//------------------------------//
// Eight 
// Story: Moon & Memory 
// by TwilightSnarkle 
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Her dreams were better now, if fleeting.

Every morning, she would lay down to rest. Every morning, before sleep took her, there was that momentary surge of fear: fear that when she woke, if she woke, she would be...

Well, it hadn’t happened. Not yet. Still, she was wary. Everyone had been so warm, so cheerful at her return. That was the wrong word. Her arrival. This world did not know her; she would need to begin anew.

Rumors were wild, of course, as they often were: Celestia battled to free her from the clutches of a madmare. Celestia was defeated before a ragtag group of fillies intervened. She, herself, had appeared in Equestria’s moment of need - from the moon! - and battled the Night Mare. All with a grain of truth, of course. Some grains were more painful than others.

Still, this world was new to her. A whole realm, in the literal sense, of possibility. She spent so long on that lonely island, and yet she could remember only fleeting glimpses of her time there. It was a small mercy.

Her sister trusted her, that much was sure. Her sister loved her, even if she, at times, felt unworthy of her love. And... she thought these ponies might love her too. But first, she had love herself. To do that, she would have to remember who she was.

It would be difficult. That, too, was the wrong word. Agonizing. Soul-crushing. But it had to be done. She was sure that she had done great wrongs, in her state. Great evils. While this world did not remember, she would have to, if only to prevent history from repeating.

That evening, before her sister settled in for bed, they had spoken - at length - about how best to tap into her past, and how to begin her future. Celestia had given her several good ideas, but the last was most interesting. She had suggested a visit to Ponyville. 

Her sister’s suggestion made sense. After all, without the ponies who lived there, she would not be back to her old self. She owed them her thanks, at the very least, and her apologies for her actions as Nightmare Moon. The same six ponies had also been instrumental in Discord’s second banishment. Finally, Nightmare Night was fast approaching. What better opportunity was there to improve the image of that distasteful holiday?

It was settled, then. She would confirm her plans with her sister at dawn, and set off for Ponyville after moonrise the next evening. 

She would have to seek out the mayor, of course. It was only proper. Before then, she would need a costume, as would her charioteers. Her crown and regalia would need to be polished, her chariot examined, and a thousand smaller things. There was much work to be done.

She stood, retrieved writing supplies from her nearby desk, and focused her magic for the exacting task. Humming a quiet lullaby into the silent night, she began writing orders for ponies throughout the palace.

For the first time in ages, she held hope for a happier future.