Twilight nibbled on her lower lip and paced back and forth. Her hooves and legs bristled with a jittery, nervous energy that constantly bubbled up inside of her, occasionally exploding outwards from her core to wash over her body like a tidal wave, and yet, in the aftermath of the wave of anxiety, she felt a little calmer. Still, it was not enough to stop her from pacing back and forth inside her room.
After all, she had every reason to be nervous. Nightmare was about to make a public address. And it involved her. Specifically, Nightmare would be announcing her position as her student, rather than Princess Celestia's. And she was expected to be there. She didn't have to say anything, of course, but Nightmare certainly left no wiggle room: She had to be there, to stand beside Nightmare Moon, while Nightmare gave the address to Canterlot.
Sure, it was impossible for all of Canterlot to be there, but there would be a crowd of ponies. Hundreds? Assuredly. Thousands? It was a definite possibility. Would her parents be there? She hadn't had a chance to speak with them since this whole thing had started. At that thought, her pacing slowed. The thought served as a weight that prevented her jittery nerves from carrying her away. The anxiety twisted and morphed inside of her, rather than providing her with an energy she needed to expend, it became a sense of dread that sapped her energy.
Her heart still raced from her unconquerable anxiety, however.
She remembered how Nightmare had gone over it with her. She knew, at least roughly, what to expect. Nightmare would greet the ponies, acknowledge her sister's defeat and imprisonment again, then acknowledge her new student. Nightmare, she had discovered, had a very specific plan for how she would present this. Rather than treating it as a boastful display of her superiority- not only defeating Princess Celestia and taking over Equestria, but also claiming her student- she would treat it as an opportunity, such as an example of mercy. Nightmare was planning to use it to her own advantage.
But that didn't change the fact that she would be presented to Equestria as Nightmare Moon's student. Not as Princess Celestia's Most Faithful Student, but as the student of the very pony who defeated and then imprisoned Equestria's beloved ruler on the moon. Perhaps ponies would see that she had no choice.
But most likely, Equestria would look at her differently. Everypony would see her in a different light. Rather than seeing Princess Celestia's protege, she would be seen as a traitor. How much would everypony hate her? Or would they pity her? Would Princess Celestia forgive her, if she escaped or was freed? Would Princess Celestia be able to right these wrongs? Would Princess Celestia be able to clear her name?
She had plenty of reasons to be worried, and they twisted in her gut, in the back of her mind, and all throughout her body. Would she be able to see the faces of the ponies gathered for the announcement? What emotions would their faces hold? Would she be able to watch and see as their faces twisted from curiosity and fear to anger, disgust, and hatred?
And how would she be able to handle that? Equestria turning on her. Would ponies spite her and treat her poorly? Would Nightmare Moon truly do as she had promised and protect her, if that was the case, or would she leave her to fend for herself? Or, was this all an attempt by Nightmare Moon to isolate her even farther, to deny her any sway that she could have used to try to start dissent to overthrow her reign and free Princess Celestia?
And then, of course, there was the fact that ponies might be able to see the necklace Nightmare Moon forced her to wear. Even if standing beside Nightmare didn't send the wrong message, surely that would. Perhaps ponies might see through it and reason it away as being forced on her. But would ponies give her the chance to explain, if Nightmare was overthrown? Or would they treat her the same way they treated of Nightmare Moon, and disposed of her before Princess Celestia could fix everything?
And what about the rumors? She could already hear them and see the newspaper headlines, 'Twilight Sparkle: Nightmare Moon's Apprentice?' What other rumors would spread? Would ponies think that she was involved with Princess Celestia's defeat? Would they think she helped Nightmare Moon?
She exhaled sharply and whimpered. Every single muscle in her body wanted to tense up, and every fiber of her being screamed out, demanding that she curl up in a ball and cry in a panic attack while she hyperventilated. As it was, she shivered and trembled. The logical part of her mind tried to confront these problems, reminding her that she was giving too much energy to 'what if' scenarios, reminding her that it would be what it would be and that she had no choice in the matter. She just needed to survive. The logical part of her mind chastised her for worrying so much, if only because it left her more vulnerable.
But it didn't help any.
Turning around, for the first time since she had started pacing, she lifted her head up and looked throughout the room. Two Royal Guards stood guard at the door- most assuredly to keep her from leaving until Nightmare Moon came for her. Other than that, the room was a fairly spartan guest room inside the castle. There was a dresser with a mirror on it, but it was otherwise barren. The bed was large enough for two larger ponies to sleep together comfortably, and it was extravagant, with rich red bedsheets and brownish-purple pillowcases. The room even had a bathroom attached to it, but it sadly lacked a balcony.
Nightmare had her wait here since it was close at hoof compared to her tower. And it was close to the balcony from where Nightmare would address the ponies.
She nibbled on her lip once more and looked back at the two guards. They did their best to stand there stoically and ignore her. They weren't trying to be unfriendly, simply they were doing their best to hide their presence there, as if in a vain attempt of granting her some semblance of privacy.
It did nothing to make her feel any less like a prisoner, however.
The door clicked, then started swinging open. A spike of ice shot through her body, her chest tensed up, and she couldn't breathe. Her body went rigid in fear, and likewise, both Royal Guards froze up at the sound.
Sure enough, the door opened entirely and revealed the visage of Nightmare Moon. The alicorn ignored the two guards and looked straight at her. Her eyes held a cunning, lethal intellect once more, but for a moment, curiosity flashed through them. In an instant, the lethal sharpness returned. "Twilight Sparkle," Nightmare acknowledged.
There was no venom in her voice, but it did come off formally. Try as she did to control herself, she found herself squeaking, her ears folding back, and her legs trembling.
And that was enough for Nightmare's expression to soften, and the intellect in her eyes morphed into disappointment. Her straight, regal posture slipped as she took in a deep breath. She still held herself proudly, but her stance held less authority and power as she stood there. "Relax," was her command.
Twilight closed her eyes and nodded quickly. The best she could do, now that waves of icy terror and burning anxiety crashed through her body, was hold her ears back up and stand up rigidly.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Nightmare close her eyes, then shake her head side to side twice. She heard Nightmare exhale, then Nightmare turned and stepped outside. The door was left open behind her. Nightmare paused, then looked back at her. "Come."
Swallowing, she picked her hooves up one at a time and strode towards Nightmare Moon; the alicorn would accept no hesitation in this matter. She needed to be far more careful than normal, the slightest slipup could spell disaster for her. She slowed as she approached Nightmare's side. Nightmare watched her, and she watched Nightmare. For a moment, Nightmare's eyes darted away from her own. It made her feel calmer, even though she still felt and saw Nightmare's eyes rolling over her body, taking in her form.
Another moment past, and Nightmare's gaze settled back on her own. Anxiety once again ballooned up inside her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Nightmare's wing fluff. Immediately, her gaze fell onto the wing. Slowly, as if to try to avoid invoking her flight response, Nightmare's wing extended. Twilight found herself paralyzed, yet trembling as she watched it unfold. Then, she felt Nightmare's longest, farthest out feather touch her back. Her body froze, and she went rigid in fear. What was this? What could this be? What did it mean? Was it an attempt to force her to lower her guard?
Almost painfully slowly, Nightmare's feather traced forward across her back, from just behind her ribcage, to her shoulder, before finally lifting away from her body and folding back against Nightmare's side. She shivered, but not in fear. Nightmare's feather was just as rich and soft as Princess Celestia's had been. It was nothing like she had expected. It wasn't coarse, it wasn't painful. It wasn't demanding, nor was it fear-inducing.
She could still feel the feather tracing over her back, how it had parted her fur, how it had forced her body to relax. It was a calming stroke, a comforting one. Swallowing, she blinked once, then met Nightmare's gaze. The alicorn regarded her with a mixture of curiosity and approval, although she could still see the intensity of her gaze. But it wasn't a gaze that promised death for any slipups, but rather one that somehow seemed to promise to pick her up if she fell.
She blinked a few times and shifted her weight. To her surprise, her muscles obeyed her. The feeling of dread and anxiety were still there, but far subdued. And that shocked her. She knew it had to have been some kind of magical spell that induced that effect in her, but it was an impossibility for that spell to have been cast. There was no spell cast. She had been right there, alert the whole time. Nightmare's horn hadn't glowed, and she hadn't felt Nightmare use her magic.
It set the curious part of her mind off, pondering this development. Even as seconds passed, she found that she could still feel Nightmare's lingering touch. And Nightmare still remained there, beside her, unmoving. It was like Nightmare had somehow developed patience and was waiting on her. But that left so many questions unanswered. She closed her eyes, and if she pretended that the feeling of Nightmare watching her wasn't there- which was impossible- she could convince herself to muster her courage to ask one question, "W-what was that for?" she stuttered.
"You needed to relax," was Nightmare's casual answer. "I do not want you collapsing from fear," she added. "You're not going to be speaking; you are simply going to be there at my side. You do not need to worry about this so much."
Hesitantly, she opened her eyes and found Nightmare's expression was still unfirm. She swallowed, then nodded her head hastily. "T-thanks..." she said as quickly as possible.
Nightmare nodded once, then looked away from her and took a step forward. She took a step forward to match her. To her surprise, she found it easy. It wasn't intimidating, it didn't force her body to lock up rigidly out of fear, lest she slip up and invoke Nightmare's wrath.
"You do not need to be so rigid around me, Twilight Sparkle," Nightmare reminded as they walked on.
She didn't reply, but she continued to walk beside her. As they walked, she thought. Her mind wandered, though her thoughts centered on the nightmare alicorn- her teacher. There was a duality to her feelings towards Nightmare Moon. On one hoof, her teacher terrified her. Always lingering in the back of her mind was the fact that Nightmare could easily kill her, and would kill her if she betrayed her.
Princess Celestia had just as much power, at least regarding the ability to end her life. But Princess Celestia wouldn't do that. And she was starting to recognize, and more importantly, accept, that Nightmare Moon wasn't going to kill her without a very good reason.
So she could relax around Nightmare, but only to an extent. But in truth, most of her fear wasn't a result of Nightmare Moon. No, it was where they were going and why.
