This Fading Night

Log 1, Date Moon Cycle 10, 20th Day, 214 A.D. (After Discord)

Hmm, where to begin. Well, I guess I could start with my name. I'm Crescent Eclipse, and this is the first time I've actually kept any sort of journal. Well, if you don't count the diary I had when I was a five-year-old filly. That aside, though, I thought it might be a good idea to start keeping records in this way again. I've been discovering so much lately, and I can barely manage to keep all the papers I have together. They always end up spread across the floor of my apartment, so this journal is really a desperate bid to keep things tidy from now on. I hope it'll help, like my mom's assured me. I really should start listening to her advice more often. She suggested I keep journals a long time ago, and if I had, I likely wouldn't have to be making this bid to help with the organization.

Anyway, moving on. I suppose I should also mention why I'm even starting this. You see, I'm what ponies have began to call an astronomer. Don't really know where the word came from, and I can't help but feel they use it to make fun of me. Well, bah, I say to them. While they waste their lives away with the plain daytime sky, I get to stay up all night and enjoy the beautiful stars and moon. Despite whatever cruelty it may secretly hold, I am proud to call myself an astronomer, and hereby claim it as the official title for my profession, and for any other pony who may one day take my job on. Not likely anypony will, but here's hoping.

Speaking of my career, I discovered yet another constellation last night. It was in the northern portion of the sky, hidden just slightly under the moon when it reached its axis. It seemed to be that of a pony standing rear-to-rear with a yak, both appearing to hold a weapon, the yak a spear, and the pony a sword. It had taken me ages to clearly see it, and I do believe it symbolizes the recent alliance Equestria formed with the yaks to push back the invading northern dragons. A new addition to the sky, in other words, but one that had still taken me a month to find. Luna is incredibly amazing at placing the stars into such subtle designs, ones that you have to really focus to see. Only true artists could see and appreciate the painting that is her night sky.

Ah, Princess Luna. Bringing her up causes so much admiration to surface in me. Even as a young filly, I always idolized her. It may have set me apart from the rest of my classmates, but I don't care. The Princess is the true epitome of grace and beauty. I cannot understand how everypony else shuns her so. She far more deserves respect than Celestia. Each night, Luna takes her paintbrush and brings us a masterpiece in the sky, but yet, nopony but I ever seem to stay up and witness it. Perhaps I am the only one who truly appreciates her, at least in my home town. There has to be other ponies out there who care, right? There are far too many ponies in the world for me to be the only one who cares.

Or maybe I am just the freak everypony in my class thought I was, unique among every other sun-loving pony in the world. I refuse to believe that, though. Others have to appreciate Luna, it wouldn't make sense otherwise. But that it is an argument I do not want to get in tonight. Besides, I have to go and finish my sketch of the new constellation. I haven't even named it yet, either. About time to start brainstorming!

Signing Out,

Crescent Eclipse

Luna sat staring at the journal for several seconds, her brain taking several minutes to fully process what she had just read. Had she really had an admirer back then? Was this pony, Crescent Eclipse, right about others caring for her above her sister as well?

It was like a hoof to the gut. The mere thought that she had had ponies who did care for her back then, and had completely ignored them in her jealousy, made Luna feel rather nauseous. It made everything she did back then a hundred times worse, if it was true. She had had no reason to be jealous if Crescent Eclipse was right. No, that made it so that Celestia's part of the blame was lifted and placed on her shoulders. It meant...she'd been the one ignoring her subjects, not the other way around.

Luna felt like her whole world fell apart at that thought. Everything that she'd done, it was all for paranoid, selfish reasons. Her turning to Nightmare Moon and turning on her ponies, on her sister, and being locked away for a thousand years, it was all because of her paranoia.

But that all depended on if Crescent Eclipse was right. This line of thought hinged on whether or not Eclipse had ever actually been able to find fellow night-lovers like herself, or if the mare had really been the only lover of night at that time frame.

And there was only one way to know for sure. Luna had to get back to reading the journal.

Gingerly, as if it might bite her, Luna's horn lit up, as did the second page of the journal, and she flipped it to the next entry. The glow on her horn died away, and the page settled gently on top of the first, illuminated by the light blue glow of one of the fires. Then, taking a deep breath to calm herself and releasing it, Luna began reading once more.

