A Long Time Ago...
Princess Flurry Heart stared almost dumbfounded at the elderly Princess of the Night and Dreams standing in the doorway of the old EUP cabin, who gave her a soft smile.
"Heh, it has been quite a long time since I have been called that, child," Luna said.
Flurry smiled back.
"I'm sure it's been an equally long time since anyone has called me 'child'," she replied.
Luna stepped aside, inviting the younger alicorn inside.
"Come in, come in, out of the cold, your highness. I'm sure there's quite a bit that we can learn from each other."
Flurry stepped into the cabin, and Luna closed the door behind her.
It was largely as she remembered it from the last time this cabin was staffed by a Crystal Guard. Luna had done very little in renovations, except for keeping up maintenance, ensuring it stayed livable and the interior was suitably shielded from the outside elements.
"I'm afraid I can only offer you tea, milk, or water. I only asked for the most basic necessities from your guard. I apologize for the subterfuge, but I didn't want word to spread that I was up here before the time was right," Luna told her as she sat down next to the crackling fireplace.
"I'm fine, thank you, but I don't understand. You've been up here all this time?" Flurry asked, stepping up to the fireplace and it's inviting warmth.
"That entirely depends on what you mean by "all this time," Luna began, sipping at her tea. "For the past... Forty years or so, and I will explain why, but first let's talk about why you have come all the way up here. I can only assume it has to do with that worsening weather that is not moving from above the Empire."
Flurry nodded, sitting down across from Luna.
"I've been having recurring nightmares for weeks now, to the point where I'm convinced it's a premonition. I've gotten so worried that Spike told me you were up here when I told him I needed a dreamwalker to help me consider what it is, and what I can possibly do about it," Flurry explained. Luna nodded in understanding.
"Yes, Spike was one of the very few I told when I came up here. He made arrangements for monthly supply runs up here, only the bare necessities, so as to not place any unneeded strain on your city's populace."
"Everypony I talked to believed you vanished after... After Celestia..."
Princess Luna nodded, and Flurry didn't need to complete her sentence.
"Seeing my sister pass was one of the hardest days of my life, and it led to the loneliest days. I quickly grew incredibly restless, and decided to leave Silver Shoals. I spent the next few decades traveling, to every corner of Equestria and beyond; the dragon lands, Griffonstone, Maretania, Antleria, Abyssinia, Farasi... I went everywhere, pondering what was in store for me... And how long I had left."
Flurry didn't say anything, choosing to listen intently, assuming that Luna had more to say.
"I never truly accepted that my responsibility to Equestria ended along with my sister's when Princess Twilight took over. Not when I spent a millennium rightfully imprisoned for my crimes. I always felt that resuming my duties of tending to the moon and dreamwalking were not enough for repentance. So towards the end of my travels, I also began to have premonitions, and that is what drove me up here."
"You too?" Flurry asked. Luna nodded.
"And I am hoping that we can help each other with them. So, tell me, how have things been down in the valley? Down in the city?" Luna asked.
Flurry ruffled her wings momentarily.
"For the most part, unbearably dull. Mom was right. I've spent years upon years wishing for something exciting, and now... With everything that's been happening... I want to go back to dull. Be careful what you wish for and all, I guess. Can I assume you've heard what happened to Cloudsdale?" Flurry asked.
Luna nodded solemnly.
"Ponies have let small differences and arguments get to them, and have let them become greater divisions. They have slowly forgotten everything that Princess Twilight and her friends have taught them. Even the other kingdoms across Equus are beginning to distance themselves from us and each other once again. My greatest fear is that Chrysalis, Tirek, and Cozy Glow did ultimately succeed in the long term," Luna reflected.
"Canterlot has become unbearably overpopulated when Cloudsdale collapsed on it six months ago. The last report I received is that conflict is inevitable. How can we possibly stop something like that?" Flurry asked.
"We should look to what has brought us together, Princess; our premonitions. How spent are you from the climb? It has been some time since I have performed spells like this, but the more in need of rest you are, the easier this will be," Luna told her.
Flurry looked at the oak and bronze clock on the wall above the fireplace; it was late afternoon, and alteration spell keeping the cold at bay or not, she felt she could nod off if she got comfortable enough.
"I think I could take a nap, yes," she told the Princess of the Night.
Luna motioned to the couch against the front wall as she got to her hooves. The Crystal Princess made her way over to it, stretching out on it, getting as comfortable as she could. Luna made her way over to a modest twin bed in the back corner. She slowly laid down, bringing her head to rest on the single pillow, and closed her eyes as she began to concentrate.
The only sounds were the cracking of the fireplace, and the howling wind outside as both ponies attempted to slow their breathing, and relax as much as possible.
"Somnum," she whispered, her horn beginning to glow. As Flurry began to feel more and more drowsy, falling into a deep slumber, a single mote of light left the very tip of Luna's horn, slowly floating across the cabin over to where the Crystal Princess slept on the couch, and softly landed on her forehead, connecting the two alicorns in the world of dreams...
Ah. I see. The point of this is to teach Sunny and the others who the real enemies were and what they wanted....and seem to have gotten.
I assume that Cadance, twilight and her friends are all passed now too
There's still some theories that even though those guys are frozen statue their influence still lingers on to ponies and creatures poisoning the mind and it is sad to see this happen
Oh wow so it looks like both of them had a premonition about the event of the new generation slowly how ponies and creatures are being divided and it looks like the Legion of Doom influence got the best of them so the trying to figure out how to stop this and I wonder what kind of dream are they dreaming about I guess we'll find out next time
Celestia's dead?
Guess that means that even alicorns like her can grow old and pass on too...
Damn, she traveled the whole comic series. That's one serious vacation.
Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
-Winston Churchill
11021940
The only question is what happened to those kingdoms and those cities and where did that other creatures go?
Dude, sleep. We are willing to wait an extra day.
Is being sleep deprived worth giving us bi-daily updates? No not in the slightest.
REALLY good job on the exchange, characterizations and future chapter set-up in this flashback chapter. Definitely appreciated Luna's account about what she has been up to since Celestia passed away (especially liking the nods to the IDW comics) as well as what she was doing up in the Frozen North.
VERY certainly looking forward to part two of this as well as more of the story in general.
I hope the connection provides a clue!
11021981
Believe me, it's better than laying in bed wired getting nothing done.
11022063
DUDE, YOU NEED TO SLEEP WE CAN WAIT AN EXTRA DAY OR 2 ITS NOT WORTH RISKING YOUR OWN MENTAL HEALTH BY NOT SLEEPING TRUST ME I KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE THAT IT IS NOT FUN.
11022182
Excuse me if I want to be productive with some writing instead of tossing and turning in bed accomplishing nothing.
I don't appreciate being lectured about my personal health choices, thank you.
11022225
Sorry
11022063
Melatonin gummies can work wonders.
11025688
Gummy doesn't need melatonin though...
I feel the same with the three losses my family has suffered since the pandemic started. First my dad's mother aka my grandmother passed 3 days before the pandemic began when she died of poor Heath at age 77. Then 2 days after Thanksgiving 2021, my grandfather aka my dads father passed at age 79 after losing a 4 month battle against a brain tumor and I was with him the last 3 days before he passed. And as recent as February 2022 my other grandfather from my moms side of my family passed at 84 from covid as well as his blindness and poor health he's been having since he turned 80 back in 2017. Loss is something that'll always hurt and I understand exactly how Luna feels, as I feel the same for the losses my family has suffered.
Sorry I had to share that, it's just hard to deal with loss, and especially if it's family.
Guess friendship was eventually gonna show its toll eventually for equestria itself.