Thirty Minute Pony Stories

“Do we really need a magic shield, Princess?” Twilight Sparkle asked, turning to the white, slender mare. “The cell is made of refined steel; doesn’t that nullify magic to begin with?”

The mare glared at Twilight testily.

“It’s your sister, Princess.”

“She won’t be in an hour. Rotate your entire team after each shift. When she awakens, I expect a message from Spike after the ceremony.” Princess Celestia said as she stepped away from the group of heavily armed guards.

Twilight Sparkle bowed. The Princess’ formal tone made her feel uncomfortable.

Her eyes stayed towards the large metal cage and the orb of purple light surrounding the winged unicorn sitting inside. Princess Luna had her back turned from the guards and Twilight Sparkle. Her head was kept low, almost touching the ground. She whispered at the air, occasionally raising her voice in anger. Princess Luna mostly spoke nonsense, but her words were unsettling to the guards and Twilight Sparkle.

“This is a steel cage! You can’t escape!” Princess Luna yelled.

A moment of silence passed.

“I-I won’t let you! I’m the stronger one!” Luna’s voice quivered.

———

Princess Luna rammed her hooves against the metal bars. The sharp cries of banging metal woke up some of the guards in the nearby room. They pointed steel-tipped spears and polished tower shields at the caged mare.

They came to greet you. Won’t you shake their hooves like a good Queen?

Princess Luna intensified her punches. She stopped after a moment, noticing the slight dent in one of the metal bars. She breathed heavily against the metal bars, eyeing a faint reflection of herself. Her eyes gleamed with a dark green glow.

What good is a Queen who cannot open a door?  Open the door like a good Queen and greet them.

Her hooves rose again and slammed against the steel. Some of the guards jumped back and readied their weapons.

Princess Luna stood back. She snarled at the ponies outside of her prison. Black wisps swirled around her horn, but quickly disappeared. Her hooves were touching the steel floor, which nullified magic due to its lack of natural elements.

She extended her wings and launched herself in the air in hopes of avoiding contact with steel, but slammed her head against the ceiling and collapsed to the ground maladroitly. Princess Luna stumbled back to her hooves and roared at the guards.

Stupid child! You’ll never become a good Queen with such weakness!

Princess Luna slammed her entire body against the cage. The bars shook, but did not bend. She felt some of her ribs snap from the force of her push. Princess Luna screamed in agony, but continued to ram at the cage.

———

Princess Celestia glared at her sister. Her sister had her head and body low as if to pounce on Princess Celestia. From beneath her sister’s hellish eyes of green, Celestia saw tears pool and dribble down her cheek.

“You have to stop this… please.” Princess Luna begged.

She rammed her head against the cage. Her body shot back. She forced her bruised body to stand and threw herself at the cage again. She fell to the floor and remained still for a moment.

“Princess Celestia,” Twilight Sparkle said after a moment, “what’s happening to your sister?”

Princess Celestia did not turn to Twilight. Her eyes were fixed on the winged unicorn struggling to stand with broken bones. Their eyes met. Princess Celestia narrowed her cold gaze at her sister.

“Do you remember how you ‘defeated’ Nightmare Moon?”

“Of course. We used-“

———[Time limit]———

“You simply banished her.” Princess Celestia said, tensing her hooves. “To ‘banish’ and to ‘defeat’ are two different actions.”

Twilight Sparkle expected a lecture from the white mare, but she left without another word. Twilight saw Princess Celestia leave up the sunlit stairs back into the castle. Her head turned back.

“Give her until the next morning. Dissolve the shield and call in medics once she stops talking to herself.” Princess Celestia said.

Sounds of sobbing, followed by the sound of clanging metal turned Twilight’s head back to Princess Luna.

“You’ve lost! Can’t you see that?!” Princess Luna screamed as she prepared another strike.

She crashed against the bars and slid to the floor.

“Just give up!” she cried, “We’ve lost!”

Norse Pony’s comments: I liked the emotion in this piece. The war between Luna and Nightmare Moon was potently rendered, and Celestia’s stern willingness to let her sister suffer for the greater good was powerful. Overall, I liked it quite a lot.