Celestia took slow calming breaths as she flew through giant trees, and the glittering water of the forests and mountains above them. Her sparkling ethereal multi-colored mane and tail blew behind her, never losing its slow near rhythmical flow as it glowed in the light of the night sky. Her beautiful multi-colored wings gave flaps that were even slower than the flowing of her mane as they carried her through the air. The regal, yet formidable golden armor that adorned her body, along with the large spear resting on the side of her armored suit only added to her radiance, and her stand out all the more in the air. It was as if she was a large pony shaped stared that changed seconds ever so slightly, yet stayed one color at the same time.

She was not alone in this silent flight however, for just behind her, a large set of Solar and Lunar guards, Shadowbolts, and Wonderbolts could be seen soaring and gliding with her. The combined sound of their own wings could be heard filling the swan white Alicorns ears as she led them into the direction of the Everfree Forest, far away from the somewhat demolished down of Ponyville. Despite the rather majestic set of wings adorning their bodies, not all of them were Pegasus ponies; at least, not full blood from where she was standing. Some of them had feathers sticking out atop the base of their tails, while the some of the other guards had leonine tails swaying behind them indicating that there was Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasi, with many being a mix of said races. Had it not been for the fact that the ones that were not Pegasus ponies were using their Adrenaline Modes as a way to save their power for the long run, those that weren’t Pegasi would’ve been mistaken as winged Unicorns or Earth Ponies.

Their own sets of armor reflected the Moon’s light as they flanked their Queen on either side of her and behind, forming somewhat of a circle behind her while the Ariel Flyers brought up the rear. A few of them could be seen flying in front of her, acting as look outs for anything that may come out of the sky. While they knew that Celestia didn’t really need them to take look out from the front, she didn’t bother to tell them that, for she knew that they’d take every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of her Queen. Under any other circumstance, Celestia probably would’ve assured them that she could handle herself, and that they didn’t need to overwork themselves for her sake. She may have even had them cut back a bit and let her do a majority of the work while she took care of the more important things at hoof. On more than a few occasions, she may have even given them the choice of turning away from the missions they were on, if they felt they couldn’t go on.

If the situation they were in now was even the slightest bit different, she very well may have done any one of those options; keeping her subjects from doing anything they felt like they had to do. Unfortunately for her, the guards, and the flyers, none of them had the time, the option or the luxury to do so, for reasons that were both dire and personal. Seven ponies were putting their lives on the line to save the ponies in their home, and the others all cross the land. They needed to be there for them and lend them all the help they could get, least they fall to the hooves of their foe and die for nothing, and Celestia was determined not to let that happen. Her faithful student and her friends had chosen to put their lives on the line to ensure that Nightmare Moon did not succeed in her evil deeds, she was not about to let their decisions be in vain.

There was also another reason as to why she was so keen on ensuring that Goku and her friends survived. One that was both very personal and very near and dear to her heart.

“Venture Vine, how much progress are we currently making?” The Sun Goddess asked one of the guards. “Are we staying on schedule like we planned?”

She looked over to the cloaked pony flying beside her, whose eyes were keenly focused on what was ahead of him and the princess. It was a Kirin mare, and if it weren’t for the armor that he was currently wearing, she would’ve been quite the sight to see. she had a grass green coat that was slightly darker than normal grass, with scars adorning various parts of her body. She had long deep red mane and tail, redder than any blossoming rose. Her feathered wings were a combination of both her mane and coat color, along with her eyes, which were a gleaming color yellow with draconic slits. Around her neck was an inhibitor color with a teal-eyed cross shaped metal dragon hanging from it, which indicated that she was from the Shenton clan. Finally, her Cutie Mark was of a forest green dragon curling forward, with vines surrounding it. This young mare was Venture Vine Ryu Shenron, the personal trainer of Spike Ryu Doragon Daybringer.

“We’re not too far off your Majesty.” Venture Vine replied calmly, not taking is eyes from the trees ahead of her. “So far, we’ve managed to stay on course, and haven’t run into anything on our way. I’d say at this rate; we’ll be at the Everfree Forest sooner than expected.”

“Are you still able to detect Twilight and her friends form this distance?” Celestia asked. “I am aware that you have a keen sense of smell, even when you’re not in your Kirin form, but I feel that this may be a bit challenging, even for you. So, I have to ask, can you feel the girls’ magic from here”

If Venture showed any sign of being offended or upset by the swan white Alicorn’s question, she didn’t show it in his expression. Instead, she flattened her ears and closing her eyes, giving a few sniffs of the air as he searched for any smell in the air. A second later, she looked back up at her leader, a small smile gracing his lips.

“Yes, I can detect the magic of the forest, even if it’s more than a bit jumbled.” Venture replied softly. “I can also smell the scent of seven to eight mares, along a stallion within the trees. I’d say that we won’t have very much longer before we reach their location.”

“I see…excellent, thank you for your intellect Venture. I’m relieved to hear that we’re going to be arriving there sooner than planned.” Celestia said, giving the Solar Guard a light nod. “This just shows that we’ll be able to get to the ponies that I sent searching for the Elements sooner than expected.”

“That it does your Highness.” Venture nodded, her smiling growing slightly wider. “It alsomeans that we’ll be one step closer to stopping Nightmare Moon and free your sister from her grasp.”

“Yes, that it does.” Celestia nodded smiling back, before she and Venture looked back ahead of them again. ‘It also means that I’ll have the opportunity to once again ask my dear sister for her forgiveness. I highly doubt she’ll do so, given all that I’ve done, and what I did to push her over the edge. A slim change of that ever happening, it’s worth a try…at least once more.’

A small, yet sorrowful frown made its way to Celestia’s face as she looked up at the Moon floating above her. Though it was mostly obscured by the trees, she could still see that shape of the large Unicorn imprint on the Moon, a large hint or clue of where a millennia old villain used to be, until today. Had it not been for her millennia training of honing all five of her senses, most especially her eyes, she could not have been able to see every detail clearly. From the head and neck that went almost halfway across the Moon, to the long horn that sprouted to the top. Last but not least, the eyes…those pure ghostly white eyes that seemed to have a piece of the Moon in them, which added to the sorrow she was feeling. The very same eyes that always stared back at Celestia every single night she raised and lowered the Moon. The ones that pierced into the very essence of her soul, and reminded her of the one precious thing that she had lost so long ago, and would, hopefully get back.

Luna…even the very name and mention of her sister was enough to make Celestia’s heart ache with sadness, and nearly drive her tears every time she thought about her. Every time she did think about her, she was reminded of all the wonderful and harmonious times that she had spent together with her sister. How they used to run around the halls and gardens of the Royal Castle as young fillies, without a single care or worry in the world. How they had their mother, the Goddess of Ponies and Light and the very first ruler of Equestria herself, Lauren Faust there by their side when they were little. Where it was to tuck them in at night after a long day of practicing their magic, guide them through their lessons in their royal duties, protect them from dangers, both big and small, or to just spend a carefree day with them, they always had her by her side.

Celestia remembered the times where their mother’s ‘sisters’ would come to visit her and Luna and spend the days with them as well, as well as give Lauren daily checkups on how the land was going. The two sisters always loved it when they came, and although they knew that they weren’t her mother’s sister by any biological stretch, Lauren always referred to them as such. The same with Celestia and Luna, both of them going so far as to call them their aunts’ much to the other goddesses’ joy, if not slight embarrassment, andLauren’s amusement. There were even more than a few occasions that the Great Sorcerer herself, Shooting Star the Magic Mage, and the famous ‘Magical Star’ could come to see them and spend time with Lauren, her daughters, and the other goddesses. The Unicorn mare wasn’t seen very much by the royal sisters or their mother, mainly because she was busy travelling across the lands with her own comrades and friends, so every time she did come visit, she alwaysmade the most of it.

Shooting Star would eagerly tell Celestia and Luna stories of all the adventures that she had gone on, and the enemies she and her comrades had defeated, and the ponies they had saved in her own youth. How countless nations, villages, towns, cities and countries that they had helped were made better and more prospering thanks to their help, and how they became their sworn allies because of it. The great wizard even went so far as to say that she helped Lauren herself one time in preventing Equestria from being purged into chaos by a mighty foe, and purged them from existence for all eternity.

Despite knowing that Shooting Star was the most powerful Unicorn in existence, they felt that what she was saying was just a littlefar stretched and exaggerated, especially Luna. To her, her mother was the most powerful being in existence, which was every bit true, and always believed that her mother never really needed anypony’s help in defeating anypony that threatened to conquer them or their land. She didn’t really see how anypony, even somepony as powerful as Shooting Star could help the Goddess of Ponies herself, in defeating an enemy. That theory was quickly thrown out the window when Lauren happily confirmed the Lunar Queen’s suspicions, and what the Magic Mage was saying was actually true. Celestia could still remembered the gob-smacked look that Luna had on her face when their mother told them about the event, and it always brought a smile to her face every time she thought about it.

