//------------------------------// // The True Story of Nightmare Moon // Story: Foals Tales from the Book of Tradition : History of the Night Pegasi // by Georg //------------------------------// The True Story of Nightmare Moon Gather around little ones, and I shall tell you the true story of Nightmare Moon, and why we Night Pegasi celebrate this Nightmare Night in our own fashion. A time long, long ago, before the time of our kind, there were but three types of ponies. The earth ponies who tilled the soil and brought forth wonderful food, the pegasi who patrolled the sky, controlling the weather and guarding the lands, and the unicorns who ruled them all. Back then, the sky itself was alive with power, ruled by the Spirit of Day and the Spirit of Night. Both spirits shared the sky equally, each blessing the ponies with their gifts. The Spirit of Day brought up the sun to give warm sunshine and life to the lands so that food and flowers could grow. She would dance through the sky all day with the sunbeams and butterflies, blessing the ponies below with her joy. The Spirit of Night brought up the moon to bring on the night, giving beauty and glory to the ponies below. They would wonder as they stared into the stars at the wise spirit, and their hearts would fill with knowledge and love. One day, an evil demon called Nightmare came from the forest and watched the two spirits with envy. They were far too powerful for the creature to fight combined, but if split apart, they would be easily defeated. So the demon clothed itself in a pony disguise and traveled the lands, spreading falsehoods and rumors about the two good spirits. Eventually these rumors found their way to the spirits, who began to mistrust one another, for although they knew of each other’s existence, they never could both live in the same place. Finally after many years of spreading her lies, the evil demon went to the Spirit of Night and spoke: “Spirit, you are most beautiful and wise. I have come to warn you of a great danger. The Spirit of Day has plans to overpower you and become the only Spirit in our lands.” Now the Spirit of Night was deeply concerned, for she too had heard the rumors, and was unaware that the disguised demon had been spreading them. “Oh tell me, fair creature,” she asked. “What might I do to prevent this from happening? For I am weaker than Day, and wherever she goes, I must depart.” “Allow me to join my power with you,” said the demon Nightmare to the innocent and trusting spirit. “Together we shall be able to resist her attacks.” So the Spirit of Night opened herself to the demon, who promptly betrayed her, ripping her from the sky and binding her deep below the earth in the forest. Then Nightmare took to the sky and began to wait, prepared to imprison the Day when she arrived. Unknown to Nightmare, the Spirit of the Day had seen what had happened. Although she could not live where Night had drawn her cloak, the beautiful moon reflected a portion of her light across the Night. She knew that she was not powerful enough to defeat Nightmare, but she had a plan. For the first time ever, she left her home in the sky and descended to the ground. There she took the form of a pony, combining the power of Day with the strength of the earth ponies, the flight of the pegasi, and the magic of the unicorns. Disguised in this form, she was able to fly undetected behind the Nightmare and free the Spirit of Night from her captivity. Night also took the form of a pony, and the two of them spoke for the first time ever. Day spoke first with a voice like lightning, “My form is as bright and powerful as the celestial orbs, therefore I shall take the name Celestia.” Night agreed, and spoke in a voice like thunder, “My form is as dark as the night sky in which lives my beautiful moon, so I shall call myself Luna.” The two spirits attacked the Nightmare together, and great was their battle. Stars were wrenched down from the sky, seas boiled, and lakes of molten fire formed where their blows struck. The Nightmare knew that she had lost, but before she fell, she was determined to slay the Spirit of Day, so that the entire world would be consumed by darkness and ice. She formed every bit of her power into a bolt of killing energy, and flung it at Celestia, only to have Luna leap forward and take the blow. The demon Nightmare gloated in triumph, for with one of the two spirits slain, she could defeat the other. But before the Nightmare could act, the wounded Luna wrapped them both in her embrace and flung them into the sky. With her last bit of power, she imprisoned both the Nightmare and herself inside her beloved moon, where they remain forever trapped to this night. Day was deep in grief, for she knew if she returned to her beloved sky, the land would eventually grow barren and burnt without the cool embrace of Night. So the spirit remained on the ground in pony form and took the title of Princess Celestia. She not only used her powers to bring forth both day and night, but also to create a fourth kind of pony, so that the night would be guarded against the return of the demon now called Nightmare Moon. And that is how our race, the Night Pegasi, came to be. It has been our task ever since to watch the night, and always be on guard. That is why she gave us the eyes of the Spirit of Night, so that we might see through the darkness, and the wings of dragons so we may fly in any weather. Finally, our coats were blessed with the colors of Luna, so that we might never forget the sacrifice the Spirit of Night gave so that we might live. Once a year for one night only, Princess Celestia loosens the chains that bind the moon so that a faint shadow of both Nightmare Moon and the Spirit of the Night may visit Equestria in order that the memory of the evil locked into the moon’s embrace may not be forgotten. While the other three races of ponies wear disguises to hide themselves from Nightmare Moon, you shall go out into the streets proudly with them. It shall be your task to guard them much as you will be tasked into guarding all the lands against far more powerful foes when you are older. Should Nightmare Moon threaten you tonight, the spirit of Luna shall protect you, as she watches over you every night. Go with your friends as they do, collecting candy as a token of the gifts given to us by Day and Night. Eat, play games, and frolic with them, and enjoy the beautiful night. Then when the night has become the darkest, and you travel with them to the shrine of Nightmare Moon to offer our sacrifice, you shall remember. Every year, the gifts we give weaken the power of Nightmare, and strengthen our Luna. Should it take a thousand years, the Spirit of Night shall regain her strength until someday she shall break free. And the Night shall return.