91 Duo Luna?

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Longer chapter again!

And oh boy it's getting fun!

EEENJOY!!!

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Luna woke up groggily and instantly felt that something was not right.

Her eyes darted around and she instantly recognised that she was not in Equestria...well...not entirely.

"What...why am I in the Dream Realm..." She muttered confused unable to comprehend what was happening.

Suddenly a pillar of flames rose up from the ground startling the Princess who jumped out of Its way in a hurry. But just as it appeared, The fire subsided revealing a figure...

"Tia?..." Luna asked seeing the form of her Big Sister, but something wasn't right.

Celestia had that weird look in her eyes which caused Luna to suddenly remember what happened before she lost consciousness.

"Tia... What's going on. What are you doing?" She said But Celestia didn't reply. Instead, a creepy, disturbingly familiar laughter escaped her mouth before her body started to change.

Her nebulous colourful mane burst into crimson flames while her teeth sharpened, Her demeanor changed along with her apparel and Luna finally recognised why it felt so familiar. She went through the same thing once a thousand years ago...

"Sister...why...why did this happen?..." Her voice quivered as the Nightmarish version of Princess Celestia slowly approached her.

Luna took a step back involuntarily. What was she to do? Was there anything she could do to save her sister?

"Oh dear Sister...Don't you understand? it's all your fault. Thankfully you will have a chance to redeem yourself by helping me enamour Starfall. And if he resists...Well, as long as he's mine, it doesn't matter if it's voluntarily." She whispered to her sister with a wide grin.

"You...you won't succeed!" Luna said trying to move away from celestia but a wall of flames erupted behind her stopping her in her tracks.

"Oh...but I already did. Mwahahaha! After all, with your help he's already as good as mine." Celestial said before placing her hoof on Luna's chest and causing her body to get covered in crimson lightning.

Luna screamed as something she didn't expect to see ever again, started to seep from her body.

An ethereal, dark blue Mist slowly covered her body, seemingly growing thanks to the Crimson lightning as if both of them originated from the same source...

Before long Luna was gone, and in her place stood a Pony whom everyone considered to be already gone...

Nightmare Moon kneeled on the ground and spoke with a motionless voice.

"What is your order. My Queen."

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Starfall was truly confused at the moment. Just a few minutes ago, the detection spells he placed around the Royal Gardens were set off, indicating a malicious magic passing through them in unnaturally large quantities! He was almost certain that Discord got our from his prison, but to his surprise, the Statue was there intact and even the seal was untouched as if whatever magic passed through here was completely rejected by the Spirit of Chaos...

He didn't know what could have been the reason for the malicious magic and he didn't like this fact at all...

"*Sigh*... Nothing to do here anymore. I can't track it as it's already gone, and messing with time travel here to check it out would only cause more problems..." He muttered, opting to go back to the girls. Luna should already be back from her meeting with Celestia anyway...

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Everypony mounted the carriage and were soon on their way back to Ponyville.

"So Luna. What did Tia want from you?" Asked Starfall with a smile and Luna returned it although somehow, something wasn't right with her expression...

"Ah, nothing much. Just a Sister to Sister chat. We didn't see eachother for a while after all Starfall Blueblood." She explained and Starfall found it a bit weird that she used his full name.

"I...I see. So It's the-" He was interrupted by Luna.

"Starfall! Would it be alright if we went on a date tonight?" she asked out of the blue confusing Starfall.

"Huh? Sorry Luna, but I don't think I'll have much time tonight. Just escorting everypony to their respective homes would take a while, and I can't wait to finish my latest project so we should probably postpone it a day or two." Starfall explained causing Luna to nod in understanding.

"Then, could I help you in your project?" She asked finally and Starfall smiled.

"Of course. I don't think you would be able to understand much in a short time, but I'd appreciate the help nonetheless." He said and Luna's smile widened even though it still felt slightly unnatural...

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Somewhere in the depths of Luna's consciousness, a lone pony shuddered as she looked into the distance.

