Princess Luna's guards have earned a reputation as the bravest and most devoted of all her subjects. Every mare and stallion under her command was ready to protect their Princess and her honor no matter the cost. None of that changed when she took on the mantle of Nightmare Moon.
But when a desperate attempt to turn the tide of conflict goes awry, the Princess's most trusted aide is forced to make a choice that puts her loyalty to the test.
Second place in the /PJ2023/ competition!
Chapters (1)
The aspect that was tackled here was a real treat. I loved the way that the theme wormed its way in (or maybe more aptly, ‘wedged’ its way in), and it made for a very satisfying piece of pony prose. It left me wanting to see more done with the concept, but this story was great at setting my desire for that. I enjoyed it all the way through.
That's such a good explanation for the Nightmare Moon prophecy, that I might even accept it as headcanon. And it was a good story overall, I really enjoyed it. You're definitely that Anon.
This was simply brilliant!
My favorite types of stories are those that are original but still manage to meld fluidly into the timeline/official lore of MLP:FIM.
It’s like a friendship is magic episode before the first official episode. Now this is my head canon
Wait what happen to the gemstone?
*Sniff sniff*
Do I smell a new headcannon?
Really enjoyed it during the contest and gave it a vote, so I'm giving it a like here too. Great work!
That was a good story.
I loved this
Just quickly wanted to confirm something
Is Star Ballard the reason she comes back in 1000 years
or just writing about it?
I got the sense that she is doing some kind of ritual to bring her back, but I am always unsure of myself, so I just wanted to make sure I did not misinterpret
Thank you for reading the story, everyone. I'm really glad that it's had such a positive reception!
11514177
While I don't think it's particularly relevant to the plot, I'd assume Star Ballad kept it. Luna's tiara is still missing it in the show.
11515458
I can see why you'd think it's the former, but I was going for the latter when writing the fic. Her choice boils down to either standing aside and letting Luna/NMM's plan eventually succeed or informing Celestia, trusting that she can make things right.
11515638
and passed it down to her descendants?
Great stuff! Really hit the sweet spot of simultaneously telling your own story but staying true to the characters.
Very nice with how the lead mare adopts the perspective and emotions of each Princess throughout the story, lovely little mirror there.
Just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of praise. Great read. Well, small read, but great story.
Man, this was a very sweet story. At first I couldn't quite grab a hold of its direction but it became clearer and clearer until it was undeniable, and I think you did a fantastic job with this premise and the ideas it lent itself too. You really got to empathize the tragedy of the conflict, and on a personal note (and kind of cringy, at that, comparing a real world conflict to MLP fanfiction), it reminded me of a civil war that took place in my country many yeas ago. That is to say, I am kind of used to envisioning fraternal wars as these unnecessary evils in which, as Celestia puts it, everyone's a victim. Her willingness to forgive is admirable and rather Christ-like in its extension, which I don't dislike and it does feel very much in character. I really enjoy the way you write Celestia's near infinite compassion for her ponies in a way that seems inspiring rather than condescending to the reader. That final twist at the end was particularly engaging and a fantastic way to close the story. Even though the tale is strong enough on its own to be able to make its point without that final part, it adds so much more to it in a way that I have seen few reveals do, at least here.
Also, gotta admire the prose, you really know how to carry both action and thought in an engaging and elegant way. What else to say, this story was quite a treat. Great job, man.
11619929
Thanks a lot for the comment. It always makes my day to see that someone enjoyed a story I wrote enough to spend the time to say something about it, and this is more than I could've asked for. The theme is the heart of this story, but as the author one can never be sure if they have conveyed it well or not (or at least I can't be). Same with the prose.
As for Celestia, this broad characterization is how I prefer to write her, but I was somewhat worried that I maybe went too far in that interpretation; it's great to hear that you didn't think so. Her perspective on the conflict definitely reflects something about all civil wars, real or fictional, and Equestria being what it is only makes that point easier to see. Thanks again.