Luna sat at the foot of Canterlot mountain, bathing in the bright moonlight. The mountain, like many of the things she had woken up to today, was nothing like she remembered it. She remembered it being bright and lively at all hours. The train would make regular trips to and from the city and the mountainside road was always filled with traveling ponies and patrolling guardsman. Neither was the case with the mountain she saw now. The city was dark and the mountainside road was barely recognizable.

She heard the hoofsteps of a foal. She looked to the little unicorn filly descending the broken path with an elderly bearded unicorn at her flank. Both of them wore matted manes and tattered clothing. The filly stopped before Luna and stared at her feet. “I've brought the elder as you asked Miss Empress,” she murmured.

Luna smiled. “Thou hast done wonderfully little one. Thank you.” She extended a hoof to the elder. “Greetings to you. I am Luna, Princess of Equestria.”

The elder looked to the hoof, then to her. “I know who you are Empress,” he said.

“Oh...” Luna withdrew her hoof. “Of course.”

The elder poked the little filly with a hoof and motioned with his snout. She nodded and dashed down the broken path. He watched her until her hoofsteps faded and returned his attention to Luna. “Why are you here?”

Luna looked up to the city of Canterlot. “I've recently awoken to a very different world than the one I remember. I want to know what has become of the city in the time that I have lost.”

The elder stared at her. “Amnesia hmm?”

Luna nodded.

“I see, and what does that have to do with me?”

“Well, fair elder, I was hoping that thou couldst come with me and tell me of its history.”

“And why would I do that?” the elder asked. “Plan to kill me if I don't?”

Luna sighed. That wasn't the first time she'd heard that today. “No,” she replied. “I'm not going to kill anypony.” She pulled a pouch full of bits from her satchel and presented it to him. “I can offer you this.”

The elder picked it up in his aura and scrutinized it. He examined a few of the bits before nodding and putting them into his own pack. “Very well. I'll tell you what I know.”

Luna smiled. “Oh thank thee fair elder! Might I know thy name?”

The elder sniffed. “You can just call me citizen,” he said.

Luna's smile faded. “Oh... Alright then Citizen. I will follow thee.”

Citizen nodded and walked up mountainside.

“Uhm, Citizen,” Luna called.

He peered back at her.

“It would be much faster for me to fly us up.” She pointed a hoof at Canterlot and smiled.

“Then fly up,” Citizen replied. “I'll meet you at the top.” He continued up the mountain.

Again Luna's smile faded and she fell into step behind him. “Fine, let us both walk then,” she mumbled. The trek to the top hadn't gotten any shorter in the time Luna had lost. It had only become more boring. The scenery was all the same, barren rock. In terms of liveliness, the rock was giving Citizen a run for his money though. She kicked off her constant impulses to try striking up a conversation with him. It was evident, even to her, that he had no interest in it.

As they were closing in on the massive ledge on which Canterlot had been constructed, Luna heard a word muttered. She looked up to Citizen who was still trudging up the rock. “Were you speaking to me Citizen?”

He gave her a flat stare. “I did not speak Empress.”

“Oh...” Luna glanced behind her. “Well 'twas not me who spoke. Might there be another following us?”

“Nopony spoke Empress. You're hearing things.” He turned from her and disappeared around the mountainside.

Luna scrutinized the barren rock. She couldn't see anypony and there didn't look to be many places to hide. Perhaps Citizen was right. She turned back and galloped after him.

She rounded the mountainside to find him heading towards the ruined city which had once been Canterlot. The gate was in pieces and the walls had large sections blasted out of them. The bridge upon which the train had once run was also missing a large portion. Luna walked to the edge and peered down. She could just barely make out pieces of a train scattered about the rocks below.

She considered asking Citizen about the fate of the passengers but she decided against it. She knew what the answer would be. She didn't need to hear it spoken. She left the scene and headed after Citizen who had reached the demolished gate. As she grew closer she could see some kind of markings covering the ruined walls. Once she reached Citizen's side, she found that the markings were names. They covered the walls and continued for as long as Luna could see.

“Citizen,” Luna said. “What are these names for?”

Citizen stared at the wall. “It's how we remember the dead.”

Luna shivered. “The other side too?”

Citizen nodded. “We ran out of wall quite a while ago. We've been using the buildings inside. We've covered nearly a third of the city.”

“A third?!” Luna gasped. “How long have you been doing this?”

“I'm not sure. A little over three decades I would say.”

