Nimble and Velvet, Take 1
This was my very first foray into writing for the FiM fandom, and since it was written 'on the fly' for a request on /co/, it has a couple different directions it's trying to go in. Hence, I will be re-writing it into a much longer fic, so it won't feel so squished together.
Title: Nimble and Velvet, or, the Origin of Nightmare Moon
Chapter: 1/1
Rating: R
Summary: Princess Celestia is a dark and cruel ruler; it is tonight that everything changes. EXTREME slash and general sexytimes warning.
“Ah - ah, yes, please, there, just there.”
Princess Celestia paused as she stepped lightly down the hall, her powerful wings beating once in curiosity before folding tightly to her back. All of the ponies were currently celebrating the Summer Sun Festival in the open courtyard… so what could be going on in there, in one of the furthest-back rooms of her magnificent palace?
“Yes, please, Velvet, deeper, please!”
Elegantly pointed ears pricked forward to listen to the dusky voices raised in sharp, delighted complaint. She stepped silently forward, her armored hooves silent on the tiled floor. Not that it mattered; the pair inside were making enough noise to drown her out even if she should choose to enter in the splendor that she was accustomed to.
And why shouldn’t she? She WAS the princess, after all.
“What is this?” She asked simply, her voice commanding as she stepped into the room, her wings fanning out in a magnificent display of snowy-white feathers, her eyes dark and unreadable as she took in the scene before her.
The pair of stallions paused sharply, eyes widening to panicked circles as their princess entered. Such a thing was forbidden, especially among Her Majesties’ own fleet of fliers.
“Y-Your Majesty!” The stallion on top choked out - Velvet, she remembered abruptly-his armor still on, clanking with each rough jerk into the similarly-colored pony below him. He twisted, as if attempting to bow to her, halted by a sharp, pained cry from below.
“V-Velvet, no, that- ah!-Your Majesty.” The pony trapped beneath Velvet’s powerful hooves managed to whimper, ears flat against his snowy white fur. No, Celestia corrected herself, more of a cream-color, although right now he seemed to be more of a rosy shade instead. Nimble, she believed it was. Lower-level puller, did well enough with a partner. “Don’t move, that hurts.” He whickered up to Velvet, shifting underneath him, both watching the mare as she slowly crossed the room, circling them.
Princess Celestia, ruler of all of Equestria, slowly stepped across the room, her eyes focused on the pair as they shifted nervously against one another, frozen in their moment of passion. Her wings opened and spread slowly around her, making her ascension to the center of the room all the more elegant. The pair of breathless pullers stood stock-still, their hearts pounding in their ears, terrified to hear her judgment but even more afraid of the silence that preceded it.
Slowly, completely aware of their attention locked on her, she slid off the four golden horseshoes that decorated her legs, pushing them aside as she fanned her wings out, letting them slide to her sides, hanging almost down to the floor. Thusly prepared, she looked up at the pair, meeting their panicked gazes with her calm one.
“Continue.”
Nimble was the first one to answer, the tightness of Velvet still within him making him unable to hold his words for long. “Y-Your Majesty, I - I can- cannot!” He whinnied softly, tossing his head back, his armor glinting in the dim lighting of the room as he struggled to resettle his legs under him. But no resettling would loosen the tightness within him, and a small, strangled cry escaped him with his next gasped breath.
“You can’t - c’mon, Nimble, c’mon.” His partner urged him softly, a little uncertain what he was trying to urge him to. Velvet tightened his legs around Nimble’s middle a little tighter, earning a soft gasp from his partner, pushing himself a little deeper inside. They shouldn’t have done this; gods, what a fool he’d been. But the opportunities were so few, with so many eyes around them, always watching; he’d thought the Summer Sun Festival would be distraction enough. Not like the little ponies could help it, though. So many of them only had their country-bred cousins to ogle, with their plow shears and carts dragged behind them. Stallions from the capital, the pride of their gender, looking so muscular and dashing in their burnished gold armor… it was natural that they would get a few looks when they went into town. But here, in the furthest-back rooms of the castle, he had thought they would be safe.
“I - ca-an’t!” Nimble whickered, his voice similarly low, as if they could conceal anything from the Princess, who stood watching only a few feet away. Her wings had circled even more tightly around her pale body, and had the pair been watching, they would have noticed a faint, deep shudder ripple through her as her primary feathers touched a particularly sensitive place.
Sensing the Princess’ eyes on him, as burning as if they’d been two hot coals from a dragon’s nest, Velvet pushed sharply into his partner, trying to ignore the sharp, sudden cry, uncertainty mingling with an undeniable desire. “Yes, you can.” He hissed, bringing his mouth down to bite lightly at the back of Nimble’s neck, tugging at his mane, easing hard-won cries from his partner.
