It was a bright and sunny day; the eve of the summer solstice and the Summer Sun Celebration. Ponies from all over Equestria were traveling to the small town of Ponyville, as it had been chosen to host Princess Celestia as she raised the sun. It was no ordinary Summer Sun Celebration either, as this would be the one thousandth year of Summer Sun Celebrations. Of course, this was all common knowledge for the citizens of Equestria. Other than it being a millennial occasion, everyone knew that nothing about it was any different than any other year.

They couldn't have been more wrong.

A few miles north of Ponyville, a Unicorn stallion lay unconscious in a field. His body was heavily bruised and his breaths were ragged. Just as it became midday, he slowly opened his eyes. For a few moments he didn't move, as his brain did a hard reboot. After deciding his cognitive state was about as good as it was going to get right then, he uttered a single word to describe his thoughts and feelings:

“Ow.”

He sat up, wincing at the pain from his bruises.

Alright, he thought, where the hell am I? He glanced around.

There was a river a few metres ahead of him, a cluster of trees behind him, a tall mountain with what appeared to be a castle sticking out of the side of it to his left and a distant village to his right.

First things first, I need a drink.

He shakily walked over to the river, lowered his head to it and took a long drink of water. Once he had finished, he took a deep breath and relaxed his body. Okay, next question; how did I get here?

The stallion thought back to what he had been doing before waking up in the field and... his mind drew a blank. He couldn't remember what he had been doing. In fact, he couldn't remember anything other than basic trivia and common sense. Well... shit. That really cuts out a lot of the five Ws.

There are still some facts I could deduce with the evidence around me, he counter thought, the disturbance of the grass, for example. He walked back over to where he was lying when he woke up. The shape of his body had been worked into the grass. It seems I was lying there for some time, at least a few hours. Without memories, how the crap do I figure out what to do next? That's obvious enough; I need to find out who I am.

The stallion twisted his head around to see his flank and quickly spotted his cutie mark. It was some kind of circle filled with odd shapes and symbols. Oh good, my skill is being a confused mess. Those symbols appear to be runes of some kind... Could my talent lie in my magical ability? How could I even test for that if I don't know what an average Unicorn's magical potential is? Fair point, I should test my theory when I have some idea what the average magical strength is. With mode, of course.

Glancing around again, the stallion pondered what his next move should be. It'd be nice to know what my name is. It may be worth coming up with something temporarily until I find out more. Well, I think too much with both sides of my brain, so how about... Cloud Calculation? My head's in the clouds and I'm figuring shit out. Seems fitting enough.

I'm not in the mood to scale a mountain, so I should head towards that village. Agreed. It seems to be a couple of miles away, so it'll take a little while to walk. With bruises like these, I could do with a walk.

Cloud Calculation began walking towards Ponyville.

Twilight Sparkle had not long ago arrived in Ponyville to check on preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration as instructed by her mentor and ruler, Princess Celestia. She was joined by Spike, a baby Dragon she had raised during her studies. Their relationship was similar to that of a brother and sister, though, to Spike, it often felt more like slave and mistress.

The two of them were walking side by side towards an apple farm as Spike read through a checklist of things to check that had been listed.

“Summer Sun Celebration official overseer's checklist,” Spike read. “Number one, banquet preparations: Sweet Apple Acres.”

“Not the most original name,” Twilight muttered.

As they arrived at the farm, they suddenly heard the sound of someone having way too much fun during their work hours. In Twilight's experience, there weren't many things that could make work enjoyable, and none of those things came cheap. The noise had come from an orange Earth Pony wearing a stetson, running around, kicking trees and looking far too happy about it.

“Let's get this over with…” Twilight sighed as she approached the likely substance abuser. “Good afternoon! My name is Twilight Spar-”

“Well, howdy-doo, Miss Twilight!” The abuser interrupted, shaking her hoof far too enthusiastically for a sober Pony. “A pleasure makin' your acquaintance!” Yes, thought Twilight, definitely an addict. “I'm Applejack! We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like making new friends!”

“Friends?” Twilight asked “No, I'm here to-”

“So, what are you here to do?” Applejack asked, making Spike snicker. Twilight frowned at him before clearing her throat.

