This story is a sequel to Harmony Unbound
Luna is home again. A new home, in fact; a library in Ponyville. Things are messy right now between her and Celestia, and awkward. After things ended so poorly between the two of them last time, and clearly neither of them is ready to face the other again, she instead found herself a new place in the world.
But Luna is not sad. She has a new life, and new friends to lift her spirits. It's all helped her settle in, settle her past, and finally be happy again. Even if she cannot or does not go back to her old life with Celestia, she's plenty confident she'll remain cheery and content.
Then tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala arrive for her and her friends, and it completely stresses her out. Because Celestia will be there, and she might not be ready, even by then.
And we're off! Can't wait to see where thr sequel takes us this time!
Hey its our favorite bookhorse
That's up for you to figure out...
Nice to know the book is going well, but poor Twilight & Luna having major friends & family problems...
Yes you are.
when is the next chapter coming out?
i will give you three mustaches for the answer
9236356
Hey, thanks for your interest in my story! I am still working on the next chapter, I'm also just bogged down by other projects at the moment. I'm sorry to keep everyone waiting, but I haven't stopped working on this.
9237109
thanks!
Huh, Sunset as alicorn of Patience. I'm not sure I like it.
Ambition is such an integral part of her nature, that indomitable fire that overcomes every obstacle. Seeing her as Water, flowing, maintaining equilibrium, feels, strange.
I honestly would have expected to see her as Fervor rather than Patience.
9292514
I can see it. It's a much different Sunset than we're used to, but even if you look at the bearers, Pinkie was pretty depressing before the Rainboom, and Rarity is still pretty vain. I can believe Sunset had a personality change big enough to warrant representing patience.
9294490
Oh I could too, but it needs a bit more exposition to feel believable. I never really got a feel for her character, she was just, there, doing her best Maud Pie impression. It stands out in particular because everyone else is so well fleshed out.
Twilight is Twilight, clear as day, Luna yearns for a quiet life as a librarian for entirely understandable reasons, and so on. Up against all of this evocative world building, Sunset's raison d'etre is rather foggy.
Alicorn Sunset & a metal-like dragon? Luna has made some great progress in the friend department! Worth the wait!
Say wha?
What game are you playing at, Sparkle?
Congratulations, Sunset, you nearly sent Luna plummeting to her death or sever injury while on your way to confront a dragon, in order to show her that she needs psychological help, something Luna has never even heard of, and has no reason to trust. Way to go. <sarcastic clap>
Ah, there's the sunset we all know and love, wonderful.
Why is chapter three so long compared to the rest of the chapters?
Good but depressing chapter.
I think you made a mistake in not having any positive scenes in the chapter what so ever. While drama does make good stories, it must be balanced. No one wants to see a character they are rooting for, emotionally beaten relentlessly. This is what almost killed Herding Instincts by Sparky Brony. He relentlessly beat his OC for several chapters in a row with no reprieve what so ever. He lost half of his readership and had to rewrite those chapters to include lighter moments in order to save the story. Which it did do. Try to maintain a balance between light and dark moments in your story. Your writing is excellent. Keep up the good work.
My two cents on Sunset follows. (Please excuse my French)
Personally if I were Luna and after that bullshit confrontation with Sunset, I would have packed my shit and left. No one needs that bullshit, especially after trying to heal from 1000 year isolation. They are being inconsiderate assholes to an emotionally damaged recluse who hasn't had social contact in centuries, and who also entered a world so alien to what she knew, she might as well be on another planet. In my opinion, leaving is the only real way that I as Luna, would be able to have any chance of healing and living a normal life. Something neither Twilight or Sunset intends to allow. Lunas opinions and wishes simply don't matter to them what so ever. Their motivations and actions are quite clear.
What they are doing to Luna is seriously fucked up.
Fuck em all. Self serving asses.
The Monk
“There is no one in the world harder, crueler or more critical, than an introvert looking at themselves.” -Anonymous
Says the pony who just barged into someone's home, verbally tore into her for things Sunset saw Luna apologize for (and let's not forget that Twilight volunteered, in front of Sunset, to come with Luna to face the dragon) and then threatened her, all because of Sunset's jealousy. Oh and let's not forget the previous chapter where Sunset rubbed it in Luna's face that she was forgiven for defiance and trying to get power, while Luna was not, and then continued to press Luna on issues that Sunset knew Luna didn't want to talk about, nearly causing Luna's injury or even death.
"Princess of patience" my ass.
9470632 I fear that you are right, until Luna grows a backbone and tells Celestia and Sunset to fuck off (and tells Twilight to keep her nose out of Luna's private affairs), than she is not going to get better or adapt to her new world.
Damn, from Sunset tearing Luna a new one for losing her temper at Twilight in the last chapter to the incredible, sweet moment with Pinkie, this was worth the wait!
I quite like it already.
What's this I see? Trixie getting a fair shake as a performing magician and not just a braggart? Marvelous!
I want Glida dead... Nuff said
9551427
Cheers
9551783
I'll admit this is an element I stole from other FiM fanfics I'd read back in the day that tried to redeem her, so to speak. I latched onto the notion, because at my heart of hearts, I've always been a Trixie apologist, heheh. And it made sense that Luna would think back to bawdy drunken theater performances and go "Yeah that tracks."
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Well hey, sorry if I ruffled any feathers. :^)
9552356
It's fine, just Gilda suffer
I'm hooked, following this now.
