On Wandering Sunlight

by Fleety

A Wandering Sun

Tears rolled down her eyes as she stared hopelessly up into the night sky and at the bright moon that now shone brightly, slightly larger and closer to her. The moon seemed just so bright now that the eclipse has passed.

Celestia didn’t know how long she had stared at the newly formed face of a mare on the moon. A bunch of craters on the moon should not be able to talk, but in Celestia’s broken mind it felt like her sister was talking to her again.

“Not another step.” That voice was full of hate, seeming to resonate through the air. “Did you really expect her to sit idly by while they all bask in your precious light?”

“Please sister, give me a chance. Can’t you open your eyes and see the path you're walking?” Again another voice spoke in a mocking tone.

“There can only be one princess in Equestria, and that princess will be me!” Another voice spoke out loudly.

“Enough of this Luna, you must lower the moon!” A sing-song voice sang.

She regretted not acting sooner. If only she had, she would not have lost the only family she had left. Now she would be stuck alone.

“You chose your subjects and nation over your sister, your only family. This is the path you’ve taken and there is no turning back.”

“Luna, no!” Celestia croaked out the words. “It wasn’t meant to be like this.”

“Oh but you did, and you’ve banished her to this barren rock of a prison to rot for the centuries to come!”

“She would,” Celestia whimpered, the strength in her legs giving away as she fell to the ground, “She will return to me.”

“She is not the same mare you knew. You're too late.” The voice from the moon laughed once more. “She will never see you the same way again.”

Celestia had no strength left to argue, the adrenaline she had from the fight was wearing off. That was when she felt a sharp sting right in her gut and felt something warm drip down her chest. Blood.

She felt herself becoming more lightheaded as the world around her became a haze. Her eyes lost focus despite her efforts to concentrate. Before her world faded she could hear the sounds of armoured hooves galloping on the ground.

“She’s this way guards! Hurry!” Somepony called out loudly from the hallway, Celestia could hear their steps as they ran at a steady pace to get to her.

---

The following day felt like a blur to Celestia, like a haze had shrouded her world. She lay in her bed, body still aching slightly from her wounds with each movement she made. There was no point in getting out of bed and Celestia was content to remain where she was, beneath the cover sheets, and time moved on.

Time passed.

Minutes became hours and hours became days.

First it was the doctors who tended to her, and slowly grew with concern. Then came her nobles and courtiers, with well wishes for their sovereign, and slowly grew distant. Then came her generals and captains, with fear and frustration in their eyes.

Eventually she had enough and shunned them all away. Could they not see that she was mourning? She did not want to be disturbed.

That had been days ago and Celestia had forgotten what they were all mewling about; their questions sounded mundane to her, or were they urgent?

Eventually the voices of her subjects began to become one of hate as they accused her of negligence. Some had even dared to claim that she had become just as terrible as her sister was. Their moment of doubt was paid fairly with an order to her guards and have them removed.

She felt a twinge of guilt and she turned in her bed sheets to stare at the moonlit sky out the window. From what little she recalled, Equestria was in chaos with some revolts occurring following the aftermath of Luna’s turn to…

She did not continue that train of thought and closed her eyes, hoping that she would not have any more nightmares. She was wrong.

---

How many more days had passed since she had entered the infirmary? Celestia wondered to herself as she faced the ponies that stood before her. They were her courtiers and guards.

Ever since she had shunned them their visits had become less frequent and she had grown used to the solitude environment she found herself in. Content to letting herself feel the pain and loneliness that Luna did.

However, now that her subjects had all gathered before her she knew that it was a sign that her time was up.

She wondered if Equestria still loved their princess and needed her. Maybe she would end up like her sister who was now hated.

It had only taken a few minutes, Celestia herself feeling frustrated and defiant, even accusing them of treason. Yet she knew they were right in the end, Equestria needed a leader to guide them at this hour and she was not ready for this yet.

She approved of their decision to form a regency council that would rule in her stead till she was ready. Perhaps that was the best decision.

That had happened hours ago and now it was night. The stars seemed so bright and beautiful, as if they were her sister’s mane.

“A fate you rightfully deserve, but you deserve more than that.” The voice in Celestia’s mind spoke once more. “See how the ruler of the sun has finally abandoned her subjects for her own selfish needs, just like how she had abandoned her sister.”

Somewhere in her heart, Celestia knew it to be true. How could she have been so foolish as to abandon everything like this? All the memories of the past came flooding in, she felt her own dread and she cried. The tears fell down her cheeks as she screamed into the night.

Comments

[FanOfMostEverything]

Post-banishment Celestia angst a well-traveled road, and this doesn't do much to offer new scenery. The main issue is that after the first scene, it glosses over everything in order to meet the word count. You might have been better suited extending Celestia's conversation with the moon and ending on guards rushing in, or cutting to a different perspective to show her delusional and muttering to herself. As is, you do do a good job of showing the gray malaise of depression, but there's just not enough to grip the reader's attention.

Still, there's undeniable potential here. It could be excellent if expanded. Best of luck in the judging.

[Bicyclette]

Celestia didn’t know how long she had stared at the newly formed face of a mare on the moon. A bunch of craters on the moon should not be able to talk, but in Celestia’s broken mind it felt like her sister was talking to her again.

augh, yeah, that makes all too much sense with the mare on the moon taking the form of a face! and her having to see a reminder of her sister every night for a thousand years like that...

Celestia had no strength left to argue, the adrenaline she had from the fight was wearing off. That was when she felt a sharp sting right in her gut and felt something warm drip down her chest. Blood.

that isn't good at all! and wow, this was right after their epic battle then, with this being her own injuries from it?

Eventually the voices of her subjects began to become one of hate as they accused her of negligence. Some had even dared to claim that she had become just as terrible as her sister was. Their moment of doubt was paid fairly with an order to her guards and have them removed.

augh, Celestia doing this to protect her subjects from what Luna had become, but ending up with said subjects blaming her for her aloofness, that is oof...

“A fate you rightfully deserve, but you deserve more than that.” The voice in Celestia’s mind spoke once more. “See how the ruler of the sun has finally abandoned her subjects for her own selfish needs, just like how she had abandoned her sister.”

and augh, imagining all this as the voice of Luna/Nightmare Moon in her head. heartbreaking to imagine Celestia living through the centuries with her loneliness and regrets, blaming herself for what had happened to Luna all the while. and that detail of her subjects now hating Luna! she would have had to watch that go from hate to forgetting as anything more than a myth lost to the mists of time.

ah, poor Celestia!