//------------------------------// // Entry 2 and 3 // Story: PONY OR DIE 1 // by MLPG //------------------------------// Entry 2, by Reuniclus Entry 3, by Standard Namespace SOMETIMES IT'S FUN TO BE SCARED An armored hoof scratched the dusty ground. She was becoming impatient. They were wavering and weak. The siege of the Keep of Harmony had been a fiasco. The captain of the Night Guards had dared to offer her sister terms of surrender; when she crushed him for his impudence, they had not merely deserted – they had defected to the other side. No matter. The well of dark power that had enabled her to challenge her sister in the first place was deep. She had other means to keep the pressure on her sister's fortification. She pulled down the stars, cast them into monstrous ursine form, and surrounded the crumbling castle with living siege engines. She had sent her beloved Moon away, sent it to blot out her sister's sun. Now it was balanced precisely between the world and the sun, casting its shadow over the entire world. The solar disc was replaced with a ring of flame occluded by a dark disk, rather like a single burning eye. This had not been what she wanted, but too many things had been done, and too much had been said. Intoxicated by the dark flame inside her head, she mustered her monstrous forces for the final push. It wouldn't be long now. One thousand years ago, Nightmare Moon prepared for her triumph, the night that would last forever. The event had been announced well in advance. This served two purposes. Firstly, it gave sky-watchers and star-gazers time to prepare. Twilight Sparkle received the news with joy, and immediately tried to share her enthusiasm with her friends. Eclipses were rare in Equestria – the last one had been several hundred years ago. The second purpose was to forestall panic. The last eclipse visible from Equestria several hundred years ago had sparked rumors of Nightmare Moon's return, and that had led to riots and stampedes in the streets. Breaking into blind panic was a solid candidate for Equestria’s national pastime. There was nothing quite like breaking into a fearful gallop while screaming one’s head off. It seemed to be a basic part of pony psychology. Twilight triple-checked her checklist – smoked glass plates, a low-power and expendable telescope that would project the ring of fire onto the library’s portable screen. She knew she must have forgotten something, as the list was entirely too short. Refreshments, of course there needed to be food. Perhaps she should ask Zecora if she could liven up the eclipse party with a few rhymes of distant lands and times. There was nothing like stories to bring ponies together. She looked at the clock with trepidation. Time was running short. Not far away, in the secluded mountaintop city of Canterlot, a dark Princess nervously prepared for one of her rare daytime appearances. The past lay heavy on her mind. She remembered all too well being drunk with rage and power, trying to blot the sun out of the sky. A Night Guard came to her, his breastplate bearing the stylized eye symbol that recalled that time so long ago. “Her Highness awaits you in the vestry.” Luna smiled, and let herself be escorted to the hallowed grounds where her sister greets the sun. They gathered on a hilltop outside of Ponyville. Pinkie was kind enough to bring a basket of cupcakes to the eclipse party. Rarity spread blankets and pillows in front of the projection screen. There hadn't been time to get in touch with Zecora. It was only Twilight and her friends up on top of the hill. She was happy they had come, and that they were willing to share this moment with her. The moon slid in front of the sun. Within moments, the humid air cooled a few degrees, and wisps of fog condensed from the humid air. Twilight's ears flicked – had she heard something? The crescent of the sun became a ring, almost but not quite obscured by the moon. There it was again – she had definitely heard something. Pinkie Pie was sobbing and shaking in terror. Not even that long ago, Twilight would have thought her hyperactive pink friend was just being silly, but now she realized that explaining to her the motion of planets and showing her that there was no rational reason to be afraid was the last thing she needed to do. She didn't need a lecture – she needed a hug. She hurried over to her friend and held her. The sun slid further – the eclipse would be over soon. Luna stood before the assembled gentry of Canterlot. She couldn't hide that their fear thrilled her as the moon moved over the sun. Now, as the moon continued on its way, and the solar disk slowly returned to normal, their relief brought a sly smile to her serious face. Her sister watched. This was an important moment, another chance for Luna to demonstrate her power and good will, her right to rule alongside Celestia. As quickly as it began, the world slowly returned to normal. The eclipse had come and gone, and all was well. The ring of fire was no longer a symbol of terror. Pinkie Pie smiled at her friend, slightly embarrassed.