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- >"But, your Highnesses-"
- "Captain, this decision is no longer up for debate."
- >Celestia opens the door with her magic.
- >Frigid air floods in, making you shiver.
- >"I can't-"
- >You won't find out what he can't, as your sister lifts him up into the air and out the door.
- "A pleasant holiday to you and your kin, captain!"
- >A final grumble from the pegasus is cut off by the slamming door.
- >Hopefully, he'll go home to his family.
- >"Let's go upstairs!"
- >Celestia's cheer is quite unlike her day-to-day demeanour but fits the occasion.
- >It's been over a thousand year since you've had a Hearth's Warming Eve to yourself.
- >No subjects to entertain this time, no sisters absent.
- >Everyone is holed up in their warm and cosy homes.
- >No pageants, no plays.
- >All ponies are with their loved ones, and the snow covers the land like a thick blanket.
- >And even though your captain of the guard was reluctant to forsake you, you're now able to spend some quiet quality time with 'Tia.
- >A night of gift-giving, cake, and merrymaking.
- >The two of you make your way back through the throne room, to the little chamber you've decorated for the holiday.
- >A tiny tree, hardly taller than your sister, stands in the middle.
- >Enchanted glass stars hang from the supple branches, moon and sun sit atop.
- >Six presents make up this year's bounty, a platter of cookies and cake are the feast, along with a barrel of chocolate milk.
- >The board is set, time to move the pieces.
- "Shall we get started, sister dear?"
- >As Celestia grabs hold of the sun and pulls it down into the snow, your horn makes the moon rise from its slumber.
- >Now all is set for an uninterrupted Hearth's Warming Eve, full of joy and love.
- -----
- "For you, 'Tia."
- >You float the pink box to your sister.
- >Gently she unties the bow and takes off the lid.
- >Grinning, she takes the purple plush into her hooves.
- >"A Twilight Sparkle doll.. how cute."
- "To ease you into your dreams on lonely nights," you say with a smirk.
- >You know your sister quite misses having a close pupil, she might actually use this new companion.
- >"Well then, while we're on the subject of dreams, here is my first gift."
- >A disc-shaped package about the size of a plate floats your way.
- >You unwrap the gift, revealing a blue dreamcatcher.
- >"To keep out those pesky nightmares."
- >Celestia apparently thinks the gift oh so clever and witty.
- "Yes, very nice, sister dear, if only I'd had this when I was struggling with the Tantabus."
- >Curses, that came out harshly.
- >She didn't mean it that way, it was just a silly present.
- "I'm sorry, it is a fine gift, thank you."
- >"I'm glad you like it. Cupcake?"
- "Blueberry, please."
- >Between bites of blue delight, you think about the gift you gave.
- >Might your sister have taken that the wrong way as you did hers?
- >Not likely, she seemed happy about it.
- >Yet...
- "Celestia?"
- >"Hmm?"
- "Do you.. miss Twilight?"
- >The next bit of cake remains floating in front of her.
- >"What do you mean? Twilight still..."
- "You're not as close as you were before."
- >"No, I suppose not.., but I've got you back, haven't I?"
- >But you're not as close as you once were.
- >You can't bring yourself to point it out.
- "Do you.."
- >Ever feel lonely?
- >Behind the facade?
- >Are you slowly wasting away bearing the responsibility for a kingdom?
- >Your cutie mark is the Sun, not the state, after all.
- >And you undeniably deal with the lion's share of Equestria's problems.
- >Even if you're not always in the rainbow finale.
- "...want to move on to the next gifts?"
- >Before she answers, the cake completes its journey.
- >"Yesh, you're *gulp* going to love this one!"
- >She floats a big, bright blue box over to you.
- >With visible excitement, she waits for you to open it up.
- >You lift the lid and inside you find a pair of saddle bags.
- >Black as the night dotted with sewn on stars.
- "They're lovely."
