Nightmare Moon slowly reached a hoof out, touching where the Elements of Harmony had once stood. To imagine, they had been one of her most prized possessions. The sign of what ponies were. Powerful. But kind. Together they had kept ponies safe.
She had once wielded them, used them to keep everypony safe. Now she was the one who destroyed them. Broke them. Shattered them. She glanced back at her bard and student, the former dead to the world while she flipped through the childish journal, the latter staring at the device that the elements had rested on with a look she couldn’t identify. Was it disgust? Disgrace? Humiliation? Was she reliving that night all over again, much how Nightmare Moon had been reliving so many forgotten memories since she’d come into these woods?
For the first time since she’d taken the mare as her student, she felt something new. Pity. Though her cause had been foalish, blinded as she was by Celestia’s light, she had tried so hard. Only to fail in the end. It had been easy for Nightmare Moon, of course. Breaking the six apart had been almost foals play. They had never been as close as she and her sister had been. How Celestia ever believed this pony could wield them was beyond her.
She’d often heard the words ponies whispered about Moondancer. For so long she had reveled in it, watching the ponies turn on the last remnant of her sister’s rule. She’d, on occasion, even peered on the mare’s nightmares and drank deeply of the pain.
But now she wondered if perhaps she was wrong. This mare was talented, of that there was no doubt. Perhaps one of the greatest magic users the alicorn had ever witnessed. With the right guidance, she could even become a new Starswirl the Bearded. Besides that, it was hardly the unicorn’s fault that her sister had tricked yet another pony into doing her dirty work. If it hadn’t been Moondancer, it would have been somepony else. But, besides that, there was one thing that she had always tried to ignore, but at this moment she could not.
“How did you get your cutie mark?” Nightmare Moon asked.
Neither of them responded and she let out a soft, annoyed sigh. The two were so alike, in many ways. She wondered how things would have been had Twilight been born a unicorn. Perhaps they both would have stood against her. No. Unlikely. Her sister was far too prideful to take anything but the best as her student. She probably would have laid claim to the better of the two and left the second aside unless she was needed.
“Moondancer!” Nightmare Moon snapped.
The unicorn cringed and pulled back as if she was slapped, her eyes wide for a moment. “W-what? I’m sorry, I didn’t, I wasn’t--”
“Did you hear our question?” the alicorn asked, cutting her off.
“Uhhh… no. Sorry. I was… thinking.”
“About the first time we met, face to face?” Nightmare Moon asked, gazing down on the mare.
“N-no. I was--”
“No. We suppose it was the second time, was it not? You were the only pony who knew who we were once we revealed our name. Had our sister told you of us?”
“No. I… I read it in a book, your highness.”
“But you were thinking of this place, were you not? This room?” she asked, before glancing to the stand. “The place where you attempted to wield the Elements of Harmony.”
Moondancer’s eyes lowered but, slowly, she nodded. “Y-yes, your highness. My… apologies. I didn’t mean--”
“How did you get your cutie mark?”
“W-what?”
“Your cutie mark. What is its story? All ponies have one, do they not?” Nightmare Moon asked, eyeing the mare. To her surprise, she could identify the emotion that covered the unicorn’s face at those words. Shame. Hurt. A face she had seen far too often in the mirror. “After all, a cutie mark is the core of who a pony is, is it not?” the ruler asked before stepping forward and towering over her.
“It’s… not important, your highness. It was a mistake, that’s all,” Moondancer mumbled, taking a step back.
The alicorn felt a swelling of wicked glee at the sight of the tears forming in the mare’s eyes. To watch her sister’s protege suffer so was a delight. However, she quickly stuffed those thoughts back down and took a step forward. “Tell us. How?”
Moondancer kept backing away, though the alicorn refused to stop, eventually causing the mare to step into a wall and cower. She gave a pleading glance towards Twilight, who was lost in the book, still reading by the small ball of light that the unicorn had made. She snuffed it out, only for Nightmare Moon to quickly make a new ball a moment later to keep her bard distracted.
Twilight was completely lost to the world. A useful weakness of the mare, if often annoying. “Well? We asked you a question. How did you get it? We find it… odd. That our sister of the sun would take a student such as you. One with a moon on her flank. So tell us… how did you get such a mark?”
“Your highness, please. It’s not important. I-it was stupid. It didn’t matter, it was just--”
“But it does to us. Now tell us, student. Why do you fight so? Is a cutie mark not something to take pride in?”
Moondancer shrunk down to the ground and shook her head. “N-not mine. Mine was… was a mistake...” she whispered. “I-I… I...” The tears in forming in the unicorn’s eyes only made the ruler’s frustration grow.
“Tell us!” Nightmare Moon snapped, baring her fangs when her frustration grew. Must her ponies fight her at every single turn?
“It was a dance, okay? It was a… a dance.” Moondancer whispered, the tears flowing freely down her face. “I-I made this stupid dance and it was horrible and everypony hated it and I got my cutie mark for being a useless failure, there, are you happy now?” her voice was barely above a whisper, but the pathetic words were filled with such sadness and grief that even the alicorn was forced to take a step back.
The way she cowered, the way she hung her head. The words filled with such self loathing. How could one’s cutie mark cause such a terrible impact? New, fresh guilt began to take hold of the alicorn. “We… do not understand. A dance? You… made it? What dance?”
