Rainbow Dash really dragged her hooves on the crystal paved road, crystal ponies and a few changelings busily walking past. Rainbow was used to repeated failures in her life and did not allow them to hinder her now, but her master was not as wizened. He would not be pleased with another failure.
They had been confined to the Crystal Empire for some time now, and it did not look like they would be leaving any time soon without some help from Princess Cadance, who was too uncertain of her ability to cast teleportation safely to risk harming her friend. They needed Twilight’s help… and that meant they needed Nightmare Moon’s help, much to Rainbow’s great dismay. Yet even for that, they had to get out of the Crystal Empire first. There weren’t trains going to Ponyville anymore, and traveling on hooves would take weeks, not to mention the cold was likely to kill them long before that. They really appeared to be stuck, at least, until Nightmare Moon finished whatever she was up to.
Rainbow had wanted to kill her in the past for her crimes...but now it seemed like death only increased her influence, not to mention even making her indestructible now. Every changeling she saw was busy preparing for their Queen to call them to war. Even crystal ponies weren’t immune. They did not share in the fanaticism, but the idea of helping their cousins down south did resonate with them. There was no doubt that with a little bit of convincing, they would join her, and the very thought had sickened Rainbow.
How could someone so objectively terrible as her be so attractive? Rainbow couldn’t understand the desire to bend down for a petty tyrant like this!
She eventually found her way back to the ramshackle quarters they had put together for the nightmares. And she was immediately spotted.
“Miss Rainbow! Are you feeling unwell?” a colorful mare Rainbow knew as Sunshine immediately appeared at her side, a worried look on her face. Rainbow wrinkled her nose. Nightmares were capable of being genuine; Rainbow just hated that she couldn’t be angry at them anymore for being related to Nightmare Moon.
“Just… leave me alone for a bit,” Rainbow asked, trying to sound calm. “I promise I’ll be fine, I am just tired of everyone I ask for help telling me to get lost.”
“Can I help? I can’t help you get home, but I heard from someone that talking can help,” the mare offered sweetly, with a perfectly cordial smile.
“Well… alright,” Rainbow agreed, plopping under a red canvas hung between some cabins. “Can you do something for me?”
“Of course! Just ask,” the mare answered with the same unnerving smile.
“I know you… people… aren’t doing it on purpose, but can you smile not so... perfect? It’s unnerving when someone’s smile has the exact same perfect curve every time. Looks unnatural.”
The request seemed to puzzle the mare for a moment.
“Like this?” she tried smiling with her jaw in a different position. It ended up looking like she had her jaw dislocated.
“Yeah, something like that,” Rainbow smiled to herself for a moment. “I don’t know if you understand what situation I'm in…”
“Well, you want to go home, don’t you? My host’s mom used to say that wherever you are, it’s never as good as home. I think I’ll understand after we’ve made ourselves a home here.”
“Well, it’s a bit of that, but what if you made a mistake, and because of you, someone else was stranded away from home where they were really needed?”
“Oh, you mean Master Snowstrike! I think I’d feel pretty miserable, too,” the mare nodded.
“Yeah…” Rainbow couldn’t even begin to explain the real depth of her failure in terms of social norms. “Listen, there’s something that was bothering me for some time. I think you’d have a better idea than anyone else about it.”
“Me?” the nightmare widened her eyes.
“Yes… You see, me and your big sister have never been cool, and I can’t get why anyone else would be. No offense, but she’s a bit of a monster.”
If Sunshine was offended, she didn’t show it. Instead, her face showed serious thought, saying,
“Well, I wasn’t even born when she was the monster you talk about. I’ve heard some stories, but she couldn’t be too bad, right? She has helped me and our kin to find a place where we can be safe. Princess Cadance doesn’t like us, but she doesn’t want to kill us merely because we aren’t really natural. Nightmare didn’t need to do this, but she did anyway.”
“Well, yeah, that’s nice. But she killed hundreds of thousands just to defeat Celestia, whom she even returned from the moon in the end, so it was entirely pointless. How can anypony be okay with this just because she doesn’t feel good about doing that? Does anyone just get to murder someone and then be fine later if they feel bad about it?”
“That’s… that’s an ugly question,” the mare admitted. “But does punishing her achieve anything? Unlike us, ponies can’t come back from being dead, no matter how harshly the killer is punished.”
“Justice, resolution. Some sort of atonement for everyone who died trying to stop her. I just can’t stand the fact that my friends are in the dirt while she keeps going like nothing happened and keeps scheming.”
“I am sorry, Rainbow,” the mare insisted, attempting to show compassion.
“Ugh… It’s okay, forget I said anything.”
The mare respectfully held back her responses. They sat together silently for some time: Rainbow Dash spent it in thought. She had to tell Snowstrike that they’d likely have to stay here for months… if not years. She should probably take him somewhere out of everyone’s earshot. If Sunshine and the other nightmares she talked to were any indication, they would immediately pick up on them having an argument and would surely eavesdrop. They couldn’t help it. Just like changelings couldn’t help but draw love from everyone around them, so couldn’t nightmares help but listen more intently to when others spoke around them. It helped with blending in. Not so different, the two of them.
