Heart's Desire

by LunarShadow

Princess Luna

Princess Luna

We never thought we’d have to do this, but it’s gone on too far. Princess Luna took a deep breath and pushed open the door to her sister’s room. It’s time for an intervention.

“‘Tia, we need to...” She stopped and frowned. The room looked as if somepony had torn it apart. Papers were scattered everywhere, plates of half eaten meals sat on the desk in the far corner. Partially read books lay face down on the window seat in no particular order.

In the bed, behind a set of velvet red curtains, was Princess Celestia. Luna could hear Celestia mumbling about something. Beside her floated a paper and quill. On her other side levitated a large tomb.

“Sister?” Princess Luna approached cautiously. “‘Tia? You’ve been holed up in your room since that meeting with the Gryphon envoy. It’s been nearly a week.” She pulled back the curtains and immediately stumbled back, gasping.

Celestia looked up at her with bloodshot eyes. The bags under her eyes sagged heavily and she yawned as she looked towards Luna. “Has it really? I haven’t even noticed.” She stifled another yawn and said, “My studies have been keeping me up.”

“About what?” Luna raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

Celestia giggled nervously. “I-it’s none of your concern. I’ve got it under control.”

“Thou have what under control?” Luna said, annoyance tinging her voice. She ripped the book from Celestia’s magical grip and looked at the cover. “The Mirror of Erised?” she exclaimed. “Celestia! Why? Even Star swirl the Bearded wouldn’t dabble in it and he was arguably smarter than either of us.”

“Give it back!” Celestia jumped up off the bed and made a pass with her magic for the book. “I’m so close to figuring out to knowing everything about it. I just need to get it back!”

Luna gasped and frowned. “Thou had the mirror and thou lost it? How... how did thou come across it? Thou know that dimension travel is dangerous and very few ponies would dare try to do it.”

“It passed on from its previous guardian. It’s mine by right!” Celestia hissed, her eyes narrowing dangerously. “And I only lost the mirror because I was foolish! I gave it to another for safekeeping.”

Rearing up, Luna stomped a hoof hard. “Thou knew what the mirror does when thou received it. Thou have endangered the lives of others, condemning them to a fate similar to yours unless we act quickly.” She shoved her sister onto the bed. “This has gone on long enough. We shall put thee to sleep and then go destroy the mirror once and for all.”

Celestia violently shook, using and explosive spell to throw Luna back. “No! I am a goddess by rights. No pony tells me what to do!”

Luna crashed into the desk, causing it to splinter and collapse. She lay there groaning. As she tried to get up, Celestia stomped up, another spell already prepared. Luna bucked out hard, sending her sister tumbling, the spell fading from her horn.

“We both know it’s in thine best interest to go to bed for a few days. We can cover for thou while thou rest.” Luna stood up and threw several subduing spells in rapid succession. “Thou will sleep for the good of Equestria!”

Raising up a shield, Celestia barely managed to clumsily deflect the spells. With each pass of magic, her defenses cracked a little. Finally, the last subduing spell from Luna shattered the shield. Celestia grunted as she slid back into the bed legs from the force of the resulting backlash.

She feebly cast a spell that flung various objects around her at Luna, who was slowly advancing.

Luna deflected each object easily. Without any effort, she picked up Celestia and put her onto the bed. Rearing up, she gently brought her forehooves down on Celestia’s side. “We will return in few days to wake thee up,” Luna calmly said. “But before we do, who did though give the mirror to?”

“The mirror is mine and mine alone,” spat Princess Celestia. “It was a mistake giving it to her, but I’m not telling you who she is,” she growled. “I would have been fine if you had just left me alone.”

Shaking her head, Luna sighed. “That’s enough information for us. There’s only one she thou would trust with anything of yours aside from us. Now...” Luna prepared her most powerful sleep spell and touched Princess Celestia’s forehead with her horn. “Sleep and it shall all be over when thou wake up.”

Celestia struggled for a few seconds before falling limp, her breathing shifting from fast paced and adrenaline pumped to the regular breathing of a sleeping pony. Luna smiled in satisfaction and backed off, lovingly placing a blanket over the sleeping form of her sister.

We are truly sorry. But it’s for the best of the kingdom. Luna sighed and prepared a teleportation spell. Now, we believe it is time to pay Twilight Sparkle a visit. With a flash, she disappeared, the familiar feeling of being squeezed through the folds of reality overtaking her.

