Before it happened

Funeral bells echoed down the streets of a small but grand town. There were stallions garbed in golden armor, all pegasi, carrying a large casket. The casket had a large symbol on the top, the sun. Ponies lined the streets all dressed in black hanging their heads. Some were even crying. A lone alicorn, midnight blue with a starry flowing mane, stood at the final resting place watching as the casket was brung before her. Tears were flowing freely down her cheeks onto the ground. Why, just the night before, the midnight blue alicorn was with the pony in the casket. “My dear sister”, the alicorn whispered, staring solemnly at the casket, remembering the events leading up to this moment.

“HOW CAN SHE JUST MURDER, JUST BECAUSE SHE FEELS THE NEED FOR MORE”, Luna asked the night before her sister, Celestia, was taken.

The midnight alicorn was frantic and angry.

“Our souls can leave our bodies by unnatural means”, replied Celestia.

A scroll was sitting open right next to the white alicorn with a list of names on it. It arrived almost immediately after the letter about Celestia being the first one on the list. After reading it Luna called it the Death List. Neither of the sisters objected to the name. It was appropriate. Celestia was the first name then the midnight blue alicorn herself. A few names unrecognizable to the sisters followed after. The sun goddess sighed.

“Oh Twilight”, Celestia whispered, “What have you become?”

Luna looked at the Death List, reading over all of the names. Luna noticed that Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo were a few names down the list. Anger boiled inside of Luna threatening to spill over. How can Twilight be so careless? Without Celestia or herself, the land may never have a day or night again! The land would be in chaos just like when the EverFree grew out of control! Not that Twilight would care now. In another previous letter Celestia had read, Twilight did say that she didn't care whatsoever that she took another pony's life. Why would this be any different to her?

Luna started to pace back and forth across the room as Celestia stared blankly at the floor. Celestia would've never thought that her own student would be this wanting this....needy for more. Twilight didn't care how many ponies she will kill, how many ponies will have their lifeblood spilled just for her own satisfaction and need. Another scroll appeared and landed next to Celestia who picked it up in her golden aura and started to read.

“Dear Princess Celestia,
I may not be taking you first. I already have the Cutie Mark Crusaders. They missed their sisters and their sisters missed them so I brung them here. It's too bad that Cheerlie couldn't come as well because she ran before I could take her too. Why is that? Is death so bad to others that they wouldn't accept the inevitability? Anyway, I’ll take one more pony then I’ll come for you and Luna. I hope you’ll love it here! Maybe you two can raise the sun and the moon as you have in life! I can't wait to see you both again! I've got to go back to the others. I will see you both soon!
Your eager student, Twilight Sparkle.”

Celestia looked at the new list scribbled below. She read down as far as it goes skipping the unrecognizable names: 1: Celestia, 2: Luna, 6: Sweetie Belle, 7: Apple Bloom, 8: Scootaloo, 9: Granny Smith, 10: Cherry Blossom, 11: Cheerlie. The list went on but the white alicorns raspberry eyes were on the Cutie Mark Crusaders names. All of the names were crossed out. Celestia and Luna, their names were circled. They were truly next. Luna paled from the list and the letter itself. Both sisters were surprised that all of Equestria wasn't taken at once. Celestia herself was now paler than usual but the white alicorn cleared her throat. This cannot go on without having her subjects knowing. Dropping the scroll, the white alicorn stood with her massive white wings spread. She was trying to summon as much confidence and regality as possible.

“Come Luna”, Celestia said, “We must inform our subjects.” Luna nodded with her own wings spread following her sister to the balcony just outside her room.

To their surprise, everypony was already gathered with worried looks on their faces. The citizens of Equestria had always looked to their princesses in times of need. Looking at the crowd, Luna noticed Miss Cheerile, the Ponyville Kindergarten teacher, with a tear streaked face. Celestia looked over the crowd looking as strong as ever.

“Everypony”, Celestia said in a booming voice that instantly hushed the crowd, “I regret to inform you that-” Celestia stopped eyes wide. Luna wasn’t expecting what came next.

Celestia fell as red spilled from her mouth. All Luna could do was scream with fat tears falling from her eyes.

Opening her eyes, Luna saw the row of ponies before her and the casket with her sister’s body filling her vision. Setting her horn ablaze she raised toward the cloudy sky clearing it to show a now setting sun. Luna raised her moon now and set the sky alight with stars. There was black next to the moon, space where stars haven’t been born yet. The casket soon rose, covered in the Lunar Goddess’ blue aura.

“May you rest well dear sister”, Luna said, her voice echoing across the town. A new star flickered to life but she put another star next to it, that second star was for herself. Luna lowered her sister into her final resting place just as a jolt of pain shot through her chest.

Luna coughed covering her mouth with a hoof. When she removed her hoof, it was stained with red. Red……..with blood. Luna dropped out of the sky and barely registered the collective gasp of everypony seeing her fall.