Disclaimer: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic is the property of Hasbro and all characters credited to Lauren Faust and the design team at DHX Studios
Hello everyone you can call me Kino (duh) this is my very first fanfic inspired by DisneyFanatic's Bride of Discord and Disney's Frozen I am going to upload a chapter each month and who knows maybe we will see a read out in the future *winks*.
Anyway my friend Gempire rewrote some parts correcting grammar and spelling mistakes hope you enjoy.
Beginning of a New Age
"Ah fair Equestria, the place where all types of ponies lived happily until the loss of their dear Queen Faust. It was fortuitous that she left behind two heirs, Princess Celestia, who raises the sun, and Princess Luna, who raises the moon. I remember when she told me, 'They won't be ready to lead until the time is right.' I didn't understand that until now…"
Six months earlier…
It had been another glorious day in Equestria. Princess Celestia walked out onto the balcony and allowed herself a smile for a job well done. Although she would never truly get over the death of her mother, knowing that she was providing glorious sunlight to the ponies of Equestria made her feel some of the happiness she'd known before.
She closed her eyes and breathed in the warm summer breeze, yes it had been a wonderful day full of work and recreation, but now it was time to lower the sun. Then her sister Luna could raise the moon and paint her beautiful night across the heavens once more.
She allowed the power to flow from her heart and gather ready in her long elegant horn.
"Good evening Sister." Princess Luna said in greeting as she emerged onto the balcony.
Celestia turned to her sister and smiled to greet her before turning back to the sun that was bobbing low in the sky but would need encouragement to dip below the horizon for the night. The sheer force of magic caused Celestia to rise into the air, her multicoloured mane that was forever caught in an unseen magical breeze whipped about her as the magic flowed. She sent it out to the sun and with great concentration she guided the sun to bed as she floated back down onto the balcony.
"Are you well this evening Princess Luna?" She asked now her task was complete, expecting her sister's reply to be the usual, confirming she was well, before raising the moon.
Instead, Luna had something else to say.
"Tia...I am worried for Starswirl, it is coronation day tomorrow...is he ready to take Mother's place?" She asked.
"Princess Luna, you have a duty to Equestria above all else." Celestia said in gentle guidance.
"Oh… Of course." Luna replied.
She closed her eyes and gathered her magic before sending it out to the silver moon floating just below the edge of the world. She raised her front hooves high above her head, her dark wings fanning out as her magic caused her to float into the air and the moon rose, a bright silver disk that pulled the deep night behind it. Once it was in the air and darkness had spread over the land, Luna settled onto the balcony and with a flash of white light from her eyes the stars appeared like diamonds strewn on the dark velvet sky.
With her duty done she turned once more to her sister.
"How dost thou feel on Starswirl's coronation? Is he ready to be king?" She repeated her question of earlier.
"Only Starswirl can know this. Shall I speak with him before I sleep?" Celestia asked.
"I…" Luna was unsure, but if anypony could ask such a thing of Starswirl, it was Celestia.
"You guard the night, protect our little ponies from the shadows that threaten, and I will speak with our dear teacher." Celestia promised with a smile.
"You will tell me what he thinks?" Luna asked.
"I will tell you in the morning." Celestia stated.
"Not tonight?" Luna asked with concern.
"I have been awake since dawn Sister and we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. For that I will need my rest. But Starswirl is great and wise, what more can we ask from a king?"
"You know best Sister." Luna said, looking at the floor.
"Fear not Princess Luna, all will be well." Celestia said before hugging her sister. "Guard the night well and I shall see you on the morrow."
"I shall see you tomorrow Celestia." Luna replied, returning the hug briefly before turning to gaze into the silver light of the moon.
"Goodnight Princess Luna."
"Sweet dreams Celestia." Luna replied without looking.
Celestia paused for a second wondering how to comfort her sister, but she often had these moments of melancholy and at those times she was better left alone. Celestia turned from her sister and stepped into the anteroom that led out onto the balcony. She took one last look at her sister, who with horn aglow was rearranging one of the consolations ever so slightly to make it resemble their late mother. Celestia sighed before making her way to Starswirl's library in the opposite wing of the castle.
"From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled." Starswirl said focusing his magic into casting his latest spell…
Once again nothing happened.
"What am I missing?" He said angrily as a multitude of books floated around him and he began flicking through the pages.
There was a knock at the door, distracting him, and the books thumped to the floor.
"Come in!" He bellowed and he levitated the fallen books into a haphazard pile as the pony opened the door.
"I have disturbed you, I can come back." Celestia said, about to leave.
"Ah Tia, please do come in." Starswirl said with a smile, he always had time for his most promising student. "I need some help with this spell."
