> Frozen in a Nightmare
>  by Nerdz
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Prologue: The Early Years
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Several mares, Earth, Unicorn, and Pegasi, bustled about the dark purple nursery. In the center of the room lay a dark blue foal cradle. Inside, was a newborn filly, entirely light blue, excluding a strange black splotch that adorned her flank on both sides, squalling her head off. A very tired looking Alicorn mare walked in, followed by her husband, also a very tired Alicorn. The mare was solid white, except for an orange and purple sunburst on her hind quarters; her cutie mark, while the stallion was a deep, almost black, blue, his cutie mark a dark circle with a white halo around it, symbolizing a lunar eclipse. The mare trotted over to the cradle and looked down at the filly. A castle maid walked to her and bowed.

“What else should we try, Your Majesty?” she questioned. The taller mare reached up and ran a hoof through her mane, an aurora of magic, the colors of the sunset, and sighed.

“What else IS there to try?” she looked at the light green mare beside her. The maid wore the navy blue uniform that all the maids wore, and her blue mane and tail were tied into messy buns. “She won’t take a bottle, her diaper’s been changed, and she just had a nap.” The mare Alicorn’s horn lit up as she levitated the squalling infant from her cradle. Plopping down on the floor, she placed the child in her forelegs and attempted to comfort her. Her husband sat beside her, lifted a foreleg to help hold the foal, and spread a wing over his wife.

There was a sudden knock at the door, and it opened with a quiet squeak. All eyes turned to the young stallion in the doorway, the newest member of the Royal Guard, Lightyear. He winced at the noise, and took off his helmet, a traditional part of his armored uniform. Holding it against his chest, he cleared his throat.

“I have a message for the King and Queen?” his voice was hoarse and nervous. The king stood up. 

“Come, Sunniva,” he addressed his wife, “Let’s see what he wants.” The mare nodded, and placed the still crying foal back into her cradle, where the same maid from before proceeded to rock her. They walked to the guard. After hearing his message, they were quiet for a moment. Queen Sunniva was the first to break the short silence.

“What do you think, Eclipse?” She turned to her husband.

“What have we got to lose? It might get her to calm down.” he answered. The two rulers walked down the corridor, to another bedroom, and Lightyear stepped into the nursery. After explaining to the maids what was going on, they all left the room.





A few moments later, the king and queen stood side by side in front of the nursery door. The filly inside could be heard from where they stood, as she was still crying. Another filly, about the age of four, stood between them. She had a solid white coat, and a light pink mane and tail. A golden sun adorned her flank. The older ponies looked at her.

“Are you ready, Celestia?” Sunniva asked.

“Yes, Mommy.” The foal answered. She turned to the door. She was more excited than she had ever been. She was about to meet her little sister for the first time. Her parents nodded to each other and flared their magic to life. The double doors opened with ease.

The heart-wrenching sound of crying hit them full blast, as it was no longer muffled by closed doors. Celestia walked towards the cradle. A stool had been left beside it by one of the maids for her to stand on. Her parents watched from the doorway as she hoisted herself onto the stool, knocking her little tiara to the side of her head. She placed her fore hooves on the side of the cradle and peeked inside. The younger filly looked up at her and stopped crying almost instantly.

“Hello, Luna.” She whispered “I’m your big sister, Celestia.” Her parents smiled at their two girls. Eclipse draped a wing over his wife and they walked away, shutting the door to give the girls some privacy. “You’re a princess, you know. Just like me!” Celestia continued, her voice going back to normal as she gained more confidence. “Bet you’re thinking that’s pretty cool, right? Wrong! Well, sorta. It’s pretty cool in some ways, but every pony just seems to expect a lot from you. They even say there are certain ways a princess should act, and that there are things she should and shouldn’t do!” she looked around, as if someone might over hear her. “But you and me, well…..” she leaned up to her sister’s ear and her voice lowered to a whisper “we know better.”





Ever since that day, the sisters were inseparable, and did everything together. One day, when Luna was six months old, Celestia skipped happily into the nursery. She pushed a stool over to the crib and peeked inside. Luna, quickly recognizing her sister, giggled, and reached out. Celestia responded by lifting the foal from the crib.

“Hey you!” she giggled “Mommy said I could play with you. I think I’m gonna teach you how to walk!” She placed Luna on the floor. She went to the door and shut it, so Luna couldn’t get out and hurt herself. “Okay, now how did Daddy say to do this? Oh yeah!” she helped Luna balance herself on her feet, and then backed a few feet away. “C’mere, Luna!” Celestia giggled as Luna crouched back down and tried to crawl to her sister.

“No, no, Luna.” She said, helping her back to her feet. “Try again!” Pretty soon, Luna figured out that she shouldn’t try to crawl, but move the way everypony else did. Only, she couldn’t quite get the hang of it. She would usually catch herself if she fell, landing in a crawling position, and Celestia would help her up. Once, though, she landed on her hindquarters. Tears began to well up it the tiny filly’s eyes, her bottom lip trembled, and she started to whimper. Celestia hurried over and picked her up.

“Shh, it’s okay, little one.” She rubbed Luna’s back until she calmed down. Then, she set her down to try again. Their parents walked in a few minutes later.

“How’s the lesson coming?” Sunniva asked.

“Almost there, I can feel it!” was Celestia’s answer. “One more time, okay Luna?” Luna lifted a shaky hoof moved it a few inches, the put it down. This action was repeated until she tumbled into Celestia’s lap. A cheer went up from the little family.

“You did it, Luna!” said Celestia.

“Great job sweetheart!” her father congratulated.

“You’re a wonderful teacher, Celestia” their mother praised.

And Luna, who had never uttered a single word in her short life, looked up and her big sister, gave a toothless grin, and opened her mouth. “Cwestia!”





A few years later, a three-year-old Luna stood on the balcony of the room she shared with her sister. She watched as the Sun moved closer to the west. Soon, her mother would lower it. Celestia stepped out onto the balcony and sat beside her sister. “Hey, Luna.”

“Hi, Tia.” came the reply. After Luna had learned to talk, ‘Cwestia’ was changed to ‘Tia’. It was easier for her to say, and the nickname had stuck. They watched as the Sun came closer to the west horizon. Luna glanced at her sister’s cutie mark. “Will you tell me how you got your cutie mark, again?” Her sister smiled.

“I was just about your age, give or take a few months, and one morning, Mom said that I could try to raise the Sun if I wanted to. I decided to give it a try. I stood on the balcony, closed my eyes, and flared up my horn. I could feel something in my magic. It was big, and felt very hot.”

“The Sun.” said Luna.

“The Sun.” her sister agreed. “I tried to pull it up, but it didn’t move. Mom apparently knew I had hold of the Sun, because she told me not to pull, but to try to coax it out. It actually worked. I hadn’t opened my eyes yet, but I felt the light on my face. When I did open my eyes, I saw that I was flying several feet above the balcony. To this day, I still don’t remember unfolding my wings. I saw a little flash out of the corner of my eye, but didn’t pay too much attention to it. Mom told me to come down, and when I did she pointed to my flank. This,” she gestured to her cutie mark “was all I saw.”

Luna nodded. “Papa said that I could help him raise the Moon tonight.” 

“I know.” Celestia responded “He told me. I asked if I could wait out here with you, and he said it was fine as long as I got him if you needed help.” Luna smiled at her sister. She then turned to the sky. It was time. She held her breath, closed her eyes, and flared her horn to life. Just as Celestia had said, she felt something big in her magic, only this object was cool instead of hot. She didn’t pull, but coaxed the Moon out. She knew she would also need to pull out the stars. Those were a bit harder, but not as hard as you’d think. There were a lot of them, but they were easier to come out than the Moon had been.

After a few moments, night had begun. She however didn’t notice, as her eyes were still closed. Celestia spread her wings and wobbled through the air to her sister, who had taken to the skies without even noticing. Luna also didn’t notice the white flash near her flank. Celestia laid a gentle hoof on Luna’s shoulder.

“Did I do it? Is it there?” Luna was now safely on the balcony, but had yet to open her eyes.

“Why don’t you open your eyes and see for yourself?” Luna slowly opened one eye and glanced up, then started bouncing around in a sort of crazy happy dance.

“I did it! I did it! I did it!” she shouted.

“That’s not all.” Celestia said, gesturing a hoof at Luna flank. With a confused look, Luna turned her head to see what her sister was talking about. Where there used to be a simple black splotch disrupting her light blue coat, a white crescent moon now gave an extra design to the black. This simple mark that would seal her destiny.

Two excited squeals could be heard from the castle balcony that night.





Celestia and Luna chased each other up and down the castle hallways, giggling along the way. Soon, they slid to a stop, turning while sliding to end up facing each other. In sync, they lifted their left hooves in a jumping motion, leaning on their right hooves, then repeating the motion in the opposite way, leaning on their left hooves, and then back to being on all fours, finally sliding their legs in so all four of their hooves touched.

