The Reign of the moon

by Fluttering_Ashes

Year 0001

A sigh escaped the lips of the dark blue mare, sitting tucked away in her tower as the night sky started to lighten to the east. Her sister would be awake soon…usually she didn’t get to talk to her save for at twilight but over the past few months her sister seemed even more distant than usual. She was preoccupied with something and Luna was desperate to find out what, to ease her sister’s mind, after all the two had ruled side by side for nearly 2 centuries now, it was her duty to be there for Celestia. Her sister would be there for her after all. The two mares, or more accurately, the older of the two, was nearing her 247th birthday.

The two had not been born, in the normal sense, but instead created, Luna could still remember the story their nanny had told them. When the three tribes settled on these lands it soon became clear that not one of their own rulers was fit to rule over all three tribes, they struggled for a month until Chancellor Puddinghead came upon the idea of combining the three rulers into one….naturally while she was out of the room attempting to find a glue bottle the others began to discuss a different way to do such a thing.

They sent Clover the Clever to their new neighbors to the north, whose magical ability was known the world over. Clover explained the dilemma and promised the Crystal Empress that her citizens would be given full citizenship upon Equestrian soil, military support during times of war, and a lovely crown made by the finest of Equestrian craftsponies. The Empress agreed to the terms and after 2 years of solid research, spear headed by Clover, the spell was forged, and brought back to Equestria for the final ingredients, blood from the rulers of the three tribes. And just like that Celestria came into the world. Five years later, during one of her world famous royal tantrums the young princess demanded a baby sister to play with. A week later Luna was born and the two had been inseparable…until now.

The moon mare made her way down the spiral staircase, down from her tower and into the court yard of the castle she called home. She entered the throne room, acknowledging the guards bowing to her with a gentle nod. She glanced out the windows, which looked out at the eastern sky, her sister already seated in the throne at the other end, just sitting there…staring out at the coming dawn. Luna couldn't say that she liked the tired and grumpy look Celestia was giving the slowly lightening sky.

“Good morning dear sister.” She said as lightly as she could, trotting up to the side of her sister’s throne. Her sister said nothing. Frowning slightly Luna looked up at her elder sister.
“Tia?” She mumbles, gently tapping the white mare’s shoulder. Her sister remained completely silent, her mane, the same color pink the sky turns during sunrise, moving as if touched by a phantom breeze. Luna let out a half exasperated sigh.
“Sister, I can tell when something’s bothering you. I can understand if you don’t wish to talk about it…but just know that I’m always here if you need a pony to talk to…I’ll see you tomorrow” She began to walk away, towards the little set of doors behind the throne on either side that lead further into the castle. Her sister’s soft whisper stopped her however.
“They hate us you know…” Whispered the ruling princess, almost too softly for her sister to hear.
“What?” Answered Luna, turning back to Celestia, a tiny bit confused.
“What are you talking about sister? No pony hates us! There’s been nothing but joy since we took the throne.” Celestia’s lip curled slightly, she turned to leer at her sister.
“They hate us. They are simply too afraid! Think about it Luna dear, together we lead the war against Discord, slew many of his minions ourselves! We turned King Sombra into a shadow puppet and locked away him and the whole of the Crystal Empire with him, by ourselves! We have the Elements at our beck and call and the sun and moon on our horns! Oh they hate us, they fear us, they wish we had never been born, they’re just too scared to say it…” She returns her gaze to the window, going back to her brooding, a shadow falling over her white face.

“Not scared enough if you ask me…They don’t love us Luna, if they will not give us their love I say we should relish in their fear. Make an example…that’s what we should do” Her sister was scaring her the more and more she spoke.
“We should burn a city to the ground, tell them that’s what happens to those who defy us…yes…that’d make them think wouldn’t it Luna?” She spared a glance for the two guards, standing at attention on either side of the doors to the court yard. They had not moved, had not stirred, had she not seen them breathing she would’ve thought they were statues. Of course they couldn’t hear her sister, if they could…..well they wouldn’t be as still as they were. She returns her gaze to her alabaster elder and hissed.

“Celestia you can’t possibly be serious! What you’re suggesting is murder! Not just murder but mass murder! Murder of innocent ponies just to prove a point! Sister…you’re not well…you need to lie down and-“

“No!” Cried Celestia, getting to her hooves, her gaze jerking from the windows for the first time, her voice loud enough to carry well over to the guards at the door.

“No! I’ve never felt better in my entire life sister! You’ll see! They’ll all see! Everypony will see!” Luna stares at her sister, slowly backing away down and away from the throne. Her sister’s coat was rolling, boiling like hot water, the magic beneath her skin working as her emotions reached a fever pitch.

“I will show everypony that I am not one to be toyed with! I am a princess, nay, a queen to them! A goddess made flesh! And if you’re not standing by my side little sister, you’re standing against me!” And with those final words the magic broke free from their bonds, ripping through her sister’s white coat.

The force from the magical release shattered the windows, the heat caused the solid gold throne behind her sister to warp, growing white hot. Luna barely had time to throw up a shield around herself as the second, much larger wave hit. The two galloping guards weren’t so lucky, immediately vaporized on the spot. The blazing hot light coming from her sister dimmed, the mare stepping forward slowly. The once snow white coat had turned a bright brilliant shade of gold, her mane, once pink and bright now blazing orange and yellow, leaving a flaming contrail in her wake.

