Moonlight Terror

“Well,” the unicorn said, “She’s wouldn’t have been my first choice,” he turned away from the princess to watch the pink pony cartwheel by, leaving streamers in her wake. The entire main room of Ponyville’s town hall was slowly becoming filled with similar streamers of silver and deep blue, little sigils shaped like the phases of the moon hanging high from the rafters.

“Indeed she may be… peculiar, however I know from experience that her work is far greater than any you shall find from anywhere else in Equestria,” Luna responded as the pink pony summersaulted back the other way.

“I suppose. Then again, I’m not really the type to attend something like this often enough to know,” he turned back to Luna “If you don’t need me until tonight, I suppose I should take my leave,”

“Yes Ellipsis, you are released,”

“Your Highness,” Ellipsis said with a bow before turning to leave. He took two steps before stopping to think for a moment.

“Celestia’s apprentice runs the library in town,”

“Ah,” he said, beginning his exit again.

Luna turned back to regard the pink blur zipping back and forth across the room. Celestia had seen it fit to assign the castle’s historian as her secretary of sorts. It hadn’t been said directly but Luna had a strong suspicion it was in response to the disappearing act she had pulled the week before. Luna felt she had gotten past the need to do so, but Celestia was always one to keep all her bases covered.

Luna was pleased with the work Pinkie Pie had done so far. The way things were shaping up, this was going to be the best Winter Moon Celebration of the century. The fact that there hadn’t been one in over a millennia had nothing to do with it.

Pinkie’s two employers entered with the catering, each giving Luna a nervous bow as they passed by. Celestia had said they were skittish around royalty. Piles and piles of deserts and hors d'oeuvres of all shapes and sizes came with them. Here were apple tarts, there were berry scones, all the sandwiches and pastries and cakes.

“Oh my,”

Several hours passed as a steady stream of ponies bringing their part of the preparations. The musical entertainment was the last to arrive, the unicorn having only just finished setting her things up before the guests began to arrive. Luna stood by the entrance making a point of greeting every guest, and to be sure of five special guest’s arrivals with only one missing.

Luna took her leave to the main balcony, finding Ellipsis standing to the side of the curtains. “Your Highness,” he greeted with a bow of his head as Luna took a breath before stepping through the curtains and onto the balcony.

“Good citizens,” Luna began “For the first time in over a thousand years we are gathered here to celebrate the winter solstice. The longest night of the year. The height of the power of the moon. So be marry, and let this celebration be the standard to which all those of the next year are held to,” With that the hall was plunged into darkness as the sun set upon the horizon. The silvery glow of Luna’s horn shone through the shadows as the moon began to rise on the opposite horizon, bathing Equestria in the same silvery glow as one by one the stars twinkled into existence. The crowd cheered at the sight and the celebration officially commenced.

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Luna sighed at the din of the ponies chatting amongst themselves; the music had changed to a slower tune a while ago. She had enjoyed the party so far, the night still being young, but the night was so long this time of year, its lifespan so much greater it could be young for several hours still.

The secretary of sorts was still going on, telling her the who’s who of the party which was made up of a great deal of Canterlot's elite for being so far away from the city itself. Luna was growing weary of the party and decided to give the secretary of sorts the slip. He continued talking for a few minutes before realizing he was speaking to the empty air.

The Night Guard were easy to slip past, being more concerned about the comings than the goings, leaving Luna to wander the town trudging through the winter snow. Eventually she had walked to the edge of a large forest and decided to turn back… but something told her she should continue forward.

Luna followed the instinct a great distance before she realized she could no longer see the town behind her. Darkness prevailed as the stars and the moon were no longer visible through the thick canopy, but a small feeling in the back of her mind urged her forward deeper into the forest. Soon she found herself on the edge of a cliff, a rickety rope bridge the only way across, making Luna glad she had the ability of flight.

Luna looked up at the great structure and memories flooded into her mind. In her mind she didn’t see the ruins in front of her, but the castle that had stood in its place so long ago. She ran through the main doors and marveled at the immaculate red carpet on the ground, the stained glass windows polished to a shine, the white marble pillars so smooth you couldn’t find a scratch with a magnifying glass. The hall that Celestia had modeled her throne room after stood in front of her in all its glory. She strolled up the stairs to this castle’s throne room, came up from the stairs and saw the memories flow through her mind. She saw- she saw…

Her world was plunged back into the dark of night. The moon shining high above her, the tree canopy unable to reach so far and the roof long since collapsed. She walked forward slowly; grief of the memories’ fleetingness consuming her and the night’s chill enveloping her. Luna looked up, strange midnight blue objects sat in front of her looking somewhat like torn cloth. But their texture was-

A deep growl sounded from behind her chilling her to her bones. Luna turned towards the noise spotting two glowing yellow eyes staring at her from the top of the staircase. She calmed herself and took a step back from the stairs.

The animal leapt towards her.