Children of the Night
(AN- This story was inspired by a YouTube animation called "Children of the Night". If you haven't seen it and like Princess Luna, I suggest you check it out. It also has the song, sung by princess Luna, in the animation also. Highly recommend checking it out. The story doesn't tie in with the video though, it stands alone. This isn't my first fanfic, but it is my first Mlp one. If you may be interested in Alpha and Omega be sure to check me out at SilverWolf1500. Thanks and please enjoy. I do not own anything MLP: FIM, just my imagination. Also the narration and writings in episode 1-2, season 1 that is referenced and stated in the story are not mine. I hope it's big enough! *squee* I'm ready to start with a bang! Please enjoy!)
Children of the Night
One thousand years.
This was the sentence of Princess Luna's banishment. For one thousand years she was exiled to the moon, everypony knows that. She was cast away from Equestria for trying to rule the land of her big sister. This is what every pony knows since she came back. In an epic battle she faced many equestrians for the land they live on. Had she won, I may not be out here today, but in Equestria where we would no longer lurk in the shadows we grew accustomed to, or the cold, dark, and lonely nights we faced after every sundown. But that is not so, and for the better it isn't. We dwell out here peacefully, and that is the reason I am writing. I am calling out to earth ponies, pegasus, unicorns, and even alicorns alike, so they may hear the true story. The truth that wasn't written in the Equestrian history books. A truth that, like a whisper, was swept away by the wind. This is the true story of Nightmare Moon, our Queen.
—"Thou must maketh room for these outcasts sister! As co-ruler of this empire that has been given to us, I shall not stand for this.. This brutality that thou hast brought upon this poor land!" Luna spreads out her wings and stomped her hoofs, expressing her discontent.
"How dare thee blaspheme thy sister's name!" Celestia turns her face away from her sister. "You know I do all that's in thy power to serve my people graciously."
"Well is isn't enough!" Luna barks. "What about the less fortunate? The ponies that must lurk through the shadows to survive? Doest thou even think of them? Doest thou even care?" The clicks of the night princess's hoofs against the marble floor echo in the silence of the night.
"Of course I do.." Celestia's voice trails off as the truth of the reality hangs on the tip of her tongue. But some invisible force keeps the words from flowing. The cold, painful truth. If she were to accept these ponies her sister fights for into her kingdom, her subjects would be smothered by the dark.
There is a reason the shadow dwellers are at the condition they are. And at the time Luna could not even open her eyes she was so young, so she wouldn't understand. Understand the catastrophic devistation that they brought, and most certainly will bring, upon Equestria. For many years ago, whenever Celestia was a mere filly, a revolution took place. Celestia remembers it fully, for it was the day her parents fell in battle. Equestria lost its King and Queen, and it was a sad day for all. Once the war ceased, an elder of the land cursed the ponies who have killed the royalty who ruled to eternal darkness. This transformed these ponies into shadowlings, and this Luna doesn't understand. Had she known what the ponies she tries to defend has done, she would not be in favor of them. Not one bit worth of support. But Celestia cannot tell this to Luna, for Luna will only think Celestia is feeding her lies to get her to quiet her bickering.
It was also the day Celestia was pronounced princess, and official ruler, of Equestria. The youngest mare in history to rule the throne. She was of age seven. Now the princess's are still very young, and still most subjects at this time have already lived longer than these two princesses. Others more than the two princesses combined. A large factor of inexperience rests on these two's shoulders, causing strife amongst the royal family.
"Thou obviously doesn't care in the slightest." Luna spits. "I cannot believe I am forced to rule with such stupidity!"
Celestia's eyes widen, and she slowly turns around to face her sister. "No one in all of Equestria is forcing you to the throne!" Fire burns in the sun princess's eyes. "I don't know what I must have done to deserve a sister who is against my flank at all times!"
"I am only against you because thou does not respect those who are lower than you. The ones who weren't fortunate enough to be born into royalty." Luna's breath picks up as rage warms up the princess's insides.
"Lies!" Celestia yells. This argument is really getting out of hand this time around. Tensions have always been high in the royal castle since the Crystal Empire was lost to a curse King Sombra laid on it after Celestia and Luna defeated him a year or so ago. Luna felt like she failed the crystal ponies, who were doomed to a state of nothing for over a thousand years, and now she is looking for a chance to redeem herself, but she isn't looking in the right direction.—
Speaking of the Crystal Kingdom, I have some information on that whole ordeal, but let's save that for another time, shall we? I mean, I don't want to overload you, don't I?
—"Thou feeds off lies. 'Princess Celestia, the most kind ruler this land has seen.' You have tricked everyone in your light, but you cannot deceive my people." Luna hisses.
Celestia takes a step back. "Your people? Thou art adopting the very kind that tried to destroy the very foundation of this empire? The very ones that strike a chord of terror towards the dark in my ponies!"
"And for good reason! Obviously their reasons were true and just. The ruling here is corrupt. But no matter, I can make another city for them, a place where they can dwell."
"No! You will divide this empire and send what's left of the pieces to burning ashes."
"Then it would be an improvement. Ever since our parents left you with the ruling, all you have done is shame their name." Luna rams these choice words down princess Celestia's throat, hitting every one of her soft spots. Not only treading on mighty thin ice, but flat out stomping on it, shattering it completely.
"How DARE Thee!" Celestia fires a bolt of magic from her horn, sending Luna sliding across the smooth floor. The glow around her horn, and malice in her eyes, fades as she runs up to her sister. "Oh Luna!" She gasps. Celestia didn't know what overcome her to do such thing. It isn't like her to loose her cool demeanor. "I had no means to attack you over pity words. I'm so sorry." She extends a hoof out to her sister who lays on the cold floor, and makes a mental note to work on her anger.
