The Ruin of Rule

***Present Time***

        Braeburn stopped in front of the door that lead into Luna’s room, which was across the hallway from them. Out of breath, the panting stallion looked over his shoulder to see the sleeping princess of the sun resting upon his back. Gently, he began to wake her. “Hey, ya’ll awake?” The sleeping alicorn began to lift her head slightly as the fog in her eyes made it hard for her to see. “Where are we?” she asked.

Braeburn smiled and responded in a calm tone. “We’re here… are ya’ll ready ta try stand’n again?” Celestia blinked and her vision became clear. Her eyes began to wander about the hallway, taking in the sights of their new location. The hallway in which they stood was not much different than the rest of the hospital’s passages.

The hallways were white, sterile, and were lit with fluorescent lights. However, the only difference in this hallway was the fact that her sister’s room door was decorated with Lunar designs and had night flowers stuck onto the door, giving it the air of night life’s beauty. Braeburn gave Celestia a concerned look. “Are ya’ll alright?” Celestia’s attention suddenly became affixed to the stallion who was carrying her. She smiled weakly, trying to hide the fact that she didn’t feel well.

“Yes, I am fine. I would like to stand now please.” Braeburn looked at her suspiciously before responding. “Alright, ya’ll better have yer hooves ready.” Celestia shifted so that her hooves were ready to support her weight. She nodded, signaling for him to continue. “Here we go in 3… 2… 1… hrng!”

Braeburn began to lower the solar princess down onto her hooves as he tried to focus on not giving into the weight. As the panting stallion lowered her, Celestia began to feel dizzy and nauseated as the effects of her pregnancy began to kick in. “Aaaaand, there we go!” Braeburn gave a sigh of relief, letting the weight upon his shoulders be lifted. As he began to stretch, Celestia began to sway from the effects of her pregnancy. “Braeburn… help me please.”

She began to fall as her eyes refused to stay open. Braeburn caught her before she could hit the ground. “Are ya’ll ok?” he asked. Celestia was leaning against the wall now as Braeburn supported her other side. Celestia began to push herself off the wall in attempt to stand, which she managed to do despite her weakened state. “I won’t let anything stand in the way of me or Luna… not even myself!”

Braeburn was astonished by her determination. “No wonder yer the princess of the sun, ya won’t let anyth’n stand in yer way, always positive it seems!” Braeburn gave her a warm smile. Celestia nodded as she responded in kind. “As you are determined to help a friend, I would say that you have a heart.” She tried to give him a warm smile but only managed a weak half smile.

They both laughed in amusement, and then the moment died away. Celestia looked back towards her dying sister’s room saddened by the fact that she was. “Right, let’s go.” she said. Braeburn nodded and walked with her into the room, holding the door open for the still-ill ‘Tia. As they entered the room, Braeburn couldn’t help but notice the tears coming from the  face of Celestia. She beheld in horror, the sight of her dying sister.

***

        Luna heard a pair of muffled voices speaking to each other. “She feels so cold.” said a familiar voice. “Ah know it must be hard ta see yer beloved kin like this.” Kin… wait, is that… Luna began to open her eyes. “Sister…” Luna said weakly.

Her foggy eyes cleared to reveal the sight of her beloved family. Luna smiled weakly and began to shed tears as Celestia embraced her. “Luna, you’re awake!” Celestia was shedding tears of her own. “We have missed thee, and hope thy is faring well!” Celestia sat back down in her seat.

“For now, I am well. However, my strength has begun to weaken. I had a little assistance in getting here.” She gestured at the mysterious stallion that was with her. “Luna this is Braeburn, the stallion who got help and brought us here.” Braeburn smiled and tipped his hat. “Howdy there, miss!” Braeburn smiled as Luna nodded and gave a weak smile in return.

“Greetings Braeburn, we thank thee for bringing us and thy sister here.” Braeburn smiled once more. “Wasa pleasure help’n ya’ll, ah don’t think anypony woulda left two helpless soon-ta-be mothers in distress anyhow!” Luna looked at Celestia who only shook her head. They both chuckled, which left Braeburn confused. Then the situation at hand had begun to creep back into existence.

Celestia turned her head to face Braeburn. “Would you mind if we could ask you for some privacy?” The yellow-coated stallion bowed and left the room. Celestia returned her attention back to her sister as the silence crept over them. It was quiet for a bit, no sound was heard except for the slow-paced beeping of the heartbeat monitor. “Luna… I know about the young colt, and of his illness.”

Luna sat in silence, thinking about the darkness she felt surrounding her son. “What will happen to thee?” she asked. Celestia closed her eyes in thought. “Thou surely is not plotting to kill thy son are they?” Celestia opened her eyes to look at Luna, who was saddened by the worst possible future for her only son. “If it becomes the only way, then yes, we’ll have no choice but to put him out of his misery.”

Luna turned her attention to the window and looked towards the beach outside. “Tell us, would thou put us out of our own misery if thine problem became ours?” Celestia was hurt and worried by the question. “Luna, you know that I would never do anything to hurt you! You’re my sister, I wouldn’t rid myself of you even if it meant the world’s destruction!” Celestia looked at her sister and began to speak in a calmer tone. “You’ve always been there with me even after the Nightmare Moon incident. I promised myself that I would never lose you again… but it seems like fate has other plans for us.”

Silence crept into existence once again, but only for a short bit. “Sister… would thou mind granting a request?” she asked, not looking away from the window. Celestia looked at her questioningly. “What is this request?” Luna slowly turned her head to face her older sister. “Would thee mind changing thy glorious day to the dawn of the night? To bathe the land in it’s glorious twilight?”

Celestia smiled warmly as she obliged. “For my sister, for your dying wish, I shall grant such a request such as this.” ‘Tia’s horn glowed yellow as she began to lower the sun, in the process, she made sure that everypony in Equestria didn’t notice the sudden change of day.  She did so by erasing the memory of it ever happening. Once she was finished, she opened her eyes to see the masterpiece she had created. “Tis such a beautiful sight.”

Celestia was taken in awe by her own work of art. “It is indeed, dear sister.” she replied. The sky was painted in a sunset orange as the sun itself hung halfway above the distant watery horizon. The buildings close by seeming to be ready to sleep in the coming night. The beach’s yellow sand, now colored dark by the setting sun. The sound of water lapping against the shore gave a peaceful melody.

Luna hadn’t noticed that her sister had already opened the window. Luna felt the cool breeze of the ocean caress her face and mane, and smelled the fresh salty air that came with it. “Luna?” The night-colored alicorn faced her sister and revealed the tears that fell from her saddened face. She smiled sadly as she closed her eyes and sang her heart’s song. “We love thy sister, strong and true; a princess so great, beauty anew; our friend, our heart, our love, our song; we say goodbye, as we sing this song…”

Her song rang out through all of Equestria as she began to rest. Luna closed her eyes and said her final words to her tearful sister. “Farewell dear sister… take care of thy son, teach him the ways of the night and ensure the safety for all of our subjects.” There was silence for a few moments. The dreaded noise of the flat-lined heartbeat sensor filled the room as Celestia began to mourn over the loss of her beloved sister. “Luna please come back, don’t go! Please come back to me! LUNA!”

Sombra’s evil voice is heard in the darkness of the fallen Canterlot. “And the darkness claims another heart.” The king’s maniacal laughter echoes in the darkness as the scene fades out.