LUNA ?
By Admiral Q
Based on There is No Luna
Luna was up earlier then usual. Last night was a slow night so she had turned in early. Now she was wandering the halls when she saw Twilight Sparkle walking with a down expression. Concerned for the young alicorn and her savior Luna approached her.
“Twilight Sparkle, what ever is the matter?” She had finally mastered modern speech the past month. Huzzah! Twilight Sparkle jumped a little bit before looking at Luna. Luna swore she saw fear and sadness in her eyes.
“Oh Princess Luna..you startled me. I was just thinking on things.”
“Oh!? Anything I can help with?” Luna offered. Twilight shook her head.
“No thank you Luna. This...this is something I have to figure out myself. But thank you for the offer.” With that Twilight continued her walk leaving a confused Luna behind.
* * * * * *
Luna wandered the halls trying to figure out what had disturbed her friend so much. She ended up in the library and took a seat to think. Looking at the books she thought of Twilight. In the time she knew the mare she was really into books. Hay, till recently she lived in a library. She would have likely been here. Did something she read cause her current problems? She got up to wander the library till she came to a door. She had never been into this section. She nearly touched the door when she felt magic, powerful magic. This door was heavily protected but why? Looking around she saw another set of hoof prints in an otherwise dusty area. Clearly some pony was here recently and a good guess who that was. If anypony has the key to this it would be her sister. Unless Twilight still has it. She needed answers to help her friend. Teleporting away from the door and to Twilight's tower she found the mare asleep. The sun had long set and Luna had raised the moon without thought while she had pondered her friends troubles. She walked over to Twilight and petted her mane before eyes a key nearby. It was an old looking key. She picked it up and examined it and found it had the same signature that the door had. She looked at Twilight again. “I will help you my dear friend.” She whispered before heading back to the door. She inserted the key and it unlocked the door without issue. She walked in and looked around. She could tell is was a forbidden section all the books nearby by were about the darkest arts. She was hoping that Twilight was mindful of the dangers of those books. But some books caught her eye. History books, why would history books be in here? She took one about Sombra's reign in the Crystal Empire and started reading.
Everything in the book was as she remembered it but the ending was different. It stated that Celestia and Celestia ALONE beat him. Why would this book be even made? She knew that ponies rejected her in the past but to remove her deeds from history? She went to the next book and the next book and the next book.
* * * * *
Luna was deeply disturbed when she entered the dream realm that night. She had avoided her sister the rest of the day, saying she was busy. All those history book had her removed. Why would her sister even allow them to exist. Twilight must know thus why she was troubled. Walking the dream realm she saw Twilight's door. It had the red aura of a nightmare so Luna went in to help her friend. She found herself in their old castle and she heard Twilight scream. Racing to the source she found Twilight crawling on the floor with Nightmare Moon stalking her. Luna was about to end this nightmare when Nightmare Moon spoke.
“You think you can just mind control ME!? The arrogance!”
“Please I didn't know!? Celestia...” Twilight whimpered.
“YOU DIDN'T KNOW! PLEASE! YOU KNEW WHAT YOU WERE DOING WHEN YOU ERASED ME TO BE REPLACED BY THE FAKE YOU CALL LUNA! She couldn't use the elements because she couldn't fully believe the lie, she needed you to make that lie stick. But now you know and I am free to punish you for your crimes.”
“No please I thought I was restoring you to your true self not making a whole new pony.” Luna had heard enough. She summoned dream version of her friends and together they destroyed the Nightmare. Luna left to think.
FAKE.
That rattled around in her mind. She was a fake, the Nightmare was the real her. She felt a sudden pain in her head and blackout.
* * * * *
Celestia was unable to get sleep this night. She wandered the halls hoping it would tire her out. Upon reaching an enclosed balcony she looked out to the night and saw Ponyville in the distance illuminated by the moon. Twilight's castle reflected the light. It was then hoof steps were heard.
“Good evening Celestia.” A mare voice said. Celestia jerked then relaxed.
“Oh evening sister, how goes your night.”
“It was enlightening Celestia.” She decided it was time to come into the light. She looked at Celestia with a smirk and Celestia flinched and back away a bit.
