Two Truths and a Skye

[MyLittlePonyTales 273]

AN: This story was written with a couple of other people, so MudBug and Skye (neither are members of this forum) also get credit. It's another early one, with another OC. This guy is a Pertyon though, which is like a magical winged deer.

FiMFiction Link

 

Description

Luna and Celestia struggle to gain back their relationship after a thousand years. But this is not an easy road they must travel, and things may never be the same as they once were. Can the bond of sisterhood withstand the test of time? Can an old yet new friend help overcome old memories and forge new bonds between the sisters?

 

Chapter 1

Princess Luna loved the garden behind the castle. It was something she often did since her return from exile. The garden hadn't been there a thousand years ago. Then again, neither had most of the castle. Or most of Equestria, for that matter. There were new towns, and cities—sometimes Luna even got lost in the castle, in her own home. There were so many new ponies to meet, so many new places to see. Everything was new. It made Luna feel like a helpless newborn foal.

 

Luna hadn't left the castle grounds since the Summer Sun Celebration. The celebration had had multiple meanings this year. It had celebrated her return, but also her defeat. And of course, as usual, the longest day of the year. There had never been a celebration for the longest night of the year. But Luna was used to people celebrating her sister. Celestia had always been the favorite sister.

 

Walking in the garden reminded Luna of her imprisonment on the moon. Things were lonely, but not as quiet. It was a place to be alone without truly being alone. Celestia was nearby in the castle, and there were all sorts of animals in the garden.

 

Luna wasn't used to other ponies quite yet. She wanted to have friends, and to be able to talk with other ponies. She just didn't know how. Even if she wandered around the castle grounds, ponies tended to avoid her--even the guards. Luna knew why they didn't trust her. But she wasn't Nightmare Moon anymore. She was just Luna. Lonely Luna.

 

Walking in the garden gave Luna time to think. She often went there to sing, being too embarrassed to ever try singing in front of anypony else. She would also do her fair share of writing, making up poetry or new songs. She liked to sketch the animals that she saw in the garden, and, being there so often, saw many of them regularly.

 

Even though Luna was free to go wherever she pleased, she stayed close to home constantly. Even when Celestia went to public pony events, Luna declined and roamed the castle by her lonesome. Celestia never pushed Luna to go anywhere she didn't want to.

 

Yet, as Luna continued through the garden, she reached the back wall. The end of the garden. And even though she was a princess of Equestria and had all the joys a pony could ask for, Luna couldn't help but feel like a prisoner in her own home.

* * *

Once the sun was in its proper place for the day, once everything was seen too and all letters, forms, bills, amendments, treaties, and various other pieces of paperwork were given her yay or nay, she was finally given time to herself. She could feel the tension building up in the space between her shoulders and wings slowly relieve itself as the stress melted like morning frost on the grass. Celestia had no trouble dealing with her work, at times it kept her occupied, but when she had other pressing matters on her mind it could teeter to the point of becoming almost unbearable for the ageless mare. She tucked her wings to her side and rested at upon her throne.

 

So far, everything was in perfect working order. Nothing was out of place. No troubles were being had. And yet, something nagged cautiously at the back of her head like she was forgetting a minor detail. That was what bothered her. The main thing on her mind at the current, ever since the Summer Sun Celebration, was her younger sister.

 

How the ponies treated or reacted to Luna at times hadn't slipped the graceful mare's eye, nor would it have it worried her as much if she didn't see how it was affecting her baby sibling so.

 

Raising to her hooves and watching the guards at the sides of her throne instantly spur to attention, she nodded softly to them both, and they eased, if only slightly, in their armor.

 

"Do either of you know where my sister is at the current?" she asked softly.

 

The guards made no motion, no turn of a head or flick of a tail, but one of them answered her. "Princess Luna, your highness? Last I saw of her, she was making her way to the Royal Garden."

