Princess Luna of Equestria was looking down over the dusk-struck city of Canterlot from the castle's top spire. She watched some fillys kick a ball around, laughing happily. Such happy subjects. Who was she kidding? She didn't have subjects. Celestia did. As she watched the sun, she saw her que and up she fluttered, arms raised, until the silver moon was raised over the creeping blanket of night. Suddenly a mare peeked out of a window and called " Come in! It's getting dark. You know it's dangerous to come out at night." she said. The fillys ran inside and slammed the door shut as if a ghost was at their heels. Everything was silent. Luna's face was twisted into anger and disappointment. Why did no one like her creation? It wasn't scary. It wasn't harmful. Luna sulked and clopped slowly down the winding staircases to her bedchamber. She flopped down onto her periwinkle cloud-bed and sniffled. She summoned her brush via her horn and slowly raked it over her mane. She tried to read a book but didn't find herself in the mood. A few tears rolled down her face. She cranked on the gas lamp and and opened the door to the empty hallway. Hanging her head, she made her way down to the banquet hall where dinner was about to be served. Her big sister was sitting at the very end of the table, lightly sipping a cup of tea when Luna walked into the room. " Hello. How was the night?" Celestia asked, watching luna sit down at the downy dining chair. " Great." Luna said, trying to muster some fake cheeriness. She levitated a salad onto her plate and munched quietly. " Not hungry?" Celestia asked. " A bit." Luna mumbled. After an awkward dinner of prying from her sister, Luna ascended once again to her quarters, where she attempted to sleep despite her depression. Suddenly, there was a knocking out of nowhere. " Tia?" Luna mumbled, " Is that you?" she peered around the shadowed room. Then, she noticed a beautiful night-black mare with a starry flowing mane and deep teal eyes behind the glass doors of her balcony. she was gesturing a hoof to the deadbolt. Luna zapped it open and the mare sat down into a settee. " Hello." She said, her voice smooth and hypnotic. " you must be princess Luna." She smiled. " I just wanted to say how wonderfully you make each night. Look at the precision-aligned constellations, the striking comets, the misty veil of inky blackness. It warms my heart." She threw up her arms and moved them in an arch over the night sky. " You truly have a most brilliant talent, Luna. Those... those... PONIES... They don't appreciate all that you do. They are not worth your night." she stroked Luna's mane comfortingly. " Well... that is true..." Luna said, smiling weakly at the mare. " Who are you, anyway?" Luna asked. " I have many names, but my most common one is Night. Night Moon." she whispered into Luna's ear. " And I also have a plan to make each and every pony throughout Equestria ADORE you." She smiled down at the young princess. " I must go. Sleep well, Luna, and know that I will be back tomorrow to help you." The mare stood on the balcony railing, then sprung off, soaring into the night. " Goodbye." Luna whispered, closing her eyes as her horn glowed and shut the door.
