MLP FiM Family Reunion
It was a cold night all around Equestria everypony was either going to sleep to be fresh for the next day or just now beginning their nightly shift at their respecting jobs. At Canterlot castle, the guards have just changed shifts, some guards where obviously tired from their shifts, some of them where more than excited to get to their families for the night ahead.
Princess Luna walked through the halls down to the Kitchen to greet the night-shift chefs, Luna had asked her sister for a shift in the scheduled to accommodate her return to co-ruler ship and Celestia agreed. The chefs where more than happy to see Luna, and by this time Luna has known a few by name.
"Good Evening Chef Ralsie!" Luna said to the lead chef.
The chef turned to look at Luna, it was obvious he was jumping down one of the newer chefs back about not cooking something right, but to Luna it didn't matter what it was, and she knew he needed to lighten up.
"Princess Luna, I have just begun my shift. What dish would you like to have?" he asked handing her a menu.
Luna stared at it for a moment then looked up at Ralsie, he was an older Stallion. His Cutie Mark was that of a Chef's hat Spatula crossed over by a Prong, he had a Grey coat, Blond mane with darker highlights. His eyes where grey and had a serious look on his face; she could have almost mistaken him for one of the royal guards, maybe even the old Praetorian guards they used to have.
"OOH! How about chocolate milk shake?" Luna said gleefully.
Chef Ralsie seemed irritated that the Princess asked for desert at this time of night, had she been a normal pony he would have refused her order and told her to pic something else. but he kept in mind of his own rank compared to hers, and knew if he did something to anger her he would most likely to loose his job. Indeed, Ralsie was a tough Stallion but he was NOTHING compared to Princess Luna, or Princess Celestia for that matter. He raised his eyebrow as if to test how defiant he can be but relented by how innocently she looked at him; he calmed himself down to a smile and bowed.
"Yes, your Majesty, is there anything else you would like?" Ralsie asked as he bowed
Luna thought for a moment then she heard something downstairs, near the main entrance. It sounded like an argument.
"Now, what could that be?" Luna asked to loudly, although she was mostly asking herself.
Ralsie shook his head but kept quiet before "should I summon the guards?"
"No, I'll check it out, if I need help, I will call for it." Luna responded.
Ralsie said nothing and bowed before walking back to fill the princess's order even though she probley wouldn't want it. She'd probley ask for it later anyways. As he did so, Luna darted out of the kitchen downstairs to the courtroom. The voices began to sound less like incoherent droning and muffled shouting, becoming more understandable as a voice shouted out "AND I TOLD YOU I NEVER WANTED YOU TO COME BACK!"
"That sounded like Celestia!" Luna thought to herself as she continued down the hallway the courtroom doors were just feet away but the shouting continued. "PLEASE Let Me Talk!" another unfamiliar voice rang out. Luna did a fishtail slide as she turned to face the doors; she gave out a grunt as she kicked the doors open with her front hooves and ran to the edge of the steps. Her eyes where closed as she stopped to breath as she opened her eyes to see to her sister and what looked like another Alicorn. "Wait... What?" Luna murmured under her breath. "W-Who is that?" she continued to mumble.
The other Alicorn was obviously a male, he had a black coat his mane was strange as well as scary at the same time. It moved slowly, almost like Celestia's but it wasn't moving like it would when blown by the wind. Almost like fog, it was almost ghostly. It had a bluish grey hue, but would sometimes have a completely white mist whisked through it. He also had orange-red eyes, his stare was almost haunting as if she was looking at Celestia's own eyes, but it wasn't her eyes. The Alicorn approached Princess Celestia, which to Luna's amazement Instead of Attacking her like the Argument she heard would have suggested, The Alicorn instead brushed his face along Celestia's neck slowly moving up and rubbing his nose across her cheek. He wasn't being aggressive, he was being affectionate.
"A Coltfriend maybe?" Luna thought, really trying to figure out what in the world was going on. She perked her ears up as they began to speak. His voice was strong and powerful, and yet was inviting, again almost like Celestia's own voice if she where a Stallion.