"Enough!" Luna screeches, and Celestia jumps back. "There is only room for one princess!" Her body pulses and grows twice as tall as before, her usual blue skin blackens, and fangs extend from her usual flat teeth. A blue helmet forms above Luna in midair, then rests on her head.
Celestia cowers back in surprise and fear. "L..Luna? Is something wrong..?"
With pure hatred in Luna's eyes she trots foreward as Celestia backpedals. A bolt of lightning strikes a mere inches from the side of the castle, sending a wave of light through the large room for a second, the light covers everything but Luna herself, who has darkness engulf her. The only light seen is from her white eyes.
The thunder that crashes immediately after shatters all of the stained glass that was used to decorate the room beautifully when rays of sunlight would strike them. But that is no more, for it scattered in shards that shower over the two Alicorns. The force knocks Celestia down, and the loud boom leaves her ears ringing a solid note.
The frantic screeching of angry bats fill the room as they surround the monster Luna has become. They swarm together to form a long cape, and Luna hangs suspended in the air. "YOUR RULING IS NO MORE! Be prepared sister, for the collapse of your throne of lies, and for eternal darkness!" And like that, black clouds fill the sky, smothering the stars. Only the full moon peeks out from behind all the clouds. The moon slowly turns blood red, casting the eeriest of lights that shine over a falling Equestria.
In the rays of the red moonlight Luna flies. "Come shadowlings! And take what's rightfully yours. No longer will you be restrained to the darkness!" Luna pulses out a black sphere of magic that covers all of Equestria, releasing the shadow ponies from the curse that bound them to their jails of darkness. Slowly and with much uncertainty, ponies step out of the shadows behind houses, alleyways, and every other nook and cranny. Once they realize the curse is finally broken they flood from these places. Hooting and hollering they storm the roads of Canterlot.
Inside the castle still lies Celestia. Guards bust inside the room in time to know the city will need to be fought for, but none knows who is really behind the uprising. None other than Celestia, who cries for her lost sister.—
I am a shadowling, child of the night! Now listen, before you make assumptions and judge us, put yourself in our horseshoes. We were starving, forced to lurk in darkness, terrified of the pain light would bring. We were cursed because of the revolution our ancestors waged against the castle many years ago. The youngest of those who were a part of the revolution that cursed us have long been dead. Our generation many years later suffered for the actions of ponies past, but there was nothing we could do. But all of a sudden, there was a change. We were given release from the pain, and were given a chance to fight back. Dazed from years of neglect, we sprang at the chance. Oh how glorious the opportunity felt. Yes, we did know the ponies we fought against were innocent. But they were fortunate. How come they were able to walk in the light freely? Not a belly was unfed. They had the life we didn't. They had the life we wanted. So the built up madness was unleashed.
Another note I want to point out, this isn't the royal we I am using. I didn't live through any of this. Well, I did, but this was way before my time. I was actually born up here. But I can indeed feel the emotions from the elder ponies as they tell their story. And, in the middle of the day, as I perform my everyday activities, I dream of these happenings. Each and every day it is the same thing, yet more and more vivid. I was there, I mean, I might have well been, due to the past that lives in me at the moment. I couldn't take it anymore, so I am writing all of it down, in hopes to clear my head, and spread the truth of your past. So I may dream of a different past. In all honesty, this past I live in scares me. I need release and relief. The only way I can accomplish this is through the ink that hangs on the tip of my quill, and the paper on which my writing tattoos.
I probably should introduce myself before I am labeled mentally insane. My name is Silverstar. I am one of the many that dwell amongst the stars. Well, the moon, but I like to think we are star dwellers. I, like every other shadowling, have what could be described as bat-like wings. Many defend theirselves and say that they resemble dragon's wings, but I am sure we all have no idea what a dragon even looks like. Other than Princess Luna of course.
Anyways, the wings are just for show nowadays. The feeling of weightlessness here on the moon leaves them pointless. Almost as if they were vestigial, but I like to use mine regularly. Keep them warm. They are also good with writing, turns out.
Other than the wings, we look like the drawings of Earth ponies look. Even more than Pegasus, because our bodies aren't slim and our bones are not light. Not light for earth standards, but I'd say they are pretty light out here in the low gravity of space.
Enough about how I look. I was born about 983 years after Nightmare Moon was sent to the moon. In the beginning she was a.. a caring ruler. She wasn't very kind, according to the elders, but she protected us. Kept us fed and safe. We were all grateful towards her, for bringing us here. Without this we would have died out on earth. You may live in a world of peace, but long ago, blood was indeed shed for the land you peacefully trot on without a care in the world.
—The screams of light and dark ponies alike fill the night, and the ominous black clouds bounce these horrid cries of pain back down to everyponies ears yet again. The children and pregnant women that were unable to fight were huddled in a corner in their house, listening and shaking, tears in their eyes, as the booming thunder rolled in the night, and the echoing screams of their loved ones falling in battle filling their head. It was a brutal sight.
The shadowlings would fly around ponies, then sweep down and sink their teeth into their necks and backs. Unicorns would fight back with their magic, simple levitation spells mostly, and it lowered the number of attacking shadowlings drastically. Don't get me wrong, a levitation spell with dark intent can do a great deal of damage to anypony. Some unicorns desperately resorted to shanking close range shadowlings with their horn. Teeth gnashed, hoofs were swung, magic was performed, blood was shed, but, throughout this ordeal, not one side showed any signs of giving up. They all had something to fight for. The shadowlings had freedom and everyone else had family.
The sounds of battle reached the fallen princess's ears, and with the grace and poise of a true, experienced princess, she picks herself up and onto her hoofs. Slowly she lets one tear fall from her eye, and that is the last of the tears. She may have lost her little sister, but she will not lose her empire. And she will do anything to make it so.
