[Story] Friendship is Magic - Celestia and Luna

[Skye]

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic - Celestia and Luna

2011 Shawn "Skye" Winnie

http://canterlot.com

Celestia sighed as she looked out the window. School was -so- boring, and she didn't see why she had to sit here at her desk learning useless and boring things when she'd rather be outside in the sun. Taking in its warmth, rolling in the grass, even flying through the clouds! But no, her mother wouldn't let her do such an unprincessly thing. Naturally. Since it was of course, everything that her mother would constantly tell her was beneath her.

"Princesses do not 'play'." Nova, her father, had said.

"Princesses have important jobs, too." Nebula, her mother, had said.

But this was just entirely too much. "Mom," Celestia complained. "I want to sit outside for a while. It's so stuffy here, and it's doing terrible things to my hair." her pink hued mane drifted ethereally around her head and rear. Two of her most prideful points, and the best part was, they never got dirty. So that was never a good excuse.

Nebula looked up from the desk where she'd been looking through an ancient and dusty tome for the next lesson she was going to teach her restless daughter. The nearly transparent mare was shot through with speckles and flecks that seemed to dance through her body timelessly. She was beautiful, and Celestia longed to look like her someday, but at the moment, mother's stern gaze was focused on the filly.

"Celestia, dear, you know that there's no time for that. When you're all grown-up, you can do what you want, but fillies have to learn. Princesses are never stupid." yet another adage flowed from her mother's lips and Celestia rolled her eyes.

"Oh, nevermind." the filly sagged, resting her head on her hooves. Maybe she'd be able to sneak out later during lunch for at least a moment's peace on the grassy moor just outside the castle. These days, her mother seemed to leave more and more time available for lunches, so maybe this would be one of those days. Although, with the way she was getting rounder in the middle...suddenly Celestia perked her ear. It had completely escaped her notice before, but the last few lessons had suddenly given her an epiphany.

She tried to appear disinterested as her mother stood and picked up a chalkstick in her lips, preparing to write on the blackboard. "You're pregnant, aren't you, mother?"

Nebula nearly dropped the stick at the sudden and blunt question. "Wh...why, yes, what made you ask? And now, of all times?"

Slowly the white filly slipped out of her desk and approached the front of the classroom. Her golden horseshoes tinkled on the tile beneath her, and her white coat glimmered in the sunlight as she passed through sunbeam to sunbeam. But no cutie mark yet. Someday she'd have one, maybe as glorious as Nebula's, which seemed to dance on her flanks like a gauzy streamer of starlight, decorated with the pearly twirl of two green and pink ribbons.

Her father's was of a star that appeared to be in the process of exploding. He used to joke that it was like his temper, always on the virge, but that as long as everything was alright, she hoped never to see it. Her brothers, Comet and Meteor, had similar cutie marks on their flanks. Both of them were older and loved to tease her about her lack of one, but Celestia knew that someday she'd have her own. All ponies did, and there was a unwritten law that it was just a matter of time. Who had written that law, she didn't know, but her parents had been around for so long it had probably just slipped their minds.

Celestia nosed lightly at the soft roundness of her mother's side. "Call it a hunch. I haven't been completely missing our lessons, even if they're so boring. Maybe they're not totally useless. Am I going to have a baby brother or sister?"

Nebula smiled, and set the chalk stick down, angling her head to look at herself. "Sister, we hope, we think. But that will be a little bit yet. Now, Celestia, we must return to our lesson. Your tutors will be here in a few weeks and I need to finish this curriculum before they do, as I will then no longer have time to spend with you on it."

"No time?" said the white filly. "But mother, I..."

"No buts, dear, back to your desk." Nebula replied as she picked the stick up and began to draw a model of the solar system on the chalkboard. Her lips moved around the chalk stick as she spoke, "Now here we have the planets and their arrangement. Here, is Equestria..."

The filly returned to her desk and sighed again, taking her seat. She glanced out the window again with despair. Another boring lesson, she figured, then mustered up the resolve to try her best. After all, there was no telling what the tutors were going to be like, and if they were going to be anything as boring as this, then she may as well enjoy what time she had left with her mother before even that was taken away.

* * *

[Skye]

"Luna, dear, pick up your hooves when you walk. A lady does not shuffle, nor does she drag her feet." Nova admonished as he led the little filly to the dance hall. Today, they were going to learn some of the basic moves, and it was tradition for the father to teach his daughter the first steps of the traditional summer dance.

Luna, a little violet filly with a cerilean mane, nearly tripped over her own awkward feet as she struggled to keep up with the stately king. Nova, a huge yellow stallion, shimmered brightly as he stepped into the lighted hall that echoed with each step of his shoes on its highly polished floor. Her own seemed less synchronized and more random as she touched its surface for the first time, sliding.

"Eep!" she squealed, before coming to stop a few inches from a column nearby. This was going to take some getting used to! "Sorry, papa."

"It's alright, darling." her father watched with a smile. "But you must learn to be more graceful. A princess would not do to slide in front of her subjects. It is unbecoming."

"Yes, papa." she turned back around and trotted (carefully!) back to her father at a much more sedate pace. Coming to a stop in front of him, she waited as he first made a bow, nearly touching his horn to the floor and spreading his magnificent wings.

"First, we bow to one another." Nova said.

The violet filly tried to perform a curtsey, something her mother had shown her but she'd failed to master fully thus far. All she managed to successfully do was a spectacular face-plant on the shiny floor. Sniffing, and shaking her head as she recovered, she glanced up to see her father still in the same position but watching her expectantly. Once again, Luna tried to curtsey and apparently passed muster as he stood, and lifted a foreleg in preparation for a prance.

"Next, we perform the step..." his voice called to her as he started to guide her through each of the moves. Luna scrabbled to keep up with him as he went through each of the steps, his much longer legs stepping over her as she nearly crashed into him, somehow managing to keep his footing even as she clumsily blundered through them.

Finally, she stopped, panting, her face beaded with sweat and effort. "Papa, can we stop for a moment?" she licked her dry lips, and realized she was really thirsty.

"Of course, but we can't stop long, the dance is in a few days and you need to learn so you don't embarass yourself when you are asked to dance." her father waited patiently.

She shook her head, "Nuh-uh. Boys are icky." Luna said, matter-of-factly. "I'm not dancing with any of them." her mane flowed as she turned to the mountain, dipping her face into the water to sip at its coolness. She became aware of another pair of eyes watching and glanced up to see her sister reflected in the water.

