//------------------------------// // Chapter 12 // Story: The Darkness Shard // by OliverSparkle //------------------------------// Princess Luna was still angry as she made her to the balcony outside the Canterlot castle. She then used her magic to raise the moon with the sun lowering down. Luna continued to glare at the sky before Celestia’s hooves walking behind her. “Figured I would find you out here,” said Celestia as she stopped near the open doorway, “Completely forgot it was time for the moon to rise.” The princess of the moon turned round to show her angry look to Celestia while saying, “Get over here.” “What? Is everything okay?” Celestia asked worriedly while walking up to her sister. “No, everything is not okay,” Luna answered crossly, “Can you figure out what the problem is?” “I…I don’t really…I honesty have…” Celestia suddenly started to release what Luna was mad about as she just remembered what happened back at the library. “Oh…Oh dear.” “Yeah! That’s right! “Oh dear” is the way of saying you now know!” Said Luna angrily, “How do you think I feel after my friend telling me and Cadence what you, the girls and Shining Armor have done before I came to the party? I am furious. Absolutely furious! You should know better than that!” Celestia was getting more ashamed of her actions from the past, but also scared to how this was going. “I-I did congratulated Twilight for saving Equestria from a Changeling invasion though,” she said in a scared tone. But Luna wasn’t have none of that, and her tone did not change. “Look, congratulated or not, you’ve still did the biggest mistake a princess could make. I can not believe you ignored the threat as well as not listened to Twilight! She was your student!” Celestia was getting more and more scared of Luna’s anger tone. “But, Luna, I didn’t know Chrysalis was pretending to be our niece. I thought she was just stress and wanted her wedding to be perfect and have it done before the threat hits.” “Cadence wouldn’t taken her stress out on those that were trying to make her day special or treat Twilight like she’s still a filly when she always enjoy doing her special greeting! She would have taken her stress into her room so she can’t upset anypony and would talk to somepony about it when she’s okay again! And she would also want her wedding to come after the threat since that was more serious than the wedding!” Luna turned round to look at the sky again while saying, “I may not have known Cadence after returning back to normal from being Nightmare Moon, but I’ve spent enough time with her to know all about her and her time with Twilight.” She then turned glare at Celestia again. “And I know Twilight would never try to upset her favourite foalsitter or ruin anything for her on her wedding. Proof or not, you should have listened to her and know your own niece to understand the actions between hers and Chrysalis’s. At least I know I wasn’t the only one who took the threat more serious.” Celestia’s ashamed and scared look suddenly turned into a cross look after hearing her sister say she took the threat more serious. “You took the threat more seriously? Chrysalis managed to invade the entire Canterlot and her changelings managed to break through the shield! And while we were struggling to stop them, where were you when the attack happened? Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t be mad at you for not showing up during the invasion!” “Because I was in a cocoon!” Luna shouted angrily. Celestia’s angry expression turned into a shock expression. Her sister saying she was in a cocoon during the invasion made her remember that she was in a cocoon as well. “I was about to go see why Twilight was outside at nighttime when Cadence came into my room and said she wanted to speak to me in private, so I say okay and let her in. But then I saw her eyes grow green, meaning that the Cadence I was speaking to wasn’t our Cadence. After figuring that out, I tried to run out to find you and the others, but she blasted me on the head that caused me to fall unconscious. When I woke up, I saw I was inside a disgusting changeling slimed cocoon. I was unable to break free until a blast of love broke the cocoon and I was free. I wasn’t able to check on any of you since I was still in pain and injured after being knocked out and falling out of a cocoon.” Celestia now feels guilty after nearly having a go at her sister for not helping with the invasion when she was trying to stop it but couldn’t during it. She even thought Chrysalis’s return was the first time Luna has been encased in a cocoon when the invasion WAS the first time she’s been in one. “And I mean every word, Tia,” said Luna, “I may be the princess of the moon and may not do much princess duties during the day like you do, but I don’t ignore a threat. I may want a rest after doing my night duty, but I still need to do my part of being a princess and be there when needed, no matter how tired I am.” “I’m…I’m sorry, Luna,” said Celestia in shame, “I let that happened to you. If I haven’t let Chrysalis win and have just listened to Twilight, none of that would have happened. I even nearly lost her and Cadence too.” “Not only that, but if Twilight didn’t have the heart to forgive