Spanner in the Works
Prologue:
We were inseparable. I thought we would be together forever. I thought it would never end.
It was a dark and stormy night. The perfect night for playing in mud puddles.
The two foals giggled and laughed as they splashed around.
“You always find the best puddles, Lunar,” said Celestia.
“But you make the biggest splashes,” replied Lunar.
“All right, children,” a voice called from inside. “Time to get cleaned up and go to sleep.”
As they walked back inside, Lunar turned to Celestia and said, “We’ll always be together, won’t we?”
“Always and forever,” answered Celestia.
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But nothing lasts forever. It started so slowly. We came into our positions; Celestia with the sun and the day and I with the moon and the night. We were supposed to be equals. We were supposed to rule together. But not everypony saw us that way…
Dawn broke over the horizon as Celestia raised the sun. The crowd of ponies that had come to watch the Dawn Ceremony cheered as a new day began.
“Wasn’t that wonderful?” Celestia asked as they entered the palace. “So many ponies coming to see the ceremony!”
Lunar was silent. “What’s wrong, Lunar?” she asked. “Didn’t you enjoy the ceremony? Everypony came, just to see us.”
“They didn’t come to see us, Tia,” said Lunar. “They came to see you.”
----
Everypony loved Celestia. And Celestia loved everypony. She loved the attention. She loved the adoration. But I was alone. Where were my followers? Where were the ponies who came to see me raise the moon each night? The night gave them so many wonderful things, but nopony seemed to care. They only loved her. And the ponies were just the beginning. It was so easy to believe that she wanted it all. The stars were as much mine as the moon. She controlled one sun, but I controlled billions. And if she couldn’t have that, then she would have the ponies’ love instead. And if they wouldn’t love me on their own, then I was going to make them love me.
Even if night had to last forever.
Celestia was confused. Why wasn’t the moon going down? Lunar had never failed to make the moon set before. “Lunar?” she asked. “Why isn’t the moon setting? You know I can’t raise the sun until you do.”
“It’s not going to set, Tia,” replied Lunar. “It’s not going to set ever again.”
“Why, Lunar?” Celestia asked. She was worried now. Something had gone wrong. Very wrong. Something that she hadn’t seen coming. “The world needs the sun. Everything will die if the sun can’t rise.”
“Why, Tia?” Lunar returned. “To make the world see! They’ve all been blind long enough. You’ve always been the favorite. The one everypony loved. But nopony loved me, no matter what I gave them. There will be no sun! There will be no day! There will be nothing but night until they come around!”
---
And so I seized my birthright. The world was mine. The power. All of it mine.
It was…
Glorious.
I was in control. Day and night would last as long as I wanted them too. I finally understood why Celestia wanted it all.
But Celestia would not go down so easily. We fought. Evenly matched, we fought as the equals we were. It might have lasted forever, if not for one thing that I did not anticipate. Tia took the Elements of Harmony, one of our most treasured artifacts, and broke it.
Our harmony broke with it. In a flash, I was overpowered. Everything around me faded to nothingness. When my vision was restored, I bore witness to something that I had thought I would never see. I stood upon a barren landscape and above me, I saw Equestria. A land that was experiencing a new dawn without me. I had been banished to the moon. Tia had turned my power into my prison.
And the thing that hurt most about banishment?
It wasn’t the fear.
It wasn’t the betrayal.
It was being alone.
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Chapter 1
Present Day
Requiem slowly flew back to her room. Behind her, Cherry Blossom asked Sunflower, “How did it go?”
Sunflower shook her head sadly. “I don’t understand. We’ve almost never had a foal stay with us for so long. I don’t think we’ve had a foal stay with us since, since…”
“Since me?” asked Cherry Blossom.
Sunflower paused. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t have brought that up. I know it hurts you to be reminded.”
“It’s all right,” said Cherry Blossom. “I’ll go in and talk to her. See if I can help her feel better.”
Cherry Blossom knocked on Requiem’s door. “Can I come in?”
There was a mumbled “Yes,” from behind the door and Cherry Blossom entered. “Are you all right?” she asked.
“I’m never going to be adopted,” sniffed Requiem.
“Yes you will,” Cherry Blossom said. “It just takes longer sometimes. If it helps, I know how you feel.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Actually, I do,” said Cherry Blossom. “I never got adopted at all.”
