//------------------------------//
// Chapter 1: The Trouble with Discontent 
// Story: Until Dawn 
// by MidnightScribble0914 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 1 – The Trouble with Discontent

She hated when they stared.  She hated it even more when they looked away, averting their eyes, avoiding her gaze.  One thousand years ago they looked right through her, nearly forgetting her existence.  Now they either cowered or gawked.  Regardless of the acknowledgement the ponies of Canterlot chose to give her, she found herself wishing for the days of old when she was simply ignored.  Luna surprised herself with how often she found herself longing for it.
The princess slowly made her way through the Great Hall and towards the winding staircase that would lead to her quarters in her tower.  She held her head high, a stature she had only recently began to find herself capable of holding again.  Upon her return to Equestria and her deliverance from the darkness that had overtaken her, the whispers, seething and distrustful, had been too much for her to bare.
Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted her sister, her dear sweet sister, lightly conversing with some high status ponies of court, along with her prized pupil, Twilight Sparkle.  Celestia’s mane flowed with grace and beauty as she smiled, nodding and chuckling in response to the conversation.  There would have been a day when the sight of her beloved sister and her natural poise would have burned at the festering hatred in Luna’s heart.  But now she felt only a twinge of sadness that she lacked her sister’s amiability.  She glanced to Twilight Sparkle, who actually returned her gaze, giving her a small smile.  But even the small pony who helped deliver her from the clutches of her darker self soon dropped her eyes.  Luna smiled with sorrowful affection.  She could not blame the filly.  Though Twilight knew she was no longer evil, she didn't know how to act towards the Princess of the Night.  Nopony did.



“Don’t you agree, Twilight?” Celestia asked softly, looking down to her pupil.  Twilight gave no response and was suddenly quiet.  The Princess of the Day tilted her head, watching as her student slowly dropped her gaze from whatever had just held her attention.  Celestia turned her head to see her sister, head held high, her starlight main flowing behind her as she walked gracefully across the room.  The pale white alicorn politely excused herself from the members of her court and turned to make her way towards Luna.
“Sister!  Come join us!  We are discussing the possible magical meanings of your star formations!  I’m sure our guests would love to hear your thoughts and inspirations behind them.”  Luna stopped, turning her head and glancing over at the small group of ponies Celestia had just excused herself from in an attempt to include her sister.  Twilight was trying to smile as one of the canary haired mares dressed in fine silks and pearls leaned over and whispered in the student’s ear, nodding towards Luna.  The stallion beside her leaned in to hear his companion’s whispers and glanced quickly at the Princess of the Night, making eye contact only briefly before looking away.  
Luna met her sister’s hopeful eyes and gave her a small smile.
“Thank you, but I must decline.  I doubt that I have anything to say that anypony wants to hear.”  Celestia’s face fell slightly.
“Dear sister…”
“It is nearly dusk.  Nearly time for the moon to rise.  What kind of Princess of the Night would I be if I neglected my duty?”  Her sister only gazed back at her with a hint of sadness.  Luna tried to smile a little brighter.
“But really, Celestia.  Thank you.”  And then she turned and continued her slow walk to her tower.  Celestia stood in the center of the Great Hall, watching Luna go, all too aware the activity of the court growing a bit more lively now that the dark princess had disappeared through the tall double doors and out of sight.



