I stir as the feeling of ice sears beneath me. My eyes jar awake, startled by the foreign and burning sensation. My vision is blurry but quickly adjusts to get a sense of my surroundings. Standing up, I could see that I am no longer in my room or any room for that matter. Instead of the four familiar walls that enclosed me, it was an endless expanse of unfeeling darkness. Discomfort grew into fear as I dart my gaze around. What felt like frozen concrete pressed hard against the soft pads of my hooves, numbing my sensations as I took a step forward. At the edge of my vision, fragmented ground and debris of various shapes float aimlessly a few feet away. The only thing illuminating the room was small, barely perceptible, silk-like strands that seem to be keeping this place together. A red hue emanated from them as I studied them. Intricate designs sowed across every fragment of matter as if its purpose was to stop reality from simply floating away. Fear was slowly replaced with eerie, but cautious curiosity as I strode forward.
Cool air brushes against my coat; each breath releasing a light mist that dissipates seconds after. As I reach the edge of reality, the scene shifts along with me. Fragments of grey concrete tied together with strands of glowing red silk proceeds to close together as I take further steps onwards; reality taking shape in front of me while also fragmenting apart behind me. "Where... what is this place?" I mutter to myself, shivering from the persistent cold that kept biting into my fur. There were no stars, no destination that I could see beyond a couple of feet away from me, just eerie darkness and my echoing hooves.
It was only after a couple of minutes of walking that my surroundings became increasing in detail. The debris that was scattered throughout this place seemed to be discarded assortments of metal and wood. Broken pipes, bent nails, shards of smashed plates, lone wooden chair legs, empty metal candle holders, and a myriad of other random broken furniture that had no reason of being here. I took care to avoid them, so as to not injure myself or make any further noises. I then hear a skittering noise behind me, with what followed sounded like... a long and drawn-out breath; barely audible in a whisper.
I snap my head around, to only see nothing. There wasn't anything there. I stare into the expanse of darkness, my eyes trained to see any movement of the sort. Yet as minutes passed, I force myself to look away. "It's nothing, there is nothing." I quietly mutter in a vain attempt to convince myself with my own words. However, that fear never subsided.
Each step was a test of endurance and will. The icy cold air and the frozen floor kept searing into my nerves. Yet there wasn't any wind or any signs of life, and the lingering fear that I had only grew with each second. I take the opportunity to immediately stop in front of a reflective shard of glass embedded flat into the ground and try to pick it up between my teeth. Instead, my mouth was met with a layer of nearly invisible silk that had covered over the shard. It was then I realize a thin layer of web covered the entire floor. I spit the silk out in mild disgust, before trying my best to kick the shard up with one of my forelegs. Then... another breath wafted from behind.
The hairs on my coat rose and I start to madly scratch the layer of the web away with my hoof, before accidentally kicking the reflective shard out. The item went flying off a couple of feet away with a reverberating 'tink' upon hitting the ground. I scramble forward in a mad dash toward the kicked shard, grasping it recklessly between my teeth as its sharp edge cut into my tongue. Reactively I wince, but there wasn't any pain, just an icy coldness between my bare teeth. My eyes dart around in the dimly-lit darkness, my body making a quick turn to confront whatever it was that was out there. Again, I was met with the same empty expanse of darkness and cold that surrounds me.
As much as I want to trust my eyes, I could no longer ignore the pit in my stomach telling me that there was something out there. There was a limit to what I could see, as reality formed and disappeared around me. I couldn't trust my senses, but I couldn't run blindly either. If I bolted in one direction I could end up at a dead end, or simply dead. I grip the shard harder between my teeth, my eyes staring into the endless abyss. "Who's there? I have glass and I'm not afraid to injure myself trying to stab you with it!" I taunt the darkness, somehow still managing to speak through the shard.
Seconds passed, which then turned to minutes, perhaps hours, but still nothing. "Okay, maybe I am going crazy," I mutter again with the shard still between my teeth. "My nerves are starting to get the better of me," I say, my voice on the verge of cracking. I shiver in place, my teeth begging to clatter, but my teeth remain clamped on the shard between my teeth. The glass was cold, icy, and sharp. My lips numbed and my teeth ached with each silent moment.
I peer down to see if my mouth was bleeding, but something else caught my immediate attention. A red glint shimmered on the shard. It wasn't like the red glow that emanated from the webbing, but a singular red bead that stained the glass. My eyes focus on the bead, trying to register what this was, only to also see my muzzle within its reflection. Dread overtook me as I slowly and steadily crane my neck upwards. A black mucus-like substance drips down, missing my cheek and splattering on the concrete. That singular red bead far above me peers down from above amiss the darkness. Then it was two, four, eight, dozens of them blinked into life!
Startled, I yelp and stumble on my behind. Light refracted from my glass as it flickered the air above. The familiar glistening of black chitin and steel fangs gleam for a fraction of a second, revealing a large shrouded figure. The red dots weren't beads, but numerous eyes. Various patches of them sprouted around the creature's black surface. Some of its mass was missing, luminous white liquids leaking out of its missing chunks as smaller claw-like tendrils protruded from them. One glowing star marked its abdomen as scythe-like legs protruded from its body. Alarm and dread flash throughout my body as it glares down at me with its multiple hateful eyes.
My glass shard hit the ground with a loud 'tink'. I was already shakily stepping back as the entity widens its gaping maw.
"SCREEEEEEEE!!!!"
Releasing a guttural, hateful scream, the monster scatters droplets of black saliva from its maw. Adrenaline flowing through me, I immediately bolt out of there. Screaming, I fled in one direction, any direction. My legs were already scrambling and running before I could even think. The ground shook beneath me as I heard a massive crash behind me, followed by the sounds of deadly stabs against the concrete. Almost scythe-like sounds impact the ground like some kind of demented monster made out of knives and killing intent. Each impact grew louder and harder with every step while it releases another ear-piercing screech.
"AHHHHHHH!" I scream for dear life as my legs did the running. Frostbite hindered my ability to coordinate my body, but I didn't dare stop. Ignoring the previous obstacles that littered the floor, I gallop at full speed while stepping on broken plates and glass. I imagine the shards embedding themselves into my hooves, but the icy feeling of the ground numbed all feelings of pain.
Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab! Stab!
"SCREEEEEEEE!!!!"
Another life-threatening screech reverberates behind me, causing me to look behind in fear. I almost stop dead in my tracks upon the sight. It was crawling towards me at an alarming rate. Suddenly the expansive darkness around me changed. Dozens if not hundreds of red-beady eyes blink open from the abyss behind me. Then thousands of eyes blink into existence from both my sides, then in front of me. Low-silent noises that I didn't notice before start to rise in volume as I press onwards in a panic run. Subtle skittering increasingly rose into loud chittering, then violent clattering. Jagged tendrils and claws start to tear out from the abyss and into reality. Spiders, centipedes, and beetles overflow the abyss as a much larger creature slips out in front of me.
CRAAAAAAASSSSHHH!!!!
"AHHHHH!" I scream again as a giant centipede-like creature with the same red eyes spread out its entire body crashed on the fragmented concrete, shaking the ground. It quickly realigns itself, its thousands of legs squirming and moving in tandem. Its head slithers around me with the rest of its body; its two giant mandibles chittering with hunger and interest. My dread transformed into horror as I was cornered by another monster. The centipede nightmare of a monster drools black ichor as it took its time to encircle me with its body. My legs shake underneath me as I back away in true terror; sounds of lethal stabbing grow louder behind me.
STAB! STAB! STAB! STAB! STAB!
"SCREEEEEEEE!!!!"
CRAAAAAAASSSSHHH!!!!
A shockwave of dust and debris scatters into smoke all around me. Everything shook as reality desperately held itself together. I fall to the ground, my head collapsing onto the cold ground as I close my eyes. I expected the worse, that I was going to be crushed or killed in the next few moments. Yet as the moments passed, dust and dirt settled on top of me. There were no more sounds of stabbing, no more shaking, no more coldness. My eyes were closed, but I could see soft blue light piercing through my eyelids.
Slowly, I open my eyes. Stars dazzled my vision as a radiant blue crackling energy illuminates the scene entirely. My eyes wince as I adjust, a large black silhouette stood above me; facing away. It was a pony, a large pony, larger than any I'd seen. She towered above my small frame, my lowered perspective giving this pony the appearance of something truly huge. The figure was jet black aside from their mane, tail, and regalia they wore. They had a pair of large black wings and a horn that crackled in blue energy. Their helmet and regalia were as pristine and silver as the very stars. The figure's mane and tail seemed as if it held an isolated galaxy within, twinkling brightly and as expansive as space itself.
It was only when I saw her face that I realize what this pony was. "N-Nightmare Moon?" I breathlessly word out. Fangs bared full, eyes narrowed, and irises formed into slits that of a predator; her expression contained a deep hatred. Fear gripped me in a vice, but it took moments to realize that her malice was not directed at me. Instead, she was facing the very monsters that had chased and cornered me.
"YOU WILL NOT LAY A SINGLE CLAW ON HER YOU REVOLTING PARASITES!" The Goddess of the Night bellows with all her might. Before the monsters were given a chance to respond, a surge of lighting suddenly jolt forward from her horn. The air crackles with blue energy as the spell impacts the spider-like entity.
"SCREEEEEEEE!!!!" The creature screams in pain and all-consuming rage as the blast knocks it a few meters back. I flinch at the sight, but the spider-nightmare skid to a halt as it stabs all its claws into the concrete. A loud metal screech resounds fourth as its embedded claws drag across the ground, slowing its knockback; smoke rises from its body. The creature sustained a moderate amount of damage with more of its chunks missing, but it continued to slowly stand back up regardless.
My attention was immediately split to the other creature, a centipede monster. Its body was already encircled around us, but its numerous eyes were now focused on the new threat that appeared. It used Nightmare Moon's opening to strike. Rearing its head up, it lunges its entire body forward in a downward strike during her first assault. Its mandibles aim directly where her heart would be, but Nightmare Moon reacted by twisting her body around to dodge the attack, her wings shoving me aside with great force. Her legs moved her aside as the creature then crashes into the ground, the impact scattering dust everywhere.
I yelp out in terror as I tumbled over on the concrete; the centipede's mandibles missing me a couple of feet away. I slowly get up and shake my head, trying my best to see the aftermath. The Queen of Night wasn't phased however and took the initiative to release another beam of blue lightning into the nightmare creature. The spell's energy splinters apart as the centipede monster blasts into the ground with a trembling shake.
STAB! STAB! STAB! STAB! STAB! The spider-like nightmare was ascending upon us with frightening speeds, its gaping wounds now having more scythe-like legs protruding from them to grant itself more mobility and lethality.
"Tsk!" Nightmare Moon grunts, before blasting another empowered beam of energy at it. The spider reacts this time by jumping sideways and dodging her attack. She shot another beam, and another until she was now shooting in rapid succession. The increased frequency of Nightmare Moon's attacks managed to land a couple of hits, but not enough to pin down the creature. Instead, it only staggered it, growing even more legs from where it was impacted. It tries to dodge each strike, and with each hit endured it only got faster and faster.
It was entirely nonsensical and the Queen of Night seethes in frustration at this development. "HOLD STILL YOU INSOLENT INSECT!" She continues to blast the creature with increasing ferocity and pace. It was then within the corner of my eye I saw the centipede entity slowly getting back up. "The centipede! It's getting back up!" I shout in desperation.
The spider nightmare then extends its scythe-like limbs forward as it launches itself straight towards Nightmare Moon. My warning proved to be unneeded as the dark Alicorn blew a gust of wind beneath her with her wings. She flew above the telegraphed attack and allowed the spider-entity to fly past her, directly into the centipede nightmare that was previously behind her. Chitin and steel impacted each other as both nightmares crashed into one another. When the dust settled, they ended up being entangled in each other's bodies and limbs, both screeching and trying to tear each other to break free.
Nightmare Moon spared no moment, already gathering the energy in her horn. As her horn grew in power, the nightmare creatures' struggles and screams only got more desperate. Finally, she releases her spell. Again the air crackles with blue energy; a significant amount of power is being poured into the spell. A giant beam of lightning and pure energy came into collision with the earth, releasing a giant wave of light that blinded my vision. I hold the ground for dear life as the whole area shook once more, concrete and debris scattering once more in larger sizes. My ears rang with a ringing noise as thunder shrieked, my sight returning to reveal a large scorch mark where those nightmare creatures once stood.
