Harmony's Song

by pchn00

Chapter 10: A Mothers' Lament

Chapter 10: A Mothers' Lament

It was a tense ride in the truck for Celestia. Every time Jerry had to slow down or stop altogether for various signs and lights she felt her impatience growing. Clearly this was obvious to the man as he kept shooting her nervous looks, sweat beading on his brow. Finally he rolled down the window a crack. "You uh, makin' all that heat?"

"Yes. It happens when I become stressed."

"Oh." What else could he say? She said it as if it were the most normal thing in the world. "Harm doesn't do that."

"No?"

"No. Uh, not so much that I ever noticed before. She's fine I'm sure. Harm's a tough girl. She's been in there plenty'a times but never ya know, as a patient."

The chatter was serving enough of a distraction that Celestia couldn't help but calm somewhat. "Oh?"

"Oh sure. Neighborhood used ta be pretty rough, til Harm moved in. She cracked a lotta heads, cleaned the place up good. She always had ta come down every week or so. She got shot a lot."

"With what?"

"Uh, a gun. It never broke the skin or nothin' but she'd get wicked bruises and bitch an moan til I brought her in for them ta give her some kinda pain meds." He chuckled at the memory. "Good times."

"You cared for her when her... father became ill?"

"Oh sure. Hell before that. Armie didn't know how ta raise a kid. I mean I don't neither but the wife was always good with em. Have a few of our own runnin' around the country now. Couple of the boys are back home for Christmas." Jerry looked thoughtful for a moment. "Guess them bein' aliens explains why he didn't seem to know much about nothin' when we met, huh?"

"Yes, I suppose he would have been very disoriented. But... Armie... was a decorated military hero from a very turbulent time in our people's history. He is exceptionally skilled at adaptation among other things."

"Sure, sure that makes sense. He caught on to stuff quick." Jerry floundered for something to keep the conversation going, but sort of lapsed into a tense silence as they navigated the city streets.

Before long they arrived at a massive building complex that rivaled Celestia's castle in size. She'd seen other worlds with huge cities but this one was by far the most advanced from a technological standpoint. She pushed her natural curiosity aside as she followed Jerry inside. She was aware of the looks she was drawing from the humans in the building but paid them little mind, she was used to being gawked at.

It reeked of illness and medicine. She never cared for healing houses. She was rather squeamish and it was why she pushed so hard for healing magics to be so widely practiced back home. Of course the benefit to her subjects was her prime concern... but not having to endure these sorts of institutions was a huge bonus for her.

Lost in her own musings she paid little mind as Jerry conversed with the uniformed humans. He seemed increasingly agitated so she focused on him again. "What's wrong?"

"It's way passed visitin' hours so normally it's family only. You uh, well d'you got ID or anything?"

Celestia just raised an eyebrow at the question and approached the human behind the desk, reaching into the folds of the gauzy gown she wore she produced a small leather bound book, opening it for him. "I am here to see my daughter."

The woman looked at the paper, then to Jerry. "If you say it's okay Jerr, it's okay. Maggie's already with her, fifth floor ICU."

Jerry nodded his thanks and ushered Celestia down the hall toward some elevators. "Didn't expect you to have a license or anything."

"I do not." Celestia showed him the book of paper, it was blank. "The viewer sees whatever they need to see to allow me passage in a given situation. I traveled many worlds in my youth and this was an easy way to get around many hassles. What is an ICU?"

Jerry blinked trying to wrap his head around what she was saying about the little book, he almost missed the question. "Uh, intensive care unit. It means she's hurt pretty bad. Dunno what the hell can do that to Harm though."

Celestia's fists clenched tightly as she rode the elevator up with Jerry. The man loosened his collar from the sudden heat coming off her, and she forced herself to calm her temper. "My apologies Mr. Hodgins, I am trying to remain calm."

"Nah... nah I know how ya feel. It's alright. So listen... I know yer anxious ta see Harm but maybe lemme go in first? If she's in a bad way seein' you might upset her more."

"I hate to admit it but you are probably correct. I will wait, but not long."

"Sure, sure. Just uh, grab seat I guess." Jerry motioned to a set of leather bound seats while he moved quickly in the other direction.

