The Story Of Celestia and Luna(first draft)

Chapters

Manifesto
Rebirth
The Filly Nightmare
Shattered Crystals
The Endless Night Part 1
The Endless Night Part 2
The Endless Night Part 3
Dying Sunlight

Manifesto

2,500 years ago, the sun and moon were moved by Equestria’s beloved rulers, King Tempest and his wife, Queen Faust. They decided to have children so their bloodline would continue with stability. Soon, a pony was growing in the queen’s body, and everypony eagerly awaited the day the child was born. One day, Faust suddenly collapsed, her eyes wide.

“T-tempest….” She gasped, sweat pouring down her face.

Tempest hurried towards his wife, gently nuzzling her. “Is it…?” Even though he was concerned, the thought of knowing his own offspring was coming soon beamed him with a bit of energy.

Faust nodded and moaned. “This pony is coming, get the doctor…”

With that, Tempest rushed to get help. After a couple of hours of pain, screaming, and a bit of crying, their filly finally arrived.
“Look, it’s a mare…” Faust mumbled with joy. “Welcome to the world, my little pony..”

Tempest laid next to Faust, smiling warmly at his filly. She resembled him a bit, much to his slight surprise.

“Doesn’t she look like you?” the queen smiled, looking down. The foal had her mother’s bright white coat and eyes, while having her father’s study face and barrel.

Tempest nodded. “And you as well. I can see she’ll grow to be as strong as us.”

The kingdom had a tradition where members of the royal family were to be named in front of the subjects, so the next week the foal got her name. While screaming like she was being tortured.

“Please calm down, my little pony…” Faust muttered.

The foal wasn’t listening nor complying, as the sight of so many ponies was...frightening to say the least. The change from staying in the comfort of her room alongside her parents to being shown among a large crowd was jarring, to say the least.

Faust looked two seconds from exploding when she got an idea. “That’s it! She’s screaming to the heavens, so her name shall be Celestia.”

Tempest held Celestia, and nodded in agreement. As the foal continued screaming, the kingdom roared in happiness and approval. Celestia was an endearing child, often getting into antics because she was bored.

“Hey, get back here!” A cook screamed as he saw his pasties get stolen.

Celestia kept running, giggling as she hid in a corner and started to eat some of the stolen food.

“I’ll tell the king and queen!” The cook warned, growling.

Celestia rolled her eyes, knowing that her parents would probably try to make amends here. Maybe.

The cook ran screaming in fury to the king, tired of the princess’s antics.

“Please, his royal highness, that filly needs somepony to keep her busy!” he snarled, exposing his teeth.

Tempest thought for a few seconds, and nodded. “Perhaps I can think of a solution for this…”

The queen’s embarrassed shout soon echoed through the castle. “You.. want another child with me?!”

“Well-” Tempest began, trying to explain, “Celestia usually is alone and that’s what causes her to get into a ruckus so often. A sibling might help her keep her mind away from things, and teach responsibility.”

Faust coughed, seeing the reason. ‘I-I see.. But please give me some time to recover from this, first.” The queen sat down and stared into space.

Tempest slowly walked out. “Understandable.”

The queen accepted the offer after calming down, and 1 month later, it was confirmed she was going to have another foal.

“Oh, Tempest, isn’t it so amazing?” Faust sobbed. “We are having another little pony!”

Tempest nuzzled her, wiping away some of her tears. He was also crying a little. “Yes, yes it is, my dear!”

Faust soon had to tell her first born the good news. “Come over here, my little pony,” she asked with outstretched arms.

Celestia quickly leaped into her arms, giggling. “Why are you so happy, yet crying, mama?”

Faust smiled more. “You are having a little sibling!”

The foal gasped, then smiled widely. “Really!?”

Tempest went over to nuzzle her. “ Yes, really.”

Faust giggled. “Now you can stop bothering the poor cooks who work hard here!”

Celestia froze for a second, and giggled again.

“Ok, I will!”

The castle prepared for the birth of yet another heir, this time Faust collapsed in front of the castle at night, whimpering and praying someone heard her.

Celestia rushed towards her in tears. “M-mama? Are you ok?”

Faust lifted up her head, pain filled eyes tearing up. “Get… healer… Foal coming early…” her eyes rolled and she fainted.

Celestia whimpered upon seeing this, but knew that a healer would definitely help. She ran as fast as she could, hoping nothing bad would happen.

A guard jerked her away. “What are you doing out at this time, Princess?” he asked with concern.

Celestia sniffed, and spoke in panic; “Mama told me to get a healer because my little sibling is coming soon, and then she fainted!”

Those words sent the guard into a panic, and the healers and king were soon informed.

Tempest rushed towards his wife, his heart felt like it turned cold when he saw her laid there. Time also felt like it froze as the healers gathered towards her, and his daughter hid behind his front leg, nuzzling it in worry. Faust let out heartbreaking screams, her pain ringing into the night. Long hours of hurt passed, and the foal finally arrived after so much.
The foal’s coat was a deep blue, and her mane and tail were a pastel version of her fur. She was so small, but still cute.

Faust gasped. “It’s also.. A mare…”

“A little sister…” Celestia thought, not wanting to say anything until she knew her mother was completely ok.
“Why so quiet, my little pony?” Faust grunted, gathering the foal into her embrace.

“I just hope you’re ok…” Celestia quietly said, gently nudging against her mother.
“Oh, my dear Celestia, I am fine, just tired. Now come say hi to your little sister.” The queen stared up at the bright moon.

“Mhm…” Celestia mumbled, moving towards her sister. She looked ways different than her, yet she could feel a strong bond between them already. Even if the other didn’t know it yet.

The foal whimpered and jerked, touching Celestia’s face with a tiny hoof. Faust laughed. “Looks like she wants to know you already.”

Celestia smiled at her gently. “Hi, little sister. It’s nice to meet you.”

The naming reception went down even worse than Celestia’s because of the foal’s hidden moon powers. She somehow caused a thick blue fog to hover over the queen and king’s heads, plus the screaming sounded kinda demonic, so it sent chills down everypony’s spines.

Celestia hid in the back, shaking. How did her sister cause this?

Her mother, meanwhile, had a horrifying suspicion why, but pushed it to the back of her head for now as she named the foal Luna after the night she was born. Luna screamed once again. Celestia covered her ears, whimpering a little.

Faust called over her elder daughter. “Come here, my little pony, your sister is just upset. This fog is harmless.”

Celestia sighed out of relief, and slowly walked towards them. She curiously looked at her sister. “Why’d she do that?”

Faust shot a panicked look at her husband. She knew he was thinking of a similar thing she was, but there was no way of confirming them. Besides, the gods haven't talked to them in ages.

Tempest worriedly looked at her, not knowing exactly how to explain it. He quickly cooked up a reason in panic. “She’s probably a jokester like you, Celestia, and just wants to show it.” He explained, forcefully smiling.

The queen nodded. “There is nothing to fear, my little pony. Everything’s alright.”

Celestia sighed from relief, and finally smiled back.

Well, everything was not ok. Some time after the naming, the queen and king were confronted by the gods.

“You need to show those two their destinies!” The god of life roared. Faust was sobbing on the floor.

Tempest stomped his hoof, and growled at them. “They are too young for this! Celestia only knows so much about the world, and Luna can barely talk. They need more time, and you will not take them away from us.”

“Very well,” The god of Earth rumbled. “You have given us no choice. Until those two have found their destinies, they are hereby banished to the other side of Equestria. You will not be able to find them sooner, no matter how hard you try.”

Tempest lowered his ears, and tears flowed down his eyes. “No..”

Faust screamed even louder, and the gods nodded. “It has been done. Pray that those two are brave enough to face their demons.”

The two sisters would wake in the middle of a horrible forest. Luna noticed right away and started wailing in distress.

Celestia stared in worry, but quickly got into comforting Luna. “It’s okay, it’s okay…” She looked around, mind in frenzy, “...we just have to find out why we’re here.”

Luna whimpered. “B-but I want mommy and daddy…!” her little tail whipped in distress.

Celestia pushed a few strands of her mane away. “I’m sure we can find them.”

“Not for a while, or maybe even ever.”

The god of Earth made his appearance. Luna screamed and hid in her older sister’s legs.

Celestia whined, making sure she was closer to her younger sister still. “W-who are you!?”

“I am the god of Earth. If you wish to return home you must find your destiny.” The god had twisted horns and was made of dirt and leaves.

“W-what do you mean by our destiny?” Celestia asked, her tail thumping a little for emphasis.

“You make your own destiny. Not us.”

The god vanished. Luna was sent into a sobbing crying mess, wailing for her parents.

Celestia was confused, scared, but not alone. She turned her attention to Luna. “Don’t worry, I’m gonna change all of this. Somehow.”

“You p-promise..?” Luna sniffed. She was still so little and weak, there was no way she could fend for herself at all.

Celestia nodded. “I promise.”

Luna whimpered before ducking from her sister’s legs. “W-where are we?”

Celestia looked around. “Uhh...I don’t know. Just looks like we’re in a random forest.”

The two sisters looked around, stumbling across a city next to the woods. It was filled with ponies who didn’t give a rats ass about anyone, nevertheless homeless ponies. Celestia and Luna soon got beaten and starved on a daily basis, fighting with the other homeless ponies and fellow filles for water and trash. Soon it had been months.

Author's Note

So, welcome to the TSOCAL AU! This verse has multiple stories planned for it. The authors are very sorry that we don't have a beta reader or editor. Please, bear with us. We hope to see you in the next chapter!

-Robot and Lukas

Rebirth

Celestia was trying to rest on her scuffled bed, made with materials laying around her, but the stress was too major. With trying to protect Luna and surviving on the streets, things just didn’t seem to be looking bright anymore. She longed for her parents and the kingdom again.

Luna whimpered and nudged her sister. Her fur was clinging onto her frame, and she looked more frail by the day. “M-maybe we should go back to the woods…”

Celestia weakly replied. “Perhaps, this place isn’t doing us any favors…”

Luna wailed. “No! It’s smelly and everyone here is mean and I am so hungry!” her frame shook violently.

Celestia held her closely. “Exactly.”

Luna blinked, her tiny horn had a crack in it from when some crackhead(no pun intended) had smacked her after the fily attempted to steal his rubble. “So we can leave?” she said hopefully.

Celestia stood up, getting herself together after almost tripping on her makeshift bed. “Yes, let’s go.”

The two sisters left for the forest, almost right away finding a puddle of water. It was kinda dirty, but it was better than what was on the streets, for sure. Luna happily started lapping at the puddle, whining in joy.

“It’s tasty!”
Celestia smiled for the first time in awhile, and joined in. Luna was surprisingly right, it was good!
After the filles had all the water they wanted, their spirits lifted. But it was soon gone by a howl.
“What was that?” Luna tensed in fear.

Celestia’s ear flicked and she came to her sister’s side. “Sounds like a wolf…”

Luna let out a wail. “I don’t wanna see wolf!”

Celestia immediately hugged her sister, looking into the direction the howl came from. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.”

The howl turned into snarling, and out came the most horrible timberwolf the two filles had ever seen. It towered at 9’7 and it’s fangs were so huge they could crack open a ponies head. Luna let out a horrible wail and pressed to the floor.

Celestia lowered her head among the sight, holding her sister tightly. Her mind was racing. What should she do? There was no way a small foal like her could defeat such a large creature!

The timberwolf didn’t wait any longer and lunged, shoving Celestia out of the way and grabbing poor Luna in its jaws. It crunched down.

After getting pushed onto the ground, Celestia pushed her mane away, only to see Luna getting crushed. Tears rushed to her eyes and her body trembled. “No!” She screamed.

The timber wolf tossed away the tiny foal, blood pouring down the wood jaws. Luna hit the floor with a soft thump, tiny pools of blood seeping around her.

Celestia blankly stared at the dead body, her pupils shaking. The one pony she had left in her life, was now gone. Taken from her so early. Silently, she got up, and stared at the large timberwolf, then proceeded to charge right after it.

The wolf pounced on Celestia. To the outside observer, it would seem like the huge wood beast would take another victim. Yet, despite the mauling it was giving the filly, it was getting… damaged?

Celestia could feel the pain being given towards her, yet somehow, she didn’t feel like she was dying. She felt like she was slightly more powerful by the bit. Loudly, she screamed at the timberwolf, determined to take it down.

The beast screamed as the filly impaled it with her horn right on it’s weak spot. It collapsed into a stack of wood. It was defeated.

Celestia took deep breaths and stared at the wood, holding her damaged left hoof. Simply shocked by how she managed to do that. Her attention focused on more important things now, however, and she ran over to Luna.

The little body had been punctured by teeth, exposing bone and all the other details. Blood had soaked the fur to the point where you couldn't even tell the original color. But still, the faintest of breaths crossed the chest, making it quiver.

The filly gasped. “Luna? Are you st-still alive?” She struggled to get out, starting to feel her body weaken again.

The sister didn’t respond, the breaths only getting fainter still. Somehow more blood oozed out of the body.

Celestia shook her. “Sister? Sister! Sister, please respond!”

A tiny whimper came out.

Celestia’s ears perked up again, and she drew her closer, despite the blood. “Oh, Luna…” Quietly, she began to hum a song to her.

Luna twitched, the soft whines slowing down.

