The Journey of Night and Day

Tears streamed down the tiny alicorn's white cheeks, as she held her shivering sister to her chest tightly. The crashes and screams outside had stopped, but the two sisters had been instructed to stay behind the castle walls until their parents came to get them. It had been four days since the battles had silenced.

Celestia and Luna had lived hidden from battle for several months. Celestia was a white filly with long, wavy, light pink hair and pink eyes. Luna was a dark blue pony with a short, light blue mane. As the daughters of the King of Night, and the Queen of Light, the two were raised as the Princesses of the Sun and Moon.

Luna looked up, teary eyed, at Celestia. "W-we should go... look f-for them..." she began quietly. Celestia shook her head vigorously, tears pouring out of her closed eyes. A lump had formed in Celestia's throat, and she decided against speaking aloud.

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna stayed in the castle, living off of the limited supplies in the castle kitchen. They spent two years there, until one morning. This particular morning, the sun rose.

Celestia squirmed to cover her eyes, but then realized the source of her discomfort. The sun was rising shakily into the sky for the first time in nearly three years. Celestia bolted out of bed, across the room to Luna's bed. "Luna! Luna wake--" Celestia stopped short. Luna was not in her bed. Celestia raced about the castle, quickly beginning to panic, calling for Luna.

Finally she reached the front entrance, where Luna was having quite a difficult time squeezing her way through a tiny hole in the cracked wall. "Luna? Where do you think you are going?" Luna froze, then pulled her head back in. "Sister! I did not realize you were awake!" Luna's blue-green eyes sparkled with excitement. "Did you see the sun rise? Do you understand what this could mean?"

Celestia nodded sadly. But it is impossible, she thought. "Our parents--" Luna started.

"Our parents would want us to stay safe." Celestia pulled Luna into a hug, but Luna persisted, pushing her away.

The dark blue filly began pounding on the edges of the hole determinedly. When that didn't work, she then began to desperately throw random large objects at it. "Luna," Celestia said. "You must--" Celestia promptly lost her train of thought as a deep crevice crawled its way all the way to the ceiling. Celestia gasped as the wall broke open, and morning sunlight flooded into the room.

Luna's eyes lit up. She bounded through the wide gap, Celestia hurriedly on her heels.

The landscape before them was barren, but beautiful. Long, flowing grass replaced what used to be dusty gravel. Lush forest could be seen in the distance, dark shadows covering the interior. The kingdom, once beautiful as well, was now in ruins. Large blocks of cement jutted out from the ground as painful reminders of the War, and the dirt path that led throughout the city was overgrown and covered nearly entirely in an assortment of plant life.

Celestia sat in the tall grass, soaking in the warmth of the sun. Luna collapsed, a wide grin on her face, next to her sister. Celestia glanced at her happy sibling, and smiled.

Luna rolled onto her back and said lightly, "We should look around, Tia." Celestia was taken aback for a split second, then replied. "Why? What more is there to see? Do you not like it here?" Luna looked the older filly straight in the eye. "Of course I like it here," she said, "but would it not be a good idea to search for our missing parents?"

Celestia's heart dropped to her hooves. She realized suddenly that she would not be able to convince her sister that they were not coming back.

Just as Celestia had opened her mouth to respond, she heard a noise. A brushing sort of noise, getting closer and closer. "Luna," she whispered. "Get down. Something's here."