Chapter 3: A war to (not) be remembered...
Luna looked in awe at the sight before and around here.
The shop seemed to be separated into two areas. The one she was currently in was without a doubt the major selling area. The walls were lined with shelves, filled with numerous boxes.
Several shelves also stood in the middle of the room, stuffed with all Kinds of stuff, ranging from dices to small books, what looked like some sort of map, over to several wooden shapes and objects that she could not make any sense of, and glue?
Why did they sell glue?
This certainly was not a hardware store, there was nothing else you might seek there, so why the glue?
Oh well, it must have some purpose.
As Luna looked around she could also spot the register on her left side, right in the corner. Behind it sat a dark gray unicorn with a black and white striped mane. He was currently reading a magazine of sorts, not noticing her looking around.
Luna let her eyes wander over the different products. Some were familiar from the storefront, the rest was new. There were even some copies of different versions of Solar vs. Lunar as well, among the other countless board games.
Luna walked around for a few more minutes, fascinated from all the different designs, until the stallion finally saw her.
"Oh! Apologies, I didn't see you there, I was ahm... Welcome to the Game-Cove."
Luna gave him a small 'hi' before continuing to look at the games in front of her, while the shopkeeper walked to her.
"Is there something that I can help you with, are you looking for something specific?"
“Yes, indeed. I am here because I‘m interested in the Solar vs. Lunar series, and I heard this shop would have a good selection of games, so I came here.“ Luna took a look at the other half of the shop, which was separeted mostly by shelves filled with products. From what she could see so far, the room had several tables and chairs in it.
Turning again to the employee she said:"I already looked up a lot of the background info, but I felt it would be good to... well, get a more... practical feeling for it?“
He nodded, seemingly in his own thoughts for a moment, and then turned to the separated part of the room.
“I think I know what you mean, if you please follow me.“
Luna did so as they walked past the shelves into the half-room. There were indeed chairs and tables grouped together, with groups of ponies and different games set between them. It was surprisingly spacious.
The pair trotted towards a group of four, sitting around a large board with lots of small figures.
“I think in your decision, it would make the most sense to watch an actual game, so you can get a feeling for it.“ The stallion grinned. “Although the best method is still to play a game yourself, but I think some prefer to observe first.“
Arriving at the table he cleared his throat to gather the attention of the players. “ Excuse me guys, but would be a problem if this mare could watch your game from the side? Yes, no?“
The group looked at Luna for a moment (some longer then others), before giving positive nods and returning to their game. “Excellent, you can take one of the empty chairs.“
With that the shopkeeper trotted back to his spot at the register, all the while Luna made herself comfortable.
The game went on for about an hour and half, and it was... interesting to say the least. Luna got the basic rules figured out after twenty minutes, and spent the rest of the time commenting the players moves in her head.
It was kinda enjoyable, watching them trying to outsmart and defeat each other, coming up with plans, making alliances only to stab each other in the back. Then making pacts with those betrayed just a few moments earlier.
Near the end, Luna’s mind began to drift away, not because of boredom but rather her own lively imagination.
A malicious grin formed on her face, as an idea started to form in her mind.
That would be a lot of fun.
With the plan settled in her mind she got up, thanked the ponies for letting her watch (her grin of course contained, as to not scare them) and made her way to the exit.
Only when she was about to leave the store, she stopped.
Then she turned again and walked to one of the shelves.
This shouldn’t take long.
———000———
Celestia walked through the hallways, her mind on one of the most difficult topics she had to deal with, thus being one she generally disliked.
Nobles.
They could be sorted by simple diagramm.
Horizontal skala for how their company was (enjoyable-pleasant-neutral/cold-unpleasant-annoying).
Vertical skala for their competence (competent-manageable-affordable-incompetent-non-existent).
Fancy Pants as an example, was pretty high on both skalas. Hoity Toity? Well he was competent, but his company rating tended to be rather cold/neutral.
Blueblood... Well...
He was incompetent par excellence, though he sometimes did manage to do something, that something was almost always not helpfull.
As for his company rating. Clearly he was annoying most of the time, but his idiotic behavior could be amusing at times, so Celestia wasn’t sure about him.
At the moment, Celestia‘s mind was occupied by the unpleasant, (mostly) incompetent nobles. Incompetent in the context that they protested against laws, thought of themselves as superior and above the commons, squabbled among eachother and generally annoyed her.
And they took up about sixty percent of the nobility.
Sigh
But that was fine for Celestia. Really. She had lived far longer than them, she had grown to ignore their petty behavior. She wouldn’t stress herself out because of them and she certainly...
...didn’t know why the candles were out?
