The Shadows Cast Over A Weary Sun

by runner2

Chapter 2: The Painful Choice

Chapter 2: The Painful Choice

The sounds of glass breaking and screaming echoed through the halls as Celestia drew closer to the throne room.
As she got closer she noticed the light coming in through the windows begin to fade. Slowing down the peer out of the windows, Celestia seen that the sun was beginning to set without her guiding it. With renewed urgency she resumed galloping toward the throne room.

Bursting through the throne room’s double doors she was stopped in her tracks by the sight in front of her. Princess Luna was standing in the middle of the room screaming as a dark and powerful magic mist swirled around above her.

“Luna!” shouted Celestia. “What are you doing! You must calm down!”

Luna shot an anger fueled glare at Celestia.

“NO! I CAN’T TAKE IT ANYMORE CELESTIA!” Luna began. “ALL OF THESE PONIES HAVE NO APPRECIATION FOR MY NIGHTS! NOT EVEN YOU!”

Celestia took a step back at the outburst.

“I CAN’T STAND ALL OF THE ATTENTION YOU GET FROM YOUR DAYS WHILE I GET NONE!” she screamed, growing angrier by the second. “YOU CLAIM TO BE MY SISTER, BUT YOU NEVER ACKNOWLEDGE ME! YOU ONLY CARE ABOUT THE ATTENTION OF YOUR SUBJECTS!”

The evil mist swirling above Luna became denser and started to move lower. Celestia, noticing this, began to try reasoning with her enraged sister.

“Luna! I’m sorry I haven’t been paying much attention to you, but you must stop this now before your anger consumes you!” Celestia pleaded. “If you let this go on you will lose yourself to your anger!”

By this point the walls of the throne room began to crack while the roof overhead started to shake from all of the magical pressure. It wouldn’t be long before the castle came down around them. Celestia realized this.

“Please stop this Luna! We can find a way to work this out!” Celestia shouted, fear evident in her voice. “I promise I will pay more attent-“

“NO! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU WILL!” Luna interrupted. “BUT EVEN IF YOU DO, THEN WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE PONIES!? CAN YOU HONESTLY TELL ME THAT THEY WILL APPRECIATE MY NIGHTS!? THAT THEY WILL APPRECIATE ME!?”

Celestia didn’t have an answer. She couldn’t know if all of the ponies would appreciate her nights, and she couldn’t tell her they did knowing what could happen if it turns out that they didn’t. This was getting too far out of hoof, and she knew she had to stop this soon. One way or the other.

“Luna, you must stop this before you destroy the castle! If you don’t stop then I will be forced to stop you myself!” Celestia stated. “Please don’t make me have to take action and just stop this foolishness.”

At this, Luna’s rage seemed to intensify. The evil mist that had been slowly moving down toward Luna suddenly rushed straight toward her. Celestia looked on in horror as the mist surrounded Luna and began to close in. Celestia shot a blast of magic at the mist, but it had no effect. The mist began to solidify into a dark sphere before rising midway into the air of the throne room. A few tense moments ticked by as Celestia looked on. Suddenly a crack appeared on the sphere, followed by an ear shattering sound of breaking glass.

The resulting blast of magic destroyed or damaged most of the castle and knocked Celestia back a ways. After regaining her senses, Celestia looked to where the sphere had been. She was shocked by what she saw. In the air where the sphere had been was an alicorn with a black coat and starry dark purple ethereal mane and tail. Upon seeing this, Celestia knew she had failed to save her sister from her own anger.

“Luna! Stop this now!” Celestia demanded.

Looking down toward Celestia, the figure spoke. “I am your weak sister Luna no longer. I will make you and all of these ponies show appreciation for the night, for I am Nightmare Moon! And this night will last FOREVER!”

“I cannot let you do that.” Celestia said, fighting back tears. “I will have to stop you!”

Before Celestia could react, Nightmare Moon blasted her through the doors and into the courtyard. Sliding to a stop beside the harmony fountain, Celestia looked up to see Nightmare Moon readying another attack. Celestia quickly dodged to the side and retaliated, returning a blast of her own. The attack barely did anything to Celestia’s anger corrupted sister. Realizing that there were still innocent ponies around, Celestia took flight.

Nightmare Moon glared at the fleeing Celestia and quickly gave chase. The ponies of the town of Everfree watched in horror as their Princess Celestia fought an unknown alicorn in the skies above their town. Flashes of light and dark magic blazed in the sky above the town for several hours before a bright light fell down toward the castle, crashing into the courtyard.

Celestia was now lying in the ruined courtyard of her once glorious castle. Nightmare Moon descended into the courtyard to finish their fight and make her night last forever. Celestia, looking behind her realizing it was her last option levitated the elements of harmony from their pedestals in the fountain. Nightmare Moon looked on arrogantly, wondering what Celestia was up to.

Celestia stood and turned to face her corrupted sister, tears falling from her cheeks. Before Nightmare Moon realized what she was planning, Celestia harnessed the power of the elements and sent the rainbow beam toward her. The swirling colors surrounded Nightmare Moon and began closing in. Nightmare Moon looked toward Celestia with rage in her eyes. “I’m sorry…” was all Celestia said, freely crying now.

In a sudden blinding flash, Nightmare Moon was gone.