The Queen of Night descends with grace, before finally landing her eyes upon me. I felt deeply frightened by her gaze, thinking that I was going to be her next target. Yet her eyes remained, judging me silently. I shrink to the ground as she starts to walk toward me with intent. Her eyes and irises narrow coldly; staring, calculating, thinking. It was all too similar to the stares I've gotten from other noble ponies, but a million times worse. Stares that tried to value my worth, to see if I was of any use, to see what I was there for. Instinctively I try to conceal my very own presence the best I can. To appear small and insignificant. However, there was nowhere I could hide, not from someone like her.
Her gaze, however, softens. Her eyes now reveal a warmth that I didn't think was capable. "Are you alright?" She says to me, approaching me fully before lowering her head at my eye level.
I freeze in place. My brain froze while trying to comprehend what was said to me; what was said by her. "W-What?" I say in equal fear and bewilderment.
Nightmare Moon sighed before reiterating, "Are you injured? I tossed you some distance away when that Nightmare Force attacked us."
I was shocked by her concern, but I take the moment to look over myself. I don't see any injuries or bruises, just minor scratches from the tumble. After checking over a second time, I confirmed that I was fully intact. "Y-Yes." I stuttered a bit, only to stare back up at her. She was still huge. Intimidating. Yet strangely her eyes were full of concern.
Relief floods her expression as she smiled lightly. "Good, I wasn't sure if that impact affected you. Can you stand?"
I nod, my legs still shaking as I pick myself back up. My mind was still reeling. One moment I was being chased by terrifying monsters made out of knives and pure malice and the next I was being saved by Nightmare Moon! It was all too confusing, but I still had enough courage to ask one question. "W-Where am I?" I spoke with a shaky voice.
Nightmare Moon pauses momentarily before opening her mouth to explain. "We are in your dreamscape... or what's left of it. You did a significant amount of damage to the veil, allowing more of those parasites to enter." The dark Alicorn concludes with certain malice emphasizing them.
"Dreamscape? Wait, this is a dream?" I exclaim in shock.
"A nightmare." She clarifies. "Once a Nightmare Force enters a dreamscape, the world around you shifts to your greatest fears. You, however, seem to have the worst of them all."
I wanted to ask what a Nightmare Force was, however, the Alicorn's attention was already diverted away from me. I follow her gaze into the abyss and I could hear distant skittering and chittering from beyond the veil. Tears, in reality, settle in and more claws and ruptures proceed to poke out of the veil as the incoming sounds became eerily louder. Nightmare Moon bristles her wings in frustration before turning her gaze to me. "They are coming, we have no time. You must come with me."
I was already backing away from the tears in fear of what was to come. "H-How can I know to trust you?!" I ask in frightened panic. She was a villain in the series, a bona fide Equestrian-level threat that wanted to shrivel up all life by bringing never-ending night. For all, I knew those 'Nightmare Forces' were her doing. Yet, why would she care to save me? An evil plot maybe? But why me of all ponies? Does she know that I was once human?
The Queen of Night peers down at me, her eyes filled with solemnness. "You can't, but you have no other option." She opens one of her wings, beckoning me towards her. Tears in reality started to rip wider as incoming screeches became louder. Closing my eyes, I forced myself to approach her. Swooping her wings from under me, she then places me on her back. Instinctively I wrap my forelegs around her long neck so as to not fall off. Then we took off into the veil that separated this world from above.
Nightmare Moon had flown me out of wherever I initially was, narrowly avoiding the nightmare creatures that managed to tear themselves into reality. We had ditched the previous reality and now were flying through the ethereal realm that is 'What the actual fuck am I witnessing?'. Flying past us is what appears to be bubbles within an even wider expanse of darkness. Only this time the darkness was partially illuminated by various stars that dotted the whole space. Within these bubbles are glimpses of other ponies, experiencing their dreams presumably. I didn't recognize any of them, but with the way we were speeding past them, it would be difficult to catch a proper glimpse of them anyways.
I hold on for dear life, for I feared for what would happen if I were to let go and fall into this dream-like space. I scream internally and externally as Nightmare Moon was now flying even faster. Redoubling my efforts to hold on, we accelerate far faster than I thought was okay. It was during this I manage to catch a glimpse of our destination. It was no bubble, nor a place in empty starry space, but a moon illuminating the sky far above. And we were heading towards it! "AHHHHHH!"
The moon grew larger as we flew. I close my eyes in panic for possible impact. Yet the impact wasn't what I imagined. It was like plunging through water, yet I wasn't drowning. I could still breathe, but my momentum slowed down. Nightmare Moon flew forward, before eventually descending upon the barren rock that is the moon. We land gracefully, and the Goddess of the Night lowers me with her magic.
Gravity felt lighter here so I was dropped off a larger height. I panic before realizing my slow descent downwards. Landing on the moon, I look up to see Nightmare Moon looking at another celestial object at a distance. It was Earth or at least the Equestrian equivalent of Earth. It had completely different land continents and oceans. I stare along with her, for such a sight was purely breathtaking. Simple maps and images from my past life could never compare to the sight I was witnessing now. I was mesmerized, but when I turn to see the Queen of Night I could only see a dark solemnness within her expression.
She then turns her gaze to me. "Do not worry, the Nightmare Forces will never dare enter here. As long as you remain here you will be safe."
I could only stare at her, my apprehension and previous expectations gripped tight. So many questions, but do I dare ask? What did she bring me here for? What did she want from me? I nervously look away, finding my gaze staring out into space. "Nightmare Forces turn dreams into nightmares. Did you make them?" I ask, hoping to start with basic questions she seemed willing to answer.
"No." Nightmare Moon replies instantly. "As far as I know, they have existed ever since we were banished. I alone have been fighting them off ever since."
"You... you were fighting them?" I ask the obvious.
"Indeed. They are parasites that feed on the fear of other ponies. They change with our perceptions and experiences. Normally they are harmless, pathetically so. However, what you've seen now was them at their apex." She took a step towards me, forcing me to look back at her. "Little pony, what sort of trauma have you endured to cause them to take those forms?"
