//------------------------------// // Chapter 12: The Stars Will Aid in Her Escape // Story: A Moon's secret // by LightShieldtheunicorn //------------------------------// Luna dodges a kick from Nightshield. The already-rainbow Elements of Harmony flash lilac, gold and black as ink, while they fizz back and forth in the air, being pulled by Celestia’s, Luna’s, and Nightshield’s magic all at once. Celestia bellows: “I’ve got the element of Laughter!” Though, it’s slightly muffled since she just jumped up and caught it in her mouth. “I have obtained the Kindness element!” Luna adds, holding down the pink jewel she just tackled as Nightshield tries to yank it back with magic. With his hind legs, he bashes the Honesty element out of Celestia’s grasp and takes it for himself. “You may have two,” He hisses. “But you’ll never get the element of Loyal-” Celestia flicks it onto her back using her horn. Nightshield kicks her hooves, causing her to flop onto her face, and snatches the Generosity element with his teeth. Luna headbutts him from behind, sending the three rolling across the floor. With a flare from Luna’s horn, a circle of fire forms around the Kindness element, blocking anyone from taking it. “Oh,” Nightshield sneers. “So you wanna play it like that! I can do complex magic too!” Shadowy magic floods from Nightshield’s horn, through the room. It is shaped like veins, like a branching river. Vines, leaves, fly traps and bits of pine emerge from cracks in the building. The Everfree Forest itself emerges from the ground. It rises, and entwines together, forming a foot, an ear, and two yellow, glowing eyes. The biggest timberwolf the sisters have ever seen lets out a mighty roar, and swipes at them, like a cat playing with a ball of yarn. Luna runs along the wall, avoiding the greenery surrounding her like tentacles. The wolf throws it’s wooden head down, fangs aimed straight at Luna. She barely jumps out of the way, grasping one of it’s antler-like ears with her whole body. It tosses its head, trying to throw her off, but she holds on tight. “Luna!” Celestia cries. The moon princess fires a beam of purple light directly at Nightshield, throwing him back a couple feet. She snaps off the timber wolf’s antler and plummets to the ground with it, softening her fall with magic. Like a pirate sword, she points it at him. “Challenging me to a duel?” Nightshield laughs. “You always were the awesome one.” The two slash each other, antler verses unicorn horn, until Luna has him cornered. “Well played,” Nightshield comments, crawling away from the pointy timberwolf-ear. “But you fail to recognize that I’m an ALICORN!” He picks himself up with magic. It takes way less effort than it did the first time. Luna flaps her wings and glides after him. She dives left and right, hurling both her antler, and her horn at him. In midair, they duel. Nightshield blocks her slash at his flank. Luna parries his horn with the antler, which the stallion tosses away with his teeth. Soon, they end up locked in a stalemate, horns crossed, blocking each other. “Now’s your chance to give up, Luna!” Taunts Nightshield, exerting all the strength he has. “No,” Luna tears up. “I can’t give up. I can’t give up on you! Please, stop this! We do not have to fight! My sister is a good mare!” “One day you’ll learn.” Nightshield growls. Luna’s face drips with sweat and tears. “I thought we could make it work! I thought Celestia would listen! I’m sorry...Nightshield…” Celestia catches her eye from her peripheral vision. She is hiding something behind her back leg. Gems. Jewels! The Elements! She’s trying to communicate something in secret. But what? Luna tries to read her lips. I have all The Elements! She mouths. She has all The Elements? Why mouth it in secret then? Luna looks closer as she mouths it again. I have all The Elements but Magic! Magic! Luna gazes back at Nightshield, trying to make it look like she was paying attention to him the whole time. He does have the magic one. He’s holding it. Ok, Luna. She tells herself. All you have to do is take it. Ok, so that’s not going to be easy. He has powerful magic. You’ve got to be smart about it… but… take it, and it’s all over. He’ll be trapped in stone, just like the guards. You may never see him again. No more staying up late together, no more cupcake-stealing, no more stargazing. She knows what she must do, but finds herself unable to bring herself to hurt her coltfriend. Until suddenly… was the room getting… brighter? Oh no! Luna could see the sun looming over the skylight, ready to crush it. “Got a little impatient,” Nightshield shrugged. “Figured I’d speed this up a bit. Ready to give up now?” Present day, Apple Bloom covers her eyes. “Oh, I can’t look!” “Look at what?” Scootaloo asks bluntly. “Luna’s telling a story. We can’t actually see it happening!” Back in the story, Luna squints, blinded by the fireball hurling toward her sister. She takes a deep inhale, and lets out a deep sigh. “Lightshield,” She squeaks weakly, touching his face. Then, she leans in, and kisses him on the lips. The timberwolf’s branches unravel until