Chapters Celestia's golden aura manoeuvred the elements into position, placing the element of magic right in front of her. Ready to channel all the power towards her unfortunate sister. For a moment Celestia hesitated, her heart almost overriding her head. She was torn up inside. Banishing her sister was something she would have never thought she would have to do, but as she did not fully represent three of the elements she could not cure Luna of the jealousy that had overtaken her. As Celestia ignited the elements and poured each of their little pockets of magic into the star, tears began to overflow in her eyes. These tears dripped onto the floor of the gardens below, enriching the soil with the deep sadness that Celestia felt. As the bright glow of the elements fired at Luna overhead, imprisoning her in the moon, magic sparked in the emotion. From the emotion grew a deep blue flower speckled with luminous white and metallic black with a crescent moon in the centre. The forest fell silent in a stark contrast to the electrifying battle that had just befallen. Celestia descended to the ground sobbing now, in the depths of the Everfree forest, looking forlornly at her destroyed castle. No. Not just her castle, it would always be hers and Luna's castle. No matter how far away she was. A bright glow coming from the gardens interrupted Celestia's thoughts. As she walked up to source of the glow she saw it was a flower. Celestia could sense this flower was grown from emotion, because the closer she got the more heart breaking sadness filled her. This was Luna's flower and was the last reminder she had of her sister. Its crescent centre pointing to the moon. As Celestia looked up to the moon she saw the shadow of her sister pictured. More tears splashed down her face wetting her coat, as ominous thunder sounded in the sky. Rain began to fall like the havens were crying with her. Standing there staring at that luminescent flower Celestia made a vow to visit Luna's flower like it's her own sister. Because it was the closest thing she would have to her for a long time...
The first summer sun celebration
Wilted flowers lay all around the old garden and weeds infested almost every flower bed. Celestia walked towards Luna's flower, a sight she had grown used to over the months. Although her time had begun to grow more constrained over the past year, she always visited Luna's flower once a month. During March she couldn't get time away and it felt like she had betrayed her sister. Feeling the emotion wash over her as she stepped ever closer, Celestia knew this was going to get harder over time. The deep sadness she felt when she was near the flower was excruciating. It was growing stronger the longer Luna was trapped up there. The flower was a beautiful reminder of her sister, but the emotion it had been grown from was not one she wished to feel.
After she had spent some time there Celestia slowly began to head away. As she left the Everfree she felt the sadness begin to wear off, and the shivers that the forest gave be melted away by the sun. Flapping her wings, Celestia took off and headed back to Canterlott to help decorate the city for the summer sun celebration. To celebrate her defeat over Nightmare moon her subjects suggested that on one day, during summer, she would raise the sun earlier so it would be a longer day. Although Celestia declined the idea at first, not wanting to be reminded that she had to banish her own sister, but her council convinced her saying that it would be an excellent holiday and would be beneficial for her subjects to remember it was Nightmare moon that was banished not her sister. Her sister was under Nightmare moon's control. So Celestia had grudgingly agreed but trying have her glass half full, she decided to help out and try and get some enjoyment out of the day. When she landed in the town square all the subjects around her turned and bowed to her. Celestia nodded to them to carry on with their decorating. The town looked fantastic. With streamers hung from every lamppost and balloons tied everywhere it did look very cheerful. Seeing somepony struggling with a ladder Celestia ran over to help him, maybe this wouldn't be so bad...
Fireworks exploded in the sky behind the princess as she lifted the sun triumphantly into the sky while hundreds of subjects cheered. When she landed Celestia suddenly realised how tired she was. Spending the whole day, and most of the night, having fun and helping out was quite tiring. Not to mention all of Sweetie pie's games! Waving a final goodbye to everyone, Celestia slowly walked back inside.
Flopping on her bed she was just about ready to fall asleep, when she realised it was daytime. Sleep would have to wait until tonight. A whole 14 Hours away! Forcing her self to get up, Celestia went to carry out the day.
Celestia's kingdom grew. New towns and city's were created, the population expanded and more and more forgot about Luna. Nightmare moon was who Celestia defeated, Nightmare moon tried to bring eternal night. They only knew about Nightmare moon, not Luna. The poor princess that had let jealousy take over and trap her in something she didn't want to be. Nightmare moon was also said to give them Nightmares. Soon Nightmare night was created, everypony fearing her more than ever now. Celestia had flat declined the request at first and Nightmare night wasn't celebrated. It would ruin Luna but since it looked like ponies were going to have fun and not scandalise her sister, she eventually let it pass. Ponies began to know Nightmare moon, not from the summer sun celebration but from Nightmare night now. Celestia was visiting Luna's flower less and less now, until she could no longer. The deep sadness made her feel cold and would send her into a depression for a couple of hours. It was just such a torment. Nopony had been alive long enough to know what kind of torment she was going through. Because nopony knew that Luna even existed, nopony knew princess Celestia even had a sister. All they knew, was Nightmare moon.
