“Awake.”

The cold, desolate room was barren except for a single figure, obscured by the the thick, heavy darkness that permeated every corner.

“Come.”

Shuffling slightly, the midnight blue figure lifted its head, trying to determine the source of the noise.

“Come.”

Getting onto its four hooves, the dark figure shuffled obediently in the direction of the now discernible voice.

“Good, come to me Luna, come and break free of this millennial prison.”

Turning the corner, Luna looked up to see a small pinpoint of light shining outside the window. From the sound of the voice, she had thought the light was close, but once her eyes focused to the dark depths of the starlit space outside, she realized the glow was from much further away.

“Who are you,” she called, “What do you want with me?”

The light flickered momentarily before replying. “Dear Luna, you know who I am, and why I have come. The time has come, and I need her. Where is she?”

Recognition struck like a hammer on an anvil. Taking a step back, Luna looked uncertainly up at the light, “Surely you have not made your way back yet, we only just imprisoned you!”

A deep, malicious laughter filled her head, like hooves on a chock board, driving her down to the ground.

“No, how did you get back here so fast, how did you break free from your prison,” cried Luna.

“Break free? Dear Luna, you and your sister never imprisoned me. While it might have taken most of my power to lead you to believe you had, in reality, I never even left the planet.”

Realizing the voice was out of her head, her thoughts began to materialize coherently. Looking back at the pinpoint of light, she realized it was but a guise for the true source of power, something much darker and much more powerful then what her and Celestia had ever had a chance to deal with. Turning around to run, she ran head first into a deep, midnight blue mist.

Pain. Anger. Hate. Everything was a jumbled mess and nothing she could do would get rid of it. Striving to reach the surface of raw emotions only pushed the searing blade of hate further into her mind.

She had been imprisoned for a thousand years. Why should she be scared? Why fight it? Did she not deserve to be free? The power was coursing through her now, and it made her feel like she could accomplish anything. She was going to escape, and she was going to make the pony that put her here pay for the time stolen from her.

As the mist parted, Luna emerged, shining with a writhing black that resembled the celestial abyss of space . The previously inundating mist now seemed to emanate from her mane. Her eyes, now a serpent green, gazed with an intensity of hatred unaccustomed to the mare.

Turning back to the light, Luna dropped her front two hooves and bowed. “What is it you wish from me, master?”

“You will find the pony I am looking for, and deliver her to me. Once you have given her to me, you may be free to do as you please. Oh, and one more thing, my faithful servant; the only mare who knows this pony's whereabouts is Princess Celestia herself. I do not care how you obtain the information from her, just get it.”

With the last echo of the booming voice, a loud crack could be heard making its way through out the castle imprisonment. The crack began to fork, splitting new lines where ever it went. Soon, the stone of the castle was riddled with lines and looked to fall apart at any minute. As Luna continued looking out the window, the light began to grow bigger and brighter, until she could look no longer. A buzzing filled the air as it grew hot. More cracks began to make their way across the stone, and the burning smell of magic in the air was near overwhelming. Suddenly, everything fell silent.

Opening her eyes, Luna looked around to discover herself floating above the surface of the moon, all the magic that had kept her on the moon burned to nothing from the radiance of the stars.

Cursing to herself, Luna turned toward the planet that was home to Equestria. This was going to be fun. There was a job to do, but if done right, she would have all the time in the world to figure out where this pony was hiding. For Celestia's sake, she better not stay hidden long.

Before hurtling down to earth, the Mare in the Moon turned in the direction of the voice and raised an eye quizzically. “If I may ask, who could possibly have your attention more than my sister, the most powerful pony on the planet?”

More pain drove into her skull, and thoughts of all the time she spent alone on the moon raced through Luna's mind, playing off one another and only increasing the hatred.

“Do not worry about what I am after. Retrieve the information I want. If you do this, you may do whatever you please with your sister.” At this, the pain withdrew from Luna's mind and receded further away then it had started. With a twisted smile, Night Mare Moon turned back to face Equestria, to face her sister.

“Anything, Master Zodiac?”

“Anything.”