//------------------------------// // All Hail the Queen. // Story: Imperial Forclousure // by The Sound of Loneliness //------------------------------// Nightmare Moon waited for a moment more, but the Princess of Love had said all she wished. “Thank you, Cadence,” Nightmare Moon said again, as heartfelt as she could considering the circumstance, before seeping underneath the door back into the hallway. She understood now. Luna was right, right from the very beginning. The key to victory did not lie with might.  Nightmare Moon saw it clearly now. To achieve their goals, She did not know how, but she knew what to do. She had to get back to the Tree. Yet there seemed to be an obstacle in her way… “Hey…” Rainbow Dash greeted her, standing in the middle of the hallway. “I… need a word.” “With me?” Nightmare Moon feigned surprise. “Didn’t you ask to be sent out of my way?” “I did but… Well… I need some help. I was going to come find you, but since you are here…” Truth be told, Nightmare Moon couldn't care less about Rainbow's problems, but if she was determined to change her course, she could start by doing something she wouldn't ordinarily do. “Well then, what can I help you with?” Nightmare Moon asked. Seeing Rainbow cringe at her pointedly polite response gave her some pleasure. “I want to go home,” Rainbow said straightly. “Cadance says she can’t help because she’s never been there; without that, she can fumble the destination for the teleport spell. Could you please get Twilight to help me out?” “Hmm…” While the request was not, in any way, outrageous, having Twilight waste her time on this at such a moment might prove costly, although not likely, “Very well. I shall tell her of your plight. She will be here as soon as I return to Equestria.” “Wait, just like that?” Rainbow asked incredulously. “You aren’t going to make me grovel in front of you? Or train your soldiers? Or anything else?” Nightmare Moon actually chuckled, only twice, “Why would I need you to do that, Rainbow Dash? Nothing has changed since the last time we met. If you will not offer your service willingly, I will not force you to. Forced service is unreliable and prone to shifting loyalty.” “Oh, that’s rich coming from you! You never let me quit!” “I merely offered you a way to make a living in the way you knew how. You could have left at any time or simply refused your posting in the first place. It was simply that we both knew that you’d struggle to find anyone else who would take you in.” “Yeah, thanks to you! Everything that happened to us was your fault! If it wasn’t for you, there’d still be Wonderbolts!” “In that respect, you are entirely correct. I would apologize, but we both know how meaningless that would be at this point.” “So now what? Are you going to just leave and do it all over again? That’s what you are doing there, aren’t you?” “With any luck, I hope not. I do not know what I'm going to do once I'm back, but I can promise that I'll try to do better. It is now clear to me that my present course of action will not result in the peace we all wish for.” “Don’t pretend anyone who isn’t you gets a say. I hate it when you do that.” “Well, believe it or not. I wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for the pressure of my sisters. All I want now is for them to be safe, yet Luna cannot sit idly when she could be helping others. I do not know how to achieve her vision, but I will try until we succeed. For her sake, I would do anything it takes.” Rainbow Dash grimaced and looked away, “Look… I got this scroll over here.” She showed Nightmare the folded piece of parchment. “Somepony mailed it to me today, probably by mistake. I was going to ask if Cadance would cast it for me so I could talk to you, but since I no longer need it, maybe it’ll be useful to you.” Nightmare Moon took the scroll and unfolded it, skimming it quietly. “...A teleportation scroll,” she confirmed thoughtfully. “With a pre-determined destination, in fact. Someone really didn’t wish to see this spell miscast.” “Yeah… I’ve had it looked at by a professional.” “I see. I’m thankful, Rainbow Dash. Judging by the coordinates… this is another one of Flurry Heart’s schemes. This will take me somewhere inside the Everfree Valley, much closer to my destination. I will have Twilight see you as soon as I’m there.” “Sure… glad to help.” Nightmare Moon turned back towards the door she had just come through. “Hey and… thanks… I