In the final moments before her exile ended, Princess Luna felt a sharp stab of anxiety. It had been a thousand years since her banishment to the moon, and the ancient alicorn was filled with a mixture of emotions as she looked towards the kingdom she once knew. She had been isolated for so long, and Luna wondered if her absence had affected the ponies who now inhabited the land.
She was at once both hopeful and filled with dread at the question of if it had thrived or suffered under her sister's rule. Luna could scarcely imagine how things had developed over her centuries of exile. Her fears for the state of Equestria and its subjects gnawed at her heart. Had society prospered under the dictator that Celestia had seemingly become, or had there been a revolution to set the ponies free? That seemed impossible, because if Celestia's grip on power had slipped how would the sun still rise and set. Maybe her sister was bound by some higher power, and this was some scheme so that she could use Luna to regain her throne.
If Celestia was still the sole monarch though, the Princess of the Night wondered if her sister had truly changed, as she claimed. Could Luna ever find a place by her sister's side again, or was she destined to remain an outcast in her own domain? Her mind was filled with uncertainty as she contemplated her next steps and the challenges that lay ahead.
Princess Luna felt the weight of centuries pressing down on her barrel. The stories told about her had twisted and morphed over the ages, transforming her struggle for identity and acknowledgment into tales of a power-crazed demon. The narrative had become so deeply ingrained in the collective consciousness of Equestria that Luna wondered if there was any hope for redemption.
If the ponies who remembered her existence at all saw her as evil incarnate, how could she possibly hope to rehabilitate her image in their hearts? The chains of misunderstanding and fear seemed unbreakable. Luna dreamed of the possibility for a fresh start, a chance to reveal her true self and intentions to her subjects. Yet, the very fabric of their beliefs had been woven with threads of mistrust and dread at any mention of her.
As she gazed at the star-studded expanse of the night sky, Luna wondered if there truly was a way to dismantle the web of misconceptions that surrounded her, which had been nurtured by her sister. Could they find a credible story of reconciliation, or was she forever bound to the role of the feared and misunderstood entity that Equestria had come to know as Nightmare Moon?
Whatever Celestia was planning, could such an audacious lie work? It seemed impossible that anypony would believe the events of this night, but so far they appeared to have been convinced. She had feared that the ponies of Equestria would see through her sister's ruse, but the elaborate plan that had been so long in the making had worked so far. Her supposed transformation into the demonic Nightmare Moon and the banishment had all been part of a carefully constructed lie. It was a lie that had shaken Equestria to its core centuries ago and twisted her legacy to something she didn't recognise. Nonetheless it was a slander that had to stand unchallenged, so as to be the foundation for another falsehood to facilitate her freedom.
She briefly considered fleeing, to fly to the furthest reaches of the land, if the opportunity came. Maybe there would be some place beyond her sister's reach, where she could live free. It seemed impossible though. Luna felt sure that, even now, she was being watched for any signs of rebellion. If she deviated from the plan there was no doubt that the frigid vacuum of the moon would become her home once more. No matter how she had to debase herself, she swore that this wouldn't be her fate again.
Luna felt the ancient enchantments that had held her captive for centuries slowly beginning to break. It was as if the ethereal chains that bound her body and magic were unravelling, link by link. A fraction at a time, she sensed the restoration of her freedom, the ability to move unencumbered, and life returning to her once-immobile form. The numbness that had gripped her for a millennium began to recede, allowing her to regain control over her celestial being. As the enchantments loosened their grip, she struggled up, standing upon her hooves. It was the first time she had stood independently since the fateful night when her clash with Celestia had forever altered the course of their destinies. Luna's eyes, once fixed upon the celestial void, now turned toward the land that she dreamed of.
A voice came to her mind, "Sister, it is time to assume your disguise."
With great reluctance, Luna summoned her magical abilities for the first time since the beginning of her exile. She harnessed the ancient power to alter her appearance, embracing the devilish visage that her sister had so vividly described. As the transformation took hold, Luna became the embodiment of nightmares made real.
"Play your part," commanded Celestia in a stern voice, "and you shall return to our bosom."
She barely had time to respond when there was a blinding light and Luna felt a forceful pull, tearing her away from the desolate surface of the moon. There was a disorienting lurch and she found herself incorporeal, a drifting consciousness without form as if felt as though her being was flowing along an infinite conduit.
