//------------------------------// // Together To Victory // Story: Imperial Affairs // by The Sound of Loneliness //------------------------------// Nightmare Moon was swiftly moving through silent tunnels, chasing Chrysalis. The Queen, cowardly to the last, refused to come out and meet her death as an honourable opponent would and sent her children to die in her stead. Well, all more fun. Her loyal Shadow sabotaged Chrysalis’ magic inhibiting throne. Her soldiers covered the entrances; no reinforcements were coming, not that it mattered. The Queen no longer had a kingdom. Nightmare Moon smiled at her hoof-made irony. Nightmare Moon trotted into a large hall, the walls weren't smoothened out and the floor was covered in stone crumbs. Must be a new addition. The drones have already built numerous wide supports, which broke sight nicely. Nightmare Moon looked the hall over with a sly smile, a single exit, plenty of cover and excellent acoustics. Could it be the Queen decided to take a stand after all? Or maybe she simply had no more places left to hide in. “You know, Chrysalis, I enjoy the welcome you are giving me! I do enjoy playing Hide ‘n Seek!” Nightmare Moon spoke into the still air. “Me and Luna were the best in all the neighbourhood, we always found all the other foals.” Nightmare Moon snaked around the supports, “Isn’t it fascinating how a foal game can survive through thousands of years with no change at all! Let's see if I am still any good.” Nightmare Moon noticed a number of stretched wires in between some of the supports. She smiled even wider and looked at what exactly the Queen prepared for her. “Oh! Tripwires! Now this is almost insulting!” Nightmare Moon proceeded to carefully detach the wire from the hidden grenade and lifted both parts for the Queen to see. “You can do a lot better than this! You are the Changeling Queen, after all. Or you was, anyway. Tell me, Chrysalis, how does it feel to be betrayed by one of your own children? You know who blew up your throne, don’t you? I wonder how did you name her at birth. Sinew? Or maybe Femur? You have such curious naming preferences, what do you do when you run out of body parts to name your children after? I like the name I gave her more: Shadow Crest. I think, by now you already see why it suits her.” Giving her voice to echo through the hall for a few more moments, Nightmare Moon started again: “So what’s next? Guns maybe? Chrysallis, you disappoint. We royals don’t have to contain ourselves to the same crude tools our subjects use. I remember you blasting Celestia away with your own magic! Come on, show me what you can do.” Nightmare Moon smiled at her mistake, “Oh, I am sorry! How could I forget! Your magic doesn’t work that simple. Chrysalis, when was the last time you dined? Must be hard to find sustenance when its source takes up arms against you.” Nightmare Moon chuckled, enjoying herself, “What were you thinking, really? You and your children used to be beneath my notice. It always was like this and you always had enough love to sustain yourselves. What changed?” Nightmare Moon, then, knowingly smiled, “I think I have a guess. It was never just about food, wasn’t it? You wanted power, didn’t you? Chrysalis, you have no idea how inspiring it is to finally meet a kin spirit! I should’ve shown more respect. Depriving you and your children of your sleep made defeating you far too easy, this wasn’t a fair fight. Is this is why you fear me this much? Why, thank you! This is the best compliment to my art you could have given me!” As delightful it was to have a grateful listener, the game started to bore the Empress. She unclipped her spellbook from her armored side and proceeded to flip a few pages until finding the desired spell. The spell allowed her eyes to see the glow all warm objects emit, this would do. Nightmare Moon looked around, she noticed soft light coming from behind one of the pillars, Nightmare Moon smiled to herself and turned her body into the purple mist. “What now?” she whispered into Chrysalis’ ear. The Queen with a terrified shriek, fell flat on the floor; her rifle flying out of her grasp. “S-stay back!” Chrysalis managed to utter. Nightmare Moon cackled. “But Chrysalis! You wanted to have my attention, didn’t you? You, practically, came knocking for it! I am no Celestia, I give away gladly everything a heart may desire. You, now, have my full, undivided, attention!” Nightmare Moon said into Chrysalis’ face, still smiling at her. “Going to beg now?” The Queen was too terrified to try, though. Nightmare Moon laughed again. “Oh, Chrysalis! You are adorable! You know, I’ve been thinking how I am going to kill you for some time now. My first thought was to have you publicly executed, but then I remembered I outlawed that a while ago. It won’t be nice to make exceptions. And then, you deserve better! You’ve been such a fun playmate, after all! I decided to personally do my own dirty work for once, you should feel honored. Then, I had some trouble finding out a suitable method; all of the classics, hanging, beheading, burning and the rest, felt barbaric. No Queen should go like that. I hoped to give you a warrior’s end, Chrysalis; sadly, not everyone is born to