Created: 2014.07.23 07:25:27 UTC
Last modified: 2014.07.23 07:25:27 UTC
Archived from https://pastebin.com/H41cny22 on 2020.10.25 06:10:01 UTC

>Tonight, all the bat ponies of Equestria awoke to find they were no longer bat ponies
>It’s been, to put it bluntly, a bit of a kerfuffle
>Some panic
>Some rejoice
>But the cumulative effect is the same across the board: complete and utter chaos
>You stick to Nova like glue
>Your mind reels and you desperately need familiarity
>You feel small
>Like a child – lost, scared, and confused
>You feel incredibly homesick
>You want to see Twilight
>You want her to tell you everything’s going to be okay
>You want her to tell you that Luna is going to come back, because this book or that book says so
>Luna can’t be dead
>It’s impossible
>She’s too powerful
>She’s immortal for fuck’s sake
>You will not accept that she could just suddenly be gone
>A seething mass of thestrals-turned-pegasi roils around you as you struggle to keep from becoming utterly lost in your thoughts
>You nearly lose Nova in the crowd several times
>She’s doing her best to try and calm them, but she’s one among hundreds
>The catacombs are fast approaching the point of riot, and you’re afraid someone’s going to get killed
>Then a familiar voice meets your ears
>Forceful and omnipresent, yet serene and soothing
>“My subjects, please be still”
>The command is gentle, but it is spoken with an authority that leaves absolutely no room for argument
>The pandemonium around you grinds to a halt
>“Return to your homes and see to your families. You have my word that all will be explained in time”
>The bewildered ponies shuffle out of the great hall and towards their respective dwellings
>You instinctively head towards Luna’s chambers
>It’s the first place you think of when you hear the word “home”
>“Except for you two”
>You once again hear Celestia’s voice, but this time at a normal volume with discernable direction
>Right behind you
>You and Nova both turn to face her
>“Would you be so kind as to come with me?”
>There is an edge to her tone
>She is asking, but only as a courtesy
>You are going with her, and that is final
>You nod, as does the artist formerly known as Nova the bat pony
>You feel heat and pressure, as well as the smallest wash of nausea, and suddenly you are no longer in the catacombs
>Despite your current state, you’re impressed
>Twilight tried teleporting you twenty feet one time and you spent the entire rest of the day puking your guts out
>Celestia just brought you from the spire of Canterlot Mountain to some room in the castle with only the barest amount of discomfort
>“Where is my sister? Where is Luna?”
>There is a hint of desperation in her words
>As if she already knows the answer
>Nova bows low
>“With respect, your majesty, if I’ve already deduced what happened, I’m sure you have as well”
>Celestia’s eyes narrow
>“But how?” she asks, “and why?”
>You realize it’s not so much that she can’t understand
>But that she doesn’t want to understand
“She wanted to be better”
>It takes you a full minute of wondering who said that before you realize it was you who spoke
>“What do you mean, Anonymous?”
“That’s what she said”
>This might be the first time in your life you’ve uttered those words with complete seriousness
“She said she was being better,” you repeat
>For the first time you can remember, the sun princess shows some real emotion
>She slumps, as if defeated, and her eyes close heavily
>You could swear you see a wetness at their edges
>And yet a smile tugs at the corners of her mouth
>“Nova, you may return home. I can send you back if you like”
>The former bat shakes her head and unfurls her feathery new appendages
>She takes flight through an open window
>Celestia turns to you
>“Please stay for just a moment longer, Anonymous”
>The princess sighs
>She beckons you to follow her across the room
>She sits down at a small table upon which rest a teapot and a few elegant-looking cakes and biscuits
>“Please, take a seat if you’d like”
>She indicates the chair across from her, and you sit
>She pours herself a cup of tea, and then one for you
>The quantities of milk and sugar she heaps into hers are a bit frightening
>“Trust me, Anon, once one has sampled every variety of tea the world has to offer a thousand times over, it becomes necessary to find ways to keep teatime interesting…or at least bearable”
>Oh, right
>The mindrapist
>“That’s…one way of thinking about it…”
“Uh…not to be rude, princess, but could you stop? Just, you know, keep your hooves off my mind? I feel like we’re not really on even footing, conversationally”
>She throws her head back and laughs
>It’s not the demure, melodious sound you usually hear at formal functions
>It’s harsh and cracked
>It sounds almost unhinged
>Her eyes are practically burning when your gazes meet once again
>“Would that I could turn this curse off so easily, Anon, it would be like the sun on my heart for a thousand years”
>She gives you no time to ponder that thought
>“I know you haven’t seen hide nor hair of me for the last week, but my sister and I, we…communicated more than it appears, and I am aware of the progression your relationship took”
>This doesn’t sound like it’s going anywhere good
>“I have just one question for you”
>Yeah, you’re fucked
>“Was she happy?”
“Um…what do you mean?”
>Her eyes close once more as she tries to reign in her emotions
>“Anonymous”
>When she says your name, there is hurt in every syllable
>“I have walked this mortal realm for untold centuries”
>“I am so old that my memories of my own mother grow hazier and more vague by the day”
>“But in all those aeons, there has always been one unassailable constant in this sorrowful thing I call a life”
>“Luna, my little sister”
>“We were partners – two diametric opposites bound together by duty, blood, and love”
>“She was always there for me, and I for her”
>“Even during the thousand years of our separation, I knew that somehow, someday, I would cure her of her madness, and that we would be sisters once more”
>“It was always the two of us, watching time pass and the world change”
>She opens her lavender eyes, and they shimmer with profound lonesomeness
>“But tonight, I felt something I thought I never would”
>“I felt her light leave this plane”
>“When I banished Luna, I could still sense her presence. I knew she was there for me, even if she did not want to be”
>“But no more”
>“She has left me”
>“So I ask you again, Anonymous: was my sister happy when she died?”
>You pause a moment before answering
“Yeah, she was”
>“How do you know?”
>It’s not a challenge to your statement
>It’s an earnest question
“Because she knew she was doing something wonderful”
“She knew we loved her”
>You’re not usually a particularly articulate guy, but right now you just seem to have the proper words
“She was loved, and she died giving love. I can’t really imagine a more peaceful death than that. Can you?”
