Of the Great Battle
So it was, after Discord had been vanquished. Equestria lived in harmony. The ponies spread across the land, the animals roamed freely through the wild, and the sisters eternal looked down in approval on the peaceful world.
These idyllic years were peaceful for everypony. We remember them as a pony remembers their halcyon filly days: full of joy and bliss, ignorant of what the future has in store and mindfully enjoying everything life has to offer. However, as the years progressed, one pony was not too fond of the proceedings.
Luna, ever watchful of the ponies she and her sister had come to love, now felt a growing resentment. The ponies lived and laughed and loved in the warm glow of her sister’s sun. But when the soft glow of the moon touched the face of Equestria, they receded into their homes to sleep. Luna felt slighted by their rejection of her beautiful night. Every night, her bitterness grew bit by bit.
One fateful night, Luna did the unthinkable. In the middle of the night, she held the moon still, refusing to lower it. Some ponies say it was out of the rage felt towards her sister for receiving all the love of the ponies; others say it was out of desperation, just wanting the ponies to see her beautiful moon. Whatever the reason, Celestia confronted Luna. A great argument was heard from on high, and everypony in Equestria could hear the terrible shouting. In the aftermath, Luna was no more. In the younger sister’s place was a frightful mare known only as Night Mare Moon.
Celestia’s magic, although slightly superior to Luna’s, was no match for Night Mare Moon’s. Her anger drove her to such power that Celestia could not overcome her and keep the moon moving through the sky. Night Mare Moon proclaimed that the moon would forevermore stay suspended in the sky, and eternal night would rule the land. So, once again, Celestia called upon the Elements of Harmony to protect Equestria from evil.
Summoning all the magic of the Elements, Celestia banished Night Mare Moon from the skies, and bound her to the moon she once controlled. As suddenly as the conflict had begun, it was over. Celestia had restored order to Equestria, and saved the day. The ponies rejoiced and held a party for Celestia, who came down to celebrate with them. However, in banishing Night Mare Moon, Celestia had lost her only companion – her loving sister. Seeing no other option, Celestia vacated her heavenly throne and came to live on the surface of Equestria with her beloved ponies.
Thus the current state of Equestria came to be. Celestia rules from her castle in Canterlot, and all ponies are her loyal subject. Everypony lives in relative harmony, strained only somewhat by the schism of the sisters eternal. Since the banishment of Night Mare Moon, pony civilization as we know it has grown. We began to settle down and farm, record our history, and study the sciences. Every day, we continue to grow. We owe all of our progress to the first pony: the one who has once and again saved us from peril, the one who raises the sun and moon, and the one who watches over all of us. We owe everything to Celestia.
These are simply the ways of Equestria.
*****END BOOK 1*****