Luna thought of her mother's death. She could imagine running to her mother and telling her all about her feelings. A sob shook her body. "My mother died this month after my sister's sixteenth birthday," She admitted.

"That is terrible. I know the feeling of reeling from grief and loss of someone you love," Zecora sympathized. "I'm sure that Queen Helia is watching you from afar."

"Yeah." Luna gave her a sad smile as she nodded.

Soon, Zecora finished creating a potion. She poured the potion onto a cloth, and placed the cloth onto Luna's wounds. The wounds disappeared from view when the cloth touched the wounds.

The coolness of the liquid made Luna feel better than before. She smiled with gratefulness as Zecora stepped back and placed the cloth onto the shelf.

"That is kind of you," Luna smiled.

"Have a good day," Zecora replied.

Luna walked out of the hut, and strode to the meadow. Near the trees in front of the pond, Discord sat on a log. Luna approached the pond, and smiled. "Hello," She greeted.

"Hi," Discord replied.

"How is your day going?"

"It's peaceful. I usually sit here in my free time, away from the trio's drama. Night Blossom, Silver Moon, and Moonflower were quite flighty and vain sometimes."

"I know, right? My morning started out horrible, and when I came here, Zecora cheered me up with her wisdom as she healed my wounds. I'm feeling great." Luna smiled once again. "Celestia was mean to me. She tried to strip me of the royal title, and frightened me away with her wrath."

Discord paused as he took in all the details. Celestia was cruel? And, she had the growing ambition to become queen? How selfish and unbecoming! "I now understood what she meant when she considered you to be irritating," He muttered.

"I can't handle her," Luna confided as she shook her head.

She also sat next to Discord, and looked to the horizon. She felt calm and free. The castle felt restrictive and wild. Why would Celestia want to be cruel to her? Was that for her own personal gain? Was it to assert power over Luna?

The water breezies skated across the pond, and left behind a trail of countless colors. Luna watched in awe. "Wow. So beautiful," She murmured. "Nice work!"

The water breezies giggled in response as they flew towards Luna and placed the water droplets onto her mane. The droplets made her mane sparkle for a moment. The flower breezies flitted from the shadows, and held a flower crown as they approached the princess.

Luna stepped off the log, and followed the breezies. They reached the center of the meadow. The breezies started to sing in their own language. She might not understand the language, but she enjoyed hearing the melodic ringing of their voices.

Luna giggled as one of the breezies touched her nose. Then, as she rose her hoof, the other breezie touched her hoof. "I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream," She sang.

Meanwhile, in the castle, Celestia continued to stare at her reflection in the mirror. A thought appeared in her mind. "Mirror, mirror on the wall... who is the fairest of all?" She hummed darkly.

"You are the fairest of all," The reflection replied.

"I am the fairest of all alicorns. I am going to be the most refined and elegant queen!"

Celestia smiled as she trotted out of the room. She entered the throne room, and stood tall. King Orion strode into the throne room, exhausted from his journey. He had lost most of his youthful luster ever since the queen died from illness. He had gained some weight, and his formerly dark blue mane turned silver. His midnight blue coat was dirty from the quest. Each time he moved his wings, he grunted with agony.

He seemed solemn and ancient. "Greetings, Celestia. Where is your sister?" Orion began.

"She's in the woods, playing with the breezies," Celestia speculated. "She's safe."

"Do you understand the reason why your mother has not given you a gift?"

"That's because she loves Luna much more!" Celestia lost her temper, and stomped her hooves on the floor.

"Settle down," Orion warned. "Now, the reason is because she has suffered memory loss and does not know that you have turned sixteen. The memory loss has originated from the plague. The plague is dangerous, and that is why I returned home early. The physicians said that the plague can cause brain damage and endless bleeding."

"You're not lying, are you? I'm tired of being in my sister's shadow! I shall be the rightful Queen of Equestria! There is only one Princess that deserves the throne, and that princess shall be me!"

She shot a fiery beam at her father. Her father tumbled to the floor, and groaned in pain. Celestia chuckled darkly. "You should have died when my mother died," She lashed out.

"Celestia... spare me," Orion begged.

"I won't."

"Spare me."

Celestia didn't reply. She would watch him die, and she would revel in his suffering. Four years passed since she last saw Discord. During those years, her ambition pulled her further away from Discord and into the temptations of royal life.

Meanwhile, Luna, the younger sister, rose to become the Princess of the Night and the Guardian of Dreams. She grew more confident and beautiful than ever. Now seventeen, she had come of age to marry. But, she wouldn't need to be married in order to benefit the kingdom. She was independent and powerful, and she knew it. Discord was officially the Guardian of the Everfree Forest.

While Celestia, twenty years old, decided to plot against her dying father. She wouldn't tell Luna, and neither would she tell Chancellor Compass. She had been betrothed to Sombra, and never told Discord the truth.

Luna had figured that Celestia decided to be disloyal to the draconequus. She didn't want to call her out on the apparent lack of loyalty, for fear of experiencing Celestia's wrath. One afternoon, a pony tried to attack Discord, but out of defense, Discord fought the pony and allowed the pony to die. News of the death spread throughout the kingdom like wildfire. Soon, Orion figured that Discord was a dangerous threat to deal with.

Luna had argued that Discord only intended to defend the forest, but Orion didn't believe her. Her fear for the safety of the forest only grew with each passing hour. That night, Celestia entered the king's bedchambers.

"I have come to your aid. I shall avenge you," Celestia offered.

"Do you think you are worthy of the crown?" Orion retorted. "I shall crown Luna the queen if she avenges me."

"I will do it! I will destroy the draconequus."

Behind the doors, Luna listened to the conversation. She gasped and froze as she realized that Celestia had been dishonest to Discord all along! Why would she want to marry Sombra to rise to power? Wasn't that a black widow's doing? Celestia had deceived Discord; she would deceive Sombra when they got married.

