The Crying Moon
It was early evening in Ponyville and inside of the Golden Oaks Library a variety of stargazing apparatus were zooming around from where they sat and gathered into Twilight's saddlebags as she prepared to visit her favorite spot in the Whitetail Forest. Twilight checked off each item as they were levitated into her saddlebags.
"Telescope, check. Okay that's everything I need for tonight," Twilight said as she levitated the telescope into her saddlebag. "Well I'm certainly glad I cast a dimensional spell on these. Otherwise I wouldn't be able to fit everything in them," she said as she levitated the bags onto her back turning to face a flight of stairs leading down.
"SPIKE" Twilight called out loudly to Spike who was doing Celestia knows what in his new room.
"Jeez Twi do you have to yell so loudly? I'm sure most of Ponyville heard you!" Spike asked as he came up from the guest room which was now serving as his own room.
"Eh heheh sorry, I'm not used yet to being able to yell so loudly ever since the big change," Twilight said softly, looking back at her new wings before fluffing them up. Everything had been happening so fast since she became an alicorn. While she was officially crowned as the Princess of Friendship, she was unofficially known as the Goddess of the Stars since she'd taken control over them. Then Nightmare Moon showed up begging to be forgiven for what she'd done 1000 years ago. "I still don't trust her," Twilight muttered before Spike brought her back from her thoughts.
"Um Twilight? Hello! Are you okay? You kind of spaced out on me." Spike said, casually waving a hand in front of Twilight's muzzle.
"What? Oh yeah I was just thinking about how everything is just going way too fast for me. I mean me becoming an Alicorn, then finding out about my new connection with the stars, having to bring them out at night and then Nightmare Moon's reappearance. I'm starting to wonder if I can handle all of the responsibilities that are now resting on my shoulders." Twilight gave a soft sigh. "It's just I don't know if I'm ready for all of this."
Spike, unable to think of anything to say, just remained silent until finally "So, you called me up here for a reason right? If it's for what I think it is you don't have to tell me. I'll be sure to go to bed on time."
"Actually I called you up here because you're spending the night at Rarity's," Twilight said, suppressing a giggle as she saw her number one assistant instantly seem to glow at the mention of his crush. "Come on Casanova, lets get going!" Twilight said unable to suppress the giggles any longer as she ushered Spike out of the now dark library.
Nightmare Moon walked through the forest, her head hanging low while she fought back against the tears that threatened to make themselves seen. Her day had gone horribly and she was feeling lonelier than she ever had before. Even her once faithful Lunar Ponies seemed to have shunned her for her actions. "I guess it's no less than I deserve after all what I did," Nightmare muttered remembering the night she had returned.
It was a very special night. The moon was bright in the sky and all seemed peaceful. That all changed as slowly the moon began to darken as Equus started to eclipse the moon. It was a beautiful sight to all who were watching it as the shadow crept across the moon. As the planet fully eclipsed the moon it began to glow almost red and then suddenly something what appeared to be a wisp of smoke spiraled down to the ground. The sky darkened as the wisp grew and gathered more energy as it slowly began to take a familiar form. The form of Nightmare Moon.
Everypony and animal in the area fled except for one. Twilight Sparkle, who watched as Nightmare Moon formed and then collapsed after taking a couple of steps. Twilight slowly approached her and before she blacked out she thought she felt something different about the pony, something about her size and how her back shimmered as if an illusion was hiding something.
Twilight Sparkle. That pony who always seemed to be on her mind as of late. How could she not think of the mare who defeated her and also offered her forgiveness? She'd never forget the day that Twilight Sparkle offered her even the semblance of forgiveness.
Nightmare Moon woke up in a soft bed in what she could only guess was Canterlot Castle if the design was anything to go by. This had initially scared Nightmare as she was sure that Celestia and Luna would barge in at any moment to end her life once and for all, so it was understandable when she found herself trying to hide in a corner of the room when the door opened, unexpectedly revealing Twilight.
"Nightmare Moon. I see you are finally awake." Twilight's horn lit up and Nightmare felt herself lifted up into the air and moved over to the bed. "I have some questions I wish to ask you and you will answer them." Nightmare could only nod and prepare what answers she might need to give and wasn't overly surprised of the first question: "Why and how did you return? I saw the elements tear your body to shreds."
Just remembering that experience made Nightmare shiver in fear. She'd of course given all the answers she needed to give and was soon brought to Celestia and Luna who had glowered at her with hatred and disgust. Somehow Twilight's indifference had frightened her even more than the diarchs hatred and anger.
Nightmare hung her head as she waited for the two rulers to call upon her which they did a few minutes later after clearing the throne room of all the petitioners. Not that many had remained when Nightmare had been brought in.
"Nightmare Moon. You returned once again but you seem weak so I will ask you only once and if you do not give an acceptable answer I will strike you down. Why have you returned?" Celestia asked her voice full of malice and hatred.
"I seek forgiveness... Forgiveness for what I've done in the past."
