Equestria was once ruled by two regal alicorn sisters. The sisters protect and maintained harmony and balance for their land for very long time. The wielded the strongest magical artefacts ever known to their land 'The elements of Harmony'. The elements always played a key role in the protection of their land and their subjects, the ponies of different kinds i.e. the unicorns, pegasi and earth ponies. These elements were kindness, loyalty, generosity, laughter, honesty and a mysterious sixth element. The sixth element was known as the element of magic.
Both sisters ruled the land together. Eldest sister take her responsibility as the Princess of the Day raising the sun at dawn and lowering at evening. Younger sister take her responsibility as the Princess of the night raising the Moon at night and lowering near morning. Both sister maintained the balance and harmony in the land for very long time.
According to Equestria's legends both have their specific roles in maintaining the order in the land but Elder sister was adore much more by their subjects than Younger sister. Day was significantly the more favorite time of the ponies than the night. Day was a time when they played, and do their most of work but sleep most of the night. There was nopony to adore younger sister's beautiful night neither her graceful moon. She saw that even her own sister don't care about how she feels. She saw her so much blinded by the admiration by her subjects. This thing broke her inside.
"Why, why she *sniffle* always do this? Why there is not a *sniffle* single pony to adore the night I bring? Why"*sniffle* she always get *sniffle* the everypony's adoration? Why nopony thinks *sniffle* thinks about me?" whe was crying as she was sitting in her room.
"Lulu" She heard the voice of her sister as she slowly opened the door "Why are you crying little-?" she was interrupted as she saw a frustrated Luna in front of her
"SHUT UP! DON'T CALL ME THAT AND GET OUT OF HERE! AS IF YOU CARE!" She yelled as tears were still flowing from her eyes.
"Luna I'll not leave you like this!" She shook her head "Tell me what's the-?"
She was interrupted again as Luna stomps her front hooves on the ground with full of her strength cracking the floor beneath her hooves. Celestia was almost scared.
"I SAID GET OUT!" She yelled at her once again
Celestia was forced to leave the room as she was still hearing the screams of her little sister. Inside the room something was happening and that was not going to be end good.
"Luna! I'll help you." She heard a voice
"Who's there?" Luna looked around and there was nopony around her
"I'm here to help you against your mean big sister. I'm watching you for long time suffering like this. And I say you shouldn't be bearing this anymore." The same voice
"What did you *sniffle* want to say?" She said as purple smoke appeared all around her
A black mare in armour appeared in front of her. She was almost as tall as her.
"Join me!" She said
Luna lowered her head and proceeded towards the dark mare as purple smoke shroud them. As everything become clear there was only that dark mare in Luna's room. She screamed loudly as she destroyed her room along with a big part of the royal palace. In a while the sun was eclipsed.
Celestia quickly came in front of her to see her sister who was now consumed by the shadows. She was so much grieved to see this. She realized her mistakes but now it was too late.
"Luna stop this madness. You know I'll not fight you. You must lower the moon. It's your duty!"
"Luna? I'm Nightmare Moon! I've one Royal duty left now." She said and attacked on her "To destroy yooooou…"
Celestia didn't wanted to attack on her sister. She flew away from her. Luna came after her saying "And where YOU think you're going!"
Celestia dodged her many attacks. At last she was hit by an energy beam. She screamed loudly as this beam hit her. She fell into the chamber of elements. She was laying there almost unconscious. She was weeping over her guilt.
"How could I be so blind? How didn't I saw my sister suffering from all this?" She said as tears were escaping her eyes rapidly.
She got up and came of her all fours. She let a lot of tears escape her eyes as she made a final decision.
"Please forgive me sister but you left me no choice but to use these!" She said as a door was opened in the floor. From this a pool with five arms and a sphere on the top was appeared. On each arm there was a specific shaped gem. Celestia used her magic as all the gems started to glow. At last a sixth gem was appeared from the sphere. It was like a six pointed star. Celestia made them revolve her as she flew high in the air to confront her sister. Nightmare Moon shoot an energy beam at Celestia. Celestia move the six pointed star like gem in front of her as other five surrounded this. Tears still could be seen in Celestia's eyes. Then a magical rainbow beam came from the gems. Both energy beams collided each other. At last rainbow beam took over and banished Nightmare Moon to moon. Celestia just kept looking at the moon. A pony shape was appeared on the moon. She realized that she'll not able to see her for a thousand years now. Now she couldn't do anything but weep at her mistakes. Not like that was gonna help but she wept and wept a lot after this.
