//------------------------------// // A New Sunrise // Story: Imperial Forclousure // by The Sound of Loneliness //------------------------------// Now when Nightmare Moon had the time to think this over, perhaps her's wasn't such a good plan after all. It only occurred to her now that Sombra might not return at all after learning about their interference. "For once, you exceeded my expectations," the second black cloud scurried into the room. "I thought you would take a few more days to get here at what pace you chose. I never expected such idleness." "And I expected you to not keep me waiting," Nightmare Moon said, skipping her usual pleasantries. "I hope you have a good need for this," Nightmare Moon sharply tossed the crystal over to the opposing ghost. "Twilight nearly died trying to make it for you." "Why Miss Sparkle is a grown mare, she can make her own choices," Sombra smugly answered. "But I am afraid you misunderstand. She made this item for you," Sombra extended the crystal back, an amused smile appearing under his eyes. Nightmare Moon felt jealous of the control of his form that Sombra possessed, unavailable to her. "What are you saying?" Nightmare Moon pressed, less than eager to play Sombra's games even in the afterlife. "I informed the young lady that you will be needing this. After all, as we both can attest, no one has any use for dead friends." "Sombra, cease your attempts to toy with me, I am less than excited to have to deal with you as is. Don't make it even more unpleasant than it has to be," she was fed up with him long before her demise and had no more courtesy left for the dead King. "The sentiment is mutual, pet," Sombra dropped his smile and answered her in kind. "Do you honestly think that I would go to this length for little filth like you to taint the land again? The only reason why you are here is that I have need of you. Now, stop this little charade and take the shard so that we can start the ritual. Dead, you are of little use to me. You already wasted much of my efforts!" If Nightmare Moon still had any brows, she would be cocking them. She never saw the Shadow King this... desperate before. She was almost certain that's what it was. And that meant she had an advantage... "Oh, but I will do no such thing. If anything, I should destroy it. Your magic is abominable!" Nightmare gashed. "You..." Sombra was about to explode, but stopped at the last moment, realizing that she was playing him. "You are as treacherous as I remember, at least this aspect did not change." The thundering sound of hooves on the stones drew the attention of them both to the entrance, "Discipline your kin better," Sombra grimly growled, retreating back into the cracks in the rock he appeared from. "Nightmare!" Daybreaker cried, her voice one octave from breaking. "Sister, I told you to leave me for the day. Your reason for this interruption is better to be good," Nightmare Moon chided. "Nightmare, we must close the crack!" Daybreaker pointed at the orange glow inside Twilight's lab. "There's no time to explain!" Daybreaker rushed past her sister, leaving her bewildered at such uncharacteristic behavior. "Daybreaker, the discharge will-" "I know!" Daybreaker cried. The white mare took a wide stance aiming her horn at the center of the vortex. "Daybreaker, stop!" Nightmare Moon mustered her best commanding voice, but Daybreaker ignored her entirely. The sun mare shot a beam of her magic into the vortex. The vortex began to enlarge. "Sister!" Nightmare Moon cried moments before the deed was done and the column of swirling energy destabilized and collapsed inwardly, compressing into a tiny orb. For a moment, there was silence. The compressed orb then abruptly exploded, sending the uncleared debris, and the mare, flying in all directions. It was over as soon as it began. Daybreaker's body limply fell down on the floor by the wall she was slammed into. Nightmare could only stare at her sister's body as she could not make herself move an inch. Nightmare Moon wearily sighed. "Your sister is still just as foolish as I remember," Sombra's voice quickly returned. "Such a good thing she is not as fragile as the others, isn't it? I've heard you survived worse." "I need to find help for my sister," Nightmare Moon sharply turned away. "Send your minions to do that. One explosion won't be enough to do your sister any lasting damage." "My sister just hurt herself over some foolish heroics and you want me to see you as my priority?!" Nightmare Moon rumbled. Before Shadow King could answer, another matter demanded their attention. "Spike!" she called across the hall at the dragon, trying to hold his Princess friend upright. "Go outside and