The Moon Will Have its Days
The townsponies ran away, and Luna's suspicions were raised by the young mare who called her out during her first appearance in 1,000 years. The fact that a regular unicorn knew of Luna's long-forgotten history could potential mean that she also knows about the Elements Of Harmony. Luna disappeared into the air, and followed the unicorn while remaining undetectable.
Luna saw her enter a library inside an old tree. Some other ponies entered the tree also. Luna eavesdropped into their conversation but what interested Luna were their talk about the Elements Of Harmony.
The purple unicorn explained to the others how there were six elements but only five known elements, and that the sixth will reveal itself when the first five are united. Nothing in their conversation about the elements included anything that Luna hadn't already known, except that they were lost. If their not in Celestia's possession, Luna didn't have to worry about her sister banishing her to the moon again. The Elements Of Harmony are the only thing strong enough to overpower Luna, and she needed to know what competent efforts were being made to stop her.
Once the Six ponies ventured toward the Everfree Forest to search for the Elements Of Harmony, Luna knew the race was on. If she could find the elements first, nopony could stop her.
Luna could have easily defeated the ponies with force, but Luna didn't want to harm anypony. She wanted to get even with her sister—take Celestia's throne just like Celestia did to Luna—but she was no murderer.
Luna looked around for a way to stop the ponies from finding the elements. Her many memories of the Everfree Forest gave her a good understanding for the layout of the forest, but after 1,000 years, foliage, trees, and the dirt paths have changed.
Luna observed them venturing toward a steep cliff in the forest. Luna remembered that cliff from her from before her banishment; she questioned its integrity 1,000 years ago, and after 1,000 years it couldn't have gotten any better. Her magic could move just one rock, and cause it to collapse. The six ponies were likely competent to survive the collapse unscathed, but Luna hoped it would be just enough to give them a good fright and send them running back home. At the very least, it would give Luna a head start in the search for the elements.
Luna did exactly that. She waited for the ponies to be right at the edge of the cliff before she caused the whole thing to collapse. After it was done, Luna didn't hesitate to start searching through the forest for the elements of harmony. As she transported herself by converting herself into a magic cloud, she tore through the forest with great speed. Finding the elements as quickly as possible was imperative, and she didn't slow down for anything. She was so committed to finding the elements quickly that her speedy search was almost as reckless as it was quick.
Traveling as a smoky cloud with no true form, she was able to doge some of the things in her path, but her relentless haste disrupted the trees, and the fellow creatures in Luna's path. She ran into tree's, causing her magic to collide into them resulting in bizarre results. She soared through branches and bushes, which caused splintery twigs to scatter everywhere as she tore past the forest creatures.
Luna circled the whole forest at least once, and was beginning to feel disappointed as her search remained unsuccessful. As she continued soaring through the forest, she saw the other ponies still venturing deeper. She was impressed by their bravery but she wasn't necessarily threatened by them. The pace they traveled at was significantly slower than her own, and for them to cover the same amount of ground as Luna, it would have taken them all night or even days. Nonetheless, she couldn't risk leaving them alone, nor could she risk wasting her limited time to deal with them herself.
Luna conjured her squad of Shadowbolts and gave them the order to prevent the ponies from finding the Elements Of Harmony. As her Shadowbolts obediently ventured off, Luna only had to worry about finding the elements.
Luna continued searching through the forest with very little luck. She was beginning to think she would never find them. Each lap only confirmed that the elements weren't anywhere. Then, all that changed when she saw something through the corner of her eye—it was an old abandoned castle.
She was baffled that she hadn't seen it in any of her previous laps around the forest, but now it was the only place she hadn't looked. Luna flew into the open castle gates. The structure looked familiar though its condition made it hard to recognize.
Luna was quite shocked to find the purple unicorn was already there. The unicorn had five stones—each with a unique glyph on each one that represented what element they represented. The unicorn was trying to use them to reveal the final element.
Luna made an abrupt appearance and interrupted the purple unicorn. The unicorn was frightened and took a shaky step back.
Luna stomped her hooves near the stone elements and they shattered like glass. Luna laughed with excitement thinking that she was unstoppable. The only thing that was strong enough to defeat her was smashed to bits, but the unicorns friends entered the castle shortly after, and soon the spirits within the six little ponies managed to utilize the magic of the Elements Of Harmony.
Even with the elements destroyed, the six ponies were able to recreate what the elements represented, and with a bright, multi-colored, light, the ponies engulfed her with a magic field that crippled Luna's power.
When the lights returned to normal, the six ponies rejoiced in their success while Luna splayed limply on her side. She felt her power leaving her body as her muscles were consumed with fatigue. Luna was weak, tired, and disoriented; she didn't realize her sister Celestia appeared, and stood tall above Luna.
Celestia helped prop Luna off her side. Luna didn't know her sister's intent, but she complied with her sister's gesture while tears poured out of her eyes. Celestia spoke, "My sister, we should be ruling side-by-side, and go back to the way things were."
