My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Night

Chapter Two: Revenant

"Twilight," Queen Celestia began in a grave, sorrowful voice. The radiant white Alicorn stared up at the Sun through a massive open window as its wondrous light shined upon her large, powerful wings and flowing multi-colored mane. Her golden, jeweled crown and necklace shimmered as did her long, majestic horn and loving, nearly crystalline eyes. "You have always been my most trusted student." Her large Cutie-Mark of the heavenly Sun shined warmly as if it were comprised of the very flames that gave light to the day.

"Thank you, my queen," the young Unicorn respectfully replied, bowing her head and bending a knee with reverence.

"But there is much I have kept from you," the most noble queen confessed. Twilight looked up, growing concerned. "You are aware of Canterlot legends?"

"Many of them, my queen," Twilight answered somewhat uneasily.

Lowering her head, Queen Celestia closed her eyes and allowed the skies to weave tapestries as she spoke. "I assume you have heard the legend of Night Mare Moon?" she asked with a darkening voice.

"I'm not sure, your majesty," the Unicorn answered.

"You have my permission to speak freely, Twilight," the queen declared, glancing back at her star pupil. "Watch the skies. What I am about to tell you is a story I have shared with few. As you know, I was born in the Second Age. What many have forgotten is that my mother and father gave me a sister before their death." Twilight's jaw dropped for an instant, taken aback. "My baby sister…Princess Luna. While I was given power over the Sun and day, she was in control of the Moon, stars, and night. For years, we ruled side-by-side."

"I had no idea," Twilight confessed aghast. "None of the records I've seen have even mentioned her."

"So is the way," the Alicorn sighed. "I loved her dearly, as I still do…But I was foolish in my youth: Filled with pride and unable to see what was happening around me. When Luna and I were young, I began to take notice of the attention the kingdom paid me. They expressed their adoration for the Sun and day, praising me above all else. At first, I was fearful, but I soon gave in and basked openly. Luna, on the other hoof, was all but ignored by her subjects. As it is now, the Ponies take their rest during the night, as if shutting it out. While I was adored, Luna was forgotten, almost dreaded." Twilight listened intently, relating to her queen's pain. "Rather than tell me of her suffering, she kept it all a secret and avoided me every chance she had. It took me so long to notice. In that time, her insecurity and rage festered and grew into hatred: Hatred for the day, for me. When I finally did take notice, she shut me out once and for all. But what I didn't know, was that Luna's feelings of pain and being unloved had transformed her into something wicked: Night Mare Moon. Her wrath was ever-reaching, and all traces of Luna's goodness were buried in Moon's darkness. Out of desperation, I was forced to banish her to the very Moon she once controlled. Because of me, she has been trapped there for what will soon be the past thousand years."

"I'm so sorry," Twilight exclaimed in a gasping whisper. "I never knew what you had to go through."

"Do not weep for me, Twilight," Celestia lovingly instructed her subject. "It is my sister you should feel for."

"If I may, my queen," the young Unicorn respectfully spoke up. "You did what had to be done. We're all safe now. I'm just sorry things went so wrong."

"My regret is not why I called you here, my student," the queen declared. "Even with the power of High Magic, my sister was only banished for a time, all the while growing in her loneliness and pain. I fear that Night Mare Moon will return more powerful than ever before, and soon."

"I've never heard you this unsure," Twilight fearfully declared. Watching the tapestry display horrific images of Night Mare Moon consuming the light, the Unicorn felt a deep sense of fear darken her from the inside. "What must I do, my queen? I'm afraid, but I trust in you."

"If anything should ever happen to me, especially upon my sister's return," Queen Celestia gravely announced. "You and your five companions must rise to take my place. Remember what you have all been taught: Remember the Elements of Harmony."

"Please, don't say that!" Twilight Sparkle cried out, her eyes flowing with tears. "I can't lose you!" Running to her queen's side, the young Unicorn buried her face in Celestia's wing. "You'll make everything right. I know you will. Please, Mother."

"You must be strong, Twilight Sparkle," the queen comforted her subject. "I still have faith in Luna, but we must prepare for the worst. I have chosen you to take my place, with Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinky Pie, Fluttershy, and Rarity at your side…as well as Spike, who has been listening outside the door for the past twenty minutes thinking no one noticed." Outside the throne room door, a rustling sound followed by a light crash confirmed the queen's statement. "Dry your eyes, my student. Everything shall be alright."

