“Tia!” I yelled, my hooves clopping against the cool castle floor. “Tia?” I called again. I walked to her bedroom and looked in. Celestia was brushing her rose-colored mane, humming to herself. “Tia?” I said. She turned around. “Hello Luna,” she said. “What is it?”
I walked to her and sat down next to her. “May I greet our subjects today?” I asked. Celestia placed her brush down, then placed her tiara and collar on with her magic. “Yes Luna, you may. I’ll come out onto the balcony after you greet them so I can raise the sun.” I smiled. I could finally get a chance in the spotlight!
I walked out of Celestia’s room, trotting towards the balcony in a good mood. I had never greeted the subjects before, I just watched Celestia do it, but when I had come from my usual night watch, I felt like I wanted to tell the ponies about the spectacular show I would put up in the sky just for them.
After a deep breath, I walked out onto the balcony. “Greetings my ponies!” I exclaimed to the crowd. I smiled and continued. “I, Princess Luna, ruler of the night am pleased to announce that-” I was interrupted by a colt. “Where’s Princess Celestia?” he yelled. “She’s in the castle, I just decided to-” I was cut off again, this time by a mare. “Is Princess Celestia sick?” she yelled. I was beginning to become agitated. The ponies began to converse, each one speaking over each other, and the crowd became noisy. “SILENCE!” I shouted. “As I was saying, I, Princess Luna, ruler of the night am pleased to announce that tonight, I will give thou a surprise. Just go outside at night and wait. When I raise the moon, you will see the surprise.”
“Can Princess Celestia come out now?” a mare said. I sighed. “Yes. You will see her soon.” I turned and walked back into the castle, and Celestia passed me, going the opposite direction.
I could hear her speaking to the subjects in a clear, calm voice, but I ignored it as I raced down the hall, tears blurring my vision.
Why do ponies always beg for Tia? I thought, flopping down into my bed.
“Why not me?”
I stood up to look out the window. “She hogs all the attention. Just because she’s the eldest and can raise the sun does not make her any better than me!” I yelled, stomping my front hoof. When I broke my gaze away from the bright blue Equestrian sky, I glanced towards the mirror. “Is it how I look?” I wondered aloud. I walked towards the mirror and using my magic, I took off my crown and slippers, placing them gently on my bedside table.
“Am I not pretty enough?” I gazed at myself for some time, fixing my mane and tail and smoothing my fur.
No, I was definitely okay looking. I wasn’t monstrous, but I wasn’t as attractive as Tia. I sighed and laid on my bed.
“When they see the beautiful kingdom I’ll make in the stars tonight, maybe they’ll pay attention to me. They will.”
I stared at the ceiling for a while, until I heard a knock at my door. "Sister?" a soft voice called. I sat up and faced towards the window, my back to the door. "Come in," I called.
Celestia opened the door with a creak and walked towards Luna. "Luna, I just was about to go for a walk to clear my head. I was wondering, would you like to come with me?" I looked at Celestia and nodded. My horn lit up with an indigo sparkle and I put my crown and slippers on.
"Lets go then," I said. Celestia nodded and walked out of my bedroom, with me following her.
I was watching the busy city of Canterlot from a high cliff Celestia had found. Next to me, Celestia spoke. She sighed, so I turned and looked at her. She smiled and said, "Surely there is no pony so lovely, and so well beloved as I." That was it. I was done. The little brat had become boastful now, and she was so, so blind to my pain. I spread my wings, and with one hard flap, I took to the skies, ignoring Celestia's calls.
I soared into the clouds, not knowing where I was going and not caring either.
“That selfish little...arrgh!” I screamed, diving down to what looked like a forest. Yes, it was a forest, the Everfree Forest to be exact. I glided between the dark trees. Celestia was probably trying to set the sun now. I looked up. The sun was slowly, but surely setting. I found a clearing to raise the moon. When the sun dipped beneath the horizon, I raised the moon, flying with my arms outstretched to support the spell. When I was finished, I started on the stars, making them look like everypony in Canterlot. I put myself, standing triumphantly over everyone, under the moon, with Celestia standing next to me. I made her a little smaller, but nopony would be able to tell, unless they looked closely.
“There!” I exclaimed, feeling well enough to go back to the castle, but first, I needed to check if everypony was looking up at the night sky. I flew through Canterlot, happy to see that ponies were everywhere, looking up at the beautiful display in the sky. I flew down to the center of town, where most of the ponies were. Many ponies stood in awe. I walked up to one pony, a colt, and asked him what they thought. “I think it’s fantastic! Princess Celestia did an amazing-” I cut him off. “Did you say ‘Princess Celestia’?” I asked in a chilling tone. “Yes...didn’t she raise the moon and put up the stars since you were declared missing?”
I gritted my teeth. “Is Princess Celestia ruler of the night?” I said, my left wing twitching in annoyance. “N-no…” the frightened colt said.
