The seeds of Equality
Luna walked through the halls of the Canterlot castle. She passed by her sister-Celestia's door and decided to peek in. The “Princess” was reclining on a pillow, being fanned by two of her servants. By the looks on their faces, they weren't having nearly as much enjoyment as Celestia. A green flame appeared before her to reveal a letter.
“Ah, Twilight Sparkle's newest letter eh?” Using her magic to grab a grape and put it in her mouth, she quickly scanned the contents. “Well that is good news indeed. I see no hint of treason in this letter.”
“Are you really that afraid of her, your highness? She is just a filly after all.” one of the guards commented.
“Silence! And it is not that I am afraid, she is my student and the loyalist of my subjects...still, she is very powerful indeed and if she chose to rise up against me, against us, there is little we can do. Especially with her power to make friends with anypony.”
Luna was appalled, Twilight Sparkle was a great pony, maybe even one of the best ponies that lived. Twilight and her friends had saved Equestria from Discord. They had saved Luna from her own...darkness. Twilight would never betray Celestia and for Celestia to spy on her that is...that is...with a sigh Luna left the doorway defeated. She had entered her chamber and opened a secret wall to her own private room. It was a sanctuary, a place where she went to think, to wonder, to escape.
“Dearest sister.” Luna said to herself in the darkened room. “I had thought you had learned from your mistakes but it seems corruption had once again taken over you.” Luna exited the room and went off flying away from Canterlot. Even being in the same castle as “her” made Luna ill with disgust. As she was flying, she began to think about Twilight and her friends. She remembered one night in particular, nightmare night. Luna had finally returned from yet another mission her sister had sent her on. She now had enough time to pop in on Twilight and thank her for the second chance. As she went to Ponyville all the little fillies, and for some reason a giant chicken, had screamed and ran away from her. She couldn't blame them for turning their backs on her, especially after what she had done, but she never thought the reason for it would have been vicious rumors spread by Celestia. Rumors accusing her of everything from extortion to cannibalism. It was then, in her darkest hour of rage and insecurity that Twilight had once again came to her rescue. She had taught her through games and lessons that it was okay to laugh and okay to be herself. Even though the real lesson came from that little filly who had requested her presence the year later, she still thanked Twilight for her hard work. As Luna thought more on this subject she had came to a group of earth ponies busting their flanks to harvest crops. She also noticed two pegasi flying in air right above them.
“You know what's funny?” One of the pegasus asked, addressing the hard working earth ponies. “You're working hard and we're not hardly working.” The two ponies broke into tears of laughter at this, but their laughter came to a sudden halt as Luna descended upon them.
“Why aren't you two working? You should leave these people to their business and attend to yours.” Luna said, her serious tone left no confusion.
“Well...uh...you see...princess.” One of the peagasi stammered, trying desperately hard to avoid Luna's wrath.
“We already finished our jobs.” the other pegasus chimed in, he had an arrogant attitude that made Luna wanna bring him down a few pegs. “It's not or fault that Celestia gives the earth ponies the hard jobs and we pretty much sit around all day. In fact we were just helping the earth ponies do their jobs by motivating them.” both of the pegasi laughed at this.
“Well if you wanted to help you could have just said so. Looks like these ponies need help harvesting crops, so get down there and start pulling them out.” Luna smiled triumphantly at her degree, the one thing she could not stand was inequality.
“But that's not fair!” one of the pegasi exclaimed. “We did our jobs, why should we do theirs as well.”
“Because you said you wanted to help.” Luna gave a laugh of victory as she flew off knowing justice was done, still, she couldn't help thinking about what the pegasi said. If Celestia had changed than why was it still the earth ponies taking the front of the assault? Tears streamed down Luna's face. Equality in Equstria was a lie, Celestia being a ruler for the people was a lie. Luna didn’t want to go back to that dark place, she couldn't go back to that dark place...but something needed to change.
Luna flew through the sky, but in her mind she wasn't going anywhere. She was stuck in front of a wall. She didn't have the power to defeat Celestia and her royal guards, she didn't want to. She didn't want to defeat Celestia because she had buried that part of her long ago...or at least she thought she did. It was true Celestia was still a tyrant whether or not people knew it. It was also true that she had control over all the powerful ponies in Equestria like puppets. Luna let out a heavy sigh “What should I do?” A loud screech filled the air, jolting Luna from her thoughts.
