Moon and Magic
Chapter One: Meet the Family
Twilight could barely sit still on the balcony of her mother’s room. Today was the day they would be free and she was the one who would be freeing them. She had been studying the sealing barrier around the moon for the last four years, and today was the day she would break it. Not through brute force, no, but through careful calculation and manipulation, she would set them free. Her mother had been on the moon for 999 years now and deserved to be free. Twilight also wanted to see her brother again, she left out of nowhere and he probably thinks she’s dead at this point, she just hopes he won’t be too angry.
There was one pony she was both extremely excited as well as very nervous to see, her aunt Celestia. It had only recently occurred to Twilight that if it were not for Celestia she may have never met her mother. Not because Celestia put Luna on the moon, no, because it was Celestia that inspired Twilight to study magic after watching her raise the sun for the summer sun celebration. If it were not for that studying, she would not have had any clue how to teleport or that ponies used to wish on the moon. She just hoped her aunt liked her.
“Are you sure about this, Twilight?” Her mother asked from her left. Turning her head to look at her, Luna was clearly hiding her emotions, but Twilight knew her mother well. She was worried, if not terrified. Twilight wasn’t around almost a thousand years ago, but she could only imagine how she was treated back then to have her be so terrified to go back. “After all, the seal will be broken in another year, why rush it?”
“You don’t know that for sure, Mom. It’s only a theory, for all we know the spell is permanent unless it’s forcibly broken. Also if the seal were to break on its own without me converting it into an air shield, all the plants we grew on the moon would die and all the water would simultaneously freeze and evaporate. We spent so much time turning the moon into a paradise and I don’t want to risk it being destroyed. You also can't stay up here forever, and I want to see my brother again. I also want to meet my aunt,” Twilight looked forward again over the green plains and forests of the moon outside the castle grounds. “I don’t want to stay trapped here forever, I want to be free and I want you to be free too, Mom.” Luna sighed.
“I guess you’re right.” Despite being almost two thousand years old, her daughter was a better voice of reason, that is unless she was obsessing over something trivial. Luna couldn’t help chuckle at a memory of her daughter freaking out about one of the rooms in the castle being asymmetrical. Turning to look at the planet they were soon going to return too, she could easily make out the continent of Equestria. “Okay, I’m ready.”
Nodding, Twilight closes her eyes and begins to work. Her magic flows out towards the barrier to feel it. All the components of the spell are there, Perception filter, check. Shield spell, check. Entropy filter, check. Good, all three parts of the spell were there, and now comes the process of taking it apart. First I need to remove the entropy filter. With it, in place, no amount of magic will be able to alter the sealing spell. Entropy spells were charms added to spells or objects to cause any magic force applied to it to be rapidly spread throughout the system it was applied to. This in itself made it nearly impossible to dispel, but Twilight was confident she knew just what to do. She needed to reverse the function of the charm, convince it was something else, and that’s what she did. She turned the entropy spell upon itself causing the charm to destroy itself.
Next, she needed to do two things in one. She needed to alter the shield spell so it allowed ponies to pass through but keep the moon’s atmosphere in, but the shield spell already had a charm on it, a perception filter. That’s why it looks like there is a unicorn’s head on the moon. The spell is there to keep anypony from possibly discovering Luna on it. It made it easy for it to just become a legend. She began reforming the perception filter into something new. She even added a light charm and a crono charm to ensure the plants had some sort of day-night cycle so it didn’t require Twilight and Luna to maintain it.
“Done,” she breathed a sigh of mild exhaustion. It took a lot more magic than she had expected, but she was still conscious, so that was good. She felt a pair of hooves wrap around her and pull her into a hug.
“Oh Twilight, that was amazing I’m so proud of you!” Luna praised, giving her daughter a bone-crushing hug. Twilight blushed at the praise.
“Thanks, Mom.” She said trying her best to return the hug, very difficult considering that she had her back pressed against her mother’s chest and stomach and her death grip left little room to turn around. Twilight just settled for closing her eyes and leaning into the hug. The two stayed like this for a few more moments before Luna finally released her daughter, “well, are you ready to meet your aunt?”
“I think the question is, are you ready to face your sister,” Twilight said knowingly. Luna sighed.
