In the days of Equestrias youth, when magic was hard to understand and the weather listened to no pony, two princesses were sent from afar with one order: Rule the people and bring them out of the darkness. The irony of those words weren't lost to the younger sister, for it turned out that she was the ruler of the night and darkness called out to her.
While her sister spread light through out the land, the younger princess rose the moon each dusk and despaired as her subject, who had relished the warmth of the sun, turned their backs upon her gift and slept until the sun lifted into the sky once more. Devoid of the love and admiration from the ponies she ruled over, the Moon Princess was left to dwell with an empty heart in a kingdom that shunned her. The elder princess was so exuberant in her task of bringing light to the ponies of Equestria that she failed to see that the only place her light didn't reach was her own sister. How could a mare feel joyful in her duties when she was so alone?
Two hundred years passed in silent work and the Night Princess withdrew to the point of isolation, shunning those who had turned their backs on her and leaving the castle only to lift the moon at her sister bidding. Each new morning it grew more difficult to send her beautiful silvery moon and stars away, for they had become her only true friends in her lonely existence. A star could never turn away the quiet words whispered in the darkness and the moon became the light in which she lived.
There was one night, only one, where the second sister would not be so alone. A night that the scorned mare tried to send on forever.
Princess Luna, second sister of the ruler Celestia, and Princess of the Night, left the confines of her chambers in favor of sitting under her glorious moon above. She was full tonight, Luna noticed, a summer full moon, was there a more beautiful sight to behold?
"Good evening my friends," The blue mare spoke in soft tones, for the night winds carried far on their own. "You're making the night so beautiful."
No reply would ever be given, so Luna did not wait for one and instead sat herself at the edge of the balcony where she could admire the lay of the land in the silvery glow of night. How anypony could turn away from this, she likely would never know, there was hardly a more beautiful sight to behold in all the world. It was a solace that she allowed herself to enjoy nightly, for she had so few pleasures as of recent. Unlike Celestia.
...Celestia. Perfect beloved elder sister. All of Equestia blessed the ground she stood on and they spent each and every day praising her name and the light she brought to them. Why did they not realize that the moons light was just as good, just as bright and even more beautiful. You could look upon the moon at night, whereas if you tried to lay your eyes on the sun your eyes would burn. Why did they not understand? Her sisters perfect sun was anything but! The sun burned their fair subjects and made the working day harsh for the strong Earth ponies, but STILL, STILL they praised the name of Celestia and thanked her for each new dawn.
Where was her thanks? The magic it took to bring the night was just as extensive as it was to lift the sun, why did they spurn her gift of a cool reprieve and silvery beauty? Why did her subjects, HER subjects, ignore all of her daily work.
Why did they ignore her?
Princess Luna clenched her teeth and willed the shine covering her eyes to vanish. She was a royal Princess and crying would do nothing for her now. If the ponies of Equestria chose to ignore her, then that was their choice. After all, who would choose her over the all powerful Celestia. She sneered at the name and tilted her head back to gaze up at the moon. Celestia. Celestia. Perfect wonderful Celestia. She would always be the forefront of the love and the praise, how could the Sun Princess and elder sister possibly come second in anything? Even if her sun burned and scalded the ponies and hid the stars that were perfect to wish upon. But of course she would always be first, she was perfect, even her shining pink mane reflected the dawn glow....the first light of the sun.
As anger bubbled, the second sister pushed back to her hooves with an annoyed burst of air. "Tia Tia, Tia's so perfect." She spoke in quiet tones as she stared across their land... no, Celestia's land. "Tia can do no wrong. Long live Celestia and her perfect sun. ARG!" She stomped her forehoof in rage and narrowed her eyes towards the East where the sun would appear come morning. "Why can't they see what I can do? Why can't they see how perfect everything is after the sun's finally gone? Why do they insist on ignoring me after everything I've done-"
"Your highness?"
The softly spoken inquiry ended the Princess tirade instantly and Luna's head whipped around as she rose to her full height. "WHO INTRUDES UPON OUR SOLITUDE?" She asked using the royal Canterlot voice as she adapted a bored expressing.
Undaunted, a soft golden unicorn mare stepped out of the royal chambers. Her maroon mane was styled in a bun below her ears and her green eyes were cast to the ground, out of fear or respect Luna couldn't tell. Her horn was lit was a soft mint green glow that matched her eyes, and a covered tray floated beside her.