She felt a sinking feeling as the large arched doorway came into view. Sure, she couldn't hear anything from the outside, despite the doors being wide opened, but she knew that there were hundreds, if not thousands of ponies assembled for this announcement. And without a doubt, those ponies would spread word and rumor. With or without the help of the Royal Guard, all of Equestria would know of her status.
The doors approached far, far too quickly, even if Nightmare's pace was casual. She found her legs moving more slowly, which meant that Nightmare managed to slip ahead of her. It scared her, and she whimpered despite her attempts to stop herself.
Nightmare stopped and looked back at her, meeting her gaze.
"I-I don't want to do this," she stuttered out. Heat gathered in the edges of her eyes, then her vision grew blurry, blurring Nightmare's features until she couldn't see her expression.
She was still able to see Nightmare turn around and step so that she was directly in front of her. Nightmare's chest expanded over the course of several seconds as she inhaled. "Twilight Sparkle."
She took a step back in fear. There was a certain annoyance in her voice. And that same disappointment that made her think of Princess Celestia. Her ears folded back and she stared down at the floor. She heard Nightmare exhale sharply.
A few seconds passed, and with each one, her legs' trembling grew more pronounced.
"Twilight Sparkle," Nightmare said again. "You have nothing to fear from this."
Oh, how wrong she knew Nightmare was. She ducked back and bowed her head down low, directing her gaze at the floor directly below her."I-I'm sorry!" she squeaked out. "J-just g-give me a m-minute p-please!" She swallowed hard, but it did nothing to stop her trembling.
"You are forgiven," was Nightmare's dismissal.
A moment passed. She tried to pick herself up from her bow, but her legs refused to cooperate. She heard Nightmare inhale. "We do not have all night, Twilight Sparkle," Nightmare reminded her.
"I-I'm trying!"
A moment passed in silence, then she heard Nightmare's hoofsteps. The feeling of fear ballooned up inside her- but this time, rather than the announcement being the source, Nightmare Moon was the source. Instinctively, she fell down onto her stomach and held herself rigidly, not letting herself move, nor letting herself breath out of fear.
Nightmare stopped. A few seconds passed, yet she still held herself still.
"You disappoint me," Nightmare said.
Oh, how she hated those words. They came from Nightmare Moon, but that didn't stop it from striking to her core. It was always her fear that Princess Celestia would say something along those lines. That she would fail her. And now? Now she was failing Princess Celestia's sister. Even more, she was failing Princess Celestia. "I-I'm sorry..." just barely whispered out of her lips.
"If you are my student, I expect you to be better than this, Twilight Sparkle," came Nightmare's disappointed voice again.
Before even a second passed, she saw Nightmare's black feather, then felt it slide along her cheek. It was a gentle touch. She closed her eyes. Her tears gathered where her eyelids met. Nightmare's feather left her cheek, then brushed across her eyes. In that instant, she felt terrified, but when the feather was gone and she opened her eyes, she found, much to her relief, she could see.
She slowly looked up at Nightmare. For a few seconds, her gaze lingered on Nightmare's cyan chestplate. 'You've already won... why do you still wear that?' she wondered. The thought was lost as she looked up at Nightmare and met her gaze. She swallowed, then blinked and looked back down.
As with before, she found that the touch of Nightmare's feather was somehow comforting, and as such, she managed to pick herself up. Her body still felt tight, but there was no overwhelming sense of dread and unease. "H-how do... y-you do that?"
For a brief moment, Nightmare smirked at her. "Come now, Twilight Sparkle. In time, I will teach you," she purred.
Before she realized it, she was nodding. She blinked a few times, then shifted her weight. "I-I um... I-I don't know if... I'll be able t-to be out there w-without..." she trailed off, avoiding Nightmare's gaze. She could practically feel Nightmare frown at her.
"I think you will find that you are worrying about this far more than is necessary, Twilight Sparkle," Nightmare said.
She glanced up at her. There was the barest hint of amusement on her features.
"Now come," Nightmare said as she turned around. "The sooner we finish here, the sooner we can begin your lessons."
Embarrassing as it was, her ears perked right up at the mention of 'lessons.' Lessons were always good and exciting, and they meant she could learn more. But then, it reminded her of her last lesson, which she still didn't understand. 'What was I supposed to learn from overseeing the Summer Sun Celebration?'
But of course, Princess Celestia wasn't there to tell her. Princess Celestia wasn't there to teach her whatever lesson Nightmare Moon was going to, either.
She sighed softly and her ears drooped from their perked up position. She felt Nightmare glance back at her, and as such, she looked up to meet her.
Once again, Nightmare studied her, looking her over. Nightmare's eyes seemed to linger on her cutie mark for a second longer than anywhere else, then she looked away.
Slowly, she looked out of the open door at the night sky. The balcony was clearly lit, albeit softly since it was from the light of the moon. 'Will anypony even be able to see us?' she wondered. Putting the thought aside, she took a deep breath, then slowly walked to her place at Nightmare Moon's right side.
Once she was there, Nightmare strode forward calmly and regally, and so she followed. She walked as close to Nightmare as she dared as they approached the balcony, though she made certain to keep at least one step between them. Each step reminded her of her anxiety, making her chest twist and tighten, but she somehow managed to keep her legs from trembling.
As they passed the arched doorway, she felt her anxiety once again balloon. Inside the confines of the castle's hallways, the solid walls had acted to keep her anxiety confined, but now without those barriers, now exposed to the night sky, she felt like a source of stability had been taken from her. She was so exposed, open, and vulnerable.
She bit her lip, but kept herself walking forward beside Nightmare Moon. She kept her head facing forward, but she looked around, scanning the sky as quickly as she could, searching for whatever it would be that would jump out of the sky to get her. She didn't see anything, but it didn't reassure her any. It could have been above her, or behind her, and she couldn't turn to check.
Gradually, she saw over the edge of the railing, and as the courtyard came into view, her anxiety spiked. Her body tensed up, and she felt her stomach start to drop out from under her. Hundreds of ponies came into sight, then by the time she had stopped beside Nightmare Moon, there was a vast ocean of ponies- undoubtedly thousands- below. Nowhere near the whole of Canterlot, but assuredly enough that everypony would soon know.
Her heart raced, and she stood rigidly. She used her tense muscles to her advantage, as they held her in check. She couldn't run away from this, her fear made that certain. After all, if she backed out of this now, she would make a fool out of Nightmare Moon, wouldn't she? And then, well, that would be that. Nightmare Moon wanted her as a student, but if she made her teacher a fool, Nightmare would find a much less pleasant use for her.
So, she held her head in place. She stared off in the distance, gazing off into space, focusing on nothing in particular. After all, that was all she had to do. Just be there. She most assuredly avoided looking down at the ocean of ponies below, because she knew if she did, she would step back in fear. Even with looking off into space, she could see them plainly. The moon's light, while soft and subdued compared to the sun, was more than ample to ensure that she could make out the ponies below. Maybe not their features, but she knew it would be enough to make out the nearest individual ponies.
She saw Nightmare's chest rise beside her, then Nightmare's blue aura enveloped her horn. She felt a tingle of magic emanate out from Nightmare, and she managed to avoid shivering in fear only because of her greater fear: The crowd below. Even with her staring off into space, she could see the ripple in the crowd below. Their fear, as they felt Nightmare's magic wash over them. But they did not run off in terror. They remained.
"My beloved subjects," Nightmare practically purred. Her voice was regal, firm, and authoritative.
There was no doubt in Twilight's mind, that even though she did not shout, her voice was heard by everypony present as if she were standing right before them. A wave of cold washed over her body, chilling her far more than the cool mountain air could. The voice sounded so familiar, bringing back memories from Nightmare's appearance in Ponyville, bringing back memories of the everpresent dread upon seeing the Mare in the Moon disappear.
"I bring you great news!" Nightmare called out, almost joyfully. "My dear sister's Most Faithful Student, Twilight Sparkle, shall no longer be my sister's student, but mine!"
She couldn't stop a shiver from racing down her spine. There was still an unmistakable venom in her voice directed at Princess Celestia. And while she absolutely adored hearing Princess Celestia's voice speak of her as her Most Faithful Student, hearing that name coming from Nightmare Moon was just wrong on so many levels. It sent another wave of icy coldness through her body. Nightmare Moon wouldn't kill her for no reason, but the fact remained, Nightmare Moon hated her sister to no end, and she had been that sister's Most Faithful Student.
She absolutely had to stay on Nightmare Moon's good side, or at least her less malicious side, otherwise, she would be a tool that Nightmare Moon would use against Princess Celestia.
And then there was the pulse of fear that throbbed out from one skipped heartbeat as Nightmare made the pronouncement: 'Twilight Sparkle is my student!' The fear swelled up, then subsided, gradually deflating as if a balloon had been filled too much, then burst without exploding. It was a slow leak, but a leak of the right size so that pressure inside and out felt the same. And somehow, her calm returned.
She could hear a hushed wave roll throughout the crowd at Nightmare's declaration. It was now official. Not just for her, nor Nightmare Moon, but for all of Equestria. For the entire world. She wasn't Princess Celestria's Most Faithful Student, not anymore. Now, she was Nightmare Moon's student.
It was most assuredly a demotion that came with greatly increased health risks and absolutely no hazard pay. But compared to the alternative, it was a great move!
She couldn't make out any of the individual voices, they all mixed together. She couldn't hear any of the words spoken, they were too faint and too many. She dared not look down from where she stared off into the distance. How could she look down at those ponies gathered before them? How could she let them see her face, to see her fear and uncertainty, and to see her paralyzed in fear? How could she not? After all, showing them that she was afraid would show that she had no choice. Perhaps then, Equestria would not view her as a traitor, but as the victim that she was.
But showing them her face meant risking seeing their faces. It meant risking making all of the 'what ifs' real. She could look down and show them her fear, but find that nopony cared. She could find that all of them hated her without remorse, that nothing would change that.
But why did she care? They were other ponies. She didn't know any of them. None of them mattered to her. They weren't her friends. They were absolute strangers. Part of her chastised her for feeling such fear from the judgments of others. It was the same part of her chastising her for somehow managing to make friends with the five most insane ponies alive.
