> The Darkness Itself > by Julyah > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Luna stirred, restlessly. She had just finished rising the moon. T'was not a difficult task, yet... she felt tired. Really tired, after the days events. She loved her sister. She missed her, and was happy to be back with her. She just... had a feeling.. that she could not get out of her. Befor you continue, I must get something clear. The elements of harmony were able to destroy nightmare moon, who was the baddie. But they were not able to destroy the part of her that lived inside her. No, readers, they were not. You see, this is a different kind of person. One that only luna could destroy. “Luna...” the voice inside of her howled, yet whispered. “Luuuuuuuuna...” Luna had a feeling that it was a voice from inside of her. So she did not say 'what? Whos there!'. Instead she shivered. She knew that this was nightmare moon. “what do you want?” luna said into her room. “I want more controooooooooool.” The voice purred “I want you to do what I want you to. The elements have fought me off, but I am still here. I see what you see. I hear what you hear. Yet I do not speak, or take action, as I want to.” Luna used her hoof to comb through her light blue, normal mane. She would not get a flowing, princess mane untill she was old enough. Her tail was the same. “I dont think so. You cannot tell me what to do, you demon! You cannot force me to do things you want me to.” “oh yeah? How about if I do... this??” Instantly there was a sear of pain, it shot through her, white hot. It knocked the breath out of her. It would not go away. The night princess was beggining to loose breath; she was not a big fan of swimming, or anything involving holding your breath. “mercy” the princess wheezed. “mercy...” The pain stopped. “aha... so you will do what you want me to do, huh?” The princess was breathing deep, savouring the air. “umm... yes..” she ghasped. “go get that knife over there.” “knife? I do not keep knives in my r-” She was cut off short as she saw a knife, bluer that the night's sky, resting on her desk. It looked like a butter knife, yet it had a very deadly blade. The princess grabbed it with her magic. It was beautiful. On the bottem was the same pattern as her cutie mark. She was entranced with it, shocked, wondered, and mezmorised by it. What Nightmare moon said next snapped her out of it. “I want you to kill your sister with it.” Luna almost went into royal canterlot voice mode. “NO.” The voice turned captivating, and sweet as honey. “but, are you sure? Think about it... she is such a miserable excuse for a sister. She banished you to the moon. She said 'you must be banished, sister, untill you can tame the monster inside of you. It is a shell, captivating you, and a shard, deep within you.'” Luna could feel tears, comming to her face as she remembered that, word for word. She had had enough. But the voice continued. “and then... she banished you. She meant to keep you there for the rest of your years. I could tell. She wasnt even sad when she did it. I SAW. She looked even happy! Happy, to have you out of her hooves.” Luna cried out. Tears streamed down her face. She spread her great wings, dropped the knife and flew out of her window. She beat her powerfull wings against the air, and flew for the palace maze. She flew over it and looked down. She located the middle, and hovering over it, let herself down. When her hooves hit the ground, she head sinked. Her beautiful cream blue horn almost touched the ground. She walked over to the pond. She looked into it. All she saw was her. “look deeper, within yourself.” the voice purred once more. She lowered her head so far that her horn touched the pond. One, tiny prick, sent the whole pond rippling. Her reflection changed. Her wings, body and horn turned darker blue. Her eyes widened in horror, turning an almost sickening aqua. Her image grew. Her mane and tail turned the beautiful blue haze she wished for a long time when she was a filly. But it was not only her reflection that changed. In horror, Luna lifed up a hoof. Right befor her very eyes, it turned a dark, midnight blue. She could feel the pleasant feeling of her wings, now a midnight blue also, streatching and turning bigger, strong enough to support the big body of nightmare moon. Her horn, drilling through her skull, also turned larger. It hurt, but then felt better. Altogether, her hoof was brought down to the ground, without her wanting to. Luna shivered as nighmare moon took over her body and turned away from the pool. “no!” luna cried. “no!!!” She tried to turn back and look at the pool once more, to see her reflection once more, before it changed. “ha. Ha ha! I distracted you, and this time, you did not fight once I tried to do something. YOU ARE NOW THE SHELL AND THE SHARD. HA!” Against her will, Nightmare moon flew torwards the castle. Grabbing the knife with her deeper haze of aurora, she headed for Princess Celestia's chambers. “NO” luna screamed. “TIA, WAKE UP!!!! NOW! I DONT WANT TO KILL YOU!” “scream all you want.” Nightmare moon whispered. “all they can hear, is me.” Luna cried. They were real tears. And she was suprised to find that they were trickling down the sides of Nightmare moon's cheeks, too. “did I make you cry?” luna asked. Nightmare moon stopped. “what? Am I crying?” She touched her cheek. “oh, well I suppose I am. It is because I am about to kill my dear sister.” “and... you are sad about that?” “well, yes. I love her. She is my sister. Its just that, she is the only thing blocking my way. Our way, I mean. We can have it all! Down with Celestia!!!! Down with the sun! The night... shall rule... FOREVER.” “Wait. You love her? As a sister? Then why are you killing her? Dont you want her to be alive? Still with you? I knew all along that if you gave it time, Celestia would move to the side!! She would teach me to raise the sun, and we would take responsibility of both! Would'nt that be the life? Us, ruling together!!!!! Celestia not dead! Only watching, being prouder than ever, As we raise the sun, and make way for the dawn!” Luna protested. “It would be...” her voice fell. “nice.” Nightmare moon broke down. Luna felt her body changing. This time, there was no pain. It felt like a warm bath, it was really nice. She returned to her normal colour, her normal wing and horn sise. Or, at least she hoped so. She had control over her body, But she could'nt see herself. “umm. Nightmare moon??? Nightmare mooooooooon!!!!” Luna called out. And then she realized that she had destroyed nightmare moon. She had overepowered, and convinced, with a little tears. She could only hope that she looked like her normal self, and not nightmare moon. Then Celestia would banish her again. Suddendly she realized that she was right infront of her sisters bedroom. The door opened. Out came celestia. She rubbed her eyes in wonder. She opened them wide. “oh. my. Sweet. Celestia.” luna thought she looked like nightmare moon. Maybe nightmare moon conquered her. Maybe- “l-luna?” Celestia stopped her thoughts short. “I can explain! This night, the monster inside of me was ta-” “luna, your mane!!!” “What? What about my mane?” She reached behind her. Instead of feeling stringy, unkept fuzz, she felt soft, flowing, silk. She grabed a part of her mane and looked at it. It was midnight blue, The colour of nightmare moon's. It flowed in her hoof, as though it were live itself. Her tail was the same, flowing, dark beautiful mess. Her whole body had changed into luna, except for her mane and tail. A little reminder of this night. Luna gasped. “Luna?” Celestia beamed with pride. “is this what you have come to show me? That you have finally gotten your beautifull, princes mane?” Luna blushed. She would keep it a secret that she almost killed her sister. So... might as well... "umm. Yes, dearest sister.” Luna hugged her. Obviously, the hug meant much more for Luna then it did for Celestia.