Of Sunshine and Laughter

by M1Garand8

*Interlude I* Memories

Foreword: I do not own My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. It belongs to Hasbro and Lauren Faust.

There was a sensation of falling.

It was the only sensation Princess Luna unconsciously felt as she fell, her wings spread limply, towards an undetermined destination. The vast inky blackness stretched infinitely beyond her, there was no wind, there was no time, and there was no up, down, left or right, only the sensation of falling and black.

Each second was a flash and an eternity. There was no telling how long she had fallen. In that bit of time and the eternity, her mane and tail lost its ethereal qualities in a burst of white light, returning to its original lustrous pale azure strands and her body back to her younger proportions.

The sensation of falling gently lessened and tapered off. Now, the sleeping alicorn lay upon an invisible plane as if a tiny speck of blue dust in the vast unseen pane of glass as she slumbered. It was there where the first of her many dreams or perhaps, memories stirred.

The setting sun had always cast a fiery orange glow upon the lands of Equestria. From the thriving cities of Vanhoover, Tall Tale and Los Pegasus to the tall spire of the Cantering Mountain to the new towns of Manehatten, Fillydelphia and Baltimare, they were all lit by a brilliant tint of orange.

Princess Luna stood on her balcony of the Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters, where she took in the vista, letting the warmth of the sun soak into her coat and body. The muted dainty four-beat hoofsteps on carpet signaled the arrival of her sister, Princess Celestia.

Luna’s head turned to the right, just in time to catch Celestia trotting into her place on the adjacent balcony. Her sister caught the gaze of Luna and a gentle smile twitched into place on her muzzle.

“Good evening, Lulu.” Celestia inclined her head. A stray lock of pink mane fell just across her eyes and a hoof brushed it aside without any second thought.

A smile curled on Luna’s face. “Good evening to you as well, my sister.” Her gaze returned to the scene before her and the smile fell away.

Would… my subjects deign to look at my night this very night as well? Luna closed her eyes and took in a breath. Or would they shun it, just as they did for the past days, years, decades?

“Are you alright, my dear little sister?”

The soft, gentle voice of Celestia jolted Luna out of reverie.

The smile returned to her muzzle as she turned her head at her sister. “Of course I am, Tia.”

“Then, shall we?”

Luna nodded.

The two sisters closed their eyes and their horns lit, one yellow, the other pale blue. Simultaneously, their lifted their heads and their magic grew brighter. Their manes and tails now fluttered in an unseen wind, acquiring an ethereal quality. The elder’s pink was joined by pale cerulean, turquoise and cobalt blue while younger’s azure shifted deeper into mid indigo.

Their horns reached the zenith, glowing blindingly bright. The sun began sinking below the western horizon as the moon peeked in the east. The brilliant orange rapidly turned bright red, then pink and finally blue that grew deeper as the sun sank below the western horizon and the moon rose in the east.

With moon raising and sun setting finished, the magic on the two sister’s horns winked out and their manes and tails returned to normal. Celestia and Luna shared a smile before the elder turned and trotted back towards her chambers. Just before she disappeared into the room, Celestia looked over her withers and spoke:

“Do not stay out too long, Lulu. The evening court is—”

“In two hours. Yes, I am aware, Tia.” Luna was staring at the night sky.

A flutter of worry crossed the visage of Celestia for a brief moment. “Are you sure you are alright, Lulu?”

Luna did not look down from the sky. “Yes, I am fine, sister.”

Celestia’s brows knitted in a frown. “It is about your nights, is it not?”

Luna did not reply.

A sigh left Celestia’s mouth. “Lulu, I assure you, our subjects will come to appreciate your nights—”

Luna rounded on Celestia suddenly, her visage no longer serene but twisted and flushed of anger. “For the past thirty years, sister, you have assured me of that!”

Celestia reared a little from Luna’s outburst. “L-Luna, please…”

A hoof rose to Luna’s muzzle and rubbed while she sighed. “Please just leave me be, Celestia…” She returned her gaze to the sky.

Celestia opened her mouth but no words came. After a few moments, she reluctantly closed her mouth and disappeared into her chambers, her head hung, leaving Luna alone on the balcony. Luna’s gaze now fell on the capital city of Shimmer Tail and for the next two hours, she watched the orange glow of candlelight winked out one by one, each one a stab in her already heavily bleeding heart.

Why…? Why would they not appreciate my nights? Tears welled in Luna’s eyes. The twinkles in the sea of black… are they not just like the jewels the richer subjects loved to affix to their persons, clothing and artifacts?

