My hysterics went on for some time and, though I don't remember all that well, I must have tired myself enough to pass out. Once more I was floating in darkness, though there was no voice this time, no giant teeth trying to snap me up, just me and the feeling of wrongness that pervaded it all. I again was unable to tell how much time had passed, though the land masses of the planet below seemed to look different. I felt no more rested than I had before my little fit and I was hungrier and thirstier than ever. Had it been hours? Days? I shook my head, unable to be sure of anything anymore, not even moving from where I lay sprawled in the dust.

I didn't want to think, to feel, my mind already protesting being aware of the nightmare I had been dropped into, seemingly without rhyme or reason. I covered my eyes and tried to shut it out, gritting my teeth and groaning, a vain attempt to deny reality that did nothing to stop the rising sense of fear and panic blossoming within my chest. What brought on this unbridled, gibbering terror? The unknown. Mankind had always feared it and I was no exception. I was trapped in an alien body, floating above an equally alien world, with no idea how I would, if ever, return home. Would they even realize I was missing yet? With no sense of time, I could have been there for years and not known the difference.

Luckily I wouldn't have to worry about such things, or so I believed. I felt a strange sense of amusement at this thought but was too preoccupied with my own pathetic whimpering to truly notice. I really wished my memory of these things was both more and less clear, my madness sadly forever etched into my brain along with everything else. The crying, the pleading, the screaming and railing against the powers that be; God, whoever was listening, I didn't care. I paced circles in the dust, saw shapes flitting in and out of my peripheral vision and heard odd, incomprehensible whispers just at the edge of my ability to detect them. What was real and what wasn't blurred together; I think I even talked to an outcropping of rock at one point. Clarity of recollection regarding these events is difficult to manage even at the best of times, I'm afraid.

The next truly clear memory I have is of staring into the darkness on the far side of the moon, having the most unfathomable urge to walk right in despite the fact I wouldn't be able to see my own muzzle, let alone anything else. My own personal safety wasn't much of a concern, however, so it didn't take me long to start walking into the murky blackness that lay before me.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Visibility without a light source was about as clear as could be expected; that is to say, I couldn't see a damn thing. I stumbled and tripped multiple times, yet I kept getting back up to continue my journey to seemingly nowhere. I could hear the whispers again, still unintelligible but louder than before, like a thousand voices muttering, buzzing and hissing to one another all at once. I had a sense of movement from the darkness to either side of me, yet my ability to see remained nonexistent no matter how much I squinted or strained my eyes in an effort to make something out.

The voices grew ever louder the deeper into the darkness I walked, yet I still couldn't understand them. Perhaps, in hindsight, it's a good thing that their speech sounded like nothing more than mere gibberish. Some things are better left a mystery, after all. Regardless of understanding or purpose, I didn't stop my trek, though I began to notice something peculiar. My vision was becoming clearer. At first it was just shapes, vague, blurry masses, then details came into focus, all of it in gray scale, like you'd see in older photographs. I also got my first look at what was moving in the dark, my legs locking up and a chill crawling up my spine.

Shifting masses of smoke and mist surrounded me on all sides, their forms indistinct and mercurial in nature. The only constant was their eyes, piercing and clear even in the gray of my sight, and all of them focused on me. If I hadn't been afraid before I certainly was then, but my avenue of retreat was completely cut off by even more of those...creatures, whatever they were. The circle began to close in around me, the creatures whispering turning into words in some twisted language, words that crawled over my skin and chilled me to the bone.

"K-keep back!" I stammered, turning in place and wanting nothing more than to escape. "Don't fucking touch me!" They paid my words no mind, tendrils of mist forming into grasping limbs that they used to claw at me, as if trying to drag me away. I struggled and kicked, their touch like ice, my rising sense of terror sparking something within me, a rush of energy that I couldn't explain at the time. "I said STAY AWAY!" That energy burst from my horn, a flaring light that drove the strange entities back, causing them to hiss and snarl like wounded beasts. There was no time to question it, my instinct to survive forming the light into a scything beam that lanced through them, their bodies dispersing into mist and opening up an avenue of escape.

