Salad and Vignette

“Who are you?” the voice rumbled from the darkness. Luna spun to face it, but even her eyes could not pierce that blackness. Pacing within the circle of light, she dared not trespass into the shadow.

“Who are you!” the voice demanded this time.

“I am Luna!”

“No. That is your name,” the voice said in either disappointment or boredom; Luna couldn’t tell.

“Who are you?” it asked again.

Luna squared her posture, glaring towards the voice. “I am Princess Luna, sovran of Equestria, and incarnate of the moon.”

Thunder racked Luna’s body as the voice bellowed, “No!”

“That is your title.” The voice explained. “What others call you when they dare not use your name. Now, who are you? Nightmare Moon perhaps?”

“No! That... was what I called myself when I was wrong.”

“So you were Nightmare Moon, but now who are you?”

“I.. do not know.”

“You move the heavens, and rule a nation, but do not know who you are?” The voice seemed truly concerned with this situation.

Luna sat in silence, her eyes tracing the line where light met black. A circle of light in a sea of black. It was unfortunately familiar.

“I do not move the moon, I guide it. And I do not rule the ponies, I protect them,” Luna said absently, more to herself than the voice. Still, she awaited the scolding for another errant answer, but only silence came.

A crooked smile came to Luna’s face with a laugh, “I am a shepherdess”, but sad eyes still traced the circle that held her. “Surrounded by my flock, I am alone in the night.”