The Sun's Farewell

It seemed that everyone in Equestria had attended the funeral; they had all come to mourn for loss of their beloved princess, Princess Celestia. All watched as the royal guards carried the sealed, elegantly embroidered casket that had contained the fallen Sun Princess from within; tears filling every eye that had laid its gaze upon the radiantly divine vessel as the sun itself sent its last farewell with its rays shining brightly down on it. Princess Luna took her place before the casket with a heavy heart, but remained free from tears as she stared down upon it's insignia; the symbol of the sun.

"All of us knew my sister to be the greatest ruler of all of Equestria," Luna said out loud for all to hear. "She was patient, caring, and kind to all she managed to cross paths with. Celestia was a great teacher, friend, and sister anypony could ask for...So it is, with a heavy heart, I say good-bye to my dear sister and lay her to rest in the Royal Catacombs." She approached the casket and laid her horn upon the sun symbol. "Good-bye, Celestia, we knew thee well..."

Turning her back to the massive crowd, Luna lead the royal guards down into the catacombs of the royal family. With the sadness finally sinking into her heart, she demanded to be left alone with her fallen sister at which the guard understood and reluctantly left the Moon Princess alone. Fresh tears poured down her dark cheeks as Luna lowered her head and began to shiver.

"Why, Celestia? Why did you have to die?...."

Luna opened her eyes to find herself surround by a thick, soul-consuming darkness. She had no idea where she was or where anyone was; all she knew was that she couldn't see two feet in front of her or her own hoof is she were to put it in front of her face. Luna started to panic a little as she tried using her magic to only find out that it was hopeless; she was stuck in eternal darkness. Or so she thought.

A blinding light pierced into the darkness; illuminating a small circle of light around Luna as it shone down on her. The light was warm and welcoming as it embraced the Moon Princess with its rays; Luna looked up to see that the darkness was now fading as the sun shone brighter than ever before. Luna covered her eyes as it became so bright that it was blinding.

"Luna, why do you hide your face from me?"

The voice was gentle although it should have sounded cross. Luna looked to see a radiant alicorn mare standing before her; she smiled gently down at Luna and nuzzled her.  "You know how I don't like it when you hide your beauty from me."

"Sister? H-how did you know where to find me?" Luna asked as she stared up at her sister in awe. Celestia only smiled and embraced her little sister in her wings.

"We're sisters, Luna; The Sun and The Moon. We're supposed to know when the other is in trouble."

Luna wanted to say more to her sister, but her throat tightened in a way to make it hard for her to speak. "Come now, dear sister. We have our duties to preform."

Luna tried to follow Celestia, but found herself unable to move. She looked down to see that some of the darkness had returned and was beginning to consume her again. As she looked back to her sister for help, horror filled Luna's eyes; the very world before her was falling apart. Destruction had now surrounded the Moon Princess as the darkness proceeded to slowly consume her; Luna desperately tried to break free from the dark coils, but it was all for naught.

A large horrifying creature of darkness appeared before Luna as it caused to ground beneath her to quake as it let out an earth-shattering roar. She tried to use her magic against the beast, but it only caused the creature to become more powerful.

Luna wanted to break free; she wanted to get out of the way and make her way to safety.

She wanted to live.

Seeing how it was inevitable, Luna finally chose to accept her fate. Closing her eyes and holding her head high, Luna awaited the pain she would feel as she was struck down by the monster before her, but it didn't surge through her. She opened her eyes once more as she pondered whether she was already dead or not; however, she noticed that she was still in one piece and that the world around her was still the same. Suddenly she heard the beast shriek in pain and looked up to see Celestia fending it off as she soared through the air; dodging its attacks and attacking it with her powerful magic.

"Luna! Get out of here, now!" Celestia cried as she flew passed her sister and soared higher into the air.

Luna shook her head forcefully.

