A Dance Between the Sun and the Voice in Her Head

by MistOverMoon

Chapter Three - Return

The time had come. Celestia lowered the sun and brought up the moon. It might be the last time her ponies saw the sun for a thousand years. Everything was in place, now she needed only to return to her old castle and meet her sister. Any time she could buy her student would be priceless.

With the door shut behind her Celestia stood on her balcony and opened her wings. It was cold tonight but the inner warmth within her banished the bite. She let the wind flow through her feathers and coat. She relished in the feeling of the air in her lungs and the sight of her peaceful kingdom sprawling before her. Then, she took flight with a single beat of her powerful wings. Nothing else mattered at this moment, nothing but flying to meet her sister.

She powered up through the cold air with mighty beats of her wings. Magic fueled her as she flew higher and higher until she broke the cloud cover overhead. She soon reached the warm air coming off the face of the mountain where Canterlot was imbedded into its side. It aided her flight and soon she was coasting along with the wind at her back. The homes of her ponies were specks below her at this height. The moon seemed closer than ever, the presence of the mare in moon reminded her that she still had time.

"Not breaking out the old battle armor? Not even the royal poker?" Void's voice crackled to life in her mind. "A shame, those things really bring out the vengeful sun look."

"I will not fight Luna again." Celestia said. "The most I will do is delay her and buy time for Twilight."

"Is it because you know you can't beat her? Admit it, you have grown weak. You aren't the skull smashing mare you used to be."

"So says the voice in my head."

"You didn't deny it."

Celestia coasted on the warm wind towards the Everfree. Its twisted boughs and wild nature were visible to her from this height. The moon was bright and cast the land in an otherworldly glow. It only grew brighter as she glided closer, as if spiteful at her approach.

"What would you have me say? My magic is nothing like it used to be. Maybe some time in the sun will do me good." Celestia glanced towards the baleful moon. Why did it have to come to this?

"Don't get too guilty now. Tonight is a big night for you, and a big night for me."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Don't you worry about a thing my dear, just focus on getting your sister back."

Immediately Celestia began to think through any possible way Void could play this situation to his advantage. He was just a voice in her head, what could he do? There was Nightmare Moon, supposedly some dark force that infected her sister and orchestrated by Void, but was that really true? Luna had been harboring discontent for a long time, it would make sense for her to have become Nightmare Moon on her own. What was Void planning?

"Is there a parasite in my sister or not?" Celestia snapped.

"You tell me, you are her sister after all."

"Why you-"

"Ah, ah, ah, Showtime princess."

Sure enough, the Everfree was below her now. Its twisted branches almost seemed to reach towards her like claws. Its dark confines sheltered the Castle of the Two Sisters which stuck out of the gnarled woodland. The sight of the old castle brought forth memories she thought long buried. Ruling together with her sister, creating a peaceful kingdom, and finally, banishing her sister that one fateful night.

Despite her worries Celestia knew that Void was right. Now was not the time to think about anything else. Now was the time to face her sister.

She dropped into a dive towards the old castle with wind rushing past her ears. A hole in the ceiling, one created from her long ago battle with Nightmare Moon, provided easy access into it. Gently, she slowed until she landed so softly on the stone floors that her gilded hooves made a noise nothing more than a light clink.

The air inside the old castle was dreadfully silent. It was the old throne room which held two ancient thrones side by side at the far end. One for the princess of the day, the other for the princess of the night. Two tattered banners hung silently behind the thrones depicting stylized versions of the two sisters in gold and dark blue respectively. The entire room was covered in rubble from their previous battle. It was a scene she had moved to Canterlot to escape.

Through the hole in the ceiling the moon shone down directly overhead. The mare in the moon, her sister, was forever still in the form of distant craters.

Celestia took a deep breath to calm herself. She thought about what to say to her sister, but nothing came to mind. She felt muddled and her chest was already seizing up. With a shaky breath she looked up to the moon overhead.

The mare in the moon was as still as ever. And then it wasn't.

The craterous form of her sister on the moon shifted and reared back and appeared to laugh. It leaned forward as its form shifted like a puppet show on the moon. It looked down at her as it leaned closer until only its eye was visible. Celestia felt as if she was a bug beneath a magnifying glass. Then, the spell snapped.