The swan white Alicorn remembered all the times where they’d spar with Shooting Star to see just how much they’ve progressed in their magical abilities. As well as spend countlesshours in the Royal Library studying and learning knew spells, history and culture of other ponies that lived so long ago, long before they did. The sisters always had such bright and curious minds, and would never hesitate to jump at the opportunity to learn new things about their history, and how they and all living creatures, along with the lands they lived in, came to be.

Of course, their thirst for knowledge, facts, and magic weren’t limited to the confinements of their home, far from it. Lauren was many things, but one thing she was not, was one to keep her children confined in one place, and would take her children out to make new discoveries in the world. They went everywhere they could think of; from the magnificent city of clouds in the sky, to the snow-covered Rocky Mountains and tundra valleys. To the clear sparkling city of the Crystal Empire, to the peaceful, wild infested deserts, forests, and jungles of Mother Nature herself. Each and every single one of these places were fascinating and unique in their own ways, and were burned into Celestia and Luna’s memories, so they would one day go to these places to deal with important matters. That did not however, do anything to decrease the sisters’ amazement of the places and fact they saw and learned, and neither could wait for when they’d one day rule over it all.

Despite many of the places and things they learned being quite the interesting facts, there werea few places and secrets that were not uncovered. Lauren strictly forbid their daughters from finding out and seeing, since they were not properly at the age where they were ready to see such things; at least not yet. Their mother had always told Celestia and Luna that despite the majority of Equestria being positive and welcoming, there were some very dark corners in certain places, and not all were as welcoming as they were. She told them that there would always be those that would have darkness in inside of them, and not all beings, pony or non-pony, would be as accepting when it came to certain things. That the world was a cruel place to those that can really see it and have experienced it themselves, and that one day, they would see first hoof just how cruel it was. Celestia and Luna had always wondered what their mother had meant by that, and was scared of the answer, but Lauren assured them that they’d know in time, and they’d both be able to face it together. She also told them that on the day that they knew what the world was really like, was the day that Celestia and Luna would both be ready to rule it all, and lead it into a world of true harmony.

That fateful day when Celestia and Luna, Lauren and the other goddesses went hoof to hoof with a foe that was unlike any of which they and the entire world had ever seen. It was not a pony, but a godly multi-bodied being just like themselves, one of which neither them or all of Harmonia had ever seen in all history. It was a being that was the very definition of chaos, disorder, disharmony, and negativity; one that wanted nothing more than to rule the whole world in an unfathomable storm of chaos. It was one that had once been a near and dear friend of Celestia, Luna, Lauren and all the other gods and goddesses at a time. One who gave into the darkness and a vowed to seek revenge on those who wronged him and caused him so much pain.

His name, was Discord Konton.

The royal sisters and their mother had faced many challenges in their time of growing in their ranks, and endured many battles when push came to shove. Discord however, was on another level entirely, then anything that they had ever faced. He had powers that neither sister had ever seen in their lives, seeming to be something of another world, and it seemed to come in an endless supply. It soon became apparent to them, Lauren, and all the other members of the Alicorn race that that may have been the case with the God of Chaos as they took him in battle. They threw everything that they could at him, the most powerful of magical spells, the most destructive of tornadoes and air currents, and the most brutal of blunt force attacks. However, no matter how many devastating and fatal strikes that they threw at him, they all seemed to either go right past him or bounce of him in some way or another.

Another thing that had gotten their attention was the fact that it didn’t seem that Discord was even using is full power against him. It was like he was treating what was going on as a simple game; something that wasn’t worth his time, instead of taking them seriously. This it led to a long drawn out battle between Celestia, Luna and Discord, with both sisters using an inner power against the God of Chaos that they never thought they’d use before. Eventually, they eventually reached their wits end, and that was when Lauren stepped in and lent both her daughters the power needed to defeat the chaotic being. A source of power that both sisters had heard of many times, but never thinking that they would actually get a chance to use.

The Elements of Harmony.

In appearance, the Elements would look to be nothing more than that of perfectly polished gems, and not really something that deserved anything more than to be treasured or sold. It may have seemed that way to any normal pony, but to an Alicorn, particularly Faust, they were far more than just simple magical gems made for show. They were the very weapons created with power of the pony goddess herself, more powerful than any ancient weapon to ever exist anywhere, and ones that could face any evil it came across. The Elements of Harmony were the one thing that was, without a single doubt, able to wipe out any force of darkness that dared to threaten the land of Equestria and all of Harmonia. It was for this reason, along with Celestia and Luna’s resolve and determination to ensure Discord did not win, that Lauren handed this incredible power over to her daughters to end the fight once and for all.

Neither sister new if they were capable of wielding such power or not, but at that time, they were desperate to try anything, since nothing they did worked so far. So, with their combined powers, they summoned the powers of the Elements of Harmony, and turned the tables against Discord, gaining the advantage in the long brutal battle over the land. Before both sisters knew it, the fight was soon over, and the God of Chaos was defeated, encased in a prison of stone for all eternity.

It was on that very same day the Lauren could now see, without a single doubt in her mind, that both of her children were ready. That it was time for her to step down from the throne and let her two dutiful daughters continue on her legacy as the new rulers of the land. For them to lead it into peace and live on as the eternal leaders of all of Harmonia. That very same day that Discord was defeated, and his chaotic essence was cleansed from the land, was the very same day that Lauren had declared Celestia and Luna the new Queens. Under any other circumstance, it would’ve been highly unusual for two Queens to be taking the throne after their parents, since it was usually one Queen and a King doing it instead. However, this was circumstance was anything but normal, plus, Lauren was practically everypony’s goddess, the very being that created them and gave them their powers. Nopony was going to say no to a being like that, and anypony that did…well, the former Queen would deal with them herself.

Celestia could remember that celebration was if it had only occurred yesterday, despite the fact that it was over three thousand years ago; four if you count the other thousand. Even so, the Sun Goddess could still picture just how that event had went. It was, if not the most glorious celebration that she had ever seen in her lives. Never before had she seen the ponies of their land so ecstatic, so elated, and so jovial than she did on that day, when they gained not one, but two protectors to lead and guide them. Celestia could still remember the ponies’ reactions when their mother officially crowned them. Pegasi were doing zipping and doing loops around the air, Unicorns were giving off powerful magical blasts with their horns that turned into to fireworks in the sky, and Earth Ponies were stomping the ground so hard that the ground practically shook. It looked like they were going to cause an earthquake, thunderstorm and sea of magic due to the being so excited, and very well might have had the newly crowned Queens stopped them at the last moment. Although Celestia and her sister knew deep down that their new subjects wouldn’t do anything that would harm them, even if what they were doing wasn’t intentionally harmful, it was best to be on the safe side.

Of all the joy-filled faces that Celestia had made out in the crowed of ponies at their coronation, there was one face that engraved itself into her mind like brick being put in a wall. That look of pure happiness and ecstasy on her face, and the tears that threatened to break her regal appearance. What stood out the most to the swan white Alicorn however was her younger sister’s smile…the smile of one who had finally accomplished their goal that they had strived to achieve for so long. That all the hard work they had put in, the sacrifices, the blood, the sweat, and the tears that they had given had all finally paid off. It was a smile that Celestia would never forget, one that would forever dance around her head for as long as she remained Equestria’s new eternal ruler.

Little did the Sun Goddess realize however, that smile would soon vanish.

That day after the official coronation of the Celestia and Luna, their beloved mother, the creator of all pony kind and the ruler of all Harmonia itself, vanished from the face of the planet. It had happened so suddenly without a single warning, or an indication that it had even happened at all. Lauren was just gone, without a single trace that could even remotely lead to figuring out how she had disappeared. There were no warnings, no signs, no letters, nothing…she just, wasn’t there anymore. Celestia, Luna, and Shooting Star didn’t know how this could’ve been possible; Lauren had shown no detections or anything that she was no longer going to be there. She didn’t look sick or tired, she didn’t look run down or ragged, she didn’t even have the slightest bit of hair or fur out of place. The Pony Goddess looked perfectly healthy and normal, which made the sisters and the Magic Mage all the more confused as to how she could’ve faded from existence all together.

They searched far and wide, leaving no stone unturned; they scowered the highest of clouds, looked deep into the densest of forests, and searched into the deepest darkest depths of the earth beneath their feet. They looked everywhere that they could think of, all the places that they had been, but nothing left a single clue as to where Lauren could’ve gone. There was nothing, not a single clue that could speculate how Celestia and Luna could bring their beloved mother back. It was only when they returned home, did they come to the full heartbreaking realization that they would never see their mother again. They would never feel the warm caressing touch of her hooves as she took them in her arms, the soft, gentle encouraging words from her melodic voice, or the soothing sensation of her magic. The sisters would ever again experience any of that, and it was only made all the more painful that it would be for the rest of eternity.