"Ah, Celestia. Come, dance with me and show your sister how it is done. It will be much easier for her when she can see it properly." Nova returned to his starting position on the floor and glanced expectantly at her.

Luna so much wanted to be like her sister. With a flowing, almost smoky mane of pink brilliance that moved of its own accord even without a breeze. Beautiful shoes, a tiara, her sister had become a beautiful creature, though still somewhat gawky and awkward. She was only about a year older than Luna, but she'd already grown up enough for Luna to feel envious. She had such short legs, and Luna's were so long!

Celestia stepped down onto the dance floor, her light pace echoing through the hallway. "Yes, father." she replied, smiling briefly at him before making a silly face at her sister. Luna giggled, she loved her sister for that.

The violet filly took a respectful place at the side of the dance floor, watching her her father took Celestia through first a very simple dance, the same she'd be expected to follow. Not that she'd dance with anyone, because she was a princess. She'd have her own way. The dance didn't take long, and soon her father called her over again to try it out. It took several moments before she performed it satisfactorily, and he told her so.

"Very good, now just remember to do that when it's time, and this will go off without a hitch. Several important ponies will be coming to the castle, and there will be several princes. You must be polite to them all." Nova explained to the both of them.

"Yes, papa!" said Luna, still panting from the renewed effort.

"Of course, father." agreed Celestia, glancing down to her sister.

* * *

[Skye]

"Celestia, wait up!" cried Luna as she raced to catch her sister. "Ugh, you're always going to the library, why can't we go do something fun? Like go to the riverbank again?" the violet filly looked up to her sister hopefully.

The white mare shook her head, rolling her eyes. "Sorry, Luna, I have to study. I've got a test coming up, and I can't be expected to stop and drop everything that I'm doing just to spend time with you." her horn glowed as she lifted her books from her saddlebags to the table nearby as they entered the library.

"But..." Luna's lower lip quivered. She glanced at her sister's cutie mark, though hers still hadn't come in yet. "Oh, it's not fair, you never have time for me anymore!" she shouted, then turned and dashed out of the library.

"But... Oh Luna." sighed Celestia as she watched her sister go. She couldn't wait long, her mother would surely need these reports of the stellar alignment and how it was going to affect the planets, and all those calculations. Then there was the festival of the leaves to plan and organize, there really was no time. Soon, she'd forgotten all about it as she buried her nose in her books.

Outside, Luna continued running until she'd even left the castle. Her mane flowed in the wind, nowhere near as supple as her sister's even as she'd tried to brush it to the same fineness. As she ran, she wept, the tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "It's not fair, nobody will spend time with me anymore, when do -I- get to be important!" she screamed at nopony in particular as she ran down the path. Finally, she came to a stop just outside the Everfree forest, and hiccuped through sobs. After wiping at her eyes with her foreleg, she looked over the wilderness and the sleepy little village of Ponyville. Only a few buildings, a marketplace, and a cleared field with a few apple saplings could hardly be called a village, but it was all they had, and they were proud of it.

But even those ponies wouldn't spend any time with her, they normally weren't allowed anywhere near the castle except for special occasions or when they needed something from the King and Queen, and she didn't want obedience either. She wanted friends, and she wasn't going to find that where everybody knew she was a princess. Luna flopped down under a tree and cried again, the tears flowing freely from her face and collecting in a small puddle beneath her. She didn't care who saw her now, but she had a whole lot of it to get out.

Though she cried, a feeling began to stir within her. Something new, something strong, but at the same time fragile, bubbled up from deep inside. Almost like her heart was racing, and she flattened her ears as a wave of rage rushed through her, and then was gone as quick as it came. "What was that?" she asked herself, coming to her feet shakily, and looked around.

It came again, stronger than before, this time accompanied with a rush of jealousy towards her sister, and the more she thought about it, the stronger the feeling got. She didn't like this feeling, but it had such power behind it that it nearly overwhelmed any other thoughts she had while they came. Until, like a flame, it kindled in her chest and continued to burn, unsubsiding.

"What..." she asked herself again, before the rage ran through her again, and she froze as she felt another voice come to her lips.

"We're better than her." said the voice. Hers, but not quite. "She doesn't deserve all she's been given. She's going to control the sun, she got first pick. Mommy's favorite daughter, and papa dotes on her, too." she shook her head, then scrubbed at her face, trying to make the voice stop. But yet it kept talking.

"Just watch, she'll get hers someday." Luna's ears flattened against her skull as the rage ran through her, images of what she'd do if only she got control over her sister, forced her to see that she deserved better, that she wasn't so important after all. "Together, we'll do this."

Suddenly, her mouth was released. "Who...what? What are you?" this time, she had control. But there was no answer. The flame that had been kindled still burned within her, but now it had faded almost to the dull glow of an ember. She felt sick with it, but yet at the same time almost elated when she explored for it. Shakingly, Luna returned to the castle, and tried her best to forget the weird occurrence.

Finally, came the day of the Summer Sun Celebration. Mother, dressed in her finest gown stood beside father, at the dais at the head of dance hall in front of every pony. As the music struck up, the two began to dance with each other, opening up the celebration. Celestia and Luna stood to the side as their parents danced across the floor, hooves flashing and manes flowing. They really were beautiful together, and even moreso as they were joined by other dancers. Soon, the floor was filled with twirly and leaping ponies, all of whom had come to celebrate the rising of the sun on the longest night of the year.

Suddenly, everything stopped as mother took her place at the stop of the riser. She began to sing, her lovely voice lilting to the words as she gazed at the windows. A glow broke over the horizon, matching the shimmer in her coat and the sparkle of her horn. Her wings spread, longingly to the brightening glimmer that grew in the distance. A magnificent sunrise spread across the sky, painting the clouds with reds and oranges, fiery yellows, gold and whites as the sun rose in front of them. Ponies stomped their feet on the floor in applause, shaking the room as they approved of the magnificent presentation, heralding the start of summer.

Luna watched, jealousy gnawing at her heart as she stood nearby. Her sister left, stepping across the floor to join her mother, her voice not nearly as clear and melodious, but she had been practicing. Luna's lip stuck out in a pout as she watched. She'd get the moon, and it wasn't fair. Nobody ever came out to celebrate the moon, they just assumed it'd be there. Then she sighed.

"It's important, too." she told herself, glancing at the other ponies that had gathered.

Celestia giggled as an impressive blue and gold stallion sidled up to her, bowing. "Would you care to dance with me, lovely lady?" he said in a gallant, booming voice.

