My Little Pony Fan Fiction ❯ Ordained ❯ Chapter One: Arduous Dissesions ( Chapter 2 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Ordained

By: Sintarious

~: Chapter One: Arduous Dissensions :~

Celestia paid little attention to anything as she paced the pale cherry wood floor of her suite's study, brows deeply furrowed as if thinking of something quite unpleasant. Which, of course, was exactly the case. She had been having this particular thought seeding in her mind for quite some time now, and only one solution seemed to form from it all.
It was quite possibly the only solution.
The sound of her hooves clip clopping against the marble floor reverberated off the walls, a loose but easy tempo, her steps never wavering as she went from one end of the room to the other, her multi-pastel colored tail and mane billowing behind her in gentle wave like curtains. The princess's agitation apparent in the occasional twitch of said tail or flick of her head, sending ripples through the tresses, though no crown was present for this wool-gathering session of hers.
She gave a whinny of frustration. No matter how much she thought on it, every other alternative just simply didn't fit properly. Like a giant jigsaw, the pieces had to fit perfectly, or the whole picture was ruined. The problem was finding the correct pieces. Every part was unique, some going to this particular picture – while others went to something completely different.
The job of sorting them out, and putting them where they were supposed to go, was a very tedious one. She, as Princess, had a duty to do this job – easy or not. This particular problem, however, had been a very long time coming. She had known it would eventually crop up, and during that whole time she had been thinking of all of this.
It wasn't going to be easy. A lot of things could go horribly wrong. The fate of all of Equestria rested solely in her hooves. She finally came to a stop in front of her window.
Her stomach tightened sickly.
If she hadn't been so hot headed back then none of this would have happened. There was so much going on at the time, she didn't give a second thought to her actions. Impulsive. Yeah, that was the perfect word. Probably more then a little naive as well. Her heart lurched to her throat, beating frantically like a small butterfly trapped there, while her eyes began to sting.

Thinking of all the pain and heartache everything caused only made her poor abused stomach hurt worse.

Rectifying the past would be the hardest thing she had ever done, but she desperately hoped she could do something … anything to fix the wrongs she had committed. There wasn't much time before things would take a turn. Which way it all would go depended on how she handled it when it finally came. Looking up at the moon, she couldn't help it as a tear finally fell down her pale white cheek.
No, not much time left at all. It was almost time. For days now she hadn't been able to eat, so worried about the outcome there was little thought for anything else. Her retainers were always worried about her, and had voiced it mere hours ago. She, of course, had lied to try to ease their worry.
After all, there would be time to eat, sleep, and all those good things once all this was over.
Tonight was the eve of the Summer Sun Celebration. Things were already set in motion for better or worse. Years upon years of planning boiling down to one day. Tomorrow, everything would change – be it for good or worse, there was no going back.
Celestia took a deep, calming, breath. Slowly letting it out after a moment. Her stomach was still clenched tightly in a hard knot, but at least her heart was no longer racing. Things would work out.
They had to.
Her thoughts turned to the day went everything went wrong. Oh how she wished she could forget it all. Lowering her head in shame, she gave it a little shake. No, that was just being selfish. It wasn't fair to the memory of those lost for her to wish that. She'd have to keep the memory, though perhaps if all went well tomorrow – it would alleviate the pain. Even just a little would be a mercy.
With a raw breath, she forced herself to remember...

[ 999 years ago... ]

“Princess.” A palace guard bowed to Celestia, lowered onto one forehoof – he was purposely ignoring the other princess on the throne next to her. The older sister gave a nod of her head to continue, letting the guard ease up out of his stance. After four months, everyone was happy to see the moon princess back on her throne. She hadn't looked well when she first came back so everyone left most things to Celestia.
“We have a report of a rampaging dragon on the outskirts your highness.” The seriousness of his tone sent warning bells off in both princess's minds.
“Well.” Celestia blinked a moment before frowning. “That will not do.” She put a hoof to her mouth in thought. “Do you know of any casualties so far? I hope he hasn't gotten to any of the outlaying farms just yet.” She put the hoof back on the dais which held the thrones, all her attention directed at the stallion before her.
“Neigh, your Majesty. The beast hasn't gotten that far yet. Though I am sorry to report there has been a casualty, but thankfully it was only one.” The guard gave a quick glance out of the corner of his eye at the younger princess before looking at the ground. Luna raised a brow.
'I'm glad the princess is looking better … she's gained some weight. The tower was a poor move on Celestia's part. Now for the bad news …'

“Do you know who it was?” The question was to the point, Celestia regained the guard's attention. The guard brought his gaze back up to the princess, then closed his eyes and gave a slow nod of his head.
“Yes, your Majesty.” With that he opened his eyes again. “It was former Lieutenant Dusk Shine. He was trying to keep it from entering the kingdom, holding him back until we got there.” He lowered his head in honor of the valiant deed. “When we finally did get there the beast snapped him up. We got a pretty good look at him in those final moments. He was skin and bone. How he managed to hold the dragon for as long as he did … we cannot even imagine what he might have been like had he been at full strength.” The guard swallowed and looked back up. Celestia's eyes were wide in shock. Slowly he looked to the younger princess.