After 1000 years
At last after a very long wait of 1000 years Luna was cured from darkness by new wielders of Elements of Harmony and was with her big sister once again. Equestria was changed so much in these ten centuries. So much has been changed since then. Now royal palace was in a town named Canterlort and the place where royal palace was before now were ruins and was in the middle of the Everfree forest. Now there were some new members in Royal family. Such as Blueblood and Mi Amore Cadenza. Also Mi Amore Cadenza was the third Alicorn Princess in the history of Equestria. She was the Princess of Love and an important part of royalty along with Celestia.
Along with all these new things there was something which amazed her most. Celestia has adopted a son of a unique and unknown species. His name was Joy Star. Celestia loved him as her own flesh and blood. He was raised as a member of royal family. He was raised by his babysitter Heart Sparkle along with her daughter Bubble Heart till he was eight years old. After this Heart moved to Manehatten along with her daughter. She paid two visits during upcoming five years. At her last visit Joy and Bubble literally slept together for a night and confessed their love and even a soon to be relationship with each other. At this time Joy was only thirteen years old. The time when Luna was returned from moon he was a little less than seventeen years old.
Now a few weeks had been passed since Luna had returned. When she saw Joy for the first time she was so much amazed at his unique appearance. But just after their first talk it seemed that his appearance didn't mattered to her that much. She quickly accepted him as her nephew. Celestia was happy to see her son and her sister bonding so fast. She knew that they could get along well. And there is no better way to bond with new family members than to spend time with them.
Joy was spending a significant time with his aunt. In this way they came to know about many things about each other. Luna came to know about his strange magical abilities and Joy came to know about his aunt's ability of dream walking. Sometimes she came to his dreams and play with him. Sometime she took him to travel beautiful dreams of children. He came to know one more thing and that was her dark past. One day when Joy and his Aunt Luna was sitting in his room Luna reviled the truth before him. And then Joy came to know about the Nightmare Moon and the elements. This was the hardest part of the conversation.
"So that's why you were sent to moon. Because you became a monster of… darkness?" he said in a little scared tune "Mom never told me about this? I thought she'll never lie to me…!"
He ran up to his mother, and said, his tone was inquisitive and slightly hurt.
"Mom, I've want to ask…" he asked his mother the reason of why she hide the truth from him.
She looked towards Luna with questioning eyes like she was asking 'Why Luna'. While Luna gave her a stare like she was saying 'What! You didn't told him about my dark past'. She was broke to tears in front of her son and her sister.
"Mom… you lied to me. You never told… you were the one who… sent Aunt Luna to moon…" he stopped when he saw his mother looked away and seemed ready to cry.
"I… I know I lied to you son. And… I'm blameworthy in your eyes. But… please try to understand why I did this. I loved my sister so much. And I know I'm equally res… responsible for her turning to darkness… But what did I do to make amends for my mistakes." She said with so much of guilt in her voice "I banished her to moon… when you came to my life… I felt like living once again… I was so much happy to… have you… I was scared at thought that you'll… never love me… like you do now… if you ever knew of my past mistakes which… made me and your aunt suffered so much… I thought I'll lost you as well… I'm sorry my son…"
Joy couldn't see his mother crying like this neither Luna could saw her dear sister shedding tears like this. They both came closer to her. Joy and Luna gave Celestia a group hug. Celestia ceased crying as she felt the warmth of their bodies.
"It's in the past big sister… we've no grudge over thou!" Said Luna as her eyes were still closed with a tear or two escaped
"Yes mother, I still love you as I did before. Please don't cry now. I don't care what happened in past." He said as Celestia opened her eyes and nuzzled his hairs softly "The important thing is that now Aunt Luna is back and we can live as a happy family from now on." Celestia hugged her son as she heard this
"Yes Tia. Joy is right! We shouldn't think about what happened in past. We should be happy that we're together now!" Said Luna
Celestia wiped her tears and smiled tearfully. She was glad to see that her son still love her even after realizing that that she'd hid the truth from him. She returned the hug happily. Now she was happy in true sense when she was with both her sister and her son.
