The Moon's Light

While Amethyst's antics and Cadence's true debut haven't been forgotten, the hype around these events had been dying down. The tourmaline necklace – as well as a few books – had been given to Twilight, after Celestia's lawyers had taken Amethyst and Veil to the mangler. While Twilight still had no use for the necklace, her mother claimed she did. She has yet to wear the necklace herself. To be fair, pink tourmaline's and gold aren't mashing well with Velvet.

The Nightmare Night was approaching and Princess Celestia confirmed her sister will arrive a few days earlier. Days, she said. Luna, disguised as Midna the Pegasus, stood nearly two weeks before the Nightmare Night started in front of the Library. With her was Crowley. As Twilight let them in, she asked, “Not that I am happy to see you, but aren't you a bit early?”

“I know, but I wanted to know a bit earlier what you and Minuette have planned for the holiday.”, explained Luna. “And there is something I want to talk with you about. Remember how you blasted me as Nightmare Moon?” “Of course, I am sorry for that, Princess.” “No need to apologize. Well, you have a lot of raw power, but no refinement. I want to teach you a bit of battle magic. I got a hunch you may need it one day.” Crowley chuckled a bit at that. “Your brother seemed to agree with me.” added the princess.

“Of course he does... Now, about the holiday...”

“This blasted night is literally build on my corrupted self, how can we change it that the ponies start to like me?”, asked Luna. “I already ditched my 'royal voice' on Crowley's request.”

“You could not avoid your people and go back to Canterlot, Luna. Maybe the nobles would like you more if you won't constantly avoid them.”, chimed Crowley in. Twilight was quite shocked Crowley dared to just criticize her like this. Twilight could never.

“I don't want them to like me, I want for the common people to like me.”, clarified Luna, “And to rebuild my bond with the remaining bat ponies. It would be great if this holiday vanishes, but I doubt banning a holiday helps my image.”

Minuette then came in, accompanied by Lyra. “Oh, who I your guest, Twilight?”, asked Lyra. “Crowley! You're back!”

Luna lifted her disguise. “When I am in my disguise, please call me Midna.”

“Oh, Princess Luna! Aren't you supposed to come in a week and a few?”, asked Minuette, “Not that we're not happy that you're here.”

“That was the plan, but I wanted to get involved in your idea a bit earlier, Minuette.”, explained the Princess. “And I got annoyed with the Canterlot nobles. They already placed some Nightmare Moon figurines. I tried to tell them these are outdated now, but they said it is tradition.”

“Mm, leaving Canterlot for this holiday, how relatable.”, said Minuette. The nobles of the capital celebrate a very old and traditional version of the Nightmare Night, so families often travel to surrounding areas so that their fillies can have their fun. Minuette often did that, as well as the rest of her friend group. “Canterlot celebrates the night in a quite boring way, so you won't miss much.”

“Mm, not surprising. Now what have you planned to redeem this holiday?”

Minuette then explained her idea to the princess, trying not to sound like a total idiot with a silly idea. While she and her friends interact with Twilight – another princess – on the regular, this princess is a different type. As she ended her explanation, she looked to Luna unsure what she may think of it.

“Mm, I like your idea. We will give this a try.”, decided the princess.

Luna spend the next few days disguised as Midna. She wanted to get a feel for the town. Twilight, Minuette and Lyra are sure she just treated this as a holiday. Twilight is sure of this as Luna said she wanted to start her training after the Nightmare Night. Twilight and Crowley kept close to Midna all the time, partly so that the Princess doesn't accidentally drops her disguise. Not that it matters for Luna, she just wants to be anonymous.

The Nightmare Night was creeping closer, so Luna witnessed how Ponyville prepares for the night. The fillies were busy to come up with their costumes, while the adults set up games. Luna felt a light relief that her night is seen as fun, even though it is in a strong contrast to the fear and horror she was told about. Then again, some ponies have fun by intentionally feeling fear.

Just last week she saw a servant – Lady Quill – read a few horror novels in the library of the palace. Luna asked for a few recommendations from the scribe. Lady Quill has taste.

Luna was walking around the park, where she saw a Nightmare Moon stature standing. She wanted to turn her back to it when she saw three fillies approaching the stature and talking. Luna recognized them as the sisters of two of the element bearers and their friend. The Pegasus of the trio came to the stature and said, “This year will be so awkward now that Princess Luna is back!”

“Agreed.”, said the Unicorn. “According to my relatives in Canterlot, the nobles are extra insulting to Nightmare Moon-the princess this year.”

