Author's Note

Hey Everyone, if you’ve been wondering where I’m at I’ve been having a bit of a writers block. But I came out with a story in just a day and I think it’s probably going to be one of my best works. As always let me know what you think and I hope you enjoyed.

(Prologue)

(Prologue)

(Canterlot castle)
(9:15 P.M.)

‘They’re late…’ Was all that she could think.

She sat alone in her room, waiting for her maids to wake her up. And as it has happened for the past three days, they have been late every single time. She couldn’t blame them after all, she was known as the mare in the moon, nightmare moon… but she wishes they would call her Princess Luna.

Luna slowly got up out of her bed and walked around. Her room was dark, and to a normal pony, impossible to see. But to her it was the galaxy in her room. Star glittered about on the walls and ceiling, to her bed and her dresser covering every inch of her room. as before her very eyes a galaxy took form in her room. She smiled at this pony size galaxy of an illusion

With a flick of her head The illusion dissipated as she continued to the dresser. She slept on her Royal Aguila when she suddenly heard the voices outside her door.

“OK it’s your turn to wake Nightmare moon.” A hushed whisper came from her maid outside “What!” Replied another voice. “I did it last time, it’s your turn”

Luna after hearing the argument for the third time in a row since her banishment finished getting ready, deciding best to do it herself. Eventually one of the maids came in only to see that she was ready to go.

She stumbled back, shocked and panicked at first but held her tongue from screaming. “Your majesty! I didn’t expect you to be up! We’re sorry if we took too long, your majesty!”

Luna seeing the fear and worry in the little pony’s eyes, frowned. “No- we are- that will be all.” she said dismissively, unable to properly formulate her words.

The maids worried for their life quickly escorted themselves out.

Luna let out a small sigh, slowly making her away back to her bedside. She planted her face in the pillow and let out a muffled screaming and a few tears.

Suddenly she got back up and made her way to the mirror, fixing herself up and made sure that she looked like a princess.

After she was finished her hair was flowing eloquently like a starry night sky in the wind, and her coat had a shine to it that she hasn’t seen in 1000 years. She looked at the mirror, there was an uneasy smile plastered across her face. She took a few breaths before speaking towards herself in the mirror. “OK! The third day is the charm.” She told herself. “We are going to have a wonderful supper/breakfast with our sister. Then have a great study lecture, maybe we’ll even do some of our royal duties, and finish it off with making a friend.” Her smile dropped a bit. A tear almost went down her face but she shook it off. Now isn’t the time for grieving.

With a practice face she eventually made her way out of her room to greet One of her favourite parts of the day.

“Your majesty.” said an old bat pony stallion. He was the captain of her night guard, Captain Nightwing, and her first real friend since her banishment. Like most about bat ponies he did not fear her and welcomed her back with open arms. “You’re up a little late, later than usual, your sister probably fell asleep already.” He finished with a small laugh.

His smile is contagious as it cracks the princesses heart of cold. “Thank you Nightwing!” said Luna addressing her captain. You’ve always been kind to me, and looked out for me for over a week now. Is there anyway We can repay you”

He smiled a little bit “ma’am, The greatest honour you could give me is serving you and delivering you justice. You will always be our queen.”

Princess Luna smiled as she shot back “Careful they might expect us of treason if you call us queen now.”

“And I gladly fight everyone of them for you, majesty.” And She couldn’t help but smile and nearly lost her composure for a second.

“Thank you captain, that means a lot.” She said almost letting a tear out. “Very well, We’ll allow you to use your full rank as captain to serve me today, you are dismissed, our loyal captain.”

Nightwing smiled before saluting and making his way to do her Majesty‘s bidding in any way he can. Luna watched her friend go before slowly making her way towards the kitchen to confront her sister for the day.

Making her way to the main entrance, she took a few deep breath‘s in before finally opening the door. Entering, she saw her sister Princess Celestia at the table leaning over, nearly sleeping on her food.

“Morning dearest sister!” Luna said cheerfully. This caused Celestia to sputter a bit looking around frankly with tired eyes. Finally her purple eyes landed on her sister and she smiled with a warm motherly tone. “Lulu, it’s good to see you’re finally awake.” Celestia replied with her pet name to Luna.

Luna quickly walked over to her sister and gave her a wing hug. “Apologies dear sister. Our attendance didn’t wake us up in time.”