The mare in the moon vanished from its prison. Moments later a dark fog drifted through the hole in the roof. Slowly it pooled on the ground in front of the two thrones. The darkness swirled, building from the ground up as it coalesced. First the hooves were built, then the body, the flowing mane and tail, and finally the slit draconic turquoise eyes of a living nightmare, or perhaps a bitter soul. Ancient dark blue armored covered her, and across her chest was the symbol of her cutie mark, a crescent moon.

As she landed a dark fog seeped out behind her before creeping away into the dark.

"Luna." Celestia looked into the eyes of her sister and her heart softened. "You have returned."

"Who are you speaking to sister? Luna is gone, only Nightmare Moon remains!" Nightmare Moon spread her wings wide a wicked grin on her face that reveals sharp incisors. "Where is your armor and spear sister, do you think you can defeat me with just your hooves?"

"I didn't come to fight. Please Luna, we don't have to-" Celestia took to the skies as a blast of wicked blue energy scorched the spot she had just been.

"My name is Nightmare Moon! Luna is gone forever!" Nightmare Moon cackled as her horn glowed. "I will not tolerate any other name!"

"Very well, Nightmare Moon." Celestia landed back on the ground as she scanned her sister's eyes. She was looking for any sign that Luna was still in there. Was this just a parasite, or was it her sister? "Where has my sister gone then?"

"She died in your sun long ago." Nightmare Moon grinned as she stalked forward. "Now I will rule forever, and you will feel the pain of being locked away for a thousand years!"

"Luna, please." Celestia felt her heart squeeze uncomfortably at the hateful look in her sister's eyes. "I made a mistake; I should have seen what was happening. I know we might never go back to how we used to be, but I can't rule without you. I can't live in eternity without you! You are my sister!"

For a moment Celestia swore she saw the eyes of the nightmare shift. Beneath the haze of bitterness and hate something sparkled through. After living with her sister for countless years she could recognize it, recognize her sister's eyes softening just the slightest. It was a sign that secured Celestia's suspicions. There was no parasite, Void had lied to her, this was her sister. It was her sister, shrouded in her hate and bitterness, but it was her sister. As quick as the eyes softened, they returned to bitterness and rage with a vengeance.

"So now you come crawling back dear sister? You come crawling back after realizing you can't be a tyrant all on your own? Are you tired sister, tired of managing the sun and moon? I can feel it, you are weak." Nightmare Moon strode forward, her mane a borderless cloak of flickering night and stars that swayed with magic. "It is too late for amends sister. Luna is gone, and soon you will be too."

"Luna..." Celestia took a step forward, she couldn't stop the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "I never wanted to rule alone. Please... come back to me."

"NO!" Nightmare Moon reared back as her mane turned into a swirling windstorm of darkened night, her voice boomed loud enough to shake the stones of the castle. "LUNA IS DEAD!!!"

Celestia dove out of the way as a blast of powerful magic screamed past her. It singed her white coat, but she pushed through the pain to take to the air. Adrenaline surged through her as she rose into the night. Even with blood and adrenaline racing through her veins she felt lethargic and slow. She felt like her wings were covered in sludge and her once battle honed instincts were dulled as a rusted edge.

"Where are you going dear sister?!" Nightmare Moon rose behind her laughing. "Running from your problems once again?"

"I am not going to fight you, Luna!" Celestia barely evaded another blast of dark magic. "We are meant to rule together!"

"The only one who is meant to rule-" Nightmare Moon leveled her wickedly long horn towards Celestia. "IS ME!"

Heat scorched Celestia's back as a massive blast of magic burrowed into her. With a scream Celestia dropped from the sky, her wings locked up from the pain. She smashed through the window of one of the old towers and landed in a smoking heap on the floor.

She didn't feel like fighting her sister. She didn't feel like fighting against this fate. Maybe she deserved it. For a moment she laid there, thoroughly and utterly beaten. It was pathetic. What she had become was pathetic.

"Is that all? I expected more from you." Nightmare Moon landed next to her with a thud. "Where has that rage gone? That power?"

"I won't fight you." Celestia wheezed as she forced herself to her feet. Pain which was once common to her had become an unwelcome oddity.

