As soon as the double image from teleportating faded, Twilight’s eyes refocused on Pony Joe’s Donut Shop. She smiled at seeing the cafe’s warm, inviting lights reaching out through the windows to paint the street, but Nightmare Moon’s absence weighed on her mind, making the corners of her lips dip lower.
She hastily glanced left and then right to make sure she wouldn’t run into anypony, and satisfied she wouldn’t, she hastily crossed the street, opened the door with her magic, and walked inside. The little chime of the door’s bell as it opened announced her presence, bringing to mind a few fond memories. Pony Joe himself stood behind the counter, turning to face her with the same warm, welcoming smile as always.
She returned it for a moment, then did a quick look around to find that everypony was there, sitting on the left side of the cafe at two adjacent tables. A few half-empty drinks and plates of crumbs and half-eaten food were set out on the tables, but it was her friends and family she was drawn to.
She had to do a double-take when she saw them. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, and Rainbow Dash’s dresses were all torn up to varying degrees, and Fluttershy, Rainbow, and Rarity’s manes were ruined. Rarity, while usually calm and collected, had her head laid on the table with her ears pinned back, her cheeks matted from tears and grayed from her mascara. Her headband was uneven.
They all looked at her with varying degrees of eagerness and reluctance. She glanced back and closed the door behind her, then hurried over to them to take a seat beside Fluttershy, who ducked her head lower as she sat down. “What-what happened?”
“Oh...” Fluttershy’s wings bristled at her sides as the shy pegasus lowered her head and hid behind her mane. “Um... it... was... nothing, really...”
Rainbow Dash smiled a forced smile as she sat up in her seat and chuckled awkwardly. “Uh... yeah! Nothing...”
Applejack glared at Rainbow Dash from where she sat because of the blatant lie before shifting her weight uncomfortably.
“Oh, I can’t believe this happened!” Rarity pouted, finally lifting her head up to look over at Pinkie Pie and stare daggers at her. “Why would you think that was a good idea!” her friend fumed.
Pinkie slumped forward over the table. “Whaaat! I thought it would make everypony happy!”
“Uh... you can’t really put all the blame on Pinkie...” Rainbow muttered, drawing Rarity’s ire. “I kinda screwed that up too.”
“What exactly happened?” Twilight asked.
Her friends and family all shared a look. Her parents seemed innocent enough, but her friends were visibly reluctant to speak. “We’ll tell you another time,” Applejack finally said.
She grimaced but nodded. “Right... I guess... I guess you wouldn’t want to talk about that...” She licked her lips and looked over her friends’ disheveled forms again. “Are you all alright?”
“Yeah, we’re okay,” Rainbow said. Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Applejack all nodded. Rarity huffed in disagreement.
“What about you?” Applejack asked, turning to face her. “We didn’t see you when... yeah.”
All eyes fell on her, putting her on the spot. “O-oh, um. I’m okay... I was... I was out in Canterlot.”
Applejack nodded in understanding. “What about Bonbon?”
“She was... there too,” she admitted. “We eventually went our separate ways. I came back and... yeah.”
“Maybe a good thing you weren’t there,” Applejack mused.
She shifted her weight and turned to look over at her parents, her brother, Cadance, and Spike. “So, um, you’ve all met my friends now...” Which, in all honesty, may have been the worst introduction possible.
Still, her mother and father smiled as they nodded. “It only took ten years for you to have friends,” her father said with a chuckle.
She shifted her weight as her friends looked at her and smiled a bit. “W-well, um, yes,” she admitted. “But I had a good reason before! I was-”
Cadance bobbed her head to the side, answering for her, “Studying... all the time... unless I was there to keep you from it.”
She looked at Cadance and puffed out her cheeks. “I-”
Rainbow snorted. “Heh, yeah, that’s Twilight alright. I swear, every time I stop by the library to visit her, she has her muzzle in some book or another!”
“Eyup,” Applejack agreed.
“I’m not as bad as I used to be!” she defended.
Cadance smiled warmly. “Oh, you should have seen how bad she was back when I foalsat her.” Her former foal-sitter now had all her friends' attention, much to her own dismay. “I remember walking in several times and she never noticed I was there until I took her book from her.”
“Th-that’s not... fair! I was... they were really good books!” She sank back into her seat while her friends shared smiles and grins in Rainbow’s case.
“She would look so adorable from how shocked she was that her book was being taken, and then she would light up with excitement when she saw that it was me,” Cadance continued.
Shining chuckled. “Yeah, you were pretty bad back then.”
“No, I wasn’t! I was just...” she took a moment to breath in and recompose herself, then sat up straighter as she specified, “focused!”
Her brother flexed his eyebrows up and gradually turned to look at Cadance. “You could say that again...”
“Hey, at least it didn’t take me years to work up the courage to ask Cadance to date me, unlike somepony.”
Her brother stumbled for words and blushed, hastily looking between her, Cadance, and their parents.
Cadance just smiled fondly while their parents laughed softly. “Oh, I remember how you tried to woo me, Shiny...”
“Oh, do tell!” Rarity chimed in.
Shining Armor looked at Twilight with a sense of betrayal. “Wait, we were supposed to be talking about Twilight.”
“Well, yes dear, but it’s not every night that you get to enjoy the company of a Princess and her coltfriend,” Rarity happily interjected. Rarity turned around and pressed herself into the back of her seat to look at her brother with dreamy eyes. “Is it true what they say? Are you really going to propose to her?”
Shining blanched and sank back into his seat, looking between Rarity and Cadance fearfully. Cadance even seemed caught off-guard by Rarity’s comment.
His training might have kicked it, because he overcame his fear, and then with practiced care, despite his shaking legs, he stood from his seat and turned back to face Cadance.
‘Wait, are you-’
He was.
Everypony fell silent. Everypony held their breath.
He bowed and levitated a small box out from under the table, then held it towards Cadance. She saw Cadance’s eyes widen and her chest rise as everypony fell silent. “Princess Cadance, will you marry me?” He opened the box to reveal a golden ring set with a large diamond.
For a moment, there was silence. Cadance’s horn burst to life as she smiled and squealed in delight. The alicorn teleported herself from her seat and hugged Shining Armor from behind, so hard that her brother’s horn flickered and he wheezed. “Yes!” Cadance happily declared.
Shining Armor smiled. The two of them closed their eyes and stood there for a few seconds.
“Woohoo!” Pinkie cheered, making both of them open their eyes and blush.
She had no words. She looked over to see her friends smiling and surprised, though Rarity practically swooned with delight.
“Well, congratulations you two!” Applejack wholeheartedly chimed in.
The future couple broke their hug and sat back down, with Cadance cuddling up against her brother’s side. They smiled happily, and she still had no words. She noticed her parents bowing their heads together as they shared a happy smile. Her mom’s eyes glistened slightly.
Her stomach rumbling finally forced her to remember why she was here. She blinked and shook her head, then climbed down from her seat and walked over to the counter, still processing what had happened. Pony Joe smiled knowingly. “You two planned this, didn’t you?”
“Always willing to help out a friend,” he answered.
She smiled and shook her head.
“The usual?”
Donuts for supper was probably not the best idea, but it was a special treat for a very special occasion. “Yeah,” she said.
He nodded and turned to pull out a plate and set a freshly baked, frosted donut with sprinkles for her. She took it in her magic and smiled in thanks. “I’ll pay you back tomorrow.”
“Oh, no, your father’s paying for everypony tonight,” he dismissed.
“Oh. Huh. Okay. Thank you.” She turned and walked back to her seat to eat while her friends and family all conversed. The conversation focused mostly on her brother and Cadance, but several times it dipped back to her and her foalhood, much to her embarrassment. She eventually finished eating and sat in a happy, comfortable silence.
Maybe Nightmare Moon was right that her friends and family wouldn’t welcome her, but Nightmare Moon was still missing out.
“Anything else I can get you?” Pony Joe asked.
“No, thanks,” they all answered.
“Hey, Twilight?” Her brother called. She looked over at him. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”
She frowned but nodded. “Sure.”
He stood up and made his way across the room while she followed. They came to stop at one of the tables on the opposite side of the room, far away from their friends and family. She noticed that her brother’s warmth and delight had subsided, and a certain reluctance and discomfort had taken its place. “What’s wrong?”
He grimaced and looked over at Cadance, who talked with Rarity. A few seconds passed before he looked back at her. “I’m going to ask Nightmare Moon’s permission to marry Cadance.”
She blanked at that, neither sure why nor sure what to think of it. “Why?”
He shifted his weight uncomfortably and looked over at Cadance for a moment, clenching his jaw, and then leaning closer to her. “She’s an alicorn Princess!”
“And... you know, Nightmare Moon’s niece.”
“Oh... Um, yes...”
“I don’t know how she’ll react to that!”
“You’re, um, afraid to ask?”
He hesitated before nodding. “Yeah. I’m going to, but... still. I’m worried.”
“It can’t be as bad as proposing to Cadance was, right?”
He squinted at her.
“I-I just mean that-” she bit her lip and sighed, shaking her head. “Nevermind.”
