Forgetting by Going Back

The loneliness!

The horrible feeling of being alone was the only one Luna had felt in years.

Years!

She breathed deeply in anger, tired after destroying almost everything in her room. Ripped-up fancy clothes, pulled-down curtains, and her bed broke into pieces was all that remained. The fury held within burst tonight, as it did every couple of years with more aggression than before.

She didn't care.

Why in the buck should she care?!

Everything given to her was just because of Celestia! All her!

All...this. Just because I bring my moon out.

Celestia is who she believed to be her only companion in this world, but that was when her mind was innocent. Luna now understands she is only kept around...by the promise her older sister made to their parents so long ago.

Sighing, the Alicorn knew it was time to get on with her royal duties since the clock tower outside struck an hour to midnight.

Vanishing from the bedroom in the form of a shadow, Luna swiftly drifted to the throne room, dodging ponies working the night shift and other obstacles in the way.

Slithering under the door, she found herself -- as almost always -- completely without another in the colossal room.

Banners of the moon and sun hung from the walls, unmoved for no wind had penetrated the large multi-colored windows. A beautiful red carpet created a split right down the middle.

Luna returned to form on her throne, cursing from having to wait to rise the moon tonight, as with every day. She didn't see a reason to even bring it forth.

She didn't feel comfortable with its presence anymore.

That saddened her a bit...but made her angry even more, though.

As her eyes stared at nothing in particular, a voice rang in her head, 'Let's cloud the skies with night forever! The period of forced co-owning must come to an end right now! This very night! We shall command all to love the dark! Only the dark! Our dark! Sister has proven herself to be mistreating! The penalty will be heavy! The price is her hold on our land! Is just justice, true?'

Ugh. Again with this?

Usually, she could just block out the voice, but not when her anger was in full-swing.

The sound in her brain sent round after round of headaches with every word. A bit of blood drew from her lips as she coughed in pain.

This accursed event had been happening more often lately, only being hidden from Celestia by Luna staying in her bedroom the majority of the day.

Calming herself and holding her mouth tight, it soon subsided.

Thank the stars.

Tired, she just put her head down, eyes closing by an urge to restore some lost energy.

Her eyes snapped right back open, noticing her cough must have been much more powerful than believed. Her chest was wet and warm, coated in the red substance of life. Wiping away the staining splatter, frustration resulted after spending several minutes attempting to clean any of it off. Soon sick of playing games, she scrubbed at it with the end of her right hoof.

Terrible idea.

It surprised her by spreading out...until her entire body was covered. She screamed in sudden fright, but the noise was easily muffled by her mouth being enveloped in expanding red.

...

Luna's struggle lasted for a moment, but died rather quickly.

She had thought on escape...until a second thought crossed her mind as she was hugged by the warm, dark substance: power.

Power.

Power had the ability to assist in getting the lunar princess the love she had been promised. But, denied for too long.

Far. Too. Long.

The voice said sweetly in the royal's head, 'All you have to do is accept your new body in full, and everything your heart wishes for will be yours.'

...

Deal.

Luna would miss the body she had been born with, but...what was the point in it anymore?

With body and brain set, her physical form began changing. Her height excelled with the expansion of new leg bones. No pain was felt surprisingly, but a disgusting sound of growing limbs was heard. Her eyes turned to those resembling that of a cat, not that it would sharpen her senses in the dark; the most probable need being the addition of more fear to strike into the disobedient. The finale was her mane and tail slipping into mist.

Her voice grew to sound older than she actually was, "Hahahahaaaaaa! Celestia will face the consequences of betraying our trust in her! Equestria now belongs to..."

Hoof to chin, she asked herself while thinking, "Err...what is a good name for us?"

Mentally scrolling through excellent callings, she settled on the single most meaningful one.

Now, her monologue continued, "Where was I?...Oh, right! Equestria! Prepare to meet your new ruler, Nightmare Moon!!!"

Luna woke up in a sweat, screaming at first. When where she was dawned on her, the yelling drew to a short close.

She felt her dry throat, then grabbed a glass of water on the table next to the bed, and gulped it down desperately.

After choking on the drink, Luna said to herself in relief, "It was only a dream. Oh, it was only an awful dream!"

Celestia threw the door open, a blast of magic at the ready, "What?! What's happening?!"

Luna's eyebrows rose in amazement at her fellow princess's response time, "Sister, you're quicker than I previously thought. Everything is fine, though. Bad dream was all, admittedly."

Celestia said, blushing extremely hard, "Sorry. I just..."

Trying to change the awkward mood filling the space, the older sister asked, "So, care to tell what happened in this dream?"

Luna said, hesitant at first, "I-I...transformed into Nightmare Moon."

Celestia's eyes lit up in astonishment, "Oh. Didn't expect that answer."

A second after such a sad reply, Celestia hurriedly picked up her worry, "But, I should have guessed that! Yes! Absolutely!"

As Luna's surprise at the outburst, the older of the two straightened up her pose, calling on her motherly instincts, "I mean, how can I help you get back to sleep, Lulu?"

...

Luna laughed to break the momentary silence, wondering if maybe Celestia desired to sing her a lullaby while rocking her to sleep as when she was a foal, "No, no. Well..."

