//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Fire Bird syndrome // by phoenixravenstories //------------------------------// It was another peaceful day in Equestria, however there seemed to be something different. The night was lasting a bit longer than usual and the sun had not yet come up. Every pony was very confused, there was no sun to wake up the flowers or any other plants. Nor was there light for any pony to see. The moon was not shining thus there was not enough light for the animals to see where they were going, or for the birds to see where they were flying. While this was going on all over Equestria, at the castle the two princesses were arguing. The younger princess was asking for just a small amount of extra time for night to last so the ponies could see just how beautiful the night truly was, but the older sister argued against this because the ponies needed the sunlight more for crops, heat, and other necessities. The younger sister frowned and started to cry running out of the castle as the older sister sighed. "Guard," she commanded, "Could you please bring my sister back I wish to apologize and explain why I can't allow the night to last longer than it should." The guard nodded and flew off going out to find the princess of the night. The moon began to lower slowly, making room for the sun. Reluctantly, the younger sister had moved it for the older. As the sun was being raised the guard found the younger sister, Princess Luna, in the ever-free forest. The guard dared not go alone, he turned tail and flew back to find another guard to assist him. Princess Luna saw him and sighed in sadness. "They would only risk there lives for my sister. There is no reason for myself to go back. The sun is more important..." she said wiping tears away with her hooves. "...What is wrong miss?" Luna glanced up and frantically looked around. "Hello? W-Who is there?" she asked with a trembling voice, not sure if the voice she heard was friend or foe. "Do not be afraid miss, we are not here to harm you..." The princess heard again from the darkness realizing it was a young filly's voice. "Little one are you ok? What dost thou mean we? Is there someone else with you? Are you harmed?" she asked looking for the source of the voice. "I am here with her miss, we're both ok." She heard another voice, this time sounding as if a small colt had spoken. "There are two of you?" The princess asked, "Are you both lost?" There was a long silence. She whimpered fearing that she was alone again but then heard rustling from a bush nearby. "Little ones is that you?" She asked hoping it wasn't a manticore or cockatrice. "Little ones?" She cowered thinking the worst had happened to them and was now about to happen to herself. Then something jumped out of the bushes. She screamed thinking the worse was to come, then she heard a soft voice. "Miss are you alright?" She gasped and looked down to see two young ponies. The one who had spoken was a young colt who had brownish fur and a mane with rusty brown, his eyes matching his mane. Beside him shook a small mare, her fur a shade of purple, and her mane was black as night. Her eyes, which shifted nervously around, were a deep brown, and glasses sat upon her snout. They smiled gently at her with very sharp teeth. The small filly, a unicorn, backed up slightly as the colt, a Pegasus, inched toward the Princess. "Miss? Are you ok?" the small Pegasus asked as the unicorn shifted uncomfortably. "Uh, yes little ones I am fine it's just that...my night is gone..." The small ponies tilted there heads and looked up seeing the sun and backed into the shade. "...Oh no, Phoenix the sun's up...we have to go." The unicorn said afraid running into the forest. "No little one come back!" Luna shouted. "Miss if you like the night and if it's yours please bring it back..." The Pegasus looked afraid and sad as if he wanted to cry but couldn't. "Why little one?" Luna asked wondering why such a small Pegasus liked the night. After all most ponies his age were afraid of the dark. After she asked, he huffed and sighed walking into the sunlight, becoming transparent, and becoming even more see threw the longer he was in the sunlight. Luna gasped and made shade with the tree's as the Pegasus panted gaining back his color and solidness. "T-That's why miss..." he panted then disappeared into the woods. She wanted to go after the young ones as the tree's bent back into shape letting sun through. "Princess Luna." She heard as guards surrounded her. "You must come with us. Princess Celestia has ordered us to take you back to the castle." She sighed and nodded, following them back