The Moon's Plea
There was only darkness at first.
Luna's head pounded with the force of a hammer, feeling as if she were being trampled by a herd of Earth Ponies, as she lay on the cold stone floor. Her ears rang with a shrill sound, the world seemed to spin beneath her. Even the slightest movement causing her to feel nauseous as she awoke. Slowly, the thrumming in her head began to subside allowing her to clear the fog that captivated her mind and body.
Lifting her head or moving her hooves was no easy feat either. The powerful combat spell she cast came at a price, but being struck down by whatever spell Twilight had used only magnified that exhaustion 10-fold. The pain would subside soon, that much she knew. She was an exceptionally fast healer, but not soon enough to bring any sweet relief.
Slowly, she cracked open her eyes, instantly reeling back from the bright lights which surrounded her. It seemed as if she was brought face to face with her sister's Sun, the intense light causing spots to flash in her vision and sent another wave of nausea and pain through her body. The headache returned with greater force, eliciting a pain-laced groan as she squeezed her eyes shut tightly. The cursed light seemed to eat at her body as she felt a warm heat surround her.
Sparing a few moments to allow the pain to subside once more, Luna opened on eye more carefully. The light was still blinding in her concussed and aching state, but after a few minutes and blinking through tears she began to survey the room she was in once more.
The massive, empty space of the warehouse was brightly lit and humming vibrantly with magic. Luna realized the ringing had not just been in her head when she awoke, but surrounded her entirely. Glyphs and runes covered the walls and floors of the massive room, and magical sparks danced through the air, streaks of magenta and cerulean swirling around her.
She was surrounded by glowing lines and circles, most notable were the five that encircled her. Like ethereal gears which moved clockwise and counterclockwise around her, they thrummed with magic, sending soft vibrations through Luna's body. They glowed with a crude mixture of the multicolored sparks which danced through the air above her head. She wasn't sure if she was just seeing things, but it looked to be her magic that was partly fueling her glowing prison.
Slowly she regained enough strength to stand. Shakily she rose to her hooves, when suddenly the brilliant lights flared and she was forced down to her knees with a cry of shock. A small but steady stream of magic flowed through her body, out of her hooves, and into the floor. The circles surrounding her grew brighter and Luna's fears were confirmed before her eyes, but she had little time to consider the gravity of the situation before a quiet voice called out behind her.
"It's beautiful, isn't it Princess?"
Its was soft, the voice she heard. So soft, she barely heard it through her still ringing ears. Of course the hum of magic which surrounded didn't help the situation, but Luna knew the voice well. Moving faster than she should have been able in her weakened state, Luna whirled around instantly, jumping into a defensive stance. Her horn blazed with magic as she faced Twilight Sparkle.
A dome of light flared in front of Luna to counter any assault she may attempt. She stood a safe distance away from Luna, her own horn enveloped in magic. In front of her, a glowing glyph hung in the air. It seemed only half complete, but with a few quick movements, Twilight carved the emblem into the air with her horn. It hung in the air for another moment before flashing brightly and dissipating into sparks.
Twilight turned to face Luna, regarding her with a curious expression.
"I am impressed Princess, you recover much faster than I had expected." Twilight spoke to her as if she was speaking to a friend, no harshness in her voice. Her head cocked slightly to one side, one eyebrow raised as she studied the Princess. "Especially after all that we just went through."
Luna fixed her with hard gaze, but not without some confusion. As she took in the Mare's form, she couldn't help but question Twilight's own ability to move.
The unicorn seemed to stand with little pain, however her outward appearance mirrored Luna's internal. Bruises which ran along her side could be seen through her fur, courtesy of Princess Luna during their earlier brawl. A sizable bruise covered once side of her jaw where she had been struck, but slowly it was fading from healing magic. The cut above her eye had also healed, leaving a thin white scar where blood had once flowed, but the gash which ran along her side was scabbed over and streaks of blood stained Twilight's coat. The unicorn's front left hoof was held close to her chest. Luna could see pieces of bone, muscle, and ligaments moving slowly beneath skin. The process must have been painful, but Twilight stared at her with a mostly vacant expression.