“Well, I am in fact here to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration,” she explained. “You're in charge of the food?”

“We sure as sugar are! Would you care to-?”

“Excuse me!” Called a voice. Turning towards the sound, Twilight saw Cloud limping towards them through the thicket of trees. “What town is this?!”

“This is Ponyville,” replied Twilight after waiting for him to be close enough so she wouldn't have to shout. “Are you lost?”

“Something like that.” He stopped next to them. “Do you know where the nearest medical facility is?”

“Medical facility?” Asked Applejack. “Well... there's a hospital down that way.” She pointed deeper into town. “You sick or something?” No point in lying to them.

“I woke up in a field about an hour ago covered in bruises with no memory of... well, pretty much anything.”

“What? Are you okay?”

“I just told you I'm not.”

“Wait, where did you wake up?” Asked Twilight.

“A couple of miles that way,” Cloud replied, pointing with a hoof, “in a field next to a river.”

“Hm... Were there any signs of disturbance?”

“Nothing except where I'd been lying in the grass.”

“Maybe he was dropped there by a Pegasus?” Suggested Spike.

“Possibly, but that-” Cloud suddenly stopped talking when he noticed Spike. “You are a Dragon.” Spike blinked.

“Yes I am.” There was a short silence.

“Alright then. Anyway, I just wanna get these bruises sorted for now, and see if a doctor can help my memory. I'll figure out what happened later.”

“Wait a moment,” said Twilight, lighting her horn, “I know a simple pain numbing spell.” There was a sudden flash of magic from her horn and for just a moment, Cloud was surrounded in a purple aura. It faded quickly and the pain from his bruises faded along with it.

“Thanks,” Cloud smiled. “See you around.” He walked off, less rigid this time towards where Applejack had pointed.

“Anyway,” Twilight said to Applejack, “I need to continue checking on preparations.”

“Are you sure you don't wanna try some of the food we've made for the festival?” Asked Applejack.

“I'm sure it's fine, thank you.” Twilight turned away and walked in the same direction Cloud had gone, with Spike following behind her.

“...Next is weather,” read Spike. Twilight, deep in thought, didn't hear him.

A teleportation spell failure perhaps? No, that wouldn't cause bruising in failure, that would cause dismemberment... Hm... While this is intriguing, I've got more important matters to focus on. Night- Her train of thought was smashed to pieces as she was suddenly blindsided by something and knocked into a puddle of mud.

As Twilight spat out mud, she heard giggling.

“Uh, 'scuse me!” A voice blurted out as she stood up. This is going to be one of those days, isn't it? “Lemme help you!” Twilight looked up just in time to see a cloud be repositioned directly above her and a torrent of water come flooding out, soaking her to the bone. “Oops, I guess I over did it!”

“I don't have time for this,” Twilight grumbled. Lighting up her horn, Twilight teleported forward a few metres, leaving the water that was covering her behind. Unfortunately, her mane was in shambles.

Twilight looked up at the cloud previously over her and spotted a rainbow maned Pegasus lying on top of it.

“Let me guess,” said Twilight with more than a few hints of sarcasm, “you're Rainbow Dash? The Pony supposed to be clearing the sky?”

“The one and only!” Rainbow replied, fidgeting like a toddler on Applejack's happy medicine. “Why? You heard of me?” Yes, definitely one of those days...

As Cloud reached the hospital, his view was suddenly blocked by something very, very pink. Without giving him a second to think, the thing started talking at the speed of sound.

“Hi-my-name-is-Pinkie-Pie-and-you're-new-in-town-I-know-you're-new-because-I-know-everypony-in-Ponyville-and-my-Pinkie-sense-told-me-you'd-be-here-so-I-came-over-here-as-fast-as-I-could-but-I-can't-stay-here-for-long-'cause-I'm-setting-up-a-party-for-two-other-new-Ponies-in-town-well-Pony-and-Dragon-have-you-ever-seen-a-Dragon-before-'cause-I-hadn't-until-I-saw-those-two-earlier-and-by-those-two-I-mean-the-Pony-and-the-Dragon-not-plural-of-Dragon-'cause-it-kinda-sounded-like-I-meant-that-but-I-didn't-mean-that-anyway-what's-your-name?!”

