The Next Generation

Chapter Two

I believe it was Luna who said your friends are people who will always accept you and always help you. No matter what happens. Luna had Celestia to help her with her guilt. While I don't have a sister, I do have a brother-like figure in Star Shifter. He will always be here for me, ruling beside me in Equestria as Prince of the Sun.
When every pony separates from me, the other me puts her hand on my shoulder.
"Why did you all come here?" She asks.
"Signs were showing that our Noctis was letting the darkness inside of her emerge. Last time something like that happened, Equestria was almost plunged into eternal darkness." Sparkle sits back down as she explains.
"My mother-our Celestia-prevented it from happening by temporarily banishing the darkness with light. Since your world no longer has any recorded Equestrian magic, I figured Noctis would be safe here while she tries to banish it herself."
I look at my feet and Star pulls me against him, his arm over my shoulder. I know he's trying to comfort me but I just feel dread. If my other self is here, I shouldn't be. If we're both here, it can be very dangerous.
"I need to get back to Equestria." I leap to my feet, running out of the door. I can see the ruins we arrived in and run towards it as fast as I can. I'm just about to dive into the portal when I'm tackled to the ground.
"Let me go!" I squirm under the weight on my back.
"Noctis, if you go back you'll be consumed by evil!" Star says, turning me around so I'm facing him.
"If I stay, both worlds will collapse." I manage to escape from Star and dive through the portal.

I stretch out my wings, letting all four hooves rest on the ground. This is my home, this is where I belong. I look towards the mirror, sidestepping away from it as Star Shifter, Sweety Sparkle and Golden Rule emerge from it. They walk towards me and I step away from them, creating a spot of darkness between me and them. I run out of the mirror room, into the royal chamber of the Crystal Empire. I bump into some pony and fall down.
"Princess Noctis Umbra?" I look up at the guard I bumped into. He looks like a regular Crystal Empire guard, except for the fact he's a unicorn. There aren't many unicorns in the Crystal Empire guard.
"Yes, sorry I wasn't looking where I was going." I take a couple of steps back, my wings slowly extending. I pull them back, keeping them at my sides.
I notice an orange pony approaching from behind the guard. He has his wings out in an intimidating manner.
"Sunrise Storm! Get back to your post!" Flash Sentry barks.
The unicorn turns around and salutes before running off, presumably back to his post.
"Flash Sentry, I'm sorry. I didn't-" His glare makes me stop talking.
"You have been causing trouble for my family since Luna's death!" He yells at me, walking towards me.
I walk back slowly, my ears back.
"Y-your daughter chose to help me..." I stutter, closing my eyes and looking away. I can hear an evil laugh echoing in my head and I snap my eyes open. Flash Sentry has his wings in, his hoof in the air and his eyes wide. I look behind me and catch sight of my Cutie Mark. It's inverted.
"I-I should go!" I dive out the window, flying away from the Crystal Empire.

I end up at an old house by a frozen river. The house has holes in the roof, walls and broken windows. The door is hanging off its hinges and there's a pile of snow. I clear away the snow and there are remains of flowers on a marble platform. Engraved on the platform are the words Noctis Umbra, I'm sorry. I did what I had to do-Lightning Strike. Next to that are the words Noctis, you have power beyond what you can comprehend. Use the gift the moon gave you wisely-Princess Luna.
My eyes start to tear up. Luna. I notice something glowing dark blue and I use my magic to unearth it from the snow. Its a letter, seemingly preserved by Luna's magic. I remove the letter from the envelope and read it.
Dear Noctis Umbra, I know you do not know what happened to your parents, so I think you should know.

Because your mother was a high guard for me and the night, a unicorn guard wanted her dead to try and become my head guard. He created a shadow to try and convince Lightning Strike to do it but Lightning refused. He did not want anything to do with a plot to murder Luna Dulcis so the shadow took him over and forced him to murder her. Your father happened to be in the room at the time so he was murdered as well. Lightning Strike has been plagued by this for years. I am sorry I did not see this coming, Noctis Umbra. If I did, I could have stopped it. Forgive me.

Love, Luna.
The paper is covered with tear marks, the ink run in some places. I don't know if they're mine or Luna's. Probably mine. I drop the letter and enter the house. It's a wreck. Nothing like I remember it, but then it has been over one thousand years. I move a plank of wood and a cracked picture lies under it. It's a picture of me as a filly on Lightning Strikes head. He's laughing, one eye closed as my front hooves clutch his horn. This was before my parent's death. I take the picture from the frame, teleporting to Canterlot with the picture and letter.

When I'm in Canterlot, I buy a picture frame and make my way to the castle.
I avoid Celestia, going to my room. I put the letter in the frame, behind the picture, and set it on my dresser.

I leave my room, going to the throne room balcony where Celestia starts to lower the sun. Using my magic, I raise the moon. Celestia turns around.
"Noctis Umbra. I thought you were in the other realm."
"I was, Celestia, but we found my other self and I thought it was too risky for me to stay."
Celestia nods as if approving my decision.
I turn around and Star Shifter stands behind me, his head lowered. His wings look like a Changelings rather than an Alicorns.
"Star, you don't have to be so down." I tilt his head up with my hoof so he looks at me. His wings flutter slightly. I smile at him.
"I failed you, Noctis. Flash Sentry told us what he saw. He said your Cutie Mark changed."
I drop my hoof and walk back, hitting Celestia. She wraps a wing around me, touching her horn to mine once more. A burning light fills my body, again ripping something from within me. I squirm, trying to get as far away from this pain as possible but Celestia's wings stop that attempt.
It feels like an eternity before the wing barrier is gone and the pain disappears. I collapse, my muscles weak.
"C-Celestia, please help me." I pled to the older Princess.
Celestia helps me up, looking at Star before she looks at me. "Noctis Umbra, I cannot help you. Since Star Shifter has been learning how to take my place, my magic has been fading and going to him. Soon, I won't be able to banish the darkness inside you. You have to do it yourself."
"How?" I ask, the fear building up inside me.
By letting me take control. By letting me free you from Celestia and from Canterlot. I hear a demonic voice in my head, one light but deep, threatening but innocent. I don't know how it manages to be two extremes at the same time.
I can see Celestia talking but all I can hear is my own heartbeat. I've gone numb with fear and all I want to do is run.

I run outside and fly up. I go to where I first met Luna and stare at the moon. It's a crescent moon, just like that night. I notice the rays of the moon materialising something in front of me. Its an Alicorn mare with a mist like mane and tail, a darker blue than my own, her fur a darker purple than mine. The markings on her fur are in the same place as mine and are almost black. Her Cutie Mark is the same as mine but inverted.
I enjoy this new body, Noctis Umbra. She flicks her head, a small spark emerging from her horn.
"N-Nullum Aeternum..." I back away from her. She seems confined to the moon rays.
I believe that is the name the Princess of the Night gave me. Whats her name? Oh, it doesn't matter. We hold that title now, don't we?
I fly forward. "There is no we. There is only me."
She slams her hoof against my chest. I am a part of you, Noctis Umbra. I am your eternal void and you are just a shadow of midnight. She laughs and disappears and I feel the panic start to set in.