Waning and Waxing

by Calliope Pony

Chapter 10

I fly down to the castle and into the small parlor where I’m supposed to meet Celestia. Amphilogia is hiding under my mane, where it blends in rather well. Celestia is already in the parlor when I arrive.

“Oh, Luna, good. I’ve been waiting for you. Where have you been? No, never mind that now. There’s too much going on, and we don’t have much time. I have just a couple quick details to attend to. You can just wait in here for about ten minutes; you don’t need to do anything special. The guard will call you when it’s time to come out. Then you walk out onto the stage, face the crowd, and set the moon. I’ll come up onto the stage at the same time you do from the opposite end, just like I showed you yesterday. Now I’ve got to dash and see to a couple things before we start. This is going to be great! I’ll see you in a few minutes!”

And out she scampers.

Amphilogia pokes out from under my mane.

“You were right, Princess. She didn’t even let you speak to her. She just bossed you around like a servant, to come at her beck and call.”

The old tight, gnawing feeling is welling up inside me again. It’s true. Celestia just bossed me around and ran away. She barely even looked at me as she was speaking. Amphilogia slides down my side, hovering against me.

“And all those ponies out there. I saw them as you flew past. Hundreds there must be, all here to celebrate the setting of the moon and the end of the night.”

Tears are welling up in my eyes. All those ponies who want nothing to do with me. Amphilogia presses against my chest, just at the level of my heart. Its touch is cold.

“But I want to help you, Luna. I want to join you. None of them care about you, you said so yourself. Let me help you to show them how great you truly are.”

All the sorrow and loneliness and frustration and bitterness are so thick inside me that I can barely breathe. Amphilogia presses so close to my chest that my heartbeat seems amplified by it.

“Just let me join you, and I promise you won’t feel sad anymore.”

Anything... anything would be better than this pain.

Yes.

As soon as I think that word Amphilogia shoves into my chest, right into my heart. It feels like being splashed with ice water from the inside. For a moment all the pain I’ve been feeling intensifies a hundredfold. Then... it subsides.

I stand there, trying to catch my breath. I’m briefly disoriented, but then I come back to myself.

I feel strong. I feel proud. I know for certain that I will never let any of those pathetic little ponies push me around or ignore me ever again.

Amphilogia was right. I don’t feel sad any more. All I feel... is malice.