//------------------------------// // Sleepover // Story: Imperial Revision // by The Sound of Loneliness //------------------------------// Nightmare Moon knew not what to feel. She so rarely ventured into the dreams of others now that she almost forgot that she could. The dreamscape was of no consequence for Equestria at large, sometimes it was a useful source of intel, but mostly just a waste of time. Her subjects did not share her opinion, believing her to be watching their dreams as a way of reading their thoughts. Quaint. Today was an exception. For the first time, Nightmare Moon found herself eager to witness the dreams of her subjects. Her subjects, as limited as they were, were happy little ponies. Power proved so useless in the end. Well, at least it allowed her to adore the dreams of others. Nightmare Moon watched numerous echoes of millions of creatures dreaming at this exact moment, it was time to take a pick. Naturally, she first tried to find Pharynx’s dream, but could not feel it. The General wasn’t asleep at the moment. Nightmare felt unexplainable sadness at the thought that she won’t be seeing him yet. Though here, in Dreamspace, the pull wasn’t strong, she could feel an echo. Nightmare did not know what this urge was, but found herself without the will to investigate. It was what it was. Suddenly, Nightmare stumbled upon another she found herself drawn to. Though in a different way, it hurt to think about this one, but her thoughts still wandered to him anyway. For this feeling, she knew the name, it was called “Guilt.” Nightmare Moon laughed at the joke that Fate has played on her. She, an alicorn monarch, drawing on millennia of wisdom and venerated as a goddess, felt guilty because of a tiny and mediocre foal. Truly, Daybreaker was right to sense her weakness. The foal was having a bad dream, at least this is what she could feel. She could not make sense of what she saw. The foal, as predictable as his simplicity would lead to believe, was simply delivering letters, just as he did while waking. Though he was being late as his tempo indicated. The foal was galloping along what looked like one of Canterlot streets, though not any single one in particular, but rather a compilation of several ones. The foal soon reached his destination, the external office of Cloudy Down, his nominal superior. By the dream’s queer logic, her office was directly behind the front door, rather than on the second floor how it was in reality. “Urgent… delivery… Ma’am!” Silver announced between gasps. The mare behind the desk slowly lifted her eyes on him. “You dare to read the Imperial correspondence?” Dawn said, her voice completely flat. “W-what?” the foal stuttered. “I-I didn’t! Look!” Silver stretched out his hoof with a purple letter. Dawn did not change in the face and made no attempt to take the letter. The foal finally looked at the letter himself and found it unsealed. Silver immediately was thrown in panic, dropping down the letter as if it was a bomb. “Her Majesty will get you for this,” Dawn slowly spoke. The scene began to bore Nightmare. It would be folly to expect anything creative from a foal, let alone so simple as this particular one, but she nonetheless decided to see where this was going. Dawn’s office began to fade, replaced by the palace courtyard. Silver was now tied to the pole. ”The former Imperial citizen, Silver Shine, is hereby stripped of all honors for treason. The sentence is, execution by a firing squad,” some unseen judicator read in a steady voice. Nightmare Moon felt a sudden sting in her heart. So this is what foals believed her to be like? After everything she did for them?! Nightmare felt an urge to show this foal a truly nightmarish dream. There are fates far worse than simple execution… Instead of going on with her plan, Nightmare only sighed and bowed her head to the ground. Her anger gone as quickly as it appeared. With a swoop, she chased away the horror troubling Silver’s mind. Suddenly finding himself united, the foal looked down at his hooves and proceeded to tap across himself to find any wounds. Not finding anything, Silver then proceeded to look over his barren surroundings. He finally noticed her and his eyes widened. “I never read your letter! I swear, I didn’t open it!” The foal rushed to her falling to the ground in a deep bow. Nightmare Moon sighed again, "I swear on my life, I never did anything I wasn't ordered to! Your advisor-" “I know you had not, child, it was but a dream,” Nightmare Moon stopped the