Luna the Matchmaker
Chapter 4 "Nightmares and Broken Wings"
By Steven Little
My Little Pony is © Hasbro.
You are the light in my darkness,
You are my strength when I am weak.
You see my value though I feel worthless,
You make me feel special and unique.
Please don't cry,
Don't shed a tear and don't ask why.
Even though I no longer have my wings,
As long as you are with me,
My heart will let me fly.
Luna woke bit by bit, her head resting against the pillow of the bed she lay in. Feeling the stiffness in her back, she lazily stretched. An intense pain ran through her body bringing her fully awake. Everything hurt. The only thing that seemed to dull the pain was the scent of the mare she cared so much about. Carefully looking around, she found herself in a hospital bed with one of Twilight's pillows beneath her head. The space was cold and sterile. The room had white walls and ceiling with various types of medical equipment in a corner, on the right side of her bed. The one warm glowing part of the room was Twilight Sparkle laid out on a cot on her left, between her and the door. Luna lay there and watched her while the pain in her side and back slowly subsided. She stared at the unicorn's angelic form. She watched her chest rise and fall with each breath. Her face was soft and peaceful. Luna gazed at her face and the slight movements of her mouth and nose as she breathed. 'Oh Twilight. How oft I've dreamt of kissing those lips.' She thought to herself.
"Twilight?" Luna had hard time speaking. In fact it was a strain to do most things. "Twilight?" She called louder.
The lavender pony woke slowly and looked over to Luna's bed. "Princess Luna! You're awake!" She said, jumping off her cot and rushing to the Princesses side.
"What happened Twilight? I was teleporting back to the library and the next thing I know, I'm waking up here."
Twilight couldn’t bear to look her in the eye. "I heard a commotion outside the library last night. I rushed outside and found you lying crumpled on the ground. You were barely breathing so I teleported both of us here. I didn't know exactly what happened but when I spoke with the doctor earlier, he said it looks like you fell over twenty feet to the ground and landed on your wings." Twilight explained as she moved the cot against the far wall, making more room for herself by the Princesses bed.
"My wings?"
“Broken; both of them, along with two ribs and your left front leg." Luna hid her face as she began to sob. Twilight stroked her cobalt blue mane. "Shhh. It's okay Luna, broken bones heal and scars fade with time. I promise I'll help you through it. I bet in no time at all you'll be flying through the sky again, you'll see. Now that you’re awake, I'm going to talk to the doctor Stable and see if we can't move you out of the hospital." When Twilight left the room, Luna pulled the blanket back, and noticed that her royal finery was gone. Not that she cared. She never much cared for it but still, where was it? Luna carefully slid off the bed to her hooves, pulling an assortment of medical monitoring equipment with her. Using her magic, Luna removed the IV needle from her right front leg and the various leads that connected her to the machines. Putting as little weight as possible on her broken leg, she stood a little unsteady on the other three. It felt like her whole body was a bundle of dull pain. Taking a cautious step forward, she stumbled slightly; the numerous painkillers they gave had made her dizzy. Now it was more than just her right side that was bandaged up. The Princess looked back over her left shoulder. Both her wings were immobilized and bound to her sides. Bandages wrapped around her chest and her left front leg was in a splint.
Carefully turning back toward the bed, Luna grabbed Twilight's pillow and placed it on her back. Taking a few slow measured steps, she poked her head out the door. "Twilight?"
"Princess Luna! You shouldn't be out of bed!" Twilight reprimanded her.
"I'm sorry." Luna said dropping her head and ears.
"It's alright, I'm sorry Luna I didn't mean to yell; I'm just worried about you." Twilight said. I've spoken with the doctor and he said that you're okay to go as long as you take it slow."
Luna blushed at the thought of Twilight concern for her then froze in terror. "I can't go out there! I look like a train wreck!" Had Luna been able to, she would have curled up into a ball.
