//------------------------------// // Chapter 53 - Nightmare Night (Part 4) // Story: A Pony Displaced: Homeward // by NoLongerSober //------------------------------// After a few moments of running, the group had arrived in the center of Ponyville where the mysterious chariot was holding its place in the sky as lightning crackled, drawing screams and whimpers from the townsfolk. The hooded figure leapt down from the chariot, cape billowing wildly from both the wind and the wings that the figure had flared wide, slowing their descent. With a quick throwing-back of her head, the hood was tossed aside, revealing the confident grin of Princess Luna. While the townsponies quickly fell to their knees, bowing in fear, Fleetfeather, her daughter and the privates lowered themselves into respectful bows to the princess of the night. “Princess Luna!” Twilight exclaimed happily before the cowering Spike gave her cape a hard tug, pulling the unicorn down to his level. “Citizens of Ponyville!” Luna’s voice boomed throughout the town, making Barrier wince and slam his ears against his skull. The princess strolled through the crowd of ponies, not noticing them trembling in fear. “We have graced your tiny village with our presence, so that you might behold the real Princess of the Night! A creature of nightmares no longer, but instead a pony who desires your love and admiration! Together we shall change this dreadful celebration into a bright and glorious feast!” “Did you hear that, everypony? Nightmare Moon says she's gonna feast on us all!” Pinkie shouted, making a collection of foals scream in terror. “What? No, children, no! You no longer have reason to fear us!” Luna said in surprise, trying to sound soothing with her normal voice no longer deafening everypony in the area. “Screams of delight is what your princess desires, not screams of terror!” She stomped her hoof directly in front of a shivering yellow bellied mare. With a glare, the midnight blue alicorn turned her attention behind her, where she spotted a mare in a rainbow afro. “Madame Mayor, thy Princess of the Night hath arrived.” She deftly raised her hoof before quickly lowering it down towards the earth pony’s face, making the poor clown cower while her assistant covered her eyes and whimpered. “What is the matter with you?” Luna grumbled as she swept her sight over the nearby crowd, seeing so many ponies gaze upon her with looks of pure terror.  “Very well, then. Be that way,” Luna haughtily said, raising her nose towards the sky as she walked away. “We won't even bother with the traditional royal farewell.” “I'm gonna go talk to her.” Twilight rose up and started to trot away, only to feel something hard pulling on her cape. Looking back, she spotted the little drake was once again pulling hard on her cape. “You can't talk to her!” Spike said, his voice drenched with worry. “She's Nightmare Moon!” “No, she’s not,” Twilight sternly replied as she pulled her cape from the tiny dragon’s grip. “I saw the Elements of Harmony change her back to good and she helped Princess Celestia when Sombra and Discord broke out.” “She certainly doesn’t seem like she was when she was Nightmare Moon,” Barrier chipped in, trotting up to the lavender mare’s side. “That being said, she seems a bit too much like a mare of her time.” “I know, Barrier.” Twilight nodded as Fleet and the rest started to gather up behind her. “It seems she’s had a much harder time adjusting after a thousand years than you have.” “Maybe she doesn’t get out that often,” Hatty said with a shrug. “The only one of us that speaks kinda like that is Swiftsword.” “Verily, but I choose to do this to keep an air of refinement,” Swift grudgingly replied as she passed the pegasus. “Princess Luna’s speech seems to be lacking in incorporation of modern vernacular.” “Would you guys be willing to give me a hoof in helping her?” Twilight asked as Spike nervously climbed onto her back. “Sure thing, kiddo.” Barrier stepped up to her side. “I’m sure we’ll give her our all.” *** After a few minutes of searching, the group had spotted Luna’s disguised guards near the woods, keeping an eye on the princess sitting in front of the statue of Nightmare Moon. As Twilight and company drew closer, Starshine rushed in front of them and made them halt. “And what do you think you’re doing here?” Starshine asked with a raised eyebrow as she looked over the group. “Please, we just want to speak with Princess Luna for a few moments,” Twilight answered pleadingly. “We saw how she has some trouble interacting