She looks beyond the window pane Calms her terror, and grooms her mane. In the night sky, there far aloft Her vessel shines, and shadows soft Spread on the earth. The hours flow. She blinks and sighs, and then lies low. Her dreams follow a somber path, Memories rush: her wicked wrath, Shrill is her laugh, proud her stance, Corrupt her heart, feral her glance. She taunts and mocks: “[i]You, sister weak! Shall you defend the light they seek? Shall you stand fast against the night? Or shall you yield, as it is right, For I’ve become what you so feared. You made me meek, and yet I cleared That evil curse you cast on me. Afraid no more of what I’d be If I killed you, ruthless tyrant, And freed the land from that giant? No need there is for your command One shall suffice to rule the land. The sun and moon, alone I can Move on and on. There is no ban On my power, o sister wrong! Foolish was I all those years long. And when you die, under my blow, Mourn I shall not. No torch shall glow. No one shall cry, even a bird, No tear be shed, no sob be heard. In loneliness, you shall be lost, Your soul shall rove the land of frost. All you cherish’d I shall plunder, Smash and trample, tear asunder, Until at last, nothing from thee Could be gather’d on land or sea. Memories past I shall destroy, And all my might I shall employ To vile your name. You they shall hate And join my mirth when your last fate We shall recall. Who shall pity A princess fed by vanity? Too long above your sun has shone, Too long have you govern’d alone. Always second the moon you set With no excuse, with no regret. Now at last, the moon rebels. Your fate is near. I hear the bells Tolling, a knell. How sinister For me to say: ‘goodbye sister!’ And yet[/i]” – she laughs – “[i]Now ’tis time! The stars are right, the clock has chim’d.[/i]” Her voice threatens, her eye of ice. Her sister shakes, she knows the price, That she will pay, had she to wield The dire gems. There is no shield That will protect against their might. For that reason, she would not fight, Rather perish, ere the dawn came, But the kingdom would do the same: All her subjects, every critter, Even the land would then wither, Hope would be lost. Upon the throne, would reign a queen with heart of stone, Never asleep, never away, All would wizen under her sway. “[i]No sister dear, I won’t fight thee. Lower the moon! ’Tis your duty! O Luna sweet, where have you gone?” “Don’t call me that! From this day on, As Nightmare Moon, I shall be known, Equestria, I claim my own. Yet a last task, I have to see Let me prepare to slaughter thee.[/i]” And with these words, she casts magic. Celestia runs, dodges the trick. “[i]Sister sister, why do you flee? There is no place, as you can see, No crack, no cave, no safe or room Where you can hide, escape your doom.[/i]” Another bolt, another cry. Celestia falls down from the sky. Her white body lies in the mud Stained and bruised, covered in blood. Dead she is not, but she has swoon’d. Darkness descends, is she maroon’d? Yet she still breathes. Lo and behold! Shiny crystals all set in gold Appear in turn. Celestia sighs, Rises and moves, breaking her ties. Now she ascends, ready to meet Her sister dark. A final feat. “[i]O sister dear, please pardon me I never was your enemy.[/i]” The jewels shine, as rays of light Spring from their core, colored and bright. But Nightmare Moon first does resist With all her strength, to say the least. Will she succeed? Slowly she yields As the rays close, piercing the shields That she brought up. They all shatter. Magic breaks through with high clatter. Nightmare moon shrieks, when the rays hit— Luna twitches. Her moonlight lit Bedroom is still. But she has yelp’d, Crying out, begging for help. Slowly she wakes and feels round her The warm embrace of her sister.