Log 2, Date Moon Cycle 10, 25th Day, 214 A.D. (After Discord)

Phew, been a long five days. Starswirl showed up in town a few days ago, and everypony had decided to throw a festival for him, celebrating his newest magical discovery, which had something to do with a modification on the normal teleportation spell. There was talk of throwing the festival next year, too, due to how big of a hit it was, but I don't know whether anypony will even care by that point. It was probably just a one time thing, though hey, I could be wrong. Dazzle seemed rather insistent upon it.

That aside, though, I've finally managed to finish my drawing of the new constellation, which I've dubbed Crystal Fiery, to match up with the location the fight took place and well, the fierce clash. Not very original, I know, but there's only so much you can do with a name. I've often struggled to think of names for them, though I cannot help but think my naming them is a moot point. I'm sure Luna already has names for them, and intends to make sure they go down in the history books.

Speaking of, both Princesses ended up appearing in town to speak with Starswirl, and ended up staying to enjoy the festival. I tried to talk with Luna, but the crowd and my shyness held me back. It was beyond great to see her, at least. And just as I thought, the drawings I've seen do not do her justice. She is glorious, with a mane and tail which seem to hold the very night within them, and a coat which would put the darkest of midnight blues to shame. And her eyes...I have never seen eyes in that shade of blue before. It is like...I cannot even properly compare them to any other color in the world. Perhaps it would be best to describe it as if someone had tinted the moon with the finest of light blues, while still managing to keep silver subtly hidden behind it, taken some of the rays that moon made, and put them within Luna's own orbs. I know that does not make much sense, but it is the best I can do.

Listen to me, prattling on like some silly filly with a schoolyard crush. I cannot help it, though. I've devoted my life to the study of the night sky, and that technically means I'm also studying Luna. Sounds a little creepy when you think of it that way, but it's the best way I can summarize my behavior. I really hope neither Princess ever sees this, especially Luna. Would be pretty awkward explaining it to them.

Anyway, I think it's about time to move on from that discussion. As for any other things that have happened, I cannot say there's been much excitement. Nothing new in the sky tonight, though there doesn't need to be for me to admire it. I can't help but wonder if Luna will make something new soon, though. Perhaps it could have to do with the festival. Perhaps a constellation for Starswirl. No, wait, there is already one up there because of another work he did that impressed the Princesses, his cutie mark, I do believe. Still, lots of other things Luna could celebrate in the sky. I'm not saying I'm pressuring her, but I can't help but feel like a little filly again every time I see a new constellation. Her work is just so beautiful.

All that aside, I don't think there's much more I can report right now, so I guess I'll just go for now.

Signing Out,

Crescent Eclipse

Luna took another small break to gather her thoughts, a small smile not able to keep itself from gracing her lips. Despite what Crescent Eclipse's first entry might have meant for Luna, the way the mare had been crushing on her was adorable. Honestly, it felt nice to be appreciated in such a way, considering she'd never actually had somepony show interest in her that way before. It made Luna feel deep regret over the fact she'd never met Eclipse, at least when she was living.

Well, what's done was done. All she could do now was read the mare's journal and imagine what could have been. Sticking to that line of thought, Luna used her magic to flip to the next page and read the words recorded there.

Log 3, Date Moon Cycle 11, 23rd Day, 214 A.D. (After Discord)

It's been nearly a month since I last wrote in this thing, and for good reason. Things have become rather hectic in my life. I'm sorry to say that my dear mother has passed on. It has hurt seeing her move on, but she was getting old, and I'm glad her death was so peaceful, going in the middle of the night like that. Rest in peace forever, Lily Sweet.

As if that wasn't enough, my job hasn't exactly been making me any bits, and the waitress position I have barely makes me enough to pay the rent, and this month, I'm late, and it's causing my landstallion to breath down my neck. I don't know if I'll be able to stay here for much longer. I don't know where I'll go if I get kicked out. My dad disappeared long before I was born, and my other relatives and I are pretty much estranged. I don't exactly have a lot of friends, as my previous entries may have hinted at, but the few I do have aren't that close to me.

To top it all off, I've began to notice something about the night, something I think is even more worrisome than my other problems. Over the past couple weeks, things have been getting colder, and I know that doesn't sound odd considering how close it is to winter, but I don't just mean that type of cold. I know it's hard to fathom it, but the night does have its own feelings, mostly projected by Luna, I think, and recently, these feelings I've been getting from it...well, they're not good. I think something is happening to Luna. I can't say for sure what it is, but a couple nights ago, the coldness in the night turned to bitterness, and I've finally done something about it.