I wasted no time, the creatures giving chase within moments of me leaving the broken circle they had formed, heart pounding and adrenaline pumping as I pushed my new body to the limit. I was never more glad than in those moments for my new body as my old one would have easily been overtaken by the creatures, though I still wasn't outpacing them by much. Something told me that I didn't want to be caught a second time, the whispers and mutters now the bloodthirsty howling of a pack on the hunt. They swarmed to either side, my breath coming in harsh pants as I tried to push myself harder, the light still shining from my horn burning brighter as that energy from earlier flooded my limbs, newfound speed causing the world to blur around me.

The things, monsters, they didn't give up, their howls turning into an urgent roar as they swept towards me, trying to cut me off before I could escape. I could see where the darkness and light met now, feeling that if I could just make it into the light that they wouldn't be able to follow. When they tried to bar my path I didn't even slow down, my fear mingling with anger at them for daring to try and stop me. Baring my teeth in a vicious snarl, I forced the energy powering my legs into my horn again, picturing the lance I had somehow used before clear in my mind. "Out of my way, you wretched foals!" I shouted, the beam that shot from my horn striking home and exploding, shattering rock and sending the creatures into retreat. My rage became glee at the sight, taking this chance to power through the dust and smoke that the explosion had kicked up and dashing into the light.

"I DID IT!" I cheered, turning and facing the dark where the monsters roiled and seethed, grinning at them like a madman as I relished my victory. "Oh yeah, suck on that, bitches!" I cackled in delight as they hissed at me in response. "Who's bad? I'm bad!" I did a little dance, waving my hindquarters at them tauntingly. "Kiss it, you fucks! I win, you lose, hahaha!" They could only hiss and snarl, my laughter echoing off the rocks as I found it oddly hilarious. Strange how a brush with death will affect your sense of humor. "Oh man, that was awesome!" I giggled as I started walking away, prancing and skipping as the adrenaline high and endorphin rush left me feeling rather giddy. Then I suddenly stopped, my brain finally catching up to something I had said earlier. "Wait...foals?" I glanced back at the darkness, the creatures having dispersed. "Why would I call them baby horses?"

0o0o0o0o0o0

Sometime later I was sitting in the center of a fairly sizable crater, eyes closed as I tried to focus. Ignoring the odd use of the word foal, I was suddenly presented with something interesting, something that could change everything about my situation. Back in the darkness I'd tapped into something, something I could only describe as magical. The energy had saved me from those strange creatures, so, I wondered, how else could it help me? There was just one problem: how in the hell was I supposed to tap into it again?

Before I had been fighting for my life, desperate to survive. Now I was just groping in the dark, unsure of how I'd even managed it in the first place. Had it just been luck? Instinct? No, there had to be a way to access it outside of a life or death situation, or so I reasoned. I tried remembering the feeling of it, how it had pulsed and flowed through my body, filling me with power, making me feel unstoppable! I couldn't help shuddering, remembering the savage glee I'd felt when I had used it against those mist monsters. It had felt...good to destroy them. Like they had deserved it for standing in my way. I shook my head, dismissing those thoughts from my mind and trying once more to focus.

It wasn't easy. I had tried meditating before back when I was a kid, back when I thought taking martial arts classes would be cool from watching silly movies where people fly around on wires while being horribly dubbed by bad voice actors. Of course I hadn't understood that you had to work at it to be good at martial arts, so when I learned how hard it was my interest kind of plummeted and....well, anyway, I never really understood the whole centering yourself thing. Of course I had been a fidgety kid then, so surely I could do so as a grown man. Right.

"Fuck, calm down," I admonished myself, still on edge from my close encounter of the creeptastic kind. I had opened my eyes but swiftly squeezed them back shut, still able to see things out of the corner of my eyes. At least the whispering had stopped after the whole thing on the dark side of the moon. "It's not real, just chill out and focus." This was a chance at improving the odds, maybe even a way I could escape. So, taking a deep breath, I tried again. I let it go, all of it. The stress, the worry, the doubt; it was time to let it go and focus only on my breathing. I don't know how long I just sat there and breathed, not thinking or allowing myself to be distracted. Eventually I felt...something inside myself, something warm and flickering, like embers in a hearth, waiting to be stoked into a roaring blaze.

