The Weeping Mare
The distant light of Celestia’s sun casts the pristine city of Canterlot in brilliant oranges and reds as it slowly descends beneath the mountains far beyond the mountainside city. The room of the one who is lowering it, though, is cast in soft azure light as Luna does the duty entrusted to her by her absent sister.
Below, as the light continues to fade, the outer districts of the city start to come to life as families all over the middle-class and even the low-class districts light lamps and candles to illuminate their homes and the streets. Yet, unlike the high-class, district which is doing much the same with the more expensive lamps and streetlights, the lower classes are also alight with the spark of celebration and laughter. From where she stands, Luna can see mares and fillies spreading flowers along the many streets and alleys of the middle and low class districts. The paths spread all the way towards the many graveyards that dot the city, the areas small islands of light and color all on their own.
As the sun finally sets, Luna turns to head back inside, the sight of her ponies celebrating the traditional Esponia bringing a familiar feeling of loss and regret to the surface, and stops when she spots an island of color and light amidst the drab setting of the Upper-Class.
The sight surprises and intrigues the alicorn of the night, as since her return she’d never seen the Wonderbolts celebrate this holiday, let alone anypony in the high-class district. The feelings of turning away diminish as she stares at the island of celebration in the otherwise dark and colorless void near the Castle, and a new feeling slowly starts to replace it.
Taking a deep breath, Luna nods slowly before turning completely from the window to stride confidently towards the door to her private bedroom. Beyond the door, she finds two ponies sitting and talking at the coffee table in the common room of her apartment.
“Are you excited to go trick or treating tonight, Gust?” The older of the two at the table, an amber pegasus stallion wearing the gold of the Royal Guard, asks. “Your mother said you were talking about it the entire walk over here when she dropped you off.”
“I am!” Gust, a younger dappled green pegasus, comments. “I just can’t believe that you’re going to come with me and my mom!”
“I love hanging out with you and your mom, little guy,” the guard chuckles.
Stepping farther into the room, a warm smile on her face, Luna comes up behind Gust and leans down to nuzzle between his ears. “We are most happy to hear you and Dawn are becoming such fast friends since you started visiting, little Gust.”
Laughing and turning around to nuzzle Luna’s cheek, Gust smiles brightly. “Why wouldn’t I? Dawn is awesome!”
“I try,” Dawn chuckles, buffing a hoof on his armor.
“And we believe you succeed quite often, Commander,” Luna replies as her smile grows. “However, we know you are excited to go and collect the candy promised by our night, but…” Luna’s smile slips slightly as she sits down and looks between the Commander of her sister’s guard, and the young foal who is bouncing excitedly before her.
“But, my lady?” Dawn asks slowly.
“We… I was wondering if perhaps I could impose on you two for something,” Luna says softly, her smile turning melancholy. “Tonight is also the night of another holiday. One that holds a special meaning to myself and my sister. I was wondering, if perhaps, you would accompany me to the Wonderbolts compound, where they are celebrating this night.”
“Oh? What is it, Luna?” Gust asks, leaning his head to one side in the fashion of foals. “I was hoping to go find a costume and go out with Dawn, but if you want me to go with you to a party with the Wonderbolts I won’t complain! I mean, the Wonderbolts!”
“Yes, well, it depends on the holiday, Gust,” Dawn chuckles softly before looking at Luna. “What is it, by the way?”
“Día de Los Muertos,” Luna replies softly, “The Mexicolt Day of the Dead.”
“Oh…?” Dawn says slowly, before his eyes go wide with, “Oh! I remember some of the guards talking about it, but I’ve never really thought about attending.”
“What is it? It sounds spooky!” Gust says excitedly.
“It is a celebration of those we have lost and love,” Luna replies, her warm smile remaining. “And it is traditional to dress in costume, so you shall have no need to search for one this night, Little Gust.”
“Awesome!” Gust exclaims as he flaps his wings excitedly. “What do I get to dress as?”
“We were thinking, little one, that you could dress as a skeleton with our dear friend Dawn and I?” Luna informs the foal, whose eyes go wide and his mouth falling open.
“That sounds cool!” Gust shouts.
“It actually does,” Dawn agrees, “How shall we dress?”
“I shall instruct you, my dear friends,” Luna replies with a smile, “Worry not.”
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Smiling as she applies the final bit of makeup to her face, the white and black covering her face making her look as a mare made of bones and shadow, Luna closes her eyes and channels a minute amount of magic to them. When she opens her eyes again, they are slitted and glow softly, much like those who Thestrals have, her canines now longer and more fang-like.
