Day and Night

by Dark_Soliloquy

The Emptiness inside Me

"Your Majesty, if I may..." One of Celestia's guards knocked on her locked door. "Princess Celestia, you have not raised the moon in three days... Ponies need their rest, m'lady."

Celestia did not answer him, and he trotted away.

Celestia looked out the window. For three days straight she refused to raise the moon, for whenever she did she would always be reminded. That reflection of her sister on the moonrock would haunt her, pain her. "How could I have banished my own sister...? I was... I was too... I was too weak to save you, Luna..." Celestia cried.

Well, you should have defeated her... She'll come back for revenge, you know. If you had just let me-

"No," Celestia said aloud. I will not stand for your trickery. You have nothing to say to me... You... You... You MONSTER!

My, my, somepony's getting antsy! Ahh, I can feel your wrath, your hate, your anger. And it is divine! Soon you will embrace me. But alas, I must be patient. You don't rush these kind of things.

What... What kind of things?

Hmm, well aren't you curious. Your sister was more powerful, but you... You are much more pliable. Nyx went a little too far with Luna. Pushed her too hard. Oh, but I, I will be much more careful. The Voice laughed gleefully.

"Your majesty, your evening meal is ready." A guard called.

And that was the end of that conversation.

~oOo~

"Strawberry Cream Cake! Your favorite." Celestia's pastry chef, Sweet Treats, smiled. She brought in the rich dessert, five decadent layers of moist white cake. In between them was a delicious strawberry cream, with fluffy frosting and fresh strawberries on top. Sweet Treats could barely hold it up on the silver platter, even with the help of her magic.

Celestia sighed. She usually loved cake, but... She wasn't in the mood tonight today. She barely touched her dinner anyway, and she didn't want dessert. "No thank you, Sweet Treats. I'm not in the mood right now."

Sweet Treats looked taken aback. "Well I'll just save it for you, Princess." She trotted off with the cake platter.

Celestia walked to Luna's room. She didn't really know why, perhaps just for some level of solace. She looked at her sister's smashed mirror, and a broken picture of Celestia and Luna. Then finally, she was ready.

Celestia turned to the sun. She used her magic to lower it... Then she took a deep breath and started to raise the moon. Celestia saw her sister's reflection upon the full moon. It almost seemed that reflection was staring right at her, its eyes boring into Celestia. Celestia drew the curtains before she thought too much about Luna's banishment. Ponies all over Equestria were gossiping about it, rumors flew everywhere. Celestia tried to stay out of the way, but so many ponies peppered her with questions whenever she just opened the castle door.

"Oh, Luna..." Celestia started to cry. "I was too late... I was too blind... How could I not see your struggles? How long did you suffer before I even realized?"

Quite a long time, actually.

Celestia ignored the Voice and went to bed.

~oOo~

Celestia's dreams were dark and troubled that night.

She was running. What from, she didn't know. "Luna!" Dream-Celestia called. The ground became wavy and uneven, she had to focus not to trip. A shadow rose above her, and she realized what Dream-Celestia had been running from.

"You can't hide, Celestia!" The shadow said. Then a flash of blue light swallowed the scene, then Dream-Celestia was suspended in a galaxy of some sort. It was strangely warm, welcoming, something you wouldn't expect from space. Her jaw dropped as she saw a misty image of Luna.

"Hello, sister."