"Celestia, wake up... Give some cheer to your little sister's gloomy night... It's too black for my taste, and also for your taste..."
Celestia woke up in a cold sweat. She turned to see herself in her bedroom. The thin white drapes of her canopy didn't leave much to be hidden from her vision. The wallpaper had swirls of yellow and orange. She saw her books and doll on the bookshelf where she had left them. Everything was where they should be, but nothing seemed right. The constant company of Daybreaker's begun as an occasional nuisance, and it had gradually become a frequent visit.
As she looked out the window, Celestia saw the sun; brighter and larger than it should have been. Why, Daybreaker? I won't betray Luna. She needs me, and I need her.
Daybreaker chuckled as she materialized. She loomed over Celestia's bed. "Oh, please! After decades of ruling together, you still want her to rule by your side? She is about to know who she is dealing with. Let your magic loose. Let the flames burn the night away. Don't you want absolute power? No more Luna by your side."
Celestia slipped out of bed, yawning. She had dealt with worse villains than Daybreaker. Although she had powerful magic, she had to keep it under control. Alicorn magic carried a huge amount of strength compared to unicorns. It wasn't that unicorns were weak. Everypony had their own weaknesses. She stared straight into Daybreaker's eyes. Her alter ego was an uncontained version of the sun. A fiery mane billowing like a wildfire, bright orange armor, and a baleful scowl. No alicorn would want to become an evil and wicked pony with the power to cause eternal destruction to Equestria. However, Daybreaker counted as an alicorn, which made her an alter ego.
"The sun rises on the east horizon," Daybreaker said. "The ponies shall never shun our sunlight. They shall at least be grateful for it whenever they work."
"They are grateful. Also, they still need the night for rest. Just as they need sunlight for growing their crops," Celestia replied. "I won't transform into you. If you had your way, Equestria might become a hot and inhabitable desert with no source of water. Those kind of conditions will force anypony underground, especially royalty. Your power is dangerous!"
"Dangerous is right. I am Daybreaker, after all. Not only do you deserve the whole throne, but you also must renovate this gloomy place they call a castle!"
"Luna chose the design and I'm not upset with it. Sometimes we have to compromise. It's what sisters do, and also what friends do."
Daybreaker frowned. "And you don't consider me a friend? I've been here for you, and yet you ignore me. That's why I blocked Luna out of your dream. I'll ask you a question. And be as honest as possible." With that, her magic formed a powerful barrier that surrounded both alicorns.
Celestia gasped. "What is this-"
"I ask the questions, not you!"
"Fine."
Daybreaker chuckled as she levitated the royal sisters' journal. "Do you see this? It's the Journal of the Royal Sisters. How cheesy. You shared this with Luna. And you shared the Elements. Deep inside, you have a massive amount of power. As I said countless times, you don't need Luna! And Equestria doesn't need the night. It's too dark and scary. Who knows what nightmares lurk in the shadows? Luna could secretly be a nightmare, which is why you must suppress her. How much do you truly trust her?" She loomed closer and surged a beam of magic into Celestia's horn.
Celestia's room fled away from her sight, replaced by a darkened throne room. She sensed Daybreaker's presence, although she couldn't see her. In the vision, a black mare stood by the window, which caused her fur to stand on end. She knew Daybreaker created this vision, but it could've happened if not for Luna's vivid dream about transforming into a mare of darkness. Because of her sister's dream, the moon princess chose not to transform or to succumb to wickedness.
"This is Nightmare Moon," Daybreaker whispered. "How Luna is on the inside. She wants to dethrone you. How can you trust her?"
"They're one and the same pony, yet Luna once refused to give in because of a vivid dream. I told her to confess what was on her mind, and..." Celestia recounted the rest of the aftermath of Luna's dream. When she finished speaking, the dark alicorn turned from the window.
The dark mare chuckled. "I am Nightmare Moon, and the night shall last forever. Celestia, I will destroy you. The sunlight is too much to bear," she said. "I am your worst nightmare-"
The vision melted away from Celestia's mind. Celestia was back in her room, shaken by the vision. Daybreaker smirked. She was speechless. What was there to say?
"Well, well! What a betrayal," Daybreaker said. "This is how Luna feels about you. She stands in the way. I've seen what your magic can do if you let loose. Abandon all control and destroy the night!"
Celestia shook her head. "Luna is more loyal than you perceive her to be. I'm too loyal to her to murder her. Leave!" She shot a golden beam at Daybreaker and missed.