Celestia was about to follow him, before she noticed who was occupying the seats. Gritting her teeth she stormed up to the bored looking Sonata Dusk. "What are youdoing here?"

Sonata raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Waiting for them to fix Harm. What're youdoing here?"

"I..." Celestia was taken aback at Sonata's blase tone. "I am here to see my daughter!"

"Oh. She doesn't wanna see you."

"Nnk." Celestia ground her teeth in frustration. "Sonata I am being serious. Whydid you follow her to this world?"

Noting the shift in Celestia's tone, Sonata gave the Princess her full attention. "We're sisters."

Celestia's blinked, confused for just a moment before she got the girls' meaning. "You're not a siren anymore, Sonata Dusk. You don't have a coven."

Sonata's dull stare never changed. "You're not a pony right now, did you just forget thousands of years of instinct and culture because you look different on the outside."

Again Celestia was surprised by the other woman. "That... that is different Sonata and you know it."

Sonata shrugged, clearly losing interest in the conversation and looking away again. "We shared song together, so she's my sister. That's all there is to it. I can't carry a tune anymore but my bardic magic is still there."

Celestia wanted to scream and lash out at Sonata, but she knew there was no point. She took a seat across from her trying to keep her composure. "Do you know Harmony's condition?"

"She prefers Harm."

Celestia took a slow breath in her nose, and a slow exhale from her mouth. "...yes, I recall that. Sonata please answer my question."

"She was poisoned by those thestrals your sister keeps as her pets or whatever."

"Poisoned?!" Celestia was on her feet in an instant, rushing in the direction Jerry had gone. She found him standing outside staring into a glass window, fists clenched at his sides. On the other side of the glass a number of humans were rushing about the prone and bloodied form of her daughter, laying pale and still on a large table.

When Celestia moved to let herself in, Jerry hastily interposed himself between her and the door. "Hey yer not supposed to go in there, ma'am."

She made the faintest of gestures, lifting him off his feet with her magic and setting him down away from the door. "Sonata! Come!" She could hear the pounding of feet as Sonata Dusk hurried from her seat toward Celestia.

The humans in the room reacted poorly to her being there. Shouts of surprise and demands for her to leave. She ignored them, again using her magic to move them out of her way, one by one she swept them into the hall only releasing them when Sonata arrived. "Close the door, and make sure they can't get in."

Sonata hm'd to herself as she grabbed an iv stand, bending it around the door handle and keeping it from opening. "Don't think they can get in now."

"Good. You need to hold Harmony down while I purge the poison."

"She prefers-" Sonata wilted under the glare of Celestia, and hurried over to her side.

"Hold her as still as you can. She's going to thrash around as I burn the poison out."

"Uh, burn it out?"

"Yes, Sonata. Do you carry vials of anti-toxin to powerful thestral anti-coagulants on your person?"

There was a pause. "I... don't thinkso?"

"Then hold her down."

Sonata swallowed and draped herself over Harmony as best she could, getting a secure grip on the heavy metal bed. "Okay uh, got her."

"Right then." The glow around Celestia's hands intensified as she laid them on either side of Harm's face. "I'm so sorry for this."

Then Harmony woke up screaming.

== Elsewhere ==

"Huh." It was all Harmony could think to say. She remembered leaving pony land, and coming back to Detroit. Then... getting dizzy. Now she was... she looked around. In some sort of huge white void.

"...huh." What else could she say really? She squinted, straining to see anything over the horizon but there was nothing. Just white, everywhere she looked.

"Uh, hello?"

"Hello."

"Yah-ha shit fuck!" Harmony leapt upward and away from the voice suddenly at her back, whirling to find Pearl, or the Pale Mare. Whatever the fuck they called her. "Oh shit, am I dead?"

"Not quite." Pearl regarded her calmly.

"Well what the fuck does that mean? Am I or aren't I?"

"It means 'not quite'. I have many flaws but lack of enunciation isn't one of them."

"Apparently being an asshole is."

Pearl shrugged, tiling her head to regard Harm curiously. "Yes, probably."

Harmony glared at the tall pony for a moment of silence. "Well why the fuck am I wherever the fuck I am if I'm not dead?"

