To Choose the Light

by tursi

Part 1

The ruined castle stood silent, holding its breath at the momentous showdown now taking place within it. At one end of the once-regal room stood a tall, winged black unicorn, clad in blue armor and with a plasma mane of pure magic. Nightmare Moon had returned from a thousand year exile, defeated Princess Celestia, and now all that stood between her and control of Equestria was this small group of young ponies before her.

The ponies were not standing down, they were ready for a fight. They had come here to gather the Elements of Harmony - the magical artifacts that had banished Nightmare Moon in the first place. Led by a purple unicorn named Twilight Sparkle, whose cutie mark was a star-like pattern, they had gathered the elements of honesty, loyalty, laughter, generosity and kindness. Yet they had failed to generate the spark needed to produce the final crucial element. Nightmare Moon had shattered the gathered artifacts in the awkward pause after the failure, and now watched them cautiously. Why were they not backing down?

"You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that?" Twilight Sparkle was lecturing her now. "Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here!" She began to list the other ponies, indicating them as she went.

"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of Honesty!" Applejack was an orange earth pony with a blond mane, wearing a cowboy hat and with three apples for a cutie mark. She watched alertly.

"Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of Kindness!" Fluttershy was a yellow pegasus, with butterflies on her flank and light pink hair. She seemed almost embarrassed by the attention.

"Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of Laughter!" The aforementioned pink earth pony outright beamed, colorful balloons dancing on her flank as her buoyant pink hair bounced with her movements.

"Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the spirit of Generosity!" A pure white unicorn with purple hair and a cutie mark of three gems stood proudly.

"And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart's desire, represents the spirit of Loyalty!" The appropriately named blue pegasus with rainbow mane and tail sported a multi-colored lightning bolt on her flank, and looked outright arrogant.

Twilight wasn't done yet. "The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us!"

Nightmare Moon was frustrated, "But you still don't have the sixth element! The spark didn't work!"

"But it did," countered Twilight. "A different kind of spark." She looked back to the other ponies. "I felt it the moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me when I realized that you all... are my friends!"

She turned back towards the taller unicorn, tilting her head up to meet Nightmare Moon's gaze. "You see Nightmare Moon, when those elements are ignited by the spark that resides in the hearts of us all, it creates the sixth element." She took a step back, and finished dramatically, "The element of MAGIC."

There was an instant and tremendous flow of magical energy that seemed to come from every corner of the ancient room, and each of the ponies was lifted into the air as the shattered remnants of the Elements of Harmony took flight, and gathered around each of them. Selecting their new mentors, each element formed into a necklace, attaching itself around each pony's neck and giving off a glow of magical light. Twilight herself took center in this aerial formation as she took control of the Element of Magic, a crown forming on her head.

It all happened in seconds, and as Twilight opened her eyes Nightmare Moon saw the same power that had sent her to the moon centuries ago. She screamed in helpless frustration and fear as a rainbow-colored beam of magic shot forward from the group and enveloped her, tearing at her armor and threatening to rip the very fur from her hide. She desperately tried to think of a counter-spell, all the while knowing it was hopeless: this was the most powerful magic in Equestria.

And yet abruptly, it ended, and the castle vanished from her sight.

...

She would have preferred to have passed out. At least then there would have been some respite from the heat and light that suddenly enveloped her like an oven, roasting her beaten body and blinding her. For a moment she was terrified that she had been banished to the sun!

As her eyes adjusted, she found herself on a large, flat, sandy landscape, clearly baked for generations by an intensely strong heat. "Curse you, Celestia," she muttered, trying to get her bearings. Had the solar Princess returned during the attack by the Elements and exiled her here? It was not the magical exile of her previous confinement, she was here in physical form. She dug at the dirt briefly with her hoof as if to confirm it.

The sand was only reflecting the heat back up at her, and her black coat was absorbing it without mercy. Already her armor was growing hot to touch, and so she set off towards the only obvious landmark - a cliff which offered some slight potential of shade. She saw no other pony, musing to herself that if there were any in this land, they were at least wise enough to stay out of the sun.

