Within An Instant

by Lotus Moon

Rating: everyone
Tags: Tragedy, Alternate Universe, Sad, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
Length: 1245

Things happen before we even realize it

During her long banishment, Princess Luna had finally returned to her senses. She curls up and cries in solitude, but then an explosion rang out across the galaxy.

Based off the comic strip of the same title drawn by Evehly

Published 2023-11-01 16:50:01 UTC
Last updated 2023-11-01 16:50:01 UTC

Within An Instant

The day of her banishment played in Princess Luna’s mind over and over. The callous things she had said before transforming into Nightmare Moon. The actions she took as Nightmare Moon. The single tear she saw her sister shed before the magical blast from the Elements collided with her own. The magical hit that catapulted her to the moon as it shed the dark shell that had engulfed her, shedding away to reveal a teenage Luna. Once she had gotten a look at herself after her painful landing, the Nightmare’s influence was still strong. Luna raged around her namesake, blasting craters into the moon and cursing Celestia’s name. Her rage became tenfold as she felt the pull of Celestia’s magic lowering the moon to make way for the sun.

“How dare she?! Does she truly think she can touch what is mine?! How much more can my sister take from me?! She had everything!! Beauty, grace, the love of our fellow ponies...and now…now she even takes the moon?! I will make her pay!!”

"How dare she...she thinks the Moon is hers to command. Just because we are not there! If it weren't for those damned Elements, she would have been groveling at our hooves!" The Nightmare seethed, stewing with thoughts full of hate.

"But the Elements did not destroy me...they...changed me back. Did sister know there was still some good in me?" Luna thought. Slowly her mind began to reflect on what brought her to this moment. But still, the Nightmare raged.

"Ponies probably adore her more now because we were seen as the monster. Her and her precious light. One day it will burn out and it does, we will return! She cannot keep us bound here forever! And then no one will be able to stop us!!!"

"Why should ponies not adore Celly? I did too once. She was everything perfection could be. Maybe if I had been patient and waited, ponies would have seen me the same as her."

"YOU FOALISH FOOL!!!! WE SHOULD HAVE DESTROYED HER BEFORE SHE COULD USE THE ELEMENTS!!"

"But what then?? I'd still be a monster not just to my sister, but to all! No pony would love me, only fear me!"

"FEAR IS THE ONLY WAY TO RULE! CRUSH ALL DEFECTORS!! ONLY THE STRONG NEED SERVE US!! DEATH TO ALL WHO CONTINUE TO ASK FOR THE SUN!!"

"I NEVER WANTED THEM TO FEAR ME!!! ALL I WANTED WAS THEIR LOVE AND ADORATION!!!"

As days turned to months turned to years, these thoughts constantly echoed in Luna’s mind. And the more she thought about it, the more her mind gave way to reason. It was then two separate thoughts took residence in her head. For every curse and vile thought from the Nightmare, there came twice as many rational thoughts from Princess Luna. The sides warred with each other as often as the sun and moon rotated through the sky. And once Luna's thoughts started to prevail, the influential hold of the Nightmare started to fade.

“Sister…please…can you hear me? If you can…I’m sorry…I’m so sorry for everything. For my foolishness, my arrogance, my ignorance…EVERYTHING! SISTER IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, PLEASE BRING ME BACK!! LET ME COME HOME!!! I MISS YOU! I MISS YOU SO MUCH!!! PLEASE!!!”

Luna howled in sorrow. The cold vacuum of space stung her eyes as her tears shed from them, staining her midnight-colored fur. She cried and pleaded until her voice was gone, only the emptiness of space hearing her pleads. Time went on, Luna keeping track of days and nights through the rotation of the sun and moon. Over time she started to feel how gentle Celestia was with the moon when handling it, also as if it was a child. Luna would stare at the radiant sun when it was out—speaking to it as if it were her sister, hoping somewhere deep down that Celestia could hear her through it and feel the sincerity and regret in her words. But each day was the same. The celestial bodies would rise and set, and Luna was still in banishment.

One night after the moon was settled into the sky over Equestria, the lonely night princess curled up on the surface of the moon. She couldn’t stop thinking about how much she had messed up. Had her jealousy and greed not overtaken her, she’d still be home in Equestria. She’d still be with her sister. Maybe, just maybe, she’d have gotten the adoration and respect she craved from the little ponies she co-ruled over. Had she given them the chance, perhaps they’d have come to love the night as much as she did. Perhaps they’d see the beauty in it; in how she carefully decorated the sky with stars. Maybe they would see that she was just as important as her sister. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she thought about these things. “Sister…how long has it been? Do you still think of me? Do you miss me? Do you hate me? Am I still a monster to you? I wish I knew. Oh, sister…I miss-“

BOOM!!!

Luna gasped as a loud explosion suddenly shook and shattered the silence. There was also a flash of light that could have lit up even the darker side of the moon. “What on Equus was…” The words died on her tongue as she turned her head and saw what caused the explosion. A look of horror and despair draped Luna’s face as she saw a sight that shattered what little hope she had left. The flash of light she saw was still expanding. And it was in the very spot where her home…her subjects…her sister once were. Chunks of land mass were being pushed by the force of the explosion or drifting lazily. Equestria…was no more.

“Wh-what…why…how…” Luna’s mind raced with the questions and many more. But the biggest question was about Celestia. Was she even still alive? They were alicorns and had been alive long enough to become rulers. They were immortal, yes, but even she didn’t know if an alicorn could survive a literal world-shattering event. She sat there on the surface of the moon and pondered so much in what seemed like a second. But one thing filled her very being with a deep abyss of dread. That now, despite being gone for Faust knows how many years or decades, Luna was now well and truly alone. Her sister must be dead. All the ponies could not have survived that destruction. No creature could have. And if the explosion did not kill them, then the sudden change in atmosphere would have. Though she could not see the bodies, she knew none could still be alive after that. A small sound escaped Luna’s lips. It was a laugh, or the ghost of one. She had not laughed in so long, it sounded so foreign to her. But it grew and grew before turning into heartbroken sobs. “No…Celly…please don’t leave me…don’t leave me alone. CELLY!!!”

Luna wrapped her hooves around herself and sobbed loudly. She wished desperately that this was all a nightmare that she would wake up from. But it wasn’t. Things happen before we realize it. The seasons changing. The sun and moon rotate. Animals go into hibernation and come back with the refreshment of spring. Foals grow from fillies and colts into stallions and mares. And things can also suddenly end within an instant.