> The Cry of the Moon > by Razor Wing58 > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Banishment > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter One Banishment A long time ago someone told me that you could hear nothing in space. But I beg to differ. I remember the first time I heard the story about the cry of the moon. It was said to have happened right after Princess Luna was banished for rising against her sister Princess Celestia. It’s a sad story really. Would you like to hear it? Well it all started over a thousand years ago when Equestria was still young. The princesses of night and day ruled together in peace. Luna was Princess of the Night, and Celestia was Princess of the Day. But as you know Luna was upset with the ponies as they played in the day and slept during the nights she made for them. It was as if they loved her sister more than her. So in her anger she used dark magic to make the night last forever, and turning herself into Nightmare Moon. You know about how Celestia used the Elements of Harmony to banish and imprison her on the moon for a thousand years. But this is the story about what happened while she was on the moon. This is the cry of the moon. On the moon, Nightmare Moon had just been banished there. “Celestia, how could you do this to me! I’m your sister! You bitch! How dare you send me to this cold lifeless rock! You will pay for this! Mark my word, I will have my vengeance! I will return! And the night will last forever!” Nightmare Moon was still a bit in control of Luna’s mind but she was now stuck on the moon. Stuck in a cold vacuum of darkness made of the night skies she created. The view gave the earth she was once on, and in the distance the very sun her sister controlled. She took in her surroundings and saw how lifeless it was. “Put me on the cold rock. With no subjects to rule over, no place to live, no food, no water, nothing, that hag is so luck I’m immortal. She pretty much put me up here to die. Well if that is her true plan then I will deal with her on my return.” Nightmare would roam the barren white rock for the first few days of her exile. Staying on the light side of the moon to keep warm, she would watch as the world turned. Seeing all the other lands around the world, only knowing of Equestria her whole life this was eye opening for her. As days turned into weeks she was starting to learn how to channel both sides of herself. Nightmare Moon would change into Luna, and Luna would change into Nightmare Moon, and one time she even learned how to split her two halves into their own bodies. It would be the only company she would have on the moon. “Nightmare, I must know. Do you think our reaction was too much? I mean after being here for nearly a month now I’m starting to think we may have over reacted?” “We did what we saw was fair. Those ungrateful ponies did not care for the beautiful night sky we made for them. They did not want to see the moon and starts we placed in such wonderful figurers for them in the sky. They did now wish to see the mighty Leo or powerful and loving Ursa Major and Minor. They shunned our hard work and disrespected us. Our course of action was the most fitting.” “But Nightmare, look at where we are. We are stuck on the moon in exile. Banished to the very thing we use to light the night sky. The sun of the night as one of our students called it. Oh he must be so worried about us right now. He was such a faithful student. I hope he is alright.” “He will be fine. But if he was a true faithful student he would have found a way to get us back by now. If you ask me he is a failure, not worthy to serve under the princess of the night.” “Nightmare that is not fair. He is only but a normal unicorn. Granted he has power, but Star Dust is still young and learning. And besides…He is a great colt and he would never let us down.” More time would pass and Luna and Nightmare would come to peace with their punishment. They were now in their third month of banishment. The sun would rise and the earth would turn. The days on the moon were just a bit longer than the days on earth. The time just seemed to pass so slowly there. Watching the little town of Canterlot wake every morning and watching them blow their candles out every night. But being princess of the night she still had control of the night sky. And to let her sister Celestia know that Luna and Nightmare Moon came up with an idea. This would let all the ponies in the world and back in Equestria know that she was still Princess of the Night. “Are you sure this will work Nightmare? It seems all for not to me.” “Trust me Luna, this will let everybody in the world know we are still here. And that we still rule the night. We are the Princess of the Night are we not?” “Yes you’re right. I just think it’s a bit much. But I do want the other ponies and my sister