Princess Luna has the most difficult, most sacred duty imaginable. These are the stories of the ponies she has guided and comforted when they needed her most.
Death is the equalizer of all mortal souls, so it is only right that an immortal princess—the princess of the night—is the one who guides these souls to their eternal home. Before each of these ponies crosses the threshold, they are automatically sent to the dream realm, where Luna grants three of their most fervent wishes, some of which are heartbreaking, uplifting, or both. This is a collection of stories of a few of those departed souls, both young and old, and the princess who gave a peaceful journey home to all of them.
The thestral stallion opened his eyes and shook his head, disoriented. The last things he could remember were the staccato, rapid pops of machine gunfire, the coldness of the ground as he fell, a sharp pain in the left side of his chest, and the wetness of his blood as it soaked through his uniform, his chest heaving with every labored breath as blood began to fill his lungs. Now, all he could see was a beautiful, grassy field of flowers underneath a cloudless, starry sky. He inhaled deeply... effortlessly. As he began to move, he noticed that his body, so broken only a few moments before, had been completely healed.
"Hello?" he called into the vast meadow.
"Hello, Captain Valor," a soft, gentle voice replied. The stallion looked in the direction of the voice, and his eyes widened when he saw Princess Luna standing before him. Valor instinctively scrambled to his hooves and stood at attention, then saluted his commander-in-chief.
"At ease, Captain," Luna said. "I wanted to be the first to thank you for your heroic sacrifice on the field of battle. You served your country, and your princesses, exceptionally well."
"'Served'?" Valor cried, whipping his head around desperately. "Wait, Princess, am I... dead?" Princess Luna sighed sadly and gave him a somber look.
"Your time approaches quickly," the princess said. "You will be dead before the night is out, but fear not, my brave guard; I'm here to give you peace, and I will escort you through the gates of heaven in a few moments. Now, why don't you tell me three of your most fervent wishes? I will do everything in my power to make them come true." Valor nodded, surprised at how calm he felt about his imminent departure. His wishes were the easiest decisions he'd ever made.
"Please let me see my wife and son one last time," he said. "Make sure they will be well looked after I have left this world, Princess, and make sure they know just how much I love them." Princess Luna nodded once, then produced a huge check for billions of bits, exponentially more than enough money to ensure the well-being of Valor's wife, young son, and unborn daughter. Valor's jaw dropped, and his eyes filled with tears.
"Princess," he gasped, "I don't know how to thank you." Luna gave him a warm, wordless smile, then swept her horn in a curved motion, revealing a very pregnant pink Earth pony and a small yellow colt with a light blue mane and tail.
"Dada!" the little foal yelled, giggling as he waddled towards Valor. The colt tripped and fell but stood back up quickly, aided by a gentle nuzzle from Luna. He looked up at the alicorn with wide eyes, mesmerized by the stars in her mane. Luna chuckled and encouraged the foal forward with a soft nudge, and the colt toddled into Valor's hooves as quickly as he could. Valor held the foal close to his chest and kissed his tiny forehead as his wife joined him and cupped Valor's face in her hooves with tears in her eyes.
"I love you so much," the pink Earth pony whispered, pulling Valor into an embrace. "Don't worry about me and the foals; we will be all right. I know you will watch over us forever."
"I love you, too, Magnolia. I love you both so very, very much," Valor said, kissing the mare's cheek. Then, he pulled back and looked at her seriously.
"I want you and the little ones to be happy," he told Magnolia. "I want you to know right now that if you fall in love and want to remarry one day, you have my blessing to do so. Your happiness, and the foals' happiness, is all I care about. Don't worry about me, my love. I'm going to be okay, and I will watch over you until the day we reunite."
"Valor," Luna said softly, "it is nearly time. Are you ready?" As if on cue, the dreamscape began to ripple like a pond whose calm surface had just been altered by a tossed pebble. Valor gave his wife and son one last kiss, then turned to look at the princess of the night, who now stood in front of an ornate set of gold and white gates. A beautiful, mesmerizing light shone just beyond the gates, and it gave Valor a new sense of calm as he and Luna approached the barrier between the mortal and immortal plains. With one final glance over his shoulder, Valor took a deep breath and entered into eternal peace.
Luna paused outside the alleyway and followed the tiny, weak cries that came from a discarded shoebox. The night was frigid, and snow blew in the icy wind. Luna bit back a surge of anger and pain when she heard the crying filly, who was clearly no more than a few hours old. She gently cradled the tiny pink unicorn foal, then closed her eyes and entered the dream realm, where the newborn foal still lay on the ground, crying in fear, confusion, and discomfort.
"Ooohhhhhh, shhhhhhh, there, there, little one," the princess cooed, tenderly lifting the little filly and cuddling her close to her chest. "You're all right. You are safe now, sweetheart." The foal immediately quieted and opened her light pink eyes, cooing up at Luna and reaching up to try to touch the stars in the alicorn's mane. Luna's throat tightened, but she stifled her sadness and giggled as the filly chewed on her mane. The unbelievably small foal trembled from the cold, and Luna gave her a little half-smile.
"Now," she cooed to the foal, forcing herself to keep her tone of voice happy as she swaddled the filly in a warm, fluffy blanket, "what shall we call you?" The filly tilted her head and cooed a reply, reaching her tiny hooves up to touch Luna's face.
"Hmm," Luna continued as she rocked the foal, "I think a little one as beautiful as you deserves a beautiful name, don't you? Hmmm, let me think. How about... Dahlia?" The foal squeaked and giggled at Luna in response, and the princess of the night smiled.
"All right, Dahlia," Luna said with a nod, "why don't we get you all cleaned up and make you nice and comfortable? Then I can sing you a little song if you like." Dahlia gurgled, smiled, and booped Luna's nose, still mesmerized by the stars in her mane. Luna giggled a little to hide any trace of the fact that this was absolutely destroying her; she needed to stay strong for the tiny one in her care. She charged her horn and surrounded Dahlia with a sparkly pink aura, which cleaned every bit of filth from the foal's body. Dahlia's eyes widened when she saw the pink glitter swirling around her, and she giggled. After Dahlia was perfectly clean, she began to whimper, and Luna cuddled the foal against her chest, rocking her as she sang a soothing lullaby.
Luna conjured a huge mahogany wardrobe full of tiny white dresses and searched through the nearest rack until she found a beautiful smocked dress embroidered with an overlay of dahlias. With another ragged sigh, she dressed the little foal in her gown, rubbing noses with Dahlia after she did so. Luna always chose an "angel gown" for each foal under the age of ten that she cared for so that they would enter Heaven in a beautiful white garment, dressed as both the pure souls that they were on Earth and as the angels that they had become.
The princess conjured a sterling silver rattle and freed Dahlia's front hooves from her swaddling blanket so that the filly could play with it, which she did for a few moments, until the dreamscape was slightly altered by an all-too-familiar lapse. Luna sucked in a ragged breath and squeezed her eyes shut, fighting like hell against the scorching tears that threatened to cloud her field of vision. Stay strong for this precious little soul, she silently reminded herself. Dahlia whimpered nervously and began to fuss.
"Ssssshhh, sweet Dahlia," Luna whispered, cuddling the filly up against her shoulder to burp her. The princess paid no mind to the bit of spit-up that appeared on her coat as Dahlia burped; she was far more confident with babies than her older sister was. Luna's heart shattered once again as she looked into the foal's beautiful pink eyes and reminded herself, as she did every time she had to perform these tasks, that this little one was already beyond help; she was too pure for the harshness and cruelty of the world she had been thrust into. Another lapse told Luna that there was no more time, so she walked over to the magnificent gold and white gates that had just appeared, gave Dahlia a final kiss on her head, and reluctantly passed the filly to a waiting pegasus, who lovingly covered Dahlia with her wing.
Powerful and immortal though she was, Luna was not immune to exhaustion due to the intense physical, mental, psychological, and emotional strain of the role to which she dedicated her life. For the trillionth time in thousands of years, Luna felt a pang of jealousy toward her sister, but not for the reasons that one might expect. Celestia had absolutely no idea of what it was like to perform such an important job, nor did she possess a modicum of the empathy or emotional fortitude that she was so good at feigning--the empathy that was required of a pony who assisted transitioning souls. As the citizens of Equestria fawned over Celestia, Luna performed the most emotionally taxing work imaginable, rewarded only with the satisfaction of knowing that she had granted eternal peace to countless departing ponies. Nightmare Moon had preyed on Luna's resentment toward Celestia, yes, but that resentment did not spawn solely from her jealousy of the endless attention and praise that Celestia received; actually, Luna had hated Celestia because she knew that the older alicorn would never, ever be able to comprehend the soul-destroying pain of not only knowing that she could not save the life of a dying infant, but also having to carry said infant into the afterlife.
