> The Final Rise of Nightmare Moon > by MoonlightAutumn > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Chapter 1: The Celebration > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- " Today is going to be the best... day... ever!" Exclaimed Pinkie as she bounded in joy around her throne. Glancing over to the pink mare, the other five grinned. " Well one of them, we had lots of other days," Twilight told Pinkie. " Well that's true, but still today we are going to the first ever Princess Festival," She added as she climbed back into her throne. " There will be lots of games and rides, oh and a huge party." " And don't forget that I'll be able to sell some cider," Applejack added in. " Oh and my new glamorous outfit, that everyone will truly admire," Rarity said with her hoof up. Glancing over at Rarity, Rainbow Dash turned to Twilight with a smile. " Also, it's my chance to show of my Sonic Rainboom, with my mad flying skills." Listening to the conversation, Fluttershy looked around the room with a timid look. " Um, guys I think it's actually Twilight's day to shine, so lets just think about what she would like us to do," The yellow mare said quietly." " Oh it's fine Fluttershy, just as long as everyone has a good time." Twilight winked at the pegasus. They all smiled and filled the room with glee. Twilight then got up from her throne and trotted left out of the room. Rarity then glanced around the room and climbed out of her seat. " Well goodbye, I need to go and I suggest leaving very soon because the celebration is in around twenty minutes." She then turned left and exited the room. The remaining ponies eyes widened. Rainbow Dash then looked faced the remaining ponies. " Okay, we should probably go before the show starts." Swiftly they all darted out of their chairs and exited left. Meanwhile in the Kingdom of Equestria, Celestia and Cadence were setting up streamers around the thrones and around the castle. Seeing her sister setting up the streamers, Luna headed over to that direction. " Hey Celestia, you don't expect everypony to be able to fit inside the castle, right?" Luna asked. The sun princess turned to her sister. " Well of course not, that's why we have a balcony for them to see us from," She added. " Plus I'm decorating inside so it looks nice for the royal after party." The dark alicorn glanced up and turned away. Seeing her sister look rather upset Celestia trotted over to her." Hey Luna, don't leave so soon, you can help clean of the tables and set up streamers." Luna faced her sister. She then nodded and trotted away. Then out of no where Twilight burst into the room. The princesses looked over at the purple alicorn. Cadence then headed over to Twilight. " Well Twilight, I'm glad to see you, the best sister in law in all of Equestria." " Oh yes I'm glad to see you too, am I late, I know I had to be here early." Celestia smiled and then tilted her head. " Why Twilight, where are your friends?" Celestia questioned the purple mare. Twilight's eyes widened. " Oh right, they are at the castle of friendship or what not," She said nervously. " Hopefully they are waking up spike because I kind of forgot to." The older princesses beamed at each other and chuckled. Celestia then glanced back at Twilight Sparkle. " Well Twilight, you are the Princess of Friendship and you should have brought them along." Twilight nodded. " I see, hopefully they will be here soon and hopefully they bring Spike." Cadence beamed at the purple mare with her large eyes. " Oh Twilight, everything will be fine," The pink alicorn assured her. Then from the left of them, a small grey kitten walked in and plopped down right in front of Celestia. All ponies stared down at the cat. " Well Celestia, I didn't know you had a cat," Twilight said. " Well, actually I... don't," Celestia added as she peered back up at Twilight Sparkle with an uncertain face. " In fact I have no idea where this cat came from." The cat then grew the head of discord. " Well, if it isn't Twilight Sparkle," The cat said in Discord's voice. The purple alicorn then sighed. " And of course it's Discord, why is he here?" Then Discord turned into his original form and stood left of Celestia. " Well Twilight, Celestia asked me to help out for the festival." " How would you help?" Twilight scowled and let out another sigh. Celestia and Discord beamed to each other and snickered. They then glanced back. " Well actually he is useful for lots of things, he can help decorate and be there when something goes wrong," The white alicorn said. Looking directly at them both, Twilight sighed. Suddenly Rainbow Dash flew into the room followed by the others. The five all appeared to be their normal selves except for Rarity, she was wearing a white short sleeve dress with white sparkly wings attached to the back. Twilight locked eyes on the unicorns outfit. " Oh Rarity, you really didn't have to wear anything. " Well Twilight, if I'm going to be in front of thousands of ponies, then might as well dress nicely," Rarity added. " Oh and did any of you remember to wake Spike up," Twilight asked. They all stared at one another and shook their heads. The purple alicorn slapped her hoof against her forehead. " Well I guess it's fine, but he will miss the festival, but I'll come back for him to come to the after party." Then right behind the five Luna came with a timid face. Celestia looked over to Twilight. " Well, it's time to head over to the balcony, all of you come," Celestia said as she walked to the large open balcony in the left corner of the room. Everyone except Discord followed. Then The white alicorn peered over her shoulder to Discord. " You two Discord." The spirit of Chaos glanced up at Celestia and followed them out. On the balcony sat four large gold thrones and five smaller ones. Each throne had a cutie mark on top of the pony who it belonged to.The first throne to be seen was Cadence's then Luna's. Following was Celestia's and Twilight's. Then for the smaller thrones were Pinkie's, Applejack's, Rainbow Dash's, Rarity then Fluttershy's. They all swiftly took their seats except for Luna, who slowly crawled upon her throne. Also Discord just stood near Celestia's throne because he didn't have one. Below the balcony were thousand's upon millions of ponies, so many that some were on the rooftops of buildings and pegasus ponies on