“No, not a...” She covered her face with her hooves. “I messed up, okay? I was a failure and just… it was stupid...”
“What does it have to do with the moon? It does emblazon your mark, does it not?”
“It’s not important! It’s not--”
“But it is, student.” Nightmare Moon reached a hoof out, gripping the unicorn’s chin and forcing it up. The tears cascaded down the mare’s eyes in a waterfall, the pain evident in them. How could a cutie mark cause such agony to a pony? What had happened to the mare to cause such aches? “Student, you will--” She stopped herself.
Moondancer wasn’t her sister’s student any longer. No. Now she was hers. She was a student of the night. Her student. No, more than that. She wasn’t just a reminder of what her sister had taken from her. She was one of her ponies. Talented. Strong. Capable. A pony who, if she had been around a thousand years ago, Luna would have struggled to protect and calm.
How many nightmares had she allowed to dwell in this pony’s dreams? How many had she created? How long would she torment this pony for the act of trusting her sister? How much pain, how much suffering had entered her own heart thanks to such foalish trust. Must she toss it onto this other mare as well? Was that the ruler she truly wanted to be?
“My student...” Nightmare Moon whispered, staring into those frightened, tear clouded eyes.
“Your highness, why are all these pages torn out?”
Nightmare Moon froze and glanced back to Twilight, who was staring into the book. “What did thou say, bard?” She let Moondancer go, allowing the unicorn to quickly retreat.
“Errr, before the last dozen or so pages, they’re all torn out. I was wondering--”
Nightmare Moon yanked the journal from the earth pony’s hooves, illuminating it with her horn. Many of the pages before the last dozen or so had been torn out. She eyed it suspiciously, the last entry before the tear was from her.
She felt a little sick reading it, talking about how smart her big sister was, dealing with an issue between two mayors of neighboring towns. The last entry she’d made. After that, she’d started to feel uncomfortable writing in it. As if her entries held less value than her sister’s. What a foal she had been, to believe the treatment she’d received was what she deserved. To believe she had held less value.
But she’d thought her sister would havestopped too. Far too important for such minor things like a journal. She moved on to the last pages.
‘Today Luna went mad with… something. I can’t be sure. I had to stop her with the elements. I’m sure she’ll be back in a week and then we’ll talk everything out. She’s always so over dramatic.’
Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes. Foal. While she was certain to the ruler of the sun a thousand years only felt like a week, for her it had felt like an eternity of loneliness. She continued to read these new entries, her curiosity piqued. She felt a giddy glee at the prospect of her sister’s gloating words, knowing in the end the princess of the sun would b e crushed.
‘Its been a month. I thought that she’d be back by now. How long does it take for her to calm down?’
As if she would ever calm down after what her sister had done to her.
‘Its been three months now. I thought she’d be home by now. I’ve started looking into it myself. I had ponies checking, but I think I’m starting to understand how Luna felt. I knew that there were some issues with how they treated Luna, but I didn’t realize it was this bad. The Princess of the Night is gone and sometimes it feels like I’m the only pony who cares.’
Nightmare Moon bared her fangs, growling. “Your highness?” Twilight asked.
“Silence, bard,” the ruler snapped.
‘Forever trapped. Oh by the stars, what have I done?’
The alicorn froze in place.
‘I thought I’d locked her away for a day, a month, maybe a year. But forever? I never wanted this. I was trying to protect everypony. I didn’t mean to lose my sister forever! This wasn’t what I wanted. This wasn’t what Luna deserved.’ From there, the tone of the words shifted dramatically.
Nightmare Moon read over the pages, her body trembling. Anger. Sadness. Grief. Her elder sister’s words tore through the page, at times the ink so smeared it could barely be read.
‘I couldn’t take it anymore. I ripped out the pages before now. All the terrible things I said about my sister. Why? She wasn’t lazy. She wasn’t useless. Why did I let myself feel so petty? So selfish? I’ve gone over it again and again in my head. Everything. I just can’t believe I did this. Why did I wait until she was overcome with grief to finally care?’
‘I know this is my fault. I knew she was upset. I knew she was feeling unappreciated. Why did I ignore it? Why didn’t I say something? So many opportunities, lost now. Forever. How could I fail to realize how bad it had gotten? I’ll never see my sister again. I’ve tried every spell I can think of, all I’ve done is managed to turn the elements to stone. They won’t respond to me anymore. I can’t blame them, though. After what I’ve done, how could I ever deserve them?’
Nightmare Moon felt tears well in her eyes.
‘Ten years have passed since I last wrote here. Ponies don’t even talk about her anymore. Whenever I mention her name, half of them ask who. Who? How could she be so quickly forgotten? She was my sister. She was my only sister. What is wrong with them? Her throne stands besides me at all times. Eternally empty. A sign of my greatest failure. A reminder of all I have lost. And they ask who?’
‘Oh Luna, I’m so sorry. I’m so, so sorry. I miss you. I want you back. I’d give anything to have you back. I’ve filled out so many tomes with all our memories, our lives together. Every little thing I could remember, lest time take even my memories from me.’
‘I thought I could fill the void left behind, but I can’t. You were my sister. In all the world, there was nopony else like you. Every adventure, every challenge. Every secret we shared. Everything. Now it’s all gone, because of me. If I had just spent a fraction of the time that I wasted basking in my own selfish glory to give you the attention you deserved, I’d still have you.’
