2.

They both awoke early, naturally. Everyday the moon needed lowering and the sun needed raising. Celestia rolled over to see her moon princess shaking and whimpering quietly in her sleep. She looked pathetic and helpless in her feeble position, like a small filly. She was having a nightmare. Celestia nudged her, concerned.

"Luna, sweetie wake up."

Luna awoke quickly, panting a little and eyes wide open, terror inside her heart. She looked up at Celestia and hugged her immediately.

"Oh Tia, t'was a horrific dream. I saw Nightmare Moon and she spoke to me."

Celestia wasn't even sure Luna knew who Nightmare Moon was until now. She had always assumed that Luna was merely possessed and unconscious during the time and after Nightmare Moon left her, couldn't remember a thing. She based that assumption on nothing but random guessing.

"Oh dear, what did she say?"

"She spoketh kindly to me, ensuring that I should welcome her instead of cower in her... Something about it terrified me."

"She is definitely worth fearing, but do not worry, she is no more."

"I do not know Tia. She felt real and that which puzzles me was that I feared not her but something unknown."

"It will be alright Luna, nothing can hurt you anymore," Celestia said, hugging Luna tightly, "Come now, we have a moon to lower and a sun to raise."

Excited, Luna jumped from bed and ran up into the great observatory, directly up a flight of stairs from Celestia's chambers. It was a massive room with a glass dome for a roof and comfy furniture with another flight of stairs leading down into Luna's room. There were various magical instruments for measuring the stars and constellations. Great floating telescopes for seeing far and magical lenses for perceiving far when sight wasn't enough. It stood at the tallest point in Canterlot. From it, one could see great distance into the heart of Equestria.

Luna stood facing the great west and Celestia stood facing the great east.The skies befell twilight and the crimson purples were painted. Sometimes Luna had wondered why they didn't just leave it eternally dusk.

They gave each other affectionate looks and as though they were never apart, they began to change the day. Luna used her great magic to lower the moon beneath the distant mountains. The stars began to fade and the darkness of night disappeared. Without missing a beat, Celestia began her spell to raise the sun to the sky. In a perfect rhythm, both celestial objects rotated away from each other. For a second both the moon and the sun shared the sky and Luna smiled warmly at her sister. It was the first time in a 1000 years that they did that together. She admired Celestia as she finished her spell. She did look inspiring and heroic as  she commanded such legendary magic. Luna slowly walked over to her and nuzzled her neck. However, a forgotten intrusion would break the moment.

"I'm so sorry Tia, I had thought I'd set my alarm but..." Cadance said walking up the stairs before stopping dead in her tracks halfway up them. She stared from Luna to Celestia and back again.

It was an odd sight. The two sisters manes were messy and their eyes were puffy and exhausted. That spoke volumes of what occurred during the darker hours of the night. More importantly, Cadance had no idea that Luna had returned. Celestia had kept it a secret from the entire castle staff. Only the ponies of Ponyville knew of Luna and word does not travel so fast. She was waiting to officially reintroduce Luna after she had adjusted.

Since Luna was gone Celestia had asked Cadance to join her in a ceremonial raising of the sun and lowering of the moon whenever convenient as part of royal duty. Whenever Cadance was in the same town as Celestia, she would get up early to take part in a small ceremony with her. Celestia liked it because she wanted to preserve the traditional dual-purpose monarchy of Canterlot. Even though Cadance had no real power over the heavens, it was a pleasant duty she willingly obliged to. She liked the sense of tradition.

Unfortunately, Celestia had gotten so caught up with her sister that she woke up slightly early and eagerly did it with Luna, leaving Cadance to walk in on a very strange scenario. Even though both sisters were embarrassed, Celestia spoke first.

"Good morning Cadance, don't worry about the ceremony, already have it covered. I'm sorry I forgot to mention, my sister Luna has returned!" Celestia said with a big dumb grin on her face.

Nothing was going to spare the incoming awkward exchange. Luna sunk down a little and blushed to the envy of roses.

"Oh uhh... That's great! Hi Luna, I'm Cadance," replied Cadance with the strangest smile on her face,

"Pleased to meet you." Cadance was still only halfway up the stairs so she was looking up at them from about their knee level. Luna felt like she was talking to a dismembered head.

