Imperial Affairs

by The Sound of Loneliness

The Last Battle

“Are you ready now?”

“I am,” Luna confidently confirmed. The princess tossed a farewell look at her notes and picked up the Imperial tiara to put it back on her waving mane, “Thank you for letting me. I need to do this myself.”

“Of course. She is your sister.” Luna turned around to the familiar ornate chest and effortlessly lifted it in the air. “Were those drafts of any help?”

“Not really. I tried to think on what I am going to say, but...what the point, really? I am going to forget all of it the moment I see her. So, I suppose I’ll improvise.”

“Don’t worry so much, Luna. When you see her you’ll know every word that needs saying. Shall we go now?” Luna smiled warmly to her inner silver-tongued demon and pushed through the door into the empty palace, the staff was sent off for a night.

“How do you always know what to say?” Luna coyly inquired.

“Easy, I don’t,” came the chuckling answer.

“No way I am believing that. You must be thinking through every line you say to the Bearers.”

“Honestly!” Nightmare persisted, “I don’t!”

“So, you just tell them whatever comes to our head?” Luna said in mock disappointment.

“I simply tell them the facts.”

“Just like that?”

“Well, more or less. You don’t really need to invent anything creative when you can simply engineer the truth to back you up. A bonus of being an empress.”

“Useful,” Luna admitted. “Do you know what you are going to tell her?”

“I suppose, I would have to improvise.” Luna gave out a chuckle, “By the way, I have never seen an uncertain mare to move like this.” Luna smiled at the observation, she really was almost running.

“It’s not a royal courtesy to keep guests waiting, Empress.”

“Hah! Smartypants. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, considering who taught you.”

“Yes, you really shouldn’t be. Besides, am I wrong to be eager to do my chores for the night?”

“I bow to your enthusiasm, Your Highness. Metaphorically,” Nightmare Moon added. “Though, I admit, I can’t wait to see the smug face of your big sister too. Or rather for her to take over the day shift again.”

“Too bright?”

“Yeah, too bright. The eyes hurt all the time. Huh, maybe I should follow my own advice and get sunglasses.” Luna burst into laughter upon imagining that sight.

“The Empress of The Blind.” Luna teased, provoking a giggle.

“Okay, I admit, you are funny. Can you stop, please?”

“The wish of my Empress!”

“Seriously, cut it. They are behind the next door. You aren’t going to laugh at me in front of all of them, are you?”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Luna!”

“Okay, okay, I am stopping now!” A sly grin treacherously creeped on Luna’s face.

“Don’t even think about it! I swear, I am going to publish your damn diary!”

“And ruin the crown’s public image?”

“Ugh, fine...you win.” Luna victoriously giggled. “But, seriously, don’t!”

Luna giggled again and proceeded to open the door to the balcony.

“Oh, Princess!” Rarity immediately trotted to her. “You could’ve just asked the Guards to help! You shouldn’t carry this thing around yourself!” Luna smiled at her most loyal mare.

“Rarity, I wanted to carry it, besides, the guards are all away. Her Majesty felt they might be a threat to secrecy.” Nightmare Moon grunted something indecipherable. Rarity instinctively began widening her eyes. Luna gave her a disarming smile and poked her in a shoulder, passing her by.

“We are ready, Your Highness,” Twilight reported, checking the runes on the floor were in line with the book. “We can start whenever you say the word.”

Luna nodded and looked over the six ponies around her,
“And how do you all feel? Are you ready?”

“Always were, Princess!” Rainbow Dash salute. “We, in 101st, don’t live our friends behind!”

“What she said,” Applejack added. Luna thankfully smiled to them both.

“It’s...weird,” Pinkie Pie seriously said. “Something changed.”

“That’s called being serious, Pinkie,” Rainbow Dash explained. “That happens when you know from experience what bubbles and laughter can do if you are not careful.”

“Oh,” Pinkie prompted her head with a hoof. “Does this mean I can be a mime? Mimes are serious. I always wanted to learn how to do those cool tricks with invisible stuff.”

“Pinkie! Scratch ALL of that! You never change!” Rainbow Dash managed to push through her laughter. Luna then turned to Fluttershy.

“And you?”

“Well...Princess, I am not really good at saying profound things.”

