The sun rose on the day of the Gala. They grey morning sky was replaced with patches of blue. The clouds began to clear out and ponies were getting ready for the day. I awoke to sunlight in my eyes and the sound of ponies mingling in the streets. It was a beautiful Canterlot morning and all was well in the kingdom. I got out of bed and slowly made my way to the shower room. My shift wasn't until the Gala so I got the morning to relax and prepare myself. As the water flowed down my coat I was trying to remember everything we had done together. The countless nights where we would stay up and just talk. The cute tone she would talk in when talking about her sister. The days where she would just rest on my shoulder after a long meeting with the royal court. All of the memories fueled my hate and sadness. She was all alone on the moon. I finished my shower and sat in the living room just focusing my energy and emotions.
There is no room for error and I will not fail my task. I will hold you in my arms again and never let go. I thought to myself.
The memory of the night in the hospital came to me in vivid detail. The sadness and depression came back and ripped away at my mind. The clock struck 12 and began to chime. It was time for me to leave. I wasn't sure if I was coming back, but that didn't bother me in the slightest. The walk to the castle was slow and eye opening. Ponies went about their day not noticing anything different. I wondered if they would change when they see the moon rising or a battle being held at the castle. The doors of the castle never looked so large or scary before. I walked past the front gate and started for the locker room. Inside there were guards getting off shift and some preparing for their shift. Night Shade was putting on his helmet when he noticed me. He waved a hoof and I trotted towards him.
"Hey Lunar. How's your day been so far?" He asked with a smile on his face.
I did my best to put on a smile. "Kind of boring. I did get a lot of sleep." I replied with a weak smile.
"Well that's good. We got a long shift today so hurry up." He called out while head for the door.
I nodded and opened my locker. I looked around and saw nopony in my isle. With a quick blast of magic, a second locker opened under mine. Inside lay a full set of complete black armor that I hoof painted myself. In the center there was a shield with a crescent moon. I slipped into the armor and sealed the locker. After a quick peak down a long empty hall way at the bottom of the castle I trotted down to the end and started unlocking the powers of dis-harmony again. I felt the emotions boil to life and the power began to surge in my body. I created a clone and refocused on the shape shifting spell. The clones form changed and Nightmare Moon was back. If the schedule was correct, Celestia would have just started letting the guests in the royal garden. Now would be the time to strike. The clone busted through a window and flew around castle until it came upon the ponies in the garden.
"Why hello my fair sister! I see you have started with out us?" Nightmare Moon's voice echoed as all the ponies searched the sky for whatever was talking.
Their eyes landed on Nightmare Moon and everypony began screaming. They frantically crowded the door, while Celestia stepped out accompanied by 2 guards.
"How did you get off the moon?" Celestia asked with a slight hint of anger in her voice.
"Oh have we angered our fair sister?" Nightmare asked.
"You are going back there. Even if I have to fly you back myself." Celestia said while extending her wings. "All guards! Lock down the castle!"
I started for the throne room. Guards were running away from the throne room and over to the garden to assist in the capture of my clone. With a flash of my horn, the clone flew away at blinding speed. Celestia went after her and the guards began lock down. I had made it to the throne room with out a hitch. Not a single guard saw my black armor. They were all beginning the lock down. The throne room was the last priority if the princess was off fighting the enemy. The entire royal guard scrambled to finish the lock down procedure as I prepared for the most crazy thing ever done in history. I pushed open the doors to the balcony where Celestia would raise the sun every morning. I stepped out and unlocked my emotions
Hate, Anger, Rage, Sadness, Pain, Fear.
My horn was covered in the magical aura as I extended my grip to the unknown. I searched the sky for the moon and waited to find any trace of Luna. It was like an explosion of energy hit me. I found Luna and I started pulling the moon toward the castle. It only went so far until there was a force stopping it from moving. The force that prevented the moon from moving was the sun. I needed to move both the sun and the moon and that could only be done by Celestia. Slowly I started losing hope and my magic began to falter.
"Why?! I was so close!" I yelled to the open sky.
The door opened behind me and a familiar voice broke my sadness.
"Lunar? What are you doing here?" Night asked while shutting the door.
I quickly got my composure back and answered in a nervous tone. "Oh who me? I was uh Locking down the throne room."
