Chapter 8 - The Moon Cometh!
High in the mountains overlooking the town of Ponyville was Canterlot Castle - ruled by the beloved princesses of the sun and moon Celestia and Luna. Despite it being daytime, the younger sibling could be found in her room and overlooking some scrolls consisting of thank you messages or warm regards from her fans.
Her moderate cyan eyes were scanning the scrolls' words very thoroughly while she ran her fair-skinned fingers through her moderate sapphire blue with grayish Persian blue outline long hair. She wore her royalty attire which consisted of a light-dark blue top with a Moon symbol that showcased her cleavage, a light blue arm bracelet was on her right hand while a disconnected long sleeve covered her left. Her lower attire was a dark blue skirt that covered her knees and lastly light blue sandals with blue soles adorned her feet. The dark crown rested atop her hair while a small string with a red rose held both the skirt and top together.
Luna couldn't help but smile at how heartwarming the people of her land were. Despite threatening to blanket Equestria in eternal darkness while stuck as Nightmare Moon, the subjects quickly welcomed her back as one of their own. All thanks to an unlikely helper by the name of Twilight Sparkle - her sister's protege and the current Element of Magic.
In truth, Luna owed her a lot for helping her break out of her shell that night during Nightmare Night. Ever since then the Princess of the Night had started gaining back the people's trust and love which pleased her very much. Though the lingering guilt of being Nightmare Moon remained, she didn't think about it too much.
Luna let out a small sigh after finishing another scroll reading and stretched her arms before standing up. "All this staying in my room all day isn't good for my figure. I should get some refreshments." She decided.
Before she could leave however… another scroll had appeared via teleportation magic in the room. Luna walked over and picked it up before reading that it was from none other than Twilight Sparkle herself.
"Must be something that Twilight needs my help for… after what she did for me on Nightmare Night, it's only right I agree to her request." Luna spoke and offered herself a small smile before she opened the scroll to read its contents.
The following message was written:
'Dear Princess Luna,
I request your urgent assistance! My mentor has gone mad and has ordered the arrest of a newcomer whom I befriended! Her name is Mina Marley and she has done nothing but save us all from a race of dark creatures known as the Heartless! Princess Celestia has ordered her arrest because of her wielding a weapon known as the Keyblade! I beg of you, Princess! Please speak with your sister! Mina has done nothing wrong except save us all from the Heartless!
Please, Princess Luna. I beg of you…
Signed,
Twilight Sparkle.'
Luna dropped the scroll to the ground - shock detailed all over her face. Her sister arrested someone for doing the right thing!? How could she…?
But Luna had other pressing matters to deal with as well - two words that were very familiar to her in the letter were on her mind the most: Keyblade and Heartless…
Luna felt a sharp pain in her heart as memories began to resurface… of her training as a Keyblade Wielder, meeting a mysterious enigma known as Luxu, the Keyblade War… but most importantly - her lover…
"Azus…" Luna whispered softly. He was the only man that she had ever loved before he was corrupted by that bastard Luxu and turned to the darkness. It was one of the reasons why she became Nightmare Moon in the first place.
Luna shook her head and became serious. "No… right now, a child is being framed for a crime and my sister is being a fool." She told herself before picking up the scroll and sighing.
"I'm coming, Twilight." Luna promised before she left her room and began making the necessary arrangements.
(Ponyville Hospital - Two hours later…)
Twilight sniffed as Rainbow stroked her hand gently. "Don't blame yourself, Twi… I'm just as shocked as you are." She told her.
The librarian sighed. "Why did she do it, Rainbow? I thought I could trust her… yet she just… arrested Mina without provocation. I don't understand." She admitted.
Rainbow continued to stroke her hand. "I'm just as confused as you are… never would have I imagined that Celestia would turn out like this. I just hope Mina isn't in any pain." She said quietly while not caring if she didn't address the Sun Princess by her proper title. After what had happened, Rainbow was shocked before it turned into disgust at the way Celestia did what she did.
Twilight wiped some tears away and nodded. "Same… thanks for being here with me, Rainbow." She replied with a small smile.
