Intra In Nocte (The Night Inside: A Luna Story)

Chapter Ten

Ten Minutes Later

         Luna stood on the balcony of the tower. She watched as the sun went down, and smiled as she brought up her moon. The stars seemed to glow differently that night, and it was almost as if they were aligned with the moon. Luna stared for a moment at her beautiful sky. It seemed to hold more meaning than ever. Luna knew she had to save the ponies from the daylight, no matter what that would mean for her. 

         Luna went to her room, and pulled out all of the books she could find on fighting magic, things Celestia wouldn't have known. Both of them were already very adept at fighting magic, but what Luna needed to know was something that would allow her to at least stun Celestia, so that she could keep the moon in the sky. Luna knew there were millions of ways she could do that if she used her somnum exterreri powers, but she wanted to keep her extra powers hidden from Celestia. She didn't want to be feared by anypony, just loved.

        Luna spent her entire night reading, and she found nothing. Luna sighed, and walked to the throne room to wait for Celestia. Along the way, she found herself becoming angrier and angrier with Celestia. She could feel the stillness of night, and seeing the lack of ponies outdoors through the palace windows just made her angrier. She could feel herself changing into the nightmare she truly was inside.

        Knowing now that there was no way she would be able to control her hatred and power, Luna was able to shift her body back into her normal form, as to make sure her sister recognized her, and wouldn't try to kill her. Luna knew that Celestia didn't have it in her to kill anypony, much less her own sister. Knowing this gave Luna another advantage, and she smiled. There was no way she could lose. The sky would be dark and beautiful forever, with no more of that evil, lying sun.

        Luna realized how liberating it felt already, just knowing that the sun would never rise again, that she would save the ponies from themselves and her sister. Although she knew her sister had good intentions with her sun, she also knew that good intentions are what pave the road to hell. Because of Luna, Celestia would also be shown the light, and the pale glow of Luna's night sky. Luna felt like a new pony. She smiled. Perhaps she would even take on a new name, one more suited for a hero. After all, her sister's name meant "heavenly". Shouldn't she have a name even greater?

        As Luna approached the room where she knew her sister would wait, no hesitation plagued her mind. She finally felt free enough to be who she was. She just hope her sister was wise enough to see the good beneath the scary looks, and learn the ugliness beneath the light of the lying sun.

       Luna hid behind the throne she had claimed, feeling both anticipation and dread. Her father had warned her, years ago, that if she gave in to her true nature, no good would come from it. However, her mother had always said, "They who is't art true to themselves findeth true peace, at which hour peace is what they truly need." Luna knew that any harm that came to be when she revealed herself would be eclipsed a thousand times over by the good she would do. 

       Celestia approached, and Luna stepped out from behind her throne. 

        "Not another step," Luna warned, authority evident in her voice. She drew strength from the idea that her moon would reign, and that she did this only for her ponies. "Did you really expect me to sit idly by while they all basked in your precious light?" Luna asked, her tone accusatory. "There can only be one princess in Equestria!" Luna declared. "And that princess will be me!" she roared. Luna, in a fiery ball of anger, turned into her anger once more. Celestia begged and pleaded to Luna, but Luna paid it no mind, stopping only to correct her. "Luna? I am Nightmare Moon, and I have but one royal duty now: to destroy you!" Nightmare Moon defeated Celestia using the magic inside her, which felt stronger than ever. But, in a moment, a moment that Nightmare Moon missed but Luna felt at it's fullest, everything changed.

        As Nightmare Moon plunged towards the moon, she felt something in her sanity tear. Luna could feel her own true self separating from the foolish hatred and fear she had felt. Luna, from somewhere deep within the beast she had created of herself, shed a single tear. Please free me Tia, she silently begged as the evil mare she had created, Nightmare Moon, cursed her sister's name. I'm sorry.