‘I know it must be so, so much worse for you. I can at least pretend to be happy, pretend to have ponies here who I can be close to. But you are alone. What kind of big sister am I? Why was it that when you needed me most, I ignored your pain? I was supposed to protect you. To guide you. To help you. Instead I shoved you aside so I could feel superior. There were so many things I could have done. But I enjoyed the praise. The adoration. I enjoyed the admiration everypony felt for me. I was selfish and greedy. Why couldn’t I share it with you? Why was I such a child?’
‘Loyalty. Honesty. Laughter. Those were yours elements. How could I take away those aspects from you? You were all of those and so much more. Yet I took it for granted. Why is it I was able to show kindness to everypony but you?’
The tears began to flow down Nightmare Moon’s face, no longer able to contain them.
‘I’ve written a lullaby. I know it’s silly, but my sister was the one who dealt with dreams. Perhaps if I sing it every night, it will reach her. Just a small bit. Something to let her know that, no matter how much time passes, she will never be forgotten.’
‘Oh Luna, I miss you. I miss you so much. You and I were never meant to be apart like this.’
The ruler could barely read through her tears, slowly mouthing the words to the lullaby. For some reason, they felt almost familiar, though she was certain they couldn’t be. After the lullaby, there was only one last page with three entries.
‘Hope. So many ponies thought I should have given up, but I knew there had to be a way. I’ve found a spell that will release her, though it won’t fully trigger for a thousand years after she was bound.At least, if my calculations are correct, it will. I’ve cast the spell, now all I have to do is wait for everything to align. This will be my one and only chance to bring her back. I have only eight hundred or so years until then, but I swear. I will find somepony who can save her, even if I can’t. I’ve developed a spell that will turn them into an alicorn like us. Once I find a pony who can bear the elements better than we ever did, I will train them myself. They’ll rescue my sister. They’ll return her to me. They’ll bring my Luna back to me.’
‘I’ve started a new school for gifted unicorns. One of them will have to have the magic needed to save her. One day. I am even making a new castle near it, up in Canterlot. I’ll have all of my journals moved up there as well. All but this one. As much as I want to take it from here, I cannot. This was our journal. I won’t remove it from where we last shared it. Even if I can no longer stand to be near the source of all of these painful memories. Perhaps when she returns, we can rule together once more, separated from all the pain I caused her.’
‘I promise, Luna. I’ll save you. I’ll be the sister you deserved. I’ll never hurt you again. Just please, please. Come back to me. I can’t bear to be alone anymore.’
“Your highness?” Twilight asked.
“These… these are lies,” Nightmare Moon whispered, closing her eyes. “She thinks… thinks us a foal?”
“Err, your highness? I hadn’t gotten to that part ye--” Twilight cringed when the book was thrown into the air.
“It does not matter! It’s nothing but l-lies!” she roared, before turning and storming away.
“W-wait! Where are you going?” Moondancer yelled, her horn glowing before she caught the book in her magic.
“Back! This excursion is over! Student, bard! Come along!”
Twilight and Moondancer shared worried looks. It hadn’t been nearly long enough, yet. “Moondancer, we need to-- wait, are you crying?”
“N-no, it’s not imp-- EEK!” The two let out startled shrieks when they were grabbed in the alicorn’s magic and pulled after her. “Y-your highness, what about the--”
“Another time, student!”
------
Trixie watched with mild amusement, a smirk on her lips. They were making incredible time. Already over three fourths of the town was free of snow. Removing the clouds had been easy enough, now that they had a dragon to ‘remove’ them once they’d been made. It wasn’t technically magic, after all. At least by the time anypony could make an objection, the job would all be done. The town was damp and humid, but their plan was working. Within an hour, it’d all be over. It had all gone remarkably well.
“Mmmmphhh!”
Trixie ignored the muffled sounds, her eyes on the unicorns. “Okay, team A, take over for team B!” she yelled.
The light was moved over to the other team, but they didn’t take it. Instead they stared at Trixie. The unicorn frowned when she realized more ponies were turning to her. She glanced down at the gem, but it wasn’t glowing. “Well? What are you waiting for?”
“Yes, what are you waiting for?” Nightmare Moon asked.
“Hurry up, we only have a...” Trixie’s voice trailed off and the color drained from her face. Slowly she turned around.
Nightmare Moon towered over the unicorn, only a few feet behind her. Hovering in the air besides her were Moondancer and Twilight, their mouth’s bound in darkness.
“Mmmmmfff!”
“Team A and B, was it?” the ruler asked. Her horn glowed and she effortlessly pulled the light from the ponies, dragging it to herself. She looked it up and down. “An… interesting device. Another artificial sun, I take it? I heard a similar device had met its end near here. I wouldn’t have thought you ponies foalish enough to try for a second attempt.”
Trixie gulped and stared at the alicorn, sitting down as she was unable to stand anymore. Nightmare Moon had found them out. They were doomed.
“Tell me. Which pony amongst you made this device? I believe they deserve a reward,” the alicorn said coldly.
“Mmmmmfffff!” Twilight and Moondancer yelled, struggling against the shadows on their mouth.
