57: Sisterhood
Celestia wasn’t entirely certain exactly what condition that she had expected to find her sibling in, but it wasn’t this.
The alicorn’s entire body was covered in suit of blue armor over a black bodyglove, leaving only her wings, mane, and tail visible. A mask covered Luna’s head, skull-faced and soulless. Her wings and hair were clean enough but showed signs of serious wear, feathers broken or ripped away altogether and hair cut short and frazzled. An Imperial symbol was prominently displayed on her shoulder.
But it wasn’t her sister’s physical appearance that truly drew Celestia’s attention, it was the way she felt. Luna wasn’t carrying herself like an ordinary pony, or even princess, of Equestria. Instead of a moderate trot, her sister was moving with one hoof almost directly in front of the other, legs slightly bent as if to pounce at any second. Her wings were folded far too tightly against her body, as if carrying something underneath them. The helmet concealed her face, but there were minute twitches this way and that as if scanning for threats. She seemed closer in aspect to some predatory jungle cat than a pony.
More than that, Celestia could feel the wrongness radiating from her sister. Telepathy had never been her strong suit – she’d always viewed the sanctity of the mind as too important – but it didn’t take a master mind reader to sense the change of disposition. The last she had seen of Luna, her sister had been sullen and morose. Now she just seemed… perversely energetic, as though transformed and empowered by something terrible.
“…Luna?” Celestia asked again a moment later.
“Sister.” The voice that came out of the helmet was filtered, mechanical, and emotionless.
“Come in, come in,” Palpatine’s voice interjected. “It wouldn’t do to lurk in doorways, especially on such a happy occasion.”
“Forgive me, your majesty,” Luna said immediately, moving forwards and past Celestia. She sank into a deep bow. “Inquisitor Luna, presenting myself as commanded.”
“Celestia you fool!” Luna thought from her position on the ground. “What are you doing here? With him?!”
She was more grateful for Vader’s gift than she had ever been before. The masked helmet had concealed her wide eyes when the door opened, as it now concealed her gnashed teeth. Her sister wasn’t here under duress, at least not knowingly. Celestia didn’t seem afraid from what she could sense, though she’d gone from happy to shocked in the space of a few seconds.
“Rise Inquisitor,” the Emperor commanded in a soft, almost pleasant tone. “We aren’t here to dwell on formalities.”
“As you wish,” Luna suppressed the emotion in her voice, aided by her helmet. She rose easily to her hooves, the last few months having given many opportunities to practice. “How may I serve?”
What was Sidious playing at? Unlike her sister, whom she could feel as a beacon of light and warmth, Luna sensed nothing at all from Palpatine. No powerful aura of dark side energy, no stray thoughts, not even the slightest read of his emotional state. As far as the Force seemed to be concerned he wasn’t even there, though her helmet’s computer was tracking his vitals easily enough. She could only hope that using that power interfered with his ability to read her own feelings, for her hatred was simmering.
There he was, the author of all her torment, just sitting right there all but alone and seemingly defenseless. It was so tempting, just to flair her wings, draw her sabers, and throw herself at Palpatine. He didn’t seem to be carrying a lightsaber himself, and he wasn’t more than a dozen paces away. She could cross that distance in a heartbeat, drive her sword through his chest and vindicate everything that she had done and become. The Royal Guards stood too far away to reach her in time to do anything.
But… no. No, she mustn’t. Though he looked a feeble old man, before her sat the greatest living Sith Lord, perhaps the greatest ever to live. There was no question he had some unseen means of defending himself, be it a lightsaber up his sleeve, lightning storms from his hands, or something more esoteric her could conjure. And her terminally naïve sister would no doubt move to defend him as well. And then everything would be lost. And so, with great difficulty, she swallowed her rage. For now.
“Actually, I had called you here for a different reason altogether.” Palpatine smiled. “You see, your sister there had been most worried for you. So worried in fact that she risked the anger of Lord Vader for your sake, and when that did not yield results, petitioned me directly.”
