Gentle Breeze went over and picked up Cream Puff. “Okay, you two the other foals are off at the park. So we are going to the royal garden to get some sunshine.”
Pthhhh Nightshade stuck out her tongue hearing that followed by Cream Puff copying her. This lead to Cream Puff giggling and repeating it over and over.
“Well see what you did Nightshade. You taught innocent Cream Puff bad manors.” She put Cream Puff into a two-seater stroller.
Nightshade was more of a challenge as Gentle feared.
“I don’t want to go play in the sun!” Nightshade ran to the far end of the playpen dodging the hooves of her caretaker.
“Come on Nightshade I want to play!” Cream Puff cries out watching her friend antics.
That when Nightshade stops and gets picked up. “Okay for you I submit.” Puzzling over the feeling of her not wanting to see Cream Puff upset.
“Why you no like the sun?” Cream Puff asks as she cuddles her stuffed bunny.
“It hot, bright, and makes me smelly.” Why is she thinking so childish? Shaking her head she looks about as they were pushed along the halls. Spotting the looks from a few servants and even a noble or two she perks herself up. Can’t let the lesser ponies see her being upset.
“Hmm” Cream Puff really didn’t know what to say to her friend so she just cuddles Nightshade.
Once out in the garden Gentle Breeze heads to a fenced off play area. There she sets the two foals down in the grass and chuckles watching Nightshade.
Nightshade was making a face as she moved in the grass and the blades tickled her legs. Soon she starts jumping and running. “I smash you silly Grass. Face my power!” To Gentle Breeze, it was nothing more than a foal playing in the grass.
Cream Puff followed along hopping and jumping with Nightshade her stuffed bunny held by just an ear bouncing along with the two foals. “Hop hop hop!” Yup Cream Puff had no idea Nightshade was on a personal drive to slaughter the lawn.
Nightshade soon stops as something caught her attention. It was a trickle of magic. Slowly she started moving to the source. There behind Gentle Breeze across the lawn was a statue. Mismatching parts and the singing pose. She knew right away who it was, Discord.
“She kept his statue but left the Elements of Harmony in the old castle? What was Celestia thinking?”
“It’s funny.” Cream Puff moves up beside Nightshade.
“Cream Puff can you run around Gentle Breeze. You know play tag and she’s it.”
Cream Puff thought a moment. “Okay!” Then charges Gentle and runs under her being the cute distraction.
Nightshade knew she didn’t have much time so flew at the statue. Landing at the base she put her hoof on the stone and looks harder at the stone. Fine lines of magic seem to be seeping out of hairline fractures. “It’s breaking...”
“Of course it is little moon butt. The world needs chaos or it dies.” A flash and Nightshade was standing in a twisted throne room. The stone floor wasn’t complete she moved to the edge and looked down to a swirling mass of purples. Then she turns her head slowly to see a throne with the mismatching form of Discord on it.
“I must say little moonshine. Of all the things that the crystal tree has done, I never expected this. A product of both Chaos and Order.” He tosses the teacup he was drinking over his shoulder and rose up flying into the air and to her.
“Luna’s little mind splitting into two and now you stand before me. I must ask what are you seeking a little nightmare? Power? Fame? Glory? Or are you losing yourself to your now foalish nature?”
“What... what are you talking about. I’m NIGHTMARE MOON! ALL WILL LOVE ME!”
A deep twisted laugh came from the chimera serpent-like being. “Nightmare Moon? Really? Where is your moon cutie mark? Do you feel it’s power as it rises in the night? No little night terror Luna always was Nightmare Moon. You are just bad memories given form. Where is your magic to dream walk? The jealousy over Celestia? Face it even the Moon has abandoned you.”
“No... No, I’m Night...Shade..?”
“Yes, you are Princess, not Nightmare Moon. I can taste it, your magic. It’s not the Night that answers your call.” Discord smiles his face coming just inches from her mussel. “I give you a hint given how you are causing chaos just by being. The brighter the light the deeper the shadows.”
The vision ended in a flash as nightshade hoof came off the statue. The hooves of Gentle Breeze around her in a hug. “Shhh, the big bad statue isn’t going to hurt you.”
Nightshade blinks away the tears in her eyes and rubs her face in Gentle Breeze withers. All the time trying to figure out if what happened was in her head or was that twisted demented laughter was real.
Cream Puff sat down beside Gentle and lifted up Mr. Hops wanting to help her friend.
________________________________
Luna awoke to the sound of someone knocking on the door. A quick look out the window confirmed it was about an hour before sunset. In the back of her mind, she feels the moon’s call wanting her to once again to reconnect to her celestial body. “I’m Coming.”
With a quick shake of her head and slashing of water on her face from the sink in the bathroom, she makes her way to the chamber door. “Good now, what is it?”
