//------------------------------// // Westward Bound // Story: One Way to San Franciscolt // by dart157 //------------------------------// Luna set a stack of bits on the ticket counter, which more than covered the cost of a room, the dining, and the preferred seating. Taking her ticket, she stood on the far end of the station as The Nightmare rambled on. I’ve always hated Celestia. If I could, I’d just kill her now for her treatment of you. I want her to feel the wrath of the Night like she did all those years ago, at my hooves. “Nightmare, shut up,” Luna said in her head. “Your insolent rambling will only make it worse. Get a grip on yourself before I shut you up myself.” Fine. Just get on the damn train and let’s get out of here. Luna stood and waited for a while, before The Nightmare started up again. I think you should let me out again. Forgo this silly trip, and let me go back to end the reign of the sun. “Nightmare…” Luna growled. I’m doing this for you, my dear! It would make your life so much better with your sister gone. “Nightmare. You said the exact same thing to me a thousand years ago, and we’re not doing that. I will not kill my sister,” Luna snapped. Well why not? You know she will continue to neglect you. “Because…well…I do not know, she will come around eventually, I promise,” Luna said, trying to justify herself. But she has not, has she? It’s been four weeks at this point. Are you even sure that your sister will ever change? This is how she has always been, and always will be. She will always neglect you. “Just shut up,” Luna said tiredly, using a spell to shut up Nightmare Moon. This same thing had happened before, and Luna knew that. She knew The Nightmare was trying to manipulate her, get her to do what she wanted for herself. Luna had been caught at these crossroads ever since she returned. On one hoof, The Nightmare had proved to be a useful ally, and was there when Luna needed comfort, but on the other, The Nightmare was still the same force that drove her to the darkness all those years ago, and still had the same ideas of eternal night and vengeance. Usually, Luna just let The Nightmare ramble and rant, but she often found herself forcefully shutting The Nightmare up to protect her damaged mental state, one that was easy to manipulate. As much as Luna wanted to forsake Celestia, she was still her sister, and Luna would not stoop to the lows she did as Nightmare Moon. A loud blaring of a horn was heard a little ways away from the station, and the train came into view. It was a massive machine, made of steel and glass. Its diesel prime mover throbbed beneath the metal carbody, and the bell clanged loudly as the train’s locomotives came to a stop just beyond the station platform. With another singular blast of the horn, the doors on the train opened, and the passengers disembarked with luggage and other things. Luna watched as ponies on the platform hugged their relatives or friends, or as businessponies disembarked, wearing expensive suits and carrying their bags in their magic. The conductor then directed the other ponies to form up in a line and present their tickets. The crowd quickly approached the conductor. With each passenger, he punched their tickets and let them aboard.  Luna! Stop watching and go join the line!  Evidently, The Nightmare had broken through the silencer spell, but at least she wasn’t rambling about how Celestia needed to die. Heeding her advice, Luna came to the rear of the line, and slowly inched forwards towards the coach. The conductor stopped her. “Tickets please,” he droned, his eyes drifting towards Luna. They widened a little bit, but he did not mention her, instead quickly punching her ticket and letting her aboard. Once Luna had entered the train, he gave the all aboard call and closed the vestibule door, at the same time signaling the engineer to depart. With two short blasts of the horn, the train slowly throttled up. It was soon leaving Canterlot behind, traveling west. Luna timidly navigated to her room for the next few days, walking down the curving hallway of the sleeper car. Opening room #2, she placed her bag inside and closed the door quickly as the train began to move. Laying down on the bed, she shut her eyes, trying to forget that day’s events. A few moments later, her vigil was interrupted by a small knock at the door, as one of the stewardesses had come to take Luna’s dinner order. At this point, Luna had fallen asleep, rocked to bed by the slow back and forth of the railcar. So, naturally, The Nightmare decided to take charge. “Luna wouldn’t mind”, she figured. She was doing her a favor, by placing her order for food and letting her mind rest. “Enter!” Nightmare