The moment Luna’s chamber door shut behind her, she let out a breath and let her head drop and wings droop.  Keeping up with the appearance of confidence exhausted her.  Though her subjects feared or avoided her, they still owed a mare of her station respect, and how could they respect her if she could not keep her head held high?
The princess let out a small titter of a giggle, amusing herself at the thought of the ponies of her realm bowing before a tear-streaked princess, on her knees, begging, “TALK TO ME!  LOVE ME!  PLEASE?”
She shook her head, her long mane flowing around her as she set her jaw and made her way to her balcony.  The cool night air hit her face and she closed her eyes, feeling the earth and the skies telling her that it was time.  She slowly stepped to the railing of her large balcony, keeping her eyes closed as she summoned the magic within herself.  Her long dark horn began to glow with a pale blue light, filling her with one of the rare of joys she felt in her everyday life.  Luna felt the light of her dearest friend peak above the horizon, sliding into the sky with grace and mystery.  She felt positively ethereal as she opened her eyes, smiling as the full moon rose higher and higher into the heavens, its haunting glow basking down upon the earth.
Letting her magic subside, she looked up at the glowing orb fondly and whispered:
“Hello again.”
The distant echo of laughter caught her attention, and she peered over the balcony into the quiet streets to find the source.
Several blocks away from the castle, she could see a small square adorned with hanging lights.  There, a group of common ponies were laughing and enjoying her night, dancing and reveling in one another’s company at what appeared to be a small gathering.
Curiosity overcame her, and Luna spread her wings, lifting herself from the balcony and gliding over its edge, letting herself circle and float down towards the frivolity taking place far from the formal courts of her home.
She landed softly and silently behind the trees in the shadows cast by her glorious moon.  She shook back her mane and slowly approached the gathering, smiling lightly at the joy of her pony subjects.
The street lights were glowing brightly, lighting up the square as the ponies danced and ate and drank their cider with what seemed to be no cares.  The mares giggled and spoke in semi-hushed tones, admiring the fine stallions telling jokes and comparing stories over the ale.  Luna stopped just in the light of the lamps, smiling at their joy.  It brought her pleasure to see ponies enjoying her beautiful night, if only for a little while.
One of the mares stumbled as she laughed, tripping and landing on her flank right before the quiet princess.  Luna gasped and lowered her head to the mare’s eye level.
“Oh my!  Are you alright?”  The pony looked up with a huge smile, only to have her face grow suddenly blank and pale.  She jumped up quickly, backing up so fast she bumped into her group of friends, drawing their attention to the princess.  The music and frivolity died away, as every pony in the square stared for a moment in shock before dropping to their knees in a low bow.
Luna stepped forward, raising a hoof.
“Oh please!  Stand!  Don’t stop because of me!  I was just enjoying the sight of your gathering!”  But the ponies stayed low to the ground, some averting their eyes, others looking up at her wide eyed with fear.
“Y-y-your highness?  Did we disturb you?” a stallion asked quietly.  Luna’s eyes widened.
“Goodness no!  Please get up!”  Some ponies glanced at one another, as if seeing if anyone else would get up first.  But nopony moved.  Luna glanced around, then lowered her head as she began to retreat back into the shadows.
“I will take my leave of you,” she said softly, and with that she spread her magnificent wings, flapping as she slowly lifted herself into the night.  The ponies below watched her as she ascended, their eyes following her until she disappeared into the darkness.



Luna carried herself higher and higher into the sky until she found herself above the moonlit clouds, far from the earth and into the calming silence that surrounded her.  With a powerful flap, she took off across the night, the wind causing her mane to billow behind her.  She flew and flew, closing her eyes to feel the force of the wind on her face.  The lights of Canterlot grew dim as she fled further away from the city.
The houses on the ground far below grew more sparse, the fields more vast.  The horizon of the earth curved in the distance as her flight took her deep into the night, the cliffs of her home becoming a vague outline behind her.
The princess slowly began to circle towards the ground, the grassy fields of bluish green rising to meet her hooves as she softly landed beside a small stream.  She looked around in the darkness, seeing nothing but trees and stars.
When she knew she was alone, she lowered her head, her lip trembling, shakily lowering herself to the soft grass.  Luna sat alone in the night, her head lowered, her wings drooping low and her hair hanging over her face as she let the tears fall.  She cried quietly, for even in her solitude, she had to maintain some sense of dignity.  Sniffing softly, she looked up to her moon, the light it shone down on her lighting up the tear tracks on her dark blue cheeks.
“If only I could be anypony except me,” she whispered softly.

“I might be able to help you,” came a familiar voice.
Alarmed, Luna jumped up on all fours and whirled around.  On the path behind her stood her sister’s young pupil.  Luna wiped her eyes, staring quizzically at the mare.
“Twilight Sparkle?  What are you doing here?  You were at court with Celestia.”
Twilight smiled brightly.  “I live in Ponyville, Princess.  It’s just over that hill,” she explained, motioning a hoof in the direction her path was leading.
Luna sniffed again quickly, her wings slowly straightening and rising, attempting to regain any composure she had left.
“Should you be traveling alone so late?  You still have your quarters in Canterlot.  I’m not sure I approve of your decision to make your way home at this hour.”
Twilight smiled sweetly, looking up to the night sky.  “I’m sure I’ll be fine.  I love walking under your stars.”
Luna seemed surprised at this and couldn’t help but smile.
“I, too, enjoy the night.  Although that is to be expected of me,” she said softly, calming a bit.
The purple unicorn trotted towards her, her smile lessening as she raised an eyebrow.  
“Did you mean it, Princess Luna?  Do you really wish that you weren’t you anymore?”  There was a flash of sadness across her face, and Luna quickly replied.
“Oh no, Twilight Sparkle… well… yes, sometimes.  But only for a while.”  She took a breath, eyeing the mare apprehensively.  “Honestly, I simply grow tired of everyone fearing me.  Or scorning me.  Or simply not knowing how to interact with me.  I just feel that if I was an average pony that never attempted to create an eternal night, perhaps ponies would find me more approachable.”
Twilight’s smile slowly began to return.
“Yes, threatening to imprison the world in eternal darkness might not have been the best way to win hearts and influence ponies.” 
Luna started and stared at Twilight with wide eyes.  “Did you just… make fun of me?”
The unicorn bit her lip and grinned wider.  “Only a little, princess.”  She suddenly began to clop her way through the shallow stream, making her way towards the Everfree Forest.  She stopped and turned her head to call out behind her.
“This way, princess.”
Luna raised a brow.
“What is that way?”
Twilight was trotting again, and this time turned around entirely to yell back from her distance.
“Somepony who can help you.”



