Einbruch der Dunkelheit
Every day the sun grew hungrier. Every night the moon grew weaker. The earth razed itself in the fiery heat of summer as the solstice neared once again.
I was sweaty, and stinky, and my wingpits itched like they were crawling with fire ants. My fangs raked across the leathery membranes, but no amount of nibbling let me find relief. It was truly the most miserable time of the year.
Not that my friends would know….
“So, girls, what are your plans for the Summer Sun Celebration? ‘Cause, if y’all ain’t busy, Applejack was thinking of taking everypony to Manehatten to watch Princess Celestia raise the sun.”
As if it could hear its cursed name, the hungry beast poked its head from the clouds to lick us with its flames. Apple Bloom tossed us each an apple, freshly bucked from the tree we were resting under, and I tried to wiggle a little deeper into the shade.
“That sounds great!”
“Count me in!”
“Daddy has a summer home that we could use!”
“It’s a bit small, though, isn’t it?”
“Not anymore, Silver! We added two new wings last fall! How did you forget that?”
“You have a lot of homes, Diamond.”
“Shush, you two. If we’re stayin’ anywhere, it’ll be with my aunt and uncle.” Apple Bloom threw a core at Diamond and Silver. “‘Sides, it still ain’t decided, and somepony ain’t answered yet.” She looked at me, hiding in the darkness as best I could. “What do you say, Night?”
“I… uh… I don’t do the Summer Sun Celebration.” I poked at a fascinating knot in the roots of the tree. Even in the middle of the day, crickets chirped to fill the silence that followed, and I squirmed under my friends undivided attention.
“Say what now?”
Biting my lip, I closed my eyes to the harsh, baleful glare from above. “I don’t celebrate it. I— I can’t. Not after everything the sun witch did.” I bit my lip. “Or rather, what she didn’t do….”
“Uh, Night? You’re not making any sense.” Diamond stepped forward to lay a hoof on my withers.
“Look.” I let out a long breath. “You’re used to thinking about Princess Celestia as some hero—a perfect force of goodness in a bright and sunny world—but me and my dad know better.
“Thestrals…” My ears splayed back as I looked towards the Everfree. “Thestrals never forget.”
“And just what the hay is that supposed to mean?” Apple Bloom crossed her hooves.
“Long, long ago, we saw the signs of Princess Luna’s fall to Nightmare Moon.” I shivered. “We… warned Princess Celestia that she needed to do something, but she didn’t believe us. We pleaded with her. Begged her. Prayed to her. But she did nothing, and we lost the Nightmother because of that.”
Silence hung heavy in the air as my friends waited for me to continue, but I couldn’t find the resolve to. It… wasn’t right. I couldn’t find the words, so I clammed up instead.
“So… uh…” Scoots dared to break the stillness. “...what do you do instead?”
“Einbruch der Dunkelheit.” I sighed, looking down at the ground. “Every year, Dad and I travel deep into Mount Canter to make sure we never forget. Sometimes Mom comes, but usually she has to help with the Summer Sun Celebration. I’d… I’d rather not talk about it if that’s alright with you.”
A group hug tried to fill the quiet, but I wasn’t really up to returning it.
“Girls,” Diamond whispered from her spot at my side, clamped on to me like all the others. “I think I know what we’re gonna do this year.”
I glanced at the cave above us, our cart weighing me down in more ways than one. I was doing a good job—great, even—but the extra additions in the back woke up long dead swarms of butterflies in my tummy. The crusaders were talking, giggling, laughing like it was any other night, and it was making me tense in a way I hadn’t felt since meeting them.
I loved the girls. I really did, but this…
“You alright there, champ?” Dad spared me a glance or two before turning his attention back to the flight. He beat his wings in time with me for once, letting me set the pace, but he was the one really guiding the wagon. “I know it can be… hard… to share this time of the year, but they’re just worried for you. They want to understand.”
“I know….” I gritted my teeth as I whispered, baring my fangs in a mini snarl. “I don’t know why I’m being stupid.”
“It’s a happy holiday for them,” Dad rumbled. “They deserve what fun they can have before we get there.”
“I know….” I flattened my ears. “W-what if they think we’re weird for doing this? It’s not like Ewigenacht and Hearth’s Warming. No pony is supposed to find today fun.”
“Your mother does.” Dad looked into the distance, curving us up and around the mountain. “It’s one of the things I love about her. At the end of the night, when we come home, she always manages to make me smile.” He flicked me with his tail. “She does the same for you too.”
“Mom doesn’t count,” I pouted.
“And neither should your friends.” Dad chuckled. “The fact that they’re trying to understand should be enough. Most day-dwellers just think we’re batty.”
I let the cool Mount Canter air flow over me, pumping my wings a few times before I answered. “You… you think they can manage to keep quiet? I don’t want them to— They shouldn’t—” I bit my lip. “The paean is really important.”
“Well, make sure they know that, then.” Dad smiled. “They were willing to miss the Summer Sun Celebration for you. I’d think asking for a little peace and quiet would be easy.”
“Asking, yes. Getting, no.” I glanced back to see the girls marvelling at the view.
They pointed at this or that in the pale light of the moon, and laughed at the curious bats that darted in and out to play with them. One pup noticed me watching and swooped in to land on my nose, getting a giggle from everypony else and a couple waves my way.
Then, I sneezed, and everypony giggled harder.
I rolled my eyes and turned back to flying the cart. When their laughter died down, there were some quiet murmurings I couldn’t make out, and then there was a lurch and a buzz as me and Dad got some company up front.
“Hey, Night, we almost there?” Scoots leveled off beside me, her little wings pumping at least four times to my one.
“Yeah.” I glanced upwards and pointed. “You see that cave all the bats are coming from?”
Scoots squinted. “Yes? Wait. You mean we’re not going to Canterlot?”
“The Undercity is still a part of Canterlot.”
“The Undercity exists!” Scoots gaped at me.
“Not like the comic books.” I swatted her with my tail. “But, yes, it does.”