"I better tell Discord about this," Luna whispered as she rushed away.

Soon, she reached the Everfree Forest. "Discord!" She called. There was no response. She wondered if Discord would even respond.

Discord landed behind her, aware of the day's events that made him doubt the Equestrians. "You haven't reported to me in a while. What is it?" He interrogated.

Luna turned to face Discord. "My father became vengeful. He meant to avenge the deceased attacker. Celestia would come soon to hurt somepony," She warned.

"Oh. Should we be wary when Celestia comes?"

"Yes!" Luna stood tall, her eyes wide as she thought of what could happen if Celestia met with Discord.

Soon, they walked to the riverbank, and sat against a rock. They stargazed and looked to the glorious moon. Luna sighed. She hoped that Celestia would never come. That way, the forest would live happily ever after, safe from Celestia's dark influence.

"Are you feeling tired?" Discord wondered.

"Not really," Luna replied. "The nighttime is my time."

"I see. That's why you are named Luna."

"Yeah. I know you are only guarding the forest from the attacker. I couldn't believe that my father decided to blame you. I know that Celestia has darkened over the years. I have seen the fiery mare in her dream one night. She terrifies me. I never enjoyed fire. Let's hope that Celestia doesn't transform into... her."

Discord nodded. "I am beginning to doubt Celestia's motives. It feels as if she is not to be trusted," He agreed.

Luna wanted to tell him about Celestia's relationship with Sombra, but that would only send him into a rage. She wanted to make him feel safe. He didn't need to feel so defensive towards everypony, unless an adversary threatened to harm him.

Discord's eyes grew heavy, and his eyes closed. Luna draped her wing over her friend, and looked to the stars once more. She heard hoofsteps approaching behind her, and gently moved away from Discord so that she wouldn't wake him up. She had to face the intruder this instant. She heard a chuckle, and recognized the voice. It was Celestia!

A rage built up in Luna's heart. Her anger continued to grow. She loathed her sister for betraying the royal family and for betraying her friend! She let the hate consume her heart. "Celestia! Why must you do this to us?" Luna interrogated.

Celestia chuckled. She knew that the spell began to take effect. "Oh, dear... if only there is somepony out there that loved you," She jeered.

"You wouldn't dare!" Luna prepared to leap at her sister. Shadows emerged from the ground and pulled her back.

The older sister watched as her sister gave in to the shadows. "It is fulfilled," She murmured. "It worked!"

Luna began to transform. Her body became elongated and slender, her coat as black as night. Her teeth became fangs, and the pupils in her eyes became draconic slits. Her mane became formless. As the transformation finished, she landed onto the ground, and stood tall. "I am no longer Luna! I am Nightmare Moon!" She began.

Celestia looked on, impressed by her creation. She had created a monster so that she could rise to power. "You will be forgotten," She taunted as she shot a powerful beam at her darkened sister.

In an attempt to exile her sister, she failed. Nightmare Moon only landed onto the ground, unconscious from the impact. Celestia decided to just steal something important. But, what might be important to Luna or Nightmare Moon?

Celestia levitated a dagger from her saddlebag, and levitated it near Nightmare's wings. She could use wings as evidence that she "avenged" her father. She pressed the dagger against the left wing, and watched as the blood spewed from the mare's back. She also wondered what to steal from Discord. Perhaps a few gemstones should be taken. She could also lie to the trio of breezies about Nightmare Moon.

As soon as she clipped Nightmare's wings off her back, she placed them into her saddlebag for evidence. She noticed several gems near the riverbank, and collected them. She placed them into her saddlebag. She ran off to find the trio of breezies. She found them in the small clearing. They were in a deep sleep.

"Awaken," Celestia commanded.

Night Blossom was the first one to wake up. "What?" She murmured.

"Luna decided to betray us all. You shall be my followers so that we can stop her."

"How do you know?"

Celestia remained as stoic as possible. "She lost in the battle," She admitted.

"Was she dead?" Night Blossom returned.

"No. She passed out. She is still Nightmare Moon."

"Leave us alone!"

Celestia didn't budge. Moonflower and Silver Moon woke from their slumber, and rubbed the sleep from their eyes. They seemed ready to gang up against the sun princess.

"You'll be safer if you live with me," Celestia lied.

"Oh, good," Moonflower whispered with relief. She turned to Silver Moon and Night Blossom. "Let's go live with Celestia!"

"Uh, good idea?" Silver Moon replied.

Celestia nodded as she beckoned them to follow her out of the forest and to the darkened castle. Soon, she entered the castle and galloped to the royal bedchambers. King Orion was asleep. She placed the saddlebags onto the dresser, and the loud noise woke the king from his slumber.

"I have avenged you, father," Celestia whispered.

Orion knew what Celestia meant. He didn't want to believe her. He didn't want to crown her the Queen... yet. "You... worthy? How?" Orion remarked.

Celestia approached the king, and levitated a pillow. She pressed the pillow onto her father's face, and the king coughed breathlessly. The coughing halted, and the king became as still as a statue. She didn't feel any guilt.

"I'm called Queen Celestia," She muttered as she placed the pillow onto the ground to make it look like as if the king died of a mysterious illness.

Celestia took the pair of wings out of the saddlebag, and marveled at her achievement. "I am the queen. Nopony else can take the throne," She finished.

She dragged the wings to her bedroom, and placed them into a glass container. She levitated the ropes and wrapped the ropes around the container in order to fortify the container. She slumped onto her bed, and drifted off to dreamland.

Author's Note

The scene where Celestia choked her father to death was inspired by the scene in the novel version of Maleficent, where Stefan choked the old king with a pillow. Does that shock you? Why or why not?