"Oh how I missed you so much! Why can't you understand that I can't help but do what I was created to do? You know my role to keep balance-"
"I KNOW ENOUGH!" Celestia Shouted, forcing the Male Alicorn back. She gave out an obviously disgusted sound, as if she smelled something awful. "I KNOW WHAT YOUR JOB IS! It doesn't mean I have to ignore what you did in the past!"
The Male stepped back a couple steps, then he looked up and noticed Luna, Luna was shocked, too shocked to move really, not just by the conversation, but his stare, his stare scared her even more.
"LUNA!" Celestia said flying up to her ignoring the steps under her that she could just simply walk on instead. She approached Luna who was still frozen in her spot till Celestia's frame disconnected the stare. "Huh wha-?" Luna looked around and looked up. "Celestia, who...who is that?"
Celestia nuzzled her sister's cheek and looked back at the Alicorn. "Luna, Please I want you to know that, this may be a bit much-"
Luna continued to look at Celestia. "Please Tia, just tell me, who is he?"
Celestia sighed. "Luna, this is my son."
Luna's jaw dropped and looked back at the Alicorn who simply tipped his head at her but gave a Chilling, yet almost Charming smile. Luna looked back up at Celestia who looked at her with Shame. Not towards Luna, but at herself. "I-I don't understand, how can you have a son?"
"Surely, Auntie Luna you should know how THAT works" The Alicorn said with a playful smile and chuckle.
"SHUT UP!" Celestia Barked, Which frightened Luna, she never heard Celestia said anything like that to Anypony. Not even towards her when she was Nightmare Moon. Luna had had enough of this nonsense even from her own sister.
"OKAY THAT IS ENOUGH! BOTH OF YOU!" Luna herself barked, she never liked to raise her voice, not even to her own sister, although, Nightmare Moon had no problem against it. She panted for a moment and approached the male Alicorn; the one she would have to accept is her Nephew. She looked up at him "are you really my sister's son?"
Celestia kept quiet, looking away at the two as they conversed she had a painful look in her eyes but she knew Luna had to know the truth.
"Yes I am." the Alicorn plainly said but warmed up with a smile, but not as chilling as the first, it seemed warm and inviting.
"Do you have a name?" Luna asked as she sat down on her haunch quite interested in learning more about her 'long lost' Nephew.
"Yes I do... well, I have many. But Mother named me Odin-"
"that was before I knew what you really was." Celestia hissed Luna simply gave her a look, which made Celestia look away. "She'll find out soon enough" she thought.
"Yes, before I got my cutie mark and learning what I was meant to do. Since then i been called many names..." he said looking down to Luna, his Cutie mark was still hard to make out because his wings where in the way. "They call me by many names. But the most frequently used one is... well... Death."
Luna's eyes shot open as wide as they would allow. She tried to take a few steps away from him but ended up falling on her back, forgetting that she was in a sitting position, she looked at him with shock and fear then looked at Celestia who closed her own eyes and nodded.
He walked over to Luna and helped her up. "Listen, please I am only doing my job, I work to keep balance in the world-"
"Y-YOU KILL PONIES!" Luna finally spoke. "YOU KILL EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH!"
"NO!" He replied. "Please, it's nothing LIKE THAT!" he gave out a stomp and sat down on his haunches' and collapsed onto the floor. "I don't KILL Anypony. When they... Die... I merely escort them to the afterlife. That is all." He finally explained.
Luna looked at the Alicorn with better inspection she knew he wasn't lying. His tears where genuine and felt for him. "Oh... I-I'm sorry." she then looked to Celestria that was looking at him as well. "Celestia, Sister, please. What could he have done to deserve being looked at like a monster?"
Celestia looked at Luna and winced her eyes at her. "When he was a foal, and just found out about his 'specialty', he would 'Practice' on the animals in the garden." Celestia said choking up.
Luna blinked, but somehow it didn't affect her as much, but did take a few steps back from Odin. "Is that true?"
Odin looked up and tearfully nodded. "Yes, Look, Please I was confused. I didn't know for a long time what was happening to me."
"I kept finding dead animals all over the garden. Some of them he killed in such a way..." she looked at Odin and winced her eyes at him "You were a Murderer!" Celestia said. Luna was shocked at how she was talking to him. It was like she wasn't talking to her sweet loving sister. But to a scorn battered old mare.