'If this is what Luna wants', Celestia stamps her hoof on the broken glass covered marble floor, 'so be it.'—
Toward the end of the thousand years Nightmare Moon was banished, she became more like princess Luna. Rarely did she wear the blue armor her evil counterpart designed. She was very kind at this point. I've seen her look from atop her castle up here on the moon toward the great earth with what looked like sadness and regret in her eyes. But she never did show this to her shadowing subjects. No, she wanted us to believe she cared for us so much that it was all worth it.
I'm not saying she didn't, because she really did, and I truly feel her love for each one of us. It's just that she wished things were different, probably with her and her sister more than anything.
—"Finally come out to play, princess?" Luna taunts as she floats over the bloodbath that ensues below, whenever the princess steps out to the broken wall of her throne room. Violent wind whirls around in the throne room through the new renovation Luna graciously gave this castle.
Celestia's face is that of a proper lady that has been faced with a minor inconvenience. "Enough games Luna. Surrender now or face the consequences."
Nightmare Moon lets out a cackle. "Luna. You still refer to me as my weak stage." She swoops down to Celestia. "I am no longer Luna. Luna was weak. I am Nightmare Moon!" A bolt of lightning strikes as she yells. The over dramatic tone and special effects hides the poor princess trapped beneath this Nightmare Moon.
"But Luna was way stronger than this Nightmare Moon will ever be" Celestia spits.
"Absurd! I am much stronger now!" Nightmare Moon swoops down and lands in front of a determined Celestia. "More lies coming from your filthy mouth."
"You are weak." Celestia glares at her, her pink hair hanging over her left eye, and her chest sticking out defiantly.
"I am not weak!" Nightmare's horn glows dark blue and sends Celestia skidding off the floor and into a large bookcase. "Who are you to call me weak, if you cannot counter a mere magic bolt?" She shouts into the pile of books Celestia is buried under.
Celestia thrusts all the books off of her with a repulsion spell, and pulls out all of the broken glass from her flank she acquired as she skid amongst the shards. Blood starts to trickle from the cuts, and Celestia can already feel the large bruise that is growing by the second on her left hind leg. Her determined eyes meet Nightmare Moon's.
"You are weak!" Celestia's voice raises as she walks closer to Nightmare.
"I am not!" She screeches, sending Celestia spinning across the floor once again.
The princess of the sun slams her back into a wall, her ears ring and her vision blurs as her head hit the stone wall. Her wings, helpless, crunch from impact. Slowly she picks herself up, wincing as she tried to unfold one wing, and fails. Rage fills Celestia to the top. "YOU ARE WEAK!" She screams, her voice and body shaking violently.
"NO!" Nightmare Moon bellows, throwing every bit of magic she could muster into sending Celestia straight through the walls of her stone castle.
Celestia's eyes shut as she busts through solid stone and falls from the side of her castle. The stone rubble falls along side her, and she wonders if this plan will even work. She doesn't know how strong Nightmare Moon's magic really is, and it all would be pointless if she dies when she hits the ground, which is a big possibility due to the distance from her castle to the ground.
The air is filled with a silent dread, as both sides watch as Celestia falls from her castle. Seconds seem to tick slower than usual as the distance from the princess and the ground quickly lessens. A sickening crunch echoes in the night sky as the princess slams against the dirt many feet below her castle, and the pitter-patter of broken stone that lands on and around her fill the silence.
Covered in dust, Celestia coughs. Clearly, due to the pain and immobilization, her back is broken. The ponies, caught of guard by the downfall of their princess, get blindsided by the shadowlings, who feel as if they are close to winning this battle.
Nightmare Moon floats down, looking out of breath. "Look at you.. Calling me.. weak. This ends.. here.." Only small sparks leave Nightmare Moon's horn.
"You're right, my sister." Celestia wheezes. She starts to chant unintelligible words, but as each word she says escapes her blood covered lips, her voice grows in power. Her eyes glow black as the spell flows from her mouth.
"You are hereby cast from Equestria
The time you owe us all is now due
So you are banished for a millennia
On your prison, your home, the moon."
A millenia, because Celestia knew how much Luna cared for the Crystal Empire, and whether she be Nightmare Moon or Luna when she returns, Celestia knows she wouldn't want to miss the return of the sparkling kingdom. But the princess is unsure if one thousand years will suffice, or would it just anger Nightmare Moon more.
That is for future Celestia to worry over. Present Celestia focuses on ridding Nightmare Moon and the shadowlings from her empire.
White fog rolls over the ground around the two princesses. Celestia's horn glows bright white and a magical sphere starts surrounding Nightmare Moon.
But Celestia made the mistake of opening her eyes, and instead of seeing her enemy, she saw her sister. Luna stared at her sister with big, sad eyes. "Why are you hurting me?" She pleaded, in Luna's innocent voice. "What did I do? Stop hurting me sister! Please!!"
This makes Celestia hesitate for a split second, and Nightmare Moon returns in an instant and lunges at her throat. Nightmare Moon's fangs scrape the skin on Celestia's neck, just before the white ball of magic wraps fully around her and pulls her back, stopping the teeth from digging any further.
"You just wait Celestia! One thousand years and I'll have the head of you and all your precious ponies! Pe prepared for your downfall, because I will be there to rip out your throat! Come shadowlings! Be free! Come with me to a land of prosperity! To the moon!" All the shadowlings, who watched from the bloody battle, were also surrounded by a white ray of magic. And like that, Nightmare Moon and her subjects are rocketed to the moon.
