The New Lunar Empire

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...