Ruby had awoken unusually early. She hadn't quite liked being awake when the sun was just beginning to rise. She trod in circles around her bedroom, anxious for no reason, bored out of her mind, and too awake to fall back asleep. Though it was too early for it, she knew exactly what her problem was. She needed to write. Times like this, when her head was spinning circles and memories began dancing through her thoughts, only had one cure, ink.
She cantered out of her room and down the hall, where her study was. It was a small room and it didn't have much space. Her tiny desk, that rested right in front of a large curtained window, seemed to be crammed between the bookshelves. She took a seat and rummaged through the drawers of her desk. A bottle of ink and a quill floated out in the midst of her dark red aura and landed gently on the desk next next to her spiral bound book.
Ruby took the quill and began to write.
I was sleeping comfortably in my bed. My black comforter was warm and cozy against my pelt. Everything was perfect as I drifted along in my dreams. At least, I was sleeping comfortably up until Pitch started screaming at my door.
"Ruby? Ruby are you awake?"
I was once he started screaming. I rubbed my face with my hoof. It was too early. I was having such pleasant dreams before all of his racket dragged me away from them. I rolled out of bed with a sigh and trod over to the front door. Pitch continued to bang on the door. It was driving me nuts.
"Come on! The summer solstice is tomorrow!"
I opened the door and looked at him with my death stare. He glared back, tilting his head and trying to look cute. He didn't look cute.
"Are you ready for the Summer Sun Celebration?" he asked.
"Why would I be ready?" I asked, annoyed. "We have an entire day to prepare!"
Pitch shook his head. "Waiting till last minute?"
My expression went blank. I wasn't going to bother responding.
"What?" he asked.
"You always wait till last minute," I told him, giving in to his questioning immediately. There was no use in letting him sit there and figure it out on his own.
"Can we go now, or what?" Pitch pressed.
"One minute."
I closed the door, leaving pitch outside by himself. I didn't waste any time as I brushed my teeth and combed my mane and tail. I decided my coat looked neat enough as it was and went back outside to join Pitch.
"Are you sure you're not a stallion?"
"What?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion.
"Mares don't get ready that quickly," he explained.
I rolled my eyes at the stereotypical joke and he gave me a cheesy smile. I let him lead the way, but he soon stopped, looking up at the sky.
"That's interesting," he said.
"What is?" I asked as I looked up to follow his gaze.
I noticed a golden chariot being pulled by two Pegasuses. I hadn't seen a chariot of the sort in a long time.
"That's weird," I thought aloud.
"It's from Canterlot," Pitch told me. He had a much better knowledge of the city than I, being originally from there and all.
"Interesting."
"Yep," Pitch said cheerfully. "Let's go."
With that, he trod off again and I quickly caught up to trot at his side. Without even needing to discuss it, we were heading to Sugarcube Corner. Pitch always loved having a sugary treat for breakfast. It wasn't exactly healthy, but I wasn't going to complain. I had been rushed out and didn't get the chance to eat. I was starving. My stomach growled for food. It wasn't far now.
On our way, we noticed Pinky Pie and a purple pony that I hadn't met or even seen before. What was even stranger, was that there was a small purple baby dragon at the new ponies side. Pitch was about to trod over, but I stopped him with an outstretched leg and a shake of my head. Pitch was a bit much on first impression and the purple pony looked uncomfortable enough without him trying to greet her.
"Come on Twilight, just try," the baby dragon said.
"Uh." The purple pony seemed to be gathering her courage. "Hello," she said bashfully.
Pinkie Pie jumped out, let out an exaggerated gasp, and whizzed past them.
"Well, that was interesting," the purple pony said before turning around and trotting on her way. The purple dragon followed her with a sigh.
Pitch and I continued on our way, putting past the strange encounter. When we arrived at Sugarcube corner, we found that Pinkie Pie had found her way there as well. She was hopping around the bakery and speaking really fast to all of the guests. I found a table while Pitch got our breakfast from Mrs. Cake. He returned with a muffin for each of us. His was chocolate chip and mine was double chocolate. I always did love chocolate.
Pinkie Pie made her way to every visitor and eventually to us.
"Are you guys ready to pparrttyy?" she asked, hopping the whole time. It was as if she was attached to a spring.
