Once upon a time. In the magical land of Equestria. There were two Alicorns that governed the sun and moon. Celestia, a paragon of justice and law, ruled justly over the day. Luna, the savant of art and the night sky defended the dreams of her sleeping subjects. The two ruled over Equestria in perfect harmony.
Until bitterness struck the younger Princess's heart. The ponies played during the day and slept through her beautiful night. Her jealousy transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness, Nightmare Moon. She sought to drown the land in eternal darkness. Left with no choice, Celestia harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponydom, The Elements of Harmony. Using the Elements of Harmony, Celestia was able to banish her sister for a thousand years on the moon.
Inspiring several plays and retelling over the years, including a fantastic musical-
* * *
Twilight paused in her reading as Star Swirled went into another of his famous sidetracks. The information she'd read didn't align with what she knew about history. "Two princesses, Celest-Tia?" She said the odd name aloud. It was so close to her beloved Princess and teacher that she feared it was a mistranslation for a moment. Yet this was the first edition in its original old-ponish. She studied the horn-drawn illustrations. The fact this Celestia shared so many similarities to Celest, down to mane color and connection to the sun, made her uneasy.
But this book's telling of events predated Brom, granting them Celest by almost two hundred years. Equestria was in a civil war between the tribes when Brom birthed Celest from the Volcano on his shell. Harnessing the soul of the sun to unite Equestria under one flag. She needed to talk to the Princess immediately.
Twilight Sparkle, closed the old book and stashed it in her saddlebag before jumping into a gallop. She barely heard Lemon Drop's question about Moon Dancer's birthday. As she passed the yellow mare, Twilight tried to make a mental note about the party as she skidded to a stop in front of her door. She threw open the door, urgently calling for Spike.
The door bounced off the heavy-shelled turtle and smacked Twilight in the snout. If the purple and green Hive Turtle, had been a smaller creature like a baby dragon, he might have been comically thrown by the impact. Instead, the turtle angled his head up at his bonded sister.
"Sorry Spike, I didn't know you were on the other side?" Twilight apologized holding the end of her bruised snout. "But this is an emergency, I need to speak to Celest."
The Turtle raised a brow at her. Not even needing to verbalize his question if this was like the last emergency Twilight had for Prime Celest.
"Those books were heinously out of order, and that Librarian was extremely negligent in her duties. You saw it too!" Twilight defended her honor, against the silent accusation. "No, this is an actual emergency this time, I've found some information that Celest, needs to know before the Summer Sun Celebration!"
Twilight sighed at the still skeptical Turtle. She pulled the book out and flipped to the illustration of Celestia. Showing the Turtle why she needed an audience with Prime Celest. Spike stared at it, letting the present he'd been balancing on his head slide to the floor. He instantly nodded and bounded over to his green pillow across from her purple pillow.
Twilight followed and did her usual circle before sitting on her cushion. Spike closed his eyes and allowed them to fall open glowing white, signaling the Ripple was ready. Twilight took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them she was in a white void. Sitting in front of Celest on her golden throne.
Celest, the Dawnbringer, the sole ruler of Equestria sat with her long slender legs crossed right over left. Her legs were crafted of polished marble with golden ornate heels. Following the legs to her central trunk, thin but stronger than most trees. Her chest was covered with a metal corset of brass formed tightly to her cleavage. Between her breasts sat a white diamond, within the symbol of the sun that sprawled across her chest and wrapped around her upper ribs. Her face was pale as fresh cotton, with lips only accented with a modest pink kiss mark under her eyes. Her magenta eyes, one hidden beneath the ever-flowing pastel multi-color mane. Looked at her student with humor, besides the urgency of the summon.
"I'm glad, you noticed the lipstick, my dear student. When I received Spike's summon. I felt a splash of color would be appreciated." Celest commented as Twilight blushed. "I see now, it was." Celest leaned forward and hid her giggle at her Student's embarrassment with a marble five-fingered claw tipped with gold nails. "Now, what troubles you, my Student."
"I found a Book!" Twilight started, and Celest giggled again. "No, no I'm serious about this one. It's a history book written by Star-Swirl the bearded recounting Equestria before we were graced with Brom and Yourself, Princess!" This piqued Celest's interest. She apologized and straightened herself out to listen more intently. "In this book, it talks of two former Princesses of Equestria, and one shares your name. Or at least most of your name." Twilight summoned the book from her memory and opened it projecting the illustrations of the two Princesses.
Celest jumped from her throne and approached the images. She touched the pony that bore the same mark. Memories burned in her mind, yet she could not reach them. "What was the name?"
"Celestia," Twilight reported, seeing her Goddess of the sun, flinch. "Perhaps it was a misprint?"
She tried to soothe the damage her discovery was doing to her Princess. Yet, Celest shook her off and turned her attention to the other Princess. "A princess of the Moon? Luna?" The name seemed to jump to her tongue, yet it tazed her brain to remember.
"According to the text, Celestia banished her sister Nightmare Moon, for a thousand years to the moon. On the thousandth year, on the longest night. The stars will help her escape. If my math is right, Princess. That is tomorrow, with the Summer Sunset Celebration!" Twilight urged as Celest caressed the projection of the midnight blue princess.
"So, does this Nightmare Moon pose a threat to Equestria?" Celest asked scowling. Twilight explained that she would bring neverending darkness to the land. Celest's scowl lifted, as her internal engine of a heart started racing. "A challenger, after all this time?"
"But, but this is a Princess from before you and Brom? Think of the history we could learn from her!" Twilight protested the glee slowly spreading across the Princesse's face. "If the book isn't propaganda spread by the old church. Then she would be something akin to your sister."
"No matter, If this Nightmare is a threat, she will be dealt with as one." Celest dismissed the notion of empathy for the Lunar princess. Then turned her head to stare into the white mindscape. "Unfortunately, I am out of time. A lot of ponies are vying for my headspace today."
"But, Princess!" Twilight pleaded, only to be picked up in golden magic. Her fears of being scolded or punished dissolved quickly as the Prime held her in her arms and kissed her forehead. Telling her not to worry. Twilight's face grew warmer from the contact. The butterflies in her stomach kicked into overdrive at the closeness she wished they could experience in the real world. But was only reserved for their time in connection.
