Luna's Rise to Power
"You think every pony loves you. That everything is perfect, and when it isn't you, you send your six most loyal subjects to do your job." Luna whispered out her window. "You think Nightmare Moon is gone? And Discord changed?" Luna smirked at her sister's room. "If you are really this blind sister then no wonder you have six small ponies do your bidding." Luna walked to her closet and placed her crown on her head. "All hail Princess Celestia savior of Equestria! What would we do without your precious six?" As Luna was finishing up for her birthday party, one of her guards entered. "Princess Luna, Princess Celestia is looking for you." he said at attention. "Thank you, you can let her know I will be down soon." she smiled. "Yes, Princess." he bowed, and then quickly left. Luna found her dress, put it on and trotted into the throne room. "Luna." Celestia smiled. She trotted to Luna's side and hugged her. "Happy birthday sister." Luna put on a smile and walked with Celestia to the throne. "Princess Celestia!" one of her guards bowed, "They are here, Princess." Celestia smiled, while Luna frowned. "Who is here sister?" Luna questioned, faking a smile. "Why, of course the heroes of Equestria!" Celestia beamed. "Wonderful, I'm so glad you invited them!" Luna smirked. "I'm so glad." Celestia smiled, clueless. "I hope you also have Discord attending, he really livens up parties now that he changed." Celestia smile grew wider.
"Of course sister every pony in Equestria was invited. This is a very important event. My little sister, you can finally rule alone." Luna got wide eyed. "Sister, I-I- I don't know what to say." Luna lost her bitterness for a moment. "Well since Cadence now rules the Crystal Empire, I thought you earned it." Celestia smiled. 'Really sister, you are so naive!' Luna thought. "I'm so glad you think I have earned it." Luna smiled bitterness dripping off her words. "Princess Celestia!" Twilight Sparkle squealed galloping to Celestia. "Princess Twilight Sparkle. How are you with your flying?" Celestia beamed. 'Aren't you so proud of your student sister? Forgot that she isn't your only one? Or is giving me my own palace just a way to get rid of me, so you may focus on your precious Twilight!' Luna screamed in her mind. "Well Princess she is doing average, but I guess she couldn't be a natural since she wasn't born with them." Rainbow Dash joked. "Of course she is doing much better than we hoped." Fluttershy added. "I'm so glad." Celestia smiled. "And don't worry Princess I am personally helping her with her fashion! She always will have the newest fashions!" Rarity beamed. "We are also making sure she doesn't get to big headed." Applejack joked. "And of course we have LOTS OF PARTIES!" Pinkie Pie smiled.
"Wonderful to hear all is well in Ponyville." Celestia laughed. "Now let us go to the ballroom to see how preparations are going. Of course I hope all of you will help. I know all of you will add the perfect touch." Luna cut in, with her fake smile. "Lets." Celestia agreed.
When they walked in the ballroom they were greeted by Discord. "Welcome. I'm so glad I get to see my six favorite ponies in Equestria." Discord smiled. 'Oh, Discord you are so perfect. Why did you fall for my sister and not me?" Luna frowned. "Hello Princess Celestia." Discord said while picking up her hoof to kiss it. "Nice seeing you again." Celestia smiled, "How are the preparations going?" "Just as planned! I want only the best for the new cloud princess!" Discord smiled devilishly. "Discord, that was meant to be a surprise!" Celestia scolded. "Sorry Princess, but I couldn't hold in my excitement." He winked at Luna. "So, she will be living in Cloudsdale?" Rainbow asked excited. "Well since Discord ruin it," Celestia shot a glare at Discord, "Yes. Her new home is in Cloudsdale." Celestia smiled warmly.
'Put me near your favorite student? Is that really smart sister? Send me away again, but still near ponies. You really are blind.' Luna smiled. "Wonderful! Away from you, but still near friends." Luna looked at Fluttershy. "I hope I will get to see all of you ponies more often now." Luna smiled coldly at them all.
The party went well into the early morning. But how else is the princess of the night's birthday supposed to be. Celestia soon went to bed after raising the sun, but Luna went to her room and planned. This was her chance; finally she can do what Nightmare Moon couldn't. She already had every pony's trust, so they would never see it coming. Luna will finally get what she always wanted. "You called for me Princess?" Discord said walking into her room. "Ah, yes. Can you please close the door I need to speak with you?" Luna smiled coldly. "Uh, Princess, why do you have that look in your eyes?" Discord whispered. "Discord are you tired of being Celestia's puppet?" Luna asked. "Well, I do miss my chaos. But I don't miss being stone." Discord replied with a small smile. "If you stick with me, I promise you won't ever have to worry about being stone." Luna's eyes flashed to Nightmare Moon's for a moment. "I will do what Nightmare Moon could not! And with you by my side we can't fail!" Luna laughed coldly. "Together we will rule Equestria and not Celestia or her precious elements of harmony will be able to stop us." Discord smiled, "So, what's the plan Princess?"
