//------------------------------// // Memories Shattered // Story: Royal Oppression // by Twiggles6 //------------------------------// “Are you certain that you’re feeling well enough for your royal duties tonight, dear sister?” Celestia asked as she and Luna approached the doors leading to the Sun Princess’s bedchamber. “You’ve had a faraway look in your eyes half the day.” “I’m fine, sister.” Luna half sighed. “Please. You must stop worrying so much about me.” She said, giving her sister a playful nudge. “I’ve just been a little unfocused today. It won’t interfere with my duties, I promise.” “If you’re sure…” Celestia said, hesitating as her bedroom doors opened. “I’m sure.” Luna said with a light giggle. “Please, just get some rest.” She said as she gently nudged Celestia towards the bed. “I hear that you’ve been sleeping a bit better since I helped you out. I want you to do me a favor and prove it tonight, okay?” “Okay, okay.” Celestia chuckled as she walked over to her bed. “I promise I’ll try to get a good night’s sleep for you” “That’s better.” Luna said. “Just remember that even though you’re the big sister, I can still worry about you too.” “Alright, Luna. I get it.” Celestia said, playfully rolling her eyes. “Good night. And good luck on your first night back.” “Please, sister.” Luna said. “I don’t need luck. I’ve got tonight all figured out, and I’m sure that you’ll be pleased with the result. But enough talk. It’s time now for sleep, dear sister. I’ll leave you to your bedding.” Luna said as she stepped out of the room and closed the double doors behind her. “I’m so grateful to have Luna back.” Celestia thought as she lay down in her bed. “I was worried that she might not wake up.” “Oh, now that would be a real shame, wouldn’t it?” A dark voice sounded through Celestia’s mind. “Who’s there?” Celestia asked, picking up her head and looking around only to crane it back down and wince as a sharp pain went through it. “Oh, there’s nopony here but you, princess.” The voice said. It’s feminine tone dripping with mockery. “And that’s almost how it became permanently. All because you couldn’t get over your insecurities yourself.” “No! Stop it!” Celestia commanded as another jolt of pain shot through her mind like a bullet. “But I’m not doing anything wrong.” The voice said, keeping its mocking tone. “Why don’t you get some sleep? That will probably… Clear your head.” The voice said just before snickering as it faded away. “Hello?” Celestia asked, looking around her room again. “I really should get some sleep.” Celestia rationalized with a sigh. “I’ve been so stressed lately that I’m starting to hear things.” She thought as she laid her head down on the pillow. She sighed in contentment as sleep took her with little delay. “So, is your sister asleep yet?” Heart Murmur asked as Luna sat on her bed in a meditative state. “Yes. Princess Celestia is about to enter the dream world.” Luna said. “I will make sure that all goes as planned. For the glory of the Queen.” “For the glory of the Queen.” Heart Murmur agreed with a nod as Luna took a deep breath and sent herself into the dream world for the first time since waking up. “Be still, my sister.” Luna said as she willed herself into Celestia’s dreams. “This will not be pleasant for either of us, but it will all be worth it in the end.” She said as she stepped out into Celestia’s dreamscape. Before her was a wide-open field in the height of springtime. All of the flowers were in bloom, painting the landscape a mix of bright pinks and cheerful orange hues. The sun shone brightly in the sky, and the birds were singing a pleasant tune. As the wind blew through Luna’s mane, she saw something that made her gasp in surprise. A little filly that could only be a much younger version of herself was galloping towards a young Celestia as quickly as her little legs could carry her. “Lulu! I’ve been waiting for you.” Celestia said when she saw Luna approaching. “Oh, Tia! I’m so happy to see you!” Luna squealed as she ran up to her older sister and leapt into an affectionate hug. “I missed you SO much when I was out with Starswirl.” “You didn’t give him too much trouble, did you?” Celestia asked, smirking a bit as she looked down at her sister. “It wasn’t that bad.” Luna said. “He only had to yell at me once or twice.” “I suppose that isn’t too bad after all.” Celestia said with a chuckle. “When I was your age, he had to yell at me at least a hundred times before we got home.” She said with a flourish of her hoof. “Really?” Luna asked, her eyes twinkling as she looked up at her sister. “A hundred times?” “A hundred times.” Celestia said, chuckling again. “Whew.” Luna said with a heavy breath. “Then I feel a lot better about him actually yelling at me eleven times.” “E- eleven?” Celestia asked, stepping back briefly. “That much? Really?” “Yeah. But that’s not so bad, right?” Luna asked. “No.” Celestia giggled. “No, it isn’t I suppose.” She said, breaking out into laughter as she began wrestling with her sister in the grass. As Luna watched her younger self and sister playing so happily, she found herself hesitating. Her head began to throb as a small voice called out to her. “I don’t have to do this!” The tiny voice chimed. “I’m stronger than this!” It said as Luna fell to her knees