She was such a fool, and she most assuredly was acting like the foal that she was, but that didn't change the fact that Equestria's judgment scared her. Perhaps it was because she could associate Equestria's judgment with Princess Celestia's judgment.
"I expect you all to give her the same respect you give me," Nightmare ended.
There was a threat in Nightmare's command, and yet, she found a certain irony present in it. It was an irony that she dreaded. Ponies weren't fond of her- she had overthrown Equestria's beloved monarch to assume the throne herself, and she had brought about eternal night. If ponies respected her, it was out of fear. They didn't love her. They disliked her at the very least, or did not care. And Nightmare was asking them to treat her with the same respect.
It was exactly the opposite of what she should have said. As Princess Celestia's Most Faithful Student, she had respect- Rarity was a prime example of that. Now? Now, the only respect she would have was ponies not trying to kill her because Nightmare would smite them for it.
Then again, she might not even have that.
But then, the tone of Nightmare's voice commanded respect and authority, in addition to offering a promise: 'Respect my student, or there will be consequences.'
For the first time since stepping out onto the balcony, her eyes reacted. Her gaze glanced from staring off into space to looking at Nightmare Moon. Nightmare held herself with an authority and regality befitting Princess Celestia, but it was a darker, more threatening, and intimidating authority and regality. Ponies would not cross Princess Celestia because of love and respect. Ponies would not cross Nightmare Moon because they would suffer her wrath.
And her face was firm. She could see that Nightmare entirely meant what was said. 'Why does Nightmare Moon want ponies to respect me!?' part of her mind screamed out for understanding. She was Princess Celestia's student. She had respect then. And that was why she drew Nightmare Moon's interest. But now she was Nightmare's student, and Nightmare Moon wanted her to be respected.
She couldn't understand why. It didn't make sense, and yet, it was.
Nightmare, whether she saw her looking or not, glanced back at her. For a moment, she watched Nightmare, and Nightmare watched her. Then, Nightmare cast her gaze back out across the crowd, as if daring them to defy her command. Slowly, she returned to looking off into space.
In a slow, graceful motion, Nightmare turned to the right, then walked around in an arc in front of her. She turned in sync with Nightmare as her body was hidden from the crowd, then followed her back inside. As she stepped back through the arched doorway, she felt a wave of relief wash over her. A tiredness came alongside it, hitting her like a wall. Her eyelids drooped, her ears fell, and her head sagged. She let out a sigh of relief as all of the stress faded away. Nightmare had kept it short and intimidating.
Without breaking stride, Nightmare commented, "You worry too much."
She took a deep breath and stood up straighter. "There could have been problems."
Nightmare glanced back at her dismissively, but raised an eyebrow, almost mockingly. "Such as?"
She frowned at Nightmare and puffed out her cheeks. "There could have been any number of problems!" she retorted. "There could have been-! A-an attack! Or-or something else!"
An amused look crossed Nightmare's features, and casually, she looked back forward. "I would have taken care of such a problem," was her playful answer. "Unless, of course, you doubt me?"
Fear exploded in her heart and soared into her mind. Her heart skipped a beat, and she immediately stopped walking. A moment later, Nightmare stopped and turned back to face her, wearing a concerned frown and her brow creased. "I-I-"
Disappointment. That was the way Nightmare regarded her. Inescapable disappointment. Princess Celestia's sister was disappointed with her. And by extension, that meant most likely, Princess Celestia would be disappointed in her. She looked away from her and felt her ears fold back in shame. Feeling shame at Nightmare's disappointment surprised her, but it wasn't the first time either.
Still, Nightmare continued to silently watch her for a few seconds longer. "I see we need to work on your confidence," was her succinct acknowledgment.
She cringed at that. Reluctantly, she turned back to face Nightmare. Hesitantly, she met Nightmare's gaze.
"And, of course, your magic," Nightmare added. It almost sounded like a peace offer.
It intrigued her, and it took only a brief second to pass before Nightmare's disappointment and her fear had been forgotten and replaced by intellectual appetite. What spells did Nightmare Moon know? What spells would Nightmare Moon teach her? Should she learn some of those spells, even if Princess Celestia possibly wouldn't approve? Could she use any of those spells to defeat Nightmare Moon?
The last thought stabbed her heart, inflicting a sudden pain of fear. She looked right at Nightmare Moon, and Nightmare Moon was looking right back at her when she had thought that. Would Nightmare Moon be able to sense her thoughts, know of that rouge, cursed thought that would be her demise? If she did, how badly would Nightmare react? Or would Nightmare spare her?
Nightmare knew something was wrong, that much was clear. But whether it was her thoughts betraying her, or just the fear caused by that traitorous thought, she could not tell. Nightmare kept silent on the matter.
"I-I'd like that," she stuttered out, her voice pitched far higher than normal.
Nightmare frowned. "You are not my sister," was all she said before turning around and resuming her walk. Nightmare didn't even wait for Twilight to follow.
She felt that Nightmare meant that as a way to comfort her, as if to say, 'My anger is not directed at you, Twilight Sparkle, but your former mentor.' She licked her lips, then swallowed the knot in her throat. "Y-your sister was my m-mentor." Why had she said that?
"Yes, and a rather inept one at that," Nightmare quipped.
She winced back. Her first thought was to retort her for insulting Princess Celestia, but before she could, another thought occurred to her: "W-was that an insult?"
Nightmare stopped and took a deep breath, then swiveled around to face her. "My sister did not even teach you how to defend yourself. That will not do, Twilight Sparkle. As my student, I expect you to be able to defend yourself."
She bit her lip for a second. "Y-you... said that you would... protect me," she whispered.
Nightmare waited for a second, then nodded her head. "Yes... and I will. But I still want you to be able to protect yourself should I-" Suddenly, she stopped, as if catching herself before she said something that ought not to be said. "Should I be otherwise occupied."
Slowly, she nodded. "Right... But... why do you... want me to be able to protect myself...? I'm- I was... your sister's student. And... I tried to..." Nightmare Moon slowly tilted her head to the side, as if she was asking a stupid question.
"If it is not yet obvious, Twilight Sparkle, I expect you to be able to protect yourself in case you need to. I would be a foal not to teach you how to defend yourself. I expect to make many enemies, Twilight Sparkle, and as my student, you will likely make many enemies as well. And as such, being able to protect yourself will prove necessary to your continued usefulness to me. To say nothing of the fact that being unable to protect yourself would be a liability to me."
Of course, Nightmare Moon was intelligent. Of course, Nightmare Moon made a good point. Of course, Nightmare Moon made her feel like a foal. She looked away and nodded. "R-right, I'm... sorry..."
"Asking questions is good, Twilight Sparkle. It will help you learn. I would encourage you to ask questions of me. I will answer them. But I would also encourage you to think, Twilight Sparkle."
She looked back at Nightmare. Nightmare looked at her with annoyance, but it wasn't harsh or chastising.
"Now come," Nightmare commanded. "I did not get a good show of your magic in our earlier encounters, and I need to know what I am working with." Despite the mention of Twilight trying to stop her, she wasn't fuming with anger.
Twilight nodded quickly, then approached Nightmare, watching her the whole time. Nightmare watched her back. She was actually used to feeling Nightmare's gaze on her, and so it didn't feel so predatory and unnerving anymore. Or maybe it was that almost everytime Nightmare watched her, there was a curiosity there that was never present with anypony else. And that unnerved her, though not nearly to the same level as Nightmare's predatory gaze did.
Nightmare started to turn around, but there was a flash of magic in front of her. Twilight stopped as a scroll appeared, bound in a red wax stamp. The stamp was still Princess Celestia's cutie mark, the Royal Seal. And she stared at that mark, knowing it was only a matter of time before that mark was completely erased. But she would never forget it.
Nightmare broke the seal. She held her composure, but her magic slipped up. She tore the wax seal off, then melted it. Twilight watched the now-molten wax fall to the floor like water, then spread out like water, before slowing and solidifying. She stared at the glob of wax as she heard Nightmare unroll the scroll.
After a few seconds, she looked back up. Nightmare's eyes went from side to side, rolling across the scroll, taking in what was written upon it. Finally, her eyes came to a stop, perhaps at the last word. A second passed, then another. Nightmare's eyes jumped to the top, then stayed there for several more seconds. Finally, she rolled up the scroll and looked back down at her.
"W-what is it?" she hesitantly ventured.
Nightmare inhaled and teleported the scroll away. "You are familiar with Manehattan, correct?"
She nodded.
"The Royal Guard are reporting general unrest and unease in the city. So far, nothing more has come from it than vandalism and assorted, isolated acts of civil unrest," Nightmare explained. "It is a concerning development that I am keeping a close eye on."
"I... guess that should be expected, given everything that's happened..." she hesitantly ventured.
Nightmare nodded once. "Yes. I was hoping that ponies would not act out in fear and cause problems such as this, but I had anticipated this. I do not anticipate this to be the last of this, either. Given the eternal night and... my defeat of my sister, I would anticipate growing civil unrest."
She closed her eyes and nibbled on her lip. "What are-"
"For now, nothing," Nightmare preempted. "But if this becomes a greater problem, I will intervene. I have already ordered detachments of Royal Guard to every major city in Equestria, but they are spread thin... and Equestria has no military to speak of."
She grimaced and opened her eyes. "We've... not needed one."
Nightmare shook her head as if that left a bad taste in her mouth. "I am but one pony, Twilight Sparkle. I cannot be everywhere at once," she said. "Which is what makes civil unrest such a great danger. Groups and organizations have specified purposes. Individual ponies acting on fear? Anarchy and the breakdown of civil rule? That is a threat to my rule and Equestria as a whole. Anarchy is unacceptable. The Royal Guard has orders to keep this from growing, but I do not know if they will succeed. Perhaps you have suggestions as to how to deal with growing civil unrest?"
She shifted her weight. "W-well... um..." she trailed off. "If-if it's individual ponies, rather than groups of ponies... it's a problem, since... that can spread-"
"Herd mentality, yes. I am aware of this, Twilight Sparkle. The threat of this disorder spreading and causing a breakdown of Equestrian society and government is not something I am willing to allow occur."
