Vesper wiped away a tear, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves. Survival was his new priority, and to do that, he needed to get over himself, even if only temporarily. A flicker of light from the window was just enough to capture his attention.

Looking through the window, he could see part of a small, yet lively town. Despite the late hour, the town was buzzing with commotion. Perhaps today was some kind of celebration? This was the perfect opportunity to figure out what was going on. Vesper tucked his picture back under his bandages, then made for the door.

Just as his hoof was on the doorknob, Vesper stopped himself. Seeing an unknown Alicorn on the streets of some tiny village could potentially cause issues, and Vesper wanted as little attention as possible before he knew what was going on.

He returned to the mirrors, and his reflection made him recoil. His mane and tail, which usually mirrored the cascading galactic disc surrounding them, was now frayed and dull. His coat was another issue. His dark-gray coat was marred with soot, making it look jet-black. This was not just messy – it was unacceptable. Even though he literally just came out of a war zone, a prince had to always look his best.

“Much better,” Vesper muttered, gazing at his reflection with approval. “I still should not go out in public like this though.”

There was a spell he could use to accomplish this quite easily. Dubbed ‘the alias spell,’ it created an entirely new version of whomever cast it. It was different from illusions in the way that you would physically change into that form. This spell did not come without side effects though, Vesper would lose power based on what his alias was, and he could only make one, and would never be able to change it again.

Casting the spell, he changed his look over and over, trying to find something that fit. His coat was fine, but his mane was too bizarre to keep the same. Vesper cycled through his options. A Golden Mane? He was trying NOT to attract attention. Black? He didn’t want to turn people off. Hot Pink? Seriously? Eventually, he settled on white. It was simple, clean, and perfect. As a finishing touch, he hid his wings and shrunk to the size of a normal pony.

“Now, I need a new name.” He mused, ‘Prince Vesper’ just is not going to cut it. He wracked through his head for any ideas. He came up with many, but none of them clicked. He thought of simply removing ‘Prince’ from his name, but ‘Vesper’ was strange in of itself. No, he would need an original name.

While he tried to find himself a new name, an early memory washed over Vesper without warning, dulling his senses and seemingly taking him to a different place entirely.

Vesper – now just a colt – was kicking a ball with his father. It was just as he remembered it being. The stone floor and walls were spotless, grand stained-glass windows casting prismatic light sporadically on the floor. The tapestries hung on the walls were unburnt, and the roof was fully intact.

“Daddy?” Baby Vesper kicked the ball to his father with a grunt. “Why did you name me Vesper?”

His father chuckled, stopping the ball with one foot. “Well, son, where other ponies have very few guidelines for naming a child, you, as both an alicorn and a prince, have many.” He kicked the ball back to Vesper, who stopped it with both forelegs. “Every alicorn to ever exist has represented a certain facet of nature. Mine is the sky, and your mother’s is the sea. When you were born, it was pretty easy to tell what you represented.”

“Why?” Little Vesper tilted his head, looking at his father with wide eyes. He laughed, then ruffled the child’s starry mane.

“That’s why!” He said, “Vesper means ‘morning star’, and it’s a real thing! Ponies used to worship it like a god, and they believed all kinds of crazy things about it!”

Baby Vesper blinked slowly. “Then what would you have named me if I had no wings?” Vesper’s father had a thoughtful look in his eyes.

“Well, a drunk guard recommended the name ‘Agamemnon’, but your mother wanted to name you ‘Cosmo’, and frankly I liked it too.”

Vesper tried to pronounce ‘Agamemnon’, but failed several times, to his father’s amusement. He gave up after the fourth try. “Good thing you didn’t name me that!”

"I fear your mother would have attacked me if I did."

The memory faded away with the two alicorns laughing together. Vesper smiled, the happy memory was definitely needed. He thought back to the memory again, Cosmo? I mean, I’m a unicorn for now, and dad would have named me Cosmo if I actually was one. Even without the sentimental value attached to the name, Vesper still loved it.

