Princess Luna’s Anthology of Final Wishes

by Drunk Luna

Epilogue

With a tired sigh, Princess Luna stepped out onto the castle’s balcony and lit her horn, aiming it toward the full moon above her. Slowly, she used her magic to pull the massive, glowing white orb down to make way for the dawn. The familiar clip-clop of approaching metal horseshoes echoed throughout the foyer as Princess Celestia joined Luna outside and began to raise the sun, illuminating the sky into a soft blue streaked with colors that ranged from pale pink to scarlet. The sun gradually ascended from its resting place at Celestia’s command, bathing all of Equestria in its crimson light as the white alicorn placed it into position. Luna sighed once more and walked back into the foyer, resting on her haunches.

“Lulu, are you all right? Don’t you dare lie to me, because I already know the answer, and don’t even think about brushing me off by telling me you’re ‘just tired.’ I’m going to ask you again: Are you all right? What’s on your mind?” Celestia placed a gentle hoof on the younger alicorn’s shoulder. Luna paused for a millisecond as her breath caught in her throat, then she met Celestia’s eyes, which were brimming with concern.

“N-no, sister,” Luna replied, allowing herself to exhale as the words passed her lips. “No, I don’t suppose I am doing well this morning. Last night was… especially difficult. There is no way that anypony else can understand the burdens of my responsibilities, and even though I know that you have some idea about my work, and about how I accompany ponies on their final earthly journeys, you will never know the full extent of the toll that this job has taken on me. These burdens are mine, and mine alone. Please don’t think I am complaining, because I am doing nothing of the sort; I am simply tired. Now, dear sister, if you will please excuse me, I must retire to my chambers. I will see you at sunset.” Celestia nodded and gave Luna a sympathetic smile, and the two princesses parted ways for the rest of the day.

As Luna climbed into her giant bed, she released a long sigh, allowing all of her pent-up tension to leave her body as she began to relax. She would wake again at dusk, physically and mentally cleansed and prepared to deliver her absolute best to the ponies who needed her. Though Celestia was responsible for Equestria’s peace and safety under the harsh light of the sun, Luna reigned over three different, unique realms under the gentle kiss of the moon and stars: She ruled Equestria, just as her sister did; she protected everypony as they slept, standing sentinel over her realm of dreams; and finally, she had to fulfill a role that was by far the most precious to her, rivaled only by motherhood: Ensuring that every one of her dying subjects received a peaceful exit from this world. Though she was immortal, Luna considered death to be the greatest equalizer among mortals. Neither wealth, nor fame, nor social status could keep anypony from the inevitability and certainty of death.

Even though she could easily have carried out her duties from the comfort of her luxurious bedchamber, Luna always flew to the location of each pony’s imminent death so that she could better understand the circumstances surrounding said death and proceed accordingly. She also did this to provide comfort for those ponies—especially the foals—who were suffering and afraid. The job would be incredibly taxing for anypony, and Luna’s immortality did nothing to detract from the massive emotional toll that her work often took on her. Though the Tantabus was long gone from her mind, the sovereign of dreams often had nightmares about the traumatic situations she had had to witness. Luna’s ears constantly rang with the names and voices of the ponies that she could not save, though she knew there was nothing she could have done to unseal their fates.

The foals, of course, were the hardest for her to care for. It went against the natural order of things for a tiny foal to die after his or her life had just begun. Luna had attended far too many funerals for little ones that she had assisted; sometimes, sadly, she was the only pony present at such events. She took it upon herself to arrange a funeral for each abused, unwanted, and unclaimed foal that she had carried to the other side, and she always had a beautiful headstone built for each one, engraved with his or her name. No foal in Equestria ever died nameless; if they were abandoned, Luna christened them with a name, which she always said out loud with love both before and after they died. There were no unmarked graves, nor were there any tiny headstones marked with “Unclaimed Foal” or a number, in all of Equestria. Every single foal in Luna’s realm passed away with a unique name and the knowledge that they were loved by somepony.

Luna turned onto her side and pulled the covers over her head, forcing herself to fall asleep. If she was going to be fully present for her subjects in only a matter of hours, she would need her rest. She sighed, allowing her thoughts to set with the moon that she had just lowered. Soon, Luna fell asleep, relaxing in the knowledge that she had granted peace to countless ponies who would have probably been afraid otherwise. Her night was over.

Comments

[TheGJ90]

May troubles be far from her mind...

[The White devil]

Holy shit. That is all that I can say.

[Sudrian Engineer]

I made a mistake and read this story, as well as your other 2, similarly themed stories, in one go...

In a way, thank you for letting me have a cry I really needed.

These stories were amazing, and while I am sure I will cry again, I look forward to any more you make in this manner.

[Zubric]

You make ponies seem way more bleak than they should be. I mean opines have been known to go to war with pies.
Still nicely written

[FlightfulPone]

11553811
we've also seen them go to war armed and ready for physical combat, like in Starlight's futures. the war ith pies was more just a small=scale feud

[Crimson Eclipse77]

That was very bittersweet. Luna's very strong pony to do that every night. May they all rest in peace.

[Tacky3663]

I have read countless stories on this site for many many years. This story and its sequel has done something very few stories have accomplished. Break me, I dunno how long I’ve been crying reading this.

Very well done.