Chapters Rush, rush, rush. Sekhmet was too impatient. "These things take time, " Nyx had told her. And Sekhmet did try to not rush. But Nyx, she did rush a bit on Luna... But it wasn't so bad that it ruined their plans.
Luna was on the moon with no way to escape, and Celestia was in her prison. Her mind. Celestia was trapped inside, while Sekhmet took control.
"Nyx." Sekhmet called.
Nyx turned around, her misty form shifting. She looked at her sister's new form. It had Celestia's slender figure, and Sekhmet's cruel eyes. "Well," Nyx smiled. "I see you're getting accustomed to your new host."
"Yes. I do quite like this one. But alas, she has very little power I can use. I have to resort to my own." Sekhmet sighed. "But this princess has her perks."
"I'm hoping the same for Luna. Soon I will gain control over her once again." Nyx smiled at the thought. "But with Luna's power, the night and its moon and stars are at my command."
"Well, I've been working on a way to make the sun flare up, burning all who stand in its wake. And I must say, it's quite fun . And poor Celestia can't do anything about it. Why, she's so weak she doesn't even fight."
"Pfft. I can't say the same for Luna. She has a strong will, that one. But soon, she will surrender. Soon, she will comply."
"What do you mean? Aren't we just weakening them until they are nothing? Till their bodies are mere corpses we control?"
"I have different plans for Luna."
"You always wanted to be different. To stand out." Sekhmet frowned slightly. "But you are right, Celestia may be useless, but with Luna on our side..."
"It could give us the extra edge we need."
And with that, the two sisters laughed unanimously.
~oOo~
Celestia was tired. She barely was aware of her surroundings. But when Sekhmet started talking with Nyx, she couldn't help but listen.
And she knew that Nyx would hurt Luna.
Celestia struggled to get free, call out or something, but Sekhmet was strong. And with every passing moment, Celestia got weaker where she got stronger. Soon, there would be no more Celestia, just her empty shell for Sekhmet to control. Nyx would do the same with Luna.
~oOo~
Nyx had control over Luna again. Every step, Luna tried to hold Nyx back, but it just brought pain to her own body. Pain that she had to deal with, pain that Nyx brought. She bit her tongue whenever Nyx tried to speak. Luna tripped anytime Nyx tried to walk, but with no prevail.
Nyx, Luna tried to say aloud, but it was only a thought. Stop this!
Oh, little one. I can't.
Luna scowled. Why? I know you can!
Why? Because I want this.
I want the night to last FOREVER. And there's nothing you can do about it.
Author's Note
Sorry guys! These two chapters would've come out sooner, but since FIMFiction was down, and my computer was having issues, it had to wait.
A young purple pony trotted back and forth, pacing around the library. With her magic she held a book, and in the book held the tale of the mare in the moon. Her eyes darted right to left as she scanned the pages.
As she read further, her eyes widened.
"Spike!" She called. Spike was her assistant, her baby dragon assistant.
"Uh, yeah Twilight?" Spike answered, rushing to the mare's side.
"Take a letter, Spike. To Celestia." She paused and looked up at the moon. The silhouette of a dark mare stared back at her. The stars seemed to be reaching out towards the moon.
"Dear... Princess... Celestia..." Spike mumbled as he scribbled on a piece of parchment furiously.
"Oh, Celestia... I fear something terrible is happening..." The mare, Twilight Sparkle, whispered.
~oOo~
"Well?" Sekhmet said rather impatiently. She watched as her sister, Nyx, took her time to read a letter that had been addressed to Celestia. They didn't let her read it, of course.
"Twilight Sparkle... She knows too much. But even too much is still not enough. Celestia may answer back..." Nyx smiled and handed back the letter. "On your terms."
"Very well. Twilight will have nothing to worry about when she is under the notion that everything is fine." Sekhmet smiled and walked away with the letter.
A room or two over Celestia lay, weak and powerless.
"Oh, Celestia! Your little student sent you a letter." Sekhmet laughed.
Celestia looked up slowly.
"Now, I'm going to be nice and let you answer it. But when you're done, I'll... Read it over." Sekhmet floated the letter to Celestia.