bring a physician!" Spike gave Twilight a questioning stare, upon receiving a nod, he carefully let go, ensuring she was standing on her own and quickly ran off. Shadow attempted to take over but Twilight gently pushed her away. Twilight then slowly made her way across the hall, Shadow always staying close to catch her if need be. "Twilight, you should be in bed," Nightmare Moon sighed. In response, Twilight attempted to bow and only avoided falling thanks to Shadow leaping to support her. "Oh, Twilight, you don't need to overextend yourself for me. Don't bow to me, please. I rule no land now." "Ah, yes. Because that changes one thing with you," Sombra, of course, couldn't help but stick in. "Your Majesty, I failed you! I failed everyone!" Twilight said, one step from bursting into tears. "Don't say such things, Your Highness," Shadow whispered. "It is amazing how some never grow up, do they?" Sombra huffed. "Look at her. She is almost as tall as your sister is now, but she still can't keep herself together." "Sombra, cease spilling your venom, you are no part of this!" Nightmare Mook gashed at the fellow undead. Nightmare Moon returned her attention back to Twilight, she was wrong to blame herself, but nothing but a complex explanation would do for her, "Twilight, Shadow is correct, don't talk like that. You are not the one who failed, it is I who failed to build a state that would not collapse without me. It failed because it was meant to." "Ah, a classic. Chain your subjects to yourself, then throw them in a rift and watch as they clatch to their own chains. Remove the chain and see them fall to their deaths," Sombra summed up. Twilight stood quiet, her head bowed. "Sombra, I tell you for the last time, your company, particularly your remarks are highly unpleasant. The only reason why I tolerate your presence is because I know that you will be going back to Luna and I must know where," Nightmare Moon said bluntly. "Why, you should have said so!" Sombra widely grinned. "Luna is in your old temple, I believe you know where that is. Such a crude mock-up of it they made in Canterlot..." Sombra finished with mocked vexation. "Your worshipers provide Luna with anything she needs and would die defending her. Not that she needs any aid in that regard, as you undoubtedly remember." "Thank you, Sombra," the words rolled heavily from her, but genuine in their intent. "But I must attend to my sister and Twilight now." "Of course, I could give you a new body to walk around with, but I suppose family comes first," Sombra continued his mocking. "Sombra, will you stop already?" Twilight asked weakly. "You only make yourself look worse." "Twilight, he does not jest," Nightmare Moon sighed. "King Sombra is, perhaps, the most magically knowledgeable creature to exist today. I was subject to a demonstration of his promise myself. But it can wait, if the King is so determined to speak to me on this," she gave Sombra a short stare. "Hmph. Fine, I suppose for the likes of us a few hours won't change a thing. I will wait for you to be done." "Thank you," Nightmare Moon responded. She noticed a change from how she remembered him. The Shadow King was treating her... more leniently than he usually did. It would be presumptuous to think that someone as old as him could change his ways, more likely the cause of their dispute was gone as Nightmare Moon no longer occupied Luna's throne. As hard as it was to imagine now, the King still harbored tender feelings for his long-lost love. Perhaps he even held a sense of solidarity with his fellow dead, as preposterous as the idea might have felt minding their history. Soon, Spike returned with a physician, although it was more a precaution. Nightmare Moon knew well that even if she broke most bones in her body they would regrow in a few hours. The real danger to alicorns was bleeding. Their wounds healed quickly, but not instantaneously. Nightmare Moon once nearly succumbed to her wounds, but she endured in the end with minimal aid. The experience, however, changed her in more ways than she knew. She refrained from executing her enemies for political reasons more than anything, but she did enjoy a good battle. Her next battle was also her last, she lead her soldiers to victory, but it brought her no pride or enjoyment. She put on a show, of course, as she always did for her subjects and enemies, but even Chrysalis' ultimate demise provided her with only greater sorrow. Daybreaker, despite being older than her, still behaved like a filly barely in her adulthood. She could use more of her own experience, instead of drawing from Celestia's. She also had to attend Twilight, "Your Majesty," Twilight lightly bowed, as