to know that I am still alright.” The two worked the whole lunar day to finish what would be seen from earth. A carving on the surface in the shape of a mares head. The legend of the Mare on the Moon had been born that night. Many ponies saw this phenomenon all over the world. The story of Princess Luna spread around the world fast. But once Celestia caught wind of this she was in disbelief. But as night fell on Canterlot she saw it for herself. The face of Nightmare Moon high in the night sky. Celestia was furious. She saw this as an act of defiance, to get ponies to rise against her and fallow Nightmare Moon and her ways of dark magic. So what Celestia would do next would not only stop Nightmare Moon, but put an end to her magic for the rest of her banishment. Celestia gathered the power of four near stars in the sky and used them to amplify her spell thus sealing Nightmares magic, but also not allowing Luna to use her magic either. In doing this she would force Nightmare Moon back into Luna’s mind sealing her for good, and force something to happen that would scar Luna for the rest of her immortal life. “What in the name of the moon was that?” Breathing heavily after having Nightmare put back inside of her. Her horn shot out little spirts of sparks as she loses her magical ability. “What is happening to me? What is going on? Nightmare? Nightmare Moon can you hear me? Nightmare Moon where are you? Celestia why would you do this to me? What have I done to deserve such punishment?” But then Luna felt this still feeling through her body. And then she felt something warm and wet running down her hind legs. Then as if she kicked in the side a sharp pain shot through her stomach. The pain stops and comes back every few minutes. “Ahhhhhhhh! What is *gasping for air* happening to me? AGGGGHHHGGGGHHHH!!! What is this? No *then it hit her* could it be? No no no no no not here. Not now. AHHHHHHH! I had a feeling I was, but I didn’t want to believe it but now I see that…AHHHHGGGGGHHHHHH! I…am….With foal.” > Death of Dawn > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter two Death of Dawn Luna continued to scream in pain as her contractions intensify. “Ahhhhhhhhhh! This pain…it’s…unbearable.” Luna tried to use her magic to sooth her pain. But it was no use. Her power had been completely drained from her sister’s spell. “AHHHHHHH! Why…of all times why now? This hurts…so much…AHHHHHhhh!” *Luna looked up at the Earth and screamed out to it*. Tia! If you can hear me…please have mercy on me and make this pain end. There is no reason to punish me like this.” But Luna’s cries fell on deaf ears. Celestia had sent her to the moon with no way of contacting her. She truly made sure that Luna’s banishment would be a silent one. So no matter how much Luna screamed, no matter how much she cried there was nothing her sister could do to help her. Luna would spend the next lunar day in labor. No medication to sooth her pain, no magic to make the foal birth easier, she was giving a natural foal birth. She was in the worst pain ever and could do nothing about it. Or in what she thought was the worst pain. Lying on her side barely breathing, her hind legs are soaked with blood and embryonic fluid. Her contractions had become even more unbearable as they would make her slip in and out of consciousness. “Celesita…please…help me. Can you…not see the…pain that I am in? Please…if you really are my sister…then feel my pain…save me. Ahhhh…and if not me…at least…ahhhhh…save the foal. Bring the foal back to Equestria. Ahhhhhh…Please Tia…please.” But just as Luna was about to give in to the pain she gave one last push with whatever strength she had left and her foal was born. Luna lifted her head and looked at her foal. All of the pain, the suffering, the blood and tears had all become worth it. Her foal was here with her. She pulled the foal closer to her and began to clean it off. As she cleaned her foal she could see that it was a little filly. Her coat was a sky ash blue, her mane and tail sparkled like the night sky just like Luna’s but a bit lighter. As Luna looked at her foal tears of began to run down her face. But these were no longer tears of pain, but tears of joy. Luan was no longer alone on the moon. She had someone to spend the rest of her banishment with. She had something to live for. She was now a mother, and was the happiest she could ever be…so she thought. Luna had regained her breath and was starting to calm down. “Oh my sweet little foal. You are finally here. *chuckle* Welcome to the moon, this is going to be your home for a while. But don’t worry, mommy will take care of you. And I will never let anything happen to you. For the rest of our immortal lives I promise I will not let anything come between us. *Luna then nuzzled the foals face*. My sweet and dearest beacon of light and hope. My...Hmm