The Journal of the Reunited Two Sisters

by AutoPony

Opportunity Knocks

While the night sky does not receive the level of recognition and praise that my sister's sun garners, it is safe to say I have a much better appreciation for the subtle adorations it does gather. No longer am I bothered by the notions of popularity, for the night allows a calm upon the earth that the bright sun and business of the day can not provide. Indeed, it is my night that allows Equestria to rest and prepare for a new day.

However, I must admit, presiding over the kingdom at night remains quite a dull affair. It is a truth that is unavoidable, even now as it was once long ago. What few disputes that are brought to my attention in the period between dusk and dawn are often simple in nature and take little more than a fleeting moment to resolve. Otherwise, my nights are often composed of mindless drivel such as paperwork, from permits to reports of various government entities.

Yet with a new outlook upon my life and my duties, I am able to find a silver lining in what years past I would consider a wasted night. There was no greater appreciation for the free time available than the weeks following the return from my lengthy exile.

It was no secret that my linguistics - and to a lesser degree, my etiquette - were vastly outdated by the standards of the present day. On numerous occasions I found myself repeating what I had just stated in a heavily revised manner, due to confusion on behalf of the other individual. Thus, what time I had to myself was spent reading whatever was at hoof written in a more modern style.

Other nights had been spent just enjoying the quiet, enjoying being... here.

Home.

Such an extended time in isolation makes one appreciate the company of others, even if the other party is not the most comfortable on the other end. But I held no grudge against those who were perhaps leery of being within my presence. Certainly, not only had my reputation preceded my appearance, my first "appearance" only reinforced those preconceptions. So though my form had changed, ponies still found some difficulty placing trust in me.

Of course, had anyone other than my sister known the struggle within in regards to my form... the road that lay ahead would have been even more trying.

But it is quite likely the same quiet time that I found myself grateful for was the culprit for the seeds of self-doubt that soon sprouted. The train of thoughts that rushed through my head became less positive as the reality of the uphill battle I face soon became apparent. It was not long after my magic was required to hide the form that had for so long been relegated to stories of legend and terror.

So, such distractions eventually led me to practice a skill I had developed and mastered during my banishment - lucid dreaming.

Lucid dreaming was perhaps the only thing that allowed me to retain some semblance of sanity during those dark times. In fact, these fantasy creations during slumber had begun to transgress beyond sleep, into a state more akin to deep meditation. It took nary a blink of an eye for me to switch between reality and this queer realm, and I quite honestly thought nothing suspicious of the ability.

Not until this particular night, when fate decided to make this... much more interesting.

With only half of the night chewed away, I had managed to clean up all outstanding paperwork that had accumulated during the day that Tia did not complete. All of it was quite straightforward in nature, but nonetheless tedious to peruse and complete. How I long for the days when our diarchy was much more simple, and did not have such trifle matters to deal with on a daily - or in my case, nightly - basis.

With outstanding duties completed and nothing in the meantime to do, I slipped away into my personal oasis. My surroundings melted away, their colors muting and darkening, while the warm glow of the candles dotting the room multiplied endlessly and scattered until I found myself awash in my night sky, surrounded by constellations.

Yet it was not a serene feeling of peace that greeted me. In stark contrast to the visual display, a wave of fear enveloped me, interspersed with deep regret, sadness. To say the least, it was overwhelming, catching me by surprise enough that my breath was taken away.

However, these feelings were not emanating from within my own being. Instead, I could sense these unwelcome emotions were seeping in from another direction, a sensation much like a cool burst of air sneaking past a drafty window. My instincts quickly spurred me to trace this invisible trail, as I floated amongst the stars and nebulae of my personal universe.

My attention was focused solely on this mystery, trying to make sense of it as I searched for the origin. It did not take long, as the sensations became stronger as I traveled, until reaching ground zero - out here, in the void of space, was a door.

"What in Equestria?!" I couldn't help but shout out. Clearly, my lucid dream had taken off down its own path, for this scenario was making less and less sense. I tepid worked my way around the mysterious door, able to see both sides, as it seemingly led nowhere.

