"Do you hate me, sister?"
"Do you hate me, sister?"
Written by Cartoonlover13
***
Queen Luna stalked down the dark hallway, clearly distraught. She shook her head, trying to dislodge her nagging thoughts. Do not think of that foolish mare, she scolded herself. The only sound she heard was the clopping of her hooves on the slick black ground. She could remember her and Celestia's coronation like it was just yesterday, when in reality it was more than a thousand years ago. Oh, it was one of her favorite memories. Little did those two young alicorns know what was in store for them in the future.
She could remember that after she and her sister were crowned the rulers of Equestria, Celestia had been so happy. She had said to their mentor, Star Swirl the Bearded, "We promise — no — we know that we will rule together in harmony until the day we pass this world!"
Ah, those were simpler times back then. Luna smiled as she reminisced about the more innocent days, such as when the two young princesses entered an epic prank war. Even the six founders of Equestria, and sometimes royal delegates from other countries, had entered the conflict. What could ponies expect? They were only in their twenties when they took the Equestrian Throne.
How things have changed. Luna remembered that she agreed with her older sister. Both of them had made a promise that they could sadly could not keep. Luna felt guilty, as it was mainly her fault for the promise having been broken twice. The first time was when Luna succumbed to her jealousy, turning into the wicked mare of darkness, Nightmare Moon. Now only less than ten years after the Luna’s return, her dearest sister is dead because of her. I'm so sorry, Star Swirl, Luna thought.
She stood before her sister's tomb.
Not the gigantic memorial Luna erected in her memory. The body in that coffin was completely fake. She wasn't foolish enough to put her former fellow ruler's body in a place so public, which had the chance of being robbed.
She stood before her real tomb. A vault so secret that the only ponies who knew of its existence were herself and the dead alicorn before her. Secrets that the Kingdom of Equestria had were in this vault, including all of the dangerous artifacts in Equestria, and the bodies of friends and foes to the Two Royal Pony Sisters.
Unlike the massive and overdone public memorial, Celestia’s real tomb was a rather simple thing. The spell Luna cast on her sister's corpse had preserved her body perfectly. In some ways it suited her. Celestia, even though she is was a princess, wasn't really crazy about anything frou-frou and fancy.
The Princess of the Day, in her eternal sleep, looked so at peace, quite unlike her younger sister, who was filled with many different emotions all at war with one another. Celestia's body had been completely cleaned of the injuries that stole away her life the night she was murdered.
Luna shook her head. How Celestia could let her guards become so incompetent while she ruled alone, I will never know. But what else could I expect from that damned fool of a mare who depended on her student to take care of all of her problems?
A certain thought battled in Luna: Do I love her, or do I hate her? Was it really worth it for her to be dead?
"It's hilarious how many ponies think we are immortal, Celestia. We alicorns age very slowly, but we will one day reach old age and pass from this world. We may be powerful, but we are not invincible. Especially you, sister." She set a hoof on the glass and sighed. It been many weeks, long enough. Maybe even too long. Now is the time…
Luna cleared her throat. “Do you hate me, sister? It's been nagging me that I could of stopped that cult from murdering you, but I didn't. I beg for your forgiveness. If you were alive and survived your assassination, would you hate me for not stopping the cult?”
Luna bit her lip. “I'm sorry that I made a promise I wouldn't keep, Celestia. On your last night alive you were so excited for another trip with your beloved Lulu…”
***
“Celestia?”
The Solar Princess tore away her eyes from the book’s pages. “Oh hi, Luna!” She set down her novel on the nightstand beside her bed.
Luna approached to older sister to nuzzle her.
“How are you, Lulu?”
“I'm good, Tia, I just wanted to say goodnight and that I hoped you enjoyed our trip to Prance,” responded Luna.
“Oh, it was absolutely wonderful. We haven't had a vacation in forever,” Celestia said, adjusting her position in bed.
“At least when we returned from our vacation there wasn't any chaos. Princess Twilight did an excellent job as the Royal Regent.”
