The Garden of Shadows

It was worse than she thought.

Ever since her return, Princess Luna had felt there was something wrong with her subjects. The ponies of Equestria were lively and joyous, their eyes bright and happy as they basked in the light. Yet after the sun set, they retreated to their homes to hide until the sun came out the next day. Things were much the same one thousand years ago, save for that ponies had treated Luna as they treated her domain—with fear and mistrust. She'd had no friends, her court remained empty, and every evening she'd raised the moon and the stars, sighing as she reached out with her magic to look upon the city, only to encounter nothing but sleeping minds.

It was strange then, that she was now so popular. Luna had expected to be shunned and ignored upon her return, her subjects not knowing what to do with a second monarch after having only one for so long. Never in her wildest dreams did she expect she'd be greeted with such positive zeal! Every night her court was filled with petitioners, she was invited to countless social events, she had dozens of friends, and everywhere she went, ponies basked in her presence as looked upon her with awe and relief.

Luna's popularity had left her completely dumbstruck. To be embraced so completely and totally, to feel the appreciation radiating out from ponies when her fell transformation into Nightmare Moon had been caused by bitterness, resentment, and loneliness? It was a balm powerful enough to soothe the ache of a one thousand year old festering wound, and she was eternally grateful for it. But what was the reason? Why had the ponies welcomed her back with such fervency?

Luna had originally thought it might have had something to do with this celebration named after her, this... Nightmare Night. She couldn't believe it when she'd first heard about it. True, most ponies thought Nightmare Moon was nothing more than an old mare's tale, and she didn't hold a grudge for such a paltry thing. Information tended to get skewed through the generations, and it was out of consideration, not spite, that Celestia had let her little temper tantrum fall into the disparities of legend. After all, if her downfall and rebellion were to be known as fact, her returning reception would've been considerably colder, and swallowing her pride had been difficult enough as it was.

So Luna had looked into what the festival entailed, but her findings did little to lift her spirits. It was a dark holiday, one that associated both her and the night with wickedness and deceit. She wanted Nightmare Night to not be a reminder of her past sins, but a celebration of her reform. She wanted ponies to know that gone was the bitter, jealous Luna of old, slave to the foul specter of her emotions made manifest. In her place was the new Luna: kind, fun-loving, friendly, and above all, avatar of the beautiful, glorious night that she so desperately wanted others to enjoy.

Her attempts that first year to make her wishes known almost blew up in her face. She'd done a lot of things wrong in hindsight, and it was no small miracle things had worked out in the end. She'd learned that Nightmare Night was indeed a celebration centered around fear and tricks, but it was done in a frivolous, playful manner. She still wasn't thrilled that it so brazenly reminded her of her greatest failure, but if that was the price for being accepted by her subjects, she'd gladly pay it.

Did ponies still not realize what the night truly was? It was a flowing veil, a loving embrace, a merciful return to their origins! All things were born in darkness, and unto darkness they ultimately returned. If mortals were inherently beings of balance, why were they so adamant on condemning a part of their very being? Did they merely associate it with death, forgetting the connection with life? Maybe the dimming of the senses left a sense of vulnerability, and they didn't understand that the shadows protected rather than concealed? Or perhaps it was the echo of her own past deeds, worming its way through the centuries and tainting her domain with a vague sense of dread?

Luna knew this discomfort wasn't instinctual. Ponies weren't born fearing the very thing that had protected them during their first instances of existence. This was a learned fear, one that was instilled in generation to generation like a foul plague, and she wouldn't stand for it. She feared such a thing would ultimately cause lasting effects on her beloved ponies, and so she searched to find the cause of this odd affliction of terror.

Ponies are unique amongst the sentient races in that their souls are equally comprised of light and dark. All the other races have a gravitation towards one or the other, but only the three pony races hold the two in complete balance. It was for this reason that Celestia and Luna came to be in the first place, as the Fates decreed that keeping an entire race on such a narrow path was too great a task for one entity.