However, the coloration was familiar, as were its markings. One solid piece, this door was mainly an off-white hue, but adorned with wavy stripes of pastel green, blue, and pink in various areas. But at eye level was a bold orange sun, a mirror image of my own sister's cutie mark.

"Tia?" I mumbled quietly in confusion. I raised a hoof up to the door, carefully touching it as I readied myself to jump back if need be. Instead, the silence remained a constant, even as the door slowly opened inward. Only a dark void greeted my eyes, though the sense of strife only magnified as it swept outward toward me.

I am not hesitant to admit, my own concern and uneasiness began to build. But as with any dream, there is often an underlying issue that spurns the sequence of events. To turn back would likely only delay this dream to a further date. In addition, this manifestation of the mind could not physically harm me; as alarming and confusing as it may be, there was no reason to stop investigating. Without another thought, I stepped through the door frame.

In an instant, the darkness lifted, the environment warping back to the familiar appearance of the castle's interior. But rather than the throne room, I found myself within Celestia's forbidden archives once again, though it had nearly quadrupled in size compared to the reality I had seen firsthand but a few days ago. From floor to cavernous ceiling stood towering shelves, packed to the gills with countless texts. Only adding to the foreboding backdrop was the lack of light, provided by a few mere candles scattered about the room. But the sound of voices off to my right interrupted my sightseeing.

Quickly, I spread my wings, afforded just enough room in the main aisle way to take flight and reach higher ground for a vantage point. As I climbed higher, I began to fully realize how cavernous this library truly was, and the inky darkness began to close around me. By the time I had reached the top of a bookshelf, it was difficult to even see my own hoof in front of me. However, the view down to the floor remained clear enough to make out, which was what I desired anyway.

My ears flicked back and forth as I tried to sense where these voices were emanating from. It seemed to only be two, though what they were saying, I could not discern. Guided by my sense of hearing, I leapt from bookcase to bookcase, trying to be as quiet as possible. This was unlike any dream I had ever experienced, and I was not willing to take chances; perhaps this was not a dream at all?

"...please, you must understand..." I head a familiar voice bleat. At once I recognized the voice - my sister. Another quick leap allowed me to look down upon the floor and finally spot her, as well as the other party involved in this conversation.

"Oh, I understand. You're afraid of my potential, just like your previous student," growled a young voice. The lavender unicorn that spoke had cornered my elder sister in the corner formed by the wall and an adjacent shelf. "After all, I've already done something you could never do - save your sister."

As the aggressor I now recognized as Twilight Sparkle spoke, her form shifted slightly, growing taller. In unison, Celestia's form condensed, shrinking bit by bit as she cowered.

"I am grateful for that Twilight, but that does not mean you are ready for further study. I do not want to make the same mistake tw-"

"Please, you have no room to lecture me," Twilight interrupted, continuing to change bit by bit. By now, her horn had begun to lengthen, just as my sister's began to recede into her forehead. It was as if Twilight was siphoning off Celestia's physical attributes as she continued on. "You aren't any better than Luna was - you are governed by your emotions. You couldn't do anything to stop her the first time, and did even less the second time. You had to rely on me. But somehow, I'm the one not ready for more advanced magic? I'm not ready to claim the power that is rightfully mine?"

"Twilight, stop," Celestia mumbled, her voice higher-pitched than normal. By now, both Twilight's growth and Celestia's reversion had come to an end, with Twilight Sparkle looking like a recolor of what my sister would normally be. She had ascended to alicorn status, her wings folded neatly upon either side of her body, while her mane and become long and flowing, dotted with stars as it billowed in a nonexistent wind, belying the enormous reserves of magic she had stored within her.

Meanwhile, Celestia's appearance was one I remember, but had not seen in eons. She retained her wings and horn, but her mane no longer flowed with a pastel rainbow. Instead, it hung limply like the average pony, and colored a pale pink. Her whole form had shrunk, regressed back to the age of a filly.

I had no idea what was happening, but it did not matter - this scene sickened me.

"Silence thy tongue and back away from our sister!" I shouted, jumping off my lofty perch downward. My wings eased the drop as I neared the floor, touching down in between the two.

"Luna?" came the young voice of my sister. I nodded silently as I turned my full attention to Twilight.