"Promise me, my queen," Twilight begged in a whisper. "I've already lost my mother and father…I can't lose you." Celestia gently wrapped her majestic wings around the Unicorn and smiled a comforting smile. "But I promise, we'll make you proud."

The two stepped apart, and the queen wiped a tear from Twilight's eye. "…My student," the Alicorn spoke, sounding troubled. "Is there something that has been vexing you? You have seemed uneasy these last few days."

"I'm okay, my queen," the violet pony answered. "Thank you for your concern." Trusting her subject, Celestia opened the doors, letting Spike fall into the room.

"Spike, please take a note," Queen Celestia instructed, prompting the baby dragon to ready his quill and parchment paper after giving a respectful salute. "This one must remain solely between its intended party."

Following her meeting, Twilight took Spike down the stairs to meet the five mares in the chamber on the ground floor. Opening the opaque glass door, Twilight heard Pinky Pie shriek before falling just in front of her and Spike. "You okay, Pinky?" the Unicorn asked, not surprised.

"No!" the pink Pony hollered, her lovable silliness beaming. "I couldn't hear anything!"

"Everythin' okay, Twalight?" Applejack asked, walking forward with the others as Twilight helped Pinky up. "Y'all were in there an awful-long tam."

"I'll tell you everything once we get back to Ponyville," Twilight answered, trying to hide her apprehension. "We'd better catch an early train."

Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy glanced at one another, each feeling a growing sense of severity. Applejack felt it as well, volunteering to carry Spike in Twilight's place. In some way, Pinky knew, but Rarity did her best to distract her. The six mares and Spike made their way out of the castle and towards the Royal Train Station. As they departed, Queen Celestia watched from her throne room, still able to sense her pupil's distress. Turning away from the world, the Alicorn closed and locked all the doors and windows surrounding her with a single though, closed her eyes, and silently sobbed. In her heart, Luna was still close by, and Twilight was still happy and brave. However, reality told a different, inescapable story.

Even after so many years, the train still looked as it did in the mares' childhood: Warm, old-fashioned, and welcoming. Times were different, though. Twilight slept alone across the seats in the back while her friends sat nearby. Fluttershy watched Spike until he dozed off into peaceful slumber, just as a child would.

"How can she just sleep with all this mystery shit going on?" Rainbow Dash asked her friends, staring at the sleeping Unicorn. "I could smell the tension on her."

"It's better this way," Applejack quietly answered, guiding the Pegasus' head back to the group with a gentle hoof. "The poor thin's gotta be exhausted. She ain't been herself lately."

"What do you mean?" Pinky Pie asked innocently.

"She's bin different," the orange-coated Pony gently explained. "More distant, cut-off. She's doin' her best, but she's hadin' somethin'."

"I've been worried about her too," Fluttershy confessed, tucking Spike in and turning back to her friends. "After she talked to Queen Celestia, she seems even worse."

"There must be something we can do for her," Rarity suggested, her own concern stronger than ever before.

"Not much we can do, Rarity," Applejack replied. "We've gotta wait for her to make the first move. Once we git back to Ponyville, she can get the queen's message off her back. Whatever else's pressin' on her, we gotta jus' be there fer her when she needs us."

"So sit on our asses and wait for her to maybe tell us?" Rainbow Dash lashed out, her anger getting the better of her. Glancing around, the blue Pegasus shrunk back down. "…I'm sorry," she calmed herself. Fluttershy put her hand on Dash's shoulder. "There's gotta be something more we can do."

"Fer now, we letter sleep," the orange Pony replied. "Whatever's goin' on, it's not gettin' solved like this." The others agreed and attempted to get some sleep on the long journey back home. Soon, the night came, and everything grew silent.

"Twilight," the calm, sheepish voice greeted the distressed Unicorn. Opening her eyes to find herself resting in darkness and purple haze, Twilight rose onto her hooves and saw her old friend standing before her. Little older than a filly, the purple Alicorn slowly approached her dear friend, her flowing, starry mane blowing beside her even without the presence of wind.