Luna exited the dream realm, hung her head, and began to cry. The simplicity of the filly's three wishes, like that of those made by so many others before her, broke Luna's heart; she had wished only for food, warmth, and love--all three of which she had been denied during her short life. Luna had a unique way of looking after the abandoned newborns in her care. She had never allowed a single one to die without a name, since so many of them were only identified with a number on Earth. Luna always spoke each one's new name out loud with love before and after returning to the waking world so that each and every little life would be remembered. No foal in Equestria had ever died without knowing Luna's love for them. Luna dried her tears and stepped out onto her balcony. She heaved a tired sigh and silently lamented the fact that though it was only ten o'clock in the evening, this night was still older than the little life that she had just assisted in crossing over. Looking out at her beautiful night, Luna took a deep breath and spoke the word that would seal the work that she had just completed.
Luna swooped down into the soundproofed basement and stifled a cry as she gazed down at the severely malnourished, bruised, brutally beaten colt, no more than five years old, who lay unconscious and gasping for breath, chained to the wall, choking on his own blood on the filthy floor. She knew what had been done to him as soon as she saw him, and she vowed to give an excruciating end to whoever had hurt this innocent soul. Luna knew this foal well; she had saved him from terrible nightmares on a nightly basis for five years, but now he was in the place where Luna had prayed he would never, ever end up. She tried to save him, as she had tried so many times before, but she knew that her efforts would be futile tonight. Finally, she sighed in defeat and entered the Sacred Hall of the dream realm, where the little black and white foal, whose body was now completely healed and strong, was playing in the beautiful meadow that served as the "holding area" for all incoming foals under the age of ten--those who were still alive on Earth but had no chance of survival.
"Hello, Max," Luna called. The colt’s ears perked when he heard Luna’s voice, and he trotted up to her excitedly.
“Hi, Princess Luna,” Max said. “What are you doing here?”
“You’re dreaming, young one,” Luna explained, “and as the princess of dreams, I can pop into anypony’s dreams to say hello, especially when that pony is one of my favorite ponies.” She grinned and ruffled the colt’s mane, making him laugh.
“So,” Luna said, “I decided to show up here because I just had a wonderful idea: I thought it would be fun to grant three of your greatest wishes. First, however, I want to give you a present: This is your angel gown." Bowing her head, Luna surrounded Max with a turquoise aura that changed him into a pure white gown.
“Thank you, Princess!” Max cried, his eyes widening. “Wow, I know exactly what I want. I wish mom and dad wouldn’t hit me anymore, and I want a beautiful house to live in, and a puppy!“
“Max,” Luna gently interrupted, “your first wish has already been granted; in a few moments, you will go to a place where nopony will ever hurt you again. You will be safe, happy, and loved forever. Now, tell me more about what you want your new house to look like. What color would you like the house to be?"
"Hmmmm," the colt said thoughtfully, "I want... a white mansion with pale green shutters, and I want it to be big enough for all my new friends to play with me in it all day. I want tons of toys in every room, and--" he looked up, startled, as if he had just realized something. "Oh, Princess, I didn't mean to sound spoiled, but I... I've never had a toy in my whole life. Mommy and Daddy just kept me in the basement..." he trailed off as Luna gently lifted his chin with her hoof so that his eyes met hers.
"I understand, child," the alicorn said. "You do not need to apologize for asking for things that are wanted by every foal your age. You were not given those things in life, so I will give you as many toys as you'd like; in fact, yes, every single room in your house will be stuffed with toys, and I will speak with the one in charge of your new home about letting you keep it after our little meeting is over. Now, relax." Luna grinned and winked at the small colt, then swept her horn in a gentle curve, leaving a trail of purple glitter in its wake. "Close your eyes, and don't open them until I tell you to do so," Luna told Max. The foal squeezed his eyes shut, and Luna chuckled as she swooped her horn in a clockwise motion and released a hot pink bolt of glitter into the air. The bolt exploded like a firework, and the dreamscape changed so that the two ponies stood in front of a massive white mansion with sea foam green shutters.
"No peeking, now, Max," Luna teased. She slowly swept her horn counterclockwise, creating a giant playroom filled with billions of toys, board games, video games, and books. She did the same with every room in the palatial house, then sighed proudly and admired her handiwork.
"All right, Max," she said, "you can open your eyes now." The little colt did as he was asked, and he was rendered speechless. Luna chuckled and wrapped her wing around Max in a loving embrace as he hugged her right foreleg.
"Thank you!" he yelled, running and diving headfirst into the nearest pile of toys. Luna giggled at the foal's antics, ignoring the fiery tears that were building up in her eyes. She quickly wiped her eyes and refocused on the task at hand.
"Are you ready for your next wish, Max?" Luna asked the colt. Max's eyes widened, and he bounced up and down excitedly, nodding.
"Max," Luna said, "the puppy I'm about to give you is in the exact same type of situation that you're in. He arrived a few moments ago, and I think he needs somepony very special to love him forever and ever. His owners treated him very poorly, and, like you, he only wants to be loved. Will you promise to take good care of him for me?" Max's jaw dropped, and he nodded rapidly, his face serious.
"Yes! Oh, yes, Princess Luna, I'll be the bestest puppy owner ever, I promise! Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!" He squirmed with excitement, and Luna chuckled.
"Okay, Max," she said, charging her horn, "meet Teddy." Luna swept her horn counterclockwise with a flourish, and a little Golden Retriever puppy appeared. As soon as Teddy saw Max, he bounded up to the colt, yipping and covering Max's face with kisses.
"Oh, thank you, Princess!" Max yelled as he frolicked with the puppy. Luna looked at the ground for a split second to conceal her tears as the dreamscape lapsed; this time, however, the lapse created a different pathway to Heaven's gates. The usual white walkway that led to the gates was gone, and a shimmering rainbow bridge stood in its place. Like so many of the other foals who had asked Luna for a pet, Max and Teddy ran across the Rainbow Bridge and through the gates without hesitation. Once the gates had shut, Luna bowed her head and wept for a few minutes, as she did every time she was given the opportunity to unite two kindred spirits. Whenever a foal's final wishes included a pet, Luna always sifted through the incoming dogs and cats--now all puppies and kittens again--who had died homeless, cold and alone, had been just another name on a shelter's euthanasia list, and/or had been abused. This was especially rewarding for Luna when she was given the opportunity to unite an abused foal with an abused animal; by doing this, Luna ensured that both foal and pet would be able to give one another the love that they were deprived of in life. Smiling through her tears, Luna watched as the colt and his new puppy--who had been an old, abused dog upon his arrival--became smaller and smaller until they finally disappeared into the angelic light beyond the gates, then she turned and headed back to the Sacred Hall. There were many more wishes yet to be granted.
As one could probably guess, Canterlot Retirement Community was always in need of Luna's services. The princess of the night glided effortlessly to the ground and trotted to the skilled nursing facility, where the nurses in the hallway curtsied to Luna as she made her way to her destination, giving them kind smiles but never stopping. In Luna's line of work, time was of the essence. Luna came to the upscale nursing home every single night, and the lives that naturally met their peaceful closes there provided her with a small respite from the tragic, horrific deaths with which she was so often required to assist. Canterlot's nursing home was occupied by the city's wealthiest elderly ponies, many of whom were aristocrats, so Luna knew many of them, but not the pony she was going to see tonight.
Even before she opened the door to Room 328, Luna could hear the familiar "death rattle" coming from the pony in the bed. No matter how many times she heard the sound, Luna was always affected by the loud, labored gurgling that often preceded a pony's last breath. As she looked at the framed pictures that adorned the walls of the spacious room, Luna felt herself smiling in spite of the death rattle. This pony had clearly lived a long, full, happy life. A black and white wedding photo was situated on the mare's nightstand, in which a glowing young bride stood next to a handsome young stallion in his army dress uniform. Family portraits, pictures of family members holding foals, photos of smiling little ones that gradually turned into photos of smiling adults, and precious little trinkets had been lovingly placed on every available surface. Luna sighed with relief and entered the dream realm.
Pink Champagne, who was now young and beautiful once again, stood in the center of the dreamscape, searching frantically. When she saw Luna, the mare galloped over, clearly distraught even though her dementia had been instantly vanquished from her mind and body.
"Princess Luna," she said, bobbing a curtsy, "where is he? Where is my darling Black Tie? I need to see him. We haven't been apart for this long since he went away to Germany to fight back in forty-one. Please let me see him."
"Fret not, dear one," Luna soothed the mare, placing a comforting hoof on Pink Champagne's shoulder. "I'm sure you already know that three of your most fervent wishes will be granted, do you not? Is there anything else you would like?"
"No," Pink Champagne said firmly. "Just make sure my children and grandchildren will be taken care of, and take me home to my Black Tie. We were childhood sweethearts, grew up across the street from each other, went to school together all the way through college, we were married for seventy-four years, had five wonderful children together, followed by ten grandchildren, fourteen great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. We have already been blessed beyond measure. I'm ready to go, Princess. Please, just take me home to my dear husband. I've been waiting for this day for two years. I have no regrets about this life; I have lived it to the fullest, and I'm ready to join my darling Black Tie." Luna gave the mare an understanding smile, knowing that no more words were necessary. She lit her horn and revealed Heaven's gates, then looked down at Pink Champagne, who was prancing with excitement. When she looked back at the gates, Luna saw the same handsome young stallion from the mare's pictures, waiting for Pink Champagne with open hooves. The pink unicorn took off and leapt into her husband's embrace, eternally reunited with the love of her life. Luna's throat tightened. Though she witnessed such long-anticipated reunions on a daily basis, the sheer purity and sweetness of such reunions always brought tears to her eyes. Smiling through her tears, the princess of the night turned and left to assist more transitioning souls.
