So that's who she was Thought Nightmare Moon.
Ever since Steel Wall’s platoon returned to Canterlot, Nightmare Moon headed to the best place in a city to quietly gain information, a Library.
And what a library Canterlot had. As large as a cathedral with thousands of books and scrolls. Most of the information she wanted, such as the identity of the black alicorn. The answer was already in Steel Walls head, but the stubborn fool was seeling those memories away. Trying to stave off the inevitable.
So Princess Luna was her name she pondered. And she was the former host of Nightmare Moon?!? .
She continued reading the book on pony folk-law with greater intrigue. She read of how Luna fell to evil when no-pony appreciated her night. On how she battled her sister’ Celestia’ and lost’ banished to the moon by the Elements of Harmony for a thousand years. Then of her escape during the Summer Sun Celebration and banishing her sister to the sun. But then her victory was stolen from her by six young mares led by a Twilight Sparkle. Bearing the aforementioned Elements of Harmony, they turned Luna back to good and dispelled the evil in her heart.
Interesting She mussed. Very interesting.
This tale told her three important things besides Luna’s name.
The first was that alicorns lived for a very long time, over a thousand years at least. She could tell why her counterpart of this world choose Luna as her host, apart from their shared love the night. She hated having hosts with short lifespans, the task of finding a suitable new one was so tiresome. If she could tempt Luna back to the evil path or corrupt an alicorn in general, then her position would be a lot stronger and more comfortable.
Whatever the case’ she did not wish to remain in Steel Wall. He was still resisting her, as pitiful as that was and he was unable to wield magic. On top of that’ Steel Wall was a stallion. Hardly fitting for a dark goddess.
The second was that the ponies or at least the ones who wrote this book, didn’t truly know what the Nightmare Moon of this world was. They believed that it was Luna being corrupted by her own evil desires and did not release that it was being of its own. Their ignorance of what she was’ was itself an advantage. After all, how do fight an enemy you don’t even know is there.
Third, was the real threat posed by the Elements of Harmony and the bearers who wielded them. With the ability to exorcise her from a host, she could not take them lightly. As by evidence presented to her, the Nightmare Moon of this world had been destroyed by them.
A lot more information on them and their bearers would be needed. A quick flick through the next pages showed these same six defeating other threats to Equestria.
Steel wall closed the book and looked up around the library. Where was the best place to find my answers she mused.
She got Steel Wall to get up from his seat and started wandering around the many aisles of this grand building.
She soon noticed that a large section of the library that was sealed off to the general public.
Nightmare Moon positioned Steel Wall in the shadow of an aisle marked “Gardening” and studied the entrance to this section. The area was separated from the rest of the library by iron bars jutting out from the archway above to marble floor. An iron gate at its centre was swung wide open but was watched by two stern-faced royal guards.
Carved into the archway above where the words “The Princess Collection” and a sign above the gate told that only royalty and pass holders may enter.
A satisfying grin twisted its way onto Steel Wall’s lips.
This looks promising She giggled internally. Now’ how to get inside….
“Excuse me' sir,” came a voice from behind. Steel Wall Looked over her shoulder to see an old sterner faced mare the then guards.
“I'm sorry sir, but the library is closing for the night,” she said in a slightly stuck up manner.
Nightmare Moon cursed silently and made a mental not to wipe the smugness off this librarians face.
“Oh’ is it that time already?” Steel Wall’s voice came.
The mare nodded giving him a patronising look. Definitely wiping that off her face.
“Then I shall take my leave,” He said, taking said leave.
Never mind She thought. Tomorrows another day. If there was one thing that she had learned during her imprisonment, was patience.