Too soon, she was placed back on her cushion as Celest faded from the call. Celest left her with an order to contact her by Scroll if she found anything else on Nightmare Moon. Twilight huffed, about to leave the mental scape herself. When everything turned black, shattering the peaceful void and dunking her into an abyss. Two white eyes opened stories above her head. The black cracked behind the floating eyes as a volcano erupted. Twilight's breath left her as she realized who she was now connected to.
It was Brom, Celest's Hive turtle. Father of the Sun, and Uniter of all Equestria! The Turtle that made up the very mountain Canterlot was built upon! Suddenly the scene stopped and everything returned to white, as a now pony-sized turtle smoking a pipe, sat on his own pillow in front of her. "Alright, that is enough flattery, little one. I know I started the theatrics, forgive me I assure you it was not meant for ego stroking." Twilight, smiled at his apology and bowed her head respectfully to the Turtle. He returned it, blowing smoke away from her. The Turtle motioned to his right and a tray with two cups and a steaming pot of tea materialized. "Now, Little Prime share with me what you have found."
Twilight, nodded using her magic to pour the tea. She offered Brom the first cup, which he nodded with approval at her generosity. The Turtle balanced his cup expertly on the flat of his arm with his claws turned down. Twilight was immensely impressed by the motion. She didn't trust her own hooves to attempt the same motion in his presence. Her cup of tea warmed her from the inside out. Making the unicorn smile comfortably. She started to resummon the projected images.
Brom waved them off. "Not just the images, or what you think I should know about the topic. Allow me the book for a time, if you would."
Twilight suddenly felt like the Turtle was testing her. She summoned the book, recalling every detail of it for the turtle to study. She gave it to the turtle, and patiently yet nervously awaited his judgment. A short time after the Turtle snorted, amused, and closed the book. "Your memory and powers of recollection are astounding, Little Prime. But your emotions might be more so."
Twilight recoiled at his comment, and asked for an explanation. The turtle flipped to a section of the book that hadn't been read yet. Only to reveal a perfect recreation of Celest sitting on her throne, from mere moments ago. Twilight blushed and started to babble an excuse. Brom shut her down with a hearty chuckle. Taking another calming breath, Twilight asked the golden question of the day. "Is the book correct?"
"Yes, Celestia and Celest were once one and the same. That means Nightmare Moon, is Celest's sister by blood." Brom confirmed casually, without concern for what history the unicorn had been told all her life. "The events of this book took place two hundred years before I arrived in Equestria."
As Brom puffed on his pipe, Twilight stared at the floor reevaluating her entire worldview. "That means, Nightmare Moon will return tomorrow at the Celebration."
"Indeed, that's why we must work quickly. There is a town at the base of my mountain, Ponyville. The forest on its outskirts, hides a castle that once belonged to Celestia and Luna. Its location is shrouded in local lore and mystery. Perhaps, within its halls, some answers to our problem lie." The Turtle hinted crypticly.
Twilight tapped her snout. "Ponyville, that's where the Summer Sunset Celebration is being held. Did you plan this Brom?"
"Who do you think gave you the book, Little Prime?" Brom snickered knowingly. "The history, you seek was from before my time in Equestria. Until now it wasn't of importance to me." He saw the confusion cross the unicorn's face. "History has a habit of distracting from the present. But all too often it pops up to haunt those who lived it. This is Celest's history to relearn."
Twilight opened the book again, and reread how Celestia had defeated Nightmare Moon. "The Elements of Harmony, those can stop Nightmare. But do you think Nightmare Moon, can defeat Celest?"
"This is not about whether or not Celest can win, Little Prime. This is about stopping Celest from killing her Sister." Brom spoke clearly, and Twilight's heart chilled at his words. "Go now, prepare for the flight to Ponyville. Time is of the essence, Twilight."
With his warning, Twilight faded from the Mindscape, and Brom went for another drink of his tea.
"YOU SNEAKY LEATHER HANDBAG!" Celest's angry roar, made the ancient turtle spit his tea in surprise. Then grimaced at the waste of imaginary tea. "How dare you go behind my back like this, and with Twilight no less." Celest ranted sitting crosslegged on the now vacant cushion Twilight had left behind. She angrily poured her own cup and pointed a claw tip at her Hive. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing with that "Little Prime" shit either, Brom!"
"If you were eavesdropping so much, then surely you understand why you mustn't fight, Nightmare Moon." Brom threw back at his Prime.
"I will not be robbed of this fight, Brom. Not, when the safety of Equestria and my ponies are on the line. Especially not for a history she chose to forget." Celest sneered throwing back her own drink. Her downcast eyes revealed her doubt in her own statement.
"When, will you reveal your feelings for her?" Brom asked bluntly.
"When the time is right, she has more life to live before I throw my selfish sentiments upon her." Celest grimaced at the now historic question between them. "Don't push her, Brom."
"You have famously low expectations for your favorite student, Celest. I'm merely testing the Little Prime to show you, how ready she is for the future." Brom smiled refilling his cup.
Celest's smile grew challenging. "If your testing, Twilight. Then surely a test befitting my prized student is in order."
Brom frowned watching Celest summon a scroll and pen. His frown turned to astonishment the longer Celest wrote upon it. "Are you trying to sabotage your own student?"
"Have faith, in my student as I do, Brom." Celest smiled with pride as she sent off the letter, to Spike.
Brom chuckled, as Celest beamed with pride. He took another swig of his tea. "Perhaps, soon we can meet in reality and do this for real. It has been some time since we convened in this way."
"I'd deeply enjoy that, Brom." Celest reached out and lovingly patted his head.
* * *
Celest sat on a regal chair, behind a curtain. It was almost time for her to raise the sun. Twilight had set to each of her tasks without fail. To the detriment of her mission for the meddlesome Hive Turtle of Celest's. A fact her student was no doubt stressing about. A twinge of guilt for causing Twilight distress surged through her mechanical heart.
According to Spike, information about the castle within the Everfree forest was scarce. The forest was cursed and dangerous to the locals so few ventured into it. Also according to Spike's mental reports several of the locals had taken extremely kindly to Twilight. Celest's guilt was eased at the information that Twilight had quickly made friends within this little town. How deeply those feelings for her beloved unicorn were going to have to be investigated. Lest someone try and swoop in and steal Twilight's heart before she got the chance to.