Moon called, having assumed the dominant position in Luna’s mind. She was doing the talking, the moving, the breathing, and Luna was none the wiser. The stewardess slowly opened the door, a bright smile on her face. “Your Highness!” she said, bowing slightly. “It is an honor to serve you tonight. What may I get you?” Nightmare Moon chuckled, trying to assume Luna’s voice. “Mmm, that is a different reaction to what I have gotten recently.” The stewardess looked at her, a bit confused, before nodding her head slowly. “I don’t mean to rush you, but I need to get to other passengers,” she said quietly. “Oh, of course,” Nightmare Moon said in her characteristic way of speaking. “A bottle of red wine and some hayburgers, please.” With a slight nod, the stewardess departed, all the while Nightmare Moon chuckled under her breath. She fully intended to get drunk, but that would have to wait for later in the night. For now, Luna had to be fed. When the stewardess returned, Nightmare Moon graciously tipped the mare, and accepted the food and wine. Placing the wine bottle on the table, she calmly ate the hayburgers and looked out the window. She was enjoying her few moments of freedom. Feeling bored, she popped the cork and poured herself a glass of wine, sipping it as the countryside zipped by. She let out a small yet sinister chuckle of glee, and downed the glass of wine. “Much better than that awful beer Luna drank,” she quipped. A slight buzzing sounded in her head, and Nightmare Moon recognized it was time to return Luna to the forefront of thought again. Grabbing Luna’s personality, she shoved it to the lead position of her mind, and receded back into Luna’s brain. Luna’s brain buzzed, as she slowly awoke from her short nap. Strangely enough, a bottle of wine and a small plate were left on the table, two hayburgers left on the plate, and an empty wine glass standing next to the bottle. Not thinking much of it, Luna ate the last two hayburgers, and sipped a little bit of wine, before laying back down on the bed. Luna, my dear, do you like what I’ve prepared for you? The sudden interjection of The Nightmare startled Luna, and she jolted a little bit. “Nightmare! Never do that again,” she said to herself, as the entire sentence settled in Luna’s head. “You mean to tell me you prepared this?” she asked, a bit surprised. Of course. The stewardess came and asked for your order, so I naturally told her what you wanted. Or rather, what I wanted. The Nightmare chuckled quietly when she said this, her voice now starting to take on the qualities of being slightly drunk.  “Very interesting…and nothing was amiss when you did this?” Luna asked. Nothing at all. I even imitated you. “Okay then, I suppose I will return to sleep. Have you any questions before I lay my head down?” Zero. And with that, Luna shut her eyes and promptly fell asleep, leaving The Nightmare to her own thoughts.  Nightmare Moon was once again left alone in Luna’s head. With her host now fast asleep, she believed it was high time to have some fun. Waking up Luna’s body, but keeping Luna’s consciousness asleep, she grabbed the wine bottle and poured another glass, swallowing it quickly. The red liquid stained her teeth, but it tasted good as ever, especially after having to drink what Luna was drinking. The satisfaction of choice and the onset of drunkenness filled Nightmare Moon’s head like the wine she poured into the glass. Sipping on her third overall glass of wine, she had a momentary time of thought. “Why am I doing this for Luna?” she thought. “I can be my own pony if I chose to, yet I still choose to aid my creator.” Nightmare Moon mulled over this thought for a while, yet she still felt that obligation to Luna. However, that would not stop her from enjoying herself on occasion. Chuckling to herself, Nightmare Moon watched as the sun slowly set below the horizon. Someday, the sun would set forever, but there were more important priorities at hoof. She slowly got out of bed, and with a simple thought, she transformed Luna’s body into her own. Focusing her magic, she locked the door, and then laid back down on the bed. To anyone that entered the room, it would’ve been a tantalizing sight to behold. She had laid down on her side, her eyelids were heavy, and the aroma of wine mixed with the scent of lavender, but Nightmare Moon was not in the mood for pleasure. She closed her eyes and focused upon a point in Luna’s consciousness: the entryway to the Dreamscape. Slipping through the portal, Nightmare Moon emerged on the flat and starry plain she had known for a millenia. To her, it was something she could do on a whim, and the intrigue of the Dreamscape had long since