“Yeah maybe we should take another vacation and put Twilight in charge again!” beamed Celestia.
Luna forced a fake smile to her face. “Yeah… anyway, Celly, goodnight. When you enter the world of sleep, I will make sure you have the most wonderful of dreams.”
“Thanks, Lulu,” Celestia yawned. “I'll plan our next vacation. How about going to Zebrica!?” She pulled the covers over her body, surprised when her younger sister wrapped her hooves around her, giving her an affectionate hug.
“Goodnight, Luna…” Celestia smiled as she returned the loving, sisterly hug.
***
Luna closed her eyes, rubbing her temples. "I have a confession to make, Celestia. Even though I was free from that wretched Nightmare Moon, I knew from the very moment I came back that I wouldn't be respected as a ruler as long as you, Celestia, were ruling. I was simply tired of playing second fiddle to you. I hid those feelings from you since I knew they were sinful. Yes, I knew we both made a promise to not keep secrets from each other, but I couldn't tell you. You can't change the ponies of Equestria’s minds who favor you to show the same respect to me. I'm sorry we had a very… complicated relationship.” Luna shook her head, bad memories flooding her mind.
“And so, two years ago, the Cult of the Nightmares was founded. My subjects know it was the mare, Midnight Twinkle, who is still wanted, who founded the cult and pulled all of the strings. One of the many cults made in my name, I presume? I knew there were many attempts to take your life stemming from Nightmare Moon’s cultists. I figured that out not long after my return. Nopony would of guessed that you, the beloved Sun Princess, would be slain by those cultists in my name, even after you’d defeated so many other cults like them in the past. I could have stopped it since I had knowledge of the planned assassination, but I… I didn't…"
Luna felt tears forming in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away. No… no more… no more crying… “I am now the senior Princess of Equestria — the Queen, no less. I am no longer in your shadow. I was always in your shadow, Celestia. I have never been out of it.”
Luna let a deep breath. “What happened at the funeral was very… unexpected as your student just… just couldn't deal with the grief and broke down…”
***
The state funeral had concluded not long ago and all of Queen Luna’s subjects had left. Now all the ponies in attendance at this private funeral were those close to her sister such as her friends and other members of her family. Everything was beautiful. Celestia would have loved that ponies had put so much work into her resting place. The glass coffin was made of pure gold and had flowers surrounding it. Inside the casket was none other the Princess of the Day herself. The kind, gentle smile that was always associated with Celestia was upon her face. Luna's elder sister simply looked as if she was peacefully asleep, having a good dream. Celestia was dressed in the same outfit she wore when her student was crowned a new Princess of Equestria, only the difference was that it was more… somber looking. In her crossed hooves were a fresh bouquet of flowers.
Luna wanted nothing more than to break down weeping along with the other ponies in attendance. As she approached the coffin, she made a note to herself to switch her sister's body with a wax figure. The fatal wounds that haunted Luna were completely gone.
Luna, remembering the speech she had written, turned around to the face the audience. She took a deep sigh and spoke. “Dearest friends and family. Today we have gathered to say a final farewell to my beloved sister, the Princess of the Day, Celestia. My sister was much more than just a hero or a princess. She was our subjects’ light, she was my sister, my best friend…” Luna started to choke up; memories started to flow right back to her. All the nuzzles on the cheeks, warm embraces, and joyful laughs the two sisters shared came like a strike to the face. Then abruptly came the bloodshed and misery, destroying those happy memories.
“We… we must never forget her. We must never forget her deeds, her lessons, her loving nature, her memories nor her… her affectionate smile…”
Luna hesitantly turned her head towards her dead sister's smiling face. “I, her sister will never ever forget her… nor should any of you, her friends and family. While we must never forget her, we must move on with our lives…”
Tears started to fill Luna's eyes, blurring her vision. She hated being weak in front of her subjects. “If anypony wants to say anything, stand up please.”
