Twin moon

by Little Solarflare

Prologue

Twin moon

Luna looked to darkening sky, as she had done many times before.
She closed her eyes and felt for the familiar source of energy. The moon’s power, its arcane presence as powerful as the sun and yet more subtle. This was a notion that only she and her sister knew.
As she felt the moon, it embraced her once again. She flapped her wings and took the skies once more, carrying her moon with her, its glory reaching the skies and bathing the evening with the pale luminescent glow.

She smiled. It was good to be back, to experience the vividness of the world. Though she had initially been feared everywhere she walked, the ponies were once again warming toward her, thanks to the efforts of her sister and the Royal staff. Despite the original disapproval of the population, her reputation grew; especially after word of her antics during the nightmare night celebrations. That particular night had reminded everypony that Luna was no longer Nightmare moon. For that she was eternally grateful to Twilight Sparkle, her sister's protegee.

Not only did the purple prodigy saved her from her madness, but she had also begun Luna's path to redemption in the eyes of the equestrian population and herself. She had to admit, she was glad that night went well.

“Do you believe that the ponies will ever love you with your sister around?! “a dark and very familiar whisper rang inside her head, one she had thought rid for good. It's dark presence filling the room once more.

"No", Luna thought in denial to herself, "you... but we... they... you... you shouldn't be here! They destroyed you!" Luna stammered.

The Voice chuckled harshly, "My my Luna, you never change, do you? So weak, so naive... Did you really think that the elements can destroy me? Foolish. They failed to rid of me once, now they have failed again." The Nightmare laughed. Looking at the surroundings, she noticed a photo of Celestia and Luna smiling together.

"Do you truly believe that your cancerous sister truly wanted you home, to share her power in harmony? No, she will betray you the moment you turn your back" The nightmare hissed the last word.

"SILENCE YOUR LIES DEMON" Luna screamed at her tormentor.

"Oh luna, luna, luna, you will never forget about us" the creature taunted. "After all we are one, you created me after all."

Luna lowered her head.

"No..." she mentally berated herself over and over again, as painful memories were slowly forcing their way into her head. Tears threatened to come, but she continued defiant of the monster. "Never again nightmare. Fly back to whatever hell spawned thee and leave this realm," Luna asserted as she flared her horn, seeking the source of the evil. "The elements may have failed to destroy thee, but i will have no such mercy. SHOW THYSELF COWARD!" Luna screamed in fury at her tormentor, her voice amplified by unrestrained energy and her eyes glowing. The room darkened and raw arcane powers were summoned while she searched for the evil.

The nightmare laughed, “how predictable. I see that you are too blind and knaive to see the truth. I will have to find another if you don’t want to rule along me. But no matter, Equestria will be mine, princess of the night. Mark my words, I will return for you and you shall be ours once more. We shall bring eternal night, even if you have longs since given up the notion” With the sentence dictated, the voice faded away once more. She slumped to the ground, exhausted. Slowly the room regained its normal appearance, showing a thoughtful alicorn.

It had been almost 11 months since she had returned from her millenia long imprisonment. She remembered very little of the times precluding it. However, the last night before her madness was ever present on her mind. She had been angry at her sister, convinced that Celestia had turned their beloved subjects against her and her night. She remembered her dishevelled mane and tiredness from days without sleep. She had been crying.

There had been a voice, a power thirsty spirit, who praised the glory of her night; who painted a world with its words, of a reality without the restraints of the Sun where she could unleash her potential. It told her of the weakness of her sister. It told her how easily she could overcome the treacherous Sun as the voice came to say, "She is turning Thy precious subjects against thy beautiful night, the little ones will never love thy work. All their love, leads to Thy sister."

At first she resisted the voices, making up arguments to discourage herself.
But from one moment to another, she relented. It happened, in that fateful night...

*knock, knock*

the sudden banging on the door broke her contemplation.

"Luna?, are you alright? I heard you shouting," her Sister's melodious voice rang through the door.

Silence.

"Hello? Sister?” she waited for an answer before pushing forward. ”Alright I’m coming in, excuse me but something is wrong."

Luna quickly straightened up and quickly wiped her eyes mustering a forced smile as the door creaked open gently with the aid of glowing magic to reveal a very concerned Celestia. "Sister! what a pleasant surprise, we did not expect thee to be up this late tonight. Yes we are fine, please allow us to return to... our... duties" Luna paused for a moment and looked guiltily at her older sister, whom simply raised her eyebrow.

"Sister, I am tired of you ushering me away every time something troubles you. There is no need to hide your afflictions and pretend life is going fine. I thought your last experiences would hep you to overcome that. I know you don’t want to talk, but you should know that I am always here for you."

