Chapter 9
The Dark Mirror
When Luna entered her chamber, she stopped by the doors. She felt immediately that there was somepony else in the room. Slowly and cautiously the Princess of the Night approached the fireplace and the small fire burning in it.
“I know you are in here stranger show yourself! I am not in the mood for such games!” Luna said with irritation evident in her voice. A quiet chuckle answered her.
From the shadows, near the doors to her bedroom a young noble pony, by the look of her, stepped into quivering light of the fire. Her green eyes gazed at the Princess with slight amusement in them.
“How did you enter my rooms?” The dark alicorn frowned. Now that she thought about it, there were no guards in the corridor. She concentrated all of her senses and her magic harder on the noble mare, and to her surprise felt something familiar about her, but she couldn’t grasp what it was.
For a few more minutes the two mares stared at each other in silence until finally, a realization struck the Princess. No wonder she didn’t instantly remember the familiar feeling, it was such a long time since the two meet. Luna’s frown deepened.
“You should not be here.” The Princess of the Night now regarded her guest with annoyance. The smaller mare just smirked slightly.
“I see you remembered... Then you should know I just couldn't pass such a feast.”
“No. You would not.” The Princess of the Night answered with a sigh. But not a moment later, she scowled. She shouldn't be able to be this calm with the emotions that her talk with Celestia awoke. “Stop it this instant!”
And when the last word left her mouth, Luna’s anger and irritation rose once more.
“I just thought you would like to calm down... Princess.” The smaller pony said without real care in her voice and with a fake smile.
“I am calm, you didn't see me angry yet. And pray that you will never have to.” Luna said and turned her back to the pony, her gaze now focused on the small flames in the fireplace.
Quietly, the other pony moved to the side of the Princess.
“I wanted to ask, if our old... agreement is still valid.” The noble mare wanted to say ‘friendship’, but she was not that naive now to believe it had ever truly been friendship between them in the first place.
“Yes it is. It should be obvious by now. I stayed out of your way... and you will stay out of mine.” The dark alicorn looked at her guest, and then returned to gazing at the fire. It was soothing in the way it moved. “And you still owe me that one favor.”
“I had hoped you have forgotten that little detail... Nevermind. We will see each other again, probably.” With those words, the noble looking mare left the room, opening and closing the doors with a touch of brilliant green magic.
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When Twilight saw Princess Celestia, with tears running down her muzzle, she instantly knew that something went wrong between the royal sisters. It wasn’t hard to see earlier how both alicorns went to the corridor that led to Luna’s chambers. And the next thing everypony sees is a miserable looking Celestia almost running out of the castle.
The purple mare tried to call the Princess, maybe even ask what was wrong. But it looked like Celestia was in her own small world, she didn’t notice anypony and guest had to move out of her way.
In the wake of Princess Celestia’s dramatic exit, the nobles started to panic. Twilight decided to act before it went too far.
“SILENCE!” She laced her voice with magic to make it as loud as she could. It was nowhere near Luna’s Traditional Royal Canterlot Voice, but it was enough. Hearing her, everypony in the room froze and stared at her with a hint of fear in their eyes.
“Now that I have your attention... Please leave the Castle in an organized manner.” The guards stationed around the room hearing the request moved to guide the nobles out of the room and castle.
In the meantime Twilight decided to get to the bottom of this mess. All she needed to do was just talk to Luna and ask some questions.
On her way down to the Princess’s chambers she spotted a young noble pony lingering behind one of the columns.
“Miss, please join the rest of the guests.” Twilight said stopping and looking intently at the other mare.
“Yes... Yes of course.”
When Twilight watched the pony’s back, she couldn't shake of the feeling that she missed something, some kind of inside joke, if the slight smirk on the young noble’s muzzle and the amusement in her green eyes was anything to go by.
She debated with herself if she should have detained that pony, but she was sure that ‘smirking in suspicious manner’, wasn’t a very good reason for taking such action. With a sight the purple unicorn moved, she did have questions that need answers.