“You didn’t tell us you grew up in the Undercity! That’s so— so— so awesome!” Scoots zooped through a loop.
“I didn’t grow up there.” I shook my head. “Mom and Dad had a cloud house near the castle. We only really went down there for holidays and visiting family.”
“So like, Ewigonok?” Scoots completely butchered the word. “You didn’t mention the freaking Undercity when we asked about that. I thought you just had some secret, creepy cathedral built up in the crystal mines or something. A whole city, though? That’s way cooler.”
I couldn’t help it. I giggled.
“I told you we stayed at a cave inn.” As quick as it happened, I schooled my expression again. “How did that not clue you in?”
“Wait, like an actual inn?” Scoots blinked, and I nodded. “Oh….”
“Yes, oh.” I tittered again only to bite my lip at the sound.
“Are you alright, Night?” Scoots frowned and buzzed closer until our wingtips were almost brushing. “You’ve been kind of… angsty since we asked if we could come with you.”
Dad snorted from next to me. “Guess she’s an early bloomer.”
“Huh?” Scoots and I both scrunched our faces.
“Nothing.” Dad chuckled. “You’ll get it when you’re older.”
“Ooookay?” Scoots shook her head and turned back to me. “Seriously, though. It’s okay that we’re coming, right?”
“Yes, it’s okay….” I glanced away, and Scoots flew to our other side to keep looking at me.
“Are you sure? You’ve been nothing but down in the dumps for the last few days.”
“Einburch der Dunkelheit is anything but a happy holiday, Scootaloo.” Dad came to my rescue. “It is a reminder of what was and what could have been. If Princess Celestia had simply believed us when we came to her, Princess Luna might have never fallen to Nightmare Moon.”
“But Princess Luna is back. Shouldn’t you be celebrating now?” Scoots was lagging a little, panting, but she gamely tried to keep up.
“No.” Dad frowned softly, shaking his head. “It is a time to remember pain and loss for us.”
“But—”
“We must never forget.” Dad’s voice was like an avalanche. “It is our duty—our penance. We failed Princess Luna, and she paid the price.”
“It could happen again.” I shivered. “You told me yourself that you used to be afraid of the dark.”
“But Princess Luna is awesome!” Scootaloo squawked.
“Not everypony thinks so,” Dad muttered. “We were both there for her first Nightmare Night in Ponyville, Scootaloo.”
“T-that was you pulling the chariot!” Scootaloo’s wings fumbled for a few flaps.
“No.” Dad chuckled. “I didn’t get to party. I was stuck in the shadows with the rest of the security detachment.” He arched his brow. “In particular, I was ordered to monitor the children when they went running off.”
Scootaloo gulped.
“You ran away from Princess Luna?” My head slumped forward. “Maybe you girls shouldn’t be here….”
“No, no, no, no, no!” Scoots shook her head violently. “It’s not what it sounds like!”
“Nightingale Mooncrest.” Dad frowned at me, and I shriveled up like a juice box.
“Sorry…” I whispered to Scoots, barely managing to look at her. “That was—” A deep breath. “That was out of line. I’m just… worried….”
“So are we!” Scoots was really straggling now, losing altitude every few seconds before she managed a desperate fit of energetic buzzing.
“You don’t act like it,” I murmured, looking back at everypony else as they chatted and laughed.
“Well, yeah.” Scoots snorted. “Because it’d be stupid if we did. You’re feeling down, so we gotta do our best to make you smile!”
“I—” I paused, biting my lip as Scoots dropped a few meters and fluttered back up. “Thank you.” I didn’t fight the smile this time.
“No problem, captain!” Scoots tried to salute mid-flight and failed spectacularly, bowling backwards in a few haphazard flips as a stray breeze hit her. “We always got your back!”
“Glad to hear it,” I giggled. “But I’m still not an officer.”
“I’m—” Scootaloo gulped for air, and Dad glanced back at her with the tiniest of frowns cracking his stoic face. “I’m gonna go back in the cart now if that’s alright.”
“You go do that.” I looked back. “Somepony has got to tell the others I’m feeling better.”
“I’m on it!” Scoots saluted again and fell back. “Mission success, guys!”
“You floundered a bit there, didn’t you, soldier?” Dad rumbled.
“Yeah.” My smile faded a little.
“Nothing to be ashamed of, though.” A long moment passed, with nothing but the wind to stir the silence.
“No, sir. It isn’t.”
“Are you actually feeling better?” Dad glanced over, eyes as sharp as his fangs.
“Yeah, actually.” I grinned. “It’s like that time we came home late to find Mom sleeping on the couch with fresh cricket kabobs in the oven.”
“I remember that.” Dad closed his eyes and simply let the wind carry us for a few moments. “Two back-to-back twelve hour shifts, and she still found time for us.” He sighed. “Stars, that was a busy year for her. I don’t know how she does it sometimes.”
“She has you, Dad.”
Dad blinked at me for a few moments before roaring with laughter. “Out of the mouths of fillies!” He winked. “Are you sure you’re not looking for a colt of your own?”
“Dad!” I squeaked, unable to squirm very well with the harness hitching me to the cart.
“I know…. I know….” He grew somber once more. “I, uh… heard you practicing in the shower this morning. Are you thinking of taking the pilgrimage this year?”
“C-can I?” My wings faltered, but Dad still flawlessly matched me. “I didn’t think— You always say I’m too young for that!”
“You’ve always been too young before.” With a shrug, Dad brought us in for the final approach. “I know I told you thirteen, but…” He let out a long breath. “You’ve grown a lot this year, Nightingale, and it’s only a few months difference.” He looked up to the stars, a twinkle in his eyes. “My little light in the night isn’t so little anymore.”
My ear flicked, barely catching his gravelly whisper. I looked up at him, trying to work out what to say to that, and my eyes went wide as a drop of something leaked from his eyes.
“Are you… crying?”
“Maybe.” He squeaked, voice cracking upwards several octaves. “Could just be liquid pride.”
“You never cry.”
“Everypony cries sometimes, Night.”