"FIGHT ME!" Nightmare Moon screamed in her face. It was loud enough to send Celestia's mane flying back. "FIGHT ME, HATE ME, DO SOMETHING BESIDES FALL OVER LIKE A WET RAG!"

"I could never hate you." Celestia spoke softly and gently reached towards her sister. "How could I ever hate my sister?"

"No. No! NO!" Nightmare Moon screeched as her horn began to glow as she stepped back. "I won't listen to your tricks any longer. Rest your silver tongue in the sun dear sister!"

"Luna! Wait-"

Celestia was cut off as a wave of dark blue magic hit her in the chest. For a moment she felt nothing. Then, she felt herself begin to rise. The wave of magic washed over her like a tidal wave. She soon found the breath from her lungs gone and all feeling in her limbs vanished. Where there was once flesh was only a cloud of white mist. She rose into the sky in seconds. Equestria was swallowed up by distance beneath her as she was sent careening into the dark beyond.

In the next moment she realized her form was headed straight for her hidden sun. She went flying into the flaming ball which wrapped her in its fiery blaze. As she entered it the sun sealed itself around her then almost solidified which locked her in place. She tried to wiggle free but found herself unable to control her body. Celestia was thoroughly trapped.

Celestia knew that this was going to happen. There was no way to avoid it. Now all her hopes rested on Twilight Sparkle. She knew Twilight could stop Nightmare Moon. It was only a matter of fate now.

She floated in the sun. Amidst the blaze there was nothing she could see. It was all fire. It welcomed her, the sun was hers after all, but she could see nothing beyond it. She wondered if Luna had to endure something similar.

Perhaps there had been another way through this. Perhaps it would have been better to eliminate her sister and secure the kingdom's safety. Was it selfish to want her sister back so much that she risked it all?

"So all your pieces come into play now hmm?" Void hummed merrily. "How will the kingdom do without its princess? Will it crumble? Thrive? Or perhaps they will never know because their princess will have a glorious and swift return?"

"You seem to be enjoying my suffering." Celestia didn't speak so much as radiate a noise like a hymn in her gaseous state. It was much like how Void spoke in her own mind.

"Don't mind me my dear sun. It has been a good day is all."

"You lied about the parasite; my sister was not infected."

"Did I ever say she was? I only said I sent her a friend with her to the moon."

"What is that supposed to mean? Stop speaking in riddles Void." Celestia fumed, the events with her sister and now Void grated her nerves. She just wanted to be left alone. "Is there something infecting my sister or not?"

"Fine you worrywart, no, I would never hurt Luna. She is going to be family after all when this is all over." Void sighed loudly. "I didn't lie to you my dear sun, there was nothing of my doing or an accomplice of mine infecting her or harming her."

"Then who or what did you send up to my sister?"

"Well, telling you would spoil the fun, wouldn't it?" Void snickered.

"Enough games Void!" Celestia felt rage ignite in her heart. "Who did you send to my sister?!"

"Getting frustrated my dear? I'm afraid that this move in our eternal game is mine. Oh, winning a move against you feels so very nice! It brings me just a bit closer to securing your heart, my beloved manipulator."

"I am not a manipulator; I am a teacher and a ruler." Celestia sighed. "It doesn't matter anymore; I'm stuck here and so are you. Nothing you do can affect my little ponies or me for a thousand years."

"You think so?" Void asked. "I feel as if a little sparkle is about to shine on your dark cloud."

"If Twilight frees me then I will root out your plan and stop it." Celestia said. "My sister will be restored by the elements of harmony, and we can rule together once more. That is the best-case scenario."

"It is, isn't it?" Void snickered.

"It is. If I can rule with together with my sister again... I wouldn't dream of having anything more." Celestia said. "That is all I have wanted for the past one-thousand years. None of your games or tricks will change my heart."

"I know."

Celestia said nothing more. For once she did not know what to say or do. If Twilight freed her and cleansed her sister of bitterness, then everything would have gone perfectly. She could reconcile with her sister, and everything would be in harmony once more. Why did something feel off then? What was Void planning?

For once in her life Celestia didn't know where the next piece was going to be placed.

It didn't matter though, as long as she had her sister back it would all be worth it. She only hoped that she could unravel whatever Void's plan was. For now, all she could do was wait and hope that Twilight had made some friends.

Celestia was counting on it.