The Future is Ours: Salvation of a Moon

Having devoutly set aside for nearly a week as the haunting miasma of paranoia clung to her sister; Celestia finally decided enough was enough and rose forward to finally confront Luna and ultimately rid her of it once and for all. Celestia trotted down the grand halls that  were purposely designed to create a scale of grander and a feeling of insignificance to all that walked its marble floors. It was a tactic that had served her well in the days of old, politics back then were and still are a game of bluffs and intimidation as it is simply talking and arguing. She looked up at the evenly spaced torches that hung far enough from the walls so they could burn brightly and safely without damaging the expensive stone, or tapestries.

Celestia mentally noted to add a few more. It was way too dark and any pony unfortunate enough to be in the halls at night might become lost or frighted… the dark simply had to go.

Her path eventually gave way to the main corridor that led to the courtroom; the same room Luna was currently hosting her “Court of Night” and the same room where Celestia was going to confront her sister. Yes it seemed mean and a tad cruel but by putting her sister on the spot, she hoped Luna’s pride would cloud her mind, and make her stay to argue with her instead of fleeing for her room.Plus the nobles or other ponies present would witness first hoof Luna’s true self and finally understand she’s still not fit to rule as a monarch.

Celestia arrived during Luna’s Night Court disguised as a young unicorn, happily humming a cheery tune to herself as she managed her way past the guards that presently stood alert by the entrance. Normally she just walk on by without the disguise but sadly in Luna’s fit of paranoia, she had order her guards to bar her entrance from her unless she told them otherwise. To their credit, no matter what they thought or felt, they (if reluctantly) obeyed her orders thoroughly until this very moment.

 With the surprisingly easily task accomplished, Celestia suddenly found herself with ample free time. She had thought sneaking her way into her sister’s court was going to consume more time than it actually had took. Another point and reason why she was unfit to rule; the use of sloppy and ill trained guards. If they couldn’t even keep one pony out of her own court than how would they be able to stop any external threats?  They were nothing more than a waste of bits and a kink in the chain waiting to snap. And when any major threats should appear than where would she be? Where was she when Discord returned? Was she preparing soldiers to fight, or preparing a spell? Neither. Luna was simple “away” for the day as she noted it. Any further inquiry to where she went was met with silence and a command to leave her be.

Celestia had assumed Luna would have grown up and would be able to resume her status as co ruler… clearly she was wrong.

Without warning the court suddenly found itself briefly illuminated in a pure flash of light so bright that it blinded the ponies dimly used eyes. Luna, ever the creature of the night jerked her head back from the unexpected and painful flash. Shrugging off the momentary stun easily, Luna with the intensity forged through a lifetime of trials of a harden warrior immediately cast a counter spell. Her horn swirled quickly in the dark hue of her magic, gathering at the point before bursting forth and silencing the glare with its own dulling magic.

Luna’s hawking eyes quickly locked almost immediately on the intruder. The first thing that stood out was its surprisingly tall stature, and how it seemingly towering over her subjects…

“Sister? Wh…what is the meaning of this! Why are thou announcing thy selves in such a manner!” Luna aggressively voiced her displeasure. Feeling suddenly betrayed from her sister’s unexpected intrusion into her Night Court; the one glorious moment where their beloved ponies came to see her and her Night! Regretfully it was more for a second chance to petition for their wants but none the less they still treaded her court of night nonetheless, and in a way they came to see her, not her sister!

“Luna, dearest sister I came to see you.” Celestia’s usual honey sweet voice answered. To the ponies gather it was the same tone, and same voice that graced their delicate ears every day.  To Luna’s expertly trained ears it was not; the tone, the voice itself was laced with something more… something more detached.

“I came to see you.” Celestia said once more. Her tone remained the same, except this time Luna could pick up faint traces of absolution as well. Whatever her sister had planned, she was going to see it through… and it unnerved Luna.

“Sis.. Celestia we see thou every evening for meal. What is the real reason you come here and interrupt my court… my night?” Luna finished that last word with borderline possession, but Celestia wasn’t foul born yesterday. She caught the word’s double meaning and the pure anger behind it. She sighed. Another example Luna was no more a child with power.

“You’re going to make this more complicated than necessary.” Celestia indirectly asked Luna who tilted her head in confusion, wondering if she heard right. . In truth Celestia hadn’t really expected Luna to just come admit her problems and seek help for them. In truth Celestia knew she would end up having to knock her sister down a peg or two and hopefully than she’ll understand. Don’t challenge the sun.

“That right there Luna is part of the problem; you’re still too young to run a country properly. I thought having been banished for such a time would have toughened you some, or at least improve your attitude some. “She paused to let her words sink through her sister’s thick headed skull, and to mutely watch her reaction.  The look of utter disorientation and betrayal made Celestia’s night… or day.

“Clearly I was wrong. In fact it seemed to have had the opposite effect. You now act like a clingy foal that seeks nothing but attention and praise for something a lame pony could do, but better. You don’t deserve to call yourself a Princess, let alone say you’re related to me Luna. That grey rock you call a moon should hide its shame behind the clouds, just like you should just return once more to where you came.” Celestia took a step forward, the ponies around them followed her lead.

“Perhaps another thousand years on the moon would fix this?” She took another step, the herd behind her took one has well. Celestia continued moving toward her throne sister; ever the regal of the two, she seemed to shine brighter as she neared Luna. She noticed it as well; the closer Celestia approached the brighter, elegant and more refined she became. It…it was happening again?