"Thou has some nerve speaking to my sister with such disrespect. Even moreso, whatever spell thou has cast to empower thyself whilst draining Celestia cannot be anything other than some sort of dark magic. Yet thou think'st thyself the better?"

"This doesn't concern you," Twilight replied, taking a step towards me. "Get out of the way."

"Thou will not lay a hoof upon my sister!" I shouted, taking a step forward. Much to my surprise, my voice was amplified, more than twice the power of my Royal voice as it was unleashed upon my foe. Twilight Sparkle braced herself from the shockwave. But with a cry of despair, a blinding light enveloped her form, before dissipating just as quickly, taking her with it.

"What was that?" I mumbled, not quite sure what I had just witnessed. I felt something wrap itself around my forelegs and looked down.

Sure enough, the filly version of my sister had grabbed ahold of me, hugging as tightly as possible, her eyes squeezed shut. Gingerly, my magic pried her off, my desire to make sense of everything too overwhelming to delay the ensuing barrage of questions I had.

"Tia, is that really you?" I asked, setting her down as I myself settled down, sprawled upon the floor. Celestia nodded her head, gratitude pouring out from her beaming smile.

"Yes. But are you really Luna?" she asked, suddenly looking as confused as I felt. "How did you get here?"

"I am Luna, but what exactly is 'here'?" I replied with my own inquiry. Celestia merely tilted her head, her brow furrowing as she considered my question.

"No, you can't be you, this doesn't make any sense," she whined. "None of this makes s-"

Abruptly, my sister disappeared, followed quickly thereafter by my surroundings. I found myself falling through a black abyss, the sensation of speed increasing rapidly before I snapped back to reality.

My eyes quickly darted around as I tried to catch my breath, before realizing I was where I began - in the throne room of the castle, in the middle of the night. Everything that had just transpired was indeed a dream. Yet somehow, my control had been wrested away, without my knowledge. While I took a deep breath, my heart was still racing with the apparent hypnic jerk I had just experienced, though my mind had calmed considerably. But I noted my personal guard staring at me, wide-eyed and frozen in place.

It was then I took note my vantage point was higher than it should be.

As I looked down to take stock of myself, my fears were realized - at some point, my spell had failed me, as black fur and hooves greeted my sight. Out of the corner of my eye, I also sighted my ethereal mane, complete with stars, billowing rapidly in time with my excitement and agitation.

"Are you the only one to lay eyes upon me?" I asked bluntly, turning my attention to the dumbfounded pony. He offered no reply nor movement for confirmation, still frozen in place. My magic took hold of my form once again, my eyesight vanishing in a blinding flash as I reverted back to the visage of my more accepted self.

"I will ask again, are you the only one to have seen me tonight?" I repeated, rising off the throne. Finally, the guard snapped out of his trance as he nodded slowly.

"Very good," I replied, somewhat relieved. I provided no warning as I concentrated on my inner reserves, charging up a spell before unleashing it upon my servant. The blue aura took hold of his head as it seeped inward, his eyes glazing over momentarily before my magic dissipated from existence, leaving no trace as the stallion before me lost the fear he once held, trading it in for confusion as his awareness returned.

I vehemently despise using such spells as memory wipes; their use feels sinister and immoral. Nevertheless, I suppose it was a better alternative to questioning the psychological well-being of an individual, insisting they were imagining my visage as being that of Nightmare Moon. Furthermore, such a simple solution would have limited use; it would become clear with more and more individuals affected that the same sights they claimed to witness could not be a coincidence.

Fortunately, this had only been the third time I had slipped up.

"Is something troubling you?" I asked quietly, the guard pony slowly taking in his surroundings. After a moment he finally turned his attention to me, looking quite lost.

"I... yes, I am fine, your Highness," he answered, albeit slowly. "I must apologize, I am not used to being up at these hours."

"No need for apologies, it is understandable," I said, playing it off with a wave of my hoof. "Please, feel free to take a moment to fetch something for yourself, perhaps take a short stroll to revitalize the stagnant mind."