When reached the doors, Twilight knocked gently.
“Come in.”
Twilight entered, looked around and found Luna deep in thoughts, sitting on her favorite pillow by the fireplace. The dim light of the fire casted moving shadows around the room. Twilight wasn’t sure, if without her cat like eyes she could spot the dark alicorn so easily. Luna’s coat blended in with the shadows quite well and even sitting near the only light source, she would be hard to spot for normal eyes. With few steps she herself sat on another pillow, she gladly noted that the armor she was wearing didn't cause her any discomfort.
“Luna, everypony saw a crying Celestia leaving the Castle. Can you tell me what happened?” Twilight spoke slowly, carefully. She didn’t want to pry if it was too personal, but not knowing anything irritated her slightly.
For a while after that question, the only sound on the room was the fire crackling.
“Celestia accused me of being Nightmare Moon again.” Luna’s voice was full of contempt.
When Twilight heard the answer she gasped. That was not something she expected... But some part of her could see it happening. Beside Luna and Cadence, she was the closest pony to Celestia, she liked to think that she knew how her former teacher thought.
To be perfectly honest Twilight also had the same thought twice now... The purple mare took a deep breath. She had the perfect opportunity now that the subject was mentioned, but the timing was more than bad. However... she wanted to know.
“Are you?” The unicorn’s voice was quiet.
Luna turned her head and looked for few long minutes, for Twilight they stretched out mercilessly. It would seem that the Princess of the Night made some sort of decision, as she narrowed her eyes. She stood up and walked to the doors.
“Come Twilight.”
The smaller mare almost jumped from the pillow she was sitting on, and immediately went after the Princess. The walk was a short one as it turned out. They stopped by the other double doors in the corridor.
Twilight watched as Luna lowered her head and inserted her horn in the same type of lock that guarded the Elements of Harmony. The silver vines pulsed with Princess’s blue magic and several clicks were heard. Then with a heavy groan, slowly the doors opened.
Inside was the most amazing chamber Twilight had seen in her life. In the mostly circular chamber, the stone pillars were stylized to look like trees, on their branches delicate silver leaves hang. The floor was covered in green moss. There were no windows but they were unnecessary as the light was provided by a silvery water that glowed with soft silver light and run around the room like small rivers, pooling in some of the deeper hollows. And the ceiling... Twilight couldn't tear her gaze away from it. It was enchanted to look like the night sky, it was an almost perfect illusion as she could barely see the rock that really made the ceiling, and even that only when she was looking for it.
“Stand beside me Twilight.” Luna’s voice snapped Twilight’s attention back to the present.
The dark alicorn now stood on a small dais made from ancient looking stone. It was cracked, covered with moss, and some bits in the stone steps were missing. But the most curious thing was what was on the dais. There was something large and rectangular covered by silver silk.
“Princess... Why have you brought me here?” Twilight asked with uncertainty in her voice.
“You asked me a question. And I am answering it. You are my second in command and my friend Twilight. If anyone, you deserve to know.”
Luna grasped the obscuring silver silk in her magic and removed it.
What was under it made Twilight eyes to go wide with wonder. It was as beautiful as it was terrifying. The mirror was made from the purest obsidian she had ever seen. It was twice as tall as Celestia and its width was barely larger than her small body’s length. Its highly polished surface made it look like it was a portal to a black void. Its edges were trimmed with delicate silver vines in which she could spot countless diamonds, some as big as her hooves. Now and then she could see a flicker of pale blue light inside the jewels.
“What is this?” she asked quietly, awe evident in her voice.
“I call it simply The Dark Mirror. It is my greatest creation to this day.” The Princess of the Night answered with a bit of sadness in her voice.
“So what is its power? If it does have any...” Twilight asked not even looking at the dark alicorn, she was too busy studying the mirror.
