Two worlds colliding

by TalkingToMyself

Past and Future

Chapter 11: The past and the future

Luna smiled as she watched the three unicorns hug. She was happy that Sunset Shimmer made yet another friend, the amber unicorn already in a far better state of mind after just spending a couple of hours with Twilight and the Elements. She would benefit greatly from having more ponies to help her not feel lost and lonely.
But there was also Starlight Glimmer, a pony she personally didn't know what to think of at first, but who had risen in her appreciation fast during the last few months. The unicorn had changed drastically, just like Sunset Shimmer and herself. But unlike them, her reformation had not been as flashy and magical. She had seen the error of her ways and shown regret, but it had been her own decision after hearing Twilight Sparkle's words. Sunset Shimmer made the decision to change on her own as well, of course, but prior to that decision there had been a 'rainbow blast of friendship magic'-induced epiphany. For Luna, there had even been a millennium of banishment before that.

Luna sighed and kept smiling. Starlight and Sunset would benefit greatly from each other's presence. Sunset had ambition and wouldn't let herself be pulled down by guilt for too long. Starlight Glimmer had a lot more trouble getting past her feelings of guilt and shame, to the point she either found herself locked out of live or panicking and jumping into rushed decisions. However, when she overcame the guilt, Starlight had shown far less tendencies for relapses then Sunset. Luna had seen her dreams last night and knew the girl from another world still couldn't forgive herself completely.
Together, they could balance each other out in just the right way.

The Moon Princess noticed the third unicorn make some effort to cheer her friends and her success turned into another wave of happy giggles. Luna's smile grew softer even. She had heard about Trixie, the Great and Powerful, from Twilight at first and from other ponies as well. But after guiding the stage magician through a serious of very severe nightmares in the weeks after the alicorn amulet incidence, Luna now had nothing but sympathy for the unicorn.
All the bragging and boasting and selfish antics may still fool most ponies, but Luna could see right through it. At times, the insecurity Trixie seemed to radiate out was so strong, Luna wondered how any sentient being could pass her without the urge of a comforting hug.

Luna slowly walked up to the group of unicorns, following her instincts. She knew the three ponies would benefit from more time with each other and she felt the desire to nurture their development if she could. She smiled when she noticed doing just the same thing she'd seen her sister do for Twilight Sparkle so many times. Maybe she'd end up picking a personal student soon? To her own surprise, this idea made her smile grow wider.

Starlight noticed her approach and gave a shy bow, making the two others aware of her as well.
Sunset and Trixie followed quickly after, but Luna just smiled
"Sunset Shimmer, your number of friends keeps growing by the hour. I'm happy to see this."
Sunset blushed and rubbed the back of her head with a hoof and the three unicorns giggled again. Luna allowed her smile to linger for another moment, then she closed her eyes and sighed
"But I am afraid there are still tasks ahead of you. Tasks that may test your strength as well as the strength of your friendships to their limit."
Sunset looked up into Luna's eyes and the alicorn saw determination growing inside her again. She also knew the unicorn would see right through her words and feel the concern for her friend she couldn't express in public. Not without worrying the other ponies around her.
The amber unicorn nodded once and stood tall before Luna
"I'm willing to face any task ahead, Princess."

Luna nodded in appreciation and with her magic she picked up a scroll from a stack next to the throne. She levitated in towards Sunset and the unicorn took it in her own red magic and unfolded it curiously. She read the words and then her eyes opened wide and she stared back at the Luna.
The blue alicorn nodded
"This document grants you access to all segments of the Royal Library. And yes, even the forbidden ones."
Starlight and Trixie looked surprised but Sunset's gaze fell to the floor and she whispered
"Princess, do you really think that's such a good idea? After all that happened when I last entered the forbidden wing?"

Luna knew exactly what the unicorn would feel this very moment. She knew, because she had gone through the same. She pondered for a moment about just giving some reassuring words, like her sister would, and then leave the unicorn to figure those things out by herself.
She was not her sister however.
"Sunset Shimmer."
The amber unicorn looked back up and found Luna's eyes again. The alicorn allowed her sympathy for the mare to reach her expression and she shared a glance with Starlight and Trixie to make sure they knew the next words were meant for them as well.
"When I returned to this Palace after my reformation, I refused to take back control of the moon from my sister. She worried and wanted to know why, but it the end I could not find the right words to explain to her."
The three unicorns listened closely and frowned when they noticed the sadness in her eyes. Luna chose to not conceal her emotions and continued
"I was terrified by the thought of using any form of magic again. Especially alicorn magic. I felt like it would corrupt me once more, that the power would be too great for me to handle without becoming obsessed with my night again. And that the hatred and envy I felt would soon follow. That I would become Nightmare Moon again."