babbling. “A... dream?!” Silver gasped. “But it felt so…” “It is natural to confuse the two,” Nightmare Moon explained. "Lucid dreaming is a talent most rare, I would not expect you to develop it so early." "I... it was... Thank you!" Silver breathed out in relief. "Are you afraid of me?" Nightmare Moon asked straight. Her question immediately caused fur on Silver's back to visibly stand up. Silver was caught by surprise, without knowing what kind of response was expected of him, and thrown on the verge of panic again. Nightmare Moon had enough of playing charades, “Have I not done enough to earn your trust, little one?!” Silver instinctively took a step back as the enormous mare in front of him suddenly lashed out. It only served to fan her anger more and it reflected on her face like a theatric mask, “Ungrateful whelp! Just like all the rest of them!” she rumbled like a thundering storm, giving the way to her pent up anger and frustration. The display eroded the last bits of courage Silver had and his legs, moving on their own accord, carried him away. He did not care where, just away from the all-powerful alicorn that was about to smite him! Soon, to his terror, he discovered that he was not making any distance between himself and the terrible monarch. Then it hit him, there was no escape, not in a dream. As in a solemn confirmation, Nightmare Moon reached him again in only a few steps. Silver was trapped, alone against a mare that could erase him on a whim, both in dreams and reality. Silver gave up running and did the only thing left for him; he simply dropped down, covered his eyes with his hooves and quivered in fear. What felt like minutes later, Silver dared to open his eyes and carefully looked around only to find that he was alone again. Alone in what seemed like an infinite black void, “Y-your Majesty! I meant no disrespect! Please, don’t be angry!” Silver called into the void. “Please, come back! I am sorry to have offended you!” For a moment Silver waited. His reward was a single hoofstep. Silver turned around dropping in an apologetic bow. The mare did not react audibly, instead she deliberately slowly walked closer until she could almost touch him. Silver prepared himself for pain, none followed. Her Majesty simply lowered herself down to his height, bringing her head down to look him in the eyes. Silver tried to return the look without shivering. She was still visibly angry, but, seemingly, not with him specifically, “Am I just a bad dream for you, little one?” she slowly asked. “No?” Silver cautiously responded. “You are real.” Nightmare Moon slowly rolled her eyes closed and sighed, “Come with me, little one. There is someone I wish for you to meet.” Silver got up on his hooves prepared to walk but Nightmare Moon did not move. Silver realized there’s a door right next to them now. It was a simple, black, wooden door without a handle, “Go on, push it open,” the onyx mare encouraged him without opening her eyes. With a single moment of hesitation Silver obeyed. Through the door immediately poured white light, making it impossible to look on the other side. Silver’s eyes quickly adapted, for the light wasn’t bright, the black void was already gone though; Silver found himself in a corridor, richly decorated with paintings, carpets and even murals. This must be the Imperial palace. Next, Silver heard a distant sound of conversation being held. Looking around, he found two ponies speaking quietly by one of the windows. One was Rarity and the second was one of the Guards Silver didn’t see yet, “This is my Shadow, little Silver,” he heard a voice talking to him. “She is my most loyal servant. You have seen her many times before and she knows who you are; but let your eyes not deceive  you, little one, she is not who she seems to be.” “Eh… Alright…” The explanation did very little to clarify, “Shall I speak to her?” “Yes, speak to her. But prepare yourself, my Shadow is secretive, she will only tell you what you need to know if you ask correctly. Be attentive or you will learn nothing.” “Okay.” “Go,” the order indicated their exchange being over for now. Silver took a breath and approached the pair. Rarity was the first one to spot him, “Oh, it seems you have a delivery, sweety. I’ll get you later,” Rarity spoke and quickened away; this was a dream, Silver had to remind himself. “Courier?” the guardsmare asked him straight. “Oh, no Ma-am. I got no delivery for you tonight. But are you Miss Shadow by any chance?” The mare lifted her brow up. “No, I am Corporal