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// Chapter Two: A Thousand Years After 
// Story: Gaze Upon the Stars 
// by ADenter1 
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Chapter Two: A Thousand Years After




Luna gazed at the night sky lovingly. Once again there was a Full Moon, but this time she counted well over a thousand stars surrounding it. Like a Queen, or a Princess, surrounded by her outmost loving and loyal subjects. The midnight blue Alicorn sighed with happiness and sadness at the same time. A thousand years ago, and upon her freedom from the banishment to the Moon, she was Nightmare Moon, but now she was back to herself. Although she never again took it upon herself to punish herself with the same nightmare, she still felt as though she were in a lonely exile from the rest of Equestria.
Either Faust deemed it fit to leave her in an eternal solitude of misery, or Faust merely ignored her prayer from a thousand years ago. Perhaps Faust had punished her with the curse of loneliness. Though the heroes of Equestria were kindly enough, not even they would truly understand her point of view. Everyone was always with beloved Celestia... Luna gasped and shook her head instantly. It was those very thoughts that led to the coming of Nightmare Moon.
Tears welled in the Alicorn’s eyes. “Sombra and Starswirl, the only two who ever understood my Night,” she sniffed softly, a sullen sigh escaping her lips. “Yet Sombra fell into the Darkness, and Starswirl... Did he leave purposely or did somepony or some creature harm him?” Luna closed her eyes. That seemed impossible. Starswirl had been brilliant beyond even his own years, and he was one of the most powerful creatures, pony or other, on the face of Equestria. Unless it had been Faust, or even Discord, nothing could have brought him harm. Could it? But he would not have just abandoned Equestria, would he?
Ponies had not changed much over after a thousand years. They still basked in Celestia’s light and slept away Luna’s night. Princess Luna swore to herself that never again would she turn into Nightmare Moon, but the thoughts refused to leave her. She could not help but wonder even further. “My punishment is my own,” Luna understood that Faust must be punishing her to be friendless in the face of the Night.
She spread her wings and almost instantly took flight. She would disappear from Canterlot for tonight if she must, but she needed to be away from the very place that brought her memories that only brought nightmares. She knew which kinder soul to talk to at this time, since she was after all the only one who was awake even at this time. She did not sleep during the day, but she did not rest the entire night either. She knew strange and powerful Magic that was far beyond even Luna’s comprehension.
Before she could reach her friend though, the thoughts returned. She heard the whispers of ponies behind her back, and sometimes even within her hearing range. It mattered not that she too was an Alicorn Princess, Nightmare Moon was still her past and almost all ponies refused to let go. So how could Luna, when she received glares of anger and stares of fear.
One whisper however struck her deepest. Like a knife to the heart. “Princess Celestia raised the Sun and the Moon for a thousand years, why bring her back?” she did not care about who the pony was. It hurt to much. “They’re right,” she sighed as she landed gently on the cool ground of the Ever-free Forest. “I am a monster,” the tears returned.
Luna felt a gentle hoof on her shoulder and the Princess’s teal eyes met turquoise ones. “A monster would not feel guilt or remorse in any way, and why do you listen to what foolish ponies say?” the Princess could not help but pull the Zebra into a hug. “Because they’re right,” Luna whispered brokenly. “Only if you let them be, tell me Princess would you care for a cup of tea?” Luna smiled. Tea sounded nice right now.
~Zecora’s Cottage~
“You still feel guilt for the actions of Nightmare Moon, and all because of the words of some goon,” Zecora said before taking a sip of her own tea. Luna sighed. “It has been a thousand years, my striped friend. The past is hard to forget, for ponies and myself. A thousand years before I was Nightmare Moon, and a thousand years after it feels as though they await for me to return to that dark part of myself,” Zecora nodded slowly, understanding shining in her eyes.
Zecora took another drink of tea before speaking. “Nightmare Moon will always be a shadow of eternal haunting, but what is it your heart is truly wanting?” Luna looked up from her almost empty tea cup. “A friend, one who does not want me for my power or crown. Though I can’t really say those two things matter anymore, if they ever did in the first place,” Luna stated irritably. “One who won’t fall into the Darkness or disappear without a reason or without a goodbye. A friend who understands me and my Night. Who won’t look at the elder sister who shines brighter than me,” she took her last drink of tea before setting the cup down.
The Zebra smiled. “May I?” she gestured a striped hoof to the Princess’s empty cup. Luna nodded, knowing that Zecora would have ‘looked into her future’ either way. “I see your devastation and guilt of the past, and yet your punishment will not last,” Luna raised an eyebrow. “A thousand years,” Luna muttered. “The past may leave scars,” Zecora grinned as Luna rolled her eyes. “But all you have to do is find the pony whose gaze always stays on the stars,” Zecora looked up from the cup. “The Princess’s friend, until the very end,” Luna sighed once more. “You can never give a straight answer, can you?” the Zebra’s grin grew. “Nope.”
Luna looked out the window. “I must be returning to Canterlot, thank you for your hospitality,” Luna disappeared out the door as she took flight once more. Zecora smiled softly. “Heart to heart, the Mare and the Stallion will both play their part,” Zecora stared out the window. “Every one thousand years the flower will bloom, and soon my friend will end your gloom. Somewhere Starswirl is having his share of laughter, a thousand years after.”