The moon shone through the dense clouds, it's light peeking out as as it hung in the sky as a full beacon for anyone who wished to gaze upon it. This was, in fact, what a figure was doing as she stood on the terrace overlooking the gardens of the castle where she lived. As the dark clouds past across the moon , it's light pierced though and illuminated the figure, revealing a young filly with a coat as dark as the night itself and a mark on her right flank of a solid white crescent moon surrounded by blackness.
"…Luna…Luna?" The young pony turned her head slightly at the beckoning of her sister, turning back and peering at the full moon. "I am here sister Celestia….What do you need?" Luna shook her head, her dark blue mane flowing in front of her like water, her tail seemingly echoing the motions as it brushed the floor of the terrace. Celestia slowly walked out under the moonlight and stood by Luna, her white coat illuminated by the moonlight; her sun cutie mark seemingly glowing on her hind leg. Her blue hair flowed in front of her as she stared at the sky before turning her head to look down at her younger sibling.
"Dear sister, why do you stand here alone when we have so much to celebrate?" Luna turned her head to look at her older sister, her heart heavy with thoughts that she dared not speak aloud.
"N-Nothing sister," Luna looked back towards the moon, somewhat wishing she hadn't called out but knowing her older sister sensed her own magic so hiding was out of the question. "I just felt I needed to make sure the night was perfect for our celebration.." This, of course, was a lie but her sister didn't seem to pay attention.
"It is most beautiful as always Luna," Celestia turned and started back towards the entrance. "I must return to our guests sister, don't be too long in joining." She disappeared into their chambers, Luna waiting for the sound of her sisters hoofs to vanish before taking a running leap and gliding down to the garden below. Hitting the ground with her hoofs she turned to look into the wide windows of the castle, seeing her older sister surrounded by their subjects and for a moment, anger flared up inside her and vanished as quickly as it appeared. Luna closed her eyes, flapped her wings and took off once again; not caring where her wings were taking her, just knowing she wanted to be alone with her thoughts. As Luna flew, she knew that she would have to join her sister in a matter of hours to lower the moon, she soured higher at the mere thought of having to let the moon set for another night so the ponies of the land could enjoy the sun. Soon she turned back to meet her sister and do her duty as the Princess of the Night
Luna watched as the moon slowly lowered, aided by her magic, before looking over at her sister who was doing the same to the sun. "Celestia, why is it the ponies of this land never care about the night?" The moon wavered in the sky as she asked, her sister noticing before she turned her head to face Luna.
"The night is a time for rest Luna," Celestia turned back and watched as the sun passed the moon. "You bring that rest so everyone might be renewed when the light of the day comes." Luna seemed a little put out from the answer that her sister gave, stomping her left hoof on the ground lightly. Looking towards the sky Luna let her horn glow again, the moon finally vanishing below the horizon. Luna turned to her sister, walking towards her slightly as she narrowed her eyes.
"And what if the moon didn't set," Her eyes seemed to flash green for an instant. "would it really be so bad for the sun to not come up?" Her older sister looked taken aback at such a question.
"Do not forget your place dear sister." Celestia slowly walked up to her younger sibling, placing her muzzle on one of Luna's wings. "You are the princess of the moon and as such you must keep raising it so we maintain balance…" Luna pulled away from the older Equine, bending her back legs as she narrowed her gaze.
"Maybe I tire of your balance, maybe ponies would learn to accept the moon if it never set." She took off into the air, blocking out the sun to cast a shadow on her sister. "Maybe we are all tired of the light." Luna flapped her wings, speeding around the north tower before disappearing inside. Celestia backed up, lifting off the ground before chasing after her.
Celestia reached the tower, landing in the small room illuminated by the sunlight before looking around for Luna. Not seeing anyone in the room as she circled around once before noticing the open door. "Luna...where are you going?" She headed out the door and tucked her wings to her body, diving down the tower and landing at the bottom, a guard standing by the far wall looking somewhat bewildered.
