Chapter 5: The Princess of the Night

Suggested reading music: Suggested reading music chapter 5Act 1: ConsequencesChapter 5: Princess of the Night

The Sun lay low over the horizon, its golden rays waving across the sky in a glorious array of bright reds and soft oranges. At the top of Canterlot tower the tips of the fiery ball could be seen flickering into the cosmos, its figure now dwarfed by the brilliance of the night. The figure of an alicorn sat, patiently waiting for all remnants of the solar mass to vanish, her light blue mane flickering strangely as it swayed in both the physical and ethereal wind of the cosmos. Princess Luna rose, looking to the east for her glorious celestial body. Luna found it, her pristine home over the past thousand years, her prison. Luna concentrated grabbing hold of the colossal mass as its mass weighed heavily on the weak Princess. Taking flight with a few beats of her wings she rose several feet into the air, pulling the moon from the far east to its path across the night sky. The alicorn then unceremoniously dropped toward the ground letting out several loud pants as a few beads of sweat dripped down her face. Her mane, now a solidified, swayed in the physical wind naturally as she fell on her rear panting quietly.

“Luna, are you doing alright?” Her sister asked affectionately from inside the tower.

“Just fine, my dear Tia” she let out between breaths. “just, out of practice, that's all.” She bit her lip, regarding her own excuse a weak explanation.

It had been only a few weeks since Luna had returned to Equestria, her memory and very being reshaped by the Elements of Harmony. Luna was glad about the change, and although the elements had left everything she cared about and removed the extras which served to weaken her resolve. Luna couldn’t help but feel a twinge of sadness for the loss of her former self. Her memory, now altered revealed most of her years with Celestia before Nightmare moon, and even some of the memories of her time as nightmare moon. A shiver ran down the alicorn’s back as she recalled the atrocities she committed during those dark days. She couldn’t help but feel a shame for those long nights.

Luna entered the tower, receiving a worried look from her sister as her rigid body troted into the room. Celestia sat gracefully enjoyed her evening meal at the dining table, a large salad with some exquisite topping from their neighboring countries plated in front of her. Luna eyed the dish enviously.

“You know Luna, if you want...” she said cautiously “I can set the moon in place until you get your strength back.”

“No! I am the Princess of the Night, it is my duty to raise the moon.” she yelled loudly in the Royal Canterlot voice which carried throughout the castle.

Celestia wore a face not unlike her usual, but with a slight frown upon it. “I also think you know that the Royal Canterlot voice hasn’t been used in centuries.”

“Sorry” she yelled slightly quieter this time. “I am having trouble speaking normally,” she said quieter still.

“Its ok Luna. . .” She paused for a moment, as if choosing her words carefully. “I just want you to be happy and if you keep going at the rate you are now, I don’t know if you will ever get back to normal.” Luna frowned at the remark, considering her words.

Luna hated the idea of changing anymore than she has already, but her sister was never wrong. She bit her lip considering what Celestia wanted of her, but also what she wanted of herself.

Everything was different now, the customs, the culture, and even the way the general populus viewed her and Celestia. Luna’s new life was all so, new, and she wasn’t sure she even liked it, much less did she desire to embrace the new life.

Luna’s thoughts weighted heavily as alongside the daunting prospect of adjusting to the new culture, Luna was also worried that she might change back into nightmare moon. The transformation wasn't completely impossible. After all, If you could become instantly good, why couldn't the opposite happen? What if she were to remember everything and turn evil again. The elements of harmony were extraordinarily powerful, but above their legendary power they were renowned for how little was known about them. The magical artifacts would give the element of magic super-pony powers, but no-pony knew exactly how. No one knew they could even have these effects on Luna, and how long would they last? Celestia herself had told her that she was happily surprised by the results and wouldn’t have had it any other way.  As a precaution Luna decided for the time being it would be best to delay her recovery.

“Luna” Her sister called, a mouthful of lettuce prohibiting her from continuing until she swallowed letting out a satisfied sigh. “I have heard from the royal chef that you haven't been eating much. I know that we are Alicorns and don’t require food to survive, but our bodies and magic increases by the nourishment. I don’t want you to hurt yourself with your duties because you aren't eating properly.”

“ohh Tia, why are you so smart?” her thoughts replied. She had at one point considered the possibility that Celestia had the power to read minds, though the impossibility of the idea deflated the theory. Luna’s mind wondered how much of her plan she has seen, but reasoned that she already knew everything.