“Scootaloo! Wait for us!” Luna looked down and saw a purple haired filly riding a scooter followed by two other young fillies. For the first time Luna had taken in her surroundings. She must have flew into Ponyville in a haze. Once again she had looked back at the fillies, that's it. Maybe she couldn't stop Celestia but she wouldn't let the “Princess” brainwash the children of Equestia. She had to tell someone, anyone and those three were the lucky few who would know the truth about Celestia.
“You three!” Luna exclaimed as she came down from the sky. The three little ponies stood there frozen in terror. “I wish to have a word with you.” Luna looked around at the citizens of Ponyville, their faces held a mix of confusion and fear. “In private.” Luna added, better to be safe than sorry.
“W...wel...well...” One of the fillies stammered, she had a yellow coat and a giant ribbon in her hair. “Y...you could come t...to our clu...club house.” It was obvious from her speech that she instantly regretted the decision as she was so overcome by fear that she could barely form a sentence. Luna commended her on her bravery as she tried to act calm and collected. Luna sympathized with them. It was not their faults that they feared her, after what she had done she was afraid of herself too.
“Apple Bloom!” the purple haired pegasus entered the conversation. “What are you doing?? This is Nightmare Moon!”
“Don't you remember Nightmare Night? Sure she scared us good but she isn't a bad pony.” Hearing her words out loud the one called Apple Bloom started to feel more assured. “If you have something to talk to us in private about we can talk there okay?”
“Yes.” Luna agreed “To the club house! Let us make haste!” She shifted her eyes back and forth to make sure none of Celestia's spies were watching them.
The club house was just and ordinary tree house that stood atop a very old tree. Luna and her new companions had snuck through Ponyville to avoid any suspicion and made their way here. This was better than Luna hoped for, the location of it being towards the back of an old farm made sure no one could be around to overhear the confession of the Princess. As they entered the club house Luna spotted various designs and pictures that were marked with CMC.
“What is all this?” Luna asked, bewildered by the secret society under her hooves.
“We are the Cutie Mark Crusaders!” The three fillies said in almost perfect unison.
“The Cutie Mark what?” She had not heard of this group and was sure no one in Equestria has either.
“The Cutie Mark Crusaders!” The ponies yelled again. The violet haired unicorn had spoken up. “Our purpose is to find our cutie marks.”
“And why is it so important for you to find your cutie marks?” Luna asked, completely intrigue by the group.
“Well ya see...” Apple Bloom started but when she stopped the purple haired one stepped in. “We are the last ponies in our class to have a cutie mark.”
“Ah, so it is a bully issue that makes you want your cutie marks so bad.” Luna was beginning to understand.
“Well except foe Diamond Tiara and Silverspoon we aren't really bullied...” The violet one responded, it was appearant how sensitive of an issue this was. “It's more like an isolation issue.”
“Yeah.” agreed the pegasus. “We just feel...left out and lonely.”
“Yes I understand completely my little ponies. I too have been isolated, lonely and bullied.”
“You bullied?? But your Nightmare Moon?” Apple Bloom was beside herself, she never thought in a million years Nightmare Moon would be bullied.
“Well I wasn't always Nightmare Moon, and please call me Luna. By the way, You haven't told me your names.”
“I'm Apple Bloom.” confirmed who she thought was Apple Bloom. “And this here is Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo.” The other two ponies greeted her when their names were called so Luna knew which one was which.
“It is an honor to meet you all. Now as I was saying, There was a time when me and my sister...”
“Nightma...I mean You have a sister??” Scootaloo interrupted.
“Yes, my sister 'Princess' Celestia. Now back to my...”
“Your sisters with the Princess??” Now it was Apple Bloom with the interrupting question.
“Yes. Now as I was saying...” Luna started to get annoyed
“How cool is it to have the Princess as your sister?” Sweetie Belle chimed in.
“ENOUGH!” Luna's patience had it the boiling point. “Now listen to my words for the story I am about to tell you will change your view on Equestria and more specifically Celestia forever.”
The Crusaders sat quietly on the floor, half listening intently and half afraid.
“Very good, now where was I... ah yes; it all started with a man named Discord.”
The Crusaders gulped when they heard his name. Luna continued on. “So you've heard of him yes? He did resurface a little bit ago, but luckily for you he was brought down by Twilight Sparkle and them. However, me and Celestia were not so lucky. We had to endure years of that madman's tyrad.”
The Crusaders shivered with fear at the very thought of having Discord rule for years.
“So it scares you? Yes it was quite scary for us back then as well. So listen closely to my story for it will open your eyes.”