"You're in purgatory. Where the dead pass before moving to their final resting places."

"So... I am dead?"

"No."

Harm sucked in her breath and stepped closer quickly, her eyes flaring with anger so much that Pearl back pedaled in alarm. "Look lady you wanna tell me what the fuck is going on before I completely lose my mind?"

"You're not dead, you're in a state between life and death. Only a titan can kill another titan and Luna's guard are most certainly not titans."

Harm didn't seem to be calming any, but she wasn't stomping forward anymore. "So why'm I here?"

"I wasn't watching but I assume you were gravely wounded. We can't be killed by mortals but we can be hurt, our bodies even destroyed. We reconstitute later but it often takes several decades."

"Decades? What the fuck am I supposed to do for that long? Bum around this shit heap of nothing?"

Pearl shrugged. "Er, I sincerely hope not. You're very loud and angry. I find it upsetting."

"Well I died so fuck you."

Pearl scuffed a hoof. "I think I am going to leave now, safe travels."

Harm lunged forward as Pearl turned to leave. "Wait! Wait don't go! Shit... I uh, sorry I know it's not your fault I've just had... a really shit few days. And this is a big fucking cherry on top of my shit sundae. All this white is really freaking me out too."

"Ah." The scene just shifted. Harm didn't have another way to explain it. One moment it was solid white, the next they were inside a small home. Comfy chairs, a thick plush couch, a kitchenette with a tea kettle on.

"Whoof. Magic huh?"

"Yes. This is my home."

"Oh, uh... okay." Harm awkwardly lowered herself into a seat. "Thanks for inviting me in?"

"You are welcome." Pearl poured her a cup of tea setting it in front of her.

Harm wasn't much of a tea drinker but it had been a less than awesome few days so she sipped from it. "This isn't bad, what is it?"

"Daisy with a hint of lilac."

"Huh, like... flowers? Like actual daisies."

"Yes, you've never had them?"

Harm shrugged eyeing the tea before drinking again. "No, humans don't really eat flowers. Jerry says I used to eat Maggie's flowers out of her garden when I was a baby but I don't remember that."

"Who are Jerry and Maggie?"

"My back up folks I guess. Jerry and my dad were fishing buddies, Maggie is Jerry's wife. We were neighbors and they kinda took care of me a lot. Dad sucked at it."

"They sound like good people."

"Yeah." Harm set the tea cup down and got up, moving to look out the cabin window. "They're family I guess. Maggie was like a mom, I always thought of their sons as brothers."

"So you're not terribly in need of a mother?"

Harm snorted. "I haven't been in need of a mother for like eight years, man. I'm almost twenty seven."

"So?"

Harm regarded Pearl with mild confusion. "So I'm an adult?"

"Hm. I do not see that."

"Oh. Well. Fuck you too I guess." She looked back outside. "What's with the tree?"

Pearl moved to her side gazing out the window as well. "That is my pillar."

"It looks like a tree."

"Yes."

Harm sucked in a sharp breath through her nose. She didn't think this chick was deliberately fucking with her but she was losing her already thin patience.

Pearl seemed to notice Harmony's mounting frustration. "I apologize, Harmony. I am not very social and conversation is rare for me. I forget you are not native so I shall explain if you like?"

"Sure. And I'm sorry too, I know you didn't have to hang with me here so I'll try to be chill."

Pearl inclined her head and motioned to the sofa again where Harm took a seat. "There are six pillars that were created by the original titans and maintain the balance of the world. Three trees of black magic, and three of white magic."

"So like, three bad ones and three good ones?"

"No. Black and white magics are like any other weapon, they are only good or bad in the hooves of their wielders. The pillars of black magic are Death, Darkness, and Chaos. The pillars of white magic are Life, Light, and Harmony."

"So that's the Pillar of Death? What's it do?"

Pearl shrugged. "I do not know, maintain the concept of death perhaps? Since I was born it has been my job to shepherd the souls of the dead. No one really told me any specifics, I just knew what to do. Perhaps the tree instructed me."

"Okay. So each of these things has like a gardener?"