"What's with the black armor?" He asked while slowly advancing.
"Oh this old suit. I wore it to look fancy today." I said while rubbing the back or my neck.
"You are lying." Night said flatly. "I know you when you are lying. What is really going on?"
"What are you talking about? I swear I'm just doing lock down procedure." I said with my back against the wall.
He charged a bolt of magic and shot it towards me. Before I could react a shield formed in front of me. The magic controlling it was black and the aura coming off my horn was solid back.
"What are you?" Night asked as he stood back in fear.
"Leave now!" I yelled.
"Do you have something to do with Nightmare Moon?" He asked
"I mean nopony harm, just please leave and I will explain later." I said returning my attention to the much larger sun and moon problem I had to solve.
"Traitor! How dare you give me orders! Stand down!" Night yelled.
"Please don't make me hurt you. I mean you no harm I swear!" I yelled back.
"Ha! You will never harm a royal guard. The punishment would only be worse on yourself." He replied with a evil smirk.
"Don't make me!" I yelled.
Night took a deep breath and charged toward me. I quickly blasted him with a paralyses spell and he stopped moving in place.
"There. Now I don't have to hurt you. I swear my friend I mean no harm." I said as I turned back to work out the details on how to move the sun and the moon. I heard a crack and next thing I knew something covered me.
"Ha! Thought you could beat me that easily?! Well guess what? That shield is used to capture Usra Majors." He said while wiping his forehead. "No way some second grade guard will break CRACK It..."
The shield turned into dust and I stood in the middle looking him directly in the eyes.
"How?" He asked with his mouth gaping.
"You have no clue what I am capable of." I mumbled.
He started charging for a attack, but I blasted a wave of magic across the whole room. Night was lifted off his hooves and thrown into a marble wall. When he hit the ground I saw how fast he was thrown. The solid white marble had rows of cracks and some of the golden armor was still on the wall. He was slow to get up and I could see he was in pain. It hurt me to see somepony I considered my friend be in this state because of me. He was back on his hooves and I could tell he didn't want to fight,
"Night I didn't want to do that. Just please stop before I make it worse." I said carefully walking toward him.
"If you want me to believe you then you have to tell me what you are doing." He huffed out.
"Fine. I'm here to release my lo-lover." My voice fell to a whisper.
"Then why are you up here? The dungeon is at the bottom of the castle." He said while trying to not show pain. "For that matter there is nopony in the dungeon. Where is you lover? Who is she?"
"Her name is Luna and she is trapped on the moon." I said.
"You mean Nightmare Moon?" He asked.
"No I mean Princess Luna! Her name is princess Luna." I replied with a glare.
"But she was sent to the moon because she was Nightmare Moon. Why do you want to release her?" Night asked standing by my side.
"Because she is Nightmare Moon when she is angry. I was the only pony who could calm her down. I broke the anger in her heart and she turned back into princess Luna. I loved her and that's all she wanted." I said while holding back tears.
Night was going to say something, but he close his mouth and set a hoof on my shoulder. I smiled and saw that I had regained a friend.
"Okay. I believe you. Now how are you going to move the moon?" He asked with a confident smile on his face.
"That's the thing. The moon and the sun have to move at the same pace for it to change." I replied with little hope.
"How could you ever plan on doing that? Celestia has a hard time doing that!" Night looked worried.
"Stand back. I'm going to try to unlock my powers again." I said while try to concentrate.
"Wait how did you get those power?" Night asked after taking a couple steps back.
"I'll explain later."
The powers started to return and I could feel the moon again. I reached out to the sun in an attempt to try and move it. As soon as my magic got to the sun, my body felt like it was on fire. I screamed in pain and dropped to the floor.
"Hey you okay?" Night asked as he stood next to me again.
"The sun is so hot! My magic allows me to feel the cold of the moon and the extreme heat of the sun." I said while trying to regain the temperature my surroundings. "Night I need your help."
He looked shocked. "How can I help? I'm just a normal unicorn."
"The pony who taught me to unlock the powers of dis-harmony also told me magic can be boosted with the power of happiness and love." I said.
"So what? Like feel happy?" He asked.
"No The love you feel for princess Celestia. That happiness and love you feel for her will give you the extra power you need to help me." I said. "Think about how she makes you feel."