Suddenly she had a sense of place, as the swirling mist that contained her essence coalesced back into that of the nightmare made flesh she had disguised herself as. When her vision cleared, she was standing on a small balcony overlooking a grand circular room. A dazzling spotlight illuminated her form, and she became acutely aware of an assembled group of ponies below, their expressions a mix of fear and shock.
Luna barely had a moment to collect herself. The rapid transition left her vertiginous, her chest rising and falling with the sensation of drawing her first breath in a millennium. Her hooves, which had been confined for centuries, now supported her full weight, but she felt as unsteady as a foal taking its first steps. How had no pony noticed the trembling in her limbs, the frailty that lingered after enduring chains and isolation for so long? The weight of a thousand years seemed to press upon her as she stood before the astonished onlookers.
The ponies gathered below, still recovering from the shock of her sudden appearance, now appeared spellbound by the terrifying figure. Luna's form exuded an aura of otherworldly darkness, complete with slitted eyes and an air of malevolence. It was a grotesque manifestation, carefully crafted to instil fear and awe in those who gazed upon her.
The terror in the eyes of the gathered crowd had not escaped Luna's notice, and she felt a sense of disgust at her own terrible visage. As she looked upon the ponies who had witnessed her return, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow for the trauma she had been forced to cause. This transformation into a nightmarish form had been a necessary part of the grand illusion, a ruse designed to play her role convincingly. But the price of such a convincing performance was the psychological impact it would have on those who witnessed it. Luna had seen the terror in their eyes, and it weighed heavily on her heart that she may well be the cause of genuine nightmares.
Suppressing her own feelings of shame and regret, Luna knew that she had to play her assigned role. It was unclear whether the ponies below recognized her as the living embodiment of Nightmare Moon, and she needed to address the crowd to set the events in motion according to her sister's plan.
Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Luna stepped forward on the balcony, her imposing figure silhouetted against the moonlit night. The gathered ponies stared up at her in a mixture of fear, awe, and confusion. Luna's voice, altered to sound both commanding and ominous, echoed through the circular room.
“Oh, Our beloved subjects,” Luna spoke, with as condescending a tone as she could muster, “It's been so long since We've seen thy precious little sun-loving faces.”
Luna's eyes glowed with an unnatural light as she continued her proclamation. Despite the internal turmoil, she stood proudly, knowing that this charade was a crucial part of the intricate plan woven by her sister.
Despite her demonic appearance, there was one brave pegasus that dared to address her directly. “What did you do with our Princess?!” demanded the brightly coloured pony, who seemed on the verge of charging until an earth pony restrained her by grabbing hold of her colourful tail.
Luna affected a disdainful laugh, and answered, “Why, are We not royal enough for thou? Don't thee know who We are?”
A shockingly pink pony in the front of the crowd called out, seemingly unaffected by Luna's terrifying disguise, “Ooh, ooh, more guessing games! Um, Hokey Smokes! How about... Queen Meanie! No! Black Snooty, Black Snooty-”
The same brown earth pony stopped the pink one from any further interruption by gagging her with a hastily selected apple. Luna turned towards a pink and yellow pegasus who seemed at the point of fainting with fear. “Does Our crown no longer count now that We have been imprisoned for a thousand years?” Luna taunted the terrified pony.
“Did thou not recall the legend?” Luna demanded, turning to a beautiful white unicorn, “did thou not see the signs?”
A new voice joined the pandemonium, a purple unicorn held Luna with a defiant stare, “I did. And I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon – Nightmare Moon!”
“Well well well, somepony who remembers Us,” said Luna, sneering at this interruption, “Then thou also know why We're here.”
The unicorn’s bravado suddenly disappeared. “You're here to... to…” she said, choking back a sob.
Luna gave her best pantomime villain chuckle, “Remember this day, little ponies, for it was thy last. From this moment forth, the night will last forever!”. She laughed out loud whilst summoning some lightning to punctuate her mad proclamation.
An officious looking mare with grey mane and tail suddenly took the initiative. “Seize her!” She called to three royal guardsponies, “Only she knows where the Princess is!”
The three royal guards took to the wing, charging towards the balcony that Luna occupied. She didn't want to hurt them, so summoned more lightning. The force of it crackling through the air detonated a huge thunderclap, momentarily stunning the guards and sending them tumbling back to the floor beneath.
Feeling none of the power and confidence she was portraying, Luna barked out an order, “Stand back, you foals!” She punctuated the command with a forced, maniacal laugh that echoed through the room. In truth, she felt as though her strength, already tested to the limits, was faltering.