>The sun princess takes a moment to think on it
>“No,” she finally replies, “I suppose I can’t”
“Besides”
>You lean towards her
“I think there’s a way to bring her back”
>“As long as you wear this, I will always be with you”
>The key
>The key is…the key
>It has to be
>Luna wouldn’t give it to you, she wouldn’t say something like that without reason
>When you told Princess Celestia about it, you could see a ray of hope pierce through the gloom of her thoughts
>Now you pace back and forth across the lavish guestroom she bid you stay in for the rest of the night before you return to Ponyville
>You twirl the object in question between your fingers, examining the blue stone and tarnished silver from every possible angle
>Whatever it unlocks is what will return your princess to you
>You’re exhausted, but you resolve to stay up and catch the first train back to Ponyville
>If anyone knows what to do, it’ll be Twilight
>She’ll have some pre-Moonfall book of obscure night lore that will tell you exactly what the key is and what it does
>Hell, if you’re lucky, she’ll either draw you a diagram or already have one
>Luna bless that obsessive-compulsive spazz
>Oh wow
>You’re using your dead girlfriend’s name instead of “god”
>Maybe you could use a few hours of sleep after all
>Your room’s bed is luxurious in the extreme
>The mattress feels akin to what you imagine resting on a cloud would be like
>The white silken sheets are heavenly against your skin
>But even so, they’re missing something
>The loving warmth of your princess
>You toss and turn but cannot find sleep
>A small cabinet that sits against the far wall catches your eye
>You get up and walk across the cool, alabaster marble
>Inside you find just what you were hoping to
>Well, not exactly
>You were hoping for some real liquor, but a bottle of rosette will suffice
>You pop the cork and chug it rather unceremoniously, then crawl back under the covers
>The weight of this past night suddenly becomes nigh-unbearable, and your mind flees into unconsciousness
>You are surprised to find yourself in your dream field
>You didn’t think you could experience this without the aid of alicorn tears
>But here you are, atop the same hill upon which you and Luna spent the past few nights
>Walking under two moons and a very suggestive constellation
>The thing that was so funny to you just a little while ago now feels like a lead weight in your chest
>Without her, this place seems vast and empty
>You don’t want to stand still, so you pick a direction and start moving
>You hope against hope that you’ll see her
>That maybe she’ll materialize in the darkness, still able to communicate with you through dreams
>But you are alone
>As you stroll aimlessly through your own psyche, something catches your eye in the distance
>A pale-blue shine
>When you finally draw near, you regard a pedestal carved of moonstone
>You certainly didn’t put this here
>Atop it sits a small chest, crafted of the same material
>It opens of its own volition at your touch
>Within is a book
>Bound in black leather that is inlaid with silver
>It is heavy and thick
>It has a lock on it, like a diary might
>But you have the key
>With a click it opens, and a folded sheet of paper falls out and drifts to the ground
>You pick it up
>It’s midnight blue, and your name is written on it in silver ink
>You unfold it, and you can almost hear Luna speak its words into your mind
>“Dearest Anonymous”
>“If you are reading this, two things are most likely true”
>“I have succeeded”
>“And I am no more”
>“But there are two more things that are true as well”
>“As I write this, you sleep next to me, and I know these truths to be incontrovertible, as they are not mired by the uncertainty of the future”
>“I love you”
>“And you were right”
>“I know I love you, for I have been happier during this past week of my life than any other time that I can remember. Though my memories span millennia, I have never known such tumultuous joy and confusion as you have brought me”
>“I know you were right, because I have realized that I can, in fact, be better than I ever was or thought I could be. It’s funny, really. My sister has told me the same thing countless times, but when it comes down to it, the words do not matter so much as the one speaking them”
>“You may be wondering what happened, or you may have already figured it out”
>“I have searched for a way that I might share the Lunar Rebirth’s casting with my children, or a way that I might redirect it from myself onto them”
>“But I cannot find one, and I doubt that even if I knew the way that I would have the power for such a feat”
>“I only have until tomorrow night, and though I am not afforded the necessary time to think this through, it feels absolutely right”
>“I know in my heart of hearts that waiting another two-hundred years would be a graver mistake than I can afford”
>“So if you’re reading these words, then I have prevailed; I could not channel it, so I instead repelled it. I resisted the spell and turned it outward, away from me and onto my land and my people”
>“In concurrence with my unfortunate prediction, the effort has annihilated me”
>“But if my many assumptions are correct, the effects of my actions will be worth so much more than one life”
>“I cannot be sure how far-reaching they will be, but I believe I can ask you to do this: please give my regards to Nova, and tell her she will soon understand her mark”
>“I would tell you to give them to my sister as well, but I have prepared her an explanation similar to this one that she will receive in time”
>“I know you are not overly familiar with her, but please give to her any support you can; I expect my departure will weigh heavily upon her”
>“I am so sorry, Anonymous”
>“I’m sorry to have ended us before we’d even begun. I’m sorry for my hurtful words. I’m sorry that I could only be better in death. Most of all, I’m sorry that we could not live a life together. I wanted to be with you forever, even if it was only your forever and not mine. I only hope that when you see the good I have done, you will forgive me”
>“I have two final gifts for you”
>“The first you are experiencing right now: the realm you created in your slumber”
>“I have given you a vestige of my power; you will not be able to walk in others’ dreams, but you will forever be the master of your own”
>“You will never again see those cruel nightmares of your past”
>“The second is the book you now hold”
>“It is my journal”
>“I have kept it since my youth, a time when the world was still young and vast”
>“You will not be able to read every page in your lifetime, but its words are my words, and you can look upon them any time you want”
>“As long as you wear its key, I will always be with you”
>“The journal is enchanted”
>“New pages come into being when its owner feels the need to write”
>“You are now its owner, and I hope you will record your thoughts in it”
>“We can be together forever in those pages”
>“I know you do not believe in life after death, but I do”
>“I do not believe that something so beautiful and imperfect as a soul can cease to be simply because the body deteriorates”
>“I have faith that on some distant night, beyond the veil of this world, I will see you again”
>“That I will see my sister again”
>“The only real difference between hope and faith is conviction”
>“I miss you already, Anonymous, but I hope you forgive me and I have faith that this is not the end”
>“For now, though, I must sleep”
>“As strange as it may sound, I look forward to not dreaming”
>“When you look into the moon’s eyes, I will gaze back at you”
>“With endless love”
>“Your Princess”
>“Luna”
>“Miracles across Equestria”
>You stare at the headline for a few minutes before moving on to the sub-header
>“Officials and doctors alike are baffled yet overjoyed by spontaneous healing”
>You never read the papers back on Earth, and the ones in Equestria hold even less interest for you
>But today is different
>Yes, today
>Light bleeds through the windows of Twilight’s palace as you read the article
>“Cities as far as Stalliongrad are reporting empty hospitals and confused doctors as seemingly every infirm pony in Equestria awoke this morning to find their illnesses cured. According to our roving reporters, many citizens recounted seeing a flash of red light last night that appeared to originate from the spire of Canterlot Mountain. Whether that light has anything to do with the sudden abolishment of ailment in our kingdom is yet to be determined, but we at the Canterlot Times speculate that this may not be a coincidence. Princess Celestia could not be reached for comment”
>You get bored and look at the other articles below
>Among them is one that reads “Residents of Hollow Shades Bewildered by Disappearance of Bat Ponies, Influx of Pegasi”
>Your interest in the front page expires, and you turn the paper over
>The back is full of various columns
>One of them catches your eye
>The title reads “A Thank-You to Whomever Did This”
>The author is a pony named Moondancer
>“My longtime readers will know that over the past year this column has devolved into little more than a chronicle of the hardships my family has endured. Last April, my daughter Starsong fell ill. Three months ago, as some of you might know, we were told it was terminal. Two weeks ago, she slipped into a coma that I was told she would not come out of. This morning, she woke up. What’s more, she’s as right as rain. I do not know how or why. Maybe it has something to do with the eclipse or that red light over Canterlot, but to whomever or whatever did this, you have my eternal love and gratitude. Thank you for giving my daughter a second…”
>You hear the sound of hooves tapping the floor and look up
>Twilight’s eyes are bloodshot
>Her normally immaculate mane is ruffled and frayed
“Twilight wh–”
>She doesn’t let you finish
>“Anon, I don’t know what to do!”
