As soon as the carriage touched down in front of Canterlot Castle, Luna walked briskly to her quarters before Celestia could say anything, ignoring the guards and other ponies present. Her sister stood in the doorway for only a moment before smiling and assuring everypony that nothing was wrong between the rulers of Equestria.
The Sun Princess did not follow her sister immediately, preferring to give her some space instead of approaching her. She took her place on her golden throne and conducted the day-to-day business as usual.
The papers and ink blurred together as the day wore on, and still there was no sign of the navy ruler of night. Celestia began to grow worried, and finally decided that her sister was more important than royal decrees at the moment. She dismissed her scribes, advisers, and guards and made her way to Luna’s quarters.
The door was slightly ajar when she reached it. She pushed it open, triggering the magical proximity alarm Luna had set up. The younger sister’s head whipped around to face her intruder, and her gaze almost caused Celestia to recoil, so intense was the emotion her eyes conveyed. Celestia held her ground though, and initiated what she knew would be a painful conversation.
“It’s almost nighttime,”
She received no response, other than a “hm,” as Luna turned her head to face the window again. Celestia remained silent for a short while, and then tried again.
“Do you want to talk?”
Luna snorted. “What is there to talk about, sister? What could you possibly have to say to us?”
Celestia almost shivered, so cold was her sister’s voice. She did not give an answer.
“We thought so,” Luna said softly.
“Luna, please understand: I never meant for this to happen, and I am so sorry that it did.”
Luna’s gaze did not waver from the window, nor did her voice lose its icy tone. “One thousand years of exile is a lot to be just sorry for, sister.”
Celestia bowed her head. “You know I did what I had to do. I had no idea what the Elements would do to you…”
“The Elements were not at fault.” Luna interrupted. “We are not angry at what the Elements did to us.”
Celestia knew what she meant, and was overcome with guilt to the point of tears. “Every night,” she struggled to say, “I looked up at the moon and regretted what I did. Every morning, I told myself it was necessary, that I did something, anything right. And I couldn’t make myself believe it.” She took a deep, shaky breath. “I loved you, and I sent you away. It is the biggest mistake I have ever made. Can you ever forgive me for it?”
“We’ll see where we spend the next thousand years, sister.” Luna rose, still facing away from Celestia. “I must attend to my duty, now.” It was clearly a dismissal.
Celestia fought her tears as she walked to her chambers, but she couldn’t stop them all. A single drop of moisture traced her cheek before she wiped it away.
The moon and stars shone brighter than they had in one thousand years that night, and Celestia stayed up to admire her sister’s work.
“I know I haven’t shown it,” she said to the night sky. “But I do love you, Luna. With my entire being.”
Luna dutifully kept watch over the night, supervising the moon’s steady crawl to the opposite horizon. She could not keep herself from stroking her pale blue mane with a hoof; she hoped it would return to its natural flowing state soon.
Her mind was preoccupied, to say the least. As the moon cruised through the sky above her, she let her thoughts drift to the events that had led to her exile one thousand years ago…
~XXX~
The first time Luna had raised the moon had filled her with a pride she had never felt before. She would finally take her place next to her big sister as a ruler of Equestria.
Pride turned to disappointment, though, as ponies settled down to sleep, effectively ignoring the night. Had she done something wrong? Did her night not please her subjects? She questioned her elder sister, who assured her she had done just fine for her first time.
Next time, she would have to do better. She spent the next few days tweaking and tampering with her half of the sky. Every night, something new would be evident. The moon was brighter, stars winked in the background, and comets and asteroids streaked across the sky. Still, though, ponies would sleep through these wonders, yet relish the plain, simple light her sister produced each day.
Luna couldn’t understand it. She was trying her best to please her subjects, but they would not acknowledge her. Meanwhile, Celestia only grew in popularity, to the point of worship, even. Luna did not feel that this was a fair representation of their supposedly equal status, and told her sister as such.
“Do not be silly,” the Sun Princess had stated. “Plenty of ponies sleep through the sunrise to watch the moon at night. Thou hast done a wonderful job, Luna.”
Not exactly convinced, Luna had no choice but to concede her sister’s wisdom. Yet, each night spent alone staring at the moon augmented the bitterness she felt. This combined with her sister’s increasing fame made her decision clear to her.
She would no longer be ignored, and if it took an outright rebellion against her sister to get noticed, then she would pay that price.
~XXX~
Celestia awoke to find the moon still nearly at its zenith. Concerned, she made her way to the balcony, where her younger sister stood vigilant.
“Luna, it is time to lower the moon,”
Luna did not turn around. “So it is,”
Celestia frowned. It wasn’t like her sister to be this moody. “Art thou going to lower it?”
