The Longest Night of the Year
The winter snow lay heavy in the castle courtyard. The night was clear, bracing, and the gusty wind dared anypony to just try and intrude upon the stillness. One mare, sitting high in her balcony cared not for the cold nor snow nor wind. This was the longest night of all the year-- the winter solstice-- and she wanted to enjoy it. She closed her eyes, felt the air as it chilled her nose and her lungs. She reveled in the soft light falling from the sky, in the glittering stars reflected back at her from the snow. Or rather, she tried to revel in it. But revelry was a difficult thing to achieve all on one’s own.
Ever since she’d received her cutie mark, Luna had tried to celebrate her Winter Moon just as her sister celebrated the Summer Sun on the longest day. She used to fly all the way to the Grand Pavilion in Canterlot, imagining all the pomp and circumstance that Celestia received during the Summer Sun celebration. She would imagine banners of soft blue and deep violet, ribbons of silver starlight. She would imagine ponies crowding forward, eager to see her raise the light of evening. She would imagine that this night, just for one night, they would not retreat from the dark. That they would enjoy what she had created for them. She would imagine that they loved her.
“Your Highness?” Her guard had spoken softly, but the Princess still jumped a bit at the unexpected sound.
“Vigil,” she addressed him without turning around, “I’m sorry. I’d forgotten you were here.”
She could hear the stallion shuffling his leathery bat-like wings as he spoke again. “Erm… y-yes, Your Highness. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to interrupt, but… ah…will you… uhm…”
Clearly her words had out with more of an edge than she had intended. Starlight Vigil was not typically so nervous around her. She took a breath, and carefully took on a pleasant expression before turning to face him.
“I’m sorry,” she said again, careful to keep a softer tone, “I didn’t mean to sound so… severe. What did you need?” She hoped the shadows were enough to hide the tears welling in her eyes.
They weren’t. The guardspony only looked more concerned. “It’s.. well, it’s only that... does Your Highness intend to spend all night in the cold?”
“Ah, always worried about me.” Luna forced her smile a little wider. “I’ll be a while yet. You may leave, if you like. I’m sure I’ll be perfectly safe here.”
“Can I get anything for you, Your Highness? A cloak, perhaps? Or a hot drink?”
“No, thank you, Vigil.”
“Very well, then. I bid you good night, My Princess.”
“Good night.”
For a moment he looked as if he were going to speak again, but he only shuffled his wings once more, bowed, and left. Luna turned back to her moon and waited until she heard the chamber door’s soft, resounding boom before she spread her wings and took off. Perhaps a quick flight would help to calm her mind.
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She flew for hours. The moon had drifted low above the earth before she finally chose a cloud and landed, more troubled now than she had been to begin with. After a moment, she collapsed into a sobbing heap, her defenses broken. She stared at the white fluff beneath her hooves as she struggled to regain control. The moon’s brightness wavered, threatening to go dark and fall under the weight of her loneliness. The unsteady light gained her attention once more and she cried out to the moon, her only friend.
“WHY?” She wailed. “Why can’t they see you like I do? Why can’t they understand? You deserve as much love and admiration as the sun! You deserve to be seen and celebrated, and yet every night, EVERY NIGHT, they hide away from you! Why do they think so much less of you? Why can’t they love you, too? Why?” She buried her face in her hooves, covering her head with her wings for good measure. She remained like that for a while, until a soft voice came from seemingly nowhere.
“Why don’t they love us, Luna?” it asked her.
Luna looked around in surprise. Was there somepony up here with her? She couldn’t see anyone. She couldn’t see anything at all. The world had gone black. Complete shadow had fallen over the ground, the distant mountain, it even masked the stars and the moon in a strange, swirling wine-colored mist. “Who… who’s there?” she whispered into the darkness.
“Do you not know me?” The voice sounded surprised.
Luna listened hard as she replied, “Should I?”
“I should think so, my little pony. “ Indeed, the voice sounded eerily familiar. Much like her own voice, in fact. “After all, you have raised me every night even since you were a filly.”
