The room was spinning uncontrollably as my sister’s words echoed in my head.
Marry. Marry. Marry
Looks like Tia’s chomping at the bit to marry this stallion. I don’t see what you two see apparently.
I couldn’t even bother to argue with her.
“What?!" the quiet, surprised squeak escaped my lips breaking the silence that clouded the room, thick as smoke.
I hardly noticed Shadow's reaction, though he was instantly tense and rigid as stone.
My mouth was agape and tears stung my eyes, "Tia.... Tia how could you?" I whispered.
She pretended she didn't hear me, "It is as our parents intended and I would like to fulfill their wishes and strengthen our kingdoms."
My hooves slammed down hard on the table, causing a loud bang and drawing every pair of eyes to me except for Shadow's.
"How could you!" I shouted.
"Luna." She spoke sharply, as if scolding a child.
"After everything, everything, how-" My voice caught. A hard lump stuck in my throat and I felt I would be sick.
"Luna, I am trying to rule a kingdom....."
I cut her off. "That is not yours to rule!" my voice rang in the now dead silent room.
Celestia glared at me ruefully, "This is a matter of State......"
"If you want a matter of State, consider this a declaration of war." Nightmare's voice bled into mine, but the words equally belonged to me. I stormed out of the room.
I burst through the heavy wooden doors and into the mostly vacant hall. The guards stood warily, unsure of how to proceed. I had declared war, yet it was their duty to protect myself as well as my sister.
"Luna!" A voice called. I froze. "Luna, where are you going?" Shadow questioned.
"To war." I said simply.
"Why are you doing this?" I heard the hurt in his voice, but I couldn't figure out what lay behind it.
"Because it is long past time for my sister to learn that there is more than one star in the sky." I said angrily. "I'm sorry." I whispered fighting the tears that threatened to break me and galloped away.
Anger boiled up inside me once again, I could feel Nightmare try to move into control because of it, but I was too angry to let her. This rage was mine, and as it consumed me I would hold on to every shred of myself. I didn’t want to forgive Tia, or stop being angry, but I didn’t want to lose myself to the darkness again.
I burst through the main palace doors, into the world, taking flight in the crisp dawn air. I felt myself beginning to fade.
As my wings beat furiously propelling me through the air like an arrow shot from a bow, I battled Nightmare Moon’s invasion.
“No!” I screamed in rage refusing to give in to her.
But in my mind I heard her maniacal laugh consume me as she now controlled me once again. My body began to fall towards the earth, trees of the Everfree Forest now rushing up at me. I slammed into outreaching limbs, everything from pine needles to branches and brambles scratching at my skin as I hurtled towards the ground. I was conscious, but not in control. When my head moved, it was not by my command, though I could still see through my eyes. They looked upon a small glistening pool of water. I was surprised to see myself. Not the appearance of Nightmare Moon. She controlled me, but she didn’t take her true form, hiding behind mine.
NO! I screamed, but now merely I was a voice in my own head.
From my own lips came Nightmare’s maniacal laugh once more.
“My turn, Princess.” She said chuckling darkly. “It is time for the moon to block out the sun.” She stood, stretching my wings and with another evil laugh launched into the air.
What have I done?
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The commanders awaited our arrival, the naïve little puppets. It’s slightly amusing to know Luna’s few gentle smiles, victimizing tears, and innocent eyes could bend their will so easily.
But now it was MY turn. Now it is my time to rule.
I landed before them with a loud thud, raising a cloud of dust atop the tower ruins.
I looked down on them. “Commanders.” I said, already annoyed with playing with these toys. Hand them a simple rank, like a golden star sticker to a filly, and they bow to your every demand. Pitiful.
“Princess Luna!” They said bowing in unison. Poor foolish creatures.
The unicorn commander, a dark purple stallion that looked scrawny and meager; not one to usually speak first or to a crowd, piped up first. “What news?”
I smiled at them, “At noon, we fight.”
“So soon?” the pegasi commander inquired.
I nodded, “As the sun reaches its peak in the sky, the moon will rise against it and block its light from Equestria, at this time we march to battle, at this time we are at war with Princess Celestia. And her tyranny shall end.”
Cheers and battle cries shook the ruins as the ponies grew excited for war.
I laughed.
It was amusing to know that Celestia and Luna believed these creatures so good and pure, and yet here a small and petty quarrel between jealous sisters (of course over a mere stallion) easily becomes their reason to quench their thirst for blood. War is so easily triggered, as all creatures quickly jump to shedding their own blood and that of their brothers over the most simple and trivial qualms of their foolish leaders. These creatures so easily incited to kill, are pure and good?
I suppose being the creature of evil, I thought quoting Luna’s own thoughts, that I know nothing of purity and good, do I? I chuckled.
You will never know ANYTHING about this!
Pitiful Luna. I know that you are jealous of your sister. I chuckled. But, instead of having some courage and facing her, you turn and tuck your tail like a cowardly dog and run to these foolish puppets! You bat your pretty, tearful eyelashes and ask them to give their lives and take that of their brothers, in order to settle this little emotional matter! You are nothing but a insignificant and manipulative coward!
You are the one leading these ponies to war! You are the one that planted the seed of hate and darkness within my mind! You’re the manipulative coward!
This made me chuckle once more, Manipulative I’ll admit to and that seems to be working quite nicely in my favor doesn’t it?
I laughed, the sound echoing through the ruins as the foolish ponies cheered as the clock ticked closer to noon……..