Luna was growing apprehensive as the stepped over the twigs and foliage of the dark forest.  Twilight was still trotting a ways ahead of her, humming to herself as she plotted along.  They had been walking for quite some time, and the forest was closing in, growing darker and darker until the princess felt as if the trees would swallow her.  She looked around her in the gloom, then up into the choking foliage.  Her beautiful sky above was becoming harder to see as they traveled deeper into the wood.
“Twilight?  Are you sure we are going the right way?  Who could possibly live this deep in Everfree Forest?”  When she received no response, she quickly brought her gaze back to where she last saw the purple pony, but instead found only darkness.  She became more concerned, raising her voice to call out.
“Twilight Sparkle?  Where are you?  Are you alright?”  Her voice echoed off the trees, bouncing back at her in the deafening silence.  Luna had no fear of the dark or the quiet, but it unnerved her how there were no sounds of life in this place.
“This way, princess!” she heard the unicorn’s voice call out from the distance.  “It’s not far now!”  Quickening her pace, Luna followed the voice further into the darkness.
“In here, princess!” came an echo.  Luna stopped, squinting into the trees.
“Are you in a cave?”  Silence.  “Twilight?”
“Over here!” the echo continued.  The dark blue alicorn slowly lowered her head under several branches, tightening her wings to her sides as she pushed through the denseness of the forest.  She could hear the echo of dripping water, falling from a great height and plopping to a floor of stone.  The moonlight broke through the trees and Luna found herself in front of a dark opening to a cave in the damp rock face.  The uneasiness grew stronger.
“Twilight Sparkle,” she stated flatly, waiting for a reply.  Only the echoes of dripping water could be heard.  Luna narrowed her eyes and entered the cave, letting her horn glow with soft blue light as the darkness swallowed her whole.