to the castle. When she saw her older sister, she began telling her about the two little ponies she had seen in the woods. "Luna, my dear sister why did you ru-" "Hush sister!" Luna exclaimed interrupting her. "Sister you must let me hold the moon just a bit longer ple-" "Luna!" Princess Celestia roared interrupting the younger. "We have had this conversation before! No you may not hold it longer, the towns ponies need the sun for light and heat. The farmers need it for there crops." Celestia hissed out angrily. "...I-I know you're more important." Luna said as Celestia sighed "...please sister I...you don't known what I have seen...I saw...I saw two little ones in the ever-free fore-" "And you did not get them sister!? I thought you were kind! You left them in the forest!? They might be dead! Guards go find them and bring them here!" Celestia exclaimed, as the guards flew off to the forest. Luna gasped and cried a bit. "PLEASE SISTER!!! DO NOT BRING THEM HERE THEY WILL DIE PLEASE!!!" the younger sobbed. "Luna..." Celestia gasped "You can't just leave them in the forest. If a manticore gets to them....." Celestia trailed off with a shocked face thinking her sister had gone mad or had been corrupt. "But sister they are not ponies but entiti-" she started to say but got cut off by Celestia. "SISTER LEAVE TO YOUR ROOM THIS INSTANT I SHALL HAVE THE ROYAL DOCTOR CHECK ON YOU!!! LEAVE!!!" Celestia yelled obliviously. Luna sobbed and ran to her room in the castle, crying herself to sleep. The royal guards soon came back with two rags fashioned into hoods filly sized. "What is this, Byron?" Celestia asked impatiently. "Why have you brought trash? Where are the little ones!?" Byron, the guard in question, stepped up holding the rags. "...This is what's left of them Prin-" Celestia cut off the guard yelling, "OH NO!!! THE LITTLE ONES!!! IF ONLY MY SISTER HAD SAVED THEM!!!...what happened to them Byron...?" she asked as he shook his head. "We had found them your highness...but..." he began. "Yes but what? Why are they not here then?" Celestia interrupted again. Byron sighed and explained. "When we had brought them into the light...they had disappeared from our grasp...they were gone...it seems they were not...alive your highness..." He said looking at the rags sadly, all of the guards took of there helmets and bowed as he laid the rags on the floor. They all began crying a bit at the thought that they might have been the reason the small ponies were now gone. "What do yo-...oh my...I...it is my fault guards...leave me..." They all nodded and flew off as Celestia got the rags going to Luna's room. "Sister...?" Celestia asked but noticed Luna was asleep. She sighed and put the rags in her little sisters arms and left crying, thinking her sister would hate her forever now. The princess of the Sun returned to her throne and sat. As Luna slept she began hearing whispers. "...llllluuunnnnaa...mooon...get...rid...of sun..." The voice sounded familiar to the Princess but all she could see in her dream was darkness. Slowly she began to see stars but after looking for a bit, she noticed it was not the stars she knew and loved. Then out of the darkness came an older looking mare with armor, black fur, and emerald eyes. Her mane was flowing with stars, and all Luna could do was stare. "Luna," The figure spoke. "H-Hu, who are you?" Luna asked terrified by this much larger mare. "I am you Luna," the figure explained and Luna gasped backing up afraid. "But I am not like you." Luna said, "I am small not big." She said assured whoever this pony was wasn't her. "I am you, but I am in your head. I am Nightmare Moon." The larger mare spoke smirking. "You see, the night is ours and we shall make it last forever!" Nightmare cackled as Luna's eyes shimmered. But slowly Luna began to realize that she was actually thinking of overthrowing her older sister, and shook her head. "I-I cannot my sister...my sister is right...night is for sleep..." Luna responded tearing up a bit. "But what about those two small ones wont you make there final wish come true?" Nightmare Moon asked with a smirk as Luna stared confused. "F-Final wish? W-What do you mean?" Nightmare smirked and replied, "Your sister brought them here...and when the light touched them they disappeared. They called for your help Luna, but Celestia killed them." Luna gasped as tears streamed down her cheeks. "But Tia w-" Nightmare interrupted, "Oh but she did, she cares not of the night after all. She only cares for her "precious" day." Luna sobbed and felt a glimmer of pain. Her eyes began to turn color as she noticed Nightmare disappear. Her thoughts began