Nocturne ran, her heavy unwieldy guard armour weighed her down. Yet she could not stand to part with it as she fled . It had been a part of the night pegasuses life for so long. She would not forget it, and she certianly would not betray her oaths no matter how bleak the outlook.
The Princess, HER Princess had fallen, in her madness the Moon had challenged the Sun. Two Alicorns, the blessed sisters had fought. Then in an instant she was gone, vanished without a trace . Nocturne didn't know how, where, or even why. She only knew one thing, that she had to escape, right now if her and any other surviving members of the lunar guard could escape their pursuers they could regroup.
As she fled she felt a familiar lancing pain, a tearing, burning sensation as a spear snapped in her body. Yet still she ran, she had to survive. Her squad had already fallen, the Solar Guards, Celestias elite warriors and their companions for centuries cutting them down where they stood before the shock of their princess vanishing could wear off.
Her legs felt like lead, her lungs burning as she ran deeper and deeper into that forsaken forest. The sounds of Pursuit rapidly dying off, they knew she would not survive long here in good health, let alone wounded. Good, then she was safe, she carefully searched for a place she could rest undisturbed. Sleeping so close was a foolish move and well she knew it, but she could hardly keep her eyes open, so very very tired.
As she willed her stubborn body to move, just a little further, that's all she needed , she found what she needed, shelter, a huge circle of stones, maybe she could rest here. She couldn't run forever, so ignoring the voice in her head willing her to keep moving she propped her weary body against one of the standing stones.
The cool stone against her back felt so refreshing, five minutes couldn't hurt could it? Sleep, that was all she needed. Then she felt it, hooves as gentle as a mothers carrying a foal held her tight as Nocturne slipped away, She didn't even care as her body broke down, and was rebuilt from the stuff of the forest floor.
“Rest well young one, your old life is past.” Mother Everfree smiled down at the timber filly in her forelegs. Her smile radiant as the forest itself, her voice as soothing as the sussurus of leaves in the wind. In her warm embrace the sleeping filly sighed contentedly. Not even truly stirring from her slumber.
“Soon you will meet your brothers and sisters, I believe I shall call you Willow Wise, One day mayhaps you will be able to aid me as I have aided you. “
With those words Mother Everfree slipped back into the forest once more, not even a disturbed leaf betraying where she had stood mere moments before, there was so much work to do, and she knew her children were always happy to gain a new sibling.
The Sunstone was failing, with every day it's light faded more and more. The love of the land was being forgotten. Queen Rosedust gathered the few brave remenants of her children together. Their battered tiny bodies bearing the marks and scars of many wars. Before the great division they had already been veterans of many great battles, Against the dark, dank, dreary beast the smooze, against soulstealing monstrosities. Though those conflicts were long since forgotten they had come to the aid of the Princesses many times and each time their numbers had dwindled. The prices growing steeper and steeper with every battle. Discord had battered them badly, the love of the land now barely enough to sustain even their rapidly dwindling numbers, they were not the only victims though. The jewel eyed ponies had fled after their gift was turned into a cancer within them, an all consuming poison that spread and twisted their bodies.
When their dark king had returned the Flutterponies once more lent their magic to the battle. Rosedust looked down at her tainted leg and sighed. Many of the others had been wounded too, some simply went mad.
As she watched the light of the Sunstone flickered once more , struggling to bear so many needing its healing light so badly, the light guttered and finally died. With it went the last living things except the flutterponies in that land. Flutter Valley was no more.
RoseDust turned to the lady and asked again, “are you sure milady that you wish to bprotect me and mine despite our curse, maybe it is time for us to vanish, time for a new path.”
Everfree smiled at RoseDust as she replied, “You are not gone yet, your race are not doomed yet, though there will be times when you are going to wish you were. The world has need of you yet, though it may forget that for a time. Join us and we will await that day together”.
With one look back at what was once their home Rosedust nodded her agreement. She turned to the remenants of the proud legion of the Flutterponies, words were no longer needed, they knew what had to be done, as one with almost mechanical precision the proud warriors gathered, they turned and flew once more away from their home and disappeared into the embrace of the forest.
Meanwhile on the surface of the moon a madmare lashed out and strained against her chains, snarling her defiance to the sun , that hateful thing that weakened her nightmares so. The Nightmares gathered around her, a few even reaching out and attempting to free her, those attempts did not last long because as soon as any drew close enough to touch those chains they began to glow as brightly as friendship fire, any nightmare foolish enough to touch them would burn away to nothing.
Deep within Nightmare moons Turbulent mind the spirit of Luna still attempted to fight. The envy in her heart though tainted these attempts, weakening them to a token effort.
Meanwhile high above the stars tried to plot how to free their princess, Luna was still in there and they would free her even if it took en eternity, after all stars live a very very long time.
It had been 3 years to the night since Celestia had been forced to banish her sister, 3 years of raising both sun and moon alone. The crown and regalia had never before felt so heavy. The empty throne by her side seemed to taunt her. The last traces of rebellion had long since been routed, much as Celestia hated to do that she had no choice. The Night Pegasi had fallen back to Hollow Shades , Celestia decided that she would not pursue any further. They had foals there, and all the guard who had defended her and her sister so loyally retired to that place.
As she stared up at the night sky and her sisters image branded on the moon she realised that she was no longer alone. A strange looking pegasus with a gleaming Silver mane and tail was in the room with her. She turned to her old friend and smiled limply. “So Lady Polaris , What brings you here, it is rare to see your kind here, and I do not believe this is an informal visit”
Polaris smiled back at Celestia, “We bring news of your sister, I fear the outlook is bleak, until the mightmares hold is loosened upon her heart those chains will hold her tight, it seems right now the monster won't release her, the nightmares that serve her will never let us approach, they would sooner destroy us. Freeing her will take centuries.”