Luna regarded her disdainfully, snorting at Twilight's comment. "For a mare so brilliant as yourself, surely your powers of observation are not as... misguided, as that." She glanced around the room, gesturing to the ocean of magic with ebbed and flowed above them.
Luna's horn still glowed brightly, shimmering with magic, but she stood impassively as she glared down at Twilight. "So tell me Twilight, do you intend to mock me, whilst I am momentarily ensnared in your little vice, or will you attempt to kill me tonight?" Luna spat, ensuring she adequately stressed 'attempt'. "What is your game, mare?"
Twilight continued to study Princess Luna with an unreadable expression. The Alicorn had to admit the unicorn's skill at hiding her emotions, especially from Luna. She turned away from the Princess, her horn blazing once more with magic as glyphs and sigils burned into the air once more, the flurry of magical sparks surrounding them growing in number and intensity.
"With all due respect Princess, neither. I simply do not have the time, nor do I care to either humiliate or attempt to kill you." She paused for a moment, a thoughtful and partially quizzical expression flashing across her features. "To be honest, I never even considered what the latter would take. I think I always assumed it was outside of even my range of power."
"You would be quite correct in your assessment, however it does not change our current standing and situation. I will shall repeat myself Twilight Sparkle, what is your game?" Luna gestured grandly with one hoof, turning as she did. "What is the point of all this?"
Twilight turned back towards Luna. Chewing softly on her now healed lip, she regarded Luna once again with a thoughtful expression. "What would an explanation matter at this point Princess, other than to delay me and stall for time." She responded with melancholy. "My spell is almost complete, and... I wont be here much longer." She said, her voice wavering as she finished.
Luna gave her a doubting look. "I thought you weren't supposed to be here at all? When I last spoke to... the other one, she showed me quite the horrifying sight. Shouldn't you either be convulsing on the ground, or grinning at me right now?"
Twilight winced at her words, squeezing her eyes tightly. "Please Princess, don't remind me." She shook her head with a grim expression. "You simply cannot begin to understand what it's like when she takes over. It's so cold, so dark. What you saw was very much me, beneath all of her power. I would prefer not to discuss it. As I said, I won't be here much longer and my time is running short."
"That's hardly an answer." Luna frowned. "If your spell is not yet complete, than what harm would an explanation do for now? After all, you return to Canterlot after 16 years, murder, or try to murder, every living thing that even remotely approaches you, including my personal student. You threatened your Brother, the Captain of the Royal Guard, assaulted Princess Cadance, attacked an innocent Pegasus who had nothing to do with all that has gone on..."
Twilight averted her gaze at the mention of Fluttershy, suddenly looking somber. Luna ignored her, "You kidnapped 2 fillys, unleashed your demon on the Royal Guard, and imprisoned me, here. As I am sure you are aware, your prison cannot hold me forever. The odds of you surviving the night are slim to none Twilight. If there was ever a time to explain, now would be the time."
There was a long silence between the two mare. For a few moments, only the hum of magic emanated throughout the warehouse. Finally, Twilight spoke.
"The Pegasus, Ms. Fluttershy. Did she survive?" Her voice soft, yet level. betraying no emotion.
Luna narrowed her eyes at Twilight. "Yes, No thanks to you. Your cruelty knows no depths, Twilight Sparkle. I know, you have quite the library in your storage crystal. A little more than evening-tea reading."
Twilight stare became cold and impassive, not meeting Luna's eyes. "You shouldn't have seen those, Princess. They are meant for only my eyes to see."
"That seems rather selfish." Luna replied, sarcastically. "After all, why should you be the only one to know of the most gruesome ways to bring death upon another pony, or any creature at that? Do you consider yourself to be some sort of vigilantly? Bringing death and punishment to those whom you deem worthy of it?"
"The content of those books mean nothing, now." Twilight stomped her hoof sharply, the echo reverberating around the room. "Only one pony in all of Equestria deserves to feel those things. Trust me, Princess, when I say that it would be justice served, but once again it doesn't matter anymore."
"Is that what happened to Render? Just another personal affair, serving justice? Just like the bar?"
