Luna slowly walked through the castle's royal garden, basking in the moonlight that she had created. She loved the way the crisp, cool air flowed through her feathers. She loved looking up at the sky, watching the stars she controlled twinkling back at her. The deep shades of black and blue surrounding her moon, and making it glow even brighter.

She loved the night. And she loved that she was it’s ruler.

Let her sister rule the sun, this was so much better to her. It was subtle, dark, and alluring. The vastness of it all was far more beautiful than that bright ball of fire her sister loved so much. She continued her slow walk, taking in the scent of the blossoms that only bloomed under the Moon's light. While this garden was amazing in sight and scent, this was still Celestia’s castle. Luna felt as though she was only renting space here, and co-ruling as payment. Luna knew that deep down, she will always be her sister’s shadow.

But…she was okay with this.

She accepted that fact with the kind of grace only a princess could give off. Her sister had worked hard to rule this place all on her own, and she no longer felt the dark urges to take it from her. She had done something even greater.

She had built her own castle. No…her own beautiful world of eternal night and tranquility.

Her slow walking turned into a light trot.

She had created a kingdom, hidden to all except those who truly adored the night. And while she did want ponies to respect her just as much as they did her sister, there was something she wanted even more than that. She wanted them to love and appreciate her creations. The Moon. The stars. Night itself. She was an artist, and simply wanted her work to be loved. In her kingdom, this wish had come true.

Her trot turned to a gait.

She had come to realize something. Ponies were beginning to only appreciate her creations because they were seen as objects of comfort. Comfort, not given with warm hugs from loving family, and bonds made by the strong foundations of friendship. No…her Moon was seen as an object to weep to, when ponies suffered and did not wish for others to see. When tears needed to be released and objects needed to be thrown. When shouts of frustration needed to be released, and angry hooves punched anything they could around them. Nopony wants to be seen in such states of weakness, so when did they do it?

At night…when everypony was asleep.

She wanted them to seek a different comfort. Something that gave them a reason to smile. Something that made their hearts soar with joy, and gave them everything they wished for. So she gave to them when their minds were surrounded in utter calmness, and could be allowed to imagine all of it's greatest, most deepest desires.

She gave it to them in their dreams.

This was something she was proud of, while she could not control dreams themselves, she could put inklings of influence here and there in one, when it presented itself. All she had to do, was pull the wishes from the deepest crevices of a pony’s mind, and make it visible. In her kingdom, she could make sure ponies had such dreams for all of eternity.

But for such happiness, there is a cost.

Eternity…is a very long time. No mortal pony will EVER live forever. The flesh cannot last, but the soul can. She can give happiness to a pony’s soul, but in order to do so, they must leave the realm of the living…forever.

Nopony wants to go before their time though, not even for dreams as wonderful as the ones she was giving. So she did not tell them that they would never return.

But it was for the greater good. Why put her followers in more turmoil, by telling them of such a dark fact? No…let them be happy. She had watched them suffer far too much to hurt them anymore…

Her pace turned to a fierce gallop.

Let her subjects adore the night, and all it has to offer.

The moon started to take on a reddish hue,

Let her subjects adore HER, and all she has to offer.

She flapped her wings, beginning a slow ascent,

Let them forever play in their dreams.

A bright light began to envelope her,

Let them…be happy…

Her eyes started to glow white,

“Worry not, my children. I am coming…”

~MLP~

Twilight’s eyes snapped open and she shot up into a rigid upright position in her bed. There it was again. That same…fucking disturbance. It was stronger than ever this time. She couldn’t take it anymore. She knew that every time she felt that disturbance, it meant another life was being taken. She was a princess, dammit, why wasn’t she able to stop some rogue?! She tore the satin sheets away from her body and leapted out of bed.

No more.

She would not let another pony die. This had gone on for far too long. A glimpse of Shimmer’s face flashed through her mind. She thought of the sorrow that Fluttershy and Dash felt. That they were still feeling.

How many ponies had now been pulled into the pit of despair that came with the loss of a loved one?

