//------------------------------//
// Empyreans 
// Story: Alicorn Support Group 
// by Draconaes 
//------------------------------//

It had been a couple weeks since she had been coaxed into assigning Twilight her latest research project. She was still worried about Nightmare, but her fear no longer loomed over her. Her little mental breakdown also seemed to have burned off some of her excess emotional energy. She was once again confident in her role as Equestria's guardian, especially now that she had Twilight actively looking into the issue of Nightmare's origin.

Thankfully, today was not very busy, so Celestia had a few hours of the morning to herself, and she planned to make good use of them. She had just entered her personal office with a good book and a plate of cake when her plans were shattered. "Good morning sister." Luna spoke in a stiff and formal tone, sitting behind her desk. Celestia just stood there, feeling strangely like a filly caught breaking a rule. Luna rose from her seat and gestured for Celestia to take it, and began pacing the room once she had done so.

"Can I ask what this is about, Luna?"

"There is no need, since I will be telling you regardless." Celestia just sighed. It was too early for her to deal with Luna's brand of wit. "I wish that honesty had been one of your elements instead of mine, dear sister; maybe it would have rubbed off on you more strongly then. Is it really so difficult for you to be straightforward?"

"Perhaps I could give a more honest answer if I knew what brought this on."

"You could also give a less honest one if you knew what you were deflecting." Celestia winced. That was true enough. "I've found out about your research into the Nightmare. I can tell you now, though, that Twilight Sparkle will find very little useful information. I can also allay some of your fears. But then, you apparently do not wish to speak to me of this, do you?"

Celestia hung her head. "How did you find out?"

"I came across Twilight Sparkle in the library, studying. I offered my assistance, and she reluctantly accepted. She told me that you wished to spare me from your concerns, but she also did not feel comfortable deceiving me to my face when confronted."

"I'm sorry, Luna. I did not want you to feel excluded, but at the same time I did not want to worry you or open old wounds."

Luna sighed and walked over to Celestia. "I could have spared you such grief and worry if you had told me of your concerns. I thought them banished after our reunion, but I realize now you were simply hiding them, as always." She draped a wing over her sister's shoulder, hugging her. "Twilight's research is not a fruitless endeavor, but I do not think it is a question of national security."

Celestia looked up at Luna. "Why not? Nightmare seemed to be a very dangerous creature. She-"

"She is dead. I was with her when it happened, after all."

"Are you sure? It may be that-"

"Celestia." Luna held her gaze. "She is dead. I was with her when it happened."

The full weight of what Luna was saying hit her. "You... the Elements of Harmony-"

"Weren't what killed us. At least, they weren't what killed me. Nightmare fought against their power to no avail, and then turned on me out of spite. She stole whatever magic she could from me to delay her death, until almost all of my magic was burned away with her. Thankfully, it was less permanent for me than it was for her. Being a demigod has its perks." Luna grinned.

Celestia did not share her mirth. "I am sorry that-"

Luna cut her off again. She was doing that a lot, lately. "Do not trouble yourself. At least we are even now."

Celestia tilted her head. "Even?"

"I recall dropping you several stories with a blast of energy, once. Do not tell me you didn't exchange pleasantries with Death when you passed him by?"

"Luna, that wasn't you, that was Nightmare Moon."

"Well the same applies here, then. Nightmare Moon has killed both of us once."

They sat in silence for a while. Luna eventually stood and took the chair on the other side of Celestia's desk. She made to take her cake, but Celestia swatted her hoof away with her magic and began eating it herself. "So Nightmare truly is dead?" she said between bites.

"I am certain. I-" Luna cut herself off and hesitated. "I only just earlier berated you for not being honest, so I will be honest with you now, even if it may worry you." She took a breath. "Do you know there were alicorns before us?"

"I had suspected, but it seems impossible to know for certain. The Tree of Harmony, the Alicorn Amulet; these artifacts had to have come from somewhere. But are you saying you know there were others?"

"I do. I had mentioned briefly to Cadance that I had learned things from the Nightmare. I see your skepticism, sister, and normally I would not trust anything coming from such a source, but it wasn't as simple as her telling me these things. When she bonded with me, we quite literally became one in many ways. We shared memories, Celestia. Much of what I know from her is distorted through a lens of time and madness, but there are grains of truth to be found. I know there were alicorns before because she was once an alicorn as well."

"An alicorn? But then, if she was not mortal..."

Luna held up a hoof to stop her. "She was only a shadow by the time she encountered me, all but destroyed by her fellow alicorns long ago. She was no longer immortal, though if she had succeeded, she would have been, through me. It is also for this reason that I know there will not be any more "Nightmares", not without us knowing, because I know how she was born."

Celestia was listening eagerly to everything Luna was saying, but suddenly realized how pained Luna looked. She did not seem to enjoy talking about this. "Luna, it's okay if you don't want to talk about this. If you say we don't need to worry, then I trust you. You don't need to do this for my sake."

Luna shook her head quickly. "No, I think you should know this. One of her most vivid memories was when she first saw that sun in her new form. She was filled with such disgust and hate at the sight. It was painful. It's strange, but it made me feel pity for her. To be born into a world that is so abhorrent to you... She was created, inadvertently I think, by some entity from the void that she called "Atrament". I have only her memories, but I think there was some conflict between the entity and the ancient alicorns, and she was a victim. Somehow, it corrupted her and filled her with its essence. She became like it, despising the light, and helped it destroy the sun."

"She destroyed the sun? That she could have such power, even at her strongest, is terrifying."

"No, she did not, she merely stopped the other alicorns from protecting it. This "Atrament" was the power behind that tragedy. But it left after the sun was destroyed. As we are here to talk about this now, the sun was obviously restored somehow, though it seems different from Nightmare's memories. As I recall, the moon was also destroyed during the conflict."

Celestia pondered for a moment. "When we took control of the heavens from the unicorns, I thought that they had always been as they were. But maybe we were wrong."

Luna nodded solemnly. "I am hopeful that Twilight Sparkle's research may eventually shed some light. In the meantime, I have advised her to calm down; when I last saw her, she looked like she had barely slept for over a week, and, from what Spike has told me, that might very well have been the case. Perhaps you can ensure that she knows she is no longer in a race to save Equestria from certain doom."

"Of course. Certain doom isn't scheduled until next month, right?"

Luna smirked "Make light of it all you want, but Blueblood's birthday is no laughing matter, as you well know." The two sisters shared a laugh. Celestia proffered Luna some of her cake, which she eagerly accepted.

Celestia had missed these kinds of moments for a thousands years, and she treasured each and every one. She vowed she would never lose her sister again. No, she would never lose any of her friends or family ever again.