Celestia grabbed it warily, then got a quill and started to write. Dear Twilight Sparkle, You must simply stop reading those dusty old books! In the mean time, I am sending you to Ponyville to help with preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. And, while you're there, make some friends! Sincerely, Princess Celestia. When she was finished, she reluctantly handed the letter over to Sekhmet. Sekhmet snatched the letter from Celestia's grasp.
Her eyes scanned the parchment, then she laughed. "You have to be joking! 'Make some friends'? It'll take more than friendship do even delay us." Sehkmet rolled up the letter and sealed it with wax. With a swift whoosh , it dissipated.
~oOo~
Nightmare Moon smirked as the stars reached out to her. They would be her escape. Soon, she would unleash eternal night, and watch as all the ponies in Equestria lived in fear... Forever!
Don't do this, A little voice in Nightmare Moon's head whispered. It was familiar, like that was how she was, like that voice was hers . But it wasn't. You're Luna, not... This!
What? Who was this Luna? Whoever she was, Nightmare was definitely not her. But... Nightmare Moon couldn't remember who she was, so how could she know for sure?
Who was she?
The Nightmares shall Rise
"Make some friends?" Twilight almost shouted. "Nightmare Moon is going to come any moment, there's no time for friends !"
"Well, I think it was good advice. Really, Twilight, it's just an old pony's tale." Spike replied.
They had already checked on all the preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration, and now they were heading back to the Golden Oaks Library, where Twilight was staying. When they entered, it was strangely dark and quiet.
"SURPRISE!" The lights flashed on, and almost all the ponies in town popped out of their hiding places. Pinkie Pie was among them, a party hat upon her fluffy pink mane. Lavish party decorations were strewn around the room.
Twilight was very confused and surprised, but not in a good way.
~oOo~
"No!" Celestia shouted. "I won't let you!"
"Stop fidgeting, Celestia. You know you're making this worse for yourself." Sekhmet said. Ah, Celestia was bound to find out Sekhmet's plan. And she definitely didn't want to be a part of it.
There was a blinding flash, and Celestia was no longer Celestia.
She was a Nightmare.
~oOo~
"And now, Princess Celestia will raise the sun!" Mayor Mare announced. The curtains behind her opened, and, the crowd gasped. Because nopony was there.
"Oh, my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I saw your precious little sun-loving faces." Nightmare Moon crooned.
"What did you do with our princess?!?" A pony from the crowd shouted.
Nightmare Moon chuckled. "Why, am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?"
Nopony dared to answer her.
"Does my crown no longer count, now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?"
Twilight Sparkle stepped forward. "I did, and I know who you are."
Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow.
"You're the Mare in the Moon, Nightmare Moon!"
"Well well well, somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here." Nightmare Moon smirked.
"Ummm... You're here to..." Twilight started to sweat nervously. What was Nightmare Moon here to do?
Nightmare Moon laughed again. "Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night shall last FOREVER!" Nightmare Moon laughed and laughed. All was going as planned.
The ponies all fled from the building. Then a slender, somewhat beautiful, but cruel mare trotted in. Her fiery mane whipped back and forth, casting long shadows along the walls.
"This wasn't the plan, Nightmare." Solar Flare said icily.
"What do you mean? There wasn't any plan , Flare. I just did what I thought needed to be done."
In an instant, Solar Flare was upon Nightmare Moon's throat. "You knew the plan! You always think you know best, but you don't!" She eased of of the black mare's neck, and regained her composure. "But... I know you. You're not one to act with such foolishness. You... Wanted this." Solar Flare laughed menacingly. "You double-crossed me. Used me. Just so you could get what you wanted. So, are you going to dispose of me? Are you?" She mocked.
"Of course I was using you, fool! You and I had different goals. You were an idiot to think we could work together." Nightmare Moon shook her head. "But what else can I expect from you ?"
Solar Flare just laughed in response.
"What's so funny?" Nightmare demanded.