“V-elvet - nngh! - I c-an’t!” Nimble whinnied softly, his trapped tail flicking anxiously against his hip, glancing back at Velvet as he pushed ever deeper into him. It felt so good, but - but he couldn’t just do that in front of the Princess! A particularly deep thrust earned a louder cry from Nimble, head dipping low to hang between his front legs, now held stiffly underneath him. One hind leg lifted, just a few inches, hoping the changed position would loosen the tightness inside of him, to no avail. He couldn’t help the way that he went all tight and nervous when Princess Celestia was around, it was just what happened naturally!
“I do not believe what I gave you was a recommendation.”
Velvet glanced up sharply when the princess spoke, her wings still tightly wound around her. Velvet’s face flushed hotly as he realized just where her feathers were reaching, brushing against her tail when they pushed too far, her trembling too weak to be terribly noticeable so far. It was almost impossible to imagine; the Princess, touching herself while he and Nimble fucked? “Princess Celestia, I - I don’t think it will work now. Perhaps - some other -“ He began weakly, knowing to deny her outright was folly. She was not evil, but she was still a Princess, and he was still one of many armored pegasi in her battalion. It would not be difficult to replace him, nor the soft Nimble beneath him. Was this not such a dire situation, he would be able to better appreciate the deathly-tight grip Nimble’s body had on his erection right now. It would have easily finished him off, had Nimble not been whimpering so piteously and the Princess staring at him as icily as she was.
“I will not be denied, Velvet.” She spoke softly, her voice low and steely, but her next words were cut off by the door opening behind the pair of stallions.
“Sister?”
Three heads swiveled towards the doorway, freezing in place, as if hoping the darkened room would protect them from the next figure who entered.
“Sister, the Summer Sun Festival can hardly begin without you, the little ponies are growing …” Luna came to a slow, uncertain halt as her eyes landed on the two interlocked stallions, their chests still heaving despite their stillness. Slowly, her eyes drifted over to her sister, her own feathers settling against her back as she noticed the damp primaries brushing lightly between her sister’s legs.
“What is going on?” She whispered, her voice low and uncertain, darting from the stallions to her sister, even more deeply confused at how calm her sister seemed to be about this. “What is this?” She demanded, a little more harshly, one long, elegant leg striking the stone floor to emphasize her point.
Princess Celestia watched her sister silently for a moment, then gave one nod with her horn, sending the door behind Luna closing. “I hardly imagine it can be much else, little sister.” She said blandly, as blandly as one could with one’s feathers brushing against one’s unmentionables. “You are welcome to join, Luna.” She inclined her head gracefully, indicating the spot next to her, her eyes returning to the stallions.
“Join… you are watching them - mate!?” Luna gaped, blue eyes fluttering wide, looking over the two stallions more closely, making Nimble squirm and attempt to hide between Velvet’s legs. (This worked out as well as could be expected.) “You - it is forbidden!”
“It is as forbidden as males mating - which is to say, it is not exactly codified. More of an ‘unwritten’ rule. I have not punished them, merely requested that I be allowed to watch as they finish.” Princess Celestia said smoothly, her eyes focusing on her little sister. Not so little, now; almost as tall as her, with a rebellious streak as wide as Equestria was long. “It pleases me. It will please you too, I am certain; they make the most delightful noises when they are fucking one another.”
“You - No!” Luna spat, rearing onto her hind legs, bringing the front two down sharply, ears flat behind her crown. “I demand you stop this! Right now!”
“Little sister, we are co-rulers. I’m certain this is a difficult concept for you to understand, but it means that you have no more power over me than I do you. I didn’t punish you when you threw that hissy-fit about the little ponies sleeping through your night, did I?” Celestia explained in her oh-so-patient voice, more than a little condescending, as her eyes drifted back to the interlocked pair. Velvet was trying to pull out of Nimble now, earning sharp, helpless squeaks from his partner as his hardness brushed between his legs. One long, stiff primary feather brushed between Celestia’s hind legs, eliciting a long shiver as it stroked her particularly exquisitely.
Luna’s eyes burned brightly with anger, her tail lashing. “I hardly think one can equate - THIS with being upset about the little ponies!” She whinnied, rearing onto her hind legs, pawing the air. “Do not make me fight you, sister!”
This garnered Celestia’s attention - and it took something mighty powerful to do that, especially when she was about to order the two to press back together. “Fight me? Please.”
