Author's note: I know I just completed one multi-chapter story, but after reading Princess Luna and the Festival of the Winter Moon, let's face it: Luna has some mental struggles she clearly can't handle by herself. No mentally healthy person, or pony, psychologically torments herself (Episode: Do Princesses Dream of Magic Sheep?) or attempts to ruin an event in her honor because she feels she's unworthy. Neither show nor the books ever address this, so that's what fan fiction is for! On the other hand, I do enjoy the creators are being realistic with it. After all, forgiving yourself takes years, not one night of a pep talk and a party down the road.
Luna stretched herself out after she awoke from her day's rest, reaching out her hooves and flexing her wings. Her sleep had been okay for the most part, though she felt a little dizzy. She heard a few knocks on her door, so she climbed from her crescent moon-shaped bed and slipped on her slippers to answer it. She usually forgot she had those slippers, but she made sure she tossed her regular shoes off before she fell asleep that morning. After all, why have slippers if they only serve to look nice next to your bed?
Luna's grogginess instantly became shock when she opened the door to see who was on the other side.
"Sister! Why are you here? Have I slept until nighttime again?"
Celestia shook her head. "I need to speak with you." Celestia walked in Luna's room and closed the door behind them. "Now."
It was an order that lacked sternness to match, but had a worried tone behind it instead. Luna yawned, but gave Celestia her attention. "What is the matter? Why are you not holding your daily court?"
"Cancelled," Celestia replied, like it were an everyday thing for her to do. "You will be angry with me for this, but I am taking you to a therapist."
Instead of becoming angry, Luna simply blinked a few times. Perhaps it was partially due to the grogginess that hadn't yet fully worn away, but Luna was unsure she'd heard her sister correctly. Luckily, sort of, Celestia repeated herself.
"I am taking you to see a therapist. That's why I've cancelled my court today."
Luna finally found some words to respond and there was a little anger in her voice, but confusion more so. "Why do you deem this necessary? And without my permission?"
"Because you'd say no," Celestia answered. "And I'm worried about you."
"But I allowed the festival for everypony and-"
"That festival was for you!" Celestia reminded her, the sternness still replaced with a tone of worry. "You attempted to ruin a celebration being made for you!"
Luna still wasn't catching on. "Sister, you know I am much more introverted than you and dislike the public eye. I appreciated the celebration and did enjoy myself, but it doesn't change the solitude of my room will always win me over."
"That's not what worries me. I know that's in your nature," Celestia told her. "I assumed your hijinks with the festival's planning were simply you having some fun, but after the festival ended, one of the young fillies explained to me you attempted to ruin it because you believed you were unworthy of it. Did you say that?"
"Sister, need I remind you not only did I not desire that festival, but it was you who insisted I go along with it for the sake of my friends' feelings?" Luna reminded her sister as her anger began to build. "Yes, 'tis true I enjoyed the festival, but it was made in everypony's liking except mine! You threw that festival for everypony except me to make you feel better!"
Celestia was in disbelief at the accusation, although when she thought about it, she did have to silently admit she may have gotten too caught up in the festival and forgotten the "for Luna" part. For a second, she looked away with slight embarrassment at knowing she put her sister's wishes aside like that. However, she quickly threw it out of her mind and changed the subject.
"And the tantabus monster," Celestia continued. "A monster you created to inflict punishment upon yourself for your sins of the past. A millennium on the moon was not enough. No, you decided you had to continue suffering. Just how long were you planning to keep that up if the monster wasn't discovered? And you didn't even tell me initially!" Luna saw Celestia's face grow into a stoic look. That self-trained stoic face Celestia made when she didn't want to cry or show anger. "I had to learn about it from a letter from Princess Twilight and confront you myself. Did you really intend to never tell me?"
"Sister, you have no power in the dream realm," Luna stated, calmer now. "The monster could've defeated you."
"But you could've come to me at any time," Celestia told her. "Instead of creating that monster to torment yourself, you could've come to me and we could've talked about it. If you felt that badly, you could've dragged me out of my court and I wouldn't have been upset. If you cried yourself out, I would've held you until you were calm."
Luna's anger returned. "Art thou telling us this is about you? Thou deem it necessary to take us to a therapist because we did not speak to you?! About problems that are none of thy business?!"
"Luna, you are my sister!" Celestia retorted. "If you are hurting yourself, it is always my business because it is my job to help you! Isn't that what happened in the past? I left you alone, I assumed your problems were nothing, and you boiled over? Now, you are telling me you want that to happen again?"
Luna calmed down almost immediately when she realized her sister had a point. She didn't really have the grounds to complain her sister, well, cared. And it wasn't like Luna wouldn't be panicked if this matter were the other way around.
Celestia took a deep breath to calm her own self before she spoke again. "This is not about me. I apologize if I began to sound that way. What I'm saying is you shouldn't hurt yourself, Luna, because you don't deserve to be in pain. It worries me that after all this time, you still look down upon yourself. I thought you were getting better, but I was wrong. Or were Twilight's letter and what the young filly told me lies?"
"No," Luna mumbled, looking down again.
"If I cannot help you, I must find somepony who can. That's why I arranged this appointment," Celestia explained.
"Sister, if I don't tell you, how do you expect to help?" Luna asked. "That was the point. I don't want to burden others. Why do you think the tantabus caused me so much guilt when it ran out of control?"
"Is that what you think?" Celestia asked, challenging her sister's words. "You are a burden? That coming to me with your problems is a nuisance? If I have ever led you to feel that way, and I'm certain I did so in the past, I'm sorry. But..."
Celestia placed herself directly in front of Luna, using her full height to loom over her younger sister like a tower. Luna closed her eyes and shook. Somehow, no matter how old the sisters became, Celestia could always intimidate Luna by doing that. Celestia lowered her head to Luna's ear.
"...you are wrong," Celestia whispered. "You can say anything to me."
Luna opened her eyes and looked up at her sister, who backed away a few steps to give Luna her personal space again.
"Will you let me help you, my dear sister? Will you see the therapist today?"
Luna thought it over. The brutal truth was it was difficult to believe her sister's words, but at the same time, she didn't really want to hurt like she did. She did want to let it go. She just wasn't sure she should. Clinging to that pain was how she kept herself in check. Even after all that happened recently, she wasn't sure she of all ponies didn't deserve the pain. Her cold thoughts of herself turned to warmer ones about her sister, who was quietly and patiently waiting for an answer. Celestia wouldn't come right out and say it, but she was also hurt. Hurt Luna hadn't come to her, especially when she was clearly doing all she could to show she had changed, that she was no longer that sister who cared only for her own plights so long ago. And there it was again. Luna felt guilt.
The pressure rapidly built up and Luna felt herself about to burst until she found herself enveloped in a tight hug. Another whisper rode into her ear.
"You don't deserve pain. If I have to tell you that every day for the next millennium, I will. You don't deserve it."
Luna did something she hadn't yet done since she woke up: smiled. Briefly, but she did.
"I'll go."
"Pardon?" Celestia asked, releasing Luna from the affectionate hold.
Luna sighed. "I'll see your therapist."
Celestia breathed a sigh of relief.
"On one condition."
"Oh, boy," Celestia thought to herself.
"Stop looming over me! I hate when you do that!"
"It has its effect when needed," Celestia laughed. "And so you know, I truly am sorry about the festival. I wanted it to be perfect. I'm afraid I forgot to add "for you" to the end of that thought."
"'Tis nothing to feel regret for. 'Twas still a kind gesture, Sister."
