Prologue: A Nightmare for Luna
A beautiful day was the only way Luna could describe the scene that played out before her; the vast rolling hills of green grass, the birds chirping their songs amongst the trees, the young foals galloping and playing without a care in the world as their parents relaxed or conversed with each other, and of course the sun setting high in the sky casting its glorious light across the land, though Luna enjoyed the beauty of the night she had to admit she admired her older sister's work.
As she looked upon the carefree foals she figured she grace the subjects with her presence as it was very rare for the Princess of the Night to be out during the daytime so she lightly trotted towards them as she did so the foals stopped playing and began to gather to catch sight of the tall dark colored mare coming towards them “Greetings young foals” she proclaimed cheerfully to her rather small audience “It is us your fair Princess Luna come to grace thee with our presence” as she introduced herself the foals parents ran towards the gathered children with looks of worry and fear plastered on their faces as they hurriedly rushed towards the area some screaming things like “RUN IT'S NIGHTMARE MOON!” “SAVE THE CHILDREN BEFORE SHE EATS THEM!” as they snatched up their respective foals while fleeing leaving a bewildered Luna “Subjects wait! You've nothing to fear from us! I mean you've nothing to..fear..from..” she yelled with desperation then turned melancholy in her voice as she stretched her hoof out as if to reach for the nearest pony but to no avail as the ponys and their foals disappeared beyond Luna's sight “...me” she finished before she dropped her hoof and hung her head defeated and began to turn away to take her leave the once beautiful day turning dark while she did so as if to match the sadness she felt at her failed attempt to socialize with the common ponies their words and screams of terror fresh in her mind “They fear you Luna as they always have” Luna was broke from her gloom as she instantly became alert to her to her surroundings “Who said that!?” she demanded as she shifted left and right to find the owner of the voice. In her frantic search she turned herself around to discover something peculiar.. a few feet in front of her was a mask..a plain porcelain white mask that wouldn't be out of place in a ceramic shop or on face of a foal during Nightmare Night it had the appearance of a pony's face with the exception of there being black voids where the eyes would be if the mask was worn but the peculiar thing about it was that it was floating even more peculiar was the cloud of black mist that engulfed it it also seemed to have this..aura around it that was strangely very calm yet filled Luna with a sense of apprehension. “They will never love you Luna” it spoke in a strangely neutral yet icy tone which only unnerved her more but she tried to not let it affect her as she processed what the thing had just said of her “Thouest speak ill of me!?” she asked it “I speak only the truth. You simply wish not to hear nor listen” It replied “Thou not only slander me but insult my intelligence!?” she spoke accusingly towards the strange entity but it showed no care nor emotion, or any semblance of emotion for that matter, towards her words as it continued speaking in that neutral tone “You've always known they've never had any love for you”“Silence!” “Face it Luna They will always fear you no matter how hard you try” It spoke tauntingly “I shall not concede to these lies spoken by a figment of smoke and shadows!” she proclaimed with waning resolve “They will always see you as Nightmare Moon and fear you and show you no love or loyalty” “You're not real!” Luna screamed as she desperately raised her hooves to her ears in hopes of silencing the entity currently plaguing her but doing so only seemed to make the words he spoke louder even though it's tone never changed from that neutral voice Luna also noticed the voices of the ponies from before joined their collective hazing echoing amongst the black void that surrounded her “This isn't real!..This isn't real!!..This isn't real!!!” the resolve fading from her as she laid prostrate to the the ground repeatedly chanting the faulty mantra in the wavering hope that she could silence their taunts but to no avail as they only seemed to become louder and louder practically drowning her own words “Your subjects will always remember you as the evil that nearly darkened the world, your so called sister herself only keeps you around because she fears what you once were” The apparent leader of the collective mocking began to circle Luna as a vulture would awaiting the death of it's prey “This isn't real..this isn't real”*“Why delude yourself any longer? You've always known that you were nothing more then Celestia's shadow” “This isn't real..this isn't real..”