After that they'd meal in dining room along with other family members. Joy was so much happy that now Luna was with them and now they'll be never apart now. After this Joy went towards the gardens to have a walk. He was a little sad about his aunt's past suffering. He was happy that it was all over now. The last thing he wanted to see was the tears in her mother's or her sister's eyes.
Along with all these Joy was so much happy for one more thing. He was happy because of the reply of Bubble to his mail he received a few days ago.
[My dear Joy
Hi *A tight hug*! Everything is fine in Manehatten. I'm happy to know that Twilight had made some friends. I AM surprised at this. But I'm happy for her. And about that your long gone aunt had return! Nice to know this too. By what you told me about her it seemed like she'll be very nice pony. I'm so eager to see her as well.
I misses you a lot my dear Joy. So much sorry that I was just a little too much preoccupied by my job since last few months. But don't worry my sweetie. Just be ready because I'm coming here very soon. I'll be staying much longer this time and there's even a chance… well I'll not spoil the surprise. I'm so eager to see you as well. It's been like a very long time since I saw you for the last time. I'm really eager to see you as a grown up stallion my dear coltfriend.
Say my Hi to your mother and your aunt as well
Your very special friend
Bubble Heart]
"I knew that you must be doing great Bubble. Please come back soon." He said as he looked towards the sky imagining her in a piece of cloud "I wonder how Twilight would be doing in Ponyville."
Meanwhile Celestia was planning a very important festival of the year. It's like most huge and famous festival of all. It was known as Grand Galloping Gala. Joy was also coming to Gala since he was ten years old. Only thing he did before was standing beside his mother while she personally welcomes the guest. Joy wanted this to be a little different this time. He want to be personally a part of the whole Gala like his cousin Blueblood. Not like standing beside his mother upsets him but still this was not the only thing he wanted to do on upcoming Gala.
"Sonny, what type of cloths you'll like to wear at this year's Gala."
"Mom, you know nothing much formally royal. Just a purple hoody with my favorite design and grey jeans," answered Joy.
"Alright sweetheart. But I want to ask what's wrong with the formals. I mean everypony there will be wearing formals…" said Celestia.
"Nothing at all mama. But I don't feel comfortable in them," he replied.
"That's alright sweetheart," said Celestia "I want to tell you that I've send tickets to Twilight and my dear son's filly friend Bubble and his mother."
Joy blushed and smiled uncontrollably as his mother mentioned her name. His mother chuckled and embraced him in her wing.
Since Twilight told Joy that how amazing Ponyville was, Joy really wanted to see that town by himself. He never been out of Canterlort before so a country place like Ponyville could be a good option for a little escape from usual and a little boring royal routine. He was just waiting for the right time to ask his mother. At last he asked clearly:-
"Mom! I want to visit the Ponyville… Twilight told me that's an amazing town. So…" He said and waited for her response
"Alright, Alright my joy! I'll think about this, I promise. Okay!" She replied
"Thanks you so much mom! I love you!" Joy hugged her
"I love you too my joy." She said and returned the hug
***
Twilight was helping her friend Applejack on her farm. They both have saddle bags filled with Apples on their backs. Spike was sitting on Twilight's back. He was just picking apples and throwing them off one by one say No every time. Maybe he was finding a most perfect apple for him to eat while Twilight and Applejack were talking to each other.
"No problem at all Applejack. I'm glad the goal is Lunch time. All this hard work is making me hungry," said Twilight.
"I know right!" said Spike as Twilight was hit by apple threw by him.
"Plllease Spike!" Twilight said with slightly scolding tone. "You've launching on my back all morning while we work."
"Exactly! You two were taking so long, I missed snack time," Spike said, while searching in Twilight's saddlebag.
"So Twilight! Prince told you whenever he's gonna visit here," said Applejack.
Twilight heard her tummy growling with hunger.
"He said he'll soon come here to see Ponyville and my new friends as well," replied Twilight.
"Prince sure looks like an interesting pony. I'm eager to see him as well," said Applejack.
"Aha!" said Spike as he finally got what he was looking for a big, red, and juicy apple.