“What’s–”
>“It’s Princess Celestia, she’s upset”
“Well, everyone’s kind of upset r–”
>“Look!”
>She throws a sheaf of parchment down on the table before you
>Lines of impossibly neat writing are scrawled across it
>“My dearest Twilight”
>“I will make this short”
>“I am no longer fit to be the princess of Equestria”
>“I am so sorry, but I cannot do this for one more moment”
>“My throne is yours”
>“I have contacted Cadance. She will assist you until you are fully able to shoulder this responsibility”
>“Let me say again that I am so very sorry”
>“But I am broken, completely and utterly”
>“I can barely muster the strength to write this letter”
>As you read, the penmanship becomes rougher and more angular
>“My sister is gone, and I am a wayward ship, dashed against rocks and punctured to the point of sinking”
>“I want to give you more explanation”
>“You deserve more”
>“But I have nothing”
>“I have less than nothing”
>“I am so very tired”
>“I wanted there to be many more years before this time came, but I’ve run out of everything”
>“I hope you will one day forgive me for what I have thrust upon you”
>“With regret”
>“Celestia”
>The moment you finish reading, you feel your heart burst to life like a diesel engine
>One princess has been lost
>But another can be saved
>You grab Twilight’s ears and pull her so close that you are nose-to-nose
“Go to her”
>“Anon, I–”
“Twilight, she needs you. Go to her now. Right now!”
>“I can’t teleport that far!”
“Spike!”
>You bellow at the top of your lungs
>No matter where in the castle he is, he’ll hear you
>“What’s your problem now, Anon?”
>The little dragon rounds the corner and regards you crossly
>You ignore his attitude
>Luna’s sister is not going to fade under your watch
>Though you are not overly familiar with her, you will give to her what assistance you can
>You tear off a piece of the sun princess’s scroll and turn it over
“Tell her you’re coming”
>Twilight looks as though she’s about to break down and cry
>“Anon, I don’t know what I can say or do”
“You can say you love her, and you can help the hurt stop”
>Her eyes shift nervously
“Twilight”
>You gaze at her with gentle encouragement
“You can do this”
>A look of resolve crosses Purple’s face
>Her horn sparks
>A quill and bottle of ink drift over from the desk across the room
>The quill touches the parchment
>She scrawls six words on the page
>“Hold on, I’ll be there soon”
>She hoofs it over to Spike, and he incinerates it, sending it off with his fiery breath
>By the time the last ashes have drifted away, Twilight has already taken flight through an open window
“Do you miss being a bat pony?”
>Nova shakes her head
>“Not for a moment, Anon”
“But I thought you were all about bat pony pride”
>Her eyes narrow
>“Yes, Anonymous, I was proud to be a bat pony”
>“But that was because of the way we persevered in the face of adversity”
>“I wasn’t proud of what we were, but who we were”
>“Who we’d been forced to become”
>“I wasn’t proud of fangs and photophobia, but of how we coped such things”
>“You couldn’t pay me to return to that”
>It’s been over a week since Twilight left for Canterlot
>You finally got sick of waiting around
>You decided to come check on her, but while you were in the city, you couldn’t risk stopping by the catacombs
>Things are so different here, you hardly recognize the place
>Windows are everywhere, letting the light pour in and expunge the dusty air accumulated over millennia
>It’s the middle of the day right now, and while the place isn’t overly lively, you see quite a few bat ponies…er former bat ponies…
>Whatever
>You see more than a few of them out and about, enjoying the light
>The great hall’s black marble walls sparkle, taking on a new cast under the sun
>You wonder if this is the first time they’ve known true light
>The most striking difference in the place, however, is the statue in the center of the hall
>You’re surprised such a thing could’ve been created in a week, but then again you’ve learned not to underestimate the work ethic of ponies, especially those who are dedicated to something
>And Luna’s children are utterly dedicated to her
>The night princess stands proud, rendered in stone
>The sculpture is so accurate that the lack of color is all that prevents you from believing that she is before you once more
>Nova leads you toward her
>Looking upon the image of your princess, the haze that has plagued your mind since her departure finally dissipates
>You feel a profound emptiness and sense of loss
>She is not coming back
>She is no more
>“The one thing that saddens me about all of this, Anon, is that the culture I hold dear, the very pride of which I spoke to you, will diminish”
>“I’m sure some of us will stay, for this is all we know”
>“But many will take this second chance her grace has given us, and disperse across Equestria”
>“I wanted there to be a reminder, so that we who remain here in these caverns will remember our roots”
>As you draw close to the statue, you’re able to make out the inscription at its base, inlaid in silver
>“Procer Luna Invictus”
>“Bringer of darkness and of light”
>“She who gave us the night”
>“Also returned to us the day”
>“Luna nobis providet”
>You stare at it for a moment, feeling both joy and immense sadness
>Then you turn to Nova
“And what are you going to do?”
