Shadowstar was wandering around in a grassy field in the middle of the night. He looked up at the silver moon, and tilted his head.
"That's strange, Isn't the mare in the moon supposed to be there?" Shadowstar pondered.
"Shadowstar~" A voice called, and he turned, lighting up his horn with his purple magic.
"Who's there?"
"It is I~" A shadow formed of blue smoke in front of Shadowstar. "I am the force of dreams eternal. I am...Nightmare Moon!" the smoke became a pony that towered above Shadowstar.
"What? It's just an old Mare's tale!"
"I am anything but a simple old Mare's tale!" Nightmare Moon spat.
She trotted forwards, ghostly figure passing by him. The mere presence of her near him made Shadowstar tremble. When her form hit the air by his body it made everything go cold. So, so cold. And bleak. Like nothing would make him happy again. Shadowstar turned, looking up at the evil Alicorn in fear.
"I was the lifeblood of the night. I had the power to eclipse the ponies of Equestria's precious sun! I have spent years in the moon. Watching. Waiting. For my nightmares to come true! And now, I have grown stronger. I can enter the dream realm!" Nightmare Moon turned and grinned wickedly at Shadowstar. "And now, this dream will be your last, little pony."
"Why did you do this? Why were you trapped in the moon?" Shadowstar asked
"I was imprisoned by my own sister, a thousand years ago." Nightmare Moon growled. "Celestia's perfect image would have been squandered otherwise. She trapped me there, to brood in silence. To reflect on my ways as the moon reflects the sun. Hah! The moon is no reflection! It is a shadow! A mere ghost of what the sun is to Equestria. But no more. I will have my way. I will take over the land until every last inch of it is shrouded in eternal night! So that every pony knows exactly how beautiful my night really is!" She laughed harshly, and Shadowstar shrunk back in fright.
"B-but why? Who made you think the night wasn't beautiful?"
"Who didn't? Ponies would frolic and play in my sister's glorious sun, and sleep the night away, as though it were somehow less important!" Nightmare Moon hissed.
"Maybe it used to be that way, but it's not now." Shadowstar objected.
"And just how do you know that?" Nightmare Moon asked incredulously.
"W-well, I love the night. I got my cutie mark because of how much I love stargazing." Shadowstar looked at his flank, where against his dark gray coat, a black smudge with a white star in the center rested.
"One pony makes no difference to me. Though perhaps you'll be lucky and I'll spare you when I turn Equestria into a enslaved colony." Nightmare Moon replied.
"Actually, plenty of ponies treasure the night. I know for a fact that a lot of ponies use the night for things like parties, jobs, and even just plain having fun." Shadowstar objected.
"Typical. The second my sister takes over the role of night, everypony loves it." Nightmare Moon remarked.
"Maybe you just didn't give them enough time. Equestria has grown over the years, and become such a big settlement there are hardly any regular farmlands anymore. It's not the way you once left it. Now that agriculture is not the main focus of most jobs, ponies have gotten more used to spending time out at night." Shadowstar suggested.
"Why are you no longer afraid? Ponies used to cower in fear before me!" Nightmare Moon stomped a hoof.
"Not anymore. There's a celebration called Nightmare Night where the whole point is to be scared by you. But only because it's fun for them."
Nightmare Moon looked outraged, but a softer voice spoke from inside her.
"Do thou...still know who we are?"
"No! Stay in!" Nightmare Moon commanded, before fading by the light blue glow of a second alicorn's horn.
This one had a pale, soft blue coat, and a short, light blue mane. Her cutie mark was just visible. A splotch of black with a silver moon resting in it. The mare's wings fluttered as she stepped forward.
"Thou hast spoken words of great comfort. Thou must be very frightened."
"Y-yes. Who are you?"
"We once were Luna, sister of Celestia and keeper of the dream realm. Who we once were is unimportant. We were blinded by our own jealousy, and we allowed it to cloud our judgement. Now, your land speaketh only of the creature we hath become. The monster of Nightmares." Luna glared bitterly down at her hooves.
"It's never too late for a do-over. Maybe this is partly Celestia's fault. Nightmare Moon didn't ever mention that Celestia knew you were jealous. If she had been a better sister, maybe this wouldn't have happened."
"Thou art very kind, but no. Celestia was a great sister to we, it is we who were at fault. We transformed into this creature, we will live with that guilt." Luna's voice was steadily becoming fainter.
"Wait, where are you going?!" Shadowstar called, stepping forwards. "Come back!"