Celestia crossed the room to the lectern where Starswirl's own personal spell book was resting open. The old mage had created so many spells in his life that this book was almost full. It wouldn't be the first he had filled, there was a whole shelf in the Royal Library full of his earlier works, and the princess was certain it would not be his last. Although it would be his last volume as High Mage Starswirl the Bearded, from tomorrow he would be King Starswirl the Bearded, High Mage Lord Protector of Equestria.
"One last spell before becoming King?" She asked curious about this new spell for Starswirl had been more secretive than usual about it.
Starswirl sighed.
"Yes" He said. "At least I intended it to be, but alas it seems it will go unfinished."
Celestia placed a comforting hoof on his shoulder, the old stallion looked tired.
"May I advise you Master Starswirl?" Celestia asked.
"I always welcome your advice Tia." Starswirl said, sparing her a smile.
"You should rest now. You have a big day ahead of you tomorrow." She stated.
"I should finish this spell." Starswirl grumbled.
"A wise mage once told me that things become clearer with rest and a clear head." Celestia observed.
"Are you using my own words against me young filly?" Starswirl snapped.
"No. I am merely quoting the wisest wizard to ever walk this world. You should go and rest. I will look over your spell. Perhaps a fresh pair of eyes is needed. I will make some notes I think might be of use to you. The coronation is an hour before sunset, it will give you time to look over the spell in the morning."
"You are right as always my faithful student." Starswirl said with a bow of his head, before stifling a yawn. "Yes some sleep is in order."
He levitated his star strewn hat from his head. The little bells tinkled as the hat floated through the air and came to rest on the wooden pony head that adorned the table in the centre of the room.
"Goodnight Princess Celestia." Starswirl said.
"Goodnight High Mage Starswirl the Bearded." Celestia replied with a smile.
Starswirl yawned before going to the door at the far end of the room that led to his bedroom.
Celestia scanned the spell quickly before flicking through the notes jotted on several pieces of parchment. As great a mage as Starswirl was, sometimes his thoughts seemed rather chaotic as he sought out the best way in which to make a spell. Of course harmony won out in the end, but you had to search out the pattern.
Celestia could see what Starswirl was searching for; it was some form of transformation spell although it was unclear what he wished to transform. After an hour she was still at a loss and the gentle snoring coming from the next room reminded her that she required rest. It was summer, which meant longer days and shorter nights. The time between sunset and sunrise were few and she would have to sleep for some of them or else risk exhaustion and being unable to perform her duty with the sun.
She would take one last look at the spell; perhaps the words would help her. She used her magic to levitate the book closer in order to read the wizard's scrawl in the candlelight.
"Hmmm…. From one to another, another to one. A mark of one's destiny singled out alone, fulfilled." She said out loud, frowning slightly.
Most spell books had a failsafe, so that when a unicorn held a book in their magic it would not be cast if read aloud. It was always the first thing Starswirl implemented in a spell to avoid accidental casting of unfinished spells. He had not done so on this occasion in his hurry to finish this one last spell before becoming king. As Celestia read the words aloud with the book caught in her magic it activated the spell. Unbeknownst to Celestia a bright aura of her yellow magic caught about the hat. The stars and moons swirled about until the hat was full of spiralling galaxies, supernovas and a moon that orbited the brim.
"It doesn't make sense. It doesn't even rhyme" Celestia said annoyed, levitating the book back to the lectern.
With a sigh she raised a quill in her magic and wrote a quick note to Starswirl explaining that she'd been unable to help him. With a heavy heart she returned to her royal quarters for sleep.
She passed one of the Night Guard, a dark coat unicorn she knew from childhood and she gave him a smile.
"Good Evening to you Knight Sombra." She said lightly.
"Your Highness." Sombra replied, bowing his head.
Celestia moved on to her rooms, unaware of the scowl the unicorn guard gave her. He waited until the Sun Princess had entered her rooms before carrying on his journey.
Luna leant her front hooves on the balcony's rail and laid her chin on her hooves as she looked out over the vast plains below Canterlot. The moon was gloriously bright above and it reflected on the surfaces of lakes and rivers below, creating a network of silver light as far as the eye could see. Even the Everfree Forest seemed magical in the silver light. It was the perfect night to come out and marvel at the wondrous night, what joy the ponies would know, dancing beneath the moonlight.
She heard hoofsteps in the corridor beyond the anteroom and she stood, still looking over the vast kingdom that she would someday share with her sister.
"Princess Luna I am here as you requested." A stallion with a deep voice said from behind her.
