Chapter 1: Strange Building
She didn't know what to do.
She had come back from the moon after a long time...
Why didn't she feel better?
Princess Luna was laying in her bed. It was night time... Her sister, Princess Celestia, was sleeping in the room across from her. She still felt bad for wanting to make it eternal night, and threatining ponies, but she still wished everypony could appreciate her beautiful night.
"...Why do I feel this way..."
She muttered. She rolled over and covered her head in her pillow. It wasn't everyday some bad mare tried to change the whole land of Equestria. She didn't know if she felt bad, or if she hadn't done enough. It was all too confusing.
Luna moaned. She was really tired, but she couldn't get to sleep. She sighed and stared out her window, where she saw plains beyond the mountains shine in the moonlight. What a beatiful sight... It was very good that she could appreciate her night. But of course, her big sister still controlled the day and night. She hadn't yet offered to have Luna control night again... Maybe because she knew that her littler sister wouldn't like to do all the hard work making night, and having no pony stay up to enjoy it? It had happened before, and things never went right from there on. Princess Celestia had apoligized to Luna for imprisoning her on the moon once they arrived back at the castle, and of course Luna smiled and hugged her sister full of tears.
"It's okay big sister, I love you! I won't ever be like that again, I promise!"
She could remember the exact response she said. It seems her and her sister have now made up, and they were once again friends. You can separate friends, but you can't separate family... That's what Princess Celestia told her. Luna closed her eyes trying to get to sleep... It seemed hard to get some rest with all these thoughts stored up in your mind, and it certainly was. But Luna had to go to sleep... She wouldn't spend now and beyond stressed out.
She once again gazed out her window. Except... In the middle of the plains laid a big building... "What is a building doing in the middle of the plains?" She asked herself, getting out of bed. She put her hooves up at the window ledge and opened the window, sticking her head out to get a better look. The air was pretty chilly, but what concerned her the most was why there was a building standing in the middle of empty plains. Well, of course the plains weren't really empty. Some hills, a mountain, a tree here and there... But that's not the point. There was a big building standing in the middle of the field!
Luna rubbed her eyes, thinking she was dreaming. Hopefully she was, this would mean she would have fallen asleep... But when she looked out the window again, it was still there. It wasn't there a minute ago, how did it get there now? There was only one thing to do.
Luna walked to the corner of the room where some old saddle bags laid from a long time ago. When she was younger, she liked to go to the beach with her sister and collect seashells in the saddle bags. She closed her eyes remembering the time years ago...
"Sister! Look, I found a swirly one! Isn't it so cool? How many did you find?"
She frowned a bit as she remembered the fun times with her sister when she was younger... But no! This wasn't time for memories! She slipped on the saddle bags over her back. A picture of the moon was presented on the front of the two saddle bags. She looked behind her at her cutie mark, a relaxing mark of the moon... She remembered being so happy to be able to control the moon. She smiled sadly and went out into the hallway. She peeked in her sisters room... Thankfully, Princess Celestia was still asleep. She sighed a breath of relief, and headed out of the castle as quick as she could.
She now stood outside the castle, staring off at the building. She would have to climb down the mountain, and it would take miles to reach the building. But she'd take that risk. This could be a good adventure, and maybe her sister could trust her with the task of controlling the moon again if she solved this mystery! She nodded her head proudly to herself, starting to trot down the mountains...
Luna was resting against a tree sleepily. She had already ran halfway through the fields. She was almost, just almost, to the building. It would probably take half an hour now... She didn't know if she had the energy however. She got up tiredly and began walking down the path again. She had realized there were more trees around here than she thought, making it possible for her to be even going through woods. She guessed looking from afar inside a room through a window was differnet then up close... Well, obviously. "I'm almost there, you can do this Luna." Luna took a few deep breaths and started running. She could see the building coming closer and closer!
Soon, finally, she had arrived. She gazed up at the building. "...Whoa." She gasped. It looked like a big church, and the building was a pure snow white. The windows were gold and the door was big and brown, similar to the one at the castle. Sort of. Anyways, she nervously approached the door, and slowly knocked on the door.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"H-Hello...? I-Is anypony there?" She said quietly. No response. Maybe she should speak louder. "Excuse me! Is- Is anypony there!?" She yelled. Still no response. This obviously wasn't going to work. She knocked a few more times.
Pound. Pound. Pound.
Suddenly, the big door creaked open. She could now push the door open. "Well, I guess if the door is open, It means they're letting me in..." She said to herself, quietly walking into the building.