Although it only took about ten minutes to reach the cliff, she was already miserable. Sweat soaked her fur, and the heat of her armor was only made bearable by promising herself to remove it once she reached the shade. Drawing closer revealed a small victory: there was a cave entrance in the side of the cliff which was more than large enough to go inside - and dark enough to promise some relief. She entered without hesitation, her hooves noisily striking the floor with each step.

The cool darkness was wonderful after the brutal sun and she did not even bother to light the way as she stepped deeper, just reaching out ever-so-slightly with her senses. She was the Princess of the Night and she had no fear of the dark. Once she judged she'd reached a central point of the cave, she stopped. With the faintest purple glow her horn lit up, and a similar glow appeared around her helmet, lifting it off her head and setting it on the floor.

"This cave is occupied," growled a voice from somewhat deeper in the cave, and as she turned her head in that direction two dim yellow eyes lit up in the darkness. They watched her intently as the voice continued. "But I've never seen a horse do that trick before."

The voice was almost feral, and she sensed undertones of a predator. Perhaps a manticore? She was of no mind to deal with a mere beast. "If you know what's good for you," she responded, “you'll mind your place and leave immediately. I've no patience left today."

"Strong words for an herbivore," purred the response, the eyes narrowing in the darkness. "Perhaps you don't know who I am. My name is Scar.” His voice was like honey. Thick, menacing honey. Nightmare Moon stayed alert. "Brother to the King and Prince Consort of the Pridelands?"

"Then return yourself to your Pridelands," she retorted. "Unless you'd like me to buck you there myself."

There was a chuckle in the darkness. The eyes stayed distant, but perhaps a little brighter. "My mistake," he purred. "It's not that you don't know who I am, but, you don't know where you are. What is your name, horse?"

Nightmare Moon's eyes darkened and for a moment she considered some of her most horrible spells. She hesitated, however, as some of his words soaked in. She didn't know where she was, that was true, but he did. It sounded as though it were another monarchy, and killing the King's brother would certainly have repercussions. At least until she understood what was going on, she had best play along. It was that, or go back out under the cursed sun again - and she wasn't going to do that. She assumed a more regal air.

"Forgive us, Prince Consort," she responded. She began to use a more formal speech, though her voice was cold as ice. "We are N... Princess Luna, of Equestria." She used her formal name, the name she used before declaring war on Equestria. "Thou art correct, we have strayed off our path due to a magical accident. What canst thou tell us about this place?" She let her horn light a little again, reaching out with her sensing magic to learn about the creature... just a lion. Not even a magical beast. She considered this.

Scar took in everything Nightmare Moon said as well, including the hesitation when speaking her name, the glow of her unusual horn, and her mention of magic. Though her fur was dark as midnight, he saw her well against the light of the sun outside the cave, and even noticed the painted marks on her hindquarters. Her mane was nearly indistinct, and yet it sparkled in the dimness of the cave. Confusingly for a horse, she seemed to have large feathered wings folded at her sides. The armor she wore was unlike anything he'd even seen before. Indeed, all of this was why he didn't simply attack on first sight. She was unusual, she was stunning, she was clearly powerful, and she didn't belong here. Thus, he knew, he must become her ally before anyone else did.

...

They spoke until late afternoon and although Scar shared much information on the Pridelands, he learned very little about Equestria. Scar taught Nightmare Moon about the creatures of the Pridelands, but in particular she insisted upon learning about the magic of the land, something Scar seemed to hold in disdain.

"We have healers, and they can help, but much of the rest is fakery and outright lies. They rattle sticks, mix the juices of fruits and claim to read the slurry that results. But magic like yours... true magic... I have never seen before. What more can you do?"

Nightmare Moon frowned in annoyance. “I am not a show-mare," she responded, completely discarding the question.

Scar was left frustrated, but clearly he had already seen a great deal. Her mane alone was a showpiece of power. Up close he could now see that it showed the night sky and moved continuously without the slightest breeze. It seemed to be pure energy.

"I share your dislike of the sun," he commented at last, and smiled. "And the hottest part of the afternoon is upon us. It is customary here to sleep through it, and if we nap now, we should wake in time for dusk. It will be much cooler then, and I can show you the Pridelands in all their glory."