“One, two, three, together!” they chanted while doing so. The sisters then each plopped into a sitting position and placed their front hooves against the other’s front hooves. “Clap together!” they shouted. Throwing their heads back, eyes closed, they flared their horns to life. “Flash together!” Standing back up, they place their right hoof against the other’s right hoof, “You,” and against their own chest, “and me,” back with all four feet on the ground. “together!” They crouched down so that both of one’s front knees touched the other’s “Knees together,” then the sisters each struck an adorably dramatic pose, “freeze together!” They each reared up, “Up,” again, they crouched, “and down, together!” They sat again and pretended to adjust their tiny tiaras, “Princess crown together!” They stood and looked each other in the eye. “Always be together” They each placed their right hoof against the other’s right hoof, “You,” then on their own chest. “and me!”

The hoofshake was repeated, and, having spent a lot of time practicing and perfecting it, the girls completed the whole thing in a matter of seconds. Laughing they continued down the hall. Celestia, now twelve years old, decided to start their favorite game: listing off the things that everypony thought a princess should be, say, or do.

“They say a princess is super graceful, and very charming.” She started.

“I heard that she always knows her place!” Luna joined in.  They presently sat down at the dining room table, where their nanny set out some wheat toast for them. 

“They say that we’re supposed to be total girly-girls, and wear frilly pink dresses.” Celestia spoke. She was drinking some milk just as Luna made a really funny face by crossing her eyes, sticking out her tongue, and waving her fore legs around, causing her to do a spit-take. Luna busted out laughing.

“They definitely don’t do that!” she squealed. Their nanny rolled her eyes and, being a Unicorn, levitated a napkin to clean up the mess. After it was cleaned, she levitated Celestia’s glass and walked towards the kitchen to refill it.

“A princess is also kind, and very calm.” she piped in. Luna leaned towards her sister.

“I’ll bet a princess never shoots stars at her nanny.” She whispered. Snickers left both girls as Luna flared her horn, took aim, and fired a stream of stars at their nanny. She squealed as the stars hit, making her long blue skirt smoke for a few seconds and nearly dropped the glass.

“LUNA!” she snapped, turning a glare to the fillies, who were erupting with giggles. She sighed and shook her head. “You girls are more trouble than you’re worth, sometimes!”

“But you love us, anyway.” Celestia replied. Their nanny giggled.

“That I do.” She headed back into the kitchen “Now hurry and finish eating if you want to play some more before you’re tutor arrives.”

“Yes, ma’am” the girls said in union. A few minutes later they had almost finished eating. Luna had a serious look on her face.

“What’cha thinking?” Celestia asked, seeing her sister’s face.

“I was just thinking, well, how come your Cutie Mark is the Sun, and mine’s the Moon? I mean, how was it decided? How was it decided that I, of all ponies, was destined to be able to take over the Moon?”

“I dunno.” Clelestia interrupted her sister’s rant “Weird how that works, though.” Luna continued to ponder this thought in her head. She wasn’t normally the deep thinker of the two, but when she got a thought in her head, she would squeeze any information out of it. Celestia glanced around the room for something to distract Luna, so they could play some more before their tutor arrived. Her eyes rested on two cardboard swords on the floor, hand-me-downs from some older cousins.

“You know…” she said, sliding down from her seat, and levitating the swords towards herself “I bet a princess is super sweet.” A sickly sweet smile spread across both faces.

“You’re quite right.” Luna agreed, sliding down. Celestia tossed her one of the swords and Luna, who, flaring her horn, caught it midair. 

“She would never even dream of fighting.” She poked at her hair and tried to mimic the voice of Princess Platinum, a friend of their parents. “She might mess her pretty hair!” The foals burst into laughter, and began to play fight with the swords. Until their tutor arrived, that is.





Luna had her text book up on her desk, expertly concealing her journal from the tutor, who was going on and on about how her parents’ will stated that when she was twenty and Celestia was twenty-four, they would take over the kingdom, and that this was done in order to avoid a case of ‘The heir and the spare’, whatever that was. She was copying a map of Equestria into her Traveling Journal, as she called it. This was her private book that only she and Celestia could look at. She always figured that she could raise and lower the Moon and watch over the Night from anywhere in Equestria, so she planned to travel around the kingdom, and beyond. She looked up from her fantasies, however, when a waded up paper hit her in the head, landing on her desk.

She glanced at her sister, who suddenly was staring forward, before opening the paper. ‘What are you drawing?’ was written on the paper. Taking care not to get caught, she replied with, ‘A map of Equestria.’

Celestia read the note, then smiled and nodded. Luna finished up her drawing, not even caring about whatever their tutor was trying to teach them. She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote, ‘I bet a princess wouldn’t scrape her knee trying to climb one of the trees in the courtyard.’ She threw the note at her sister.

Reading it, Celestia glanced at the bandage on Luna’s knee, remembering the day before, when Luna had done just that. ‘I’ll bet she doesn’t boil her tutor’s tea.’ Came her reply.

Luna gave her a confused look. ‘Watch this!’ Celestia mouthed. She flared her horn and took their tutor’s teacup in her magic, heating it until it bubbled. No sooner than she set it down did the tutor lift it back up to take a sip. She stopped, though, when she heard the bubbles popping.

“Celestia!” she snapped in her posh Trottingham accent. The girls burst into giggles and the tutor sighed. I suppose you’ve had enough of your lessons for today?” The foals nodded their heads eagerly. “Right then, class dismissed! And don’t forget: your research papers on the founding of Equestria are due tomorrow!”

“Yes, Miss Alma!” The girls said in unison. They each began grabbing their things and took off from the old office that served as their classroom.

“A princess is always poised!” Luna shouted as they ran down the hall.

“And fair!” Celestia yelled, tripping Luna as she ran by. Luna quickly recovered from her spill and flapped her tiny wings in an effort to catch up. Laughing, they tumbled out onto one of the many balconies. Their parents stood on the balcony above them. Luna ran to the rail to watch the Sunset, though she couldn’t quite see over the top. Celestia snuck up behind Luna and lifted her onto her back, just in between her light pink saddle bags. Luna moved to her sister’s shoulders and placed her front hoofs on Celestia’s head.

They watched as the Sun made its decent. Then, just before it dipped below the horizon, in the midst of that one moment where time seems to stand still, the day’s last rays illuminated the entire kingdom, city to countryside. They could see everything for that one moment, like a painting frozen on a canvas. Luna grabbed her Travel Journal out of her midnight blue saddle bags and hugged it against her chest.

“I bet a princess never longs to see the world.” She whispered, mostly to herself. Celestia knew her sister wanted nothing more than to travel the world, and see all there was to see. But she also knew that Luna was worried that she might never get the chance.

“One day,” she began, “We’ll rule Equestria, side by side. I’ll be the Solar Queen.”

“And I’ll be the Lunar one.” Luna joined in.

“And you’ll travel throughout the kingdom.” Celestia promised. Luna grinned and nodded. “What will you tell them? All those ponies you’ll meet?” Luna was quiet for a moment, pondering the question.

“I’ll tell them all about my sister,” She paused, then gestured to the Sunset, and to the Moon rising overhead, “And all the magic things that we do.” She was quiet again. “What will you do? When I’m gone, I mean.”

“I’ll look after the kingdom. They’re all gonna love us. Know why?”

“Cause we’ll be the best queens ever!”

“Right on!”

“Tia?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m glad you’re my sister.”

“And I’m glad you’re mine.”



> Chapter One: The Curse
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	It was centuries ago, in the capital city of Canterlot. The castle rose from its place on a cliffside over the mighty kingdom of Equestria, the top spires seemingly grazing the Moon, which had just reached its peak. A preteen Celestia stared out the window of her bedroom. The pure white Alicorn filly was supposed to have been asleep hours before, which she had, but she woke up and could not re-enter dreamland. She pushed her light pink mane from her eyes, and turned her innocent gaze toward a second bed in the room.

The second bed was coated in the rich shades of night, in contrast to her bed, decorated with shades of gold and orange. It belonged to her younger sister. A grin spread across her face, her green eyes sparkling. She quietly ran to her sister’s bed. She reached up and grabbed hold of the purple and black covers, pulled herself beside the younger filly, and gently shook her.

“Luna, wake up!” she whispered excitedly. Luna lifted her light-blue head, opening her eyes to discover her even lighter blue mane had covered them. Not even bothering to move her bangs, she groaned, closed her eyes, and laid her head back down.

“Tia!” Luna mumbled “Go back to bed!” Celestia rolled over onto her back, and put her hoof on her forehead dramatically.

“I just can’t! The lights from the Crystal Empire are dancing in the sky, and now I’m awake! So we have to play!” she whined. Luna gave her unsuspecting sister a shove, knocking her to the floor.

“Go play by yourself!” she moaned. Celestia sat on the floor for a minute, trying to come up with something to get Luna up. She looked around the room. Her side was painted a golden sunset color, while Luna’s side was black as night. White dots on the roof represented the stars, and, if you looked closely, you could make out constellations. While Celestia had a mural of the sun, Luna had one of a full moon. The center of the roof was painted as the twilight of evening.

Celestia looked out the window. It was midwinter, and fresh, fat snowflakes fell from above, to the ground that was already blanketed in white. Grinning, she stood, turned back to her sister’s bed, and spread her wings. Taking flight, she leaped to back on top of Luna. She shook her sister again. She leaned close to her little sister’s ear and quietly whispered their favorite winter game.