As she landed in the forest on the outskirts of Ponyville, Luna was greeted by a sight that nearly made her scream in anguish and horror: On the cold ground in the middle of the woods, a small light blue Pegasus filly with a light pink mane and tail, who looked to be no older than five or six, lay trembling and bleeding, the skirt of her pink, bloodstained dress pulled back. Luna saw a deep stab wound in the foal's stomach. Her underwear, also bloody, lay a few yards away. Both of the filly's wings had been broken by her assailant. Bile began to rise in Luna's throat as she slowly began to realize what had happened to this precious young one, and she was forced to resist the urge to take off after the foal's murderer; she would personally deal with him later. She began to feel even sicker when she realized that she had seen this filly's face all over the news for weeks. The princess didn't try to imagine what this little one had been through, as she was finding it hard enough to process the horrific scene before her. Luna sighed and tried not to cry as she forced herself to accept the horrible truth of the situation. She would lead law enforcement to the body later.
Luna hurried over to the filly's side and reminded herself that though she was a supremely powerful alicorn, she could not use any of her magic to alter the past, nor did she possess the ability to save this little one's life or heal her wounds; the foal was doomed, and all Luna could do was keep her comfortable and give her a peaceful exit from this world. Ponies never entered the Sacred Hall unless they had absolutely no chance of living. Sighing, Luna reentered the Hall, where the filly stood in the middle of a beautiful field, motionless and terrified even though her body had been healed.
"Arabella," Luna called. The filly whirled around, trembling, but she immediately relaxed when she recognized Luna.
"Princess Luna! My favorite princess! I can't believe you're here!" Arabella bounced in excited circles around Luna, then hugged the princess' legs, all fear forgotten. Luna's heart melted, and she lowered her head to nuzzle Arabella affectionately, then lay down in the cool grass of the fragrant meadow and motioned for the filly to lie down beside her. The breeze was warm and sweet, and the cloudless, brilliant blue sky smiled above the sunny, flowery field. Luna was glad to be able to distract Arabella from the agony that her Earthly body was enduring at the moment; this little one would have to face a slow death, but Luna would make certain that Arabella would feel no pain. In truth, Luna was slightly glad that this slow death would give her more time to make Arabella's final wishes come true. As usual, the princess asked the filly about her three wishes, but not before changing her into her angel gown. Arabella gasped excitedly as she was dressed in the ethereal white gown, then she quickly shifted her focus back to her wishes.
"Hmm," Arabella said thoughtfully, "I think... I think I want my wishes to be for my family. First, please make sure that the police find me soon so that my parents can give me a beautiful funeral and get justice for me. Secondly... I want to be a bride. I want to get married, so that my dad will have his chance to walk me down the aisle and have a father-daughter dance with me. I know I'm too young, but can't you give both of my parents a dream that shows me as the adult I would have been, arrange a wedding between me and the stallion I was supposed to marry, and let me wear a beautiful dress like the one on my bridal Barbie? This will be painful enough for my parents; I think they should be able to see at least one major milestone of my life so that they won't have to be sad about missing out. And lastly, please make sure my parents will be okay. Please make me their guardian angel, and make sure they know that I'll always watch over them." A small sob shook Luna's body as she processed the kindness and selflessness of Arabella's last requests. The foal was so young and innocent, and the love that she had for her family was palpable. Luna nodded and sent out a telepathic dispatch to all the law enforcement agencies that answered to her, specifying Arabella's exact location. Then, she smiled down at Arabella.
"Your body will be found before the night is out. Are you ready to be a beautiful bride?" Luna asked. Arabella nodded, and Luna sent a mist of sparkles swirling around the filly, creating an illusion of the adult she would have been. A gorgeous white silk wedding dress appeared on Arabella's body, followed by a cathedral-length veil and a bouquet of roses. A stallion in a black tuxedo appeared by her side. Luna smiled; she hadn't had to create this dream for Arabella's best friend, because he had already imagined marrying her. With a flick of her head, Luna shared the dream with Arabella's parents, who were sleeping soundly for the first time in weeks. Arabella's dad walked her down the aisle and gave her away to the stallion, then the two were married, and the dream flashed forward to the reception, where Arabella and her father shared their dance. Finally, she magically sent a wave of peace over Arabella's family, peace that assured them that their daughter and granddaughter would always watch over them.
As if on cue, the dreamscape began to lapse. Arabella, who was no longer afraid, looked up at Luna.
"I'm ready," the foal declared firmly. "Take good care of my family, Luna."
"I shall do so. You have my word," Luna promised. Arabella took a deep breath--her last earthly breath--as she entered Heaven's gates, never looking back. As the gates shut, Luna blinked, somewhat surprised. This young foal had just faced death with more courage than most adults Luna escorted. Most foals became at least a little apprehensive when they felt the lapse, but Arabella had accepted reality with grace beyond her years. With a little smile, Luna returned to the Sacred Hall and resumed her duties.
Princess Luna gasped in horror as the Sacred Hall suddenly began to rapidly fill with terrified foals from Ponyville Daycare Center, all of whom were between two and five years old. The youngest ones clung to Luna, wailing in terror as the older foals huddled together, trembling. Some just stood wide-eyed and shocked. More and more foals appeared, each one screaming and crying in fear. Many of them ran aimlessly, as if they were trying to get away from something. Luna stifled a cry; she had never received so many foals in such a short timespan before. Confused, Luna began to sift through each foal's recent memory. What she saw shook her to her core. Worse, she knew she could do nothing to stop the carnage. She knew that even more victims of this senseless massacre would enter her care over the next few days and weeks. Setting her jaw, Luna got to work organizing the foals in a line that started with the ones who had the least amount of time left. The first foal was a little blue two-year-old unicorn filly named Moonlight Wishes, whose name alone nearly destroyed Luna.
“All right, little one,” Luna said, “make a wish.” The scared little filly looked up at Luna for a second, then began to cry.
“Mommy!” she wailed. Luna took a deep breath and nodded, tears filling her eyes.
“All right, Moonlight Wishes,” the princess whispered, “I’ll be your mommy.” She cast a spell that soothed the filly’s cries, and Moonlight leapt into Luna’s hooves. Usually, Luna would have allowed Moonlight to see her mother one last time, but the manner of the filly’s death had been so sudden and violent that Luna decided against exposing Moonlight’s mother to such trauma and worsening her already unimaginable suffering. Loving each foal in her care as if he or she were her own flesh and blood was of paramount importance to Luna, especially when those foals cried for their mothers. She considered herself to be their “final mother.” Like these foals’ earthly mothers, who ushered them into the world and had loved them above all others during the foals’ time on Earth, Luna ushered them out with all the love, care, and comfort that she could give them. Moonlight Wishes settled into a peaceful sleep, and Luna kissed the filly on the forehead before passing her to the waiting pony on the other side of the gates. Then, Luna turned back to the other waiting foals and bent down to the next one in line, a little black Earth pony named Onyx Bolt, who appeared to be about four years old. Like Moonlight Wishes, the colt was utterly terrified, disoriented, and confused.
“I heard a ‘pop-pop-pop,’ and then I ended up here. Why am I here? What is this? I wanna go home! I want my mommy and daddy!” Onyx Bolt quickly became hostile. “Let me go home! I won’t go with you! No! No!” Luna stood back and allowed the foal to rant, then, when he stopped, she spoke.
“Onyx Bolt,” the princess said slowly, “would you like some ice cream? What’s your favorite flavor?”
“Chocolate chip cookie dough!” the foal replied right away, all fear instantly forgotten. Luna gave him a giant bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, which Onyx Bolt devoured eagerly.
“Onyx Bolt,” Luna said after he had finished his ice cream, “what are the three things you want to do more than anything else in the world?” The colt furrowed his brow, deep in thought.
“I only have one wish: I wanna join the Wonderbolts, but I can’t, because I’m not a pegasus,” Onyx Bolt said sadly. Luna smiled, gave Onyx Bolt a pair of wings and a uniform, then summoned four Wonderbolts to his side. The four pegasi surrounded the ecstatic foal, and together they performed several tricky maneuvers, then they escorted Onyx Bolt through the gates of heaven.
The next few fillies in line, who were all around three years old, asked to be princesses, and Luna granted their wishes by turning them into alicorns, giving them their very own crowns and necklaces, letting them each play in a huge castle, and putting a stained-glass window decorated with each one's cutie mark into the hallway that led to Luna's chambers at Canterlot Castle. Then, a four-year-old thestral colt named Night Wing, who looked so much like Luna's husband, Phoebus, trotted up to Luna.