Luna slumped, not daring to look at her sibling. "I can be said we are not precisely fine... We are not quite sure if we can bear the problem by ourselves, but neither if we can speak about it," she said hesitantly.

"Please dear sister, whatever it is on your mind, let me ease it!" Celestia answered tenderly, walking to her sister and nuzzling her gently.

Luna looked to her sister and sighed "Celly, you promise to see me the same way you have been seeing me the last months?”, she asked, ”despite all that had occurred, for that we thank and trust you."

Celestia remained quiet. Her calm face expressed concern.

Luna continued, “the nightmare just tried to return to us, reliving the dreadful emotions we felt long time ago. Thankfully it was evident to both that she could not win then, so it fled, avoiding its defeat. However it warned me before departing. It said it will make its return soon, and that Equestria will fall, as well as me." Luna shuddered, uncomfortable of remembering the creature's words.

"Then we shall be ready," Celestia said, sparkling confidence. "We shall have the royal guard on alert and have the elements of harmony ready. I have lost you once sister, and I am determined never to lose you again."

Luna was perplexed. Her sister made look washing away her fears a trivial task. She herself looked at her sister in respect, for as she had spoken, Luna again had found a spark of hope. "You are with me now. That is all that matters. Nothing will ever make me despise you dear sister, no nightmare is ever going to take you again especially when we are once again together. The power of love shines over the faults we have made."

Despite the holes she could poke on her sister’s assurance in the outcome, Luna was moved by the trust and affection Celestia had for her. Lost for words, she embraced her sister.

Never again.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was going to die. There was no denying it.
I felt my flank press back against the back of the cave as the dragon's eyes bored into mine.
It walked ever closer, each step trembling with power that shook the very earth itself.
Nowhere was left to run.

Here I was, an newly graduated archaeologist from Canterlot university, a scholar, on a field trip which went wrong. I was about to become a hearth's warming meal for an very angry dragon. I knew I had shattered the dragon's prized gem, but how was I supposed to know it would react negatively to a simple levitation spell?

I knew crying was useless, but what would you expect me to do? Though I might have excelled in the magic academy, I was not even near powerful to teleport to safety, let alone fight the dragon.

What would Daring Do do?, the thought roamed through my head, almost certain of my destiny.
At least the rest of my team made it,l I guess this is the end for me.
I closed my eyes and braced for the end. The shaking of the ground had stopped. The air grew hotter as the dragon's exhaling increased the temperature. My heart was pounding fast.

Tears and sweat flow mingled down. I really hope my mother and father can cope the loss,This is no way to die, especially on Hearth's Warming Eve! I hope they remember to feed spotty, I rambled out of nervousness.

“It doesn't have to end like this, you know.”

Huh? Where did that voice come from?
I looked up. There was nothing but the dragon.

“I can make you great, as powerful as the moon itself.”

I was shocked. “Wait, What!?”

“Submit to me and your name shall pass down the legends,” the voice lied.

" I just want to see my family again, I don't want to die!" I cried out.

“Oh you shall. However you must answer a few questions. Do you want to live?”

"Y-yes of course..."

“Do you wish to have the power to grasp the Stars and moon.”

"Yes... If you say it."

“Do you wish to become the Ruler of Equestria?”

"I don't care, I just don't want to die!"

The voice paused.

“In exchange for your life, do you submit to me?

"Oh for Pete’s sake, just save me! I say YES!" I screamed out to the voice.

I felt something foul enter the base of my head. I screamed as my head felt like it was on fire. Pain inflamed my entire body as I it grew. Surprised, I felt something tore free from my sides. My brain drowned in to numbness. Before I blacked out I felt the voice speak once more.

Good choice.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The dragon looked at the little pony in confusion. It had been talking to itself before screaming, before suddenly growing quiet . It had grown wings and it's bright brown coat had turned pitch black. It also growing in size. How quaint. Now it stood back up and looked as though it was going to fight. "All the more fun" the dragon thought in anticipation.

It gave the small dark creature a toothy grin and lunged forward, it's meal long overdue, only to have it's jaw gripped by an unseen force, as cold as the void.

Unbreakable.

The dragon felt something it hadn’t felt in a long time.

Fear.

The tiny creature began to laugh, eyes glowing, and the dragon felt something plunge into his chest, tearing life out of him, his legs and wings buckled, crumpling into a heap, it's flesh dissolving to reveal a skeleton behind.

The nightmare let out a long and harsh laugh as the dragon's soul flowed into it, adding to it's already tremendous powers and walked toward the cave entrance. The moon greeted It. Wings expanding to their full glory, the creature flew off towards it's next destination. It sensed her weakness.She is angry with her sister once more, this will be simple, the nightmare smiled to itself.