“Neither am I, Fluttershy.” Luna winked at her, “Let’s just say it’s alright, ok?” Fluttershy smiled at her and nodded.

Luna proceeded to open the chest with the magical jewels.

“Let’s finish this.”

“Oh, yeah!” Rainbow jumped straight to her gem.

Luna stood back to let them have some space. All 6 ponies, armed with their Elements stood around the magical circle. After receiving the final nod from the Princess, Twilight began her ritual. The familiar flash of white light dashed to the moon. The light hurt, but Luna didn’t look away. Instead, she smiled at the light, her dear one was home.

Luna’s smile faded a moment later, Celestia was back, sort of. She didn’t look like herself. She wasn’t standing proudly, as Luna remembered her, not even sitting in expectation. Her sister was lying on the ground, weeping.
Nobody dared to interrupt the griefing Princess.

“Sheesh. Looks like we found something you are better at than her. It took you almost 600 years to get to this point.” Nightmare Moon pushed through Luna for control over their body. “Don’t worry, I’ll whip her back in shape for you.”

Catching Twilight’s look, Nightmare Moon gestured her to approach. Twilight took a deep breath and cautiously approached her teacher.

“Princess,” Twilight quietly called. Celestia immediately opened her eyes and looked up at Twilight in disbelief. The Princess had to spread her hoof and touch her student, before believing this was no hallucination.

“T-twilight?” Celestia sharply raised herself and wasted no time pressing the fellow Princess to her chest, “Thank you!” Twilight was all too glad to respond in kind, embracing her oldest friend. She needed to say nothing, while Celestia was raining tears of joy over her. And then the Sun Princess remembered:
“Twilight, where is Luna?!”

“She is here, Celestia. She always was,” Nightmare Moon coldly answered.

“You!” Celestia released Twilight and turned to face her adversary, getting on her hooves. “Have you now decided to finish what you’ve started?”

Nightmare Moon smiled indulgently,
“Why, you don’t think the moon is good enough for you? No, Celestia. I have no intention to end you tonight...unless this is how you want it.”

“I won't give you pleasure!” Celestia boomed with anger.

“Good, that would be quite counterproductively for us both. I would much prefer if you could see reason.”

“You killed my subjects! You took my sister’s body! And now you wish me to bow to you?!”

“Celestia, spare me of your hostility. Did your fate teach you nothing? Your attitude is what got you your punishment in the first place.”
Nightmare Moon gestured towards the balcony edge, “Look, your lands are fine. Exactly as you left them or better, depending on who you ask. Ponies are happy and safe from any enemy external or internal. The government is centralised and quick to react.”

“You have the nerve to brag of your tyranny?” Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes.

“Even your sister, eventually, came around. Maybe, if you would do something for her once in while you two wouldn’t be spending this much time apart.”

“Don’t you dare to bring her in this, you fiend! You took my sister away twice! I will not forget what you did to her!”

Nightmare Moon smiled at her rival again,
“But I did nothing! I merely tried to make her happy. Someone had to take care, since you prefered your court over your family. Some might say I would’ve made a better sister than you ever was, imagine that now, Celestia.”

Celestia found herself speechless at such insolence, this was a little too big of an insult to take. Celestia’s horn blinked into life, pulsing with might. The air on the balcony started becoming noticeably hotter.

“I will purge you from this land! You, filthy-” Nightmare Moon laughed in delight.

“Language, Celestia! Mind you, I want not to fight you! I am simply offering to forgive you for what your blindness forced you to do!”

“I don’t want any forgiveness from you!”

“I reckon no. But what of Luna’s?” Nightmare Moon passed control back to Luna, “This is your finest hour. A chance to win your sister back. Her stored up rage should be mostly depleted now.”

“But...what do I say?!”

“Tell her how you feel. Give her the facts.”

"Luna!" Celestia called.

“Sister,” Luna instinctively responded. The awkward silence spread over the balcony. Rarity bit her lip.

“Luna, say something! Let me hear you again,” Celestia reached out.

“Sister...I don’t know what I am supposed to tell you,” Luna confessed with a sad chuckle. “I was never good at explaining things. Nightmare said it all well enough, I think.”

“You...L-luna, what are you saying? Nightmare Moon is a fiend who stole your body and murdered our subjects! You cannot possibly agree with her!”