“No, but I need to do this, and you’re right that we can't stay here forever. Get on my back, and I’ll take us down,” Luna commanded. Twilight nodded and teleported onto her mother’s back. Despite being a full-grown mare, her mother was still much larger than her. Twilight lit her horn to add a protection spell so as to stave off the vacuum of space. Checking to make sure her daughter was ready, Luna took a deep breath to calm her nerves and tapped into her alicorn magic. Time to meet the family, she thought before rocketing off of the balcony and to the planet below.
Celestia gasped, as she sat up in her bed abruptly. She had been violently ripped from her slumber by a feeling she feared more than anything else. Someone had tampered with the sealing spell on the moon. Stumbling out of bed, Celestia scrambled to her hooves and ran out of her room and onto the adjacent balcony. Looking up to where there used to be a silver and grey moon now hung a beautiful blue and green sphere.
Celestia gazed upon the beautiful orb for a few more moments but was pulled out of her trance when she sensed something that filled her with dread. She could sense another alicorn… two alicorns? No that couldn’t be right. It didn’t matter, all that did matter was the fact that Nightmare Moon had returned a year early, but that didn’t matter either, because she didn’t have someone who could bear the element of magic. She would have to go through with her back up plan either way. She would have to kill Nightmare Moon.
“Guard!” She called, and was followed by her bedroom door opening as a white unicorn stallion wearing standard Canterlot armor stepped in. “Wake Captain Shining Armor, and tell him to meet me in the war room!” she commanded.
“Yes, your majesty!” He saluted and quickly left the room. Once the door closed, Celestia quickly moved across the room to her walk-in closet. Once inside she made her way to the far end of the closet to a large, ornate sun made of gold embedded into the wall. Casting her magic, she pressed her will into the golden sun and it split down the middle and swung outward away from Celestia to reveal a hidden compartment.
Celestia stepped into the room and an array of magically lit lanterns came to life, bathing the room in a soft orange glow. In the center of the room was a large poniequin, too large to be meant to model anything except an alicorn. On it was a set of thick, golden war armor. It wasn’t actually made of gold, but of an alloy long forgotten, and was only enchanted to look gold. Celestia hadn't worn it in over a thousand years.
Pushing the memory of her failure that the ancient armor brought forth, she began removing the armor from the poniequin, with her hooves instead of her magic, and began placing it on herself. She found, much to her annoyance, that the armor felt tight around her hips. She hated that her dietitian was correct in his assumption that she ate too many sweets. Again, she pushed the thought aside and focused on strapping the armor on. Once she had it on, she turned to an object hanging on a wall next to the poniequin.
A large, golden sword hilt. Most would think it be strange for ponies to have swords with hilts and not just a blade that a unicorn could swing around. After all, ponies didn’t have appendages that could grip. This, however, was different from a normal sword hilt. In the middle of the hilt, where the hand and the crossbar met, sat a burnt-yellow gem. This was a bound weapon, specifically tailored to its user.
“Hello old friend, I never thought I would ever need use of you again,” she spoke. In response, the gem in the hilt pulsed. Taking the hilt in her magic, she brought it to herself to inspect up close. “Hello, Beacon, it’s been a long time,” she said warmly to the gem. Beacon pulsed eagerly in response, happy to see its old friend. Celestia smiled for a second before it bent into a deep frown. “I’m sorry, Luna. I wasn’t able to save you from your madness, now I have no choice but to kill that monster, and you with it.” A tear rolled down her cheek. Focusing her magic into Beacon, a golden light extended out from the hilt and formed a wide blade similar to a gladius, but a little longer. “Forgive me, sister.”
Shining Armor was tired. It was three in the morning, and he had been up late training new recruits, so yeah he was exhausted. However, when duty calls, he answers, like he had done for the past eleven years. Eleven years, seven since Twilly disappeared. When his little sister had inexplicably vanished he had almost dropped out of military service. If it were not for a certain pink alicorn, he would have had no reason to stay in the guard. Now, he was the highest ranked member of the royal military, Captain of the royal guard, and head of the nation’s entire military second only to Celestia herself.
As if responding to his thoughts, the alicorn of the sun herself walked in, wearing her ancient battle armor. A thousand alarms went off in Shining’s head. If the princess was prepared for a battle, then whatever it was she called him here for, it had to be very, very serious. “Princess, I assume there is something about to happen and it isn’t good,” he spoke.