It was for this reason that Luna's findings were so startling. She hadn't even considered it might be an issue, and she cursed at herself for not seeing it earlier—one thousand years of being exposed to nothing but light had slowly brought the souls of ponies out of balance, and without any form of darkness to counterbalance it, their spirits were slowly being burned away. It'd taken her a while to see the signs, but they were painfully obvious now that she knew what to look for: A flicker of fatigue behind the joy, a slight strain in the smile, the flash of agony across their faces as they frolicked during the day. No wonder Luna had been so joyously welcomed and why ponies were instinctively drawn to her, a being of darkness. She was soothing their light-scarred spirits and bringing them back into balance!

This was no small problem. This wasn't something that she could just clap her hooves and fix with an order or law. This was an epidemic. The symptoms of soul sickness didn't show up in the physical body until it'd progressed to a significant degree, and even then it was extremely faint, which was why she hadn't recognized it at first. Something had to be done, and fast, or the souls of her beloved subjects would be irreparably harmed. Luna had spoken with Celestia about it, and after some back and forth discussion, they'd come up with an idea.

She only hoped that she wasn't too late.

Luna stretched as she stepped out onto her wide, sweeping balcony overlooking the city of Canterlot after returning from another fun-filled Nightmare Night in Ponyville. The moon was full, the stars above twinkled like crystals, and sparse, puffy clouds dotted the skyline. The air held a sharpness that heralded the onset of winter, but made the warmth of the costumes and candied treats all the more appreciated. Her ears still rang with the sounds of playful laughter of children, and the taste of caramel apples still lingered on her tongue. She'd wanted to stay longer, to partake in the grownup parties that lasted longer into the night, but she had a job to do this year, one that would begin to counteract the foul sickness that had unknowingly stricken her subjects.

A flicker of movement behind her caught Luna's eye. She turned, and saw Celestia standing in the entrance of her balcony. Her prismatic mane flowed in the solar winds as she eyed her younger sister with trepidation. She fidgeted as she spoke, unable to meet Luna's eyes.

"Are you really going to do it?"

Luna exhaled out her nose and stared at the balcony floor. "It's the only way."

Celestia bit her lip. "I didn't think your absence would have an effect like this."

"Neither did I," Luna admitted. "I know you didn't mean to do it, and I don't blame you for not seeing it. It took me a while to notice it myself, after all, and you're not attuned to the darkness any more than I'm attuned to the light. I'd have been quite impressed if you'd discovered this malady before me."

Celestia shook her head. "To think that too much light would be harmful—not even in my wildest dreams..."

"Too much of anything is harmful," Luna replied. "Our ponies have long basked in your reign, but the fatigue is beginning to show in their hearts. As we agreed before, the best course of action is to, as they say, 'nip it in the bud,' and only a trip to the Shadow Realm can cure what ails our subjects. I don't do this lightly, as it means sharing an intimate part of who I am with an entire generation, but it'll cause serious problems down the line if I don't. "

Celestia rubbed her forehooves. "Is there any chance they'll be hurt?"

"None." Luna gazed out into the city. "My power in that realm is absolute. I love our little ponies as much as you, and I'd die before I risking any of their well-being. In truth, they're safer there than in the real world."

Celestia gave a sigh of relief, and she walked forward and nuzzled her sister. "I know you'd never intentionally hurt them, but I still had to ask for peace of mind."

Luna rested her chin on Celestia's shoulder. "Fear not, Tia, I'll take good care of them. Our subjects shall soon be in balance once more."

Celestia drew back, and with a good night and good luck, left her sister to her duties. Luna took a deep breath, relishing the cool evening air and undisturbed peace as she walked to the edge of the balcony. This was the essence of what the night was—tranquility, peace, safety. It was what she loved, what she wanted others to see, and what her ponies so desperately needed. With these thoughts in mind, Luna raised her eyes to the sky, closed her eyes, and focused on a very special part of her magic.

