Reba

by ErraticOverlord

Dark Sky

Waxing Crescent

The rain beats heavily on the stained glass as I peer out it. It has been three days since I stopped making some of the lesser stars, nopony noticed, a month since I stopped attending court, nopony cared, a week since I last touched the elements of harmony and no problems have arisen in that time.

"I'm getting desperate for attention... aren't I?"

I ask the empty room. Mere echos respond. I try to laugh, but all that comes out is a half choked sob.

"If I just fly out of the castle, away from the courts, the disrespectful ponies, and the ever-busy Celestia, would I be missed?"

Faint echoes of "missed" over and over reach me in reply.

"I see."

Tears well in my eyes.

"See what Luna?"

The question comes from a tall pony with a pristine white coat and rainbow mane. Her regal bearing was perfectly complimented by her eyes filled with concern.

"Well if it isn't Celestia, our beloved ruler."

I speak, voice dripping with sarcasm. If Celestia heard the sarcasm she is doing very well pretending not to.

"Yes I am. Well, court's over and I'm off to bed. So, are you ready to raise the moon?"

I pretend to ponder this for a moment.

"I would, but I simply see no point. if the sun stayed in the sky, how many ponies do you think would notice? Well, there's you, me, and the night guards. THAT'S IT TIA."

I scream. My anger feeds my anger in a vicious cycle.

"I WORK HOURS ON END CRAFTING THE NIGHT SKY, AND NOPONY IS AWAKE TO SEE IT. I GO UNMARKED AND UNAPPRECIATED."

Dark tendrils slither across the floor and cling to my legs.

"I will raise the moon. But by tomorrow morning, I will be gone and the moon will stay in the sky."

I say, an unknown dark coldness creeps into my voice at the words and I feel as though something is speaking through my mouth. I leave, trailing pitch black hoofprints behind me. Celestia chuckles.

"Oh Luna, you are always kidding around. Give yourself some sweet dreams and I'll see you in the morning."

Celestia says to the now, once again, empty room. Echoes of "Morning" reach my ears as I blindly run from my life, relations, and responsibilities, raise the moon, and collapse on my bed.

Maybe you shouldn't ever lower the moon.

A thought appears, whispering in my ear. The darkness reaches my neck now and still grows, covering me. The wicked thought continues:

The ponies hardly realize you're there. Celestia doesn't take you seriously. Why not show them what you are capable of doing?

I turn around, but see nopony. The more I think the more my thoughts make sense. I should show them what I am capable of. I should refuse to lower the moon.

"And, what would I do after the moon stays in the sky?"

I say, aloud. While I do see merit in the idea, I am still uncertain. Something tugs at the back of my mind, almost ordering me to pay attention to it but my mind sees only one thought.

Why that's the best part of course. After announcing that you refuse to lower the moon, you kill Celestia.

The darkness around me replies, with a degree of menace.

"And what of my appearance?"

I ask. The darkness has reached my muzzle, now.

"I believe I should look a little more intimidating than this."

I feel the power coursing through me like adrenaline. I feel as though I could do anything and the ponies of Equestria would finally respect me. I feel unstoppable.

Of course not. I was thinking of the name 'Nightmare Moon'.

The darkness goes over my eyes and then I feel nothing.

New Moon

"Luna?"

I raise my head, revealing thin lines of moisture coming from my eyes.

"Yes, Celestia?"

"You've been thinking about the past haven't you, Luna."

Celestia says, with a look that is a cross between sternness and concern.

"Well you know how busy I've been. I've hardly had time to think about anything like that have I?"

I say, sarcasm leaking into my voice.

"Luna."

Celestia says, a touch of warning in her voice.

"The answer is yes. I was thinking about the past. What of it?"

Celestia sighs, deeply.

Oh Luna, I've waited a thousand years for you to return to me. The thought that I could get you back was what kept me sane through all of the wars that came with trying to build this perfect society for you. But now that you're here, everything's so different than I thought it would be. I know that I need to give you time to adjust and spend far more of my own time with you than I am now. I only wish you weren't so worried all of the time.

I blink.

Did I just hear Celestia’s thoughts?

I shake the thought from my mind.

"Luna, you can't keep regretting what already happened. you can't undo it. You're with me now, and I'm arranging for you to have more royal duties."

An interesting thought, Tia, and I might be inclined to believe you, if that wasn't what you said when I was freed from the nightmare and brought into Canterlot again. I'm afraid that particular promise has grown stale.

"Forget it. I need no duties to keep me busy. I have the sky to make wonderful stars and nebuli.I have Nightmare Night to allow me to give to these ponies, my subjects. I have my tower to look on the same ponies I would see if I was doing royal duties. I need none of your duties Celestia."