She sighed. "Right. Well. As I was saying, it's a problem." Nightmare looked at her flatly. "Which we've already established," she acknowledged. "Martial law... could be effective at stopping the spread of... unrest, but that creates other problems. Most likely... ponies are acting out of fear and uncertainty. They don't know what the future holds."
Nightmare frowned and nodded. "I suspect that there will also be economic impacts resulting from this instability and uncertainty."
"Which could be a problem," Twilight added. "If things get bad, then that instability will increase, which could compound on itself."
"A recession is undesirable," Nightmare stated succinctly. "As it would result in countless problems."
"Right... um... so, assuming this... is caused by fear, I think... options that could work would be... reassuring ponies that there aren't going to be more drastic changes..." she trailed off. "Ponies are scared, and they might be acting out of that. They want stability and security."
"Which I will provide," Nightmare stated.
"But they might not realize that," she replied.
Nightmare hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Perhaps then, I need to make it clear that anarchy is unacceptable, and that stability and security will remain under my rule."
"R-right," she replied. She nibbled on her lip. "There's... a lot you need to address, isn't there..?"
Nightmare nodded in affirmation. "Yes, there is, Twilight Sparkle. The guards are already deployed to the major cities, ensuring that there is a line of communication to them, and ensuring that order is maintained. Or should be maintained. But I really should visit each city, shouldn't I? After all, It would be improper of me not to address my subjects, would it not?"
Nightmare smiled at her, showing her sharp teeth. She tried to avoid looking at Nightmare's teeth, but of course, she failed in that regard. It was a playful, malicious smile. A predatory smile. One that spoke of a predator playing with her prey. A cat pinning a mouse's tail down and then playfully batting at its body with its paw until it died from fear. The look wasn't directed at her, but it still made her nervous. Nightmare wouldn't kill her for no reason, but it was a reminder of who Nightmare was and what she was capable of. "R-right," she stuttered.
Nightmare's smile calmed. Her lips closed but remained pulled up in amusement. With Nightmare's teeth hidden, Twilight felt her muscles relax once again. "So much to do, Twilight Sparkle..." Nightmare said almost wistfully. "I need to ensure ponies loyalties... especially among those in government positions. They could undermine my rule quite effectively. I suspect fear would be the best method to use against them, don't you think? After all, they're not everyday ponies. They won't fall victim to fear the say way ordinary ponies would. They won't run around like the world is on fire, they will do their jobs well."
She wasn't sure she agreed with that, but she found herself nodding. It was a tense, rigid nod. There was a glint of eagerness in Nightmare's eyes that kept her on edge. It looked almost like Nightmare was yearning for the prospect of breaking them. She swallowed. "O-of course," she agreed quietly.
Nightmare smiled more, but then her lips fell. Her smile lingered, but it wasn't quite as amused as before. "And then there is the matter of outside threats. Other nations," she stated. "I have not had the time to catch myself up on current world affairs. Perhaps you can enlighten me?"
She quickly nodded before she realized what she was doing. But, of course, she could most certainly help Nightmare Moon in that aspect. And, of course, that was most likely one of the reason Nightmare Moon wanted her as a student. "Yes, well, um... Pr- your sister... I mean... Since I was Pr- your sister's student, um... I did have some experience with... that. So yes, I can-"
"Then please, enlighten me, Twilight Sparkle," Nightmare coaxed.
She swallowed and stood straighter. "O-of course," she answered. "T-to my knowledge, borders haven't changed drastically in the past millennium, s-so you probably know roughly what modern borders look like."
"I have seen maps, yes, but that does not inform me of the current political, economic, and military situation," was Nightmare's disinterested response.
She suppressed a sigh and nodded. "Right... well... Um, I'd have to read up on it... um... what exactly do you want to know?"
"What of the Griffin Empire? Are they still a military threat? What of the Zebras? Are they still loosely organized and tribalistic? And what of the Deer Kingdom? The Minotaur Empire?" Nightmare listed.
She looked down from Nightmare and at the floor. She thought back over the history books she had read. They didn't come back to her nearly as easily as the books she had read on magic, but it was, mostly, still there. She took a few seconds to compose her answer, then looked back up at Nightmare and took a deep breath. "The Griffin Empire collapsed several hundred years ago, and they haven't been able to recover since. As far as I know, the zebras are still relatively tribal- although Equestria doesn't have much contact with them since they mostly keep to themselves. It's the same way with the Griffin Empire, too. Equestria has had an alliance with the Deer Kingdom for centuries, although like the Zebras, we don't have much contact with them. It's more or less an agreement that Princess-" Nightmare's lips twitched down. She winced and shifted her weight. "I mean... your sister... made with them to protect them since the Whitetail Woods are surrounded by Equestria."
"I see," was Nightmare's cool response. "So I suppose I should arrange a visit to the Deer Kingdom, then."
"They're not a threat. They're peace-loving..." she quickly whispered.
Nightmare inclined her head. "I remember that, back when I fought alongside them against the Griffin Empire... I recall that the deer always were formidable warriors willing to fight to protect their land. And Equestria, by extension. We have always had relatively good relations with the deer... But yes, they generally do prefer peace. That is likely why we have had good relations with them. Ponies are peaceful creatures, just like the deer."
Her ears perked up at that, and a dozen questions flooded her mind, but only one of them managed to come out of her mouth: "You fought alongside deer against the griffins?"
Nightmare looked away from her. The predatory glint in her eyes faded and dulled, and her eyes seemed to gloss over as she stared at the wall, as if she was thinking back on her memories. "Indeed I had, Twilight Sparkle. Back before my sister betrayed me."
Nightmare's eyes went back to her. "But I would assume such records are long since gone," she stated.
Reluctantly, she nodded. "Yes... I... there's..." she trailed off. After all, what would happen if she were to inform Nightmare Moon that none of the history books spoke of Princess Celestia having a sister? What would happen if she were to inform Nightmare Moon that she had been erased from history, that her contributions to Equestria had been forgotten, and likely attributed to her sister?
She couldn't stop herself from feeling guilty for some reason at that. Princess Celestia had to have had a good reason to do that, right? But at the same time, how could somepony just erase all evidence of their sister from the history books? She considered the idea of her brother erasing all record of her existence, and she just couldn't fathom it. Her brother loved her, and he would never do such a thing. It was unrealistic for it to happen, either. But Princess Celestia? She could do that. After all, she was an immortal alicorn. She had all of the time in the world- the thousand years of her sister's absence- to erase all trace of her. But why would she do that?
She nibbled on her lip. The question 'Why would you erase all evidence of your sister?' plagued her mind. Following close behind it, 'Why did you lie to me about your sister?'
It didn't sit well with her. Surely, there had to be a good reason behind it! Perhaps Princess Celestia had done it to protect Nightmare Moon? But that idea didn't make any sense, at least from what she knew. She licked her lips. 'Then again, modern Equestria is so peaceful... maybe knowing what Nightmare Moon was like would... be a problem? But... ugh!'
She held back a huff, if only because Nightmare was watching her.
"Perhaps, in time, I will tell you of it," Nightmare said.
She had mixed feelings about that. On one hoof, it would be historical information from the very pony who had experienced it, historical information that had been lost or hidden. But, on the other hoof, Princess Celestia had to have hidden it for a reason, assuming it hadn't just been lost. And another part of her, while interested in the knowledge, felt anxiety just thinking about it. Nightmare Moon had been there, and who was to say that she should not hear such tales? Princess Celestia, most likely, wouldn't approve of it. She nibbled on her lip, then winced from pain. Her lip was sore from so much use.
Sure, there were records of Equestria and the Deer Kingdom fighting against the Griffins, but they were vague and came from after Nightmare Moon's banishment.
She shook the thought from her mind as Nightmare continued to look at her. "And, um, the Minotaur Empire... we have a lot of trade with them. Sea routes, of course-"
"Of course," Nightmare replied flatly. "And Manehattan is a major hub of this trade."
She fidgeted on her hooves and took a deep breath. "That's... about the extent of my knowledge. Of course there are a lot of other nations, but I don't know quite as much about them..." she trailed off.
Nightmare nodded. "I assumed as much. That you know so much and are still a foal speaks volumes of your expertise, Twilight Sparkle." She smiled again, but kept her teeth hidden.
She wanted to swoon in the praise. It might not have been Princess Celestia's praise, but it was her sister's praise! And another part of that wanted to huff because of the reminder of her age. But, of course, she did not huff, and another part of her mind screamed out at even the idea of doing that. It would be disrespectful, and Nightmare certainly wouldn't tolerate that.
"But I believe we have delayed long enough. Come, you shall show me what you are capable of, Twilight Sparkle," was Nightmare's command.
She felt a cold tingle race down her spine at the sound of Nightmare's honeyed words. She swallowed as Nightmare lit her horn, then there was a flash of light, and a wave of Nightmare's magic washed over her.
Unlike before, the feeling of Nightmare's magic enveloping her didn't immediately send her into a panic attack. She didn't feel the uncontrollable urge to scream and run away, to find somewhere to hide, then cry uncontrollably. It still wasn't comfortable- it was unnerving- but she could at least tolerate it without breaking down into a panic.
Like before, there was a double image as they teleported. The majestic hallway of the castle, and a darker area where she could not make anything out. As the image of the hallway faded and the new image came into focus, she found it much darker and much less detailed than the hallway. As her senses recovered, she noticed that the air felt pleasantly warmer.
The soft moonlight seemed to fail to reach where they were, and she felt growing anxiety welling up inside of her. A knot twisted in her gut and in her throat. Her legs grew tense. She heard what sounded like sticks and leaves crunching under hoofsteps, slowly circling her, and she could feel Nightmare's gaze on her, coming from the same area as the sound.
Finally, Nightmare stopped at her left side. The blue light of Nightmare's horn flashed into existence, illuminating her surroundings. Woody tree trunks, shrubs, and bushes surrounded her. The ground was covered in assorted forest debris- twigs, sticks, leaves, acorns, and the like. Looking up the trunk of the tree in front of her, she determined that it was a tall, sturdy oak tree. It reminded her of the Library that she had stayed at in Ponyville, though nowhere near as grand as it. The rough bark rippled up the tree in a calm manner, and the groves were hidden in shadows cast by the raised bark.
