A Night unlike Any Other

by Crimson_Moon

Banishment

Moments before, during the casting ritual…

“I can almost reach…” the alicorn said through labored breaths, channeling all of her energies into this single spell. Suddenly, Luna observed something happening to the young mare before her. Wait, is she…? Her eyes filled with shock and worry, when she noticed that Twilight wasn’t just draining her magical energy into the spell, but her life-force itself! Oh, this is not good! If she continues to deplete her energy, she could DIE from magical exertion! I have to think quickly if I have any chance to save her! At first, she tried to reach her new pupil by telling her to stop the spell, but it had no effect, for the alicorn was too far into the Dreamscape to respond to any outside source. I have no choice. In order to save her, I must channel my own magical energies into the spell. I fear that this will drain me, and leave my little Twilight in the Dreamscape. She snapped out of her thoughts to take one last look at the mare before her. It’s a risk I will have to take. I must know if she cares for me as well as my night. I don’t want to be alone again…

Luna readied herself to channel the magical energies she possessed into Twilight, storing all the energy into her horn. Then, the Princess gave her power to the pony by shooting a beam full of energy at the purple alicorn herself. It seemed to have worked, for Twilight’s eyes began to glow pure white, and her body stopped convulsing. Once the purple alicorn settled into a calmed state, Luna smiled at the pony, tearing up before finally collapsing from exhaustion.

“NO! GET AWAY FROM HER, YOU MONSTER!” Twilight shouted at the top of her lungs, only to be blatantly ignored by both parties. Becoming angrier, and slightly hoping to spare Luna from suffering the same nightmare Twilight was spared days before, she shot magical beams and spells of all sorts at Nightmare Moon, hoping to at least get its attention. The shots only phased through it, as though they were specters trying to interact outside of the ether. Suddenly, it occurred to her: she can’t interact with the dream because it was more than that- it was a memory. Maybe, I can change the memory to something near the present, something that contains me in it! I’ve read that dreaming about memories are not just about one, but about multiple instead! Eager to test this theory and save her friend, Twilight began casting a spell to speed up the memory cluster, hopefully landing in a present memory. After a few moments, she could see it working, but barely. In an effort to maintain the spell, she channeled everything into it, causing her horn to spark uncontrollably. This seemed to have worked, for they were no longer in a dark abyss, but in familiar territory- the Canterlot Palace Throne Room. Luna was much older than the previous filly version, but seemed emotionally different than the reformed one from present times. She sat upon her small throne next to Celestia, both hearing a plea from a farmer that hailed from the west.

“The crops we yield are in short supply, Princesses! If we do not receive a Harvest Moon soon, many of your citizens will die of starvation”
Celestia and Luna looked at each other, as if reading their minds, and nodded.

“We have decided that the Harvest Moon will be moved to an earlier date, hoping that this would save our peoples’ crops and stomachs.” Celestia stated in the Royal Canterlot Voice, which was strange to the observing future student, given that she spoke so gently in the court nowadays. After the dispute was settled, Celestia bid leave so she could rest for the night. After the pearl alicorn was out of sight, and earshot,

Luna’s horn glowed with a dark hue, summoning a large shadow. What troubles you, my little pony? The shadow asked. “Why must we hide ourselves from our sister? She seems she would understand…”
NO! The shadow yelled. After calming down, the voice spoke more gently. I mean, no Luna. She would just try to take it for herself, like most things. She must not know of this. It seemed Luna now realized she had made a deal with a demon. “I-i… NO! I mustn’t betray my own blood!” yelled the Princess of the Night.

I always knew you were a coward! Very well then, if you won’t join me in taking back the night, I’ll just have to take it back BY FORCE!!! Suddenly, the shadow swarmed around Luna, blocking all means of escape. As if sensing its wounded prey, the shadow lunged at her from all angles, enveloping her, changing her. “I can’t fight it!! The shadow is too strong!” she squealed in pain. Twilight, still a witness to this possession, could only cover her mouth, and tear up at the Princess before her slowly losing control of her own mind. T-there’s nothing I can do! I don’t want to watch this, not anymore! Celestia, I had no idea, Luna!!! She began casting the spell again, transporting her to a very recent memory: the night Luna was freed from Nightmare Moon. It was back at the Canterlot Palace, where young Luna was being escorted by her older sister through the very halls that were once just a small village castle, not the capital of Equestria. The rooms were clear of servants and guards by order of the Princess. “Tia, can you ever forgive us for the foolish things we have done?”

Her sister only smiled at the young filly before her. “I forgive you, Luna. Much has changed over the years you were gone. We no longer fight with the griffons, our old castle is in ruins, and I have been teaching my very own student to learn the value of friendship so-” Celestia paused for a moment, tearing up. “So I don’t have to witness another pupil go through the same trauma that you and I did. That night I banished you, I couldn’t stop weeping. It felt like I would die then and there!” her tearing up started to turn into sobbing. “I’ve witnessed too much death, too much for one lifetime! I WISHED I NEVER HAD DONE IT!!!”

This emotional scene had made the younger one cry as well. “It’s okay, Tia. We forgive you. We are here now, and that is all that matters. Our night will make way for a new horizon, as it should have been.” Luna, despite being drained of energy, lowered the moon to make way for the sun to rise on a new day.

This is the memory Twilight had chosen to erect Luna out of her comatose state. She cast the spell, focusing on the connection this memory had, and cast it at Luna.

After the spell was complete, Luna awoke in the middle of the Dreamscape, groggy and unaware of the dreams that Twilight had witnessed. “Luna! Thank Celestia you’re alright!”

Grunting, Luna was still recovering from the drain of magic. “Ngh, I’m fine now, Twilight. Thank you.”

“But I didn’t do anything, Princess!” Twilight scrunched her muzzle, trying to act like Luna recovered on her own, which only made Luna giggle at the alicorn before her. “We were not born yesterday you know!”

Author's Note:

Not too touchy-feely, but it's going to get there! Wanted a build-up and also wanted Twilight to possess knowledge of Luna's transition to Nightmare Moon. I'm interested in hearing if this chapter was good or an utter catastrophe, so comment and let me know!

Comments

[Animated Rarity]

Slightly confusing but then I understood afterwards