• Published 5th Dec 2021
  • 2,936 Views, 23 Comments

Apart - DanishDash



A thousand years ago, Princess Luna of Equestria, was banished to the moon following her Nightmare rebellion. What ponies do not know, is that she left somepony special behind, somepony, who has been sealed away for one thousand years.

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Regret

The day had ended, and for the first time in a thousand years, Luna was raising the moon once more.

The large mass moved onto the sky, now without the legendary marking of her banishment. The stars joined in, and the night sky lit up like it hadn't centuries. Celestia watched all this, partly to watch over her sister as she raised the moon, making sure she did not overdo it so early after her return. However, she was also there to watch and appreciate the sky she hadn't seen since Nightmare Moon's rise.

"I never realized it before you were gone…" Said Celestia from behind Luna.

"What, sister?"

Celestia trotted out on the balcony and sat down beside the princess of the night. "Your night sky; it was truly a masterpiece. The nights were never the same, never as beautiful when you went away." Celestia smiled a little. It was a sad smile, Luna thought, and she could see tears in her sister's eyes. "I should have appreciated your talent sooner..." She looked down at her. "I'm so sorry..."

Luna felt her own tears run down from her eyes, and the two sisters embraced. They sobbed gently, a mix of happiness of being together again, and a release from centuries of pent-up emotion. They stayed like this for a while, simply enjoying the moment, making up for the comfort both had needed for so many years.

When it was over, Luna took a deep breath to calm herself, looking forward and up at her night sky again. "All these years... History only recalls Nightmare Moon..."

"Luna..." Celestia looked at her sister with a worried expression, but Luna just smiled and shook her head.

"He wast right. We hast become a villain, and We hath walked a dark path that only led to fear and suffering…" Luna let out a sigh, looking down with a somber look in her eyes. "We wonder if he wilt ever forgive Us." She looked up again, her somber expression replaced with a pleading one. "Please sister, We beg of thee. Tell Us what became of Our captain. What became of Star Chaser?"

Celestia felt her heart sink. Now there was a name she hadn't heard, many, many years. Although, she wasn't sure if Luna understood what had happened. "He... Well, after you were exiled to the moon, he vanished. He fled. We know not where— we never found him."

Luna frowned, looking surprised, then saddened as she looked away again. "We... We understand... He must has't wanted to forget. Some wounds just won't heal with time... We doth desire that gent didst not suffer while he slept."

"'Slept?'" Celestia asked, looking puzzled. "What do you mean? Why would he suffer?"

Luna looked back, confused. "Because We sealed him away inside a crystal? Tia?" Luna's voice sounded a little scared. "Thee didst find him, didn't thee?"

Celestia's eyes widened. "You did what? Where? When?!"

"Ere We had turned into Nightmare Moon, We... We...!" Luna stood, her breathing becoming faster. "We hath left him there… We thought…" She stumbled, and only avoided falling because Celestia caught her.

"Luna!"

"No..." Luna said, tears in her eyes. "No, it cannot be... Please Tia, tell me thee freed him. Tell me thee hath found him unharmed..."

"Luna, we... No... I thought there was nothing but dark magic under the castle, so I forbade anypony to go down there. We sealed it all away before we left." As Celestia said this, she cursed herself for not securing the underground herself.

At the time, she had simply not been able to face her sister's study, or any lingering memories. It had been too painful, but now, she realized a loyal stallion had been left behind. Not just left behind to sleep, but branded a traitor by history. Luna started to cry, mumbling something to herself as she did so.

However, it didn't take long before she stood up straight, removing the tears from her eyes with a determined look. "We'll has't to go see for Ourself, if the underground wast sealed away, then he might still beest there."

Celestia placed a hoof on her shoulder, shaking her head. "Luna, you only just got back a few hours ago. You need rest and time to recover. You're in no shape to travel anywhere at this time of night."

"But, Tia!" She looked at her older sister pleadingly. "He's been sealed away longer than Us. Us! If he is down there, he might well beest alive, sleeping. He doest not deserve that fate!"

"No." Celestia quickly assured her. "He doesn't, and he won't. Though right now you are in no shape to help him. You've just returned, it is a miracle you managed to raise the moon by yourself so soon after your return, but, but you need rest. Even if you got to him, I doubt you are well enough to break the seal."

"Thee can do it, sister.” Pleaded Luna, but Celestia simply shook her head.

"Luna, do you really want me to mess with one of your seals?" When Luna didn't respond, Celestia drew her closer. "I promise you, once you're fully rested, we leave for our old castle once again. Then we shall see if he is still there, and if he is, we shall leave with him, free once again."

Luna sighed. While this is not what she wanted, she understood and saw the wisdom in her sister's words. She couldn't help Star Chaser in the state she was in. Looking at Celestia, Luna nodded. "We shalt rest, then..."

Celestia pulled her in for another hug. "Do not worry, sister. I promise we shall find him."


