“What is the moon? It is an object that simply reflects the suns glare. The Moon will always envy the sun for its power to both show, and hide.”

~Starswirl the Bearded. History of Equestria: It’s Ponies and Land

Stars spun in perpetual motion. Silence across Equestria. Everything between Pony and Griffon were fast asleep; or almost so. Luna sat surrounded by the silence her night brought with it, and yet to her, she was being engulfed by noise. Thoughts, ideas, conspiracies-the desire for change-but how? Change was something the inhabitants of Equestria feared. They had established a delicate world of clock-work and habit; change was as fearsome as the return of Discord, or... Nightmare Moon.

Closing her eyes, Luna silenced her thoughts; she was certain that that part of her would never come out again.

With a sad smile, Luna leaned forwards, dangling a hoof absent-mindedly off the gold trimmed balcony she rested on. Following her return to Equestria, she found herself re-exploring the castle. Out of all its sights and places, this balcony was Luna’s favorite because it gave her an equal view of Canterlot, lit by lamplight, and the sky, peppered with stars. As a light in a nearby villa was doused, her mind jumped to a more pressing matter; equality. She was sick and tired of being alone, sentenced to roam the nighttime streets and track the lunar sphere; her older sister, Celestia, seemed to have it so much better. It felt as though she was still imprisoned; her inky image, a simple iconic figurehead for her sister’s ambitions, kept around to portray The Balance between Night and Day.

She imagined herself in Celestia’s hooves for an evening, greeting her loyal subject as they filed into one of her royal balls- smiling, talking, socializing; a vivid fantasy. One that seemed to be forever out of Luna’s grasping hooves. A shooting star brought the conflicted alicorn back to reality, and the ball disappeared, taking everything with it.

She was still alone.

But then a resolution came to the lonely princess, and she got up; maybe all she had to do was ask. Her proposal would not be an irrational one; she wanted some power, not much, but enough to gain the respect of Celest… no, her and Celestia’s loyal subjects. Often it was overlooked that the Lunar Princess was indeed royalty, and therefore had the birthright to rule.

Besides, how could a simple polite request end wrong?

Having recently finished her morning routine, Celestia had settled into her mahogany desk to begin writing in her journal. It was a simple thing-so out of place among the expensive bed and garnished tapestry-but it was something Celestia held close; as it helped her cope with the stresses of ruling a booming Kingdom. A knock at her door made Celestia turn and stare, her reflective reveries severed.

“Yes?”

“It’s me, Celestia.” The familiar voice from the other side made her smile slightly. “May I come in?”

“Yes.” The aged doorknob to Celestia’s private quarters turned, and after a moment, the doors were nudged open by a midnight blue Alicorn; her sister. “Good morning,” Celestia said politely. “Are you heading off to sleep soon?”

“Soon, yes.” There was a sort of apprehensive nature to Luna’s tone, one that made Celestia’s muzzle scrunch slightly as a question formed on her tongue.

“What’s the matter, Sister?”

“Oh, nothing,” an absent-minded glance down to the floor; when Luna again raised her head, her eyes were gleaming. “I brought you something.”

“Oh?” Celestia allowed a slight musing tone to creep into her response.

“Yes, a Grecian Urn. I found it a while back and have just recently fixed it up for your collection; I imagine it’s almost as old as you are,” Luna said.

The statement on the surface was portrayed as a simple response, yet comedic undertones made Celestia smile.

“Old as I am, Sister; I doubt that.” A pause as the Solar Princess composed herself. “Where might it be?” For a second, Luna blanked; her mind drifting to what she’d be bringing up after the urn was given. “Luna?”

Her daze was broken. “Yes, yes, I’m sorry. It’s just that I’m tired.” Luna’s horn lit up and from the entrance, the urn levitated into the room. “Here.”

Celestia’s magic was cast and it met Luna’s, taking it from her telekinesis. For a moment, the urn remained suspended there as Celestia admired it.

