Princess Luna’s Anthology of Final Wishes

by Drunk Luna

Moon Flower

Anger and pain began to ignite in Luna's blood like gasoline being poured onto a fire. She wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, to shake the lifeless, blue-faced teenager who lay choking on her own vomit at Luna's hooves, to ask her how she could have been so stupid, then immediately felt a wave of guilt wash over her as she learned of the circumstances. Luna found it exceptionally difficult not to judge the overdose deaths that entered her care, especially with the recent drastic uptick in such fatalities. Unlike most ponies, Luna believed that most of these deaths were the results of one stupid decision, so she preferred to classify them as suicides, excepting those ponies who had become hooked on opioids because of their doctor's recklessness and willingness to overprescribe such dangerously potent painkillers.

Moon Flower had been given an unregulated prescription of oxycodone after spraining her ankle during soccer practice, and her life had spiraled out of control when she had begun to misuse the pills. She had quickly turned to heroin, and then her dealer had given her fentanyl, an infinitesimal amount of which had proven fatal. The filly began to foam at the mouth, and Luna had to cover her own mouth to stop herself from crying at the young pony's distress. With a few sad shakes of her head, Luna entered the dream realm, where she found Moon Flower curled up into a ball, crying, and rocking back and forth. She trotted over to the filly and lay down beside her, draping a comforting wing over her shoulders.

"Moon Flower. Such a beautiful name for a beautiful young mare. I know it hurts, my dear," she whispered, nuzzling Moon Flower's cheek as the filly began to writhe and shake violently, mimicking the agonizing spasms that were still ravaging her mortal body. Luna found that this often happened to ponies whose deaths involved severe trauma, especially overdoses; they often entered the afterlife in shock, their bodies still utilizing their natural responses to pain even though they had healed completely upon arrival. "I know you're afraid, but let me promise you something right now: I give you my word that I will not allow you to feel any pain. Do you trust your Princess, Moon Flower?" Luna gave the filly another gentle, comforting nuzzle, and Moon Flower slowly lifted her head as her body began to relax.

"Y-Yes, Princess Luna," the cornflower blue filly with the white mane and tail stammered as her eyes met Luna's. "I-I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Princess. Please don't let me die. I'll do anything you want, just... just please let me live. Please, have mercy, Princess Luna! Have mercy!" Luna's eyes flooded with tears as she listened to Moon Flower's desperate pleas. She hated the overwhelming guilt and powerlessness that covered her every single time a pony begged her to spare his or her life; in reality, every single pony who reached Luna was already doomed.

Contrary to most ponies' beliefs, Luna did not possess the ability to alter time. Everypony's date of death was decided on the day they were born by a being even greater and more powerful than Celestia, Luna, the Crystal Heart, and all the Elements of Harmony combined. This entity had many names--God, nature, fate, the circle of life, to name only a few--but it was universally acknowledged as the ultimate giver and taker of all life. Its judgment was not to be questioned. Luna answered directly to this force; if she did not assist every pony on her ever-growing "transition docket," the unassisted ponies would cross over to the afterlife alone and, most of the time, afraid. During her millennium of exile from Equestria, Luna had been unable to guide anypony to eternal peace, and Celestia had left this job, as well as all of Luna's other duties in the dream realm, undone. As a result of Celestia's negligence, ponies were not only denied peaceful dreams; they had also died in unnecessary pain and fear for a thousand years. Luna's return to her throne had ushered in a new era of peaceful departures for all transitioning souls.

"Moon Flower," Luna sighed, "I am here to grant three of your most fervent wishes, but unfortunately, I cannot grant your wish for more time on Earth. I can make your final moments wonderful and peaceful, and I can help you check a few items off your 'bucket list', but I am unable to prolong your life. Believe me, I would save everypony from death if I could, but alas, I do not possess such powers, and neither does my sister. There is nothing I can do to prevent the inevitable from happening. Please, darling, relax, and do not be afraid. Now, why don't you give me the top three items on your bucket list? I will most definitely make them happen for you."

"Well," Moon Flower said thoughtfully, "I want to see the Crystal Empire. I've always wanted to visit. I also really want a beautiful dress; my parents have never been able to afford a nice dress for me, so I just want to know what it's like to feel like a beautiful princess in a gorgeous evening gown. My third wish is to attend a royal ball and dance until my hooves hurt."

"Oh, I can give you an even better experience," Luna said with a small smile. "As you may know, my niece, Princess Cadance, is the ruler of the Crystal Empire. How about I arrange a little visit? I'm sure Princess Cadance won't mind; in fact, I will have her host a royal ball in your honor, and I will have somepony design you a magnificent evening gown for the event."

