Life has been going pretty smooth...of course the ups and downs, risks and peace; parenthood for Luna has been pretty much an unintentional dream come true, Jewel had a blast having her actually first sleep-over with her friend Edwin, a rare Alicorn born foal of Earth-Pony parents; but often in life challenges arise, one such challenge is one Luna was afraid of...say what you will...Luna had some reason to fear this challenge...what is it? Her daughter learning about.....Nightmare Moon.
Today was as far as Luna was concerned a good day, Jewel's first guest over went very well and Edwin seemed to have been pleased as well, not only that but was shy yet proud to come to school escorted by Jewel and Celestia; now school was about to be over and Jewel would come home after her day of learning, as most parents should Luna was eager to learn what her daughter learned today.
"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" Jewel called out to Luna as she galloped toward her as Luna entered the classroom.
"Hello Jewel! What is it sweetheart?" Luna asked smiling brightly as she did seeing Jewel after being gone for a portion of the day.
"Teacher wants to talk with you"
"He does? What for?" Luna asked looking perplexed.
"He wants to tell you something about what we will be learning soon" Jewel replied.
"Very well let us speak with him" Luna said moving toward the stallion in question.
"Your Majesty" the teacher said bowing respectfully, "There is a lesson coming up about the occasion coming up soon".
"Is that so? What is-" Luna was about to ask what was the event in question when she then remembered....."Oh..." Luna said feeling a little cold inside.
"Yes...so I would like to know what you wish me to do in regards to Jewel here" the teacher said in a low serious tone.
"I....I understand your concern, my thoughts on this matter? May I talk with her?" Luna responded in a reserved yet nervous tone.
"Of course, I however did mention it by name" the teacher informed looking almost nervous.
"So she knows the name of the holiday, understood" Luna said in a continued reserved tone but now a hint of neutrality.
"Mommy?" Jewel asked looking unsure what was going on.
"Yes sweetie?" Luna replied softly.
"What is going on?"
"Just talking about the holiday your teacher talked about; can you tell me what it's called?" Luna asked knowing the answer already.
"Yes, 'Nightmare Night'. What is 'Nightmare Night'?"
The day had come, there it was...the moment Luna both dreaded and prepared for as best she could...the day Jewel would finally learn about....Nightmare Moon.
"I will tell you when we get home, but when I tell you do not share this with your friends, some things is for you to know and nopony else okay?" Luna said.
"Okay mommy"
"Good...now Jewel, say goodbye and thank you, then let's go home"
"Okay; thank you and bye Mr. Hardcover" Jewel said smiling before heading to her mother.
"Goodbye Jewel and have a nice day; see you tomorrow" Mr. Hardcover said kindly.
Jewel and Luna headed home but Luna was meanwhile playing out how she would talk with Jewel in her head, this was a story full of details she learned omitted some details and since it's revision had added a few details but cut some of the added information; for now though it was time to relax during the journey home.
The two reached home and along the way though Luna decide to ease her worry by asking what else happened in school.
"Jewel?" Luna acknowledged.
"Yes mommy?" Jewel said looking up at her mother with a nervous look; Luna saw this but immediately put a smile on to help Jewel know things were okay, Jewel bought it.
"How was school today?" Luna asked warmly.
"It was good; Edwin was shy about telling ponies about his sleep-over" Jewel said smiling while giggling at the thought of the memory in her mind.
"I can imagine! He must be just shy because he did something very special" Luna said with enthusiasm.
"Yeah, Scarlett Rose said he was lucky, Mint Leaf said it was cute, Cobalt asked if he had cooties though...." Jewel said looking a bit sad.
"I think he is just jealous of Edwin" Luna said giggling.
"Really?"
"Oh yes Jewel, believe me...that colt is simply jealous of Edwin" Luna said placing a hoof on her.
"Funny" Jewel giggled.
"It is a little silly, but be nice to the colt okay?"
"Yes mommy"
"Good; what also happened?"
"We did little crafts, planning for-..." Jewel paused mid-sentence then looked up at her mother looking sad again.
"It's okay Jewel....It's okay" Luna said hugging her and snuggled, "For Nightmare Night huh?" she asked.
"Yes, we made some bats, paper candy, ghosts, and a moon with a unicorn"
"I know who that unicorn is..." Luna said almost hesitantly.
"Who is it?" she asked looking curious.
"The...unicorn, she was actually....an Alicorn" Luna said slowly trying to be tactful when telling her.
"She was an Alicorn?!" Jewel asked looking surprised.
Luna winced a little at Jewel's reaction, but since Jewel was not upset more over fascinated she continued only a little.
"Yes, she was an Alicorn; she was an Alicorn who felt she was not loved by other ponies, so she got angry at them but got mad more at her sister" Luna said again giving info piecemeal.
