//------------------------------//
// Chapter Six: For The First Time In Forever 
// Story: Frozen in a Nightmare 
// by Nerdz 
//------------------------------//


The mare flapped her massive wings, panting slightly. She'd been going in circles for hours when she'd seen the flashing lights coming from the Everfree Forest. She wondered why her sister would enter the dangerous forest. Of course, with her obvious power, it wasn't like she couldn't handle the forest's power. She soared over the trees, scanning the ground for a place to land. There, a break in the trees. She circled for a moment before lighting down.

The first thing she saw was was a dark bridge stretching across a ravine. Her eyes trailed along it, taking in each detail before resting in awe at the castle on the other side of the ravine. Constructed of dark stone; she could feel the magic used to create it. Her sister was here. Taking a deep breath, she started across the bridge. She reached the purple crystalline doors. Memories rushed through her head as she raised a hoof to knock. Twelve years since she was just a child, standing outside her sister's bedroom, begging her to come play. Three years since she'd stood outside said door, crying to her sister about their dead parents, telling her how to defeat their murderer. A day since she and her sister became the High Princesses. A few hours since her sister fled in fear.

She shook her head, banishing the thoughts. Her hoof gently tapped the door, which responded with a resounding click before swinging open. Her eyes widened in shock. She stepped inside, marveling at the castle's interior. Everything appeared to be made of the dark stone, or deep purple crystals. There was a grand staircase leading up what could almost be described as an indoor balcony. She craned her neck, trying to see where the balcony lead. A sparkling fountain stood in the center of the room. Had her sister really built all this?

"Luna?" she called out. "Are you here? It's me, Celestia! The sister who's really sorry for what she said?"

"C-Celestia!?" the older mare's head snapped towards the sound. Her breath caught in her throat. The mare who now stood at the balcony's railing looked only faintly like the little filly she once new as her sister. Her mane was a mess, yet looked well styled at the same time. An almost transparent tiara rested at the base of her horn. Her gown shimmered and sparkled in the light cast off by the many crystals in the room, almost illuminating her flared wings. This wasn't her baby sister; she couldn't be. And yet, she was. But she'd lost the fearful look that had always remained in her eyes. This beautiful young mare was radiating confidence.

"Luna...you look...grown up. In a good way!"

"Thank you. But, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to ask what happened; why you had never told me about..."

"My power?" Celestia winced at the hardness in her sister's voice, but nodded all the same.

Luna sighed, her wings folding up. Then, standing atop the indoor balcony as her sister leaned against the railing at the base of the staircase, Luna told her story. She told her sister about falling through the door, about the noise-cancelling spell, about Moon's threat, finally ending with the spell she'd placed on the forest.

Celestia had long since sat down. Her eyes were closed, two tear tracks defined on her face. "Oh, Luna, I-I'm so sorry..."

"No, you have nothing to apologize for. I'm the one who's sorry. You didn't know, and I should have told you sooner." she paused, trying to steady her voice. "You grew up on your own, never knowing why I'd left,and that wasn't fair to you."

Celestia stood, wiping away her tears. "But I know now. We can tell your story to Equestria. Somepony may be able to help! Please, Luna," she begged, "come home so we can be sisters again.

Luna's head lowered. "Equestria deserves a princess they haven't need to fear" She raised her head with a gentle smile.

"Equestria needs both it's princesses."

"The first thing we learned as foals was that a princess must make sacrifices for the well being of her kingdom. That's what I'm doing. I can't stop this curse; I'll forever be a danger. It's for the best. Now, I think it's time for you to return home. Goodbye, my sister."

Celestia advanced up a few steps, tears again streaming. "It won't be home without you!"

"Please understand, sister, I'm doing this to protect you!" With that, Luna's brave front cracked and she fled across the balcony as her sister rushed up the stairs.

"You don't need to protect me Luna! I'm not afraid of you!" Celestia began to sing "Please, don't shut me out again! Please don't slam the door! You don't have to keep your distance anymore!" she followed Luna down a twisting corridor. "'Cause, for the first time in forever, I finally understand. For the first time in forever, we can both spread peace throughout the land! We can leave the forest together; you don't need to live in fear." the came to a doorway leading to the top floor of the palace, "'Cause for the first time in forever, I will be right here." she smiled at her younger sister.

"Tia," Luna joined the song from the center of the room, "please go back home. Your life awaits. Go enjoy the sun! Open up the gates!" she backed up slowly towards the double doors across the room. "I know you mean well, but please leave me be." She opened the doors and the two mares stood on the balcony that overlooked the entire kingdom. "Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free!" she turned back inside "Just stay away, and you'll be safe from me..."

Celestia took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. "Actually, we're not..."

Luna froze, turning slowly around. "What do you mean you're 'not'?"

"I get the felling you don't know..."

"Then, would you please shed some light!?"

"Equestria," she spoke the end of her sentence, "is trapped in eternal Night..."

"W-what?"

"You mayor may not have accidentally set off a force-field around the Moon that my magic can't touch. But, you can just take it down!"

"Have you not been listening? I can't!"

"Of course you can; I know you can!" the sisters then began to sing at the same time. "'Cause for the first time in forever,"

"Oh, I'm such a fool! I can't be free!"

"you don't have to be afraid!"

"No escape from the monster inside of me!"

"We can work this out together!"

Luna's hooves stared to turn black, and her mane started thinning into smoke "I can't control the curse!"

"We'll reverse the Night to Day!"

The younger mare whirled around to face her sister. "Oh, Tia, please, you'll only make it worse!"

"Don't panic,"

"It's me they'll fear!"

"We can make the Sun shine bright!"

"You're not safe here!"

Celestia sang faster, oblivious to her sister's new dragon-like eyes and the splotches of black adorning her coat. "We can face this thing together, so the Night won't last forever, then everything will be alri-"


Luna reared up, finally turning entirely black. "I CAN'T!" she screamed. Magic energy surged in the air around her, lifting her to the air without use of her wings, while it slammed Celestia against a wall. A blinding white light filled the room. Celestia covered her face with her wings, trying to regain the breath that'd been knocked from her lungs. The light receded, and the swirling magic in the air came to an abrupt stop, punctuated by a muffled thud.

Celestia, still lying on the floor, chanced a look. An entirely black mare stood in the center of the room. She wore armor made of silver, with a turquoise crescent Moon in the center of the chest plate. The mare slowly raised herself up, unfurling her massive wings as she did so. Her mane and tail merely blue smoke that twisted and billowed around her. Her horn rose sharply from her head. She blinked her dragon eyes as a truly wicked smile spread across her dark face. She threw her head back, cackling, and curled a foreleg.

After a few moments, her laughter stopped, and her gaze turned to the mare crumpled on the floor. "You were warned, Celestia." Her voice turned Celestia's blood to ice.

"L-luna?" she tried, helplessly.

The mare flapped her wings menacingly. "Luna's gone, and Nightmare Moon is here to stay."