Name: Edward Blankflank
Rank: Private
Date: 8th June 980 AD
Location: Vanhoover Frontline

I sometimes wonder if I'm the only one who cares about the War. Who cares about it's attrocities, it's tragedies, all the destruction and death it brings along. I have been in this Trench for about 7 days now, and already I wish this would just all end. No, I don't wish it to end, I wish it to never have been a thing in the first place. Why would you ever wage war? What does war really lead to? What does it do to you and your fellow ponies? Do you really think war is honorable? Brave? Filled with glory? Well, I'll tell you what war brings:

Horror and madness.

Many of the soldiers that had arrived with me have died already. Died in a trench out of which there is no escape. After what has only been 7 days. You think you could just sign up for war and return as the bravest hero this world has ever seen? Well, you thought wrong, very wrong. The only brave souls in this mess are those who have given their very life. But they are brave just as much as they are stupid. They died for the cause, for their people and nation, yes. But if they actually reconsidered signing up, if they thought about the choice they made when signing their recruitment papers...they would have yelled "This is suicide!" and would have ran off in fear.

You think we are heroes for fighting? For serving our country? You think I'm a hero? That I'm brave?

You couldn't be more wrong.

A hero would stand up, climb out of this damned trench, dodge enemy fire and capture the enemy trench all by himself.

Maybe now you realize why there's no heroes in war. Heroes are as brave and glorious as they are suicidal. And for me, there is nothing glorious in throwing your body at the enemy in an attempt to push the frontline 30 meters closer to King Sombra.

"He's a tyrant!" They say, "He's a ruthless dictator! He must be stoped!" They say. I ask you, if Sombra is truly evil because he is a dictator...

Then isn't Equestria evil itself?

"Please, sister. I don't know what to do anymore..." Celestia moaned as she stood on the balcony of her Bedroom, looking up into the blue nightsky. The moon glimmered as it hung in the sky above Equestria. It was a beautiful sight for a normal pony, but it was the time Celestia used to talk with her long gone sister. She had been imprisoned in the moon for oh so many years now, yet Celestia had regretted sending her away ever since.

"I have failed...I have failed you...I have failed my subjects...I have failed everyone..." Tears began flowing down Celestia's cheeks as she sat down at the railing of the balcony and looked down at the City of Canterlot. She saw only a few ponies, mostly because it was late night at the time. Celestia had long realized that Luna's accusations were correct. She really did steal her all the fame. She really did forget about her and her lovely night. She let her freeze in the big, cold shadow which she casted down onto her, until someday...she had enough.

"I've always claimed to yield Harmony, to bring and defend it. Yet...I can't even seem to hold that promise." She whispered, now again looking up into the moon with the shape of a mare on it. For many this shape was as interesting as it was beautiful, for Celestia...it was a reminder. A reminder of her past errors, her biggest mistake. The imprisonment of her very own sister.

"Dear sister..." Celestia exhaled in sorrow, she closed her eyes as she brought the truth out. "Harmonyis no more...Peace...is no more...the world as we know it, how we together have shaped it...is coming to an end." Celestia was sobbing as she spoke to the moon. She had realized her decrease in power for a long time now. Her general staff had now long robbed her off any prime political power. The military, especially the high ranked military ponies, had not seen action for a very long time. They were starving for their 'honor and glory' which they said rightfully belongs to the military. Something Celestia and her policies of Harmony and peace couldn't provide them with.

The logical conclusion for them: Remove her from power and restore the glory of the military.

And, until now, they had been very much successful in doing so. Celestia's talks of peace had long been treated as 'betrayal of the motherland' and 'incompetence' in the face of direct conflict. Anonym forces roamed around Equestria, increasing the support for the military and the war, and all the while decreasing Celestia's aura of influence on her subjects.

"I am sorry, sister. For everything. I have failed everyone, including you, the ponies of Equestria and myself. I wish you would be here...with me, by my side. Together, we could live through everything, we could defend against this brutal, new age and once again start an age of peace and prosperity. Yet...It is my own fault why that is not possible...I am the very pony that was foolish enough to imprison her sister." Celestia's sobbing cut off her speech as she took a deep breath once again and exhaled before resuming. "I have always claimed to be the defender of Harmony and Peace...yet I have doomed it by fighting and sending away my own sister, and now...I myself am doomed to go down with it..."

