//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1 
// Story: Luna's Descent 
// by X3n0heart 
//------------------------------//

	This is a story about my sister and I. This is my story and I would like to share it with you so please sit back and listen as I recall those tragic events oh so long ago....

It was always this way. Celestia raising the sun and myself raising the moon. We were born for this feat to bring night and day all over Equestria to every pony, pegasai, and unicorn. For many years it was the same thing over and over: sun comes up, sun goes down, moon comes up, moon goes down. An endless cycle of day and night, night and day, and it was mundane and getting tenacious. Why wouldn't the ponies play during the glorious night and thank me for it like they did for my sister? 
Every time the sun would come up they would wake up and smile and go about their day while I just sat there and watched them laughing and playing. I just couldn't understand why they would always sleep away the night and not see everything that I could show them. It all started when I approached my sister with a question.
“Celestia I do not understand why every pony is happy during the day and sleep away when it is my turn to shine. Why do they love you more than I?” I asked her as I made my way towards her throne. Celestia just looked down at me and smiled before giving me her answer.
“Oh dear sister, is that what you think? Do you think they love me more than you?”
“Yes I do.” I replied then asked again, “Why is that?”
“You've seen it for yourself. The ponies of Equestria need the light from the sun to grow their crops, build their buildings, and go about their daily lives. They rest at night so they can recover their energy and start the next day fresh and ready to go.” That wasn't the answer I was looking for but it seemed my sister had other things on her mind so I left feeling empty inside once again.
The cycle began again: day into night, night into day, over and over and it just seemed like everything around me was becoming smaller and smaller. These ponies are missing out the beauty that the darkness brings. The stars and moon can only be seen at night and the stillness of it all brings a peaceful quietness to the land.
Again I approached my sister and once again asked the same question getting the same response from her. I was beginning to think she is starting to avoid answering it completely and it was making me upset inside, yet I dare not show it in front of her. The Princess of the night should have her subjects love and respect her just as equally as they do her sister.
Upon night fall I took to the air and flew silently over the lands of Equestria seeing not a single pony, pegasus, or unicorn awake. Each area I flew over just made the feeling inside grow more and more until I felt that it would just burst out of me. Landing near the edge of a lake I took a few deep breaths and tried to calm myself as I looked into the water at my own reflection. There was a full moon tonight with a cloudless sky which shown brightly down as I could see myself clearly.
“Oh Luna...what are we going to do?” I sighed as I sat near the water's edge.
“It's pretty clear what WE need to do.” I jumped back and shook my head. Am I hearing things or did my reflection just talk back to me? I paused for a moment to collect my thoughts before slowly returning to the water's edge and looked back down at my reflection.
“Phew. Just my imagination.” I breathed a sigh of relief.
“If only that was true.” That voice again made me stand strait up and look around.
“Who dares impede on the Princess of the night?” I commanded as my eyes shifted back and forth.
“There is no one here but us.” It said once again. Slowly turning and looking back into the calm waters I saw myself once more but it wasn't me. I mean it was but it looked different somehow. “That's right, now you got it.” it added as I blinked a few times and closed my eyes trying to rid the image I was seeing.
“This isn't real. You're just imagining things Luna. Get a hold of yourself.”
“This is as real as it gets, Princess.”
“Who are you?”
“You.”
“What?” I cocked an eyebrow staring at my reflection that seems to be talking back to me.
“I am you. You are me. We are one and the same.”
“That is not possible, no you are wrong.”
“Look deep inside yourself Princess and you will see. Those feelings that you have been having, the thoughts that pester your mind day in and day out.”
“No I don't believe you.”
“It's true, and you know that it's true.”
“Stop it. Stop talking to me.” I stomped a hoof and glared at myself.
“You see we are one and I will not be stopped.” The reflection shifted to a different form of me which looked like it was wearing some kind of helmet. Stepping away from the water's edge I closed my eyes and shook my head again as if trying to wake up from a bad dream.
“My time will come very soon now.” It said inside my head this time. “For I AM the Princess of the night and there will be no one to stop me!” The silence that followed only left me with more questions than what I had before.
“What is going on with me..?” I asked myself as I took to the air to head back to the castle sorting what just happened. It was just before dawn when I got back and I noticed my sister getting ready to raise the sun once again and I let out a soft sigh as I landed on the balcony that lead into my room. As the first rays of light spread across Equestria I closed the doors and jumped into bed after an exhausting night. 