He sighed, the hard part was over. Now he just had to choose a façade profession. He looked below the mirror, and there sat a heavy-duty pair of scissors. On the handle was written ‘Scissor Seven.’

“Yes, these will do nicely,” Vesper said, “I’ll take the guise of a wandering stylist, and these will be my scissors.” He looked towards his flank and noticed his cutie mark: a golden spiral galaxy. It stuck out like a sore thumb. With a wave of his horn, his cutie mark was now the same pair of scissors, garnished with a few stars. “Good thing I took stylist lessons.”

Cosmo grinned, ending the spell. His alias was finally complete. “Prince Vesper can go on the backburner for a while. For now, I am Cosmo, Cosmo the hair stylist.”

The outside air was chilly, and the town smelled of apples and freshly prepared hay, which was much more preferable than smoke. Cosmo followed the flow of foot traffic, where he overheard talk of a ‘Princess Celestia’ and a ‘Summer Sun Celebration.’ Now, he just had to figure out who and what those were. He was sure that he would find somepony who could explain.

Cosmo stopped abruptly at a giant tree, no, not just a tree. He looked again, it was a house built into a tree. Standing in front of the door was a younger mare, with a much more vivid color scheme than the other ponies around him. Fortunately, this was probably the pony he was looking for. He cut across the road and made his way over to the mare.

“Hello, I’m kind of new here,” Cosmo said, tone friendly but firm, “could you help me figure out what’s happening around here?”

“Hi, um, I’m Twilight Sparkle,” she stammered, her words tumbling out in a rush. “Your accent is weird, are you not from around here? Sorry, sorry, I’m rambling again, what do you need to know?”

Cosmo blinked, surprised at her quick observation. “I’m Cosmo,” He responded after an uncomfortable pause, “I am a traveler, so no, I’m not from here. But I’ve heard about a ‘Princess Celestia’ and a ‘Summer Sun Celebration’. What’s that about?”

Twilight’s nervous demeanor broke instantly. “You don’t know the Princess?”

“I’m not from here, remember?” The words came out a bit harsher than Cosmo had intended. She speaks as though she knows the Princess herself! He thought.

“Right.” Twilight said, a nervous smile returning to her face. “Walk with me, I have to be somewhere, but I’ll answer your questions on the way!” The unicorn strode away from the house at a brisk pace. Cosmo followed close by.

Cosmo shot Twilight a pointed look, in response to which she began explaining. “Princess Celestia is the ruler of Equestria, she governs from Canterlot. In fact, I was her personal student! She sent me here to prepare for the Summer Sun Celebration, which is where she raises the sun on the anniversary of the banishment of Nightmare Moon.”

Cosmo tilted his head. “Nightmare Moon?”

Twilight looked like Cosmo had just given her a cookie. “She’s an evil mare of the moon,” Twilight explained enthusiastically, “It’s prophesied that she will return after a thousand years of banishment, and, well… this is the thousandth year.” She took a deep breath, her enthusiasm replaced by anxious fidgeting.

Cosmo thought for a moment, trying to make sense of all the things Twilight had told him. Most of these things would take time, but she could answer one thing for certain. "This 'Nightmare Moon' you speak of seems quite dangerous. Do you have any idea about how capable she may be?"

Twilight sighed in relief. "You believe me?"

"Yes, of course," Aevum reassured her, "I've seen my fair share of generational curses, enough so yours seems plausible. Now tell me what you know."

Twilight tilted her head, silent for a short moment, then began. "The books say she is incredibly dangerous, and that she is an alicorn, just like Princess Celestia." This was probably the best news he had received since his arrival. Alicorns were all immortal, extremely powerful, and even more rare. Cosmo had not heard of any other living alicorns besides his parents, and was supposedly the first alicorn born in well over 500 years. Cosmo struggled to contain his excitement at this and barely succeeded.

"Do you have a plan?" Cosmo asked.