"I wanna be a Royal Lunar Guard like Prince Phoebus, and I wanna protect you, Princess Luna!" the colt announced. Luna smiled at Night Wing's request; many had asked her for the exact same thing before. Thestrals were creatures of the night, and Luna's Royal Lunar Guards consisted solely of the bat-like ponies, including Luna's own husband, Prince Phoebus, who was a captain in the Royal Lunar Guards, so most young thestrals aspired to be part of her elite group of soldiers. Luna swallowed the lump in her throat and gave the colt her most stoic, stony expression.
"Well, Night Wing," she said, lifting her chin, "I don't just let anypony become a Royal Lunar Guard. Are you brave enough? Are you strong? How fast are you? How tough are you? Show me your skills, young cadet, and I shall decide whether or not you deserve the honor of joining the forces of the night!" She hid a little smile as Night Wing shot into the air and soared as fast as he could in a circle, then landed at Luna's hooves.
"Hmm," Luna said, pretending to ponder what she had just seen, "I think I might need a second opinion." She summoned her husband, Prince Phoebus, into the realm. The thestral stallion greeted Luna with a soft kiss, which Luna returned. Phoebus then directed his attention to Night Wing.
"I have heard much about your exceptional skills, Night Wing," Phoebus said, his voice clipped and commanding. "So, Private... attention!" The colt immediately snapped to attention.
"Excellent," Phoebus praised him. "Private Night Wing, do you solemnly promise and swear to be faithful, and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Princess Luna, her heirs and successors, and that you will as in duty bound, honestly and faithfully defend Her Majesty, her heirs and successors in person, crown and dignity, against all enemies, and will observe and obey all orders of Her Majesty, her heirs and successors and the generals and officers set over you?"
"I do," Night Wing replied eagerly. Phoebus exchanged a loving glance with Luna, then looked back at Night Wing.
"Welcome to the Royal Lunar Guards, Private Night Wing," Phoebus said, shaking the colt's hoof. Luna charged her horn, then magically turned Night Wing into a Royal Lunar Guard, giving him a uniform. The dream realm began to lapse, and Phoebus walked Night Wing to the gates.
"Private," Phoebus commanded, "present arms!" The two soldiers raised their hooves in a final salute, then Night Wing turned and strode bravely through the gates. As Phoebus returned to Luna's side, Luna noticed the tears streaming down her husband's face. She pulled him close, kissing his tears away.
"Shhhh, my love," Luna whispered. "I know that must have been incredibly difficult for you, but that little one will never forget what you did for him. I love you." She kissed her husband gently, then touched her forehead to his.
"H-how do you do it?" Phoebus sobbed. "How do you--?"
"I cannot explain now, my dearest," Luna told him, nuzzling the stallion lovingly. "I must escort the rest of these little ones to peace." She kissed Phoebus a final time, then sent him back to the waking world.
Suddenly, another pony appeared: A brown unicorn stallion with eyes full of hatred and evil. Luna immediately took a defensive stance, using her wing to shield him from the foals' sight.
"You are the bastard who did this," Luna growled. "What is your name, foul demon? SPEAK!" The stallion smirked devilishly and narrowed his eyes at the princess. Luna's blood boiled as she realized that this pony was responsible for the deaths of all of these innocent little foals, and he had just killed himself after murdering the young ones. He refused to speak, smirking at Luna.
"You may have expedited your death sentence," Luna bellowed, "but you have not saved yourself from any of the excruciating pain that I will personally inflict upon you! I will deal with you later. Get out of my sight." She tied the stallion to a stake and burned him to a crisp, then sent him to the deepest, darkest pits of Hell.
A five-year-old unicorn colt named Inferno was next in line. Like Onyx Bolt, Inferno entered the Sacred Hall fighting his fate, kicking, bucking, screaming, and thrashing violently.
"No!" he yelled in Luna's face. "No, Princess Luna, I won't go with you! I have to fight! I want to live! I'm going to live!" Inferno's screams quickly turned higher as he became more and more agitated. Luna stood quietly and allowed the foal to cry for a few moments before she spoke.
"It is useless to try to fight, little one," Luna gently told him. "You are still lying on the floor at school, and you are bleeding out. You have lost far too much blood because a bullet pierced one of your arteries; the doctors cannot save you. I also wish you had not ended up here, but, alas, you are here, and in a few minutes' time, you will be dead. I admire your fighting spirit, young Inferno, and I am so very sorry that this happened to you. You were much, much too young to die, and I know you're afraid, but fear not, young one; if you will just cooperate with me and trust me, I will give you peace and comfort, and you will go on to a place full of happiness beyond your wildest dreams. I promise that you will feel no pain. Would you like some ice cream? What's your favorite flavor?"
"Ch-chocolate," Inferno stuttered, trembling like a leaf. Luna gave him a giant bowl of chocolate ice cream, which he devoured greedily. After he had finished eating, Inferno only wished for one thing: His mother. Once again, in order to avoid upsetting Inferno's actual mother, Luna became the foal's mom and rocked him until the dreamscape lapsed. She led Inferno to the gates, gave him a final hug, told him she loved him, and ushered him to heaven.
A little turquoise unicorn filly named Diamond Blossom, who looked eerily similar to Luna's own daughter, Princess Neoma, when she was a foal, was last in line. Luna actually had to remind herself that Neoma was safe and healthy, with a husband and daughter of her own now; the thestral alicorn was Princess of the Northern Lights, responsible for creating beautiful light shows over the frigid arctic. Luna sucked in a deep breath and looked at Diamond Blossom.
Luna attended each foal's funeral, comforting every family. The first funeral she attended was that of little Night Wing, where Luna posthumously commissioned the thestral colt as a colonel of the Royal Lunar Guards and had him buried accordingly, in a custom foal-sized uniform, with full military honors befitting one of her soldiers. Luna bit back her tears as the soldiers fired three volleys and the Equestrian flag over the foal's tiny casket was folded and given to his grief-stricken parents. Then, Phoebus, Luna, and her entire Royal Lunar Guard regiment saluted as a bagpiper played a lament and the casket was slowly lowered into the ground. Not a dry eye could be found anywhere in the huge crowd that had gathered.
After the funeral, Luna trudged into the castle, past Celestia, who was irritatingly cheerful. Luna tried to remind herself that her sister would never understand the full extent of Luna's duties, but it became too much for her to bear when Celestia spoke to her.
"Hi, Lulu! How was your night?" Luna gritted her teeth as she turned to face the older alicorn.
"I don't know, sister," she snapped. "I just attended the funeral of a little four-year-old colt who died in a mass shooting. His last wish was to be a Royal Lunar Guard. I granted his wish before escorting him to heaven the day he died. I still have nineteen other funerals to attend--nineteen tiny caskets I have to watch being put into the ground. How do you think my night went?" Celestia's eyes widened, and tears began to fall down her cheeks.
"Is that... part of your job?" Celestia asked. Luna nodded silently, then fell into Celestia's hooves, crying uncontrollably.
"You will never understand," Luna sobbed. "Mine is the most precious, most sacred, most heartbreaking, most difficult duty a pony can imagine. Don't ever complain about your role again. You have absolutely no idea about what my job requires. After my banishment, ponies had to take their last journeys all by themselves for a thousand years. The old, the sick, the little ones--" she cried harder, "--they were all left to die alone. I grant three of everypony's final wishes, then I take them all to heaven. Never complain about your job again. I don't want to hear it." Celestia cried with Luna, holding her little sister.
"I can't imagine the weight of the burden you must carry, little sister," Celestia sobbed. "You handle your duty with so much grace. You are billions of times stronger than I will ever be. I had no idea." She sniffled and hugged Luna tightly. The two sisters held each other until Celestia was due to raise the sun.
Luna sighed, her heart heavy as she landed in the drainage ditch and folded her wings. A young Earth pony mare named Honey Blossom, who was only nineteen, lay lifeless in the ditch, which was quickly filling with runoff from the recent rain. Her golden coat was streaked with mud, her flaxen mane and tail were matted, her chest boasted a fresh stab wound, and she coughed as her lungs began to fill with blood. Luna entered the dream realm, where the mare was looking around frantically, her body completely healed, her mint green eyes wild with fear.
"Princess Luna, why did Sabre do this?" Honey Blossom screamed. "Why did he hurt me? I thought he loved me. Why did he do this to me?" Luna released another sigh, shaking her head as she wrapped her wing comfortingly around Honey Blossom's shoulder and drew the mare close to her side.
"Honey Blossom," Luna said, "he did not love you. Ponies do not hurt ponies that they love. This... creature," she spat, her voice gravelly with disdain, "is a disgusting waste of oxygen. He stabbed you because he could not deal with rejection. He is a pathetic excuse for a pony, and I will make certain that he never hurts another pony again. Now," she said, softening her voice to a gentle, soothing tone, "do you know why I am here, sweet Honey Blossom?" She gently pushed a stray lock of mane out of the mare's face. Honey Blossom's eyes widened as she figured out what was happening to her, and she began to tremble.
