//------------------------------// // 114 The Twilight Moon, Part Five // Story: Continuity Disrupted // by Doug Graves //------------------------------// You… you can do that?” Princess Luna says, her mouth opening wide. She turns to Doug as he pulls away from her, Fluttershy leaping at the opportunity to bare her belly underneath him. “Can she do that?” Before Doug can respond Twilight loudly asserts, “Yes!” At Princess Luna’s grunt she continues, “Well, I’m doing it anyway!” Princess Luna shakes her head, “No, thou misunderstands. How wouldst thou acquire the Nightmare from me?” She looks down at her hoof, turning it first one way and then the other. “She is the incarnation of our desire for admiration and adoration, made manifest after years of spite and covetousness.” She raises her head to inspect Twilight. “We were not under the impression that thou suffered from our affliction, and t’would be hubris of the highest order to assume others suffer our own fatal flaws.” “Oh.” Twilight shrugs. “I figured I’d just copy the costume, actually. I don’t actually want to, you know, plunge Equestria into eternal darkness or anything.” Twilight coughs as Princess Luna’s eyes narrow. “Too soon?” Princess Luna grimly frowns at Twilight before shaking her head. “It seems ill-suited, for a holiday to commemorate any aspect of our descent into madness. Dishonoring and insulting, now that we have returned, no longer beholden to our cravings.” She motions towards Ponyville and the decorations depicting Nightmare Moon. “Surely you can have the same effect without invoking our former self?” Doug says, “Nopony would scream at Dread Nightmare Sparkle.” He glances up from Fluttershy’s belly, the two mares staring blankly at him. “What? I’m saying, it’s the name that inspires the necessary fear.” “That can’t be right,” Twilight says. “I’m sure I could make a great name for myself as Dread Nightmare Sparkle!” “Sure, but it’s so much easier to co-opt an existing persona and infamy for your own use.” Doug motions to Princess Luna, “While the idea of parties and games sounds great, I think it’s a combination of the novelty of the holiday, it being the one of its kind. Sort of like you,” Doug says, winking at the alicorn. “Despite our earlier demeanor, we are not so easily swayed by empty words,” Princess Luna coldly retorts. “And thou wouldst do well to remind yourself of that fact the next time we are looking to learn about fitting in.” Doug briefly looks at Princess Luna before continuing, “The second reason ponies like the holiday is because Celestia, your loving and caring sister, did her level best to keep the memory of you a pleasant one. Not unrealistically sweet and saccharine, or nopony would have bought it. Instead, she commemorates both your failures and successes. And the way ponies are able to triumph over their fears and doubts, even if it wasn't true for everypony.” Princess Luna scoffs, “Any successes we had as the Nightmare meant the loss of dozens of ponies, if not more, on both sides of the battlefield. That is hardly the cause for celebration.” Doug nods, “True, and yet, she chooses to memorialize them all just the same. In fact, I look forward to the yearly show she puts on at the start of the year, and I’m looking forward to the spin you put on the stars.” Princess Luna’s eyes raise to the night sky. It is still mostly covered by dark clouds, though there is no threat of rain, no oppressive and disgusting humidity that threatens to dampen both spirit and coat. There is a single break in the clouds, perfectly situated to cast the alicorn of the night in the moon’s glow. “It has been too long,” Princess Luna concedes, “since any pony looked on us with anything but terror in their eyes. Or a cold, calculating gaze that weighs the likelihood or us reverting to our earlier jealous ridden state, of yet again slipping and falling into that abyss.” Her eyes rip away from the invigorating rays, rounding on Doug and Twilight. “And yet you believe, that by playing the part of the villain once again, that ponies will cast aside their mistrust and misgivings? Instead showering me with admiration and adoration?” “Yes.” Twilight beams at Princess Luna. “And I know just how to do it.” Several minutes later some of the ponies in Ponyville stop flitting from one activity to another, their ears and eyes swiveling around, as if trying to find something that they could just barely not put their hoof on. No pony can pinpoint the cause, just a lack of commotion around them that draws their attention. The silence spreads like a contagion until the entirety of Ponyville is unmoving, everypony afraid of breaking the calm. A solitary mare serenely walks into town, her luminescent cobalt mane trailing behind her like an aurora. Her teal eyes scan everypony in turn, the Ponyvillian’s heads barely turning to keep the alicorn in sight. Minutes stretch on as she ambles forwards, until she arrives at the center stage. “Citizens Of Ponyville,” Princess Luna booms in the Royal Canterlot, “A Decree Has Been Set! There Shall No Longer Be The Festival Known As Nightmare Night!” The words hang in the air for several long seconds, echoing from one building to another. Nopony dares to say a word, instead exchanging fearful glances, or disappointedly scuffing at the dirt. Until one brave pony decides to speak his mind. “Awww,” moans Pipsqueak, his dam desperately trying to silence him. “I didn’t think that my very first Nightmare Night would also be my very last.” Princess Luna’s muzzle curls to a scowl as conversations spring like weeds in a flowerbed. “I wanted to be a pirate next year!” “I wanted to be a zombie!” “I was going to be a timberwolf!” “That Star Swirl the Bearded costume was the best!” Silence fills Ponyville as all eyes rise to a chariot sweeping through the skies. The two armor clad pegasi swoop down, landing just long enough for the sole rider to leap out. Her dark horn shines a bright magenta, her fanged maw sneering a condescending smile. Two wings lay folded against her sides, her hooves shod with gleaming teal and purple