“If you insist!” Luna whinnied as she charged her sister, armored hooves ringing against the floor as she lowered her horned head, charging into battle. Celestia side-stepped hastily, eyes widening angrily as her wings fanned her to safety a few feet away.
“Bratling, do not tempt me. You would risk your crown over these two - chariot-pullers?”
“I only risk my crown if I lose.” Luna spat, circling at the far side of the room, pawing the ground with one hoof as she galloped towards her sister once more. “And I will not lose!” She whinnied, leaping into the air as the two winged unicorns collided at last, bodies slamming into one another with a dull thud as their horns crashed together, ringing sibilantly through the air.
Unicorn’s horns are not made of bone, although they may appear to be so at first glance. For does bone sing, when striking its match? The battle was almost beautiful, the two sisters seeming almost to dance through the room, their horns meeting in a spectacular, ringing noise, too high to be heard precisely but sharp enough to bring tears to the eyes of any witness.
“Sister, you cannot - nngh! - win!” Celestia cried, her forelegs kicking out, driving her sister back just before she crashed into the elaborately carved table behind her. Swinging her head sharply, she slashed her horn across her body, missing her sister’s dark-colored skin by mere inches.
“If I cannot win, then why are you trying so hard?” Luna mocked, dancing back on her hind legs, a powerful sweep of her wings guiding her out of her sister’s reached, her forelegs held up over her belly protectively. “You know you cannot hope to justify this. Even if you win this battle, you cannot undo what I have seen. What I have known, if I had opened my eyes to see it.” Luna cursed, ears flat and eyes narrowed in anger, galloping forward to leap into battle once more. She rammed into Celestia, their forelegs and horns locking, struggling for superiority, bodies trembling from the effort.
“I will not have to justify it,” Celestia said softly, something unreadable shining in her eye as she kicked her sister back with a sudden show of force, “if there are no witnesses to incriminate me.” Luna landed hard against the stone-tiled floor, a sharp cry escaping her as her wing crumpled under her. Weakly, she tried to roll to her feet, her wing screaming in pain, but it was no use; even as she looked up, blue eyes wide, her sister had lowered her horn towards her.
“Luna, Princess of Equestria, you have been found lacking of worth. I, Princess Cel- ugh!” She spat, suddenly pushed out of place, slender legs buckling under her.
“Release the princess!” Velvet whinnied as he kicked at Princess Celestia, knocking her off-balance.
“Rebellious knave!” Princess Celestia roared, rearing onto her hind legs as she skittered to the side, defending herself with sharp little kicks. But the blue-on-white stallion had no desire to pursue her; instead, he stepped back, placing himself squarely between the light and dark princesses.
“I will allow no harm to come to my Princess!” Velvet whinnied, wings beating the air furiously.
“My life for my Princess!” Nimble agreed, his legs kicking at the air, trying to fend off any oncoming attacks.
Princess Celestia’s eyes danced angrily over the pair, temporarily stunned by the sight of her two-previously subservient stallions now lowering their heads against her, their hilariously-flat foreheads no match for her long, elegant horn. “You idiots, I’M your Princess as well!” She finally spat, eyes narrowed, enraged, as they darted from the two stallions to her sister.
Luna stood up shakily, her crumpled and useless wing now hanging limply at her side. She was silent for a moment, her eyes locked on her sister’s, before she spoke softly. “Have we come to such an impasse, sister? Can you no longer understand how the kingdom is to be run?”
“How YOU think the kingdom should be run is hardly the same as how it is meant to be run.” Celestia hissed, embarrassed to realize that she was breathing a little hard, her magnificent mane out of place and ruffled from their fight. “I will not allow you to take over my kingdom and rule it in constant darkness.”
Luna sighed softly, turning her long, elegant neck to regard her own crumpled wing, then the two brave stallions in front of her, defending her from her sister even when it would surely spell their own deaths. For what could any common pegasus hope for, when fighting a winged unicorn? “Oh, sister.” She breathed, her eyes slowly returning to hers, her blue eyes sad where they met Celestia’s hard, angry pair. “Have you fooled yourself so deeply that that is what you believe? I may be rash, but -”
Princess Celestia’s eyes remained narrowed, and pawed one hoof against the ground, the sound hollow in the suddenly empty room. “That may be what you deny wanting, but I know you too well to expect you to admit it.”
Luna sighed softly, and slowly hung her head, her horn dipping to where it was equal with her chest, resigned. The two stallions looked back at their princess, matching sets of eyes dark with distress. “And I know you too well to expect you to give up, sister.”
