6. Ancient History
Evening. The sun had set, the moon was yet to rise... Luna watched the horizon with steady eyes and an unsteady heart as her moon slowly crept into view. It felt so fragile, so delicate, as if Celestia's power could shatter it to a thousand pieces. As if that were possible. The first night she had watched her sister raise the moon had been interesting. The second, touching and comforting. Tonight, Luna felt only a sense of loss. The moon rose without her. It rose despite her. The feeling was uncomfortable as it was unfamiliar and she couldn't help brush her consciousness against the remote sphere and Celestia's aura surrounding it.
Her response was another wash of peace and comfort and that same impression of a smile, tinged with curiosity this time. Luna withdrew to herself and continued to watch her moon rise. With a jolt that shook her entire body she realised this was what she had sought. This was different. She took a breath and closed her eyes, revelling in the experience.
"Sable?"
Luna gasped. Somehow Twilight had managed to sneak up on her. The moon was entirely visible now, had been for a good half hour if she were any judge. Time was such a peculiar thing. Luna turned to the young mage with a warm smile and bowed her head.
"Twilight. Shall we begin?"
They moved to the 'scope, Twilight almost bouncing with eagerness as she set up the equipment. Tonight would only be a relatively calm observation of the sky, some more study of the upcoming conjunction and a few other points of interest. Luna wasn't sure they'd be able to face anything more exciting without the risk of an explosion.
"I took great enjoyment in your notes," she said, more as a way to distract Twilight than anything else. The young unicorn slowed, a thoughtful expression forming on her face. "They were most informative. I had not realised quite how out of place some of the planets had become."
"I..." Twilight sat down, eyes wide. "Princess, Sable I mean, wouldn't you already know about it?"
"Would I?"
"But..."
Luna poured herself a cup of coffee and made herself comfortable in one of the chairs Twilight had laid out. They had been shipped from Canterlot and were probably more expensive than many of the smaller buildings in Ponyville, but she wouldn't tell her companion that. "Would you know if two of your books, out of your entire library, were on the wrong shelf, had you been away for a year?"
"Of course!"
Luna opened her mouth to continue, then paused as the reply finally found her brain. This hadn't quite gone how she'd expected. "Dewsnap's Decimal system. How frustrating for my point."
"I'm sorry, I should have–"
"Twilight, please, do not apologise for your knowledge. The stars do not have a sorting system. Much of what I do is instinctive rather than learned and much more relies on influence than direct control. When I returned, my powers were unleashed in ways that were difficult to predict. A thousand years of pent-up influence suddenly released. The only surprise is that so much remained unchanged."
Their gazes both were drawn to the vast dome of the sky, wheeling slowly overhead. Luna found that she kept turning back to the constellation Ipp. From a certain angle it did somewhat resemble a pony, if you looked at it through the eyes of a foal. Or a lush, Luna thought, grinning. She traced the visible elements of the story Applejack had told, or at least what she could remember of it. The tale was familiar enough that she could fill in most of the details.
Twilight had commandeered the second scope and was focussed on some minor detail of the sky. A quick glance confirmed she was aimed at one of the primordial planets, those that pre-dated Luna's own contribution to the skies by some margin. She watched the largest, quite bright at this time of year. The Unicorns had once elevated him to godhood with the epithet Father of Lights.
"Our two friends have a little while before they're visible."
Twilight remained glued to the eyepiece of her scope, peering intently at the object of her attention. 'Our two friends'. She had taken to naming the conjunction in her notes.
"So why did you do it?" Twilight turned from the 'scope and looked at Luna with wide, curious eyes. "Marry this 'Star'?"
"I loved him," Luna replied. She took a sip of her drink, waiting for more questions. When none came, she placed the cup gently by her side and turned to Twilight. "Is that surprising?"
"You probably know my default answer by now."
"He didn't know I was a princess, Twilight. To the very day Star died, I was Moonbeam Dancer, his loving wife and his closest, dearest friend."
"You pretended to be his friend?"
"I pretended nothing! I lived with that stallion for forty nine years. I watched him grow and brighten, and become a great leader. I watched him fade and fall and I saw his spirit leave him, and I mourned his death. I loved him for an entire lifetime."
"But... why?"
Luna stood and paced to the rail, looking out at the quiet streets of Ponyville. For a moment she was back on Canter Peak, a thousand years prior, overlooking the cities of Mane Valley at slumber beneath the night sky, as the two sisters exercised the same conversation.
"It is my nature," she said, knowing Twilight would not find this even remotely satisfying an answer. Luna turned back to face Celestia's charge. "When I say I am the moon, it is no idle metaphor. I must wax, and I must wane. I must live and I must grow, suffer life, feel the touch of death, mourn loss and fade away to be reborn. I embrace this path, Twilight, because it is who I must be."
"But that doesn't explain anything! The last time we met you were–"
"Loud? Awkward?" She waited for the shock to fade from Twilight's face. The young mare slowly nodded. "You find it difficult to reconcile the view you formed of me with my claim to have lived entire lifetimes as another pony."
"It does seem a little far-fetched."
"When we first met, I had spent several centuries within the court of Canterlot. Its habits and mannerisms became so ingrained that I have trouble discarding them even now. It was a life I had lived for far too long."
Luna glanced across at the horizon, judging the time before their two friends would put in an appearance and finding it satisfactory. She settled back into her chair, facing Twilight as she poured them both a fresh drink.
"Like a phoenix," Twilight suddenly exclaimed. She turned to Luna with an excited grin. "You're like Philomena?"
"Celestia once tried to compare me to the phoenix but it is not– I am not like that, exactly. A phoenix does not change when it appears to die, but merely returns to the beginning of its life. I am... different. Even now I am not the same pony you met on Nightmare Night, nor was I then the same pony whom you rescued from the Nightmare. I cannot truly explain my nature, Twilight, any more than you could explain the inner joy of exercising magic to an earth pony. However, if you desire, I shall try and explain its outcomes."
