The Unwanted One

After a few hours filled with tears, hugs and excuses, sisters decided to continue the dialogue with a cup of tea, settling in the same bedroom, But none of them could find any words — nopony wanted to disturb the atmosphere of family happiness that settled inside the room. Luna and Celestia just sat together, snuggled each other and smiled — each for different reasons and carefully drank tea. All the words were spoken and reunited sisters just enjoyed the silence. A knock on the door ruined this peacefulness. “I’ll be right back.” Celestia sighed as she put away her teacup. Luna nodded — state affairs require her attention again, you can’t hide away from them. Princess… Tia really surprised her when she said that this was her title now. “My subjects started calling me Queen, but I was too proud to ask the same for you, but your deeds were as important as mine were! It seemed as if it was meant to be this way, because I am older… I shouldn’t have, I didn’t have any right to put myself above you! But I did. Got used to privileges and power, started to brag about my title, you know what happened next. I would never do such a mistake again! This is why I am a Princess now, Sister, just like you.” Celestia explained. While older sister was talking to somepony in the corridor, the younger one was examining the furnishings that she didn’t notice before. Relatively small, cozy room with bright finish. Big, alicorn sized bed. “And not just one alicorn as it turns out!” Luna thought happily. “There’s enough room for me and my sister!” Other than that, there was a big fluffy carpet and a tea table, with pillows around it instead of chairs. Celestia didn’t change her habits. And honestly, the night Princess liked them too. Big windows, starting almost at the floor and ending at the ceiling, with unusually clean glass. Two doors — one to the hallway, and the second leading to an office. The room didn’t impress neither with its luxuriousness nor with its size. It looked ascetic comparing to the other decorations around the castle. This wasn’t a big “Her Majesty’s Bedroom”, but a room for rest during a work day, or for sleep if you couldn’t go to the main bedroom during these work days. Anyway, Luna didn’t care if it was small, big, or whatever sized bedroom. “Finally, we are together!” her soul sang. Quiet steps stopped Luna’s thoughts — Celestia was coming back to the table, holding an inkwell, a feather and a few sheets of paper. “What is it?” Luna asked. “Important duties again?” “Don’t worry about it, Lu. I am taking a vacation for a week tomorrow. This is why I have ministers and deputies after all.” Day Princess smiled, taking a seat next to her sister. “And these are the documents I asked to bring when I asked for tea.” Luna arched her brow. “Here, take a look. I think you’ll like it.” Celestia carefully shifted her empty plate and a teacup, and placed the papers in front of her sister. “Okay… “The Night Guard edict”?” She was surprised. “Exactly!” Tia smiled. “The edict “Diarchy” was prepared by me at least six centuries ago, you only have to sign it, making you the second ruler of our country. And how a ruler and a Princess can manage without her loyal guards? You need your guards, and batponies need you, and I hope that this step will help to bring the night ponies together with the others and bring them out of isolation. After all, I just want to do something good for you. And, being late for a thousand years, I’ll try to fix my mistake. I know how cruel I was to show disbelief to you and your guards.” Sun Princess ended on a sad note. “But I did forgive you, Tia!” Luna sighed and hugged her sister. “And what Isolation are you talking about? I thought you mentioned that thestrals have same rights as normal ponies do?” “Correct, they do.” White alicorn nodded. “But only a few use them, others prefer living in the mountains, contacting Equestria’s inhabitants very rarely. When I realized what I did, I immediately started fixing it. But their folk accepted my help only years later! They barely survived in those mountains, suffered from cold and hunger, they needed help! And they accepted it from anypony but me. Time passed, and we managed to work out some kind of relationship, but I am afraid that we will never have any friendship. They remember the evil Queen Celestia too well. Night ponies still scare foals with my name… Even curse as we do with “Discord!” Celestia said. “Celestia!” Luna hissed viciously and giggled, and seeing her sister’s face she burst out laughing. “Grow up.” Celestia rolled her eyes, causing another wave of laughter. “By the way our ponies scare their foals with a Night Pony.” “Is this me?” Luna stopped laughing. “Well, not really you. The official statement, printed in the books says that Princess Luna bravely sacrificed herself in order to seal Nightmare Moon, for Equestia’s and her sister’s safety.” “Well. At least it’s somewhat true. Very remotely though.” Night Princess smiled. “About Nightmare Moon… I’m sorry, but are you insane?” Celestia looked at her sister trying to understand what she meant. “I made many mistakes in my life, Luna. And the most important lesson that I got is that you shouldn’t act driven by emotions. So…” “By emotions?! Tia, she is a monster! You do remember how we fought Sombra? Nightmare Moon is probably worse than him! All the time I spent with her, all she thought about was revenge! All she did was trying to come closer to this goal! Even when she started helping me to improve the spell for creating bricks, she did that so I could be calmer, because calm Luna works better with battle spells! I was thinking, rethinking, changing! But she was still a blob of concentrated evil and hate!” “But could she become different?” Suddenly asked Celestia. “What do you mean?” Perplexed Luna answered. “I don’t mean to offend you, but… She is your reflection. You kind of created her…” “I get what you are trying to say.” Luna interrupted.” She and her deeds are my responsibility…” “I am sorry I didn’t mean this!..” Sister didn’t even notice her. “… And I didn’t neglect this responsibility. When I realized my mistakes, I understood and forgave myself, I tried to teach everything to her. And I failed! Nightmare Moon just couldn’t understand me! Even worse, she didn’t even know what positive emotions are! She listened closely to my monologue, and then asked: “What is happiness?”