A.N.: I would like to thank cross-over-lover-232 officially for helping me with this and letting me use Star Fall. As a note to readers, we have been tag-team writing this and it has snowballed into a quite large story of its own. Now, without much more further ado, meet this half of the story, the half of the moon. Enjoy.
Chapter One: The Moon and Stars
Date: A few months after Celestia's and Luna's battle with Discord
Time: going on midnight
Location: the palace of the two pony sisters, next to the wonderful Everfree Forest
In the palace, just finishing raising the moon, Princess Luna walked to the throne room and stared up at the large stained glass window behind the thrones. It depicted two alicorns raising and lowering the sun and moon. Around the two were ponies that were doing things that they did during the day and night. Luna sighed as she thought of how many ponies played in the day when, in her beautiful night, they slept.
"Excuse me, I hope i'm not bothering you Princess Luna"
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Location: …..somewhere nearby...and a little earlier...
As the sun dipped below the horizon and the moon took its place, young Star Fall, a unicorn filly crept from her home and made her way towards the royal palace. It was a long trip to then through the capital of the royal pony sisters, and she often stopped to listen to high ranking mares and colts, practicing how they spoke so that she, a humble filly with little to no schooling would not embarrass herself before Princess Luna, the bringer of beauty. It was almost midnight before she found her way to the palace.
At last, she wiggled free from her saddle bags and struggled with using her magic to cleanse herself of the dirt and grime the trip had left on her body and mane. She also struggled with her hair brush and tooth brush to further clean herself up. After a few minutes, her midnight blue body and pearl white mane were clear of dirt. She climbed onto a bridge to check her reflection in the water. Her deep blue eyes stared back up at her as she took in herself and made sure the streak of silver in her mane wasn't out of place.
Soon afterwards Star Fall carefully crossed the bridge, forcing herself not to break out into a full blown run as she came closer and closer to her goal. A couple times she was almost caught by a palace guard, but she hid behind things to prevent being, spotted. One time she had to pose behind a rearing pony statue to avoid a guard. She quietly tiptoed past a guard looking in the opposite direction and at long last nudged the throne room door open and crept in. Standing in the middle of the throne room was Princess Luna, staring up at a large stained glass window.
"Excuse me, i hope i'm not bothering you Princess Luna," She spoke carefully separating her words properly, instead of slurring them together.
Princess Luna gave a little jump, not expecting anyone to be in the throne room at this hour. When she turned around she saw Star Fall, who seemed a little out of breath and dishevelled. Her eye traveled over the unicorn's dark body and came to rest on her flank.
Star Fall blushed at the state running from the palace protectors had left her in, and blushed a darker red than before at her blank flank. She cleared her throat looking unsure what to say to the alicorn of the night sky, her eyes full of adoration as she gazed up her from a respectable distance. She seemed to muster her bravery as her shoulders slid upwards and smiled.
"It is amazing to see the Alicorn who created such a magnificent work of art, you're truly amazing Princess Luna!" she sank into a wobbly bow
Princess Luna quickly overcame her surprise and smiled.
"Rise my subject. Why are you here at this late hour? Is not every other pony asleep waiting for the day?"
She walked over and sat down in front of Star Fall, who seemed to remind her of someone. As she waited for an answer, she tried to think of who it could be that this pony reminded her of.
"Not me Princess, I sleep during the daytime. I like the stars and the moon best, they don't make your eyes hurt when you look at them. And they shine so wonderfully."
She sighed softly, smile curling on her face.
"They make me feel all peaceful and happy inside, knowing there's something to light the darkness, night time be way more scary if we didn't have your moon and stars!"
She blinked tilting her head to the side.
"And you work so hard on making the stars go into different places, I like trying to spot where they've gone!"
The princess sat up a little straighter at this.
"You..you appreciate my work? No one ever has really complimented me on it. I do it to calm myself in the long quiet hours. It gets quite lonely at night, with everypony asleep."
"How could anyone not notice how wonderful it is? I mean, I know Princess Celestia's sun is needed to nurture plant life and such, but without the night, everything would get all scorched and stuff."
She blinked cute, a frown on her face.
"And i hate to say it, but she just raises the sun. You raise the moon, place stars, plan meteor showers..amazing things!"
"I guess you're right!"
Princess Luna laughed.
"She has everything happening in the day, so she doesn't have time to worry about details. I on the other hoof, I have nothing but time."
Luna sighed and gazed back at the stained glass window.
"You should arrange things to happen at night time!"
Star Fall began to pace looking thoughtful as she worked out ideas.
