Cult of Luna

Before any of them could stop her, the young filly began singing a song in a strange dialect and dancing around Luna. "Uh, pardon me," the confused princess said, "but what are you doing?" The filly stopped and gave Luna a curious look. "Why, I'm doing the Moon Dance and singing the great anthem of our goddess, the almighty Princess Luna!"

"The Almighty…" Luna said as her voice trailed off in shock. She didn't know what to think. This little filly worshipped her? But she wasn't worthy of worship! She just raised the moon and helped rule Equestria. She certainly wasn't a goddess of some sort. She wasn't even immortal, she just lived for an extended period due to the Alicorn magic inside her. She had been born, and she would die just like any other pony.

The other three princesses gave the filly the same look. "Um, what is your name, little one?" Celestia asked. The filly stopped and gave Celestia a murderous look. "My name is Moonlight, not that it's any concern of yours," she said rudely. Celestia was taken aback. Nopony ever dared to speak to her that way. "Now, listen here, young filly," she said, "I am a princess of Equestria, and I wish to be addressed with the correct amount of decorum. I don't typically get upset about such things, but I won't tolerate rude behavior!"

"I will behave however I wish in your presence," the filly said defiantly, "the only pony here that I bow to and praise is Princess Luna. The Book of Luna, Chapter 5, Verse 33: 'Luna is great and worthy of praise. She shall cast her sister, the snake whom banished her to the great orb in the sky, into the lake of fire.' I wouldn't want to be you, Princess Celestia." She said Celestia's name in a mocking tone and spat at her hooves.

"Now, see here, young filly…" Celestia began in a rage, but Twilight held her up. "Celestia, she's just a filly!"

"I don't care! Nopony speaks to me that way! Nopony!"

"Please, Celestia," Twilight begged, "go easy on her."

Celestia sighed and gave in as she realized her former student was right. After all, this was a very young pony, and the youngest of ponies could be easily indoctrinated with lies. But nothing about this made any sense to her. Why on earth was this filly so infatuated with Luna? Why did she believe her to be a goddess of some sort?

She stepped forward and put a hoof around Moonlight. "Moonlight, was it? I'm sorry that I had to get that way with you, but…"

The filly squeaked and threw Celestia's hoof off her. "The Book of Luna, Chapter 17, Verse 25: 'And she shall murder the fillies and cause fire to rain down from the putrid star of the heavens. But marvelous works shall Princess Luna cause to be performed in your midst in the defeat of the sniveling snake!'"

Twilight stepped forward to try and calm the seething child. "Moonlight, my name is Princess Twilight, but you can call me Twilight. I'm the Princess of Friendship. Please, let me help. I don't know what you're quoting from, but…"

"The Book of Luna, Chapter 13, Verse 25: 'beware of the timber wolf in a pony's coat, for she works for the snake. She shall come to you in friendship, but beware, for underneath her smile lies the heart of a true demon!'"

Twilight backed away in shock. Was this little filly speaking about her? She had nothing but the truest intentions! She wanted to help this filly. Yep, she said to herself, this is definitely our friendship problem. "Listen, young one, please. I just want to help you."

"HA!" The filly squeaked, "a likely story! I don't know why Princess Luna is traveling with you…" here she stopped and gasped, "YOU'VE TAKEN HER HOSTAGE! Just as it was foretold by my father, our most wonderful and amazing Moon Priest! YOU'VE TAKEN HER! THE END OF THE WORLD IS NIGH!"

With these words, she began thrashing about wildly. The four princesses quickly surrounded and restrained the disconcerted filly. Moonlight didn't want to go quietly, but she had no choice. They had her in a strong grip. She tried to cry out for help, but Twilight used her magic to gently keep her mouth closed. They didn't want to hurt the filly, but they wanted to find out just what all this was about.

"Luna," Celestia said, "she only seems to respond to you. Please, ask her."

"Moonlight," Luna said softly as the other three gently released her, "what is all this?"

"This? What do you mean, oh most gracious and merciful Princess? I am but a dumb Earth pony who has no idea what you are speaking of."

"No! Stop!" Luna suddenly said sharply. "Stop what, Your Highness?" The filly responded as she bowed low and prostrated herself profusely. "This! This isn't how I'm used to being treated, and I know you're not a dumb Earth pony!"

"You…you mean I'm…smart? Your Majesty, forgive me a million times for contradicting you but…you're the only smart pony in the land! Our books clearly state this. All other ponies are the equivalent of intellectual jars of mud in your presence!"

Luna sighed as she put a hoof around the young one. "Moonlight, you have to stop belittling yourself. Otherwise, you'll never make any friends!"

"Friends? Friends are but the timber wolves of the land, unleashed by that false prophetess over there!" Here she pointed at Twilight, who took a couple steps back. "Oh, and don't even get me started on the daughter of Celestia, that pink one there, the AntiLuna!" Here, she pointed at Cadance.

Now, the princesses were really starting to worry. Moonlight kept referring to "we" and "our" when she shouted all of these odd things. Did everypony in Ilswich take this as seriously as little Moonlight did? She was just a filly! Imagine what a full grown pony who was indoctrinated with this rubbish would do.

"Moonlight," Luna went on, "may I see this Book of Luna?"

The filly nodded in excitement. "Of course, oh most gracious and beauteous Princess! Please, give me a moment. I shall fetch one and I shall bring my father to meet you! Oh, happy day! The glory of Princess Luna truly hath touched our town, as it has been foretold. Oh, happy day!"

The filly ran off towards the mysterious building at the end of town. She burst through the doors. The four princesses gave each other curious looks, but said nothing. A few seconds later, there was the sound of a great cheer. Suddenly, the doors to the building were thrown open and a crowd of ponies, young and old, came streaming out. They ran forward until they got within a respectable distance of Luna, then suddenly stopped and bowed in respect. Luna bowed back, as was the respectful tradition when meeting friends or dignitaries, but they didn't rise.

"Um…" the princess said, "you may arise." Instantly, they all jumped to their hooves. "HAIL PRINCESS LUNA!" They all shouted at once. To be frank, Luna was frightened by all the show. My goodness, she said to herself, I know I'm a princess and I'm used to being greeted with pomp and circumstance, but this is overkill! "Uh, thank you for your kind…welcome," she stammered out. The ponies all cheered. "The mighty and merciful Princess is pleased with our welcome," one of them shouted, "let us rejoice in her light!" So they all began dancing and singing like Moonlight had been.

Suddenly, they all hushed as another pony made his way through the crowd. His coat was white and he had a jet black mane. He stood in front of Luna and bowed low. Luna bowed back, but, like the others, he didn't rise. "Um, please arise. I'm not going to harm you."

"Oh, most wonderful, gracious, and merciful Princess, who created the heavens, the earth, the sun, and the moon. I know you shall not harm me, for I walk in thy paths and do thy bidding throughout our town and in the world beyond. When I pass, I hope that thou art there to guide me to my immortal home on your wondrous moon."

Luna turned and gave the other three princesses a stunned look. They returned it. Who was this pony and why did he think he was going to live on the moon when he died? "Excuse me," Celestia said, "but who exactly are you?"

"I do not have to identify myself to you, snake!" He said harshly, "but at the behest of my beloved Princess Luna and considering the circumstances, I am forced to do so. My name is Nightmane. I am the Priest of the Order of the Moon."