~Meanwhile in Ponyville~
"Was it me or did Princess Luna seem...off?" Twilight Sparkle asked Applejack. "Sugar cube, I think you are imagining things." Applejack replied. "I mean, Twi I just think you're a little stressed out." Spike added. "Of course darling it is just nerves." Rarity smiled. "She isn't Nightmare Moon anymore Twilight, she is good now." Fluttershy said softly. "Don't go crazy on us Twilight." Rainbow Dash joked. "Well we all really should get some sleep." Twilight yawned. "Yes we need to make Cloudsdale 20% cooler for Luna." Rainbow Dash smiled.
"Ready Twilight?" Fluttershy asked. "Yup, let me just make sure Applejack, Pinkie, and Rarity are good to go with the balloon." Twilight smiled. "Okay then, I guess Rainbow and I will might you ponies up there." Fluttershy spoke lightly. As Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash flew up to Cloudsdale, Twilight Sparkle galloped to the balloon. "Ready you three?" Twilight asked. "Yup!" Pinkie giggled. "Okay I'll stay right by the basket. Applejack do you have the rope?" Twilight asked nervously. "Yup, but sugar cube I don't think we will need." Applejack said truthfully. The balloon reached Cloudsdale in a matter of minutes with Twilight Sparkle right behind, surviving her first flight to Cloudsdale. She skeptically placed a hoof, one by one, on the clouds. To her amazement and relief the clouds held her weight. "I told you not to worry." Rainbow Dash laughed as she flew to meet them. "Yea, I guess I need to trust you more one things like this." Twilight laughed.
Preparations went by so fast; Twilight Sparkle almost missed the Princess and her sister. "Welcome to your new home." Fluttershy smiled at Luna. "Thank you." Luna smiled warmly. "This won't be so bad." Discord chimed. "Wait he is staying with you?" Rainbow Dash asked shocked. "I trust him. Besides if he tries doing anything stupid I have you six to stop him." Celestia answered. 'Are you trying to tell me something sister? In your eyes are you protecting me with them! Ponies whom are still fresh from their filly years. Sister, are you trying to make my hatred worsen?' Luna's face darkened. "Are you okay little sister?" Celestia asked concerned. "Yes, sister, I am fine." Luna said holding in her anger.
"I'm going to go look around." Luna spoke finally after a brief silence. "But we have so much planned." Twilight said disappointed. "Twilight, let her be." Celestia spoke softly. "Luna please, I made sure you would love it." Fluttershy smiled lightly. "Really?" Luna began to smile, "Well if it is really important to you ponies, I'll go along." All six ponies had huge grins on their face now.
"-and to the left we have the rainbow factory!" Rainbow smiled darkly. "Wonderful I might in joy that." Luna joked to Discord. "What a great idea!" he agreed. After the long, but amazing tour Luna finally went to her new home. The six little ponies worked long and hard on Luna's new palace. 'Fluttershy, thank you. You keep me sane.' Luna smiled. "See she did all of this." Luna spoke giddy. "She is a great pony. If only I was kinder to her." Discord lowered his head. "We will keep her. I promise. She is to kind and sweet to be killed." Luna smiled. "Well good night Princess." Discord bowed. Luna blocked the door, "Silly, Discord I you brought here for more than revenge."
"Princess... I-I-but, uh. Princess what, uh, ever do yo- do you mean?" Discord stuttered. "Discord I know you had and have feelings for my sister. But I know she doesn't return those feelings, not anymore. I on the other hand will." Luna smiled forcing Discord to inch his way to her bed. "Let's see how wonderful a cloud bed is!" Luna jumped on top him, causing to fall on the bed. "Oh, princess!"
"Princess Luna! It's Rainbow Dash! I don't mean to bother you, but I wanted to know how your first night was!" Rainbow Dash shouted to the closed door. "Discord fly out the window! Now!" Luna said in a hushed voice. "But I was enjoying our cuddling!" Discord complained. "I was too, but no one can know or it will ruin everything! Now please go!" Luna pleaded. "Princess?" Rainbow Dash knocked on the door. Discord quickly flew to the window, then down to his room with stealth like speed. Luna quickly fixed her hair, and then opened the door. "Morning rainbow Dash." Luna put on her infamous fake smile. "Did I wake you?" Rainbow Dash looked down. "No, no I was just about to head out." Luna frowned seeing Discord enter her room. "Heading out are we?" he smiled. "Don't you have something to occupy your time?" Rainbow turned to face him. "Why, I-" "Yes you do, why don't you go to the factory?" Luna shot him a look.