When the world was young and Luna was still learning how to control the moon and stars, she'd searched within herself to discover the workings of her magic. Her experimentation had shunted her out of her body, sending her spiraling into the sky and drawn out of the physical plane. When she'd come to, she found that she'd entered an entirely new place, separate from the real world, but connected at the same time. She realized this 'Shadow Realm' was the source of her power, and it was here she truly was a god. She could create anything she wanted, do anything she liked, be anything she wished to be. The realm was the very essence of darkness, the origins of the night, the soul of the stars and moon. It was timeless, without beginning or end, and she was its avatar and master.

In that first visit, Luna had found the realm to be a plane of nothingness that stretched out into eternity. The power of the moon and stars was vague, spread out and unfocused, yet it all answered to her beck and call in an instant. Deciding that she wanted the setup to be more aesthetically pleasing, she molded the endless black like a potter molds clay, shaping it and fitting it according to her whims.

And so the Realm of Shadows became a Garden, beautiful and mysterious beyond words, a pristine eden that held contained the very essence of darkness. None could enter this idyllic place but herself, as to taint its purity with even the smallest modicum of light would be an abhorrent defilement. This was her final bastion, her most sacred sanctuary, a part of her very being, and she'd never shared it with anypony else.

However, drastic times called for drastic measures.

Luna felt herself becoming detached from her physical form. She spread her consciousness outward, extending out past the castle and into the city of Canterlot beyond. She called upon the power of Garden and stretched herself out even farther, extending past the city, out into the valley beyond, then even past that as her influence spread out to cover the entirety of Equestria. The moon developed a soft blue corona, and the stars brightened to twice their normal luminance. Luna's magic was palpable, felt all throughout the land, but very few took notice as the majority of her sickened subjects slept oblivious through the night.

The grownups couldn't be taken, as their souls were beyond influence. Only the malleable spirits of the innocent could be brought, and their time must be brief for prolonged exposure to pure, unfiltered darkness would have the opposite effect. Luna kept this in mind as she felt her magic reaching out and into the houses of ponies across the land, locating those aged three or younger and catching them in the thrall of her spell. Seconds later, the spirits of thousands were under her command, and now that she was connected to all of them, the imbalance became all the more apparent. She was cutting it close, but the damage of being exposed to a thousand years of light could yet still be undone. The adults of the era would be in pain, yes, but being in her presence would lessen the effects, and the attending of constant social gatherings for next seventy years or so was a community service she'd gladly partake in.

Now fully free of her body, her country-wide spell cast and her eyes glowing with power, Luna raised her chin, took a deep breath, and began to sing.

Come little children

I'll take thee away, into a land

of Enchantment

Come little children

the time's come to play

here in my Garden

of Shadows

Luna spread her wings and jumped off the balcony, abandoning her body and diving straight down before evening out and sailing above sleeping Canterlot. She could feel the spirits of the innocent following behind her, her presence tugging them out of their bodies as they slept. Their ethereal forms followed soundlessly after her as she continued on, pulling them behind her like a powerful magnet. She did a lap around Canterlot before ascending up into the clouds, heading out into Equestria proper. Luna flew faster, the power of her domain giving her increased speed as she soared above the lands in her natural form like a ghostly phantom.

Follow sweet children

I'll show thee the way

through all the pain and

the Sorrows

Weep not poor children

the Night keeps thee safe

dream but of beauty and

Passions

The souls of the pure were gently freed from their physical vessels as they joined Luna in the heavens. She strengthened the pull of her spell, sending out her spiritual call to echo out and bring forth the children of the land. The souls were silhouettes of their owners, purest white and glowing with the power of Luna's magic. They circled around her in an expanding sphere as she continued her flight, gathering more and more souls to her as she flew. She could make out their faces as they swirled around her, their expressions all of unfiltered awe and wonder. A young foal came close, and Luna took him in her forehooves, nuzzling his forehead before letting him rejoin the others.