“Apropos your relatives in Canterlot! Sweetie Belle, will your cousin Singing Belle come this year?”, asked the earth pony. “She constantly complains how Canterlot celebrates, so...”

“No, Apple Bloom. Singing is going to Manehattan this year.”, replied Sweetie Belle. “Now... as what do you two go this year? I got a Countess Coloratura Costume, so... Scootaloo?”

“Mm, a Wonderbolt costume!”, replied the Pegasus excitingly, “Not a specific Wonderbolt, though.”

“I don't know if we should wear costumes this year.”, said Apple Bloom. Her friends looked at her in disbelief. “Let me explain! Why dress up to hide from Nightmare Moon, so that she can't step into our dreams. While I know that is just a story to reason the holiday, don't you think this would be insulting to Princess Luna?”

“Mm, I see no reason to hide from her.”, said Scootaloo. “If anything, I want to meet her! Think about it, she is the fighter of the two sisters, she must have some cool stories to tell!”

“She was stuck on the moon for a millennia.”

“I know, Sweetie, but what about the time before?”, countered Scootaloo. “Not to mention, I want to ask about the whole 'stepping into ponies nightmares' aspect of the holiday myth. Nightmare Moon was real, so why can't the dream walking be?”

“I wonder if she can help me with that nightmare, if it is true.”, added Apple Bloom, her head leaning on her hoof as she thought.

Luna's job was helping Ponies with their nightmares, but back then the ponies did not like that she entered their dreams, some even asked for Celestia to do that. Dream Walking is one of the skills her sister can't do. She isn't sure if ponies this day and age would want her help, albeit this filly seems like she does. Midna approached them and ended her disguise.

“Woah, Midna is Princess Luna!”, said Scootaloo.

“Apple Bloom, I can help you. I can enter dreams – helping ponies with their nightmares is my job – but the ponies a millennia ago didn't like it, so I stopped.”, she explained. The fillies looked at her as if they saw a ghost. “Now, while I consider the holiday to be insulting, feel free to dress up and have your fun.”

That relaxed Apple Bloom. “In that case I go as Daring Do's assistant.”

Scootaloo came closer to Luna and asked, “Princess Luna, can you tell us a story about your time before the moon?” “Scootaloo!” scolded her Sweetie Belle. “Maybe something battle related?”

“Of course. Now, I want to make clear that my sister did jump into battle, I was just better most of the time. There is actually one time where I hesitated to fight the enemy... Yes, I tell you about the fall of the Crystal Empire!”, she decided, cramming together memories of old. “Now, have you heard of the Crystal Empire?”

“No...”, admitted Sweetie Belle. “S-Should I?”

“I don’t recall this from any history lesson you ever missed.” whispered Apple Bloom to her friend. “Nor Granny’s stories.”

“I see, then a little history lesson is needed. You know about the Cold North? The eternal Tundra? There used to be a lavish Empire, inhabited by a special kind of earth pony, the Crystal Ponies. Like their architecture, they looked like the were made from Crystal. In addition to that, they had their own type of magic, similar but more passive than Unicorn magic. They were one of Equestria's most important allies as they held a lot of power.

“Many ponies tried to take over the Empire, one of them was a Unicorn called Sombra. He originally was from Canterlot. I knew him when he was just a normal pony, one very studious. Like Twilight, with the difference that Sombra dared to dip into the darkest of magic, which corrupted him in the end. He tried to take over the Empire out of greed caused by the corruption. The Empire managed to defend themselves. Until their last queen, Queen Radiant Hope, just vanished. To this day, we aren't sure if Sombra is related to her vanishing.

“With her gone, the protective magic got weaker by the day. Sombra attacked the Empire with Windigo's. I assume you know what there are?” “Yes, from the Hearts Warming Eve Mythos!” “Well, they caused the land to become the eternal Tundra. Only their capital could protect itself against the cold under a dome of magic. But even that dome started to crack when they realize Radiant Hope won't return. Sombra took advantage of the power vacuum he left behind. He ruled the Empire in a terrible dictatorship, he could pressure them as he controlled the Windigo's.”

“What did you in the meantime?”, asked Apple Bloom. “And Princess Celestia!”

“We had our own struggles – I started to turn into Nightmare Moon back then – but we we're mainly searching for Radiant. She was one of our best friends, nearly a third sister. Well, at some point we had to give up on her and face Sombra... who I just couldn't attack as we were close friends. Celestia barely managed to banish him into the ice and shadows of the Tundra, at the cost of banishing the remaining empire as well.”