Daybreaker cackled like a madmare. "Release the fires!" She breathed a beam of fire from her mouth. Then, she teleported.
Celestia glanced around angrily as she tried to find her tormentor. "Reveal yourself, coward. I shall never transform-"
Daybreaker materialized behind Celestia. "Yes, you shall. You'll regret rejecting my generosity. I will bestow my power to you once you surrender. You're the one who's a coward."
"I didn't hide from Discord, Sombra, or even Tirek. So why should I cower like a frightened filly? Why should I submit? What is good about plunging Equestria into eternal daylight? I shall never destroy-"
"Yes, destroy anypony who stands in your way and plans to overthrow you. You were crowned princess for a reason - or should I say, queen. You deserve to be called a queen. Princesses are feeble compared to queens!"
Celestia teleported above Daybreaker and slammed her hooves into the fiery mare's back. She was sure their confrontation would resemble a ruckus outside her bedroom door, but she couldn't let Daybreaker take over and destroy Equestria. The words of Nightmare Moon continued to replay in her mind.
"Think about the vision I gave you," Daybreaker said as she rose to her full height.
"Why should I let a lie embitter me?" Celestia asked. "You are a liar."
"Nope. Your sister is a liar, and yet she bears the Element of Honesty? Ridiculous! That is about to be fixed."
"What will you do to Luna? I won't let you harm her. Never underestimate me when somepony threatens her. In a sense, you're threatening her."
"You have every right to intimidate Luna into surrendering the throne."
Both alicorns summoned their magic. Their beams pushed back and forth. Just as Celestia prepared to win, Daybreaker summoned her full power and slammed Celestia against the floor. She groaned with pain. Why was Daybreaker so persistent in corrupting her?
"This is what happens when you restrain yourself," Daybreaker said as she cast her magic into Celestia's horn.
All at once, the vision from earlier intensified in Celestia's mind. Flashbacks of villains who threatened Equestria whizzed through her mind. She shut her eyes and winced at the fiery pain. The last thing she heard in her room was Luna's concerned tone of voice. For a strange reason, she couldn't make out what her sister said. Images of eternal daylight made her gasp. "Daybreaker... please stop! Don't do this to me! I don't want to hurt my sister. She doesn't deserve your hatred!" However, her voice sounded small and frightened. How unusual, considering the amount of mental strength she possessed.
The last thing Celestia remembered was the feeling of helplessness. Daybreaker had taken full control of her body and mind...
Luna gasped, frozen in place by the sudden transformation. She had heard Celestia's helpless scream. A ball of fire consumed Celestia's body. A figure of a taller alicorn without a crown replaced her sister's form. The flames disappeared as the fiery alicorn emerged from the magical ball.
"Celestia, what happened?" Luna asked.
The fiery alicorn stomped forward. "I do not need you or the night. Out of my way. I am Daybreaker. Celestia is no more!"
Luna was taken aback. How did this happen? She didn't recall Celestia being bitter or envious. The whole time they ruled together, her sister was benevolent. "You're not Daybreaker."
"I should never have kept you on the throne, dear sister. I should have taken all the power for myself!" Daybreaker shot a fiery beam at Luna.
Before Luna could deflect the attack, the fiery beam shoved her out of the room and slammed her against the stone wall. Agony numbed her wings as she struggled to her height. Harsh sunlight poured into the hallway. It was too early for the sun to rise! No, this can't be. The prophesied Mare of Flames has to be just a fable, right? She thought as she rushed into the throne room. The frightened guards backed away. Only the bravest ones charged forward.
Daybreaker spewed the flames at the guards. "Back away! Do not disrespect the bright and glorious sun! This castle is too gloomy!"
Luna shielded the guards from Daybreaker's magic. "Run to safety! I can handle this!" At once, the guards hurried off.
Daybreaker forced Luna's throne into the air and chucked it at the grand doors. The doors and the throne shattered on impact. "Oh, please. Don't assume you're the heroine of Equestria. I am the true heroine, which is why I made the sun chase away all the doom and gloom. I am better and prettier than you! You are too hideous and Gothic for anypony's taste."
The hateful words stung Luna's heart. But she knew Daybreaker wasn't Celestia. And this alicorn was far more dangerous. As somepony once said, the most dangerous villains often believed what they did was right. It would be wrong to plunge Equestria into either eternal day or eternal night.