The star Polaris and the asterism Crux guided ponies lost in the night… Luna blinked rapidly to clear the tears, only to succeed in pushing them past the threshold and they began to platter on the stone floor of the balcony. Why…? Why can they not once look up to my night and say it is pretty, it is beautiful?

The balcony was silent except for the sobs of an alicorn princess.

“I-I… think your night is pretty, princess…” A voice so soft and so seemingly on the verge of tears echoed around Luna.

Luna jolted upright, sniffing once before she bellowed: “Who art there?”

She spun around, scanning from the top of the spire down. Upon reaching the vicinity of the entryway to her balcony, Luna spied a flash of red-purple and white disappearing into the darkness of her chambers.

A frown crossed Luna’s face. “Show thyself!”

The moon princess stepped into the darkened confines of her bedchambers. There was no soul in sight, even with Luna’s excellent night vision. After several fruitless scans, she trotted into her private bath and splashed water on her face, finally clearing the tears. As Luna waited for her hiccups to still, she made a mental note.

Soon, she was out of her chambers and on her way to the evening court.

The evening court was a farce. Other than the usual issues of scheduling night time weather, the only other issue was the concern of candles, the circulation of candles. The ponies were simply too afraid of the darkness and the nobles were concerned that the production of the necessity—which was used for barely two hours each night—was running a little low.

Luna could not blame her subjects. The setting of the sun was the harbinger of night time predators… and the spirits. It was why all ponies of the three tribes banded together into villages, then towns, then cities all those centuries ago, after all. The combined numbers pooled the essence of the Elements of Harmony together and helped repel the predators and the spirits.

However, why would her subjects not just look up in the safe confines of their abodes? It was another easily answered question: this was another defense mechanism against spirit attack. Spirits relied on conscious participants in order to create Chaos and they being asleep robbed that avenue of attack.

Still, that was no longer a concern—the spirits were gone now, disappeared after Discord’s defeat five centuries ago. And though the fear they caused lingered, they should have faded by now. Do my subjects even care about my nights or all they cared was my sister’s day? It was another stab in her heart.

The tears this time were held back the virtue of her anger, a slowly growing beast that had been simmering in her breast for the past three decades. Her night had been an innocent victim of a nature of her subjects. There had to be a way to turn that notion around, and to show the beauty of her nights, how it was harmless. … All they cared was my sister’s day; see how they all flock to petition my sisters for issues big or small! … A-all they want was to bathe in my sister’s glory…

There was brief flutter of disturbed air, almost imperceptible back of Luna. Had she been of less melancholy mood, she would have noticed but it did not matter. Six pale blue band of solid magic lashed around the figure, which had barely alighted on the cobble floor of the balcony. It was a Trap spell Luna had set upon return. The resulting cry of the figure jolted her out of her depression.

The moon princess got on her hooves and spun around to the sight of a filly. It was not just any filly, her muzzle too long, too angular and her hooves too thin. Her body had the similar qualities as the crystal ponies—whose empire and its citizens disappeared in a curse by a vengeful tyrant only half a century prior—albeit unfaceted. Her white flowing mane barely touched her withers.

Presently, the filly was struggling against the restraints, a fearful look on her face as Luna stepped closer. Her eyes darted here and there before settling on the approaching princess, widening.

“Why hath thou trespassed the hallowed grounds of mine chambers, Foal of Chaos?”

There was no mistake. The filly was a spirit, a Wisher to be exact, which sought and fed on the desires of ponies. The said spirit’s eyes went even wider.

“P-please… do not hurt me, I meant no harm!”

Luna, with her wings spread wide, was the very visage of an angry goddess. “What trickeries dost thou hath in mind, spirit?”

The spirit flinched, her pale pink eyes shrunk to the size of a pinhead. “N-none… of that sort!”

A mighty stomp rang throughout the chambers, stopped short beyond the boundaries by a Soundproofing spell. “Then why art thou here!? Spreading the seeds of more chaos!?”

Tears pooled in the eyes of the spirit. “N-no…! I-I… merely wanted to share with you my appreciation of the night…” she said, her trembling voice went softer and softer, acquiring a quality of brittleness.

Luna’s mouth opened, then closed and opened again. “Thou— you were the voice I heard in the early evening?”

Presently, the filly visibly shook. “Y-yes…!”

Luna’s eyes narrowed. “Thou hath that belief in full honesty and sincerity?”

“Yes!”