Unable to ignore my worries, I wrote a letter to Luna, and sent it with a carrier pigeon yesterday morning to the Palace of the Two Sisters. I hope it has reached her, and that my words might have helped her. Though my hopes are pretty low for that, considering the night was still pretty harsh-feeling last night. Perhaps the letter ended up in the hooves of one of the guards, or even Princess Celestia, and they haven't managed to get it to Luna yet. I'm just hoping she reads it soon, if she hasn't already. I can't help but get a really bad feeling every time I look up at the moon this past week. Whatever's happening, I think I need to investigate it, and try and reverse it, before something horrible occurs.

Signing Out,

Crescent Eclipse

Luna stared down at the pages of the journal in utter confusion. There were so many things in this chapter she didn't understand. First off, how Eclipse was able to pick up on the night's feelings was beyond her. It was a gift Luna thought only she had, considering they were mostly her own emotions that the sky projected. She'd never, in her thousands of years, heard of another pony having such a gift. Another thing which troubled Luna, perhaps the biggest issue, was the mention of the letter.

Looking back, Luna was absolutely sure with every fiber of her being that she'd never received any letter in the days leading up to her becoming Nightmare Moon, which, if this was dated right, was only a few months before her transformation. What in the name of Tartarus had happened to the letter?

"There you are!"

Luna jumped at the sound of a voice behind her, and whipped her head around so fast she almost gave herself whiplash as she tried to identify the intruder. Upon seeing who it was, Luna let out a sigh of relief before closing the journal, tucking it under her wing, jumping gracefully from the chair, and turning to face the being standing behind her.

"Discord. What are you doing here?" Luna asked, her voice laced with a bit of suspicion. This caused Discord to smile darkly for a second before letting out a laugh, the darkness leaving his expression. "Oh, Lulu, you are just too paranoid for your own good! You sister sent me to find you. She's...well, fairly upset with you, considering it's almost nine in the morning and the moon is still up," Discord explained with another chuckle.

The blood instantly drained from Luna's face as she let out a gasp, raising her right hoof to her muzzle. "Oh Tartarus, I can't believe how late I am!" Feeling rather embarrassed, Luna rushed past Discord and made it halfway across the room when she realized she had no way out of here, due to the entrance to the tunnel being sealed. Unless...

Turning back to face Discord, who was admiring all the books filled with secret knowledge, she called. "Discord, you wouldn't have happened to get in here by opening the door to the library, would you?" Discord glanced back at Luna as she spoke to him, and a sly smile slid onto his face. "Oh, this is in the library? I only managed to get in here cause I teleported to where I felt you were. Good to know where this is, though."

Luna wanted to smack herself over the head for her stupidity. Sure, give the all-powerful Lord of Chaos the location of an entire library's worth of secret and powerful magic. Great job, Lulu.

Now pausing in her rush to contemplate how to get out, she almost forehoofed again. All she had to do was teleport! Wow, she can't believe how worried she'd been earlier about escaping when she thought Eclipse was a threat. She could have just teleported away.

Nodding, Luna prepared to teleport, but as she did, her wings instinctively opened, spreading out as if in preparation for her to shoot into the sky once she was done teleporting. However, as they did, the journal fell out from their place under her right wing, dropping to the floor and sliding to Discord's feet.

Luna, realizing what happened, rushed forward to pick up the journal, but it was too late. Discord, who had originally gone back to examining the books, saw the journal slide towards him from the corner of his eye. Curious, he turned and picked it up from its spot near his feet. He took a moment to examine it as Luna rushed forward to snatch it back, but even as she did, Discord's face went pale, and his grip tightened on the journal, keeping Luna from tearing it away with her magic.

Looking up at the Princess, who had come to a stop upon seeing Discord's reaction, a slightly concerned look on her face, Discord asked in a much softer tone than normal, "Where did you get this?" Luna, after a moment's hesitation, pointed with her wing down the aisle where she'd found the journal. "It was tucked behind a bunch of books on ones of the shelves over there. The, uh...well, it may be hard to believe, but the owner's ghost guided me to it."

Luna may as well have said that the world was about to end. Discord snapped his fingers, said something about raising the moon for her so fast Luna almost wasn't sure she heard right, then teleported them both back to the table. Luna was back in the seat she'd been in before, with Discord sitting in the one across from her, an anxious expression on his face as he glanced around like he expected something or someone to come bursting in at any second trying to stop them. "Quick, open it back up and continue reading. Out loud, if you don't mind, but keep your voice down," Discord swiftly told Luna.

Now more confused than ever, Luna opened the journal to the entry after the last one she'd read, and began to speak the next log aloud.