mean it, you don’t have to help me, and I know we aren’t on good terms, and all… yeah.” Nightmare Moon listened until the end and decided to say nothing so as to not make this any more awkward for Rainbow Dash. She may have rivaled Applejack in stubbornness, but she was, in the end, fair. It was a shame that fate decreed they had to be enemies for so long. “Cadance, one more thing,” Nightmare Moon hailed while, once again, coming through the door. “I understand if I’m asking too much of you, but it seems there is a way for me to return much quicker. I met Rainbow Dash with a teleportation scroll. She wished to ask you to cast it for her. May I ask that you do so for me?” Cadence looked on wearily from her seat but took the scroll nonetheless. She closed her eyes and gave an exhausted sigh, “Very well. I suppose I do have to find my daughter in the end. Let’s go.” Nightmare Moon was slightly surprised at how easy it was, but didn't question a moment of luck, for they quickly passed. Cadance stood in the middle of the room next to Nightmare Moon’s own ethereal body, and unfolded the scroll in its entirety, and quickly ran through it with her eyes while nodding lightly. The pink alicorn read the spell several times before casting to ensure she wasn’t missing vital components, but the scroll was very comprehensive and had the spell fully prepared. With a tasteful flicker of her horn, Cadence released the suspended spell from the scroll, and both mares felt themselves being dragged away from Crystal Palace. As quickly as it started, the sensation was over. They were inside a small room, a cottage if Nightmare Moon was to hazard a guess. In front of them, Flurry Heart herself was sitting with a book in her lap. “Oh, finally! You know… Wait, you are not Rainbow,” Flurry Heart quickly closed the book and jumped back to her hooves from the dusty chair she was using. “For someone who knows the future, you are strangely easy to surprise, Flurry Heart. What was your plan this time?” “No, this is not how it’s supposed to go! Rainbow was supposed to get the scroll and get Dad to ask Mom to cast it; Mom would say she was busy, and Dad would cast it himself! Neither of you is supposed to be here! Oh, this is all wrong! How in the hay am I going to get the Elements together again if she isn’t even here?” “Flurry, why wouldn’t you simply talk to me about all this?” Cadence spoke softly. “If I knew I could have helped you do something so important, I would have. You didn’t need any spirit mask for advice.” Flurry visibly cringed, “Well… Mom, I’m sorry to tell you if you didn’t guess yet, but the whole spirit thing was an act. There weren’t any spirits, and the masks I got from an antique shop. “Also, I tried talking to you about it. You just flipped out, and it made everything worse. Moony here got shafted because of that and almost ended up doing who knows what to you just to get the supplies needed for her plans.” “No, Flurry. I mean before that. Why didn’t you talk to me about your visions? I waited to see what you were going to do with your gift, and all this time, you were doing such amazing work! I thought Nightmare Moon showed up to rebuild her empire and wanted to start with us.” “Hold on… thought? You mean you actually figured it out!?” Flurry Heart stared in wide-eyed surprise. “That never happened! I never ever saw a future when the two of you didn’t hate each other! This is great! You did better than I ever could!” The two mares in question exchanged looks. “Well, perhaps we should not be hasty,” Nightmare Moon began cautiously. “While it seems we are finally finding understanding after all these years, we are still in opposition otherwise. Cadence has a duty to uphold, as, seemingly, do I. We cannot both succeed. Yet, this does not mean we must necessarily be enemies. At least not for personal reasons. It would be a very different time when we could be true friends, but it seems we are beginning to take the first steps.” “As much as I am in disbelief of that idea,” Cadence confirmed. “Flurry, please, let’s go home. Leave all of this to Nightmare Moon and your Aunts. You already did much more than anypony expected.” “I… can’t. Mom, please, I need to do something! I can’t just sit back and watch, not this time! I can fix something fundamentally wrong with the world! Don’t you understand? I can save a species!” Flurry expectantly looked at Nightmare Moon. “I get that it’s very intimidating