And thus our story begins
Coffee, one of my favorite inventions since the beginning of my rule, and I honestly do not know how I had managed so long without it, even with my crystals of memory.
And those memories have served me well over the years, always remembering to raise the sun and lower the moon and vice versa. What I had scheduled for the day, so I never needed a personal scheduler or to have a schedule written down. Every document I read, every promise made to me, and every promise I made. I remember the details of all of my friends, from there earliest memories to the end of their lives.
So, I remembered that I had to prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration down in Ponyville.
Magical smoke came into my throne room, turning into parchment. I read its contents, unsurprised at first, only to feel my heart stop beating in my chest as I finished.
I had made a mistake, a horrible one that could prove costly, and I knew what I had to do. I ordered parchment, a quill, and ink, and as I waited for the utensils to be brought to me, I considered my words.
When they were presented, I knew what I would write.
I had continued and finished my work in a blurred autopilot I learned long ago for boring days, although one of the more observant maids that I kept in the castle asked if I was alright. I lied and said everything was fine. She looked more concerned but it did not matter.
As I ushered the mayor of Ponyville out into the main hall, as I had to assure her that I would be there, I tapped into magics that none but myself would dare touch and disappeared from the world. Watching, listening, but not acting upon it, knowing that I would have to leave my faith the hooves of my protégé.
I watched the events unfold. It was over and done, and everything had worked out just as I had hoped in the end. It was time for me to return and assure my good ponies of my safety and let them know everything would be alright.
Although I felt a little grandiose entrance was not out of the question and decided to make a show my return. Six shrill shrieks announced me, then turn into gasps when I had fully returned and into my physical form. Five of the seven ponies bowed to me once they recognized me. The other two did not. My protégé, who I knew would be too filled with relief to remember such formalities and the one who would never bow to me, not that I ever intended to ask it of her.
I look to my good ponies and realize that this may be the last time I ever see them. The last time I ever get to offer any wisdom.
I decide the order and step forward with light steps, putting on a smile. “Applejack, an honest soul is truly a noble one and one very rarely found, but it is important to remember that just because you know you are honest doesn't mean everyone else will. Details are important. If I was about to fall off the side of a cliff and you knew that others would be there to catch me, I would appreciate it if you said so.” The apple farmer who has the decency to look embarrassed.
I step over to the next mare, who despite everything, seems to be radiating a scent of sugary baked goods. “Pinkie Pie, to laugh in the face of fear is a great strength, and the power to encourage others a magnificent one. I can't help feeling that you would make an excellent leader in your own right, but it would be wise for you to remember that not all problems can be laughed away. And that it cannot always be you that lifts the spirit of others, no matter how much you may wish to.” I finished with the party mare giving me a salute. Although I wonder if my words are lost on her.
I move on to the yellow pegasi. “Fluttershy, sometimes showing a little kindness is all you need, but recognizing that there are times when kindness is not enough, that will take you far,” I say, with the smile she gives to me telling me that I chose the right words.
I move on to the first of the two fillies. “Silver Spoon, staying loyal to one's friends isn't an easy thing to do, especially when they need to hear what is the right thing to do, but I find that it is one of the most rewarding aspects of true friendship,” I tell the filly, knowing that I struck a chord has she looks down with her ears folded.
I turn to the other young filly present. “Diamond Tiara, generosity, charisma, intelligence, these and many more are the traits that make a truly excellent leader and you embody many of these traits, the cutie mark you have attained tonight is proof of that, but every good leader always keeps their promises.” Both her and Silver Spoon know that I am referring to Steven Magnet.
And finally, I stand in front of my protégé. “Twilight Sparkle, you have now, as you have always proven, that your only failure is your ability to disappoint me. I knew you could do it and you met my expectations and beyond.”
“But you told me it was all an old ponies-tale,” she said with confusion. “And if you knew Nightmare Moon was coming, why didn't you prepare anything? Why didn't you try to stop her? Why did you send me away?"
“Twilight, when you sent me that letter, my heart stopped. I knew Nightmare Moon was coming but when I made my first calculations on when she would return the methods for calculating time were not nearly as advanced as they are now. So, when you had come to the conclusion that Nightmare Moon was returning on this night, I knew I need to take immediate action. Because I had thought she was not to return until next year.” I told her while lifting her downcast head with my hoof.
“And you truly did need to go out and make some friends, because sitting in your room alone all day isn't healthy,” I told her. “Besides, when did I say that you were wrong?” I made sure to enjoy her realization before I turn to walk over to the only pony I have yet to talk to.
“Hello Princess Luna, it's been about a thousand years I believe,” I let the smile fall from my face as I greeted her. As I expected, she greeted me with eyes full of anger and hatred.
I clear my throat before continuing, “If you wish to strike me down then do so. I will not dodge you nor will I block you,” I finish as I stare straight into her angry blue eyes.
It became a staring contest. which I quickly lost as I blink my eyes a few times before she eventually decided to stagger to her hoof’s.