I think my brain just melted.

“Whatever you're selling, I'm not buying,” Cloud replied, trying to walk past the pink Earth Pony in front of him, only for her to keep moving into his way. Really? We're doing this? He continued trying to pass her, becoming angrier and angrier as she continued to block his path. As this went on, Cloud's horn began to glow.

“What's-wrong-don't-you-wanna-be-my-friend-I-wanna-be-your-friend-I-love-making-new-friends!”

“MOVE!” Cloud yelled. In his outburst he released the magic in his horn and he suddenly found himself past her and in the hospital lobby. Cloud looked back to see the mare acting confused at his sudden disappearance. I must have accidentally teleported. Good, now I can get on with this. I should be more careful, it's possible I could have more magical accidents if I lose my temper again.

Cloud headed into the hospital, free from Pinkie.

It had taken a couple of hours for Cloud to be properly looked over by a doctor. He was given a simple healing potion which quickly dealt with the bruising all over his body, but the doctor had no idea why Cloud was missing his memories, nor who he was. The only thing he could be certain of was that his memory loss didn't seem to be from anything medicine could help with. Cloud left the hospital after asking for directions to the library and headed there next.

The memory loss doesn't appear to be a medical issue, therefore I should see if could be the next most likely thing. This town isn't huge, so the library might not have the right books I need on memory altering spells, but it's a start. Even if the right books aren't there, I can read up on which town or city is likely to have the books I need.

Cloud's stomach growled as he reached the library. I need to find some food, too.

Upon entering the library, Cloud realised that a party was being thrown. Oh wonderful... It's not as if I wanted a quiet place to read or anything... Cloud's negative thoughts faded away when he realised there was party food free for the taking.

In the upstairs of the library, Twilight was lying on her bed, desperately reading through a book she had brought with her from Canterlot going into detail about the history of Equestria and the legend of the Mare In The Moon.

“Legend has it,” Twilight read, “that on the longest day of the thousandth year, the stars will aid in her escape, and she will bring about everlasting night.” She sighed and gazed out of the window next to her. “I hope the Princess was right... I hope it really is just an old Pony's tale...”

A few moments later, the door to her room opened up and Spike came walking in.

“Hey, Twilight!” He exclaimed. “Pinkie Pie's starting Pin The Tail On The Pony! Wanna play?” Twilight sighed again.

“Spike,” she replied in a sombre tone, “if I'm right about the Mare In The Moon, all of Equestria could be doomed to eternal night. I've had no time to properly prepare or research any way to defeat her if she attacks. The best idea I have is a bunch of old relics that nobody knows the location of. Our only hope may be me being wrong, and what's the chance of that? I'm not in the mood to play games now, Spike. I want to be left alone.”

“Aw, c'mon, Twilight!” Spike exclaimed, not taking her seriously. “Even Princess Celestia told you it's just an old Pony's tale! There's nothing to worry about!” Twilight didn't respond. “I know you said you wanted to be left alone, but that Pony from earlier wants to read some books somewhere quiet and I told him he could come up here.” Twilight frowned in confusion and turned around.

“Who are you talking abou- Oh.” Twilight stopped talking when she spotted Cloud standing in the doorway, holding a small stack of books and a bottle of cider in a telekinetic grip.

“Hey,” he greeted. “Thanks again for earlier.”

“No problem.” Twilight sighed and turned back to the window. Spike went back to the party and closed the door behind him.

“I'll be quiet, don't worry.” Cloud sat in the corner of the room and began reading his books.

About an hour later, Twilight became bored of dramatically staring out of the window and looked towards Cloud, who was reading a book about adverse health affects caused by magic surges while sipping at his cider. Twilight frowned. Wait, if he's reading something like that, that means...

“You think your memory loss is connected to something magical?” Twilight asked.

“Yeah,” Cloud replied, “I went to the hospital but whatever happened to me had to have been something magical. There was nothing they could do.”

“I'd theorised earlier that it could be due to a teleportation spell failure, but-"

“-But that would cause dismemberment, not memory loss, yeah. I must have been attacked by magic using person or creature, but something as affective as this would have to be cast by something very powerful. Oh, that reminds me,” Cloud put the book down, “my cutie mark appears to be some kind of magical symbol. Do you have any idea what it is?” He showed her his ass. Rather than taking this as a gesture of something... less than professional, Twilight walked over to him and took a long, hard look at his ass to try to determine what his cutie mark meant.