“C-celestia” Luna squeaked, on the brink of tears.

“No, not Celestia” The alicorn said as she stepped towards her little sister her scarlet eyes with vertical black pupils, so like a dragon’s, staring down at her.

“Not any more…call me…Solar Flare” She smiles softly, more guards rushing into the throne room, whom she ignored.

“I’ll give you one last chance sister” Solar flare said as she trotted forward, Luna standing strong between her sister and the twenty or so guards behind her.

“Join me, or perish like the rest of the vermin who fail to show me the respect I deserve!” Luna felt her heart beating in her throat. Never had she been so scared in her life, never had she felt such dread…no matter who won this… she would lose everything.

“No Tia” She said in a carrying whisper, her voice solid despite her fear.

“I will not let you hurt them.”

Solar Flare rolled her eyes

“Of course you won’t, though I must say you surprise me dear sister. I didn’t think you’d have the spine to stand up to me like this. You were always happy to let me do all the work weren’t you? Always happy to watch while big sis made all those nasty big decisions for you while you prattled away with the ponies’ dreams and the constellations! You have done nothing but tag along your whole life! It’s time to cut you off!” The solar princess charged, Luna, tears running down her face, galloped towards her sister. The resulting magical battle blew the roof off the building, reducing most of the castle to rubble as the spells and energy flew every which way, neither side conceding and neither gaining an advantage over the other. It was all the guards could do to contain the damage to the castle alone and even so…such a cost; the forest was scorched for miles around, birds and animals were sent into a frenzy, a great gorge opened in the earth, the river to the west flowing into it, and still the two furiously fought.

Finally Solar Flare struck a lucky hit as the sun reached its peak. Luna fell, her chest smoking straight through ruined castle, crashing painfully to the ground in the hall of the elements, the 6 glowing orbs spinning on each of their respective pedestals. Luna was running out of options, her sister slowly lighting down in front of her as she struggled to stand.

“Well then” Said Solar Flare, grinning in her victory, stepping towards her sister, her horn a light to deliver the killing blow.

“It seems I’ve won, do make sure to send me a post card, I’ve always wondered what it was like in the afterlife” Luna’s eyes darted to the closest orb, the bright red element of loyalty. She had no choice. A single tear fell from Luna’s eye as she summoned up the last of her strength, focusing on the bond she had once had with her sister as she had only done on one other occasion. Celestia had been there with her then…never in a million years did she think she’d have to use it on her.

“I’m sorry Tia…” She whispered as the elements began to float from their pedestals, swirling with dizzying speed around the dark blue mare. She could see her sister’s eyes widening, her mouth opening to speak before the rainbow of colors engulfed her. Her body immediately sealed within the bands of color, the rainbow arcing straight upwards, straight into the sun. Using the elements alone she was not strong enough to rip her sister from her darker half, nor were the elements (or Luna herself for that matter) able to destroy her outright. The best she could do was to lock her away in the only place that could hold her fiery rage without fear of what it could mean for other ponies, within the sun itself. When the deed was done Luna slowly descended, resting her hooves back on the floor, six large concrete spheres falling to the floor around her with similar loud “Thuds”. With her only friend in this world gone, the elements held no more power than a common boulder.

“I’m sorry…I’m so so sorry Celestia…” She manages to say, before falling to the hard marble floor again, her legs suddenly unable to support her as the weight of what she had done crashed down upon her. As the remaining guards entered the room Luna began to sob.

Comments

[Regidar]

After months of brooding and sulking Celestia's rage finally breaks.

Comma between sulking and Celestia.

[revan1801]

Hm a good beginnig i must say. I follow

[Roadskare62]

Wow. I loved it :) Keep up the good work!google.com/imgres?num=10&hl=en&safe=off&tbo=d&biw=1440&bih=756&tbm=isch&tbnid=ofRUnkHgxTFwuM:&imgrefurl=http://es.mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Archivo:Luna_Fake_Happy_S2E4.png&docid=QkG4d3gIzytMFM&imgurl=http://images.wikia.com/mlp/es/images/0/02/Luna_Fake_Happy_S2E4.png&w=864&h=477&ei=HPHJUKzRKbOz0QGj94GQCw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=635&vpy=98&dur=957&hovh=167&hovw=302&tx=150&ty=85&sig=117794943382465001817&page=2&tbnh=153&tbnw=258&start=32&ndsp=40&ved=1t:429,r:53,s:0,i:251

[Fluttering_Ashes]

3 favorites in just a few hours?! Thank you all so very much! I'm touched! I really am!

[Kpatch]

I LOVE THIS.....this is a great fanfic......you are a great writer....just wow i really like this.....

[Cast-Iron Caryatid]

No offense, but I physically cringed when I opened the first chapter. It is imperative that you at minimum either indent each paragraph, or add an extra line break between paragraphs for readability; I recommend both. Some of the paragraphs are also rather long (especially the first one) but that's a more general issue.

[Silver_Cloud123]

GOOD WORK MY FRIEND!