To My Prince of the Night
Before we get to my story, we need to jump back to the night Nightmare Moon was banished to the moon. It was on that day Celestia found me.
Bright flashes of light lit up the darkened sky as the magic of two alicorns clashed. The two seemed equally matched, but it was becoming increasingly aware that one was gaining the upper hoof.
“Give it up, sister. Your reign over Equestria is over. Soon the night shall rule.” The midnight blue alicorn cackled, flapping her large bat-like wings. She wore a helmet on her head, allowing her horn to stick out through a hole. Various other pieces of armor rested on her body, giving compliments to her sinister presence.
“Luna! Sister, please! You have to stop this.” The other alicorn, a fuchsia gray colored coat, rested her hooves atop the castle roof. Her eyes shined with sympathy for her sister. However, it was her own pride that blinded her from seeing the pain and jealousy Luna had been going through. “Luna! You have to listen to me! Lower the moon. It's your duty!”
The midnight alicorn scoffed at her sister’s demands. “Dear sweet Celestia. My arrogant older sister. I am no longer Luna. I am now Nightmare Moon.” Her horn began to glow before a large blast shoot out from it, making contact with Celestia. Her body broke through the roof, crashing down hard onto the Throne Room’s marble floor. Nightmare Moon cackled again, staring down at her battered sister. “And as for my duty. That is for me to decide. And I plan on governing all of Equestria as its sole ruler of the night. That is after I destroy you.” She let off several more blasts from her horn, hitting all over the Throne Room.
Celestia got to her feet quickly, flying out of the way of the blasts. Her body was bruised and beaten from her sister’s constant assault. She panted, looking up at the large hole she fell through. “She’s too powerful. And I don't have enough magic on my own to beat her. But…” She winced, partly from the pain, partly from the thought of the only other option. “But I might be able to stop her.” Celestia turned away from the throne, shining her magic on a hidden compartment in the floor. It opened as a stone display rose. Resting on each of its selves were five gems. “Forgive me, Luna. I never dreamed I’d have to use the Elements on you.” She flew over, picking each of them up with her magic. “Now for the last one.” Celestia brought her horn over the large, spherical headpiece of the display and a star-shaped gem floated out, joining the other five. With the six Elements of Harmony in her possession, Celestia rose, rejoining her sister, for one last clash. She met eyes with Nightmare Moon, her look of desperation and sympathy replaced with a look of determination and sadness. “Luna! This is your last warning. Lower the moon!”
The look of enjoyment on Nightmare Moon’s face wore into annoyance. “I told you already. I am Nightmare Moon, the new ruler of Equestria! Now begone sister! It's time for you to resign!” She charged her magic in her horn, ready to wipe Celestia off the face of Equestria.
“So be it then. I'm sorry little sister.” Celestia drew the Elements out in front of her, channeling her magic into them. Both alicorns unleashed their attacks, clashing with enough force to shake the castle. For a few moments, it appeared that Nightmare Moon was overpowering her sister’s attack. Then her attack began to recede, giving way to the magic of the Elements. Nightmare Moon was quickly enveloped in the blast as she was sent flying towards her moon, vanishing into the darkened sky. The only remnant of her existence now seemed to be the black head engraved upon the moon.
Silence crept across the area, leaving Celestia alone to her thoughts. Tears were streaming down her face. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. Luna. I'm sorry. I'm so very…” Her words were cut short as a noise echoed through the castle. A noise Celestia didn't expect to hear. The sound of a colt crying rang from a hole in the castle walls. It didn't take her long to figure out it was coming from her sister’s room and an even shorter time for her eyes to fall upon a bundled-up colt resting on Luna’s bed. Celestia was at a complete loss. Why was there some random colt crying on her sister’s bed? Where did it come from? She cautiously approached the colt, who stopped crying as soon as she stood next to the bed. Its dark red eyes stared up at her. The look of innocence in its eyes confirmed the fear that dwelled in the forefront of Celestia’s mind. She didn't know when; or even who helped bring the colt to this world. But one thing was clear. The colt was Luna’s child. And now it was Celestia who needed to take care of it. It was the least she could do, with its mother currently imprisoned in the moon. Picking the small colt up and resting it in one leg, she flew off.
It didn't take long, or much magic, for Celestia to add an addition to the castle. A small nursery for the colt. She rested the colt in a crib, watching it settle down and fall asleep. The pain of guilt still stung. Did she really have to be banished? Couldn't she have just been saved? Be rid of her darkness? So she could take care of her child. Celestia stared at the sleeping colt. “I'm sorry young one. It's because of me that you don't have a mother to look after you. I hope you can grow up to forgive me.” She turned slowly, walking out of the nursery. She glanced back for a moment before closing the door behind her.
The rest is history. Princess Celestia took it upon herself to raise and lower the sun and moon. On top of her royal duties, she also had to take care of the young pegasus colt, which she opted to name Nocturne, me.
It quickly became apparent that Nocturne was a lot like his mother. The colt was dead asleep throughout the day and restless during the night. And on top of that, he didn't seem to age like an average pony. Most likely a cause of the alicorn blood that ran through him, at least that’s what Celestia thought. At the rate he was aging, there was still a good chance he'd meet his mother. If and when she escaped.
When Nocturne was five, in physical age, Celestia got an idea as to who his father was. Nocturne had been trying to teach himself to fly outside of Celestia’s supervision. He was making remarkable progress, being able to keep himself off the ground for several minutes at a time. The only thing he couldn't do so well was keeping himself level, which brought Nocturne falling forward and rolling into the wall. He didn't hit the wall hard, and he wasn't injured, but his fall did leave him upset. Upset with himself and upset with Celestia, the pony who was sleeping instead of teaching him. He got to his feet, shaking his head in defiance. He stomped his forehooves repeatedly, mumbling to himself. His anger and frustration kept building up inside him until it finally burst forth. With one last stomp of his hooves, magic enveloped him, causing his eyes to blaze outward with purple flame. Shadows stretched into the room, reaching out towards Nocturne. Not knowing what was going on, he kept backing away from them. Finally, he found himself backed into a corner, now shaking in fear. With fear now clouding his mind, the magic swelling inside him grew out of control, and the shadows that were trying to reach him began tearing up the room.
Celestia quickly broke down the door and dispelled the shadows. Nocturne was still in the corner, cowering in fear with his face buried behind his hooves. The purple flames blazing from his eyes could still be seen underneath his hooves. Celestia stood in shock. She knew those flames and this dark magic. “Luna, my dear little sister. Just what did you get yourself into while I wasn't looking?” She slowly approached Nocturne, trying to calm him. “It's okay. The shadows aren't going to hurt you anymore. Not while I'm here.” She held out her hoof towards him, giving him a sweet smile. Nocturne stared up at Celestia, his flames replaced by tears. He shot up, wrapping his hooves around her other leg.
“I just wanted to learn to fly. I just wanted to get better. I didn't mean to do any of this. I'm sorry. Please don't be mad at me” Nocturne didn't understand it entirely, but something told him that he called those shadows.
“It's alright, dear. It's alright. Come now. I’ll let you sleep in my room. At least until I can get your room cleaned up. Okay?” He only gave a slight nod, letting go of her leg.
Life in the castle soon grew more entertaining. Celestia performed her duties as she normally did, spending several hours at night keeping me company. I wasn't allowed out of the castle. Something about other ponies not understanding my uniqueness: I didn't complain too much. That was how life was, for the thousand years. Until that fateful night during the Summer Sun Celebration. The day I got to meet my mother.
The stars inched towards the moon, unknown to the majority of Equestria. Celestia peered up at it from a hall window, Nocturne standing next to her. Over the last thousand years, he had grown to the size of an average teenage pegasus. Celestia sighed, draping a wing over Nocturne. “The time has come. Nocturne…” Her words stuck to the back of her throat. “If things end up how I expect them, the promise I made to you will be kept.”
“And what if they don't? What if she's too far gone?” Nocturne’s eyes never left the moon. “Will she really be sent back?”
“I am sorry. Even I don't know for sure. All we can do is hope my student can pull through. Now. Head to your room. I’ll come to get you. When things settle down.”
He could hear the hesitation in her voice. This was a moment they both were looking forward to and feared. Nocturne nodded his head, pulling away from his aunt.
The air in the castle fell still as the stars converged on the moon. Then, in dazzling light, the imprint of the Mare on the Moon vanished. Commotion rattled across Ponyville as Nightmare Moon made her appearance. Nocturne could feel her malicious intent. It was hard for him to believe that that same mare was Princess Luna, his mother. With his hooves clasped together, he gave a silent prayer that Celestia’s beloved student could free her.
Several hours passed as Nocturne laid in his bed, staring at the moon the still resided in the sky. He had but given up hope when the familiar, and quite irritating, feeling of the sun’s rays beamed into his room. And it would be several more hours before Celestia knocked at his door. “Nocturne. Are you still awake? It's time to make good my promise.” Silence. She went to open the door when it flew open, knocking Celestia back. Nocturne stood in the doorway, curious about where his aunt had vanished to. She coughed, closing the door with her magic and glaring down at him. She smirked, shaking her head. “She's in the throne room. You should go introduce yourself.”
Despite the excitement swelling within Nocturne, an unnerving feeling tugged at his thoughts as well. This was his mother he was going to meet. It had been over a thousand years since she probably last saw him. What if she lost what love she had for me from back then? His worries filled his mind, stopping him from noticing he was about to trot into the throne room door. Thankfully Celestia caught him in her magic and brought reality back to him. “It's time.” The doors opened, and he hesitantly advanced inside.
The throne room looked the same as it always had. Various banners littered the wall, as well as a few stained-glass windows. Only one thing was different. He stood a few feet away from the throne, laying his eyes on a strange pony. A dark blue alicorn stood by Celestia’s throne; her mane and tail flowed in the air like a mirage. A strong presence of darkness wafted from her, but it wasn't that that Nocturne was focused on. Instead, it was her eyes, which presented a soft appearance. It wasn't the look of one who was addressing a stranger in a royal court, but the face of one staring at a loved one, not knowing what to say. Nevertheless, when she spoke, her voice held a similar feel. “I take it thou are Nocturne?”
Nocturne lowered his head in respect, lifting back up before speaking. “Y-yes, your M-majesty.” He cleared his throat and took a deep breath, pushing his hesitation away. “I have waited a long time to speak with you, Princess Luna. And I heard you had been as well.”
Her tone stiffened to that of a strong royal. “That is true. As it is, I have requested your presence. Come closer now. I wish to take a good look at you.” Nocturne advanced steadily, taking a bow in front of Luna. There was an almost endless stretch of silence as she examined him. “Nocturne? A fitting name for such a pegasus. The night has blessed you greatly. There is much we will need to discuss, but for now…” Her voice softened again. “I feel as though I have no place to talk to you like a mother. It has been so long. I have left you alone for so long. Nocturne, my son. Could you ever forgive your terrible mother?”
Before he could respond, he felt tears hitting the top of his head. His eyes followed up her body until they met with his mother’s crying eyes. Purely out of instinct, he hovered up and wiped the tears from her eyes. “For a thousand years, I have waited for this day. For my moment to be face-to-face with you. All that time, I replayed in my head everything I was going to say.” Nocturne landed back down, fixing his eyes on the drop of tear on his hoof. “There were moments I wanted to yell at you. Curse you for leaving your colt son alone. But I wasn't alone.” His eyes locked back with Luna’s. “Your sister took care of me. Not because I was some random colt left on a doorstep. She looked after me because I was your son. Because she saw it as her responsibility to do so. Since it was her fault, I was left alone. She forgave you for what you did to her back then. She forgave herself for what she had to do. Even you have forgiven her. So, it would be rude not to do the same. Princess Luna… No. Mother. It's good to see you. Please don't leave again.” Nocturne shot to her side, nuzzling against his mother's coat.
“It's good to see you too. Thank you, son.”
So there you have it, everypony—the story of how I got to meet my mother, the Princess of the Night. However, there is still more to my story. That, I am sorry to inform you, will have to wait until next time.