Envy

by SergeantBuck

Question

Envy

Prologue: Question

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From misery, we have turned away
Ignite the past, let the bridges burn.
~"Let the Bridges Burn" - Killswitch Engage

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Princess Luna gazed out at the sunset over Canterlot, awaiting the arrival of her sister's pupil. She knew much about Twilight Sparkle, yet at the same time oh so little. The only reason she'd agreed to meet with the unicorn this evening was to get to know her a little better, and she admitted to herself that being able to talk to somepony intelligent other than Celestia about magic would be nice for a change. It was rare that she ever talked to anypony, save for the occasional guard. Night time was always so boring what with everypony being asleep, but being home was no comparison to the millennium she'd spent alone on the moon.

It was nearly seven o'clock now and Luna made her way to the library where she and Twilight had agreed to meet. The little unicorn sounded very excited in her letter when Luna had told her that she could see the raising of the moon. It wouldn't be long before her guest arrived. She made her way to the library and sat down in the middle of the large room, continuing to stare at the setting sun. It was long before she heard the clop of eager hooves on the marble floor and she turned to see Twilight Sparkle trotting in, her saddlebags filled with a variety of textbooks. Astronomy, magic, romance novels, cooking, all manner of instructional texts. Was it normal for everypony to consume such a wide variety of media?

"Princess Luna!" Twilight exclaimed. "I'm so happy you agreed to see me this evening."

"We are..." Luna stopped and shook her head, trying to rid herself of the old language. "I am delighted to see you again."

"Still trying to learn modern Equestrian, I see?"

"Yes. The adjustments are somewhat strange. We have...I have grown accustomed to speaking in the old ways."

"As long as I can understand you, it makes no difference to me, Princess."

The sun sank below the hills, painting the skies a orange that faded into a deep indigo. Luna rose from her spot and walked towards the window.

"Are you going to raise the moon?" asked the little unicorn excitedly.

"Yes, I am," the Princess replied sternly. Twilight set her bags down on the couch and stood beside her mentor's younger sibling, her eyes on Luna instead of the sky.

"This is unusual. I have never had an audience for the raising of the moon, save for Celestia on occasion."

"Just pretend I'm not here, Princess."

"Please," the midnight blue alicorn replied. "Call me Luna. We're friends, are we not?"

"If you say so, Princess."

Luna looked out at the sky until it had faded to a dark blue and the first few stars ventured from behind the clouds. She closed her eyes and let every muscle in her body relax. Her horn began to glow and she opened her eyes. Once aqua blue, her pupils were now a stone gray. Twilight watched the sky with interest as the moon rose across from the setting sun and climbed higher into the air, casting its light over the Princess. Her eyes returned to their original shade and she sat beside the lavender unicorn.

"That was amazing, Princess!" Twilight said.

"Yes," Luna replied in a dull tone. "Yes, it was."

Twilight was puzzled. "What's the matter?"

"When you do the same thing every night, it loses its special value and becomes no more than routine. A millennium and a half ago when I was but a filly, raising the moon was an amazing feat. Now it feels like nothing. Just one more thing I do every day as part of my ritual. Ask Celestia the same thing about raising the sun and she'll say the same."

"Is that why you became Nightmare Moon?" Twilight asked.

Luna's gaze shifted from the night sky to Twilight's violet eyes. "Why do you ask that?"

"Earlier this week I found a book on dark magic in the library and...well...I was wondering if you'd be able to tell me anything about it. I don't want to learn any spells from it, I just want to know what it's like."

The unicorn levitated an ancient black bound book to the princess. The phrase Cor Somnia was etched into the cover in red cursive letters. Luna felt her stomach tighten when she looked at the tome.

"It's all in Old Equestrian," Twilight began. "I can't read it, but maybe..."

"Cor Somnia," the Princess repeated. "It means 'Heart of Nightmares' and I'm all too familiar with that text. Please, remove it from my sight."

Twilight set it back in her bag and looked back at Luna, who had gone back to gazing out at the sky. That book, that cursed tome was responsible for her imprisonment and there was no way she'd let anypony suffer the same fate.

"You know about that book?" Twilight asked.

"That thing contains all sorts of strange and twisted magic. Death spells, curses, shapeshifting, empowerment, all of them requiring some sort of cost of the caster. Raising the sun and moon may be incredible feats of magic, Twilight, but none of them possess consequences as dire as what resides in that...thing."

"You used that book to become Nightmare Moon?"

"I was young, reckless, eager for power and attention. I didn't know that I would be selling my soul to obtain what I lusted after."

"Tell me about it."

Luna looked back to the unicorn. Nopony had ever asked about her past. She and Celestia had agreed to never speak of it after her return, but it always chewed her up inside. Perhaps this was how she could redeem herself? Stopping somepony from reaching a similar fate?

"Very well, Twilight Sparkle, I will tell you about how I became Nightmare Moon. But you must promise me something, first."

She leaned in close to the unicorn and gritted her teeth as she spoke. "You will never try to translate that book. Ever, do you understand? That book is not to be meddled with. The burden of Nightmare Moon is my curse and something nopony should live with."

"Yes, Princess," repeated Twilight without batting an eye. "I promise to you, as Celestia is my witness, that I will not try to read anything in that book."

Comments

[SergeantBuck]

336962 I promise I don't plan descending into grimdark or slasher elements. I may end up pulling the Dark rating later depending on how things go. The story is simply my take on how Luna becomes Nightmare Moon.

[Bloodpool]

Interesting... Very interesting...
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