Hush now dear children

and trust my embrace

be weary of light and

the sunshine

Rest now my children

for soon we'll away

into the calm and

the Quiet

Luna fully opened herself to the Garden of Shadows, and her astral form faded away. The stars above gathered and swirled together to reform into a pair of enormous, teal eyes that looked lovingly down upon the land. The heavens were comprised of shimmering violets and deep blues, and a pair of colossal ebony wings reached down to wrap around the children. Their spirits were sucked forward, disappearing into the endless black.

The children were now gathered in a grove with majestic, leafless trees circled about the edges. Weeping willows, oaks, maples, cypresses, and elms were scattered about, the outlines of their naked branches blurring as their outlines shifted back and forth. A spectral light filtered in through the branches from beyond, giving the garden mystic ambiance. Orchids, lilacs, azaleas, hyacinths, hollyhocks, pansies, and nemophilas were scattered about in groomed patches, each of them pulsing with the very essence of darkness. The grass under the children's hooves was silver and soft as heather under their hooves, and crystalline waterfalls spilled out into a small lake from several outcroppings of rock. The water of the lake was clear and still as glass, and at the middle of this lake was an island with a shrine to Luna at its center. The sky above was an aurora of galaxies and stars, and the air was warm and heavy with the scent of flowers.

Come little children

I'll take thee away, into a land

of Enchantment

Come little children

the time's come to play

here in my garden

of Shadows

Luna reappeared before the children, a goddess in her true realm. She looked as she normally did, but her power was apparent as the fauna of the Garden bloomed and became more alive as she approached. A corona of violet shimmered around her body, and she left behind a faint afterimage as she moved about. She watched as the blinding brightness of the children's outlines slowly dimmed, the Garden's soothing influence slowly balancing out their souls.

Luna spoke, but not with words. Instead, she used feelings and impressions to communicate with the young mortals. She towered over them, clad in her full regalia as a flawless beacon of immaculate glory.

"I am your Princess."

She looked down at them all with unceasing vigil, meeting each and every one of their eyes.

"I am your protector."

Her eyes glowed with ethereal might, and the Garden thrummed in response.

"The night is my charge, and my power over it is absolute."

The children felt her presence all around them, yet she stood motionless before their eyes.

"You are my subjects, and under my rule, the darkness is not something to be feared."

Luna didn't change in size, yet she was now face-to-face with all of the children, looking at them as a peer.

"You are beings of harmony, comprised of both darkness and light. To deny one or the other is to deny part of yourselves."

She stepped back, giving them all a warm, maternal smile.

"And it is also to deny one who loves you, without pause, thought, or condition."

The children weren't as bright as they once were anymore. Their outlines were faint, and their eyes were half-lidded with dreamy looks on their faces. Luna wished she could keep them here longer, to share with them the true wonders and beauty of the night, but these foals were too impressionable. She welcomed those who had an affinity for darkness, yet too much of it would be just as much of a problem as an overabundance of light, and she doubted Celestia would appreciate that.

Now confident that balance had been restored, Luna spread her wings and flew up to rejoin the sky above. The shadows coiled around the children, and the Garden faded away. She released her hold on their spirits, and they split throughout the sky like a meteor shower as they scattered to the corners of the country to rejoin their physical forms. Satisfied that they were safely returned, Luna returned to Canterlot, finding her physical body where she'd left it on the balcony. She entered it and had a slight jarring feeling as her two forms reattached before opening her eyes. She was hit by a wave of fatigue followed by a surge of nausea, and she fell to her knees, rubbing her head and letting out a soft groan.

"You all right?"

Luna's ears twitched at Celestia's voice. She would've turned to address her, but she wanted to keep the contents of her stomach where they were.

"Maybe doing this on Nightmare Night was a bad idea."

Celestia walked over and laid down beside her sister. "Do you think it worked?"

"I think so," Luna mumbled. "We'll need to wait until the next generation to be sure, but if nothing else, this was a step in the right direction."

Celestia enveloped Luna in an alabaster wing. "I can't tell you how thankful I am that you'd be willing to do something like this. I mean, if your connection to the Shadow Realm is anything like mine to the Light Realm..."