 

Smiling, Celestia gave a soft word of thanks and made her way to the garden by hoof, enjoying the look of her home and seeing if she could spot anything new today. The maids had placed Sun Bloom in several vases, and several suits of ancient Equestrian armor had been newly polished.

 

Once she had made her way out to the garden, she let out the faintest of sighs as her blessed sun touched her face, feeling the warmth caress her muzzle and forelock, before she trotted softly into the main center of the garden.

 

"Luna?" she called out gently. "Luna, are you here?"

 

Luna turned suddenly at the sound of someone calling her name. She walked back, toward the castle, glancing around for the source. That was when she saw Celestia.

 

"O-o-oh, it's just you. Hello there, sister. Did you want me for something?"

 

Celestia smiled at her sister with a soft and affectionate expression as she came in to sight. She quietly approached Luna as she looked down at the night sky colored filly, and found herself all the more joyful that she was in fact here, and not in the moon as so many nightmarish, paranoid thoughts still tried to convince her of.

 

"I'd just finished with my duties and had come to see if you were alright." She glanced around the garden for a moment, and then glanced back to her sister. "How are you enjoying the garden? Not that much has changed, and I'm wondering if it's still a place of comfort for you."

 

Luna glanced around at the beautiful garden, not recalling much of her time before her exile.

"Everything-everything is fine." She tried to look confident in her answer, even though things were far from fine—and she felt that it was impossible for things to ever be right again.

 

The smile on the Celestia's face faltered ever so slightly as she sidled up next to her sister, one large pristine wing moving to delicately rest on the blue filly's back as she watched her closely. Long multicolored bits of mane occasionally gave a whispering touch to the younger sister's side or cheek as the sun mare watched her quietly.

 

"Nothing troubling you at all....?" She tentatively asked.

 

"That—that tickles." said Luna, not sounding at all pleased by it. She turned her face away from Celestia's gracefully flowing mane.

 

What was meant to be a comforting gesture quickly worried the elder Princess. Celestia blinked and watched her younger sister's attitude and demeanor change, her brow furrowed in a concerned frown as she tried to gently nudge her sibling's cheek with her muzzle. Just some effort to show she was there for her.

 

Luna shut her eyes tightly for a few seconds, and then opened them again, half expecting to be back in exile. There had been so many times when she had dreamed about being back, and now that she was...she was still afraid that even this was all a dream.

 

Luna stood, keeping her face turned away and her eyes averted from her sister, but Celestia's wing did not let up.

 

"Everypony hates me." she whispered.

 

"No, Luna...that isn't true." It couldn't be true, not after the greeting the filly was given in Ponyville. It just couldn't be. Holding her wing to Luna, she watched her sister quietly.

 

"Luna, they just don't know you the way I do. I'm sure they love you greatly for the gift you give them."

 

Luna gave a huffy sigh, but didn't turn her face back to look at her sister. “You've been doing just fine taking care of things, as I can clearly see. As far as everypony in Equestria is concerned, I'm not needed anymore.” she sighed again. “Besides, they don't trust me. No pony does.” Luna paused, and looked at Celestia. “And why should they, anyway, after what I did? I don't deserve for them to love me like they love you. I can't just come back and pretend like nothing happened; take my place by your side like I'm supposed to. Even if everypony accepted me as a ruler, my powers are so weak now that I wouldn't even be able to complete my appointed task." Luna paused, turning away from her sister again. "It's just better if I stay away from everypony for awhile. For a long while."

 

Watching her sister, the princess felt her worry grow, before it released as a soft and gentle sigh. She wanted to help her sister overcome these paranoid thoughts and this self loathing. The thought of the ponies hating her young sibling for a misguided lapse of judgment was enough to irritate the elder Princess. But she didn't allow herself to feel angered, nor irritated in the slightest. If she should feel angry at anyone, she should feel so at herself.

 

Looking to Luna, she let out a very faint sigh and drew closer to the dark indigo mare. "Luna...in time, your powers will return, and I will help you. I miss the beautiful nights you brought to Equestria."

