Princess Luna lay in her bed, eyes closed and looking like she was asleep. Technically she was, but she was also doing another important job: monitoring and exploring the ill-defined, shifting realm of dreams.
In the Dream Realm, Luna trotted along a dark path illuminated by stars, around her she saw doors leading to the dreams of various ponies and other entities in Equestria, her magic guiding her towards any that would need help with a nightmare.
Her attention was suddenly caught by a very unfamiliar door. In the time since her return from imprisonment and madness, she had achieved plenty of time to explore the dream world of her current subjects, allowing her to become acquainted, and even then pretty much all dream doors looked similar.
Not this one, this one was wholly unique. It was MASSIVE, the size of a house, and was pitch black (most doors were brown, or had other accents of colour and decoration) and on it was printed a white emblem shaped like a fanged mouth, and it gave off a...feeling of immense danger, which Luna never felt from any dreamer’s door before.
The Princess frowned, steeling herself as she trotted forward and stepped into the door to help whoever it was inside...and found herself in a large black room decorated with black candles emitting a purple flame and a massive white dining table, Luna sitting at one end of the table...and on the other end, the familiar figure of Nightmare Moon.
“W-what the!?” Luna gasped, horn flaring. “I..It can’t be! You..you’re just some pony’s nightmare!”
Nightmare Moon chuckled. “Well, I DID call myself Nightmare Moon, once upon a time, did I not? Of course, while fitting it’s such a....droll name. A ‘mare of nightmares’ who, technically, lived on the moon. You ponies lack such imaginations. Then again, who am I to talk?”
Luna blinked. This...creature spoke very differently from how she remembered she acted in the form of Nightmare Moon. “Wh..who are you!? Why are you in that form!? To torment me, like that Headless Pony?”
Nightmare Moon grinned, revealing a row of sharp fangs. “I thought it would be...nostalgic. It’s been what...a YEAR? Two years? MORE? Since our time together, I mean, and we never got a chance to talk. And it’s been a LONG time since I was myself enough TO talk.”
“WHO ARE YOU!?” Luna snapped. “What is going on here!?”
Nightmare Moon sighed, giving Luna an annoyed, even gaze. “Do I REALLY need to spell it out? I’m not some VISION conjured by a pony’s fearful sleeping mind, or some...THING made to make you feel...guilty? What do YOU even have to feel guilty about? We barely DID anything in our time together, not for lack of trying mind. I’ll be blunt, I AM Nightmare Moon.”
Luna’s eyes widened. “No...that’s...that’s impossible! You’re...you’re gone! I..I’ll never be you AGAIN!”
Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes, her voice slowly changing to a more masculine voice. “Such ARROGANCE, thinking YOU were the most important part of this...form. Admittedly yes, I was so...weak back then, so incomplete, merging with you to gain some semblance of...being. Our mentalities mingled, with your latent wants and desires taking centre stage. But...things are different now. I’m more myself than I ever was as ‘Nightmare Moon’. I think a more...proper introduction is warranted here, in a method a pony like you would appreciate.”
Luna, tired of this creature’s arrogant, speech, suddenly charged over the table, horn glowing...only to fall onto her stomach as the room changed, becoming a long hallway lined with paintings.
Luna got up and shook her head, slowly walking down the hall as she looked at the paintings she passed...and saw one with Nightmare Moon standing proudly, who grinned at her and suddenly spoke up.
“Please allow me to introduce myself
I’m a MAN of wealth and taste
Been around for long long years
Stole many a man’s soul and faith.”
Luna stared, looking confused, only to gasp as the painting changed, showing an image of her, or rather her past self, gazing forlornly at a multitude of ponies under a full moon night. In the moon Nightmare Moon’s face appeared, voice continuing to be heard.
“I was around when Princess Luna
Had her moment of doubt and faith
Made damn sure that Pillar of Light
Wiped her hooves and sealed her fate.”
Luna recoiled as arms reached out from the painting pulling her inside, the scene twisting as Nightmare Moon loomed over her with a wide grin, her form dancing around the princess’ like a greeze.
“Pleased to meet you
Won’t you guess my name?
What’s confusing you is just
the nature of my game.”
Nightmare Moon blew away like smoke, Luna looking around as she found herself in the middle of a large city with massive crystal buildings, glancing around desperately for her tormentor.