Now one mare in particular, a unicorn to be precise, calmly rushes to Celestia's side. This mare, Rosebud, plays only the most significant role in saving the princess's life. She is also the sixth great-grandmother of Twilight Sparkle, hence the princess's fondness to her most faithful student, but that comes later. Almost a thousand years later.
"Don't move princess." Says the unicorn soothingly into Celestia's ears. This unicorn seems unaffected by the masses of gravely injured and dead that lay around. She only has one focus, and that is to take care of the figurehead of Equestria. "I'll tend to your wounds. You have done quite enough, my Princess."
Tears flow from her eyes, and blood from everywhere else. Celestia's body is frozen in place, and if she were to try, is immobile. "Luna.." Celestia whispers. She looks up at the moon, and watches as the craters swirl together to make the shape of a pony. With that, a few stars, slightly brighter than the rest, sit next to the moon, making sure the banished princess remains. "I'm so sorry.."
Many other unicorns tend to the wounded, whether they have any medical experience or not. Either way, everypony was covered in blood, wether it was from another pony, or from themselves.
With the gentleness of a mother, the unicorn slowly wraps up the princess in bandage tape, splints up her back, and sets her down on a stretcher. Two male unicorns lift the stretcher and follow the orders of Rosebud, as Celestia blacks out from the excruciating pain.—
The saddest a community of ponies as a whole can be is when their princess is injured. And this was the case for months after the attack of Nightmare Moon. Demoralization weighed heavy in the hearts of all ponies, whether they lived in the sky or on the ground. The sky was a dull grey at all times, because the pegasus couldn't focus on their job. No one walked the streets anymore. In the time Celestia was injured, many shops closed down, and the economy of Equestria was struggling. But Rosebud worked long and hard every day with the princess to fix this. You could say she is the reason Equestria bounced back on its feet after the revolt. Almost, but not quite. There were still many barriers that must be overcome to fully boost the spirits of Equestria. Some, although they may have seemed immoral, were very necessary.
—"Now princess, I know this won't feel pleasant, but I need you to unfold your wings." Said the young unicorn Nurse Rosebud. "It is imperative to the future well being of your wings that we constantly stimulate the blood flow my keeping your wings mobile. This will help heal them faster than splinting them up would."
Sprawled out on a suspended stretcher is the princess, who lays on her stomach as the nurse surveys the damage. The princess is a proper mare, so she doesn't complain about the discomfort the splint that wraps around her back is giving her.
"Take a deep breath in, unfold, then breathe out. You will be done before you know it." Rose assures the princess.
"Alright." Celestia takes in a deep breath, then works on her wings. Red covers her vision, and it takes all the princess has, and then some, to not cry out in pain.
"You are doing very good your highness, just a few more inches." Rosebud coaxes.
"Mmf." Celestia tries not to let out a cry of pain as her wings let out a loud crack.
"Good job, princess." Rose starts to inspect the wings. "You may breathe out now."
Without realizing it, Celestia has been holding air in her lungs for a solid half minute after the snap of her wings. She breathes out and closes her eyes, exhausted from the physical toll just unfolding her crushed wings did to her.
"Now now Princess," Rose coos. "Don't you worry. Your wings will be relieved of the pain in no time. I cannot guarantee that you would ever be able to fly again. At least, not for long periods of time. But you are a princess! You will have royal chariots carry you places." Rose giggles for the rather young mare she is. "Ah it must feel great. The wind beneath your wings. I can't fly, of course. I've never flown, the furthest I've even fallen is about two feet. But anyways, how is it?"
The princess smiles, knowing good and well that Rosebud is drawing attention to a conversation so Celestia will forget about the pain. And the princess is fine with that, and she hopes it will work. "It is very relaxing. It's a feeling of freedom, looking at the vast expanse of sky, knowing that you could go anywhere. Nothing is stopping you, but you still stay behind."
"Sounds lovely." The unicorn sighs, her horn glows as she massages Celestia's wings, preparing them for treatment. "Ah, isn't this great? Not the part where you are severely injured, indeed no! But I mean, at least from my perspective, I'm helping out by far the greatest mare in all of Equestria. In all of Earth, I'd say. But maybe not so much as from your perspective, because you are trapped in this room, hurt, and listening to by far the most annoying mare in Equestria. My oh my I'm so sorry, I've never spoken so out of turn in my life, forgive me my princess. I'm just quite excited to be treating someone so high up as you."
Celestia smiles. "I don't mind at all. You seem to know a lot about nursing, and I thank you for the help."
"It's no problem my princess-"
"Please, call me Celestia."
"But I cannot do such a thing!" Rose gasped.
"I insist. Do call me Celestia."
"But Princess, I am not one to address royalty by their birth name. I'm just a middle class pony." Rose says. "I am not worthy of such a privilege."
"Nonsense!" Celestia looks Rosebud in the eye. "You saved my life. You were the first to aid me, and you will always be known in my eyes as my friend."
Rose's face lights up. "Really?"
"Of course." Celestia smiles. "And for now on, I appoint thee, Rosebud, as the Canterlot Castle Nurse."
"You know my name?" Rose shakes, her eyes as big as the moon. Thinking of the moon saddens Celestia, but she brushes this off. This is a moment of happiness, not remorse.
"Of course I do. I take my time to learn all of the names of the ponies who look up to me. It is when I do not know one of my citizens name that my reign will feel fake." Celestia says firmly.
"Canterlot Castle Nurse!" Rosebud whispers excitedly. "Oh, Thank you your high-" Rose stops herself, and stands up from bowing. "I mean, Celestia." She says shyly. "Now if you would, I need you to turn over."
Celestia sighs. "Of course." She braces herself for extreme discomfort. —
Treatment went as following until finally Celestia's back healed. It was a long, tiring process that lasted just under 12 months. And, at the end of the twelve months, Celestia was finally released from her bed for good. The feeling was pure happiness for the princess.