“No.” Celestia whimpered. Celestia saw that her eyes were slits. Just like Nightmare Moon's
“Oh yes Celestia. I remember, I remember everything. Pretty ingenious idea. Not kill an opponent but find away to make them your ally. Nearly worked to, if Twilight hadn't look so disturbed my curiosity wouldn't have peaked. Found your forbidden wing and imagine my surprised to see history books with Luna excluded from events I remembered being in. Then I see Twilight having a nightmare and being a 'good friend' go in to help her. There I here what she actually did when she used the Elements on me. After that I blacked out and went I came to I remembered everything.”
“Please Nightmare Moon, don't harm my ponies or Twilight, I'll take their punishment.” Celestia pleaded. Nightmare Moon walked over to the windows over looking the city and Ponyville.
“No what's ironic about your lie of Luna? The the reason she became me has a lot of truth in it.” Celestia looked curious.
“Really?”
“Yes, Celestia. When you were born you likely had a loving caring family to support you. I did not. I was labeled an abomination by the ponies around me. You get to stand on high and seen by the ponies of this world as the Pure Virgin Sun Goddess while I looked like this.” She transformed into her true form. “Just being born like this was enough for ponies to call me a monster or even a nightmare. Barely born and I had to flee for my very life. Everywhere I went it was the same. “RUN! THE NIGHTMARE IS HERE!' You know I never even gotten a name. My own parents didn't name me. I had no name till I decided to throw what they named me back in their faces. I wanted the world to suffer for what I had suffered. I took great pleasure seeing them succumb to their own nightmares. Then there was you.” Nightmare Moon looked back at Celestia. “You and your nation lasted the longest against me. I have to admire that.” She then looked back to the window. “You are afraid for your subjects, with good reason to, however there is one thing you have not factored in your still forming plans. The affect of me being Luna. As her I felt happiness and joy and I like it.” Nightmare Moon again looked at Celestia. “So here's what we will do Celestia. We will continue this lie of yours and we WILL RULE EQUALLY. You the shield of Equestria, me the sword with Twilight and her friends being the arrow for the times we need the Elements. You rely too much on her she might one day break from it and I will not allow that. I will also rebuild that castle in the Everfree. It is closer to Ponyville and I love that town dearly.”
“What about the creatures of Everfree?” Nightmare's eyes change.
“They will learn not to mess with MY ponies. I will leave the reason why I'm doing this up to you. You are so good at making stories after all.”
“Very well Nightmare Moon.” Celestia said resignedly.
“Call me Luna, it's the first name I have ever been given and I like it. Also NEVER mess with my mind again. Now I have a friend to comfort.” With that she left her 'sister' to prepare for Twilight.
* * * * *
Luna had lowered the moon and hour ago and she approached Twilight's tower. She opened the door and said joyfully. “MORNING FAIR TWILIGHT, I HAVE BROUGHT A PAN OF CAKES!” She admits going to old speak is fun at times. She heard a groan from upstairs and she went up and found Twilight still in bed. Smirking she walked up to her fellow alicorn, lifted the cover and pull the plate under Twilight snout. Twilight sniffed a couple of times before munching on a pancake. Before waking up.
“Oh Luna, morning.”
“Morning Twilight. Not sure what you like with your pancakes so I brought the usual fair that goes with it.”
“Thank you Luna.”
“You deserve it after that dream last night.” Twilight dropped a fork she pick up and looked at Luna wide eyed.
“You saw?” She asked weakly.
“I did, I remember everything now.” Twilight looked at her with fear.
“Please I didn't know, I thought I was healing you and...,” Twilight was surprised when she was hugged by Luna.
“I do not blame you Twilight. You were a pawn in Celestia's plan. Any issues I have with that is with her and her alone. You, you Twilight are my very first friend. Somepony who didn't judge me for my past actions. You gave me happiness for the first time in my life. In In way Luna's back story has truth in it. I never knew happiness, no pony loved me or cared for me. You were the first and maybe Celestia does in her own way. So thank you Twilight, thank you for giving me that chance of happiness.”
“So you aren't mad at me?”
“For that no, never for that. Maybe for other things but not that. You are my friend and you gave me the greatest gift. A chance to be loved.” Twilight manage to smile.
“You're welcome. Um what to I call you?”
“Call me Luna Twilight.” Twilight hugged her which she returned. She closed her eyes then opened them with nightmare eyes.
'Yes, world you thought I was a nightmare before. You ain't seen nothing yet. I have found something worth defending and I will to my last breath. So says LUNA MOON'