"I would love to, handsome sir," she agreed, and was whisked away in a flash of morning light as she started off the Morning Glory dance. This one, Luna never had gotten right, even though she'd practiced almost daily on it.

But nopony came to ask her to dance. There she stood, in her beautiful gown, the one the designer had specifically come to the palace and designed for her alone, telling her she was gorgeous, and lovely, at that no pony could resist her, and she'd be swamped with suitors. Not a single one. She stood there near the punch bowl, even when her sister came up, her chest heaving from the dance to sip, and she stood near the door as the ponies all started to leave. When the last one had gone, she'd quietly left and gone up to her room alone.

Later, there was a knock at the door. Luna, on her bed, burrowed her face into her pillows. "Go away." came her muffled words.

The door opened a crack, and Nebula came in. She was older now, no longer as graceful but still elegant in her appearance. She approached the bed and settled down on her haunches nearby. "Now, Luna, whatever is the matter?"

"Nobody asked me to dance!" was Luna's tearful replied. "Not a single one noticed me! All the boys wanted was Celestia and all her leggy gorgeousness. Nobody even looked at me!" she bawled, burying her face in her pillow again.

Nebula touched Luna's shoulder lightly with her hoof. "Well, she always was more popular and outgoing, dear." she tried to comfort her violet daughter. "You just need to learn to be more assertive, and you'll find someone eventually."

"I don't want someone eventually!" Luna flung a pillow at the wall and pouted. "I wanted someone tonight. Just one."

Nova heard the commotion, and poked his head in. "Sorry, ladies, I was stopping by and heard the noise. Is everything all right?"

The queen nodded, "I think I can handle this for now, dear." Nova nodded and vanished, and she turned back to Luna.

"Now stop this at once. You must learn that a Princess must be strong for her people, even if she isn't popular. One day, you will be expected to keep face even if it's tearing you up inside. Ponies will say hurtful things about you, and you will have to take it in stride." she said.

"Not if I can help it." came that eerie voice to Luna, making her eyes go wide as she managed to keep it from being loud enough to be heard. She covered her face quickly, looking around the room.

"What was that?" said Nebula, looking back over her shoulder as she had been preparing to leave the room.

"Nothing, Mother. You're right, I will work harder." the voice had taken control again, and saying exactly what needed to be said.

When Nebula had left, Luna grabbed a mirror and looked at herself in it. Only it wasn't her. Not exactly. A larger, older version of herself gazed back. Her mane was beautiful, as if made of brushed moonbeams, sparkled through with silver dust. Her long and graceful horn was adorned by a blue mask that matched the chestpiece with her mark on it.

"Who are you?" whispered Luna.

"I am Nightmare Moon, child." came the response. It was very strange, talking to herself like this, to a reflection that was her, but not her at the same time. "And I think it is time that we took control and took what was rightfully ours."

"Take control?" said the filly. "I don't want control, I just want to be noticed for once."

"Your sister and brothers are so full of themselves, your parents love them too much and don't show you enough. Is that it?" said the reflection.

Luna nodded to it, wiping a tear from her eye. "Celestia's always been better at everything, just once I want to be appreciated! And the way Comet and Meteor tease me, just because I'm the baby doesn't mean I'm worthless."

"We'll show them all you're not worthless, my dear." said the soothing voice of the reflection. "But when the time is right." it vanished, leaving Luna holding the empty mirror with a shocked expression.

She hadn't thought of anything of that sort, and the desire that bubbled within her somewhat frightened and thrilled her at the same time. Take control, put her siblings in their rightful places. Could she do it? She had to!

The filly slipped out of bed and crept to the door. Nopony was there, except for the guards at the end of the hall, and they hadn't heard a thing. She closed the door behind her, and leaned against it, thinking. She wasn't sure if this was right, these feelings. But something had to change, she couldn't go on being everybody's shadow forever. The dance had hurt, being brushed off had hurt, she was so tired of being hurt and forgotten, that she wanted the spotlight for once. Luna raced to the balcony and looked out the window over the Everfree forest. In the distance were the lights of the sleepy little town of Ponyville.

She took her tiara off and left it on the bed, then kicked off her glass shoes. Those could stay behind too. She was tired of being the Princess that everyone ignored. Maybe in Ponyville she'd get noticed, but not with those on, all they'd do is bow to her and then ignore her afterwards. She wanted to be noticed. She wanted to talk to somepony. In a moment, she'd taken perch on her balcony, then leapt from it, her small wings spreading. She hadn't done much flying, but soon got the wobbly hang of it, and soared out over the forest. Gaining altitude was harder, but as she was mostly just going down anyway, she let gravity pull at her while providing a little bit of lift with each flap until she'd landed just outside the forest on the path from it.

The moon shone overhead as Luna crept cautiously down the path. Ponyville stood just a short walk away, the soft lights from the windows of those few ponies still up this late at night showing her the way. In minutes, she found herself peeking in one of the windows at a family curled up on the floor in front of their fireplace. Fast asleep, of course. Luna sighed to herself and moved on to another house, creeping carefully up to the lit window. Inside was an older pony, who had apparently fallen asleep while reading a book on the sofa.

Another sleeping pony. Were there -any- that were awake through her beautiful night? Surely there were some. But the more windows she looked into, the stronger that feeling of being alone. Yet, she wasn't truly alone, she could sense Nightmare Moon's presence flickering on the edge of her perception. She frightened and exhilirated Luna at the same time, yet she was hesitant to just let her out. What had started as just a game with herself had grown more frighteningly real, and Luna was sure she didn't want to give in to Nightmare Moon's influence.

Even though her mother still took care of most of the details of raising and lowering the sun and the moon, Luna still felt protective of the heavens she was promised. Dejected, she slowly made her way out of Ponyville towards a bluff overlooking the town and flopped on the grass. Above her, the stars glittered like millions of spilled diamonds overhead. The view was spectacular, but deep inside, she wished she had someone to share it with.

"Oh, here you are." came a familiar voice of one of her brothers. "Crybaby Luna trying to run away. Didn't get very far, did you?" Comet stepped out of the shadow of a tree. His silvery hide and mane made him seem almost ghostly.

"Go away, Comet." Luna flattened her ears. She really didn't want to put up with his rotten attitude tonight. Comet took after their father, being a little aggressive, even a bit abrasive, like his namesake. Comet had always had a thing for teasing little Luna, but only Celestia's sweet demeanor and sharp wit could put him in his place.

"We came to take you home." Followed the deeper, more sorrowful voice of Meteor. His ebony hide contrasted with a fiery mane made him look truly nightmarish, but of the two, he was generally the slower. Though once he was on a given path it was difficult to steer him away, and his smouldering temper was a force to be reckoned with once it was kindled. Luna didn't care much for her brothers, but they were still family.