"Fool! She will not hear you much longer because she will not exist much longer! My past self was a fool, she cannot keep me at bay forever!" Nightmare Moon yelled, reforming.
"Perhaps, but we shall fight and we will stand until thou has no control!" Luna cried, becoming solid once more.
"Luna, listen to me!" Shadowstar cried, and Luna turned, blue eyes gleaming. "I get it. You wanted to be like your sister, you wanted ponies to see you as more than a shadow! But that doesn't have to equal becoming a monster! Don't you see Luna? You have a choice, that must be why you're here. So that I can show you that you have a choice between letting your past mindset control you, or blazing a new trail. You don't have to be evil!"
"We...we would to...but how?" Luna asked, and Shadowstar had to think for a minute.
"By embracing the realm you once controlled." Shadowstar lit up his horn, purple magic flowing. "I think I've known all along this was a dream. Part of my magic lets me choose my own dreams. But I can't do it without help. If you choose to give this dream a new ending, a new 'happily ever after' so to speak, then I think everything will go back to normal."
"Then...what arst thou waiting for? Let us begin!" Luna's horn lit up and she went to his side, raising her head high.
"What are you doing?! No!" Nightmare Moon screamed, as light blue magic washed over the field, turning it into a starry night sky. Nightmare Moon's towering figure vanished, and Luna turned to Shadowstar.
"Thou will see us soon. Upon our return, we shall make every wrong right. Farewell, Shadowstar. We see great things from thou." Luna backed away, before becoming a wisp of blue smoke, and fading.
"Upon her return?" Shadowstar echoed, but before he could question it, he woke up.
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"Gah!" Shadowstar sat up in bed and glanced around. Thank goodness he lived alone, or he'd wake others up with his noise. "Did that really just happen? In my dreams?"
A silver light suddenly wrapped around Shadowstar, and he gasped, being lifted into the air. Shadowstar suddenly disappeared, reemerging in a starry plain not unlike the one his dream had transformed into. He looked around, frightened.
"Hello?" he asked, voice echoing. A lone figure appeared.
"Why, what little pony could have been sent here, it's late." the figure's horn glowed with yellow magic, and Shadowstar gasped again in shock as the memories of his dreams flashed past his vision. "Ah, you have crossed paths with Luna in her terrain...and you reformed her?"
"I just showed her there was a better way. Where am I?" Shadowstar asked, and the figure stepped into the light. "Princess Celestia!"
Shadowstar bowed to the regal pony, who placed a hoof on his shoulder.
"No need to bow little one. I have a feeling that we were both sent here in order to make that quite unnecessary from now on."
The silver light surrounded Shadowstar once more, a piece of the light going into his chest and forming the illusion of silver wings. They flapped on his back before becoming solid, the same gray as his coat, however, the feathers on the outer part of the wings were the same silver as the light that had surrounded him. Shadowstar's eyes widened as he touched back down by Celestia.
"Welcome, Prince Shadowstar." Celestia smiled at him, and Shadowstar just gaped at her.
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Shadowstar hit the ground and glanced around. He was standing outside the Canterlot palace, in the dead of night. He looked behind him just to make sure he wasn't still dreaming. Nope. Gray and silver wings were pressed against his back.
"Ah, I was wondering if the spell would take you to me." Princess Celestia came to him, and expanded one white wing. "Come with me, my student is waiting."
"I-I'm a Prince now? Why?" Shadowstar asked, and Princess Celestia smiled.
"Because you looked past the mirage of Nightmare Moon to the pony inside. And you chose to help her rather than run in fear."
"So...what am I? The Prince of...?"
"I have decided, that for the time being, you should be known as the Prince of Dreams. Of course, my student, Twilight Sparkle, may have some better ideas." Princess Celestia took him into the castle. "She's currently trying to help me review notes for a debate that will take place in a week. Well, she was. I was sent into the realm when you were, so she may be a tad bothered."
"Celestia! There you are!" a purple coated unicorn ran up, and saw Shadowstar. "An...alicorn colt?"
"I'm eighteen, for your information." Shadowstar replied.
"I'm twenty." the unicorn retaliated, then looked to Celestia. "What happened?"
"He has helped my sister to reform. Something tells me that when that phenomenon you were warning me about occurs, we will not be in the grave danger you predicted."
"That's actually a relief, we need to focus on the debate. If we're going to convince the Dragons and Griffons to stop this fighting, we need to be at the top of our game." the unicorn turned to Shadowstar. "I'm Twilight Sparkle. You?"