"Well I'll uhh... see you guys at breakfast," Cadance replied, exiting hastily.

Luna looked to Celestia, clearly offended. "Guys? What is it she referred to us as?" She thought Cadance had insulted her. "Additionally, she hath stolen my room."

"Don't worry about it," Celestia said cheerfully, trying to disengage from the awkwardness.

"Don't....?" Luna said even more puzzled. She didn't know any of these new words.

It was going to be a long day.

While they were busy getting ready, brushing out their mane and adorning their royal armor and accessories, Celestia explained to Luna the various changes in language since she had been gone. Luna couldn't help but feel alienated and foreign in her own home.

"Let me ensure that I hath understood thou. A guy is a gentlepony, but can refer to a pony of either persuasio nand it is also informal?"

"You got it," Celestia affirmed.It was sort of fun talking to Luna about the ways of the future. It reminded her of a story about time travelers.

Luna put on her trademark moon necklace and adjusted it into place. "If thou sayest so. A unsettling use for just a respectable name. Tell me dear sister, why was is that Cadance came from my former room?"

Celestia knew this question was coming and she also knew that if she didn't answer it right, Luna would be extremely offended.

"It's a long story."

"Before thou starts. Is she a princess? I know the mark of majesty Celestia and Cadance had it." Luna had caught on quicker than Celestia had hoped, it was best to just give her the truth. Even without seeing Cadance's wings, Luna had sensed it.

"Yes she is. I didn't want you to find out like that, but I can't fully explain why she came to have that mark. Long story short, she was touched by the Elements of Harmony and the magic that lives between you and me."

Luna thought about that for a second. "Tis a shame I am going to have to evacuate her from my room. It is my room if thou recalls. I am sure she will find another suite in the castle to suit her."

Crisis seemingly averted?

"Of course my sister. I'm sure Cadance will understand. Shall we make our way down to breakfast?"

Luna looked down at her hooves, running them through the carpet. She was still so vulnerable and unsure. Celestia knew in that moment that they some things needed to be said before they could return to the life they once knew.

"Actually on second thought, let's eat in my personal observatory, it will be quieter there."

Luna smiled weakly at her sister. She was still just happy to be with her.

As Celestia led the way to the observatory, she blew a letter with their breakfast orders on it to the kitchen. Luna had specifically asked for waffles. A lot of gourmet waffles. With extra syrup.

Luna loves waffles. (Yeah I went there.)

When Celestia she saw the door leading to the observatory, centuries of memories came flooding back and the old guilt began to manifest deep inside her heart. Celestia opened the door for Luna.

The observatory was a circular room littered with small pieces of furniture and magical measurement artifacts. The walls were lined with bookshelves and a wealth of forsaken knowledge. A large glass dome sat on top of them with what looked like to be several large magnifying glasses hanging down from it. The lenses were on a circular apparatus with several layers that spun around so that a pony could look through one or many at the same time.

Celestia looked up at the specific lenses that used to let her see Luna in her moon prison. It gleamed in as the sunlight shone through it. Back when Luna was sealed into the moon, she could see Luna and everything she did by looking through that very special lens. She was so timid and delicate right now, yet only a few short years ago she watched the same pony try to kill herself for months on end, crying the entire time. She couldn't believe she condemned this innocent little pony to that sort of treatment.

It was going to be a very long day.

"My my Celestia, thou hath quite the collection," Luna observed, picking up some books and flipping through them. "I even know of these, they must be vintage now."  

"Yes... They are..." Celestia said trying to hold back the outburst she knew that was coming.

They were both avoiding the elephant in the room, trying to make light conversation while they gathered their thoughts and feelings. It wasn't easy to start a conversation 1000 years in the making, Celestia had always thought about what she'd say given the chance and now that she was given it, she couldn't bring herself to start it. Luna was just looking around her observatory curiously, reading books and looking at her magic pieces. They could have just been two sisters having a private breakfast together, just enjoying the company and for a moment, Celestia considered the absurd notion to just ignore it all and pretend it never happened, but Luna had picked up a specific book from Celestia's desk.

"Old Mare's Tales? Pray tell, for what reason do you have this for tis a filly's book?" Luna asked. Her eyes grew wide as she realized what it was. "Oh my stars... Tia..." Luna became weak in the knees as she stared at the unassuming brown cover. Even though the picture had worn off, it was of a mother pushing her daughter on a swing set. She knew it was because it was the same book she held hundreds of years ago.