“You didn’t?” Requiem asked.
“No,” answered Cherry Blossom. “I just sort of… stayed. I had no place to go, so I made the other orphans my family. And no matter what happens to you, you will always be part of my family.”
“Thank you,” said Requiem.
“Now, you’ve had a long day,” said Cherry Blossom. “And tomorrow is the Summer Sun Festival. You’ve always loved that, so forget about today and get ready for tomorrow.”
Requiem sniffed. She always did love the Summer Sun Festival. And maybe she would get adopted eventually.
Everypony woke up early so they could get ready for the festival. The moon was still up and Requiem looked up at it. She had always loved the moon and the night. The moon was so pretty and there were so many wonderful things at night that weren’t there during the day. She knew the stories that were told of Nightmare Moon; how he had rebelled against Princess Celestia and had been banished to the moon.
Requiem had always wondered why Nightmare Moon had rebelled. None of the stories were clear. But nopony else seemed to love the night. She thought that maybe he had been lonely, like her. Maybe he felt unloved. Maybe they hurt the same, and that hurt made him want to hurt others back. But, even if Nightmare Moon had been evil, he had been gone a long time. Ponies could change, even ones like him.
“Are you ready,” Sunflower said. “We want to get there before the ceremony starts.”
“Coming,” said Requiem.
Sunflower and Cherry Blossom took Requiem and the other children to Town Hall. As they went, Sunflower asked, “How did it go?”
“I think she’s feeling better,” said Cherry Blossom. “But she doesn’t understand why nopony wants to adopt her. She’s such a kind, gentle filly.”
“She’s different from the other foals,” said Sunflower. “She prefers the night. She loves the moon. And the stories she reads. The other children think she’s strange and I think others sense it, too. Perhaps if she had been more like the other foals, perhaps she would have been adopted already.”
“I don’t know, Sunflower,” said Cherry Blossom. “Maybe, but she’s such a good filly and…” Just then, the ceremony started.
The mayor stood up on the stage in front of a curtain and began, “Thank you all for coming. We have a special celebration in store for everypony today. To help us celebrate the Summer Sun Festival, I would like to introduce Princess Celestia.”
Everyone was excited. Princess Celestia herself was here! Princess Celestia had never hosted the Summer Sun Festival at Ponyville before. They would get to see her raise the sun! But when the Mayor pulled the curtain open, the stage was bare. The Mayor awkwardly began again. “I would like to introduce Princess Celestia,” she said, a little too loudly. The stage remained bare.
“Twilight,” the Mayor said to a pony Sunflower couldn’t see. She probably meant it to be a whisper, but everypony could hear it. And who was Twilight, again? It took her a minute to remember that she was the new pony; the one who ran the library now. “Where is Princess Celestia? I thought you said she would be here?”
“I don’t know,” the other pony replied. “She promised she would be here.”
The crowd was growing restless. They knew something was wrong. “Everypony stay calm,” said the Mayor. “There’s been a small delay, but I’m sure Princess Celestia will be here soon.”
The clock struck six and something happened. There was a flash of light and a tearing sound. The tearing turned into laughter, harshly dissonant to the happy ceremony that filled the area. “I am free,” said a figure who now occupied the stage.
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Chapter 2
The figure was large, bigger even than Macintosh, the stallion who owned Sweet Apple Acres. A stallion, black as the night and wearing ornate silver barding, dominated the room. “Who are you?” demanded the Mayor. “What do you want here?”
“Foolish Earth Pony,” said the figure, unfurling a massive pair of wings. “Do you not recognize me? For I am Lunar, Lord of Night, though you may know be better as Nightmare Moon.”
“Impossible,” said the Mayor. “Celestia banished you to the moon. You do not belong here.” Sunflower thought it was a brave, if foolish, gesture. Nightmare Moon was an Alicorn. It was clear that nopony here was in a position to make demands.
“Nothing is impossible,” said Nightmare Moon. “The time was right for me to return. It has been a thousand years since your treacherous princess sentenced me to my prison. And now I have returned to claim what is rightfully mine!”
Requiem couldn’t believe it. Nightmare Moon! Right here, in Ponyville! There was so much she wanted to know. Nightmare Moon continued to bellow at the other ponies. This must be Royal Canterlot Voice! “Remember this day, little ponies, for the Day of the Long Night will last forever!” With that, Nightmare Moon flew off into the night.
