Mirror Equestria

by FujiwaraJunko

Talking with Luna

Since the Nightmare Moon incident 3 days ago, Luna has been staying with Sunset in the Golden Oak Library. Sunset avoided being home in the day, during which the night Alicorn rested to recuperate from turning back from Nightmare Moon behind a barrier Sunset had set up to block out disturbances. She only returned at night to sleep, while Luna would be out exploring Equestria, probably to catch up on everything she had missed out on. Ever since figuring out that Luna was Celestia’s sister, Sunset had wanted to talk to her, especially since she was the only pony who knew Celestia other than her in this world. But that would require her to explain how she knew Celestia, which meant that she would have to reveal her past to Luna. She could always lie about it, but it wouldn’t feel right. She wasn’t her past self who lied to get her way anymore. No, she would do this tonight, and she would do it right. No lying, no playing down her misdeeds. It’s time for her to face her past and move on. After all, her past is not today.

---

“P-Princess Luna? Are you awake?” She asked as she peeked into the room, only to see Luna standing in the middle of the library.

“Yes, I am. Just Luna is fine.” Luna said as she turned to her. “You came at a good time, Sunset Shimmer. I was hoping to speak with you.”

“Speak? With me? About what?” Sunset asked as she hesitantly trotted inside. Luna seemed hesitant for a while before she spoke again.

“Well, to begin with, I suppose it would be nice to get to know you better.” Sunset stared for a while before chuckling.

“Funny, I was gonna talk to you about the same thing.” She said as she walked over and sat down, Luna doing the same. “I guess I should start from the beginning. I’m not sure if you realised, but I’m actually from another world, just like this one, except Celestia never fled after banishing you to the moon and instead stayed behind to rule over Equestria from the Canterlot Castle. That’s where I’m from.” Luna seemed intrigued by that.

“Hm… Interesting. I suppose this castle doesn’t exist here then, since the old castle still stood on the night I was banished. I assume Celestia in your world must have built this new castle you speak of after our fight, considering what it did to the old castle.” Luna grimaced at that.

“That’s where the Elements of Harmony were, right? The old castle… Did you see it when you went to look for the Elements?” Sunset asked curiously.

“I saw what remained of it.” Luna’s reply made Sunset laugh. With that, the tension lifted and Sunset suddenly felt a lot more comfortable with Luna, even if she had been intimidated just seconds ago. “It just occurred to me that since your world’s Celestia didn’t flee after the battle, you must be the only other pony here who has possibly met her other than me.” Sunset nodded.

“I did. In fact, I was a filly she took in as her personal student after my magical outburst during a fever left the orphanage in ruins. I lived with her in the castle since, and I knew things about her that other ponies wouldn’t know.”

“Like her secret cake stash?” Luna guessed with an amused smirk, Sunset’s grin matching hers.

“And how the Sun Princess isn’t a morning pony.” Luna laughed.

“Indeed, she isn’t. I always had to wake her to raise the sun after lowering the moon before I went to bed and it was a nightmare.” Sunset chuckled.

“Tell me about it. As an active little filly, I recall jumping on her to wake her because I wanted to watch her raise the sun and she didn’t even budge!” They both laughed at that. Little by little, Sunset opened up to Luna about her past, not missing out a single misdeed she had done, while at the same time sharing about their memories, especially those of the pony who connected them. Luna frowned as she listened to Sunset’s recollections of what had driven her to this world.

“Leave it to my sister to be so oblivious to the longing of another, especially those closest to her. You are practically her adopted daughter, and she’s the only pony who can remain blind to that fact and not treat you as such!” Sunset nodded sullenly.

“I know! I mean, she literally did the same to you, and she still didn’t learn her lesson with me.” She looked down dejectedly. “But still, she’s not to blame for what I did. Sure, her actions influenced my thoughts, but ultimately, I was the one who chose to act on them.” Luna nodded as she draped a wing over Sunset comfortingly.

“We have both done terrible things, Sunset Shimmer, and we cannot pretend we didn’t.” Sunset nodded as she hung her head in shame. “However, things that are past are best left in the past. Don’t dwell on what ifs and what could be, and instead, learn from past misdeeds to redeem yourself in the present. Forgiveness comes not just from others, but from oneself as well. You’ll have to learn how to forgive yourself in order to truly move on.” Sunset teared up as she listened to Luna.

“Ok. I’ll try.” She sniffled as she wiped a tear away. “I’m kinda scared about meeting Celestia too.” She confessed with a sigh. “I mean, what if she doesn’t forgive me?”

“I assure you, she will.” Luna smiled reassuringly. “My sister is anything but unforgiving. And besides, you haven’t done anything to the Celestia here. I think that if you two meet, it will do you both good to talk to one another. I’m not sure if this might be too much to ask, but perhaps you can help my sister learn to forgive herself and get her to come home. After all, isn’t that how you befriended those three little fillies and I? Sometimes, to be a friend, a little empathy is needed, right?” She said with a wink. Sunset smiled softly.