Starlight shone in Twilight's eyes as she stared at Luna. For a while the young mage was silent, searching Luna's face, deep in thought. She took a breath. "Go on."
Luna mirrored the nod, inclining her head. "I cannot remember when we first arose. I recall some images, vague feelings, but my first strong memories are of an argument with Celestia over this very topic. We were yet to reign, however we already commanded some respect and honour amongst the three races of ponies and we were of some importance. They recognised our control over the sun and the moon and welcomed it, as a mediation of their conflict.
"I had felt... a desire. A need to leave, to seek out a place where none knew me. I did not take a disguise that first time. I lived in a small unicorn village in the mountains. It had no name that I recall. While I was there I... aged. I grew old, Twilight. It was an incredible feeling, to grow old. I did not understand what happened at first, and I was terribly afraid."
She paused a moment, waiting for a reaction from Twilight. When none came, Luna closed her eyes and resumed speaking, allowing her mind to slip back to those early memories, still so strong even after all the years laid across them. A breeze blew across her back and for just a moment she was amongst those mountains, deep in a forest of pine and birch, ancient trees sunk deep in brittle snow.
"Thirty years I spent in that place, though I remember little of it. Thirty years of life, and then I... faded. It was as if I slept. When I awoke, I was a filly, and Celestia was right there, giving me the most bitter talking to I had ever heard. I felt invigorated as I had not in years. My powers were immense and I could feel they would continue to grow for some time. I tried to explain to my sister that this appeared to be my nature, that it was something I had been unable to resist, but she didn't listen. It took my transformation into an adult form to even silence her for a moment. I learned then that my form was as malleable as the clouds.
"Thereafter I spent a century with Celestia. She came to terms with my excursion, as she called it, assuming it wouldn't happen again, that it was something I just had to get out of my system. Together we achieved much, shaping the world in ways many would have thought impossible. We established the first true peace between the three races, forged the first alliance against the encroaching threat of the Griffins. And then... I felt the call once again. I tried to ignore it for a few days but it was irresistible, I was driven to complete frenzy and simply left.
"I became a Pegasus and lived in Nephaeleos. I even joined the militia. Pegasi at that time did not marry, but I spent many years attached to a stallion named Hyperbolus and bore him several foals. He died in battle against the Griffin tribes. I mourned his death, but saw our offspring grow to become great warriors in their own right.
"On my return, I learned Celestia had taken a lover as well. They had been happy together, but he had become old. He had been little more than a foal when I left. She loved him like no other, but I could see the growing anguish in Celestia's heart as his death approached. She knew she could do nothing to change his fate. We may be immortal, but it is not something we can pass on, nor could we extend the life of a mortal but for a few days no matter how hard we tried.
"She ran away when his time came. I heard him calling for her but she was gone, hiding. Celestia could not face the death of one she had loved so much, nor could I find her to convince her otherwise. In his last moments I took her form, secretly, to comfort him into the shadow."
Luna fell silent as she tried to order her thoughts. She had not intended to reveal quite this much to her sister's student but the elation she had felt at this odd confession was liberating. Almost addictive. How Twilight would react – how Celestia would react if Twilight spoke to her about it – she had no idea. When Luna looked up, the young mage was staring at the deck, but her mind's eye was clearly looking elsewhere. Her eyes were moist.
"Twilight, if you wish not to hear–"
"No. I wanted to know, right?" Twilight looked up at Luna. The princess felt her heart leap at the trust in Twilight's eyes. Such love for her mentor, for Celestia, even now.
"Very well. When Celestia returned, she didn't even look at his body. She commanded him buried in a place of honour at the shrine of Adara, but refused to attend the funeral. After that, she began to withdraw from close interaction with other ponies. Only I, as her sister, had any close relationship with her. Eventually she began to take on students, protégés, to serve the essential need for companionship in a controllable way but she never again took a lover, nor allowed herself to feel such intimacy with any pony."
Twilight shook her head. "The Princess has lovers. Sometimes I heard her talking about them–"
"She had bed warmers, Twilight. Saddle blankets. She may have been fond of them, perhaps even had feelings for them, but she always ended with them before she became too attached."
"Oh..."
"Perhaps it is unfair to call them that. She found their companionship comforting."
Luna reached forward and touched Twilight's forehoof with her own. The simple contact seemed to strengthen Twilight. She took a breath and looked up at Luna, attentive once again.
"Much of the subsequent history you know. The kingdoms were joined in a federation, governed from Silva Libera, eventually unified as the Principality of Equestria. Our land became whole and our ponies became free and equal before the undying sun. I lived out hundreds of lives, each one bringing me close to our ponies and showing me the wonder and joy of the world. I already had a reputation for eccentricity and my long absences were easily dismissed by the court as wanderlust. Sometimes I did visit far and distant lands, returning with news of many new wonders, for that in itself was a life lived. For a while, it was perfect.
"But as my duties grew, my absences grew harder to explain. I could no longer move freely as I once had. The court we had established became... constant. It served Celestia's needs, not mine. I was forced to deny my very nature in the service of our ponies and so I turned to the only companions I had left. My stars, my moon. I grew to resent the ponies frolicking in Celestia's day, living the lives I no longer could experience. I became isolated and alone, and jealous of my sister's apparent supremacy, and finally there came a day when I felt the call, but could not answer. In my frenzy I tried to overturn everything I had helped create. You are familiar with the end of that tale."
Luna waited, knowing that another question haunted Twilight. She could see it in her eyes. What about me? That was the most dangerous part of her tale and perhaps a good reason never to have raised the subject. But it felt right... someone had to know, even if it was but for a short lifetime; the secret had to be shared.
"She takes students for their entire lives."
The statement was without reproach, powered by curiosity more than anything. "Yes."
"I-if... why? If she's so scared of losing us?"
"Nopony was meant to be alone. Not even the sun is truly alone." Luna turned to the horizon. The first of the two planets had begun to climb, a glimmering pinprick of light far brighter than anything around it. So many companions she had created for the sun. Had she been trying to somehow appease Celestia's own isolation? "She allows herself no true love for any pony but you, Twilight Sparkle. You are her catharsis."
