//------------------------------//
// Happy Birthday 
// Story: Luna Rising 
// by AstonMartinLover 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 3: Happy Birthday

Celestia went through the business of the day on autopilot. Anything she did, be it signing an order to increase agriculture production of grain, or signing in new laws pertaining to the new skyways built around Cloudsdale, nothing could pull her from the unrelated thoughts flying through her head.

At around lunch time, Celestia had gone to Luna's room. She had called for her, and tried talking to her. The reaction she received was typical Luna. An angry rebuff. A stubborn insistence that she didn't need any help. An angry declaration that Celestia was ruining her life.

And a violent slamming of her door.

Celestia trotted into her study, a deep sigh escaping her lips. This really had turned into a mess. 

She went through letters of the day. Another letter from Twilight. She smiled. Twilight's letters on the magic of friendship were usually the highlight of her day, as sad as that sounded.

She was about to open it when she noticed another piece of paper sticking out beneath the heap of royal mail.

She eyed it suspiciously. It was very wordy. A part of her said to simply discard it. She quickly skimmed through it anyway. Her eyes widened.

She looked around, then angrily slammed it back down on the table. She put her head down.

"Could this day get worse?"


As the day began to near it's end, Celestia looked to the sun as it lowered itself in the sky. She knew she would have to take it down soon, and then perform her not so new duty of raising the moon.

Over the last couple months, Luna had been more than happy to take care of the raising of the moon. Now it was back on Celestia's shoulders.

As her horn sparked, the sun began it's descent. Then the world was plunged into darkness. Celestia put up some stars, just to get some basic illumination.

Her guard, Porthos approached from behind.

"Madame. You summoned me?"

Celestia nodded. There was a silence between the two. "I've always been able to fix things." She began.

"Of course you have, your majesty."

"When my parents left me here, alone, with nothing but a rambunctious little filly at my side, I fixed it. When Lord Discord lost his mind, and became a tyrant, I fixed it. When Nightmare Moon attempted to plunge the world into eternal darkness, I...fixed it."

She turned to her loyal guard. "And now, my sister is in pain. Horrible, unrelenting pain. Tormented by her past. And she does not trust me enough to accept my help."

She looked down at her guard and huffed in frustration. She held up the paper. "How do I fix this Porthos?"

Porthos looked down at it. A petition. 

"Apparently my subjects animosity towards Luna is stronger that initially thought. They wish to put her on trial."

Porthos's eyes scanned the signatures. "This is only a measly thousand..."

"I also got a notice from the Equestrian Justice Department. They somehow found out about Luna's theft of the armor. They are asking that I turn her over to them. They are ready to set a deadline."

Porthos looked down at the paper. "Well...have you considered simply hoofing her over to them...?" 

Celestia stomped her hoof, silencing him. "Look. All I've been hearing from all my advisors, is that we shouldn't trust her, and that she'll try and take over again, and that we should lock her up before she does." She closed her eyes. "You are my most faithful soldier. I need you to understand...she is my sister. Locking her away...it's just something I refuse to put her through again."

Porthos nodded, suddenly feeling very guilty about his words to his protege earlier in the day. "I understand my Princess. I have a brother and a sister myself."

Celestia smiled at his understanding. "Thank you good warrior." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Well...thank you for your time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must raise the moon."

Just the thought of that little purple alicorn facing down a jury of her own fearful subjects tightened a knot in Celestia's stomach. A fair trial? Impossible.


Luna lay splayed out on her bed. A full day had passed, and the apparition had not returned. She wondered if perhaps, she had had some kind of great mental lapse in the early morning hours. Perhaps she had indeed been dreaming, as she had suspected earlier on. An attempt to open the door proved that theory wrong, as the royal guards angrily told her to stay put.

With nothing to do, she looked outside at the blank, starry sky. The moon had yet to rise.

And she had a devious idea. Her sister had forbid her from using magic, as part of her imprisonment in the room. But to deprive her of raising HER moon? That was her earth given right. And she felt like pushing the boundary a little.

The idea of this minor rebellion against her sister caused adrenaline to rush through the alicorn. She looked up at the sky. Her horn began to power up.

"What can thou possibly do Celestia? I am already grounded." Sparks flew off her horn as she closed her eyes and willed the moon into orbit. Steadily it came. The great white orb, floating higher and higher into the sky.