Midnight Oil and Raven Quill stood before the door. “As I stated this morning your Majesty. The nannies are ready to be interviewed.”
“Oh aye of course. Show me to those folk.” Luna followed the two aids into the suite beside hers.
The walls were royal purple with deep blue and as silver highlights. The chamber was set to be foal safe as she saw little to no glass. Selves were filled with children’s books and toys. The furniture was soft and fluffy with no hard edges in sight.
She spotted three ponies, two mares and one stallion. “You might be here for the nanny position. May I request thy names?”
A white unicorn mare with blue mane and tail stepped forward. “I’m Sapphire Sparkle. I come highly recommended having been a nanny for a number of the Noble houses.”
Midnight held up his clipboard. “Your Majesty here her papers.” A note on top caught Luna’s attention. ‘possible spy employed by the noble Fire Ruby House.’
“I will keep that in mind Sapphire Sparkle.” She looks to a Pegasus mare. “Oh... um.. I’m Sugar Shy, your Majesty.”
Blinking Luna asks “Are thee relate to a Fluttershy?”
“Well... we are cousins.”
Luna sigh and looks at the offered paperwork Midnight Oil offered her. This time there was no note of warning. “ I’m afraid thee might not be good for my own filly. She’s very energetic and imaginative. ”
“oh... it’s okay your Majesty.”
Luna then looked to the third member of the group. “I knoweth I’m still learning the modern ways, but I feel it’s still odd for a stallion to be a nanny. ”
The stallion was a clear half breed of pony and zebra. Where his body was white he had red stripes on his legs and his Mohawk mane and tail had red and white stripes as well. His Cutie Mark was a red heart with a red and white peppermint candy in the center.
“I am Peppermint Heart, your Majesty. It is true my chosen profession is not normal for stallions. Very little about me is normal being a Zony. I have a wide knowledge of Zebra medical potions as well as Pony teachings of CPR and care for foals. I will understand if you don’t choose me due to my mix heritage.”
Luna nods “ I’m familiar to being judged for being different. Just by being nocturnal I was often shunned. ” she looks to the papers thinking. “Being exposed to other cultures would be beneficent of Nightshade. ”
She then looks up at all three “I have made mine own choice. Peppermint Heart shalt be mine own foal’s caretaker. ”
Samphire Sparkle huff “A filthy half breed?” She storms out her real boss would defiantly want to hear about this.
“Oh dear, that’s not nice.” Sugar Shy says watching the mare walk away. Then she looks at Peppermint Heart. “Congratulations”
“Thank you, Sugar Shy.” He bows to Luna “I will strive to watch and teach your foal with the best of my abilities.”
“Speaking about mine own Nightshade. It’s about time to pick her up from daycare. ”
“Should I come with you, your majesty?”
“No, I shall introduce thee to her tonight Peppermint Heart. After our dinner with Celestia. ” turning to Midnight Oil “get him settled in. ”
Then she headed out of the suit and headed for the daycare.
________________________________
Nightshade tried to be happy. Soon after the Discord statue situation, Gentle Breeze brought them back to the daycare center. The blocks were fun as she stacked them up on one another distracting herself as what the spirit of chaos said went through her mind over and over.
“You better Nightshade?” Cream Puff asks as she comes up to her friend. “Need Mr. Hops to cuddle you? He’s very good at it.”
Nightshade looks at the bunny then hugs Cream Puff “Your good at it too.”
“He’s a good teacher.” Cream Puff nods into the hug.
It was at that time Luna walks into the daycare and just... “Awww that’s so cute.” She heads over to the two and smiles as Nightshade lifts her hooves up to be picked up.
“Thanks again for taking care of her Gentle Breeze.”
“It’s my pleasure, Princess Luna.” She smiles as she helps a few more foals get ready to go home.
With Nightshade on her back, Luna walks into the dining room. There was Celestia standing at a balcony and Princess Cadence with her unofficial coltfriend Shining Armor.
“Luna, do you feel up to raising the Moon tonight? It’s almost time.” Celestia says with a smile.
“I... I don’t know.” Luna looks out of the balcony spotting the group of ponies standing around to watch the daily ritual.
Cadence walks over and picks up Nightshine. “Go on Luna, it’s your right as Princess of the Night.”
Luna walks up beside her sister hearing the gasps from the ponies below. Celestia’s horn lights up as she guides the sundown.
Luna looks to the east and lights up her horn with her signature blue glow. For the first time in a thousand years, the moon answers it’s true mistress call. Soon the moon rises up from the horizon. The show didn’t stop there as Luna’s body seems to start to glow as well. Her hair turns darker and starts blowing in a magical breeze like her sister’s mane. Stars form in her mane giving the appearance of a night sky. Her body grows larger and takes on a darker tone. The oohs and Ahhs from the ponies were soon matched with the stomping of hooves.