Luna was unable to say anything, and instead nodded, and hugged her sister. The six ponies left Celestia and Luna alone together. Celestia continued to comfort her sobbing sister until Luna was able to speak. "I just... wanted to have what you had," she said.
Celestia nodded. "You do have what I have. You're a princess just like me. You always had what I had."
"But everypony loved you. They hardly even knew I existed. You had all the respect and the praise, while I spent every night alone," said Luna.
Celestia became filled with sorrow. "I know you wanted everypony to appreciate you, and I always believed that you deserved to be appreciated, but I feared that if you had control of the sky any longer than I, The harmony we worked hard for would be out of balance. That fear made me desperate to prevent that from happening. I used the Elements Of Harmony, and I ended up doing the thing I tried to avoid most. When I sent you to the moon, I ruined the balance of harmony we created. I tried my best to maintain it without you, but it was never like before when we ruled together."
Luna wiped the tears from her eyes. "But... you left me up there. Y-you never came back for me. You never lifted the spell. I was stuck on the moon, and nopony cared."
"That's not true," Celestia assured, "I never stopped trying to get you back—you're my sister. One night, I saw magical flickers coming from the moon. I thought they were coming from you. I did everything I could to help you return, and I assigned my best student to study the legend to prepare for your return, and search for the Elements Of Harmony. Never had a day gone by which I didn't wish for you to come back. I missed you."
Luna felt conflicted. "I missed you too, but... s-so you did use the Elements Of Harmony?"
Celestia lowered her head. "Luna, I'm sorry. I know it was wrong of me to use the Elements Of Harmony. I knew that immediately after using them. I was wrong. I shouldn't have done that. It takes both of us to maintain harmony, and that night I sent you away, the elements vanished. I wanted to take everything back immediately after, but once the spell was cast, the elements disappeared, and there was nothing my magic alone can do to lift the spell. I spent years looking for them, but alas, they just didn't want to come to me. One of my students discovered the elements with her friends, and they proved to be more responsible with the Elements Of Harmony than I ever was. Its better that they control the elements while we focus on making Equestria a better place."
"Well it didn't take your student very long to find them. Is she just that good, or did you just not look long enough?" Luna questioned.
Celestia looked ashamed. "The elements are designed to maintain harmony. The way I used them ultimately ruined harmony. After I used them, the elements vanished. They knew I was misusing them. I searched day and night, but they just didn't want to be found by me. My student and her friends represented everything the elements represented, and so the elements choose to reveal themselves to the ponies that proved themselves worthy of using them appropriately."
"Maybe that's why I had such a hard time finding them." Luna looked into her sister's eyes. "... I'm sorry. I was on the moon for so long. I was just... I thought you didn't care about me."
Celestia used her wing to cover Luna's back. "It was a silly fight. It's behind us now. Everything can go back to the way it was. You controlling the moon, and me only controlling the sun," Celestia said.
"It will sure be nice to be able to control the moon again," Luna guiltily replied...
With Celestia's approval, Luna continued making the night more beautiful than ever. She made the moon as full as possible, and placed as many stars as she could find. When it became time for Luna to put her night away, she returned to her sister on the castle balcony just like they use to when they ruled together.
"How did I do?" Luna asked. "Its been awhile since I last did this."
"It's the most beautiful night I have ever seen," Celestia replied.
Luna didn't know if Celestia was just trying to spare her feelings or if she really meant what she said. Luna was a little out of practice, and she could tell that some of the stars looked a little off.
Luna turned to look at her finished work from a distance for the first time that night. "At least you get to see it," she said.
Celestia thought for a moment. "Well... Maybe we can leave it out during the morning so that the townsponies can appreciate it to."
Luna was skeptical. "Really? But... What about your sun?"
Celestia smiled. "There's enough room in the sky for both."
"What about the balance of harmony?" Luna asked.
Celestia took another look at Luna's night. It truly was something she missed seeing over the years. She turned back to her sister. "I think the sun and moon being out together is a perfect example of harmony."
Luna asked, "Isn't the moon only suppose to be out at night?"
Celestia thought for a moment. "Every now and then, if the moon is truly at its most beautiful, I'll let you leave it up during the day so that ponies can appreciate its beauty when they're awake."
Luna exclaimed, "So I can really leave the moon up for other ponies to see!?"
"Yes."
"And the stars!?"
Celestia hesitated, "Umm..."
"Its okay. there's probably not enough space for all of them anyway, and I don't want any of the constellations to feel left out," Luna interrupted knowing her sister felt uncomfortable.
"...Well if that's what you want," Celestia said.
The two girls sat next to each other as they both gazed in awe under the stars. "Its good to have you back," said Celestia.
Luna smiled. "Thanks... It feels good to be back..." Luna hugged her sister before adding, "... And your always welcome to have the sun out during my night."
Celestia chuckled, "Don't be silly Luna. We can't have the sun out during the night."
Author's Note: It feels good to have this story complete. Take advantage of the comment box to share your thoughts please. Be sure to check out my profile page to find some more stories and my latest info for what's next. Thank you for reading.