"That is sad....why did she feel nopony loved her?" Jewel said showing care for the pony in question, "Why was she mad at her sister more?"
"Because no one showed much love for what she could do and what she made" Luna said dancing around as best she could, "She was mad at her sister because she thought her sister did not understand why she was angry"
"That's terrible!" Jewel said now showing some tears.
"I know Jewel...I know...." Luna said trying to comfort her.
"What was her name?" Jewel asked wiping tears away.
"Her name was Nightmare Moon, which is why it is called 'Nightmare Night'" Luna said bracing for the inevitable revelation of her secret to her only daughter.
"What was her sister's name?" Jewel asked; now this was it...the big secret, but this she felt could wait.
"I will tell you the rest when we get home okay?" Luna said.
"Okay mommy"
Back in the present the two were home and Luna told Jewel that she wanted to talk in private with Jewel in her room, so Jewel and Luna went to Luna's room before they talked again.
"You asked me what the sister of Nightmare Moon was right?" Luna asked to start anew the topic.
"Yes, who was she?" Jewel asked sitting on her mother's bed, Luna took a breath and then...she told her secret.
"Her name was 'Celestia'" Luna said with a sigh; Jewel's eyes widened in surprise as she gasped, soon she spoke.
"She had a sister named Celestia too?!"
Jewel had not caught on apparently, so now she had to bring her up to speed.
"No Jewel, Nightmare's sister was my sister, your Aunt" Luna clarified, Jewel reacted the same way but more surprised.
"Nightmare Moon was Celestia's sister?!"
"Yes..." Luna replied calmly.
"But that means Nightmare was your sister"
"No Jewel, Nightmare was not my sister...." Luna corrected; gulping as she was now about to reveal the bigger secret, "Nightmare Moon...was me" Luna said.
Jewel just sat there, she was floored! Jewel could only look at her with disbelief as she looked like her little brain was working overtime to process what she just heard, but after a moment more she looked at her mother dead in the eyes and spoke.
"You're Nightmare Moon?" Jewel asked.
"I was....but I am not anymore" Luna said hoping Jewel would accept it.
"What happened?" Jewel asked.
Luna then explained the whole story of how she became Nightmare Moon and why she became her; during the story Jewel asked no questions as she was just eager to hear the story if not the whole of it of which Luna made sure Jewel knew only what mattered most, upon finishing her story Jewel sat and let it sink in before she spoke.
"So....because nopony liked the night....you wanted it to last forever?" Jewel asked looking unsure what to think.
"I was angry Jewel...and....also jealous too..." Luna said feeling better about telling Jewel her story but guilty for what she did and was hoping Jewel would not turn against her.
"I know....ponies loved Aunt Tia's day more than your night, but...you hurt Tia?" Jewel asked with a look that could kill as she looked at Luna with her large glossy innocent eyes begging an answer on this sad fact.
"Yes Jewel....It was wrong for me to hurt her but I was not myself...I was angry..." Luna said looking extremely guilty.
"You sounded like a monster...." Jewel said; that stung, Luna winced at this remark, she knew however Jewel was right.
"I was a monster....but I was and am sorry about that...for what I did....there was no reason for it...." Luna said lowering her head in shame.
"Yes there was...." a voice said, Jewel and Luna turned and there standing in the doorway was Celestia, with a saddened expression on her face.
"Aunt Tia...." Jewel said softly getting off the bed to hug her.
"Hello Jewel....Luna" Celestia said looking at Luna with a tender expression.
"What brings you here?" Luna asked standing up.
"I wanted to check on you, I knew this talk would happen so I came to talk with you" Celestia explained.
"I see; why did you say the was a reason?" Luna asked looking perplexed.
"Because I should have known you were unhappy Luna...the fault was mine as much as yours" Celestia said moving to hug Luna.
"You hurt mommy so mommy hurt you?" Jewel asked.
"In a way I did...I am sorry too Jewel...and I am sorry Luna" Celestia said pulling Jewel into a hug with Luna.
"It's okay Aunt Tia...I forgive you...mommy too"
"I forgive you Tia...thank you Jewel" Luna said smiling with tears.
"I love you all" Celestia said tears streaming down her cheek.
"Same here" Luna said.
"Yeah" Jewel said snuggling her mom and aunt.
After a while the three discussed what to be done on Nightmare Night once it was explained to Jewel what the holiday itself was....afterwards Jewel was more than eager to experience Nightmare Night, to be honest Luna was happy to pieces about that, for obviously since it was revised a 1-2 years ago it has become Luna's favorite time of year and she could look forward to it before; now that after Jewel learned about this holiday and was okay about it, Luna looked at Nightmare Night as one would look at their birthday! Luna could not wait for Nightmare Night to arrive.
TO BE CONTINUED.