“Now you are really back my sister.” The two turn and head back inside.
All this Nightshade watched. “it’s true... the moon did reject me. Who am I?”
... i Need more please
9464369
Sorry, but there is a reason I stopped the chapter there. One a secret that no one thought of but Princess Cadence going to figure out, the other is a little purple filly going to play with her food!
THAT'S a good question that everyone asks.
I'd say after the nightclub. Luna needs some fun before she realizes her daughter is her darker half given flesh.
Man I really enjoy this chapter, especially Discord's introduction into the mix. And man he really broke Nightshade and her little belief of her still being Nightmare Moon. What I find interesting tho his mention she a mix of chaos and harmony. I don't what he means but I really want to see how that idea goes.
And the end of the chapter seeing Nightshade heartbroken that she no longer one with the night gonna cause alot difficulties later on I can see it.
Also Peppermint Heart, I can I really like that Zony name.
Now for some things to correct I see:
Capitalize all the letters in Nightmare, and the last part of the sentence. To show her frustration in this sentence.
I don't if Chaos, Light, and Shadow suppose to be places, orders, or people. But I won't say much about it.
Capitalize Y in your and you're good here.
that's all I found, keep up the good work I'm loving this story so much!
9464950
I tell you a few things. She a mix of chaos and harmony because she disrupts the status quo. Running through the castle, the snide comments to Celestia. Even just being disrupted the plans of the nobles.
At the same time she bring Harmony. Speeding up Luna’s recovery, being friends with a chef’s daughter. Changing how the common pony sees Luna and getting them to accept Luna sooner. Chaos for a good cause.
As for Nightshade’s own type of magic I gave plenty of clues. NightSHADE, her running into one shadow and out of another. Now Discord comment. Nightshade own unique magic is she a shadowmancer, she will be able to manipulate, control, and use shadows. Nightshade Princess of shadows! That pony of shadow going to have a bad day in this universe.
Now she won’t gain her real power in this story. She just a foal after all. Her Cutie Mark will be the Mare in the Moon design with out the moon.
I make the edits in the morning. Thanks for pointing them out.
Zony sounds like a random are you afraid of the dark antagonist.
Please put a line between character transitions such as Nightshade to Luna, It's like a scene change but in a written format it's much more jarring when it just switches character focuses like that.
9465987
Oddly I did that in the first chapter. I blame my desire to get the words down.
I will be cleaning up the past chapters. Just read them last night and spotted a few things that needed fixing. I will also include break lines.
Poor nightshade. Truth hurts hard, but in the end: Nightshade needs a loving hug from Luna.
9465162
Very interesting! I suspected the shadow mastery. Very intriguing information about her future Cutie Mark! So, is this the first of a series of stories about the adventures of Nightshade? Because that sounds fun!
PS I agree with Sylvian. Let them have some fun at the Party before they make the discovery.
9466389
I don’t know about series. It’s more that I thought ahead and figured out who Nightshade will become before writing.
I am tempted to do more with her. With all the likes I got I’m really tempted. It one reason I’m planting some seeds for future stories.
After definitely after the party.
alright need to hug nightshade now
9466389
I have been thinking about a second story. A sequel now that the gears are turning.
The plus is the sequel going to have more adventure elements included.
The negative is that what I was going to write after Luna finds out the truth will be moved to the new story. This means that Mother Moon ends in about three more chapters.
9467529
Well, I'm always sorry when stories end, but the prospect of a sequel always tempers that disappointment.
I rather like the idea of putting off the revelation of where Nightshade came from until the next arc. I was kind of hoping to see Nightshade grow to become the age of the original Cutie Mark Crusaders and have a bunch of adventures before a time skip to her teenage years and perhaps serious adventure.
I will look forward to your sequel after this one comes to a close. May your Muse sit on your shoulder and whisper good things to you. And thank you for the update on your thoughts! I was pleasantly surprised to see your replies!
9467984
I always enjoyed reading the comments and replies of writers. So I try to follow the comments.
What I’m plotting out is stretching what I had planned for the next arc. Then I had an idea. A wonderful wicked Idea. I won’t spoil it. I be adding an epilogue for the teaser.
I do have an idea of story when she’s older. It comes down to what Nightshade will do seeing her Mother Luna turn to stone by Tempest Shadow. That was when I imagine her getting her Cutie Mark and going Nightmare on the Storm King’s Troups. With the help of the CMC.
Now remember, she's essentially a two month old alicorn foal trying to look big and intimidating, I think we can all agree this is a "dawww" moment
10182079
Yes it was a challenge to keep her cute and adorable, at the same time determined and just enough ego to remember she had the mind of Nightmare Moon.
I’m no expert in Old Ponish, but isn’t it Art thou related?