Celestia laid there, continuing to hum in hopes of helping her sister.

The breaths soon stopped.

Tears ran down Celestia’s face as she heard nothing but the noise of the night. She still held onto her sister, while closing her eyes.

The night soon grabbed the older sister’s life too. The gods gathered around the sleeping forms of the sisters in the afterlife, watching with no emotion as they waited for them to wake up.

Celestia’s eyes slowly peaked open, her breathing harshened when she noticed where she was. Not in the woods, nor in a town, but in the...sky?

“H-huh?”

Luna laid next to her, her wounds were gone. She whimpered loudly as she blinked open huge orbs. “Auuhh…….”

Ears flickering again, Celestia ran to the whimpers’ source. “Luna?” She called, heart beating fast.

The tiny foal gathered herself to her shaky hooves. “T-tia…?” she screamed when she saw the gods and once again hid in her older sister’s legs.
Celestia hugged her sister, ignoring the gods’ presence. “I’m so glad you’re ok!” She lightly cried.

Luna smiled. “Me too, big sister!”

The god of Earth looked at the god of Sky in a twitch of annoyance. “Tell them now,” he rumbled.

Celestia flicked her ears, and took notice of the two gods nearby finally. “Huh?”

The sky god walked forward.

”Celestia. Luna. You two have proven that you have what it takes to be the rulers of the sun and moon. You survived the impossible.”

Luna quivered. “W-what does he mean…?” she whispered, her voice almost a breeze in the non-existing wind.

Celestia looked at her sister, then back at the gods. She recalled what happened back in the woods...when she suddenly was able to defeat that timberwolf. “Is that why I was so strong?”

The Earth god nodded. “You have realized your true destiny. We will bless you with the gifts that will make you more powerful than your parents. The first one is the gift of never ending life. No longer will you have to fear death by age.”

Luna let out a squeak.

Celestia drew her closer.

“Next,” the Earth god added, ”Extra defense against illness and injury. You now have a range to healing spells that can heal almost any fatal wound, more pain endurance, and boosted immune systems. This is to ensure that nopony can assassinate you without much trouble, and so that you can fight with the true power you hold.”

“So what happened with Luna will never happen again…” Celestia thought. The idea put her at ease.

“And finally, you two will now become alicorns. You now have the gift of flight.”

Luna screamed in joy, then whimpered once she saw the god’s looks of unamusement.

Celestia almost sneered at them, but calmed down in internal fear of angering them. She didn’t mind being able to fly, though it might be difficult…

The gods both sighed in unison. “After your parents get claimed by the afterever, you two will be in charge of the heavens. Celestia will control the Sun, and Luna the Moon.”

Luna had to hold in a squeal of excitement.

A part of Celestia worried about her parents, but regardless she nodded. “Ok.”

“Wake up. You will now be returned to your parents.”

A huge claw of darkness sunk into the sisters’ souls, tearing at them before they can see who said that. They screamed as the world went dark.

Celestia gasped sharply after being taken out. She looked around the area, knowing it was familiar.

Luna stared in shock. “Is this.. Home?” The filly turned to her older sister and gasped. “You got a cutie mark!”

“Wha!?” Celestia shouted in shock, and looked at her flank. She saw a large sun with swirled ends. “I-I did it!”

Luna still didn’t have hers, but she soon realized why. “Do you think I’ll get mine if I rise the moon?!” she jumped onto her sister’s back.

Celestia smiled. “I think so, yeah!”

Luna’s eyes grew, and they soon grew even more. “We can see mommy and daddy, again! We can show them our powers and wings!” she flapped the little limbs in ee.

Celestia’s eyes grew as well. “Yeah! Let’s go find them!” She also flapped her wings in excitement, though she wasn’t sure if she wanted to use them yet.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Faust frowned as she felt a tug in her soul. She was doing paperwork. “Tempest, dear, did you feel that?” she asked the white stallion.

Tempest held his hoof close to his chest. “Yes, I do too. What do you think it means?”

The tug grew stronger, and soon guards could be heard screaming in surprise.

“Let’s go and find out.” He stated, standing up and reaching for the door.

BOOM!

Faust and Tempest were knocked over by two blurs. The queen squealed as she was bowled over.

Tempest looked at what was ahead, though only slightly.

“Papa! Momma!” Luna shouted, wiggling around in joy. Faust blinked in disbelief.

Celestia ran over to her shocked parents, while Tempest joined his wife in sheer shock. “It’s us! We’re back!”

Luna happily climbed onto her father’s back. Any signs of the months of starvation the filly went through or the brutal death she had were gone.

“Papa! We got wings!” she squeaked.

Faust grabbed Celestia and huddled close to Tempest and Luna, bawling.

Tempest hugged his family tightly, and also started to bawl. Celestia felt her heart growing in that moment, as she was finally back to where she belonged.

After the reunion the kingdom celebrated the return of the heirs. They then had a more private conversation about the true powers the gods had given the filles, and what they went through the last couple months while waiting for the sun to set so Luna could test her powers

“A-and then the bad wolf bit me HARD!” Luna wailed, remembering the awful pain. “And I bled everywhere.”

Celestia looked at the ground, her ears lowering as she recalled what happened. “It was awful seeing her lay on the grass like that, I thought she was gone forever…”

Faust thought she couldn’t cry anymore, but she was wrong. “I am so sorry, my little ponies.. What happened next?” she stroked Luna’s head, causing the filly to sigh.

Tempest also came to their comfort, with Celestia continuing. “We suddenly woke up in the sky, and the gods appeared. They told us that we found our destiny, and that we will live long neverending lives, strong health and healing magic, and wings. When you two are...gone, I will be able to control the sun, while Luna controls the moon, and we both control the heavens.”

Faust sighed in relief. “So the natural order will still be upheld. Good, that’s very good.” She mumbled.

Tempest nuzzled them. “Do you two think you’ll be able to handle the responsibility?” He asked.
Luna thunked her foot in annoyance. “Yeah!!! I’m strong, look!” she tried to fly but failed. Faust stifled a laugh.

Celestia smiled warmly at her sister, then looked proudly at her parents. “Yes. I think I’ll do just fine. Especially with my sister being there to help.” She stood confidently.

Luna nodded. “And big sis will help me, and I will never leave her ever!”

Celestia walked over towards her, and placed her wing on her shoulder, now smiling brightly as her eyes shimmered. They were going to be great rulers.

Author's Note

Thank you for reading Chapter 2! Make sure to like and comment! Every single word helps us make better content in the future!

-Robot and Lukas

The Filly Nightmare

The king and queen started the sisters’ training to be the rulers Equestria deserved. It was hard work, and making sure Celestia did not burn the castle down or trying to make Luna NOT send the moon flying into the sun’s deathly atmosphere was tiring. The latter happening a lot more often. Another change was that the princesses’ growth had slowed greatly.

“I don’t wanna be small forever!” Luna bawled one day.

Celestia hugged her sister with her right wing. “Don’t worry! I think someday we will be tall. Maybe even taller than our parents!”

“You think?” the alicorn sniffed, putting on a pouty face.

“Mhm!” Celestia hummed.

Such interactions were common, but the years passed, the king and queen grew older, and this alarmed the royal sisters. Surely their beloved parents would stick around for so many years?

As a distraction, Tempest and Faust introduced Chrysalis and Discord, a new queen and the newly made god of chaos, to the immortal sisters.

“I’m Chrysalis!” The changing looked much more beautiful than she would thousands of years later. “Nice to meet you!”

Luna nodded. ‘It’s nice to meet you too! Who’s the odd fella?”

Discord hovered around, booping her nose. “Discord. Master of chaos.” He cheekily grinned.

“Hi, Discord!” Luna gave him a high hoove. “I hope we can be good friends! Right, sister?”

Celestia raised an eyebrow at them, but nodded. “I think so, yeah.”

Chrysalis jumped up and down. “We should play truth or dare since our parents aren’t around! Discord’s mom is out with my dad and your parents, so we should be good!”

Luna’s face light up. “Truth or dare sounds fun!”

Discord continued to grin, and played with his paws. “Just to warn you, I’m an expert at these sorts of things. Mainly because I can bring them to reality.”

Chrysalis jumped even more: Even better! The four youngsters gathered around in a giggling circle as they dared and truthed each other into doing silly things.

One turn, Chrysalis dared Luna to threaten the safety of the castle, and Discord offered to help.

“You sure this will work?” the blue alicorn turned a weary eye at her two new friends. Chrysalis nodded with a burst of energy. “Yep, Discord is an expert on doing this! You’ll be fine!”

“Just stay still…” Discord warned, snapping his fingers. A puff of smoke surrounded the blue filly.

Luna turned into what can only be described as a demon, her fangs sharpened, cutie mark much more dark. She started laughing so insanely it scared the other children.

“S-scary…” Chrysalis quivered in fear.

Celestia gulped. “Lu-Luna, are you ok? Are you still th-there?”

Luna sneered. “I am no longer Luna, only Nightmare Moon! I will make it eternal night.. FOREVER!” her voice caused the room to crack under power. She flew out with an evil crackle.

“DISCORD DO SOMETHING!” a sobbing Chrysalis screamed as the fily demon started destroying the castle.

Discord sat down while drinking some chocolate milk. “Huh? Already? It just began though…”
A deafening crash followed by screams snapped him to reality. Nightmare Moon had entered the room via window and was now attacking the other immortals. Chrysalis ran out wailing for her father.

Celestia tried to form a shield. “Luna, come on! Snap out of it!”

Nightmare Moon slapped her, drawing blood. “I am not Luna!” she snarled like a rabid animal. “I am Nightmare Moon!”

Celestia whimpered, staring at her with tears in her eyes. “No! I know my sister is in there somewhere!”

Suddenly, Nightmare Moon collapsed, and the armor fell away and dissolved to reveal a shocked Luna.

“ . . . . I think it worked TOO well . . . . “

Celestia ran over to hug her sister, crying a little.

“What have I done?” Luna wailed, looking at Discord from her sister’s shoulder. Even he was crying from fear.

“It’s not your fault! We just messed around too much…” Celestia consoled.

Suddenly some figures entered the room. Chrysalis looked sullen and guilty. Luna gasped. It was her parents, Discodense, the former god of chaos and Chrysalis’s father, Crystalweed. They were FUCKED.

“Oh no.” Celestia and Discord said in unison.

“I can't believe what I just heard!” Faust yelled. “My own daughter, volunteering to threaten Equestria?!”

Discodense stared at them in disbelief. “DO YOU ALL NOT KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES OF YOUR ACTIONS!?” She yelled, almost shaking the room.

A pitiful squeak escaped Luna’s lips and she fell to the floor hiding her head.

Crystalweed shook his head. “I can’t believe my own daughter would ask such a crass thing, but to think the future co ruler of Equestria would do said thing.. It’s heartbreaking.”

Celestia looked down in shame. “We’re very sorry.”

Faust sighed. “This simply will not do, my little ponies. Each of you will have to write a 50 page essay on what you learned today, and 70 hours of community service, do you understand?”

Luna sniffled. “Ok.”

Chrysalis only hung her head.

Discord rubbed away his tears, then rolled his eyes.

Celestia nodded.

Faust let out a groan. “Now, before you all get started, my husband would like a word with all of you.. ALONE.”

Luna uncovered her face and her eyes widened in sheer horror.

Chrysalis could only scream.

Discord gulped, while Celestia wrapped her wing around her scared sister.

Over 2,000 years later, and that day was still a sore subject in the 4 immortal’s minds. Just thinking about it sent shivers down their spines. Despite the Nightmare Moon fiasco, the 4 immortal beings in Equestria went on more adventures, bonding closer and closer with each one. But the parents got older still. This did not go unnoticed by the 4 immortals.

One day, Chrysalis stumbled upon the prone body of Faust, and her attempts to wake up the queen were futile. She started screaming and crying, the howls heard by everyone in the castle, including King Tempest and his daughters. Celestia and Tempest ran towards the sound, and their pupils shrunk upon seeing Faust’s body. Luna had already walked in Faust’s last dream and was crying her sorrows in her bed.

Chrysalis let out a pitiful sob. “She won’t wake up!” the young queen bawled. “She won’t wake up!”

Celestia nudged her mother, hoping for a sound or a movement. But there was nothing. “N-no…”

Tempest walked beside his daughter, and began to mourn with her. The two cried in each other’s grasps.

“I’m sorry!” Chrysalis whimpered. She looked traumatized, the poor thing.

Tempest sniffled. “I-it’s not your fault. T-this was inevitable.”

The queen blinked before pressing against her friend. ‘C-celestia, are you o-ook..?”

All Celestia could do was sob in response, too distraught to say anything.

The kingdom mourned for their beloved queen, and the funeral lasted all day. Luna was still holed up in her room, refusing to come out. During the night, Celestia quietly opened her sister’s room, noticing she hasn’t been out ever since her mother’s death.

“Luna?”

Luna sobbed and curled tighter on the bed, trying to hide away from the voice. “G-go away…”

Celestia continued to walk towards her carefully, and laid next to her. Gently, she rubbed her with her wing. “It’s going to be ok…”

“No it’s not! Father will soon join Mother and we will have lost them again!” The Princess of the Night jerked away from the wing.