Nightmare Moon nodded, considering all she had learned. Indeed this one was royalty, but, such a weak grip these creatures held! Scar had told her that his brother Mufasa was the strongest lion around. Yet, he was JUST a lion. He had no magic, no exceptional powers, only brute strength. The lions ruled more or less by being the top predator, yet Scar assured her that their rule was not based on fear.

But something else had leaked out: Scar's frustration. His brother had recently sired a son named Simba, and Scar now knew that he could never become King - something he desperately wanted. He had been subtle about it, and dismissed it with a wave of his paw as not important, but she could tell he was just putting on airs. He wanted to rule more than anything in life.

She used her magic to observe him as he retreated to the furthest, darkest corner of the cave and laid down to sleep. She sensed him watching her in the dark, and so she feigned rest for a long time, until at last his thoughts slowed, and his eyes closed for true. In sleep his own pretensions evaporated, and she saw a weak, frustrated lion, hurt by circumstance and unable to fight back against his own brother. She understood full well how that felt.

She sent her senses out further, taking note of the creatures hiding from the sun. An entire land where the sun was so hostile that the creatures hid from it, and many only ventured out at night. She smiled, it was just what she'd always hoped for in Equestria. Even if she could work out how to get back there, she doubted that she could ever overcome the Elements of Harmony. She herself had once wielded them, along with Princess Celestia, and used them to stop even more powerful foes. They were the strongest magic known to her and she had no defense against them.

Maybe ruling the Pridelands would do in its place. If she only assisted Scar, then it might even be legitimate in this land of 'strongest rules'. She laid her head down at last, and closed her eyes, finally resting from her long day.

To see what the night would bring.

...

The “glory” of the Pridelands which Scar had promised did not amount to much.

Even though most of the lands were awake in the cooler dusk, Scar preferred to remain unseen and distant. This suited Nightmare Moon, who did not yet wish to meet with the other lions of the Pride. But the lands themselves offered little to her.

The primary landmark to which she had been attracted was called ‘Pride Rock’, somewhat unimaginatively. Some great ancient event had stacked boulders the size of houses in the middle of an otherwise flat plain. The lions lived here, in the shade of a great outcropping, and in caves within.

The lands were otherwise flat and nearly featureless, save a deep gorge splitting them, as though an ancient claw had torn the land in two. In the distance was a darker, shadowed place which Scar dismissed as unimportant.

She also learned about the animals living here. These creatures had no industry, no construction, no homes save what nature provided by chance. They lived off the land and by the fates, rather than the industrial planning and working to which Nightmare Moon was accustomed. Yet a simple system of organization had arisen, with the lions at the top. All others were both citizen and prey, save for those favored by the lions and granted amnesty.

It wasn’t much, but maybe it was something. So when at last Scar spoke of the right of challenge, at first throwing it out casually, she took interest.

For several days, the two of them slept through the day, and plotted through the night, separating only to eat. Scar had once brought back a rabbit to eat, which so disgusted Nightmare Moon that she incinerated the remains on the spot. This was a display of magic which Scar had not asked for, and did not wish a repeat of. For her part, Nightmare Moon was able to find plenty to eat once she knew where to look. Traveling using her magic, nobody else even saw her, and any who saw the cloud of purple smoke flit past attributed it to a trick of the dim light. She had shed and hidden her armor in Scar's cave upon seeing no other creature so outfitted, so even if she was seen by chance from a distance, none would think her terribly unusual.

...

“A challenge? You can’t be serious, Scar!”

Mufasa shook his head as Scar confronted him on the promontory, which jutted out like a stage in full view of the Pridelands. It was as if the land itself caught its breath, and the animals below stopped what they were doing to watch. Nightmare Moon had followed Scar to the promontory, and stood back against the wall, watching silently.

“It is my right, Mufasa!” Scar simply stood there. Tall and proud as he stood, the awkwardly thin lion looked ridiculous next to the thick muscles of his older brother. Queen Sarabi stepped forward, standing next to her husband.

“Scar, I’ve known you since we were cubs. You know you can’t win this, why even try?”