Nightmare found herself in a small peaceful clearing where she collapsed. Remembering what happened next was both the worst and arguably the best moment of her life. While she had been denied forgiveness from the diarchs until they felt they had reason to forgive her, she had been forgiven by Twilight and that meant more to her than Celestia or Luna could ever know. But that forgiveness had created a new problem. Even though she had been forgiven she couldn't help but notice how unbearably lonely she felt because of it. She admired Twilight, she was the mare who managed defeated her; she was smart and beautiful or at least Nightmare thought she was. There was just something that drew her towards the studious mare and it drove her to tears when she realized she couldn't have her.
And so Nightmare cried as she let her loneliness take over. Her crying stopping when she heard a soft and gentle voice coming from behind her.
A voice that said "Once upon a time, back before the Stars and the Moon were friends the Moon would cry."
Nightmare whipped her head around and saw Twilight Sparkle slowly walking towards her.
Twilight had just dropped Spike off at Rarity's and was now (very unstable) flying towards Whitetail Forest, the only place close to home where she could have peace and quiet while stargazing. She landed just outside the forest trail and made her way towards her favorite clearing, only to stop dead when she gets close. 'Is someone already here and ...is that crying?' Twilight slowly and quietly made her way into the clearing and was stunned by what she saw. There, in the middle of the clearing, was Nightmare Moon. And she was crying. It wasn't a soft crying, she was crying out with all her heart as loudly as she possibly could and it pained Twilight to see this so she did something surprising... she approached Nightmare Moon with her wings flared and began to speak.
"Once upon a time back before the Stars and the Moon were friends the Moon would cry. This pained the Stars who one day spoke out to the Moon and asked 'Why do you cry Moon?'" Twilight spoke softly as she approached Nightmare Moon who was looking at her her, mouth hanging open in surprise. Twilight gave a soft smile waiting for Nightmare Moon to answer her question.
After half a minute of silence a shaky voice spoke "'I am lonely,' the Moon replied to the Stars."
Twilight's smile fell slightly but she continued on "'Why are you lonely?' the Stars inquired."
Nightmare Moon looked away from Twilight and muttered "'We have no friends with whom we can spend time with,' the Moon said growing less luminous." As if in response the moon itself began to grow dimmer.
Twilight's smile seemed to grow slightly as she walked right up to Nightmare and whispered into her ear "'Then we will be your friend,' the Stars said growing brighter." The stars in the sky suddenly began to shine brighter and Twilight continued "'We have already given you our forgiveness and so we shall also give you our friendship and maybe more than that along the way,' the Stars shone so bright they rival the dim Moon." The stars in the sky were now shining bright enough that they matched the dim moon as Twilight moved her muzzle down slightly before kissing her cheek.
This had the desired effect as the moon seemed to return to its normal brightness as Nightmare looked at Twilight in shock at what had just happened. "W-W-Why did you just k-k-kiss me?"
"Because I like you and also because nobody deserves to feel lonely, no matter what they had done in the past," Twilight said with a soft smile. "It made me realize something. You could have reappeared everywhere but you didn't. You reappeared where I was. You never cared about Celestia's or Luna's forgiveness. You were happy enough that you had mine. You made it very plain and yet i was still blinded by my fear of you." Twilight laid down next to Nightmare and rested a wing over her back, feeling Nightmare press up against her.
"I admire you... I admire your courage and your strength. You stood up against me when you were at a clear disadvantage and yet you won. Now you have ascended into goddesshood and control the stars. I can feel them hugging the moon like you hug me with your wing. You're beautiful no matter how I look at you and I hate myself for wanting to make you mine," Nightmare said while softly looking into Twilight's eyes.
"Maybe I'm willing to give myself to you. Maybe I'm willing to give you a chance to see where it goes," Twilight said reaching up to kiss Nightmare.
"I think I'd like that very much," Nightmare said softly, leaning in and meeting Twilight's lips with her own. The kiss wasn't all that passionate but it had a sort of electrical tingle, neither wanted to end the kiss but a sudden curiosity overcame Nightmare Moon and she asked "If you have control of the stars is it safe to speculate that I might have you to thank for releasing me from my prison on the moon?"
Twilight looked up at Nightmare and tilted her head thinking about that and finally said "I'll have to speak with the princess about that but I think you might. I'm not really sure how long I've had tangible control over the stars in any sense of it being voluntary control." She went into deep thought before unpacking her saddlebags and looking up at the sky. "Would you like to stargaze with me Nightmare Moon?" Twilight asked.
"Please Twilight Sparkle, I no longer wish to be called Nightmare Moon. It's a name you ponies gave me during my possession of Luna," Nightmare said softly looking at the ground as she said the last part.
Twilight blinked in surprise at what she'd just heard but spoke up "So... um what would you like to be called?" she nervously pawed at the ground as Nightmare thought about the question.
"I'd like to be called Crescent Moon. I think it's fitting and I'd love to stargaze with you," Crescent Moon said.
"I'd appreciate it if you just call me Twilight. After all Twilight Sparkle is too formal," she said with a giggle before setting up her stargazing equipment and aimed it at a very special star. "Do you see that star? It's very special to me since it's the first star I created after realizing my connection to the stars."
Nightmare looked through the telescope at the very faint star and smiled. "Its very pretty even if it's dim," she said softly.
They continued to gaze into the sky at the stars together for the rest of the night and when morning came they returned to the library together smiling.