“So, they are gone?”, asked Apple Bloom.

“Not gone, think of them being in magical bubble, cut off from the rest of Equestria. Celestia said the empire will return when her curse fizzles out. If Sombra is to return, we don't know but hope he does not. We never figured out what had happened to Radiant either, partly because we were busy to cut down on illegal love potions that emerged after the Empire fell.”, ended Luna her tale. “Being a Princess is so much work, I can't imagine how Celestia did it all alone and taught Twilight on the side.”

“Love potions?”, asked Apple Bloom. She looked to Scootaloo, who then got the memo.

“Um, Princess Luna, we have a history test about Love Potions soon, could you tell us how it was when they first emerged?”

“Ah, of course! Now, like Radiant, we have no idea where they came from. They just appeared and caused havoc. The first love potions were incredibly unstable and tended to, uh, ruin ponies, even if they worked like intended. Which itself is bad. Love potions take one's free will to decide who to love. Even if they work like intended and don't kill ponies – oh, that much about keeping this child friendly – they made one submissive to the pony the potion is keyed to... Despite our best efforts, they always continued to exist.”

“Why aren't they considered dark magic anymore?”, asked Sweetie Belle.

“It is because how they work has changed. In my time, they stunted the whole mind, to allow the keyed Pony to mold one into a submissive pony. After I left, Celestia told me they got weaker, they now only influence ones love, creating false feelings and not the whole mind. Ponies under the love potion of old could not be visited by me in their dreams, which made some parts of my job more complicated.

“I used the dream visits to inquire how the common ponies feel about things and wish for, but also dive into a deeper type of magic. Dreams are said to hint at the future. Though the dreams, I can access a very weak form of future sign.”, she explained. The three fillies looked at her in awe. “Which means I can see that you three need to go home and to bed soon. I will visit you tonight and help you with any nightmares, if this is fine with you three.”

“Of course, Princess Luna!” With that, the trio said their farewell and left to home.

Luna was satisfied with herself. That was her first nice interaction with the common ponies as herself, not her disguise Midna. These three weren't afraid of her, instead they were curious about her! Maybe this will work out. Be it with the younger generations.

The night soon came and Twilight was worried how this will end. To her surprise, the Princess was swarmed by the local school's students. Turns out the Cutie Mark Crusaders talked to her and their class demanded proof. That proof was that Luna told the class what the told the Crusaders and a bit more. Then other ponies joined the story telling.

Minuette stood with Twilight and said, “See? Luna has stories that can replace the Nightmare Moon Mythos! Now, don't you want to write down what she says about this Sombra and the Crystal Empire?” She then saw that Twilight was just doing that. “I didn’t mean you, Twilight! But whatever.”

Luna stayed even after the night wrapped up. Instead Shining Armour came. Shining and Luna then started to train Twilight. Twilight wished she could use her wings – and tell Luna – but she didn't feel like arguing with Celestia. She then realized, “Luna, was that 'hunch' a vision you may have had?”

“Yes. Something is coming, so Celestia wants you to be vigilant, Twilight.”, admitted Luna. “I know something is coming, but not exactly what.”

“Which means your friends should keep the elements close to hoof.”, added her brother. “Now let's talk about the present. Twilight, mom, dad, Cadence and I will visit you this year for Heart's Warming.”

“Really?”, she asked as she dodged an attack from Luna.

Luna chimed in, “About that, my sister said she spends the holiday with your family a lot, is that true?”

“Yes. Admittedly it is a bit weird.”, confirmed Twilight, “But at this point, we're just used to that.”

“Mm... anyway, considering you planned the Summer Sun Celebration, are you planning the Winter Moon Celebration as well?”, asked Luna. “The Winter Moon celebration is hold in the same town as the last Summer Sun Celebration, so it just makes sense that it is planned by the same pony.”

“I assume, but Princess Celestia hadn't said anything yet to me about it.”, replied Twilight. “Not that I would mind to plan it. I would love to, in fact!”

“I see. My sister only told me that I'll take over the moon rising.” said Luna, slightly disappointed.

“Ah, that will be a culture shock for so many ponies.”, chimed Shining Armor in. “Not seeing Princess Celestia as the star of the show.”

“They will hopefully relax when I create my first new star constellation since my return.”, told them Luna. “I plan to create a constellation to represent my daughter Aurora Dawn.”

“That-That sounds wonderful!” said Twilight. “Albeit I have a feeling the Astrologers and Astronomers will go crazy. None of them ever saw a new constellation.”

“Kinda makes their jobs pointless.”

“Shiny!”