Before the First

by foxfyre2

Chapter 17: Luna and Celestia

So the years went by
I stayed the same
But she began to drift away
I was left alone
Still I waited for the day
When she'd say I will always love you

Do you know that sensation of excitement and guilt when you encounter a pony whom you love dearly but have hurt in some way? That feeling when you meet a faded friend and a rush of emotions and muffled thoughts take over but you don’t know what to say? Do you know how it feels to know that you’re wrong but are too proud to admit it? Do you know how it feels to regret?

Luna stood frozen in her tracks. She didn’t know what to do. Should she run to her? If she did, then what? Act like everything is okay? Demand that she apologize? Apologize herself? What would Celestia say? Did she want to find out?

“Luna. Go to her. Tell her how you feel.”

“I don’t know if I can. I-I am afraid.”

“Have courage, Luna. She is your sister; she will understand.”

“How do you know? How can you be so sure?”

“Because that’s what family does! They forgive each other! Now go to her!”

Luna hesitantly walked up to her sister. Sombra took his leave over by Discord and the two sisters stood together in silence. Luna looked up at her sister and two cross eyes looked back.

“Tia, I-“

“Sister, walk with me.”

Luna was fearful of what her sister was going to say next. They walked on in silence for a minute, probably each reflecting on the past night and their own feelings. I doubt either of them wanted to be the first to break the quiet between them. It’s just so much easier to go on in silence, but we all know that silence is the enemy of progress. Celestia then spoke.

“What were you thinking coming out here into this forest?! It’s dangerous and you could have been seriously injured. It’s enough that I have to worry about finding a way to end this storm and then I find out that I have to worry about you staying safe!”

“Nopony asked you to worry about me! I can handle myself! And would you please stop treating me like I’m still a filly?”

“Because you still act like one! You constantly seek my attention and you are always claiming to have just as many responsibilities as I do yet you never think of anypony but yourself!”

“Maybe that’s because I want you to recognize me! Maybe it’s because I want you to be proud of me. It’s because I don’t feel very close to you anymore. You are always off on official business and we never have time to be sisters anymore. You are my only family, Tia, and lately it just doesn’t feel like it. I feel lonely, like a passing shadow that goes unnoticed. I’m sorry.”

“Luna, I didn’t know that you felt that way. I became so wrapped up in my work that I just hadn’t noticed. I should be the one who is sorry.”

“I want to tell you something. The last several hours I have spent here in the Everfree Forest have been both terrifying and extraordinary. I ran into this forest at first to make a point and to lose myself. In the process I found some friends whom you seem to have met as well. Those two standing back in the clearing helped me to realize my faults and convinced me to confess to you my feelings. I just want us to be a family again.”

“Oh Luna, come here. You are my sister and I will always love you. I promise that I will make time to spend with you and be more aware of your feelings.” Luna hugged her sister tightly and then stood back.

“Sister, this night has been wild, and have I got a story to tell you!”

“As do I, Luna. As do I.” Celestia listened as Luna told her tale. She grimaced at the dangerous parts and smiled at the good ones. Her interest perked up whenever Discord was mentioned but she felt like she had concealed her excitement fairly well. Then Celestia told her tale, only this time she wasn’t able to hide a certain tone in her voice when she spoke of Discord. “He was just so fascinating and wonderfully strange! I found myself captivated by his eccentricities.”

“Dearest sister, I do believe that you have an attraction to him. How precious! Do you want to know something?”

“What?”

“He likes you as well! He was talking about you in such a sweet way.”

“Luna, surely you joke.”

“Not at all. You will see when you meet him again.”

“Oh I do hope you are right, sister!” Celestia and Luna walked and chatted for a bit longer in a cheerful bliss. A while later, Celestia’s talk took on a new tone. “Luna, Sombra told me something that I believe is important in subduing this storm, but we need to get back to him and Discord first. Have you noticed something odd about the storm? Isn’t it strange how once it a while it will calm down to unusual proportions? Have you noticed a connection between what we were doing and when the storm hushed?”

“Dear Celestia! You don’t think that...”