Pearl chuckled softly. "No, only the trees of death, darkness, and chaos have gardeners as you call it. Equus has been imbalanced for a very long time."

"Which is bad." Harm was listening but she was also growing increasingly uncomfortable. Like someone had cranked the thermostat up way to high, which was weird because she never got uncomfortable in the heat.

"Probably. I do not give the world of the living much notice."

"Other than to steal food from buffet tables?" Harm couldn't miss the chance to be a dick, but she wiped some sweat from her forehead, her breath getting shorter. "What the fuck is going on?"

"I believe you are being revived, congratulations."

"Thanks... but why is it so fucking hot?"

== The Living World ==

"So...na...ta... her... hands...." Celestia was barely managing to maintain her focus on burning the poison out of Harmony. One hand was on either side of her daughters face, in a vice like grip as she released the smallest amounts of her magic into the flailing, shrieking woman. Unfortunately Harmony's hands had found Celestia's throat and were steadily choking the life out of her.

"I can't hold her down and hold her hands, Cici!" It was all Sonata could do to maintain her hold on the thrashing Harmony, laying across her body and pinning her to the bed.

With a grimace Celestia looked to the door where a constant stream of hammering could be heard. She twitched a finger in its direction melting the IV stand holding it shut to slag. The door flew open as several humans barreled in. Several medical staff and men in uniform rushed into the room, as well as Jerry. "What the hell're you doing to her?"

Reluctantly Celestia paused in her efforts, the golden glow around her abating instantly, and Harmony flopping back into the bed limply. "I will explain this once and not indulge any questions, you may either help or be removed from the room am I clear?"

The giant woman who was glowing a moment ago only got dazed nods from the gathered men and women.

"Excellent. Harmony has been infected with a toxin utilized by my sisters' soldiers to incapacitate extremely dangerous threats. It saps the victims magic and prevents their wounds from closing, so even someone as hardy as Harmony will be rendered helpless. Ordinarily an antidote is given once the culprit is in custody, however Harmony fled my world and returned here where there IS no antidote."

She laid a hand on her daughters sweat soaked forehead. Sonata Dusk leaned against the nearby wall to catch her breath. "I cannot open the path back for several days, so I have to release the tiniest amounts of my own magic into her body and systematically eliminate every trace of the toxin. This is an excruciatingly intricate process, and unfortunately incredibly painful to Harmony. As you saw we need assistance in restraining her. Does everyone understand?"

There was a bit of confused murmuring before Jerry nudged one of the men in uniform hard in the ribs. "Don't stand there like an idiot, go get yer sister's arm. I'll take the left, you get the right."

"What? Why do I gotta get the right? She's right handed, it's her stronger arm!" The man in question was of considerable size and stature himself, like Jerry he was tall and heavily built, though more muscle than paunch like his father.

"You want the legs?"

This caused the officer to pale and he shook his head rapidly, hastily moving over to Harmony's right arm while Jerry moved for the left. "This is my oldest boy, Jake. Jake this is Harm's ma, Celestia. She's a Princess or somethin'."

"Oh uh, nice to meet you ma'am." Jake motioned to the other uniformed human, a dark skinned man who moved to his partners side. "Alright, help me hold her arm here Danny."

Danny grimaced. "Man I've seen your baby sister lift a dude twice her size with that arm and toss him through a wall."

Jake nodded. "Yup, and we get to hold it still while the lady does what she's gotta do."

Celestia nodded politely but paid their banter little mind. She did note that he called Harm his 'sister', Jerry's family was likely closer to Harmony than he initially let on. "Sonata, take her legs."

"Bothof them?!"

"Sonata if one of the humans tries they'll likely wind up killed by her, you'll be fine."

Sonata looked like she very much had a different definition of fine than Celestia did, but she moved to do as instructed. The doctors seemed less inclined to follow the strange woman's orders until a large woman in scrubs began berating them. "You lot aren't just gonna stand around while my girl is hurting, get in there and help dammit, the lady was just glowing with fire coming out of her hands, I think it's safe to say this is the best treatment we got for Harm."

The nurses' words seemed to motivate them to action, though they had little to do other than hold Harmony down by the middle. One orderly helped Jerry with the left arm while two more helped Sonata with her legs. Taking a deep breath Celestia nodded to the group. "Alright, I'm going to begin again. Get ready."