The eldest sister frowned and lowered her ears. “I know…”

Luna let out a sob. “A-and what if Discord and Chrysalis go away from us? I can’t handle that! They are my friends!”

“They won’t! I’m sure they won’t.” Celestia reassured. They were meant to be close friends, they would live long together, right?

As the royal sisters started ruling Equestria, tragedy struck once again, time had claimed another immortal’s birth giver, this time, it was Discodense.

Chrysalis was once again the bearer of the sad news. She hung her head. “D-discodense has joined the afterever…”

Discord simply sat there, quietly. He knew this was bound to happen, but not so soon. Celestia hugged him with her wings.

“We will mourn her loss forever,” Luna sniffed, then regained her composure. “A funeral will be held tomorrow.”

As the funeral went on, Discord continued to be silent. He didn’t even express much emotion either, usually listening to the speeches and looking at his claw.

Chrysalis looked at her bff in sad concern. “You are going to be ok, right?”

Discord slowly nodded at her. “Yes. This was going to happen sooner or later.”

The queen hung her head. “Father is barely hanging in there… I guess this is the price for being immortal, huh?” she mumbled.

Celestia looked away from the conversation. “I know my father isn’t going to last long as well…” She whispered.

Luna’s face twisted. “We must stay strong. We have each other, and our parents will be safe in the everafter, watching us.”

Celestia held her sister’s hoof. “I know, and I will.”

Chrysalis fearfully nodded. “I will too!” she squeaked.

Discord looked at his claw once more, and clenched it. “Me too.”

Or, at least, that was the promise.

As centuries passed, Discord became more and more lost and hungry, and power tore at his mind. The royal sisters and Chrysalis took no notice at first, used to their friend’s rather strange quirks. He WAS the god of chaos

That all changed when Discord declared war on Equestria.

Author's Note

And there's Chapter 3! Hopefully you guys enjoyed, and we shall see you next Friday!

-Robot and Lukas

Shattered Crystals

“What do you mean Princess Amore has been killed and the Crystal Empire has been taken over?!” Luna snarled at the poor messengers. “That’s impossible!”

Celestia gasped in shock. It wasn’t too long ago when the empire began, and things were just fine. Who could’ve done this so quickly?

Meanwhile, in said empire, the newly made King Sombra was imposing a reign of terror, dragging families off the streets and killing those who did not swear loyalty to him and his corrupt guard.

“Kill that whole family,” The mad king told 2 warriors, pointing to a screaming lot of terrified ponies. “Never liked them.”

A mare growled at him. “You will not lay a single hoof on my family!”

King Sombra didn’t even blink as the warriors sent a storm of bullets into the mare and her relatives. The blood splattered everywhere, some getting on his coat. He turned to his closest adviser.

“How long until this whole place gets cleaned? He asked Sunstorm with a hint of glee edging his voice.

“Not long, your highness.” Sunstorm stated, looking at the dead ponies up ahead.

“Very good!” Sombra let out an evil laugh. “The next part of the plan will be dethroning the royal sisters. Those bumbling fools will soon fall to me, and all of Equestria will be mine!”

When the sisters heard about this, to say they were shocked was an understatement.

“I’ve never even heard of Sombra! I knew his species has been long gone, but...how did he return?” Celestia wondered.

Luna growled. “However he did it, he must be stopped as soon as possible! We may be next!” She was growing more hot headed and short tempered, and her relationship with her sister was starting to strain.

“I know.” Celestia headed towards the spell room. “So what should we use for this-”

“We should banish him!” Luna interrupted. “Banish him for as long as we can!”

“Coming up with a plan and strategy might work better in our favor.” Celestia elaborated

A hoof stomped, tail lashing and eyes narrowing. “But don’t you see?! If we do not take action soon, Sombra will not doubt start taking over the areas surrounding the empire was well!” The ruler of the night started pacing almost violently, eyes wild. “He may even try to usurp our thrones!”

“But we can't just rush into danger with no plan! That’ll lead us to our doom sooner!” Celestia stomped her hoof too, face close to her sister.

Luna sneered. “Lives are getting destroyed as we speak! Don’t you want to stop that as soon as possible?”

“I do! But I don’t want to risk more lives if we just go unplanned!” Celestia attempted to reason.

Luna snorted, then went silent and walked away, the door slamming hard on it’s hinges.

Celestia sighed, rubbing her forehead. How will she ever get through to her?

Meanwhile, King Sombra had finished conquering the Crystal Empire, enslaving its population. He felt victory already place it’s glorious hold in his hoof. But he wasn’t done yet.

‘I’ll dispose of those Royal Sisters now.’ Sombra decided as he crunched down on a mouse, the sound of bones breaking filling the throne room. ‘Then I’ll conquer their country and, after my loyal warriors and I have had our way with them, I shall display their hanging corpses in plain view for Equestria to marvel on!”

Crackling with murderous glee, he rose from his throne and quickly grabbed a quill, ink, and paper. He hastily wrote down a message before yanking a guard by his neck to look him in the eye.

“You will deliver this message to the Royal Sisters. It says that I will allow them to discuss my surrender if they come alone.” Sombra barked, spraying mouse bits onto the guard’s face. “But it is in truth a message for their downfall! You will go now!”

The guard frantically nodded, running out of the room quickly. His head shook at a near similar pace to wipe off the mouse bits.

Sombra’s growling voice filled the guard’s head. ‘If you fail this mission, I’ll insure that you are never to be seen again.” It soon vanished just as quickly as it left.

Gulping, the guard continued to follow his orders, zooming out of the castle and towards Canterlot.

-----

Luna slammed her hooves in anger one more time before it calmed down from a raging inferno to a dry patch of burning grass. Jagged breaths heaved from her chest like her lungs were filling with blood.

“Calm down, Luna….” She gasped out, wiping sweat off her forehead and pastel mane. “Deep breaths…” Luna stayed in front of the spell room until her violent shaking had passed and she was no longer wallowing like a fish out of water.

Celestia walked in, steps gently hitting the floor. “Luna?” She calmly asked, her ears lowered in worry.

The Moon Princess jolted and she couldn’t help but cower slightly. “I am sorry that I snapped like that. I was mad at this mess, not you.” Blue eyes swam with guilt and tiny tears.

“It’s alright, my sister.” Celestia wiped away the mare’s tears. “This is a time of stress and worry.”

Sniffing, Luna grabbed her elder sister’s hoof. “Maybe after we dethrone Sombra I can court somepony?” She said hopefully. Celestia had never allowed her to make a move on a stallion or mare, usually throwing a fit and flying into what was known as ‘The Older Sibling Complex.’

Celestia raised an eyebrow, but snickered afterwards. “Where’d you get that idea from?”

Luna let out a huff of annoyance, dropping Celestia’s hoof and letting it hit the floor with a thunk.
“Because the last time I asked, you had a fit and told me in these same words,’If anypony even THOUGHT of touching my little Lulu like that, I would put them in a world of unimaginable pain’!”

“It was a rougher time!” Celestia argued, though gently. “We had been through enough already. I didn’t want anypony to betray you.”

“Hmpt.” Luna growled. Her irrational anger fizzed out for the moment. “So, will ‘Big Sissy Tia’ let me court a stallion I choose fit after we teach this Sombra a lesson?” she mocked.

“Of course.” Celestia nodded, putting her hoof to her chin. “Perhaps I might as well…” She giggled a little.

Luna spluttered before nodding her head. “Thank you, Celestia. Now then, we must go to more import-”

The younger alicorn was interrupted by a faint distant knocking. Blue ears swiveled in confusion as Luna quickly galloped away to the source of the noise, leaving Celestia behind. As the immortal slowly went to a halt in the main hall of the Castle of the Two Sisters, she noticed a Crystal Pony Guard holding a parchment paper.

“State your purpose!” Luna demanded.

The guard panted and showed the princesses the paper’s information. “It’s a message from King Sombra.”

Luna narrowed her eyes as she started reading it, her expression morphing into a rage that was even worse then back at the Spell Room.

“ . . . You take us as fools….”

Luna’s voice was nothing more than a breath in the wind. “My loyal guards, take this dog to the Dungeons for interrogation!!!” She screamed in The Royal Canterlot Voice.

“Luna-wait!” Celestia quickly came by her side, laying her wing on her shoulder. “I’m sure he doesn’t share the same thought process-”

“You wrench, get off me!” Luna twisted her head and bite Celestia’s wing so hard she could feel blood seep into her mouth. She knew the look of hidden loyalty when she saw it, even through the fear the guard was showing.

“Your highness, please stop!” A Lunar Guard and his unit quickly restrained the spy and dragged the screaming princess away from her older sister, wincing as they felt themselves get batted by flying hooves.

All Celestia could do was stare at her in shock. “Luna…” Her voice was faint and trailed off, unable to believe that her sister would snap like that.

“LET ME GO! ALL OF YOU ARE CAUSING MORE INNOCENT PONIES TO DIE!” Luna slammed her hoof into a guard’s chest between his ribs, causing him to squeal and roll around in agony.

“That’s enough!” Celestia used her magic to freeze everypony out of a fit of emotion, tears brimming her eyes.

Luna howled in fury, and in desperation she tried to move to no avail along with the guards and the spy. The pony whom she struck cried, his chest flaring with horrible pain.

After taking a deep breath, Celestia unfroze the rest of the guards, telling them to bring the injured one to healers.

“And of the spy, your highness? Your sister is right in the sense that he may be a threat to our county.” Captain Melted Bronze inquired.

Hesitantly, Celestia sighed. “Bring him to the dungeons, we will discuss later.” She wanted to give the benefit of the doubt...but perhaps it was best to still be cautious.

“Right away! Now come with us, young colt.”

As the lunar guards split into 2 groups to get their companion medical help and apprehend the guard, Luna stared at the ground with a look of madness and seething hatred.

Celestia proceeded to look at Luna again, with a worried expression again. She gulped a little.

“ . . . I don’t know why We have been so angry, dear Sister.” Luna’s expression broke and she crumpled into tears. “We have splitting headaches and We hear voices when We should not!” Frustration crumbled at the Night Mare. She felt like she was becoming two different beings..

Gasping, Celestia immediately went over towards her sister to hug and wipe away tears. “I’m not sure either...perhaps we should have a talk with the healers about this.” She suggested.

Luna shook her head. She could not worry about that right now when Sombra was still out there. “Later, Tia. We still need to get rid of Sombra.”

Her voice was still high pitched, and since some of the larger Royal and Lunar Guards were still almost 2 hooves taller than her, one could mistake her for a teenager.

Celestia lowered her head. “I know. But I just want you to be ok, more than anything else.”

“I’ll be ok once Sombra’s life force is staining this ground.”

Luna honestly had no idea why she answered that with such glee. It felt dark and cold, and she shivered once. Coughing, the younger sister broke out of the magic hold and started putting on her battle armor.

“I have an idea. Since Sombra thinks we are coming unarmed, how about we give him a surprise?”

Raising an eyebrow, Celestia questioned. “A surprise?”

“We come in surrendering to HIM.” Luna finished prepping her battle armor and unfurled her wings, making her seem like a princess again. She tossed Celestia a scroll depicting a banishment spell. “But when his guard is dropped, we blast him with that spell.”

“Hmm…” Celestia gave her sister a snide smile. “Perhaps that could work.” She slowly hovered her own battle armor towards her, preparing to put it on.

Luna smirked evilly to herself as she sat on her haunches. “I can’t wait till we banish that monster.” A rumble made her throat tingle as she imagined Sombra’s dying screams.

“And free the empire, returning it to its glory.” Celestia smiled hopefully, looking at the long windows nearby.

“Indeed.”

---

Sombra gasped in delight as the Royal Sisters padded in, their faces twisted in defeat. Sneering, he rose from his throne and padded up to the alicorns. “I got your letter about your surrender. Splendid! Equestria is now mine!” The mad king roared his victory in the form of evil laughs and purrs.

Luna cringed in disgust as she forced the ball of fire down from her throat, it was extra hard when Sombra started eyeballing her with the same looks of those stallions who tried to seduce her. “ . . . “

Celestia looked at him with the same expression, mainly out of protection towards her sister. He wouldn’t lay a single hoof on her. Not even a touch.

“Ah… I’ve always wanted a mate… And a Night Mare is just want I’ve wanted..” The mad king circled around Luna, eyes glinting with lust. The aforementioned alicorn gave her sister a look of utter horror and a knowing question.

‘Can we attack yet?’ Luna asked Celestia, using her mental link spell.

“Not just yet...he needs to be perfectly distracted.” Celestia answered, though she wished she could punt him to the sun already.

“But Sister, he- HE’S SNIFFING ME OH NONONONO-”

Indeed, Sombra was sniffing Princess Luna, exhaling in her scent, ignoring the sisters’ blunt disgust. Once he had seduced Luna, he made a metal note to sell Celestia away to a stallion in a betting pool.

“Do you surrender your thrones, and your rights as a pony? Do you now accept the status as property?” Sombra demanded.

“Yes.” Celestia plainly responded.

“Yes.” Luna choked out, internally screaming in rage as she felt Sombra rub his foreleg against her belly slowly. The mad king grinned.

“You are now mine to own!” Sombra growled. He had completely fallen for the plot. “Starting with you, Luna…” He stared leaning his head in.