Nodding in satisfaction at her eyes and face, she once more draws upon her magic and slowly braids her ethereal mane into a single long braid with red and yellow flowers woven in, the final thing falling down across one shoulder to peek out from the colorful shawl she wraps around her shoulders and head.
Stepping back from her vanity, she admires the final result of her efforts in the body-length mirror she has beside her closet.
The Princess wears a long flowing skirt of rich blue along with a white billowing shirt that has ruffles along her chest and near her fetlocks. Over it all she is wearing a flowing floral shawl that covers her shoulders and head, her long flowery braid peeking out from beneath it to twinkle with the stars and galaxies she so carefully watches over in her night sky.
Pulling the shawl close with her magic, Luna holds her head high and walks to the common room again, her bare hooves silently ghosting over the carpet of her room to the open door. Beyond she finds Gust and Dawn are standing already in their costumes.
Dawn is wearing a black shirt and pants, his face likewise made up in the black and white like Lunas so he appears to be nothing more than a skeleton, his wings hidden beneath a cloak of deep blue. Beside him, Gust is wearing a red shirt and black pants, his wings hidden beneath a cloak of emerald.
“My dear friends, you both look quite dashing in your costumes,” Luna offers to the two stallions before her, who both smile warmly.
“Thank you, Luna,” Dawn says with a dip of his head.
“Yeah! This is the best costume ever!” Gust replies happily.
“I am glad,” Luna says softly as she looks between the two. “Shall we be off? I wish to get to the Wonderbolts soon.”
“Then let us escort you, my dear Princess,” Dawn says as he turns towards the door to the apartment strides over to hold it open.
Luna follows after her friend, a nod in silent thanks for holding door as Gust all but prances in her wake behind her. The trio soon finds themselves in the hallway, the Guards all snapping to attention as they pass even as more than a few offer looks of wonder and even confusion at her state of attire.
Yet, for all the looks she gets from the guards, and then even the castle staff, their walk is quiet save for the beat of her hooves against the stones of the castle’s floor. As they walk, Luna spots subdued celebrations even here in the Castle, with small shrines to loved ones perched in out of the way places and surrounded by Castle staff. Many who surround the shrines take notice of her, and smile warmly or offer friendly greetings to their monarch, who in turn offers warm smiles and a dip of her head to them as she passes.
Passing into the throne room, though, Luna stops as she beholds the throne upon which her sister, and now she, presides over their Kingdom.
“While you were dressing, I informed some of the Castle staff of your plans,” Dawn offers quietly as he looks up to Luna with a subdued smile, “told them they should celebrate with you.”
“I never imagined…” Luna says softly as she stares at the dias.
The seat of power for Equestria which is normally devoid of any decoration save the throne and the waterfalls beside it, is covered in flowers of every color and shade which form a cascade of soft colors in a pattern similar to Celestia’s, the entire thing illuminated by long candles floating in the air and in bowls on the water. Upon the throne itself, and even spilling onto the dais itself are bowls of fruit and bread, small offerings sitting amongst pictures of royal guards and castle staff that has since passed. But, larger than them all, sitting proudly on the throne itself, is a large and beautiful portrait of Celestia reading quietly before a fireplace.
“So many,” Luna whispers breathlessly. “And my sister too?”
“She may not be dead, but she is not here, and many do not know her fate,” Dawn offers as he places a hoof on Luna’s shoulder. “They wished for some comfort, and to keep her memory alive, as she did yours when you were gone.”
“The kindness of our little ponies never ceases to amaze me,” Luna says softly before looking to Dawn, “please thank the staff when you can, Dawn, and compliment them on their good taste.”
“I will,” Dawn confirms as he starts forward again, Luna following behind with Gust.
The group passes beyond the throne, and down a narrow pathway in the flowers to the hidden door behind the throne. Once it is open, the guards beyond snapping to attention at the sight of Luna and Dawn, the Princess and her friends descend into the darkness of the tunnel, their hoofsteps echoing in the enclosed space, and make quickly for their destination.
On the other side they are greeted by Wonderbolts Security Guards, who are dressed in their usual uniforms but painted up to look like skeletons themselves, who double take at the sight of Luna before quickly bowing to her.
“Please, rise, my friends,” Luna asks softly, her warm smile and tone causing instant obedience. “I am not here as your ruler, but as a fellow celebrant of this night’s festivities.”
“We are honored to have you, Princess,” one of the guards says quickly as he rises from his supplication. “The majority of the celebration is in the foyer, and the courtyard beyond.”
