What would have happened if Nightmare moon never existed but instead Luna choose to keep the night awway from Equestria, leaving it bathed in eternal day?
Princess Luna, Ruler of the night, is furious. For centuries since Celestia and her had taken the land from Discord they have ruled over Equestria bringing it both the night and the day. But Luna has been rejected by those she rules over. They shun the night she works so hard on, and ignore her as a ruler. It is time she reminded them the importance of her night. ((Author's note: Final chapter has been edited and is now a thousand times better. Rated teen for some mature language.))
Luna looked at the star chart laid out in front of her. She had been studying it for hours, she knew that she wanted to add a constellation, even had the star formation in her head, but she couldn't seem to find room for it. After several minutes she sighed in frustration, "Why am I doing this? It's not like anypony gives a buck..."
There was a knock on her door and without looking from the star chart Luna called, "Come in!" When she turned to see who had come in she was surprised to see her sister. "Tia," She said, "Do you need something? I'm rather busy."
Celestia looked at the younger mare, "I was worried sister, you have not left your chambers in some days."
Luna looked back to the star chart mulling over it and said, "As you can see I am fine and well. Is that all?" She spoke with a hint of spite in her voice, wanting her sister to just leave her be. Why did their subjects love her so much? Why did they play, laugh, and celebrate during her day, and shun her night? She did not understand. She spent the last few centuries since Discord's defeat working to make her night as beautiful as possible, yet it was all ignored. Stars, the northern lights, beautiful meteor showers, the phases of the moon, all her work. Yet it was ignored. She spent weeks at a time slaving over positions of the stars, how they moved with the seasons in accordance with their planets revolutions. Yet it was ignored. She did not understand.
"Luna are you sure? Have I upset you in some way? Please tell me and I shall work to make it better," Celestia said breaking her train of thought.
"Yes." Luna said finding an appropriate spot on the star chart, "At last..." She muttered.
Celestia came up and watched as Luna picked up a quill, dipped it into a stopper of white ink, and began to draw new stars on the chart. "What is this?" Celestia asked not understanding.
Luna sighed and her horn began to glow. "A new constellation sister. A simple foal is all." As she spoke magical lines began to connect the stars for Celestia to see.
"I never understood how you could do this LuLu." Celestia said, somewhat awestruck now that she saw everything her sister had done to make her night beautiful. She decided she would have to do some stargazing at some point.
"I only understand but a bit myself sister. I have very limited control over the stars of the galaxy, and whenever I manipulate them to show forth in the shape I desire it always leaves me exhausted afterwards. Was there something you needed sister?"
Celestia frowned at the brashness of her sister's question, "I only wished to come and speak with my little sister before I went to bed for the night." She yawned, "Which I must do... Goodnight my sister."
Luna nodded, "Goodnight."
Celestia turned to leave, opening the door with her golden magic, and closing it in the same way. She looked to Luna's personal guard, Daisy, and said, "Has she been feeling well lately?"
The guard snorted and said in her usual brash and rude way, "No, not at all. You know, other then the fact that just about everypony in equestria ignores her and the beautiful night she brings, along with working tirelessly to sooth their nightmares, and keep the vamponys and wereponys in check. Celestia tell me, how would you feel if all of your subjects ignored your day, yet ravished Luna with endless praise and worshipped her? We batponys are the only ones other then you who truly care for Luna. You should think about that Princess." And with that she leaned against the wall standing on her hind legs and crossing her forehooves, her spear catching Celestia's eye as it reflected the light.
Celestia walked away thinking over this. Her sister didn't really feel like that did she? And the citizens of Equestria worshipping her as a goddess endlessly while only mentioning her sister occasionally was not her fault. In fact she had tried for years to stop them from doing so. No, it had to be something else, Luna was just worried about something is all. Perhaps a vampony started to terrorize Manehatten... She sighed and walked into her quarters nodding to her guard who had just shown up for his night shift.
***
Luna heard everything Daisy said. She listened intently and sighed. Everything she said was true. But as much as she hated it there was nothing she could do about it. She walked onto her balcony, which was open already, and looked out over Canterlot. Luna closed her eyes and went into the medatative trance that signified she was dream-walking. After several hours she opened her eyes, having come to a decision. She would make the ponies of Equestria appreciate her hard work, one way, or another.
