[FFML] [One-Shot] [My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic] The Question

[StudioPC]

Oh yes, I went there.

No money is being made from this and no such intent should be inferred.
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The art, and business, of ruling is not unlike a game of chess. But in  
this game, a piece on the board may represent an individual, or group  
of individuals, or even whole towns and cities. But, more importantly,  
it is the ruler who understands that the question every ruler, every  
leader, must ask, is not if something will happen, but when. Not if.  
Never, ever, if. Always when.

Celestia understands this. It is that understanding that causes her to  
wonder; When will Nightmare Moon return?

The most recent letter from Twilight Sparkle is refreshing, as all her  
letters are, but Celestia's attention is no longer wholely on her  
favorite student or Equestria. Instead, she watches Luna, looking for  
signs any signs, that she is becoming Nightmare Moon once more and  
praying that for once, just this once, that the question is if,  
instead of when. Because Celestia knows that this time, she cannot  
simply imprison Nightmare Moon. Should she rise once more, the Dark  
Pony must be destroyed, and Luna with her.

At night, sometimes, Celestia watches Luna sleep. Luna talks in her  
sleep, always has, but now, sometimes it is Luna who speaks, and  
sometimes, an echo of Nightmare Moon promises vengeance, still  
believing that she is imprisoned. Luna does not really remember her  
time as Nightmare Moon and that is a blessing, but the echo remains.  
An echo is fine, Celestia tells herself. After all, echos are mere  
shadows and a shadow is harmless. But she knows she's kidding herself.  
An echo is also a reminder, a remnant, a remainder of something  
passing. So long as Luna lives, Nightmare Moon can return.

So long as Luna lives, Nightmare Moon will return. But Celestia cannot  
bring herself to act. Love for her sister, love, and guilt, stay her  
hoof.

Celestia considers the chess board. Twilight Sparkle and her friends  
are Celestia's queen. United, nothing is more powerful than their  
friendship,  but like all pieces, the queen must be sacrificed if no  
other choice, and Twilight and her friends, as dear to Celestia as  
though they were her own foals, must be sacrificed to prevent  
Nightmare Moon from ever coming back. Because they will have to do  
what Celestia cannot; destroy Luna and Nightmare Moon and Celestia  
will have to live with what she's done. Of what she has committed six  
innocent ponies to do without so much as their seeing her hoof move  
them into position.

But, she can live with it. She will live with it. Of that there is no  
question.

None.

She can live with it.

She must.

Luna runs in, eager to show Celestia her new art, the new jewel she  
has placed in the night sky and underlying her doubt about its  
perfection is Nightmare Moon's rage, the rage that Celestia had missed  
the last time, and must not miss again. In this one matter, absolutely  
no mistakes can be made and there is no room for error. Each move  
Celestia makes, each pawn, each knight, and her queen, her precious,  
precious queen, their placement must be perfect. But there are  
mistakes she's made, errors and holes in her plans. What are they?  
Where are they? Night after night, Celestia pores over her plans,  
searching for holes, for flaws. She finds none, but they are there.  
She knows that they are there. They have to be there.

As Luna frets, Celestia reassures her. Simply because ponies sleep and  
do not see the night sky does not mean they don't appreciate her work.  
It is the balance that keeps the universe moving. Night and Day are  
not opposites, but continuations of each other. As Celestia and Luna  
work together to govern Equestria, so night and day work together as  
part of universal balance.

Her words set Luna at ease, chasing Nightmare Moon's rage back to its  
kennel. But only for now. Only for today.

When is Nightmare Moon coming back? Not today, and for today, that is  
enough.