Luna quickly went back to her seat, wiping away her tears.
“Auntie?”
Luna turned to her right to see her weeping niece. “Yes, Cadence?”
“It's okay….”
An ear piercing scream cut Cadence off. “SHUT UP!”
Luna nearly jumped out of her seat. Snapping away her attention away from her niece, she saw her sister's former pupil, tears streaming down from her glaring eyes. Who she had just yelled at was her own mother, Twilight Velvet, one of Celestia's closest friends.
“Twilight…” muttered Velvet.
The Princess of Friendship slapped off her mother's hoof on her shoulder.
“Don’t you get it? It was my job to protect Equestria from things like this! IT WAS ALL MY FAULT!”
Luna marched towards Twilight. The youngest alicorn flinched away. “Please, Luna…” pleaded the crying lavender alicorn, “…just… just don't…” Twilight rudely shoved Luna out the way and bolted away from the memorial.
***
“I know you would've disapproved of your former student’s behavior. She just had so much grief and anger; she took it out in her mother and herself.” Luna winced as she once again felt guilt. “She later came to realize her mistake. Everything is alright.”
The Queen took a deep breath, knowing that wasn't really the truth. “Well, not everything is alright. Some ponies don't trust me with my past as Nightmare Moon. There are riots breaking out because of growing frustration at the Royal Guards lack of success in finding Midnight Twinkle. I'm slowly getting the hoof of ruling alone. The Bearers of the Elements of Harmony are doing whatever they can to help, but I’m afraid there isn’t much they can do.
Luna shut her eyes as she remembered the night she had the the most horrible night's sleep, when in the morning when her sister's corpse would have been discovered.
***
Luna’s hooves were sore from all the pacing she did before she descended into the world of sleep. In her sleep, she was twisting and turning. She bolted awake to her door swinging open. A guard, one of her own guards, was sweating bullets, out of breath.
The moment she heard what she the horrified guard said, she tore off the covers, tears streaming down her face as she blazed down the castle's halls as fast as she could.
The whole world seemed to stop moving when she heard: “P–P–Princess Luna…! P–Princ–c–cess Celestia has been k–killed!" The Princess of the Moon's mind was a mess.
She reached the hall that held her older sister's room and saw ponies crying in each other's hooves; other ponies who had just arrived at the scene were completely unaware of what had been discovered, only to devastated when they learned about what had happened. Guards tried to clear them away from the murder scene.
Part of her mind was so completely devastated that it denied the murder, hoping that it was a mistake Celestia was dead. That part of her brain screamed that Celestia was completely alive. All the guards and maids were trying to conceal their sobs, nopony even daring to utter a single word to the Lunar Princess.
Luna took a deep breath her mind scrambling to remember her pre-planned expressions. An ear-piercing shriek echoed through the halls of Canterlot Castle once she saw the corpse.
Lying in a pool of crimson blood in her queen-sized bed, lay Princess Celestia, her dearest sister, whose eyes were now closed forever. A little part of her denied the murder of her sister, hoping she had survived the brutal attack.
It was a struggle to breathe. With each single step, she moved towards her sibling's body. The guards stepped back from the Princess, bowing their heads to her and their fallen co-ruler of Equestria. Some had broken their usual emotionless, stone-faced expressions and openly bawled.
Luna did not weep, at least not yet. She… she just wanted to make sure Midnight's — no, her plan — she alone had thought had succeeded in stealing a life away.
The body of her sister looked nothing like that regal, calm, and poised pony the public saw. Her body was riddled with deep gashes. Instead of her warm smile, all Luna could imagine was her sibling’s horrified expression when she was mercilessly killed. She took the cold, motionless body into her hooves, crimson blood spilling, staining the Princess of the Night’s dark blue fur. Why…why am I acting like this!? I did this!
Luna fell to her haunches, her whole world shattering, eyes tearing up. The hard, cold reality hit her like a slap in the face that she would never snuggle, hold, or hug her sister ever again. It was all thanks to her. She alone caused her own sister to die. She couldn't remember her practised motions or lines or anything she’d prepared to show the world how sad she felt. She just held her sister and cried.