vanished for her. The thing she was most interested in was what lay within. Calling upon her magic, she summoned a long line of doors. Picking through these doors, she narrowed them down to the ones belonging to passengers on the train. With a sly smile on her face, she summoned her armor, which quickly attached to her body. A quick spell later, she was ready to enter the dreams of ponies, albeit a bit drunk. Stepping into one of these doors, she peeked her head in and spied a pony sitting by a lake. The moon hung high in the sky, and stars filled the night. The pony, evidently a stallion, seemed peaceful and tired, so Nightmare Moon wiped the evil smile off her face, and slowly approached the stallion. The soft sound of hooves on dirt was heard through the dream, and Nightmare Moon felt at peace for the first time in her miserable life. She even contemplated leaving the dream, and letting Luna experience this herself, but no, she would not give up her freedom. Nightmare Moon slowly walked up to the lake’s shore and stood there, looking out into the night sky. The stallion next to her appeared to be in a sleep of sorts, so she gently prodded him awake. The stallion jumped and his eyes flicked open, focusing onto Nightmare Moon’s own eyes. The two locked gazes for a moment, and the stallion’s eyes seemed to soften, his facial structure taking a more intrigued look. The stallion coughed, and looked away from Nightmare Moon, seemingly embarrassed. “Your Highness, why visit my dream?” he asked. Nightmare Moon chuckled, and sat down beside him. “I just needed a break.” “Don’t we all?” he responded, a smile on his face. “You make a good point,” Nightmare Moon said, smiling slightly. “Tell me, what is your name?” The stallion chuckled. “Bitterbrew. I work in the medical field.” The two sat in silence for a while. Nightmare Moon had summoned in another wine glass, and sipped from it as she sat on the shoreline. The stallion looked at Nightmare Moon and furrowed his brow. “Are you drinking?” he asked. Nightmare Moon simply nodded her head. “I have been through a lot. I am probably drunk by now, but it does not matter to me,” she chuckled, downing the rest of the glass. Bitterbrew sighed. “Would it be wrong of me to ask what’s going on?” “No, it wouldn’t,” she started. “My host Luna has been going through yet another falling out with her sister, Celestia. After Twilight defeated me, I was brought back under Luna’s control. I quickly found a loophole on how to regain control, albeit only for a few hours at a time, yet I found no need to exact my revenge anymore,” she sighed, putting the wine glass down.  “On to Luna,” Nightmare Moon said calmly. “She, along with myself, arrived back in the castle at Canterlot about a month ago. From then on, she had been recovering her magic, while I helped her with decision making. Eventually, ponies began to notice Luna was back, and instead of addressing her properly they addressed her as Nightmare Moon, and would publicly ostracize her for her past relations with me. We tried to go to Celestia for help, but she ignored us, just like she did a thousand years ago. We ended up confronting her, and then fleeing the castle.” Bitterbrew slowly nodded his head. “I’m not sure I can fully relate, but I understand a bit of what you’re going through.” Nightmare Moon nodded, and closed her eyes, laying down on the grass. “Do you mind me being here at all?” “Not one bit,” he said, chuckling. “Stay as long as you want.” “Thank you, Bitterbrew, I appreciate your generosity,” Nightmare Moon responded. Again, the two remained in silence for a while longer. Bitterbrew tried to keep his eyes from straying towards Nightmare Moon, who lay near him, but to little avail. Her head was turned away from him, and every few minutes he stole a glance at her. The jet black fur absorbed the light in such a way that made her glow in the night, her ethereal mane danced around her neck, and the soft rise and fall of her chest was almost cute to him. A strange thought echoed in Bitterbrew’s mind. He knew who she was, he was aware of the legend, and he was aware of her motives. Before him was in fact Nightmare Moon, a pony who could rip him to shreds if he tried anything dangerous. Yet, he felt the strange desire to hold her close. From what he gathered, she was not the one who needed the hug, but it made sense to him that the emotions would transfer from her to Luna. And even if they did not, he would still have hugged Nightmare Moon. Bitterbrew got to his hooves and walked towards her. Something within his mind told him she needed it. Laying down in front of her, he gently tapped one of her hooves.  “Nightmare, you there?” he asked. Nightmare Moon nodded her head slowly, but did not open her eyes. “What is it you need, Bitterbrew?” she whispered. Bitterbrew drew in a deep breath. “Would it be appropriate to hug you?” he asked quickly. In her drunken state, Nightmare Moon didn’t really care. She didn’t care if this random pony touched her, hugged her, even kissed her. It was just a dream anyway, and it could all be over at just a thought. Though, another thought came to her mind. She hadn’t had a hug in years, and if she was correct, Luna could receive the hug vicariously through herself. Nightmare Moon stood up, and motioned for Bitterbrew to rise as well. She nodded slowly, and let him wrap his forelegs around her neck. She lowered her head to his own, and pressed it gently into his neck. Both Bitterbrew and Nightmare Moon’s minds were racing. To Bitterbrew, it was the highest honor he had ever been given. To Nightmare Moon, it was a sorely needed feeling. The feeling of being appreciated -- loved, even – was like a soft blanket to warm her cold heart. With a spell, Nightmare Moon transferred these feelings into Luna, for her to feel upon the morning. The two embraced for a while longer, before Bitterbrew retracted his forelegs. The two locked eyes, and chuckled slightly. A faint blush was visible on Bitterbrew’s face as well, adding to Nightmare Moon’s feelings of warmth and happiness. “Thank you,” Nightmare Moon said quietly, laying back down. “Come, lay with me,” she added, tapping the ground next to her. Bitterbrew chuckled and laid down with Nightmare Moon, nestling himself next to her, nuzzling into her neck. “Thanks a lot, this is really nice,” he said, laughing a little more. Nightmare Moon smiled and draped her wing across his body, and brought him closer to her chest. “It is nice to see a pony who does not cower in fear at the raw sight or mention of me,” she muttered, gently kissing his neck. A wave of heat pulsed through Bitterbrew’s body, and a blush grew on his cheeks as he snuggled closer to Nightmare Moon. “I…heh, thanks, I guess?” he said awkwardly. The two laid together for another few hours, before Bitterbrew slowly shook his head. “I’ve gotta go, Nightmare,” he said, getting up. “I understand, my friend. Leave, I shall visit you another time,” Nightmare Moon said, also getting up. “Farewell, Bitterbrew.” “Goodbye!” he said as he left the dream world.  Soon, Nightmare Moon found herself back in the main Dreamscape. Her original mission was still unfilled, and she was left standing in the starry plain, yet she felt no need to complete it. She removed her armor and exited the Dreamscape. Nightmare Moon awoke in the sleeper car, still on the bed. She quickly hid the half-empty wine bottle and drank some water, hoping to alleviate the coming hangover. Returning to sleep, she brought Luna’s consciousness forward, and went back to being Luna’s observer. Luna’s eyes slowly opened, and she scanned her surroundings. Immediately, she felt the feeling of a hangover setting in, but it was strangely mixed in with another feeling: one of love, and appreciation. Rubbing her head, Luna slowly got up to drink some water, taking an entire bottle and swallowing its contents. Feeling a little better, she laid back down to breathe a little, yet the strange feeling of love never dissipated.  Stranger still, The Nightmare hadn’t said a word. Looking into her head, she saw The Nightmare passed out, softly snoring. Something in Luna’s mind told her it was The Nightmare who had gotten her drunk, and it was The Nightmare who had given her those weird feelings. She had to know. “Nightmare. Wake up,” Luna said to herself. What do you want, Luna? I was trying to rest. “Two things. Why am I drunk, and why do I feel this strange feeling of love?” she asked. I may have drank a little last night. Upon hearing this, Luna was furious. “Don’t you tell me you went out and slept with a passenger on this train!” I did not. I went and explored a dream, and was overcome by strong emotions. I thought it best to share these emotions with you. “I hardly believe you, but what were you thinking when you shared these emotions with me?” Luna prodded.  I simply wanted you to feel something other than sadness. Luna grumbled and rolled her eyes, yet she felt that The Nightmare could be telling the truth. Whatever the truth, it felt nice. Being loved was something she had needed for many years. Instead of from her sister, it had instead come from some unknown source that The Nightmare had shared with her. Why The Nightmare had shared these feelings with her was beyond Luna’s comprehension, but she was happy nonetheless. “Thank you, Nightmare,” Luna said quietly. You are welcome, my dearest Luna.