I was speechless. Were they the reason ponies have such frequent nightmares? And Nightmare Moon was defending ponies from them? "I... I don't know."
The dark Alicorn leans inwards. "You don't know?"
"I-I don't know! I just... read a lot of scary books that's all." I made up an excuse. It was not technically a lie. I did have a small obsession with horror in my previous life. Absolutely hated horror films when I was a kid, but when I was an adult I grew to love them. "Yeah... I read a lot of scary stories, like the story about you... Princess Luna."
Nightmare Moon rears her head back, her expression changed to that of displeasure. "That is not who I am anymore."
"But it was true! You're the mare in the moon, sister of Princess Celestia-"
"SILENCE!" She shouts.
Startled, I fall over slightly. "AH! I'm sorry!" I apologized while cowering on the barren ground.
Nightmare Moon pauses, before lowering her voice. "No, no. I'm the one who should be apologizing young filly. I just... haven't heard of that name in a long while."
I peek out from my forelegs before timidly standing up again. "Um... you haven't?" I ask.
The dark Alicorn sighed deeply before saying, "No, I haven't. I have not spoken to anypony for... a long while. I was too preoccupied with protecting Equestria from these Nightmare Forces. You are the first I've spoken to since I was banished."
Bewilderment took hold of me as I stare up at her. "You- r-really?"
The Queen of Night nods before sitting down. "Since you already clearly know who I am, I should ask who you are."
"I-I." I take the moment to think as I stuttered. She's asking for my name? Does this mean she doesn't know who I am? "I-I'm Silver Spoon." I reply.
"Silver Spoon... it is a pleasure." The Mare in the Moon smiles softly. "Tell me, are you sure it is those tales of horrors that caused those parasites to take those shapes?"
She's already suspecting me?! "Yes!" I reply in earnest.
Nightmare Moon then sits idle in thought. "Did you do anything to injure that Nightmare Force before I arrived?"
That question caught me a little off guard. It had me thinking of a time when I faced such a creature. My memory was hazy at best. Memories of my dreams didn't last too long, but nightmares tend to stick quite well. "I... believe so? I think I hid inside a fridge when everything... blew up." I answer.
"That would explain the veil being broken." The dark Alicorn says to herself before pondering more. "Normally when a pony encounters their fears they flee. You however decided to fight them. You injured one of them, and now they all see you as a threat."
"W-What?!" I exclaim fearfully.
"Exactly what I said, Silver Spoon. You were in serious danger. You could have gotten yourself killed." She explains.
"B-But! They're just nightmares! D-Don't tell me whatever they do in my dreams happens in real life!" I exclaim again.
Nightmare Moon gave a bemused expression before shaking her head. "No, nothing the likes of that. Nightmare Forces are normally territorial creatures. They like being isolated from each other and target only one dreamscape in their entire lifetimes. They feed on fear, normally once a moon; and they do not like sharing." She explains. "However, they are all interconnected by an unknown force. Once you injure one of them," The Mare in the Moon's expression turned darker, "they will know of your presence and will come after you. First, it will be one nightmare a month, then a week, then every day. Soon you won't be able to sleep. You'd be forced to live every hour awake until your body finally collapses."
My blood froze cold at the explanation. "I-I..." I stutter.
"Frightening isn't it? It's why I dedicate my time to destroy these creatures." She says.
I could only nod in understanding. The implications of my dear death experience are all too real to me now. "But... you said that you've been destroying them since they first appeared."
"And that's still true. Unfortunately, they spawn hundreds of themselves, thousands even. Enough so that there's at least one Nightmare Force for every living creature that stands. Fortunately, they're mostly harmless. Most ponies in this day and age cannot comprehend such horrible creatures, much less mutilation. A simple blast from me and they'll disintegrate. Your nightmares in particular were but one exception." Nightmare Moon says a matter of factly.
"So it's my fault then. That they're all after me." I say downtrodden at the matter.
The Mare in the Moon pauses, before nodding. "Yes, it is. However, I cannot fault you for it. I would have done the same in your position. You are a rarity, Silver Spoon. When ponies have to choose between running and fighting, they almost always choose to flee. You, however, choose to fight. A trait I value highly."
I pause in turn, the gears in my mind turning. "And what exactly do you want from me?" I almost accused, my eyes honing in on hers. "Why did you save me? Why even care about saving Equestria?!" Nightmare Moon's expression changed into something dark and I started to regret my outburst instantly. "I'm sorry, I-"
"No, that fear is warranted." She says. "You were raised in her light, it's only natural for you to distrust me."
I instantly shut up. She forgave me, didn't even get angry. Not even for a moment. "Are you... really Nightmare Moon?" I couldn't help but ask.
The Queen of Night changes her expression into a bemused smile, "Why, do you doubt my existence? What preconceived notions have the Sun Sister projected onto you?"
"I-I... well no offense, but I always figured you'd be like..." I take the opportunity to breathe deeply before continuing. "Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night… will last… forever! Muahahahahaha!"
Nightmare Moon furrows her brows in a confused gaze. "That is still what I plan to do with Equestria."
I pause again. "But, isn't that like... evil?" I say in concern.
The dark Alicorn laughs. "HA! Is that what she told you? Nothing is evil about shrouding Equestria in eternal darkness."
I was baffled by this proclamation. "What do you mean!? Plants need sunlight! All of Equestria needs crops to survive."
Instead of being proven otherwise by my argument, she merely scoffed. "Equestria's agriculture will be unaffected. Once I seal the sun inside the moon, it'll give off enough energy to allow crops to grow. The cool night air would allow for more productivity, and the reforms that have been enacted under my rule would show that Equestria needed a more firm hoof than the Sun Sister has been providing for the past several years."
My mind was finally crashing in on itself as I fell to the ground. WHAT?! WHO IS THIS PONY? SHE'S NOT ACTING LIKE NIGHTMARE MOON IN THE SHOW AT ALL! WHAT THE FUCK IS HAPPENING? "Urgh... my head..." I lamely utter in pain. "Are you sure you're Nightmare Moon?" I almost ask in desperation.
She chuckles in sympathy for my plight. "It must be hard to reverse a thousand years of propaganda ingrained within Equestria's culture. Thousands of lies told thousands of times across the generations."