Luna galloped into the city. As Citizen had said there were names etched into just about every surface one could possibly etch a name. “That is far too many names for three decades Citizen,” she said. “Are you sure it has not been longer?”

“It wouldn't matter if it was,” Citizen replied. “We had to write most of them the year you sacked the city.”

It felt as though he had just doused her in flames. She looked back to the shining moon. She could just run from the city and hide from this whole terrible world. She didn't have to see any of this. No Luna, running is what got you here in the first place. She collected her courage and faced Citizen. “I can never truly apologize for something like this, I know, but I am sorry none the less.”

He met her eyes for just a moment and nodded.

“How did it happen?” Luna asked.

Citizen raised a brow at her.

“Amnesia,” she said, pointing a hoof at her head.

Citizen grumbled.

Luna sighed. “You don't have to recount it if you don't want.”

“It's fine,” Citizen replied. “When you formed the Empire, Equestria refused to join you. A lot of ponies still feared you but there were just enough strong leaders left to empower us to stand against you. Canterlot became your prime target. Equestria's neighbors did not share her resolve and you managed to collect their warriors into an army so mighty that you easily rolled over her. You broke us down, destroyed our armies, then left as fast as you came.”

Luna heard another voice speaking to her. She glanced about the city but she couldn't find anypony else.

“A lot of the names on the wall were soldiers,” Citizen continued. “But not all of them. You wanted to put fear in the hearts of any other country that might think to stand against you so you left us to rot under your eternal night. Without the day we could not farm. You controlled the secrets to producing food in eternal night and so you controlled the world. We now needed you to survive. But you refused us. You declared every citizen of Equestria a criminal. Any country found harboring us or trading with us would no longer be given the food to live. Food in Equestria became too scarce to support our population and... well.” He motioned to the names on the buildings.

Luna trembled as she took them in. Her stomach gave a small heave. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind. She took a long breath. “Citizen.”

“Hmm?”

“The bearers, are their names on these walls?”

“No,” he replied. “They are further down.”

He motioned her to follow and led her to the center of the city. There he stopped at a clearing with six sizable stones set in a circle around the remnants of a wide tree. Luna walked to the closest stone and dusted it off.

'Twilight Sparkle, thank you for our love in a world so spiteful.'

The words anchored her feet to the ground and so she stood for a while, reading and rereading them, surrendering herself to their battering. When she was finally able to move her legs, she walked around the tree to the next stone.

'Rainbow Dash, thank you for our loyalty in a world so corrupt.'

'Fluttershy, thank you for our kindness in a world so cruel.'

'Applejack, thank you our honesty in a world so deceitful.'

'Pinkie Pie, thank you for our laughter in a world so grim.'

'Rarity, thank you for our generosity in a world so impoverished.'

A pair of warm tears found their way down Luna's cheek.

“You had their elements,” Citizen said, “but they showed you that their strength was far deeper than a few pieces of regalia. Without them Equestria would not have had the willpower to stand against you.” His eyes shimmered. “Capturing them was not enough for you. You had to try and break the spell they had on us. You brought them to-”

Luna brought up a hoof. “Please stop. I can't take it right now.”

Citizen frowned at her. “Fine,” he said. He walked down the road and left her alone with her thoughts.

She felt the bearer's presence, soured by the knowledge that it was just a shadow, a memory. She would never truly feel their presence again.

The unclaimed voice called to her but still the words came as murmur as though just out of earshot.

Luna spun around and looked across the empty buildings for some creature to claim it. “Come to me!” she shouted. “Please, do not be afraid! I promise I will not harm thee! Just come out and tell me what it is that thou wishest to say!” She waited for a response but the city remained silent. The only reaction she got was the confused look she received from Citizen.

She let her head droop and approached him.

“Is everything alright Empress?” he asked.

She nodded. “'Tis fine. Although, I am starting to think that I've lost more than just memories.”

Citizen actually chuckled. She could not take much joy in that now though.

She looked down the street to where the castle's towers should have been peeking out from the rooftops. “What of the castle?” she asked.

“The battle was not kind to it,” Citizen replied. “Not much of it remains and the bit that does isn't safe.”

“I want to see it,” Luna said.

“Are you sure?” Citizen asked. “It's the worst of the remnants and the least stable part of the ledge.”

Luna nodded. “I am sure.”

Citizen grumbled. “Alright, fine; follow me.”