“Oh, yeah? When was the last time you cried?”
“Hrmm… hard to say. I don’t do it often.”
“You don’t do it ever!”
“If that’s what you want to think, Night.” Dad smiled wistfully. “But I know for a fact I cried the night you were born.”
I bit my tongue as we hit the cave, too busy trying to bring us to a steady stop to respond. There was only one— No. There were two guards tonight, but neither were thestrals.
“Woah! —oh! —oh! —oh! —oh!” The girls exclamations echoed off the walls as they scampered out of the cart to gape into the depths of Mount Canter. Candles and torches dotted the walls at regular intervals, giving them tiny glimpses of further in and lighting other crevices that snuck deeper into the mountain.
“Why are the flames so pretty?” Sweetie held out a hoof to one, and the silver flame softly licked her hoof. “Ooooh! Wow! It’s not even hot!”
“It’s moonfire.” Dad chuckled as we unhitched ourselves from the cart. “Don’t ask me how it works. I’m not an alchemist.”
Once freed from his harness, he looked into the charcoal darkness, his smile quickly fading. With a stomp that echoed through the caves, he drew all the girls’ attention and gestured in front of him.
“Attention!”
All the lessons ingrained by me and Sergeant Smiles had everypony else lined up in ten seconds flat. I was the only one to fall in at my own pace. Dad and I had already talked already back home, so I knew what he was going to say.
Hay, I helped him with some of it….
“Alright, girls. There’s going to be a few rules going in.” Dad leaned down and squinted at us all. “First and foremost, you need to be quiet unless spoken to. You can whisper and chat among yourselves, but for the love of Luna, do not speak louder than Dame Fluttershy normally does. Once we begin the descent, any echoing is going to be perceived as incredibly rude.”
“Oops….” Scoots rubbed the back of her head as she glanced down into the depths, her echo still audibly bouncing back to us.
“Second.” Dad tapped his hoof on the floor but it was no less authoritative than his stomp. “When we reach the Seven Thousand Steps of the Sevenfold Sins—”
“The what?!” Scoots barely managed not to shout as stars filled her eyes, and I had to kick her in the shin for breaking rule number one.
“The Seven Thousand Steps of the Sevenfold Sins.” A ghost of a smile crossed Dad’s face, gone as quickly as it appeared. “When we reach them, you must stick close to the wall with me. Sometimes, the stairs get slippery. No looking down. No falling. And no flying.” He frowned severely at us all. “It is very important you walk them all on your own, but if you find yourself needing a break, Night and I are willing to carry you.”
“What?” I blinked when everypony looked at me with raised eyebrows. “I can carry one of you if I need to.”
“Even after pulling the cart?” Diamond’s ears splayed back.
“And going down sixty bajillion steps?” Apple Bloom frowned.
“I think you mean having to go back up sixty bajillion steps.” Silver droned.
“I am capable of carrying Night if you tire her out.” Dad nodded to Diamond. “Trust me, I’ve done it before.”
“Dad!” I hissed, a blazing fire burning up the back of my neck. “I haven’t need you to carry me since I was six!”
“Then make sure you don’t tire yourself out to prove a point to your friends.” Dad put a hoof on my withers. “If you do, you may miss your chance to make the pilgrimage this year.”
“But—” My squeak echoed and Scootaloo promptly returned my kick to her shin.
“No ‘buts’ on this, Night.” Dad loomed over me, even as he patted my back. “Your mother would kill me if I let you fly tired over the Everfree.”
“Fine….” I sulked, rubbing my shin and glaring at Scoots as she smirked at me.
“Good. Now, where was I?” Dad rubbed his chin.
“Third!” Sweetie chirped.
“Ah, yes, third and most importantly.” Dad looked each of the girls in the eyes. “Do not use the phrase bat pony while you’re here. I don’t have an issue with it, and Night doesn’t have an issue with it, but there are ponies here that will be gravely offended if you slip up. I mean it, girls. Don’t even try to mess with me on this. If the wrong pony hears you, you’ll get us in a lot of trouble, especially tonight of all nights. Chances are, I’ll need to fight somepony if you break this rule, and we’ll all be sleeping in the worst part of the dungeons until your sisters get here to bail us out—if I lose, that is.”
“Just our sisters?” Apple Bloom tilted her head to the side. “What about Mrs. Morning? Ain’t she a guard?”
“Mom is kind of…” I bit my lip, trying to think of how to say it. “…not very welcome with the kind of thestrals who’d toss us in jail here. Last time she came with me and Dad during Einbruch der Dunkelheit, we were in the dungeons for three whole nights until Auntie Mercy got a chance to talk with Princess Celestia and get us pardoned.”
“I still have the scars she gave me for losing to that loon.” Dad winced. “She was not happy about that night.”
“You should of let Mom cut loose on him.” I growled a little at the memory. “He was a real—” I glanced at Dad, choosing my next words carefully. “—jerk.”
“Yes. Yes, he was.” Dad rubbed his shoulder. “I still can’t believe he went for my artery. No honor at all.” He shook his head. “Regardless, do you girls agree to follow these rules and do everything Night and I might tell you to do?”
“Yes, Mister Mettle!” The girls chorus-whispered, and I nodded in satisfaction when it didn’t cause an echo.
“This is gonna be so cool...” Scoots had stars in her eyes again.
“Yeah, I can’t wait to get down there.” Apple Bloom was hopping from hoof to hoof.
“Me too,” Sweetie murmured. “I-I hope my horn doesn’t go out, though.”
“Oh! Right! I almost forgot.” Dad went back to the cart and pulled out a bag. “Before we go down. You girls need to drink these. Your sisters were very clear I was to take no chances, so I asked Her Highness, Princess Twilight, to make me these.”
“Woah! Everything’s all grey!”
“And silvery!”
“I-is this what Night sees?”
“Are we ready, girls?” Dad rustled his wings and glanced between us.
“We were born ready!” Diamond huffed.