The three unicorns shivered and looked away, each one lost in their own memories for a moment. Luna gave them the time they needed, the demanded their attention back by clicking her hoof softly on the ground
"It never happened, as you can see. Because I changed and my sister changed. It took some time, but I only felt whole again when I finally embraced my night again and my role as a Princess."
Luna's eyes closed before she continued
"Of course there are setbacks. The tantabus was one of mine. We are ponies and we make mistakes. Such is live. But we must learn from our mistakes and not let them bind us in fear."

Luna opened her eyes and looked at each of the ponies in front of her
"In the end, neither magic nor knowledge is evil. It's the pony wielding both who decides to use them for good or bad.
Sunset Shimmer. Starlight Glimmer. Trixie Lulamoon. The four of us have seen both sides of the coin. We have felt the temptations of power. And we suffer from the marks those temptations left on us.
But, we also received help and chances to change. In the end, we came out stronger than before, and also wiser.
To answer your question, Sunset Shimmer: I know you will not fall for those temptations again, no matter how much time you spent with those dark books."

Luna gave the ponies a minute to process her words. The three reformed unicorns still showed some concerns, mostly self doubts.
The alicorn smiled gently and gave an understanding nod
"Although we've had some similar experiences, my words still are just that: Words. Not enough to convince you entirely. But if you open your minds and hearts, you will see other signs of trust from the ponies around you, especially your friends. You will find it easier to believe in yourself with each.
For instance, Sunset Shimmer, please look at who signed your permission."

Sunset blinked and looked down at the scroll and Starlight and Trixie peeked over her shoulders
"Princess Celestia..."
Luna nodded again
"My sister trusts you without a doubt. So does Twilight Sparkle as she stood up for you even against her closest friends.
That is why I trust you with a very difficult task: To learn all you can about the magic behind the portal and the barrier between the words. It's not going to be easy, but I know you can succeed. With the right kind of help."
At this, she focused on the remaining unicorns
"Starlight Glimmer. You've shown your expertise in magic multiple times now and you have experience in handling Starswirl's old spells.
Trixie Lulamoon. Your ability to think outside the box and your unique approach on magic will prove very handy. We are dealing with an unknown form of magic, when traditional studies may not have an answer, your intuition will make the difference."

The three unicorns exchanged a glance and then nodded
"We won't let you down, Princess!"
Luna nodded in approval
"I know you won't, my friends. If you need assistance at any time, ask for it. I will send Twilight Sparkle to your aid when she returns, as well as the scholar form the Crystal Empire. I trust you still know the way, Sunset?"
The amber unicorn nodded and the three friends left the throne room.

Luna watched them vanish into the hallway and only then took a deep breath. Opening herself and her memories to help the ponies gain the confidence they needed had been harder than she expected.
She knew that the other princesses would have preferred to be asked about this decision, but Celestia had already begun with the necessary preparations so her opinion on the matter was clear. Twilight Sparkle had been the one who suggested the ponies for research, even if she didn't include Trixie. But Luna was sure the stage magician could make the difference if given the opportunity, the others would understand this as well.

That left only Cadance to be informed about the whole situation. Luna closed her eyes and sensed the presence of the Crystal Princess approaching the palace. Taking this hint of fate, she informed the staff of the next steps and then left the throne room through the main doors.

She stepped down the stairs towards the main entrance of the palace and arrived in time to greet a clearly exhausted Princess Cadance. The pink alicorn had slumped down from her usual regal pose as she passed the doors, but straightened herself up when she saw Luna halfway up the stairs.
The Moon Princess frowned inwardly when she saw that Cadance needed to correct her pose in her presence but she gave the fellow princess a smile and asked of her well-being.
Cadance gave a positive answer and Luna nodded. She then asked the mare to walk with her and led her through the halls towards her wing of the palace.

Cadance didn't refuse and followed behind Luna, although she remained silent. Luna waited for the hallway to get wide enough, then stopped for Cadance to catch up and walk beside her. The pink alicorn looked confused but matched Luna's slow trot down the hallway.
After a minute of silence she asked
"How does Canterlot fare today?"
Candance gave out a tired sigh and nodded
"The main streets are clear by now. The ponies started cleaning up the houses that had been checked by Auntie Celestia's architects and experts. The rescue teams from Ponyville and Cloudsdale have arrived already and joined the work teams. I'm still waiting for a message from the Crystal Empire though."
Luna nodded and walked slowly towards her private rooms with Cadance next to her
"I've already met the citizens of Ponyville when the arrived. And for the Crystal Empire, they were able to send another message. Their journey has been delayed by unfortunate weather. They expect to arrive about two hours past sunset today if everything goes right."
Cadance looked up and smiled
"Really? That's great! Why didn't you tell me earlier Princess Luna?"
Luna frowned and cleared her throat at the mention of her title by the fellow princess, again
"You arrived before I had the chance to send out a messenger. I received the letter moments before Ponyville arrived and I made sure they would get some rest first."
Cadance blushed and looked shyly at Luna
"I didn't mean to offend you! I'm just worried about my family, Princess."
Luna sighed defeated and nodded her head once
"Tis fine, Princess Cadance. I understand fully. I hope these news bring you some ease nevertheless."

