In a peculiar year in early Equestrian history, decades, centuries and eons ago, there was a day, or perhaps rather a time, that no pony could ever say was a night, or a day.
During this time, it had been both and it had been neither. Sometimes the one, but only briefly either. For the most part it was a bright night, starring the moon and it's sister of light.
At first, Equestrians were confused but not upset. Crops grew, weather worked; the light was welcome if you knew where to tread. But two ponies, little fillies of royal decent, were confused in the least and stirred their contempt.
It didn't take long to take its toll. Ponies spirits had begun to fall.
Every day they stood and uttered delight about which in the sky is the nicer light. Yellow of warmth and bliss at sight, or the pale blue one ruling dark of the night.
With the wind in her mane she would proclaim, to play in the sun was the most fun. Neigh! Her sister beams, the moon is where it's at, with it's timeless dreams. Though they were young it didn't take long, the havoc they wreaked made chaos's bed.
After their play during the day, and after their dreams of various themes, a fellow long and flawed, spawned in their room; the sisters awed.
In the passing days, the slender spirit showed his merry ways. From thin air delights he'd make, from balloons to toys and cake.
They'd share with him their pride of the skies. There were no secrets, and nothing like lies.
One day, he knew of their hearts' desire, and it was something that he could acquire. He was gone until dusk and dawn, not knowing he had done something terribly wrong.
When his friends awoke their spirits did lift, when on Hearths Warming Eve he presented to them, their respective gifts.
In his paw he held the sun, for the one dreaming of fun. In his claw he held the moon, for the other to play endlessly soon.
Endlessly grateful, they did decide, they wouldn't be spiteful and thus keep both lights sky-side.
One thing they would forever content: which of the two got the better end. For hours on and on they would dispute, not knowing it was a fruitless pursuit.
"Why is it", the serpent said with his equine head, "you sisters so argue, yet you share the same bed?"
He heard them say, much to his dismay: "We need each other, like the sun and the moon. With just one or the other, this is an empty room."
"But have you not seen the ponies scheme? Out in the world, the others are mean."
The siblings' world was like themselves, innocent and small. The tales on their shelves had taught them all.
"How can that be?" they wondered out loud "surely others are just as caring as we?"
Their new friend stood up, on his claw and hoof. They all flashed out, and back on the roof. All around them were ponies about, but in the sisters, there was no doubt.
All love like they do, the fillies were sure. Like the sun and the moon, each had allure.
"Find me this friendship you say is out there. Discover the world, if you so dare!"
He gave each an eye and petrified. He would be here after they'd tried.
"Come on" the eldest said, "those pegasi are nice I'll bet!"
Up they went and to the cloud city, thinking themselves to be quite witty.
The streets were empty and barren, no rainbow or cloud. Below in the distance they found the busy weather crowd.
Mares, stallions and foals, flying about and doing patrols. It seemed too much to handle, it was like the wind to a candle.
The sisters approached a filly like they, laying to rest and out of the way. But before her sleep was disturbed, a stallion showed up, who looked concerned.
"Who are you and what do you want?" he put in a rant. "If you need us to help, don't you see that we can't?"
The sisters noticed the unfriendly tone but were determined to not leave them alone.
"Why is your work so hard?" the younger one asked "Don't the earth ponies and unicorns do their part?"
He saw they wouldn't go so the stallion replied: "The earth ponies we know, but the unicorns lied!" "Without them it's up to us, " he continued, "to keep the crops turning to dust."
Startled and worried, the eldest urgently queried. "They might be mistaken, or just plain wrong?"
The stallion yelled, visibly shaken: "They said their magic was taken by a weird pony dragon!"
His nostrils and wings flared, staying longer only crazy mares dared.
They ran off, worried and scared. Next they would see how the earth ponies fared.
From city to city they flew, but everywhere they went, it was just the two. They landed by the farms in between, hoping to find a pony not so mean.
Mares, stallions and foals, just like the pegasi. Moods were dark as coal, but it was worth a try.