"Starfall...Don't listen to her...She's not me!" She called out but the only thing she got in return was silence.

She was about to continue screaming when the mist surroundings her like a prison converged into a face.

"He won't hear you..." Spoke the emotionless voice of Nightmare Moon...

"You...Why are you doing this? Why are you Listening to Tia?!" Luna screamed, but the expression of Nightmare Moon didn't change.

"The orders of my Queen are absolute." Was the only response she received, and for whatever reason Luna was suddenly filled with extreme anger.

"Your Queen?! YOUR QUEEN?! you are Nightmare Moon, are you not?! You don't take orders from anyone! Your sole creation was caused by my Selfishness and Pride in the first place!" Luna ranted, finding the sole idea of seeing Nightmare Moon as a mere servant to be an affront...

Silence permeated the darkness as the face of Nightmare Moon stared at her expressionlessly...

"...I shall not break my Queen's order..." She replied and Luna couldn't believe what she was hearing. This wasn't like Nightmare Moon. This wasn't like her... She would never bend a hoof over to someone else like this...Well maybe to Starfall... but only in bed!...but she wouldn't allow herself to become a slave, and what it entails, Nightmare Moon wouldn't allow so either.

Suddenly luna had an epiphany. This wasn't Nightmare Moon. Not really. She didn't have her individuality, Her memories...Her...Dreams...

The Princess of the night and dreams suddenly had an idea that made her laugh inwardly. 'Was that so simple?If it's the dreams you lack, allow me to give you a helping hoof...'

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"So... what are you doing here?" She asked the next day, looking at the chamber filled with different blueprints scattered everywhere, a plethora of weird equipment, ponysized crystal vats, and for some reason, stasis containers filled to the brim with self reproducing Hydra Flesh...

"Oh well...I don't really think its a good idea to explain it in detail, but in essence, I am trying to crack the technique of Flesh Restructurisation. Now don't stand like this and help me clean this place up. I just realized I won't get anywhere with the lab looking like it experienced an earthquake. Thankfully, the Gala helped me relax and realize it, or we'd be stuck here for at least another week haha..." He laughed awkwardly, as "Luna" began the work like he asked of her, while looking for a perfect moment to strike...

"I'm happy you decided to join me Luna. Twilight is often helping around, but she also has a few smaller projects of her own which she and Whooves usually tackle on their own. I really should go look for a few more Ponies to join the Lab, but the two I have in mind, live pretty far away, making it difficult..." He continued to chat with the Mare leisurely, slowly making the messy lab into a slightly less messy lab...

"Luna" was about to cast a spell when the doors to the chamber suddenly opened.

"Hey Starfall, Luna. Do you want some dandelion Sandwiches? I'm pretty sure you didn't have breakfast yet."Said Twilight walking into the lab with a tray of sandwiches floating beside her.

"Ah! Thank you Twilight. We'll gladly have some." He agreed taking the tray and kissing Twilight.

When she was gone, Starfall turned towards "Luna" and levitated a sandwich towards her. The Mare looked at the sandwich in confusion but something urged her to take a bite and she was surprised with how delicious the food actually was. It's important to mention that she didn't have anything to eat since the end of the Gala... Without her even realising it, her face bloomed into a genuine smile for the first time since yesterday...

The day passed by relatively quickly and only in the evening did she realise that she hadn't completed her mission.

'Tomorrow. Tomorrow my Queen shall receive her Starfall...'

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"Hey Dad! I'm home! Oh! good afternoon to you too, Luna. " Called out Spike after coming back from school. Since they moved to Ponyville, Starfall made sure to enroll the little Dragon in the school, so that he received a proper education (even though Starfall and Twilight did taught him a lot), and had the chance to enjoy interacting with fillies his age.

"Hey Spike. How was school?" He asked the little dragon. Neither noticing a slightly annoyed Luna behind Starfall, whose horn had just been releasing crimson sparks.

"Oh it was great! Miss Cheerilee said that we'll be going on a trip to the Royal Gardens in two days. Can I come?" He asked hopefully and Starfall smiled.

