1.5

Luna had finally gathered herself and followed Midnight Sky to the dining room. He was confused by Luna’s affection, but she was able to convince him that she had a bad dream. Strangely enough, the madness she experienced for the imprisonment was dissipating with haste. She was remembering her old life at a rate that surprised even her.

Luna walked back into the castle’s grand dining area. She smiled because of all the fond memories she had in this room. However, more than the food, she was excited to finally see Celestia once more. She wasn’t sure if she could prevent herself from breaking down or making a scene, but she didn’t care.

Dinner commenced as it would have and Luna sat next to Midnight Sky instead of her normal spot at the foot of the table, much to his protest.

“But you mustn’t, tis not proper,” Midnight Sky half-heartedly pleaded.

“Nonsense, I am the princess and I wish to sit next to my childhood friend, I am certain thou will object no further,” Luna dismissed.

Midnight sky smiled, enjoying the increased attention. As everypony sat down and the servants began bringing out tray upon tray of food, Luna looked around desperately.

“Where is Celestia?” Luna asked.

“Who?” replied Midnight.

Luna looked at him with a puzzled.

“Princess Celestia, she rules Equestria…?”

“But Princess, you rule Equestria,” Midnight Sky answered, wearily, “Art you sure you feelest alright, I do find you acting quite strange tonight.”

“Uh yes I am, that’s right of course I rule,” Luna replied with dashed hopes.

Luna retired to the study after dinner. It was simply euphoric to have a full belly again. However she wished to see her old mentor, Starswirl the Bearded, as Celestia’s absence disturbed her. Perhaps he knew something of Celestia and what happened to her, the imprisonment and release. In the east wing of the library she found him, quietly reading.

“Starswirl, may I trouble you for a moment?” Luna approached.

“How now. Come my Princess, come. How may I be of service  to you?” he said motioning her to come forward without looking up from his book.

“I have something that may seem improbable and I askest thou to hear me out. I trust that thou dost have an answer,” Luna said uncertain.

“I cannot promise, only hope to answer your inquiry,” he said, idly turning a page, adjusting his glasses. He didn’t seem fazed by the princess, nor her worries.

Luna began pacing, readying her words that even she was unsure of. She stopped to look out the large window and stared up at the full silver moon. She spoke as if straight to the celestial object.

“It may be hard to believe, but I am not quite sure where I am. It would seem like I have returned to Canterlot, but I cannot be sure. Celestia is missing and I only recently returned from an imprisonment challenging even your willpower,” Luna explained.

Starswirl looked up from his book and met Luna’s gaze with a mix of concern, interest and annoyance on his face. Luna returned the look with great severity.

“So, you hath returned from an imprisonment. Was it not but a frightening dream,” he taunted narrowing his eyes.

Luna turned around to glare at Starswirl. She slowly walked up to him and thickened the tension.

“Master Starswirl, I implore you to reconsider thy tone. May I remind thee that I am your princess?” Luna scolded heavily.

Surprised by the harshness of the princess he changed his approach, obviously the princess was serious. Luna could sometimes be an overbearing pony, but never was she frivolous over matters.

“Excuse me Princess. I’ve forgotten myself. So am I assume you are not the same Luna I had conversed with yesterday?” he began.

“Naturally, I do not recalleth that conversation but I knoweth everypony and their character. It feels like I hath returned to an alternate world.”

“To where do I begin? Thou art still obviously a Princess Luna, so thou holdest all the title you do in this realm, unless the previous Luna were to suddenly appear, then we would have a very unfortunate scenario on our hooves. It would seem like you have memory of us in general, but not of our specific interactions. Perhaps you existed in a separate world,” he said, deducing her state with the speed of a great wizard.

“I am fairly sure I replaced or embodied thou Luna when I was released from my horrible prison only but a few hours ago. Tis a spectral prison, my very soul was trapped in an eternity of blindness and deafness,” Luna said shivering. She was starting to feel odd and out of place in this world. Like an alien, impersonating someone else.

“Most extraordinary, but what dost different things appeal to you in this world than the one of your memory? Something meaningful of great displacement,” he prodded.

“The most devious difference is that Princess Celestia rules Canterlot no longer. She is my sister and it appeareth that she is completely absent.”

With this information, Starswirl set his book down and began to immediately rummage through various books throughout his shelves. Up and down ladders he went, pulling out books and then replacing them. He looked distressed.

“Starswirl, what is it? Dost thou know Celestia?” Luna asked hopefully.

He looked back at her gravely from the top of his ladder. The look in his eye was sincere and true.

“Celestia is foreign to me, but I know of your sister. A pony, she shineth of the sun. She departed this world long ago and took the day with her,” he explained returning to his desperate search.

“Aye that is her! What can you tell me about her, can you help me reach her?!” Luna said even more excitedly.

“Yes… yes… Perhaps…” he mumbled locating the book he sought. He took a moment to read a passage, “Princess… how far will you go to find this Celestia?”

“I do not belong in this world Starswirl, once I find Celestia you shall get thou Luna back and I will be go home.”

“A most reasonable compromise. It says here that the pony who shone like the sun left behind four stars, which when assembled, will allow thou to followest her,” Starswirl started, “But they reside in perilous corners of the world.”

His worry grew as he read.

“The Morning Star dawns a quest anew, a search for answers in the morning dew. The light to grow and build a plenty, is locked away in a sanctuary.”

“The Rising Star leads the stars as your power and grows wide and far. In this orb you will find, what you need in a darker time.”

“In a desert of the far south east, awaits a tyrant who slumbers deep. In their kingdom you will spar, to turn them into the Falling Star.”

“In the end of your quest, you will take a moment’s rest. In that time you will find, the Evening Star’s bitter mind.”

Starswirl stroked his bead and thought heavily about the passages.

“Your majesty… This is not a task for the faint of heart. This is a true adventure that may cost us more than time and sweat, but blood,” he warned.

He looked up from the book and noticed the princess was ignoring him.

“Luna…? I am not sure that we are capable of the errand… Luna are you listening to me?”

Luna gathered her thoughts and looked back up to the full moon. Suddenly, from the dark corners of the room a swarm of bats flew towards Luna. They melded together and formed a dark cloak around the princess. Outside a storm began to brew. Storm clouds spun around in the distance and lightning cracked across sky. In the eye of the distant storm a ray of sunlight shone through it like a beacon. Luna smiled darkly and spoke.

“Tell the Crown Prince that he is now my regent, call my guard Midnight Sky for there is no pony I trust more than him and prepare yourself Starswirl, for thou will guidest and aid us in this endeavor.” Next Chapter: 1.6 Estimated time remaining: 1 Hour, 47 Minutes