//------------------------------//
// The Other Side 
// Story: You Can't Just Vanquish Evil 
// by Toon 
//------------------------------//

Princess Celestia had shunned her eyes away from the bright flash of her sister's teleportation spell. By the look of the more than usual intensified flash, it was a heavy demand by her sister. Likewise, the elements of newly made harmony shunned their eyes as well. Rainbow dash was already in the action to fight the now revived princess thus leading her to hit a wall when everything was cleared. 

"Ah!" Was the only sound to be made after the teleportation had succeeded and blinded Rainbow Dash hit the wall just to hit the ground afterward with a 'thud'.

The rest of the element holders all gasped.

"I'm okay!" Rainbow declared with one hoof in the air.

Celestia however kept staring off to the spot her sister was before. Thoughts of worry, sadness, regret, and disappointment all seeped into her mind.

"Princess?" Celestia had turned to find Twilight, her faithful student speaking out to her, laced with concern and worry.

Celestia sighed, "it seems I...failed once more." She turned back to where her sister had been.

"You didn't fail princess, Nightmare Moon-"

"Luna." Celestia had cut in to correct Twilight.

"L-Luna was obviously being controlled by something."

"You may be wrong my faithful student, Luna's hatred did feel real, her anger has not subsided and I fear that I was too presumptuous to think she was some kind of monster to be expelled by the elements."

"But princess-"

"Twilight, please"

Twilight was apprehensive but respected Celestia, "O-of course your majesty." Twilight had bowed and stayed off the subject.

"Thank you." Celestia was grateful Twilight had respected the boundaries but she was mournful of her sister. She had lost the only family she truly had.

Celestia had decades to work it all out but she was just as lost as when she had to banish Luna. She however did work on her solution to such moments of weakness, she steeled her resolve and focused on the main problem at hoof.

She turned around to see the bearers of the elements make sure loyalty was okay.

"Elements of harmony" Celestia had used her royal voice to gain the attention of her little ponies.

"I'm so sorry to ask of this, but with Nightmare Moon on the loose-" she had hated that name for so long and it was still haunting her. "I must ask of all of you, to help me recapture her, with her goal in mind she creates a force to be reckoned with."

All of them had looked at each other but they gave the same message on their faces; 'they were ready'

"Will you help?" Celestia had known it was clear but she needed to make sure, presumptuous thinking was what got her in this situation in the first place.

Twilight had stepped out with one hoof forward, "We will" she had puffed her chest out in a declaration of bravery and devotion. "Right girls?" She looked back at her newly made friends, they had the same kind of determination on their faces.

"Yeah!" They all spoke in unison with their movement all copying Twilight with one hoof in step.

Celestia was proud of them, even after the obstacles her sister had made for them they still steeled their resolute and were determined.

'Perhaps this generation of elements will fair better than me and you, Luna.' Celestia had spoken internally to herself.

"Thank you, my little ponies." Celestia was eternally grateful to this new set.

Twilight spoke up, "What do we do now, princess?"

"I know this may come as a shock but you should all go back home and rest."

Rainbow butt in the conversation, "What?! No way! Nightmare Moon-"

Celestia gave Rainbow a look, "Luna"

Rainbow was surprised with how sharp one word could be, "R-right, Luna is out there right now! We didn't know until now that another alicorn existed!"

"I'm sad to say ponies but we must rest before we continue on a search. Going off on a goose chase would do us no good."

Rainbow started "But-"

Twilight stepped in, "I think she's right girls," she looked stepped out, and turned to look at her friends. "We should get some rest."

Rainbow took one step to argue and open her mouth but Applejack spoke before she could.

"As much as ah don't like the idea of Luna fussin' around, we ain't got much if we tire ourselves out."

Celestia was thankful Applejack had put her piece in, "Good, please all of you, get some rest. I may ask much of you the following days until we get my sister back."

They all went on, but Rainbow noticed Twilight wasn't going with them. "Twi? aren't you coming?"

"Soon Rainbow, I just need to speak to the princess for a bit, you gals go on ahead."



...

"Princess?" 

Celestia had stared off to the endless abyss of the night, the moon over the trees shining beyond the shadows.

"Princess Celestia, will you be okay?"

"I-...No, I don't think I will."

"We'll get her princess."

"That's not what worries me, Twilight. I- I failed, I failed as a sister when she needed me the most I failed her. I let my assumptions lead me to wander for a helpless little sister out in the cold in danger. I- I failed being there when she needed me the most, in the most important moment of her life, showing that vulnerability I never sought to help her."

"Celestia you could never have-"

"I could've, every day I rewind that battle, every living moment I want it to be undone. I was her only family left and vice versa, and I did nothing to help her. I failed as a sister, a friend, and even a ruler. I covered her history in hope of never having to resurface all those mistakes. I was a coward then and now, even here, a thousand years later I expected her to make that leap."

Celestia sighed, "perhaps I failed in every way possible, I wish I knew what to do Twilight. I truly do, even with thousands of years of experience, I failed to help the one piece of me I so desperately wish back. Maybe I am a fool to want that piece back but without it...without it, I feel hopeless. I miss her, more so than anything else, but maybe I am not deserving of that piece."