"Princess Luna," she whispered, "am I... am I... dying?" The last word was barely audible. Luna sucked in a labored breath. Informing ponies about the reality of their situations was one of the hardest parts of her job. After a few seconds, the princess' eyes met Honey Blossom's stare, and Luna nodded wordlessly. Honey Blossom immediately began to fight, clinging desperately to her mortal coil. Luna pressed Honey Blossom against her side, calmly allowing herself to be kicked and bitten. She immensely respected these types of ponies, who fought like hell even when all hope was lost. Unfortunately, every single pony who reached Luna was doomed; Honey Blossom's fate had already been sealed. Her future had been stolen by a single blow from a hunting knife wielded by a pathetic, possessive stallion.
"Ssshhh, dear one," Luna cooed, holding the mare close, "you must not fight. Do not be afraid. I am here to make this transition as easy as possible for you, but in order for me to do that, you must trust me and cease your fighting. If you had even the slightest chance of survival, you would not be in my care right now. I promise you that I will not allow you to suffer; in fact, why don't you tell me three of your greatest wishes? I will do everything in my power to make them come true." She felt Honey Blossom's body beginning to relax as the Earth pony took a deep breath.
"Okay," Honey Blossom said, "please make sure my family can find me so that they can give me a proper funeral. Make sure my parents are taken care of, and... please give this to Sabre. Make sure he gets this. He deserves to suffer for what he's done." She opened a small bag and passed a neatly folded piece of paper to Luna, who nodded and stowed the note.
"It will be done," Luna promised. She escorted Honey Blossom to Heaven and kept the letter close to her, but she didn't give the note to the mare's murderer.
Always true to her word, Luna kept the letter, waiting until Sabre's trial for Honey Blossom's murder to read it in front of the court. She fixed her gaze on the killer for a few moments before she began to read:
Dear Sabre,
Please know that your happiness is the most important thing in the world to me, but now you have gone too far, and I must put my hoof down and insist that you stop harassing me. Your texts, calls, and letters are relentless. I have asked you multiple times to leave me alone, but now I must take action. Enclosed is a restraining order that I have just filed against you. If you approach me again, I will contact law enforcement. I never thought I would fear you, but I no longer have any idea who you are. I wish you the best, but if you attempt to contact me again, I will not hesitate to have you arrested.
Sincerely,
Honey Blossom
Sabre was dishonorably discharged from the army and sentenced to death, and his execution was carried out by Luna herself as Celestia and Honey Blossom's family looked on. A sigh of relief passed her lips as the criminal died; he, like every other criminal, would not see his final wishes granted. Instead, Luna thrust him into the billowing black smoke and massively tall flames of Hell, smirking as he was engulfed by eternal torment. Justice had been delivered. Honey Blossom would be remembered.
Luna swallowed the boulder in her throat as she entered Ponyville Hospital. She hated this place with a passion. Her heart only broke more when she saw the crib surrounded by monitors in the room she was to enter. She looked down into the crib at Muffin, the tiny light brown two-year-old Earth pony, who was hooked up to countless machines. Bruises covered the filly's entire body, and Luna could tell that Muffin was exhausted from fighting; her hour was at hand.
With a heartbroken sigh, Luna entered the dream realm. The little foal sat on her haunches, physically healed but crying in fear and confusion. Luna scooped Muffin up into her hooves, forcing herself to stay cheerful so that the foal would not be afraid.
"Hello there, darling," Luna said, kissing Muffin's forehead and booping the filly's nose. "Sssshhh, there's no need to cry. Mommy is here now. You're safe." Muffin stopped crying and tilted her head inquisitively, now magically seeing Luna as her mother--her final mother, the only real mother she'd ever had. She wiggled a little and grunted, relieving herself in her already-full diaper. Luna giggled, wrinkling her nose.
"Does my little Muffin need a change?" she cooed, kissing the filly's tummy. Her heart broke as she changed the foal's diaper and cleaned her up, knowing that Muffin had sometimes had to sit in her own excrement for hours before finally being changed. As a mother to two daughters who were now adults with foals of their own, Luna was unable to fathom how any parent could knowingly neglect their foal's most basic needs. She thought of the many sleepless nights she had spent awake with Neoma and Cassiopeia, the thousands and thousands of dirty diapers, the midnight feedings, endlessly pacing around the nursery trying to get them back to sleep, and she knew she wouldn't have traded them for the world. The fact that any parent could leave their defenseless foal to suffer and die without a second thought made Luna want to vomit. Sighing, Luna changed Muffin into her angel gown.
Muffin waddled in a little circle, then lifted her front hooves.
"Mommy, uppie!" she squealed. Luna chuckled and lifted Muffin, cuddling the foal lovingly.
"Now," Luna said, "what does my little one want to do next?"
"I no want my other mommy and daddy hurt me again," Muffin said solemnly. "They hit me awe da time. I a bad filly." Her tone became sad, and Luna curled her body around the foal, giving her a gentle nuzzle.
"Muffin," Luna said, her voice serious, "you are not a bad filly. Your mommy and daddy were the bad ponies. A mommy or daddy should never, ever hurt their foal. This was not your fault, do you understand, sweetheart?" Muffin nodded, and Luna could tell that the little foal understood.
"Muffin, would you like some ice cream?" Luna asked.
"Ice cweam!" the filly cheered. "I wanna be a alicorn, too!" Luna smiled and gave Muffin her ice cream, then turned her into a princess. Muffin immediately took off, loving her new wings and horn. Luna escorted the filly through the gates, then headed back to the dream realm.
Flames and flashing red lights illuminated the normally quiet road as firefighters rushed to rescue the two teenagers trapped in the burning, overturned car. Luna shook her head sadly and entered the dream realm, where the young couple clung to each other, crying.
"Weep not, dear ones," Luna told them gently. "You are safe."
"Princess Luna," the aquamarine filly said, breaking away from her boyfriend, "we've already decided what our wishes are. We know exactly what we want." The colt nodded in agreement.
"We want to get married," he said. "Before we leave this world for good, we want to be married." Luna nodded understandingly, turning to the filly, whose name was Delphine.
"Would you like a wedding dress, flowers, anything in particular?" Luna asked. Delphine shook her head.
"We don't want to waste any more time," the filly said. "We're both eighteen, and if we are going to die today, we want to die as husband and wife. Marry us now, please."
"Very well," Luna said with a nod. "Moonchaser, will you have this mare as your wedded wife, to live together after Our ordinance? Will you love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, stay loyal only to her--" Luna bit back a sob, "--so long as you both shall live?"
"I will," Moonchaser replied without hesitation. Luna then turned to Delphine.
"Delphine," she said, "will you have this stallion as your wedded husband, to live together after Our ordinance? Will you love him, comfort him, honor, and keep him in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, stay loyal only to him, so long as you both shall live?"
"I will," Delphine answered immediately.
"Then by the power vested in me as co-ruler of Equestria, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." Moonchaser dipped Delphine and kissed her softly, cupping her face in his hooves.
"Is there anything else you'd like?" Luna asked. Their surroundings began to lapse, and Moonchaser shook his head.
"You've given us everything we've ever wanted," he said. "I know you can't prolong our lives, so for us to be able to cross over to eternity together, as a married couple, means everything to both of us."
"It really does," Delphine agreed. "I can't tell you how special it is for you to do this for us. Thank you." The young couple looked at each other and exchanged a smile, then walked through the beautiful gates together. A little smile played at the corners of Luna's mouth as she turned and walked back to the main hall of the dream realm, preparing to assist more of her subjects.
Another night, another foals' hospital, Luna thought, her heart heavy. As she walked through the hospital's automatic doors, Luna was greeted by the respectful bows, curtsies, and grim smiles of the staff, all of whom knew her well. She headed to the ward in which she was needed, trotting briskly, her ears forward and focused. Eventually, she quickened her pace to a canter, knowing there wasn't much time left. Luna's starry mane and tail flowed behind her in an invisible breeze as she hurried down the ridiculously long hallway, the staccato beat of her metal-shod hooves echoing off the glossy vinyl floor. When she heard the anguished cries of the foal's parents, her heart shot into her throat as she feared that she was too late, but Luna relaxed as she felt the foal's life force, which was extremely weak, but still present. She peered through the glass window on the door and sighed sadly when she saw the ten-year-old filly lying motionless in the bed. Closing her eyes, she entered the dream realm and approached the salmon-colored unicorn, who trotted up to Luna and hugged the princess as soon as she saw her.
"Okay, Princess Luna, I know we've already talked about this in a lot of my dreams, so I'm ready," Ula said firmly. "I've thought about these wishes a lot. I'm not scared at all; to be honest, I'm really glad you prepared me. You're like a hospice nurse, therapist, and princess all wrapped up in one beautiful, blue, sparkly package." Luna giggled at the filly's comment and draped her wing over Ula's shoulders.
