Two years after the return of Nightmare Moon, and mere months after the restoration of the Crystal Empire, the land of Equestria was changed forever.

It was just after Hearth’s Warming when word reached Canterlot that a vast army was marching upon the capital. The army, over ten thousand ponies strong, flew a banner emblazoned with a crescent moon, a unicorn’s horn, and a pair of midnight blue wings. This was the Grand Army of Nightmare Moon, forged one thousand years ago on Equestria’s farthest western borders in order to act as the corrupted princess’ foot soldiers. Now commanded by one General Black Bolt, they had halted their centuries of preparation and started to march when they’d learned of their glorious leader’s return.

Princess Celestia panicked, terrified that these ponies would have some way of returning her beloved sister to her altered state. So, with seemingly no other recourse, she summoned the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony and bade them to turn the entire army to stone.

It was Twilight Sparkle, Celestia’s most faithful student, that was the first to refuse.

Twilight called Princess Celestia irrational and insisted there had to be another way. Overwrought with fear, the Princess of the Sun struck her most ardent supporter. It was a moment so sincerely shocking that all who witnessed it remembered it years later with stunning clarity.

It was Princess Luna herself who intervened in the budding confrontation. She learned of the army’s existence and followed her older sister when she fled for the castle’s inner sanctum. Terrified for Luna’s well-being, Celestia gave all of her power to create an impenetrable shield around the city.

It was exactly what Luna had been waiting for.

She took the crown from her sister’s head and slew her with it utterly.

After the shield fell, the Bearers of Harmony leapt into battle. It was days of fighting before anypony realized that the army was not invading. They were trying to swear fealty to Luna.

The sun set on the day that the Bearers were told to stand down… and did not rise again.

Princess Luna reorganized the entire kingdom into what she called the New Lunar Republic. Major cities were appointed governors that answered directly to the Moon Princess. New trees bearing ‘moon fruit’ were planted, replacing most of the now dying from sun deprivation crops.

Equestria tried to endure under its new leadership, but the transition was not easy.

Some ponies flourished under the moon. Applejack Apple, Bearer of the Element of Honesty, became one of the most prosperous ponies in all the Republic following her marriage to local business magnate Filthy Rich and the choice of Sweet Apple Acres as the primary grower of moon fruit. Rainbow Dash, the Bearer of the Element of Loyalty, was made Commander of the newly formed Shadow Bolts after turning over her former mentor Spitfire for the crime of treason. Rarity, the Bearer of the Element of Generosity, was named the Royal Dress-Maker and was allowed to keep her home in the evacuated town of Ponyville.

Some ponies simply did the best they could do. Pinkie Pie, the Bearer of the Element of Laughter, willingly relocated to her family's rock farm. Fluttershy, the Bearer of the Element of Kindness, retreated into the depths of the Everfree Forest in order to stay out of any and all conflicts.

And some ponies became enemies of the state. Princess Cadance was accused of committing anti-Republic crimes and was stripped of her titles. She escaped to parts unknown with her husband before her arrest could be carried out. Twilight Sparkle, the Bearer of the Element of Magic, was arrested after the publishing of her book ‘the Fall of the Solar Kingdom.’ Luna claimed the book was slander and ordered every known copy to be burned.

The endless night went on… and the temperature continued to drop.

As the one year anniversary of the Shift approached, General Black Bolt was killed by, of all things, a bee sting. Suspecting a possible coup, a loyal Lunarist named Jade Ring took it upon himself to interview the former Bearers of Harmony. In doing so, he uncovered a plot on Princess Luna’s life. Applejack Apple-Rich and Rarity were arrested for their roles in the planned assassination. Fluttershy vanished before she could be captured. Pinkie Pie was formally banished from Equestria as a whole.

The following was posted around Canterlot two weeks later.

Little did anypony know at the time that this event, this execution, would be the catalyst for all that followed.

-Staff of the Canterlot Archives