Even with the efforts of the humans and Sonata, they weren't able to keep the wildly thrashing Harmony still long. Sonata caught a foot to the face that sent her staggering back. With her legs loose Harm was able to buck her torso more forcefully shaking off the orderlies, while her right arm flexed hard enough to send both officers flipping over the table, clipping Jerry and knocking him to the floor as they crashed into the opposite wall.

Celestia braced herself for Harmony to begin attacking her again, when a stern voice cut through the din of Harm's snarling. "That's enough, young lady!"

Celestia was almost shocked into stopping her work as Harmony's body went rigid, her hands reaching for the Princess but not quite making it to her throat. Looking to the door she saw the nurse who'd called Harmony her girl. "I think you've carried on long enough, let the woman do her work."

The Princess refocused her efforts as Harm twisted and writhed in her hands, but wasn't lunging for her any longer. "It... hurrrrrts...."

The woman in the nurses' scrubs crossed the room quickly, taking one of Harms' hands in her own. Harmony immediately clamped down on it strong enough to draw a brief pained expression. "I know it hurts, baby. But you have to be strong alright? You went twenty six years without so much as a boo-boo, a few minutes of ouchies aren't anything to be caterwauling about."

Harm gasped softly as Celestia twisted her magic inside slowly, but methodically. The nurse murmured soothing words and gently stroked Harms face. Her presence seemed to calm her greatly, and Celestia was able to work in peace.

But watching the way the two interacted with one another, she felt anything but peace in her heart.

== Later ==

Two unconscious orderlies where wheeled to their own rooms for treatment for their concussions. Sonata Dusk was seated on an exam table getting her broken nose treated. Jake and his partner were getting x-rays for possible broken ribs while Jerry was being fussed over by his wife, even though he had escaped more or less unscathed.

An exhausted Celestia sat beside Harmony's hospital bed, exhausted both physically and mentally. But looking at her daughters calm face as she slept soundly made all the mayhem worth it. She was a little surprised by the privacy they were being given by the medical staff, ordinarily such people were extremely fussy over the people in their care but right now she just didn't have the energy to indulge her curiosity.

"How's she doing?"

Celestia looked up. She felt a pang of irritation but dismissed it quickly. It was the woman who'd called Harm 'her girl'. She must be Jerry's mate. She was in her middle years by Celestia's best reckoning. A broad woman with a friendly enough face, her greying brown hair pulled back in a tight bun. A name tag that read Maggie was pinned to the breast of her pink scrubs. "Resting, but she'll be fine in a couple of days."

Maggie moved into the room and handed Celestia a cup of water before she turned her attention to Harmony. Fussing over her blankets, fluffing the pillow, mopping at some sweat on her forehead. "I worry about my boys all the time. Especially Jake. But Harm, I never thought I had to worry about her."

Celestia observed the woman closely. She was clearly used to situations like this, all medical professionals had to be. Especially ones that had been doing it as long as she had. But her movements were tense, a bit frantic. Her eyes were threatening to water at any second. "You love her very much don't you?"

"She's my girl. Sorry for saying, I know you gave birth to her but I raised her. Jerry will tell you different but that's the way it is. Armie, bless his heart, is a good man but he was helpless with a baby. He only got worse as she got older."

Celestia wrestled with her emotions. The annoyingly present rage threatened to boil over again but with tremendous effort she forced it back down. "Thank you, for being good to her. For giving her the things I couldn't."

Maggie sniffled softly then took a deep breath. "You said she's going to be our for a while?"

"The poison is potent and the treatment was exhautsing for her, it seems her natural healing is on par with my own, but it should be two or three days at the soonest before she wakes up."

"Dammit. We're going to have to intubate her, can't run an IV."

"Why?" Celestia wasn't familiar with the terms but it sounded like something she should be informed on.

"Well she needs fluids and we can't get a needle in her skin."

Celestia furrowed her brow. "Explain this to me, please."

