The Return of Princess Nightmare Moon
Part 4: Physical Therapy
Nightmare Moon stood on shaky legs in the physical therapy room. For the past tenday, the nurses and doctors had been helping her get her motor skills back. With much effort, she’d told them that things were not as ‘heavy’ on the moon, so her muscles had grown weak over the centuries. For this, they’d decided that she needed to get on her hooves as soon as she could. They’d worked her knees and her ankles for hours and hours. They’d let her basically lay on a padded bench while four different technicians worked at her limbs. But now, after ten days, she was sort of standing on her own.
To the Princess’ left and right was a nurse (one male and one female) to support her. On the far end of the room was Celestia and Twilight Sparkle at a little sitting table. There was an empty seat for Nightmare Moon, and a hidden treat under a silver platter lid if she made it to the table. “Alright Princess, here’s the deal.” One of the doctors smiled. “We’ve been working your ligaments and joints for days now. We’re going to do what we call the ‘foal walk’ across the room.” Leaning down, he helped space her Majesty’s legs to even out her center of gravity. “When foals first learn to walk, they center themselves like a four-legged tripod.” He showed her how with his own legs. Nightmare mimicked slowly, with some effort. “It’s the most basic walk a pony can do because it puts their weight evenly on all their legs and spread out nicely so nothing is straining.” He smiled. Nightmare Moon cocked her head, leaning into a nurse to adjust herself a bit more. “We’re going to foal walk across the room, sit at the table, and there you’ll find a little something we think you’ll like.” He gestured with his muzzle.
“You can do it, Princess!” Twilight cupped her hooves about her mouth to shout. Her smile was radiant and excited. While Nightmare Moon was making ready to cross the room on her own power, the purple mare looked over at her mentor. “Princess, what’s under the platter lid? Not more juice, I hope? That’s all they’ve been giving her for weeks now!” she said with concern.
“Oh no, it’s special-order.” Celestia looked over at her faithful student, taking a slightly bigger breath than normal. “Twilight, by now you’ve noticed my sister’s teeth, no doubt?” she cocked her head, and let her student nod before continuing. “Well, she’s my polar opposite in many ways, one of which is her natural diet. The ponies of old once said she had dragon’s blood…” she trailed off a moment, letting the implication sink in. Twilight’s eyes wandered to the domed lid. The dish had been placed there by a servant before anypony had set up in the therapy room. Was it going to be… meat? How? Nopony could cook meat, how could they stand the smell?! “So, I expect you to be polite and respectful, Twilight.” Celestia said in her teacher’s voice. “This will be the first real, solid food she’s had in a very long time.”
“R-right.” said Twilight warily, “Of course.” She looked down at the display of celery with five different condiments arranged on her plate (one food, five flavors!). Maybe if she just stared at her plate really hard while Nightmare Moon was eating, she wouldn’t be too ill. And if she breathed through her mouth instead of her nose, she might be okay. Gulping a little, she returned her attention to the black alicorn.
Nightmare Moon’s legs were quivering a bit as she was allowed to hold her own weight. Setting her jaw into a dark expression of concentration, she listened to the doctor’s words and made ready. With a nurse at either side of her, she lifted a hoof—whump! Faceplant. She yapped aloud, and the nurses quickly grabbed her to make sure she was okay. “We are alright.” She rasped a little, red in the face with embarrassment. “Hhhhh--!” she struggled a moment to find her voice again. “Hold our shoulders.” She commanded indignantly.
“Don’t let her fall like that!” the doctor scolded angrily. “That’s why you’re there. Catch her if she loses her balance, for Faust’s sake!” he facehoof’d for a moment, groaning at his unprofessional staff. “She’s not going to bite you.” He sighed, shook his head, and quickly apologized. “Let’s try again. I know you’re feeling heavier now that you’re back on earth. Just take it slow, take your time. Your table isn’t going anywhere, I promise.” He gestured warmly.
Nightmare decided she liked her physical therapist, smiling a bit. Her forked tongue sticking out to one side, she made another attempted. Toddling forward a step or two, she wavered. The nurses pressed to either side of her before she fell. Resting a moment, she nodded and they let her go carefully. Clip. Clip-clip clop. Clip. Clip-clip clop. She huffed and puffed a bit, not used to the strain. But, her joints did not hurt her, and her muscles seemed able to hold her weight. She didn’t feel as wiry or weak as before. Nightmare just needed practice to build herself. Shuffling forward another eager step or two, the black alicorn spread her wings for balance.
