Many Moons Ago

by Kunama Windrider

Friendship or Love?

Luna caught her breath. She couldn't stop staring into his eyes. They were a brilliant lily pad green, and they seemed as though they were staring into the depths of her soul. She almost suffocated, she held her breath that long. And he...he seemed to understand her. Shaking her head ever so slightly, she reprimanded herself. Don't be ridiculous. Yet she couldn't break her gaze away from his. Around her she faintly heard noises.

"Luna? Luna!" a fiercely scared voice cried. "Luna! No! Luna!" The voice broke into wails. "Luna, please! Just listen! I need to talk to you! It's me, Twi!" Luna broke her gaze away to Twi, who was desperately, furiously, rubbing her eyes. A wave of guilt washed over her. She'd just hurt her closest friend's feelings. She struggled a little, though as she did she looked up at him. I'm sorry, she tried to say. But I need to go to her. Midnight Moonbeam seemed to know what she was trying to tell him, because he gently released her, stepping back into the bushes, forever concealed in the leaves. Luna got up and went to Twi.

"Twi?" she whispered softly, so no pony could hear. "Twi, I-I-I'm sorry." Twi looked up, tears running through tracks in her cheeks.

"I thought-you went-your eyes-"

"Enough," Luna interrupted, gently but firmly. "We will talk later. For now," she spoke louder, addressing everypony,"we will have lunch." A murmur of agreement followed her words, and Fluttershy led the procession inside. Luna felt terrible. Her friend, her first real friend had been injured because of her. And not physically. Physically was bad, but the way she'd hurt Twi was worse by a long shot. Worse than exile to the moon. And Luna knew just how Twi felt, if not a less severe pain. Finally, she turned to the door and entered the cottage.

---

Lunch was a painful experience. Luna kept silent the whole time, the others trying to make small talk. It was awkward, and Luna was glad when the ponies departed. When they'd left, Fluttershy closed the door. Luna took a deep breath and began.

"Look, I'd better start with...I'm sorry, Twi. I didn't mean to hurt you like that and I should have told you right from the start," she said. "But please, just hear me out:

"There's a reason Celly-or Princess Celestia-asked you to look after me here and show me around. I've been almost torturing myself with the fact that I was Nightmare Moon and I don't deserve to be here. No pony 'cept Celly could look me in the eye without a trace of fear or mistrust. Blueblood least of all. Actually, he made it worse by loudly whispering to the closest non-alicorn around about me. Celly warned him-oh, she did-but he kept doing it. Until you guys, only Celly knew me for who I was-not as a freak, not as a mass murderer, not as her almost-destruction, but just Luna.

"So that's why I growled a bit at the station. I didn't want everyone staring, glaring, and the banner and streamers made it worse. I'm sorry for ruining it, and I'm especially sorry I scared you, 'Shy."

"'S okay," she said in reply. "It was stupid anyway. You weren't even very loud or mean." Luna continued.

"I was really happy when you told me to call you Twi. It seemed like a huge step in friendship. And I was really grateful to Spike too. He wasn't like the others either. And Rarity seemed warm enough. And then we passed him.

"When I saw Moonie, I admit the first thing that really got me was his cutie mark. So similar to my own! Then, before you actually told me about him, I kinda thought he was...well, handsome. But then you told me about him and I thought he was terrible So, I wasn't quite sure how I felt. I didn't tell you because...because..."

"You can tell us," encouraged Twi. Her voice was still cracking but she managed a smile. Luna hesitated.

"...I didn't want to disappoint you." Twi didn't look like this was the answer she'd been expecting. Did she think I just wanted my own secret? "Anyway, I really wanted to talk to him when I told you he was coming but, well, I thought that would be disloyal. And so I just hid it.

"It's not that I don't like you guys. I just...didn't want to lose the only friends I've had in a...long time." Luna began to sob quietly. Twilight looked stunned.

"But surely Princess Celestia-"

"She's my sister," Luna cut her off. "And she's really busy a lot. And she still doesn't completely trust me. So there. You may ask any questions you like." There was silence. Finally, Fluttershy spoke.

"At the pond, when you screamed...why?" she asked. Luna drew in her breath. This had been coming all along.

"I-I saw her," she answered. "Nightmare Moon. It wasn't the first time. It always happens. Whenever...you know, I saw my reflection." She swallowed. "It still does."

"Oh. Luna," said Twi. "You could have told somepony."

"I couldn't," Luna said, forcing herself to continue. "It's my way of making sure it doesn't happen again." Torture is the only way for me. Twi seemed to ponder her next question.

"What's your full name?" Luna snorted.

"You could ask me anything, and you ask me that?" she giggled. "Most people would want to know what it was like...being her. But it's Luna Castellar Regaila." Twi sniggered, seemingly unable to contain it. Luna fell serious.

"But now you owe me an explanation, Twi. Of why you were sobbing. And why you like to come here so much." 'Shy sucked in a breath. Twi stopped sniggering.

"Very well," she sighed. "But don't get lost, you hear me? DON'T. GET. LOST. This is confusing, so PAY ATTENTION." Luna snapped to attention. She would hear her friend, so she knew what she was apologising. Twi took a deep breath and began.

Author's Note:

This chapter made a round 1 000, longest chapter I've ever written! Congrats me!

Comments

[Kunama Windrider]

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It's come! The chapter you've all been waiting for! Acts like a rock star. Oh yeah! Oh yeah!

[Kunama Windrider]

So what do you readers think? An adequate explanation for Luna's actions? Or not?