Shadows in the Night

by Forestshadows

Rating: teen
Tags: Sad, Princess Luna, Drama, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Other, Romance, Original Character, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life
Length: 6178

Everyone knows what Luna was like when she first returned from the moon, and everyone knows what she was like when she went to Ponyville that Nightmare Night. But what happened in the rest of that time?

Shadow had always been curious about old myths and legends, as a young filly it was her way of coping with a broken family. One of the things she was most curious about was the Mare in the Moon, who was the Mare in the Moon? What was her story? She had these questions, but she never truly expected them to be answered.

Then the day of the Thousandth Summer Sun celebration arrived, and the Mare in the Moon was no longer just some old legend, but a real pony. A pony that only one other pony even remembered, a pony that desperately needed a friend though she did not know how to make one.

This is how a young mare named Shadow became the Moon's friend.

Published 2016-05-14 01:40:01 UTC
Last updated 2016-06-17 17:45:29 UTC

Chapter One - The Return of Nightmare Moon

“Luna, please. Stop this insanity!” Celestia begged, she did not want to hurt her sister, but then again her sister was no longer there.

“No.” The nightmare proclaimed, “I am not Luna. Luna was weak, she lived in your shadow her entire life. I, unlike Luna, shall not bow down to your sun as all of your subjects do."

“Luna... I don't want to hurt you... Please.”

Nightmare Moon chuckled with menace, “Hurt me? It would be amusing to watch you try. I am not Luna, I am far more powerful than she ever was, and I am more powerful than you.”

Celestia was already exhausted from the prior hours of battle, when Nightmare Moon charged her horn and blasted her with a beam of energy she tried to block it but was thrown back. As she was thrown back into the pedestal that held the Elements of Harmony, the Sun Princess caught a glimpse of the gems within. In that moment she knew she had but one choice left to her.

“Luna, I'm sorry.”

Nightmare Moon snarled, her fang-like teeth bared, “I told you. I am not Luna!”

Celestia took hold of the Elements of Harmony, the gemstones glowed with energy.

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened in absolute terror, “No... No!” She yelled, bracing for what was to come.

The black mare was engulfed in a wave of magic, she disappeared and the image of a unicorn's head appeared on the moon hanging in the sky.

“I'm sorry.”

~*'*~

I've always wondered about the Mare in the Moon, I've thought that there is some grand story about why she's there. I know that she's real, and that one day long ago she walked Equestria. Tonight I had a dream that confirms what I've always thought. It was so vivid, like I was there. I have confusing dreams a lot, especially over the last few months, but this one was something new. I saw Princess Celestia again, and the evil alicorn, though I'm not sure of her name. Instead of scattered images and glimpses I saw something that I believe happened a very long time ago. Princess Celestia was fighting the evil alicorn, but she didn't want to. She called her 'Luna' and that made the black one angry, saying that she wasn't Luna, that Luna was gone. I think Luna is the other alicorn I've seen, the smaller one, the sad one. She looks like the night, like she's linked to the moon like Celestia is linked to the sun, though it seems that Celestia has always cared for both. Whoever Luna is... or was. Celestia didn't want to hurt her, but she had to. Somehow she sent the evil Luna to the moon, and she is the Mare in the Moon. I knew she was real, somehow I always felt it, since I heard the first vague story about her. I wish I had another way to pursue this, I want to learn more, to find more facts. I've looked, but there is hardly anything about the Mare in the Moon and I can't find anything about Luna. I could try to get an audience with the Princess and ask her about it personally, but I have no idea how to do that. She's coming to Ponyville for the Thousandth Summer Sun Celebration tomorrow, I don't know why she chose here, but she did. If she stays around here long enough... Well, I have no idea if a pony such as myself could even try to talk to her, nevertheless ask a question that might very well be sensitive. But I really need answers to the questions that plague me, and the answers lie with her.

Shadow sighed and rubbed her eyes, being quite tired. She had been plagued with insomnia half the night and when she finally got to sleep she had that dream and woke up. Thought having nightmares and weird dreams since she was a filly had made her accustomed to it, in smaller amounts. The last month had been awful, dreams every night, nearly always waking her up, and she found it nearly impossible to get back to sleep. She needed to sleep as everypony did, yet sleep evaded her.