“You must understand Twilight that when I created it over a thousand years ago I was feeling jealous and bitter. I wanted attention and the love of our subjects... And I wanted the power to be equal of my sister. When I gazed into this mirror I saw myself, more powerful and terrible than Celestia. What I saw was my own darkness... But I was not ready then, I did not want to believe that I harbored something like that in my heart, and so the dark and forbidden magic I used to create this mirror twisted my desires. My mind was still my own, don't misunderstand me. But my desire to obtain love and attention grew into a desire to be a solitary ruler, to bring forth eternal night... as Queen Nightmare Moon. Oh, how wonderfully it sounded to my ears back then...” Luna's face had become wistful at the end and when Twilight turned to look at the Princess, the purple mare was becoming more uncomfortable with each passing word.
“So... what does it actually do?” Twilight’s voice was quiet. She was starting to regret asking that two word question in Luna’s room.
“Twilight, everyone has their inner darkness, as you now know. But more often than not it's hidden deep in ones heart. My mirror forces it out no matter how deep it is buried in the heart and forces the pony gazing into it to confront it. Those who are ready, may find some peace in this as they become one with... their dark half. For the lack of a better description they become... full. And with such unity comes power.”
After hearing all this Twilight was astounded. And more than a little bit unnerved. She was making conclusions she didn't want to make.
“Princess... Then, is Nightmare Moon nothing more but a costume?” Twilight's voice trembled a bit when she voiced her thoughts. If that was the truth... than she and her friends have in reality defeated Luna with the Help of the Elements. And now the very same alicorn stood before here sharing with her hers secrets.
“If you recall, I didn't look exactly the way I am now, when you and your friends used The Elements of Harmony on me. Take a guess why.” Luna answered with a sly smile on her muzzle. And Twilight took a step back.
“You used the Mirror again! But Princess, it could have all gone wrong again and...” Whatever Twilight wanted to say was cut off by a harsh glare from the Princess.
“Do not take me for some idiotic foal! I had a thousand years to learn my lesson well enough. This time I was prepared. I finally accepted what I now knew was hidden in my heart, as a part of myself, no matter how selfish, angry or bitter that part was and still is.” In that instant the Princesses eyes shone with inner power and her pupils thinned into slits for a few heart beats. Then the dark alicorn took some deep breaths and closed her eyes for a while.
Twilight found herself on the ground. Her first reaction to the Princess’s uncharacteristic outburst was to hide, but then she realized she really had nowhere to hide in here. She couldn’t even teleport away as she felt a magical barrier on this place when she crossed the doors. So she closed her eyes.
“Look at me Twilight.” Luna’s voice was soft and yet... at the same time commanding and cold.
Twilight slowly opened her eyes and went rigid with fear. She could feel it, this was no mere disguise like the one Luna used on Nightmare Night. The magic was too intense, and this time there was no need for fake fangs... Before her now stood Nightmare Moon in her full glory. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest. In front of her stood an alicorn black as night, the royal regalia morphed into bits of armor. The familiar blue, not teal, draconic eyes were the only difference from the evil mare that threatened Equestria with eternal night.
“Why do you fear this form so much Twilight, when you singlehoofed killed a whole diamond dog pack?” Even Luna’s voice changed to the one that haunted Twilight in her nightmares. With an exasperated sigh Princess Luna slowly dropped the metamorphic spell and returned to her normal form.
“So... so Princess Celestia wasn't entirely wrong...” Twilight risked just being honest and simultaneously dodging Princess’s question.
“No, she wasn’t wrong, mostly. But I have no desire to correct her minor mistakes. You may call it revenge... But I like to think about it in terms of justice.” Luna mused aloud.
“So it angered you that Celestia hit too close to the truth?” Twilight found her courage returning and stood up. “And what’s that about revenge?”