“Therrrre you go, use those wings. That’s extra weight you can balance with.” The doctor nodded his approval. Using them like a tightrope walker, the Princess was able to make five or six more steps before stopping to rest. “Very good! You’re doing it!” The nurses jittered a bit, murmuring their encouragement as Nightmare Moon leaned on them both with all her weight (the poor thing barely weighed as much as an average pony mare now, much less an alicorn—but it was still weight gain!).
She lost a feather here and there, though she was growing new ones so it wasn’t much worry. Soon her great black span would be whole again, and it was getting there fast. Soon even the great sun wouldn’t be able to penetrate her feathers anymore. Limping forward slowly and with her eyes on the prize, she stopped to rest here and there.
Celestia watched anxiously, especially around her sister’s knees. They seemed to shake back and forth, and it worried her. She eyed her sister’s recovering body with a critical eye. The bare beginnings of a mortal mane were slowly returning, and her overall shape was slowly filling in again. She no longer resembled a sheer skeleton, but a starkly starved pony. Only a slight improvement, but an improvement none the less. “You can do it, Nightmare.” She said, smiling happily. “Don’t rush, we’re fine right here to wait for you.” The white alicorn spread her wings invitingly, and saw Twilight smile wide out of the corner of her eye.
“You can do it, Princess!” Twilight shouted, lifting a hoof high like a cheerleader. “Almost there!”
Nightmare Moon’s legs were starting to strain harder, she could feel the dull burn of exhaustion gathering in her upper legs. Moaning a little, she stopped to rest again, panting. The male nurse patted her a bit, letting her know it would be okay and to take things easy. She looked up at him, into his handsome face and smiled. There was a flicker of alarm at her teeth, but he still helped her back to her hooves. Just ten more feet, and she would be there. Clip. Clip-clip clop. Clip. Clippa-clip clop. She suddenly staggered hard and all three medical ponies caught her.
Celestia leaned forward, seeing her little sister’s distress. “That’s enough, bring her to the table. She’s exhausted.” She tapped her hoof twice on the table to make it so.
“Neigh.” Nightmare Moon countered with a loud panting. She lifted a hoof to keep them from carrying her. “We can… can do this.” Her poor heart was racing and, shivering a bit, slowwwwwly made it back to her hooves. The two nurses looked on in awe as her wings opened all the way to help her. She was barely touching them now. They could see the quiver of weak muscles, the shaking of pure will-power’d effort. The Nighttime Princess gritted her teeth, closing the distance. Six feet. Four. Two. One. She staggered and fell with a yelp, nurses grabbing her. “Unhoof us!” she snapped with a little more volume in her voice. Celestia caught a flicker of her sister’s pride, cocking her head and leaning forward anxiously. Twilight swallowed as the nurses backed off. Panting loudly, she poked her muzzle up over the table’s edge. “Hff! Hfff! Hfff! Hff!” she peered at Celestia, then Twilight. She was almost there. “Hynn!” she used her chin like a hook, bringing herself closer. Then she got frustrated when her body refused to obey her. She strained hard, then gave a rather beastly growl. Everypony but Celestia leaned back a bit, lifting a hoof like they might bolt. Lunging a bit, she sank her fangs into the table and, using the weight of the table itself, heaved herself into the chair! Twilight went a little pale and the giant gashes her teeth had left in the wood. Landing with a bump, Nightmare lay back in her seat, huffing and puffing.
“Hooray!” Twilight said quickly, clapping her hooves. The doctor and two nurses did the same, stomping on the tile animatedly. “You did it, Princess! That was great! You’re getting so strong, so fast!”
“That was excellent, yes.” The doctor nodded animatedly. “We’re going to let you rest for a while after doing things like this, but I can see you’re already well on the road to walking again.” He praised his patient. Taking his nurses with him, he left to let the trio enjoy their luncheon.
Nightmare Moon looked at both of her company, smiling tiredly. “Greetings.” She panted aloud, trying to sit upright and then sagging forward a bit. Crossing the room really had taken it out of her. “We doth join thee for luncheon.” Leaning, she lifted the lid of her platter with a hoof. Steam erupted from the plate to reveal a plate of spaghetti with tiny, tiny meatballs. The black alicorn went soft in the eyes. “Thou… remembered.” She said to her sister, eyes lidding with emotion.
