Prologue - Darkened Skies
They spoke in oblivion, their countenance masked in shadows.
"Why do you walk amongst the shadows, little sister?" questioned the first; a pure white mare with a blue, light pink and green flowing mane.
The younger one - a night-blue mare with a waving mane that shimmered with apparent starlight - narrowed her eyes. "Because I have no where else to go - no one else to comfort me in thy times of trouble."
"Why do you associate yourself with ponies with such callous hearts? Has it not occured to you that -"
"Everything has occured to me, Celestia - everything from the sun to the stars and everything in between has been on my mind one time or another," the night-blue mare replied heatedly. She sighed, turning back to her sister and looking into her eyes. "I trust them - they welcomed me when no one else did."
"Why do you hate the living and the good? Our subjects are good ponies, sister..."
"I know that," the younger mare said. "I know that very well. They have pure hearts, ones without shadows and hate; they are the essence of all that is good." her gaze was once again drawn to her hooves, and she fiddled with one of her shoes absentmindedly. "But while our subjects bask in the light of good, I reside in the dark of hate; but that is where I am meant to be - that's where I belong."
"Why do you say that?"
"You know why," the younger sister said exasperatedly.
"Explain it to me," Celestia murmured, coming to stand beside her sister; she draped one of her wings over the night-blue mare's shoulders, trying to seem genuine. She hoped that by doing so, it would so the younger mare just how hurt her words were making Celestia feel. "Sister, you know the story like the back of your hoof - explain it to me..."
The night-blue mare glared at Celestia coldly. "What do you want from me, Celestia?"
Celestia sighed, looking down upon her once-humble sister. "I want you to explain your story to me - from the beginning of time until now... It is the only way I can rid you of your shadows."
Her sister turned briskly out of her embrace, huffing as she did so. "No, Celestia. You know the story very well - you were the one that did it." her blue eyes met Celestia's magenta as she hissed, "and by the way, I don't wish to be rid of my shadows! They are my friends and they will not be banished in the way you -" she stopped herself, realizing that anger was beginning to take over her body. She shook her head and turned her back to Celestia, murmuring, "Just... no. You know it as well as I do."
"Then act as if I wasn't - act as if I were a simple filly asking you to tell a story."
"It's not a story!" the younger mare shouted, whirling on Celestia. "You know this tale - this cruel, centuries old tale that is in schoolfillies books now!"
"I have never heard it from your lips, Luna."
Luna shut her eyes, her ears flattening. When she opened them again, they were bright with a fire of rage - one Celestia hadn't seen in her sister's eyes in a long time.
"Leave me, sister." Luna demanded.
"Not until you tell me the story."
"You know the story!"
"I know it from my own telling - not yours." Celestia argued. "Do not shove me away, Luna."
Luna's voice was cold as she said, "That's exactly what I plan to do."
"Luna, please... Just tell me what happened - act like I don't know what went wrong that day. Please, sister... Tell me."
"Go away," Luna snarled. "I hate you."
Celestia let a small smile escape onto her lips, but it quickly faded under the raging light of Luna's eyes. "You can tell me that all you like, Luna - but I will never believe you."
"You turned your back on me, Celestia!" Luna finally shouted as tears brimmed the corners of her eyes.
"You gave me no choice." the white mare reasoned.
"You betrayed me..." tears now fell from Luna's eyes; years of heartache and pain all bottled within her body, now fully exposed as an emotion: sorrow.
"I did what was best for Equestria, Luna. Nightmare Moon -"
Luna suddenly stopped weeping and bellowed, "Don't you dare remind me of those days!" before sinking back into her hallowed, sorrowful state.
Celestia once more brought up the subject. "Tell me a story, sister."
"Stop it," Luna shut her eyes again, sinking down to the ground.
"Tell me your story, Luna. I want to know..."
"Leave!" Luna shouted briskly.
"Not until you tell me your story." Celestia murmured.
"I have better things to do than to explain my banishment to you! You were there! You should be able to figure it out!"
Celestia sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry I'm such a disappointment to you, Luna."
Luna let out a snarl at that, raising her eyes to her sister. "Would you stop that?!"
"Stop what?"
Luna buried her face in her hooves. "Quit acting like you're so innocent and perfect all the time, Celestia! It's infuriating - you pretend to be something you're not! Mother always liked you! She thought you were the perfect filly - the perfect daughter! She loved you and hated me!"
Silence.
Luna raised her head, looking around the room. "Tia?"
But she was already gone.
Author's Note
So... this was hopefully better than my other story. I hope you all enjoyed! This story is going to be confusing, I will admit - especially in the beginning, but hopefully it'll be sorted out as the story goes on :). I do hope you enjoyed this and give me some feedback as to how well it went, so that if need be I will write more chapters :). Allow me to explain what exactly the tags are for -
Dark - this fiction is going to be fun to write, hopefully as I am told to write well when it comes to sad and dark stories. :)
Random - I just thought of this story out of the blue...
Alternate Universe - we've never seen Luna so depressed or Celestia so demanding - what else will happen to our canon characters as this story goes on?
Thank you for your time,
Huntress {o} may the darkness be with you...
