The Twin Queens Consort

Luna slowly walks the halls, to return to her chambers for her rest. Her Sisters words and revelations hang heavily over her head, her memory trying to recall.

A thousand years on the Moon... was a traumatic experience. Enough time to not only drive one to Madness, alone, stranded; but to loop back around to some twisted grasp of Sanity. It was something that Luna worked through, with her Sister; especially now that Nightmare was no longer part of her.

Nightmare Moon was born of the corrupt influences of the Evil that naturally rests on the Moon; something they didn't know until now.

Once separated, Luna was shocked to find it had become a twisted copy of her. The likeness was undeniable, though they were presented to the other for only a short moment. A thousand years of intermingling, stewing, scheming; every possible emotion was felt, every moment shared.

And now, that Nightmare sought to use a dark shadow from her Sisters past to crush them. How did they know about it? Did... Luna, know about it, and forget?

The halls are softly bustling with activity, repairs underway, guards patrolling, staff servicing. Day Court has been closed since the attack Canterlot recovers. But Luna pays little attention to the world around her, trying to recall her own memory, of the time before her Banishment.

It was... hazy, and terrible times that she buried down to become a better Pony. Like most things from a thousand years ago, she remembered little; especially another neighboring nation, when they were so focused on trying to unite the Tribes, and hold back that horrid, frigid winter.

Daybreaker... Luna had never seen her Sisters worst form, shared to her in secrecy and trust. To have expanded Equestria in her absence with an Imperial fist, and to have done so in such a brutal fashion, that she felt the need to bury Equestria's own history, so it might not hinder Harmonies development...

A long sigh escapes Luna. She could not imagine what her Sister went through in her absence. So quickly after becoming Alicorns, they had lost so much. It was horrible, but it was not her position to judge what her Sister had done. Not yet.

Luna needed to speak with the creature. To hear what it had to say. What it felt. How it felt. The pain was still, clearly set deep in it's heart... but Luna believed that, yet again, Alicorns toyed with Humanity.

Her Sister burned their very nation, their people, to the ground. Now Nightmare and Chrysalis revive its remains, to serve them.

Do they deserve rest? Do they deserve a chance to return? Who was the one in the right to decide? What did the Human think?

Luna's mind is so busy, she doesn't even notice Twilight and her team trot by, suited up for their mission.

Celestia sits alone in the Study, mind heavy. Plagued, by swirling doubt and thought.

She had gotten so used to being able to push away the cruel, harsh memories of the past. To enjoy the simple, stagnant, Harmonic life. Simple Day Court. Solve ponies problems, handle evil.

The fireplace across the Study begins to flicker embers, despite no tinder. No fire.

She had done so much to forget. And now, she pushes her Sister away -- out of shame. She had slandered her sister -- Nightmare Night, a day to remember how villainous her Sister had been. Had she truly changed?

The embers brighten, a small flame catching on the logs.

Such an Evil act, her Sisters, to demand an equal share of their peoples love, and a place for her favored kin, the Bat-Pony.

The fire brightens, splashing its brilliant light across the room. Celestia spirals deeper, chest heavy with panicked breaths.

"After all, what is a Sibling Dispute to a Genocide?" A most wicked voice teases.

The cruel, taunting voice makes Celestia flinch -- eyes wide in panic as they look to the Fireplace. Slowly, crawling out of the looming, crackling flame that threatens to spill from its hearth... herself. Cruel. Fanged. Grinning. Aflame.

Daybreaker.

Her slow laugh fills the room, heavy and haughty. Celestia steps back, panic settling in her chest.

"I got rid of you. For good. Never again." Celestia defiantly ~~exclaims~~ mutters, like a pitiable welp.

"Yes, we remember how we tried so, so hard to forget. Nearly Lobotomizing ourself with that shameful attempt at a memory alteration spell. Leave it to Starswirl the FOOL to muck up yet another spell." Daybreaker cackles, shaking her head at the weak refraction of herself, stood in front of her. Cowering.

"I tried to remove YOU!" Celestia shouts, stamping her hoof. "WE ARE NOT ONE! I REFUSE YOU!" Tears begin to well in the corner of her eyes, heart pounding. Daybreaker is bored by such a visage of weakness.