“Hm... I'm not sure,” she concluded after a few minutes of ass staring. “Those symbols could be runes of some kind...”

“That was my thought process too,” Cloud agreed, pulling his ass away from her face.

Before their conversation about Cloud's ass could continue, however, Spike burst in through the door.

“C'mon, you two!” He exclaimed. “It's time to watch the sunrise!” Twilight let out a worried sigh.

“What's wrong?” Asked Cloud.

“Hopefully nothing,” Twilight replied. All I can do now is hope...

The inside of the town hall was decorated with sparkling ribbons and bows, along with a mixture of royal flags. Cloud, Twilight and Spike were standing at the front of a crowd surrounding a stage. Twilight was talking to - or more accurately, being talked at by - Pinkie Pie. Next to them, Cloud showing Spike his exceptional conversational skills.

“So... you're a Dragon,” observed Cloud.

“Yeah, I'm a Dragon,” Spike confirmed. There were a few seconds of silence.

“Can you breath fire?” Cloud asked.

“A little. It's pretty new to me, but I think I'm getting better at it.”

“Wonderful.” A minute of silence passed.

“If you can't remember anything, how did you know your name?” Spike asked.

“I didn't,” Cloud replied. “I made one up as a point of reference. It's easier than having to explain my lack of memory to anyone who wants to know my name and then having to go through an awkward stage of the pronoun game until eventually we'd just agree on a fake name anyway to make things easier. I just skipped a few steps.”

“Oh. Okay.” Another pause. “Why did you pick Cloud Calculation?”

“I was thinking a lot at the time and figuring shit out,” Cloud explained. “The phrase 'head in the clouds' refers to thinking, so I took a part from that and I took Calculation from the fact that I was figuring things out at the time.”

“So it might not fit you at all, just you at that exact moment?”

“...Maybe.”

A few moments later, a fanfare of birds sounded and an Earth Pony mare walked onto the stage.

“Fillies and gentlecolts,” she announced loudly, “as Mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!” Most of the crowd cheered before she continued. “In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this; the longest day of the year! Now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very Pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria...”

Twilight looked up at the moon, terrified of being right.

“...Princess Celestia!” Another fanfare of birds sounded and a curtain on a higher platform was opened to reveal...

...Nothing.

Ponies in the crowd gasped in a worried tone and began muttering to each other, voicing thoughts such as:

“Is she late?”

“Those curtains are tacky.”

“Hey, bro, is it just a prank?”

Twilight, however, paid no attention as her heart sunk.

“This can't be good...” She whispered.

A few seconds later, a dark mist covered the platform and, after whipping around, formed into a tall, dark mare with a mane like a midnight sky.

“Oh no...” Twilight whimpered. “Nightmare Moon...”

“Oh, my beloved subjects!” Nightmare spoke to the crowd. “It's been so long since I've seen your precious, little, sun-loving faces.”

“What did you do with our Princess?!” Demanded Rainbow Dash, making Nightmare chuckle.

“Why, am I not royal enough for you?” Nightmare asked. “Don't you know who I am? Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?”

“I did,” Twilight spoke up, “and I know who you are: You're the Mare in the Moon – Nightmare Moon.”

“Well, well, well, someone who remembers me... Then you also know why I'm here?”

“You're here to...” Twilight trailed off before gulping in fear.

“Remember this day, little Ponies, for it was your last! From this moment forth, the night will last forever!” Nightmare cackled as her mane went crazy, firing out bolts of lightning and churning into a vortex.

“Seize her!” Yelled the mare previously on the stage. “Only she knows where the Princess is!” A few Pegasi royal guards flew towards Nightmare, only to be struck down by lightning.

“Get back, you foals!” Nightmare screamed. The vortex of mane surrounded her and she became one with it. The dark, vaporous mane flew over the crowd and out of the front door.

As the crowd screamed and panicked, there was only one thought that crossed Cloud's mind:

Dammit, now I'm gonna get rickets.