Windmane,” she lied without blinking. “I don’t know anyone named ‘Shadow’. Who told you to find her? Perhaps they misspoke,” the mare suggested. “I am supposed to learn something from her, Ma-am.” Silver decided that lying directly wouldn’t be wise, “It’s for Her Majesty.” “Really now?” the mare asked. “Why would Her Majesty send you to learn things for her?” “I don’t know,” Silver simply answered and shrugged. “She is not very open with her reasoning.” “She isn’t,” the mare agreed. “What is it you are supposed to get a report on?” “I don’t know,” Silver repeated. The mare eyed him for a long moment, her face completely emotionless. Silver looked down for a second and shuffled his hooves. “What is she like to the Guard?” Silver made his move first. “It must be hard for you to keep this entire palace safe with how little she lets us know.” “It is for our own good,” the mare answered flatly. “But won’t it be better if we knew what we are supposed to do?” “Don’t question her,” the mare’s voice suddenly became much lower, almost growling. “Do not ever question her! She works tirelessly each night for everyone to sleep soundly, and all she gets in return is fearful looks and whispers behind her back!” The mare took a breath and continued in a reverent voice, “Her subjects are not worthy of her, but she loves them nonetheless. She cares deeply for every one of us, and it pains her greatly when her subjects answer her with fear and hostility.” “But she is terrifying!” Silver nudged Shadow’s speech slightly in the direction he wanted her to head, hoping that she wouldn't notice his act. “Yes, she is intimidating, but so is every mare in power. She will not willingly harm any of her subjects. All her actions are directed towards protecting the Empire and nurturing her ponies. Can’t you see? She only wants for you all to be happy. Stop quivering before her and embrace the light of her moon. She asks nothing in return but your loyalty.” Silver fell quiet, thinking on his next question. He just found a new meaning for the word “Fanatic,” “Aren’t you interested to know how someone as young as me got a job here?” Silver finally settled. “I won’t dare to question Her Majesty. If she wills you to be here, then you are needed here,” the predictable answer came. “I see...” Silver found himself out of valid questions. Silver heard a soft chuckle, from where he couldn’t say, “My Shadow plays her role so well, does she not?” Silver looked up at the guardspony again. She seemed not to notice. “Do not worry, little Silver. We are in Dreamscape, I can bend it in any way I wish. She won’t hear us.” “Your Majesty, I don’t understand,” Silver whined. “What am I meant to learn? Your Shadow won’t tell me anything unless you order her to!” “No, little Silver. She will not. Your task is not to make her tell you, but to gather what you need to know yourself. My Shadow is very skilled in ambiguity, but even she cannot hide everything, especially now.” “But… how? If she won’t tell me… am I supposed to simply guess?” Silver heard a sigh. “No, little one. Ask Shadow about her horn, you’ll see.” “What horn?” Silver asked in bewilderment. The mare clearly was an earth pony. “Ask what happened to it,” the Empress repeated. Silver tried and failed to wrap his mind around this. “Ma-am,” Silver began unsurely. The mare looked at him once again, “What happened to your horn?” The question had an immediate effect. For a brief moment, Shadow’s pupils widened, for one brief moment only. “What horn? I don’t have a horn, that’s a unicorn thing,” the mare answered. Her intonation was perfectly perplexed. The colt proceeded to stare at the mare with his eyes suspiciously squinted, she only lifted her brow in response ...Exactly like any other guard, he knew, would. "Who told you to annoy me with stupid questions? Run along, don't you have some real work to do?" That did it, Silver saw it now. She was good, she would’ve fooled him if not that single moment before, but he saw it now. She wore her disguise almost perfectly, to the degree that she couldn’t be a pony. Father told him about what changelings could do, but the stories did little to prepare him for how stunningly capable they were in reality! If Her Majesty didn't give him the clue, he could've walked right past Shadow every night of his life and never know who she really was! “Ma-am, your skill is stunning!” Silver exclaimed in rapture and awe, overjoyed with himself managing to see through her masterful work, even if he had a little help. “My Father told me