And why there was almost no light, of sun or fire or lamp, in the first place?
And why nopony was present, in the, suddenly very dark, hallways?
A feeling of dread began to take root inside her, making her shiver. This was not good.
Not normal and definitely not good.
Still, Celestia pressed forward, intend to find out why her place suddenly went completely horror scenario (in the middle of a sunny and cheerfull day no less). With determination she walked down the hallway, towards a double door, which should lead into one of the castles small meeting rooms. The doors didn't resist her magic but past them, there was nothing but blackness.
Now it was certain, something or -pony was playing with her. At any time of day AND night, the hallways would be enlightend by the natural light of the sun or moon, they were designed and built that way.
As Celestia stepped into the room, she tried to lit her horn. Then the doors closed themselves. The sudden noise threw her of completely, her spell failing, while the white princess herself let out an involuntary little squeak.
Just as she tried to cast her small light spell again to finally be able to look around, the room was suddenly engulfed in light, as four seperate fires lit up, each in one corner of the room.
The cold blue flames burned brightly in their braziers, casting their creepy light on a dark figure in the middle of the room.
Celestia‘s eyes went wide as she recognized the form of another alicorn, as tall as herself.
Jet black fur, blue garments that reflected the fire‘s light and the flowing mane. It was clear who stood before her...
.“You have arrived, dear sister. I‘ve awaited you. I‘ve awaited this moment, for one thousand years.“ The alicorn cackled, her shadow looming over the sun princess, menacingly, threatening.
.“Today, the battle between day and night shall once more take place. And today, I, Nightmare Moon, will finally defeat you Celestia!“
.“N-no.“
.“Prepare yourself f-... Wait what?“ The dark alicorn blinked and dropped her menacing (and almost dramatic) pose.“What do mean No?“
."You're not N-Nightmare Moon, so just stop acting l-like her Luna...", Celestia said, while trying to keep herself from hyperventilating.
."I AM Nightmare Moon, and I challenge you Celestia. I challenge you to a last-"
."STOP IT LUNA!" Celestia yelled at the other alicorn. Her body began to shake uncontrollable, her voice trembled. "P-please just... just stop Luna... I... d-don't act like her... Please!"
Luna stood there for a moment, shocked at the state her older sister was in, becuase of her. Disspelling her disguise, she almost ran to her shaken sister, pulling her into a deep hug.
"I'm sorry sister. I am so, so sorry! Everything is okay."
The two diarchs sat there for a while embracing eachother, iluminated by the blue flames.
One was shaking and silently sobbing, the other one doing her best to comfort her.
———000———
The sun was gently making it's way to the horizon, the afternoon beginning to slowly change into the evening. The Royal Gardens of the Canterlot castle was, as always, a beautifull sight.
Colourfull flowers grew in either carefully planted patterns or in wild explosions of coloured petals.
Birds flew around, some of them singing their little songs from the tree branches.
Amidst this calming scenery, two beings sat at a picnic table, in a small secluded part of the garden. Both were sipping their tea with gentle, peacefull expressions.
Between them on the piece of white furniture laid an array of different items. Pots filled with several different flavors of tea, a few cakes and other pastries from the kitchen, a rather old and worn box and lastly two full sets of metallic garments. One was golden and the other a crystal blue.
After a while, the old box began to move, guided by their magic, opening itself and releasing its contents of small figurines, cards and a map. It all seemed so very coordinated, the pieces not resting until they all seemed to have found their righteous place. As the last piece set down, the sisters did the same with their tea sets.
"After everything I've done, I can't believe that we are doing this.", Luna said to her sister, while moving the tea pot over to refill her sisters cup.
"Oh, I'm fine, thank you. We have all calmed down now and I think this will help to relax a bit more.", Celestia replied, before adding "Next time you want to play somehting though, just ask normal."
Luna rolled her eyes a bit, but the small blush on her cheeks betrayed her shame.
"Well then, shall we begin?"
"We shall, little sister."
"Could you hand me the rules please? I am afraid I need to refresh my memory a bit."
Luna couldn't help but snort. This evolved into a small fit of supressed laughter and giggles. Celestia gave an overdramatic huff and grabbed the small bouklet herself.
After a few minutes, of re-reading the rules and making sure they both fully understood how to play, the rematch that had waited for one thousand years could begin.
Authors Note:
Role Credits! 
For better understanding, the rules for this game will be mentioned here. Don't worry there are not that many. I actually played this game (mostly, and with myself) and wrote it down so I had a guideline for creating this. (P.S. The "map" I used is also the thumbnail of this story, if you want an visual aid, but has no province names on it.)
These are the rules:
Additional Information:
Done!
Enjoy!!