Princess Celestia eyed her sister silently, her wings folding close to her body, a light-colored imitation of her own sister’s broken and limp pair. Softly, she began to speak, her eyes half-lidding as her chanting melted into a more sing-song tone. “Equus, euuisti, revocans ad lunus…”
Luna glanced down to the two pegasi stallions in front of her, her eyes dark. “You do not have to do this. There is a window - it would be easy to escape, to flee to some far-off countryside. You will have enough time while she is finishing the incantation.”
“We will not leave you, Princess.” Nimble whispered, but even as he spoke, he pressed tight against Velvet’s side, trying to hide his trembling in his partner’s soft, downy fur.
“We are your guardians, for as long as you need us.” Velvet agreed, his voice soft as he folded one wing over his partner’s back, gathering him as closely as he could as he trembled. He would never speak the words out loud, refusing to embarrass Nimble in his last moments on Equestria, but how he longed to whisper his soothing words to his mate. It will be all right, little one. I will protect you, always.
Luna smiled gently, and moved a little closer, her good wing spreading to cover the pair, gathering them against her own, dark-skinned side as her sister’s chanting began to grow in volume and urgency.
Princess Celestia took a deep breath, finishing the final line of the spell in a powerful, sharp whinny, rising onto her back legs to paw at the air. She almost didn’t think it would work; the ancient magic was so untested, so unknown. Who was to even know if it would work? But as her eyes opened, she sighted the dim lights that circled the trio, now huddled against her sister’s hunched wing. They had been faint in the beginning, but now they blazed brightly, a myriad of colors surrounding her accursed sister and regicidal assistants.
But as she was about to speak the last word, Luna broke in sharply, her crumpled form straightening abruptly as her chest thrust out, noble in her broken state. “The rainbow of darkness that darkness sends - now begin the night that never ends!” She whinnied, her one wing extending to touch the lighted circle. A sharp cry escaped her, but just when Princess Celestia was beginning to think her spell had worked and her sister would be destroyed, the colors of the circle shifted, slightly. The blue became too dark, the red darkened to umber, the color of rusted blood. Something … WRONG was happening to the rainbow.
“No!” She shrieked, wings opening wide, as if trying to fan off the ‘bad’ colors from her spell. “I will not allow it!” She whinnied, kicking at the air as the circle became bright, too bright. She could hear her sister’s horn singing through the blinding light, though no horn was lain against it, the sound so hauntingly beautiful that she could not stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks. “No!” She howled, her words lost to the sudden roar that filled the room, erasing all.
“And they say that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape.”
“That’s just an old pony’s tale, Twilight Sparkle!” Spike chirped brightly from where he bent over the pile of books that the unicorn had just upturned. As he worked to straighten them, he called over his shoulder to her, not terribly concerned by whatever it was that so concerned her. “Princess Celestia said that you didn’t have to worry about it, remember? The Mare in the Moon’s just an old story.”
“I know.” Twilight Sparkle murmured to herself, her eyes traveling to the window, gazing up into the night sky. It seemed that her eyes were drawn there, more often than not, lately. “I just can’t shake this feeling. Something MUST be going on, something Princess Celestia doesn’t even know about.” She whispered, eyes wide as they drank in the night sky, especially the moon and the bright stars surrounding it. “I just wish I knew what it was.”
ALTERNATE ENDING:
“Velvet, would you mind opening that windowshade for me?”
Velvet glanced up from where he’d been dusting the books, nodding meekly as he trotted over to the window, pulling the curtains wide for the Princess Celestia. He glanced back to his mistress where she lay on the sofa, her long legs stretched out before her. “Is that wide enough, Your Majesty?”
“Yes, quite. Thank you.” Princess Celestia sighed softly, turning her long, elegant face towards the window, eyes half-lidded in pleasure. “Do you think the little ponies missed my sister, Nimble?”
“No, milady. Not as much as they could have.” Nimble murmured demurely from where he pushed a tray of rainbowberry tarts towards his pale princess. “I believe that there had been some - ah, unrest, after word got out that she was displeased about their nighttime activities. They believe that they are now safer, with her safely locked away in the moon.”
“Well, who could blame her?” Princess Celestia said a little huffily, taking one rainbowberry tart in her hoof, waving it for dramatic effect as she spoke. “I mean, they all prance and sing during the daytime, but not one pony chooses to enjoy the night - and when they are made to, they complain and …” And here she paused, looking over her two stalservants.
The two eyed her silently for a moment, looking a little uncomfortable, before Princess Celestia spoke again, this time in a mockery of her own voice. “Oooh, I mean -- I hate the nighttime, yucky-ucky!” She grinned to the pair, and the three shared a loud, long laugh.