"Go away." she said again. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

Comet chuckled quietly as he came to stand by the little princess. Taller and slender, he would take on his father's build when he reached maturity. "Oh, poor little Luna. Nobody listens to you. Not ever and not," he reached down and nipped at her neck with his teeth, forcing her to cower away from him, "now. You are coming with us whether you like it or not. Mom would be devestated if anything happened to you and there's no telling what father would do."

"He'd go ballistic. He's furious." Meteor supplied.

"Shut up, both of you. Leave me alone." glared Luna. How dare they? Who cared if they were her older brothers, they didn't have the right to pick on her like this! She was a princess, of the moon! They didn't have anything, not as long as Celestia was around.

But her brothers wouldn't let her be, and before long, Luna found herself sandwiched sullenly between her brothers on the chariot back to the castle. Later, she was forced to listen to a tirade from her father for over an hour while her mother looked on disappointedly. "How dare you run off in the middle of the night! You could have been hurt! Or worse!" he cried.

Finally, when she was released, she returned to her room and pouted, tears welling up from her eyes until she cried herself to sleep. Celestia had followed her up the stairs quietly, but stayed out in the hallway and watched until Luna had passed into slumber. With a heavy sigh, the Princess of the sun returned to her own room and thought things over until she too fell into dreamland.

In the morning, Nova informed his family that he was to be gone for a trip to a new city being founded in one of the far lands, and that the griffons were in need of some diplomatic relations. Nebula would be in charge as usual and, after the usual fanfare, Nova left the castle. Celestia watched as his procession crossed the bridge into the Everfree Forest, and vanished into the foliage.

That had been a few years ago. Celestia stood on the balcony, her pink mane flowing in the breeze. Left now was only their mother, who was beginning to show her age, and her brothers who had since begun to vie for positions to take their father's place when Nebula grew too old. As the eldest sister, she was next in line anyway, but that didn't stop Meteor and Comet from having ambitious urges. She'd have to find a way to curb that before long. Her mother's memory wasn't what it used to be, and if she weren't careful, she'd have a real fight on her hooves.

"Princess," one of the guards interrupted her reverie, causing her to flick an ear in annoyance for a moment, but only for a moment. "Meteor's requesting your presence at the dinner table."

"I'll be there in a moment." Celestia replied, glancing back at him, before returning to look out over the forest spread beneath. Her thoughts turned to her sister Luna, who had begun raising and setting the moon in counterpoint to Celestia's raising and lowering the sun. Soon they would be fitted for the symbols of their office. Celestia would recieve her crown of the sun, and Luna's of the moon. Their hoof-shoes of gold and silver were being polished now for the ceremony ahead.

Celestia already wore the symbol of her office, a neckpiece like a stylized yoke with her cutie mark and other embelleshments of gemstones. It felt heavy, though it had been fashioned of the lightest and most comfortable materials. The weight, however, had mostly to do with the significance of the office she was inheriting from her mother. Luna, not far behind, had showed unusual promise, almost as if she'd proven more capable than Celestia herself. The white mare brooded, thinking back on one of the arguments they'd had not too long ago.

"It's not fair!" Luna had protested. "All of our subjects are awake to celebrate your day, but they hide and cower in their homes when I bring out my night! Only the monsters and night-folk like owls and insects prowl the lands. Just once," her voice faltered in almost a whisper. "Just once I'd like the ponies to celebrate when the stars come out."

"One day they will, sister. Your moon is just as important as the sun, in different ways. Without it, there would be no beacon for travellers at night, no comfort to the young when they wake in the middle of the night. Your stars cover the world in a blanket of glittering gems my sun can't compare to. Give them time, as they become used to your rule of your beautiful night." Celestia had tried to mollify Luna.

But Luna had only shaken her head and turned away with a sigh. Something stirred within Celestia as she'd watched her sister go, an unease that something wasn't quite right. But she couldn't put a hoof on it.

"Princess..." the guard called again.

Princess Celestia sighed. "I'm coming, I'm coming."

Comet met her at the door, his more-than-usual constant smirk on his face. "All primp and proper now, sister?" he goaded. His sharp tongue didn't make him a favorite of their subjects, but everyone knew if it had come down to a battle between Meteor and Comet, Comet would have been the clear winner. Almost vicious to a fault, aggressive, his lack of empathy spurred him only for the drive to power.

"Clear out, Comet, before you regret it." Celestia flattened her ears as she spoke to him. "I don't have the patience to put up with your games this morning."

Her brother smirked again, developing a somewhat nasty grin. "Oh, in a bit of a snit again this morning, princess?" he said her title with a sneer. "Can't imagine what it'd have been like if you'd had some real worries. You know, like having to talk to the lord of the featherbrains. Oh," he held up his hooves as she cast a glare at her brother. "I meant Lord of the Griffons, I'm sorry. He's here, waiting for you at the dinner table. What should we feed him? A salad? Some flowers? Perhaps our useless little sister?"

"You leave her alone, Comet. It's partly your fault she's been in a mood lately." Celestia refused to let him bait her as she walked down the hallway with him not far behind. "You'll never see the throne with your attitude, not if I have anything to do about it."

"Yes, that's right. Father always did love you best, didn't he? And our mother, bless her heart, did you know she confused us? Us! You and I! Like I'd look anything like you." he tossed his mane pretentiously. "Ah, but then again, maybe we do. Perhaps I should dye my mane pink, like yours."

Celestia snorted, and rolled her eyes. "Yes, you go do that. Maybe it'll take up your whole morning. In fact, if you can successfully convince anyone that you look anything like me, maybe someone other than your own reflection will finally take you seriously." before she waited for his retort, she ducked into the dining hall.

Her other brother was there as she'd been told, sitting at one of the sides of the table. Nebula still sat at the head of the table as due her station, but mostly for honorable reasons until her daughters took over. "Ah, Celestia!" Nebula smiled weakly, her thinning body seemingly barely up to the task of supporting her anymore. She really needed to retire and spend her remaining years relaxing on a warm lounge somewhere. But Celestia wasn't in any hurry to rush it.

"Mother, how good it is to see you." Celestia curled her neck around her mother in a fond hug, then looked over the rest of the table. Comet reluctantly took his place at the opposite side of the table from his brother, his smirk still present but most of the bite of his expression long since gone. Luna's seat was empty, to one side of Nebula. Celestia took the other. Next to Meteor was the Lord of the Griffons and his aide opposite.