"Well, no pressure then." Twilight's voice was bright, her sudden cheer betraying the fragility of a mind under serious strain. Luna placed a gentle hoof on Twilight's shoulder. The young unicorn turned to the touch, staring as if she had no idea what she saw.
"Ease your mind, Twilight," Luna said. Her horn glowed soft as the moonlight, releasing the barest hint of a spell into Twilight's psyche. It was not a controlling spell or a command, merely a suggestion to her innermost being. The unicorn relaxed almost right away, eyes closing as she took a deep breath.
"Thank you," she whispered. Luna let out the breath she'd been holding. She had not known how Twilight would react to the spell once she recognised its effects.
"I did not wish you to be burdened so, Twilight Sparkle. Please consider it as the apology it was meant to be."
Twilight nodded, blinking away a stray tear. She turned back to her telescope. "I'm glad you didn't use something cliché like Misaki's Memory Mangle."
"Despite what you may believe, Twilight, I do prefer subtlety. I also did not relish the thought of repeating this conversation tomorrow night."
A huff. It might have been the start of a laugh, she couldn't be sure. The spell was still working at Twilight's mind, teasing out a slender thread of tranquillity and acceptance, accelerating a process that would take place naturally over many days or weeks and compressing it to moments. Used sparingly it would allow a recipient to come to terms with profound anguish in a truncated, yet nearly natural way. In a more potent form, it was a magic that had eased more than a few of Luna's closest friends into the shadow, allowing them a final taste of peace as they departed.
Of course, the hangover Twilight would experience tomorrow might make her wish she could join them.
"Looks like our two friends have put in their appearance."
The observation shook Luna from her reverie. Twilight was already making notes, observing the general features of the conjunction in her inimitable penmareship.
"They appear much brighter."
"Almost half as bright as the moon if my measurements are correct." Twilight lowered her parchment to the table. She took a breath. "I never realised how lonely she is."
"She is not as lonely as you may think, Twilight. She has you, after all."
A smile touched Twilight's lips as she took up her notes once again. After jotting a final comment she began to adjust her 'scope. "I was going to ask where these two came from, but after tonight I'm almost afraid to find out."
"Oh, there is little to tell," Luna said. She turned her own telescope on the pair, making a careful note of their position in the sky. "They are based on pegasus tribal mythologies. I'm afraid I was showing off a little when I created them, though the mythology itself is very interesting."
"I'd like to hear about it some time."
"Perhaps in a few nights," Luna replied. She stared up at the two planets, their near-imperceptible motions now clearly visible to her sensibility. How bright they burned... she tore her eyes away from the sight and looked around the sky, briefly pausing as she found Ippomeda. "Twilight, your notes mentioned a comet. I would like to see it if I may."
"O-of course! It's well up in the sky by now, let me find it again..."
The young mage busied herself with her telescope, pointing it at a wildly high angle while she babbled on about the possibility of a completely new comet. Of course Luna knew exactly where the comet was and that it was indeed new, not the fanciful 'reversed orbit' Twilight had hypothesised, but she wouldn't tell her that. There was a distinct satisfaction in having another guide Luna around the stars she knew so well. The pleasure of knowing at least one pony loved her sky...
Luna's eyes strayed to Ippomeda again. A smile touched her lips as she returned her attention to Twilight, but for that moment her mind was filled once more with Bucking Butch and his quest for the perfect fruit, and the stars shining bright in Applejack's eyes as she told the tale.
The following morning found Luna at a loss. Twilight had remained in bed, declaring that she was too tired to wake and refusing breakfast, even going so far as to yell at Spike when he tried to convince her to eat. Not that Luna herself had any particular leg to stand on in regard to mistreating the poor little dragon, though she had at least apologised. Eventually.
It was an understandable reaction to the previous night. The emotional chariot-ride coupled with Luna's calming magic had left Twilight exhausted by the time they slept. It was a surprise she even spoke at all. Nevertheless, without her 'study buddy', Luna had little to do with her time and less idea of how to go about filling it. She moped around the library for most of the morning, reading through books almost at random, and even found herself shelving and organising at one point, to Spike's great amusement.
She had to admit, there was a certain academic pleasure to be found in making sure everything was just so, though Luna had some trouble understanding the lengths to which Twilight would go in pursuit of her perfectionist dream. After an hour she gave up and returned to their notes of the previous night.
So much of what she and Twilight had written made little sense in the light of day. Hypothetical orbital parameters mingled with musings on the inspiration behind early stellar mythologies and a paean to the state of the telescopic art. That one was Twilight's. She'd been in a very buoyant mood as the night wore on. It would still take some time for Twilight to come to terms with what Luna had told her, but she would do it with a clear head. At least, she would once the hangover had cleared up.
The thought had finally brought Luna back to Twilight's bedroom. Twilight was snoozing, her face peaceful and open. Luna stood over her friend for a few minutes, watching her gentle sleep, seeking reassurance that she was well. The attention seemed to disturb Twilight; she squeezed her eyes tight and then inched them open to give Luna a bleary look.
"Good morning," Luna whispered. For some reason that made Twilight giggle.
"I'm fairly certain it's lunch time," Twilight replied, keeping her voice similarly quiet. She pulled herself higher on the pillow. Her smile was stiff and brittle, but genuine. "I'm hungry, but I can't face the thought of food right now."
"It's a side-effect of the spell. I am very sorry I had to do that, Twilight."
"No... it helped. I was almost ready to write to Princess Celestia and demand some sort of, I don't know, reckoning. Maybe tell her off for not trusting me..."
"She trusts you, Twilight Sparkle."
"I understand that, now," Twilight replied. She looked down at her sheets and rubbed her head with both forehooves. "That's the weird thing. I understand. I feel like I've had an entire month's worth of introspection crammed into my head overnight."
Twilight looked up at Luna and grinned. "You're going to have to teach me that spell."
"It is quite simple... but you cannot use it on your own mind, Twilight. The effects are unpredictable."
