‘Look at them, they still do not understand our night!’
‘How can you smile when they sleep though our gift! Luna!’
‘They dream of fear, they fear us. Why do you protect them?!’
‘Your sister vanished us to the moon, and yet you hold your tongue while she takes everything from us yet again! Fight back Luna!’
Luna closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, forcing herself to eat the food in front of her. The large table was taken up by only her and her sister, Celestia, but they could both see well despite the vast distance between them. Even though Celestia spoke barely above a mutter, Luna heard her with ears made to hear cries of fear in the night.
“She’s talking to you again isn’t she?” Celestia let her fork drop back onto the plate, the tiniest tink of sound as it settled into place. Luna sighed and nodded, folding her wings as her starry mane billowed behind her. Doing her job as Princess of the Night had been getting harder and harder. The voice was stronger at night, and able to attack her during her dreamwalking.
“It isn’t so much the talking that is the problem dear sister, but the words that accompany it. Each one contains just enough truth that we cannot entirely ignore it.” Luna bit her lip and looked toward the window, looking to the sky as the sun slowly rose further in the sky. Wincing as a stray window caught in it’s light, Luna turned away from the glare.
“What words does she say? Maybe I can help with it.” Celestia stood up, and walked over to Luna. Standing up herself, Luna sighed and shook her head slowly. There was no point in hiding it. Hiding it was what had consumed Luna in the first place.
“That ponies don’t understand the night, and some even still fear it.” Luna looked away as Celestia blinked, stepping back in surprise.
“Surely you don’t believe that!” Celestia forced herself to ignore her own feelings and focus on what Luna felt. Even if she thought it untrue, ignoring Luna was a mistake she wasn’t going to make a second time. Luna bit her lip, and looked away.
“Luna, we’ve talked about this. Yes ponies aren’t entirely welcoming to the night, and they don’t love you as they should, but we’re getting there, bit by bit. I know it’s taking far longer than you like, but I implore you to be patient.” Celestia put a hoof on Luna’s shoulder, who shrugged it off and flared her wings, situating a glare on her sister.
“I know that!” Luna blinked, seeing Celestia looking toward her in fear, and folded her wings, looking toward the ground.
“I know that,” she spoke more softly,” but it’s hard to ignore the truth in her words.” Luna closed her eyes, letting her head hang low. The voice was silent, but the feeling of a pleased smirk was evident to Luna. Admitting the voice had a point was something she had tried hard not to do, but that only made it grow stronger.
“Then she leaves us no choice. We’ll have to separate you two. I don’t want to lose my sister again.” Celestia’s concerned eyes bore straight into Luna’s, and she folded her wings, and sighed. Giving a nod, she agreed to her sister’s advice. The voice began to cry it’s objection. Luna wondered just how much of her thoughts were hers, and how much were the voice’s.
“Very well, I will contact the elements, they should be here by the afternoon. Until then, we must prepare adequate defences just in case she still had her magic when we separate you two.” Celestia brought her sister into an awkward hug, and both shared a moment of silence. Luna smiled sadly, this was why she couldn’t give into the voice a second time.
“Let us go prepare the spells, sister.” Luna smiled, flaring her wings as she nodded.
“So you want me to blast Luna with the elements? Are you sure that’s wise? We don’t know what that will do, considering how we’re going to be using the Rainbow Power. What if it hurts Luna?” Twilight bit her lip, fingering the stars on her hooves. As Celestia had requested, they had powered up and travelled here on the next train, but was it wise?
“Twilight, I fear what we will do if the voice remains inside us.” Luna’s eyes tilted downward as she forced herself to remain calm. Every word Twilight had spoken resonated with the innate fear she contained of the Elements. Yes, they had saved her. But Luna still remembered the very moment they had hit her.
“I have faith the Elements will chose the best course of action. If nothing happens to Luna, then we can rest assured she will never regain control.” Celestia smiled warmly at Luna, and both forced their own desires down to appear strong. Celestia feared her sister would vanish. Faith was fine, but Celestia still remembered the Elements banishing her sister, all too vividly.
“Alright, but how do you know she’ll be separated?” Twilight and her friends slowly formed on the circle placed in the center of the room. All shared nervous glances. Were they doing the right thing? As Luna walked into the center of the circle, all put their hesitation aside.
“I don’t, however I do know the Elements are a lot more forgiving than the Crystal Heart.” Celestia saw the collective shudder. Yes, they were a lot more forgiving, considering what had happened to Sombra. Twilight nodded, and began to glow.
