Night Eternal

by WeirdDreamer

Chapter 1

Night Eternal

Twilight Sparkle was reading when Rainbow Dash put her head through her book. The text blurred by the spectral pegasus semi-transparent and constantly moving form, and her lips were moving too fast to read. Annoyed, Twilight cast a spell to give the ghostly pony a voice again.

"-and it was about time!" And of course that was when Dash finished talking.

"Time for what?" Twilight asked, her empty eye sockets glowing with dim violet glow in annoyance.

"Scootaloo", said Dash in a voice that was a strange mixture of hollowness and excitedness, "finally got her Loyalty Mark!"

"Oh, that is good news!" Twilight exclaimed. Her eyes brightened and her mouth turned to a smile, as much as her leathery skin drawn tight over her bones allowed. "I was worried she would become a breeder. We barely have enough magic for all the warm ones nowadays."

Rainbow snorted. "Right, like Scoot would be interested in that. Who wants to wait until old age for their Gift?"

Twilight took her lecturing pose. "Being a breeder is a necessary function and a great honor from Nightmare Moon. If we didn't have ponies willing to wait-"

"-we wouldn't have any new ponies." Dash rolled her eyes at her friend. "Yeah yeah, I get it." She grinned. "But that's one honor I was happy to let someone else have!"

Twilight ignored her blasphemous friend and looked out the window. The moon was quarter full. Good, she wouldn't need to re-enforce the support spell on Scootaloo before the ritual. In fact she barely had enough time to get ready.

"Dash, if we'll want this done at the next full moon, I'll need to get some supplies from Zecora."

"Eh, you gonna do this in person?"

"Sure, why not?" Twilight looked vain. "I am a priestess of Her Majesty."

"All right!" Rainbow rose into the air, her ghostly wings beating against the netherwind. "I'll go tell Scoots!" And with that she dashed through the wall and was gone.

***

The unblinking stars shone in the black sky as Twilight made her way through Ponyville. Tiny pools of nitrogen slurry sloshed beneath her feet every here and there. That was the price of having so many warm ones in such a small place. She briefly kneeled as she passed the statue of Nightmare Moon at the town center, and made way towards the Everfree Forest.

As Twilight passed beneath the trees, she couldn't help but marvel at the sheer tenacity of the place. Even after over a millenia of Night Eternal, the trees were still warm ones. There was magic here, magic that kept the plants growing despite the sheer impossibility of the feat. That magic had been the reason for Ponyville's finding, for this was one of the very few places where herbs and other useful ingredients could be gathered.

Twilight reached Zecora's hut and knocked at the door. A moment passed, then she felt a vague feeling of being welcome. She opened the door and entered the hut. Immediately she was enveloped by a darkness even her magical vision couldn't pierce. Nobody had ever seen Zecora, or heard her talk; what kind of creature hid in the shadows Twilight couldn't say, though she had some suspicions. In any case, it didn't matter.

"Scootaloo has earned her Loyalty Mark. I need reagants for the ritual."

Twilight began dropping bits which she never heard to hit the floor. After a while she got a feeling that that was enough, and turned to walk away. As she exited the hut she noticed she was carrying saddlepacks with reagants in them. And... was that a herb? Yes, it was, and a very potent one to reduce stress at that. That Zecora - no matter what else was, she sure had a heart of gold.

"Thanks!" Twilight shouted at the silent and dark hut, and galloped away.

***

It was time. Twilight was standing next to the altar wearing ceremonial outfit. Behind it, a giant statue of Lady Nightmare Moon sat, looking like a mother about to take whatever was laid at the altar into her embrace - which, of course, she was. And towards the altar walked Scootaloo.

The herb was working. There was no sign of nervousness in the young mare, mere excitement at being finally freed from the need to wear magic to protect her weak flesh from the night. Even now the field around her was weakening, having not been refreshed for nearly half a moon. And on her flank was her Loyalty Mark, showing her particular talent in the service of Nightmare Moon was... dancing? Acrobatics? Darn, Twilight had forgotten to ask. Well, it was too late now. Scootaloo stopped before the altar and kneeled.

"Our True Queen, Nightmare Moon, offers you the gift of Night Eternal. Do you accept it, and swear to service her for all night long?" Twilight asked the ceremonial question.

"I do." answered Scootaloo.

"Then come to her embrace."

Scootaloo got up and stepped on the altar. Once there, she laid down and closed her eyes.

Twilight turned her horn towards the statue. "Nightmare Moon, grant your subject the gift!" So saying, Twilight shot a beam of force from her horn to that of the statue.

The statues eyes took on a glow. So did the altar. Something seemed to leave Scootaloo as she breathed for the last time. And then the altar caught fire, and a cold flame enveloped her. It shrunk, like it was being sucked into her, and when it was all gone, so was her flesh. There was nothing left of Scootaloo but a gleaming skeleton, and then its eye sockets took on a same kind of glow as Twilights, and Scootaloo rose to her bony legs.

***

Twilight sipped her zapwine while looking at Scootaloo dance. The young mare was taking advantage of her newfound freedom from ligaments and muscles of limited strechiness to show off her skills. A group of warm ones clapped, and even a few spectres were nodding approvingly, Rainbow Dash amongst them. Applebloom and Sweetie Belle were already planning where to take their friend now that all three were free from the need for magical protection. Vulcania, maybe? The resort was warmed by underground fire to the point where the nitrogen actually boiled and water melted; it was a true wonder to behold.

"I must teach her proper bone care if she's going to be a performer." Rarity, as always was herself impeccably polished, every delicate arc in her skeleton reflecting moonlight in just the right quantity. "Appearance can make or break a career, after all."

Twilight nodded absently. She noted that Spike had focused his attention to the fashionist. The dracolich would had drooled if it had been physically possible. In the middle of the party a pink bolt of lightning bounced around and seemed to chat with everyone at once. At the side Applejack was making a killing selling the only known substance that could affect the cold ones. Above them a glowing swarm of ghostly butterflies followed a barely visible yellow glow, and far above that the cold eye of full moon shone.

Twilight had all her friends with her, and would for all night long. Nightmare Moon was on her throne and the night would last forever. All was well in the world.

Comments

[Anon251P]

I don't know what to say, except that this was awesome.

[Snowy Flanks]

So enjoy reading this want to see expansion