The hallway was so dark... She couldn't see a thing. She coughed and continued walking. There was no sounds, besides the sounds of Luna's hooves walking against the ground.
"Hey! Who are you?"
A voice boomed through the dark hall. Luna stopped dead in her tracks, scaredly. She gulped. "Who- Who's there!?!?" Luna shouted back nervously. The sounds of a pony's hooves walking against the cold ground filled the room. Something was heading towards her. But who were they?
"I'm really sorry f-for invading your home!" She shouted. The footsteps got louder as they came closer. Luna gulped, and backed away from the footsteps. Suddenly, they stopped. Luna could barely make out the figure of some pony in the distance...
"Well, who's there?" The figure yelled to Luna. Luna blinked. "My... My name is Luna! Princess Luna!" She shouted back. The figure in the distance took a step away in surprise. "Princess Luna? THE Princess Luna?" The figure trotted closer. Luna could finally make out a light blue mane, a dark blue body, and a unicorn's horn as the pony came closer. Soon the pony approached Luna, and Luna could make the figure out. She was a unicorn!
"Luna! You got here too? H-How did you get here!?" The pony surprisingly examined Luna. Luna examined the other pony, too. "Um... I saw this building in the middle of the plains. I- I thought I should come and explore the building, it seems just so... Weird." She answered. The pony smiled at Luna, or at least that's what Luna could make out. "Well Luna, I don't think we've met properly. My name is Trixie. The Great and Powerful!" She said, grinning proudly at Luna. "Nice to meet you, um, Trixie the Great and Powerful..." Luna answered shyly. Trixie nudged Luna. "Come on, Luna. It's important we find the way out of here. I tried getting out through the door after coming inside, but it wouldn't budge." She said. "Now follow me." Trixie trotted ahead of Luna. "W-Wait for me Trixie!" Luna yelled to her, trying to trot ahead and keep up with the fast pony.
"So... You decided to check the place out too?" Trixie asked as they kept walking through the dark hall. "Erm... Yes. It was just weird I've never seen this building here before." Luna answered. Trixie nodded. "As so did I. I was just practicing my magic when all of a sudden... I turn around and I see a big white building! Wouldn't that just creep you out? I just had to check it out." She laughed. Luna nodded awkwardly. She guessed it would creep her out, but the only thing of her concern is the dark hallway she and Trixie are walking through.
Suddenly, Luna and Trixie bumped into a wall, causing them to fall to the floor. "Ow! I hate walls... They just appear out of nowhere!" Trixie complained, getting off of the cold stone floor and fixing up her mane. Luna got up too, and felt the wall. It seemed... Hollow? "Hey, Trixie, I don't know if this is a wall..." Luna said to Trixie. Trixie scratched her head and felt the wall too. "Hey, you're most certainly right. It seems it's a door!" She said happily, tugging and tugging to open the door. Pulling didn't work, so she rammed into the door. "WHOA!" Trixie yelled as she flied through the door. "Trixie!" Luna yelled. She ran through the door after Trixie, but soon found herself standing not even a centimeter from an open trapdoor. "Luna...!" Trixie's voice yelled from the bottom of the hole as she kept falling. Suddenly, her voice dissapeared. "T-Trixie?" Luna yelled down the hole. Then, she lost her balance, and tripped into the hole, starting to fall down!
"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Luna's voice boomed through the hole as she kept hfalling and falling. She scaredly looked down, and saw a light a distance away. "I-Is there a light down there?" She asked herself nervously. Suddenly, the light got bigger and brighter, and- PLOP. Luna fell on top of somthing soft and blue.
"Ow... Luna, is that you?" A pony laid under Luna dizzily as she felt a big weight fall on top of her. "Oh, so sorry Trixie..." Luna said, rather embarrased. They both got up, and stared down the bright hall. Oh, how good this light felt to their eyes! Well, it didn't really feel good, rather like a pain since their eyes were used to the dark after going through that hall. It felt like something was making their way through their eyes. Luna shook her head, trying to shake off the dizzyness, and then she stared straight down the hall again.
Well, it certainly wasn't dark. There were torches and chandeliers that were lit up brightly, as if it were welcoming them to a party or something. Luna and Trixie started walking down the hall, gazing around at the lights. Suddenly, they saw a door at the end of the hall. They approached it, and Trixie slowly pushed it open this time. Inside the door, was a big round room with a table centered in the middle.