"Forgive me, Princess. I could not help but notice that you were absent for the evening meal. I took the liberty of bringing you a platter." The mare responded, lifting her head ever so slightly. "I know your tastes are varied, so there were a number of delicacies made in accordance." She bent the knee of her right foreleg and bent into a respectful bow. "And a pot of chamomile and dandelion tea as well."
Luna's bored expression faded just slightly as she watched the golden unicorn. This was a member of Celestias staff, how did she know what she preferred to drink? "RISE." She spoke, still using the royal voice. "WE THANK THEE. WE ARE A BIT PARCHED, THOU WILL POUR US A CUP."
Undaunted, the mare rose from her bow and walked the rest of the distance between them, lifting the silver lid from the tray as she did so. A variety of food appeared, and in the center was a silver tea kettle with a crystal goblet beside it. By the time the servant stopped her approach the kettle and glass had lifted and the tea was being poured. "You're Highness." She dipped her head and used her magic to hold the goblet towards the princess.
Luna took the beautifully carved glass with her own magic and turned out to the land once more while she sipped the warm brew. Not many ponies could create the drink just as she liked it, often Luna found herself mixing the flowers herself so it would be just right. This night appeared to be the exception, for the tea had the perfect taste. "Thank thee." Luna spoke again, this time using the less formal speech that her sister was fond of. "It is delicious."
She heard the soft expulsion of relieved breath then the mare spoke, joy apparent in her voice. "I'm so glad you enjoy it, your Grace." There was silence for so long there after that Luna assumed the unicorn had left her to her solitude. The peaceful tone that spoke suddenly almost had her jumping in surprise. "The full moon looks beautiful tonight, Princess. You rose it perfectly."
Astonishment obvious on her face, Luna turned to look at the smaller pony and she set her goblet down upon the still floating tray. "You watched while we lifted the night?" She asked.
"Oh yes," green eyes finally lifted to meet her own and the small mare smiled an openly honest smile. "I watch every dusk. The night is my favorite time you see." She became flustered, as if admitting her joy in something was not an every day activity. "You can see the things that are hidden during the daytime. Forgive me your Grace, I'm carrying on." Her gaze fell to the ground once more.
"Tell us what can only be seen in the dark," Luna spoke too quickly and she cleared her throat in an attempt to compose herself. "We so rarely hear the common ponies praise personally." Very smooth, Luna. She scolded herself.
The unicorn seemed not to notice though. Her smile returned and she lifted her eyes back to the Princesses as she took one earnest step forward. "When night falls, all the notice fades away and nature comes out. You can hear the crickets and the owls. Even the softest of winds can be heard. I once heard of a mare who insisted that the stars twinkled. On the quietest of nights, I think I can hear that too." She sighed softly and looked up at the moon. "The fireflies come out and play all over the fields, night flowers bloom and you can see candles light up all over Canterlot. It's beautiful and cool and quiet. It's the only time I can read my books in peace."
The praise was nearly too much for the second sister. Never before had someone spoken so passionately about her night. Truly....truly there was another pony who understood. At long last. The loneliness that plagued her eased nearly instantly and she knew that if she were to continue with her royal duties, she would need to have this mare nearby often. "Tell us your name, please." She was appalled at how choked her voice sounded.
The golden mare's gaze once more landed on the princess and she smiled. "Of course your Highness. I am called Starsing." She bowed once more and when she rose there was an understanding in her eyes as if ... is if she had known all alone how alone the princess truly was. "I am at your service."
That night was the first that Princess Luna spent entirely with company. She spent the entirety of it on the cusp of tears as the ache of loneliness ebbed inside of her. Surely, this night had to go on forever, she could not bare to part with Starsing now, not even during daylight hours when she was sure the unicorn would need to return to her duties. This kinship between them was startling and frightening but she knew she needed it. She craved it.
"It's nearly time for the sun to rise, Princess." Starsing rose from where she was sitting and offered the royal alicorn and smile. "I need to return to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
"No!" Luna leaped to her hooves, the thought of her new companion leaving was more than she could bare now that she had found her. "Wait. You needn't away to the kitchens so soon. Surely you can leave your duties to another for the day."
Starsongs smile slipped into one of sympathy and Luna found herself hating it. She hated being so transparent, it made her feel weak.