Dad arched his brow at everypony’s fervent nods. “Just remember to follow the rules and do whatever me and Night tell you to.”
“Yeah, Diamond. You have to do whatever Night tells you to.” Silver pointedly looked at her friend.
Diamond and I exchanged glances before she frowned. “Yeah, that’s what I just said.” There was the sound of soft facehooves from multiple sources.
Dad snerked, desperately clutching his side as he tried not to roar in laughter and break his own rules. I was totally kicking him in the shin if he did. I didn’t know what was so funny, but Mom would totally approve.
“Al— Alright, girls. Enough is enough.” He gave Silver a look. “Let’s just head to the Seven Thousand Steps of the Sevenfold Sins.”
“Yeah!” Scootaloo pumped her hoof, receiving another kick in the shin when her voice echoed back in excitement.
“Woah, that’s a lot of steps.”
Scootaloo had already broken rule number two in every way that she could’ve. She’d ran ahead despite Dad warning her not to, tripped straight into the abyss she didn’t see, and—thankfully—flown back up to wait for us. She was still hovering there, looking down as we arrived, exactly like Dad had said not to.
“Scoots!” I almost shrieked, and winced at the echo that came back.
Several hisses followed it, and Dad quickly dragged Scoots back, placing her between him and the wall. He loomed over her saying nothing as she squirmed, waiting until she was visibly sweating buckets for at least half a minute before bending down to look her right in the eyes.
“What was rule number two?” he growled, his fangs gleaming in the light of the moonfire torches dotting the room.
“Not to look down?” Scootaloo shrunk in on herself.
“And?” Dad arched his brow.
“Not to fall?” Her ears splayed back.
“And?” Dad hissed in a deadly whisper.
“Not to fly?” She flinched.
“Correct.” Dad leaned forward, his slitted eyes the only thing Scoots could see. “You broke all three. This is why I told you not to run ahead. Understand?”
A small nod.
“Good.” He snorted, pulling back and pointedly looking at each of the other girls individually before focusing on Scootaloo again. “Do not disobey me again or I will drag all of you out of here—kicking and screaming, if I have to.”
“B-but—” I started shaking.
“All of you will come with me, and I will fly you back to Ponyville alone.” Dad loomed over everypony now, his wings flaring to cast us in shadow. “I can only cut you so much leeway for being day-dwellers, and I will not let you ruin Night’s first pilgrimage.”
“D-Dad…” I sniffled, suddenly starting to cry for a whole new reason. I sucked in the urge to scree as I tackled him, hugging him as tightly as I could while I nuzzled up into the crook of his neck. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!”
“Shhh… quiet, Night.” Dad ran his hoof through my mane. “You’ll break rule number one if you’re not careful.”
I shoved my face in his coat and screed my muffled thanks where it couldn’t echo.
He trusted me to do this on my own.
Alone.
Like an adult.
Even though I was twelve.
Mom was going to kill him if it came to that, but I’d go to the ends of the earth to bring him back. I was just so— so— I don’t know! I was way more than proud. I was warm, and fluffy, and my head was so light I could swear the room was spinning.
Maybe I should stop shrieking into his coat to get some air?
I came up, gasping for breath, and started when a tiny hoof poked me in the back. I turned to find my friends all standing there, ears splayed back as they refused to look me in the eyes. Instantly, the warm bubbly feeling in me froze into icy dread. It was like a million pieces of hail were pounding at my heart, and I sniffled again.
I didn’t want everypony to go….
“We’re sorry, Night.” They all murmured so quietly that I almost couldn’t hear.
“It’s— It’s all right.” I wiped my nose with my foreleg, thanking the stars I hadn’t gotten too snotty in my little episode. “Just… please listen to us when we tell you to do something. I want you to experience this with me, but you have to understand.”
“We will….” They all kicked the floor, finally finding the courage to look me in the eye and smile weakly.
“You.” Dad gently pulled away from me and stood back up, pointing to Scootaloo with a frown. “Back between me and the wall. Consider it your punishment for breaking the rules.”
With a silent squawk, Scoots was in position, cantering beside my Dad like lightning. She looked back at the girls and gestured frantically between them and the wall. They looked to me and I nodded at empty air, the wall instantly filled with ponies insistent on being as far away from the edge as possible. I couldn’t help but smile as Sweetie sucked in her gut to make more room, and I giggled softly to myself when everypony else did likewise.
We started down the stairs—the Seven Thousand Steps of the Sevenfold Sins—while Dad and I hummed some of my favorite hymns. With a whisper, Dad would break song to point to the carvings along the edge of our long and downwards spiral, telling my friends the tales of Luna’s greatest triumphs. Soon, they were starry eyed and completely enraptured. The tension faded from their backs, and they stopped clinging to the walls as if they’d fall at the slightest step.
We learned of best princess together, and I started to feel all warm and fuzzy again.
Dad trusted me to be here on my own. My friends had finally quieted down. Tonight could literally not be any better.
I frowned.
Tonight couldn’t be any better? No! What was I thinking?! Bad Night! I wasn’t supposed to be happy tonight!
But…
But maybe it was okay to be happy?
Wouldn’t the Nightmother want me to be happy?
I blinked and looked at the carvings as if seeing them for the first time. I stopped and held a hoof out to them, feeling them dig into my frog.
“That was all she ever wanted… to be happy and loved….” I closed my eyes and breathed as my stomach butterflies flitted through aerial maneuvers I didn’t know were possible.
“Night? Are you okay?”
I started to see the others waiting for me, Diamond hesitantly peeling from her spot on the wall to move closer.
“Never better.” I smiled so wide that even Dad stumbled a bit. “I just… got something… from being here with all of you….”
“And this is why I wish your mother could have made it to more of these,” Dad rumbled with a sigh. “Leave it to day-dwellers to turn the worst day of the year into a happy occasion.” He looked at me, eyes smiling even if it never touched his face. “Just be careful with that, Night. Not everypony is going to be happy to see you smile.”
“Yes, sir.” I schooled my expression but kept rustling my wings. The urge to smile was strong, and I had to fight myself to keep stoic.