"Spike! This looks delicious!" said Twilight.
Twilight was thinking that Spike had found that big tasty apple for her but she was disappointed when she saw him devouring that delicious apple at once.
"SPIKE!" said Twilight, a little bummed by this.
"What?" said Spike as Twilight showed a bit of anger.
Then suddenly he coughed out a letter. The royal seal was enough to tell that it was letter from Princess Celestia. Spike opened the letter and start reading this.
"Heary, heary the Grand Royal Highness Princess Celestia of Equestria is pleased to announce this year's Gala at 21st day of… yarde yarde yarda…" he muttered. "...courteously extent invitations for Twilight plus one more guest."
"The Grand Galloping Gala!" Both mares exclaimed and start jumping with joy.
***
Joy was so much happy for this. For his mother told him that he could be able to go to Ponyville in a few days after she'll make arrangements before he go there. After a while Joy decided to do a little more get together with his new aunt. She was in her chambers.
"Hi Aunt Luna! Can I come in?" He said standing in front of her door
"Yes, dear nephew! Thou can!" she replied.
He usually chuckles at her old traditional manner of speaking but this time he noticed a little sadness in her tune. He came inside the room and sat beside her. She hugged her nephew much to his surprise. He noticed some tears in her eyes.
"We're sorry Joy," said Luna.
"For… what, Aunt Luna?"
"For telling you about my past. I see how much you were scared when I told you about this. I hope you understand that I'm not that mare of darkness anymore," she sobbed while embracing him.
"No, no, my dear aunt. I know you were never meant to be that monster. Neither mom ever wanted this to happen. All what happened was not good at all… but I'm happy that you're back my dear aunt." He said as he returned the hug "I was a little upset and surprise that time when I realized that mom had hidden the truth from me. I never saw you as a monster neither I ever will," he said as he released her. "I love my dear aunt."
"Thank you so much nephew." She said as she embraced him once again
"No problem Aunt Luna," He said and returned the hug
After this Luna wipes her tears and smiled. Joy smiled as well. He was happy to see that his aunt has stopped crying.
"Auntie, can I… ask a question?"
"Of course you can ask dear nephew!"
"Can you tell me, what exactly the elements of harmony are? I'm just so much excited to know about them."
"Alright nephew! We'll tell you… and then Starswirl…" she was interrupted by a very curious Joy.
"Wait! Starswirl the bearded! He was there!" he said in excitement.
Luna chuckled. "Of course he was there. We're talking about the time thousand years ago."
"Oh yeah right!" Joy nodded.
"So as we were telling… in the garden of statues," Luna told her all about the elements.
"Wow! That's wonderful! So that strange statue in the gardens is actually him."
"Exactly dear nephew! Now you tell us one thing," said Luna.
"Sure! Anything!"
"Anything dear nephew!" She said a little sarcastically "So tell me about her," she said and chuckled. He blushed as he knew about who his aunt was talking.
"Who exactly!"
"You know. A pink mare I usually saw in your dreams," he got even redder.
"You… you… saw us… I mean her! I mean me… you… you were spying on my… dreams!" he said as he was out of words.
He blushed heavily and tried to look away. He was thinking what his aunt have seen. He felt very awkward at this.
"Don't worry nephew. I didn't watch anything too personal. I just peeped a few times when you was having a dream about nuzzling and… hugging her."
He was so much blushed at this. Luna chuckled at his so shy behavior. She chuckled as he tried to look away.
"Don't be shy dear nephew. I know that she's a wonderful filly. Isn't she?" she said.
"Ye… yes Aunt Luna. You bet there would not be a single mare like her in… whole of Equestria," he said with proud "But please aunt, I don't feel comfortable with the… peeping!" He cleared himself.
"Alright dear nephew!" said Luna and chuckled a little. "I didn't have intentions to see something like this either. I just wanted to know what kind of dreams you see and you two were looking kind of cute."
"No problem Aunt Luna. I think, It's okay," he said and chuckled a little.
After a while he went out of the palace to have a walk in the park. Same as every day, everything was fine. He was walking in the park.