The first round began and both sisters took their time to assess their situation. Celestia held almost all cities and towns on the map but her forces were spread thin. Only Manehatten, Las Pegasus, Baltimare and Canterlot, where she herself also started, had more than one regular unit.
On the opposite side, Luna was pretty much surrounded although her units were more compactly grouped. Hollow Shades held two units that were in good striking distance of the town Manehatten and the City of Fillydelphia on the east cost. She couldn't take either of them, not in the current situation, but she could pressure them. The bulk of her army resided in Ponyville with three and the Castle with one earth soldier, an air unit, as well as Nightmare Moon herself.
Both sisters were silent for several minutes, thinking,scheming, plotting eachothers downfall, strategizing about the best way to utterly defeat their opponent, and...
"...I think we should set down our orders Lulu."
They looked at eachother, then they chuckled.
"I was just thinking, ok?! You did it too." Luna complained playfully, all the while setting her first tokens face down.
A few moments later, everything was settled and the first round truly began. As the Lunar Player, Luna began with her first order, after all tokens had been flipped up. (Because it is first round, Defence and Support Orders are irrelevant.) She moved the entire army from the castle to the Northern Everfree.
A typical move. Get the main army in the center where it can act. The question is, where does she want to attack?
Celestia activated her first order on the lonely Pegasus at Cloudsdale, bringing him south and in support distance of Canterlot. The next march Order went to the Lunar Ponyville Army, sending them north to the Farmplains near Canterlot. The other Solar Pegasus unit in Baltimare also moved in the capitals direction.
Lastly, Luna activated the two ground units at Hollow Shades, both of them marched east to the Hatten Plains, setting camp before the town of Manehatten. Celestia slowly nodded while her mind already ran through memory and tried to devise an exact strategy. To complete the phase she moved her units in Las Pegasus to the Pegasus plains in the north.
The second round began and with it the first event card came. Luna took one from the deck and flipped it up. It was the order for both sides to muster new units for their army. Celestia was allowed to begin, placing a pegasus onto Vanhoover, far north on the west coast. Luna too placed an air unit, this one in the Hollow Shades however. Celestia than reinforced Canterlot with a ground unit, to which Luna responded with another pegasus in the Castle.
After placing their reinforcements both sides started analyzing and planning, occasionally setting down an order token. When everything was done, the second activation round began.
The Lunar Army from the Castle continued their march eastwards and onto Rocks Ridge. To the West, the newly strengthend Vanhoover force spread out into the Tall Forest to start the assault on the town Tall Tale, its garrison preparing the defences.
On the Farmplains north of Ponyville, a unit of Infantry divided itself from the rest marched onto the Saddle Plains. The same happened before Manehatten, where the forces from Hollow Shades split into two seperate detachments. One remained at its place while the other went south to prepare the siege of Fillydelphia. Meanwhile the Solar garrison from Las Pegasus moved further out to aid the attack on Tall Tale.
Celestia frowned, as Luna's last move blocked two of her east coast cities. Neither of them could move out, and attacking the besieging forces wouldn't suceed, the Pegasus in Hollow Shades would lend support and deny her a victory. This predicament would remain so until new troops would arrive. For her last march order, Celestia moved the unit in Appleloosa to the province between it and Dodge City.
The third round brought with it another event, and with that more worries for the sun princess. The card was named Loyal to the Moon, it allowed her sister to place another two units on the map. Luna chose to send a pegasus and an earth pony to the Smoking Forest.
The orders were given and revealed. Just like Celestia had anticipated, Tall Tale would defend themselves, while the newly brought pegasus unit would support them over the mountains. Any fight between them and her own forces would end in a stalemate. On the other side of the map, Hollow Shades and its forward units continued to lock down Manehatten and Fillydelphia, both settlements were bracing themselves for any attacks.
While Celestia was still analyzing the board, Luna was about to activate her first march order, she only waited for her sister to finish. It would be unfair, not to mention rude to take action when her opponent wasn't paying attention. Finally, Luna gave a small cough, which did bring Celestia out of her thoughts.
With a small sheepish smile she motioned for Luna to go on, only to see her levitating the Nightmare Moon figure to the East Road. The solar air unit standing on the route stood no chance and had to retreat into the Twin Forest, between the cities Fillydelphia and Baltimare, from which it had come out. The rest of the army marched south, crossed the river and now stood before Dodge City. As a response, Celestia reeinforced the town with the unit from Appleloosa. Without support, the enemy would not be able to take it.