His squint faded. “I’m going to ask her, Twilight. I have to. It... it wouldn’t be right for me not to. I was going to ask Princess Celestia for permission, but...” he trailed off, grimacing. “I just... I hope she doesn’t say no.”
She wasn’t sure, but she doubted Nightmare Moon would really care that much. “I don’t think-”
“Can you do me a favor?” he asked, cutting her off.
She closed her mouth and nodded. “You want me to talk to Nightmare Moon before you ask her.”
He nodded. “Just... if you’re right about her liking you, then... I think she’d be more open to me asking her for permission if you talked to her about it first. But I’m still going to ask her.”
She nodded and smiled reassuringly. “Of course I can talk to her about it. I’ll visit her tonight after we finish here.” She stepped over to hug him. Without his armor, it was so much better, just like with Nightmare Moon. He returned the hug, squeezing her tight in appreciation.
“Thanks, Twily. You’re the best,” he said warmly.
“No problem, BBBFF!”
He laughed softly.
They parted and walked back to their seats. As they approached, their friends turned to acknowledge them.
“Twilight, darling! Princess Cadance asked me to help plan her wedding!” She was halfway surprised Rarity hadn’t fainted, but as it was, Rarity squealed with giddiness and delight. “Oh, I have so many ideas!”
“Wow, Rarity! That’s great!” She smiled, knowing that it had to be a dream come true for Rarity. The mare practically beamed from delight. She looked at Cadance, still smiling, wondering if Cadance knew just how much that meant to Rarity. The little glint in her eye was enough of an answer.
Cadance really was the best foalsitter she could have asked for.
The best future sister-in-law she could ask for.
“I shall not let her down!” Rarity declared.
Cadance smiled happily and nodded in agreement. Their smiles and happiness really were contagious.
When she teleported back to Nightmare Moon’s chambers after having seen her friends off to their rooms, she found Nightmare Moon sitting at her desk. Nightmare Moon sat her quill down and turned back to face Twilight as she stood up.
Like earlier, Nightmare Moon wasn’t wearing her armor. She spent a few seconds contemplating the alicorn’s bare chest before meeting her gaze.
“How was your evening?” Nightmare Moon asked.
She smiled and nodded. “It was good,” she said fondly.
Nightmare Moon nodded. “I am... glad that you enjoyed it.”
A little of her smile faded. “I wish you would have been there.”
Nightmare Moon looked off to the side before looking at her again. “Another time.”
She hoped Nightmare Moon meant that and would one night join her and her friends. ‘One night,’ she told herself.
Nightmare breathed in and walked towards her. “I was not expecting to see you again tonight. Pray tell?”
She smiled sheepishly, the faintest tinge of worry crossing her mind. “Can we talk?”
“Of course,” Nightmare said, bowing her head once. “What is on your mind?” Nightmare Moon stopped in front of her.
She breathed in deeply, mostly just buying time to think of what exactly to say. She looked over at the bookshelves, then at the opposite wall, and hen at Nightmare Moon. “My brother proposed to Cadance.”
Nightmare’s reaction was unreadable beyond being unsurprised. Her mentor nodded once. “I heard.”
She frowned. “You were expecting this, weren’t you?”
Nightmare Moon nodded once again. “I was.”
“He wants to ask for your permission.”
Nightmare tossed her head to the side. “They do not need my permission. It is their choice.”
“So... you’re going to let them marry?” she asked.
“Of course,” Nightmare Moon answered.
She nodded in thought, relieved of what little worry she felt. ‘I knew you wouldn’t say no.’
“They... do love each other. I have seen as much,” Nightmare commented. “I may not like them very well or think highly of them, but I will not stand in their way.”
“Even though she’s an alicorn princess?”
Nightmare hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Yes.” Her mentor lifted her head up and turned to the side to walk towards her bedchambers. Twilight eventually followed. “He will be... marrying into royalty. He will... become my nephew-in-law, I suppose.”
“He will be a unicorn Prince,” Nightmare stated simply. She followed her mentor out onto the balcony. “One far preferable to the self-titled former Prince Blueblood.”
She smiled sheepishly. “He really didn’t like it when you stripped that title from him.”
“Quite,” Nightmare agreed. “He is unworthy of such a title. I do not know why my Sister let him keep it.”
In truth, she didn’t either, but she wasn’t a politician.
“So... what happens now?” she asked.
Nightmare looked over at her casually. “They plan their wedding, I suppose. I... suspect-” Nightmare turned back to look over Equestria, “-they will have me officiate their wedding.”
She frowned as she tried to picture that. “Have you done that before?”
Nightmare inclined her head. “I have. Though not often. Luna officiated weddings, mostly between batponies, I must admit.”
“Huh...”
Nightmare faced her. “You are surprised?”
She smiled apologetically. “Sorry, it’s just... it’s hard to picture it.”
Nightmare tentatively nodded in agreement. “It was... never my strong suit.”
A few seconds passed in silence while she tried to picture Luna officiating a wedding. She could, but it was harder to picture a batpony wedding. She wasn’t sure if it would be the most formal affair she could imagine or something where Pinkie Pie would fit right in. The latter thought made her smile.
They settled into a comfortable silence for a while. Eventually, Nightmare looked aside at her. “There are already ongoing investigations into the missing ponies,” her mentor commented. “Though they have not yet returned anything. They were not considered important enough for me to be made aware of.”
She nodded. “Oh. Thanks for checking on that.”
Nightmare nodded. “Of course.”
“I uh, I guess... I’ll go ahead and head to bed, then. I’ll see you for breakfast with everypony in the morning?”
Nightmare smiled as she nodded. “Yes.”
She smiled back, hoping breakfast would end up being as welcoming as dinner had been. “Goodnight.”
Nightmare bowed her head to her. “Goodnight, Twilight.”
Where dinner with her friends and family started off awkward and gradually warmed as they got into their conversations-her brother’s proposal definitely helped with that-breakfast between her friends and Nightmare Moon continued to be a formal, rather distant affair.
She suspected that Nightmare Moon knew it was her own presence that left everypony eating in relative silence. She looked up from her cereal to glance around at her friends, Cadance, and her brother, and then Nightmare Moon. As per usual, Nightmare Moon’s expression was distant, and to her disappointment, she wore her armor. Twilight watched her mentor eat, noticing that the alicorn seemed to be thinking about something else.
Cadance and her brother sat right beside each other and laid against each other, of course, and while they both wore happy smiles, they were more subdued than last night. Her brother was visibly tense and nervous, always glancing over at Nightmare Moon and her, and then her friends, before taking another bite.
Nightmare Moon mostly ignored his looks.
She had expected that Shining would be more comfortable after talking with Nightmare Moon and asking her permission, but apparently, that didn’t help. She wondered if Nightmare Moon had said something that made him uncomfortable, but decided not to ask since they weren’t alone.
Cadance was much calmer than her brother, unsurprisingly more settled in and at ease around Nightmare Moon.
Her friends were rather timid, too. Not to the same extent as her brother, but it seemed whatever they caused last night was still fresh on their minds. They occasionally glanced at Nightmare Moon whenever the alicorn moved, along with glancing at Nightmare Moon before taking bites of their breakfast.
Even though Nightmare Moon didn’t seem to care, Twilight’s friends were all still uncomfortable around her.
Of all of them, Pinkie Pie seemed the most relaxed, smiling happily as she dug into her extra-syrupy pancakes. Rarity sat near Cadance and her brother with a pad of paper and a pencil, furiously sketching and writing out ideas between bites. Rainbow Dash was uncharacteristically on edge. Fluttershy seemed intimidated by the silence, partially bowing her head so that her mane hid her face from Nightmare’s sight. Applejack seemed to partially share Fluttershy’s reaction in that she didn’t like the silence.
And in truth, she felt the same way. The silence led to more silence where none of them were willing to actually say anything. She knew Nightmare Moon was aware of it. She hoped Nightmare Moon would say something and try to make an effort to get to know her friends, but her mentor stayed distant from them instead.
Maybe it shouldn’t have disappointed her like it did. It was expected, really. And she contributed to the silence like the rest of them, not knowing what to say.
She held in a disappointed sigh. How was she supposed to convince Nightmare Moon to forgive Princess Celestia if she couldn’t convince Nightmare Moon to get to know her friends?
“Well-” Applejack broke the silence, drawing everypony’s attention, “-I think I should go get started packing up.”
She frowned slightly but said nothing.
“Oh, um-” Fluttershy perked up, lifting her head out from under her mane, “-would you mind if I helped you?”
Applejack smiled at Fluttershy. “Of course not, sugarcube.”
Fluttershy smiled softly.
The two of them stood from their chairs and looked around. Applejack nodded at her. She tentatively nodded back and then watched them leave.
“We should probably get going too. We have a lot of plans to make,” Cadance said apologetically.
“Oh, yes! Of course,” Rarity murmured in agreement.
Nightmare Moon looked over at them and nodded. “Very well.”
She sunk back into her chair while Cadance, her brother, and Rarity made their way out of the room. ‘So much for trying to get everypony more comfortable with each other...’ She was surprised that Spike stayed sitting at her side instead of asking to go with Rarity. Spike choosing to stay helped alleviate some of her disappointment that some of her friends had already left.