As promised, Luna went to sleep that night, but it was with a heavy heart. Her rest was not peaceful, but filled with her own nightmares, and dark thoughts. Learning that her friend and lover had been trapped like her for a thousand years did nothing to calm her down, but she slept.

However, when the next day rolled around, and Luna had slept for hours, she demanded they go back. Celestia had hoped Luna would rest for a few days, but she knew better than to argue with her sister about this. Celestia kept her promise and arranged everything.

They took a carriage, and an escort of guard to the old castle. Luna didn't speak during the trip. This worried Celestia, but she could understand her sister's worries. At one point she tried to talk to her, only for Luna to grunt a few responses, and otherwise ignored her.

The arrived soon enough. They had barely landed before Luna almost kicked open the door and leapt out from the carriage and trotted in a fast pace towards the castle. Celestia soon followed, worried about her sister's emotional state. Whatever was hiding down there, whatever they would face, Luna would be vulnerable and need her support. Celestia just hoped her younger sister was strong enough to pull through. If something happened to her, she would never forgive herself.

They trotted around for a bit, their guard escort looking around with trepidation. Many of them of course knew of this place, but none of them had been here. Celestia could not blame their feelings; they only knew it as a place of a great battle against an evil force had taken place. Finally, they came to a halt. Luna looked at one of the large walls.

Absentmindedly, she ran her hoof over it. "There hath used to beest a door here..."

"Stand back." said Celestia. When Luna did so, Celestia used her magic to break down the stones, revealing a hidden passageway. Once it was fully revealed, Celestia turned and faced her guards. "You will stay up here; we won’t be long. If something happens, get help at once. Send word to Twilight Sparkle, as well." Celestia was not worried about dark magic, but she knew the passageways were old and likely in a poor state. If something were to happen, say a hallway collapsing, she wanted a somepony to be able to get help and render aid.

"Yes, princess!" The guards responded.

The two sisters descended into the underground, their steps disturbing the dust around them. "These halls have not seen life or care for the past one thousand years." Said Celestia, using her magic to light up the way. Luna did the same, making sure they had enough light to safely make their way through the dusty hallways.

"'Tis this way..." She said with confidence, yet with dread.

The sound of their hooves echoed through the hallways as they walked. The dark hallways seemed to go on forever, and they looked around nervously, as if somepony would jump out at them at any time. It was silly of course, Celestia knew full well nothing was down here with them. Luna however, seemed to ignore all such fears, and pushed on, finding her way with ease.

Soon they came upon two large double doors, and Luna stopped. This was it. This was her old study, her old sanctuary, and now Star Chaser's prison. She reached out a hoof, but seemed to feel ill and trembled back a little. Celestia calmly approached her sister. Luna didn't look at them, so instead, she just spoke. "We want to open these doors, but We..." Celestia frowned at this. Had she sealed the doors too? Luna would be too weak to open them. "We want to, but We art frightened, Tia." Luna finally admitted, tears threatening to make themselves visible in her eyes. "What if... What if he is not there any longer? Or something hadst happened to him?"

Celestia moved a wing around her sister, holding her for a brief moment. "Whatever it is, you won't be facing it alone. Not this time, sister."

Luna looked at Celestia, smiling a little, then stood up. "Right..." Celestia stepped back, not knowing what exactly they would face. Using her magic, gently this time, Luna opened the large double door, revealing the old study inside.

A gasp escaped them both as they saw it. What had once been a room with old books, and artifacts, was now a crystal cave! The crystals had grown from the original, and over the span of years, spread like plants to cover the entire room. Luna took a deep breath, walking inside, careful not to step on any small crystals. Celestia followed behind, careful just like Luna.

Celestia looked in fascination around the place. The crystals were glowing in all sorts of colors, and the way they had spread and grown made their patterns look wild and beautiful in its own way.

They both came to the center of the room, and there they found what they had been looking for. Luna's gasp signaled their find, and Celestia joined her at the center. There, in the middle they found Star Chaser, still trapped inside a large crystal, the chains still hanging from the walls, and connected to the crystal itself.

It was no longer hanging above the floor, but instead it had grown. Now it was touching the floor, and the ceiling. Like a plant, the crystal had moved like roots around the room. Celestia watched with horror, seeing the poor stallion still inside, still chained, and still in a deep sleep.

Luna felt the tears run down her cheeks, but she did not sob. Instead, she just walked forward, placing a hoof on the surface of the crystal. "Oh, mine beloved... What has't We done to thee…?” Her voice trembled with regret, and she sounded like she was about to break down. Still, Luna did not back down, and she remained strong, refusing to turn away from what she had done.

"Stand back!" She told her sister, stepping back herself too. She charged up her horn, focusing her magic and connected with the seal she had created. However almost immediately Luna stopped, letting out a yelp of pain as she stumbled back. Celestia was by her side at once, but Luna shook her off. "‘Tis rejecting me..."

