On The Dark Side of the Moon

by Blue Wolf

14 - Epilogue - Dawn

Luna flew through the clear night air as she followed Princess Celestia into the sky, to prepare to lower the moon for the dawn. It hung low near the horizon but still shone bright, bathing the Equestrian landscape below in a cloak of silver light.

Luna banked around one of the few small clouds hanging low in the sky, it's puffy fleece of vapour glittering in the moonlight and flew up high above them towards the stars, searching for her sister. The night air grew cold as the Princess of the Night climbed higher but Luna saw the glint of reflected starlight ahead, and flew onwards until she was close enough to pick out the form of her sister, who was standing on a narrow strip of high cloud and looking at the full moon. Luna spread her wings, gliding towards her sister and alighted on the other end of the thin, slightly icy cloud.

For a minute or two the two royal sisters looked upon the silver orb hovering before them in the sky above the horizon in silence.

“It was a thousand years ago sister, that we quarrelled. On a night almost as beautiful as this.”

Celestia's gaze never left the moon as she spoke, Luna turning her head towards her as the Bringer of the Dawn recalled the fateful night from a thousand years before.

“Yes sister...I remember...” The smaller Alicorn felt a wave of apprehension pass through her mind, averting her eyes from her elder sister in her discomfort.

“Tell me Luna...was it your memories of me that night which haunted you so?”

Celestia turned her head towards her sister as she asked her question, Celestia's eyes glistening as they seemed to search anxiously through Luna's expression.

Luna felt her knees buckle under her and she sank down onto the cloud's wispy surface, tears welling in her eyes as she felt a knot tighten in her stomach. Celestia had guessed the truth, and Luna knew there was nothing she could do to deny it. The Princess of the Night lowered her head in shame, silently nodding.

Celestia felt pain stabbing deep in her heart as Luna silently made her admission, her distress evident as she turned to face her younger sibling.

“I have never wanted anypony to fear me Luna...least of all my own sister. I did what I had to for Equestria, but also because I loved you sister...” Celestia stepped forward, drawing a little closer to Luna. “I couldn't bear to see you in such darkness, instead of the Luna I knew and loved.”

Luna sniffled miserably. “Sister...I know why you banished me, I don't even blame you anymore...I know what I did was wrong and I'm glad we are friends again...it's just...” Her voice broke into a whimper and Luna cowered down before a shocked Celestia. “I-it was the way you looked at Twilight...I-I mean...th-that other you in Twilight's nightmare...It was the same expression you had that night when you confronted me with the Elements...I'd never seen you so angry before...and seeing you like that again...it began to bring it all back. Being trapped in the moon...how I thought that I would never be free again...that you hated me and didn't care about me anymore...that I would be forgotten...”

Luna winced, closing her eyes as if to shut out the lonely memories of her thousand years of incarceration.

Celestia lowered her head, feeling a fresh wrench at her tortured heart. Remorse had plagued her waking thoughts and nightmares for a thousand years, but the sight of her sister crumpling at the memory of Celestia's anger was far, far worse.

“...Oh Luna...I...I never wanted to lose you for a thousand years...”

Celestia drew closer still, softly nosing at her beloved Luna.

"...some things can only be healed with time my sister... But in those thousand years I waited, I never once stopped loving you. I would stay out here long after I had raised the moon, looking upon your shadow and wishing for you to come home.”

Celestia knelt and embraced Luna, who buried her head in her sister's fold. The Ruler of the Night's tears ran over her cheeks and soaked into snowy fur.

“Sister...I fear that I will never escape the curse I have brought upon myself... "

Luna summoned the last of her courage to look desperately up into her sister's eyes as she asked Celestia the question that burned within her.

"...will...will I ever escape the shadow of Nightmare Moon?...Will we...ever be as close as we once were again?”

Warm drops suddenly fell upon Luna's coat as the midnight Alicorn finally gave voice to her own fears at last. Luna's eyes went wide, the princess instinctively rubbing her cheek against her sister's neck as Celestia's tears silently splashed upon Luna's back, her heart twisting to see her big sister - normally the most reserved and controlled of any of the ponies she had known - so upset. Luna braced herself, fearing what the answer that had driven the strong, fearless Celestia to cry over her might be.

“Luna...Nightmare Moon is past, of that I am certain...I have already forgiven you, and while it may never be completely forgotten, and however further there may yet be to travel on that road, I know that Equestria has already begun to forgive you sister...and in time, you will too...”

Celestia touched Luna's horn with her muzzle, drawing Luna's gaze to hers. Celestia's eyes were filled with tears, glistening in the moonlight but also with relief and incomparable joy.

“But whatever happens now Luna...we both will be closer than ever. I promise, my beloved sister...”

Luna hid herself away in the flowing, sunset coloured mane as she clung to her sister's neck in a tight hug, relief washing through her. She felt downy wings sheltering her barrel against the chilly air and Celestia's warm magic pressing her close, the dark fears and doubts filling her heart which had plagued her thoughts ever since her release dissolving in their embrace.

Celestia's forehoof encircled Luna's withers as the Sun Princess closed her eyes and buried her nose in Luna's starry mane, crying silent tears of relief. Time seemed to stand still as Celestia felt the warm pulse of her sister's body against her once more, not wanting to let go of the moment she had hoped and waited so long for. Her sister was truly home at last, and for the first time in a thousand years Celestia's thoughts were at peace.

Long minutes passed before either of the shapes on the moonlight soaked cloud stirred, both Alicorns not wishing to break the embrace they had been denied for a millennium. Only the soft call of her moon penetrated Luna's thoughts, the Night Princess lifting her head from her sister's shoulder as the faint ethereal whisper brushed her mind, reminding her of the task they still had to perform.