changing, and soon she realized she was no longer Princess Luna. She was Nightmare Moon, and before her were the two little ones from the forest. "We shall make the night last forever for our children of the night!!!" she said smirking as her dream began to end. As she awoke the day was coming to an end. She looked around her room and saw the rags in her hooves, immediately the realization hit her. The two young ones were dead...she began to cry and hugged the rags tight. "Miss...? Are you ok?" She heard two familiar voices asked. She gasped and looked behind her to see the almost invisible unicorn and Pegasus. Luna hugged them both sobbing. "Miss? Are you ok?" Phoenix, the young Pegasus asked again. She nodded and sobbed out, "D-Do you have a place to be?" The little ones looked at one another then both shook there heads. "Not until the night." Phoenix replied. "W-Well want to live with us?" Luna asked hesitantly as she looked up. "Yes." The unicorn spoke quietly for the first time without phoenix talking with her. "Yes please y-your the night yes..?" asked the unicorn trembling afraid as Luna nodded and hugged them both. "What are your names?" asked Luna "Phoenix" said the Pegasus making Luna smile. "And you little filly?" she asked to the unicorn. "R-Raven...N-Night" said the unicorn again without aid from the Pegasus. "Are you both ok now?" Luna asked worried as they both nodded. "...We used your magic to come back..." Raven said timidly. "Were sorry if you had a bad dream...us using magic can cause that..." Luna smiled softly and hugged them. "Tis fine if you are both back, after all you are our children." She said making both Raven and Phoenix smile tearing up hugging back tightly. "M-Mommy..." both ponies said as Luna smiled tearing up from happiness. Soon the door opened and Celestia walked in the room. "Sist-...Why do you look like that?" she asked as she looked Luna over. Her sister was in her newly acquired armor, her emerald eyes and a flowing star mane shining brightly. "...and who are they?" she asked looking at the two young ones. "GET OUT SISTER!!!" Luna roared not even looking at the other. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL US WHEN THE MOON SHOULD COME DOWN OR GO UP!!! IT SHALL BE NIGHT FOR AS LONG AS WE WANT IT TO BE!!!" she yelled turning to face the older princess. Celestia gasped, "SISTER DO NOT DO THIS YOU CAN NOT OVERTHROW ME!!!" she shouted, but Luna had already slammed the door in her snout. Luna grabbed Phoenix and Raven flying to the courtyard blocking out what was left of the sun light smirking. "GUARDS ALL OF YOU HEAR US! IF YOU ARE SICK OF CELESTIA'S RULE YOU MAY JOIN US AS WE TAKE OVER AND HAVE THE NIGHT LAST FOREVER!!!" A couple of guards looked over and smirked knowing this was an opportunity to get out of Celestia's service and finally do as they wished. The guards who wished to join the side of darkness stepped forward as the rest of Celestia's army gasped seeing so many traitors go along side Princess Luna. Luna smirked, using her magic to cast a spell transforming the guards who wanted to be under her rule. Her royal guards began to glow and soon sprouted bat wings, dark fur and manes with dark armor such as her. Luna smiled at her children and they smiled back. The sun lowered and the moon came out making it night. "Yay mommy it's night!!!" said Phoenix as he flew next to her. "Of course our child, just for you and your sister." The Pegasus smiled and flew around his sister and mother. "LUNA!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!? RETURN THE SUN THIS INSTANT!!! IT ISN'T SUPPOSED TO BE NIGHT YET!!! STOP WITH THIS FOOLISHNESS AND RETURN THE SUN!!!" Celestia yelled angrily at her little sister. The small Pegasus glared rising up behind Celestia without her noticing and flew at her turning into a flame, smacking her hard making her crash to the ground beneath her. Phoenix smiled and his fire extinguished. "DON'T YELL AT MY MOMMY!!!" He growled at the Older Princess as she slipped out of consciousness, "...Did I do good mommy?" he asked his mother nodded happily getting him. "Are you ok our dear?" she asked as he nodded. "I'm ok, I do that when I'm mad right Raven?" he smiled at his sister as she nodded. "Yes mommy he has magic like me, see?" Raven smiled softly as her horn started glowing making most of Celestia's royal guards into harmless little animals. "Guards return to the castle. We shall stay in the throne room until my sister decides to let us rule as we please." The guards nodded and made their way to the throne room with there new Princess. A day of battle between the two sisters and their army's commenced. As