"No, Celestia! I can't! I won't leave you!" She cried back as she continued to struggle against the darkness that was now about to consume her whole. With a swift and sudden movement, the dark creature struck Celestia with all its might; forcing the Sun Princess to fall. Luna cried out to sister as her body struck the ground; finally being completely consumed by the darkness.

Luna awoke in cold sweat as she sat up quickly in bed; huffing and puffing as if she had ran from Canterlot all the way to Ponyville. She looked around her room to see that everything was the same and that sun was shining brightly through the window.

"Luna?" Celestia asked as she entered the room in a worried manner, "Is everything alright? I thought I heard you scream."

Luna let out a heavy sigh as she laid eyes on her sister.

"I'm fine," she replied softly. "I just had a nightmare..."

Celestia approached her sister; placing her hoof on the Moon Princess's shoulder.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

No words wanted to come out as Luna opened her mouth a bit to speak, but then she looked into her sister's eyes and the words began to flow freely like a river through a open meadow. As Luna spoke, she could see how intently Celestia was listening to each word that filled the space between them, until finally she smiled gently and nuzzled her cheek.

"There's no need to worry, Luna." She assured. "I'll always be with you, even if some misfortune were to fall upon me."

"Promise?" Luna asked quietly in almost a child-like manner.

Celestia chuckled lightly and embraced her in her radiant wings.

"I promise."

"Why couldn't you have kept your promise?" Luna asked a bit more harshly as stared blankly at her sister's casket.

"You promised me, Celestia, you promised!" The tears she had been holding back finally burst forth and poured down her cheeks as she lowered her head. Her head snapped up as she began to hear hoof-steps coming towards her from down the dark hallways of the Royal Catacombs. "Who goes there?!" Luna called out, a bit furious that somepony would come down to disturb her and Celestia.

"Princess Luna?" A familiar voice called back. "I-It's me! Twilight Sparkle!"

Luna's expression softened a bit as the young and more recent princess emerged from the darkness and into Celestia's burial chamber. Twilight looked around the chamber and then finally back to Princess Luna. "I didn't know there were catacombs for the royals."

"They've been here since the beginning..." Luna replied quietly as she turned away from the young princess. "They've been here for so long that not even the books in royal library hold record of them."

"But why?" Twilight asked, letting curiosity get the best of her. She began to regret asking as Luna locked eyes on her; her eyes burned with intensity as they bore through Twilight's core, making the young princess unsettled.

"They have not been written about so that no one tries to steal from them," Luna replied coldly as her face became emotionless.

Wanting to change the subject, Twilight gently placed her hoof on the Moon Princess's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry about what happened, Luna."

Luna carefully brushed Twilight's hoof off as she let out a heavy sigh; turning her face away as her eyes became glazed with fresh tears.

"It's not your fault, Twilight. You weren't the one who stood back and did nothing..."

Twilight's ears flattened against her head.

"But there was nothing you could've-"

"Yes there was!" Luna interrupted loudly as flared her wings and lashed her head at Twilight. "I could've gone with her! I could've stopped her! In fact, I could've been the one to die instead of her! It's not like anyone would miss me!"

"Somebody would have missed you!" Twilight lashed back as her eyes narrowed. "And her name would be Celestia! Not only her, but I would miss you too, Luna! You're my friend!"

Luna's lower jaw began to quiver as all became silent around the two princess. She lowered her head once more, ashamed of her assumptions.

"I'm sorry, Twilight...I just want Celestia back."

Twilight nestled underneath Luna's chin to comfort the sorrowful princess the best she could.

"I know Luna, I miss her too. But now Equestria needs you to be it's new head leader to rule and guide us through our lives."

Uncomforted by Twilight's words, Luna stood up and made her way towards the hall.

"Thank you, Twilight, but I think it's going to take more than those words to bring me comfort..."

Twilight watched the Moon Princess sulk away before turning to Celestia's casket. Tears filled her eyes as she lowered her head to pay her respects.

"You went too soon, Celestia. Luna needs you more than anyone else...."