"Yes your Highness, thank you," he said, taking advantage of my offer. With a nod and a final glance at me, he shuffled off, looking rather unbalanced as he headed out of the room, disappearing from sight. His hoofsteps faded away at a slow and steady pace as well, before I finally relaxed, a crisis averted.

But my mind was not at complete ease, for I still found myself unable to piece together what exactly had happened during my attempt at lucid dreaming. It was not new to have my creation meander away from my original intentions, but on this occasion, it had galloped off in a completely different direction.

But the most bothersome item in the whole dream was my sister's reaction during the whole ordeal. Yes, she looked and sounded upset, and quite afraid. Yet there was something else - an expectation of what was to occur. This was most obvious in her reaction to my appearance and vanquishing of her deranged pupil. But even before I had jumped in, she seemed to... just accept her fate. I began to openly wonder if it was possible I had somehow transcended my own dream realm and stumbled upon hers; certainly, I had never heard of such a thing, but that night was just too bizarre to brush away.

Perhaps in time I would have "come to my senses" and dismissed the ordeal as a wild dream, had fate not stirred the cauldron one final time.

For whatever reason, I pulled myself from my thoughts and looked up in time to see my sister's colorful mane pass by in the hall. It was only due to the guard leaving the doors to the main hall slightly ajar, and the gap only offered a split second glimpse, but nonetheless, the timing was uncanny.

"Tia!" I called out, trotting down the steps to the floor and out the door. Sure enough, my sister had only gotten a few paces away as I burst out into the hall. I saw her jump just a bit, clearly startled by my sudden appearance.

"Luna, you scared me," she gasped, her eyes as big as saucers as she turned around to face me. "Is everything all right?"

"I was about to ask you the same question. What are you doing up and about this late into the night?"

"Oh, I just woke up and felt a bit thirsty. I'm headed for the kitchen right now," she replied.

Right away I knew she was lying, and not just because of the obvious fact the castle has staff that could fetch her something upon request. A thousand years apart has not diminished my ability to read my sister like a book, and the slight flick of her left ear as she responded to my inquiry was a nervous tic I remember well.

"Sister, please do not lie to me," I replied calmly. Celestia's ears dropped as she blushed slightly, realizing I had not fallen for her excuse.

"It's nothing Luna, really," she protested. "I'm just having an issue clearing my mind for sleep. It happens from time to time."

That was all I needed to be convinced our paths had crossed in another realm. While my mind still told me it was impossible, my heart told me to go forward.

"Nightmares have been afflicting you for a time, haven't they?" I suggested, much to the surprise of Celestia. "But tonight, tonight's dream was different, wasn't it?"

"I - yes, but how-" Celestia struggled to put words together as her reaction confirmed my beliefs - somehow I had tapped into an ability, to sense the turmoil affecting the unconscious mind during slumber.

"I do not know, Tia. But this certainly requires further discussion to try to understand the forces at work," I replied.

Celestia sighed, nodding her head. "So much for getting back to sleep tonight. Come, let's go back to my room for privacy."

---

"So what I was feeling emotionally in my dream, you could sense that in yours?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, I have done this exercise many times, but this experience is unique. How often have you had this nightmare?"

Celestia fidgeted upon her bed, reluctant to open up about her woes. "I don't know, a couple of weeks maybe? It's not every night, sister."

"Considering I have passed the time through more than a few dull nights by lucid dream, why have we not crossed paths sooner?" I wondered aloud.

"So you at least admit to sleeping when you are supposed to be completing your duties?" Celestia replied sternly, asking her own questions.

"No, as I said earlier, it is more of a meditation. I do not necessarily fall asleep," I protested.

"But you have in the past?"

"Would it be possible to focus on the more pressing issues at hand?" I quickly suggested. At once, Celestia broke into a light chuckle.

"Luna, relax," she said quietly, easing up on her tone. "I'm just teasing you, I know what nights are like around here."

"Really? How so?"

"Well, for a short time after what happened between us, I tried to stay up past the raising of the moon in case there were still ponies used to having their disputes settled at that time," she explained. "Let's just say I garnered a better understanding for your frustrations."

"It would have been more desirable had you gained that understanding before our banishment," I mused, mostly joking.

"Remember, you never told me how you felt, so I couldn't help you. Let's learn from our mistakes," she instructed.

