Princess Luna sat regally on her throne, looking out at the empty room. She had been here for quite a few hours, and still, not a single petitioner had come to her night court. The only other ponies in the room were the two guards standing stoically at the foot of the dais upon which her throne sat. While they were quite skilled in that regard, they did not, however, make for good conversationalists while on duty. The princess of the night heaved a sigh and leaned back against the cushions in a more comfortable, albeit less princess-like, position. Yet again, nopony has come to my court. It's been more than a year since my return, yet everypony still chooses to go to my sister rather than to me. When will they be able to overcome their fear of me? If even just one pony, other than one of my fellow princesses, could give me a chance, then I would be so much happier...
Luna facehoofs at the stupidity of her thoughts. Did I really forget...? Wow, shows what a wonderful princess I am, forgetting the names of Equestria's citizens. How could I have forgotten Scootaloo? She was so sweet, and so pleased to see me. Hmmm... I wonder if she would object to me visiting her dreams again. At the very least that will give me something to do, rather than sit here all night.
The dark blue alicorn rose off her throne, descended the steps to the dais, and halted in front of her guards. They turned to look at her as she began to speak, “Night court is dismissed for the remainder of this night. I shall be taking up my dream duties for the rest of the night hours. You are now off-duty and may do whatever you desire.” Both guards saluted.
Her orders given, Princess Luna turned around and walked out of the throne room. As she walked toward her bedchamber, her thoughts began to betray what little confidence she had in what she was going to do. Are you really so sure that she's going to welcome you? You are, after all, nothing but a monster.
You! How are you still here? The Elements were supposed to banish you from me!
Oh, I’ll always be here. I am, after all, a part of you.
No! Luna stopped walking and began to cry. I don’t want anything to do with you! Can’t you just go away and leave me alone?
Do you think I want to be here? HA! If I could leave this pathetic prison, believe me, I would. I want nothing to do with you and your weak sister, or those sniveling ponies you call your subjects.
My sister is not weak! You’re just jealous!
No, you’re jealous. Remember, I’m a part of who you are, and I always will be, no matter what you say or do. The reason for my existence was your jealousy of your sister.
But I’m not like that anymore! Luna sobbed loudly. My sister and I are equals.
Oh really? Then why does nopony ever come to your court. Why is everypony afraid of you? Why do they only worship Celestia?
Stop it! I’m not a monster! I won’t let you take that away from me. There are ponies who love me. Scootaloo, for one. You’re just trying to take over again. But I won’t let you! I won’t let you destroy all I know and love!
Protest all you like. It won’t change your fate. Mark my words, there will come a time when I will rise again. And there will be nothing, absolutely nothing, you can do about it.
No… Luna wept even harder as she felt the Nightmare recede back into the depths of her mind. No… It can’t be true. I won’t let it be true. But if she’s really telling the truth, then what can I possibly do to stop her…
Luna drew herself up to her full height and dried her tears. No. I am NOT a monster. And I will never let her change that. I will not let her take my identity away from me again.
Holding that thought firmly in her mind, Luna walked the rest of the way to her bedchamber and, after nodding to the guards at the door, entered quickly. Once the door had shut behind her, the princess of the night removed her regalia and got onto her bed. As she drifted to sleep, she ignited her horn so that she would be able to traverse the dreamland.
Just as she had intended, Luna opened her eyes to find herself within Scootaloo’s dream. Though, perhaps nightmare would be a more appropriate term. The scene before her eyes dumbfounded Luna. Plummeting through the air toward the non-existent ground was Rainbow Dash. Her eyes were closed and her wings were twisted oddly, as if they were broken. Above her, wings flapping madly, yet failing to keep her in control of her movements, was Scootaloo. Her eyes were fixated on the cyan blue pegasus whom she considered a sister, and streaming with a seemingly endless flow of tears. As Luna strained to hear, Scootaloo sobbed, “Come on! Just a little bit more! If only I were good enough…”
Luna did not get to hear the rest because she ignited her horn to banish the nightmare as she shouted, “This has gone on far too long!”
Once her magic took effect, the scene changed to the streets of Ponyville where she landed next to Scootaloo. Immediately, the orange pegasus filly turned toward her and exclaimed, “Princess Luna! What are you doing here?”
Chuckling slightly at the filly’s enthusiasm, Luna responds, “There was nopony in court tonight and I was lonely, so I decided to visit you in your dreams. When I noticed that you were having a nightmare, I changed your dream to what it is now. But enough about me, what’s important is why you’re so troubled. Would you care to talk about it?”
Scootaloo hesitated for a few moments before saying, “I…well, I’m afraid. Afraid of letting Rainbow Dash down. I know that she thinks of me as her little sister, and that she says she still thinks I’m cool even though I can’t fly yet, but…” She choked on the words, and began sobbing.
Luna crouched down beside the pegasus filly and extended a wing around her to hug her tightly. “Shh…it’s okay. You aren’t letting her down, Scootaloo. She loves you, whether or not you can fly.”
Scootaloo pulled herself away from Luna’s embrace. “No she doesn’t! She might say it, but I don’t believe her! I’m not cool! I’m just…worthless!” She collapsed on the ground shuddering, with tears streaming down both of her cheeks.