"I Didn't Mean to! PLEASE! I Hate Being reminded about that! I didn't know!" Odin yelled.
Luna put her hoof on Odin's shoulder and helped to calm him down. "Where I so different?" Luna said with a piercing stare at Celestia. This must have snapped her back to her true self. She looked away as Luna's voice range out again "Where I so different when i was Nightmare Moon? I too killed innocents. Some of them I tried to keep alive while I tortured them"
Celestia's eyes closed and teared up. She then walked off to her chambers. Luna looked to Odin and nuzzled his cheek. "Let's give her some time to think. Okay?"
Odin nodded slowly and got up. No longer crying he looked at Luna and smiled. "Thank you. But why did you back me up like that?"
Luna looked away and walked over to her throne in the next room. "Because I know what it's like to be viewed as a monster." she then looked at Celestia's figure disappearing into the dark shadows. "Also because, I think Celestia is confused herself. I'm sure she loves you. It's just, what you did probaley upset her so much she doesn't know how to cope."
Several hours went by; the two told each other how their role in keeping balance in the world of Equestria worked. Luna at times seemed sickened by Odin's job but when he described some of the 'clients' he had she gave a breath of relief.
"There was this old Mare." Odin explained. "About 97 years old and she had no family with her, at the time. So I sat down next to her in her bed, and I guess she knew I was there; she looked up at me and asked, 'are you here to take me, death?' I said. 'Yes, I am. We can leave whenever you're ready.' she smiled and looked at a photo of a stallion, it was black and white but I knew who he was. She goes 'is my husband waiting for me?' 'Yes he wants to be with you now.' she just nodded and after that she finally passed. I took her spirit with me, and guided her with my mane to the next world as she went, she said 'oh it's so warm.' then she was with him again. The two were so happy to be together again." he then looked at Luna
Luna nodded, smiling at the dark, yet at the same time, beautiful story. "Is she with him now?"
"Yes." Odin said. "It's a reunion no one can ever imagine till they experience it themselves. And it makes me happy to be apart of that." he said with a smile that warmed Luna's heart.
"They say that death is cold. Is that true?" Luna asked.
Odin smiled and chuckled. "Well. I never met a client that said they were cold. I always try to keep them warm while I help them to the next plain." he explained Luna simply nodded. "I think, maybe the ones who say death is cold, merely had a near death experience. Which I usually ignore because I know they aren't ready for death yet."
"I see" Luna said.
"But. I always make sure my clients passings are always a warm yet fast one." Odin explained. "And it gives me such a great feeling of knowing I reunited them with their loved ones. And to see them brought together for the rest of eternity truly is a wonderful feeling"
"I never thought about it like that." Celestia said from across the room.
The two looked back at her Odin was afraid she was gonna yell at him again, or worse. "Maybe I should leave?"
"No!" Celestia pleaded. "Please, forgive me son. I been arrogant of what you were brought to this world for. I kept seeing you as a monster. When in truth, you bring ponies back to their loved ones they lost in this world." Celestia walked up and nuzzled Odin's cheek and kissed him on the muzzle.
"Its okay mother, you had a right to be afraid. What I was doing back then, anybody would have saw me as a monster." Odin replied as he nuzzled Celestia back. she then coughed a couple of times.
"But please, when you come over, please do something about that smell" Celestia said gagging.
Odin chuckled. "Sorry mother, working with the dead does have its down sides. I'll see what I can do." he said as he got up and walked into the courtroom "I'm sorry, but I have to leave. I just got a new client and she's in such awful pain, I can't stand it when a Pony is dying in such a manner."
Celestia walked up to him and wrapped her neck over the crook of his neck and gave him a hug. "It's okay, please do see to her, take her to the place she can no longer feel pain, but instead, the warmth and love of thoughs she has lost to time itself.
Odin smiled as he said goodbye to his mother and Aunt. He then looked at the sun's crest. "It's time Mother, Time to bring up your sun." Celestia smiled and nodded. As she prepared to raise the sun up for the morning. "Luna... the moon?"