Celestia didn't hear the sound of somepony entering her bedroom. One of the big double doors squeaked quietly as a brown-coated stallion entered. As he opened the door, he could already see the Princess out on the balcony. He saw her laying on the railing with her head, her head moved up and down every few seconds due to her sobbing. The stallion inspected her and looked around as he stood in the doorframe, after that he did not hesitate long to enter. His steps were muffled as he walked on the big carpet in the middle of the room. It was a carpet which showed a beautiful sunrise. In fact, most objects in the room resembled a sun in some sorts.

Celestia's ears flinched as they heard a quiet noise in the room behind them. Celestia's sobbing stoped at once as she whiped away her tears and turned around towards her room. To her surprise, it wasn't as much of an intruder as it was a friend.

"Good evening, Princess." Said the brown-coated stallion, bowing slightly.

Celestia moved closer to him, yet still remained outside, on the balcony while he remained on the inside, in her bedroom. He too walked a few steps forward, fully revealing his body as he stepped outside of the shadows of the room, into the light of the moon which, from his point of view, hung just above Celestia.

"Oh, it's you. A relief to see you again." Celestia replied, her voice still impacted by her previous emotional state.

The pony in front of her went through his dark brown hair for a moment, wanting to look good for his Princess. Although she did not hold much of any political power at this point, he was still loyal to her and she was more than glad that he was.

"On the contrary, Princess. I came as soon as I could after I heard you wanted a personal meeting with me. I must say, I am quite surprised though."

Celestia raised an eyebrow at him, replying: "Are you doctor? Are you really?" Doctor Whooves opened his mouth to answer but Celestia was faster. "We both know why I called you, don't we? It's no longer a secret that...things are changing. Changing for the worse. My own military is working against me, trying to overthrow me, doctor!" Her voice became loud, a voice she had not used in a long time now. She was, in the contrary to before, not simply sorry for her failure, but also furious of the betrayal of her own subjects.

"Of course, It is widespread, even in Ponyville. I hear ponies talk about it everywhere, even on the train as I got here."

Celestia sighed and turned her head around towards the moon once again. At first Doctor whooves followed her gaze, staring at the moon, yet he soon interrupted, asking: "So, if I may ask, what exactly do you plan on doing against this? And...why do you require me for it?"

Celestia looked off of the moon, thinking for a brief moment, before facing the doctor again. "I want you to travel back in time to stop me from imprisoning my sister." Celestia replied in a monotone voice.

The Doctor was shocked at this revelation. He had no idea that this was what he was needed for. He thought he may be needed to do some kind of royal duty together with the Princess, or, more plausible, a simple task to convince people of the evil deeds of the military. But this?
No, he had no clue. Not only that, but he was also shocked to see her wanting to go that way, against her own actions, her own past self. His time machine was merely a prototype, not yet ready and safe for use, but even then the doctor knew: Preventing the defeat of Nightmare Moon would change history. Alot.

"I...I'm sorry? Did you just ask for me to...stop you?" Was all the doctor asked. His question was met with a simple, aggreeing nod.

"But...I don't understand? I have studied time travel for such a long time and...preventing you from stopping Nightmare Moon...it would cause tremendous changes in history! It would mean she defeats you!" The doctor sounded more brought up than he meant to, he is usually known for being a gentleman, keeping his temper at all times. But this...this was simply too much for him to respect such self-made rules.

Celestia lowered her head and sighed in sorrow before turning around again. She walked up to the railing once again, staring at the Moon and it's star-filled nightsky. It was truly beautiful. So beautiful in fact, that Celestia was almost jealous of the calm, relaxing beauty of the night.

"I know, doctor. That is why I want you to do it." Celestia replied, now in a quiet, almost whisper-like voice.