There was chaos. The Mayor vainly tried to restore order, but nopony listened to her. While nopony was looking, Requiem chose that moment to sneak off. She was going to meet Nightmare Moon, and she was going to find out the truth of the stories she had heard.
By the time order was restored, Requiem was long gone. The Mayor ordered a message sent to Princess Celestia. Meanwhile, Cherry Blossom was counting the children. “Five, six, seven, seven,” she said. “Who’s missing? Does anypony know?” She gasped. “Requiem? Requiem! Sunflower!”
“What?” asked Sunflower.
“Requiem’s gone,” said Cherry Blossom. “I think she might have followed Nightmare Moon!”
Requiem flew as fast as she could, but quickly fell behind. Nightmare Moon, as both an adult and an Alicorn, was a much stronger flyer than her. Nightmare Moon seemed to be heading in the direction of Everfree Forest. But nothing was there, except for the old ruins from the castle. She wondered why he would be going there. After some time flying, it turned out that he was, in fact, heading towards the ruins. Nightmare Moon entered, and Requiem followed.
It took some time to find Nightmare Moon again. He stood in front of an odd structure with crystals attached to it and was talking to himself. “What happened here? Everything is in ruins. This was our home. Why would Tia let it rot like this?”
“She doesn’t live here anymore,” Requiem said. It was a gamble, but she had to take the chance if she was to learn what she wanted.
“Who’s there!” shouted Nightmare Moon. “Show yourself!”
Requiem came out of the shadows. “Who are you?” said Nightmare Moon. “A filly? Here alone? Why did you come here?”
“I, I’m Requiem,” she said. “I’m here because I wanted to meet you.”
“Meet me?” asked Nightmare Moon. “You came all the way through Everfree Forest to meet me? Why?”
“Because you’re Nightmare Moon,” replied Requiem. “I’ve read everything I could about you. How you rebelled against Princess Celestia. That she banished you to the moon. I just wanted to know why you did that.”
“Is this a joke?” asked Nightmare Moon. “Why are you not at home?”
“Well,” said Requiem. “I don’t really have a home. I’m an orphan.”
Nightmare Moon paused. “No… home?”
“Well,” said Requiem, “I guess I do have the orphanage, but it’s not the same thing as having a real home. Or a family.”
Nightmare Moon was silent. “Everypony should have a family,” he said quietly.
“Why did you come here?” asked Requiem. “Nopony’s lived here for years.”
“This was my home,” said Nightmare Moon. “Before I was banished. When Celestia and I were still a family. I had hoped that by coming back here I could finish our business together. I had hoped that I could regain what was mine. But all there is here are ruins and old memories.”
“But I can take you to Princess Celestia,” said Requiem. “She lives in Canterlot now. Take me with you and I can show you.”
Nightmare Moon considered the proposition. “Perhaps,” he said. “But once my business is done with Celestia, I am returning you to your home. Orphanage it may be, it still is better than nothing.”
It did not take long for the two to leave Everfree Forest, though Nightmare Moon had to fly slower so that Requiem could keep up with him. Eventually, Nightmare Moon consented to carry Requiem. She was not as strong a flyer as he and speed was of the essence so that he could confront Celestia. As he flew, Requiem asked him her most burning question. Nightmare Moon landed near a small pool of water so that he could answer. Using his magic, he showed her the life he had once shared with Princess Celestia.
“Why did I rebel?” answered Nightmare Moon. “Celestia and I were twins. Did your stories mention that? Rare enough an event as it is, almost unheard of among Alicorns. It only happens when two Alicorns are meant to rule over two opposing, but complimentary, elements. We were supposed to be equals, just as night and day are equals. She gave the world light and life, while I gave healing and rest. But nopony appreciated my night. Everypony loved the day, but none of them appreciated what I gave them. Everypony worshiped her and ignored me. It should have been obvious to anypony that I was not being given what I deserved, but even Celestia didn’t acknowledge what was happening. I was alone. When I rebelled, all I wanted was to have what was mine by right. And, for that, I was sent to the moon. Tia had finally taken everything from me; first my followers and then my moon.”