Twilight grinned, "in fact, I do!"

"Excellent, if you need me for this plan, then come find me, I will be attending the Summer Sun Celebration." Cosmo went to take a step, but stopped himself halfway through it. “Um, where will this celebration take place, exactly?”

“Town square!” Twilight exclaimed, “It’s just over there.” She pointed a hoof to an open-air amphitheater that was already sparsely occupied by several ponies.

“Thank you, Twilight Sparkle.” Cosmo inclined his head. “Perhaps I will see you at the ceremony.”

Twilight, visibly flustered by Cosmo’s formality, mimicked his nod. “Uh, sure, see you there!” she mumbled before hurrying off.

After Twilight left, Cosmo chuckled to himself. She was certainly odd, but if he was right about her, a direct connection to Princess Celestia would be invaluable. With seldom else to accomplish, he decided that he might as well just get a decent seat for the ceremony.

The amphitheater was abuzz with quiet chatter as more ponies filed in to get a seat. Seven adjusted himself to the red velvet cushions, noting how unusually soft they were. His injured wing cried out in pain – no, Cosmo didn’t have wings. Vesper’s wing injury probably transferred to Cosmo as a back issue. He would have to break the habit of calling it his wing. Regardless, his injury was not aching as much as it was, so Cosmo couldn’t complain.

The relative quiet did not last long, though. A familiar purple unicorn approached from his left, her anxious energy spiking when she saw him.

“Oh, there you are, Cosmo!” She said, obviously worried. “I’ve been looking around for you. This time, I have some friends for you to meet! This is Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash!”

Cosmo got a good look at each of them, his tired eyes catching a star-like glint in each. “Nice to meet you,” he said, tone tired but polite, “quite the colorful crew you’ve got.”

“Well of course!” Rarity explained, “colors are simply divine!”

Rainbow dash puffed out her chest, “And some of us bring more colors than others.” Applejack playfully punched her in the leg.

“Ooh, I don’t know you,” Pinkie Pie gasped, vibrating as she bounced towards him. Seven thought she would explode, “We have to throw you a welcome party! We’ll have balloons and cak-”

Cosmo cut her off with a stare, then turned to Twilight. “I suppose you didn’t go through the trouble of finding me in this crowd just to introduce your friends?”

Twilight’s nervous glance to center stage confirmed his suspicions. “We need to be ready, If Nightmare Moon is real, and she shows up here–”

“You have a plan, right?” Cosmo asked, stifling a yawn.

“Yes.”

Cosmo rolled his eyes. “Then do not worry! I will buy you as much time as I can, and you can make a run for it with your friends.” Twilight looked troubled, but Applejack nodded instantly with a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder, assuring that they would move together, whatever their plan was.

Before Twilight could say anything else, the lights in the amphitheater flickered ominously, and a chill swept through the crowd like the North Wind.

The chatter in the amphitheater died down as the room got darker. A frigid wind swept throughout the amphitheater, extinguishing all but the largest candles and torches. The silence was loud, broken only by the occasional surge of raw magical power.

“Hey Twilight,” Cosmo whispered, “you should get ready to go.” Twilight nodded.

The display of power sent shivers down Cosmo’s spine. Maybe this is not such a great idea, he thought to himself.

Gradually, from the balcony above, an echoing laugh faded into existence. It was not just malicious, it was dangerous. Cosmo felt more on edge here than he had at the siege of his home.

The laugh faded, replaced by a voice smooth as silk, yet infused with venom. “Oh, my little ponies, did you truly believe your beloved sun would rise today?” her words reverberated around the theater, each syllable hitting like a brick.

A figure emerged from the shadows, first as a vague silhouette, then stepping into the dim light. A tall, imposing mare strode forward, her coat blacker than the void, her armor glinting faintly like polished obsidian. Her mane and tail rippled unnaturally, a starry veil that mirrored the endless expanse of space, though not as accurate to the night sky as Vesper’s. Her eyes glowed an icy teal, sharp and unforgiving. She was beautiful, hauntingly, disturbingly, and terribly beautiful.