Celestia knew that Luna was alone, deaf and blind while she was sealed in the moon. And while she watched Luna's sadness build, Celestia decided to read her stories just like how she did when they were both fillies. Celestia hoped that maybe her words would find a way to reach Luna and she would know that she wasn't alone.

Celestia winced at Luna's trembling form. Behind her innocence was a pain that forced the words from her mouth. Luna began to cry a little. This was it.

"Luna... I need to tell you something. I need to tell you... I'm sorry. I'm so... so... sorry..."

Luna stood there and stared deeply into Celestia, her gaze fixated on her mouth. She absorbed every word Celestia spoke and with every word, the walls holding back the pain weakened a little more.

"I need to tell you that I was wrong and that you deserved nothing that happened to you..." Celestia couldn't look into her eyes any longer. She looked to the side and continued. "It should have been me who was sent away. All you wanted was the love of our subjects and I ignored you. You made such beautiful nights and they all slept through them." Celestia was ranting a bit now, tears welling up in her eyes. "I didn't mean to send you to that horrid place and i should have foreseen what would have happened and I could never ask for your forgiveness..."

Luna held up her hoof and Celestia stopped talking. In contrast to Celestia's single feeling of guilt, Luna's feelings were much more complex and varied. She both loved and hated her sister. It was by her sister's hoof that she was sent to that prison and because of her desire to be with that she escaped.

Even though tears began to fall down her face, she spoke clearly, without a break in tone. Celestia listened.

"T'was a horrible place... I still have nightmares of pure whiteness and of that wretched noise. I awake scared for my life that I returned there. I fear that I will ever overcome this? A hundred-thousand dawns leave me graceless. Instead I cower in fear, a pathetic whelp of a pony." Celestia was amazed by the grace of her sister. She was nothing like the blubbering mess Celestia was. "I only wanted the love of our people and thou turnest on me..." Luna said bitterly.

"I'm so sorry Luna..." Celestia was crying now too.

"Sorry? SORRY?! Dost thou know thy meaning of thy word?!" Luna screamed. Celestia was still and silent, tears not withholding.

"Y-yes..." Celestia started, but Luna cut her off.

"Repentance is what somepony does when they know of the consolation! Tell me Tia, dost thou knowest of such a reprisal?"

"Well it was my only choice..." Celestia excuse for a retort was again cut off by the furious moon princess.

"Choice?! What happens when thy actions end up ruining somepony's life? How dost thou pay for what thou hast done?!" Luna shouted at her angrily.

Streams of suffering coursed down Luna's face, twisted by anger. Celestia put her head down and let her tears run up her eyes instead of down them. She knew that Luna was right, there was nothing she could do to make up for it. She weathered Luna's shouts like lashings across her heart, every word flaying her alive.

"How would thou likest it if thou were trapped inside eternal torment?" Luna cried out desperately. She turned her back to Celestia. Her horn surged with darkness and her eyes glowed white. "Perhaps thou would like to know my pain so that thou could speakest to me of true repentance," Luna threatened. Luna had studied a spell that would have an effect similar to Celestia's sealing while she was away. Starswirl the Bearded had mentioned it to her after she told him what she experienced. She had been waiting for this moment for a long time now.

Celestia stood there, patiently awaiting her sentence. Luna gritted her teeth and and turned to face her sister. She knelt down and folded her wings in. A sign of surrender. Celestia wasn't going to defend herself.

"Thou would not resist if I were to send thou to my realm?!" Luna cried out in frustration.

Celestia quietly nodded her head. "Send me away..."

Luna stared her sister down.Her sister even stopped crying and was instead the graceful, peaceful pony she knew.

"Why dost thou needest to be righteous?! Guard thyself cur!" Tears streamed down her face as she shouted. Celestia's morality was starting to reveal Luna's true nature.

Luna wanted to be wrong. She wanted to be guilty.

Luna loved her sister and her sister loved her back. The thought of her sister inflicting such horrible pain on her by accident tore her to pieces. Nopony would do that to a pony they love. She wanted Celestia to admit that Luna had done something that elicited the sealing and that Celestia still loved her and was pained by the decision. In a way Luna did deserve what happened to her, but it was out of a cry for help so it wasn't even entirely wrong. Above all else, she wanted know that Celestia wasn't guilty of what she did, that she was only following some other pony's command or something. Celestia's guilt only confirmed her responsibility for Luna's sealing and if she sent her away on purpose, Celestia couldn't love her.