Every so often, we’d pass below a few thestrals hanging from the ceiling, resting on their journey downwards. Dad would hush the others when we neared them, only picking his stories up once we passed. Sometimes I felt their eyes following after us long, long after we left.
Finally, though, we hit the halfway point, and the urge to smile died.
“And now…” Dad whispered, putting his hoof on the newest set of carvings. “…it’s time to tell the tale of why we’re here tonight. We made sure to remember the Nightmother’s glory, and now—” He bit his lip. “Now we remember her fall.”
The carvings were harsh, sharp, and black—black as the Nightmare herself. When Dad pulled his hoof away, I could smell the drop of blood he left behind, and I dutifully walked up to leave my own tribute, small as it might have been. Looking at my friends, I let a tear slide down my cheek, fully expecting the group hug to come.
“L-let me tell you the story, of the rise of Nightmare Moon.”
We reached the bottom and I slumped to the floor, almost ready to call it quits after sharing the tale. The rest of the girls slumped with me, clinging to me with tears in their eyes. The newspapers. The sun witch. The school. All of them liked to gloss over the truth.
The girls had just gone on a very wild ride, but now we could sniffle together.
“I’m never gonna let you go, guys….”
Even Scootaloo wasn’t immune.
“Girls.” Dad laid a hoof on my back. “We’re almost there.”
“The worst is yet to come.” I shivered.
“Oh, Celestia…” Diamond moaned, rubbing her nose with her foreleg and discreetly depositing the snot on a blubbering Apple Bloom. “What could be worse than that?”
“The funeral….” I breathed, looking down the hall into the inky abyss. Pulling myself to my feet, I nudged the girls up and braced myself for what lay ahead. “We’re almost late. It’ll be sunrise soon.”
“F-funeral?”
“L-late?”
“W-what?”
Dad pushed us forward as the torches going up the stairs flickered out one by one. The thestrals we passed hissed from above, dropping like silent rocks to hit the floor and slink quickly into the darkness. They gave my friends the stink eye as they passed us, so I glowered right back at them. Soon we reached the archway to the deepest part of the mountain, and Dad and I stopped for one last word.
“From here on out, do not speak.” Dad had to bend down and speak directly into each of the girls ears. “From sunrise to sunset, we are to sit in quiet contemplation.”
“All day?!” Scoots squeaked, and I kicked her in the shin again.
“Shh!”
“All day.” Dad frowned. “Are we going to have a problem with that?”
Scootaloo bit her lip for a moment before looking at me and wilting. “No, sir….”
“Good.” Dad nodded. “We have a long day ahead of us, and an even longer night. If any of you need to use the restroom, tap Night or myself and do the potty dance so we can carry you to the nearest chamber pots.”
I pushed Diamond inside before she could complain about the lack of plumbing, and we felt our way along the stone until Dad tapped me on the shoulder to stop. The darkness was complete and total here, completely safe from the baleful gaze of the sun.
Except upon the solstice.
Through a carefully constructed series of mirrors built into crevices, a single ray of light began to hungrily tear through our precious darkness as Celestia raised the sun. Straight from the heavens, it sank its fangs into the casket that dominated the center of the room. Carved from black diamond and obsidian, it refused to yield easily, spiting the light back out as it reflected and refracted and breathed the tiniest bit of life into the room.
As one, every thestral stared, the light searing yet never blinding as it lit the rest of the room. The others leaned into me as the rest of the room became visible, thousands of thestrals among thousands of tombstones, sharing silent vigil over their lost Nightmother.
Somepony—I didn’t see who—clutched me tight after an hour or two, muffling a squeak as they finally looked up to see the tombstones high above. They hung there like stalactites, and even more thestrals dangled from them, watching Luna’s tombstone with their families.
Despite the burning light, we stared. Refusing to look away. Refusing to forget. We barely moved except to answer nature’s call, and we barely breathed because it would disturb the dust of the dead. For hours we sat, until all my friends were asleep, and I struggled to remain awake.
At last, I couldn’t open my eyes anymore, and settled for contemplating Nightfall in my dreams.
Dad nudged me awake as the sun was setting, and a single thestral descended from above to place his hoof on the tombstone. His armor was old—no, ancient—and came from some long dead general.
General… Dusk Fang? I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Yeah, that was it…. General Dusk Fang.
“T’was better to fall beside you, old friend, than to see you waste away on the moon.”
Whoever they picked this year was big—almost too big for the armor, which was already massive—but his voice was perfect for the job. As darkness returned and the candles were lit, his deep, bellowing voice buried us in the tomb. The haunting warble of his dirge echoed through the cavern, beckoning all to join.
And Dad and I did.
I could barely hit the high notes, but I’d been practicing for weeks. This year, I’d keep it up until the end without embarrassing myself or Dad. He had no problems hitting the low notes, so why should I ruin his performance with my highs?
“What are they doing?” Diamond whispered, shivering away from me and into Silver. “Silver, make her stop. She’s scaring me more than the time she dove down after Sweetie Belle.”
“Shh…” Silver hugged Diamond. “I’m trying to hear them.”
“It’s silent, Silver.”
“I know.”
“It’s dead silent.”
“I know.”
“I can literally feel the silence pounding in my ears, Silver. Make her stop. Make her stopnow. Cover her ears. I don’t want her to hear it.”
“She wants to sing, Diamond. Let her sing.”
Diamond whimpered, glancing about as we sang our praise to the Nightmother. I hit a particularly high note, and she shivered again, squeezing Silver tight. Then, she grimaced and let go, inching back over to me, and lying by my side.
I pulled her into a hug—pulled all my friends into a hug—singing the night away until I had no more praise to give.
I waved to Dad as he left towards Ponyville, cart filled with the girls. I had one last thing to do tonight, though—something I’d wanted to do for a long time.
Leaping from the cave, I angled myself towards Ponyville.
And I glided.
And glided.
And glided.