Cosmo didn’t have to act impressed; her presence was overwhelming. He would be cowering if he did not have the mental strength of an alicorn. Speaking of that, why were Twilight and her friends less paralyzed than he thought?

“It has been a thousand years,” she said, her voice carrying an unnatural echo. “A thousand years of waiting. A thousand years of watching you ponies become complacent and sloth. And now, not a single one of you stands ready for my return.” She sounded almost giddy.

The dark alicorn stepped further into view, her expression shifting from triumph to disdain. “Hast thou forgotten my name, little foals?” Her voice rose, anger flaring. “Does my name amount to naught in thine ears?”

Cosmo broke the silence. “Twilight, is this that Nightmare Moon character you told me about?”

Twilight looked completely out of it but managed to send Cosmo a quick nod.

“Right. Thought so.” Cosmo sighed, shrugging Nightmare Moon off. “Guess we should’ve sent a memo to Celestia about this one.” He turned to Twilight, “You should go now.”

Twilight looked horrified but nodded and turned to her friends. They all responded back affirmatively, except for Rainbow Dash, who was trying to speed-blitz Nightmare Moon. However, Applejack had the pegasus’ tail in her teeth. After struggling for a moment, the pegasus finally relented, and they followed the rest of the group towards the everfree, hidden by Cosmo’s illusion.

Nightmare Moon’s piercing gaze locked onto him, her lips curling into a faint snarl. “And who are you to speak so boldly in my presence?”

“A concerned citizen,” Cosmo replied, rising slowly from his seat. “You have made quite the impression, but maybe you should tone it down a notch. Ponies are fainting out here.”

Nightmare Moon’s expression twisted into a dark grin. “Fainting? Good. They should fear me. Their fear is my power.”

“Fear isn’t a great look on your subjects,” Cosmo said, meeting her gaze evenly. “Just a thought.”

She laughed again, the sound sharp and grating. “Oh, you are bold. Bold and foolish. Tell me, little unicorn, what arms doth thou believe he may raise against me?”

Cosmo’s scissors floated into view, spinning rapidly within his golden aura. “Not much,” he admitted, his tone calm but laced with defiance. “But I’ll take my chances.”

Nightmare Moon chuckled lowly, the sound vibrating through Cosmo’s chest. “How quaint. A unicorn with no horn worth mentioning, armed with a child’s tool, hoping to stand against me.” Her wings flared, their span vast and shadowy. She was starting to give up on her royal dialect. “You must have a death wish.”

She’s right, I absolutely cannot beat her. If I had my wings, I would have had a chance to stalemate, but they have not healed yet. Hopefully I can buy Twilight some time though.

“Yeah, probably” Cosmo quipped, “but I have a second wish, and that’s for you to leave, or at least skip the monologue.”

Her smile faltered for a moment before twisting into a snarl. “You dare mock me?! I am Nightmare Moon, ruler of the eternal night! Your pathetic defiance is—”

Cosmo’s scissors struck, a blur of steel slicing through the very air itself. Nightmare Moon dodged a split-second too late, the scissors grazed her cheek, drawing a thin line of scintillating ichor. “These aren’t your ordinary safety scissors!” he taunted.

Her roar of fury echoed through the amphitheater. “YOU INSOLENT WORM!” Magic concentrated at the tip of her horn, coalescing into a swirling mass of violet energy. She unleashed the blast with a thunderous boom, the bolt blasting a hole in the space Cosmo had been standing in half a second before.

Cosmo darted to the side, propelled by a powerful kick from his hind legs. His movements were deliberate and swift, his golden aura flickering as he reclaimed his spinning scissors. “You have a short temper for someone who’s been waiting a thousand years. Relax a little.”

