Luna's past is darker than night if you stretch deep into the shadows of the Princess' lives.
Long before the time of the Mane 6, when Celestia and Luna were just young fillies and their parents ruled Equestria, Luna's fate unrolls like a scroll. It wasn't always sweetness and harmony in the land of ponies. Before such peace settled, there was rejection, fear, and grief. Pain will fill the hearts of the innocent, and the guilty will get away with scandalous crimes. Afterall, what is a life without a little chaos?
The dusky sky was dotted with cold gray clouds, and tiny speckles of rain fell down upon the Canterlot Gardens. Roses were blooming row upon row on each side of the path. Ponies had gathered from all over Equestria, pulling their carriages full of supplies to keep them for the weeks they had resided in Canterlot. A festival of solar and lunar had waged for many days, slowly leading up to that day.
As the last sweet treats, apple pies, peaches, plums, and strong cider were munched down by the visiting ponies from afar, the a brilliant light began to rise from the horizon, and Pegasus ponies began to drive the clouds back to let in the glowing sun. The warm golden light washed over Canterlot, and the ponies stared up with brilliant grins that soon spread from face to face.
The crowd roared with cheering, and each pony bent to bow as King Artemis stepped out of the royal chariot, beating his starry black wings slowly before folding them neatly at his sides. He stared over each of the ponies, his gaze critiquing, then he trotted up the two steps to stand beside a fountain that was flowing quietly, carved from stone as a pair of ponies dancing and the water streaming from their pouted lips.
The next pony to step elegantly onto the scene was Queen Solaris. Her white mane billowed out to a golden and purple point. Her shimmering fur glinted in the sunlight as she stepped very slowly to stand beside the Alicorn stallion, looking over her kingdom with a small smile.
They were followed by two smaller ponies, both mares that shared traits of their parents. The two had never made an appearance to the citizens of Equestria, and as they stepped together off the chariot, the cheering erupted again, and the air was filled with bellows and whistles.
The older of the two was a bright white Pegasus with a delicate pink mane that whirled around her. Her younger sister was a navy blue unicorn with a lighter mane that curled down just below her jawline. Then dipped their heads politely to the squealing crowd, then hurried to stand between their parents.
King Artemis took a deep breath, raising his head and bellowing his royal Canterlot voice. "Silence!"
The ponies did not hesitate to cut their voices, and the ghostly silence that followed seemed to chill the air. They all stared expectantly at their king, who unfolded his wings very gradually, then closed his eyes, magic beginning to glow around his long horn. The moon began to appear like a disk on the horizon, almost seeming to glow white hot. It trailed up beneath the sun, hovered there for a moment, then with a spark of magic it slid up in front of the sun, turning the golden light into a sparkling silver.
Gasps of astonishment rippled through the crowd as they stared with wide eyes. Never before had they seen the two celestial elements cross in such a way that turned everything its light hit into a cold blaze. The unusual glow took the breath of the ponies watching, and Artemis slowly lowered his head and stepped back so Solaris could regally make her appearance.
"Citizens of Canterlot, and those from the furthest reaches of Equestria. It is in my deepest honor to see you gather in such numbers here today to witness the coronation of our beloved children." Her gentle, honey-smooth voice wafted over the crowd like a pleasant odor.
"These are our two daughters, who have lived in our castle without any interaction with the ponies of their nation for much of their lives. They have undertaken a deep and thorough education within our ranks, and now both of them are ready to become Princesses of Equestria." Artemis said, folding his wings finally.
Both regal parents turned to face their children, the two ponies remaining silent for the most part. They curtsied a little to their parents, then raised their heads to meet them eye for eye.
Artemis and Solaris spoke in unison. "Celestia, Luna, you are now ready to become Alicorns, and from there become the new royalty of Equestria!"
They craned their necked and pointed their horns straight at the mystified mares, a bright magical light like no other swirling around their horns, both revolving like vortexes. The light from the cross moon and sun seemed to glow ever brighter as the overwhelming light washed over Celestia and Luna, and they were engulfed, their bodies rising up slightly from the sheer power of the magic they were beholding.
The crowd seemed almost bewitched, their eyes locked on the moment, every second reflected in their unblinking gaze. It was over as soon as it had started, though, and the light dimmed away, leaving the King and Queen looking quite tired. The new Princesses faces were filled with delight, their hearts soaring with such excitement as they looked over their new features.
Celestia hurried over to the fountain to stare down at her reflection, admiring her curling white horn. Luna fluttered around without much clue of how to control her wings, all of her previous royal act gone and replaced with filly childishness. The parents stared down at them with pride glowing in their eyes, and once again the crowd roared with cheer.
Solaris leaned down to nuzzle her daughters, affection filling her gaze. "You two are free to roam the town for a few hours and meet the ponies you now rule over. When you are ready to come back, me and your father will be awaiting you in the chariot."
The King and Queen dipped their heads to the ponies, then stepped away from the spotlight, making their way back to the chariot. Celestia stretched each of her legs individually, posing for the crowd who was now rushing up the steps to greet them. She fluttered her eyelashes and nodded and spoke very politely to those who questioned her. On the other hoof, Luna was still bouncing around, laughing merrily and running with the fillies of the crowd.
"Why must you be so immature, sister?" Celestia hissed, catching up with her.
Luna pouted and poked her tongue out. 'I can do whatever I want!"
"We're princesses now!" She whined, as if it wasn't just her sister's antics that was bothering her. "You have to act royally. We're not like the other fillies. We're pegacorns."
"And we're just princesses. We're not queens." Luna sounded exasperated, but Tia just turned and trotted off in a huff.
She watched her sister go, then glanced at the bushes of the gardens, flinching. I could of sworn I saw a face... She was close to dismissing what she had seen flickering in the leaves, but she saw her sister heading towards it with an ashen look on her pretty white face.
What are you up to, Tia? She thought, barging through the ponies without so much as an excuse me. She slowed down, blending in with the others until she was sure that Celestia hadn't noticed her follow. Squeezing through the hedge, she shook leaves from her dark fur and looked around. Spotting her sister, she shrunk behind a shrub, peering through the spindly branches.
"What are you doing here?" Celestia growled, staring forward at a young, rather handsome draconequus.
He sneered and coiled around her, smiling and staring at her with bright eyes. "Don't you see what this means! You're royal now! You have the power to help me. My kind doesn't have to be frowned upon anymore."
She snorted and stepped away from him, and shock seemed to take over his mischievous look. "Don't you see what this means? I'm a princess, and my loyalty lies to the laws of harmony, not to chaos."
"But Tia," He whimpered, taking a step back from her with a look as if she had grown a second head.
"No." She hissed under her breath. "Maybe then when I was reckless and locked up in that dreadful castle without anyone to be with besides my annoying little sister. But no longer can we be friends." She turned on her heel and stormed off through the hedge.
The draconequus stared after her, reeling back like a snake. "But I wanted to be more than friends..." He muttered under his breath.
Luna gasped, then clasped her hooves over her mouth as soon as the sound had escaped. The creature with many appearances to his limbs whipped around, glowing eyes set on the bush she cowered behind. He took a deep breath and ran at it, hissing and snarling.
"Don't hurt me!" She wailed, skidding out from behind it so he could see her.
He skid to a halt, eyes wide with a mix of confusion and anger. "Get out of here! Scram little pony!"
She stood her ground, staring down at him. She bit her lip to stop herself crying out, staring down at the shaky draconequus. "I heard what my sister said to you."
"You're her sister?" He spat.
She lowered her head. "I cannot make up for the shame she has done. I am sorry, fair draconequus."
"Fair draconequus? I'm a lord of chaos! And you're a pretty pony princess. Scram back to your parents. Might as well tell them I'm here while your at it, they might as well turn me into stone for all it's worth."
She stared up at him, pained by his sever words. Only moments before he had spoken sweet of tongue to her sister, only to be turned away with rose-sharp thorns. Her turquoise eyes glittered with pity. She could almost feel behind his mask of hatred to the misery that was raining inside of him.
"Please, I only want to help you. My sister has turned into a vile little pony since she became a full princess. I'm not like that. My name is Luna and the true meaning of harmony is to share it with all."