I drifted past Ponyville, and let myself get carried out into the depths of the Everfree. The stars guided me to the ruins of the castle, and I circled high above it, watching, waiting, contemplating.
I could barely see several scars left in the land from where the Nightmare made her stand. Maybe… Maybe I could see them up close one day. When I had the training to handle the forest on my own.
It was tempting to go down. It really was. But Dad had trusted me to do this on my own, and I wasn’t going to ruin it by doing something stupid.
For now, I’d observed from far above the Everfree—watching the gravest marker of Princess Luna’s past.
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Was a little disappointed that you basically skipped over telling the threstral version of the tale of Nightmare Moon's rise and gave only vague hints to the exact details of it. But otherwise this was a beautiful chapter, one the story's best, I'd say. You really conveyed the deep emotions extremely well...especially when they started the dirge beyond the range of hearing of the day ponies.
(<---which seems like a grossly inadequate emote to use for this chapter, but there really isn't a better one available on the site.)
Kinda want to hear the rest of this story now...
Interesting chapter although you would expect these traditions to change eventually. When all thestrals alive were born after Luna's return it would be slightly different and change even more over time.
Night mother we pray for you!
pre00.deviantart.net/2a37/th/pre/i/2016/292/4/f/cicero_and_the_night_mother_cosplay_by_elenasamko-dalj8la.jpg
This was a FANTASTIC chapter and it certainly ran me through the emotional gambit ^^
8904945
That's why they do this every year. The point of it is that it doesn't change, that they don't forget what happened and what it cost them.
When Nightmare Moon herself has reconciled with Celestia, I think it's time for the thestrals to give up the grudge from a time only remembered in history books.
Really, I'd like to see Luna's thoughts on this whole thing.
If your talking pony art or otherwise art made specifically for this story, upload it to derpibooru.
Is the thesthral version of the story going to be touched? It was disappointing how you basically gave us this grim vision of how the rise and fall of Nightmare Moon was passed down in thesthral history, a story that left all the foals in tears while you gave us snippets of subjects the story touched on, only to not deliver the actual story
8905507
Anything I could have given in a single chapter would have been incapable of doing it justice. It just would have come off as exposition if I did it that short. I could do an entire story probably, but then I'd have three big fandics to juggle not two.
Nice. Your ponies have opposite pitched voices, huh? The men have high pitch and women low?
It's like a friggin cult down there.
Celestia was actually THERE, and they claim her words are lies. All of this smacks of propaganda fed by supporters of the one who DID become evil!
I'll bet they'd have all flocked to NMM's side had she won!
8905199 Yeah, kinda like communists celebrating May Day... (The Soviet Union collapsed, get over it! Your system sucked!)
Sheesh, just what is wrong with Scootaloo that she can't follow basic instructions?
8905699
From what the chapter presented, the thestrals were as much against the fall of Luna into Nightmare Moon as anyone else. They tried to warn Celestia and, when she failed, mourned her death. Of course, they didn't believe Celestia banished her for "A thousand years" AKA: Enough time to be forgotten. It sounded too good to be true.
However, with that, they didn't love NMM. They loved Luna, their princess and champion. They mourned her fall as her death. So, no, I don't think they would have.
....The head-canon is strong with this one.
Or shall I just say - Well done author.
*claps with great vigour*
8905656
No? Night was going for high notes and Tempered was going for low.
8905699
It’s not that Celestia lies so much as she... purposely tones it down. For a select few ponies like Twilight, she’d probably tell the whole gritty truth, but there’s a reason the general populace forgot Luna existed. Celestia let that happen, and the thestrals do not approve.
8905471
They have a reason to continue now more than ever. With Luna back, history can repeat itself, so they feel even more obligated to remember what happened before. It isn’t even about a grudge against Celestia.
8906121
There were a few like the mentioned General Dusk Fang who helped Nightmare Moon, but none of them truly supported her. At that point they were... desperate... trying whatever they could to reach Luna and show her ponies cared.
Incredible chapter, the best yet, keep it up. I do kinda wish there'd been a confrontation in this one, I would've loved to see one of them defend their right to be there, perhaps it's Silver Spoon. That might've made the chapter too long though.
This was just beautiful.
8905699
frankly, lunas fall wouldn't have been a fast process, infact no telling of the story we've seen implies it was quick, so celestia would have had to have been either ignorant or cruel, you get to pick one because obviously your not happy with a decent compromise.
some of the best people in history have had points where they cover up there mistakes to make themselves look better.
As with others I'd love to hear the rest of the story. This was a very good chapter, you captured the mood well.
8906121 So they claim... yet they see Celestia as the 'Sun Witch' and have hidden many things from her for a thousand years.
I look beyond words, for actions tell the TRUE tale!
8906885 Frankly, you have no idea how quickly someone can spiral downhill, and how people tend to hide their displeasure.
Murders have been committed in such instances, and no one saw it coming, save for subtle clues only identified in hindsight.
8907359
Oh, I'm not discounting their hatred towards Celestia. I'm arguing that they're not in favor of Nightmare Moon. Two entirely separate arguments.
Judging by their action, they mourn the death of Princess Luna as the day she became Nightmare Moon and, if they're to be believed, tried to stop the fall. They haven't attempted an overthrow nor fight against Princess Luna, instead serving as military officers.
Their actions imply their willingness to fight against Nightmare moon.
8906240 Lauren Faust let it happen.
SHE'S the one behind all this!
When you get into the meta analysis... well, not a meta-analysis since that's statistics, but an analysis of the meta aspects... of it, a lot of what happens in the show makes no sense for how real people would likely act in the same situations. Think for a moment, if Luna suddenly vanished, wouldn't more ponies have noticed than the show seems to indicate? Would not that intrigue alone have kept Luna quite significant in history? There are many angles to take with that. If few had witnessed NMM, then one might suspect Celestia hiding the facts as evidence that she had eliminated Luna to consolidate power. Such things naturally inspire conspiracy theories like that. If she had explained in detail, you might see the rise of secret orders setting about learning how to take out Celestia if she fell to a Nightmare or Dark Power. You see, ponies forgetting Luna wouldn't be plausible at all in a 'real world' setting, because real thinking creatures don't simply follow plot lines for the sake of convenience.