Luna smiled, but hid it as she turned to face the dark coat unicorn guard. She spread out her wings and struck a regal pose against the moonlight. It caused the edge of her mane to glow and highlighted her midnight blue coat.
"Knight Sombra, it pleases thine princess that thou hast graced our presence." She said.
"I am your servant Night Princess." Sombra said with a bow. "And may I say you look divine in the moonlight."
Luna laughed as she settled into a more comfortable stance and beckoned the knight closer.
"And may I commend you on such a beautiful night." He said, sweeping his hoof across the dark and silver landscape.
Luna turned to look out over the land once more before glancing at her companion. Sombra was one of her most faithful knights and he always took the time to compliment her. It made Luna feel proud of her work, and lately, lately his words had seemed more than mere lip service of a faithful follower. Luna was beginning to value his compliments, and his company.
"Yes it truly is a most wondrous night..." She observed, and looked up at the moon as she added almost hesitantly. "Especially with you by my side."
"I am here for my Night Princess." Sombra said carefully.
"You are my faithful knight." Luna said softly, turning her head to him once more, but he had moved closer and now their snouts were mere inches apart.
Luna looked into magenta eyes and felt her heart miss a beat.
"Do you trust my opinion?" Sombra whispered.
"I…" Luna cleared her throat and raised her head once more. "We value thy opinion Knight Sombra, thou knowest this."
"Then you know I say this with only you and the safety of Equestria in mind." Sombra said lowly.
"Speak your mind, I will not chastise thee." Luna stated.
"Luna, I worry for this Kingdom." Sombra said. "I worry that Starswirl is not up to the task."
"Why?" Luna asked. "Starswirl is a wise unicorn mage. I am sure he will take good care of everything."
Sombra stared at Luna, wondering how he could make his princess see why a unicorn mage toward the end of his life would not make a good king.
"Yes he is a unicorn, but he's not immortal like my Night Princess and her sister. He's already old. He should make you Queen. Think about it, Queen Luna and her Knight Sombra." He said enticingly as he gave her the smile he very rarely wore when around other ponies.
Luna smiled, touched by his imagination. Perhaps she could imagine too.
"It does sound wonderful, but I would like to change the knight to…to King Sombra." She said with a smile, turning back to the guard to watch his expression. "Then you will be by my side forever."
Sombra smiled widely over come with joy.
"I will make you happy my Princess." He promised with a low bow and carefully placed his armoured hoof next to that of the princess' hoof shod in sparkling silver.
They stepped closer and Luna began to move her wing gently to brush against his cheek.
"So...we agree that we get you next in line?" He asked.
Luna stopped and frowned.
"You were not merely imagining?" She asked.
"No." Sombra said. "I truly think you would make a magnificent queen."
"I...I do not know." She stammered, stepping away from the stallion and turning her head to the west wing of the castle where her sister now slept, dreaming of a land full of happy ponies content with life and their princesses. "Princess Celestia is older than I. If either of us were to be crowned queen it would be her. That is how succession works."
Sombra frowned, he didn't agree that a pony should become queen simply because she was the eldest. Would it not be preferable that the pony better suited for keeping order in a country as vast as Equestria were queen? In Sombra's opinion Luna had the grandeur and majesty to be the queen Celestia could never be, even taking Celestia's greater size into account.
"If Celestia becomes queen then she will outshine you, for those foolish ponies are blinded by sunlight and unable to appreciate the true beauty that is found by moonlight." Sombra said tenderly.
"Ponies will love my night and adore me as much as my sister. Celestia would never name herself queen and cast me aside. How could I do such a thing to her?"
"Because she is not fit to rule alone. She will allow you to rule along side her, but take all the glory for any accomplishments you achieve for pony kind for herself. You could rule this kingdom alone, my queen." Sombra said, moving closer to the Night Princess.
"It would not be right." Luna muttered, but Sombra could see she was wavering in her resolve.
"You know she will outshine you. Deep down you know it to be true. Even now they love her more than they could ever love you. They frolic in her day, yet shun your beautiful night. Do you think they would not do the same to you if you share the kingdom with your sister? I don't say this to hurt you, only to help you my Luna." Sombra crooned as he rubbed his cheek softly against hers.
Luna gasped and stepped away before she spun up into the air, her wings spreading wide as she made a shadow against the moon. One to inspire fear, but despite his sudden uncertainty Sombra didn't flinch away, he found every aspect of Luna compelling, even her darker side.
"THAT IS PRINCESS LUNA TO THEE!" She bellowed in the Royal Canterlot voice. "REMEMBER THY PLACE KNIGHT SOMBRA OR FACE THE WRATH OF THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT!" Luna's voice echoed around the towers of the castle, lightening flashing around her, as swirling dark clouds obscured the moon. "GET THEE GONE, I WOULD LOOK NOT UPON THEE AGAIN THIS NIGHT."