. She is my dark side, you are right. And this dark side is so terrible, that she couldn’t understand what is good by definition! I hope you understand now how dangerous it is to leave her here.” Luna looked at her sister, waiting for her reaction. “I get it.” Slowly said Celestia. “Tell me, how to explain what a color is to a pony that was born blind?” “Uhh” Princess pondered. “Wait, what does it have to do with Nightmare?” “It’s simple, you can’t explain what color is to a pony who never saw it, as well as you couldn’t explain Nightmare what happiness is…” “Because she never felt it!” Luna ended her sentence being shocked. “But… No, it can’t be.” She shook her head. “She had my memories, and I know this feeling!” “She had your memories… But can you really be sure that she had all of them?” Celestia asked sadly. “You created her unknowingly, in the times when, as you said, your happiest feeling was gloat, when I accidentally spilled some ink on the financial reform plan that kept me awake for three days…” “Don’t remind me. I am still ashamed of this.” Luna said, embarrassed. “About memories… If she had all of them, then she consciously became a monster. If not, then you won’t be able to teach her good, because the concept is alien to her. She is dangerous in both cases.” Luna said decisively. “And I don’t get why you need her. Why didn’t you exile her again?” Luna shivered when she thought that she saw for a moment a cold, careless Queen’s look in her sister’s eyes. But the Illusion disappeared, leaving only slight disappointment in her sister’s pink eyes. “Then answer me: if I should exile her, then why I shouldn’t do the same to you?” Celestia squinted her eyes. “Following your logic, you are dangerous too, aren’t you? You, together with Nightmare, sent me to the Sun, raised the Moon, attacked and hurt a couple of guards, fought my loyal student… So why shouldn’t I have sent you back to the Moon when we were in the Sister’s castle?” “…?!” Shocked, Luna widely opened her eyes and looked at her sister, helplessly opening her mouth and struggling to find any words. “I am sorry, sister.” Sun Princess hugged confused Luna. “I don’t know what got into me. I am sorry, I… Overreacted. But at least I hope you understand me now. If you are worthy of a second chance, then why she isn’t? Honestly, I’d do the opposite if Fluttershy didn’t interfere.” Celestia sighed quietly. “But her actions made me look at the situation differently. I’d love to write a letter about what I learned about friendship, as I told my student, but alas, I can’t write it to myself.” Sisters looked at each other and quietly laughed, a simple joke helped to ease the atmosphere. “I didn’t look at it this way. You described it so…” Luna made a vague gesture. “But I still don’t like your decision to bring Nightmare into the capital. Do you realize what could happen if you are wrong about her? Let’s imagine you are right, and you can come up to some agreement, even though I doubt it. But what if I am right? Is it wise to expose yourself and your subjects to danger? What if she escapes the prison…?” “She is not in prison, sister. She is in the guest room of your wing…” “WHAT?!” Luna sprung from her pillow, putting her hooves on the table, glaring at Celestia. A cup crunched under the left hoof of dark alicorn, turning into a pile of shards. Despite the expectations of the Sun Princess, there was no emotional and loud continuation. Instead of this, after a couple of seconds, Luna slid back down onto her pillow. “You are insane.” She said. “As if it wasn’t enough to bring a living embodiment of hate into the castle, you didn’t even put any guards on her… And really, why would you need that? What could go wrong?” Luna said sarcastically. “Let me explain. First of all, Nightmare isn’t in the condition to fight me, even considering that I am not the best warrior. With a fracture in her supporting leg and unstable magic she doesn’t pose a serious threat, especially now when you are here.” Celestia smiled at her sister. “And secondly, do you think there is a difference to waking up in a dungeon rather than in a bedroom? I think the second option will generate more trust, so we could build an agreement. By the way, I am planning to visit her in half an hour… Want to tag along?” “You really did change so much…” Luna shook her head. “I almost don’t recognize you. All these tales about harmony, friendship… I didn’t believe you at first, but now… You are… A ah, Discord! Just be careful. Please. I don’t want to lose you again. No matter how.” Younger sister rubbed older sister’s neck. “I’d better stay here. If it turns out that you were right about Nightmare, then… Actually, nevermind.” Luna suddenly ended the phrase. “Is something the matter?” Tia worryingly asked. “Maybe.” Luna said, avoiding a direct answer. “It all depends on whether you are correct about Nightmare. Let’s talk about it later, ok?” Dark blue alicorn smiled. “A lot has happened to me lately…” When sisters said their goodbyes, Luna looked at the shards for a long time, thinking about what she should do if her sister is right, and Nightmare is an intelligent, living being and not a spirit of evil, as Night Princess thought. And she was really scared to think that she did a mistake back on the Moon.