“You did what?!” Luna’s mind screamed at her sister, who seemed totally oblivious.
“Such was her concern for your health and safety she was prepared to do almost anything to secure it. You could not ask for a more devoted sister.”
Luna said nothing.
“The Governor and I talked briefly, and we came to an arrangement. Today, I honor my end of it. Luna of Equestria, by my authority as Galactic Emperor, you are hereby formally discharged from the ranks the Inquisitorius and from the service of Lord Vader, and are free to return to your home planet as soon as you leave this place.”
Luna could feel her sister’s heart leap. Her own sunk.
Return to Equestria? And do what, sit and wait until the next demented Inquisitor or slaving officer came to the solar neighborhood? Oversee a ruined nation of broken souls tasked with making the rest of the planet an open-air prison? Give up the powers she had acquired and resume her place as a powerless figurehead, the very moon itself mocking her impotence every passing night? Live the wretched life of a slave… forever?!
There could be only one answer.
“I thank you for your generous offer, your majesty,” came the filtered sound of Luna’s voice after a moment had passed. “But I am afraid that I must decline.”
Celestia’s eyes widened, her blood became ice in her veins. She couldn’t help but gasp a little. On his throne, Palpatine’s own expression was one of incredulity.
“And may I ask why?” said the Emperor, a moment later.
“As great as my duties to Equus are, it is but one world of this Galactic Empire. My duties to the Empire, to the galaxy as a whole, vastly outweigh them. There are still remnants of the Separatist insurrection that devastated my homeworld, the surviving Jedi traitors still stalk the darkness between stars. I cannot in good conscience leave the galaxy in a state of chaos and lawlessness simply to attend to the needs of one small world on its fringes.” Luna paused. “I therefore request to continue in the service of the Empire.”
“Your patriotism is to be commended. If only all our people were so dedicated to the galaxy’s well-being.” Palpatine’s eyes fell on Celestia. “Yes, Governor? You have something to say?”
“I do, your majesty.” Celestia stepped forward, directly beside her sister. “Might I have a moment… in private, with Luna? I’d like to…”
Like to what? Ask her what in blazes she was thinking? Demand to know what Vader had done to her? Beg her to come home?
“Of course, of course,” Palpatine smiled benevolently. “I realize that this must be something of a personal moment for the both of you.” He looked up at one of the guards. “Escort them to an available antechamber and give them some privacy. Return them to me when they are ready.”
Luna said nothing as the red-robed man came to collect the both of them. Celestia tried to think of something appropriate for that moment, but came up with nothing. Both alicorns allowed themselves to be lead from the Emperor’s audience chambers, down a turbolift, through a hallway, and to a simple side chamber bereft of anything but a few chairs and a simple table. Throughout the entire journey Luna remained absolutely silent. The helmet made it impossible to say for sure, but Celestia didn’t think her sister so much as spared her a glance the entire way.
It was only after their robed escort nodded at them and backed out of the door as it resealed itself that the façade was broken. The two alicorns whirled to face one another in the blink of an eye.
“What are you doing?!” both sisters hissed simultaneously.
“Why would you seek to stay with Vader?!” Celestia continued.
“What madness drove you to make a deal with the Emperor?!” Luna shot back.
“Madness? He’s the only one in the Empire who even bothered to do anything for us, ever!”
“You fool.” Even through the mechanical filter, Luna spat the words. “I will not go back.”
“So, it’s your wish to be a slave to a monster like Vader for the rest your days? Open your eyes, Lulu. You’re nothing but a pawn to him, and he’ll kill you without hesitation the instant he wishes to.”
“So says the blind mare.” There was an embittered chuckle from inside the armor. “Open your eyes, Celestia. A return to Equestria is nothing but a return to a miserable life of a slave overseeing other slaves. A wretched and powerless position, at the mercy of all the cruelties of the galaxy. I refuse to accept such a fate.”
“And you believe yourself to be anything more, now? You’re a weapon to be used discarded, Lulu, and I can’t let that happen to you. Not if I have any ability to stop it.”