the battle ensued, the older sister realized that with the young ones aiding Luna, Celestia would not be able to talk sense into her sister. She had consulted her guards time and time again within the hours of how to get the two away from her beloved sister. Soon Byron spoke up telling the Princess of the Sun that it was wrong to try to get rid of the young ones. Celestia glared angrily at him, and let out a small sigh. "But we must," She murmured, "If we don't, I will never help my sister realize the error of her ways..." He frowned and sighed nodding, not truly understanding why such a generous, loving princess would wish to hurt such small children. A guard a few rows behind Byron spoke up saying, "We must draw the small ones into the light! If we do that they will disappear!" Byron frowned angrily looking over at the guard who had interrupted his thoughts. "What if we lure the small unicorn out first," he continued not noticing Byron's glare of disapproval. "We can lure her out with one of the guards that was turned into an animal." He continued as Byron shook his head. "Hm, yes indeed that does sound like a pleasant idea. Once she is out, we can use her as bait to capture the Pegasus." She smiled evilly. "Byron, go fetch one of the animals, the smallest one you can find, and bring it here." She demanded. Byron glared and shook his head at the Princess. "I will not allow this to happened." Celestia glared as murmurs rang through the crowd. "You will not disobey my orders, least you end up like the other traitors to the thrown shall!" She growled out harshly. Byron glared defiantly at the princess and threw his helmet down, shaking his armor off along side it. "I SHALL NOT RULE UNDER SUCH A HORRIBLE PRINCESS SUCH AS YOURSELF!!! ESPECIALLY ONE WHO BELIEVES IT RIGHT TO HURT SUCH YOUNG PONIES!!!" He bellowed, "I SHALL TRAVLE ALL OVER EQUESTRIA SPREADING THE TALES OF WHAT HORRIBLE CRIMES YOU HAVE MADE US COMMIT!!! IF YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME JUST YOU WAIT!!!" He shouted out defiantly. His green eyes locked with Celestia's light purple ones for only a moment before he turned around, his brown mane and tail falling in sadness. The earth pony then sprinted passed the guards who could only stare in shock at the rust orange blur who was once their captain ran passed by them. He was only a few feet from freedom when a force of pink enveloped Byron and floated him towards Celestia. He twitched in annoyance and struggled violently trying to escape. "I don't think so Byron, you're going to aid me weather you like it or not." She smirked, "And I think I have the perfect punishment for you. You're going to play a big role in capturing the little unicorn..." As Celestia began to set her plan in motion, Princess Luna sat in her throne. "Mommy, what are we going to be doing now?" Asked the two little ones who sat, looking rather bored by her side. "Do what you like our dear little ones," She said with a loving smile, "The castle is now ours after all!" The two little equines smiled in rejoice and got up sprinting down the hall to the left of them. As they ran down the corridor they past a large door which had the symbol of the sun carved into the smooth wood. Raven paused behind her brother, who continued his sprint, trying to regain her breath and heard a slight whimpering. Raven tilted her head in confusion and slowly pushed open the heavy door poking her head inside the darkened room. As her brown eyes scanned over the darkness, she heard the whimpering cease. Raven adjusted her glasses slightly, and froze as she noticed a small shadow shaking in the far corner of the room. Raven's curiosity caught the better of her, and she stepped inside. She jumped slightly as the door slammed behind her, but assuming it was merely a breeze, she ignored this and moved toward the figure. A chain began to rattle as the shadow moved further back into the shadows away from the young mare. Raven whimpered nervously, not sure weather to move forward or run to the safety of Phoenix's arms. After calming her nerves slightly, she stepped closer. The shadow was now in front of her, and the chain rattled louder. Raven closed her eyes for a moment before her horn lite with her black magic giving her just enough light to see. In front of her was no spook or terror, but instead a small rusty orange colored puppy with big green eyes. Raven gasped as her eyes scanned over the front right paw of the small puppy. His paw was bleeding profusely as he struggled to free it from the jaws of a bear trap attached to the wall next to them. Raven frowned and looked at the puppy, "Don't worry little