"You mean the Summer Sun Celebration?" Pitch asked.
"Oh!" Pinkie Pie explained. "That too!"
"What party were you talking about then?" I asked her.
"The welcoming party, of course!!"
"For the new pony in town?" Pitch asked.
"Yup yup yup. It's at the library later today!! You should go there right away!" Pinkie Pie said with another series of hops.
"Why now?" Pitch asked.
"So we can get there before she does! It's a surprise party, silly!" Pinkie Pie explained.
Pitch and I looked at each other and Pinkie pie hopped away.
"Should we go?" I asked him.
"Why not?" he shrugged. "It should be fun!"
We finished our muffins and headed off once again. Pitch was trotting with a bit of a skip. He always got excited when new ponies came in town. It meant that he had somepony new to tell all of his strange stories to. I laughed at him and shook my head, feeling sorry for his future victims. When we arrived at the library, I knocked on the door. Pinkie Pie greeted us with a big smile but quickly grabbed us both and pulled us in. It was pitch black and completely silent on the inside.
"Should we maybe turn a light on?" I asked, trying to maneuver my way in carefully, without hitting anything.
"Ssshhhhh," Pinkie hushed.
"Is she-"
"Ssshhhhhh."
I didn't say anything more. Pitch and I managed to find our way next to a bookshelf where we sat down in wait. It seemed to me that we spent half of a day waiting before anything happen. Eventually the door opened and for a moment it seemed that a yellow pink maned pony was about to enter but she vanished as quickly as she appeared. Twilight then entered, but she was facing outside and luckily didn't see anypony under the light she let in. She quickly slammed the door shut after a slur of words.
"Huh, rude much?" a voice asked.
"I'm sorry, Spike, but I have to convince the princess that Nightmare Moon is coming and we're running out of time!" another voice responded. "I just need to be alone so that I can study without a bunch of crazy ponies trying to make friends all the time. Now where's the light?"
Someone flicked the switch and the lights were on. Confetti fell and horns were blown. There were even balloons floating to the ceiling.
"Surprise!" everypony cheered.
The new pony didn't seem at all pleased. Pitch laughed at the excitement of the party, but I was sitting there mulling over what she had said before the lights went on. Had nopony cared about what she said? Frankly, it was a little insulting. She was calling us all crazy for wanting to make friends, when she was the one babbling on about Nightmare Moon's return. Everypony knew that that was just a myth. If it wasn't, Celestia would be taking care of it instead of preparing for some celebration.
"Surrprriiiiiisseee." Pinkie Pie was the first to officially greet the new visitor. "Hi, I'm Pinkie Pie, and I threw this party just for you!" she said in a single breath. "Were you surprised?" The pink pony began hopping in place. "Were you? Were you?" She hopped over the the purple pony. "Huh? Huh? Huh?"
"I was very surprised," the purple mare told her. "Libraries are supposed to be quiet."
Pitch and I began mingling with the rest of the crowd. Even if this new pony wasn't going to enjoy the party, we still could. We spent some time greeting everypony. Pitch stayed by my side for most of the time. He didn't know everypony as well as I did. He had moved to Ponyville, while I spent my entire life there. Pitch enjoyed chatting with the ponies that he didn't often see and a few that he never really talked to at all. I got bored and a little frustrated with the crowd and lack of space, but I didn't want to drag him away and if I left on my own, he would worry and follow.
Eventually, the music went up and the party livened up. I didn't think it was possible to get any more lively than it had already been. Even so, it did, and I wasn't too fond of it. Pinkie Pie declared that it was time to play a game and everypony enjoyed themselves with pin the tail on the pony. We stayed through pretty much the entire night.
"It's almost time for Celestia to raise the sun!" Pitch exclaimed. "We should get going!"
"Great!" I said, excited to get out of the crowded room, though I would only be entering a new crowded room.
We left the library and trod over to town hall. It wasn't long before it was filled with everypony waiting for the raising of the sun. Pitch and I stood at the side, not too far from the platform. It wasn't long at all before the birds began singing, calling for us all to quiet down. A stage light shone and focused on the mayor of Ponyville as she stepped up to the stage.
"Fillies and gentlecolts, as mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!"
Everypony cheered in excitement.
The mayor continued. "In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise and celebrate this, the longest day of the year. And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you, the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria, Princess Celestia!"