“And yet you have none, sister. Because you are powerless, because you can do nothing before the might of the Empire. You grovel on your knees just to send me back to our ruined homeworld. What secrets of our people did you sell him? What did you give Palpatine?”
“Nothing he couldn’t have taken at any time. Medical scans and tissue samples, nothing more.”
“Why would he want…” there was a sudden hiss. “You told him, didn’t you? You idiot!”
“I told him of our species lifespan, yes. For your sake.”
“My sake? My sake?! If anything was for my sake you’d want me to do this! You’d care that I would be powerless and miserable back home, just as I was before! All you care about is yourself!”
“What?!”
“Admit it, Celestia! All you wanted was for me to return so that you would feel better! You never cared that everything I had was stripped from me! My magic, my dreamwalking, my flight, my moon! All were taken from me, and you didn’t care one bit! I was a powerless wretch, and you did nothing!”
“That’s not true at all! I did everything I could to care for you, to comfort you in the face of the apocalypse! I was there in Canterlot the day it fell, just as you were. I would give you my own horn without hesitation, Luna, if only I could!”
“Self-serving memory and useless hypotheticals, bah! I have learned much in my time away, dear Celestia, and I will never be powerless again!”
“You think yourself powerful? You’re nothing but Vader’s tool!”
“I am more powerful than you can possibly imagine, sister.”
“You don’t-”
Celestia’s voice died mid-sentence, an iron band suddenly affixed to her throat.
“Shut up and listen. For all our lives you’ve been the older, wiser, more powerful sibling. For all our lives you have been the valiant hero or the noble martyr. But not this time.” Luna’s voice was a snarl, and the clamp on her sister’s windpipe tightened. “This time I will save our planet, our nation, our people! I will not return home a failure! I will not cower in the shadows like a whipped dog! I will become the most powerful being in all the galaxy, and I will use that power to make everything right! Do you understand me?!”
There was no sound from the white alicron, but her eyes told the story.
“Everything I do, every life I take, every service and dark deed brings me closer to the ultimate power I need! I will never tire, never give up, never cease to strive! Let the universe conjure a hundred more Vaders, an arsenal of superweapons… nothing will stop me! And I will allow no one to stand in my way!” Her mask was now less than an inch from Celestia’s muzzle. “Not even you.”
A wave of invisible energy blasted Celestia from her hooves. The princess went soaring across the room, blowing over a chair and slamming hard into the wall. She collapsed to the ground, gasping for air as the stranglehold over her throat vanished. Luna made no effort to assist her, the soulless lenses of her mask regarding her coughing sibling with mechanical indifference.
“Shut your fool mouth and stay out of my way,” she said, tone colder than frozen wastes of Alzoc III. “Sister.”
At that exact moment, something inside Celestia cried out and died.
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Luna. You. Are. A. Bitch
I expected something like this to happen, I only hope that Celestia still has enough fight in her to join the rebellion. Because at this point, Luna is most likely lost (much to my ill-content). I eagerly await your next chapter.
Well that went exactly as to be expected.
And Celestia, you know by now that everything happens twice: first as tragedy, then as farce.
8697719
Preach it pony, preach it.
8697725
Wouldn’t say she is lost, she’s about as lost as General Grievous was, minus the whole working for Palpatine with complete trust that he won’t backstab you part.
8697741
In Star Wars, you can repudiate a lifetime of depravity and earn forgiveness and love with a grand gesture, especially if you're someone narratively Special.
In Friendship is Magic, you don't even need the grand gesture.
8697743
Don't neglect the fact that the grand gesture either involves dying willingly to accomplish (i.e. Vader) or else they spend the rest of their lives haunted by what they did.
8697756
Trifles.
The only blind fool here is you Luna, a dancing slave puppet who is too proud and blinded by the darkside to see the many strings pulling you, the emperor likely is eating every bit of this up.
Lets just hope she doesn't break Celestia to hard with her stupidity other everyone might have a bigger problem on their hands barring the emperor who will just be amused.
