//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 // Story: Taming Nightmare Moon // by Leafdoggy //------------------------------// After the longest few days of their lives, Celestia and Luna finally returned to dutifully moving the sun and moon, just as they were meant to. Celestia had needed to push herself out of bed, so exhausted from the past few days that her body was refusing to move, but she had made it in time for dawn. Out on her balcony, she spotted Luna lowering the moon and gazing off into the distance. While she was looking, Luna happened to turn her head, and their eyes met. Luna quickly turned away. Celestia raised the sun mindlessly after that, and walked back inside before it had even crawled to a stop. It wasn’t necessarily reckless of her, her connection to the sun let her feel where it was even when it was out of sight, but Celestia normally made it a point to watch it as it rose, just in case. Today, though, she was too tired. She made her way quickly through her bedroom, adorning her crown as quickly as she could, and stepped out into the throne room. She let out a quiet sigh of relief when she saw that Luna was still in her room. She walked over to her throne and slumped down into it, hoping to get at least a few minutes to recoup. It did take her a bit of effort to get comfortable, but she did, and then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Good morning, Princess Celestia!” Celestia’s eyes shot back open. She had forgotten about the guards. She couldn’t be particularly displeased though, not with Seabeam looking so giddy as he greeted her. “It’s good to have you back.” “Thank you,” Celestia said. “It’s nice to be back. I do hope she didn’t treat you too poorly. Or you, Du—” Her words caught in her mouth when she caught sight of Amber Dusk. “What are you wearing?” “Oh, right.” Dusk looked down at the dark armor that covered her. “Well, I’m not entirely sure of the specifics, but Princess Luna said she wanted me as part of her, uh… ‘Lunar Guard.’” Celestia grimaced. “Well, don’t worry, we’ll get it all sorted out. I won’t let any of you be beholden to the ridiculous things Nightmare Moon forced upon you.” “Um, actually-” Dusk started, but then decided against it. “No, never mind.” “So what else did she mess up in my absence?” The guards looked at each other, then back at  her. “Uhh, I think that question might be better for Vim,” Seabreeze said. “Oh, yes, you’re probably right,” Celestia agreed. “Where is she, anyway?” “Hiding, probably,” Seabeam said. Dusk shot him a look. There was a click, and the hall fell silent as Luna’s door opened. All eyes fell on the Princess when she walked in. She set her jaw and took a moment to steel herself, then walked up to her throne and took a seat. “Good morning, sister,” Luna said. Her voice was cold. “Good morning,” Celestia repeated. “What’s this I’m hearing about a Lunar Guard?” “Jumping right into this, are we?” Luna asked. Celestia sighed. “Luna, please, is this hostility really necessary?” “That depends,” Luna replied. “Are you going to show me any respect?” “You know I respect you.” “I don’t know that,” Luna snapped. “You won’t even listen to my word on who I am, why should I believe you respect me?” “Luna…” Celestia shook her head. “We’re getting off track. Please, let’s go one step at a time. Tell me about the guards.” Luna pursed her lips and turned away, leaning hard on the arm of her throne. “Can I not have guards? Must we really have every guard under your banner, wearing your colors, protecting you? Am I too much of a threat to have ponies that are loyal to me?” “I’ve never said any of that,” Celestia argued. “You want guards? Fine, we’ll split the ranks in half, and—” “No,” Luna interrupted. “I don’t want half. I only want a select few. I’ve already told Vim to start arranging times for me to interview them and select my guard.” Celestia sighed again. “Okay, sure. However many it takes for you to no longer feel like I’m keeping them from you.” “That’s not why I want this.” “What?” Celestia raised an eyebrow at Luna. “I’m not just jealous.” “What difference does it make?” “It makes every difference!” Luna glared at her sister. “The difference is your assumption that I cannot possible have a rational reason for my actions.” “I didn’t mean it like that,” Celestia said. “You are not infallible just because you mean well.” “I don’t think I am!” Celestia put a hoof to her head in frustration. “Luna, I’m trying. I don’t get what you want from me!” “I want you to listen to anything I say,” Luna told her. “I want you to hear my words, and to actually consider for one second that maybe you made mistakes.” “I know I’ve made mistakes, Luna.” “Do you? Because all I’ve heard today is indignance and rebuttals. What mistakes do you truly believe you made?” “I’ve regretted banishing you every day since it happened. Every night I go to bed wondering if things would be different if I’d only paid more attention, if I had seen what was happening to you before it was too late.” “Listen to yourself! ‘What was happening to me?’ You were happening to me! You’ve so thoroughly convinced yourself that you can do no wrong that you’d rather believe your own sister spontaneously became evil when you weren’t looking.” “I never once saw you as evil,” Celestia said. “No, of course not.” Luna rolled her eyes. “You simply believe Nightmare Moon, the all powerful being who controls my mind, is evil. That’s what I want you to do. I want you to admit to yourself that I am Nightmare Moon.” “I can’t do that, Luna.” Celestia put her hooves out in a pleading gesture. “You’re asking me to accept that you can’t be helped, and I just can’t do that!” “It’s not up to you!” Luna growled and suddenly stood up. “Nightmare Moon is here to stay. You have no say in that, and if you won’t accept me for who I am I have nothing more to say to you.” Luna stormed off, headed for the hallway. When she neared the door, it opened and Vim pushed an overloaded cart full of scrolls and books into the throne room. “Oh, good morning, Princess,” she