Twilight.

“Why did you do it?”

Celestia sighed. “Blaze and Luna were very close if Blaze intended to harm the kingdom he could use Luna to do so… I was worried that he might hurt her… And yes I admit I didn’t like them being so close…”

“So instead of, I don’t know talk to him, you banish him!?” Celestia could see how wrong that seemed now.

“I know how this seems but, Twilight, you have to understand, at that time it seemed the right thing to do…” A tear rolled down her face.

“That’s one question… Why did you didn’t you tell the truth?”

“I didn’t want my sister to hate me, I didn’t want my kingdom to dough me… I was afraid so I just hid it…”

“Can’t you understand the harm that you did to your sister by not telling her?! She though he was dead! I don’t know their relationship but I’m guessing they were about to be more than just friends. I’m not even going to talk of how much you must have hurt Blaze…”

“I did what I had to do.”

“What!?” Twilight stood up from her bed, shouting.

“Can’t you understand what you did!? You ruined two lives! You banished blaze for a thousand years and, by doing so, you made Luna go mad, turning her into Nightmare Moon forcing you into banishing her as well!”

Twilight couldn’t contain the tears anymore.

“And to think you were the one who taught me all about magic, and friendship…”

“I wasn’t the one to blame of Luna madness with power!”

“Shut up! Are you listening to yourself!? You know the truth and you refuse to see it!”

Those words coming from Twilight… Celestia was devastated.

“How could she treat her like that? I did the right thing… there wasn’t another option…” She thought, but to hear both her sister and student say that… how wrong could she be?

“Twilight…”

“Leave…” said Twilight.

“Twilight, I’m sorry…”

“Leave!” She shouted.

Celestia knew she couldn’t do anything so she left. She had lost one of her students… one of her closest friends…

There she was at the doors of Twilight’s Castle leaving her behind, her eyes were wet, her heart broken… yet she knew she was right. She started her long flight to Canterlot.

When Luna left Celestia in Ponyville she knew that Twilight wasn’t going to forgive her. She just hoped that her sister could listen to her point of view and understand it. She could see Canterlot from her carriage. She knew that inside of it Blaze was there, waiting. She was dying to talk to him but she couldn’t help to be afraid. She knew his strength; she knew that he spent a thousand years with the worst of evil. But then again if he wanted her dead he could already have done it. She knew that it was Blaze and all of what he said was true, yet she was still afraid.

Luna exited the carriage, all the guards waiting for both of the royal sisters, without anyone asking she said.

“My sister stayed in Ponyville to help organizing their work. She’ll be back soon.”

The guards nodded and she continued her way through the castle, she recognized one of the guards that toke Blaze.

“Guard, could you show me the way to Blaze’s cell?”

“Of course, your highness! This way.”

He led her through the corridors but his curiosity toke over him.

“Princess, if you don’t mind me asking, who is this Blaze?” Luna toke a few seconds to respond.

“I probably should tell you, all of you, but I have to wait until tomorrow…”

“Of course, your highness. Hum... I’m not really dismissed am I?” Luna chuckled.

“If you talk to Blaze like that again, losing your job is the best thing that can happen to you.”

The guard wasn’t too keen on talking again after that. After a minute of walking, the guard pointed at a door.

“He’s in there.”

“Leave us.”

“Has you wish.”

The guard left. Luna walked to the cell door, her heart was beating fast from excitement of talking to him but also from fear… She was about to knock on the door.

In that cell there wasn’t much to do. When he was done preening, which toke a lot of the afternoon, Blaze decided to get some sleep but he couldn’t… he spent a few minutes just walking around the cell. When he was about to just lie down in the hay he heard someone coming, he stayed alert and out of sight of the door. They were getting closer. He recognized the guard’s voice and then…

“Luna?” He thought.

She was actually there. And by what she said she wanted to speak with him. He leaned on the wall next to the door. He could hear her coming close and just as she was going to knock on the cell door Blaze said.

“I’m glad you came.” His voice almost melted her heart.

“Of course I came. That guard didn’t bother you much did he?” They both laughed a bit.

“No, he just gave me a little push but I chose to not break his hoof. Where’s Celestia?”

“Still in Ponyville.” Blaze got close to the door but Luna’s instinct was to take a step back. Blaze could sense her fear. He bashed his hoofs against the door and sat with his back on the door.