8697762
For a Sith dying is more or less the worst possible thing ever (the best outcome is you become a miserable, impotent wraith forever trapped between two worlds and desperately grasping for something you can never achieve) so to willingly sacrifice yourself signifies a pretty dramatic change in mindset.
I hope you stay true to Galen Marek's, or starkillers canon, yes he is canon still, he defeated both Vader and the emperor and cut large swaths through army's. He is much more powerful than Luna, her fancy lightsabers won't help at all he was able to break Vader's and the emperors force uses and he ripped a star destroyer out of orbit, if Luna is some how more powerful or Galen is killed off I will be pissed beyond all belief and will never read fimfic again
8697771
Who cares for your change in mindset?
8697790
The Force? The Jedi? The ponies? I don't know if you've noticed but both universes I'm crossing over consider mindset to be extremely important.
Another proof of Luna’s selfishness, wanting to become the most powerful being in the galaxy, to be the one making things right (and seemingly caring about these things more than, originally, protecting Equestria), despising her sister ... she truly has a good start to be Vader’s successor. Celestia didn’t even try to restrain her physically or magically, yet she was strangled and thrown into a wall.
Then, the white princess might finally pierce the blindfold preventing her to see Palpatine for what he really is. I’m afraid she won’t simply be allowed to return home.
I wonder if she and Twilight will establish contact soon. None of them will enjoy hearing of what the former princess of the night did.
Edit: This “happy” reunion was quite interesting, one of the two blinded by darkness, the other one blinded by too much light.
I Would consider this Karma.
I Was wondering why Kamino was mentioned, thought they were shut down after the Rise of the Empire. They plan on creating Alicorn Clones? Like Luna: You Fool, Celestia...
Again Karma.
8697792
Yes yes, both these universes and the beings that populate them behave in quite an absurd manner.
8697828
I also think he has prepared this, and is enjoying the treat.
I knew this would happen. And it still broke my heart.
For the second time in their long lives, Luna has severed the bond between her and Celestia.
That must be Celestia’s hope, the last shred of hope she had that her sister would return to her.
So, if the Emperor has no further need of her, Celestia will return to Equestria, her spirit broken-hearted.
Meanwhile, Luna has discovered what Palpatine has gotten from her sister. Will she report this to Vader?
Well, while things look grim for the sisters, I’m holding onto the hope that the two of them will be able reforge their bond before this is over. It’s not impossible.
8697850
Yes it is.
Moreover, bonds once broken should stay that way.
8697868
Honest question: why are you reading a Star Wars/My Little Pony crossover if you reject even the *possibility* of redemption? No offense to you or anything, it just seems kind of strange.
8697878
To experience pity and fear, mostly.
The only thing i find strange is that Celestia has no brought up the fact that Luna is walking down the path of Nightmare Moon. Again.
8697882
Because she isn't. Nightmare Moon wanted to be loved. Luna nowadays wants to be supreme.
8697850
I think Luna has severed the bond between herself and everyone else, truly, for the moment she accepted Vader’s teaching on Kashyyk. Only time will tell if she, like Vader, still has a bit of good in her.
8697882
I don’t think she’s walking the path of Nightmare Moon again... but way worse. Seemingly hating everyone non-equestrian for existing, despising and assaulting her formerly close ones as soon as they simply look like they are standing in her way, intentionally or not, considering killing them if she decides they are no longer useful for Equestria, ...
8697882
I'd reckon the force choke had something to do with that. Moreover, there are some distinctions. Nightmare wanted to kill Celestia and take her place as beloved queen. Noctis wants to be the hero and loved for it, but she doesn't seem to harbor any specific desire to kill her sister so much as she wants her to shut up and stay out of the way.
8697904
Why are we accepting that Vader had a bit of good in him? As opposed to, say, a vestige of biological imperative? Luke wasn't just anybody; he was Vader's son and genetic legacy.
