It was the following day in Equestria. The group had all woken up and Spike was helping Twilight and Zecora make breakfast. Arctic, now dawning the new outfit rarity made him, went out fishing. After the cooking had concluded and Arctic returned, they all had begun eating. But that soon came to a halt, when they all noticed Arctic and Glacious eating fish. They knew Arctic ate meat. Fluttershy even pointed out his predator-like features. His front facing eyes, even his large canines, borderline fangs. But they didn’t expect Glacious to eat meat.
“Woah. I’ve never seen a pony eat meat before.” Rainbow said. “That’s kinda badass. Gross, but badass.”
This earned her a sharp pop to the back of the head Applejack.
“Ouch!” Yelped Rainbow.
“Mind yer language in front of the youngins, Dash!” Applejack said with a sharp tone.
Gracious chuckled slightly at this, before giving an answer.
“This is because I am part Griffon, remember?
“Oh yeah! I forgot you were part griffon.” Rainbow said.
Arctic, obviously confused by this, leaned over to his mother and whispered to her.
“I didn’t know you were part Griffon mother.”
“‘Tis a long story my child. I’ll tell you later.” Gracious said.
Deep in her mind, Glacious berated herself. She didn’t want to lie to the mares, but past experiences indicated to her that, in her eyes, Alicorns weren’t exactly liked. She remembered the countless times before and after meeting her son, ponies running away. Screaming at her. It all cropped up after that image on the moon appeared. She had a feeling that had something to do with how she was treated. She knew she had to learn about it. But who could she ask? Maybe Young Twilight could answer her questions?
“Part Griffon?!” Exclaimed Scootaloo exclaimed. “That’s so awesome!”
“Wowie! A Pony Griffon? A Griffony? Ponygriff?” Pinkie said in an attempt to figure out what a Pony Griffon hybrid would be called. “Do you know Gilda?” Pinkie asked.
She stopped and stared. All of the had. Gracious held a rather intense look in her as she slowly lifted her head, locking eyes with Twilight.
“Young Twilight? If I may?” Gracious started.
Twilight, caught off guard, nodded her head slowly.
“Could you possibly tell me about the moon? More specifically, that image on the moon that appeared and vanished from its surface?” Gracious asked.
Arctic perked up.
“Oh yeah, I’ve been wondering about it too when I saw it.”
Arctic recalled seeing that image whenever his mother trained him. Helped him control his Oozaru transformation. He would always wonder why it was there and what it meant. He asked his mother about it, but not even she knew about it.
Twilight and the girls all shuddered at that. Remembering their tumultuous struggle against ‘her’. Though, Applejack chimed in.
“Y..ya’ll don’t know? Not a thing?” She asked.
The two shook their heads.
“Remember, Young Applejack, I have been on my own for a long time. I have never learned about the Mark on the Moon. And by extension, neither does my Child. Though, I do remember hearing something about a Nightmare mare?” Gracious answered.
Twilight let out a low sigh, before staring the story.
“You’re close, in regard to what you called it. It’s actually a legend, called “The Mare in the Moon.” Twilight said.
“The legend stated, that eons ago, two sisters had taken up the mantle of ruling over Equestria. The eldest, using her unicorn magic would raise the Sun, whereas the youngest, would use her’s to raise the moon, creating balance throughout Equestria.”
This surprised Glacious. To hear that two unicorn rulers held enough power to raise the sun and moon? It baffled her quite a bit. She stayed silent as Twilight continued.
“Overtime, the younger sister had begun to grow resentful. This is because, ponies would laugh and play, even worship the Day the eldest sister gave. But they would shun, fear, and sleep through the youngest sister’s Nights. The eldest would try to reassure and comfort her sister, but the bitterness within her heart had grown too powerful. This bitterness and hatred aided in the younger sister’s rebirth in the mare of darkness. Goddess of the Night, Nightmare Moon.”
Glacious’ eyes widened slightly. Things were slowly starting to fall into place for her.
“Nightmare Moon, with her incredible power, rose the moon, plunging the world into darkness. With her power, she bested her elder sister and locked her away. Ponies who worshiped their new ruler, Nightmare Moon, would be corrupted by her magic, warped into new entities called Thestrals, or bat ponies. Her reign last a few years, until traitors in her ranks, still loyal to the eldest sister, released her and aided her in her battle against her sister. It was a long fought war. One that went on for 100 years.”
Gracious, stunned by this, thought back. She did remember the hundred years the moon sat in the sky, never descending. She even remembered hearing that something of a war was taking place. Though she never got involved or learned fully what was going on.
Arctic, was practically shaking. His saiyan blood was boiling with sheer excitement. To hear of two unicorns with such power and a long war? He was saddened to hear this, but he also wished he was a part of it, so he could fight in it. Twilight continued her story.
“After many years of battle, the elder sister also hunted for a set of ancient artifacts that would aid them, possibly even help the win and end the war in its entirety. Eventually nearing the end of the war, she found them, buried in an old ancient temple. The Elements of Harmony. After finding them, the day had arrived. A long hard fought battle later, the elder sister, elements at the ready, defeated her sister, banishing her to the moon for a thousand years. After the war was over and won, the elder sister took over raising the Sun and Moon, and peace and harmony was restored to the land.”