As the bearer of the Element of Honesty, Luna sensed the truth in the spirit’s words and the features of her face softened. “… Really?”

“Y-yes…” The spirit sniffled.

A cry escaped the filly as the restraints vanished into the ether in blink of blue light, depositing her onto the cobbled floor of the balcony. All she saw was the platinum shod shoes of Luna before the latter turned and trotted away from the spirit.

Perhaps this is one of her trickery? The alicorn’s gaze turned skyward. No, the Element would have detected it if she had lied.

“Pray tell, what art thy reasons for which thou find mine nights beautiful?”

The spirit looked on at Luna’s upturned muzzle and did her best to stifle her quiet sobs. It was a long while of silence before she spoke:

“A sea…”

Luna spun around, a look of intrigue on her face.

“The night… is a sea…” The filly planted her hooves and pushed hers body off the floor. “A… vast sea of glittery diamonds, chromatic clouds and differently hued wanderers.”

The intrigue changed to merriment. “Such eloquent words from such a young one.” Luna ventured a smile and trotted closer. “Thy Princess of the Night art impressed that thou even picked the nebulae and planets out.”

A frown crossed the face of the filly. “I-I am… not young… I am… over a century old!” The head of the filly drooped. “Is that… what they are called?”

“Yes, the clouds art called nebulae and the wanderers, planets.” The left brow of Luna rose. “We noticed thou pause near the start of each sentence…”

The filly averted the gaze of Luna. “It is… how I speak ever since I knew how…”

A pale purple wing rested on the withers of the spirit. “There art no need to be bashful, spirit. We art merely curious.”

She remained silent.

Luna leaned her head close to the filly. “Tell us thy name, if thou hath one.”

“C-Cassia…” The spirit met the gaze of Luna. “My name… is Cassia.”

Luna stirred briefly and flipped onto the left of her body. “Cassia…” she muttered.

A set of red-purple hooves alighted in front of the slumbering alicorn.

“What… about that one?” Cassia pointed an ethereal hoof at an asterism of seven stars, one in each lopsided corner and a line of three across the middle.

“That, is Orion, the Hunter,” Luna answered.

Cassia frowned. “The Hunter… of what?”

Luna regarded her with a kind look. “Of monsters and dangerous creatures, child.”

“Monsters…” Cassia’s head drooped, her gaze taking on a faraway look. “And I am… not a child,” she muttered.

Luna chuckled softly. “I jest, Cassia.” Then her expression took a serious turn. “But it is a truth that the Orion had been a powerful hunter of monsters.”

“Monsters…” Cassia repeated. “Like… me?”

A blue-purple wing rested on Cassia’s withers. “You may be one of Chaos but a monster you are not,” Luna said.

“R-really…?”

A platinum-shod hoof booped Cassia on her nose. “Yes, really. Perhaps things are changing and Chaos and Harmony could now work together.” Just as the way things were supposed to work… just as mother believed. A pity it took five centuries to do so. Luna thought.

The spirit had been visiting Luna every night for the past week. Staying with the princess throughout each night, Cassia had bombarded Luna with questions about the nebulae and planets and had just started on asterisms, evidenced by her first question of the night.

It lifted the mood of Luna—somepony was interested in her night! Celestia had also noted the improved mood of her sister and was content to let her be for the time being. The elder had been keeping her distance since the younger’s outburst and had not even noticed the spirit’s visits.

Just as Cassia lifted her hoof to choose another asterism, a blue-purple hoof set on hers.

“Wait.”

Cassia turned her gaze to Luna.

“You have asked plenty of questions with regards to my nights for the past week.” Luna withdrew her hoof. “It is now my turn to ask my questions of you.”

Cassia flinched as if jolted by lightning. “What… questions?”

Luna regarded the spirit with a gentle smile, one more befitting her sister than one of her usual. “Do not worry, Cassia. I am merely curious.”

There was silence for a moment before Cassia spoke: “Then… what do you wish to ask?”

A hoof tapped Luna’s chin as she regarded her. “You are a Foal of Chaos, yet I felt no influence of it on you and neither are your eyes draconic. How is that possible?”

“I… did not know the full details but I knew that after the defeat of Lord Discord by…” Cassia averted her gaze. “… you and your sister, my grandmother, Thessia, broken with the Great Father and left when the Great Call came…”

Gears began to spin in Luna’s head. Great Father… Chaos? Then the Great Call must be Chaos recalling all the spirits but…

“Why did your grandmother broke with Chaos?” Luna said.