what should I name you love? Moon Beam? Night Shade? *Just then it hit her*. Dawn. That will be your name, Lunar Dawn. Princess Lunar Dawn of the Night.” Luna had never been happier. But her happiness was going to be short lived. Her beacon of light and hope was about to go out. Luna pulled her foal Dawn closer to her to keep her warm. But as she pulled her to her chest she could feel something was wrong. Something was not right…. "Dawn? *No response*. Lunar Dawn? *She nudges the foal but it does not move. Now Luan starts to get frantic*. Lunar Dawn wake up. Come on baby…move…move for mommy…move for me.” Right then and there Luna realized that Lunar Dawn was not breathing. She stood to her hooves putting her ear to the foal’s chest. Its heart beat was very shallow and she was not breathing. She had forgotten that with the foal being born on the moon there was no air for it to breathe in. The foal had never taken its first breath of life, the foal was mortal and about to fade away. Frantic and trying to resuscitate the foal. "Breathe! Please breathe! Take my last breathe…I held it for you! There you go... Good girl…Breathe…Breathe…*But the foal was not responding* Brea-....please no...It...It can't already be gone! That air was supposed to last for-… * Luna looked to the Earth and cried out and begged to her sister*. Please! Celestia! Send some air! Can't you see she's suffocating?! Stay with mama. Stay with mama. Stay with-...Stay...No…You were to be my dawn..." It was done. The foal had died. Without taking her first true breath of air she suffocated in the vacuum of space. She died slowly. Feeling no pain and did not suffering she just faded away into the darkness. Lunar Dawn was no more. Screaming and crying for her foal to come back “Lunar Dawn!!! Don’t leave me! Come back! Please…please come back to mommy!” *Nudging and nuzzling the foal.* “Please! Just wake up…Just breath…Please just wake up…Just live for me.” *Sobbing over the foal tears streaming down her face*. “Please Dawn…Just wake up…just…wake up…please.” Luna sat there with the corps of her foal Lunar Dawn. Tears ran down her face as she replayed the events that happened. She blamed herself for not being strong enough to care for her foal. She hated herself for not being able to save her foal. Luna was a broken mare. As she cried over her foal the sun started to make its way over the moon. Luna looked up at the rising sun with the tears of pain running down her face. And as she saw the sun her tears of pain and sadness turned into tears of anger and rage. “CELESTIA!!! THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU KILLED MY FOAL AND YOU DARE SHOW YOUR FACE TO ME! I SWEAR YOU MY SISTER YOU WILL PAY FOR THE DEATH OF MY FOAL!!! YOU KILLED HER AND YOU WILL PAY WITH YOUR LIFE! ONCE MY THOUSAND YEARS ARE UP YOU WILL PAY! YOU WILL FEEL MY PAIN! I WILL KILL YOU FOR THIS! AND YOU WILL KNOW THE PAIN OF MY NEVER ENDING DARKNESS! I SWEAR ON THE DEATH OF MY FOAL…”*She looked down at Dawn’s corps under her wing*. “YOU WILL PAY!” Luna saw the sunrise as her sister mocking her and her loss. The audacity of her sister to raise the sun on her foal’s death was unforgivable. Celestia had crossed the line, being banished was bad enough but now Celestia had the blood of her sister’s foal on her hooves. Luna would avenge her foal, even if she had to throw all of Equestria into total darkness. “You will pay Celestia. If it’s the last thing I do…You. Will. Pay.” Etching in a stone reads “Here lies Lunar Dawn. The Princess of the Night” “Now to begin my training to summon the dark magic inside me, and plot my revenge on my bitch of a sister. Nightmare will return.” > Rise of the Moon > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter Three Rise of the Moon Many days had passed since the death of Lunar Dawn. Luna sat at her grave site mourning over her loss. Focusing on the pain, hurt, sadness, and rage as she sat still, not moving from that spot at all. Soon days turned into weeks, weeks into months, months into years until it clicked. She snapped. She couldn’t take it any longer. Her foal was to be avenged at all coasts. As the years went on she moved from her place and looked back at Equestria… In a shallow voice. “So Equestria it looks like my sister has brought you the night again. Enjoy it while it last for a little while. For soon it last forever. And Celestia, oh Celestia do I have plans for you. You banished me to an unforgiving wasteland, you take my powers from me and make me weak, you forced me to go into foal birth killing my child, and then you ignore my cry and let her die here. Oh yes my sister, I’m counting the days till my return. And upon that day you will know my pain, you will know my sorrow, you will know my wrath and you will know my darkness. I swear it.” As Luna’s hate and anger began to fester in her