The next move on Lunas side saw her two units from Ponyville returning to their origin, this intrigued her sister, after all those units would have been able to win against the Cloudsdale pegasus. She then moved said unit onto the Farmers Range to the south-west. This put more pressure on the western Lunar forces and maybe tip the favors to her side. Lunas last order went to the sole occupant on the Saddle Plains, he went to accompany the Night Queen on the East Road. Seeing how Celestia originally had an order herself on this province, it was discarded with no effect and the fourth round began immediatly.
The next event card was drawn and another mustering went into action. Fillydelphia, Baltimare and Hollow Shades all received an extra air unit of their respective owners, Luna also sent a ground unit to Tall Tale. After that and the much needed thinking phase, the orders were again placed and flipped.
Celestia gave a small inner sigh. Luna's first move was an attack from Tall Tale against the Tall Forest, supported by the forces of the Smoking Forest. The sun princess had hoped to catch her sister of guard, she had aimed to scatter the supporting Lunar troops into the east, so she could take Tall Tale. The besiegers would have given support, but now this plan became useless. The defeated Solar units had to fell back to Vanhoover. The troops from Las Pegasus now had a march order, but nothing they could do.
But not all was lost yet. Celestia activated one of her other orders and from Canterlot all but one earth pony marched out. It was time to bring the Solar Ruler onto the battlefield.
Luna surveyed the map closely. The remaining march order from her sister, barring the one in the east that would be near uselessness, was by the pegasus north of Ponyville. With the Canterlot Army moving out, the small town at the Everfree Forest would be not defendable. Luckily for her, she had placed her second march order on it. Activating it, she moved the two units south into the western parts of the forest. Just like she thought, the enemy air unit was moved south too, keeping itself in striking distance to Ponyville while also falling her supporting forces in the Smoking Forest in the back.
Her own last order was activated north of Dodge City. With support from Nightmare Moon herself, the small town was taken by force, even though its defenders had dug themselves in.
With Celestia passing up her last order, the fith round could begin. They were now through half of the game.
This time, no new units were brought onto the board. Instead, the event was called Neighgara Flood and all the bridges east from Canterlot were essentially blocked for any ground units. Air units however, were still capable of crossing the rivers at any point, would be for a march or support order.
The first battle was fought to the west, as the Lunar forces in the Smoking Forest marched out to the coast with the name of their former princess, pushing back the opposing side further south across a river, and also linking up with their comrades from Tall Tale who supported them in the fight.
Celestia wasn't really worried about this engagement however. Her first action was also an attack, sending the Baltimare garrison into battle against Nightmare Moon. With support coming from the nearby Twin Forest and also from the Sun princess on the other side of the river, the defenders had to flee, even though they had done everything to fortify the position. With this action, almost the entire Lunar army became slowly perched to Hollow Shades and its surrounding land.
With the western forces of the Moon encircled on the coast, as the Cloudsdale pegasi blocked the now vacant Smoking Forest, the only free units under Luna's command where in the south.
From the Everfree, the Ponyville force marched on, setting up camp north of Appleloosa. Here, the defenders of Dodge City had arrived and began preparing new defenses, the ground forces of their defeaters already in pursuit. Only the pegasi stayed in the newly conquered town.
Indeed, the Situation for Luna didn't look that good as it had been. But things like those were fast to change.
Still, bad news kept arriving, in the form of the next event card.
"For the glory of the sun! In every combat situation, the Solar Player will receive an overall strengh bonus of plus 1."
"Wow." Luna said, while reading the card for herself, again and again. "That is usefull."
"Yes it is, if I remember correctly, they didn't have the luxury of testing it properly. They tried to balance those cards by simply giving each side the same ones."
"Mhm." Luna remained in a thoughtfull silence before setting the card down again. "Alright lets get back to the game."
The sixth round saw heavy fighting across all of Equestria. Despite the boost for the Solar army, Fillydelphia was overrun. The attack was lead from the Filly Plains and supported from Hollow Shades as well as the earlier defeated force under Nightmare Moon.
This however brought only a small relief, as Celestia and her own force crossed the river and merged with the Baltimare garrison essentially doubling their strength. Meanwhile, the assault on Appleloosa failed against the newfound willpower of the sun followers. An attack would accomplish next to nothing and even so, Luna's options for actions were extremely limited.
The last of the bad news came from the west, again. From Vanhoover, a counterattack came and drove the Lunar Earth ponies from the Forest. Instead of letting them retreat back to Tall Tale, Luna took the risk, an abanded the town, placing the units to the others at the Lunar Coast. Her last march order had become useless through this retreat, but luckily Celestia hadn't used her third order as well.
---00smallcuttotheendbecauseofreasonstransissionsareweird00---
It was the last turn. The last chance to secure the necessary victory points to win the game.