“But there are ponies who love the night,” said Requiem. “There’s me and, well, me, but I’m sure there are others! I love the night. It’s so peaceful and quiet. Not busy and full of work like the day. And I thought that I understood you. You always seemed so lonely, like I am. I’ve been at the orphanage so long, it seems like I’ll never get adopted. All I’ve ever wanted was a home, a real home. And I thought, maybe that’s how you felt. Even if you were evil, a thousand years is a long time and maybe all you wanted anymore was to go home.”
“I have wanted to go home,” said Nightmare Moon. “I wanted us to be a family again. I wanted to rule together, but as equals this time. Equally loved, equally appreciated. I just want it to be like when we were young again.”
“Maybe Princess Celestia has changed too,” said Requiem. “Maybe you’ve both changed enough that you can fix things between yourselves.”
“Perhaps,” said Nightmare Moon, “perhaps you are right, little Requiem.”
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Chapter 3
They were nearly at Canterlot when they saw the fireflies. “Can we stop, please?” asked Requiem. “It’ll only take a minute.”
“Of course, we can,” said Nightmare Moon. “There’s always time for fireflies.”
“They’re so pretty,” said Requiem. “It’s like they’re talking to each other.”
“They are talking to each other,” said Nightmare Moon. “Each pattern of flashes means something different. Some are saying, ‘This is my land.’ Others are saying, ‘I want to meet you.’ It’s a special language that only they can speak.”
“I wish I could understand it,” Requiem said sadly.
Nightmare Moon was silent for a moment. “Would you like to learn?” he asked.
“Could I?” asked Requiem.
“Anypony can learn the language of the fireflies,” said Nightmare Moon. “Perhaps, when Celestia and I have finished our business, I will teach you.”
“Thank you,” Requiem said excitedly. She flew up and hugged him.
“You’re welcome, my little Night Pegasus,” replied Nightmare Moon. They did not know it yet, but, in that moment, something profound changed, something that would affect both them and Equestria forever.
Despite Nightmare Moon’s strength and speed, they flew for hours before they came to Canterlot. The sun should have risen hours before, but it was still night. Requiem asked about this. “I am keeping it this way,” Nightmare Moon replied. “I have reclaimed my position and am sending a message to my sister that I have returned and will not be turned away.”
“But it’s getting cold,” said Requiem, who was starting to shiver.
“It is necessary,” said Nightmare Moon. “But it is only temporary. I need this as a bargaining chip so that Celestia may be more likely to give in to my demands. Perhaps a threat is necessary to make her see reason.”
“But ponies could get hurt if this keeps up,” said Requiem. “I thought all you wanted was what was yours. Doesn’t that mean restoring balance, not hurting ponies?”
“I said its necessary!” shouted Nightmare Moon. Requiem cringed back. Why was he doing this? He hadn’t acted like this before, not even when he first appeared. He had seemed confident then, not angry. Nightmare Moon stopped. “I’m sorry,” he apologized. “I do not mean to hurt anypony. You are right; all I want is what is mine by right. Hopefully Celestia will be reasonable enough to give me back the night so that we can both be healed.”
Requiem wanted to believe Nightmare Moon, but the closer they got to the palace, the more agitated Nightmare Moon became. They arrived at the main gate. “Who goes there!” demanded one of the guards posted there.
“Your Prince has returned!” shouted Nightmare Moon. “Tell your Princess that Prince Lunar has unfinished business with her!”
“Right,” said the second guard. “I’m going to have to say ‘No’ to that one.”
“Very well,” said Nightmare Moon. “Looks like I’m going to have to let myself in.” Using his magic, he lifted the guardponies off the ground and slammed them against the wall. They collapsed to the ground in a heap and Nightmare Moon entered the palace. As Requiem checked them to see if they were still alive, Nightmare Moon called out, “Celestia! I am coming for you!” and charged off into the castle.
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Chapter 4
Celestia was worried. Night still held sway and she could not raise the sun. Surely Twilight and the others should have acquired the Elements of Harmony and faced Lunar by now. She would have known if Twilight had succeeded, could have gone to her. What could possibly have happened? There was a sound behind her. She turned to see who it was. It was the last pony she would have expected.
“Lunar?” asked Celestia. “What are you doing here?” She thought Lunar would have gone back to the old palace. It had been their home before his banishment. Why was he here? How could he have known she would be here, of all places?