“Now!” Celestia quickly stated. She activated the spell as soon as she sat up, a risky take, but still.

Sombra opened his mouth in shock and quickly uttered a spell. Just as he finished, Luna activated her magic as well, sending a blast at Sombra. He screamed in agony as his body vanished into shadows.

Slow, deep breaths emitted from Celestia as the spell was completed, but they transitioned to a relieved and cheerful sigh. “We...we did it!” Celestia grinned, looking at her sister. “We beat him!”

“Yeah!” Luna grinned back, but it quickly faded as the environment around them started vanishing. “Wh-”

Sombra’s voice rang into the snow as the Crystal Empire disappeared from the world. “If I can’t have the Crystal Empire, then nopony can!” His scream soon faded as soon as the banishment was complete, leaving two shell-shocked alicorns in a raging snow storm. The wind howled, chilling their hearts solid.

Huddling next to Luna, Celestia’s teeth chattered as she attempted to speak. “H-he...brr…”

Luna pressed into her sister’s unusually warm fur, a side effect of having fire based magical abilities. “T-that monster m-made a spell s-so when we-we b-banished him.. I-It also b-banished the e-empire…” Luna was shivering so hard it hurt her muscles and wings.

“W-we should…” The chills were relieved as she felt a bit more warmth added to her body. “...go back and see if there’s anything we can do to reverse this.”

“O-ok…”

As it turns out, there wasn’t any means to currently return the Crystal Empire. The Royal Sisters, having faced many tragedies, soon quickly moved on from the incident, only wishing that they were able to save all those dead ponies.

Author's Note

Luna my girl, are you ok? :rainbowhuh:

Joking aside, thank you for reading chapter 4! Things will be getting even more heated next Friday!

-Robot and Lukas

The Endless Night Part 1

Luna kept her word and courted a fine stallion named Rising Moon 6 months after the Fall. He was handsome and dotting, and Luna instantly fell in love.

“You come around much?” Luna asked Rising seductively as she slowly mixed her wine, making sure not to drink too much for the sake of her reputation. “You seem like a fine colt to come from the Royal House of the Stars.”

“Occasionally.” Rising replied, smoothly. His eyes were half lidded as he spoke, mixing his wine as well.

Luna smirked. “Maybe you should come more often. What is your name?” She dared to inch closer, gaining the attention of some passerby and Celestia.

“Rising Moon.” He took a sip from his wine, winking at her.

“ A fine name for a fine stallion of your likes.” Luna was now right next to her suitor, their pelts touching. “Everypony already knows my name, but it would be rude not to introduce myself! I am Princess Luna.”

As everypony gasped, one of Rising’s friends dashed up to him and whispered frantically and with anger into his ear. “What are you doing?! You can’t just seduce a princess!” The colt hissed, tugging his flirtatious friend’s ear.

“She clearly shows an interest.” Rising said to his friend, rolling his eyes. As the stallion spluttered trying to refute that, Luna also rolled her eyes at the sight.

Celestia wandered up towards Luna with a slightly panicked look. “Luna, what are you doing?” She asked. Those anxieties still refused to leave…

“Honestly Tia, he seems like the one. We clearly like each other and he is also physically attractive…” A deep blush coated Luna's dark blue muzzle as she dared to hold Rising’s hoof. A sad puppy face twisted on Luna’s face and she made her lips tremble as she ogled Celestia.

Taking a deep breath, Celestia nodded and smiled. “Of course, my apologies. I’m still a little on edge about these things.” She rubbed her hoof a little, then raised it towards Rising’s direction.

“Thank you Tia. Now shoo!”

Luna waved her sister and the other stallion away before purring at Rising. “Where were we again…?” Luna cooed, rubbing her muzzle on Rising’s.

Celestia laughed a little and walked off, happy to see her sister...well, be happy. Rising turned his attention to Luna, and proceeded to do the same with her; lowly humming.

The two quickly became a couple, and 7 months later they married. Almost two years after the Fall Of The Crystal Empire, Rising was the first to suggest trying to for a foal.

“A foal?” Luna blinked, shyly snuggled into her husband’s side. Her tail was wrapped around his and their faces were pressed together.

“I just...think it’d be wonderful if we could raise children together.” Rising explained, nuzzling her neck. “You’d be a great mother.”

“That sounds nice.” Luna giggled. “You’d be an amazing father.”

Rising smiled warmly, nuzzling further. “Tell me when you’re ready for this, if you want to.”

“Of course, my dear.” Luna pressed her face into Rising’s neck and sighed contently.

After getting ready, they tried and like Faust and Tempest before them, it worked first attempt. Now they had to tell their loved ones and the country that a new princess was going to be born.

“How are we going to tell them!?” Luna fretted, her mane and fur a frizzy mess. She was pacing in the gardens, thinking of the worst ways this would go down.

Rising was sitting near her on a bench in a thinking position. “Hmm… we could just simply tell them we will be parents soon.” He suggested.

“B-but will they approve?!” Luna wailed, thunking her hooves. “What if they don’t like us having yet another princess?!” The alicorn thumped to the grass and covered her face, seemingly already accepted defeat.

Rising’s eyes glinted with concern, and he walked over to his wife to hug her. “I’m sure they will be excited. Such an occasion rarely happens, doesn’t it?” He asked. “Your sister definitely will, she’s changed her viewpoint on us being a couple for the better.”

“T-that’s true…” Luna mumbled, hugging back. “We should tell her first.” She pulled away from the hug and went looking for her sister.

Agreeing with her, Rising followed in search.

They went around asking, but Celestia was extremely busy with a meeting in the Solar Court and could not be interrupted. Luna threw a fit because of this.

“Luna, darling, let’s be patient-”

“Patient?! This is me telling my SISTER that I am having her niece, and you expect me to WAIT?!” Luna let out a snarl that was more like a wolf then a pony and twisted her face so hard a vein could be seen throbbing.

“You’ve waited for her once. And many times before.” He put his hoof on her shoulder. “I’m sure you can handle this.”

Luna let out a breath of air through her nose and calmed down. “Sorry, dearie.” She looked embarrassed.

“You’re alright.” Rising gave a reassuring smile. “Hey, we can use this time to practice.”

“NO!” Luna’s face flared alight. “I don’t practice for anything! I am a princess, I know how to handle these kinds of matters!”

The guard opened the door to the Solar Court.

“Announcing, Princess Luna and Prince Rising Moon!” He shouted. Luna gulped, clearly the outburst from before was just bravado.

Celestia waved at them. “Hello, you two lovebirds. Have anything to say?” She asked, curiously.

Luna shuffled around, blushing deeply and crossing her hind legs.

“Uhm, big sister…. You… aregoingtobeanaunt!”

The court was silent, nopony having caught the last part. “Uh… care saying that slower?” Celestia’s adviser chuckled.

Luna took a deep breath and let a smile overcome her embarrassment. “I am having a foal!” she squealed.”

The white mare gasped and sat there, silent, mouth agape.

“Congrats!” The adviser ran up to the two royals and bowed. “We eagerly await the foal’s birth.”

“Isn’t it great, Tia?” Luna asked, walking up to the throne to grin at her sister. “I am having Rising Moon’s foal!”

Celestia had never screamed so happily before in ages. Luna hugged Celestia in fear at the scream, then in happiness as she nuzzled her sister’s neck.

“Mother and Father are probably so happy right now, aren’t they?” The Moon Princess whispered.

Nuzzling back, Celestia cheered. “Oh, they definitely are!”

The whole of Equestria eagerly awaited the birth of Luna’s foal, but history tends to repeat itself, as it did one clear night when Luna collapsed in front of the Palace, begging for somepony, anypony, to help her.

“L-Luna?” Celestia hurried towards her, worry in her eyes as she recalled the last time this happened…

“Help me, Tia…!” Luna begged. “I..I…” Contractions were wreaking her body. “I-it’s too early for this to be happening!”

“I know, I know…” Celestia quietly muttered, gently but quickly putting Luna on her back, rushing towards the healers.

A scream of agony filled the air as tiny drops of blood seeped out onto Celestia’s fur from the pony on her back. “Tia…. Tia…!”

“I’m trying to get you th-there as fast as I c-can!” Celestia frantically got out, zooming in the hallways.

Soon enough, the two sisters were with the healers, who thankfully had more knowledge than when Faust gave birth to Luna. They put spells on her to ease the princess’ pain to the point where it wouldn’t make her faint, made her push and ordered the newly arrived Rising and Celestia to not crowd too close to their loved one.

“I THOUGHT TIA TOOK AFTER OUR BUCKING MOTHER, NOT ME!” Luna swore as it was nearly over.

Rising partially looked at what was happening. Half due to concern for his wife, half because foal birth was hard to watch.

Celestia cringed in worry.

“Come on… Come on… YES!” The eldest healer cheered as it was FINALLY over. He snatched the newborn foal and passed it over to his workers. “Quickly, clean it up and start it’s breathing!”

Luna gasped in concern. “Is it alive?” she whimpered.

Celestia and Rising’s ears flipped down, both hoping the baby was okay.

Finally, a glorious cry filled the air. The healer’s grin grew wider and wider. “SHE’S just fine, everypony!”

Luna gasped in relief and slowly snached the foal into her front legs, cradling it. “Hello, little one, didn’t you give me a scare?”

Rising hurried a little over towards the bed, smiling sweetly at his newborn foal. “She’s here…”

Luna held up the foal. “Look, she has a mix of your gray fur and my blue, Rising. And she has my mother and Tia’s white fur at the base of her legs.”

“A perfect blend…” Rising remarked.

“Tia, come over here!” Luna called. “Your niece wants to meet you!”

Celestia wasted no time getting over there, looking closely at her niece with a gentle smile. “Hello there, little one.”

“Her name is Moondust.” Luna closed her eyes. “Yeah, Moondust…”

Moondust was a loving filly at first, eager to spend whatever time she had with her mother, even if said mare was grumpy or sleeping. One time, Luna was curled up on the carpet at the Castle of the Two Sisters, zzing away. Nopony could blame her; raising a filly AND ruling a country was tiring.

“What are you doing, little princess?” A guard asked as he saw Moondust stare at Luna.

“Mama’s sleeping on the carpet!” Moondust giggled, pointing at her sleepy mother.

“Why don’t you wake her up?” The guard snickered, handing her an airhorn. “You don’t need to use your magic for this, just stomp on the soft part and it shall wake up your mother no problem!” It was Soft Lotion, of course.

“Okay!” Moondust squeaked, taking the airhorn and trotted over to Luna. She aimed her hoof directly at what she presumed was the soft spot, and stomped on it. Probably a little too hard.

A loud, sharp noise filled the air, and Luna screamed bloody murder and flew up like a demon. “I SHALL FLAY YOUR GUTS, SOM-” She frowned, realizing she was woken up, and tried in vain to keep a scowl as she stared at her daughter at her hooves.

Moondust’s pupils shrunk as she looked at her mom in fear.

“Oh, my little daughter! What compelled you to do that? Surely you saw that your mother needed her sleep?” Luna growled as she layed back down and pulled Moondust into her grasp.

Getting out of her shock, Moondust attempted to shrug and giggled. “Cause Soft Lotion told me!”

Luna glared at the guard, who gulped and ran away. She then looked down at the bundle snuggled into her chest.

“Well, don’t listen to him, he’s a bit of a prankster, dearest. Are you getting along with your Aunt Celestia?” Luna made a mental note to talk to her sister about teaching her guards more resistant and discipline.

“Mmmmhm! She’s the best!” Moondust’s tail wagged a little.

“Do you want to hear some stories from when she and I were little filles?” Luna smiled. Her daughter was perfect.

“Yes!” She squeaked in response.

“So, your aunt was a rather big prankster back then…”

As it turns out, Moondust would follow in Celestia’s footsteps, only she had an attitude to count. As she was slowly reaching her teenaged filly years, she turned into what could be called a skateboard punk.

“Moondust, what is it?” Luna grumbled as she went through paperwork. “I thought I told you to bug your father about trivial matters.”

“He’s busy.” Moondust snorted, rolling her eyes.

The sound of papers being slammed down filled Luna’s ears. “Then what do you want, dear? I have a lot of work to do.”

The alicorn felt like the amount of ponies who had important matters were only increasing by the day. Celestia was faring no better; Luna hardly ever saw her once every two weeks at this point.

“I wanna hangout with my friends tonight.” Moondust swirled her hoof around the table. “Can I?” Her eyes shimmered a little under the hopes that would help.

Luna perked up. “Why of course!” This could help a lot. Her daughter had been terribly bored lately and this could help get her the needed fresh air. “Just come home as soon as you’re done.”

Grinning, she quickly exited the room. “Thanks mom!”

“You’re welcome, dear.” Luna smiled to herself. Her daughter will have fun tonight for sure!

Author's Note

The Endless Night Saga will have multiple parts, so pardon for the short chapter. We hope you enjoy!

-Robot and Elias

The Endless Night Part 2

The restaurant was filled with eating families and friends. Moondust’s friends were having a blast.

“Wow, I can’t believe your mother and aunt are the princesses of Equestria, Moony!” Small Luck squealed as he shoved pasta into his mouth. His fellow filles cheered as they also dug into their meals.

“Yup. I get to stay up late, too. Daughter of the Night n all.” Moondust bragged, taking a sip.