That very same night, Celestia and Luna cried, more so than they ever had since the day they were brought into the world they would rule. No amount of physical pain that they endured from sparring lessons or actual fights could match the slightest bit of pain that was slashing at their hearts like multiple daggers. Even Shooting Star the Magic Mage was openly weeping, more son than either sister had ever seen her do so. The other occupants of the royal castle, be it guard, servant, or anypony else were not far behind. The whole castle was filled with the multiple echoing wails of the followers of the beloved Lauren Faust, as they all mourned the loss of their beloved Queen and mother figure. It was then that Celestia and Luna had a moment of clarity, remembering what their mother had said to them before Discord came. That when the time came for them to show all that they have, they would be ready to rule, and they’d no longer need her to guide their subjects into a world of peace.

On that night, the sun set on one ruler, and gave rise to two new ones.

From that day on, Celestia and Luna did everything in their power to fulfill their mother’s legacy, as well as their promise to her that they’ll be the best leaders there is. It was not an easy feat though, especially for Celestia, and there were many trials and hardships that they had to overcome. There were many nations that they had to negotiate with and even annihilate, many enemies that they had to defeat, and a good number of loyal soldiers and close friends that they had to sacrifice. There were even enemies from within their own home that they had to deal with, lest their actions effect their home, or the whole world in some way, and all within it.

This was what pained Queen Celestia the most out of everything that she and her sister had done to get to where they were before the thousand years that she had spent ruling alone. She wanted nothing more than to have ponies and all other creatures live together, and not have so much mistrust and fear towards one another. For all of them to be able to live in true peace, instead of so much unrelenting chaos, pain and hardship. However, she knew, both in her mind and in her heart, that there were times that leaders had to make sacrifices for the good of both them and their people. It didn’t make it any easier to have to do such deeds, and there were times that she had trouble accepting that certain things just happened. There were some instances where she refused to believe and accept what was in front of her and that it was nothing more than a bad dream, even though it was not. When she did, she always believe that she was to blame for such things happening, and that the horrible things that happened, were her fault and her fault alone. This was the main reason why she always asked herself what she could’ve done better to prevent all the horrible things that happened from happening. Why she always let herself wallow away in misery and sorrow, and wondered if she really was worthy of wearing the crown that her mother had given her.

Luna had no such thoughts or feelings.

Celestia and Luna may have had the same mother, and may have been from the same race and had both been Queens, but they could not have been anymore different from one another. This is the case with many siblings, and it’s a common occurrence in many families, yet with Celestia and Luna, it was on an entirely different level. They not only shared different appearances, a slight age difference, and different types of magical abilities, but they were also different in personality, at least somewhat. Since the day they were born, it was made apparent just how different the royal sisters were from each other.

Celestia was known to be very refined on what she did, and not one to really hold grudges against those who wronged her. She’s willing to give those who’re her enemies a chance to redeem themselves if they so choose, though sometimes she can tend to get carried away with that. She acts like a mother figure towards her subjects and those that served her, and while she is known to be firm, she always adds a measure of gentleness when dealing with her subjects; especially when disciplining them. Despite this, she sometimes lets her personal feelings get into play and doesn’t tend to see that sometimes offering second chances to enemies will do more harm than good.

Luna, on the other hoof, while as kind and motherly as Celestia, was the stronger, more resilient, and vigilant of the two sisters. She was more straightforward in the thing that she did or said, and not on to be around the bush, or leave anything out, since it doesn’t really make much of a difference to her. The Lunar Queen was much rawer and more brutal in battle and combat, and is sure to really go all out when battling an enemy, no matter how unusual and bizarre her tactics were. Luna was much more wrathful towards those who wronged her or her sister, and makes sure her enemies feel the full brunt of her wrath, before finishing them off for good. The resolve of the younger Alicorn was stronger, far stronger than Celestia’s own resolve had ever been, and had never been one to truly falter to anything or anypony.

Luna could also see when ponies and other creatures were truly actually willing to change their ways, and if they’re too far gone for her or Celestia to do anything about it. She was much more of a warrior and a fighter than her, and was actually willing to make sacrifices, for the good of their subjects, and their kingdom. Although it did pain her as much as it did Celestia, she did not wallow in her own misery or feel sorry for herself, and instead looked focused on the now. This was what set both sisters apart from each other, minus the kind and motherly nature that they both shared. Luna had the traits that a far better ruler, and one that was worthier of respect than Celestia, and should’ve been respected more because of those traits. For as long as Celestia could remember, Luna had always, in many ways, been the better ruler than she was thanks to these traits, and made her all the more prouder to be her sister.

Unfortunately, even Luna had her limits.

Celestia didn’t know when it started, or who or what was the cause of it, but she began to suspect that something was amiss. Something that had to do with her sister and her subjects, the same ones that were supposed to adore Luna like they did her. It started out small, and not something that really had to be dealt with by either of them. There was the occasional whisper spread around about Luna, and a nervous glance in her direction whenever she accompanied her sister in their royal duties. While it was unusual for Celestia to be hearing such things, it didn’t really bother her, since Luna was known to be pretty secretive and private in the things that she did; the again she was known as the Queen of the Night, so everything she did was secretive. What Luna did in her time was none of Celestia’s or their business, and she trusted her to tell her big sister what was wrong so that she could help her with it.

As time grew on however, those whispers and looks grew higher and pitch and frequency, and Luna began to become more withdrawn and distant towards other ponies. The Lunar Queen began to become colder, less social, and began to gain a tendency to lash out at other ponies, getting upset over some of the smallest things. She began to become more prone and more reactive to what ponies said about her, be it in court, in the Royal Town Hall, or just out in the street, which only made things worse. The Moon Goddess was acting less and less like kind and patient motherly figure and more into to what set her apart form Celestia, and it was causing the Sun Goddess great concern and distress. She tried to do all she could to help her sister and ease her worries and conquer inner demons, and remind her that she was just as loved as she was. While she did succeed to some extent, not even Celestia herself knew the full extent of what Luna was going through, and just what those whispers and comments about her were truly doing to her.

Then, one fateful day, she saw the first signs of Luna’s fateful downfall.

It had all begun when they received a message from the inhabitants of the Crystal Empire from the Empress Mi Amore, also known as the Goddess of Love, about an urgent matter that had occurred in her kingdom. Sombra, her husband and the fellow Emperor of the Crystal Empire had fallen into his own twisted dark thoughts, and had taken everypony in the Empire hostage, making them his personal slaves. Celestia and Luna wasted no time in gearing up and bringing their own personal guards to travel with them to the Crystal Empire to deal with Sombra themselves. While the guards of the Solar and Lunar Division focused on protecting the citizens of the Crystal Empire, the sisters focused on dealing with King, or Emperor Sombra, and putting in end to his dark reign.

It was by no means an easy feat, especially since Sombra had ascended to a level that was literally on part with their own, and both sisters nearly feel to his hooves and his unspeakable power. Had it not been for the iron resolve and unrelenting raw power of Queen Luna, both of their fates would’ve been sealed, and the Crystal Empire would’ve been finished. With the power of the Elements at their side, they finished Sombra off, burying him within the deepest depths of the Crystal Mountains, never to been again, by the sisters, or the Crystal Ponies. The battle was one, but it didn’t come without a terrible price, that being the fall of the Goddess of Love, Empress Mi Amore, the Crystal Empire’s beloved ruler and mother figure. A magnificent funeral was held in her honor, and all mourned for the loss of the mare, most especially Luna, Celestia, and Mi Amore’s daughter, Mi Amore Cadenza.

As happy as Celestia was to know that Sombra was defeated and sad that Empress Mi Amore was dead, she could still remember the power that Luna had unleashed when fighting the tyrant. How her coat had darkened to that of shadows, and her mane became more ethereal and space-like, how her eyes become more inequine and...animalistic, and how petrifying she looked when confronting Sombra. The Moon Goddess was colder, darker and, dare she say it…more bloodthirsty than the Sun Goddess had ever remembered seeing her sister, and, even to this day, it terrified her to her very core. Despite her fear, Celestia didn’t confront her sister about it, and put the incident behind her as nothing more than Luna resorting to drastic measures to defeat Sombra. Even though her heart was telling her otherwise, Celestia chose not to believe that what she had seen in Sombra and the deceased Mi Amore’s chambers, was something that she would most certainly see again.

Alas, as fate would have it, she did.

Not long after the defeat of Sombra, the funeral of Empress Mi Amore, and the rise of Empress Mi Amore Cadenza, things had gotten worse for the sisters after they returned him. Apparently through some unknown force, word of what had happened at the Crystal Empire had reached the halls of the Royal Castle. Most especially what had happened in the battle between King Sombra in battle and what Luna had done in the wake of it before she and Luna finished him off. If the rumors and speculations that that were being spread about Queen Luna were bad then, then they were certainly reaching a boiling point after that incident. Ponies were now doing their best to avoid Queen Luna at all costs, both citizens and the ones that served her, not wanting to be anywhere around her when they could. Those that weren’t were unable to hold in their growing negative feelings about the Lunar Queen, even going to far as to vocalize their scorn and distaste for her out in public, much to Celestia’s utter dismay.