“Yes, then who is ruler of the night, my dear subject?” I asked. “Y-you are.” I held my hoof to his chin and moved his head so he would look into my eyes. “So I would raise the moon and stars. Don’t ever mix that up again.” I let go of him and soared into the sky, then sped towards the castle. “Tia!” I called. “I’m here!” I heard no answer. “She’s probably asleep,” I mumbled. I trotted to my room, closed the door, and got ready for bed. After a relaxing bath, I sunk into my velvet bed. Before I fell asleep, I heard a mare’s voice. Goodnight, princess.
I thought nothing of it and went to sleep.
Author's Note
The Lullaby for a princess song will be in here. I just want to make it clear, the song is obviously not mine, and all credit goes to the creator for the song.
“Luna! Stop this! Please! This is not the way!” Celestia screamed. I turned around, my eyes turquoise with dragon irises. I was wearing dark blue armor with a moon on it, my hair was long and had stars in it on a deep blue background, and I was as tall as Celestia. My fur was black as night. “This is not the way?” I questioned. “You are very wrong there, Celestia. I tried to gain attention, to be loved. I now realize that I can be ruler of the night, and take away your precious sunlight. That is why, my dear Celestia, that is why I raised my moon over your pathetic little sun,” I spat.
Celestia shook her head. “Luna, I know you were hurt. I’m sorry I hurt you, and I’m sorry you feel unloved.” I glared at her. “I am not Luna. I am Nightmare Night, mother of the night, and you will be the first to feel my wrath!” My horn lit up with blue, and I blasted Celestia with a spell that caused her to fly out out of the castle, onto sharp rocks below our cliff.
I woke up with a gasp, my heart beating so hard I thought it would come out of my chest. After I had calmed down, I realized I was no longer in my bed. In fact, I wasn’t even in the castle. I was in the Everfree forest, close to the castle at least. “How in Equestria did I get here?” I wondered aloud.
Because you flew here in your sleep. I helped with that. I jumped. It was the same voice I had heard before I went to sleep. “W-who are you?” I asked. You don’t need to know that yet. I’ll tell you when you’re ready. I’m...a friend. I frowned and stood up. “Where are you?” The voice laughed, and kindly replied. I’m in your head.
“I’m confused. You don’t sound like me at all. Where did you come from?”
The mare chuckled. I came from you. And if you wish to speak to me without seeming crazy, I suggest you talk to me in your head.
I sighed and looked up at the night sky.
I knew it wasn’t even close to moonset, so I flew back into the castle, into my room, and flopped onto my bed, trying to sleep.
After about an hour of trying, I gave up. I knew it wasn’t going to happen, so I flew out the window to watch the ground below, making sure everypony was safe. I looked at the stars I had arranged and felt instant anger, remembering the colt that had praised Celestia instead of me. I rearranged the stars to their normal position, fighting the urge to scream in frustration.
I saw something glinting purple on the ground. Curious, I dived towards it, then landed gently. After close examination, I realized it was a mirror. I looked into it, surprised to see the mare from my dream. “Luna, I have so much to tell you. So, so much.”
I realized that the voice was behind me, and shivers went up my spine.
“W-who are you?” I demanded, turning around. “What do you want from me?” I saw her, just like she looked in my dream. She smiled, revealing sharp, dangerous teeth. “Luna, I am Nightmare Moon. I want nothing from you but friendship,” she said softly. “I can help you be noticed. I can help you be just as good as Celestia, better than her even,” she continued, walking towards me, then stopped and leaned close to me. “I can give you power...just be my friend.”
I knew this was wrong. This pony might have bad intentions, but she wanted to be my friend. Nopony had been my friend before. What would Celestia say? I thought. Actually, it didn’t matter. I wanted to be friends with this pony. I wanted so badly to have something special.
“I accept your friendship, Nightmare. I accept it,” I said. Nightmare smiled. “Then, let us walk together before you lower the moon.” I nodded, and began to walk with her, talking about how annoying Celestia was, and she listened, even relating to me, saying she felt lonely too, saying that people had abandoned her.
She understood me, and I understood her. I felt so happy.
After I had lowered the moon and Celestia had raised the sun, I told Nightmare I would meet with her in my free time. She also promised she would communicate in my head when I needed advice.
We reluctantly parted, and I flew up to the castle. I was humming and trotting down the hall, admiring the paintings of me and her as fillies, when I ran into Celestia, who was carrying lots of scrolls behind her, all of them bathed in her sparkling gold magic. She saw me and walked briskly to me. “Luna! Thank goodness. I need some help with these scrolls, they’re all letters. Can you read one half and sign the laws that you think should be placed?”
“Sorry Tia, I got some stuff to do,” I said, walking away from her and the scrolls as fast as I could. The truth was, I hate signing papers. It’s so boring. I’d rather be exploring or practicing my flying, anything that isn’t signing or reading those dreaded scrolls. I walked into my room and closed the door. Then, making sure there was no noise in the hall, I called out softly, “Nightmare?”
I was surprised by how fast she appeared, with her black coat, turquoise eyes, and night sky hair. “Hello Luna,” she greeted. “Nice room you have.”
“Thank you Nightmare. We can sit on my bed if you’d like.” I sat down, and after a few moments, she did the same. “So, I ran into Celestia just now and…”