“Surprised, sister?” replied Lunar. “Did you think I would stay away forever? I’m back and I’m going to finish what I started all those years ago. I want what’s mine, Tia! I want the night back! I want all the things you stole from me!”
Celestia backed away from Lunar. She had gone from worry into fear. Where was Twilight? Where were the others? They were supposed to have healed Nightmare Moon and brought her brother back. “What have you done with Twilight Sparkle?” That could be the only explanation why night hadn’t ended. Twilight had failed and now Lunar had come to finish what he had started.
“Twilight who?” asked Lunar, and then shook his head. “Sister, sister, sister. What, you couldn’t face me yourself, so you sent some hired sword to do your dirty work for you? I never met any Twilight Sprinkle, or whatever the name was. So now it’s just you and me, Tia. And this time, you can’t use the Elements of Harmony to stop me.” Lunar struck the first blow. There was no art, no subtlety; just a hammer, hitting as hard as he could.
Celestia couldn’t dodge in time. Part of her didn’t want to. She had failed. Twilight had failed. All of the planning that had gone into trying to heal her brother had collapsed because he hadn’t acted like she had expected. Evil or not, she couldn’t bear to hurt her brother again, and because of that, night was going to last forever. Nightmare Moon prepared to strike again. Celestia braced herself for the end.
“Lunar, stop!” A small figure darted out of the shadows, positioning herself between the two.
“What are you doing, Requiem,” said Lunar. “Get out of the way and let me finish this.”
“No!” yelled Requiem. “I won’t let you do this. What you’re doing is wrong!”
“Wrong? Wrong?” returned Lunar. “What they did to me was wrong! Everyone loved Tia and forgot about me! Even Tia forgot! We were supposed to be equals! We were supposed to rule together! They turned me into a monster, all because they couldn’t see the night for what it was! And when I tried to make them remember, I was banished to the moon! I spent a thousand years there, Requiem. A thousand years! All alone!”
“I know Princess Celestia hurt you,” Requiem said. “And a lot of other ponies hurt you too. And it was wrong. But hurting them back isn’t making things better. You said the night was about healing and rest. But all you’ve done since you returned is break things even more.
“I loved the night because of all the wonderful things that weren’t there during the day. But I also cared about you. I cared because I thought we were alike. Because we hurt the same inside. I know what it’s like to be forgotten; to think that nobody loves you or that what you do doesn’t matter. Yes, everyone forgot that they needed the night. But you forgot that night needs the day just as much as day needs the night!
“And if you can’t remember that, then you’re no better than they were. I thought you were different than what the stories said; that you had changed. But, if revenge is all you care about, then maybe you really are the monster everyone says you were. Maybe you really did deserve to get banished to the moon. And maybe you should never have come back, so you couldn’t break my heart!” Sobbing, Requiem flew off into the shadows.
“Requiem, come back!” Lunar begged. “I never meant to hurt you. You’re my Night Pegasus. I need you.
“Come back,” he whispered.
Celestia staggered to her hooves. “Are you happy now, brother?” she coughed. “You finally get a follower and you drive her away.”
“No. Not her. I never meant to hurt her,” said Lunar. “I just wanted what was mine. I didn’t want to be alone again.” Something broke under Lunar’s hoof. It was a framed picture of them as children, playing in the rain, laughing together as they splashed in the mud puddles. “I didn’t want to be alone.”
“You don’t have to be alone,” Celestia replied. “As long as we love each other, we never will be.”
Lunar looked down at the picture again. Something inside him broke, releasing a thousand years of anger and pain. “I’ve been so wrong. Can you forgive me?”
“Always and forever,” said Celestia. “As long as you can forgive me, too.”
A soft sniffling sound could be heard in the distance. “I think there’s one more pony who needs to forgive you,” whispered Celestia. “And I think you need her forgiveness more than you need mine.”
Requiem was hiding in a corner, still crying. “Go away,” she sobbed.
“I know I deserve your forgiveness least of all,” said Lunar. “But you’re the one who brought be back. Not even Tia could do that. You healed me when I couldn’t heal myself. Not just now, but even before we first met. You believed in me. You believed I could be different. And now I need my little Night Pegasus to do the hardest thing she’s ever done. I need her to forgive me. And… and if she does that, then maybe I can forgive myself.”
They looked at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Then, slowly, Requiem flew over to Lunar, hugged him and whispered, “Of course, I forgive you.”