• Published 3rd Jan 2012
  • 21,022 Views, 246 Comments

Sparkle No More - dastrdlyW



The battle with Nightmare Moon goes awry as Twilight is lost to a curse.

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Intervention

A stunned silence had fallen on the meeting room. After Shining’s outburst no one had the nerve to say anything. Princess Celestia was shamefully staring at the ground, while Princess Luna remained frozen in her place. Twilight Velvet and Nightlight were too embarrassed to lift their gaze from the ground while the remaining Elements of Harmony exchanged shared expressions of shock.

After what seemed like an eternity, Celestia broke the silence with a dejected sigh. “I was afraid this would happen.” Celestia said. “I’m sorry you all had to see me like that. I let my emotions get the better of me as well. I think it’s best if we reschedule this meeting for a later date, and–”

“Wait, Princess.” Twilight Velvet called as Celestia stood up. “I... I’d like to continue with the meeting. I want to hear everything that’s happened. Although Shining did make some valid points, I want to hear what your sister has to say before making any conclusions. It seems Shining has already made his, but we didn’t come all the way here to be sent back home.”

Celestia glanced at Twilight Velvet and remained silent for a few moments, but before she could speak, Luna stepped forward. “I think I should take over from here, Celestia,” Everyone focused their attention on Luna as she made her way towards the table and stood next to Celestia.

“Luna, I–”

“Please, Celestia. You’re placing a lot of the blame on yourself and are trying to exclude my own. They need to hear it, and they need to hear it from me.”

Celestia glanced at her sister before nodding and stepping aside.

Luna turned her gaze towards the group surrounding the table took a couple deep breaths before addressing them. “As you all know, I... was Nightmare Moon. Or rather, a creature known as The Nightmare was inhabiting my body. It took control of me one night when my emotions were boiling over. I was jealous of the praise my sister received and angry that I didn’t receive the same. That’s when it attacked. It seized my body... my power, my name… It desired nothing but power, no matter the cost, and did terrible things using me as a vessel. I no longer had control over myself.

“Now, I am not saying I hold no responsibility for what happened during while The Nightmare had my body in her possession. It was my jealousy and greed that allowed it to take over. Everlasting night was a ploy to make me the evil villain, as if I was determined to achieve worship through any means necessary. Thankfully, that plan failed, and we were imprisoned in the moon for a thousand years. However, it quickly discovered it could still torment me, and for centuries The Nightmare described in... vivid detail... how it would enact revenge on my sister by torturing anyone she cared about.”

Luna faced everyone in the room and looked each one of them in the eyes. “It was my own weakness alone that allowed this to happen, that much is undeniable. However, Nightmare Moon is not who I am. What she did... and what I had wanted are not the same. I know it’s asking a lot, but is there any way you can forgive me?”

After several long moments of exchanged glances,abject silence, and contemplation, Luna hung her head. “I see. I-I’m sorry. I need to go.” Just as Luna reached the doors, a voice called out to her from behind.

“Wait!”

Luna turned around to see Twilight Velvet standing at the table. “Your Highness, please don’t take our silence as a denial of forgiveness. I just... it’s a lot to process all at once. We, or at least I, need some time before I can give you an answer. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to talk things over with everypony before making a final decision.”

Celestia nodded. “That would be wise. It would give us time to perform our royal duties as well. Luna, let’s leave them to their discussion.”

As Celestia left the room, Luna followed sullenly behind her.

*-~-*

“This is absolutely insane.” Shining Armor grumbled as he plowed through the city. “Nightmare Moon killed Twilight, and Celestia expects me to just forgive her?” Shining snorted in annoyance as his speed increased. “And Celestia practically sent Twilight to her death with her meddling! She’s just as responsible as her sister!”

He charged down the streets of Canterlot in a rage-induced stampede. Even as his legs started to scream for mercy, he pushed forward, slowly blowing off steam. As his rage subsided, so did his speed. “She doesn’t know– she could never know what this is like.”

What makes you so sure?

Shining’s jumped and scanned his surroundings. “What?” He shook his head and sighed, turning his gaze to the ground. “It’s not fair. It’s just not fair! Twilight didn’t deserve this.”

And Luna did?

Shining looked around again, groaning in annoyance. “I must be losing my mind.” Spotting a bench out of the corner of his eye, he begrudgingly pushed himself up and walked over to it and laid down, watching as the sun fell below the horizon.

A few seconds of silence passed until an unmistakable voice demanded his attention. “You may be my BBBFF, but right now, I can’t even begin to explain how disappointed I am in you!”

Shining jumped, looked to his left and nearly screamed when he saw Twilight standing next to him. “Tw-Twily? You’re... alive!?” He scrambled to sit up on the bench.

“No, not exactly... but I’m here for now, Shining.” Twilight shook her head. “I still can’t believe you would just storm out o–”

A light chuckle interrupted her. “So that’s it then,” Shining said between laughs, “I have lost my mind. That definitely explains a few things… lately, anyway.”

Twilight groaned and quickly grabbed Shining’s muzzle. She pulled it down into a face to face. “No, Shining, you’re not crazy.”

“Of course I am!” Shining yelled and wrenched himself from her grasp. “I’m a full grown stallion, lying on a bench in the park talking to my dead little sister! That doesn’t sound like a madpony at all!

“Don’t snap at me! I'm trying to help you here!”