Even if that's what she was.
"Just as you can not leave your duties to another, I am sorely needing in the kitchen to feed the castle ponies." The small mare spoke as she collected the tray of eaten food and empty tea kettle. "No matter how much I love your night, It's the day that requires my full attention. I'm sorry, your Highness. " She dipped into a bow. "Have a good day. I much enjoyed our time together. Honestly." She rose and turned, trotting back into the castle.
Luna stared after her, mouth agape in shock. She snapped it shut and closed her eyes so tightly that tears squeezed free. She could not allow this. There was only a small handful of ponies in her life who had ever understood her night, she would not let another slip away, least of all slip away to the daylight. No, she couldn't let this happen. Celestia would not steal even more from her. For once she felt ... happy and she refused to allow it to collapse in on her like this.
It's the day that requires my full attention.
The day. Her teeth clenched in anger and sorrow and Luna looked towards the vanishing moon, then they closed. Celestias day. She would not be alone now that she'd had a taste of companionship, there was no way she could go back. Not now. If the night were to last, there would be so reason for daily attentions. No need for anypony to leave her alone when the sun rose. If the night were the last forever, she would never want for the love she desired. Ponies would then see the beautiful she brought to the world. They would see everything, they would understand. And Starsing would be hers.
"If my night carried on I wouldn't be alone." Head bowed low to the ground, Luna's horn lit with blue magic and the predawn light stilled it's assent. "If my night carried on I would finally be understood." Her eyes opened slowly, glowing with the blue magic she commanded. "If Tia's day doesn't come I can be the one loved for a change. If it's about me for once then they'll all see. I'll be first for the first time in my life." Her head rose as the moon crept back upwards into the sky and the dawns light began to vanish. "Stay with me, moon. If you stay with me, so will she."
The smile that crept across her face belied the true emotion she carried inside. For as her grin grew, tears fell free from her large eyes. Her sister. Her perfect wonderful sister, had ignored her pain for so long. Now she would see, they would all see.
They would all see.
"Starsing, look." The brown stallion chef of the kitchen called out to her from a window while they were well into the middle of cooking breakfast. She lowered the whisk she was using and bid his car, trotting to the window to peer outside.
"What am I looking at, Beater?" She asked in amusement. "It's too dark to really see anything you know."
"Exactly." The stallion said in an ominous tone. "It's still dark. The sun should already have risen by now, why is it still night time?"
"Oh surely..." Starsing faltered as she looked up. The moon, full in all of her glory, hung in the middle of the night sky surrounded by the stars. The sun, which should be above the horizon, was not even showing it's predawn colors. "But.... buy why?" She and the other chef exchanged frightened glances and her eyes widened in terrified realization. "Luna."
"The princess?" Beater frowned as the small mare turned tail and ran from the kitchen. "Wait, what has she to do with anything? Princess Celestia's the eldest, she isn't even a challenge!"
Princess Luna, Moon Above no. Starsing panted as she ascended the palace stars towards the western wing where the second sister resided. She wouldn't have, there was no way she would throw off the balance in this way. She would not be so naive as to think...
"Lower it, Luna."
The sharp command of Celestia's voice had the kitchen mare gasping in fear and she skidded to the stop in the hall, looking through the open doorway of Luna's chambers. Through the opposite open door, she could see out onto the patio, where Celestia faced off against a mare that looked nothing like her Luna.
"What's the matter, sister?" The unrecognizable alicorn retorted tauntingly. "Are thou afraid that our ponies will turn their love to me for a change?" She pawed at the ground and threw her head back. The moonlight caught her black mane and made it's sleekness shine like the night itself. Where Luna's cutie mark had been blue, had grown into a rich purple and even though the ominous change was foreboding, Starsing found herself transfixed.
"The land needs the sunlight. You're threataning the safety of our subjects with your foolishness. Lower your moon, sister or I will be forced to do it for you." Celestia's tone offered no room for question. Starsing had never seen her while she looked so dangerous. Upon her brow she bore a different crown as well, one adorned with stars instead of her usual golden piece. "I will not repeat myself again." She finished.