He stared at her, unsure, then turned, admiring his lion's claws as he spread out his toes. "Why should I trust you, Luna."
She hesitated, then smiled gently. "You don't have to. But I'm the only pony who won't treat you like a pest."
To her horror, the draconequus was fading, his eyes set on the distance. She ran towards him, but skid just before she touched his transparent shape. He turned to face her, expression blank.
The last thing he said before he disappeared wasn't an answer to her offer to be his friend. "The name's Discord."
Luna sat by her bedroom window, drawing her hair brush through her soft mane, staring out into the golden day. She slowly hummed to herself, eyes shadowed as she watched life go by in the city below her. High up in the castle she felt separate from the other ponies, but that was how it was destined. She was a princess, mingling only with the other royal members.
When she heard her door open gently, she turned, pulling her brush away with her magic and dropping it on the dressing table. "Father, why do ponies only enjoy the daytime?"
King Artemis stood there for a moment, then hovered towards her, leaning down to nuzzle her head. "Night is loved by many ponies, they just cannot revel in its glory. They sleep through the cold light of the moon and only wake to the warmth of the sun. Like an animal sleeps through Winter and wakes in Spring, it is how time works with the ponies."
"But what is so glorious about a dejected time of day that is only seen as it casts shadows over houses?" She said dramatically, falling onto her bed and staring up at the ceiling. "Why does Tia get the honor of bringing day to Equestria when she is older?"
He settled beside her, tucking his legs beneath her and letting his daughter curl into his soft feathery fur. Draping a wing over her small body, he smiled and stared out of the window. "Night is the final end to the day. It ties off the days events, and settles ponies into comfort and dreams. Do not let your love for it cloud your judgement on what is more important. There must be a balance of both moon and sun."
She lay on her back, staring up through his wing feathers, her mind lost in a whirlwind of thought. A balance of moon and sun. But what about a balance of harmony and chaos?
The whole day she was tortured by thoughts of the draconequus, Discord, that she had met the morning of her coronation. She had never seen such pain in the eyes of any creature, and her heart yearned to fill him the warmth that Celestia had once before.
"If the sun cannot warm you like everypony else, it's up to me to try." She breathed, pressing hooves to her window.
With a shove, she pushed the window open, wincing as the hinges screeched. She quickly put her hooves back on the ground and looked over her shoulder, but there was no sound of her parents, Tia, or the guards. With one final survey of the room, Luna fluttered out of the window, hovered in the air, then flew with a varying degree of difficulty up onto the roof, scrabbling against the smooth roofing tiles.
She looked around, trying to balance on the slippery surface, then skittering into the air again and whizzing down the side of the mountain. The wind billowed around her, teasing through her mane and stroking her soft fur. She landed clumsily at the edge of Canterlot, leaves going up in a cloud as she went right through a bush.
Scowling, she spat out a mouthful of leaves and shook her pelt out, discarding scraps of debris. She looking around, then tensed, hearing a few noises from the city. She backed up, looking around then taking a deep breath of the cold sharp air.
"Oh, night, thou are so gentle. Why do-est ponies cower from your beauty?" She murmured, staring up at the starry sky, feeling as if she was staring across her father's fur.
"Because chaos gets around a lot easier in the shadows." Said a sickly familiar voice.
Luna whipped around, eyes wide as she saw the draconequus staring at her from up a tree, laying lazily along the branch like a snake. She rolled her eyes at him and trotted towards the tree, her eyes tracing along his features, trying to identify which part came from what animal. He snickered and rolled over onto his stomach, stretching his legs out on each side.
"It's rude to stare." He snapped, and she snapped out of it, glancing back to his face.
"Sorry. You're just... different." She had to focus to keep her eyes from drifting from his eyes.
He slithered down to the ground, tail lashing. "Different? Just a little, don't you think? For Pete's sake."
She frowned at his sharp biting tone. "Why so sour? Lighten up a little, it's night after all." She let herself grin, breath taken by the very awe of the dark landscape.
He found himself looking over her details, his eyes intent on her wings and horn for the most part. "Princess, eh? Are you a snotty brat like your sister?"
"Not at all. She's too up herself about being royalty now. I'm still the same pony as I was before being an Alicorn."
He stepped forward slowly, walking slow circles around her, coiling his long body around her as he did so. "And who is that 'same pony' you speak of?"
"Luna. Myself."
He paused, drawing his tail up to stroke under her chin, then he slithered away from her, back to her face. He stared into the bushes for a long time, then he turned back, one eyebrow raised.
"I guess I'll have to get to know this Luna, than."
She smiled, eyes glittering. He is nice after all. I was right. Chaos just needs to be balanced by harmony, not destroyed by it. She followed him with a skip in her step around the outskirts of Canterlot, telling him a few things about herself, but she didn't really have much to tell. Living in the castle for so long, she hadn't really discovered herself.
He told her tales of being a draconequus, being alone all of his life as he looked for a host to play the chaos card on. She wanted to hear about how he met Celestia, but he never strayed into the subject of her sister. Luna didn't want to be nosey, but on the inside she was itching to hear how the draconequus had become so close to her sister.
"As soon as I am strong enough... I'll bring chaos back to Equestria." He said, his breath billowing out like a cloud in the cold air.
She glanced at him, thinking of his ambitions rather like hers in her quest for the night to be loved. She blinked softly, listening to him go on and on about what he would do to Equestria, until she started to feel a little concerned, and she stopped him in his tracks.
"There needs to be a balance, Discord. Of harmony and chaos." She said, remembering what she had said over and over in her head.
He burst into fits of laughter, rolling onto his back and kicking his legs around. She stared down at him, dumbfounded, as he squarked like a chicken. He stopped for a moment to look at her, then fell back into giggles again.
"Are you serious?" He chuckled.
She glared at him, stomping one hoof. "Yes!"
"Chaos, my dear, does not compromise." He smirked, leaning it to stare at her with one beady eye.
She turned her back on him, frowning angrily. She didn't even want to look at him. She thought that maybe he would change for the sake of their friendship, but obviously all he had on mind was tricks and games. She sighed bitterly and lowered her head, unfurling her wings, ready to take off back to her home, her prison.
"Leaving so soon?" He said, taking a few steps gingerly towards a house.
She watched him inquisitively, knowing it was best she flew off before she got into trouble for being around such a fiend of ponykind, but she knew in reality Discord wasn't that bad. Following him very quietly, her breath catching in her throat as she tried not to make a single sound, as if her stirring breath would wake somepony.
"You've got to believe me that chaos and harmony can live in a balance!" She hissed, growling as he ignored her and slipped around to peer into the window.
It was obvious he wasn't listening, too busy tapping the glass with each of his claws, then scurrying along the edge of the wall. She followed hesitantly, growing bored of his antics. He continued to pester the nooks and crannies of each home they passed, turning his claws in locks and poking window latches with his horns. None of the posh Canterlot houses were able to be broken into, much to Luna's relief.
She didn't want to find herself tied in with whatever disharmony Discord was planning on executing that night. She had no business in trying to stop him, but she wasn't in any mood to be caught red hoofed in the act of assisting him. Trailing a meter or so behind him as he ran along the cold streets, she felt time wearing on, and wariness soon began to hang on her limbs.
"I have to get back to the castle, before mother awakens to rise the sun." She said quietly, scraping a hoof nervously and staring down at the ground.
Discord turned to blink at her, the tip of his tail snaking down to touch her jawline, then stroking it along her maw. He retrieved his tail back to his side, leaning down from the roof of one of the houses, gripping to the edge with his hind legs as he dangled in front of her. "I thought the sun wasn't important to you?"
She blinked, struggling to explain to him that she had to return home. "I don't want to be caught missing. I wouldn't want to get you in trouble."
He stared at her for a long moment, upside down but still level, eye to eye. He blinked very slowly, their muzzles so close that his warm breath tickled her nose. She stared down her snout at him; inside she was pining to spend more time getting to know hi, to ask him everything, and to know why the art of disarray was so important to him.
"Farewell," She breathed, unable to hide her smile.
For a moment he looked unsure, then he pulled himself back up wholly onto the roof. "Meet me tomorrow on the roof of your castle." He said simply.