These actions made Luna’s already rising doubts and insecurities reach a boiling point, and she found herself believing more and more that the ponies favored her sister over her. This caused her to sink further into her own misery, and despite her trying so hard to rise out of it, the voices in her head and the demons inside her had a firm hold on her. The only ones where still on Luna’s side were her ever loyal Lunar Guards, and the ones tha truly did love both her and her night. Though that was very few in numbers, and those that were not ponies were considered not to really be ponies by normal standards. It didn’t really make much of a difference though, since Luna was, by that point, so lost in her despair and misery that she no longer knew what to believe, and her psyche was damaged nearly beyond repair. Not even Celestia could get through to her anymore, and any attempts to do so were met with her younger sister’s verbal, sometimes even physical wrath. This left Celestia with no other choice her to leave her by herself, and let her sink further into her madness and depression.

Celestia could still vividly remember the day when everything had finally reached a boiling point, and Luna had finally snapped. It was the day that the dear little sister that she knew and loved had died, taken away by torment of their subjects and the demon that plagued her. All of which leading the Sun Goddess to realize her mistake, and make the most painful decision she had ever made in her life. One that would haunt her for the rest of eternity.

The golden iron metallic plates of Celestia’s horseshoes could be heard clanking the halls of the Royal Castle as she made her way through the corridor. A trail of guards could be seen flying and galloping close behind her as she dashed down the halls as fast as she could. The swan white Alicorn’s beautiful cherry blossom pink mane and tail flew gracefully behind her in her frantic gallop, her majestic wings folded tightly to her sides. Her expression was that of absolute panic and unrelenting terror, with fear hidden behind them as she focused her gaze ahead of her. There was nothing on her mind at that moment, not the guards following behind her, not the faces of the nervous and confused ponies that came out of their rooms. The only thing on the swan white Alicorn’s mind was what was happening now, and what the guards had told her that had happened.

“Captain Thunderbolt, are you absolutely sure that you did not mishear what your fellow brothers and sisters had heard?” Celestia asked, not looking behind her as she continued to run down the corridor. “Was there any chance that they had what they said they had seen mistaken?”

“I’m afraid I did not mishear your majesty, everything that as said to me was true.” Thunderbolt replied, flying next to his leader. “My subordinates had showed it to my themselves, and it really happened. Her Majesty Queen Luna has apparently destroyed her own bed chambers and went on a rampage about the castle! T-they tried to stop her, but she was just too powerful! There was no way they could keep her at bay long enough to get you there in time!”

“Do you know where she is now?” Celestia asked, taking a quick glance down at the Pegasus stallion. “Is there any place that you think she could’ve gone?”

“None that I can think of your Majesty, I’m sorry. She was already gone by the time we had regained consciousness.” Thunderbolt replied solemnly with a shake of his head. “It had all happened so fast that none of us where able to see where Queen Luna had gone. She had taken us completely by surprise, and none of us were any match for her…then again, she is an Alicorn like yourself, so I suppose it was to be expected that she’d best us so easily.” He paused as a thought came to his mind. “Although, we did notice that some of my soldiers were gone, so they must have gone after her.”

“I see…” The swan white Alicorn murmured, her lips forming into a frown. “Well, there is one place that I’m sure that she went to; the Royal Throne Room. Luna had always liked to go there sometimes whenever she wanted to be along and to think. Odds are that she’s there, so we may not have to look very far.”

I’m so very sorry Queen Celestia.” Thunderbolt said guiltily, hanging his head. “If we had known she’d do something like this, we would’ve-”

“It is not your fault Thunderbolt, neither is it any of your soldier’s fault.” Celestia interrupted firmly, giving the Solar Guard as gentle as a look she could. “There was no way that you could’ve known that my sister would’ve reacted in such a way. If anything,I should’ve been the one to see this coming…especially with all that has happened; with the rumors about Luna and all. I just didn’t think that she would explode in such…such a violent manner. Sure, she has been known to lash out at those in her pain and distress, but still…”

“What do you think is going to happen to us now?” One of the other Solar Guards asked, fear evident in his voice. “Queen Luna has finally reached her breaking point thanks to the treatment that everypony is giving her. Do you think that things will get even worse now that she snapped?”

Celestia didn’t reply, instead swallowing the lump in her throat as she tried desperately not to let her fear and panic override her. Thunderbolt’s words kept running through her head like a broken record, blocking out all other thoughts, other than that of her sister. There was a small part of her that wanted to believe that what was happening, wasn’t really happenin at all. That what the Solar Guards had seen wasn’t real, and what they were telling her was all just some sort of cruel sick joke. The Sun Goddess wanted to desperately believe none of this was really real, and that it was all just some awful horrifying nightmare.

But it wasn’t a dream; it was real. All of what she had heard and seen was all too real.

No matter how much she tried, no matter how much she attempted to picture it, Celestia could not see her sister doing what her soldiers told her she had done. Despite that was happening, all of the rumors, lies, judgement, scorn and hatred that her subjects were directing towards Luna, Celestia just could not believe her sister had fallen so far in her misery. To the point where she’d not only go onto a magical rampage and destroy her own chambers, but to where she’d go so far as to fatally harm her own subjects. It was completely unlike the Luna that she knew, and had known since she was a filly, and painted her in a totally other picture.

The Luna that Celestia knew would never go so far or stoop so low as to harm any one of their subjects, no matter how upset or distress she was. The Lunar Queen told the Solar Queen herself that she’d rather have her horn and both her wings cut off than to even think of harming a single hair on any her subjects. This only further made Celestia deny that Luna had finally succumbed to her despair and loneliness, and hope somewhere in her heart that she could still help Luna. That she could still somehow bring her out of her unrelenting pain and jealousy, before she truly succumbed to the darkness of her inner demons.

Those hopes were all but dashed the second she entered the Royal Throne Room.

As Celestia looked around, she was barely able to hold back a scream as she took in what could only be described as a bloodbath. Multiple bodies of Solar Guards could be seen lying about, lying in bloods of their own scarlet life essence. Celestia could sense that none of them were dead, but they were definitely close to being so, as evident by how much they were writhing on the ground. The ground, walls, and sides of the ceiling above were covered in large cracks, craters, and piles of ash that were giving off smoke and steam. Splatters of blood, and torn clubs of fur, mane and tail lay all about the large floor only adding to the carnage. The putrid scent of blood was strong in the air, causing Celestia and her guards to scrunch up their noses, as they attempted not to throw up at the sight. A few of them were unsuccessful, and wasted no time dropping their heads emptying the contents of their stomach onto the floor, only adding to the carnage in front of them.

As Sun Goddess and her soldiers took in the brutal sight before them, the noticed something else that they didn’t see until that moment. Something that took them by complete surprise and filled them with even more shock and fear than they already were.

Standing just in front of the massacre of Solar Guards that littered the floor, were the members of Queen Luna’s own Royal Guard force, the ones of the Lunar Division. Just like with Celestia’s own Solar Division, they consisted of Earth Ponies, Unicorns and Pegasus ponies, all dressed in gleaming armor just like the Solar Guards, except theirs were darker. There was even quite the abundance of Thestrals in the group, taking up a majority of the Pony Tribe members. However, that was not what had Celestia and her own guards so shell shocked and rooted with fear. No, what had them so terrified was the fact that they were not only covered in the blood of the fallen soldiers, but each and every single one of them had this dark inky black aura surrounding each of them. It was misty, almost fire-like in appearance, and it gave a feeling that could only be described absolute fear and terror.

The Lunar Guards that were covered in it were stiller than portraits, their faces almost completely emotionless as they stared at the Solar Guards and Celestia. Each of their eyes blazed like twin orbs of the crimson liquid that covered the floor around them, making the group feel as if they were being looked upon by the devil. They silence in the room was deafening, the only sound coming being the moans and soft cries of the ponies laid about on the ground. Nopony moved, nopony spoke, nopony dared to even breathe as they attempted to grasp in their minds the horror that was laid before them.

“Well…so you’ve finally arrived, have you?” A feminine, regal, yet icy voice suddenly spoke out, snapping Celestia and her guards out of their horrified trance. “You came much sooner than I expected you to. Then again, you were always a bit early on things…weren’t you, dear sister?”

Before Celestia or anypony else even knew what was happening, a large figure stepped out from behind the chair of the Royal Throne Room. Though their appearance was somewhat shadowed by the darkness of the room, Celestia could still easily make out who it was, and felt her heart clench in her chest. Like her, it was an Alicorn with a beautiful midnight blue coat that was as dark as the night sky shining out of the glass roof above them. She had a clear ethereal mane and tail skirt, both having a huge stream of royal blue in the center, sparkling as if they were made from the very night sky itself. Her majestic wings, which were larger than even Celestia’s own, were folded firmly to her sides, stretching well past her flank. They were feathered just like her sisters, but a large portion of it being like that of a bat’s instead of Pegasus’, the ebony black membranes seeming to sink right into her coat.