"It's just, I was using you as well! Oh, the irony. So, I guess it's your turn to be surprised." Solar Flare smiled in a way that was far from friendly. "So, you and I both are traitors. And we both know what happens to traitors."
Nightmare Moon scowled as she fly toward her sister, a deadly scythe in hand.
~oOo~
Luna was horrified as she saw herself... (Was it even her anymore?) She was fighting Celestia . Her sister . But she couldn't stop herself, and worse, part of her wanted to. They clashed and lunged. Celestia, or whoever she was now, was skilled at magic, but Luna was better at combat overall. But whoever had taken over Celestia was also very skilled in combat.
The two alicorns' horns lit up, collided, and created a blinding flash of light.
"And, now, your two princesses, Princess Celestia and Luna!" Silver Suit, the royal adviser, announced. The crowd cheered.
The two sisters stepped up on the platform. Celestia looked at Luna, just to see her expression. She looked happy, happier than Celestia had seen her in a long, long time. But yet, her smile was laced with sadness. Sadness that one could not forget. The pain of living for centuries, and knowing that your sister could not save you.
Perhaps Luna could never forgive her.
What had happened a few nights ago, nopony ever truly knew. After Nightmare Moon and Solar Flare clashed, the nightmares seemed to... disappear. Celestia and Luna woke up, rubble surrounding them. Then they flew towards each other and embraced their sister.
~oOo~
The days went on, the more that passed, the more ponies would forget. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. The fact that my subjects admire my duty raising the moon comforts me.
I wish I could forget. Forget the sorrows, the troubles. Forget the pain that I have caused. Forget all I have done.
Forget the nightmares that still plague me.
But, for now, my troubles can wait. After all, my sister awaits.
Author's Note
That's it. That's the end. The end of the series.
I wish it could go on forever, but alas, all good things must come to an end.
Sekhmet smiled widely. Things were going so well, with Celestia out of they way, and Luna on the moon. See, Luna's banishment was all part of Sekhmet's and Nyx's plan. Their plan to change Equestria.
The didn't want power, or revenge, or even pleasure. They just wanted all of Equestria to fear them, see their power. And with the Elements destroyed, they were going to succeed. Their nightmares would roam free, and Sekhmet and Nyx would grow stronger than Harmony herself.
But there was always an if . What if they failed? What if Luna and Celestia come to their senses? What if Celestia is more powerful than they thought? Nyx would always be too cautious, asking Sekhmet these things. Oh, but Nyx was always the one to crash the party. Why couldn't she lighten up a bit? Have some fun corrupting and tormenting helpless ponies.
It was such fun!
~oOo~
Luna was lying on the cold floor of the moon. There was really nothing else to do, unless you liked being constantly tormented by the dark spirits that inhabited the moon. Nyx had left, fortunately, but Luna knew that she would return. She lifted the helmet of Nightmare Moon and stared at her reflection. Luna frowned.
"It will become clear," Nyx had said. "All in due time."
But what? What would become clear in due time? Nyx's plan? Perhaps why Luna had to be banished? Or perhaps why all this pain and sorrow had to be?It was all so unclear to Luna. Why did she even listen to Nyx? She should've known... Celestia had every right to banish Luna to the moon, but... Luna had always looked up at her sister, Celestia was her hero. And she was the eldest. Why didn't Celestia save Luna with the Elements? Surely she wanted to.
But what if Celestia just didn't have the power? Was she too weak?
No, no. Celestia was more powerful than anypony. Or was she? Perhaps Luna was even more powerful than Celestia?
Or what if Celestia didn't want to save her? Did Celestia not love her?
Luna threw the helmet behind her, its clanging ringing through the silence.
~oOo~
Celestia gave up. She couldn't fight anymore... Sekhmet was right, Luna was stronger than her. Celestia had...
Merged
with Sekhmet somehow. And now, she felt more power inside of her, but also more anger and hate. Sekhmet moved for Celestia, like this body was hers. Celestia didn't have much control of her own body. Well, her new body. Her mane was practically flames, and her coat was the color of blazing embers. Her hatred and anger... Powered her.
But for some odd reason, she loved it. And she hated herself for it.