*** Two weeks later ***
Luna had finally figured out the specifics of what she was going to do. It was simple, but she believed it would work to get the ponys of Equestria to finally see her night for what it was. Not only for the beauty it provided, but the importance of it, as well as give her a bit of recognition.
Luna walked with her gaurd onto the chariot, of which another two of her guards where hooked up to. She sat on it along with her gaurd and they immediatly took off.
"Take us to the Hoofington castle," She said to them. They immediately banked and she sighed. No turning back now, things were already in motion. After several hours the guards landed and Luna stepped off along with Daisy. She saw that it was almost time for the sun to set.
"Daisy noticed as well and looked at Luna, "Luna you don't have to do this, are not the love and affection of my race enough?"
Luna looked to her guard, her friend, and said, "No Daisy, I am afraid not." Luna looked to the setting sun and her horn glowed as she held back the moon, causing the sun to not only stop, but reverse it's path so that it would end up in the noonday position. She smiled that it did. Luna wasn't sure if keeping the moon back would have the desired effect, or if it would merely leave the country without either of it's celestial orbs.
"Daisy, I demand respect for the work I put in to give them the best night I can every night, and if they refuse it I will simply not give it to them," Luna said walking into the castle. Her sister would be here soon. That she knew, but she would not see her. No, she would not. Luna but in the work to give beautiful nights, and she'd be damned to tartarus if she would go without being given respect and love equal to her sister, who put in only half as much work as Luna did.
Celestia stormed about the castle, her guards searching frantically to find her sister. She looked at her captain, Rainbow Thunder. "Have you had any luck?"
He shook his head, "No your highness."
Celestia growled in anger and looked into the sky. She concentrated and her horn glowed as the sun began to move slowly to its setting position, but, as had been happening frustratingly often, it refused and simply turned around to its noonday position.
"Dammnit! What the hay is Luna thinking? She has to know how much this will hurt the citizens of Equestria!" She cried exasperatedly.
"Princess Celestia!!" A pegasus guard called sprinting through the hallway to her. He stopped before her and gave a quick bow breathing hard, "Princess Celestia, I found her carriage at the Hoofington Castle," the guard said between breathes.
"Hoofington?" Celestia muttered nodding to the guard, "Captain Rainbow, Call of the search and meet me at the royal carriage."
Rainbow Thunder nodded and ran off calling to stop the search to anypony within earshot. Celestia looked at the pegasus, "Thank you. Go get some rest, you have been flying hard and it is fairly hot out this blasted day."
The guard nodded, "Thank you Princess," He then walked off, his wings drooping.
Celestia then trotted quickly out the front door of the castle where her carriage waited, two pegasi already harnessed up to it. Celestia stepped in and sat down, waiting for her guard captain. Several minutes passed and the large pegasus stallion joined her. "Hoofington Castle," Celestia said to the guards curtly. The took off immediatly.
***
Luna looked out the window of the castle over the city. Some of the citizens had managed to fall asleep but most were in the shade, and some were panicking. Luna looked over at Daisy and said, "I feel terrible... Perhaps this was not such a good idea..."
Daisy looked at Luna, "Princess, there's something my mother told me once as a filly. If you're going to do something, put your all into it, no matter how difficult. otherwise You might as well not bother. I honestly do not agree with your decision to keep the night away from Equestria. But I do believe that they will see your night for what it is. Not only as something beautiful that you slave over just for them, but as something of necesity. Something to help them sleep, to help their crops grow."
Luna sighed and looked down, then back out the window. Daisy was right, this would work to show the ponies of Equestria the necessity of her night. Not only that they would give her the respect she deserved. But was it worth this? Was it truly worth letting them come to harm?
A knock on the door interrupted her thoughts. She looked at the door and Daisy looked through the keyhole. "It's your sister, shall I let her in princess," Daisy asked Luna.
Luna nodded, "Yes." Daisy took her spear in hoof, just in case, and opened the door. She stood next to it on her hind legs, her spear helping her to balance as Celestia stormed in.
"Luna, what is the meaning of this?!" She exclaimed, "The lakes are drying up and crops are withering! Why have you done this?!" Rainbow was standing next to Celestia, his own sword held by his side with the help of his wing in case Luna attacked.