Maggie looked her over for a moment before nodding. "Alright... we would normally run a small tube filled with the fluids she needs through a needle in her veins. But Harm's skin is so tough we can't get the needle in. So instead we have to run a tube down her throat and do it that way."

"Show me the needle you would use." Seeing the woman's frown, Celestia hastily added a please.

"Mmm." Maggie moved to a nearby cabinet opening it and taking out a small kit. She brought the needle over to Celestia, who took it carefully, cupping both hands over it there was a soft flash of gold. When she opened her hands again the metal was an odd purple color. "What did you just do?"

"I transmuted it to adamantine. That should go through her skin with no problem." She offered the needle back to Maggie, who took it gingerly.

Clearly skeptical but concerned for Harmony, Maggie moved back to Harm's side and gingerly pressed the needle against her arm. She couldn't hide a small gasp of surprise as it slid in easily. With ease born of years of practice she fed the IV quickly and hung the bag over Harm's bed. "...who are you?"

"My name is Celestia. Celestia Sol Equus if you'd like my full name but truth be told very few people even know I have more of a name beyond Celestia." She allowed herself a faint chuckle. "I sometimes think most of my subjects think my first name is Princess."

"I got your name from Jerr. I mean whoare you? whatare you?"

"Ah..." Celestia sipped the water and let out a soft sigh. "I am the Princess of a land called Equestria. If you like I'd be happy to chat all about myself at another time. As to what, I am technically an alien."

"And so is Harm? She's never done glowy stuff like all that."

"Ah. We have three main tribes of people where I'm from. Some do magic, some fly, some have great physical ability and magic of the land. That's the tribe Harm was born into."

"How come she wasn't one of the magic ones if you are?" Maggie was clearly skeptical of all this but she did see this woman shoot fire out of her hands and turn a needle into some kinda purple metal.

"A fair question. I am... mmm... I suppose most people would consider us gods of a sort. We called ourselves titans. We're not all knowing and all seeing of course, but we're each immensely powerful. My parents created the world and gave birth to my sisters and I. My youngest sister discovered a means for us to have the traits of all three tribes. Until recently I thought a natural occurrence of such a thing was impossible. When she was old enough I planned to guide Harmony through ascension."

"Hm." Maggie digested what she was hearing. "Well you sound as crazy as a sack of cats if you don't mind my saying."

Celestia shrugged, quirking a small smile. "I'm quite sure to you I do, yes. Nevertheless it is what it is. I'd normally be happy to invite you to Equestria to validate my claims but at the moment my only concern is Harmony."

Maggie hm'd to herself again. "Come on, let's get some coffee. You look like you need a whole pot of it."

Celestia was loathe to leave Harmony's side, and it clearly showed on her face. "She's not going anywhere. Technically visiting hours are over anyhow so you're not supposed to be in here. We're being flexible given the... unusual circumstances, but the rules are the rules and they apply to everyone. Even alien Princesses."

Despite herself, Celestia couldn't help but laugh at the woman's jocular manner. "Yes, very well. I don't want to cause Harmony any more distress than I already have. Coffee sounds delightful." She rose and followed Maggie from the room, looking back at Harmony's sleeping face one last time before the pair departed.

== Canterlot Castle ==

"No way."

"But Cadance please, the situation..."

Cadance raised a hoof, cutting Luna off in mid-sentence. "I have the Crystal Empire to look after, Luna. Between hostile yaks and even more hostile reindeer I don't have time to deal with the Canterlot drama."

Luna's wings twitched open in outrage, glaring at the magical mirror linking Canterlot and the Empire. "How dare you be so dismissive of all this! Celestia may not return!"

"Maybe not. I can't really blame her after the ludicrous shit show you ponies staged down there." There was a pause as Cadance looked away from the mirror. "...yes sweetie, mommy did say a swear and she'll put a bit in the jar in a minute. I have to hang up on Aunt Luna first."

"I... you wha-" The mirror abruptly went dark, showing Luna her own reflection. Nostrils flared in outrage, it was all she could do not to hurl the accursed thing at the wall shattering it. Grinding her teeth she turned and stormed out of the communications room, turning her glare onto the silently waiting Captain Echo, who was studiously studying the stonework in the floor.

"Where is Twilight Sparkle?"