heart she could feel some of her power coming back. But this power was not like her normal magic, it was dark magic. Meditating and concentrating on the hate, rage and sorrow within her it would grow stronger. As she did this over the next few hundred years the dark magic would start to fill her and change her body. As she continued this her darker side started to return. Nightmare Moon was back. A voice in her head. “Well well my dear Luna. It seems her magic was not strong enough to keep you down after all. Keep this going child. Soon you will be strong enough to take her and Equestria for yourself.” “Celestia was foolish for taking my light magic from me. She put up a wall around me to keep my light magic out, but she left a door wide open for me to welcome this new dark magic that is coursing through my body. It feels my pain, it feeds off my rage and makes me stronger.” “That’s good Luna. Soon the darkness will come into you and give you great power. The power to set me free. The power for us to take over Equestria. The power for me to be the true ruler Equestria. See what Celestia didn’t do was tell you the perks of dark magic.” “Perks you say? Perks like what?” As Luna talked with Nightmare Moon she started to learn more about the power of dark magic. It was nothing like light magic. Light magic was gentle, soft, and worked on all things good. But Dark magic was rough, harsh, and worked on all things evil and sad. With the pain of losing a child, the betrayal of her sister and the loneliness of being banished for a thousand years she had more than enough power to fuel her new dark lust. For the next few centuries Luna trained, she plotted, she mourned, and she put together everything she would have to do to take over all of Equestria upon her return. “So my dear Luna do you think you are ready to execute the plan?” “Oh I am more than ready. All of this pain inside is ready to be unleashed on those who shunned me. For all of those who forgot about me on this dark rock. For the sister who killed my child. They will know my pain, my suffering, my anguish…My wrath.” “Our wrath will spread across the land like a raging wildfire. The shadow of the night will cover the land and vanquish all the light. And all of Canterlot and all of Ponyvile and all of Equestria will bow to their true ruler.” So the time was coming close as the stars started to align on the longest day of the thousandth year. Soon she would be freed. Soon she would have her vengeance. Soon Nightmare Moon would return. “The time is growing nigh. Soon we will be freed of this prison. Soon we will sweep across the land like a shroud of shadows. We will cleanse the world of the Sun and bathe it the waters of retribution that is the wrath of the Moon. Luna my child are you ready for this?” Luna was sitting at the grave site she had made for her daughter. “I’m sorry my child. But I have to leave you soon. Where I am going you would have loved to see. The city in the spring. The palace and all its glory. All of Equestria lit up at night by the night sky I made. Oh Lunar Dawn. I’m so sorry I can’t bring you with me. Maybe if I were strong enough to have kept you alive. If I had the power to send you back to Earth maybe you would be waiting for me. All the things I could have done to save you. But…I just…*starts to cry* I just wasn’t strong enough for you.” “Luna I know you are still hurting. *puts wing over her* I am still hurting myself as well. But don’t let this cloud your mind. Don’t let it make you question your judgment. But let it fuel your anger and hasten your steps to our goal. Don’t let her have died in vain. We will avenge her. And you will have your revenge against the sister that banished you. And I will take my rightful place as the true ruler of Equestria.” Nightmare looked at how Luna’s demeanor didn’t change. But she could feel her pain starting to overwhelm her anger. She knew this was not going to be easy. “Nightmare can you just take control of this mission? All of the sudden my heart just isn’t in the right place to do this.” “What! We are only but a few days away from the celestial alignment that will set us free and you can’t go through with it? We have come too far for you to just give up.” “Nightmare please just take over my body and use me. I can’t do this anymore because it’s wrong. As much as I hate my sister for what happened she had no control over the outcome.” “So what about our plan? What about the revenge? What about your daughter!” Luna looked at the grave again remembering all the pain she went through. “There was nothing we could have done for her. Even if she went to full term she still would have died and there would have been nothing we could have done to save her.” Nightmare looked down at Luna with nothing but discuss in her eyes. “You are weak. You are worthless and are a waste of