When The Moon And Stars Align
There I was, sitting right beside my older sister, determination now burning in my eyes as I gripped my controller more firmly then ever with my magic. "This is it" I thought to myself, "I HAVE to win this.." It was the tie-breaking round of Pony Kombat 2 - Soul of the Dragon and I was not about to let my sister beat me. As the final round of the championship match was loading I shot a quick glance towards her with a 'There's no way in hell you are going to win this' facial expression.
"Oh little sister." Celestia chuckled. "You are so cute when you act all serious." She smiled as she unexpectedly gave me a noogie. I quickly slapped her arm away in response.
"Don't touch me Tia!" I said irritably. "You won't be laughing for long when I whoop that sorry flank of yours."
"Is that so?" Celestia said with a raised brow. "Well.." She paused as the screen finally loaded.
ROUND 3... FIGHT!
We both fell silent as the room was now filled with the sounds of buttons vigorously being pressed and joysticks aggressively smacking around against our two controllers.
My sister started the final round off by jumping her character into the air towards me with ferocity as she spammed her jump kicks. I knew this was a deadly technique so I started jumping my character backwards towards my side of the screen in order avoid her. I could not go any further as I found myself cornered, holding my block button as she continued barraging me with her jump kicks.
"Seriously Tia, is that the only move you know how to do?" I decided to teach her a lesson by giving her a huge uppercut, sending her character flying backwards through the air.
"OOOOHHHH!" I enthusiastically shouted. "You like that Tia?" I looked over at my older sister with a devilish grin but she did not look back at me. I knew I was beginning to get on her nerves and it felt great.
I continued to hold my ground as I held my block button. She was trying her best to overwhelm me with her cheap kicks but I wasn't stupid.
"Trying to kick me again are you Tia?" I crouched down with my character once more and gave her another devastating uppercut. "BOOOOOM!" I yelled.
Celestia finally looked over towards me. "You think you're good?"
Without even looking away from the screen I smiled and responded. "I KNOW I'm good."
Suddenly, Celestia switched up her technique and began spamming her low sweep kick. I soon found myself unable to move as my character was swept off his feet onto his back over and over and over again.
"What the hell?!" I said in disbelief as I tried to break out of it with all my effort, but to no avail. I was stuck on the side of the screen completely unable to move as I watched my health slowly dwindle down to nothing.
FINISH HIM!
"That is SO fucking cheap Tia!" I yelled angrily.
I couldn't believe it. This was one of the few things I was actually better than my older sister at. One of the few things that I could hold over my sister compared to the millions of things she had over me. But the impossible had happened.. I had just lost. I sat there in disbelief, silently stewing in my rage as I recalled the cheap turn of events that I had just painfully witnessed before my eyes. Suddenly, I heard my older sister trying to hold back her laughter but failing as I could hear the most irritating snorting sound coming from her nose.
"Shut up Tia.. just shut up." I said as I stared angrily at her annoying reaction.
"I'm sorry Luna.." she said as she tried her best to refrain herself from laughing any further. After a moment's pause, she continued. "Ah what am I saying! YOU GOT OWNED LITTLE SIS!" she exclaimed as she got up from her seat and started doing her little victory dance, prancing around in a circle while kicking out her arms and legs in an attempt to annoy me further.
"Why do you always have to rub it in my face you jerk!" I said as I angrily threw my controller down onto the ground with my magic. "If this was real life then It would be a different story!" I stood up from my seat and faced her with the most intimidating expression I could muster, eyeing her from head to toe in the process. Celestia suddenly stopped her dance and looked at me with a raised brow.
"You can't be serious Luna.." she said. I said nothing as I continued to stare her down. She stood there silently as she watched me, trying to feel me out as my demeanor remained unchanged. I think she got the point as I suddenly decided to break the silence.
"No magic, only wrestling." I said, trying not to show any signs of fear. However, in the back of my mind I knew she was stronger. I mean, shes older than me and is at least an extra foot taller. But still.. maybe I had a chance. I am smaller, quicker, more agile.. even smarter. "Yes, definitely smarter" I thought to myself as my confidence started to grow. My sister stood there, now eyeing me from head to toe as well. The room fell silent. You could definitely feel the energy. It was tense. You could cut the tension with a knife as some ponies would like to say. We continued to stand there completely motionless.. silently and intensely facing each other like two ponies dueling in a western movie.
"Your move.." she said.
That's all I needed to hear as I lunged myself forward towards her. I grabbed her around the waist in an attempt to tackle her onto her back. However, she braced the impact and shifted her weight sideways, using my momentum to throw me off to her side. The next thing I knew I flew across the room slamming hard into a bookshelf as the force of the impact caused all the books to fall on top of me into a giant pileup.
"Nngh.." I groaned in pain as I slowly crawled out of the pile of books and gently began rubbing my head with my hoof.
"Luna are you okay?!" she said worriedly as she galloped up to me to see if I was alright. "Move your hoof, let me see it."
"It's fine.." I tried to assure her as I turned away in embarrassment, my hoof still holding the now forming bruise on my forehead. Part of me hated that she was always worrying about me so much. I mean, I am not a filly anymore for Pete's sake.. but that did not stop me from realizing how lucky I am to have such a loving and caring sister. Now that I think about it, I am sure not every pony is as fortunate as I am..
"Of course, who am I kidding." Celestia said. "I always seem to forget how tough of a little sister I have."