Trixie gulped, staring at the ruler. Slowly, she glanced back at the other ponies. The village was going to be razed at this rate. Probably demolished. Destroyed. She’d seen how fierce the ruler of the night could be when angered.
“Well?”
Trixie’s eyes fell back on Twilight and Moondancer. It was the only way. After all, THEY were the ones who came up with this stupid idea. She raised her hoof.
“We see...” Nightmare Moon said, cocking an eye. “You may speak.”
“Artificial sun? Hardly! It is nothing more than an amplified stage light of mine. I altered it myself!” Trixie said smoothly. “Who else, but the Great and Powerful Trixie could create such a device to help deal with this conundrum? Do you believe any other pony could have the showponyship, the talent, the skill, the flare to create such a tool?” She barely managed to keep the fear out of her voice, standing up and throwing down a few of her flares, making them go off behind her to illuminate her grand form. “It was but a mere second of planning to put my genius to work, hardly worth a reward, but if you insist, I will take it gladly.” She put on her best showpony smile, hoping that the alicorn couldn’t see the icy terror gripping her heart.
“Do you truly expect us to buy such… drivel?” Nightmare Moon glanced down at the device, before looking back up at her the mare. “So after we finally deemed to show you mercy for your failure, you decide to, once again, challenge us?”
Trixie gulped, feeling a cold sweat break out under her jacket, though she did her best to keep calm. “Challenge you? Why of course not! I am the Great and Powerful Trixie! Stagemare extraordinaire! I would hardly allow a little thing like snow to stop me!”
“We see. A heating lamp,” Nightmare Moon said, glaring down at the device. “Then tell us, performer. Why does it radiate with magic of the sun?”
“Preposterous! It is but a very powerful heating lamp! Why, turn it on and you will see! It has not a single thing in common with the sun!” Trixie managed to keep the terrified stutter out of her voice, a performance worthy of the greats in her mind.
Nightmare Moon stared at the unicorn. Slowly, she turned it on, flowing her magic into it. “We can feel the power of the sun inside it. You dare--”
“Perhaps you are mistaken!” Trixie cut her off, unable to keep the fearful whine out of her voice that time. “M-maybe? It’s just a h-heating lamp. We would never oppose you in such an obvious manner, y-your highness,” she said, slowly sinking lower to the ground, her nerves finally snapping under the pressure of the alicorn’s gaze. “I never thought to--” The light went out and a moment later the device was chucked at her, hitting her in the face and knocking her onto her back, clutching the device to her chest. “O-ow...”
“Perhaps we are mistaken,” Nightmare Moon muttered with a roll of her eyes before glaring down at the unicorn. “We would not wish to… unjustly punish one of our subjects. Just be sure to not create such objects in the future. We will allow it this once. Carry on with your… heating lamp.”
“O-ow… of… of course, y-your highness. T-thank you,” Trixie whispered, in a daze. She watched the towering alicorn turn and walk away, leaving Twilight and Moondancer to drop to the floor.
“Bard. Student. Return to the castle on the next train. We have matters to attend to,” Nightmare Moon said before darkness enveloped her and she disappeared.
Twilight and Moondancer galloped to Trixie the moment the ruler was gone. “A-are you okay? Why did you do that? I made--”
“WE made that. It was both of our fault,” Moondancer cut her off. “Trixie, are you okay?”
“The GREAT and POWERFUL Trixie is fine!” the unicorn said, gripping the device in her magic. “Team A, you’re up, take over and finish the rest of this!” she yelled before flying the device to them and then getting to her hooves, wiping the dirt off herself. With the alicorn gone from sight, she felt her confidence quickly returning.
“Why did you do that?” Twilight asked again.
“Why? Is it not obvious?” Trixie asked with a hmph. “You two are absolutely terrible liars. You’d have likely told her the truth, what that thing was. But I, the Great and Powerful Trixie, am quite adept at thinking on my hooves. Coming up with an excuse to satisfy that alicorn is easy for one such as I,” she said firmly, before giving a light hmph. She pulled off her hat and dusted it off. “Why, I had her practically eating out of my hooves.”
“Then why’d you look like you were going to wet yourself?” Spike asked when he walked up to join them.
Trixie ignored him. “Besides, if she had known that we were knowingly using something like that, why, she likely would have razed the entire village. AND my carriage. I could not allow such a thing, hmph. You three should probably go, though. I have this handled. The last thing anypony needs is for her highness to get in a foul mood because you two didn’t get home fast enough.” She turned and trotted after the other workers, leaving the two behind. “Though, I must say. Sometimes I even amaze myself. I truly am the most spectacular showmare that Equestria has ever seen. Even Nightmare Moon cannot stand against my quick thinking.”
------
“Sister? Sister, wake up,” Celestia said with a chuckle, nudging Luna.
“Just ten more minutes… make it fifteen...” Luna mumbled, moving her wing over her head. “Tired...”
“Are you going to laze around in the sun all day?” the elder sister asked with a roll of her eyes.
“… Yes. Yes I shall. Wait. No. I will move into the shade.”
Celestia snickered before reaching out and gently poking her sister’s hip, eliciting a giggle from the mare.
“No! Stop! I’m ticklish!”
A wicked grin formed on Celestia’s mouth. “Oh? Truly? Then you’ll dislike it if I do this!” the mare said before nudging her hoof forward and tickling the other alicorn.