"Well, Ula," Luna said with a little smile, "what is your first wish? For some reason, I have a feeling that all three of your wishes are pretty big, so I want to make sure you have enough time to fully enjoy each one."
"I want to swim with dolphins!" Ula exclaimed excitedly. "That's my greatest wish, but there are other aspects to it: I want you to join me, Princess. I know it's super random, but you seem like such a fun pony to just hang out with, so I was thinking we could make an entire little vacation out of it. You're my favorite princess, and I just really want to have fun with you! My third wish is that my parents will hold my hooves as I cross over; I'm not scared at all, but I know they want to be able to hold me when I go. I want them to know that I'll be okay."
"Those are definitely some big wishes," Luna said, smiling. "I'm not surprised with your choices, though; your name means 'sea jewel,' after all. We'd better get started!" She teleported them both to a beautiful, white, sandy beach in front of a huge, crystal clear, turquoise lagoon. The breeze smelled of salt, tropical flowers, and the familiar freshness and freedom that always seem to reveal themselves when one is near the ocean. Waves gently lapped at the shore, and the sun was perfectly warm as it shone in the cloudless blue sky. Just offshore, a pod of dolphins frolicked in the sparkling water. Ula gasped excitedly and looked up at Luna, as if asking her permission. Luna smirked playfully.
"Race you in!" she yelled, galloping ahead of Ula but slowing down just enough to let the filly win as they both rushed into the warm yet refreshing ocean. Ula squealed happily as several dolphins approached them, and she reached out to stroke each one as they surfaced.
"Princess Luna, this is incredible!" the filly cried, her eyes huge with wonder. "They're so soft... they're the softest things I've ever touched in my life!" Luna chuckled at Ula's unbridled enthusiasm.
"Yes," Luna agreed, stroking one of the dolphins. "They are incredibly soft and smooth. I love them because they're so intelligent and playful. I've swum with them many times, and I have the ability to communicate with them. Watch this." Grinning, Luna telepathically sent a message to the dolphin she was petting, who promptly dove underwater and shot out toward the horizon, then leapt out of the water in a graceful arc. Ula's mouth fell open as the dolphin returned to Luna's side.
"How did you do that?" Ula gasped, laughing as the dolphin gave Luna a cheeky little splash with his tail. Luna giggled at the dolphin's antics before answering Ula's question.
"Remember, I can communicate with them," she said. "Because my moon influences the tides, I naturally possess the ability to communicate fluently with every living being in the ocean. Dolphins are my favorites, though; look at this little cutie! How can you not fall in love with that face?" She giggled and stroked the dolphin's back as he swam off. The two of them swam with the dolphins for a few more minutes, until UIa began to tire. They waded up onto the beach, lay down in the luxurious cabana that had been set up for them, and began to sip a few mocktails.
"So," Luna said, "have you enjoyed our time together so far?" Ula nodded vigorously.
"Oh, yes, Princess," she said excitedly.
"Wonderful," Luna said, clapping her hooves, "because we're going to have a little spa day now, if you want to."
"I'd love to!" Ula squealed, jumping up and down. "I want to look as beautiful as possible when I get my angel wings." Luna nearly burst into tears at Ula's declaration, but she stifled her sadness and forced the most natural-looking smile she could give the filly.
"Sounds like a plan, then," Luna said, her voice sounding a bit softer as her throat tightened. "I'll take you to the spa that only the royals are permitted to use; you get to be my guest for... for the rest of your life." She had to look away from Ula for a moment to rein in her emotions. Yes, she knew that Ula had accepted the fact that she was dying and had prepared for this day for months with more grace and courage than many elderly adults who had lived full lives; still, this loss would be painful for Luna. Ula reminded Luna so much of her youngest daughter, Cassiopeia, Princess of the Coast, who was now a beautiful, healthy, happy, grown mare with her own life. Ula and Cassie shared a love for the sea, and they were both free spirits with a wild streak. Ula was so similar to the way Cassie had been at her age. The fact that Luna had no choice but to take the filly to the other side absolutely ripped the princess of the night's heart to shreds. Luna made a mental note to call Cassie later and tell her how much she loved her, then she redirected her attention back to Ula. She created a beautiful luxury spa where Ula was pampered with the finest products and treatments. The filly had her makeup done, and she magically received a long, thick, flowing, salmon pink mane and tail--the mane and tail that chemotherapy had stolen from her. Ula gasped for the thousandth time, then burst into tears as her beautiful mane and tail reappeared.
As the dreamscape lapsed, Luna showed Ula a portal that displayed her parents in her hospital room. The two unicorns stood on either side of Ula; her father held her left front hoof, and her mother held her right. Ula sighed blissfully and gave Luna a knowing look.
"It's time, isn't it?"
"Yes." Luna nodded, conjured the gates of Heaven, and walked Ula through them. Ula thanked Luna, hugged her, and trotted confidently to a waiting angel. Luna exited the dream realm, cried for a moment, then resumed her duties.
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.
"No! Please, no!" Luna cried as she landed outside the collapsing house. She hid behind a tree a few yards away from the burning structure, where a red Pegasus mare, who held a sobbing colt who looked to be around eighteen months old on her hip, shook a firefighter, screaming at him to quit being a little bitch and go inside. A small filly, about four years old, hid behind the mare's back, crying. The stallion was trying his best to comfort the distraught mare, who began to punch him, trying to run around him to reach the house.
"Stop it," he said, his voice kind but firm. "Ma'am, we are doing everything we can, but you need to stay out here with your little ones; they need you more than anypony else does right now." The mare draped her wing around her daughter, drawing the lime green filly closer to her side.
"My son!" the mare screamed. "My little seven-year-old son is in there with his dad! Why the fuck are you just standing around, not doing a damn thing?"
Luna's nostrils flared as she charged forward. She rushed into the flaming rubble, ignoring the fire that scorched her coat and wings as she coughed and whispered a spell to clear the smoke. Then, she cast another spell that extinguished the inferno completely, praying that she wasn't too late as she began to dig frantically through the rubble. It did not take long for Luna to discover the deceased ponies, the smaller of whom was clinging to the larger, his hooves still wrapped tightly around his father's neck. Luna knew that if they had any chance of survival, she would not have been summoned here. She pressed her hoof to her nose and mouth to stifle an anguished cry, flew down to inform the firefighters, then, instead of entering the dream realm, she went straight to the space that she called "the reception area," where the father and son still held onto each other. Nopony in Equestria could cross over to Heaven or Hell without Luna's personal assistance, so the ponies that Luna was unable to tend to immediately were sent to the reception area, where they stayed, temporarily tucked away in the dark, watery void between paradise and eternal torment, until Luna could escort them to their final destination. When they saw Luna, the stallion and colt struggled to their hooves, obviously disoriented.
"Princess Luna," the stallion said, "where are we? Where's my wife?" His voice faltered. "Where are my other foals? Are they all right? Please, Princess, tell me they're okay!"
"Your wife, daughter, and youngest son are uninjured. They will be fine," Luna said. The stallion relaxed slightly, his shoulders slumping in relief.
"This is my fault," he sobbed. "If I had just checked one more time to make sure the stove was completely off--" Luna cut him off by lifting her hoof.
"At this time, 'tis useless to lament your fatal error, Whiskey Sour," Luna said. Her tone was soothing, but she was clearly disappointed in the stallion. "All I can do now is give a peaceful walk to Heaven to you and your son. Hello, Crimson Force," she said softly, crouching so that she was at eye level with the colt. "Don't be afraid, young one. What's your favorite flavor of ice cream?"
"Mint chocolate chip," Crimson Force whispered, hiding timidly behind his father's leg. Luna smiled, lit her horn, and magically presented an enormous bowl of mint chocolate chip ice cream to the colt.
"Wow! Thanks, Princess Luna!" Crimson Force cried excitedly, digging in. After the foal had eaten his fill, Luna gave him a napkin so that he could clean himself off, then she sat down next to him.
"All right, Crimson Force," the princess said, "what are your three greatest wishes? Is there anything you've always wanted to do, or anywhere you've always wanted to go? I can give you anything you want."
"Can you give me more time?" the colt asked. Luna shook her head sadly.
"Unfortunately, I cannot," she said, "but I can make your last moments easier. I can decrease your fear and anxiety, and I can make you excited to enter Heaven, where everything will be more beautiful and more wonderful than you will ever be able to fathom until you have entered its gates, but I cannot prolong your earthly life. My sister does not even possess the ability to do such a thing."
"I want to be a guardian angel to my mom, brother, and sister," Crimson Force said quickly. "I want to go to one last meet with my swim team, and I want to be an Olympic swimmer."
"Done," Luna said with a nod. She created a tandem dream between Crimson Force, his swim coaches, and his teammates so that they would all remember this; Luna knew they would treasure this memory later, once they learned of their friend and student's death. Crimson Force won the meet for his team, and then Luna quickly changed the dreamscape to a much larger pool in a massive stadium. The colt nearly fainted when he realized where he was: The Olympic Games. Crimson Force leaned forward on his platform, and when the starting gun was fired, he took off like a bullet, winning the competition by a significant amount. He won the gold medal for Equestria to the roar of a crowd of of tens of thousands of spectators. Finally, just before she walked the colt to Heaven, Luna asked the angel who stood sentinel at the gates to ask God to make Crimson Force a guardian angel to his surviving family.