Twilight placed a hoof against the Princess's chest. "Don't worry, I promise nopony will see you. Just take it one small step at a time." Luna slowly walked out the door careful to keep pace with Twilight's slow and measured steps. Each step was painful and she had to rebalance herself each time but Twilight was true to her word; during the entire agonizingly long trip to the library, nopony saw her. Twilight let her into the library and closed the door after them. It wasn't until then that Luna noticed Twilight's horn had been glowing.
"Nopony so much as looked in my direction. Not even one. How did you accomplish this?" Luna asked, amazed.
"I put a cloak of shadows on you. It's taxing and not very efficient as I have to continuously power it but it's useful when you don't want to be seen." Twilight explained.
Luna was impressed. No wonder she was her sister's number one student. "Twilight. Not that I really care about it, but what happened to my vestments?"
"Follow me, but take it slow." Twilight said. Step by painful step the two ponies climbed the stairs to Twilight's sleeping loft. At the foot of the bed, Luna saw her vestments. They were mangled. Her shoes were dented, her crown twisted, and her chest guard was bent almost double.
Luna passed them by and carefully lay on the bed. "I'm so tired. The trip from the hospital was more taxing than I thought." She said. "Would it be okay if I rested for a while?"
"Of course it is Luna. I'll just be downstairs if you need anything. If you call for me, I'll hear you and come straight away."
"Thank you." She said. A sudden panic washed over her and she called out. "Twilight?"
"Yes Luna?"
"Nothing, it's nothing. I'm just really tired, I just…"
"I can tell something is bothering you. Please trust me, I won't judge you." She told the Princess.
Luna looked soulfully at Twilight. "Will, will you be here, when I wake up?" She heard her voice as she asked the question. At that moment she sounded like she was a little foal again.
Twilight walked over to the bed and gently pressed the Princess down against the mattress and pulled the covers over her, tucking them in around her neck. "Rest Luna. I'll be here, I promise." She rested her head against the pillow and closed her eyes. Twilight sat by the bed and watched over her till she fell asleep. Twilight leaned over kissed her forehead and whispered into the Princess's ear. "I'll be here for you as long as I am able."
Twilight closed the door behind her as she walked into the library. "It has to be here somewhere." She said to herself. Looking over the stacks, she found the book she was looking for. 'The Nature of Alicorns.' Princess Celestia herself had written the book many years ago. Flipping through the tome, she found the passage she was looking for.
"The nature of an alicorns immortality is derived from the
fact that they are a combination of all three types of
pony: Unicorn, Pegasus, and Earth Pony. Should one of these
factors be removed, the alicorn would be rendered mortal.
That is to say. An alicorn, like any living thing can be killed.
They could even become gravely ill and die. Alicorns however
do not die of old age as other living things do. Other factors
aside, an alicorn will mature to the physical appearance of thirty six
years of age at which point they appear to stop aging."
Twilight was distracted from her reading by a knock at the door. Opening the door, she found Luna's doctor from the hospital standing in the failing light as the once beautiful clear day drew to a close. "Doctor Stable. Oh, I hope you've brought good news."
The doctor shook his head. "I wish I could Mrs. Sparkle. The tests are conclusive. The nerves have been severed and damaged beyond repair. Even with all our magic, we would not be able to reconnect them. On a positive side, while the wings will eventually begin to atrophy, the blood supply has not been cut off."
"So she'll be able to keep her wings then, but…"
"I'm sorry Mrs. Sparkle but the Princess will never be able to fly again. Please extend our condolences to her and Princess Celestia."
"Of course sir." She said as she slowly closed the door.
Twilight slumped down on her couch. 'How am I going to tell her?' She asked herself. Twilight reached back into her memory trying to find the answer. Back to the time she and her friends had battled Nightmare Moon. She had touched something then, deep inside the evil mare. Buried below all the hate, the bitterness, and resentment was a scared and freighted Luna. There was something else there that Twilight couldn't quite explain and it nagged at her. There was a power protecting Luna, enveloping her, trying it's best to keep the darkness at bay. As soon as Twilight reached out her hoof to her, that power faded and departed as if it knew she would be able to help. The power of the Elements of Harmony banished the nightmare and brought Luna to the surface. Since that day Luna had always been in the back of her mind.
