//------------------------------// // The Nightmare of the Night, Part I // Story: The Life of the Alicorn Sisters // by Rakoon1 //------------------------------// With the end of one more night, Luna returned to the castle, having come from the Dream World. Despite the end of Oogie Boogie’s reign of nightmares, she still had to deal with the aftermatch of that. Ponies still had nightmares out of fear that the spirit of nightmares would terrorize them again. Tired and with deep dark circles on his eyes, Luna advanced through the halls, only wanting to reach her bed. It was then that she crossed path with Celestia who greeted her with a big smile: “Good morning, sister.” But Luna ignored her completely, passing by her and continued to walk. “Luna…” Celestia said a little worried. “Are you okay?” “Too tired” she replied. “I’m going to bed.” And the princess of the night continued her way. Celestia looked at her, noticing how tired she was. Indeed she had worked without stop ever since she defeated Oogie Boogie. Despite knowing she had to fix all the damages he has done, the princess of the sun didn’t know why she was tiring herself up like that. “Celestia?” a voice called. She got out of her thinking state only to find her brother, Orion. “Are you okay, big sister?” he asked. “Yes, Orion, it’s just…” she started. “Well, I’m a little worried with Luna. She doesn’t seems so well.” “Having in count that she stays wake up all night fighting nightmares and other things, I would be that tired as well” Orion replied. “Hey, are you ready for tomorrow? It’s the beginning of summer, the longest day of the year. Everypony wants to celebrate that.” “I don’t know about that, Orion” Celestia told. “Celebrating something that I normally do…” “Come on, sis, it’s the longest day” Orion said. “If we’re not celebrating you raising the sun, then we do it for the beginning of summer. Besides, I invited Rose Quartz to the party. She really needs to cheer up after losing her family and kingdom.” “And also because of another little thing, right?” Celestia asked, with a suggestive smile. “Well, maybe I can try my luck with her” Orion admitted. “And I’m certain she feels the same about you” Celestia said, starting to think again about Luna. “You know, maybe I can get Luna to come to the party. She really needs to have some fun.” “Good luck with that” Orion said. “You know how she is serious about her job.” “Yes, but somethings is good to make a pause and enjoy the moment” Celestia replied. “And it doesn’t hurt to try to convince her.” A little later after the talk, Celestia went to Luna’s room and knocked. It took a little, but the door opened slightly and Luna’s face, that looked gloomy, appeared. “Yes?” she asked. “Sister, our subjects are going to make a party for the beginning of summer” Celestia said. “Orion is going with Rose Quartz and I will attend too. And I thought that maybe you could come. It would really be good for you, as you’ve been working so…” “Let me guess it straight” Luna said. “You want me to go to a party that is to celebrate longest day at the night before it? No, thanks.” “Luna, don’t be like that” Celestia told. “I know that you think your work is being unappreciated by our subjects, but I can guarantee you if you go to the party, you can show them the wonders of your night and…” But, before she could end, Luna closed the door at her face. Celestia hesitated in knocking again, but she reconsidered, thinking it was best to leave her sister alone. Later, at the party that was being hold at the nearest village, Celestia was talking joyfully with some ponies, before finishing the conversation and moving away. When there was nopony looking, Celestia adopted a saddened look. Looking to the castle, she wondered what she could do to bring her out of that depression she was starting to get into to. However, despite all her worries with Luna, Celestia couldn’t let her subjects to notice the troubles that was existing between her and her sister, as they were the great pillars that sustained the all kingdom, after everything that happened with Ingrid, Discord and Sombra. That was the reason why Celestia had to hold on her smile and try to enjoy the party. At the castle, as the sun started to go down, Luna appeared before a window, looking at the ponies enjoying the party, while waiting for the longest day and adoring her sister. It was then that she started to sing, singing about the beauty of night, how the sky gets full of the light of the stars and how everything gets colored with soft shades, while wondering thought the halls. She sang about why the ponies of Equestria would lock themselves away from her night, only to wait for her sister’s sunny day. Arriving to the throne room, Luna started to ask if she was wrong to wish see things like her and love her, wondering if that wasn’t her right, while finding herself invaded by images of ponies bowing to her, only to disappear and reappeared nearby bowing to an image of her sister, as if they preferred her over her. Turning to an open balcony, Luna sang, while raising the moon, that she and her light weren’t less and, if the sun would threat the moon, the latter would stand her ground. And Luna casted a magic that would prevent the moon from being moved by any force, including her sister’s, singing the moment had come for her not yield the sky and that if the ponies would only love only one princess, she would make them see the wonders of her nightly sky. Walking to the thrones, she told, directing to her subjects, to say goodnight to the sun, as that would be the last sunset, as the tomorrow would dawn in darkness. After finishing the song, she started to laugh in an evil way. At the party, the time has come for Celestia to finally raise the sun. Getting to the podium, she gave one last look to the castle and her sister, before sighing and turning to her subjects with her forced smile. Between the crowd, she could see Orion with Rose Quartz. It would appear their relationship had evolved. Taking a deep breath, she said: “My dear ponies, you can’t imagine the honor I feel for having you making this celebration for the first day of summer. Just for that, you all have my gratitude. I had a lot of fun sharing this wonderful moment with you.” The ponies cheered her, while applauding her. “And now, it’s time for me to raise the sun and beginning this that will be the longest day.” After the crowd’s cheer ceased, Celestia charged her horn with magic, starting to raise the sun. The great ball of light started to appear on the sky, while the sky started to clear. However, something wrong happened, as the sun stopped rising up and the sky ceased to get clear of the shades of the night. That event great surprised the ponies who started to talk between each other. Celestia couldn’t believe what had happened. “I don’t understand…” she said. “This never happened… What could…?” But then only one explanation appeared on her mind. Luna had to be behind that. So, after excusing herself to her subjects, Celestia teleported herself to the throne room, that was full of shadows. “Luna?” she called, at the center of the room and looking around. “Luna, where are you?” She started to make a step, but then a voice exclaimed: “Not a another step.” Celestia turned and saw Luna coming from behind her throne and going to half way to Celestia’s, standing behind the handrail. “Luna, you have explanations to make” Celestia said to her sister. “Why haven’t you downed the moon?” “Did you really expect me to sit idly by while they are basked in your precious light?” Luna asked back. “Luna, please, you can’t do this” Celestia said. “We are the princess of Equestria. We…” “There can only be one princess in Equestria… and that princess… will be ME!” Luna shouted. She stomped hard on the handrail, while charging her magic, destroying it and causing cracks that climbed up the wall until a window, breaking it and creating a big hole. The sun could be seen from it, but Luna soon made the moon cover it, creating an eclipse that unleased a torrent of shadows that started to involve Luna in some kind of cocoon. When it popped, Luna got out of there, but she was not the same. She was bigger (having Celestia’s size), her coat was black with a mane that more looked like bluish smoke with a blue helmet and fangs could be seen instead of teeth, while her eyes had split pupils. Luna, in her new form, landed and then started to laugh manically, while thunder started to be heard and her mane expanded in a swirl. Celestia couldn’t help but staying where she was, without reaction to what had just happened…