said to Luna. “Um, I have that information you wanted, if you’d like to take a look at it.” “Later,” Luna said tersely. “Thank you.” Then she stepped out, the doors closing with a heavy thud behind her. Vim winced at the tense energy in the air and pushed the cart as quietly as possible up to the thrones. “Um, welcome back, Princess Celestia,” she said. “I have quite a bit to discuss with you.” “Thank you,” Celestia said idly. She stared off into the distance, not focused at all. Vim coughed quietly. “If you’re busy, I could go see if Applejack is awake so I can take her measurements.” Celestia nodded, and so Vim scurried over and knocked on Luna’s door. A moment later, she walked in and shut the door behind herself. The throne room was eerily silent. Celestia was completely still, and the guards wouldn’t dream of speaking up at a time like this. All they could do was wait. Occasionally they stole nervous glances back towards the Princess, checking on her only to find out she still hadn’t moved. Then Celestia blinked and sat up straight. “Wait. Measurements?” Seabeam sucked in air through his teeth, and Amber Dusk sighed, knowing she would have to be the one to break the news. “Yeah, uh, probably for a crown,” was how she chose to do so. Celestia stared at her for a moment, then just said “What?” Dusk spoke slowly as she carefully chose her words. “Yes, well, Princess Luna  made the decision that she would like Applejack to become a Princess.” Celestia put her head in her hooves. “Oh, she’s going to be the death of me. Doesn’t she realize that-” She stopped and sighed, then shouted “Vim!” Vim stepped out right away, still holding a measuring tape in her teeth. “Yes, Princess?” she mumbled. “Could you have Applejack come speak to me?” “Of course, Princess.” Vim shut the door, and a moment later it opened again to show Applejack, yawning as she put her hat on. She walked over slowly and hopped into Luna’s throne to sit down. Vim walked out a moment later and stood out of the way. “Mornin, Princess,” Applejack said. “Hope you’re holdin up alright.” “I’m managing,” Celestia said. “I’d like to speak to you, though. I’m told you’re looking to become a Princess?” Applejack groaned. “Look, it ain’t me that’s gunning for it. Nightmare Moon wanted it to happen, and then Luna, well… Didn’t change her mind.” “You realize that Princess is more than just a title, right?” “So I’ve heard,” Applejack said dryly. “Supposedly there’s some kinda magic somethin or other that can keep me an earth pony.” “We can’t just make all of Twilight’s friends into Princesses,” Celestia said. “It would look like nepotism. It would be nepotism.” “Well, I can’t see Fluttershy or Rainbow Dash wantin to be Princesses.” “It- It’s not even something you can just choose to become. I don’t even think it’s possible.” Applejack shrugged. “Yeah, I’m lost there too.” Celestia sighed and shook her head. “What would a Princess of Honesty even do?” “Well, my current plan is to keep farming.” “You’re not even going to be an acting Princess?” “Not unless I gotta be,” Applejack said, “and Equestria’s in a pretty good spot.” Celestia threw her hooves up in defeat. “Fine! Who am I to get in the way? You, Rarity, heck let’s make Trixie a Princess!” She groaned and slumped against the back of her chair. Applejack chuckled. “I feel like we’re not talkin about Princesses anymore.” “Sorry.” Celestia took a deep breath. “I just…” She turned and looked hard at Applejack. “Can’t you talk some sense into her?” “How so?” “She needs to let go of Nightmare Moon,” Celestia said. “What she’s doing, it can’t be healthy.” “Hey, I like Nightmare Moon,” Applejack said. “I think she’s good for Luna.” “How in the world can you think that?” “I mean, you were gone a while, and she was doin your job that whole time. And that’s on top of her own job, plus makin changes around here to try and fix things, and dealin with you! She couldn’t have done half of that without Nightmare Moon.” “I would hardly call ordering new uniforms ‘doing my job.’” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Hey Vim, you’ve probly got like, numbers or something to show how she was doing, yeah?” “Oh, absolutely.” Vim pulled a notepad out of somewhere in the middle of her cluttered cart and flipped through it. “Let’s see, um… We have seventeen nobles who agreed to the offers they had when you left, fifty royal guard applicants, her public appearances were all very crowded, although that would probably just be because it was something new, um, she resolved a strike, she—” “Okay, I get it,” Celestia said. “She could do all that stuff on her own though if she just got help!” “Or she could just do it now,” Applejack said, “and not spend years having her sister try to ‘fix’ her.” “And what if it gets worse?” “Well, then we deal with it then,” Applejack told her. “When it’s actually hurting her. You can’t keep her away from everything that you think has a chance to hurt her down the line.” Celestia closed her eyes and leaned hard on the arm of her throne. “Look,” Applejack continued, “ask any one of the ponies in here, and they’ll tell you the same thing. Nightmare Moon helped.” Celestia raised her head back up and looked around. Amber Dusk nodded eagerly, and after some hesitation Seabeam nodded as well. Finally, when Celestia looked at Vim, she stared down at her hooves and hummed awkwardly. “Please, Vim,” Celestia said. “Tell me the truth.” “Well…” Vim took a deep breath to prepare herself. “Um, Nightmare Moon is definitely an unorthodox Princess, but I can’t deny that she did things I’ve never seen Princess Luna or you be able to do. I don’t think she could do things on her own, but I think that if you worked together it would really be good for Equestria.” Celestia was silent for a long time. Her eyes were closed, and she was deep in thought.  A few minutes later, she looked at Vim. “Do I… Have room in my schedule for a few more hours of rest?” “Of course, Princess,” Vim said. So, without another word, Celestia got up and walked back into her bedroom.