8697909
I view the focus of her hate and the goal mostly just details. The soul of the issue is she views power and corruption as the way to accomplish stuff when she is unhappy.
That said, at least her motivation feels better this time than "no one loves me."
Celestia is obviously heartbroken, but I suspect she'll put faith in Twilight helping Luna, ultimately.
8697936
Help Luna with what? Luna is exactly where she wants to be, doing exactly what she wants to do.
8697942
She did so when her sister literally tried to kill her and rule the planet. Why would she not try to help her now? She even has Discord redeemed. I have trouble envisioning a scenario where Celestia does not want Luna to return to her senses.
If Luna does tell Vader about Palpatine's experiments on Celestia, one has to wonder if Vader would use that to his advantage. I know that there's never been any point in canon or legends where he ever had any desire to upgrade his suit or make a clone of himself... but Celestia's biology makes a huge difference. Although, that does bring up the issue if he's powerful enough/has the knowledge to transfer his essence into another body like Darth Bane.
8697953
"At that exact moment, something inside Celestia cried out and died."
That implies that something was alive until that moment, given that a thing can only die once. Ergo, that thing must have been alive throughout Luna's time as Nightmare Moon. Therefore Celestia feels differently about how her sister is now than she did about how she was as Nightmare Moon.
And this time, Twilight can't call upon magic rainbows to aid her in purging Luna of her darkest impulses. She'll have to talk her around the hard way, which she's only managed twice in FiM: with Starlight and Stygian (and not with Discord, who doesn't give a fig for her opinion but only for Fluttershy's). I'm pretty sure neither of those things happened in this story.
damn it luna ok now i hate her celestia is willing to do anything for her sister hell i would think she'd die for her hehe sounds like luna's gotten a bit cocky
8697909
Noctis wants to be the hero, and accuses Twilight to do the same. The jealousy is strong with this one.
Some harsh word's there... But both sister's are right and both needing some eye-opening's from certain point's of view. One from darkness, one from light. One experience's some serious emotional turmoil, while other has gone trough seriously dark place. Hopefully balance find's the way... Here's hoping both our force pony's might meet Bendu...
8697959
Vader has never really tried to improve/get rid of his suit and isn't planning to. He views it as a justly deserved punishment for his actions. He believes Anakin Skywalker deserves to suffer. This mindset is the main thing that's holding him back from achieving his potential. The suit doesn't help matters, being intentionally poorly designed and vulnerable to force lightning.
I don't think he would try to get his body fixed unless he got over his mental hang ups first. Of course, if he ever did deal with his issues and healed his body, he'd be unstoppable. He wouldn't need secret apprentices or plots to deal with Palpatine. He'd just kill him.
As the chosen one, Vader has the greatest force potential of any being ever. We do see a bit of what a theoretical full potential Anakin would be like in the Star Wars Infinities comics (what if scenarios). In one of the scenarios, he accepts the Son's offer on Mortis and goes to Coruscant to make himself Emperor Skywalker. Sensing his power, Palpatine and Yoda team up to stop him but don't manage to so much as slow him down.
8697821
And we don't?? For centuries Vlad the Impaler has been considered a horrible tyrant and villain cause of his use of impalement to torture and kill his countries enemies. Yet when you look at the truth of what he did, he was in fact a hero, who did that to scare away the armies of those who would invade his people's lands by making himself out to be a monster that holds no remorse, and the false stories spread by the people of the countries north of him about him impaling pregnant women just because he could helped in that as well.. if a leader must become a villain in the eyes of the world to protect his people and land, then he best do a darn good job at becoming the scariest person he can so that none would dare try to conquer him and his people. This is a philosophy lost to most of the modern day leaders of our world and has led to many problems, all in the name of "world peace" when such a thing has never existed and never will. So, I would not say they have a foolish mindset, for a person committing great acts of evil doing a great deed for others is how a person is redeemed even the reality of our world, if you can't accept that mindset then you would be unfit to judge a person and if you are to be judged pray they not judge you as you would them, for to be judged without mercy and/or thought of the good one has done is to condemn that person to Hell.