“Amazing.” Said Arctic. “But wait, if it’s supposed to be a legend, why was there an image of a mare on the moon?”
“Because it was no legend. It was true.” Twilight said.
Arctic was amazed to hear this, but he knew there was more to the story, so he quietly listened to the Twilight.
“After the thousand years had passed, the day had come. Nightmare Moon had returned, plunging the world into darkness yet again, after getting to her sister and briefly banishing her to the moon. As with her out of the way, nopony would be able to use the Elements and she would be able to rule Equestria yet again. Unfortunately for her-“
“She didn’t expect us to show up and kick her flank into next week!” Rainbow interrupted.
Glacious and Arctic raised their eyebrows as the others just groaned, except Pinkie.
“Yep yep! She didn’t know what hit her! We were all ‘Glowy glowy’ and ‘Sparkle Sparkle’. Then a beam flew out of us like, ‘Whoosh’! And she was all like, ‘Nooooo’!” Pinkie said as she stood on her hind legs, a hoof outstretched and a hoof on her chest.
Twilight smirked and rolled her eyes.
“Pretty much. Due to us embodying each of the Elements, Honesty, Laughter, Loyalty, Kindness, Generosity, and Magic, we were able to harness the power of the Elements, and defeat Nightmare Moon, turning her back to normal.” Twilight said.
Gracious was quite impressed. She didn’t think the two would be powerful enough to take down a unicorn able to move the Moon. Though she was curious about something.
“Young Twilight, what did this mare look like?” Gracious asked.
“Well, she was pretty big. Actually, bigger than you. She had a dark coat, a long glowing horn that resembled a sliver of the moon, her mane flowed and looked like it was made of the night sky itself. She even had large bat-like wings.” Twilight explained. “Even the air around was chilling. She was able to chill the air around her.”
“W..was this mare a unicorn, Young Twilight?” Gracious asked.
“Oh no, she was an Alicorn.” Twilight said.
Glacious froze. The ruler of this place was an Alicorn? Was her sister was also an Alicorn and they both were rulers? If that’s the case, then why was she shunned? After a moment, it clicked. Why ponies fled from her. Why they shunned her. Why everything happened. They all believed she was this nightmare moon. They were afraid of her, because they believed she was Nightmare Moon who had returned to torment them.
“What are their names, Young Twilight?” Glacious asked.
“Queen Luna and Queen Celestia. Believe it or not, I’m the number one student to Queen Celestia.” Twilight said with pride.
Gracious thought for a moment. She didn’t recognized the name’s Celestia and Luna. If they were Alicorns, surely she would’ve known them. She knew she needed to see and meet these two Alicorns sisters.
Arctic, looking up at her nudged her slightly.
“Mother? Are you okay?”
“Why yes my Child. I’m just thinking.” Gracious said.
Arctic, a bit curious and slightly suspicious about what she was thinking about, put that thought in the back of his head and started talking with Twilight after she had jumped over to Arctic with a giant smile and stars in her eyes. Arctic grew a bit scared. He had forgotten she wanted to study him. Twilight, while happily talking about learning about the saiyan, used her magic to pick him up and start dragging him to her basement. Tree Hugger seeing this, grabbed onto Arctic trying to pull him away from the overly excited mare. But she underestimated the Unicorns strength and was dragged as well. The others tried to help as well, but it was futile. They were dragged as well.
Gracious, seeing this, chuckled but went back to thinking about the Alicorn Sisters. She wanted to meet them and she wanted an explanation.
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The room was dark, only candles lit up the room slightly. Glowing orbs were also present in the dark room.
A large table sat at the far end of the table and two beings sat there looking through scroll after scroll, each with the same story.
“Tis ridiculous! An entity roams Equestria making our ponies fear us yet again!” Shout a voice.
“Calm down, sister. Perhaps there’s an explanation.” Said the other voice.
“No! We desire to find the being responsible for this act. We have been feared too long. We wish to be able to roam freely amongst our subjects with their fear overcoming them! We desire to be rid of them, so that we may finally be adored by our ponies!” Shouted the voice.
Her eyes warped into dark blues with reptilian slitted pupils. The other being raised a hoof and placed it on the first one’s shoulder.
“Be calm, sister. We have a lead. It has been stated that the entity and its ape-like companion have been spotted in the Everfree Forest. Hopefully they haven’t begun terrorizing Ponyville. Should we receive anything from Ponyville about them, I shall send for The Bearers of Harmony to find them, contain them, and bring them here, so that we may handle them ourselves.” Said the being.
The first one just gritted her teeth. She observed the letters. It seems that the two entities have power. And a lot of it. So the Element Bearers would be the best option to capture the entities. However, should they fail, then she, Queen Luna, Ruler of Equestria and the Night, shall find them herself, and eradicate the two entities once and for all.
She will not be feared by her subjects any longer and she will do whatever it takes to change that.