you, the girls and Shining Armor, she would have quit being your student, ended her friendship with you and the girls, and told Shining he was no longer her BBBFF,” Luna said in a cross tone, “I know that was long ago, but you still should be ashamed of yourself for your actions and words.” The princess of the moon walked past her sister and headed back inside the castle. “Luna, where are you going now?” Celestia asked while turning round to watch her go. “To my room so I can do my duty,” answered Luna as she stopped walking and turned round to look at her sister, “I may not be a happy princess at the moment, but I still got a job to do.” Luna turned forward while saying, “And I must protect Lightning Twister from any more of those nightmares.” Princess Luna walked towards the door and was about to open it with her magic until a golden magic grasp shield covered the door to stop her from leaving. “Huh?” Luna was surprised and confused by this. “I can’t let you do that, Luna,” said Celestia as she walked into the room with Luna turning round to look at her. “Wait until we’ve figured who or what is causing Lightning Twister to have those nightmares,” said the princess of the sun, “Go do your part on saving him when we find out what we’re facing.” “And what? Just only make sure other ponies sleep well and let the poor colt unable to have a goodnight’s sleep? You should know by now I don’t ignore a nightmare somepony’s having. I gotta do my part and protect Lightning Twister from those nightmares.” “No, you gotta do your part, protect Lightning Twister and survive,” said Celestia, “I’ve been trying to tell you that, but you don’t listen.” “If you wanted me to survive so bad, why didn’t you save me from turning into Nightmare Moon instead of banishing me to the moon?” “I had no other choice.” “Pfft, yeah.” Luna looked away from Celestia. “I’m serious,” said Celestia, “I couldn’t think of another way to break Nightmare Moon from you. Banishing you to the moon and losing my connection with the Elements of Harmony was the choice I had.” Luna glared at Celestia while saying, “You wanted me back in your life, and this is the best way to make sure I’m safe?” “I’m trying to save your life.” “You’re stopping me from going to the dreamscape and protecting Lightning from any more of those nightmares!” Celestia was getting angry of the way Luna was speaking to her right. “To protect you!” “Like this is protecting me?!” “Just listen to me and do what I say, Luna! I’m not gonna lose you again!” Luna glared down to the floor wishing she didn’t have to do it, but Celestia left her no choice. “And I’m not gonna let Lightning Twister suffer more just to save my mane,” she said before glaring at her sister again with her horn glowing which made Celestia step back in surprise. “You underestimated me.” The grasp around Luna’s horn begun to glow brighter as Luna started to float in mid air and made the entire room turn into the dreamscape, which was a light blue area with faded white. Celestia shockingly looked around as Luna floated back down to her hooves and glared at her sister again. “No!” Shouted Celestia before shooting a golden grasp beam at Luna to stop her from having them in the dreamscape, but Luna was quick on her hooves and flew up into the air as the beam hit the spot where she was once at. “Don’t fight me on this, Luna!” Celestia shouted. “I don’t want to!” Luna shouted back while still flying, “But I can’t stay away from helping Lightning Twister!” Celestia continued to glare at her sister, even after hearing her say that. “Then I’ll do what I have to do. Keep you safe!” Celestia shot another golden grasp beam at Luna, but she quickly dodged the beam by flying to the left as the sun princess shot another one at her but she dodged that one as well by flying to the right. Celestia shot more beans at her sisters a couple of times, but Luna kept on dodging them by flying to another side, up and down, flying around her sister and using her magic to shield some from hitting her. Luna used her magic to change the dreamscape area to another area which had boutiques everywhere and lovely dresses flying out of each door one by one. “This isn’t about me or Lightning Twister at all, Tia!” Shouted Luna while still flying and glaring at her sister, “It’s about you! You’re still afraid of losing me again!” “Don’t you turn this on me, Luna!” Celestia shouted angrily before shooting another golden grasp beam at Luna which she blocked it with her dark blue grasp shield. Luna shot a dark blue grasp beam at Celestia which did hit her and caused her to slide back a bit on her hooves. Celestia rubbed the pain of her chest before glaring at Luna. She spread her wings out and flew up towards her sister. Luna quickly flew away as Celestia chased after her while shooting golden grasp beams at her to stop her, but Luna kept on dodging them by flying up, down and spinning around over them as well as using her dark blue grasp shield. “When are you gonna understand I have to protect Lightning Twister from those nightmares?!” Luna asked while glaring at Celestia and still flying away. “When are you gonna understand you can’t do that if something happens to you?!” Asked Celestia while glaring at her sister as