Scar’s nostril’s flared, and he growled his irritation. “I have the RIGHT!” he repeated. “You KNOW this, Mufasa!”

Mufasa gently nudged his wife aside, and took a step forward. “Brother, I know you’ve been upset lately. But fighting me won’t solve anything.”

Scar’s eyes blazed as he met Mufasa’s gentle gaze, and he spoke through gritted teeth. “IT. IS. MY. RIGHT!” His head came up and he spoke more clearly. “Accept the challenge or step down, as is law!”

Mufasa sighed and lowered his gaze, shaking his great head sadly. Sarabi went back to the shade where Simba was playing, as Mufasa spoke again. “Very well, Scar. This is madness, but you have always been stubborn. With no other choice, I accept your challenge.”

The two backed off, standing a few paces apart as they crouched, beginning to circle each other slowly. Scar’s eyes gleamed as a smirk began to cross his muzzle, but Mufasa only looked tired and disappointed.

"I'll go easy on you, brother," he whispered as they drew near each other. "You can still concede without losing face."

Scar only stood tall, and sneered at him. "Long live the King," he stated, slowly and deliberately. Then he nodded towards Nightmare Moon.

As rapidly as it had begun, the challenge was ended. Though few noticed the glow of Nightmare Moon's horn, it was hard to miss the results as Mufasa was lifted off the ground, and hurled through the air with great force, traveling so far as to be out of sight before landing.

Panic ensued immediately. Those creatures who had been there to watch, and many of the lionesses, bolted with fear. Sarabi bolted too, not for fear of her own life but terror over the fate of her husband. She chased the direction he had been hurled with more purpose than she had ever mustered, only to have little Simba chase after her with just a momentary glance of horror at Scar.

Yet Scar stood tall and still, barely watching, with the hint of a smile growing ever so slowly across his lips. Nightmare Moon watched him, waiting for the ceremony to end so she could get out of the sun. When at last Scar spoke, only Nightmare Moon and the few lionesses too horrified to run heard him.

"I... am the King."

...

When Sarabi finally found Mufasa laying still in the bottom of the gorge, she immediately turned and covered Simba's eyes, to prevent him from seeing too much. She held her son gently, as a bright blue hornbill alighted quietly nearby.

"Zazu," said Sarabi, "Watch Simba. I have to make sure..."

The bird opened his beak to speak, but chose not to let any words out. He had seen it all from the air, and it had terrified and horrified him. Zazu hopped down from the branch, and stood between the cub and his father, distant in the dust. Sarabi released the cub and approached her mate.

All the Pridelands understood the meaning when a heartbroken roar echoed from deep in that rift.

...

It was late in the night when Sarabi finally completed arrangements to leave. She only looked at Scar along her nose as she left Pride Rock for the last time. Scar and the dark mare stood at the tip of the promontory, watching every move. A mare for Queen? What was Scar thinking? But this was not her concern anymore. It was not allowed to be.

She took her son, of course, and Zazu had been loyal to their family since she could remember, she would not leave him to this murderer. Nala was a young lioness cub, and Simba's betrothed. Well, back when that mattered, but she was as good as family, and so Sarabi brought her and Sarafina, Nala's mother. This little party marched off into the desert, feeling the burning eyes on their backs, and the tension that now hung over the Pridelands. As Queen, she thought that she would do anything to help her Pride. She even thought that Scar had loved her once, and for that alone she would have stayed to help. But not with this mare - when she was nearby there was nothing but a hunger for power in Scar’s eyes. Help would have to come from elsewhere.

Exile from the Pridelands was nothing to be taken lightly. Sarabi knew that there were really only two choices. One was to head north into the Elephant Graveyard. But there was no food there, and the land was overrun with hyenas. They would not welcome lions into their midst, and would certainly kill them all.

The only other option was the great desert surrounding the lands. It would surely kill them as well, but Sarabi had heard of greener lands across the sand. If they had the good fortune to choose the right direction, and could survive the crossing... it was possible. After reflection she had to admit to herself that it wasn’t a much better option than the hyenas.

“What do you think, Sarabi?” Sarafina looked at her expectantly, the younger lioness uncertain. Sarabi realized that she was still the Queen to this one, at least, and that meant she was not allowed the luxury of doubt.