Title: Nimble and Velvet, or, the Origin of Nightmare Moon
Chapter: 1/1
Rating: R
Summary: Princess Celestia is a dark and cruel ruler; it is tonight that everything changes. EXTREME slash and general sexytimes warning.
“Ah - ah, yes, please, there, just there.”
Princess Celestia paused as she stepped lightly down the hall, her powerful wings beating once in curiosity before folding tightly to her back. All of the ponies were currently celebrating the Summer Sun Festival in the open courtyard… so what could be going on in there, in one of the furthest-back rooms of her magnificent palace?
“Yes, please, Velvet, deeper, please!”
Elegantly pointed ears pricked forward to listen to the dusky voices raised in sharp, delighted complaint. She stepped silently forward, her armored hooves silent on the tiled floor. Not that it mattered; the pair inside were making enough noise to drown her out even if she should choose to enter in the splendor that she was accustomed to.
And why shouldn’t she? She WAS the princess, after all.
“What is this?” She asked simply, her voice commanding as she stepped into the room, her wings fanning out in a magnificent display of snowy-white feathers, her eyes dark and unreadable as she took in the scene before her.
The pair of stallions paused sharply, eyes widening to panicked circles as their princess entered. Such a thing was forbidden, especially among Her Majesties’ own fleet of fliers.
“Y-Your Majesty!” The stallion on top choked out - Velvet, she remembered abruptly-his armor still on, clanking with each rough jerk into the similarly-colored pony below him. He twisted, as if attempting to bow to her, halted by a sharp, pained cry from below.
“V-Velvet, no, that- ah!-Your Majesty.” The pony trapped beneath Velvet’s powerful hooves managed to whimper, ears flat against his snowy white fur. No, Celestia corrected herself, more of a cream-color, although right now he seemed to be more of a rosy shade instead. Nimble, she believed it was. Lower-level puller, did well enough with a partner. “Don’t move, that hurts.” He whickered up to Velvet, shifting underneath him, both watching the mare as she slowly crossed the room, circling them.
Princess Celestia, ruler of all of Equestria, slowly stepped across the room, her eyes focused on the pair as they shifted nervously against one another, frozen in their moment of passion. Her wings opened and spread slowly around her, making her ascension to the center of the room all the more elegant. The pair of breathless pullers stood stock-still, their hearts pounding in their ears, terrified to hear her judgment but even more afraid of the silence that preceded it.
Slowly, completely aware of their attention locked on her, she slid off the four golden horseshoes that decorated her legs, pushing them aside as she fanned her wings out, letting them slide to her sides, hanging almost down to the floor. Thusly prepared, she looked up at the pair, meeting their panicked gazes with her calm one.
“Continue.”
Nimble was the first one to answer, the tightness of Velvet still within him making him unable to hold his words for long. “Y-Your Majesty, I - I can- cannot!” He whinnied softly, tossing his head back, his armor glinting in the dim lighting of the room as he struggled to resettle his legs under him. But no resettling would loosen the tightness within him, and a small, strangled cry escaped him with his next gasped breath.
“You can’t - c’mon, Nimble, c’mon.” His partner urged him softly, a little uncertain what he was trying to urge him to. Velvet tightened his legs around Nimble’s middle a little tighter, earning a soft gasp from his partner, pushing himself a little deeper inside. They shouldn’t have done this; gods, what a fool he’d been. But the opportunities were so few, with so many eyes around them, always watching; he’d thought the Summer Sun Festival would be distraction enough. Not like the little ponies could help it, though. So many of them only had their country-bred cousins to ogle, with their plow shears and carts dragged behind them. Stallions from the capital, the pride of their gender, looking so muscular and dashing in their burnished gold armor… it was natural that they would get a few looks when they went into town. But here, in the furthest-back rooms of the castle, he had thought they would be safe.
“I - ca-an’t!” Nimble whickered, his voice similarly low, as if they could conceal anything from the Princess, who stood watching only a few feet away. Her wings had circled even more tightly around her pale body, and had the pair been watching, they would have noticed a faint, deep shudder ripple through her as her primary feathers touched a particularly sensitive place.
Sensing the Princess’ eyes on him, as burning as if they’d been two hot coals from a dragon’s nest, Velvet pushed sharply into his partner, trying to ignore the sharp, sudden cry, uncertainty mingling with an undeniable desire. “Yes, you can.” He hissed, bringing his mouth down to bite lightly at the back of Nimble’s neck, tugging at his mane, easing hard-won cries from his partner.