"They were murderers, vandals and thugs, and I did not cast the first stone!" Twilight snapped quickly. "Besides, it was better them then some innocent foal, or a family. You have no idea what it's like to have to live with my demon. A little bit of blood from time to time is all I can do to keep her in check.
"And you know that I would not have interfered if Render hadn't held that town in his vice. He was a guard and was YOUR responsibility, not mine. I was simply serving justice where it was deserved. What he did to me as a child is inconsequential now. I couldn't have cared less for a colt who used to be a bully. Truthfully, I pitied him. He and the others may have been awful to me, but what happened to them was far more than they deserved."
Twilight shook her head sullenly, a vacant expression clouding her features. "I still remember his little sister, Short Sight. She was the first thing I saw when the dust cleared that day. A sweet filly, only 6 years old. She was treated the same as me, made a mockery because she was weaker than the rest. That day, she followed her brother and the others. Probably in an attempt to put a stop to her own mistreatment. She was mislead, but none of them deserved that."
Luna glared in response. "You say that, and yet what you did to Fluttershy was far worse. Unless you're here to tell me otherwise, we always believed that day, 16 years ago, was a tragic accident. One that we feared completely destroyed you, and took the lives of several others." Luna raised a pointed hoof sternly at Twilight, baring her teeth. "But what you did to Fluttershy was an act of barbarous cruelty and you know it. She had nothing to do you. Nothing!
"And yet all you have to say, is to ask if she lived?" Luna scoffed with disgusted laughter. "She may never fly again, her psyche may never recover. She was always so gentle, so fragile. She was always afraid of others, but so kind and caring. Years of her life she lived being trod under the hoofs of other. She always jumped at the shadows, and we tried to show her she had nothing to fear. But you."
Luna gave her a look of disgust and pointed accusingly with her hoof, "YOU, are the monster that she always feared lurked in the darkness."
Twilight was frozen for a moment, her eyes hidden in shadows as she look down at the ground. The temperature in the room seemed to drop a few degrees. It was several moments before Twilight spoke, her voice teetering on a dangerous edge.
"I'm the monster." She whispered. She drew a ragged breath, her head twitching to one side. Suddenly, her breathes turned into a soft chuckle. Not a laugh of humor or happiness, but a cold and empty sound which echoed throughout the warehouse. The hum of magic seemed to disappear, vanishing into a deafening silence.
"You think she is the only one to have learned that the hard way? Do you believe she is the only one who bears scars which will never fade?"
Slowly, she set her left hoof down, it having finally healed enough to walk on. She gingerly took a step forward. Then another. Magical sparks began to swirl around her body, the soft purple sparks turning dark. Her hooves clicked as she stepped sullenly towards the night Princess.
"Do you know what it feels like to be torn away from everything you love in an instant, and knowing you could never return to what you had? Do you know what its like, Princess, to awake standing over corpses you never met? Have you ever had to fight your own mind, never being able to fail, because you know that if you do, the darkness will destroy everything you love and will use your own hooves to do it? To wander for years, knowing you have to be alone, or you will tear apart everyone near you."
Step by step she approached the ley lines of Luna's prison, standing only a few feet from Princess Luna. Heavy breaths shook her small body as she still refused to meet Luna's eyes with her own.
"Fluttershy" Twilight's voice strained, barely controlling her emotions which threatened to erupt. "is just another in a long, long list of ponies who have had to see the monster inside of me unleashed. But for 16 years, Princess..."
She raised her head, finally meeting Luna's gaze.
Tears streamed down the right side of Twilight's face, pain etched into every facet of her features. Every muscle in her body was tensed, straining at her own words. Her heck craned high towards her prisoner. Though Luna was far taller than Twilight, the unicorns muzzle was mere inches from her own. The most frightening part of Twilight, was her left eye. Her normally violet eye was replaced with inky blackness.
"For 16 years, I have had to watch myself become the monster that I feared."
Luna stared deeply into the eyes of Twilight Sparkle. The little unicorns body shook with raw emotion, and shuddered with each breath she took. There was a long silence between the two, as magic swirled around Twilight's body, and the lights of Luna's prison glowed. As Luna gazed into Twilight's eyes, studying the young mare, she felt and saw something familiar.
