//------------------------------// // Sleepless Night // Story: A Helpful Zebra // by Flareblitzfury //------------------------------// I woke up, wondering why I can't stay asleep. "Why am I still awake, I can't keep this up." I said leaning up from bed. I look at my clock and see its four in the morning. "Ugh! My bedtime is eleven!" I screamed looking up at my ceiling. This had been the third time in a row; I'm feeling worse and worse each day. I got out of bed and walked over to my room window and looked at the moon in the sky. "Luna, I know you're there, please tell me why I can't sleep. P-please, I just want to sleep, please. “I said placing a single hoof on the window. A tear rolled down my cheek and hit the ground; I didn't want to cry anymore. "I'm in a place where I could be happy. So, why aren't I?" I said hitting my head on the window as more tears trickled down my face. Then I noticed something, the sun wasn't coming up, it’s supposed too. "What? Where's the sun?" I wondered wiping tears from my face. All of a sudden I hear a loud noise that sounds like someone breaking something. "Ah! What was that?!" I said with a scream as I jumped up in fright. The sound came from behind my house. "That sounded like it came from the royal pony sister's castle." I said rubbing my chin. I put on my hat, vest and lucky heart locket, and left to see what it was. "This might be my chance to help the princesses!" I said in glee as I ran out the back door. I ran through the Royal Equestrian forest, passing many beautiful animals and plants, "I love this place." I gently said still running to the castle. As I approached the castle I saw a magical beam take down part of the castle. "Whoa! Where did that come from?!" I said backing up in surprise. Then to my amazement I see Princess Celestia flying out of a hole in the castle roof. "Princess!" I shouted running towards the castle. Before I reached the entrance I saw a dark black pony flying and trying to blast Celestia. "Who's that!?" I thought to myself, my mouth agape in awe. They then started flying around the castle, The dark pony continued to try to blast Celestia, destroying many things around the outside. "Wha!" I shouted jumping out of the way of falling debris. To my shock I see Celestia hit! She utters a horrifying scream. "AHHHHHHH!" Celestia screamed in pain as she fell back into the castle. "No! Princess! Gah! Where is Princess Luna! Not there for another pony I guess, not even her sister!!" I shouted in rage as I ran to the castle doors. There was a problem, there was debris blocking the entrance. "No! I have too help her however I can!" I said picking up a rock with my front hooves. I slammed the rock against the debris! "Yah!" I shouted as I hit the debris, it barely budged. "Come on! Harder! Harder!" I shouted smashing the rock continuously on every piece of debris. Then I see a light above me, It's Celestia! "What is that aura around Celestia?" I wondered as I smashed the rock to pieces. "What! No!" I screamed in shock when a saw the rock in crumbled pieces. A huge flash blinds me momentarily as I looked back up at the sky. "Wow!" I exclaimed as I see the moon now has what looks like a ponies head on half of it. I then noticed that beam of light broke some of the debris. "Ah! I can get in!" I said running inside, seeing wreckage everywhere. "What! Who are you, and what are doing here?" Celestia asked as she came back in the destroyed throne room from the hole in the ceiling. "I saw chaos, I wanted to help princess" I said as a walked over to her. "And where's Princess Luna? Why didn't she help you?" I asked Celestia. Celestia paused as odds stones fell from around her, she looked at me, looked down and I saw a tear run down her face. "Pr-Princess?" I said in a sad voice. "That black pony didn't!" I shouted in rage. "She couldn't have!" I screamed more as I began to cry. "Please, don't cry my subject; there is nothing to be sad about." She said calmly, raising my head up with her hoof. "Th-then what happened here? Wh-where is she? I asked still sobbing. Celestia looked at me with eyes full of tears and looked up at the moon. I thought about it and came to the realization that that was Princess Luna who attacked princess Celestia. "I-I... had to-" I cut Celestia off and, stallioned-up and gave her a hug. "It's going to be ok princess." I assured, even though we were both still crying I released the hug and smiled at the princess. "You are a brave zebra, what is your name" She asked. "I'm Zan your highness" I said as I bowed. I looked back up and smiled, and thought to myself. “The princess knows who I am!” We then both looked at moon. "How long will she be there?" I asked. "I do not know." She replied. We then began wondering what will become of Luna now that she has banished to the moon. Celestia then used her magic to levitate the odd stones she had. “What are those?” I asked, as she began to put them on odd pedestals. “These, my loyal subject are the elements of harmony.” She said as she put them inside the pedestal and sealed up below the floor. “Those were how I was given the strength necessary to defeat Nightmare Moon.” She said walking back to me. “Nightmare Moon?” I asked in confusion. “I thought it was Princess Luna?” “Yes, it WAS Luna, then she was corrupted by her jealously.” Celestia stated as she began to cry again. “P-please Princess don’t cry again.” I said to her. Celestia looked at me, stopped crying and smiled. She then walked past me and began to walk out the door I came through. “This place has been ravaged, corrupted by her darkness.” She said. I walked next to her and saw the once beautiful forest, dark with horrid plant life, I was so sad to see my favorite place so horrifying. “Princess, What happened to the forest!?” I exclaimed to Celestia as she continued to look at forest. ”Some of Nightmare Moon’s dark magic escaped, and changed this forest.” She explained in a calm monotone. “Y-you can fix it right? I said looking up at her. “I do not think so, this is a magic I am unfamiliar with.” She said as we began walking into the forest. We were both unprepared for what was next.