Decorating its black surface in white caricatures, the urn showed the artists concept on how Equestria was finally united. A gaggle of ponies mingled with one another, smiling, laughing; each representing a different benchmark in Pony Society. Above them all, the sun and moon goddess’s-a younger Celestia and Luna-stood proudly beside one another as equal.

“So? Do you like it?” Luna asked; her voice a bit edgy.

“Yes. But I don’t much like the fact that we’re on it; I look so young. I’m old now.”

Luna’s disappointment was refrained by simply clenching her jaws for a second.

“And…” Luna pressed.

“And what?” Celestia replied.

“Look at how we’re standing…” Luna’s hooves turned in a manner that told Celestia to look harder.

“What about it?”

“Oh for the love of—”

“Luna, what’s going on?” Celestia questioned, interrupting her sister before she could finish.

A strung sigh. “Everything, Celestia; I wish we could rule equally again.”

“Luna…” Suddenly, Celestia was exhausted.

“Luna what?” she replied. “Go back to your life of solitude and keep quiet?”

“No, that’s not what I mean, Sister.” Celestia said slowly, shaking slightly as an inner turmoil bubbled in her stomach.

“Sister? Even when you’re around me you talk in a royal manner. I was around before you even rose to power, remember?”

“Yes, I do.”

“So then why?” Luna prodded.

“I don’t know why.” Celestia said. “Luna, ever since your episode…”

“You mean Nightmare Moon? She’s long gone.”

“Gone or not, I’m still uncertain. I can tell you’re still fighting with that part of you,” Celestia mentioned.

“But see, every time I ask you, you always say that. It’s been two years; what makes you think she’s still in me?”

“By the way you’re acting right now.” Celestia’s calmness was grating on Luna’s nerves.

“What, asking for equality is the work of Nightmare? If you think that’s the case, you’re as daft as anypony I know.” Luna growled.

“Luna, enough.” The end of Celestia’s sentence was venomous. “So long as I’m around, I’m not going to give you power. You have to prove to me that you can keep control of your emotions first; as Nightmare Moon is you’re anti, your hate. Even now as we speak, I can see her in your eyes.”

“No, Celestia. What you see in my eyes is the determination of a matured Alicorn that you are afraid of.” Luna dropped her voice so that she was practically whispering; the calmness she emanated had a gravity of its own. “I can see it in your eyes; do you forget that I am your sister?”

“No, but—”

“But what!” Luna exploded; Celestia back up a few paces. “I don’t know what happened to you in the thousand years I was imprisoned on the moon, but it seems as though you’ve become selfish in your desire for power.”

“Your words are heretical, Luna. Don’t make me do something that I’m going to regret,” Celestia whispered coldly.

Luna could feel the mounting pressure in her sister. “Heretical? My suspicions are confirmed. Why not move to Quagga? I’d bet the zebras there could do with another Totalitarian Govern—”

“Enough!” Celestia shouted.

Her horn flared red and she picked up the Grecian Urn, throwing it across the room. It shattered, and Luna’s breath caught. Silence pervaded as the inky Alicorn thought of what to say next. Celestia beat her to the pitch.

“Sister, Luna.” Her tone was practically begging for an end to the argument. “As the current ruler of Equestria, I need to ensure that her subjects are safe. For now, I cannot give you what you seek. In time, however, things will change; you will shine.”

“The irony of what you say is numbing, Celestia. You say I’m going to shine? The only reason my moon can be seen is because you have positioned the sunlight to reflect off its surface. In an instance you can douse me, put me down; make my very being a mere memory. I will never be able to shine on my own.”

Luna felt her chest tighten, and her throat ached. She began to cry in embarrassment; things could not have gone worse for her. As another tear fell from Luna’s eye, she turned and cantered away- around the shattered urn and back out the door. Neither Celestia nor Luna realized that for the whole duration of their argument, the window overlooking the garden had been open. Next Chapter: Ring* Ring* Ring* Estimated time remaining: 14 Minutes