The pink alicorn nodded and lost some of her tension and fell into a more natural pose. The two princesses met no other pony as they slowly made their way towards Luna's private chambers. Luna felt a tug on her mind at some point and stopped in her tracks. She closed her eyes and stood still for a minute. Cadance didn't notice right away and went a few steps ahead, then turned her head and watched the dark blue mare.
Luna opened her eyes again slightly before she ended her magic so Cadance would see the glow in them and understand the meaning of it
"Your daughter misses you dearly. She sends all her love to you."
Cadance blinked confused, then smiled as she processed the words, then frowned
"How can you know this?"
Luna smiled and explained
"Your daughter is napping right now, on her father's back. And she dreams of you."
Cadance' frown grew into an icy glare
"You're invading Flurry's dreams? How could you!"

Luna blinked, then glared back
"I never enter anyponys dream, unless the pony asks for help in a nightmare or invites me. Your daughter reaches out for me often, Cadance. So I pay her a visit at times."
Luna held her glare up as Cadance slowly walked up to her until they stood eye to eye
"As Flurry Heart's mother, I kindly ask you to leave my daughter's dreams to herself."
Luna felt the icy venom of those words and called out louder than she had intended
"Are you implying I would put your daughter in danger or hurt her with my visits? Do you really believe I would do such thing to an innocent filly?"

Cadance flinched and backed away again, pulling her eyes away from Luna's angry stare. The dark alicorn sighed as she watched Cadance sit down on the cold floor and try to find words to say
"I... of course not. I'm sorry... I didn't mean to. I just can't stand the thought of Flurry getting hurt... I know you never would do anything to her... I just..."
Luna frowned and sat down on her haunches as well
"You just don't know if you can trust me, even after the time we spent together. No matter how many times my sister or your sister-in-law tell you, your mind may accept the words but your heart won't."

Cadance just sat there for a moment and stared
"Did you spy on my dreams?"
Luna frowned and shook her head
"You never invited or called for me, so I never entered your dreams. Still the signs are quite clear. We never talk unless either my or your sister are present. And even then, we talk to them and rarely with each other.
You cannot relax in my presence. Even now, your pose is tense and strained.
You call my sister your aunt and Twilight Sparkle your sister. Yet you always fall back into calling me 'Princess Luna', despite me asking you not too.
I can respect that you'd chose my sister as your aunt but not me, I understand that Twilight and you are like sisters and we will never be as close. But knowing that I'm not even worthy of your trust and friendship... it hurts."

There, she said it. Luna sighed and looked down at the floor between her hooves. She had felt the tension between Cadance and her for the longest time. Also she had been mimicking her sister for the longest time and pushed away all those feelings for the sake of Equestria. But what had this lead to? Celestia crying at night, mourning about the chances she lost, the friends she couldn't comfort as she'd wanted. Losing the student she had loved like a daughter and living in constant worry, hid well behind a facade of calmness and wisdom.
Luna remembered the words she had just shared with said unicorn and two of her friends. That being true to yourself, accepting your flaws, was just as important as performing one's duties. She decided it was time to follow her own advice of being her true self.

"Where were you at my wedding? You can obviously read me like a book. You could have exposed Queen Chrysalis before she hurt Shining Armor and everypony else. You could have saved me from the prison she'd thrown me in. Where have you been?"
Luna kept her eyes fixed on the floor
"Cadance, I couldn't be there. I just couldn't. I didn't trust myself enough to be among other ponies back then."

Luna looked up again when she heard no sound from the pink alicorn. She saw the mare slumped on the floor in resignation. When she met Luna's eyes again, they glowed with anger and frustration.
Luna didn't look away, she knew she deserved it and she wouldn't run from it.
After another five minutes of silence, Cadance just asked
"Why? Why now and not a week ago? Or a year? Or all the times I tried to talk with you after your banishment?"
Luna sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, then faced Cadance again. Once more, her emotions found the way to her features and helped her find words
"I think I needed to see Sunset Shimmer. Her bravery to face her past for a greater cause reminded me of things I've forgotten for so long."