it looks like a fallen forest. The sun rises away from Celestia… Luna grabs the purple gem. “No!” Nightshield shrieks. “NOOOOOOOOO!” Luna flies down and lands beside her sister. “Ready?” She says. “Let’s do this,” Celestia replies. The Elements circle the sisters, and form a rainbow ring around them. They float up to his level, eyes shining. The rainbow annihilates him. To the sister’s shock, the statue of Nightshield crumbles and breaks immediately after the rainbow drains away. “No!” Luna cries, desperately trying to piece the statue back together. Celestia stands there, speechless. The moon princess sobs over the pieces of broken stone. “Sister, how could this happen?” “This is very bad,” Celestia shudders. “The Elements of Harmony are meant to create friendship. Never harm. If the Elements killed Nightshield, then at least one of us has the same hatred within us.” “The same hatred that turned you into Nightmare Moon,” Sweetie Belle interrupts. “I’m so sorry, Luna. You didn’t know what would happen to him.” “No, I did not,” Luna whimpers, a shiny tear rolling softly down her cheek. “But it was my fault. I blamed Celestia for what happened between me and Lightshield,when really I should have directed my anger at him. He was going to hurt my sister, and even though I stopped him, I ended up nearly doing it myself.” Although it is broad daylight, the room feels dark, and solemn, as though it is a dreary night. Luna feels the whole story flood her body as her sobs echo along the palace walls. The words Nightmare Moon has been shouting at her for years attack all at once. It’s your fault! You killed him! If you hadn’t been so hateful toward Celestia, Lightshield would have lived. You don’t deserve to be loved by the ponies of Equestria. Nobody loves Princess Luna. You’re nothing but Nightmare Moon! And as she sits there, tucked in a little ball on the stone floor, she feels alone. Just like she did every night after Lightshield was gone. Like she did when the sun set, the sky went dark, the ponies went inside, and all that was left was a purple, empty town. A reminder of the pony she once shared the night with. A reminder of the Hearts and Hooves day that left her with a terrible decision to make. A reminder of what she meant to Equestria, and what she did. Suddenly, she feels something touch her. Little hooves wrap around her. Apple Bloom’s hooves. And then Scootaloo’s, and then Sweetie Belle’s. Three little fillies, comforting her. Even after all that she said. After all she told them about herself. They don’t hate her. They love her. They love her anyway. “Why are you doing this?” Luna cries. “Can’t you see I don’t deserve love? I killed Lightshield! I became Nightmare Moon! You should just go find someone worthy of love to spend Hearts and Hooves Day with. I blew my chances at enjoying this holiday a long time ago.” “But, Luna!” Apple Bloom pipes up, her little eyelashes batting. “Hearts and Hooves Day ain’t just about romance, and dates. It ain’t just about love letters, and sharing straw at restaurants. Shoot, it ain’t even about having a special somepony!” “Which is gross,” Scootaloo adds, and Apple Bloom gives her a not-the-time look before continuing. “Hearts and Hooves Day is about love. It’s about loving your family, your sister, your brother. It’s about givin’ love to ponies who need love. Not just sharin’ love with the ponies who already have it.” “Well,” Sweetie Belle utters dubiously, ignoring Apple Bloom’s time-and-a-place-look. “It kind of is about romance, and sharing love with ponies who already have it. Not that I agree, or anything. Ponies without love just get cast aside. It’s not really about ponies who don’t have any love.” “Well, maybe it should be!” Apple Bloom declares, opening the castle door and letting a beam of sunlight catch the whole group. “Come on, Luna! You don’t have to be alone this Hearts and Hooves day! Because you’re gonna hang out with us! We don’t need a special somepony, and neither do you, because we love you, Luna!” And so, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Bell, Scootaloo, and Princess Luna eat chocolate, read horror scrolls, and sleep the rest of the day. That night, the Cutie Mark Crusaders come to Canterlot Castle. The four stargaze on the balcony, overlooking the slumbering town. The fillies are still covered in pink streamers from the festivities. Luna licks a heart-shaped lollipop. Celestia is asleep in her room. “Hey,” Sweetie Belle ponders, peering in awe at Luna’s silvery night. “Luna, how did Nightmare Moon escape her moon prison again?” The princess’ eyes widen in surprise at the question. “Oh, well- It is quite curious, young filly. But, the stars aided in my escape from the moon prison. I am unsure why.” “I think I know why!” Says Sweetie Belle. “I think they were sent by someone who loves you.” “Celestia says it was NOT her doing,” Luna assures her. “No, not Celestia.” The filly shakes her head. “Then who, child?” The night gets quiet for a second as the ponies look up at the stars, and come to a mutual agreement, which, all at once, they say out loud. “Lightshield.”