Shocked, Luna wrapped Scootaloo in her wing once again. “Come now, Scootaloo, we both know that isn’t true. I do, however, know how you feel. A thousand years ago, I once felt the same way. I thought I was useless compared to my sister. Everypony loved her and the day she brought forth while they shunned my night, and through that, me. I thought my sister didn’t love me because she hardly ever spent quality time with me, so I let my jealously take over and became Nightmare Moon. However, during the thousand years I spent on the moon, I realized how stupid I’d been. I saw that my sister really did love me, and that the reason she hadn’t been able to spend a lot of time with me was the combination of our different schedules and the strain of being the primary ruler of Equestria. Even now that I am no longer truly Nightmare Moon, the part of me that manifested into her is still inside me. Earlier tonight, in fact, that portion of my psyche tried to convince me into going back to the way I was as Nightmare Moon. As you can see, I did not give in.”
The entire time the princess of the night had been speaking, Scootaloo had listened intently. Now, she gasped and said, “Really? How did you manage to get over feeling the way you did?”
With a slight blush creeping onto her cheeks, Luna replied, “Well, I suppose I can explain if you think it will help you.”
“Pleeeeeeeeeease!” Scootaloo looked up at Luna, her eyes shining.
“Alright!” Luna relented. “I’ll tell you.”
“Thank you so much Luna!” Scootaloo snuggled closer to the dark blue alicorn.
“As I spent those 10 lonely centuries on the moon, I had nothing to do but think. The two things I thought about the most were Celestia and the way I’d acted toward her during those last few weeks before I truly became Nightmare Moon. The major thing that I realized was that I had acted rashly and immaturely. If I had just been patient enough to talk to my sister about how I was feeling, then I’m sure we would have worked something out. Instead, I was foolish enough to let my emotions take over. And look what that got me…"
Luna looked out through the empty space surrounding her. Off in the distance, she saw the tiny speck that was Equestria. Oh, if only I hadn’t been so foolish. All it would’ve taken to avoid this entire mess was one conversation. Just one! But no, I had to be stupid and refuse to swallow my pride. And now, I’m going to be stuck here for the next thousand years.
While I’m here, practically frozen in time, back in Equestria life goes on. Generations of ponies will pass by, and I’ll never get to see them, hear them, or help them when they have a bad dream. A single tear escaped her left eye, and begin to trickle down her cheek.
Life is too precious to be spent like this for 10 centuries. But, I suppose I should’ve known that, if I lost to my sister, then I’d be facing something like this. I just wish I’d been able to be in better control of my feelings. I should have been able to contain them until I was able to swallow my foolish pride and talk to my sister. I know now, that she could’ve and would’ve helped me. I know that together, we would’ve figured something out. While I deserve what I get, stuck here for a thousand years, Celestia most certainly doesn’t deserve to have to rule Equestria alone for so long. I don’t think she’s strong enough. For some reason, I was always the one who was able to find a way to struggle through my problems alone, until now, that is.
All of this, life, death, and everything in between is bigger than anypony could possibly conceive, even an immortal alicorn. In a blink of an eye, I changed from a princess into a monster, and now I’m paying the price. For a thousand years, I shall weep for all the terrible things I did. For all the troubles I’ve cost my sister and the ponies of Equestria. My tears will flow into eternity, forever serving to remind me of what I’ve done.
And while I shed those tears, I will find a way to change. A way to have better command over my thoughts and emotions. I will forge my destiny anew, and find a way to make amends for all the destruction that I’ve wrought. Somehow, someway, I will spread my wings, and fly high into the sky to someplace far above all the sorrow I’ve caused. Eventually, I’ll find my way to a new era, where I’ll have a chance to rectify all of my stupidity.
A choking sob came from Luna and soon her entire body was wracked with constant sobs and tremors. Tears poured from her eyes in never-ending rivers, and splashed onto the surface of the moon. I promise I’ll find a way Celestia. After all, I’ve given myself plenty of time. So much time in fact that, in my memories, I’d say I’ll be hanging here forever, suspended by the wings of time…
“What matters the most is not where you are or where you stand in life. It matters only where you look, and that you see the true reality of everything. You must accept the good and the bad, for without both, what are we? As long as you hold onto the reality of the truth, the time shall pass rapidly, and you will soon see that you can soar through the sky, high above all the sorrow.”
Scootaloo looked up at Luna, in awe of what she’d just heard as she asked, “So, should I do something like what you did? Should I try to change my destiny?”
Luna chuckled under her breath, “No Scootaloo, all you need to do is be you. The real you, one who doesn’t try to force herself to fly when she’s not yet ready. Because, trust me Scootaloo, Rainbow Dash will always care about you, whether or not you ever fly. It isn’t what you can or can’t do that counts; it’s who you are that matters the most.”
Scootaloo jumped to her hooves and hugged Luna. “Thank you so much! I understand now! While being able to fly would be amazing, what’s the most important is the relationship that I have with Rainbow Dash. I have to be able to accept that reality, and make the most of it as it is without trying to be somepony I’m not.”
Luna felt that it was almost time for the night to come to an end as she replied lovingly, “Exactly, Scootaloo. I’m glad I was able to help you. While I would really love to spend some more time with you, I have to go. It’s almost time for me to lower the moon.”
“Oh, okay. I wish you could stay, but I understand.” Scootaloo hugged Luna one more time, then let go.
Luna nuzzled Scootaloo one last time before taking flight and using her magic to pull her mind out of the dreamland. A smile graced her lips as the scenery of Scootaloo’s dream began to change back into the familiar darkness she always saw just before waking up. The night princess opened her eyes and found that she was just in time to lower the moon and make way for her sister’s sun.
Stiffly, she walked out onto her balcony and lit her horn. As her magic pulled the moon from the sky, Luna reflected on all she had accomplished that night. I hope Scootaloo will continue to remember what I told her. That advice has probably been the most valuable piece of information I’ve learned in my long life. I’ve learned how to fly high above all those sorrows and regrets. And now, I’m flying towards a new era on the wings of time, as I will for the rest of forever.