She frowned, then grinned and nodded, eyes sparkling. "I'll be there as soon as the moon rises."
With that she dipped her head to the draconequus, and she spread her wings, taking to the skies and flying over Canterlot just in time to watch the sun rise before her and slip through her ajar window and back into her room. She couldn't shake the warm feeling she was left with from her night with Discord, and she tried for hours to conjure why her sister would turn the fair gentlecolt away with such harshness. Surely being friends with Discord was no harm to her place as Princess?
"Would you like me to show you how I raise the moon?"
Luna was sitting boredly at the longtable, staring at one of her hooves with meer interest in the crested shape of her foot compared to the idling world around her. Her father was droning on in the background of her conscious. Her mind was restless, battling with her own unease over recent events. Her sister was sitting on the other side of the table, pulling bits of fruit into her mouth using her magic.
Queen Solaris brushed her eldest daughters soft pink hair, eyes glowing with pride. "You two are doing so well. I couldn't be more proud of you both."
What if you knew your little daughter mooned over a draconequus like a dove? She glanced at her sister, wondering what feelings she had ever shared with Discord in their time of friendship. It almost felt like she was being stabbed to think about it, and she cleared the thought from her mind. Celestia gave up on Discord, I wont. He's my friend.
"Luna?"
She looked up, shaking her head clear, and staring up at her father. He glared down at her, looking angry for not listening. She winced nervously, then shook her head very slowly.
"I'm still tired from the other day." She lied, unable to meet his gaze. "Maybe tomorrow night?"
He stared at her for a long time, then smiled and nodded. "Whenever you are ready, my princess."
Luna hated how the family had separated into two halves after the coronation. Her mother and Celestia spent all their time together, and Luna to spend 90% of her own time with her father. She wished there was some kind of interchange between them, but it seemed like the moon and sun had split them apart after all.
Luna flitted up onto the roof, setting her hooves down very lightly. She looked around, scoping the roof for any sign of movement. When she was sure the coast was clear, she stepped quietly up to the ridge where the slope dived down, and sat on the verge of it.
The night hummed with cricket noise, and the air was ghostly cold. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, feeling her mane tug with the wind. She knew Discord was late, and something deep within told her he would fail to show. The night only got cold, until she had to tuck her legs beneath herself and bury her face in her soft hair.
Please don't leave me alone here, Discord. Don't tell me you've ditched already...
The night wore on, and there was still no sign of Discord. Eventually, Luna got to her hooves, tears streaming down her cheeks. She stared up at the stars, pulling in ragged sobs. Her knees ached from kneeling down for so long. Celestia was right to abandon you! You're a jerk! She wiped her eyes, then tripped clumsily down the roof side, opening her wings and gliding off.
The sinking feeling within her choked her to the core. She had no friends in this castle now. Celestia had become mommy's little girl, and was trying to be the best princess Equestria had ever seen. Now Luna had to put up with the rest of her life, shadowed by Artemis, droning on day by day, shutting off the beautiful daylight with the luminescent moon.
With a hearty sigh, she landed gently on her window sill, then ducked inside. It was pitch black in her room as soon as she closed the window and pulled the curtain over. Thoughts of being princess of the night forever continued to haunt her as she climbed onto her bed.
Not watching where she put her hooves, there was suddenly something hard and warm beneath her, and she squeaked and stepped back as it moved. She opened her eyes wider as something shuffled around, and there was a soft crunch. Pressing herself to the back wall, she used her magic to light up the room. With the orb of light floating around her horn, she could see Discord's shape sprawled out across her bed.
"What are you doing?" She hissed, stomping one hoof.
He took a bite of the apple in his hand, crossing his hind legs and laying luxuriously out on the soft sheets. "Relaxing."
She rolled her eyes and jumped up, pushing him off with a hoof and onto the cold floor. "I can see that! You think you can trick me into thinking we were meeting, then use my room to relax?"
"That is exactly what I was thinking!" He chuckled, then stood up and dusted himself off, winking at her deviously. "I'm joking, deary. It was a must that I explored this wonderful castle of yours. By the time I'd caused chaos, I realized you would accuse me of being late anyway, so I stayed her for a surprise."
She growled and sat down on the bed, pouting at him. "I was upset! Wait... chaos? What did you do, Discord?"
He chuckled, making his way towards her window, using his claws to pull it open. He took a long breath, then turned to her, his eyes glowing like amber. She leaped off the bed and trotted up to him, frowning deeply as she leaned in his face.
"Tell me what you did." The fury rising within her was enough to make her want to hurt him and push him out of the window, but his cunning smile held her like a hook.
"I didn't have much on hand, I'm still practicing you know. But your sister will find herself in quite the sticky mess when she finds that everything in her room is cotton candy."
Luna blinked, eyes wide. "Cotton candy? Is that what you call chaos?"
"Controlled chaos." He corrected.
She rolled her eyes. "Get out. Before you get me in trouble. Celestia will know it is you who did it, she knew you somehow, after all."
He flinched, staring away from her and out the window, his tail swishing. "We were quite the pair, but she prone to change. Harmony is all she cares about now, and I'm quite the opposite."
She sighed and nuzzled him, noticing how downfallen he looked as soon as her sister was mentioned. She wanted to wrap her hooves around him and hug him, tell him everything she'd ever been through, how alone she was, but she couldn't. "Chaos is the opposite of harmony. And we are the princesses of harmony..."
He turned to face her, eyes slightly narrowed. He leaned forward and kissed her cheek, then darted out of the window like a snake. "I guess opposites attract!" He called over his shoulder, then disappeared into the night.
She stood there, rigid as stone, eyes wide as moons. The sudden act left her breathless, and when she gained her bearings she twirled back to her bed and released her hold on the light magic, plunging herself into darkness. Warmth filled her cheeks, and her heart fluttered in her chest like a bird in a cage. She flopped down onto her bed and wriggled around excitedly, then screamed into her pillow and stared at the wall, unable to wipe the grin from her face.
This is the beginning of something amazing. I know it is.
Luna could feel her chest tightening as her mother and Tia trotted side by side out of the castle, heads bent close, their voices hushed. She felt as if the lives of half of her family was a complete secret to her, shrouded by a light that her darkness could not penetrate. Over the last few days, her sister and mother had grown ever so close, and she couldn't help but feel herself and King Artemis drifting apart.
She rarely sighted her mother, always attending meetings and festivals and royal banquets. She was the true heir, and she was a queen of all queens, her hierarchy stretching far above that of her husband. While Artemis did orderly things about the castle, Solaris was a queen of talking and boasting, being proper and royal and flaunting it about herself like it was some big show.
The way both of her parents threw their weight about got down to the nerve of Luna, and she turned away as the two white Alicorns disappeared through the open doors, and trotted solemnly back into the shadows. Through the glinting stained glass windows, she could just see their shapes rising into the sky.
"Father!" She cried out, storming down the halls, tossing her head back as she had often seen Celestia do in a dramatic attempt to get what she wanted.
"Yes, love?" King Artemis spend a great deal of his time in the study chambers, mostly in the Starswirl the Bearded wing. She knew that her father had been close with the wizard, and he had given himself to studying every loose scroll and parchment.
She took a deep breath and stepped sheepishly through into the dusty library, eyes drawing along the books, then resting on the large hour glass centerpiece. She reached forward until her muzzle almost touched the cold glass, staring at her misshapen reflection. For a long moment she stared back into her own eyes, then leaned away, glancing at her father's sparkling shape.
Envy curled within her as she stared at his glorious fur. She longed deep within for a coat with such darkness, such coldness and night. The stars that swirled through his fur almost twinkled and gleamed.
"Why must our family be driven apart? Why can't we treat each other as equals?" She moaned quietly, settling beside him and drawing her gaze over what he was reading.
He bend down and ruffled her short cropped mane, hooding his eyes. "I told you, dear Luna, night is important as day. Nopony wants the light of the sun here forever."
"But I never see mama, and Tia's too important for me." She sighed, staring at the maps of the stars. "They are always so busy with Canterlot. I never get to meet my people, or see them smile at me. I never get to see their faces when they look upon the night..."
