Chapter 1: Moonlight
Luna bit her lip, feeling the cold sensation of water wetten her coat. She stood outside, the filly letting rain fall deep into her coat and mane. The princess had been standing here for a while now, her tiny frame soaked in the sensational feel of weather as cold as ice. Luna knew she should've been in bed an hour ago, but she didn't let that stop her from enjoying what she may control later on.
The night also comforted Luna, offering her the only scraps of happiness she had inside her, besides Celestia, her beautiful older sister. Luna wished she had a flowing mane like her sister, sparkling like stars in both day and night. Both sisters' parents were usually travelling around Equestria, spending no time whatsoever with the two princesses. Luna wasn't trained much in the arts of magic, though she knew that someday she would be powerful, having magic with only the flicker of her horn. She might even be able to change her appearance, and be just like Celestia. The thought gave Luna warmth, the excitement of the future flowing through her head.
Deciding it would be a good idea, Luna lit her horn, finding something she could practice on. Seeing a frog, she aimed at the poor creature, her horn doing its work as it tightened the amphibian in its grasp. The frog then changed into a rock, Luna putting it down onto the ground. The water dripped on the unmoving item, not even slightly changing back. Luna, knowing she had done something wrong, ran back into the castle, only to be greeted by her slightly larger sister.
"Did you see that?" asked Luna, looking ashamed. Celestia nodded, amusement glittering in her eyes. "You are very well with magic," she remarked, draping a towel around her wet sibling. Luna's eyes shone as she looked up at Celestia. "Really?" she asked, her voice slightly a squeak of excitement. Celestia chuckled, nodding. She nuzzled Luna, embracing her in a long hug.
After five minutes of embracing, Celestia let go. "I want to show you something," she offered, motioning for Luna to follow. She did, and they both entered Celestia's private bookroom, where she went to the 'M' section of her small library. She pulled out a book called Moon and Sun: Basics of Raising. Luna tilted her head at her sister. "What's this?" she asked. Celestia smiled. "Mother and Father have told me to decide which of the two we want to do, and asked for us to raise them tommorow," she said, touching horns with the confused Luna affectionately. Celestia lay down next to Luna, opening the book to page one. "C-choose which...which one you want...umm...." Luna tried to read the page, failing at the next word.
"Choose which one you want of the great sun and the mighty moon, choosing between your sister and yourself to go first," read Celestia, continuing for Luna. "If thou are not the same age, than you must choose the eldest to choose first, unless thy youngest's day of birth is closer." Celestia finished reading the page, turning to Luna. "Which one do you think you want?" she asked, and Luna thought for a moment. Day was warm, though the night was cold and comforting. The sun filled her with reassurements, along with the moon, but the sun was larger, making her feel more powerful. "How about...the sun?" asked Luna, looking up at her sister.
Celestia smiled. "Of course. I will do the moon, and you can do the sun." she said, closing the book. "How about we start in the morning?" Celestia offered, and Luna nodded. The both of them went over to Celestia's large bed. "Goodnight, Luna." said Celestia, nuzzling her sister. Luna hesitantly turned around, wishing she wouldn't of done so. "Actually, how about we sleep together, tonight?" asked Celestia, and Luna nodded enthusiastically, running to her sister. She climbed up, Celestia wrapping her wing around her sister. "Goodnight, 'Tia." yawned Luna, falling asleep. Celestia, nuzzling her sister, got comfortable, falling asleep in only a few minutes.
Luna stood on the balcony, her sister close behind as she watched her sister attempt to raise the sun into the starless sky. "Do you need any help?" called Celestia, having had no problem with setting the moon.
"You can...stand beside me..." said Luna, readying herself as Celestia stood beside her. Luna flapped her wings, her magic concentrated on the sun as she lifted herself, the star following her every flap of the way. Luna panted, lifting the rest of the sun with the last of her energy. Luna finished, nearly falling to the ground if it weren't for Celestia. She didn't even say a word as Luna passed out on her back, and Celestia knew that she couldn't let her lift the sun again if it were this hard.
Luna woke up in her bed, Celestia standing over her, horn touching Luna's. She shuffled in bed, exhaustion swaying over her. A question filled her head, and she wondered if Celestia knew what she was going to ask.