Like Celestia, she wore a set of beautiful regalia, but instead of the shiny and gleaming gold, this Alicorn’s regalia was pitch black with a crescent moon in the center of her chest regalia, and the crown resting atop her head. She had a set of beautiful teal blue eyes that had pupils slitted like that of a gemstone, both of which gleamed in the darkness of the room. To top of her beautiful nighttime elegance, a pitch-black blotch could be seen on her flank, as if somepony had splattered her flank with black pain, and a crescent moon could be seen gleaming right in the center. Just like her guards standing below her, she was covered in that same inky black aura, and unlike her guards, she did not have that same emotionless look on her face or the red in her irises. Instead, her face was one that Celestia had seen countless times over countless months, holding the same emotions that they had always had in them. Anger, wrath, hurt, resentment, misery, jealousy, pain and despair and grief, all of which were currently directed at her.

“What is the matter sister? Cat got your tongue?” Luna asked with a smile, as if she were merely teasing her sister. “I cannot say that I blame you…after all, this a rather…messy sight to be looking at, is it not?”

For a long moment, Celestia did not say a word, trying instead to swallow the fear in the pit of her stomach and be able to even form words in her mouth. When she finally did speak, her words came out as weak and shaky. “L…L-L-Luna…w-what…what in the world is all of this? W-what…what in Mother’s name have you done to all of our subjects?”

“What have I done, you ask?” Luna asked, tilting her head to the side. She looked down at the carnage that lay between her and Celestia, and her face lit up in recognition. “Oh, you mean all of this? Well, I would not say that I did this per say, but rather, my dear and loyal subjects were the one who did this, dear sister. They decided to your own subjects just why I’m the Goddess of the Moon, and why it is not wise to get on my bad side…as they have done so manytimes before.”

“W-what?” Celestia asked, her grayish magenta pink eyes widening in disbelief. “You...made them do all of this? You were the one who forced them to attack their fellow guards?”

“Fellow Guards?” Luna laughed, the coldness behind it sending a chill down the swan white Alicorn’s spine. “Oh, don’t make me laugh sister…as far as I know, you and I both have our own separate set of Guards. All of them belong to completely different divisions, nothing more, nothing less. There is no love or compassion between either my guards or yours; your guards have their own brothers and sisters, while my own guards have mine, and that is all there is to it.” Her laughter slowly died down as she gave a gentle flick of her tail skirt. “If they really truly were fellow brothers in arms, they would not have had the audacity to attack them and slay them where they stood. They would have also thought twice about attacking one of their beloved Queens when she didn’t mean them any harm, especially with her own guards here to protect her. I suppose some lessons do need to be learned the hard way, even to those that are supposed to give their lives to keep you safe.”

“Luna…I-I don’t understand…why? Why did you do all of this?” Celestia asked, her voice barely above a whisper as she fought back tears. “These poor ponies…one of them ever did anything to you, they didn’t show you even the slightest bit of disrespect towards you. Why would you do something so horrible to those who loved you?”

Luna’s smile grew even wider, showing a set of serrated fangs very much like that of a bat’s own. while it didn’t make her features any less beautiful, it certainly did make them colder than they already were. “Oh Celestia…even after all that’s happened, you still do not see the answer that I have laid out to you so many times. Such a shame…it looks like I really do have to spell it out for you, so you can get it through that sun filled head of yours. It’s because the ponies that you say have shown me ‘love’ and ‘respect’, are the VERY SAME ONES WHO DID NOT DO SO!!!” She replied, her last words coming out in a yell as her smile left her face, morphing into a fierce snarl.

“W-what?!” Celestia cried out, taking a step back as she stared into her sister’s angry and wrath filled eyes. “Luna, what in the world are you talking about?!”

“You heard me Celestia, those ponies that you always said had an endless amount of love and respect for me are those very same ponies that have hated me and scorned me all this time! I cannot believe how blind you are that undeniable truth sister!” Luna snapped as her teal eyes flashed in the darkness. “They never loved me, they never even had the slightest amount of respect for me, like you always told me they did! They just pretended and acted like they did so they would not have to face my wrath, and so that they could please you and not have to face yours in return! They probably didn’t need to though, since you would never resort to punishing them the way that I did the ponies here for so foolishly turning their weapons on me! That is something that I am wondering, even now, why I did not resort to so long ago! Maybe if I did that, they would have shown me the respect that I was due, like you said I always ‘had!’” She let out a snort as scowl appeared on her lips. “What a foal I was to ever believe you…”

“No…no, that’s not true Luna! You and I both know that that is not true!” Celestia protested, taking a couple of steps towards her sister. “They did love you, each and every single one of our subjects loved and respected you! They did with every fiber of their being! Yes, there were some that were nervous and even afraid of you, but they did love you just as much as me! They just didn’t know how to approach you, that’s all!”

“That is a bold-faced lie if I have ever heard one Celestia!” Luna scowled as she let out an indignant snort. “It was you, it was always you, sister! You were always the one that ponies truly worshipped and loved, the one who they looked to for guidance and wisdom and comfort in their time of need! I on the other hoof was left alone, with nopony to come to me for what they always when to you for! I was left to watch from afar, forced to watch as they all gave you the love and respect that they were supposed to give both of us, yet didn’t give in the first place! Then again, I should not be surprised, since all you have ever done is lie to my face about how your subjects have viewed me ever since we both ascended as Queens!”

“Luna, I have never ever lied to yo-” Celestia began, only to shriek as she jumped away from a magical blast.

“YES, YOU HAVE!!!” The midnight blue Alicorn roared, lifting her head up to glare hatefully down at Celestia as her horn shone with teal blue magic. “You have done nothing but lie to me since we both became the new rulers of Equestria, and evebefore that! You have lied to me about everything that you had told me! The faith and love of our subjects you said had in me, that fact that I deserved to be Queen just as much as you did, the fact that nopony would see me as a monster because of the powers that I held, all of it! You only said all of those things, so you wouldn’t have to deal with me, put up with all of the ‘foalish whining’ you believed that I was doing, when all I was asking was for you to help me! Admit it; you didn’t really want to help me, like you always said you would, did you?! You just wanted me to sink further in further into my pain, until I could no longer take it, and I left you and all of your precious subjects alone to bask in you precious light! Is that what you not wanted?! To have your foal of a sister disappear into nothingness so her presence wouldn’t plague you, your Sun, or the face of Equestria ever again?! WELL SISTER?! WAS THAT WAS WHAT YOU WANTED ALL THIS TIME?!”

“Of course it wasn’t Luna! I never wanted you out of my life, not even for a moment! Yes, we fought with each other over the centuries, and we may have had our disagreements over things, and we may have done things that the other thought unwise to do! Even so, that never meant that I wanted you gone, let alone out of my life! That is not who I am sister, or will I ever be!” Celestia replied, doing her best to hold back her tears as she attempted to plead with her sister, who seemed to be getting angrier by the minute. It took all the swan white Alicorn’s strength not to look away from those beautiful teal orbs that glared right back at her. The pain behind them feeling like a knife stabbing straight through her already breaking heart. “And I did want to help you, more than you ever believed I did! I tried, I tried so hard to the best of my abilities! I tried to understand the pain you were going through, but I…I just couldn’t! There were so many other things going on that…I just couldn’t find the proper time to do so! Not only that, every time I did try to talk to you, you’d always be so torn up and heartbroken that you demand that I leave! I-I didn’t know how to calm you, and any attempts to do so in the states you were in would only cause you to lash out at me even more, s-so…I gave you some space, believing that you’d be ready when you wanted to.”

If Celestia was expecting those words to get through Luna’s already broken and unstable state of mind, she was sorely mistaken. This cold hard truth was only proven when the Moon Goddess let out a laugh that was so cold, that it made the Sun Goddess feel as if the blood in her veins was being frozen over. It only lasted for a mere few seconds, but to Celestia it seemed to go on for far longer than that, and from the looks on the guards faces besides her, they had the same thoughts as well.

“Oh sister…that is probably the most pitiful excuse that I have ever heard come out of your mouth, then again what is it not? All of what you just said now only proves the fact that you nevereven had the slightest bit of care for me since you and I became rulers.” Luna said as she collected herself, giving a slow shake of her head. “If you really wanted to help me, you would have done more than just warn ponies of how they treat me or be lenient on those who dared mean me the smallest bit of harm, and actually be honest with me instead of lying to my face![I ]If you really wanted to help me, you would have sat down and talked to me when I was ready, like you said you would. Instead of brush me off whenever I did want to talk to you about how I was feeling and being treated, for something more trivial! If you really want to help me, you would have let me find and have my ownponies that would have love and adore me, and NOT TAKEN AWAY THE ONLY ONE WHO EVER DID LOVE ME AND MY NIGHT TO BEGIN WITH!!!”

Celestia gave a violent flinch at these words, each of them making her feel as if a thousand daggers were piercing into her chest and slashing into her heart, making it all the more broken. The last sentence was the final blow to break the damn in the swan white Alicorn’s eyes, as the tears that she tried so hard to fight back finally broke free.