A year later on Nightmare Night, Luna returned to Ponyville in an attempt to reconcile with the ponies there. Twilight felt a compulsion to help her again, to fit in and understand some of the changes to the world since her departure, something that was not made easy by Pinkie Pie or Rainbow Dash. In the end Twilight felt she had gained a new friend in Luna and counted herself doubly lucky to be so close to both of the royal alicorn sisters.
Twilight meant to write to the Princess but always found a reason not to. In her letters to Princess Celestia, Twilight would make it a point to ask her how her sister was but for some reason could not bring herself to ask directly. When Spike turned into a werepony and she went to Canterlot to help him, she got to see Luna again but only briefly. As worried as she was about Spike, she remembered she couldn't get Princess Luna out of her mind. She had progressed so much since that night four years before. When it was time to leave, Twilight found it hard. She wanted to spend more time with Luna, talk to her, and catch up on everything that had happened since the last they met but Twilight never could seem to get her alone. Now, here she is in her home, in her bed. That night she spent with Luna before the accident; the lavender unicorn couldn't seem to calm herself. She could feel her pulse quicken even now thinking back to the previous night. Her heart went out to the injured alicorn and it hurt Twilight to see her friend like this, damaged and broken. 'My friend; if only it was that simple. Princess Celestia, I could really use your guidance right now.' She thought to herself.
Reaching back into her mane, she pulled out two lockets. One was hers, a cloud obscured moon emblazoned on it’s surface; the other belonged to Luna. The Princesses locket had fallen from around her neck when the doctors lifted her onto the gurney at the hospital. Holding it up, Twilight realized how much the jewelry resembled her own; but what really drew her eyes was the design carved into the front. On the face of the adornment was a large engraved six pointed star, rays of what she assumed was light, power, or some kind of radiance were shown to be emanating from it. Twilight studied it for a moment when she discovered how much the star resembled her own cutie mark. It wasn’t a perfect likeness, but it wasn’t far off. “Please forgive me Luna.” She said, unable to control her curiosity any longer. When she opened the adornment, she nearly dropped it on the ground when she saw what it held.
Twilight opened her own locket and held it side by side with Luna’s. Looking at the pictures engraved into the lockets, she remembered what she whispered in Luna's ear as she slept. "I'll be here for you as long as I am able." She spoke aloud to herself.
Closing both of the silver lockets, she strung them around her neck once more. 'Why did I say that?' She asked herself. 'Stop trying to fool yourself Twilight. You know exactly why you said it and why you wanted to say so much more.'
"Oh Luna. I'm so sorry." A scream rent the air, disturbing the silence of the library. Twilight ran as fast as she could to Luna's side. The mare's face was contorted in pain. She was asleep but Twilight could tell something was tormenting her horribly. Twilight gently shook her trying to wake her from the nightmare but to no avail, Luna slept on. Shaking harder, she called out her name. "Luna, Luna wake up you're having a bad dream." The alicorn simply moved as Twilight shook her. In a desperate desire to calm her dreams Twilight drew closer to the tortured mare and touched her horn to Luna's, entering her mind.
Luna's dreams came back as they always had. It was not a pleasant vision. She had become a warped and deformed creature. Her wings were twisted and misshapen. Her mane and tail were gone, her legs appeared as though they had been broken and healed wrong many times over, and her coat had patches of fur missing. Any pony that she came across in the dreamscape, ran screaming from her. In the distance she could see her sister. She ran as fast as her misshapen legs would allow, finally catching up to her. “Get away from me you foul creature; be gone!” She shouted before flying away.
"I'm alone." She said. "Not again! I don't want to be alone anymore! I don't want to go back into the cold darkness!" Luna cried out into the void.
"What's the matter Luna?" Came a voice Luna thought was gone forever.
