//------------------------------// // Those Final Words... // Story: Those Final Words... // by Stardust Speedster //------------------------------// The former Princess of Night looked down upon her old home. In the vast distance, she could see the small planet that taunted her hour to hour. The land of Equestria. The people that shunned her and despised her. Her beloved sister. All lived down thousands of miles away, and she could do nothing to go back. "Why did it have to end this way?" she said to the planet softly, almost hoping to coax it into saying something. Anything. But like the other times, she heard no answer. It was deathly quiet in the void of space. Sometimes Luna had to talk to herself just to keep from going mad and releasing "her" out again. She sighed as she sat on her hooves, lip beginning to quiver. "I never meant for it to get this far. I just wanted to be loved, and look at what came from that. Now even my sister could never love me," she sniffed, tears forming in the corners of her eyes. She had done many things before being sent away, and although she always regretted every single act, she could never forgive herself for the last confrontation she had before "she" was released. "You are correct, pathetic one. You tried to be loved, and you failed. I even tried to help them see reason, but they locked us away." Luna flinched as she heard the one who damned her to this prison of time. With fresh tears falling, she steeled her nerves for another argument with Nightmare Moon. "Help? You did not help. You tried to harm innocent lives and gave out orders of war." she growled at the voice. Although the voice was in her head, she felt it give off a malicious grin, chilling her. "Ah, but do you not recall how feared and respected you became after that?" whispered Nightmare Moon. "Besides, your feelings and mine are one and the same. You wanted to outshine your sister? Well, now the entire world can watch our prison as a reminder of how weak you are. I should have finished her off the minute she tried to beg for you to 'return to normal'. Hah! How Sad, that in your final moments, you could do nothing to stop yourself from potentially killing your only kin." The Princess of Night shook her head, starting to sob as she remembered. "N-no! I will not allow you to torture me again! I-I am strong! I am-" she tried to say, as her nightmare came back full force, with nothing to comfort her. She was forcibly lulled into sleep, where Nightmare Moon waited. "Your pain is my ecstasy. Your fear is my dream. All that horrifies you, just manages to make me stronger. So please, relive the nightmare, Luna. I am waiting patiently." Luna snapped her eyes open, to see she was standing beside Celestia, who was motioning her guards to leave the hall. "So, was it all just a horrible nightmare?" Luna thought, relieved. Perhaps she just fell asleep during another long council with the representatives from the other kingdoms. She always did get tired of how unbelievably boring they were. But why had Celestia sent out the guards? As if on que, the Solar Princess turned to her, with restrained anger breaking through. "So, sister, would you care to explain why you sent out orders to overtake Saddle Arabia?" She said with a hint of venom. "What? I did nothing of the sort! I would never wage war upon helping countries." said Luna, but her sister did not even blink. It was as if she did not hear her at all. "What do you have to say for yourself, Luna?" her tension increasing. Suddenly a voice escaped the Lunar Princess' mouth. It sounded like hers, but Luna had not chosen to say anything. It was if there was an entirely different pony controlling her! "There is nothing to explain, sister. I simply thought it wise to make our country grow." "Making our land prosper is one thing, breaking the bonds we have with others is another! You cannot give out orders to do something without my consent. I thought we agreed on that!" Luna heard this and something stirred in her mind, saying that she was right. But her lips moved without her choice. "Oh, just like how YOU"RE supposed to consult with me when you make a decision, Celestia? How about all those times where I was informed of a new law or partnership with others without MY consent." said the dark-voiced Luna. "Y-you're lucky that I stopped our guards in time, then we would have a full fledged war on our hooves!" the Solar Princess spoke, somewhat hesitantly. "And I am the older sister. Our mother and father said that when they...depart from this world, that I would take care of you. And I plan to keep that promise." "But you are dodging the point here, sister. You are allowed to make orders while I cannot, and you get away with no error." "I do this because, because," Celestia stammered, trying to find the right word. "Because what, Celestia?" said Luna's voice again. "Because I do not trust you!" she blurted out. As soon as she said that, she had a huge look of guilt on her face, making Luna feel like comforting her. But her body had other ideas. "Trust. Of course. You're just like the other mortal fools here, sister. You give trust based upon your own sick, twisted image." as Luna walked around her sister. "I wanted them to trust me, and what did they do?" she looked down on her menacingly. Celestia looked around nervously, not daring to look her in the eyes. "Answer me!" Luna's voice rose higher. Still, her sister did not answer. "Answer me, Celestia!" she yelled. After nothing but silence again, Luna felt her body raise itself into the air and heard the Royal Canterlot Voice burst her own eardrums. "ANSWER ME, DAMN IT!" The sheer power of that yell made Celestia cave in, tears beginning to for in her eyes. Luna became increasingly heartbroken. What foul monster would cause her to yell at her only kin?! "T-they feared you." she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Luna felt her body float back down, and walk up to Celestia, looking down at her, as Luna felt her lips curl into a sneer. "That's right. Just as you fear me now. You are pathetic, sister, claiming to be a saint when you yourself cannot keep your promises. But I intend to do better." She stopped, as Celestia slowly looked into her eyes, hers showing fear and pain. "Stop this at once, demon! I will not allow you to torture my big sister this way!" Luna screamed. But there was no reply, as the Solar Princess began to speak weakly. "Do better h-how?" she asked, her face in a mess, tears flowing freely. "I plan to keep my promises, sister. And I promise that one day, all of Equestria will gaze upon me with fear and respect, as the new ruler!" Luna's voice shouted. She then felt her horn glow with a powerful spell, while her sister looked on in fear. "Luna, please! What has happened to you?! I l-love you..." she managed to speak out in sobs. Luna's mind struggled now, trying to gain control. "Monster, let me out of this torment, before I blast you to Tartarus personally!" she yelled, while her vision shown guards appearing to aim their magic at her, protecting the princess from this mad monster. "I do love you, sister! I love you more than anything or anyone! Listen, please!" the Lunar Princess screamed out, hoping someone would hear her in this mental prison. It was all in vain, as she then heard those final words, each a blow to Celestia's heart, as Luna felt her body walk away. Her vision began to darken, as she tried to scream for her sister. "Regret. Fear. Anger. Sadness. You have done this to yourself. In your sleep, you will always hear your final words before we merged." Luna woke up with a start, getting her surroundings. Her two front hooves were soaked in her tears, as it appears she was crying violently. She saw nothing but black, speckled with white dots here and there. To the left of her vision, she could make out a small globe, as she sat alone. No one to talk to. No one to comfort her. She stared weakly down at Equestria, hoping maybe that her sister was looking for her in this prison. As she sat there, those final words repeated in her head. And Luna knew that she could never forgive herself for this. "I hate you, Celestia, for as long as I live. You are not my sister."