“I know. . . It is just that. . . uhh. . . everything they were serving. . . had spinach in it. . .” The words leaving the startled Princess’s mouth as an awkward smile crept across Luna face confirming Celestia's fears.

Celestia returned her smile with a heavy frown, as if to say, “you and I both know you're a bad liar.”

“Well” Celestia’s tone perking up, “If you feel so good that you don’t even need food. Then I have a job for you.” Luna’s face which was previously facing the grown now looked up at her sister raising her eyebrows and a slightly pained look as her vacation was coming to an end .

“A Job!” She yelled out in surprise and frustration, not even trying to speak quietly.

“Yes” The Alicorn replied, a slight hint of irritation etched across her face. “I would like you to go visit Twilight Sparkle’s dreams tonight, I want to visit Ponyville in a few weeks on our next parliamentary break. I am sure Twilight would be pleased to see you again.”

Luna began to open her mouth in protest as such a task would be both boring and meaningless.

“And unfortunately” Celestia cut her off before she could begin “I am all out of paper and I don’t expect another shipment for months...” She stated matter-of-factly.

Luna shut her mouth acknowledging her plight. ”Fine, I’ll do it” Luna finally agreed gruffly.

“Thanks, my scholars surely appreciate it.” Celestia smiled at Luna broadly.

A few moments later Celestia let out a slow wink toward Luna. Her face grew bright red in embarrassment at the realization.

“Out of paper. . .” Luna facehoofed at her own stupidity. Luna never did find much enjoyment in her sister’s unique sense of humor.

A few hour later, Celestia hopped into her royal bed which was also within the tower, but first reminded Luna of her request, stating that she wanted the job done that night. After a few complains from Luna the argument was settled by a pleading smile from Celestia.

“Fine, i’ll go tonight.” She replied in an annoyed tone.

Luna sat outside on the tower balcony overlooking a small portion of Equestria from her perch. “Its been more than a thousand years since I last was in a pony’s dream” she thought to herself.

“Well, here is to hoping it is like flying and you never forget...” Her horn glowed shifting her consciousness out of her body into a cloud of ethereal smoke. She let out a small breath as her mind entered the cloud of magic. She was right, moving into the cloud felt very natural to her, almost more so than her alicorn body which felt rigid and heavy at times.

leaving the alicorn body resting on the balcony, the cloud drifted, directed by an invisible force as the massless vessel left Canterlot.

Luna’s heart raced as the sensation of her spirit form overtook her mind. The ponies below her in Canterlot fading from her mind as drifted across the sky. She wafted through the air, careful to mind her direction, she headed to Ponyville.

A few moments later she arrived to find the city in ruin, houses destroyed and claw marks buried into the ground. Luna was shocked to find Twilight directing a few orders to the ponies throughout the streets. She had an assistant dragon carrying a long scroll which stretched several dozen feet behind them as they made notes for repairs.

“Spike, don’t forget to write that we are going to need a construction crew from cant. . .” The unicorn stopped herself short.

“Ohhh no!” The unicorn’s eyes grew huge “Spike! How am I going to tell Celestia, she will be furious with me!” She said exasperated. The purple unicorn trotted about aimlessly mumbling to herself for the next few minutes developing an answer.

“You could just tell her,” Spike interjected.

Luna hovered above the pair, antagonized by the situation. Her people had been attacked. She was the Princess of the Night, She should have been the one to protect them. She began to curse at herself for not keeping a watchful eye over the town earlier. Now she could only observe from her cloud waiting patiently for an answers in their dreams.

The two wandered about the town for another half an hour before heading back to the library for the night. Twilight with a tired and rather drained expression on her face plummeted to her bed at the top of the library tree. Exhausted, her troubled mind drifted into obscurity.

Luna entered the unicorn, enshrouded by its vast knowledge of Twilight, a dream began to play out in her consciousness.

Celestia stood tall in her royal place which seemed irregularly large. Luna watched for a momentarily as Twilight was being yelled at by Princess Celestia for her negligence to stop the damage to Ponyville. The purple unicorn quivered on the stone floor, ashamed and broken before the almighty alicorn. Luna, unwilling to wait for the dream to unfold shattered the scene replacing the cold sanctuary with an open field and star covered sky. The unicorn still quivered on the grassy plane, unable to open her eyes for fear of a non existent Celestia.