“V-elvet - nngh! - I c-an’t!” Nimble whinnied softly, his trapped tail flicking anxiously against his hip, glancing back at Velvet as he pushed ever deeper into him. It felt so good, but - but he couldn’t just do that in front of the Princess! A particularly deep thrust earned a louder cry from Nimble, head dipping low to hang between his front legs, now held stiffly underneath him. One hind leg lifted, just a few inches, hoping the changed position would loosen the tightness inside of him, to no avail. He couldn’t help the way that he went all tight and nervous when Princess Celestia was around, it was just what happened naturally!
“I do not believe what I gave you was a recommendation.”
Velvet glanced up sharply when the princess spoke, her wings still tightly wound around her. Velvet’s face flushed hotly as he realized just where her feathers were reaching, brushing against her tail when they pushed too far, her trembling too weak to be terribly noticeable so far. It was almost impossible to imagine; the Princess, touching herself while he and Nimble fucked? “Princess Celestia, I - I don’t think it will work now. Perhaps - some other -“ He began weakly, knowing to deny her outright was folly. She was not evil, but she was still a Princess, and he was still one of many armored pegasi in her battalion. It would not be difficult to replace him, nor the soft Nimble beneath him. Was this not such a dire situation, he would be able to better appreciate the deathly-tight grip Nimble’s body had on his erection right now. It would have easily finished him off, had Nimble not been whimpering so piteously and the Princess staring at him as icily as she was.
“I will not be denied, Velvet.” She spoke softly, her voice low and steely, but her next words were cut off by the door opening behind the pair of stallions.
“Sister?”
Three heads swiveled towards the doorway, freezing in place, as if hoping the darkened room would protect them from the next figure who entered.
“Sister, the Summer Sun Festival can hardly begin without you, the little ponies are growing …” Luna came to a slow, uncertain halt as her eyes landed on the two interlocked stallions, their chests still heaving despite their stillness. Slowly, her eyes drifted over to her sister, her own feathers settling against her back as she noticed the damp primaries brushing lightly between her sister’s legs.
“What is going on?” She whispered, her voice low and uncertain, darting from the stallions to her sister, even more deeply confused at how calm her sister seemed to be about this. “What is this?” She demanded, a little more harshly, one long, elegant leg striking the stone floor to emphasize her point.
Princess Celestia watched her sister silently for a moment, then gave one nod with her horn, sending the door behind Luna closing. “I hardly imagine it can be much else, little sister.” She said blandly, as blandly as one could with one’s feathers brushing against one’s unmentionables. “You are welcome to join, Luna.” She inclined her head gracefully, indicating the spot next to her, her eyes returning to the stallions.
“Join… you are watching them - mate!?” Luna gaped, blue eyes fluttering wide, looking over the two stallions more closely, making Nimble squirm and attempt to hide between Velvet’s legs. (This worked out as well as could be expected.) “You - it is forbidden!”
“It is as forbidden as males mating - which is to say, it is not exactly codified. More of an ‘unwritten’ rule. I have not punished them, merely requested that I be allowed to watch as they finish.” Princess Celestia said smoothly, her eyes focusing on her little sister. Not so little, now; almost as tall as her, with a rebellious streak as wide as Equestria was long. “It pleases me. It will please you too, I am certain; they make the most delightful noises when they are fucking one another.”
“You - No!” Luna spat, rearing onto her hind legs, bringing the front two down sharply, ears flat behind her crown. “I demand you stop this! Right now!”
“Little sister, we are co-rulers. I’m certain this is a difficult concept for you to understand, but it means that you have no more power over me than I do you. I didn’t punish you when you threw that hissy-fit about the little ponies sleeping through your night, did I?” Celestia explained in her oh-so-patient voice, more than a little condescending, as her eyes drifted back to the interlocked pair. Velvet was trying to pull out of Nimble now, earning sharp, helpless squeaks from his partner as his hardness brushed between his legs. One long, stiff primary feather brushed between Celestia’s hind legs, eliciting a long shiver as it stroked her particularly exquisitely.
Luna’s eyes burned brightly with anger, her tail lashing. “I hardly think one can equate - THIS with being upset about the little ponies!” She whinnied, rearing onto her hind legs, pawing the air. “Do not make me fight you, sister!”
This garnered Celestia’s attention - and it took something mighty powerful to do that, especially when she was about to order the two to press back together. “Fight me? Please.”
“If you insist!” Luna whinnied as she charged her sister, armored hooves ringing against the floor as she lowered her horned head, charging into battle. Celestia side-stepped hastily, eyes widening angrily as her wings fanned her to safety a few feet away.