While Celest was pondering on how to deal with imaginary suitors, a dark whisp entered the room. Stars twinkled in the black smoke as it angled to strike at Celest's turned head. Faster than it could react, Celest grabbed the whisp and smiled at the sudden action on what had been a rather boring ceremony.
"I'm so glad, you are real. I was starting to worry you wouldn't show." Celest taunted as the whisp gathered into the shape of an Alicorn. Her claws kept, Nightmare Moon by the throat holding her off her hooves with ease. The Alicorn bared sharp teeth in a threatening hiss. Only to recoil as Celest smiled showing off her own sharky teeth that unzipped half her face.
"Who are you?" Nightmare asked looking at the Mechanical creature fashioned after her sister. "Where is Celestia?"
Celest flinched at the added Tia to her name in that voice. "Gone, Nightmare. I was warned you might be showing up tonight."
Nightmare's eyes widened at the implication that her sister was gone. "You lie!"
"I was told of you, I do not remember you," Celest spoke harshly, then threw the Alicorn threw the curtains startling the gathered crowd. Celest could hear Twilight's cry of Nightmare Moon. Celest threw open the curtains with a flourish. "Fear not, I will handle this party crasher."
Nightmare Moon was having a crisis with what she'd been told. It couldn't be, Tia couldn't be simply gone. She heard the mechanical creature's decree of bravado. How dare, she be treated this way. When a purple unicorn, with a stary cutie mark, ran in front to stand between her and the metal creature.
"Celest, please I just need more time!" Twilight begged, making Nightmare Moon's eyes bulge at the shortened name of her sister. Rage boiled in the dark Alicorn as she teleported behind the Unicorn and captured her in her magic.
"Is this one important to you, Celest?" Nightmare spat the cruel butchery of her sister's name back at the creature.
Celest froze, eyes going white then blaring red with rage at the threat to her beloved student. "More than you know..."
Her hair caught fire whipping wildly in the air. Her hand twitched and a great sword thicker and bigger than the Alicorn herself materialized in Celest's hand. Nightmare Moon's advantages grin fell at the sight of a sword bigger than even a minotaur could wield comfortably being held without strain in a single hand. She swallowed, feeling the pressure of real death hanging over her. Faster than she could blink, Celest leapt at her covering an impossible distance in a single spring.
Nightmare Moon held Twilight close and teleported away in pure panicked instinct. The leftover smoke was cleaved by Celest's sword embedding itself into the floorboards where they'd just been. Celest's eyes wavered in their sockets at the empty space. If not for her showboating her beloved student would still be there and not in the clutches of a villain. Celest would have spent longer in her self-pity if not for the rising panic coming from the ponies around her.
Celest took a breath and called for calm among her subjects. "Do not be alarmed, I will handle this threat as I promised. Go back to your homes and await the sun's rise. Then you will know I have completed my task."
"What about the Egghead?" A brash blue pegasus with a rainbow mane asked floating dangerously close to Celest's eyeline.
Celest's right eye twitched at what she'd just heard her student be referred to as. "Pardon me?"
Before Rainbow could dig herself into an early grave, an orange earth pony grabbed her by the tail. "Come on, Rainbow the Princess has this handled. She'll get Twilight back."
Rainbow did in fact not "Come on" as was suggested. Instead, she punched her front hooves together. "Well if the Princess is going to get Twi, back so am I!"
Before Celest could even speak, the earth pony slammed the pegasus to the floorboards. Then took off her hat and approached Celest with a much more respectful tone. "Princess, if you wouldn't mind. I'd like to help get Twilight back too. She was real kind to my kin and all. Apples don't forget such things and it wouldn't sit right to stay here on my rump."
Again before Celest could even hope to respond. A posh fake Canterlot accent injected herself into the conversation. "Count me in as well, Princess!" A pure white unicorn with a curled purple mane pranced up. "If that ruffian has hurt a single hair on Twilight's precious mane. Well, I dare say, the only fury next to yours Princess will be my own."
Celest felt a headache coming on, when another Pony this time bright pink with cotton candy for a mane, came up riding on the back of Spike. "I'm sure she took, Twilight to the spooky castle in the Ever-Free forest."
"Are you sure of this?" Celest asked finally getting something important out of this interaction.
"It's what Spikey-Wikey says, and Twilight's been trying to get information about it all day. So, it's got to be important right?" Pinkie stated patting the turtle's shell.
Celest recoiled, "You can understand him?" At Pinkie's matter of fact, yep. Celest knelt before the Turtle asking if this was true.
"The Pink One's mind is vaster than anything we've seen. It moves at speeds that a mere mortal being shouldn't be able to. It takes effort to contain her within this physical plain of existence." Spike droned on sounding existentially terrified. Celest recoiled as the Pink mare's voice echoed through Spike's mind into Celest's. It told her not to worry about it. Celest's eyes went wide looking at the casually grinning mare that now seemed threatening.
Celest took the advice, "I assume you want to come along as well."
"Of course, Twi has a cute butt," Pinkie stated with a smile. Celest's hair stood on end at the brazen admission of attraction to her beloved student. Celest narrowed her eyes at the mare. Now knowing there was competition for her Twilight.
The Princess stood up but didn't turn her back on Pinkie. "Does anyone else want to join?"
Rainbow was dragging a shy yellow and pink Pegasus towards the group. "Come on, Fluttershy we need to go save Twilight!" The shy mare clearly wasn't about the adventure. "Remember what Twilight said about Nightmare Moon? What do you think is going to happen to the animals if it's night forever?"
Before Celest could be offended at the prospect she was going to lose. The shy pegasus had quickly flipped Rainbow on her back and was prancing at the exit. "What are we waiting for, we need to go!"
Celest took a deep meaningful sigh and rubbed her temples as she set off towards the forest with the bunch.
* * * *
Twilight hit the stone floor after the sudden teleportation. She landed flat on her chest with an oof and a disorientated groan as she tried to get her hooves under her again. Nightmare Moon was in greater pain as she drew a ragged breath through tears that streamed down her face. Her teeth were sharp as she bared them through the pain in her chest.
