Darker Than Purple

by Arkybrony

Another Starless Night

Luna had finished raising the moon and was going to bed. As Celestia was brushing her teeth, only focusing on her face in the mirror, while Luna stood behind her in the hallway.

"Goodnight Celesti-" She was cut off.

"Really?" Celestia replied. "Celesti? That's your new nickname for me? That's probably the weakest one you've got!"

Luna did not reply. There was awkward silence.

"Did I hurt her feelings?" Celestia thought, "I sure hope I didn't."

Celestia was shocked when she turned around. Luna was gone. Her crown was on the floor. There was a horse shaped hole in the ceiling above where she was standing.

"Oh no." She whispered to herself. The last time there was a horse shaped hole above where Luna was standing was a little over a thousand years ago when she was banished to the moon. Suddenly, a guard ran up to her frantically.

"Your highness," he said, "we're in big trouble."

"Why? What's happening?" She said with power, yet, with worry also.

"Everything in the Everfree Forest just died! Everything!"

"Oh no..." She said to herself. She bolted for the nearest window.

"Princess!" The guard yelled. She ignored him as she continued towards the window"

When she got to the window and looked out, she was distraught at what she saw. The stars were gone.

"Princess," the guard said, "what's wrong?"

"The stars are gone! Get Shining Armor!"

The guard left to retrieve Shining Armor. In about ten minutes, Shining Armor was there.

"Is this regarding the stars?" He asked.

"Yes. It is. Gather everypony from the Starfall division and bring them to the emergency meeting room!"

"But Princess, you disbanded the Starfall division years ago when Luna returned. Most of them aren't even in Canterlot anymore!"

"I guess that is a problem. Get everypony from the astronomic division. They're gonna be the new Starfall. Oh! And get the Everfree district military general here too! "

"Yes ma'am!"

Shining Armor did this and the meeting commenced. Celestia entered in the room and everyone stood up, put their hooves on their hearts, and began to recite the Pledge to Equestria, as per the norm in royal meetings.

"Stop!" Celestia said, "There's no time for any sort of formaility."

Everypony sat down.

"Alright," Celestia said, "Everything and everypony in the Everfree forest just died, and all the stars disappeared. And now you must know that along with the stars' disappearance, Luna has disappeared as well. I have some guards investigating it, but from the looks of it, she was sent to the moon again."

Everyone in the room seemed shocked and suspicious.

"Celestia," the Everfree general said, "You do know that it is treason to do that without reason? Even if you are a princess."

"General, are you implying that I sent her there again!? I signed that law myself! Why would I break it!? And even if I did, why would I tell you!? Do you take me for a fool!?"

"I honestly don't know why you'd tell us or why you'd break your own law, but who else could banish Luna to the moon? She's the second most powerful pony in all of Equestria, so it could only be you!"

The astronomics division discussed this amongst themselves, but they had no say in it, so they didn't seem to care too much. Shining Armor stood next to Celestia, but did not say anything about the potential treason she could've committed, since he knew that there were more important matters at hand.

"Oh, and I suppose you think I killed the Everfree Forest and destroyed the stars!? DON'T respond to that, because we have more important matters to discuss. I am going to have to create a new sky like I did a thousand years ago when Luna was gone. I have to create each new individual star. Each of these stars is a ball of raw magic, but it's special magic affected by space. Once it is created, it, not me, appoints a random pony with the powers of a contractor, and when they die, their star falls, so I have to create a new one. Since all the contractors of the past lost their powers when Luna returned, we disbanded the Starfall division that watched for falling stars. This is where you astronomic ponies come into play. As of right now, you are the temporary new Starfall division. Focus mainly on the stars. Meteors and solar flares are second priority until I can regather the old Starfall division. Now, Shining Armor, Everfree General-" She got cut off by the disgruntled and suspicious general.

"I HAVE a name you know. General Swifthead of Everfree."

"Yeah, ok," she replied, "General Swifthead, Shining Armor, you must create some sort of barrier around the Everfree Forest. Keep everypony and everything out of there. Also, watch out for contractors. They'll probably be using their powers for the first time, and some of their prices may be dangerous. I also need some guards to tend to me while I create the new sky, since this will drain a lot of my energy and magic. Alright, meeting adjourned."

Everypony left the room. As the new Starfall division went to their observatory, General Swifthead pulled Shining Armor aside in the hallway.

"Why didn't you say anything back there about Celestia's treason?" Swifthead said.

"First of all, that's just a theory. Secondly, there were more important matters at hand, so I didn't want the conversation to go off the rails."

"That's responsible. I guess that's why you're the head honcho. But still, what if it is treason? We need to act upon this immediately while her magic is drained so she doesn't banish us too! I'm calling an emergency general's meeting tomorrow, after the barrier around the Everfree is set up. We'll discuss it then. You should really come."