“We must cross the desert,” she answered, and looked down to Simba and Nala. “This will be a difficult crossing, but there is a beautiful land on the other side of it. We will be okay.”

Their smiles reminded her why it was so difficult to lead, and her only hope was that their hope would see them through.

...

“Can we keep them!?” The warthog looked more like a large puppy, bouncing with excitement. His smaller companion looked a little less enthused. Between them were two lionesses, passed out in the heat but protectively covering one cub each. Zazu perched on Sarabi's shoulder, nearly done in himself, having flown until he found someone, anyone, to bring back.

“Pumbaa, are you NUTS!?” Timon the meerkat climbed onto the warthog’s shoulder to shout directly into his ear. “You’re talking about lions! Lions eat guys like us!”

“What about the little ones?” Pumbaa begged.

“They’re gonna get bigger!”

“Maybe they’ll be on our side!”

Timon threw up his arms in exasperation. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. ‘Maybe they’ll be on our..." He paused in thought. “Wait a minute. What if they’re on our side? Having some lions around isn’t such a bad idea!”

“So we’re keeping them?” Pumbaa looked excited.

“Of course, who’s the brains of this outfit?”

Pumbaa paused, confused. “Uhhhh..."

Timon didn't even miss a beat, "My point exactly!"

Neither Sarabi nor Sarafina were willing to give up their cubs, even unconscious their growls kept the two prey animals at a respectable distance, so instead they were forced to bring water out. Standing a respectable distance back, Timon used his tiny hands to splash a stream of water at the lionesses faces, only to jump back behind Pumbaa when they began to stir.

Sarabi spoke first, "S... Simba?"

Zazu quickly moved in before her, "Your Majesty," he bowed. "The cubs are right here with you, but they need water. These two have brought water, and can lead us to shade."

Sarabi and Sarafina both exchanged a groggy, but confused glance as Zazu stepped aside, revealing the large warthog and a nervously waving meerkat. "Stranger things have happened," noted Sarabi.

...

After a few hours in the shade of the jungle, and many long drinks from the river running through it, the lions were starting to shake off their heat stroke, and Timon and Pumbaa were beginning to relax in their presence.

"So the antelope says, I ain't lion around to find out!" Timon doubled over laughing at his own joke, backed up somewhat by Pumbaa. Even Simba was starting to giggle at the terrible puns, but the others just looked at each other with quiet patience. Timon had been trying joke after joke, but every one of them was some form of bad lion-centric pun.

"No! No! Wait! Wait! I got another one!" Timon tried to catch his breath, and the rest listened patiently. They owed him, after all.

...

Scar was King in the Pridelands, just as he had always wanted. Nightmare Moon watched while he strutted around, making himself far more visible than he ever had been before. He would roar from the tip of the promontory seemingly for no reason other than to listen to the lionesses roar back, as they were expected to. Scar was living his dream.

But Nightmare Moon also saw how the lionesses looked at him with fear and revulsion, and how the prey animals were beginning to leave the lands. It frustrated her how little attention he paid to these things, content in simply 'being' the King. As she traveled, she heard whispers. The lionesses were most cruel.

"He doesn't care about anything but strutting about like a turkey," one grumbled.

"And he's so weird... he always has that mare with him. Who even is she?"

"They sleep in the same cave!"

"Do you think...?"

"Don't even!"

"He's not fit to be King."

"But what can we do? You saw what he did to Mufasa..."

"We could leave?"

"To leave is death."

"Sarabi left...?"

Both hung their heads in memory at that. And Nightmare Moon, who was once Princess Luna, resolved to fix this problem before the rumors got worse.

...

"Scar!"

It was dawn, and Scar had already settled himself down to sleep when Nightmare Moon approached him, her hooves clopping purposefully on the stone floor.

"Time for Kings to sleep," he noted, "and aides to do the same."

Nightmare Moon snorted and slammed a hoof into the floor, sending chips of rock flying. The sound echoed loudly through the cavern, and Scar winced as he flattened his ears.

"Very well," he grumbled, "since you clearly have SOMETHING on your mind, I will hear you out. What is it?"