The assembled ponies hesitated, caught between fear and curiosity. Luna maintained her imposing posture, her darkened form casting an eerie shadow over the balcony. She knew that every step, every gesture, was a delicate dance in service of the grand scheme orchestrated by Celestia.
Inwardly, Luna hoped that the ponies would heed her warning, hiding the unsettling truth of her vulnerability in this moment. She marshalled the last of her strength and escaped from the scene by transforming into a phantasm, slipping away from the crowd before anypony could see through her disguise. Luna couldn't afford to dwell on the fear she had incited, it was a necessary step in her sister's plan to bury the truth and make a convincing narrative for Luna's return.
After escaping the gathering of ponies in what must've been a local town hall, Luna drifted out onto the street in front of the building. The round structure had a domed top and appeared to be flanked by a river. It was grandly set at the centre of a semicircular piazza. Luna moved forwards, gliding past a statue of what appeared to be Chancellor Puddinghead. At least she recognised a figure from her time, who must still be revered in this current time.
Luna paused, looking at the surrounding area. She was deeply shocked to realise that she knew this place, only not as it now presented itself. When she had last seen it, this river had meandered through the seemingly endless expanse of the Everfree Forest. There were no settlements, not even a single woodspony’s hut. Now, though, the forest had been beaten back. There were clearly neighbouring farmsteads, but even more shocking than tilled fields were the rows of homes that stood before her.
The momentary nostalgia was shattered when the same brightly coloured pegasus that had challenged her inside suddenly burst from the entrance of the hall, yelling at the ghostly form that Luna had taken. This was no time for further confrontations, so the princess summoned the last of her strength to speed away from her pursuer, into the shadows of the town.
Luna moved deeper through the darkened streets as silently as a spectre, taking in the architectural marvels that surrounded her. She was amazed at the fineness of the buildings she passed, their structures far surpassing the craftsmanship she had known in her time. In her era, anything approaching such fine workponyship was solely the preserve of mansions and castles, but these accurately built houses seemed to be standard throughout this town.
The riches required to construct these elaborate structures, along with the extensive use of lanterns that illuminated the civic thoroughfares, created an atmosphere of opulence that was beyond Luna's expectations. Each neighbourhood she traversed seemed to exude an impossibly rich aura, a stark contrast to the desolation she had known on the moon.
Luna pondered the status of the town around her, its expansive streets and numerous houses stretching out like a sprawling canvas beneath the moonlit night. The abundance of structures and the multitude of ponies who must reside there raised questions in her mind. Was this considered a city-state in this period? The sheer scale of the town suggested a thriving civic centre, leaving Luna to wonder if such prosperity was typical in the current era.
As she continued her exploration, Luna couldn't help but feel a mixture of awe and bewilderment at the prosperity that had flourished in her absence. The settlement around her, with its meticulously crafted buildings and bustling streets, whispered tales of a society that had evolved far beyond her experiences.
She stopped wandering and considered what her next move should be. Her highest priority would be to check that the group of ponies who were to vanquish her were on the correct path, and to nudge them if needed. The likely place to start, according to Celestia, was the town's library. Thankfully this was easy to identify, as it was constructed within a towering oak tree that stood on the western edge of the settlement. Luna drifted up to one of the brightly lit windows and began eavesdropping on the ponies within.
Luna knew that her sister had seeded the tiny library in Ponyville with the correct volumes to provide all the clues needed to lead them to the Castle of the Two Sisters. She paused briefly to spy on them, and check that all the intended subjects were present. Indeed there were six, including the young unicorn who had spoken to her with such bravery at the failed summer sun celebration and the pegasus who had chased her from the town hall. In total there were two earth ponies, two pegasi and two unicorns. That felt like the correct mix, because all communities should be represented if the elements of harmony were to be in balance.
Luna pressed closer towards the glass, she could just make out what the purple unicorn was reading from an old book, “There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said, the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters…”
Satisfied that the group would follow the correct path, Luna slipped away into the shadows, heading towards the dark and mysterious expanse of the Everfree Forest. Yet, as Luna moved through the night, anxiety gnawed at her. Her return to the Castle of the Two Sisters, the site of the ancient conflict with her sister, was imminent. The traumatic memories of that night had not faded in the intervening millennium.
The prospect of returning to the place of her defeat, where she had failed to overthrow her sister's dictatorial plans, stirred uneasy emotions within her. Still, she pressed on, making intricate arrangements and setting the stage for the impending meeting with the ponies chosen to confront her. The wheels of destiny were turning and Luna, a player in her sister's grand design, could do nothing to stop them.