Sun and Moon

by Graymane Shadow

Tendrils in the Garden

The faint sound of laughter drifted through the halls of the Solar Wing, lending warmth to the cool night air. The guards were not fully accustomed to the late-night walks of Princess Celestia and the recently-returned Princess Luna, and the laughter certainly helped calm their still-sharp nerves over the matter.

In some respects, Celestia felt as though Luna had only been gone a short while. While the variables were different – to be expected after a thousand years – many of the problems Celestia faced on the day to day were the same as they had been in that forgotten age. It made discussing things with her surprisingly easy.

“Is it wrong of me to feel a touch regretful that I did not simply wipe out their ancestors when I was Nightmare Moon?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow, but allowed herself to smile. She knew Luna had a long road to recovery ahead of her, and if black humor was part of what her sister needed to cope, she wouldn’t judge her.

“Life might indeed have been simpler without them, but they do have their uses.” She sighed. “Even if that can be hard to remember somedays.”

The current trouble with the nobles stemmed from the pony at her side. While some of them had welcomed Luna’s return with open hooves, the majority continued to focus on what she had done as Nightmare Moon and insisted that Celestia ‘deal with the threat appropriately’.

Those nobles had seen a new side of Celestia that day, one they found not to their liking.

As they walked onward, Luna stared thoughtfully at the floor for a few moments. “If it would make things easier, I can abdicate my title.”

Celestia started to shake her head before pausing, judging the look on her sister’s face, the slump of her shoulders.

“The garden is this way,” she said, wrapping one wing around Luna to gently guide her outside, where there were fewer ears.

They walked in silence for some time, passing several statues – with both sisters casting glares at Discord’s statue – before coming to one of Celestia’s favorite spots; a small garden surrounding a fountain.

With a quick flash, Celestia cast a silencing spell, shutting out the few guards that were posted in the gardens. She wanted complete privacy for this.

“What do you want, Luna?”

Luna, who had taken a place not far from her sister, looked away.

“What I want doesn’t matter,” she whispered. “Equestria has seen what happens when I reach for things I want. If she…no, if they decide they wish to be rid of me…I will concede their request.”

Celestia tried not to grind her teeth. A thousand years to prepare, and she’d put her sister back in the exact same position as before; feeling unwanted and unloved. “And where would you go?”

“There are places I have not seen for ages,” Luna replied, speaking more strongly now. She’d clearly rehearsed this pitch several times. “Even before my banishment, my duties had limited my travel. I would seek them out, and find what has become of those lands, those creatures.”

Wanting to draw Luna’s thinking to the conclusion, Celestia decided to play along. “There is still no Crystal Empire, Luna. The Frozen North remains as it was when we last fought Sombra. The griffons fell into shadow long ago, their pride and dignity forgotten. The yaks are on cool terms with us at best, and the hippogriffs…well, we haven’t communicated for some time.”

Luna made no reply.

“Would you mind a companion on your journey?”

“Who would want to come with the monster?” Luna asked, brushing the grass back with one forehoof.

“I would.”

That got Luna’s attention. “Sister, this is not a joking matter.”

“I would,” Celestia repeated, more forcefully this time. “I will not abandon you again, Luna. Even if you told me I could not accompany you, I would still follow.”

“Then who would lead Equestria?” Luna got back to her hooves, moving to stand in front of her sister. “These ponies need you, Tia. You cannot abandon them without a successor, and I do not believe the young niece you introduced me to is prepared to take your place!”

“Cadance is not ready to ascend to the throne,” Celestia admitted. “But neither were we. Given enough support – which I can amply provide – she would rise to the challenge, if asked.”

Luna stared at Celestia, her jaw agape. “You…you would give up your crown for me?”

“Is that not what you’re offering to do for my sake?” Celestia smiled. “How could I do less than my sister?”

To Celestia’s surprise, Luna stepped forward, nuzzling her tightly. She felt the warm wetness of tears dripping onto her neck, and wrapped one foreleg around Luna’s small form.

“You continue to show me kindness I do not deserve,” Luna whispered. “What I did…what I nearly did to your student and her friends…”

“You were not yourself,” Celestia reminded her. “The Luna I knew long ago – the Luna I see before me now – would never do such things.” She squeezed. “Incidentally, it’s a Luna I wish to keep around for a long, long time.”

“But the-“

“Forget them, Luna.” Celestia pushed Luna away gently, far enough to allow her to look in Luna’s eyes. “The nobles will complain about what they will. They lack the support to do more than that. All they can do is be a headache.” Taking a breath, Celestia repeated her question. “What do you want, Luna?”

Luna bit her lip. “I want a chance to prove that I can be what I should have been. Not just your sister, but Diarch in my own right.”

Celestia smiled. “And I want nothing more than for the ponies of Equestria to see you for who you truly are. A kind, caring soul, a pony that – having suffered much – will know how to help those who struggle with their own demons and weaknesses.”

She yawned then, the stress of the day finally catching up with her. “Now, if you don’t mind, we’ll continue talking about this tomorrow.”

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Si, olvídense del potro al que le arruinaron la infancia con el ambiente político.