"But! What about the dark!"
"Ponies have excellent adaptability for seeing in darkness."
"Dictatorship!"
"The Sun Sister was a dictator long before I. It is only the last few generations that a court was made to address issues of the public."
"Oppression against those that speak out against you!"
"In a world where a Lord of Chaos exists, malicious shapeshifting creatures multiply, and forbidden magic corrupts, a quick method to silence the enemies of ponykind is needed to prevent the loss of life from incurring."
I groan while burring my face within my forelegs on the ground. Peeking outwards, I desperately cling to any evidence against her. "Bat ponies?"
Nightmare Moon actually seems surprised at my question. "Lunar Pegasi." She clarifies. "A rare breed of pony that came about before my banishment. They were meant to serve me during the night. I do not know what the Sun Sister has done to them after my banishment, but their dreams always consisted of caves and tunnels. Never once I've seen them dream of the outside." The Queen of Night ends her explanation with a solemn voice.
Oh. Fuck now I actually feel bad.
"Tell me, how do you come across to know of them?" The dark Alicorn asks.
I pause, thinking of giving her the same excuse I had for everything. "I read about them."
"Where?" She presses.
"In my father's library." I lie again.
"Your father must be a scholar then. Ancient lore such as the Lunar Pegasi would be hard to come across." She concludes.
"Pfft, I doubt it. I bet he just collects them from wherever. I'm the one that actually reads all of them." I say a matter of factly.
"Still, you should be wary of forbidden texts." Nightmare Moon warns.
"...Why? Wait, why would texts be forbidden?" I question.
"Because the Sun Sister makes sure Equestria is ignorant of the horrors of the past. If she learns that you or your father holds archives of texts that she personally didn't allow, she will make sure you disappear along with them." She reveals.
That sent shivers down my spine. "W-What kind of archives?"
"Ancient archives. Anything about the past that shows the wars Equestria's been through. The Sun Sister makes sure the very concept of war is nonexistent. I'd be surprised if you knew what war meant."
"W-War?" I stutter, dreading what would happen to me if anypony found out.
Nightmare Moon, however, took my stuttering as me not knowing what that word meant. "As expected, of course, you wouldn't know. The Sun Sister demilitarized and taught her ponies pacifism. Peace was it? A noble concept, a shame it would lead to Equestria being vulnerable for what's to come."
I wasn't listening anymore. My mind flashed to the missing pages. The blotted out texts in that book I took from the Golden Oak Library. Oh fuck! If Celestia finds out about me I'm dead.
"W-What happens if I do know about it?!" I blurt out in a panic.
Nightmare Moon's eyes lock on me. Her expression was completely devoid of emotion, only pure focus. "Know what?"
"Forbidden texts! I found a book in an old library and it had missing pages torn out and lines blotted out with ink." I explain.
Her gaze lingers on me. She was thinking again, calculating. "If contents of the book were already removed, then you should be fine."
"R-Really?!" I ask in relief.
"Yes, whatever contents were removed were probably the texts she didn't allow. I pity the poor fool who recorded the text in the first place." The Goddess of Night says.
I plop on the ground releasing a large sigh. "Oh good," I say with immense relief. "I thought I was a goner there."
The Queen was silent for a moment. "You very well might be."
"W-What?" I reply with worry.
She didn't give me an answer for a few seconds. Shifting her gaze on the Earth that was positioned far beyond us. "The chances you remember this encounter is minimal. Once you wake up, our entire conversation will slowly fade away as a hazy memory."
"WHAT!? H-How can that be!? I can't forget something like this. Something this important!" I exclaim.
Nightmare Moon simply gives me a sad smile. "It's true. Memories within the dreamscape are as fickle as webs in a torrent of water."
"No! No no no, there has to be a way to remember this! I can't just... forget all this!" I stand up as I panic further. I spin around while darting my eyes around desperately, trying to ingrain these sights into my memories. I repeated my experiences in my mind, again and again, focusing to try to hold on to all these revelations told to me.
"Calm down Silver Spoon." Nightmare Moon then levitates me off the ground, before turning me to face her. "There is a method to help relieve this problem." She smiles softly at me, eyes growing solemn once more. "We used this method to record our ventures of dream walking."
"Really?! What is it?" I ask eagerly.
Her eyes then focus on mine, "The moment you awake you must record everything on any parchment you have. Memories from dreams are fleeting so you must do your best to write as much down as possible before you forget. Hopefully, your awake self will get the message clearly."
"What!? That's it?" I exclaim in distress.
"Unfortunately I cannot cast the memory preserving spell from here. You will have to make do with your mind alone." She expresses her sympathy.
"This is nuts..." I mutter to myself. "I can't write that all down... I only barely managed to write my own name so far!"
Nightmare Moon's eyes widen at my comment. "Pray tell, how old are you?"
I pause in my own thoughts, debating whether or not I should tell her. "I'm like, six."
"SIX!?" She shouts incredulously.
"It's not a big deal!" I shout back in my defense. "I just read a lot."
"A filly at that age shouldn't be able to read such texts so confidently." The dark Alicorn expresses her astonishment.
"Well, you still haven't answered my question yet!" I try to shift the conversation away.
Nightmare Moon tilts her head at this. "What question?"
"Why did you save me? Why bother saving ponies from Nightmare Forces? Why even bother trying to go through taking over Equestria?" I question, half desperately trying to avoid talking about my age and the other half getting some real answers from her.
A period of silence follows and Nightmare Moon only gives me this look of solemnness and other complex emotions intertwined. "Because it's what we would have done." She answers.
"...What?" I say with confusion.
She then shook her head. "Because when we rule over Equestria, we do not want to rule over a pile of rubble. Ponies still are our precious subjects, even now. They all may fear us, but when we return they will learn to respect our rule. Especially after we save them and make proper reformations. And when that time comes, the Sun Sister will reap what she sowed. I swear it..." She vows with deep-seated anger in her voice. Her expression darkened with... not malice, but one of vengeance long sworn a thousand years ago.
Uncertain about this answer, I remain silent. "...Save?" I point out.
Nightmare Moon gazes at me again, her anger turning into solemnness once more. "Yes Silver Spoon, save. Equestria will experience hardships like never before and the Sun Sister has done nothing to make precautions against it. She has grown complacent with her own 'peace' and everypony will suffer for it." She informs me.
