The bright sun beat down upon the crowds as they waited anxiously for news from their monarchs. The square was bursting with ponies, shifting anxiously and talking in subdued tones. King Uranus and Queen Gaea were expecting their second foal, and today is the day she was expected. Queen Gaea had been in labor for an unusually long time, and everypony was worried. Suddenly, the castle doors burst open, and a hush fell over the gathered crowd.

Standing in the doorway was King Uranus, with a coat of the darkest blue and a mane the color of the night, accompanied by Queen Gaea, who is the brown of oak, with a mane of a darker shade. He cleared his throat, then announced, "We welcome a new princess into this world. Princess Luna!" The crowd roared their approval, and the festivities began.

Joyful music flowed through the air, and ponies danced and pranced to the tune. A group had gathered around the king and queen, congratulating them on their newborn. The royal blue foal slept in a basket, wrapped tightly in a cloth. Princess Celestia, only six years old, gazed adoringly at her new sister.  I think we'll be good friends, she thought. Then the basket was lifted by their parents, and Luna was obscured from view.

As the sun crawled across the sky, the activities began to slow. The vendor stalls had sold all of their wares, and were beginning to pack up. Ponies from all over Equestria began filing back to their respective streets or train stations, starting the long journey back to their homes. The royal family withdrew into the palace, finalizing preparations for their newborn foal, and the kingdom was still.

A single ray of moonlight cut through the thick cover of clouds. Gently shining through the night, it fell on a crib, freshly carved and decorated with pictures of the moon. The newborn filly lay sleeping, buried in the warm covers.

For a moment, the sky darkened. A shadow flit across the moon, disappearing as fast as it appeared. A gust of wind blew open the window, sweeping across the room, and rousing the filly from her sleep. She awoke, staring upwards at her new mobile. It chimed softly in the wind, the small figures of the sun, moon, and stars shaking and bumping each other as they moved. Before long, though, the mobile stilled, and the filly fell back into a deep, undisturbed sleep.

A shadow fell across the cradle as a figure seemed to rise from the ground. Its features were hidden, indistinguishable in the darkness. It moved closer to the cradle, pausing as it reached the edge of the crib. A single hoof reached out over the filly, but paused as the sound of hoofsteps rang in the hallway outside. Seconds passed as the figure waited. The hoofsteps receded, and the figure seemed to relax. It reached back into the crib, cradling the filly sleeping inside. The figure scooped the filly up, its touch soft, and wrapped her in its cloak.

The figure stepped closer to the window, cloak billowing in the wind. It clutched the filly closer to its body, glancing back at the now empty room. The figure planted its hooves in the ground, stood up straighter, and vanished into the night. Next Chapter: Coronation Estimated time remaining: 5 Minutes