//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: The Begining of a Nightmare // by speedboy3 //------------------------------// Luna was feeling troubled. A few years had passed since the night that she had first heard The Voice, and at first she thought that it was just her imagination playing tricks on her. However, it had come back to her every time she went to visit her sister, or when Celestia would visit her. The Voice always said the same things. You don't need her. She doesn't care about you. You are much better off without her. The Night Princess felt afraid of this Voice. The reason was because she knew that she had heard that voice somewhere before, but she could never figure out where. Luna was beggining to have nightmares where she saw Celestia leaviing her, never to return. Throughout these night terrors, she her The Voice in the backround, all the time whispering, whispering, whispering. Celestia doesn't care for you. don't belive in her lies. Luna tried to fight what The Voice said. She even spoke to it out loud. "You're wrong!" The blue alicorn would shout at the ceiling. "Tia's my sister! She cares for me above anypony else!" She would spend hours saying this to herself, but The Voice was unrelenting. Everytime Luna would say something in defense of her sister, The Voice would come back, saying the same thing everytime. Luna's sanity was beggining to crack under the relentless Voice. It almost became a daily routine for her to wake up from a nightmare, and immediately be assaulted by her whispering foe. She began to see things while she was awake. She saw nameless ponies being slaughtered at her sister's command. A few times after tthe massacre, Celestia would point a hoof at Luna, and the armies of the Daylight Princess would converge on the defensless Princess of the NIght. The day terrors were in her opinion the worst. At least with the nightmares, she could expect them. *** Months passed. Most of the time Luna could be found pacing in one room or the other. Sometimes she would shout at a wall or the floor. Other times she could be found curled up on the floor, muttering nonsense to herself. She hardly slept anymore, and when she did, she would always wake up from a nightmare, screaming or crying bitterly from what she had seen. The Voice kept battering at her subconsious, always whispering, never letting up for a moment. Celestia is your enemy. She doesn't care about you, or anyone but herself. "You lie!" Luna would shout through a veil of tears. "Celestia is a kind-hearted pony!" You say that now, but very soon, she will betray you. Luna listen to reason. Luna was about to argue back, but then she realized that this was the first time that The Voice had addressed her by her name. "Who are you?" Luna sobbed, she hated this mysterious Voice, and how it would never let up on it's attacks. I am a friend. It replied. You may not realize it yet, but I am here to help you. All you need to do is belive in the truth of what I say. Have you not seen what Celestia does in her domain while you are here staring at stars? "Well no, but..." Luna began. But nothing, she rules with an iron hoof. Only caring for one pony: herself. Luna stared at the design on the ceiling. It was a star, but she couldn't identify it. On closer examination, she noticed that cracks had begun to form on the surface. She couldn't belive that she hadn't noticed her own castle falling into disrepair, but she couldn't worry about that now. She looked out the window, and saw her sister flying to Luna's castle from Canterlot. The Voice, which had been strangley quiet, decided to start talking again. Don't let her see you. She's come to take you away, to take your powers for herself. The Night Princess tried to fight what The Voice was saying. Celestia was her sister. She already controlled the daytime, why would she want the night to? The Voice, instead of responding to these questions, raised it's own. Why would Celestia take the daytime, when everypony is awake, and make you take the night if she cared for you? Luna was stunned. She had never even considered the reason why her sister was in charge of the daytime. Was it really because Celestia wanted the attention of their subjects? Nopony was ever awake at night, they were always sleeping. Luna could hardly stand. If that was true, then what else was true about her sister? Celestia walked into the main hall of Luna's castle. The first thing she noticed was the state that the walls were in. Cracks had formed all along the walls. Celestia wondered at this, because her sister was normaly a very tidy pony. "Sister!" Luna called, rushing into the room. "What brings you here?" "Luna? What happened to you? You look aweful." Luna looked at herself, and was surprised at what she saw. Her mane, which was normaly the color of the night sky, and flowing, was limp and disheveled. Her eyes were bloodshot, and bags hung under them. She was visibly shaking, like she had seen, or heard, something that she couldn't belive. "Oh that, I haven't been sleeping very well lately." She lied, she didn't want her sister to pry into what had been going on in her mind, especially if what The Voice said, turned out to be true. Get away! The Voice said. before she steals your powers! Luna suddenly shuddered, as if a cold breeze started blowing. Celestia noticed this, but decided it was due to lack of sleep. "Well, I hope you feel better soon." The Daylight Princess said. "I just came by to check up on my sister, I don't want you to be alone all the time!" "Don't worry about me, I'm sure I'll be fine soon." Luna wished that her sister would leave soon. She wanted to think over what The Voice had said earlier. Was Celestia the loving sister that Luna always fought to belive? Or was she the tyranical ruler that The Voice had said she was. "Thanks for stopping by!" Luna said a little too eagerly, "hope you have a safe journy back to Canterlot." Celestia was troubled by this. "You want me to leave now? But Luna I've only just arrived here. We have so much to discuss." Get her away from here now! The Voice Chimed in. Before she does anything to you. "I'm sorry sister, but I'm not in the mood to discuss anything right now," Luna said saddly, "maybe another time. Yes, another time would be better." "Alright, if that's what you want dear sister. I'm worried for you though, maybe I should take over your duties for a while to let you rest up." "No!" Luna said shocked, The Voice wasn't lying after all! Luna thought, Celestia does want my powers! "I mean, no I can still manage my duties, thank you for offering though." Luna said with a smile that was slightly mad looking. Celestia said nothing for a small time. "Alright," she said, "but remember, if you don't feel up to your duties, then I can take over for you." "I'm fine, really!" Luna said, her voice becoming angry. Celestia took no notice of it. "Alright then, I'll see you later I guess." The white alicorn walked out the front door, and took off into the night sky." You did well. The Voice said. "You were right. You were right. I can't belive you were right." The Night Princess was speechless Tears formed in her eyes, and she wept as she had never wept before. "Everything I've known is a lie! Celestia, dear sister, why have you done this to me!" Luna sobbed for over an hour, she tuned out everything that was going on around her. If a dragon were to attack at that very instant, it was doubtful that she would have even noticed. "Voice," she finally said, looking at a wall through a veil of tears, "what should I do? Who can I trust?" Trust no one. The Voice said, save for me. "I will." Luna said after a brief pause. "I will, but what must I do? Celestia is after my powers, and I can't just keep denying her." Do exactly what I say, and you will be able to keep your powers, and I will help you gain even more power. Power that you can't even begin to comprehend. Luna stood. For the first time in months, she felt the strength to carry on through this nightmare. All she had to do was listen to The Voice. After all, it had warned her of Celestia's plan. She just had to trust it. "I will." Luna said, quiet at first, but then her voice began to grow, untill the whole room was filled with her shouting voice. "I will, I will. I will!" She felt the satisfaction from The Voice, and knew that it approved. Yes! Listen to me, and your name shall be remembered for all time! Before long, Luna had to lower the moon to make way for a new day. For the first time in months, the blue alicorn slept peacfully. No nightmares disturbed her as she planned her rise to glory.