New Endings, Old Starts

by David Silver

127 - Sister Sister

"Mmm..." Celestia stood properly in her courtroom, just in front of her throne.

"I know that 'mmm'." Luna inclined an ear. "What's wrong?"

"I feel... disconnected." Celestia kept her expression carefully neutral, lest she worry her little ponies. "It is difficult to explain, but I have long been guided... I don't know what by, but it has wanted the best for me and all ponykind, so I bear it no ill will, and now... it feels like it's gone."

"Is that why you accept such strange things in stride?" Luna looked towards a window as if the answer was waiting just past it, but it was not, alas. "What changed, besides how you are feeling, sister?"

"Hm... Nothing locally... I... Oh. I'm being silly. There's a good chance I have the answer."

"Glad to hear." Luna nodded along with that. "Who or what has the answer? Let's get to the bottom of this."

"We both know a pony." Celestia's neutrality was broken with a serene smile. "She's usually at the center of trouble, if I'm not already."

It clicked. "Twilight?"

"I'll send her a letter." With a magical glimmer, a scroll appeared with a quill to write on it. "Let's see if she's seen anything."

Luna reached up, putting a hoof between the paper and the quill. "Thank you for reminding me. There's already something curious near her, and it may be related. Recall, sister mine, that filly you divested onto Fluttershy? The one you didn't remember doing that to?"

"But what would a filly have to do with this?" She paused her quill with a thoughtful scrunch of her face. "She was just a lost filly... Certainly Fluttershy could handle that?"

"I am not speaking of Fluttershy's abilities." She brushed the scroll aside. "But, mayhaps, we should start there. That is the first of the oddness, is it not?"

"Odd things have come and gone since then... Let's not forget the magic stealing incident." She snorted in memory of Cozy Glow's actions. "What makes you so certain?"

"I'm not." Luna stood up. "But, we can inspect that ourselves and not even bother Twilight."

"You have a point there... Luna, since you seem interested, would it be a bother for you to chase this lead?"

"You're not coming?" Luna turned slowly in place on her hooves. "I thought you would be."

"I'd love to... But I have a nation to run, sister. And that has no breaks. Your work, at least, comes in predictable waves. So, if you're feeling up for it?" Celestia rolled a hoof with the last of that. "If not, I can write Twilight."

"No! No... I can handle this." Luna fluffed up at almost being gone past in the process. "That will not be required." She strode from the room with growing determination to see it done.

Celestia nodded at her parting sister. "I knew you could do it."

Luna called for her personal guard and stepped onto the chariot, borne through the sky on their dependable wings to Ponyville. Well, technically, the outskirts of Ponyville, where Fluttershy's cottage rested.

A large canine figure was just across from it, watching Luna and her entourage appear and approach in the sky. Luna inclined her head at the creature. "It's been some time..."

Cracked allowed her tongue to lol into the air, panting softly. "It has been. Princess Luna, you still draw breath."

"I do." Luna stepped free of the chariot, descending on wings towards the ground. "As do you... The sight of you would have aroused quite a bit of worry, in the past, but you hardly seem to be hunting ponies."

"I hunt what does not ask me not to hunt it." Cracked looked Luna over. "Have you also changed?"

"I have!" Luna looked proud at that. "I am now the guardian of dreams, in addition to guarding the night."

"My sleep is undisturbed." Cracked stretched powerfully enough to cause a few pops in the process. "You must be doing your duty well. Hm. There was a time we'd already be locked in battle."

"I remember them..." Luna could cast her memory back that far, before her banishment, when creatures like Cracked were a real problem for ponies. "I thought all of you and yours were... removed."

"Starswirl had his way with me... It is only by the kindness of another pony that she invited me back to this world." Cracked huffed softly. "Did you come to see me? I'm flattered."

With a loud clatter of metal against metal, Luna's carriage arrived accompanied by her guards. "Ah, you can all stay here," she bade them. "I have business inside." She turned to the cottage.