"Consider it done," the angel said. "The boss always grants those requests." Crimson Force looked overjoyed, and he galloped through the gates without a second thought. On the other side of the gates, the angels allowed the colt to wait for his father while his last wishes were fulfilled.
"So," Luna said as she turned to Whiskey Sour, "I imagine you must want to fix a lot of things right now, but the limitations that I told your son about also apply to you. You cannot ask for more time on Earth for any reason, nor can you correct any mistakes you may have made during your life. Don't try to fight for more time; you are already doomed." Her tone was gentle but straightforward. The stallion nodded, his eyes filled with regret.
"Please take care of my wife and foals," he said. "I know it's a simple request, but it's all I can ask for." Luna nodded and sent up a swirl of sparkly blue mist from her horn.
"It shall be done," she said. The stallion bowed, turned and walked through the gates. Luna sighed and returned to the dream realm.
Luna frowned as a sleeping newborn Pegasus filly, whose umbilical cord was still attached, suddenly appeared in the Sacred Hall. Most very young foals arrived awake, but this one lay peacefully curled into a fluffy, dark purple and white ball. Confused, Luna opened her window to the waking world, where the foal lay motionless in her crib. Luna could tell from the cleanliness of the nursery and of the foal herself that this little one was clearly very much wanted and loved, unlike most of the foals that Luna received, and somehow, this only made the situation all the more tragic; SIDS was a cruel disease. As she carefully cradled the tiny foal in her hooves and gently stroked the filly's cheek, Luna caught sight of a name sewn into her swaddling blanket: Midnight Charm. The foal began to stir and opened her mint green eyes, stretching and yawning. Luna sighed and nuzzled the foal's forehead, forcing a smile.
"Well, hello there, tiny one," she cooed. "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here." Midnight Charm cocked her head inquisitively, her hazel eyes searching Luna's face.
Do I really have to take this one? Luna silently pleaded with whatever deity was listening. Let me spare this little one, please. There is nothing wrong with her. She's healthy and happy, she's perfect, she isn't suffering, she is only just beginning her life. Please, don't make me take this precious, innocent soul from this world. Send me to the nursing home; there are plenty of incoming elderly ponies who need to be escorted. The only response Luna received was silence.
A flood of anger rushed through Luna's veins, and she screamed. Frightened, Midnight Charm began to cry, and Luna instinctively cuddled the filly against her chest, rocking her gently. The foal's cries quieted as quickly as they had begun, and she giggled as she looked up into Luna's eyes. A wavy lock of dark purple and white mane fell into the filly's face, and Luna lovingly brushed the unruly strands out of Midnight Charm's eyes. She knew there was nothing she could do to save this little one; Luna was now Midnight Charm's final mother, and she could only provide love, comfort, and warmth for the foal for the little remaining time that she had. Sighing again, she changed their surroundings to the "final nursery," in which she prepared every foal for his or her passage into Heaven. There, she gave Midnight Charm a warm, soapy bath, which the foal absolutely loved. Then, she dried the filly off and laid her on the nearby changing table, where she put a new diaper on the foal. After changing Midnight Charm's diaper, Luna leaned over to give belly blasts to the filly, which made Midnight Charm squeal with giggles.
"Let's find you an angel gown," Luna said in a singsong voice, carrying Midnight Charm to the huge wardrobe that was used far too often. She chose a beautiful white smocked dress, magically put it on the filly, then lifted her off the changing table and held her in front of the mirror.
"You are going to be the most beautiful little angel in Heaven," Luna told Midnight Charm, tickling the filly's neck. Midnight Charm responded with a giggle, flapping her tiny wings excitedly. Luna closed her eyes and wished that she could take the foal's place. She didn't even have to ask for the foal's final wishes; Midnight Charm told Luna exactly what she wanted with her eyes. Nodding, Luna cast a spell that made Midnight Charm recognize Luna as her mother. The filly instantly cooed happily and began to giggle, then her face scrunched up, and she cried. Luna smiled, recognizing the sound to be a sign of hunger. She magically conjured a bottle, and right away, Midnight Charm began to suckle ravenously.
Luna smiled at the sweet little sounds the filly made as she ate, then she allowed her mind to wander for a moment as Midnight Charm began to relax in her hooves. Taking care of newborns, preparing to take them to the other side, had always been difficult for Luna, but never more difficult than when her own fillies were newborns. Luna remembered coming home after leaving the dream realm and immediately hurrying to Neoma's and Cassie's cribs to make sure they were still breathing. She would wake them for their midnight feedings, and every time they fussed because their slumbers had been disturbed, Luna would chuckle lightly and kiss them, inhaling their scents, reveling in their sweet little coos and suckling sounds, and cuddling them close as they nursed, telling them how much she loved them over and over again and thanking fate for allowing her babies to stay with her.
Luna's thoughts were disrupted when Midnight Charm stopped eating. She removed the bottle from the foal's mouth and lifted Midnight Charm to burp her, at which time the foal promptly spit up on Luna's chest.
"So messy," the princess tutted softly, giggling as she cleaned the filly's face and her own coat with a cloth. Midnight Charm's diaper became heavy, and Luna changed her quickly, wiping every trace of meconium from her tiny body and dressing her in a fresh diaper.
Suddenly, the dreamscape lapsed, rippling like the surface of a calm pond disturbed out of nowhere by a tossed stone. Luna's heart sank, and for the billionth time she wondered if there was anything she could do to save this tiny foal's life. Midnight Charm began to cry, sensing Luna's sudden uneasiness.
"Ohhhh, there, there," Luna cooed in a soothing voice, cradling the filly in her forelegs once more. "It's all right. Oh, but please forgive me for what I must do, little one. Please know that I would happily give up all of Equestria without a second thought if it meant I could spare your life. Please forgive me, precious one." Tears filled the princess' eyes as she rocked Midnight Charm and began to hum a lullaby. The gates of Heaven appeared, and Luna took a step forward, then another, silently cursing herself, cursing SIDS, cursing the duty that she had to perform. A voice--Nightmare Moon's?--began to tell Luna that what she was carrying out was no act of mercy; Midnight Charm was a beautiful, healthy newborn, so full of promise. Luna wanted to take the foal and run, but she knew she was powerless. If she did not deliver this little one to Heaven now, Midnight Charm's death would be far more difficult, scary, and confusing for the tiny filly. For the trillionth time, Luna reminded herself that she was not taking Midnight Charm's life; this foal was certainly going to die, but her transition to the afterlife would be exponentially easier and more peaceful now than it would be if she were not in Luna's care.
"This is an act of mercy, and you have no power here!" Luna hissed at the invisible demon. Heaven's light became brighter as Luna continued to carry the foal towards the gates. An angel stepped outside and extended her hooves to take the tiny filly. Luna released a sob as she stopped in front of the angel.
"D-do I have to?" she stammered, clutching Midnight Charm against her chest. "P-please, don't take her. She's... she's so... so very small... so... very... little.... Is there anything that can be done to spare her? Look at her; she's beautiful, she is perfectly healthy. Why?" Luna's final word was a barely audible squeak. The angel gave Luna a sad smile.
"I don't know why these newborns are chosen," the angel said, "but I can tell you that she is going to be loved immeasurably here. You don't have to worry about her; she is just like all the other ponies that you have brought to these gates. Her passing was inevitable. Please don't blame yourself for this. She will never cry again, she will never need food nor warmth, she will only know love and happiness." Luna nodded silently and looked down at Midnight Charm, who was now sleeping peacefully in her forelegs. With a sob, Luna gently passed the filly to the angel, who covered Midnight Charm with her wing and carried her through the gates.
Luna didn't understand why she was in a maternity ward until she saw the motionless bundle lying all alone in a back room.
"Oh, please, no, not another one," she whispered, galloping toward the garbage bag. After tearing the bag away, she found a lifeless newborn colt, his nose and mouth already blue, his eyes half-open. Luna urgently checked the foal's body for a pulse and sighed with relief when she found a weak, but still present, sign of life.
"Come on, little one, please stay with me," Luna begged, doing everything in her power to revive the motionless foal, even though she knew that this baby was doomed. She charged her horn and began to cast a resurrection spell, surrounding the colt's body with shimmering turquoise mist. The spell did nothing, and Luna began to sob as she entered the Sacred Hall.
The little white unicorn colt lay on his back, crying in pain and terror. His body was covered in filth, and his cries were hoarse and weak. Luna lifted the foal, cuddled him close, and began to feed him. As the colt suckled ravenously, Luna began to talk to him.
"So," she cooed, "what shall I call you, tiny one?" The colt opened his golden eyes and gurgled, smiling up at Luna.