“Do you wanna build a snowmare?” Luna smirked and raised her head. She giggled and started getting up. Celestia grinned and used her magic to open their closets and levitate coats, scarves, hats, and boots, over to them. Giggling, the girls began putting them on, getting ready to sneak into the castle courtyards.  Celestia fitted her last boot onto her hoof. She looked up at Luna. “Are you ready?”

“Yeah!” Luna answered. They hurriedly opened the door and tip-toed down the long ivory passageways. They stopped as they passed the doors to the throne room. Candle light streamed underneath the doors. Luna cocked her head. “Are Mama and Papa in there? What are they doing up at this hour?”

“I don’t know.” Celestia shrugged “Come on, before they hear us out here!” Luna rolled her eyes and put her ear against the keyhole.

“Shh, I want to hear what they’re saying” she whispered. Celestia joined her sister at the keyhole. Luna sighed. “We’ll never hear what they’re saying from here. She gently opened the door a crack. Suddenly, Luna was grabbed in a very powerful aura, not of her parents, and yanked into the throne room. Before Celestia could respond, the door was shut, locked, and made sound proof from the inside by some extremely potent magic.





The king and queen sat on their respective thrones. Much like their daughters’ sides of the room they shared, the thrones were decorated to fit their positions as the Equestrian rulers. Queen Sunniva’s throne was made of polished gold with pink silk cushions, while King Eclipse’s was crafted of carved obsidian with cushions made of velvet, deep purple in color. The room itself was possibly the most beautiful one in the castle. The long hall-like room was lined with floor-to-ceiling stain glass windows, quarts columns, a red carpet from the doors to the thrones, and red velvet drapes with soft golden cords.

As to why they were in the throne room at this late hour, the Sultan of Saddle Arabia had come earlier that day, requesting a new trade arrangement: Saddle Arabian salt rocks for Equestrian gems. After a long discussion, a decision was made, and now the king and queen were writing the documents on the preparations. The only sound in the room was the constant scribble of quills on scrolls.

All of a sudden, there was a bright flash in the center of the room. Surprised by the white light, both royals dropped their quills and scrolls, covering their eyes. Rubbing their eyes, they glanced up. A hooded figure stood where the light had been. All you could she of the pony’s face was the very end of her muzzle and a few inches of a horn.

“Who are you?” Eclipse snapped “What do you want?” The pony gave a sickly sweet smile and a short bow.

“Forgive my intrusion, Your Highnesses.” you could tell from the voice that this strange pony was a mare. She rose from her bow. “I requested an audience, but was denied I believe for my…background. As to who I am, most call me Moon.”

“I see…” Eclipse muttered skeptically.

“Please, continue.” Sunniva said. “What is it you desired an audience for exactly?”

“I’ve always been fascinated by the night. Of course, I know of few who share this fondness.” Moon seemed to be talking only to Eclipse, as if Sunniva weren’t there. “It saddens me to see the work you so obviously put into the lunar sky to be wasted on eyes blind to its beauty. Now, I have a…proposition, of sorts.” She paused, waiting for a reaction.

“Proceed.” Eclipse stated simply.

Moon gave an evil grin, her eyes now visible as they were glowing turquoise with slitted pupils. “Nighttime…” she said slowly “eternal.”

“Never!” the king and queen shouted at the same time.

Moon glared at them. When the door opened, she snapped her head to face it, seeing the young princess. With a simple flash of her horn, the foal was snatched into the air, the door locked, and a sound proof spell cast upon it, so they could all hear the elder princess banging on the door, but she couldn’t hear what was going on inside. Moon’s final touch was using her magic to pin the king and queen to their thrones.

The filly struggled in Moon’s grasp. “Mama, Papa!” she yelled. 

“Let her go!” Eclipse growled menacingly.

“Luna! Luna, are you okay!? Somepony open the door!” the elder princess yelled through the door.

“Hmm, Luna, is it?” Moon said in a terrifyingly sweet voice. She looked up at the king and queen. “The heir of the night, no doubt. Now, I’ve tried to be nice, but you have forced me to take drastic measures.” Her magic aura, which was dark blue, turned to a sickly green. “Since you,” She glared at King Eclipse, “Won’t bring about eternal night, the child will. As she grows, her power will grow stronger faster; she’ll possess the power of an Alicorn much older than herself. She will not be able to control it. She will come to show hate towards the day, even become jealous of it. Then, in a weakened state of jealousy and hatred, she will become a monster of the night; a true nightmare!” When she finished with the curse, she threw Luna at her parents. 

Eclipse lit his horn and shot a beam of magic at Moon. Seeing the beam coming at her, she teleported out of the castle. All Eclipse managed to do was destroy her cloak. As she disappeared, they were able to get a good look at Moon. She was a solid black Alicorn, with blue smoke for hair, no cutie mark, and Dragon-like eyes. The strangest part was how she turned into purple smoke before she disappeared, indicating that she was no mere pony, but a spirit.

When Moon teleported away, Sunniva and Eclipse were released from their thrones. Sunniva, by this point, was holding Luna and attempting to comfort her. She looked at her husband.

“What do we do?” she asked.

“It would be too dangerous to attempt to lift the curse ourselves, as neither of us know how. But, finding somepony who does could prove even more risky.” Eclipse answered.

“How so?”

“This power that has been placed upon her…you know how unknowledgeable, and often fearful, of Alicorn magic our subjects are, and for an Alicorn so young to possess such immense abilities…I fear that they will see her as a danger, and attempt to…rid the kingdom of this danger.”

Luna gasped, understanding what her father was implying, and buried her head in her mother’s shoulder.

“No!” Sunniva exclaimed, tightening her grip on her daughter.

Eclipse draped his wings over his wife and youngest child. “It’s alright. We’ll protect her. Luna’s a bright filly, I’m sure that, with time, she’ll learn to control her power.” he pause for a moment “Until then, we’ll have to hide her powers.” he began to pace “We’ll need to lessen the castle staff. We can’t let the public know of this, so the gates will have to be closed. And,” he sighed “Luna must have her own room; Celestia can’t know of this.”

“B-but…I tell Tia everything!” Luna wailed. King Eclipse knelt in front of Luna.

“I know, sweetheart, but…you mustn’t tell your sister of this. We don’t want her to be afraid of you, or for either of you to get hurt. Do you understand?” Luna sniffled and nodded. Celestia was still banging on the door. Eclipse walked over to the door, undid the spell, and opened it.

Celestia tumbled into the room. “Luna, are you okay? What happened?”

“Celestia?” Eclipse faked surprise “I’m sorry, dear, we didn’t know you were out there.”

“I was banging on the door this whole time.”

“Your mother and I were doing some work and put a sound proof spell on the doors, so we wouldn’t be distracted.”

“How come I couldn’t open the door?”

“It must’ve gotten stuck. I’ll have someone look at it in the morning. Now, I won’t ask why you’re dressed as if you were going outside,” Celestia smiled sheepishly “but, come with me. I’ll take you back to bed.” the king levitated his daughter onto his back and headed towards the stairs.

“But what about Luna?”

“Let me get you tucked in and I’ll explain.”





Once Celestia was tucked back in, she asked her father what was going on. He told her that Luna had leaned out too far when she opened the door, accidentally kicked it shut, and it had gotten stuck.

“Now, your mother and I have been thinking, and we’ve decided that you and Luna have gotten to the age where you need your own space. So, starting tomorrow, you’ll each have your own rooms.”

“What!?” Celestia exclaimed “But, Luna and I haven’t been fighting over space or anything. Why would you think that?”

“Believe me, dear, you’ll thank us later.”

“But”

“No ‘buts’, Celestia.  It’s been decided.” Celestia sighed and lowered her head “Don’t worry, dear, I’m sure you’ll get used to it.” Eclipse kissed her forehead. Getting up from his seat on his daughter’s bed, he walked over to the door, and turned out the light. “Goodnight, sweetheart. I love you.” Shutting the door, he walked back to the throne room to help his wife with preparations for Luna’s new room.

Celestia, meanwhile, laid in the dark, no longer bothered by the dancing lights. She stared at the ceiling, not the side decorated for the day, nor the side of the night. She was looking at the middle, the part painted as the evening. She always loved that time. She always thought that it represented the harmony of not only the kingdom, but between her and Luna. She then lowered her gaze to her sister’s side of the room. She sighed, knowing that come morning, that side would no longer be there. Rolling over onto her side, she closed her eyes, vowing to spend more time with her sister than ever before. Little did she know that she wouldn’t get to.
	
> Chapter Two: A Life Apart
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Sunlight streamed through the window, hitting the sleeping filly's closed eyes. She slowly opened them, staring out the window as if she didn't know what daylight was. Suddenly, she leaped up, scrambling across the hardwood floor towards the bedroom door.  She didn't notice that her sister's things had been removed. Lighting her horn, she yanked the door open, galloping down the halls.

"How could I have slept 'till noon?" Celestia scolded herself. A grin then stretched itself across her face. "Well, no matter now. I just need to find Luna and we can spend the whole day-" She skidded to a stop, the smile slowly dropping from her face. Her sister stood a few yards way, her glowing horn holding a door decorated with images of Moon phases open. Luna turned her head to look at Celestia, a sad expression written on her face. She locked eyes with her sister for a moment before lowering her eyes to the floor,  and walking through the door, shutting it behind her. There was a quiet click as the door was locked.