“That is correct, Captain,” she answered. “An evil has returned to the world, and is a threat to all,” she begins to explain. “This evil is an alicorn, known as Nightmare Moon. She was at one point my sister, but sadly one day she fell into darkness and tried to bring about eternal night. I was forced to seal her in the moon for a thousand years.” She was pacing back and forth at this point.” I had hoped that by now I would have a way to free her from her madness, but unfortunately, I have none. I am now forced to make the unfortunate decision of having to strike her down.” She took in a breath not realizing she hadn’t inhaled once since starting. Turning back to face Shining, she continued. “I know this is a lot of information to take in at once, but it’s imperative that you are informed on as much as you need.” Shining nodded and Celestia continued.
“I am about to go out and face my sister in a fight to the death. I don’t want to leave anything to chance. Being the most powerful unicorn experienced with battle magic, I request you aid me in this battle. I can not afford to fail, and you are the only one I trust to help me in this task, do you understand?” she asked.
“Yes, your majesty,” Shining responds, “I will help you in this task if it means keeping Equestria and Cadence safe,” he said confidently. Celestia smiled at this, Shining Armor was probably the greatest soldier she had ever seen. He had been known for both being effective in the field, while at the same time compassionate. He was renowned for his good treatment towards surveillance of enemy nations. When she had heard he favored capturing enemy soldiers over killing them, she had him promoted to a platoon leader. His platoon had captured hundreds of enemy soldiers and only killed about twenty in the first week of him in command. Despite this, he could kill and he would do so if there was no other option. That’s why she chose him for this when he needed to kill he did not hold back, he tried to make it as painless as possible for his enemies, making him brutally effective when he did kill.
“Then suit up, we depart in an hour, and I believe I know where to look for her,” she said. Shining saluted and left the room to get prepared. Celestia made her way over to one of the small windows in the war room. Gazing up she could see that the moon was still a mix of blue and green.”What are you planning sister?”
“This is where I lived almost a thousand years ago,” Luna explained to her daughter as they made their way through the ruins of an ancient castle. “It saddens me to see it in this state, though I am not surprised, not much can survive the sands of time.
“Why are we waiting here?” Twilight asked.
“Because my sister is sure to know that I have escaped the moon, and will be looking to confront me. It would be best if we are isolated from civilization, in case things don’t go over well. Also, a lack of any major distractions will make it easier to talk to my sister,” Luna explained.
“I hope it doesn’t come to anything drastic. I don’t want my first day back on Equis to be a battle”
“Neither do I, but it’s always a possibility. Either way, I have taught you well and if it does turn into a battle I am confident you will be able to defend yourself,” Luna sighed. “Twilight, promise me if things turn out to for the worse that you run. Do not stick around, just run, find your way back to the moon and seal yourself there so Celestia cannot get to you. I want you to stay safe Twilight.”
“Mom…” Twilight began, but Luna cut her off.
“Somepony is approaching, an Alicorn, and a powerful unicorn. Look as non-threatening as possible.”
“Says the pony with black fur, sharp teeth, and slitted pupils.” Twilight joked lightheartedly. Luna smiled as the tensions in the air lessened at her daughter’s remark.
“Point taken,” Luna responded. Any further conversation was prevented as two ponies entered through the front door of the castle. One was a tall white alicorn with an ethereal multicolored mane. The other was a white unicorn stallion with a three-toned blue mane. Both of them were wearing battle armor. The unicorn had a long blade strapped to his back while the alicorn had a large golden sword hilt strapped to her side.
“Nightmare Moon,” Celestia addressed the dark Alicorn.
“Luna,” Luna corrected.
“What!?” Celestia was surprised by that response.
“I may look like Nightmare Moon, but I assure you that I am Luna,” She explained.
“You expect me to believe that?!” Celestia drew her weapon. “When you have clearly kidnapped this young mare.” Celestia gestured to Twilight who was standing stock still staring at the other unicorn.
“This mare is my daughter and your niece,” Luna said matter of factly. Celestia gawked at that declaration.
“Y-your…” Celestia stammered, but could not find the words. Before either of the two alicorns could say another word, the stallion spoke.