"Princess-"

"Twilight I think it's best you go with your friends."

Celestia turned back to Twilight, "they do still need you and you deserve it."

Twilight was unsure whether to leave Celestia alone after all this happened. The princess looked fine but she couldn't make out what was wrong. "But princess-"

Celestia closed her eyes and breathed slowly. "Please Twilight, just go...I- 'm not in the best state to argue..."

Twilight was still unsure but saw Celestia was still keeping her composure. "O-okay..." she walked away from Celestia's view

...

Then there was Celestia, alone in the dark veil of the cosmos- a dying star in its inevitable end, its breaking point. She had stifled her cries for so long, she had held her position and composure for so long... and yet she was here, buckling under all the weight of it all. She had kept thinking why is this any different? Why now could she not hold herself? She was breaking apart more than ever before. She stood there with all her might not to cry, she breathed through her nostrils to keep air coming in, keep in check of herself to make sure she didn't cry this time.

...

A tear, a single tear trickled on her cheek. One tear - then another and another, she felt the overwhelming build-up in her eyes, the emotions poured, she held as much as she could but this was her breaking point. She tried her breathing exercises but it was failing. She slowly sat herself down on the ground and cried.

"W-why? Why now? W-why...

"I- I'm sorry Luna, I failed again..." she had whispered oh so softly. She kept telling herself she was a ruler now, without her mentor she couldn't allow herself to fail to uphold herself now. But through it all she kept crying, it tore her apart.

"I...I wish I could've done so much more lulu, you were everything to me...and I failed you, I couldn't help you, and for what to show for it? A small glimpse of hope for something better for you. I wish... that we could've worked it out here and now. But now, I'm worried we may have to" she shook her head violently to throw away the thoughts.

"I don't even want to entertain the thought. I- I don't want to choose my- our kingdom over you..." she was a mess and she knew it.

...

Celestia closed her eyes and kept sobbing with a whisper into the night, a wish. "...I just want everything back to normal..."

Twilight was nearby, she knew listening in on a pony was horrible and never was good. But she was worried about Celestia, she knew the princess was strong but she couldn't know for sure if she was okay. She just wanted to hear her see if she was going to be okay, but after hearing it all. The guilt, the pain, and the tragedy she knew she had to do something. Something to make it all right for Celestia, otherwise, everything the princess sacrificed was for nothing.

Twilight couldn't go on with that line of thinking, Celestia was a bastion of light, she had carried Equestria and even Equus to peace. If Twilight could help her out in any way she would.

And in that in mind Twilight slowly slinked away, with a new objective in mind. 





"Girls!" Twilight had yelled out to the others when they were out of the forest.

Applejack questioned. "What got your pig in a tussle?"

"It's the princess!"

Rarity gasped, "Oh, dear!"

Rainbow flew over Twilight. "What happened?!"

"Nothing happened yet but I was uh, well I was eavesdropping on the princess and-."

Rarity was the first to speak out. "Twilight! I could not believe you!"

Applejack came to second it. "Twi, that just ain't right, she's coping with this whole darn mess."

Rainbow flew in front of them before they could all uproar. "Woah, guys chill -maybe Twilight has a reason behind it."

Twilight stepped forward. "Thank you Rainbow and I know it's wrong but I had to make sure the princess was fine and..." Twilight looked away, even knowing being honest with the whole situation was...hard. Hearing Celestia herself in such a rut, she knew she had to keep some of it out.

Applejack now intrigued, came to ask with a raised eyebrow. "And?"

"A-and she needs our help! She just wants Luna back and wanted to find her to help and protect her. I know she's a villain but I just-" Twilight tried so hard to form her feelings and thoughts, villains were bad weren't they? Rotten to the core was what she learned in history. Sombra, Discord, and Grogar but this situation felt different to her- like there was a reason and maybe even justified reason to it all. 'But then why hurt innocent ponies?' Twilight was so frustrated with the thought and the internal conflict in her head she failed to notice her friend's expressions ranging from worry to determination.

Applejack stepped up to put her hoof on Twilight's shoulder with eye contact. "We understand Twi', Ain't nothing wrong with trying to help a pony. Nopony deserves to be separated from their family, Ah know it'd be wrong if Applebloom did the same but ah- ah couldn't help myself wanting to help her."

Twilight knew what she was speaking was honest, she embraced Applejack with sincerity, "Thank you Applejack."

Rarity came forward, "I- can't say with honesty, that I wouldn't want to help Sweetie bell either." she went in for the hug.

Rainbow Dash slowly descended onto the ground. "I was already in but I sorta understand, If I lost scootalo... well I wouldn't be the best I could be." She hugged back to the three other ponies, and without hesitation, Fluttershy joined in.

Twilight felt that even with these conflicting ideas and feelings she felt the true love of friendship. "Thank you all, girls."

"Wait- where's Pinkie?"

Fluttershy whispered, "O-oh s-she said she had to plan a party."

Twilight giggled, "I'm glad to know even with this crazy night she still found the time." And then the others all joined in on the laugh.