THAT'S the emperor I remember! Cunning, manipulative, a master of deception.
Well done!
And all the while, Emperor Palpatine/Darth Sidious has a quiet little laugh to himself at the show going on before him as he watches through the hidden cameras and other bugs that are undoubtedly in the room. This is an example of neither princess thinking in modern terms. Neither bothered to consider the possibility of bugs. Perhaps Luna did, but she said too much regardless.
The question now is what is Palpatine's intent with Celestia? Will he use her broken spirit and try to take over her body? Will he simply clone a body of his own and attempt to make Celestia a new apprentice to replace Vader? Both are distinct possibilities.
Will Luna inform Vader of what she's learned? That Palpatine now has a route to biological immortality? Possibly, but maybe not. And what will Dooku think of all this once he finally shows his face again? Quite a lot of things to consider now.
Thank you once again for the update.
8697961
The only thing preventing application of the elements is logistics. Considering it is possible in Star Wars to drain/negate the force (light or dark) from stuff with certain artifacts, I assume the elements can effect Luna now like they did before, and it's clear her reasoning is being clouded by the dark side at least somewhat.
Even Vader does the right thing in the end, and Luna has not gone as far as him yet. Celestia might be heartbroken, and maybe even unwilling to risk the elements off-planet, but it is likely she either lets Twilight talk her into not giving up or Twilight refuses to give up on Luna anyway.
8698179
The Clone Wars cartoon shows that Palpatine is a fan of mad science, even if in the wider scheme of things it's just a hobby and not super important. Obviously he wants immortality because he views himself as unbeatable and age as his only remaining obstacle of note, but even if we didn't know how Star Wars goes it is still easy to believe he'll be slain sooner or later. His designs on Celestia are mostly a concern because of what he would do to her personally.
or something more esoteric her could conjure
allowed themselves to be lead from the Emperor’s
1. He.
2. Led.
Whew... Luna, darling, Celly, damn.
This is going routes that are proving to be incredibly awesome, I'm loving it
Good show.
8698332
I think you may be seriously underestimating the Emperor, friend.
8698332
Even outside of cartoons, one could just look at the amount of super weapons his empire produced. The death stars, the sun crusher, the super star destroyers and other super weapons that popped up in the old canon and then beyond that he had at least hidden planet where he squirreled away technology and trophies.
He liked his doomsday devices and it didn't matter that his best strategist Grand Admiral Thrawn and his apprentice Vader both thought them a waste of resources.
8697920
Vader having a hint of good in him that his son brought out is literally one of the biggest plot points of the Original Trilogy, the entire reason he returns to the Light (he is the Jedi mentioned in the title 'Return of The Jedi'), and to take that away spits in the face of the overall theme of the OT.
8697879
Redemption is a main thematic point of both Star Wars and My Little Pony, it is so tied into how each universe works that simply removing it would not only be foolhardy but would also make for terrible stories.
8699517
It's certainly something that Luke believes (in RotJ; he seems to believe otherwise in TLJ). And it may be telegraphed in dialogue. But it's not effectively shown, not in the least. Leaving room for any interpretation for why Vader did what he did.
8699741
Except the light side of the Force (basically God) pronounced his redemption sincere.
Anyhow I'm getting tired of your attitude so kindly drop the subject now.
8698579
Never underestimate sidious he may not look it but he is one the very best lightsaber duelists in galaxy most force users learn just one mabye two styles of lightsaber combat but Sidious just thought buh and he went on to learn all 7 forms of lightsaber combat and thisis a guy who thought lightsabers were dumb and second nature to him mostly it's all about his force powers in which he is completely unmatched
I wonder is Luna actually being CUNNING here. She has now shown her dedication to the Emperor and Empire in the sanctum of Imperial power. And having even failed to name or warm Celestia about Palpatine being SIDIOUS!
Luna has no knowledge that Sidious can literally see the future so this could very well be an best obvious thing she could have done to further her plans.