>She is gazing at the statue as well, with reverence
>“I have wondered, Anon, for all the years of my life, why I was born with my cutie mark”
>“Why I was born under a nova”
>“I just wish it had taken less than my princess’s death to finally understand”
>Her eyes glisten, gazing into the distance
>Over two decades ago, she came into this world with a nebulous destiny already emblazoned on her flank
>Only now does she finally know what it means
>“My people need guidance, and I will give it to them as best I can”
>“I am not Luna, I am fallible…”
>So was she
>“…but I will be the steward of her throne, or at least I will try to be”
>“We may no longer be bat ponies, we may no longer be thestrals, but we will always be the children of the night”
>“I hope to help us become something better, but I will also make sure we never forget”
>“I will, to the best of my abilities, provide”
>Nova pointed you down a passage that led out into the streets of Canterlot
>She wondered why, if you wanted to see Twilight, you wouldn’t take the one that leads directly into the castle
>She even offered to escort you past the guards
>But you feel like taking a walk and thinking a bit
>The streets are buzzing with gossip and excitement
>The ponies are so distracted you can actually walk around without attracting attention for once
>You’re not paying all that much attention, but a few things catch your ear
>“…a spell…”
>“…heal all of Equestria”
>“…Princess Luna…”
>You check your pockets
>More than enough bits
>Everything in Equestria seems disproportionately cheap considering how much even the meanest of jobs pays
>You suppose that’s just one of the benefits of a harmonious, cooperative, post-scarcity society
>You sit down at an outside table in front of a small café
>The waitress – a light-pink pegasus – is before you fast enough to give you whiplash
>She puts a menu in front of you, then speaks
>“Hello, and welcome to The Baudelaire Café, may I start you off with a drink?”
“Yes,” you state simply
>“And what would you like?” she asks, raising an eyebrow ever-so-slightly
“Take the biggest glass you have, fill half of it with gin, and the other half with tonic water, then give it to me. I don’t care what it costs”
“Also, if you don’t mind, bring me a copy of the Canterlot Times”
>“Of course, sir. I will be right back”
>You’ve always been under the impression that Canterlot was inhabited primarily by unicorns
>But looking around you, pegasi and earth ponies abound as well
>You catch more snippets of their conversation
>“…my cousin’s lame leg…”
>“…blessed Celestia…”
>The waitress returns to you in short order
>The glass she sets in front of you probably passes for large among ponies, but for you it’s a decided “eh”
>You take a sip
>Hey, at least they don’t water down their liquor
>She puts a newspaper down on the table as well
>“Have you had a chance to look at the menu?”
>You had the chance, but you didn’t
“Do you serve any kind of meat?”
>“I-I’m sorry, sir, but we do not”
>Figures
“What about fries? Potato, not hay”
>“Yes, we do have those”
>She looks markedly uncomfortable
“I’ll have some fries then”
>“Large or small?”
“Large”
>She nods and hurries off
>You hate the fact that you’re missing Luna even more because of how she fed you
>Of course you loved her
>With all your heart
>But you cannot deny that some of your initial attraction to her had something to do with the feasting
>“Royal Sisters Cast…”
>The folded paper catches your eye
>You open it and read the full headline
>“Royal Sisters Cast Healing Spell”
>Your heart quickens
>You read the sub-header
>“Massive Curing Blast Claims Princess Luna’s Life”
>No
>She wouldn’t
>She couldn’t
>You read on
>“Exactly one week ago, the ill and disabled ponies of Equestria awoke to find themselves healed. The Canterlot Times secured an interview with Princess Celestia, and she had this to say:”
>“The spell that was cast was an idea that Princess Luna and I came up with long ago”
>“But the power required to bring it into being was beyond our abilities alone”
>“It was only after Princess Twilight’s coronation that I realized the three of us working in tandem might have the power to bring this plan to fruition”
>“It is with terrible regret that I must tell you that while we were able to cast the spell, the effort consumed and destroyed my sister”
>“Her effort was heroic, and I hope Equestria will always remember the sacrifice she made”
>You can’t believe what you’re reading
>Liar
>Filthy, greedy whore
>How dare she
>Glass shatters upon the ground
>Your table is overturned
>Your heart pounds and your legs fire like pistons as you make a beeline for Canterlot Castle
>You aren’t sure how clairvoyant Celestia is, but when you arrive Twilight is already there, telling the guards to stand down
>“Anon!”
>You brush her aside
>You’ve read Luna’s journal carefully enough that you know the way to her sister’s chambers
>Twilight trails after you, shouting things you choose not to hear
>You burst through the door of Celestia’s private quarters
“You!”
>Instead of seeing the powerful alicorn you expect, you are greeted by a different sight
>Celestia shivers in the far corner of the room
>She trembles upon hearing you call her out
>But you are incensed
>You need only recall the words in the paper to remember your rage
>“Anon, stop!” you hear Twilight shout from behind you
>You scream at the shuddering form opposite you
“How could you watch her give everything, and then say it was your idea?”
>A weak whimper meets your ears
>“Anon, stop it!” Twilight yells
>A purple aura envelopes you
>You are paralyzed
>You thrash and struggle, but you're no match for Twilight’s might
>You still can’t see Celestia’s face, but you can see her shudder
“Fuck you, Purple, she’s…”
>The sun princess finally turns and faces you
>Her eyes are puffy and so badly bloodshot it looks physically painful
>Her cheeks are stained with what looks like several days’ worth of tears
>“Let him go, Twilight”
>Her voice is still as even and regal as ever
>You almost wonder if she’s even capable of speaking with any emotional inflection
>Twilight drops you
>Hard
>“He has every right to be angry”
>Celestia looks you square in the eye
>“You wish to hurt me, Anonymous?”
>No, you don’t
>You came here ready to kick some ass, even though you knew you could do nothing to her
>But that was blind rage
>Really, you’re just confused and sad
“No,” you sigh, “nobody here needs any more hurt. I just want to know, why? Why would you take credit for what Luna did?”