"Oh, yes I forgot." and with that he left. "How is every pony down in Ponyville?" Luna smiled. "Well we are waiting for Princess Celestia and Twilight." Rainbow answered. "Twilight Sparkle went with Celestia?" Luna asked confused. Rainbow nodded. "Does she still live in Ponyville?" Luna asked now upset. 'She is going to ruin everything! Just like Celestia!' "Yea, but she goes with the princess a lot. She told us she would be in Ponyville for a while though." Rainbow Dash replied oblivious to Luna's questions. "Wonderful! Can you take me to Pinkie's please?" Luna smiled widely. "Sure" Rainbow smiled.
Rainbow and Luna dashed out her window flying at top speed. They reached Pinkie Pie's home at a record time. "Here you are Princess Luna." Rainbow smiled. "Thank you Rainbow Dash." Luna said as she entered Sugarcube Corner. "Princess Luna!" Pinkie squeaked. "What can I do for ya?" she smiled. "Pinkie Pie I need you to do me a huge favor. I need you to help me make a party. Not just any party a very, very special party to celebrate my new home." Luna leaned down to Pinkie's ear. "It's a secret, though okay?" Pinkie smiled. "Okay! We can get started right now!" "Perfect!" Luna smiled darkly.
As soon as Pinkie and Luna finished up their plans Celestia and Twilight arrived into town. "Remember Pinkie it is a secret no one can know." Luna whispered. "Gotcha!" Pinkie smiled. "Well I didn't think you would be in Ponyville, sister, but I'm glad you are." Celestia hugged Luna. "Yes, I was just visiting Pinkie Pie." Luna backed away from Celestia. "What were you guys talking about?" Twilight Sparkle asked. "Nothing!" Luna snapped. Every pony was taken aback. "I mean just see how Pinkie Pie was doing." Luna smiled. "Yea." Pinkie laughed easing the mood. "If you would excuse me I need to make sure Discord hasn't done something stupid." Luna spoke quickly to get away. Luna didn't wait for goodbyes; she flew off before any pony could respond. "That was weird." Twilight Sparkle said confused. "Indeed." Celestia agreed, "I'll go see what's got her so upset."
"Luna?" Celestia spoke softly entering her sister's room. "What in Equestria!?" Celestia said shocked by what she saw. Luna and Discord were in Luna's room, with Discord on top of Luna. The sight of Discord making love to Luna infuriated Celestia. Not only did her heart break, but her mind was going a mile a minute. 'Is this why you are acting so different sister? Has Discord got you in his claws too?' Celestia questioned. "Sister!" Luna looked to her sister now shocked as well. "Princess!" Discord smile grimly. "Shall we?" Discord questioned seizing the moment. "Wha- Yes!" Luna smiled seeing Discords plans. "Luna?" Celestia finely spoke. "Sister, you should have seen this coming. Grab her!" Before Celestia could run or even scream Discord had her chained in an unfamiliar room.
"Enjoying my torture room? It is a shame that you don't get to endure it with your precious little followers, but I suppose this is better." Luna said walking into the room. "Luna, why?" Celestia spoke, tears brimmed her eyes. "Why?! Celestia you sent me to the moon for a thousand years! All I wanted was the ponies to like me! They loved you, but rejected my gift of night!" Luna cried. "Luna, please. They love you now." Celestia pleaded. "NOW!? A little late to save yourself sister. Now if you will excuse me I have a party to ruin." Luna smirked, slapping Celestia with her tail.
Luna teleported out of the room, and in the ballroom in her palace where her party was being held. "Where is Celestia?" Twilight said the instant she entered the room. "She can't come, she got tied up." Luna spoke with a small laugh. Twilight gave Luna a cold stare; which she just brushed off.
Everyone pony in Equestria came and partied. After a few hours of the party all the ponies fell to the floor, but Luna. "Pinkie I'm sorry I had to use you." Luna spoke softly as she passed the pink pony. "I wish I didn't have to do this." Luna stopped at Twilight's sleeping body. "At least now only you two will suffer." Luna grabbed on of Twilight's leg with her magic. As she pulled her along to the dungeon she heard a sharp snap. She turned to see that she had broken Twilight's leg. "I'm not even in the room Discord built for you yet!" Luna laughed. After ten minutes of dragging Twilight, she finally reached the dungeon. Discord was waiting for her.