They traveled through the city and emerged at the stretch of ledge that proceeded the castle. Immediately Luna saw what Citizen had been speaking of. The castle leaned uneasily from the mountain. The small pool of water which had once laid in front of it was dry. Instead of its shimmering beauty there were exposed support beams intended to strengthen the ground below the castle straining to keep the entire castle from sliding down the mountain. The castle itself wasn't in much better shape. Pieces of it had already fallen. The rooms that remained were either crumbling, had massive holes in them, or both.

“Wow...” Luna remarked.

Citizen nodded. “I told you.”

Luna fell to her haunches. Every second she spent looking at it brought the question she dreaded the most closer to the forefront of her mind. Thrice she opened her mouth to ask, but only on the third try did she manage to make a sound. “Citizen,” she murmured.

“Yes Empress?” he replied.

“What of my sis-” she choked on the word.

Citizen knew what she meant. Some part of him must have felt sympathy for her because, for the first time all night, he spoke softly. “She's gone Empress. She was the first to be taken, long before even the bearers.”

Her head drooped and tears fell from her strained eyes. She had known what his answer was going to be but still, it was so painful to hear it.

“Damn my weakness,” she lamented. “So many lives, my country, my friends, my sister, and now my sanity. All of you were forced to face my demons because I was too great a coward to do it myself. I am sorry.”

The voice called out to her again, still muffled but just a bit clearer than before.

“Celestia...” Luna whispered. “It is her. The voice I've been hearing. I think it is her.”

Citizen stared at her. “Uhh?”

She raised her snout to the stars. “Sister!” she called. “Sister please hear me! I can never describe to you my sorrow! If I could do it all again sister, if we could just go back you would never be alone again. I would not whine and curse thy name on such petty imperfections; I would hold thee in my hooves and I would cherish every moment we had. But I cannot undo my errors and so I beg that you hear just one thing. I love you. You're the best sister I ever could have asked for...” Luna's head dropped back to the ground and tears dripped from her nose. “Damn me for taking you for granted.”

The voice screamed.

Luna's eyes snapped open. “She's in pain!” she gasped. She galloped towards the castle.

“Empress!” Citizen called after her. “Empress stop! The castle is the most unstable part of the ledge! You risk putting the entire city in jeopardy!”

His shouts faded. She took off into the air and dived straight into the main hall. “Sister! Sister where art thou!?” She bolted through them.

“If thou hearest nothing else sister,” Celestia's voice said, “just hear this.”

“I hear thee sister!” Luna shouted. She desperately circled the room searching for the source. “Where art thou?!”

“The guilt thou feelest is not thine.”

Luna halted and hovered in place. “...What?”

“What has happened to thee is my fault. I abandoned thee when I was needed the most.”

Suddenly, Luna felt so much lighter, and yet, so much heavier.

“Do just one thing for me sister.”

“Celestia...” Luna rasped. If she could just hold her.

“Give thy guilt to me. Let it die with me and live thy life free of it like thou deservest.”

“Die?” Luna charged her horn and blasted out part of the castle. She could feel her. She had to be close. Why couldn't she see her?! “Sister!” she screamed. “I can overcome it! I can beat it! Just don't leave me!”

She overloaded her horn with energy and emitted a wave that shook the entire castle. “Where the buck are you!?” The castle began crumbling under the force of her magic. The wall before her broke away revealing a blinding light.

Everything around her grew brighter and the noises of the castle's crumbling faded away. Her limbs grew stiff. There was so much magic going through her horn.

A black mass of energy revealed itself before her. There! Suspended by it, Celestia! Who would dare!?

Luna's neck resisted her commands but she forced it to turn her head about the temple. It was only her and Celestia. Then that meant...

NEVER! Luna commanded her horn to halt its magic with such force that Moon's resistance amounted to that of moth attempting to hold together a crumbling mountain. The black stream throttling Celestia's neck vaporized, dropping her limp form to the ground.

“Celestia!” she shouted. Every bit of her being screamed for her to be alright. Every bit save for one.

Before, Moon had been nigh invisible, hidden by Luna's anger and self-loathing. But now with her love for Celestia flowing so strongly through her mind, Moon was like a brown rabbit betrayed by an autumn snow, and Luna knew precisely where she was heading.

She pulled back into her mind and blockaded the portal to the dreamscape.

“Luna...” Moon's voice resounded.

Luna pulled her love for Celestia to the forefront of her mind. She could sense Moon's unease.

“Luna, listen. We are so close to liberating our night,” Moon said.

“'Tis my night,” Luna growled. “And my night is symbiotic with the day. There cannot be one without the other.” Each word emboldened her love for Celestia.

Moon gave a howl of pain. “Luna you must see how she has hoarded the throne from us!” she sputtered.