And the sky was no longer bare. The moon and the stars shimmered above the earth, and illuminated Equestria. Beautiful.

Luna smirked. Victory. What could Celestia possibly do? She laid down on her bed and waited for the reaction, excited butterflies in her stomach.

It took a good five minutes or so. Then stomping hooves in the distance. She smiled. She nonchalantly got up off her bed, and clicked the lock on her door.

There was a jiggling sound. Then a knock. A louder knock.

"Luna? Was that supposed to be funny?"

Luna inspected her hooves casually. "You absconded with my crown Tia. I await an apology."

"You? You want an apology? I told you no magic Luna! That means no moon raising! Open this door!"

"Apologize for taking my crown." Luna replied, having some fun at her sister's expense.

There was the sound of a horn powering up. Then the door clicked. Luna's head shot up. She groaned. She had forgotten to enchant the lock.

The door shot open. Celestia strode in, glaring at the small alicorn angrily.

"Alright. Very funny. Now you need to respect my authority. I am your older sister! I am your ruler! And I said no magic! So you let me raise the moon now, understood?"

Luna got up off her bed defensively. "Celestia, upon my birth, two jobs were bestowed upon me. Breathe, and raise the moon. I raise the moon. Dost thou understand that?"

Celestia gritted her teeth, and drew herself up to full height, frightening the much smaller Luna. "And I'm telling you, you're not allowed to use that horn of yours! So no raising the moon!"

Luna drew herself up to full height. Which wasn't much. "Celestia! You can take away my freedom! You can lock me away and punish me as much as you wish to! But thou darest not take the night from me!" She shouted.

The two sisters glared at each other for a moment. Luna let out a breath she had been holding in since the beginning of the shouting match, then continued.

"The night is all I have left Tia. Please. Allow me keep it. I shall not use my horn for anything else, just the moon and the stars. Please."

Celestia looked down at her and relented. "Luna...I do not wish to...punish you for the sake of punishing you. This is merely for your own protection."

"This feels like imprisonment." Luna replied. "If you don't wish to punish me Celestia, don't take the night from me."

Celestia sighed. "Okay. Okay you may continue to raise the moon and the stars. But I don't want you using magic for anything else, understood?"

Luna nodded. Celestia hesitated a moment, then leaned down and nuzzled her sister warmly.

"Sleep well Luna."

Luna nodded. "You as well."

Celestia turned and exited. Luna sat back down on her bed.

"Well done Luna." The voice called.

She stood up, her eyes darting about the room in a panic. "No. Not you again."

Nightmare Moon drew herself from out of the shadows. "Yes. Me. What? You thought I'd bother you one morning, and then leave forever?"

Luna stared up at her blankly. Nightmare smiled and nodded. "Oh I see. You still didn't think I was real. You thought you had...imagined me perhaps?"

"You...you are just an idea. Nothing more." Luna said through gritted teeth.

"Ah, you see I'm a bit more than that." She sat down across from the former princess. "Sometimes, ponies have such a horrible idea, they must expel it from their minds. That's what you did to me Luna. The day the elements released you. You forced me from your mind." She gritted her teeth. "I don't like being forced. Sometimes...if an idea is powerful enought, it reacts to being removed from your mind. It fights back. Like me."

She leaned in close to the alicorn. "Let me back in Luna. You know it's the only way you'll ever have a happy ending."

Luna stared into the demon's eyes, summoning some courage buried deep in her heart. "You are not real."

Nightmare Moon chuckled. "You can say that. But you cannot know for sure. I will tell you, you may be the only pony that can see me. And you may not even be able to touch me. But I am very real. And I will drive you to the edge of insanity if you do not allow me back in."

Luna backed onto her bed. "I shall sacrifice my sanity, well before I turn back into you."

Nightmare Moon sighed. "Very well. I suppose...I should allow you to sleep. But do not rest easy, night princess. I will return."

With that, the apparition was gone. Luna pulled the blanket over herself and wrapped it around her. Her room seemed to have gotten much colder.


Celestia prepared to turn in for the night. As she slid off her royal necklace, and crown, she noticed a date marked on her calendar. She frowned.

This must have been from months ago. She rarely saw a day important enough to mark it.