Luna chuckled again and shook her head,
“I kept telling this to myself too. The more I tried the less I believed it.”

“...What do you mean?”

“The problem with that reasoning is that she didn’t really steal anything. Sister, you were always so wise and righteous, but you left me to fend for myself in the world I knew nothing about. I made mistakes, ponies started dying because of me. She offered to help and didn’t ask a lot in return.”

“Oh, Luna. Why didn’t you just talk to me? It didn’t have to be like this,” Luna shook her head.

“No, it needed to,” Luna said determinedly. “Celestia, if you are righteous and good, why did you refuse your aid to the subjects who needed it most?”

“Luna, thestrals worshipped Nightmare Moon! How can you expect me to allow the enemy into our home? Sister, to protect peace and Harmony of our land sacrifices need to be made,” Luna nodded.

“And you failed to make them, my sister.
Celestia, they don’t worship Nightmare Moon, they are afraid of her just like all other ponies. They only followed her because they knew not the difference between us. They believed she was me, Celestia, their beloved Princess! The Princess YOU always neglected! The Princess who deserved more recognition! They were ready to follow me because they trusted I was looking out for them in return! Even a thousand years later they trusted me enough to obey my call without question!”

Luna angrily snorted and pointed at the sky,
“They cared not if it was night or daylight! They didn’t even care what other ponies would think! They simply tried to protect the only one who would care for them! And what did their loyalty get them? The entire world hated them!
I may have betrayed their trust in my failure, but you willfully let them suffer! Celestia, you are unfit for ruling our ponies! Even Nightmare Moon proved to be better than you!”

“L-luna...” shocked Celestia reached for her with her hoof.

“Begone from my sight!” Luna sharply recoiled. “I don’t care where will you go, there is no place left where you will find support for your claims. You can plead to your former subjects all you want now. They are well aware who cares for them more. They will not permit you to start another pointless war, sister!”

“L-luna, how can you...say this! She-”

“You will insult her with your empty accusations no longer!” Luna deliberately articulated. “Nightmare Moon is my friend now! A better one than you ever cared to be! If you are too petty to accept her offered peace, then take your swollen pride and get out of my face! I am done with your self-righteousness!” Luna turned her head to the awkwardly bunched up Element Bearers, “You may say your goodbyes.” Luna, then, sharply turned on her heels and walked back to the doors.

“Luna, wait!” Celestia called out to her. “I am sorry! I didn’t know!”

“Tell your lies to someone who doesn’t know you so well. You knew everything.”

“No, Luna, I am sorry!” Celestia burst into tears, “I...Luna, forgive me! I am so foolish!” Celestia had to sit for her hooves not to fail her.

“Exemplary work, Luna!” Nightmare Moon's candid congratulation arrived. “Couldn’t have done better myself! You had her in it the whole time!”

“I was so blind, sister! Please...” Celestia practically begged. Nightmare Moon snickered in Luna’s head.

“Delightful! How lovely it’s to see this smug, hypocritical peacock to finally get dragged to the ground from her pedestal! I am going to savour this one, Luna.”

Luna, ignoring Nightmare gloating, smiled from ear to ear.

“Well, well. Someone’s proud of herself.” Nightmare Moon remarked. “Go to her, Luna,” Nightmare Moon lightly pushed. “Go to your family. You aren’t going to leave her like that, are you?”

Luna happily obeyed, grabbing as much of her sister as she could,
“I missed you,” she whispered.

“Luna, did I really fail you so much, that now you would prefer Nightmare Moon to your own sister?” Celestia buried her face in Luna’s coat.

“Celestia, don’t you see? You are not my only sister.”

“How could this creature win you over this much, Luna?”

“Oh,” Luna smiled. “You will be amazed.” Luna looked at the crying mares, who didn't dare to interfere with their reunion. They took the hint.

Comments

[Batpony46]

A touching reunion nice work

[The Sound of Loneliness]

10066708
Stick around for an hour or two, you are up for another one tonight.

[My Little Epona]

For some reason, I really, really, really love the description of NMM as a "silver-tongued demon".
This was a very touching reunion. I'm glad the sisters are together again.