power. Your motives may have changed but mine are still just. I will use your body as a vessel to house my power. And I will be in full control.” “Very well. Just make it quick” As Luna offered her body to Nightmare Moon she could feel the pure darkness taking over her body. But before she was fully consumed by the darkness she looked at the grave one last time with her own eyes. Soon after she was taken over by the darkness, she could not feel anything anymore. Nightmare Moon was now in full control. And with only a few days left until the Summer Sun Celebration Nightmare Moon had only one thing on her mind. “Celestia I’m coming for you. And soon all of Equestria will know the never ending darkness that is my pain.” *Back in present time with the story teller War Scar* “And as for the rest you know. Nightmare Moon was defeated with the Elements of Harmony and Princess Luna was freed from the dark magic that consumed her. Not many know this story about Luna. She has only told a few the truth of what happened to her. But you must keep this to yourself. No one else is to know the truth of what happened to her. Not even her sister Princess Celestia.” Little did they know that outside of the room they were in Princess Celestia was listening the whole time. She was in tears from the tragic story she heard. She had never known what happened to her sister up on the moon. With her eyes opened and her heart broken she could only think of one thing. She had to find her sister and apologize for the pain she put her through. > Dark Side of the Moon > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chapter Four Dark Side of the Moon Celestia ran through the palace as fast as she could to the tower that Luna’s room was in. She ran up the steps to her room only to find that she was not there. Normally Luna would be here resting during the day before she would bring the night. With her face still full of tears she shot back down the stairs to search the rest of the palace for her. Many of the royal guards fallowed her to see what the matter was. Seeing the princess run around franticly like this had them worried. Once they finally stopped her she ordered them to search all of the palace and Canterlot to find Princess Luna. The guards searched the whole kingdom for her, but to no avail. Princess Luna was nowhere to be found in the palace or the city below. Celestia returned to her room in tears. How could she have let such a thing happen? How could she have not heard her sister’s cry? How could she have let her own niece die when she could have saved her? The death of a family member was on her hooves and now she would have to live with this the rest of her immortal life. She stayed in her room the rest of the day, but soon it would be time for her to perform her duty and lower the sun. She got up, wiped her face, walked slowly over to her balcony and lowered the sun slowly behind the mountains. The night sky was dark for a while. Celestia felt as dark and empty as the night sky. The black night now a grim reminder of what she had done, of what she could never change. “Oh my dear sister, I am so sorry for what happened. I wish I would have known. I could have…” Celestia found herself in tears again just thinking of what happened. But just then a light grew in the night sky. A big full blue moon rose over the horizon and laminated the night sky. Celestia looked up in shock and awe at the beauty of the blue moon. It was as if something had changed about it. It seemed to draw her into it. As the moon got to its highest point she saw what seemed to be a light coming down from it. She looked out over the land and saw that it lead out to the far reaches of the forest. “That’s it. She must be there. She has to be. It’s the only place she could be.” Celestia then took to the sky and flew over the land. She made it to the forest and landed where the moon seemed to be right above her. As if it were leading her to it, watching her as she made her way to Luna. But then she came to a clearing where the light of the moon was its brightest and it lead her to the place of her now greatest failure, the old palace of the Two Princesses. This was the very place she fought and banished her sister and Nightmare Moon. Celestia made her way to the old palace gates and could hear a voice. She could hear singing echoing through the broken halls. Celestia followed the singing in hopes that it would lead her to Luna. As she made her way through the halls the song grew louder. The louder the song grew the more she could feel the pain welling up in her heart. The louder the song grew the more tears started to flow from her eyes. The louder the song grew the more she could feel her heart breaking. After running through the palace she finally made it to the old throne room where they had fought and there she was, Princess