Pain, fear, misery, sadness, anger, betrayal, shame, despair, loneliness. Twilight Sparkle's soul was laid open before her, but to Luna it seemed like a reflection of herself she hadn't felt in nearly a millennium.
As she stared into Twilight's eyes, the words of Dementis herself came flooding back to Luna. Those weeks ago when she had first entered Twilight's mind.
"You, my Princess... you have experienced... the NIGHTMARE!”
The words Dementis has spoken to her, suddenly struck her greater force than before. As Luna looked into Twilight's eyes, her expression softened. With a sadness written across her features, she shook her head gently.
"You are wrong Twilight." Luna leaned down, her head separated from Twilight's only by the invisible barrier as she stared eye to eye with the unicorn. The two separated only by the thin force field which held Luna. "I am perhaps the only pony in all of Equestria who could understand, because I know what it means to have everything you love taken from you by Discord."
Twilight's intense glare faltered for a moment as she stepped back, flinching at the name which passed from Luna's lips. She grit her teeth, averting her gaze from the Alicorn as another tear fell from her eyes. "You cannot possibly know what I've suffered." She turned away in disgust as her horn flared to life, carving more glowing signs into the air. This time, she struck quickly as if she were goring and rending the air.
"You are wrong again, Twilight. Surely you remember the stories Celestia and I told you when you were but a filly. How for centuries we were locked in combat with Discord and his chaos as he rampaged across Equestria. The many battles, his mischief, and how we sealed him away with the Elements of Harmony. What we never told you was the cost of every battle, and the toll that war took on all of Equestria."
Luna turned away, staring into the swirling ocean of magic as she reflected on the past. "What we never told you was how he destroyed our entire lives, how he nearly destroyed Equestria and plunged this entire world into chaos. He slaughtered entire races, if they were lucky. Those who were unlucky often had to survive whatever he did to them. For a time, I thought my Sister and I were those ponies. Left to pick up the pieces of a nearly shattered world once the dust had cleared."
Luna's heart felt heavy in her chest as she remember the horrors of her youth, while Twilight pretended not to listen to her words.
"We were so young, when he murdered our parents. Forced into the dreary world that had once seemed so sweet. Cold, alone, scared. We had to learn to survive, to fight, to control the sun and moon with no-pony to guide us. Everywhere we went, He would follow us. After a millennium of fighting we sealed him away but not before he left us with a parting gift."
She whirled around to face Twilight. The unicorn tried to hide her face behind her mane, but Luna's could still see the bitterness written upon Twilight's face.
"You see, for so many years we were constantly at a stalemate. He could wound us, but we always managed to escape before he could kill us, destroying our very essence. But, we could never contain him nor keep him down. The reason we survived was because we had each other, Celestia and I. So he realized, if he couldn't destroy us together, he would let us destroy each other. He bastardized my moon, morphing it with his magic to frighten our armies and followers. The monsters he created would always strike from the shadows. He defiled the very night, which once brought peace and serenity to the ponies of Equestria, and turned it into a field of torment. He twisted the sweet dreams I brought and created nightmares. Soon, the ponies of Equestria held to the light of Celestia's sun, and feared the embrace of darkness.
"Just before our final battle he appeared before me in the Dreamscape. He could not harm me physically there, but he planted the seeds to thoughts that nearly destroyed me. He mocked and taunted me, he laughed at how the ponies had come to shun the night, and how they loved my Sister for her suns radiance and warmth, for her beauty and ability to lead our young nation."
Luna's wings fluttered at her side, her jaw firmly set as she continued. "It was easy to dismiss during that war. It was a simple tactic and an obvious attempt. But he knew better. When the war did end, peace-times did not agree with me. I lived for combat, and felt lost without it. Empty. Alone. That's when his strategy began to take affect.
"I became bitter when I saw that ponies still feared my night. As time went on, my bitterness turned to anger. The ponies not only feared the night, but they feared me. Turned away from me. In my eyes, they only loved my sister. I was just a killer and general, and what good was I without a war? I wasn't needed anymore. I was just a shadow. A wanderer who had didn't belong."
