Chapter One: One Dead Six Alive
Nightmare Moon could only watch as the rainbow swirled around her and began wrapping itself tight around her body. She could feel the agonizing burning pain and pleaded that it would stop. The rainbow showed no signs of stopping though, and began swirling faster and faster around Nightmare until she let out one final scream and went limp. The rainbow receded from the body of Nightmare Moon and vanished, leaving behind six confused mares. Six mares that had been living innocent lives before now.
"Twilight. I..I think we killed her," said Rainbow Dash as she got a closer view of the body.
Nobody responded to Rainbow Dashes obvious answer. Nightmare Moon was dead, and it was because of them. Twilight couldn't understand what went wrong. The Elements were supposed to banish the dark alicorn back to the moon to avert eternal night from happening, but this wasn't what she wanted. Not death. Tears of horror and realization started forming at the corners of her eyes.
"I just killed somepony."
"It's not your fault darling. None of us knew that that would happen, and how could we?"
Rarity made a good point, but the fact that they were all responsible for the death of a pony was enough to tear Twilight apart. Looking around she noticed that Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were openly crying while Applejack just looked down at the floor looking guilty. Suddenly the room brightened and the sun appeared at the window. Even if they killed a pony, it was to insure the future of Equestria. But it wasn't long before her reassurance died when a familiar voice began to scream. "No!"
Twilight whirled her head around to see Princess Celestia cradling the dead body of Nightmare Moon to her body. Never in all her years as the Princesses student had she ever witnessed her cry before. Yes she'd seen her upset once or twice but never to the point of breaking down sobbing. This was all very new to the lavender unicorn, and wasn't sure how to comfort her or if she should at all for that matter. It was clear that the Princess must've been close to Nightmare at one time but it seemed like more than that. It almost seemed like the Princess was treating Nightmare like... A sibling?
"Could that be it", Twilight thought to herself. " Could she really be her sister"?
If that were the truth than she might be in for more than just a stern lecture.
Celestia after finally taking notice of the six mares in the room with her stood up and looked at the mares with tears in her eyes.
"I suppose it's time I tell you the truth about Nightmare Moon", she said in a sad toned voice.
"You see Nightmare Moon was in actuality my sister Luna. We were responsible for raising the sun and the moon, while ponies loved the day they shunned and feared the night. My sister for a time tried to deal with it on her own in hopes of changing her subjects minds about the night. In the end it didn't work and my poor sister Luna was distraught. They believed her to be evil and would have nothing to do with her. Instead of trying to help reason things with our subjects I turned a blind eye. I told my sister to give them time when in fact I flourished in the attention ponies gave me. I was being selfish and I knew it. You must understand I was much younger back then then I am now. I was naive and foolish to think my sister didn't see right through me. When the day finally came when she rebelled I used the elements on her imprisoning her in the moon.
Celestia stopped to hold back a sob. She needed to fully explain things once and for all. Once she had recovered she continued speaking.
"For a thousand years I regretted what I had done because I knew I was responsible for what happened and I hoped the elements would be able to help me get my sister back. I wanted to apologize and make things better than they were. I wanted to show her that I could be the best big sister, but even I don't know how far the power of the elements will go or what they will do. I never once thought that this could happen. This shouldn't have happened."
Once done talking Celestia went back to her sister and placed her on her back.
I'm leaving for Canterlot. I expect to see you bright and early Twilight. We have much to discuss.
"What about us?"
Everypony in the room looked towards where the voice came from and saw Fluttershy with tears in her eyes looking straight ahead at Celestia.
"Now that we've just killed somepony what are we supposed to do?!" Fluttershy screamed.
Anypony who knew Fluttershy well enough knew that she was not very assertive and this change in her demeanor was a shock to everypony in the room. No pony expected her to react this badly to the point that she would find the courage to yell at the Princess.
Fluttershy wasn't just upset though she was furious. They just killed somepony, and the Princess was just going to walk away. Were they just pawns this entire time? She didn't know but she wanted some answers as to what was going to happen to them now that there lives had been so changed.
Celestia looked at Fluttershy with a sad expression and turned away teleporting both her and her sisters body back to Canterlot.