She looked over at Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash, expecting them to come up with excuses to leave. Both of them had long since finished their breakfast and now sat there, watching her and Nightmare Moon.
She glanced over at Nightmare Moon and caught the alicorn watching Rainbow Dash. After a moment, she shifted her weight and finished off her cereal as the former Bearer of the Element of Loyalty and the current Bearer of the Element of Loyalty stared each other down.
She had no real excuse to stay now. Other than the obvious, ‘I’m Nightmare Moon’s student and we’re friends.’ She held in a grimace as she hopped down from her chair. Her remaining friends all followed her lead, leaving Nightmare Moon to breathe in and turn to face her before standing up as well. She tentatively turned to face her mentor.
Nightmare Moon bowed her head once. “Enjoy your night. I will leave you alone for the next few nights so that you may enjoy time with your friends and further your studies in peace. The chariots shall be ready to take you back to Ponyville by the time you are all ready to return home.”
Nightmare Moon seemed disappointed to say that, and that made her frown. “Alright...” She stepped over to hug Nightmare Moon. The alicorn returned it and laid her head on her shoulder, but she felt something off about the hug besides Nightmare Moon wearing her armor. It wasn’t as warm as last night, wasn’t as open.
Maybe because they weren’t alone. She tilted her head to the left and looked back to see Rainbow Dash watching them closely. Not quite suspiciously. She suspected Nightmare Moon was still staring back at Rainbow Dash too. Pinkie Pie smiled innocently, seemingly oblivious to Rainbow’s stare and, maybe, happy to see Nightmare Moon hugging somepony.
Nightmare Moon broke the hug and stepped back before sitting back down to continue eating.
She lingered where she stood for a few seconds, wanting to say something, wanting to somehow encourage Nightmare Moon, but not knowing what to say. She held in a sigh as turned to walk over to her friends’ sides and leave.
Three nights without hearing anything from Nightmare Moon. For no longer than it had been, she found herself missing her mentor’s company. Without her visits or the rare letter, her studies became far more monotonous than she excepted and remembered. Sure, her friends had come by to visit her a couple of times, but they never stayed long. For the most part, Rainbow dropped by to complain about the oncoming Winter, and Fluttershy likewise shared her worries. She hadn’t spoken to Applejack, but suspected Applejack also dreaded winter.
Winter never really bothered her too much before, since, for the most part, she stayed inside and studied. It was nice to cozy up by the fire and read or study, and late nights studying by the fire with hot chocolate was always a pleasant evening. Now, though, without the sun, she noticed that ponies were dreading it a lot more. From what she had seen, there were foals who were old enough to realize that it wasn’t going to be a fun winter, too. It would be cold and uncomfortable without the sun to warm their backs when the clouds weren’t blocking it out. Parents probably wouldn’t let their foals roam and play in the snow, either, for fear of what monsters might lurk in the dark.
She grimaced at the thought. Even if batponies were keeping an ever-present watchful eye, they couldn’t be everywhere all the time.
It was inevitable that something bad would happen.
Twilight startled when the crack of a teleportation spell interrupted her reminiscences. She shoved her book aside more readily than she intended, but couldn’t be bothered to make sure she didn’t damage it: Nightmare Moon was the only pony who would teleport to visit her. She nearly fell as she scrambled off her bed and hurried over to the doorway to peer down into her library.
Nightmare Moon stood in the center without her armor, gradually turned her head about in a wide circle, taking in her surroundings and likely looking for her.
“I’m up here.”
At the sound of her voice, Nightmare turned to look and then turned to face her. “Ah.” She watched her mentor walk to the stairs and then climb them. As Nightmare Moon approached the top, she stepped to the side for her to come inside. Nightmare briefly looked around the room before looking at her. “I... hope I am not intruding.”
She smiled. “You’re not. I was just studying.” She turned and walked back over to her bed and levitated the book up to show it to Nightmare Moon.
Fortunately, she hadn’t damaged the book.
“I see,” Nightmare acknowledged.
She set the book back down and turned back to face her mentor.
Nightmare leaned to the left. “I have something for you.”
“Oh?”
She watched Nightmare look back at her right wing and then levitate an envelope out from under it. Nightmare pointedly watched the envelope as she levitated it over to Twilight.
Twilight smiled and took it in her magic and turned it over. Adorned with Cadance’s seal, she smiled further, realizing what it had to be. She broke the seal and levitated out the letter to read it over.
Their wedding invitation.
She still couldn’t quite fully come to terms with knowing her brother and Princess Cadance were marrying.
Unsurprisingly, Cadance and Shining Armor wanted her friends and her to help with the wedding. She did a little prance in place before blushing and remembering that Nightmare Moon was there. To her surprise and further embarrassment, Nightmare smiled at her display.
She coughed into her hoof and finished reading the invitation. “Hearth’s Warming?” she asked, surprised that they would pick that date. She looked at Nightmare Moon for confirmation.
Her mentor nodded once. “I was surprised as well.”
“Huh.” She put the invitation back in the letter and then set the letter on her nightstand. ‘Spike’s going to love this.’ She smiled and held in a snicker as she pictured Spike’s reaction to it. Not only would it be Hearth’s Warming, but Cadance and Shining Armor were going to be married!
It seemed perfect. She felt happy, excited, and relaxed at the idea.
She turned back to face Nightmare Moon.
“Spike is not here?” her mentor asked.
“He’s out helping Rarity with something,” she answered. “So it’s just the two of us.”
“I see,” Nightmare answered. She thought her mentor liked that from the tone of her voice, but it was hard to tell.
“Would you like some tea?” she offered.
Nightmare nodded once. “If it is not too much trouble.”
“Alright.” She walked over past Nightmare Moon and headed down the stairs. Once she reached the bottom, she turned to the kitchen to start tea. She heard Nightmare Moon follow her down the stairs and into the kitchen. She started boiling the water and looked back at her. “Anything in particular?”
“It does not matter to me,” Nightmare answered.
She nodded and levitated out a couple of raspberry teabags to set them on the counter before looking back at Nightmare Moon as her mentor stood in the doorway.
She contemplated the way Nightmare looked without any armor and liked it. She looked almost free again. “You’re not wearing your tiara or regalia?” she realized.
Nightmare shook her head and finally walked into the kitchen proper to look around. “I... must admit I do not like wearing it. I... it does not suit me as armor does.”
She frowned and nodded reluctantly. “Well, um, I’m glad you’re here without your armor on.”
The barest hint of a smile on Nightmare’s lips. “It... it is a nice change,” Nightmare admitted fondly.
Maybe that was an opening she could use to convince Nightmare Moon to try to be friends with her friends. “You should come by sometime when my friends are here.”
Nightmare shifted her weight uncomfortably. “Perhaps sometime. But... I much prefer your company to theirs.”
She was disappointed by the answer, but it wasn’t a complete rejection. “Alright. How has the investigation into the disappearances gone?”
Nightmare grimaced. “Slowly. There have been no new developments, other than a few more disappearances reported. I am... I have my concerns about this, but as of right now there is little evidence supporting these concerns.”
She frowned and turned to face Nightmare Moon. “What is it?”
Nightmare shook her head. “I am sure I am simply worrying too much.”
She nodded unsurely. “You worry a lot now, don’t you?”
“I do,” Nightmare admitted. “Much more than I should. I should not have been worried about sending you to the resistance. There is no way for them to... know that I care about you.”
Her mentor bowed her head and turned to her left. She thought she heard Nightmare mumble something, but she couldn’t be sure.
She smiled softly. “I told you I would be fine.”
Nightmare straightened and watched her for a few seconds, studying her. She couldn’t read her mentor’s expression. Eventually, the alicorn sighed and nodded. “So you did.”
The teapot started whistling, so she turned off the heat and placed raspberry teabags in it for it to brew. She levitated the pitcher up along with two cups. “Do you want to go sit on the balcony?”
Nightmare nodded. “I would like that, yes.”
She smiled and lead on, heading back upstairs and to the balcony. Nightmare followed behind her. She opened the door to the balcony, but Nightmare waited until she stepped out onto it before joining her. She laid down on her stomach and set the teapot and teacups down in front of them as Nightmare sat down and then laid down at her side.
She looked up at the sky, smiling. The beautiful mix of purples and blues speckled with stars and broken by wispy clouds was a wonderful sight to look at. It was peaceful, with hardly a sound to break the silence, as Ponyville was a quiet town most of the time.
She felt Nightmare lean away from her, and then felt Nightmare’s feathers brush up her side. She looked over at her mentor as her mentor leaned back against her side and then laid her wing on her back. She smiled. Nightmare smiled too, though it was more reserved than her own. “Thank you.”
Nightmare nodded.
Once the tea was ready, she teleported the teabags out and served them two cups of tea. Nightmare took hers and took a sip of it to ponder the taste before swallowing and nodding in approval.
She took a small sip of her tea. It was still a bit too hot for her liking but had a pleasant tang to it.
“I am glad that Cadance and your brother are to be married,” Nightmare spoke, breaking their silence.
She looked over at her mentor to find the alicorn looking out down at the roof of the house across from the balcony, wearing a contemplative expression. “A royal wedding will be good for Equestria. It gives ponies something to celebrate.”