“I…I’m sorry Luna. I’m so, so sorry that I let all this happen to you, and I didn’t help you like you wanted me to.” She said quietly, the eerie silence after Luna’s yell allowing all to hear them. “I’m sorry that I let you go through so much pain. I never should’ve it come this far…I…I never should’ve let you fall so far that you felt that you had to ma-”

“SILENCE!!!” Luna interrupted, the raw power and sheer ferocity behind her words making the swan white Alicorn’s mouth snap shut. “I am through listening to your excuse! I am through listening to your endless lies, and I am through listening to you hear that I am loved, when I never was from the beginning! You saw me in pain, you saw the pain I was going through, yet you hardly did anything to stop it! Even when you did try to help, if I should even call it help, you never understood the full extent of my suffering! Well, no more! I will show just how much pain I have suffered and endured at your hooves! I will no longer sit idly by and watch as all bask in your precious light! I will show you and your lovers of the sun…the true power and beauty of the night!”

The midnight blue Alicorn then made her way up the steps leading to the throne where she and Celestia shared. Celestia and her Solar Guards watched her helplessly as she stood atop the small platform in front of the throne. The inky misty black aura had been surrounding the Lunar Queen seemed to grow stronger as she glared at Celestia, staring her down as if she was a criminal being judged in a courtroom.

“For too long I have lived in your Shadow Celestia…I have seen how the ponies of this land have treated you, with so much love and adoration! Not knowing the truth behind your façade, or the despicable tyrant that you trulyare! All the respect and praise that they have given you, and the scorn and hate that they have given me, have let me to a realization, something that I didn’t see until now. We were never meant to rule Equestria’s together as mother had always believed we did, norwere we ever meant to share the throne!” Luna said, her voice rising in pitch as it began to echo across the Royal Throne Room. “There can only be onetrue Queen in Equestria; one true leader and protector of the land! And that Queen…Will. BE. ME!!!”

With that final declaration, and eyes glowing a blazing golden white, the Queen of the Night reared up and slammed her forehooves into the royal platform, the force behind it destroying the platform’s wall. The force of the stomp echoed about the Royal Throne Room, causing the entire interior to shake and tremble. The aura surrounding Luna slithered up the wall behind her, reaching all the way up to the window that was in the center of the wall, in between the symbols of the Sun and Moon. The moment the shadow made contact with the window, it began to break, the cracks moving all along the class as the shadow reached the top. Then, it finally exploded, allowing the daylight to pour into the Royal Throne Room, making Celestia and her guards shield their eyes from the intense light.

The burning sensation didn’t last long for the swan white Alicorn or her soldiers, for Luna had used her magic to raise the Moon from its daytime slumber. They watched as the large orb, shadowed back by the Sun’s light, rose into the sky as if it was a zombie rising from the grave. It moved right in front of the Sun, causing an intense light to briefly flash into the Royal Throne Room before the cyan sky darkened considerably. In the blink of an eye, Celestia’s beautiful daytime was gone, replaced instead by Luna’s dark and silent night and the terror that came with it.

A sudden explosion of power suddenly snapped Celestia and her soldiers out of their shocked trances, causing them to look back down where Luna was, only to see a sight that nearly made them pass out from fear. The sinister black aura that had been surrounding Luna the whole time she was in the throne room grew wild, swirling and around Luna as she slowly rose in the air. As the Lunar Queen lifted her head, Celestia was given just a few precious seconds to see the twisted sadistic expression on her sister’s face before the aura began to encase her. The last thing she saw before her Luna was sealed away were her eyes burning an incinerating hot crimson, before she vanished from sight completely.

“Your majesty, what are your orders?” Thunderbolt asked as he and his soldiers stared in horror at the scene before them. “What do you want us to do?”

Celestia said nothing, her body still rock solid and her eyes wide with horror as she stared at the scene before her. Her mind unable to focus on anything else than what was going on in front of her; her dear little sister transforming into monster before her eyes. It was only when the bubble of pure blackness suddenly exploded did Celestia snap out of her stupor. She barely had enough time to create a shield to protect herself and her guards from being blown away from the powerful blast. Though the same couldn’t be said for her other fallen guards, as they all got blown away on either side of her and into the walls in between them. Just a few moments later, the blackness vanished, prompting Celestia to lower her shield as she collected herself. She looked up to where Luna was, and felt her heart stop at the sight that greeted her eyes.

Standing in front of the twin thrones, maniacal laughter echoing about the Royal Throne Room, was Luna, looking nothing like she did just a few minutes ago. Her once beautiful midnight blue coat had now darkened a sickening black, blacker than the very darkness of Tartarus itself. Her wings, which were once a mixture of that of a Pegasus and a bat, were now completely like that of a bat’s, the feathers non-existent as if they were never there. Her ethereal clear and royal blue mane and tail skirt looked much more like the night sky shining above her, with multiple colorful stars adorning them. The same could also be said for her wings, both of which looking to be even larger than they were before, stretching twice their normal length. The back of them that same sickening sin black, with the front looking as if it had the night sky in them as well, both equipped with razor-shaper dagger like wing claws.

Luna had also grown taller, reaching up to Celestia’s height, if not a little higher, with her horn matching the swan white Alicorn’s own horn length. Her bat-like fangs, which just poked a couple inches out of her muzzle, where now three times their length, looking more like that of a Vampire Pony’s, equipped for ripping somepony’s throat out. Her nighttime regalia had change as well, looking more like battle armor, which glittered and shined as bright as the Moon floating behind them. Finally, her eyes which were once a gentle teal blue color, were now an icy turquoise, the diamond like slits looking thinner and more draconic, and the black blotch on her Cutie Mark was a deep indigo.

Luna continued to laugh that diabolical bone chilling laughter as she reared up on her hind legs, raking her front hooves out. Her newly evolved wings spread as far as they could as her misty ethereal mane and tail skirt swing and swayed wildly behind her. Her vampiric teeth and pure white armor gleamed in the Moon’s light as her sister and the Solar Guards stared in amazed horror, marveled by the stunning transformation that Luna had done. The Lunar Guards on either side below the Moon Goddess did not look the least bit fazed by the explosive transformation. They just continued to stand where they were, motionless and unmoving, ready to capture Celestia and the Solar Guards on their unbreakable blood-filled glares.

After what seemed like and endless amount of laughing, Luna finally stopped, planting her forehooves back down on the platform with a resounding slam. Her eyes, which were shadowed a deep indigo, snapped back open to stare back down at Celestia, wanting to see her reaction to her new form. She was not disappointed to see the look of amazement and horror plastered onto her face, which prompted another, much softer laugh to escape her lips.

“Well, I see that somepony is captivated by my new magnificence.” Luna replied dryly, her voice sounding much darker and more demonic than it usually did. “Well, I can’t say that I blame you sister…even I’m amazed at how beautiful I look now. Who knew that dark power could not only make you stronger, but make you look more stunning as well?”

“Luna…what have you done?” Celestia asked shakily, feeling her hind legs wobble as she struggled to stay upright. “What did you do to yourself?”

“Why nothing dear sister! I just made myself look more…presentable for you and everypony else.” Luna replied in an all too casual tone, waving a hoof dismissively. “It wouldn’t be fitting of me to look like how I was just now since I plan to settle things with you once and for all.”

The swan white Alicorn paused, her sister’s words causing an unpleasant knot to form in the pit of her gut. “Settle things…with me? Luna, what are you saying? What business could you possibly have to settle with me?”

“The business that I just told you earlier, sister. Were you not paying attention to anything that I just said?” [/b The sin black Alicorn asked, giving a shake of her head as she walked down the twin stairs. “And just when I thought that you were clueless then…you truly are naïve, aren’t you Celestia?”

“Please Luna, think about what you’re doing!” Celestia pleaded as she took a few steps forward. “Let’s talk about this like civilized ponies! Whatever business that you have with me, we can settle it peacefully! You don’t need to resort to all of this, or whatever you’re going to do! Let’s talk about this instead, I’m sure I can help you with whatever you’re going through!”

Luna stomped her hoof on the ground, emitting a large crack underneath it as she bared her vampiric fangs. “The time for talking is long since passed sister…it’s passed the moment I realized the truth about how you and everypony else really feels about me. I am through trying to talk to you about my pain, just like I am through living in your shadow and watching you take the love that should’ve been given to both of us! From now on, I will no longer talk, only do…starting with getting rid of our unwelcome guests.”

Turquoise eyes blazing, Luna gave another, much light stomp of her hoof, and the Lunar Guards on either side of her suddenly coming to life. The next thing that Celestia knew, her eyes and ears were being filled with the sounds of screaming and blood flying through the air. The Sun Goddess watched in horror as Thunderbolt and the rest of his solders were practically slaughtered by Luna’s forces, adding more to the carnage that already lay before her. Then, just as quickly as it had happened, it was over, and the Lunar Guards could be seen standing on either side of their Queen again, as if they had it even moved from their spots at all.

“Well…looks like won’t have to worry about them anymore.” Luna said with a smile, nonchalantly wiping a splatter of blood off of her chest armor. “Now, what do you say we get down to business Celestia? I have much that I need to get off of my chest…and what better way than to duke it out?”