“Hung around The Crystal Empire
Till I thought it was time for a change”
Luna yelped as two statues shaped like ponies crashed to the ground in front of her, shattering to pieces with screams of terror.
“Killed their hope and their Emperor
Princess Cadance screams in vain”
Before Luna could process what was happening she found herself in another, completely different city, black shapes high in the sky athat dropped smaller objects unfamiliar to her eyes that rained down and caused horrible explosions around her.
“Rode a tank to the Tower of Frank
While the blitzkrieg raged
and the bodies stank!”
Luna found herself surrounded by smoking rubble, Nightmare Moon suddenly darting in front of her, grinning manically and standing on her hind legs, the villain’s front legs suddenly morphed into arms that ended with long slender fingers rather than hooves, pulling Luna into a spinning dance.
“Pleased to meet you!
Hope you guessed my name!
What’s confusing you
Is Just the nature of my game!”
Luna glared, horn glowing, ready to fight back, before she found herself in the middle of a field, surrounded by armies of pegasi, unicorns and earth ponies fighting each other with hate on their faces.
“I watched with glee
as your kings and queens
Fought for ten and a half days
For the gods they made!”
The scene changed again, Luna tumbling in a field of darkness in disorientation as she heard what sounded like a loud bang along with horrified screams, Luna finding herself falling onto the ground as a spotlight shone before her, illuminating the now fully humanoid shape of Nightmare Moon who stood on a podium, speaking into a loudspeaker.
“I shouted out ‘who killed the Kennedy’s’
Oh, after all, it was you and me!”
She tossed her loudspeaker away thoughtlessly, slowly walking towards Luna, her form changing even more drastically, growing taller, lankier, with much longer arms and legs, hooves turning into pointed feet whose tips curled into spirals, her mane morphing into a Jester’s hat that was of a colour indistinguishable from the rest of her black head, her eyes becoming pure yellow, sharp fangs also turning bright yellow as her grinned seemed to grow wider and her face flattened, no longer looking remotely like a pony anymore, let alone resembling Luna in any way. It wore a dark purple jester’s outfit on it’s body with yellow and purple tringles around it’s neck, writs and ankles, little bells jingling at the ends of its finger tips, feet and on the tips of its hat. The creature’s form towered over Luna’s smaller form as its arms reached out with long, thin fingers looking like sharp claws ready to tear her apart.
“Let me please introduce myself
I’m a man of wealth and taste!
I’ve been around for long, long years
And lay many a man’s soul to waste!
Look out!
Pleased to meet you!
Hope you guessed my name!
What’s confusing you
Is just the nature of my game!”
Luna leapt back, firing a beam of magic at the monster. “I-I don’t know what is the purpose of this...show of yours, these...these images! But if you are Nightmare Moon, I will not let you take my body again!”
The creature laughed, suddenly standing upright, looking more relaxed and casual, sitting down on a rather humble chair it conjured beneath itself. “No need for that Luna. I’m no longer Nightmare Moon, I’m more myself than last we ‘met’. YOU may call me the Shadow Jester, and my ‘show’ was merely meant to illustrate my accomplishments.”
Luna glared. “Shadow Jester...? Is that name supposed to mean anything to me?”
The Shadow Jester pouted dramatically. “It was long before your time, but once upon a time I was THE most powerful and dangerous entity in creation, but ever since you PONIES came along my legend has become completely forgotten.” He grinned. “Though, my fragments are doing a stellar job rectifying that.”
“What are you talking about...?”
“the Parasprites. The Windigoes. Sombra’s shadow. The Headless Pony. Even some dead minotaur named Hang ‘Em High. My fragments have been a key part of MANY of Equestria’s problems. Even my bones are still causing trouble, making monsters. I may be weakened, but that doesn’t mean my plans have been thwarted. And with each fragment I regain, I become more and more myself, becoming more and more the feared entity I was.”
Luna fired a shot, the creature vanishing only to reappear behind her, casually laying an arm over her shoulder as he leaned over her.
“Now, now, that was VERY rude, Luna. I suppose it may help you calm down if I make it clear I have no interest in possessing you. Back then, I was desperate, needing SOMETHING to make myself whole. But now? I don’t NEED you. I found a MUCH better, more helpful host.”
