Celestia dipped her head low, watching the spear bounce off the edge of the chariot. Instantly, her guards circled around her.

“Protect the objective. Keep the Princess safe! Hold up those barriers, boys.”

A blue shield shimmered around the group as Celestia watched countless more spears, arrows and magic projectiles bounce off.

“Such a weak display of magic. Pitiful fools.” A black bolt slammed into the shield, and lightning arched through the ponies within. The shield failed as the guards twitched and fell to the earth.

Celestia herself collapsed to her knees, wincing in pain at the familiar magic. Gritting her teeth, she stood and levitated herself from the chariot. “Sister, show yourself.” Upon request, black miasma surged from every angle, slowly taking the shape of a pony.

Luna smiled, “How rude of you to forgot ‘please’, sister. And it’s Nightmare Moon now. We are not Luna anymore.”

Celestia stared at the form of her sister. Her beautiful blue coat was now black as night. “Stop this, Luna. Please.”

Luna chuckled, “We didn’t think you would beg, Celly.” She used her wings to gesture around. “Pitch black night, how quiet and lovely.”

“Ignoring the screams in the background, are you?” Celestia hissed at her sister. “Ponies are dying, starving to death or killing each other. This crusade of yours has to end, sister. Lower the moon, Luna. We can solve all of this with diplomacy.

“We spent enough time talking, sister, and you never listened. That chance has come and gone. Night shall reign forever, our majestic moon shining upon Equestria for all eternity .”

Celestia sighed, “I can’t let you do that, Luna.”

Luna’s vicious smile faltered for a second as well, “We knew it would come to this.” The alicorn dispersed, fading back into the fog as Celestia raised a barrier and turned. As if on cue, magic washed over the shield in a massive blast.

“I’m thousands of years ahead of you in combat, sister. I’ve mastered every tactic you’ve only recently learned.” Celestia turned again, blocking another projectile. She listened to the gentle swishing of the air, ignoring the battle raging in the city around her.

There.

Celestia turned, summoning up her own attack. It left her horn in an explosive detonation, and raced across the ground towards nothing. As it passed empty air, the attack met with a force. It arced across the thing’s body and a terrible scream filled the air.

Luna dropped to the ground, coat sizzling with smoke.

“Clever little sister, we are surprised you would attack your own blood.”

Celestia averted her vision from Luna, “It wasn’t an attack, sister.”

“Wha-?” Luna tried to move, her limbs not obeying as the alicorn flopped on the ground. “What are you doing, Celestia!?” She screamed at the sun goddess.

“The only thing I can.” Celestia turned back toward the chariot, using her magic to levitate out what her guards had been protecting.

“The Elements!” Luna hissed through her teeth. “You wouldn’t do it!”

“If it means ending this terror and stopping your tyranny, Luna, then I’ll do what I need to.” Celestia readied the elements, the orbs beginning to charge with magical energy. She stepped towards Luna and knelt close to her sister. “I’ll ask you one more time, Luna. Please, just stop. Please.” The last ‘please’ was barely a whisper.

Luna’s face emptied of anger as she looked to her sister. “We don’t think we can, Celly. It won’t let us.” Her worlds weren’t more than whimpers.

“Then you leave me no choice, sister.” Celestia turned, her horn glowing as she connected to the elements. "Luna, for your crimes against the people of Equestria, I hereby banish you to the object you love most; the moon. You shall have a thousand years to admire its beauty alone on the surface.”

“We sorry, sis.” Luna muttered.

“No, Luna, I am.”

The elements discharged, firing towards Luna and wrapping the alicorn in a rainbow vortex. Her tortured screams filled the night as the entire magical display vanished in a massive imploding shockwave, shooting towards the sky in a final magical gesture.

Celestia crumbled, falling to the ground. She glanced towards the sky, realizing what she had done.

Luna had been right after all. Ignoring the bloodshed, the dead, the starving and the dissent that would leave Equestria broken for centuries, the moon was beautiful. It still was even as she ignored the tears in her eyes.