“She… heard the Reason of the Great Mother.” Cassia turned her gaze back to Luna.

Luna’s eyes narrowed. “The Great Mother… Harmony?”

“Yes… the entity you call Harmony is what we call the Great Mother.”

Luna’s eyes bored on Cassia’s. “Even if your kind was created to spread misery on the Foals of Harmony?”

Cassia flinched once again, a look of hurt on her face.

Luna’s features softened and she brushed a wing on Cassia’s shoulders. “I apologize… I did not mean to be harsh…”

“No… it is alright…” Cassia hung her head. “You… are right. We… were created to… torment you ponies…” Tears welled in the spirit’s eyes.

The wing on Cassia’s shoulder rubbed consolingly. “Do not be hard on yourself.” Luna gave her the gentlest smile she could muster. “The fact that you are here and I unharmed signifies that things have changed.

The clouds on Cassia’s face did not dissipate. “No…”

Luna frowned. “Why?”

“The… Great Father is planning something.” Cassia stood and took two steps to the marble rails of the balcony; her voice lost the usual child-like quality. “He… let my grandmother go too easily… It was as though he wanted her to be closer to the Great Mother.”

“That, I agree.” Luna also stood and joined Cassia at the railing. “The spirits have been curiously silent after Discord’s defeat, barring a few sightings. It does seem that Chaos is up to something. I take it that this is unprecedented, this planning?”

Cassia nodded, turning her gaze at the field of stars. “The… Great Father… Chaos does not plan, he acts.” Her eyes narrowed in worry. “He is… adopting the cunning of the Great Mother… Harmony.”

Luna followed Cassia’s gaze and mirrored her expression. “That is troubling,” she said as a meteor streaked across the night. “I will speak with my sister tomorrow morn.” Luna’s look turned pensive.

She stood still for a long while before she faced Cassia. “However, that did not answer the question. How is it that the influence of Chaos is gone and your eyes as though a Foal of Harmony?”

“It is… because we are under the influence of Harmony, my grandmother, mother and I, that is.” Cassia looked at Luna. “You… were unable to detect it as the influence on us is the same. Only… when it was contrasted that it shines or dull prominently.”

Luna gave a curt nod. “I see your point. Now, on to my second question: What is your exact purpose of being here?”

Cassia froze. “W-what… do you mean?”

“You may have been genuinely interested in my nights,” Luna said. “However, I sensed that you are hiding something.” Luna’s eyes bored into the Cassia’s. “What is it?”

The spirit looked away, and was silent for several minutes. “… I want… to fulfill your desire… Your… desire for your subjects to appreciate your night.” she muttered.

Luna stared at Cassia, her eyes wide in surprise. “Fulfill my desire? Would that not be destructive, given the nature of your spells?”

A low, soft sigh escaped Cassia. “We… gave up that nature when my grandmother joined Harmony.” She turned to face Luna. “We… still fed on desire but now we merely take a portion of it and let the rest guide the requester to succeed in their wish…”

“Guide?”

Cassia rubbed a hoof on her chin. “Well… not exactly guide but to use their desire to drive them closer to success.”

A frown crossed Luna’s face again. “And how exactly, pray tell, is that different from what your kind used to do? I have seen the ponies under its throes, what you say does not seem to differ.”

“Of course… there is a difference.” There was a look of seriousness on Cassia’s face now. “Those… ponies were forced to abandon everything and set themselves only on their desire, sorely to their detriment.”

Luna was pensive. “I… see.”

“That… would not be what I would be doing, however.” Cassia said. “I… have a suggestion to turn your subjects to appreciate your nights.”

The ears of Luna perked, along with a twinkle in her eyes. “Speak. I am interested.”

“A… night fair.”

An eyebrow rose. “A night fair?”

Cassia nodded.

“That… could work.” Luna paced briefly and brushed a hoof on her chin. “A fair to educate my subjects on the beauty and the subtle nuances of my night… with telescopes and star charts… A stargazing session!” A smile appeared on Luna’s muzzle.

“Yes, it could really work!” Luna turned back to Cassia. “I will float this before the evening court tomorrow. I am sure the nobles would see the reason.”

Cassia returned the smile. “Yes… they surely would not be opposed to this.”

A tear ran from an eye. Soon, it was joined by a torrent. A sob wracked Luna. “… How could they be so cruel…?”

A tear from above the alicorn dropped and joined the accumulating pool floating on the inky void.

“How could they say such a thing!?”