The Lord, though his name had escaped Celestia's memory for the moment, was poking at the dish with his claw. "Flowers and vegetables. It's always so light a fare when I come to pony country." he remarked somewhat boredly. "But, it's better than starving, I suppose. I hear there's a new apple farm under construction near that town?"

"Yes," Celestia replied, smiling. "Though it hasn't been named yet, we hope that someday it'll provide a great crop of all kinds of apples."

"Ah. I look forward to seeing their first harvest, then." he looked up at the head of the table, dipping his head to Nebula. The lord raised a sprig of broccoli in a sort of toast, then popped it in his mouth. "Meanwhile, we know the bountiful produce of Equestria is second to none. We were looking to export some of your goods to other lands west of Aquilia, where some of our brethren have been trying to establish a colony."

A colony of griffons, further west? Celestia hadn't even realized there were more lands that far, the geography studies she'd taken had only mentioned the lands to the west of Equestria that belonged to the Griffons, but nopony had gone on exploration in quite some time. She made a mental note, maybe she could see if someday one could be made. She'd rather like to know what lay to the east, after all.

"Thank you, my Lord." Nebula replied with a smile, nibbling delicately at a lettuce leaf.

The griffon looked at the other end of the table, then back to the front. "I must apologize, but where is Princess Luna? Is she not joining us for dinner?"

Nebula looked pained for a moment, causing Celestia's eyebrows to raise in curiosity. "Luna's somewhat...predisposed at the moment, Lord Flamebeak ("Ah, Flamebeak!" Celestia exclaimed to herself.) and won't be joining us just yet."

Lord Flamebeak shook his head and made a clucking sound. "More's the pity, I could tell the makings of a great politician in that one, should she ever decide to take up the mantle. But you, Princess Celestia, are next to take the throne, are you not?"

Both Meteor and Comet looked up sharply, and Celestia nearly shrank at their glare. Meteor, at least, never seemed ambitious though stoic, but Comet was as plain as her day. "Someday, but not until mother is ready to relinquish the crown. Father made that clear."

Celestia cooly returned their glare until both of her brothers turned their eyes back to their plates. "But I would love a tour of your beautiful country someday, my Lord."

He laughed, and poked a talon towards Celestia. "Ah, you would be welcome, I think! As radiant as the sun you bring up for us every morning, perhaps someday we can arrange a Summer Sun Celebration in Talonopolis for all to see firstclaw!" he laughed merrily, and Celestia found she liked this Lord Flamebeak quite a bit. A little gruff, but almost fatherly in his attitude. Nothing like she'd thought griffons would be.

A smile graced Nebula's face at the laughter, then suddenly drained away as the doors to the dining room slammed open. All eyes went quickly to the sudden appearance of Princess Luna, standing there. Though it didn't seem quite like her, her eyes seemed to take on an almost cruel look to them as she looked out over the table.

"Yes, a celebration in Talonopolis, bringing up the sun, all of the griffons seeing for themselves my great sister doing all the work." Luna's chest heaved, her voice nearly as cold as the room felt.

"Luna, dear, you..." Nebula began before Luna's high laugh interrupted her.

"Don't 'Luna dear me', mother, and don't bother telling me I'm not well. I think for the first time I know exactly what's wrong, and it's got nothing to do with me!" she shrieked. "Everyone's forgotten about poor little Luna, and nobody cares what she thinks or feels, and I think it's about time that's going to change!"

Celestia stood up, facing her sister. "Luna! Don't you talk to mother that way!"

Luna's eyes flashed as her cold gaze turned balefully in the elder's direction. "I'm sick of being told what to do, by you or by anyone!" she reared up and stomped her hooves on the tile. "I'm just as important as any of you, and I'm done being Little Miss Background Pony! I'll show all of you!" she turned on her heels and dashed from the room before anyone had a chance to react.

Nebula sat where she was, dumbfounded by the scene. Lord Flamebeak paused with a talonful of salad forgotten, while the brothers exchanged glances with one another. "Excuse us." they said, standing and cantering out of the room.

"Mother, I..." Celestia started.

"Don't say anything, Tia, it's not your fault. I should have seen this coming. Without your father here, tensions have been getting high." she sighed, looking towards the door her offspring had departed through.

"No, mother, we're supposed to be a team and if she's not up to the task, someone needs to go after her. I think I'm the only one who can talk her down." the younger daughter replied, before she followed her brothers out the door.

Nebula remained where she was, her appetite forgotten by this point. Lord Flamebeak cleared his throat and set his morsel back on his plate.

"I hadn't expected dinner and a show." was all he could say.

Outside in the courtyard, Luna skidded to a halt in front of the fountain. What had come over her? How could she have spoken like that to her entire family? And with company present, too! A fire was racing through her, making her both hot and cold at the same time. The fire screamed through every fibre of her being, followed by the sudden wash of coolness. Her emotions tore her apart inside, and tears followed by cruel laughter shook her body.

"What's the matter, my dear, wasn't that what you wanted?" said Nightmare Moon from her reflection in the fountain.

"What are you doing to me! That wasn't what I wanted to say at all!" cried Luna, splashing at the image with her hooves, to no avail. Nightmare Moon reformed in the water.

"But it was what you wanted to say all along, wasn't it?" came a derisive snort. "And now, the foals are in there, discussing amongst themselves what to do with you. Like you're some kind of badly behaved pet. Now's the time when we should join our powers and become stronger then all of them." Nightmare Moon's argument was persuasive, and Luna could feel herself slipping.

"Luna!" came Celestia's voice from the stairway, flanked by her brothers. "Luna, sister, what's come over you?"

"Stay back! Stay away from me!" Luna cowered from the terrible sight of her siblings facing her down. Yet that fire licked at her heart inside, and for a moment she swayed, feeling heady with the power promising to spread through her.

"Dear little sister, that's not becoming of you. Always the shadow, always the night, but must you treat poor mother that way?" Comet smirked. Though he knew his power was lesser than Celestia's, he couldn't help but dig at the youngest.

"Quiet, Comet." countered Celestia. She turned back to Luna, and cocked her head. "Luna...what's wrong? What's bothering you? Come back inside, let's talk this over. I can tell something's not right."

"Everything's wrong!" screamed Luna. "Ever since I can remember, all of you have been greater than me, while I've been left behind! Little Luna this, Younger Sister that, all of you have had the best the world has to offer while everyone has forgotten me. Nobody watches my beautiful night! Nobody!" tears flowed down her cheeks as she defiantly glared at the top of the stairs.

