//------------------------------// // Chapter 7: Facing Your Nightmares // Story: The Royal Vacation // by Colt Vulpes //------------------------------// · Chapter 7 Facing Your Nightmares · Luna looked at the chaos surrounding her. She had no idea how to calm the Ponyville residents, so she didn’t even try. Instead, she grabbed her unconscious sister and flew off. She soon realized, however, that this was impractical. Celestia was too heavy. (Maybe if she hadn’t gone on that dessert binge at Sugarcube Corner...) So, once at altitude, Luna teleported, as her evil counterpart had done just moments ago. She and Celestia appeared in the air outside the royal palace. And speaking of the royal palace, what had been happening there again? Oh yeah. Derpy wedding. Ahem. · · So, in walked the pegasus guard. “ATTENTION EVERYPONY! NIGHTMARE MOON HAS RETURNED!” Yay, panic time at Canterlot. The guests fled. “Oh noooo!” Derpy cried. “Come on, Derpy!” “Hang on a sec Timey!” Derpy was scarfing down muffins as fast as she could. “There’s no time, dear!” Time Turner put his hoof around Derpy. His hourglass cutie mark glowed, and the two of them vanished. Just then, Nightmare Moon entered the room. “Mwahahaha! Why hello there, ‘Princess’ Twilight!” “Nightmare Moon.” Twilight looked the monstrous mare in the eye. Really? Nightmare Moon has to return now? I can’t do this on my own! Where the hay is Celestia? “I’m going to enjoy sending you to oblivion!” Nightmare Moon’s horn began to glow. “Wait,” said Twilight. Despite the danger she was in, her voice was solemn, sympathetic. Her face, sad. “Stop for a second, Luna. Think about this. Look at what you’ve become.” “How many times must I—Luna is not here, you imbecile!” “She’s in there somewhere,” said Twilight, her own horn glowing. “And I’ll bring her out.” “Oh, is that a memory spell? How cute.” “Not quite,” said Twilight. Horn still glowing, she removed Celestia’s crown from her head. “So, you want to rule Equestria, don’t you Nightmare Moon?” “Well, duh.” “Then I suppose you’ll want this.” She held the crown in front of her. And then, out of Twilight’s horn came... a magic glowy pink heart thingy. Of death. The heart thingy went into the crown. “You want it...” said Twilight, a crazy smile growing across her face, “...you need it...” “GIVE IT TO ME!” “Well then GO F$%&ING GET IT!” Twilight used her magic to open a window and throw the crown outside. It fell onto the ground several stories below. Nightmare Moon charged out the window, breaking its frame in the process. “IT’S MINE!” Nightmare Moon flew straight into the ground, creating a moderate-sized dent in the concrete. Twilight stuck her head out the window, then teleported onto the ground. Nightmare Moon groaned in agony. The fall had left her stunned at the very least. “And now that you can’t defend yourself,” said Twilight, “I can cast my memory spell.” (Before she did that, however, she took this opportunity to remove the want-it-need-it spell from the crown. She’d learned her lesson the first time.) And then Twilight’s horn glowed once again, and she lowered it towards Nightmare Moon. The memory spell hit her with full force, and every memory she had flashed before her eyes. “Why thank you!” said Nightmare Moon. “I’d forgotten some of what my plan was, so I’m glad you jogged my memory!” Huh? Oh horsefeathers! “Now if you don’t mind, I have an appointment with my dear friend Celestia.” Nightmare Moon grinned at Twilight. Her face looked... almost friendly. What the... “I’ll be in the throne room. Hope you can make it!” And then Nightmare Moon winked out again, taking the crown with her. · · Luna flew herself and Celestia into the castle, and they made their way to the throne room. Celestia was still out cold, so Luna had to drag her the whole way. She hasn’t woken up yet? This isn’t just from Nightmare Moon—she must be exhausted. On the way up, Luna heard commotion from the wedding room. Guests were fleeing, Nightmare Moon was laughing, etc. Looks like she beat us here. Guess that’s to be expected. Luna did not change course. Had she been awake, Celestia may have wanted to fly to the wedding room and battle Nightmare Moon right then and there. Luna, though, had a different plan. Nightmare Moon beat them to the throne room as well, of course. She didn’t have a big white unconscious horse to drag along behind her. “So you finally made it?” Nightmare Moon sneered. She was on the throne, wearing Celestia’s crown. At that moment, Twilight had been sneaking along behind (very far behind) the royal sisters. She considered entering the throne room herself, but thought better of it. “I don’t know who you are or how you came to be,” said Luna, “but I will end your reign!” “Ooh, scary words! Why don’t you—hey! Celestia, wake up!” Celestia opened her eyes slightly. “Huh, what now?” she mumbled. “You’re not my target, Luna,” said Nightmare Moon. She pointed to Celestia. “She is. And my big moment doesn’t mean much if your overgrown sister isn’t conscious to witness it!” Celestia was now wide awake. “If you want a fight, Nightmare Moon, then that’s what I’ll give you.” “No.” Luna stepped forward. “This is my battle. I’ll take her on.” “You?” Nightmare Moon laughed. “I thought you were joking before. I mean really, what are you ever good for? You’re weak! Worthless! You can’t handle anything worse than a filly with some bad dreams! Why do you think I came into existence in the first place? Because you couldn’t even handle the realities of everyday—” “Shut up.” Nightmare Moon stopped cold. Luna stepped forward, a fierce look in her eyes. “Look, ‘Nightmare Moon’, I am the stewardess of the night, not you. And the night lasts as long as I say it does, and not a moment longer.” Nightmare Moon took a step back. For the first time since she showed up, she actually looked scared. Luna walked toward her evil counterpart, her horn blindingly bright. “Now,” she said, pointing it straight at Nightmare Moon, “be gone!”         Princess Luna used Hyper Beam!         A critical hit!         ...         Enemy Nightmare Moon fainted!         *DO DEE DOO, DO DO DEE DO DO DEE DOOOOOO* Nightmare Moon was knocked to the ground. Luna walked up and looked down at her. “You haven’t seen the last of me,” said Nightmare Moon, trembling. “I’ll be back!” And with that, she vanished into a cloud of stars and weird energy stuff, leaving behind Celestia’s crown. Luna picked up the crown with her magic and placed it on Celestia’s head. “I believe this belongs to you, dear sister!” Celestia was stunned. Luna defeated Nightmare Moon, singlehoofedly? Forget about those two somehow being different physical ponies, this alone was plenty crazy! Celestia had been about ready to break out the Elements of Harmony, but nope, not needed. This, she decided, would require some serious thought. · ×