Nothingness. Inky, dark, devoid of everything, nothingness. That's the only way I could explain it. It felt like I was just drifting in space not in any control of any part of my body yet not really going anywhere at the same time. I couldn't see, couldn't breath, I couldn't even feel my own heartbeat in this place. I guess it was a good thing that I didn't need to eat or breath and probably did not even need to sleep here where ever "here" is. I sighed to myself and that's when it hit me and I would've seen it with my own eyes but I couldn't see anything. The only thing I knew for absolutely certain was that I was in my own body once again.
I soon noticed another presence in this nothingness with me and could only assume it was the other me, Nightmare Moon. I could feel that she was near by but I still couldn't see anything. It felt like I had no eyes at all but I knew that was silly as it took a few tries but I finally managed to bring my hoof up to my face and place it on one of my eyes.
"So this is where I am banished to, huh?" I heard her say and turned my muzzle towards where I thought I heard her voice come from. "And the best part?" she asked herself, "Oh yeah the best part of all of this is that I'm stuck with YOU." If I could have seen her I would've sworn she just spat as she said that.
"Where are we?" I asked her. It was a good while before I got anything from her and the silence was beginning to get to me.
"Can't you tell?" she mocked me.
"Oh yes, I can clearly tell where we are." I said sarcastically back at her. I could have sworn a heard a slight giggle from her as soon as I said that but then again this place is messing with all of my senses. Even I couldn't feel my magic as if it as not there anymore which bothered me the most.
"Well that crazy sister of yours just banished us for who knows how long." Nightmare Moon somewhat explained.
"Banished...? What do you mean banished? And where to?" I started throwing question after question at her as panic slipped into my voice.
"By the moon and stars, calm yourself you silly pony." she yelled back as I quieted down so she could go on. "Your sister, Celestia, used the Elements of Harmony on us. Do you remember that?" I nodded and then realizing how silly that seemed for she couldn't see me either I said I did remember that part.
"Well if you were paying half of as much attention as I was then you would've known that her position and her line of sight there was only one place for us to go when she used that much power. Can you guess where we are?" It took me a few minutes to put all the pieces of the puzzle together and then I gasped as I replied.
"That's not possible...are we really..."
"On the moon?" Nightmare Moon finished for me as she confirmed it as she went on. "Yes. Celestia has banished us to the moon using the power of the Elements. And once again I am stuck here with you for who knows how long." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Why would Celestia do that to me? Why didn't she find some other way to defeat her? Why didn't she save me like she said she was going to? So many more questions ran through my mind that brought back feelings of anger and rage just like before as I couldn't just contain it anymore and let out a scream of rage and pain that would've shaken the very foundations of the tallest mountains.
Something strange happened next after I seemed to calm down. The first thing that happened was that Nightmare Moon came into view and we were both standing across from each other. She had an expression I've never seen on her face before. It was a mixture of shock and awe before she composed herself and turned her head away from me as if I was a sore sight to see. We were still in complete darkness but a few moments later a few lights appeared below us and as I looked down to see what they were I could see Equestria shape and form into what we know of it today.
It was strange watching all of this and I couldn't wrap my head around any of it to try and make sense of it. I saw Celestia and I immediately called out to her and started to run towards her but it was useless for I was going nowhere no matter how far I tried to run. I even tried to fly and the same thing happened. I stopped moving and just watched the events play out before me but they seemed jagged and out of place for they kept jumping around from scene to scene.
One moment there was Celestia talking to some pony and the next she was standing on a hillside looking up at an empty cliff face. It jumped again to some part of Equestria that I've never seen before where some ponies where playing in the afternoon sun. I heard Nightmare Moon spit in disgust for she was seeing the same thing I was and I knew why she did that without her having to say anything. Turning back to the images I watched as the days turned into years, the years into centuries, as Equestria grew and grew as I just floated there in that blackness next to Nightmare Moon the whole time. We haven't moved in a very long time nor did we barely talk to each other as we just watched everything unfold before us.
How long did I have to stay up here? Will I ever be able to get back home? More and more questions began to pile up over the years as we just watched time pass by yet it didn't seem to affect us much in this void. Then one day something really weird started happening and turning my head I watched Nightmare Moon move over near where we were watching everything unfold and just stand there. I would ask her what she was up to but I thought better of it. It looked like she was focusing on a certain scene but I tried not to stare in her direction for I did not want to be near her in the first place but there was nothing either of us could do about it. It seemed like another few years came and went before I heard her speak, more to herself than to me but I couldn't help over hearing for there was no other sound in this place.