—Ah the feeling of stretching the legs that have not had a proper walk in ages was indescribable. Giddy as a filly Celestia trots around in the palace garden, feeling the warm late-spring sun shine against her white coat. Oh how she missed the sun. The sun was her task, and it was fairly difficult to raise and lower the sun whenever you couldn't see it. The princess's apologies to those who were affected by the irregular rise and fall of the sun for the past year.
Now the moon, Celestia didn't want any part of. Not while she was in bed at least. She appointed a fine young mare to handle it, and she has done a swell job. At least, the princess didn't hear any complaining. But the time of laziness is over, so the princess will work with the moon starting tonight.
And, if Celestia's royal calendar-colt is correct, tomorrow will mark one year since Luna was banished to the moon. So Celestia sits down on her flank and thinks. There should be a celebration for this occasion, for without the defeat of Nightmare Moon, the sun would not be up.
But this made the princess sad, for she didn't want to celebrate the banishment of her own sister. No, they will celebrate the sun. And it shall be called the Summer Sun celebration. Luna will have her own holiday.
Nightmare night. A night that will drive fear into many, in hopes to relish in the history of Equestria. Have the ponies enjoy some spook. But, in a more fun and timely manner than, say, chucking them into the everfree forest.
Celestia trots back inside and makes her way to the throne room. Content with her decisions. Calling upon the calendar-colt, she sits, then makes herself comfortable. On his arrival, he hands her a parchment, and on it, the calendar. She stares at the date of the next day. Sighing, she asks for a writing utensil. She circles the date, then writes the numbers 999 on it.
"I would like the herald to see me please." Celestia sends of the colt.
A few moments later a pony walks in. "Yes, my princess."
"I want you to take a note of this and spread it through Canterlot and Cloudsdale." The princess orders, sitting tall in her throne.
"Yes, your highness." He pulls out paper and unrolls it, ready for the inking.
"On this day, it has been decided that the royal castle here in Canterlot shall host a celebration. In light of summer approaching tomorrow, we shall hold a gathering to watch the rise of the sun. For a year ago from tomorrow, the sun may have not ever risen again. It shall be named the Summer Sun Celebration, where the festivities will reflect our pride in our kingdom and our civilians that live here. Tomorrow, in Canterlot square, the most extravagant of parties shall be held. Everypony is invited to join."
"Is that all, my princess?"
"Yes Fireheart. Go, spread the news." Celestia sends the stallion off. She turns to the guards that stand in attention on either side of her throne. "Guards, I want you to search the land for ponies to help with the preparation of the First Annual Summer Sun Celebration. —
The party was by far the most festive the land has ever seen. The ponies rejoiced! For their world that they fought for was won! And their fears and losses were partied away, preserving the true spirit of Equestria, but only for one day.
Now the story doesn't end here. No, I just scraped the beginning. Only five years have passed up to this point, the princess working on her wings. The best she can do is glide, but the princess works with a stallion who specialized in physical therapy to all ponies to improve. And Equestria was still faltering. Under the rule of Celestia, the ponies were happy, but demoralized. The loss of their family and friends stuck like a thorn in their fragile hearts.
In short, The entire incident needed a cover up. At least, that is what the last elder left in the castle said. He believed that in no way should this battle be remembered, because it is tearing all of the ponies of Equestria apart.
—"I feel it is best if this battle is erased from the minds of your subjects, princess. Yes, the memories of the deceased ponies will be no more, but it is a small price to pay to bring back the usual cheer and success of Equestria." A stallion, age evident everywhere else except in his eyes, which sparkle as if he were still young, presents his opinion on the matter at hand.
Celestia sits on her throne, listening to the elder, and isn't to fond of what he says. She also makes it clear that she isn't fond of what he says. "How could thou think of doing such an unforgivable thing? Wiping the minds of helpless civilians, covering an embarrassing past? How dare thee even think that I would support such petty behavior. Let time do its own work without your mindless meddling. Leave my presence with thou's clouded mindset!" Celestia grumps.
"I'm sorry my princess. Of course, you know better. I'll be on my merry ol' way, good day your highness." The elder pony executes a pitiful bow toward the frowning princess, then slowly shambles out of the room. Three hours of slow walking later, the old stallion arrives at, then enters, his home. Loudly clearing his throat, he sits down and with no effort whatsoever, lights the many candles on his table. Using magic, he places a pair of spectacles on his nose, then searches through the mass of chests that litter the large room.
Taking a slow, deep breath, he lifts a large, glowing stone from a chest in the far corner of the room, then brings it toward him, setting it on the small wooden table in front of him. From this radiant stone he carefully carved six items, which today we know them as the elements of harmony. Now this elder knew the outcome of his plan would not be great if he didn't have a plan to stop Nightmare Moon from destroying Equestria in a thousand years. And in many ancient prophecies, they mention six ponies along with describing their personalities and their future cutie marks.
In all honesty, this whole making of six stones started as just a mere cover story to the elder. If these ponies had some sort of significance to be written in a scroll many millennia ago, then jewelry fashioned out of their personalities could be helpful down the road. So once he finished with the stones, he makes five into necklaces. Just before reaching for the sixth stone a bright white light fills the room, and the elder's eyes close.
In a vision he saw the six ponies mentioned in the text of his ancestors. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie. All six were wearing the elements that he is making, but the last one, the star, was a crown instead of a necklace. He saw the elements' magic work together, then the vision fades.