I tried to grasp it, to summon up that power from before, only for it to slip through my nonexistent fingers. Again and again it slipped away, my frustration growing with every attempt. After a time I gave up on trying to force it, instead going for more of a relaxed approach. The next thing I knew those flickering embers burned brighter and sucked me down into the darkness.

0o0o0o0o0o0

So, you finally found your way here. You certainly took your time going about it, but I suppose I cannot expect too much from a creature of such limited imagination as you.

My eyes opened to a familiar void of darkness, though this time I wasn't alone. Standing across from me was a quadrupedal creature with a dark sapphire blue coat, teal eyes and possessing both wings and a horn. It wore a dark cerulean crown, a peytral of the same color with a white crescent moon and silver...hoof guards, I guess? What struck me as truly interesting were the marks I could see on its flanks: a crescent moon against a pattern like mine, only black instead of purple. Its mane and tail floated as if on a breeze, cobalt blue in color and glittering as if filled with stars.

"Who the hell are you?" I asked warily, taking a more guarded stance, remembering the last time something had spoken to me in that place of darkness. "Where am I?"

Are all your kind so rude? It asked without moving its mouth, the voice feminine and regal in tone. I am not the one possessing your body, after all.

"Possessing?" To say its, her, words confused me would be an understatement. "I'm sorry, but what in God's name is going on here?" I wanted answers, not more questions.

I am afraid I do not fully understand our situation myself. She sat down, looking me over curiously. Tell me, is your species some sort of relative of the minotaur? Perhaps the diamond dog?

"What?" I shook my head, wondering what in the hell was happening to me now. "No, no, I don't...I'm a human being!" Was this some kind of fever dream, I wondered? "Is this really important right now? What even are you anyway?"

No, I suppose it is not. She shook her head slightly. Such impatience. Of course, you are mortal, so such a thing is to be expected. My name is Luna and I am an alicorn. She smirked. As are you, now that you are in control of my body.

"I'm what?" I felt a headache coming on and she had barely even started. "How can I be possessing you? How did I even get here anyway?!"

Calm yourself. Luna chided me, smirk fading as she regarded me coolly. I am afraid I do not have all the answers. You said you are human? I am afraid I am unfamiliar with your kind. From where do you hail?

"Not from anywhere around here," I told her, frowning at her for a few moments before continuing. "I lived in a city on a planet called Earth. Lots of other humans there but no talking, colorful horse things." I tensed as Luna narrowed her eyes at me. "What?"

The term is pony, you knave. She snorted derisively. So, you are from another world altogether. This would explain much about your...alien nature.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I wondered if I should have felt offended by the way she made the word "alien" sound.

Before you found your way here I attempted to make contact with your mind. She seemed annoyed by something. But it was like trying to navigate a maze layered atop a mire of strange feelings and desires that worked to keep me from navigating through to your subconscious.

"Then what the fuck is this then?" I asked, gesturing to the void around us.

This, human, is a construct within my mind. She gestured around with one foreleg for emphasis. A place I come to think, to meditate on things. Like our current situation, for example.

"I've seen this place twice before," I said, shivering at the memories of it. "Something tried to...eat me the first time."

I apologize for that. She looked and sounded contrite. I thought you to be some sort parasite, like those creatures you escaped from in the darkness of my moon.

"Your moon?" You can understand why I found the phrasing odd. "How the heck does that work?"

I am its steward, its guardian. Her posture matched her regal tone as she explained it. As princess of the night, it is my duty to guide it through the night sky, as well as guard the dreams of my subjects. I stared at her blankly, causing the mare to sigh softly. I know this must be quite difficult for you to understand, being from a world separate from my own, but what I am telling you is the truth. Surely you must have noticed that foul usurper guiding the moon at least once by now?

"Usurper?" God, I sounded like a fucking parrot. "Do you mean that golden light I saw?"

Yes, the very same. Her voice was tense with restrained anger. She stole my throne from me and now rules my ponies in my stead. She took a moment, closing her eyes and probably counting to ten or something. Now I am banished to my own moon, trapped here by the usurper's magic.