- >"Remember when we were little fillies?"
- "Hmm?"
- >"And that one time you ran away? You said you'd never come back."
- "But by the end of the day, I returned..."
- >"... because there was no more food in your saddle bags."
- >You chuckle.
- >That's a memory older than Equestria.
- >You'd had a bit of an argument with your big sister, so you took off.
- >About half an hour into your little adventure, you'd forgotten all about the troubles at home.
- >Only once you came back and found a deeply distraught Celestia did you realise how much she cared for you.
- "Thank you, 'Tia, thank you for remembering."
- >It's turning into a rather sentimental holiday or is that just you?
- >But your sister will like your next gift to her, definitely.
- "Here you go."
- >Celestia measures up the egg-shaped gift in front of her.
- >"What an.. interesting shape, I wonder what it is."
- >Off comes the wrapping and revealed is the gift.
- "It's exactly what you thought!"
- >You present a smile, hoping she'll do the same.
- >"Luna, I..."
- >Her expression dances between sadness and scorn.
- >"You know I don't have time to raise a pet."
- "Time is not something you have, dear sister, it is something you make."
- >She snorts at your words.
- "Please, sister, if you've worked this hard for a millennium, you absolutely must take some well-deserved rest."
- "You know I can take over a lot of your respons-"
- >"What would you know about responsibility? All you ever did was-"
- >She catches herself.
- >"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
- >Most definitely not.
- >You've done all you can to help her carry her burden since you've come back.
- >But then, winning back trust takes time.
- >And in a few years you cannot make up for a millennium.
- >You've been forgiven and your subjects have accepted you.
- >But they don't bear the scars of a past age.
- >Your sister welcomed you back, but you're still distant.
- >You can't let this little outburst ruin the holiday, you need this moment.
- "It's fine, Celestia, forgive, forget."
- >Those words work in more ways than one.
- >"You're right, let's not spoil our Hearth's Warming."
- "Maybe we should save the last of the presents for later."
- >Your sister nods and refills her mug.
- >You glance out the window.
- >The thick curtain of whirling snowflakes obscures the skyline of Canterlot.
- >Only the Moon's glow pierces it, albeit faintly.
- >It's been a while since you've seen a blizzard like this.
- >This probably outmatches the malicious storms that plagued the Crystal Empire.
- >It even rivals the Windigos of old.
- >And yet, it's your very own subjects who've unleashed this fury.
- >Cloudsdale has outdone itself, once again.
- "'Tia?"
- >"Hmm?"
- "Do you suppose we'll govern Equestria forever?"
- >She takes a big sip of hot chocolate and ponders.
- >"Hmm..."
- >"I don't think so, nothing lasts an indefinitely."
- "We have, so far."
- >"But even we have changed. Struggled. Redefined ourselves."
- >Struggled, that's a mild way to express it.
- >A thousand years in solitude with anger and regret.
- >A thousand years alone under the burden of the state.
- >No.
- >Think happy thoughts.
- "The world seems like a happier place these days, doesn't it?"
- >Celestia gives you a confused look.
- "The Crystal Empire is safe, Griffonstone is picking its pieces back up, and things are changing in the Dragon Lands."
- >"I suppose that's true, all thanks to the Council of Harmony."
- >Truly, those six ponies have meant so much for this land.
- "You mentored her well."
- >You smile at your sister.
- >The gesture is not returned to you.
- >"You were right, Luna, I do miss her. It's not like old times, nothing is."
- "But we can make it like that again, better even, I know it.
- >"I doubt it."
- "Why?"
- >"Because harmony was shattered a long thousand years ago, and it will never be restored completely."
- >Is she seriously blaming you for her sadness?
- >Why would she say a thing like that when she was the one that extended her hoof in friendship upon your return?
- "Did you not want to be close again?"
- >"I do. But that's easier said than done."
- "What can I do?! How can I regain your trust?"
- >Deep down you knew it.