After a long pause, he continues back to working on his elements. Once he finishes he places the six items in front of him. He likes what he has done, but isn't to content with the story that will come with it. This elder is a strong believer of making sure their are no holes in a story. If he wants these six elements to be the protection of Equestria when their time comes, they need to be more magical, and a lot more discreet. We can't have the shiny relics just inviting Nightmare Moon to steal them. So he takes these six items with him to the Everfree forest, a pretty decent ways in. With his magic he creates, from the ground, a stone monument, and he walks inside. After climbing a spiral staircase he makes it to the top. He places the six elements on the ground, and pillars raise them up. Now he concentrates on each element, and turns them all into round, stone balls. Whenever he finishes though, only five are left. Frowning, he searches for the sixth one, but to no avail. Shrugging his shoulders he walks home, satisfied with his work. It's magic. The sixth element is still there, but that's for the six ponies to find out in one thousand years. "Happy Summer Sun Celebration." The stallion lets an amused grunt slip. He walks back to his old house and flings open the door.
In his many, many years of studying the ancient scrolls, not one of them mentions a revolution of the cursed ponies once. This makes his job easier, but now he needs to write a story that every pony will grow to believe.
In his scroll he writes. "Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together, and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn; the younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom, their subjects, and all the different types of ponies. But as time went on, the younger sister became resentful. The ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful night. One fateful day, the younger unicorn refused to lower the moon to make way for the dawn. The elder sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the young one's heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness: Nightmare Moon. She vowed that she would shroud the land in eternal night. Reluctantly, the elder sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponykind: the Elements of-" Elements of what? The stallion thinks long and hard on this. Serenity, friendship, courage, no. Harmony! That's a nice name, has a great ring to it. "the Elements of Harmony. Using the magic of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her younger sister, and banished her permanently in the moon. The elder sister took on responsibility for both sun and moon and harmony has been maintained in all of Equestria for generations since."
Some of this was true, the responsibility of the sun and moon, but the rest was a fabrication he deemed believable once no pony has any reconciliation of the past. Also, he needed a prophecy to back this up. He knew that the spell would only last a millennia, so he incorporated this into the myth of the mare in the moon. Under a different name he writes these two scrolls, planning on casually slipping them into the library moments before he casts his spell.
"The Mare in the Moon. A powerful pony who wanted to rule Equestria, defeated by the Elements of Harmony and imprisoned in the moon. Legend has it that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about nighttime eternally." He writes. That sounds good. It's brief, concise, and spooky enough to be considered a prophecy. He puts a date way in the past on the bottom and places it with his first scroll. With a minor aging spell he makes the scrolls look way more authentic. Perfect. He chuckles. Stars to aid her escape. Ridiculous, he knows, but how else would he put it? Besides, any stars in the sky that surround the moon aren't there to help her, they are the fence of the lunar prison. And they will be destroyed on that day many years from now.
The elder sits back, feeling a calm breeze enter his home. A home that has no opening for wind to enter. It is as if he can feel the approving smiles of his late friends that left the earth way before he will. "Sorry my princess, but I'm apparently not the only one who sees this fit." The old stallion prepares himself for another long trek to the castle's library via a short nap.
After the elder's snooze, he gets up onto his feet, the popping of old bones echo in the small hut. Pushing open the door he steps into the chill of autumn dusk. He slept a tad longer than he planned, but the stallion shrugs his shoulders. Perhaps performing through night may as well aid him in his escape from Equestria.
Walking for what only seems like a mere stroll to the elder, which in reality to a normal pony a marathon, the elder climbs the grand stairs leering into the castle. Muttering his greetings to the castle guards, he navigates the many twists and turns the castle has to offer. He takes it all in, for it will be the last time he will casually roam these halls. Finally he reaches the library, in particular, the Starswirl the Bearded wing. Oh man how he looked up to Starswirl, and he prays that he would forgive him for writing these cover up stories under his name. He pulls out the scrolls from his bag and slides them in with the others.
Walking up to the giant glass window he gazes out to the rest of Canterlot. For a few moments he wonders if he should even continue with his plan, or just turn around and walk away from it all.
No! This must be done. This is for Equestria, wether the princess agrees with him or not.
He licks his lips, and begins.
The wind whispers along as the stallion's horn glows brighter by each word. The grey clouds that hang over the night start to circle in the sky, the wind blowing faster and faster. Leaves smack against the glass window and linger for only a moment, before the wind whisks them away. Along with the leaves being sucked into the clouds, the memories of everypony slowly slips from their home in all of the ponies' minds, and leak their way upward. A lone bead of sweat slowly rolls down the stallion's forehead.
"Stop!" The elder years a strangled cry erupt from behind him. He turns to see the princess charge at him.
"It is already done. Celestia, rule your kingdom with the new light that has been given to you." He says.
"No!" The princess lunges, but the elder is no longer there. Only a sparkling outline of where the stallion rested moments before remains. Slowly, the wind starts to calm, and the remnants of every pony's memories that relate to the battle of the shadowlings twinkle in the night sky, then vanish out of sight.—
The princess, at first, was super upset at what happened. She cursed the elders actions and despised his beliefs. But improvement was clearly evident to the princess. Smiles were on every pony's face as she walked by. Fillies and Colts played with one another, and parents watched over them calmly. Order. Peace. The princess could not stay angry much longer. The only regret she has, no pony knows what the Summer Sun Celebration even means. To them it's a party. To the princess, it still was for the victory of a battle. But to the princess, and to the princess alone, was this knowledge known.
A good thing, no pony knew about Nightmare Moon as being a real mare, so Celestia sprang at the opportunity and created nightmare night. To her sister, who was many miles away, she devoted this holiday to. No one knew this, of course. Celestia felt absolutely terrible, for her own sister, one who has ruled this kingdom since she learned how to speak, has not one bit of recognizance in any pony's mind whatsoever. It was as if she vanished. In a since, she did.