“Tia?..”

Celestia lifted her head to look at her sister. Luna gave a faint smile.

“Let's do this together, like we used to...”

Celestia smiled too, nodding her head in agreement. Rising to their hooves, both Princesses silently faced the Moon and flared their wings. Luna's horn flared with silver magic, and the moon began to sink slowly towards the far horizon, while behind Luna the sky began to flush with the faintest of colour. As the Moon descended from sight, Celestia's horn glowed with golden magic – the Bringer of the Dawn spreading her wings as the first rays of the rising sun shone from behind her. Light spilled across the slumbering lands of Equestria below as with a few mighty beats of her wings, Celestia rose into the air with the sun, a final burst of magic silhouetting her against the solar orb as it began it's journey through the golden sky.

Luna watched as her sister fluttered slowly down onto the cloud, then both princesses turned and scanned the land far below. Satisfied with their work, Celestia and Luna nodded to each other before spreading their wings once more, flying back towards the distant gleam from the towers of Canterlot as they shone in the dawn light.

--------------------------------

Early sunlight streamed in through the windows, but Twilight and her friends still slept on in the dawn lit room. Not even the sound of soft hoof-steps stirred them as Celestia re-entered from the balcony and stood over Twilight, watching the mare's peaceful breaths. As Luna followed in behind Celestia the white Alicorn settled down beside her student once more, gently drawing Twilight into her hooves with her magic and spreading a wing over her. Twilight stirred sleepily at the movement, but Celestia's soft, reassuring nuzzle lulled her back to sleep as Luna approached and lay down on the bed in front of them, close to Twilight so she could rest alongside her sister.

A warm silence fell upon the room, broken only by the soft breathing of sleeping ponies - even Rainbow Dash's trademark snores were absent. Celestia and Luna leaned against each other, casting a final glance at the sleeping Mane 6 around them along with Zecora and Spike, before closing their eyes to rest with Twilight asleep under Celestia's wing. Cadence and Shining Armour were still cuddled together by Twilight's side, and the Cutie Mark Crusaders were all still nestled together with their big sisters around them. The day was still only just beginning, with no-one else awake and a few welcome hours to go before the day got properly started.

END.

Author's Note:

Well, here we are - The end of On the Dark Side of the Moon, which is not only the very first MLP fic I've done, or posted on FIMFiction, but also the very first story I've ever actually FINISHED. Yes there are one or two others that I started a long time ago, but these are not MLP fics but a series of crossovers featuring my OC, Blue Wolf. Most of these will not be availabe on here (not being MLP fics) However, some of the stories later on in the series WILL be MLP crossovers.

Thanks to everyone who liked/favourited and commented on my story, and special thanks go to Neo-Exodus and Anton the Shadow for having a peek at some of this when I wasn't sure I was making much sense. The main purpose of writing this was to try and figure out if my stuff is actually any good and how best I go about writing it, which Dark Side of The Moon has helped with ALOT. It didn't get on the Featured or the Popular Stories list this time but hopefully next time I'll get lucky.

Speaking of next time - it's not ALL quite over yet with On the Dark side of the Moon. I wanted to write it as close to series canon as possible, except halfway through - Twilight suddenly turned into an Alicorn. I don't have a problem with Twilicorn at all, I think it still has possibilities even if the execution wasn't all that great to begin with (time will tell on that one I think). But as a result, I will be writing an alternative version called the Alicorn Alternative - which will be basicly the same plot but set after the events of Magical Mystery Cure instead of before, with a few differences resulting. Might have to put these as extra chapters on the original because of FIMFiction's rules but we'll see.

There is a also a satellite story in mind, which has the working title of The Trial of the Cutie Mark Crusaders, and it's about what happens the morning after when the CMC wake up from their little nap in Celestia's bedroom... n.n

And eventually there will be something from the Blue Wolf Chronicles in here as well. Blue Wolf WILL appear in Equestria, but several other things have got to happen first, and these are already BIG stories so it might take a while.

Any constructive comments are welcome - watch this space and see you again soon.

Blue Wolf.

Comments

[Pylons]

It's ended? I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad about this...

Meh. Only one thing is certain. This story is great!

[John Tannius]

Sorry, I can only thumbs up once.

[NebulaNyx]

Very well done. I loved every moment of this, and I look forward to seeing more of your work.

[Skeeter The Lurker]

Nice end. Glad I faved this story.

~Skeeter The Lurker

[ocbaker]

Awesome chapter! I think you have the ability to do a few things different with Twilicorn and it does help that Twilestia is currently screaming in the back of my head.

Anyway very much looking forward to your alternative Twilicorn version.

[Super-Brony12]

Nice Blue Wolf! Good way to end the story. And I will be watching for those other two stories and many more stories of your work.

~ Super-Brony12

[Blue Wolf]

2503093 Is there something wrong? No? *shrug*
n.n

[Blue Wolf]

2565070 Heh - your previous comment came in just as I was writing that bit. n.n

[NebulaNyx]

Just re-read this. I still love it, and I feel honoured that you mentioned me in the story. Can we expect any new stories from you some time? Please say yes.

[Blue Wolf]

2603793 Yes. There's one currently in production.

[NebulaNyx]

2607189......

[Neo-Exodus]

I really enjoyed reading this a second time. You did an excellent job filling in all of the details since I read the draft. This story really evokes a lot of emotion and I loved every minute of it. You get a definite thumbs up from me.

[Avenging-Hobbits]

*insert Pink Floyd reference here*

[damnaion]

quite somber and lovely