I say the words calmly, but a slight quaver makes its way into my voice.

"But thank you, for trying."

"If you say so, Luna."

Celestia whispers. She walks towards the door, but then stops and turns.

"But we're not done talking about this yet."

Celestia strides out of the room without another word. I sigh, as I feel a stabbing pain in my chest.

"What am I doing?"

I ask the night sky, as the stars twinkle on despite its master's distress.

"I'm avoiding Celestia, I'm brooding, and I don't have anything to do."

I sigh again, trying to push back thoughts of days long past.

"No. I refuse to fall into despair again. I will begin anew. I will find something I like to do and I will do it. Who knows? I might even have to actually listen to Celestia.”

I laugh, a laugh I have suppressed for far too long.

Boy I needed that. Now to do some research.

I fly to the first floor, and enter the Canterlot archives. The archives show a great deal of care put into them, as the walls sparkle with a polished brilliance.

"Hello may I help yo-oh princess!"

"Yes we-I believe you can help u-me."

I say, internally scolding myself.

"Where are the books on equestrian history?"

"Oh. They're right over there, on the bookshelf near the stairs."

"Thank you."

I head towards the aforementioned bookcase. The bookcase is well tended, but not as well tended as the rest of the bookshelves in the area. As I run my hoof along the spines of the books, one book catches my eye; it reads Famous cases: a compendium of the trickiest cases ever solved

"Hmm."

I muse, opening the book and read.

First Quarter

I stand in the palace gardens, watching the night sky's bright twinkling.

"The time approaches dawn your majesty."

The grey coated night guard speaks evenly and without inflection. Even so, I hear fear and doubt creep into his voice.

"What do you think of the night, Sergeant Lanternmane?"

I ask. The dark cloud surrounding me shifts in the direction of Lanternmane, a predator eyeing him hungrily.

"The night sky is beautiful tonight, as it is every night."

Lanternmane swiftly replies.

"I'm glad you think so Lanternmane. However, what would you think if the night sky was the only thing there was?"

I ask, a hint of menace in my voice. Lanternmane freezes.

"I thought so. I have to say I'm disappointed, Lanternmane; I would have thought out of all of the royal guards you would have the least love for Celestia. But, you are weak and scared like all the rest so, like all the rest, I'm going to kill you. But first, I have a different plan for you: I'm going to make you go to work tomorrow. I am going to make you lie, cheat, steal, or seduce anypony you need to in order to get a spot close to Celestia. And after that, I am going to make you kill Celestia. When the deed is done, you are going to put up no fight when the guards arrest you and lock you in the deepest dungeon. And, you are going to be completely alone. But, do you know what the worst part is? You won't... remember... why."

I punctuate this with three swift strikes to the back of Lanternmane's head, after wrapping him in my magic, knocking him unconcious.

"It looks like I'm going to have to enact my plan earlier than I intended."

I say, to the dark mist floating above me. In response, the cloud wraps itself around my body, clinging so tightly I can barely breathe.

Waning Crescent

"Whoo. Whooo."

I wake up, quickly, drenched in a cold sweat.

"Who whooooo."

An owl looks at me, its head sideways, as it continues.

"Whooooo."

I realize that I am still in the library, with books in front of me, in the middle of the night.

"Perhaps I should head back."

I muse. As I trot home, I look at the night sky. I must have raised the moon sometime earlier, without realizing it.

"It is beautiful."

I say, to the empty street.

"Isn't it?"

I turn to the stranger, who made the remark; he is a Pegasus stallion, a bit tall for most ponies, with a dark grey coat and deep blue mane, wings almost flowing in the breeze of the night.

"And who might you be?"

I inquire, genuinely curious.

"You can call me Swiftwing Silver, Princess Luna."

Swiftwing replies.

"Well Swiftwing, I am glad you enjoy my night."

I say, moving away; something about this stallion bothers me, but I can't quite place my hoof on it.

"Many do, Princess Luna."

Swiftwing says, moving with me.

What does he want?

"Many like it even more than the sun."

Swiftwing continues. I stop walking. I cannot believe my ears; to suggest that one princess was better than the other was never done without consequence, most felt that mortal ponies had no frame of reference to judge gods with. I do not think times have changed that much. This pony must either be mad or a fool.

"What didst thou say?"

I say, reverting to the traditional Canterlot voice.

"I said many like it even more than the sun and may even want it to be alone in the sky, while the princess who owns it sits alone in the throne."

Swiftwing says. I take a step back.

"Thou art proposing treason."

I say, aghast at the thought.

"Not me..."

Swiftwing says, taking a step back to light a lantern.

"...us."