"No, it can't be you! I saw you destroyed. You're dead!" She whimpered.
A maniacal laugh echoed around her. "Did you think I could be banished so easily? You stupid foal! I am you! I am the darkness that resides in your empty heart. I'm that side of yourself you deny because you think somepony actually cares about you. You didn't even feel me slowly sapping the energy from you. Look at yourself. You're a monster. I wouldn’t worry though, when I'm done, you’ll be beautiful again. Of course, it won't be you will it? As soon as you're weak enough I'll takeover and you’ll be gone. There's nopony here to save you this time."
A new consciousness intruding on Luna’s dream distracted both ponies. The presence was small at first but gradually grew in brilliance and overwhelming intensity. Warmth that Luna had only ever felt once before in her long life enveloped her. It was the deepest most powerful thing she'd ever experienced. It was as if love, true love, was something tangible and you could wrap yourself up in it like a blanket. A lavender unicorn stepped forth from the void, her luminous presence banishing the darkness before her "You will not have her!"
"Twilight?" Luna asked in disbelief. The unicorn stepped between the Princess and Nightmare Moon. "Twilight, is it really you?"
"Yes, it's really me." She said. "I heard you scream and came as fast as I could. But we can talk about that later, we have more important things to deal with. I know how you must be feeling right now, but this isn't you Luna you are not a monster."
Nightmare Moon cut any further conversation short. "Twilight Sparkle, so good of you to join us. I don't know how you got here but now I can destroy you and regain control of Luna." The evil mare cackled. "My night just keeps getting better."
Twilight dug into her reserves of magic and found them multiplied five times by Luna's own. She was surprised that even her weakened state, Luna possessed an amazing amount of power. Reaching out to her friends, she called to each one. 'Girls. I need you. Nightmare Moon has returned and I need your strength. Please hurry.' All over Ponyville, the five friends' woke from their slumber knowing what they should do and where they needed to be.
"No." Luna said, slowly getting to her hooves. Her form began to change. Her scars vanished and her wounds disappeared but her wings still hung limp at her sides. Luna's beauty restored; she stood tall and proud against the nightmare. "I'll die before I let you hurt her! Your fight is with me you evil, miserable, thing!"
"Luna." Twilight said softly.
"Awww isn't this precious? You think the two of you could possibly do anything to stop me?" Nightmare Moon asked mockingly.
"Maybe not but I'd be glad to kick your sparkly butt back where it came from." Rainbow Dash materialized next to them. "I never leave my friends hangin' especially when it involves the Princess!"
"Indeed." Rarity said as she appeared next to Rainbow. "I too would not mind a chance to soundly thrash you. How dare you show that tacky mane around here again."
Pinkie Pie bounced up over Luna and landed between Rainbow Dash and Twilight. "You're just a big mean grumpy mean meanie pants and we don't want you around here. There's not enough party in the whole wide world to improve your attitude."
"You're aint gonna do nuthin' but high tail it outta here if you know what's good for ya'! I'd just a soon buck you out of this place myself." Applejack materialized next to Twilight followed by Fluttershy.
"How dare you threaten my friends? Who do you think you are to hurt another pony like this?" The other six ponies looked in shock at Fluttershy. On her face was stamped a look of utter fury.
The deranged Nightmare Moon only laughed. You can't hurt me; you don't have your precious Elements of Harmony to help you this time. Without them you're weak and no match for me!"
"Don't be so sure of that." A tall elegant alicorn stepped from the shadows. "You took my sister once before and twisted her innocent soul. I won't let you have her again."
"Celestia!" Nightmare said, spitting the name out.
The Princess of the Sun looked over to the ponies protecting her sister. "Go ahead girls, call to them." The six ponies concentrated their thoughts on the six jewels of harmony located back in the Canterlot Tower, at the royal palace. Vanishing from the vault, one by one the elements appeared around the necks of their bearer finishing with Twilight's coronet.
"I don't believe it!" Cried the evil mare. "How can this be?"
