//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 // Story: Taming Nightmare Moon // by Leafdoggy //------------------------------// Nightmare Moon yawned as the sun slowly rose outside. She stretched lazily before leaning heavily on the arm of her throne. Around her, the throne room was mostly untouched. She had made her own throne more befitting a pony of her stature, and had taken the liberty of commandeering some of the unused windows to put up grand depictions of herself and her beloved night, but in the name of civility she refrained from touching any of her sister’s things. Celestia was still outside, dutifully raising the sun, but Nightmare Moon wasn’t alone. At the base of the tall platform that held the royal thrones stood two guards, the same guards who spent every morning at that exact spot, standing bolt upright and staring ahead dutifully. Normally, these ponies had a simple job. They spent half their shift with Luna, which usually meant spending it alone. After Luna went into her room for the night, which was always well before they took their stations, she almost never left it. They would talk idly, watch the sun rise, and wait for Celestia’s arrival. Today, though, that had all been upended when Nightmare Moon trotted proudly into the throne room after lowering the moon. Neither of them had any idea what to do, but they couldn’t just leave because Luna wasn’t herself. If they were the kind of ponies to shirk their duties so readily, they never would have gotten this position in the first place. “Tell me,” Nightmare Moon said idly, “does my sister always raise the sun in such a pompous display of gratuity?” One guard, a short blue stallion, spoke up. “U-Um, I suppose so, yes.” “She thinks it’s important, Your Highness,” said the tall yellow mare on the other side of the thrones. “The sunrise helps raise the morale of ponies who are up before dawn.” Nightmare Moon scoffed. “And yet she won’t allow an eclipse. I suppose that would contradict her grand show of beating back the night every morning, saving Equestria again and again from the horrible reign of Princess Luna.” “Um,” the Stallion started, “I don’t think—” “Don’t lie to me!” Nightmare Moon’s voice suddenly boomed through the hall, so thunderous and overpowering that it shook the windows. The stallion swallowed hard. “O-Of course, Your Highness. My apologies.” There was a moment of cold, tense silence. Then Nightmare Moon relaxed again. “Good.” She sighed and traced a hoof through the air in boredom. “Say, if I were to petition to have Twilight join us here in Canterlot, do you think my sister would allow me to put my throne in the middle?” “Probably not,” the mare said. “I think if there was a disagreement, Princess Celestia would probably suggest that Twilight should get the middle spot.” “Yes, you’re probably correct,” Nightmare Moon said. “Never mind, then. I’ll just—” Her thought was interrupted by the door to Celestia’s room bursting open. The guards did their best to stand up even straighter as an ominous breeze blew in, followed by an aura of immense power. Princess Celestia stood motionless in the doorway with a deep frown etched on her face. Her nose was high in the air, and she was glaring at Luna’s throne. All she could see of Nightmare Moon was her legs dangling loosely over the side. “Sister!” Nightmare Moon spoke into the air, not bothering to get up or even reorient herself to meet Celestia’s gaze. “How nice of you to finally join us, I was wondering if—”  “What is the meaning of this?” Celestia’s voice was sharp with fury. She swept into the room with long, weightless strides. Her door slammed shut behind her as she wheeled around and stood in front of Nightmare Moon, staring down at her. “What? Can I not even stay up late if I want to?” “You cannot do anything,” Celestia told her. “I demand you return my sister to me at once.” A look of anger flashed across Nightmare Moon’s face. She stood up and stepped towards Celestia with a fire in her eyes. “I am your sister! You don’t get to disown me just for saying things that you don’t like.” “If I’ve disowned you, it’s because you led a coup to further your own selfish desires.” “Selfish? Hah!” Nightmare Moon laughed in her face. “How thoroughly you’ve convinced yourself that you can do no wrong. Nothing has changed since that night. Ponies fear