Was it a Nightmare... Moon?

A thousand years is a long time. And if you have to spend it alone it IS an eternity.

Especially if you are misunderstood and the only thing you want is love.

When the thousand years of being prisoned in her own celestial body was over, Luna, or Nightmare Moon as she called herself was set free. With her millenia long loneliness and anger she wanted to take revenge on her sister.

But she knew, if Celestia was able to send her in the moon then she would be able to do it again - so she made a shield of pure energy which could absorb the beam of Harmony what were her doom one thousand years ago.

The things went as planned. She arrived to the now abandoned and ruined royal castle, destroyed the Elements and when that little pesky ponies who got the Elements attacked her she just activated the shield. Without flaw the shield absorbed the beam and saved her from another thousand years old solitude.

Just as she thought, the carriers of the Elements of Harmony was knocked out. Her next step in the plan was to find Celestia and... after an apology send her in the sun. Payback is painful.

In the next two hours she got in the new castle, found Celestia and apologized for her actions in the past. Then with an evil grin she sent her once beloved sister in the sun.

The world didn't changed too much, the difference was that the ponies were forced to be awake at night and sleep at daytime. If you think about it, it's not that bad.

But Nightmare Moon didn't get what she really wanted.

Love.

When she walked around in the castle all she could see was fear. Even her most loyal subjects had some fear in their eyes when she looked at them.

This drove her to retreat in her royal chambers only to come out and move the sun or the moon when the time come.

Weeks passed. Then a month. And another.

In the meantime the ponies of Equestria returned to their normal life-cycle, slowly but surely.

Nightmare Moon knew this but did nothing against it - why should she? They just fear her, forcing them to change their life-style is not a way to narrow their fright.

After another month of being alone she was so depressed she just set the sun on the end of the horizon, making infinite sunset and locked herself in her room.

At this time the ponies of Equestria were very confused and had no idea what to do.

Except one.

A tall and little bit skinny pegasi stallion stood in front of the two-winged door of Nightmare Moon's bed-chamber.

The determination was shooting from his dark-blue eyes. He straightened his not too long firey red and orange mane, then took a look at his forehooves. They were the same plain grey ones as ever.

With a deep breath he knocked on the door.

"Alright. Alright. You can do it Ember Stone, you can do it." He said to himself and the determination returned to his face

Few seconds later he could hear hoofsteps from behind the door. Then it stopped and a hoarse voice asked him.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Yes, it was Nightmare Moon undoubtedly.

"I-I'm Ember Stone and I w-want to see you Nightmare M-moon!..." His voice was higher than he wanted.

"See me? Why would anypony want to see me? The mean and frightful Nightmare Moon who banished the beloved Celestia in the sun? Buck away worm, leave me alone."

Normally Ember would leave immediately, but he wanted to do this and if he want to do something then he will do it.

"No, I'll not go away, I want to see you.. Luna..." A second later the door opened revealing an angry looking pair of dragonish blue eyes.

"Don't. Call me that again." Ember took a step back but then stopped, a look of newfound determination appeared on his face.

"Luna. I know that you are not that vicious and dreadful being everypony think you are. Please, let me give you something." He couldn't see, but a lot of emotion flashed through on Nightmare Moon's face.

"Tell me one reason why shouldn't I send you to visit my 'lovely' sister." Her voice was dripping with sarcasm.

"I know that you are good... and just want to... be loved... So I-" He gulped and wasn't able to finish his sentence.

But the answer he got wasn't the one he expected. He expected that Nightmare Moon will really send him in the sun, or something even worser but... she just closed her door and whispered a few words.

"Go away Ember Stone. Live your happy life."

A minute passed until this hit Ember's mind. He blinked a few then knocked on the closed doors again. This time there was no answer.

"Luna I will not go away, let me in or at least let me talk with you!" He was so close to his goal but yet so far... "Luunaaaa! He shouted. No answer.

A royal guard in silver armor walked to him.

"If she don't want to speak with you then leave her alone."

"But I-I-I can't! She just... She just need-" Ember tried to reason with him, no avail.

"I said leave her alone. Now go or I will lock you in the dungeon!" The guard snarled at him.

"I... Okay, I'll go."

Defeated, Ember had no idea what should he do or where should he go. He just left the castle.

He was on his way back to his home when he sensed that something is wrong. The sun... it moved... the everlasting sunset was over. He stopped and looked at the sky. He saw the moon, coming up.

"What the?.." He said. This means something and he knew that.

Continuing his path to his home he fell in his thoughts about Nightmare Moon, about what could he do if he can get near her again. He didn't even noticed when the sky darkened to a point when even the moon couldn’t be seen. Then suddenly...

"You wanted to see me?" Came a mysterious voice from seemingly nowhere. "Here I am. What will you do now?"

"L-Luna?" The happenings shocked Ember a bit and he didn't know what to say.

"I... told you to not call me that name. She is dead. Long ago." Nightmare Moon wanted to sound intimidating but she wasn't - her voice was full of pain and regret as the repressed memories come up.

"No, she isn't dead, she is inside you! You just need somepony to reveal her!" At this point Ember knew that he won.

"Somepony, you say?... And who is going to be that?..." Her voice was buoyant.

"Me."

The darkness disappeared, revealing Nightmare Moon without her armor and with a sorrowful expression. Her eyes were closed and Ember could see a tear dropping on the road. She then sniffed one and looked up, up at Ember.

"Why should I believe you?" She asked. True, Ember was tall but Nightmare moon was even taller. But this wasn't a big difficulty to him, he quickly took the three steps between them and kissed her on the lips.

Shocked, Nightmare Moon failed to protest. After ten or more seconds Ember broke the kiss and answered the previous question.

"Because I did this and I don't care what are the consequences. Luna you need a special one to love and.. here I am!.. I know, I'm not the best but where could you..."

He was stopped by a flash. When he looked around he have seen nothing but darkness. His eyes began to slowly adjust to the lack of light and he spotted two glowing blue eyes not too far from him.

"L-Luna is that you?..." Because he heard no answer he began to slowly walk to the eyes. "Hello? Please answer me!"

Still nothing. For a second he stopped and thought that maybe he is in the cave of a horrid creature, but then he shrugged it off and continued his way to the eyes.

"Luna? Please say something!" Still no answer. He was just a few feet away from the eyes. "Is-is it you.. Luna?"

"Yes." The voice was sad, and slightly different from earlier.

Ember not thinking for a moment, closed the distance and with arms wide open embraced the princess of the night.

A few seconds later he felt Luna hugging him back.

"You... you really want to be with me?" Asked Luna with a little hope in her voice.

"Yes."

"Are you... in love with me?"

"Yes Luna, I am! I always loved the night, the stars, the moon especially. I read about it a lot, and when I discovered that there was a princess... and.. you know? The things that happened... When I heard about your release I was so happy! I knew my dream came true. And.. here we are. I know I sound like if I just want to bang you but no, I really want to love you... and I swear I'll never leave you, I don't care what happens!"

When he finished, Ember tried to hug Luna again but he felt a hoof on his chin. It lifted his head up a little. Then he felt Luna's lips on his, connecting in a passionate kiss. Their tongue fought with eachother as the kiss went on, Ember feeling the sweet taste of the victory and well, Luna.

Minutes later they broke the kiss. Without a word Luna grabbed Ember with her magic and levitated him on her bed.

Leaning down on his back, Ember prepared himself for the best part of his life. His waiting wasn't lasted too long, soon he felt Luna lying on him.

*pomf*

Ember's wings unfurled themselves.

"Well... I hope I can give you what you desired for a thousand years!"

Luna just giggled at this and their night began - the best night ever.