Celestia slowly lowered her ears and head, turning her gaze to the floor. She then bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut. A single tear slid down her face. This was the first of many tears to come.





A few days passed, and courage had returned to a certain young Alicorn.  Celestia trotted down the halls, going over in her head what she would say to her sister. Since the day she saw Luna enter her new room, she hadn't seen her sister anywhere in the castle. The younger filly hadn't left her room at all. Alma Mater, her tutor, still taught her in the make-shift classroom, but Luna's lessons were brought by her parents to her room, as was every meal. The King and Queen had told everypony that Luna had said she felt ill, and that she probably would want to remain in her room until further notice. Celestia didn't buy it. She was convinced that Luna just was feeling lonely, and, since she had never felt that because they were always together, she just didn't know how to handle it, and had simply thought she was sick.

Presently, Celestia came to a window. She looked out at the snow falling to the ground. She giggled, and galloped  the rest of the way to her sister's door. She knocked on the door. "Luna?" she said, trying to get her sister's attention. She then began to sing.*

"Do you wanna build a snowmare?" she bounced from hoof to hoof "C'mon, let's go and play!" she tried to look through the keyhole "I never see you any more! Come out the door. You're shut in there every day!" Celestia sat down, staring intently at the door "We used to be best buddies...and now we're not.  I wish you'd at least come out to tell me why!" the filly stood again, a smile on her face, crouching "Do you wanna build a snowmare?" she used her hooves to squish up her face, then sang in a silly voice "It doesn't have to be a snowmare."

Luna's angry voice echoed throughout the hall. "Go away, Tia!" the younger filly snapped.

Celestia's smile dropped, a hurt look taking it's place. "Okay..." she whispered, turning to walk away "Bye..."





Luna sat on her cushioned window seat, reading her journal, frowning. She knew that, now, because of the curse, she would never get to see the world, like she had always dreamed. Her eyes glistened with tears. Before they could fall, however, she was distracted by the sound of her sister's voice, singing outside her door. She was asking her to come out and play in the snow. Luna, anger quickly rising, glared at the door.

"How dare she!?" Luna thought "Doesn't she think that if I wanted to play, I'd have come out already? Who does she think she is, bossing me around!?" The filly squeezed her eyes shut, attempting to shut the voice out "Just because she's  older and because she'll be the Solar Queen doesn't mean she can force me into her games!" Luna had had enough. Her eyes flew open, but they weren't her eyes. No, they were Moon's eyes; dragon like. 

"Go away, Tia!" she snapped in anger. The moment the words escaped her lips, she regretted them. She gasped, slapping a hoof over her mouth, her eyes returning to normal. Her sister's hurt voice reached her ears.

"Okay...bye..."

The words brought tears to the young girl's eyes. How could she have spoken so harshly to her sister? She closed her eyes, and leaned her head against the window. When her eyes opened, a second gasp emitted from her mouth. The last few trails of a dark purple aura trailed from her horn to the black splotch covered in stars etched on the window pane.





That night, when the King and Queen brought Luna's dinner to her, she told them of what had happened earlier. They were worried about Luna's new anger issues, but more concerned about her not being able to control her magic. They told her they would think of something and left her to her food. She was in the middle of her dinner when her father returned. He smiled gently, levitating a small piece of cloth from his pocket.

"What's that?" Luna asked, setting her fork down.

"A horn cover." Eclipse answered "I've enchanted it. When you wear it, it will trap any rouge magic, only allowing the power of an Alicorn your age to be of use." Luna walked over and sat down in front of him. He knelt down and slipped it over her horn. "It'll help. See? Conceal it-"

"Don't feel it." Luna finished.

"Don't let it show." they spoke at the same time.





The next few years passed the same way. Celestia, now sixteen, didn't give up. Every day, she stood outside her younger sister's bedroom door, talking to her, trying to convince her to come hang out with her, until either one of her parents or a member of the staff came along and convinced her to let Luna rest, promising to play with her or convincing her to play by herself. Soon, though, winter rolled around again, and the eldest filly was determined to get Luna out into the first snow to build a snowmare. She ran down the hall, shaking her mane, which was now an aura of magic like her mother's, from her eyes. She slid to a stop in front of Luna's door. Knocking, she began to sing.

"Do you wanna build a snowmare? Or maybe ride a bike around the halls? I feel some company is over due. I've started talking to the paintings on the walls!" she smiled at her favorite painting. It was of her and Luna; she was six, and Luna was three. They didn't want to be still for the painter, especially not in the position he had put them in: side by side, backs straight, staring forward. They had quickly gotten bored, and soon were wrestling. They had paused for a moment, both grinning wildly, with Celestia sitting down, holding Luna in her forelegs, with her wings wraped around her. She was smiling down at the younger filly, who had her head laid on her sister's chest, eyes shut and smile wide. Their mother had used her magic to capture a temporary image of the scene and asked the painter to recreate it. Celestia continued her song.

"Hang in there, girls." she sang as if she were talking to the inseparable girls in the painting "It gets a little lonely...stuck it all these empty rooms, watching the hours tick by!" To emphasize her point, she clucked her tongue, creating a ticking sound. She got no answer. After a while, one of the maids came by and talked her into going to build the snowmare by herself.





Later that night, Luna was pacing in front of her door. The room was now covered in star-coated black splotches. She turned, visibly shaking, to her parents who were standing in front of her bed.

"I'm scared!" she said, panic evident in her voice "It's getting stronger!" Her magic had long ago become strong enough to turn her mane into an aura form. That shouldn't have happened until she was sixteen.

"Luna, you need to calm down." Eclipse tried to comfort his youngest daughter.

"Getting upset only makes it worse." Sunniva reached out for her.

"No, don't touch me!" Luna screamed, leaping away "Please..." she whispered "I don't wanna hurt you."

"It's alright, sweetheart." her mother said sympathetically.

"Just breathe." Her father added.

Luna nodded, breathing in and out, in vain attempts to calm herself.





The twenty-year-old Alicorn walked down the palace halls. She wore golden armor. She paused momentarily in front of her sister's room, wondering if she should knock. She decided against it, continuing on her way. She had long since given up on trying to get through to Luna. Besides, she had more important matters to attend to. A new enemy had arisen. A Draconequus who called himself Discord. He had brought chaos upon the kingdom. The King and Queen had declared war against him and his army of his own chaotic creations, and she was to help them lead the Equestrian Army. She walked into her parents' room, where they were finishing up with putting on their own armor,

"I'm ready to fight." she stated.





Luna levitated a helmet onto her head, completing her own set of armor.* Her parents were walking side by side down the hall. When they saw her, they galloped over.

"Luna! What are you doing out of your room?" Eclipse demanded.

"I wanna help! I mean, my powers are so strong, I could really help in defeating Discord."

"But it's too dangerous." her father spoke, trying to reason with her "Nopony can know of your strong powers. Besides, you're only sixteen. You're too young, either way. A time may come where you need to use your powers, but the powers of an Alicorn your age." Luna's face fell.

"It's for the best, dear." Sunniva spoke "We just want to keep you safe." With a sigh, Luna nodded and returned to her room.





They were now deep in battle. Earth ponies ran into the fray with their swords as the melee portion, the Pegasi swooped down as the aerial team, and beams of magic flew wildly from the Unicorns and the three Alicorns leading the army. Even with the massive personnel of the Equestrian Army, they were greatly outnumbered. While they had to have doctors and nurses on hoof, ready to react at any second, Discord's army was just creatures of his own creation; nothing more than powerful forms of magic. If one fell, he could bring up another with one swipe of a paw or claw.

Celestia was hovering in the air, firing beams in every direction. She swung her massive blade, blocking one of the enemy attacks. She dive-bombed one of Discords creations, causing the magic to dissipate. She turned her head to the sky. She wished she hadn't. The horrific scene that unfolded before her would be etched in her mind forever. Sunniva and Eclipse were helping out the aerial team. Discord, seeing them occupied, collected an orb of magic in his claw. He let it build, doubling, tripling in size. Celestia didn't have time to react; nopony did. He fired it at the two hovering Alicorns. Two agonized screams, and they crashed to the ground.

"MOM! DAD!" Celestia screeched, galloping to the fallen forms. Their armor was battered, even scorched in some places. Their eldest daughter skidded to a stop in front of them, tears welling, but eyes too wide for them to fall. The fallen royalty spoke in between ragged breaths.

"Celestia..." the King started "you and...Luna...you must find a way to stop...Discord." his sentence ended with a racked cough.

"B-but...what about you guys? We...we need you!" her mother reached a wavering hoof and touched the young mare's cheek.

"Have courage, my dear...you'll be...alright." Celestia leaned her head against her mother's hoof, squeezing her eyes shut, a few tears trailing down her face.

"Please...d-don't..." she whispered.

"We love you..." Eclipse whispered.

"Both of you..." added Sunniva. With that, both the King and Queen smiled and closed their eyes for the final time.

"Mom?...Dad? Mom!? Dad!? No, no, please, no!!" tears streamed down the young mare's face. Discord, growing bored with the scene, snapped his claws, disappearing along with his army. One of the soldiers, the Captain of the Guard, Lightyear, took a few tentative steps toward the princess.

"Your Highness? A-are they...?"

"...yes." she whispered "I-I'm afraid they are."

"But, how? They're Alicorns..."