Luna's heart was twisted by all the emotions she felt. Confusion turned rage as she became angrier with Celestia. "Thou hast done nothing wrong!" Luna shouted, grasping at anything she could. "Defend thyself from an unfair judgement!"

"Send me away!" Celestia yelled back. Tears were streaming down her face as she faced her absolution.

"Tempt me not once more sister!" Luna feinted. She was beginning to break down. She sobbed and slumped down a bit. "I will not hesitate!" she weakly threatened.

"Then do it! I deserve it!"

"Dost though thinkest that all will be well should I do so? That the pain shall just lift the darkness away?!" Both ponies were becoming increasingly emotional and frustrated by the situation.

"Then what do you want from me?!"

"Tell me I was wrong! Tell me that I deserved what happened to me!" Luna fell to her plot and just sat there and cried pathetically.

Celestia went down to hug Luna.

"I do not want to send thee away Tia. Thou art my only friend... I am... so lonely..."

"Little sister... I can't tell you that you were wrong. You cried out for help and I ignored you. I can tell you that you didn't deserve what happened to you and that you were missed dearly. I was so lonely without my beloved sister."

"Oh Tia..." was all that Luna could choke out between her sobs. Luna knew Celestia's words were true.

"I was... I was blind... Using the Elements was a mistake, but I knew no other way. I didn't want that to happen to you, it just did..." Putting things so bluntly hurt Celestia, but she knew Luna needed to hear certain things.

"I saw the eternal torment you lived through through that lens. I saw you suffer... I saw you try and end your life... over and over again..." Celestia's deepest feeling was to emerge and she was powerless to stop it. She couldn't even tell if Luna was could hear her over herself.

"There were sometimes that I prayed that you would succeed... I couldn't stand seeing you like that. I know how strong you are and to see you doing that broke my heart... Nay, shattered it. I just wanted your suffering to end. Those were the times that I'd spend more time with you. I'd talk to you and sing to you and read to you..." Celestia ranted emotionally.

Luna picked up the filly's book and sobbed into it. "Tis the most loneliest place imaginable. I thought thou had forgotten of me." She opened the book and turned a few pages. "But thou readest me stories. My favourite stories..."

Celestia squeezed Luna tighter as she flipped through the book. In it were her childhood's memories and every page was covered in small water marks. After a few seconds she found a specific story.

"Dost thou readest me this one many times?" Luna asked, smiling through tear stained eyes. Celestia recognized it as Luna's favourite story. She remembered how Luna used to ask her to read it over and over again as a filly. Every single night for almost a year before they went to bed.

"Many times dearest sister... It was a special one." Their tears soaked the already tear-stained pages. "It always seemed like after I read this one, you cried less and walked more. Like you were happier..."

Luna broke down into a heavy and emotional cry over that. She buried her face into Celestia's shoulder and released all the pain she felt over a thousand years. Celestia nuzzled her and caressed her with her wing, comforting the lunar princess.

Cries of pain and misery filled the rooms, not soft cries, but deep, emotional, heavy and painful cries. They tore at Celestia as Luna sounded like her very throat would give out. Luna wasn't just crying, she was breaking herself. Even after she was released she had put up a wall. Nopony knew the complete extent of what she had been through and she never told anypony. She just pretended that she had gotten over it, but never had. Instead, she locked the pain away.Now here was her dearest sister who knew of her pain and did everything she could to soothe it, no matter how futile. She was tearing down everything that she was so that maybe she could begin to heal.

Luna tried to speak, baring comprehensible as she heaved. "T-Tia... I... hath n-n-not... forgiven you. But... I will t-try with all my heart... To f-f-forgive you. Just know... that no matter what... I will always love you." Luna swallowed hard, "And one day... this will all be... behind us."

The hugged and cried until there was a knock at the door. The waffles had come. The delicious, mouthw-watering waffles.They spent the rest of the day in the observatory, remembering what they had before and eating waffles. Next Chapter: Chapter 3 Estimated time remaining: 14 Minutes