Chapter Twelve
Luna & Bolero Brilliance
Darkness Looms
Months had passed since then, and things had changed. Luna was visibly pregnant by now. She hadn’t been home to Canterlot Castle since she started showing. Bolero was taking good care of her, of course, but Luna still missed her sister. She was unsure if Celestia would still want to see her. She shook that thought aside. She knew that these thoughts were mostly due to hormones. She looked to her husband, and he gave her a nod. She steadied herself, and started moving. It was unwise for her to fly because of the baby, so she walked out with Bolero into the midday sun. Some hesitation was apparent on her face, and she thought that maybe it could wait a little longer. She looked towards Bolero again. “My dear, I don’t know if I can go through with this. Maybe we should go later.”
A huff escaped him, and he shook his head. “No. You’ve put this off long enough. Don’t you want our daughter to know her aunt? We can’t keep doing this forever. You should at least go to allay any fears she may have.”
Knowing that Bolero was right, she let out a sigh. The two of them started walking through the city, and the people saw them. Luna felt the stares, and saw her subject look at her with intense eyes. They almost seemed like they were judging her. She occasionally looked back at her husband, to maybe see if he would let them go back. But she always saw his patient smile, and she just couldn’t let him down. She pushed forward, trying to not let the stares bother her. After a little while, the pair found themselves at the gates of the castle. The guards stopped them for a moment, before one of them realized who they were. “It’s her!” He turned to his colleague, and spoke excitedly. “Tell Princess Celestia that her sister and brother-in-law have come to visit!” The other guard saluted, and dashed off. The remaining guard smiled, and turned as he beckoned. “Come on in! Your sister has been anxiously awaiting your return.”
The guard walked off towards the castle, and Luna and Bolero followed. They hadn’t been here in some time… Luna couldn’t help but remember how Celestia reacted to her telling her about Bolero. Things hadn’t ended well the last time they were in a room together. Things were tense between them after Luna eloped with Boleo, but Celestia’s shock about the pregnancy was the real kicker. Luna sighed. She knew that she should reconcile with her sister, but she wasn’t sure if she was ready. She was knocked out of her thoughts when the guard brought them to the throne room doors. She took a breath to steady herself, and gave the guard a signal. He opened the door, and spoke. ;Please welcome Princess Luna, and her Prince-Consort, Bolero Brilliance.”
The guard stepped aside, and Luna stepped into the throne room. Bolero followed quickly, and the two of them stood before Celestia. Silence hung in the air oppressively for a moment before Celestia forced a smile. “It’s good to see you, Luna. I missed you dearly.” She then looked at Bolero in person for the first time. “I must thank your husband for taking such good care of you all this time. I see that I was a tad hasty in judging him. My apologies.”
As she bowed her head slightly, Bolero gave a small chuckle. “Think nothing of it, Celestia. If necessary, I would have laid down my life so she could see you again. Family should never have strained ties for long.”
As Luna was about to speak, she buckled in pain and had to lay down. As the guards approached with concern, Luna shouted. “Get the doctor! The baby’s coming!”
In a flash of light, Celestia summoned the royal doctor with the gurney. Surprise was apparent on his face, but his question died in his throat as Celestia barked at him. “My sister is going into labor! Hustle her over to the hospital wing!” After Celestia levitated Luna onto the gurney gently, the royal doctor shot out of the room as the guards held the double doors. Bolero ran after them and Celestia followed. As she left the throne room, she called back. “Cancel my meetings. I’m not missing this!”
On the way to the hospital wing, the doctor was keeping Luna calm with practiced skill. It wasn’t a long journey, but they didn’t want any complications. Luna soon was placed on the nearest bed, and the room was shut after everyone was inside.
A few minutes later, the newborn pegasus filly was being held by her mother as Bolero looked at her with a smile. “There she is. Our little Cadence. I thought that maybe she would be born an Alicorn, but I guess it doesn’t work like that?”
Celestia pondered something as she looked at her niece. She spoke after she gathered her thoughts. “It might be possible for a pony to be born an Alicorn, but it might just be very rare. Although, she could ascend when she’s older.”
At that word, Bolero blinked. “Ascend? You mean, a normal pony could become like you and Luna?”
Luna shook her head solemnly. “Not just anyone can do it, Bolero. You have to have the right components to be judged worthy to ascend by the Cosmos. Celestia and I are the only ponies to have done so so far.”
However, before the topic could be discussed further, tragedy struck. A spy for a small rebellion had managed to get through the checks and be assigned as a nurse. She struch without warning. First, she struck Bolero in the head so hard that he collapsed. Next, in a swift motion, she avoided capture and swiped the newborn filly. As chaos filled the room, the assailant got away. The guards outside gave chase, but Luna wasn’t paying much attention to that. All she could process right now was the limp form of her husband in a pool of blood, and the lack of her daughter in her arms. Without thinking, she reflexively cast the spell to raise the moon even though the sun was still up. Celestia tried to reason with her, but Luna was too consumed with grief to listen.