"Your citizens consider you a joke," she sneered.

Scar woke up a little more. His anger started to leak into his eyes, as Nightmare Moon had seen so many times by now. But she knew how to rule, and she was not going to sit through his attitude this time.

"Don't even START," she warned, and when he sat up defiantly, a sneer on his lips and a growl in his chest, she lit her horn and thrust him back against the cave wall, lifting him by his throat.

"Now SEE HERE! What do YOU know about it?" he gurgled, and she gave him a warning shake.

"I am a Princess of Equestria!" she informed him, her voice echoing loudly. "I am over fifteen hundred years old and I know more about ruling than you have ever dreamt. And from that I tell you that you are a JOKE."

She released the magic and he fell to the cave floor, coughing and gasping for breath. She waited until his eyes came up, full of confusion and wonder, even a little fear. Good, he was ready to listen.

"Your lionesses do not see you as their ruler. They fear and despise you. They spread rumors about you and about me. You must take charge of the situation. You must end the rumors or you will lose everything. And you must do it now!"

Rubbing his throat, Scar nodded, slowly. He spoke, finally, his voice quiet and respectful. "I am no fool," he noted. "I have seen this, and I have heard the whispers." His eyes came up to meet hers. "Tell me what to do."

...

And so it was that Scar held his first grand address, ordering that all creatures be assembled at dusk.

When he strode onto the promontory all whispering below ceased, and hundreds of frightened and confused eyes looked up at him. The group was smaller than he expected, certainly half the size that had assembled for Simba's birth, and he didn't know whether the others had run away, or just declined to attend. He found the combination of low attendance and frightened gazes to be infuriating, and this anger added to the helplessness Nightmare Moon had instilled in him. His irritated roar for attention was completely unnecessary.

When he was done, he looked across the creatures below. Lioness mingled with prey, all desperate to know what this new King was planning. Some suspected, correctly, that he was going to formally present Nightmare Moon, and so all were waiting to gain some understanding. Scar himself hoped that by showing the power at his disposal, through Nightmare Moon, he would gain the respect he so rightly deserved. And so he began.

"My friends! As you all know, I, Scar, am now your King, having defeated my brother Mufasa in a legal challenge for leadership..."

There was a shuffling below as some considered what they knew about the outcome of that challenge.

"As you know, the former Queen, Sarabi, has left with my blessing and taken some of the former staff with her. Therefore, I have, of course, brought in my own staff."

He paused, watching as every eye turned upwards, the anticipation being something he found more to his liking. He glanced back where Nightmare Moon stood, at attention and waiting her cue to appear. He was somewhat surprised that she had donned her armor for this presentation, but, this was a formal event and he had to agree it added a rather regal touch. Nor was he inclined to argue with her.

"As you know, Mufasa employed a hornbill as his Majordomo, and so it is not unusual to collaborate with other species. To that end," he smiled, preparing a dramatic tone to his voice, "It gives me great pleasure to present to you all..."

His intended pause was interrupted by a flash of light and a thick cloud of purple smoke in front of him. As it began to clear, Nightmare Moon was boldly standing there, her magical mane swirling above her head like a torrential storm, her wings spread wide and her eyes glowing as she glared down at the animals below. He didn't get to say another word as she spoke with a voice loud enough to reach even the northern border.

"Citizens of the Pridelands! I am Nightmare Moon, and I am your new Ruler!"

...

In the distance, an old baboon sadly watched the ceremony on Pride Rock, though he jumped in fright when he so clearly heard those last words. He shook his head in concern, and swung back down into the hollowed baobab tree that served as his home.

The baboon’s name was Rafiki, and he had been friend to Mufasa and Sarabi their entire lives. More than that, he had been healer, and mystic, an interface to the Great Kings of the Past. It was he who taught Mufasa and Scar that all Great Kings go to the stars when they die, and that those Kings will always be there to guide you.

"Oh Mufasa," he spoke aloud, looking through the branches above his head at the starry night beyond. "We could use the Great Kings now, for I fear that this Nightmare Moon brings no good to the lands."

...

"Zazu? When can we go home?"