Time to reclaim what should have been mine. One thousand years ago. , the creature thought to itself happily before taking off into the snowing sky.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Today was Heart’s Warming Day. Ponies filled the auditorium, reunited to celebrate this holiday again. A play was being performed by the renowned ponies who freed Luna and trapped once more Discord. It was on the final act.

"...and soon this new land came to be known as EQUESTRIA!" The entire auditorium hall burst into applause. They began to sing the ancient carol of the past, re-igniting the passion and magic which had originally brought the three tribes together. Little did they realize that when such unity and harmony is brought together, ancient energies of harmony, as powerful as the elements of harmony themselves ignite the air. The heart of friendship, imperceptible to most ponies, warmed the air and created an barrier against hatred, pain and evil.

As tonight was once such night, such power rejected the darkness of nightmare which was quickly approaching.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Nightmare approached her destination, certain of her forthcoming victory.This was too easy for the Nightmare, she would had stopped to think if she didn’t knew Luna’s mind. She was too predictable for her own good.

Snow was falling on Canterlot while the nightmare floated there, searching for Luna. Discerning between hundreds of ponies, she It felt her in the Canterlot Theatre building. She flew to the ceiling, prepared to launch the attack.

No.

It wasn't possible, nothing should be strong enough to do that except.
It's eyes widened, remembering what this night signified. This was the night it should have avoided.

"Celestia, you slime!!" The nightmare screamed in rage. "I'LL GET YOU, I’M GOING TO TEAR YOUR HEART FROM IT'S ROTTEN SHELL, I'll...“ The nightmare paused, sensing power coming near. It was strong, it burned. How was the Nightmare cheated so easily?

No... NO!!!!
It watched in horror as a purple flaming heart filled with the energies of friendship advanced.

It cursed it's luck before screaming in hopelessness and frustration as the giant flaming heart engulfed it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun princess levitated a cup of peppermint tea.
She detected a familiar presence approach then. So subtle at first, but it became stronger and stronger as it drew near. That is, until it stopped.

Celestia smiled smugly to herself. "Just as planned." She felt the presence struggle and vanish progressively.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The nightmare screamed kicking it's hooves in frustration.”I shall take my revenge!”

It's death screams echoed eerily, as it's essence was ripped from the body, though no one could hear it, it's pain drowned out by the carols of friendship.
All across the Equestria that night, not a single pony could explain the sudden feeling of euphoria and release. It's screams were silenced.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Luna levitated her abacus as she worked on the nation's new salt tax.

"Current nation 's GDP is around 1.12 trillion bits with an income distribution of around 0.54..."

Luna adjusted her red secretarial glasses and rubbed her eyes.

"...if we insert this tax, not only will it lower cases of drunkenness, but it will raise the nation's income by-"

Luna paused. She felt a terrifying aura approach. It remained there for a minute, and then disappeared mysteriously.

Alarmed, she straightened up, preparing to teleport to Celestia's room. She pictured her sister’s room in her mind and watched it materialize into her view.

"Celly, I suspect the nightmare is back! we-"

"No dear sister, it's gone now " Celestia said, casually lifting a teacup to her lips and sipping.

"B-but how??"

Celestia put the cup down. "That night when you told me of the nightmare's return, I knew that it would ensnare an unlucky pony to use as an avatar, before coming for you to drain you of your powers and possibly reclaim your body. If it had succeeded, I would have been powerless to stop it."

"However, it had forgotten that there are magics as strong as the power of the elements themselves, ones which only appear when there is great harmony amongst all creatures, one within nights as tonight: Hearth's warming eve."

"But dear sister how in our father's name did it not detect the magic of friendship in the air?" Luna asked.

Celestia smiled smugly to herself "That was easy, all I had to do was to hide the magic permeating in the air by amplifying negative emotions felt by ponies waiting in queues for this hallowed eves infamous shopping night specials."

Luna could not believe it, her worst enemy had just fallen into the oldest trick in the book. However it still didn't answer all her questions.

Then again she did remember her irritation at the crowds in Canterlot's retail district, one pony had even complained to her being in line for eight hours.

"Praytell dear sister, did you directed Nightmare Moon into the heart of friendship!?"

Celestia smiled smugly and answered, “yes, I did, little sister. It was a simple case of creating another illusion. I simply replaced the heart with an illusion of you crying, and the nightmare went straight for you. The amplified stress made it believe you were upset with me again, and It thought it had sensed an opening in your heart, much like when you had turned back then. As a result it had sensed this opportunity and gone straight for you."

Luna winced at that memory, however she pushed it back in "So is it gone now?"

"Yes dear sister, it will never hurt you-"

A shockwave of dark power exploded nearby, shattering glass and cracking the wall of the room.

