Nightmare on the Moon

Chapters

On the moon
The stars will aid in her escape
Preparations

On the moon

I looked out at the Earth and sighed. I could sense all the ponies sleeping peacefully below me. I again tried to penetrate the barrier between me and my rightful kingdom. I pushed against it, the presence of the sleeping ones were so close to me I could almost taste them. Yet again Celestia blocked me from entering the mind of one so I had to relent. I found when I returned to my body that the time was when the sun should rise. I felt the gentle pull of Celestia's magic as she moved the sun and moon in unison. I watched as the sun moved slowly to its place over Equestria. My magic bonds where released and I was free to fly again. I glided over the silver surface of the moon and landed in my favorite crater. This being the crater that I had created when I first landed on this forsaken place. You might think that the moon is beautiful and peaceful. I will give you the peaceful part but beautiful? Sure it is nice from a distance but when you are trapped for all eternity on it, it loses its glamor. None of the lovely plant life as there is in Equestria. No streams and no calmly flowing breeze.

I folded my wings and settled down in the crater. I summoned my magic and etched a mark in the side of the it. One more mark for one more simple and compleately boring day. I pawed the ground with my hoof and looked around me. I had used up all my skipping stones and did not feel like making more. They were pretty hard to make and since they only flew off in to space it mostly wasn't worth it. I could try to enter Equestria through the mind of a still sleeping pony but Celestia might find me. I went over many more ideas all of them ones I had had before. When you are stuck on the moon there is not much inspiration.

Sometimes I like to talk to the stars, but since they are so old we have some difficulty conversing in a fluent manner. Every once and a while I create ways to see Equestria yet it takes a great quantity of my much reduced strength. The direct contact with the elements of harmony had taken a lot of my energy. It had taken me about two-hundred years to gather enough power to be able to fly and use simple magic. I had just enough magic stored that I would be able to float in the dream scape, maybe drift mindlessly into a random party or meeting.

I focused and once I felt the weightlessness of my mind leaving my body I opened my eyes. I was back in my favorite place of all time the dream scape. I drifted aimlessly through different places and times, dreams and memories. I saw many happy memories I saw little foals playing, romantic picnics by the sea and family reunions. I saw sad memories and hard times, loss and pain. I saw dreams and hopes of the past and those of the present. I was nearing the dream scape canterlot archives and suddenly I felt a draw of magic very close to me and before I could react I was pulled into a mind of a pony. And not the mind of just anypony, my sister the great ruler herself Celestia.

The stars will aid in her escape

Celestia was walking down a hall in the Canterlot castle. The Great Starswirl the Bearded was on his death bed and he had requested to see the Princess, he had said it was of great importance. He had been attacked by a mysterious creature in the Everfree Forest and he could not recount what had happened. Celestia was concerned not only for her mentor and friend's illness but for the reason he had called her forth. He had been said to be blessed with the gift of foresight and had created most of the major prophecies of Equestria. She was worried that if he had called to her when he was in this condition he would not want to talk about the weather or studying. She suddenly felt a tug of the spirit world, drawing another soul towards the end. Celestia picked up her pace a bit wanting to find her mentor before it was too late.

I had been listening to Celestia's thoughts and was becoming more and more curious by the minute. I had known this Starswirl when I had been Luna almost three hundred years ago. He was the most powerful unicorn of his age and was famous for many things, the most famous being his time travel spell. If he was of the second sight then I wanted to here what he had to say. Maybe it would tell of Discord's return. He was quite amusing to watch, and I had been regretful to see him turned to stone though back then I had been Luna and had felt no remorse. I had drifted through the dream scape many times before but had never come across something as interesting as this. The great Starswil about to die, giving his last words to the pony who I was watching.
"Oh goody" I giggled to myself " this will be fun"

Celestia entered the room and the doctor bowed.
"P-Princess" he stuttered "H-He is failing I have tried all I know yet I can't stop the bleeding . I am so s-sorry."
"You are right there is nothing you could do" Celestia replied "please do not distress."
"Celestia" rasped a voice. Starswirl had opened his eyes.
" Yes Starswirl I am here" wispered Celestia.
" You must know Celestia" he croaked "the prophecy of the moon, I have decoded it".
Celestia gasped "you found the answer!?Why did you not tell me sooner?"
"Because you were not ready child, I only trouble you now because of it's impact on you. You must face it with silence of truth. The prophecy tells of the mare in the moon, Nightmare Moon".

