//------------------------------// // The Following Days // Story: The Days That Followed // by Cameron Nightshade //------------------------------// “I’m sorry my sister, but you have left me choice, but to use, these,” turning her head around and using her magic, she gathered the Elements of Harmony from under a stone in the broken castle. The Elements circled around Celestia and she closed her eyes, and tears fell from her eyes. “Nooooooo!!!!!” Nightmare Moon shouted as she was banished to the moon, by her own sister. Celestia landed back on the ground, and noticed that the Elements no longer worked. “Without my sister, there is no balance. Until new ponies come who can gather the magic to use these, they can not do anything,” Celestia walked around the broken castle, looking at the damage caused by Nightmare Moon. “I think that it is time to leave, and to go build a new castle,” with that, Celestia took off, leaving everything behind her, including the Elements of Harmony. It was the middle of the night and no ponies were up. Celestia then understood why Luna became so jealous. Luna walked around the castle to go to her balcony to raise the moon. She knew that meant that no ponies would go outside to look at her beautiful night. It pained her everytime she had to do this, but she knew it was the best for Equestria. “Does Celestia really not see that no ponies are awake during the night, and no one looks at my wonderful moon?” Luna questioned. She knew the answer of course. Celestia slept during the night. Like all the other ponies in Equestria. “I should have noticed the signs earlier. But like a fool, I ignored them. I let my sister become Nightmare Moon, and never tried to stop her, until it finally happened,” Celestia flew over the trees, and looked up at the moon. A shadow of a pony head was across the moon. This only hurt Celestia more. For the next 1,000 years, it would be there. Haunting Celestia with each passing day. 365,000 days. 8,736,000 hours. 1,000 years without her sister. Celestia wondered what ponies would think when they noticed that Luna was no longer there. Or, if they came by the castle to look around, what they would see. Celestia slowed down, and turned. The castle lay in ruins. Bricks and concrete scattered the ground, banners torn, like a cat ran down it with it’s sharp claws. Celestia couldn’t look at the castle anymore. She turned back around, and flew as fast as she could, through the precious night. “Not, another step,” Princess Luna warned. “Did you really expect me to sit idly by while they basked in your precious light? Luna continued. “There can only be one Princess in Equestria, and that princess will be me!” Luna bellowed. She rose up, clouding the sky, but not around her moon. Princess Luna began her transformation into Nightmare Moon. “Luna! You must lower the moon! It is your duty!” Celestia yelled over to Nightmare Moon. “Luna? I am Nightmare Moon! I only have but one royal duty now. To destroy you!” Nightmare Moon bellowed as she raced after Celestia. Celestia shook her head. Her own sister, the one she loved, gone from her. She kept flying above Equestria, looking for a new place to rebuild her castle. Along the way, Celestia noticed that it was time for Luna to lower the moon. “Oh, right. It’s my job now,” Celestia said with a heavy heart. Channeling her magic, she put her magic into the moon. Of course, since it was riddled with Princess Luna’s magic, it had a hard time adjusting to the older alicorns magic. After a few minutes of toying with the moon, she finally brought it to rest behind the mountains, and brought up the gleaming sun from the opposing mountains. Celestia watched as ponies walked out of their houses, and going on their way to work and school. As Celestia flew on, she noticed a fantastic place to build a new castle. Going around to Manehatten and Phillydelphia, she recruited guards, and builders to build her new castle, and a new place for ponies to live. “What do you wish to call this new place, Princess?” Berry Blitz asked. “I think that I will call it, Canterlot,” Celestia concluded. “We will get started right away on Canterlot. And, if I may, you may want to protect the old castle from more harm. I do not think that you would want to have people go over there and take any of the banners, or anything else,” Berry Blitz added. “Good idea. Whilst you and the other build Canterlot, I will get to work on protecting my old castle. I will be back later today to see how well you have progressed, and to lower the sun. Good day, Berry Blitz, “Celestia commented. “Princess Celestia,” Berry Blitz bowed. As Celestia made her way back to the castle, the memory of her banishing her own sister haunted her memories. Celestia gathered her magic. Soon, a forest of trees inhabited the once beautiful area. She set traps everywhere that could deter a pony who was willing to go the castle. As the forest grew larger and larger, Celestia also made animals that could live in the forest. “This new forest you have grown, I believe it must be left alone,” a voice said behind Celestia. Celestia shrieked. “Yes, and who are you, if I may ask?” Celestia stared at the new zebra. “Eusipe is my name, but do not worry, for I am very tame,” Eusipe answered to the Princess. “Hello Eusipe. Are you afraid of forests?” Celestia questioned. “Oh no, the forests are not a foe,” the zebra quickly answered. Celestia stood for a minute. “I have an idea, if you are willing to accept it. How about, you make a home inside the Everfree Forest, and if any ponies come on by, you can warn them of the dangers that lie ahead.” “That is a great plan, for I will make sure there is not one fan,” Eusipe replied. “Thank you. Now, I must go. I have to return to Canterlot to see how the building is going. Goodbye!” Celestia informed Eusipe as she took off. Celestia flew back over Equestria, and went on her way to Canterlot. It looked like the foundation for the new castle was ready. She landed gracefully onto the rocks, and looked at the workers. “Good job, ponies! You are dismissed from the job today!” Celestia proclaimed. That night, she lowered the sun, and raised the moon. She did this everyday, for 1,000 painful years.