Luna felt her gaze drawn back to the shining orb hovering just over the horizon. Before her eyes the moon and the mist shifted, the one seeming to gather up the other around itself. As she watched, it turned faded into darknesss and took the shape of a tall, slender alicorn, the mist becoming a flowing mane and tail, gazing back at her with the moonlight in its eyes. Luna stared, transfixed, as the other pony, the Moon, approached her. She reached out a black wing whisked away her tears with one delicate touch.
“But… but…” Luna stammered.
“There, there.” The Moon purred. “It’s not your fault, little Princess. You are not to blame for the blindness of your subjects.”
Silence drifted between them as Luna struggled to understand what she was seeing. Even the wind seemed to have gotten the hint and left the two alone. Finally, her reeling thoughts found their way back to her.
“I try so hard!” she finally managed, turning away from the other mare. A tiny patch of starlight appeared beneath them, shining on a small town on the edge of the Everfree. “I give them everything I can! I pour all my talent and skill into every night FOR THEM! And for WHAT?” Luna was trembling now, sadness giving way to anger.
The Moon laid a comforting wing over her shoulders. “They hide,” she said, echoing the Princess’s own thoughts. “They hide, and sleep, and never once take notice of the beautiful gift you give to them every time the sun goes down.”
Luna gazed through burning, teary eyes at the silent village beneath her. “Will they ever love us?” She asked. “Will they ever appreciate us the way they appreciate Celestia and her Sun? Where are our thanks? Our feasts and celebrations? What makes her so special? What makes us so much less than her?”
“Nothing.” The Moon said. “Celestia is no more special than you are. No different.” She sighed. “Oh, Luna. If only you could show them.”
Luna looked up at the mare towering over her. “Show them?”
“Of course.” The Moon said, slipping a wing under Luna’s chin. “Show them that Celestia is no better than you are. That the sun’s harsh rays are nothing compared to your soft, delicate moonbeams. That the flat blue daytime sky need not mask your sparkling starlight. Make them see the night for the wonder we both know it to be.” The Moon stared hard into Luna’s eyes now.
“But… but…” Luna was lost for words. What was the Moon suggesting she should do? Surely she didn’t want her to--
“Your Highness!”
Luna whipped around to find Starlight Vigil flying toward her from out of the forest. The shadow had lifted from the world while she and the Moon had been talking. Or had it ever been there at all? She looked back at where the other mare had been, but saw only empty cloud. The moon had retaken its proper shape in the sky, shining down as though nothing at all had happened.
“Your Highness,” Vigil called again as he neared her cloud. “Your Highness, the guard has been searching for you.”
“What?” Luna asked, feeling slightly dazed.
“It’s nearly dawn. Princess Celestia came looking for you to lower the moon. When she couldn’t find you in your chambers…”
“Oh.” Luna looked down at her guard. “My apologies. I had forgotten the hour.”
“Princess, I was… ehrm, that is…your sister... was… concerned.” The guard looked a little embarrassed.
“Well,” said Luna, regaining her composure, “You may tell Celestia that I am fine. I shall be there shortly to perform my duty. She needn’t worry any longer.”
“Yes, Your Highness.” Vigil bowed low, but hesitated before taking off.
“Yes?” Luna pressed him.
“Are you… I mean, I don’t mean to presume,” he stammered, “but… are you all right, Princess Luna? You seem…shaken.” He winced a little at the Moon Princess’s arched eyebrow.
“I am fine, Starlight Vigil.” Luna all but growled. She looked back toward the moon. “Go. I shall follow momentarily.” She felt his worried look linger on her for another moment before he lifted from the cloud and flew back toward the castle.
“What do you want from me?” When the moon did not answer her, she, too, spread her wings.
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The “Moon” looked on, smiling to herself as Luna left the cloud. The little alicorn had proved more delicate than she had thought. Oh, this pony would work out quite well for her. She would have to visit the Princess again soon. Today, perhaps, as the pony slept. Sleep, after all, was where a Nightmare could truly work her magic. It would not be long, now. No, not long at all...
Author's Note
First Story... constructive criticism is welcome, but please be gentle... 