9552862
Luna was always my favorite, and I always wanted to see more Luna content. And I thought making Luna the "new Twilight" might be a novel way to contribute. Although, having browsed around since joining, I've seen a couple similar concepts for a Luna centric story. Role swap AU's in general, though, are a big fave of mine, for sure.
9553887
Ay, cheers. I can't say my work schedule will stay consistent, but I'm a few pages into the next chapter now, so stay tuned.
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And thank you for reading my stuff!
9554504
I have a really bad habit of not saving things. oTL But I've seen some interesting looking ones under the relatdeds tab when I've got my own open to review/edit.
I'm absolutely loving this story! I've burned through and read all of this + the first story over the last day or so, and it's fantastic. I really like the premise, writing, and way you've tied in stuff from the original season 1, and I really empathize with Luna due to some past (and some current) troubles as well, so I really mesh with your characterization of her. I can't wait for the next update
Same as 9555723
Saw this featured and really liking the story. Keep it up!
9555723
I'm gonna like, cry.
I always found something naturally depressing about Luna's whole situation, and exploring it has been cathartic on some level for me, and I'm glad to have readers like you. Thank you.
That was a great story, Luna told Trixie about her past
Here's a little story about Lancelot and Galahad that a lot of people who are only familiar with the more contemporary stories of King Arthur might not know.
When Lancelot was first written into the King Arthur mythos, There was an Islamic idea that was basically "Love for Love's Sake" that a bunch of Christian knights and soldiers brought back from the Crusades. Lancelot's affair with Arthur's wife Gwynevere was seen as a noble thing, because Lancelot was willing to go against everything to be with his true love.
Then beliefs shifted a bit, and a hundred or so years later, a bunch of monks and writers decided that adultery was bad, and created and wrote Lancelot's son Galahad into the stories. They both did all kinds of questing for artifacts and knightliness, but Galahad was always more awesome because he was just like his dad, EXCEPT that he wasn't bogged down with heinous marital sin.
Eventually Lancelot finds the Holy Grail, but nearly dies when it shoots a fireball at him when he tries to touch it. Then good ol' Galahad grabs it and is carried up to Heaven because he was worthy. All as basically a screw-you to a character who did something that was originally considered to be a good thing.
Pinkie Pie is a benign shoggoth in 3, 2, 1....
"Best friend?" I think that you mean "oblivious love interest that hasn't noticed your feelings, making you really frustrated and lash out at who you feel is a new romantic rival."
9563456
My working theory is that Pinkie is a chaos mage. Whether she knows it or not.
That, or Pinkie's family held a lot of cult rituals on that isolated rock farm, and an Old One they were venerating gave Pinkie It's blessing.
I can tell this is gonna be good.
Methinks Pinkie has a crush (or more) on Luna.
I'm totally AJ plus a little Pinkie in that coffee scene. I don't care at all how the coffee tastes, as long as it is going inside me. That being said, when I'm at a Starbucks, I like to get a iced flat white coffee from there. Also, Fraps are good every once in a while, but not as sugary as Pinkie's.
That being said, I've been sailing on the SS Moon Pie for some time now and it's nice to finally have some strong winds blowing in.
This is great, can't wait for the next chapter!
Seriously can't wait for it to continue! Amazing work!
Weeks later...
Luna: "Why are we all hiding from that cloaked pony out there? Pinkie, you approached and befriended me when I was wearing a cloak, in a dark alley no less!"
Pinkie Pie: "Yeah, but have you seen her eyes? They glow yellow in the darkness under her hood! Those are Sith eyes! She's evil!"
Smitin' evil and saving the day?
oldguyfromthesimpsons.jpg
That's a paladin'.
Should I be worried about Pinkie's plan to deal with Gilda (that bitch)? Also, another great bonding with Twilight, Luna had. Those are (kinda) getting closer to being on the "sister" level.
Luna + Foals = D'awwww (we need a D'aww emoji)
What does the behavior of some theoretical paladin have to do with Luna?
Oh, Pinkie is definitely going to do something rash, it just won't be what you'd do, Luna ....
Wow, Sunset sure has the wool pulled over Twilight's eyes, doesn't she?
9567546
I did not know... that ship was named that. That is so cute. The other day when doing inventory, and counted out our backstock of moon pies, remembered that, and just... smiled. IT's such a cute ship name.
Also I'm very much Fluttershy re: coffee preference.
9569208
9570221
You guys are entirely too kind. Thank you.
9593530
You have such a well of empathy, my friend; a kind soul. You needn't apologize. If it helps at all and you don't mind some of the mystery of what's going to happen next being taken: Rest assured, there's not gonna be any gore or homicidal outbursts. That's not the kind of story I wanted to write, I was just having a bit of fun with some misdirection.
9593996
The cheeky answer is read next time to find out. :^) If you'd like a real answer: nah, that's not the route I wanted to go down for my story.
9594156
I'm realizing in hindsight, I may have been influenced by that one fan animation. But I quickly fell in love with the idea of Luna being naturally good with kids.
Please no Luna Pinkie ship.
Interesting change to that episode
9470810
9470632
I agree with tbese guys. If i was there i would have slugged Sunset and chew her out. She KNOWS that Luna has mental issues and still pulled that off. Not to mention is was original brought in to force a reconciliation between Luna and Celestia.
And i roll my eyes at Luna's stupid oath.
Sorry, whole i don't directly blame Trixie for the ursa her boasring led to it so she did desrve the chalkenges she got. It was only the alicorn amulet that made her a villian.
And still dislike the fact Luna doesn't have issue with Sunset.
Calling it. Pinkie sent the letter