The show kept things fairy-tale-level oversimplified. It all collapses once you try to conceive of how the LARGER world context would have reacted.
Buuuuuuuuuut, when we get down to it in this hyper-simplified cartoon setting, Celestia discovered the EoH gave Luna a time-out on the Moon for a thousand years. And if NMM was a negative memory for ponies, why keep dragging it up when nothing could be done until the sentence imposed by the Deus Ex Machina Gems was up?
Rereading this, I just wanna say, I do really love the world building you put into the Thestral society.
8907359
The sun witch moniker actually has nothing to do with Celestia's failure to stop Luna's fall to Nightmare Moon. It simply comes from their dislike of the sun itself. I haven't really had a chance to show it, but it's a much more generic term. It's not a title like Nightmother, and I take care not to capitalize sun witch because there can be other ponies they would call such. Since Celestia is the only one to raise the sun recently, though... well, it sort of defaults to a sort of pseudo title. Technically, Twilight is a sun witch because she raised the sun that one time when Tirek was rampaging about, and in ancient times, all the unicorns who raised and set the sun and moon would have been sun witches.
Also, what do you mean they've hidden things from Celestia?
8907373
Hatred is a strong word. I wouldn't call it hatred--at least, not nowadays. They've had a thousand years to forgive Celestia, and while they might not want to forget what happened that doesn't mean they can't move on in their own ways. As I wrote in Night to Remember, they made themselves almost independent of Equestria in the wake of Nightmare Moon. They no longer wished to rely on the sisters with Luna gone and Celestia having failed them, but they still made sure to serve Equestria. Their loyalty to the sisters remained even after everything that happened. I'm not even sure dislike is the right term. They dislike/hate the sun, sure, but that doesn't mean they all automatically dislike Celestia.
I mean, I know for a fact Night and Tempered don't really hold what happened against her. How could they when Morning Glory devoted a significant portion of her life to defending Celestia? They just can't celebrate it. They can't take part in the Summer Sun Celebration because it praises the fact that Celestia defeated Nightmare Moon instead of helping Luna. There have been cases--and I was like, this close to writing it this time before thinking it'd end up a bit too convenient--where Celestia has spent the solstice in a thestral city and joined them in their mourning.
Damn, this was quite the chapter!
Two things I want to point out.
Thestrals are my kinda pony.
Also those dark vision potion things, I wish they could go outside during the day under the affects. See how freaking blinding it is for Night! Then no one shall ever question her sunglasses ever again!
8908040 That latter answer brings up another point: we know that Celestia planned all this time for Luna's return, and did all she could to cleanse her sister rather than fight her.
I would expect she did spend a great deal of time mourning, but at the same time she had a nation to care for. Wallowing in misery would have accomplished nothing but leave the country destabilized and open to attack.
As for Celestia doing nothing, I find that exceedingly hard to believe on its face. The little fairy tale the show opens with suggests, in fact, that Celestia did try to reason with Luna once she saw her sister was giving in to dark desires, and Luna herself has made comments strongly suggestive that (as with the Tantabus) she tried to hide the true nature of her thoughts from Celestia. The thestrals' legend of events smacks of the same misunderstanding of Celestia recent episodes have had issues with. But really, since not even the show's writers appear to comprehend her, it's not a shock that so many would easily sway toward Luna's side and make up evidence to justify their beliefs.
I'm a more analytical sort, so I tend to seek solid evidence.
Kinda felt like Night, and especially her dad, were being jerks in this chapter. I understand wanting others to experience it themselves, but did they really not tell them anything about what the holiday required? If I got invited to a friends religious holiday and they didn’t tell me I had to be silent and still in a deep cave for 12 hours until I was already past the point of not looking like a jerk for leaving, I’d be rightfully ticked off. Also feel like they are being way too harsh on celestia, I mean she obviously knows what is happening considering it’s been happening every year right under canterlot for the last thousand years, so she’s isn’t censoring them. And what started as some humorous ribbing with Night calling her the sun witch is becoming more and more like actual disdain and hate for celestia that is just shy of wanting revolution and her usurped. I mean, it’s been a thousand years, none of them even knew Luna nor the actual events just stories handed down, so why are they so bitter towards a princess they have seen do good and been at least tolerant of them. If celestias only crime is not believing her sister would fall to darkness, then she is a freaking saint.
8905872
They're kids after all (barely teenagers). I can understand her excitement, it'd be like going to the place where the Mines of Moria was based on. My own inner geek would be freaking out and combined with youth... well, you get a hyperactive kid that needs a short leash as seen in the story.
I really want to hear how Night's momma made herself a persona non grata.
I liked this holiday, felt like one of those Good Friday candle services, on steroids and without the tempering knowledge of the resurrection Sunday. Until now, I guess? Kinda curious how the service went the time Luna came back, seeing as the sun plays an obvious role.
8908040
That sounds touching, to be honest. I'd love to read that. Perhaps it might work as a stand-alone story? That is, if you want to.
Either way, I'm loving this story.
8913258
Well, it all started with One Batty Family where she actively fought some of the noble thestrals more... archaic traditions.
Got to say, this chapter kind of irritated me. So even if we can believe the thestral's stories that they begged Celestia to help Luna, and that this account had not changed over the thousand years she was gone. I would imagine that Luna would be just as furious at her thestrals for doing the exact same thing she was doing with the tetanus. Beating your entire race up over something that has completely ended (and because of Luna's return and her redemption yes it has) is just petty. Plus then concept in and of itself is un justifiable now. Luna is back and she's no longer NMM. It was an interesting look into thestral culture, but it really makes them look like assholes. Especially if they're willing to get into fights with each other over weather or not you've got a day dweller for a wife. And if you all don't want others calling you bat ponies, maybe don't call them day dwellers, or refer to one of the monarchs as a sun witch? Racism can go both ways.