Celestia looked out the window to see the first solar eclipse in Equestia’s history. The new moon blotted out most of the sun, and the ponies outside were panicking. Celestia then tried to wrestle control of the moon from her sister, to try and calm the ponies. However, Luna rebuffed the attempt with little effort. Tears fell from Luna’s face, and she turned to stare at Celestia. “You would deny me my mourning? Have you no compassion or empathy?” Then, for a split second Luna looked slightly darker than before. But as soon as it came, it faded away. Luna spoke to the nurses. “See if anything can be done for my husband. I expect results.”
The nurses lifted Bolero’s limp form with telekinesis and set him gently on a hospital bed. They started working, as fast as they could, but it wasn’t looking good for Bolero. Celestia once more tried to reason with Luna. “Sister, please. Lower the moon. I know that you’re suffering, but you don’t have to do this! We can figure this out! Our best guards are searching everywhere for your daughter as we speak! Even if Bolero doesn’t make it-”
Luna’s color shifted once more to the darker shade that Celestia saw earlier. She spoke with venom in her voice. “You know that he’s the only one that ever appreciated my night! Nopony else even cared! You were always the one they praised more, liked more! You know nothing of what I feel now! So shut up!” As Luna calmed, the dark color faded again, but Luna still looked at Celestia with an icy glare.
Suffice to say, Celestia had never seen her sister like this. Maybe she didn’t understand. But that didn’t mean that her sister could shut her out like this. She recognized the bitter irony of that thought. For so long, she had been shutting out Luna, ignoring her attempts to get closer again. And look where it got them- Luna was more of a mess than ever before, and Celestia was desperately trying to pick up the pieces. It was then that the Royal Doctor spoke up. “Princess Luna, I bear news of your husband.”
Luna took one look at him, and saw the somber look in his eyes. Anger and sadness swelled on her features as she shook her head. “No! Isn’t there anything you can do!?”
The Royal Doctor let out a sigh. “The best we can do for him is a stasis spell. It will keep him alive, but he will never open his eyes again. It’s preferable to just let him die. Nopony deserves to suffer like that.”
Once more, darkness shifted Luna’s colors. She was seething with anger and grief, and she was about ready to attack the next person that gave her bad news. Seeing this, Celestia knew that there might be no other choice than to use the Elements on her own sister. She knew that they would forsake her eternally for that, but she resigned herself to using that as her last resort. She tried once more to calm Luna down. “Sister, please! I know that you’re suffering, but you don’t have to make the citizens suffer as well! I know that it hurts, but you need to calm down. There still may be hope for your daughter’s return! Please, I don’t want to hurt you!”
However, Luna wasn’t listening. She hissed in anger and spoke once more. “Nay, the moon will ne’er set again! They’ll appreciate my night, even if I must force it upon them! The era of your spotlight is over, sister. It’s my time to rule the roost!” It was then that the haze solidified on Luna’s form. She now looked almost jet black, and her eyes were more sinister and piercing. She howled out into the sky. “I am Nightmare Moon! And the night will last forever!”
Pain set upon Celestia’s face. Her worst fears had come true. First her beloved Discord, and now her sister… With a heavy heart, Celestia flew off to get the Elements. The dark shadow of her sister was in hot pursuit, but Celestia kept a firm lead as she led Nightmare Moon to the Everfree Palace. It was there that she unleashed the power of the Elements and sealed her sister in the moon. Exhaustion set in as she felt the Elements forsake her, and go dormant. Celestia shook her head with regret and flew back to Canterlot Castle.
After she reached the castle, she went straight to the hospital wing. There, she found the weak form of Bolero opening his eyes to look at her. Hewas silent, yet she knew that he was judging her. He held on long enough to see a guard enter the room, the baby Cadence on his back. Bolero strained a bit to take her, but he wouldn’t be deterred. He held her for the first and last time, and sighed. “You’ll take care of her, right?”
Tears fell down Celestia’s face as she accepted the child in her telekinetic hold. “I promise, I’ll keep an eye on her. I’ll ensure her happiness.”
Bolero let himself smile. He gave a nod, and let himself relax. He shut his eyes for the last time. Celestia looked down at her niece. She had no idea how to handle her, but she had promised Bolero that she’d take care of Cadence. No matter what lay ahead, she wouldn’t fail the last remnant of her family.
The End of the Third Tale
The Next Story is… Tempered Steel and Nimbus Speedfang in the Post-Nightmare Era