"It is almost time...."
"Time for what?" I couldn't help myself but ask for it was so long that I've heard any pony's voice other than the thoughts in my head.
"Time to go home my little pony." She turned her head and smiled evilly at me before returning her gaze back down to where it was. I blinked a few times and was confused at her statement. How? Is somepony going to come save us? Is my sister going to finally free us from our imprisonment? I wanted to ask her these things but then my eyes caught the scene she was staring so intently at. It looked like they were getting ready for the Summer Sun Celebration in some small town I didn't recognized. My thoughts drifted back to those days when my sister and I would be there on the platform together as I lowered the moon while she raised the sun at the same time. It was the only time of the year when we were both together using our magic for every pony.
Laughter broke my train of thought as I turned towards Nightmare Moon. She was laughing? It seemed a bit strange to me for all of a sudden that she would just start laughing uncontrollably at what looked like nothing to me. It was a few minutes before she got herself under control and turned to face me before she spoke once again in her menacing voice.
"Now it is time. We will be free from this place very shortly. Unfortunately for you you'll be stuck back on the inside." She laughed again as I stepped back from her.
"No! I will not be trapped inside you once again." I shouted back doing my best to not believe anything she is saying.
"You have no choice and now you have no time. Sweet dreams, Luna." she laughed again as everything seemed to go hazy and slowly start to get dark once more.
"Stop! Please! I don't want to go back in there. I want my sister! Please let me see Celestia!" My words fell on deaf ears as everything around me faded away and that all to familiar filling returned but the scenery was different as I felt our body rush back towards Equestria in a cloud of blue and purple smoke before a moment later we appeared on a balcony looking down at a crowd of ponies. Gasps and shocked faces could be seen through out the room as Nightmare Moon laughed as she scanned the group below her.
"Oh my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious little sun loving faces."
"Hey! What did you do with our Princess?" I saw a rainbow colored pegasus shout out before Nightmare Moon replied.
"Why? Am I not royal enough for you?" she laughed and the glared down at the pegasus as she continued. "Don't you know who I am?" These ponies didn't know who she was. Has it really been that long that nopony remembers her, or perhaps even myself? I didn't like where this was going as I just watched not being able to do anything. I watched her fly around the room as she continued her speech to every pony as they all seemed afraid of her.
"Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?"
"I did, and I know who you are!" Nightmare Moon's eyes quickly shifted to the one who spoke. It was a purple unicorn standing near the center of the room. I didn't know who she was either but something told me that she was the only one who actually might know about us. "You are the mare in the moon. Nightmare Moon!" she said as every pony let out a gasp as they recognized the name.
"Well, well, well. Some pony who remembers me. Then you also know why I am here." It looked liked she tried to answer but just couldn't as Nightmare Moon just laughed as she called out. "Remember this day little ponies for it was your last. From this moment forth the night will last forever!" Blue and purple smoke started to fill up around her as she continued to laugh before we faded away and left what seemed to be a town hall.
Where she was going I wasn't to sure but she was moving fast as the scenery passed by in a blur but then I did see something I knew: the Everfree Forest. That sure hasn't changed much save for it has grown and spread quite a bit since the last time I saw it. It finally dawned on me that she was heading back to where our old castle was at when me and Celestia first ruled together. I watched her set traps along the way in case any pony decided to follow us. It didn't take us very long to get back as she transformed back into her ponyself and started walking through the overgrown ruins.
"Why did you come here?" I asked hoping she would at least explain some part of her plan.
"I'm looking for something..." she said trailing off as she searched the ruins. I tried asking again wanting a more definite answer but got nothing but silence from her. After a while of not getting anywhere she flew high into the air and hovered there taking in a bigger picture of things. It wasn't very long before she heard voices on the wind and quickly started to scan the ground for the source of these voices. Over by one of the few standing buildings she saw six ponies walk inside and immediately heard raised voices of joy and excitement and something about the Elements of Harmony.