to just be put in front of something like this, and I’m sorry that it was so sudden, but there really isn’t a better way. I searched for years! This way everyone will be better, even you. Let’s go to the castle; I’ve got it charted out. I’ll explain when we get there.” The entirety of the flight to the castle was uneventful, save for Cadence's occasional pleading for her daughter to stop, which fell on deaf ears. Their approach was not unnoticed; a large alicorn form took off from below to meet them as they came into view. “Nightmare!” Daybreaker hailed. “You have been missed! The troops have been asking for your orders, and I was worried! How could you simply bolt like that without speaking a word?” As offended as Daybreaker meant to sound, she failed to conceal her relief. “And who is this with you? Did you finally come to your senses, Cadence?” “Leave the Princess of Crystal Empire out of this!” Nightmare Moon sharply cut her off. “She is here to retrieve her daughter, nothing else.” Daybreaker held her forelegs up apologetically, “I only meant to-” “We know what you meant. Dear sister, sometimes your mouth outpaces your decorum.” “Yes, yes, I am sure she is sorry. We are a little bit in a hurry here,” Flurry Heart hurried along. “It would be nice if we could get on sorting this mess out within the next couple of hours. It’s not much further.” The four alicorns landed in the ravine and followed Flurry Heart into the cave. “So, here’s the plan: You get ahold of Chrysalis’ old digs, grab Luna and Celestia, and then the three of you are gonna go to Manehattan. There’s a particular pony there that you need some help from. Luna will know exactly where to find him soon enough, so don’t worry about it. He’s gonna help you convince the bureaucracy to trust you by coming up with some ideas on how to get this economy under control. He’s a smart cookie and would’ve done that already, but when you have two dozen ministries all competing for resources, every spare scrap of money and materials is precious. With a more centralized leadership, those could go to the folks that really need them. It sounds pretty hard, but it’s easier than it sounds. You good for now?” Nightmare Moon nervously stared at Chrysalis by the crystal roots. She knew what she had to say. Or she thought she did, at least. She glanced at Cadance for support, but the Pink Princess only shook her head. “I… cannot do that,” Nightmare Moon slowly said. “I simply cannot.” Flurry blinked, “What do you mean you can’t? Of course you can! It’s easy! Just enter her body just like you do when you pass through a door.” “No… I cannot simply abandon my duty and rule the Changelings. I am sorry, Flurry Heart. As honorable and inspiring as your work is, you would have to find a different mare to take up the cause. I see now that my purpose lies with ponykind, and I was selfish to reject my responsibility. No one but me can allay it, and that is why it must be me. I cannot do that if I must devote myself to Changelingkind instead.” “But you could still do that! You’d just have to…” “Split my attention? Flurry Heart, we both know that is not possible; it is merely wishful thinking. As regrettable as it is. To save the Changeling race, I must take immediate action and take them away from harm. Their blood is precious, and every time it is spilled, their chances for survival decrease even with a queen. “Just like I told you before: I will not put the needs of my ponies below those of the changelings. I am a pony, and to them I dedicate myself.” “Nightmare… perhaps we should search for someone else to replace you then,” Daybreaker cautiously suggested. “There can’t be anyone else! I looked! I looked for twenty years! Everyone else either fails or becomes just as power-hungry as Chrysalis!” Flurry cried out, her eyes shimmering with tears. “I can’t believe this! I planned this for years! It was perfect! All you had to do was just play your role! You are the best option they have! You could have saved them, you callous bitch!” Flurry Heart slowly sank to the floor, tears rolling off her cheeks and falling to the dusty stone. “Are my visions really this worthless?” “As tragic as this is, if I must choose, I choose ponies…” Nightmare Moon reiterated. Although the words tasted sour, that is what she had to say. She would not let anyone harm them, even if they were ungrateful, and even if that meant sacrificing her no less beloved