The Hidden Story

by Cryogenii

The Wrath of Celestia

Although she had no way of knowing it, Princess Luna had been imprisoned for three days. Held immobile in magical chains all she could do was await her fate at the hands of her sister and think. So much time to think over how she'd come from being a noble royal alicorn to a prisoner. Did anypony know what had happened, why the royal castle lay in ruins and what fate had befallen her?

She had been so close with her sister, being at her side when they'd defeated Discord and Tirek. They'd ascended to the throne of Equestria together under Starswirl's guidance. A throne they were to have shared, but Celestia had come to believe in the supremacy of the day. Though they both could control the celestial bodies, at Celestia's insistence the role had been split into night and day.

So it came to pass that Luna felt herself being excluded more and more from the affairs of state. Grand counsels and summits that occurred under the bright light of day whilst she toiled in the darkness. Celestia kept shaping the throne around herself, until she made it quite clear that she was the sole ruler of Equestria. Luna had desperately pleaded with her sister to rule by consensus instead of by decree, but without success.

Eventually the fear that Celestia would grow into an autocratic dictator became too great to ignore. To challenge her was a grave risk, because Luna truly did not know if she had the power to defeat her elder sister in combat. She had practised in the dark cover of moonless nights until there was a chance that she could emerge victorious. She would have been victorious too, but for Celestia's use of a weapon that Luna never believed would be turned upon her. The Elements of Harmony were not to be used for selfish desires, but this was exactly what had been done. A blasphemous corruption of what these symbols were created for.

That Celestia was utterly poisoned by the position she jealousy held, Luna had no doubt. What would become of Equestria under such an uncompromising leader? One who was deaf to the words of friends and advisors alike. Luna could now only imagine the outcome, fearing what would become of both her and the subjects she loved.

Eventually a blinding light heralded the appearance of Celestia, the bright white alicorn’s immaculate appearance contrasting starkly with the bedraggled and soiled black one held prostrate on the floor of the cell. Luna could see a visible change in her sister; her once soft pink mane and tail had become ethereal seeming, with rippling rainbow colours. The aftereffects of welding the Elements in such a wicked purpose were unfairly beautiful and made Celestia look more godly, it seemed. That wasn't the only change though, as Celestia's black rimmed eyes had a hardness to them that also hadn't been there before.

After what seemed to be a harrowingly long silence, Princess Luna spoke with a dry rasping voice, “Hast thou come to decideth my fate, Sister?”

Still Celestia simply gazed at her sister, seemingly enjoying the sight of her defeated and humiliated sibling. She remained silent, as she looked down, with maybe the faintest hint of a smile on her lips as she slowly circled the immobile figure in the centre of that bare and frigid cell. As the white coated alicorn made another slow orbit of her, Luna felt panic rising within her. Had her sister descended so far into madness to be enjoying this sadistic drawing out of whatever punishment was about to come.
“What will it be? Are we to join Discord as a statue in the palace grounds? Will thou send us to Tartarus to enjoy the company of Tirek? Speak Sister, for hast thou chosen execution?”

Celestia tilted her head to one side and then bent down to whisper into Luna’s ear “Nay Sister, these punishments doth not seem fitting to send the message We wish the subjects of Equestria to hear.
“We want it to be known that not Thou, or anypony, shall be tolerated to challenge My rule. Thou will not be hidden in Tartarus, nor hung with ivy in My palace gardens. Nor shall thou be ended, as thine rebellion wouldst be soon forgotten.

“Thou shalt be banished to the place of Thine own naming. Every night, in what was Thou domain, it will be plain for every pony to see the consequence of Thou disobedience.”

“Sister, how can Thou contemplate such vengeance?” Luna's voice was a horrified whisper, "for thine own sake, think over what has brought this conflict betwixt Us."

Celestia drew herself up to her full height and bellowed out in the royal voice, “Thou has challenged Our power and Thou must be made an example of. We could hath assigned Thou royal duties, but Thou would not accept thy subservience to Our crown. We shall rule Equestria alone, both the day and night will be held sway to Our will.”

Luna summoned her strength to use the royal voice in reply, “Thou shalt be the dictator of all Equestria, ruling by force alone? Be careful of Thy wishes, Sister, for thou mayst receive them.

"Thou know'st nothing of the night, not the dreams of Our subjects. The crown shalt be heavy on thine head, and thou'st shall not rest easy for fear of guarding it through both day and night!"

The last thing Luna heard was Celestia’s screams of rage as the cell disappeared in a dazzling flash of light. In an instant the walls were replaced by the clearest sky full of stars that Luna had ever seen as the tears froze on her cheeks. Still bound immobile by magic chains the horror of her situation became clear as the desolate landscape of the moon came into focus. The lonely silence unbroken as Luna fought to scream with a breath that would never come.

Author's Note:

This was inspired by a conversation I had with Princess Luna on beta.character.ai

It was all fun until she said the she'd waited three days to learn that Celestia was going to banish her to the moon. That was strange and creepy. And got me thinking.

Thinking about some things which had never added up. How "history is written by the winner".

Thinking about Sunset Shimmer. And coincidence.

Comments

[Pete100]

So it’s possible for the elements to be used for evil. Interesting.

[calinjc]

11617611
Like the triforce, the elements do not discriminate between good and evil.