"I see you started without me." He chuckled as he tied up Twilight. As Discord was placing the chain on her broken leg they heard a loud cry of pain. Celestia looked up to see her student in pain. "Twilight!" Celestia cried. "What have you done?!" she glared at her younger sister. "Nothing yet, sister." Luna smiled grimly. "Now who's first?" Luna trotted to her sister. "I think I will start with-" Luna fell to the floor, unconscious. "What?" Celestia looked at Discord. "I couldn't let her hurt you, Princess." Discord smiled walking to his love. "I thought you…" Celestia could barely speak. "I only followed her to get her trust. I would never let her hurt you." Discord kissed Celestia lightly on the lips.
Luna awoke in a gray field. "Where am I" she asked the air. She saw a graying castle in the distance. Ponies of different shades of gray walk all around. She noticed that none had their cutie marks; none of them were fillies either, they were all adult ponies. Luna finally got up and began to walk to the castle. Although it wasn't very far, it seemed she was walking through honey. After what felt like an hour she finally reached the castle's doors. The doors were gray in age with rusted hinges barely keeping them to the wall. To her left she saw a pony taller than Celestia in the gray flower garden. "Um, excuse me." Luna said trotting over to the tall pony. She turned toward Luna, her mane and tail looked like it was cut of by a blind pony. Her coat was a light gray and her mane a much darker gray, almost black.
"Luna." She smiled. Luna took a step back. "Do I know you?" Luna questioned the mysterious pony. "No, but I know you. Barely…" she answered softly. Luna looked into her dull emotionless gray eyes. 'Who are you?' The pony moved slowly toward her. "Where am I?" Luna finally spoke. "Nowhere." She paused, "And I am Nobody." Luna looked around her. 'This is worse than the moon. What did you do to deserve this?' Nobody looked at Luna a smile began to form on her lips. "It has been too long my little sister." Nobody played with Luna's mane. "You are so much older since I last saw you." Nobody began to walk farther into the garden; she motioned for Luna to follow. "Why did you call me sister?" Luna began to ask Nobody any question that came to mind. Nobody stopped at a gray pool before speaking.
"Please, answer my questions!" Luna begged. Nobody ignored Luna's plea and sat by the pool. "This will answer all your questions." Nobody dipped her horn into the pool. The pool began to glow and then exploded with color. Luna was taken aback; the pool was the first thing that had any color. Luna was in awe, but finally sat in front of the colorful pool. As soon as she looked into the water she saw her mother and father with two fillies. The younger filly was a very young Celestia, and the older filly looked familiar, but she couldn't put her hoof on who she was. Luna could see that it was spring, and the filly seemed to be affected by the season in the colors reflected in her coat and mane. Her coat was white with light green glimmering through her fur. Her mane was a light blue and pink. Her eyes were a piercing red. 'Daddy is it time for my lesson?' the older filly asked, flapping her wings. 'Well, I guess it is time you learned, Theia.' Their father smiled. 'Be careful!' their mother spoke as they flew outside. Theia flew was fast was her wings could take her. After a quick talk with her father she began to lightly kick clouds and made some drop rain, some drop snow, and others shot lighting into the sky. 'Excellent job, you will be controlling weather in no time!' As their father spoke these words Thiea's flank began to shimmer. 'Daddy! Daddy! Look my cutie mark!' Theia hugged her father as she ran to show her sister and mother. Celestia had bitterness in her eyes as Theia spoke of her talent and excitement. Luna looked up at Nobody. "Theia, she is you." Luna looked into her eyes. "I was once her yes." She looked away towards her prison. Luna walked over to her sister. "Celestia sent us away because she wanted the throne to herself. Didn't she?" Luna felt tears fill her eyes. "Yes that was her original intention." She put a hoof over Luna and drew her close. "After five hundred years without you, she realized she needed you. She could replace my talent, but not yours. She replaced me with the pegasi, though only she could replace you. With having to do both her's and your job she realized why our parents created you two." Nobody turned away from Luna's gaze. "Father explained to me the importance of all three of us right before Celestia sent me here." Luna looked toward her eldest sister.Luna saw Nobody's mane beginning to grow. Her coat turning white; shimmering with the rainbow. Her mane began to flow little by little as her eyes turned back to red. "Theia," Luna smiled, "Can I ask one last question?" Her sister looked into Luna's dark eyes. "Yes little sister?"