“Give up this pathetic charade. Become who you always were meant to be. Become Nightmare Moon” at that last comment something in Luna's mind clicked she freed her ears from her hooves then stood to her full height “Of course why hadn't I seen it before!” she declared the taunting voices suddenly seizing *“So do you at last understand? Have I finally broken through?” spoke the mask questioningly "Yes! I do understand" Luna proclaimed her confidence returning “This is merely a dream! One I have had since the years of my return." at that the masked entity was suddenly completely silent "Thou art merely a figment of my unconscious fears and doubts. I must simply leave this dreamscape and you will be but one of many forgotten nightly horrors” Luna summoned her magic and opened a portal and with a graceful leap flew from the empty realm the mask still unmoving the tear she summoned closing behind her with that small victory she triumphantly continued her flight amongst the astral plane but too soon she celebrated for almost as soon as she let her victory sink in she came to a sudden halt as her left hind leg had become snagged by something when she turned to see what had captured her she almost instantly began to panic as her wings flapped at a maddening pace as she desperately fought against the vice-like grip of the black tendril that held her in place. Her fight soon became that much harder when another tendril shot up around her other hind leg and began to pull her down in unison with the previous captor in a last ditch effort Luna focused what magic she could and released it as a lightning bolt towards her would be attackers the attack connected and one tendril recoiled but it was soon followed by several more that grasped at any part of her body they could Luna was helpless in their grip the only thing she seemed to able to do was to flap her wings as hard as she could but it was all for naught as the combined efforts of the many tendrils won out over Luna as they pulled her down to the abyss below. Upon impact her survival instincts took hold as she splashed and flailed her hooves around desperately trying to grasp something to keep her afloat “Don't struggle. You're only delaying the inevitable” spoke the voice from earlier being the last thing she heard before she was dragged below the inky surface the mask appearing above being the last thing she saw upon being swallowed by the darkness around her...
(Luna's Bed Chambers)
“AAAHHHH!!!!!” the screams alerting all in the castle the nearest guards rushing to the source of the scream, Princess Luna's bedroom, to investigate and defend the younger royal sister from a possible assailant what they found upon entering the room however was the night princess flailing her hooves around as if she were fighting off some invisible attacker her eyes yet to open apparently afflicted by some night terror.
“LUNA!” sounded the cry of the elder sister Celestia as she rushed past the guards gathered by the door to comfort her sister.
“GET AWAY FROM ME!!” cried the dark alicorn retreating from her bed covers to cower near the edge of her bed.
“Luna. Please calm down.” Celestia came towards her hoping to settle her down.
“NOO!! LEAVE ME BE HORRID CREATURE!!!” Celestia came across the bed towards her younger sibling.
“NO! Spare me cruel specter” She had began to settle down,or at least stopped yelling, but still reeled from her sister as Celestia neared the dark alicorn's heart threated to jump out of her chest.
“Luna calm down it is only me.” Celestia spoke drawing the smaller noble into a comforting hug her sister's head laying over her shoulder.
Luna opened her eyes having recognized her elder sibling's nurturing voice tears welling up in her eyes as she looked around her and took in the sight of the castle's guards standing ready at the door some watching the scene before them unfold but she gave them no further thought as she returned her older sister's embrace tightly locking her forelegs around her older sister “T..T. 'Tia” Luna spoke as if trying to process if this was truly her sister holding her and not some conjuring of her fragile mind when she finally caved to the almost motherly embrace of her sister unleashing a torrent of tears and sobs Celestia wrapping her wings around the frightened mare to further comfort her more.
“Its alright Lulu. I'm here for you” Celestia ushered the guards to return to their respective post as she spent the later half of the night comforting a distraught Luna til at last they fell back to sleep still wrapped in the other's embrace to soothe them through the night.
“I will break you Luna. Sooner or later you will give to your other side”
…....