Waterbug choked on her hayfries in shock. “Lucky! I usually have to go to bed when the sun goes down!” His small hooves thunked the table in annoyance.

Small Luck’s uncle glared at the colt. “Manners!” His graying pelt sagged against his skin as he slowly slipped away at a soda. The night seemed to be looking up.

“Manners are the negative part of being royal.” Moondust grumpily said, shrugging her shoulders in annoyance.

Something wrong happened at that very moment.

“Oops, I set it up wrong.”

A cook stared at the throbbing device in front of her. The microwave was a new invention that cooked the food in a heated box using radiation, and the sheepish mare had accidentally plugged it in the wrong outlet. Just as she reached a hoof to unhook the outlet, the microwave exploded, killing the cook instantly in the blast.

Moondust’s ear flickered. “What was…?”

Suddenly screams rang from the kitchen. “FIRE, THERE’S A FIRE!” The thick smoke of flames suddenly poured into the dining area, engulfing everypony in a wave of choking death.

“Moondust!” Waterbug screamed as he was trapped in the stampede of ponies trying to escape the restaurant. He reached a hoof out, but it soon vanished as he tumbled into the hungry smoke and flames.

“Waterbug!” Moondust called out, quickly following him. She tried her hardest to keep up as the herd of panicked ponies clustered around her.

The tiny colt laid moaning on the floor, nursing a broken leg as the flames raced around him. The raging inferno grew ever closer, fed by the food and paper it was consuming in its hungry lust, flames licking the air.

“Help… Please…” Was all Waterbug managed to say before the fire consumed him.

“No!” Moondust screamed, upon hearing her friend. She quickly ran towards him, no longer caring about consequences. She would burn, but it was all for another. So, she stepped into the flames.

The fire was now threatening to spread to outside the restaurant. All but 5 ponies had made it out, and pegasi were moving clouds so the water could quench the flames hunger for death and rage.

“We need another storm cloud here!” A mare ordered as the smoke billowed into the night. She coughed, her lungs had burned on the rank air. “We need to tell the Princesses also as soon as possible!”

“I’ll get to them as soon as I can!” A pegasus saluted, heading towards the castle.

“Gods help us all….” The mare whispered before attacking the flames once more.

A royal guard who was conversing with Celestia some blocks away from the restaurant gasped as he saw a blur zoom towards them. “Your highness!” He pointed up at the sky.

Celestia looked at the guard, concerned and confused, until she noticed the pegasus heading towards them. “What’s the problem?
”
The pegasus looked at her frantically. “There’s been a fire at the restaurant nearby, a-and we need your help! Come with me!” They pointed towards the direction, and with a worried look, Celestia followed.

The guard gasped, seeing the now slowly dying inferno. Even worse, there were dead bodies being covered by red blankets. As they ran over to ask what happened, a small, burned and blood stained filly hobbled over to Celestia.

“P-Princess C-celestia…?” he whimpered, blood dripping from his face and into the ground.

“Little pony…” With tears in her eyes, Celestia stuttered out.

The colt pressed himself into Celestia’s fur, trembling as pain blazed his nerves. “M-moondust and Waterbug… You need to save them!” he cried over the screams and howls.

For a second, Celestia froze, but she nodded her head. “I wish you well.” She said to the foal, genuinely hoping for the best, galloping her way into the building.

The flames were being stifled by ponies who were dumping water, and 2 uncounted ponies were trying to be found in the carnage.

“Celestia!” A stallion limped over to the alicorn, injured in the line of duty. “We mostly have the fire controlled now.” He bowed stiffly. “Ow, my leg…”

“Where’s Moondust and Waterbug?” Celestia asked, though silently wished him well with his leg.

“ . . . .” The stallion gulped and padded away to fight the flames once more, the question unanswered.

More dread rose upon Celestia. Why was her question left unanswered? There was only one reason that she could think of but...no. It was best to find out for herself. With that, she continued to look for them.

Finally, the smoke cleared, and two unmoving lumps could be seen among the ashes. Gasps rang out, the gasps turned into screams, howls, then finally quiet whimpers.

They had found the missing children, but not how they ever wanted to.

Dead.

Celestia hadn’t screamed so powerfully in years.

The stallion yelped as the scream knocked him head over hooves. “!?!?!?!?”

“NO!” Celestia ran towards the two foals as fast as she could, then laid next towards their corpses; nudging them. “Please, please wake up…” She begged, as much as she could, but there was not a sound nor a movement.

“They’re dead.” The unnamed stallion sighed, moving his hooves across the floor. “We were too late.” Tears pricked his eyes but he wiped them away.

Celestia went quiet, her mind slowly beginning to shut down. All she could do was stare at them blankly, unable to fully comprehend what was happening. They were taken away far too soon.

Slowly, the other ponies gathered up Moondust and Waterbug and wrapped them up in blankets, guiding them and Celestia out of the burnt restaurant. The fire had stopped burning, and the injured ponies were being treated for their wounds, including the tiny colt from earlier, who was now wrapped in bandages and an eyepatch.

Soft cries reflected the somber mood, reality hitting everypony.

“Did you find them? The colt squeaked, staring at Celestia’s traumatized eyes. “Are my friends ok?”

“...” Celestia looked away, sat down, and started to sob.

The colt whimpered and nuzzled Celestia’s legs as he saw the red blankets holding his now deceased friends move towards the healers.

“I’ll go tell your sister!” he squealed, turning around and making a beeline for the castle, the guard chasing after him trying to stop the young pony from making a big mistake.

Faintly, Celestia could hear him. Not entirely, but to her it wasn’t of importance right now. Her mind was too broken.

The colt hurled into the Castle of the Two Sisters, slamming right into Rising Moon with a soft cry of pain. He hit the floor and rubbed his now aching nose.

“Owie…” Tears spilled over as the tiny pony wiped them away to no avail.

“Hm?” Rising Moon looked down, noticing the crying foal. He immediately gave the colt a sympathetic expression. “What’s wrong, kid?” He asked, wiping away the tears himself.

“M-my friends were in a fire!” He sobbed. “M-Moondust and W-waterbug! And now Princess Celestia is sad and my bffs are wrapped in red blankets like Daddy was!” He pressed his face into gray fur, staining it with salty blobs of water.

Rising’s face and heart dropped upon hearing those names, gasping quietly. “No…” He muttered, hoping and praying to the Gods that they were safe and simply under care.

“NO!”

Soft Lotion’s scream as he ran into the castle soon died as he saw the colt and Rising huddling together.

“Gods bucking damn it!” Soft punched the floor crying profusely. “It shouldn’t have come from that tiny colt!” His distress was shocking, as Soft Lotion was never one to snap that intensely.

It could only meant that the news was true. Moondust and Waterbug had perished and were now in the Everafter. As the dots connected, Rising started to sob alongside the colt, holding him tightly.

“D-don’t c-cry mister!” The young one sniffled through blurry eyes and snot. “I-I don’t like it when adults cry!” He tried to wipe Rising’s tears away while gasping for deep breaths. “You guys s-should be tough, like Daddy was!”

Wiping away a few tears to speak, Rising explained his actions. “I-it’s normal for anypony to c-cry. Especially with situations like this…”

The colt whined. “Oh… Are you gonna be ok, Mister?” He asked.

“...” Rising just went quiet, continuing to sob.

The colt pulled away and padded over to the window to stare out it as Soft Lotion choked out. “W-what are we going to tell Luna?”

“I...don’t know.” Rising’s ears lowered as he looked down, tears tapping onto the ground.

The mentioned alicorn dashed into the room just then, having been informed of the fire by her guards. She looked around in horror at the distressed Soft Lotion, catatonic colt, and despairing Rising Moon.

“Why so glum? Why is that colt injured? What is going on?” Luna cried, questions swaming her words and mind.

Rising could only just stare at her blankly, too afraid and heartbroken to say anything.

“Tell me, Soft Lotion! ” Luna stomped her foot at the guard, who only let out a blubber. She grew more panicked as the lack of responses made her think of all sorts of terrible scenarios, all of them including somepony dying. Violent trembers started racking her frame, her ears drooping.

“Rising Moon?” Luna whispered. “My dear, tell me!” Her legs threatened to collapse.

“...Moondust…” Rising muttered, his voice fragile as a flower.

A thick, dark fear billowed in Luna’s chest at the sound of her daughters name. “What about her? Is she ok?” The panic grew more intense, it clawed her like like a lion was mauling it.

“...is dead.”

It was like her world had ended.

“ . . You’re lying…” Luna’s voice was almost impossibly high pitched. “You’re lying!” It couldn’t be true. Not her daughter, not her. She was too young! How could it be? They had to be mistaken.

“You’re lying!” The pale blue immortal screamed. “Lies!”

“It’s true...the restaurant burnt down. Many ponies were injured and died…” He slowly drawled on.

Luna shook her head as she fell to the floor. “No, Rising Moon!” She screamed at her husband in desperation, begging, pleading, for it to be a lie. “Our daughter is not dead!”

She couldn’t be. NO. NO. NO.

“I’m sorry. It’s true.”

Luna let out a single howl of despair, her heartbreak powerful enough to send even the toughest of stallions sobbing to the floor. Tears poured down her face, mind going blank completely.

Rising shuffled close to his wife, holding onto her while still sobbing heavily. Luna rocked side to side with her husband, becoming more like a weeping statue then a pony. Soft Lotion left them and reported back to Celestia, bringing the now sleeping colt with him on his back.

“What are you going to do now, your highness?” Soft sat down next to his ruler glumly.

“I don’t know.” Celestia plainly replied. “I just don’t know.” She looked like every bit of emotion was sucked away from her.

Solt Lotion gave the colt back to his parents. “I feel so bad for Luna….” The guard also sounded emotionless, the day having gotten rid of every last drop of hope he had.

“Moondust…”

The funeral happened a week later, honoring the 5 dead ponies and all the injured subjects who fought the flames bravely. Luna was too distraught to attend the service.

“I don’t want to go.” The grieving mother croaked from her pillow fort.

“I understand why, Luna.” Celestia gently nodded, slowly exiting the room. She sighed before leaving. “It’s too much.”

After the funeral had happened and the 5 brave ponies were buried with full honors, Luna just about shut down completely, only allowing Celestia to touch her. She didn’t even let Rising Moon go anywhere near her, the stallion reminded her too much of Moondust. What was once a proud princess transformed into a husk of a soul. Rising grew concerned, but that concern soon turned into tiredness. He felt as if she no longer cared for him, and that their love was becoming strained. Not as full as it used to be.

Discontent and a darkness filled Luna’s soul, she was becoming forgotten. Hardly anypony greeted or even talked to her, not even her own sister.

She was becoming a backdrop, a pony with no purpose.

The Endless Night Part 3

“Celestia?” Luna tried once more to get her sister’s attention from the crowds. “Tia.”

“Not right now, Luna.” Celestia looked at her briefly with a stern expression, then paid her attention back to the large number of ponies she was speaking to.

Luna gulped and flattened her ears. “O-ok..”

Why was she even surprised at this rate? Celestia had begun focusing more on impressing the growing amount of ponies across Canterlot. They knew she had a duty to uphold, and that duty she would keep. Even if she never noticed how distant her sister was becoming.

Luna seethed at the sight of her sister relishing under the praise of THEIR subjects. At the indignity of it all! Her night was beautiful, covering everything in a glow and cooling down the sun’s heat, and it was no easy effort to make this happen, having only mastered raising the moon after Gods know many times she almost sent the moon hurtling into the sun as a filly. Everything she did was for her little ponies, and she wasn’t even given not one single compliment or praise for this love. Not even from her sister or her husband.

Glowering at her current situation, the younger sister slunk away from the crowds and padded over to the large mirror in the main hall. The voices in her head had merged into one voice, and sometimes, if she was in a horribly bad mood, a shadow would emerge from the mirror. This time, the shadow emerged in all its haunting glory, much to Luna’s annoyance and relief.

However, this was no ordinary shadow. It had a name, Nightmare Moon. All it talked about was something about how she could fix everything with the concept of “Eternal Night”. (Luna still had no idea what that meant, and “Nightmare Moon” had been around ever since Moondust’s death.)

“Where have you been, Nightmare Moon?” Luna demanded. “It’s been almost 4 moons since I’ve seen you!” She glared into slitted eyes, black diamonds shining in pools of blue.

This Alicorn had stopped being frightening to it’s target after the 4th meeting. It slowly managed to become a friend, the only creature willing to interact with Luna. Granted, their interactions usually ended with Luna having destroyed the room in a vain attempt to destroy her so called friend, but it was still better than facing the fact that nopony loved her anymore.

Reality was draining her sanity, so this creature was Princess Luna’s only escape, her weakening clutch on a cliff face that would soon crumble away, letting her plunge into the darkness below.

“Hello.” Nightmare greeted, strangely...quaint for how she usually spoke.

“Where have you been?” Luna fretted, pacing around. “I have had almost no pony talking to me, and why didn’t you answer my previous calls?!” A sharp pain racked Luna’s soul when she said those words.

“I have been planning something for you.” Nightmare’s shadowy form slowly but surely swirled around Luna, though did nothing. It was if it was patient, waiting for something.