"Damn, that sucks," I commented bluntly, her anger understandable in that case. "So how did I end up mixed up in all this?"

Magic is a curious thing. Luna seemed to consider the possibilities. There could be any number of explanations, but without the means to properly study our condition I doubt I could come up with an accurate answer for you.

"Great." So much for getting answers, not that I had truly expected any. "So what now?" Luna didn't reply at first, as if thinking something over. Then, she answered me with an offer.

We cannot escape, not as we are. She seemed to stare straight into the depths of my soul. You have my body, my power, but you lack any of my skill or experience. I will train you in how to wield my strength and, when the time is right, we shall both be free.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Luna's offer was fairly straightforward. She would teach me how to wield her magic, to master her body and its abilities, and when we were free from our prison she promised to find a way to send me home. In return she only asked that I help her defeat the pony she simply called "the usurper" and retake her rightful place as ruler of the land she called Equestria. She told me of its history, how the three pony tribes of pegasi, unicorns and earth ponies had fled their old homeland to found a new nation after stopping the threat posed by creatures called wendigos. How she had risen to power alongside the usurper, how they fought off threats together, stopping great evils time and again, only for the usurper to betray her in the end.

Something about her story struck me as off, but with no other options, and no way to put my finger on what exactly bothered me about it, I played along with her plan. Besides, I needed something to preoccupy my damaged mind with, the shapes and whispers invading my consciousness from time to time. It made learning from Luna a frustrating experience, for the both of us, but I had to learn what she wanted to teach me if I was ever going to get home. How I wished things were as simple as I so foolishly believed. Regardless, I did my best to follow her instructions, no matter how difficult it was to carry them out.

Magic is as much about emotion as intent. She was able to communicate with me in the waking world now that I had established contact, which certainly made things easier. I gazed at an outcropping of rock, frowning as I "listened" to her. Those rocks are your most hated enemy. Feel your hatred for them, let it guide your intent and unleash your fury upon it! I closed my eyes, picturing the rocks as one of those creatures that tried to...do something to me; remembering the fear, the anger and...and the hate. Yes, that's it! Now use that hatred to destroy your foe!

I opened my eyes, teeth bared in a snarl as I used the hate to channel the power inside my body, our body, through my horn and directed it to strike the rocks. A bolt of black lightning shot from my horn, shattering the rocks with ease, though the experience left me feeling oddly queasy and even a little dizzy. I felt...dirty, now that I think back on it. Like I'd taken a dip in muck instead of having just used magic.

Yes, that was excellent! Luna praised me, though I could only grimace in response. With enough practice you will be an accomplished magus in no time at all.

"I-I don't know, Luna," I said, sweating a bit as I gazed upon the shattered rocks. "That didn't feel right to me."

You are merely unaccustomed to wielding my power. Luna's tone was reassuring, yet it did little to make me feel better. Take a few moments to rest and we will continue when you are feeling up to it. I immediately took this chance to sit down, panting a bit and shivering as the lingering effects of using Luna's magic left me feeling ill at ease.

"Do you mind if I ask you some questions?" I asked her, hoping to get some answers out of the alicorn princess.

No, please, go ahead.

"Well, alright then." I took a deep breath to steady my nerves and closed my eyes to shut out the distractions my still fragile psyche was all too keen to provide. "First of all, how am I still male when you're, um, you know, not?"

I am a shapeshifter. The simple reply caught me off guard. I am able to change my form as I desire and, since you identify as male and are in control of my body, my body changed to reflect this fact. It took me a few moments to digest this information and I decided not to inquire further lest I end up with gender identity issues on top of everything else.

"Is that why I look so different as well?" I asked next, looking down at myself for emphasis. I looked almost nothing like Luna in her mental work space. "I mean, other than the butt marks we look nothing alike."

First of all, those butt marks are what we call a Cutie Mark. Again, she sounded irritated with me when my lack of knowledge on the subject wasn't even my fault. It is the mark of one's destiny and special talent. Second of all, yes, the form you are in now is the form I take when I go into battle in order to intimidate my foes so that I might gain a tactical advantage.