“T-Twiley?” Shining asked in disbelief at the unicorn mare standing across from him, wearing the same disbelieving expression. The mare nodded before responding with her own question.
“Shining?” the mare asked, to which the stallion responded with a nod of his own. The two unicorns continued to stare at each other in disbelief, while the two alicorns watched on in confusion. The tension was broken when the stallion ran forward and pulled the younger mare into a hug only an older brother could give.
“You’re alive. I can't believe it, you're alive!” Shining cried into his sister’s mane, refusing to let go as if she could vanish again if he let go. Despite his cold armor pressing against her fur, Twilight returned the hug and also began to cry.
“So that’s Shining Armor,” Luna said softly to herself. Celestia turned back to give her a questioning look. Luna noticed and decided to answer the question that was clearly being asked, “Twilight spoke fondly of her brother, and how, after their parents died, he entered the military to keep her safe from the griffons.”
“You said she was your daughter,” Celestia stated with a twinge of disdain in her voice. Luna ignored it and continued.
“She appeared on my moon seven years ago, she had wished upon my moon for a mother and it granted her wish. It unlocked her magic for her and guided her to me. “Luna looked directly into Celestia’s eyes and her voice became serious.” I adopted her as my own, and you would be wise not to separate us,” Luna finished and turned back to the two crying unicorns.
“Sister?” Celestia spoke. Luna turned to her and gave her a mildly surprised look of Celestia calling her sister. “Is it really you?” She asked. No longer did she look threatening, but instead she appeared more vulnerable and less imposing.
“Yes sister, I may still look like Nightmare, but I am still Luna,” she said sincerely. Celestia took a few tentative steps toward the darker alicorn. Slowly she closed the distance between looking over her sister’s nightmare form for any sign of a threat. She saw none, she wasn’t wearing armor, wasn't baring her teeth, and her stance was relaxed. Luna was even slouching. Just like when they were young.
Celestia was shaking now, and her eyes were brimming with tears. She couldn't take it anymore and ran forward, pulling the dark alicorn into a back breaking hug. Celestia began to sob uncontrollably. Luna returned the hug, tears of her own began to sting her eyes.”I f-finally have you back, a-after all these years I-I have m-my sister b-b-back!” she wailed uncontrollably. “I’m s-so sorry, I’m so s-s-sorry Luna! I should have listened to you! I shouldn’t have abandoned you like that! I-I’m a t-t-terrible s-sister!” Luna tightened her hug at that statement.
“I forgive you, Celestia, I forgave you a long time ago.” Luna cried in return to her sister’s sobs. “You’re not a terrible sister, you’re the greatest sister a pony could ever ask for,” she reassured. “I love you, Celestia.” The two pairs of siblings cried for what felt like an eternity. Eventually their crying lessened and they began to catch up with each other.
“So, can I meet my newest niece?” Celestia asked.
“Newest niece?” Luna gave her a questioning look.
“Cadance is also an alicorn, she is the descendant of Mi Amour. I also adopted her, though as my niece instead of my daughter,” Celestia explained.
“The Crystal Empire! has it returned?”
“No, not yet, but the emergence of an alicorn that is the descendant of the crystal princess is a sign that it will return soon,” Celestia explained. Luna nodded in understanding. “We can discuss this later. I’d really like to meet Twilight.”
“Okay,” Luna turned to the two unicorns talking joyously. “Twilight can you come over here for a second?” Twilight nodded and appeared before them with a teleport. Celestia was a bit surprised by that. Regaining her composer quickly, Celestia spoke.
“Hello, Twilight. It’s good to meet you, my name is Celestia,” Celestia started. Twilight smiled brightly.
“I know. I saw you at the summer sun celebration when I was four. You’re the reason I started studying magic,” Twilight admitted.
“Oh, really? Maybe, if it’s okay with Luna, I could teach you a few things about magic,” Celestia offered while giving a sidelong glance at her sister. Luna nodded in agreement. Twilight’s eyes grew big and sparkled excitedly.
“YES YES YES YES!” she cheered excitedly, jumping around in circles. Celestia noticed something strange at the moment. Unbeknownst to Twilight there, was a small light emanating from her cutie mark. It was more like a quick flash, but Celestia noticed it. That’s when she got a good look at the mare’s cutie mark. A six-pointed starburst with three smaller stars around it. Celesta gave a questioning look to her sister and Luna returned it with a knowing one.