But only for a millennia.
Many years pass, and each year the number that started at 999 on the calendar got progressively smaller. Celestia forms a shell to protect her emotions as she witnesses the many downsides to being nearly immortal. Her best friend Rosebud died, and her family line remained inhabitants of the castle ever since. 853, 725, 608, 572, 466. Years flew by. 294, 207, 141.
On year 97 Ponyville was founded by the apple family, their traveling to the new lands slowly grew to a community where every pony knows one another, and spirits are high. The zapapple products that stem off this town are amazing.
74, 21. Year 17, the kin of the long gone Rosebud is born, and Celestia took great notice.
- 2. The years dragged on. Until.. At last. 1.
—The princess knew there was but two weeks away from the thousandth Summer Sun Celebration. Looking once to the moon, she prepares herself for any possible scenarios. She sinks deeper into her chair, and lets out a deep breath. She knows how this must be played out. Twillight must seek aid within Ponyville to stop Nightmare Moon, a task of high importance.—
I love Princess Luna dearly. The way she sings to us is oh so soothing. But toward the very end of the millennia, about a week away from the thousandth Summer Sun Celebration, you can tell she was changing. The Nightmare Moon that was stored in her heart started to emerge. As if it wasn't Luna herself, Nightmare Moon felt the end of her sentence and tried to rally us all to "Take back what's rightfully ours". Of course, not one single shadowling liked that idea in the slightest. We didn't want the pain of battle, or worse, another curse. But she didn't see it that way. On the final day she addressed this boldly.
—"TRAITORS!" Nightmare Moon screamed. "After all I've done for you, keeping you safe, and this is how you repay me?
"No, Princess-" a night guard begins.
"Who said you could address thou queen as 'princess'!" She yells, and the guard kneels down in fear.
"I'm terribly sorry my Queen." He amends.
"Fine. Have it your way you worthless ponies. You are all useless in my plan. But no matter," Nightmare Moon spits. "Have fun here on your moon as I take the Earth! Nothing can escape the grasp of Nightmare Moon!" She yells, cackling as black smoke and moon dust starts swirling around her, and lightning seems to strike from no source, removing her from her imprisonment on the moon. The long millennia has officially ended.—
The exit was magnificent, if it weren't so, you know, evil. With a snarl she left. All was quiet. Oh, so quiet. And that quietness lasted for a long time afterwards. So long that us shadowlings returned to our everyday lives.
—Celestia taps her hoof softly on her carriage floor as she is transported to Ponyville. The silent air above the forest stirs as the carriage breezes through. 'Only seconds away.' Celestia shakes, her nerves getting the best of her. 'It hasn't been a thousand years! There is no way!' The princess experiences a small bout of hysteria, eyes darting back and forth. 'I'm old!'
'Stop!' Celestia calms herself. 'This is only an encounter with a long lost enemy, not your sister. Worst case scenario, another banishment may be enforced, but only toward Nightmare Moon. Luna is gone, and has been missing for a thousand years.' A fierce glow burns in the Sun Princess's eyes, for this enemy has been defeated once. Surely this is nothing she cannot handle. Besides, a certain six young mares, who don't know it yet, are the safety net in this operation.
The princess looks up at the moon to see the large stars surrounding the moon slowly pull toward the moon. With a flash they were gone, along with the infamous mare in the moon. 'It is done' Celestia sighs.
The cart's wheels screech as the stallions that pilot the cart touch down. They slow to a stop directly behind the town hall in Ponyville. She smiles politely to the young stallion that helps her out of the carriage, pushing aside the thought of never seeing his face, along with any other's, out of her mind, and she stands behind a large curtain. Faintly she can hear the voice of Mayor Mare, introducing the princess.
Just then a wisp of black smoke rises and starts to swirl around Celestia. "Luna." She breathes, and closes her eyes. 'This is it. One millennia has come to an end.'
"Finally." Celestia whispers, as her surrounding melt to nothing, and she finds herself suspended in space. The black wisp wraps around Celestia's legs and bind them together. Not like she could walk anyways, as the feeling of weightlessness hits the princess as Luna appears in front of her. They both drift in space.
"Hello, mighty 'Princess of the Sun'." A dark mare taunts.
"Hello sister." The elder of the two addresses the other rather calmly.
"I am not your sister!" Nightmare Moon hisses, her wings rise in anger. "Stop trying to push my buttons, because it won't work."
"Luna said that many times, many years ago. Even though it really did her under her skin." Celestia counters.
"Stop! Stop it this instant! You've lost, Celestia, so while you drift here in the cosmos I want you to imagine all of your citizens, in all of Equestria, begging for their life to be spared! And know that their cry for mercy will be responded with death! Think about this now, the decision you made many, many moons ago to keep me from establishing a separate community has come back to haunt you."
"So, where are these 'fighters' of yours?" Celestia asks, her mind clear from worry.
"Who needs them?" Luna bares her teeth after slight hesitation. "They'd only get in the way. No, I will rule over Equestria myself!"
"Who is there to rule once you kill off everypony?" Celestia smiles.
Nightmare Moon frowns. "You do have a point, Celestia. Well, I still will rule with an iron hoof. Imagine the fear in your ponies eyes!"
"You can't get away with this!" Celestia makes a show of struggling with her bonds, grunting and moaning.
"How naive, poor princess. I already have! Look around. You are in space, my lady!" Nightmare Moon waves her hoof around."No one can hear you scream!"
"Don't be so sure, Nightmare, for there are forces far greater than just one princess standing in the way."
"Well, then the force is one princess less." The night mare frowns yet again, her plan not falling to place as it had in her mind, where she had a millennia to sit and think.