“Alright Celestia. Good luck Luna.” Twilight closed her eyes, and opened them, glowing bright with purple energy. All the bearers floated up, and began to glow. A single beam shot out from all of them into the center, swirling into a rainbow that slammed into Luna.
Luna felt the Elements judge her, picking her brain apart as they scoured her body. Finished their task, the Elements suddenly drew a wedge in Luna’s brain. Luna felt a disorienting moment, as if she was in two places at once, and blinked as feeling returned to her body. The rainbow vanished, and Luna quickly checked herself over. Everything looked the same, Luna sighed in relief.
Glancing to Celestia, Luna saw all eyes were on something to her right, and turned her head. Blinking, Luna reconised the form of Nightmare Moon, slumped, and unconscious. Luna cautiously approached the form, fascinated at seeing her alter ego properly. Midnight black, and yet no armor.
Nightmare Moon’s eyes flared open and she exploded outward, landing a hit on Celestia as she dived for the only exit. A yellow shield sprang into place, and she was catapulted back into the room. Hissing, she rounded on the Celestia and fired a bolt of pitch black energy. The energy hit another yellow shield, and dissipated.
“As you can see, there is no escape.” Celestia stood up, wincing where she had been hit. Nightmare Moon hissed and charged at Celestia. The instant she leapt, the yellow shield surrounded her, rendering her immobile. Growling, she struggled in vain to get free. Luna approached Celestia, and looked at the anger on her alter ego’s face.
“Please, calm down. We only want to help you.” Luna took a step toward Nightmare Moon, who hissed and tried to move once more.
“You of all ponies should know the night! And yet you ignore it’s rights! You are a failure as it’s guardian! You deserve to be the sun’s lapdog, while the true ruler sees that the night get’s what it rightly deserves!” Nightmare Moon spat at Luna, who moved her head out of the way.
“I am sorry, but while you are right, the path to getting it that recognition is a long one. Please, at least hear us out before you try to go on a rampage. You know me, we were once one. Please, hear us out.” Luna pleaded with Nightmare Moon, who snorted and looked away.
“Pathetic excuses. Our sister had a thousand years to see us have our dues, and she failed in every regard. You are blinded to the truth, and that is why you no longer have power over the night.” Nightmare Moon raised her head proudly, at least as much as the magic would allow. Luna blinked and looked to her Cutie Mark. It was still the same.
“I am afraid you are wrong there, I do still have power over the night. See?” Luna pointed to her Mark as Nightmare Moon scoffed.
“If you believe it to be true, then prove it.” Nightmare Moon smirked, and Luna cautiously reached out for the night sky. Glancing to her sister, Celestia nodded and lowered the sun an hour early. Luna concentrated, and raised the Moon once more.
Or, she thought she did. However the sky remained in twilight.
“It cannot be…” Luna stared outside, mute shock on her face. Glancing to Celestia, she watched as her sister tried to raise the moon, and failed. Both turned to look toward Nightmare Moon.
“If I am not the Mare of the Moon, then who am I?” Luna pointed to herself, remembering her cutie mark was still there. Nightmare Moon smiled mockingly.
“The Mare of Dreams. I am the only one deserving of the ability to control the night, and that is why it resists you now, where it once allowed you control. You will never touch my night again, either of you.” Nightmare Moon spat a second time, giving each a glare.
“Very well, then please help us.” Luna bowed her head, much to the shock of both Celestia and Nightmare Moon. Luna folded her wings as she raised her head.
“If I am no longer worthy of taking care of the night, and you are, then please help us give you the recognition you rightly deserve. Come with us, hear our plans, and decide for yourself the right path to ponies loving the night. For fear is not a path that will give you what you want. I know, I was you, remember.” Luna closed her eyes and bowed her head once more. Nightmare Moon scoffed a second time, and rolled her eyes.
“Then pray tell, dear Luna, what is it we want?” Nightmare Moon laughed, knowing that Luna would never understand the night. That was why, after all, they had been separated.
“You want only one thing. For ponies to love our-your...Your night.” Luna looked evenly at Nightmare Moon as she blinked, growing deadly silent. After a moment, the magic holding her vanished, sensing the intent of Nightmare Moon changing. Glaring at both, she folded her wings and raised her nose up into the air.
“Very well, but be aware this is your only chance. If we cannot come to an agreement, I will bring back the night by force.” Nightmare Moon glanced toward the open mouthed Elements, memorising each one’s faces. Nightmare Moon didn’t want to mistake them when she killed one off, rendering the Elements harmless.
Luna bowed her head in gratitude, “Thank you.”
