The Dark of the Moon
IT ALL HAPPENED A MILLENNIA AGO, when the attempts of Discord had been thwarted, and everything seemed to be at peace. One little whisper, a cold, shrill one entered Luna's mind without warning nor cause. She never thought this way before, as she looked up to her sister with pride. But nevertheless, the whisper resounded in her ears like it was stuck there, never to get out.
Do you really admire her power? the voice asked.
Luna spun a circle, the ancient castle appearing about her, the crackle of the torches' fire all around her, smelling of smoke that used to be so comforting to her. "Who goes there?" she nearly yelped, managing to keep her voice down. It had been a few hours since sundown, the very same night of Discord's fall. Celestia was sleeping upstairs, tired from exhausting all her energy with the Elements of Harmony.
The voice did not return again. Though it seemed like the wind started howling after she called out, as if it was cackling, laughing at her for the attempt. Luna kept down a growl. She knew that wasn't her. There was no possible way, however, that anypony would be in the Castle of the Two Sisters this late at night. Though it felt like someone had leaned over to her ear, hissing that curious phrase:
Do you really admire her power?
Of course I do! Luna thought without hesitation, although it felt a little forced. She definitely wasn't jealous. Celestia, her sister, had the same power she did. They were equals, just with different roles. But, it did seem like they were all enjoying the sunlight...
Luna shook her head of the thought. Stop thinking about this nonsense! she commanded herself. You're being overly silly about one tiny thought. She ascended up the stairs, swearing that out from the corner of her eye, sharp, red eyes with blue flame lay their gaze on her, watching as she slowly turned into the monster that Luna couldn't be again.
It happened slowly, then all at once. That question plagued her mind years on end, slowly stirring up jealousy, jealousy into hatred, hatred into a desire to rid of her sister. She felt her transforming inside before she changed appearance. A cold, inner feeling that she couldn't get rid of, and eventually accepted, then welcomed. Then came the time she didn't know she feared. She was changed completely. Pain... extraordinary pain pierced through her body, threatening to rip it apart. Blood circled around in the dark orb as her skin started to peel, her eyes starting to burn. She tasted copper as her teeth turned sharp, and her sight caved in. Her last breath gave, and she died, though still in existence in her former body, watching her spells shred at her sister, her laughter as she fell, bleeding, and her searing hatred as she went for the kill, damning the sun to an eternity of darkness.
But Luna held herself back. She couldn't kill her sister... never. She held the nightmare back, as the pillar of the elements arose in the throne room. She used that same tactic, the small whispers she'd heard throughout the years, to keep Nightmare Moon at bay until Celestia did what she could.
Do not kill her, she had said.
Why not? This will save me loads of trouble, said Nightmare Moon.
She's useless now, Luna stated, even though that statement hurt her. Just gloat at her. Her stained pride will keep her from getting up again.
That did the trick. The rays from the Elements of Harmony pushed her up into the air, going impossibly high. Though Luna burned in this light, she knew it was the right thing to do. She felt herself being shred away from the monstrosity, one final deed that she felt happy from.
She floated around in empty space. Thank you, she whispered as her vision turned dark.
Luna shot up from her bed, gasping for air. A cold sweat trickled from her brow as she looked at her hooves. She squeezed her eyes shut as her gasps turned into sobs, covering her mouth in a vain attempt to muffle her cries.
It had been a little more than one year since she was brought back, tortured with that same feeling of Nightmare Moon taking over once more. She felt the pain; imaginary strings of scars running across her back, her eyes burning in an inexplicable phantom pain. She regretted everything she did. She doubted that her sister would ever forgive her, that she would forever live in this guilt.
As her sobs turned more resonant, the door opened behind her. The faint morning light filtered in her bedroom, the regal figure of her sister apparent in the stretched silhouette. Luna's gut twisted in guilt as Celestia slowly walked to her bedside.
"Arise and shine, little sister," she greeted, but then she saw her. Luna, eyes red, nose running, refusing to meet her gaze. Luna just wanted to hide under her bedsheets and wait for her to go away, but Celestia wouldn't allow her to do that. Not after seeing her this way.
"Luna, what's the matter?" Celestia asked softly, leaning over to her. "Did something happen?"
Luna, no matter what, couldn't meet her gaze. Those nightmares had been plaguing her just recently, old thoughts renewed and all. She couldn't tell her that, not one single thing. If she saw a threat in her again...
"It's Nightmare Moon again," Celestia figured, "is it?"
Luna bit into her hoof. She should've known her sister would be able to see through her. "Yes," Luna gasped. "It.. it's starting again..." Her words were choked short by a guilt that was so profound it gagged her. There it is, she thought. It is time to slip away.
Celestia nodded, calmly and slowly. "Luna..." she addressed in a half whisper, making Luna sob even more intensely. "I understand..."
Luna slowly pulled her hoof away, wet with tears. "How..." Luna started. "... How could you, sister? How could you... understand?" She pressed her hoof to her ice-cold chest. "I nearly killed you. I nearly killed everypony. How could you forgive me for that?"
"Luna," Celestia snapped. "Stop that thinking right now. How do you think Nightmare Moon gained a hold of you?"
"Sister, I think she's already taking hold again..."
"Then fight."
"Sister..."
"Fight!" Celestia insisted. "Neither you or I want this to happen again, correct? If that's the case, then fight! This feeling probably won't stop any time soon. It may be with you forever. But if you give up, more than just you and I are at stake."
"But I don't think I can!" Luna cried. Upon that statement, the dark magic started to orbit around her again, the phantom pains becoming real again. Fear ensued her as the magic thickened.
"I believe you can."
There was something about that statement that ceased her panic. Celestia wasn't scared. She wasn't desperate. Her voice was loud and clear, confident, in a way that Luna had not heard before.
"Fight, Luna."
Time seemed to slow down. Between the growing sheets of darkness, Celestia nodded at her, the tiniest hint of a smile on her lips.
Luna heard galloping from the direction of the door. "Your majesty!" yelled a frantic guard, clad in bronze armour. "Get back! It's dangerous!"
Celestia didn't respond. She kept her eyes on Luna. "You can do this," she said. "I believe in you."
Just as the black sheets closed, she started shaking. To some degree, this was exactly what happened a thousand years ago. But... it was different. Instead of fear and hatred taking hold, she was confident. A boost of morale filled her up, and she cast an aura around the black sheets of dark magic, and started to tear it open with all her might. The darkness crinkled, as if it were an opening curtain, and flew open, and the darkness dissipated.
Celestia didn't wait a moment. She tackled her sister with a hug, sniffling into her bedsheets. "See?" she said. "You're strong enough to conquer anything; you just need the will and the want to do it."
Luna was in a phase of disbelief. She did that, all by herself, even though her sister did get her to that point. She wrapped her hooves around Celestia, tears of joy starting to dribble down her face. "Thank you, sister," Luna said. "I am grateful for your power."
Celestia pulled away from the hug, smiling down at her warmly. "Do you think you are ready for the Summer Sun Celebration tomorrow, then?"
Luna nodded. "Yes. Yes I am."
Celestia nodded back, sliding off her bed. "Good. I'm proud of you, Luna." She kissed her on the crown of the head. "Don't let anyone or anything convince you otherwise." She walked to the exit. "Oh, and guards, at ease. Continue your post."
"Your majesty!"
Luna looked down at her tear-wet hoof. For the first time in forever, she felt like her sister's equal once again.