"You don't have your cutie mark, yet." said Celestia, her horn glowing.
"What are you doing?" asked Luna, seeing magic flow inside of her. "I'm casting an energy spell," replied Celestia, Luna suddenly feeling a lot less tired. "Try standing," Celestia guided Luna gently, nudging her with the tip of her horn.
The tiny filly stood up, feeling a rush of energy come up with her. "Is the sun in the sky?" she asked, weakly. Celestia nodded. "Of course it is. You brought it up," she said, letting the magic in her horn go. "Though you won't be able to lift the sun anymore, I'm afraid." Celestia added, with a small sigh. Luna's eyes widened, and they began to tear up.
"What? Why?" she asked, her voice in a panic. Celestia nudged her sister.
"You don't have enough power," she replied, making Luna even more frightened. "Mother and Father have told me to tell you to lift the moon instead."
Luna's eyes became filled with tears, and she rushed out the door of her room. "Wait, Luna!" called Celestia, standing in the doorway.
Luna didn't stop for a moment as she fluttered her wings, going even faster as she ran out of the castle, taking in the bright morning. It felt right, unlike any other morning before. And now Celestia was going to take that away. Luna started her run again, this time keeping her wings close to her body.
The fresh, beautiful morning whisked right past her, Luna not even noticing as she ran into the Everfree Forest, where her castle was located near. A loud, sharp growl erupted in front of her, making the small filly stop in her tracks. What was that? Suddenly, a manticore leaped out of a bush, staring right at it's easy prey. Luna let out a loud screech, hoping that somepony would save her.
A medium figure, about the size of a grown pony, jumped at the manticore, becoming a large fit of hisses and growls. The manticore backed up, its ears flattened against their head as they ran away, yowling into the forest. The figure became clear now, two antlers sticking out of it's head; a goat's and a deer's. The rest of the body was a mix of confusion, the head being either a donkey's or some other long-headed creature. White hair lit his head, yellow and red eyes glinting with triumph.
"You're..." Luna began, the creature finishing her sentence.
"A draconequus, I know..." His eyes became full of sorrow, and Luna felt the urge to rest a hoof on his shoulder.
"Why so glum?" asked Luna, tilting her head. She didn't understand draconequus' like she did ponies, nor had ever met one herself.
Prologue: Eclipse
A pink maned pony trotted through Equestria's one and only castle, the King and Queen's. Her hooves bounced on the marble flooring, making a loud clap in her golden slippers. A necklace was draped around her neck, a large gem hanging straight in the middle, accompanied by a tiara with the same style. The filly's eyes were a dark purple, matching the beautiful white coat that draped her small form. Her horn glowed as she opened the door to her room, the door wrapped with pink. As she shut the door, the filly's magic was yellow, a completely different color.
The princess immediately headed to her private bookroom, where she kept books on the sun, moon, and spells of all types, even ones from long before she was born. She picked out a book titled Dream Spells, laying it gently in front of her. The filly's horn glowed as she flipped it open, finding the chapter she last read. Suddenly, a fit of knocking came from her doors, interrupting her reading of Spells to Change Dreams to Nightmares. She closed the book, putting it back as she ran quickly to the door.
"Celestia, you must come quick!" An armored pegasus was at her door, panting heavily as he had to run in his already heavy apparel. "It is an emergency!" Without hesitation, the guard ran off, the filly close by his side. As soon as they reached a pair of large, unopened doors, the guard threw them open, leaving Celestia far behind. She ran into the room, completely ignoring anything but the ponies in front of her.
The King and Queen waited calmly for her, a new sound erupting in Celestia's ears. "A foal!" she cried, running faster as she reached her mother and father. The King chuckled. "Yes, 'Tia. You now have a sister." His dark, flowing mane seemed to shine even brighter as he spoke, while Celestia's mother smiled.
"Her name is Luna." the Queen told Celestia when she laid by her side, looking down at the new arrival. "It means moon." She added when Celestia gave her a questioning glance. "Moon?" echoed Celestia. She barely heard the word, unless it was night. Her mother nodded, nuzzling Celestia, than Luna. "I have a feeling you're going to be the best of friends," she chuckled as Celestia booped Luna's nose, the little foal already learning the concept and giggling.