Luna's flower began to wilt.
The heat of the sun bore down on Celestia as she walked away from the construction of the new capital city. After Nightmare Moon had destroyed the old castle and most of the town, the decision to relocate was a sound one. Celestia had overseen most of the work, but had not had much influence in the design. She would not be missed for too long. Shadows began to grown around her as she grew ever closer to the forest. If anypony had seen her going in there, they would have certainly been confused. Since nopony lived in there anymore, dark creatures and strange powers had overtaken the whole forest. Celestia certainly wasn't frightened though. Monsters, although menacing, still knew their place. All powerful alicorns were not to be touched. The trees thickened the deeper she went and a fog began to cloud her vision. Igniting her horn she evaporated the fog and carried on her journey, keeping the golden glow going. Soon she found herself at the edge of a cliff. Pushing the gathered fog away, Celestia found what she had been looking for. Their castle. Her wings flapped slowly taking her off the ground and over the deep chasm. Her hooves touched down on the other side, disrupting the weeds and overgrown grass. The silence was deafening. Her city, her kingdom, her childhood home. Ruined and abandoned, by her sister no less. No, not by her sister. By the jealousy evoking monsters that overtook her, encasing her sister in nightmare moon's shell. Celestia's hoofsteps echoed through the castle. Shattered glass on the floor, crunched under her hoofs. Celestia looked under her hoof and saw the shattered image of her and her sister in an embrace. Salty tears began to wet the image as Celestia's sobs replaced the silence. It was like she had shattered her sisterly bond her self. Celestia was close to breaking down, as she realised just how long she would have to live with this torment. And that Luna, the real Luna, would never forgive her for doing this. She began galloping out of the castle as quick as she could ignoring the toys scattered everywhere and the torn up tapestries. Just trying to block out everything, everything, until she made it to the gardens. Luna's flower still shone, pointing to where Celestia would raise the moon when the time came. Celestia began to speak to the flower, hoping that somehow her sister would hear it.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry I didn't notice sooner."
Over the many years Luna was banished, these were the words that Celestia wished she could say most.
Celestia sat in the Canterlott library and flicked through predictions and prophecy's. She was not really concentrating and was just looking through aimlessly. Trying to take her mind off the fact that Sweetie pie, one of her favourite subjects, had died. Having known her since she was a foal when she made up games for the first summer sun celebration, her death was quite unnerving. It was one of the downsides of being immortal. Everybody you love just slips away with time, while you keep going forever. It normally wouldn't be so bad because Luna would be there to comfort her. Being the only other immortal alive with her after the war that killed their parents, she understood. This was the first time that somebody Celestia had been attached to died with out her being there. Celestia was always the one that got attached. Luna had always been antisocial so she had never really connected, but Celestia had loved many that had fallen. Luna wasn't here this time. She wasn't here. Suddenly Celestia noticed something on one of the pages, An image of a mares silhouette in the moon. At first she thought it was just something somebody had written after seeing the image in the sky every night, but then she realised. This book was written many years ago. Long before Luna's banishment. Slowly Celestia began to read
The mare in the moon
On the longest day of the thousandth year
The stars will aid in her escape
and she will bring about night time eternal
Celestia remembered Luna writing those words, but how could she? This book was written by a stallion called Quill and ink. It was his first in a long line of successful books. Then Celestia suddenly remembered. Long ago Luna had a foreshadowing dream that gave this prophecy. They had originally written it down in the elements of harmony guide, but it was later rewritten here where it was considered more suitable. Mabye this was just a coincidence though, what else did Luna talk about. A navy mare, with silver armour and a flowing dark blue mane. That sounded just like... Nightmare moon! Nightmare moon was the mare in the moon, and this meant Luna would return. Luna would not be gone for eternity!, like the spell had intended. but return without Celestia purposefully freeing her. Oh how she wished she could do hat but it would be irresponsible and would harm her subjects, no she would just have to wait for a thousand years. She would be able to fee Luna then. Then it hit Celestia. Her sister would not be able to return and be freed, because she did not fully represent the elements. The most she would be able to do was banish her...
Celestia fell crestfallen, crushing the little hope she had gained. Her tears sealing the memory for her.