"Celestia and I get it. You're sad. I'll smile you into oblivion. You could use more sun!" Daybreaker shot a massive beam at Luna.
"Why did you force Celestia to transform? WHY?! WHAT HAST THOU DONE?" Luna's voice intensified as she hovered into the air.
"Because you don't deserve the throne!" Flames roared around Daybreaker and torched the tapestries. Acrid smoke congested the air. "The throne belongs to me only. You are no longer a princess!"
"I'm still a princess, and so is Celestia. Release her from your power!" Luna avoided another fiery beam.
"Does little Lulu believe she can stop me? Ha! You know better. I am powerful and dangerous. The moon is nothing to me!"
"Celestia, listen. Equestria needs both of us. Sun and moon. Day and night. Without the balance, Equestria will suffer. Fight Daybreaker's power."
Daybreaker teleported behind Luna and slammed her to the ground. "You must understand! I told you about Celestia one time, and I won't say it again! She will never come back!"
Luna took to the sky. More fiery beams dashed past her. As the sun turned red, she reached the Everfree Forest. The heat intensified as she searched the Everfree for the Elements. Either the Elements could rescue her sister, or they could banish... She shook her head and interrupted her thoughts. She didn't want to banish her sister. Daybreaker cackled. Then, the alicorn's magic torched her wings.
Luna plummeted to the ground as she shot a cooling beam at her wings. "Daybreaker..." She hurried toward the Tree of Harmony. A while had passed since she last used them. "Please release my sister. She doesn't deserve to be corrupted."
Daybreaker landed in front of the Tree of Harmony. She levitated the Elements. "What now? Do not call me Celestia. My words aren't getting through your thick skull. Step down from the throne."
"My duty is to protect Equestria. Celestia and I are equals."
Daybreaker snickered. "Equals? My royal duty is... to rid Equestria of your dark and wicked night!"
Luna snatched the Elements of Harmony from Daybreaker. "The Elements cannot be used for evil purposes. Celestia-"
"It's Daybreaker!"
"Don't do something you'll regret. Actions have consequences-"
"Lulu, quiet. You're only a little sister, not anypony's mother," Daybreaker interrupted.
"Only Tia calls me Lulu," Luna replied.
At once, both alicorns soared into the sky, hovering above the burning castle. A cloud of smoke blocked the sun for several seconds. The air seemed to ripple with heat. The harsh sunlight made Daybreaker seem more imposing. She stared Luna down and cackled. "Nopony can defeat me. I am Daybreaker, the Empress of Eternal Sunlight!"
Daybreaker shot a massive beam toward Luna. Luna deflected the beam with a cerulean beam. The Elements of Harmony glowed, which nearly blinded her. The two beams pushed back and forth. The flames from Daybreaker's magic roared around both ponies.
"You won't win! Never!" Daybreaker shouted.
"You leave me no choice," Luna whispered.
"Oh, so you surrendered? Ha!" Daybreaker's magic overpowered Luna's.
The magic beam forced Luna to the entrance of the Everfree. She plummeted. Everything in her body ached from the impact. She looked up. Daybreaker's fiery magic created a barrier.
"Did little Lulu give up? You are feeble compared to the sun!"
Luna summoned her whole power and blasted a powerful beam. Daybreaker ducked, then breathed out a wall of flames. The flames licked each tree and eventually reached a small village that was now abandoned. Perhaps the villagers left because of Daybreaker's wrath. She evaded Daybreaker's magic and teleported to the sky.
Daybreaker faced Luna as they did earlier. "Why don't you give up? Am I a wicked mare that the ponies must fear? They'll always adore me. They love my sunlight."
"It's true that they enjoy the sunlight. They also enjoy the nighttime for the peace and quiet it brings. The balance cannot be broken. Just as Equestria cannot handle eternal daylight, it cannot handle eternal night. Tia, don't let Daybreaker take you away from me."
"Celestia... is... gone... FOREVER!" Daybreaker cackled.
Luna shot a cerulean beam at Daybreaker. It seemed to take an eternity for her beam to touch Daybreaker's barrier. Finally, the Elements' magic consumed Daybreaker and caused the fiery mare to disappear.
Luna sobbed as she landed onto the ground and curled into a fetal position. "Tia... I'm so sorry I had to do this... May we see each other again someday..." She landed on the ground and stared at the ruins. It would forever be a reminder of the banishment...
