Author's Note

AN: Thank you to 97xxfastbike for helping me write this chapter!

One Thousand Years

Princess Celestia came to a decision. A few months ago she felt the power she had over the Elements dissipate. She had studied her student's work. Twilight Sparkle. She seemed like a good candidate to be the Element of Magic. But without any friends...It wouldn't work. She isn't an Alicorn like herself.

Twilight had found a group of friends in Ponyville. They all seemed to represent each part of Elements. To Celestia, it seemed a bit too good to be true. She spent months deciding whether it was a good idea to send her away from Canterlot. It was selfish of her. She was afraid that if Twilight left for Ponyville, she would...Drift away from her. The close relationship of mother and daughter that evolved over the years would fade away until she was simply her teacher again. She finally let her go. Knowing that the Summer Sun Celebration was coming up and according to the best of scientists and her own conclusions, Luna was going to return on that day.

Celestia trotted down the throne room hall. Looking at each of the windows that weren't yet turned into stained glass windows, depicting important events in history. Soon one of them might show her sister's return. Soon, Celestia hoped.

Her ears perked up at the sound of rattling armour and metal hoof steps approaching her. She turned around, trying not to limp as her hooves felt like every step was trotted on red hot nails.

"Twilight Sparkle is here, Princess." The guard reported. Celestia stayed silent as she moved back to her throne and sat down. She shivered slightly as the voice plagued her mind.

"Show her in."

The guard galloped down the throne hall and opened one of the large doors at the end with the flicker of his horn. He straightened up as Princess Celestia's faithful student entered, carrying a bag of books. She quickly trotted across the large distance between them and bowed down to her.

"Princess Celestia? You wished to see me?"

"Yes. I have an important assignment for you regarding the Summer Sun Celebration."

Princess Celestia, her body shaking from the tension of stress and pain, wrote the letter that contained the information for Twilight about Ponyville in her chambers, deep within Chanterlot Castle. Celestia crumbled up the letter and threw it into the nearest wastebasket. Grumbling in anger as she winced as the pain made itself known, She knew that ignoring it couldn't hide its presence or dim the pain any longer for today. She grabbed another scroll and dipped her quill into the ink. Doing her best not to shake from the pain. The pain was always worse as the days grew to a close. It was as if the sun was taking some of her pain but the moon was no kinder to her as Nightmare Moon had been.

The voice was back. Sometimes it left her during the day or night. Claiming it needed to 'rest.' Celestia very much doubted that, but she shivered as she felt its presence as it taunted her for being weak. From being affected by the pain so much that she couldn't even write a letter without messing up the words despite how much she tried to block out the pain. She thought for a moment that what she had to suffer through wasn't fair. She quickly pushed that aside and agreed with the voice for once without denial. She did deserve it. She has done awful things. This is her punishment. She got up and exited her room, igniting her horn to cast an invisibility spell so that none of the guards would know where she had gone. She didn't need them worrying about her. She didn't need them questioning her.

She entered into the dark library, igniting her horn to provide some light in the large room. She fondly thought of how she would find Twilight in here, late at night. She was asleep with her head on a book as a pillow with a burnt-out candle beside her. She quickly trotted to the back of the Library where the entrance to the Catacombs was.

No pony knew about them except for her. Those who helped in the underground construction of the maze were long gone. She moved a book with a sun printed on it on a bookshelf against the wall. It triggered a switch that allowed the doorcase to move to become an old metal door. She used her magic to push it open with a grunt.

Celestia started down the dark stone stairwell that leads deeper into the mountain that Chanterlot was connected to. Inside the Catacombs was a vast maze, filled with secrets of the past, History forgotten, and worst of all...dark magic spellbooks.