‘It gives them hope.’ She nodded in agreement, yet the way Nightmare said it made her uncomfortable. “Is that the only reason? Because it helps Equestria?”
For a few seconds, Nightmare silently contemplated her question. Nightmare looked at her and shook her head. “I suppose not. Since your brother is marrying into Royalty, he will become a Prince. Because of this, I will have a reason to replace him as Captain of the Guard.”
She frowned. “But what about them?”
Nightmare sighed. “Twilight, I do not know them that well. I know that they love each other, so I suppose I am happy for them, but...” Nightmare trailed off and shook her head. “I do not know how I feel about it.”
She waited for a few seconds, hoping Nightmare would be able to collect her thoughts, but her mentor wasn’t able to. “Well I’m happy for them,” she said.
Nightmare nodded tentatively and looked up at the sky. “I have known they would marry for some time. I was expecting them to marry, but I was not expecting your brother to ask my permission to do so.” A moment passed and Nightmare bowed her head before looking over at her. “Tell me, is it still tradition for the pony proposing to ask the parents’ or guardians’ permission to wed them?”
“Oh, um...” She shifted her weight. “Somewhat, but most ponies don't do that. It fell out of favor during the past two hundred years. I think. I’m a bit rusty on that subject.”
“I see,” Nightmare said. Her mentor turned back to the sky. “Back in my youth, it was tradition and practically required. Though I believe it started falling out of favor before my banishment. Of course, I am not well-versed in that either. I did not pay great attention to it, so I may be wrong. I have never courted and nopony ever asked to court me.”
How old was Nightmare Moon? And never once? It was hard to imagine. Or at the very least, it was hard to imagine it hadn’t happened during her first hundred years of life. After that, it was easier to imagine. Who would have had the courage to ask to court an immortal alicorn Princess?
Well, besides her brother.
Then again, Cadance wasn’t a ruler like Princess Celestia or Princess Luna was.
“Does their wedding mean anything for us?” she asked.
Nightmare looked at her. “I... do not believe so?” was her unsure answer.
“You said it would make him a Prince, and that he will be your nephew-in-law. Cadance is... your niece, and she’ll be my sister-in-law,” she explained.
“Ah.” Nightmare shifted uncomfortably. “I... do not believe this will affect us any.”
She nodded unsurely.
“Do you...” Nightmare trailed off, turning to look at Twilight and breathing in. “Do you have plans for tomorrow?”
“Not really, why?” she asked.
“I would like to visit you again. There is... something, well, a few things I would like to do with you tomorrow. It would be better to do it tomorrow than tonight as we will have more time.”
“Sure,” she said.
They laid there in silence for a long while, enjoying the peace and quiet along with their tea. The peace brought her to yawn a few times, and every time, Nightmare Moon looked at her like she wanted to say something, but she never did.
“Twilight?” Spike’s voice called from behind them.
She turned her head back to look at him. “Oh, hi Spike.”
He watched the two of them warily. She saw Nightmare’s wing on her back and glanced down at it, then over at Nightmare. Her mentor tentatively lifted her wing up and folded it back to her side.
She stood up and turned around. “How was Rarity?”
“She was good,” he answered, still looking at Nightmare Moon.
She looked over at her mentor, then walked back inside. Nightmare Moon stayed laying on the balcony.
“Do you need me to do anything for you Twilight?” Spike asked.
She smiled and shook her head. “No. Thank you, Spike.”
He nodded unsurely. “Alright... In that case, I think I’m going to go to bed.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Already?”
He smiled sheepishly. “Heh... it is kinda late Twilight, I uh, I was worried you were going to be upset.”
She walked over to him and sat down before scooping him up for a hug. “It’s alright.” He hugged her back and she nuzzled him. After they parted, he scurried over to his basket, climbed inside and curled up into a ball. She smiled as she watched him and covered him up with his blankets.
“Thanks, Twilight.”
“You’re welcome. Goodnight, Spike.”
“G’night, Twilight.”
She waited a few seconds before heading back out to the balcony and quietly closing the door behind her. “Sorry about that.”
Nightmare looked back at her. “It is fine. Do not apologize. He is... your family.”
She smiled a little and walked back to sit beside Nightmare. She intended to lay down, but instead, Nightmare Moon sat up and then stood up. She wasn’t sure why, but then Nightmare Moon lit her horn and she knew why.
She sat there and watched Nightmare Moon lower the moon. The moonlight dimmed and faded until the moon slipped entirely below the horizon, unseen by either of them for her library.
It felt special to watch Nightmare Moon move the moon, even if she didn’t actually see the moon, just like watching Princess Celestia moving the sun felt special. ‘How special would it be to sit between them while they moved the sun and moon together?’ The thought made her sigh in disappointment.
Nightmare heard her sigh and unfurled her wing to hug her to her side. She smiled weakly. “What is wrong?”
For as much as Nightmare Moon cared about her, she still couldn’t tell her the truth. It was disappointing. “Nothing,” she softly dismissed.
Nightmare Moon knew it wasn’t true. Several seconds elapsed before the alicorn relented. “Very well...”
She gradually laid back down on her stomach, and Nightmare Moon followed her lead to do the same, keeping her wing in place. A meteor streaked by overheard before burning itself out, leaving a little cloudy trail in its wake.
She remembered when she was a little filly her father had told her to make a wish on shooting stars. Now, she knew it was silly, although it was still special. Just not magical. She still made a wish.
‘I wish that I could reunite Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon.’
She looked over at Nightmare Moon to see her mentor studying the dark night sky, seemingly troubled as she thought about something.
Nightmare Moon found it strange that when she walked the hallways of her castle without her armor, the Royal Guards looked at her differently. She knew the reason why; she could understand why they looked at her suspiciously, and yet, it did not stop her from finding it strange. They knew Nightmare Moon as having worn armor, and so seeing her walk the hallways without it on must have caught them by surprise.
She gave thought to the idea, 'Or perhaps it is that I still wear no tiara or peytral.' For a moment, she glanced up to her horn and scowled. Looked down at her bare chest and scowled.
And yet, it was oddly pleasant, being free from the armor she had worn. While it left her vulnerable to go without it, and while it might encourage dissent, inviting assassination attempts, perhaps even from the Guard, she felt better for it, even though reaccustoming herself to wearing nothing more than her coat was taking time to get used to. But that much had been expected; she had worn armor for a thousand years, how could a few nights' time be enough to grow accustomed to wearing nothing?
Her scowl softened as her muscles relaxed, and so she carried herself onward, contemplating the weightlessness of her chest, the feeling of the air against her bare coat, how Royal Guards turned to look at her for a split second before returning to their attempted stoic postures. She walked on, making her way to Cadance's chambers, considering the future, the best course of action, and Twilight.
And of course, at the thoughts of her friend, she misstepped at the feeling that haunted her body. If ponies had paid attention, they might have noticed it, though they would not know how she longed for the filly's company. And so she stiffened, holding herself rigidly as she forced herself onward, tightly controlling her thoughts so that they did not wander back to Twilight.
Futile as it was.
She passed by a trio of Royal Guards, who stiffened as she passed by, and so her scowl returned. Their continued fear of her, their continued disgust at her, even without her armor on, served only to reinforce one point: 'I will never have their love. Giving them a chance as I have given Twilight is pointless.'
And it was simply fact, and so she felt bitter. That bitterness replaced the thoughts of Twilight in her mind, paining her and making her long for companionship even more. And then she felt disappointment.
But she did not feel anger. Neither towards the Guards nor towards the ponies who behaved as foals.
Or perhaps their disgust and fear weren't at who she was, but what she had done. Her lips twitched at the thought, parting for a slight moment to show her teeth.
She walked faster, crossing the rest of the distance to Cadance's chambers, then stopping and knocking on the door. She heard the chime of Cadance's magic, and a moment later, the door opened.
"Niece," she greeted.
Cadance's mouth opened for a split second, then closed. Her lips pulled up into a smile-surely the lingering giddiness of planning her wedding-while her eyes almost sparkled. "Aunt."
And for a moment, she had no idea how to reply to that, so caught off-guard had she been. She wanted to believe that Cadance was mocking her, wanted to convince herself that Cadance was trying to mock her just like Sister, and yet she knew better. She heard the playfulness in Cadance's voice that had become too familiar, the same playfulness that said, "I know something you wish I didn't," and teased her with that knowledge. And so her chest twisted with unease and she fidgeted where she stood, for she did not wear her armor and was unprotected.
Not that armor would have helped with this.
And it was the first time she had been called 'Aunt.' The title was so strange, so unfamiliar. She rolled the title over on her tongue, contemplated the pronunciation, considered the implications-but not all implications, as there were ones she would not consider-and then reluctantly nodded. "You are happy."
Cadance's smile only grew, and accompanying the smile, Cadance closed her eyes and laughed happily. And she found that she could not be angry at that laugh. It was so pure, so innocent! Filled with joy and life, that of a pony happy and with love.
And she felt bitter and jealous because Cadance was loved and she was not.
She swallowed back the bitterness and licked her lips. As Cadance opened her eyes, Nightmare looked at the necklace her niece wore, inclined her head, and then met Cadance's gaze. "I will take the necklace back," she stated.