"Of course Your Highness. I beg your pardon Your Highness." Sombra said with a deep bow before leaving the presence of the Night Princess.
He growled in annoyance, he'd moved too quickly and frightened his princess. He would have to tread carefully to help his princess to be the queen she deserved to be. The queen Equestria needed, regardless of his place in the regime, Equestria needed a queen like Luna.
Luna slowly felt the anger leave her and as it did the clouds cleared and her hooves touched the balcony once more. She looked out over the dark quiet landscape forlornly. She felt bad that she had been forced to yell at Sombra, but he was overstepping his mark by suggesting she should go against her mother's wishes. It was Queen Faust who decided that once they were ready the princesses should rule together, day and night in perfect harmony, as it should be. It was wrong to think that night should overshadow the day, or vice versa, it went against harmony, which was important to the continuation of Equestria.
She looked out at the vast plane below, and the open sky above. She leapt from the balcony and allowed herself to fall several feet before she opened her wings and caught an updraft that shot her high into the air. She flapped her wings rising higher until she could see the entirety of Equestria from the Crystal Mountains in the north to the Bad Lands in the south and the seas that bordered the west and east. Equestria was big, one of the biggest countries in the world, possibly only rivalled by the Griffon Kingdom across the east sea, but from up here it looked so small.
The land below was a patchwork of darkness, there were very few lights. There did not seem to be more than the glow of silver reflected from the water. Luna had always known that this was the way of things, ponies worked by day when they had the bright sunlight, but at night they hid themselves away, safe inside their houses while they slept through the darkest hours. Tonight Luna felt a wave of sadness, those poor ponies were missing out on such a wondrous sight.
Why did they let the darkness scare them so? Did they not realise that their Princess of the Night protected them from the harm they could bring? Were they blind to the fact that as long as her moon glowed in the sky and the stars kept an ever-vigilant watch no harm would come to them? Princess Luna would not allow it. But still they slept.
Luna began flying toward the Crystal Mountains as she allowed her mind to drift, to weave softly through the dreams of sleeping ponies. It was part of her duty as Princess of the Night, to inspect dreams and help them should they be bad. Usually it was the highlight of her night, to see all the splendour of pony imagination, but tonight it made her feel bad, never before had she noticed the pattern.
Ponies dreamt of many things, but the good dreams took place in sun filled days. Picnics in meadows, trips to the sea, all manner of activities, but they always took place in the day. There were dreams that took place in the shadow of night, but they were dark dreams. Horrifying visions that caused ponies anxiety as they slept. They feared the dark places, they feared the night, why they called bad dreams nightmares did they not? They feared the night, they hated the darkness and they ignored the lengths their faithful princess went to that they might rest so easy.
She reached the Crystal Mountains and came to a stop, beating her wings to keep herself in place as she looked beyond the mountains to the mysterious Crystal Empire. The ponies of Equestria rarely ventured there but now and again a dignitary paid a visit to the Royal Palace of Canterlot. They were indeed ponies that were crystal, they glinted in the light and at times one could swear that things were visible through them.
The entire empire was made of crystal and the roofs and spires glinted in the moonlight, the facets catching the light in new ways as Luna drifted gently in the air. She watched the northern lights for while as the colours flared across the sky, they were not her doing, it was the work of the crystal ponies as they spread love across the world, Equestria benefited in the mutual accord. Equestria kept harmony and ensured the cycle of day and night continued unopposed while the Crystal Empire spread love.
Yet even here, with that wonderful display across the midnight sky, it was clear everypony was asleep. She turned to look east, perhaps she should fly across the sea, would the griffons be asleep? What about beyond in Saddle Arabia or the land of the zebra? Did nopony stay awake?
Luna turned back to Canterlot and glided slowly, beating her wings sporadically to keep in the air or alter course, but otherwise allowing the winds to carry her. As she approached Canterlot it too was mostly in darkness, but on one of the lower balconies of the castle a solitary figure stood looking up at her beautiful night.
One pony appreciated her work, he always had since they had been foals together and Luna was first learning the intricacies of her calling. Sombra had always liked her night, and she knew he always would.
When he saw her glide overhead he ducked quickly back inside to return to his guard duties. Luna smiled sadly as she landed on the balcony of the highest tower. At least one pony liked her night…
Thank you for reading
Reviews and feedback is always welcome
Kana Tokisho x
I don't know how long the story will be since I don't plan or script it and it's all from my mind/dreams I have at night look forward to Chapter 2 because it's awesome.