The two royal sisters looked at each other, gasping at the magnitude of such power and at once galloped and flew off for the source.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Twilight sparkle lifted her cup of hot chocolate and took a deep drink. She smiled giddily. Tonight's performance was such a success, everypony loved it, she giggled, remembering the glory of the crowd's ovation, the success leading them top celebrate in Pony Joe's, a favorite and private place for the elements of harmony to relax whilst being in Canterlot.

She looked over the table; Pinkie pie, Applejack and Rainbow dash were locked in PonyJoe's donut castle plate challenge. It determined who could devour the most donuts and stack up the plates without them collapsing. Pinkie, unsurprisingly, was winning, her uncanny ability to devour whole plates of donuts in a single gulps easily beating the two.

Rarity and Fluttershy were conversing as usual,Twilight didn't really care what they were saying.

"As I was saying Fluttershy, those Crowds adored us tonight, I mean, we simply were smashing!"

Fluttershy simply smiled and nodded in agreement to the fashionista whilst sipping into her jasmine tea.

A snore drew Twilight's attention to the ground. Spike, her draconic assistant lay asleep with his paws around an half-eaten donut. Oh Spike you have been up all night again, Twilight thought to herself and she looked tenderly at the baby dragon. You were an amazing narrator tonight little brother. Sleep tight.

The night was nearly over, but there was one thing left to do. Twilight's horn glowed and a parchment, quill and ink materialised.

"Ahem. Dear princess Celestia", Twilight said out loud as the quill began to trace her words. "Today i learnt that lessons learned thousands of years ago, can be applied to everypony today. This is especially true today as-"

Suddenly a dark and impossibly strong wave of pure magic passed over Twilight, causing her to lose her concentration. Ink jar shattering on the floor.

Rarity, whom seemed to notice nothing, raised an eyebrow. "Twilight, is everything alright?" However twilight didn’t answer and simply bolted through the door. The elements gave each other confused looks before galloping off after her.

Pony Joe watched as the six dashed off and shook his head. He added the fare of the Donuts to Twilight Sparkle's Tab and proceeded to clean up the dishes. A snore from under the table drew his attention. He sighed and went to grab a blanket. "Kids will be kids", thought Pony Joe as he cleaned around the sleeping dragon.

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Comments

[Little Solarflare]

My First Fic. I decided to do the generic idea of another Alicorn in equestria, but i decided to go something different and write the perspective of this new character in first person.

Please criticise and tell me what's to be changed as i'm still relatively unexperienced with writing stories
and please. no trolling.

[SteampunkBrony]

nah, i kid. so far so good, I'm tracking it, I'll vote after a few chapters though (my usual policy.)

[The Equestrian Gentlecolt]

I'm not gonna lie, the writing needs a lot of cleanup. However, the story itself? It's got potential, for sure. I nearly laughed aloud a the idea of masking harmony inside the amplified frustration of last-minute shopping queues. I'm very interested to see where Chapter 1 will go.

[Little Solarflare]

297344

Thanks for the feedback, i guess i'll have to proof read it and fix it again
i'm still new to this but thanks for the encouragement

[Einsieg]

As long as you can avoid some of the stigma that Past Sins garners from its annoying hatedom, you can probably do something pretty good with this. Due to the somewhat similar premise, you can expect someone to make something out of it.

[FireHawk]

297465 wait what?!?! Past sins has a hatedom?!?!

I must remedy this atrocity! To the TARDIS!!!!!!

[fate6]

a few grammar errors but over all good
I will save my vote till there is more chapters but so far I like it

[Little Solarflare]

297465

Don't worry i am against plagiarism and copying ideas, though i will try to keep this as unique as possible

i know this story kinda shares similair traits but it will be different i promise
297546

As for grammar, it is being rectified

[Einsieg]

I'm not accusing you of stealing anything or trying to copy. I'm just saying that Past Sins does have a rather absurd group of haters and they will probably transfer that hate to your story because it has a similar element (Nightmare Moon reincarnated as a good pony). Be prepared to face some preposterous negativity.

Work on your proofreading, maybe ask around for a good editor, and above all have fun.

[Gwenio]

297669

Or not. The two spin offs of Past Sins on this site do not get that much attention good or bad, and only get a small bump in hate (and the rating system has been made less abusable since, as the haters are too lazy to do more than down vote them).

-------------------

Tracked for later.

[0]

Man, I can't keep up with your writing

Disregard next statement but... I liked the previous image more.

Keep 'em coming!

[kickflank]

Wait wait wait....
Nightmare moon is dragonborn?

[Legiondude]

Celestia struck me as very Gendo Ikari in this chapter, with some shades of Yui