Beyond dimensions, beyond distant worlds, lies the great kingdom of Equestria. Two majestic princesses—Celestia and Luna—reside within Canterlot Castle, both having sole power over the sun and the moon respectively, and govern all of Equestria in perfect harmony.
Sadly, such harmony was nowhere to be found as Princess Celestia raised the moon up that night. It has been five days and she’s still missing. Where could she have gone?, she thought to herself as she paced by the courtyard. Princess Luna has not been seen or heard by anyone within the castle for a while. Not even the Royal Guards, who scouted day and night for her, have had any luck. She would constantly ask for hourly reports but her soldiers and subjects usually came back with nothing.
The Royal Guard Captain and a pony subject walked towards their Princess. “Your Majesty.” They greeted in unison as they knelt before her. “Please stand. Anything from the search?” Celestia, getting anxious to know if her sister has been found, asked the both of them. “We still cannot yield any results, Your Majesty. No sign of Princess Luna in the air, around Canterlot and inside it. Not even my assembled troops in the Everfee Forest have seen her. But we will do our best to double our efforts in finding Her Majesty, Princess Luna.”, said the captain gallantly. The pony beside him began to speak just as the captain finished his report. “No sign of her on Ponyville or any other city within the reaches of the kingdom, Your Majesty. But, we will do whatever we can to bring the Princess back. We will not falter, my princess. And you have my word.” Although she felt disheartened with the results given, Celestia was still impressed and touched by her subjects’ dedication, patience, and perseverance. “Thank you both. And thank you for your efforts thus far. They truly are worthy of praise. But it is with a heavy heart that I implore you to never falter in looking for Princess Luna. You may know go, and thank you once again.” Celestia forcing a smile as she said these things to her subjects. The captain and the pony subject knelt, bowed, and left to carry on their search for Luna. By now, Celestia began to lose faith, regardless of the drastic measures she set out to search for her sister—wherever she may be. Anxiety, fear, disbelief, and frustration have taken over her on account of her sister’s questionable disappearance. She tried searching by herself at the grand castle halls, the throne room, Luna’s private quarters, and just about every nook and cranny—even going as far as possible to the deepest, darkest corners of the castle dungeons.
After another failed attempt towards finding her sister, Celestia decided to call it a night and return to her quarters to rest. When suddenly, she saw the Princess Nocturnal herself softly landing by the corridor to the private chambers! At last! My sister has finally come back home!, Celestia thought to herself as she hid from behind a thick, dark purple window curtain. But then, that relieved look in her face took a quick turn towards anger. Anger because of Luna’s return that has long been overdue. Anger because of Luna’s flippant behavior and irresponsibility and what Celestia perceived as arrogance. With her sister silently observing her from the curtain, Luna frantically surveyed the area to see if her subjects are out and about or worse, Celestia. Quietly hovering in mid-air, Luna attempted to reach her quarters in the hopes of not being able to notify the patrolling guards around the area. If I ever make it, I promise to discuss this matter with my sister...and be completely honest about it. Luna thought as she was just a few flaps away to her quarters.
“And where have you been this whole time, Luna?”
Luna fell to her feet in shock and froze to the sound of her sister’s stern, commanding voice. She slowly turned her head to see Celestia not looking very pleased with what Luna did. Guilt and annoyance overran Luna as she greeted her sister. “Oh, good evening to you, dear sister. I take it that you are raising and setting the moon for me as of late? Commendable, if I do say so myself.” She said indifferently as her eyes were fixed elsewhere. With that, Celestia angrily widened her gaze upon Luna. There was a fury welling up inside her because of how her little sister greeted her in such a fashion. But, she had to restrain herself and find a calm and elegant way to reach out to her sister and get to the bottom of it. “What has gotten over you, Luna? Why have you shirked on your duty? On your responsibilities here in the castle? Why are you doing this?”
“I thought it best that I left for a while, and—“
Celestia, beginning to boil up inside with her sister’s careless remark, interrupted Luna. “And what? Take a vacation while I fill in for your supposed duty? Since when was that the best choice to make huh, Luna? Never, in my life, will I do such a thing to you.” Celestia pounded her hoof loudly. A few seconds later, she sighed heavily, trying to ease her agitation and toning her voice down.
