a year after Nightmare Moon’s takeover, Rainbow Dash is sent to oversee a celebration in Ponyvile, during which she comes across a small orange pegasus filly.
Equestria has been defeated. Nightmare Moon has won, and Princess Celestia has been banished to the moon. The ponies that fought for Princess Celestia now find themselves left with a choice: swear fealty to the Princess of the Night, or die.
Twilight has been chosen as this year's addition to queen Nightmare Moon's mysterious cadre of personal students. She gets to live in a castle, receive lessons from their sovereign, yet her parents remain sad for some reason.
Nightmare Moon spent a thousand years alone. After returning and overthrowing her sister, she finds a possible companion in one of the ponies who sought to defeat her. Now Rarity must fight alone to retain her sanity.