"Indeed we shall. After such a comment, I feel it is only fair you share with me what troubles your mind to the point of manifesting such a nightmare. Talking about it can only be constructive in dealing with your issues, correct?" I said, leaning in with a sly smile. Celestia was less amused by my ploy.

"You set me up with that comment, didn't you?"

"It is a possibility, I suppose," I teased playfully. But with the jokes aside, I quickly regained a more serious demeanor. "I want to help you, Tia. You are helping me deal with the situation I have found myself in upon our return. While I may not know how or why I was able to sense your distress, I wish to take advantage of the circumstances and repay the favor. Please."

Celestia remained silently hesitant for a short time, her reluctance to face her inner unrest and personal thoughts at odds with the desire to be rid of the troubling nighttime scenarios. But with a sigh, she finally nodded, closing her eyes. "What do you want to know, sister?"

"Well," I started, pausing as I pondered where to begin. "I suppose the most curious piece of your dream is that of Twilight Sparkle. I cannot help but remember your opposition to her helping us sort out the mess that is your private collection, and her words somewhat reflected those same concerns of which you shared. You do not actually fear she will become more powerful, do you?"

"Of course not," my sister quickly replied, shaking her head. "She is a truly gifted student, one of the best I have ever had attend my private school. If I was afraid of such a thing, I wouldn't have taken her under my wing personally."

"But you fear she will develop a thirst for power?"

As if on cue, Celestia's eyes dropped away from me to the floor. "A little bit, I suppose. Yes," she admitted quietly. "It is a fine line on how to pace lessons. Too cautious and the pupil grows bored, too quickly and you can overwhelm them. Even then, it's hard to be sure that their desire for learning is sincere curiosity, and not something more... devious."

"While I cannot speak too much as I have yet to personally meet her, I would say Twilight seems to be receptive to your lessons for the right reasons. Not to mention the Elements chose her and her friends. We don't understand the full potential of the magic they contain, but certainly the Tree of Harmony chose wisely," I said, reflecting back on the memory of acquiring the Elements. "But Twilight said something else in your dream, a mistake regarding another student."

"I have to question myself because I've already failed once in judging the integrity of a personal pupil. I could not bear to see another student I care about turn into somepony so selfish as to only desire power for themselves."

"As I did," I finished. Celestia's shoulders slumped as she nodded forlornly.

"Yes, I suppose so. I just feel like I can't trust myself anymore. How can I with you, Sunset Shimmer-"

This 'Sunset Shimmer,' that is the student whom you had before Twilight?"

"It's been a few years now, but yes. I thought she was ready for advanced magic, but instead she turned against everything I stand for. She only saw the power she could wield for herself rather than what she could do to make the world a better place."

"And where is she now?"

"Gone," she replied abruptly, the bluntness of her short response catching me by surprise.

"And by 'gone,' you mean-"

"No, I did not do anything to her, Luna. The situation never became that serious. But she found the room where I keep most of Starswirl's magical items and research left behind when he disappeared, including that mirror we always wondered about."

"The one that supposedly contains a portal to another world," I said, not hiding my skepticism. Starswirl the Bearded was a wonderful mentor, but I must admit, his later years before his sudden disappearance, he became rather... eccentric. Some of his claims I never believed, including that silly mirror.

"It does act as a portal to another world, Luna. Starswirl's writings were true," Celestia argued. "It only opens at certain times, and I caught Sunset Shimmer jumping through it the night in question."

"You did not follow her?"

"Do you think that's a good idea? Going through to another dimension that we know nothing about, or what lies beyond in wait? I hope she is alright, and my return someday, but to follow her on a whim, that was out of the question."

"Apologies, sister, I did not mean to question your morality in this scenario," I responded, recognizing I had touched a sensitive subject, and in more ways than one. Both of us were left mystified upon Starswirl the Bearded's abrupt disappearance, not long before my rebellion. Not only had we lost a trusted mentor, but we had also lost a dear friend. Still today, neither of us have any inkling on what happened.

I shook my head free of any further questions, having gotten too far removed from the reason for this discussion. "I understand you feel some guilt over your misplaced trust, but what is the alternative, sister? To trust nopony? That has not ever been your nature, and I pray it never comes to such a point."