>“Because,” Celestia shudders, as though the idea is repulsive to her, “she asked me to”
>Her horn ignites
>She picks up a piece of parchment and floats it over to you
>Unrolling it, you see familiar script in silver ink
>You start at the top, hearing the words in Luna’s voice
>“My dear Tia”
>“I–”
>“Anonymous,” Celestia interrupts, “I’d rather you didn’t read the whole thing. Fifth paragraph”
>You nod and skim down
>“I’m sorry to leave you to rule alone, dear sister. I know Cadance has her own responsibilities, but I hope Twilight will provide you the support you need. Then again, let us be honest, you are quite capable of governing Equestria without me; I daresay that it is currently in a much better state than when I left it so long ago, and that to all beside my children, my return has proved to be of relatively little consequence”
>“Still, I know we both have our share of dissenters, myself more than you, but that truth still stands, and so I ask of you a favor: If the results of my actions are favorable – and I believe they will be – say that they were your doing. As Equestria’s monarch, you will need the unwavering faith of our subjects, and I believe that purging it of sickness and corruption might win you that. There will be a few who know otherwise, but we both know the power of popular belief and opinion”
>“Should there be any unforeseen negative consequences – and though I do not possess your sight, I’m nearly certain there won’t be – place the blame upon me. At best you will gain support from this, and at worst you will lose nothing”
>Celestia chokes when you read the last sentence, and you realize she was probably listening to your thoughts as you read it
>In Luna’s voice
>You feel your own eyes brimming with tears
>You suddenly feel like a complete toolbox
>“I couldn’t do it, Anonymous,” Celestia whimpers, “I couldn’t say it was just me, so I told them it was our plan, and yet now I feel as though I’ve failed her…I didn’t really do what she asked me to”
>“I couldn’t live with the thought that my subjects would never know what she did for them, but now I-I’m not sure I can live with being a disappointment to her”
>Twilight is at the princess’s side in a heartbeat, a gentle hoof touching her cheek
>“Princess, no, you’re not a disappointment to her or anypony else”
>The mighty sun alicorn sniffles piteously
>“Twilight…”
>“No,” Purple says adamantly, “I won’t hear it. Not only did you do what your sister asked, you found a way to do it while still honoring her. You did well. You did great”
>They stare into each other’s eyes for a long time, and suddenly you feel as though you should leave
“I’m gonna go…”
>Twilight’s head snaps in your direction, her expression cross
>“You and I are going to talk when I get home, Anon”
>You sit at the kitchen table in Twilight’s castle
>You’re about halfway through a fifth of gin
>Luna’s memorial service was today
>The pomp, circumstance, and general fanfare almost made you forget who was being commemorated
>There wasn’t even a body to bury
>Quite literally, all that’s left of her is memory
>Twilight is with the princess again
>After your encounter with Celestia yesterday, she came back home for a night basically just to chew you out and then take you to the funeral this morning
>You half-expected that there might be some sort of more private ceremony after the public display
>If there was, you weren’t invited, but Celestia already told you she knew about your involvement with her sister, and you can’t see her being that callous
>Everyone is grieving in their own way
>The remaining princesses have each other
>Nova is busy trying to fill Luna’s shoes, and she has Nebula and the rest of her family
>When you were leaving Canterlot this afternoon, you had half a mind to stop in and see them
>But for some reason you can’t quite put your finger on, you didn’t
>You feel lost
>Twilight’s place doesn’t feel like home
>You don’t feel at home with Nova in the catacombs
>Nor do the memories of your old life offer any such comfort
>Your time with Luna was fleeting, but with her you had found where you belonged and wanted to stay
>She was home
>The week since her departure from this world has been so tumultuous that the full weight of her absence hadn’t sunk in
>But today in Canterlot, when Equestria’s flag flew at half-mast, and the clear ring of silver trumpets met your ears, it hit you
>Now you’re dealing with your grief the only way you know how
>It was the only way she knew how until you found solace in each other
>Two orbs of fire descend steadily below the horizon as you look out the window, watching the sunset with double vision
>On the table next to you is Luna’s journal
>You were perusing it until you got too hammered to read
>You can hear the faint scrabbling of claws as Spike organizes books in a room down the hall
>You think about going and talking to him, but you’re a depressing motherfucker right now and you don’t want to bring him down with you
>Darkness is falling as you look about you, an alcoholic haze clouding your mind
>You pick up the book and the bottle and make your way out onto one of the building’s balconies
>Night has fallen
>A speck of silver light crests the distant mountains, and the moon begins to rise
>Very slowly, not the way your princess would raise it
>You watch it climb, taking a few more swigs of liquor
>Finally, the waning silver disc comes to rest above you
>You stare at it, unblinking
>“When you look into the moon’s eyes, I will gaze back at you”
>You raise your bottle toward it
“I see you”
>“Purple!” you holler frantically
>You are Anonymous
>And all you wanted was a bagel
>With cream cheese
>Cutting those things is hard
>You know you’re supposed to cut away from yourself
>And that you shouldn’t use cutlery when drunk
>But you took the quick and easy path, and your folly has been rewarded with a flesh wound that you can’t really assess the extent of, mostly owing to the massive amounts of blood gushing from it
>You’re lucky she’s home today, as it’s becoming increasingly rare
>“Anon!”
>Twilight skids into the kitchen, eyes going wide when she sees your cupped hand full of red ichor
>She uses her wings to stabilize herself and grabs a dish towel with her magic, not even bothering to check if it’s clean or not
>She ties it tightly around your palm and you wince in pain
>She dashes out of the room and returns with some first aid supplies
>You’re down on your knees on the marble floor so that the two of you are at eyelevel
>When she tries to open your hand, you recoil
>“Anon, let me look at it!”
“Can’t you just fix it?”
>“I can’t do anything if I don’t see what I’m healing!”
>She stares you down and you relent
>Surprisingly it doesn’t hurt so much
>At all, actually
>“Wait, where did you cut yourself?”
>She turns your hand over
“Right here…”
>You’ve had your head turned away out of squeamishness
>You’re kind of a pussy about this stuff
>But when you look down, your supposedly injured palm looks normal aside from being covered in blood
“What the fuck?”
>You flex and stretch your fingers
>Everything feels normal
“What did you do?”
>You raise your eyebrows at Twiggles
>“Nothing,” she insists
>You scan your arm in bewilderment, wondering if the cut migrated somewhere else
>Who knows because magic
>“The spell,” Twilight says with a look of dawning comprehension
“What spell?”