"Wow... What a weird room." Trixie said, walking up to the table and examining it. Luna nodded slowly, taking a look around. Torches surrounded the room, as well as chandeliers, making it practically the same type of light source in the hall before. Trixie was now on top of the table, stomping her hoof on it seeing if it would crash down. "Well, it's not weak." Trixie stated, jumping off of the table. Luna approached Trixie curiously. What an energetic pony.
Suddenly, all the lights were blown out, and sparks flew around. The door slammed behind them in a loud gust of wind. Trixie held onto Luna scaredly, and Luna clung to Trixie even more scared. They then heard mysterious sounds as something walked closer and closer.
"Who's there?"
Luna and Trixie gulped hard, unaware of who's home they were invading...
From a distance, a figure watched. He watched from the shadows, keeping out of sight. "I bet those two will faint any second now." The figure chuckled. "I wonder how those two got here. It is most entertaining though to watch them stumble and fall like they are. Haha! Just look at the faces they've been making!" He tried not to burst out laughing. "Hmm, well, I'll give them just a bit more time for them to find me. Once they do, I shall MAYBE tell them what I know. Only then will they know where they are, and why they are here." And with that mysterious sentence, the figure disappeared within a snap of his own finger.
"S-Sorry! We never meant to invade your home!" A unicorn pegasus with a shy face shouted into the darkness. The hooves of the unknown pony came closer and closer. "Luna, we haven't no choice! We better get out before we are punished!" A unicorn standing next to her explained worriedly. The other pony nodded scaredly, and then there was a mad dash for an exit. "I can't see one, Trixie! It's too dark!" Luna said to the unicorn sadly as she quietly zoomed around. Suddenly, she bumped into a soft, solid object. On the cold hard ground, she gazed up at shining blue eyes that stared right into her pupils, burning through her eyes. With a shout of freight, the scared alicorn took a quick trot away from the luminous eyes, trying to get as far away as possible. Then she bumped into Trixie. Both getting up, they stared scaredly at the vivid eyes coming closer and closer. "Now, Luna! We must get out!" Trixie flashed her horn, shining a faint light in the area. "There!" The scared unicorn shot her hoof up at a small wooden door barely in sight a distance behind the eyes. They trotted like their life depended on it, until they both reached the door. Trixie took her hooves and pulle don the handle. Luna gulped and stared behind her at the eyes just realizing their trick. This time, the eyes zoomed closer. Suddenly, there was a loud click. "It's open!" Trixie exclaimed loudly. The two rushed through the doorway, the impact of the run shutting the door behind them, leaving the eyes to stop dead in it's tracks.
Luna and Trixie kept on trotting. The softly lit torches guiding them up staircases and down halls, and they had no idea where they were going. Finally, they both stopped for a gulp of air. While breathing heavily, the two glanced behind them, seeing if the eyes had followed them. "I think... We might... Be okay..." Trixie said between thick breaths. "Come on, Trixie... We gotta find a way out." Luna said, getting up slowly and tiredly. "Luna, we probably advanced up at least two floors! Unless you wanna face those creepy eye things again, we might wanna stay up here until we find out where we are." Trixie answered. Luna took a few more breaths, and decided to go on ahead, Trixie slowly following her. They soon came to a statue of a bird, with long wings and a healthy body. It seemed almost lifelike, they could both almost feel it. "Trixie, doesn't that statue look real to you?" Luna said looking at it from different angles. "Don't be silly, dear, it's just a statue." Trixie said, rolling her eyes and moving on. Luna nodded with a sigh, and followed after her. But behind her, the statued turned around and it's eyes blinked, and the stone began to crack and fall of one piece at a time.
They both wouldn't have cared how many doors and staircases they saw, they just kept going down the hall. There were so many, Luna lost count at the number "30". Trixie stopped to drink some water dripping from the corner of a nearby wall. "It's a bit rusty, but anything will do for me right now... My mouth is sooooo dry..." Trixie groaned, waiting for the next drop to fall on her tongue. Luna's stomach growled, and she blushed. "Sorry... I'm just a bit hungry." She explained slowly. Trixie turned around and walked towards her. "Well, I am too, I guess. We should find a snack." She said, looking around. "But Trixie, there are too many doors. A dining room or kitchen of any sort could be behind any one." Luna said worriedly. "Then we use an old strategy; We just check every one." The unicorn answered, checking behind a door, which just contained some rollar skates and a few mice. Luna sighed,, and just walked ahead. She figured there's not much they could both do. "Come on, Trixie- Wait... Trixie?" Luna glanced behind her. She ran back down the hall to the door Trixie has opened. She glanced at the things, and blinked. She wasn't inside, and she wasn't close either. Luna shouted and shouted her name, walking down the what seemed an endless hall, blinking and rubbing her eyes. Suddenly, a flame blocked her path. Taking a step back in surprise, Luna gazed at the sight.
