"Light and dark. The most curious of eternal battles. This is because unlike fire and water, earth and wind, hot and cold; Light and dark cannot live without the other. Darkness needs to consume the light so that it can reach further; Light needs to repel darkness so that i may grow more. What a perfect example of this is the moon and sun. Both so equal, but not one being able to exist without the other in our world. When the dark of night has cooled the world too much, the sun must rise and bring life to the world again. When the light of the day has tired the world and has brought growth to too far a degree, the moon must rise and give rest to the land. Both equal, both needed..." - Star Swirl the Bearded.
The land itself, one could swear, was holding a breath as no eye could mistake the rare occasion setting upon the world. The eye of Solaris, the orb of fire that burned an endless red dawn upon the was dimming. All ponies and alike looked to the dimming ball as it dipped a final trickle against the horizon. Tears fell down from pony eyes and legs collapsed under tired forms as an encompassing darkness blanketed over the land of Caballussia. But no sound filled the air, as if the wild life itself was waiting for the final act to show that the time of celebration was here.
When the final sign came... the land rejoiced. Cheers and merrymaking, hollers and ponies taking to the streets. Many ponies danced in the dark streets and laughed with one another; reconnecting with friends they had not seen for weeks. Banners stretched from house to house with glittering letters of gilded text that would even show through the darkness. Stands were quickly set out of every pony's home and little colts and fillies broke their savings to enjoy this wonderful moment. In a single moment, all of Caballussia had changed.
In that moment when the sun was sent away, and the full moon hung above Canterlot as a vigil of peace...
"Citizens of Caballussia, hear my decree! I, Nightmare Moon, chancellor and royal commandant of the mighty Caballussia Empire, have been named high ruler of our wonderful land in stay of my sister, Queen Solaris, as she regains her might so that she may continue to rule you as she does. In the period of her rest, I grant my citizens the raise of my night. Though tyranny and absolute law governs the citizens during the time of day -a time my sister grants you all throughout her time of watch-, in night, you are granted amnesty by my hoof! Do as you wish, and act as you would under my eye... Though know that my sister will arise, and should you do anything that would effect her reign or defile my own name before her, amnesty will not protect you from final judgement."
The voice of their chancellor, the mare who stands beside Solaris and aids her in the conquest of the entire world, filled every Colony and every colonists ear. No pony dared to speak while she did, not even the youngest and brazen of the ponies. For a moment, only her echoing voice filled the towns; and when it finally stopped, the ponies cheered. "Long live the Queen!"
"Glory to Caballussia!"
"Our hearts to you!"
Joy escalated from all their lungs for hours on end, cheering the gift given to them by Nightmare Moon. Even guards, harsh enforcers of Solaris' law, threw down their staffs and helmets to join in with the celebrations.
To Nightmare Moon, who watched over her standing kingdom from the balcony of Canterlot Castle, the cheers brought to her a sense of right as much as the whispers of woe.
To one end, this granted the citizens a moment of peace and a sense of freedom. Something Solaris never granted them while they were under her hoof and sun. To this idea, Nightmare Moon believed that the citizens were given hope. And in spite of what Solaris believed, Nightmare Moon did not believe hope was dangerous. She found herself thinking back to a fair white mare that believed hope was to save everyone...
But to the other end, she felt a twinge of pain. It was not because she knew that the citizens would be placed under Solaris whenever she awoke. It was not because she was giving them only a glimpse of freedom. It was not that she was going against her sister's ideals. It was because, at this moment, this very, very, very rare moment... Solaris was powerless. Without fire, without her sun, without protection... She was asleep, vulnerable... And in one swift motion, she could end the nightmare...
In one motion, just one swift spell, Nightmare Moon could end the dawn forever and grant a normal life to everything...
In one motion... She could become what the citizens called her...
"Long live Queen Luna!"
"Glory to Luna!"
"Our hearts to you, Luna!"
In one motion, she could end the nightmare... But all she knew was the nightmare.