have one. And then, it hit me! I know exactly how to do it, Chrysalis! Just for you, I’ll do it with my hooves! Shall we begin?” Nightmare Moon proceeded to sharply rear up and aim her forelegs to Chrysalis’ head, “In the end, it is always about how we live, Chrysalis. You lived as a weakling and you shall die as one.” Chrysalis closed her eyes. The strike didn’t arrive. Nightmare Moon's enraged roar further confirmed she was still living. Chrysalis opened her eyes and peered at Nightmare Moon now being behind a chromatic barrier, of sorts. Chrysalis was smarter than to question her luck, she quickly picked herself up and took heel. “You ain’t going nowhere!” Someone's hoof racing to her face was the last thing she saw that day. Nightmare Moon watched as unconscious Chrysalis hit the floor. “Like that!” Rainbow Dash and Applejack clapped hooves. “I wondered if you will, actually, dare.” Nightmare Moon crashed against the barrier, checking its integrity. It held. “Was there any doubt?” Rainbow Dash asked in her usual brazenly manner. “I suppose no, not in you.” Nightmare Moon looked at Twilight and Rarity instead, “You on the other hoof. Did the Guards I left to watch the Elements at least give you a good fight?” “I...” Twilight struggled to find what to say, while Rarity hid her eyes. “Ha! Didn’t think of a victory speech, now did you, Your Highness?” “I am sorry.” Nightmare Moon laughed. “Sorry? So now you are sorry! Well, better late than not at all, I suppose. I wish you were sorry when Rarity had to drag you out of your library so you could do something useful! Go ahead everyone who died defending my palace from your two terrorist friends how sorry you are, that 'ought to make them feel better.” Nightmare Moon deeply sighed and shook her head in irritation, "Twilight, it boggles me how Celestia could mess up so much! What is it she's been teaching you? You ended up an excuse for a Princess! While your ponies needed you to show them what do to, you locked up in your library and read books all day long! Apparently Celestia overlooked the most important lesson she could give you: responsibility." “I know,” Twilight sadly agreed. “Nothing I can do now will fix my mistake.” “Eh? You are buyin’ that?” AJ asked, Twilight nodded. “Your Majesty,” Twilight began. “Forgive me for my foolishness and what it brought upon you. Thank you for trying to be better than we thought you would be. And thank you for showing me what I did wrong, I will not forget your lesson. I am sorry it turned against you now, but I cannot allow you enslave ponies on a whim! You understand why it needs to be this way.” “Hmph, I suppose I should thank you too. For coming clear, I mean. I should've seen how hollow your friendship mantra really is. But we all have messed up at something, didn't we? Should've killed you all when I had a chance.” Nightmare Moon sat down and gave away a tired sigh. “Well, no point dreaming about it now. Do what you came here for, I'll make sure Celestia is briefed and ready to resume her duties. Do be quick and pull her out of my moon, I don't want to tolerate her chuffed face any more than I have to.” Twilight produced a sigh of her own and began weaving the spell. “Twilight!” Rarity protested. "How can you be this cold blooded? This is wrong! This isn't harmony! How can we be so merciless? And what of Luna? She is guilty of nothing!" Nightmare Moon, suddenly, spotted a glimmer of hope, a quick flash of green at the hall’s entrance. Good girl, Rarity. Keep talking, it may turn out alright yet. “Rarity, are you really going to sabotage us again?” Rainbow Dash jumped to her, “Rarity, I don’t get it! How can someone like you defend this...nightmare? You saw what she did to AJ! Are you going to just let it slide?” “Rainbow!” Rarity started determinedly. “There is more to the world than just friends and enemies! I don’t follow her! I do follow her cause! I don’t care who is it sitting on the throne! As long as she is willing to protect ponies and their interests, I will follow to Tartarus itself!” “Rarity, she cares for nopony but herself! How can you be this blind? Storm told us! Hay, she, effectively, admitted it herself! What proof else do you need?” Rainbow noticed Rarity looking past her. “Huh? Starcall?" Rainbow recognised her adjutant even in the darkness, "I thought you were back with the others.” “I was, ma’am! But now we are in peril!” Starcall started rapidly closing the distance. “The Imps have radioed in our mutiny! They are preparing to storm the hive to take you all dead or alive!” “Then why...ugh!” Starcall, upon approaching at the necessary distance, dropped down to the ground, compressing like a spring, and then leapt at astonished Rainbow. Both mares fell to the ground, but fake Starcall wasn’t done, before Rainbow could react she snatched the Element from her neck. “Give it-” but it was too late. The barrier broke and Nightmare Moon, having used the blink spell, already was standing over the wrestling mares, Shadow Crest passed the Element to her Mistress. Applejack readied for a leap of her own, Twilight recalled her combat spells. “Enough!” Nightmare Moon grasped the resisting ponies by their necks, “Who do you think you all are?” she