puppy, I can help you!" She said kissing his forehead. Raven gently started to pry open the trap with her magic. The dog yelped in slight pain, but then began growling and barking at the young filly, trying to get her away from him. Soon Raven got the trap off of the pup's paw, but before she could try and heal his wounds, a guard grabbed her by the hair and knocked the poor filly out cold. Celestia's guard picked up both the puppy and the filly sighing in regret and started towards the door, as he reached to open it he heard yelling. "Raven!!! Where are you???" It was the voice of a young colt. Phoenix flew slowly down the corridor looking for his friend, slightly worried that she had gotten into trouble. He just couldn't understand where she had gotten to. One minute they were racing down the hall, the next he was by himself. "Raven???" He called out again, feeling more and more worried as time went on. The guard panicked slightly and backed away from the door, flying out the nearby window instead. Phoenix sighed and slowly opened the door that beared the sign of the sun. "Raven? Are you in here?" He glanced around the room and saw a slight glimmer in the moonlight and slowly walked toward it. "H-Hu...?" He gasped as he saw a dark red pool of blood glimmering. "RAVEN!?!?" He screamed out in shock frantically looking for his sister. When he could not find her in the room he flew out the open window to find his sister by himself. The Pegasus flew as high as he could into the night sky, but froze when he saw a patch of sunlight in the royal garden. He paused for only a brief moment, watching as he saw a royal guard wearing Celestia's armor heading toward the sun light. In the guards hoof Phoenix saw two smaller figures being carried with him. Phoenix gasped and glared in anger, setting himself ablaze charging at the guard at full speed. Phoenix hit the guard hard, knocking his helmet off and setting his mane on fire. The guard gasped, dropping both Raven and the puppy, but Phoenix could do nothing help them, for he was falling much to fast to stop. "RAVEN!!!!" he screamed out sobbing as the ball of fire fell closer and closer to the light. His fire extinguished the moment he touched the sunlight, and he became transparent as he fell further and further to the ground. He sobbed frantically and cried out, "Raven no...! Please...! You're my only friend...I can't lose..." He trailed off as he slowly faded into nothingness. Raven felt a pinge of pain, and she knew something was not right. She slowly opened her eyes and saw a glimpse of Phoenix as he faded away. "No....NO!!!! PHOENIX PLEASE!!!" She cried out, her eyes tearing as she fell to her doom. She sobbed and grabbed for anything to help her, but the only thing in reach was the puppy from before. She grabbed it holding him close."PHOENIX HELP!!!!! MOMMY!!!! SOMEONE!!! ...Anyone...please..." She sobbed out closing her eyes as the puppy snuggled her trying to comfort her. Suddenly she felt a pair of arms wrap around her as the pup began to growl. "Oh, Byron, don't growl at me." Raven heard a soft but firm voice say. She opened her eyes softly to see white wings flowing in front of her. Celestia smirked yanking the now cowering puppy away from the mare by his torn apart leg. "See Byron, I knew you would help me," She grinned evilly at him as he shook yelping in pain, "Such a shame I can't have you live though, I mean, you did betray me after all." Celestia smirked holding the small figure just out of Raven's grasp. "No!!! Please don't hurt the puppy!!!" Raven sobbed out reaching as far as she could to the small creature that had caused so much trouble. Celestia smirked dropping the puppy to it's death. "NO!!!" Raven cried out struggling to get out of Celestia's painfully tight grip. The Princess only smirked and flew towards her beautiful sunlight with the small mare in her hooves. As the two neared the sunlight, a voice yelled out, "SISTER!? WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!? WHERE IS PHOENIX!? GIVE US BACK OUR CHILDREN NOW!!!" Princess Luna flew quickly towered her sister and sobbing child. Celestia merely smirked and tossed the screaming mare like a piece of trash into the Sunlight. Raven screamed in pure pain as the sunlight hit her body, making her disappear forever. "RAVEN NO-" Princess Luna began to scream flying past Celestia, but was cut off when her horn was grabbed by her older sister. "Oh Luna, my dear sweet sister, don't worry. Tia will make the memories of those horrid brats go away." The older princess said with a smirk as a bright light flashed into Luna's tear filled eyes, causing her to pass out.