The sin black Alicorn ignited her horn, encasing it in an icy blue aura as she lowered her head and aimed it right at Celestia. “Your move Celestia, I’m eager to test out how more much powerful that I’ve become. I can feel it coursing through my veins even as we speak…and it feels absolutely wonderful! I don’t think I’ll be able to control it if I keep it locked up for much longer.”

For a single fleeting moment, Celestia didn’t say a word, just staring at Luna as if she was seeing her for the first time. Tears continued to stream down her pure white cheeks as she stared at Luna with a mixture of sadness, grief and regret. Her mind finally began to come to with what was happening, and what she had done to push Luna to this point of no return. Still, there was a tiny part of her that still desperately wanted to find some part, any part of Luna that was still here, and do her best to bring her back. The odds did not look in her favor though, and Luna’s words and actions only proved that. Even so, Celestia felt that she had to try at least one more time.

“No.” She finally said, closing her eyes as she lowered her head, letting her mane fall over her face.

“What?” Luna asked, lifting her head up to stare at her sister. “What did you just say?”

“I said no, I will not fight you Luna!” The swan white Alicorn repeated lifting her head to stare hard at her sister. “You are my sister, and I will not engage you in this unneeded battle! This isn’t you! I do not know what drove you to this point sister, but whatever it is, I know I can help you get through it if you just let me! Please, I beg you, not only as a ruler, but as your sister, to please lower your Moon and let the day shine again! I’ll do whatever it is necessary of me to help you, and I will forgive you for all that you’ve done today! Just please, please, lower you’re Moon and let my Sun shine once more!”

Luna stared at her sister for a few moments, the other mare’s words slowly sinking into her mind as they both stood in stunned silence. Then the sin black Alicorn’s face twisted into a snarl so hideous that Celestia nearly fainted from looking at it. With speed that caught Celestia completely off guard, Luna lunged for her, slamming her body into hers with all the force she had, causing her to collide into a nearby pillar. Celestia barely had enough time to absorb the pain before she felt her windpipe being crushed by a cloven hoof making its way around her throat. Out of pure instinct, the swan white Alicorn wrapped her hooves around Luna’s foreleg in an attempt to get out of her vice-like grip. However, the sin back Alicorn’s newfound strength proved to be too strong as she pinned her against the wall. Celestia watched helplessly, tears streaming down her face as she looked in the rage-filled reptilian eyes of her sister, any traces of sanity gone from their orbs. Luna glared back up at her, her vampiric teeth bared in full view as she flared her enormous bat wings, her horn swirling with magic.

“You fool…” Luna hissed, her whole body shaking with rage as she pushed her hoof harder against her sister’s throat. "You dimwitted naïve incompetent stupid little FOOL! Are you really giving orders to me, MEof all ponies?! Even after allof the carnage you have seen and the display of power that I have showed you?! After all of that, after witnessing me ascend to true unfathomable power, the likes of which you could neverunderstand, you stillhave the AUDACITY to give ME ORDERS?!”

Taking her hoof away, Luna encased Celestia in an aura of icy blue magic, before throwing her across the room, watching as her sister tumbled across the ground with a sickening thud. As Celestia got to her hooves, she felt the wind knocked out of her as Luna flew in and slammed both of her hind hooves into her chest. The sickening sound of ribs cracking echoed about the Royal Throne Room as Celestia went flying and crashing into a wall, coughing up globs of blood. The sound flapping wings caused Celestia to snap her head up just in time to see her sister coming at her, horn charging with magic.

The swan white Alicorn flared her massive wings just in time to fly out of the way of the incoming magical blast, watching as it blasted through the wall. As she flew through the air, the Sun Goddess suddenly found herself looking into the insane eyes of Luna, before she took a swing at her with her wing. Celestia didn’t even have enough time to gasp before she felt the claws of Luna’s right wing slashed across her forelegs, stomach, neck and shoulder. Celestia let out a scream of agony as the claws dug into her skin and ran across her flesh, causing blood to fly out of the wounds as she began fall from air. Just a spit second later, Luna ignited her horn again, firing a blast of magic at her sister and hitting her square in the stomach, slamming her into the ground below her.

Celestia lay limp on the ground, moaning and gasping in agony as she attempted to recover from the brutal strikes that Luna had given her. She could feel the warm feeling of her blood flowing out of her body and around her wounds as she lay encased in a cloud of dust. Said dust was soon cleared away by a single flap of Luna’s wings as she dived down towards her sister, draconic eyes flashing. The crater that Celestia lay on suddenly became three times its size as the sin back Alicorn slammed into it, her hooves planted on either side of her sister. A blood curdling growl left her throat as she glared down hatefully at her sister, who stared back up at her with eyes that expressed helplessness and defeat.

“I am through taking orders from everypony, least of all you sister! You have done nothing butgive me orders ever since we became Queens, something that I think was a horrible idea from the start! Especially since I was never a true Queen to begin with, unlike you! For as long as I can remember, you have been ordering me around and not giving the slightest care that I was in pain, or that none of your subjectsever held the same amount of love and respect they had for you! You have taken me for granted more times than I can count, never truly giving any say in the matter, and look where it has gotten you! A pile of your fallen subjects, and a sister who hates you with every fiber of her being, and ponies no longer wish to follow you, or listen to the filthy lies that you give us! The lies that you have given ME!” Luna shouted leaning down until her face was just centimeters away from Celestia’s. “All I ever wanted, all I ever asked from you, was for you to listen and help me with my problems, and show me the love that a true sister should give to their sibling! You did grant my wishes here and there, and you did give me some reassurances about how ponies felt about me but that was it! It was not enough; it was never enough to help me or make me feel better! Even when you did do more, you either did it for your own benefit and so you didn’t have to deal with me or the agony that was being unleashed upon me! I tried, I tried so hard to believe that you did care about me, that your subjects did love me, and that they did not hate me or see me for the monster they believe I am! But I can see the truth now, the truth that I had been trying to deny for so long, and not let it mess with my head and make me even more miserable! And that truth…is that EACH AND EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU SAW ME AS NOTHING BUT A NUISANCE AND A MONSTER!!!”

With an enraged neigh, the newly evolved Moon Goddess reared up on her hind hooves, and slammed down right into Celestia’s regalia covered chest, driving her deeper into the crater. The swan white Alicorn let out another screamed by the blood that gurgled in her mouth before flying out of her, staining her already bloodied coat. She let out a few more coughs as she struggled to breath under the weight of her sister, feeling more of her ribs crack in her chest. With as much strength as she could muster, she looked up into her sister’s eyes and felt her heart sink upon seeing the look in those reptilian turquoise orbs.

It was at that moment, that the cold hard reality of the situation finally hit Celestia, harder than all of the attacks that Luna had inflicted upon her once more. There was no denying it now, neither in her mind nor in her heart; the Luna that Celestia had known, the sister she had known and loved ever since she was a filly, was gone. Looking into those eyes, she saw none of the bright inquisitiveness and adoration she usually saw in them. There was no sign of the clam gentleness she usually had, nor the motherly smile that she always gave to young children that wanted to meet her. There was no warmth in her expression, no love, no care, only pure unadulterated rage, and endless voids of pain that clawed at Celestia’s heart like that of an Ursa Major. Queen Luna Nightwalker, Goddess of the Moon and ruler of the Night was no more; only this ponified monster of her remained.

Celestia was brought out of her heartbroken thoughts when Luna suddenly stepped away from her, encasing her in her magic once more and throwing her into a wall behind them. The swan white Alicorn flinched when she made impact, but didn’t scream or cry out. She didn’t even let out a single whimper as she slowly slide down to the ground and lay still. Her neck and head rested against the wall while her legs lay tucked beneath her, her head lay limp as her mane fell over it to shadow her eyes. Celestia lay there for a few moments looking as if she had just been knocked out, before the sound of her sister speaking made her look back up.

“I have grown tired of listening to your pleas and your whines about wanting to help me and saying that you care about me. I swear if I have to hear it for one minute longer, I am going to blast you all the way into kingdom come, instead of giving you the honor of facing me in my new form! I swear, you are even more pathetic than I ever thought that you were, such a little foal!” The sin black Alicorn spat, giving a lashed of her ethereal tail skirt.“Now, are you going to just sit there and lay there like a helpless little foal and just let me tussle you around like a dog? Or are you going to get up, face me like a mare, and let me give you the pleasure experiencing my new power, before I obliterate you and your precious Sun?! I don’t really like it when I fight somepony who can’t even fight themselves, let alone defend themselves against any attack!”

With fresh tears sliding down her face, Celestia slowly rose up to her hooves the pain in her wounds shooting throughout her body like she had a boulder smashed on top of her. It took some effort, but she managed to stay on her hooves, her breathing coming out and slow quivering bursts as she fought to regain her strength. Letting out a long breath, she raised her head and looked straight at Luna with guilt ridden lavender eyes that shone with endless tears.