- >You both tried to make it work.
- >But being close goes beyond being nice, beyond saying things are well.
- >A millennium of bottled up feelings still stands between you.
- >"We'll..."
- "No. I know what you'll say."
- >She'll say you'll figure it out given time.
- >But that's a lie.
- >Not out of maliciousness, but out of desperation.
- "Neither of us wants to face the truth, but we have to!"
- >Celestia turns her head away, glistening tears coming out from under her closed eyelids.
- >Take deep breaths now.
- >Don't let the rage consume you again.
- >She's your sister; she loves you, and you love her.
- >"I had to banish my sister and live with the guilt for a thousand years."
- "I spent a millennium hating you and myself."
- >You've both said these words before.
- >However, you'll need more if you are to close this chapter.
- >Howling, the winds ram into the castle as you quest for the right words.
- "I've forgiven myself, why can't you?"
- >"I can't, it felt so much like betrayal."
- "I have atoned for my sins, it is time to let them be in the past."
- >"You don't get it! It's not about you this time!"
- >Her outburst stuns you into silence.
- >"I robbed you of a thousand years, and I don't know how to make up for it!"
- >Tears start to well up in her eyes.
- "But, Celestia, you did nothing wrong, you only let justice prevail."
- >"I should never have let it come that far, I neglected you."
- >You never realised shame and guilt hit Celestia as hard as they did you.
- >But how can you make her forgive herself when you yourself needed the Council of Harmony?
- "You did what you could."
- >"And it wasn't enough; I failed you."
- "No! You-"
- >"Stop. Let's not discuss this now, let's finish the presents and get some sleep."
- >No, you can't stop now.
- "But-"
- >"No 'buts', Luna."
- She levitates her last gift over to you.
- >"Here, take it."
- >You can't give in now, she'll keep hating herself.
- "No, I won't open it until we've talked this out."
- >Her face turns from sadness to anger.
- >"Suit yourself, I'm going to bed."
- "What?"
- >"This Hearth's Warming is over, Luna, see you after the storm."
- >And just like that, she walks out of the room.
- "Celestia! Wait!"
- >She doesn't stop, nor look back.
- >Surrounded by nothing but dark thoughts and cold winds you remain.
- >Where did it go so wrong?
- >Why won't she forgive herself?
- >You look at the gift she left behind, a smallish box.
- >Should you open it?
- >No?
- >Yes?
- >You take off the lid.
- >Inside lies a silver necklace, set with a polished onyx, carved into the shape of the moon.
- >It's the same design that the Elements of Harmony had.
- >The dark stone reflects your gloom face.
- >Then you see the note.
- >"For the element of my harmony" it reads.
- --------------------
- >Thrice you knock on your sister's door.
- "Celestia?"
- >No response.
- "I opened your gift."
- >Only silence.
- "Thank you."
- >You wait, listening for a sign of life inside.
- >Nothing.
- "I've still got my last gift for you."
- >Please, don't ignore me.
- "I can slide it under the door if you like."
- >When she doesn't answer, you proceed.
- >Your gift, contained on a richly decorated scroll, passes the door.
- >Celestia's magic pushes against yours, and you release the parchment.
- >In your head, you recite the words.
- In brightest day, she's always there
- In blackest night, I need not fear
- In raging storms, she's at my side
- Through glooming clouds, she casts her light
- Her burden is not light to bear
- But she responds to every prayer
- Even in the years apart
- She was always in my heart
- Rifts she closes, with her grace
- In her realm, all have their place
- Earth, Sky, and the Ethereal
- Combined in the Celestial
- >At the end, you think you hear a deep exhale coming from your sister's room.
- >The sound of the door being unlocked is clear.
- >Golden magic opens it slightly.
- >As you enter the chamber, the winds outside lose their sneer.
- >Snowflakes happily whirl down onto the land.
- >The magic of Hearth's Warming is very much alive.
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