"Oh how foolish I was, Twilight." Luna's voice cracked with emotion as tears filled her eyes. "I detested my Sister after only a few years of peace. I hated her because I thought she had stolen the love of our ponies. A voice whispered in my ears every night, fueling my anger and hatred. It was my voice, telling me that my Sister had forgotten me too. I agreed, she didn't even seem to notice me. That voice became such a part of me, it even had a name. Nightmare Moon."
"Stop." Twilight groaned suddenly, her tone low and distant. "Just stop. I don't want to hear anymore."
Luna ignored her, fixing her eyes upon the unicorn. "But my Sister was not as blind as I had thought. She saw through Discord's devices, she realized what he had done. What he was still doing. While I being torn apart inside, she was building our kingdom and never forgot, nor did she allow the ponies of Equestria to forget, my part of our great conflict. As a gift to remind me I wasn't alone, she gave me the first star. Soon my night skies became works of art and wonder, the ponies of Equestria found solace in my night once more. I was finally able to relinquish my Nightmare and be free from Discord's final snare.
"Twilight, Discord couldn't destroy us himself, so he tried to force me to do it and very nearly succeeded. He caused me heartache and pain that is immeasurable, and he is doing the same to you! HE put Dementis into your head, HE tore your life apart, and he has done all of this..." Luna gestured wildly around the room with her hoof. "So that you will free him, and he can bring the rest of the world to it's knees as well. Twilight, you must put a stop to this madness now, before it is too late!"
Twilight Sparkle was silent as she carved one final glyph into the air. However, this one did not dissipate as the others had. It hung in the air, glowing brightly. The magic which churned the air suddenly went still. Even the flow of magic which was being drained from Luna slowed as an uneasy calm settled over the room. Through the sudden silence, a calm voice spoke.
"Princess Luna, you think I intend for this world to be destroyed?"
Luna could only furrow her brow in confusion as Twilight slowly turned to face her with a somber expression. The wound in her side having finally healed, leaving a long, jagged white scar from her shoulder to her cuties mark. Even the bruise across her jaw and the other covering her body had finally faded, allowing her stand tall as she spoke. "Putting a stop to this madness is exactly what I intend to do tonight, Princess. I cannot allow myself to be a threat to the ponies of Equestria, and I won't allow another filly to suffer what I have had to endure all these years. I'm sorry it has to be this way Princess Luna, I just hope you can forgive me."
In a flash of light Twilight's saddle bags, sheaths, and cloak appeared and covered her body. From her bags, came a large leather-bound spell-book. Her cutie mark emblazoned upon the front. As the pages fluttered open, Luna's voice echoed throughout the room.
There was a pause before Luna spoke again. "...Twilight? What are you saying?" The Princesses voice rang, her tone measured and uncertain. When Twilight didn't answer, she spoke once more, louder this time. "Twilight Sparkle answer me! What are you going to do!?"
Twilight stared sullenly back at Luna with a strange glint in her eye. At first, Luna thought it was anger, or annoyance. But it was far more than that, far more dangerous.
It was something worse than confidence. A look of absolute surety, no doubt that her next move would succeed.
She lifted her head, looking high above to the ceiling. "My final hour is at hand, and my greatest work is to begin. I have spent so long preparing this spell, and it was only to be my last resort. I'm sorry to say that time to use it has come." Levitating in front of her, the large spell-book began glowing as she chanted the inscriptions on it's pages.
"Ninkilim, Vastaba, Katemu, Uru. Teccas, Lazuli, Zaggaro, Djergu..."
Luna reared onto her hind legs, slamming the force field which trapped her. "Twilight STOP!" She bellowed with rage, launching blasts of magic from her horn against the barrier. It was useless, the glowing wall only absorbed her magic, leaving the Alicorn no choice but to kick and slam the barrier. Strikes that would have shattered the bones of any creature unfortunate enough to feel them, did nothing against her resilient prison.
The glyphs and runes which adorned the room began to flicker as the magical sparks swirled over Luna, collecting into a liquid pool. The whole warehouse glowed brighter and brighter, the ground beginning to shake as Twilight continued her chant.