"So you're saying I should just keep taking chances?" Her tone was uncharacteristically negative as her eyes almost dared me to refute her.

"Sister, was it not you just a few days ago that instructed us not to be so pessimistic when somepony is offering help?" I replied. My sister's answer was quick and wordless, her face turning bright red with embarrassment as she bit her tongue.

"What I am saying is it is impossible to truly know what lies within the heart of a pony. While it is you who decides the pony you see with the potential to benefit from your personal teachings, it is still up to that pony what he or she does with that knowledge, be it benevolent or something decidedly less so. You can only do so much, and this school you have developed - while I admit I do not know the specifics - sounds like an admirable undertaking. You want to share what you know to better their lives, and in turn, help these individuals better the lives of their families and friends. Through it, you have gotten me back, haven't you? If it weren't for your trust in Twilight Sparkle, she would have never made the friends she did, and in turn, come to possess the Elements of Harmony that freed me. You showed her the path, and she chose the path you had hoped."

My words hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity, my sister remaining silent. Though it was clear my monologue had gotten her attention, as her eyes were locked onto me, almost uncomfortably so.

"Luna, I want you to answer one thing for me," she finally mumbled, taking me by surprise.

"I- Yes. I will do my best, what is it?"

"How in Equestria did you come to that whole conclusion from what I described to you in such short notice?"

"Tis a gift, I suppose. Looking past the emotions to understand the logic that has created the problem in the first place. I sincerely hope you are asking such a question because you found my advice helpful?"

For the first time that night, my sister's fatigue seemed to melt away, as her smile finally showed itself. "While it's hard to say whether the nightmare will return, I have to say talking about this with you feels like a weight has been lifted from me. Thank you, Luna."

"You are quite welcome. As I said, you have helped me adapt back into Equestrian life, it pleases me to be able to return the kindness. You are just being too hard on yourself, judging by not only your dream, but your reactions as we have gone into further discussion. I understand that you care, but you cannot control what others do even as you lay the path ahead of them. Unless you use mind control, which I assume is taboo in the present day."

Celestia blinked.

"Luna, mind control spells have always been taboo."

"Oh. My mistake."

My sister did not reply, her eyes narrowing with suspicion as I stood beside her bed. After a few moments, I could take the pressure no longer, my silent stoicism broken with a short giggle.

"Tia, I merely jest. I have never dabbled in such vile practices."

To my surprise, Celestia let out a deep sigh of relief, before finally letting out a small chuckle herself.

"I should have known you were joking. Clearly, this lack of sleep is catching up with me," she replied, glancing at the clock on her bedside table.

Already the time was nearing half past two in the morning. In about four hours' time, it would be my turn to pass on the ruling duties to Celestia and allow myself to rest.

"I sincerely hope I have helped ease your mind enough to get some rest during the remaining hours of the night," I said, rising to my hooves in preparation to leave. With impeccable timing, Celestia let out a great yawn, nodding her head.

"I've gotten less sleep and been fine for a day's work, don't worry about me. Again, thank you sister. Good night."

"Good night," I said as I stepped out into the hall, closing the door behind me. With a renewed energy, I bounded back towards the throne room to finish off the night.

=====

"Good evening, Luna."

I looked up from my bran muffin and tea breakfast in time to see Celestia strut into the dining room, looking surprisingly vibrant despite it nearing the end of the day.

"Yes, Tia, good evening. You are looking quite well," I commented. My sister took a seat next to me, her face graced with a warm smile and an eagerness I had not seen in a few days.

"I feel quite well, I feel... free," she announced, spreading her wings wide to emphasize her point. "I guess what we discussed last night was weighing on me even more than I realized."

"I must say, while I am glad I was able to settle your troubled mind, I did not expect such a drastic shift in your mood. But it is a pleasant surprise, nonetheless. Do not hesitate in the future to open up to me with your troubles, sister."

Celestia gleefully nodded, before pausing. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that. Today was oddly calm, so I had some time to think."

"You did not hurt yourself?" I asked, as my sister's smile twisted into a look of absolute confusion.