>“The Lunar Rebirth. It must still be affecting you”
“Dude, T, it’s been almost a year”
“Also, I’m pretty sure ponies have gotten hurt just like normal since then”
>She looks over you intently
>“But you were right there”
>“You were at the epicenter of the blast, and you bore the brunt of a spell that was meant to remake an alicorn. Not just heal her, but recreate her entirely”
>“That’s a kind of power that even I can barely fathom”
“So what does that mean?”
>“I’m not sure, but it may be a while before you have a use for bandages again, Anon”
>You are Anonymous
>You’re an old man
>And you are still one handsome son of a bitch
>You stand in front of the tall mirror that sits in the corner of Twilight’s library
>You’re examining your hair rather closely
>Purple sits at the table in the center of the room
>She set the place up to look exactly like Golden Oaks
>She keeps giving you funny looks
>Satisfied, you stride over and take a seat next to her, rapping your knuckles on the table
“No gray yet, knock on wood”
>She casts you an unreadable glance
>She’s been doing that a lot lately
>And by lately you mean the past five years or so
>Tomorrow is your birthday
>Your fifty-fifth birthday
>You don’t even know what to expect
>Somehow the pink one just keeps getting crazier and more energetic the older she gets
>Shit, they all do
>The party-mix of wackjobbery that is Twilight and her five friends has only grown zestier with age, acquiring distinctly nutty undertones in its maturity
>Twiggles is still staring at you
“What?”
>“What do you mean, what? How can you not know what?”
>Mares
>You give her a “really?” look
“I can’t read your mind, man. If you’re pissed at me about something, just spit it out”
“And just for the record, I haven’t touched your horn warmer, that was all Spike”
>“Anon!”
>The shout comes from the next room
>His voice is getting deep
>“Ugh, you males are all so gross,” Twilight huffs, “and I’m not mad, Anon, I’m just completely and utterly dumbfounded”
“Why?”
>“Do you really not see what’s going on here?”
“Quit being such a chick! Out with it!”
>She gets up and yanks you out of your seat, wrapping a wing around your waist and dragging you back over to the mirror
>Girl’s getting tall
>Her horn sparks to life, and she levitates a picture frame from the shelf above the fireplace into your hands
>It’s a photo of you and her at one of Celestia’s dinner parties
>You recognize the plate of eggplant parmesan that sits in front of your past self
>Your memory may be an alcohol-soaked clusterfuck, but you never forget a meal
>This was just hours before you met Luna for the first time
>“Anon, look at yourself in this picture”
>You scan your eyes over the photograph
>“Now look at you here”
>She points toward the mirror
>You look at the equally sexy image in the glass
>“What’s different?”
“Well,” you eye yourself as critically as you can, “I’ve lost some weight, and I’ve finally found a hair stylist who isn’t out to ruin my life…”
>“Besides that!”
>Your eyes dart back and forth between your past and present selves
“Not much, really”
>Twilight scoffs incredulously
>“No, not “not much”, absolutely nothing!”
“So? I’m aging gracefully”
>“No, Anon, you’re not aging, period”
>Holy fuck
>She might be right
“Well why are you so pissed off about it?”
>“I’m not angry, Anon, I just…how did it take you this long to notice?!”
“How did it take you this long?”
>“I figured it out twenty years ago!”
“Why didn’t you tell me?!”
>“Why are you denser than a neutron star?!”
>“Why are you both so retarded?!”
>You and Twilight look at each other and then turn towards the towering, irate dragon standing in the doorway
>“Seriously! Can you two just stop bickering for ten seconds and shut up?! Every fucking day!”
>You’re both dumbstruck
>Spike is the most easygoing guy in the multiverse
>He never gets mad
>Well, he didn’t used to
>Lately things have been different
>His eyes are wide and wild
>“Just”
>“Shut”
>“Up!”
>He storms off, and after a few moments you hear the familiar crunching of gems being devoured
>“Dragon puberty” Twilight mutters
“We do kinda argue a lot,” you concede
>“I consider it banter”
“Whatever, nerd”
>“I’m not a nerd!”
“Are too!”
>“Nuh-uh!”
“Yeah-huh!”
>“I WILL EAT BOTH OF YOU!”
>“Anyway, Anon, I want to do some tests on you”
“No, I need to go see Nova”
>“Okay, just one test”
“Fine, fine, as long as you don’t anal-probe me with your horn”
>“Eww!”
“Is that what you said when Celestia asked you to do it?”
>“I– n– how did you know about that?!”
“Lucky guess”
>“Oh gross!”
>A disgusted cry echoes from down the hall
>“S-Shut up, Spike!”
>Twilight insisted on taking a blood sample
>She was pretty rough with the needle and you’re almost certain she took twice what she actually needed
>You felt pretty woozy on the train ride to Canterlot
>The catacombs are quite different from the place you first became acquainted with all those years ago
>The ceiling of the main hall is gone, leaving it open to sunlight
>Daylight illuminates and sparkles against the dark marble
>Several earthy-toned pegasi circle above it
>But in its center is the statue of Luna
>The one who gave them back the day
>“Anon!”
>A happy voice meets your ears
>Nova is trotting toward you
“Hey dude”
>“Why haven’t you visited me in so long?”
>Her eyebrows knit
“Because I’m a lazy sack of shit”
>Her face doesn’t move for a second
>Then she cracks a smile
>“I know, Anon, but for some reason I like you anyway”
“What can I say? I’m just that charming”
>She rolls her eyes and chuckles
>“So, what brings you here? Do you miss the beer?”
>It’s hardly even a joke
>Equestria’s normal alcoholic fare just doesn’t stack up to the stuff Luna’s children crank out
>You are forever spoiled
“Nah…I mean, yeah, but I came here to ask you a question”
>“And that is?”
“Uh, this is gonna sound really weird, and don’t take it the wrong way, but…are you aging?”
>She cocks an eyebrow
>Her expression is one of utter bewilderment
>“Anonymous, are you seriously telling me it took you this long to notice?”
>“I realized years ago that neither of us were”
“Goddamnit why did nobody tell me this?”
>“I didn’t think I needed to”
“I’m not a chick, dude, I don’t keep track of this shit”
>“You don’t keep track of…life?”
“Not really”
>“I sometimes envy you, Anon. Then I come to my senses”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
>“Care for a drink? We should catch up”
“Hell yeah!”