“Then we hope to see you both there when your shifts end,” Luna offers with a bright smile before striding forth with her companions and deeper into the compound.
It does not take them long to reach the lobby of the Wonderbolts’ headquarters, the sound of conversation filling their ears long before they turn the final corner to enter it, and Luna is not surprised to see the entire room transformed into a landscape of flowers and candles. Along the wall opposite the doors sits a large shrine built upon what looks to be one of the tables from the mess hall, the colorful tablecloth draped over it barely visible beneath the feast of food laid upon it in offering to the sea of pictures covering not only the table but the wall behind it. Each and every picture on the wall is of a Wonderbolt, and Luna recognizes them from her tours of the facility to be of those that had fallen in battle during the long history of the institution she now stands in.
Before the altar, in front of a sea of young ponies and even Wonderbolts, Silver Lining and Misty Fly are sitting side by side in uniform, their faces, back half, and hooves painted up like sun-bleached skeletons. The story that Silver is telling, and Misty is adding into with her sign language, dies in the elder Wonderbolts’ throats as they notice their new guest.
“Princess Luna?” Silver asks as all eyes turn to her.
“Yes, Second Captain Silver Lining?” Luna asks, a smirk on her face as she strides forward through the sea of ponies, which parts before her as the tides part before her moon. “Is something wrong?”
“I did not expect to see you here,” Silver states, his brow furrowed. “Nor did I expect to ever see you dressed as such. It’s a bit weird.”
“Are we not allowed to celebrate with our ponies, Captain?” Luna quarries with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.
“That’s a loaded question,” Silver offers back with a raised eyebrow of his own.
“That it is, Silver Lining,” Luna replies, “but please I am not here as your Princess, I am here to honor the fallen, as you are. So please, tonight I am just Luna.”
“As you wish, Luna,” Silver snorts, through the smile tugging at his lips betrays his amusement. “Do you wish to listen to the story Misty and I are telling?”
“I would, yes,” Luna nods before lighting her horn and pulling a dark blue flower from her mane and setting it upon the makeshift altar, “At least, now that I have offered a small thing to those who have fallen defending my ponies, as I failed to do in my absence, I shall listen to your tales of them.”
Nodding to her, Silver picks up his tale as Luna retreats back through the sea of faces to sit beside Dawn and Gust. The latter has picked up two additional foals, one a red unicorn dressed up like an adventurer and the other an orange pegasus wearing a Wonderbolts uniform. Looking around as she settles in beside Dawn, Luna suspects she sees the reason for at least one of the foals attire, as the familiar gold and greyscale mane of Daring Do sits not far away, her eyes occassionally straying to the foal who wears a near copy of her outfit.
Smiling softly as the adventurer notices her looking her way, Luna nods her head towards the red unicorn and then looks pointedly at the likewise red pegasus beside Daring, who has his wing around her possessively. Daring blushes and shakes her head, causing a silent chuckle to escape from Luna as she turns her attention back to the front of the crowd to listen to Silver as he recalls a brawl that broke out in a bar after his first show as a Wonderbolt.
-------
Walking into the courtyard, Luna smiles to everypony who are milling about around her, as the celebration had moved outside after Silver’s recounting of some of the more enjoyable tales he had of the fallen. Now, everypony was gathered outside, many clustering together as they carried paper lanterns on their backs or in their mouths. Luna herself carries one in her magic, the names of many of her friends from before her banishment gracing it’s white paper shell, along two names that she knew no one else remembered.
Striding to the center of the courtyard, the large fountain present there covered in all kinds of flower and candles for the event, and stops to put her lantern down for a moment while she turns to go and get a smoldering stick from one of the many buckets around her. As she turns, though, she finds Dawn already there with two such sticks, one of which he offers to his friend and monarch.
“Thank you, Dawn,” Luna offers in thanks to her friend as she takes the offered stick in her magic. “I see you have quite a few names on your lantern.”
“Yes, well,” Dawn sighs as he looks to the paper lantern he had carried over. “My family has been in the military a long, long time, Luna. And while we’ll never complain, we have suffered many losses.”
“And the name at the top?” Luna asks as she sits down, waiting for the moment to light and release her lantern. “Who is that?”
“My wife,” Dawn whispers.
“Oh,” Luna replies in an equally soft voice, “my condolences.”
“It’s been many years, Princess,” Dawn offers, looking down at the name at the top, a soft smile on his face. “I’ve accepted it.”
“And who have you put on your lantern, my dear Lulu?” a voice slithers into Luna’s ear, causing the mare to sigh and turn her head to look at the source of the voice.
