//------------------------------// // 18. #Nocturnals // Story: Ciderfest BOAS APP Stories: 86?! // by Janicethelight //------------------------------// Story "[USERNAME]! Look at this!" Fizzy runs over to you, holding up a black book with a silver unicorn on the front. "It looks a lot like the book about Nightmare Moon." You open the book. It reads: Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn; the younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all the different types of ponies. But as time went on, the older sister became resentful. The ponies relished and played in the night her younger sister brought forth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful day.  "Wait. That's not—" You look, finding yourselves in Canterlot Castle and see a young Celestia and Luna.  "You just don't understand!" Luna cries. "I'm trying to understand, but everypony needs sleep, Luna!" Celestia argues. "And all of them need to sleep every night?! Nopony can enjoy the stars or my beautiful moon? Even you, sister. You never stay up to enjoy them!" "You don't stay up to enjoy the day!" Celestia shoots back, annoyed. "I am ONE pony. You have everypony else!" Luna scoffs. "Everypony in Equestria cheers when you come out. Nopony notices me." "Luna, please. Everypony loves you too!" Celestia sighs. "Then why doesn't anypony celebrate anything at night?!" Luna yells. "Admit it! You LIKE the attention. You wouldn't last one night of ponies treating YOU this way!" "You know what. You're being ridiculous and I am too tired for this. We'll talk about it in the morning." Celestia walks off. Luna growls once she leaves. "We'll talk about it in the morning," she mimicked. "You always say that and we never do! You're always too busy, and I'm tired of it! I bet you would listen if ponies liked my night better than your day! Imagine it! Just once, the ponies being able to stay awake for a night and getting to see how beautiful it is. They may never want to see the sun again!" She sighs, "I wish that I could show you what it's like…to be lost in the shadows…what if I did! What if, for once, I just say no when she wants to raise her precious sun!" She laughs. A piece of paper floats down to her. Fizzy gasps. "Ohhh noooo."  "What is this?" Luna asks, reading the page, "change the story? I could hold the night forever!" Her eyes change momentarily before she continues, "Ooooor, I can show her by changing places!" She laughs. "I could even make my own nation."  "This could change everything…" Fizzy whispers, "but if we try to stop it, we could make it worse…what should we do?!" [CHOICE]  What would be best? > Do nothing and Let Luna make her own decision. (Chaos)  > Convince Luna to create a new nation like she said. (Chaos)  > Convince her to not yield the night (and hopefully have her turn into Nightmare Moon as she was meant to). (Hero)  > Tell Celestia about the page. (Villain)  > Convince Luna to overthrow Celestia. (Villain)  [ENDING A: CHAOS] "We shouldn't interfere. We may cause more harm than good," you decide. "Let's just watch, and hope she chooses right!" "Okay," Fizzy breathes. Luna thinks for a bit. "I know what I'll do! I'll switch places! Let's see how SHE likes being in the shadows!" Luna grins.  The pages of the book turn back. It's night and all the ponies are up.  The tale reads on: One fateful day, the older unicorn refused to lower the sun to make way for dusk. The younger sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the older one's heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of fire: Daybreaker! She vowed that she would blind the land in eternal light. Reluctantly, the younger sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponydom: the Elements of Harmony. Using the magic of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her older sister, and banished her permanently in the sun. The younger sister took on responsibility for both sun and moon, and harmony has been maintained in Equestria for generations since. (+1 page for Chaos) [ENDING B: CHAOS] "Maybe we can make it better!" you decide. "What? How?!" Fizzy whispers. "Follow my lead!" You walk out with a bow. "Princess Luna! Please give us a moment of your time!" "Who are you?!" Luna jumps in shock, horn glowing. "We heard your problem and thought of a middle ground. You said yourself you could make your own nation. Why not make it! Make a place where ponies can enjoy the night! Make a land all your own!" Fizzy blinks, confused. Luna thinks. "Yes! I can show ponies the beauty of the night! I will call it The New Lunar Republic!" The book you're holding closes. You find yourselves where you belong. As you ask, ponies do talk about the night ponies and all of their strange ways. Fizzy's mouth hangs open, "What did you do?" she asks. You smirk. "I just changed history for the better!" (+1 page for Chaos) [ENDING C: HERO] "I know what we have to do…but it won't be pleasant…" you sigh. "What?" Fizzy asks. "Fizzy…stay hidden." You walk out. "Princess Luna. Please give me a moment of your time?" Luna jumps in surprise, her horn glowing. "Who are you?" she asks. "I overheard your problem. Your sister doesn't listen to you and that page won't help. The best thing you can do…is stand your ground and no longer yield to the sun." You nod. Luna thinks for a moment. "You're right! She will learn nothing if I change the story. I need to show her what the night can truly do by making the night last a moon…Even better." She laughs, eyes changing again, "The night…will last…forever!"  The book you carry flips through its pages, a bright light engulfing you. When you open your eyes again you see a brown book with gold where the silver was in your possession, and a page at your feet. (+1 page for Heroes) [ENDING D: VILLAIN] "This is too much for us. Let's go tell Celestia!" you decide. "Okay." Fizzy nods. You race off, finding Celestia in record time as she stumbles up toward her room with a yawn. "Princess Celestia!" you yell. "Yes…my subjects?" she asks, sleepily. "Your sister is about to change the future!" You warn. "What?" Celestia races back. You and Fizzy follow to see Luna about to change the story. "Luna! Stop this!" Celestia demands. "Stop this!?" Luna mimics then laughs, "I knew it! You were always afraid, weren't you, sister! You knew the ponies loved you better than me and you were afraid of the horseshoe being on the other hoof. I was going to switch places with you, but I thought of something so much better!" She laughs as she changes into Nightmare Moon. "I'll make it where there never WAS a day!" The book flips wildly in your possession. When you look back up, it's night time. When you ask, no pony even knows what day or sun is, or has ever heard of a pony named Celestia. You see Nightmare Moon statues everywhere. (+1 page for Villains) [ENDING E: VILLAIN] "Maybe we should try reverse psychology." You wink at Fizzy as you walk out of your hiding place. "Princess Luna, a moment of your time please?"  "Who are you!" Luna jumps, horn glowing as she asks. "I heard your problem, and honestly, you're thinking too small!" You start. "You want to use the ability to change your story to anything you want to merely change places with your sister? Why turn her into a donkey! She won't even have a cutie mark, but she will have to watch as you gain all of the glory that she once had! Show her truly what it feels like to be unnoticed!"  Luna freezes for a moment on hearing your words. Then, she laughs. "Yes!" her voice booms. "Then she will finally understand my turmoil! Thank you for the idea!" The book’s pages flip wildly as you hold it. Once you look back up, it is night time. No pony has ever heard of Celestia, though you know that she is now a simple donkey somewhere. Fizzy takes a breath, glaring at you. "Reverse psychology?! Really?!" (+1 page for Villains)