I have gotten better at using the Modern Equestrian language when I speak. It seems so informal at times but on a whole, once I had grasped how it was structured it did seem to come more naturally than Old Equestrian. However when I was a filly I was taught that reading and writing were never informal. Pleasurable at times certainly but never to be unappreciated. Of course back when only your immediate family and other high officials in pony society could read or write, it was seen as a very refined skill. It is something I seem to do quite often these days. With so many new things in today’s society I often have to keep track of things in a written medium or I would forget them.

I was writing in one of my more recent journals on the balcony, admiring the view. Canterlot Palace has quite the location. The sun was closing in on the horizon when one of Celestia’s guards came to me. He said, “Her Highness requests your presence Princess. She is in the throne room.”

“Thank you,” Now what was his rank… “Sergeant. Please inform my sister that I will be with her presently.” Modern Equestrian military is different from… as a standing rule modern stuff is all different for me, and strange; hence the journals.

I finished writing a last remark in the journal and went inside. The sparse furnishing of my bedchamber give me a sense of peace I rarely find anywhere else in modern Equestria. Having only a writing desk, a (somewhat larger than necessary) bed, and a few chairs neatly arranged around the room is enough comfort. There is only one place I like lavish designs and it is not in the place I sleep and study. Above the desk is a shelf where I store most of the journals I write. I set the current journal down and proceeded to make my way through the palace.

I am aware that I will probably bore you with seemingly insignificant details about things you, as a modern equestrian, find trivial and commonplace. Please keep in mind my… unique situation.

The first time I entered my sister’s palace (I call it hers because I had no role in its creation and until recently never lived there) I was overwhelmed by the extraordinary décor. Even the back corridors had ten times the amount of ornamentation than our old castle’s main chambers. Stained glass, as an example, was a crude art form then. We would be lucky to have five differently colored frames in a window but it is now used with such skill that one can make an entire picture.

The throne room is no doubt the most lavish room in the palace. Well, perhaps my sister’s bedchambers but that is a different type of lavish. Celestia was waiting alone. Odd since her guards rarely left her side. My guards were nearby although where I had no idea.

My sister was standing at the base of the throne. “Dearest sister. I am glad you came so quickly. I have some matters I need to discuss with you.”

“Is that so.” I replied closing the distance between us. “You know how I am at politics. My opinion should mean very little to you.” That was certainly the truth. Politics had always been Celestia’s specialty. She was always the social one, the one who knew how to play chess. I prefer to stand in the background, I am there and you would probably notice me but I am not the focus of your attention and I certainly do not influence you in any meaningful way.

“This is not a political problem Luna. It is about your sky. Now-“

“Forgive the interruption sister but we have had this conversation before. You know perfectly well my feelings about that sky.” If Celestia wants to continuously talk about it that says more about her guilt than about my feelings.

“Yes and you know I am deeply sorry for the pain I have caused you but surely you have been Watching it?”

“You know I cannot stand to look at it. I have not Watched it for centuries.” It seemed that Celestia wants to have this same conversation every week. I do not understand her persistence.

“You, haven’t been Watching the sky? What about your ancient obligation!?”

“It stopped being My ‘obligation’ the moment We let Nightmare Moon control Our… my actions!” Why was Celestia surprised? She had seen me angry before. And no wonder when she keeps talking about the same thing. “Watching the sky is no longer necessary sister. There is no need for me to even look at it anymore. It is a lost cause of a bygone era!”

Understand this about my sister if nothing else. She is a benevolent ruler, a master of manipulation, very difficult to surprise and horrible at mathematics. “Luna, do you recall what the obligation said about Magik.” A statement not a question, this was going to be interesting. “When we were born we were tasked with the protection of all ponykind and with the safekeeping of Magik. Even today that still stands. I know you hate some modern things, among them modern magic, but you cannot seriously expect me to believe that you think there is no danger in not Watching the sky!”

“Modern magic does not need the stars like Magik did sister.” When did this conversation change to ancient obligations when all sister wanted to talk about was stargazing? “If you recall, you volunteered to take charge of the Magik of the Pegasi and Earth ponies yourself; leaving me with the Magik of Unicorns. And I perfected that art.” A lost art form.

“Luna! Do not forget why I volunteered for those positions. And why you gladly took yours.” Of course. Her political shrewdness allowed her to very easily control the actions of ponies, thereby making it very easy to see to the wellbeing of all the different types of ponies as well as the Earth and Pegasus ponies Magiks.

“If we are to take a look at recollections, sister, let Us also remind you of where I have been for the last thousand years.” She remained silent. I continued quietly, “I was stripped of power. I had no control over my sky. I am grateful that you took control of the moon, but the stars? Celestia you know what the stars did. Why then, for a thousand years, did you do nothing for them?”

She remained silent. I saw in her eyes the exact same tears I had shed during the twenty fifth year. I continued, “When I returned the first unicorn magic I saw preformed was by your student Twilight Sparkle. I was amazed. I had never seen Magik like hers before. There was no structure, no preparation. I came to realize later that it was not Magik I saw but magic.”

Our first encounter with Twilight Sparkle was in Ponyville shortly after Our return. We found her cutie Mark amusing. To find that she was also the star pupil of Our Sister, well, that made Us laugh to be sure. There is much symbolism in her Mark.