The ground felt soft beneath the layer of fallen leaves, sticks, and nuts. Hesitantly, she looked over at Nightmare. "Where... are we?"
"A forest," was Nightmare's exceptionally detailed, flat answer.
Her lips fell into a flat line at that. "Oh, really? I couldn't tell." Her eyes widened, but it was far too late. It had already slipped out of her mouth.
To her surprise, Nightmare merely raised an eyebrow and smirked in amusement.
She quickly looked away from her. Acting fast to change the subject before Nightmare could retort her, she said, "S-so um, what are y-you wanting?"
"A demonstration of your magic. I already know that you are incapable of defending yourself, and I know that you do not know combat magic since my sister would not have taught you that... given that you are a scholar."
She heard a certain bitterness in Nightmare's voice. She frowned and turned to look at Nightmare, who was scowling. "Why does it bother you that she didn't teach me... how to protect myself?"
Nightmare glanced at her. "I was expecting and hoping for her student to be a challenge, Twilight Sparkle. But instead, I find you. Granted, even if you knew every single combat spell there was, you could not hope to stop me, but it would have at least been entertaining."
Her ears folded back and she turned to look away from Nightmare.
"Come now, Twilight Sparkle. Surely you recognize that there was nothing you could have done to stop me?" Nightmare asked in a sweet, mocking tone that made her feel bitter.
She didn't answer Nightmare's taunt. "My brother is the Captain of the Guard," she answered in a calm, quiet voice. "And his special talent is making shields. I'm not completely defenseless..."
"And yet, not once have I seen you cast a shield spell, even when you tried to stop me, Twilight Sparkle," came Nightmare's cold response.
She clenched her eyes shut. "I-I was scared, o-okay!?" Nightmare was silent, but she felt the alicorn studying her. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and looked at her teacher. To her surprise, Nightmare didn't look displeased.
"We will have to work on that, in addition to your confidence, Twilight Sparkle," was Nightmare's response. "If you are under threat, you must be able to protect yourself. You will be scared if you are threatened, but you must not let that paralyze you and prevent you from acting."
She looked back at the tree in front of her and nodded in defeat.
"Now, your special talent is magic, is it not?" Nightmare asked.
"Yes!" she retorted. "Princess C-" she winced as she felt Nightmare's gaze harden. "I-I mean, your sister took me on as her student because of my magic..."
"Then prove it, Twilight Sparkle. Show me why you were her Most Faithful Student."
She clenched her eyes shut. Oh, how she hated hearing Nightmare Moon say that name. It was so wrong. She had no right to speak that name! But she kept silent because speaking out about it would have brought nothing good. She exhaled, doing her best to use that as a means to force the distress out of her body. Opening her eyes, she glanced at Nightmare, who watched her expectantly, then looked at the tree.
'Show you why I'm Princess Celestia's Most Faithful Student? Sure! Now, what exactly do you want me to do!?' She wanted to scream at that. Sure! She could easily prove why she was Princess Celestia's protege! But why, oh why, did Nightmare Moon have to be so vague? Why couldn't she have been specific! Specify a spell! That way she could properly complete the test!
It wasn't fair. Just like asking her to prove her worth hadn't been fair. And it paralyzed he in fear then. The knot in her chest and gut twisted and twisted with the passing seconds.
"Are you afraid of failing?" Nightmare asked. "Is that why you delay?"
She nearly bit her lip but stopped herself. She clenched her jaw and glanced at Nightmare, then nodded timidly.
Nightmare groaned. "I have a lot of work to do with you, don't I, Twilight Sparkle? Do I need to remind you that I do not expect you to be perfect? Show me what you can do! Show me what spells you know!" she implored.
She looked back at the tree and bobbed her head. 'Might as well start with the basics, then...' She groaned quietly, then lit her horn and started levitating all of the acorns up from the ground. Dozens, then hundreds of the nuts lifted off of the ground with hardly any effort.
Nightmare hummed. "You can manipulate several small objects in your magic at once? Good. Now, to what extent?"
Nightmare put heavy emphasis on the fact that the nuts were easily manipulated items. It irked her, but of course, there weren't many small stones around that she could have used for an example. She took a deep breath, then wove the nuts together into a ball, then levitated them out in a line, then looped it down and back towards itself, making a horizontal figure eight.
"Decent. Perhaps lacking in complexity," Nightmare commented. "Now impress me."
She let all of the acorns fall to the ground, then use her magic to sweep a bunch of dried leaves and twigs into a pile while pushing the rest of the surrounding debris away. The glow of her magic grew inside the pile, then sparked. For a moment, there was an orange flow. Her aura faded, and the orange glow simmered, then grew into an orange flame. A small trail of smoke gradually rose into the air from the pile, growing thicker as the flame grew to consume the entire pile, then burn out, leaving behind only ashes.
"A rather basic fire spell," Nightmare commented. "Good for lighting candles, but not much else," she scoffed.
She frowned, then closed her eyes. She channeled her magic into her horn. Through her closed eyes, she could see the glow at the tip of her horn grow brighter and brighter until it was like daylight. Then, with a pop, she released her magic. Opening her eyes, she watched the orb lazily float forward, slowing, then stopping over where the fire had been.
The trees and surroundings were lit as if it was daytime, but it faded quickly beyond their immediate surroundings, and the trees cast long shadows that merged into the forest's surrounding darkness.
She smiled and looked at Nightmare. "Not necessarily impressive, but useful. Especially if your goal is to blind your enemies," was her comment.
A moment later, Nightmare's aura gripped the yellow-pink orb and snuffed it out, once again darkening the clearing so that only the light from her spell provided light. And with that, her smile cracked. The ease at which Nightmare had snuffed out her light was not lost on her. She couldn't help but feel as it snuffing that light out had been symbolic. Perhaps Nightmare Moon had defeated Princess Celestia just as easily, snuffing out her light- the light of her sun- and replacing it with the light of the moon, with next to no effort.
"Your special talent, Twilight Sparkle, is magic. Surely, my sister taught you more than these basic spells? Where are the advanced spells that I know you are capable of?" Nightmare demanded.
She hesitated, then looked down at the ground. She picked up the closest acorn she could, then focused her magic on it. Nightmare Moon wanted to be impressed, so then she would impress her! It wasn't a spell that Princess Celestia had taught her- she had read it in a book. A book she wasn't supposed to have read, but still, read. Surely, this would impress her! In a moment, it took on a shimmering appearance as the enchantment took hold.
For a moment nothing happened, then Nightmare jumped forward and grabbed the acorn in her magic. She squeaked and took a step back at Nightmare's sudden movement. Nightmare shattered the acorn with a sharp crack, making it lose its shimmer, but her chest rose and fell more quickly than before, as if she was out of breath. Nightmare stared at the broken acorn for a few seconds, then turned to look at her.
She took a step back.
Nightmare smiled and let out an amused chuckle. "Now that, Twilight Sparkle, is impressive," she complimented.
Her heart skipped a beat, then her heart beat faster. Nightmare turned to face her and looked all over her. There was an eager glint in her eyes that somehow put her on edge. She took another step back, and the glint in Nightmare's eyes vanished.
"That is a very interesting spell, Twilight Sparkle. I was not expecting something like that," Nightmare continued. Her eyes narrowed. Twilight swallowed nervously and took another brief step back. "But my sister did not teach you this. She would not teach you such a spell."
"I-I'm sorry!" she squeaked. Before she could see Nightmare's reaction, she clenched her eyes shut and tensed up, trying to protect herself from whatever pain was to come. "I-I- you said you wanted me t-to impress you and- and please don't hurt me!"
Leaves and sticks crunched under Nightmare's hooves, then stopped. She felt the tip of Nightmare's wing touch her cheek, and for a moment, her anxiety ballooned up. As Nightmare's feather slid across her cheek, it felt like her anxiety was swept away and cast aside. She let herself relax, though her breathing remained shallow and rapid. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes as Nightmare's feather lifted from her head.
Nightmare folded her wing back to her side, and Twilight saw Nightmare's eyes kept jumping from left to right across her body. "I am not upset, Twilight Sparkle. I am impressed. I was merely caught off guard. But I am curious. Where did you learn such a spell?"
She shifted her weight and looked down at Nightmare's chestplate to avoid meeting her gaze. "I-I was um..." She turned her head to the right so that nothing of Nightmare was visible. "I-I managed to... s-sneak into the Forbidden section of the um... A-archives, and... well, I-I found that... I... when I showed Pr- your sister, s-she wasn't happy, but s-she w-wasn't mad either. S-she made me promise n-never to c-cast that spell!"
Only now in hindsight did she realize that she had broken her promise to Princess Celestia. She felt like her heart and stomach dropped out from her body at that. There was a hollow numbness in her core now. She felt her ears press fold back.
"I see," Nightmare said. "And do not be sad Twilight Sparkle," she said.
She swallowed, then looked back at her teacher.
"Mind-altering magic can be a powerful tool in your arsenal," Nightmare said. Her expression fell into a cold scowl. "But if you ever use that against me..."
Nightmare let the threat hang in the air. Twilight immediately knew Nightmare did not trust her with that spell. She swallowed and nodded as fast as she could.
Nightmare smiled pleasantly. "Good. So you are capable of learning spells on your own in books?"
She nodded. "Y-yes. A lot of what I've learned I learned from studying books... like how to mark a book with my magic so that I can find it later."
"I see. What spells did my sister personally teach you?" Nightmare asked.
"W-well, when I was younger, she helped me learn a lot more about telekinesis and other spells, like the fire spell I showed you-"
Nightmare tilted her head. "You may still be a foal, Twilight Sparkle, but my sister was not blind to your potential. What advanced spells did she teach you?"
"I can cast a spell to walk on clouds," she answered. After a moment, she quickly added, "B-but I would have to refresh myself on that spell before using it!" Nightmare nodded silently. "I-I know a lot about magic theory and I am... rather adept at using and making alterations to spells because I understand what goes into making them work... so I can use the fire spell to warm up tea, for example... although I wouldn't want to risk using it on something alive."
"I see," was Nightmare's sharp acknowledgment.
"I can... alter the weight of objects and manipulate gravity..." she trailed off.
