Eclipsed Deceptions

Eclipsed Deceptions Chapter I

A dark coated alicorn stood silently starring up at the night sky in awe. Her filly eyes were wide and twinkled as the bright stars shone off the blue glow of her vision.

“Hello little sister.”, A voice gleefully called out from behind her. A larger, pink manned alicorn slowly walk to the filly’s side.

“Oh hello Tia!”, The young filly jumped in glee at the sight of her older sibling. The white alicorn lowered her brow and the pet name that her sibling had called her she despised that horrid designation, yet her opinion was not worth seeing her sister’s gloom so she placed and positive attitude upon her face.

“Luna, why are you out here so late?” The white alicorn asked. The small dark blue alicorn eased her energetic bouncing and gave her sister a great grin.

“I watching the night sky, at the moon!... Someday…” The filly stopped. “Someday I’m going to rule that sky! The stars and the moon are so pretty. I really like them a lot!” The older sister gave big smile and giggled.

“Young one, do not get ahead of yourself.”, The young filly stopped and glared at her big sister.

“What does that mean?”, The young filly questioned.

“Well you see…” , The white alicorn continued. “You are still very young and not nearly ready to take such a great responsibility. Take time now to enjoy your childhood. Look to the present.”, after hearing this the Luna lowered her head in disappointment.

“Well… Will I be big enough soon?”, Luna asked in great excitement. Her big sister smiled at her.

“I’ll tell you what. Tomorrow morning I’ll wake you up early and you can come with me to raise the sun. How does that sound?”, The blue filly stared at her in bewilderment which slowly adapted into a big smile that spread across her navy blue face. She began to hop in continuous circles around her big sister.
“Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!”, she beamed with excitement and glee as she began doing summersaults. Celestia just rolled her eyes sarcastically.
“That will have to wait till tomorrow little sister. But for now let us head off to bed. I shall tuck you in.”, and with that, the two turned and headed inside.

…

Luna lay still under her warm blanket, head placed ever so onto her expensive silk lined feather pillow. A single candle sat lit to the side of her bed.

“Are you comfortable, little sister?”, The little filly shook her belligerently nodded in response to her sister’s question.

“Delightful!”, Celestia sat down as she picked up a small snow globe from the desk aside from Luna’s bed. The globe had a small silver stand with rose designs, each pedal and thorn was in perfect detail. The globe itself was made of a thick shinning glass that reflected the white walls of the room off of its newly polished surface. Inside stood a model castle. Sitting in the front of the castle were four sculptures of individual ponies. Of the four two sat behind. One was a royal red color and was just a bit taller than the pink one sitting at its side. In the front were two others. Again one was a bit taller. The white pony sculpture had its jaw raised towards the sky and looked very dignified, while the looked on ahead, its head tilted to the left. This one was a navy blue pigment.

Tia turned the snow globe upside down revealing its underbelly and a small crank. She placed a hoof on it and began spinning it in a clockwise direction. As she spun it she asked “How about a lullaby?”, The blue filly responded with a smile. Celestia stopped spinning the crank and turned the globe back right side up. She held the treasure between two hooves as it began to create the magnificent sound and music, a very soothing and calm tune. The white alicorn began to sing.

“Hush now, quiet now.
It’s time to lay your sleepy head.
Hush now, quiet now.
It’s time to go to bed.
Drift, drift off to sleep
Leave the exiting day behind you.
Drift, drift off to sleep.
Let the joys of Dreamland find you.”

Luna looked up at her sister. Her voice was so calm and radiant. The blue filly gave her sister a droopy-eyed grin before quietly yawning and falling into her dreams. Celestia finished her song and looked down at her sister, peacefully sleeping. She gripped the blanket in her teeth, covering the rest of Luna in sheets to keep her warm and placed her favorite stuffed animal, a white rabbit with black button eyes under Luna’s hooves, giving her a companion for the night. Before leaving she kissed her younger sister on the forehead, blew out the candle and walked off. Before closing the door she stopped in the frame of the entrance and looked back at her sister.
“Sweet dreams, young one.”, and with that she quietly shut the door behind her.

…

Luna had awaken to the bright glow of the sun’s rays. As she always did she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes but stopped quickly when she realized, “Oh no! I’m late!” She quickly shoved the sheets off of her as she jumped out of her bed and ran to the doo , the same sheets that her sister had tucked her into every night 13 years ago.

Luna quickly ran through the halls of the castle towards the balcony as she attempted to fix her mane by patting it down with a hoof. She had made it up the stairs and to the balcony where her sister and many impatient ponies stood waiting for her. She stopped at her sister’s side and hopped that she wouldn’t get another talking to. Her luck wasn’t so suitable this time around.

“Your late again.” Celestia whispered to her younger sister.

“Yes, yes. I know I’m late. I slept in this morning.”, Luna whispered back.

“Don’t act so smug. I’ll have you know that I had to raise the sun without you.”

“And?...”

“And… Some ponies consider a day moon a bad omen.”

“Yes, and some consider it a blessing!”
Celestia sighed. “That isn’t the point. The point is that it is your job to look over the moon. This is a big responsibility and you need to treat it that way.”

“Whatever… Mom and Dad wouldn’t have acted like this…”, Luna rolled her eyes. Celestia gave her an angry glare.

“Just raise the moon! We will talk about what you just said later.”, She looked away from her sister, ending the hushed argument.

“But I just…” Luna sentence was cut short as her older sister gave her a cold shoulder. It stung but Luna’s hubris got the best of her as she returned the gesture and lowered her head. The moon disappeared over the horizon. Both sisters than bowed to the crowd in the court yard as they all bowed back. The two then turned and headed back inside, double doors closing behind them.

Once they were inside Celestia vegan to speak. “Little sister?... Mother and Father aren’t in charge any more. I am! And soon you will be. You must raise the moon every night and lower the moon every morn. Mother and Father would want us to take that job seriously...”, The white alicorn was cut short by her sister.

“Tia, Get off my back! Stop talking about Mom and Dad like that! They are gone! They have been gone and there’s no bringing them back! Get that in your idiotic mind and stop being so stubborn! I’m a mare now! Not a filly! So stop treating me like one!”, Celestia stopped. She was in shock from her sister’s raise in tone. She attempted to respond.

“Mother and Father…” She was once again interrupted.

“THEY ARE DEAD! DEAD, DEAD, DEAD, DEAD, DEAD!!” Luna collapsed to the ground and began to cry. The white alicorn stopped, wide eyed and lied down next to her sister to comfort her.

“There, there little sister.”, Her voice was calm and comforting. “They did what they had to. They lived happy lives and made a happy choice in order to save us.”

“I didn’t do anything! I was asleep! I should have saved them! I... I should have died!”, Luna sobbed. Her sobbing continued. Celestia had no idea what to do. The room stayed silent aside from Luna’s cries. When the silence was broken with a sweet sound.

“Hush now, quiet now.
It’s time to lay your sleepy head.
Hush now, quiet now.
It’s time to go to bed.
Drift, drift off to sleep
Leave the exiting day behind you.
Drift, drift off to sleep.
Let the joys of Dreamland find you.”

Luna stared at her big sister, tear still pouring from her eyes. She grinned and placed her head under her older sister’s chin.

“Luna, you are strong. Far stronger than me. Fallow your heart and you will always triumph over the darkness. You have the heart’s gift now use it.”

Luna wiped a tear from her cheek. “Thank you, big sister.”

“No, thank you little sister.”

…