Night closed his eyes and a couple seconds later he smiled.
"Now use your magic and reach out to the stars to find the moon." I said while looking out for anypony.
"It's so cold out there. Is this what Luna feels?" He asked.
"Everyday since she has be sent to the moon. That's what makes me sad. I will get her back and she will be with me soon and I wont let go of her." I said with a little smile on my face.
He smiled and looked to the sky. "Okay... Now what?"
"I'm about to do something really stupid." I said.
I focused all my magic and reached for the sun. The heat felt like I was going to melt from the inside out. I stomped my hoof into the ground and started moving the sun from the middle of the sky. I screamed in pain and I started sweating like a work horse. I looked over and Night was struggling to move the moon. I knew it was hard for him to do something so hard the first time he discovered his power. When I looked closer I could see a smile and I couldn't help putting a smile on my face. The sun was slowly falling behind the mountain range to the west and the tip of the bright moon was visible on the east.
"Just a little more!" My voice was strained and I started running out of breath.
The moon was now in the sky and the last step was close. When the moon was in the middle of the sky I tapped Night and he drew back his magic. The moon was high in the sky and now came the easiest part of my whole plan. All I had to do was break the spell that held Luna on the moon.
"Night don't freak out if she returns as Nightmare. All it takes is my words and she will be set free." I huffed out.
Night just nodded as he rolled on his stomach. I looked up at the moon and closed my eyes slowly. I sent a wave of magic up at the moon and waited for it to send me a response. There was a faint response and I knew Luna was coming back. When I opened my eyes I herd the door open. When I turned back guards flooded the room and all of them were facing me and Night.
"Traitors will be executed on sight if the princess is missing. All guards! Take aim!" The captain called out.
The guards charged up their magic and I charged mine.
"Stead fast! Fire on my order!" He yelled.
I was ready for anything and I waited for them to make the first move.
"FIRE!" He yelled
I unleashed my magic. Me and Night were surrounded in a bubble shield. Their magic hit the bubble and was absorbed. Suddenly my shield started to flicker. I was out of magic and my emotions weren't focused. The shield fell and the guards had magic charged and ready. I stood there and accepted what was going to happen next.
"FIRE!"
I closed my eyes and shed a tear. At least you will be free now The magic hit and I was fine. When I opened my eyes Night was curled up in front of me with a blast mark on his armor. The emotions were back and I surrounded us with a shield. I fell to the floor and looked at my best friend who screamed in pain.
"DAMN IT! It burns! Take it off!" He yelled.
His armor must have taken the blunt of the blast. I used my magic to rip it off him and I looked at his burn marks. His body was covered in burn marks and he was getting colder and colder. I cradled his head and put a piece of armor so he could rest his head.
"Why?" I asked while holding back tears.
"I don't know. My body ju-just moved before I thought about it." Night said.
He started coughing and small amounts of blood started coming from his mouth. The force of the blasts caused internal bleeding and he was slowly bleeding out.
"Night I'm going to try something that might speed up your death. It has a 30% percent survival rate and if it works you will be back to perfect health." I said while trying no to panic.
"I'm dead either way. Go for it. I trust you." He said.
I set his head on the piece of armor and focused my normal magic into a tiny ball. I used my hooves to slowly maneuver it over the center of his body.
"Once I put this on your body you will go into a deep sleep. This ball of pure magic will repair you.... Hopefully." I said while looking into the small ball of glowing energy.
He nodded and closed his eyes. I placed the ball of magic on his body and it slowly phased through his body. All I could do is keep the shield up and wait for either of the princesses. Suddenly the guards looked up to the sky. I looked up and saw a shadow coming to the castle at a blinding speed. It crashed through the glass ceiling and touched down between the guards and us. Huge black wings unfolded and Nightmare Moon stood tall and menacing over looking the ponies in front of her.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Why hello guards of my sister." She said with a confident evil smile.
"Nightmare Moon return to the moon at once or face the punishment!" The captain yelled.
"Fool! Do you think I would re.."
"Luna!"
Nightmare's body went stiff and she stopped mid sentence. She slowly turned around and looked at the black bubble shield. She turned to face the shield with her full body and she looked at it with a puzzled face.
"Who dares speak the name of the weak princess?" She loudly asked.