asked the three ponies, harmlessly suspended in the air, struggling to breathe. She proceeded to methodically disarm each one, “I don’t need the spellbook to deal with you! I can crush your puny spines with the most basic spell!” Nightmare Moon unclipped her book again, “But that would be a waste. No, I have just the spell for you, my rebellious insects. Not that crude insult to the art I picked from Sombra to motivate the soldiers, no. This is a lot finer one! You’ll see.” Nightmare Moon proceeded to hastily flip through the pages. “Here, you all will make good enough subjects still. No harm done.” Something touched Nightmare's side. Fluttershy’s hooves were failing her, tears streaming down, a mute plea written on the face, but eyes unwavering. Nightmare Moon tried to pool away from those eyes but failed. Two cyan orbs, slitted by her own blessing, the eyes to drown in... “Please,” Fluttershy whispered, before dropping at her bottom. Nightmare Moon blinked, shaking the numbness off. And without a word returned to the book, but she couldn't read the words. Must focus, no more weakness. Push through, can’t afford to be weak, not now. “Your Majesty,” Rarity addressed her. ”I don’t think you want to do this.” Nightmare Moon buried her face in the book, giving up on trying to read. Weakling, can't even protect herself, let alone someone else, “Your Majesty, we are civilized ponies, let's find a solution for our mutual predicament!" Rarity reluctantly touched her Empress' shoulder, "You are not like Rainbow. You are reasonable! We can always find a compromise, can't we?” Nightmare Moon chuckled sadly into the book, “Rarity, have I grown so soft that even you are thinking of making a fool of me? What kind of a tyrant I am...” “Y-your Majesty,” Rarity broke a sweat. "I don't think this is how you want to be seen. I...can't lie, I believed you to be like that at the start; but I do no longer. I've seen how you handle your subjects. You did your best for them, even if Rainbow won't admit it. Your subjects love you, Your Majesty! The Guards we met on the way here were willing to die for you! You worked hard to build that trust, don't throw it all away now!" “Then what do I do, Rarity? I ran out of options! I tried being mild, I tried exercising mercy, even to those openly defying me. For that, they tried to kill me. If I won’t punish you six for your transgression I will lose control over the Empire!” Nightmare Moon looked Rarity into the eyes, dwarfing her, "War is not the matter you can resolve by a whim, Rarity! War can only end in someone's victory, someone needs to yield and accept defeat. Any other solution is temporary, the war will resume as soon as the peace will stop being useful to one of the sides. Are you willing to see more of your fellow ponies die simply because you had no strength to do what's needed?" “Didn't think... I'll be... agreeing with... Night...mare Moon,” Rainbow Dash produced, fighting for every breath. “Not so simple now, is it, Rarity? I've got nothing to choose here! It's either to get rid of the threat or let it to become my doom! You are completely right! I don't want to do this, but nopony in this whole land gives a single bit for what I want!” “I do, Mistress,” Shadow Crest dared to object. “Yes, I suppose you do. The only one who does.” Nightmare Moon warmly smiled to her Shadow and the turned back to her hovering victims giving them another long look, before letting them plummet back to the ground. Fluttershy gratefuly smiled, "To Tartarus with this. I won't lower myself anymore to this childish pettiness. You want to send me to the moon? Go ahead. I don't want subjects like this anyhow. Neither does Luna, I assure you." “Who is Luna, Mistress?” Nightmare Moon chuckled, sitting down next to the pegasus. “The largest, silliest, grump this world produced in a thousand years. Also, the one stuck in my head for all eternity.” “Your Majesty,” Twilight sounded out. “I am sor-” “Dammit, Twilight! Stick your sorries somewhere where they are of any use! If you don't have anything meaningful to say, don't bother opening your mouth!" The black mare calmed herself by taking a breath, "I should ask Celestia sometime how she manages all of you alone. It feels like an entire team won't be enough.” Nightmare Moon flung hooves in frustration, “Whatever is it I do, you all are still going to complain and rebel!” “Try not murdering our friends and stealing the crown next time. That ‘ought to help,” Rainbow bitterly answered. “I…you...Twilight, get your subordinates in touch with reality, please.” “Rainbow, AJ, can you two just stop? You already did enough damage as it is.” “Us? Twilight, she is right on one thing, we’ve got nothing to talk about! She’s is still the usurper and we are still going to fight her until she’s gone, with or without you!” Nightmare Moon looked at Twilight and spread her hooves in a mute “told you”. Shadow Crest shook her head in disappointment, “And Her Highness called me a slave. Perhaps our kinds are not so different after all.” “I feel they aren’t, my Shadow. Yours is shackled to your Queen, while ours is to our egos. I hoped Stormbreaker would whip some sense into them, but apparently he failed too. That’s “Harmony” for you, Shadow.” “Hold on, everypony,” Pinkie Pie took the word. “Let me get this all straight-” “Ah, there’s also you. I almost forgot,” Nightmare Moon rubbed her eyes. “So, where do you stand?” “That’s what I am trying to figure out. Dashie, you are upset because Nightmare Moon sent Princess Celestia to the moon and killed the ponies you know, right?” “Well, kinda. She also sits on her throne and walks around the palace like she owns the place!” “How’s you, AJ?” “To be honest, Sugar. I’ve got no idea anymore. It all feels so, damn… complicated now.” Pinkie nodded seriously and turned to Nightmare Moon. “And you don’t like the idea of mind-controlling everypony, but feel like this is your only option?” “Well…yes, exactly that. I hate the idea, it creates more problems than it solves. You can brainwash a few, but all others become even more rebellious than they already are.” “And you don’t have the tiniest idea on how to resolve this crisis?” “Honestly, none. I even asked Luna. She doesn't know either.” “Can we talk to her?” Nightmare Moon blinked from surprise, but Pinkie was totally serious. “I suppose so...” The black mare swiftly shrunk down leaving totally stunned Luna sitting in ridiculously oversized armor. The plates immediately started falling down to the ground. “Princess, do you have any ideas?” she asked plainly. “No…” Luna had to take a moment to regain her speech. “Not the smallest?” ”This is beyond anything I have ever seen even my sister resolving. Nightmare is a lot better at this than me. If she doesn’t know...” “Princess, Nightmare Moon has already said how she sees it,” Pinkie seriously reminded. “What do you think?” “I...this is all so wrong!” Luna turned to Rainbow, “She never wanted any harm to you! Not even when we escaped from the moon!” “Sorry, Princess, but I am not buying this. She tried to hurt us every step of the way to your Castle!” “Uh...Rainbow,” AJ scratched her head. “I think I believe her. Like, she toyed with us the entire time. Imagine if she really wanted to kill us. You’ve seen what she can do.” Rainbow Dash had to acknowledge the fair point. “Princess, how does she feel about this whole civil war thing?” Pinkie continued. “She wasn’t reluctant...but she always took care to minimize casualties, if she could.” “Tch, of course she did! No war if there are no soldiers left!” Luna shrugged. “She always said it had to be that way for the sake of my thestrals.” “The bats, Princess?” surprised Rainbow asked. “What they have to do with anything? Aren’t they just praying to you like you are a goddess and hating us, day lovers?” “Rainbow!” Rarity hissed. “Have some decency! The Princess gave up everything she had for them to have a place in Equestria again!” “Well, sorry, I really didn’t have a chance to talk to them much. When they see me, they usually just whisper some rubbish about the moon and demons, draw circles in the air at me and walk to the other side of the street.” “I wonder why is that,” Rarity sarcastically reminded. Rainbow threw her hooves up. “Well, I didn’t make them to worship the evil tyrant!” “She isn’t evil!” Luna yelled. Rainbow immediately stopped, “Don’t you see how much she does for evepony in Equestria? Why does it matter what makes her care if she does?” “Princess, I don’t think you under-” “Understand what? That you are a fool and proud of it? I know her! We’ve been together for more than a thousand years! You chose her as your enemy, she wanted nothing of this! I am your Princess and I command you! Leave her be!” “But Princ-” “I won’t hear it! I am The Princess of The Night and I hereby order you to kneel before my legitimate regent!” Luna hammered every word. She, then, took a breath and continued in a softer tone, “She is not like what you believe she is. Let her show it to you, please.” Rainbow Dash facehoofed herself, “Ok, fine! Look, I am not buying any of this nonsense about you suddenly being good, you might've fooled everypony but you won't fool me! If this is how everypony wants it to be, I'll play along! Go ahead and do your best to prove me wrong. No more assassination attempts as long as you are not enslaving and killing anyone.” Luna beamed happily at her. “Thank you,” the Princess whispered. Everyone breathed with relief. "Sheesh! What a drag this was. Glad this is over with, my head kinda hurts a bit," Applejack complained. “Luna, I wish I could get my hooves on you right now!” “Someone else wants to get their hooves on you too.” The yellow pegasus was already lying on the quickly darkening coat, watering it in the process. Nightmare Moon smiled and lied down to allow Fluttershy more comfort. “Who could tell that Nightmare Moon would make a friend like that?” “Shut up, Luna.” Luna softly laughed. “Holy cinnamon rolls!” Pinkie exclaimed. “I think this a good occasion for a party!” “You have the supplies on you, darling?” Rarity asked. “Would have to use what the Guards and Changelings have.” “Miss Pie, I think I can be of use to you here,” Shadow Crest solemnly promised. "Postpone, for now," Nightmare Moon instructed. "There is still one more labour we must complete." She then looked at Twilight, who nodded in confirmation. "I am almost finished, Your Majesty."