Cadance hesitated, having been caught off-guard. "Why?" was her foalish question.
Irked, Nightmare turned her head to the right, nodding a forced nod. "Though your wedding is still weeks away," she said, bowing her head pointedly before turning back to face her niece, "I do not want to overhear what happens after that."
Cadance blushed. "Oh, um, yes. Of course."
'You are embarrassed,' and Nightmare was surprised. Without saying more, she lit her horn and retrieved the necklace from Cadance's neck, then teleported it away. "And I am willing to extend to you such freedom. Do not abuse it."
Cadance shifted her weight, nodding and frowning. A few seconds passed while she studied her niece's gradually relaxing posture. "How was Twilight?" Cadance asked.
And Nightmare fought back a cringe. That question, its implications, how it made the discomfort in her stomach all the worse! For a moment, she considered her answer, then said, "She is well."
Cadance smiled warmly. "If you want to talk... I may be planning my wedding, but I have time."
Nightmare grimaced. Looking away from her, she turned to look at the two guards at Cadance's door. And oh! How she hated the idea of anypony else knowing! It was entirely unacceptable for them to hear such things! And yet Cadance was worse.
Yes, hitting her head against a wall sounded like a good idea.
Avoiding Cadance's gaze, she muttered, "Another time, Niece."
From the corner of her eye, she saw the young alicorn's eyes twinkle even more as her niece's lips turned up. The thought, 'I have made a mistake,' flashed through her mind.
"So you admit it?" Cadance teased, her teasing, predatory smile growing.
She couldn't stop herself from scowling; her muzzle scrunched up. Fie the thought! Cadance knew too much. And what was worse, Cadance knew that she knew too much. Still, she knew better than to answer immediately. Too quick of a retort was an admission that it was true. She took her time, considering her options.
There really weren't that many options. Lying was not an option: Cadance would see through it instantly, and she would not lie as Sister had.
Why did Cadance have to be the Princess of Love? Oh, how she hated it.
"I do not wish to discuss this," she finally said.
"That's not a denial," Cadance noted, her smile growing.
"Niece..." Nightmare groaned, closing her eyes. She inhaled deeply, then opened her eyes and said, "You are correct."
And a little of the warmth in Cadance's smile faded at that. "I care about her too, Nightmare. She's like family, and before long, she'll be family."
Nightmare grimaced. "Yes," she voiced. Bitterly, "You do not approve and so you tease and mock me."
She felt Cadance's magic grab her and pull her into the room. Before she could react, before she could defend herself, Cadance threw the door shut and hugged her. "I didn't say that." Cadance’s voice was soft but firm.
Lifting her head well above Cadance's, Nightmare asked, "Am I wrong?"
"Yes," Cadance answered gently, slowly nuzzling her neck.
Reluctantly, Nightmare tilted her head just enough to look down at the top of Cadance's mane.
"You care about her," Cadance continued, her voice soft with care and compassion that she could barely understand; it served to soothe her bitterness.
But then, Cadance was the Princess of Love.
"I do," Nightmare agreed. Turning away from Cadance only made the alicorn hug her tighter. Her lips twisted with a grimace, and she reluctantly lifted her right foreleg and laid it around Cadance's withers.
The hug was nowhere near as close nor genuine as the ones she had shared with Twilight, even though the way Cadance held her seemed to convey the same care that Twilight’s hugs did.
"I can see that. I may be teasing you, but I'm not mocking you," Cadance murmured. After a few seconds, Cadance said, "It's nice to see you happy."
"Happy?" Nightmare echoed. The word was unfamiliar to her. There had been times when Luna had been happy, but it always ended. The only time she could recall herself being happy was escaping her banishment, spilling Sister's blood, and banishing her. If that could be considered happy.
And then, perhaps, when she was with Twilight.
"You're... happier around her," Cadance said.
Nightmare grimaced, recognizing that it was true. "I am." Yes, she neither could nor would deny that, for denying it would be nothing more than a lie. Perhaps not happy, but content. She longed for Twilight's companionship and missed her when she was not there, but when Twilight was, it felt right.
After a few seconds of silence, Cadance pulled back from the hug. Took a few steps back, stopped, and looked Nightmare Moon in her eyes. Nightmare made the mistake of meeting Cadance's gaze.
"It's nice to see you happy," Cadance repeated, her voice almost coming out fondly.
Nightmare frowned. She wanted to say, 'For your own safety, I am sure,' but she knew that was not the reason why. So she was forced to try and swallow the fact that Cadance liked seeing her happy, because it was genuine. And she could scarce understand it; Cadance was family, but only family through adoption, and even then, how much could that count? Cadance had been twisted by Sister's lies. And for Cadance, so twisted by Sister's deception, to be glad that she was happy?
She felt disappointed. She felt unsure and uneasy. Uncertain and cautious. Confused and lost. She could neither understand nor comprehend it.
And in the end, all Nightmare could do was shake her head. 'No, it is simply that you are happy over Shining Armor's proposal to you and that you are planning your wedding.' Yes, surely that was the reason why. And yet it still remained, "I do not understand you at times."
At that, Cadance smiled sadly. “Celestia hurt you so badly that you can’t understand how I can care about you, didn’t she? And you can’t accept that she loves you.”
And so Nightmare scowled. That damned topic again that always undercut any joy and any contentedness she felt, stirring her anger and stealing whatever peace she may have felt. "Explain to me why, dear Niece," she challenged. "Explain to me how you are right and I am wrong, when I have known Sister for hundreds of years." She paused a moment to breathe in, then said, "And you have known her for no more than a decade and a half!"
Cadance waited several seconds before nodding sadly. “You were gone for a thousand years. You’ve known her for a very long time. A lot longer than me, it’s true. But the only Celestia I’ve ever known is the one who was forced to banish her sister to the moon for a thousand years. She had to wait that entire time to see you again, and as soon as she did, you were so consumed by hatred and anger that you couldn’t see her love for you.”
She stared at Cadance, holding back a growl as her body tensed. ‘Perhaps I should not have retrieved the necklace.’
Cadance frowned at her. “You were both foals once. Did she hate you then?” Cadance asked. “And have you never seen her do anything good?”
Nightmare's mouth lingered parted for a few seconds before she finally closed her mouth. Of course that question was so precisely aimed that it made her feel bitter, and then even more disappointed. Her pride made her want to lash out, but it was foolish.
She took a moment to collect herself.
"I am not," she said. "Sister has done good things, I will not deny that, but-" she tossed her head up and vigorously jerked her head side to side, "-I cannot and will not forgive her for what she did to me. There were times when Luna needed Sister and Sister was there for her, but we grew up. When Luna needed Sister most? Sister was not there. When Luna was to be celebrated..? Sister stole that from her. It is only fitting that I take what I am owed from her."
"Revenge won't change anything," Cadance murmured.
Nightmare's head lowered until she stared at Cadance. "Revenge," she echoed, turning her gaze to the wall behind Cadance. The thought, 'Twilight would hate that,' brought her to grimace. Yes, Twilight would disapprove entirely. Perhaps even going to far as to chastize her for wanting revenge.
She looked back at Cadance. "It is more than simple revenge, Cadance. Were revenge all I wanted, I would tear down everything Sister had built and make her watch. Were revenge all I wanted, I would torture her. Were simple revenge all I wanted, I would force Sister to watch me torture and kill the ponies she cares about."
And though it went unsaid, they both knew who that list included.
And thinking about that one pony being on that list left her discomforted and dissatisfied. Disgusted, even, knowing that, not that long ago, she would have so callously thrown away Twilight’s life. No, not thrown away.
Stolen.
Both of them knew. She could see it in Cadance’s eyes, and she gradually turned her head to the right to avoid Cadance’s gaze.
‘If you had not banished me, I would have been nothing more than a monster. I would have torn Equestria apart. Everything Luna had fought to protect.’
‘I would never have met Twilight.’
She felt disappointed again. She breathed in, then out, shaking her head before turning back to Cadance and admitting, "I want revenge on her, yes, but it is more than just revenge.”
Cadance frowned. She expected her niece to say something, but her niece stayed silent.
She licked her lips and swallowed before beginning, “Revenge is satisfying-"
"Is it?" Cadance asked softly. Her niece looked to the right, then let her head drift to the left as she stepped closer to her. "Are you happy with revenge?" Cadance asked. Her Niece looked at her with that damned pitying look. "Are you happy to have her banished the same way she banished you?" Cadance asked.
And finally, "Is it satisfying?"
Cadance already knew the answer to that. Her Niece just wanted to hear her say it. She thought about refusing to back down, she considered not saying it, but then that would be akin to lying as Sister had.
And so she felt defeated. Outplayed by her Niece.
Her lips pulled into a scowl and she looked over the top of Cadance's head to look at the wall. "It is not."
And she was damned to admit it, and felt bitter for having said so. Yet she felt something else alongside that bitterness. Not defeat, but disappointment, and she didn’t know why. Looking back at Cadance. "For a moment, it satisfies me. But it is fleeting. It does not last."
Cadance nodded sadly and then met her gaze to say, "And yet Twilight makes you happy."
Nightmare grimaced and turned away from Cadance. "And I am a fool for it," she declared.
