Celestia's Sacrifice

by Thunder Seethe

Ch.2

The older sister had to release some excuse as to why the Princess had been sent to the moon. She didn't like what had come to mind, but she had no choice. She had to lie, and make her sister an enemy. Her proposal would be at dusk in Canterlot, and there she will propose the incident of Nightmare Moon.

"I can't believe I'm doing this... lying to my own little ponies, I never thought that I'd be at fault. However, if I say that I sent her to the moon when she just made a small mistake, then I would be overthrown. There are already extremist groups forming about this incident, I don't think I'll ever forgive myself. Do I dare call her my sister anymore? She will never forgive me..." Celestia thought said to herself. She never missed her sister anymore than before, and could only wonder what Lulu was thinking.

It was time for the ceremony.

Celestia walked up on the stage in front of the podium, and there were many mad ponies in the crowd throwing fits, prepared with rotten tomatoes and various other fruits; and Celestia only wished that they would cause her public humiliation so she could just leave. To her dismay, they gradually quieted down, and waited for her to propose her reasons.

"My little ponies. I'm certain and without a doubt you know what I have done." Tears starting forming from her eyes, and she couldn't look any more guilty than now. "I must tell you that she has become a victim of this random aura called the Nightmare, which caused her to become Nightmare Moon." The lie hurt her more than what a steel longsword could emit.

"What is this Nightmare?" A pony called out from the audience which was followed by a stream of agreements.

"The Nightmare is a type of parasite that flies around to take over a body. It happened to her, and the only way to rid of it was to send her to the moon. I couldn't risk the fate of Equestria by keeping her here. It was the only way." The older sister had lied again, and she started to feel even worse. Her stomach started twisting and turning at the thought of somepony finding out the truth.

"What makes you think that she was infected by the Nightmare?" The same pony asked in the audience.

"She threatened to make the night last forever. She had grown relentless over the years... keep in mind, when she comes back she will be normal. So please, show respect and no fear of her return." The ponies just nodded uneasily, and parted for some of the gourmet.

++++

The rest of the ceremony had carried out as it should have. The proposal, food, more talking, food, and everypony went home. Celestia still felt uneasy about all the lies she had committed. She was a princess, and she had just lied to her citizens. Then again, it had to be done.

Every night, the older princess would go up to the highest mountain of Equestria, and sit down and talk to her sister. She would stay there for the night, and go back to Canterlot to raise the sun.

"Lulu... I still don't know if you can hear me, and this must be the hundredth time I've said this... but I'm sorry. I wish there was a way for me to have you return... but I have no breakthrough. When you come back, the ponies will most likely fear you, and please blame me for that. Hate me for that." Celestia looked down as her tears started to bead the blades of grass. "I am an idiot aren't I?" The older princess started thinking about what she had done, and wanted to just run away. She knew she couldn't for the sake of her citizens of Equestria.

"Princess? What are you doing up here?" A purple unicorn filly asked as she approached.

"N-Nothing..." She tried her best to swallow her tears and regain composure, but failed. Her sister was in her mind at the time, and she couldn't stop blaming herself. "Where are your parents?"

"They're at home... and I decided to go for a walk!" The young filly said brightly with a smile, which soon turned into a frown when she noticed that the princess was clearly thinking of something. The princess was looking up at the moon, and had an abundance of tears streaming from her eyes. "What are you thinking about princess? Nightmare Moon? Yeah, my parents told me about that tragedy... you must miss your sister right?"

Celestia looked back down at the filly who still didn't have her cutie mark. Time slowed down for her. Within those seconds of slowed time, she contemplated about letting the filly know the truth, or if she should just go along and lie again. In those seconds, she thought of what Luna would want, and came to her decision of telling the truth to the innocent mind.

"Young filly... do you wish to know the truth?" The princess said with a slight smile and her tears ceased.

"Truth?"

"Yes... the truth about how Luna had really been sent to the moon."

"Well, I guess, but what do you mean; the truth?" The filly asked curiously.

"What everypony knows about Luna's current state is a lie... I sent her to the moon in vain. She broke an ornament that was given to us by our mother and father. It was an accident, but I was so mad... I didn't even know. I..." She was starting to cry again, but the filly walked up to her and started nuzzling her to calm her down. She continued, "I yelled at her, made her seem at fault. She was young; we were both young at the time. The magic must have reacted to my anger and I guess... it just cast one of the most powerful spells out there. It's even worse because I don't even know how to get her back! Tell me to stop when you want to leave..." The princess started sobbing again, and now the filly was right at her side sitting down next to her listening.

"It's okay... you can keep going." The filly said with such a gentle voice, but tears were forming from her eyes too.

"Then let me tell you how everything started..." The filly nodded, and the princess began her story.

++++

The princess told the story of how things were before they grew apart, and things led to this. However, she was still missing a single detail that would be very costly.

She had told the story until dawn, but the young filly was still awake and listening attentively. Her eyes were slightly swollen and darkened from the tears shed within the hours. The princess used her magic to lower the moon and raise the sun. While the moon was setting, she stared at it, and said her goodbye. When the sun rose, she looked back to the filly laying next to her and realized how long she was kept here.

"Thank you child... sorry to have kept you here for so long, let me take you back to your home." The princess got up to prepare to carry the filly home, but was stopped by the rejection.

"It's fine princess, and I do hope you and Luna are happy soon. I take it that you want me to keep this a secret, right?"

"You don't need to keep it a secret... and thank you for listening." Celestia looked back up to where the moon used to be, and smiled.

"Well... bye princess." The young filly got up and started walking away, but turned around and gave the princess an embracing hug. "I hope you feel better soon." The filly whispered as she continued to hug Celestia.

"Thank you."