"Oh, Right!" she said as the two closed their eyes the moon set silently as the sun rose up at the opposite end of the world as Luna opened her eyes and saw as her nephew was in full light from Celestia's sun, his cutie Mark at full view showing a golden Halo over a Pony's skull with wings on its sides. This did not frightened Luna, but instead she understood that it meant he takes the spirits of the dead to a good place. She then noticed Odin faded into thin air. "Odin?" she murmured as she watched him fade away into nothingness. His warm smile was the last to disappear. She then looked down saddened to see him gone, but smiled to know he was off to do his job.
"Will he be back?" Luna asked.
Celestia nodded. "Yes sister, he'll return."
Luna smiled and looked at the sun's rays from the opened door. Which suddenly closed as if somepony made their departure? Luna walked over to the entrance of the Castle; to her surprise nopony was there. Not a soul. She went outside and looked around Celestia walked out with her and smiled.
"He's doing his job now Luna, the only way for you to see him now is at death." Celestia giggled. Knowing both her and Luna where immortal goddesses, Luna also giggled then looked at Celestia. "What changed your mind about him? Earlier you hated his guts. Now you forgive him, what's up with that?"
Celestia sighed and walked over to her sister and gave her a tight hug. "It's what you said, Y-" she stopped herself for a moment then cleared her throat. "Nightmare Moon also killed so many Ponies before Odin was even conceived, Nightmare Moon was a Murderous Monster-"
Luna took some offence to that, but realized what Celestia really meant. Nightmare Moon was an entirely different personality then her own. And she knew Celestia wanted to treat Nightmare Moon as a different entity then herself now that she was gone.
"But Odin did things, out of curiosity then out of rage and hatred. He had no idea what he was doing because he was still a very young Colt at the time. It just took me so long to realize this."
Luna smiled and gave her sister a long kiss on the cheek and nuzzled her. "Celestia, I'm glad you forgave him. I think it's something he was wanting to hear for a long time. Maybe now he'll get to be in our lives more often." Luna said and gave Celestia a tight hug
As Luna hugged her, Celestia faked a painful groan. Which Luna thought was genuine "OMIGOSH I'M SO SORRY, TIA!"
Celestia simply giggled and Luna finally caught on, she then winced her eyes and grinned. "So, who was the Stallion who got lucky anyways?" Luna asked with an arched eyebrow and a hint of tease in her tone.
Celestia's cheeks immediately went red and she rubbed the back of her neck as she looked side to side looking for something to change the subject on. "WWWWEELLL... Uhhhh... just some... colt I knew..."
"Uh-huh?" Luna said smiling loving every bit seeing her sister in such an embarrassing state. "Come on... sis tell me!"
Celestia's face was redder then her own sun she then smiled innocently and shuddered a bit. "W-well... um... heh see there was this Praetorian Guard I had. and he was... well quite handsome."
"Ah he was, was he?" Luna said still smiling and giggling at her sister. "Oh Celestia, I wish I was there to Meet him."
Celestia smiled and nuzzled Luna and grinned. "So when are YOU gonna find a colt and bring me some nephews and nieces?"
Luna's smile just disappeared into an entirely shocked look, her face turned red from her lavender coat and her eyes where wide from embarrassment. "Well... I...Uh..." Luna then recalled her Chocolate Milkshake she ordered earlier that night and moved towards the door. "Oh I forgot I haven't had anything to eat yet. Uh... yeah Man I sure am hungry I better... Go... Eat... yeah..." Luna said as she darted inside running to the kitchen.
Celestia Giggled at the spectacle just loving how cute it was seeing her sister's expression. She then turned around and looked over the land. Then a rush of fresh air hit her face, but as fast as it was it felt gentle along her coat, Celestia's Eyes closed as she took in the sent and felt a warm touch on her neck moving up to her cheek, in the same manner as Odin did earlier that night. Celestia's eyes began to water as she smiled. The warmth then disappeared into the cold air with a voice leaving with it. "Dad says 'Hi'." Tears filled Celestia's Eyes as she smiled lowering her head as that voice echoed in her mind. She looked up at her sun filled sky. "Tell him I said 'Hi' back."
The End