The Devil in Me

by Sleep Sonata

Family Feud

When did I sleep that night? Did I even sleep? I must have, since I’m now waking up. It was anything but peaceful though. I had had the most wretched dream. The hag I’d seen in the bird bath was back, taunting me and trying to turn me on my sister. Thank heavens that nightmare was over.

A rapping on my chamber door brought my mind out of itself and into reality. It must be Celestia, come to remind me of the meeting with General Firefly. I hadn’t forgotten. I was responsible for the search, after all.

“Luna, are you alright?” Am I alright?

“I may be the Princess of the Night, but I am perfectly comfortable operating during the day, Tia.”
She nudged the door, and I could see the concern in her voice was the same as that in in her eyes. “I was just concerned for you after last night.”

“Why sister, I slept as sound as a foal.”

“That must’ve been after you were screaming at that ‘cursed witch’?”

“Oh I may mumble in my sleep, but it was just a dream sister.”

“It wasn’t, Luna. We’ll discuss it later, but we have other matters to discuss before we come to that.” She must have been referring to the General.

I managed to prop myself onto my hooves with a somewhat regal appearance, despite not taking my bath last night... I think. I met Celestia in our common room. She was standing facing the balcony. looking in the direction of the former Crystal Empire.

“I will speak with the General at once about the search. I expect to have made excellent progress since…”

She whipped her head to face me, her empathy gone, and replaced by consternation. “You will not be speaking to General Firefly today.”

“I beg your pardon sister, but I must be briefed on our search progress.”

Her tone hardened, and her volume raised. “You sent your Thestrals out on the search against my wishes!”

Of course I was taken aback. I don’t know how she had found out, probably leaked to her by one of the guard patrols that had bumped into a returning thestral. I could make her see, though. “Calm yourself. The thestrals have allowed us to cover double the area that your guard alone would have been able to sweep. I can’t see any reason why we should not have used them.”

“I gave you my reason.” Her retort took me by surprise. “I don’t trust them so far from Equestria, and that is the end, Luna.”

I was speechless. We were making progress, and there no sign of a potential mutiny, or any dissent at all. “Tia, please. I’m trying to…”

“I’ve already recalled the Thestrals. Good day, Luna.”

What was happening to our kingdom? First the Crystal Empire disappears, then this cruel delusion tortures me, and then Celestia becomes incapable of reason. The entire world was falling apart.

“Still think you’re equals?”

I would have snapped back, but honestly, what more could she do to me? My sister doesn’t trust me, so now I’ll never be trusted in court. Just forever her bumbling sister, fiddling with a night that nopony ever bothers to watch. “I have nothing to say to you.”

“Oh, the hostility from last evening is gone. Why the sudden change of heart, Luna?”

Like I owed her an explanation. “Tis none of your concern, and you will not address me in such an informal manner.”

“Then how shall I address you, Princess? I’ve known you intimately for a long time. It’s only for i get to use your name, isn’t it?”

Questions, questions, but I knew that she wasn’t looking for those answers. “What do you want? I’m quite indisposed at the moment.”

A snarky chortle, she really had not respect. “Yes, the search for the crystal empire. Sorry I couldn’t stop Sombra from taking it with him, but at least I rid us of him.”

“What do you mean, you rid us of him?” The statement genuinely had me dumbfounded. Celestia and I were the only ones battling Sombra. No pony else was around. “Celestia was the one who vanquished King Sombra.”

“Is that what she told you? Well then, who am I to argue with the Princess of the sun?”

I reflexively stamped my hoof into the floor. I don’t know how I’d hoped to intimidate her. I didn’t even know where she was. “Speak plainly, knave!”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you’d remember.”

“Remember what, exactly?”

She gasped with joy, about what I was reluctant to inquire. “Oh praise the moon, I have a story for you! You see dear, you were injured in your encounter with Sombra, but Celestia was more so. In all honesty, even a powerful princess like yourself, couldn’t hope to defeat the Crystal King on your own. So I...borrowed your body.”
I shook my head in disbelief. How could such a thing even be possible? Starswirl never even experimented with possession. “What are you?!”

“So rude, dear. I am not a what, but a who. But I will have to answer that question some other time. I believe a member of the thestral guard wishes to speak with you.”

As if on cue, a knock rattled the door to my chambers, followed by a low voice with a harsh growl requesting an audience with me. With all of these happening, I wasn’t sure I was even competent to speak to anypony, let alone govern. The voice was gone, but the thought of her never left my mind.

Author's Note:

This is just a little something to hold you over while I begin another project. I haven't forgotten about this.

Comments

[Luna luver500]

Celestia you liar how dare you lie to your own sister. You should be ashamed of yourself.