By the barn they found an elderly stallion and mare. They sat in their rocking chairs casting distant stares.
"Pardon us, if you don't mind? When was the last time ponies were kind?"
The elders didn't move, the air was faul. Their faces slowly turned to a scowl.
A younger mare came to them, greeting with a warm smile. They were in for a pleasant while.
"Don't mind them" she said "they only remember way back when."
"Before Equestria was around, but after ponies had found a common ground."
The sisters listened closely to the story told, a tale more precious than gold.
Unfolding before them was the world and it was their imagination that whirled.
"But why do the unicorns no longer play their part?" the eldest did start "Surely they knew what stopping would do?"
"The pegasi were right, the unicorns lied. Whoever heard of a dragon with the talon of a bird?"
"It's just absurd! A lions paw, a pony maw! Wicked horns and on his back thorns!"
The sisters faced each other for they knew who was this bother. This pony dragon they say, who was in the way.
"Please, we wish you didn't hate. We can set this whole mess straight."
The mare didn't flinch, but inside grew hope, though only a sinch.
With a smile they all parted and the journey to the unicorns started.
The flight was long and lonely, though they had learned a lot about the different kinds of pony.
The realm of the unicorns lay in continuous twilight, mostly lit by moon- and starlight.
Tired and quiet desperation filled the air, for they knew the other tribes did no longer care.
They were powerless to help themselves. Soon they'd find nothing but dust on their shelves.
In silence the younglings passed ponies, street by street. Their faces glum, eyes cast at their feet.
"I don't know what happened here" said the eldest sister "but I'll make these ponies happy and hold them dear."
The younger one nodded "I too wish to alleviate their grief, but first we should find the thief"
They found themselves by the shrines of Night and Day, where the sun and moon sages lay. No longer able to wield the light, their purpose soon left their sight.
"Are the stories true?" the younger asked, hoping neither to be true. "Can you no longer control the skies, or is it nothing but lies?"
A young sage recounted the tale, the siblings kept silent without fail. The desolation around them plain to see; it was an abyss nopony wanted to be.
Their dare had concluded, they had been deluded. Far they did stray to find a ponies as loving as they.
When they returned their stomachs churned. There was no fun in the game where one has to place a blame.
What neither knew was that between them, a big difference grew. Turning neither the lesser, but making all things like new.
They returned the eyes to their petrified friend, who they no longer knew if he'd pretend.
When he awoke his heart almost broke. The looks he saw made him withdraw.
"I saw it all, like I did before" he said, "You saw it's the truth!" he swore.
"All those we spoke put the blame on one" the younger did choke. Anger stirred wild in the darker child.
The elder stepped forward, calm and serene. She was a pony who would not be mean. "This fun and play is for us you say, but really it is all who should enjoy the day."
"I saw the pegasus stallion who cared for his tired young, and the earth pony mare who relieved us of the elders stare. Some were mean but love and care did not go unseen."
"When tiredness comes and end the joy, my will come sister to raise her toy."
"I don't want to know if you were the thief, all I want is to end ponies grief."
The eldest stepped out and lowered the sun. Her sister and friend weren't yet done.
"Among the ponies I saw the dark and doom. If only I could take it and lock it in a room."
Her friend looked up, not with dread or fear, but with regret for crimes against those he held dear. "It might not be much but the world is as such. If you find evil persist, let your moon assist."
It was not much indeed but it quelled the seed, of bile and hatred she had for his deed.
"For the harm you have caused we cannot be friends." she cried, sad and angry inside "This will be where our friendship ends."
He poofed away on a promise to return one day.
The eldest sibling stood by the window, certain of the bliss they would sow. The younger mare walked up to her, though she was not so sure.
It did not go unnoticed so Celestia spoke to make Lunas thoughts invited.
"I shall make them happy during my day. I'll have their hearts bloom."
"Then I shall do my best to take their bad feelings away. I'll lock their nightmares in the moon."
The End