“Bratling, do not tempt me. You would risk your crown over these two - chariot-pullers?”
“I only risk my crown if I lose.” Luna spat, circling at the far side of the room, pawing the ground with one hoof as she galloped towards her sister once more. “And I will not lose!” She whinnied, leaping into the air as the two winged unicorns collided at last, bodies slamming into one another with a dull thud as their horns crashed together, ringing sibilantly through the air.
Unicorn’s horns are not made of bone, although they may appear to be so at first glance. For does bone sing, when striking its match? The battle was almost beautiful, the two sisters seeming almost to dance through the room, their horns meeting in a spectacular, ringing noise, too high to be heard precisely but sharp enough to bring tears to the eyes of any witness.
“Sister, you cannot - nngh! - win!” Celestia cried, her forelegs kicking out, driving her sister back just before she crashed into the elaborately carved table behind her. Swinging her head sharply, she slashed her horn across her body, missing her sister’s dark-colored skin by mere inches.
“If I cannot win, then why are you trying so hard?” Luna mocked, dancing back on her hind legs, a powerful sweep of her wings guiding her out of her sister’s reached, her forelegs held up over her belly protectively. “You know you cannot hope to justify this. Even if you win this battle, you cannot undo what I have seen. What I have known, if I had opened my eyes to see it.” Luna cursed, ears flat and eyes narrowed in anger, galloping forward to leap into battle once more. She rammed into Celestia, their forelegs and horns locking, struggling for superiority, bodies trembling from the effort.
“I will not have to justify it,” Celestia said softly, something unreadable shining in her eye as she kicked her sister back with a sudden show of force, “if there are no witnesses to incriminate me.” Luna landed hard against the stone-tiled floor, a sharp cry escaping her as her wing crumpled under her. Weakly, she tried to roll to her feet, her wing screaming in pain, but it was no use; even as she looked up, blue eyes wide, her sister had lowered her horn towards her.
“Luna, Princess of Equestria, you have been found lacking of worth. I, Princess Cel- ugh!” She spat, suddenly pushed out of place, slender legs buckling under her.
“Release the princess!” Velvet whinnied as he kicked at Princess Celestia, knocking her off-balance.
“Rebellious knave!” Princess Celestia roared, rearing onto her hind legs as she skittered to the side, defending herself with sharp little kicks. But the blue-on-white stallion had no desire to pursue her; instead, he stepped back, placing himself squarely between the light and dark princesses.
“I will allow no harm to come to my Princess!” Velvet whinnied, wings beating the air furiously.
“My life for my Princess!” Nimble agreed, his legs kicking at the air, trying to fend off any oncoming attacks.
Princess Celestia’s eyes danced angrily over the pair, temporarily stunned by the sight of her two-previously subservient stallions now lowering their heads against her, their hilariously-flat foreheads no match for her long, elegant horn. “You idiots, I’M your Princess as well!” She finally spat, eyes narrowed, enraged, as they darted from the two stallions to her sister.
Luna stood up shakily, her crumpled and useless wing now hanging limply at her side. She was silent for a moment, her eyes locked on her sister’s, before she spoke softly. “Have we come to such an impasse, sister? Can you no longer understand how the kingdom is to be run?”
“How YOU think the kingdom should be run is hardly the same as how it is meant to be run.” Celestia hissed, embarrassed to realize that she was breathing a little hard, her magnificent mane out of place and ruffled from their fight. “I will not allow you to take over my kingdom and rule it in constant darkness.”
Luna sighed softly, turning her long, elegant neck to regard her own crumpled wing, then the two brave stallions in front of her, defending her from her sister even when it would surely spell their own deaths. For what could any common pegasus hope for, when fighting a winged unicorn? “Oh, sister.” She breathed, her eyes slowly returning to hers, her blue eyes sad where they met Celestia’s hard, angry pair. “Have you fooled yourself so deeply that that is what you believe? I may be rash, but -”
Princess Celestia’s eyes remained narrowed, and pawed one hoof against the ground, the sound hollow in the suddenly empty room. “That may be what you deny wanting, but I know you too well to expect you to admit it.”
Luna sighed softly, and slowly hung her head, her horn dipping to where it was equal with her chest, resigned. The two stallions looked back at their princess, matching sets of eyes dark with distress. “And I know you too well to expect you to give up, sister.”
