Before I start the story, I'd just like to apologize to the moderation for this site. My story failed moderation twice because of a structure error. I fixed it the first time (It was already good in later chapters, proof that I've grown some as a writer over time), but I didn't click the "save" button as I fixed each chapter, and so all changes were undone. I know it probably seemed like I submitted it again to avoid having to fix it, which was not the case.

With that out of the way, here it is.

"Day" 46, Week 22. 7:46 AM.

It was a dark and stormy night. There had been a lot of those recently. Actually, nothing but. Ever since Nightmare Moon took over, Equestria hadn't exactly seen any sunlight whatsoever. It was getting to the point of insanity. None of the crops would grow, and when no crops grow; people starve. When people starve, chaos ensues; thus chaos was ensuing at a speedy rate. Discord must be laughing in his grave. But regardless, the ponies were in trouble. Something needed to change. Something needed to happen. And something did.

Crying. A flash, if it could be called that. Kind of an anti-flash. What little light there was in the chamber disappeared in a "flash" of inky darkness. A little foal lay bleeding, newly born and newly dead. Nightmare Moon got up to leave, trusting that her attendants, whom she ruled only by force, would remove the new corpse from the premises.

But she was wrong. It wasn't a corpse. By some miracle, the foal had survived the deathblow. He was in no condition to do much of anything, but the baby was alive. Luckily it had the sense or instinct to remain silent as Nightmare Moon left the chamber, or perhaps it was merely unconscious.

Regardless, one of the attendants DID remove the baby from the castle. Unbeknownst to the Queen however, she also removed herself and a first aid kit. The mare fled the city as fast as her hooves could carry her, and as fast as she dared with the precious cargo.

She boarded a train at the last moment before it left, leaping aboard as the gates closed. "Sorry sir, I know I don't have a ticket, but it's a matter of life and death." She gasped, out of breath.

The ticket manager thought for only half a second before his sense of morality kicked in and he conceded a spare ticket to the exhausted mare.

She breathed a sigh of thanks and they were off. Behind her, the city shrunk in the distance and so did her worries. But she was mistaken. On the board she prepared a basket to keep the baby in. Putting him down, she went to use the restroom.

Then the ceiling of the plane flew off. Shit. Purple Heart stood unblinking at the Moon Alicorn. Stupid alicorns. Always flying and ruining my day, she half-thought. Suicidally, knowing it was over and just praying that she could delay the Alicorn long enough for someone else to take in the foal, she dashed at nightmare moon.

Holding her in stasis, Nightmare Moon questioned Purple Heart. "WHERE IS HE!?" She screamed.

Passengers fled.

"Up your ASS!" Purple Heart screamed back. She paid dearly for that. Her screams of agony racked the night. But she didn't give in. Tortured to death until, ironically, her heart stopped receiving O2, that wonderful drug that ponies need to live. She asphyxiated and Nightmare Moon's rage could be felt throughout the city. But she never cracked. Even with her best spells, Nightmare Moon could neither force the information out, nor extract it from the brain of the Mare. She had done her best. Now it was up to the now harsh land of Equestria and any higher force that might exist to decide what happened next.

Within hours, Nightmare Moon pulled a Herod. She ordered all foals under the age of 4 months to be slaughtered. But it did no good. Nobody listened. Nightmare Moon ruled by absolute force. Nopony liked her and nopony listened to her unless they were personally threatened. She couldn't personally kill every foal in Canterlot, let alone Equestria. The foal had escaped, albeit quite the worse for wear.

Author's Note

Hey everypony. If you liked the opening, I would really like some feedback. This is my first story ever, fanfiction or otherwise; and I might have no talent for it whatsoever, but I thought I'd try it. I like new experiences, and since I read a lot to begin with this seems like a worthy venture.

If you didn't like it, I'd at least like to know why. I haven't written much fiction, and my story probably suffers from that. Advice is great no matter what, even if phrased in insults. I already have the basic plot planned out, but we'll see what happens in terms of the details. I am uploading this the same time as Chapter one, so at least you get a 1000 word sneak peak at what I have so far. Tell me what you think. And as far as I can tell, these will be uploaded either irregularly or not at all feedback and free time permitting. Have a wonderful day.

-EDIT 9/8/13-

I'm back with some more chapters. I now have a pretty damn clear idea of what I plan doing with this story. I already have the entire plot planned out, minus some revisions that I'm sure will pop up. But I already know what's going to happen and what themes I want to discuss and get across. Some shit is going to hit the fan when I get around to writing up Chapter 11. Have a nice day.