"Oh... well, it still seems useful to know."
Luna nodded, unsure of how to phrase her reply. She put the thought aside for later and filled the empty moment by levitating a jug of water from the table to refill Twilight's glass. "If you have no other plans for the day, Twilight, I believe I shall take a few hours to explore around Ponyville. It was rather dark last time."
"Oh I have plans, but they revolve around this bed and a good book." Twilight lifted a copy of Daring Do and the Platinum Crown from beneath her pillow and laid it on the bed beside her. Luna examined the cover.
"Platinum Crown? Is it some form of historical romance?"
"Actually... it's more of a teenage adventure story."
"I see... but to reference an object of such import, perhaps it is educational!"
Twilight glanced down at the novel and then gave Luna a most inscrutable look. "Yes. Yes it is."
And then Luna found herself shooed from the room, Twilight declaring that she must rest or else pass out from the strain, which made little sense as she had seemed quite relaxed.
No matter. Luna was no stranger to the need for solitude and Twilight appeared to be in good spirits. The moon princess made her way through the library with unbecoming haste, barely pausing even at the sight of Spike re-arranging her handiwork of the previous hour, and was soon out in the bright sun again.
Celestia's Sun. The heat felt good on her back and her eyes were filled with the riot of colour and life that daylight laid over the landscape. While she loved her night, it could become monotonous to wander a landscape of greys and blues and blacks. She had introduced a few night-flowering plants but even they had quickly reverted to form, almost universally white or silvery-blue. Beautiful in their way yet, to the eyes she now saw with, lacking something.
Luna trotted through the town with her head held high and a broad grin on her face. Nopony noticed her, just as they had ignored her on the first day. None accosted her with sweets or leapt to cover puddles with their cloaks, or flung their bodies to the floor to grovel at her hooves...
She slowed a little. The thought of candy had brought on an unaccustomed pang of hunger, accompanied by the realisation that she hadn't eaten since the previous evening. Though her body was capable of surviving indefinitely without any form of sustenance she was still a pony and, to be frank, she enjoyed food. Luna looked about the street she wandered, looking for sign of a confectioner, or perhaps this 'Sugarcube Corner' she had heard so much about from Twilight. None was apparent. Come to think of it, she wasn't sure what street she was even on and it occurred to Luna that she was not as well-versed with the layout of the town as she had initially thought.
Determined to find something, Luna walked on for a little while. Up ahead she could hear the sound of a busy crowd, punctuated by an occasionally yelled catchphrase. She turned a corner to find herself outside Ponyville's vast market square, filled with every sort of stall imaginable. As might be expected in such an agricultural town the majority of the market sold fruit, vegetables and other raw foods, but there were a few odd little stalls here and there selling trinkets and nicknacks – even one selling the strange and exotic foods of the Hindi though, sadly, lacking some of the more flavoursome spices Luna had found so fascinating the last time she had visited the Hind homelands.
A cry echoed across the market on the wings of a familiar voice, snapping Luna from her contemplation of an excellently made, if somewhat expensive Balushahi. She dropped her bits on the stall and quickly finished the treat before turning to look for the source of the voice. In the distance she saw a large herd, surrounding a stall and a pony in a familiar hat.
"Apples, git your apples! Fresh apples!"
The cry echoed across a tumultuous crowd, possibly the largest Applejack had seen for some time. Trade was good enough to justify having both Apple Bloom and Spritzer backing her up, though she would have preferred to keep the latter working on the farm–
"Geeethapples! Freeeeethamorn! Eeeeeeeyapoun! "
–for reasons that had become painfully obvious as the morning wore on. On the other hand, if she'd brought Big Mac, that would have left Spritzer effectively in charge of the farm and for some reason that just hadn't sat well with her. Applejack ignored the odd cadence of her cousin's hawking style and tried to concentrate on her latest customer, a pegasus stallion of unusual size.
"So that's... that's everythin'?"
The Pegasus fluttered his miniscule wings and nodded, eyeing the three large bags Applejack laid on the stall before him. He tugged a purse from his jogging shorts.
"Forty eight bits."
"Worth it!"
"Yeah?"
The pegasus paused in counting out his money to give Applejack a carefully blank look before resuming. Applejack looked out over the milling crowd while she waited and tried to guess which might be her next customers. There were a few faces she knew, a few regulars whose needs she could already anticipate and it always paid to have a few special orders set aside in preparation.
A familiar black and blue shape bounced into sight at the periphery of the crowd, moving this way and that without making much progress. Applejack took her customer's payment and wished the recalcitrant meathead a good day as she stashed the money in the kitty.
"Spritzer, I'm takin' a few minutes. Watch the place."
"Aye Jack..."
"Applejaaaack!" Apple Bloom bounced into view, eyes wide and pleading. "I'm supposed to watch when you're away!"
"I know, sugarcube, but cause Spritzer's here, I got a better job for ya." Applejack crouched down next to her sister and winked. "I need somepony who can keep her in line, so that means you're the boss till I get back, okay?"
The young filly looked dubious. "I'm the boss?"
Applejack stood up and winked at Apple Bloom again as she moved around the cart. She paused a moment behind Spritzer.
"Behave."
"Tha's t'boss," Spritzer replied as Applejack walked away. She took a breath to resume her hawking when Applebloom's voice piped up from behind the cart.
"That ain't right, I'm the boss now, an' I say y'ain't sellin' them apples right. Y'all gotta shout apples, not earwigglemeep! Apples!"
"Jack!"
"Buy some apples!"
If nothing else the commotion would guarantee the crowd remained, which would result in more sales. Applejack reminded herself that she did sincerely love her cousin and that it was love, and not petty revenge for her loud, loud voice the previous morning, that drove Applejack's harmless little pranks. Besides, Bloom needed to learn a little more responsibility and Spritzer, stubborn as a mule and rude as a clapboard privy, was the perfect education for any aspiring leader of ponies.