Rainbow smiled gently and hugged her. "Of course… I'm always here for you." She promised.
Twilight couldn't help but feel so grateful that Rainbow was here for her. Despite her personality, one thing in her didn't change - her loyalty to her friends. It was one of the things that Twilight admired about her… that and a secret she kept from her friends and the athlete girl included.
The secret being that Twilight was attracted to her… not just as a friend but as more. Ever since she came to Ponyville a year ago, she often had a couple of disagreements with Rainbow Dash along with some… embarrassing moments. Yet Rainbow was capable of acknowledging her mistakes which in turn won her Twilight's respect.
Afterwards, the two were often spending their free time together - Rainbow was cooking up new schemes and trying out for the Wonderbolts while Twilight just nodded and offered whatever encouragement she needed. It was around the time when the Element of Magic felt weird around Rainbow.
She didn't understand why at first and assumed that it was just her old introverted tendencies balking at the increased socialization. But the more time she spent with Rainbow, the more her heart beat… then she realized what it really meant - love. Twilight couldn't deny it… she was in love with Dash.
However no matter how much she tried, she just couldn't admit her real feelings towards Rainbow. Her biggest fear was the rainbow-haired athlete rejecting her advances and breaking her heart. So, she kept silent and awaited for the day when she would take the risk. But it wasn't-
The silence was broken by a knock on the door as Twilight and Rainbow were shaken out of their thoughts. "Yeah?" The athlete spoke.
The door opened as Nurse Redheart's face was shown. "Ummm… Miss Sparkle, Miss Dash? Princess Luna is in the lobby and is searching for you both. Shall I bring her in?" She asked.
Twilight and Rainbow both nodded in relief that the Princess had arrived. The sooner that she was here, the better they could explain the situation… and then focus on rescuing Mina.
Redheart nodded back and went to fetch Luna as Twilight and Rainbow awaited patiently for the Moon Princess.
"I hope Luna helps us out." Rainbow admitted with a sigh.
Twilight placed a hand on her shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry… I have a feeling that she will. Trust in me, Rainbow Dash." She told her.
Rainbow nodded. "You know I do, Twi." She replied back.
Seconds later, Princess Luna came into the room and let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness that you both are okay." She told the two girls.
Twilight and Rainbow hugged which Luna appreciated deeply and returned. "Thank you for the warmness… though I wish it were under better circumstances." Said princess told them.
"Us as well… Princess, I hate to say it… but your sister kind of acted out of line. No offense." Rainbow apologized.
Luna crossed her arms. "None taken. If anything, she owes you both an apology for how much of a jackass she acted." She told them.
They both gasped. Luna just called her a 'jackass'! That was… so alien. For a princess like her to say these words…
Luna noticed it and smirked in amusement for a moment before getting down to the main topic at hand. "Now then… could you both please describe the events that perpetrate to the crisis at hand?" She requested.
They both nodded and went off to explain the situation - how Mina had arrived, the arrival of the Heartless, the Keyblade and then Celestia arresting her earlier this morning. Luna didn't interrupt them and listen to the tale from beginning to end.
"And that's basically the events leading up to this moment, Princess." Twilight finished after a while.
Luna gave her a nod before sighing in frustration and pinching the bridge of her nose. "Sister… will your paranoia never come to an end?" She asked herself.
"Paranoia?" Rainbow asked confused.
Luna nodded before letting out a small sigh. "Yes. Girls, as you all are aware - not every being in Equis harbors good intentions. Some desire power and knowledge while others just enjoy using darkness out of pleasure and amusement. This darkness that has currently arrived on our planet takes the form of Heartless. Beings that came from the darkness of people's hearts. Though they might seem mindless, they are nothing more than monsters that reside in the shadows… awaiting for the Heart of the World to appear."
"Just like in the book we read…" Twilight realized with a surprised look.
Luna became confused. "Book? What book?" She asked.
Twilight procured the book that she had acquired from the library in case she needed to present proof to Luna. The Moon Princess gasped as she took the book and examined it. "Oh, my… I thought I had lost this old thing a long time ago…"
Twilight and Rainbow were both surprised. The Princess was familiar with this book… did that mean that she is…?
