Equestria's Tales

by DouglasTrotter

Nightmare (Slice of Life)

"Nightmare Night. What a fright. Give us something sweet to bite..."

What a foalish, nonsensical thing to say. These ponies scream with laughter and delight in regards to the legends that is recanted through tonight. None of them know the true horror Nightmare Moon would have unleashed upon Equestria if sister had not stopped me. Perhaps it is for the best. Modern Equestria should never learn of the evil, the atrocities I would have committed.

To think, this beautiful land of Equestria would have been destroyed by her... my hooves. It scares me to think such thoughts. Tonight is a night of revelry and merriment for fillies, colts, and foals. Even mares and stallions hold their own celebratory events for tonight. Equestria is beautifully decorated for Nightmare Night. Canterlot Castle itself is particularly festive. I shouldn't let my thoughts interfere with their time.

"Hello, Luna. I see you're enjoying yourself," she says to me.

I know my sister has always been rather pleasant and open, yet I can't understand how she can be this way with me. She forgave me so easily. Does she not know there is a monster inside of me, and the fact it can overwhelm me at any moment.

"Luna, are you alright? Didn't you enjoy yourself last year?"

"Yes, sister. It was indeed an enjoyable experience."

Yes, "enjoyable" would be the most perfect word to describe the experience. That one pony in the poultry costume acted as the ring leader to those frightened fillies and colts, causing them to fear me.

These so-called treats are rather strange though. Why would any pony in their right mind conceive of such a thing to sedate a monster like Nightmare Moon? She was an unstoppable force. Her power was barely quelled by the elements of harmony, or so sister says that is the case. What suffering --

"Luna, it's close to eight o'clock. Don't you think it is time to oversee the festivities here in Canterlot?"

I think it wise to heed my sisters words and get this over with as soon as possible.

"Y-yes, you're right. I mustn't keep our subjects waiting in the hall."

"Is something wrong, Luna?"

"If you don't mind me asking. What are you wearing?"

The normal regalia is perfectly acceptable. Why is she dressed like something out of a children's fantasy novel? Her attire could be something more refined.

"Don't you like it? I had one of Twilight's friends make it for the occasion." my sister said. The spider web design towards the flank is rather awkward, to say the least. Her mane is so beautiful when it flows so freely. Now it looks like something out of Tartarus the way each portion squirms about. She could turn a pony to stone in a dark alleyway with that appearance. "Luna. If you're feeling uncomfortable, I won't force you to attend the party. I can manage the event."

It seems that Nightmare Moon has marred not just myself.

"No no, I am fine. I cannot dwell in the past."

But dwelling in the past is all I can do right now. I'll never forget. Not to mention I'll never forget the terror in the eyes of those ponies I scared during my first Nightmare Night. Why was that one colt so delighted? What was his name? Pip? He seemed so enamored with Nightmare Night, even going so far as to call me his favorite princess for making the night even better for him.

What should I do? What can I do? My sister has forgiven me. My sister's protégé and her friends forgave me. The ponies in Ponyville, the first place in Equestria I was prepared to terrorize and reek horrible retribution upon forgave me.

"Luna?"

"Celestia?"

"Do you want to play a joke?"

"A joke? Sister, I know this night is meant for fright and delight, but your jokes can go a little far at times."

"Luna, don't be such a grump. Listen, how about I morph into Nightmare Moon. You barge in and tackle me. Or maybe we could do dual Nightmare Moons. It would be a riot."

"Sister!" I have to use a hushed tone, "We're looking to give our subjects something to laugh at, not something that will scare them into submission."

"..."

"Sorry, I did not mean to sound harsh."

"Luna, I know all too well about wounds and scars. If you don't allow them to heal, they will only lead to agony. Please, let go of the past."

Why is my hoof trembling. I'm ready to enter the banquet hall. I'm ready to push the door open, and yet my right hoof is shaking.

"Sister --"

Why is she embracing me?

"Don't let yourself travel down that dark path again. I am here for you. My dear little sister, you need to forgive yourself."

My sister's smile is always warm, like the sun she governs. I'm thankful that my hoof has stopped trembling.

"So, your plan was two Nightmare Moons? Isn't that a little preposterous. Wouldn't it be wiser to have one gigantic Nightmare Moon that towers above the ponies? Perhaps fill the room with some dark smoke?"

"Genius!" she says in a hushed tone. O no, she's got that devious look in her eye. Now I'm the one scared on Nightmare Night. "Ok, I'll teleport in. You enter through the balcony at the top, float above the crowd, and then use the amniomorphic spell to turn into a giant Nightmare Moon. Just be careful of the decorations. I don't want you getting tangled up in them."

"Sister, if I might ask. Have you done this before?"

"Only once. It's kind of hard to pull off. With you here, this will be a riot. Woo hoo."

Celestia, when do you become so jovial? At least I'm alone with my thoughts now that she has gone inside.

"You to forgive yourself."

I'm sorry, my dear sister. I cannot and will not forgive myself for what "I" allowed to happen. If it weren't for that ridiculous jealousy within my heart, I would never have become that creature of darkness and evil.

Upon this moon tonight, on this Nightmare Night, the first of many unhappy dreams awaits me. The Tantabus will make sure that I never, ever forget the fact I was Nightmare Moon.

Comments

[Fluttercheer]

Wow, that's an interesting take on this prompt! You have not described how Luna created the Tantabus, but rather what she thought after she had already created it, in the hours before he tortured her for the first time. That's a very unique idea.
Just a few smaller mistakes:

I think it wise to heed my sisters words and get this over with as soon as possible.

Should be "I think it would be wise [...]"

"You to forgive yourself."

"have" is missing.

I think that's all. Seems you did a much better proofreading this time. Your characterization is spot on too, both for Celestia and Luna.
I don't know if one story is enough to judge that, but it seems like you're good at writing internal monologues!

"Luna, don't be such a grump. Listen, how about I morph into Nightmare Moon. You barge in and tackle me. Or maybe we could do dual Nightmare Moons. It would be a riot."

Trollestia completely in her element.