"Wait." Cracked took a dangerous step forward. "She is under my protection. What do you need with her?" she asked with a low growl building.

"I only wish to speak to her." Luna turned back to the agitated hound. "Are you two that close?"

"She is my savior." Cracked leaned in closer to Luna, hot breath washing over the princess. "I will not allow her to be harmed in my presence." She paused. "Though... there is little that could harm her..."

Luna's guards had freed themselves from the carriage. As one, they drew spears and assumed a ready stance to battle with the great canine/pony thing. She spread her wings, forestalling them. "I am happy to see you have gained an attachment. I will not harm her, this I promise."

With the situation handled for the moment, Luna proceeded towards the house. "She is just a filly," she muttered to herself on the way. "Surely many things could harm her, not that I'd want to."

Cracked settled in front of the guards. "What manner of ponies are you?" She inclined her great head. "Like pegasi, but... not birds." She reached out a hoof and casually brushed one of their furry and leathery wings. "A bat?"

The guard scrambled back away from the petting, unasked for. "We are lunar pegasi, ma'am! We protect Luna!" The others called out in agreement with that. "We will not let you hurt a single hair on her body."

Cracked hummed gently. "Then we agree. We both have a mare we'd see kept safe." She didn't look very threatened by the guards, spears or not. "Lunar pegasi, hm... Cute." She reached for another guard, petting their tufted ears.

Luna knocked on the door and sat on her haunches. The door opened an instant later, a floating filly there with swirling eyes and a big smile. Was that... "Hello."

"Hi!" Screwball waved wildly. "Ooo, you're big!" She darted out of the house to circle around Luna curiously. "Hello!"

"Hello." Luna didn't turn with Screwball's orbits. "I am looking for the one called Comforting Shade. Are you them?"

"Wow! No... That'd be neat. Do you think I could be a good Comforting?" She darted in just in front of Luna, but upside down. "I'd try my best, promise!"

"Then you are not." With that decided, she moved on. "Are you... Do you live here?"

"Yes." Screwball hovered in front of Luna. "With my sister, Comforting, and my mom, Fluttershy. They're super great!" She threw up her hooves to emphasize that. "Maybe the best."

Luna cocked a brow. "Fluttershy is a good pony..." But the best? Really? "Are either at home? I would care to speak with them, especially Comforting."

"I'll check!" She zipped inside, leaving the door hanging open.

"Well..." Luna advanced past the unguarded door, willing it shut behind herself. "Hello?"

Comforting appeared with the sound of a bubble popping. "Hi! Oh! Luna!" She excitedly bounded up towards the princess of the night. "Luna! Wow..." She was even prettier than Comforting remembered her in the pictures of her past life. "You are amazing."

"Thank you?" Luna inclined her head at the strange amalgamation that was Comforting. "Are you Comforting Shade?"

"Yep." Comforting put a hippogriff's hand beside her snout. "Screwie! I found her."

"You did?" Screwball hurried from the back, floating along as quickly as she could. "Yay! Here's Comforting. Should I look for mom too?"

Luna shook her head. "Allow me to speak with Comforting first. Good afternoon, Comforting. Have you time to talk?"

"Yes." Comforting sat in a chair that hadn't been there a moment ago. "How can I help?"

Luna sank to her haunches, the chair all ponies brought with them. "You were brought here by my sister, is this not correct?"

"Ye...s. She did that." She remembered Celestia bringing her, confused, to Fluttershy's door. "Tell her I said thank you. This is a great place to be."

"She did not mention you were... This." Luna wobbled a hoof over Comforting's exotic form. "Did she forget that part?"

"That happened later. I'm alright, promise." She crossed her heart to show how serious she was. "And it's not Celestia's fault. My bad, and a little Discord. Um. I'm not making trouble..."

"I doubted you were, or Twilight would have been prompted to action." Luna reached out for the child, patting her carefully. "How curious... You're certain you feel alright? You are not a pony."