Nightmare spotted Twilight and stomped in her direction. She grabbed the purple unicorn with her magic. "What happened to CELESTIA? What was that thing? What happened to my Sister?"
Twilight barely weathered the barrage of questions that were rapidfired her way. "I don't know! We only know Celest. I just learned of you and Celestia yesterday!"
"What is this usper that has stolen, my sister's name then?" Nightmare demanded.
"Celest, She's the Princess and Prime of Equestria. Born from the Hive Turtle Brom. She controls the sun and moon." Twilight gave the quickest answer she could fearing the angry alicorn's sharp teeth inches from her face.
The anger flared on Nightmare Moon's face until a deeper emotion started to rise. Dispare, Her eyes misted and her lip quivered as she sat the purple unicorn back on the floor. "Then Tia is truly gone... How can she be gone? What was the point of me being locked away for a thousand years, only for her to not be here when I'm finally free?" Half her face suddenly contorted into a manic cackle, "Then that means I'm the last Alicorn standing. I've won!" She cackled as the other half wept. "By law, I'm the rightful ruler of all Equestria!" She turned her face showing her sad side. "But, what's the point if you're not here, Tia!"
Twilight watched the Alicorn throw herself to the floor wailing in despair. Her black coat seemed to physically lift away from the Alicorn as if trying to shed its darkness from the sobbing Princess. It snapped back onto her like rubber and Nightmare Moon took a deep ragged breath. The villain's laughter resumed, and she turned to mist and flew over to Twilight. Making the unicorn yelp in shock as wings held her tight as the Alicorn's hooves draped over her shoulders.
"With you in my clutches, Celest would have no choice but to abdicate the throne to me!" Nightmare Moon grinned down at the unicorn's face of shock. That grin didn't last as Twilight started chuckling with a crazed edge to it. "Stop that?" Nightmare Moon ordered grimacing at the uncomfortable laughter
Twilight started shaking her head, "We're dead..." The Alicorn flinched at the bold declaration. "No, you don't understand, Celest doesn't just want to fight you. She needs to fight. No, even that isn't a strong enough word for what Celest wants." Twilight backed out of the Alicorn's grasp. "Do you want to know what happened to the last major threat to Equestria?"
"Discord?" Nightmare Moon asked, and Twilight shook her head no.
"No, eighty years ago, the Griffin Empire decided to start expanding their borders and took Ponies prisoner for food and slaves. Do you know what Celest did to them?" At Nightmare's obvious lack of that knowledge, Twilight pointed a hoof in her face. "She marched, from our border to their King's castle. By herself, she single-handedly took on their entire army. Then she dropped the SUN ON THEIR CAPITAL AND HERSELF!"
Twilight summoned the artist's rendition of what that moment looked like. Celest stood in a waterfall of golden light as the Gryffions tried to flee from her wraith. Burning to ash as they flew. "This is painted in the grand hall of the castle. Do you know how Celest referred to that event? She stares at it longingly and calls it the most fun she's had in centuries!"
The Picture, plus the very real split-second image of a greatsword hurtling toward her skull without remorse, was starting to make Nightmare Moon sweat.
"Prime Celest needs to fight like you and I need air to breathe! She will kill you and me in the same breath if it means the rest of Equestria is safe!" Twilight preached with a redness in her cheeks that stated she was proudly waiting for that moment if it meant she could be of service to her Prime. "Unless you help me find a way to help you!"
Nightmare Moon was blown away by the hoof that was offered her way. Hesitantly she took that hoof. "How do we do that?"
"First off, stop being evil!" Twilight said the simple option first. Nightmare Moon didn't even consider the option. Immediately taking her hoof back with an immature "no". Twilight groaned, "Then stop trying to take the throne!"
"That throne is mine by right!" Nightmare loudly declared.
"First off, I don't have time to go over a thousand years of laws and rules that have changed within the legal system. Second, do you want to die?" Twilight asked bursting into flames as her coat turned white.
Nightmare watched the outburst, connecting some dots. "Is Celest like your mother or something? Do you get that from her?"
Twilight instantly denied that. She gave her coat an uncomfortable shake at that thought. "No, Brom no, why would you think that?"
"She said you were someone important to her." Nightmare Moon gloated about her choice of kidnapping target.
"I love her!" Twilight blurted out, "Even if she could never love me in the same way." Twilight cried at the admission now that the extremely emotional situation had dragged it out of her. "That's why I'm trying to save you, Brom told me Celestia and Celest were once one and the same. Even if she doesn't remember she's still your sister!"
Nightmare Moon's mane frizzled out in spiky anger at that statement. "There is nothing of my sister, within that cold metal shell of a creature!"
"Maybe, but I'm still not gonna let her kill her own sister if I can. So are you going to help me or not, Luna?" Twilight needled the Alicorn digging her hoof against the metal collar she wore.
"How, do you know that name?" The Alicorn asked genuinely surprised.
"Celest guessed it when I showed her a picture of Nightmare Moon. Perhaps more of Celestia is there than you think." Twilight explained smugly, feeling proud of her defense of her Prime. Nightmare went silent pondering that fact. Twilight looked around, finally having a moment to take in the decrepit castle around them. "Where are we?"
"My home, now lost to time it seems." Nightmare said wistfully. She was saddened by its state of decay. Instead, the purple unicorn started to prance in place squealing in delight.
"This is the castle of the Two Princesses? That means the Elements of Harmony are here!" Twilight shouted excitedly as she galloped off.
Nightmare Moon's brain froze for a second as she had a very traumatic flashback to a giant rainbow cannon to the face. Along with the very last words she'd ever hear from her sister. Apologizing for what she had to do. The dark Alicorn nearly had a stroke realizing history was about to repeat itself in very uncomfortable ways. "Wait, come back, let's talk about this!"
Nightmare Moon chased after the unicorn through the ruined halls of her former home. Until she stumbled onto a more distressing sight. A decayed skeleton wearing tarnished armor, that had been left there for a long time. It wasn't the only one, insight either. Several more along with scattered armor pieces and dark scorch marks on the walls, caught the Alicorn's eyes as she surveyed the battle from the past.