Luna shrieked, jumping to her hooves and trying to escape, only to be tackled and tickled by her elder sister. “Cease! CEASE! You win! Sister, no, eeee hee hee hee!” she said between helpless laughter, flapping her wings. “I am sorry! I will stop at once! I will!”
Celestia snickered and then plopped down, lounging on her sister. “You know, perhaps you were correct, dear sister. Maybe we have earned a break.”
“Get off… me...”
“Mmmmm, nope. I am going to laze around in the sun all day,” she said in a teasing manner. “A beautiful day to nap on the moon.”
Luna glared up at her sister before, slowly, her glare broke into a small smile and she began to giggle helplessly. “Truly, I believe my elder sister has partaken of far, far too many celebratory cupcakes, for I cannot move her.”
The Princess of the Sun jumped to her hooves, her cheeks burning red. “I-I have not! And if I have, it is merely because I deserved it! It is hardly my fault if they keep throwing delicious cakes and pastries at us for defeating Discord. It would be rude to turn them down.”
Luna merely snickered before closing her eyes and relaxing, spreading out her wings. “Oh sister. Relax. I merely jest. Why, you are just as filled with girth now as you were before we embarked on our journey for the elements.”
“Thank y-- HEY!” Celestia said, glaring at her younger, snickering sister. “Why are you even out here, anyway?”
“It is a beautiful day, the sun is shining, the birds are singing and this grass feels so soft,” Luna said gently, giving a soft yawn.
“You have a bed.”
“Mmmm. But my bed doesn’t have your sun.”
Celestia blinked and then, slowly, she laid down besides her sister and rested her head against her. “No. No it does not.” Her wing spread out, moving over the smaller alicorn. “You should be careful, I don’t want you to get a sunburn. What kind of big sister would I be if I let you get hurt like that?”
“Oh sister,” Luna said with a smile. “You’d never hurt me.”
------
A heating lamp? Did those ponies really think her so foalish? Did they really believe she would believe such a half baked lie, especially after Twilight and Moondancer had obviously struggled so hard to keep her distracted.
Nightmare Moon walked through the cave of crystal, shaking her head at the foalishness of her ponies sometimes. For a moment, she’d considered banishing the unicorn to the dragon lands. See how ‘great and powerful’ she felt after that.
Banish her for a thousand years. Make her stay alone for all that time. Make her endure the loneliness, the pain, the shame. The fear of never returning home. Never to feel the warmth of her sister’s embrace.
In that moment, she had wanted to. But her bard and student had both been there. More importantly, such rashness did not behoove a ruler, a proper ruler. Perhaps her bard had been right. She desired to have the earth pony stand at her side, to take the place that she had once held by Celestia’s side. But better. One where the younger wasn’t ignored. She could not just let her temper run free from her any longer.
“You liar,” Nightmare Moon said when she found her goal.
Celestia glanced up in her bindings and stared at the ruler. “Sister?”
Nightmare stared down at her sister. She would have to remain calm. Remain careful. She would not allow herself to show weakness. Allow her emotions to take hold again. She would be dignified and controlled.
“YOU LIAR!” Nightmare Moon screamed, the tears beginning to fall down her face. “You LIAR LIAR LIAR!”
Celestia’s eyes widened and she stared. “W-what?”
“Our diary! OUR JOURNAL! I saw all you wrote! Miss me? YOU MISSED ME?!” she screamed, stomping her hooves. “You think a thousand years here, being idolized? Adored? You believe it could begin to compare to a thousand years, locked away on the moon? You believe you could even begin to comprehend the… the loneliness? The betrayal?” Nightmare Moon asked, storming forward, her wings out fully. She stared into the eyes of her sister, her body quivering with barely contained rage. “Do you believe that… that for a moment we could forgive what you’ve done to us? That you--”
“No,” Celestia said softly.
“… No?” Nightmare Moon asked, her body locking up and her wings slowly closing against her body. “Then why...”
“Yes?” The elder alicorn looked up at her sister.
“Why couldn’t you… why couldn’t you see until after it was too late?” Nightmare Moon asked, slowly sinking to the ground and laying her head against her sister’s head. “Why couldn’t you...”
“Because I was young. I was foalish. I… I allowed the spotlight to be all I cared about. But oh, little sister. It’s not too late, dear sister. As long as we are together, it’s never too late...” Celestia whispered, rubbing her head gently against the other’s.
“No. Yes. Yes it is. It’s… too late for you. It’s too late for me. It’s too late for… for us. I’ve done… I’ve done things. I’ve… you’ve… I won’t stand in your shadow ever again,” The ruler said, quickly backing away and wiping the tears from her eyes. “I’ve found a pony. I’ve found one who will replace you. One who… one who will make a better sister than you ever were. And I… I won’t...” She gave a soft whimper. “I won’t do to her what you did to me. I will show her why what I offer is ideal. I will make her see. And I will not let anypony hurt her, ever.”
“The mare who found me, Twilight?” Celestia asked. “Or Moondancer?”
Nightmare Moon cringed. “Twilight. Moondancer is… not suitable. But Twilight will… be everything you could not. I--”
“You cannot force her to love you, dear sister,” the elder mare whispered with a shake of her head. “But you are right. I have made so, so many mistakes. Perhaps this is my punishment. Perhaps… perhaps this Twilight will make a better sister for you than I ever was.”
