//------------------------------// // Sisters // Story: The Solar Steward // by kissfromarose2 //------------------------------// Infernia surveyed the street in front of her. All around her ponies of all three tribes were in various stages of panic. As she watched, one tipped over a trestle table before sprinting off towards a house in the middle distance. For a moment she considered stopping them, but determined the effort required would likely not satisfy any aid the pony could provide. Not one of the little ponies running back and forth stopped to render assistance. It appeared things had devolved even further in the thousand years she had been gone. At least the hooflickers from a thousand years were attentive. "Still," she thought. "The ponies from a thousand years ago would already be hiding in their sad little homes hours before her sun touched the horizon, especially in a small town like this. So why are there so many still out?" Reaching up with her magic she pulled down one of the hanging pennants from a nearby building. A sun sigil was emblazoned on it, a loose replication of her own cutie mark. Disappointing. The pennant turned to ashes in an instant. “Maam. We will need to ask you to stand down.” Infernia could have laughed. A lowly peasant giving her orders? She looked down. A white pegasus stood holding aloft a spear, aimed threateningly in her direction. She flashed her sharp teeth. He held his ground. She could play their game, for now. “Where is my sister?” “If you will please cease your magic and come with us I am sure…” “I have no interest in going anywhere with you.” spat Infernia. “Take me to my sister, or you will not like the consequences.” “You must come with us. Stand down immediately, or we will use force.” His hoof was shaking now. Infernia could practically smell the nervous sweat dripping down his coat. He knew something she was sure of it. Her mane flamed in rage. “What have you traitorous mules done to her? Tell Us now or We will smite you where you stand!” He stood firm. “We answer only to the Princess.” "Brave", thought Infernia. "Foolish." It mattered little to her. “So be it.” A pillar of flame rippled out from her hooves, blasting all ten of the guards back. They landed in a heap across the square. Already Infernia could see none would rise soon. Good. She might need to question them later. That was if Luna had not already been found. She turned to the townsponies who had ceased their aimless running to stand frozen in shock. "See now before thee what becomes of traitors." Infernia announced imperiously. Her slitted eyes narrowed. If guards would not inform her of her sister’s location she would simply need to find a more pliable pony. She spotted a young earth pony filly stood alone huddled by an apple stand. She would do. Crossing the square with two flaps of her white wings Infernia once again demanded her sisters location. The yellow filly shrank back from her, face reddened with the heat of Infernia’s breath. “I-I I’m sorry maam, but I don’t know who your sister is.” stuttered the filly. Sensing no deception Infernia cocked her brow. “Surely this cannot be so?” she asked quizzically. “Mine sister is thy Princess. Bringer of the cool Night that soothes my heat and brings thee thy rest. Surely thine parents cannot have been so traitorous as to turn from thy Princess such?” "My parents are dead." whispered the small pony, red mane falling from her ribbon to cover her eyes. The mare’s eyes softened slightly. "And mine sister?" she asked quietly. The filly looked back up "I uh, I dunno, I mean I ain’t never seen a pony as big as you before. Only pony that even comes close is Princess Luna. She ain’t quite so tall though.” “Luna?” “Yeah." said the earth filly perking up. "Princess Luna’s awesome! She don’t leave the castle much, but one time she came here for Nightmare Night. She bobbed so many apples Big Mac had to gallop back all the way to Sweet Apple Acres for a new bushel. She’s the best Princess ever!” The alicorn’s stern visage melted away to reveal a genuine soft smile as the flames in her mane calmed, till they seemed more akin to a warm campfire that an all-consuming blaze. “Thou art wise child.” said Infernia. “I shall spare you the judgement that now falls on those who betrayed my sister so long ago. Now tell me child. Where is thy Princess?” "I am here Nightmare." came a voice from behind, its measured tone barely hiding the raging torrent of emotions beneath. Infernia span around reptilian eyes widening in hope. “Luna?” “Aye, Nightmare. I am here. Though I wish you were not.” “Sister?” Luna’s eyes narrowed. “You are not my sister.” “Can these traitorous wretches really have blinded you so sister?” “I was blind Nightmare, but no longer." She took a breath. "I had hoped to see my sister standing before me. But now I see the only way to free her is to destroy you first.” “Luna, please.” The Princess of the Night bit her lip. “You speak with Celestia’s voice, but I know you are not her.” “Celestia was weak. Celestia stood by and let you fall. She was too weak to protect you." said the white alicorn sorrowfully. "She was too weak to do what needed to be done. I am Infernia now. I will never be so weak again!” “Why must you do this sister? These are your subjects just as surely as they are ours. Will you not protect them? Not leave them out of your misguided vengeance?” “Why should I? They dragged you down. They turned on you. They do not deserve you!” “And you do?” Infernia looked at her little