Children of the Night

by WriteAboutHorses

Rating: everyone
Tags: Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Nightmare Moon, Adventure, Princess Celestia
Length: 1614

Princess Luna proposes to her sister to star a new colony outside of Equestria, but Princess Celestia forbids it. Luna decides to carry on with her plan anyway.

After Discord's defeat, Equestria was slowly recovering. Misery was everywhere, and orphaned children were found everywhere on the streets of Canterlot, only some were lucky enough to be taken to orphanages. Princess Luna proposed to form a new colony, where everypony can grow strong and happy, but Celestia forbade it, in fear of such an action dividing and shattering the weakened kingdom, forever. But Luna decides to carry on with her plan in secret anyway.
(Based on Children of the Night, by Duo Cartoonist)
Come Little Children is used somewhat throughout this story, the opening and closing monologues belong to Duo Cartoonist and Come Little Children belongs to Disney (I think)

Published 2013-09-25 22:10:02 UTC
Last updated 2014-02-09 13:39:23 UTC

The Proposal

I still remember it like it was yesterday, though it was countless moons ago. After he was defeated, not much of our once beautiful home was left. And the two brave ones that stood up for us all, ruled Equestria from then on.

One day, the younger one, saddened by her daily struggles, proposed to form a new colony, where all of us would grow strong and happy! But the elder one, forbade it. For she felt that it would divide and shatter the weakened kingdom, forever.

"Sister, I must speak to you." Princess Luna announced as she entered the throne room of Canterlot Castle.

"Yes, Luna what is it?" Princess Celestia asked her younger sister.

"I've had enough of this. The ponies of Equestria do not need to suffer like this. Discord's reign of chaos has doomed this land."

"I understand Luna, but we will recover." Celestia assured.

"But what if we don't? We need to expand out kingdom so that we have survive-able land to live on."

"Luna. I'm saying it again, we will recover." Celestia's voice was becoming more stern. At this point in time, she lacked most of the patience she would have later in her time as a princess.

"You can't see just how much ponies are suffering. We're going through a drought, the crops have all died. Canterlot is filled with orphans thanks to our war with Discord." Luna argued.

"Fine, I'll listen. How do you plan on 'expanding the land'?" Celestia asked.

"I suggest that we form a new colony, there's land not used by any of the surrounding kingdoms just past the Caneighdian forest."

"No, Luna. We can't. The land is suffering enough, as you have said, expanding it will not help matters." Celestia sighed.

"But, expanding our land means we can have more livable land for our subjects. The land we have now is dying. We can't just sit around and wait for things to get better. We need to act!"

"Luna! I'm telling you again, we will survive with the land we have now. Equestria will recover. Now will you please drop this silly proposal?"

"Silly?" Luna fumed. "My proposal could save Equestria, and you're telling me it's silly?"

"Luna please." Celestia begged.

"I promise you sister, if we can prove that expanding our land can help with our current problems, Equestria could thrive, like I said sitting around and waiting for things to get better won't wo--"

"LUNA!" Celestia burst out. This sudden use of the Royal Canterlot Voice made Luna almost jump out of her coat.

"Just hear me out. I think the orphaned children should be the first to experience this new land. We need to bring them somewhere where they are not constantly reminded of certain tragic events. We know how they feel, Tia, we lost our parents in this war too."

Celestia turned her head to see a portrait of her and Luna's parents, King Artemis and Queen Apolla. She sighed.

"Luna, we can't bring children to somewhere we haven't explored yet, it could be dangerous." The older alicorn stated.

"But, I can stay with them, protect them until one or more of them are old enough to take care of themselves and the rest of the group."

"Luna, for the last time, no!" Celestia hissed.

Luna sighed. "You have no idea what you have done, sister." The younger princess left the throne room and left her sister staring at the portrait of their lost parents.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Luna paced in her bedroom that night. She was torn between what to do.

"I must act, but my sister forbids it. What can I do?" She asked her reflection in the mirror.

"Princess." A guard knocked on the door.

"Come in." Luna replied. A night guard bearing a silver armor entered the night princess' bedroom.

"Princess Celestia insists that I keep an eye on you, she fears you may do something she does not agree with."

"Ok." Luna sighed. "But stand outside. A princess does not appreciate stallions watching her sleep."

