Dear Princess Celestia,

They say night has always pushed up day, that it's darkest just before the dawn. These sayings symbolize that the night and the dark is undesired, and that it will hurt one or make one feel unhappy, but not to look down because enduring such a horrible thing will surely make the light to follow that much more enjoyable. This analogy is unbearable for me! I work, and I endeavor, with more determination than any other pony can claim, yet my struggles prove fruitless time and time again. Half of our kingdom knows not my name, nor do they appreciate my existence in the least.

Sister, when you're reading this, step outside. Look the the sky and know my pain. I'm meant only to raise the moon, everything more is merely my attempt to bring beauty to the darkness. These stars were created individually over the millennia, each is a piece of me and a reflection of my hope to brighten the night. I wonder, have you seen them before? Do our subjects enjoy them? Or has it all been wasted effort...

When I look out over the land, the moon and stars are gone long before the ponies come outside. I see them, so happily basking in your sunrise, such contentment on their faces. I wish to know how it feels to bring happiness rather than sorrow. I wish to break an endless cycle. Please sister, I'm begging you, let us raise the night and day together, so that I may know the warmth of Equestria's love the way you do. I wish not to continue existing in the shadows, living only to bring the darkness that our subjects despise with such angst. I wish to bask in the glory, and to be by your side. I love you, my dearest sister, I always will. Please hear my cry, and do not leave me unanswered once again.

~Your faithful sister, Luna.

Twilight Sparkle sat still, her lip quivering as she gazed awestruck at her mentor. Celestia wiped her tears and rolled the ancient scroll back up, placing it into a small box.

"This is the letter she sent me only a day before she became Nightmare Moon. She's only been back for three short years, and I fear this is happening all over again. I... I just don't know know what to do, Twilight." Celestia placed a hoof to her mouth, stifling her sobbing.

Twilight Sparkle lowered her ears and wiped away the wetness from her own cheek. "Princess, I don't understand. Why didn't you decide to just raise the sun and moon with her, that way she wouldn't have to feel so lonely anymore."

Celestia shook her head and wiped the rest of her tears, her eyes lowered and fixed on the floor as a deep, painful sigh fell across her lips. "It isn't that simple. You see Twilight, Luna wasn't always an alicorn like me. She was born a pegasus, but she had an unnatural gift, bearing an exceptionally high level of pegasus magic. I took her under my wing and taught her how to control her magic, until one day, I used my magic to change her into what she is today."

Twilight tilted her head and placed a hoof to her chin. "Used your magic to change her? The same way you changed me?"

The princess nodded and paced back around the throne-room. "She's now the princess of the night, my sister, an immortal. However, I fear her mortal's mind has reached its limits, and that she may be going insane. I feared this could happen, but refused to believe it ever would. I attempted to reason with her, but her demands were irrational. She wanted me to raise the sun and moon simultaneously, then she demanded we leave both directly above the palace and to claim all that fell within the light as our kingdom. When I refused, she attacked me and told me that I was weak and unfit to rule. Her emotions and state of mind were erratic, and very unstable. Now here is a letter she wrote to me yesterday."

I'm so tired of being here. Trapped alone in a world of endless darkness, I can see the light no more and there will never be a light again. There was a time when I knew you loved me, but that love has vanished, it is no more. When I needed you, you were there for me. When I cried, you would caress away my sorrow. My dreams of ruling by your side have been corrupted and transformed into this nightmare. You told me I was special all those years ago, that I had a gift like no other. What am I now? I'm nothing, I was always nothing. What was I then? I was a tool being used so that you would no longer be forced to endure the hardships that being a princess of the night entails. When you told me we could rule together, as sisters, I never imagined this hell. You picked me up just to pin me down straight back into this insufferable routine. What am I to you?

I'm your fall-girl, worthless, expendable. I'll sit back, obey, mind my own business and do as I'm told. I'll speak when I'm spoken to and wear my crown. Use my defeat to gain respect from the nation. The one who sends the moon to the moon must be the almighty.

Tell me Celestia, where did I go wrong? I swore to you I'd stay by your side for an eternity, yet here I am alone, for what has felt like an eternity in itself. Take my crown, take my wealth, strip my name from the palace halls. Take my horn and what remains? I'll be your faithful student once more, to the death. Or let me stew in my own festering hatred and I'll be your death. Your bitter end.

You should have returned me the moon, that's where I belong. Like all those years ago, you fear that I may attempt to destroy this kingdom in an attempt to end my own life. Celestia, I'm not your sister. I'm your enemy. Revoke my powers, remove this curse I've been forced to bear for far too many lifetimes. My life has been lived, now I'm meant to die. This unnatural, pitiful existence is not worth enduring. If you don't remove what you've so self-righteously bestowed upon me, I will bring the moon down, crashing it into the palace. I will be ignored no longer. One way or another, I'll be gone by tonight's end.

The white alicorn pressed her face into her hooves after slamming the letter down. "I don't know what to do..."

Twilight's eyes shifted back and forth as she thought. She snatched the letter up in her aura and read over it, seeing for herself its contents.

"Celestia..."

The goddess of the sun looked up, her eyes dripping.

"You have to do it. Let her go." The unicorn trotted up to her mentor, placing a hoof gently on her shoulder.

"I don't think I can." Celestia admitted, her head and ears lowered.

"As much as it pains me to say this, Luna is ready to go. Dying, as you know, is a natural part of-"

"Stop it Twilight! Don't be so condescending."

Twilight gulped and backed off. "You're right, I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to."

"No, I'm sorry Twilight. I shouldn't shout at you. You're only trying to help, after all." Celestia huffed and stood up.

The older mare groaned and trotted up to the window, opening it and stepping onto the balcony. The moon was bigger than ever, and each star twinkled brightly in the clear night sky. Twilight stood next to her mentor, silent.

"I can't do it Twilight. She's been a part of my life for nearly three-thousand years."

"Celestia... Do you really think she'd bring down the moon?" Twilight looked up at it, noting how unimaginably enormous it really must be.

"I do."

"Then she must be stopped."

"I know..."

Each stood silent, staring up at the night sky.