"Light and dark. The most curious of eternal battles. This is because unlike fire and water, earth and wind, hot and cold; Light and dark cannot live without the other. Darkness needs to consume the light so that it can reach further; Light needs to repel darkness so that i may grow more. What a perfect example of this is the moon and sun. Both so equal, but not one being able to exist without the other in our world. When the dark of night has cooled the world too much, the sun must rise and bring life to the world again. When the light of the day has tired the world and has brought growth to too far a degree, the moon must rise and give rest to the land. Both equal, both needed..." - Star Swirl the Bearded.
The land itself, one could swear, was holding a breath as no eye could mistake the rare occasion setting upon the world. The eye of Solaris, the orb of fire that burned an endless red dawn upon the was dimming. All ponies and alike looked to the dimming ball as it dipped a final trickle against the horizon. Tears fell down from pony eyes and legs collapsed under tired forms as an encompassing darkness blanketed over the land of Caballussia. But no sound filled the air, as if the wild life itself was waiting for the final act to show that the time of celebration was here.
When the final sign came... the land rejoiced. Cheers and merrymaking, hollers and ponies taking to the streets. Many ponies danced in the dark streets and laughed with one another; reconnecting with friends they had not seen for weeks. Banners stretched from house to house with glittering letters of gilded text that would even show through the darkness. Stands were quickly set out of every pony's home and little colts and fillies broke their savings to enjoy this wonderful moment. In a single moment, all of Caballussia had changed.
In that moment when the sun was sent away, and the full moon hung above Canterlot as a vigil of peace...
"Citizens of Caballussia, hear my decree! I, Nightmare Moon, chancellor and royal commandant of the mighty Caballussia Empire, have been named high ruler of our wonderful land in stay of my sister, Queen Solaris, as she regains her might so that she may continue to rule you as she does. In the period of her rest, I grant my citizens the raise of my night. Though tyranny and absolute law governs the citizens during the time of day -a time my sister grants you all throughout her time of watch-, in night, you are granted amnesty by my hoof! Do as you wish, and act as you would under my eye... Though know that my sister will arise, and should you do anything that would effect her reign or defile my own name before her, amnesty will not protect you from final judgement."
The voice of their chancellor, the mare who stands beside Solaris and aids her in the conquest of the entire world, filled every Colony and every colonists ear. No pony dared to speak while she did, not even the youngest and brazen of the ponies. For a moment, only her echoing voice filled the towns; and when it finally stopped, the ponies cheered. "Long live the Queen!"
"Glory to Caballussia!"
"Our hearts to you!"
Joy escalated from all their lungs for hours on end, cheering the gift given to them by Nightmare Moon. Even guards, harsh enforcers of Solaris' law, threw down their staffs and helmets to join in with the celebrations.
To Nightmare Moon, who watched over her standing kingdom from the balcony of Canterlot Castle, the cheers brought to her a sense of right as much as the whispers of woe.
To one end, this granted the citizens a moment of peace and a sense of freedom. Something Solaris never granted them while they were under her hoof and sun. To this idea, Nightmare Moon believed that the citizens were given hope. And in spite of what Solaris believed, Nightmare Moon did not believe hope was dangerous. She found herself thinking back to a fair white mare that believed hope was to save everyone...
But to the other end, she felt a twinge of pain. It was not because she knew that the citizens would be placed under Solaris whenever she awoke. It was not because she was giving them only a glimpse of freedom. It was not that she was going against her sister's ideals. It was because, at this moment, this very, very, very rare moment... Solaris was powerless. Without fire, without her sun, without protection... She was asleep, vulnerable... And in one swift motion, she could end the nightmare...
In one motion, just one swift spell, Nightmare Moon could end the dawn forever and grant a normal life to everything...
In one motion... She could become what the citizens called her...
"Long live Queen Luna!"
"Glory to Luna!"
"Our hearts to you, Luna!"
In one motion, she could end the nightmare... But all she knew was the nightmare.
Will The (Dis)Harmonics world would cross over to the Harmonics world? or the other way around? i cant wait to see what happens!
Gasp! I should have read this sooner! This is fantastic!
Wow, in one paragraph you have built up the personal conflict that I was waiting for. Great job.
1935388 Which paragraph would that be?
1935432
But to the other end, she felt a twinge of pain. It was not because she knew that the citizens would be placed under Solaris whenever she awoke. It was not because she was giving them only a glimpse of freedom. It was not that she was going against her sister's ideals. It was because, at this moment, this very, very, very rare moment... Solaris was powerless. Without fire, without her sun, without protection... She was asleep, vulnerable... And in one swift motion, she could end the nightmare...