"Oh? That I would be quite interested in... show me," was Nightmare's command.
She swallowed and nodded, then found another acorn. She levitated it up into the air, then channeled her magic into it. After a few seconds, the acorn gradually lowered, then slammed into the soft ground, embedding itself in the muddy ground.
Nightmare's magic overpowered hers, then the acorn levitated up out of its hole in Nightmare's aura as if it was a feather. Nightmare scrutinized the acorn for a moment, then there was a brief, faint flash from her horn, and she dropped it.
She watched the acorn fall and then land on the ground. It didn't penetrate the soft ground any, so Nightmare must have disrupted her weight spell.
Focusing on the same acorn, she inverted gravity. And just like that, the acorn freefell towards the sky. Nightmare's head jerked up in what must have been a futile attempt to track the acorn. There was no way she could have tracked it, however, as it quickly past the tree canopy.
A moment later, however, and the acorn teleported back to the ground in a flash of blue light. Nightmare looked down at it, and after a moment, released it. It didn't immediately fall into the sky.
"I can see how that could be useful, Twilight Sparkle," was Nightmare's comment. "I would say that you can protect yourself, Twilight Sparkle, perhaps just not directly with combat magic. Yet." Her last spoken word sounded like a promise. Nightmare smiled, and it was a smile that made her shiver. "And so I shall teach you how to protect yourself. In time, I will have you show me more of the spells you can do. But for now, this is enough for me to work with. In time, I will teach you combat magic."
Learning combat magic interested her, but she also felt the need to keep her distance from that. Princess Celestia wouldn't want her to learn that kind of magic. Perhaps it would be useful, but it had the wrong intentions. Although Nightmare Moon was probably right. She needed to know how to protect herself. "Why... not teach me combat magic now..?" she ventured.
"Quite simple, Twilight Sparkle," Nightmare answered, "while even if you did know combat magic, you would not be a threat to me, I simply do not trust you enough to teach you combat magic yet. You could still be a nuisance. Consider it a reward should you prove yourself." She paused, then inhaled. "I suppose if you wanted to take initiative, you could ask around the Royal Guard. I would not stop you, but you still would not be learning it from me."
She exhaled and looked down at the ground. "Right..." she muttered.
"Now, Twilight Sparkle, I-" Nightmare was cut off by a quick flash of light and the appearance of a scroll, bound in Princess Celestia's seal, in front of her. Before the scroll could fall, she grabbed it in her magic, tore the seal off, then unrolled it.
Once again, Twilight's eyes focused on the seal and watched as it liquified, then poured down onto the ground. Her gaze lingered on the pool for a few seconds before she looked back up at Nightmare Moon. Her face was hidden by the scroll, and her body language was hidden by the chestplate.
She swallowed and waited patiently. Seconds passed on, and a growing sense of dread welled up inside of her. When Nightmare finally lowered the scroll, she jumped back. The alicorn wore a hint of a scowl on her expression, mixed in with annoyance or distaste.
Just as quickly as she unrolled the scroll, she rolled it back up, then it disappeared in a flash of magic.
"What was it?" Twilight asked.
"Another report from Manehattan," was Nightmare's answer.
Her heart skipped a beat. "It-it's not that bad, right? It's not been that long..."
"No," Nightmare answered, "but it is still concerning. Perhaps it would be better to intervene now before it can spiral out of control." Nightmare paused for several seconds and looked contemplative. Eventually, she blinked, then looked back down at Twilight. "I shall pay Manehattan a visit and you will accompany me. It would be well for me to see this city since it is rather important."
She nodded in agreement, though mostly out of fear. "What are you going to do?"
Nightmare raised an eyebrow and regarded her as if she had asked a foolish question. "For now? Assess the situation and determine the most effective course of action for correcting this."
Without Nightmare saying anything more or giving any warning, she felt Nightmare's magic wash over her and grab a hold of her. It sent a chill down her spine and made her go rigid. It felt ever so slightly colder than before, and once again, it reaffirmed in her mind the power that Nightmare Moon held over her. Truly, if Nightmare wanted to do something to her, there was nothing she could do about it.
She heard the sharp crack of magic and felt the sensationless feeling of nothingness, then saw the double image that made it hard to concentrate. As soon as the image of the forest faded, the image of the city of Manehattan came into focus. Like the forest, the city of Manehattan was dark, although in comparison, it was lit significantly better. Streetlamps illuminated the sidewalks in cones of dim orangish-yellow light.
A paved road stretched out before her, but the street was deserted from all carts which would have been present had it been daytime. She briefly wondered what effects the eternal night was having on transportation of goods throughout the city, but the growing light-headedness caused by the long-distance teleport cut it off. The light-headed feeling grew until her head felt cold, then even the quiet of the night sounded like it had been muffled. A ringing took hold of her ears, the sound of her own pounding heart. She felt her arteries throbbing in her neck like they were about to burst.
Slowly, everything subsided, from the ringing to the muffled silence, to the throbbing of her heart. She saw Nightmare's dark coat step forward from her right. Glancing at her, she determined that Nightmare had teleported them so that they would arrive in a proper fashion, which was to say with her to Nightmare's immediate right.
Nightmare looked to the left, then to the right. As she looked right, Twilight could see her eyes slowly scanning across the street and sidewalks, her eyes going up and down the tall concrete skyscrapers.
Surely, it had to be the first time Nightmare Moon had seen such architecture. And it left a visible impact on her features. Bewilderment was present. A thousand years ago, the tallest structures would have been stone watchtowers, but here, the concrete, steel, and glass structures reached into the heavens to a height that put the watchtowers to shame.
Although she wasn't actually sure that they were really all that much taller. The difference was mostly functional and aesthetical.
Nightmare's bewilderment morphed into a scowl, and her lips pulled back to show her sharp teeth. It sent a shiver down her spine, but she knew it wasn't directed at her. No, it was directed at the architecture. 'Why does that bother you?' she wondered. Perhaps being one thousand years out of touch was the reason, or perhaps it was surprising to her that places like Ponyville could exist, while other cities like Manehattan were so vastly different from them. But, she wouldn't find out just by thinking about it. After all, how could she hope to ever comprehend Nightmare's thoughts?
Swallowing, she steeled herself, then asked, "What's wrong?"
Immediately, Nightmare's eyes shot over to her, and her gaze was sharp like a dagger. The instant those slitted pupils fell on her, she found a wave of coldness wash over her, and her muscles tensed up. She felt an undeniable fear, and a need to take a step back, but somehow, she managed to hold her ground.
And in an instant, the fear-inducing sharpness was gone, replaced with the same curiosity that contrasted so sharply with how Nightmare looked at anypony who wasn't her. With the sharpness's disappearance, so to did her fear vanish.
Nightmare turned her head to face Twilight alone. "This city is a strategic nightmare," was her growled response.
Twilight squinted at that. 'A strategic nightmare!?' "What does that even mean!?"
Nightmare grunted, then turned her head back to face the ten-story tower she had been staring at before. "Look at this!" she commanded.
Twilight obliged and examined the tower. Try as she did, she couldn't determine its purpose. Perhaps it held offices, or perhaps it was an apartment complex. But, regardless of its function, she still couldn't grasp Nightmare's problem with it, so she looked back at Nightmare, who in turn, looked back at her.
"This city is too important," Nightmare added. She looked down at the street and shook her head. "It is not defendable, it is so open and just...! Canterlot is defensible, but this city, this port city, this economic hub, is defenseless! This is too much concentrated in one place! Did Celestia not see how foolish this is!?"
Twilight took a step back. Nightmare's chest heaved with her rapid breathing. She thought she could spot a tremble in Nightmare's legs, but she wasn't certain. Above the anger in her voice, one thing stood out to her. Nightmare had, for the first time she could remember, spoken Princess Celestia's name.
"T-this is just how M-Manehattan developed," was her response before she realized what she was saying.
Nightmare's eyes fell on her again, but the anger wasn't there. Her chest continued to heave with her breathing, but it grew more controlled as the seconds passed in silence between them. Eventually, her breathing returned to normal, and she shook her head. "Surely you see the problem with this?"
"N-no, I-I don't. I don't understand..." was her reserved answer.
Nightmare frowned and looked away from her. "This is a very, very important city, Twilight Sparkle. There is so much value concentrated here, in one place. I can only begin to imagine this city's population, and it's economic importance, Twilight Sparkle. And from what I have gathered, it is a vital port city. This is a city Equestria can not afford to lose... it would be devastating..." She shook her head again. "And it is undefended."
That, she could understand. But Nightmare's premise was wrong. Equestria had no enemies- except the two of them, now- and Princess Celestia's rule had mostly been peaceful. Her gut twisted in dread at that. 'How do I even put this!?' She felt her lips twist into a grimace.
Nightmare caught sight of it. "You have something to say. Speak."
She winced at that, then shifted her weight. She hesitated, of course. But, of course, she would hesitate. What was on her mind was that Nightmare Moon was wrong. And how exactly could she tell her that without getting in trouble? She stood up straighter and clenched her jaw. Her body went rigid as she opened her mouth.
She thought she saw Nightmare's lips twitch down. She thought she saw Nightmare's wing relax just a smidge and twitch down. But surely, she had been mistaken. Or perhaps she had actually seen it but was misinterpreting it as disappointment. But, regardless, she was obligated to answer Nightmare's command. She let out a sigh and looked down at Nightmare's chestplate. "Equestria... has no enemies. We've not had any enemies for... centuries. Manehattan doesn't need to be defensible... Besides, there are no threats to the North. The Griffin Empire doesn't exist. To the South, there's the rest of Equestria! There's nothing to threaten Manehattan."
Nightmare's eyes narrowed at her, but the alicorn remained silent for several seconds. Each one of those seconds made Twilight feel more and more anxious. She held her breath as she felt her anxiety grow and send waves of unease pulsing out from her chest. 'Was that a mistake?' she wondered.
Sure, she had been blunt about it. Nightmare's concern for Manehattan's perceived vulnerability was misplaced, though! It was crazy to think Manehattan was in danger from outside threats. There was nothing to threaten Manehattan! Then again, it was Nightmare Moon, so yes, crazy would make sense. But while Nightmare's perceived vulnerability of Manehattan was misplaced, she could understand where Nightmare was coming from. Manehattan was a lot of eggs in one basket.