Luna. Celestia walked up to Luna slowly, listening to her sing, feeling the pain that was coming from Luna’s heart as every note escaped her lips and passed into her ear. Celestia sat and waited for her to finish, tears rolling down her face as the story played over and over in her mind. Just then Luna stopped and looked back slowly over her shoulder at her sister Celestia. The light of the blue moon lighting her mane and tail bringing out its true night blue color. She walked down to her sister and stood in front of her. Celestia felt like a foal in her sister’s shadow, even though she was the eldest of the two. She looked at Luna’s face and saw her eyes were closed. Celestia began to cry even more. “I can understand your reasons for not wanting to look at me. I wouldn’t want to see myself either. But please sister I beg you, look upon me with your eyes. Please I beg of you.” Luna faced her sister and opened her eyes slowly. Her dark blue eyes looked down upon her. Her gaze shot through her like lighting through the sky, stunned like a foal in the face of danger. Celestia felt as if the life had been sucked out of her as she gazed up at her sister. Like a mortal looking in to the eyes of the Creators she felt unworthy. She could see the pain in Luna’s eyes. She no longer had that glimmer of hope for a better world in her eyes as she did a thousand years ago. Luna’s eyes were cold and lifeless like the northern wastelands, harsh and unforgiving. After looking to her sister, Celestia finally mustered up the courage to speak. She started with a whisper as she tried to fight back the tears. “Luna, I know it must be hard to have me in your presence like this. To see your big sister breaking down like this. I must look a mess. But I need to know Luna, why didn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you tell me about Lunar Dawn? Why didn’t you tell me you were with foal all those years ago? My actions would have been different if I had known. I could have saved the both of you.” Luna gave a smug look at her sister. It made Celestia step back and remember her place and why she had come. But then Luna turned around and walked back to the alter she was singing on. “Luna wait. I’m sorry I spoke out of turn. That is not the reason I came out here to find you.” “Then what is your reason for coming out here? If you already know of my loss then there is nothing more I have to say to you. So if you do not mind the night needs to be tended to.” *Celestia had to sallow her pride as she was trying to fight back her tears but soon gave in* “I’m sorry Luna.” “What did you say?” *she turned to look at Celestia.* “I said I’m sorry!” *her face full of tears* “I’m sorry for what happened to you during your banishment. I never meant for anything like that to happen to you. I just remember seeing the carving on the Moon thinking that Nightmare Moon was still in control and could have freed herself. That’s the reason I cast the magic nullification spell. It was to stop her power from growing. I never meant to hurt you. I never meant to hurt your foal. I never meant to kill Lunar Dawn. That is why I came here. I came here to bare my soul to you and apologize for my actions. I have come here bowed down at your hooves to beg of your forgiveness. I came here to seek redemption from you. I’m just so sorry for making you have to suffer like that. If I had only known I would have done everything I could have to get you and her here. I’m just so sorry for making you go through that. No mother should have to watch their foal die like you did. I’m just so sorry Luna.” As Celestia wept before her sister, Luna walked back over to her. She then lifted her sister’s chin and looked her in the eyes. “My dearest sweet sister Celestia. I see the pain the plagues your heart. It is that of sorrow and regret of your actions. And I understand that pain, it is the same pain I felt upon my banishment. But my dearest sister my forgiveness is something I cannot grant you. I can forgive you for banishing me. I can even forgive you for casting that spell on me. Everything you have come here to confess I can forgive. But the death of my foal, the death of Lunar Dawn I cannot forgive. Her blood will remain on your hooves for the rest of your immortal life.” Celestia was stunned by her sister’s words. Her soul had finally broken. After everything she did to find her. After feeling her heart break over and over during that day. After feeling the pain of sorrow, regret, and remorse she had finally broken. Celestia had finally heard the Cry of the Moon. But as Celestia looked upon her sister with a blank expression on her face with tears streaming down her cheeks, she asked Luna one last question before Luan resumed her work. “But Luna… Why?” “Because my dear Celestia, what kind of Mother would I be if I Forgave you for Killing my Child?”