Celestia's eyes widened. "What?"

"The seal, it hath grown stronger." Luna replied and stood up again. "We need more magic."

"Luna, you're still weak. You need to rest up more. We can post a guard, and come back once-"

"NO!" Luna yelled, her royal voice taking them by surprise, and shook some dust from the walls. Luna knew Celestia only had the best of intentions, but she wasn't going to leave here without him. "We art not leaving him like this, not again…"

"Luna, you're not strong enough."

Luna bit her lip, but looked more determined than Celestia had ever seen. "Then help Us!" There was a moment of silence, but before Celestia could answer, Luna added. "Please, Tia... Don't make Us leave him here, even for a few more days. We just... We just can't..."

Celestia looked at her sister, then at the crystal. Her thoughts returned to the moment she realized Luna had been banished to the moon, how her soul and heart felt like it had been ripped apart. The many nights she had sung to her, wished for her return, and cried herself asleep. A thousand years, a thousand winters, every day feeling heavier than the last. If she had the power to bring Luna back sooner, would she not do so?

Biting her lip, Celestia gained a serious look. "You won't be facing this alone, Luna. Not this time. I shall lend you my magic, and together, we shall break this seal."

Luna smiled, wiping tears from her eyes. "Thank thee..."

Standing in front of the large crystal, both steeled their heart, mind and will. Celestia wasn't there to help Luna last time, but she would be today. With that in mind, she used her magic to create a bond between the two of them, one which their magic would be linked. She would not dare mess with one of Luna's seals, not when a life was at stake, so Luna would need to do the actual spell for this to work.

Both connected, they closed their eyes in unison, focusing their magic. Luna felt the magic move through her, her power increasing like never before. It was like a powerful river was moving through her, and her sister, connecting them in will and mind!

Focusing her magic once more, connecting it to the crystal, she once again felt how it resisted her, and yet pulled at her. It was a strange feeling, one that strained Luna, making her work and put her all into her spell. The rest were no less determined, but it was Luna who pushed through the waves of resistance the crystal tried.

With a beating heat, and an iron will, Luna pushed through, almost screaming in frustration as she forced her way through, and finally breaking the seal. As soon as she did, the spell stopped, and both sisters felt themselves a little weakened. They stumbled, both panting heavily. It was like they had been running for miles and miles on end, but other than that, they were fine.

Luna herself stumbled to the floor but managed to keep herself up. She looked up, saw a crack had formed on the large crystal that held Star Chaser. For a moment it looked like it was the only damage they had done, but the crack grew, and it was soon followed by more cracks. The cracks formed faster, some large, some small, and soon it looked like all the crystals were covered in a spider's web. When the last crack had formed, Luna held her breath, about three seconds later, the crystals all at once broke into fine sand.

A body hung limb from the chains, but with a simple spell from Celestia, the chains broke, and freed the unconscious stallion. Gravity took his hold of his body, but Luna managed to spring forward, and caught him just before he hit the floor. By this time Celestia had gotten up, looking with anticipation and concern at the stallion.

He looked just like he did one thousand years ago. It seemed time had not touched him, keeping him still for years and years on end. Luna held him in her forelegs, stroking some of her mane out of his face. "Star, please… Awaken…"

The stallion opened his eyes, gasping for air as if he had just been diving, and came up from the water. He looked around, confused and bewildered. "What is…? Where…? Lu-Luna…?" His eyes darted around, but then settled on Luna. "Luna, what... What happened…?"

Luna smiled, but tears were streaming from her eyes. She wanted to answer, but her voice failed her, and instead she just embraced him, crying as she held him close. Star Chaser looked surprised for a moment, but then weakly stroked her mane, hushing her sweetly. "Shhh... It's okay..." He said gently.

"No, 'tis not! We’re so sorry!" She cried, tightening her hold on him.

"Shhh, it's okay. I'm here." He looked exhausted, and barely seemed to understand what had happened. Then, he chuckled, moving his hoof along her short blue mane. "What have you done to your mane...?" He asked weakly, then kissed her cheek to calm her down.

"Captain Star Chaser." Celestia suddenly said, stepping forward.

Star's eyes flicked to Celestia, apparently only now seeing there were more ponies in the room with them. His eyes widened, and for a moment, he tried to get up and salute, but Luna refused to break the hug, and he could rightly say he didn't want to leave her. Not that it mattered. His body was too weak, having not moved for so long.

"P-Princess Celestia...? Please, do not punish Luna..." He pleaded. "I beg of you, she just-"

But Celestia held up a hoof, a gentle smile gracing her lips. "Do not worry, my little pony. You are not in trouble, nor is my sister." Her gentle smile vanished and was replaced with an expression of guilt and sadness. Star felt Luna pull him even closer, as her sobs seemed to intensify slightly.

"...However, there is a lot we have to tell you."

Author's Note: