The sound of galloping hooves echoed through the halls of Canterlot Castle. Then, a voice was heard.
" Aterna?'' "Aterna!" Princess Celestia called out in a vain effort to find her daughter. "Where could she have gone now?" The princess thought aloud. Suddenly, her hooves skidded to a stop outside the throne room. Sitting on her throne was none other than Princess Aterna, the daughter of Celestia. Celestia ran in, stopping in front of her daughter. "Aterna, it's the middle of the night! why are you out and about, and in the throne room, on my throne no less!" There was silence between the two alicorns. then, Aterna's head whipped around, her eyes boring into her mother's.
"You don't get it, do you?" She extended to her full height, still holding her glare. "well, go on!'' She said. "Don't let me keep you waiting! Go have fun with your daughter!"
"Aterna, what are you talking about?" Celestia asked. "You're my only child."
" No, I'm not your child. Princess Twilight is! Let me guess, you don't understand that either!" Tears were now flowing freely down Aterna's face. Celestia stood rooted to the spot, dumbfounded. Aterna never acted out like this.
"Why the confused look, mother? I thought this news would not be a surprise to you considering how much time you spend with her. compare that to the amount of time you spend with me, and you'll notice her time skyrockets above mine. It just shows how you love Twilight like a daughter, but you never loved me that muc-
"That is enough, Aterna!" Celestia yelled. "I always loved you. All that time spent with Princess Twilight was strictly dutiful. She's only close to me in the sense that she is my faithful student!"
"SILENCE!" Aterna shouted, drowning out her mother's countering. " I am tired of watching you cover up your mistakes. It is time for you to pay, starting with the debt of this one. There can only be one true heir to the Equestrian throne, and I will not rest until I have secured what, by birth, is rightfully MINE!" Aterna's eyes turned white as she was lifted off the ground. Her body was suddenly engulfed in a ball of fire. All Celestia could see was a dark outline. Aterna's unfolded wings seemed to burn from the tips. Her hooves seemingly went up in flames, and her mane disappeared into the fire. Celestia stood rooted to the spot as she helplessly watched her daughter's transformation. The princess felt a sense of deja vu as she recalled Luna's transformation into Nightmare Moon. Aterna then descended onto the throne. Celestia's eyes widened as she stared upon her new form.
" Now, dear mother, begins the eternal reign of, SOLAR FLARE!" Her horn ignited and shot a beam of energy at Celestia, which was dodged. Celestia swiveled around to find a smoldering scorch mark on the carpet. Taking the hint that she should move to escape sudden death, she blasted a hole in the ceiling, spread her wings, and dodged another beam of energy as she flew through the ceiling. Solar Flare took off as well, emulating her path. "And where do you think you are going? Come now, Celestia, we are not foals playing a game of tag!" Solar Flare taunted. She came to an abrupt halt as Celestia suddenly stopped in midair, turned her head, and shot an energy beam back at her. Solar Flare dodged the beam and retaliated with more death spells. The two alicorns plunged into a full-blown airborne battle.
Meanwhile, Princess Luna was standing on her balcony with a telescope, observing the night sky. Overtime, she had grown to full height, as well as full power. She slowly turned her telescope, focusing on a different part of the sky. Suddenly, a beam of light came into her field of vision. Luna stepped back for a moment, rubbing her eyes. She must be seeing things. Focusing her view into the telescope again, she heard a boom. Luna flicked her ears toward the sound. As she turned her head to find the source of the noise, her eyes widened in fear. In a section of her night sky were two figures in a battle to the death. Squinting her eyes, the dark blue alicorn recognized one of those figures as her sister. She could not make out the identity of the other, however. As she watched the battle, the figure nearest to her suddenly dropped in altitude, falling in a direct path towards the ground. Recognizing it to be Celestia, Luna spread her wings and took off after Celestia.
As she sped towards the ground, Luna could hear the laughter of the other alicorn ringing in her ears. She processed the familiar pitch and found it to be the exact same laugh that belonged to Aterna.
" One crisis at a time" thought Luna. she finally caught up to Celestia but it was too late. She gently landed on the ground next to the limp, lifeless heap that was Equestria's beloved main ruler. Luna heard cackling again. she looked up at the source, and the pony she saw made her grief transform into anger. She turned and used the Royal Canterlot Voice on Solar Flare. "HOW DARE THOU KILL THY OWN BLOOD! DOST THOU NOT POSSESS COMPASSION IN THOSE WHO CARE FOR THEE?!" She glared at Solar Flare, who smirked. She then spoke.
"Dearest Aunt, what you must know is that our dear Celestia betrayed me, and for that, she must PAY!" Luna's eyes widened in horror. " If you'll excuse me, I must go finish what I've started. Celestia was not the only pony to commit a crime against me. For now, it is the pony whom Celestia favored over me I am after. I'll get that precious little Princess Twilight. And her family, too!" She took off, headed for Ponyville. Luna waited until she couldn't see Solar Flare before she teleported to Ponyville. She had to warn Princess Twilight, and fast!