Princess Luna's face held the look of one who had seen the most horrific thing imaginable, eyes dilated to pinpricks and mouth fallen agape. After a long agonizing moment, standing stock still with that look of horror on her face …. then all at once the indigo princess fell to the dais, completely catatonic.

“LUNA!” Celestia screamed, rushing to her little sister's side. Too little - Too late.

The crumpled heap that used to be Princess Luna would not respond to anything, or anyone. No amount of any kind of stimuli could get her to wake up. Several days passed, and the only thing they ever caught was a continued whisper, almost too low to hear.
“He's gone … he's gone … love's dead … no such thing as love anymore... no love.”
Sometimes her eyes were open when she'd be whispering that phrase over and over, but it was like there was no one there. She was but an empty shell, and no one could get through to her. It was then that Celestia saw how much Luna had truly loved Dusk Shine, and grew to understand just how badly she had wounded her. It seemed her sister was gone.
After about a week, everything changed. Luna stopped talking altogether. She wouldn't eat or drink. Her normally robust body began to waste away, her coat dulled to a dark dusky purple, and her brilliant teal eyes lost their luster. Even her beautiful mane and tail stopped flowing, they too darken and became brittle and limp. She was nothing more then a shadow.
But the worst was yet to come. Something finally snapped, forever broken, inside the moon princess and …

All hell broke loose.

Purple-pink eyes widened in horror at the changed Luna. No longer was her sister light and full of life … no, now she was dark, and full of nothing but hatred.

The dark princess reared up on her emaciated hind legs and pawed the air with equally thin forehooves, waving her horn about in challenge. Emitting anger and hatred like an aura cloak about her, almost tangibly seen by everyone in audience, she neighed in equal amounts to ensure proper emphasis of the point.
“EQUESTRIA! YOU PLAY IN THE SUN, AND SHUN THE MOON! FOR THAT WE SHALL BRING ETERNAL NIGHT!! KNOW OUR PAIN WELL!” With that, Luna flew off.

The next time Celestia saw her sister, the moon princess had donned a strange set of armor, her eyes were slitted like a dragon's, even her coloring had darkened. It was not the sister she had known all her life. The sister she had done everything to protect from all the court drama and intrigues. She had done everything to keep her sister safe from the manipulators of the court, going so far as to study all day and take on all the burdens of the 'Princess' title so her sister was free to do as she pleased.
She had never intended to hurt her beloved baby sister. All she had ever wanted was for Luna to be able to do what she wanted so that at least one of them could be free. Horrible emotions had taken control and ruined that however. Now nothing would ever be the same again.
For her own good, and for the good of all Equestria …
“Come little sister! We need not fight!” Celestia tried to reason with the enraged Alicorn, but to no avail.
“OH BUT WE DO SISTER! THE MOON IS ALWAYS SHUNNED BY THE SUN! THEY ALL LOVE THE SUN! NOW WE WILL MAKE THEM LOVE THE MOON!!”
“But everypony DOES love the moon little sister! Please see reason!” The Sun Princess tried again.
“SEE REASON?! HA! WE SHALL BRING ETERNAL NIGHT AND THEN YOU WILL BE THE ONE TO SEE REASON!” Luna scoffed, lowering her head to level her horn at Celestia in a clear challenge, much like she had done not so very long ago.
With a heavy heart, the sun princess lowered her head while closing her eyes a moment. It wasn't supposed to be this way … but now she had no choice. Equestria's well being, all the ponies who depended upon her, left her no other option. She'd deal with the consequences later.
Celestia opened her eyes, new determination shining brightly.
“I give you one last chance sister. Equestria needs you, as they need me. I admit to my wrongs – I shouldn't have done what I did. Will you please stop this insignificant feud and join me?” The older sister raised her head to stare at the stranger that had once been such a sweet, loving, mare.
“INSIGNIFICANT?! YOU MAY SEE IT AS SUCH, BUT THAT IN NO WAY IS HOW I SEE IT! NO SISTER. I WILL NOT 'JOIN' YOU!” The dark indigo Alicorn sneered at white princess in contempt.
“I'm sorry you feel that way. I gave you three chances and did not heed them. Now I must do what I have to – to keep all of Equestria safe from you.” With that, Celestia took a battle stance. Lowering her front half towards the floor, her horn now at an angle that could easily spear through anything with an upward thrust, she lifted one hoof then closed her eyes again to concentrate.
A moment later her horn began to get an over-glow.

And then Luna … no … Nightmare Moon, for Celestia couldn't bare to think of this creature as her sweet Luna … was on the moon.

Celestia fell to the floor in a heap, crying in heartbreaking anguish. She had hurt her only family so terribly … caused her to transform into some kind of monster … and then sent her to the moon. Luna had every right to the hatred she felt.