"C-cutie mark?" I smothered a snicker, not sure what to make of the cutesy wootsie sounding name for something that was, by all appearances, a butt tattoo. "Yeah, okay, I guess that makes sense." I could tell she disapproved of my amusement but I also really didn't care. I still think it's a silly name for something that's supposed to be the most important discovery a pony can make in life, so stop glaring at me already!

Clearly you have had more than enough time to rest, if your levity is any standard to judge by. I groaned softly, Luna sounding as displeased as I had imagined she would. Now that you understand how channeling magical energy works, we will move on to the most basic skill in a pony's repertoire: levitation. I could almost hear her smirk as I failed not to grimace. Come now, no need to be so dour. It is so simple that even foals have no trouble with mastering it, so clearly you should have no difficulties whatsoever.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Sometime later I was laid flat on the ground, limbs splayed out around me with my tongue hanging out of my mouth, a quiet whimper passing my lips. It had been several hours and I had just managed to brain myself with a sizable rock. Luna's laughter rang loud in my head, the princess clearly quite protected from the fallout of my training inside her little "safe space" or whatever she called it.

I-I stand corrected. She didn't even try to control herself, not caring that her laughter made my pounding headache all the worse. You are somehow less competent than an infant foal. Congratulations.

"Go fuck yourself," I slurred in response, trying to blink my vision back into focus. I had never felt so humiliated in my entire life as I did then. Magic is so much more difficult to use than my first encounters with it had led me to believe.

What is this word you keep using? She asked once I managed to scrape my dignity off the floor and pick myself up. Fuck. Such an abrupt sounding word. What is its meaning?

"I'll tell you when you're older," I grumbled, the helmet I was wearing having done little to protect my head from that damned rock. Or maybe I would have dashed my own brains out without it on, I didn't care to speculate then and it doesn't matter now.

Why? She sounded genuinely puzzled by my response. I am a grown mare of three hundred and seventy two. Why must I be older to learn this word's meaning? I could only blink stupidly in response. What? Why are you silent?

"...you're seriously over three hundred years old?" I asked after a long period of silence, digesting this little bombshell about as well as I had the others. "What kind of crazy alternate dimension did I get sucked into?"

Must you carry on so? Luna sounded exasperated with me. Is the concept of longevity truly that difficult for you to grasp when compared to the power to move the very moon itself? You really must stop becoming so flustered over each new piece of information that challenges your clearly narrow world view, human, lest you fully succumb to madness.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I guess I'll just have to suck it up then, won't I?" The sarcasm was thick in my tone as I started to pace. "You know, my life had to be the most mundane existence imaginable, so excuse me if I'm having trouble adjusting to this insane little slice of the universe you live in, princess!"

And carrying on about it this way helps solve our problems how exactly? I hated when she made good points like that. Made it difficult to keep brooding. No, I do not mean pout! Our shared situation is a difficult one, human, and I understand why you are so distressed, but please, try to remain focused. She seemed to hesitate. We will be here for a very long time, after all.

"W-what do you mean?" The way she said that made me feel very ill at ease, as I recall. What she would say next, however, would simply be too much for me to bear. "Luna?"

The spell the usurper used to banish me to the moon was a very powerful one. She sounded hesitant, like she didn't want to tell me more. We cannot hope to dispel it, especially with how unskilled in the craft you are. A cold feeling began to spread through my gut. I cannot say for certain, but it could be decades, perhaps even centuries, before the spell will have weakened enough for us to escape.

"No," I immediately denied her words, my already fragile mind buckling under the strain this knowledge caused me. "No, no, you're wrong! You have to be!"

I am sorry, human. She seemed to pity me. If it is any consolation, you will not be spending the years alone. She tried to lift my spirits, but right then her words did nothing to soothe me. Human? Can you hear me? I could, but my vision swam with darkness and there was a loud ringing in my ears. No, stay awake! We cannot afford to lose time! I felt myself falling, her words growing distant. Human, wait! Darkness.