"Kilcoth, Khuftu, Shushu, Geshtyn..."
The five rings of Luna's prison grew blazingly intense. She could feel her magic draining faster now, slowly being ripped from her very horn. Still, she relentlessly pounded on the walls, screaming at the mage before her. "YOU STUPID FOAL! YOU CANNOT DO THIS!"
Twilight continued, unperturbed by the Alicorn. With each word she spoke, the shrill ring of magic grew louder, the swirling sparks coalesced with greater speed, and magical power expanded throughout the room, as gravity seemed to grow even stronger. The walls of the warehouse began to flex and groan, straining under the magical pressure within. Princess Luna began to groan, her legs beginning to weaken and shake with ever passing second. Twilight's eyes glowed white as she uttered the final words to her spell.
"...Bathin Sallos, Marax Ipos. Bathin Sallos, Marax Ipos. Bathin Sallos, Marax Ipos!"
The pool of magic floating in the air surged towards the ground, enveloping Luna as she screamed one last time before being slammed into the ground. The walls of the Warehouse exploded, shredding the metal and stone which comprised it, and light spilled from every crack and flooded across all of Canterlot.
As the ring of magic filled the air, the caverns of Canterlot began to shine with magic which spilled out of every crack in the ground. For weeks Twilight had worked and carved into the caverns the ley lines for her ultimate spell, a rune which surrounded the entirety of Canterlot from beneath. As light burst forth from the ground, enveloping every pony caught in it's glare, it seemed as if the very air screamed as it was brought to heel before the unicorn Twilight Sparkle.
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That description is heavily fucky. I can't parse it for the life of me.
And what a glorious resurrection it is!
Awesome, an Update! I didn't forget the story but I did forget some of it's details. The important parts I remember is that Twilight has 6 versions of herself in her mind, Twilight and Octavia are in Love, Rainbow Dash hates Twi, RD is Luna's Pupil, Twilight is working for Discord, and Twilight's Dying (I still don't know why).
welcome back, with a BANG! and, Cliff Hanger got away again... 😃
Woohoo I've been waiting forever for this!! Yessss
Ooh, yay. 'ts not often stories this awesome get updated. Thanks a million
Hot damn... I am hyped for this story again!
>new chapter
Mind = blown
And now I realize I remember practically nothing of this story. Oh well, time to reread xD
me think twilight goal is to kill discord for good at cost of her own life,
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It's ok, even I needed a refresher
oh hey its back cool
Thank you for not giving up on this AU. It was interesting to see where this universe deviated from the main one, it it's a doozy!
Twilight's end game will be interesting to see as well.
sun
I knew I reread all of this story like, a month ago..? Oh well doesn't matter... Recently, we'll say, anyway I knew I reread all of this for a reason. I am so glad to see this updated at long last! All though getting hit with another cliff hanger is going to eat my soul away... Oh well, until next time!
Noice! Also if I'm remembering correctly didn't she kidnap Fluttershy because they took Octavia? In a way they were asking for it methinks.
ITS RISEN FROM THE ASHEZZZZZ!
I'm going to have to reread this story.
Thank u for continuing this story
I can’t express how thankful I am that you decided to continue this
So... Homecomming. Came home?
*Dun kill me*
If that spell does what I think it does, then poor Twilight has just been duped into not only ending herself, but taking the entirety of Canterlot (save for the princesses) with her...
There exist one song that somehow fits perfectly in this story.
Wouldn't you agree?
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Strongly. Funny enough, Aviators was probably the first Brony Musician I found when I first became part of the fandom. This song wasn't any source of inspiration for Homecoming, but the theme is certainly there.
Have a Mustache of Approval
IT'S ALIVE!!!!
Cool. Glad it's back.
wonderfull! Christmas has come early!
Edited by Zintegy and Pink Mugsy, editors who've been offline for 2--3 years. No wonder this author gets a chapter done once every several Moons
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Hehe, I haven't been very active recently in this community. Though for some reason, I just had a sudden thought to reopen fimfiction and find Homecoming... and what a sight! It's back.
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It is good to see you again, my friend! Welcome back.