Crowds tended to part when Applejack walked through them, like a river around a large rock, perhaps because of the way she refused to stop walking when other ponies were in the way. Applejack was soon out of the madding herd and walking the edge to where she'd last seen the object of her quest. A pale blue mane bobbed uncertainly as Sable tried to see over the crowd.
"Hey there, princess."
Sable turned at the sound of her voice. Her face lit up. "Applejack!"
She trotted over and away from the crowd, a look of relief washing over her eyes as she moved. Applejack walked along with her until they were under the shade of a nearby tree.
"Still got a thing about crowds?"
"Oh yes. It is something I did not expect."
"The crowd?" Applejack glanced at the ponies filtering through the market. As she'd guessed, the antics of Spritzer and Bloom were drawing an even larger herd than usual.
Sable stared at her hooves and shook her head. "The reaction."
"Don't worry about it, sugarcube, we can't help the way we're made." For some reason that seemed to amuse Sable, though Applejack couldn't see the joke. It didn't matter, at least the unicorn wasn't moping any more. "Twilight not with ya?"
"After last night she was very tired and elected to remain in bed with a good book," Sable replied. She grinned and stared at the densely packed market stalls with veiled but visible curiosity. "I felt like a walk and I am rather hungry, so I thought I might solve both problems at once. This is a very interesting market."
"Oh, yeah, interestin'..." Applejack glanced back at her cart and the press of ponies crushed up against it. Apple Bloom and Spritzer were doing a roaring trade. At the sight of so many apples piled high her stomach growled, a reminder that she hadn't eaten since dawn. "Gotta admit I'm a mite peckish. Wait here, I'll get us some lunch."
Without a second thought Applejack plunged back into the herd, eyes set on the cart. After a few steps she felt something brush against her flank, which wasn't unusual in a crowd this dense. But then the pressure remained, warm and firm and far too close. Applejack ground her hooves into the dirt and looked over her shoulder.
Sable was pressed against her, eyes closed and jaw set against the crowd. She took a nervous step forward, never moving from Applejack's side.
"Sable, what the hay?" She briefly thought about abandoning the unicorn back at the edge of the crowd, but something about her stance said that might be a bad idea. Besides, with the way she was pressed against Applejack's side and with ponies closed in all around, there wasn't much opportunity to turn back. "If I'd known you'd do this I would have gone around the outside."
"It is well, Applejack. I must overcome my fears if I am to live."
"Right..."
"Humour me, please," Sable replied. She opened her eyes, swallowed and took a nervous step forward. With a frustrated snort Applejack led the unicorn on through the herd.
Sable remained uncomfortably close to Applejack as they walked. She could feel the unicorn's body vibrating against her side and began to wonder just how bad her fear of crowds must really be. It hadn't seemed so bad while they were at the farm.
She'd ask about it later.
"Hey Applejack, hi miss Moonshine!" Apple Bloom leaned across the stall to greet her sister with a cursory nuzzle, but her eye was on Sable. "Gee, ya look terrible, did somethin' happen?"
"Never mind that, Bloom, just gimme a dozen Winesaps."
"Seven bits."
Applejack raised her eyebrows. She looked up at her little sister and grinned. "Apple Bloom, I only said you were boss until I got back."
"I don't seen ya behind the cart, sis. Seven bits." Apple Bloom held out her hoof and tried to hide a cheeky grin under a serious frown. Applejack rolled her eyes and thought to play along until she remembered the unicorn at her side.
"Ain't got time for this, Bloom."
"Aw come on, AJ, how can I be the boss if mah customers think they can just walk off without payin'? I already gave you a discount!" Apple Bloom glanced down at Sable, who had by now pressed herself between Applejack and the stall cart. She seemed to be calming down. "Is miss Moonshine sick?"
"I am well, little Apple Bloom, I am simply not used to crowds." She looked up at Apple Bloom and smiled. "I shall pay for the apples."
Sable's horn glowed and she levitated seven coins from somewhere on her person – Applejack was always just a little jealous at the way unicorns could hide small items around their bodies; some sort of magic, Applejack guess. Not that jealous, though. She could keep plenty in her hat.
The coins rattled on the stall's counter. Apple Bloom hesitated for a moment, but a quick nod from Applejack set her to enthusiastic packing of their order. As the young filly placed the bag before them, Applejack shot her sister a quick 'we'll talk later' stare before taking the bag of apples and slinging it over her back. She lead Sable around the back of the stall and into the relatively empty space beyond, pausing just long enough to snatch back the money Sable had paid.
"I'm behind the cart," she snapped before Apple Bloom could protest. "Now sell some more apples. I'm goin' for lunch."
By some unspoken consent the pair walked out into the relatively open space behind the cart, headed away from the crowd and toward a small area of parkland. Sable let out a sigh and they both slowed to a gentle walk over the soft grass.
"So what the hay was that all about?"
"Forgive me. I am unused to such fear, Applejack, and I am afraid I acted rashly." Sable looked about the park, eventually settling her eyes on a small river bow. She took a step toward it and then turned back to Applejack. Any sign of her previous fear was gone. "You seemed strong. Perhaps I hoped some of it would rub off on me."
"Well ya sure did plenty of rubbin'," Applejack muttered, but she couldn't help laughing all the same. This friend of Twilight seemed to be so completely out of it sometimes, it was almost like the night Luna had been in town. "I only let you along because I couldn't leave ya behind in that mess."
"Thank you, Applejack. I am very sorry to cause you such concern."
"You're a strange'un, y'know that?"
"It has been said," Sable replied, lowering her head just a fraction. "I do hope I am not imposing on you now."
"Naw... I'm hungry, you're hungry, an' it gets me away from Spritzer for a bit."
They made their way to a low picnic table beneath a broad-limbed cherry tree, surrounded by equally low wooden seats. Applejack tossed the bag of apples on the table and pulled one out to savour while Sable made herself comfortable.
"Y'all enjoyin' your science stuff?"
"Oh yes! It... it is highly engaging." Applejack wondered if she should ask about that dot dot dot pause but thought better of it, reasoning that these science nerds always did talk a bit funny at the best of times. She watched as Sable plucked an apple from the bag with her magic, turning it this way and that, and then bit into it with a thoughtful expression.