"I always thought you were so wise sister," Luna said looking at her, "But I guess I was wrong. Do you truly not know why I have done this?" As she finished speaking her voice took on an air of anger.
Celestia looked at her sister angrily, "I don't care why you're doing it, but I do care that it's going to cause major and permanent harm if you don't stop soon!"
Luna merely shook her head at her sister and looked outside, "Of course you don't care. You never did. Not when I was being ignored. My night and the work I put into it being shunned by everypony. Including you. You never even noticed my pain. For centuries our subjects have ignored me. Ignored my night, I do not even get the respect I deserve for my work when I walk through the streets of canterlot!!!" She finished, her voice growing louder with every word until she turned and yelled at the princess of the sun, "YOU PUT IN LESS THEN HALF THE WORK I DO AND YET YOU GET ALL THE LOVE FROM OUR SUBJECTS, YOU GET ALL THE RESPECT, YOU GET EVERYTHING!!! AND WHAT DO I GET?! NOTHING, I GET NOTHING AT ALL FROM ANYPONY!!!" Luna was now breathing hard, tears flowing freely from her eyes.
Celestia however had backed up some, her left forehoof lifting into the air, her mouth was agape and she seemed to shrink under her sister. She looked at the now crying mare in front of her and gulped. Her mouth was dry and her eyes were wet. "L-Luna..." was all she managed to say before Luna continued to rant at her.
"AND YOU NEVER NOTICED!!! YOU NEVER SAW HOW MUCH I WAS HURTING!!!" Luna's throat was growing hoarse and she closed her eyes, tears still flowing, "The worst part is that you never saw Tia... I will bring the night back when I get the respect I deserve..."
Celestia steeled herself and put her lifted hoof down, "Sister... if you keep this up much longer I will be forced to do something drastic..." She then tuned and ran off crying heavily, Rainbow sheathing his weapon and following close behind.
Luna watched her sister leave and collapsed on the ground crying. Daisy sheathed her spear and hugged the younger princess. "Its okay Luna... you said what needed to be said... But you should heed your sister's advice."
Luna nodded and nuzzled her old friend crying on her shoulder and taking in her comfort. "Y-yes... but not yet... Like you said. I need to put my all into this, I will not let this last long enough to kill anypony; I swear it."
Daisy walked in front of the contingent of elite batpony guards in front of her. She examined their armor and weapons. These were the elite? These were the specially trained ponys? Pathetic... She thought to herself. They wouldn't last five minutes against a dragon, much less Rainbow Thunder and Celestia. She stopped in the middle of the group and looked at the soldiers head on.
"Alright listen up here!" She said commandingly, "Our princess is doing her thing. She always has, but now she is determined to get respect! Celestia doesn't like it! Are you going to let sun butt stop Luna!?"
A mumbling came through the small crowd of guards and Daisy grunted annoyed, "With an attitude like that you should just kill yourselves now! I said: Are you going to let Celestia stop Luna from getting the respect she deserves!?"
This time a roaring answer of various no's.
Daisy chuckled to herself, "Good. Now you all have your orders, go to your stations and report to me every hour!"
The guards yelled an affirmative and hurried to carry out her orders. At least they were somewhat competent. Daisy went to Luna's Chambers and walked in, "Princess are you doing ok?"
"Lets give it one more day Daisy. I will let the sun set tomorrow," Luna responded looking out the window.
Daisy walked next to her old friend, "That would be wise. My scouts said Celestia is in the Everfree looking for something."
Luna looked shocked, "The elements? No... Why would she? Dammit Tia..."
Daisy listened quietly taking a moment to realize what Luna was talking about, "The elements of Harmony? She knows that your power is almost even to hers, that you have more potent combat magic then her, and that in single combat you would defeat her. She would need them if she was going to challenge you Luna."
Luna looked at Daisy, "Can your scout be trusted?"
Daisy looked almost offended at the accusation, "Of course he can!"
Luna nodded, "Yes, of course. Why would i think otherwise?"
Daisy put her wing around the princess, "Luna, you don't need to fight your sister, there's no telling what would happen if she were to use the elements on you.
Luna shook her head, "No, this ends tomorrow, no sooner, no later."
Daisy nodded understanding the conviction that Luna had.
"Oh and Daisy," Luna said moving to the bed. Luna's horn glowed and a long box came out from under it as she continued, "I have something for you. I know you are good with that spear, but it is to long for you. Thus, I had these re-forged for you, as I know they're your favorite weapon."