She made her way to her window. It was frustrating how she was the only Alicorn that could feel the hidden evil that was snaking it’s way through Equestria at night. Perhaps it was because she was the Princess of Magic. This only furthered her resolve;

She would be the one to find this pony, and destroy her.

She pushed open the windows and flew to where the disturbance had arisen.

~MLP~

It had come from Sweet Apple Acres.

More specifically, it had come from Apple Bloom’s room.

Twilight landed on yellow pony's window sill. What she saw, shocked her.

There was a cloaked pony looming over Apple Bloom’s sleeping form. She could tell that this was definitely ‘The Guider’ that she had heard of. The pony didn’t turn around. She either hadn’t heard Twilight, or was simply ignoring her.

The rage that a bubbling and frothing within Twilight, would not allow her to be ignored.

“Hey!” Twilight shouted. The mare turned around, not the least bit surprised or afraid. Her face was hidden by some unnatural darkness. Her eyes glowed with a bright, magical light.

“Princess of Magic…I see you have come to witness something glorious occur.” She greeted in a calm voice.

“I don’t know what you are doing to Apple Bloom, but you WILL stop.” Twilight commanded as her horn glowed and crackled with magic, “Do not think that I will not kill you where you stand.”

Guider shook her head, “Please…I am not here to clash with you, Princess. I am simply here to bring eternal peace to her suffering soul…”

“She’s not suffering, now leave her alone!”

“I cannot turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to a pony in incurable turmoil.” Guider spoke more firmly, splaying her wings. They seemed to consist of colors that sucked in what little moonlight spilled into the room. “My kingdom is a place of happiness, and I cannot allow you to keep this mare from enjoying it.”

“YOUR KINGDOM?!” Twilight retaliated. “I don’t know who you think you are, but you rule no kingdom! You are not a princess, you are a murderer!”

“I am a bringer of peace!” Guider stomped a hoof. A frown appeared on Apple Bloom’s face. Guider turned and nuzzled her muzzle, the frown replacing itself with a soft smile.

“Don’t you dare touch her!” Twilight snarled. She leapt at Guider, who dodged her with graceful ease. Twilight stood in between her and the younger mare. Twilight considered all of the Mane Six and their families, to be her family as well, and she was not going to let them get hurt. Guider hovered a few inches off the ground for a moment,

“Princess, I will not fight you.”

“BUT I WILL!!”

Twilight aimed a beam at Guider. The mare flicked her head at the beam, causing her hood to shift in a way for the lavender princess to make a terrifying discovery.

“You’re…you’re an Alicorn…”

Guider ignored her statement of observation, “Just because I said I was not going to fight you, does not mean I am going to let you harm me.” she flitted past Twilight and to the window sill. “I need not fight you anyway…my child has finally joined me.”

Realization and horror etched itself into Twilight’s face as she turned to Apple Bloom. She scrambled up to her as the yellow mare exhaled her last breath of air.

The moon turned red.

“No…”

It glowed brighter. Twilight felt Guider’s presence leave the bedroom, but she never took her eyes off of Apple Bloom.

“Gods, no…”

She started to shake the motionless pony.

“NO NO NO NO NO!!!!"

The bedroom door swung open,

“Twilight?! What in tarnation are ya-” Applejack finally took in the sight.

A sobbing Twilight, gripping onto a limp and unmoving Apple Bloom. The farm pony shook her head,

“No, tell me ya stopped her…”

“I-I couldn’t…I tried…”

“Tell me she ain’t dead…”

Twilight said nothing.

“TELL ME SHE AIN’T DEAD!!”

Twilight started to respond, but was shoved aside by the orange mare, who took her younger sister into her forelegs. She buried her face into the strawberry colored mane and wept. Her body was still warm. She wasn’t dead. She was just sleeping...

She was just asleep.

Applejack’s eyes snapped open.

SHE WAS JUST ASLEEP.

“The Guider did this…” Applejack’s voice was low, struggling to keep a cry of rage tearing itself from her throat. “She took mah sister from me…”

The farm mare released her grip on her sister and looked down at her. She had a peaceful smile on her face. She was beautiful. And now…

She would be joining their parents in Applejack’s dreams.