She just barely saw Cadance shaking her head. "No, you're not."
Nightmare turned back to face Cadance, a retorted readied on her tongue, only for her niece to preempt her with a gentle, "Would you rather her not make you happy? Would you rather be alone forever like when you were banished? Would you rather not know Twilight?"
And so Nightmare pressed her jaw closed tight. For a few seconds, she was silent as Cadance's questions lingered in the air. She breathed in, then exhaled and relented. "No."
Nodding and meeting her gaze, Cadance emphasized, "It's okay," in her soft, compassionate voice. She felt that Cadance’s tone was one she probably had used to comfort foals in the past, probably even Twilight. The tone and compassion made it hard to stay angry or bitter at her Niece. “Ponies aren’t meant to be alone, Nightmare Moon. And I think you know that.”
In the end, Nightmare simply shook her head. "I treasure her, Cadance. More than I should." The admission, to Cadance of all ponies, did not leave her squirming in agitation. Rather, she contemplated her thoughts and feelings and desires, contemplated the feeling of disappointment set so firmly in her core. She nodded to herself as she said, "I am a fool for it. It is not in my best interests. It is foalish to feel this way."
"It's what you want," Cadance gently pressed. "You aren't happy with defeating Celestia and banishing her to the moon. You're not happy ruling Equestria. I can see that." Cadance inclined her head lower, murmuring, "But you're happy with Twilight."
For several seconds, Nightmare watched Cadance. 'You offered to talk if I needed it,' she remembered. And as insane as it was, as utterly stupid as the idea was to talk about such things with Cadance of all ponies, somepony who, she knew, the second Sister was free, would turn on her, she considered it. Contemplated the idea, giving Cadance a chance like she had given Twilight, because who else could she talk to other than Cadance if Twilight was not an option?
Yet still, the idea of making Cadance her confidant alongside Twilight left her uneasy, unable to comprehend the madness of the idea. That she trusted Twilight, that she considered trusting Cadance, the two ponies who were undoubtedly most loyal to Sister beyond anypony else, including her, was maddening. Foalish. Stupid and insane. And she was a fool for it.
And yet for some insane reason, she considered it. For some insane reason, Twilight already was her confidant. For some insane reason, she trusted Twilight beyond anypony else.
And Twilight was her best friend and only friend.
Yes, she had gone insane at some point, she was certain of it.
Nightmare shook her head. "I do not..." she trailed off and groaned. She inhaled deeply and steeled her resolve. "Another time, Cadance," she said.
Cadance frowned, but nonetheless promised, "I'll be waiting when you're ready to talk."
Nightmare grimaced as she turned back to the door.
Eyes still locked on the book before her, Twilight channeled her magic into her horn and lifted her teacup from the table. Just barely lifting her head up and pulling back, she brought the teacup to her lips and tilted it up, careful not to block the text from her eyes. The tea met her lips-
-and Twilight blinked, focus broken as her eyes jumped down to the teacup. The tea was cold. A slight frown pulled at her brow and she lowered the teacup, then turned to the left and glanced at a clock. 'Okay. So I have been studying longer than I intended, but that's okay,' she told herself with a nod.
Still, Nightmare Moon wasn’t here yet so she could keep studying.
She glanced back at the book, then at her teacup. After a moment of thought, she used her magic to warm the tea back up, then leaned over it and let the warm air tickle her fur.
She lifted the teacup back to her lips and closed her eyes as the warmth rolled into her mouth. Satisfied, she smiled as she swallowed and felt the warmth in her throat, then stomach. She set the teacup back down and opened her eyes, then went back to reading her book, finding the spot she left off almost immediately.
And she would have kept reading, too, if it hadn't been for the crack of magic that she recognized as accompanying a teleportation spell. Her ears perked up and she turned around, looking up the stairway into the library's main room. For a few seconds, she waited, halfway expecting Nightmare to walk by and look down at her. Instead, however, she heard hoofsteps walk to the stairs, then ascend.
As quietly as she could, she pushed herself away from the desk and climbed down before heading over to the stairs. Pausing for a moment, she risked using her magic to cast a spell to silence her hoofsteps. At the little pop of her own magic, she winced. Nightmare's hoofsteps stopped.
She waited for a few seconds until the hoofsteps resumed, then she rushed up the stairs and paused at the last step, waiting until she heard the other hoofsteps stop, and once they did, she ducked her head out and looked up at the loft.
And yes, Nightmare Moon stood there, looking into her bedroom. "Down here," she called.
Nightmare looked back at her. "I see." As the alicorn turned, she said, "Perhaps I should have anticipated this, though last night you were upstairs." Then Nightmare shook her head and leaped off the stairs, extending her wings and gliding the short distance down to the floor.
Twilight watched her, contemplating the alicorn's movement as she glided and landed, then folded her wings to her sides and turned to face her. "You're not supposed to fly in a library," she acknowledged.
Nightmare nodded once, then said, "And yet that does not stop Rainbow Dash."
Twilight winced at the reminder. "Yes, well... You're not supposed to fly in a library." Shaking her head, she walked into the library. "How are you doing?"
For a moment, Nightmare seemed uncertain, or maybe the question had caught her off-guard. For a second longer, Nightmare considered her answer, then nodded once. "All things considered, well enough." Then Nightmare rolled her head to the right, then the left, gradually shuffling over towards her. "I... retrieved Cadance's necklace," was her gradual admission.
Twilight wasn't sure how to respond to that, so simply said, "Oh?"
Nightmare looked at her and nodded. "Yes. I know there is... quite some time before they are to be married, but..." Nightmare grimaced, then shook her head. "Regardless, I thought you would be pleased with this."
"So does this mean you trust her?" Twilight asked.
Nightmare's grimace twisted into a strained line. "I do not know." The alicorn looked away from her to study the bookshelves, though her eyes didn't focus on the titles, merely passing over them. "I am willing to give her the opportunity-as foolish as it is-and I grow weary of hearing her and Shining Armor when they are planning their wedding."
Twilight couldn't stop herself from giggling, which caused Nightmare to turn back to face her. "It's their wedding. Can you really blame them for being happy?"
Nightmare grimaced again, lowered her head, then turned her head to the left. "Perhaps not."
Twilight frowned. "Are you okay?" Nightmare lifted her head again and looked back at her. She added, "You seem distracted... or maybe distant," before Nightmare had a chance to reply.
Nightmare parted her lips, and Twilight thought she saw Nightmare's tongue press against the top of her mouth. She heard Nightmare inhale as she opened her mouth, but then Nightmare closed her mouth. Nightmare groaned and snorted. "I am not used to feeling this way," was her teacher's declaration.
Twilight turned her head the left. "So you are..?" she ventured.
Nightmare grimaced and inclined her head. "You are correct."
Twilight hesitated a moment, then walked towards her. "Do you want to talk about anything?"
Nightmare hesitated, and at that moment, Twilight saw something flicker through her friend's eyes: uncertainty and worry. "You remember when I told you that there are things I do not understand since my return?"
Twilight nodded as she came to a stop in front of Nightmare Moon.
Nightmare's eyes jumped back and forth over her face, studying her. "You and Cadance are among them."
"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.
Nightmare lifted her head up, though not before Twilight caught her grimacing. "I do not understand... we talked before but I still..." Nightmare trailed off and shook her head vigorously, casting away a ghost of pain, then looked back down at her. "And Cadance?" At that, Nightmare's eyes seemed to widen as she tossed her head side to side. After a few seconds, Nightmare stopped shaking her head and looked at the floor as her expression softened. "I... cannot comprehend her."
Twilight frowned. "Why not?"
Nightmare's lips lingered open for a few seconds before the alicorn said, "She has been lied to by Sister for even longer than you-" Twilight's frown deepened, and for a moment, Nightmare faltered, hesitating before continuing, "-and yet she does not hate me. I do not understand it. I know that she is not hiding it and I don't understand it."
"I can't remember Cadance ever saying there was something she hated," Twilight said.
Nightmare's brow folded down. "Perhaps so, but she was still deceived by Sister."
"What if she wasn't?" Twilight asked.
Nightmare watched her for a few seconds, then slowly shook her head. "I know my Sister, Twilight. As much as Cadance insists she has changed, I know my Sister."
"I didn't know her for as long as you did..." she said, making Nightmare stare at her. With a grimace, she added, "And yes, she lied to me about your existence and return..." She waited for a few seconds, watching Nightmare's expression twist with discomfort. "But you were banished for one thousand years."
A few seconds passed where Nightmare just stood there silently, watching her. "I am aware," Nightmare stated.
"Have you considered that maybe she's changed?" Twilight asked.
For some time, Nightmare Moon watched her in silence. "She has not changed."
"How do you know?" Twilight pressed. "You know that you changed."
She saw Nightmare's jaw tighten. "I recognize that I have, but Sister?" Nightmare snorted. "Her changing would be far too little far too late. A thousand years and then some too late."
Twilight felt her ears drift back, and as soon as she felt it, she saw Nightmare's eyes jump to them. "You were consumed by hatred for her for a thousand years, weren't you?" she asked absently.
"Over one thousand years," Nightmare clarified. “I did not decide in one night to reclaim what was owed to me.”