“Twilight Sparkle!  This is no longer funny!  I demand that you come out of hiding and we return this instant!”  Luna heard a rustling deep in the caves, echoing around her and sending chills up her spine.
“Poor Princess Luna.  She’s so lonely and so very all alone.  No wonder she would follow anyone into the dark.”  It was Twilight’s voice, but it was mocking and slightly shrill.  It seemed to cackle as it spoke, bouncing off the cave and forcing Luna to cringe.
“You are not Twilight Sparkle,” she stated flatly, her anger flaring.  Suddenly, in the soft glowing light of her horn, a black insect like pony creature popped up in front of her face.
“Boo!” it hissed in Twilight’s voice before vanishing into the darkness.  Luna gasped, raising a hoof as if to swat at it.  Her skin tingled with dread as she heard a low laugh reverberating from the back of the black cavern, crawling over her coat and filling her ears.  Luna stomped her hoof firmly and raised herself to her full height, preparing to stand her ground, when a soft soothing voice floated out of the darkness and surrounded her.
“Forgive my servant, sweet princess, for he has no manners.”  The voice was almost hypnotizing, sounding as if it were two of the same voice speaking in sync.  Luna steeled herself and intensified the strength of the light radiating from her horn.  The cave shone with an eerie blue glow, shining upon several of the bug like pony creatures swarming around a larger version of themselves.
She was black as coal, her body riddled with gaps and holes.  The mane was a stringy teal green that clung to her face and hung in her eyes.  Her bright green eyes glowed in the darkness and her tattered insect wings fluttered weakly with a sound like crinkling parchment.  Perhaps most jarring was the long gnarled black horn rising from her forehead.  This creature must have seen Luna’s expression of muted horror, for she laughed again.
“Yes, I know I can be rather alarming at first.  My kind has not been seen in Equestria for many years.  Not that we have not been here, we have simply been forced to dwell in the shadows and the darkness.”
Luna steeled herself further, raising her chin and narrowing her eyes.
“Who and what are you?  I demand that you explain this deception at once!”
The creature smiled.
“Why, dear Luna, we are changelings.”  
Luna’s mind flashed back a thousand years, remembering her bedtime tales of mythical creatures and beasts.  The myth of the changelings tickled a memory of the dark insect like creatures of stories, possessing the power to change their appearance at will.
“You are a shapeshifter,” Luna whispered.  The little insect pony giggled and his matriarch smiled.  “But you have not explained the deception of that one appearing to me as the unicorn Twilight Sparkle and luring me here.  Do you wish to capture me?  Harm me?  My sister will continue to rule Equestria even if my life is taken.”
The large changeling’s eyes widened, appearing genuinely surprised.
“Princess, why would I harm you?  I bear you no ill will.  I only wish to help you.”
The dark alicorn raised one brow skeptically.
“How would you be able to help me?  Why would you help me?”
“Friends help one another, do they not?”
“Oh, are we friends?”
The changeling matriarch stood, her impressive height towering closer as she approached the Princess of the Night.
“We could be.  You seem as if you could use some friendship.”  She smiled sweetly.  “And you know what they say about friendship.”  
Luna leaned back, attempting to give herself some distance from the changeling without losing her ground.  But the mare leaned closer, her eyes flashing green as she whispered.
“It’s magic.”  The matriarch turned and began to walk back to her rock cropping seat.  Lowering herself back down on her haunches, she smiled sweetly.
“Shall we discuss the terms of our arrangement?”
Luna stepped forward, thrusting her lit horn in the direction of the changeling.
“What arrangement?  Reveal your intentions!”
The mare’s eyes suddenly flashed green, and she immediately morphed into a small pink unicorn with bright green hair.  The illusion smiled sweetly, her eyes flashing green again, becoming a grey Pegasus with a pale yellow mane.  She giggled, then changed into a white earth pony, red locks tied back into a loose pony tail.  Then with a last flash of green, she was her wretched self once again.
“You can have your wish Princess.  You can become somepony else, somepony nopony will recognize.  You can blend in.  Be addressed informally.  Make friends.  You can be accepted, sweet Princess of the Night.  You can experience life from outside the prison of your palace and your past.”
Luna gasped.  All defenses dropped as she took in the offer being made to her.
“You can teach me to wield this magic?”
The dark queen shook her head.  “It cannot be taught.  But it can be given.”
Luna started in surprise.
“Will you give me this power?”
The twisted mare laughed, her cackle echoing through the cave.
“Will I share it with you?  Of course I will, with conditions of course.”
Luna’s apprehension began to ebb back into her mind.
“What would you ask of me?”
The matriarch glanced around thoughtfully.  “It would be no burden to you.  You would give up nothing.  Except your time, perhaps.  You will come and visit with me here, every quarter moon.  I would like to hear the stories of your mischief.  I would like to hear about your experiences.  Share with me your thoughts.  Your feelings.”
Luna raised an eyebrow, looking at the changeling skeptically.
“You are offering to give me this great power, and all you ask in return is for me to come and… chat with you?”
The black mare shrugged, bringing her hoof to her chest.
“What can I say?  I’m a generous mare.”  Her face became devoid of all readable emotion and she stared into the princess’s eyes with chilling intensity.  “Do you agree to these terms?”
Luna stared back, her thoughts racing.  Could she, in fact, obtain this power?  Could she experience life without her burdens?  She would not give up her role or her duties as princess.  But she could occasionally escape into a disguise and live as a normal, undamaged pony, if only for a little while.
“Will I lose my magic?  Will I lose myself?”
The changeling mare laughed again.
“Of course not, sweet princess.  Your magic is a part of you, and will always be inside you.  Of course, if you were to take on the shape of a pegasus or an earth pony, you would not have the means to wield this magic.  You could not, for example, raise the moon while in a form other than an alicorn.  But you can shift at will!  You may simply change back into your proper form to perform your duties as you please!”  
Luna abandoned all apprehensions and reasoning.  She stared at the changeling matriarch for a few moments, before stepping forward.
“We have an agreement.” 	The dark creature was suddenly directly in front of her, her intense gaze inches from Luna’s.  The eyes before her grew wide and flashed green with alarming intensity.  Luna’s world became a blaze of green, and then blackness.