"Princess?" Rainbow spoke as Luna averted her gaze for a moment and looked at the athlete. "Are… are you by chance…?" She trailed off and pointed at the book.
Luna's face morphed into confusion by Rainbow's words as the Element of Loyalty still pointed her finger at the book and then…
"Oh… OH! No, no! I didn't write this… despite my status as a Princess, I don't have a lot of time to write stuff these days. I just found it one day at the library and thought I'd take a look at it… imagine my surprise when it contained some interesting pieces that I couldn't stop reading until the end. I was fascinated mostly about the lore of the Keyblade… which brings me to my most important topic at hand - your friend." Luna told them.
Both element wielders nodded as Twilight began. "At first, she didn't seem to be anything special. Granted she did keep the secret about the weapon from us for our own good… yet I'm still not sure why Celestia took her away in chains." She finished with a sigh.
Luna nodded. "I see… she did have a good reason for keeping the weapon a secret from you and your friends. Mainly because the story goes back all the way in the distant past of Equestria." She revealed.
Both girls became silent as Luna told her tale. "Centuries ago, when Discord had fallen, Equestria became a somewhat safe haven for Keybearers and ordinary people alike. In a way, it served as a hub to rest and relax before moving on to explore the other worlds. Back then, my sister and I had the utmost trust in them - though there was some small reluctance on Celestia's part. After the fiasco with Discord, paranoia had entered her mind… a small touch though. I didn't really think about it too much nor was I convinced that it would become a negative trait on her part… that is… until he came."
The princess paused for a moment as she let out a small sigh before continuing. "One day, a new Keybearer had appeared - one whose heart held nothing but deceit and apathy. His name was Luxu - an apprentice to a mysterious man called the Master of Masters. To this day, it is unknown why he came to Equis but all that was said was that he was given a special role… sadly, I haven't the foggiest idea of what it is."
After a brief silence, she continued. "Luxu was one of the reasons for my corruption as Nightmare Moon along with manipulating several innocent Keyblade Wielders into doing evil deeds. As a result, my sister has become increasingly paranoid and angered whenever a Keyblade appears on our world… the irony in all of this is while I've managed to move on and learned to trust, my sister hasn't. I won't lie to you both - her paranoia is driving me nuts."
"No one is blaming you, Princess. Although about this 'Luxu' guy… any idea where he is right now?" Rainbow asked.
"That's something I've been wondering myself - where has he disappeared to? According to my sister, he just vanished one day and never returned. A pity really… bastard… if it wasn't for him… my lovely Azus would still be alive." She whispered sadly while trying to hold the tears in.
"Azus?" Twilight asked with a raised brow.
Luna nodded. "A man whom I loved long ago… like the rest of the wielders, he also came to Equis to rest and prepare. My sister and I met him… and for some reason, I started to feel attracted to him. He and I often spent our time together researching the lore of the Keyblade and other miscellaneous stuff. But after a while, my attraction towards him became more - I was in love as was he. We both wanted to be together… but it was not to be… Luxu corrupted him and blanketed his heart. I was forced to put him down… for the good of our planet. Luxu's corruption and Azus's death… contributed heavily to my perpetual downfall as Nightmare Moon." She explained.
Twilight and Rainbow immediately embraced with her hugs. They had no idea how much suffering Luna had gone through. Trusting a Keyblade Wielder whose heart was blanketed with darkness and then being forced to put someone she loves down… it was hard.
Twilight could now understand why Celestia put Mina in chains since she had a distrust for the Keyblade. Yet the Element of Magic didn't see the brunette wielder as a threat like Luxu - instead, she saw her as a friend. Her mentor didn't have to go and place her under arrest.
"But enough about that… Now we must try and find my sister before she does something that she regrets. I might have an idea on where she might have taken your friend…I had hoped to never step foot in that tower again." She let out a soft sigh.
"Tower?" Rainbow asked confused.
"Yes. A sort of base that Keyblade Wielders used quite often to receive their tasks or relax. After Luxu's departure and my corruption, Celestia sealed it off to ensure that nobody would learn about the Keyblade nor its lore. I'm willing to bet that she has taken Mina there to interrogate her." Luna explained.