"A festival...gotta sound something moon like, connected to the moon...the harvest moon festival! it can be near the end of the day, everyone can enjoy drink and fruits and veggies, the fruit of their labour, it could b once a month, on the full moon!"
She looked to Luna for approval.
"Hmmm..." Princess Luna tapped her chin with a hoof.
"That does sound like it would work, but we would have to get Celestia to help as well so as ponies could come to it. I don't think she will be quite agreeable though. She blames me for most of the damage done during our battle with Discord."
Princess Luna got up and started pacing the throne room. She ground her teeth together and remembered the battle.
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Date: A few months earlier, after the fierce battle with Discord
After the battle, Celestia and Luna are breathing heavily next to an ornate statue of multiple creatures mixed together, all that remained of the embodiment of chaos, Discord.
"We d..d..did it." breathed Luna.
Celestia got up and looked around. The landscape was a battlefield of strange and odd things. The fountain in the courtyard had been changed to spew fire everywhere, trees in the Everfree Forest were strangely dark and screams could be heard in that direction, parts of the castle had been turned into ice and were melting in the sun. Everything else was in similar disarray for miles in all directions.
"Yes, but it looks like you didn't stop him from ruining Equestria." She snapped.
"But, I had to help you Tia, you couldn't have defeated him on your own!"
"I told you to prevent him from ruining the Everfree Forest!" Celestia yelled in Luna's face
"You couldn't have done it without me!" Luna snapped back
"Could too! You didn't do what you were supposed to!"
Celestia walked off in a huff.
"Now I'm going to have to clean up this mess you've made" she muttered as she walked off.
(-) (-) (-) (-) (-)
Date: back to the palace, but you're not reading this are you?
"Now, almost a year later and the Everfree forest, Celestia's favorite place in Equestria is still affected by Discord's Magic." Luna continued. "She is thinking of moving the castle away to that new town, Canterlot, if she can't get the forest under control."
She sighed.
"She isn't having much luck, even though its only the forest that is left to fix."
"But that's not right, you both did as well as you could...personally, i think Princess Celestia was a little too unforgiving" Star Fall muttered under her breath.
"And if it's your festival, in your honor then you should be the one to plan it! I can see it now,the sun dipping downwards, and a loop, but in silver, with sapphires in it! Your body glowing silver as the moon rises high in the sky"
She sighed dreamily
Luna sighed again at this young unicorn's innocence
"Alright, I'll ask her in the morning. Is there anything I can help you with...? …...I guess I never got your name."
"Oh my name is Star Fall, miss. Mama named me that because on the night I was born stars were falling all around our house. And Princess Celestia doesn't sound like a very nice sister, I think you should have your own palace if she's going to be so ungrateful for your help! See how she likes being on her own" She sniffed daintily.
"You know what,' replied Luna, " I think I should find myself my own palace. This castle isn't big enough for the two of us any more."
She stopped pacing and stood in front of the throne. She began to speak in the powerful voice often used by Celestia.
"I will give my sister an ultimatum. I will move out and find a new castle or she has to allow me to have a festival!"
She blinked at the loud voice.
"Why not find a new area? Somewhere no pony has ever seen you, defend a new town from some on comeing monster and they'll respect you Princess! after all princess Celestia wouldn't be there but you could still tell them how busy she is, make it seem like Princess Celestia is sorry she couldn't come herself...but that you were happy to help them?"
"I can't bear leaving Equestria, it is my home. And Princess Celestia has decreed before that I should take care of the night while she the day. Do you have a plan on how this could be done with so little happening at night?"
"Well" she tapped her chin with a hoof. "Not ALL animals sleep during the day, there's lots of large predators that roam at night time. All i need to do is get one to chase me into a town and you swoop in to save an innocent filly from the gaping maws of some beastie!"
She puffed up her chest in pride.
"We'll just need your guards to scout around and find a good place to do it!"
"Sounds like it could work," Luna reasoned, "Are you sure you want to be chased down by a ferocious beast?"
"I know i can trust you Princess, i know you'll save me!" Star Fall nuzzled against her cutely. "I trust my Princess with my life!" she said proudly, little chest puffing up happily
Luna felt strangely warm and fuzzy at the small pony's actions.
"So let's go see what large predators are in the area, shall we?"
"Hmm maybe not too close to the castle, we don't want Princess Celestia getting wind of what is being planed do we?" from her saddle bag the younger unicorn pulled out a map of Equestria, studying it with a keen eye. "We could always find an Ursa Minor"
"You seem quite prepared and knowledgeable, where do you go for school?" Asked Luna as she walked over to get a look at the map.