His cold nose pressed to her neck, his contrasting warm breath bouncing off her fur. "Duty calls, dear. Soon Equestria will be in your and Celestia's hooves. You must be prepared for hardship, between you and your sister, or between those of your land." He paused, getting heavily to his feet. "Let me show you something..."
She stared up with awe, stumbling to find her footing and follow him past the shelves again, back towards the hour glass mounted in the center of the room. Her father spread out one of his wings and stroked the black feathers across the glass, a few grains of sand floating against the glass where he touched it, as if attracted to his closeness.
"These times will be the hardest for you, Luna. Your sister will be very important to the ponies of Equestria, but you will be too. Never forget that. You may not of seen her much of late, but both her and your mother are there. They are just busy, having the majority of the day to complete their duties rather than the solace of the night. Now stare into the glass, tell me what you see."
Luna took a shaking breath and leaned forward, eyes staring into the glass, tracing the borders of its edges, staring at Artemis' reflection, then the sloping glass that pinched in the middle. The space within seemed to change rapidly, but it was obvious this was for her eyes only, as the King only saw sand on the bottom, and empty air. To Luna, she saw small dark clouds floating near the top.
Down on the base, the mound of sand suddenly appeared grassy, the thin wisps moving with an omniscient wind. A small house was planted on the peak of the hill, looking old but well looked after. She leaned closer until her breath seemed to make more clouds. Through the fogged windows, she could see an exhausted pale mare leaning over a crib, a darker stallion at her side for her to lean on.
A sudden shadow befell behind them, slowly looking taller and taller, strange arms reaching out for them. They turned around and gasped, the image of many ponies reflected in their eyes. Their screams rang in Luna's ears, and she gasped, trying to pull away, but her gaze was locked with the vision. The shadow wavered in the flickering light of the fire inside, but suddenly there was burst of light, magic light.
There was a roar of anger, and the shadow was shattered by the sudden light, and the creature that cast it reeled back towards the fire, which was now rising from the logs like the sun. The tiny foal had leaned out of her crib, eyes glowing bright white, six bright lights surrounding her. The creature disappeared with a cruel laugh, then everything went black as night.
"Luna!"
The young Princess snapped awake, looking around wildly, sliding a few lengths down the roof. She pushed out her hooves to halt herself, then blinked the wariness away and looked around.
"Fall asleep waiting, did you?" Discord purred, floating down beside her and placing his mismatched feet on the roofing tiles of the castle.
She smiled and blinking warmly at him. "I was just thinking about something my father showed me today, and I must of dozed off."
"Must of been pretty boring," He teased, letting out a hoarse giggle as she pecked his cheek, swooping in and planting his own kiss on her lips.
She leaned against him, enjoying the down-soft feeling of his fur against hers. He stroked her short mane with one clawed hand very softly, eyes hooded. The bliss inside of her was a warmth that not even the afternoon sun could compare to. Whatever her sister had feared in Discord, she was wrong. Though he was cunning and at some times a recipe for disaster, his loving and protective side wasn't easy to find under his rough mask.
Leaning up, she met his golden gaze, eyes glittering as she pressed her snout to his. "What would I do without you?"
"Life would make too much sense," He chuckled, pressing his bottom lip to her top lip.
The night wore on, full of laughter and star-watching, and gossip over the cocoa Luna had snuck from the kitchens. As the air grew thick and cold, they pressed closer together, and wariness started to hang at each of their limbs.
Rubbing against Discord, she stared up at him, eyes half shut. "They'll be raising the sun soon." She breathed.
He looked up abruptly, eyes on the horizon. The moon was sinking from sight, a sign that King Artemis had descended his magic to make way for Queen Solaris. He narrowed his eyes and leaned away from Luna, slithering down to the edge of the roof and gripping the edge, peering over and thrashing his tail.
Luna slid in beside him, beating her wings the slightest bit to keep herself from rolling forward. She followed his gaze down to the ground. His yellow and orange eyes were set on the doors of the castle, which were wide open. King Artemis and Queen Solaris were disappearing inside, but out on the marble steps up to the entrance, Celestia still stood, staring out into the night.
What is she doing? Luna thought, eyes widening as she watched her sister's horn glow with swirling light.
The dusk sky was suddenly opened by the bright dazzling light rising from the horizon, The clouds seemed to part to create a path for the sun to glide up, then it rested right on the edge, yellow and blue light stretching out on each side of it. Celestia lowered her head finally, taking a deep breath and smiling.
"One step at a time, Celestia." She said to herself, soft pink mane flowing over her shoulders. "And you'll be ready to be the next Queen in no time."
"Mother let her raise the sun..." Luna mumbled, leaning back.
She noticed with a stabbing feeling in her heard that Discord was leaving up the roof, eyes blank. She turned around, pulling her lips back in an angry snarl.
"Suddenly decided that Celestia is better because she's almost taking my mother's place?" She hissed through the burning tears.
He halted, then looking over his shoulder with a mix of love and grief in his eyes. "She will never be you, Luna. And I love you." He turned away, rising onto his hind legs, then disappeared over the other side of the roof.
She stared at the spot he had been for a long while, then slowly blinked. The sun had cast his shadow tall and lanky across the roof as he had left, and it resembled the one in front of the fire from her vision like a mirror image.
She stared up at the sky, dark besides a crisp strip of toast golden along the horizon. Pressing her hooves into the ground, she took a deep breath and blinked her round eyes, her horn glowing gently. Artemis nodded encouragingly, watching her with proud eyes. She gritted her teeth until her jaws hurt, trying furiously to raise the moon, but the sputtering magic from her horn barely changed the scenery.
"You'll get there," Her father promised, nuzzling her.
She groaned, rolling her eyes. "Celestia rose the sun perfectly first shot, and she was a pegasus before the coronation."
He sighed bitterly, stroking a hoof down her neck. "You're still fussing over your sister?"
Luna didn't reply, her stomach clenching with anger, and she turned away from him, narrowing her eyes. Fussing? She's the spoilt brat in the family. She's the popular one, she's more loved than mother is, and I know that you know it. She thought sourly, glaring out of the corner of her eye at King Artemis. Her skin crawled whenever he tried to suck up to her with pity and false modesty.
"I have better things to do." She hissed, marching away, hips swaying from side to side.
She could feel her father's sorrowful gaze burrowing into her back as she retreated from the balcony, but she slipped back inside and into the cool shadows of the castle before she could feel unnerved by it. She made her way steadily through the halls without any need of light, having memorized most of the routes around the palace from her nighttime excapades with Discord and her many ways of getting out of the castle without leaving a thread of hair.
Once alone in her room, she pushed her dressing table in front of the door and slumped down onto the bed, wriggling on her back a little before holding her hooves up against her chest and staring up at the posts of the bed. The drapes rustled gently from the draft through the open window. She closed her eyes for a moment and stroked her chest fur for a moment, then stopped, looking up as their was a knock on her door, and a feeble attempt for it to be opened, resulting in a groan from the legs of the dressing table against the ground.
"Gosh, Luna, you don't have to be such a sourpuss and block out the whole world you know." Celestia hissed in her whiney castle voice, the one she'd never let her hoard of fans hear her groan on dramatically with.
Her dark sister rolled her eyes and turned away from the door, muttering harsh things under her breath. "What do you want with me?"
There was a pause, then the sound of hooves shuffling on the spot. "We never hang out anymore Woona-bear." She said softly, pushing a hoof to the handle and pushing it in as far as she could.
Luna whipped around to face her, then bucked out her hind legs to strike the door and slam it back shut. "What happened to sourpuss, huh?" She hissed, stomping over to her bed and falling onto it.
There was a sob from the hall, and the sound of hooves fleeing from her room. Luna grabbed a pillow in her teeth and chucked it at a wall in frustration, letting out a growling scream. She panted heavily, then slumped down and covered her eyes with her hooves. Woona-bear? More like your worst nightmare.
Discord gripped a rose in his teeth, raising one eyebrow at Luna as she complained to him. She leaned against him, a few tears dripping to the ground. He brushed many of the others away, then turned her face towards him and stared at her with concern.