[The_Darker_Fonts]

“Begone from my sight!” Luna sharply recoiled. “I don’t care where will you go, there is no place left where you will find support for your claims. You can plead to your former subjects all you want now. They are well aware who cares for them more. They will not permit you to start another pointless war, sister!”

Harsh, but true. Celestia wasn't a tyrant, but she wasn't the leader the ponies needed either.

[The Sound of Loneliness]

10361439
Careful. Be wakeful to not fall into the same trap as Rarity did. The art of deception encompasses much more than disinformation alone. Watch very carefully after Rarity, for she is an example. She used to despise Nightmare Moon and to some degree she still does, but if Rarity was in opposition, even if silent, how come Rarity keeps spreading everything that Nightmare Moon herself says? Is it because Nightmare Moon feeds her this information without Rarity realising it? Indeed, but Nightmare Moon doesn't tell Rarity what conclusions to draw, that part is entirely in Rarity's hooves, still, Rarity always draws the conclusion that Nightmare Moon wants her to.

You see, Nightmare Moon does not spread lies, only truth. Lies is what her subjects create themselves out of the information she lets them have. If Celestia wasn't the leader her ponies needed, then how come Nightmare Moon's reign is so much worse? Under Celestia ponies did not know fear, but under Nightmare Moon they all are afraid. Under Celestia ponies were gleeful, under Nightmare Moon they pray for the next night to not be worse than the previous.
Celestia was not suited for waging War, this is true, for the very idea of slaying her little ponies is inconceivable for her. So much is for Luna too. And ponies themselves, for they knew not of the taste of combat for many generations. Even Thestrals wanted none of it, for they are few and weary of their ancient struggle. Strange, The War was, seemingly, not in interest of any party involved... or was there a single mare that thrives upon chaos and mistrust that the war inevitably creates?

Truth and lie are both parts of one whole, they both are tools of deception. A true master can weave lines using the crystal strings of truth.

[Yubella]

“Don’t even think about it! I swear, I am going to publish your damn diary!” “And ruin the crown’s public image?” “Ugh, fine...you win.” Luna victoriously giggled. “But, seriously, don’t!”

I love when someone writes about these two together like this but they're so hard to find

[Yubella]

Nightmare Moon smiled at her rival again, “But I did nothing! I merely tried to make her happy. Someone had to take care, since you prefered your court over your family. Some might say I would’ve made a better sister than you ever was, imagine that now, Celestia. ”

And the crowd goes,

DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANM!!!

[Totally Not A Pony]

10361483
Yes, yes, and J. Jonah Jameson was right about Spider-Man being a public menace all along, too.

It’s entirely plausible that Nightmare Moon is being manipulative, but Rainbow Dash’s stubbornness in turn nicely illustrates how simple effective communication with someone who hates your guts just on general principles and most likely wouldn’t believe you even if you actually were scrupulously honest with them can be hard at the best of times. That’s the whole problem with paranoia, it just needlessly complicates things, consequently makes people waste time and energy, and potentially blinds them to the genuine threats with all its alarmism about ones that ultimately only exist in their imagination.

(Reasonable caution is another thing, but that would then involve taking the occasional chance by giving NMM the benefit of the doubt...and that does seem to kind of work out for those ponies who can make that leap even here, so I’m just going to sit here drawing my own conclusions. )

[The Sound of Loneliness]

11400720
From a particular perspective. Spider-Man did cause quite a bit of public property damage over the years, as well as caused a fair couple of people to get harmed due to various villains wanting to draw him out. Mary Jane is the obvious example. The real question is not what Spider-Man is guilty of, it is whether it's worth hounding him for it.
The truth of the matter is that Rainbow Dash is right. She is right about everything she thinks about NMM. NMM, in fact, would be the first to confirm her own deeds, for she sees them as necessary for her goals. She is a cynic and genuinely does not believe in the very concept of justice. Ironically enough, that is the very reason why she is being so gentle. NMM believes that a person's potential utility can be more valuable to society than the benefit of seeing them punished for their ill deeds. That is why she rarely resorts to harsh punishments even in response to very grievous crimes. To Nightmare Moon any subjective justice is not worth losing tangible value, not even necessarily for herself but also for her land too. Rainbow, seemingly, disagrees quite vehemently.