soon as Nightmare left the doctor alone with her sister. Exactly as she did all those years ago, Nightmare Moon would've smiled warmly if she still had lips. The Princess didn't share her sentiment, giving her a wary look without looking her in the eyes. She already felt much better, Nightmare Moon saw as much. "Twilight..." she sighed. "You do not have to bow to me anymore, I hold court no longer. Please, stand upright," Twilight reluctantly did, still not sure what the stance really was. "I... prepared a small report, as the time permitted," Twilight started again. "I included-" "Twilight, please, stop," Twilight may be brilliant but she always was very dense when it came to taking hints. "Twilight, I say again, please heed me this time: I am no longer your monarch. I came here to ask for your help, not order you to help me. You have no need to report to me now. I am glad to see you now as a friend, instead of my subject." "But don't you want to know what happened after you... left? I put in the files as well as some of my notes from the time..." Twilight looked utterly miserable, trying her best to stick to something she knew she would deliver, to not disappoint her liege and late mentor further. The realization suddenly hit Nightmare Moon right in her incorporeal head. Twilight only had Spike with her, "Twilight, where are your friends?" Twilight instantly became sad, her head dropped, ears flattened. "That too is in the report," she answered bleakly. "Tell me yourself," Nightmare Moon asked. "Please," she added, such relations with Twilight were still new to her. "We fell apart," Twilight said simply. "I suppose with our home gone we no longer had any reasons to stick to each other. Rarity and Rainbow couldn't stomach each other. Pinkie's sense of humor was freaking Fluttershy out. Applejack won't even leave her farm. Everyone went their own way, the only one who went with me here was Rarity, but it quickly became clear that this place was too small for her," Nightmare Moon responded with morbid silence. "Are you disappointed in me?" Twilight hopelessly asked. "Twilight, is there a quiet place where we won't be bothered?" Nightmare Moon lowered her voice. "My sleeping quarters are just next door," Twilight nodded. "I owe you an explanation, Twilight," Nightmare Moon continued, once the door closed behind. Twilight's room was much the same as it was in the Palace. Maybe more spacious. "I will be frank with you, there is hardly a good way to say this. Your situation with your friends is my fault." Twilight simply nodded, "You had to keep us at odds so we cannot use the Elements against you." Twilight sat on her bed. Nightmare Moon attempted to mimic the gesture, shifting herself to linger above it next to the Princess. "I understand, even if it is sad that it had to be this way." "Rarity would've been enough," Nightmare Moon continued. "She was extremely easy to manipulate. She is far too generous for her own good. Rarity would never leave Luna to suffer alone, I simply had to show her what she can do for her. Doing the same for the rest of you was unjust cruelty. I am deeply sorry that you had to go through the unyielding jaws of state politics. I suppose it is much too late for apologies, isn't it? I will not be reclaiming my throne, Twilight. The ponies have suffered enough from me. I came to ask you for help in finding my other sister, Luna. But it seems that our mutual acquaintance already did just that. We will depart in the next few days, we would be honored if you join us, but we all understand why you might not. Perhaps we might find some of your friends along the way too." "Are you just going to abandon your ponies to their fate? After you died, everything-" "Twilight, I know. After I died my Empire collapsed. Just as it was supposed to. It is better this way, both for me and my former subjects. Let them figure out on their own what they wish to live like, they can be a lot more capable when they have no choice." "No, it did not just collapse! The reason why we had to flee was that the army was having the Palace under siege, they were executing anyone who had any dealings with you in the past!" While this was news to Nightmare Moon, it still failed to impress her. "Have you expected anything else?" she innocently asked. "When common citizenry gets to power this is the natural course of action. Simple solutions for simple folk. Let me guess, they also made the wealthy share with the poor and gave every creature equal rights? The commoners' naivety is quite adorable." "How... how can you talk about this so calmly?" the sentiment left Twilight shocked. "Your ponies died! They have "re-education" camps where they