"You... you mean Discord? And King Sombra?" I ask, hesitant about how she will react.
The dark Alicorn simply stares at me with that same calculating muzzle. "I assume you've read about them too then?"
I nod slowly at this. It was the best excuse I have and I'm sticking with it.
The Queen of Night closes her eyes as she contemplates. She then opens her eyes once more. "If you already know then I suppose there's little point in keeping it secret. Yes, Discord will be released from his prison and King Sombra will be following soon after. It took both us and the Sun Sister to seal them both away. Once they are released, Tartarus will break loose. I do not foresee an event where Celestia can overcome both threats without us at her side. And from what I've gathered, she's done little to prepare Equestria for what's to come." Nightmare Moon explains.
"But... won't you be released first?" I question her, only to get a confused glance.
"What do you mean? I was sealed last, therefore I will be released last. Once I am free, I will liberate the everypony and save them from Discord and Sombra's clutches. And if somehow the Sun Sister manages to overcome them both, she will be greatly weakened. The perfect opportunity to exact the justice that she deserves." She states with a confident glee in her eyes, almost predatory.
I felt my hairs prickle on the back of my coat, but that didn't stop me from contemplating. There were so many things wrong with all this. She was definitely wrong about the timing of her release. She didn't seem to have any egomania or any sense of generic cartoon-villain syndrome. And worse she seemed damned reasonable to talk with. Yet in the very first episode, she was anything but reasonable. Nothing made sense! Something had to have changed between now and then. I just didn't know what. "Why are you telling me all this? Aren't you afraid that I might tell somepony about your plan?"
Nightmare Moon then smiles at me with a bemused expression. "Do you really think you can write that all down within the span of thirty seconds?" She asks in an almost mocking voice that bordered on being playfully cruel.
Of course, I knew something like that wasn't really feasible, especially for my current level of writing. I simply shake my head in defeat.
"And even if you did manage to write that information down, who'd believe you? You'd only increase the risk of the Sun Sister knowing your existence. I assume I shouldn't need to elaborate on what happens next." She grins.
"Yeah yeah, I get it." I slump down on the cold dirt. "So what? I just hope I can write everything down in time and pray that my awake self will decipher it all?" I sarcastically say.
"More or less. It'll be more efficient to condense your ideas into short phrases before you forget them." Nightmare Moon helpfully advises.
"Thanks... I guess." I say amicably.
"You're welcome. I look forward to what preparations you will make in the future. You will need every advantage for what's to come." The Goddess of the Night grins at me with extreme bemusement.
"This is insane." I straight up say to myself.
"Perhaps, but it's about time you woke up." The dark Alicorn said a matter of factly.
"Wait! Now? B-But I'm not ready yet!" I object, standing up from where I was at.
"May we meet again in the future Silver Spoon." Nightmare Moon bid farewell.
"N-No don't say that! I didn't even get any notice ahead of time! How am I supposed to-"
"AHHHHH!" I fell out of my bed to the ground with an audible thud. Bed sheets covered my body as I poked my head out. The sun was out and shining beams of morning light through the windows, blinding my vision momentarily. I shook my head, my mind already starting to get foggy from morning lethargy.
"Ah! No, no! I need to write it down!" I shout before scrambling from the covers. I grabbed a random blank paper from my school satchel and hurried to get my crayons or pencils out. I laid the paper on the ground and started to scribble words down, but the carpet underneath instead had my writing utensil poke a hole through it. "No no no!"
Immediately I removed the paper off the ground and flipped it over the carpet. I slammed the paper on the now exposed hardwood floor and started writing again in the available space that I had. I tried to grasp the concepts left from my dream, my experience, and my encounter. I tried to put it into writing.
But then the door to my room knocked. "Madam? Are you alright in there?" The voice behind it asked.
I silently cursed to myself. It was the morning maid. "I'm alright, just getting ready!"
"You should let me in then. We must have you take your morning bath." She replied.
"Ah! Just a moment please!" I shouted back. I was still trying to write down the thoughts that were slipping out of my mind. Rushed deliberate strokes and scribbles landed on the paper.
"Very well, I shall get your bath started then. Any preference of oil you would like madam?" The maid asked me.
"Um, surprise me!" I shouted back again. As I came up with responses my attention was shifted away each time, my mind now losing its grasp fully. "No, no no! Come on. Almost..." I paused mid-writing. Moments passed and I blinked. "Almost... what? What was I writing down?"
I looked over the page once more: 'Nightmare Moon good??? Sorta. N-' Silence lingered for a couple of seconds. What the fuck? Why was I writing that? What did I mean by sorta? I furrowed my brows in deep concern. Could it be, that I had met Nightmare Moon? If so, why don't I remember any of it? And what the hell was I going to write down next? 'N'?
"Madam, the bath is ready!" I heard the same voice from behind me.
"Ah! Okay! I'll be right there!" I shout back once again. My eyes lingered on the paper, then I decided to crumple it up and throw it in the nearby trash bin. Whatever this was, I shouldn't let anypony find out about these notes.
"This is fucking weird," I muttered to myself before approaching the door.
i dig it! A great chapter!
This was an awesome chapter and beautifully ties into so many possible headcanons that exist.
Discomfort.
Sounds like a mix of The World of Nothing from Super Paper Mario and the second to last portion of Journey.
See?
i.redd.it/wxxe8lr94ti21.jpg
With a touch of The Grinch's paraphernalia wagon.
Two words.
Noooooooo!
It's sort of like some of the creatures in Beyond Divinity, I guess; When you choose to attack one, each and every one you encounter thereafter will attack you on sight.
To be fair... she's not wrong, with that last part.
It's called a "Benevolent Dictatorship".
Is the villain really picking apart reasons to consider her a villain?!
Side note: I can sort of imagine Nightmare Moon/Luna gathering a group of brave souls like that of Silver Spoon, here, to defend ponykind against the Nightmare Forces. A la Valkyrie Profile Lenneth.
Tell me with a straight face that that wouldn't be awesome! I still wouldn't believe you.
I'm really liking this AU, the fact that Scootaloo is not the same as in the show and that Rarity apparently won't get along with Dash intrigues me a lot. I look forward to seeing how it goes, thanks for the story.