Deep down Celestia knew this was likely the case, but the news still cut her to the quick. “I see, so there is nothing can be gone to aid her?”
“I'm afraid not Celestia, we will guard her for her sake as much as yours for as long as it takes, but there is no way we can get through to her, the nightmares are just too powerful, especially right now, they've been feeding on the impact of the Nightmare Moon incident , we cannot risk losing stars in a pitched battle, not until Luna is able to start fighting the control at least.”
“I see” *sighed Celestia, “well I thank you and your stars for trying , I only hope that in time she will see sense” *she turned once more to look at her friend once more but Polaris was already gone.
Looking around her Celestia realised something, this castle was not home to her, it was a home to her and her sister. Without Luna no matter how well she repaired it it was just a hollow shell. It was time to move on. With a weary sigh she gathered h a quill and ink, the pen scraped the paper delicately as it spelled out one word, CANTERLOT.
Ain, Keid, Kuma, Lucida, and Mira were young Stars, barely Proto Stars when Luna had been banished. Though less than a century old they wished to help, if only they knew how. Mira had a plan but it was one the elders would never approve. The 3 waited until the Stars attempted their nightly raid and then they slipped out.
Nightmare Moon pulled and tugged at her chains harshly, they dug into her flesh but she ignored that, her face twisted in anger and hatred as she twisted at her bonds. The nightmares who were supposed to guard her had slipped away, they needed to feed , and without fear they could not. So the queen of Nightmares was left to her own devices. Since that had happened she had heard noises of battle several times as the Stars did what they could to guard the dreams of innocent ponies from the onslaught the bnightmares would unleash on Equestria.
Suddenly the noise was not from outside anymore, she found herself surrounded by 5 fillies. Each one glowing the delicate silver white of the Stars, they looked exhausted, yet each one stepped forward placed something around her then without a single word fled. Nightmare moon tried to dismiss them as nothing but idiot fillies taunting her, but deep inside her Princess Luna knew what they were. The greatest gift a star could give, wishes. Deep inside beneath the monstrous facade Luna stirred, these wishes were for her, they were gifts, even after all she did, somepony still wanted to be friends.
RoseDust paced anxiously outside the chambers, she could feel the fear of her children, the worry was as clear as crystal . This was the first foal born since the fall of the shadow king, that was over 2 decades without a single new life. If there could be no more Flutterponies then all was lost.
She could hear their voices echoing in her head, she was unsure when that had happened really, just one day she woke up surrounded by hundreds of voices. Whatever caused that though was not the priority here, the future of the Flutterponies had to come first. All Rosedust had to do was be the best queen she could be just like always.
Not that that was particularly easy right now, the love in the land was there still in the everfree, but the amount was a mere trickle compared to the blessings the Sunstone had given. That showed through, the dark magic that had lingered from the battle with Sombra took hold more and more with each passing day. Some of her children had already gone mad from pure hunger, Celestia had tried to aid them repeatedly but the Sunstone was beyond saving by any magic she knew.
Without her sister the Elements no longer obeyed Celestias will.
At that moment Rosedusts thoughts were interrupted by the cries of a newborn. Knowing the noise her heart lifted, all was not lost after all. Rosedust trotted in proudly to inspect her newborn granddaughter , only to taste her joy turn to ashes in her mouth. Tears stung her eyes as she looked upon her grandchild. Blue and empty eyes gazed back at her as her granddaughter raised holed and tainted legs to greet her.
Rosedust put her best plastic smile upon her face so as not to upset anypony , she knew it was useless though , there was no hiding anymore, in that moment another voice joined the legions echoing through her mind, this was it then , there was no going back. Despite the smile upon her face tears dampened her cheeks and dripped to the floor. This was who they were now, no land, no hope, all that mattered was survival. No matter what her children must survive.
Back in the gardens of the castle of the royal pony sisters the guards were tethering the statue of Discord for transport, nopony noticed the faded runes marked into the stone. So when a rope slipped and the statue slid and injured a guard nopony paid any mind to the statue, they were too distracted with checking on their comrades wounds. They did not even notice the miniscule crack in the bindings.
Discord did though, within his stony prison he stirred and examined the weakness. Such a tiny crack would take lifetimes to capitalise on, but no matter , he lazily reached out with his magic, after all he had all the time in the world.
High above Nightmare Moon sat to await her nightly visitors, sure enough before long those Luna called friends arrived. Nightmare spoke to them so softly, cajoling , coaxing, and lightly joking with them. Before long they would consider her a friend as well. Then at last Keid got overconfident, she stepped in too close and nightmare Lunged, seizing the filly before she could even fight.
Kuma seeing her twin captured panicked but could not bolt. The others too would not abandon their friend. This was perfect , soon the Nightmare would be free once more.
Even as she thought it though Luna stirred within her, that meddlesome mare forcing the nightmare to release her prey. Why the Tartarus did Luna do that? Surely she yearned to be free as well. The Nightmare snarled and howled her rage and frustration to the air. Inside her mind Luna spoke again, answering the question. “yes one day I will walk free again, One day I will reclaim my moon, but not today, not at this price. I will be free without harming my friends.
The 5 gathered round Luna once more, each one nudging forward todays gifts to her, then wordlessly they flew off again. Returning to their places in the night sky.