Prologue: Nightmare Ascending
My name is Twilight Sparkle. I am one of the leaders of the Knights of The Sun, the official name for the rebel force trying to overthrow Nightmare Moon and bring the sun back to The New Lunar Empire. The other leaders are Rainbow Dash, a skilled military leader and assassin, Rarity Belle, who designs all of our equipment with her little sister, Sweetie, a patient from the Imperial Mental Institution who actually has the ability to predict the future named Pinkie Pie, an Earth Pony named Applejack, who can easily hit a bottlecap on a rooftop five miles away. And finally, there's Flutterbat, our resident vampire, complete with all the trimmings, like super strength, the ability to turn herself into a swarm of bats, and enhanced visual ability. And that's about it for the members of the Solar Table. I'm sure you're wondering how such a ragtag and highly bizzare group of ponies could've possibly come together. Well, let me take you back a thousand years ago, back when The New Lunar Empire was still Equestria...
~
A white anthro alicorn cried out in pain as searing bolts of lightning struck her. She had a beautiful mane and tail of green and pink, and wore an elegant dress that was starting to take some damage and on her head was a golden tiara with a purple jewel laid into the center. This was Celestia, ruler of Equestria and Princess of The Day.
Hovering above Celestia was a black anthro alicorn with a smoke-like dark blue mane and tail wearing a black suit of armor with a bit of midnight blue and the image of a cresent moon on the breast plate. Additionally, she wore midnight blue gauntlets and high-heeled boots, along with a midnight blue war helmet. This was Princess Luna, now known as Nightmare Moon.
Nightmare Moon cackled as she saw her sister slowly get to her hooves. "Had enough?" she hissed.
Celestia wiped the blood from her mouth with the back of her hand. "Please, Luna, you have to stop this! I don't want to hurt you," she said.
Nightmare Moon let out a cold, sharp laugh. "Don't tell me you won't fight back! Where's the honor in striking down a ruler who won't fight back against me?" said Nightmare Moon, before a wicked gleam came into her eyes. "Perhaps another little dose of pain will get you to fight back... and how many times must I say it? My name is Nightmare Moon!"
With that, Nightmare Moon sent more lightning at her sister, who ducked behind some fallen masonry.
"Don't you dare turn and run from me, Celestia! I want to see the light leave your pretty little eyes!" screeched Nightmare Moon.
Her heart aching, Celestia realized she had no choice but to face her corrupted sister in combat.
If I can hold her off long enough to get to the Elements of Harmony, I might just have a chance, thought Celestia before finally emerging from her hiding place.
"If this is the way you want it, then you leave me no other choice. I'm sorry, Luna," said Celestia, before she fired a blast of golden magic at Nightmare Moon.
Nightmare Moon dodged the blast and smirked at her sister. "Ooh. Now you're getting into the spirit of things! Let's dance!" said Nightmare Moon.
The two sisters flew through the castle, trading magical blasts, lightning, and sometimes physical blows before Celestia and Nightmare Moon crashed into the ground in the throne room.
Celestia was the first to get up. Blood covering her mouth, she activated her magic to trigger a secret opening in the floor.
Through the secret opening came a pedistal. On it were six different colored gems, one of which resembled a star.
Nightmare Moon looked up to see what Celestia was up to.
The Elements of Harmony! I have to finish her! Now! thought Nightmare Moon. She charged up her horn for a desperate attack as the Elements made their way to Celestia.
The resulting blast left a huge wound in Celestia's chest.
The Elements of Harmony fell to the ground as Celestia fell to her knees.
"Re... remember this: you've only killed a mare, not what she believed in... I... hope some day you'll find the Luna inside you again... I... love..." gasped Celestia, before she fell onto her side, her eyes vacant and glassy.
Nightmare Moon knew she should feel overjoyed that she had won, or at least relief that the battle was over. But, what she felt was pity. She walked over to Celestia's body and closed her eyes.
"I am truly sorry that you had to die for my reign to begin. Some part of me will always miss you... but, now... the night... will last... forever! Ah ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!" cackled Nightmare Moon.
~
Nightmare Moon, a black cape with a protusion added to her armor, stood before a heartbroken and angished crowd of ponies, which was only held back by the newly re-named Shadow Guard, which wore midnight blue and gray versions of the Royal Guards' uniforms, and the re-named Shadowbolts, which wore purple and black versions of the Wonderbolts' uniforms. Additionally, their goggles had more of an angry look to them and had orange lenses.
"Citizens of Equestria. I truly hope you remember yesterday, because it is the last time you will see your sun. To that extent, as your new ruler, I hereby decree that the land known as Equestria, will be re-organized into The New Lunar Empire! For a society that will worship the night. A society that will love the night. And a society that will obey me, or else be destroyed, along with all who associated with them!" declared Nightmare Moon.
All around the castle, the old Royal Seal of Equestria was being replaced with the image of a black winged diamond with a bit of dark blue and a cresent moon in the center and a black crown over the top.