"I - Er, what do you mean, sister?"

"You said you had some time to think today, I know that can be a taxing undertaking for somepony not used to using thought process," I replied, doing my best to keep a straight face. Celestia did not bother, as she let out a long chuckle.

"I should have known where you were going with that comment," she said, sticking her tongue out at me playfully. "But joking aside, do you think you could figure out how you got into my dream and replicate the process?"

Before I answered her, I mulled the question over, trying to understand where her train of thought was headed. Were there other troubling dreams she had been having lately?

"I would assume it is possible sister. It may take some time to fully make sense of the underlying powers or mechanisms, but I would imagine it can be done again. Why do you ask?"

"Well, I know you have been finding presiding over Equestria at night to still be rather uneventful and boring, but I wonder if this is not an opportunity for you to shine in your own way. After all, I surely am not the only pony to be haunted by the same nightmare more than once."

"You propose I try to help others with their troublesome dreams?" I asked. My sister merely nodded her head, as my mind quickly took off with the implications of this proposal. "Would that not be a gross invasion of privacy, sister? To walk amongst the innermost thoughts, fears, and desires of our subjects as they slumber?"

"I'm not asking you to spy on them, Luna. You said yourself, you could sense my feelings which led you into my nightmare. Just hone in on that, the negativity. Besides that, this is something that does not need to be shared, but confidential assistance, between you and the pony you're helping, kind of like a doctor."

Quickly I scoffed upon hearing her comparison. "Sister, with all due respect, do not dare compare me to those butchers. How can leeches and blood-letting even be considered helpful? You forget the last time I let one of those hacks help us, we-"

"Luna, that age of medicine died out centuries ago," Celestia quickly chimed in, eager to cut my tirade short. "You were right, the practices back then did nothing."

"Ha!" I shouted, jumping up onto the dining room table. "I knew it, and yet everypony said I was the crazy one!"

"Luna, I think you're missing the point of this," my sister said with a sigh. "Perhaps we can get back to the topic at hand?"

"Only after I hear you say I was right again," I replied, leaning in toward her with a smirk. "Just one more time, but slower."

"I hate when you get like this."

"Say it!" I shouted, pointing a hoof at her accusingly. Celestia rooted her eyes, her horn lighting up with magic as I felt myself being picked up and 0laced back in the chair I had been in moments ago.

"You were right, Luna. But enough of that," she said with a grin. "I just wanted to give you something to think about, I'll leave the decision up to you. Have a good night, Luna."

"Good night, Tia, I will consider it tonight, and perhaps see if I can once again enter your dreams. Once I get everything else completed of course."

I rose from my seat again as Celestia came closer to me, sharing a hug before retiring to her quarters. As I began my shift in earnest, I found myself rather excited by the prospect of being... well, more useful.

Of course, it would be months of trial and error before this art was mastered, but as it is often said, the rest is history.

Comments

[Carbon]

Another good chapter!
Finally Celestia get some help from Luna.

[PaintedPony]

Hmmm. I always thought Luna had mastered the dream realm a thousand years or more ago. I like this variation. Learning to do it in the modern age. This could be really interesting. And fun.

[AutoPony]

9554127
There's always been a big question mark regarding the dream realm during Luna's exile. I figured I'd try something a little different.

[MLai]

The spooks, the hunters, and the dreamcatchers! The mares in black... the Night Guard!

"Thou has some nerve speaking to my sister with such disrespect. Even moreso, whatever spell thou has cast to empower thyself whilst draining Celestia cannot be anything other than some sort of dark magic. Yet thou considers herself better?"

Yet thou think'st thyself the better?

[MLai]

Meanwhile, Celestia's appearance was one I remember, but had not seen in eons. She retained her wings and horn, but her mane no longer flowed with a pastel rainbow. Instead, it hung limply like the average pony, and colored a pale pink. Her whole form had shrunk, regressed back to the age of a filly.

It's not a rainbow. Celestia's mane holds the colors of the aurora borealis.
aurorahunter.com/_pix/800w/goddess-of-dawn-salat.jpg

Despite being visible at night, the aurora is a solar phenomenon, caused by solar winds. The word itself is the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn.