Chapter 1: Celebration Crasher
Originally posted on Fanfiction, this was my first story involving MLP FIM. Normally, I am not a big fan of redoing a story especially if I have made some progress on it but I felt like this one needed a bit of fine tuning. So, without further ado here is chapter one of Knight of the Moon. This will not be replacing Lake of Reflection as it will be more of a side story.
Celebration Crasher
“I have an even more essential task for you to complete…make some friends.” Celestia said to herself as she finished writing the letter that she would send to her student. She had sent a letter a few minutes ago stating her findings about the Elements of Harmony and the existence of the fallen pony Nightmare Moon. Just thinking about that pony caused the esteemed princess to give pause and remember the times long ago before the rise and banishment of Nightmare Moon and her assuming the role of raising the moon in addition to the sun. She took on that burden with a mixture of regret and duty. For a 1000 years she has kept the secret about Nightmare Moon’s real identity from her other subjects. Not even her most loyal advisors in her inner circle knew the truth. However, the time of her banishment was almost over and she hoped that her student would find the strength needed to succeed.
Celestia rolled up the letter with her magic and sent it back to her student without so much as batting an eyelash. Being one of two alicorns in existence, she was blessed with an enormous supply of magical power that enabled her to pull off the most painstaking spells with relative ease. That power is also supplemented by centuries of free time that she used to study the arcane arts.
Celestia gave a tired sigh as she shifted the pillows she was lying under. She was in her personal study, a sizable room where she would store all of her books on magic and other topics she might fancy at the time. There was also a fireplace in the corner that would provide warmth to the sun princess whenever she needed it. A bed was placed in the room in case Celestia was engrossed in a new book or reading over her student’s latest report and decided to spend the night there. She has used the room so much that it rivals the lavishly furnished one located in her quarters. The room was also charmed so that all notes sent by her student would end up in the room which the reason behind was a simple one.
Again, the princess gave a tired sigh and looked out the window. She could see that her sun was approaching its pinnacle and it would be almost time for her guards to let her know that her lunch was ready. Ever so often, she desired that she be allowed to go to the market and buy her own food so that she could make her own lunch. Being the ruler of Equestria, however, she had to give up some of her freedoms to live in a grand castle and make decisions for her subjects. Still…it would have been a lot more enjoyable if they were still around.
The rouge thought entered her mind without her realizing it. She could remember the first time they played together in the royal gardens. She could remember the laughs, the jokes, and the time when he tripped on a tree root and landed face first into some mud. Those were better times as the last thing she thought of was the promise that the three made underneath the apple tree.
The promise made between herself, her younger sister and…
CRASH
Celestia only had time to duck as the door to her study was literally kicked right off of it hinges. The door landed in the fireplace and smashed into many pieces. She quickly turned around to face whomever it was that caused the damage; but the moment she saw the intruder, her heart sank and her body froze up in shock.
She could see that the lit hallway was covered with the limp bodies of her guards. The only pony still standing and the one giving her the shock was an earth pony of about medium height, about the same height as any one of her other guards, completely incased in a midnight blue armor. The only thing visible was the black iris of his eyes which from what Celestia saw were burning as hot as the sun itself.
The blue armor pony stepped into room and said in a cold voice, “It is time Princess.” That statement was followed by the dreaded hissing sound of a sword being removed from a well-oiled scabbard.
Summer Sun Celebration, Ponyville.
The ponies gathered around the main chamber of the pavilion to witness the traditional raising of the sun. Some pegasus ponies used their wings to get a better angle of the spectacle and all were brimming with excitement and joy.
All…except for Twilight Sparkle.
She was feeling a twinge of nervousness as she waited for the celebration to begin. Her mind was split between hoping that the myth about the Mare in the Moon was false and her fear of what will happen if it came to pass. Not even the outburst caused by Pinkie Pie was enough to alleviate her worries.
As the Mayor of Ponyville trotted onto the lower stage and began addressing the crowd, Twilight took a glance at the moon that was now visible in a large window nearby. She saw the four stares that had been slowly making their way towards the moon finally arrive and at that moment, the mare shaped design on the moon suddenly disappeared.
She felt her fears starting to grow as the Mayor finished off her speech by introducing the ruler of Equestria and Twilight's personal mentor, Princess Celestia. Rarity pulled down on the curtain to reveal whomever was behind it.
However, it was not what Twilight expected nor for that matter, what anypony expected.
The pony behind the curtain was about medium height but the unicorn felt a strange aura surrounding the stranger. The pony was covered in dark, almost midnight blue armor that shaded its identity. Twilight also noticed a sheath strapped on the pony’s back with the hilt appearing to come from the top of the pony’s left front shoulder.
The pony in question started to walk until it was able to overlook the railing. Everyone could see its black iris that seemed to burn with intense fire.
“What did you do to our Princess!” Rainbow Dash declared and charged at the strange figure. However, she was stopped short by Applejack yanking her tail.
The earth pony knight slowly looked over the crowd; his eyes causing most of them to flinch or turn their gaze away. His eyes lingered on Twilight for a few moments before moving on. Twilight had a strange feeling that he was either looking for something or judging the ponies present.
It was then that the pony in midnight blue armor said in a rather deep voice “Your Princess…is dead.”
The statement, said in such a formal and direct way that it would almost be foolish to call the pony a liar, stunned those present in the pavilion. All eyes were directed at the knight with mixtures of fear and confusion. However, Twilight who was the first to break the trance. She knew better than most ponies that Celestia was considered one of if not the strongest pony alive in terms of magical strength. What chance did a simple earth pony knight have against her?
Slowly, the other ponies started to reach the same conclusion as the unicorn and their eyes were now telling the knight that they believed otherwise. Indeed, a few of them even gave a small chuckle at the statement made by the strange knight.
However, the knight in midnight blue armor expected this. Without speaking, the pony reached into the bag that was strapped on the sides and started to dig through the contents. In a casual like fashion, the knight grabbed an item in the bag and tossed it into the air. The ponies watched as the strange item flew in the air for a few minutes before hitting the ground. It started to roll along the floor until it stopped right at the hooves of the Twilight. She looked down and her face immediately lost color. Even Spike who was riding on he back let out a gasp of shock and surprise. The other ponies quickly moved to look at the strange item and they too let out a gasp of fright, shock or fear.
For lying there on the ground was none other than Princess Celestia’s royal crown. The once immaculate crown was dyed with ubiquitous dried red blood.
It was then that a high pitched laughter broke the heavy tension in the pavilion. All the ponies looked up at the source and saw that the knight now had a companion. This pony was much larger in size and power given the fact that it was also a pegasus unicorn. However, this one possessed green cat-like eyes that could pierce your soul. Her body was deep purple in color and she wore blue pieces of armor that were of slightly lighter color than the blue worn by the knight. Her mane and tail whipped around in a vehement manner and glowed with the night sky.
As the other ponies stared in wonder at the new pony, only one knew the identity of the new player in this tragedy. Twilight faintly whispered in a voice that was almost as quiet as Fluttershy's, “Oh no, Nightmare Moon.”
Hope you enjoyed that opening.
Here we go with chapter number two.
The Report
Nightmare Moon laughed. She laughed at the freedom she now had and she laughed as she imagined all her plans finally coming together. Yes, after 1000 years stuck on that piece of rock, she was finally going to prove to everypony that her nights are just as important and beautiful as her older sister’s days.
Speaking of her older sister, she looked off to her side and saw the knight in midnight blue armor standing next to her. The sight of her faithful retainer caused the smile on her face to grow. She knew that if he was there then that would mean…
Her thought trailed off as she looked around for the proof of the dead. It was not long before she spotted the bloodstained crown lying in front of the unicorn.
Her grin was prominent as she could not believe her luck this night. Her knight managed to kill her older sister, there by preventing the sun princess from using the Elements of Harmony against her. He survived the encounter and brought back the trophy of the dead. Yes, she was very lucky to have such a loyal and powerful knight under her belt. However, it was about time for stage two of her takeover to begin.
Nightmare Moon returned her attention back on the crowd and began issuing her declaration. She started addressing the crowd in the way a normal monarch would but after she realized that nopony even so much as remembered, a vein snapped in her. Though the knight could feel the anger building in her, he was surprised to find that she retained her composure and never raised her voice.
It was then that Twilight Sparkle decided to challenge back. She claimed to have seen this coming and to go even so far as to address Nightmare Moon by name. The knight gave a small grunt of surprise and said in a soft tone so that only Nightmare Moon was able to hear, “Well... somepony actually did their homework.” Nightmare Moon gave a small chuckle to that and challenged Twilight. When Twilight lost her confidence, Nightmare Moon declared to all the ponies of her ultimate goal…everlasting night.
The ponies gasped in shock as the mane and tail of Nightmare Moon started to form a tunnel of energy. The knight remained impassive, clearly showing no signs of being affected by the rampaging amount of magic being unleashed. He did however hear the Mayor of the town order the guards that were stationed there to seize the pair.
Fast as the wind, the knight grabbed the hilt of his sword with his mouth and drew the blade. The hissing noise was muffled by the raging storm but it was not long before ponies started to notice the knight. He gave his blade one horizontal swing and three bolts of lightning seemed to arch out of the storm and slam into the three guards that were attacking. The knight returned the sword back into the sheath in one fluid motion.
Nightmare Moon again laughed before changing into a cloud of lunar energy and blasting through the door. The knight was less then flashy as all he did was raise his front hooves up before slamming them down on the ground. Upon impact, a cloud of black smoke appeared around the knight and when it cleared, he was gone.
Later that night as the ponies returned to their homes and hoped that what had transpired was merely an illusion or a dream, six ponies congregated in the public library to discuse the events. A plan was formed in the temporary home of Twilight Sparkle. The plan, which involved repeating history and finding the Elements of Harmony to defeat Nightmare Moon, was to be accomplished by the six ponies themselves whom (thanks to a reference book in the library) gained some more knowledge about the said mystical items. What they did not know at the time was that right outside one of the windows of the library, the mysterious midnight blue knight was listening in on their conversation. His face was masked by the armor he wore but his eyes glistened with the same burning fire. Looking closely, you could almost see a small flash of hope forming within the inferno.
The knight gave a small, quiet grunt and disappeared again into the night.
Castle Ruin-Everfree Forest
Nightmare Moon stared out into the night sky, her mind miles away from her body. It was moments like these, her time spent in banishment that would give he a moment of pause to grief. She knew that deep down inside of herself, there was always that light side of her whose one wish was to be loved just as much as her older sister. If that had happen all those years ago, things might have been different and she, that is to say Nightmare Moon, may not have came into existence. However, that was not the way things turn out and the ponies decided in their minds to revel in the bright days her older sister brought sleep through the beautiful nights she made. It was such a sad fall she thought. All that Nightmare Moon wanted was for ponies all across the kingdom to stop one night and enjoy the starry skies that she brought. Was that such a crime? Did she really have to suffer 1000 years stranded on her own domain with the only company being the stars, planets, and the one knight who was loyal enough to follow her in banishment?
Nightmare Moon again sighed as she thought about the knight. She possessed mixed feelings about him. On one side she was angry at him for breaking his vow of silence but on the other hand she was grateful that he decided to spend this banishment with her. Indeed, the other knights under her command refused to join her and she cursed at their disloyalty. Not that one knight though…not that one knight who went through all the pain and suffering she had to endure for those long years. She wonders if she had been too hard on him but he never has shown any kind or retaliatiation to the treatment he had received. Did he believe himself deserving of that treatment? Was it a way to punish himself for breaking his vow of silence? Nightmare Moon never asked him.
She never cared.
It was then that a small blast sounded behind her and she hastily gathered her thoughts. She turned around and saw the knight that she was just thinking about bowing in the center of the room. He had his right foreleg bent over and his head drooped low. Nightmare Moon gave a small smile as she rather enjoyed the formality that her knight was still using for her. Truthfully, he was suppose to have appeared in the room before and then walked into the audience chamber after being admitted by the guards but circumstances being the way they are, she let it slide.
“My lady.” He said in a deep and formal tone. Nightmare Moon found it to be a pleasant reminder of memories long ago though she never him.
“Do you have the report?” She said in which he replied with a definite yes. The room was silent for a few minutes while Nightmare awaited the report to come but it never did. She quickly realized the word play he was playing at and found it to be of an annoyance to her. However, deep down, she secretly enjoyed the mild banter.
“Well…tell me what you have learned then.” She said in a final tone that left no question in the knight’s mind that the word play was over. He arose from his bow and stood erect. He cleared his throat before saying, “The major cities of Manehatten, Hoofington, and several other are in a state of panic.” Nightmare Moon nodded to herself as she had expected this. “The unicorns of Canterlot are attempting to combine their magical abilities in an effort to raise the sun but they will be met with no success.” Again, Nightmare Moon expected this to happen. She had to also wonder what would compel those unicorns to attempt to perform a task that is only reserved for those of royal blood but she had more pressing things to worry about then pony psychology. “Most of the smaller villages are in the same state as the large cities but due to their size, they have been kept under control.” Nightmare Moon was enjoying this and was opening her mouth to congratulate her knight when he said,
“However, there is one village that has shown signs of resistance.”
She closed her mouth and stared at her knight in a piercing gaze. Others would have cowered from it but the knight has since gotten used to it and was not frightened by it. Besides, why should he worry? He was not the one resisting the regime change, it was the village.
Nightmare Moon then said, “What do you mean resisting?” The knight simply replied, “Six ponies from the village of Ponyville have met and formed a hastily, un-equipped counter strike force and are now heading towards the Everfree Forest and this castle. "Also…” the knight paused for a moment to brace himself for what was foreseen and said, “They also seek the Elements of Harmony.”
Smack
The knight was sent flying into the air caused by the force of the tail that Nightmare Moon whipped at him. He crashed into the wall and lie there, prone as if he was dead. The ruler of the Night waited for a few minutes before he started to get up, struggling a bit more than usual. She immediately felt the brunt of the regret about doing that to him but it was just that every time she heard that name, she would lash out in anger.
The knight seemed to bear no retaliation to the strike and continued to stand like a statue. He watched as Nightmare Moon started to pace back and forth, her mind clearly focused on the counter strike force approaching. She looked back at her knight and said, “What is the group made of.” To which he replied, “Two earth ponies, two pegasus ponies, and two unicorn ponies. Although one of the two unicorns seems to have an unusual amount of magical energy, none of them show any real danger.”
Nightmare Moon nodded to herself and said, “They will need to be taken care of.” The knight replied, “Should I handle them my lady?” but Nightmare Moon was already shaking her head and replied, “No…I will handle this personally.” With a small bang and a flash of light, Nightmare Moon transformed into a wisp of lunar energy and sped off towards the forest.
The knight waited for a few minutes before making his way towards the center of the room again. Once there, he reached over to the piece of armor covering his right foreleg and touched the crescent moon symbol. A white light glowed and when it disappeared, the face armor was gone.
The knight gave a tired sigh and settled down onto the hard, cold stone. He once again wished for a bed to sleep in for once but it was a luxury that was going to have to wait. He then reached into his bag and pulled out a quill, an ink bottle, and a piece of parchment. He arranged the items so that they were within reache and then said to himself, “Okay…now how do I do this again.” His voice was sounding a lot lighter than before without the effects of the face armor distorting his voice. His then opened his eyes and channeled some energy into his left foreleg. His foreleg started to glow and it was not long before the magical energy formed into what appeared to be claws at the spot where his hoof was located. He then drew back and swiped at the air in front of him. As he was clawing the air, it started to part ways and the magical energy seemed to form an image. The knight then placed his left foreleg onto what might have been the center of the screen and the claws marks started to merge together, forming a whole.
On the screen, he saw the six ponies from Ponyville already inside the forest. He could see the nervous expression on all of them but he hoped that they possessed courage.
He then used his magical energy to lift the quill and dip it into the ink. He then wrote out on the piece of paper six items in the style of a list. Those items were:
Honesty
Laughter
Loyalty
Generosity
Kindness
Sixth Element
Once that was done, he looked back at the screen and said in a quiet tone, “I hope you're right.”
It seems that this knight has a lot more secrets then I let on last chapter. I wonder if you all are dying to learn more about him. Sorry if the description sounds bad, I tried my best but sometimes I have a hard time coming up with the right words. Also, I would like to thank Aroth77 for assisting me with editing this story.