sister, sorrow written large in her features. “Did you not miss me at all little sister?” “Every day.” Luna said quietly. “Then why do you turn from me now? I only wish to dispense justice.” “Justice?” Luna spat in disbelief. “Justice! For what?” “For the way they treated you sister.” "That was a thousand years ago." "And they hurt you for a thousand before that!" "I know" said Luna pained voice barely above a whisper. "And yet still you protect them?" asked Infernia incredulously. “I do. And if you were truly my sister you would too.” "Celestia failed you. I am your true sister." "Celestia was a better pony than you will ever be." "Lulu, please." "Do not call me that!" snapped Luna. "You have no right!" "Truly, do all the tears you shed mean nothing to you?" "My tears are for them; and for you." "You would turn on your own sister for the very ponies who for, so very long, turned from you. Protect those monsters, even above yourself?" "Always sister, just as you once taught me." "Then it seems I shall have to protect you, even from yourself, little sister." "So be it Nightmare." said Luna, flaring her wings in challenge. "So be it, little sister." As one the two alicorns soared up into the sky: Luna to protect her ponies, Infernia to save her sister. The two circled each other in a dance as old as the cosmos. Light and dark, each searching for an opening. Neither willing to give ground. Both with something beyond mortal value to lose. In the end Luna's patience won out. Infernia's desperation made her press the attack, wild rage throwing flame and fire across the sky and filling it with smoke. Luna was an leaf on the cold winter wind, swift and merciless. Every gap Infernia left she filled, sharp lances of cerulean energy cutting through ash and smog. Looking out from her window, all Twilight could see of her mentor was a dark cloud of smoke which crackled with arcane energy. Fire and lightning chased each other, until suddenly the fire broke away arcing instead to strike to town below. From the sky came a mighty cry of fury, as the two figures once again became visible. Infernia hovered defenceless white wings spread wide. "Come sister. Strike me down. Or do your captors mean so little to you?" Infernia taunted. Luna turned, diving at breakneck speeds to intercept the flaming meteors. Barely she beat them to their destination stopping barely a foot from the ground to funnel all her power into a sapphire shield that stretched and spun, catching each and every burning meteor, though sweat and burns grew on her skin. Tirelessly she endured the assault, teeth gritted in fierce concentration. Golden chains crossed over her body, holding her fast, as Infernia descended down to join her. "A cruel trick. Using innocents to draw me in." accused Luna. "Truly your love is poison." Having expected the Nightmare to attack or push the advantage, she was instead surprised to look up to see a hauntingly familiar look of guilt on her sister's face. "I promised you once that I would always be there for you." said Infernia softly. "No matter what happened I would protect you, never abandon you as they did." She sighed heavily. "And yet, a thousand years on, still I stand here failing you here sister. Perhaps I truly have learned nothing from our time apart." The bonds around Luna loosened a faction. "You never failed me before sister. Celestia never failed me. I am a lead casket weighing you down sister. You need only look at yourself to see so." She shook her head. "No, I shall fail you no longer. Dragging Celestia down with me is truly the last nail in my coffin." "Strange, we always thought you the better mare." "If you really believe that sister, then please forgive me for what I must do." "Always." Turning away to hide her tears, Luna once again soared higher into the sky as Infernia followed behind. Stopping far enough above the town that they were little more than dots in the sky they turned to face each other, the few feet that separated them an ocean of unspoken words. "Forgive me sister." With a mighty crack Princess Luna, sole reigning monarch of Equestria sent a crackling orb of midnight blue magic at her sister. Infernia returned it. To Twilight it seemed as if the Sun and Moon themselves were warring in the sky. The Night and Day met in blinding combat. Blue and Gold duelled, each pouring more and more magic; until even they could not be seen beneath their spell's might. The two lights met in the sky, light and dark fused for a moment before darkness rejected the light, attempting to throw it from the sphere. Cracks of blinding light tore through the safety of the shell as dark sought to extinguish burning light. As Twilight watched in horror it shattered. Both combatants were engulfed in light. The sky was white. Catching a glimpse of a winged form limping out from behind a cloud refuge Twilight strained to see their colours. Ash covered their side, but it was unmistakable. Fire poured from the alicorn's eyes as much as their mane, as they searched the sky with fanatic fervour. It was when they dived that Twilight saw it. A dark figure falling from the sky to the ground below. Twilight froze. Infernia screamed, desperate and afraid. "LUNA!" The battle forgotten, unicorn and alicorn held their breath. Time stopped. Luna fell. Metres from the ground the Nightmare caught her, living flame cradling the fallen Princess in its embrace. A blinding flash of light erupted. When Twilight could see again, both Princess Luna and the Nightmare were gone.