Luna wheeled around, leaping back from the humanoid creature. “Why are you even speaking to me like this!? Do you think I won’t do anything!? We are in the realm of dreams! MY domain!”
The Shadow Jester sneered, standing at his full, tall height. “Arrogant CREEATURE. The realm of dreams is noone’s domain! You’ve merely been given access to it, with that LOANED power of his! You think YOU have power here? You may currently rule over dreams...but me? I RULE NIGHTMARES!”
He spread his arms wide, Luna readying herself for him to unleash some attack on her...but none came. Instead the scenery changed once more into a barren, empty wasteland, devoid of anything. No trees, no grass, no flowers, no buildings, and absolutely no ponies or other life. Just grey and empty.
“W-what...?” She looked around, eyes wide in terror at such an unnatural sight.
“I know you Luna. I’ve been in your head. I KNOW what you fear. And among them, is your fear of failing your ponies. You want to know what this is? THIS is what I did to those who came before you. THIS is what I’ll do to your ENTIRE world! EVERYTHING that every is, was and will be is MINE to devour, little pony!”
Luna stared at the creature, his words somehow stirring feelings of terror into her, but her rage at this monster threatening her so arrogantly was stronger. “Why are you telling me this!? You think I won’t try and stop you! Equestria has known MANY tyrants such as you! And you will fall like them all!”
The Shadow Jester grinned wider, leaning closer so his face was directly filling her vision, his grinning mouth drooling. “A good chef must always ensure his meal is properly seasoned if he wants it to be the best it can be! The sweet flavour of terror at hearing my claims and seeing horrific events brought out by my hand! The growing spice of hatred as you become determined to stop me for my wickedness! The bitterness of your despair when you fail! The sheer entertainment of your efforts to defy me!” His eyes widened with a special brand of madness, his grin growing wider. “I am telling you this because in the future, when I am ready to make my move, I want you to be ABSOLUTELY. COMPLETELY. DELICIOUS. And your uncertainty will only make the flavours MORE RICH!”
Luna charged, punching the creature’s face, gasping as she saw not only did it not even flinch, her hoof didn’t seem to sink into his skin at all.
“And then there’s the kicker: you won’t remember the details. You’ll only know the most vague of feelings. And those feelings will drive your actions going forward. I look forward to seeing what you do. It’ll be most FUN.”
Luna blast her magic at the monster, only for it to open its mouth wide and EAT the blast with ease, Luna jumping back in surprise and fear. “W-what are you talking about!?”
“This is MY dream, little pony, not yours. It’s only natural for a dreamer to not remember a dream, especially if it’s not their own dream.”
“That’s not how it works! Why would I forget the dreams I visit!?” Luna growled, losing patience with this monster’s insane nonsense. “How dare you talk down to me!”
“With ease.” The Shadow Jester grinned. “I think it’s time for you to be waking up, my little pony. You won’t be seeing me again...not for a long, long while.”
Luna’s horned glowed bright, ready to destroy this nightmare with her dream weaving magic. “Enou” She suddenly vanished, leaving the Jester alone.
The Shadow Jester sat down, the scene around him morphing into the dining room from the beginning, screams filling the room as he smiled at someone else who was watching all this.
“You must be thinking ‘what’s the point’? The point, my friend, is simple: ponies, much like people, will do ANYTHING if motivated enough. Whether it be via fear, or hatred, or despair, they’ll do all SORTS of wonderfully delicious things, and that in turn leads to that fear, that hatred, that despair SPREADING, poisoning the rest, and so on, and SO ON. The POINT is if you want make a meal, you don’t just eat the one thing, you season it JUST right and add it to other ingredients, and mixing them all up for a PERFECT meal. I wonder...how will YOU taste, when the time comes?”
His wicked grin grew wider at that as his belly rumbled in anticipation.
-----------------------------
Luna awoke with a start, looking around wide eyed. She was trying to remember what frightened her so, she knew it was important, perhaps some sort of omen or vision like her sister would get sometimes.
All she could remember were screams and the image of an empty, lifeless wasteland.
She knew she had to do something about it. She had to. She couldn’t ignore the slightest possibility of something harming her people like that. She can’t fail them. Not like that. Not again.
And the Shadow Jester laughed with satisfaction as he watched her.