Celestia ponders this for a second. “Strange my Staff have always been on time. Don’t worry Lulu I will have a word with them.” Celestia said, closing her eyes again. her head sagged a little bit, nearly going down before Luna spoke again. “Sister our night is still young, and yet you are so tired.”

“Oh it’s nothing to worry about Lulu!” Celestia quickly intervened. “It’s just some royal duties I got left behind, and I’m trying to catch up.”

Luna instantly got an idea in her head that she’s been meaning to ask for a while.

“Sister! why don’t We take care of some of your duties?” Luna said excitedly, only for her face a drop at Celestial‘s worried look.

“Sister, as much as I love you, you’ve just come back a little over a week ago and the court deems you fine just three days ago. I don’t think they’ll like you making decisions so fast.” Celestial said trying to reason with her sister.

“Sister, please!” Luna bagged. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had court dealings, and look how tired you are. You have been a single ruler for over a millennia, please allow me to give you at least a little bit of a break.”

Celestial looked tiredly at her sister then her untouched food before finally letting out a sigh. “Very well sister I’m too tired to argue, I will have one of my servants give you a list for you to complete. It won’t be too hard and I think you’ll be able to do it easily.”

Luna... was... happy… for the first time in over a millennia she is feeling pure joy. She hugged her sister, tighter this time. Then booked it off to the throne room.

Celestia smiled as your sister ran off… then she looked at the two plates that were completely untouched.

(Throne room)
(11:30: P.M.)

Luna... hated... paperwork… she was still happy, but the night guards could tell that she was trying to burn the papers to a crisp with her schooling eyes. The terrifying smile she gave along with it didn’t help.

Unfortunately Luna was Out of practice when it came to this paperwork and as much as she tried she didn’t really understand the rail system, factories, along with air bases and defences. She was still getting used to the new musket that was in the works. The thought of a weapon able to pierce almost any armour with ease frightened her a little bit. Nightmare moon for all of her power didn’t have that great set of armour.

Luna remembers a time where pony’s would come up to her with everything and they would discuss one on one. At the end of the day it was always the rulers call. But still it was nice to have the company. Instead it was stacks of paperwork. It is faster for her to decide then and there but hundreds of papers is a lot for one pony, in a night. Still Luna tried the best that she could.

Luna’s eyes read over the following page.

Local Guard report of Canterlot:

A Teenage Griffin, guessing by the hoodie, was seen around the walls of Canterlot palace. While the suspect has not been found they are believed to belong to the group of meat and bones.

Permission to investigate in the morning:
Sign x_____________

‘Griffins! What are those savages doing here!’ Luna thought to herself. It has been a long time, perhaps a few moved here locally. ‘still doesn’t change the fact… this boy was invading our palace.’ Luna told herself, restraining herself for more insult. I’m gonna need more information.

“Guards? Has this Griffin gang been bothersome.” Luna thought that after 1000 years the ‘Best’ the griffins can hope for is gangs, instead of their savage ways.

The guard I thought to himself. He had heard of a gang known as the black phoenix that was only populated by griffins. “Yes, your majesty. The gang has been around for a little bit but they are no threat, sticking to small crimes.”

“Small. Crimes.” Luna said a bit irritated. “Thievery is one thing. But this teenager has come to our palace walls. What if they’re scouting out, and we are going to wait in the morning!” Luna emphasized by stomping her hoof on the ground.

The guard took in step back her actions but said, “I didn’t think of it like that, your majesty.”

“No...you did not know the situation.” Luna calmed down. “ We will retire for the night, send your best stallions of the night guard on this report. We want these conspirators found.”

The pony in question quickly saluted before taking off.

Luna felt the night calling to her and as she made her way down the steps of her throne over to her study room, she had no idea what she had done.

(Outside a small restaurant called meat and bones)
(12:05 A.M)

Nightwing had heard the report come in from the princess herself and decided to take investigations into his own hands. After hearing it come from one of the palace night guards, telling him exactly what Luna said.

‘Hmmm’ he looked at the building that stood there non-threatening. ‘Meat and bones. I know a lot of good buddies that would want to keep you for your meat products all over Equestria. But if you’re working with the gang then I guess you got to go.’

