Song of the Moon

by 2006midnight

Rating: everyone
Tags: Tragedy, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Sad, Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna
Length: 1139

Luna spends a night thinking about what has driven her to become Nightmare Moon.

A night before the day she transforms into Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna thinks about what has led up to this point and of what the consequences will be. Inspired by the Silly Filly Studios fan animation, The Fall of the Crystal Empire.

Published 2014-07-14 01:50:05 UTC
Last updated 2014-07-14 01:50:05 UTC

On Silent Wings I Fly

Princess Luna strode through the Castle of the Two Sisters. Outside, high in the crystal clear night sky, the moon shone a brilliant silver. Once, I would have followed you sister. I would’ve shared Equestria with you. Together we could’ve borne the burden of the love, of the hurt. But no.

She walked out into the Royal Garden and looked up at the moon. I’ve seen your dreams, sister. I know who you are on the inside. And yet, I never stopped believing in you. I thought that maybe, our love would be enough to keep us together. Foolishly, I assumed that our love could be a crutch. Something I could hold onto while I waited for our subjects to become accustomed to me.

Lighting her horn, Luna began to arrange the stars into the familiar constellations she had created. The constellations she had slaved over for many nights until they were perfect. You never had to do anything like this Celestia. No, all you have to do is move a ball of hot gas through the sky twice a day. In fact, the sun is a star. Not only that, but it is the closest one to Equestria. And I’ve watched you struggle with it for all this time. You’re weak sister, weak. Much weaker than I.

The constellations complete, Luna turned her eyes to her surroundings in the garden. All the flowers that shone brightly under the sun, but looked limp under the moon. You’ll never see this coming, dear sister. No, you’ve always been oblivious to what I feel. Self-absorbed as you are. You can’t hide your feelings. Not like I can.

With a sigh, Luna continued walking down the stone path. How can you not realize what’s happening? Yes, I’ve hidden my feelings from you as they’ve deepened. But even in the beginning you brushed me away. Said I was imagining things. She stopped momentarily and kicked a stone, that was lying off to the side of the path, in frustration. But I’m not. Our subjects adore you, and yet they loathe me. Openly. But you’re still as oblivious as ever. You no longer truly care for me. If you did, it wouldn’t have come to this. All you care about now is the way you look to Equestria as a whole.

You know, it’s funny really. You cast a shadow larger than any other, yet I’m the only pony who truly knows the shadows. Sombra taught me that. He showed me what I can truly be. What I shall become. Luna starts walking once more, her head hanging lower than ever.

There used to be times when I would give in to my dreams. Allow myself to hope that they could possibly become reality once more, if even for just a moment. Once I could almost see it happening, but then it was snatched away. And now it’s gone forever.

In a way, I’m ashamed of what this has come to. Because I know that deep down, your heart is pure. You truly do have a heart of gold sister. But it is that heart which has blinded you, for it shines too brightly. Even more brightly than the sun. And therefore more brightly than you. You used to be the rock in my life. The one I could always rely on no matter what, since our parents are gone. And now, I’ve lost that. It’s been missing for a while. It’s dead. Dead and gone. You may not see it, but I know that what we once were, what we once represented, is no more. Merely a memory. A single tear slid down the night princess’ cheek.

This isn’t something anypony but I could have predicted. Not even the high and mighty Celestia. I am the moon, the stars, the shadows, the night itself. And only the night can hide things completely. For it is the darkness that masks all, never to be seen again.

There is nothing left for me here Celestia. Not while having to live in your shadow. Whatever love I once held for you is still there, deep within my heart, but… I cannot continue on like this anymore. If I’m going to be shunted to the side then I might as well fully embrace who I am. What I am. Luna looked up at the stars and whispered, “I love you sister. I’m so, so sorry.”

She stops walking and straightens up to her full height. “In truth, I know what will happen when I reveal myself, but… I must. Dearest Tia, this… this is my final goodbye.” Yes, I know how this will end. I’ve known ever since I first got a glimpse at who I can become. Ever since Sombra. With a dark chuckle, Luna raises her voice ever so slightly, “Thank you, Sombra. You were the King of the Crystal Empire, and now, now you are the Prince of Shadows. You can never be who I am, but you are the closest anypony will ever get. I owe you everything for showing me a way out.” Albeit it being a stupid way, doomed to end in failure.

In any case, I’ve gone too far now. I cannot stop this track in life from taking its course. I can only hope. Hope that someday, I’ll be able to return to who I used to be. Hope that maybe we can rectify the ramifications of what I am soon to do. Hope that we can fix our relationship, bring it back to what our love used to be like Tia. Tears ripple down both Luna’s cheeks in never ending rivers. “Why, Tia? Why has it come to this? Why did it have to? Why am I all alone?”

The gentle night breeze rustled all around her. Luna looked up at the silvery full moon once again. A spark glistened in her eyes, and she turned her to face the castle. With her magic, she crafted a gravestone made of the moon, the stars, the shadows, a gravestone of darkness, of the night. Only seventeen words were etched upon its surface, ‘I’m sorry for the Nightmare I became. I love you more than you could ever know Tia.’

Luna placed the gravestone on an empty patch of grass beside the stone pathway where she stood. Looking to the sky once more, the princess of the night opened her wings and flew towards the moon. Neither of us with ever be the same again. I’m sorry. And yet, I will forever soar on silent wings, for silence is the song of the moon.

Author's Note

First fic! Please let me know what you think, and if you have any suggestions on how I could improve my writing please let me know.