Me and My Daughters

Startling Mornings

The sun gleamed through the castle's windows, its shining light revealing the half-awake Princess Celestia laying over the bed, bedsheets covering her entire body.

As the golden glow faded from her horn, the solar alicorn lifted the sheets from her body with a hoof. Rising from her bed slowly, Celestia mentally prepared herself for the long line of duties that she had for the day.

Sometimes I wish that the night would last longer, Celestia thought, walking towards her room's bathroom. She turned the lights on with her magic. Maybe I'll convince Luna to make the night a little longer; that would cheer her up a little, she thought, looking herself over in the mirror, noticing the lack of her usual bed-mane that most ponies had in the mornings.

Celestia sighed softly, reminding herself of the duties that she had for the day. "Those little perks of being royalty," she muttered under her breath, turning on the water for her tub. As she waited for the water to warm up, she thought about the events of the past weeks.

Her former student and her sister had spent a lot of time together the last couple of weeks, partly because of their renewed friendship, and also because Luna was teaching Twilight how to use her newly discovered Alicorn magic.

"Something that I should be doing," Celestia mumbled, traces of jealousy present in her voice. She wasn't mad at Luna because she was tutoring Twilight, but she was still a little sad. Celestia had been Twilight's teacher for so long; letting someone else teach her felt odd, to say the least.

"I guess we all have to grow up someday," she thought aloud, stepping into the lukewarm water of her tub. Celestia laid there for a few minutes, just thinking, as the warm steam of the water misted the bathroom's mirrors.

We all have to grow up someday... she thought once again, her eyes closed in deep meditation. Celestia had taught a lot of ponies through the years, each one of them leaving a mark in the monarch's heart. Yes, she had had many students, but none of them were like Twilight. Celestia had raised Twilight since she was a little filly, when her eyes sparkled with curiosity and innocence, and she had grown much more than anyone else.

Thinking about her moments with Twilight always brought a smile to Celestia's face. She had acted as a surrogate mother towards Twilight, who in turn brightened her days in the last agonizing years of Luna's banishment.

Reflecting on that as well, Twilight had always reminded her of Luna. They were so alike: they both sought approbation from others, and they were quite reserved in their relationships. Yes, they shared a lot of qualities. Celestia flashed a small smile; they had even shared the same caregiver.

Celestia chuckled a little, remembering simpler times, long before the responsibility of running a kingdom fell upon their hooves. At the time, the raising of the sun and the moon still depended on the ancient ponies of Unicornia. She and Luna were still children, growing under the watchful eye of their teacher, the great Starswirl the Bearded. Celestia had raised Luna when she was still a teenager, and they had shared many beautiful moments as they grew up.

Luna had been a very hyperactive filly; more than once, Starswirl had to punish her for being so troublesome. Always playing, always laughing, and always smiling, Luna had always brightened their lives, even in moments of strife, like when their teacher had died. That was partly the reason why she represented the Element of Laughter: she always faced her troubles with a smile. Always... until she came.

Nightmare Moon, the evil that managed something that not even hundreds of years on the Equestrian throne managed to, had broken her. If only Celestia had been more helpful, she could have avoided Luna's twisted fate— a thousand years trapped in the moon, with no company besides that demon that festered upon her sadness. That once bright and cheerful smile had changed into a scarred, forever-suspicious frown. Celestia would give everything to see that innocent smile one more time.