"Fine, I'll come. But I really don't think Celestia did anything wrong."

"Think about it. If she was sent to the moon again, who could've done it? And who could've killed everything within the Everfree forest?"

"It's actually about an 80 kilometer circular radius that covers most of the forest and some area outside. You should know that since we're setting up a barrier around it. We're calling it Hell's Gate."

"Doesn't matter right now. Nopony has that power except her. What if she did this so she could build an army of contractors?"

"It just doesn't make sense. Why would she do that? She already has everything, so what more could she need?"

"I don't know why, but the evidence just seems to add up against her. Just think about it. And remember. Luna's gone, so your wife is next in line for the throne. Be there tomorrow. The meeting will be in a tent near the barrier. Ok."

"Fine. I'll be there."

---

Spike gazed at the night sky as Twilight was getting ready for bed.

"Spike, you should've been in bed half an hour ago." Twilight said.

"I know. But you were right about the stars. They really are fun to gaze at."

Twilight joined Spike, bringing a telescope for her and for Spike. She set them down, and set Spike's up for him. They both began using their telescopes for their intended purpose. Twilight looked around at her favorite constellations. She stepped away from the telescope.

"Stay here, Spike I have to use the bathroom."

She did so. While she was washing up afterwards, she heard Spike yell.

"Twilight! Come here! Quick! Something terrible has happened!"

"Oh what now?" She thought. She walked towards him, thinking that it was just Spike being paranoid.

"Quick! Look for Orion's Belt! It's not there! I was looking at it, then I looked away, then I looked back and it was gone!"

"Oh come on Spike. You probably just accidentally moved your telescope when you looked away. Here, let me fix it."

Twilight got down to Spike's telescope and began to adjust it to see the Belt again.

"Hmm. That's weird. I can't seem to find it. Maybe it's just magnified too much."

"OR MAYBE IT'S NOT THERE!" Spike replied.

Twilight adjusted the magnification and looked around some more, still not finding anything. Spike started looking around impatiently, he looked left, he looked right, and then he looked up. Not only was Orion's Belt gone, all of them were.

"Uh, Twilight...."

"Not now, Spike. I'm trying to fix your faulty telescope."

"Forget that. Just look up."

"I don't see how that's gonna help, but whatever."

Twilight pointed the telescope upwards.

"All I see is the moon. Kind of looks like it did when Luna was there. Weird."

"No, Twilight, look up. Without the telescope."

"Fine."

Twilight did so.

"What the......." She said softly, aghast at the fact that there were absolutely no stars on such a clear and cloudless night.

"Spike!" She said, "get me my old nursery rhyme book and my Equestrian astrology book."

"Got it!"

Spike retrieved the books. Twilight opened the nursery rhyme book a rhyme called Starless Night.

"Spike, have you ever heard this one?"

"Nope."

"Didn't think so. It's in the 'Really Old And Rarely Used' section. Listen to it."

Twilight read the rhyme

"In the heavens there were two
they guided both the lights
One for sun and one for moon
One for day and one for night
But on the day that they would rue
The moon put up a fight
The sun would then banish the moon
On the Starless Night"

"Yeeeeaaaaaah," Spike said, "I've definitely never heard of that."

"Some scholars say that this rhyme was based on truth," Twilight replied, "and that there really was a starless night when Luna was banished."

Twilight then opened the astrology book to the unsolved mysteries section, then began to read an excerpt

"'Unsolved mystery #177, there is some astrological evidence to support that the stars disappeared for one night about a thousand years ago, and it is mentioned in a rather unknown nursery rhyme named Starless Night. While there is some evidence for it, there is also evidence against it, so this mystery remains unsolved.' Spike, it's happening again! Look at the moon! It looks like it did when Luna was banished! Look at the stars! There are none! Celestia banished Luna again and somehow did it without the Elements of Harmony!"

"But why would she do that?"

"I don't know! Write her a letter!
Dear Princess Celestia,
What in Equestria is happening? Why is this happening? Did you banish Luna again? And how did you do it without the Elements of Harmony? Why are the stars gone? Is this another Starless Ni-"

Twilight got shot by a thin beam of magic from the sky.

"What the? Ugh, anyway, keep writing.
Is this another Starless Night? And why did I just get shot by a random beam of magic from the sky? Please tell me.
Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."

The letter was sent.

Comments

[sexy nightmare moon]

really like the ending 'did i jut get shot by magic oh well keep writing

[Commander Darklight]

slow down speedy

[Twilight Shine]

6710602 I agree. You should add more to this chapter. Your really trying to get to the point.