>Canterlot’s distant, moonlit spires look just like you remember
>It’s been quite a while since you last saw them
>Staying in the same place gets a bit boring after a century or so
>Twilight had enough on her plate, so you decided to fuck off for a bit
>You wandered Equestria and the lands beyond
>From the Griffon Kingdoms to the Zebrahara
>You were gone a little longer than you intended to be
>Quite a bit longer
>You’ve missed your friends here, but you don’t regret your travels
>For the first time in your life you can finally say you feel like an adult
>Like a man
>A guy who can handle himself in the world, and doesn’t need to drown himself in alcohol just to cope with life
>But it was time to come home
>It took being away for a long time, but you realized that this place – Ponyville, Canterlot, and the rolling hills between – is your home
>Your two dearest friends in this world – in any world – live here
>Twilight and Nova
>Spike’s okay too
>You wonder how big he’s gotten
>Even without Luna, this is where you belong and where you want to be
>Even after centuries, you still remember her and think about your short but wonderful time together
>Two hedonistic basket cases falling for each other as hard as can be
>You’ve always remembered her and kept her close
>A tarnished silver chain is draped over you neck, holding a heavy key against your chest
>Her journal rests in the pack slung over your shoulder
>You still haven’t finished reading everything she wrote, though you flip through it most nights
>But you’ve been writing, just as she asked you to, filling it with your own adventures
>You think she’d be proud of some of the stuff you’ve done
>You think she’d make fun of you endlessly for some of the other stuff you’ve done
>You spend quite a lot of time thinking about what she would think
>It’s one of the reasons you’re back
>She would want you to spend tonight with your friends, especially Nova
>Ponyville looks remarkably unchanged
>Sure, it’s expanded outward, but you weren’t sure whether to expect thatched roofs or skyscrapers
>You wonder what kind of obtuse zoning laws Twilight had to enact to keep the place so quaint
>There aren’t many ponies about at this time of night, but the few that you wander past give you strange looks
>It takes a moment for you to remember that if any of the Ponyvillians who know you remain, they’re probably very old and in bed by now
>You pay them no mind and try not to frighten them
>You stride up to Twilight’s giant-ass castle thing and knock
>Still the only giant-ass castle thing in town, you note
>You’re going to ask Twilight about those zoning laws
>Nobody’s answering the door, so you knock again
>Spike’s gotta be here even if Twi isn’t
>She never takes him anywhere
>Then again, you wonder if he can even fit in the building anymore
>When last you saw him, he was having more than a bit of difficulty getting around certain parts of the place, specifically the doorways
>Still no answer
>This is a bit anticlimactic
>You expected Twilight to jump into your arms with a hug and a million questions
>Either she’s passed out hard, or she’s in Canterlot
>You decide to bank on the second assumption and head towards the train station
>The city is alive
>You expected find yourself more or less alone in the streets
>But there are ponies everywhere, celebrating
>Despite the darkness, the atmosphere is bright and lively
>You make your way toward Canterlot Castle
>You’re honestly surprised by the apparent lengths Celestia has gone to in commemorating this night
>Different songs from different sources dance in your aural periphery, lending a dynamic – if slightly discordant – atmosphere to the gloom
>The palace’s front gates are in sight
>You’re already preparing your “let me through” speech for the guards when a pony-sized purple bullet renders your concerns moot
>“Anon!”
>Princess Twiggles is on top of your now prone body, hugging the fuck out of you
“Hey dude”
>She breaks the embrace and gives you a furious look
>“Hey dude? Hey dude is all you have to say?! You said ‘I’m going for a walk’ and I didn’t see you for a literal century, Anon!”
>“I thought you were dead!”
>You’re confused
“I wrote you…like, a lot. You didn’t get a single one of my letters?”
>“No!”
>“How did you even send them? It’s not like I didn’t check my mail!”
“Well, I wrote them and then lit them on fire, so they should’ve come out of Spike, right?”
>She stares down at you, and the look on her face is approaching awe
>And not the good kind
“I thought that’s how Celestia did it”
>She runs her hoof through your hair and shakes her head
>“You poor, poor thing”
“Don’t act like I’m stupid, I don’t get magic”
>You gently shove her off of you and the both of you stand up
“Holy shit T, you grew like, a foot”
>“Thanks?”
>You gaze around, taking in the festivities taking place about you
“So is this what I think it is? Where’s that taller, sexier princess you’re dating? Do you have anything to eat?”
>“Yes, shut up, and yes. Follow me, Anon, we’re having a private gathering up on the balcony. I know a couple of ponies who will be very happy to see you. I also owe one of those ponies twenty bits”
>“And it appears I was right”
>Nova looks very satisfied with herself
>You follow Twilight out of the palace’s alabaster walls and onto a large balcony that looks like it could host an entire party
>It overlooks the palace gardens, which stretch out in the distance below you
>At a small table near the far railing sit two other ponies
>The iconic sun alicorn, and a gray pegasus with a moss-green mane
>The latter is smiling wide
>“It’s good to see you again, Anon,” Celestia intones warmly
>You grin and bow slightly
“Your highness, bat horse”
>Nova rises from her seat, trotting over and hugging your leg
>“I knew you’d be back”
>You ruffle her mane
“I missed you too”
>“Nova here was the only one among us who thought we’d ever see you again,” Celestia tells you
>You wonder exactly when the former bat pony became so chummy with the princesses, but you’ve been gone long enough that you have little right to question it
>Seeing as she is acting as the steward of Luna’s throne – at least to the noctae – it was probably inevitable
>“Would it have killed you to write?” Nova asks
>Twilight chuckles
“I’ll uh…I’ll tell you about that later. I’ve only been back here for a couple hours and already I feel like a dumbass again”
>“Come and sit with us, Anon, there is plenty to eat”
>You take a seat across from Celestia and Twilight
>Nova sits next to you
>There’s a bottle of red wine in the center of the table, and you pour yourself a glass
>As you sip it, you notice a dearly-missed smell
>Nova pushes a plate in front of you, and what you see fills you with unbridled joy
>And in a land full of equines, the word “unbridled” carries a lot of weight
>A strip steak, accompanied by thinly-cut hay fries
“I love you”
>You give Nova a rough squeeze
>“Think nothing of it, Anon. You don’t even have to fellate my firstborn”
>The other two members of your party crack the best pair of unsavory expressions you’ve seen in a while
>“Inside joke,” Nova explains as you ravenously attack the delicious slab of meat
>The few times you glance up, Celestia is looking perplexed and Twilight downright disgusted
>“His manners have actually improved a little,” Nova offers
>Once your hunger for meaty goodness is sated, you gulp down the remainder of your wine, slaking the thirst you worked up
>“No, you know what, I take that back”
>The night wears on, and the four of you eat, drink, and spend time catching up
>It’s a strange and exclusive little clique you’ve become a part of
>The immortals
>The few who can talk about what’s happened in the last century like most people talk about the last year
>You regale them with tales of your travels in the Griffon Kingdoms, your time at sea, and your journey across the Zebrahara
>Twilight is especially fascinated as you describe to her places she’s only read about
>Even at the age of two hundred and twenty-four, she really hasn’t gotten out much
>She, Celestia, and Nova recount to you what’s happened in your absence
>Spike is apparently the size of a large house at this point, and is currently off in the northern badlands, serving as an ambassador to the dragons who live there
>Twilight’s friends? Well, that’s a tale for another time, but suffice it to say the story is as crazy as they are
>Ponyville does, in fact, have extremely tyrannical zoning laws
>The descendants of Luna’s children still live in the catacombs, and Nova presides over them
>Many have left, integrating their bloodlines into the rest of Equestrian society over the generations, but some have remained to keep their traditions alive, celebrating the night, the day, and the princess who gave them both
>Nova smiles wistfully as she tells you about the progenies of her immediate family members, many of whom passed before you even left
>You look at the purple alicorn across from you
>She and Celestia are sitting very close, but keeping things relatively formal
“So, T, you gonna let me move back in, or do I have to get my own place now?”
