Nightmare Moon could handle the hunger, want of food would not kill her only be a mild annoyance.
Thirst was a breeze, oh it made her throat parched, but she could always find ice chunks hitting the moon, and if things got bad enough she could drink her own fluids just to coat her throat, be it with blood or... other liquids.
No, the time ate at her. Worse than the hunger and even the lack of other ponies, time was the real killer.
Nightmare looked at the new project that she had began. A calendar of sorts to count the time she had been on the moon. Every anniversary of the day of betrayal, she would start a new wall, and every day she would lay down a fresh brick.
By the end of the decade, the ten walls together would make a decagon structure. So all she had to do to count how long she was here, she counted the decagons, finished walls, and how many bricks lie in the unfinished wall.
Also, it gave her one more thing to occupy her ever bored mind and kill time.
Being that today was the second year anniversary, she decided to begin by building two full walls with 365 bricks neatly arranged into two walls conjoined at an angle.
She looked at the walls with a sad sort of smile and looked up into the sky, "How much longer must I suffer this terrible loneliness?"
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Celestia stared up at the moon and studied the face imprinted upon it. "Sister, why couldn't I have saved you? Why didn't I even try?"
It was the end of the second anniversary, and Celestia had taken the day and night to herself.
She took the time to think over her life, and what mistakes she had made. Most importantly, when did she trade her sister's companionship for her subjects fleeting infatuation?
The solar princess closed her eyes and thought it over, but no particular moment stepped forward. How long was it? A decade? A century ago? Longer perhaps? Far too long if she wasn't sure.
A knock came upon the door, and Princess Celestia turned away from the window to face it, "Who is it?"
"Your Highness? It's me, Ink Well, may I come in?"
The Princess took a quick glance in the mirror to make sure sure her best neutral face was indeed on before nodding without realizing that she could not see her do so, "Yes, you may come in."
The cream colored mare opened the door carefully, and wiped a strand of very dark grey, almost black hair away from her face as she slowly trotted in. Respectfully, she bowed before Celestia before speaking, "Your highness, I know that on this day you like to have time to yourself. However, I wished to ask you a question."
Celestia considered for a moment what could possibly have brought this bookish pony over to her when most ponies were sleeping at ten at night. ‘Surely, it must be important if she came this late’. “Yes, what is it?"
"Well, its a rather personal question, if you don't mind." the mare said as she carefully took a step forward.
The princess looked down at Ink Well and frowned slightly, "Well, it depends on the question. I'll allow you to ask, but only if you let me choose to answer or not."
Ink took another step forward and nodded slightly, "Well your majesty, we, being most of the ponies that you have help run the government, noticed that whenever we see you, it has something to do with work. Then afterwards you lock yourself away in this room. What are you doing? I mean, I am getting worried that you might be overtaxing yourself. Don't you ever unwind, or go out with a friend or something?"
The alicorn gave the smaller pony a rather stern look, and Ink Well took this as a sign to back away, "It's ok, you don't have to answer. I am just worried about you."
Celestia was about to tell her that she was fine and that her concern was appreciated, but then, she actually took a moment to think about it. ’When was the last time I took a moment to talk to somepony? Luna's gone, I can't just talk to her whenever I feel like it any more. Two years I have been silent to everypony else.’
"Your majesty? Is something the matter?" Ink Well began to back away from the princess, hoping that she had not offended her ruler with such a crass question.
Celestia smiled softly at the member of nobility before her, "No, its fine... I just haven't thought about that in a while." She paused as she looked down at the floor boards for a moment, "I don't really keep friends, or go out for fun. I have a job to do, and I just don't know how to balance things out like that. I even pushed my own sister aside, I wouldn't be a very good friend."
Ink smiled politely and removed her glasses as she looked Celestia in the eyes, "Princess, everypony needs somepony to talk to. A confidant, a best friend, a special somepony. Time will heal all wounds that you might have, Princess, but it can also eat you alive if you let loneliness stew inside."
Celestia paused as she looked out the window. As she looked over the city she noticed that not everypony truly was asleep. There were parties and public taverns operating even at ten o'clock and she sighed, "I can't just go out there. I'm not like the rest of the ponies, where I can just go where I want, when I want. Everypony would notice me and practically kiss the ground I walk upon."
"Well," Ink well paused as she tapped a hoof to her chin before the idea came to her, "What if the ponies came to you?"
Celestia paused and turned to face the smaller pony, a look of puzzlement on her face, "What do you mean?"
"Host a gala, a party for everypony to come to! The best of entertainment, and music and dancing, where anypony that is worth knowing can come to you and see that you are just like them, and you like to have fun! You can dance and have a drink or two, just cut loose and know that everything will be fine!"
Celestia's ears perked at the idea, "Yes, a grand gala. We can host it to celebrate the opening of the castle. Test the waters and see if it even can be done. You’re a genius Ink Well!"
Ink Well blushed slightly, "Oh, well I wouldn't say that. Just I wanted to tell you that the other nobles and I worry about you Princess."
Celestia smiled a little as she pulled out a scroll and began to write down some notes, "When the castle is finished, we shall host an all night party!" She began to wildly write down all the plans that began to pop into her mind as a grin spread across her face.
Ink Well, feeling that she had accomplished something in this night, quietly left the room to allow Celestia to plan her dream party.
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Summer, 1009...
Luna had been spending more and more time locked away in her tower, but nopony seemed to notice.
The nights were more stunning than ever before, and yet all it bought was an hour of a new activity called star gazing. Not for predicting the future as prophets have done before, but for pleasure.
As for the news reaching Luna, it never happened.
Luna sat at her desk, pouring over a book of the most forbidden magic known to pony kind, all the while listening to the voice in her ear, "I think you should cast this spell, surely the greater power could put you on equal status as your sister."
Luna stared down at the spell and laughed slightly, "Oh but its so simple, how could this possibly make me an equal to my sister?"
"Starswirl did more than just the amniomorphic spell! With this, you and I will fully merge, and together overpower Celestia! Think about it Luna, you and I, as one mind and power. Nopony would over power us. Nopony could doubt us, and everypony would love us."
Luna nodded to the voice as she read the spell casting, "It really is that simple, to merge you and I, bring your id, ego and super ego into the conscious mind as one... Boost my own power with no regrets."
"Do it. You won't ever be alone again once you cast that spell."
Luna nodded and closed her eyes as she began to cast it upon herself...