So that's what she was looking for but why would they be here? Wouldn't Celestia have hidden them in a safer place after she used them on us? Sometimes I just didn't understand my sister. Nightmare Moon flew down and closer to the build as she watched the ponies take down the stone Elements and place them in front of that purple unicorn as she explained about some kind of spark or something for they only had five of the Elements. A moment later she told them to wait outside and that was when she acted. Transforming back into the smoke she flew in stealthily and began to gather the Elements up together floating them higher and higher in a make shift tornado before teleporting them out of the room with her.
Appearing in another part of the castle that had not be so badly damage Nightmare Moon had the Elements around her hooves as she noticed that a little extra came along for the ride. It was that purple unicorn and I gazed at her as I thought that was a stupid move. She has no idea how powerful Nightmare Moon is and she would be in serious trouble. Suddenly I saw her go from being in shock at seeing the alicorn with the Elements to determination as she got low and started to paw the ground as if she was getting ready to charge her.
"You're kidding. You're kidding, right?" Nightmare Moon said almost annoyed with her actions. The unicorn pawed the ground a few more times as she started to activate her magic before taking off in a full gallop towards her. I just blinked a few times for I was utterly confused with her actions but Nightmare Moon had other plans. She got low herself and when the unicorn got closer she took off in her own charge ready to take down this small pony. As Nightmare Moon lowered her head to spear her with her horn the unicorn suddenly vanished which made me go "Huh?" as she had the same reaction.
It only took her a few short moments to spot the purple unicorn as she was now over by the Elements. Nightmare Moon had her own type of teleportation and as she appeared across from the unicorn right as she used her magic to create some kind of spark that seemed to connect all five of them together as they began to glow and to much of my surprise I thought she actually made it work.
"No, no!" Nightmare Moon said shockingly as she watched the same thing happen as I did but just as quickly as it started the magical spark faded and the stones stopped glowing. The alicorn began to laugh once more before raising up on her hind legs and then slamming her front hooves down shattering all the stones into pieces. The unicorn looked horrified and frozen in place for she thought she had solved it by using her magic. Turning her attention to the little pony Nightmare Moon spoke angrily at her as the unicorn shrunk down in fear at the all powerful alicorn.
"You little foal! You think you can defeat me. Now you will never see your Princess or your sun. The night will last forever!" she boasted again as she spread her wings and drew up to her full height. I watched as the little pony went from fear to bravery in a matter of seconds as she stood strait up and faced Nightmare Moon.
"You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that? Well you're wrong because the spirits of the Elements of harmony are right here!" As she finished saying that the other five ponies came into view and moved up behind her. Then something completely unexpected happened. I watched as the pieces of the Elements rose up on their own without any kind of magic and move to surround each one of the ponies as the unicorn continued her speech about each Element and what they represent. I felt the power begin to fill the area and I knew that power to be from the Elements.
I also felt the fear start to build up in Nightmare Moon as we both watched the Elements of Harmony take a new form in five necklaces and as the sixth Element become a crown that rested on top of the unicorn's head. This was it, I thought, we were going to be banished once again as i watched the six ponies raise up and gather together before rainbow colored light shot up from all of them before it came crashing down on Nightmare Moon.
"Nooooooooo! Arrrhhhhhhhh!" she screamed as the light completely enveloped her and I closed my eyes waiting for that moment where we would be sent away for another thousand years. I heard voices this time, none that I knew of though until there was a new one, one that I haven't heard in a very long time which brought tears to my eyes as I opened them to see my sister walking up towards me.
"Princess Luna. It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. It is time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together little sister. Will you accept my friendship?" I couldn't bear to look at her as she asked me that but then hearing her soft sweet voice one more just broke me to pieces and I got up and ran towards her.
"I'm so sorry! I've missed you so much big sister."
"I've missed you too." was all she said as we held each other tightly tears flowing from both of us. As Celestia brought me back to her new castle called Canterlot there was a parade in my honor as now every pony seemed to praise me and love me just as much as her. I have never felt this way before in all my life and there were no words that I could use to express this feeling. Things were much better from here on out but it still took some time to get used to everything once again, especially when it came to all the other ponies.
I hope you have enjoyed this tale of mine for you know the rest. And for those who are just reading this for the first time please remember: no matter how bad it looks or how much pain you feel there is always some pony there who is willing to talk to you even if it doesn't seem like it. You just need the courage and strength to step forward for I promise you that if you let it sit there deep down inside it will fester and grow until you have your own personal Nightmare Moon to deal with. Thank you and be safe out there, my little ponies. I will be watching over you through out the night so rest easy and dream peacefully tonight.