Assignment
Ironically, the only problem with eternal night was that it was too white.
Nightmare Moon took her time walking along the castle’s outer wall, patiently examining the structure for any sign of weakness. She didn’t particularly care if the walls crumbled to dust, as she had more than enough magical wards to protect her from harm, but it gave her something to do while she waited.
She didn’t really like waiting, but when one’s informant has to travel halfway across the country by hoof, one’s options tend to be limited.
Eventually, Nightmare Moon ran out of wall, and she allowed herself a scowl. To one side stood Canterlot Castle, the former seat of her now-dead sister’s power. To the other, beyond the frozen moat, stood what remained of the once-vibrant city. Dark buildings, most crumbling to some degree, sat in silence, covered in pristine white snow that reflected the constant glow of the moon overhead. If she squinted, Nightmare Moon could just make out a crater, and she couldn’t help but smirk at the sight. In her mind, she could still see the rainbow streak slicing through the sky, the pegasus’ face set in a grim mask as it drew closer, before the full force of a sonic rainboom knocked the dark mare off her hooves.
It was a valiant effort, she admitted, but valor will only go so far.
Growing tired of standing on the wall, Nightmare Moon opened her wings and propelled herself into the air, drifting in slow circles around the castle until she came to rest on the highest tower. From her vantage point, she could see almost all of Equestria to the south. A few villages still stood here and there, their occupants scratching out a living underground. The nearest, a place once called Ponyville, was practically indistinguishable from the surrounding plain. She reminded herself to destroy the remains of that ridiculous tree library, the scorched orchard and the charred remains of a cottage by the forest. Their occupants had been dead for years, and she saw no point in keeping around anything to remember them by.
She scanned the land for any sign of her informant, but none was found. She frowned. Her spy knew better than to arrive late. She circled around the castle and landed on a high balcony, a suitable punishment half-formed in her mind for her informant’s tardiness.
The sound of a sharp knife smashing into the wall an inch in front of her face brought the princess to a sudden halt. She turned to see her assailant standing near the far wall, twirling another knife in her hooves. “Must you make every entrance dramatic, Shadow Strike?” she asked.
“Just makin’ sure your shield spells are still working, your highness,” the mare replied with a tip of her worn-out Stetson, stowing her knife in the black vest she always wore. Nightmare often wondered how many blades the mare kept hidden in there. “They must be, since you’re not dead.”
“You’re late,” Nightmare Moon remarked.
“I was here before you, your majesty.”
Nightmare Moon ignored the mare’s insolence for the time being. “I take it your mission was a success,” she said, extracting the mare’s first knife from the wall with her magic. “What do you have to report?”
“The rumors were just rumors, as usual,” the mare answered. “There’s nothin’ out of the ordinary about the Trottingham shelter. Although, I did hear mention of a certain orange pegasus from Ponyville. Seems she’s been sighted with the griffons.”
“I see,” Nightmare said, examining the knife. “An old friend of yours?”
“Perhaps.”
Nightmare Moon sent the knife shooting across the room. Shadow Strike caught it, spun it a couple times, and stashed it within her vest. The mare had allied herself with Nightmare Moon a few years after the assault on Ponyville, and the princess had willingly taken her under her wing. Celestia had had a protégé, after all, and Nightmare only found it fitting to take one of her own as well.
“So,” Shadow said as she walked towards her master, “what’s my next assignment?”
Nightmare Moon brushed a little crystal dust off her coat before she answered. “What do you know about zebras?”
Shadow tilted her head to the side. “Quite a bit, as a matter of fact. They don’t have much in the way of magic, but they’re masters of herbal remedies and potions.”
“And how do you know this?”
“I’ve seen a lot in my travels, your highness,” Shadow replied.
“I see.” Nightmare had hoped to catch the mare off-guard and find some clue as to her origins, but as always, Shadow was more than prepared to respond. “As you know, Zebrica is currently the biggest threat to Equestria.” And by Equestria, she meant herself, of course. “I need you to find the zebra named Zecora. From what I can gather, she’s creating some potions that could cause us some problems.”
“What kind of problems?”
“I’ll let you find that out on your own,” Nightmare replied. “Once you discover the nature of her potions, report back to me and kill her if necessary.”
“Will do.” Shadow turned and began walking away.
“There’s one other thing,” Nightmare added, bringing Shadow to a stop. “Rumor has it that Zecora is sheltering a dangerous fugitive as well. If you find her, I want you to eliminate her, too.”
“Fugitive, your majesty?”
“Somepony that should have died ten years ago,” Nightmare Moon replied. “I’m sure you’ll understand when you see her.”
“I wouldn’t count on it, but if I see her, I’ll take care of it,” Shadow replied without the slightest hesitation. “Anything else, your majesty?”
“Your true name?”
Shadow smirked beneath her Stetson. “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
It was the response Shadow always gave, and she knew the princess would not answer. She made her way out of the castle and into Canterlot's ruins. The land was covered in ice and snow, but she paid the cold no mind. She left the castle behind and made her way towards the first of many shelters between Canterlot and Zebrica. She would not fail her mission. Not this time.