Celestia scrutinized Luna, who offered a feeble smile in return. “Are you really prepared to do this, sis? You know—” she said.

Celestia faltered as Luna turned around and walked to one of the many oversized windows of her sister’s bedroom. She opened it and looked out down below. The angry mob, tens of thousands of motley spots shifting and eddying was there, of course, as it was the day before, and the day before that one too. It had been there for over two weeks now, day and night, relentlessly pushing and crashing against the castle’s gates. The thin line of guards that cordoned off the royal palace could hardly keep it at bay.

From that lofty spot Luna could not hear what the mob was yelling. The words were slurred, but the hostile, hateful tone was unmistakable. Squinting her eyes, she thought she could make out a large sign depicting her hanged from the gallows. 

Luna slowly spun around to face her sister. Celestia’s expression blended sorrow and resignation. “Do I have any choice?” Luna asked. “Let the situation fester anymore, and the kingdom is doomed. All we have fought for since the beginning swept away. Shall we permit our world to relapse into endless warfare and destruction?”

Celestia did not answer. Tears welled up in her eyes. At last, she shook her head silently.

“The needs of the many,” Luna continued, and her face was stern now, “outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. And it’s only a millennium.”

“Will they buy it?” Celestia asked, softly sobbing.

“They will. They will see you as their savior. You will have rescued them from a peril so much greater than what they protest against now. Their cause will seem petty, vain. They will adore you, worship you like a goddess. Of course, they will hate me more, if that is possible. But then they will forget. Oblivion will shroud my figure in murk, and wipe the slate clean. After a thousand years, the time will be ripe for me to rise again.” 

“Why did you have to sign that edict alone?” Celestia asked.

“One of us had to sacrifice herself, sis. The situation could not endure. Tribes’ privileges had to be rescinded, lest we built a society based on inequality, prejudice and resentment. The choice was simple. You can’t vanish. I can. They shan’t miss me.”

“But I shall,” Celestia protested.

Luna walked to her sister and hugged her tight. Celestia’s body was twitching, and her tears were flowing freely now. “Hush, hush,” Luna whispered at her sister’s ear. “It will be hard at first, but then you will get used to it. You will do great. You always did.”

Luna broke the embrace, took a handful of steps back, and sighed. “Now, if you would excuse me,” she said, “it is time for me to part. I still have bits of my role to rehearse. Just to be certain to fit in perfectly, you know?”

She walked to the door, opened it, and went ahead into the corridor.

“Luna?” Celestia’s voice called behind her.

Luna stopped, and turned around once more. Her sister was standing on the threshold, looking at her as if it was the last time they would see each other.

Luna smiled gently. “Luna,” she said, “is dead. My name is Nightmare Moon now.”