“I wonder if I would’ve turned out a better pony had I met you back then. If I had somepony to talk to who understands me like you do, maybe I wouldn’t have done what I did.” Luna gave her a look.

“What did I just say about dwelling on what ifs and what could be?” Sunset chuckled.

“Right. Of course, Princess.” She said, giving her an exaggerated bow, making Luna laugh.

“Think, Sunset, if we had not gone through what we did, we wouldn’t understand each other so well, would we?”

“That’s true.” Sunset grinned. “You know, if an Element of Forgiveness exists, I think you’d be a pretty good match.”

“I think that would suit you more. Although, hearing about your achievements here, I believe the Element of Empathy would be a better match.” Sunset chuckled.

“That’d be interesting. Who knows, it might even be what my geode represents if it exists.”

“If it exists.” Luna’s smile was mysterious in a way Sunset couldn’t describe, but before she could ponder further, Luna stood up.

“Where are you going?” Sunset asked. Luna looked to her.

“I have imposed on you for longer than I should have. I wanted to bring you with me, but I understand now that you still have a purpose here, as do I. It’s time I return home.”

“You’re going back to Canterlot?” Luna paused for a while before nodding.

“More accurately, you could say I’m going to my sister’s side.” Sunset nodded in understanding.

“I see. Well, if you ever find Celestia, will you let me know?” Luna smiled at her past her shoulder as she walked to the door.

“Of course.” She spread her wings, ready to take flight. “It was nice getting to know a niece I never knew of.”

“Not to mention from another world.” Sunset chuckled, stopping to think for a while before adding, “Next time you stop by, I’ll tell you more about Princess Cadance. She is technically your adopted niece too after all.” Luna merely chuckled softly.

“I’d like that, my dear niece.”

Author's Note:

Not much to say so...
Enjoy!

EDIT:
Changed a bit of Luna's words for the future

Comments

[Comickook]

Excellent job on the chat between Sunset and Luna (particularly concerning how surprisingly much they have in common and Sunset mentioning her universe's Cadance [as I said in an earlier review, it's a reasonably safe bet that the native Cadance is still a Pegasus in this universe since all of her friends thought alicorns were just legends until they met Nightmare Moon/Luna]). And Luna had a good point when she said that 1. for all of Celestia's flaws, holding grudges isn't one of them and 2. This native Celestia isn't the one from Sunset's universe. And, yeah, Luna correctly guessed Sunset's actual element.

Once again, the exchange, characterizations and future chapter set-up are quite well done and I'm VERY certainly looking forward to more of this.

[Vaguely Demented]

Kind of expected a road trip to be honest.

[Vaguely Demented]

10219054
It’s either that or they broke in to her domicile and came near to getting mission impossible cutie marks.

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

Since the Nightmare Moon incident 3 days ago, Luna has been staying with Sunset in the Golden Oak Library. Sunset avoided being home in the day, during which the night Alicorn rested to recuperate from turning back from Nightmare Moon behind a barrier Sunset had set up to block out disturbances. She only returned at night to sleep, while Luna would be out exploring Equestria, probably to catch up on everything she had missed out on. Ever since figuring out that Luna was Celestia’s sister, Sunset had wanted to talk to her, especially since she was the only pony who knew Celestia other than her in this world. But that would require her to explain how she knew Celestia, which meant that she would have to reveal her past to Luna. She could always lie about it, but it wouldn’t feel right. She wasn’t her past self who lied to get her way anymore. No, she would do this tonight, and she would do it right. No lying, no playing down her misdeeds. It’s time for her to face her past and move on. After all, her past is not today.

Still feels odd how her behavior changed so quickly after casting that spell she made in the prologue.

“Hm… Interesting. I suppose this castle doesn’t exist here then, since the old castle still stood on the night I was banished. I assume Celestia in your world must have built this new castle you speak of after our fight, considering what it did to the old castle.” Luna grimaced at that.

She did in canterlot.

“Like her secret cake stash?” Luna guessed with an amused smirk, Sunset’s grin matching hers.

“And how the Sun Princess isn’t a morning pony.” Luna laughed.

Yep!

“Ok. I’ll try.” She sniffled as she wiped a tear away. “I’m kinda scared about meeting Celestia too.” She confessed with a sigh. “I mean, what if she doesn’t forgive me?”

And will this Celestia even recognize or know her?

“I think that would suit you more. Although, hearing about your achievements here, I believe the Element of Empathy would be a better match.” Sunset chuckled.

It is.

“Not to mention from another world.” Sunset chuckled, stopping to think for a while before adding, “Next time you stop by, I’ll tell you more about Princess Cadance. She is technically your adopted niece too after all.” Luna merely chuckled softly.

Decided to mention her eh.

[AvoidingFever17]

“That’s true.” Sunset grinned. “You know, if an Element of Forgiveness exists, I think you’d be a pretty good match.”

somewhere outside the realm of fimfiction
the element of forgiveness shines
Heh neat