I really enjoyed this chapter!!, 10/10
11360742
Thank you!
11360585
11360587
Thank you for reading!
11360724
This still all takes place before the events in the show. There's no evidence to prove things weren't like this otherwise.
11360676
Classic RPG adventure!
11360608
Fixed!
Still loving this, and especially loved seeing NMM/Luna come to Sil's defense! Like I said in my last comment I just really love the idea of Sil having such worse dreams due to her previous life to the point that it made NMM want to step in. I'm kinda hoping the characterization doesn't stray to far from the show though so we still keep that culture clash going strong. If nothing else I can't wait to see her and Luna talking more and she might even get her to reform by the time the plot gets to the first episode.
Hopefully this indicates that Nightmare Moon realizes Silver isn't telling her the whole story. It's reasonable for Silver to be able to get away with this to a certain extent. Nightmare hasn't been in real-life Equestria for a thousand years, and could be excused for not knowing what is and isn't common knowledge anymore. But this line tells me that she knows that she's not getting the whole story.
From personal experience, I can tell you that writing isn't neccesary. Simply thinking about it long enough that it passes over into long term memory is sufficient. Laying in bed for 5-10 minutes thinking is generally plenty. And even failling that, the memories aren't truly gone. I've occasionally left that thinking-in-bed period with the sense that there was something important that I hadn't quite remembered, kept thinking about it, and then even hours later remembered some detail that I'd missed. Sometimes especially, some little trigger in daily life will tip it into clear recall. You'll dream about a spider for example, and then see a spider several hours after waking up and then suddenly the dream will pop back into your mind in vivid detail.
_________________________________
This story started out very firmly as a low-key slice-of-life story. And I've enjoyed it for that. But like I've commented before, as it progresses, I find myself increasingly wanting Silver to become a Player In The Game that is big affairs in Equestria. She has the knowledge. She's smart. She has the money and family background to create opportunities. She's picking up knowledge of current affairs and the location of artifacts and significant locations. And now she's making connections with powerful ponies like Nightmare Moon, who herself just pointed out that Silver chose to fight rather than flee when given the opportunity to do both. Her human origin has given her potentials that the average peace-loving pony maybe lacks.
Also, if and when Nightmare Moon should be released, she's going to remember Silver. That doesn't necessarily mean she'll seek her out to be a friend, or an ally...but she could. It might be very difficult for royalty to have genuine friends who aren't mere sycophants. This little chance meeting before she enacts her plan to come to power could be one of very few opportunities to have a "real friend" who isn't there for personal gain. And clearly while distrustful, Silver wasn't afraid of her. Silver might be a rare opportunity for Luna, especially after she gets out and sees how everypony else feels about her.
But then, she might simply seek her out because she's identified Silver as a player in the game. An important pony. Maybe she doesn't know how or why, or "whose side" Silver might or might not end up on, but Nightmare should recognize that whatever it may be, Silver has a part to play. Like Gandalf speaking of Gollum: "My heart tells me that Gollum has some part to play in it, for good or evil, before this is over." Gollum wasn't Gandalf's friend, but Gandalf knew that Gollum had an important part to play.
Silver has a part to play, and I think Nightmare Moon should realize that and be willing to give her a seat at the table, whether or not she's "on her side." When you play chess, the person seated opposite you is your opponent. But still you agree that they belong in that chair. Maybe Silver will help Nightmare or maybe she won't, or maybe there won't even be any battle between Luna and Celestia at all. She's clearly rational, and doesn't appear to be under the control of the Nightmare parasite. This looks like Luna with a grudge, and that means there are a lot of ways this could play out.
However things play out, Silver deserves a seat at the table, and I think Luna will realize that.
11360927
Lol.
Nice
11360866
Things are still very much on the course to where we start with the first episode of the show. Silver Spoon simply can't see how things will end up there. Perhaps her actions will make it so that certain things never happen at all. Or perhaps her actions will cause events that will change the course of history forever. Or she can do nothing at all and watch everything unfold by itself. Only time can truly tell.
11360900
Perhaps it is so. Maybe her goal was to get Silver Spoon to reveal her cards, while also keeping cards of her own with memories stored within dreams being fleeting as they are. Perhaps she instead sees our protagonist as a form of entertainment or at least somepony to break the monotony of her banishment. Maybe she isn't thinking anything at all and simply has an unnerving stare that Silver Spoon finds disturbing.
From my personal experience, I have an extremely hard time remembering my dreams. Sometimes I feel as if I never dreamed at all. Although I will take your experiences well into account here.
Fair enough. These things could happen to our protagonist. Time will tell if these conversations with Nightmare Moon will become relevant to her and her future.
An excellent observation. Silver Spoon will definitely play a part in the future, and NMM is keen on seeing how her actions will play out. Our protagonist is clearly knowledgeable, much more than a normal typical pony. NMM will want to continue these conversations and watch over for the time being.
All I can say is that this 'grudge' is a lot more bitter than what we've seen in the show.
Nice.
11360803
My fave ps1 game ever.
I wonder if she attacks enough by nightmares maybe she can get a mental shadow familiar or some sort of spirit foraging to make a helper out of herself and her space? I would have suggested a nightmare familiar but I don't think that work or help make the others back off as fellow parasite...
I bet if silver is determined enough for a good dream journal she can get a custom spell for speed writing for that 30-sec problem or write in her sleep if it is important enough or some sort of mental spell!
I bet the nightmares are gonna evolve with silver dreams and ideas of horror inspiring ideas or new tactics...
Describing This Chapter In Four Simple Words Before I Wake Up From This Dream And Forget It All In 30 Seconds:
SUCH A GOOD CHAPTER!!!
-Wait, why'd I type that? Since when did I read this chapter? What even happened in it?
Oh well, guess I'll just have to read it for a (second time?) I suppose.
11361131
Thank you!
I can see Silver Spoon slowly developing bags under her eyes and a haunted look about her from constantly being exposed to the nightmare forces.
That was a good chapter. Its always nice to see a sane and competent Nightmare moon they're far to rare. Goodluck with the next chapter.
11361301
Thank you!