I turned around from her last comment to look at her. She was now smiling at me. "She thinks she won.. doesn't she?" I thought to myself. "I may have gone down for the count.. but I am not out!"
"You got one thing right Tia.." I said as I slowly walked up beside her and stopped. I placed my arm over her shoulders in a false gesture to hug her. I brought my face right up to hers and whispered gently into her ear. "I AM tough." With that I suddenly jumped onto her back and firmly wrapped my arms around her neck, now placing her into my signature choke hold.
"Luna! you sneaky little.. Ack!" was all Celestia could say before I tightened my grip to maximum strength. Out of instinct she tried to remove my arms but I was latched onto her too strongly. Her next idea was to try to buck me off as she starting flapping her wings while kicking up her rear end.
"Oof!.. oof!.. oof!" Was all that escaped my mouth every time I would bounce up and land forcefully back down onto her back. She continued bucking me around in the air like a rag doll for another long moment before finally stopping.
"Luna.. I.. can't.. breathe.." she said as she struggled for air.
"Do you forfeit?!" I said as I relieved just enough pressure from my grip in order for her to speak.
"You should ask yourself that same question!" Celestia angrily responded as she stood up on her hind legs, spreading her mighty wings apart. With a single flap of her powerful wings she shot her body backwards, slamming me into the wall behind her.
"NNGH!" I grunted as the wind was completely knocked out of me. I instantly released my grip and slumped down to the ground in a doubled-over position as I gasped for air.
"Hows that feel little sister?" she said irritably as she stood over me. "Don't you EVER.. do that to me again."
*Cough Cough* "Ahem." said a voice coming from our bedroom door. We both looked over towards the entrance. It was a royal messenger pony who was standing awkwardly in the doorway for who knows how long.
"I hope I'm not interrupting.." he said nervously. "But I have a letter for Princess Luna."
I was about to get up but my older sister placed a hoof onto my shoulder. "Rest here for a moment. I'll handle this." I silently nodded, still recovering my breathing as I watched her walk over to the messenger pony.
"Well.. hand it over?" Celestia said as she waited for him to release the letter into her possession.
"I.. I'm sorry your highness but this is for Princess Luna's hooves only." he said as best he could but his voice cracked with nervousness.
"Is that so?" she said with a raised brow. The letter the messenger was holding to my surprise was encased in a golden envelope. From afar I also happened to notice the fancy red seal that held the letter shut. "Wow, this must be important.." I thought to myself.
"Wait.. Let me see it." I said as I slowly got up and walked over to the two of them. "Thank you kind sir." I said politely followed by a bow. He bowed in response and began to make his leave down the long hallway.
"Hey!" I called out to him, stopping him in his tracks.
"Yes your highness?" he said as he turned around to face me.
"Whatever happens in the royal chambers.. stays in the royal chambers, understand?"
He smiled and nodded in response. "Yes ma'am." With that he continued down the long corridor and exited towards the large stone stairwell.
I levitated the mysterious letter with my magic close to my face for a better viewing. "Look how pretty this is Tia. I almost don't even want to open it.." I paused for a few seconds. "NAH!" I said as I instantly broke the seal and took out the letter that was nestled safely inside.
"What's it say Luna?" Celestia asked me with interest clearly in her voice.
"It says.."
Dear Princess Luna,
I am a unicorn of the night. I dwell heavily in the arts of magic. I travel alone as I walk in the shadows of the moonlight. You are looking for a student to teach, that is correct? Well, your search is finally over for I believe I have the unique potential to learn from you, to carry on your mighty legacy. To learn from the very best is my heart's ultimate desire. Give me a chance and I will not waste your time. I am humbly sending this letter asking to meet face to face. If you oblige, I will be studying at the library in the magic section every night from here on. Please, grace me with your presence and the opportunity to learn and I will deliver!
Sincerely,
Trixie Lulamoon
I sat there for a moment soaking in her words. I was most definitely looking for a student but I had to be careful. I did not want to let just any pony learn from me.. but something about her words gave me a unexplained feeling of confidence in her. She sounded so much like me in a way.
"Well, what do you think Luna?" Celestia asked me.
"She said she want's to learn from the best so I can already tell she has good taste!" I exclaimed, playfully grinning towards my older sister.
"This is no laughing matter Luna.. taking on a student is a lot more responsibility than you think." she said, ignoring my last comment.
I began to think about my sister's student Twilight Sparkle. How great of a pony she turned out to be. Celestia must have felt so much pride in raising such a successful student. My heart yearned for the same feeling but I seemed to never get the opportunity. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to pursue this mysterious mare. I looked at Celestia with a serious face.
"I understand the responsibilities Tia and I have made my decision. I will seek out this mare tomorrow night."
I could tell my sister was uncomfortable with my decision.
"Luna.. I know you are old enough to make your own decisions now but.." she hesitated for a moment before asking the question in her mind. "What if this mare turns out to be the wrong one?" She suddenly looked away from me. "I just don't want to see you get hurt is all.."
I could tell my sister deeply cared about me. I reached out and lightly rested my hoof on her shoulder in a comforting gesture.
"I know the risks Tia.. and I'm a little scared too. But I will never know until I try.. right?"
She knew I was right and I could tell. She remained silent for a few seconds before looking back at me.
"Do you wan't me to go with you?" she asked.
I smiled in response. "I would like that."
To be continued...