“Me and my sister were both born alicorns, that means we have both wings and magic. As I said before this was during the reign of Discord and just like how you would imagine it, it was chaotic and ponies were scared. Our parents did everything they could to try and protect us from Discord. They even went as far as openly resisting him; a costly mistake. However hard they tried to protect us from Discord, it was the other ponies we had to watch out for. Just like us they were tired and scared, because we were different they wanted to take it out on us. Me and my sister were bullied everyday from the start of the day to the end of it. My sister tried her best to take care of me and protect me from them and as such we grew close and had the strongest of bonds between us. When that horrific day came that Discord killed our parents, we decided to stand up and take action. We had heard from our parents stories about six mystical items- the Elements of Harmony.
We knew that the only way to defeat Discord was to use those items. Finding them, on the other hand, was a different matter. We had scouted almost all of Equestria without even a hint or trace of the objects. We had thought that our will to see our parents avenged was what was driving us to find the Elements but then we saw all the ponies who had been suffering like we had been and we knew our strength didn't come from vengeance, but from the will protect all the ponies of Equestria. It was then, in our darkest hour we had found the Elements of Harmony and with their power defeated Discord, imprisoning him as a solid rock statue!” Luna had exclaimed this excited about recalling her greatest triumph. The Cutie Mark Crusaders held no response as they had all their attention on the story.
“Equstria was finally at piece...but it's a piece that wouldn't last forever. As soon as me and my sister had taken the throne she had appointed herself in charge of the sun and daytime, leaving me to the night. Tis not that I had a problem with that but I should have seen it as a wake up call...” Luna's tone had gotten a sad seriousness to it. “Slowly overtime I had witnessed first-hand my sister's corruption. Behind castle doors she had pushed and punished our servants to the extent of their limits, I still don't even see why we had servants just to boss them around. She had sent spies into the cities of Equestria so that she could make sure there was no rebellion against as she ruled with an iron fist. I had seen many ponies thrown into the Canterlot Castle dungeon and even now I can hear their screams and pleas for help.” The Cutie Mark Crusaders were horrified by what they were hearing but it needed to be said.
“I had begun to see that she was in her own way becoming the Discord we had already defeated.” Luna continued. “Overtime I too fell into my own corruption as I had started my own rebellion against my sister. The history books said it was jealousy but they are part of Celestia's lies. I wanted to make the night last forever so all of Equestria would be under my watch and I could protect the ponies from my sister...sadly, I was defeated and although the lying history books said I was sent to the moon by my sister I chose to go there. The moon, the only solace I had on those dark nights of plotting and treason. It was my world, a world of justice from Celestia's control. I had turned my back on the Earth I couldn't protect.”
Luna saw the admiration in the eyes of the fillies and it gave her joy knowing the truth was out. “A thousand years of loneliness and solitude had passed and I too gave into a darkness, I was possessed by “Nightmare Moon” and went back to the Earth once more to free it from Celestia's reign. Only problem was that Celestia had found new allies, the new wielder's of the Elements of Harmony Twilight Sparkle and friends. I was no match for them but I was freed from Nightmare Moon and when I looked up I saw my sister's stern but forgiving eyes. I thought she had changed and I was willing to give her a second chance but it is clear to me now that she hadn't changed in fact, she is even more corrupted than she was back then. Sending me on daily missions so I wouldn't discover the truth, having Twilight and friends write her daily letters so that she can keep her “weapons” on a tight leash. She must be stopped, but sadly I am not sure how to do this.”
“Leave it to us!” Apple Bloom stated.
“What?” Luna asked shocked and confused.
“Yeah.” Scootaloo jumped in. “We can spread the truth to everyone in Ponyville.”
“My big sis can help us defeat that there evil Princess.” Apple Bloom added. As the Cutie Mark Crusaders discussed enthusiastically about there plans it had donned on Luna what she had done.
“NO YOU CAN'T!” Luna exclaimed regretting ever putting these innocent fillies in danger.”This must be a secret between us and only us okay?”
“What? Why?” The Cutie Mark Crusaders said again in almost perfect unison.
“Because it is treason and if Celestia ever found out you could be killed.”
“We were taught to always stand up for what we believe in, and we believe in you Luna.” Apple Bloom said matter of factly. Luna looked at the three fillies and saw how serious they were. This wasn't a game to them they had actually meant it. For the first time since Nightmare Night Luna had felt hope in her heart.