Help me? How?” he growled, his earlier irritation returning as his thoughts drifted back to the ruins. “You’re dead, Twilight!” Shining averted his eyes and whispered, “You’re dead.” He collapsed onto the bench with a grunt and placed his head between his forelegs. “I saw it myself.”

Twilight’s ears flattened against the back of her head as she took a step forward. “You... you saw me?”

Shining nodded slowly. “Yeah...”

“I... I’m sorry you had to see that. With the condition I was in–”

Shining shook his head. “All I saw was you lying there. Princess Celestia healed–” he stopped. Healed was not the right word. “She fixed the damage Nightmare’s spell caused.”

Twilight sat down next to Shining and nuzzled him gently. “Shhh,” she cooed, “it’s okay, just talk with me a bit. How are Mom and Dad handling everything?”

He took a couple deep breaths before answering, “They’re distraught, and they miss you, but,” his voice quieted, “they’re certainly holding up a lot better than I am.” Shining turned his head away to hide his shame.

“I’m a royal guard, yet after hearing what Celestia did I nearly attacked her! I was so furious I– Did you know she–”

“Had planned for me to confront Nightmare Moon.” Twilight nodded. “I know.”

Shining blinked. “Not just that! You... died. You died because she wanted her sister back! Aren’t you mad? O-o-or upset!?”

Twilight sighed heavily. “Well, I wish I was still alive, but how could I be mad at her? I didn’t decide to stop Nightmare Moon knowing I’d die, nopony did. At first I decided to fight Nightmare because I felt like I needed to. But then I was placed under a spell that forced me to attack the others who were with me. I hurt them...” Twilight turned toward the ground. “... badly. I wanted to. But that wasn’t me. I was watching from within my own body. I fought back when I realized what I was doing, and in the end, I broke free. Not to defeat Nightmare Moon, but because I realized how important those five were and how much I wanted to protect them. That’s why I did what I did.

“Because of that, I was able to return Princess Celestia’s little sister back to her. A pony who had no control over what a monster was doing in her name. And what do you do? You wouldn’t even stick around and listen to what really happened. You just called her a murderer and stormed out, throwing a tantrum like-like some foal!”

“Well, you don’t need to be so blunt about it,” Shining sulked.

“Sorry Shining, but you of all ponies should know better than to be so irrational. Look where you are in life. You’re a Lieutenant of the Royal Guard, yet abandoned the ponies you vowed to protect in a fit of rage, with someone who you called a murderer. Look at me, and tell me you honestly believe that she was a murderer.

Shining opened his mouth, but the words refused to come out. He tried once more to restate his opinion, but failed again. With a defeated sigh, he hung his head.

“If you had honestly believed that, would you have left Mom and Dad in the room with her? Would have left Celestia in there with her? My friends?”

“I know, and I–”

“And one more thing!” Twilight interjected. “You said earlier that Celestia could never know what you’re going through, but you and I both know that’s not true. She lost her sister for a thousand years! She had to suffer with the knowledge that she had been forced to banish her for someone else’s crimes. If anyone can understand what it’s like to lose a sister, it’s her.”

Shining sniffled as Twilight’s words hit hard. Tears trickled down his cheeks as he averted his eyes. The sun fell behind the horizon and the moon slowly rose above them. The stars took their shape in the night sky, dimly illuminating the empty park.

“It’s just... Twily, I miss you so much. I can’t accept the fact you’re gone. And how can I? Whenever I came home it was your smiling face I looked forward to. Mom and Dad mean the world to me, too, but,” he paused, “you were my little sis. I joined the guard so I could protect you, but I couldn’t even do that. What kind of Royal Guardspony can’t even protect his own family?” Shining looked back towards Twilight. “And you know what the worst part is? There’s not a single thing I could’ve done differently. That’s what tears me apart.” Shining choked back a sob. “I don’t want to say goodbye, Twily. I just want you back.”

Twilight pulled him into another hug as Shining cried softly. She sat there and held him until his crying came to an end. “Shining, you’re my big brother, best friend forever and I love you. Nothing will change that, but what’s done is done. I can’t stay for much longer, but we both know that it’s time you make things right with the princesses. And if you don’t, so help me, I will haunt you in your sleep.”

They both giggled as they broke off the hug. “Now go.”

“But... are you sure they’ll even forgive me?”

“I ca–”

“After what I did today, I’ll be lucky if I’m not run out of the guard!”

“Well that–”

“I may even get kicked out! I may–”

“Shining, listen to me!”

Twilight grabbed Shining’s muzzle with both her hooves and held it shut until he fell silent. “Look. I can’t say for certain what will happen, but you still have to try to make things right. Besides, take a look at the sky, and tell me what you see.” Twilight waved a hoof upward and his gaze followed it.

It took a moment, but his eyes eventually came to rest on a new, vivid constellation and his mouth dropped. “She... made a constellation of you?” The longer he stared, the more details he could make out. Twilight's eyes, her cutie mark, he could even make out her bangs. “It's beautiful, Twilight, but I don't... Twilight?”

Shining turned around but all he found was an empty park bench. He let out a ragged sigh in resignation and as he turned back to the constellation, a shooting star grabbed his attention. He followed it as it streaked through the constellation until it vanished behind Canterlot Castle.

“Okay, okay. I get it.” Shining smirked as he stood up and began the long trek back to the castle, but paused and looked up at the constellation one last time.

“Goodbye, Twilight... and thank you.”