subjects. “I share your woe, but it has to be this way. We are ponies, and our loyalty must lie with ponykind first. Changelingkind will be remembered, and their sacrifice will be honored. “Sister, order my soldiers to venture out and reconnect with their old friends and relatives in the capital. There must be some left. They will help us gain the information we need. Stress for them that there will be no violence within the city; we only seek to aid them in whichever way we can.” Having finished, Nightmare Moon was about to turn to Cadance when she noticed something bizarre… “Sister?” Daybreaker wasn’t responding. She found Daybreaker in deep thought. Doubt was written on her face, yet there was conviction too. One she had never seen her sister exhibit before. “Daybreaker, is something the matter?” “You are right,” Daybreaker said resolutely. “You cannot put the Changelings above the ponies. That will take too much of your attention. You are exactly where you are needed most. I will do it.” Nightmare Moon looked on in silence, attempting to piece together what her sister meant, “...Do what?” “I will replace you. We are sisters: If both of us can inhabit that shell Flurry Heart has created, I can go instead.” “You?” Flurry perked up. “You, a Queen of Changelings?! No, no, there is no way in Tartarus! You don’t know anything about the ruling; the best you could do is watch Celestia doing it from the sidelines. That’s not going to end well for anyone.” “I can do it!” Daybreaker stepped ahead. “Being a princess means protecting my subjects. If Nightmare cannot, then I will!” “No! Absolutely not!” Nightmare Moon regained her voice. “You are my sister! I won’t allow you to throw away your own life to rectify just one of my many shortcomings!” “Nightmare, I have to! This is what you always wanted me to understand, and I finally see it! Being born noble means bearing responsibility for others! I was only concerned with my own freedom and desires before, and everything always felt off! I see why now! “I was rejecting my purpose! To rule means to serve the needs of our subjects, not having them serve ours. We rule because, in this way, we can serve our subjects best, even if they don’t understand how. I see how I can serve now. This is what I am here for, just like leading your soldiers is what you are here for. Please, Nightmare! Don’t rob me of this!” “I… I mean… I… I guess this could work…” Flurry Heart said after a moment of contemplation, wiping her face with her hoof. “If Nightmare is there to help you, this could work. I guess now it would have to work.” “Sister, please, reconsider,” Nightmare Moon pleaded. “That responsibility may not be something you’d grow to enjoy. In many ways, Luna and I have both envied Celestia; it is only much later that I finally understood the reasoning behind her attempting to leave Luna with as few responsibilities as she could. Luna was resentful, but Celestia only wished for Luna to live a life she never could. If you proceed as you intend to, you will never be free again… Not in this life, nor the next. Being a queen is not simply power and responsibility but also a chain, as there can never be a former queen. “Please, do not make the mistake I made. Despite what you believe, you do not have to do this. Celestia and I will solve this somehow. If not, we will do what we can to ensure the Changelings are comfortable. I urge you: live.” “Wait, hold on you two,” Cadence suddenly reminded them she was there. “Why are you arguing about this? Isn’t it better to leave Chrysalis in her own body? Chrysalis is a coward; she won’t stand up to you whatever you may ask.” “We cannot,” Nightmare Moon grimly answered. “Chrysalis is a huge risk. She may be a coward, but she is ruthlessly cunning, and more importantly, she has something that we need, which means she has power over us.” “I never had a vision where having Chrysalis alive again was ever good news,” Flurry added. “Chrysalis being dead is better for everyone, including the Changelings. This is why I wanted Moony to be the Queen.” “That is why I must do it, Nightmare,” Daybreaker spoke up again. “You see it, don’t you? I could simply stand back and let you take care of it, just like I  always did before. That would be so easy. But I cannot, not anymore. I cannot always be in your shadow, Nightmare! Remember what Celestia did and how awful it was for you and Luna. Celestia swore to never again keep Luna from