Shadow decided against trying to back to sleep again right then, she would take a short flight. The night was cool and calm, perhaps she would be able to relax enough to get back to sleep. She blew out the candle on her desk and felt her way down the stairs through the darkness.

Outside her door Shadow spread her wings and took to the air. She smiled, she had always liked the night, cool and peaceful. A time when ponies relaxed after another busy day. Rest, relaxation, sleep and healing. When families could enjoy each other's company

Family...

Her thoughts turned to her own family, or rather the lack of one. She was old enough to bear foals, and responsible, unlike some mares she had seen. She did want foals too, in time. She needed to find a stallion first. The few she had tried to date before... Well, they were nice enough, but just not right.

The truth that she rarely admitted even to herself was that she was afraid. Afraid that starting a family with somepony would end in disaster much like the family of her foalhood had.

Her father was an awful pony, perhaps even an evil pony. Her mother had been the opposite of her father. However it was her mother who had died tragically and her father who had abandoned her, but that wasn't the worst part. No, the worst part was that she feared becoming like her father. She already looked like him, save for the green eyes she inherited from her mother, but her wings, her dark blue coat, unruly mane. All of it she got from her father, and she hated that. She hated him.

Shadow neared Ponyville and turned back towards her house. She forced herself to calm down and fly at a measured pace. Her father was an angry pony who would often lash out, her temper was similar, but she refused, refused, to let it control her.

She landed on the edge of the pond near her house, it was still and quiet, the night sky and the trees of the Everfree Forest were both reflected perfectly, as was her own reflection. She focused on her green eyes and wished with all her heart that her mother was still with her, everything would be so much better if she only had her mother. Her real mother, not the matrons of the families they tried to make her live with, they hadn't cared about her because they had not been her mother.

Shadow looked at her reflection again and took a startled step back, kicking a rock into the water. Her greens eyes had been gone. Her eyes had looked just like her father’s, brown, but almost red and so angry. She looked again when the ripples died down, her eyes were green, like her mother’s.

“I'm not him.” she stated firmly despite the fear that she felt, “I'm not him.”

She turned abruptly and trotted back to her house. The night was cool and relaxing, a time for family. A time for reflection, and sometimes that reflection could be terrifying, which is why so many ponies preferred the day. Shadow didn't need any more reflection this night, she would find something to keep her busy in her house. Something that didn't remind her of her father in any way.

~*'*~

Shadow awoke to the insistent pawing and meows of her cat, she yawned and rubbed her face, books did not make excellent pillows, “Alright, I'll feed you.” she muttered as Ebony continued her meowing.

The fact that she had managed to fall asleep in a chair at her table with her face on a book spoke volumes of just how sleep deprived she was. She realized that the couple hours of fitful sleep she had managed to get would likely have to suffice for the entire next day or two if her insomnia continued.

With another yawn, Shadow got up from her chair, stretched, and plodded over to the cabinet to get the small bag of cat food. She tried to use it sparingly, Ebony was fully capable of hunting, the fish in the pond were easy to catch, and she didn't have the bits to be buying lots of it, but it was the most convenient and so she used it.

Ebony eagerly ate her food, too hungry to give Shadow a hard time about anything like she often did. Shadow shook her head as she watched the feline, sometimes she wondered why she had a cat, then she realized that Ebony was one of her only friends, if not her only friend. She sort of knew several other ponies but she didn’t know if she could truly call them friends.The truth was her life would be even more empty without the ball of fur, and she appreciated her even though half the things she did were quite irritating.

When Shadow looked around the kitchen for something for herself to eat she found there was hardly anything, some stale oats and an aging apple. She grabbed the apple and went to grab her bit bag and saddlebags; she needed to go shopping for what she could afford. There were times that she wished she had more than odd, part time jobs, but she never stayed in one place long enough to really establish herself. Not when she was always ready to leave.