Nightmare exhaled and slowly shook her head. After a second, she stood more calmly, then turned around. "Perhaps you are correct, but I do not like this," was her begrudging response.
She wasn't sure why, but she added, "Manehattan is valuable, though." It drew a glance from Nightmare, but nothing more. She licked her sore lips and winced from the pain, but pushed it down, then turned her head about and took in the city surrounding them. With the combination of the soft moonlight and the cones of dim light from streetlamps, she could discern enough to realize that the streets were mostly deserted, with the exception of some ponies who wore armor and calmly strolled the streets- most likely Royal Guard- in addition to a few other ponies who walked quickly. They didn't run, but from looking at them, she felt that they practically radiated nervous energy, as if they wanted to remain outside in the night for as short of a duration as possible.
She could understand that, but she also knew they would have to adapt, and knowing that left an empty, numb spot in her chest.
She turned her gaze back to Nightmare Moon and watched her. She stood there calmly, still scrutinizing the city and the streets. "S-so, um... what's your plan?"
Nightmare glanced aside at her, then inhaled. "Speak with the officer managing the situation here, then have a word with the mayor. Things are not so bad as of right now, which is why I am intervening before things escalate out of control. After I finish speaking with the mayor, I believe I shall prepare an address for the ponies of Manehattan. It would do well to remind them that I am in control of this situation."
"O-of course," she agreed. Even doing her best, she couldn't block out the threat in Nightmare's voice that sent chills down her spine. Manehattan was important. There was no doubt in her mind that Nightmare recognized this, and there was no longer any doubt that if push came to shove, Nightmare would be the pony doing all of the shoving.
She just hoped that Nightmare knew when to stop shoving, otherwise, she doubted Equestria would survive.
Nightmare took a step toward the sidewalk. Her movement immediately drew Twilight's attention, and in response, she hastily walked towards Nightmare, who continued to walk to the sidewalk. She stared at her teacher and she walked around behind her, then caught up and took her rightful place to walk beside her. She looked at the two guards on patrol. Neither of them could have missed Nightmare's approach, let alone her presence, and so both of them slowed their pace.
As they approached them, the two guards came to a stop, and she could see their bodies tense up. They held their heads up higher, standing taller and straighter. After all, like her, to relax around Nightmare Moon would be to put their guard down, which would leave them vulnerable.
They both rigidly turned to face Nightmare and herself, then they fell into a practiced, formal, and entirely uneasy bow. Only once Nightmare stopped approaching them did they hesitantly stand back up. "Y-yes, your Majesty?" the closest guard asked.
Even in the soft light of the moon, with them being outside of any of the cones of light from streetlights, she could see him nibbling on his lip.
"Who is your commanding officer and where may I find him?" was Nightmare's demand.
Twilight winced. Before she realized it, she had shuffled a step to the right away from Nightmare Moon, putting barely another step's distance between them. Of course, that didn't help her unease any. Once again, Nightmare's presence radiated fear and demanded obedience and respect. She felt the all-too-familiar feeling of a predator nearby, but she already knew that predator was Nightmare Moon. Even if Nightmare's sharp gaze wasn't directed at her, the close proximity to her made her pulse quicken, and she felt her chest bubbling with nervous energy.
She was afraid Nightmare would look at her because she had shuffled to the right, but Nightmare did not look at her, nor even glance at her. Somehow, perhaps, she had managed to evade Nightmare's detection. Or perhaps Nightmare didn't care, as her attention was on the two Royal Guards. Both of the guards looked like they were ready to scream like foals and bolt if so much as a pen fell behind them. But at least they didn't tremble in their armor from what she could see.
"C-Captain Light S-Shield, y-your M-Majesty," the same guard answered.
She didn't recognize the name, but she hadn't expected to.
"H-he's at the C-City Hall," he finished.
Nightmare ever so slightly inclined her head in acknowledgment then turned towards Twilight, who took a step back so that she wasn't in her way. "Return to your duties," was Nightmare's unthankful hiss.
Nightmare walked past her vision, and Twilight saw both guards standing there, rigidly, saluting. Their raised forelegs trembled, but they made no sounds. Her ears folded back and she winced. Both guards looked at her, and in their eyes, she could see their fear and panic.
Her ears started to fold back, but then she felt Nightmare Moon looking at her, and at that moment, she glanced to her right and glimpsed Nightmare's turned head facing her. Of course, Nightmare looked at her expectantly, but not quite demanding, nor was it predatory. Her gaze held none of the sharpness that it did with anypony else. And that special treatment Nightmare Moon gave her unnerved her. Nightmare Moon would treat her Royal Guards as if they were worthless insects, but then Nightmare looked at her so completely differently. It was a look that showed nothing but interest and curiosity. A look that seemed to promise 'I have plans for you, Twilight Sparkle...' in the vaguest manner possible. What did it mean?
She wasn't sure what to make of that interest, but it did concern her. Princess Celestia had never looked at her that way. She swallowed, then cautiously turned and walked up to Nightmare's side. She heard the two Royal Guards' raised hooves touch the ground, then the sound of their armored boots clicking against the concrete sidewalk. The sound came much faster than it had when Nightmare and her had approached them.
Nightmare Moon's gaze followed her until she came to a stop at that familiar spot beside her, then Nightmare looked away from her. She heard the sound of Nightmare's aura and saw the light of her horn, then she felt Nightmare's cold magic envelop her.
There was the telltale crack of air, then the sudden, jarring double image. The darkened street of Manehattan mixed in with a frontal view of some other structure. The structure's architecture stood out from the rest of the buildings in Manehattan. Grandiose, wide marble stairs let up to a large porch that supported six massive marble pillars which reached up to support a wide triangular slab of chiseled marble, inlaid with Princess Celestia's cutie mark at the center, surrounded with various other graceful, sweeping lines, symbols, and images. The triangular section stretched out from the building behind it perhaps ten feet to shelter the portico. Behind the portico, centered atop the structure, was a large dome. At the very top of the dome was a flagpole that stretched into the sky, from which two flags gently waved in an unfelt wind.
As the image of the structure came into focus, she saw more of the detail of the structure behind the portico- a grand, arched double door serving as the primary entrance, with a dozen windows with the blinds pulled back, allowing for a look into what looked like one large room- the lobby. The golden glow of magical lights streamed out into the street from the room, and it gave off a rich, comforting feeling that reminded her of the warmth of the sun. And oh, how she missed that feeling: the sun warming her back, the warmth of the air- even if it was overbearing- and knowing that everything would be okay. Knowing that Princess Celestia was there for her and all of Equestria.
She felt Nightmare scowl. Without looking at her, it was an unmistakable feeling, the way her aura seemed to twist in anger and bitterness for a moment, then fade but linger. It sent a chill down her spine, and her body instinctively tensed up. A quick glance, and she found Nightmare's vision directed towards the triangular roof of the porch, or more specifically, that one symbol she so hated, the one so prominently displayed in the center: Princess Celestia's cutie mark.
Her ears folded back and she held her breath. Nightmare's scowl lingered for a second, then faded to not quite neutral disinterest. Her disgust remained, however. She let out the breath she had held in, now mostly assured that Nightmare wouldn't suddenly and without warning unleash her magic on the image of Princess Celestia's cutie mark, but her body remained tense. She could still feel Nightmare's anger.
And she knew that anger was just from the sight of her sister's cutie mark. It left her cautious while her gut twisted. 'M-maybe it was a good thing Princess Celestia lied to me and didn't let me help her...' she thought. After all, if this anger was directed at an unpainted cutie mark, what would her anger have looked like seeing Princess Celestia in person?
A cold chill raced down her spine. She never wanted to find out.
She felt Nightmare Moon's gaze fall on her, and instantly, her focus sharpened. She was surprised to feel her body tense up since that meant she had somehow relaxed while she wasn't paying attention. Nervously, she glanced at Nightmare, who simply stared at her with that same look of intelligence and curiosity as always. How was she able to escape her wrath?
But more concerning was that Nightmare was already on the first step, looking back at her. Waiting for her. Despite how sore her lip was, she bit it. She regretted it immediately; the pain was sharp and made her wince. Hesitantly, she stepped forward while she gently sucked on her lip in a vain attempt to nurse the pain away.
Only when she arrived beside Nightmare Moon did the alicorn turn away from her and continue up the stairs. She followed beside her in silence.
While she walked, quickly ascended each step, Nightmare strode up the stairs in a gait that commanded authority and power, with no hesitation nor second-guessing. It was a confident stride, one befitting the Queen of the Night. A stride that demanded respect.
They did not stop once they reached the top of the stairs, and Nightmare continued toward the open doorway. Beside the doors stood two Royal Guards, one on each side of the doorway. Each one held a spear in their right hoof, and she caught the slightest movement of the spear and their hooves as they clutched it tighter to their bodies. They both clung to their spears as if they somehow thought their weapons would offer any protection from Nightmare Moon.
As they walked through the doorway and passed by those guards, one thought occurred to Twilight, 'Your spears won't help you...' Her head turned and her eyes lingered on the sharp metallic points. But then, what was a spear to somepony who commanded as much magic as Nightmare Moon?
She looked ahead as she felt the warmth of the room wash over her. For a moment, her eyelids drooped and her lips pulled up into a smile. It was a welcoming, inviting warmth. One that contrasted with the cool, bitter feeling of the eternal night air. For a moment, the warmth washed over her as she entered the Lobby, briefly vanquishing thoughts of the dark, bitter predatory aura that Nightmare gave off.
But the while the feeling of warmth lasted, it was unable to hold Nightmare Moon's predatory presence at bay.
Looking around the Lobby, she found that the floor appeared to be marble, and it reminded her of Canterlot Castle. The major difference was the lack of marble pillars stretching to the ceiling. The walls were sparsely decorated with picture frames holding various depictions of ponies, weather and ships, and Princess Celestia and the sun.