“I do not need your approval!”
“Yet you do have it. I hope that, one day, you will be able to speak with me again, little sister. Like we once did. I missed you for a thousand years. I still do.”
Nightmare Moon froze in place, closing her eyes. Finally, she gently whispered. “No you didn’t. Nopony missed me. Nopony knew who I was. All they ever saw, Celestia, was your glory...” She turned away and began to storm off.
“I never forgot you...” Celestia whispered, before gently she began to sing.
The dark alicorn rolled her eyes, ignoring the soft words from her sister. As if now was a time for there to be a--
Nightmare Moon froze in place, the tears in her eyes beginning to once again flow.
The lullaby that echoed so softly in her head for so, so long. Those soft, gentle words. Grief. Sadness. Loneliness. An apology for a thousand years of imprisonment. An apology for years of ignorance. Of selfishness. Of missed opportunities. The ruler slowly raised a hoof to stare at it, the tears flowing so quickly she could barely see.
Nightmare Moon turned to her sister. Then, slowly, she galloped forward, racing to her sister. Her hooves enveloping her and holding her tightly. “S-sister… I… I can’t… I...”
“Luna you’re loved so much more than you know...” Celestia whispered, her wings enveloping the other alicorn.
“I can’t forgive you. I’ll never forgive you. You know this!” Luna yelled, trembling in her sister’s embrace. “Cease this… There is no going back… We cannot… I cannot go back. Even if I desired to.”
Celestia nodded, staring into her sister’s eyes, tears flowing to match her sister’s. “I know. I don’t know if things can change. I don’t know if they can get better. But I love you. I miss you. I will forever wait for you.”
“You can’t change the way I feel...” Luna whispered.
“The time where I could has long passed, my dear sister. But… there are others who can. One of whom is you. And I will wait our entire lifetime if need be...”
“Tia...” Luna whispered, turning her head away. She then pulled free and shook her head. “No. No! I won’t… I won’t fall for these lies again.”
Nightmare Moon glared down at her. “Sing all you wish. My… our heart will… will not be yours. Never again. We… we won’t fall for these tricks again. We… we have somepony better now. We will be somepony better. Better than you ever were. Somepony… somepony worthy of the love and adoration you denied us for so long. We will show them. We will shine far… far more than you ever did...” She turned and fled, doing her best to ignore that soft, gentle song that seemed to chase her through the caves.
“Why couldn’t you see until after I was gone?” Luna whispered once she exited the cavern. “It’s too late now, sister. We… can never return to as we once were.”
Nightmare Moon walked away from the cavern, ignoring the throbbing pain burning in her heart. She would not allow herself to fall back once more, not after everything that had happened. A thousand years of suffering. Of anger. Of pain. It would not be undone. She would be better than her sister had ever been. Everything she had endured was for this. Everything she had done was so she could one day truly rule. If she gave in to her own emotions, over such sentiment, it would be for nothing.
But she would not allow herself to make the same mistakes her sister had made, either. The first servant she saw, she motioned to do her bidding. Whatever scars Moondancer’s cutie mark had left, it was time she dealt with them. After all, Moondancer was her student.
------
Celestia walked into her office, slowly letting the painful smile melt from her face and trying to ignore the throbbing pain between her ears. Another day, another dozen meetings. Besides her, the much smaller Moondancer walked, bags under her eyes.
The alicorn spared the young unicorn a true, but weak, smile. “You should have gone to bed hours ago, student of mine,” she said with a firm, but gentle tone.
Moondancer flushed and shook her head. “W-what? I’m fine, I--” Her words were cut off by a soft yawn and a ruby tint to her cheeks.
“You also shouldn’t lie to your teacher,” Celestia teased, before she reached out and lightly ruffled the mare’s mane. “You’re a growing unicorn, you need your rest.”
Moondancer stared at her for a moment. Celestia could see the look in her eyes. The desire to say something back. Possibly scolding her mentor right back for her own late night.
Alas, it was her duty to Equestria. She needed to deal with all these matters on her own. It was her own fault, anyway. Still, a small part of her hoped that Moondancer would find her voice and stick up to her.
Instead, as always, Moondancer relented. “You’re right, princess. If I may take my leave?”
“Of course. Sleep well, student of mine. You have another long day ahead of yourself.” Celestia watched the unicorn trot away and felt a fresh surge of guilt in her heart.
Her young student had such a huge destiny ahead of her, she just hoped she’d readied her for it. Moondancer had been so young when she’d taken notice of the talented unicorn. Dedicated. Smart. A star protege in her school, possibly one of the greatest students she’d ever had. Even her cutie mark bore the moon. It had all seemed so perfect after Sunset had left.
But there had always been one rather large issue. Her confidence. Her belief in herself. Undermined again and again since she’d been a young filly. Wrecked by one powerful force.
Moondancer’s family. Moondancer’s mother mostly, but the rest weren’t much better. If ever there was a mare that Celestia wished she could have banished to the moon in place of her sister, it was her. No matter how talented or skilled Moondancer was, that doubt always seemed to linger in the forefront of the mare’s mind for obvious reasons.