That right there.It shows "Luna's" full personal conflict with her sister, while also revealing her persoanl feelings towards the repressed citizens of Caballussia.
1935589 Exactly. Under it all, "Luna" wants to embrace what "Celestia" believed it... But then it tracks back to chapter 6 where I eluded to humanity.
1935618
Exactly, and I appreciated the subtlety of your writing as you brought that point to light.
Poor Nightmare Moon/Queen Luna, find the good version of the Mane 6; they can show you how to rule justly Damn, my 4th wall microphone is dead.
1937509 They can show how to rule, but can they show how to fix?
1937612
Theoretically yes, if they give her enough of an idea that she knows how to steer the nation, as for actual fixing though; it would have to be a long process of weening ponies off of fear of the government and a practically communist state. So fixing is not really within the power of Luna or the good Mane 6, its in the hooves of their ponies.
Seems to me that Luna should take a gamble and kill Celestia off anyway.
Even if she doesn't know what life filled with constant hope is like.
1940602 Ah, but there is more to it besides that. She has had 1000 years to think about revenge just as much as all the possibilities that would come with offing her sister. The main idea is that "Luna" has some sort of humanity left inside of her... The question is: for better or for worse?
1940721
If ya ask me it's for the worse.
If Luna is ruling alongside Celestia (Solaris) then that makes the citizens of Equestria just as much her responsibility as her sister's.
Now, her people are miserable and because of her "humanity" she's chosen to ignore every opportunity to eliminate the problem.
By pretty much doing nothing to help, she's just as bad as Celestia
1942971 Perhaps. But ponder this as well: what happens when the vigil of 'good' does something that Solaris has never done? Murder. Solaris has done unspeakable horrors, but she has never killed anyone with her own hooves. Should "Luna" do that, how will the people react? Riots and uprising; or maybe worse. And what if Solaris expects her sister to turn on her? What if she is trying to lure her? So many ideas prevent "Luna" from doing anything in the fear that something worse would happen. At the very least, at least she can give the citizens a moment of peace in their lives.
1943120
I just don't see why the citizens would riot against Luna.
If I understand correctly, many of the citizens are scared shitless of Solaris.
Why would they go up in a frenzy if Luna, the very one who temporarily makes life better for everyone, killed Solaris and brought about peace?
If it was me, I'd go from viewing Luna as a vigil of 'good' to a vigil of 'hope'.
The people (ponies) of Equestria should have revolted ages ago.
If they're tired of living in fear and being mistreated, then they should stand up for themselves and declare civil war.
It would send a message that not everyone is going to just sit back and put up with all the bull shit that Solaris is throwing their way.
The instant I found out that my supposed "leader" purposely cut off the food supply for where I live, i'd march into her castle and give her a piece of my mind, regardless of the consequences.
“People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people.”
― Alan Moore, V for Vendetta
Not tryin to give you a hard time or bash the story or anything, I just get a little annoyed when I watch a movie, read a story, or find out about a situation where someone gets mistreated on a high level and doesn't do anything about it.
1943409 If they did revolt against her, she would do to them what she did to the Changelings or the Everfree forest. And what I mean of riots is that once Solaris is dead, Solaris' loyalists (Cadance, Shining Armor, Twilight Sparkle, etc.) would carry out Solaris' will; or even seeing their great leader commit murder, they would do the same as seeing it as 'good'. There is a time when you can take action, and a way to take action... But no matter what, the action has a negative reaction; you need to think if that reaction is controllable or worth the trouble.
1943513
Monkey see, monkey do?
The citizens don't know how to distinguish between justified murder, and mindless slaughter?
Ridiculous.
Do to them what she did to the changelings?
I must have missed that part in the story, but my response to that is:
"Live for nothing or die for something".
- Rambo
In this case, they'd die for the right to be free.
Solaris loyalists?
I would say kill them all by any and all means necessary, and take no prisoners, but that could easily be viewed as being even darker than Solaris ...
I guess that defeats my argument on Luna killing Solaris, but I'm still disappointed that the citizens aren't doing anything to rebel.
I don't see any excuse for that.
1943642 Next chapter explains why they can't rebel.
Solaris is a lover of making examples.
1943652
This should be interesting ...
1943674 Should be done within the hour.
1943676
Cool.
Can't wait to see the explanation for this one ...
And thus, the reign continues... Dang you've made this feel hopeless. When do we get to see Rainbow and Flutters, though...