The birds sang once again as the curtains of the balcony spread apart and the light focused on the higher platform. There was no pony there other than Rarity, who was looking around in shock.
"Remain calm everypony," the mayor said. "There must be a reasonable explanation."
Rarity disappeared behind the curtains and returned moments later. "She's gone!" she announced.
Everypony in the town hall gasped.
Moments later, a blue aura formed on the balcony. Within it's midst, the form of a black unicorn began to appear. The aura vanished and there stood a black alicorn with a glowing blue mane and tail.
"Oh, my beloved subjects," she said, looking down to everpony. "It's been so long since I've seen your precious, little, sun-loving faces."
"What have you done with our princess?" Rainbow Dash demanded.
She tried dashing towards the black pony, but her tail was grabbed by Apple Jack. The alicorn laughed from the balcony.
"Why, am I not Royal enough for you?" she asked. "Don't you know who I am?"
She faced Fluttershy, who cowered away in fear.
"Does my crown no longer count, now that I've been imprisoned for a thousand years?" the black alicorn asked. She turned over to Rarity. "Did you not recall the legend?" she lifted rarities chin with her glowing, magical mane. "Did you not see the signs?"
"I did!" the new purple pony announced. "And I know who you are! You're the mare in the moon! Nightmare Moon!"
Everypony gasped again.
"Well, well, well. Somepony remembers me. Then you also know why I'm here," Nightmare Moon said.
"You're here to-to," the purple pony didn't seem to want to say it.
Nightmare Moon cut her off with a laugh. "Remember this day little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth the night will last forever!" Nightmare Moon let out another laugh. Her magic spread and swirled in the air above her. Lightning struck from within the building itself.
Pitch was staring in some sort of awe. He seemed to be in shock. My own stomach churned as I witnessed the beginning of this new ponies reign.
"Seize her!" the mayor commanded. "Only she knows where the princess is!"
I could only watch as the guards sprung into the air. They flew straight for Nightmare Moon.
"Stand back you foals!" Nightmare Moon yelled as she struck them all away with her lightning.
She then vanished into a sliver of her magical blue aura and whizzed out of the door. It had been my first sighting of Nightmare Moon, and luckily, my last. I couldn't say I knew much about the pony, but I did know that she had previously been Princess Luna. I always did have a thing for the darker ponytales, but that's all I ever considered the mare in the moon to be, a ponytale.
Nightmare Moon was defeated and was transformed back into Luna, who was then able to take back her rightful place as a princess and once again raise the moon each and every night. Since I was not there myself, I can only retell the bits and pieces of the story. She was defeated by six ponies, one of which was the new pony I had met that day. I now know, and can tell you, that her name is Twilight.
Of course, the feat was not completed by her hooves alone. The other five were Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Apple Jack, and Pinkie Pie. Who would have thought that these ponies that I had seen regularly in this town I live in would have managed such an amazing deed? The six of them together, managed to harness the power of what we call, the Elements of Harmony.
These ponies were tested in the Everfree Forest. Through these tests, each of the ponies learned their element. Apple Jack had harnessed the element of honesty. Fluttershy gained the element of kindness. Pinkie Pie now has the element of laughter. Rarity found the element of generosity while Rainbow dash earned the element of loyalty. Twilight, the pony I hadn't known before, harnessed the element of Magic, also known as the element of Friendship.
A party was held to celebrate the achievement and return of the past princess. Twilight and Celestia had decided that Twilight should stay here, in Ponyville. She has been living here ever since with her new friends. She still sticks very closely to her studies, but not nearly as much as I've been told she did in the past. She had learned the importance of friendship, and thus, made room for it in her life.
Twilight and the other five ponies, thanks to friendship, managed to fight the powers of Nightmare Moon with their own magic of friendship. Together they did the unthinkable, and though I have to say I somewhat enjoyed the thought of an eternal night, the day was saved, quite literally.
Ruby placed her quill on the desk and smiled at the old memories. The day that Nightmare Moon had returned and stayed as Princess Luna would always be considered one of the most exciting days of her life. She put away her ink and quill and closed the notebook. Having put everything in place, Ruby left her her study. Now that some time had passed and it wasn't so early, she could go out and hang out with Pitch, her own very best friend.