The little part of her which denied the murder of her sister couldn't deny it any longer. Princess Celestia, former wielder of the Elements of Harmony, savior of Equestria, and Diarch of Equestria, was dead, and it was because Luna had killed her.
***
"I thought I had it all planned out, Celestia. And so after I got myself together, I crowned myself Queen of Equestria. It was my and your rightful title, as we were not the daughters of monarchs: we were the rulers of all of Equestria!”
Luna rolled her eyes. "It was very easy to catch the assassins since I personally knew them. Hell, I was their boss. My subjects don't have a clue I was Midnight Twinkle. I never cared for those foolish assassins, as they were just pawns in my plan. Some ponies rallied for their deaths, but the death penalty has been abolished years ago. And so they are literally burning in Tartarus."
The Princess of the Night chuckled. "They are still hunting for Midnight Twinkle. Sadly she will never be caught and there will be injustice in your murder forever. At your funeral, ponies were devastated. The ones who suffered the most are your family: my niece, Cadence and my niece-in-law, Twilight Sparkle. Twilight Sparkle may be a threat, but only I can go into ponies' dreams. Dreams say a lot about yourself and your situation. She doesn't have a clue, sister. Don't worry. I shall spare your surrogate daughter's life. I promise you that and I hope I can live up to that."
Luna bit her lip. "I hate you. My hatred for you seems to never end, Celestia," the Queen said coldly. "But… even with all of the hatred I have for you I still… I still harbor love for you. I'm afraid that feeling will never disappear."
"But," the monarch said, "if I can forgive you for you banishing me to the moon for a thousand years — a punishment worse than death for me — can you forgive me for me killing you? Celestia, please understand that I planned your murder because I think it is the best possible choice for Equestria for me to take the throne. I understood you put me on the moon because I threatened our kingdom's well being. I hope you understand that I wanted you dead for the sake of our kingdom." Luna doubted her sister truly loved ruling Equestria. Celestia was much too free spirited and kind to be a ruler.
Luna sighed, rubbing her temples. "A part of me has regrets, but part of me doesn't, Tia. As I look upon your peaceful expression I must ask if you hate me. To know that I was the one who finally ended your life in secret. That with careful planning, I took the throne I had sought for so long. Nopony knows it was my hoof that led to your death and my final victory. Yet now that I look upon you, in eternal sleep, I wonder if all of this was worth it. You deserved to know how I did it. You deserved to know.” Luna stared at the motionless body.
“I should've talked to you. I should've told you what I really felt…” Luna felt shame take over her, but that feeling was short-lived.
“Oh, who am I kidding? Why do I bother?” The Lunar Princess slammed her hooves on the ground. “If the truth got out, nopony would ever forgive me. I was behind their beloved Princess' death! I honestly don't know what you would have thought, but I hope that if there is an afterlife, that I can see you again. When I eventually die, when you and I meet once again, that you will understand why I did it."
Luna once again sighed.
It was, at last, done; she had finally got it off her chest. The part of her mind that felt the guilt of lying to her sister was now silent.
"Goodbye, Celestia," Luna said, trotting out of the tomb.
***
Queen Luna slouched upon Celest— her throne. Using her telekinesis, she hoofed off the documents she had recently signed to her assistant, Moon Light.
“That is all the documents that needed your signature, Your Majesty,” said Moon Light.
Luna took a relieved deep breath. Finally, she thought. “Very well. You are dismissed, Moon.”
The assistant nodded and quickly made her way out of the throne room. Luna wiped her face with her hooves, feeling a headache coming around. Before her banishment, Luna had on a number of occasions briefly ran the country herself. But those were for short amounts of time, and those events happened over thousand years ago. Times had changed since then. Stressed could not even begin to describe what Luna was feeling. She stretched her wings out and an audible 'pop' could be heard. She slowly raised from the throne and left the throne room.