Luna actually did require something now that she thought of it. A pony to talk with, yet not her sister for she had many important dealings going on around this time.

She suggested the best one to speak with, "I think a word with Twilight would be...um, sweet?"

Celestia replied happily, "Sure! Still in her room, probably studying. Go ahead though. Her head in those books isn't something I wish for all day long."

The solar sister strolled to the door, saying mid-way through, "And, might I add before I go, I see her speech lessons are getting you in with modern times. How...sweet."

Once leaving the room, she mumbled to herself in exhaustion at her previous work-in-progress, "Now, to cut in with those fighting guards. They act like children so much I might as well have the title as 'Mother of Equestria'!"

Finally alone, Luna was free to take a shower.

...

Rotating the hoofle onto the steamy side, Luna also switched the showerhead on. Stepping in the tub, she felt the uncomfortable sweat be swept in the drain.

Magically twisted the spray off. For now.

Soaping her hooves, Luna rubbed thoroughly her whole body, especially mane and tail.

Water on once more, the shampoo dropped away within minutes.

Dripping water everywhere as she moved to retrieve a towel, she stopped for a second.

Luna remembered suddenly, throwing her hooves in the air, "...Buck, I forgot to get a towel!"

Nice, Luna! Real nice! Now, you'll look dim as you cry to the maids for a damn drying cloth! At this rate, she might even forget how the bathroom works altogether!

Or...

Perhaps try air-drying?

Would save her from humiliation. And, today was lovely without the clouds around.

Wasn't going to set hoof in the bedroom. Not when droplets freely flew off her body. Servants would have a fit.

So, she simply teleported out to the balcony. Stretched for a tad before throwing herself to the wind.

After flexing the individual feathers of her wings, deeply loving the sensation, she jumped off the ledge.

Expertly dipped into the garden below, smelling the powerful scent given off by the flowers.

Then, the flight curved until only elevation was last as her path.

Breaking away from the air stream, she now lazily went to her destination, making little loops and small twirls to keep entertained on the way.

Twilight had been practicing on a nervous guard at this point in time.

The armored pony said while shaking, "Um...how powerful are we talking again, princess? Just...run me by it one more time. Please."

Twilight replied with a roll of the eyes, "As I have already stated before, the chances of regression by more than a few years is 28%. Now, come on, I need this spell working well enough for Granny Smith's birthday."

"Yeah. Y-yeah, I know. It's just...the others might see me, and might poke fun. They can be very mean when they want to be. One time, a few found out this one thing about somepony, and they just went to town! Guy went into hiding!"

"Okay. Then, he have a name? Maybe somepony should look into the disappearance of one of our soldiers."

"How should I know?! He. Went. Into. Hiding."

"Stop lying before I decide you'd look cuter as a foal."

"I'm not though! I'm serious!"

"You really want to hold onto this one, don't you?"

"..."

"Just stay still."

She charged the magic spell, aimed it at the scared stallion, then fired...as he hurried out, not trusting Twilight's calculations. He slammed the door hard, not wanting her to take a second shot at him before being of dodging distance away.

The magic blast bounced off a wall. Then, a lamp. And, the door. Basically, it ricocheted anywhere possible, striking off all objects. Twilight watched out for the speedy magic discharge as she went to open the balcony window, anticipating the projectile to zip on out harmlessly if she could just get there.

Twilight had apparently put too much power into the spell for it to dissolve easily, a problem created from her recent transformation into an Alicorn. Damn higher magic output!

...

Neatly, Luna landed on Twilight's own balcony. Folding her wings, she went towards the entrance.

Luna commented at the window's dirty status, "Twilight needs to get a maid out here. I can't see almost anything!"

Staring through the dusty glass, Luna couldn't know of why Twilight was ducking and rolling around as if something was fighting her.

...

Twilight full-out sprinted for the hoofle now, exercising her agility while evading the speedster spell.

Got it!

Her hooves pushed the door roughly open.

Huh?!

Didn't expect to see Luna out here, but that didn't matter.

"Luna, move befo-", was all Twilight could say before the regression magic slammed into them with enough power behind it to knock the duo over the edge. And, out.

Thankfully though, injury wasn't an issue because they landed in a wagon of hay.

...Unfortunately, the puller of the vehicle had been in the castle speaking with Fluttershy, so, sadly, nopony noticed.

Fluttershy answered the question, "W-well...you seem like a v-very nice sta-stallion, but I just need the hay taken to my home, not a...um, date. I am so, so sorry."

The wagon-puller decided Fluttershy wasn't worth his time anymore. Maybe her friend might be more his type.

Apparently, the mare came to make sure he didn't try to cheat on the delivery price with her shy friend.

Actually though, that rainbow-maned beauty might have to watch out for herself.

Showing his smile, Rainbow didn't return the look, giving him a frown to back off any advances.

How'd she know?!

The grin lessened, only a tad. Maybe his route of flirting wouldn't result positively. Considering the fact she had been racing only an hour ago with a Pegasus guard, he should display his strength and endurance to win her affection.

Exiting the castle, the ponies went towards the wagon.

Once his cart had been set up to journey, he blew Rainbow a kiss before running down the road with the female Pegasi flying above, matching him in speed.