being better, even if that would bring pain to her. Luna has grown so much since. Would you have denied her that if you could?” “Hmmgggrrr…” Nightmare Moon made a sound somewhere between a sigh and a growl and still managed to be neither. “Are you sure? Is this what you really want?” Nightmare Moon asked again, hopelessly. “Yes, Nightmare. I finally see a role for myself that no one else can perform. I finally feel needed; instead of being just a burden to you!” Nightmare Moon sighed deeply. She would hate to lose her sister just to prove some untested theory from an unreliable diviner, but as much as she hated to admit it, Daybreaker was right. By keeping her out of harm’s way, she was only making Daybreaker unhappy. For Nightmare Moon, her future was set in stone the very moment she took up arms against Celestia; Daybreaker’s future was not, and seeing her sister getting tied up in the same web as her was sorrowful. But, she supposed, she couldn’t protect her forever, just like Celestia couldn’t protect Luna. One day, we all must grow up. “If you have decided, I will not bar you,” Nightmare Moon said sadly. “Know that I will always be here for you, regardless of who you choose to be. You only need to ask, and I will move the world for you.” In response, Daybreaker gave the most sincere, grateful smile Nightmare Moon had ever seen on her features. She was almost glowing. “Thank you, sister. I promise this will change nothing for my allegiance. I will always be here for you too, whatever your designs may be.” Nightmare Moon thought that now would be the moment when they would embrace, but they were unable; yet instead of the sorrow of the past, the thought now filled her with happiness. Daybreaker’s look was all she needed. “Now then, shall we?” Nightmare Moon turned back to Flurry. “Yeah… sure. Well, I figure this is going to be the hardest part. Daybreaker, I need to dissolve your body. Actually, maybe it’s good that you are here, Mom. You can probably do this much easier than I can.” “How can I help?” Cadence asked. “Well, remember when the first time you faced Sombra, he got repelled by the magic of the Crystal Heart? Since Daybreaker’s physical body is basically his magic; you could use your love magic to disperse it. I think a simple high-energy blast would work, but we might need to try something else if that fails.” Daybreaker visibly shrank at Flurry casually mentioning that her mother would be using combat spells on her, “I will endure what it takes,” she said determinedly. “It shouldn’t hurt much,” Flurry quickly attempted to dispel her fears. “Remember, you can’t actually feel pain if you have no body, and if everything goes according to plan, you won’t have a body after Mom blasts you. Should only be a second or two.” “I can testify,” Nightmare Moon confirmed. “Being dead is quite relaxing. I am sure you will enjoy the experience, sister.” “Very well,” Daybreaker stepped aside to make sure no one would get hit, took a  farewell look at her still remaining body, and looked at Cadance resolutely. “Do it.” Cadence did not need another invitation.  She bowed her head, aiming her horn directly at the white alicorn, and grunted with extortion, releasing a bright pink beam of energy that engulfed Daybreaker fully. “Enough! Mom, stop!” Flurry asked. Cadence did stop. Daybreaker was no more; only a white mist remained in her stead, and a few sparks of purple still permeated the air. “Sister? Can you hear us?” “I… I can,” the answer came. The white mist slowly began coalescing into a cloud. “That moment when you hit me… I never felt such agony in my entire existence.” “I am sorry…” Cadence said. “I accept. That is what had to happen, and it is over now.” “I must say, sister, you look fetching!” Nightmare Moon remarked, quickly wishing to change the subject. “This shade of matted white is quite fitting to you. I am even a little jealous.” “You may be there one day too,” Daybreaker answered with a dry chuckle. “Ever since you were summoned, the color of your smoke was slowly getting brighter. You used to be as black as Chrysalis’ heart, but now you are almost indigo. You’d look majestic with fur, though the sun won’t be kind to it.” “Getting brighter?” Flurry perked up, squinting her eyes at Nightmare Moon. “As in, like, without you actively doing anything to color it?” “The dead have no use for dyes, Flurry Heart,” Nightmare Moon responded. “That’s… interesting. I guess