Shadow soon arrived at Ponyville, and the usual lazy activity one would generally find on a summer afternoon was replaced with activity akin to the buzzing of bees. One pony in particular was flying all over the place leaving a slight rainbow trail. Flying too fast, Shadow wouldn't be able to dodge her in time. She dived out of the way, but she was closer to the ground than she thought and couldn't pull back up before she crashed at the hooves of another pony.

“Miss, are you alright?” somepony asked from above, Shadow groaned softly and opened her eyes, a pegasus stallion was standing over her, looking concerned.

“Fine, I'm fine.” she said quickly, scrambling awkwardly to her hooves.

“Are you hurt? How did you crash?” the stallion asked, taking half a step forward as if to help her.

Shadow hastily stepped back, she didn't know this stallion, and she had made a spectacle by crashing, she wanted to leave, “I just turned too fast, lost control... But I'm fine.” she spread her wings to take flight again, but the motion caused a sharp pain and she quickly folded them again.

Unfortunately, the stallion had noticed her slight wince, “You're not fine, you're hurt. Wing injuries can be nasty, you should get it looked at.”

Shadow shook her head and took another step back, “I told you, I'm fine. Leave me alone.” with that she turned and forced herself to go down the street at no faster than a trot.

She heard a mutter from the stallion as she left, but at least he seemed to be leaving her alone now. Shadow despised being the center of attention, crashing at the stallion’s hooves like that had put her in the center of attention. She didn't know if it was better or worse that she didn't recognize him at all, not that she really knew anypony in Ponyville.

Or anywhere else, for that matter.

Shadow sighed as the unbidden thought sprang up, it seemed her gloomy thoughts from very early in the morning had not yet faded. Thinking depressing thoughts, however, was not what she needed to be doing. What she needed to be doing was buying some food for herself, whatever she could afford, even if the quality was far from good.

~*'*~

Thunder Tail patrolled the streets of Ponyville, it wasn't that he had to, but he wasn't used to doing much else besides it. They might force him to go on the vacations, but what they couldn't do is force him to enjoy it. As he walked he watched the ponies of the town, they were all fairly friendly, exchanging greetings and such. One pink earth pony mare had been completely excited to see him, going on about a party or something to welcome him to Ponyville. While he had tried to explain that he was only staying for a couple days he wasn't sure she got the message. Then there had been the dark blue pegasus mare that crashed at his hooves, then was so defensive and quickly refused his offer of help.

He shook his head, there was certainly something off about her. She had a problem, a problem with what he didn't know, but a problem nonetheless. However, she wasn't his problem, she was just some random pony on the street of a town he didn't really want to be in. Well, that wasn't strictly true. He didn't want to be here on 'vacation', but he would be quite happy if he was here guarding the princess during her visit for the thousandth Summer Sun Celebration. He came here instead of a place like Manehattan for precisely that reason, he would be on duty as he could without actually being on duty.

He steadfastly kept walking along the streets, he never wanted to take time off, and the only thing stopping him from working every day were just some sort labor laws or overtime rules. He wasn't very sure exactly what it was that kept interfering in his life, but he wished he knew a way around it. The few friends he had worried about his lack of a social life, but he didn't care, having other ponies in his life didn't matter, serving and protecting the princess did matter, and that was what he did, no matter what others thought.

There were dangerous ponies in the world, that was something he knew far too well, his work as a Royal Guard meant that he protected the innocent from the evil. He could only sleep when he worked hard enough. When, perhaps, he atoned for some of his past, his terrible mistakes. The days he spent not working were filled with idleness, terrible, horrible, idleness. He needed to do something, to do something concrete that perhaps made the world just that much less awful.

Thunder Tail shoved his thoughts to the back of his mind, they were about to go somewhere they weren't supposed to, and he refused to let them. The firmness of his steps reflected the determination he felt to not let his mind go there ever again.

“Hey, Thundery!” a bubbly voice called from behind him, he turned to face the pink mare from earlier, “We're all getting ready for a big welcome party at the library, I don't usually have parties in libraries, and Golden Oaks really didn't like it when I tried to throw him a birthday party one time. But the other new pony in town is staying there, and we're going to surprise her! Isn't that fun? Of course, it's your welcome party too, even if you think you're not staying for long, but you still get to be part of the surprise.”