He witnessed the best of the night Guard and bat ponies gather for the raid. He smiled to himself and thought. ‘If this is gonna be my first and last ever raid for her majesty, until my old body finally gives it out… then I think it’s best if I have some of the action myself he said before moving to the front of the raiding group.

(Canterlot Castle)
(5:30 A.M)

Luna was absolutely tired. Yet, she was still happy. She was able to help her sister out even if it was for one night. After catching up with all of her studies and other nightly duties she was ready to get breakfast and get some sleep.

Unfortunately destiny had other plans for her.

She saw a night guard… galloping towards her! Seeing the worried look on his face, she knew it was serious. As soon as he stopped in front of her, he took a second to catch his breath. “Your majesty!” He said with a salute and a few puffs.

“Breathe, soldier! Luna said, trying to calm him down. “what do you have to report?”

“ma’am... it’s captain Nightwing… he’s hurt… really badly!”

Suddenly the world slows down…

Luna could hear every sound in the palace...

The silent tick of a clock…

Chatter from the ponies...

Even her own heartbeat…

Slowly beating faster and faster…

“Take me to him…” The words were automatic.

Any other word the stallion tried to say fell on deaf ears…

She’s moved like a machine…

not a muscle at a place...

Eventually her eyes paint a different picture…

The hallway was gone, objects and the stallion we’re gone and replaced…

The moon shone brightly as she walked as Nightmare moon...

She’s walking through a battlefield, corpses of ponies, Sun and moon, left on each side of her, making a clear pathway...

In front of her laid Stallion of a bat pony…

His blood laid perfectly on the ground underneath him…

Not a single other body piled next to this one stallion...

She suddenly stopped…

“Why did you have to leave… you promised...”

She was so occupied she didn’t see the beams of light coming towards her...

…

Her eyes begin to paint another picture…

“Are you sure you should take it…”

The voice came from the stallion on the ground…

Only this time he was right next to her alive…

“I thought it was your father’s weapon…”

She didn’t say anything and only looked at the sword…

“If I do this, I believe my father will understand… everypony will understand in time why I am doing this… our mother was always soft on our sister…”

The stallion came back into her view…

“Well whatever happens princess, know that I will always be beside you… I promise...”

Would be the last words she heard before her transformation...

…

Her tears begin to make the picture blurry as she was brought back into the real world a little bit. She quickly moved to wrap her mask back on. The world was moving faster again; it was almost normal. She believed she was making her way towards the medical wing. But her eyes begin to paint one last picture.

…

“Daddy don’t go!” Luna yelled allowing her stubby little wings propel her forward to her father. He had to go away, that’s what he had told her. He had to go be the hero that he always said he was.

Her mom and Celestia were in the back having already said their goodbyes.

Her father looked past the sunset and then back to Luna.

As she made her way in, he readied his embrace to catch her. “Please don’t go daddy, things aren’t that fun when you’re gone.”

“Oh sweetie” the father said, trying to calm his daughter down. “We talked about this, The world is a scary place and they need people like us to make it better.” As he finished speaking his sword appeared behind him. “And if anypony messes with me, I have my trusted weapon to keep me safe.”

He gave his daughter a kiss on the forehead before speaking again. “I will admit, I’ve seen unfairness with your mother. But just between you and me I think that’s because you’re stronger than your sister… but I’ll be sure to speak with her as soon as I get back… I promise…”

Slowly with his telekinesis, he set his daughter down with his family and flew off towards past the sunset, to a World luna never knew. The words of her being stronger than her sister stuck with her that day...

It would be the last time she saw him…

…

As Luna blinked one last time a single tear escaped her eye… she played it cool noticing that she was in a room full of ponies now… but laying on the bed was her captain… “Nightwing!”

The word came from Luna’s mouth, taking all of her breath with her.

A single bullet hole was lodged in his chest, in the lung area… blood tried to gush out, but the five doctors that were working on the hem kept it at bay… but Luna knew it was only a matter of time… no pony could survive a lung damage that critical…

Tension was high in the room…

Luna decided not to waste time and removed all the doctors. They tried to protest but they were all quickly moved out of the room. She proceeded to hold the wound herself, while entering his mind with a spell telepathy spell.

“My captain.” she spoke within his mind.

“Princess, you hear, good, that’s all I wanted.” He thought as a smile grew on his face.

At that moment, Luna broke just a little bit. A few tears streamed down her face as she stared at her newest captain.