Nightmare Moon fired again, her magic raining down in a cascade of destructive beams. Cosmo weaved between them, his hooves skidding across the polished marble floor as the blasts carved craters in his wake. He quickly closed the gap between them, each step a calculated risk.

This mare was not just strong—she was overwhelmingly powerful. Cosmo snarled as he narrowly dodged another blast. But raw strength alone would not win her a fight. Not against him.

Nightmare Moon sneered as Cosmo drew closer. “You think you can outrun me forever?” Her horn ignited again, and with a pulse of magic, she summoned a dark blade of shadow, its edges gleaming without light. She swung it in an arc, forcing Cosmo to backpedal.

“Nope,” Cosmo admitted, ducking low as the blade whooshed overhead. “But forever isn’t my goal.”

His scissors lunged forward, feinting toward her face before suddenly veering downward, aiming for her armored chest. Nightmare Moon angled her breast plate, deflecting them. Cosmo pressed the attack, his telekinesis keeping the scissors in a relentless flurry of strikes.

She retaliated with a sweep of her wings, the gust throwing Cosmo off balance. He tumbled but recovered quickly, his mind racing. I can’t keep this up for much longer. Her stamina is leagues ahead of mine.

Nightmare Moon smirked as if she was reading his thoughts. “You are slowing down, little unicorn. Your resistance ends here.”

She unleashed a wave of dark magic, the sheer force knocking Cosmo off his hooves and slamming him into a nearby pillar. He gasped as pain shot through his side, his vision swimming. His scissors clattered to the ground, spinning weakly before coming to a halt.

Nightmare Moon approached, her steps deliberate and echoing in the now-silent amphitheater. “A valiant effort,” she mused, her voice dripping with mockery. “But futile, as expected.”

Cosmo struggled to stand, his legs shaking under the strain. His golden eyes locked onto hers, defiant even in the face of certain death. “You’re awfully chatty for someone who’s ‘already won.’”

Her smirk widened. “Last words, little unicorn?”

Summoning the last reserves of his strength, Cosmo grinned through the pain. “Yeah. You’ve got a piece of broccoli in your teeth.”

For a quick second, Nightmare Moon’s composure faltered, her expression twisting into confusion. Cosmo seized the moment, his magic reigniting and flinging his scissors upward. They spun wildly, and their trajectory chaotic and imprecise, but he succeeded in forcing her to retreat a few steps.

That brief opening was all he needed. Cosmo collapsed to the ground, his breathing ragged, but his smirk unbroken. “Twilight, you better have this thing figured out.”

Cosmo lifted his head groggily. It seemed as if he had been carelessly tossed on the floor. The air was damp, and smelled of mildew and rotting wood. Moonlight shone through the broken windows, but there was little else to illuminate the ancient stone monolith.

The building, rather a ruin, reminded him of his own home, but eerie and empty. It felt more like an echo of the past that would be better left buried. Even he had better taste than this.

“Am I dead?” Cosmo asked, his words slurred despite a tone dripping with sarcasm. He turned his head, and froze.

Nightmare Moon sat upon a rotting throne. Despite the run-down castle, she still looked regal as ever. The castle wall was completely split behind her. She regarded him with a calculative gaze, curling her lips into a faint smirk.

“Ah,” Cosmo confirmed, staring blankly at the dark mare. “I was wondering why the décor was so morbid. You seriously need to lighten up a bit.”

Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes slightly but remained still.

“Hey, why am I still alive?” Cosmo said, a bit louder this time. He even got some echo. “I’m not complaining, but this doesn’t seem like your style.”

Nightmare Moon frowned, “you are useful to me still.” Her voice was as smooth and vile as it was before, “the very second your Twilight fails, I will dispose of you. Maybe I shall allow you to live long enough to witness my total, overwhelming victory.”

Cosmo gave a weak smile, despite himself. Nightmare Moon would regret not killing him, he would make sure of it. “Are you sure that you don’t just like me?”