Thunder found himself being tugged along to the library, he was slightly surprised that Pinkie Pie had actually listened to him before, at least somewhat. He still didn't want to go to a party, but he had nothing better to do, so he let himself be tugged along.

The library was already decked out for a party, streamers, balloons, cupcakes and punch. He thought that a library was a terribly inappropriate place for a party, they were supposed to be quiet places of study, not to mention the very real possibility of getting sticky things all over the books. He looked around at the other ponies in the library, happy, excited. There was only one other pony that seemed to be a bit confused and uncomfortable, and that was the mare who had nearly crashed into him earlier. She saw him, looked unsettled, quickly directed her gaze elsewhere.

“She's coming! Quick, hide!” Pinkie Pie suddenly urged and hit the light switch, the library was plunged into darkness and he could feel the anticipation coming from the other ponies in the room.

Two ponies were talking right outside the door, then it opened and a pink maned yellow pegasus flew inside with a large lizard. No, not a large lizard, a small dragon, the dragon that followed around Princess Celestia's protege, Twilight Sparkle. Was she this other new pony?

The pegasus was gripped in a violet aura and pulled outside, then Twilight Sparkle came in and slammed the door behind her, muttering about crazy ponies.

“SURPRISE!” Pinkie Pie and several others shouted, the lights flipped on, revealing the packed room.

~*'*~

Shadow looked around the room uncomfortably, the stallion she almost crashed into kept looking at her, even with a room packed full of ponies playing 'Pin the Tail on the Pony'. She didn't really want to be here, she had been swept along with a crowd, and she only remained because she had to do something while waiting for the night to be over when they would watch Princess Celestia raise the sun. That was something she was looking forward too.

The hours slowly passed. Though Shadow was curious about that stallion, and why he seemed as uncomfortable as she did, but she wasn't going to go over and talk to him, certainly not after their previous... meeting. She wished she could hide in the other rooms of the library like the mare this party was for, but the only room that wasn't full of partying ponies was the private room of the librarian, which the librarian was using. She she waiting, seeking out a quieter corner and waiting for the party to be over.

At last somepony announced that it was time to go watch the sunrise, happy to finally have something to do, Shadow was one of the first ponies out the door. The moon was still fairly high in the sky, and it still bore the image of the Mare in the Moon, but Shadow had a feeling that she couldn't explain. A feeling that something was about to happen, and more than the Princess raising the sun.

Then because Shadow was looking at the moon instead of the ground before her, she bumped into another pony, who turned and looked at her in annoyance. Of course, it was her luck for this pony to be the one she nearly crashed into earlier. What was it about him that she always seemed to be making a fool of herself? It was incredibly embarrassing, and it wasn't that she was a very clumsy pony, but her first 'meeting' with this stallion was awkward at best, and her clumsiness just continued. At least, since he was only staying for a couple days (as she heard from Pinkie Pie), she wouldn't have to worry about bumping into him, literally, again.

The town hall was soon full of ponies, Shadow found herself standing a few feet away from the stallion, but she didn't have to worry about it any longer as there was a fanfare of birds and the mayor stepped out onto the stage.

“Ladies and gentlestallions, as mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!” The crowd erupted into cheers, the mayor waited for them to die down before continuing, “In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year! And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria...” Another fanfare from the birds, “...Princess Celestia!”

The tailor, Rarity was her name, pulled back the curtain of the stage. It was empty. There was a collective gasp from about the room, the princess was missing, and that a terrible, terrible thing. Shadow remembered her feeling of foreboding and looked up at the moon, the Mare in the Moon was gone, the moon was bare, and the princess was missing.

All of a sudden a cloud of purple smoke filled the spot Princess Celestia was supposed to be in, and formed the evil black alicorn from her troubled dreams.

“Oh, my beloved subjects.” she spoke with a powerful voice, “It's been so long since I've seen your precious, little sun-loving faces.”