 

Choosing her next words carefully, she gently shifted her head so her mane swept lightly from her face. "That is another thing I wished to speak with you on...I've been considering organizing a celebration..." She paused a moment or two before continuing, tucking her wings delicately to her sides. "...In honor of the moon..."

 

Luna looked up at her sister, a glimmer of joy in her eyes...but it quickly faded.

Celestia smiled softly at the brief glimpse of happiness in her sister's eyes..before it vanished.

 

"Why?" Luna asked, seeming to be utterly confused by this announcement. The Summer Sun Celebration was annual, a celebration of Celestia's sun...Luna had always attended, staying by her sister's side and generally enjoying herself. The sun was something to actually celebrate—after all, it was warm, and enjoyable, it made things grow so that ponies could eat. The moon did nothing to aid ponykind in their lives.

 

"I don't...I don't deserve that." Luna said, brushing off Celestia and beginning to walk away.

 

Celestia watched her sister walk off for a moment, before she followed just a step or two behind and called out to her.

 

"Sister, do not doubt the beauty of your night...without your moon, the oceans would become wild and unruly and eat parts of the land or disappear where it is truly needed. Rare herbs and flowers grow in your night like the Lunar Blossoms and the Moonbright Root..." She took a small step closer and smiled weakly at Luna. "Luna...in the brightness of my day, no one can appreciate the sight of my sun...I think it would be lovely for them to appreciate your moon."

 

Luna stopped and whirled around. “You don't get it. You just don't get it!” she stamped a hoof. "You've been ruling over Equestria for a thousand years, taking on both the duties of the sun and the moon.”

 

Wincing at the young Princess' outburst, Celestia let her sister speak despite how much it pained the older sibling.

 

The ponies of Equestria don't see a need for me anymore. Some of them don't even know who I am. Those that do fear me or hate me. Joining you in ruling Equestria wouldn't help anypony. I still haven't even gained back enough power to do my job properly. What kind of ruler can I be now?”

 

Celestia watched her in a forlorn manner, and kept politely silent until Luna was finished. She approached her again, just a few steps closer, and let her sad eyes run over the filly, with a soft sigh that escaped through her nose gently.

 

"We promised each other that we would rule together, long ago. I know your powers aren't strong enough Luna...but one day they will be...and I want you to be there by my side to raise your moon when that day comes..."

 

Luna stared her sister down, her head tilted downward.

 

“Don't talk to me about promises! That promise was broken a thousand years ago! You have no idea what it was like! You have no idea!” Luna breathed heavily, and her eyes filling with tears. She was angry. Angry that Celestia could be so stupid. She pretended as if nothing had happened—and truly, nothing had happened....to Celestia. Luna was the one who had had to suffer.

Blinking at such an outburst, Celestia tilted her head back slightly as if that would give Luna some amount of space. Then she just listened and watched her sister with wide eyes.

 

You can't know what that's like! A thousand years of loneliness and darkness. I would have rather died that day!”

 

Luna ran off, past Celestia, through the garden and toward the castle.

 

There was so much anger and sadness that escaped her sister in that instant. Celestia was so shocked that she barely had time to call out for her sibling before it was too late. She turned and watched the midnight blue filly run off, and rose a hoof to follow her.

 

"Luna, wait! I—I..." She only managed two meager steps as she watched Luna run off.

 

But Luna paused only to wipe the tears from her eyes, so that she could see properly, and then dashed off into the castle.

 

A small and forlorn sigh escaped Celestia. Her brow furrowed sadly as she swallowed her sorrow. She wanted to cry, and the bubbling feeling in her throat compelled that want so badly. She felt her voice choke, and her hoof gently thudded against the soil in the faintest irritation.

 

She whispered weakened words beneath her breath, though Luna was long gone.. "I...I had no choice....."

Edited April 8, 2012 by MyLittlePonyTales