The sight made her pelt crawl, She heard a door open further down the hall. Suddenly she recognized where they were. This was the hall leading to her room. If her memory was correct. Then the purple unicorn has just entered her chamber. She walked carefully around the skeletons, vowing if she got the chance to clean them up and bury them properly. It was a surprisingly sentimental thought for the villain. Not knowing the time of their death, perhaps she had once known the soldiers who had died in defense of her home. It twisted her stomach with the reinforcement that she was displaced from her own time.
Nightmare Moon, entered her former room to find it desecrated with rows upon rows of hastily written ink. Her glorious banister bed stood just as she'd remembered. The curtains and wooden walls, besides the ink that nearly covered them entirely, were pristine. A huge juxtaposition from the rest of the castle. It made Nightmare do a double-take between the rooms. Only to notice a golden aura shimmered on the wood of the threshold into the room. Instantly she recognized what it meant.
Nightmare Moon's eyes grew misty as she could feel her Sister's magic within the room, fighting the very passage of time to keep her room pristine for her. Ready and waiting for Luna to return from the moon. Yet, Celestia wasn't here to greet her. Why?
"I think, you should read these..." Twilight told her wiping a tear from her eye as she moved onto the next wall.
Nightmare Moon studied the writing and noticed a clear pattern reading left to right. She started on the leftmost wall.
Dear Luna, it has been fifty years, since I banished you. I miss you, so much and I'm sorry for sending you away. Yet no matter what I do the Elements will not release you from the moon. I've tried so many things, and now I find myself leaving you messages on your wall. Perhaps when you return you can read them and know I tried.
Nightmare regarded the little message with resentment. "If you were so sorry, you'd be here for my return, sister." She moved to the next one.
Dear Luna, why did you have to betray me? Why couldn't you have just spoken to me about your issues? Why did it have to come to this, why did you have to put me through this? It's been a hundred years of your banishment. I'm beginning to think, your welcome will not be with open hooves. A hundred years by myself to weather the burden of this damn heavy crown alone.
Whose punishment is this again, yours or mine, Sister? I'm starting to not know anymore. Yet, I must bear it to the end of your sentence as do you. Perhaps my sister died that day, perhaps I killed my own sister that day?
The inky writing suddenly veered down the wall as if the writer had left her pen drift without lifting it. Perhaps in the realization of a horrible thing. Nightmare swallowed to wet her suddenly dry throat. She'd already glimpsed what the next wall held, and it following the passage she'd just read, filled her with dread.
The next wall was filled from ceiling to floor with I'M SORRY LUNA. It didn't have a mentioned time, only the decaying mental state of her sister. The ink was spilled in drops on the floor framing two hoove prints from where Celestia had stepped in it as she wrote on the wall. It painted a sad image of Celestia as she scribbled on her sister's wall. Nightmare Moon almost stopped reading, but the mad writing might hold the answers to what had happened to her sister.
The next section returned to the earlier format. Dear Luna, it has been two hundred years since your banishment. I apologize for the last note, and for stopping in my leaving of notes for you. I love you, Sister and every year without you by my side is growing more painful. I don't know if I can take it anymore. I've started seeing you in the halls. I hear your voice calling my name from rooms, I know are empty. Yet, every time I run towards it. I chase after your voice hoping and praying to have you in my hooves again.
The staff have already started to spread rumors, and I let them. Perhaps years from now, the stories of the heartbroken princess will haunt these halls. Perhaps I will still haunt this room, well after the castle has crumbled. I've placed a ward to maintain this room, so even if I am no longer here when you return. These notes and your room will stand. I love you, Luna.
Nightmare Moon, broke down as her legs slid from underneath her. This was her Sister's suicide letter addressed to her. Yet one last wall remained, but no note was scrawled upon its surface. Instead, a giant composite painting of a Turtle with a volcano on its shell was expertly placed. She'd caught up to the purple unicorn who stared at the Turtle in shock.
"Do you recognize this creature?" Nightmare Moon asked
Twilight swallowed and nodded. "This is Brom, the Hive Turtle who birthed Celest and reunited Equrestia during the Schism."
Nightmare Moon had no reference for what the Unicorn was babbling about. Other than this "Turtle" was the one who took her sister from her, somehow. A scroll was left on the floor and glowed with the same preservation magic that sustained the room. She lifted the last note left to her, from Celestia.
Dear Luna, I've met someone, He is not of this world. Perhaps not even of this reality. He's offered me a solution to my pain. I'm sorry I won't be there when you return, my dear sister. Please whoever returns from your banishment, be it Luna or the Nightmare I let you become. Take pity on the ponies whom we once loved, take care of them, Where I could not.
I don't know the person, I will become once I go through this process, Brom has offered to me. But if it rids me of this crown that has become too heavy to bear alone, then so be it. The ponies of the kingdom have lost faith in my rule. They call me mad, and delusional perhaps they are right. Perhaps I am a crazy old pony who has finally let time sap me of my resolve.
I don't even know if you will return from your banishment. I have no hint or clue to what this feels like to you, Luna. I feel like I've spent an eternity in a blizzard without end. If you do return, and stumble upon this note. Remember your silly selfish sister for who she was, and not the fool she became.
Nightmare Moon dropped the letter onto the floor. She stood in the center of the room and looked upon the downward spiral of her sister's mental state in its entirety. To the dark Alicorn, her banishment had felt hazy, and the passage of time was like drops of rain on a stone. She'd spent the majority of it planning on what she would do when she returned. Now, almost none of it mattered with the fact Celestia was no longer there to triumph over. Step one has always been besting her sister. Maybe banish her sister in kind as revenge. Yet now it seemed her time on the Moon had been the kinder of the two positions.
The Alicorn reflected on Celestia's last wish for her. She turned to the purple Unicorn. "What is your name?"
Twilight blinked at the sudden question. She was still processing what she had learned about the mental state leading to the creation of her beloved Prime. "Twilight Sparkle."
"Twilight Sparkle, I need your help. Will you wield the Elements of Harmony and rid me of this nightmare?" Nightmare Moon asked frowning sternly.
Twilight nodded offering a reassuring smile. "Do you know where they are?"