Shadow just stood there numbly, she had the feeling that the Mare in the Moon was real and she wanted to know more about her, but for the Mare in the Moon to be here and to have done something to the princess... That was something she had never imagined.

The pony that caused her first embarrassing episode with that stallion, Rainbow Dash the weather captain, flew up and challenged the alicorn, “What did you do to the princess?”

The alicorn only chuckled, “Why, am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?”

Shadow nodded slightly to herself, she knew this alicorn was the Mare in the Moon, and somehow this other alicorn called Luna, but she didn't dare step forward.

The alicorn narrowed her eyes, “Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?”

The new librarian, Twilight Sparkle, stepped forward confidently, “I did. And I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon – Nightmare Moon!”

Nightmare Moon looked almost surprised, “Well, well, well, somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here.”

Twilight's confidence vanished, whatever Nightmare Moon was here to do, it wasn't good.

“Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last forever!” Her rippling mane and tail grew and swirled upward, lightning crackled in the sky and thunder rumbled all through the town hall.

“Seize her!” The mayor commanded, “Only she knows where the Princess is!”

Several pegasus guards charged Nightmare Moon, “Stand back you fools!” Nightmare Moon demanded, and with very little effort she dashed them all against the wall. Then she dissolved into a cloud of smoke and disappeared out the door.

Rainbow Dash chased her out the door but didn't go far, most of the other ponies were whispering urgently in scared and confused tones. Shadow still stood there, she was loyal enough to the princess, but she found herself wondering if an eternal night would really be that bad.

Twilight Sparkle charged past her out of building, a few other ponies followed after a couple minutes. Curious, and wanting to busy herself in some way instead of standing around looking confused and scared like most of the other ponies, Shadow followed them.

Twilight dashed into the library, the five other ponies, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack of the Apple Family, and a quiet pink and yellow pegasus whose name was something about being shy, all followed her inside. Shadow didn't go inside, she found a window and peeked inside, Twilight knew things, and Shadow wanted to know how much she knew.

The five others, mostly Rainbow Dash, confronted her, and Twilight began to explain, “I read all about Nightmare Moon being the Mare in the Moon, and the only way to stop her is with the Elements of Harmony but I don't know where they and I don't even know what they are.”

Read about it? That was... odd. Shadow had been looking and never found anything all that useful, it sounded as if Twilight had just stumbled across it by chance. The fact irritated Shadow more than she would have liked to admit, for somepony to have gotten farther in something without trying than Shadow had, trying. Even if the unicorn had been trying, the fact that she got farther than Shadow had still irritated her.

“The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide.” Pinkie Pie read from one of the bookshelves.

Twilight rushed over and shoved her out of the way, “How did you find that?” she demanded.

“It was under 'e'.” Pinkie answered in a sing song voice.

Shadow snorted to herself, that was a new addition, not some accidental overlooking on her part.

Twilight began to read from the book, but Shadow didn't hear what was inside as she was driven to the ground from behind. Her attacker held her down with hooves stronger than her own, she struggled but made little head.

“Who are you? Why are you spying on them?” the pony asked roughly, the voice sounded familiar and she realized that stallion was the one holding her down, she struggled against his grip but he didn't relent.

“What's your problem? You can't just go around tackling ponies!” she glared at him.

“Yes, I can. Specifically if bad things are happening and a pony is suspicious.” he replied with just as much of a glare, “You are suspicious.”

“What makes you so special?” she scoffed, “Why are you even worrying about one pony looking in a window when you could be better served finding the princess.”

“I'm 'so special' because I'm part of the Royal Guard, it my job to stop bad ponies from doing a bad thing. You very well could be the key to finding the princess, after all, you didn't seem worried at all when the princess wasn't there and that demon took her place. And now you're spying on ponies. If you're not the demon’s servant, you at the very least know something.” he loosened his grip as it became obvious that Shadow was no longer trying to get away, she pulled away from him and scrambled to her hooves.

“I don't know anything. Nothing of consequence. I was 'spying' on those ponies because that new unicorn, Twilight Sparkle, does know something. She was talking about something called the 'Elements of Harmony' and how they were the only things that could defeat Nightmare Moon.” she gestured to the six ponies who were now trotting down the road, “So, mister royal guard, why don't you leave me alone and ask them what they know?”