“I had them make extra-small noodles and extra-small meatballs so you could handle it easier.” Celestia said. “Soft things like this should be alright for you to eat in small amounts, sister. I didn’t think a giant heaping plate would be a good idea, but,” the milky-furred Princess gestured gently.
Twilight gaped at it. BALLS of meat? Someone had ground something up, rolled it into balls and cooked it like that? She tried not to feel ill. She’d promised Princess Celestia not to make a huge deal out of it. Stomach churning a bit, she waited politely for the Princesses to start before she did.
Sure enough, Nightmare leaned down and popped a meatball into her mouth with all the eagerness of a foal with a gumball. She was regal enough to chew with her mouth closed, but it didn’t keep her from moaning happily. “Real food…” she whispered, nearly brought to tears at the mere taste and feel of it. “Really, real food.” She sighed, getting another meatball. She tilted her head back and closed her eyes with another moan, as though she were being made love to. After a time, she used a fork with her hoof to try the noodles. Much the same reaction.
“Eat slowly, Nightmare.” Celestia coached gently with a slice of zucchini halfway to her mouth. “We don’t want you to be sick from eager eating.” She chuckled gently.
Nightmare snarled, just a little bit miffed at her overprotective sibling. “We are not a foal!” Nightmare’s voice suddenly cracked like a teenager’s, went several decibels higher, and blew Twilight off her chair with a shriek! Both alicorns looked shocked. “Hhhhh!” she wheezed, hacked, and wheezed again. Holding her throat in distress and leaning over the side of the table, she tried to find the lavender mare. “Tuh! Tuh! Twuh!” she hacked, her voice shot for the moment.
Celestia quickly leaned under the table and found Twilight trembling on the floor. Her knees and other joints had given out from the pure, awesome force of Nightmare Moon’s voice. For a few long seconds, she couldn't move at all. Then finally the numbness wore off. Whimpering a little, she was shaking like a frightened foal and hiding her face under her hooves. “Oh Twilight, it’s alright. It was an accident, you’re alright, you’re alright…” she coaxed her faithful student back up. Stroking her long mane over and over to reassure her, she helped her back into her chair.
“Wh-what was that?” Twilight asked with a shiver in her tone. “I-I-I’ve never felt anything like it!” The purple protégé had been very suddenly overwhelmed on all magical levels, like she’d been struck physically by the power of the Princess’ voice.
“That was the Royal Canterlot Voice.” Celestia pushed a glass of water towards her coughing sister. “Nightmare Moon and I used it to speak to large crowds, to show authority, or even intimidate our enemies in the olden times.”
“You can do that too?!” Twilight said, gasping. “I’ve never even heard you raise your voice before!” she thought back and back through her foalhood. Surely she’d broken something, done something bad, and Celestia had yelled at her? Somewhere? No… no she couldn’t think of anything. Celestia was always the picture of pride, poise, and patience. She couldn’t imagine the sun goddess shouting so loudly that it could knock somepony down.
“Suhrr-r-r.” Nightmare rasped after swallowing some water. “Sorry.” She managed, rubbing her throat sorely. It had taken her off guard as much as everypony else.
“Your powers must be returning as well.” Celestia stroked her chin for a moment. “We’ll have to be careful. If your magic returns in spurts, it could be unpredictable.” Nightmare nodded her agreement, looking at Twilight with apologetic eyes. The lavender mare seemed shaken, but otherwise okay.
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Blueblood was in his private office, at his condo in the heart of Canterlot. Though he was a Prince, the title did not mean he could live in the Royal Palace. It was more a ‘old money’ sort of title, rather than a Royal one. Surrounded by books, scrolls, and things pinned to his walls, he frowned in concentration over one of them. Lighting his horn to tilt his teacup at himself, he sipped a little as his eyes raced back and forth across the page. “Hrm.” He said to no one at all, setting the tea. Next to him, a quill and parchment levitated, writing what he thought it to. There were over eighteen inches of tiny writing already.