Nightmare led them out of the depressing room, and to the highest tower. An impressive glass doom stood, even cracked and partially overgrown with vines, it still offered a breathtaking view of the starry night sky. Twilight gasped staring up at it, she wished she had time to observe the night sky from this new position. The Alicorn called for her attention and stepped onto a hidden switch concealed as a normal stone. The floor opened and a planetary model rose from the opening. Instead of the Solar system boulders of carved stone with vibrant colored gems embedded in them rotated and orbited the plain unmarked one in the middle.
Twilight circled the display, counting the rocks again and again. "Um, there are only five. There are supposed to be Six elements of harmony."
Nightmare Moon lit her horn and pulled the purple six-pointed star from its stone casing. "Sister always hid her favorite Element in case there was a thief who sought to rid us of them."
With the reveal of the Elements of Harmony, Nightmare Moon, picked a spot in the middle of the glass dome's view of the sky. "No, let us begin, Sparkle."
Twilight watched Nightmare Moon close her eyes as if readying herself for an execution. The purple unicorn looked around and at the still stone-bound Elements. "Um, start what?"
Nightmare Moon's eyes snapped open. "Use the Elements!"
"I don't know how to do that!" Twilight shouted back panicked.
"Then, what was the point of sending you here for them, if you don't know how to use these blasted stones!" Nightmare Moon snapped at the Unicorn. The Alicorn sat on her haunches and dragged her front hooves down her face in frustration.
"Brom said to find the castle of the twin sisters, and then I would find the answer to help you not be a threat to Equestria. So Celest doesn't kill you!" Twilight admitted what she'd been told.
"Again, you mention that devil of a Turtle!" Nightmare spat. "Why would he care for my life, after taking my Sister from me?"
"He cares about Celest, he cares about you because you are her sister." Twilight spitballed but shrugged not knowing the Hive Turtle's full plan.
Nightmare Moon groaned and rubbed both temples at once trying to coerce her brain into coming up with an alternative plan. "Wait, I have it!" She declared with a crazed grin born from desperation. "We can get married and then once enough time has passed I can regain the Equestrian crown, politically!"
Twilight blinked trying to slog through the impossible amount of ways that plan was wrong and stupid. Ultimately settling on her personal reason above all else. "No, plus i'm saving myself for Celest!"
"Pff, my flank is so much better than that skinny metal thing." Nightmare defended the rejection of her plan. When she got a tugging on her mane. Her mane floated out and displayed a magical video of Celest and the other Ponies nearing the castle. "We must hurry, Celest and her Posey draw near."
"Wait, who is with Celest?" Twilight asked scooting closer to see the ponies she'd been ordered to check with in ponyville walking alongside the Solar Princess. "What are they doing here?"
Nightmare shrugged. "Perhaps we can listen in on them, and learn for ourselves?"
The audio suddenly came from the Alicorn's hair. Rainbow and Applejack were chatting on either side of Celest.
"Then there were the Shadowbolts, they were like the edgy evil versions of the Wonderbolts. They wanted me to join them." Rainbow reported what she'd encountered on the other side of the rope bridge.
Applejack whistled, "I'm impressed they didn't rope you into their crew, Dash. The Wonderbolts are your dream."
"Ya, but they weren't the Wonderbolts. So no go from me. Plus they wanted me to abandon all of you." Dash beamed.
"Oh, that would have been such a travesty..." Celest grumbled, rolling her eyes clearly not enjoying the journey they'd been on.
"I know right!" Rainbow bragged puffing out her chest.
* * *
"That was pretty Loyal of her, I didn't think Rainbow would ever do something like that for others," Twilight commented. She looked at the Elements of Harmony, getting an idea. "Do you know if there are any other moments that stand out?"
Nightmare Moon scrubbed through the magical footage. "Well, there was this moment, when the yellow one, flipped Celest on her ass."
The moment replayed as Celest drew her sword on a Manticore that was standing in their way. Before she could strike the monstrous creature down, Fluttershy yelped and proceeded to judo-flip the Prime and remove a thorn from the Manticore's paw. After it was removed, the Manticore turned into an affectionate kitten of a creature.
"That was pretty Kind of her." Twilight summoned a notepad and started writing. Throwing glances from Nightmare's hair and the Elements.
"And Hilarious!" Nightmare Moon commented replaying the exact moment, Celest was flipped over and over again.
Twilight rolled her eyes, "Focus, we're looking for clues remember?"
"Right, right, from there I upset a sea serpent that lived in the river, but cutting off his ridiculous mustache." Nightmare Moon explained showing the rushing water.
Twilight frowned, "That's just mean." She watched the scene unfold, as Rarity quickly rectified the situation by offering her own severed tail to the weeping serpant. "That was really sweet of her."
"And Generous." Nightmare hinted, switching to the next scene. Where Nightmare had collapsed the cliffside right from underneath their feet. Nothing was seen besides Celest grabbing all of them with her magic and floating them over to safety. (Sorry Applejack) The video quickly fast-forwarded until several enchanted trees with spooky faces started to cause terror among the group. Except for Celest, her eyes went wide showing the fear spell was working on the mechanical Princess. Instead of fear anger crossed her face. She drew her sword and started chasing an unseen foe, no matter how fast she moved her prey was never there. Still, she hunted even slicing several trees trying to reach her target.
Nightmare Moon's eyes widened pausing the video. Celest was crying as she snarled chasing the ghost neither she nor Twilight could see. "What is she chasing?"
Twilight could only shake her head, unsure what scared Celest so badly. Nightmare Moon continued the playback when Laughter cut through the terror spell. Pinkie laughed from Spike's back the other girls took notice but weren't free of the spell just yet. Abruptly the video stopped as Nightmare Moon groaned. "Fair warning she's about to start singing."
"Really?" Twilight asked, and Nightmare Moon nodded telling her she was warned. Twilight wished she had listened to the warning. The song was insanely catchy and wormed its way into her brain and refused to leave. The song even made Celest crack a smile at the Pink Ponies act. But the action didn't give Twilight a clear virtue to assign the cotton candy-colored pony. So she wrote LAUGHTER? Within her notepad.
Nightmare Moon ended the video and was about to ask Twilight if she had gleaned anything useful. When her own hair smacked her across the face. Her snout bled from the motion, but she tried to hide it from Twilight. Not getting the obedience the Nightmare side wanted. She then had Luna bash her own head into the ground knocking the Nightmare's host out cold.