She didn't wait for a response, turning and leaving at a brisk pace that was still walking, but barely. She didn't run, she might be running away but she didn't want to run away. He was already so suspicious of her and it wouldn't end well if he decided he wasn't done with her.

~*'*~

Thunder glared at the mare as she left, he didn't trust her, nothing about her had given any reason to trust her. First she had refused his help and been so defensive when she crashed; then staring at him, watching him during that party. He was sure that she really knew something that she was refusing to tell him. He might have been a bit rough with her... Well, definitely rough with her... But she had been spying on ponies, and she hadn't seemed particularly worried when a Nightmare Demon had taken the princess. He didn't trust her and she only gave him more reasons to not trust her, the distrust was mutual, and he doubted that would be changing, especially since he would be leaving in the... He would be leaving whether Twilight Sparkle and her new found friends would find whatever they were going to find.

He turned his back on the infuriating mare, back to the town hall, the guards on duty would need help dealing with the frightened citizens. Honestly, he was afraid too, everypony in Equestria was probably scared. The sun not rising, on this day... Even the ponies not in Ponyville to see the princess would be up, waiting for the sun to rise. He desperately hoped that whatever Twilight was up to would work, he didn't want to live the rest of his life in eternal night. To never to see the sun again? An unbidden memory sprang to his mind and he pushed it back down as he sped up his pace to the town hall.

“Thunder Tail?” one of the guards on duty, doing his best to calm the scared townsponies asked, “What are you doing here, you're supposed to be taking some time off.”

Thunder raised an eyebrow, “I was taking time off, even if I didn't want to. But that hardly matters right now, does it? I'm here to help any way I can, consider me on duty.”

Star Chaser nodded, “And I'm glad you are, ponies are getting frantic and need to calm down, those three over there already fainted twice.” he gestured to three earth ponies who looked more worried that the rest, “Now, I don't think Nightmare Moon wants to harm us, just the princess. Well, aside from the everlasting night, plants can't grow without sun, everything would get sick.” he shook his head, “Let's not think of that yet, we don't need to worry ponies any further until they can calm down.”

Thunder gave a short salute and moved off to help manage the scared populace, his encounter with that mare was forgotten for now. His work always helped to forget, which is why he loved to work so much, he didn't want to remember.

~*'*~

Shadow looked up at the moon, looking white and clean without the image of Nightmare Moon upon it, but it felt wrong. It was supposed to be morning now, and as much as she loved the night, she found herself missing the sun. How bad would an eternal night be? Awful.

She hoped that those 'Elements of Harmony' those six were going off to find would be successful in banishing the Nightmare back to the moon. Yes, she wanted to know more about the Mare in the Moon and just what happened all those years ago, but Equestria needed the balance of night and day, light and dark, moon and sun.

There was a way that things happened normally, and it was that way because that's the way it was supposed to be... Except, was it? Nightmare Moon used to be good... A princess of the Moon, but there wasn't one anymore. Shouldn't that be the proper way of things. Surely, that was why this was happening now.

How she managed to spend those next uncertain hours she wasn't sure. How would life continue? What sort of demands would Nightmare Moon make? What would happen? If she only appeared again that would be something, but she wasn't around Ponyville still, she left for a larger city or... She honestly didn't know what she was doing, maybe she was trying to stop those six from defeating her. She just wished the uncertainty of it all would end. Not that just that night stretching on forever, but the uncertainty of her life.

Shadow continued to lay on her side by the pond for several hours, she was confused, felt conflicting emotions and she didn't know why. The emotions she felt didn't fit what she thought she should be feeling. Feeling that Nightmare Moon was justified in what she did just didn't make sense, and she felt a loyalty to the sun, as all ponies had, but she couldn't think of a reason she would feel that the moon had a right to remain in the sky long after it should have set.

Then something wonderful happened – the sun rose.