“No. It is most inconvenient that Celestia made her little discovery now. That is why it angered me, all of my plans are mostly useless now. And revenge? Condemning me to a thousand years of banishment, no matter how deserved it was... And she thought I will return and all would be as if it never happened? Be realistic Twilight.”
And Twilight tried. Keeping in mind just what she was doing in the past months, who was teaching her, and what she did not a few days ago. With that in mind she went over what she had learned tonight. Mostly, she could understand everything to some extent.
“Did you even plan on telling me this?” Twilight couldn’t help herself but to ask this question with a bit of disappointment in her voice.
“But of course. Maybe not so soon... But after a year or two, when you would have settled in your new position.”
After that, silence reigned for a few minutes as the two mares looked at each other, one calculating, the other reevaluating the other. Finally it was Luna who broke the silence.
“Nopony can know what you now know Twilight. Especially my sister, if she knew about the Mirror and my motives, certainly we would be facing war. But it is in Celestia's nature to forgive and so, for now she will be only a bit more distrustful and distant so we will need to tread carefully around here Twilight. We will need to prove that we don’t harbor any ill will towards her. Which is mostly true.” As Luna spoke she started to pace back and forth on the dais before the Mirror.
Twilight was somehow perplexed. She had a feeling that the ‘we’ in the Princess’s little speech was ‘her and Luna’... Killing diamond dogs to save her friend and scheming behind Celestia's back and... fighting with her in the worst case scenario, were very different things for her. True she was now Luna’s second in command, but... truly betraying Celestia if need be...
“Luna... I’m not sure...” Twilight stopped as she saw Luna look at her, the cold look in her eyes had returned. The dark alicorn made few steps towards her, and the gently touched her cheek with one of her hooves caressing it.
“You will Twilight. You swore your loyalty to me in front of a crowd of nobles, your friends and family. You are mine and you made the choice of your own free will I might add.” While saying this Luna’s coat again turned to black, familiar armor was forming. Her hoof never casing to caress the smaller mares cheek. “Celestia will never take you again under her wing, most of Equestria fears you, even your family have doubts, I have seen.”
Twilight began to feel tears forming in her eyes.
“Maybe one day I will allow you to gaze into my Mirror, when you are ready. When you finally accept who you became, my little dark star.” After those words Luna still in her Nightmare form took a step back. “Now I believe you have duties to attend to Commander Twilight.”
With all of her willpower Twilight withheld a sob and dried her eyes with her hoof, after taking one of her armored shoes off.
“Yes... yes I do.” Twilight said quietly, with resignation clear in her voice. She didn’t avert her eyes anymore from the black coated alicorn. The truth as frightening as it was, that she became second in command of Nightmare Moon or rather Luna as she should be, was something she will have to get used to... Although she still had one question that she wanted to ask. “Just one more thing Luna... Why did you choose such form?”
The Princess of the Night smirked showing of her fangs.
“Fear is a powerful weapon Twilight, as I taught you. And also... I was smart enough to pick another name and form so that my real name would not be tarnished, maybe forgotten but it would not bore any stigma if I lost. It worked.”
“Yes it did...” Twilight said, with a sigh. She looked at the Princess expecting her to say something more, but she only got one raised eyebrow from the Princes. ”I will be on my way, then.”
Luna watched Twilight in her custom armor until she left... So many of her plans were ruined. At least she still had Twilight by her side. She believed that the mare will come to terms with the truth sooner or later. There was a slim chance that Twilight will crack under the pressure and run back to her sister... It was a shame that in such case action would have to be taken. It would be truly hard or rather impossible to replace the purple unicorn. After all, she did held a special spot in Luna’s heart as her first friend in over a thousand years...
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A/N: And it’s done! Hope you liked it. Alose a word of caution, as with this one, the next chapter will be uploaded... when it will be uploaded. I can’t promise you any date sadly. But rest assured, even when I’m not writing this story I’m thinking about it so... I advise patience.
Also great thanks to The Archimedes for proofreading my story.