Dusk to Dawn

The horizon was beginning to fill with warm pink and orange hues, the sun would be rising within minutes and yet even with her day about to shine forth and spread its glorious rays Celestia could not sit still. She was in deep thought, pacing back and forth while at the same time moving the heavenly bodies. It was something she had learned to do quite well during the dark and depressing thousand years without her sister. Hundreds of plans and ideas were racing around her thoughts, fighting themselves over dominance within the recesses of her mind.

As Luna's moon faded in the night sky Celestia knew, beyond all doubt this was the last time she would deal with her sister's incompetence. Without the elements to send her off, the only choice she had was to betray the trust of her beloved protege, or to engage her sister in open combat. At first she had saw her sister's return as a sign of great excitement and joy. However as the time moved forward and Luna was still unwilling to aid in the ever taxing effort that was moving the heavenly bodies. Celestia knew that this day would come, when her rage would boil over the mortal or immortal confines her mind could reach. She had at first spoke to Luna about it, pleading in earnest to have help after the excruciating thousand years her sister was banished. As each year went by her mind had began to warp, the effort becoming to much to bear. Celestia left Canterlot and Equestria in the hands nobles and began searching in ancient texts located within both Zebrican and Griffin lands for dark magic the kind that would allow her to do the unthinkable. During her nine-hundredth and eighty-eighth year since the banishment she finally found what she had searched all this time for.

Luna landed beside her sister on the balcony of the sisters shared tower, worry easily visible on her face. "Sister, are you alright? I am sorry that I have not been able to do what I know I must in the aiding of this ritual. However I know that I must face this in the future, so I hope you can last a little longer while I face these troubles."

Celestia had trained her mind to resist the most stuck up of ponies. Nobles trying to worm their way into power at the expense of other pony folk. She had even dealt with a entourage of royalty from Saddlearabia. However to hear her sister, asking for more time, in addition to the millennium she had already forced upon her enraged her past her normal breaking point and at this began to speak "A little longer.. A little longer? Was a thousand years not long enough? I have dealt with your burdens for long enough. I am beyond the limits of my immortal mind and you will not force me to continue as I have!" Celestia rose and as her horn began to glow Luna had begun to panic. She darted for the edge of the balcony, however before she was able to take flight her sister had her tied around each hoof keeping her from moving.

Luna began to search her mind, she tried to find a way to diffuse this situation before it got out of hoof. "Celly.. please I will try to take my responsibilities back! I.. I.... I'm so sorry, what can I do to persuade you do to otherwise? We are the only family we have left." she pleaded, but it was to no avail her sister looked more fierce-some and horrifying then any time she had fought, more even than that of Discords first attack. "Sis-

That was when Celestia began to chant a verse from a familiar dark tome. The book she was holding was Black and bound with dragon-hide, the pages contained words of unmistakable power.. At once Luna recognized the words of the chant and that of the book. "Celes.. that book." she muttered. As her seemingly final moments came she thought back to times she spent with her, the good times. Before the banishment before even they had received their powers.

The moon shone brightly on what was the first day Luna had spent alone. Being a filly, and at that one who had yet to recognize their special talent, she was of course worried beyond belief that her father and mother would be going to visit delegates from the Zebrican Tribes. This would be the first time she would be without her parents. The night moved on in the palace and so did the fear within her. Without clear thoughts she ran from her room into the cold, snow filled Equestria. She ran until she broke down in tears and could run no further. She was lost utterly lost, she was without her sister and parents and was completely alone, and if nothing could get worse the snow that had been slowly drifting from the clouds began to fall in sheets to the ground. In a panic Luna began to look around desperate to get relief from the elements. After a few long minutes she stumbled upon a cave which seemed completely bare and uninhabited. There she sat tears freezing moments after the left her swollen eyes. In her mind she knew she would die that day, but when all hope was lost, a bright flash shown through the trees just outside the cave she inhabited. Even though her eyes were frozen shut from the tears she knew from the pure emotion radiating from the outside that her sister had found her.

"Luna! I was so worried! You weren't in your room, and when i couldn't find you.. I.." Celestia started to form tears.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you sis. My eyes have been frozen shut, I cannot see you, but i know that you are there." She said as she began to move her arms trying to grasp a hold on her sister.

Overcome with emotion Celestia ran to her sister and wrapped her arms around her. "Please.. Let's just.. go home."

It was one of her most fond memories, how her sister had become the way she was now she knew not, but she didn't have time to think and the chant picked up speed. She knew she would not last much longer if this chant continued and quickly mustered up a temporary solution. With a dark flash Luna was outside of the castle walls. She would be found soon if she did not hurry, so she set a new destination and then flashed again, this time at a familiar library in the quaint town of Ponyville.

Twilight was having a day like most other. Very few people had come to the library which she didn't mind, she enjoyed spending her mornings with Spike as they both categorized and sorted new and pre-existing books. It was something she enjoyed more then anything else. There was a sense of serene calm that washed over her as she place each tome where it's new home would be in the tree library she called her home.

"Spike, could you do me a favor and hand me The Unguided Mare; a Guide Attraction?" she asked, not yet realizing what she had just said.

"Umm.. sure Twi. Hey why do you even have this book?" he said as he passed it to the lavender unicorn.

Twilight quickly blushed as she remembered Rarity's advice on finding a nice stallion or mare to spend her life with. "Spike.. That's not important. how about you go.. visit Sweetie Bell... or the rest of the Cutie Mark Crusaders?

Spike now beyond excited that he could be done with his duties for the morning exclaimed "Really Twi!? Thanks so much! They were going to try their hoof at being miners today and I want to see if I can snag some gems from them."

Twilight now seeing her assistants different motives, sighed. "Alright spike, but make sure your back before dark. Im going to try to Finnish these up, but I want you home later to help out if i don't."