“The bastard put up a good fight, but we got the place locked down. I didn’t see the guard though nor did I see his musket. He took the shot at me first. I’m quite honoured.” He said finishing with a laugh only to have blood come out a bit.

“No! Please save your strength! We are not gonna lie to you, you're not going to make it.” She said about to break even more. “Please do you have any last words We should give to anypony!”

Nightwing only smiled and shook his head. “Impossible… I don’t have the best of life growing up in the bat districts… Life is always tough in the bad districts and never easy... I constantly got in trouble and found myself, ironically, on the bad side of the law… an old bat from Celestia's small night guard was the only one to catch me and to convince me to join. I have nowhere to go, barely have any friends and family, but it didn’t stop me from making new ones in the guard… The guard gave me something I was able to believe in again.”

his eyes drew over to the princess who looked at him in turn. “You… believing in the mare in the moon is highly frowned upon in the guard back then, but we still don’t care… it gave us bat ponies a meaning. More than just the underdog fourth race of pony kind… meeting you even, though it was a little more than a week has made my life worth every second… thank… you…..”

...

Silence…

Luna checked up on him but there was no movement at all. She let go of his wound, and the blood slowly flowed out…

He was dead… and his last words were to thank her…

She broke.

She cast a spell over herself, to silence herself. She would never let any pony see the tears and screams she laid out that morning…

(Canterlot castle)
(8:00 A.M.)

she made her way through the castle as if nothing was wrong in the world. Even her tiredness was gone.

She proceeded to make her way towards breakfast… hoping to see her sister before she falls into sleep.

Making her way towards the entrance she didn’t hesitate this time to open them. Wanting to see her sister as soon as she could.

“LUNA!” Instantly she was greeted with the shout of her name. Coming towards her in a fury was her sister of all ponies. The yell left Luna stunned and shocked, not expecting quite a reaction.

Celestia stormed her way towards Luna proceeding to yell again “What did you do!”

Luna proceeded to try and speak to no avail… “Sister- I didn’t underst-“ “You started a raid on meat and bones!” Celestia was quick to interrupt. Luna could see the bags underneath Celestia‘s eyes.

“Yes, but We simply-““Why in our mothers name! Did you decide to do that!” Celestia interrupted again.

“But the report! I thought they were dangerous!” Luna quickly tried to shot back.

“Dangerous! A simple teenager looking over our walls is not dangerous Luna. What’s dangerous! Is the fact that you sent ‘our!’ Soldiers into one of the most important industries to most of the griffin kind! The entire griffin empire will be outraged with these turn of events! And they have a right to be Luna!” Celestia said, not holding anything back.

“Sister! I sorry, I didn’t know! I thought they were a gang. I swear I only wanted to help.” Luna cried out hoping to get to her sister. Breaking her old language with it.

This had the desired effect and Celestia eventually calmed down. “I’m sorry Luna it’s early in the day. And besides most of this is my fault.”

Luna looked up to her sister confused.

“It’s obvious to me now that it was far too early for you to take up the duties of a leader again.” Celestia said in a cold tone.

Luna felt frozen to the floor. She had no idea what to say. “I’m— we are so so sorry.” Luna tried to say as her main fell over her face.

“I know you are Luna.” Celestia said with her motherly tone. “Go ahead and get some rest.”

Luna tried quickly making her way out of the room before she broke anymore than she was.

“Also I heard a report that a member of our guard fell during the battle. Your recklessness wasted a life, I want you to make sure that you apologize to their family… understand…” Celestia didn’t know it, but she was talking about Nightwing.

Luna almost fell but quickly reasserted her sister with an “Understood.” Then taking off in a full gallop to her room.

(Luna’s chamber)
(8:30)

Luna sat in her room contemplating her life. “Why!” Luna said, mostly to herself. “Why has life always been this constant failure, why does life keep taking pony’s away from us. Why doesn’t life just end this nightmare.”

Luna shook her head roughly “No stop it! This is probably what you get after all! After everything you’ve done, you're getting what you deserve!” Luna proceeded to roll over on her bed, allowing anything to take her in her sleep.

“I wish I wasn’t here… I wish I had a friend Who wouldn’t leave me… I wish….” Whatever she said was lost to her that night. With all the tiredness and stress, she quickly fell into a deep slumber.

And unknown to her, ‘Someone’ had seen it all.