If the thing that was invading Celestia's mind wanted her to become corrupt, it clearly didn't know her very well. She had only used Dark magic once and that was used to distract Discord as Luna got the Elements of Harmony. She didn't become corrupt then. She wouldn't now. She had come to the conclusion recently that dark magic must be connected to the voice in her head. She came to this conclusion based on, admittable, an assumption. When she used dark magic she felt an evil presence in her mind as she fought him. This felt the same. Maybe if she used dark magic to improve the state of her body. She could have some control over the pain levels she was dealing with.

She finally reached a large stone room where many dusty forgotten books were stored with a wooden table with an old lamp sat. Celestia lit the lamp, illuminating the room enough that she could see the titles of each of the books. She got every book that mentioned dark magic in the title and placed them down on the wooden table.

She carefully turned each page. Reading every word twice to make sure she didn't miss a single thing. She was so concentrated on her task, that she didn't notice a pair of pure blue eyes watching her with fear in the corridor behind her. The eyes followed her every action. Trying to piece together what she was doing until finally, when the Moon had reached it's highest peak in the sky, Celestia slammed a big dusty book shut and growled to herself.

Whatever it was she was looking for...She didn't find it.

Celestia stood in the Ponyville town hall as the sunset. Considering her last "conversation" with Discord earlier in the day. She used her magic to complete the final action as her guards moved to join the crowd to look for any pony suspicious. Celestia moved to a nearby window, watching as the silhouette of the "pony in the moon" had disappeared. Celestia couldn't help but smile. She was coming back.

Celestia couldn't even wipe the smile off her face as she heard a loud sound of a figure reappearing and a familiar evil laugh. Nightmare Moon.

"Hello, evil sorceress." The venom of Luna's twisted voice let out.

"I will not fight you." She simply said with her smile turning into a smirk.

"Pathetic! Scared of me as always." Nightmare Moon taunted as she stepped closer to the Sun Alicorn.

"Choose your next action carefully," Celestia warned. "It may be your last, Nightmare Moon."

"Is that a threat?" She snarled. Celestia turned to face her enemy. The enemy that had taken over her sister. Corrupted her sweet mind.

"It is a promise."

She blinded Celestia with her magic and everything faded away.

You could have saved yourself, was the last thing the voice said as Celestia hit the floor. Pathetic. It repeated over and over again as Celestia opened her eyes to the darkness around her. She found herself staring at...Herself. She was confused. She quickly looked around at the void. Only her and the imposter she assumed.

"What are you?" She asked. Glaring at the twin.

The twin simply smirked.

"I am what you refer to as the voice. Or darkness. Whichever you prefer. But the fact of the matter is. I am the better part of you."

Twilight Sparkle was...suspicious of her mentor. She knew it was wrong. She should have complete faith in her mentor. But...something was terribly wrong. When the Princess first appeared in the old castle after Princess Luna was reformed she was wincing in pain and limping. She almost cried out in pain when Luna ran over to her and nuzzled her, beggging for forgiveness. At the time Twilight thought it was because of the injuries Nightmare Moon might have inflicted on her when she was captured out of revenge.

But then... A few days after the Nightmare Moon incident, Luna and Celestia arrived in Ponyville as a royal welcoming to each city, village, or town in Equestria. Luna practically jumped out of the carriage as Celestia carefully stepped out as if she was stepping on nails. It was honestly hard to look at. She kept flinching and standing as still as she possibly could. Twilight supposed she was a bit overwelled at gaining such great friends and moving to Ponyville that she sort of stopped paying attention and forgot her suspicions.

She wasn't able to investigate further. Twilight didn't even know what she was supposed to be suspicious of! Well, let's look at the facts. Celestia was being rather short with her temper. She looked like she was in pain. It wasn't normal. But there was no way that Celestia would turn evil at the sight of her maybe being in pain. Even thinking that is ridiculous. It's...It's...Blasphemy really. She shouldn't be thinking about this. Twilight considered her options of what her next actions should be based on.

Was the Princess in pain?

Should she even bring it up?