"Luna, you must see that all Celestia is growing is harmony. If you want to beat her, you must come back with her opposite. Chaos, hun."
She stared at him, eyes watering, a pout on her lips. She shook her head constantly, taking deep ragged breaths. "I can't do that to my father. He's the only one in the castle that cares about me anymore."
"I thought you said he lied to you?" Discord's voice suddenly deepened, and a look on his face appeared that Luna had never seen before.
She gulped, almost fearing him, even though he had barely moved. His facial features had changed dramatically, and she tensed, as if she thought he was going to hit her or something along the lines. He seemed to notice her discomfort, and the small pupils in his eyes seemed to grow a little, looking a tad bit more regular. She brushed up against him, a crushing feeling in her chest.
"I don't know, Discord. I don't want to cause chaos, I'm sorry." She sighed, looking away.
He bit his lip, looking a little hurt. "Oh come on. I'll do it for you."
"Really?"
"This castle will never be the same after I'm done with it."
A high pitched scream woke Luna early in the morning. She groaned and rolled over, tired from her late night out on the roof with Discord. She peered warily out from under the sheets, then pulled them back over her head. There was another shriek, and she growled, kicking the blankets away and sliding off the bed, eyes narrowed. As she opened the doors, a flood of guards streamed past, all shouting and crying out like sheep.
Luna waited until the last few had hurried off through the halls, then she followed, rubbing her eyes, stretching each of her wings in turn. The screams were coming from Celestia's room, where the white alicorn was sitting upright on her bed, eyes wide with anger and humilation. Her normally silky flowing mane was bunched up and damp, half of it sticking to her bed in a sticky mess.
"My hair is cotton candy!" She growled dangerously, baring her teeth and glaring at Luna.
"And you think I'm responsible?" She replied dryly, holding back the urge to cackle at her sister's miserable state.
King Artemis was standing beside his older daughter's bed, looking concerned and a bit angered. He glanced at Luna, then at Celestia, then at the sticky bed. He sighed, then waved Celestia off the mattress and pulled the messy pillow off and onto the ground, looking dejected.
"Celestia, go wash yourself up." He said quietly, the emotion draining from his face.
"My hair will probably fall off!" She snarled, eyes wide with anger. "Punish the little rat for doing this to me! I'm going to be bald!"
Luna let out a whinny of disgust. "I didn't do this you idiot!"
"Please, girls-" Artemis was cut off as Celestia marched up and leaned in Luna's face.
"I'm not the idiot! I don't turn mare's hair into candy floss!"
"I didn't do it, I already told you!"
"Oh please! I beg to differ."
"I didn't do anything to your stupid hair!"
"What next? Is my body going to be a marshmallow?"
"How about I turn you into a frog and-"
"GIRLS!" Artemis pushed them aside with a rough hoof, sending both away from each other like two negative sides of a magnet. "Stop bickering like fillies. Celestia, I said clean up. Luna, go to your room."
Luna glared at her father with disbelief, then let out a choked hiss and stormed away, halting before the door and staring down at her hooves. She ground her teeth, then let out an angry scream and kicked out her back legs, feeling her hard hooves hit Celestia's face with a crack. She fled from the room before her father could yell anything, and she disappeared down the halls, twisting and turning until she found an open window.
Pausing before it, she took a deep breath, then looking over her shoulder, eyes glowing angrily. Her whole body looked slate gray as she glared behind her, hearing hoof steps angrily approaching, the sound of the guards armor charging through the corridor. With a glower, she turned and flew out of the window and out into the dawn, the sun glittering and turning her fur to silver.
As the guards burst into the room they were met with nothing but empty space and a curtain flapping around a gaping window, and an echoing cackle from somewhere up high on the ceiling of the castle. The laugh of a draconequus.
The world swayed beneath Luna, and she landed heavily, unsure where she had found herself. Her hooves skittered on the ground, and she groaned, the vision in her eyes blurring. She stumbled into something warm that wrapped its arms around her, and she wriggled a little as she drank in the warm scent of Discord.
As he stroked her hair, the grayscale tone to her fur melted away and looked as if it was sinking through the soil. She stared up at him with confused eyes, head pounding.
"Discord... what happened?" She sighed, curling against him and looking around the warm looking scenery.
Trees stretched for acres in all direction, shiny red fruit glistening between their crisp leaves. The ground was soft and coated with a layer of bouncy grass. She'd never felt anything beneath her hooves besides marble and concrete from the streets of Canterlot and the confines behind the walls of Canterlot. She snuggled against Discord, unsure if she could trust it, as invited as it seemed.
"Chaos happened, deary." He laughed, flicking his tongue over his protruding tooth.
She stared up at him, then narrowed her eyes. "I barely remember what happened. I woke to a scream, but that's about it. The rest is just white noise."
He shrugged, ticking her face with his tail and gesturing out to the world around them with one lion paw. "A little bit of magic is all I used, and now look what we have ahead of us. This is the apple orchard of PonyVille. The Apple Family wouldn't notice a pair of ponies, or one and a half that is."
She shrugged him off, leaning away and staring at him. "Wait... I flew all the way from Canterlot to Ponyville?"
"Well... I might of had something to do with that."
Her glare burned into him, and he scratched his forehead nervously. She hissed and turned away, staring at the ground. Nopony accepted her for who she was and the choices she made, there always had to be a catch with those she thought had once understood her. Her father was simply trying to make her act like a calm and orderly Princess as not to rally the emotions of his wife or his older daughter. Discord had used her as a tool to rain his chaos down on Equestria.
She sighed, staring up at the blue sky, clear of clouds. Her eyes drifted across the sun for as long as she could before having to squint and look away, blinking the colors that blotched in her eyes away. The warmth tingled across her fur for a moment, but she shied away from the heat, sliding into the shade of a tree, keeping a small distance from Discord as she thought.
"Celestia was right," She finally said, glancing at him. "You're just an impedance to the harmony of the kingdom."
He stared at her, eyes widening, the pupils in his eyes dilating. Heartbreak seemed to flash across his face, and his jaw dropped a little as he stared at her, trembling all over. Tears glinted at the edges of his eyes, and he blinked crossly, looking away and frowning, the sadness turning into a tide of hatred.
"You know what-" He began, hissing through his teeth.
She held out a hoof for silence, gliding towards him, her wings fluttering very gently, batting her eyelashes as she leaned against him. "Just the kind of pony I could love." She breathed, hair drooping over one eye.
He blinked in astonishment, then purred like a cat and pushed her backwards onto the grass, the sun glittering over her. He placed his forepaws on either side of her, leaning down and pressing his muzzle to hers. She giggled and he licked her nose gently, bringing more bouts of laughter up from her throat.
"Please, st-stop!" She laughed hysterically as the feathered tip of his tail flicked her all over, tickling the underneath of her arms and her neck.
She nibbled very lightly to the tuft of white hair sprouting from his chin, moving along until she was planting little kisses on his jaw. He slid down beside her, turning over so he was facing her. She did the same, lying on her side and staring at him with shining eyes, her whole chest heavy as a stone in water from the tingling emotion that welled inside of her.
"I love you, Luna." He breathed, flicking one ear
She stared at him for a long time, love dancing in her bright eyes. "I love you too, Discord."
The night revealed itself on the land like the curtains on a stage being pulled back. The moon sat high in the open sky, a full white disk perched up among the few gray clouds in the inky black sky. The air dropped in temperature, and the crisp scent of night drew Luna from the shadows of the trees and into a patch where the light beamed through, causing a cold shiver to envelop her as the ghostly light washed over her.
Discord rose onto his hindlegs and plucked a few plump, ripe apple from one of the trees, then lowered himself back down beside her, rolling them across the damp grass. "Dinner," He muttered, shifting uneasily from one foot to the other.
She nodded gratefully and pulled one over with her teeth, then took a hearty bite, making a sound of happiness in the back of her throat from the satisfying crunch and the sudden rush of juice filling her mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, she returned her gaze to the full moon, stretching one hoof up as if she thought she might be able to touch it. A shadow fell on her face where her hoof blocked the light out, and she blinked, then moved it away.
