The Rise and Fall of Nightmare Moon

So Luna and her parents invited Grey Shade, Seros, and Baby Sombra over for dinner.

They all ate Hay Casserole with peas, carrots, and broccoli, and glasses of the freshest water in Valla, while the infant Sombra had a bottle of milk. The dinner was prepared by Valla's best chefs, as they are willing to do anything to please the prince and princess of Valla.

So they ate their dinner, and they decided to have a dinner conversation to pass the time.

"So Grey Shade" Princess Alouette said. "What school do you go to?"

"I go to Star Swirl the Bearded's Special Unicorn School".

"Interesting" Prince Orion said "That's the same school Celestia and Luna go to. Did you see any of them."

"I did."

"Did you talk to them?"

"No, I was a bit nervous. But then I met Princess Luna in the forest, and we started talking. Then she invited me over for dinner."

"That's nice" Princess Alouette said.

Then she looked at Seros and said "So Seros, how old is Sombra?"

Seros answered "he was born two months ago."

"So he's a newborn" Prince Orion said.

"Yes" Seros responded.

"That reminds me" Princess Alouette said. "Celestia, Luna, guess who's coming over for dinner?"

"Who?" Celestia and Luna asked.

Their mother answered "Earlier, before Luna invited Grey Shade, I invited Catrina to join us for dinner."

"You mean my foalsitter?" Luna asked.

"Yes" Prince Orion answered. "She was so kind to you and Celestia that we decided to have her over for dinner."

Knock, Knock

There were two knocks on the door.

"That must be her" Princess Alouette said. "Excuse me for a moment."

So Princess Alouette got up from the table, and left to go towards the front drawbridge.

The drawbridge opened, and Catrina entered into the castle.

"Princess Alouette" Catrina said "It's so good to see you again."

"You two" said Princess Alouette. "Come inside, we have three special guests over for dinner."

So Princess Alouette took Catrina into the dining room, where she introduced Catrina to Grey Shade, Seros, and baby Sombra.

Catrina then went towards baby Sombra and said "well hello, little one."

So Catrina asked Seros "so are you the father of these two?"

Seros asked "I'm just Sombra's father, Grey Shade is my nephew."

"Please" Prince Orion said "Have a seat."

Catrina had a seat at the dining room table.

"So Catrina" Grey Shade said. "How long have you known Celestia and Luna?"

"I've known them since they were newborns."

"So anyway" Catrina told Prince Orion "I was thinking of an idea".

"Oh, do tell us".

"Well, there are problems in the kingdom, like how there's crime and bad doing."

"So what's your solution?" Princess Alouette asked.

"The solution" Catrina said "Is that I could run my own kingdom in part of Valla in peace".

Prince Orion and Princess Alouette paused in shock.

Celestia, Luna, Grey Shade, and Seros looked at the couple.

"What's wrong, mommy?" Luna asked Alouette.

"Catrina" Alouette said "you know that Valla Law forbids any non-experienced creatures to start a kingdom in Valla."

"What do you mean unexperience!?" Catrina asked. "I've been involved in this kingdom for a long time!"

"Looking after our children is not involvement"

"I mean my other job! I'm one of the captains of the royal guard!"

"Yes, but still, we don't think you're experienced with having your own kingdom."

"Guarding you with every fiber of my being counts as experience! I've watched how you looked over our kingdom!"

"It's not the matter of how good you do your job, it's the matter of how much knowledge of ruling a kingdom you need."

"Baloney" Catrina said. "If I had my own kingdom, I could prove that I could be just as good as you, maybe even better!"

"No!" Orion shouted "If you don't agree with us, then you can just leave!"

"Honey" Alouette said. "Don't say that."

Orion paused, and gathered up his thoughts.

"Alouette's right" Orion said. "I didn't mean to-"

"No" Catrina said. "I was a fool to think you'd agree with me. I've made up my mind. I'm leaving!"

"Catrina" Orion said. "It doesn't have to be like this."

"That's where you're wrong. I'm tired of playing second fiddle, tired of being in the shadow of you and your wife. I quit! I quit as foalsitter, and I quit as captain of the royal guard!"

So Catrina got up and stormed off, but Celestia and Luna chased after her.

"Catrina" Celestia and Luna said.

"Celestia, Luna, wait!" Alouette said.

"Let them go, honey" Orion told Alouette.

So Luna and Celestia caught up to Catrina.

"Catrina" Celestia said "don't go. We'll miss you."

Then Luna and Celestia looked at Catrina with sad faces.

"I know" Catrina said. "I'll miss you, too."

Then Catrina hugged both Celestia and Luna, and she walked out of the castle.

Then Celestia and Luna went back to the dining room table.

With a sad expression on her face, Luna said "she left."

"I know, sweetheart" Orion said "I know."

So Luna and Celestia hugged their parents.

"I'm sorry for the loss of your friend" Grey Shade told Celestia and Luna.

So ten years have passed since then, and Princess Luna, Princess Celestia, and Grey Shade are all grown up.. Princess Luna is now 15 years old, Princess Celestia is now 23 years old, and Grey Shade is now 18 years old, and he now has his cutie mark, which is a tornado. Also, Princess Alouette and Prince Orion now have an eight-year-old alicorn daughter named Princess Dawn, who's cutie mark looks like a pheonix. Princess Dawn has a flowing orange mane with white sparkles in it, like both Princess Alouette and Princess Luna, and she has a yellow fur coat. So Princess Dawn is now the new sister of Princess Luna and Princess Celestia.

TO BE CONTINUED ...