"No, but I'm something else that's kind of cool." Comforting shrugged at the comparison. "And I still like ponies, a lot."

"This is good to hear. Now... You may not know any of this, but you are a safe place to begin. My sister, she is visited by a guiding presence. Often in her dreams, actually. Do--" She paused, seeing Comforting flinch. "You know something?"

"Yeah... Not sure if I should say anything..." She reached up for her mail menu, but before her finger could get there, a chime said a new letter had arrived. "Oh!" Though Luna couldn't see it, Comforting went ahead with pulling up the new letter.

Hello,

I was watching you, so I saw this happening and thought I'd write to you as quickly as possible. That is Princess Luna. She is not a direct agent of mine. You know her relationship with Princess Celestia. Please help her as far as you can. She is a good pony. Oh, and you are free to tell her my new name.

Please,
Amity

Comforting sent back a smiley face quickly. "Alright! Looks like I can tell you."

Luna blinked, entirely ignorant of that exchange, just seeing the curious motions of Comforting's silent communication. "That... is good? Then, please, tell me. What do you know of what troubles my sister, and how can we address it?"

"We have to rewind a little." Comforting quickly wound back with her hands as if working an unseen casette tape. "In the time before me!" she boomed far louder than her small form should have allowed, with the proper reverb for effect. "When ponies were a confused and disparate people, a young force came into being, the best of ponykind, driving them ever onwards."

Luna inclined her head. "I... see? How does this involve my sister?"

With a call of "Okay, fast-forward a little...", the sound of a VHS tape being sped up filled the air. "Celestia is without a sister. She is trying her best, but... it is a lot. With the chaos all around, the force came to her with portents and clues. A helping hoof, it shows what must be done, and Celestia does them. Equestria thrives under their shared love and care."

Luna clapped slowly. "I... see? So why did that stop working? My sister is quite upset."

"I happened," admitted Comforting with a little deflating. "I was dying, but I was Harmony's friend. That was her name back then. She rescued me, and, with Discord's help, I became this." Many signs appeared, arrows pointed at Comforting. "And with that... things broke a little... Harmony couldn't see very well, and her connection to her agents, like Celestia, got frayed really badly..."

Luna flattened her ears back. "Are you saying your very life is so against the order?"

"Let's not get that extreme!" Comforting waved warding hands at Luna. "But it threw things off. I'm helping Amity, that's her new name. She's doing way better, but she's working differently. I'm her agent."

"And my sister is not..." Luna slowly inclined her head. "This is a lot to take in."

Author's Note:

You were warned the sisters were on the way. Warnings were given! Luna knows the truth of things, but what will she do with that knowledge?

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Comments

[Theresa]

Just because things change doesn't mean it can't be good. Celestia probably would have retried and put twilight on the throne if nothing changed. I hope that if that happens she asks this time around if twilight wants this. Comforting has helped folks that might have been overlooked otherwise but everyone needs help sometimes and this way they get it. Hopefully when Luna understands the whole story she will understand that Comforting is a good sort.

[Cyana Flame]

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

Luna called for her personal guard and stepped onto the chariot, borne through the sky on their depandable wings to Ponyville. Well, technically, the outskirts of Ponyville, where Fluttershy's cottage rested.

Should be
their dependable wings

[Amethyst Dragonfly]

Can Amity still call on others through their Cutie Mark?

Is Comforting Shade the only direct agent that Amity currently has?

[David Silver]

11593357
The cutie map still functions. Celestia is not by the cutie map, alas.

[Twinkie Sprinkle]

I had initially forgotten that Cracked would have been around way back when Luna was much younger.

Very interesting to see Luna bringing her Lunar Pegasus guards.

Screwie is cutely innocent as usual.

Comforting discussing big, cosmic, magic related matters has naturally started out in a bit of an awkward way, but hopefully it won't be that way for too long.