0o0o0o0o0o0

I woke again to the darkness of Luna's construct, curled into a ball and hugging my knees tightly to my chest. I couldn't handle the fact I would never see my family again, that when I returned home the Earth would be drastically changed. Given how much we advanced in the last thousand years, I couldn't even begin to imagine what another thousand would lead to. The fact I would be on the barren rock of Luna's moon for that time didn't help me any, either.

Human. I yelped at the sound of her voice and flinched when something warm draped itself across my shoulders. I looked up to see Luna standing next to me, her wing spread across my shoulders as she looked at me with sympathy in her eyes. Your despair is more than understandable. I, too, dread the years we must spend banished here despite the many already behind me. She offered me a smile. You cannot give in to this despair, human, no matter how crushing it seems. There is hope for the future, if you look for it, and I will be right here beside you to help.

Her kind words triggered a reaction in me, my eyes growing wet as a sob escaped my lips, my next actions likely having shocked her. I closed the small distance between us and hugged her tightly, needing the support as I wept. She returned the embrace after several, likely awkward, moments, softly humming an unfamiliar tune as she gently rocked me back and forth. She let me get it all out, an indeterminate amount of time passing in the darkness as I let the stress, panic and despair just flow out of me. I imagine we stayed that way for a long time as a result, but it's impossible to say for certain.

Now, dry your eyes. She pushed me away, still offering me a kind smile. We have work to do.

0o0o0o0o0o0

"You're joking," I said as I stood on the edge of a rather steep cliff, looking down into a rather large impact crater from an uncomfortably high vantage point. Yes, I'm afraid of heights. Shut up.

I have never been more serious. Luna was again amused by me, the poor, fumbling mortal out of his element. Honestly, though, after having just finished a dozen more rounds of "lift the rock", jumping off a cliff seemed almost exciting by comparison. In days of old, pegasus parents would hurl their foals from the highest peaks in order to teach them how to fly. Rather effective, in my opinion.

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure," I snarked, pacing along the edge of the cliff and trying not to look down too much. "Except when they end up hitting the ground!"

Stop being so dramatic. I huffed in annoyance, grimacing as I ended up looking down despite my best efforts. Not only are you vastly more durable, you are also not going to fall from anywhere near as high a height.

"That makes me feel so much better." The sarcasm was thick enough to walk on. "So I just...jump?" I swallowed thickly. "Isn't there something else I could try first?"

For Faust's sake, just jump! Her mental shout caused me to miss my next step, a scream escaping me as I tumbled right off into the open air. Not what I had in mind, but whatever works. And I plummeted towards the ground, still screaming. Spread your wings! Like I needed the reminder. Hurry!

"I know!" I snapped, trying to flex muscles I had never possessed before in order to open my wings. The ground was looming unsettlingly close by the time I figured it out, my wings flaring open and slowing my descent. "Sh-shit, that was close."

Very good, you're now gliding. Score one for Team David. Now, try flapping.

"Christ on a cracker," I grumbled, concentrating on those new muscle groups and trying to get them to flex in a way that wouldn't send me crashing to the ground. To be perfectly honest, I am amazed I managed to even open them. Still, I did manage an awkward flap, sending me higher into the air when I'd been moments away from touching down. "Oh shit!" I admit that I panicked, trying to compensate, only to end up flailing my wings ineffectually, which ended with my face meeting the ground. Again. "...ow."

Well, you have all the grace of an inebriated duck, but it's a start. Ouch, my pride. She really seemed to enjoy busting my balls, like it was her personal mission to cause me grief or something. Given the fact I somehow invaded her body, I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised. Now, climb back up there and try again. I let out a sorry sounding groan. Just get up, you sorry excuse for an ape.

0o0o0o0o0o0

As time wore on and my training sessions progressed, I began to notice something I really should have picked up on far earlier. The fact of the matter was, I no longer felt hungry or even thirsty. One of my major concerns from the outset and I wasn't feeling the effects of dehydration as I had initially feared.

"Hey, Luna," I began, levitating three rocks around my head without watching them, an exercise she had assured me would improve my control over her magic. "I know you said you're not technically immortal, but...well, why aren't I dying of thirst here? I don't know how long I've been here, exactly, but it has to have been awhile by now right?"