"Oh...i don't go to school. Since i sleep during the daylight hours my family left me in charge of keeping the crops safe during night time. I'm the only unicorn filly in my family"she admitted, smiling a bit.
"So i study on my own, and while i traveled here i would listen to ponies who looked really rich and learned to talk how they did"she explained happily, proud of being self taught
Luna smiled, and an idea starting to form in her head as she looked over the map Star Fall was holding up.
"Where do you live? You make it sound like it was quite a trek to come here."
The princess's eyes traveled across the map and came to rest on a cave labeled: WARNING DO NOT ENTER. In small print below the warning was: Den of Ursa Major.
"Oh...i don't even think its on the map. its just a small settlement."
She looked at the cave marked Do Not Enter, grinning.
"So how far away from here is that?" she muttered while doing the math
A smile stretched across Luna face.
"Far enough no one knows about it, and close enough to be practical. It's perfect. I hope you can run fast."
"I can!" Star Fall said chirply, a grin streching across her face. "How soon do we put the plan into motion Princess?"
"As soon as you can get here," She pointed to a point on the map. "Tick off the Ursa, and run back through the town. I will tell you now, I will not step in until the last minute, but I will be watching."
Luna stood up.
"If you do this for me, I think I will have to reward you in some way. In fact, I already have something in mind."
"Oh princess there's no need to reward me, i'm just helping you get the love and recognition you should have any way!"
She flushed a bit at the idea of being given a reward by her idol, Princess Luna. It was something she'd never believe possible!
"I'm happy to be able to help you in any way I can, with or without some reward!"
Luna smiled to herself as she started to walk away.
"I will wait for you to start then."
As Luna returned to her quarters and Star Fall ran off to find an Ursa, Luna made her decision.
She is obviously very smart and talented, to have gotten past all the guards. I do believe rewarding her for this with becoming my apprentice will be quite acceptable.
Star Fall traveled to the cave they had talked about and bucked her hind legs against the Ursa Majors nose. She dropped her lady like speech and began to yell at the beast.
"Come and git me ya gosh tuten vermat! Ah ant scart of no bear!"
A small cloud of smoke hovered nearby as Star Fall scrambled away.
Good, Good, thought Luna I'll give her until she gets a few onlookers before I come in and save her.
Then Star Fall promptly took off through the woods and into town, all the time being chased by a very upset Ursa. She took the most direct route into the city, allowing the beast to destroy several buildings that were empty along the way. Princess Luna whisked away after the carnage in her smoky form.
A few failing debris scratched Star Fall's flanks, but she never once slowed down, screaming her cute little head off until she tripped over a rock face planting.
So far, the commotion had poured out quite a few people, many too scared to move from their windows and door stoops as the Ursa Major foot falls shook the ground. One long claw sliced into her flank as she got up and ran even faster. She knew Luna would save her, it just needed to be convincing!
Luna continued after the carnage, waiting for the best moment. Up ahead she saw the town square, perfect for what she had in mind.
Star Fall skidded into the town square, slowing down due to the pain in her flank. Woozily she collapsed, the creature coming after her once more. To all who who were watching it was clear that she would get more then a claw on her flank now.
A loud cough came from behind the Ursa, causing it to stop suddenly. When it turned around, there was no one there. When it turned back to finish Star Fall, a large black alicorn was standing right in front of it.
"Well, well, well. What do we have here."
Princess Luna was standing in a regal pose in gleaming royal armor.
"You don't look like you belong here."
In response, the Ursa roared in her face.
"Guessing that means you won't leave quietly?"
Everyone held their breath watching what would silence was broken as the Ursa smashed in the store directly to its right, sending ponies flying. As the ponies flying through the air started to fall towards the ground, a flash of darkness grabbed the closest one to the ground. In the next few seconds, the rest of the Shadowbolts snached up the flying - ahem, falling - ponies before they could get hurt. One also snatched up Star Fall to make sure she wasn't in the line of danger.
Luna smiled at her troops, then disappeared in a cloud of a dark mist which started to encircle the Ursa. The mist began to thicken as the Ursa flailed around trying to hit the spectral assailant. A face materialized from the mist above it, which was quickly followed by the rest of Luna. The mist continued to distract the beast as she landed on its head, immediately alerting it to her presence.