"Despite what everypony thinks, Alicorns are not immortal. At least, not entirely. We'll live forever, as long as we're not..." she paused "killed."

"What do you want us to do?"

"Leave me here for a little while. Inform the rest of the staff that the King and Queen...won't be returning home tonight." snow began fall around them, quickly blanketing the battle ground in white.

"What about Princess Luna?"

Celestia sucked in a breath. "My sister should not be informed yet. I wish to tell her myself..." She teleported a black cape and draped it over her shoulders.

Lightyear bowed. "As you wish, Your Majesty." He nodded to his soldiers and headed back to the castle. Celestia remained there for a long time, just standing there, head bowed, eyes closed. Then, she flapped her wings and headed for the castle library. She didn't have time to just sit there when the kingdom was in danger. Hopefully, there would be something of use among the pages.





"So, they're really gone?" the maid questioned.

"Yeah, hard to believe, en't it?*" The guards had split up immediately after arriving at the castle, in order to inform everyone of this latest development in the War of Discord.

"Does Princess Luna know?"

"Nah, not yet. 'Er sister wanted to be the one to tell 'er. Pooer dab's had a hard life; bein' so sick she's spent most of 'er life in 'er room, then losin' 'er Mam and Da at such a young-" he stopped mid-sentence, catching sight of Luna. Tears welled in the filly's eyes as she turned and ran to her room, slamming the door behind her. The guard sighed. "There's marvelous..." he muttered sarcastically.





Celestia walked down the hall, still in her cape, head bowed. Somepony had told her that her sister had found out about their parent's death. Every painting of her parents she passed had been covered with a black silk sheet. She soon came to a familiar white door, covered in faded images of the Moon phases. She reached her hoof up and knocked gently. 

"Luna?" she said softly before beginning to sing "Please, I know you're in there." she forced a gentle smile "I've been wondering how you've been." she couldn't hold the smile and it quickly dropped "...They said 'have courage', and I'm trying to. You know I'm here for you. Please, just let me in." she leaned her head against the door "We only have each other; it's just you and me...what are we gonna do?" Celestia slid down, back against the door, unknowing that her sister was in the same position. She looked out the window, where the snow was still falling heavily. Her voice cracked with the next sentience she sang. "...Do you wanna build a snowmare?" she then broke into tears, quiet sobs racking her body. Luna also cried on the other side of the door.

After a good while of crying, Celestia sniffled and stood to face the door, getting to the matter at hoof. "Luna...Discord is still out there. I've spent the past hour in the library, searching for something that can help, and I think I've found it. There's something called the Tree of Harmony that contains these jewels called the Elements of Harmony. They'll be powerful enough to defeat him. But..I can't do it on my own. They can't be wielded with full power by one, only with harmony and friendship. I know we haven't seen much over each other over these past years, but, we're still sisters, and I don't think there's any stronger bond of friendship." Luna bit her lip behind the door. "I can't do this without you. Please..." The door opened and Luna looked at Celestia, taking in a shaky breath.

"Okay."





The two Alicorns stared at the statue before them. The land around them had returned to a state of normalcy. Celestia turned to her sister, a grin plastered on her face. She tried to go in for a hug, but Luna stepped away, clearing her throat.

"We must bear news of this to our subjects." she stated bluntly.

Celestia's smile dropped. "Yes, of course."

Upon returning to the castle, they gave a speech on everything that had happened. Their parents will was read. They decided to respect the will; they would wait until Celestia was twenty-four and Luna was twenty before they took over the kingdom entirely. But, they decided to honor their parents. They would stay with the title of 'Princess' instead of upgrading to 'Queen'. This was to honor their parents as the final King and Queen of Equestria. Their funeral was held the next day. Luna returned to her room imminently afterwards. 
> Chapter Three: Coronation Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Two stallions trotted down the corridors of the palace. One was dressed in the armor of a Solar guard, the other in that of a Lunar guard. The Lunar guard glanced at his friend.

"So...what exactly are we doing again?" The Solar guard rolled his eyes.

"My dad asked us to go wake up Princess Celestia."

"I tell ya, Sword, I still can't believe Captain Lightyear is your dad!"

"Believe it, Shield. Anyway..." he trailed off. The two guards, Solar Sword and Midnight Shield, presently stopped in front of the elder princess's bed chambers. The mare had risen at around five that morning, as usual, stepping out onto her balcony to raise the Sun, before returning to the room. Now, at seven fifteen, she had yet to be seen. The loud snores muffled by closed doors quickly told the young stallions that their Solar Princess had again fallen victim to sleep. They stood outside the door a moment, before Midnight Shield elbowed his friend in the ribs.

"You ever seen the Princess up close?" he whispered, suddenly very shy.

"'Course I have!" the other stallion answered, an uncharacteristic blush creeping onto his face "And I must say, she's gorgeous!" Clearing his throat, he lifted a hoof to knock on the door.





"Your Highness?" the voice caused Celestia to abruptly sit up, jerking her awake. Her aura mane was surprisingly quite tangled, her eyes crusted with sleep. The remains of a trail of drool cascaded down her cheek, staining her satin pillow. Nopony would expect the normally impeccably groomed Solar Heir to ever look like such a wreck. The look was punctuated with a loud noise as she woke, something that could be described as a cross between a snore and a snort.

"Yes?" she asked, pulling a strand of her mane from her mouth.

"I'm sorry, did we wake you?" a second voice called from the corridor.

"No no, you didn't!" the princess quickly spoke, sitting up with a stretch and a yawn "I've been up for a while..." her voice trailed off as she fell back asleep sitting up, her head falling to her chest. She again snorted, jerking her head up. "Who is it!?" she cried out. The first voice decided to answer.

"Still us, ma'am. You need to get ready; the gates will open soon."

"Of course....hmm, ready for what exactly?" She mumbled, continuing to doze off. Again, the second voice spoke.

"Um, you and your sister's coronation?"

"Hmm, our...conabation..." suddenly, her eyes shot open, landing on the dress in the corner of the room. Today was the day she became the High Solar Princess of Equestria. Today, she would gain full power over the day. From this day forward, she could make laws, host balls, attend various events. The day where she would get to send time with her sister all day. The start of the end of her loneliness. This was possibly the most important day of her life, and she had overslept.

"Coronation day!" she leaped from her bed and flashed her horn. When the light dimmed, she was fully dressed. "It's coronation day!" She rammed the door open, the two guards leaping to the side to avoid being trampled. She ran down the halls, stopping at her sister's door. Unaware that Luna wasn't in her room, she knocked on the door. "Luna, c'mon, it's coronation day!" She again ran down the halls, breaking into song as she ran.

"The window's open, and so is that door! I didn't think that'd happen anymore!" she lifted a plate from the table, pausing briefly at the dining room. She smiled at her reflection. "Who'd thought we own ten-thousand china plates!" she set in back down, heading for the ballroom where Pegasi maids polished the diamond chandelier. "For years, I'd walk these vacant halls. Why have a ballroom if there's no balls. Oh, finally they're opening up the gates!" The young mare cantered down a hallway decorated with finely chiseled statues.

"There'll be actual, real-live ponies. It's gonna be really strange. But, oh, how I'm so ready for a change!" Ramming a door open, the princess trotted down the stairs into a greenhouse. "For the first time in forever, there's music and there's light! For the first time in forever, I'll dance throughout the night! I don't know if I'm elated or spastic, but I'm somewhere in that zone, 'cause, for the first time in forever," The mare reached a hoof out to pet a small gosling as it's family stepped out from the small lake "I'm not gonna be alone." she paused her singing for a moment "I can't wait to meet everypony!" the girl giggled as the gosling nuzzled her hoof. She grinned at the thought that presently entered her mind. "Maybe I'll finally make some friends!"

She again began to sing as she entered the castle, heading down vast corridors towards the Royal Gallery. "Tonight, imagine me, gown and all, excitedly stepping from behind a wall. A picture of sophisticated grace. They all suddenly see me standing there; the friendly Princess, tall and fair. I won't be able to wipe the smile from my face! We'll laugh and talk all evening. Hmm, sounds totally bazaar! Absolutely nothing like the life I've lead so far!" Celestia smiled, shoving the gallery doors open, running around and posing in front of the various paintings.

"For the first time in forever, there's magic, and there's fun. For the first time in forever," she smiled at a painting of her and Luna, the one she'd always called her favorite "I might find a friend in someone. And, I know that it's totally crazy to dream I'd make some friends at this dance," she paused in front of a painting of several laughing mares "But for the first time in forever, at least I'll have a chance."





Princess Luna walked up to the foyer window. She had gone there to mentally prepare herself for the coronation, which, in tradition, would last all day and well into the night, with the entire kingdom in attendance. She used her magic the smooth a few wrinkled out of her gown. Taking in a shaky breath, the Lunar Princess began to sing softly.

"Don't let them in. Don't let them see." she stepped over in front of a portrait of her father on his coronation day. He stood stoically, an orb-like object decorated like a full Moon resting on his horn. "Be the good mare you've always had to be." Luna flared her own horn, gently pulling of her horn cover, before glancing down at a similar object on the table below the painting. "Conceal," she slipped her own horn into the hole at the base of the object "don't feel." She turned around "Put on a show!" Glancing up, she saw that inky, star-etched patches of black was rapidly spreading across the orb. "But make one wrong move, and they'll all know." Quickly, she set the orb back on the table, then lifted her horn cover.