horseshoes that reach nearly to her knees. The teal and purple barding covers her cutie mark, adorned with a white moon surrounded by a purple haze. She bellows, “Princess Luna! Your pathetic attempt to ruin Nightmare Night, my night, shall not succeed!” Princess Luna theatrically gasps. “Nightmare Moon! No! You shall not claim this holiday, and use it to further your dark desires! It shall instead be a peaceful celebration, full of games and joy and love for our fellow ponies!” “Pah!” spits out Nightmare Moon, strutting past the stage to regard the many ponies, all of whom are standing still as statues. A breeze blows through the crowd, Nightmare Moon’s dark and poofy mane billowing away from her. The breeze soon shifts in register, no longer the pleasant rush of wind but instead a discordant harmony, all minor chords and a harsh, grating melody. Nightmare Moon calls to the crowd, “What do you all think? Should we bow to this pathetic version of Nightmare Night?” She pauses a few seconds as the music fades, raising a hoof to her ear and reveling in the silence. “That is what I thought!” she shouts as she turns, strutting back the way she came. “Or, do you think it should be a great and powerful festival devoted to me! Nightmare Moon!” A few scattered hoofsteps ring through the town center, many ponies on the brink of cowering down, though none have bolted outright. “I can’t hear you!” Nightmare Moon shouts. “You heard the mare!” Pinkie Pie shouts from close to the stage, demonstrating by stomping her hooves on the ground. “You’ll have to cheer for the pony you want to win!” Princess Luna steps forward, “And if you think that your ruler, the Princess of the Night, should grace this holiday with her blessing, the blessing of the Moon, then stomp! My little ponies, stomp for me!” The smattering of hooves turns to a roar, half of the ponies in the crowd stomping along. Nightmare Moon gallops, leaping to the stage and nearly bowling over Princess Luna. “And, if you think that I, the illustrious Nightmare Moon, should remain the sole steward of this holiday, stomp for me! This holiday shall be filled with frights and scares, not delights and cares!” The first half of the crowd quiets down, only for the second half to stomp along, an equally thunderous reply. “Well,” Princess Luna says, righting herself and facing down her slightly shorter counterpart. The music returns, this time a lilting melody every time she speaks, “we appear to be equally matched.” “Then it is time.” The music changes again to a minor key as Nightmare Moon’s horn flares, a blade of white coalescing out of thin air. She waves it around experimentally as her violet eyes narrow. “Prepare yourself!” The crowd gasps as Princess Luna’s horn shines, a cobalt dagger with a blade of obsidian appearing next to her. She yells, “We shall ensure that everypony has a multitude of games and fun to choose from!” The crowd stomps along as she leaps forward, striking towards Nightmare Moon. The white blade parries the dagger as Nightmare Moon retorts, “So shall we, but the games shall be of a dreadful sort that scare and spook!” Her blade clangs against the dagger in a heated exchange. The blades lock as their hooves dig in. They grit their teeth, struggling to overpower the other, ending up snarling inches away. “One, low, three,” whispers Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna returning the barest of nods. The two mares shove away from each other, panting heavily. Their blades return to the ready as they slowly get up, cautiously circling and searching for any weaknesses. Nightmare Moon swipes high that Princess Luna parries, then a low sweep that she jumps over, following her sequence of attacks with a stab directly towards the Princess's chest. “All you desire is for pranks and mean tricks against the unwary!” Princess Luna’s voice raises as she knocks the blade to the side. The stomping around the stage grows louder, it almost difficult to make out her voice. Nightmare Moon whips her blade back around, on the defensive. “And all you desire is to make ponies one and the same! We don’t need another feast commemorating how we live in peace and harmony! Sometimes, we need a festival to each of our fears, and how we are greater than them, even when they frighten us! Is that not courage, what makes a pony a pony?” The crowd roars, but it is not as loud as before. Princess Luna advances, her dagger leaving cobalt lines through the air as she slashes back and forth. “The people have spoken, Nightmare Moon! Your reign of tyranny is at an end!” Nightmare Moon’s eyes go wide as she backs up, step after step and parry after parry until she suddenly trips, a loud crash as she lands on her back. Her blade slips back to her, just in time to again lock against the cobalt dagger. “You are beaten, Nightmare Moon!” Princess Luna thunders to the cheer of the crowd as she presses down, her horn flaring brighter. “Surrender!” Nightmare Moon delivers her coup de grace in a whispered tone that somehow makes it to everypony’s ears, “But, listen to the crowds. They are having the time of their lives. And this would never have happened under one of your festivals.” The roar of the Ponyvillians doubles as her maniacal grin spreads, everypony now stomping to her defense. Princess Luna’s eyes go wide as the white blade pushes past her dagger. Her hooves flail as she topples backwards, her dagger clattering to the stage as the white blade rests against her exposed throat. “I am beaten,” she admits, a heavy sigh. “You shall have your Night.” Nightmare Moon grins as she backs up, her horn and blade winking out. She bows to the crowd, motioning with her hoof to Princess Luna. The crowd cheers louder, whistling and stomping and a lone pair of hands clapping. “But we are taking our armor back,” Princess Luna retorts, her horn flaring. The alicorn is now clad in her teal and purple peytral, helmet and hoofguards, long white fangs sticking from her smiling grin. On the other side of the stage, still bowing and holding a hoof out, is Trixie. “Gotcha,” she says with a wink.