Lunar Rosemary

by Liquid Truth

2 - Plus-One

It had been exactly one year since Twilight disappeared.

Princess Luna sat staring at the setting sun, the woods behind her silent save for the rustling of leaves from the occasional breeze. Right next to her was where Twilight’s tracks ended abruptly with absolutely no signs of continuation. It was like she had evaporated while watching the landscape.

The only clue everypony had of her departure was her last statement of going to White Tail Woods and a few notes scattered around her bedroom. Luna didn’t recognize any of the hornwritings; they were just somepony’s notes for literary analysis of a play that had been popular before her banishment. Twilight hadn’t written any of it, nor did they give any clue as to what had happened.

Even then, none of what Twilight had written said anything related to her disappearance, nor did they say anything of importance. Like their break-up.

“Oh, Twilight,” Luna whispered to the wind, “was it something I said? Was it something I did? Or were we simply not destined to be together?” She dipped her head and sighed. “It seemed that I’ll never know the answer.” She looked up again at the horizon, the sun now completely set. Lighting up her horn, she stood and spread her wings, catching the evening cold with her feathers and breeze with her ever-flowing mane and tail, then raised the moon above the horizon.

Folding back her wings, Luna sat back on the ground and watched the Undiscovered West glitter under the moonlit sky of countless stars. The plain rolling hills glowed softly from her moon’s blue tint with the occasional trees spicing up the view with uniformed landmarks. She sat there mourning for some time, letting the ambiance soak her soul with serenity and bliss, passing the time listening to the clattering branches and scampering critters.

Her ears perked up as she heard a note being sung by the wind. A note unlike those normally heard; notes that, under normal circumstances, could only be heard in the Dreamscape. She heard another note. Then another. Luna stood up as the notes took rhythm and sang. She listened carefully to the silent notes played and the unspoken words sung through the cold summer breeze.

Luna lit her horn and called, “Who are you?”

The song sped up and raised in volume as the branches joined the choir. A rumble of clouds slithered their way into the opening sequence and rattled the ground in a pitter-patter of rain while soaking the notes in a morose temper. Lightning split the sky in half. Thunder followed and broke the climax as it joined the orchestra.

A thunderstorm soon formed, smashing her hearing with claps of anguish and a guttural rumble of contempt. They sang of anger, of fury, of envy and jealousy. They asked her why.

Luna sang back an unprecise answer, not knowing the answer quite readily.

The storm went colder, slowly forming a blizzard. White encased Luna’s vision as snow battered her face and lightning struck centimeters from her. The blizzard screamed a horrible note of hatred and loathing.

Luna closed her eyes and shook her head. She sang a soft note of regret, of apology.

The Gates clapped a single beat, the sound carrying a horrible mixture of nearly every emotion known to her.

Then, there was silence.

Her eyes opened, and Luna regretted everything.

The blizzard had disappeared, leaving her behind with the same view of the Undiscovered West. The Moon shone high above, basking the land with nightly elegance and tranquil grace.

Luna sang a question.

No answer came. The wind was still and the skies were clear, the storm from before had hidden behind the mountains and the valleys.

Luna closed her eyes and took a shuddering breath. Think, she thought. She needed to think. Sitting down, she reopened her eyes and let them wander around her. She found specks of light flickering beneath the grass, the fireflies too shy to peek, let alone stare at her beauty.

Luna smiled. She sang a note of comfort, inviting the fireflies to come out.

The fireflies slowly poked their heads from their leafy protection, singing back a refrain of wonder and amazement, of respect and admiration.

Luna sang a question. A sad and distant one concerning a loved one she had lost.

The fireflies flew about and disappeared into the woods. When they returned, a few owls came out and sang of a story they had heard from their diurnal brethren. Soon followed the timberwolves, joining the choir with affirmation and loss, of fear that they had lost a beautiful soul to the barren biomes outside their world.

Luna smiled. “She’s still alive, then.” She lit her horn again, this time feeling the tugging from Equestria’s Worldgate, and she let it reach out to her soul. “Take me to her.”

The Gates opened with an angelic choir, the organ blowing out the winds and trumpets greeting her to the realm of the Worldsbridges.

She nodded and sang a thank you to the animals. Looking back to the western horizon, she saw the sky lit up to greet the sunrise.

Animals of the forest gathered around her, clutching her tight and trying to drag her back to the safety of their world; her world. No more souls needed to be lost for Evermoor.

Luna shook her head and, as the Sun rose completely from the horizon, trotted away on the westward path to Evermoor. She heard the animals sing her an overture of good fortune, the melodious notes reverberating across the Prairie of Betwixt and over the horizon.

Luna waved a departing hoof, singing back gratitude and a promise to return with her beloved.