Twilight was in disbelief - her mentor had known about the keyblade this whole time and hadn't said anything at all! What other secrets was she keeping from her!?
"Where exactly is this 'tower' that my mentor is hiding?" Twilight wondered.
"It's hidden deep in the Everfree, away from prying eyes. I'll teleport us there but first get yourselves dressed. I doubt you want to confront my sister in hospital gowns, after all," Luna couldn't help but smile a bit at the joke.
Twilight and Rainbow nodded. Luna left the room to give them some privacy and decide on the plan of action…
(Meanwhile…)
Mina let out a sigh of annoyance as she glared at the co-monarch of Equestria who was staring at her with killing intent. To make things more complicated, the brunette was locked in a cage with a simple bed.
"I ask again… how long until your collaborators arrive and you plunge my world into darkness?" Celestia questioned this for what was possibly the hundredth time.
Mina growled at her. "I'll say it one final time - I'm not like the bearers who use darkness! Hell, I'm not here to cause trouble!" She assured.
"DON'T LIE TO ME! You Keyblade Wielders are all the same - monsters who cause trouble and never accept any responsibility for your actions!" Celestia snapped at her.
Mina was in complete disbelief. "Responsibility!? Unlike YOU, I'll have you know I'm a good person back home! You, on the other hand, are the one acting like a complete psycho right now!" She shouted angrily.
Celestia's eyes widened in shock before she growled and unlocked the cell. Then she picked Mina up and began to shake her heavily. "The Keyblade has no place in my kingdom! I won't allow you to spread your influence here anymore! Tomorrow I will personally make sure that you are removed from my planet! Peace will reign once more without you or the Heartless!" She declared before throwing Mina back into her cell and locking the door.
With a satisfied look on her face, Celestia was about to leave when a magic spark appeared in the room… which was soon followed by her younger sister, Twilight and Rainbow appearing in the room.
"Wow… that was quite a blast." Rainbow commented as she cleaned out her ears.
Luna nodded and then…
"Luna!? What are you doing here!?" Celestia was shocked as she prepared to hide Mina behind her.
Luna immediately glared at her. "I should be asking you the same question… along with the fact that you blindly arrested a CHILD and took them here! Where is she!?" She demanded the location only to be met with a silence from her older sister and a face of sweat.
"I'm behind her." Mina calmly answered.
Twilight immediately pushed her mentor out of the way and saw Mina looked none the worse for wear. Though… she was feeling a little bit nervous which understandable given her situation. But she was put in a cage like an animal...
The Element of Magic gave her mentor a nasty look. "Princess, why is she in a cage!?" She demanded an answer.
Celestia's face morphed into an unamused one. "Because she is dangerous. Like all Keyblade Wielders she is just using a human disguise to hide her monstrous face." She explained much to everyone's shock.
"Monster!? Mina's no monster! My friends and I can attest to that! Pri- No. Celestia, out of all the things you could this is the worst! How could you!?" Rainbow asked in disbelief.
Celestia frowned before answering. "It's for the good of Equis, Rainbow Dash."
"The good of Equis!? A child is in a cage because of your paranoia, sister! This is not the way a ruler acts!" Luna told her before sighing heavily and glaring at her. "This is all because of what happened with Luxu… he is the reason why you are behaving like this! Celestia, I am tired of it! You will let Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash's friend go now or else." She warned.
Celestia slammed her fists at them. "I will not let her go! She has no right to be in OUR KINGDOM!" She yelled.
They were all shocked - Luna especially. Has her sibling gone mad over the years that she was stuck in the moon as Nightmare!?
"Celestia… my patience is on its last legs. If you don't let Mina go… forget my magic. I'll use the Elements to turn you into a statue so you can cool off until you can get over your paranoia." Luna warned her as Celestia glared at her.
"You wouldn't dare." The Sun Princess told her.
Luna grinned with a smug look. "Try me." She challenged as Celestia flinched a bit.