“Thou dost not have a throne to hoard Moon. You are a usurper. And if Celestia has kept anything from me, I will handle it on my terms because she is my sister, it is my throne, and this is MY BUCKING BODY!”

“You would dare?!” Moon gasped. “You're nothing without me! You're-”

“SILENCE,” Luna roared as to fury spilled into her psyche. She pulled back her blockade of the dreamscape.

“What is this?” Moon exclaimed.

“I cannot properly judge you now,” Luna replied. “Flee to the dreamscape and await my judgment there.”

“You cannot command me! I am-”

“I am not commanding thee,” Luna growled. “I am giving thee an opportunity. I've just woken up to find that not only didst thou leave me to suffer the hate that is rightfully thine and steal one thousand years of my life, but also thou hast potentially left me with a dead sister. If thou thinkest that, at this moment, I am in a proper state of mind to sentence thee, by all means stay.”

Moon's psyche seethed but she whisked through the portal to the dreamscape. Luna closed it off and brought herself back to the physical realm.

“Celestia!” she cried. She put a hoof on Celestia's back. Celestia's body trembled with each breath. Luna raised her head with a wing. “Say something sister. Canst thou hear me?”

Celestia struggled to open her eyes. “I'm so proud of thee...” she rasped.

“That's what thou hast to say?” Luna asked. She ran a hoof through Celestia's mane. “Worry about thyself for once.”

Celestia shook her head. “'Tis too late sister. —” she struggled to put a hoof against Luna's chest “— Thou mustest give me thy guilt.”

“No!” Luna snapped. “For buck's sake Tia I've seen how horrible things become when I let my problems fall on those around me. They're my problems; you can't have them.”

Celestia's eyes begged Luna to reconsider. “Sister, I failed thee so; let me at least relieve thy guilt.”

“You want to repent?” Luna asked.

“Yes,” Celestia wheezed.

Luna wrapped Celestia's hoof in her hooves and squeezed it against her chest. “Then pull through this sister. I've been a fool. I've taken you for granted. But I've woken up and now I know that all I really want in the world is you.”

Celestia stared into her eyes for a bit and gave a soft nod. “I shall try...”

Luna let her hoof go and stepped back. Celestia forced her lungs to fill with air. She squeezed her eyes shut as she struggled to put magic through her horn. A small spark flickered at the end but it faded. Celestia exhaled. She forced another deep breath and tried again. Again the spark faded.

This time when she exhaled, her head fell to the floor and her breaths became erratic. Luna trembled. She felt like every bit of her flesh was melting from her bones as she stood, helplessly watching Celestia grasp for life.

Celestia's eyes struggled open and fell upon Luna. Luna met her eyes, so terrified that her lids would fall for good. Celestia struggled to prop a hoof up and force another breath of oxygen into her lungs. She groaned, forcing another wave of magic to her horn. This time, when the spark snapped, a small flame was born. It spread down her horn. With a growl from Celestia, it rushed across her mane. It stopped for just a moment as Celestia filled her lungs. She let out a roar, and at her command the flame rushed across her body. In a flash she was consumed in a pillar of fire.

Luna's heart pummeled her chest. She stared unblinkingly, eagerly consuming every moment of the scene.

The pillar stood for a while, roaring upwards towards the top of the city before it finally whisked away. Where Celestia had been, all that remained was a pile of ash. Luna held her trembling hooves together as she stared at it. She couldn't move; she couldn't blink; she could barely even breathe.

When she was on the brink of passing out, the ash gave a subtle jump. Luna made to dash towards it, but just as she made it to her feet, an unempowered Celestia burst from the ash. She gasped for air and tumbled forward, landing in Luna's gracious hooves. Thank the fates.

Celestia struggled with her breaths for a while. Once she had reigned them in, she raised her head. “I am thy servant Umie.”

Luna looked upon her. She was so exhausted, so lacking of the brightness she was known for. “Servant?” Luna asked.

Celestia nodded. “Whatever thou wishest, it shall be so.”

“Why?” Luna asked.

“It is by thy grace that I am alive,” Celestia replied. “By my own merits, I am undeserving.”

Luna took a moment to let that sink in. Wow... Only physically reborn I see... Well, 'Tis alright. It shall simply be awesome little sister time! Luna took a deep breath, puffed out her chest, and looked Celestia in the eyes. Like air from a balloon, her breath rushed from her lungs and her shoulders dropped. She pulled Celestia back in and gently squeezed her. Going awesome little sister on her was going to be harder than she thought. Celestia was just so adorable right now! Aside from the whole crushed soul thing of course.