Luna opened the box to reveal a pair of weapons. The weapons were hoof attached and looked to be made of solid gold, although Daisy knew a weapon made out of solid gold would be pointless as it would break easily. On each side a long claw jutted out of the hoof attached part, and at the base of each of the claws a ruby sat embedded. Daisy looked at them and removed her shoes. She put the claws on smiling like a filly who just got her first kiss.
"Thank you Luna..." Daisy breathed marveling at the claws.
*** Late The Next Day ***
Celestia carried each of the elements of harmony in her magical aura, she could feel the energy flow through her as she walked through Hoofington. Rainbow Thunder walked next to her, hes spear drawn and held at his side with his wing. behind them marched over a hundred of Celestia's royal guards.
Celestia hated the thought of it but she knew this needed to be done. This had to end now, before the crops withered away completely and left ponies starving. As she approached the gate to Hoofington Castle Daisy appeared, seemingly out of thin air, barring the way; the shadows seeming to grow longer and darker around them
"Move aside Daisy," Rainbow Thunder said from next to her stepping forward and gripping his spear in his right hoof, preparing to fight Daisy. The blade of the spear began to cackle with electricity.
Daisy stood her ground unfazed and said to them both, "This will end today Celestia, but I would rather not kill you and my brother before it does."
Celestia stepped forward and said, "Then stand aside guard, before I move you."
Daisy smiled, "I always did wonder whether you Alicorns were truly immortal gods, or if a sharp blade could kill you like anypony else."
Celestia was taken aback by this comment. Just then Daisy smiled evilly, vanished in a poof of smoke, and stabbed at the princess with her left claw. Suddenly Rainbow Thunder was there, his electrified spear catching the Daisy's claw just before it struck the princess down. Celstia leapt out of the way as Rainbow brought the shaft of the spear at the bat pony. Daisy vanished in a poof of smoke and reappeared behind the pegasus. Several of Celestia's guards charged her but Daisy's own soldiers intercepted them. Soon the field in front of the castle was a giant brawl of ponies.
Celestia watched in horror as the siblings fought. She had expected it but to see them going out to kill each other was more then she could handle. She shook it off and prepared the elements of harmony to fire at Daisy. But the mare was smart, she was sure to either move out of the line of fire fast enough that Celestia couldn't hit her or kept Rainbow in between them.
And then Celestia stepped back in shock as Daisy sunk her claws into Rainbow's stomach, then sent a spear of darkness through him. Daisy removed her claws and the Pegasus stallion fell over unconscious and bleeding.
Just then the door to the castle blew open and Luna ran into the fight.
"Stop! Stop fighting!!" Luna screamed at the ponies. Slowly the fighting died down, there were several dozen wounded guards but overall nopony was dead. Except maybe Rainbow Thunder. Daisy stepped back looking at the stallion in shock of what she had done.
Luna ran up to Rainbow thunder and turned him onto his back and pressed her horn to his wounds. She could feel his life draining away with her magic. Luna's horn glowed and after several seconds Rainbow's wounds began to close and his breathing became normal. Daisy ran up to him and hugged him.
"Rainbow I'm so sorry! I-I..." Daisy said tearing up.
Rainbow stroked her mane, "Its ok Daisy, I didn't expect anything less..."
Luna watched the two before looking to her sister and walking up to her. Luna closed her eyes and her horn glowed as she walked, and the sun set, allowing the moon to rise. The princesses looked at each other and Luna looked away ashamed.
"I-I'm sorry Tia. I never meant for this to happen..."
Celestia embraced the younger princess of the night, "Its ok Luna... I understand why you did it, although I do not truly know how you feel."
Luna looked at the ponies walking out of their homes looking at the sky in awe, admiration, relief, and joy. Luna smiled, "I think they finally respect it Tia. I just hope it lasts."
Celestia looked over and nodded, "Yes, I think so as well."
Luna nuzzled her sister and said sadly, "I'm sorry Tia, I really am."
Celestia nodded, "I know you are sister, you did what you thought was right, and I believe everypony has learned something from it. Can you show me the wonders of the stars when we get home LuLu?"
Luna felt tears run down her face when Celestia said that, "Yes sister, yes of course!"