Twilight jumped at the sudden violent act. "Luna?"
The Dark Alicorn got up like a puppet with loose strings. Nightmare flashed carnivorous teeth. "You will not separate us..."
The Nightmare leaped at Twilight, barely being held back by Twilight's magic and her front hooves. The possessed mare's teeth nashed inches from Twilight's neck. She screamed as the Alicorn lunged for her throat again. Drawing a hoof back she managed a blow across The Nightmare's snout. Her murderous charge stopped as Luna's eyes lit up again. Right as Twilight releases a sigh of relief.
Celest clears her throat, as her right eye twitches. Twilight was suddenly hyper-aware of the suggestive position she and Nightmare Moon seemed to be in. But before she could even begin to explain. Nightmare Moon opened her mouth. "It might look like we are locked in a desperate life-or-death struggle. But in fact, we are in the middle of consummating our new Marriage, POLITICALLY!"
Twilight paled in shock as she slowly looked at the insane Alicorn. She didn't get the chance to argue with Moon, because Celest stomped over and punted the alicorn into the lower atmosphere. Unfurling her white wings Celest took to the air chasing after Nightmare Moon with a rageful screech. Now free of the dark Alicorn, Twilight got to her hooves as her friends rushed her.
"Girls we need to save Nightmare Moon, from Celest!" Twilight explained, only for Pinkie to rush into her face with a shocked expression.
"So you are getting married to Nightmare Meanie?"
"Politically?!" Rainbow asked repeating Nightmare's Moon's new catchphrase just as perplexed about the situation.
Twilight shook her head, "NO, she's Celest's sister!"
Pinkie's mood instantly brightened, at Twilight's still single status. "Oh ok, what's the plan?"
"I've been studying the Elements of Harmony, but I can't use them by myself. I need all of your help!" Twilight urged and led them to the giant stones.
"How are we supposed to help, Twi? Honestly not much has made a lot of sense today." Applejack asked.
Twilight shrugged and wrote Honesty in her notepad. Then threw a boulder with an orange gem at Applejack's hooves making the farm mare jump. Shouting "Good Enough!" at finding the missing virtue of the group. She proceeded to start passing out the other Elements in kind naming the virtue they represented. She accidently called Fluttershy the Element of Judo, before correcting herself. "Ok, did everypony get a rock?"
Each of the main six eyed the odd artifact they'd been given. Pinkie balanced on hers like a circus elephant. Rainbow was trying to take the gem out of it through brute force. Applejack leaned on hers. Rarity was appraising her own for possible resell value once this was over. Twilight nodded and levitated her rock to join the pile. Twilight lit her horn, and poured her magic into the rocks. She tried several different methods of activating the Elements of Harmony. As the battle above them raged on.
Nightmare Moon was barely holding back the enraged Mechanical Goddess of the sun. She had to focus her entire magical shield to stop the massive blade from cleaving her in two. Celest was blazing with fury as her hair whipped into a flaming mane. "HOW DARE YOU, TOUCH MY TWILIGHT!"
Nightmare Moon bared her teeth. "How dare you, take my sister from me, you soulless monster!" She twisted her magic and forced Celest's sword back. A feat that only seemed to spur the mechanical Princess on. She lunged back and Moon parryed the strike blasting Celest toward the floor.
Pinkie's tail twitched and she quickly warned the rest to scatter from the burning comet of a Princess. Celest crashed through the Elements of Harmony stones crushing them to shards. Twilight stared in abject horror as her hopes of saving Luna from the Nightmare's influence seemingly shattered with the stones.
Celest didn't even pay the group any attention, as her eyes refound Nightmare Moon floating above them. She smiled and pulled her arms back as her magic surged to the two spiraled horn halves in her forearms. Combining the massive balls of pure magic, she fired a blast bigger than she was toward the corrupted Alicorn. Celest angled and followed the Alicorn with the blast as she tried to avoid the devastating surge.
When the endeavor seemed fruitless in hitting the small target, Celest cut the power off and took to the air again. Leaving multi-colored shards scattering to Twilight's hooves. She looked down at the destroyed Elements and started to cry over her failure. Only for Spike to trot up and place his head on her back. Twilight was dragged into the mental scape of the Ripple.
"Why are you giving up, when you already have the answers you seek, Little Prime?" Brom's voice asked her as Twilight looked up at the void around them.
"How the Elements are destroyed, Celest is already blinded by her lust for battle." She asked the Hive Turtle desperately.
"You've figured out all the other Elements, Little Prime. But what of your Element?" Brom asked seeming amused by her floundering like a parent with the answer that seemed all too obvious to them, yet was impossible to reach for the child. Twilight searched her head over and over for the detail she was missing about the whole situation. Brom chuckled knowingly, "It is unlike you to stumble on the last question of a test, you've spent any amount of time studying for, Twilight Sparkle."
Twilight gasped as the answer slapped her right in her face. Brom praised her before returning her to reality. Twilight jumped up and lit her horn. She gathered all of the Element shards with her magic. She poured her magic into them, which was now being accepted freely. As the shards flew around her. Twilight's friends approached her curious about the Unicorn's plan. This time instead of casually throwing boulders at them. She lifted them in the air and formed their elements around their necks calling each of their virtue as she did.
Before, finally forming her crown and correctly naming her Element. "MAGIC!"
Each Mare floated together in the Harmony and Twilight turned her attention to the Sky. Celest felt the immense magical pressure suddenly burst into life beneath her feet. Somehow the magic felt familiar, somewhere in her soul she recognized it. When a giant laser rainbow that made her earlier blast of magic look like a trickle launched her way. She heard her student's voice in her head. Twilight urged her to move. Celest rolled away, getting a part of her face clipped by the blast of Harmony before it hit its intended target, Nightmare Moon.
Celest was left dazed by the glancing blow. Memories and voices flooded her mind. All focused on a little dark blue Alicorn, that called her sister. The Rainbow spiraled around Nightmare Moon and eased her descent back to the ground. When it left her, the Nightmare was no more. Luna sat with her hooves tucked underneath her. Dazed but alive, she watched as the Main Six floated back to the ground. The Element's magic faded, leaving them with the golden artifacts now molded after each of their cutie marks. Twilight smiled at the cleansed Princess of the Moon and offered her hoof.
