//------------------------------// // chapter 4 // Story: Reflections of a Dark Past // by shadowmane1 //------------------------------// “ You fool! They suspect something! I told you to keep our little conversations a secret!” Nightmare Moon bellowed from within Luna’s mind, “Do you have any idea what this means! If they find out I have regained some of my power, that sun-loving sister of ours will banish us to the moon again!” “ Yes, I know of this. I also know that if we are banished, you shall never raise night eternal! I would rather spend another millennia on the moon, than see you reign over Equestria!” Luna retorted, tired of Nightmare’s constant criticisms of her life’s achievements. “ We may have been strong when we were one, but we were unloved, and love is the best feeling in the world.” “Ha! There you go talking about love again. What has love given you? Hmm? Nothing, a false sense of security if anything. I am all that was strong about us. I, Nightmare Moon, am the only reason anypony knows your name! Without me, you are nothing.” Nightmare was very careful to make this last sentence hit its mark hard. “You are wrong Nightmare Moon! It is you who is nothing without me! If it weren’t for my jealousy, you would not exist!” Luna, as strong as she sounded, was on the verge of tears. Nightmare Moon’s last remark had indeed hit its mark. She began to wonder if she would be known if it weren’t for those events over a thousand years ago. Had Nightmare Moon somehow given her name meaning? Meanwhile in Ponyville, a certain pink pony was throwing an extravagant party for no discernable reason whatsoever. Such events were commonplace when you were friends with Pinkamena Diane Pie, Pinkie to her friends, who were basically everypony in Ponyville. This time Pinkie claimed the party was for her pet Gummy, a toothless alligator. This was the third party in a month for him, no pony knew why he needed so many parties, but they didn’t mind. Any excuse to party with Pinkie was good enough. Everypony was having the time of their lives, as usual, everypony except one. Twilight Sparkle was sitting all alone by a window, looking worriedly towards Canterlot, the place of her birth. Had Princess Celestia received her letter yet? What if the book wasn’t in the Canterlot Archives? What excuse would she have for running off to Canterlot if it wasn’t? These thoughts prevented Twilight from enjoying the fantastic party all around her. “Miss Sparkle?” a brown colt with an hourglass Cutie Mark interrupted her train of thought. “Do you remember me? Time Turner? The pony you saved a few weeks ago?” “ What? Oh, hello Time Turner. I’m sorry, I was just thinking about something back home. How are you? Twilight was slightly annoyed at being interrupted during her ponderings, but was happy to see that he was alright. “ I haven’t seen you much lately.” “ I’m quite alright, thanks to you. I’ve been building a new scaffold, it should be able to handle Ditzy’s wing power. Oh, and speaking of Ditzy, I told her about what happened, and she gave me these to give to you.” He handed her a goodie box from the Sugarcube Corner, obviously reused, as the Cake’s didn’t sell muffins, and the box was still warm. “ She baked them only a half hour ago, I’ve only just arrived. I’m a bit late I’m afraid.” “ Oh don’t worry about that, this is a Pinkie Pie party, it’s likely to go on for at least three more hours. She’ll be happy to know you showed up at all, even if you show up at the very last minute! Pinkie is so friendly, even if you didn’t show up she would forgive you within a few minutes. Tell Ditzy I said thank you for the muffins, they look delicious. I have to get back to the library, I just remembered I didn’t tell Spike where I was going, he fell asleep early tonight, poor little guy works himself to the bone. I hope to see you again soon, and next time, just call me Twilight.” Twilight left the party quickly and although she was careful not to be seen leaving, Fluttershy’s bunny friend Angel almost saw her. Twilight never got along very well with Angel, indeed, nopony but Fluttershy got along with him, and avoiding him meant avoiding being questioned by her. When Twilight burst through the door of the library, she saw what appeared to be a candle burning in a back study room. “Odd, I’m sure I blew that candle out before I left. Spike must have lit it again so he could see to clean up.” she trotted over to the doorway, but stopped before she walked in. “Huh, I hear somepony, crying?” Carefully she peered around the corner. “What the hoof!? Princess Luna! What are you doing here? And, why are you crying?” “Oh, Twilight Sparkle! You have startled us. We came here to ask for your help in a very delicate matter. And as for the crying, the delicate matter is the reason for that.” the princess of the night managed to hold back her tears for a moment. She had obviously been crying alone in the room for several hours. “You see, oh dear, we are afraid to say this for what you will think. Nightmare Moon… has, returned. If only in our mind, she is still very powerful. We need your guidance in this matter.” “Oh, you don’t need to be so subtle about it Princess. I know of this already. Princess Celestia has voiced her concerns about your behavior, and I rightly guessed the problem.” Twilight answered, trying to hide her satisfaction at being right once again. “Oh? Ever watchful, my sister. We shall have to thank her for her vigilance. But, to the matter at hoof, can you help us banish her yet again?” Princess Luna had ceased to cry and was looking hopefully at Twilight. Her answer could decide the fate of all Equestria. That’s it for chapter 4, sorry for the wait, chapter 5 hopefully wont take as long. Thanks for reading, don’t forget to comment or email me @ zabimarufan65@gmail.com. You can find me on facebook By searching Shadowmane. My Little Pony: Friendship is MagicÓ2011 Hasbro.Inc.