"Like it?"
"Ohm hmmf," Sable replied, having forgotten her manners completely. She took another bite and had soon devoured the whole apple with impressive speed. Applejack thought about slowing her down, but it might have sent the wrong signal, so she contented herself with her own food.
"These are not the apples we harvested together," Sable observed as she lifted another with her magic. "Their skin is green, but they are still red on top! It is truly remarkable!"
"That's cause it's a Winesap. Not many ponies pay attention to that sorta thing," Applejack replied. She held up her apple, turning it so that the bite was to one side. "They just see a red apple, or a green apple, don't care whether it's a Winesap or a Golden D or Paula Red or a Maiden's Blush. You could tell em that they're holdin' a Golden Russet and they'd just look at ya and complain that the skin's all knobbly. Not that they'd be eatin' one."
"I see there is a great deal to learn about apples."
"Oh you'd prob'ly pick it up here an' there, though most of mah seasonals don't know diddly about apples,'cept they fall outta trees." Applejack tossed her apple up in the air and deftly caught it with her hoof. "Ain't a problem as long as they do their job."
They fell silent together. For a while nothing but the gentle tinkle of the river and the distant hum of the market intruded, punctuated by an occasional distant call of a trader. After finishing her second apple, Sable picked up a third and peered at it closely. She held it out on her hoof and tossed it in the air, then tried to catch it again. The apple bounced of the tip of her hoof and flipped over onto the table.
"How vexing," she murmured. Applejack grinned and picked up the apple. Out of habit she took a moment to examine it for bruises until she noticed Sable watching her actions with intent eyes.
"Can't do everythin' right first time, princess," she said, tossing the apple back to Sable. The unicorn caught it with her magic, a sly grin creeping across her muzzle. She glanced back at the market as she continued to eat.
"I take it your farm work has eased?"
So casually to the thing she'd not wanted to think about today. Applejack shook her head and tried to keep her ears from falling. "I managed to replace Narrow and Flannel, but it ain't eased up, an' I still got Ginger's medical bills to pay. I'm just out here sellin' some loose stock. Gotta keep the bits comin' just to stay afloat right now."
"Oh. I am–"
"If you say you're sorry one more time, Sable, I swear I'll do something I regret."
Sable put a hoof over her mouth and giggled. "I truly am, but I shall try not to be so in future if you prefer."
"Right..."
Applejack sat back, holding back the sigh she so dearly wanted to let out. She stared up at the few tiny clouds scudding across the sky and shook her head. She gave herself a single idle moment and all her worries began to pile up in her mind again, sucking away any of the joy she'd felt. She lowered her eyes to Sable, who had resumed her attempts to toss and catch her apple. Every time she failed she caught it with her magic.
The look of concentration on her face reminded Applejack of Apple Bloom when she was trying to complete a really hard piece of homework, right down to the way her tongue stuck out of the side of her mouth.
"I probably shouldn't ask, but–"
"Applejack, I would love to work on your farm again!"
"I was goin' to ask why you were in the market."
"Oh."
Applejack waited for Sable to toss her apple again. She caught it out of the air with a deft clop of her hooves and pulled it closed to her chest.
"My apple!"
"I'll give it back, just– I won't deny I could use the help, but I thought y'all were spendin' time with Twilight an' her telescopes."
"I am here for quite some time, Applejack. I shall spend a great deal of time with Twilight, but I came here to escape my life in Canterlot for a short while, and to make friends, if I could. I wish to spend time with you and your other friends also."
"Y'all wanna spend time with me?" Sable lowered her eyes and nodded. Was she blushing? It was hard to tell under that dark fur but Applejack could definitely see a faint flush on the dark mare's cheeks. Oh boy. "Sable, I don't know what y'all are thinkin–"
"You are a great heart, Applejack. I have been unaccustomed to such friendship for a very long time." Sable stirred her hoof around the table surface, refusing to meet Applejack's gaze for the moment. "You allowed me to experience your way of life despite your doubts. You are so honest and open, you gave me your trust though you had no reason to do so, and I wish to repay that debt. As I truly enjoyed my time in your orchards, I would work with you again, if you would allow it."
Applejack's jaw worked as she mulled over what she'd just heard. Perhaps she'd been spending a little too much time around Rarity and her gossipy magazines. The whole stress of work thing hadn't helped her judgement much either. With what she hoped was a gentle smile, Applejack passed her purloined fruit back to Sable and nodded.
"Sure, what the hay, I can always use a good bucker."
"Thank you, Applejack. I shall do you proud." Sable rolled her apple across the table between her forehooves for a few moments. "I would make one more request, if I may."
"Shoot."
"Twilight and I are undertaking some night-time observation tonight in order to find a suitable vantage for a group presentation we wish to make, and I would be pleased if you could join us for a little while. You showed me a very different way to view my stars... I believe Twilight would enjoy it."
She finally looked up and into Applejack's eyes. Something about her face made it clear that there was no way Applejack could refuse this request. The farmer lowered her own gaze and found herself toying with another apple; she quickly set about eating it to hide her embarrassment at such a foalish display.
"I can't stay out too late, I got chores an' things tomorrow mornin' before sun-up."
"It will not be long. I am sure Twilight would appreciate sharing this activity with you as well."
"Oh does she ever," Applejack said with a broad grin. "I remember when she showed us that meteor shower a ways back, that was pretty impressive, but I ain't normally got time for fiddly things like telescopes an stuff. Lookin' at a single bit of the sky through a tube kinda takes the fun outta the whole thing."
"But you shall come?"
"Sure! But like I said, I can't stay out too late. Speakin' of late..." Applejack gave the distant town clock a meaningful look and stood up. She'd spent far more time on this lunch than she'd planned. "I gotta get back to the stall before that pair put me outta business."
"Very well, Applejack. Thank you for the meal and the company. I shall see you this evening." Sable's eyes danced as she gathered up the remaining food. She bowed to Applejack, finishing with an overly formal flourish, and then cantered away, head held high and food floating behind her in a deep blue aura.