She looked closer. Her eyes widened. It was a very important day. A day she had marked off on her calender every year for 1000 years.

"Oh fiddlesticks."

She thought a moment, her hoof under her chin, her eyes staring at the royal clock.

Then she turned and hurried toward the royal kitchen.


Nightmare Moon looked over her own sleeping form. Luna's mouth was curved into a smile. That was new. Even as devious a creature as Nightmare Moon took comfort in seeing the alicorn sleep. She gently patted Luna's mane, her ghostly armored hoof going right through it.

"I have big plans for us. Your young mind cannot even begin to imagine it. Sleep well. Your liberation is coming."


The next morning, the snow had begun to fall. Winter had arrived. Luna stretched and rose from her bed. She looked out at the snow that seemed to encircle the palace.

She loved the snow. Before her banishment to the moon, she remembered her youth, when she would run out and create snow angels. Celestia always preferred the summer. And that made it even more special for Luna. A time of year all to her own. And it looked so magical, swirling around outside her window. Almost as beautiful as it looked when paired with her moon.

The spell cast upon her by the snow was broken by a knocking on the door.

"Yes?"

"I have a surprise for you." A familiar voice replied.

Luna rolled her eyes. "What? Dost thou bear a one way trip to the moon?"

"Of course not. Don't be ridiculous." Celestia replied.

"A pair of shackles, as I am escorted to thy dungeons?"

She heard an annoyed grunt from the other side of the door. "No."

"Then tell me. What is it?"

"A surprise." Celestia replied.

Luna let out an exasperated sigh. "Well is it a good surprise or a bad surprise?"

"Must you always be so difficult?" Celestia asked irritably.

Luna hesitantly unlocked the door, unsure of what awaited her on the other side. She slowly swung it open. Celestia stood before her. Her horn was powered up. Luna cowered, preparing for the end.

"What are you doing?" Celestia asked.

Luna looked up at her horn. It was still glowing. But not for a killing stroke.

She was using it to levitate something. Luna saw what it was, and straightened herself out.

It was a cake. A grand looking cake.

"What is that for?" She asked.

Celestia trotted in, nodding to the guards, and closed the door behind her. "It's your birthday."

She set up a couple of plates, and put the cake down.

"I figured...everypony deserves cake on their birthday."

Luna frowned. "Tis my birthday?" She trotted over to her calendar.

"Hmm. It would seem I've been gone so long, I've forgotten my own birthday."

She sat down. She sniffed the cake suspiciously. Then she glared up at Celestia.

"It's not poisoned. I promise." Celestia said, smiling innocently.

She sniffed it again. "Coconut?"

Celestia nodded. "I'm assuming that's still your favorite."

Luna looked down at it, then up at her, eyes wide. "You remembered."

"I told you not to underestimate my memory." Celestia replied, grinning happily. "Why wouldn't I remember my own sister's favorite cake?"

Luna cut off a piece and dug in. It was delicious. A nostalgia trip. She had not had coconut cake in well over a thousand years. Memories came flooding back.

"This is so good." Luna said, letting the flavor wash over her tongue. She looked up. "Have some."

"Oh no. I've never been a fan of coconut. It's your birthday anyway."

She noticed the princess's oddly uncoordinated expression. As well as the bags under her eyes.

"You look somewhat tired sister." Luna pointed out. "What happened last night?"

Celestia shook her head. "Nothing, nothing."

Luna looked up at Celestia. Her expression hardened. "Tia, I have an idea. If you really wish for me to trust you again, perhaps the lies should stop."

Celestia grunted in reply. She looked out the stain glass window, at the swirling snow.

"Of course you are right dear sister." She replied after a long pause. She had always tried being honest with her sister. She had only truly lied to her once. And that had been a very necessary lie. "I was in the kitchen almost all night. Preparing that cake."

Luna's eyes widened. "You stayed up all night? To make me..." She looked down at the icing coated wonder before her. "Cake?"

Celestia nodded. "It's so unoriginal to get the royal cooks to prepare it. It's better to bake it yourself."

Luna frowned. "When in Equestria did you learn to bake?"

Celestia chuckled. "A long time ago sister."

The two alicorn's giggled together for a moment.

Celestia loved seeing her sister this way. She did not look at all bothered by the current situation. She wondered whether or not she should inform Luna about the petition, or the impending deadline that the Equestrian Justice Department would soon put in place. 