There was a slight knock on the door a few moments later and I groaned in annoyance as I replied.
“Yes?”
“May I come in?” It was Celestia as I rolled my eyes wonder what she wanted now.
“You may.” I replied as she walked in closing the door behind her. I watched her approached my bed and took a seat near it. “Something wrong?” I asked.
“I was about to ask you the same thing, little sister. Is everything okay?” I just nodded to her not really wanting to have a conversation at this moment. “I sense there is something amiss with you. Is there anything I can do to help?” she persisted.
“I'm fine Celestia, really.” I told her with a polite smile. I wasn't about to tell her what had happened only a few short hours ago. Standing up she smiled and using her magic pulled the covers over me before kissing my forehead gently.
“Sweet dreams, Luna.” was all she said as she walked out of my room softly closing the door as I listened to her fading hoof steps before closing my eyes and letting sleep take me away. Who watches over of the dreams of the dream watcher? It was only a few hours before I was startled and woke up clutching the clovers in my hooves, sweat dripping down my muzzle. The nightmare I was trapped in was filled with death and destruction as evil spilled out all over Equestria in an endless darkness that chilled even my bones.
Taking a few deep breaths I calmed myself and got out of bed before wandering down the hall towards the kitchens for I haven't had a meal since early last night and was quite hungry. I had one of the servant ponies fix me up a quick snack and I floated it along in front of me as I made my way to where my sister usually was sitting doing her royal business.
“Ahh, Luna, did you have a good rest.” she called out from her throne as I trotted over to her.
“More or less...” I replied as I finished off the food and sat down next to her. She just looked at me for a moment and then went back to her scroll before rolling it up and sending it off somewhere. “Are we still cleaning up the mess Discord made all across Equestria?” I asked as I looked around the throne room.
“Yes. It's been pretty rough trying to get everything back to normal.” she said with a sigh. “He has cause so much damage that it will take a long time for every pony to recover from his chaos.” She looked tired as she picked up another blank scroll and began to write in it before sending it off to who knows where. I got up and excused myself as Celestia just nodded as I walked out and headed towards the gardens to get some fresh air. As I stepped outside I felt the warmth of the sun and smiled slightly before I heard that voice again.
“You know that could be the moon up there.” It said as I glared around the area but no pony was in sight. I caught my refection in one of the castle windows and noticed it was me but not me. Just like last night it had the same look as the one in the water of the lake.
“Go away.” I demanded as it just smiled at me.
“We both know that's not possible.” It seemed to be enjoying tormenting me. Turning from the window the voice followed me as I made my way towards the center of the gardens. “Why do you try to hide from us?”
“Us?” I repreated stopping in my tracks. “There is no “us”.” I glared at no pony in particular. Feeling fed up and annoyed I continued making my way towards mine and my sister's secret place near the very center of the gardens where the rare white and blue roses are taken care of. Sitting down and enjoying the silence of the afternoon I tried to clear my thoughts of this “thing” that keeps appearing in my head.
Plucking one of the white and blue roses with my magic I took a deep breath of it and thought of nothing but the peacefulness around me as I closed my eyes and enjoyed the day. It only seemed liked a few minutes when I heard the voice of my sister calling me.
“Luna. Luna, you okay?” Slowly opening my eyes I looked up at her and she smiled as she sat down next to me. “You were out here for a while and I got worried when you didn't answer me.” Celestia smiled as she looked up at the setting sun.
“Oh my!” I said as I got up and stretched. “How long was I out for?” I asked her as she stood back up and we started heading back to the castle.
“Only a few hours but you must have needed it. Was there anything you wanted to talk about earlier?” she asked as we made our way inside.
“No, I am fine.” I lied to her with a smile as I turned and made my way up to the summoning platform to do my part in life. Standing there I watched as the last lights of the sun faded away as my horn started to glow as I spread my wings and started to float up as the moon began to rise bringing yet another beautiful night that will be wasted away once again. Sighing softly to myself I stepped down off the platform and headed towards the main viewing balcony to watch over the ponies of Equestria and their dreams, calming any nightmares they might have and inspiring others to be their very best at whatever it is in life.