Applejack paused for a moment to watch Sable, then slowly turned back to the market. She was almost half way back to her stall when she realised what she'd signed herself up for. With a groan at the injustice of a world that could trick her into spending a night listening to Twilight's science-babble, Applejack slouched back to her work.
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New archonix story? Reading with the fury of a thousand Pinkie Pie's that have been denied sugar.
I will be archiving this one... :)
This is great! And they are all in character too.
I
Luna in this one. So connected and well-traveled.
I wonder if she'll stay longer than two weeks.
Interesting I"ll start reading it tomorrow
Wait, Lunajack? Appluna?
Excellent story so far. I find I prefer this Luna to the mismash we've gotten from the canon storyline so far. You've expanded and developed her character in both a realistic and entertaining way. I'll certainly be keeping an eye on this story.
So, I'm three chapters in and this fic hasn't really hooked me at all. I've yet to see any standout character moments. Everypony is playing their part but it doesn't seem especially well executed.
The old adage "Show, don't tell" seems apt here - in particular there's a section of chapter one where the narrator spends four paragraphs spitting exposition on Luna's nature and why she's going out to Ponyville in the first place. The picnic is likewise interrupted with a very dry outline of, "this is what Applejack is thinking right now".
Hmmm, somehow I believe Twilight is going to get a little bit of heartache from all this...maybe a broken heart of a mental breakdown? I can only hope for some Twiabuse in here!
Lovin it by the way!
Prepare for sloppy kisses!
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At the risk of sounding like a cretin, yikes that's a lot of words! Although I'm adding this to my read later pile, I have a feeling I'll get to it sooner rather than later. Applehat poni is one of my favorites, as is Princess Moonbutt. Also, I simply cannot ignore the glory of your avatar. Go team Venture!
I'm floored. It's beautiful. As in 'full of stars' beautiful.
I think this is probably one of the best explanations of Luna that I've ever seen, too.
Love dis. Yes.
2088836
I love that quote as well!
2088844 Hm, I wonder who that could be. *checks fimfic* Ahh. Apparently it's every pony in town. Oh well!
2088229 Thankye, it's been rattling around my head for a while now.
2088053
2086253
Silly Twilight...
I'd forgotten that scene when I wrote the story. When I remembered I thought about cutting the idea, but then I figured Twilight probably just didn't realise and Applejack didn't have the heart to tell her.
2085541 Thank you, yes, that's exactly the sort of thing I was going for.
2088190 Hah, princess Moonbutt. I love it.
2087708 Chapter 1 is the least satisfactory for me as well. If you think that was too much tell and not enough show, you should have seen the first draft.
When I do get around to working on this again (and I will, even if you don't like it, I will) I'm going to try and pull more of that exposition into the rest of the story. There's bound to be room for it somewhere.
2087708 I haven't noticed. The story seems fine so far.
Just use your imagination to void the feel dude, it ain't that hard.
2087559 Same, especially since the fanon Luna of the old went the way of Old Yeller.
Still to this day I miss that representation of her personality.
This character seems more lively, less dull and one dimensional.
I might incorporate this character development into a similar vein into my own stories.
I suggest the rest of us do the same and follow this as a standard.
I'm rather liking this, especially the worldbuilding for Tia and Luna.
2086971
LoooonyJack!
Excellently executed. I am usually not a fan of slow burns, but I'll make an exception here.
2090356 It's never the ones you expect.
2090286 I have read it and it was a very enjoyable fic. I may well have been influenced by it a little, but I'm going in very different directions.
At least I hope I am.
2088925 That sounds like something to look forward to.
2090193
2090516 I've always liked them. It makes the conclusion all the more satisfying if you've had to wait for it.
But that's just me.
That cover art.......
So... Just curious here, but doesn't magic contaminate apples, and make them taste like meat? And didn't Luna eat an apple she had lifted with her magic at least once this chapter? Just saying...
2090994
It was the act of picking apples that made them taste different.
OBJECTION!
Season 1, Episode 4 has Twilight pick several great big barrels full of apples and Applejack did not complain at all!
well all that history lesson DOES explain the hows and whys Luna cracked
and it's VERY plausible which is nice as well. Twilight might naught have unstood it but I understand it well enough. to deny something THAT primordial would eventually act like a cancer to the phyche and rot it out
this is a great premise. let the reading commence..
2090994>>2091090 Zactly. Some mumbo jumbo about magic severing the natural flow of energy in the tree or what have you. (I do have a little bit of a theory outlined and might make use of in something else, but this story just uses it as an aside).
2090803
2091235>>2092437 Yeah, tis a bit of an ouchy machine from what I remember, all flailing spiky things and giant snapping jaws and teeth. Nightmare-inducing. I'm a dull-eyed suburbanite these days but I used to live out in the green lumpy paradise of central Derbyshire and spent a lot of time at least near farms, so I have a little idea of the nasty things that can go wrong. Even back then I remember getting annoyed at the rich twits who'd come out to t"the countryside" looking for some paradise and then complain about the smell and the dirt.
2091566 Could be how she found out, could be she didn't want to complain about sincere help. Maybe she just had Twilight carrying them from one place to another. Or maybe she needed a lot of compost that year. Who knows?
2091679 Aye, you see what I was aiming for.
I felt like a change from the usual "immortals curse" sort of story. And Luna is bestpone.
2092437 My mom has a cousin who has two wooden legs, because she was messing around near a hay bailer and got both her legs stuck in that shit.
Right then, read it all in two sittings. Very nice, I will be tracking this one for sure. This is a very unique and enjoyable take on Princess Luna, to the extent where I anticipate what new secret about her past she'll reveal next. I like how both princesses in this story are portrayed as vulnerable and fallible in ways you wouldn't expect. I especially enjoy how you've portrayed Luna's personality as ever changing like the cycle of her moon.