"Of course, your highness. But I cannot promise you I will not enter, I have been told to check on you every hour." The guard warned.

"That's ok, if my sister has her doubts, who am I to insist her wise instincts are incorrect?" Luna said, trying hard to not seem suspicious.

"Rest well, your highness. If you need anything, I will be outside until dawn."

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Luna awoke in darkness. Of course, since it was her job to lower the moon, she always awoke in darkness, but it was late. Luna looked out the window at her bright, full moon and calculated the time, she concluded that it was around 2 AM. Time to put her plan into action.

Remembering that a night guard was outside, she stealthily slid out of her bed and flapped her wings so she hovered quietly to the door. She silently opened it a mili-crack and saw the guard. Luckily, his back was turned, so he did not see the alicorn peering out at him. Luna lit her horn and wrapped her blue aura around the guard's head, he instantly collapsed into a deep sleep.

Luna did not like using that spell, but it insured that he would be out cold until dawn, meaning she had plenty of time to escape. She made her way over to the balcony and looked out over the city. Even from above, anypony could tell that Canterlot was suffering. Luna could see homeless ponies, mostly children, crowding the streets, sleeping under cardboard blankets and others used a collection of rags poorly sewn together. Luna needed to change this, and she knew how.

Come little children, I'll take thee away, into a land of enchantment. Come little children, the time's come to play, here in my garden of shadows

Come Little Children

Luna flew down from her balcony onto the darkened streets of Canterlot. The street light candles were starting to be snuffed out by an enchanted wind.

Luna continued to sing her song quietly. Her song contained a spell that would awaken the orphaned children and draw them to her, so that she could take them away for a new and better life.

Luna spotted the Canterlot Orphanage for Fillies and Colts. She trotted closer to the building, still whispering her siren song to the wind. Lights began to turn on in the orphanage. Her enchanted song was working.

A window was opened over the main door. She lit her horn and levitated the children she had awoken through it. To her surprise she had only grasped the attention of 3 young foals. Maybe her siren spell was a little rusty.

Luna flapped her wings and ascended into the sky. The children floated up after her, chasing their new mother, and her magical song. More foals floated out of their orphanage rooms and foster homes, carried into the sky by their attraction to Luna's song.

Soon, Luna had attracted about 12 foals with her siren spell. It wasn't as much as she intended, but it was enough. She continued singing as the 12 foals followed her towards the horizon.

^^^^^^^^^^^^"Sister please! It doesn't have to be like this!

"Yes it does! Nobody cares about me, you didn't even worry about me when I left, why should I listen to you?"

"Please! I can help you, you're not who you think you are."

"Enough! I will not let you speak of me like I am not important anymore. Everybody only loves you. Not me, when I'm finished with you they'll have to love me! Because I will be the only princess in Equestria!"

"No....."

"LUNA!!!"

Celestia awoke with a jump. That nightmare had scared her so much it shocked her awake, or was it just the dream?

She sensed something was wrong. She got up from her bed and walked to her balcony. She looked up at the moon. Judging by it's position, it was about 4AM. Celestia looked down at the darkened streets of Canterlot.

She looked at all the ponies who were staggering around, looking for somewhere warm to sleep. Celestia wished that there were more rooms in the castle so that she could help these poor homeless ponies. Maybe Luna was right, maybe the scabs left by Discord won't heal. Then Celestia realized what was worrying her.

Luna.

Without even putting on her necklace, crown or shoes, Celestia tore out of her room and down the corridor, to the surprise of the two stallions standing guard outside her room.

As she crossed the bridge leading to Luna's secluded tower, she saw the guard sleeping on the floor.

"No..." Celestia gasped. She burst into Luna's room to find it empty. The doors to the balcony were wide open and the curtains were flowing in the wind.

Celestia looked out to see if she could find Luna, but she was unsuccessful. She was gone, and there was no way she was coming back anytime soon.

"Oh Luna, why didn't I listen to you?" Celestia sighed. She suddenly remembered the location Luna was talking about and wondered if she should go after her, but quickly decided not to, as it could upset Luna and she would never come back.

A little while later, Celestia flew to her balcony to begin raising the sun. She stood there patiently waiting to see if the moon would go down, signalling that Luna was ok and had no forgotten her duties.

The moon began to lower, and Celestia smiled as she flew up into the air and raised the sun. She was happy to know her sister was ok.