"You would do that for me?" Moon Flower asked, shocked. "Princess Luna, I... I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, my dear," Luna said softly. "Now, shall we go?" Without waiting for an answer, Luna stomped her hoof once, sending both ponies to the throne room of the Crystal Castle. Princess Cadance sat on her throne, and her two-year-old daughter, Princess Flurry Heart, sat on a smaller throne next to her. Sunlight flooded the entire room on all sides with a brilliant, almost blinding glow, making the entire room sparkle like the inside of a huge, flawless diamond.

"Auntie Woona!" Flurry squealed, flying into Luna's arms excitedly. Luna giggled and hugged the alicorn filly close, positioning Flurry on her hip.

"Well, hello, little one," Luna said, kissing Flurry Heart's forehead. "I see your flying skills have improved. Has your mommy been helping you practice?" She tickled Flurry under her left wing, making the filly burst into a fit of giggles. Cadance smiled as she approached Moon Flower, who gave the princess a deep curtsy.

"Hello, Moon Flower. I'm Princess Cadance," Cadance said gently. "It's so wonderful to meet you. I see you've already met Princess Flurry Heart." She giggled and cast a smile at Flurry, who was still enjoying being fussed over by Luna.

"It's so nice to meet you, Princess Cadance," Moon Flower said, her voice squeaking with excitement. "Your castle is so beautiful! I love the view that you get from this room. Wow, you must never get tired of looking out at the Empire. Oh, no, am I talking too much? I tend to do that when I get nervous or excited. I'm sorry if it gets on your nerves; please tell me to stop if it becomes too much for you. I--I'm sorry, I'll shut up now." Moon Flower blushed, looking down at her hooves. Cadance giggled.

"There's no need to apologize, Moon Flower," she said. "Welcome to the Crystal Empire. Prince Shining Armor and I are so excited to have you here. How about we all enjoy some tea, and then I'll give you a little tour?"

"Oh, wow! That would be amazing!" Moon Flower cried, jumping up and down excitedly. Luna exchanged a little smile with the Princess of Love, who was clearly struggling to conceal her sadness. Luna had sent her a message telepathically as soon as Moon Flower had informed Luna of her wishes, and Cadance had, of course, immediately agreed to host the filly.

After they finished their tea, Cadance showed Moon Flower around the entire castle. The filly was rendered speechless by the sheer magnificence of the glistening structure. As they returned to the main foyer of the castle, Luna gave Moon Flower a little smile.

"We must meet with the designer of your ballgown now, my dear," the Princess of the Night told the filly. "Her name is Rarity, and I know she'll make you a beautiful dress for the ball." Moon Flower's eyes sparkled with excitement at this news. Rarity was one of the few living ponies who had firsthoof experience with Luna's work granting final wishes; her younger sister, Sweetie Belle, had passed away three years earlier, and Sweetie had asked Luna to summon her family to join her in the space between mortality and immortality to say goodbye before her final journey home. Rarity had been especially affected after having received the opportunity to remember her sister as a healthy, happy filly instead of a gray, ghostly Earthly shell of the pony that she had once been. Because of this, Rarity now designed "angel gowns" for all the foals under the age of eighteen that Luna guided to Heaven; every little one entered the afterlife in a beautiful white garment, christened with a name if they had not been given one on Earth. Luna swallowed hard as she thought of all those foals who had been denied the most basic care, but she quickly shoved those memories to the back of her mind and refocused on her duty. Rarity had designed a stunning white gown embroidered with lace moon flowers for this filly's party. Luna quickly cast a glamour spell that styled Moon Flower's mane and applied her makeup immaculately, then the filly quickly dressed in her ball gown, and Luna gave her a stunning diamond tiara. The filly quite literally danced her life away, and she didn't even notice the lapse that gently hummed through the dreamscape.

"Moon Flower," Luna called, "your time is at hoof, my darling; you must make ready." Moon Flower stopped dancing, heaved a soft sigh, and nodded. She lifted her chin bravely and walked alongside Luna until the two of them reached the gates as Cadance wept quietly behind them.

"Thank you, Princess Luna," Moon Flower whispered, pulling Luna in for a tight hug. "Thank you for showing me that I am going to be all right. I get to live forever now, and I'll never be sick or feel pain ever again. I really can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me."

"'Twas my honor, Moon Flower," Luna said. The filly looked over her shoulder, gave Luna a final, contented smile, then trotted confidently through the gates and straight into the arms of her waiting grandparents and great-grandparents. Swallowing a sob, Luna lit her horn, the gates closed, and the realm of dreams disappeared.