"But it's only for today." unbeknownst to her, Celestia was standing at a window, watching as ponies gathered outside the palace gates, saying the exact same thing. Luna pulled the cover over her horn. "It's an agony to wait..." again, Celestia unknowingly mimicked her littler sister, only her grin grew as the crowd did, while Luna's expression only got more serious. The younger princess walked towards the door, flinging it open with her magic. "Tell the guards to open up the gates!" she cried out as she was escorted to the doors of the palace chapel.





"The gates!" Celestia squealed as the massive doors opened before running down extensive hallways towards the chapel. She began to sing as loud as she could, unknowing that her sister was singing her own thoughts of the event at the same time, only in a whisper.

"For the first time in forever,"

"Don't let them in, don't let them see."

"I'm getting what I've been dreaming of!"

"Be the good mare you've always had to be."

"A chance to change my lonely world,"

"Conceal..."

"and find a friend in someone!"

"Conceal, don't feel; don't let them know!" Luna stopped singing as she came to the chapel doors.

"And I know that it ends tomorrow, so it's gotta be today! But for the first time in forever...for the first time in forever," grinning, the mare spread her wings and flew the rest of the way to the chapel "nothing's in my way!" she skidded to a stop directly beside her sister with a grunt.  She quickly smoothed out her dress, then, glancing at her sister, straightened her posture and tucked in her wings.

The doors opened slowly, and the girls walked along the carpet that let to the podium where the reverend stood waiting. Above them, a choir of Pegasi gently flapped, singing ancient songs in a language long forgotten, only stopping when the princesses stood before the reverend. The guards, Solar Sword and Midnight Shield, stepped forward, each carrying a silk pillow. Sword's pillow carried a gold orb carved to look like the Sun, while the iron one that Shield carried was fashioned to look like the full Moon. Celestia bent her head down, sliding her horn into a hole at the base of the Solar Orb. Luna bent down to do the same, but the sound of the reverend clearing his throat stopped her.

"Your Majesty," he whispered "the horn cover..."

"Y-yes..of course." Luna whispered back. Her horn flared as she pulled the piece of fabric from it. Setting it on the pillow, she then donned the Lunar Orb. Both mares spread their wings as they turned to face the crowd of ponies as they stood. Behind them, the reverend spoke in ancient Equestrian. Luna's eyes widened slightly as she felt her horn light itself. Glancing up, she saw, to her horror, that a star-donned patch of inky black was spreading inside the orb and a few trails of it were making there way across the bottom.

"I give you Princess Celestia and Princess Luna of Equestria!" Thankfully, the reverend finished his speech. By the time Celestia had turned around, Luna was already pulling her horn cover back on. The younger mare quickly composed herself, and the two stallions backed away. The sisters turned around as the room erupted in applause. Celestia responded by waving wildly at the crowd, while Luna forced a smile.

"There's that," she said to herself, "Now if I can just survive the after party..."
> Chapter Four: The Party's Over
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	All throughout the room, ponies were dancing to the peppy music or standing along the sides, clapping to the beat. After a few moments, the first song ended, and Captain Lightyear stepped up in front of the two thrones at the far end of the ballroom. He cleared his throat, gesturing to one side of the room.

"Princess Celestia of the Day!" he announced. The said princess grinned and trotted out from the hallway, waving at as many ponies as she could before stopping in front of what used to be her mother's throne, but now was hers. Lightyear then gestured to the other side of the room. "Princess Luna of the Night!" Whereas Celestia seemed friendly, Luna was stoic. She walked, head held high, from behind the wall. In the time between the coronation and the after party, she had added a cape over her dress. Only when she stood in front of her father's throne did she turn to face the crowd of ponies. They all bowed to the princesses before returning to the dance floor.

Celestia was eager to mingle with her subjects, but warily glanced towards Luna. She hadn't really seen much of her sister since Discord's defeat three years before. Biting her lip, she wondered what she should say, not realizing that the younger mare was turning towards her.

"Hi." Luna said with a gentle smile, causing her older sister to jump slightly.

"Who me? Oh, uh, hi."

"It's been a while."

"Yes, I, uh, I suppose it has."

"So, this is what a party looks like, huh?" Luna gestured to the many ponies before them, trying to break the awkward tension between her and her sister.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool, isn't it?"

"Yes. But, what is that smell?" both mares took a deep whiff, before breaking into matching grins.

"Cake!" they shouted in unison. The sisters turned their heads, looking at each other in surprise before bursting into laughter. They continued to chat, each hoping to rebuild the relationship that had been neglected for so long.

"Ahem." They turned towards the sound to find two young stallions standing in front of them.

"Your highnesses," one began "my name is Solar Sword, and this is my friend, Midnight Shield. We're with the royal guard. And, we were wondering if you would like to dance with us." he reached a hoof out to Celestia. Shield reached a shaky hoof towards Luna hopefully. She started to accept, but then stopped, remembering a time when she'd been dancing around her room. Her horn cover had fallen, and a beam of the inky, star-etched magic had streamed towards the ceiling.

"Um, thank you, only, I don't dance." she winced at the crushed look on the stallions face.

"I do!" Celestia took Sword's hoof, allowing him to lead her towards the dance floor. Luna kept her eyes trained on her sister, watching as she was swept across the room by star-struck stallions and mingled with the various other ponies, royal and commoner alike. The older mare was everything Luna was not: social, fun loving, energetic, and not afraid to be who she is. Luna, catching onto her older sister's enthusiasm, she started to walk out to search for Shield, but stopped herself. She reached up and touched a hoof to her horn cover, reminding herself how dangerous she truly was.





Celestia trotted back up to her sister, slightly breathless. 

"Having fun?" Luna asked with a smile.

"Yeah." Celestia panted, feeling much more confidant around her sister, "Just a little tired."

"You okay?"

"I'm...I'm great, actually. This has been the best Night of my life. I can't wait for it to be like this all the time!"

"W-what?" Luna's eyes widened.

"Well, I mean, we're in charge now. We can change the rules. We can open the gates, Luna." Luna gulped slightly, shaking her head.

"Don't you think Mama and Papa would've had a good reason for closing them in the first place? I'm sure they did it in everypony's best interests. We..." she sighed "We can't." Celestia reached out to lay a hoof on her sister's shoulder.

"Well, why not. We-"

"We just can't!" Luna swatted her sister's hoof away. "Now, if you'll excuse me." she began to walk away.

"But, Luna!" Celestia ran after her sister "Please, Luna. It'd be so much better." Luna just glared, again shaking her head. "But....but I'm your big sister!" The anger was rising up inside Celestia.

"As co-princesses, one cannot pass a law without the other consent. You asked my permission, but my answer is no. We're done here." she turned to Lightyear. "It's getting rather late, and it's in everypony's best interest if the party were to end now. Please, close the gates." She walked towards the doors.

Celestia glared at her younger sister, furious at what had just taken place. Her horn flared to life in an attempt to grab the younger mare, only to result in suspending the horn cover next to her face. Luna whirled around in panic.

"Celestia, give me my horn cover!" she swiped at it with her hoof, narrowly missing. By now, everypony was staring at the sisters. She couldn't risk using magic, as it was taking everything in her to not let the curse show. "Celestia...I-I just can't live like that." The older mare's glare was hard and cold.

"Then leave." Those two words broke whatever friendship the sisters had. "You always wanted to travel. Do it."

Luna flattened her ears to the side of her head, lowering her gaze. "I...I can't." She turned and headed for the door.

"That's right, just go back to your room and shut everypony out. I mean, it's bad enough Mom and Dad closed the gates, but I could've at least had my sister!"

Luna's hoof froze just on the door handle. Anger rose up inside her. "What they did was done to protect us." she growled through clenched teeth. She glanced back. "To protect you! Now that's enough."

"Protect us from what!? Freedom!? Happiness!?"

It was in that moment that Luna snapped. She whirled around. Her eyes had morphed into those of a dragon, while her mane had lost it's aura texture and changed into a blue smoke. "I said 'ENOUGH!" She slammed her hoof onto the floor, cracking it slightly, and threw her head back. Her horn flared to life, sending a powerful beam into the air. It carved a gaping hole into the ceiling, continuing higher towards the Moon.

She changed back and looked around. Everypony stared at her, an unmistakable terror in their eyes. Her horn flared and she picked up the horn cover before slipping it back on. She backed into the door.

"...Luna?" Celestia whispered. Luna flung the door open, galloping down the hallways. She could hear Celestia running after her, along with various shouts of 'demon' and 'monster' coming for the other ponies. She ran outside and over to the edge of the cliffside. She looked down fearfully, then back towards her sister who was catching up. She spread her wings, and with a mighty flap, disappeared into the clouds.

"Luna, wait!" Celestia screamed, running over to where her sister had taken wing. She, too spread her wings, but was stopped by a voice.

"Your highness?" Lightyear laid a hoof on her wing "I know this is a bad time, but, you need to raise the Sun."

Sighing, the mare flared her horn and reached for the Moon, ready too pull it down. The second her magic touched it, however, she received a painful shock, causing her horn to spark and knocked her to the ground.

"Princess, are you alright!?" Lightyear helped her to her hooves.

