Dark Side Of The Moon

Chapter 3: Luna

Luna leaned against the shelves of the Magic section in the Canterlot library, all filled with ancient scrolls only she and her sister were permitted to read.   

Her mind flashed back to Sombra, the boy she had met a month ago.  He would love this place. It practically calls his name. 

Her forehead was beaded with sweat, her chest hurt with every breath and hammer were bashing her skull. 

"Lulu!" Celestia burst into the library. 

"Tia?" Luna gasped and scrambled to a standing position, but her legs gave way and she collapsed to the ground. 

"What happened?" Celestia asked her, squeezing her hand. 

"Magic...practice..." Luna barely managed to wheeze out. 

"You've got to stop pushing yourself like this! You're lucky I was only a few rooms away. You could've ended up getting hurt, or-" 

Killed. Celestia paused.  No one wanted to mention that.  

For there was a secret no one knew.  No one but them and their deceased parents Aurora and Nox. 

They used to have an older brother named Astral.  He had deep, ebony skin studded with shimmering white.  His voice was rich and flowed like a river.  He always loved the art of magic.  He'd stay up till dawn practicing relentlessly, pushing himself to the limits...until there were no more limits to push.   

"You think I've forgotten about Astral?" Luna narrowed her eyes. 

"No! Then why do you keep doing this to yourself?" Celestia demanded. 

"Why? WHY?!  After the Great War, our parents were dead and our kingdom was torn to shreds. We're young, vulnerable princesses who don't know what we're doing.  The vampires still hold a grudge against us, and if any kingdom would be attacked, it would be ours. And you know we'd be dead if anyone tried that.  Look at our kingdom! We've barely gotten off the ground, there's huge inequality and.." Luna trailed off, bursting into tears. 

"Lulu..." 

"And now I'm crying! Princesses don't cry!" Luna wiped away her tears frantically.  

"Luna. Listen to me." Celestia grasped Luna's hand tightly. "It is always ok to cry." 

"Maybe for you!" Luna fired. "Poor, sweet little Tia, she's trying so hard to be a good ruler. What a nice girl! We need to help our princess!" Luna mocked, her eyes dripping with envy. "It's fine when you cry. When I cry, I'm just your weakling shadow." 

"Look. I'm sorry about what's been happening lately. I'm really doing my best," Celestia apologized.  

"What if I told you your best wasn't good enough?" Luna spat.  

Celestia paused for a second.  What had happened to her sister? 

"That's how I feel everyday.  You don't understand how lucky you are. Why? Because everyone is so damn in love with you!" 

"It's not my fault!" Celestia raised her voice. "It's not my fault I'm overshadowing you! I'm not trying to do this on purpose!" 

"Princesses!"  Their assistant, Andrian, knocked hysterically on the door. 

"Yes?" Celestia asked, recomposing herself.  

With matted hair, bloodshot eyes and the face of someone double his age, he looked nothing like his usual self. 

"Urgent news!  Refugees have been coming into Canterlot!" Andrian announced. 

"Why? What happened?" Luna demanded.