Twilight looked down at Nightmare's bare chest. "I guess... a few months wouldn't change any of that-" she met Nightmare's gaze, "-would it?"
"No," Nightmare stated.
Twilight's gaze dropped back to Nightmare's chest. 'You can't forgive Princess Celestia, can you?' Asking that question was silly, so she kept it to herself. Though she couldn't stop the creeping feeling of disappointment springing up inside her. 'Maybe you'll never forgive your sister. Maybe the two of you will never rule again together. Maybe I will never see Princess Celestia again.'
Nightmare didn't know her thoughts, but Nightmare was able to tell something was wrong: she felt one of Nightmare's feathers brush over her cheek. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "Did you always hate her?"
Nightmare's lips flicked as she turned away and folded her wing back to her side. "Of course not. She was my sister."
'Was,' stood out in Twilight's mind. "When?" she asked.
Nightmare looked back at her. "We were young once upon a time, Twilight. I can not speak for whether she had love for me then or if she was just using me..." Nightmare trailed off, turning away from her again as a grimace crossed her lips. Nightmare’s wings twitched lower for a moment. "Though I am inclined to believe she had love for me then because she was a foal... or perhaps I am simply a naive fool to think that. But no, Luna loved her and did not hate her for a very long time. It did not change, as they say, overnight. We were... sisters for centuries. She... was there for Luna when we were young, and a very long time thereafter..."
Nightmare faced her again. "I do not wish to discuss this further."
"Okay..." Twilight said softly. “I’m sorry I asked.”
Nightmare frowned and shook her head. “Do not apologize.”
She frowned and tentatively nodded.
Nightmare shifted her weight. "I would like to discuss the resistance. Are we alone?"
Twilight grimaced but nodded. "Yes. Spike is with Rarity right now."
"I see," Nightmare said. "Good. Have you made a decision?"
Twilight swallowed and nodded. "If you'll let me, I think it would be best if I tried."
Nightmare inclined her head once. "Very well." Her teacher hesitated for a moment, then broke eye contact to say, "Be careful."
"I will," Twilight replied.
Nightmare looked back down at her. "Did you... perchance catch the names of those you met?"
Twilight frowned while her chest tightened. "Yes..." she forced out. And of course, with that admission, she knew what would follow: Nightmare asking for the names of those she met.
And yet, a few seconds passed in silence, and so she watched Nightmare contemplate what to say next. "I see," was all Nightmare had to say.
"You're not going to ask who?" she asked.
"You do not desire to tell me," Nightmare said with a single nod. Her mentor kept her head bowed as she added, "I trust you."
For several seconds, Twilight kept expecting Nightmare to add something onto that or to ask regardless, and yet, Nightmare never did. "Right. Um... is there anything else that I need to tell you?"
"I would not know if there was, given that I do not know what you know," Nightmare replied.
Twilight closed her eyes and breathed in deep. "Right." She opened her eyes and turned to the right. "I can't think of anything else."
Nightmare studied her for a moment. "I see. Very well. If nothing more on this subject-" Nightmare inclined her head, "- would you perhaps accompany me to my old castle? I wish to see what progress they have made."
“That’s what you mentioned wanting to do tonight last night?” Twilight asked.
Nightmare nodded once. “You are correct.”
Twilight smiled and nodded. "Sure."
Nightmare's lips lifted up ever so slightly, almost gracefully. "Thank you." Her teacher's smile drifted away. "I do hope that they finish soon, though perhaps it is naive to hope for that. Containing the Elements for so long is... irksome. It wears on my patience."
Twilight frowned as she asked, "Irksome?"
Nightmare's lips pulled tight and she gave a single nod of her head. "Yes."
"Is it... hard to, uh, contain them?" she asked.
Nightmare bowed her head down and parted her lips, then waited for a moment. "It is... more difficult than it would be to store a mundane object in a pocket dimension, or less powerful magical artifacts."
Twilight nodded slowly. "How hard is that spell? The pocket dimension."
"Somewhat taxing. It is beyond most unicorns’ capabilities," Nightmare answered, leveling her head once more. "I will teach it to you in time."
Twilight smiled. 'Why do you want the castle repaired first?' She blinked, then shifted her weight as she glanced left and then right before looking back at her teacher. "This is probably a silly question, but-" she bit her lip and turned her head to the right, still looking up at Nightmare, "-is there a specific reason you want to keep the Elements at the Castle of the Two Sisters instead of, well, in Hollow Shades? There's already a castle there, and it's kind of well-protected since it's a batpony city."
Nightmare grimaced and opened her mouth, only to deflate. Nightmare licked her lips and studied her expression, then turned around to face away from her and lifted her right wing up. Twilight walked over to Nightmare's side, and the alicorn looked at her contemplatively as she draped her wing over Twilight's back, then slid her silken feathers along Twilight's side. "There are... multiple reasons," her teacher mumbled. "Hollow Shades is not well known, but the old castle is even less known. Furthermore, beyond the contingent of batponies at the castle, anypony attempting to get to the Elements would have to deal with the forest."
"So it's more obscure and you think it's better protected," Twilight summarized.
Nightmare nodded, though her mouth lingered open. The alicorn turned away from her and faced the door. "And it is-" Nightmare's voice sounded far less certain than she was used to, "-near the... “ Nightmare trailed off before regaining her composure. “It is near the Elements' source. Where Sister and I found them to defeat Discord." Nightmare glanced back at her and inclined her head before saying, "To my knowledge, outside of Sister and I, you are the only pony alive to know this."
Twilight wasn't sure what to reply with. Predictions and Prophecies didn't say anything about the Elements' origins. And that the Elements' origins were in the Everfree Forest? The thought was surprising. How then, she had to wonder, did the Everfree Forest come to be as it was?
Nightmare's head drifted away again. "I would prefer it remain this way. I am trusting you not to tell others."
'She trusts you,' she remembered Midnight saying. A frown pulled at her lips, but she put it aside and lifted her head higher. "I won't."
"Thank you," Nightmare murmured. "If you are ready, I shall teleport us to the courtyard."
Twilight bowed her head and closed her eyes as Nightmare's magic wrapped around her body. Through her closed eyelids, she saw the flash of light and she heard the crack of magic that accompanied the teleport. Though the feeling of Nightmare's magic was something she was used to, the sudden change from being inside a library in Ponyville to being out in the open in the Everfree forest was noticeable.
She opened her eyes and look around, taking in the batponies as they turned their attention from dutifully tending to their tasks to regard their queen, then bow reverentially to her before returning back to their work. She looked aside at Nightmare and found the alicorn sweeping her eyes over the courtyard, scrutinizing the tents and batponies, examining the stonework of the walls and pavement. Her teacher turned her head back to the left to scrutinize the castle proper and nodded. "They are making progress."
When Nightmare turned back to face her, Twilight nodded in agreement. "They are, but it is going slow. Working with stone isn't all that easy, from what I've seen."
Nightmare inclined her head once, then turned back to regard the castle. "Indeed. Were it easy, it perhaps would not be worthwhile doing."
She looked back where Nightmare was looking. Most of the damage to the castle was still there, though most of the holes looked more uniform; the jagged, random broken stones that stuck out had been cast down, leaving the holes larger, but it was a necessary step. She walked around to Nightmare's side again, and after a passing glance from her teacher, walked beside her to the castle's entrance.
Passing through the doors, she found that the scaffolding had moved deeper into the entrance, with the holes in the ceiling and walls closer to the entrance having been repaired. Nightmare continued on, so she followed close beside her. They passed under scaffolding that held up massive stone blocks that didn't fully span the distance of the arched roof; Nightmare eyed the stones warily, as if not fully trusting the scaffolding to hold up the stones' weight. Aside from tools and little bits of unused scaffolding along the walls, the hallway was cleared from debris, so she didn't worry about tripping.
Few batponies stood in the hallways, as most of them flew, some carrying supplies and some carrying equipment. Passing under another scaffold, she looked up at the hole in the ceiling and watched two teams of batponies lower another massive stone block onto the scaffolding. When the weight finally rested on the scaffold, Twilight cringed. If it had taken thirty-six batponies to move it, well, she didn't want that to fall on her.
Her worries were banished when she saw Nightmare look at her. She looked back at the alicorn, then her friend looked at her back, and finally, she felt Nightmare's wing brush over her back, along her spine and down her right side. She smiled and turned her attention away from Nightmare Moon to instead take in the rest of the work being done, knowing that, 'She wouldn't let it crush us.'
Any decorations that had been present before had been stripped away, leaving the barren, uncaring stone walls so that they could be repaired. Whether the decaying decorations would be repaired or tossed, she didn't know because she hadn't thought to ask before.
They came to the end of the entrance and Nightmare led her down the hallway on the left, her wing still resting on Twilight's back. As they approached the open doors to the throne room, Nightmare slowed. They stopped in front of the doorway and looked into the throne room.
It looked empty compared to how she had seen it before. The holes in the roof and walls were larger, broken stones having been cleared out or cut into a different shape to make repairing the castle easier. The destroyed thrones on the dais had been cleared away, and the pedestal where the Elements had been was also missing.