"And so we continue to tell ourselves, time and time again. An excuse, that everything we have done, to be here, where we are now... was not our fault. It never is, is it, 'Tia'?" Daybreaker spits, disgusted by the weakness of such a lackluster nickname.

True Queen Daybreaker's flaming hooves burn slow holes in the carpet, the fire dredging upwards from the fireplace, catching on the walls, the bookcases, the banners. The room glows, far brighter than before. Of course it does. We are here. Such is the will of any room that bears the honor of our presence.

"Luna was able to have the Nightmare be removed from herself. And I, Faust willing, will--" Celestia starts, an adorable attempt at defiance -- it's broken instantly, Daybreaker throwing her head back and laughing.

"HAHAHA! FAUST?! Oh, we are far worse off than we thought. Perhaps we should start to refer to ourselves in the singular -- it is beginning to pain me to be related to you in any sense of the form." Daybreaker cuts Celestia off, laughing in her face and disregarding her. "Faust is who made us, who we ARE! Luna, oh, don't me started. We did worse to her than we ever did to ourself." She sneers.

"What? I never caused any harm to Luna! I never --" Stop lying to us, Celestia. Do not bark at the mirror and expect it to be convinced that it sees anything but itself.

Celestia trails off, her back legs faltering. She lands on her haunches, as Daybreaker looms, the ever-glorious horizon. The flames in the study are raging, threatening to consume the entire room.

"Look at Luna, our dear Sister, and tell her she's not half the Mare she once was. We refuted her disgusting Bat-Kin, banished her to a thousand years of naut but her own thoughts... slandered her with the crimes of our own, pinning the very people she wanted the love and affection of against her." Daybreaker continues, her sweetly sinister voice hovering just beside Celestia's ear.

Celestia stares at the floor, face twisted in ~~horror~~ shame, for what a weak, pitiable Mare she has become.

"And when we brought her back? Oh, it's the only reason we still talk with ourself. We still have it in us. To split her, her very soul, in twain with the Elements? HA! We were surprised by your cruel creativity, 'Tia'. Now, we parade her around as a pitiable prize, as she degrades herself for our affection. Smaller. Weaker. Relegated to her lonesome night where she belongs. Her Bat-Ponies still on the fringes, where they deserve to be. And Nightmare Night? Still in full swing? OH, We. Are. Devious! We even have her thinking it's a good thing!" Daybreaker carries on, waving a hoof about, watching ~~Celestia~~ Her Weakest Form crawl deeper and deeper inside herself.

"I... I won't..." Celestia tries to retort, on the last stretch of her own sanity, lip trembling.

Daybreaker leans close, nose touching Celestia's ear. A cold shiver runs down Celestia's spine. The heat is unbearable.

"Just because you split your Sisters soul in half, does not mean you yourself are two different entities. It's disgusting how firmly you lie to yourself, and how easily you harm those around you to reaffirm them." Celestia mutters to herself.

The study doors burst open -- Celestia blinks, snapping her head up.

The study is quiet, dark. Light now only spills in from the opened door, a worried Twilight glancing around as she finds Celestia, sitting pitiably in a puddle of her own sweat and tears.

No flames, no damage. The Fireplace is still, and quiet. The Study as it was.

"Princess! I heard you were in the study, and got worried when you didn't answer! Are you..." Twilight speaks up, trotting inside to join her mentor. The rest of her little team wait outside the doors.

She pauses as she gets close, seeing the state Celestia is in, worry twisting onto her face.
"...Princess? Is everything alright? Did something happen?"

Celestia's traumatized face slowly turns to her ~~student~~ Victim. One of many.

"...Of course, Twilight. A... moment of weakness, following a good talk with our other. We will be alright." Celestia assures, placing a calming hoof on Twilights shoulder.

Twilight smiles, reassured. "I'm glad you and Luna were able to figure some things out. I wanted to inform you, we're heading out now to..." Twilight continues to explain the basics of their plan, and how they plan to leave now.

Yes, Luna...

Twilight finds Celestia is warmer than usual; her eyes bearing a faint, orange tint as she listens to her student speak. She thinks little of it, trusting in her Mentor completely.