To Chase The Shadows of Redemption

The Everfree castle stood like a silent sentinel against the backdrop of forestry. Darkened spires reaching towards the skies. Within ancient halls, Luna moved with a purpose, each step echoing faintly against the stone flooring. Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions, each thought a storm of uncertainty and doubt. Despite that, there was one thing she had latched onto.

As Luna approached the castle's entrance to leave, a figure emerged from the shadows, ever radiant even in the black of night. She hated it. Celestia, her sister, approached and came in front of her while Luna stood still after hearing the approach.

"Luna," Celestia's voice had a sharp ring to it, "What are you doing?"

Luna paused, heart pounding in her chest. She had truly hoped to slip away completely unnoticed, and it was just like her sister somehow have the sense something was going on.

"I am leaving, Celestia," her voice quiet but surprisingly firm. "I have no wish to further obstruct your vision for Equestria, one which I will never be satisfied nor able to impose upon my own with enough to sufficiently satisfy me. Furthermore, I am tired of living in your shadow, being cast aside as some inferior being when we are equals, it disgusts me."

Celestia's eyes widened in shock, her expression one of disbelief. She had known about Luna's dissatisfaction, but the implications here were far worse than she had initially surmised. "Luna, you cannot be serious," she protested, her voice tinged with desperation. "You cannot simply abandon your responsibilities. Equestria needs both of us, now more than ever. You cannot leave like this." She gulped down a lump in her throat, and knew that damage control had her spewing without collecting herself enough. But...

Luna shook her head, her mane cascading around her like a cloak of shadows. "I have made up my mind, Celestia," she declared, her voice filled with determination. She may have been uncertain about many things, but she could not afford to show that right now. "I am tired of always playing second fiddle to you. I want to live my own life, on my own terms."

As the culmination of many such instances as of late, Celestia's mood had swung entirely - triggered by the same talking points. Celestia's patience snapped. Her eyes flashed with a mixture of hurt and anger, her regal demeanor faltering for just a moment. "Selfish! Always so selfish!" she spat, her voice laced with frustration. "You think only of yourself, Luna. You've always been like this - unable to see beyond your own desires. You have a duty to stay here."

Luna's eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger igniting within her. "Selfish?" she repeated, her voice rising. "You accuse me of selfishness, Celestia, when all you have ever done is bask in the adoration of our subjects? You have always been the favored one."

Luna recoiled at her own words slightly mentally, her heart sinking. While being upset with her sister for a while now, she still had some level of sincerity deep down that they both cared for each other. She had expected anger, perhaps even disappointment similar to previous arguments, but this time it felt worse. She took a moment to gather herself, and found conviction building as a flip of the coin landed in her mind. It landed oppositely to before. She was done being walked on in these conversations. Her glare returned, and directed the full force of it towards Celestia.

"Perhaps you're right sister, but also perhaps I haven't been selfish enough in the first place. Very well, Celestia," Luna conceded, her voice heavy. "I will stay, but on one condition. I want to be the one in charge, the one who makes the decisions. I want to rule Equestria on my own terms. I want a period to show you what I can accomplish."

Celestia's eyes widened in sheer shock as a response, her expression one of disbelief. "Luna, you cannot be serious," she protested, pride and concern waging an unfortunate battle once again in her heart. Her voice tinged with concern. "You know as well as I do that ruling Equestria requires balance, cooperation. We cannot rule alone, we must work together." It was like repeating a mantra that you had to cling onto if to hold onto anything at all... she had to believe it in this moment, even if her actions or words had ever been divergent from it.

"Either accept my terms, or I will leave and never return."

The sweat just continued to roll down Celestia's back at this point. She had locked up. Her next response meant everything. She had to... she had to... had to say the right thing to make things right and return things to normal. She cast her gaze over Luna's form searching for any sign of doubt or hesitation. The eyes reflected back had a fire lit in them.

A deafening silence. Two ponies at a crossroads.

"Just... just come inside and we can talk this over when we have clearer heads," she paused for a moment, panicking still, and quickly added without thinking, "I can guide you back... to where you need to be." She gave a smile that convinced no-one, not even herself, and it was crooked.

"Even now..." Celestia found the courage to look back at her visage. "Even now you treat me as some foalish younger sister."

Celestia's stomach all but collapsed. She could—

"You know what, I've changed my mind about leaving." Anger consumed her. She could feel an inner darkness writhing inside her, boiling, seeking to break free. It was unchained immediately. It spread, and soon poured forth into reality. Shadows enveloped her, and in a moment of clarity wondered briefly if this was really what she had wanted. Her mind went to sleep soon after. From Celestia's perspective, and dark vortex had blocked her vision of her sister, and a dark and solid ball of cryptic magic had surrounded Luna. The magic felt entirely different than what she was used to, it felt changed, cursed and tainted all the same.

Cracks formed in the ball, and it soon after shattered entirely. The final shadows dissipated, leaving behind only a darker mare behind altogether. This was a creature, not her sister. Predatory eyes held a cold gaze.

With a contemptuous laugh, Nightmare Moon spread her wings and took to the skies.

Celestia had only barely waken up to the danger a moment later before her life as she knew it was taken from her.