stories, but I never thought you are so good at this! I didn’t have a clue!” “What are you mumbling kid?” the mare responded, still wearing her nearly immaculate impression. “You are a changeling!” Silver set to devouring her illusion with his eyes. “I could have walked next to you each night and never know! This is amazing!” “Are you nuts or something?!” The mare cried out. “My Shadow, he already pierced your protective bubble.” Shadow proceeded to immediately bow to the approaching Empress. She rewarded Silver with an approving smile, “Excellent, little one. You only needed minimal help to deduce something no other pony could, not even brilliant Twilight Sparkle.” Silver shyly dropped his eyes at the compliment. Nightmare Moon, then, turned to Shadow, “Shed this illusion, it is no longer needed.” “As you command, Mistress.” Shadow did not even lift herself from the bow. In a flash of green light, the armored guardspony was gone, replaced with pitch-black chitin plates of her natural form. Silver couldn’t help but notice Shadow's eyes glinted sadly. “You see, my subject, things are rarely the way they appear, no matter how solid they may seem to you,” Nightmare Moon explained. “Do not jump to conclusions before you gather any information,” she finished her lesson smiling contently. Silver slowly nodded, her point now made clear for him. He could see how come Shadow was so devoted. Truly, the Empress must have been the wisest pony alive! “Thank you, Your Majesty!” He followed Shadow’s example and bowed, “I am honored if you believe I, amongst all your loyal subjects, am worthy of your teaching. Your wisdom is without equal!” The onyx mare sighed once more, her smile souring, “Rise, my subjects,” she spoke while sitting down. “Mistress? Are you upset?” Shadow asked, her tone worried. “Yes, my Shadow. I am,” Nightmare Moon sounded fittingly sad. “Little Silver, tell me: how did I scare you so much for you to have nightmares about me? Do you truly believe I would hurt you for opening a letter?” “I...” Silver didn’t want to upset his monarch, but he was certain that lying would upset her more, “Your Minister, Cloudy Dawn, told me that reading Imperial correspondence would bring your ire. Your Guards have been saying you’ll kill me. Your Majesty, forgive me for disappointing you so, I didn’t know...” “My Guards are responsible for spreading lies about me?!” Silver instinctively recoiled as the sadness was suddenly replaced with anger. “I specifically instructed them to not use lethal force!” “Your Majesty, don’t be harsh on them!” Silver surprised himself with this protest. “I believe they weren’t certain of your will either,” he quickly elaborated as the onyx mare’s brows began to rise at him. “It’s just...” Silver took a deep breath, “Ma-am, you rarely show yourself in public, rarely speak to anyone outside your palace, you rarely even announce any public decrees. Your Majesty, your subjects do not know who you are or what to think about you. I grew up dreaming of getting a chance to see you only once!” Silver was glad that his words did not cause a burst of rage, but he couldn’t see if he was successful or not. Nightmare Moon’s face was neutral, she seemingly was not certain how to respond. “Mistress, I believe Sir Silver is correct,” Shadow suddenly pledged herself to his cause. “I too was at a loss why your subjects are so quail. I see it now! Your subjects do not see your true greatness because they do not know of it!” Silver wanted to give Shadow a grateful look, but she wasn’t interested in him, completely fixated on her… Mistress. “Even your Guards, although loyal, do not know almost anything about you! Mistress, you are beautiful and kind! Do not hide yourself behind walls and protocols! Let your subjects see how amazing of a pony you are!” Nightmare Moon stared at Silver, he tried to give her an encouraging nod, but she simply continued to stare him down, waiting for something. Finally, she smiled again, dropped her eyes and shook her head. “Thank you, both of you,” she spoke warmly. “But I don’t think they'll like what they see. Secrets serve a purpose. If I am to let them know me, they’ll fear me more, not less,” she sadly retorted. “You can start with the Guard!” Silver offered. “They already adore you, even if you still scare them a little. My Father never told me a single bad thing about you, this has to count for something.” The Empress didn’t respond for a few long moments, thinking over the possibility. “What do you suggest, young Silver?” she finally asked.