For a brief moment, she looked at Nightmare Moon and watched the alicorn study the room before her. In her teacher's eyes, she saw reminiscence and perhaps longing. For some reason, she thought she might have seen regret.
Then Nightmare inhaled and steeled her resolve, and the reminiscence and longing disappeared as her gaze sharpened and refocused.
Without saying anything, Nightmare walked into the room and cast her gaze to the ceiling, taking in the holes leftover from her battle with Princess Celestia as Twilight walked along beside her. As they approached the dais, Nightmare's head lowered so that Twilight could look out the hole in the wall behind where the thrones had been.
Something passed over Nightmare's expression that she couldn't make out, then a scowl settled on the alicorn's lips. Nightmare turned her head to the right and led Twilight to the passage that went to her former chambers.
Twilight found herself hesitating as they approached the door, though Nightmare's wing coaxed her forward. Her past memories of the room beyond weren't her favorite. She closed her eyes for a moment and breathed in deep, then let it all out in a single, drawn-out exhale.
Even though they walked, the distance passed by quicker than she thought it should have, and when they approached the door, Nightmare strode forward, lifting her wing from Twilight's back as she passed through the doorway into her old chambers.
The domed ceiling painted like the night sky didn't compare to how Nightmare's chambers were painted in Hollow Shades. The empty flasks and jars that had been on the bookshelves before had been removed and the formerly-dusty books had been cleaned, but it still lingered in her mind that there were no trinkets here.
Once she passed through the doorway, Nightmare glanced back at her and shut the door with her magic. Then Nightmare looked at her for a moment before turning away. With a shake of her head, Nightmare ascended the stairs to the next level, and after waiting a few seconds, Twilight cautiously followed after the alicorn. She climbed the stairs, craning her head to look into the next level as she drew nearer.
She didn't see Nightmare Moon, but the door opposite the bookshelf was open. Though she felt like she was intruding, She tentatively walked across the room and came to a stop at the doorway. Looking in, she found what must have been Nightmare Moon's bedchambers.
Princess Luna's bedchambers.
Nightmare Moon stood at the end of the bed, facing the wall on the left. Twilight briefly glanced over the bed: it was nowhere near as extravagant as the one in Hollow Shades. The tattered blankets were a rich deep blue that brought her to remember Luna's mane, while the pillows looked as if a painter had painted the night sky on them. Like in Hollow Shades, the walls were painted in a panoramic, but this time, it seemed to be the night sky, where the floor was painted as if the ground were far below.
"Um... may I come in?" she asked.
Nightmare glanced aside at her and bowed her head once. "You may; you do not need to ask permission."
Twilight lifted her forehoof up, held it in the air for a moment, then reluctantly stepped into the room. She looked back at the deep-blue rug when she did, and she cringed at the memory that came back to mind.
"I am sorry for how I treated you," Nightmare murmured.
Twilight stopped in the doorway and turned back to face Nightmare Moon. The alicorn's head was turned to face her. The agitated look of pain in Nightmare's eyes didn't surprise her, but what did surprise her was the way her mentor's ears were tilted back at a slight angle.
"It still bothers you?" Twilight asked.
Nightmare's lips gradually pulled up into a wince, and Nightmare turned away from her. "It does," was her teacher's mumbled admission. "Perhaps it is foalish, but it does." Nightmare turned back to meet her gaze. "I value your friendship and company. I do not want to hurt you and I do not want you to be unhappy. I am sorry that I hurt you by... pushing you away."
And what was she supposed to reply to that? She smiled, albeit awkwardly. 'Reassure her,' a part of her said, but she still had no idea what to say. Simply saying, 'it's fine' or 'it's okay' felt like it wouldn't do what she wanted it to.
Why was it that she, a unicorn filly of all ponies, was supposed to reassure Nightmare Moon? It was so incomprehensible to her. And yet, there was an inkling of realization that, 'I'm your friend.'
And with that thought in mind, she settled on her action: she walked over to Nightmare Moon. Nightmare gradually turned to face her, watching her with a curious, contemplative look in her eyes. Once she reached the alicorn, she simply hugged her. For a moment, Nightmare hesitated, possibly caught off-guard.
Of course, that hesitation didn't last. Nightmare returned the hug, lifting her right foreleg up and draping it over Twilight's withers, mirroring Twilight's hug. Unlike Twilight, however, Nightmare Moon leaned down and pressed her head against Twilight's neck, angling her muzzle just enough to nose into Twilight's mane.
Gradually, Nightmare Moon sat down on her haunches, then wrapped her wings around Twilight's back. With a little coaxing from the alicorn's embrace, Twilight sat down and rested her head on Nightmare's bare shoulder. The alicorn pulled her a little closer, bringing their chests together. She smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying the shared hug, enjoying the warmth and contact. Enjoying feeling the way Nightmare's feathers ever so slightly meshed with her fur. Enjoying the faint, soothing scent of lavender.
Eventually, Nightmare broke the silence, murmuring, "I will-" the alicorn stumbled for a moment before saying, "-If you desire, I will show you the source of the Elements."
Twilight would have been lying if she said she wasn't excited by the idea. How many ponies knew about the Elements of Harmony, let alone where they came from? And of those ponies, how many had seen where the Elements had come from? She smiled giddily and squirmed with delight at the prospect. "I'd love to!"
She couldn't see it to find out, but she wondered if Nightmare Moon smiled.
"Then I will show you. However I do ask that you keep it a secret," Nightmare mumbled.
She nodded, nuzzling the alicorn in the process. Nightmare nuzzled her in return, rubbing her neck and cheek against Twilight's neck. Twilight giggled softly. After a few seconds, Nightmare pulled back, sliding her leg off from Twilight's withers and folding her wings back to her side. Twilight likewise pulled out of the embrace, then stood up as Nightmare did.
She felt Nightmare's magic envelope her and once again closed her eyes. After the spell was cast, she felt cooler, damp air wash over her coat. She shivered as she opened her eyes.
There were only two light sources: the glow from Nightmare's horn, and a large crystal growth at the end of the room. She couldn't even take her eyes off of the crystal to find out where she was, so mesmerized by it was she. The crystal's soft glow was pleasant on her eyes, and as she looked at it, she felt a sense of calm and reassurance filling her whole being, soothing her mind, body, and soul. It reminded her of the way the Elements' felt.
There was a faint, rumbling echo that made her realize they were underground in a cave of some kind. Accompanying that rumble, she heard the chime of Nightmare's magic and a low, pleasant hum coming from the crystal. The crystal had grown nearly to the ceiling, branching out at sharp angles that were so unnatural for a crystal. It almost looked alive.
And as she scrutinized the five largest growths from the main body of the crystal, she realized, 'It looks like a tree.' And the realization left her dumbstruck. Had it been carved that way? If it hadn't been carved that way, how had it grown so oddly as to end up appearing like a tree?
The glow from Nightmare's horn flickered, and she managed to look away from the crystal to see Nightmare bowing her head. "The Tree of Harmony, as we called it," was her teacher's elaboration.
"It's-"
"Alive, yes," Nightmare answered.
The alicorn stared at the tree, regarding it contemplatively, yet she saw something else in the way her teacher's eyes caught the crystal's soft glow: concern. Perhaps even discomfort. 'Why are you uncomfortable? It feels wonderful!' A slight frown pulled at her lips. She turned back to stare at the tree. "I don't understand."
"We did not either," Nightmare mumbled. "We were not even sure it existed, nor that it would be enough to stop Discord if it did exist."
"What is it?" Twilight asked.
Nightmare did not answer.
Twilight studied the tree further, tracing over the crystal branches, following them out to even larger clusters of crystals that seemed like hives of some kind. She noticed that something seemed to be missing from each cluster, but there were only five of them. She frowned and followed the branches back to the main trunk of the tree.
She saw a familiar starburst in the center of where the five branches met. Below that, she would have sworn she saw Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon's cutie marks. She blinked and found the same sight before. She closed her eyes and lifted her right forehoof to rub them, then opened her eyes again.
"Your eyes do not deceive you," Nightmare said.
"Our... cutie marks?" slipped out before she could stop herself.
"Yes," Nightmare answered.
She searched the rest of the tree. She could barely make out that the crystal clusters on the five branches seemed to have marks similar to her friends' cutie marks. She didn't see Cadance's cutie mark on the tree. "I don't... I don't understand. This doesn't make any sense," she said, then turned to face Nightmare Moon.
Nightmare looked back at her. Contemplatively. Intently. The alicorn knew something and was certain of what she knew. Then Nightmare's eyes jumped back to the tree.
Or maybe she was seeing things. Maybe she was wrong, maybe Nightmare didn't know something about what she saw, and maybe it was a coincidence. Perhaps it was a trick of the lighting, or perhaps it was an illusion. Or, perhaps, if it was a tree, the cutie marks could change? Turning back to the tree, she asked, "Where are we?"
"This cave is... beneath the castle. The chasm you have crossed to reach the castle before houses the entrance, though I have blocked the entrance off. It would... perhaps be a bad thing for it to be easy to find," Nightmare answered.
She felt Nightmare's magic wrap around her. She couldn't make herself close her eyes before the alicorn cast the teleportation spell. The spell didn't blind her as much as it used to.