On a dark and stormy night, a dark and stormy pony sat alone in the rain and shadows. The fierce wind blew through Moonlight's dripping wet mane and she contemplated the futility of all things.

It was a dreary sight, but was not dreariness the best any of us could hope for? Sadness, numbness, these were the best emotions in Moonlight's opinion - the most real, the most pure. In a way few could understand she was the closest to happiness when she was gloomy.

"The dark is always the dark," Moonlight mused to herself, "is this not the only truth a pony can hold onto, if there even is truth?"

But then the darkness was pierced by a flood of light. The door swung open and her sister, Sunshine Dove, fluttered by Moonlight's now bright and sunny side.

"Are you reading your poetry again?" Sunshine asked in her painfully cheery voice. "I don't understand why it's always so sad. You should look on the bright side more often. Like, how the rain will fill the world with bright, sunny flowers! Or how I just made cupcakes!"

"The dark side is my bright side," said Moonlight in her usual monotone.

"Well anyway here's an umbrella and a cupcake!" Sunshine put a cupcake next to Moonlight and an umbrella over her.

The cupcake was bright yellow with a little smile face drawn on it. With that done, Sunshine bounced back inside.

Moonlight let out an exhausted sigh.

"Why must you always brighten my days, sister?"

Why? Why must it end so soon?

Moonlight Raven sat on the chilly pavement of a Canterlot sidewalk, the obscenely loud fracas of a party in the house behind her destroying any peace and tranquility to be found in the night.

Forgive them, she thought, staring up at the face of the Mare in the Moon, they know not what they do.

She imagined that the shadow smiled down at her for the briefest of moments.

And all too soon, the moon would sink beyond the horizon, only to be replaced with the garish light of day to mark the longest day of the year. And all would be celebrating. Cowards, all of them, who couldn’t stand to look at things in a different light. Who never tried to understand when not every facet of something was exposed for them to see and prod and study. No one understood the beauty of this time. The mystery.

The perfection.

Except you.

Moonlight Raven smiled up at the Mare in the Moon, wishing her a fair journey until the time for her to watch over the world came again.

And in a flash, the face was gone.

Raven blinked.

The Mare in the Moon was gone. Gone, and the moon hung as a flawless silver orb suspended for all the see.

She snorted. “Figures.” She went back inside for another drink.

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Moonlight sat on the bench of Crystal Prep, looking bored. She was wearing her school uniform, despite the fact that it was light maroon but she didn't mind. The crisp fall air blew across her face, but she didn't mind her hair getting in her face.

Suddenly, she saw a figure approaching from the distance. She knew who it was as soon as he came up to her.

It was.................................... MARCO DAFOY!

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Moonlight stared up at the handsome boy. Her inquistive gaze was drawn to his chiseled chin, perfect green hair, and ambitious amber eyes.

"How are you, Moonlight?" he asked, sitting down next to her.

Midnight blinked, surprised.

"You know my name?"

"It's on your backpack," he pointed out, "and I do sit behind you in English class."

"Right," Midnight answered in her quiet drawl. "I'm doing well. How about you? What is Marco Dafoy up to?"

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Moonlight Raven smiled down at the lawn. Though her life was dark and full of edge, plants had been her one constant companion. Talking to them always made her feel better.

"Good talk," she drawled. As she walked away, she turned her head to speak over her shoulder. "I'll see you tomorrow."

That was the day her parents' grass, struck with terror and pain by the threat of her return, learned to cut itself.