The Crescent Journal

by GuitarKirby

Phase 5 - Full Moon, Part 3 (Chapter 6)

Luna walked along the grassy hills, enjoying the feeling of the soft vegetation beneath her hooves. The moisture tickled her fur, the wind blew her mane out behind her. The entire area was bathed in the light of a full moon, which drained some of the color. Still, Luna enjoyed it; the light was gentle, and the air was cool.

Then, seemingly from nowhere, the sun began to rise, forcing the moon from the sky. Luna looked at it in irritation as her sister stepped over the hill. She had a cold, calculating look, as though sizing Luna up. That was when Luna realized where she was; a nightmare. Her nightmare. The nightmare that had ruined her, and had tried to bath the land in shadows. The heat of the sun burned her skin beneath her fur coat. Her mind screamed out, but she could not speak.

Please, Tia, don't! It isn't me!

"You have gone too far, Luna."

"That is no longer my name, Celestia," said a voice that was not Luna's, the last word dripping with spite. "I am now the nightmare that you cannot hope to defeat, the one that rules over the night! I shall end your petty day, and make certain that the Sun never shines again! I shall be victorious, and ponies will live through a beautiful, eternal night!" The Luna inside cried at the words of the one on the outside. Celestia bowed her head, a tear dripping from her eye. However, she spoke with conviction.

"I have attempted to reason with you, my sister. I have used every diplomatic option available to me, have used every option I could think of to be sure it would not come to this. However, it seems I am left with no choice. I cannot allow you to destroy this world of so many creatures merely to keep my sister. You show no remorse, and so I must do this." Celestia then stood tall. Six small stones flashed into existence, capturing Luna's attention. Each had a bright gem set into it, brightly colored.

"Look at them, Luna, for they shall be the last thing you see on this Earth," said Celestia, sadness cracking her voice. Nightmare Moon reared, her horn flashing, while Luna screamed and cried and stamped in the corners of the dark mare's mind. The Elements of Harmony swirled, and blasted a polychromatic light at Nightmare Moon. Celestia cried out her sadness and regret as Nightmare Moon disappeared to the surface of the moon. Luna looked around through the mare's eyes. One thousand years. One thousand years of solitude, torment, horror... One thousand years alone, with nothing but her self-loathing and hatred for Celestia... She was alone. Alone. Alone...

"ALONE!" screamed Luna, her eyes snapping open. She breathed heavily, horrified. Celestia walked into the room, and saw her sister on her belly, with her face hidden in her front legs, her journal with a pen writing in it. Luna was crying. Celestia spoke quietly.
"Luna...?" Her sister turned her head to look at the intruder with bloodshot eyes.
"Oh," she said, sniffling. "Hello, Tia." She looked at her sister for a moment, and burst into hysterical tears. Celestia trotted towards her and put a hoof around her.
"Shhh, shhh. It's alright, Luna, it's alright," said Celestia. She looked at the diary.

Oh, I have had one of those nightmares again! It happens every so often... It terrifies me horribly. The last of my shadowy days... The day Celestia sent me away, banished me to the moon. The worst of it is that I keep myself when I have this dream, this horrifying nightmare. I watch from inside my own mind, the mind of that monster I had become. My jealousy, my rage, it was all there... What a terrifying sight I must have been! I watch every time, knowing what will happen, and willing in vain that it will not.

Then, always I am sent away by my sister. Rejected by my only family, all because of my stupid, juvenile, petty jealousies and hatreds. I have not been forgiven for my mistake, despite all my wishes to recompense. I know I am inadequate; Tia is so much more than I. No Princess should cry, never should we fall under our own burdens. Yet I do it so often. Certainly I am not worthy of m

Celestia used her magic to stop the pen, and set the journal down across the room. She then did something she never, ever did; she admitted her weaknesses.

"Luna, you can't expect all of this to be true."

"But it is! You never cry or-"

"But I do, Luna. I cried every night for two centuries with the knowledge of what I had done. I sent you to the moon. I may have had to do it, but I felt disgusted with myself. And all the while, I was treated like a hero for what I had done. I was disgusted with myself, disgusted with my subjects. I fell beneath my new burdens constantly, trying to run both the night and day court. All the while, I tried to be sure that your name would remain a respected, loved one... While the ponies of society spread that horrid legend of you. I could not abolish it because of my distance. My weakness is as, if not more, responsible for your current position. I am so sorry, my dear sister..."

The two stayed with each other for the rest of the night. Luna quietly lay against her sister, while Celestia wrapped her in a large wing, keeping the sister she had lost for so long safe and protected.