Luna basked in the rare treat of actually being able to hold Celestia until her conscience could no longer be ignored. She squared up with Celestia and rested her fore-hooves on her shoulders. “Alright sister, here's what I need from you.”

Celestia nodded. “Speak it, and it shall be so.”

“I just need you, to sit here, and listen to me for bit,” Luna said.

“As thou wishest...”

“Now, I know you're really hurting, but I need to be hard on you okay? This is something you need to hear. If it becomes too much, tell me. You'll do that for me, won't you?”

Celestia nodded.

“Okay.” Luna took a deep breath. Here it goes. She met Celestia's eyes. “You're not perfect Tia. You're not perfect and you're never going to be. Tough shit. You're gonna make mistakes, and when you do, ponies are gonna get hurt. You're gonna hit your limits, and when you do, there will be ponies you can't help. There will even be times when you're gonna hurt other ponies because you're just being selfish. Even you Tia. That doesn't make you a bad pony though. You know why?”

Celestia shook her head.

“Because you still get credit for over one hundred years without a single recorded murder anywhere in the country. You still get credit for three months of heeding the country's cries for help on a grand total of one day of sleep. And you still get credit for giving up your only sister because the alternative was to surrender Equestria to an insane tyrant.”

Celestia shuddered and dropped her eyes from Luna's gaze.

“Hey,” Luna said, “It's okay. You hear me?” She raised Celestia's head back to eye level. “It's okay.”

“Umie,” Celestia muttered, “I don't deserve thee.”

“Deserve me?” Luna laughed. “Deserve me? Tia, I am not your friend, I am not your foal, and I as sure as the Moon is round am not your lover. I am your sister. There is no deserving me; you are stuck with me. You are stuck with me because the Luna you see before you knows that you're the most wonderful sister that she ever could have asked for and she is never gonna let you slip away from her again.”

Celestia shook her head. “How canst thou say that Umie? Thou came with us. Thou gavest up thy life for us and we tossed thee to the wolves. —” Celestia's brow furrowed as she glared at her feet. “— Death is too good a sentence for us.”

Luna yanked her in and squeezed her. “Holy buck Sister! Stop it! Stop talking like you are a villain.”

“We are!” Celestia snapped. “She is!”

Luna looked into her eyes and tilted her head. “Who do you mean by she, Sister?”

“Celestia,” she replied. “Celestia forgot what thou didst for us. Celestia forgot that, when all the city hated us, thou gavest up thy life so that we had some creature to turn to!”

“Kilia?” Luna muttered.

“What Sister?” Celestia replied.

Luna rubbed a hoof across her own cheek and rested her chin on it. Holy buck... And I thought I was going crazy. “Listen to me... Sister. It is as I said, you are not perfect. No matter what name you go by. You made mistakes, I've made mistakes, and both of us are a little bit bucked up. Buck it. I love you. —” She shook her. “— I don't care what happened, I forgive you. I don't care what you call yourself, I love you. Okay?”

“But she... I-”

“Tia,” Luna scolded.

“Thou dost not understand, I hid from thee because-”

Luna put a hoof to Celestia's mouth. “Stop... Do you love me sister?”

Celestia nodded. “Of course!”

“Then stop.” Luna said. “It doesn't matter. I don't even want to hear it. You want to know what I want?”

Celestia nodded.

“I want you to get down from this damn pedestal you have got yourself on, or at the very least, stand to the side so I can stand with you.”

“Pedestal?” Celestia asked.

Luna nodded. “You have got it in your head that you are better than everything around you, even me.”

“What?” Celestia exclaimed. “Umie, I do not think-”

“Yes you do,” Luna interrupted. “I am not angry about it. I am terrified. I am terrified because it has put you down this path that has absolutely shredded your psyche. I am terrified because I have been blessed with a second chance to have you in my life and if something does not change I am going to lose you again.”

“I'll do whatever thou wishest Umie!” Celestia sputtered. “Dost thou want a greater throne than I? I can make it happen sister! The mortals will resist but I'll make them understand! Thou shalt be supreme ruler!”

“No!” Luna snapped.

Celestia flinched.

Luna took a deep breath. “I am sorry sister. I just... those were Moon's dreams, okay? They are not mine. I do not care about that damn throne anymore and I do not care about the way the silly little mortals see me. I care about you. I want you to... Actually, as your current master, I order you, to stop thinking about all the things you think you should do for me or that you owe me or anything like that. Get it all out of your head. In fact, clear your head all together.”