Twilight jumped out in front of the others. "You'd better believe it, and with the Elements of Harmony, we'll defeat you once and for all."
"Not if I kill you first." She said. Nightmare Moon's wings began to glow. She reared back and gave a single powerful flap of her wings toward Twilight. Twin blades of energy erupted from her wings and flew in a twisting arc toward the lavender unicorn mare.
A split second before the she was struck, Luna shoved Twilight out of the way. "No! I won't let you hurt her!" The Princess took the full force of the blast as the blades of energy exploded against her. When the smoke had cleared they found Luna lying on the ground. Her wings had been shorn off and parts of her coat were singed down to the skin.
Celestia and the six ponies gathered around the fallen Princess. "Why did you do it Luna?" Twilight asked through the tears streaming down her face. "What were you thinking? You could have been killed."
"I couldn't let her hurt you." She said weakly. "I love you Twilight Sparkle. I just wish I could have told you sooner, before it was too late."
Twilight knelt down and kissed the dark purple mares cheek. "Shh, don't talk like that. You're not going anywhere. We can talk about this later when you're better." She whispered. Luna smiled up at Twilight, her eyes closed and she went limp in Celestia's embrace. "Luna, Luna, hang in there! Please, don't leave me, not now!"
"Twilight, she's not dead, she's weak but she won't die right away." Celestia told her. "We have to help her in the physical world. I've tried disconnecting myself from this plane but I'm afraid we're stuck as long as Nightmare Moon is in control. Twilight, we need to end this now or Luna could bleed to death."
"The stupid foal. Oh well, more's the pity. I suppose one of you will suffice as a suitable host." The evil mare said. "Now, all of you bow before your new Queen or die!" Twilight could feel energy flooding into her. Looking up she saw her friends and Princess Celestia huddled around Luna. Energy seemed to be draining from them and into her.
"Go ahead sugar cube. Take it." Applejack said smiling.
"We're behind you all the way Twi." Rainbow reassured her.
"Whatever magic I have in me is yours Twilight." Rarity said. "We believe in you."
Pinkie smiled weakly, her mane flat and lifeless. "I have more than enough energy for three ponies. Take whatever you need to kick her flank."
"Don't let her hurt anymore of our friends Twilight. You're a good pony, I know you can do this." Fluttershy said.
"Fight Twilight, for her." Celestia whispered. Twilight felt the energy well up inside as her image started to change. Her legs turned yellow, grew sturdy and strong. A pair of blue wings appeared on her back long and powerful. Her horn turned white. Growing in length it became sharp and keen as an icicle in the deepest blowing winter. Insider her burnt a vitality she had never known. The power she held within her was like nothing she had ever experienced.
"You're all pathetic; grieving for that useless waste of a pony." Nightmare Moon said, disgusted at what she saw. "All she ever did was snivel and cry the thousand years I was with her. She never understood the true gift of power I represented. Now look at her, a broken thing not long for this world."
The six ponies protecting Luna felt a sudden, immense tug at their own energies. "How dare you mock her?" Twilight voice echoed all around them with an eerie ethereal power behind it. Her frame continued to grow, her entire form glowing dark red. Her mane and tail grew long and black. The star shaped cutie mark on her flank twisted and distorted into what appeared to be a six-pointed spiral blade. Twilight's eyes became blank and vacant black orbs. A crooked smile graced her face giving her a malevolent, hateful appearance.
"What is this?" Nightmare Moon asked, feeling the raw power emanating off of her opponent. "You would dare challenge me?"
Twilight slowly walked up her, each step crackling with energy. Nightmare tried to kick out at her only to have her hooves deflected away with a flick of Twilight's right wing. Knocking the dark pony to the ground, Twilight pressed a hoof down hard against her chest. "You talk too much, has anypony ever told you that?" The dark mare blasted Twilight with energy from her horn and took off into the space above them. "What's the matter? No clever comments? No witty retorts to placate you're executioner? Run Nightmare Moon; run as fast as you can. There is no escape from me; I will hunt you unto the ending of the world. When I catch you, and I will catch you, you will know the true meaning of suffering."