Luna swallowed a lump in her throat. “Does it have to do with that Eternal Night suggestion?” She murmured, bracing for Nightmare’s usual cryptic answer, which was most of the time something along the lines that she wasn’t ready to know yet.

Or her friend could pull her personal favorite answer, “It’s too dark in here for you to hear me yet.” The alicorn had never laughed that hard in her life, and Nightmare’s scathingly embarrassed face was now a treasured memory.

“Yes.” A slight laugh could be heard in Nightmare’s voice.

“Tell me what to do then, friend.” Luna begged, the last of her sanity shattering like glass and crumbling into dust. “I can’t go on being ignored anymore.” She really couldn’t take it. All she wanted was to be loved, and this was her only chance of regaining that emotion she so desperately wanted in the parched desert of her life.

“If you want ponies to love you…” The darkness swirled closer towards Luna, a small bit of it was holding her cheek. “Let me become you.” Nightmare quietly whispered with a hint of satisfaction in her voice.

“ . . ‘ Luna gazed into the eyes of Nightmare with a content, yet fearful look. Then she forced the fear away. This was her friend. She could trust her, right?

“I am yours, Nightmare Moon. Let Eternal Night begin.”

It was too late now. Luna saw the darkness swirl faster and faster, panic rising in her. “What are you doing to me?” she howled.

“Granted your wishes, of course…” Nightmare drew closer and closer to the panicked mare. “...and my freedom.”

Luna gulped, shaking violently as she held out her hoof. “M-my friend, do you promise? I-i can’t have another loved one betray me. You mean too much…” She took a deep breath, wondering why she was so scared.

“I promise.” Nightmare lied. Not that she would let it show.

Luna relaxed, a smile blessing the alicorn’s features. She closed her eyes, letting Nightmare’s essence enter her body. All her locked away emotions, the bitterness, the grief, the pain, all of them exploded to a point in her core.

“The only Princess that will be ruling Equestria…..” A whisper. Shuffling of hooves as they rose from the floor, the impact to be felt all across the planet.

“WILL BE ME!”

-----

Celestia’s ears flickered as she could hear a large boom, which quickly followed up with the room shaking. She gasped, holding onto the side of her bed. “What in…?” She questioned. “Was that an earthquake?”

The world outside seemed to be turning darker. Like something was attempting to block out the sun. Screams of terror were soon piercing Canterlot and the Everfree, all the cities across Equestria were screaming as the world turned almost jet black like night.

Rushing outside, Celestia took immediate notice of the overwhelming darkness. She looked on with terrified eyes, mouth agape by the sudden shift of the world. Who was causing this, and why? Was Sombra back?

“Y-YOUR HIGHNESS!” A royal guard ran into the room screaming. Soft Lotion. “IT-IT’S AWFUL!” The stallion collapsed sobbing to the floor. “THE MOON KILLED THE SUN!”

“The-the moon-” Celestia was trying to wrap her head around everything, using her wing to hug the guard. “Luna…” She quietly whispered.

“A-AND WHEN I-I WENT TO THE-SOURCE, P-PRINCESS LUNA W-WAS GO-GONE! SHE-SHE IS NOW A MONSTER!”

Soft Lotion’s screams were drowned out by the laughter of a pony somewhere in the castle. A demonic laughter. The horrific look on Celestia’s face grew as she heard the laughter. She wasn’t sure of what to say.

“No more sun… the world is gonna die… Momma, Dad, I love you….” Soft Lotion was reduced to a blubbering mess.

“No.” Celestia got up, wiping away the many tears on Soft Lotion’s face. “I know what to do.”

“Y-you are going to talk to the demon?!” Soft Lotion thought Celestia had gone mad! “I know she was your sister, but this is utter treason!” His teeth bared themselves through the cries.

“I have to get through to her.” Celestia stated, her face becoming more stern. “It’s the only way.”

Soft Lotion sighed, knowing that he would not be able to stop his leader. He could only hope that the demon would listen and lower the moon before the planet’s lifeforms were killed off. “Good luck, Celestia.”

With a nod, Celestia set off for her broken and corrupted sister.

Nightmare Moon finished her almost insane laughter with a content sigh, lavishing the screams of horror and the pleas for mercy shattering Equus with their sheer volume. That dumb Little Moon had acutally fell for her wills! Now all she needed to do was kill that wretched older sister, and the planet would soon be hers.

“Just you wait, Celestia~!” Nightmare Moon wildy purred. “Your blood will soon stain this castle and spill as the sun dies along with you!”

“Luna!” Celestia yelled, soaring straight towards Nightmare Moon. She landed with a strong force.

Nightmare sneered at the elder alicorn. “There is no Luna, you pathetic worm!” Blue fog raced around the throne room, the creators bloodlust slowly but surely choking out the air. “I am Nightmare Moon. Surrender, and maybe I’ll only tear open your throat!”

Celestia took deep breaths, trying to get closer but still a bit far from Nightmare Moon. “I won’t! I just want you to understand this isn’t the way to handle things!”

“Shut your mouth, you degenerate cur!” Nightmare Moon wasn’t listening, too wrapped in her desire for revenge to heed common sense as she lunged for Celestia, slamming her onto her back. Growling, the Nightmare’s sharpened teeth sunk into the base of Celestia’s chest and tore out a chunk of flesh, blood and fur spraying everywhere along with a stomach twisting crunch and squish.

Celestia howled in pain as the mare sunk deep, using a spell to blast her away before it got even worse. She didn’t want to hurt her, but there was no other choice there. Nightmare screeched in shock, the blast sending her tumbling outside, her armor taking the brunt of the magic blast, but not the wall. Bruises and cuts littered the alicorn’s body, making her flinch as she strutted up.

“You’ll pay for that, you know! I’ll display your maimed corpse once I kill you!” Nightmare Moon screamed at the bleeding Celestia.

Shakily getting up, Celestia continued with her attempt. “I only want to help you. Death is not the answer here. Just stop and-”

The white mare never had a chance to finish as her raging sister grabbed her by the injury and sent her hurtling into the air, firing a blast soon afterwards that barely missed. Growling, Nightmare Moon flew like a bullet train, ready to inflict another painful bite injury.

The blood was pouring even more out of Celestia, adding to her pain. She hissed, formed a powerful shield around her, and quickly used a healing spell that was...good enough for the situation at hoof. Knowing that Nightmare could probably break it, she pulled it down and fired a warning blast at the pissed off mare.

“You think a pitiful filly move would stop me?” Nightmare crowed, only to scream a moment later when a blast struck her shoulder. The demon’s wings almost gave out, blood dripping down her fur.

Now even MORE pissed off, Nightmare Moon barreled into Celestia and the fighters began to air wrestle, the once close sisters locked in a bloody struggle for victory. Cries of pain would echo into the air when a hoof stuck a soft spot, grunts of effort extended with horn clashes, and gurgly coughs as blood flew from their mouths. It was a warzone.

Celestia fell onto the ground, hitting concrete after a significantly powerful attack from Nightmare Moon. She groaned, slowly getting up upon seeing the other approach. They weren’t even in Canterlot anymore, they were where the Elements of Harmony were stored.

“Tell the maker I said hi, Tia~!” Nightmare Moon falsely smiled before she shot off a blast of alicorn magic that hurled Celestia right into the storage room, a huge block of the side wall caving in due to the sheer force of the magic, severely injuring the target. Certain that Celestia was dead, the Nightmare laughed and laughed, relishing the taste of cold revenge.

Celestia slammed heavily into the Elements themselves, groaning slightly over the impact. She was slowly beginning to give up on hope, the hope that she would be able to save her sister...she seemed too far gone. And it was all her fault. Looking at the Element of Magic, and how it shimmered at her, she knew what she had to do. Even if she didn’t want to, there was no other choice.

The god of Earth’s voice whispered into her ear. “This is your punishment as much as it is your sisters, young filly. We had plans for you both, and now they may all be in vain.” Anger seeped through the ancient being. “When my brothers and I blessed you with our gifts, we didn’t expect to see such tomfoolery!”

Tears were stuck in the mare’s eyes. “I know.” She whispered, while preparing to use the Elements.

“1,000 years on the moon for Nightmare Moon, Celestia! That is your punishment, and you will accept it.” The elements roared to life, racing around their user eagerly..

Celestia wordlessly did, flying into the air as she felt the elements’ magic surround her.

Nightmare’s mouth opened in disbelief when she saw the very well alive Celestia fly from the wreckage, her appearance changed and Elements of Harmony ready to fire on her.

“THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE! HOW ARE YOU STILL ALIVE? AND WHY DO YOU LOOK DIFFERENT?!” A deep fear wedged a hole in Nightmare Moon’s chest as she readied up a shield, panic flicking in her eyes.

“I’m sorry, Nightmare. But I can’t let you conquer Equestria...and I have to make up for my own mistakes.” Celestia slowly choked out, rising higher into the air.

“You’re bluffing.” Nightmare Moon squeaked out. “You don’t have the guts to do this to me.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not the case here.” The glow grew brighter and brighter, starting to charge.

Nightmare Moon screamed in fear and fury, firing off her most powerful spell yet in an effort to repeal the Elements’ beam. The struggle quickly became one sided, and the ray of rainbows tore through Nightmare’s chest, sending her hurling backwards towards the moon.

“ . . .” A blue shoe reached out towards Celestia, slitted eyes glinting a cry for help.

Celestia no longer could say anything, tears swarming down her eyes as she watched her sister launch towards the moon. She reached out for hers as well, only for it to be torn away.

The Solar Eclipse went away, the main cause of the event getting hurled right into the moon, becoming painted in the rock’s features. A mare on the moon. As the Elements lost their power and clattered uselessly to the ground, The God of Earth appeared in front of Celestia, like he did so many years ago.

“It is over, Celesita.” He rumbled. “Your punishment has begun. What can you say for yourself?” He sounded… almost sad, a stark contrast to his furious expression.

“I…” Celestia choked on her sobs. “...feel extremely g-guilty.” She bowed down towards the god, lacking energy to stand.

The God growled.. “As you should young filly. The future is going to be a harsh, cold one. By the order of myself and the other gods, you are hereby the sole ruler of Equestria until Nightmare Moon returns in 1,000 years. The Elements will be stripped of their powers so you cannot bring her back down early, you shall see how that happened once you look in a mirror. Nopony must remember Princess Luna. Do you understand me?”

The emotionally destroyed mare nodded. “Y-yes.”

The Earth God vanished into his domain, leaving a lonely immortal alicorn in his wake. The sun was now shining again, covering Luna’s now prison until it was time to rise. But the light seemed not as warm as it was before, reflecting the grief of its controller.

But then something happened.

“Hey, Aunt Celestia?” It was a familiar young voice, and one Celestia knew well.

Celestia’s eyes glinted, turning around to face the voice. Could it be…?

Moondust’s faint outline stood in the wind, Tempest standing right beside her. The dead father of Celestia put his hoof over his grandkid’s annoyed mouth and spoke up “It’ll be ok, my daughter. 1,000 years isn’t that long. Oh, and happy 1,500th birthday.”

“Father….Moondust….” Celestia lightly smiled, the tears still falling down slowly and gently; evaporating into the ground beneath. “You...you…”

“It will be ok, Celestia. We are just fine and content in the Everafter. I would stay here longer, but just being here uses an extreme amount of magic, and Faust would not be happy to see me come back with my and Moondust’s souls almost completely destroyed.” A deep laugh bellowed from the teal furred king’s throat, just like when he was alive.

“I...understand.” Celestia hesitantly replied. Course, she wouldn’t want them completely gone, but some part of her didn’t want to let go of the only family that she had left.

The two ponies faded as the sun completely took over the sky without a word. It was over. But at what cost? The government was shattered and a yet another princess was lost. There were loved ones of Luna that had to be informed, and lots of history to burn and clean from the face of Equestria.

Celestia looked among the crowd of ponies, all of which swarmed her with questions.

“Where is the demon!?” A pony demanded in fury. “Did you kill it? Why was there a face on the moon all of a sudden’?!”

“Don’t you have a sister who controls the moon? Why didn't she stop the sun from dying?” Another threw a tomato at Celestia, fruit bits spraying onto the mare’s white fur, staining it red.

“Why do you look so tall? And why is your mane flowing and multicolored?” A third growled.

Attempting to answer one by one, Celestia took a deep breath while shaking off the tomato. “Luna somehow got turned into Nightmare Moon. I had no choice but to banish her off into the moon. And I…” She paused to look at her mane, no longer pink, but the colors of an aurora that flowed gently. “...don’t know how this happened.”

“It’s not like we are going to miss her.” The pony who threw the tomato admitted. “But you made the right call to not kill her. I mean, nopony deserves to DIE. But now what? Canterlot is rioting and your castle in the Everfree is getting torn down by mobs!”

Sure enough, the distant sounds of the Castle of The Two Sisters getting looted could be heard if one strained hard enough. At this point, Celestia just wanted to faint. Too much was going on at once.

“Say, didn’t Luna have a husband as well? What are you gonna tell-”

The dumb soul was cut off by horrifed bystanders, but too late.

Realization set into Celestia’s mind immediately, and she rushed away from the crowd. Even though she didn’t want to, it was for the better to tell him…

“Your highness!” A mare stopped Celestia in her tracks. “You can’t just run off!” She pointed out that the mobs and riots may attack the alicorn, suggesting to get any of her royal guards that weren’t panicking or joining the raging population to escort the princess to Rising Moon safely.