The peaceful notion was shattered by Celest landing hard enough to shake the ground. Her sword was in hand as she looked down at the tiny Alicorn. She sighed, "I'm assuming you are no longer a threat to Equestria?"
Luna gulped shaking slightly at the still threatening blade. But Celest put the massive sword away, letting the material flow back up her arm. She immediately turned to Twilight, whose ears flattened against her head in fear the Prime was angry at her instead. Celest picked Twilight up and kissed her deeply until the little unicorn fell limp passing out from the rush of emotions.
Then stuck Twilight under her arm like a sack of potatoes. "My Twilight." Celest declared possessively looking over the group, and Luna searching for any objections. Rarity offered a hesitant congratulations in the tense moment. Celest nodded and looked at the still-dark sky. reaching her free hand up she grabbed the moon, but for the first time in her existence, it resisted her call. She knew she could force the stubborn celestial body if she so chose to. But it would resent her rough treatment of it.
"You are the Princess of the Moon, correct?" Celest asked Luna, for the first time without a hint of hostility. Luna nodded and lit her horn, calling the moon to set. Bringing an end to the longest night. Celest then called the Sun to take its rightful place in the sky.
Luna cried mourning Celestia, and the world she once knew. Celest felt discomfort at hearing the tiny Alicorn cry. Her emotions were a mess as two very different beings within her started to battle each other. She approached Luna and softly petted her mane as she cried. Luna looked up at the Prime, the sun shined around her head showing a heavenly halo around Celest. But for a moment through her tears, she saw Celestia.
* * * *
The group, along with Luna, returned to Ponyville and were given the true heroes welcome. Even Luna was welcomed with open arms by the ponies. She was given a flora necklace in celebration of the Sun rising again, to her surprise. When it was time to return to Canterlot. Celest was all too ready to jump into the carriage for the trip home.
But Twilight had stayed distant from the Princess of the Sun since she'd awakened from her fainting spell. Even as Celest called for her to return to Canterlot with them. Twilight hesitated looking back at her Ponyville friends. Celest's heart froze at the unsure look on her beloved student's face.
"Um, Celest can I talk to you about an Idea I've had?" Twilight asked fidgeting with her hooves. Refusing to meet Celest's eyes for long. "Well, I would like to stay in Ponyville. The Mayor has offered me the town library to stay in. I'd like to continue my studies on Friendship and the Elements of Harmony."
Celest took a deep, and adult-minded breath. Feeling her heartbreak at the rejection by her beloved student. "It seems you have put a lot of thought into this Twilight. If this will make you happy." She had to take a shaky breath as her already taxed mental state reached its limit. "Then I see no, reason to deny your request, Twilight." The Unicorn beamed a smile and thanked her. Celest had to do a heel turn, to not break down to tears in front of Twilight and her friends. But she wasn't able to let it go. "Twilight, before I go please tell me! Is this about the Kiss?"
"That wasn't a dream!" Twilight declared quickly blushing as her brain boiled from the overload of emotions.
Celest blinked, pursed her lips, and turned around again not stopping in her long strides this time. "I'll have your stuff shipped from your room. Send me letters, we'll talk later."
Luna watched the full awkward display from her seat in the carriage. Celest slammed the door shut and ordered the guards to take off. The mechanical Princess flopped bonelessly face-first into the cushioned seat, and screamed into it for several long seconds. Luna was shocked speechless at the sudden display of childish rage. Celest started angrily crying into her claws as she called to Brom requesting a bath, and several bottles of a substance called Soul Wine to be ready for her upon their arrival.
Luna assumed this Brom, was talking to her through some sort of mental magic because Celest kept talking during her depressing breakdown. "She left me, Brom! I ruined it, I moved too fast and she rejected me!"
"Would you please, pull yourself together!" Luna shouted unable to handle the immature display any longer.
Celest's eyes snapped open, peaking through her claws at the other pony in the carriage with her. Instantly she sat up straighter and tried to act as if the last few moments hadn't happened. "I'm sorry, I'm not used to having anyone else in here with me. Besides Twilight of course."
"Are you mentally, well Tia?" Luna asked suspicious of Celest's quick emotional one-eighty.
Not helping Luna's concern was the flinch Celest gave at the name used. It looked like she'd punched the seemingly unmoveable Prime right in her gut. Celest turned away and crossed her arms. "Do not call me that, I am not your-"
"You are made from her parts, I do not know how or what this Brom has to do with it. But you will not remove this part of her from my memories!" Luna snapped not letting Celest dodge the still lingering questions she had. "So please, Tia..." She let the name further piece Celest's hardened heart. "Explain to me, what happened to Celestia."
Celest licked her teeth, staring at the carpet. "I... I don't know why she chose to become a Baki, Luna. That is what I am. Something born from the soul of Celestia and reforged by Brom the Hive Turtle." Celest changed her position and sat with her hands between her legs. "I don't have all of her memories, only vague feelings. I believe the Elements of Harmony, may have returned some of those memories. But I still need to process them. A feat that is not as quick for a Baki. It's new information that needs to be gone through."
Luna nodded, finally getting traction to her understanding. "I will give you the time, But what of this Brom?"
"Oh that nosy turtle, will pop up if I want him to or not. He is an impatient thorn in my side at times. Always acting without my knowledge to move things in a direction that suits him." Celest spoke cryptically on purpose. Crossing her legs and leaning back to watch the sky fly back.
But Celest's vague answer did nothing to soothe Luna's concerns. "Celest, is this Brom an alley or an enemy?"
"Baki, have always had an uneasy relationship with their creators. Without him, I would not exist. Without me, he would have simply found another to become Prime of his Hive." Celest chewed on her own statement for a moment. "I trust him, and my little ponies trust him."
Luna realized that was the best she was going to get for the moment, and watched the land pass by.
Author's Note
This was a writing exercise, i let get out of hand. It has concepts and character ideas from a Book series I'm trying to get published. So if you like the idea of the Baki and there Hive turtles let me know. I have other none pony Baki crossovers on AO3.
This will probably stay a one-shot unless people really want more.