and loathe me, and you are content to let it happen. Do you think I haven’t noticed that I’m always flanked by guards in your regalia? Am I to believe they’re truly there to protect me?” “Enough of this,” Celestia said. “If Luna has these problems, she can speak to me about them. If you won’t relinquish your hold on her, I’ll have no choice but to assume the worst.” “I am Luna!” Blue flames wrapped around Nightmare Moon’s hooves as her anger grew. “Assume what you will, but I’m here to stay until things change around here.” “Well, then, I’m sorry about this.” As quickly as she could, Celestia fired a blast of blinding white magic towards Nightmare Moon. Before the magic was even close to reaching her, though, Nightmare Moon swiped a hoof through the air and a massive wall of brilliant blue flames erupted between them, completely stopping the force of the beam. To the guards, the room was suddenly in a torrent of conflicting energy. Celestia’s magic, bright and spotless, filled the air with a dry, incinerating heat. Just as quickly, the chill of Nightmare Moon’s flames sucked it away, leaving only the cold of space. Back and forth, the two forces fought in a dizzying spectacle. A moment later Celestia gave up, and both her magic and the flames dissolved away into the air. Nightmare Moon glared at her. “Your apologies are as empty as ever, sister.” Panting, Celestia clenched her jaw. “This isn’t over,” she said. Then, in a flash of light, she disappeared. For a moment, everything was completely still. Then Nightmare Moon let out a hate filled scream, almost a roar. She stomped her hoof down on the bright red carpet, and instantly the flames latched onto it. They spread into an inferno that stretched the entirety of the carpet, out into the halls and through the entire castle, engulfing it in the frigid fires of her wrath. Then, as soon as it started, it burnt the carpet away to nothing and disappeared. She stood there, hunched over in rage, for a long moment. Her icy fury sucked the warmth from the castle, leaving everypony inside it chilled to the bone. Her breath turned to fog in the cold air as she took fast, deep breaths, letting the anger wash over her. The mare decided she should say something. “Um, Princess?” Nightmare Moon’s attention snapped to her. “Speak.” “I just wanted to let you know that we actually weren’t put here to keep an eye on you or to guard you,” she said. “We’re only supposed to make you comfortable.” Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes at her. The mare was still looking straight ahead, afraid to make eye contact. “What’s your name?” Nightmare Moon asked. “Amber, Your Highness,” she said. “Amber Dusk.” Nightmare Moon regarded her for a long time. Her coat was a dark yellow, almost orange, and her mane and tail were stark white. By the way she stood, her chin held high and her wings tucked neatly against her sides, it was clear she held this position with pride. “I’m going to get you new armor, Amber. From now on, you report to me.” Another flash of light brought Celestia to the door of Twilight’s Castle. She could have appeared inside, of course, but she needed a moment to compose herself. She had a nasty look on her face, and she didn’t want anypony else to see it. The streets around her were empty. It was a damp, overcast morning, so even Ponyville’s early risers were likely staying home. The only signs of life were her own heavy breathing and a few intrepid insects. Thankfully, she was very good at composing herself. It only took a few seconds, and a couple deep breaths, and she was back to normal. Mostly normal, at least; a fire still burned deep inside of her. With one final, deep sigh, Celestia pushed open the tall doors and stepped inside. To her surprise, she was immediately greeted by two ponies. “Told ya,” Applejack said. “I mean, I didn’t doubt you,” Starlight replied. She was standing next to a heavy looking suitcase. “I was just hoping you were wrong.” “Um… Good morning, girls,” Celestia said. She did her best to sound as calm as possible. “Mornin, Princess,” Applejack said. “I take it you’re here about Luna?” “Yes,” Celestia said slowly. “Starlight, I’m afraid I need your assistance.” “Yeah, Applejack caught me up,” Starlight said. “Sorry to disappoint, but the answer’s no.” “Wh-” Celestia jolted in shock. “Excuse me?” “I won’t