"Shadowstar." Shadowstar told her.
"Shadowstar will be staying in the castle with us."
"I will?"
"He will?"
"Yes, you are a Prince now, it is your place. Do not fret about your old house, we can move your things here or you can do as you please with it." Princess Celestia said.
"Would you like to join us for the debate then? Princess Cadence and my brother, Captain Shining Armor will be there as well. And as new royalty, you should probably make an appearance." Twilight asked.
"Me?"
"Yes, you. Come on, we'll introduce you to Cadence and Shining Armor."
"O-Okay..."
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It had been a strange past week. While Shadowstar was getting used to being an alicorn, Celestia and Twilight had included him in their discussions on the debate to come. This particular evening, two days before the debate, Twilight was talking to Shadowstar and Cadence, with Celestia watching the window.
"I think if we bring up the point that war does harm to every land, they might consent to listen a while longer." Twilight suggested.
"True, but Dragon Lord Torch is very temperamental by nature. Not all dragons are like Spike." Cadence objected quietly. "And since the griffons have no true leader, they have merely sent an envoy, Gruff, I think he's called."
"Which means he might not represent them all fully, and they may not listen to what he has to say if we convince him not to fight." Twilight sighed, horn glowing as she shuffled her notes. "Shadowstar, what do you think?"
"Well-" Shadowstar's gaze was drawn to the window.
"The stars are aiding in her escape! Celestia, what-" Twilight started, rising.
"Hold on Twilight. As I said, thanks to Shadowstar it might not be a problem any more." Princess Celestia stopped her, then watched as a flash of light made its way to the palace.
"Aunt Celestia?" Cadence stepped back a little as the light faded, and Luna emerged.
"Luna?" Shadowstar asked, and Twilight stared at him.
The alicorn raised her head, seeing Shadowstar.
"We knew thou could do it!" Luna stood and shook herself, shuddering. "We are no longer forced to do as the Nightmare Forces command!" Luna looked to the side and saw Celestia.
"Hello Luna. It has been a long time." Celestia was barely able to get the words out before the smaller alicorn flung her hooves around her.
"Celestia!" She began crying, and Celestia hugged back. "We are so sorry sister, we never meant to cause thou any harm, we swear!"
"We?" Twilight asked.
"It is the old Royal proverb. Luna, now we say 'I' when referring to ourselves, and 'you' when referring to others." Celestia said to her.
"Then...I am so sorry dear sister. I was jealous that thou-you were more respected. That your day was better than our-my night." Luna cried into Celestia's shoulder, and she looked to Twilight.
"Let's get Luna to her own chambers. Twilight, we can continue this discussion after Luna is caught up on what's happening." Celestia directed.
Celestia had been discussing the recent tensions between dragons and griffons with Luna, and about Equestria's neutrality in the situation thus far. She exited Luna's room later that evening, seeing the new Prince standing in the hall. Shadowstar followed Celestia down the hall, wings flapping. He took off and hovered by Celestia's side. Celestia turned to smile at him.
"Yes Shadowstar?"
"Is Luna going to participate in the debates as well?"
"I think it will be likely. She did always enjoy serious conversations and mentioned her interest in sitting in on the debate. Now come Shadowstar, the debates are only two days away, and I did promise Twilight we'd return to the notes." Celestia moved faster, Shadowstar having to flap harder to keep up with her.
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Two days later, Shadowstar waited outside Luna's chambers. The mare emerged and smiled at him kindly. She had transformed, slightly. Her coat and mane had darkened, her coat to a dark blue. Her mane had lengthened, now flowing like Celestia's, with star specks within the midnight blue.
"Hello Shadowstar, art thou-I mean, are you ready for the debates?" Luna asked
"So, you're joining us?"
"Of course! I would not dream of missing such an important summit. And Twilight Sparkle has been teaching me your dialect, it is most interesting." Luna replied as they walked down the hallways.
"There you two are, Twilight and Aunt Celestia are waiting for us." Cadence greeted them.
"Well, let's not keep my sister waiting." Luna agreed, leading them confidently to where she remembered the courtroom was.
"I say you are completely right Lord Torch. The dragons must be compensated for all the griffons have done." the smooth voice of Celestia came from the room. All three alicorns paused, looking at each other in confusion.
"What!" another cried.
"Oh, don't be so surprised Gruff, the griffons have done nothing but behave greedily and unjustly towards other species for generations."