"Of course you can. Just make sure to not get into any trouble or fights during the trip alright?" Starfall said ruffling Spike's soft head fin... He wasn't worried about Discord escaping during the trip, and even if it happened, he would make sure to keep an eye out. This trip is supposed to be the last straw that releases him, though it might still take a little longer judging by the strength of the seal the last time he checked.

He could always strengthen the seal, but he did want to meet Discord in person...or in "Draconequs"...

"Ok Dad! Thanks!" He said excitedly before running up the stairs to his room, most likely to prepare for the excursion...

"Alright, Let's go back to the lab. I think I should be able to finish my project today... or at least the Blueprint..." He said, leading Luna into the Basement.

Luna looked at Starfall ready to cast the spell, but suddenly the memories of the previous night came to her mind.

She remembered sleeping in their bed after her failed attempt at casting the magic on Starfall. Said stallion holding her closely just as he did Twilight who was laying on his other side, effectively stopping her from acting as she wasn't confident in taking both of them at the same time...

She decided to postpone the mission for tomorrow, and her decision was totally not because the feeling of lying in his embrace was extremely enjoyable, not at all...

As her eyelids closed and her breathing stabilised, it wasn't long before the mare fell asleep, unaware that someone was waiting for exactly that moment...

Her dreams were weird. Not like something she would have expected to see, and somehow she wasn't sure what to think about it. She clearly remembered them. As if they were ingrained in her memory...The feelings, the emotions...They were much more than dreams...They were memories....

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As "Luna" followed Starfall down the lab, more and more fragmented memories fell into place. The time she ruled over the Ponies with her Sister in their Castle of Everfree. The time that Starswirl the Bearded was teaching them magic. atheir fight against Discord. Her first Time with Starfall...

One after the other "Luna" remembered her own story...but it wasn't truly hers, right?

Another memory came, of Luna watching sleeping ponies who ignored the beauty of the night. She remembered her anger, and the sight of a familiar blue mist slowly encompassing her form struck her dead in her place.

Her subsequent fight with her Queen followed by banishment to the moon. Her imprisonment, and return, only to get finally defeated by the Elements... Was that her story? But...No!...she is her Queen's servant! She wont fall for those tricks!

Luna arrived at the lab a bit late, ready to finish her job and return to her Queen, but was stopped in her tracks again as Starfall turned towards her excitedly.

"I-I Think I got it! Luna! Could you fetch me a Crystal Sphere with pinkish mist inside of it from the storage room? It should be on one of the pedestals. I'll be right back as I have to get something from another chamber..." He asked excitedly and Luna could only nod dumbly as he cast a spell to temporary lift the restrictions on her security card before leaving the chamber.

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Starfall walked with hasty steps, his excitement apparent, as he entered the containment chamber of the Mirror Pond.

There was a number of crystal vats similar to the ones in the previous lab set up along the walls of the Pond, but these ones were actually filled.

Two in particular caught Starfall's attention but he decided that maybe it's not that good of an idea to bring them both to the Lab while Luna is still there...

Starfall lifted up the vat with a pony which had a twin-like resemblance to a certain bubbly, party Mare, before sealing back the chamber and leaving towards the previous lab.

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"Luna" Entered the Storage room and looked for the pedestal that Starfall told her about. It wasn't long before she noticed it. A crystal sphere laid on top of it surrounded by a small barrier, but a quick swipe of the security card had the barrier dissolve, letting the mare pick up the Sphere and turn back to leave...only to stop in her tracks when she noticed something oddly familiar...

There, on an opposite pedestal laid a Sphere containing dark blue Mist, and that Mist called out to her, as if it wished to return to its rightful owner...

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Celestia sat on her throne feeling extremely impatient.

What was taking Luna so long!? She should have already came back with her Starfall!?

...Maybe...

...Maybe she should do it all by herself after all...clearly a silent approach wasn't effective, and she was getting bored hiding under this *Ugh* "kind" facade, like some weak goody four-hooves Mare, who isn't strong enough to take what she wants on her own...