Luna gazed out over the sleeping city of Canterlot, her eyes wandering over the familiar sights of her beloved city; her heart heavy and her mind in turmoil. She had gone to her sister with the plans of making a separate kingdom from her sisters’. Celestia had forbade it, saying that Equestria needed two princesses; one to guard the day, and one to guard the night. Separating the sisters would only weaken Equestria as a whole, and Celestia didn’t want to take that chance.
Luna had stormed off, knowing her sister spoke the truth, but she couldn’t shake the idea of a place where ponies could live without fear of Griffons or Dragons flying overhead.
Their battle with Discord had changed Equestria. Thousands of ponies had been killed during his reign. The plains were scorched, cities had been leveled, and villages had been obliterated despite the royal sisters’ best efforts.
She looked up at her moon, which seemed to beckon to her. She saw the many moonbeams lancing down and she reached out with her magic and plucked one gently.
It produced a single melodious note, which caused Luna’s heart to lift. She bit her lip as words leapt unbidden to her mind.
Come Little Children
I'll Take Thee Away, Into A Land
Of Enchantment
Luna stumbled back at the magic the words invoked in her. She was bombarded with scenes of foals, foals abandoned by their families, left in orphanages while their parents relaxed in luxury. Scenes of foals living and dying on the streets of the city around her. Scenes that tore at her heart.
Studying the moon, Luna took comfort in its pale glow. Reaching out again with her magic, Luna began plucking the shafts of pale light again.
This time, she softly sang the words as they came to her.
Come Little Children
I'll Take Thee Away, Into A Land
Of Enchantment
She manipulated the magic carefully. She didn’t want to take every child in Canterlot. Some were with happy families and perfect homes. She only wanted those that wanted to leave, have someone they could be with, one that wouldn’t push them away.
Come Little Children
The Time's Come To Play
Here In My Garden
Of Shadows
Someplace the foals would be safe. A place where they wouldn’t go hungry, or cold. A place where they would be happy. She spread her wings and took off from her balcony, slowly winging her way over the sleeping city as she sang.
Follow Sweet Children
I'll Show Thee The Way
Through All The Pain And
The Sorrows
There were places in Canterlot that were filled with nightmares of sleeping foals. Nightmares of abuse and neglect and it was here she found herself, in front of an orphanage. She could sense the feelings of the foals inside and she kept singing.
Weep Not Poor Children
For Life Is This Way
Murdering Beauty And
Passions
She felt the foals inside come awake at her soft singing, the magic beckoning to them, promising them the love they needed and deserved. Luna watched as a half-dozen foals floated out through the windows and flew around her. She wasn’t sure what magic was at work here, yet she felt more words come to her.
Hush Now Dear Children
It Must Be This Way
Too Weary Of Life And
Deceptions
She kept flying slowly through the cities as more foals floated up. They flew around each other, giggling softly as they wiggled their limbs at each other. Luna felt her heart warm at the sight and she sang the words that poured into her.
Hush Now Dear Children
It Must Be This Way
Too Weary Of Life And
Deceptions
She watched them dive in and out of the clouds, chasing each other through the sky as she led them to a new home. One filly flew up to Luna and looked at her curiously before smiling and extending her hooves towards the Princess of the Night. Luna cradled the filly gently and sang softly in her ear.
Rest Now My Children
For Soon We'll Away
Into The Calm And
The Quiet
The filly nuzzled Luna as they flew over the clouds, heading to the only place she could think that the foals would be protected from the cruel world
Come Little Children
I'll Take Thee Away, Into A Land
Of Enchantment
They were her children. She was their mother. They felt safe with her. Luna knew she would do anything to keep them safe, to show them that life wasn’t all misery and emptiness. She would do anything to protect them.
Come Little Children
The Time's Come To Play
Here In My Garden
Of Shadows
-
Celestia awoke with a start. She sat up in her bed and looked around, something causing her coat to ripple with unease. The Princess of the Day looked out her window with a small frown as she gazed upon her sister’s moon. The feeling only grew as she gazed at the pale orb. Something about it seemed off, but Celestia couldn’t place her hoof on what it was, exactly. Yet she had a feeling her sister was involved.
“Luna…?” She murmured. “What are you up to, my dear sister?”