To answer the simpler question first: you have been here for roughly two hundred and fifty six winters. My concentration faltered, the rocks hitting the ground with dull thumps as I stared blankly ahead of me. She called that the simple question?

"Okay, time out!" I made a T shape with my forelegs for emphasis. "I've already been here for over two hundred years?!" My shock was astounding. "I know I'm kind of not altogether well in the head, but I can't have just dazed my way through that long a period of time!"

You know, one of these days you will react in a more rational manner when I answer one of your endless questions. At that moment I highly doubted the validity of her statement. From what I have gathered regarding the structure of the usurper's spell, I was meant to be in stasis during my exile. She likely wished to ensure that I would not escape, but regardless of her intent, your presence has fouled her craft.

"S-so what then?" Admittedly I handled that one better than the last time she decided to shatter my perception of reality. "I-I'm fucking up her magic? What's that even mean?"

If you mean that your presence has disrupted the stasis spell, then yes. As you can imagine, the idea of us being awake because I screwed things up turned my stomach into knots. You will recall my construct. While you are within its depths, the stasis spell can affect my body. Except for the first time, when I forcibly ejected you from it, each trip to the construct has caused years to pass in the mere span of seconds by our reckoning. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing, trying to remain calm. Focus, human. I have no way of knowing how much time passes until after exiting the construct, so you must remain awake for as long as possible.

"I-I'm sorry," I replied, steadying my nerves as best as I could. "I'll do better, I promise."

I would expect nothing less. Somehow, I could just tell that she was smiling. Now, on to your second question. The reason you do not feel the pangs of hunger or the weakness brought on by thirst is the fact my body is drawing on the energy of the moon and stars to sustain itself. This is only possible thanks to our shared exile, for if we were to supplement our body with these energies back in Equestria, it would not be nearly so effective.

"That was the more complicated answer?" I shook my head in amazement. "You're one odd pony, Luna."

Oh be quiet, you dew-beater, and get back to work.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Again! A black bolt of energy launched from my horn, my breath coming in ragged gasps and my coat lathered with sweat. Again! Another bolt. Again! Another, this one weaker. Do not falter, human! Now fire again!

"No!" I snarled, blinking the strange purple smoke using her magic this way generated from my eyes. "I'm tired, I need to rest!" My mood always turned foul during these particular training sessions, something that I would only come to understand much, much later, unfortunately.

You must master my magic if we are to stand any sort of chance against the usurper in combat! I let out a growl as I stubbornly parked my flanks in the dust. Get up and fire again!

"I said no!" I shouted, feeling even more bad tempered than usual. We had been at it for...well, again, it's hard to say how long. Long enough that I felt filthy, inside and out, and I didn't want to do any more drills. "I am taking a goddamn break and there is literally nothing you can do to stop me, moon butt!"

M-moon butt?! Oh, yeah, I shocked her with that little nickname. I am N-Luna, princess of Equestria, and I will not be called such a demeaning name by a base, mortal foal who cannot even muster the will to fly properly! Yeah, I still hadn't quite gotten the hang of flying, though magic seemed to be coming to me more easily as time went on. At least when I was blowing things up, but we'll get to that later. So stop being such a mule and get up! I refused, not even deigning to respond. Human, so help me I will-

"David," I interrupted her tartly, one major bone I had to pick with her coming to light. "My name is David, princess, not that you ever bothered to ask." I let out a snort as she didn't respond. "What? Not gonna badger me some more?"

...I apologize.

"What?" I flicked an ear and rubbed it with a hoof. "I can't have heard that correctly. Did you just apologize?"

I will not repeat myself. Now there was a surprise. Yes, I am rather fond of sarcasm, just like my father, the bastard, and I do mean that with all due affection for the old man, by the way. Moving on. Human...David, I understand you are tired and that the training is difficult, but we need to be ready. We only have one chance to catch the usurper by surprise and I do not wish for us to waste it. I let out a world weary sigh.

"I know." I forced myself to stand, mouth set in a grim, determined line. "Let's just get back to work."

