“Luna, remember, controlling the moon itself will be a lot different than practicing for it. Remember, it is as alive as you are.” Celestia said, her voice carrying caution.
“Yes, sister. I will proceed with the utmost caution.” Luna stared at the moon through a window, staying inside to protect herself from the wind chill that traveled through the wintery air on Mount Canterlot. She looked back over to Celestia, who smiled and nodded.
“Go on…”
Luna, with newfound confidence in her heart, opened the window, letting a sudden chill enter the room. Despite being an alicorn, the freezing touch of the air was still felt. The wind whipped through her short blue mane, her hair waving erratically.
However, Luna looked up and stared at the moon in the sky. The ponies of Equestria were tired of controlling the moon, meaning that time was running out. She knew that the moon on this planet had a limited time as it was slowly drifting away from the planet, a few feet a month, but with her as a controller, she could keep the moon in the orbit it was in now—the ideal one. So, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she reached out with her magic and touched the moon.
Instantly, she felt herself get transported to a different location. Or, was this in her mind? It was cold. Very, very cold. She stood in an endless plain, the floor being made of a reflective metal. No, when she moved her hooves, it rippled like water. Where was she?
“Hello? Sister? Anypony?” Luna looked around her, seeing the same silvery plain for as far as the eye could see. The sky above her was completely dark. She was starting to shake as the fear began to seep into her body. “Where is this place? I don’t like it… I don’t…”
“You don’t? How pitiful.” A dark voice was heard, and when Luna looked to see its owner, she saw herself looking at… herself. Like a mirror. “If you can’t handle being separated from your loved ones for just a few minutes, how could you handle the task of keeping the moon around the planet? I’d like to see a feeble foal like you even try.”
Her copy laughed, disappearing into a purple smoke, whipping around her. Luna tried to follow the smoke with her eyes, but it was too fast.
“W-Who… W-What are you?” Luna shakily asked, seeing the purple smoke condense into another copy of her.
“Are you dense? I am the avatar of the moon, the one who depicts the moon when it cannot itself.” Her clone walked forward, pressing its nose against hers as it stared into her eyes. “I’m not seeing a worthy spirit within you. All I see is a weak, little failure.”
“Wha- I’m not a failure!” Luna fired back, watching as her clone walked around her.
“You say it’s not when it truly is. Who do the ponies like more? Your sister, hm? She mastered the sun first try. What are you going to tell the ponies when you come back, unable to tame the moon?” Luna’s copy smiled, revealing sharp teeth in her mouth, unbefitting of a pony. “They’ll throw you out and have Celestia do it herself.”
“That’s not true! The ponies would never do such a thing…” Though, Luna found herself second-guessing her words. Would they do such a thing if Luna was deemed… worthless?
“I see it in your eyes. The doubt. The lack of confidence in the ponies’ trust.” Luna’s copy stopped in front of her, watching as she looked down into her reflection in the silvery liquid. “What do you see? Do you see yourself or do you see a future failure, incompatible with her one true destiny?”
“I…” Luna started breathing quicker, watching as her form in the reflection was distorted by the ripples. She closed her eyes and shook her head. She had to remember, that the moon was just as alive as she was! This kind of thing was something that Celestia said could happen! “I see… myself, Luna! The controller of the moon!”
Her clone took a step back at the sudden boost of confidence. “Do you really believe that? The moon hasn’t even accepted you-”
“It doesn’t matter whether or not the moon has accepted me, all that matters is that you are in my way!” Luna charged a spell and shot it at her clone, watching as it evaporated into a purple mist. She thought that this was the end of this… thing, but it was not. This mist slowly began surrounding her, swirling around and around.
“You never know when to quit. Maybe there is a tough spirit within you.” A dark chuckle was heard, reverberating through Luna’s bones. “Perhaps I should stick around and find out…” The purple smoke then entered her body through her nose and mouth, causing her to hack and spit, coughing her lungs out as the last of the mist disappeared into her body.
“Did I… do it?” Luna slowly looked up at the dark sky, watching as it was replaced by a blanket of blue, filling with numerous bright stars. She could see the moon in the sky, though much, much closer. She could see every little detail. Every bump, crevice, and crater to be seen was seen by Luna. She marveled at the beauty of the moon, her face growing a large, awe-struck smile. Slowly, the space around her brightened until the light was unbearable, and then…
…Luna found herself back in her home, staring at the moon with her blue magic still pulsing. A new, sturdy power flowed through her veins, and staring up at the moon in the sky, she felt confident in herself. She let her magic fade, the blue sparkles trailing off into the night sky. Even the brutal winter wind had calmed. She looked over at Celestia, her loving sister, and smiled.
“I did it, sister… I tamed the moon.” Luna walked over to Celestia, who quickly wrapped her wings around her, hugging her tightly.
“I knew you could do it, my Luna…” Celestia whispered into Luna’s ears. “Everypony will want to hear this in the morning… they’ll be so proud of you like I am right now.” She leaned back and nuzzled Luna on her forehead, pulling back and looking into her eyes with a smile. “Good job.”
That praise was the thing that Luna needed to hear in that instant. The words of the terrible clone that she had seen up there had gotten to her, so she felt tears grow in her eyes as she hugged Celestia again, sniffling.
“I love you, sis…” Luna said quietly. Celestia was surprised by the sudden show of emotion from Luna of all ponies, but she quietly accepted it as she hugged Luna again and rested her head against Luna’s.
“I love you too, Luna. Never, ever forget that.”
Author's Note
Wrote this out of nowhere, so... 