lowered clouds. From her seat Luna glanced up and quivered. Noticing how nervous her sister was, Celestia glanced over to her. " Everything is going to be fine," She whispered in a soft voice. The alicorn of the moon took a deep breath in and nodded. Cheering was heard all around. " Princess Celestia, I love you!" Then a stallion's voice echoed from below. The white alicorn smiled. " I love you to! " She called out. " Now, I'm glad to be here today with everyone who could make it," Celestia announced while staring into the crowd. Then three large blimps floated above the crowd. The first one was bright purple with Celestia's face on it with a vary tiny Luna in the corner. The second one was baby blue with Cadence's face on it. Then of course the last one was white with Twilight's face on it. Then a jet came and wrote, Sun, Friendship and love. The jet then soared of behind the castle. Then the ponies on the roof began to shoot out confetti from some party poppers. Large signs lifted up from the crowd. One said celebrate friends. The largest center said celebrate the light. While the last one said celebrate love. Looking at all then signs and reading, Luna glared around and climbed out her seat. She then walked away. Celestia gasped. " Okay everyone stay here, I'll be right back and Discord come with me." Her and Discord then exited the balcony and turned left. Inside it was very light with a dark room. " Okay Discord, you will have to distract the crowd while I go talk to Luna." " Okay,this will be rather odd," He said as he turned into a grey kitten and headed back from where they came. Then Celestia entered the dark room, that revealed two Luna standing in front of a mirror with two candles. " Luna, come out and join us." Luna then turned to her sister. " Oh well if you were always standing in someone's shadow wouldn't you not want to be part of this festival." The white alicorn trotted over to her sister. " What do you mean?" " You know exactly what I mean, no one cares about the moon, they only care about the light and friendship." " Luna, I'm sorry you feel this way, but--" " You're not helping, I'm the only one who has to share a kingdom!" Tears rushed down the blue alicorn's face. Meanwhile Discord walked out as the kitten and sat in Celestia's throne. " Um Discord?" Cadence raised one eyebrow. " Celestia told me to do this," He replied with a whisper. " Discord?" Pinkie said out loud. He then looked over to the mane six. " What are you doing Discord?" Rainbow Dash asked. " Well Celestia told me to distract the audience so now I will set off fireworks," He whispered. Then fireworks blasted above in an array of colors and heads of the princesses. " Luna stop, please," Celestia said in the dark room. " You will never no what it's like to be me!" Luna's eyes began to glow and the whole kingdom began to shake. " Luna stop!" " Why should I after all shouldn't I be more then your shadow?" " Your not my shadow, your my sister," Celestia responded with tears in her eyes. " Well then why don't I have my own kingdom, why do I get respected last and why am I always grouped with you?" " Luna, I don't want to go through the pain of losing you again." " Well you wouldn't have to because I have all of the elements with me." The blue alicorn smirked. " Now it's time to get rid of the "oh so great" Celestia." Then before her eyes Luna grew taller and became pitch black. Her eyes became like those of a cats and armor was placed upon her. " For I Nightmare Moon, shall be the only ruler of all of Equestria!" She snickered showing her sharp pointed teeth. " Discord the whole kingdom is shaking," Twilight said to the small grey kitten. " Please stop!" " Well Twilight I'm not doing anything," He said. " Don't lie Discord, I know what your up to," Rainbow Dash added as screams of ponies were heard below. " Discord if it is you, in the name of our friendship could you please just stop making the ponies scared," Fluttershy said gently. " Well it's not me, I swear," Discord replied to the ponies once again. He then turned into his original form. " Well have you ponies ever thought it could be an earth quake," he added. " Well I was just thinking that," Cadence glanced over to him. " Luna enough!" Celestia exclaimed with heavy tears in her eyes. Glaring at her sister, Nightmare Moon shot a large blast of magic, sending the white alicorn to the floor. She then burst, through the kingdom's roof. Everypony then glanced in that direction. " What in Celestia..?" Rarity exclaimed. Then the blood moon rose upon the sky while the sun vanished. " Citizens of Equestria have no fear for I, Nightmare Moon will teach you how to respect a princess!" Then her horn upon her head lit up with a black color and the glow appeared around all of the crowd. Flying up ward, Nightmare Moon sent millions of helpless ponies up with her. The she flew straight ahead with the ponies trailing behind her. They then vanished. Everything was almost pitch black except for a little bit of light coming out of the castle. " Well, that was..." Applejack said while blinking rapidly with a puzzled. Then the mane six, Discord and Cadence went inside the kingdom. " Hello Celestia?" Twilight called out. Then from the left of them came the strong sound of weeping. They turned to that direction to see a small bit of light coming from the room. Walking in they saw Celestia sitting with her head down and tears trickling down her cheeks. Hearing the sound of hooves, the white alicorn peered over and then looked away. " I think it's all my fault, I'm sorry this has happened," She told them. " She took everything and I have nothing more to say, but I just wish she wouldn't do this." " Well Celestia, I'm sorry this has happened," Discord told the weeping alicorn. " Well I guess it's fine, but everyone's family, they all were taken with her." Celestia sighed. Twilight glanced over to her with a soft smile " Well don't worry Celestia, as long as we have frien-." " Sorry, but friendship will not solve every problem," Celestia interrupted her. " But Princess Celestia, you always believed in us," Rainbow Dash added with her ears back. " Well I'm sorry, but I believe nothing will work so go away and let me be..." Twilight sighed with tears in her eyes. " Celestia please, we all promise to help you and all of Equestria. We'll never leave your side..."