“Twilight!” Luna’s voice boomed.

The unicorn snapped to attention, unfamiliar with the voice.

“Princess...  Luna...” The unicorn said in between sniffs caused by her crying earlier.

Before anything more could be said, Twilight hugged Luna violently. Clinging to the alicorn, Luna hugged her back. Then a torrent of tears started to flow, soaking Luna’s coat.

“Luna, your sister hates me now,” She said in sobbing delirious voice. “She thinks that I destroyed the town, and says I can’t be her student anymore!” a torrent of tears flowing into Luna’s chest. Luna shocked by the entire scene, redoubled her efforts to comfort the mare until she was ready to talk rationally.

“I didn't though”- sniffing loudly to try to stop her crying, -“ she hates me.” she continued mumbling deliriously.

Luna couldn’t take this any longer, the look on the mare’s face disgusted her. What in all Equestria has her sister done to her?

“Twilight!” She yelled loudly.

Twilight recoiled from the alicorn in shock. Then her face turned sad again, a tear began to form in her eyes.

“STOP” she bellowed, shocking the mare again as her powerful voice cut through her delirium.

“What happened?” she said flatly and with the least amount of emotion as possible. Although she felt a good deal of rage surging throughout her body back in Canterlot.

“Well,” the mare said cautiously “Trixie came to ponyvile and then an Ursa minor showed u-”

“And where is this Trixie?” The alicorn demanded quickly.

“She left, she even left all her stuff in the town square.” she said, a crack of annoyance appearing on her forehead.

“Twilight, I will tell Celestia what has happened. Sleep in peace knowing that I will not let my sister hurt you for your brave actions tonight.” Her voice rang throughout the plane, as she shifted out of the dream.

Luna watched the unicorn contort slightly as she left her mind to entered back into her ethereal cloud. She cast a simple mind spell on the unicorn which would prevent her from dreaming that night. Luna shuddered at the reason why Twilight feared her sister like she did. Celestia was smart, manipulative, and very good around a conversation, but there wouldn't be any reason to fear her. . .

Her mind shifted back to the moment she was banished to the moon. Celestia's face was covered in tears as the elements of harmony shot toward her. Celestia’s face was sorrowful, lonely, longing and guilt ridden, her expression was etched into Luna’s mind forever. That face sung a lullaby, and it was that single moment which kept her from hating Celestia for the next thousand years. Luna hadn't ever seen Celesia cry before, which she reasoned was also the reason why she could forgive her for everything leading up to Nightmare moon.

Her eyes drifted back to the unicorn. She concluded that she was just paranoid or crazy, either would explain her delirium.

Either that, or the dream had been corrupted by some other factor. “Like food?” Luna’s stomach grumbled.

Luna hung in the air a moment longer planning her next move. She set out for the town square searching for Trixie’s stuff. What she found surprised her, in the distance she found a medium sized cart smashed to bits. Wood shrapnel scattered across the yard in all directions.

Nearing the wreckage, Luna winced at the smell of the magic which surrounded the highly sophisticated cart, the scent reminded her of a friend she has once loved long ago.

After a short search through her belongings, Luna found an enchanted item which seemed out of place. The trinket was a very high quality voice transmitter, similar those the royal guard used to convey messages from city to city. Luna’s mind began to question this Trixie’s allegiance. Why did she have such a valuable device for such simple magic shows? Who was she communicating to? Questions bombarded the princess increasing her suspicion.

Luna took another smell of the magic concentrated about the cart and then wafted into the sky. She hovered in the sky a moment, her alicorn body back in Canterlot slightly struggling continue to spell and use other tracking spells simultaneously. She hadn’t used much of the magic which composed her ethereal cloud, but after entering Twilight’s mind, which would best be described as an archive, she was now far less comfortable than when she entered hours earlier. She contemplated the idea of waiting until morning to search out the unicorn, but her negligence from not intervening during the ursa minor’s attack still weighed heavily on her and did little to encourage a rest.

Determined to talk with this Trixie, she concentrated her senses. The unicorn’s scent was weak, but she felt it, a slow somewhat erratic pulse of the magic was resonating slowly from inside the Everfree Forest. Luna not wanting to jump to conclusions based on the mare’s location, swiftly shifted across the sky heading into the dense forest.