0o0o0o0o0o0

Something was wrong. I felt so damned sick, my insides twisted into painful knots as I writhed in the lunar dust. It had been several years since I first began training with Luna's magic, having steadily progressed in terms of controlling it, but in that moment, after having just destroyed maybe a thousand rocks of varying shapes and sizes in a multitude of different ways, I felt like I was dying inside. Thrashing, flailing and crying out in agony, I could only pray that it would end swiftly.

"Luna!" I gasped, soaked in sweat and clutching at my stomach. "What's, aghn, happening to me?" There was no response. The world around me seemed to spin, everything taking on a strange, greenish tint while black energy sparked around my horn. "Luna, please, help me!"

I am sorry, David. Her voice was cold and pitiless. This is something that must happen if we are to succeed. She sounded so heartless, a huge contrast to how she'd acted before. Do not fret, human. This pain is merely transitory and soon you will have nothing to fear ever again.

"W-what are you saying?" I managed to groan, heat spreading through my chest even as cold gripped my extremities. "Please, it hurts!"

Even if I wished to intercede, there is no stopping this now. She sounded so fucking casual about it, like my pain was nothing to be concerned about. Then again, given she couldn't feel it herself, I suppose to her there really wasn't anything to worry about. Normally I would never resort to such methods, given how dangerous they are, but then again, I'm not the one at risk here, am I?

"W-what are you, hngn, talking about?" She sounded like she'd been expecting this outcome, which wasn't exactly comforting, let me tell you. "What risks? What's happening to me?!"

And still you ask questions. She seemed to marvel at this fact. Is it human nature to be so inquisitive? It matters little in the end, I suppose, but your naivete was genuinely surprising. And it clicked.

"You've been...using me?" It should have been obvious, I suppose, but then I hadn't exactly been in a position to question her motives.

Ah, so you do possess a modicum of sense. I'd bet anything that she'd been smirking at that point. Yes, David, of course I have been using you. You somehow invaded and took control of my body, so what choice did I have? Still, it allows for certain tactics to be used against my dear, sweet sister that I would have never considered in, well, a thousand years. She laughed then, though personally I didn't it very funny under the circumstances. You see, David, you haven't just been practicing how to use my magic all this time. A spasm passed through me as she continued. I have been teaching you how to channelDarkmagic, which is why you've been feeling oh so terribly sick whenever I've had you conduct combat drills.

"D-dark magic?" As little as I knew about magic then, I still feel incredibly stupid for not having seen it sooner. "You...I trusted you!"

Oh, I know, and it was so very easy to manipulate you. I grimaced, feeling something inside me contort in a distinctly unpleasant way. You were so alone, so terribly vulnerable that it was simply child's play to gain your confidence. Now, I suggest you brace yourself, this next part will be particularly excruciating~ Something inside me cracked and fresh, searing agony lancing through my entire body as the energy sparking from my horn enveloped me, a ragged, tortured scream ripping from my throat while my body convulsed uncontrollably. It was like nothing I have ever experienced and I would never wish such a thing on even my worst enemy.

And as the pain wracked my body, something horrible clawed at my mind, full of hatred and desiring nothing more than to spread misery and sorrow in its wake. My very sense of self was under attack and there was nothing I could do to stop it. Not for the first time I found myself falling into darkness, but now I feared that I would never escape it.

0o0o0o0o0o0

I slowly stood up, eyes shut as I took stock of my condition. I felt...good. Better than good, I felt amazing. My muzzle was split by a fierce grin as my eyes opened, the world seemingly more alive than a barren wasteland of dust and rock had any right to be in my eyes. I was also once again surrounded by the strange beings from the darkness of the moon, yet I felt no fear. Instead their presence was comforting, like I was among old friends that I hadn't seen in years. As I gazed upon them they bowed, my grin widening in satisfaction at the sight. It felt proper for them to do so, as if having their respect was my God given right. The weak should bow to the strong. Such was the natural order of things.

Welcome home...Artemis.

Author's Note

For those of you curious about why things progressed in this chapter the way they did, it's because I cannot think of how to drag this portion of the story out any longer without resorting to pointless padding, and no one wants to read pointless padding. Nevertheless, I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and that you're looking forward to the next. Until then I hope you have a nice day and thank you very much for all the feedback and support