"That's not true, Luna." Meteor chimed in. "Without your night, we wouldn't have the day. It's part of everything."

Celestia stared at Meteor, seeing him in a new light. She hadn't thought he felt that way, thinking instead that he was just like their brother, with hidden ambition. Maybe they needed to talk later too. But Luna was the focus now. "Luna, without you, I'm incomplete. Your turn to rule the night comes just as mine to rule the day ends. We.."

"SHOVE IT!" screamed Luna once more. Her form seemed to shimmer, growing larger for a moment, then she hiccuped as she warred with herself. *Release me!* cried Nightmare Moon inside of her. "No! No! I can't!" quailed Luna to the voice only she could hear.

The elder sister took a step forwards and started to speak before she was silenced by another frightening glare from Luna.

"You stay, you...you..." Luna swayed again, and clenched her eyes shut. She took a step back and bumped into the fountain. When her eyes opened again, then glowed white with her inner fire, and a cruel laugh escaped her lips.

"Hahahaha! You foals, the night will last forever! I, Nightmare Moon, will rule over all!" Luna's little body shimmered, then was enveloped in a violet sparkling mist that swirled around like a tornado, whipping up leaves and debris.

"Luna!" cried Celestia through the sudden onslaught, and her mane streamed back as she tried to push her way through the wind towards her little sister. "Luna, no!"

With a flash, the mist suddenly vanished, leaving an ebony mare standing where Luna had been. The mirror of her elder sister laughed again before being caught up in the mist once more that quickly streamed away, leaving Celestia and her brothers standing shocked at the top of the stairs.

"Luna, what have you done?" whispered Celestia as she watched the departing cloud that had been her sister.

"Well, that was unexpected." murmured Comet, glancing sidelong to his brother again.

"Can it!" shouted Celestia. "It's partly your fault this has happened to her! Why couldn't you show even an iota of kindness towards her? What are we going to do? Have you any idea what father is going to say when he gets home? He's going to be furious! And I can't even begin to think what sort of danger we're going to be in if Luna isn't home when father returns! This is terrible!"

"Don't blame us, Celestia. It isn't as if we drove her to this." started Meteor, before being cut off by a sharp look from his sister.

"But it so your fault! Just as much as it is mine! We all did this to her!" she hissed. Celestia turned on her hooves and dashed back into the castle, racing down the halls to the dining hall. "Mother, we need to talk about Luna, it's important! Library!" she called from the open door before speeding off again.

Nebula blinked from her seat at the table, then looked apologetically towards her guests. "My Lord, I apologize for this disruption, I hope you'll forgive me?" she offered before she stood.

"Quite alright. We'll just retire early and try this again another day. We will be here for at least a week in negotiations with some of your local businesses anyway." Lord Flamebeak nodded. "Take care of your family, My Lady."

"Thank you, Lord Flamebeak." Nebula did her best to curtsey on aging legs before she carefully left the dining hall. Celestia must have meant to meet her in the library, but for what purpose? And Nebula had noticed the changes in Luna but had chalked them up mostly to puberty at this point. But from Celestia's frantic behavior, she worried something more had gone wrong. And where were those sons of hers?

The door creaked as she nudged it open, finding Celestia poring over a book on a pedestal, her horn glowing as she flipped rapidly through pages. "No, no, not quite, but maybe...no, not this either. Ugh!" she exclaimed, turning to pull another book from the shelves, adding the last to a growing pile.

Nebula peered curiously at the books collecting nearby. 'Possession, A history', 'How to purge the evil from your house', 'Curious Cases Concerning Curses'. What dreadful reading material! "Celestia, dear, what is going on?"

"Luna's been possessed or taken or changed or something into something terrible! A wicked mare, and I think it's all our fault! But none of these books have anything on how to change her back!" Celestia made another sound of exasperation before tossing 'How to tell Imaginary Friends from Real Ones' into the pile.

Her mother blinked, and cast about the room. Luna, possessed? Whatever could have come over her? She certainly hadn't been dabbling in any of the forbidden topics, at least none she had known of. She knew how her brothers had treated her, but perhaps there was an answer, if the clues were correct. While Celestia continued to tear the library apart, Nebula crept over to a forgotten shelf and retrieved a book from it.

"Dear, this might be the one you're looking for." she said, laying an aged and dusty tome on the table beside the one Celestia was flipping through.

The Princess looked at it for a moment before opening the cover and glancing at the insert. "The Heart Of Equestria." she whispered, before turning the page and beginning to read.

"Magic in Equestria is a wondrous thing, possessed not merely by the gifted and advantaged, but by all creatures that dwell within her. Even in the lands that border her, this magic exists as part of the life forces. In every plant, every creature, even in the stones and the air itself, this magic forms the framework of all existence.

Dragons possess the greatness of soul, and their magic harnesses the fire within. In this way, they can perform many great tasks and grow to immense sizes. Their personality mimics the strength of their heart and their loyalty, once won, is nigh unshakeable. Best when raised from egg, they prove to be very valuable and dependable companions to any who manage to garner their friendship. Yet even the dragons are rivaled by the ponies of Equestria.

None more powerful than the royal family, nevertheless the unicorns follow in strength of spells. Tied to both the Earth and Air, their magic encompasses that which is and that which may be. This has the effect of producing wildly unpredictable results that vary from pony to pony and in varying strengths. To date, few unicorns have possessed magic that rivals the strength of the royal family themselves, but many have come close.

Next come the pegasus ponies. Their magic derives from the very air. Capable of treading the clouds and achieving incredible speeds, their ability to manipulate the weather proves very valuable in maintaining the high quality of life wherever they are found. Their ancient city, Cloudsdale, is home to all Pegasus ponies and where the young are taught from birth how to make the best use of their abilities.

Nearly as strong as unicorns in their strength of heart are the Earth Ponies. Their magic is tied directly to their bonds with Equestria itself. These ponies are sturdy, speedy and dependable and unassailable in their steadfastness. It is for these ponies the framework of Equestria is possible, growing all of the food and produce that feeds her people. Their ties to the magic that fuels their spirit is more subtle but no less important than that of any other."

"Mother, I never knew this book existed, where did it come from? It seems very wise." Celestia turned the page deferentially. Why was she never shown this book during her upbringing?

Nebula smiled and laid her hoof on the table. "Look at the author."

Her horn sparkling, Celestia closed the book and blew the layer of dust that had accumulated. Her eyes widened when she saw the name. "Nova...father wrote this?" she whispered.