“Discord, I-” Luna starts, only to stop and raise an eyebrow at her long-time foe turned resident annoyance.
“Yes, Lulu?” Discord asks as he runs a skeletal lion’s paw through a non-existent mane. He is, in fact, a literal skeleton wearing what Luna can only describe as the most flamboyant and vibrant outfit she has ever laid eyes on. For one thing, the hat he is wearing is far too big, and for another, his entire outfit is colored bright fluorescent pink and neon orange.
“Those I have put on my lantern are private, Discord,” Luna states calmly, “I would thank you to respect my wish for tonight.”
“But who are they, Princess?” Gust asks as he walks over with his friends. “Who is Nox and Aurora?”
Luna’s voice catches in her throat as she looks to Gust, then over at Discord who she assumes looks slightly surprised. It’s hard to tell, he has no flesh to speak of. She clears her throat and looks away from the others before answering in a soft, and tiny voice.
“Our parents,” Luna offers, her ears flat against her head beneath her shawl.
“They were quite a pair, weren’t they,” Discord chuckles softly. “I do so miss my verbal battles with your mother and father.” He sighs and removes the offensive thing he calls a hat from his head before putting it over his heart. “I think I miss them the most out of all the annoying Gods of Order.”
“We miss them greatly as well,” Luna nods with a soft sigh. “We miss them more every day.”
“I find, sometimes, it helps to sing about our problems,” Discord offers, and when Luna looks up at him again, she finds he is holding a white guitar painted in the style of a skull. He strums a chord, which seems to reverberate through everypony present, and seems to echo deep in Luna’s soul. Clearly it is chaos magic of some kind, but Luna does not care. “I happen to know a song about one of those names on your lantern, and I am sure you know it too.”
“I do,” Luna agrees before taking a deep breath, “I know of the song you speak… but would it be appropriate?”
“We are all sharing in the memories of our loved ones, Luna,” Dawn comments as he pats his friend on the back, “I am sure everypony here would be overjoyed to have you share, in whatever form.”
Nodding and standing up, Luna draws back her shawl, and looks to her night sky to take what strength she can from her stars and moon. Then, she takes a deep breath.
And sings.
“Salías del templo un día, Llorona,
Cuando al pasar yo te vi,
Salías del templo un día, Llorona,
Cuando al pasar yo te vi,
Hermoso huipil llevabas, Llorona,
Que la Virgen te creí.
Hermoso huipil llevabas, Llorona,
Que la Virgen te creí.”
Her voice echoes across the courtyard, all other sounds slowly tapering off inside the compound, and then even beyond the walls of the Wonderbolts’ HQ. Everypony present turns to look at their Princess, eyes wide and bodies stock still as if entranced or enthralled by her voice.
“Todos me dicen el negro, Llorona,
negro, pero cariñoso.
Todos me dicen el negro, Llorona,
negro, pero cariñoso.
Yo soy como el chile verde, Llorona,
picante, pero sabroso.
Yo soy como el chile verde, Llorona,
picante, pero sabroso.”
As she continues to sing, the stars above glow brightly for a moment, then start to slowly dim as if sensing the mood of their mistress, and even the moon seems to dim as the candles all around her glow brighter and brighter until it is as if the stars themselves have gathered around the ponies present in the courtyard.
“Ay de mí, Llorona, Llorona de azul celeste
Ay de mí, Llorona, Llorona de azul celeste
Y, aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona
No dejaré de quererte.
Y, aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona
No dejaré de quererte.”
As she sings the chorus, her voice rising in volume, she closes her eyes as her horn flares, the soft blue light of her magic like an azure star amongst the yellows and golds of the candles. All at once, a spark flies from her horn to land a short distance from her, the image of a dark and imposing alicorn stallion rising from the ground, a deep bass voice adding into Luna’s singing of the chorus as yet another spark flies forth. This one, when it lands, resolves into a radiant white alicorn mare, who smiles softly at Luna as her own voice, which tickles the ears of all present like morning birdsong.
“Cada vez que entra la noche, Llorona,
Me pongo a pensar y digo:
Cada vez que entra la noche, Llorona,
Me pongo a pensar y digo:
¿De qué me sirve la cama, Llorona,
si tú no duermes conmigo?
¿De qué me sirve la cama, Llorona,
si tú no duermes conmigo?”