do it,” Starlight said. “Unless she’s actually done something, I won’t help you banish Nightmare Moon.” A frown flickered across Celestia’s face, but she quickly suppressed it. “And you, Applejack? What is your role in this?” “Well, I’m the pony that told Luna to do this in the first place,” Applejack said, “so I ain’t likely to be in favor of kickin her to the curb.” Celestia took a deep, pointed breath. “Okay. Would you care to explain why you’ve decided to urge my sister to become a villain?” “I find it hard to believe she’s done anything to warrant bein called a villain,” Applejack said. “She’s in a bad way, Princess. This is the only way she can talk to you.” “I’ve always been there to listen to my sister! Why would you jump straight to this?” Applejack shook her head. “Look, I ain’t a psychologist. All I know is, she needs this. You’re gonna have to trust her.” Celestia sighed, then looked at Starlight. “Could you at least come and stay in Canterlot in case she does do something?” “Uhh…” Starlight looked at Celestia, then at her suitcase, then back to Celestia. “I actually have… Plans.” “Plans that are more important than protecting Equestria?” “From Luna?” Starlight chuckled. “Sorry, Princess Celestia, but yeah. I’m not cancelling a road trip I’ve been planning for months just because you’re fighting with your sister.” “Last time I fought with Nightmare Moon, she tried to plunge Equestria into an eternal night!” Celestia put a hoof to her forehead in exasperation. “I am not the one being unreasonable here.” Starlight shrugged. “I never claimed to be a reasonable pony.” “Do you at least know when you’ll be back?” Celestia asked. “No clue,” Starlight said. “Maybe, like, a year? It’s a long trip.” Celestia shook her head and turned around to leave. “Very well,” she said. “I have other avenues to look toward.” She flung open the castle doors and stepped outside, slamming them behind her. “Nightmare Moon,” Celestia grumbled under her breath. “This isn’t over. You will not beat me.” Up in the sky, unnoticed by Celestia, the clouds above Ponyville were being burned away by an intense ray of light. It was certainly strange for the guards to be dismissed by Luna rather than Celestia, but really, they were just relieved to have been dismissed at all. With everything that was happening, Amber Dusk half expected to be told to stay all day. Their hoofsteps echoed loudly as they walked through the now bare castle halls. Around them, the castle was in an uproar. Ponies ran around, trying to figure out what, if anything, to do, but none of them had answers. Other ponies rushed by with supplies, eager to do anything Nightmare Moon asked of them, and here and there a pony or two could be found speaking in hushed tones about escaping to find Twilight Sparkle. Amber Dusk and the blue stallion hardly paid attention to any of it. After spending hours with Nightmare Moon, fielding all of the inane questions her boredom brought to mind, it was hard for them to be afraid of her, and they were too exhausted to entertain thoughts of running away. All they were interested in was food and sleep. “So,” the stallion asked, “you gonna do it?” “Do what?” Amber asked. “You know, join up with her. The whole ‘new uniform’ thing.” “Oh, that.” Amber shrugged. “Honestly? Probably, yeah.” “Seriously?” He gave her a look that was halfway between disapproval and jealousy. “Celestia’s not gonna like that.” “Celestia’s not our only princess. You heard Luna in there, she thought we were supposed to, like, take her out if she went rogue or something.” “She did go rogue.” “She’s just upset! She hasn’t done anything wrong.” “Yet.” “C’mon, Seabeam, don’t be ridiculous,” she said. “How do you know she’s not just gonna use you to do something wrong and make you take the fall?” “The heck am I gonna do?” Amber laughed. “Yeah, Twilight better look out, Luna’s got a pegasus on her side now.” “She didn’t even know your name!” “Dude, Luna uses our names every day. She was just making a point.” “And you wanna answer to somepony who acts like that?” “I don’t see why not.” Amber shrugged. “Plus, I bet that armor’s gonna look sweet.” Seabeam laughed. “You got me there. Just don’t expect me to follow you.” With that the two guards, who were probably the only smiling ponies in the castle, walked into the mess hall for a well earned meal.