~
For a thousand years, ponies lived and worked in the everlasting moonlight of Nightmare Moon's regime. For a thousand years, anypony who stood up against Nightmare Moon's forces ended up dead, along with everypony they cared about. For a thousand years, the sun hadn't risen, and some even regarded it as a myth. For a thousand years, the captains of the Shadowbolts and Shadow Guard lived in infamy, the current ones, Spitfire of the Shadowbolts and Nightlocke, an alicorn stallion who happened to be Nightmare Moon's son, were among the most ruthless and deadly. For a thousand years, The Elements of Harmony had been destroyed. For a thousand years, nopony dared to hope.
Until now...
A lavender unicorn mare with a dark blue mane and tail, both of which had a pink highlight, wearing a blue dress shirt, blue jeans, and purple boots walked into a bar in Manehattan.
“The usual, Gary,” said Twilight Sparkle.
As Twilight drank her martini, Gary, the bartender, looked out the window. “Nice night, isn’t it?” he said.
“It’s always night, Gary,” said Twilight.
“Didn’t used to be,” said Gary.
“Oh, don’t tell me you believe in that stupid legend about that glowing ball of gas. The Sun or whatever it was called,” said Twilight.
“I’m not saying I do. I’m just thinking about how nice it would be to have some light and warmth, instead of it being so cold all the time,” said Gary.
“Gary, how long has it been since The New Lunar Empire has risen?” asked Twilight.
“About a thousand years next Tuesday,” said Gary.
“Exactly. And a thousand years from now, there will still be eternal moonlight. So, why bother believing in children’s stories?” said Twilight.
To that, Gary had no answer.
“That’s what I thought,” said Twilight. With that she took another drink and was about to leave when she heard loud footsteps and saw one of the few things that truly scared her. A purple 6”00 dragon with wings and razor sharp green spines. His claws looked like they could cut through a single building and his teeth could easily chomp a pony in half. He wore a black button-up shirt, black pants, and black boots. Instead of starting a bar fight all he did was simply walk up to the bartender and sat down on a specially made seat.
“One Sapphire Shore and don’t buck it up this time.” The dragon ordered the bartender who nodded but was also shaking at the same time.
“Y-yes, Mr. Spike, sir,” said the bartender.
Twilight, trembling in her boots in more ways than one, approached the dragon.
“H-hello,” she said.
“What do you want, little pony?” snarled Spike.
“Nothing, just… my name is Twilight Sparkle,” said Twilight.
“I’m Spike, Nightmare Moon’s personal assistant,” said Spike. “Say, you wouldn’t happen to be the Twilight Sparkle who’s working on creating a form of plant that can actually grow in the moonlight, would you?”
“Y-yes, that would be me,” said Twilight, some of her fear leaving her.
“Well, your work has Her Highness impressed. If it works, how fast do you think you could mass produce it? Scientifically speaking, I mean,” asked Spike.
“Well, recoding an organism is no cakewalk. It could be some time before it’s ready,” said Twilight.
Spike let out a burp, and in a puff of green flame, a card appeared.
“This is my number. Keep me posted,” said Spike, before taking a drink. Twilight moved out of the dragon’s way as he got up and slammed the glass down, shattering it, and then walking out of the exit before extending his wings and taking to the skies.
~
In Moon City, the capital of The New Lunar Empire, Nightmare Moon sat on her throne, locked in an internal struggle.
You know how you’ve been succeeding this long? Luck. And one day very soon, that luck will run out and me and my sister will be avenged.
Nightmare Moon laughed out loud. You really think that some stupid prophecy stating that the Elements of Harmony, which I personally destroyed, will rise again will actually come to pass? Please, you and I both know you and Celestia are nothing more than a memory! she told her inner voice, the part that was still Luna.
That maybe so, but in the end, the Elements will unite and bring you down! said Luna.
At that moment, Spike flew into the room.
“Your Highness,” said Spike as he bowed to Nightmare Moon unaware that she was still arguing with Luna.
“NOT NOW SPIKE I’M IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING YOU DUMB LIZARD!” Shouted Nightmare as Spike suddenly lurched back in surprise.
“I-I’m sorry… is now a bad time?” He asked to which she only replied with a snarl.
“No, it’s a very good time because we now get to play my favorite anger release game.”
“Uh-oh… not torture the lizard!” cried Spike.
Within moments, the castle was alive with the sounds of Spike screaming as he was zapped and blasted with magic.
~
Out in the ruins of Cloudsdale a pegasus was zipping in between the ruined buildings and crumbling structures at near breakneck speeds. She wore a black leather jacket, blue jeans, and black shoes which allowed her to easily to blend in with the clouds. She had a rainbow colored mane and tail, and a sky-blue coat. She was fittingly named Rainbow Dash.
Rainbow did a loop-de-loop before landing on an old skyscraper.
Hard to believe this place once helped to stabilize the weather. Of course, in this darkness that doesn’t really help, thought Rainbow.
Just then, a pair of Shadowbolts flew up to her.
“You are in a restricted area. Come with us, please,” said one of the Shadowbolts.
“All right, I’ll come with you… if you can catch me!” said Rainbow, before flying off at breakneck speeds.
The Shadowbolts tried to pursue her, but they only ended up breaking their noses as they crashed into a building.
“Captain Spitfire would kill to have somepony like her on the team,” said one of the Shadowbolts.
“I wouldn’t put it past her, either,” the second said.
