The Legend of "The Darkside of the Moon"

Diamond Dancer can only stay awake during lessons for so long. At first, learning about Humans did hold her attention but after there were no more pictures things got boring. She makes her way outside and finds herself in the castle gardens. She spies Princess Luna and decides to follow her.

A short time later, Diamond sees Princess Luna stops at a glass building. As the little filly approaches the building, she can see blue flowers blooming inside as blue as her Princess' coat.

Diamond Dancer," Princess Luna speaks and stops the filly in her tracks. She looks down and smiles at the filly, "Want to come inside?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Diamond Dancer bows.

Princess Luna disengages the wards and locks on the outside and they proceed to a small room with another set of locks. The first door closes and locks behind them

Why so much security for a flower building? DD thinks to herself.

"These are highly toxic flowers which I am the only pony immune to," the Mistress of the Night explains as she cast a shielding spell on her charge. The door opens after locks disengage and they step inside the greenhouse.

The blue flowers sparkle in the moonlight. DD can see stars dancing on the petals of the flowers.

"Solanum lunaris, 'Luna's Nightshade,'" Princess Luna sighs contently as she exhales a deep breath.

Diamond takes her eyes off the flowers and focuses on the large statue in the middle. The statue is about the size of her mistress but had two extra horns on her forehead and no wings. Diamond gazed up at her mistress as the princess stands in front of the statue. The filly can see the longing in the teal eyes of Luna. Luna reaches out to touch the cheek of the statue.

"That! Is! It!" Shade roared. Her horns ignited and teleported Princess Celestia away.

Princess Celestia found herself at the southern part of the Everfree Forest. The Darkside of the Moon materialized before her.

"I had no choice!" Celestia defended herself.

The Darkside of the Moon blast a torrent of crimson magic at Celestia. The Solar Princess took flight to avoid the blast. She evaded the volley of crimson magic launched at her. She stayed on the defensive as she flew around and dodged attacks. Princess Celestia knew she needed to attack if she wanted to live. She fires beams of light at the ivory tricorn who raised a shield to block the assault.

Red lightning struck the Princess out of the sky. She put up a shield to absorb the fall and blasts of crimson magic. The ivory tricorn launched herself at the pink shield and drummed on the barrier. Celestia shattered the shield and her magic hits the tricorn's chest.

Celestia cautiously approached the smoldering mare on the ground. The mare sat up and Celestia picked up the mare to slam her on the ground repeatedly. Celestia panted and swallowed the lump in her throat. Did she go too far? The mare labored to her hooves and Celestia stood her ground.

The mare ignited her horns and released crimson magic at Celestia. Celestia shot her magic to meet the crimson magic. They both funnel all their magic at each other. Celestia began to win and the tricorn is blasted with Celestia's full power. Magic surrounded the mare and she levitated in the air. Celestia stepped back in horror.

She raised a shield when the glowing ball of energy exploded. Her shield broke and she found herself on the ground. Her pink eyes opened and locked onto a new mare before her.

This mare was the size of Celestia, armed with three, three foot long horns, her mane and tail resembled black flames, had the wings and tail of a dragon, the cloven hooves like a centaur, a slightly reddish pink coat which match her draconic parts ,and finally, a fiery crown of flames rested between her horns. She reared back her head with a mass of flaming magic. Celestia closed her eyes and accepted her fate.

Seconds go by and Celestia opened her eyes. The Darkside of the Moon eyes burned with black flames and she turned around and released the magic she held. Everything was destroyed for two hundred miles and the forest burned around the canyon created.

The mare panted heavily and returned to her natural size. She glares at Celestia and said, "Luna would not want you dead."

Then, she started to turn into stone. Celestia watched in awe of the mares power and restraint.

Luna steps away from the statue as the vision leaves her mind.

"Your Majesty?" DD squeaks with worry and places a hoof on the alicorn's shoulder.

"I'm--"

Crack.

Luna sees a large crack open along the side of the statue.

Crack!

More cracks spider web across the statue. A big grin splits Luna's muzzle. The statue explodes and Luna raises a blue shield around her and the filly. A groan in the center of the rubble makes Luna drop the barrier.

"Luna?" a raspy voice calls out.

"Shade!" Luna rushes over to the crumpled ivory pony.

Diamond Dancer is completely flabbergasted. Did that pony come out of the statue or was she the statue?

Luna hugs her dearest friend.

"Can't. Breath." Shade wheezes.

Luna releases Shade, "I'm just so happy to see you!"

"So, the thousand years are up?"

"To be honest, it has been a thousand and five years," Luna chuckles.

Shade stares at Luna. "You waited five years to awaken me?"

"She could have waited hundreds!" DD pipes.

Shade looks at the little filly and Luna. "Luna. . ."

"Diamond Dancer is a Servant of Shadows, not my daughter!" Luna quickly explains.

"That's a shame," Shade remarks and ruffles the filly's light blue mane. "So, who needs to die?"

Luna's joyful expression darkens. "The Orb of Chaos has been stolen."

"So, who needs to die?" Shade reiterates.

"It is somewhere in the Human Universe."

Shade furrows her brow. "I told you to destroy that damn mirror. This is why I look like the bad guy, because I get shit done."

"We have to--"

"'We?' You speaking fancy now? Tell me what I need to do," Shade says.

Luna sighs and turns to exit the greenhouse, "You have a lot to catch up on."

Before Shade can follow Luna, a small hoof stops her. "Are you the 'Darkside of the Moon?'" DD inquires.

Shade smiles at the silvery pegasus filly, "Yeah. Quite the antiphrasis, right?"

"What?"

"They call me the Darkside of the Moon yet I'm as white as the driven snow," Shade chuckles.

"Yeah," DD giggles, "that is pretty funny. Let's go so you can meet tha other Servants!"