"Luna" chuckled and tossed her head again. Her once short and nearly styled mane flew long and wild, now transparent and waving with power. "You can not stand it, can you, Celestia? Your sun will never rise again. The night has long since been pushed aside as unimportant, and I along with it. Your ignorance did this to me, Tia. Do you see me now? Because you have only looked through me before." She stomped her hoof so forcefully that Starsing could feel the vibration through the floor. "You will NOT take this from me. This is my due. This is our due. WE ONLY WANT WHAT IS OURS BE RIGHT AND AS PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT I WILL TAKE IT BY FORCE!"
She reared back and spread her wings wide with an angry roar and Celestia did the same in response. The two sisters seemed evenly matched until the soft glow surrounding the elders horn enveloped the crown she was wearing as well. The light increased by tenfold and her eyes began to glow white with power.
"Hear me now, sister." Celestia spoke in a voice that echoed with strength. "You will not threaten my people again. I sentence you to one thousand years on the very thing you threatened them with. You were afraid of your self imposed isolation, so now you will be isolated for real. By the Elements of Harmony I command it!" She stomped her hooves back down upon the ground and a beam of white light shot forth and surrounded Luna.
"What?" Luna gasped and her pupils sharpened to points at the challenge. "WHAT IS THIS?! NO!" She kicked out and thrashed as the magic lifted her from the ground. "NO THIS CAN NOT BE. I WILL NOT GO, I WILL NOT BE ALONE AGAIN. NOOOOOOOO!"
"Noo!" Starsing ran through Luna's chambers to the balcony as Luna began evaporating. "No, Princess Luna!" She reared, as if she could reach her that way. "Princess please!" She turned to the elder sister instead, tears sliding from her eyes. "PLEASE! Don't send your sister away, reason with her, please she is not evil, THAT is not Luna!"
"No. It's not." Celestia replied in a numb quiet voice as she stared up after her sister. "That was a monster, and I'm doing what must be done for the good of my people."
Frantically, Starsing turned again and her horn lit with magic. "LUNA! Please stop! She's sending you away! Lower the moon!" She rose up into the air and held her hoof out as she lifted towards the black mare.
Luna looked down and her pointed eyes widened in recognition. She tried to shriek out for her help, but her voice was mute to her own ears now. She reached down with her own hoof, mouth agape in a silent scream. Starsing. I was doing this for Starsing. I just wanted to finally not be alone any more. Sister...please...Starsing
Starsing watched in abject horror as the princessed eyes transformed back to normal once more. Surely this meant she was recovering, surely Celestia would see it in time. Surely...
Luna threw her head back, her silent scream still apparent, as her body morphed into a wisp of black smoke and it shot up towards to moon above at such speeds that Starsing was not able to follow. "NOOO!" She cried out as she struggled to lift herself higher. "PRINCESS LUNA!" Her magic puttered and extinguished, sending her plummeting back down towards the earth with both front hooves still lifted towards the silvery orb in the sky. As she watched, the pattered of the mares head took form there, then she could see nothing else through her tears.
Celestia caught the falling unicorn and set her down carefully on the balcony ground while her eyes stayed on the moons new design. "I am sorry my sister." She whispered, her own eyes glistening with flowing tears. "It had to be done. "
"Why?" Starsing wept where she lay, her eyes closed as if she were too tired to open them. "Why did you have to, Princess? A thousand years? I am never going to see her again. I will die long before then." She ceased speaking then as her body shook with sobs.
The princess gazed down at the heart broken mare and she hung her head. "No." She agreed quietly. "You will never see her again. I am so sorry. That was no longer our Princess Luna. That was the result of years of neglect. I've failed my sister so badly, I see that now." She blinked and more tears fell. "I will regret this for the rest of my days." She turned and spread her wings to take to the sky and flew away.
As the moon faded from the sky and the sun rose, the golden unicorn lay still on the second sisters balcony, weeping silent tears for the desperation that Luna had been faced with. To be so alone for so long that she would give everything up to try and hold onto something she already had. And now, she would never see the princess again in her lifetime. One night was all they'd had together, and she knew...they both knew that it hadn't been enough.
For a thousand years, Princess Luna changed and evolved in her prison. Nightmare Moon now reigned there and she watched all each time the moon rose in the sky. She watched a small golden mare grow old alone, and die a hundred years later. She was buried in the Canterlot cemetery and Nightmare Moon wept tears of hate for being separated from the unicorn alone on her death bed. She would make her sister pay for this undue imprisonment and she had a thousand years to think about how she would do it.