"I haven't seen you in so long," the young Unicorn answered, allowing a smile to cross her saddened face.

"I'm sorry for that," the shadowy mare replied, dropping her head slightly in shame. The Alicorn's crescent-moon Cutie-Mark shined in brilliant shadow as she approached Twilight. "I've been lonely as well."

"The voice just keeps getting worse," Twilight confessed. "I feel like it's starting to swallow me."

"I know you're afraid," the humble little mare answered, placing her wing on her friend's shoulder. "So am I. But I believe in you. You're strong enough to fight it."

Trying in vain to hold back her horrified tears, the Unicorn bit her lower lip and weakly shook her head. "Is this ever gonna stop?" she cried out in a cracking voice, allowing her tears to stream down. "Is it ever going to leave me alone?"

The Alicorn closed her loving, timid blue eyes and dropped her head in shameful regret. "I don't think it ever will," she confessed. "She's always there. I hate her so much…But she won't leave." Twilight's eyes lost their optimism and sunk down in despair. "But if anyone can stop her, Twilight, I know in my heart that it's you."

Closing her eyes and shaking off another teardrop, Twilight swallowed hard. "She told me I don't have a heart," she sobbed. Seeing her friend's pain, knowing it was also her own, the Alicorn tucked the Unicorn within her wings and allowed her to cry on her neck.

Opening her eyes to find herself sitting alone in the back of a train car, Twilight glanced out the window to see the face of night that she had come to hate. The Moon outside still seemed to bear the emblem of the dark mare.

"Hey," a familiar, calming but somewhat sharp voice quietly called out. Looking away from the night, Twilight saw Rainbow Dash standing before her. "Couldn't sleep through the night either?"

Remembering her dream, Twilight shook her head. "No," she answered. "Are you still having those dreams about your parents?"

"Yeah," the blue Pegasus answered while beginning to pace slightly. "They're coming more often. What about you? You've seemed pretty tore up lately. Applejack said you'd tell us when you were ready, but you know that's not my style."

"Nothing's wrong, Rainbow Dash," the young Unicorn sighed, turning away slightly. "I'll tell you guys when we get home."

"I'm not talking about what Celestia said," Dash insisted firmly. "Twilight, I'm not stupid. I can tell when something's eating you up inside. You said it yourself: We don't have to go it alone."

"Why does everypony keep pressing me?" Twilight began to break, her voice growing weak and hoarse.

"Call it loyalty," the Pegasus answered plainly. "What kind of friends would we be if we weren't there for you?" Twilight frowned, settling back into her resting position. "But I can't help you if you won't."

"Thank you, Rainbow Dash," the Unicorn sobbed, feeling a sense of comfort for the first time in so long. Getting up, Twilight Sparkle tightly hugged her friend. "You're always there for me. I want so badly to tell you…But I just don't know right now. I love you: All of you."

"We love you too, Twilight," Rainbow Dash warmly replied, accepting the hug. "Look, whatever's going on, we're right here with you. Do you want me to stay here for tonight?" Twilight smiled and made room for her friend. Together, the two fell asleep without the presence of nightmares or voices.

Meanwhile, Fluttershy kept Spike safe as the two slept along a row of seats. Applejack rested nearby, next to Pinky Pie in two fully reclined chairs with Rarity across from them. As the train sped on through the night, the seven friends found peace with one another. As the rest of Equestria slept, Queen Celestia remained alone in her room, her eyes fixed on space. "Catch me, Tia!" that most wonderful, heartbreaking of voices happily called out. Glancing down, the queen watched her younger self playfully chase after Luna, their hooves trotting across the throne room floor. "I could do this all night!" The purple Alicorn giggled so happily as her big sister chased after her with the same laughter. That was so long ago, though it still brought a smile to Celestia's face, just before the tears began.

Fate has been cruel and border-unkind.

How could I have sent you away?

The blame was my own: The punishment yours.

The harmony silenced today.

But into the stillness, I bring you a song.

And I will your company keep

'Til your tired eyes and my lullabies

Have carried you softly to sleep.

…

Luna, you're loved so much more than you know.

Forgive me for being so blind

Song featured: "Lullaby for a Princess" (Celestia's version) by PonyPhonic.