Luna looked on in shock and utter distress. Celestia, her sister had condemned her once more to banishment. The weight of those words unnerved her entire grasp on reality, the throne she sat seemed to crumble under her; all of their eyes glowed maliciously at their prey.  Luna’s vision narrowed drastically until only Celestia and the immediate ponies around her were all she saw. Their many steps sounded as one, thunderous judging command.  Why of all ponies? Why was she forced to be treated and abused in such a way again and again?

Celestia stopped at the base of the throne, looking Luna square in her panicked eyes. Luna’s stricken eyes didn’t bother to hide her mood. They instead left the door wide open for all to see what their Princess of the Night was… nothing more than a scared, and weak little filly that desperately sought a way to outshine her, and step out from her sister’s shadow.

Subconsciously her forelegs tried desperately to push, to move herself away from this beacon of her shortcomings.  Luna’s short, frenzied breaths didn’t help her either, but only to increase the rate of her poor frantic heart. This all seemed so similar to her. Luna, sitting on her throne while basking in her glorious and wondrous night only to have her sister, Celestia appear before her challenge her…

“She’s going to banish you, and you’re going to let her?” it rang its manipulative melody in her ears.  Luna’s eyes blink for the first time she could remember, the world blinked out of existence for a fraction of second… only to return as a nightmare.

Luna shrieked.

The throne room was darker, more sinister than before. The once bright and vibrant moon had deteriorated to a now lifeless and dull grey; not caring about how it’s mediocre light looked upon the land. Celestia stood before her as she was earlier, only this time in her Royal Battle Dress. And the now numerous Solar and Cosmic Guards behind her didn’t help to ease her either.

“They’re here for you once more.” It said. Her ears twitched in response. “They want you gone, banished, destroyed. You are nothing more than a pathetic excuse of a pony, let alone a princess.”

“N..no…NAY!” Luna tripped her response. “We are the mare of the Night, the Night itself!”

“You are a fraud and a fake! You are a charity case of Sun whose only purpose is to be compared to its warm grace and announce your own shortcomings to the world. To be judged and be sentence! You are alone, and forever will be!” It roared.

“NO! My sister loves and respects us. She knows what is right for us…”

“Then why is her first choice to simply banish you!? Why did she side with those traitors and not take her sister’s side! She left you out to dry once before, making herself look better in the process. Wake up from your own pitiful delusions of artificial love and acceptance!” The air before her shimmered and hissed before mixing with the moons once more radiant light. It twisted and compressed before disappearing in a bright light.

Luna turned her head away, closing her eyes to shield them from the intensity until it faded. She with a slightly hesitation turned her head back, opening her eyes… in shock! Floating before her was the last thing she ever expecting to see, the second being her armor or what many referred to as Nightmare’s Armor. It reflected the moon of its polished and spotless surface as it looked like it could slice through the very air itself. A sickle in appearance (all similarities end there) its artistic elongated blade, designed to stow a miasma of fear stretch unnaturally outward, trying to claw and grab its prey.  The curved end abruptly turned straight up at the tip, resembling the hook of a gryphon’s fishing pole. Many inhabitants of the world had a name for it. The Sickle of Death, The Moon’s Wrath, Blade of the Night, and the list of colorful names goes on and on.

To Luna, the blade was something more terrifying than a weapon. Forged out of the very moon herself, and tempered with its light the blade was one of kind. A weapon that had slew many a foul demons… and ponies. This was the very same blade she had forged nearly a decade before her fall into Nightmare Moon, and slayed numerous sun worshiping “heretics” of Celestia’s army. The blade, know to Luna as “The Answer” hovered before her, calling for her to grasp it with her dark, and cold magical grip once more.

“Wield it once more, my Queen.” Luna twitched. She wanted to so badly. It called to her like a child wanting their mother’s attention.  Equestria today was a new land, such a weapon was unneeded but the adrenaline of holding it once more… to feel it slice through metal and flesh so easily once more was a hard thing for the brash Alicorn to fight.

“Wield it, and protect thy’s kingdom and right to rule. Kill them all…every…last…HERETIC.”

The blade pulsed once, before a swirl of pure nova blue magic entangled the blade and gently plucked it from the air. With the grace of a falling feather, it floated toward Luna, its mother, and master. The blade pulsed again.

“Yes…” Luna whispered. Her usual proud and flamboyant voice lost its impact when she spoke. Her eyes hollowed, the life of conscious thought fought to remain but like all things eventually it faded into obscurity; leaving an empty void in its steed. Luna’s body moved to an unheard tune, a puppet controlled by its strings as she rose.

Celestia, and the ponies with her remained still as she did. Soon they all began fading, and shimmering in and out of existence until they finally reemerged. Luna obediently stepped down from the throne, one lame hoof at a time as the ponies reemerged looking like Celestia.

“Kill them all. Kill them all.” They all whispered.“Kill the sun. Kill the sun.”

Luna paid no heed as she moved toward the group Celestias, raising the blade high above her head as she neared the original.

“Kill the sun. Kill the sun.” They continued their chant. Luna stopped before the one clad in armor, the original. She held her blade firmly in the air, a small moment of hesitation as the last bit of her rational thought fought for control. The others continued their chant, only adding more pressure on her to resist. She fought with the last bit of will she had, but the blade continued to inch closer.

So distracted was Luna, she failed to notice the heavy hoof steps approaching behind her until they were next to her. Luna froze from what she saw. The tall, dark mare next to her lowered her head next to Luna’s; her lips quivered in a twisted smile, revealing the fangs underneath. Her teal, reptile eyes narrowed on her own eyes, locking Luna in place. It spoke.

“Kill the sun. Kill Celestia.” And with that command, Luna brought her blade down.