“Luna…words cannot describe how sorry I am, or how guilty for everything that I have put you through since we have both ascended. I knew that you were in pain, but…until now, I didn’t realize just how much you were suffering, or much pain or subjects were putting you through. I tried to the very best of my abilities to help you, I swear that on my very soul…” She murmured, sounding to be on the edge of sobbing. “…but now, I can see…that it wasn’t enough. It was nowhere near enough to pull you out of your misery, to not make you fall deeper and deeper into your unhappiness, and…to not make you do what you did in order for you to feel loved.”

The swan white Alicorn lifted a hoof to wipe away her tears, new ones coming almost immediately after she got rid of the old ones. “I know, that nothing I say or do, can ever make up for what I have done to you Luna, and all the times that I have taken you for granted. And I don’t ever expect you to be able to forgive me for what I and everypony else put you through…but…I just want to know, that I’m sorry. Sorrier that you’ll hope to know, and…and I hope that one day maybe a thousand years from now…you’ll be able to find it somewhere, anywhere in your heart…to forgive me for my actions.”

The entire Royal Throne Room went completely silent after that, neither sister saying a word as they stared into each other’s eyes. A silent conversation seemed to go on between them as Celestia’s tear filled and remorseful eyes looked right into Luna’s anger filled and vengeful ones. After what seemed to be an eternity of silence, Luna’s turquoise narrowed, a sigh escaping her lips as she lowered her head, her posture relaxing somewhat. Then, she raised it back up, and lashed her tail skirt out, wrapping Celestia in its ethereal grasp as she lifted her into the threw her across the body filled room.

“The time to ask for forgiveness is over dear sister…it has been over the moment I realized the truth about just how you and everypony else felt about me. Even more so the moment you did the one thing to be I never believed even somepony as pathetic and hypocritical as you would do. As far as I am concerned, you are beyond forgiveness and redemption, especially after committing the crime you did against me, taking away the only one who ever truly loved me and my night. That is something that I will never forgive you for sister, along with all the pain and suffering that you let me go through, and letting me wallow in my despair.” Luna said, the softness in her tone doing nothing to hide the iciness, resentment and betrayal behind them. “Now, are you ready sister? Are you read to face the true might and power of the night? The very same power that let you see when we, or rather, I, took down Sombra in the Crystal Empire?”

Celestia rose up to her feet once more, shaking her body and feathers to get the dirt and rubble as she faced her sister once more. Brushing her disheveled mane out of her face, she looked at her sister, her lavender magenta eyes narrowed.

“Yes Luna…I am ready…I am ready to face you, and your power. The power that you have shown me and all our subjects countless times up until this point.” She replied softly, igniting her own horn in a pure golden glow as she got into a battle stance. “As much as I do not want to…I do not see any way that I can take away your pain. But…if this is what I have to ease at least somewhat…then that is what I will do.”

“As I have said before, there is nothing that you can do that will come even close to me forgiving you or all that you had done to me. I am however, please that you are finally growing a backbone, and granting my wish to fight me like a real warrior, and a real sister should.” Luna said apathetically, a small smile making its way to her face. “Speaking of which…I no longer wish to be called Luna. That name does nothing but remind me of the Tartarus that I endured by your hooves along with everypony else’s. From this moment forth, I shall be referred to as…Nightmare Moon Nocturnis!”

Celestia flinched at the very last word that left her sister’s mouth and echoed about the Royal Throne Room. The mere sound of it drove a pain through her heart that only ponies that have lost those most precious to them could feel. Fighting it down with all her might, she drew in a deep breath before replying. “Very well…I am ready when you are…Nightmare Moon…N-Nocturnis.”

With those final words, Nightmare Moon’s eyes blazed their brightest shade of turquoise blue, her bat wings slowly spreading to their fullest span as a turquoise aura surrounded her body. The same thing happened with Celestia just a moment later, her own eyes glowing as a lavender magenta aura surrounded her as she spread her own feathered wings. They suddenly let out loud resounding neighs that spread throughout the Royal Throne Room and beyond, before they charged at each other, horns blazing with magic. Not even a second after they clashed, a loud explosion spread throughout the room, shaking the entire royal castle. If anypony outside were where the castle was, they would’ve seen two pillars of golden yellow and turquoise blue light shooting form out of the castle into the sky.

That night, the Sun and the Moon clashed for the first time.

Celestia squeezed her eyes shut as tight as she could, fighting back the tears building in her eyes as she remembered the brutal battle that she had engaged with her sister. The power and bloodshed that was unleashed on that fateful night was almost more than the Sun Goddess could bare to remember. It hurt all the more when her mind wandered to the ending conclusion of the battle, the one that made her realize that there was only one way to end it. One way to stop any more blood to be spilled, more lives to be taken, and stop Luna in her nightmarish rampage once and for all. She could still remember the agonized cries and neighs of her sister as she used the Elements of Harmony to send her to the very Moon the Lunar Queen controlled, along with the explosion that resounded around the sky at the end. Each second of that memory sent a jolt of unrelenting pain and sorrow through the swan white Alicorn’s heart, and she felt the urge to cry growing stronger with each second she thought about it.

Celestia was so focused on the memories of losing her sister, that she didn’t notice she was getting closer to running onto one of the guards flying beside her. Their whinny of surprise was enough to snap her out of it, and she looked off to see Venture Vine righting herself in the air.

“Oh, I so sorry Venture, I didn’t look where I was going.” Celestia said apologetically, watching as the Kirin mare shook her head. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, your Majesty, I’m okay. I didn’t really see you coming anyway, I was too focused on what was in front of me.” Venture Vine replied, giving a brief bow to her Queen. He then noticed the somewhat anguished expression on her face, and his own morphed into that of concern. “Are you alright your highness? You look a little…well, under the weather there.”

“Hm? Oh, yes I’m fine Venture Vine, really.” Celestia replied, blinking a couple of times as she wiped at her face. “My mind as just drifting off a little bit, I’m sorry for bumping into you like that.”

“That’s alright your Majesty, you just took me by surprise that’s all.” Venture Vine replied. “I was trying to tell you that we had made it to another one of the clearings here in the forest.”

Blinking in surprise Sun Goddess looked head of them, and felt a gasp of surprise leave her throat as she saw that they were indeed inside a large clearing. Despite the vast destruction within it, the swan white Alicorn was still able to sense the magic emitting form it. There were three magical essences that she immediately recognized, two that let her know just who was here, and who else was with them.

“Venture Vine.” Celestia said not lookin down at the mare next to her. “You can smell it, can’t you? The scents left behind?”

Venture Vine nodded, pulling the hood of her black cloak away from her head. “I do…there’s no doubt about it, Twilight, Goku and Zephyr were definitely here. I can also smell several other ponies’ scents here as well…presumably here friends.”

“I suspected as much.” Celestia murmured, looking around the piles of woods. “I can also see that they’ve had quite a fight here with some of the animals here.”

“Yeah, there’s no doubt about it.” Venture Vine snorted, looking ground the wood and blood-filled clearing. “Just like with the last clearing and with that mountain edge, Zephyr and the girls were here, and they fought one of the animals here. It looks like the Timberwolves were the third ones on that list.”

“Which means that the girls are almost halfway over to me and my sister’s old castle.” Celestia concluded, mulling over the evidence that they’ve found. “Alright then, let us continue forward Venture, the sooner we get to the girls, the sooner that we may be able to keep them from using anymore magic then they need to. They will need it for the battle with Nightmare Moon, and unless the Shadowbolts have made it to them, they may end up using their main weapons sooner then they need too.”

“Something tells me that the Shadowbolts have already made it here before we did.” Venture Vine murmured giving a flick of her tail. “Though, I can see you’re point, let’s keep going.’

Celestia nodded, and with those words, she spread her gigantic wings and took off into the air with Venture Vine close behind. The Royal Guards and Ariel Flyers behind them soon followed as they journeyed further into the Everfree, determined to get to the future Element Bearers as quickly as possible. As they did so, they were unaware of the new terror that was about to reign upon Ponyville one that would surely have them fighting for their very lives.

Author's Notes:

Well, what did it tell you guys...what did I tell you? This chapter was going to be an emotional rollercoaster for those who haven't seen it. this idea has been playing in my head ever since the Season 4 Premiere of Princess Twilight, and after I watched that, while I was writing this book, I was figuring a way to better it, since I was planning to make major changes in the entire series and seeing how the series can be made a lot better. The scene with Celestia and Luna in the beginning of Season 4 was one of the things that I wanted to change most, as I wanted to but a more extended, dramatic and emotional scenario between them that led to Queen Luna being banished to the Moon for one thousand years. Now, I finally managed to get to that point, and let me just say that I am so proud of the way I made it! The only things that I changed in this chapter was Venture Vine replacing Zephyr and her Celestia, and the guards coming into one of the beastly fight scenes in the Everfree Forest and finding out how the girls trip has been going so far. Other than that, the flashback is the only thing that's stayed the same, and looking back, especially after the current chapters that I wrote, this honestly looks better in my eyes, and I know the next couple of chapters will the same way.

Well, that's it for now, the next couple of chapters will be going through some changes like the last ones, though the update may go bit slower. One thing that I will say is that the girls will be facing real masters of laughter...in a very dark and bloodthirsty way.