Solitude

Luna looked to the opposite end of the table, where her sister sat, casually eating the food set upon the table. Celestia offered her an evening dinner with her, to which she agreed, hoping to strengthen the void between Luna and Celestia. However, Luna only felt awkward sitting at the table, with the princess she had not spoken to for barely over 1000 years.

"Our stewards seemed to have become a little less... creative." Luna muttered, staring at the plate of carrot souffle and glass of water.

"By what means, my dear sister?" Celestia intently questioned. She seemed to be enjoying the food at their disposable quite fine.

"Don't you find it quite odd for us to be served a civilian meal while we are the rulers of this land?" Luna felt cheated by such a 'dishonoring' meal.

Celestia only chuckled as she continued to consume the souffle. "Luna," she calmly stated, "It's nothing to be offended about. It's honestly ravishing to be consuming such sweet treats. Besides, why criticize it when you haven't even tasted it?"

Luna looked intently at the dessert. It looked rather delicious, smelled delicious, but the remaining question in her mind was if it tasted delicious. The pink frosting that covered the carrots smelled sweet, and only her sister knew what the bread that was pierced by the carrot would taste like. She took a small bite from the baked good. A short burst of flavor bursted through her mouth. The frosting mixed with the pastry had added an extra dazzle to the taste.

"Well..." Luna sighed, "It does taste... sweet."

Celestia could only smile at her sisters clearly visible lack of history of the modern world today. She took a sip of tea, which was dipped with some spearmint by her wishes.

Luna couldn't think. The world that she once knew has changed much during her banishment. Technology has advanced. Everyone she knew from when she was in equestria has...

Celestia noticed her sister in one of her natural gloomy moods she had from 1000 years ago. She worried about another act of resentment in Luna. "Please sister, tell me what troubles you."

Luna could barely stand to look to her sister, the one who had imprisoned her on the moon for a millennium. Her indulgence was not enough to calm the mind of the returned princess. She excused herself from the table, and quickly trotted to her new bedroom.

The room befitted her from comfortable surroundings. Everything was purposely the color of night blue. The curtains, the walls, the bed sheets, even the door. However, nothing in the room soothed her increasing stresses.

"Have I... done bad things?" Luna said to herself, unbeknownst.

Yes...

Luna opened her eyes, and looked around the room. The sunset was visible from her window, glistening into her room, creating a light blue apparition in her setting. The star-like textures on her bed sheets glistened from the glow of the sunset. The source of the mysterious voice was unknown.

But it was familiar.

She turned her attention to a knock on her door, along with the voice of her sister's voice. "Luna... may I come in?"

Luna could only stare at the door that led outside, to the world she did not know about. She could not accept Tia's indulgence to her after what has happened.

You are a traitor.

Luna was startled and looked around the room, only to find nothing but black creeping closer to her.

Your only chance of survival is to fight back.

Celestia's voice broke the mysterious source, "Luna, please let me in. If there is something that bothers you I would be-"

"NO!!!", Luna yelled in the Royal Canterlot voice. A few of the guards came running by her door, ready by Celestia's command to enter.

You must show your aggression. Prove your worth. A mirage of Nightmare Moon appeared in front of the night princess, who gasped in disbelief. Release your inner hate Luna, dear., The mischievous figure ordered.

"But... I have been forgiven." She gasped. Her heart burned of hate and stress.

You must take this indulgence to commit the strike..., nightmare Moon pointed. She seemed to be growing blacker the more Luna began to give in.

Tia was outside with 5 royal guards by the door. She sensed a presence of darkness in the room. Not the natural darkness, the one that feeds on others. She holds a faint remembrance of the feeling. She felt something eating at her heart and mind, but only slightly. "Stand back." was the only thing she said before bursting the door open.

The image of Nightmare Moon disappeared from sight as the guards and Celesia entered.

'Tia' was all Luna managed to say before lapsing to unconsciousness.

Celestia immediately put Luna in her bed, and covered her in the blanket, and dismissed the guards from the room, informing them that she will stay with her sister. As she closed the door, she felt the presence that she felt again. Looking around, nothing abnormal (at least from Luna's point of view of the room) came up. Celestia quickly went out to raise the moon before returning to her sister's side. However, Luna awoken when the the shade of the night enveloped her room. She saw Celestia in her room, and quickly turned away.

Celestia was now worried. Was her resentment returning? Was the envy she promised to leave behind growing again. Or...

"You thinks I am a monster..." Luna quietly said, interrupting Celstia's thoughts.

Celestia was taken back by the accusation. "Luna, I would never designate you as a monster", she walked to her sister's side, putting a wing on her, "You are my sister, and I am here to help sooth any problem in your mind." Luna turned and stared into her sister's eyes, a single tear shed from her eyes.

Luna could only stare down to the floor, deciding on what to do. The spirit of Nightmare Moon has returned to her, and it seems to be back for control. She had returned about a millennium of imprisonment on the moon, but was controlled by hatred and revenge. She wanted to fix all crimes she had committed before her imprisonment, and now was her time. However, her past sins have come back to haunt her, and they are trying to force her back.

"Tia... I want to make a change, but..." Luna couldn't grasp what she was trying to say.

"You have many choices to make a better Equestria, Luna", Celestia reassured her sister, "But in order to do so, you must have a clear mind, and a steady heart. So please tell me..."

A moment of quiet was felt by the two princesses in the room. The darkness only crept closer.

Finally, Luna broke the silence, "The Nightmare just doesn't go away, sister, It sticks by you... forever until the last breath has been sighed."

Celestia stood a moment, one half in shock, the other in determination. She turned her eyes to a certain spot that seems darker from the rest. It looked warped, and held the shape of a certain pony.

Celestia led her sister out the door, looking behind to see the darkness forming.

"My dear sister", Celestia began, keeping her eyes on the figure, which continued to shape-shift," The Nightmare we all know is just another obstacle worth battling", The darkness finally formed the Night Princess's alter ego, "And in the end..."

A slight whisper is barely audible in Luna's ear as Nightmare Moon spoke, "Luna..."

"It does not matter." Celestia finished, closing the door behind herself and Luna.

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I hope you enjoyed this story. A first shot at a sad story doesn't always make the shot, especially if it's unoriginal. I will learn from this.

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