The mention of my name made me focus. I had lost my interest in the conversation and had been slipping away, but the mention of my name made my presence return to Celestia. So abruptly I fact that she shivered a the mention of me. She remained silent for so long I thought she had had a heart attack. Then she spoke again saying the only thing I would ever encourage of Celestia.

"Would you please then tell me of this prophecy?"
"It is said that on the longest day of the thousansth year the stars of the heavens will aid her in her escape from her imprisonment on the moon".

I was shocked into breathlessness. My escape was possible?! I could leave that space rock and take the throne of Equestria as my own. The longest day of the thousansth year, the summer sun celebration,and the anniversary of my banishment. It had been only three hundred years so that ment I would have plenty of time to earn the trust and allience of the nearby stars. I would make a grand appearance frighten many and banish Celestia. To where though? I felt my self begin to slip away but I would not need to stay I had all the information I could use. I practically pranced my way back to my body, I was so excited I could sing.

When I was back in my own mind I leaped and danced over the dusty surface of the moon. I shouted and screamed with joy.
"I'm going back! The world will be mine, and this time for good!"
I laughed my best evil laugh ever and reveled in my success.
"Jeez!" I wheezed "That is tough on the throat after three hundred years of no practice!"

Preparations

"How on the moon could I have missed this!?" I stood on the dark side of the moon cusing my own neglect. I had found the perfect material for my plan. A meteor, a wonderful, gorgeous meteor that had crashed into the moon so long ago smoothed by years of falling apart. It was hard as a diamond yet if heated at the right temperature could be molded into something far better. I had spent the last few weeks thinking and brainstorming on my new attack upon Equestria and had come up with the perfect strategy.

I would free myself on the day of the summer sun celebration and make a grand entrance. First, right before the festivites begin I will find Celestia and dispose of her. She was a powerful enemy, but with my own power and the stolen power of Luna, I could win. But I would bring a weapon just in case. After that I would prove to all my subjects that I was better than Celestia and remind them that they were not my equals so the must address me as "your highness," or "your majesty," and so on. I would then dominate the castle of Canterlot, claim it as my own, and rule as the queen of Equestria. Being a princess would make make me seem soft, and I would not wish for my subjects to forget their place.

While I had been gleefully thinking this over I realized that if I was to be a queen I would need a crown and royal attire. Then I thought about my attack; a crown would be lovely and all, but if I was dressed in armor then I would seem more of a threat to Celestia. The armor should be strong. I would cover it in moon dust and only the strongest magic could break thought it. I had not forgotten of the Elements of Harmony, but with a quick trip to the dream scape I found that they were still in the old castle. No matter, I would dispose of them easily. When Celestia had removed my presence from Equestria it was the most painful experience I have ever had. It burned, stung and broke me. I simply wish to return the favor.

I sighed as I watched my plan come into action. My armor was beautiful. It glistened and shone like a dark star; the moon dust and magic that was weaved into it made it shimmer, and if I concentrated I was able to hear the magical pulse. And if that was impressive, it was nothing compared to the sword. I had made it out of pure magic, crafted with the ancient enchantments involving not only Equstrian magic, but the magic of the Gryphon kingdom, Saddle Arabian magic, and even Zebra magic. It was perfectly balanced and intricately carved. The only reason for the carvings however were that sometimes I got bored so I would carve something new on the hilt or sheath.

I would be speaking to the stars the next turn when they came close enough to hear. I donned my armor and sword and sat down to wait. As I sat and thought about the glory of my soon to come rule, my head began to throb. I tried to think of something pleasant like defeating Celestia or siting on a throne instead of a rock. But all that came was pain as I struggled with my own body. I heard screams within my head that belonged to the one pony I feared more than anything, the one pony who could be my downfall. She was the only one I hated more than Celestia, and she was way more powerful. I gave one more feeble attempt at fighting her off and then with one final blow she emerged. The all powerful goddess herself, here to slay me, my nightmare.