Celestia groaned. “Ok, ok.” She quickly rounded up her more...calmer guards and continued to run off towards Rising Moon’s home.

Along the way, more than a few bitter subjects attempted to attack the group, but thankfully, most of them stopped once they got the full story. Some, however, didn’t, and one pony was foolish enough to suggest that Celestia dethorned her sister on purpose since she was a waste of air and space.

“How dare you say such slander towards her highness?!” A mare spat, arching her back in rage at the seething unicorn.

“The slander is that she didn't kill her worthless sister!” The unicorn spat back, only causing the group to grow more aggravated with each vile word that flew from his ugly mug.

“I refuse to do such a thing!” Celestia cried, moving past the crowd even faster as possible. Her heart was racing as much as her movement, she needed to get out of there as soon as possible.

The guards saw this and almost sent ponies flying in their dash to get to the Royal House of Stars. Once the group had arrived, they found that most of the ponies had fled after they saw the sun vanish, only Rising Moon and his younger relatives had stayed behind in fear for what the crowds might do if they stepped out.

“Search this whole area!” A lone cry from the de facto captian, Prismatic Spectrum, sent everypony searching for Luna’s now ex husband and any remaining family members.

Rising Moon hid away somewhere in his bed, trembling out of fear as to what happened to his wonderful Luna. Was she safe? Did Celestia save her? Would things go back to normal?

A guard walked into the room and gasped at the sight of the trembling lump under the bed. They dashed off to inform Celestia, but not before confirming the pony’s identity as Rising Moon by yanking off the blanket and telling the frightened stallion to stay where he was.

Rising hesitantly nodded, waiting for the guard to come back.

The guard returned some minutes later with Celestia right behind them. Grunting, they took a position at the door, blocking access from the outside to protect the ponies instead. “You may speak now, Rising Moon.”

“W...where is Luna?” Rising asked, stuttering.

The guard scoffed. “Ask her highness, not me.” Clearly the pony was irritated from having to run from screaming crowds that wanted bloodshed.

Celestia looked at the worried stallion, and sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“Stop stalling, your highness.” The guard sighed, his shoulders sagging. “He needs to know the truth about what happened.”

“...Luna was banished.” Tears started to run down the mare’s face again. “She turned into Nightmare Moon, and there was not much else I could do.”

Rising Moon backed away in tears. “No…” He denied. “You must be lying!”

“It’s true.” Celestia looked away, ashamed for her actions.

“You’ll never see her again, Rising Moon.” The guard’s voice was a reed playing in the wind. “She’ll be gone for generations upon generations, it is no lie!”

Rising Moon continued to back away, fully running off as soon as he was far away enough. Tears exploded from his eyes as he escaped to who knows where.

“Where is he going?!” The guard just blinked as the former prince vanished from sight. He was running right into the blood hungry mobs!

Celestia went after him, not caring about the mob anymore. He needed some form of comfort, obviously.

After a while of chasing, the two would talk about what had happened. Rising made a request for Celestia to relay Luna a message from him when she would be returning from exile in the far future so that she wouldn’t feel the torment he did.

With that out of the way, Celestia focused on repairing the damaged government and turning Equestria into a monarchy. There was nothing she could do about her old home; it was far too damaged to repair, so she moved to Canterlot and built a new castle on the hanging city in the mountains.

It had soon been 200 years since the banishment of Princess Luna, and she was now a myth that was merging with Nightmare Moon, as the Gods wanted Celestia to do.

Dying Sunlight

“Very good, young filly.” The God of Earth had nodded in approval at his blessed alicorn in the royal garden one cloudy night. “You make a fine ruler, and you wiped your sister from history except in legend without a peep of protest.”

Celestia looked down, quietly. “Is that all you ordered?” She finally asked, looking back at the god.

The Earth god seemed confused. “What do you mean, young filly?” His horns withered and fell off, quickly regrowing.

“All you need to punish me?” She continued.

The Earth God snorted. “I already told you what you could know. The rest? Well, that’s up to you, young filly.” And he was gone.

“Hm…” Celestia looked around, heading towards the castle. “All up to me…”

A party was going on, an event hosted to smooth out thorns in the royal houses, and a chance to relax for many of them. Drinks were sampled, small talk was common, and even more common than that was courting. Already potential couples were leaving the party with lovesick(and drunk) passion.

Celestia carefully walked into the party, not wanting to be detected. She had some free time, and there wasn’t much else to do, so...why not have a little fun among citizens?

“Have you heard about that pegasus named Heat Wave?” Green Dough asked his ruler from the other side of the hall as he sampled a harsh cider, cringing from the burn. “He’s a prince from The Court Of The Double Suns. He has a rainbow colored mane!”

Celestia’s ears perked up in curiosity. Rainbow mane? Interesting. She never heard of such a pony.

The spotlight of the party himself was strutting around. His Rainbow mane was a mohawk, and he had thick, shiny muscles that throbbed from his skin. Blue fur sparkled in the light of the ceiling. Magenta eyes spoke of an ego, but also had loyalty and dedication, and a fierce love for his surrounding ponies.

“Mares love my name, Stallions respect my name. It’s the one and only, Heat Wave!” Heat Wave spread out his powerful wings and gantered plenty of cheers and fainting mares.

Upon seeing the stallion, Celestia’s heart was immediately lovestricken. Her mouth was wide open in sheer awe, and her eyes shimmered with love.

“ . . . Uh, you ok there?” A voice said into Celestia’s ear. “You kinda just fell into a trance, you alright?”

“Huh?” Celestia shook out of her gaze, then rubbed her neck. “Uhh...yes!” She nervously laughed. “Just thinking of...cake! Yes, cake.”

“Are you sure? Because I saw you go from calm to gogo eyed, and I like it.” Whelp, it was Heat Wave himself, in the flesh, face plastered with a smirk.

Celestia’s eye twitched a little, trying to repress her scream from shock and joy. “O-oh...nice.” She smiled back.

Heat Wave made a gesture to a table. “Come sit, have some drinks, and I’ll tell you all about my wonderful life!”

“Mhm!” Celestia walked towards it somewhat awkwardly, and proceeded to slowly mix her drink a little unsteady.

“So, it all started when I was born. It was bright, and I hated it.” A soda can hit the stallion on the face, and he snarled and started over. “I am Heat Wave of the Court of The Double Suns. I am also the prince.”

As he talked on and on, his charm only grew, it was like Heat Wave had his own mini sun glowing inside of him.

And Celestia’s heartbeat grew faster as well, she couldn’t hide how much she had fallen for him. Her face was as red as a tomato, and she refused to let her eyes linger away from him.

Heat Wave knew this and his flirting grew only more intense each second. His eyebrows would waggle, his hoof dragging the wooden table slowly so the mare would hear every single screech.

It was very painful for the onlookers to watch.

Celestia drew closer and closer to his voice, caring less about her declining regality at the moment. She wanted to hear every bit of what he had to say, and his smooth impressive voice.

Heat Wave was in nirvana. He never thought he would have a chance with Princess CELESTIA of all the mares. Her voice, that glowing white fur, the kind pink eyes. She was every stallion’s dream. Was this real life?

“Are you… real…?” He accidently cooed, not noticing the slip up until the whole party was laughing at his shamed expression. He blew it. Just great.

Celestia giggled a little. “Of course I am.”

Relieved, Heat Wave laughed as well. “Maybe we should meet up again?” Here was his chance.

Immediately nodding her head, Celestia squealed a little. “Of course!” She accepted it pretty quickly, maybe too loudly for her liking.

Everypony stared at them in shock. D-did they just see the Princess of the Sun get SEDUCED? By one of the most cocky pegasi in Equestria? Heat Wave’s face turned bright red and he quickly gave his new lover the meeting place and time before taking off, his friends teasing him as the prince vanished into the night.

“ . . . I need to sit down….” Green Dough collapsed onto his haunches as the entire hall burst into noise and gossip.

Celestia raised an eyebrow. “Is it that serious?” She wondered.

“YES!” Green screeched.

Rolling her eyes, Celestia took a sip of her drink. What a scene, indeed.

Heat Wave and Celestia soon became the hottest couple in Equestria, with all sorts of gossip and teasing bombarding them at every angle. It made Heat Wave fearful of the reaction he was gonna get when he proposed to Celestia.

“This is gonna be so bad… Heat Wave, she’s gonna think you are not so cool..” The neon pegasus muttered in panic as he padded up to the meeting place where he and his marefriend always had their dates.

Celestia secretly had her own plans as well...the exact same as Heat Wave’s, actually. She had gotten the perfect sunstone for the proposal, gleaming brightly to represent her strong love. Calmly, she awaited him, hoping he’ll accept.

Heat Wave gulped, his eyes finding his beautiful lover waiting at the table. He softly smiled as he sat down on his haunches across from the alicorn. He got a red ruby, the shine representing the plushing waves of warmth and love that he emitted whenever Celestia was in his presence. “Hello, Sunshine…”

Gasping, Celestia held her hoof close to her mouth. Her eyes started shimmering...was he really about to do what she was going to?

“I like our dates and all… But, be my date forever..?” It was a groaner of a line, but since Heat Wave had already opened the ring box and everypony was gaping at the table, it was too late for takebacks. He grabbed Celestia’s hoof and prayed that he wasn’t silently begging.

“Heat Wave…” Celestia muttered, beginning to tear up yet also laugh. “Of course I will!” She proceeded to take out her ring box, showing him the sunstone encased in it. “I shared the same plans.”

“Eh?” All that came out was a useless squeak, Heat Wave’s face blazing like a supernova.

He then proceeded to tackle kiss Celestia, the two now engaged ponies tumbling to the floor as the cafe cheered and cried in celebration. Heat Wave’s tongue swirled around Celestia’s mouth, tears of happiness pumping down his face.

Celestia giggled and laughed, tears of joy following Heat Wave’s. She held him as the two started to passionately kiss.

The wedding they had 1 year later was glorious, everypony from all corners of the country attending the ceremony.

6 months after, Heat Wave felt like he wanted to have a foal with his wife. However, he was way too shy to outright suggest it, so the best thing was to use the most explicit words possible, causing much embarrassment to poor Celestia with his attempted advancements.

“Is it prime mating time yet, Sunshine??” The Prince blurted out in the middle of the Solar Court, everypony becoming red with the thought of that suggestion.

“What!?” Celestia squeaked out of shock, her face as red as the first time she met Heat Wave.

“Prime Time! Ya know, when everypony is wanting to do that? When is it OUR turn?” Heat Wave whined, not noticing the now pissed diplomats that were glaring at him.

“ . . .” The head of Economics hid under a table, the second hand embarrassment getting to him.

Celestia internally facehoofed. This..quickly went out of hoof out of nowhere.

“Prince Heat Wave, there are private rooms for a reason!” A mare snarled. “You can’t just-just ASK the Princess if she can mate with you! Especially not in here.”

“Have you SEEN Celestia without her regalia? You’d be wooed too!” Heat Wave retorted. “My love life, not yours!”

“Heat…” Celestia whispered. “Can we please settle this later?”

“Fine…” With a huff, he settled back down.The court continued, but now it was unbearably awkward.

After the court was over, Celestia had a fair share of questions to ask. Such as…”Why did you say it out loud l-like that!?”

Heat Wave looked away. “ . . I was too shy ok?!” He covered his face with anger and shame. “It was the only way I could..” The stallion truly was ashamed that he gave his beloved Celestia that kind of slanderous feeling.

Sighing, Celestia put her wing on his shoulder. “It’s ok, sunlight. We can move along and discuss this privately.” She gently smiled at him.

“Thanks, Sunshine.”

They did discuss it private. In fact, it went so well they decided to try for a child after all. It took a couple of attempts, but soon enough, Celestia was expecting.

Heat Wave was sitting back in a chair, happily holding a scroll. “We are having a foal. MY foal.” He gushed. “A mini Heat Wave!”

Celestia laughed warmly in response. “I never thought this would happen…but it is.”

“Do you think it’s gonna look like me?’ The stallion touched his wife’s belly in awe and wonder.

“Perhaps, yes.” Celestia giggled, rubbing her belly.

The child growing inside gave a kick, causing Heat Wave to stumble backwards. “Woah! Tough baby already, and not even born..” Tears of happiness pricked his eyes as he daydreamed about playing with a faceless foal.

The God Of Earth glared in the background at the happy couple. ‘Your final punishment is coming Celestia... And it will come with a wrath that you have never seen…”

“Let me see my wife, damn it!” Heat Wave was screaming and kicking as the doctors held him back. Celestia’s foal was born on time, but the birth was having problems. The foal was STUCK, and causing the mare extremely agony.

Celestia was practically moaning in pain. “Please...I know you….want to see...the world...you can...come out now...ugh…”

The doctors had no choice but to magically force the foal out, a nasty squish filling the air as the baby was finally born. A fierce wail filled the air as the foal wiggled and screamed in the magic hold.

“It… It’s a son!” The aging stallion cried out, giving the crying child to his mother. He had a pure white coat, and a tiny horn was poking out of his forehead. His slick hair was purple and red at the tips.