The wooden doors to the chambers slammed open, admitting a furious Luna, her face streaked with tears. Cassia, who had been waiting patiently for Luna to return from the evening court, jerked her head around and stood on her hooves. Luna had returned early than expected.

“They… still are adamant?”

A blue-purple foreleg brushed off most of the tears running down Luna’s muzzle and a sniffle escaped her. “How could they reject the suggestion out of hoof!?” There was a crash when a vase flung itself into a wall, courtesy of Luna’s magic.

“How dare they belittle the joy of watching the stars!?” The nightstand joined the fate of the vase, splintering in pieces on the balcony wall. “How dare they have such little faith that nopony would attend the fair for my glorious night!?”

Cassia reared at the outburst. “L-Luna… please be calm!”

“No! I will not!” Luna stomped a hoof. “How dare they refuse to even listen to what I have to offer!?”

Cassia disappeared and appeared in front of Luna in swirl of ethereal pink, wrapping a hoof around the alicorn and nuzzled her. “I… am sure the nobles will come around eventually…”

It was two weeks since Cassia had suggested the idea of a night fair and two weeks in which Luna had been pushing the idea to the nobles to no avail.

Two blue-purple hooves shoved the spirit away, and Cassia stumbled and toppled onto her back.

“No! I have been patient long enough!” Luna’s face was a mask of twisted anger. “I will make my subjects appreciate the night, no matter the consequences!”

“… Luna?” A voice echoed from the halls outside the chambers.

Cassia disappeared in a mist of pink out of the balcony window, leaving a sobbing Luna alone in her chambers as Celestia stepped in, eyes wide at the broken furniture and ornament.

“Lulu, what happened at the evening court? I heard you stormed out of the throne room before the session was even three-quarters way through.” Celestia brushed a wing on Luna’s back.

“Tia… how could the nobles reject my suggestion of a night fair out of hoof?” Luna gave a hiccup. “It was unreasonable and uncalled for!”

Celestia bent down and nuzzled Luna’s neck. “I admire your willingness and eagerness to sway the opinions of our subjects but they are simply not ready to embrace the night—”

Luna twisted out of Celestia’s touch and faced the elder sister. “Not ready!?” Yes… they cared only for the sun and my sister!

Celestia gave a start at the look of twisted anger on Luna’s face. “L-Luna, please calm down…!” She bit her lip. “Our subjects still reel from the night terrors of the spirits Discord unleashed on them—”

“THAT WAS FIVE CENTURIES AGO!”

Celestia stood firm this time. “Our subjects’ fear has long memories, Luna!”

A scowl crossed Luna’s muzzle. “Then how much longer should I wait? Another five hundred? A THOUSAND!?”

“L-Lulu!”

Celestia found herself lifted and carried out of the chamber in the pale blue glow of Luna’s magic.

“GET OUT!”

“Luna, please—”

The doors slammed shut. Immediately, Celestia was banging on the doors, locked by Luna’s magic. The alicorn, crying in a curled heap, ignored them until the elder sister left in frustration after numerous attempts in dispelling Luna’s magic, which she reset each dispel.

“… Perhaps… your sister is right.”

The crying cut off in an instant. Luna had not heard her return. “… Even you are agreeing with her?” She hiccupped.

Cassia’s head drooped. “We… my kind have simply done too much damage, Luna.”

Luna suddenly stood and rounded on Cassia, her face inches from the spirit’s. “There has to be a way!” Her bloodshot eyes bored into Cassia’s.

They stayed in this position for several minutes, with Cassia turning more and more uncomfortable by the minute. Suddenly, Luna broke away from Cassia.

She now had a manic look on her face. “Yes… I believe this will work… I merely need to be stronger than my sister…!” Luna jerked her head in Cassia’s direction. “I want you to cast the Desire spell.”

Cassia’s eyes widened. “What…? Why…?”

A wide, wide grin curled on Luna’s muzzle. “If my subjects fear the night so much, then I will keep the night up until they see the innocence of my night! It is the perfect solution!”

“… I… do not think that—”

“AS THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT AND CHAMPION OF HARMONY, WE ORDER THEE TO CAST THE SPELL!”

Cassia flinched from the full force of the Royal Canterlot Voice. “But…” She found herself pulled to mere inches from Luna’s eyes.

“You. Will. Cast. The. Spell. Now.”

Tears welled in Cassia’s eyes. “Luna… There… surely are other ways than this!”

“Do it!”