Celestia walked to the window of her office and glanced out at the moon, staring upon the face, feeling tears start to form. She quickly looked away, her horn glowing before the door locked with a click.
Her student was talented, but she was not sure that she was ready for the task ahead. Sunset had been so different from Moondancer. While Sunset was confident, Moondancer was meek. Sunset was powerful, while Moondancer had such finesse. Sunset craved glory over all, Moondancer sought the appreciation and adoration from those closest to her. Sunset had been a morning pony, while Moondancer, despite her objections, had always been a night mare. Sunset was often vocal and loud about her desires while Moondancer would bottle them up until, finally, she just cracked under the pressure. One was a fire that burned red hot until it melted all that opposed it, the other a jewel that endured all the pressure pressed on it until, finally, it shattered into a hundred pieces.
She knew that Moondancer looked to her as more than just a ruler. Despite her attempts to get to know the mare, to serve as a confidant, the unicorn saw her as more of a mother. Somepony to guide her, to train her. Somepony she sought the admiration and adoration from more than anypony. Moondancer would have walked through fire on her knees if she thought it would make Celestia happy.
It made her an excellent student. But it also meant that Celestia had to be even more guarded around her than anypony else. The slightest hint of displeasure, the slightest look of annoyance would send the poor unicorn into a pit of depression, undermining the slight amount of confidence she had managed to build.
She couldn’t imagine how a pony who was so talented, skilled, driven and just amazing could be treated so poorly by the ponies who were supposed to care for her the most.
Or rather, she understood it all too well. Another flood of guilt filled her stomach before she sat at her desk.
She wondered if she should tell the mare all her plans. Every backup she had in place. Let her know of the great destiny ahead. Of the threat. But no.
Moondancer’s friendship with those girls was already such a delicate thing. It had taken so much work to form those bonds between the six of them, but even now they were so delicate. So many weaknesses in them.
Moondancer appreciated them, even enjoyed their company at times. But Celestia wasn’t quite sure they were truly all a part of the same ‘group’ so to speak. Moondancer was more just the pony who was there. She sought their praise, their admiration. But she never truly connected with them. There was always this wall that she put up to protect herself, as if she was afraid of being hurt. No. Because she was afraid of being hurt. Of allowing somepony in. Of allowing herself to believe that she truly had enough value to be worth befriending.
Celestia wished there was somepony, anypony, who she could get the unicorn to fully connect with. If her protege would just find somepony she could truly be vulnerable with. Somepony who would help her find that voice she needed to stand up for herself.
The alicorn sighed and felt the tears well up in her eyes. Perhaps she was wrong, though. Perhaps Moondancer was truly capable and she was the one at fault. In so many ways, Moondancer reminded her of her little sister, another innocent pony trapped due to the ‘perfect rulers’ mistakes. If anypony could reminds Luna of who she was, if anypony could connect with her, it would be Moondancer.
Perhaps, together, they would be able to heal all the damage that their loved ones had created. Luna would need a friend more than ever once she returned. She hoped that Moondancer would be that friend.
She slowly rubbed her cheek. A thousand years of searching for that ideal pony to wield the elements, all coming to an end soon. All of her plans and efforts, everything she had waited for. Yet all she could feel was as if she had failed, again. Failed Luna. Failed Moondancer. Failed Sunset.
She had once been so prideful. So sure of her own perfection, awash in the adoration and praise of her subjects.
But a thousand years of isolation had changed that. An isolation that she, herself, had created. She’d failed to realize just how valuable her sister was until she was gone.
For while she had so many ponies who admired and adored her, there were no equals. None who would truly see her as a friend. Always a mother. Teacher. Ruler. Even a god. She had been seen as all of these things. But none seemed to look at her and realize just how flawed she was. None were willing to call her out on her mistakes. Even Cadence, despite having become an alicorn years prior and one of the few who could be her equal, treated her more as a parent than anything else.
After all, she was ‘Celestia’, the alicorn princess. The raiser of the sun and the moon. None would dare to ignore her, to scold her, to snipe back at her, to do anything that wasn’t of perfect, proper decorum. At least, not intentionally. She couldn’t so much as spill a glass of tea without ponies panicking and worrying that they had somehow caused fault in the eyes of their ruler.
It was her duty to all of them to be the strong pillar, the head that held the crown and gave them hope for a future. But somedays, that crown felt as if it bore the full weight of the entire country and it was all she could do to not break down and cry. To beg for a day off.
Perhaps once her sister was back. If anypony could understand what it felt like to be surrounded by ponies, yet still alone, it was her.
Celestia pulled out a small key from her desk, before getting back to her hooves and shifting one of the bookshelves aside to reveal a small vault. Inside were dozens of small, stacked books, many of which were nearly as old as her. She pulled out a small one from the front, flipping it open and beginning to write in it. There wasn’t much to write about, sadly, but she did hope her sister might still find it mildly amusing that Mayor Berrybuckle was worried about a hydra, so far from any known habitats. Especially once it turned out the entire ordeal had originated from nothing more than a few colts playing a game. Moondancer’s suggestion on how to deal with the mayor had been wonderful, as always. If only the mare could see how strong and wise she could truly be when she needed to be.
Her thoughts were torn aside by a light knocking on the door. She gave a sigh and formed her smile, quickly putting the book away and re-locking her safe before hiding it once again. She glanced to the door and with a simple twist of her magic, unlocked it. “Come in!” she called before taking her seat.
