Birthrights

Eternity

Celestia sat in the throne at the head of the palace hall, monitoring  unicorn and pegasi rushed around. All of the ponies performing different duties, obtaining orders, all in search of the missing Princess Luna. Who eight months prior, ran, or rather, flew away.

        “Ma’am, no word of the princess over the new city of Manehattan, nor over the recently established Las Pegasus,” a guard reported, Celestia glanced to him. She nodded and then dismissed him.

        “Alright then, keep searching. I will return in a moment. I have something to attend to,” she explained as she stood up to walk away towards the oracle Hall.

        Upon reaching the hall she entered the dimly lit room, having a curtain at the back and a painting of the first rulers. A smiling elderly unicorn sat and watched the door and a musky orb.

        “What has humored you, oracle,” Celestia demanded, feeling almost insulted by her upbeat appearance in the time of need.

        “Luna’s choice, dear, has been made,” the oracle chuckled, gazing for a moment into her orb.

        “What has she chose,” Queried the princess.  the oracle only lightly shook her head,

        “I will not mess with fate, you will discover her choice in days to come,” smiling the oracle turned to enter a hidden room, merely by stepping through a painting. Celestia attempted to follow for she felt as she deserved an answer, but only succeeded in walking into a painting.

~

Luna patiently stood watching her growing warriors practice once more in both flight and combat, each proving their skill quickly in the dark forest.

        “Good, let the day drive you! For every hour you fight, you achieve another step towards the glorious night,” she encouraged, her voice hanging on them, it slowly losing its tender, caring tone.

        “Yes, Ma’am,” the five ponies simultaneously called, not stopping for a moment. Luna watched one of them in particular; A light grey pony who was capable it seemed, of taking the other four simultaneously and defeating them with ease.

        “Grey foal, I notice your efforts and successes in combat,” she called to him, causing the five ponies to stop and stand at attention. “ I believe you have earned your name, young one.” The grey pony stepped up, ready to obtain his name.

        “Foal, you excel in combat, standing proud above the others as they topple beneath your hoof,” she complimented, “I believe you have well earned your name, Crescent Blade, I hope your strikes hit as sharp as your temper.” The recently named pony, Crescent Blade, bowed his head, “Thank you, Ma’am,” He then turned to face his friends, who looked ready to pounce, they then went into a game-like training, where the goal was to pin Crescent onto his back, Crescent never lost.

        “Now, I must attend to something,” Luna said, taking flight. Crescent called up to her, curious,

        “What is it you must attend to?” Luna glanced back to him. And whispered something none heard but her, “My sister,”

~

Celestia walked the palace grounds, hoping for some hint as to where her dear sister had disappeared to all those weeks ago.

        “Dear Luna... Where have you gone?” she whispered,

        “Where I belong, Sister,” Luna said, emerging from the shadow of a tree. Startling the sun princess.

        “Though that is by my side, where have you been?” Celestia requested, looking sullen.

        “I have been away collecting my thoughts,” Luna explained stepping near her. Seeming stronger in the night air. A faint blue shimmer forming itself around them.

        “Come home where you belong, before you do something you’ll regret,” Celestia begged. Luna turning to face her, glowing a deep blue,

        “You’re just as the rest! You don’t think I may hold on my own as a princess,” Luna accused. Standing taller than she seemed, frightening in her own glow.

        “You know I don’t think that!” the elder sister exclaimed, only getting a glance of disbelief.

        “You bathe in their worship, and they bathe in your sun. They cower from my night, and forget of me completely!” Luna shouted Her voice echoing long bringing guards to them, only to be stopped by a blue field of magic encompassing the two.

        “I only want the best for you, but I have my duties, and you have yours, we need to fulfill them. It’s the other ponies ignorance to believe I am greater than you,” Celestia convinced, hoping for her sister that she loves so much to return home to the palace, to live in harmony with her.

        “You may think that, but your actions portray otherwise, when we defeated the draconequus, Discord, I played no part. You used your Elements to defeat him alone. I merely WATCHED,” She shouted. The grass folding down around them. Celestia barely managed to hold her ground. The guards, on the other hand, could not maintain their composure nearly as well, for they fled in fear.

        “You have stood as my inspiration, Luna, my purpose for protecting these ponies. I lower the sun so that your moon may shine in glory, the stars among it glowing in their flickering beauty,” Complemented the white alicorn with her head bowed low, hiding the tears she failed to repress.

        “Now you may admire them for eternity, for I refuse to set them. I give your ponies three days. Three days to enjoy your sunlight, and one day of the year may they have the sun,” Luna promised, flying into the air, the sun slowly rising.

        “Guards, warn the citizens. Prepare them; darkness is soon to come,” she sighed.

        “B-But princess, aren’t you going to stop her?” a guard stammered to ask.

        “I refuse to fight my own sister, she is too important.” Celestia whispered, walking slowly back to the palace.

~

Luna stood before her fair trained soldiers in the forest clearing. Each tought in their own manner. It had been four years since she had promised eternal darkness. Two years until the deal was struck that nullified it,  and she was prepared for the requirements of the deal to be met.

“I name this place, the Everfree forest! for all who come will be free from Celestia’s rule. The sun and moon free to rise and set on their own,” Luna Decreed to the five ponies, who had grown up well into adulthood. They wore matching uniforms with a pony skull with wings on their flanks. Deep purple goggles over their eyes.

        “Ma’am, you deserve a castle, a palace of your own.” Night Flare recommended. Luna thought on this for a moment, then nodded in agreement.

        “I deserve a palace, you're correct,” she agreed, “So let there be one before me!” as a palace rose around them, lifting them to its roof.  It peaked slightly out of the forest, the building finished its sudden growth. The palace stood in magnificent glory, a monument to Luna herself. The small group decided to hover down to the door and proceeded stepped inside. Luna walked to her throne quickly, and took her seat. How it should be, she thought. The colts and mares around her bowed in respect, marking her as their queen.

~

Young Luna laughed with her elder sister, both of them sitting in the throne of the palace.  They played a game much like king of the hill.

        “Ah! You win, Luna!” Celestia exclaimed, having fallen out of the chair.

        “Yes, I have! Hurray!” Luna exclaimed, bouncing in the seat. The door to the hall opened, the oracle stepping into the hall. At the sight of Luna in the throne, she gasped,

        “You insolent filly! You dare disgrace the throne by placing yourself upon it!” The oracle ran quickly up to the filly, who was apologizing,

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I didn’t know!” then she was lifted quickly and joltingly across the air to the oracle who had formed a paddle of sorts out of magic. Celestia cried out, watching her sister being punished.

“Stop! You’re hurting her!” Celestia then charged the oracle, tackling her backwards.

“Gah! You filly, you're not a princess yet, you dare command order over me!” The oracle shouted out, which was her final mistake. Celestia shouted at the top of her lungs,

“Get OUT!” her voice held so much power, it caused a massive wave of magic to strike the oracle sending her flying backwards into a wall. The oracle dropped from the wall unmoving, lifeless. Celestia did not care for the oracle or what she had done, she cared for her crying and bruised sister curled upon the floor.,

“Are you alright? She won’t ever hurt you or be rude to you again I promise!” Celestia promised to her sister. For a time they sat there, holding each other, crying. For the whole of the night they cried till they ran out of tears. Late into the night, they finally wept all their tears and fell asleep holding one another. The oracle’s body dissipated into dust, a cause of the magic that hit her.