EXCERPTS: Garden Party (Luna and ShadowMist) WIP

[MyLittlePonyTales]

There is already a topic for Garden Party. This is separate, and contains excerpts and spoilers from future parts of the story.

The Garden Party WIP topic is for the story to go in chronological order.

'When I was on the moon, I went crazy. All I could think about was revenge, and hatred. Eventually it consumed me, and Nightmare Moon was born. She was the strong side of me. Inwardly, I was just a scared little filly. But Nightmare Moon was powerful. With her, I was invincible.

She was like a protective shell. I was only hiding behind her, but as time went on, she gained a mind of her own. I'm no longer in control of Nightmare Moon. Once, she and I were the same."

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'Lu....na.....' ShadowMist breathed. She felt the hoof on her throat. She felt it loosen suddenly, and then press down harder. Luna was fighting back.

'Luna's not here now.' she smiled.

ShadowMist focused on trying to breath. She felt dizzy, and the world spun. She kicked her legs in a last desperation. The spinning turned hazy, and dark around the edges. ShadowMist felt the hoof against her neck shudder, Luna was trying, trying. Everything inside her screamed for a breath, but there was no air.

Nightmare Moon didn't let go until ShadowMist's body stopped moving, then she let it drop to the ground.

Luna stood, shocked, looking down. Nightmare's hold slowly drifted away, and Luna was left alone.

'CELESTIA!' she yelled, knowing full well her sister couldn't hear her. She raced back across the garden, calling for her sister. Through the castle and into the throne room, her hooves pounded against the floor.

'CELESTIA!' she yelled as she threw open a set of double doors to the side of the throne room. There Celestia sat, as usual, regally on her throne, taking care of the day's business. She, and the few guards in the room, turned suddenly as Luna burst in.

'Celestia, you have to help me!' Luna's breath came in gasps. 'In-In the garden.' she choked out. She couldn't hold back, and tears began to stream down her face. She turned, not waiting for Celestia, and raced back to the garden.

Luna reached ShadowMist's body, still laying where she had fallen. Celestia came up beside Luna.

'Please Celestia! I've never asked you for something as important as this. You have to bring her back! I can't, you know I can't! Please, just do this one thing for me! PLEASE!'

Celestia looked from Luna to the body. She didn't say a word, but placed her horn on the Pegasus' side.

ShadowMist unmoving lay on the ground, Celestia's horn glowing and pressed against her.

Luna tried to calm herself. Everything was going to turn out alright. She smiled.

Then Luna jerked back, fighting off Nightmare Moon. Death was nothing to smile about. Luna pushed against Nightmare Moon, barely keeping her at bay. She backed up, shaking her head, mentally fighting off the darkness that wanted to consume her.

All of a sudden, Luna felt the weight pull off her, and she was herself again. Tears once again formed in her eyes as she realized what she'd done. The only pony that had ever tried to understand her, her one friend in all of Equestria....was dead. The Nightmare had killed her. And yet Nightmare Moon was still Luna. Luna had let it happen.

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'I saw her Luna. She was over you, upon you, like a ghost covering your body. I saw you struggle against her. I flew down and pushed her off you. I couldn't fight her anymore after that. Everything went blank again, and I thought I was gone for good. But you...you brought me back.'

'No. It was Celestia. I cannot do the things that she can. I cannot bring life, or goodness. I only bring death and despair.'

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'Don't say that!' ShadowMist pulled back the covers and stepped out of the bed.

Luna jumped up. 'No! You shouldn'tâ€â€Â'

'I'm fine.' ShadowMist said, even though she wobbled where she stood.

ShadowMist spoke as she walked over next to Luna. 'You can't keep putting yourself down like this. It's how Nightmare Moon gets through to you.'

'I'm nothing. I can't do anything right. I'm worthless.'

'Stop saying that!' ShadowMist yelled.

Luna raised a hoof in the air, to smack her, and ShadowMist knew that Nightmare had a hold on her, but she stood her ground. The hoof wavered in the air, two forces against each other, fighting inside the same body. The hoof came down and touched the ground, Luna having won this time.

ShadowMist put her head under Luna's chin. 'You should tell Celestia. She's your sister. She can help you.' ShadowMist rubbed her cheek along Luna's neck in comfort.

'She hates me.' Luna whispered.

ShadowMist stopped and looked up at Luna. 'That's not true. You're sisters! And she brought me back. She did that for you.'

'She did for you, not me. She had to fix the damage I'd done.'

'She doesn't hate you!'

'Yes, she does!'

ShadowMist suddenly felt dizzy, and she sat down on the floor. There was quiet between them, both thinking to themselves.

'Do you know the legend about my imprisonment?' Luna asked.

'You turned against your sister, and all of Equestria, by refusing to lower the moon and make way for the dawn.' ShadowMist paused, then added. 'Or so, that's how I've heard.'

'It's wrong. Everything everypony knows about that night is wrong.' Luna sighed. 'We were happy. I was happy. Well, as happy as I could be. I was ruler of the night, the time when nearly everypony was asleep. But Celestia saw the night as more beautiful than the day. Ponies could look upon my moon, and enjoy it. They could gaze at the stars, chart them. They created things that allowed them to view my night in more detail. And yet, most ponies still preferred the day over the night.

But during the day, the sun was too bright for ponies to look directly at. There were no stars during the day. So even though most ponies enjoyed the daylight, they actually liked to look at my night. Celestia became jealous of ME. She didn't want just the day or night. She wanted it all.

So you see, Celestia was the one who wanted more power. But she flipped things around, and blamed them on me. She paid off anyone who promised to keep their mouth shut, and got rid of anyone who threatened to reveal the truth.

I was sad that ponies didn't enjoy my night, not angry. I didn't demand anything from Celestia. She's always been more powerful, greater, more loved. The favorite.'

ShadowMist sat in silence, taking in Luna's side of the story. Everything that everypony knew WAS wrong...according to Luna. But who was really telling the truth? What Luna said was a possible scenario...but anyone who had been around during the incident was no longer alive.

Luna continued. 'It's already hard for everypony in the kingdom to try and accept a new ruler. Celestia has been ruling for a thousand years by herself, and then I come along and am supposed to be her equal. Look at me! I spent a thousand years on the moon doing nothing. I had no spell books, no teacher. I couldn't grow any stronger. I could only practice the little that I knew. And now I'm back in Equestria, back to the same age I was when I was banished.' Luna paused to wipe tears from her eyes, remembering her time of extreme loneliness.

'Not to mention, most of Equestria still isn't sure if they should trust me. Nopony would even believe my side of the story. I've always lived in fear of my sister, but not as much as I do now. I'm so much weaker than she is. I always have been, but now more than ever. Nightmare Moon can't even compare to her powers. She has an extra thousand years of experience and practice on her side as well. And yet, everypony still fears ME! Do I look dangerous to you?!'

Luna let out a sob, letting her tears fall to the floor.

[Dew Drop]

I like it, alot! it's really good, I love luna fan fics!