"Your father and I have been around for a very long time, and it's because of this book that he is often gone. In addition to the duties of running our world, he is one of Equestria's greatest explorers." Nebula's horn glowed and she flipped to the rear of the book. "See, the last few chapters are blank, yet waiting to be filled."

"But, why was I never shown this book before?" the Princess opened it once more.

"Because it was to be a gift to you when you took the throne, my daughter. But maybe now is the time you'll need it. It contains all of the wisdom your father has learned about the world we have created, and it's to be yours when you take our place. But read on."

Celestia's eyes turned back to the pages, her eyebrows lifting as she continued to read.

"But more importantly than the magic, is the Heart of Equestria. This heart beats firmly in the chest of every living creature of our world. It drives them on, it guides them, and protects them. Yet when this heart is poisoned by doubt and fear, worry, or hate, the magic may take on a form of its own and become a mirrored spirit that will attempt to consume the weakened soul until all that is left is the ruined and troubled soul. To combat this, the Elements of Harmony must be harnessed. When used properly, the Elements of Harmony can restore the goodness in a poisoned Heart and return the stricken to their former selves."

"But that's...what's the Elements of Harmony, Mother?" as Celestia continued to read about the symptoms and the causes of this poisoning.

"It's a very ancient magic, daughter. The Elements of Harmony are Loyalty, Laughter, Kindness, Generosity and Honesty. Together, when they are joined by the Element of Magic, they become the greatest magic Equestria has. It's both dangerous and wonderful at the same time." Nebula turned the pages of the book to another chapter. "It may be the only way to restore Luna."

Celestia read on, doubt beginning to form in her mind. This called for finding the true representatives of the Elements of Harmony, those with the strongest gifts, but...maybe, with what else the book said about the royal family being the strongest...thoughts began to form in her mind. "It may be. Mother, thank you so much for this gift." she hugged Nebula carefully and closed the book, tucking it into her saddlebag. "I think I need to go find Luna."

"I wish I could let you go search for her, but you need to stay here." her mother replied. "At least until Nova returns. He should be home soon."

Celestia fidgeted on her hooves. "But every minute we wait, who knows what is happening to Luna, or where she's going?"

Her mother shook her head. "Celestia, dear, you have to learn the most important thing, and that's patience. As ruler, you'll have to have the most astounding patience of anyone in our land. Without it, you'll drive yourself crazy trying to get everything done all at once. This is no different."

"Besides, we will help." came another voice from the door. Celestial looked over the shoulder of her mother and blinked in surprise as her brothers entered the room.

"We realize we've been terrible to Luna all of these years." Meteor spoke after his brother. "We meant it mostly in sibling rivalry, or at least I did, but until tonight I'd never thought what it was doing to her."

"And even though I still think I'd be better for the job of running Equestria," said Comet, though his trademark smirk was strangely absent, "Family is more important and we can't leave our little sister out there like this. I may be ambitious, but I've always loved my siblings, even if I didn't always show it."

Celestia stared at Comet, seeing him in a new light. She'd never thought he cared much for family, preferring ambition over anything, but he actually did care? She thought back over the years and realized just how loyal to the family he'd really been. Always there for father, even though he teased, but being reliable and dependable for any task he'd been put to. Never arguing or fighting. And Meteor. Always spoke what was on his mind, she'd never known him to tell a lie. While more stoic and morose than his brother, Meteor had at least been the one she'd thought to keep Comet in check. When in reality, they were always working in tandem. This revelation shook her, and she smiled at the both of them.

"Thank you, the both of you. I'll stay here with mother and continue studying if you'd both take some guards and look for Luna, until father returns. That would be wonderful of you."

Comet dipped his head, and his smirk returned. "Don't think that I won't still be there to keep you in line, sister, but we'll be back as soon as we can." His brother nodded, gave her a glance over his shoulder before following Comet into the hall.

The books remained where they were, waiting patiently for their readers, and both of the alicorn's eyes returned to the pages spread before them. Celestia continued reading on, a plan forming in her mind. There was that fountain in the great hall, and father had mentioned something about magic...

* * *

Nightmare Moon whisked through the darkness, a purple cloud of sparkling smoke as she wove amongst the trees. Laughter pealed in ethereal tinkles from a throatless voice, before she came to the peak of a cliff overlooking the Everfree Forest. The gleam of the lights from the castle below could be seen through the trees, and she knew that it wouldn't be long until they came looking for her.

"Those foals, all this time, they thought me weak and useless. Well, we'll show them, dear little Luna. We'll show them all the true power of night. Let Celestia try to raise the sun in vain, together we'll keep the night together." Nightmare Moon spoke aloud, though to noone in particular it seemed.

The little flutter of life that was Luna seemed to struggle inside her for a moment, like a caged bird until squeezed into submission by the strength of Nightmare Moon. "Patience, little one. We'll share this body once more when we've taken total control. But there's things to do first." with a flash, she dissolved into smoke again and began to filter down into Ponyville like a noisome violet fog, shrouding the town.

As it permeated the wood, Comet and Meteor moved closer together until they were touching side by side. "This doesn't bode well, brother." Meteor commented as he rolled his eyes at the shadowy forms that drifted just out of range of the meager light they'd brought with them. "How are we going to find our dark-coated sister in this gloom?"

As they emerged from the woods, they discovered the guards had become somewhat scattered, but there wasn't time enough to search them down and regroup. Comet sent the remainder of the guard back to the castle where they would do more good keeping an eye there.

"She'll be around here somewhere, she never did go far." Comet replied. Though a chill flickered up and down his spine, he wasn't so sure that they would be safe even together. He'd seen that cruel look in Nightmare Moon's eyes, and there was no telling what powers she'd have gained as a result of the twisting of her heart. "She's probably down in Ponyville right now."

It took them several minutes to wend their way down the familiar but obscured path towards town, when a scream pierced the darkness. The two raced down the road towards town until they came upon a trio of ponies standing over a fallen fourth, who appeared to be completely unconscious.

"What happened?" Comet panted as his eyes darted from place to place.

"Oh, we were just walking down the street when some...thing raced past us and practically scared us to death! It was gone too quickly before we saw what it was, but it sort of looked like a big black pony! But I've never seen one like that around here before!" wailed one of the fillies.

"That must be her." Meteor said, as he poked his nose around corners and into alleyways.

Comet nodded, and held his lantern higher. "You girls need to get to somewhere safe. There's mischief about, and it could be dangerous. Can you carry her with you, or shall I?" he indicated the comatose pony at their hooves.