"What will free you?" Luna spoke softly. Nobody, soon to return to Theia smiled. "Celestia erased me from the histories. The fact that you now remember me has set me free." Luna gasped, everything around them disappeared. They were surrounded by darkness. "I will see you soon Luna."
Luna awoke in her bed. It seemed that it was the morning after her party. She sat up from her bed and stretched, as she got up she felt a dull pain in the back of her head. She opened her door and noticed two of her guards watching over her door. "Princess Luna!" the guard to left spoke. "How long have I been asleep?" Luna looked out a window. Outside she saw Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash teaching Twilight Sparkle another flight lesson. She noticed a case on Twilight's right front hoof. The hoof she dragged her on. "You were knocked out just last night Princess." He paused. "Celestia asked for you to see her when you woke." Luna chuckled, "Alright is she back in her palace?" Her guards avoided her eyes. "Yes." They spoke in unison. "Thank you." Luna smiled flying out the window.
"Princess!" Fluttershy smiled as she saw Luna. She and Rainbow Dash asked millions of questions that Luna answered happily. Twilight just sat and stared at her new found enemy and friends. After a few minutes she had enough. "Can we continue my lesson please?" Twilight raged. "Oh, yeah of course." Rainbow laughed. "I need to go see my sister anyway." Luna smiled flying as quickly as her wings would allow.
After the long flight Luna finally landed in front of the palace doors. She was greeted by two very nervous guards. "Princess." They spoke in unison, bowing. "Where is my sister?" Luna asked with a small smile. "She is in the throne room, Princess." One of the guards said softly. "Thank you." Luna spoke. As she trotted through the hallways she noticed that the palace was becoming brighter and brighter. It seemed the source of the light was coming from the throne room. "What is going on in there?" Luna heard a guard say to her left as she reached the door. "Celestia's visitor has got her very upset it seems." One of the guards answered. "Wait." Luna stopped and turned. "Visitor?" All the guards froze. After a moment of silenced panic, one of the guards finally answered. "Another alicorn is the 'visitor'. She glows with the spring colors." Luna smiled. "Theia!"
Luna opened the doors and ran to her oldest sister. Theia greeted Luna with a hug, and then returned her focus on Celestia. "It is time I return to my place." Theia glared at Celestia. "Then you cause many pegasi their destinies!" Celestia screamed. "No sister, not at all! I deserve my throne you stole from me! I will rule over Equestria as I was destined to do!" Theia shot back. "It is no longer your destiny!" Celestia cried. "Then what is my destiny Celestia? You seem to change and form many destinies of ponies you know you shouldn't!" Theia looked all around her. "Everything has changed Celestia. I lost everything because of you. Was my destiny to die as Nobody?!" The air in the room began to have a chilling bite. "Celestia, my sister, it is not your place to decide how my life is to be, nor should you control Twilight Sparkle's destiny. It is because of your small pushes in the direction you wanted her to go that she is now a princess." Theia stopped. She walked toward Celestia, when she reached her she pulled her into an embrace. She and Celestia began to cry. "I love you sister, even though you threw me aside. I am not angered by your decision to cast me away. I am only upset that Equestria has suffered the loss of what we could have created together. "
Luna finally spoke to her sisters. "Theia, what will you do now? You alone no longer control the seasons." Celestia continued to cry, Luna noticed that Theia had finally reached Celestia's heart. Theia finally showed Celestia the importance of their bond. Theia looked at Luna and smiled. "I will get my throne now, but you will lose yours." "What do you mean?" Luna spoke confused. "Well since the pegasi now control the seasons, it seems I should rule there. But I will only do so if you do not mind giving me your palace in Cloudsdale. Luna smiled in understanding. "I will gladly give you my palace on a few conditions." Luna trotted to Celestia. "I will give Theia my palace if Celestia will allow for me to return here with her. If Celestia will return Theia to the histories, so every pony will remember her and learn about her. If Celestia will forgive me for trying to return to evil. And finally if Celestia will stop crying and give me a hug!" Luna wiped Celestia's tears and hugged her. "I do all you ask as soon as you let me go." Celestia smiled brightly.
Celestia raced around trying to fix all she had done wrong to Theia, by the next day Theia returned to the memories of the ponies and the books of the histories. Theia visited Luna and Celestia almost every day. Order soon returned to Equestria and every pony's life returned to normal. Luna and Twilight Sparkle patched up their relationship and they soon became very close. Celestia proudly ruled with Luna back at her side. Theia learned everything that had changed since she left and she grew very close to Fluttershy, who mostly helped her through the changes. Luna finally was at peace and saw how all the ponies truly loved her. Luna finally saw her rise to power.
~The End~