As for Applejack, you portray her as a bit more rustic than I'm used to, and while I'm not sure I one hundred percent take to it... it's not that bad. her diction is a bit odd at times however... The rural southern style twang is there, but there's something else I can't quite put my finger on. Still, this isn't a bad thing at all. I like it when things are refreshingly different.
Also, this story incited several cravings within me as I read, firstly was tea. I have quite an exotic variety in my kitchen, so I ended up breaking out some of the more rare varietals for this story. Even used up the last of my dragonwell, but that's cool, its nearly season for it and I'll get more. I ended up making a batch of oat and buckwheat apple pancakes with calvados infused maple syrup, topped it off with brown sugar candied pecan butter... So yeah, well maybe I was gonna make this at some point anyway, but I get to blame your story here as catalyst to getting me around to it all. I get these urges to cook... I probably should have taken pictures. So.... uh yeah, dunno why but your story made me hungry. Anyway, once again, great job sir.
I do want to be completely honest with you. I really like this story, you have developed Luna's character beautifully and how you explain her connection to the moon is very well done. However, there are a couple things I've noticed that do bug me. There are some grammar errors and letters missing in quite a few of the chapters, but the one that most bothers me is how you keep using lead instead of led for example, "With a frustrated snort Applejack lead the unicorn through the crowd." It should say, "With a frustrated snort Applejack led the unicorn through the crowd." Also, in the fourth or fifth chapter when Sable follows Applejack down into the cellar there isn't actually any mention of Spritzer in the barn or with those two before they went into the cellar. Finally my biggest problem with this story is the fact that you didn't bother coming up with any original constellations, and unique stories for Equestria's constellations. I understand that in one of the episodes there is an Ursa Major reference, however I do believe that Equestria would have a unique system of constellations and stories for those constellations. Overall though I believe this story is beautifully written, and that it has a lot of heart. I am definitely looking forward to where it is going.
2093289 Weelll... I had my reasons. One is that Andromeda really does look like a pony bucking at a tree if you squint at it right. There are other reasons too, but some of them are esoteric, some involve complex lumps of headcanon and some just don't make sense.
That said, I do plan on a fairly significant edit of the first chapter at some point. I might just replace the constellations as well when I do that.
2093281
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* Archonix shakes a fist at knighty
You're probably picking up the fact that I'm a northern English writer trying to write a rural southern American character. It's entirely possible I've slipped a bunch of britishisms in there along with my relative lack of knowledge of how Applejack would actually talk. Though I did get a druthers in!
2093273 I just tried that out in my head. That... that's kind of scary.
Just wanted to say well done on an amazing and very engaging story. I must admit that I was a little put-off by the romance tag, as I tend to be uncomfortable with such things (that's just who I am), but I also love anything that looks into the past and nature of the princess sisters, and you certainly didn't disappoint there! I love the stuff with Luna's nature changing like the moon, that's not something I had encountered before and makes a lot of sense. Will certainly read the rest.
2098088 Thank you for spotting all those.
I finally had some time last night to read through to the end of part 6. I won't gush about it, but I'm not exaggerating when I say that you almost had me in tears several times. Beautiful story.
Hopefully you won't take too long to continue and finish this one, but then I'd rather you didn't rush through it.
EDIT: I guess I should clarify something, though I doubt you'll see this: By "I won't gush about it" I meant that given the time and energy I'd probably wax poetic about this story for a few pages. I love the way you handled so many aspects of this story and really made it come to life by them. That's it.
...her conscience? As in, the thing that tells her right from wrong? Should this be "consciousness"?
I couldn't help but laugh at this bit. Quite well put.
Hah! Brilliant trope subversion here. Love it.
"Who's" should be "whose", since expanding it to "who is" doesn't make sense in this context.
"Lead" should be "led" to match tense with the rest of the sentence.
Same, "lead" should be "led".
Aaand caught up. This is an excellent story, and I love your narrative style. There were several instances where I found myself chortling over a particularly well-put phrasing, and the characterization is spotless. Thanks for writing this, and I'll be eagerly watching for new chapters
2103731
You're correct that all of these instances of "lets" should be changed to "let's", but "let's" is a contraction of "let us" and isn't possessive in any way.
Fascinating tale from the past and one that might have implications for the future. It seems that Celestia really is constant whilst it is in Luna's nature to constantly change. This also seems to affect how they react to their Little Ponies' mortality.
I particularly like Twilight's understandable shock and incomprehension. She worships Celestia and Luna as being these divine figures above ordinary ponies' needs and cares. To realise that Celestia mourns her late husband to this day and that Luna has had many husbands and many families through the millennia must come as a profound shock to her. The biggest shock is that she is more than a student but is possibly a bulwark to help Celestia keep her mental balance. It's a lot for a young unicorn to take in!
Now... is this turning into a Lunajack romance?
2116223 Eeeeeyup. Yes it is.
2107812 Be dubious. I have no idea if it's even going to work. In fact that's why I'm writing it, to see if it can.
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I've been reading too much ponyfic, I can't read anything that mentions the word 'hand' without mentally replacing it with 'hoof'.
So far so good Arch. It's 'bout time I got around to reading this, and I'm looking forward to more.
Very much looking forward for more
Also need to give hiring you to make me an OC, some serious consideration.
Think i ought to get one, tho i have none in mind nor any greater desire to get one...
But i really should i think
Oh, I am enjoying this immensely!
I finally got around to reading this, and I was doing myself a disservice by waiting so long! Now onto Red Shetland, that way I can be happy no matter what story you decide to update next. Keep up the good work, I really appreciate it.
So, when do we see a continuation?
2462324 Soon.
I think you mean "secret." Though as is, it certainly is an interesting mental image. What would a coin-secreting gland even look like?
In any case, a great story so far. I love the connection of the princesses to their charges, the details of the farm, the very eventful mornings in the library...
In short, what's not to like? Looking forward to more.
2466674 Believe it or not, secrete means "to hide" as well.
... but it's made me think that Applejack probably wouldn't know that. She'd probably just say "hide".
WHY DOES THIS MAKE SO MUCH SENSE