Rubbing his sore eyes a bit, he flipped back to a beautifully made family tree. At its heart in the trunk was Princess Celestia herself, and a stallion named ‘Mountain Blood.’ Apparently several hundred years ago, the Princess had taken a lover and actually bore a non-alicorn foal. Blueblood’s eyes flicked up to her portrait. ‘Cloud Dew’ had been a Pegasus with a beautiful face and white wings. Being half alicorn, she’d outlived no less than six husbands before she’d died of old age, and had had over a dozen children. One had been Blueblood's ancestor. That starting seed had sent branches of the Blueblood family tree in many directions over the centuries… only to have them return to Canterlot. Prince Blueblood’s family realized the royal bloodline was diminishing, and immediately began to surround themselves with powerful unicorn mares and stallions for better stock. The more powerful the magic, the better. Working greater sources of magic blood back into the family would edge them back towards godhood. Back towards the pure, extended lifespans and unmatched powers. Cloud Dew herself had been such a powerful Pegasus that the clouds obeyed her mere words, according to the stories. Blueblood wanted that power back in his family so, so badly. Careful, stealthy breeding and seduction had worked several mares and stallions of no small talent into his family tree. He himself was the beautiful product of a powerful pair of ponies, thusly his own skills in the areas of horn fencing, alchemy, magic, spoken diplomacy and baking (baking was the odd one out, but he had to feed himself, right?).
Blueblood closed the family tome with a sigh, scrubbing his mane a bit. Twilight Sparkle was a more than obvious choice for a companion. She was beautiful, powerful, smart, regal, and of high station. Princess Celestia’s protégé, no less. If the goddess herself had chosen the mare, then he could only do the same. Not just for excellent breeding, but simply think of the status! A descendant of Celestia’s bloodline and the Princess’ protégé! The social and economical prospects were simply mouthwatering! Well, she did have rather lovely hips too… and she was rather cute when she was squinting into a book without her glasses on. It was a rather nice plus that she was quite attractive.
The white, blonde-maned Blueblood chuckled amusedly, shaking his head. Turning about, he flipped open a few dating books. Thus far his interactions with Twilight Sparkle had not been the best. He was already and excellent specimen of great status, power, and wealth, but she just didn’t seem interested. So, he would have to study up and see just what it was that mares wanted these days. He’d not put much thought into it, really. Offering Twilight his hoof, in his head, was never much more involved than her blushing, giggling, and nodding some. He was, after all, a charming Prince.
“It is considered polite etiquette for a stallion to put his mare first.” Blueblood read aloud, turning up his reading lamp a little so the flame was high. Running a slow, easy hoof through his golden locks, he mumbled over the article. “Holding a door open for her, smiling, inviting the mare onward is considered good manners. The less effort she has to put forth, the better. It is the stallion’s job to provide comfort and security for his companion.” He paused, scratching his chin thoughtfully. “This is going to get complicated, isn’t it?” He read from that book for a long time, the same scowling expression of concentration on his muzzle. His quill danced on the page so he would remember the important bits. Turning to another book, then another, then another, be began to formulate a plan. If station, monies, and handsome good looks could not woo Twilight Sparkle, the answer had to be in those books somewhere.
=-----=-----=-----=-----=
The Next Day…
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Twilight Sparkle was rushing down a corridor, saddlebags filled to the bursting. Princess Nightmare Moon had sent a messenger to her, asking for a long list of items to be brought to her hospital room. Now that she was in physical therapy and awake for much of the day, the black alicorn desired a few things to stay busy while she rested. The purple mare had done her very best and the mere mention of her majesty had gotten her most of the items for free, no less.
She darted around a corner, past a little group of cleaning servants, then suddenly slid on the clean floor. “Oh noooo-!” she tried to plant her haunches to slow herself, but her hooves were slip-sliding back and forth like crazy. The extra weight of her bulging saddlebags kept her momentum going, and a massive double door rushed forth to meet her. “Ahhhh-eep!” she jolted to a halt suddenly, for her body had been wrapped in a musky male aura. The scent of stallion’s magic touched her horn and she shuddered a little, shaking her head as she was placed gently back on her hooves. It wasn’t a bad smell, exactly, it was just a very male smell.
“Are you alright, Twilight Sparkle?” Prince Blueblood was perched on a stone bench with a book and tea set. He leaned a little. “You looked like you were about to crash.” He said innocently, frowning with concern.
Twilight wanted to scowl and tell the stallion off. Grabbing another pony bodily with one’s magic was considered rude no matter what sort of household one was brought up in. But, he’d probably just saved her a bloodied nose, so… “Er, thank you, Prince Blueblood.” She favored him with a mild bow, one fitting of a stallion with the title of Prince. He smiled a little wider, his face lighting up. “I’ll be more careful.”