"I like Winter Gust," Luna said as she began to bathe the foal. "That name suits you, since you are such a handsome little white unicorn. What do you think, my little love?" Winter Gust giggled and splashed a bit in the warm, soapy water. Luna lifted him out of the tub, dried him off, and chose his angel gown: A white gown decorated with snowflakes and a matching hat and receiving blanket. She dressed him, swaddled him in the blanket, and rocked him, singing a lullaby. The foal yawned and fell asleep, and Luna nuzzled his forehead, knowing that his wishes had already been granted. Her throat tightened as tears began to stream down her face. Usually, Luna could keep her composure, but she had had to care for a large number of newborns and very young foals recently, and the immense emotional strain of the job was beginning to affect her.
The dream lapsed, and Luna sighed heavily. As she carried the foal to the gates, Luna swallowed her tears, gave the tiny newborn a single, soft kiss on his forehead, and passed the colt to a waiting angel. Winter Gust was carried lovingly into Heaven, the gates closed, and the dreamscape faded.
Luna returned to the waking world and shivered at the icy air as she walked out onto her balcony. It was the coldest night of the year, and snow flurries danced in the wind that nipped at Luna's ears and muzzle. The sky was clear, the moon was full, and stars winked in the velvety blue expanse as the northern lights rippled above, courtesy of Luna's eldest daughter, Neoma. A small cloud of steam blew from Luna's nostrils as she heaved another sigh and lifted her eyes to the stars. She only had one thing left to do. This little one would be remembered on Earth, and his name would be spoken with love. Luna took a deep breath and spoke the two words that would complete her task:
As Luna arrived at the small apartment complex, the police officers, firefighters and paramedics outside all gasped and bowed. Luna gave them a hurried smile, but she never stopped moving. The clatter of metal horseshoes against concrete rang out as Luna sped into a canter, fixing her eyes on the apartment in which more firefighters, medics, and law enforcement personnel had gathered. The princess tried not to gag as her senses were assaulted by the harsh, thick odors of death, cigarette smoke, alcohol, urine, and filth. The floor was absolutely covered in dog and cat shit, used cigarette butts, empty beer bottles and cans, rotten food, dead cockroaches, rat droppings, and old food containers from countless restaurants.
Luna frowned as she noticed the severe state of decomposition that the deceased's body was in; she was always the first to know of every single pony who reached death's threshold, so why had this pony slipped through the cracks without her knowledge and stayed unknown for so long? She coughed, gagging as she was overwhelmed by the putrid stenches that surrounded her. Even in spite of her strong stomach and immortality, Luna could not bear to spend another moment in this disgusting place. She quickly entered the dream realm, where an elderly yellow stallion, who looked to be in his mid-nineties, sat on his haunches, looking confused.
"Princess Luna," the stallion said warily, "why am I here? I've been stuck in this terrible place for weeks!"
"Unfortunately, that is my fault, Buck," Luna said, hoping her voice conveyed her immense guilt. "I have no idea how such a situation occurred; I have been in charge of guiding ponies to Heaven for thousands of years, and this has never happened until now. Please forgive me for my strange lack of oversight. Now, do you have any final requests or wishes?"
"Yes," Buck said curtly. "Let me see my wife. That's the least you can do. I don't want anything else from you." Luna was taken aback by the harshness of the stallion's tone. She narrowed her eyes and snorted indignantly.
"You will not speak to your princess in such a disrespectful manner, unless you are interested in going straight to Tartarus," Luna bellowed. "Am I understood, subject?" Buck huffed and nodded, but his glare remained.
"Do you have any more wishes?" Luna asked. "Is there anything else you might want?"
"Nah," he spat. "My wife and I were never able to have foals, so there's nopony for me to leave anything to. Just make sure all the shit in my house gets donated to charity."
"Fine," Luna said, still irritated with Buck's attitude. She conjured the gates of Heaven, and Buck was instantly transformed into his younger, healthier self. A purple unicorn mare with a light blue mane and tail waited just beyond the gates. As soon as Buck saw her, his entire demeanor changed.
"Millicent," he gasped, tears filling his eyes. He turned to Luna, shocked. "She was always breathtaking. We were married for seventy-two years, and she was just as beautiful on the day she died as she was on our wedding day seventy-four years ago, but she... she has never looked more beautiful than now. Princess... can I--?"
"Go to her," Luna said with a little smile. "I know you have waited two long years for this moment." Buck sniffled, thanked Luna profusely, then ran through the gates, straight into the embrace of his beloved wife. Tears gathered in the corners of Luna's eyes as the gates disappeared. She cherished these moments; natural deaths from old age, most of which gave way to long-awaited reunions between spouses, gave Luna a profound sense of peace. In the midst of all the tragedy Luna had to witness, these peaceful endings served as reminders of why her role was necessary, and Luna considered them to be the most rewarding aspects of her job. With a satisfied sigh, Luna returned to the Sacred Hall.
As she looked down in horror, Luna briefly considered changing back into Nightmare Moon, if only for the purpose of delivering swift and painful karma to the piece of shit who had stolen the life of the little filly before her. The four-year-old foal was skin and bones, her mane and tail were horribly tangled, and she was chained to the wall. When Luna met the filly in the Sacred Hall, the foal was screaming in such agony that Luna prayed that she would never have to hear such an otherworldly expression of pain again. It was unbearably clear that this young foal had already been forced to endure more suffering in her short life than most ponies experienced in their entire lives. Worse still, the foal had suffered at the hooves of those who were supposed to love and protect her; instead, those two ponies had conceived her and brought her into this world for the sole purpose of torturing her for the sake of their own disgusting pleasures. This little one had never known anything other than unimaginable pain. Luna trotted briskly over to the filly and knelt down to eye level with her.
“Hello, Windsong,” Luna whispered. The foal gasped, threw her forelegs around Luna, and clung to the princess, sobbing into her mane. Luna nearly burst into tears at the filly’s happiness to see her. She knew that Windsong knew why she had come, but foals rarely reacted to Luna’s presence with excitement. Most of the time, the only ponies who ran to Luna were the very old, those who had been terminally ill for quite some time, or the ones who had endured incomprehensible suffering, usually due to abuse; Windsong definitely fell into the latter category.
“Princess Luna,” the filly sobbed, cuddling under Luna’s wing, “I’m so glad you’re here! I’m so glad you’re going to give me another good dream.” Luna nuzzled Windsong, drying her tears gently.
“Darling little one,” she whispered, stroking the foal’s mane, “I am here to make you especially happy tonight. Now, how about some ice cream? What’s your favorite flavor?”
“Vanilla with sprinkles and chocolate syrup,”Windsong replied without hesitation. Luna forced a smile and gave the filly an enormous bowl of vanilla ice cream covered generously with her requested toppings. After Windsong had finished eating, Luna cleaned the foal off and curled herself around her small body. Windsong yawned and began to nod off, and Luna reacted quickly, anxiety momentarily filling her head.
“No, no, little one,” the princess said gently, licking Windsong’s forehead in the same manner she had done with her daughters when they were young, “you must not fall asleep yet. You need to stay awake for just a few more minutes so that I can do something very special for you. I know you have already been through so much, but you do not need to be afraid anymore.”
“Mommy and daddy only gave me ice cream if I promised to do what they and their friends wanted me to,” Windsong said flatly, “so what do you want me to do?” Luna’s eyes widened for a fraction of a second, and she made a mental reminder to destroy the filly’s parents as well as everypony else who had stolen so much from her.
“Windsong,” Luna said slowly, “what your parents did to you—what all of those ponies did to you—was terrible. It was not normal. You do not have to do anything for me. I am only here to take away your pain, not to facilitate it. Now, why don’t you give me your three greatest wishes? I’ll do everything in my power to make them come true.”
“I want to be a princess so I can look after my little sister,” Windsong replied immediately. “I want to help you with princess stuff, and I want a beautiful tiara and necklace like yours.”
“All right, Windsong,” Luna said, “then let us begin your coronation!” She sent a shimmering pink mist from her horn. The mist surrounded Windsong, lifting her into the air. Within seconds, Windsong had a beautiful horn and a pair of wings. A platinum tiara covered with diamonds appeared on the filly’s head, and a diamond necklace formed around her neck.
“Princess Windsong,” Luna said, “what is your first royal declaration?”
“To provide two royal guards for my little sister, and to make sure my parents never hurt her again,” Windsong said. Luna hesitated, but she knew exactly why the filly was making such a request. Sighing, she sent two guards in plainclothes to stand sentinel on either side of Windsong’s younger sister. Her parents would be arrested on many charges, including Windsong’s murder, over the coming days. Her sister would be safe.
“Now,” Luna said, “would you like to help me raise the moon?” Windsong gasped and began to jump up and down.
“Oh, yes, yes, yes, please!” Windsong cheered. Luna led her onto the balcony and showed the filly how to draw the moon’s path in the sky with her horn, then they raised the moon together. The dreamscape lapsed, and Windsong charged through the gates of Heaven, freeing herself from a life of darkness. Luna returned to the waking world and resumed her duties.
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.