No … Luna wasn't the monster. Celestia curled in on herself from internal pain.

'I am'

[Present Day]

Celestia lowered her head, still feeling the shame of all she had done back then. A thousand years and she couldn't let the feeling go. She had only done what she had to do ... what needed to be done to keep the world safe.
Over those years though, she learned and seen many things. Only recently she had stumbled upon a potential remedy to the problem at hoof. Actually, it was a double-edged sword as it were. It could solve many things, then again it could have disastrous effects.
The pros out numbered the cons, no by much but enough, so she decided to take a leap of faith. Such things needed to be done once in a while. Right now – Celestia needed to have faith in the little mare she had taken as her student. Faith that, somehow, she could be redeemed for all she had done.
But most of all … that Luna could be brought back from the darkness.

'I'll right what I've done dear sister … I am beyond repentant, and this is the only way I can think of to prove it.' Celestia looked at the moon again, smiling a tiny sad smile. The smile quickly faded as she watched four little stars shot towards the moon.

'so it begins.' She took a deep breath, daring not to look away from the moon in case she missed something. She didn't have long to wait.
“My, don't we look sentimental.” A clear, mocking, voice called out with a dark laugh from somewhere in the room behind her.
'How stupid.' 'Hush!' 'Hmph!'
Nightmare Moon. Celestia replied back as calmly as the other had mocked. She turned her head enough to confirm it was indeed the dark Alicorn. The two of them regarded each other a moment before the light princess moved to fully face the dark one.
“You are quieter then the last time I saw you.” The observation came a moment later as she looked the stranger over carefully. The dark indigo princess was rail thin, emaciated really, her hooves seemed to be split in several places, plus there seemed to be something hidden by magic on her left forehoof. She caught odd glimpses of it when she didn't look at it directly. Her coat had splotches of missing fur, and her eyes were still slit like a dragons.

“A pitiful sight, are we not? We had lots of … quiet … to think, in our exile.” Nightmare gave a dispassionate nicker, shaking her mane with the effort, before taking a few steps to look at a bookcase to her right. Celestia watched her closely, trying' to figure out what it was the apparition was thinking, shifting hooves a little in the process.
'Now your being stupid.' 'I said hush!' 'Stating the obvious? Stupid.' 'knock it off!' Nightmare's eye twitched a moment before she regained her previous train of thought moving on to the books at hoof.
“We see you've added to your collection extensively.” The moon princess mocked as she slid out a book, her magic covering it in a dark blue aura, to look at its cover.
“That I have.” Celestia raised a brow. Were they really going to talk about books right now? “I figured a larger library was in order. The old one lacked so many subjects and material it was almost laughable.” She took a couple of steps towards the dark mare to see what book it was she had pulled down.
“We do not recall you being overly fond of books.” With a quick glance, Nightmare Moon slid the book back and stepped away from the bookcase. Celestia paused to consider the comment. No, she really hadn't been that fond of books. Sure she enjoyed one now and again, but the real reason for the extensive library … well she was looking right at her. She had gone to great lengths to obtain old scrolls, books on every subject, anything and everything she could get her hooves on … to figure out a way to help the pony in front of her.
Oh how she fondly recalled the many times she had found Luna in the town library, studying this or that, and the various times she came home late from staying up all night in the castle's larger one. It was several years after the 'incident' that she found out exactly why her sister loved books so much.
Dusk Shine had given a melancholy little filly a way to escape her loneliness. He had instilled within her a love of books and knowledge. Something she would carry with her for the rest of her existence. Celestia would be eternally grateful to him for that one cause, yet she had a life-time to make it up to him … and to Luna.
“To be honest, I enlarged the library for you sister.” The sun ruler hesitantly waved a hoof at the bookcase. The indigo mare raised a brow in slight amazement.
'she's lying!' 'Shut it.' 'Neyh!'
“What a quaint deceit!” The night princess laughed raucously. When Celestia said nothing more she tittered in amusement. “You even believe your own lie. We can't decide whether that's sweet, or just incredibly sad.” With a small smirk and a flick of her tail, the ruler of night started a slow progress around the room. The barb hit home, making the white Alicorn frown.
'Oh, she won't like that …' 'Duh.'
No, what is sad is that you have no trust in anything. Though I admit that was my failing, Celestia couldn't help but snip back. However, I don't recall your lessons in manners lacking so defectively.
“YOU'RE ONE TO TALK DEAR SISTER. DID YOU USE 'MANNERS' WHEN YOU SENT US TO THE MOON?!” Nightmare moon rounded on Celestia so quickly that she had no time to react.

The dark mare launched a spell, knocking all sense from the other Alicorn.
“Sweet 'dreams' Celestia. By the time you wake up, if you ever do, this will all be over and Night will be eternal.” The dark princess chuckled mirthlessly, leaning down to ghost a butterfly kiss against her sister's temple. Moments later exiting the room in a puff of magic, leaving a crumpled sun princess laying unconscious on the antechamber floor.