"That is not Celestia. I am sure of it." Luna charged up her horn, followed by Shadowstar.
"I'm with you Luna."
"Thank you, Prince of Dreams."
"You know the title Celestia gave me?" Shadowstar halted, and Luna smiled, nodding.
"Can this bonding moment wait?" Cadence asked, lighting up her own horn. They charged the door, blasting it open with their magic.
Celestia was standing beside the Dragon Lord, a wheezy, balding griffon on the other side of the courtroom. Twilight was nowhere to be seen.
"Who are you? Imposters!" Celestia cried.
"Those words are proof thou aren't my sister. If thou were, thou would have instantly recognized your niece, myself, and the newly named Shadowstar, Prince of Dreams. Now step away from the Lord." Luna snarled.
"I have no idea who you are, now get out of my courtroom!"
"Reveal yourself, pretender!" Cadence stepped forward, horn glowing. She stepped forward. "Or I will do it for you."
"The Princess of Love can do nothing against me." the impostor snarled, opening her mouth.
"I can and I will-agh!" Cadence's magic was pulled from her horn and into the impostor Celestia's mouth. "Wh-what have you done?"
"Stolen the source of your magic. Your love."
"Only one known creature can steal love...show yourself, changeling!" Luna shouted.
"Changeling?" Shadowstar echoed, the word stumbling awkwardly on his tongue.
"Oh, very good little Princess."
"We are over a millenia old and thou wilt show us respect!" Luna raised her voice so loud Cadence and Shadowstar stepped back.
"D-did you know she can do that?" Shadowstar asked.
"Auntie Celestia does it sometimes. It's called the Royal Canterlot Voice. I'm just glad Luna's on our side." Cadence replied, but she was distracted, flaring up her horn again. "I can reveal the changeling, I just need-"
"A distraction?" Shadowstar finished, smiling at her.
"Yes, brother." Cadence replied with a grin.
"We aren't siblings-"
"And Celestia is not my aunt. I have learned that you do not need to be related by blood to anyone for them to be your family. So, brother, as you said, I require a distraction."
"Well, sister, allow me." Shadowstar took off and flew to the other side of the room, where he flared up his horn. "Hey! Change-thing! Over here!"
Shadowstar blasted his magic at the impostor, and it turned. Cadence ran forwards and blasted her with a powerful ray of blue light. In an instant, the creature shifted forms. Shadowstar backed up in shock, right into the waiting, protective hooves of the real Celestia. She held the Prince as he gazed on in horror at what the impostor had become.
The creature was the height of Celestia, only rather than a coat, she had black carapace on her body. Bug-like, transparent blue wings buzzed on her back, and a long, green-blue mane hung around her face. A knotted, twisted horn rose out of her forehead. She had holes in her legs and hissed menacingly at them all.
"You will all be sorry. I nearly had all I needed for an army!" she growled.
"Army?" Twilight asked, from where she was huddled beside the real Celestia.
"Chrysalis, stop this." Celestia set Shadowstar aside, trotting forward. "The purpose of war is not to feed your nation, there is no purpose at all. We are supposed to be creating harmony here, not distroying it."
"Who is this creature?!" the griffon exclaimed.
"I am Chrysalis! Queen of the Changeling Hive!" the changeling, Chrysalis, announced, rounding on Celestia. "And if you think you're so great, Celestia, you can rule this war yourself!"
"I...what?"
"You heard me. A challenge. My Hive of Changelings will win this war. We will then consume the love in every single one of your lands."
"When the Dragons win, we'll burn the lot of you!" the Dragon Lord boomed.
"The griffons will take your riches and thrones when we're finished with you!" the griffon yelled, rising into the air.
"What have you done?!" Celestia ran to Chrysalis, knocking her horn to the changeling's. "I will not allow this to continue Chrysalis!"
"Well then, Celestia, your land will be destroyed by this war. It's your choice, of course. You could allow your subjects to suffer while our three races fight by your land. Unless...you join as well." Chrysalis replied.
In a flash of green light, the changeling was gone. The Dragon Lord took off, the roof of the courtroom had been temporarily removed for that purpose. The griffon's envoy stalked away, growling.
"What are we going to do Celestia?" Twilight asked, she, Shadowstar, Cadence, and Luna joining her.
"We-we have no choice now. We must adhere to the war...or Equestria will face the consequences." Celestia replied sullenly.
Every single one of the other ponies gasped.