The first and most widely understood symbol is that she is a particular gifted magic user. The second expresses her position as a Bearer of an Element. A single bright star surrounded by five smaller stars. Undoubted she is the center piece of the pentagram. And these two symbols work well with each other.

But what you may not understand is the significance of them being stars. After all why did she not have six gemstones instead? Gemstones can be extremely magical and it certainly fits the elements better, in their current form as necklaces and a tiara. She says her special talent is magic but how does one describe what magic is? Let me explain.

Magik and magic are different.

Magik is external. Glyphs and diagrams as well as incantations and other rituals are used to make a spell. That is where the sky comes in. Magik uses structure and shapes to make an action in our world work, at least for Unicorn Magik. The Magik of Earth ponies is in their work as they move around Equestria. Pegasi similarly use their actions to manipulate Magik. How else would they fly on such small wings and at such great speeds?

The stars and constellations in the sky allowed unicorns in the past to forgo making their own glyphs and work with ones that were maintained by Us. They need only speak an incantation for the spell to be complete and use their own horns as a channel for the distant glyph.

Magic, on the other hoof, is focused very differently. All a unicorn need do is concentrate on an outcome hard enough and with enough magical power achieve that outcome. Levitation is the simplest example of this and is often mastered by all unicorns.

Due the drifting nature of the modern sky this internal magic is much more prevalent. It has also become more powerful as the stars drift. With the loss of structured glyphs that were premade for them, most unicorns simply stopped caring for Magik, not wanting to have to draw a glyph which would dissipate after the spell was complete. My stars were more durable then that. Instead unicorns focused on this new magic that arouse which was easier, cheaper, and more reusable.

-From the recent journals of The Regent of the Moon

My sister remained silent and I concluded, “My sky and Magik were one and the same Celestia. Now, magic does not need the stars. Certainly Twilight was exceptionally powerful at magic because of her unique cutie Mark. But she would be far above average still if her cutie mark had been anything else. Overall she, as well as every other unicorn, does not need the alignment of stars for modern magic.

“Celestia, so much was lost when Unicorn Magik ceased to be practiced. Why then did you not do anything to save it?”

My sister dabbed the tears from her eyes. I knew tears were in mine as well but whither mine were from anger or sadness I could not tell. Probably both. Celestia moved to a window. The setting sun was marvelous. Once, a soldier had suggested we fight before each sunset and sunrise because our emotions made them so much more than they normally would have been. My sister and I laughed at the time. But you have to admit, maybe he was right.

“Because I was afraid. I was afraid that if I tried to control your sky that I would make a mistake that could spell disaster for hundreds. We failed Luna,” She turned around, and I saw her grim expression before she covered it. “it might be destroyed.”

That seemed a little too strong to me. Magik being destroyed simply because the stars were unaligned? “There is a simple solution sister. All we need to do is return the stars to where they should be.”

She smiled sadly at me. I hate it when she does that. It is her most effective look. “Oh. Who was it that said they could not stand to look at the sky, hmm? Can you really put down your anger at the stars to work with them? And even if you can will they listen to you? A dog that is beaten by its master soon learns to avoid that master, Luna. And most of those stars still remember the abuse you gave as Nightmare. Besides our inability to work with the stars anymore, the solution is not as simple for political reasons.”

Politics. I hate politics! Why does it have to be so complicated? “How can it be a political matter? Even today, nopony would particularly care if the sky was rearranged. They still do not appreciate the sky.”

“Yes, I am aware that most ponies still do not care. But that is not the problem I speak of.” Then what was. It seemed clear to me, fix the sky and fix Magik. What could it be harder? However Celestia was always was more politically inclined so I listened. “The real problem lies in modern magic. I will not risk losing it just to fix the sky, even if that sky would destroy Magik.”

“Why do you care for magic, sister?” I personally did not see the appeal. There wasn’t much inventiveness involved. “Surely Unicorn Magik would make Equestria more prosperous.”

“I do not care one way or the other, Luna. But the unicorns do. And changing the way they live is not something they will like. It has to be done carefully.”

I really hate politics. “What should We do then? If I cannot control the stars and nopony cares about them how can We save it?”

Celestia always has a plan. And now was no exception. “I know a unicorn who works at the planetarium. She would make an excellent candidate for the job. I already sent her a letter this morning. You will meet with her tonight.” Some plan. A unicorn I do not even know about to take over my job. “I hope that will not be a problem sister. After all the sky must be fixed and we cannot do it.”

Oh I had a problem alright. “How do you expect this unicorn to do the job? It took me decades to learn about the sky. I am sure that she does not have that long. I could teach you about them, surely that would be more practical.”

“Luna, it is true I know nothing about the stars but they would never accept me even if I did. They have seen me before and they will not forget me. You forget that although they may act like foals they are very smart. Besides, it is not as if this unicorn has to create more stars, she just has to befriend them.”

It is not that easy sister of mine. Stars are fickle. Even if the stars love her they still might not obey her. That is one reason I knew Celestia was the better choice. “Are you absolutely certain there is no other way? Suppose the stars accept me back?”

“Of course I am sure this is the right way. I highly recommend her. But if you insist I will leave the decision up to you. Have a good night sister.”