“What happened Luna?” He said very calmly and with a sad tone.

He could hear Luna sitting on the other side of the door.

“A thousand years… that’s what happened Blaze… a thousand years…” They were in silence for minutes until Blaze said.

“You know that I could easily go through that door right?”

“I know… but… I don’t know Blaze… a thousand years…”

“I would never harm you Luna… but I understand…” Luna stood up.

“I have to go Blaze, before Celestia returns.”

“Will you return in the night?”

She didn’t respond. Blaze was returning to his bale of hay when Luna spoke.

“See me in the darkest tower when the last shadow is cast.” And she left.

After all these years Luna was still mysterious. Blaze couldn’t help but to smile at the thought that Luna wanted to see him again. His thoughts were interrupted by a guard knocking on the door.

“Dinner!”

And he slid a plate full of salad through a gap between the door and the floor. Blaze had forgotten that he needed to eat, he was starving. He ate the whole plate under a minute.

“How could I forget how good eating feels like!?” He said to himself.

He was enjoying life at last! Then he felt something. Something he hadn’t felt in a millennium… Luna’s magic. It was so powerful he could feel it from inside his cell; he could recognize it from anyone’s magic. He looked at the window and sun was coming down, he needed to get out to figure out Luna’s riddle.

Blaze toke the window out and placed it on the floor, and flew free from his cell. He flew as fast as he could, he started to gain altitude and he looked down at the city. Canterlot was a beautiful city indeed. But what caught his eyes attention was the castle itself, a white fortress with purple and yellow roofs. Looking at the towers he saw something interesting: One of the towers was already covered by shadows while the others were still shinning with sunlight.

“That’s got to be where she is.” He thought.

Blaze almost dived vertically so she wouldn’t see him coming. He flew under her room’s balcony and there he waited. He saw the sun being brought down by Celestia and the moon and the stars being brought up by Luna. The night had fallen, Blaze dragged himself up staying in cover but also able to see inside her room. And there she was, working in her desk. Then someone opened the door, it was Celestia. Blaze climbed up the balcony so he could listen but he kept near a wall looking inside so they couldn’t spot him. He started listening to them.

“Luna, you didn’t eat dinner.”

“I’m not hungry…” Luna looked at Celestia.

“You’re not going to talk about Twilight?” There was a pause.

“She hates me…”

“Did you listen to what she said?”

“She said what you and blaze said… she doesn’t know how it happened though.”

“Sister… will you ever accept the truth?” Luna started working again.
“You should get some sleep, it was a long day…”

“Yes… See you tomorrow.”

Blaze could see Celestia wanted to say something but instead she just left. Luna sighed she got up and was heading to the balcony.

Luna was afraid that her sister somehow changed… When they were young she wasn’t like that… She needed some air. Luna headed towards her balcony. She saw a shadow moving, it was nothing just a little motion. Then she remembered…

“Blaze?” She though.

She opened the window and stepped outside the night was quiet and beautiful as always. She knew he was there, but she knew it was useless to look for him, he just hides to well. She couldn’t help but to feel a bit anxious. She looked into the night expecting Blaze to show up out of nowhere but then she felt something, a feather grazing her neck. It was fast but delicate. It made her shiver but not for bad reasons. Only Blaze knew how much she liked that. And only Blazed could do it while flying. Luna smiled.

“Blaze. I know it’s you. And I’m glad you are back!”

When Blaze heard that he just wanted to go and hug her but he knew it was best to wait. Luna went back to her room. Blaze stayed a bit longer on top of her room, looking at the night sky. He missed it so much. There he was sitting on Luna’s roof looking at the night sky, it was so beautiful, Blaze couldn’t help but to cry from happiness. He cleaned his tears with his wing. Although this moment was perfect, he had to get back to his cell before someone noticed. He flew to his cell entering through the gap of the window; he placed the window on the wall and laid down on the hay. It didn’t take much for him to fall asleep with a smile in his face, and the moonlight lighting his dreams.

Author's Note:

Sorry for how long this toke.
I had some problems and didn't feel good writting.
But I'm back!

Comments

[-Snackrifice-]

Nice.

Will this be updated frequently? I want moar.

[WuRs]

7073161 Well I am going to continue writting as fast as i can but i do have exams to study.
But I am going to keep writting! And Thank you for the feedback!

[-Snackrifice-]

7073981
Study first, story later. Exams are more important.