Sombra's Bat

I don't tell the others everything that Thunder and I spoke about. I know that Sombra and I have a rule that we always tell each other what's on our minds, but the situation with Luna is private. Is she my mother? If so, then who was the bat pony who cared for me throughout my childhood? It makes sense that I wouldn't have been told all of this, because my family would want to keep me safe, but why was I not told when I was old enough to understand, and why did Luna never say anything? I was on the moon with her for a thousand years, after all. She may have been Nightmare Moon, but she still knew everything.

My dreams are unpleasant, full of memories of my childhood and the ponies who I thought were my family, and thoughts of my father fleeing Canterlot, taking the same path through the Everfree Forest that I did. If the rumours are true, then we both fled from Luna due to misunderstandings. Eventually, I get bored of the dream and go looking for answers. Namely, walking through the dream realm to find Luna.

I pass many doors into dreams, and look into a few to find out more about where Luna might be. Dreamwalkers are able to sense upon approaching a door if the creature who is asleep is having a good dream or not. Most of the dreams I pass are fine, suggesting that either a Dreamwalker has passed through this corridor recently, or that everypony here is already having good dreams.

I rely on my intuition, and eventually find a place in the labyrinth where the dreams are not as sweet. I find a crystal pony foal called Ruby having a bad dream about a herd of sheep chasing her, and turn the sheep into butterflies so that she can chase them instead. She giggles and thanks me, and I feel glad to have helped her.

Unfortunately, though I help out in various dreams, I am unable to find Luna, or any other Dreamwalkers for that matter. I am about to give up when I see a flash of dark blue, and I fly after her. When I turn a corner, I see her properly, and shout her name.

"Moonlight?" she asks, turning to face me. "Why are you here? If you are spotted in a dream by a guard, or worse, my sister-"

"I have some news, and I want to talk to you about it. It wasn't the kind of thing I could talk to Sombra or the others about. This is more... private than that." I avoid her gaze.

"Explain, Moonlight."

"Well, how do I explain this? I went to question the Solar Guard currently in our custody-"

"I'm assuming you mean the dungeon-"

"Yes, the dungeon, but anyway, I was talking to him, and the conversation took a... a bit of a strange turn."

"Oh?"

I can barely bring myself to say it, and try to make the conversation longer. "Sometimes I don't even have to talk about being on the moon with you for ponies to call me the Daughter of the Night. And this Solar Guard, he's one of the most important guards - you probably know him - and he has access to the restricted section of Canterlot Library. He said he had found old records of family trees and newspaper articles and I found myself trying not to believe him. He had so much evidence, and was so sure of himself..."

"I have a hunch on what you are really talking about. What do you want to know?"

I muster the courage to look at her and ask her, "Are you my mother? Am I the Daughter of the Night? Who is the mare who looked after me as a foal?"

She cannot look at me either. "You and I have known each other long enough, and you have been around King Sombra long enough that even if I lied, you would see through it with ease."

"You knew!" I cry, the realisation dawning on me. "I was stuck on the moon with you for a thousand years and you knew!" What's worse is that she knew all this time why Celestia hates me, because that mare wouldn't be pleased if her sister had an heir to the throne. Luna knew where all of the problems in my life stemmed from, and said nothing. I bolt into a dream, jump from there into another, trying to find Sombra because he can stop Luna from following me. She doesn't even have to run to keep up with me, though, and takes me to her own dream. We are in the Everfree Castle, in its ruined state. Celestia and Luna used to live there some of the time, before the Nightmare Moon incident. After that, it was taken over by the forest. A smoke-like creature, not made of anything but rather a patch cut out of the dream, a patch of darkness and stars, floats around her head.

"Not now, Tantabus," she says, scowling. "Something more important has come to my attention. I can pay my debts later."

The creature seems to understand her, and moves away from her head. Luna casts a spell and the dream changes. It shows us the Lunar Guard Barracks at Canterlot Castle. I recognise my father standing at the entrance. A younger version of Luna approaches my father and whispers something in his ear. His eyes grow wide, and he says to her in Old Ponish, "I'm sorry."

"Celestia knows, and she's angry," Dream Luna replies, once again in Old Ponish. I'm a little surprised that I understand it still.

"The newspapers probably know already. She will never keep quiet on matters like this. Is my job on the line?"

"My suggestion is that you resign and go to Hollow Shades once the foal is old enough."