Twilight flapped her wings and took off after Nightmare. Her friends below watched as she chased the dark mare around, shooting out blasts of magic from her horn at her hated nemesis. "Princess what wrong with her, I've never seen Twilight like that." Applejack said.
"She's scary." Pinkie and Fluttershy said together.
"It's grief. Grief, anger, and power the likes of which her body was never meant to hold." Celestia told them. "When she borrowed energy from us she took much too much at the last moment and now that power is overburdening her mind. The raw anger and hatred for Nightmare Moon is the only thing driving her actions now."
"Is there anything we can do to help her?"
"I am unsure Fluttershy. I have no experience in these matters. I can only hope that after Nightmare Moon is gone, the Twilight we know will return to us."
The two adversaries circled and dived after each other, bolts of magic flying back and forth. Twilight had taken several hits, parts of her wings and coat was burnt and singed. Her adversary had not fared as well. Nightmare Moon’s body was covered in scorch marks and horrible burns. With the injuries slowing the nightmare down, Twilight finally caught up with her opponent. Following her movements from above her, she kicked down hard breaking Nightmares wings at the shoulder. The group below watched as Nightmare Moon plummeted down to their level, hitting what can only be described as the ground. Twilight landed lightly beside her. "Any last words before I cast you down to the fires of oblivion?"
"So much power." She said. "You didn't have this much the last time. Where did it come from? I have to know."
"Such an obvious question from a power hungry creature such as you." Twilight said. "The energy is on loan from my friends but it was you that showed me its true potential. Now that I know what I can do with it, I think I'll keep it. With this much power I can do anything. I can ensure the safety of not only my friends but also every pony in Equestria. Anyone that threatens the ponies of Equestria will wish for the end before I'm through with them and that includes you."
Twilight reared up to inflict more harm upon the fallen nightmare when the whole world around her seemed to freeze. "Thee are given power and this is what thou wouldst do with it?" Said a familiar soft and comforting voice.
"Who are you? Where are you? Show yourself!" Twilight yelled furiously.
A white alicorn with a red mane and tail stepped forward from the void. She was tall and slender and wore a cornet of gold laurels. Her Sapphire blue eyes penetrated into Twilight. "This is far too much power for thy fragile body to hold. It is a wonder thou are alive at all. Let us relieve thee of thy burden before it corrupts thee permanently." She waved her wing and Twilight began to change. The aura surrounding her faded away and her eyes returned to normal. Her mane and tail turned purple again and her cutie mark changed from its sinister appearance back to the shining star it used to be. "Thee look good with wings, we shall let thee keep them for now."
Twilight shook her head, trying to clear her mind. "What happened? Who are you?"
"Who we are is not important, when thou leave this place thou shalt not remember us." She said.
"Why are you doing this?" Twilight asked. "She has to be destroyed or Luna will die."
"Yes, thou are correct. If our daughter is to live, thou must destroy the nightmare. But that is not what thou was doing. Thee were torturing it for thou own amusement. The power imbued in thee was too much, it was corrupting thee and so we have come to help." The white alicorn stroked Twilight's face with her right front hoof. "Twilight Sparkle, thou are a gentle soul and more powerful than even thee can imagine. We have known about thee for a very long time and we have watched thee grow into a strong and beautiful mare. After all these years, We are very happy to finally meet thee. We wish that there were more time but alas, there is not.”
The sadness in the regal alicorns voice was causing Twilight to tear up. “Will we meet again?” She asked hopefully.
“Yes, We assure thee that we will meet again. Thou have saved our daughter from the nightmare once; go now and save her again. Do what we could not. Save the pony that loves thee."
The white alicorn vanished and time started to move forward again. Nightmare Moon immediately realized that much of Twilight’s power was gone. The evil mare let loose a blast of energy that knocked the unicorn back several feet. "I don't know where your power went but without it, you can't possible stand against me."