“Be sure you do.” He scolded, trying to look playful but only coming off as smug. Twilight frowned at him, and he quickly coughed and looked away. “Ah, let me get that for you.” He turned his head, lighting his horn. The double doors swung gently open. “It’s only polite to get the door for a lady, yes?” his eyebrows worked into a worried, hopeful expression.
“Uhm,” Twilight didn’t quite know what to make of the normally pompus pony. “Y-yes, I guess that’s right.” She began to trot away with a concerned, raised eyebrow. “See you later.” She called over her shoulder.
When she was away, Prince Blueblood let out a gust of held breath. “Whew!” He immediately flipped open the book next to him. The inside was fake, containing instead a hidden notebook. “Holding… doors… open… good reaction.” He scribbled, mumbling aloud as he did so. The nearby guard rolled his eyes silently. Snapping the book shut, the stallion rose with authority. “That wasn’t so bad. Seducing Twilight Sparkle shan’t be as hard as all that!” he tossed his head back into a rather diabolical laugh. Catching himself he coughed a bit and was away, muzzle up in a regal expression.
=-----=-----=-----=-----=
“And we’re gonna eaaaaase you down, right there. There we go!” The male nurse was setting Princess Nightmare Moon into the bed. She found his strength refreshing, for walking across the room had taken most of hers. She favored him with another alarming smile. “You did good today, I think, Princess.” He smiled back in a friendly way, helping her with her covers and bringing her the wheel’d lap-table. Nightmare put her hooves on it, looking up at the clock on the wall (she’d learned in only an hour or so how to read it correctly)
“What is thy name, healer?” Nightmare whispered as she flopped her head back onto her pillow. She turned her head to eye him up a little, and the stallion smiled bashfully.
“Er, I’m Bandaid, your Majesty. Nurse Bandaid.”he turned profile to show the flesh-colored bandage on his flank. “And everypony knows your name.” he smiled playfully at her, glad her mood was improving as the days went on.
“It is good to know thee, Bandaid Nurse Bandaid.” Nightmare Moon folded her wings gingerly. “Fetch me some water?” she asked before her voice gave out entirely. He nodded eagerly, going to get it for her. No sooner had the nurse left when Twilight Sparkle appeared. “Ah.” She smiled.
Twilight stopped to smile, bow, and be acknowledged by the Princess in the hospital bed. When she rose, she came closer with a happy expression. “I got everything you asked for! It was quite a list!” She flipped open her saddlebag. Twilight produced for her Princess a thick pad of paper, ink wells, quills, protractor, straight-edge, rubber eraser cube, pencils, charcoal, forty-five degree triangle, compass, tissues, scissors, a paper knife, colored construction paper and a wooden abacus. “There you go!” she said at last when everything had been placed on the table in front of Nightmare Moon.
The black alicorn took the abacus first and, rather oddly, tucked it into the bed beside her. When she saw Twilight’s look, she shrugged. Well, everypony had their comfort objects. Flipping open the pad of paper and grabbing a pencil in her mouth, she began to work with the triangle and straight edge. The purple mare leaned, wondering what she was doing. After drawing a few perfect lines the Princess flicked her eyes at Twilight with a rather stern gaze, her draconic eyes flickering with an inner light. “Ehr-hrm.” She said with mild annoyance at the unicorn.
Twilight blushed. “W-well, I’ll leave you to your… uhm… things, then.” She backed away a bit. Nightmare Moon turned back to her paper, pencil in her mouth, carefully making another angled line. Her errand done, Twilight bowed and quickly backed away so she wasn’t intruding any longer. The Princess was probably doing something super-important, and didn’t want to be bothered. Twilight knew that she hated it when Spike watched her study. It felt intrusive. Nightmare Moon was probably just the same way. “Ommph!” she bumped into a stallion on her way out the door. “Oh, sorry!” she said, quickly going around him and out.
“It’s no problem.” said Bandaid warmly, coming in with a tray on his back. He put a jug and several cups on the bedside table. Nightmare nodded her thanks rather dismissively, already observed in her work. It was rather adorable to watch her draw with her mouth and see her hoof wandering the bed side table for a cup. The nurse chuckled a little, coming near and pouring her a cup. When she didn’t notice, he nudged it slowly into her reach until she found it. Still drawing very carefully with her mathematical tools, she lifted the cup to her lips. A few swallows later, she set back to work again. Bandaid smiled a little worriedly, but dismissed it. If she was busy with something, it meant she was active and awake in her own mind. That was a healthy sign.
End of Part 4