It had taken a couple of hours, but finally they where at the endgame.
After a lot of back and forth, the final setting stood before them.
Manehatten had finally fallen to the Night, its garrison scattered in the north. The air force from Hollow Shades had met with Nightmare Moon on the Foal Mountains. The ground units that had accompanied her now sat in Fillydelphia,
which was under siege, by a massive Solar army that was lead by the sun princess and fielded great siege engines. The same weaponry was also in use at the castle, where another but smaller army was preparing its assault.
But not all was in favor of Celestia. Appeloosa had been conquered and the defeated units now stood between it and Dodge City, with nowhere to go.
Another siege was also happening in the west, this time the Lunar forces where on the attacking side however. Las Pegasus was their target and no units could support the city.
Lastly, a single Infantry unit, of Lunar allegiance, stood on the Saddle Plains. Right at the bottom of the Canterlot Mountain.
Above the board, the two sisters both drank the last bit of Tea. The pots where all empty, the cake was gone. They were ready to finish this, now and for all.
"No matter who will win this game, nothing will change between us.", Luna said with a serious tone.
"Yes.", her sister replied, the same seriousness surrounding her. "Let us end this fair and squair."
Luna nodded and drew the last event card.
For the Glory of the Moon
"..."
"..."
"Well, as fair as we can get."
And now the last round truly began.
Like always, the first move came from Luna. This time she would begin with her boldest move.
"The unit in the Saddle Plains will attack Canterlot with the support of my air units from the Foal Mountains!"
Celestia leaned closer to the board. Indeed, the mountains were technically in range of Canterlot for this to happen.
She could darkly remember many discussions because of this little leak, but this time she wouldn't start anything.
Giving a small sigh, she removed the unit on Canterlot. With the support and the bonus in strength from the event card, the city had no chance to stand. The worst part was that this card might have costed her the game, she thought as her eyes found the Castle.
Initially, the force she had formed would have been strong enough, but the bonus from the event card had spoiled any chance she had in taking it.
The same went for Manehatten. But not Dodge City, this she could take.
And nothing could stop her army from taking back Fillydelphia. So the city fell back under her own influence.
In return however, Luna took the city Las Pegasus, the extra strength from the card giving her the needed power to suceed.
"Alright, I can't do anything usefull anymore.", she declared after that.
As her last action, Celestia took also Dodge City back. Even though it was a draw in their strength, her ground army defeated the single Pegasus, simply because the rules stated this.
Now it was time to count the victory points.
Celestia held the towns of Tall Tale Vanhoover and Dodge City each giving her one point, and the cities Baltimare and Fillydelphia from which she got two points each. That matched up to a total of seven victory points.
Luna though held more towns and cities. The castle, Canterlot, Las Pegasus and the towns Manehatten, Hollow Shades, Ponyville and Appleloosa. Victory was hers with three points more than her sister.
Both princesses relaxed, letting the tension out of their bodies. Luna the moved over to Celestia and gave her a hug.
"Thank you for doing this with me sister. It was really great."
Celestia smiled and returned the embrace. "It is ok, Luna. They seperated and Celestia gave her sister an affectionate nuzzle.
"It was an... lets say interesting interruption, but I would be lying if I said, I didn't have any fun while playing."
Luna grinned sheepishly. "And I promise I wont try any more Nightmare Moon tricks on you again."
Luna picked up the box with her magic. "At least not in the next century."
They laughted together while placing all the material back where it belonged and scoped up all the dishes they had used.
Making their way towards the garden gates, Celestia gave her sister another small nuzzle.
"I love you Luna."
"I love you too, Tia."
———000———
Luna yawned as she made her way into her bedchambers, taking off her royal garments and setting it on its holders. After brushing her teeth she walked out on the balcony, which gave her a great view over the land of Equestria.
As her dear sister worked on setting the sun, Luna reached out with her own magic, and slowly the moon emerged. With it, the stars began to shine in the night, iluminating the clear sky in a beautifull display.
As Luna reentered her chambers, she couldn't help but think about her actions today.
At the time, she had found it a funny idea, disguising herself, challenging her sister to a duell, a symbolic fight, via a game. But now, she couldn't imagine how that should have been a good idea. Obviously Celestia hadn't overcome her guilt and the pain completely and here she came, throwing even more salt right into the wound.
Luna sighed and laid down on her bed. Then she floated a small figurine to herself.
It was the Chaos Moon miniature as she had started to call it, from the game store.
One day, and with her help, Celestia would not feel guilty anymore.
One day, they could both leave behind the pain and the horrors they had experienced and maybe, maybe they could laugh about it.
It would be a hard and rocky road to this day, but they would do it together.