Princess Celestia eyed her sister silently, her wings folding close to her body, a light-colored imitation of her own sister’s broken and limp pair. Softly, she began to speak, her eyes half-lidding as her chanting melted into a more sing-song tone. “Equus, euuisti, revocans ad lunus…”
Luna glanced down to the two pegasi stallions in front of her, her eyes dark. “You do not have to do this. There is a window - it would be easy to escape, to flee to some far-off countryside. You will have enough time while she is finishing the incantation.”
“We will not leave you, Princess.” Nimble whispered, but even as he spoke, he pressed tight against Velvet’s side, trying to hide his trembling in his partner’s soft, downy fur.
“We are your guardians, for as long as you need us.” Velvet agreed, his voice soft as he folded one wing over his partner’s back, gathering him as closely as he could as he trembled. He would never speak the words out loud, refusing to embarrass Nimble in his last moments on Equestria, but how he longed to whisper his soothing words to his mate. It will be all right, little one. I will protect you, always.
Luna smiled gently, and moved a little closer, her good wing spreading to cover the pair, gathering them against her own, dark-skinned side as her sister’s chanting began to grow in volume and urgency.
Princess Celestia took a deep breath, finishing the final line of the spell in a powerful, sharp whinny, rising onto her back legs to paw at the air. She almost didn’t think it would work; the ancient magic was so untested, so unknown. Who was to even know if it would work? But as her eyes opened, she sighted the dim lights that circled the trio, now huddled against her sister’s hunched wing. They had been faint in the beginning, but now they blazed brightly, a myriad of colors surrounding her accursed sister and regicidal assistants.
But as she was about to speak the last word, Luna broke in sharply, her crumpled form straightening abruptly as her chest thrust out, noble in her broken state. “The rainbow of darkness that darkness sends - now begin the night that never ends!” She whinnied, her one wing extending to touch the lighted circle. A sharp cry escaped her, but just when Princess Celestia was beginning to think her spell had worked and her sister would be destroyed, the colors of the circle shifted, slightly. The blue became too dark, the red darkened to umber, the color of rusted blood. Something … WRONG was happening to the rainbow.
“No!” She shrieked, wings opening wide, as if trying to fan off the ‘bad’ colors from her spell. “I will not allow it!” She whinnied, kicking at the air as the circle became bright, too bright. She could hear her sister’s horn singing through the blinding light, though no horn was lain against it, the sound so hauntingly beautiful that she could not stop the tears from streaming down her cheeks. “No!” She howled, her words lost to the sudden roar that filled the room, erasing all.
“And they say that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape.”
“That’s just an old pony’s tale, Twilight Sparkle!” Spike chirped brightly from where he bent over the pile of books that the unicorn had just upturned. As he worked to straighten them, he called over his shoulder to her, not terribly concerned by whatever it was that so concerned her. “Princess Celestia said that you didn’t have to worry about it, remember? The Mare in the Moon’s just an old story.”
“I know.” Twilight Sparkle murmured to herself, her eyes traveling to the window, gazing up into the night sky. It seemed that her eyes were drawn there, more often than not, lately. “I just can’t shake this feeling. Something MUST be going on, something Princess Celestia doesn’t even know about.” She whispered, eyes wide as they drank in the night sky, especially the moon and the bright stars surrounding it. “I just wish I knew what it was.”
ALTERNATE ENDING:
“Velvet, would you mind opening that windowshade for me?”
Velvet glanced up from where he’d been dusting the books, nodding meekly as he trotted over to the window, pulling the curtains wide for the Princess Celestia. He glanced back to his mistress where she lay on the sofa, her long legs stretched out before her. “Is that wide enough, Your Majesty?”
“Yes, quite. Thank you.” Princess Celestia sighed softly, turning her long, elegant face towards the window, eyes half-lidded in pleasure. “Do you think the little ponies missed my sister, Nimble?”
“No, milady. Not as much as they could have.” Nimble murmured demurely from where he pushed a tray of rainbowberry tarts towards his pale princess. “I believe that there had been some - ah, unrest, after word got out that she was displeased about their nighttime activities. They believe that they are now safer, with her safely locked away in the moon.”
“Well, who could blame her?” Princess Celestia said a little huffily, taking one rainbowberry tart in her hoof, waving it for dramatic effect as she spoke. “I mean, they all prance and sing during the daytime, but not one pony chooses to enjoy the night - and when they are made to, they complain and …” And here she paused, looking over her two stalservants.
The two eyed her silently for a moment, looking a little uncomfortable, before Princess Celestia spoke again, this time in a mockery of her own voice. “Oooh, I mean -- I hate the nighttime, yucky-ucky!” She grinned to the pair, and the three shared a loud, long laugh.