Luna slid down the beast's nose as it swiped at her, making the first sweep past her. Skidding to a stop on it's nose. She turned around and stuck out her tongue at it as her horn glowed. Suddenly her horn stopped glowing and Luna was still there. The Ursa Major proved just how stupid it was by standing on its hind legs and shoving both front paws at the pest on it's nose. She giggled audibly as the paws passed through her and hit the Ursa flat in the face. It flipped over backwards and landed heavily on its back. As it floundered around trying to regain its feet, a small cloud of mist separated itself from the rest and came over to Star Fall and the shadow guards, who were standing a safe distance away. It soon solidified into Princess Luna, still in her full battle armor.
She grinned and asked without looking over, "Well? How's this so far? I doubt that will keep it occupied for long."
"Just bash something over its head to knock it out. Then put it back in the cave." Star Fall giggled a little bit watching it stumble about.
Luna nodded.
"Time to get to work," she replied as the Ursa regained its feet. "I think I should do something else first though... You might find this interesting seeing what I promised you."
In an area of the town square currently undemolished -which is like the last corner of it - stood a statue of a regal alicorn. One similar to it had once stood across the the square, but that was currently where the Ursa fell. This one however, when looked at closely, it wearing the full battle armour of the moon, exactly like Luna's. As Luna stood her horn glowed yet again and the horn of the statue glowed in answer.
"Have a demonstration of my power."
The statue, in clear view of Star Fall, cracked its pedestal and made a cat-like stretch. Afterwards, it leaped to Luna's side. It landed with a slam in the same intimidating pose as the princess herself. Together, they walked forward toward the Ursa, which turned its head back to the oncoming challengers.
"Let's break this beast down."
The statue nodded and its eyes began to glow. As one, they jumped in opposite directions, making the Ursa have to choose between them. It wasn't able to focus on one of them, and subsequently lost both of them in the now-rising cloud of mist which was writhing as if it was in pain.
"Confusion, check." came a disembodied voice.
A shape rushed for the Ursa, coming from the front. The Ursa roared at the figure and swung a paw at it. It connected with a solid thud. It pulled back the paw and shook it like it had hit a rock.
"Distraction, check."
A second shape emerged from the mist and floated directly behind the Ursa. Every pony had their jaws hanging to the ground, watching the awe inspiring battle going on before them. Star Fall blinked, wondering what this had to do with the reward she had been promised. In fact, she remembered modestly turning down any reward.
"At last, the finale."
The mist stretched upwards until it ringed the moon and became a storm complete with thunder and lightning. Framed in the moon were two alicorns, one a dark black, the other a dull grey. The storm condensed and started to form a dome over the Ursa, along with a good portion of the city. Just inside the dome, one of the shadowguards next to Star Fall smiled and commented:
"We are in for a show now. The princess is about to bring down the house."
She blinked eyes wide as they could possible get.
"Ya mea...I mean"
She cleared her throat lady-like.
"You mean bringing a statue to life wasn't bring the house down?" Star Fall asked in awe.
The guard shook his head as the already dark night got that much darker.
"That's nothing, she does that for fun around the palace, mainly to prank people. One time she made the carpet I was standing on try to 'eat' me. No, when she brings down the house, its like the full fury of the moon is unleashed."
As the guard faded from Star Fall's view, she heard him finish:
"I'd hate to be on the receiving end of one of these."
She blinked and strained her eyes, trying desperately to see anything in the oncoming darkness.
"Princess Luna is the most amazing pony on this planet." She whispered as she woozily sank to the ground, having lost a bit too much blood to the cut on her flank. Her eyes slowly sliding shut as blackness overtook the small filly.
Eventually, the only light was coming straight down from the moon onto the Ursa, the rest blotted out by the storm. Barely visible, Luna and her doppelganger circled around the hole at the top of the dome. With a flash, they disappeared into the cloudbanks. Sparks of light began to emanate from the storm as two shapes whirled around. The Ursa roared again, and was answered by a crack of thunder. Lightning started arcing over the dome, jumping between lightning rods and rooftops. The lightning started hitting the Ursa, which at first only irritated it.
Then, as the alicorn assaulters spun the storm into a frenzy, wind began to create a cyclone around the beast. It flailed around as wind speeds increased to the point that it was lifted off the ground. The Ursa soon was above all the buildings in the area, and could not hit anything with its struggles. Princess Luna charged out of the cloud bank and bucked the monster one way. Immediately afterwards the statue charged out of the opposite wall and bucked it back. They continued for minutes, kicking the Ursa around the sky.
The Ursa began to looking more and more like a quivering ball of pain. The pummeling halted and the two continued their circling around the cyclone.
"This is for attacking the capital!"