Simba crawled up onto the log where Zazu had perched and was trying to sleep. Sarabi had gone out to help Sarafina hunt, and Nala had gone with them to learn. Timon and Pumbaa were off chasing bugs -- or more likely sleeping under the guise of chasing bugs. In any event, this left Simba and Zazu alone in the little clearing that had become their home.

"Young Master," Zazu began, puffing up his feathers then smoothing them down carefully. But then he paused, uncertain what to say. The hornbill had watched over this family for so long, and never had things been so dire. He dearly wanted to tell the cub that everything would be just fine.

"We may never return, Simba," he explained, simply. He felt a pang of regret at the cub's expression, and patted the log next to him, an invitation Simba accepted. So he continued.

"It is a hard truth, Simba, but we are in exile now. This means that your Uncle rules the Pridelands, and," he paused, searching for the words, "we can't go back. We have to make a new life."

"But... what if Uncle Scar forgives us?"

Zazu shook his head, sadly. The cub was still too young to understand properly. "There is too much hurt on both sides," he attempted. "But as long as we are all together, we will find a way.”

"A way to what?" asked Timon, rubbing his eyes as he and Pumbaa walked up together. Sleeping it was, then.

Zazu rolled his eyes, these two were not his favorite company. But they were exiles too, and had saved the Queen and her son. Tradition demanded respect.

"I was telling the Young Master that we must all work together, and if we do, everything will work out."

Pumbaa walked up to the log and hopped his forelegs onto it, so he could look Simba in the eyes.

"Don't you worry, little guy. Uncle Pumbaa's gonna make sure you're never lost or alone."

...

Nightmare Moon was beginning to become concerned.

It was bad enough that the land was a practical wasteland with no redeeming values. It was bad enough that it was ruled over by predators whose primary contribution to society was to be bigger and stronger than the others. And it was bad enough that she had teamed up with the weakest, most self-centered lion of the lot. But all this was a mere trifle.

She was losing her magic.

It was a slow progression, and she possessed a lot of magic, but she could feel it. Not day over day, but certainly week over week. She was weaker than when she arrived.

She took to the sky night after night, spreading her massive dark wings and soaring as high as the currents would take her, then using her magic to cast even higher, until the curvature of the Earth itself lie beneath her. Nothing was recognizable, and worse, she could sense no Equestrian magic anywhere, in any direction.

She had taken her frustration out on Scar frequently, making increasingly petty demands on his time and speaking incredibly short with him. His initial fury had been quenched by a single glare from her eyes, and when he tried to speak, she made it very clear that his input was welcomed only when she asked for it. She had taken control with a single sentence, and now stood unopposed.

But this did not help her. At first she suspected the intense sun. It would make sense, if Celestia had sent her here, that the sun might drain her powers. So the very next time the sun rose, she announced that she had had enough of it. And when the sun set that night, she stood on the promontory with her head held high, and her horn lit bright with power. The moon rose to her gestures, and the already rich night sky grew even brighter and more elaborate. And then it was as if the heavens stopped. The stars still twinkled, and the Milky Way still shimmered from horizon to horizon, but it was all locked in place. Although Nightmare Moon retired from the promontory, even hours later the dawn did not come.

Furthermore, it did not help, and holding the sky was a drain on her powers - though a small one. She could manage it for now, but given six months more, she was not so sure. So her flights continued, traveling further and faster, but always without results.

The conclusion was inescapable: as she did not belong here, the world itself was draining her magic and taking her to equilibrium. If she remained, she would eventually become an ordinary horse on a sun-baked plain with only memories of greatness.

She would destroy everything before that happened. But if she could find a way back to Equestria... then it did not need to happen.

So she kept searching for any sign of magic.

Author's Note:

Small updates to formatting and wording today...

Comments

[joeyjumper94]

Nitpicks:

tall, black unicorn, clad in blue armor 

do you mean alicorn.

[tursi]

5575452

"Unicorn" was intentional.. it's a cross-over story and "alicorn" is a fandom word (well, it's a real word, but in real life it means the material a unicorn's horn is made from). I introduce the word and use it later, but I decided since the show itself didn't use it until much later, I was fine to go this way. :)

Thanks for reading!