The doctor followed her, now stepping outside of the room, onto the balcony. As he stood a few meters behind her, he asked: "But...why? You have brought Equestria Harmony, Peace and Friendship. You have defeated Nightmare Moon to protect said Harmony and Peace so that-"

"Enough!" Celestia shouted in anger, turning back around towards him. Doctor Whooves was as surprised at this sudden outrage as Celestia herself was. She did not mean to shout at him, especially not like this, but him counting up all those things, all those things she knew she had failed at in the end...even sending her very own sister away for those things, only to fail at them...she couldn't hold back.

"...Please. I don't appreciate talking about that topic. Especially not at times like these." Celestia said, now in a more quiet voice.

Doctor Whooves was shocked to see the Princess like this. He had never seen the Princess like this, normally the Princess keeps up a very polite and friendly attitude, just how it is expected from a Princess. But...this was new. This was different. Before him no longer stood a proud Princess, but an already defeated ruler.

"I understand...but I still have to ask...why would you want to change the course of history? Especially in that way? Nightmare Moon would bring eternal night over Equestria! Forever!"

The Princess would have loved to cut out the name 'Nightmare Moon' everytime people say it, yet she unfortunatly, out of all the magic she posessed, this was not an ability of hers.

"I know, Doctor..." She muttered, her voice threatened to be silenced by sobbing once again. "As you can see, my past decisions have only lead to something I have never thought of being a possibility. I have failed. Completely." The Doctor wanted to interrupt her, saying she was, in fact, not a failure, but he was silenced as Celestia continued. "I have always wanted Harmony. Peace. Friendship...don't you see what that has lead to? At this very moment my subjects are dying in war, my very own military is plotting a coup against me and...my sister is still locked inside the moon. If anything, I am sorry she has to watch all of this, having to see me fail so much after what I did to her."

Celestia, tears once again streaming down her cheeks, moved towards the doctor until she was right in front of him. She doctor moved back a little as Celestia lowered her head to his normal level. "So I ask, no, I beg you: Stop me. Stop this. Save the future of Equestria...for I can not..."

Doctor thought deeply about the choice he had to make. Aggreing and using the time machine now and then trying to stop Celestia's past self? The princess of the sun? Truly, it was suicidal and hopeless. If a malfunction of the time machine didn't kill him, then Celestia would for sure.

But for some reason, for the first time in his life, his emotions outweighted his rationality. It may have been suicidal, but if Celestia was right and if the military continued their plans, he was going to die anyways. It seemed to be a better choice to die on a heroic mission to save Equestria, rather than dying in a dirty, bloodfilled trench on the battlefield.

"I will do it. Although it is very dangerous, and I probably will not survive...I will do it." Doctor Whooves replied, a bit of pride in his voice.

Celestia noded and leveled her head up once again. "Very well. I thank you for your help, It will certainly not be forgotten. Now, I believe it is better you leave now, we don't want any of my enemies to find you here." Celestia suggested.

Doctor Whooves noded in aggreement, replying: "As you wish, Princess. I wish you a good night and best of luck for whatever may happen in the future."

Celestia was certain luck would not be needed, one way or another she was doomed to fail. She was either gonna be overthrown by her own miliary or her sister would rule forever in eternal night.

"I don't think luck will help in times like these..." She replied, sighing as she turned to the moon once more with a sorry look. "Good luck, Doctor. And...sorry. Sorry you are needed to do this."

Doctor was unsure whether he was to reply or not, but decided to simply leave silently without replying. He walked off through the room, his hooves creating clopping noises as he walked through the room. The noises were only once again muffled by the big carpet in the middle of the room. Celestia knew exactly where he was, even though she was not watching him anymore. As he arrived at the door, he once again turned around, speaking in a quiet voice which was almost inaudible to Celestia, saying: "You've done your best. I'm sure your sister wouldn't blame you for that."
Then, he walked out, closing the door behind him.

All that remained was the Princess. She walked up to a wall and sat down, resting her head on the wall. She simply sat on the balcony for what seemed like hours, yet the moon didn't move. It was unmoved, seemingly returning Celestia's gaze. As Celestia felt her sister's presence near her, she managed to smile a little bit, her face still wet from tears, whispering towards the moon:

"I've tried, sister. I've tried."

Author's Note

Adding Doctor Whooves to the story was not originally intended, but I do say that he did his part quite well so far.
Not sure if I should add a Doctor Whooves tag to the story or not though