Luna and her statue slammed into the Ursa head from opposite sides, making teeth fly from its mouth.
"This is for assaulting innocent ponies!"
They kicked the Ursa up into the air, out of the dome and into the clear night air.
"For all the trouble you have caused!"
Out of the cloudbank shot the statue, with lightning arcing across its body. It surpassed the ascending beast and then slammed into it from above, releasing the lightning into the bruised body. The remains of the Ursa shot toward the ground, toward Princess Luna and the remains of the storm bank.
"And this is for..."
All the clouds remaining condensed around her and was reabsorbed into her armor. In response, her armor began to 'glow' darker. She began to spin around as the Ursa neared..
"Attacking my pupal!"
The Ursa reached her and she spun around delivered a roundhouse buck to the creature's face. All the power emulating from her armor blasted into the Ursa. Its remaining fur caught fire and it was hurled up and away from the city. It flew through the clear night air in a flaming death spiral back towards its cave.
"And Stay Out!"
The entire thing was staged to perfection, but for the bruises and cuts Star Fall got. Soon as the dome cleared the towns folk surrounded her, joyful in some one who would eliminate a threat that sought to harm them, not merely send it on its way so it could attack another day. The only things missing WAS Star Fall and the captain of her Shadowbolts Luna noticed.
The storm completely disappeared as the shockwave of the kick woke a certain sleeping alicorn.
Princess Celestia woke from her bed and leapt to the window. She was just in time to see a flaming mass fall somewhere into the Everfree Forest. Glancing back at the point she thought it had come from, she saw shadowguards cleaning up wreckage and debris.
Luna... You are in Sooooo much trouble. She thought.
As Luna looked around for her new pupal, she saw a shape winging its way toward the scene.
OH CRAP. She thought
Celestia landed next to her and surveyed the scene. Luna quickly made the statue go back to its pedestal before celestia noticed it. It didn't work, Celestia spotting it as it got back into position.
"LUNA!"
Celestia screamed at her. The townsfolk surrounding her jumped and turned to the furious Princess.
"WHAT HAPPENED HERE!"
Celestia was furious with her hair in a technicolor inferno.
A few little fillies ran up...and tackled luna instead of celestia!
"Thank you princess you saved us!" they happily ignored the princess of the sun for the moon princess. "You made the bad bear go away!"
"Dun tawk to pwinces like that!" A cute baby filly stood between Luna and Celestia. "She saved ou'r wives!"
Luna was surprised by the sudden appearance of the fillies and was knocked over by their tackling hugs. The little baby soon had firm nods from other colts and mares.
"And look how quickly our homes are being rebuilt, i must say i am impressed with how quickly those shadow bolts work!" Added another pony.
Celestia seemed to be lost for words as her mane deflated to its normal shape.
"What? What bear?" she asked. "Luna, Why did you use the Ruina Totalis?"
The mayor of the village took over explaining, seeing as Princess Luna appeared to be busy fighting off a horde of fillies.
"It was horrible Princess Celestia,an Ursa Major was chasing down young filly, princess luna and her Shadowbolts appearing the nick of time and saved the poor dear and her men managed to catch the ponies that went flying when it destroyed their homes. You must be quite proud to have a sister like princess luna, she didn't was a moment! I for one am grateful she killed the creature, it won't be bothering our little fillies and colts! its good to know we have such a skilled mare watching over us while we sleep!"
Celestia seemed to be lost for words, with her mouth agape. She looked around at the decimated area and had to admit that it wasn't as bad as it could have been, fighting an Ursa and all. Not that she would say it out loud, but Luna did a good job. Still, something was bothering her. There was really only one Ursa in the area, and no pony had been stupid enough to tick it off. Celestia nodded to the assembled ponies, then flew back off without explaining her doubts.
Luna eventually distracted the young fillies with the statue, which she used an solid illusion to look like her as she turned to smoke. It was immediately jumped by the excited ponies and proceeded to walk around with countless young-uns hanging off it. She materialized next to the major and asked:
"Did you see where that young filly that was chased by the Ursa went? I had one of my shadow bolts watching her, but I seem to lost track of them."
"Oh yes the colt said he needed to transport the filly back to the palace post haste, it seems she lost quite a bit of blood from when the Ursa Major struck her flank with its claw. He slipped away before Princess Celestia showed up"
She scowled a bit at the princess late arrival and how she had treated Luna.
"Once again thank you Princess, I know it seems like nopony notices the hard work you do...but really every one is much thankful when they can leave off work once the sun sets"
"Of course, I hope she is alright. She went through quite the ordeal."