Twilight looked back at Celestia with the logic sense of her mind pleading for her to just drop it. Suddenly, a pink blurry figure moved past her. She blinked a few times and looked around frantically.

"Agh!"

Twilight's head snapped towards the sound of...Pain? Celestia had been almost tackled by Pinkie Pie, who was pulling her and Luna into a bearhug despite the guard's protest. Celestia looked like she was ready to burst into tears as she managed to maneuver her way out of the hug.

Luna looked over to Celestia with concern. OK, now Twilight can confirm that she wasn't the only one who heard the Princess exclaim in pain. Well, that is strange. Luna placed a comforting hoof on her sister's wing to get her attention as the guards had pulled an overexcited Pinkie Pie to scold her for her actions.

"My sister? Are you alright?" Luna asked. Celestia gave her a small smile and nodded.

"Y-Yes, Luna. I am just...Exhausted. It has been a long day." Celestia replied. Luna nodded with a smile and looked towards the guards who were now arguing with Rarity on their fashion choices, Rainbow Dash on their skills to protect the Princesses, and Pinkie, who seemed to be interrogating them to find out when their birthday's where.

Exhaustion.

Twilight resisted the urge to yawn as the all-nighter she took was starting to catch up on her. She decided to dismiss her concerns as exhaustion was a believable option for her. Yes. The Princesses get tired like everypony else. She is just simply exhausted.

Twilight smiled as she moved towards the arguing group of guards and her friends, as she put her concerns aside and focused on the next problem.

Luna had risen the moon, it was a rough start at the beginning but she was able to do it flawlessly within no time. Celestia assured her younger sister that the ponies would love her. That she would have no need to feel jealous any longer. They would rule together. Have an equal amount of power in the government.

Celestia stood on Luna's balcony. When Chanterlot was first constructed, she assumed Luna would return eventually so she had her room constructed a few towers away from her own. Luna smiled up at her sister. They looked up at the Moon, each reflecting on their private thoughts.

"Sister?" Luna questioned, breaking the comfortable silence.

"Yes, Luna?"

"I was wondering...Do you still talk with Discord?" Luna asked. Celestia chuckled despite the pain thudding in her body.

"I have never exactly talked with Discord, dear sister." Celestia pointed out. "It is hard to have a conversation with a statue."

"Oh. Of course." Luna said. There was another moment of silence before Luna continued. "So, do you?"

"Yes," Celestia said softly with a blush of embarrassment. "I...Um..."

Luna giggled and looked back up to the Moon with a smile.

"I understand, sister. You like him." Luna teased.

"L-Luna! I-I-Um!" Celestia stammered in embarrassment. Luna laughed a bit harder as she rolled onto her back with amusement. "Th-That is-A myth! We were friends!"

"You are still bad at lying, Tia," Luna said with a wag of her tail.

Celestia sighed and hid her face in her hoofs with embarrassment. She never wanted any pony to figure out that she had feelings for Discord. It was insane. Especially not Luna. To say she was mortified would be an understatement.

"W-Well, I have to go-um-Do some work!" Celestia stammered. Luna chuckled a bit more and waved her off.

"Yes. Yes. Sister." Luna said, using her hoof to wave her away. "Go spend time with your...Stallionfriend? What exactly would you call a-"

"LUNA!" Celestia barked with embarrassment as she flew into the air. She heard Luna laughing as she flew away into the night. Circling the castle before landing on her balcony connecting to her chambers. She entered her dark chambers. The fire from her fireplace was extinguished from lack of wood, having burned out hours ago. She looked over to her sleepy pet Phoenix Philomena, who was sitting on her perch.

"Hello, Philomena." She said softly. Using her wing to pet her. Philomena purred and snuggled into her owner's wing as Celestia used her magic to levitate medical books over to her. She let Philomena jumped onto her wing as she moved to the middle of the floor, where there was a comfortable carpet in front of the fireplace.

---End of Chapter Four---