"Your Highness, your sister ran off towards the throne room," The guard struggled with his thoughts as he cleared his throat. "S-She was laughing like one possessed then she just seemed to um...vanish." Celestia nodded to the guard before running through the joining hallway towards the throne room.
Princess Celestia sprinted to the throne room, hoping that she could help her sister. She entered the large room just as a voice emanated from the other side.
"Not another step" Celestia ground to a halt as she heard her sister, watching as Luna stepped from the shadows to stand in front of the two thrones they would sit upon. "Did you really expect me to sit idly by while they all basked in your precious light?" Celestia stared at Luna, not knowing what to say at the harsh words her sister slung her way. Luna slowly walked onto the small round stone terrace that would normally be used to address the ponies of the land, looking at her older sister with contempt. "There can be only one princess in Equestria," Luna rose onto her haunches and her eyes began to glow with a white light. "and that princess will be ME!" With that, Luna slammed her front hoofs to the stone floor, destroying the front of the terrace and sending a shock-wave that sent cracks to the wall and window behind her, a shadow creeping along at the same time before the window shattered letting in the sun.
As the rays of the sun illuminated around Luna she started to float into the air, her eyes going wide as she was startled with what was happening. The glow of the sun was engulfed by the rising black of a globe, surrounding the Alicorn with dark streams which quickly started to circle and ensnare the frightened equine. Celestia looked on as Luna let out a muffled shriek before being encased in a sphere of darkness that quickly started to change colors, first a bright glowing ball of yellowish orange that then turned into a dark blue, exploded into a plume of smoke that dissipated to reveal an older looking Alicorn; her eyes opening to reveal their bluish-green, almost snake like appearance. The Equine opened her mouth and laughed menacingly, her teeth transforming to sharp fangs as she did.
Celestia watched as her sister landed on the stone floor, seeing that she now had a helmet and chest plate that were a matching dark blue which bore her cutie mark crescent moon. Walking forward, she was about to say something but before she could the other mare tilted her head down slightly and a green beam erupted from her horn, piercing the roof of the throne room and sending stone crashing down to the floor effectively stopping her advance. As her sister started to emerge from the dust from the collapsed roof Celestia lifted herself into the air but quickly had to swerve out of the way as a beam aimed at her barely missed, hitting another part of the ceiling and exposing the full moon.
Celestia once again landed and looked at her sister unblinking. "Luna, I will not fight you," as she said this she folded up her feathery wings. "You must lower the moon, it is your duty."
"Luna? I am Nightmare Moon," Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes. "I have but one royal duty now, to destroy YOU!" With that, she thrust her head towards Celestia, a huge beam of green blasting forward towards it's target, barely missing Celestia as she sprung into the air, flying through the hole that was crated from the earlier blast. "And where do you think you're going?" Taking flight, she followed Celestia into the open night sky. Nightmare Moon weaved though the castle towers and over the roofs, continuing to fire at Celestia but either barely missing or hitting parts of the castle. Celestia gave a shriek of pain as one of the beams finally found it's mark, hitting her in the chest and making her plummet into one of the destroyed chambers below where she sprawled out motionless. Nightmare moon looked at the still mare for a moment before laughing out in triumph, basking in her victory as she was silhouetted by the moon.
Celestia started to stir, getting up weakly and gazing at Nightmare Moon still preoccupied with her defeat over her. "Oh dear sister, I am sorry." Celestia turned her head to face the floor behind her. "But you have given me no choice, but to use these." The horn on Celestia's head started to glow, making a slab of stone in front of her shake and pull away from the floor; the stone splitting to reveal a secret room in which a pedestal arose from it. The stone pedestal had five small pedestals jutting around it, each holding a colored Element of Harmony jewel. Celestia lifted off the ground, flying over to the pedestal and using her magic to start to collect the Elements. At the the top of the pedestal sat a stone globe which opened up at the top to release the sixth Element, a star shaped jewel that flew to Celestia and hovered in front of her before being joined by the others. All of the jewels started to circle Celestia faster and faster before she was engulfed in a brilliant bright light; a rainbow created around her where the jewels were speeding around her.