In only a month, the duties of a Queen were starting to take a drastic toll on on Luna. The division of the populace was worse than she had anticipated. Ponies were saying their Queen was deliberately keeping Midnight Twinkle from justice, while her supporters said that the Queen did everything in her power to find the cruel murderer. All of her subjects were completely unaware Midnight Twinkle was right under their noses along.
Luna took a deep breath when she reached her bedchamber. Once inside, she rushed over to her soft bed with freshly cleaned sheets. She groaned as her head lay on the pillow, which to her tired mind felt softer than feathers.
When the alicorn turned her body to the left, she caught sight of a newspaper. Luna's magical aura grasped the newspaper, bringing it to her eyes.
THE CANTERLOT TIMES
TRIXIE LULAMOON = MIDNIGHT TWINKLE?
Written by Lilly Sterling
Editor of The Canterlot Times
Yesterday, the suspect for the founder of the Cult of Nightmares was arrested. The suspect is Trixie Lulamoon, who allegedly disguised herself as Midnight Twinkle. If true, this will prove a very popular theory that Midnight Twinkle did not exist, but was merely a disguise.
Does Trixie Lulamoon sound familiar? Well, Trixie Lulamoon goes by the stage name 'The Great and Powerful Trixie' and travels Equestria as a magician. There's no doubt she's been in your town.
Lulamoon has had a troubling past. From information we have received she was expelled from Princess Celestia's School For Gifted Unicorns for recklessness, a possible motive for her involvement in killing (may she rest in peace) Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia. When in Ponyville, two of her followers got an Ursa Minor to attack the small city. When Lulamoon returned for a second visit, she had only one thing in mind: revenge. Princess Twilight Sparkle had defeated the Ursa Minor, making Lulamoon feel one upped. And so, Lulamoon got her hooves on dark magic, the Alicorn Amulet. The amulet gave her the power of an alicorn but she was defeated by Princess Twilight Sparkle and left.
Yesterday, Trixie Lulamoon was visiting her mother, Showcase Lulamoon. Mrs. Lulamoon saw her daughter doing an illusion spell that allowed her to look like other ponies, one of which matched the description of Midnight Twinkle. Suspicious, she contacted the Royal Guards.
The Royal Guards came and searched Trixie Lulamoon's wagon. What they found shocked them. The Guards found the swords that took Princess Celestia's life and even had her blood stained on the swords.
Riots have since died down, but neigh-sayers about HM the Queen on the other hoof have not. A date for the trial of Trixie Lulamoon has not been set yet.
See p. 2 for more
Luna flung the newspaper across her room, burying her face into her heavenly pillow. She felt no regret for framing Trixie Lulamoon for Luna’s own crimes. Trixie should have been behind bars a long time ago. She was in possession of dark magic, but Celestia foolishly didn't charge Trixie for her crimes because her student pled on her behalf. The law is the law and Celestia didn't understand that.
Sadly this Canterlot Times newspaper was the only newspaper she saw that didn't have one single criticism towards her. Luna gritted her teeth as she recalled those horrid titles plastered on the the front page of every newspaper in Equestria. 'Does Queen Luna Have Too Much Power?’, 'Princess Luna Crowned Queen! Ponies Are Now Outraged!’, 'Will Queen Luna Be A Good Ruler?’, 'Rulers Of Foreign Nations Don't Trust The Queen’
The consequences of Luna's actions had completely blindsided her. With most foreign dignitaries and a portion of her citizens refusing to trust her, the unrest over Midnight Twinkle fiasco, and the absurd amount of new duties on her hooves, Luna felt as if her head was going to explode. A certain thought had haunted Luna ever since she was the sole ruler of Equestria: What am I going to do?
Author's Note
Huge thanks to my pre-readers and proofreaders! 
I would be lost without them. Please tell me if there is any grammar and punctuational mistakes or typos in this one-shot. Also do you guys want a sequel?