Beside her, Discord was curling up, looking as if he was already asleep with a nibbled apple core beside him, but the tip of his tail twitched constantly, stroking Luna's flank. She lingered on the moon for a moment longer, then turned and curled up beside him, listening to his heart beat through his fur, then closing her eyes and letting herself drift into a sea of black.
A whole new world overtook Luna, and she felt as if she had landed very suddenly on a very spongy cloud, and her rapid fall through the depths of sleep seemed to slow until she could hear her heartbeat slowing in her ears. She soon found herself on her hooves, drifting through space without need of her wing's aid. Her eyes were open, but there was nothing but shifting darkness.
A very cold mist seemed to curl around her and drag her forward into a space where more light began to ebb in. Things began to take shape, and soon she was surrounded by rolling hills with long swaying grass. She peered over the tall stalks, seeing a pair of figures at the peak of the hill, overlooking the land. Creeping closer, she stared at the pair, recognising them as Discord and herself.
She knew it must have been his dream, and she tucked in her legs, watching carefully from where she crouched. Discord was constantly stroking the dream-her's stomach with his tail, eyes glittering brightly. She shivered, glancing between her other self and Discord, swallowing gently, hoping not to make too much noise.
"Forever night." Discord suddenly said, glancing at the other her. "Just as you wanted, my love."
She ducked down as her replica turned to him, smiling brightly. "Canterlot is the Equestria capital of the moon!"
Daylight suddenly pierced holes all over the dream and Luna let out a shriek as it was pocketed away like a page set on fire. She blinked wide awake, gasping for air after her traumatic haul from her dream-walking state. Wariness hung at her frame, even though she had slept the night through. Discord was already up, standing tensely beside her. She yawned, then glanced at him, tempted to question him of his dreams.
"What is wrong?" She asked sleepily, staring lovingly up at him.
"I don't know. Something is up though, something very wrong." The severity in his voice scared her, and she cringed, looking around, but seeing nothing but the calm orchard. "Or something is about to go wrong... come on!"
She blinked as he sped away, quickly getting to her hooves and speeding after him, flapping her wings and gliding over the trees. He climbed one swiftly and spread his own mismatched wings, then sped into the air and propelled forward, flying like a dart over the open hills towards the village.
Luna beat her wings powerfully and gained some height, wishing that nopony saw her or Discord drifting over their town. She landed very quietly on a cloud, looking around for Discord. She spotted his slender shape drifting on a fat pink cloud, and she narrowed her eyes, about to question him but she was silenced with a shh! and she turned to stare down at the town centre, prickling all over.
A gray maned mare stood in front of the town hall, her eyes scouring the crowd that had gathered. From up so high, Luna could not hear what she was saying, or what the ponies replied. Her eyes strayed to the edge of the crowd, where a mare with a very round belly was hobbling to join the other ponies, a mare in a nurse uniform on one side of her, and a stallion with a power blue coat on the other.
She soon noticed this was also the centre of Discord's attention, and she glanced at him, then let her eyes drift across his sticky pink cloud. "Candy floss? Like my sister's hair?"
He looked up suddenly, looking transfixed for a moment before he blinked a few times in her direction. "Uh, yes. When I say chaos, I simply mean making things a little topsy turvy. The true chaos I hunger for is that of disaster, but I like to cause mischief more than that."
She stared at him, unsure, then glanced over her shoulder into the sky stretching far into the beyond. I need to make him forget Celestia. Both of need to forget her, and my life in Canterlot. I heard what he said in his dream... and that is what I will strive to bring to power in Equestria. She narrowed her eyes, glancing back to the innocent mare and the ponies around her. Prepare for forever night!
Luna pointed her horn towards the sky, wrinkling her muzzle up as she forced magic to glow and sparkle around it. There was crackling and sparks, but as hard as she tried she couldn't raise the moon just like every other time she had tried. The sun was sitting high in the sky, just a trail of cloud across it's base. The princess of the night sighed and stared angrily at the sky, trying once again to pull moon up into the sky.
"That simply won't do, deary." Discord said huskily, floating past on a cotton candy cloud and reaching out to tease her mane, which had grown down to the middle of her neck. "Raising the moon during the day is a waste of effort anyway."
She hissed, glaring at him. "If I can create an eclipse, I can get everyone's attention."
He raised one eyebrow, then shrugged and beat his wings a little, propelling the cloud over the hill. She watched him go, giving up on her useless jolts of magic. She blinked slowly and narrowed her eyes, her eyes following Discord as he floated through the trees, bobbing his head as he hummed while he picked apples from the trees. How much chaos could a draconequus who turns things to cotton candy be?
She rose to her hooves, stretching out her rear legs. The sun glinted on her black crown, and she took a deep breath, eyes narrow with determination. For one last time she stretched herself out, horn pointed at the horizon, light gathering around her horn. She let her wings unfold in a ruffle of feathers and she beat heavily, rising into the sky. Stretching out her neck, she pointed her horn straight up, and the light around it became more of a dark misted color.
Discord suddenly turned his attention to her, pushing himself upright on his lounging cloud, blinking and grinning, his eyes sparkling with mischief. The moon appeared at the horizon, rising through the golden skies and into place right in front of the sun, it's edges blazing with the sun's backing flares. It set the world into a ghostly light, making edges and shadows more vivid. It was just like the eclipse on the day of their coronation.
She hovered in the sky for a moment, then whirled around to stare down at Discord. "To Canterlot! Before my father lowers the moon!" She called down, eyes blazing bright sea green, the pupils thin and cat like.
He smirked, his sharp teeth glinting. "As you wish, princess of the night."
The wind howled like the call of the Timberwolves as Luna landed on one of the roofs of Canterlot, holding her wings stretched wide, casting her judging glare across the city. Discord fluttered to her side, grinning insanely. Screams began to cry from the streets at the sight of the chaotic draconequus and his companion, the princess they had thought was lost from the castle forever.
Luna laughed heartily, her voice roaring over the town, snarling and staring down at the fleeing ponies. They cowered under the ghostly light of the eclipse, which was starting to give her mane a dark starry look. She was darkening all over, and her limbs began to throb with pain. She hissed and looked down at her legs, which were starting to darken from the hooves upwards.
"Wh-what is this? Is this a power from thy moon-" She hissed, finding her voice much different.
Discord was staring at her with eyes bright as amber. An evil grin was stretched across his face, wiggling the fingers of his taloned hand in her direction. Her wings curled at the tips and she made a choking noise as the pain spread right through her body. It felt like her blood was boiling, about to burn her flesh in seconds.
"What is thou doing?" She hissed, grinding her teeth together and cowering away from him.
He smirked, leaning forward to stroke her flowing starry mane, kissing her cheek tenderly. "We can both have what we want." He purred, watching her legs stretch awkwardly out. "You can have forever night, and I can have chaos."
"But why is thou doing this to me-ith?" She spluttered, arching her back and screeching.
"All magic comes at a price, deary." He smirked, casting his gaze back to the sky. "Now do me a favor and lower that pesky sun."
She tried to resist his touch, but her now dark black body was lightening again, but not to her old dark powder blue. His stare clawed at her like ice thorns as she turned gray, her color seeming to drain away. The world turned black to her conscious, but the evil creature left behind under his chaotic control continued to move.
She grinned and pointed her long sharp horn at the sky, dragging the sun from behind the moon and descending it behind the horizon once again, cloaking the world in darkness. The Luna trapped within her struggled to wake up, but she was just a screaming consciousness stuck in the body Discord had created.
There was a flash of light and an explosion of magic. Light spread from the Canterlot castle to the city, and a large Alicorn shape flew across the sky, spreading light across the darkness of night. Discord hissed and stepped back, his shell of Luna stepping with him.
Celestia landed before them, her new mane of many colors billowing around her like a long cloud. She snarled deeply, glowering dangerously at Discord. "What have you done to my sister?" She screeched.
He chuckled, rolling his eyes. "Oh, Tia, don't jump to conclusions, deary. All of this up till now was of Luna's choice- well, with a little friendly tinkering from her close friend Discord- and now I've taken control."
"You've stolen my sister!" She snarled, rearing onto her hind legs, whinnying loudly and swiping them at him.