The pink alicorn sat up again. Her angry glare had softened some when she saw the sorrow in Luna's eyes. She stopped three steps before her
"And now you wish to follow Sunset's example and face your mistakes from the past as well?"
Luna nodded
"I do. Celestia forgave me my sins as Nightmare Moon as well as my failings as her sister. The ponies of Equestria seem to have forgotten the past, mostly."

Cadance shook her head
"I have never been wronged by Nightmare Moon so I can't be the one to forgive these things. I can only say that I see your sorrow and believe you."
Luna sighed, feeling more hopeful for a moment before her mood fell again
"However, that does not excuse some of the things you did as Princess Luna."
The blue alicorn nodded
"It does not. I can only ask for forgiveness."
Cadance tilted her head and waited
"That's it? Just like that."
Luna sighed and nodded again
"Every word past these would only be giving excuses or trying to justify my mistakes. Instead of giving you more things to doubt, I just want to apologize for my distant behavior and my envy."

Cadance nodded and gave a faint smile
"I think we all are envious of Auntie Celestia at times..."
"I was talking about you."
The pink alicorn blinked and shook her head
"Me? Why would you be envy of me?"
Luna sighed
"You're so young, yet you rule over an entire empire on your own. Your subjects love you. And despite all the responsibilities of a Princess, you still manage to be the best mother for Flurry Heart."
Cadance opened her eyes wide
"Luna... I don't do that all by myself. I have Shining Armor by my side. I have a team of advisors. And I have Auntie Celestia to rely on. And yet with all that, I still don't have enough time for Flurry."

Luna tilted her head in surprise when the anger in Cadance' eyes faded and was replaced by something else
"I could never rule all of Equestria all by myself like Auntie Celestia for a thousand years. I couldn't for a day! And I could never handle the nightmares of every pony every single night like you. You and your sister control the sun and the moon. Twilight is the Element of Magic. And me? I can do a love spell and I can make the Crystal Heart twirl a little faster. Compared to you, what is that? I always feel like a helpless filly next to you."
Cadance let her head hang down
"I guess that's one of the reasons I stopped trying to talk to you."

Luna made the distance to the other mare and spoke softly
"Love is a force nopony should underestimate. You out of all should know this. My sister's love is what kept me hoping when I was trapped in the moon. And kept me from going insane when I returned."
Cadance kept her gaze on the floor and Luna gently rose her chin with her blue wing
"Nopony expects you to be another Celestia. Or another Twilight Sparkle. When you are yourself, you're the most valuable, for your family, your subjects and all of Equestria. You know this, Cadance. This is a talk I expected to give Twilight Sparkle sometime, but definitely not to you."

At this, Cadance couldn't hold back a giggle
"And I expected to get a speech like this from Auntie Celestia instead of you."
Luna smiled and gave a small giggle herself
"I think my sister is starting to affect me more than I give her credit for. In fact, I just sent Sunset Shimmer on an assignment with her new friends."
Cadance laughed more
"Did you send them to Ponyville too?"
Luna laughed softly and shook her head
"Just into the library for now. Sunset, Starlight and Trixie will start to look for information about the magic behind the portal."
Cadance nodded and finally got up from the floor again, her eyes at level with Luna's
"Let's hope they find some answers soon. And, thank you Luna."

The dark alicorn tilted her head and Cadance giggled again
"For being honest with me. And for pulling me out of this low."
Luna smiled and nodded
"I want to thank you for doing the same. I apologize for entering your daughter's dreams without your permission."
Cadance just smiled
"Please visit her as much as you can. I'll feel much better knowing you're watching over her."
Luna blinked once, surprised
"Is it because I'm acting like my sister?"
Cadance laughed softly and shook her head
"No. It's because you're being yourself while helping me be myself. If this is who you are, I have no worries of you and Flurry getting closer. Or us, as it is."
Now Luna laughed and winked
"Ah, so you wish to be visited in your dreams as well?"
Cadance grinned
"If you knock before coming in."
"Always."
Both mares smiled and continued their way on the hallway, walking beside each other. They started to talk about Flurry Heart and as they reached Luna's chambers, they laughed together. A maid brought them some tea and they sat down, idly chatting and waiting for their sisters to return.

Luna smiled pleased to see Cadance relax on one of the soft blue pillows she preferred. The two princesses still had some way to go, but the first steps of a closer friendship had been made. They couldn't undo their past and the future seemed filled with worries. But Luna's smile stayed, here in the present with friends by her side and being herself.

Comments

[Xanderfox]

Awww Flurry wants to spend time with Auntie Woona.

[TalkingToMyself]

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