with you being less physical than ponies normally are, your coloration isn’t dependent on nature.” “I am sure Twilight would like nothing else than to run a few dozen tests on me, but that would be for later.” “Right. Okay then, now comes the tricky part. I don’t really know how the possession thing works.” “What?!” both Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker both cried out. “Wait! Wait! Bad wording! Bad wording!” Flurry rapidly waved her forelegs.”I know how it works; I just don’t know how to start it, okay? So, in my visions, you just touch the body and kinda flow inside. I don’t really understand how you do it, but every time you try, it just… works out. I don’t know if Daybreaker can do that.” The two sisters stared at each other for a moment, neither quite knowing what to say. “Alright then…” Daybreaker floated towards the prone changeling. “Who would have thought,” she looked over the body before her, then looked up at the Tree itself. She slowly approached Chrysalis’ body until she was touching it; she held it for a moment, but nothing happened. Then, Daybreaker sighed and entered her ajar maw instead. Somehow, she managed to push the entirety of her voluminous body in until she was no longer visible. Nightmare Moon anxiously looked on, waiting for something to happen. For a while, no movement or sound betrayed the result. Until one sound cut the silence. A breath. Then a cough. The queen’s thorax heaved as she wheezed to life after much time of unuse. Shivers ran through her whole body until her breathing stabilized. Her eyes slowly cracked open, as vivid green as Nightmare Moon remembered them. “Sister, can you hear me?” Nightmare Moon hopefully asked. “Y-yes…” the answer was croaky and weak. “So… so hungry…” “Oh… right, I forgot about this part. Someone has to feed her or she’ll die again in a few hours. Mom?” “...Well, I guess I am the best suited, am I not?” Cadence said resignedly. “Come here, you disgusting body snatcher,” she sighed, grabbing Daybreaker’s new body by the hooves and dragging her up until she was embracing her. In time, Daybreaker began feeling better, enough to stand up on her own, and Cadance cautiously let her go. “Thank you, Cadence,” Daybreaker said earnestly. “You weren’t obliged to help us, but you did nonetheless.” “I’d rather you take my love than my daughter’s.” “I am grateful nonetheless.” “So am I, Cadence,” Nightmare Moon floated closer. “You may not be born noble, but you are every bit as noble in spirit as the most highborn queen in the past or future. Celestia was wise to have chosen you. We are both indebted to you, and I will be honored if you would allow me to repay you someday.” “I will consider it. Nightmare Moon, after what you did… I cannot ever accept you. But I can’t hate you. You may be a monster, but you are no different from anyone else. If your kind is some kind of cosmic evil, then this evil is so inept that it fails to outdo any common lowlife. You are so pathetic that you don’t even have your own bodies. If you wish to repay me, then do as every other flawed and petty creature would do and be better than you were. That is all I want from you.” “I understand. I will do my utmost, Cadence. Even though I still don’t understand how. If this is the first step, then perhaps I should seek more guidance.” Flurry cringed slightly. “Ehhh… I can’t help you much there. All of my visions had you doing this, not Daybreaker. Surveying the differences will take months, and planning it out accordingly, even longer. This future stuff isn’t quick, demons or no demons.” “Well… perhaps there is some other source of guidance then,” Nightmare Moon turned to the Tree. “Although, I am unworthy.” “You realize that the Tree won’t tell you anything? It can’t speak. It will give you what it thinks will help you, but you have to figure everything else out yourself. Remember how Twilight and her friends got a locked box they had to find magical keys for? Expect that sort of thing.” “Noted…” Nightmare Moon stared at the Tree intently, unsure of how to gain its favor. The words were cheap, and the Tree wouldn’t fall for them. It radiated its usual calming light… as if oblivious to all before it. Its smooth, crystal surface was still and warm to the touch. It felt soothing, almost like she could sleep. Sleep… it had been so long since she slept. She could almost feel herself drifting away until she was far-far away from her troubles.