“I can teach you what I know, but for now I think you should continue catching up with your brother, Luna and I have a few things to discuss as well,” Celestia explained and Twilight nodded while still possessing a massive smile. Twilight hugged Celestia quickly before teleporting back over to where her brother was waiting.
“I see you noticed her cutie mark,” Luna noted.
“Yes, but what was that flash of light?”
“She forged a bond with you,” Luna explained.
“What do you mean, sister?”
“When Twilight came to the moon her cutie mark only had the starburst. The night after I took her in I had found that her cutie mark now also had a star. A few years later I brought up her brother and she explained how much she loved him. That’s when I too saw a flash of light and another star appeared. The appearance of the third just now all but proves my theory”
“And what is that?”
“That Twilight isn’t just the element of magic, but magic itself. I have an idea that she may be able to tap into the same powers of those she has forged a bond with. I believe the closer the bond, the more she’ll be able to access that ponies talents. She can already use my dark magic quite well.”
“How good are her shield spells?”
“Virtually indestructible.”
“Then I think you may be right, sister. Shining Armor is best known for possessing great skill in shield spells, even I have trouble breaking them,” Celestia explained. After a moment Celestia chuckled, “I can't believe it, my sister not only comes back to me after almost a thousand years but returns with a daughter who is magic incarnate. This has been the most eventful day of my life in the past thousand years.” Celestia laughed and Luna joined in. After a few moments of mirthful laughter, Luna spoke.
“I assume you intend to restore me to my position as co-ruler of Equestria?”
“Of course Luna why would you even ask that?”
“Because I want Twilight to also be given that title as my heir.”
“Luna… she is a unicorn, she won’t live long enough to ever hope of succeeding you.”
“I don’t think that will be a problem for long.”
“Why do you say that?”
“I have confidence that she will be able to ascend to an alicorn.”
“Luna, you know that’s only a theory, one that has never been proven possible.”
“What about Cadance?”
“She was born an Alicorn.”
“Sister, if there is anyone who has any hope of ascending, it’s Twilight. I am confident she will be able to do it in time,” Luna said assuredly. Celestia contemplated it for a bit before replying.
“Okay Luna, I trust you. I’ll make her a princess as well.”
“Thank you, Celestia. I know that in time she may even surpass the both of us.”
Celestia felt a warm smile spread across her muzzle. “I wonder if she could wield the elements on her own.”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. For now, I’m done talking about this, I want to know what you have been up to while I was away.” Luna gave a mischievous smile.
“Oh, and what would you like to know?”
“Any stallions I should know about?” Luna gave a wry smile. Celestia blushed furiously.
“S-sister!” she exclaimed, her voice cracking just a little. Luna giggled and continued.
“Or are mares what you’re into these days?”
“Luna, I swear!”
“Oh come now, sister, am I the only one of us to have ever wanted to start a family?” Luna asked sincerely.
“I’ve been busy, it’s not easy being the sole ruler of an entire nation. I don’t have time for that kind of thing.”
“Didn’t have time,” Luna corrected. “I’m back now, and I’m sure you will have time now that I am back to help you rule.”
“Hmm, I guess you are right. I’ll give it some thought, I have always wanted a son.”
“I’m sure your guard there could help you with that,” Luna gave a suggestive smile. Celestia laughed.
“Oh no, he’s taken. Cadance got to him before I did. They are currently engaged.”
“I wonder how Twilight will react to knowing she could have a sister-in-law soon?” Luna wondered. As if to answer her question, Twilight squealed.
“YOU’RE GETTING MARRIED!? YOU HAVE TO TELL ME EVERYTHING!” Twilight had tackled her brother to the stone floor looking over him eagerly, waiting for him to explain. The two turned to look at each other for a moment before the two fell over in laughter rolling along the floor. Twilight gave them a confused look, but Twilight just shrugged and joined her mother an aunt on the floor in mirthful laughter.
She didn’t care why they were laughing, Twilight was just happy to be apart of a family. Family, I have a family. Twilight indeed had a family now. Not only did she have a mother now, but also a loving aunt, a big brother, and soon a sister-in-law that she couldn’t wait to meet. Twilight couldn’t be happier.