He sometimes wondered how time passed so quickly. It felt like yesterday he celebrated his fifth birthday and today he was almost seventeen years old. He was happy in his life no matter how different he's from others. Usually he never cared about how different he looks from others. He was tended to mix with them or at least he try to do this. Others children felt a little odd at first around him but soon most of them became comfortable. After all he was son of no other than Princess of Day. Sometime he thought whether if this is the only reason people care about him. As because of being a royalty. But soon he came over such thoughts.
"Greetings Prince Joy!" he came across two well-recognizable faces.
"Oh! Nice to see you again… uh..."
"Fancy Pants! And Fleur," he told him and chuckled "You forget again, huh!"
"Oh you know, how forgetful I'm." He rubbed back of his neck "It's so nice to see both of you again."
Now they both were married and living their lives happily among the high status ponies. Even after having a high rank among ponies of Canterlot, Fancy was not anything near to pride or self-importance neither his wife. She was still cute and elegant as she was seven years ago.
"It's nice to see you too prince," said Fleur.
"So anything special for Today?" asked Fancy.
"Not at all Mr. Fancy Pants. I was just taking a walk. Have a good time here," he said.
"Of course we'll Prince. You've a good day as well," replied Fancy.
Joy nodded and walked away. He looked towards the happy couple and chuckled. Whether he and Bubble could live a life like that sweet couple? He smiled brightly as he thought about this. Suddenly he heard a voice.
"Ice-cream! Ice-cream!"
He got excited to hear this. He saw the ice-cream cart at a little distance. Even when he was almost seventeen years old now he ran towards the cart like a excited seven years old colt.
"Excuse me! I'll like to buy an ice-cream," he gave the appropriate amount of bits to him and said. "Four scopes of strawberry please."
"Why not my Prince," said the ice-cream seller and chuckled. "Here! As you like it, with chocolate chips!"
"Thank you so much!" he said as he grabbed his ice-cream and sat on a bench to enjoy it.
He remembered that strawberry was his and Bubble's favorite flavor. He liked the sweet smell of strawberry. It just reminded him more of Bubble. He remembered whenever they hug each other her mane just smelled like this strawberry ice-cream. He giggled as this thought came to his mind. Right now he was missing her so much.
As he finished his ice-cream he started to feel so relaxed. The soothing breeze and perfectly warm sunrays were the perfect recipe to send him to a deep slumber. In his sleep he heard some voices.
>Don't worry you...
I will always be…<
"Prince wake up!"
He was suddenly waked up by somepony. There was a royal guard.
"What happened?" he said as he woke up in rush.
"You were gone for too long. Princess were being worried about you. Now let's return to the palace," he got up from the bench and stretched his body a little.
"Alright!" he said and he came along with the royal guard.
While heading towards home his head was still echoing with those incomplete phrases he heard in his dream. He was unable to understand that what these voices wanted to tell him. But now it wasn't important for him at all. Because his mother was worried about him so much so he had to return palace as fast as he could.
As he got in the palace he was quickly hugged by his worried mother.
"Oh my precious treasure of happiness! Where have you been?" said Celestia kissing his face and forehead randomly in anxiety.
"I was in the park mother. Sorry, I didn't notice when I went to a nap there," he replied to his mother as he returned the hug.
Celestia was now feeling much relaxed to see her son safe and sound. Joy once again felt how much his mother care for him. She loved him more than anything and he knew that. He couldn't be more relaxed than he was in his mother's embrace.
"No! You'll not be forgiven for this one. You'll be punished," Celestia said a little seriously. "Now you'll spend the remaining afternoon and evening with your mother." She said and hugged him again
"That's nice of a punishment," he giggled.
So both mother and son spend the whole afternoon together. They were sitting near the fireplace and talking randomly and chuckling. Philomena was in the cage near them. After a while he decided to write a letter to Bubble. He wrote the letter sitting beside his mother while she was reading some others letters she received today.
After a while Celestia received a letter from a certain unicorn.
"Is it from Twilight?" he asked.
"Yes sweetheart, she's really learning to be a good friend," said Celestia.
Along with the letter she also received two tickets she sent to Twilight. She gave the letter to Joy and went to a closet while he read it..
[Dear Princess Celestia
I've learned that one of the joys of the friendship is sharing your blessings with them. But when you don't have enough blessing to go around that make you feel pretty awful. So I appreciate the invitation but I'm returning the both of the tickets. If my friends can't all go to the gala, I'll not go either.