Celestia stared at her. “But-”

“Hey you!” Luna remarked. “That was an order!”

Celestia buttoned her mouth and nodded. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. After a few moments she nodded. “Okay sister. It is done.”

Luna's mouth gaped. She closed it with a hoof. How the heck?! That fast? Sister you are amazing... “Okay, fantastic!” she said. “Now, what I want you to do, is just tell me, what is it that 'you' needs the most right now.”

“What?” Celestia asked.

“Tell me what YOU needs,” Luna replied. “Whatever Celestia, or Kilia, or whoever you think you are right now needs.”

Celestia shrugged. “We need nothing sister.”

“Yes you do,” Luna replied. “You are not listening to yourself. I can tell you that there is something that 'you' needs.”

Celestia thought for a while longer. She shook her head. “I am sorry Sister.”

“It is alright Sister,” Luna replied. “Just keep trying. I will stay here with you until the end of days if need be.”

Celestia sighed. “As thou wishest Sister.” She receded into her mind for a few more moments. “Me wants thee sister.”

Luna chuckled. “Nice try, but that is cheating. You are copying me.”

Celestia whimpered.

“Stop trying so hard,” Luna advised. “You is trying to speak, she is simply getting drowned out by all the noises of your churning mind. Let us try this. Clear your head again, then just do the first thing that comes to it.”

Celestia receded for a few more moments and grumbled. “I fear that asking thee what thou wishest of me is not the right answer.”

Luna chuckled. “Well you have that down. That is progress. Okay, okay, here, try this. Imagine that we have been warped into a world where we are not princesses anymore. Equestria functions entirely on their own and they are happy. We are here, together, just you and I. Just like it used to be.”

Celestia looked around the temple and shuddered.

“You we can try something else if that is too hard for you,” Luna said.

Celestia's chest rose and fell. “'Tis alright, I shall try it.” She closed her eyes. She was still for a bit, then, she grimaced and her body quivered.

“Sister?” Luna said.

Celestia's eyes snapped open. They fell upon Luna and grew wide with terror. She whisked her eyes around Luna and backpedaled.

“Sister, 'tis alright,” Luna said. “'Tis just I.” She stepped towards Celestia. Celestia cowered behind trembling wings.

Luna stripped off Moon's breastplate, tossed it to the side, and wrapped Celestia up in her hooves. “Hey,” she whispered, “'Tis alright. I will not hurt you. I love you.”

Celestia peaked up from behind her wing and observed Luna's embrace. Her trembling slowed, however when she glanced to the world around them her head darted about and her trembling returned. She buried her face into Luna's fur and let out a flurry of soft sobs. Luna kissed the side of her head. “I am here Sister. 'Tis alright, I am here.” She rested her cheek against Celestia's mane and gently rocked back and forth.

She held Celestia the entire time she sobbed. It was a long time. Hours most likely. It didn't matter though. This was the best Luna had felt in centuries. Literally.

When Celestia's sobbing did finally end, Luna spoke. “Do you understand now, about the pedestal?” she asked.

“I think so,” Celestia murmured.

“I am not the young, foolish, and needy Luna I was. At least, not anymore. I had trouble growing up but my troubles are over. I can stand up here with you now. You are not alone anymore Sister. I am here with you, and I promise, that I am not going anywhere.”

“Thank you sister,” Celestia whispered. “I love you.”

Luna took a moment to battle back her own tears. “I love you too Sister. I love you so much.”

“Luna...” Celestia remarked.

“Huh?”

“Moon's armor...” she said.

Luna looked to the breastplate. Light was beginning to pour from the Moon emblem and it started to rattle vigorously. It erupted in a flash of multi-hued light. The light condensed above them into the Elements of Harmony. The Elements hovered just above the alicorns, bathing them in a symphony of colors.

“Ha!” Luna yipped. “Bless you Moon! Bless you and your psychotic mistrust of everything!”

“Their responding to us,” Celestia remarked. “I was certain they would never accept us again but... —” she pointed to them “— just look at them.”

Luna grinned and raised a hoof. “The Royal Pony Sisters are armed and dangerous again!”

Celestia rested her head on Luna's shoulder and clopped her hoof. “Awesome...”

Luna draped a wing across her shoulders as they took in the brilliant display of colors. “Hey,” she said.

Celestia looked up to her.

“When you get better, what do you say we go pay our old buddy Dragonface a visit?”

Celestia smiled. “You read my mind sister.”