with the townsponies and I think Barrier and his friends can help her with this.” “And we’ve got candy!” Wind Whistler hopped up from the back. “I know candy makes me feel better!” “Hmm…” Starshine pondered for a moment, raising her hoof to her chin. “Alright, but we will be keeping a sharp eye on you, and any candy you offer her will be inspected by me to ensure the princess’s safety.” “Thank you.” Twilight gave a grateful smile as she and Barrier’s household walked along. While Twilight’s focus was on the alicorn in front of the statue, Barrier’s was on the faint glimpses of the costumed guards sticking out from behind some trees. “Princess Luna,” Twilight spoke, making the princess’s ear flick before she stood up to face the unicorn, “I’m—” “Star Swirl the Bearded,” Luna interjected as she examined the mare. “Commendable costume. Thou even got the bells right.” “Thank you!” the lavender mare said with relief, “You’re one of the few ponies to get my costume!” Twilight coughed into her hoof to rein herself in. “Uh, I just came to welcome you to our celebration! My actual name is—” “Twilight Sparkle,” the princess interrupted once more. “We art most familiar with thee. It was thou who unleashed the powers of harmony upon Us and took away our dark power and thou hast loyally served Our sister, aiding in the downfall of both Sombra and Discord. We could never forget thee.” “Thank you, Princess,” Twilight replied before tilting her head to the side. “But, I’m a bit surprised you’re not shouting like you were back in the town’s square.” “We were not shouting,” Luna said with mild annoyance. “We were addressing them in the Royal Canterlot Voice. We have not subjected thee to this because thou art a soldier in Our sister’s service. We did not wish to deafen thee.” “S-soldier?!” Twilight was taken aback. “But, I’m not a soldier. I’m—” “Thou hast battled forces that Our royal guard stood no chance against, did combat with Us when We threatened Equestria as Nightmare Moon, took part in a mission to save the Crystal Empire that ended in Sombra’s death and sealed Discord away with the Elements of Harmony. Arguing that thou art not a soldier seems rather strange.” “I think she means that she doesn’t consider herself so much a soldier as much as somepony who just helps out,” Barrier said, stepping up to her side. “Hmm…” the princess drew closer, closely examining Barrier’s outfit. “Thy costume seems most queer, Barrier.” “Um… Princess…” Verdant nervously said from the back. “The word ‘queer’ has a much different meaning nowadays. It’s considered a rather offensive way to refer to a homosexual.” “Truly?” Luna tilted her head in surprise. “We certainly mean no such offense. Pray tell, what would be an appropriate way to describe such garb?” “Probably odd, peculiar or weird these days,” Barrier answered boredly. “If need be, we could probably give you a crash course in modern linguistics.” Luna's eyebrow rose as she approached the charcoal stallion. “Whilst We appreciate thy offer, tis rather curious thou art in Ponyville rather than Vanhoover, Barrier.” Barrier gave an annoyed snort. “I decided it would be nice to check in on my niece, get her advice about Nightmare Night, and that it would be better to make fools of ourselves in front of total strangers rather than ponies we know.” “Very well,” Luna calmly replied. “Still, I do wonder how the legend of Nightmare Moon devouring ponies came to be.” The alicorn’s tone took a harsh shift into cold and accusatory as she leaned close to look Barrier in the eye. *** The ship known as the Wave Dancer sailed calmly through the seas. While the weather was bright and sunny, the mood below deck was quite the opposite.  On a cot laid Ember, her head buried in a pillow. Even though days had passed, the conquest of her home town by the griffins still weighed heavily on her heart. Barrier gave the pegasus a gentle pat on the shoulder as he stood by her side. “I’ve brought some food for you two,” a voice came from the stairwell, drawing the pair’s attention to the orange pegasus that descended the steps, carrying a wooden tray. “The bread’s well preserved and I even have some strawberry preserves if you want any.” “Thank you, Flash,” Barrier whispered as his magic gently pulled the tray from his forelegs. Barrier could see the worry in Flash's eyes as he looked towards Ember. “Tis so horrible,” Ember muttered through a face buried in the pillow. “All those I grew up with are likely dead… every place I knew from my childhood ruined…” “Ember…” Barrier bit his