Oddities of Equestria Book 1 (A MLP FiM Au Fanfic)

Chapter 3

Minutes later, everypony in Ponyville entered the town hall. They all huddled up, waiting with anticipation for the sunrise. Clawdia noticed how anxious Twilight but not about the gathering of ponies, only about Nightmare Moon. Twilight became less when she felt Clawdia's grasp. Spike noticed it and he smirked.

Before long, the bird choir started to sing as Fluttershy was conducting. The spotlight soon shone down onto the beige colored mare with white mane.

"Fillies and gentlecolts," the beige mare announced. "As Mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration. In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise and celebrate this the longest day of the year."

Unknowingly, only Twilight and Clawdia noticed the stars entered the moon as the head of a mare suddenly vanished.

The mayor continued. "And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land. The very pony who gave us the sun and the moon each and every day. The good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria; Princess Celestia!"

The fanfare played. The bird choir sang. Rarity pulled the rope to open the curtains only to see... empty. The princess wasn't there. This caused the crowd to stir with whispers of concerns.

"Remain calm everypony," begged the mayor. "There must be a reasonable explanation."

"Rarity," Clawdia called. "Try looking at the back."

Agreed, Rarity went to the back of the balcony. Seconds later, she came back out. "She's gone!"

This caused the crowd to gasp in shock... but. It got worse. They saw the blue mist roam from the shadows on the balcony. As they disappeared, it reappeared as the black alicorn mare with wavy blue mane and tail, suited with blue armor.

To Twilight and Clawdia, they knew who she is. "Nightmare Moon."

In shock, Spike fainted and fell from Twilight's back.

"Oh, my beloved subjects," Nightmare Moon greeted, a sinister smirk on her face. "It's been so long since I've seen your precious sun-loving faces."

"Hey," Rainbow Dash shouted. "What did you do with our Princess?"

Before Rainbow Dash could fly at the villainess, Applejack instantly grabbed her tail with the mouth.

Nightmare Moon giggled menacingly. "Why, am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am? Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?"

"We did," Twilight answered, catching the tall alicorn of darkness's attention. "And we know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon; Nightmare Moon! And you're here to bring eternal night!"

The ponies in Ponyville gasped in horror.

"My, somepony who remembers me," Nightmare Moon spoke before spotted Clawdia. She chuckled. "My my. To meet new faces, I see this old one."

"What has become of you," Clawdia asked, caused everypony to be puzzled. Twilight was most confused. "I remembered your eyes, they've changed. You've changed, but for what? To bring eternal night in motive of envy?! To show you could be a better ruler than her?!"

Twilight was contemplated why and how Clawdia knew Nightmare Moon. And how is it even possible?

"Of course I am better than her," Nightmare Moon sneered. "All every pony do was relishing and basking in their precious light while shunned in my gorgeous nights, but no more!"

"So what," Clawdia countered. "Did you really think that everypony praised her more than you since she has the power to raise the sun? If she knew how you felt about how ponies slept and ignore your nights, she would have done things differently. Yet, here you are letting the bitterness and coldness within your heart transformed you into this beacon of horror. That goes to show you're no better than she is."