>Twilight makes a point of thinking about it
>“I dunno, Anon, I’ve found I really like having nice things…”
>“You’re welcome to stay in the catacombs, Anon,” Nova chimes in, “I think it may be best considering how much Princess Twilight likes her current horn-warmer”
>You glare at Twilight before giving a genial nod to the former bat pony
“Why thank you Madame. It’s nice to know there’s a mare here who is both hospitable and has the courtesy to keep her friends’ embarrassing secrets to herself”
>“Oh, no,” Twilight chuckles impishly, “Nova’s told us about all the ridiculous things you did”
“Well…fuck”
>Generations have passed and the world around you has changed before your eyes, but your spaghetti remains
>“It’s time”
>Celestia, who has remained fairly quiet, cuts through the playful banter with tranquil authority
>Her eyes are cast skyward, toward the full moon
>Darkness encroaches at one of its edges
>The pale light diminishes further and further, swallowed by shadow
>The distant sounds of music and merriment linger in the periphery of the night’s quiet soundscape, but your three companions are silent as the grave
>The eclipse wastes no time
>It reaches totality with near-impossible swiftness
>You watch with reverence as the moon is swallowed by blackness
>The world goes dark
>Then the lunar disc reappears above you in blood red
>You stare at it unblinkingly
“I see you,” you whisper
>Two ovals of silver light pierce the moon’s ruddy surface
>It opens its eyes
>“And I see you”
>A shockwave rattles the balcony as the arcing column of red light slams into its surface
>You can practically hear Celestia’s breath catch in her throat
>Objects on the table before you rise into the air
>The table itself follows suit
>You feel a cooling sensation as the silver spoon you are holding dissolves into thin air
>The key you wear around your neck drops into your lap as its chain likewise dissipates
>The silver inlays in the nearby castle walls disintegrate, atom by atom, shimmering as they float towards the steadily-growing orb of red light before you
>Within it, a silhouette begins to form
>You feel your own body drift weightlessly into the air
>Sparing a glance around you, you see that the others – even Celestia – are rising as well
>Whispers dance in your ears
>Words in an ancient, powerful tongue that you cannot comprehend
>They are accompanied by a deafening roar as a blinding flash of red and silver light washes over you
>The entire palace seems to be shaking
>You cannot look away, and somehow the impossibly bright light does not hurt you
>It is gentle
>Bolts of electricity crackle around the glowing orb, piercing the night as their sharp reports ring in your ears
>One strikes the railing behind you, shattering a section of the gilded marble like glass
>In a second flash of light, the figure at its center begins to solidify
>You feel your every hair standing on end, both from wonder and the charge in the air around you
>There is a final burst
>One of pure silver
>You only vaguely aware of the jolt of pain as you hit the floor, landing on your back
>Twilight looks dazed, and Nova is hiding behind her wings, possibly due to some residual aversion to bright lights
>But Celestia stands rigidly, and you follow her gaze, your eyes taking in the sight of a blue alicorn standing in the center of the balcony
>“I am remade…”
>The distantly familiar voice utters something halfway between a statement and a question
>She seems vaguely surprised, looking over her new form as her mane billows in a gentle breeze
>Celestia is upon her sister in an instant, pulling her into a desperate embrace
>Luna smiles warmly
>“It’s good to see you again, Tia”
>Twilight and Nova join the two elder princesses
>You stand back, vison blurred with wetness as you witness the happy reunion
>“Nova?” Luna sounds perplexed, “How are you here?”
>The former bat pony says nothing, simply hugging her princess and friend tighter
“You kinda made us immortal on accident,” you comment
>Luna’s head snaps up, and her eyes meet yours
>You give her a small wave, watching both comprehension and joy break across her face like dawn
>No, not like dawn
>Like dusk
>Like the moonlight
>Her features are exactly as you remember, but her eyes are not
>They are silver
>Many smiles and tears have graced this night
>But all is said and done
>You are asleep, yet wide awake
>You sit on a hill of green grass, looking up at the sky of your dreams
>Alone with your princess
>You blissfully drink in the sight of her
>The sight you need long for no more
>She is just the same, but entirely different
>Her midnight-blue mane is streaked with silver, the color of her new eyes
>The inky marks on her flanks have been replaced by the same pale, metallic sheen
>Within each is a black crescent moon
>She is something more than she was
>Something better
>You both are
>You gave her the words
>She gave you the time
>You gave each other what was needed
>To make you better
“I missed you”
>Her lips press against yours for the first time in aeons
>After a few minutes’ eternity, she pulls away and meets your gaze once more
>You run your fingers through her mane, and a contented smile spreads across her face
>“I should very much like to hear what you’ve been up to, my love”
>You chuckle and scratch the back of your neck
“Damn, it’s gonna take forever for me to tell you all about it…”
>She kisses you on the cheek
>“That’s just fine, Anonymous”
>She looks at you with misty eyes and endless love
>“We have forever”