torture everyone who doesn't agree with the current political course! This is horrible!" "It truly is, Twilight," Nightmare Moon somberly agreed. "But this is completely expectable. Perhaps now you can understand the true depth of my crime, this would be impossible under Celestia's leadership. This is why I shall interfere no longer. I did enough as is. I urge you, Twilight: come with us, leave it all behind. It is no longer your responsibility, your ponies chased you out themselves. There is joy in simpler things in life too, do not waste yourself on the task that you are neither capable nor obliged to do! Luna will be beyond joyous to see you again!" "And then?" "Then we can return to Queen Sky Star, or find another place. My sister found a wonderful spot by the sea, I wish you were there to see it!" Nightmare Moon chirped excitedly. "Or perhaps we could go to Arabia, it is an exquisitely beautiful land! Imagine a whole sea of sand before you and when we lower the sun, it becomes gold and bronze in the evening light! Imagine, a whole sea of shining gold stretching to the horizon!" "That's it? Your Majesty, I don't understand," Twilight's shock has now passed and was replaced with bewilderment. "This doesn't sound like you! You always taught me that a monarch is responsible for the well-being of her subjects. Sombra promised me to find a way to bring you back, now you are here, and you are telling me that you are going to leave our ponies to suffer for what you are responsible for?!" "Twilight, a mare can rest when she is dead. I never asked to be brought back to lead the Empire for all eternity. I am here for the sake of my sister and for those few I call my friends," Nightmare Moon said bluntly. "I will tell you here and now: I will not chain myself to that seat again." Twilight's jaw opened and closed, but produced no sound until Twilight simply turned away, "Twilight, I am sorry to disappoint you in this way." "I-I need to be alone now." "Of course," Nightmare Moon floated off. "I will speak to Sombra, we will meet you in a few hours." Nightmare Moon departed without even opening the door, she didn't need to anymore. To her surprise, Sombra indeed waited for her exactly where she left him, back at the library, with Spike, Shadow and Nightmare's little sister busy cleaning Twilight's lab. "Are you done wasting our time?" Sombra asked with a long sigh. "Quite, tell me what it is you want now." "I did already, I am here to build you a new body. Before you think anything, I am only doing this because Luna will never forget it if I didn't," Sombra grumbled. "Obviously, but I must hear more. Twilight mentioned that you had a take in my return." "Not yours. I only want Luna to return. She has been steadily feeling worse, not physically, mentally. It does not take a psychologist to know that she is missing her family. If her wellbeing demands yours, then she shall have you," Sombra admitted. Nightmare Moon sharply clicked. "Who would have known that you could be so caring," she teased. "But what of your involvement? As far as I discovered, my sister was the one who saw me back among the living." "I had nothing to do with that, it was her initiative. I never intended to do it in this... costly way at first. Transferring memories is much easier. I suspect you noticed some of them missing and your sister being unusually knowledgeable for her age." "It seems that you were ultimately unsuccessful, however," Nightmare Moon remarked. "Your memories were not producing the desired effect. She never realized herself as you, she merely treated them as being a quirk of who she is. A monumental waste of effort. With the initial plan failed, I had to get your former buttlick to gather enough energy for me for the procedure to succeed. You already know how this goes," Sombra finalized his explanation. Nightmare Moon stayed quiet for a while. The offer was enticing, highly so, but there was somepony who needed it much more than her. "Sombra, I suggest a better idea," Nightmare Moon began. "My sister will remain unconscious for a few more hours. We could separate her and Celestia as you did with me and Luna." "Celestia," Sombra spat out the name of his ancient enemy. "What do you care for that scheming coward? You were the one who destroyed her, were you not?" "And I regret the deed every day since," Nightmare Moon responded without flinching. "Your sister will see this as a betrayal," Sombra warned. "My sister has grown, she will keep her reaction in check. I will deal with her myself. Enact your ritual, it would be better for Luna to have her real family by her side." "Fine. As long as Luna gets what she needs I don't care which one of you it is."