He dodged, swinging his hips teasingly. "She's not your precious little Woona-Bear anymore, Celestia." He hissed, eyes a deep orange, almost red. "She is Nightmare Moon, Queen of Chaos!"
"What reason do you have for taking advantage of our capital?" Celestia roared, standing ground on the roof, listening to the ponies fleeing towards the light that was growing behind her.
He snorted, batting his wings a few times to he could hover in the air. "There is no real reason, my little mint humbug. The throne of Canterlot will be mine, and soon enough this city will be the chaos capital of the world!"
She glowered at her, lips drawn back in a snarl. "Your chaos is overrated, Discord. All you can do is turn things into edible treats. You will be undermined by myself, Solaris and Artemis."
Nightmare Moon watched carefully, hissing at the light that was stretching from the heart of Canterlot castle out on the city. Her mane billowed around her, a starry contrast to the mixture of warm and cold colors blended into Celestia's. She beat her wings lightly, glancing up at Discord, then back at her sister, or Luna's sister.
"Now, deary, I have a castle to send into eternal darkness." He laughed sadistically, waving a paw at Nightmare Moon. "We have a kingdom to rule, my love."
She nodded, glaring at Celestia, who snickered and stomped a hoof. Glaring down her snout at the princess of the sun, she turned away and spread her wings right out until she could hear the feathers rustling, then she let out a long, loud cackle, and threw herself from the roof, gliding up from the ground and beating them powerfully. Discord snaked after her, echoing her laugh with a darker, more sinister chuckle.
Celestia reared up and spread her wide white wings, horn glowing. She sent a bolt of light high up into the sky, where it exploded like a firework and send streamers of light of the city and the neighboring forest. Beating her wings, she thundered across the the roof before taking to the skies, soaring after her sister and the draconequus she had once shared her heart with.
The whole of Canterlot castle was plunged into chaos. The walls were polka dotted, and the marble tiles continuously moved and shifted position. The guard's eyes were stuck cross eyed, leaving them staring at their noses as they tried to take formation and help the king and queen. Said ponies were facing Discord and Nightmare Moon in the main ballroom, standing by their thrones and staring down at the villains that had charged in through the tall double doors.
King Artemis stood defensively in front of Queen Solaris, eyes glowing brightly. The white mare shivered and cowered behind him, peering out with glazed, tired eyes. Her wings drooped at her sides, and she pressed her ears flat against the back of her skull in fear.
"Well, well, well," Artemis growled.
"That's three holes in the ground." Discord laughed aloud.
The king roared with anger and slammed his hooves down on the marble. "You have underestimated the power of the royal family! The chaos of the draconequus will never reign over Equestria!"
Discord took a few challenging steps forward, narrowing his eyes to bright yellow slits. Nightmare Moon flanked him, blinking her cat like eyes a few times as she adjusted to the daylight in the castle. Her powers were weakened as long as Celestia held the spell on the palace. She pointed her horn at Solaris letting out a bellowing laugh.
"Ponies will never see your precious sun again, mother!"
Artemis hissed, leaning back with shock. "Luna? You can't be Luna, you look nothing like my daughter! Sure, Luna did not understand the importance of the balance between the moon and the sun, but she would never go as far as to fuse an alliance with Discord!"
The draconequus chuckled darkly, and with a plume of smoke he appeared beside Artemis on a very dark gray cloud. "Are you sure about that? From day one your pretty little princess has been on my side, ever since the spoilt one decided that harmony was more important."
"More important than what? Chaos?" He growled, turning towards him and swiping his horn back and forth.
"You are so shallow minded, Artemis." He grunted, kicking the cloud so a bolt of lightning struck the ground with a deafening crack. "The moon and sun must have a balance, and so must harmony and chaos. After all these years of you blocking out chaos completely, it's time it makes an uprising."
He clicked his taloned fingers, and there was a roar of thunder from outside, and lightning flashed across the sky and illuminated the room as it gleamed in the stain glass windows. He clicked them again, and sent Artemis and Solaris flying backwards into the far wall with a gust of wind and sputtering rain. The cloud beneath began to unfold and spread out like a choking mist.
Nightmare Moon flew up beside him, dark magic glowing around her horn. She began to drive back the light in the room, pulling the strength of the night back, filling her with power as if she was drinking from a fountain of youth. As the cold gray power of Discord seeped into her, it began to take over the Luna inside of her too, pulling words deep up from her soul, the volume of her voice shaking the pillars of the castle.
"Forever night will rule Equestria, and the harmony you once seeked will be forgotten, FOREVER!"
There was an explosion of heat, and the towering window behind the thrones suddenly smashing, shards of glass spraying forward into the room, showering over their bodies. It crackled as it rained down on the ground, the colored pieces twirling across the chipped marble. An orange light as bright as the sun beamed through, and Celestia landed between the thrones, horn and cutie mark glowing.
"Step back Discord! I, Celestia of Equestria, have the power of the sun and the moon!" She soared across the room and landed heavily in front of her parents, shielding them with her wings. "Not only do I have my parents by my side, but they have blessed me with the powers of both myself and Luna!"
Discord hissed like a cat and lunged forward, throwing himself at her. She reared up again and cried a battle cry, swiping her hooves at him as he landed on her, driving her back. Magic glowed around her horn as she picked him up and cast him across the room. He hit the stairs leading up the thrones and slid across them, glass catching on his fur, leaving trails of blood on the marble.
Nightmare Moon screeched, tossing her head back. "Don't you dare hurt him!" The Luna within her spoke again, taking command of her voice. She threw herself from the cloud and onto the ground, swiping her hooves at Celestia's height, advancing towards her.
Solaris looked up weakly, eyes brimmed with tears. "You don't have to do this, Luna! I am already too frail to raise the sun anymore, and soon Artemis will hand in his duty of the moon to you! We can still rule Equestria together, just give us a chance!"
"You wasted your chances!" She yelled, her eyes glowing bright white as she snarled, her sharp teeth bared.
Discord lifted himself up weakly, blood trickling from his skin. His eyes flashed dangerously, and he panted. Nightmare Moon lunged at Celestia, dodging her stabbing horn and sinking her teeth deep into her sisters flesh. Her mouth was full of hot sweaty fur and skin, and soon blood began to run across her tongue. Celestia screamed and kicked feebly at her, trying to use her magic to pull her enchanted sister away.
"Discord is controlling you, Luna! He doesn't love you! He's using you as a tool!" She tried to yelled, but the princess of the night pushed her away against the wall her parents had slumped against.
"Me and Discord will be king and queen of Equestria!" She bellowed. "You just regret giving him up!"
"I gave him up because he Discorded me too! I did not approve of him using me to his advan-" She screeched as Nightmare Moon reared at her again, eyes blazing with anger.
Solaris wailed, tears running down her cheeks. "As long as I live, I will protect you Luna! Please!"
There was a low chuckle from across the room, and Discord raised his paw, staring across the room. "As long as you live? Taste chaos, Queen of the Sun!" He clicked his fingers and his eyes flashed, and Solaris opened her mouth to cry out, but she just slumped against the ground, all life draining from her body.
Celestia screamed, throwing herself across the room and sliding in beside her mother, jaw gaping, eyes wide with grief. She screeched to the sky, leaning over her mother's scrap of a body, shaking all over. Her tears ran down and splashed onto the Queen's coat and dribbled to the floor. Artemis leaned against her, staring at his wife with terror and misery struck across his face.
"What have you done..." Celestia choked, turning to face Discord.
He hissed, floating back up onto his cloud. "I don't just create chaos of the annoying kind, deary. If you had given in long ago, you would have been lucky to see me do nothing but turn clouds to candy floss and shower the topsy turvy world in chocolate rain. But if you resist, my chaos gets violent."
"You've won for now, Discord. But I will stop you, if it's the last thing I do." She hissed dangerously, then pressed her side against Solaris, and Artemis pressed on the other, and they dragged her to the window, then, supporting her between them, took off into the sky.
Discord lowered himself to the ground, his cloud fading away. He glanced at Nightmare Moon, who was spitting Celestia's blood onto the ground. He snaked towards her and smiled, kissing her cheek.
"This will be our empire, soon enough." He said, letting the gray state over her fade.
