Guilty Thoughts:
It was twilight, same as always. I was heading to my sister to check in with her before I overtook the sky, same as always. It was the same now as it had been a thousand years ago. The same resentments were even creeping back.
I shook my head. I knew that those resentments were ill founded. The ponies needed the night for their own recuperation. They couldn't sleep during Tia's day as easily as I could, and if they tried to stay up just to please me, it would cost them their health. I was pleased when the ponies held special times for just the night, which at least made my nights of quiet worth the time.
As I approached my sister's chambers, the two Unicorn Guards saluted. "At ease you two." I said in the normal voice Twilight Sparkle had told me to use when speaking to smaller crowds. "Is my sister busy?"
"Not currently Ma'am." Thunder Seeker replied. "Although I do believe she's mulling over the Everfree Forest again."
"Isn't she always." I sighed. "Thank you." I said as I proceeded in.
"Not a problem Ma'am." Thunder Seeker said as they both saluted again. As I went in, I saw Tia lying in front of her fireplace with what I had come to know as Twilight Sparkle's letters.
"So what's today's big news of friendship?" I asked as I approached her.
"It seems her assistant Spike learned the importance of limitations and when to listen to his friends warnings." Tia said as she rolled the parchment up and placed it with the rest of the letters.
"How many does that make now?" I asked as I looked upon the impressive pile. It must have come up to my shoulders by now if they were to be placed on the floor.
"Mm, if my count has kept up, I would have to say that's about the 87th one." Tia said as she smiled. "And to think that Twilight Sparkle was against the idea when she started."
"You were lucky to find one such as her." I smiled in turn, but out of sad remembrance. "If it hadn't been for her, who knows what I would have done."
"Now Luna," Tia said as she stood up. "We've been over this, we were both to blame for that incident. I didn't listen or see it and you kept it bottled inside. Stop blaming yourself for Nightmare Moon, it's behind us and we shouldn't dwell on it."
"You're right." I sighed, but then smiled. "But maybe you should take that advice yourself. Thunder Seeker said you were dwelling on the Everfree Forest again."
Tia grimaced. "The reason why I come here is for some time for myself. What I do here is of my own concern."
"Now, now, you know that the Everfree Forest is called that for a reason. We can't, and shouldn't, control everything that goes on in the world."
"But it's become such a problem for the ponies living near it though." Tia huffed. "If there were a way to control it, even a little bit, I wouldn't be worrying so much."
"Yes, yes, but we need the ponies to learn how to work for themselves in time of need in case we can't be there for them. The Everfree Forest helps with that. It also gives a place for the wild and dangerous animals that we needn't deal with. Now, if that's all that's bothering you, you should head to bed as I draw up the night."
"But what of our meal together? We never see each other otherwise." Tia complained.
"Tia, trust me, you need the sleep more than the food. A princess shouldn't be complaining the way you are now, anyways." I pointed out.
"The reason why these are private chambers is so that I can complain like this." Tia pointed out. "Besides, you know I wasn't always the one in charge of my emotions."
"Don't I." I rolled my eyes. "I think that might be one of the up sides of my banishment."
"Maybe." Tia smiled. "Goodnight then Luna, I'll see in the morning for breakfast then?"
"Certainly." I smiled as I gave my sister a hug. I stayed until I knew that Tia had gone to sleep, and left quietly. I nodded to the Guards as I left and headed to the Raising Grounds.
It wasn't as impressive as the Summer Sun Celebration grounds, but it was still as practical. It gave me enough room to use the magic necessary to raise the moon and light the stars. As I went, I nodded my notice to the workers who were heading in for the night and to the guards who were changing shifts. But as I got to the Rising Grounds, I found somepony I wasn't expecting.
"Shining Armor? What are you doing here?" I queried as he noticed my approach.
"Princess Luna, I was just here to admire your rising of the night." The white unicorn said a bit to quickly.
"Right, and what of Cadence? I usually don't see you two apart while you are off shift." I smiled.
"Ah, she's, uh, already asleep." Shining armor said hesitantly as he looked away.
"And you do not join her there? Is there a problem?" I asked, actually worried that something was wrong. Their entire wedding day had almost been ruined, and that might have not started the marriage off on a good hoof.
"No! No, there aren't any problems, Cadence just wants her space right now." Shining Armor said defensively. It seemed a bit suspicious, but I had a job to do right now.
"Well, if you are here to admire the night, I am not one to complain." I smiled. "Now, if you will please step aside Shining Armor."
"Of course Princess."
Shining Armor stood aside and I took my place in the center of the Raising Grounds. It was routine, but it still took vast amounts of concentration to raise the moon. I was still wondering how Tia had managed both the moon and the sun for the last one thousand years.
I focused the spell that would raise the moon and braced myself to regulate how fast the moon rose. The weight of the moon came upon me fast, but the many years of the same routine had made it an easy burden to bear, especially since I had spent my last one thousand understanding it.
When the moon was on it's own way of rising, I began to light the stars for the season. I wouldn't have to do this every night, but tonight needed particular care. Summer was turning to autumn, and the stars needed to change accordingly. Pegasus needed some coaxing, but it lit when I gave it a final push. Sighing from finishing my nightly duties, I turned back to Shining Armor.
"So? How was watching the rising of the night?" I smiled as I approached the slacked jawed unicorn.
"That… that was amazing." He was finally able to admit. "Princess Celestia's days might be wonderful, but actually being able to see every part of the spell was beautiful. I doubt I could have anywhere near that much accuracy."