NMM is both surprisingly reasonable and still clearly off her rocker with her plan (there's a lot of magic involved so maybe its not an insane plan?) . Away but active, clear plan, not EEEVVUL, see the future (to a point)?. Interesting take. I kinda see her like batman, but angry horse.
A part of me want SS to figure out something about controlling her dream to flip the whole "invading nightmare force" on its head. A "Im not stuck in there with you, you're stuck in there with ME!". The battlefield is her head/mind and her mind is very much unique, maybe an out-of-context problem if used right? (Wich does bring the question of how smart/dumb/adaptable/etc the Nightmare Force is. There's many many questions that can be asked. There's some real good potential story meat to bite into here)
Use her human-borne knowledge of Sufficient Firepower / More Dakka / Rip and Tear to teach the nightmares the meaning of
fearFUN. There's just so much to pick from for shits and giggles...NMM would be all like "Impossible! How did you defeat them all?!" and SS will be like "Oh yeah i kinda have a, uh, really active imagination? Because of books.. Yeah.. So did you know that Nightmares have no idea how to deal with [OH GOD WHY FUN JOY HAPPY TIMES]? They really don't agree with eachother.. well, the nightmares mostly didn't after being bent like a pretzel and stopped after the [HUGS]. [FUN-STUFF-DISPENSER] doesn't mind though so its okay!".
Fear is often the driving force behind evil. Fear of strong threats is driving Nightmare Moon to strive to be a dictator. Or, at least, it's the excuse she's giving. It is nothing more than excuse though; a threat is rarely enough to abandon all forms of democracy.
Moving on, I really hope to see Silver Spoon achieve something here. Either influencing NMM/Luna or altering the timeline all-together. It would be a shame if we just retread out all of the canon's plotline, especially with the waves that Silver is making with the foals.
Lastly, I love that art!
11361419
We'll have to wait and see!
Thank you!
Intrigued, but honestly having a reasonable nightmare moon just makes hate her more.
Like seriously, you spent that much time watching, waiting, and planning, yet you have less mental maturity than a seemingly random child you popped into the nightmare of.
I like the story as a whole, but this chapter has rubbed me wrong.
Ps. The nightmare chapters seem a little longer than they need to be. The sound effects are a little weird as well, usually they're described not written/sounded out.
Hope ya don't mind the criticism.
Cheers.
11361521
Apologies, actions scenes aren't quite my forté. I do have my own reasons for NMM to act this way. Years of isolation has left her socially stunted somewhat and the whole basis of her 'evil plan to cover the world in eternal darkness' did initially come from an emotionally immature desire. From what we've seen in the first episode of the show, self-reflection isn't her forté either.
11361563
Fair point. Could we, in a few chapters of course, get an interlude where NMM, Celestia, or both think on the situation at hand?
Celestia would be a little trickier, perhaps she noticed some disturbance a few years prior and is keeping an eye out.
NMM might question how this filly knows so much at such an age or feeling concern for her and her family due to forbidden knowledge or whatever.
Ps. for action scenes, act it out in your head. Do a few movements, think about description and the flow of things. Write what you reliably can put to paper, then read it over, think about it and work from there.
Also having Bon Bon/Agent Sweet Drops as a guidance counselor/Teacher's Aid would be really cool eventually. Just an idea.
11361580
Would an Interlude between different perspectives of the Alicorn sisters not be a jarring shift within the narrative? I'm much more confident in shifting POV between fillies in Ponyville. Yet for hyper-intelligent creatures that lived over millennia, both living far away from where our story takes place, I'm not as confident I'm afraid. Shifting that POV to very influential and knowledgeable characters might also reveal much more than I intend for the story. I have many ideas loosely tied together in my mind; I do not want to have these ideas set in stone just yet. I'll think about it though. Maybe I can pull it off somehow?
Thank you for your suggestions and for reading this chapter, even if it rubbed you the wrong way!
11360900
For me, it's even more lenient than that. If I am consciously dreaming, I will remember it all when I wake up. And will continue to do so for a long time, decades in some cases. All without any memory tricks.
The caveat is that, outside of extremely rare occasions, I'm NOT consciously dreaming. That requires a specific lightness to sleeping, and I've always been a very deep sleeper.
Point is, having a dream "go fuzzy" never happens. If I were Silver Spoon, the mere fact I was conscious in the dream would ensure I retained it. Then again, my dreams also stick to animation, usually don't involve "me" (beyond arguably watching it on a screen), and when they do it's in third-person, so clearly I'm not the norm here.
11361586
You're not forced to reveal anything. Just expressing their worries is enough.
I understand your concern, but it could lead to some good foreshadowing.
They may be knowledgeable, but they're not all knowing.
Give them a chance to explore the possibilities along with you and the viewers.
An interesting subversion of expectations.
Still, not an unwelcome one. Surely Nightmare Moon, even in the original show, had to have some sort of plan to magically keep the environment livable in, specifically on the surface of the planet, so ponies could gaze upon her night sky an all its wonders.
This entire paragraph is bolded, I assume that's a mistake.
11361708
Ah thank you, fixed!
New fic seen, must come to the origins. As ever the best to yee along with those pics shown!
11361931
Thank you!
When you have a thousand years to contemplate things it can be easy to fall into the trap of thinking you've got everything figured out. Problem is, when an anomaly gets injected and throws all your hard work and plans at rotating air circulation units.
As with all truly good villains, Luna is actually fairly justified in her own mind. Silver is still realizing that the show isn't the end-all archetype for his things will play out. Question is, how she'll manipulate things to actually be that way...
Oh, also...
im a bit on the fence about SS forgeting the dream, especialy since she rememberd her last dream, i explaint it to mysel that its harder to remember once you leave your own dreamscape but even if that was true she should remember how NMM saved her from nightmers and left with her, or at least some of it, other that that great chapter, can't wait for ripples to disturb the water
oh also, will SS remember her "dream memories" while asleep? or will she meet NMM for the first time each time NMM will save her from nightmares?
11362327
She will remember some parts of it. Pondering about it and real life reminders will allow her to part some pieces together. It'll come to her slowly as her dream self will try to refine her attempts at recording down information to warn her awake self.
11362355
Spoilers~!
I wonder what nmm would have said if Spoon said she reincarnated on accident from a separate universe.