8917311
Shrug? They aren't really torturing themselves. They just don't want to forget the past. Einbruch der Dunkelheit is probably the main driving factor for most of the progress they've made in becoming as independent as they have from Equestria. It's a driving force that has brought about both good and bad for them, and it's as much a matter of pride and honor for them as it is a matter of sorrow and pain. In contrast, Luna made the Tantabus solely to punish herself.
I mean, look at Ewigenacht. While it did focus on the end of the windigos eternal night, it also focused heavily on the eternal night itself, making it much more somber than the happy-cheery Hearth's Warming Pagent. It's simply part of their culture for them to dwell in the shadows--to look at the darkness that goes into the creation of a reason to celebrate. Luna's fall to Nightmare Moon is perhaps the darkest aspect of Equestrian history. Discord, Tirek, Sombra? All those villains were external threats, grand crusades that could only end in glory. There was never going to be any winner once Luna fell to Nightmare Moon, and that is reflected in how they celebrate the Solstice.
As to the racism, though? That's not just thestral's, so I'm not exactly sure what you're complaining about. Ponyville shunned Zecora originally, and a lot of the noble unicorns in Canterlot are insuferable. I don't see what's so hard to grasp about thestral nobles being just as bad. I mean, the Undercity is still Canterlot.
8917413
Those are good points, though I would still say Luna would ask her ponies to stop isolating themselves considering how she's reintegrated herself into Equestria. And the whole point of the show is friendship and harmony. The idea of an entire race of ponies separating themselves like that isn't really in line with that. And as far as the racism comment I made, it was really hard to catch that the only reason these thestrals were racists was cause they're from the under city. Cause you have night constantly making cracks about Celestia. For somepony that grew up away from the under city, with a pegasus mom, she sure throws the "sun witch" comment around a lot.
8917431
Context is everything when it comes to the term sun witch. In the most literal sense, it refers to somepony who meddles with the sun for good or for bad. For the most part, that means Celestia as she raises and sets it, so when they call Celestia a sun witch, it’s just acknowledging how she provides a necessary service—even if they hate the sun. In contrast, saying ‘son of a sun witch’ is more akin to saying ‘son of a devil.’ Which devil? Doesn’t matter, but it’s not refering to Celestia. It’s refering to one who meddles with the sun in a bad way, which Celestia does not do. Technically, Luna is also a sun witch as she helps Celestia raise and lower the sun and moon.
Luna is best princess.
this chapter is truly amassing i love it.
History turned into culture.
This is a great chapter full of feels for the Thestrals. Great work author!
Cute little stories are not suppose to make you cry damn it!
This chapter kind of illustrates a problem I have with the concept of thestrals in MLP. If Luna had an entire race of fanatically loyal night-dwelling ponies, it undermines the whole idea behind Nightmare Moon. It takes a lot of give and take from both canon and headcanon to explain away the questions this raises, and while the details alluded to in this chapter are intriguing, they raise yet more questions.
It doesn't help that the Thestral culture here is at times a bit unpalatable, displaying some genuinely disturbing and unpleasant attitudes. "Condescending" is one of the kindest words to describe their attitude towards non-thestrals.
I haven't left a comment anywhere for a long time, but I couldn't let this chapter go without saying something about it. It's, to me, at least, your best chapter yet. I loved the expansion on thestral culture, and the portrayal of its importance and weight was beautiful. I'm at a loss for words, so I'll just say that I hope there's a lot left to tell in this tale, because I don't want it to end.
~SolidFire
Absolutely wonderful. Like the other chapters on thestral culture but much better. I've never read a fic that fleshed out thestrals as much as this one has.
Everyone always wants to blame Celestia for Nightmare Moon. That it was cruel for Celestia to banish her, never mind that she turned into a monster that would have brought mass death. I find it indicative of a culture and generation that does not see itself as responsible for its choices. It's always something or someone else's fault.
Even if Celestia was being blind to her sister's needs, and I doubt she was, ultimately Luna chose to give into hate and darkness. We are who we choose to be. Change my mind
9438275
Shrug. Well, I mean they don’t blame Celestia for failing Luna considering they feel they failed Luna just as much. They blame Celestia for letting ponies forget just how world changing Luna’s fall was. It was like spitting in her sisters memory. You can’t learn from the past if its forgotten.
9438657
Fair enough. I think Celestia did not want to share her pain with the rest of Equestria. Even so, we should not forget the past. Fantastic lore by the way.
Breathtaking, beautifully written.
Well... that escalated quickly...
8913988
Anypony who loves best princess that much can't be too bad. Personally can't say I ever hated Celestia, of course, but... It's depictions like this that make me think about maybe placing Celestia in second, over Cadance.
...But Cadance is Cadance, a princess cannot be better than Cadance. Unless they're Luna. Because Luna.
Well...
There's been two more years of lore created since most of the comments were written. Some things can be looked at with a different prism lighting the way.
First...the Sisters are sisters. We see them later in S9 being...different. Honestly; who gets that excited about mail?
Luna does...
Celestia stepping on Luna's tail in "Horse Play", and Luna's reaction to Sun intruding on her Night!
Brazen hussy...
But the real clues come in "A Royal Problem"...
Each doesn't really understand or regard the other very highly. Both sides of the day. Starlight fixed that.
Yes...the Threstrals told Celestia. Celestia, still young and new to the Throne, thought she could handle it. And probably made a clumsy mess of all of it...
Luna was more jealous of Celestia being Celestia than the ponies disregarding her. They were merely the catalyst that set the reaction into motion...
I have written where Luna, already stressed and slowly falling under the influence of The Nightmare, almost killed a chambermare, throwing her against a pillar in Two Sisters, for bringing in a vase of sunflowers she picked at the side of the road, because they were pretty, not to give subtle offense...
And thus began the terrifying decent of Luna into the clutches of The Nightmare...
But realize...Threstral and Helios do get along! They intermarry! They have foals together!
This is the remembrance. This is their mourning.
And it was extremely well done...