in pain, her head pounding. “I will not be that insect’s pawn!” “What’s this?” A regal voice asked as Luna sensed a powerful presence behind her. “How sweet. I’ve never seen this dream before” Queen Chrysalis said as she stepped up beside Luna. “Such a beautiful moment for you two.” “No…” Luna muttered as she tried to struggle to her hooves. “No?” Chrysalis asked, turning to Luna and raising an eyebrow. “I know a thing or two about love, and I would say that this is some of the sweetest I’ve ever seen. Too bad I’m not actually here to collect it. Or do you somehow have a bit of resistance left in you?” “I… I won’t soil this moment.” Luna said. “It’s… Too precious.” “I’m sorry.” Queen Chrysalis said. “I’m not entirely sure that I heard you correctly. It sounded to me like you were backing out of our plan. But you and I both know that can’t happen.” She said, putting a hoof under Luna’s chin and forcing her to look into her eyes. “I… Won’t.” Luna said through gritted teeth. “You won’t what?” Chrysalis asked as her horn began to glow a menacing green. The light from her horn shone into Luna’s eyes, causing her sight to lose focus until all she could see was the green glow from her Queen. “I won’t…” Luna repeated as she felt her will fading. “No! Not like this!” The little voice in Luna’s head screamed before being completely snuffed out. “I won’t let you down, my Queen.” Luna said, standing up as her eyes glowed green and pulsed in time with Chrysalis’s horn. “Very good.” Chrysalis said, walking away from her thrall. “I’ll overlook your brief indiscretion if you can complete your task. Be grateful that I’m a benevolent ruler.” Chrysalis said as she faded into nothingness. “I must not disappoint my Queen.” Luna said as her horn lit up in a blue aura. “Huh? Sister, what’s going on?” Luna asked her sister as the sky began to grow dark, menacing clouds blocking out the sun with an ominous roll of thunder. “I’m not sure.” Celestia said as she and Luna stood up and looked at the sky together. “But I have a bad feeling about it.” “Sister. I… I don’t feel so good.” Luna said as she curled up on the ground and started sobbing. “Lulu! What’s wrong?” Celestia asked as she knelt over her sister. “Tia. It hurts. It hurts so much.” Luna said, tears rolling freely down her face. “What hurts? Luna, please tell me what’s wrong!” Celestia said, her eyes beginning to fill up as well. “I… I don’t… AHHHHHH!” Luna suddenly screamed out in pain as black ooze enveloped her. “Luna!” Celestia cried out as her sister’s screams intensified. “Tia! Help me!” Luna sobbed as the black mass began to pulsate. “AHHHHHH!” She screamed as her voice began to deepen and she began to grow. “What is this?!” Celestia shouted as thunder and lightning pounded through the sky, the wind whipping into a howling gale that flattened the plains. “This is the end of your happiness, dear sister!” Luna shouted in a booming, regal voice as her eyes shot open through the black substance. Her pupils were slitted, and her body was now twice the size of her sister’s. “What are you? And what have you done with my sister?” Celestia cried. “Silly foal! I am your sister! I am. Nightmare Moon!” Nightmare Moon bellowed as she rapidly extended her wings, throwing aside the remnants of the black ooze that had covered her. “But I don’t understand!” Celestia said, backing away from the larger mare. “How can this be?” “It is because of you that this has happened to me!” Nightmare Moon shouted, pointing an accusing hoof at Celestia. “You are to blame for all of your misfortunes, as well as everypony else’s! You call yourself a princess? Ha!” She scoffed. “But I am a princess!” Celestia shouted. “Please. What kind of princess can’t even protect her own flesh and blood?” Nightmare Moon asked. “Nevermind an entire nation of ponies. Face it! You have failed. You are not fit to rule!” “No! It can’t be!” Celestia screamed, tears streaming down her muzzle. “That is enough!” Chrysalis’s voice commanded as a green cocoon began forming around Celestia. At the changeling’s command, Nightmare Moon backed off and returned to her true form; That of the elder princess Luna. “As you command, my Queen.” Luna said with a bow. “What the?” Celestia asked as the cocoon finished forming. “What is going on?” She asked as it began filling with a green liquid. Before long, the pod was full, and the princess was unconscious. Floating gently in the center of the verdant mass. “You have done well, despite your insubordination.” Chrysalis said as she again appeared next to Luna. “Apologies, my Queen.” Luna said. “It will not happen again.” “I’m sure that it will not.” Chrysalis said as a cocoon began forming around Luna as well. “But I would like to make doubly sure of that fact.” “I understand, my Queen.” Luna said as she allowed herself to be enveloped in green. Soon, she was slumbering alongside her sister. “This night has been just perfect.” Chrysalis chuckled as she gently ran a hoof across the surface of Celestia’s cocoon. “It won’t be long now, my little princess. Soon enough, you will be joining your sister in my service. And then all of Equestria will be mine! Just like it should have been at your precious niece’s wedding.” Chrysalis said before breaking off into maniacal laughter as she faded away once again.