“Do you want some cider? I saw a keg on the market today, and the shopkeeper gave it away for fifteen bits. Mister Rich said you used to love it.”
“Maybe later. Thanks for the offer, Sunshine, but I really need to report back to Snowstrike.” Rainbow apologetically smiled, standing up.
“Have fun!” Sunshine waved, giving her usual perfect smile.
Rainbow did not doubt she was going to have fun. As for exactly how much, she would have to see.
With the smell of cut wood heavy in the air, finding Snowstrike was easy. If he was not completely engrossed in carving art into planks; then he was at the meeting hall. Ever since Rich showed him carpentry, he seemed to be entirely consumed by it. Rainbow wasn’t even sure he still remembered how un-lordly carpentry is.
“My Lord!” Rainbow called after entering the hall. The stallion sat up in his hammock and looked at her with sleep still in his eyes. “I bring news.”
“Oh… Di-yawn-ine. What news?”
“I’ve been to the old train station. They said they don’t run trains to Equestria either. It looks like we’d have to stay for some time until Nightmare Moon finished her war. The Crystal Empire doesn’t have a wizard powerful enough to send us home.”
“Oh, well, that’s quite regrettable,” he said without a hint of sadness in his voice. “I suppose we would have to spend some more time here after all. Let’s go see what Rich is doing.”
Rainbow resisted facehoofing herself. She would have reminded him of his responsibilities to the clan, but since they had no way of returning home currently, it was pointless.
“Excuse me! Are you Rainbow Dash?” a mail stallion suddenly appeared right at Rainbow’s side. “I have a delivery for you.”
“For me?” Rainbow cocked her brow. “Are you sure there isn’t another Rainbow Dash?”
The stallion pulled up a clipboard,
“Uhh… blue coat, rainbow-colored mane, and tail… I think it’s all in order.” He immediately pulled a letter out of his bag and held it out for Rainbow. After a moment of hesitation, Rainbow took it. The stallion said goodbye and left.
“What is this?” Snowstrike approached, eyeing the letter. “One of your old friends reestablishing contact?”
“I don’t know… Why would anyone write a letter instead of coming to see me?” Rainbow cautiously undid the glue and opened the envelope. Inside was a piece of parchment instead of paper, written in a script that Rainbow had only seen a few times in her life.
“This… this is a magical scroll, I believe,” she explained. “A wizard would use this to cast magic unknown to them.”
“Cast magic? Does this mean that you are a wizard now?”
“No, only unicorns can use magic. I think there’s been a mistake. The envelope has my name, but someone sending me a scroll seems doubtful, especially out of the blue.”
“Let’s see if Rich knows something. Surely he would have some thoughts.”
Rainbow wanted to agree… but then she thought about how they got here. This wasn’t random. Someone knew the exact place where she’d be today, and magical scrolls were far too special to casually lose. This was meant for her.
“On the other hoof… master, give me a few hours. I know of a mage who is quite knowledgeable on spellcraft. He could tell the exact nature of this spell; that might clarify what happened.”
Rainbow Dash left Sunburst’s dwelling disappointed. Although he was able to tell her what the scroll was, there was a snag. It was indeed a teleportation scroll, however, it would only work for two ponies: the caster and one other, which meant only one of them could leave using it. At least that meant that she could reach Nightmare Moon… to grovel for her help. Since Sunburst himself could not cast the spell, Rainbow had to go and ask Cadance for help.
Rainbow would have lied if she said she wasn’t glad seeing her oldest friends, but being in this position was downright humiliating. She was totally dependent on the whim of others, and was also forced to contend with the fact that she was, whatsoever, unimportant. Not even her best remaining friend had any desire to help her, and Rainbow couldn’t blame her either.
At least the guardsponies allowed her into the palace without question. The Crystal Palace halls were unusually busy. Well, from what Rainbow saw back in the day. Firstly, there were more guards. Significantly more guards. This looked more like Nightmare Moon’s palace than Love Princess’. Nightmare Moon simply would get off on being surrounded by guards rather than having them for a practical reason, but Cadance was never a fan of militaristic aesthetics.
Second, the corridors were full of changelings. That bit puzzled Rainbow even more. Asking them wouldn’t help, at least if her limited experience with Shadow still was relevant.
Instead of Cadance, the first important pony she ran into was actually Shinning Armor. She found him speaking to a pair of guards; Rainbow politely stopped so as not to eavesdrop. He spotted her and dismissed both guards shortly.
“Hello, Rainbow,” he smiled at her warmly. “Here to see Cadance?”
“Yeah… I got this in the mail,” she showed him the scroll.
“Oh… A teleportation spell, huh? Somewhere you need to go?”
“Yes, I need to see Twilight, and she’s back in Equestria.”
“Well, Cadence has a guest right now. You want to hit the mess?”