Happy tears, for what felt like the millionth time, formed in Celestia’s eyes. She held her child close and gently, with the warmest of smiles towards him; about as warm as her sun.

Heat Wave bounded over and admired his baby, showering praises and love for his new family. He suggested that kinds of wild names, but only one stuck out.

“How about Bright Orange? You know, because of your love for orange juice and the bright light your sun and yourself give off?” The Prince’s voice was unusually tender and soft, his hoove stroking his wife’s face.

“Hmm...I think it works.” Celestia agreed, switching her attention to her baby to her husband. Mainly the foal, but both were such important factors in her life...if only Luna and Moondust were here to see this.

Bright Orange was delightful. He was a little bundle of sunshine, just like his mother. He clung onto his father, and when his dad wasn’t around, the colt would go find his mother.

“Have you seen Mama?” Bright Orange smiled at a royal guard, who was Soft Lotion’s distant relative.

“She’s busy at the Solar Court.” The guard answered, with a bit of a default stoic face.

Bright Orange whimpered, his eyes tearing up. “Ok…” he turned around to leave, his tail tucked between his legs and eyes watery.

Glaring, the other guard scooped up the colt and dropped him into the Solar Court, much to Bright Orange’s delight.

“Who is THAT?” One unicorn exclaimed. “It’s such an ugly colt too…”

Celestia’s surprise was interrupted by the sudden insult towards her son, causing her to glare at the unicorn angrily. “That’s my child.”

The unicorn went bright red as said child bounded to Celestia and nuzzled her legs before curling up and falling asleep peacefully. Always needed his mother nearby in order to get the best nap results. Plus, free cookies always happened after naps too.

Smiling, Celestia explained the above, despite the others unamusement.

The Solar Court ended up being much faster than usual, and it was time for Celestia to wake up her little bundle of sunshine.

“Cough….” The colt wheezed, breathing interrupted for a second before returning to normal.

“Hm?” Celestia looked down upon hearing the wheeze. For a second, she looked worried, but calmed down as she saw that her son was fine. Everything was fine.

Blinking open his eyes, Bright Orange gasped in excitement and reached for Celestia’s face. “Is it cookie time?!” He gasped.

“Yes, it is!” Celestia gently rubbed her son’s face as well.

“Cookies!” Bright Orange cheered. “I love you, Momma!” His soft features burned with love.

Things went smoothly for 2 more months.

But then things started going wrong.

“Come on, my son. You must cough!” Heat Wave begged as Bright Orange layed withering on the floor, sweat and mucus covering the small colt’s fur and mouth.

Celestia was frantically looking for any kind of medicine to help in the kitchen’s cupboards, which were...an excessive amount surprisingly. She made note to tell those stocking medication to tone things down.

A heaving cry left Bright Orange’s mouth as he struggled to breath, hacking reteches filling the air. Heat Wave’s wings flared in pain.

Bustling in, Celestia hurried to her son’s side, now holding the medication hopefully needed. She poured some into the spoon, hovering it towards her son. “Please, please take it…” She quietly begged.

Bright Orange felt the substance trickle down his throat. Crying, he spat it out. “No!”

Heat Wave bolted off. “I’m getting a doctor!” As he left, the tiny convulsing colt laying at his mother’s hooves started vomiting profusely.

Celestia’s ears lowered, a part of her starting to panic. He was fine. He was fine a long while ago. What happened?

“Hack… Hack..” He was choking. But thankfully, he fainted, so no more liquid blocked his airways.

The worried mother stood by close, waiting for her husband and hoped that he would arrive soon.

“I’m back with the doctors!” Heat Wave flew back to his wife’s side as the doctors started inspecting Bright Orange, poking and prodding his swollen chest. Panicked and awed shouts were bursting from the medical helpers once every few seconds, and Heat Wave let out a whimper, hudding into Celestia’s side.

Celestia huddled close to her husband as well, wrapping a wing around him. She worriedly watched as the medics took care of her child, repeatedly hoping for the best in her head.

Heat Wave shivered, all attempts of keeping calm were failing. He only hoped that his son would make it.

The head doctor turned towards the couple with a grim expression. “We have never seen a pony have so many chest infections at one time. That colt should not be alive, but he is. But…..”

“But WHAT?” Heat Wave suddenly was glaring at the stallion, the prince’s eyes beaming anger and fear. “Tell us now!”

“ . . .He’s not going to make it… I’m so sorry….”

Heat Wave collapsed to the floor in a dead faint.

Celestia blacked out the second she heard those words.

When she woke up, Heat Wave and the doctors had gone, but Bright Orange still laid there dying. Soft whimpers and whines were the only things leaving his savaged throat.

“My...my son…” She muttered, tears immediately filling her eyes as she trembled towards him.

“. . M-mama….?” Pitfully, two dull magenta eyes halfway opened, barely seeing anything. Celestia was nothing but a huge white smear in his hazy vision. He attempted to move, but it hurt too much.

“I’m….” She nuzzled him, globs of tears pouring down her face. “...sorry. I’m sorry I couldn’t h-help you…” Whispering, she slightly sobbed harder.

The tears dripped onto Bright Orange’s face, but he didn’t notice. He closed his eyes, and his breathing became fainter and more ragged, like the infections were crushing the life out of his body.

“I…” Celestia had became wordless, now full on sobbing.

And then, perhaps a mercy granted by the gods, Celestia’s son never moved or breathed again, his eyes now staring at nothing. Bright Orange was no more.

Celestia held him closer one more time, even if he couldn’t feel that motherly comfort again.

“Celestia.” it was the Earth God, looming over the grieving mother and her now dead baby. “This isn’t done yet.”

“H-huh?” Celestia whimpered out, looking at the God above.

“You might want to find that lover of yours. His condition is grim at best.” The God’s horns were covered in something… something red. It dripped, hitting Celestia’s white fur, staining it.

“...No.” Celestia ran out of the room, after briefly glancing at her son one last time.

There was a sign of a brief struggle. Blasts of Earth magic had torn up the main hall, covering it in leaves and tree branches. In the middle of the earth reclaimed hall was a growing blood pool. In that blood pool was a pegasus, his eyes still wide with dying horror and anger. His bloodsoaked mouth was forever twisted in a despairing snarl.

“NO!” Celestia flew towards Heat Wave, holding her dying husband. She didn’t care about the blood on her. “H...Heat…”

“Huff...Hlj……” Blood sprayed from Heat Wave’s mouth, his eyes were wild and he was flailing in agony, sticking Celestia in the face.

“Heat...Heat please…” Celestia held him closer, breathing heavily. Her heart hurt to beat.

A choking gargle left him, before he slacked, the blood no longer pumping out with the life force it once had. It was only dripping.

“ . . .” No more. The Earth God had torn away the remainders of Celestia’s family.

Celestia hissed and looked up to the skies. She had enough. “Why? Why must you do this!?” She angrily asked.

“What do you mean?” The Sky God growled, he was almost invisible to see. “My brother was only doing what he had to.”

“He didn’t have to die!” Celestia cried out, tears brimming down her eyes in a fit of anger.

The Sky God shrugged. “That’s his bad.”

All of Celestia’s calmness vapored away in that moment, as she shot a beam of light into the sky. “You bastards! You all know what you have done!”

The Sky God vanished when Celestia hit him with the beam, dissolving into his domain. The Earth God slammed his blessing to the floor, causing her to hit her head.

“How dare you strike your higher ups!” He bellowed, slowly running Celestia through her chest with a horn, making sure that she felt every tear. His anger caused the ground to wither.

Celestia screamed in pain, but continued to speak. “You...took...everything...away from...me!”

“Shut your mouth, you ungrateful filly!” The Earth God tore even more before ripping out. Blood spurted out of the wound as he dissolved back into the earth.

Falling to the ground, Celestia’s tears mixed in with the blood. She laid there, growling for a few moments, before looking up to the sky again. “Today is the last I’ll follow any of your words.”

“What!?” The Sky God reappeared in a surge of fury. “You can’t do that!”

“Why should I after this?” Celestia questioned, snarling at him.

“We are Gods! You are just a little deity!” The primordial being spluttered. “Love attachments are your bane! Your downfall!” His face smashed against Celestia’s muzzle.

“It is what makes me and many others stronger! Without anypony, I don’t know what I would’ve done in my life.” Celestia snapped back.

“How dare you? We made you gain your status! You are in our debt!” He wailed, his form was starting to vanish from the strain of being there in one spot.

“I don’t care about my status! I care for my family!” Celestia used her magic to blast him away, stomping her bloody hoof afterwards. “I thought you would know this!”

The Sky God sneered. “So what are you going to do, CELESTIA?” His form was now a misty outline, ugly teeth showing ages of decay and rot.

“As I’ve stated before…” She slowly dragged herself out of the room, no longer bothering to look at the God. “...I’m not listening to you. Or any of the other Gods.”

The God attempted to attack her, but he vanished back into his domain, having used up too much magic. Heat Wave and Bright Orange’s bodies were now probably cold by now. They needed to be taken care of.

Celestia sat outside the hallway, as she began to blackout again. Everything she had was gone now...she was on her lonesome.

But perhaps, not forever.

The moon still glinted in the sky, Luna’s face was… glowing. It glew, and it pulsated love and patience, waking up Celestia from her brief blackout.

Despite all that happened...Celestia smiled warmly, feeling the love that emitted from the moon. “We will be reunited, sister.” She said hopefully, looking at the stars.

“We will.”

``````
EPILOGUE:

Luna gazed fearfully at the roaring crowds of Canterlot, her blue mane almost deflated. “They are mad because of me, aren’t they, big sister?” She hung her head, the angry shouts threatening to make her sob as tears pricked her eyes.

Celestia sighed. “Unfortunately. They don’t seem to understand that Nightmare Moon wasn’t you, and never will be you again.”

“But she was!” Luna’s eyes widened as she tugged a shaky hoof at Celestia’s own. “She was a manifestation of my flaws triggered by my alicorn powers.” The now sickly immortal slid to the floor in fatigue and weakness.

Coming to her aid, Celestia held her ill sister. “She wasn’t the true you.”

Luna groaned, her legs now completely useless. “So much has changed. Had it really been 1,000 years since my betrayal?” A tomato flew right into the mare’s face, leaving her a sad dripping mess.

Celestia shielded away from the crowd, glaring at them, then went back to face Luna again. “Yes...it’s been that long.”

“But… But… That means…..” Luna started sobbing. “N...No….. Rising Moon….” Her world crashed around her, as the angry roars grew louder.

Hugging her closer, Celestia immediately hushed reassurance towards her mourning sister. “He...wanted me to show you a message. For when you returned.”

“Hnk… He did…?” Luna raised her saddened gaze up at the kind mare holding her. “L-let’s get back to the castle then….”

“Sick monster!” A pony roared as Celestia put Luna on her back and continued to the palace. The crowds had to be held back by the Royal Guards.

“I hope they learn soon…” Celestia thought, rushing towards the castle.

The Royal Palace had similar reactions at first, but the angry glare of Celestia was enough to sway them away from attacking the pony on her back.

“Where is she staying?” A construction worker asked. “We still need to expand on the west side, and all of the guest rooms are booked for today.”

“I suppose she’ll rest with me.” Celestia answered. It had been a long while since the two shared a room, so such idea came off as nostalgic.

A group of doctors padded up to the two sisters and pulled Luna off her siblings back. They laid her down and, once prepping her, injected her with vaccines so she
could get immunity to modern illnesses.

Luna wiggled and screeched in protest, begging Celestia to make them stop.

“Can you all please slow it down a bit?” Celestia requested, giving Luna a sympathetic look.

Nodding, the doctors only injected one at a time, with Luna whimpering and holding Celestia’s hoof.

“I hate this.” Luna whined, wincing as another shot pricked her skin.

“I know, I know…” Celestia consoled, holding her hoof.

Once done, the ponies let Luna go, leaving her prone on the floor, grumpy and tired.

“Let’s go to my room.” Celestia picked up her sister again, carrying her to the safest place for now.

Luna stared in awe at all the new cutie marks and inventions that decorated the new palace and ponies that were staying there. “W-what happened to our old home?”

Celestia sadly looked away. “It was destroyed.”

Luna screamed in shock, her hooves waving in panic. “But why!?” her eyes were confused and terrified. Her breathing almost stopped altogether as everything seemed like it was crushing her in.

What had happened for her world to change so much?

Celestia took Luna’s hoof, taking slow and deep breaths; encouraging her to do the same.

Luna shivered, holding Celestia’s hoof so tight one may fear she would break it. “C-can I hear what my husband’s message was?” Her breathing returned to normal. “I hope you still remember the whole thing…”

“I think he said…” Celestia looked down at the ground, trying to remember. “...that even if you’re far away in the stars, I will forever love you. In my last days, in my death, I will never forget you, even if you’re gone.”

Luna’s eyes blurred as more tears welled up. She could even hear Rising Moon’s gentle voice saying those words. He really did love her, even after all the pain she put the prince through after shunning him due to the death of her daughter and letting Nightmare Moon take over her body.

“Dearie…” Luna choked out. “I will forever love you too.” She leaned into Celestia, the pain in her heart lessening.

Author's Note

And that's it for TSOCAL! My co-writer and I have side arcs in the making and an epilogue, so keep on the look out for that!

-Robot and Moon