"But you are the child's mother!"

"I am afraid that I have no choice. Celestia thinks her position of power is at stake. She will not allow me to keep the foal."

"Your sister is a monster, Princess."

"I know she is, and I cannot stand her treatment of us. That doesn't matter though. The fact that we love each other counts for a lot more. Just promise that the foal never knows about this. I don't want Celestia to hurt it."

"I promise, my love."

The real Luna lowers her head, and the ponies who are part of the dream vanish. "He and I loved each other, but Celestia didn't want me to have an heir. I didn't want you to know because I wanted you out of harm's way. He married another mare, who looked after you and did not know where you and your father really came from. Does that tell you all you need to know?"

"What about when you and I were on the moon together? You had a thousand years to tell me. You didn't tell-"

She snaps, "I was angry. I was jealous because Celestia had more power and recognition than I did, and angry because she kept taking away everything I loved. Your father, you, my old life, my happiness. There are many things I haven't told you because I feared I would lose you again. I still might, because she is more determined than ever to get rid of you. I thought that telling you everything would only put you in more danger."

"You should have said something! All this time I've had to live with the rumours, and they were true! In the Everfree Forest, all of them knew. It took me ages to get them to accept me, to convince them that the rumours were false, and they were true!"

"No, Moonlight, they aren't. Most of them aren't. They say I created you out of shadows to help me bring eternal night and take over the world, but that's wrong. I never wanted you to go through so much trouble to protect me from Celestia. I never told you to come to the moon with me. I never asked you to fight a war, have your worldview ripped apart time after time, and endure all of this suffering. You chose to stand with me, and I am proud of you for being who you want to be."

"Telling me would have made it easier though. You could have made it easier for me to live with. At least then I would have known why I have the name and why Celestia didn't like me."

"I know. I admit my mistakes now. I have made a lot of them." I watch as the smoke creature creates a dream version of Nightmare Moon, who scowls at us. "Do not think I have forgotten the pain they have inflicted."

Nightmare Moon cackles, "Luna, do you think your daughter believes you? I could so easily remedy this, but you're not strong enough, are you? You could allow me to rise into the light again, and I could make everything perfect. Eternal night, no Celestia, a wonderful world for you, Moonlight and King Sombra to conquer and rule over. We could own the whole world, show them who Luna is, show them what strength and magic are."

"No, Nightmare. No, Tantabus. I don't want to hurt anypony else."

I work out that that is probably why the Tantabus creature is here: to remind herself why she can't turn into Nightmare Moon again to fix this mess. I realise my mistake. I should have been kinder. "Luna, I'm the one who should be sorry. I forgive you. For everything. It's not your fault, but we can't move on from all this unless you forgive yourself."

"I can't. What I did... I was the cause of so much suffering... You just told me how badly I hurt you..."

"This is probably really insensitive, but bad things have happened, and you can either keep reminding yourself what those things are and feeling rubbish, or not. Apologising for your mistakes is a good thing, but having the Tantabus around can't be good for you. I've had to tell Sombra this, and I might as well tell you because I can't stand seeing ponies in this state. I can't believe you still blame yourself for all of this. Be strong, for me."

"Luna," Nightmare says, "there are many ways to be strong. Which are you going to choose? Me, or her?" She points at me.

"I forgive myself, and choose to stand with my daughter."

Nightmare turns back into the Tantabus. Luna growls at it, "I don't need you any more. I've made my mistakes, and creating you was one of them."

It disappears with a loud pop. I look at Luna.

"Say something," she tells me.

I try to think of something rude to show my anger, but am only reminded of how she made sure I got a job in the Night Guard, how she helped me fit in with the odd family of bat ponies working in the Guard, how she and I grew close when we were alone in space together. Yes, she has upset me, but she has also tried her hardest to keep me safe, well and happy, tried to make sure I never fight my battles alone. When the Element Bearers were about to strike with their magic when we returned from the moon, she stepped forward and held out her wings in front of me so that I didn't go through as much pain. I remember when I was in the Everfree, and I was terrified that she was watching and that she would be upset with me. She probably was watching me, but only to keep me safe. When I first joined Sombra, and I thought she was weak, I was so wrong about her. She doesn't show her strength, but it is always there. It's a wing to shield you from the elements.

Only eight words come to mind to sum up how much I appreciate her help.

"You were always like a mother to me."