Celestia flew straight up into the air as a look of determination crossed her face. Nightmare moon looked on, seemingly unfazed by seeing the Princess as she geared up to fire another blast from her horn.. Celestia used her own magic and the Elements stopped flowing around her and positioned themselves in front of her, the jewels making a circle with the star shaped one in the middle; each one giving power to it just as Nightmare Moon fired straight at Celestia. A rainbow beam shot forth from the Elements, meeting Nightmare Moon's in the middle; both beams fighting for dominance before Celestia's beam overtook Nightmare moons.
"NOOoooo..." Nightmare Moon looked and screamed in horror as she was engulfed into the beam before being hurtled towards the moon, a silhouette of her face appearing on its surface when the beam hit.
Celestia let out a sigh, floating down to the ground as she peered up at the now changed moon as tears welled up in her eyes. "Luna...I'm sorry," The trauma of everything that happened started to overwhelm the Equine as tears started to stream down her face. "LUNA!" Celestia collaspsed onto the stone floor, her grief overtaking her as she mourned for her sister.
The dark walls of the castle lit up with the sunlight peeking though cracks and the crumpling roof, it's warm glow the only thing that seemed to try to bring joy to such a dark and dreary place. Princess Celestia walked through the chambers slowly, looking around carefully to make sure everything was moved to the new castle in Canterlot.
"Guard, what is the status of the Elements of Harmony?" The young Equine walked out of the chamber she was in, squinting her eyes as sunlight hit her face, reflecting off of her crown and casting different colors onto the adjacent wall. "I want to make sure they are not known to anyone." A guard appeared from another room next to the one she had just exited.
"They are just as you left them your highness, the protections are secure." The guard stood still in front of the princess before turning his head and motioning to a room in the far corner of the hall. "This way please, Princess." The young princess followed her royal guard to the room that housed the elements; the very room she took them from to defeat Nightmare Moon. "As you can see, they are safe and sound."
"Good," Princess Celestia studied the five stone orbs that rested on their own pedestals. "It is imperative that if anyone should stumble upon this castle and the Elements of Harmony, they see only a fountain unless they know of the history of this place," She turned around and looked sternly at her guard. "Which no one will know about unless I deem it so...this knowledge must not be known to anyone is that clear?" Watching her royal escort bow she nodded, turning and walking out of the crumbling room. "Good, now please take me back to Canterlot, I have things to do there."
Princess Celestia slowly walked out onto the castle terrace, leaning her head up to look at the clear night sky with the full moon, the silhouette of Nightmare Moon frozen on it's surface, as her blue and pink mane flowed around her like waves. "Oh dear sister...this past year has not been the same without you." Her eyes started to well up with the pain that she felt for what she had done. "The denizens of this land have decided to celebrate this night, and though I wish I could ignore them, I must honor them and do what is expected of me." She shivered and hugged her wings close to her body, the night wind seeming to answer her as she spoke her words. Slowly walking to the edge and looking down, she watched as ponies were in line to enter the castle, eager to see their princess and to celebrate the dawning of a new day. "I blamed you all those times...never truly understanding the agony nor the loneliness you felt, this is my blame yet I punished you for my own ignorance." As she saw the last few ponies disappear from view she heard trumpets blare signaling that the ceremony was about to begin.
"Your highness," Celestia looked back towards her royal chamber as she heard the guard outside her door. "The crowd has gathered and all is ready for you." The princess' horn glowed a faint blue, her crown appearing from the room inside and landing atop her head as she looked back towards the moon.
"Sleep well my sister, may we see each other again soon...I love you." She turned around, slowly walking into her room to meet the ponies of the land and raise the sun. Stopping mid-way into the chamber she looked back towards the full moon, the silhouette of nightmare moon reflecting in her eyes as a single tear fell from her left one, landing at her hoofs. "...I miss you."