“Your highness?” a voice called. A moment later one of her guards stepped into the room.
She took appraisal of him instantly and barely contained a sigh. He was tense. Nervous. Almost scared. When he looked on her, she could see it in his eyes. The adoration. The praise. He didn’t see a pony. He saw the great Ruler of Equestria, flawless and perfect.
He stared up at her expectantly.
“You may speak,” she said calmly, keeping the frustration out of her voice. She invited him in, after all, she’d assume the ability to speak was implied. Still, she dare not let her frustration show, no matter how badly her headache was growing. She had so many more headaches these days, her mind focusing on what she knew was to come.
Only a few more days. She’d host a celebration. Or a festival. SOMETHING. She’d give her sister a festival that lasted all day. No. A week! Something so grand that nopony would ever forget her little sister again.
Especially not her.
“This was delivered earlier this evening, an early release,” he said, before sliding a small book onto her desk.
She nodded and placed a hoof on the cover. “I see. Thank you, you may leave.”
“Thank you, your highness,” he said, before turning and walking out from the room. He closed it and she quickly locked it back up.
She glanced over the cover and sighed. Another book, delightful. She received so many early copies that there was a borderline library just for them. She didn’t have time to read them all, though it was her duty to at least give them a token look. She glanced at the clock before shrugging.
When you had so few hours of sleep already, what was losing one or two more? She’d just read the first chapter, write up a quick opinion and then go to bed. She flipped the book over and read over the small blurb.
Her heart froze and fresh tears began to form.
A combining of the tale of the Mare in the Moon and the Legend of the Two Sisters? Her tiredness seemed to evaporate and she quickly pulled the book open to the first page.
By the time she finished the first chapter, she had so many tears flowing down her eyes that she couldn’t even read anymore. She pushed the book away and turned towards the moon once more.
How long had it been since she’d last had the strength to sing that lullaby to her sister? A week? Two? It always hurt so much to repeat. But, just this once, it didn’t.
Just this once, she let herself feel a bit of hope with those words. Hope that her sister would return to her. That they would be the sisters yet again. Hope that, somehow, all of their mistakes would be undone.
Hope that once again, they would rule side by side. She swore, this time, she wouldn’t make another mistake. She would ensure all would know her sister. Would know Luna. And love her.
------
“Do you… think she’s noticed?” Twilight asked, staring over the throne with a look of horror.
“The castle is still standing, isn’t it?” Moondancer asked, the color gone from her face.
“Should we try running?” Spike asked.
“I don’t think we could get far enough. It’s… not that noticeable, is it?” Twilight asked. She was greeted by silence. “Yeah, that’s what I thought...”
“We’re all going to die...” Spike whispered. “You don’t think she’s going to think we had anything to do with it, do you? I mean...”
“We did take her into the Everfree Forest. She likely will,” Twilight mumbled.
The orb of dark magic still hovered over the throne of Nightmare Moon. However, rather than the shattered pieces of the Elements of Harmony, instead a Discord plushy was resting inside.
“What has all of your attention drawn so tightly?” a voice asked, making the ponies and dragon whip around to see their ruler towering over them. “Does the splendor of our great throne draw you so--” She paused when her eyes fell on the orb. “We… see. We leave for a few hours and… this happens. This is fine. We are fine. Everything is fine. Discord has merely… played another one of his pathetic. Stupid. Childish pranks. That is all. He could not wield them. Nor could he hope to defeat us as he is now. We are fine. We are not angry. We...” She stared at the sphere, her stare enough to nearly melt the wall.
------
“DISCORD!” the word echoed through the city of Canterlot, a wave of dark magic expanding out, shattering every window in the city from the force.
------
“Well, we’re still alive, at least,” Spike muttered after walking into Twilight’s room. He walked to his small bed and collapsed on it, face first. “Though I don’t think I’ll be able to get that ringing out of my ears, ever.”
“I can’t imagine what Discord is thinking,” Twilight said, before glancing back towards Moondancer. “You don’t think any of the books they had at that library went more in depth into who Discord was, do you? There were some notes in the journal, but not many.”
“I have no idea,” Moondancer said before shaking her head. “Either way, she’s going to want his head more than she already does. We’re lucky she didn’t take our heads for it.”
“Do you think she’ll be able to use them to track Discord down?” Spike asked.
“I doubt it,” Moondancer said with a shake of her head. “Maybe if he was stupid or tried to use them, sure. But at this moment they are just rocks. Unless somepony activates them, I doubt they’ll be trackable. This is going to just make things worse, though. She’ll never leave the castle now...”
Twilight gave a nod. “Exactly. I just wish I had some idea what he planned to--” It was at that time she had collapsed onto her bed, only to head a loud crunching sound. She froze in place.
“… What was that?” Spike asked, every eye in the room turning towards the earth pony.
The mare whimpered and slowly got to her hooves, pulling the covers back.
Revealing the scattered fragments of the Elements of Harmony.
“Ah. So we’re betting our lives on her not being able to track them, then?” Spike asked, before falling onto his bed and giving a little whimper.
Twilight and Moondancer shared looks, their faces pale. Both mentally filling dictionaries with the large slew of words they wished to scream at Discord.