Twilight struggled to get to her hooves. "It's not all gone you witch and as long as there is any strength in me, I will fight you!" She shouted. "As long as I still draw breath, I will fight you! For all the ponies in this world now and future; I will fight you!"
Nightmare Moon charged her, closing the distance quickly. She reared up to strike a final blow against the unicorn when Twilight surged forward and struck at the evil mares unprotected chest. She struck with Rainbow Dash's speed, Applejack's strength, Rarity's determination, Pinkie Pie's confidence, Fluttershy's unspoken fury, and the power of Celestia's sun. Twilight's horn was buried in her chest all the way to the hilt, impaling to the very heart of the evil spirit.
A blinding light enveloped the Nightmare. "Noooooooooooo! This isn't possible!" She called out as she was enveloped in an intense white fire. When the light subsided. The only thing left was a small sparkling purple flame. A lavender hoof forcefully stomped down upon it.
"Finally, the end of Nightmare Moon." Celestia said resolutely
The ponies broke their connection with Twilight and Luna one at a time, each taking a step back from the bed. Twilight was the last to part her mind from the dark purple mare, returning to the same unicorn she always was. Looking down the Princesses prone form, Twilight saw blood soaking through the bandages around Luna's wings. Quickly cutting through the blood soaked wrappings with her magic; she saw that the wings had indeed been cut from Luna's body. Tearfully she looked up to Celestia. "Is there anything you can do?"
"I'm sorry my faithful student; this is beyond even my power." Celestia lifted the severed wings out and used her magic to heal her sister's numerous wounds and broken leg.
Twilight would not accept her answer. "No, please." She begged. "Take my magic, take it all if you have to but please help her! You have to be able to do something!"
"I cannot return immortality once it's been taken." Celestia tried to explain.
"Then what good are you?" She yelled. Twilight's five friends sat there and watched as their friend verbally assaulted their ruler. "You're supposed to be the ruler of Equestria, the most powerful pony in the world! You know more magic than anypony! You have more magic in your hoof than I have in my entire body! What good is magic if it can't do this one thing?! What good is magic if it cannot save her?! What good are you?! What good, am I?" Twilight grabbed her horn with both hooves and started to pull down on it with as much strength as she could muster. Pure magic reverberated around the room as more and more stress was applied to the horn, forcing it to bend.
"Twilight, please stop this. You're only going to hurt yourself!" Rarity shouted.
"No! If magic can't help her then there's no point to practicing it and I don't want it anymore!" A flash of raw magic poured from her head as the horn began to crack.
Princess Celestia placed her hooves on Twilight's front legs, preventing her from damaging her horn further. "Twilight, stop this! I know you're mad at me and yourself, but this will solve nothing. What's done is done. Luna will live and if you hurt yourself like this, she would never forgive herself. Do you want to put her through that?"
"No, I never want to hurt her." She said releasing her horn. Princess Celestia used her magic to straighten Twilight's horn and repair the crack at its base.
Luna stirred, the sound of Twilight's cries bringing her back to the waking world. "Twilight?"
The distraught unicorn hugged the dark purple mare tightly. "I'm so sorry Luna. I wish so badly there was something I could do." She said through her tears. "I can't fix this. Please forgive me."
Luna hugged her back, holding Twilight in her hooves "It's okay. It was my choice to step in front of you. I don't regret my actions. I finally got to tell you how I feel. I love you Twilight Sparkle."
"I love you too Luna." She said, trying to stem the flow of her tears. "But what about your wings? You're mortal now."
"Being mortal isn't so bad, as long as I can spend what time I have with you." Luna said nuzzling against Twilight's cheek.
Twilight nuzzled back. "I can't think of anything that would make me happier."
The ponies around the new couple, smiled as they watch the two mares nuzzle each other. Amongst those watching, no pony was happier than Princess Celestia, a single tear rolling down her cheek. 'After all these centuries you've finally found happiness and true love at the same time. Enjoy it little sister, you deserve it.'