"Thank you very much for your kind words." I smiled a little. If I had to be honest, no one had told me what they have thought of my job since I had returned. To hear such a positive response made me feel proud. "You know Shining Armor, I don't seem to recall any pressing matters, why don't we walk for a bit? I would like to know of my nephew-in-law."
"I don't see why I couldn't accompany you for a while. I'm sure an hour or two won't hurt."
"Well then, why not take this to the garden?" I said as I walked past.
"It doesn't seem like I have a choice Princess." Shining Armor chuckled as he caught up with me. "So, what do you want to know?"
"Hm, now there's a question. Well, let us start with how you met our niece."
"Well, that's a bit simple. I met Cadence when I was looking toward entering the Guard. Twily was still a foal and needed a sitter when mom and dad were out, so Cadence got the job. For a while we were just friends, but after Twily stopped needing a foal sitter, Cadence and I started seeing each other more and more. And you know where we ended up."
"Married and keeping your distance." I pointed out.
"Y-Yeah." Shining Armor looked away again.
"If something's the matter, you know you can tell either myself or Tia." I looked down at the unicorn.
"Well, it's not like there is a problem, but I'm not quite so trusting of my judgment on that point." He sighed. I gave him a questioning stare as we entered the garden and remembered the conversation I had just had with my sister.
"Don't dwell on the past Shining Armor. It happened and it was fixed. Don't let the past drag you down from forging a future."
"Thank you Princess Luna." Shining Armor seemed to cheer up. "I guess I had been letting the wedding fiasco get to me recently."
"Not a problem." I smiled. "But what do you think is going on with Cadence right now?"
"Well," Shining Armor paused in thought. "She seems irritable in the morning, she asks for the strangest foods at the most inappropriate times, and she seems to be wanting to be seen less and less by the public."
I thought of those three problems and pieced them together. I then smiled at the conclusion I had come to. "Well, it doesn't seem like the fiasco had any problems with your night life."
"What do you mean Princess?" Shining Armor looked at me quizzingly.
"Oh no, it's not for me to say." I said as my smile widened. "I think the best thing for you to do right now is ask Cadence what's wrong at a time when she seems decent, or ask my sister's brilliant student, your sister."
"Why would Twily know what's wrong with Cadence?" He asked, still puzzled.
"I hear that Twilight Sparkle is a very adept reader and remembers what she reads very well. I'm sure if you tell her what you told me, she'll come to the same conclusion I have."
"I still have no idea what you're talking about." Shining Armor huffed.
"And I would love to see your face when you do. But you do need your sleep. I suggest that you head back to your wife, for she can't stay angry at you forever." I said as I directed him toward the general chambers.
"I have to say, you can be just as mysterious as Princess Celestia." Shining Armor chuckled.
"Even more so." I cooed. "Have you ever seen everything in the night?"
"I would have to say I haven't." Shining Armor smiled. "Goodnight then Princess Luna."
"Goodnight to you too, Shining Armor." I waved as he retreated to the castle. After he was gone, I put my hoof down and sighed. Having to be the overseer of all of the night was important, but it was lonely. Even work would have kept me distracted, but there were not that many nocturnal kingdoms, and none of them currently had any business with Equestria.
I wandered around the garden, admiring the sculptures that had been switched out with the previous seasons. The statues were regularly rotated so that there was a sense of uniqueness to each season. The only one that was never moved was the one of Discord.
I came upon his statue and just watched it. When Tia and I had imprisoned him, he had thought of it as a joke and made a pose for us to enjoy while he broke out. Little did he know that he couldn't break out. How he had done so recently still baffled the castle, but at least Twilight Sparkle and her friends had recaptured him swiftly.
Now Discord had a look of horror, horror that he was being turned back into stone. Returning to his prison. It made me think of what would happen if I became Nightmare Moon again. I had only been banished because Tia had held three of the current five elements, but would I too become stone now that all six were able to be weld against me?
No. I must turn away from those thoughts. I had learned my lesson. My nights were necessary for both my ponies and my sister to rest, to restore themselves. Plus, if there were never ending night, no crops would ever grow for my subjects. No crops would mean no food, and no food would lead to a revolt against me, just like Tia and I had revolted against Discord.
Sometimes, though, I wished that there were more ponies that shared my nights with me. Somepony that I could converse with, to learn of the rest of my kingdom from. Sure, I knew of the state of affairs, but I knew next to nothing of my subjects. I had learned that from my time in Ponyville during Nightmare Night.
Maybe I could take a student of my own. This was an interesting thought, there was the school of magic my sister had begun while I was banished, and had even taken Twilight Sparkle under her wing as a personal student. So why couldn't I do the same?
The more I thought, the more intrigued I was. Maybe it could be the start of something new. The hours spent asleep spent by most ponies could be utilized, expanded upon. I decided to bring it up with Tia in the morning, to see who among the fillies of the school would like to become my student. I could teach them of how to control the night as I did, to travel swiftly and concur their own fears. The more I thought, the more excited I became.
I headed to my own personal chambers to write up a proposal to my sister. I knew that it wasn't going to be perfect, but a draft to haggle over would be necessary. Maybe I could even train a force to overthrow Celestia.
I stopped in my tracks. Where had that thought come from? There was no point to overthrow Tia, no one would support me and there would be no change. All that would be different would be the never-ending night. No sun for the ponies to bask in.
I stopped thinking all together. I stayed there, in the hall, completely still. No other thoughts came to me, none for the night students, and none to overthrow Tia. I headed back to my room slowly, focusing on my walking and how I was going to introduce this new program.