Luna leaned into her sister. "It probably is, but this had to be done. I know you would've done the same thing if our positions were reversed."

Celestia raised a hoof to her chin. "I suppose I would, although I'd have to create something in the Light Realm so they weren't floating in a void."

Luna raised an eyebrow. "You mean you never have?"

"Why would I?" Celestia shrugged. "It's not like I was ever anticipating having guests."

Luna rolled her eyes. "I guess I thought that we were supposed to do something with it. All that nothingness just seemed so... boring."

"I'm sure whatever you did with it is beautiful." Celestia patted her sister's arm. "It's a shame that the children are too young to remember it."

"I think that's best," Luna said. "If they were to have any memories of that place, they may want to go back, and I don't think I'd make a very good tour guide."

Celestia chuckled. "I suppose not."

Luna's breathing evened out as her stomach settled down. "I just feel bad I can't do more."

"You've already done something nopony else could." Celestia gently squeezed her sister. "Even if this doesn't work, we're not out of options. Don't worry, we'll figure something out."

Luna looked out at the horizon. "I suppose we'll see."

( *** )

Twenty Five Years Later-

Luna yawned as she finished her proceedings for court. Things had gone overly long tonight due to an unnaturally long and pointless debate with a rather insistent, ignorant scientist over why moving the moon closer or farther away from the planet was a good idea. She turned to her assistant, a quiet midnight-blue unicorn mare by the name of Minute Detail.

"Any more petitioners?" Luna asked.

"Sir Flashing Steel was the last," Minute replied. "Did you want me to process his request now, or wait until tomorrow night?"

Luna waved a hoof. "He didn't seem like he was in a hurry to get the Lunairium. I'll take care of it tomorrow."

"It's not often we get requests for that." Minute scratched her chin. "What do you think he wanted it for? Perhaps it was for that mask he was wearing on the side of face?"

Luna winced. "I don't think that was a mask."

"What do you—" Minute stopped as her eyes widened. "Oooh."

Luna got to her hooves and walked down the stairs of her throne. "I'm going to my chambers to retire. Send for me if I'm needed."

Minute bowed. "As you wish."

Luna adjusted her tiara as she walked toward the door. Things had gone well over the last two and a half decades. She and Celestia had been closely monitoring the souls of the latest generation, and while there was an unusual case here and there, the population had largely evened out as a whole. She was grateful she'd caught the disturbance in time, as a shift in either direction could cause ponykind to descend into madness. True, the effects of light-poisoning took longer to manifest, but the symptoms were all the worse for it. Luna was just glad that there hadn't been any lasting effects, and none of the children had any memories of that ni—

Hush now dear children

and trust my embrace

be weary of light and

the sunshine

Rest now my children

for soon we'll away

into the calm and

the Quiet

Luna stopped dead as a chill went up her spine. She whirled on the singer with wide eyes, only to find Minute writing on her clipboard while softly humming to herself. She noticed Luna's reaction and looked up.

"Is... something wrong, Princess?"

"W—Where..." Luna cleared her throat. "Sorry, something in my throat. Where'd you hear that song?"

"The song?" Minute rubbed the back of her neck. "Um, well... I'm not really sure. I've known it for as long as I can remember, and it gets stuck in my head sometimes. I sing it to my daughter as a lullaby."

Luna became grateful for Celestia's lessons on making a good poker face as her stoic mask prevented the huge smile from creeping up on her face. "I see."

"Do you know anything about it?" Minute asked. "It's really pretty, and I've always been curious about where it's from."

"It's from long ago," Luna said. "It was meant to be sung to children so that they wouldn't fear the night."

"So it is a lullaby!" Minute clapped her hooves. "I've always thought it might be. Do you know who wrote it, by chance?"

"The name eludes me," Luna said with a note of regret, "but I know they'd be very happy to know that you're singing it to your daughter."

Minute beamed. "Then that's exactly what I'll do."

Luna bid her assistant a good morning, then turned and walked out the door, allowing herself a small smile as she made her way to her chambers.

"Very happy, indeed."

The End