//------------------------------// // Chapter Four (rewrote) // Story: Mother Moon, Daughter Nightmare // by ShadowStar_IMHP //------------------------------// The sound of a girlish giggle was heard as Celestia, Luna, and Raven Quill came to an alcove. In the nook was a pink alicorn being nuzzled by a white stallion with blue mane and tail. The stallion playfully nipped on her neck just below the jawline. Celestia smirked and spoke just a tad louder than needed “Ah, Princess Cadence, and Shining Armor so good to see you. I’m kind of surprised to see you two in this corner of the castle.” The two in question jumped away from each other Cadence did a quick brushing of her wings trying to keep them down. “Aunt Celestia... what a surprise. We were just on our way to the garden.” “It is a lovely day. Well, it’s a good thing that we ran across you two. Cadence this is my sister Princess Luna.” Celestia smiled as she motions to Luna who due to lack of magic was slightly smaller then Cadence. A slight gasp from Luna as she spotted the Crystal Heart Cutie Mark on Cadence flank. She quickly covered her surprise “Greetings, thou art the one yond Prince Blueblood spoke about? A pegasus hath been raised by earth ponies? Anon the first alicorn in a thousand years. Such a thing is truly remarkable.” “Bluey can be such a bother...” Cadence sniffed and looked at Celestia. “Um... aunt Celestia not to be offensive but there a smell.” “It seems my newest niece had an accident as I was carrying her. That why I’m glad to run into you two. I was hoping you and Shining Armor could take Luna out shopping for her daughter.” Shining Armor says with a bow to Luna “I’m Captain Shining Armor it will be my honor to escort you on this shopping trip.” “Oh, Shopping! I need to fetch my saddlebags, what will we need to buy? How old is the filly?” Cadence spoke up as she pranced with excitement. “What’s her name? Colors? Taste? This is so exciting.” “Mine own daughter name is Nightshade, is royal purple, with a dark purple mane. She’s still young a few weeks old? Maybe months? It’s a confusing situation.” “I noticed that Nightshade was very alert. Paying attention and even seemed to try to talk from time to time.” Celestia adds then looked to Shining Armor. Her horn flashes and a scroll appeared and she passes it over to Shining Armor. “This scroll will authorize you to access Luna’s account. A few hundred years of interest should give you all plenty to spend. Just don’t overdo it.” “I meet you at the gates. I need to fetch my saddlebags” Cadence turns and runs off. Shining Armor sighs and nods to Luna and Celestia “I shall take care of the bank and meet you there.” Then he headed off. Once the two were out of sight Luna looks over at Celestia. “Her Cutie Mark...” Celestia sighed “I figure you spotted it. The Crystal Heart and her destiny are tied to it.” “Then he’s coming back” Luna sighs as they headed to the garden gate. “BBBBBBBBBBBBBBUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPPPPPPPP” The three turned and look down the hall as the thunderous burp echoed off the walls. “What was that?” Raven Quill asked. Celestia smirked, “That was a baby burp with the power of the Royal Canterlot Voice.” “You haven’t used the Royal Canterlot Voice for three hundred years.” “Sister, thee don’t useth the royal voice?” “No, it was useful when giving speeches to the masses but nowadays with the newspapers, and speakers it’s not needed.” Luna nodded having to remember that. ------------------------------ “Wow, that was a burp,” A brown colt says looking at the baby in Gentle Breeze hooves. She chuckles as she carried Nightshade to the playpen. Nightshade pushed at the firm soft padded mat. She stood up and walked a bit before looking up as Gentle Breeze moved away. ~Now my chance~ Her wings flapped as she drew on the little bit of magic within her. The escape attempt ended as she bumped into a magical force field. It wasn’t hard there was give but she could not pass by the magical border. Then she settles down with a frown. Gentle Breeze smiles and looks to Azure Moon “Told you that it would be worth it if we pay for the Pegasus proof playpen.” Azura sighed “Fine you win this time.” Once Nightshade looked harder at the magic she could see the enchantment was made to prevent