She slumped tiredly against him, only remembering snippets of the fight from when the Luna within had woken. "I love you..." She breathed.
He stared at her for a long moment, glancing at the shattered window and the debris across the floor. He said nothing, holding his gaze on the nightly sky. I love Luna, not Nightmare Moon.
Nightmare Moon paced back and forth, using her magic to sweep the coating of glass on the ground into a neat pile. Her hooves clicked on the marble as she moved, her eyes bright with thought. Though she was still in the intimidating form, the taller, leaner mare of the moon, without the curse of Discord reversing her personality she was able to work in peace with her mind at a steady stride.
She couldn't get the thought of her mother out of her head, tears at the edges of her eyes. She glanced out of the broken window, the cold night air wafting over her. Taking a deep breath, she blinking softly at the full moon and ruffled her wing feathers uncomfortably. Everything felt out of place, like there was more chaos than when it was being created. The sharp metallic taste of Celestia's blood remained in the back of her mouth.
My mother is dead...Celestia and Artemis may be in danger if they continue to put themselves ahead of Equestia. She thought, eyes trailing over the hunks of glass that had once made up the stained glass window that had portrayed their family. How much long must this tyranny go on for our wishes to be granted?
"Thinking too hard, deary?" Discord said suddenly from the darkness, causing Nightmare Moon to jump, looking over her shoulder suddenly. He slithered towards her, the fur on one side of his body matted with dried blood.
She stared at him with concern, leaning down to nuzzle him, and he rose up to meet her touch. She drifted the tip of her muzzle softly over his, stroking along his jaw, her warm breath bouncing off his face before she leaned away. "You are hurt."
"Nothing but a few scratches, that is all." He said, his eyes sparkling with admiration for her quiet shy voice.
Dragging her gaze away and setting it on the night, she blinked slowly. "Why must we cause so much pain? I never intended to harm my family in such a way."
Discord's tone was suddenly colder, a snarl as he glanced at her, eyes just shards of amber fire beneath frowning eyebrows. "I helped you run away the first time. The rest was of your own choice."
"Besides this," She scowled, waving one leg around and glaring down at the black fur that adorned it.
I have done nothing but help you. He thought sourly, glaring sideways at her. It's time you finish helping me. He waved one paw in front of her eyes, and they closed, and she suddenly tensed, as if holding her breath. The gray color began to overtake her once again from the ground upwards, right until it coiled over the tip of her horn. With an upwards flick of his hand, her eyes flashed open again, a duller tone from the bright sea green of before.
"Now, my love," He began, turning away from her. "We have a public appearance to make."
"Citizens of Canterlot!" Nightmare Moon's voice echoed off the smooth walls and the curves of the valley far into the distance. She stared down at the crowd, who had gathered with their families, cowering and shying away from her ruling gaze. "Thou-art now under a new rule! Come hither, good gentlecolts and fillies. Thou shalt not do as thou wilt. Thy city is now ruled by thyself and My Lord."
She turned to Discord, smirking slightly. He snorted with amusement at the royal Canterlot voice that had accompanied her change of appearance. He swept his gaze over the crowd, his eyes glowing bright yellow, producing a gasp from the throats of those who were watching closely. He waved his paws a few times teasingly, causing a few to screech and reel back, as if they expected him to cast an evil notation over them for simply breathing without his newfound permission.
"Let me rephrase what my medieval mare has told you," He said thickly, his glare holding the crowd in. "You will never bow down to King Artemis and his court of tomfoolery again, understood?"
There was a murmur of hesitant agreement, come only from those who wished to get it over and done with for the sake of their own safety. Discord narrowed his eyes, suddenly looking very dangerous as he leered over them, curling his claws into his palms.
"You do not do what you are instructed not to do!" He howled, making sudden jerking movements. "You are ruled over by the Chaos Empire, and the only leaders you succuumb to shall be me or her." He jabbed finger at Nightmare Moon.
Only terrified eyes stared back, the ponies crouching away from him, holding each other, shaking all over with terror. He dragged his gaze over every one of them, halting on one green mare who was clutching a bonnet in her hoof. She stared at him with a determined gaze, a few age lines creasing her face. The brave pony stood in front of another mare, who looked younger, but her stomach was round and heavy, and she looked exhausted.
"What do y'all think you are going to do if we don't?" She challenged, her amber eyes glowing as she stared at Discord.
He hissed, leaping towards her and skidding right before he crashed into her. She didn't even flinch, raising her head back to stare up and meet him in the eye. He curled his lip back and snarled, pointed viciously down at her and the mare cowering behind her.
"I'll do whatever it takes for you to stop meddling with what was supposed to happen a long time ago. If chaos is refused access completely, get ready for it come back, permanently."
The mare sat down, pouting out her lips at him with a snooty look on her face. "Well, ah'm not following no rules that dun't come from Solaris er'self!
He narrowed his eyes, snickering and flaring his nostrils. "Solaris is dead."
Gasps ran across the crowd, and a few wails of grief and terror erupted. The group of ponies suddenly started to shift as they fled, some too scared and heartbroken to move, simply sitting there praying to the heavens or crying aloud. Discord laughed darkly as just what he wanted ensued: chaos.
The stubborn mare's eyes widened a little, but she still held her ground, gritting her teeth. "Ah'm still not listening to sum' old Draconequus who tinks' he can rule mah' roost!"
"We'll see about that." He snarled, eyes flashing with anger.
The clouds began to fatten and bulge, darkening and rolling out over them like a dark blanket lowering over the city. A shadow cast over Discord and the green mare and her companion, still hiding behind her, just the glow of his eyes staring through. There was a rumble of thunder from the clouds, then a flicker of light, and lightning struck the ground all around them like a cage made of electricity for a few mere seconds before flicking away again.
Nightmare Moon watched with wide eyes, the Luna within her struggling furiously to escape, battling as if she was in a rough tide of water. Half of her was pulling her down into the depths, the other half was not going to give up until she broke free of the spell over her.
"Lightning? Is 'dat the best you can do?" The mare hissed, getting to her hooves and glaring at him.
"You want more?" He taunted, eyes deepening to a shade of red.
The breath caught in Nightmare Moon's throat as she saw him flick his wrist around so his palm faced upwards. Moments flashed through her head, as if a thousands birds had been released in her mind. She whirled through the battle with Celestia, seeing Discord do the same flick before clicking his fingers, and her darkened state watching Solaris crumble like ashes. The visions continued to flash in the space of a second, taking her back to a time before she was an Alicorn.
Screams filled her head, and there was the crying of a filly. She saw brief visions of her mother sobbing, her father fighting a draconequus much larger and scarier than Discord... the last vision shook like she was in a light earthquake. There was a pale golden unicorn mare with long dark hair, lying like a crap of cloth on the ground, her soft fur splashed with blood. Words roared in her head, splitting her conscious with pain.
Ponies and Draconequus will never be under an alliance again!
Nightmare Moon was suddenly thrown back to the real world. Only a couple of seconds had passed, enough for the to just see Discord moving to press his index finger and his thumb together, ready to click them. She screamed and lunged at him, her color flashed back to black as she pushed him to the ground, wings beating wildly. Discord hissed like a cat, eyes wide.
"What are you doing?" He snarled, writhing beneath her.
Her eyes flashed back to the less cat-like eyes, and she stared at him, pinning him to the ground. "I won't let you kill them."
"How..." He breathed, staring with fright at her. "How did you break the spell on your own?"
She stared down at him, eyes narrowing. "I'm not your tool anymore Discord. Harmony has overpowered chaos once again."
Their gazes locked, crimson twisting into watery turquoise. While she held him tightly against the ground, her hooves pressing down on his arms, the two mares took the chance to escape into the darkness of the city. Discord stared with disbelief, and a snarl began to rise in his throat. Gurgling rumbled at the back of his mouth, and he lunged forward, knocking her off balance and shoving her away from himself.
She neighed, landing on her back and skidding away across the concrete. She winced, trying to raise her head weakly, but she let it flop back down beside her fore-hooves. Her mind whirled, and the last thing she saw was Discord trotting towards her, before the cold spell crept back over her like locking claws, and she was plunged back into darkness.