I lowered the shield and stepped out. "Somepony you love." I said while bringing up the shield behind me.
She was shocked and a single tear ran down he right cheek. The body started to crack and pieces of Nightmare Moon started falling off to reveal patches of dark blue fur.
"I thought you forgot." She said as her voice cracked back to the normal Luna voice.
"I never forgot about my love. My princess." I said while trotting up to Luna.
I wrapped my forelegs around her and Nightmare Moon broke up into pieces. Luna was crying and she returned the hug with all of her strength. Just as we broke the hug, the doors flew open and Celestia landed at the entrance.
"Sister! How did you escape the moon? Where is Nightmare Moon?" She asked in a irritated tone.
"Fair sister I mean no harm to the kingdom now. Nightmare Moon is gone forever and she will never return." Luna said while pulling me close. "I have found something better than ponies liking my night."
"What might that be?" Celestia asked.
"I have found a stallion who loves me. Even if he is a normal pony I want him to be with me as long as possible." Luna said with a smile forming on her face.
Celestia drifted of and looked at the shield that covered Night Shade.
"What is this?" Celestia asked.
I gulped and lowered the shield. I could have sworn she jumped. She keeled down and looked at Night's lifeless body.
"What did you do to him?!" She yelled.
"Your guards are the one to blame. They tried to kill me, but Night jumped in the way of their blast." I said while walking to her side.
"Is.. Is this true?"She asked on the verge of full out tears.
One of the guards stepped forward and took a deep breath. "Princess.... IT WAS THOSE TWO!"
Luna looked at me and I looked at Celestia. I couldn't see her face. but the room started getting warmer.
"Tis a lie!" Luna shouted.
I slowly trotted back to Luna's side. "Your guards tried to kill me, but Night jumped in the blast."
The room was definitely getting hotter and Celestia's mane started to change color. When Celestia turned, her eyes were watery and she looked enraged.
"He sacrificed himself to save a traitor like you?!" She yelled.
I started to get angry and my powers started coming back. "NO! HE DID IT TO SAVE A FRIEND!" I yelled back "He was my best friend while Luna was away. He was there to help me get through the worst of my days."
"You shall pay the same price!" Celestia yelled.
Celestia's mane turned bright orange with a stripe of yellow running around the edge of her mane. Her eyes were red and she didn't have a friendly look anymore.
Now is the time to revile the last of the powers. A voice in my head echoed. Death can be sad, but it can fuel the fire.
Celestia charged a magic bolt and looked directly at me. I powered up and waited. I was about to see if the powers could do what Discord said they could do. Celestia let out a bolt of magic and I put up a shield. The blast was massive and the damage was great, but my shield held out and covered me, Luna, and Night. I stepped out of the shield and waited for Celestia to strike again. She didn't disappoint, and soon she had a glow around her horn. She put a shield around me and started closing it. I used my magic to part the shield and I stepped out unharmed.
"That magic seems familiar. Where did you learn it?" She asked.
I was glad she asked, it allowed me to build up some more power. "A pony taught me this magic. His name was Discord and his power is great." I said slowly to try and build up magic.
"I will remember that! I shall punish him for teaching black magic!" She yelled as she let loose a torrent of magic blasts.
I put a shield around me and tried to focus on only Luna and Night's shield. My shield held up and I tried to regain my breath. The blasts continued and I couldn't hold it anymore. I jumped back as the shield fell and the magic impacted the ground where I was standing. I landed on my hooves and took in a deep breath. Just as I exhaled Celestia sent another torrent of magic my way. I used my magic to jump clear across the room and when I landed, I was in striking range of Celestia. I charged up my magic and started fighting back. I fired 3 bolts of magic, all of which were easily blocked by Celestia. I started running as fast as my hooves could take me while dodging and countering Celestia. When I was right in front of her I pulled a quick trick. I cloned myself twice and sent one of the clones to her right side and one to her left. I teleported behind her and started full speed toward her.
"Clones! I have to admit you are strong." She said in a evil happiness.
She sent a wave of magic that destroyed the 2 clones and was coming right toward me. I jumped over it and shot a bolt of magic that was extremely powerful. Celestia turned around, but it was to late. She was hit and she slid across the floor. She ended up next to my bubble shield. She slowly got up and looked at the blast mark. That's when she noticed my shield and she started an evil laugh.