she continues to fly after her and shoot golden grasp beams at her which she keeps on dodging. Luna used her magic to change the area into a new area which was a very greyish railroad bridge with the Crystal Empire express running on the tracks. Celestia and Luna flew down to the coaches and landed on top of one of them. “You don’t realise, I’m the only one trying to save you!” Celestia said angrily. “And I’m trying to save Lightning Twister like the others are doing!” Said Luna angrily. Celestia glared at her Luna as her horn started to glow and she charged towards her sister. But Luna was too quick on her hooves and jumped high enough to dodge her sister as she stopped on the spot Luna was once stood. Celestia turned and saw Luna landing on another coach of the train. “You think you can protect Lightning from those nightmares we know nothing about yet? You can’t!” “I have to try! He needs me!” Celestia’s horn began to glow again as she charged towards Luna again, but this time, Luna used her magic to make more of the Crystal Empire express as they appeared one by one and floated around the original express to create a cylinder out of expresses. Celestia stopped and shockingly looked at the expresses above her. Celestia glared at Luna while asking, “Didn’t you remember what Mother said about picking your battles?!” “She told me to think about everypony else and not let them get put into danger no matter what!” Celestia used her magic to make the multiple expresses disappear into pieces. Luna spread her wings and flew away as Celestia used her magic to teleport herself in front of Luna making her stop in her tracks. “Throw yourself in situations you can’t handle. You know who did that once?” Luna knew who she was referring to as she glared at her sister and said, “Don’t say his name!” Luna was suddenly about to use her magic in anger, but she quickly changed it to make the area change into a new area which was the dreamscape again but with multiple stairs everywhere like a big maze. Celestia floated down and stood on the stairs that was upside down while Luna floated down to stand on the stairs that was facing sideways. “You want me to lose you again but for real so I have to bury you? I won’t let you!” Celestia shot a golden grasp beam at Luna with her magic, but Luna quickly jumped to another pack of stairs which were facing up as the beam destroyed the sideway stairs. Luna glared at Celestia as she shot a dark blue beam at her sister, but it only destroyed the upside down stairs while Celestia flew away before it actually hit her. “You’re naive, sister! You’re still a princess trying to impress others because you’re the princess of the moon!” Celestia said while glaring at Luna. “No, I’m the princess who knows everypony needs me!” Said Luna angrily after being hurt by what she used to be in the past when she was a filly. Celestia blasted more golden grasp beams at Luna, but she kept on dodging them by flying to different packs of stairs as the beams destroyed them one by one. Luna ran up the stairs that were facing up before stopping halfway to stare angrily at her sister. “You were never gonna accept my part of saving everycreature from evil nightmares. The risk I gotta take.” Celestia flew to where she look down at Luna more clearly as she glared at her while saying, “You’re right. I’m done losing members of my family after trying to save everypony!” Celestia started shooting golden grasp beams at Luna as she ran up the stairs again with the beams hitting the stairs and making a piece of the stairs fall off. “How far will you take this, Luna? You’re gonna let the threats kill you as you prove you deserved your princess role?!” “If that’s what it takes!” Celestia’s beam broke another piece of the stairs which made Luna fly in mid-air. Luna glared at Celestia before flying up to her so she can see her face to face. “Why are you trying to stop me from helping Lightning Twister sleep better, sister?!” Luna asked angrily, “You know it’s my duty to stop nightmares from haunting everypony, especially the ones made by a threat!” “I refuse to lose you again, Luna!” Answered Celestia angrily, “If this is Sombra’s doing, he’ll destroy you before you could save Lightning Twister from him!” “I’m not gonna let him have anymore bad nightmares if this is Sombra’s work! I can’t ignore a threat like you did at Cadence’s wedding! Only me and Twilight took the threat more serious than you, the girls and Shining did since it was the only special day you thought was more important!” Celestia’s anger started to grow more and more as her horn began to glow and spark while Luna continued, “You’ve just left Twilight handle the threat by herself like she can take care of it herself! She was still a unicorn back then, Tia! And you think you can just let her handle the threats so she can risk her life to save Equestria and you not helping out just so you don’t have risk your life? That just putting an innocent pony in danger! Especially the one you called your faithful student!” “ENOUGH!!” Celestia shouted angrily and loudly while making a huge orange light blast around her which causing Luna to fly backwards with the dreamscape breaking into pieces revealing the room the sisters were once in as Luna smacked against the wall causing her to collapse on the ground. Celestia’s anger started to cool as she saw her sister unconscious on the floor while having a now shocked and worried expression on her face. “Luna!” Celestia shouted in shock before running to Luna’s aid. Luna slowly stood back up, but nearly collapsed a bit due to the pain she got from smacking into that wall, as she moaned in pain a bit. Celestia ran up to her sister and saw what had just happened to her. “Luna! Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!” She said in a panic and worried tone as she tried to help her sister up. “Are you alright?” However, instead of answering, Luna glared at her sister and pushed Celestia’s hoof away from her. Celestia was surprised and worried from that, but she knew why though. “Luna?” Luna still didn’t answer and continued to glare at her sister before making her way to the doorway of the room now that the shield was finally down. She opened the door with her magic and she was about to leave the room until she was stopped by Celestia’s voice. “Luna, wait. Please. I know I messed up. I let you down. But we’re family.” “Family?” Luna said while turning round to glare at her sister again, “If we are family, then how come that didn’t stop you from keeping secrets from me, thinking I was ignoring the invasion, stopping me from helping Lightning Twister and fighting me?! Being family doesn’t mean doing all of that, even by mistake! Twilight was your family too! You treated and loved her like she was your own daughter! But that didn’t stop you from abandoning her, ignoring her about the fake Cadence proof or not, ignoring the threat as well and using harsh words on her like you were gonna tell her off when Chrysalis has the chance to attack after the wedding! And you nearly lost her if Chrysalis had different plans to deal with her.” Celestia now had a sad and shame expression on her face. She knew Luna was right about everything. The words she used on Twilight made her think she was gonna get told off after the wedding and before Chrysalis started the invasion, and the way she did to Luna was almost losing her after trying to protect her from the nightmares. “You are right, Luna,” she said sadly and shamefully, “What I did, was my fault since I was one of the ponies that let it happen. All I ever wanted was to have my family again. But, it really doesn’t have to be like this. You and me, hating and losing each other. That’s how it happened between us and him before what happened to our mother and aunt. I don’t wanna repeat that.” Luna knew what Celestia meant by that, she remembered what happened with their mother and aunt before they became rulers of Equestria and refuses let the same event happen again as well. “I don’t either, sister,” said Luna in a now calm tone, “But I can’t avoid threats you wanna protect me from.” Celestia looked down in guilt knowing that she almost made things worse by stopping Luna from helping Lightning Twister sleep well during the night till they reach the Tree of Life and stop the nightmares from continuing. “I can’t turn my back when Fluttershy needs me to help her son,” Luna said before making her way out of the room. As she made her way through the opened doorway, she said, “I have to be better than that.” With Luna now out of the room, Celestia watched her sister disappear into the hallway as she let out a guilty sigh while looking down in shame. At the old and destroyed, but still holding, castle of the two sisters, inside the damaged throne room was a pony in a black coat sitting on the floor staring at the destroyed thrones of Celestia and Luna. It’s unknown why he’s there, how long has he been there and what was he doing there. He continued to stare at the thrones until he heard a strange coming from behind him. He turned and saw a dark corridor near him as the hooded figure walked out from the corridor and stood near him while the corridor disappeared behind him. The hooded pony stood up and faced the hood figure. The figure placed a finger near his mouth was in the hood while saying, “Shhh.” The hooded pony continued to stare at the figure before asking in a whisper tone, “What do you want?” “From you? Nothing,” answered the hooded figure in a friendly tone, “For you? Everything I never had before. But what is it you want, my boy?” “I want to destroy Celestia and Luna, and then take the throne,” the pony said in a calm tone. The hooded figure understood what the pony wanted and stood sideways on the right while looking at the pony. He stretched his hand out and opened a dark corridor before saying, “This is where you can rest before getting exactly what you want. I can help you. Besides, the sisters, along with their friends and niece, are protecting someone that I’m after. We can use the help we can from each other.” The hooded pony didn’t know what he was doing or what should he do, but he trusted the figure without even knowing more of him and only just met him. He walked towards the dark corridor and disappeared after walking into it. “I would definitely take that, as a yes,” the hooded figure said gladly before walking into the dark corridor himself as it disappeared leaving the castle completely empty again.