The fire wasn't burning the walls around it, nor created heat in the area. It didn't even as much shed sparks. Then, the flame morphed into a scarlet red bird, with genuine wings the color of a setting sun. It looked up at Luna, who was now curiously wondering what this bird was. The bird flew down the hall ahead of Luna.
"I... I wonder if it wants me to follow." Luna said to herself, trotting after it. The bird kept on flying and it never looked back at Luna. It took her through doors and trapdoors, up and down staircases, but it's not like Luna wasn't used to it by now. Soon, the two approached a gigantic room, about twice the side of the royal hall in her castle. With a breath of surprise, the shy Luna was walking slowly down the path. Fountains were surrounding the room, creating a waterfall that flowed into the ground, creating a river all around the room. Luna met up with the bird who was perched on a rather large fountain, in the center of it all. Never before had she seen such a sight. Luna looked up at the bird. "H-Hello... I don't think we've properly met, h-have we? I'm Princess Luna, and I'm... Well, h-how about you?" She asked slowly and in a calm voice. The bird only glanced down at her, with a simple stare and a frequent ruffle of her feathers. Obviously the bird couldn't talk, but Luna somwhow felt this bird could. "Um... Why did you bring me here, may I ask?" Luna asked, looking around curiously. The bird looked up at the ceiling, not even gazing at Luna. Once the unicorn pegasus saw what the bird was doing, she too gazed up at the ceiling. And what a beautiful sight it was. It was a moon. No, not a moon, the moon. A cut hole lay at the top of the ceiling, revealing the moon that shone light down through the circle on Luna. She smiled at the moon. The moon was probably the most beautiful thing life has ever given her. The bird flew softly upon Luna's back, being careful to not have it's talons clip her back. Luna glanced back at the bird and smiled shyly. "Is this why you brought me here? To see the light of the moon?" She asked. The bird nodded, staring right at Luna. Luna giggled, and looked back up at the moon that shone through the roof. Somehow it shot unbeleviable sprit through her. She felt taller than than she was at the moment, and bravery rushed through her veins. Luna felt like she had more power, more faith, more personality.
Suddenly, the room around her became empty. The cement walls, fountains, and the flowing water all disappeared
in a
single flash of light. Stars and comets covered where the walls should have been, and the ground Luna stood on became a lonely stone platform. "Whoa..." Luna looked around in surprise. It was like she was floating in space. She looked up at the moon, in which had fully been revealed. It's light shone harder, and it covered the whole platform with a vivid light that sparkled the stone. Suddenly, a familiar pair of shocking blue eyes appeared a few feet away from Luna, shining in the light of the moon. With a small gasp of terror, Luna took a step back. "I-It's you again..." She said with a gulp. The eyes approached closer. There was nowhere for Luna to run or hide. The eyes stood in fornt of Luna, and surprisingly took a figure of a dark mare, the color of the night sky. The mare's mane and tail were long and magnificent, they were a dark violet color with what seemed many tiny stars floting inside them. As it's mane sparkled, Luna noticed a unicorn's horn that spiraled, and it's color was the same of the body. A violet helmet and amulet were worn on the mare, as well as plates on her feet, supposedly used as armor. The mare's cutie mark was like no other, it was a relaxing and vivid shade of purple, and a moon rested in the middle of it. The mare was taller than Luna, and so it looked down on her. "H-H-Hello..." Luna said quietly and shyly. "There is no need to be afraid. I am you, and you are me." The mare answered in a deep, confident voice. Luna stood up a bit more so she could look into their eyes. "You are me, and I am you...?" She asked. The mare nodded, and bent down so she was the same height as Luna. "You recognize me as your side of jealousy, of hatred." The mare closed it's eyes. Luna blinked a bit confused, and looked around the room some more, at the shining stars. "Luna..." The mare continues, standing back up. "I am here to show you the purpose of your life." The mare raised it's dark, plate covered hoof, and a big flash appeared in front of them, making Luna's eyes sparkle like the stars.
Suddenly, everything was dark. She couldn't see anything. She closed her eyes, and something surprising snapped.