"I'm fine, but, there's some sort of force field around the Moon. I..." full realization hit "I can't lower the Moon." she spread her wings "If I don't find Luna, we'll be stuck in an eternal Night." with that, she took to the air.
> Chapter Five: Let It Go
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	Luna didn't know how long she had been flying. Her wings ached and she was starting to feel light-headed. Still, she pushed forward; onward towards what she prayed would be her safe-haven. The Everfree Forest would be dangerous, but with her powers, she could handle it. The young mare glanced around, reminding herself of the way. Then, she thought of the book.

It was an earlier time, back when she was a filly.  She had woken up late at Night, having had a nightmare of ponies discovering her secret. She had sneaked out of her room and down to the library. It was a big book, leather-bound and cracked, pages yellowed with age. It had been years since she'd last opened it. She remembered her younger days spent flipping through the ancient, brittle pages. Her sister preferred fairy tales, and they were entertaining, but this was her favorite book: Equestrian Geography.

She paged through, looking for something to catch her eye. Different regions appeared and disappeared before her eyes as she skimmed the paragraphs; Saddle Arabia, Fillydelphia, Manehattan, White Tail Woods, and so on. Then, she came across the Everfree Forest. She read about how the forest took care of itself; nopony changed the seasons, nopony cared for the wildlife, nopony controlled the weather, and, just till the edge of the forest,the Sun and Moon moved on their own. That's when she got her idea.

She'd spent years perfecting the spell. A spell that would cause eternal Night. The Everfree operated differently, and Luna hoped that it would be able to survive under an everlasting Moon. She knew, deep down, that someday her secret would be found out, or that the horn cover just wouldn't cut it, and she would need a back-up plan. She told no one, and left one Night, placing the spell upon the forest. She'd planned to return to see how the forest was fairing, but she'd never gotten the chance. Now, all she could do was hope that the forest survived.

Soon, Luna touched down at the edge of the forest. It'd survived, alright; thrived even. She glanced back upon the kingdom before allowing herself to be engulfed with the darkness that was the forest. She walked in silence for a while, the foliage being too thick for her to attempt to fly at the moment. She soon couldn't take the quiet any longer, and began to sing softly to herself.

"The Moon glows white in the sky tonight. Not a hoofprint to be seen. A kingdom of isolation, and it looks like I'm the queen." she paused, looking around, before lowering her ears and blinking back tears "No stars are glowing in this inky black inside....I couldn't keep it in, Heaven knows I tried..." she walked, chiding herself with the song "Don't let them in; don't let them see. Be the good mare you've always had to be. Conceal, don't feel. Never let them know..." She paused, glancing up at her horn cover. She glared at it for a moment, this cloth that caused her so many problems. "Well, now they know!" Her horn flared, and the cover was tossed to the wind. She whirled around and fired a beam of  stars, letting the black aura swirl them in the air. "Let it go." and another beam "Let it go. Can't hold it back anymore!" she continued to fire the beams. "Let it go, let it go. Turn away; slam the door! I don't care what they're going to say. Let the Night go on." she unclasped her cape and released it to the wind. "The cold of dark never bothered me anyway."





Luna walked through the woods for a while before coming near a ravine with a meadow. She continued her song. "Funny how some distance," she turned to face the way she came "makes every thing seem small. But the fears that controlled me...they can't get to me at all!" she reared on her hind legs before turning and running to the edge of the ravine. "It's time to see all I can do. Test my limits and break through." she fired a beam at the ravine, creating a shimmering outline of a bridge. "No right or wrong. No rules for me." she laid a hoof on the first step and it hardened into some black rock substance. She grinned. "I'm free!"

Luna spread her wings over the rails and cantered across the bridge. "Let it go, let it go! I'm one with the starlit sky! Let it go, let it go!" she stepped off onto the other side with a flurry of stars. "You'll never see me cry!" she cantered a few steps before rearing up and slamming back down. "Here I stand, and here I stay." an intricately designed star made of the colors of twilight spread out from her hooves. She grinned, looking around. "Let the Night go on..." Luna flared her horn and threw her head back. Slowly, a castle took form around her. It was made of the same stuff as bridge, complete with a chandelier made of polished and carved moonstone. She stayed standing on the star, which rose up to create the top floor.

"My power soars through the air into the ground. My soul is spiraling in Moonlit fractals all around. And one thought crystallizes like a starry blast." she paused, lifting her crown from her head and settling it on her hoof. She stared at her reflection in the decorative crystals. This frilly, fearful foal staring back at her...it wasn't her. "To protect them...I can never go back..." She wasn't afraid; not anymore. She was born to protect the citizens of Equestria. And now, she was more a threat to her kingdom than anyone. But, it was for the best; she couldn't let it bother her. "The past is in the past!" she threw the crown across the room.

"Let it go!" she flared her horn and ripped a bobby pin from her mane. She whipped her head around, letting her hair fall almost messily atop her head. "Let it go! And I'll rise to the Moon's dawn!" she flared her horn once more. Her magic spread across her body, glowing bright and blinding her for a few moments before receding. In it's place was a dress seemingly made of starlight itself. "Let it go, let it go! That perfect mare is gone!" she spread her wings and sashayed towards a balcony. "Here I stand, not movin' for the day! Let the Night go on!" she carried the note out across the forest. When she paused for a breath, she tucked her wings to her sides. "The cold of dark never bothered me anyway." and with that, she whirled around, slamming the doors shut behind her.
> Chapter Six: For The First Time In Forever
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


The mare flapped her massive wings, panting slightly. She'd been going in circles for hours when she'd seen the flashing lights coming from the Everfree Forest. She wondered why her sister would enter the dangerous forest. Of course, with her obvious power, it wasn't like she couldn't handle the forest's power. She soared over the trees, scanning the ground for a place to land. There, a break in the trees. She circled for a moment before lighting down.

The first thing she saw was was a dark bridge stretching across a ravine. Her eyes trailed along it, taking in each detail before resting in awe at the castle on the other side of the ravine. Constructed of dark stone; she could feel the magic used to create it. Her sister was here. Taking a deep breath, she started across the bridge. She reached the purple crystalline doors. Memories rushed through her head as she raised a hoof to knock. Twelve years since she was just a child, standing outside her sister's bedroom, begging her to come play. Three years since she'd stood outside said door, crying to her sister about their dead parents, telling her how to defeat their murderer. A day since she and her sister became the High Princesses. A few hours since her sister fled in fear.

She shook her head, banishing the thoughts. Her hoof gently tapped the door, which responded with a resounding click before swinging open. Her eyes widened in shock. She stepped inside, marveling at the castle's interior. Everything appeared to be made of the dark stone, or deep purple crystals. There was a grand staircase leading up what could almost be described as an indoor balcony. She craned her neck, trying to see where the balcony lead. A sparkling fountain stood in the center of the room. Had her sister really built all this?

"Luna?" she called out. "Are you here? It's me, Celestia! The sister who's really sorry for what she said?"

"C-Celestia!?" the older mare's head snapped towards the sound. Her breath caught in her throat. The mare who now stood at the balcony's railing looked only faintly like the little filly she once new as her sister. Her mane was a mess, yet looked well styled at the same time. An almost transparent tiara rested at the base of her horn. Her gown shimmered and sparkled in the light cast off by the many crystals in the room, almost illuminating her flared wings. This wasn't her baby sister; she couldn't be. And yet, she was. But she'd lost the fearful look that had always remained in her eyes. This beautiful young mare was radiating confidence.

"Luna...you look...grown up. In a good way!"

"Thank you. But, what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to ask what happened; why you had never told me about..."

"My power?" Celestia winced at the hardness in her sister's voice, but nodded all the same.

Luna sighed, her wings folding up. Then, standing atop the indoor balcony as her sister leaned against the railing at the base of the staircase, Luna told her story. She told her sister about falling through the door, about the noise-cancelling spell, about Moon's threat, finally ending with the spell she'd placed on the forest.

Celestia had long since sat down. Her eyes were closed, two tear tracks defined on her face. "Oh, Luna, I-I'm so sorry..."

"No, you have nothing to apologize for. I'm the one who's sorry. You didn't know, and I should have told you sooner." she paused, trying to steady her voice. "You grew up on your own, never knowing why I'd left,and that wasn't fair to you."

Celestia stood, wiping away her tears. "But I know now. We can tell your story to Equestria. Somepony may be able to help! Please, Luna," she begged, "come home so we can be sisters again.

Luna's head lowered. "Equestria deserves a princess they haven't need to fear" She raised her head with a gentle smile.

"Equestria needs both it's princesses."

"The first thing we learned as foals was that a princess must make sacrifices for the well being of her kingdom. That's what I'm doing. I can't stop this curse; I'll forever be a danger. It's for the best. Now, I think it's time for you to return home. Goodbye, my sister."

Celestia advanced up a few steps, tears again streaming. "It won't be home without you!"

"Please understand, sister, I'm doing this to protect you!" With that, Luna's brave front cracked and she fled across the balcony as her sister rushed up the stairs.