lip, trying to think of something to raise her spirits, if only a little. After a few moments, something came to him. “I have a story you may find humorous from the cadets training.” A tired sigh came from Ember as she laid still. “I pray tis a good one. Better than what happened to thee with that dragon.” Barrier shuddered slightly at the mention of that particularly terrible experience from his cadet days before straightening himself. “When we arrived upon Butterfly Island, my cadets and I stumbled through some poison joke before we made it to camp. I was turned into a mare while Winter Gem became a towering hulk. Hat Trick lost his feathers and Iron Forge’s fur grew out until he resembled a blue haystack while Swiftsword’s horn grew longer than the length of three ponies.” Ember remained deathly silent. “Lastly, Verdant Range was reduced to the size of a pea.” Barrier continued. “He was nearly stepped on or devoured by birds multiple times, and even once was stuck up Swiftsword’s nose.” Flash grew closer, sitting down at the foot of the cot. “But the greatest part was when Princess Luna arrived,” Barrier whispered, leaning closer. “A sneeze had sent Verdant flying through the air and into the princess’s mouth. In an instant, she had gobbled him whole.” “Wait,” Flash interrupted. “If that is true, then how did he get out?” A faint smile crossed Barrier’s features. “He escaped the royal stomach through the princess’s pert plot.” Silence held for a moment before titters started to come from the pillow. This quickly grew into laughter as Ember rolled onto her back. “T-truly, Barrier?” she asked, giggling the whole while. “Verily,” Barrier stated. “I witnessed the incident and waited until the princess went into the bushes to ‘retrieve’ my cadet. His stench was so wretched that he not only needed to bathe for hours, but I thought his aroma might attract a horde of flies to him. Ember started to laugh even harder, causing Flash and Barrier to join in shortly after. “Oh, that is quite the tale, Barrier,” Flash said as his laughter started to die down. “Surely we’ll have to tell the tale of Princess Luna gobbling a pony whole to the rest of the squad.” “Indeed,” Ember interjected as she put a hoof on Barrier’s shoulder and leaned into him, a genuine smile on her face for the first time in many days. “I am certain Styx will spread this tale to the rest of the guard.” *** “Beats me,” Barrier answered with the strongest poker face he could muster as Luna stared into his eyes.  “Rest assured, Princess,” Verdant stepped forth from the crowd, drawing the alicorn’s attention away and preventing her from seeing Barrier wiping his forehead. “I have upheld our verbal contract all this time.” “We believe thee, Private Range.” Luna trotted over to the pink clad pony. “We believe thou would not lie to Us.” “At any rate, I’m sure we can help you, Princess Luna.” Twilight trotted up to the midnight mare. “I think if you just changed your approach a bit, you might be met with a warmer reception.” “Change Our approach?” Luna’s head tilted ever so slightly. “Like lowering your volume when you’re speaking to the general public,” the lavender mare gently said. “Oh…” Luna looked somewhat sheepish. “We are… unsure We can. There is a saying that old habits die hard.” “Don’t worry, Princess,” Twilight said as she started to trot away. “I know just the mare to help you with this. Follow me.” “Very well,” the alicorn strode through the group, her face unsure… until she spotted Wind Whistler by her mother’s side in garb meant to mimic the night princess. Luna graced a slight smile which stretched across her face as she followed Twilight. Starshine gave a quick nod which was followed by a rustling in the bushes as her guards tried to stealthily follow along. The only traces of them was the barest glimpse of Bonecrusher’s head and the bunny ears on Tail sticking out. The rest soon followed along after the princess and Twilight as they left the woods and made their way to the edge of Ponyville.  Barrier gave his shoulders a quick roll as they walked along while Twilight and Wind Whistler chatted with Luna. The walk was rather calm until Barrier saw something out of the corner of his eye. Something that made his blood run cold. Atop the roof of a nearby house stood two figures, imposing and unmistakable in their appearance. One was a gray pegasus stallion with a wicked grin. The other was a very large griffin with black feathers that seemed to shine in the moonlight.  “Starscream… Grimhilde…” Barrier whispered hoarsely.