Celestia shivered in the darkness of her prison. Never had she been consumed by such a feeling of defeat and utter guilt. She sighed and shook her head for what could have been the thousandth time that day. Or was it night? She couldn’t be sure. Her connection with the Sun was gone. She didn’t know how, she didn’t know why. All she knew and understood was her longing to feel the Sun again. She wanted to feel warm, to be wrapped in the embrace of her Sun.
“Luna.” She said quietly. She grimaced at how scratchy her voice sounded and cleared it before saying her sister’s name louder. “Luna!” Celestia narrowed her eyes and strained her ears, trying to hear her sister’s response, if there was one to be heard at all. She let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding when her sister answered her with some shuffling and a cough. Her sister had made it through another day… or night. Whatever time of day it was, Celestia felt relief wash over her all the same.
“How are you feeling, my dear sister?” Celestia stood and walked slowly to her left. The room was pitch black, and she certainly didn’t want to slam her head into the wall like she had many times since being imprisoned.
A small sigh drifted through the concrete wall. “No better, Celestia. We fear that We shalt not make another day.”
Celestia frowned. “Don’t say such things, Luna! You will make it! We will make it!”
A dry humorless laugh answered the disheveled Sun Goddess. “Whatever thou speakest, sister.”
Celestia stepped back from the wall and sat down, the thump echoing in the room. She dropped her head low and tried to stare at her hooves in the darkness. She shifted uncomfortably; the anti-magic collar around her neck dug into her skin.
“Tia?”
Celestia raised her head. “Yes, Lu?”
“We miss our Moon, Tia.” Luna’s last few words were lost to the cold air as she sobbed. Celestia bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut. What she would give to be with her sister, to hold her and tell her everything would be okay! She opened her mouth to say something, but was stopped as she heard a door slam. She opened her eyes and blinked the tears away. There was only one pony that could be down there aside from herself and her sister.
“Twilight Sparkle, let us out, now!”
A high-pitched laugh answered her, and Celestia covered her ears and clenched her teeth. Without moving her hooves from her ears, she sucked in air and screamed. “Why, oh why did I teach you Sombra’s magic?”
Celstia shielded her eyes as the room suddenly filled with light. There stood Princess Sparkle, in all her menacing glory. The smile on her face was just as wicked as the weary green aura coming from her eyes. “You really are a fool, Celestia.” She said with a grin.
Celestia grit her teeth and glared at her former student. “I am no fool, Twilight.”
“Such a shame such a powerful mare such as yourself tried to fight me.” Twilight went on as if the older Alicorn hadn’t spoken. She held up a hoof and examined it for a long moment before looking back at Celestia. “We could have been powerful partners, you and I.” She winked and smiled. “The offer still stands, ya know.”
Celestia scrabbled to her hooves. “I’ll never join you! I’d rather you strike me down right here, right now than be sucked into your tyranny you egotistical maniac!”
“Oh, so I’m a maniac now, am I?” Twilight shrugged. “Well, my dear Celestia, that is your opinion and I’ll allow you to speak it.” She looked over her shoulder for a half-second before turning back to look at Celestia. “How is your sister, Celly?”
“We are well enough to kick thine worthless flank, Sparkle!” Luna’s voice boomed from the other chamber. Twilight narrowed her eyes and laughed.
“I’m sure you are, Lu-Lu.”
“Dost thy darest to call Us such blasphemy!?” Luna’s voice cracked as she put the rest of her energy into the threat.
“Luna, calm yourself, please!” Celestia begged her sister. “You are a Princess, Goddess of the Moon! You are better than to resort to such tedious things!”
“Aha,” Twilight widened her eyes and grinned. “A Goddess, is she? As of two weeks ago, she is nothing! Nothing more than forgotten soul.” Her grin faded and she narrowed her eyes and flared her wings. “Equestria needs no Sun, nor does it need a Moon. Equestria lives in blackness. Not the brightest Moon or Sun can break through the darkness outside, ladies.”
“SILENCE!” Celestia shouted. She knew how weak and pathetic she sounded. Her voice was raspy, her throat was sore, her bones ached.
“Calm down, Celestia. You look horrible, I don’t want you to drop dead,” Twilight snickered. “Yet.” She opened her mouth to speak again, but was stopped as the door behind her swung open. She lit up her horn and slammed Celestia’s door shut.
Celestia’ quickly made her way to the door and pushed on it, throwing every bit of strength she had into it. She cried out in agony as she felt her shoulder begin to scrape down the concrete. The sound of her flesh being ripped hurt her ears, but she pressed on. “Sparkle, let me out!” She cried. She stepped back before ramming her full body weight to the door. “Agh!” she cried out in pain and reared back again, slamming her body against the door over and over.
“Let!”
Slam
“Me!”
Slam
“Gooo!”
Slam
She collapsed to the ground and began to cry. Each sob wracked violently through her aching body. “Tia, Tia! Calm down, please! Tia!” Luna’s voice came from her prison.
“Sister, we are condemned to living the rest of eternity in this substitute of Hell! She’s right; I am a fool, an old fool!” She raised her head closed her eyes. “If I hadn’t taught her that magic, we wouldn’t be in this mess!”
“Tia, say no such thing!” Luna demanded. “Thou art no fool!”
Now it was Celestia’s turn to laugh. She could feel her sanity deteriorating with each second. She knew her eyes were bloodshot, she knew her fur was matted. Her mane had lost it flowing colors long ago, now it just rested in a pink bundle that reached her shoulders. This was it. This was the last place she and her sister would ever live. The warmth she had felt two weeks ago would be the last warmth she’d ever feel.
“Sister, rest assure in one thing: These prisons are not prisons, but graves!”