"You don't need to protect me Luna! I'm not afraid of you!" Celestia began to sing "Please, don't shut me out again! Please don't slam the door! You don't have to keep your distance anymore!" she followed Luna down a twisting corridor. "'Cause, for the first time in forever, I finally understand. For the first time in forever, we can both spread peace throughout the land! We can leave the forest together; you don't need to live in fear." the came to a doorway leading to the top floor of the palace, "'Cause for the first time in forever, I will be right here." she smiled at her younger sister.

"Tia," Luna joined the song from the center of the room, "please go back home. Your life awaits. Go enjoy the sun! Open up the gates!" she backed up slowly towards the double doors across the room. "I know you mean well, but please leave me be." She opened the doors and the two mares stood on the balcony that overlooked the entire kingdom. "Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free!" she turned back inside "Just stay away, and you'll be safe from me..."

Celestia took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. "Actually, we're not..."

Luna froze, turning slowly around. "What do you mean you're 'not'?"

"I get the felling you don't know..."

"Then, would you please shed some light!?"

"Equestria," she spoke the end of her sentence, "is trapped in eternal Night..."

"W-what?"

"You mayor may not have accidentally set off a force-field around the Moon that my magic can't touch. But, you can just take it down!"

"Have you not been listening? I can't!"

"Of course you can; I know you can!" the sisters then began to sing at the same time. "'Cause for the first time in forever,"

"Oh, I'm such a fool! I can't be free!"

"you don't have to be afraid!"

"No escape from the monster inside of me!"

"We can work this out together!"

Luna's hooves stared to turn black, and her mane started thinning into smoke "I can't control the curse!"

"We'll reverse the Night to Day!"

The younger mare whirled around to face her sister. "Oh, Tia, please, you'll only make it worse!"

"Don't panic,"

"It's me they'll fear!"

"We can make the Sun shine bright!"

"You're not safe here!"

Celestia sang faster, oblivious to her sister's new dragon-like eyes and the splotches of black adorning her coat. "We can face this thing together, so the Night won't last forever, then everything will be alri-"


Luna reared up, finally turning entirely black. "I CAN'T!" she screamed. Magic energy surged in the air around her, lifting her to the air without use of her wings, while it slammed Celestia against a wall. A blinding white light filled the room. Celestia covered her face with her wings, trying to regain the breath that'd been knocked from her lungs. The light receded, and the swirling magic in the air came to an abrupt stop, punctuated by a muffled thud.

Celestia, still lying on the floor, chanced a look. An entirely black mare stood in the center of the room. She wore armor made of silver, with a turquoise crescent Moon in the center of the chest plate. The mare slowly raised herself up, unfurling her massive wings as she did so. Her mane and tail merely blue smoke that twisted and billowed around her. Her horn rose sharply from her head. She blinked her dragon eyes as a truly wicked smile spread across her dark face. She threw her head back, cackling, and curled a foreleg.

After a few moments, her laughter stopped, and her gaze turned to the mare crumpled on the floor. "You were warned, Celestia." Her voice turned Celestia's blood to ice.

"L-luna?" she tried, helplessly.

The mare flapped her wings menacingly. "Luna's gone, and Nightmare Moon is here to stay."
> Epilogue: Life's Too Short
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

	The world around her was dark. Nothing but an endless black. She could feel herself moving, feel herself shouting, yet she knew it wasn't her voice. It was deeper, she could feel, more terrifying. She knew, now, where she was. Trapped in her own mind, swimming in and out of consciousness,  an evil force using her body. It hadn't had the power to erase her completely; just to push her away and trap her. This was Luna's prison.

Moon couldn't erase her, even if she had the power. Erasing her would be the same as killing her. Though Moon now controlled it, the body still was tied to Luna's soul. Luna's death would only result in the destruction of both mares. So Luna was trapped; a prisoner in her own body. She could feel every physical pain that Moon could, but she could not speak, hear, or see. Moon controlled that. All she could do was feel. Her body ached, she assumed from the transformation.

Luna thought of her sister, alone, left to defeat Moon, and rule the kingdom by herself. She thought back to her younger days. Why hadn't she told Celestia? She would've understood. She would've been careful. She might have, with her sister's help, learned to control the curse. Her poor sister; shut out and left to grow up alone, and she never knew why. And her poor parents, left to raise a filly whom they knew would either fall victim to Moon's possession, or been killed off by an angry mob.

"It's funny," she mused bitterly "how you only realize how foolish you were, how miserable you made everypony else, only when it's too late. How you only see clearly after you've been so blind. Mama, Papa, I'm sorry this happened. I'm sorry you had to constantly fear your own daughter while also fearing what others would do to her.

"And, Tia, my dear sister, I'm so sorry you'd had grow sheltered away from me, that we hadn't been able to grow up together as sisters." had she been in control of her eyes, Luna would have cried by this point. "I'm sorry we were so distant, that we were sisters, best friends, forced to spend their lives apart. I'm so sorry." She began to sing.

"Sadness burns within me like stars aglow. I've had to be thrown out by the only friend I've ever know. There's no way Moon can win, and now I wish that I had told you all that time ago." she could feel herself fading out of consciousness, "Life's too short..."





Celestia stood on the balcony outside her bedroom, staring up at the Moon. A black silhouette darkened it's surface; her sister's outline. It'd been a few hours since the mare had appeared on the Moon. After Luna had transformed, Celestia had escaped Nightmare Moon's wrath, rushing back to Canterlot. On her way home, she'd convinced herself on what he had to do. Taking the Elements of Harmony, she returned to face Nightmare Moon. The mare closed her eyes, thinking back on what had happened.

Celestia landed on the outer balcony of Nightmare Moon's castle. The mare in question stood in the center of the room, grinning wickedly at Celestia. The young princess moved into the room, saddlebags clinging tightly to her sides, the Elements tucked safely within.

"Ahh, Celestia," Nightmare said calmly, "welcome back to my humble palace. I'm so glad you've returned. I wanted to thank you."

"Thank me?" Celestia coldly replied "What reason do you have for thanking me?"

Nightmare Moon stepped closer to the Solar Princess. "Oh, very much, my dear. After all, none of this," she gestured to herself with a hoof before curling it under and giving her spread wings a flap, "could have been possible without you ." she slammed her hoof down, punctuating her sentence.

"Me? What's any of this got to do with me?"

Nightmare Moon chuckled cruelly. "When I merged myself into Luna's body, I gained access to ALL of her memories. I, or rather she seems to recall that, on the Night I cursed her, it was  you  who woke her up. It was you who made her come play with you." By now, Nightmare Moon was circling Celestia, taunting her. "But, as if getting you own sister cursed  wasn't enough, you helped me gain control over her."

"How could I ha-"

"I gained power through her anger, her fear. She grew angry and scared whenever you tried to force her to play your foalish games. The final straw was merely hours ago, when, again, you tried to force her to do what she knew she couldn't do. You never stopped to think of what she wanted, or why your sister was isolated, or why she refused to come back with you. No. All you cared about was. Your. Self!"

"ENOUGH!!!" Celestia shouted, stopping Nightmare Moon in her tracks in front of her. Her horn was flared, the Elements gripped in her yellow aura. They began to glow. Before Nightmare Moon could react, the Elements had activated and fired a multicolored beam of light at her. She shrieked in pain as the light burned at her from the inside out.

Then she was gone.

Celestia had returned to Canterlot, with the Elements she no longer controlled. She used them against the other bearer, breaking the harmony. She, nor Luna, could ever control the Elements again. The ponies of Equestria demanded to know what happened.

And so she told them.

She told them what Luna had told her, adding in what she had already known. She ended with Nightmare Moon's transformation, and defeat. Her punishment was an eternity on the Moon.

But she'd lied.

Alone, she couldn't wield the Elements' full power. Nightmare Moon would only be banished for a thousand years. She wouldn't see her sister for a thousand years.

A clock in her bedroom chimed five o'clock, time for the Sunrise. Her magic flared as she pulled the Moon from the sky and lifted the Sun in it's place. The Sunrise was especially beautiful that morning; a sign of an era of hope an prosperity in the wake of Nightmare Moon's defeat. Celestia looked down at her ponies, celebrating Nightmare Moon's defeat; celebrating her sister's banishment.

She levitated a few large pillows from her room, laying down on them as she watched Night turn to Day. Nightmare Moon's words swirled around in her head. As much as she tried to push them away, to tell herself that Moon had just been trying to get into her head, to psyche her out, she just couldn't. Because Nightmare Moon had been right.  She'd been a spoiled brat who only cared for herself. She closed her eyes, a few tears dripping down.

"Life's too short," she sang, "to be such an oblivious fool. So thoughtless that I couldn't see," she took a shaky breath, "that life's too short to be so desperate for a sister's love,that I only ever thought of me. I should've seen it clearly; been the sister of a good sort. And now all I know," tears now flowed freely, "is life's...too...short." she collapsed fully on the pillows, sobbing.

"Oh, Luna," Celestia whispered, "I'm so sorry."

She threw her head back with a shriek that echoed throughout the kingdom and the souls of everypony in it.

"LUNA!"





Despite Celestia's power, she could not see the future. She had no clue as to how her sister's story would change over the years into a foalhood campfire story. She didn't know that her sister would become a mere character of which ponies would tell to their younger sibling to scare them. She couldn't see that an entire holiday inspired by the fear ponies held for said 'fictional' character would be created.


All she knew was that the next thousand years of her life would be spent frozen in a nightmare.












THE END