"What's so funny?" I asked.
"Do you know how to kill and Alicorn?" She asked with a evil smile.
"No, but I will find out today." I said while charging my magic.
"Oh yes you will. The only way to kill and Alicorn is to stab it with another Alicorn horn!" She yelled.
She blasted my shield away and jumped forward. I was so caught up in the fight I forgot about the magic I had set aside to keep the shield up. Celestia was flying toward Luna and I just reacted. The magic that I had charged for an attack, teleported me in front of Luna. The last thing I saw was Luna's surprised face before I closed my eyes and stood on my hind legs. I felt the horn pierce my back and I felt it as it passed through my body. I looked down as it came out of my stomach and the pain kicked it.
"NOOOOOOO!" Luna screamed.
"Luna." I huffed out.
Celestia sent a wave of magic to blow my body off her horn. I fell face first into the hooves of Luna. A shield formed around us and she started crying. The pain was intense and I couldn't stand to see Luna cry. I lifted my right hoof and ran it though her mane.
"Shhhhh don't cry. It makes *light cough* me so sad."
"I'm here. Please don't go! I don't want to be alone again." Luna said.
She pulled my lifeless body closer so she could hug me. I struggled to lift my fore legs to wrap around her.
"Shhhhh. Don't speak about such sad things. Just remember the good times."
Luna rested me on the floor with my head cradled in her fore hooves. I reached up one last time and put my right hoof on the back of her head. I carefully pulled her down and we started getting closer.
"This is long over due and I'm so sorry Luna. I-I really hope you will forgive...... me for being so late." I said while closing my eyes.
She slowly moved in closer and closed her eyes. I closed mine and we finally kissed. After 10 months of waiting we finally got our first kiss. She pulled back and looked in my eyes.
In death comes the strongest of your powers. Use them before it's to late. Discord's voice echoed in my head.
I looked at Night and closed my eyes. I used all the magic death gave me to speed up his recovery. His eyes shot open and he sat up quickly. His breathing was fast and heavy. He placed his hooves on his chest, then his face. He looked aver and saw Luna cradling me. His expression went from shocked to sorrow and he stood up and trotted over to my side. He had tears in his eyes and he just placed his hoof on my head.
"Who?"
"Celestia."
That was all that needed to be said.
"I'm sorry my friend. I could have changed this." Night said.
I could see the tears in his eyes. "No. This is what's meant to happen..... You were recovering so there was nothing you could do." I said while struggling to keep my breath steady.
He was silent. Night knew I was right and he just accepted the fact. I looked back into Luna's eyes and sadness just washed over me. My body was getting cold and my vision was becoming blurry. I pulled Luna in for a kiss for the last time. We held that kiss for a couple seconds and I started getting tired. We broke the kiss and it all hit me. I completed my mission at the cost of my life. I was glad to pay any other time, but now I just wanted to live.
"I do-don't want..... t-t-to.... go"
Your magic will take you somewhere that nopony knows. You will live there for eternity. Discord's voice was clear and calm.
I heard crying and screaming and that was it.....
------Night Shade-------
I watched as Luna cried into the chest of her dead lover. She was screaming for him to come back, but there was not a single response. I stood up and faced Celestia. My mind was full of hate and anger. I stepped out of the shield and yelled.
"WHY?! HE SAVED ME FROM YOUR GUARDS!" I yelled as Celestia returned to herself.
"I didn't know." She said in a whisper with her head down.
"HOW DARE YOU!" Luna had yelled from behind me. "WE TOLD YOU THE TRUTH AND YOU DID NOT BELIEVE US!"
That time she didn't sound like Luna. When I turned around, Nightmare Moon was on her hind legs holding Lunar.
"Prepare yourself sister! We will wage a never ending war on your kingdom for this crime!"
Nightmare Moon disappeared leaving only a cloud of smoke, tears, and the blood of Lunar.
"This terrible deed will follow you forever." I said while putting a hoof on my forehead.
"Please don't leave me!" Celestia yelled.
"I can't leave you right now. You just lost your sister and I think you will need my help to get her back." I said with a sigh. "Some how I feel this will not be a easy time for the kingdom."