"We'd get home quicker if you carried her," said one of the others. "We're too little to carry her on our own."

"Very well then," he carefully leaned down and shouldered the unconscious pony. "Let's hurry home. My brother and I have to find someone quickly and this mist isn't helping."

Hurredly, but not so fast to dislodge his burden, Comet followed the ponies until they were at one of the newer houses near the center of town. After making sure they were safe, he urged them to lock the door, then rejoined his brother. "Have you found anything?"

"Not yet, but I keep hearing faint laughter and the sound of hooves nearby. That could be our wayward sister." Meteor replied. He hung his lantern from a hook on his saddlebag meant for such a purpose, then nosed about in the other for a map. "I don't think she could have gone far, but she could be anywhere around here." he indicated around Ponyville. "There's too much for us to search on our own, we should probably split up."

Comet nodded, taking out his own map. "I'll search this part of town, and you search the other. If you find anything, recruit the nearest pony you can and send them to find me. I'll likewise do the same."

With this plan in mind, they parted ways and began their search.

But watching them from her vantage point, oh so easily concealable in dark spaces, Nightmare Moon laughed to herself at their foolish plan. Split up, they'd be easier to deal with alone, and she'd make them pay for all the years of torment they'd put Luna through. Her little Luna self, yet not her wholly, Nightmare Moon stifled the occasional surges of fear and hesitation and kept her bindings on the princess. She still needed the body to bring about eternal night, and she wasn't about to give it up so easily.

Ah, Celestia! She was going to pay for the humiliation! All those years, playing second fiddle to her daytime counterpart. Well, no longer! She wasn't going to give way to the day. Let her brothers lose themselves in town, they would never find her. But now that mother and her elder sister were home in the castle all alone...the small cloud of purple smoke began to drift through the Everfree Forest again, towards the castle. This time, she would not be driven from it. No, this time she was going to stay around. With her brothers and father gone, and mother too old, and Celestia unprepared, Nightmare Moon would ensure that the sun would never rise again.

The cloud drifted through the woods, almost lazily, like an alligator closing slowly on its next meal. The gleam of light from the castle windows appeared from over a hill, and steathily the shapeless form snuck around the shadows until it found a hastily closed entry into the castle hall. Here, Nightmare Moon took her form, and began to search through the empty rooms for her prey. She was surprised to find noone in the dining hall, and noone in the den. If only for herself, the castle seemed completely empty.

Until she heard noises coming from the great hall itself. Voices, both of them high, they had to be her mother and her thrice dratted sister! Nightmare Moon peeked through a crack in the door and grinned to herself as she noticed the pair standing before the great sculpture at the far end of the hall. They were right where she wanted them. It wouldn't take much to take over now, just one simple spell and they could both be statues from here on in.

Nightmare Moon gathered herself and burst the door open. "The night will last forever!" she cried into the echoing chamber, startling Celestia and Nebula.

"Luna! You need to let us help! This isn't right!" called Celestia to the sister she knew was still hidden within the dark mare. "Let us help!"

"I don't need your help! Nor your pity, nor your charity! I'm taking over this show, and you and everyone else who opposes me will meet your fate!" Nightmare Moon slammed her hooves on the floor, pawing at it.

Her horn lowered as she mirroed her sister's actions, Celestia felt within herself for the spell she'd been working on. If she could only trap Nightmare Moon for a few minutes, give her mother time to work her own spell, they might be able to work this out without hurting Luna. "If that's the way you want it, then I'll have to fight you, sister."

"Then it's a fight you'll lose, big sister!" Nightmare Moon replied with a sneer, then reared up, charging towards the mares.

Celestia couldn't let her mother come to harm, and she took off towards the black mare. Her horn glowed and sparkled as her spell began to take form, but she wasn't sure if there'd be enough time before she reached her sister. Before they connected, there was a flash, and the ground shuddered. Great cracks began to form in the walls of the castle, and in the floor, debris crashing down into great heaps.

The mares circled around one another, lunging and stabbing with their horns and striking at each other with their hooves, wings pumping and sweeping as each sought a vantage. The ground continued to quake, and Nebula cried out as she lost her footing. The sisters continued to fight, even when Nova and the brothers burst into the room.

There was no room for any of the stallions to break in, the two sisters striking at each other so fast that any interlopers were sure to get gored or kicked. When the battle neared the fountain, Celestia's rear hooves tripped over her fallen mother and she tumbled to the floor. Her chest heaved with her panting, as she stared down the point of Nightmare Moon's horn. The quake grew stronger, but somehow Celestia knew it was up to her to do something.

Her eyes flashed white, and her horn burst into brilliance. Rainbow streaks shot through her mane, replacing her precious pink hue. Her horseshoes glowed, as did the crown on her head, and her collar sparkled with power as she prepared to unleash the magic. She dimly heard the voices of her father and brothers, but her focus was on Nightmare Moon. Out of nowhere, a spreading warmth press along her side then shot towards the black mare. Her mother, in a last moment's effort to halt the charge, had thrown herself in the alicorn's path.

But before Celestia could hold the power back, it erupted from her in a rainbow fire, engulfing Nightmare Moon. Her mother, brothers, and father were too close and were gathered up in the horrific outpour of raw magic. Celestia found herself shaking as she tried to guide the spell, finding it nearly as uncontrollable as a burst dam. What had gone wrong? Why wasn't it working? But she had to do something before it was too late.

Through the open hole in the roof, she caught the silvery crescent of the moon and knew the answer. She turned her focus towards the moon, willing the forces within warring for control towards it, and with a sudden surge of strength sent the entire radiance at the celestial body. As she did, she cemented in her mind, one last plea.

/In a thousand years, when I've learned as much as our father, the stars will aid in your escape. I place our family as your guards, never destroyed, never to die. For now, dear sister, sleep in the moon until your release./

After the light had faded, Celestia looked around at the devestated remains of what had once been her home. The ruins crumbled as loose stones fell from their neighbors, and great rents separated the rooms that had once been part of the same building. The forest around had been changed from a lush woodland to a murky nightmare. All of this, because of wayward magic, and the lone white alicorn wept on the floor. With tears brimming her eyes, she gazed upwards at the moon, the imprint of her sister shining clearly from its surface, and the glimmer of the four new bright stars in the sky surrounding it.

"In a thousand years, sister. Maybe by then, we'll both be ready."

Celestia turned and slowly walked from the ruins. She would rebuild a new home, somewhere else, more elegant and beautiful than this had been, and she would pour every ounce of her being into learning just what magic it was that beat in the Heart of Equestria.