Cassia flinched again when Luna pressed her nose against hers. She stared into Luna’s manic eyes for a long moment before she sighed. A pink glow suffused from Cassia and Luna gleefully dropped her onto the stone ground.

Getting back on her hooves, Cassia said: “What… then, is your desire?”

“The power to make my subjects to appreciate my beautiful nights for all eternity!” A child-like giggle escaped Luna.

A look of concern and sadness crossed Cassia’s face before she continued: “Then… I ask of you.”

“Do you… wish for the powers to make your subjects appreciate my beautiful nights for all eternity?” Cassia held a breath and closed her eyes. She released the breath a few minutes later and said:

“Do you… desire the power to make your subjects appreciate your beautiful nights for all eternity, Princess Luna?”

The wide grin reappeared on Luna’s face. “Yes! Yes!” She let out a gleeful laugh.

The pink glow grew brighter and bright until the room lit blindingly bright and when it faded, there was laughter.

Laughter filled with grief, anger and jealousy.

In the black void, the two mares sobbed.

The gold leaven doors to the throne room were thrown open to the sight of a white alicorn of pink mane and tail. Celestia stared wide eyed at the shaking and cowering nobles before her gaze settled on the throne and her eyes got wider.

Sitting on the throne was Luna, but she had changed. Her proportions were close to Celestia’s own. Her coat was a darker shade of indigo and a mane of glittering flowing blue. A wide grin curled on her muzzle at the sight of her sister.

“Good evening, my sister!” Luna said. Her voice was cheerful, too cheerful.

Celestia stepped into the room. “It is eight in the morning, Luna.” She met the gaze of a few of the terrified nobles, hiding behind the skewed or upturned desks. A look of concern and sadness crossed her face. “What is going on? Why were you not at our sun raising and moon setting?”

The grin on Luna’s face grew wider. “I have issued a new decree! Have you not heard of it?” She threw out her hooves. “I have decreed that the night will never end until every one of our subjects would appreciate the beauty and innocence of my nights!”

“T-the court officials did not agree to that motion—”

“Silence! Thou willst only speak when spoken to!”

“Luna!” Celestia stomped her hoof. “You will lower the moon. Now!”

Luna jerked her face at Celestia. Celestia stared wide eyed at the manic face, now twisted with anger.

“I will not, sister.” Luna spat out the words. “All of Equestria will learn of the beauty and innocence of my nights! The moon will never set until they have learned of their lesson!”

Celestia’s eyes got wider. “Luna! Do you have any idea what would happen if this goes on? Everypony will perish!”

“Then let them! They only seem enamored to you and your sun, anyway!” Luna stood up on fours. “The moon will stand her ground!”

Celestia flinched as if stabbed in the chest. “Luna, listen to yourself! How could you be so callous of the wellbeing of your subjects? What has gotten into you?”

“Callous? For the past two centuries, there has been no love for me and my moon!” Luna stabbed a hoof in Celestia’s direction. “The space in their hearts is only for you and your sun and I cannot and will not stand it any longer!”

Celestia felt tears in her eyes. “That is not the truth! Our subjects still love you! They merely fear the night—”

A mighty stomp cut her off. “And thus they also fear the Princess of the Night!” Luna lowered her stance. “No matter, sister… The night will last forever!” A manic laugh echoed throughout the throne room.

A tear fell from Celestia. Then another joined the first. Soon, a cascade of tears ran down her cheeks. “Y-you would stand against your sister?”

“Sister? Sister!? Which sister would do nothing for thirty years while she basked in the glory and adoration of her subjects while ignoring her little sister!? I am sick and tired of your lies!” Luna’s voice now took on a lower, sultrier tone.

A black mist swirled and painted itself on Luna. Up and up it went, turning her coat black, her cutie mark deep purple and her starry flowing mane a pale purple mist. A blink revealed draconic blue-green eyes over whites that were now colored light blue.

Luna pawed a hoof on the ground. “You have been my personal nightmare for too long. There was never a day I would not dream of always living under your shadow, Princess Celestia…” A sneer appeared on her face. “Perhaps I would be the nightmare for once… Your Nightmare of the Moon!”

Celestia gasped.

“Now, en garde!” Nightmare Moon lit her horn in pale blue glow and a blast sent Celestia through the open doorway and a mighty crash into the stone walls.

The nobles, driven by fear and instinct, fled the throne room while Nightmare Moon laughed and laughed, only that there was no joy in the laughter.

“I-I’m so sorry, Tia…” Luna sobbed.

Two final drops of tears from above hit the puddle. The red-purple hooves turned and left.