Finally, after a long silence, Luna lost her patience. “Do you wish to insult Us monster! Is this your jest? Is it a ploy? Well, We will have none of it! Strike me down and claim your victory Sombra!”
I close my eyes and shake my head, having expected this reaction. “It is no jest, nor ploy. It is, however, a thousand years since the time we last spoke, if you would be willing to call it that, and a thousand years can change a lot of things, as it is a great deal of time. I wronged you and your sister and if you wish to strike me down then you have all right too.”
Before Luna had time to react Twilight put herself between us.
I blink at my protégé. “Move aside Twilight, this doesn't involve you,” I say.
And her reaction is immediate. “No.”
I blink completely shocked by the straightforward declaration. After taking longer to compose myself then I would have liked I said, “Twilight Sparkle I order you to stand aside.”
I expected her to move aside or to freeze at my command. I did not expect her to nearly sends me reeling. “No! I will not let her hurt you!” She yells with an authoritative voice that I'm really regretting having taught her right now. Her new friend coming to stand beside her before I have enough time to regain my bearings.
“Ah don’t understand all of what's going on, but what Ah can tell is there a lot of history between you and Nightmare Moon, or Luna or whatever her name is. And while Ah'd love to hear all about it, Ah would love to hear all about it in someplace that isn't an abandoned castle in the middle of an evil forest,” Applejack said waving her hoof around.
“Yeah, and with lots of caramel apples!” Pinkie Pie added with a lick of her lips.
“And, um, daylight,” Fluttershy added with a whisper.
I'm completely flabbergasted. all I can do is look to each of my good ponies one by one, seeing that they're leaving no room for argument. Both Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon are clearly very tired despite the steadfast front they're trying to put up with the other adults. They are just fillies.
“Fine, you win. Let's start heading back to Ponyville. It's going to be a long walk.” I sigh as I left Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, and Luna on to my back.
Whatever protest Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon might have had we're drowned out by Luna own.
“Put Us down Sombra! We do not need your pity! We can walk on our own!”
I drawing a deep breath through my nose, hold it, and then release it. “I'm sure you can Luna. I'm carrying you because I want to.”
I was going to be walking through the evil forest, with three fillies on my back, all the way from the center to the edge.
This is going to be a long walk.
Author's Note
It's true what they say all creatives are embarrassed by their early works.
A long time ago in a empire far, far away....
The walk back to Ponyville wasn't nearly long enough. As we walked into the town the few who were still up immediately rushed to see if we were okay, and to express their relief. I had told the Equestria Guard that I would be taking care of an errand after the Summer sun celebration and might be missing for a day or two, as the ponies of Ponyville had gone to them after everything that happened they immediately assumed that Nightmare Moon was the errand and I had to take care of it early. With an explanation and how tired everyone was most of the ponies of Ponyville went to bed while some stayed up and the guards kept a lookout to make sure everything was fine.
I began giving the guards orders telling them to return to Canterlot after they had delivered a message to the post office to have them tell everyone that I had returned in a few hours. Although this is all just to buy time, while Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had fallen asleep on the walk back, Luna was anything but restful. Completely silent for the entire trip, which I was thankful for, I knew it was because she was either afraid that this was some sort of trap or building up energy to make some sort of escape plan, or to try and kill me. The others were silent as well, save for Pinkie Pie who bounced and hummed the entire trip. But I knew the silence needed to be broken and an explanation needed to be given, and I knew just the place for it.
"The Golden Oaks Library. I haven't been here in 100 years, Pinkie you cleaned this place up beautifully, can't find a speck of dust anywhere and you wouldn't even think there was even a party here just a few hours ago," I observed with a bit of aah. And it's true, not a speck of dust anywhere in sight despite the fact that no one had set hoof in here for a hundred years, and not a single remnant of Pinkie Pie's party that she had thrown just a few hours ago could be found, no cups, no stains, the wood was clean and the air was fresh.
I turned to the pink mare, who had acquired a caramel apple at some point. "Pinkie could you go get us a table and some chairs, we're going to be here for a while and I don't want to stand the entire time."
Instead of answering me she pointed her hoof in a direction as she enjoyed her caramel apple. Following the hoof I saw a round table low to the ground surrounded by seats enough for everyone in the library and low enough for the fillies so they didn't need a booster of some sort, along with several different cups, which I assume hold different drinks as only three of them are steaming.
I blinked before craning my neck. “All right you three my back is not a bed, it's time for you to wake up and get off.”
Luna and her continued silence, which I am still thankful for, immediately got off my back, the fillies however, we're still asleep and refused to move. Igniting my horn I lifted them gently off me and place them on the floor before I begin gently nudging them with my hoof. “Come on you two, rise and shine. I know you must be tired but you deserve to hear an explanation directly from me and I don't want to have to tell this story twice.”
As the two fillies awoke with a pair of yawns and blinking eyes I turned my attention to my protégé, “Twilight you might wish to go and awaken Spike as well, I'm sure he'd be rather upset if he heard this story was told right under his sleeping nose.”
As my protégé went to get her assistant I went to get my coffee, “All right everyone let's find our seats, Pinkie, would I be correct in assuming that the cups are filled of our favorite drinks?”
She tried to give me an answer but apparently the caramel apple had stuck her mouth shut. Eventually everyone was in the main room of the library and seated at the table. I knew Spike would be next to me, he needed coffee just as much as I did, Silver Spoon on the other hand was a bit of a surprise, but her family does own the Silverbits coffee chain.
All eyes were on me, waiting for my explanation, and I knew it was time to begin. “All right let's cut to the chase, first of all it's important to understand that memories of my early life are gone. The reasons why I took many of my actions when I was a young colt are gone. The actions that I took during those years, gone. The history from those years and why I destroyed it, gone. I have been using powerful and esoteric magic to preserve my memory for the past thousand years, but it only preserved my memories after I started using it, so the memories from before that time have faded in the thousand years that I have tried to hold on to them, an effort that has proven to be futile.”
I took a sip of my coffee before I continued, “It was a little over nine hundred years ago that I realize my memories were beginning to fade and I started using this magic, so my knowledge of events predating that are secondhoof, however I have no reason to believe this history is wrong.”
I took another sip of my coffee, “A thousand years ago I had enslaved my own kingdom, the poorly named Crystal Empire, and was raging a war against the kingdom on my southern border, the also poorly named kingdom of Equestria, and I had been winning that war, although given the numerous warnings I eventually made to myself of Princess Luna's inevitable return I highly doubt that was true.”
I had turned to look at Princess Luna, hoping to get some clarification on this story, however all she did was glare at me. I also notice that she hadn't touched her drink, probably fearing it was filled with poison of some sort.
I considered taking a sip of her drink to prove it was safe but decided to just sip my own and continue, then I realized my cup was empty, I hadn't even gotten to any of the important parts of my story yet and I’ve already finished my coffee. “Spike I want you to give me back my thermos.”
My thermos, a beautiful thermos made of shining violet crystal infused with all of the magic my years of research and practice could provide. Power and versatility went into it's creation, and it was not wasted in the slightest, despite what everyone else says. It keeps temperature perfectly, it doesn't ever get dented or scratched and remains perfectly clean.
Spike took it away from me claiming I have a drinking problem, complete another nonsense but I decided to indulge him in his little endeavor to help me, but playtime is over. I am getting my thermos back and if Spike wants to get in my way, well it's not like I haven't slayed dragons before.
“King Sombra, you said you warned yourself of Nightmare Moon's return, but you told me that you made calculations for when she would return, so does that mean you're the one who sealed her in the Moon and then you forgot?” Twilight asked while going over the notes that she had been taking.
Twilight's question me out of my musings over my beautiful thermos and I took a moment to compose my answer before responding, “No I didn't seal her in the mood, that was her sister Celestia. I don't know why Luna became Nightmare Moon, but I do know that when she did, she and Celestia battled and Nightmare Moon's lost was what led to her being sealed in the moon. I don't remember these events myself but there were enough sources to prove that this second hand account was accurate.”
“Wait a minute, sister? Do you mean there's another powerful alicorn waiting to bring on eternal night?” Diamond Tiara asked trying to sound annoyed at the prospect, but I could tell that she was actually afraid.
I frowned as I shook my head in sadness, “No, Celestia's gone and she isn't coming back, I made sure of that.”
“Well Nightmare Moon escape from her prison so this Celestia can probably escape to right?” Spike asked with his own growing fear at the prospect of another alicorns return.
I look down into my empty cup, feeling coffee and bile churn in my stomach, “I had begun preserving my memories at that point. I remember, clearly, taking the families of Celestia own soldiers hostage, threatening to kill them if they did not betray her and threatening to torture them to death if they did not do the same to her. I remember her getting her wings torn off, I remember her getting torn limb from limb, I remember every thrust of every spear and I remember every drop of blood, I remember every scream and the last gurgle of her life escape her blood-filled mouth, I remember the copper taste on my tongue and the heavy scent of blood and tears In the air, I remember crystallizing her corpse and displaying it as a monument to all those who oppose me. if Celestia can come back from that then I am doomed either way.”
And with that the silence I had enjoyed from Luna was broken.
Author's Note
When I started writing this story I didn't think I would be using first person point of view for more than one or two chapters, and now I'm thinking I should probably use it during special events like the return of Nightmare Moon or the return of Discord, but I will be dropping it for other parts of the story. Also in case you didn't notice I do not like writing Luna's or AppleJack's dialogue, it's not that I don't like Luna or AppleJack, but the more old-timey archaic language is something a bit more difficult for me to constantly go through. Same with southern drawl, I can speak it just fine, in fact my family has southern roots, but writing it is a pain.