“—you...y-you would never understand what I feel. Or how I feel.” Luna continued, still not facing her big sister.
“You feel that way because you do not even tell me about it! I am always here for you, sister! I care about you. All I wanted from you is to never be afraid in opening up to me.” Celestia said in a concerned, yet caring tone. She was about to nuzzle her sister, hoping that Luna could find the strength to tell her the problem, when Luna suddenly retorted. “I just can’t believe that somepony so foolish and thick-headed is made ruler over all of Equestria!” She was about to open the door to her room when a magic bolt hit her, sending her a few meters away from the door. Celestia did not know what to say after her sister’s blind and careless retort, that she released the bolt with a seething rage. Now feeling insulted directly, she hit another wave of magic towards Luna. Her wrath was becoming evident in her face.
“I did my best to try to listen to you. To give you aid and guide you when you were in trouble or in doubt. All this time, I have always been there for you and this is how you show gratitude, with a thoughtless, reckless remark? You do not even see the pressures of ruling Equestria anymore that such narcissism has consumed you! You understand no one, but yourself! Never again!”
Now in a fit of blinding, burning rage, Celestia summoned a portal. Luna—now becoming terrified of having to force her sister’s hand—struggled to get away from the traction of the portal, desperately holding on to a column nearby.
“Until you have realized all that I said and put them to action, you are hereby banished from the Kingdom of Equestria!” She released one more wave of magic to ensure Luna falls to the portal. “You can’t do this to me! You wouldn’t dare!” Luna cried out in fear, using all her might to avoid getting sucked up by the portal. Her wings never did her any good as she was consumed by it.
“No! Nooooooo!!” Luna screamed in all finality before the portal closed itself before Celestia.
“I am truly sorry, my dear sister. But I do hope you could see everything clearly.” Her head looking down in remorse of her actions, but nevertheless, it was just and right to teach Luna a lesson. With her ears drooping down, Celestia sadly walked the way to her private chambers.
It was a peaceful evening in his room when Tom was playing chess all by himself. His parents were sound asleep in the master's bedroom, assuming that their only son is having a good night’s sleep, as well. Already past his bedtime, Tom was trying to figure out how to get his white king out from a corner by a handful of black pieces. Aha! I’ve got it! He thought to himself.
Just when he was about to move the white king from a sticky situation, he heard a thud coming from the forest beyond their family yard. The sound of it surprised him that he jumped out of his chair, went straight to bed, and hid under his blanket. The chess pieces fell out of their places and some managed to fall to the floor. Tom was never sure when he thought that everything was clear. That wasn’t an alien! Right? Or, robots? Alien robots? I think I’ll stay here until it’s all over. He thought to himself. Slowly yet surely, Tom fell asleep. Yeah, I think I’ll finish my game tomorrow. Tom finalized as he felt sleep come over him.
Still shaken by the impact of her crash, Luna woke up and viewed her surroundings, her vision still hazy and doubled. “W-where...am I?” She stammered. By now, she got hold of her bearings well again and observed the area. Her eyes widened to the foreign layout of the forest. “This is not the Everfree Forest!” She said to herself as she trotted across the forest. Surely, the woodland creatures could not talk like those from Equestria. But there were creatures which she found foreign, like raccoons and opposums. She tried to remember every single forest she has been to as Princess of the Night. The White Tail Woods, Froggy Bottom Bogg, the forests of the Ghastly Gorge, and many others. None of these places seemed to fit for her. She galloped from one area to another, far and wide, trying to find her way out of the vast forest to no avail. Nearly losing her breath, she stopped by a relatively wide area with a singular huge chunk of rock as a legend.
Losing all sense of hope, she looked to the ground, stomping it hard and deep with her forehoof. Clinching her teeth, Luna looked up and shouted angrily at the night sky—the moon and the stars seemingly betraying her. She was angry at Princess Celestia for bestowing such a punishment upon her. She was also angry at herself for not having been able to explain to her sister that nopony appreciates her gift of the night, for allowing her bitter jealousy to consume her. Now that she got out of her anger, she wept heavily, realizing that she could not return to her abode. She had to atone for berating her older sister like that. But for now, all Luna could do, without a way to return to Equestria, and despair getting the best of her for the moment—was weep.