“No,”
Celestia certainly wasn’t used to hearing that word directed at her. She tried to laugh it off. “Come now, Luna, let us take over for thou. Thou need thine rest, after all,”
“We are not a child!” Luna stomped a hoof on the balcony, startling her sister. “And we will no longer let you overshadow us, sister.” She stared diligently at the moon, not meeting Celestia’s eyes.
Celestia softened her voice, sensing her sister’s distress. “Be reasonable, Luna. Night is night and day is day. Such is the way it must be. Balance, remember?”
“Speak not to us of balance, sister. When thou hast taken all recognition as thine own, when thou shine brighter than we do, and take credit for ruling that is not thine. Is that balance? Is that harmony?”
Early morning risers had begun to awaken in Canterlot, and all over Equestria, surprised the sun was not there to greet them. Celestia knew she had to act quickly. Her horn lit up, and she tried to raise the sun, but the night sky did not budge. “Luna, lower the moon. Please.”
“We will not!” Luna finally turned on her sister, her eyes flashing. “Not until we are recognized as a ruler of Equestria!”
“Luna, thou art a ruler of Equestria,” Celestia was frantic. She could see all too well where this was going to go, and she couldn’t let that happen.
“No, sister, thou art the ruler of Equestria. We are but one of thy subjects, but we know better. And we will not worship thou! Thou art not a God, Celestia!”
“We have never said—“
“No, never said,” Luna continued her barrage. “Never said, but always implied. Thou doest not deny thy worship, nor doest thou discourage it! Where is our worship, sister? Where is our credit? Where is our balance?”
Celestia backpedaled, unable to give an answer. What was more, as she drew back and shrunk, Luna seemed to grow, challenging her sister’s authority.
“Luna, please…”
“We will be recognized, sister. Whether thou wanted it or not.”
“We have always wanted what was best for you, Luna,” Celestia straightened up. She knew what she had to do, but she would not enjoy it. Her magic flared again, but not to raise the sun. A yellow bolt of power streaked toward her sister, who deflected it just in time and responded in kind. Blue and yellow fought for dominance, but, being equals, neither could overpower the other.
“Give up, sister! Thou can not stop us!” Luna cried.
“Whether we can or not, we must try,” Celestia said to herself, and pushed harder.
Luna easily matched her, and the stalemate went on. Celestia began to grow tired, and she knew Luna must be, too. She needed more power, but there was only one thing in Equestria that could compete with alicorn magic. Celestia broke her attack and hovered above the balcony.
“You have made your choice, sister, and left us only one other.” She said and flew off into the night.
Luna watched her go, but felt no remorse. She would finally be a ruler as great and powerful as her famed sister. This called for a celebration, and possibly even a new outfit and crown. Perhaps some armor would do the trick?
~XXX~
When Celestia returned from her and Luna’s old castle home with the Elements, she could hardly believe her eyes. A black mare in silver armor presided over a city of confused and scared ponies. It was almost noon, and the moon was still out. Celestia flew up to confront her sister once more.
“Luna!” She shouted, and her voice caught the attention of the ponies below, who rejoiced upon seeing their princess.
Luna jumped off the balcony to meet her. “You see, sister? We can rule as well as thou!”
Looking at the chaos below her, Celestia had her doubts, but bit her tongue. “Please, Luna. Lower the moon, and we can rule together.”
“We will not be deceived, sister! Thou wouldst only belittle us once more, and take the throne for thyself!” Luna did not notice the new jewelry Celestia had donned, and believed herself to be in no danger. “We shall be recognized as thine equal, Celestia, and no less!”
Celestia hung her head, disappointed that she would have to use her last resort. “Last chance, Luna: lower the moon!”
“No! We will not bow before you, sister!”
“If you will not bow before us, you will bow before the Elements of Harmony!”
Luna’s eyes widened, then narrowed. “Thou wouldst not dare…”
“We wouldst not dare, but I must protect my kingdom! ‘We’ ceased to be when you refuted order and harmony!”
“We will not be made the villain here! We simply demand the respect we deserve. It is thou who hast refuted harmony, Celestia!”
Celestia’s eyes began to glow white with magical power. “Lower it, Luna!”
“Use the Elements if you must, but think hard, sister, about who is really at fault here!”
And then the world blossomed into a swirling rainbow of color, and Luna could no longer see, nor breathe, nor feel.
~XXX~
Luna’s eyes snapped open, jolted back to the present by a knock on her door. She opened it magically to reveal her sister standing solemnly in the corridor.
“Luna, it’s—“
“Time to lower the moon. We know.”