Say my hello to Joy
Your faithful student
Twilight Sparkle]
"Is it about the tickets? I mean how many tickets you exactly send her," he asked.
"I have sent her two tickets. It was actually a test she has passed," she replied.
"So now…" he said with concern.
"I'll send him enough tickets so she could come at the Gala along with all of her friends," she said and proceeded to write a letter.
"My faithful student Twilight, so why didn't you said so in the first place," she finished the letter and send it along with six tickets to the Gala.
Joy chuckled at such a short length letter. Then he remembered that along with five new friends there is another friend of Twilight who'll like to come at the Gala.
"Mom, aren't you forgetting something?" he asked with concern.
"Hmm… oh yeah! I almost forgot about him," she said and write another note.
"And one for you Spike," she send another letter with one more ticket.
Joy smiled at this. 'Twilight must be very happy with her new friends' he thought. He leaned his head on the back of his mother relaxing for a while.
At the time of sunset both sisters was standing on the balcony. Luna was now getting back to her duty as Princess of Night. Joy was standing between both of them as they started. Celestia's horn glow with the golden aura while Luna's horn with blue. Sun started to set behind the mountains in the horizon while moon appeared from the other side a little while after the sunset. All of this was so synchronized. That was not possible before the return of Princess Luna the real Princess of night. After bringing Joy to his room she was about to leave when Joy put a palm on her wing. She was stopped as she realized that her son wants to say something.
"Yes, sweetheart!"
"Mom! I know… that I'm too old for that… but will you please…" he stopped.
"Speak up my dear," she said nuzzling his head.
"Will you please sing my… favorite lullaby? I mean I understand that… I'm a grown up colt now but I really want you to sing that Lullaby once again." He said as his mother was still nuzzling his hair
"Oh my little son! You'll always be a child for me. Even when you'll be thousand years old. Yes, of course I'll sing your favorite Lullaby for you my little joy," she sat beside him and started humming.
~Hmm… hmm… hmm… hmm… hmm… hmm… hmmmm…
Hmm… hmm… hmm… hmm… hmm… hmm… hmmmm…~
Joy smiled brightly as he heard this.
~Oh my dear Joy Star
Why you always wonder what you're
She nuzzled his cheek with her hoof softly.
You're my dear son, an apple of my eye
You're the star at my lonely sky~
She leaned and gave a kiss on his forehead as she finished the Lullaby. Joy hugged his mother and kissed on her forehead as well.
"I love you mom."
"I love you my joy."
No matter how many times in a day they say that they love each other it never got old for them. In this world nothing is more pure and beautiful than a mother's love for her son.
***
Bubble was in her room organizing her armoire. There were many colorful gowns and dresses in her armoire. She was smiling uncontrollably. She was happy that she soon will be able to see and… finally go on a date with her sweetie as she say him. It was nickname she gave him after a funny event of their babyhood.
After a while her mother came to her room.
"There's a mail for you dear," said Heart to her daughter. "It's from Canterlort."
She got so much excited when she heard that it was from Canterlot. She knew who can send her letter from Canterlot.
"It must be him," she said and giggled.
She recently received the two Gala ticket from the Princess. She knew that it must be Joy. Who else could send her a letter from Canterlot? She was feeling a little guilt because almost four years had been passed since her last visit to Canterlot. She was determined to make it up to him.
[My dear Bubble
Hi *Returns hug*! I am happy to know that everything is fine there. I'm waiting for your next visit. I hope you remembered what I said when we met last time. I was truly serious. I am also eager to see my dear marefriend as a lovely grown up mare. Hope you'll be here soon.
Say my hi to your mother
Your very special friend
Joy Star]
Bubble smiled once again. She knew that Joy must wanted her to be on the Gala. So she'll love to go there and be with her bipedal Prince. But she wasn't gonna keep him waiting that much long. She was planning to visit him very sooner than the Gala. She clenched the letter to her chest and closed her eyes.
"Oh my sweetie, my dear Joy. Don't worry! I'll be there sooner than you can expect. Very soon, I promise," she whispered as a deep blushful smile came upon her face.