"There are six young mares, bonded by the bond of friendship, who wield the power of the Elements of Harmony! And this will be the cause of your defeat." Celestia raises her voice to a powerful level. Granted, this wasn't entirely true, for not even Celestia knew where these elements are hidden. This is something prophecy, and prophecy itself must sort out. But the show will get to Nightmare Moon's head, and that's where the real magic will be worked. Uncertainty, the main force in this battle that sides with the sun princess.
"They won't stand a chance!" Luna stomps her foot, but connects with nothing, so the act in itself looked quite silly for the floating fiend.
"Good luck Luna." Celestia growls. "You are going to need it!" With yet another arrangement of black smoke, Nightmare Moon vanishes.
Sighing, Celestia waits a bit. The sheer beauty of the Earth from so far out catches the princess's breath. It's a view to die for, but not to spend a millennia imprisoned for. Conjuring a small spell, she makes a round circle which shows her the happenings down at her home in Equestria.
It was quite exciting for the princess really. Watching her most faithful student, along with her five new accomplices, defeat every trial that Nightmare Moon has to throw in attempts to knock them off track. It was like cheering for a really good team in the equestrian games. You know they are going to win, but it is still thrilling to cheer for them, and to feel the victory as they dominate the competition. But it was also interesting because the sun princess was also finding out for the first time where the Elements of Harmony were really hidden all these years. 'Deep in the Everfree Forest, I should have guessed.'
Celestia keeps watching as the Elements of Harmony work to destroy the curse of Nightmare Moon. "That's my cue." Celestia says, brushing off the dark bonds with little to no effort whatsoever, and concentrates on the landscape of where the Luna lays. And like that she teleports above the stone building and glides in.
A young mare name Applejack talks to twilight. "Gee, Twilight! I thought you were just spoutin' a lot of hooey, but I reckon we really do represent the elements of friendship."
The princess smiles as she lands in the room. "Indeed you do."
Twilight whirls around to greet me. "Princess Celestia!"
Celestia beams, pride in her chest. It is over. After all of these long years, the ordeal has been completed. "Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student. I knew you could do it."
Twilight has a confused look on her face. "But... you told me it was all an old pony tale!"
"I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart. " The sun princess clarifies. "Now if only another will as well. Princess Luna!" Se calls out sternly to the blue mare who lays on the cold stone floor. Luna gasps and cowers as Celestia trots toward her. Celestia takes a deep breath. "It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this." Celestia kneels next to her. "Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister." She says with longing in he eyes toward her sister. 'I missed you so much.'
Every mare but the two princesses gasp. "Sister?"
"Will you accept my friendship?" Celestia leans closer to he sister. 'Please?' Celestia can feel the anticipation radiating off of everypony, and they all lean in for Luna's answer.
Luna jumps up and hugs Celestia, tears flow from her blue eyes. "I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!"
Celestia's eyes tear up. "I've missed you, too."—
The princesses make up and all is merry. The silence lasted for a few days after, but finally Luna made her return to the moon. The change in the princesses heart was extremely evident. The community we live in now seems like a totally different place, with all the kindness that is shared amongst its citizens. And to this day Luna has been the kindest mare any pony up here on the moon knows. She is still our queen, no matter her requests to be called princess. Just hearing the soothing voice of the princess of the night warms me up inside. Every night, wether she is up here with us or just walking through our dreams from on Earth, she sings us a song. Her voice is very beautiful, and I cherish it every night. I kinda am glad I have been given the true story, because it helps me see her in a much different way, and I hope it helps you out too. The song goes as follows:
"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
Follow Sweet Children
I'll Show Thee The Way
Through All The Pain And
The Sorrows
Weep Not Poor Children
For Life Is This Way
Murdering Beauty And
Passions
Hush Now Dear Children
It Must Be This Way
Too Weary Of Life And
Deceptions
Rest Now My Children
For Soon We'll Away
into The Calm And
The Quiet
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"
—"I have not ever heard a more pure song. But in the end Luna and Celestia make up, and now I am relinquished of the burden of revisiting these events constantly, and for that i thank you. And I presume you know the rest, Twilight Sparkle." Twilight reads aloud, nearing the end of a long story that a mysterious pony by the name of Silverstar sent her. Her eyes widen as she reads aloud her name. "After all, you were there for this much. Yes, I know who is reading this. Please deliver my apologies to dear Spike, that so much paper had to be transported through him-"
"It wasn't pleasant." Spike groans, clutching his stomach and burping. "So much paper.."
Twilight clutches the paper and continues. "And I hope you put this knowledge I have given to you to good use, and I hope that we can become friends through writing. I have many more stories I can share. I am, after all, gifted with this ability. Who else am I going to share these pasts with? You are the only pony I see as optimal to pass these visions to. Good day, Twilight Sparkle. Never fear the night."
"What an interesting story." Spike says, staring at the ceiling, his arms propping his head up off of the floor. "You suppose that there really are ponies that live on the moon?"
"I do believe that is the case Spike." Twilight Sparkle looks at the final line of the paper. "~Ps. Make Luna sing you the song. I assure you that you will not regret it.~ And it ends there." Twilight sets the papers on her desk in a neat pile. She looks outside into the night sky and stare at the large, bright moon. Twilight can almost feel the activity, knowing that there are ponies who live on the full moon's surface. She has an urge, the need to respond! The need to know more! Oh the opportunities that this pony will bring to Twilight! The knowledge that cannot be found in any of the many books in the library. "Spike! Please write this for me."
Spike hops up off of his back and grasps paper and a quill from the bookshelf. He bounds over next to Twilight. "Ready when you are, Twilight." His eyes sparkle, hands twitching with anticipation.
"Dear Silverstar..."—
~~ Fin ~~