"Princess Twilight has er... not responded to our communique's Princess."

A slight twitch found its way into Luna's right eye. "Did ANY of the halfwit newly ascended alicorns respond to my summons?"

"Oh! Yes, Princess. The ladies Belle and Pie are in the western tea room."

"Ngh. Come up with something for Lady Pie to do, now. I wish to speak with Lady Belle alone."

Echo rushed off to obey Luna's orders while the Princess paced in the hall, wings flexing open and closed as she worked to calm herself. "Rough night, Princess?"

Luna looked over her shoulder to see Raven, Celestia's personal assistant. She'd had little interaction with the mare mostly due to their conflicting sleep schedules. "That would be an understatement."

"Well, I'm here at your disposal Princess Luna."

Luna ceased her pacing, turning to face the young unicorn mare. "I appreciate the offer, Miss Raven but your services won't be necessary until Celestia returns."

"Begging your pardon Princess, but did those thousand years on the moon choke every brain cell you have to death?"

Eyes wide, Luna's wings flared to their full span. "How dareyou?"

"No, Princess. How dare you. Yes there's a crisis, yes this whole situation is absolutely insane and stressful. Princess Celestia may be gone for some time however, and that means you must run the kingdom, alone. Just like she did for so many years. And you are woefully unprepared to do that."

"I am-"

Raven cut her off. "Completely incapable of handling Celestia's duties. You barely managed for a day when you two switched places for one day and night. You need somepony to handle the schedule, to ease you into your new duties. And nopony in the castle, in this whole city is as able to do that as I am. Just because Celestia is away doesn't mean we can completely forget the day to day of running Equestria. If you don't handle this we'll have to turn even more power over to the nobles council. Is that what you want?"

The longer the mare spoke the more Luna's temper cooled. Wings folding into her sides she took a deep breath. "You speak very candidly, Miss Raven. It's odd for a pony to speak of my sister without using her full title."

Raven's cheeks darkened just the smallest bit. "Well. Princess Celestia and I have grown close the last few years. In private she insists I don't use her title."

"Mmhm." That's one bit of castle gossip confirmed. How very interesting. "Alright then, Miss Raven. I suggest you adjust your sleep schedule. I will hold open court and handle all of Celestia's duties, but keeping my own hours."

Raven chuckled softly. "Princess, I've been Celestia's aide for eight years now. I'm lucky if I get two hours of sleep in a night as it was."

Despite everything happening, Luna couldn't help but crack a small smile. She could see why this mare had caught her sisters eye. "Very well Miss Raven. Educate me in the finer points of running my kingdom."

Comments

[DerpTape]

Awesome concept, looking forward to the oncoming storm!

[Vaguely Demented]

Just binge read this. Luna should exile those guards. It’s the only way they might theoretically be spared Celestia’s wrath.

[Xeno Heretic]

Despite the repeating typos and what have you this story managed to hook me at midnight. It is now 6 in the morning the sun's up and my head is killing me but I wanted to read up to the newest chapter. Consider this story duly followed. Here's hoping when/if Celestia returns nothing too major happens. Then again the age of harmony. So maybe I should hope for no apocalypse xD

[Morphy]

Everypony's acting like Celestia's never coming back. Good grief, of course she is. The real question is how many is she dragging back to Equestria with her. Oh, there'll be angry shouting and lots of drama but I'm certain Herm will come back. I have a sneaking suspicion that some humans might also make the trip over, if only to make sure Harm has some familiar faces to keep her from bolting... again.

[Foxfax]

Caught up. Great read so far. You have my like and follow, good author.

[PixelatedPerson]

damn, this is one of my favorite stories now. I love it a ton so far, hope this is going to continue soon

[PixelatedPerson]

"Ngh. Come up with something for Lady Pie to do, now. I wish to speak with Lady Belle alone."

I can already see infinite problems coming out of letting rarity help rule the country.

[PixelatedPerson]

Considering it turns out Harm's surrogate dad was from Equestria, id assume she'd probably come back with Celestia for a bit.

[Teraunce]

Solid 7/10 story you have here.

[woggs123]

I know that it's 4 years since the last update but I hope you're okay and might continue this someday