passage via age. The spell drops when an older pony reaches in allowing the caretakers to pick up the foals. “Indeed Gentle Breeze you win this time.” “What she win?” The voice came from behind Nightshade and she spun to see a Unicorn Pony foal about her own age. The filly has a cream colored coat and butter yellow mane and tail. Bright blue eyes look at Nightshade with curiosity and innocents. “You can understand me?” The foal came closer dragging a stuffed white bunny in a weak magic grasp. “Yup, I’m Cream Puff, this is Mr. Hops” Lifting the stuffed bunny up to Nightshade. Nightshade noted that the language the filly was talking was not normal equish. It was babbling and goos, but she understands every meaning of sound. “My mommy got me Mr. Hops so I won’t be lonely when she making cakes for the Princess.” The filly was babbling happily as she wiggles the stuffed bunny. “Are you a Princess too? Is your mommy the Princess?” Those blue eyes look at Nightshade with the pure curiosity of a child. “I... yeah I’m a princess. I’m going to be Queen one day.” “What is a Queen?” “It’s the one in charge of all the princesses.” “Oh okay... What your name Princess?” “Me, I’m Nightm... Nightshade. Yeah, Princess Nightshade.” Another foal came closer an Earth Pony colt with a blue coat and silvery gray mane and tail. “I’m Dusky, My daddy a guard for Princess Celestia.” “Okay, you two be my minions.” An earth pony and a unicorn could be useful as new plots formed in her mind. A shadow came over Nightshade and she looked up at the face of Gentle Breeze. “Aww making friends already.” Gentle’s wing came down and tickled Cream Puff. The filly gave a joyful giggle as she swatted the wing away. “You two help our newest Princess okay.” “It’s story time.” Azura Moon said as she took a book from the shelve and moved to the reading corner. The older foals rushed over forming a half circle to listen. Nightshade looked to her minions trying to think of a way past the protective enchantments on the prison called Playpen. “Cream Puff you can be my hoof maiden.” “What about Mr. Hops?” Cream puff holds up the stuffed bunny. “Oh... he can be your assistant. Like how Raven Quill assists her Mommy.” Dusty says with conviction that he was right. “Celestia not my Mommy.” Huffing Nightshade looks away crossing her front legs over her chest. “Yeah silly. The blue one was her mommy, not Celestia... right?” Cream Puff asked not really sure herself. ~Mommy?~[/] Nightmare moon now Nightshade tried to remember her. Who was she? Sadness came to Nightshade face as she tried to remember. There were the Nobles who shunned her, Celestia who ignored her... no Luna’s worry. She remembers flashes of memories of Star Swirl and the other Pillars. Nothing about her mother... then a flash of pain green eyes and purple smoke, Sombra. The memory flashes in her mind the pegasus stallion in her blue hooves gasping his last breath. The silvery blue star metal sword still in his chest. Pleading, judging eyes looking at her as the light fade... “WHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” She shoved the memory as far away from her mind refusing to remember as the other foals tackle her in hugs. Then Gentle Breeze hooves reach down and cuddled her. “Shhhh, your mommy will back soon.” Gentle carried her to another room one with cradles as she rocked the filly Nightmare. She starts singing a lullaby. “Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are. Up above the world so high, Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are! When the blazing sun is gone, When he nothing shines upon, Then you show your little light, Twinkle, twinkle, all the night. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are! Then the traveler in the dark, Thank you for your tiny spark; He could not see which way to go, If you did not twinkle so. Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are! In the dark blue sky, you keep, While you thro' my window peep, And you never shut your eye, Till the sun is in the sky, Twinkle, twinkle, little star, How I wonder what you are!” By the time the lullaby was over Gentle Breeze was sure Nightshade was asleep. Then carefully she headed for the main room. A few seconds later Nightshade’s eyes open now it was time to perform her daring plan to escape.