Nightmare Moon’s laugh was low and dangerous, reverberating through the chamber. “Such insolence,” she purred, stepping closer until her towering frame loomed over him. “Perhaps I should teach you to hold your tongue, little unicorn. Or perhaps I will let you entertain me a while longer. It would be a shame to waste such… wit.” Cosmo did not dare move a muscle. She stood over him, reptilian eyes piercing his very soul. She was probably waiting for him to respond with some witty quip, but she was standing too close, and Cosmo did not wish to become a skewer.

Cosmo’s smirk disappeared, his heart pounding in his chest. Here goes nothing! "Are you happy to be back?"

Nightmare Moon blinked, the question visibly catching her off guard. For a fleeting moment, her cold demeanor faltered, and something unspoken flickered in her eyes—pain, anger, and a hint of longing.

Her expression re-hardened almost immediately, her mane crackling like a storm. “Happy?” she repeated, her tone laced with bitterness. “Happiness is a luxury for those who have not been abandoned and forgotten. A thousand years of solitude breeds no joy, only purpose.”

Cosmo held her gaze, his golden irises reflecting the faint glimmer of her ethereal mane. “And this is your purpose? To punish the world for what it did to you?”

The dark alicorn narrowed her eyes, her towering presence casting a shadow over him. “Your courage is admirable,” she said coldly, “but your ignorance is insufferable. You cannot begin to fathom what it means to be forsaken even by the ones you had loved most.”

Cosmo’s jaw clenched, his anger boiling over. “Maybe I can’t,” he growled, “but I can see exactly what your so-called ‘purpose’ has done to you. And I pity you for it.”

For a moment, the air between them was thick with tension, and the stars blazed brighter than they had in years. Then Nightmare Moon’s lips twisted into a cruel smile. “Pity will not save you,” she said. “Soon, you will understand that defiance is futile.”

She suddenly paused, studying him intently. Her piercing teal gaze seemed to peer past the mask of his defiance, straight into his very essence. Then her expression shifted—not softer, but calculating.

“You have potential, little unicorn,” Nightmare Moon said, her voice low and deliberate. “Even now, I can feel the latent magic within you, raw and untamed. With proper guidance, you could achieve greatness. I could teach you.”

Cosmo’s eyes narrowed, this was a trap, he was certain of it. A good one too – he could not deny the value of being taught by an alicorn this powerful. Although she would absolutely be a horrible teacher, he would still learn plenty. He was incredibly careful to keep his voice monotone.

“And what’s the catch?”

“Only your loyalty,” she replied, her usual menacing smirk absent. “Swear allegiance to me, and I will show you power beyond anything you have ever imagined. Refuse...” She let the word hang, her gaze cold and unyielding.

“I’ll sleep on it.” Cosmo replied in a genuine manner. “In the meantime, do you have any pain medicine? My wing is killing me.”

Oh heavens, that’s not good.

“Pain medicine?” she repeated, her voice low and edged with suspicion. “For a wing?”

Cosmo froze, his mind racing. Damn it. He had not meant to let that slip. It wasn’t even his wing; Cosmo didn’t have any. He had a severe back injury instead. Old habits die hard, I guess.

Nightmare Moon stepped closer, her presence suffocating. “No, I do not,” she said coldly. “But rest assured, I will deal with you… later.”

With that, she turned sharply and strode from the room, leaving Cosmo alone. He exhaled slowly, the tension in his body giving way to exhaustion. He glanced at where his broken wing would be, wincing as another bolt of phantom pain shot through it.

“Great,” he muttered under his breath. “Smooth, Cosmo. Real smooth.”

Author's Note

What's up gamers! Just for clarification, When a character switches to their alias, I will refer to them as the name of their alias. For those who got confused, Cosmo is indeed the alias of Prince Vesper. They are the same person. I definitely explained the mechanic well enough, but everyone has their moments where they just completely miss the most random piece of context. Happens to me all the time. Thanks for reading my little story!
-SplitSquid
-(ill update soon i promise)