A few tapestries decorated the walls, along with the flag of Equestria. And it felt like it had been an eternity since she had seen that flag: the beautiful sky blue backdrop, centered around the sun, which hovered over a crescent moon that was open to the left. In the four corners, an array of stars surrounding the center. To the right, a depiction of Princess Celestia with a pink mane and tail, leaping into the air in the arc of a circle. To the left, another alicorn, with a dark, deep blue coat and light blue mane and tail, diving in an arc to complete the circle. They appeared to chase one another as they guided the day-night cycle.
It had been so long since she had seen that flag. And the entire time, for the past thousand years and then some, the flag of Equestria had remained unchanged. She had never questioned it before, the depiction of two alicorns chasing after each other. How had she not seen it before? It was so obvious in hindsight, Princess Celestia had a sister. One who had been banished and forgotten.
Her new mentor: Nightmare Moon.
She felt her legs trembling as she stared at that flag. It was like it was a completely different flag now. What meaning had it held this entire time that had since been forgotten?
She glanced at Nightmare. The alicorn stared at that flag, and she radiated coldness. The alicorn's chest rose in what looked like a practiced, controlled, perhaps even methodical manner, then Nightmare exhaled sharply.
"This entire time, the flag has been unchanged," was Nightmare's bitter statement. "And yet nopony remembers me."
She shivered from Nightmare's icy tone. She knew better than to say anything now.
Nightmare growled, then turned her head to the left. She couldn't see where Nightmare was looking, nor was she interested enough to try to find out. "Where are Captain Light Shield and the Mayor?"
There was a very feminine squeak at Nightmare's demand. "Th-they're-" the mare stuttered.
Nightmare turned to the left and took a step forward. Now that her body was turned to the side, she could see a reception desk, behind which stood a young earth pony mare, perhaps less than half a decade older than her, who shook in fear, as if the very floor was shaking from an earthquake, and her ears were flat against her head.
"Take me to them," Nightmare spat.
The mare nodded and galloped out from behind the reception desk towards the door opposite of the entrance. "R-right this w-way, y-your M-Majesty!"
As the mare turned towards the door, for a fleeting moment, she looked at Twilight, pleading for help.
Twilight felt her gut twist at that look. Nightmare casually turned to face the mare and the door, then she strode forward. She followed close beside Nightmare. The mare grasped at the door handle several times as Nightmare approached, but each time, her leg, trembling in fear, slipped. And each successive attempt was only worse than the previous one. She whimpered in fear as Nightmare stopped.
Twilight clenched her jaw and used her magic to open the door. The young mare looked her in the eye thankfully, but her eyes were shimmering from tears. Nightmare was silent on the issue, even as the mare bolted into the hallway at a speed that would have caught Rainbow Dash by surprise.
The mare rigidly stopped just beyond the door, waiting for them.
Calmly, Nightmare strode forward. She followed. Without anything being said, they navigated through the hallway, turned to the left, then took a flight of stairs to the next level. From there, they made their way towards the front of the building, then the mare finally stopped in front of a closed oak door. She stood rigidly, but that didn't stop her legs from trembling.
"You may return now," said Nightmare.
The mare ran back the way she came. Twilight turned her head to watch her, and as she watched the earth pony run away, she felt her ears press back. "You didn't need to treat her that way you know..."
She felt Nightmare look at her, so she turned back to look at her. "Perhaps not," was her reply, "but it yielded quicker results, did it not?"
There was no anger in Nightmare's voice, but she couldn't help but feel like it wouldn't have taken much for her to be in a very fragile situation. Keeping this in mind, she replied, "You saw how terrified she was! You didn't need to be so... cruel."
"Fear is a weapon and a tool, Twilight Sparkle. She now knows not to cross me, and so in the long run, she is better off for it," Nightmare retorted.
She scowled and took a deep breath. "It was unnecessary force!" she retorted. "If you want to be successful, you can't go around just doing that!" she implored. "You might keep ponies in line like this but it won't work in the long run! Ponies might do stupid things when they're scared! And then there's the whole uncertainty thing you're so concerned about."
Nightmare regarded her. There was a bit of bitterness in it, but there was also amusement. "Then tell me, Twilight Sparkle, how am I to balance this?"
Twilight blinked. "What?"
"As we agreed, fear has its uses. And as I've said, I know that I cannot rely solely on fear and force. They are useful, but I know they are destructive and will backfire if I misapply them," Nightmare elaborated in a sweet tone. "Fear and force create uncertainty and uncertainty causes problems. However, if I am too lax, then my rule will be fragile. Ponies will not respect me-"
She steeled herself for interrupting Nightmare Moon. It probably didn't help, but it was an opportunity! "They might respect you but they will hate you!"
Nightmare's lips twitched down. Whether it was her interruption or what she said, she didn't know, but it sent a wave of cold through her body.
"I-I'm sorry, pl-!"
"Stop," Nightmare groaned.
She blinked as Nightmare lifted a forehoof to her head, then pressed her metal boot against her helmet.
Nightmare took a deep breath, then slowly shook her head and lowered her forehoof back to the floor. "As much as I desire my subjects love, Twilight Sparkle, I am not foolish enough to think I'd ever obtain that. That much was clear one thousand years ago," she said bitterly. "Their respect, however, I can claim."
"You know that eternal night will make them hate the night more, right?" she asked quietly.
"It has occurred to me that this is a possible outcome. Ungrateful foals..." Nightmare growled. Twilight recoiled. Nightmare frowned. "At the very least, ponies will see the beauty of my night, even if they do despise it."
"M-maybe y-you can... g-get ponies t-to appreciate y-you?" she ventured.
Nightmare tilted her head. "Oh?" she purred. "Do tell, Twilight Sparkle," she mocked.
She looked down at the floor to avoid seeing Nightmare Moon. "P-ponies love your sister..."
"You don't say?" Nightmare growled.
She looked up at her. "H-hear me out, please!" she pleaded.
Nightmare didn't kill her at least, so that was a good thing. "I am listening, Twilight Sparkle."
She swallowed. "Y-you could t-try to a-act like her-"
Nightmare's gaze hardened, and her lips pulled back to bare her teeth. "I am not my sister, Twilight Sparkle."
She clenched her eyes shut. "P-please s-stop..." It took a few seconds, but she felt Nightmare's anger fade. She cracked open an eye. Nightmare watched her. She couldn't read her expression. There wasn't anger, but there were hints of bitterness and slight coldness. Her eyes were as sharp as ever, yet it wasn't an attempt to intimidate her. She felt a wave of relief at that, just knowing Nightmare wasn't going to immediately smite her. Yet, there was embarrassment there. Once again, she showed Nightmare Moon her weakness and vulnerability.
It would be so easy for Nightmare to take advantage of that.
"I... I just mean... don't... try to force everypony's hoof. Y-you can... try doing things to get ponies to l-love you. S-show them that you're not just... o-out to get them..." she explained.
Nightmare hesitated for a moment, then slowly inclined her head. "I see," she answered. "Perhaps I will. Do you have any suggestions?"
She swallowed as panic bolted through her. 'Suggestions!?' Her heart raced. 'W-what!? What could she do to convince ponies she isn't out to get them when she is!?' screamed out in her mind. But, was that true? Was Nightmare out to get ponies? Not necessarily. She wanted their respect, she wanted their obedience. She wanted ponies to love her, even if she said it couldn't happen. Twilight licked her lips. "W-well," she squeaked, "I... t-there's the Grand Galloping Gala..." she offered. It was a weak suggestion, she knew, but it was all that came to mind.
"What is this?" was Nightmare's inquiry.
"It-it's a celebration that... your sister has hosted every year for... several centuries now," she answered. "It's... traditional... I've attended it every year since... I was her student."
Nightmare nodded slowly. "Then I shall look into it, however, we have matters to attend to for now, and I believe we have delayed long enough."
Without waiting for a response, Nightmare turned and opened the door. Twilight just nodded. As the door opened, there were two soft thunks. As the door swung inwards, the room's two occupants dragged along with it.
She blinked. Nightmare's right eyebrow lifted up. The two ponies scrambled to their hooves.
"Listening in, were you?" Nightmare demanded.
The guard- a unicorn who was presumably Captain Light Shield- fell into a swift bow, while the other pony- a pegasus who was presumably the mayor- distanced himself from the guard. "F-forgive us, your M-Majesty," was his stuttered apology and admission of guilt.
Nightmare snorted. "Do not let this happen again," was her command.
"O-of course, your Majesty," he replied. Slowly, he rose from his bow.
The pegasus stayed silent but stared at Nightmare Moon with wide eyes.
"Captain Light Shield, I presume?" Nightmare questioned.
The guard nodded quickly. "Y-yes-"
"Inform me of the situation," Nightmare snapped.
"Th-there have been several in-incidents of vandalism and theft, your Majesty," he answered.
"Rioting? Protests? Arson?" Nightmare interrogated.
Captain Light Shield shook his head quickly. "N-no, your M-Majesty, just-"
"How widespread?" Nightmare demanded.
The captain shrunk back ever so slightly. "T-they have been i-isolated incidents, a-as per what was said in the r-reports I s-sent."
"Unrelated? More than normal?"
The pegasus shifted his weight. "U-um, yes. M-more..." he trailed off as Nightmare looked at him. "M-more than normal, yes," he answered. Twilight saw him swallow and heard him gulp. He put on a smile, but it was so increibly forced that it only served to openly admit his nervousness. "B-but I'm sure it w-will calm down s-soon!" he offered.
Nightmare scowled. "See to it that it does, or I will have you replaced," was her cold response.
He nodded quickly. "O-of course, N-Nightmare Moon..."
"Anything else to report?"
"N-no..." Captain Light Shield answered.
A low growl escaped Nightmare's throat. "Very well," she replied. With bitterness and finality, she swiveled around, then marched back the way they had come. Twilight shivered. Nightmare slowed as she approached Twilight, and she looked down at her. She came to a stop, then extended her wing and brushed a feather over Twilight's side.
She felt a feeling of relief emanate from that touch, and Nightmare didn't seem so threatening anymore. "So... um... what now?" she asked.
"It seems like this trip of ours was wasted. I'm not exactly pleased by this," Nightmare answered. "We will return to Canterlot after my address. You will accompany me when I give it. Practice your magic. I expect more demonstrations from you. I have other matters to attend to."