At this point in the song, the mass of ponies in the courtyard lean against one another in awe and wonder, lost in the haunting harmonies of the foreign language. However, several eyes and faces are teary and downcast, being able to understand the words and hold them close to their hearts. Wave Chill then rises and offers his hoof to Moonstone, his blue eyes shining with light, unspilled tears through the black shadow painted around them as he looks down at his baby cousin. Understanding his intentions, Moonstone takes his hoof and lets him lead her to an open area of the courtyard, and the young stallion guides her through a familiar and elegant dance that has been performed with the song for centuries. Sunstone, with Red Tango on his arm, follows them shortly, and together, the two pairs fall into a simple, synchronized dance. Others that know the dance join them as well, their faces somber, mournful, and distant, like they are remembering something from another time.
“Dos besos llevo en el alma, Llorona,
que no se apartan de mí,
Dos besos llevo en el alma, Llorona,
que no se apartan de mí,
El último de mi madre, Llorona,
y el primero que te di.
El último de mi madre, Llorona,
y el primero que te di.”
As Luna and the other two Alicorns sing, the two ethereal alicorns come over on both sides of Luna, who looks at them with tears in her eyes as she sings. The white mare leans over and gently kisses Luna on the cheek, a wing coming around to gently brush a tear from her eye, before stepping back as her voice rises once more to join Luna’s and allow the stallion to step forth. The spectre of her father steps forth, his fatherly smile causing Luna to falter in her singing before he leans over and kisses her other cheek, his own dark blue wing coming up to brush a tear from that cheek, then trails down to gently lift her chin back up so her head is held high as he steps backwards to be beside his wife.
“Ay de mí, Llorona, Llorona de azul celeste
Ay de mí, Llorona, Llorona de azul celeste
Y, aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona
No dejaré de quererte.
Y, aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona
No dejaré de quererte.”
Alza los ojos y mira, Llorona,
allá en la mansión oscura
Alza los ojos y mira, Llorona,
allá en la mansión oscura
una estrella que fulgura, Llorona,
y tristemente suspira,
es Venus que se retira, Llorona,
celosa de tu hermosura.
As the verse drifts into the air around them, a single star in the night sky flares to brilliant life, blazing in the sky as if to rival the moon and sun itself, causing both of the translucent alicorns to lift their gaze to the sky. As they do, Luna steps forward slowly, her hoofsteps echoing in the silence as she pauses in the song. As she moves forward, a soft glowing mist forms behind her, flowing forward and all around her and the ponies present, many of which gasping as they feel the warmth of the mist brushing against their coats. After a few seconds, as Luna is just about to draw within reaching distance of her parents, a tall white alicorn mare with a mane made of the soft pink of the pre-dawn forms beside her and steps in time with Luna. Both of them open their mouths at the same time, and sing, almost as if with one voice, the final verses.
“Ay de mí, Llorona, Llorona de azul celeste
Ay de mí, Llorona, Llorona de azul celeste
Y, aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona
No dejaré de quererte.
Y, aunque la vida me cueste, Llorona
No dejaré de quererte.”
As the final verse fades into the air, Luna and the mare beside her lean forward and embrace the spectres, gently kissing each on the cheeks before Luna sighs softly, and the images of the two elder alicorns fade into stardust. Beside her, though, the other spectre remains for a moment, her face turned towards the heavens as tears of pure sunlight stream from her eyes, and drift in an ethereal wind before she looks to Luna, leans over, kisses the younger alicorn on the cheek… and fades away.
As soon as the last ghost has faded, all the light returns and the world becomes normal again. Yet, as Luna turns, her makeup marred around her eyes by the tears she had shed during her song, she finds that nopony is moving anymore and all eyes are on her. Even Discord’s empty eye sockets are glued to her as he clutches the spot over his empty rib cage Luna assumes his heart would be. If he possessed one, even under normal conditions.
Then, a midnight blue Wonderbolt stands and lights her lantern.
As if the movement breaks the spell everypony is under, more stand and light their own lanterns, holding them ready in one hoof as they look to Luna expectantly. Catching the hint, she walks the short distance to her own lantern, and lights it without her magic using the smoldering stick she had procured earlier. She then sits and lifts the lantern in one hoof, looking to all present a moment before she ever so gently nudges it skyward.
As it floats skyward and is joined by the ones from the Wonderbolts, Luna extends her wings and pulls Dawn as well as Gust and his friends close to her, tears once more forming in her eyes as she holds her most dear friends close to her. The lanterns from the Wonderbolts and Luna are soon joined by hundreds more from the middle class, then thousands from the lower class. The sea of floating stars drift out of the city, ever farther towards the heavens, taking with them the promises of all that had lit them to remember their loved ones.
And to keep those they still had with them close, and to make many stories with them, to be told when the time is right.