Twilight and Rainbow were hoping that this wouldn't escalate into a full-scale conflict between the two sisters. They still had to get Mina out of the cell. Who knows what kind of torture the paranoid Sun Princess had planned for her…
Celestia quickly regained her composure. "I will not allow the Keybearer to wreak havoc just like a thousand years ago!" She declared.
Twilight had enough and spoke. "Princess! You're insane! Mina isn't anything like Luxu - she saved my friends from the Heartless!"
Celestia looked at Twilight with a hurt look. "You know…?" She asked softly.
"Yes… and I can attest that Mina isn't anything like that… please Princess… I beg of you to let go of her." Twilight pleaded.
Celestia was in disbelief. "Twilight, don't you understand that you've been brainwashed by this… this monster!?" She yelled in the hopes that her student could understand why she was doing this.
Rainbow pinched the bridge of her nose. "Brainwashed!? Mina brainwashed us huh!? Alright then… Mina, use the Keyblade and control us. Come on - prove that we're 'brainwashed'." She 'demanded' with an amused tone.
Mina nodded and summoned Equinox before aiming it at Twilight and Rainbow. Casting some false words, she pretended to 'control' them by moving the weapon around with the use of her right hand. Neither Rainbow nor Twilight moved but they became annoyed as Celestia's little test failed. Luna hid a smirk while the Sun Princess was in disbelief.
"Do you see!? She is using the Keyblade to make you both annoyed! She's playing with your emotions!" Celestia stated while the two element bearers shared a glance at one another before shaking their heads.
"Seems like your little test failed, sister. I'm disappointed in you… we're going to have words later on when I return. Now give me the keys or we'll turn you into a statue." Luna warned.
Celestia was about to protest when she realized that she had just made a fool of herself. With a heavy sigh released, she gave into Luna's demands and handed the keys to the small cell. Before departing, the Sun Princess sent a glare at the brunette who was dismissing Equinox. "Consider yourself lucky… I'll be back." She warned before teleporting away.
Luna rolled her eyes and then unlocked her cell. "There we go… how do you feel?" She asked the wielder in a motherly tone.
Mina stepped out of the cell and stretched her arms. "I've been better… how'd you find me though?" She asked.
Twilight hugged her gently before answering. "Princess Luna tracked you to the place where the Keyblade Wielders of the past often rested or received their tasks. Did she do anything life-threatening?" She questioned.
Mina shook her head. "Nah… other than shaking the living piss out of me… not really. Her paranoia though… it was driving me crazy." She admitted after letting go of Twilight.
Luna couldn't help but sigh heavily. "Later I'll have a very nice long chat with that paranoid maniac about kidnapping innocent kids and trying to kick them out. Pleased to meet you, Mina Marley. Princess Luna of the Night and co-monarch of Equis." She introduced herself.
Mina bowed in respect. "Thank you for the assist, your Highness. I'm glad that at least you're the sane one in the family… no offense." She quickly added.
Luna smiled in amusement. "None taken. Now then… how about we head back to Ponyville so you can explain your situation more clearly?" She suggested.
Mina nodded as Luna teleported them away from the tower and back to Ponyville. Little did they know that they would one day return here...
Author's Notes: And that's my cue! Chapter 8 is finished and ready to be posted! We've finally introduced Luna to the story along with exposing Celestia's hypocrisy in this next part. All of this was edited by my good friend/brother whom I'm speaking on Discord.
And now Luna's secret is revealed - she is aware of the Keyblade War, Luxu along with having a lover in the past called Azus. She was able to move on unlike Celestia who is completely paranoid and delusional that Mina is plotting something against her which isn't true. (It's going to be a wild ride XD)
This won't be the last time that the heroes see the tower that Celestia used - it will make a return in a future chapter... mainly after things pick up and Luna decides that it's time to get down to brass tacks - by helping Mina train and taking her on as an apprentice. It's spoilers though! (No whispering anything else!)
So, yeah... that's all from me for now. As usual I don't own Kingdom Hearts nor My Little Pony - they are owned by their respective companies! Only my OC and story are mine - I planned them both! Enjoy reading!
Until next time in Chapter 9! Laterz!