The Night Lasts Forever

by MasterFrasca

Lonely Luna

Space is such an oddity to behold. It is serene to go out and gaze upon the infinite field of stars; to go and try to understand the mysteries of something even the most powerful mind can only begin to comprehend. The infinite space between us and whatever lies beyond the sky, something only few truly realize. Most everypony sees this wonder as such, but me... I gaze differently. My thoughts differ from those of awe and enchantment. I have been corrupted by the passage of time, and my mind is fixated on the past. Whatever I do, wherever I go, my thoughts revert back to the dark times of yesteryear. I try and try, again and again, but to no prevail, as my brain is stuck on those thoughts of hatred and heartbreak.

The sky is something different to me. Nopony will ever look at it the same way I do. Where they see open sky with freedom and endless ambitions, I see only the vast emptiness between the stars and my former prison. The stars themselves only remind me of how far away I am from everypony, and the moon is nothing more than a memory of loneliness. The darkness itself seems to wrap around me, shrouding my true face to the world. Past actions are weaved into the night air and every time a breeze comes along, those faded songs of hatred and despair are whispered into my ears.

I have control over it, but what's the use when all I receive in return is pain and suffering as the scars of my past are constantly ripped open. Trying to take comfort in this time is as easy for me as a baby pegasus learning to fly for the first time. The moon is almost a burden for me, as I have to remember all those hours spent gazing upon the Earth waiting for my return. All my memories are wrapped around my soul, shrouding my mind and haunting every waking moment I have on this planet. Simply glancing upward sends a shiver down my coat, regardless of the surrounding weather.

A thousand years worth of my past is devoted to those painful memories. A thousand years is nearly unfathomable to most minds. Only the stone of the earth has been around for so long. Nothing is the same as before when my sister and I ruled together in harmony. But now even she, the only remaining link I have in this life, is different from before. She's grown up, and moved on along with the rest of the bustling world, whereas I have been left behind, like a discarded, dusty old book, thrown out to keep up with the times. This book is filled with stories to tell and things to say, but nopony ever wants to hear them. They all know of my past self. They all know of the darkness inside.

Speaking with others is a rarity, because most ponies who I address either run away or melt into a puddle before my hooves. Nothing more than a simple hello can even be muttered before the panic sets in. Nightmare Moon may be finished with, but her memories are still infused into the eyes of the public. They don't know of my accomplishments, only of that horrid beast that came to be. Nothing I do or say can erase the memories of the past, nor will they just simply fade away. The most known point in my life is also the one point I am truly ashamed of.

The only comfort I've ever received is from my own dear sister, Celestia. But her empty words of encouragement do nothing to help me. They only remind me of my state in the world. She'll keep trying to boost my spirits, but I am on the breaking point. I feel nopony can help me now. They all know me as the "Queen of Darkness," not as the simple mare I can be. Tonight I'm destined to repeat the actions of every night before, every night that has gone past my eyes like a blur. The shadow of my past haunting my spirit as I repeat my daily trudge.

All she does is sit and gaze up at the heavens above. I've watched her night after night, and all she ever seems to do is wait in silence until my sun peaks the horizon. I know my sister, and she seems to be sinking further and further with every passing night. There must be something I can do to help her out. I've tried reasoning with her, and she hears me out. I don't think anything I say is helping her though. She just soaks the words in only to squeeze them back out aain when I’m not around. I need somepony else to get involved. I've tried again and again to get ponies to talk to her, but they can never gain enough courage to finish a conversation with her. I have one last hope left. If this fails, I don't think I will be able to save her in time. Taking out a scroll, I started writing my letter.

The moon was darker than its usual self tonight. My magic wasn't keeping it as bright as I normally do, but what was the point in lighting something that nopony even takes notice in. Everypony is bound to be in bed waiting for my sisters glorious day to come as my dark night passes unnoticed.

"What's this then?" I mumbled, seeing a shape start to form in front of me. As the silhouette got closer, I saw that it was a pony carrying some sort of saddlebags. When the anonymous pony got closer to me, I could make out a light purple coat and a dark mane on this particular visitor. Only when she got very close could I make out the horn atop her head, and the books in her bags.

"Princess?" the purple pony asked politely. The name caught me off guard, as I had been used to being called Nightmare Moon by everypony I met, granted they actually managed to get a word out before fainting or running in terror. I recognized the voice instantly, as I heard it before at the last Nightmare Night celebration I had attended.

"You're Twilight Sparkle, prized student of my sister, Celestia, are you not?" I asked the purple unicorn.

Before answering me she shrugged off her saddlebags and laid down beside me in the grass. "Yes, Princess, I am," Twilight replied nervously, giving me a forced smile. "Your sister sent me here to talk to you about..." she trailed off.

"Is there something wrong back at the castle?" I asked, raising my wings and preparing to take off, would there be any serious problem.

"No, its nothing like that, Princess..." She trailed off again as I folded my wings back to my sides.

"Then what business do you have being out here so late? Why has my Sister sent you?"

"Well," she hesitated, trying her best to avoid eye contact with me, "She's...She's worried about you, about your ability with friendship."

My sister had known I had trouble since last year when I had returned. She's been telling me that she cares, but never before had she sent someone else to give me any words of encouragement. Her own personal student was studying up on that very subject, so maybe she was sent to help me. "Well, I would love the help," I started, "but I don't think anypony wants to relate with the former 'Queen of Darkness.'"

"I would like to princess," she said, finally gaining the courage to look me directly in the eyes, "be your friend that is."

It took a few seconds for that comment to set in, and at first I was overjoyed, but then I realized that this probably was only so she could finish another one of her reports. "My sister sent you here to say that, didn't she," I said, looking away from the unicorn next to me. I was just another assignment to her; I was another project that she was undertaking.

"No, Princess," She said standing up and walking over to her saddlebags. "Please hear me out. I really do want to be your friend. I thought you and I could read together, or you could help me with my studies."

Shuffling through her bag using her horn, she must have found what she was looking for, as a book with a faint purple aura levitated out from the bag. She put the book in front of me and I read the title. Poems For the Pony of Flight it said. "Why have you brought me this?" I asked the unicorn as she sat back down next to me, close enough so she could see the book too.

"I thought maybe we could read one of these together," She told me levitating it to the first page. "I've always felt a good poem can aid me even in the darkest times. Here I'll read the first one..."

"That...that was beautiful," I complimented her, a tear forming in my eye. The poem wasn't great, but being with somepony else made it all that much better.

Going to wipe away the tear, Twilight looked up and asked, "Is something wrong Princess?"

"No, nothings..." I trailed off, my emotions welling up inside me. She really cared; not only that, but she really wanted to be my friend. Before I knew what I was doing, I pulled twilight into a tight hug. After a few seconds I came back to reality and let go of her. "I'm very sorry," I apologized, blushing slightly.

"I enjoyed that Princess," she reassured me, "I really did."

"Oh thank you Twilight," I said, pulling her into another hug and tearing up a bit.

"You're welcome Princess...er...Luna."

Releasing her once again, I lifted the book with my own horn and asked, "Shall we read another one, friend?"

"I would love nothing more," Twilight replied as I draped my wing over her body. We turned the page and began reading together as friends...

"Thank you, Twilight Sparkle," I said aloud, writing up another letter to send her. I was overjoyed that my sister had made a new friend. I saw them reading together, and Luna had a smile on her face once more. I haven't seen her that happy since before the banishment. I chuckled to myself thinking about what Twilight would inevitably send me. She was always writing up friendship reports, and, although I already knew the outcome, I was eager to read it. Sending the letter out, I saw that Luna's moon was about to set, and I needed to raise the sun before it got too late.