Luna ate another slice of cake. "Tis delicious." She looked up at her big sister. "Thank you. Really."

Celestia smiled warmly. "You are so welcome."

Luna's ears went back. She suddenly looked very guilty.

"What's wrong?" Celestia asked.

"I...I cannot remember what your favorite cake flavor is." She hung her head. "I'm sorry..."

Celestia put her hoof on Luna's shoulder. "You've been gone a thousand years Luna. The memories will come back."

Luna prodded her hoof up against her head. "You consumed cake all the time. How can I not remember?" She hung her head again. "I am truly the worst little sister ever."

Celestia let out a hearty laugh. "Because you cannot remember my favorite cake flavor? Luna please. You may very well be the worst little sister ever, but it's not because of cake."

Luna's head remained slumped down. Celestia sighed.

"That was a joke Luna. You are a...manageable little sister. You really should lighten up." She said. More silence. She tried a thousand year old technique. She took her hoof and playfully prodded the little alicorn in the stomach. Luna glared at her quite seriously, as though she had gone mad. But within moments this serious face slipped, and gave way to a pained grin, then the laughter began.

Celestia joined in the laughter. Luna felt much more at ease now. She could definitely see less of the strict authoritarian, and more of her sister right at this moment.

"It's chocolate by the way." Celestia said.

Luna pounded her hooves together. "Curses! Of course!"

Suddenly, a voice awakened in Luna's head. "She's trying to poison you."

Luna's expression changed to panic. Celestia frowned. "Luna? Are you alright?"

"She's back." Luna replied. Celestia's eyes widened.

Suddenly, the beast took over. Luna's face contorted into a hideous grin.

"Oh so pathetic sister. You think you can buy our servitude with a cake? We do not love cake nearly as much as you."

Celestia stood up. "Leave her alone, Nightmare. You were beaten. Fair and square. Leave me my sister."

Luna stood up. "Beaten? Beaten?! By the elements of harmony! Such is cheating! I shall have those six rats put to death for such treason!"

Celestia powered up her horn. "Stand down. Stand down or the Equestrian Justice Department will be the least of your worries."

"So weak." Luna hissed. "You should have killed us when you had the chance."

She turned and fired her horn at the lunar stain glass window. It exploded, sending shards of glass and snow flying through the room.

The shards all stop flying. They assembled together, before Celestia, each one surrounded by a blue wall of energy.

Luna's horn directed the sharp glass shards towards the mighty princess.

"Any last words, dear sister?"

Celestia looked up at them in horror. They slowly began their approach. She looked to her sister.

"Don't do this Luna. Don't do it. Listen to your sister, you know this is not what you want! It's what she wants!"

The shards kept on coming. Luna's grin widened.

One of the shards cut into the sun princess's coat. She grimaced, as a bead of blood ran down her face.

But Luna's expression was changing. She looked greatly pained. Her teeth were gritted together tight. She let out a low moan.

A couple of glass shards fell to the floor. The others continued to advance.

Luna put her head down, veins popping from her forehead. She let out an agonizing wail.

"NOOO!"

The remaining shards fell uselessly to the floor with a crash. Celestia breathed a sigh of relief.

Luna clutched her head in her hooves. Celestia hesitantly extended a hoof out, to try and comfort the alicorn. Luna glared at her.

"Leave...I cannot...control it..."

Celestia considered saying something comforting. Instead, she turned and left the room.

"I'm so sorry...so sorry." Luna muttered under her breath.

"Madam, the council is demanding an update on the Luna situation." Porthos said. "They are also asking that you turn her over to the Equestrian Justice Department within the next forty eight hours."

Celestia looked to him. He noticed the cut, and the dried blood running down her face.

"What happened to you my princess?"

The princess didn't have to answer. Porthos knew from the saddened expression on her face.

"I see...action must be taken Princess. At least for your own safety."

Celestia nodded. She could deny it no longer. Even sealed in her own bedroom, Luna was still a grave threat to Equestria. And she had just proven it.

"Very well." A tear streaked down her face. "Round up the finest of our royal guards. We will...confront her, this afternoon."

Porthos nodded. He retreated to find his best stallions.

"I'm so sorry Luna." Celestia managed, wiping the blood and tears from her face.



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