Shadow stood with a smile on her face and watched the sun until it became too bright for her eyes. The Princess had returned, whatever those six did had worked, Nightmare Moon was gone... but what of Luna? Shadow knew that Luna wasn't evil, but that she somehow became Nightmare Moon, Luna shouldn't have to suffer any longer. The moon was no longer in the sky, she couldn't see if the image of the Mare in the Moon had returned.

Needing to do something now, she spread her wings and flew nearly as fast as she could for Ponyville. The princess would surely be returning there and Shadow really wanted to know what happened. When she arrived on the edge of Ponyville there was already a crowd of ponies with relieved smiles upon their faces. Soon there was a flash of light before them, when it faded eight ponies were standing on the road out of Ponyville, Princess Celestia, the six others, and another alicorn who Shadow knew was Luna.

Princess Celestia smiled warmly at the inhabitants of Ponyville, “My little ponies, let me introduce my sister, Princess Luna.” most ponies looked confused, but they all cheered, “One thousand years ago, because of my failure, she became Nightmare Moon,” shocked gasps, “but with the help of my faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, and her friends, my sister has been freed from that Nightmare and has returned to Equestria!” ponies continued to look a bit scared and confused for a moment, but their princess was so happy, they couldn't help but be happy as well, they all cheered again.

A party sort of atmosphere took over from there, engineered mainly by Pinkie Pie. Confetti occasionally seemed to spring out of nowhere, ponies cheered, laughed, and played. Two young foals placed a wreath of roses around Princess Luna's neck, but Shadow didn't dare to go very close to the princesses. The confidence she felt earlier about how she might go ask Princess Celestia about the Mare in the Moon had vanished. She had no idea how to approach royalty, she felt out of place, and yet she didn't leave.

As Princess Celestia announced that Twilight Sparkle would remain in Ponyville (something Shadow thought she was already going to do), Shadow drew a little closer to the royal pair. She didn't know how to try and talk to her, but she decided that she could just get a closer look at the alicorn that had invaded her dreams over the past months, that would be something.

“We know thee!” Princess Luna nearly shouted, causing Shadow to jump back in fright.

“Me?” she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

Luna nodded, “Yes, thou, except... No, not thou thyself, but we are sure we knew thy ancestors, thou possesses that air about thee.”

Shadow feared that the ancestors the princess was speaking of were the ancestors on her father's side, she nodded slightly, no idea what to say.

“What is thy name?” the princess commanded.

“Shadow...” the pegasus answered, wishing she could somehow melt into the ground and escape. Everypony was looking at her and she hated being the center of attention, princess Celestia was looking at her with an appraising look and Shadow was terrified about what she might be thinking.

“Tell us, Shadow, wouldst thou like to be our servant?” Luna asked in her same loud tone.

“W-what?”

“It was a simple question, wouldst thou like to be our servant?” she repeated in a slightly softer tone, curious as to why the pegasus in front of her was so nervous.

Shadow searched for an answer, what should she say? To deny the princess's offer seemed a foolish thing to do, but she didn't think she wanted to be Luna's servant. Or did she? To accept the offer would mean she would be in much closer contact with them than she had ever dreamed of before, and it would give her the purpose she'd been lacking for years.

Slowly, she nodded, “Yes, Princess Luna, I think I would.”

Farther back in the crowd, Thunder Tail glared, he didn't trust that mare, and now she was positioning herself close to the newly returned princess he wasn't sure if he trusted either. Everypony else was cheering and smiling, but he only saw a recipe for disaster.

Wow. That is quite the shift in tone from what the original chapter felt like.

_Marked as resolved_

_Re-opened_

Yes, it is. But it was going to get to that point how I had it originally. I'm going to it now because she doesn't have the strange pull from Nightmare Moon influencing everything she does.

Author's Note

So, about three days later than I had hoped, but the new, revised chapter is here at last.
The way I have it now makes more sense than Shadow being personally involved with the return of Nightmare Moon, and still got Shadow to the position of being her servant, which is what I wanted in the first place. To tell the story of Luna's return and attempts to adjust after 1000 years from a new perspective.

Preread by Smaug the golden and TheMajorTechie