A few seconds later, she reappeared in the Ponyville library. The first thing she noticed was how eerily silent things were. Looking around, she realized that nothing had been touched in a day or two. Books were collecting dust on the center table. Scrolls and quills sat on the desk in the far corner untouched.

Curious, she walked around looking for any clue as to where Twilight may have went. A noise from upstairs caused her ears to perk up. Looking up, she sighed in relief at the sight of a familiar face.

“Spike!”

“Princess Luna?” Spike stared in surprise, stopping just as he had been about to descend the stairs. He dropped to his knees and bowed. “W-what are you doing here?”

“We are looking for Twilight Sparkle. Is she here?” Luna strained to see behind Spike as if Twilight would walk around him at any moment and say hello. To her disappointment, nopony appeared around him.

Spike looked away awkwardly and scratched the back of his neck. “Umm... I could tell you where to find her, but I don’t think you’re gonna get much out of her. She’s in the hospital and the staff aren’t letting anyone near her, including me.”

“What? Why?” demanded Luna. “They cannot deny a princess of Equestria. It’s of utmost importance that I talk to her.”

Shrugging, Spike came downstairs and picked up a few books to reshelf. “Like I said, you probably won’t get much out of her. She’s been unconscious for the last two days.” He went over to the center table and picked up a few more books. “Rumor says she blew herself out of the Sweet Apple Acres barn loft with a high powered spell and then tried to teleport when Big Mac told her to go to the hospital.”

“You have our thanks, Spike. Thou has told us what we need to know.” Princess Luna cast a teleportation spell and appeared just behind the Apple family barn. Looking around, she checked to make sure no pony had seen her. When she was sure she hadn’t been spotted, she flew up to the loft window.

Just inside, she stopped for a second to collect her thoughts. Shouldn’t we be more concerned with Celestia’s student?

No, the mirror must be destroyed, another part of her mind whispered. Twilight is in the care of the hospital staff, she’ll be fine. It’s too early in the morning for the doctors to be up anyways.

Steeling herself, Luna stepped into the loft. She could sense the mirror at the far end. The magic from whatever spell Twilight had cast lingered in the air, giving the area a sour smell. Using her own magic, Luna could see the outline of the mirror.

Just walk up, lash out with your hooves and it’s over. Then we shall go check on Twilight. She took in a deep breath and slowly walked forward.

The other part of her mind seemed to whisper to her. But remember what happened the last time you were around the mirror. It was a brief look, but it started a war with your sister and resulted in your banishment.

“What we saw a thousand years ago is no longer relevant. Desires change,” she said with determination.

Stopping just in front of where the mirror sat, she reared up and lashed out. Just as her hooves were about to strike, something gave her pause. Faltering, her hooves fell to the ground and she stared in surprise as her reflection shimmered into view.

Except, it wasn’t her. In her place sat Nightmare Moon. She overlooked Canterlot, which burned bright as day. In the sky, the sun fell, replaced by the moon. Behind her, Celestia lay unmoving on the ground. Blood streaked chaotically through her coat and her horn had been shattered.

Luna’s horror grew as she watched the scene unfold. N-no... this cannot be. It’s been a thousand years, and we’ve changed a lot since then!

The Nightmare Moon in the mirror turned and grinned wickedly at Luna, gesturing for her to look below. When Luna did, she saw an entire army of loyal ponies marching under a single banner. Occasionally, small groups of guards would rush out of Canterlot only to be brutally slaughtered.

Luna sat there, nearly in tears. I only ever wanted peace since my return. Nothing more. Why? Why is the mirror turning this to me?

Turning, she abandoned everything and galloped as fast as she could out of the loft. All she wanted to do was to get away from the mirror and the horrors within.

“Even if a pony changes, they cannot fully shake who they once were. Silently, it will wait in the deepest parts of your heart waiting to strike.”

Luna shook her head, trying to get the words of Star swirl the Bearded out of her mind. They had been the last words spoken to her before her descent into madness as Nightmare Moon.

“The best we can hope for is to bury that desire and pray it can never dig its way out.”

Comments

[LunarShadow]

*Edit* I have one more character slot than I thought. Cutie Mark Crusaders will get that slot.

With the exception of the mane six, any other character will go in the continuation of the story, "And the Heart Beats on". It'll be released the day I get a character other than the mane six.

[twilightsparkleisbestpony]

NO LUNA! DESTROY THE MIRROR! IT JUST WANTS TO MAKE YOU EVIL AGAIN!