“Wait, a guest? Who would come all this way to see Cadance?”
“Hay if I know,” Shinning shrugged. “You know how it is, politics is for Princesses. I’d cast the spell for you myself, but… if I got you killed by teleporting you into a wall somewhere, Cadence would kill me.”
“Right… thanks for the offer, but I’d rather be done with this as soon as possible. Believe it or not, Rich actually managed to make manual work fun. Never thought he was good for anything other than peddling and dressing snazzy.”
“Really? Huh… I guess I should go see him, too. Well, alright, I’ll tell her you’re waiting.”
The two went along the crystal corridors, surrounded by more guards and changelings. Shining soon disappeared into Cadance’s room and after a short pause came back with his face as motionless as a rock.
Cadence was looking forward to a peaceful evening. Having this many changelings in the palace would normally unnerve her but the law dictated that officers during dismissal had to get their resignation signed by a member of the court or someone representing them. Tomorrow it will be back to normal again. Cadence reclined in her chair and closed her eyes.
“Cadance,” a calm, cold, and familiar voice dashed her hopes for peace.
“What do you want this time?” Cadance asked without opening her eyes. “You can take your changelings with you if that is what you are after.”
“No,” Nightmare Moon answered flatly and unusually sharply. “I ask for your advice. There is a matter, I believe, only you could help me with.”
“Advice? The only advice I could give you is to return back the way you came; that will save you time.”
“Cadance, please. I know that you have no reason to aid me, but this is an extremely private matter for any mare. I have no one else I could ask.”
Cadence narrowed her eyes, was this some kind of a ruse? Though… Nightmare Moon rarely lied even when it was deception. She took pride in her ability to deceive without speaking falsehood, or so Cadance heard.
“What do you want my help for?”
“I want your advice on a very delicate matter. With something I never thought I could need help with,” Nightmare Moon was clearly stalling. “Something I never thought I could face so soon.”
“Say what is it, already. Let’s get this over with.”
“Cadance, the issue is your own daughter.” Cadence’s fur stood up on her neck. “She believes it is time for me to be a mother.”
Cadence felt as if hit with a frying pan squarely on the nose, even recoiling slightly. Is Nightmare Moon playing with her?
“Allow me to explain. After your daughter offered me her ability to see the future, she left for some time and returned today. She revealed to me the true purpose of her actions, and now I do not know what I should do. Your daughter deeply feels for the plight of the changeling race. Without their queen, they shall end. She has found a way to return a queen to them and wishes me to be that queen.
“She used a necromantic spell, sourced from King Sombra to revive the dead body of Queen Chrysalis; it now lies at the roots of the Tree of Harmony, waiting for a spirit to take it. I am reluctant to accept. Changelings swear themselves to me, as misplaced as their loyalty is, and so it is my duty to ensure their survival. But I am a pony, not in nature but in birth. I imagined my foal to be a playmate to Flurry Heart, not a drone, existing to benefit my hive. You are the only one I know who could give me advice on being a parent, and so I have come to you for help. What must I do?”
“Y-you’re asking me?” Cadence said in disbelief. “You always wanted to tell others what to do and believe and now you ask me what to do?”
“Yes,” Nightmare Moon answered simply. “I have no more excuses left for my actions for there can be no forgiveness. Hate me if you must, but aid me for the sake of both the ponies and the changelings. Your daughter wishes me to abandon ponykind for the sake of changelings. I suppose what I truly wish to know is whether parenthood is worth sacrificing one race for the sake of another.”
Cadance reclined in her chair with a sigh, thinking about what to say,
“When I had Flurry I thought my life would never be happier and I suppose I was right. I never was happier than on the day I first held her in my hooves. But parenthood is more than just seeing your foal make their first steps. Being a parent means always caring for them. No matter how old they get, they are still your foal. Sometimes I love my Flurry to bits, and sometimes I wanted to stuff her back where she came from, but for her, I’d still do anything. It is no longer about your own goals and aspirations, but for your foal’s. Your life, partly, becomes dedicated entirely to them. Nightmare Moon, do you think that is something you want?”
The two mares suddenly swung their heads around, to see Shining Armor loudly close the door.
“Well, I suppose this is no longer as secret as I meant it,” Nightmare Moon said with a dry chuckle. “I think I am finally beginning to understand Celestia’s favorite phrase. She has no children of her own and replaces them with her little ponies. What mother would send her own foals to die, even if that means stopping someone like me? It seems she and Chrysalis were not in such different positions, only characters.”
“Chrysalis treated changelings as an extension of herself,” Cadence scoffed. “It always scared me how easily she sacrifices her own children.”
“Her own children… Yes, after all, she was their queen. I see now. I thank you, Cadence. I believe I know what I must do now,” Nightmare Moon prepared to head for the door, but stopped.
“Cadance, I understand that you may never truly forgive me. But our feud only causes chaos to ponies. Your own daughter was forced to leave home to do what she believes is right. Is it worth it?”
“No, it never was.”