The Return of Princess Nightmare Moon
Part 9: Boon
“I think it’s very nice that you’re doing this, Nightie.” Celestia said, a serene smile on her face. The twin goddesses were standing in the deepest vaults of the Obsidian Hallway where Nightmare Moon kept her treasures. It had been sealed up and perfectly preserved not long after she’d been banished to the moon, so everything was where it was when she’d gone.
“If thy… nephew, is truly on the up and up, sister,” Nightmare Moon pointed to a series of crates. Her twin guards went to attack them and break the lids off. “Then I owe him a boon for his suffering.” She turned her nose up regally, waiting for the splintering of wood and nails to stop.
The sisters watched the two stallions open several crates rather forcefully. “Here it is! Mahogany, just like you said!” said one of the twins, turning and pointing.
Nightmare swept across the room, lighting her horn. With a bit more strength than she previously had, she levitated the fancy chest out of the crate. Nurse Bandaid smiled. She was getting stronger! Leaning over it, the black alicorn examined the carvings and symbols all up and down its shape. It wasn’t too much bigger than a large jewelry box. Undoing the clasp with the tip of her horn, she flipped it open.
“AHH!” Both guards and the nurse cried out, shielding their eyes as a monstrous light poured into the room. Celestia squinted a little, but her lineage kept her from being overwhelmed. “What is that?!” Nurse Bandaid cried, seeing spots and pressing his face between his hooves.
“A wishing star.” Nightmare whispered. “We art surprised it has held up so well for so long.” She smiled. “They are not easy to make, after all.” Cocking her head, she pulled the ball of molten white light from its container. The spherical indentation in the velvet of the box smoothed when she lifted it, telling how very little it weighed. She inspected it for dust, for magical fluxuations, for anything and everything that might be wrong with such an old artifact of such grand power.
“It’s beautiful, sister.” Celestia complimented, extending a wing over Bandaid. “But, perhaps better in its box?” she said gently. Nightmare looked over, seeing what it was doing to the mortal ponies in the room. Quickly she put it back in the container and flipped the lid closed. All three stallions were rubbing their eyes and staggering a little while she worked the clasp closed.
“You’re gonna give Prince Blueblood a wishing star?” Bandaid wanted to know, tilting his head curiously. “And he can wish for whatever he wants?”
“Within reason.” Nightmare Moon nodded. “It’s magic isn’t infinite. If he, for instance, wished for the end of the world, it would not happen.” She gingerly handed the box to one of her two guards. “But if he wished for a million bits, well, that is well within its power.” She scoffed with a bit of laughter. “Though we would tax the ever-loving buck out of him if he did.”
“Nightie, language.” Celestia said automatically, sighing. Nightmare ignored her scolding.
“If our nephew wishes for something material, the wishing star is more than capable.” Nightmare Moon went on, checking the box over once more while her guard held it up for her. “Perhaps with this boon he will forgive us for eating him alive?” it came out like a question, and Celestia fought down a very real smile.
“You’ll have to see what he says.” Celestia said, nodding sagely. “But again, I’m proud of you for trying to make amends.” Her lovely white wings extended to their span to show her approval.
“Yes, yes, amends and such.” Nightmare said, waving her off. “Twas my misunderstanding that Equestrian law has shifted so much. With a stable population and an admirable food stockpile, murdering criminals is no longer an option.” She said rather frankly. “Hoofservant, come! We make for the house of the Blueblood family!” The black alicorn sidled forward, sore in the legs still. Her blasted legs were just taking so long to getting used to her weight. Well, her growing weight. Her body was still filling in, and her ribs were almost vanished into her sides. She looked less sickly and just very, very skinny.
“Yes Princess.” Nurse Bandaid bowed, turning to go get his medical bag from her bedroom so they could be off.
“It’s still light outside, sister. Will you be okay?” Celestia asked softly. “You won’t be able to shield yourself as you usually did in the old times.” Her face was etched with concern. “Maybe I should come with you--?”
“Nonsense!” Nightmare cut her off with a toss of her head (she didn’t have enough mane to do a dramatic mane-toss yet). “We shalt make arrangements for safe daytime travel, do not fret.” She tapped her hoof twice, summoning her twin guards. “Aegis Shield, Stalwart Hide! Arrange for our safe travel to the house of Prince Blueblood. Our skin is photo-sensitive, find a shield for us.” She said, gesturing. The two stallions looked at each other, puzzled. She stared at them, and they stared back. There was an awkward silence. “Well? Go on!”
“What’s photo-sensitive?” Aegis Shield asked in earnest. Both brothers were looking up at their Princess, curious. Nightmare Moon looked offended, and opened her mouth to scold them both.
Celestia stepped in before her sister started shouting. “It means the bright light of the sun can harm her, if she stands in it for too long. She needs a covering of some kind, to keep her from being too exposed to it.”
“Ohhh!” said the twins in unison. Setting the mahogany box down in front of Princess Nightmare Moon, both stallions galloped away. The dark Princess looked at her sister gratefully.
=-----=-----=-----=-----=
Tombs’ ears lifted when the doorbell rang. Being the head butler of the house Blueblood, it was his duty to answer the door to visitors. “Bother.” He grumbled, setting down the silver platter and tea set he’d been bearing to his master. When it was safely on an end table in the hallway, he turned with a snap of his horse shoes and went down the stairs. Stopping to check his mustache in the mirror, he twisted it a bit to make sure it was immaculate. When both handlebars were just so, he composed himself into the stiff and upright servant he was supposed to be. Opening the door all the way with his muzzle tilted up a bit, he asked, “Mmmyes?”
Standing on the stoop was a bizarre sight. It was a toweringly-tall pony, garbed in a great black cloak. It went from her neck to well past her tail to cover her entire body, and the hood rested easily upon her brow with room to spare. She was wearing massive sunglasses that covered most of her face, and a stallion with a medical bag next to her was holding a black umbrella over her head to shade her. “Servant, we art Princess Nightmare Moon. We demand thee produce thy master to this doorstep.”
Tombs' monocle fell off his face as he gaped at her for all of three seconds. The fangs. The fur. The height. The wings and horn. It had to be her. The mare that had eaten his master, and populated the stories of old. The unprofessional gaping lasted all of two and a half seconds, before the shields came back up. “Er-herhm. Yes of course, your Majesty. Please, come and sit in the tea room.” He stood aside. Nightmare Moon walked slowly and regally into the indicated room, seating herself on a pillow. Her hoofservant closed the umbrella and stood to one side, as was expected of him. Tombs bowed, offered them tea from the tray meant for his master, and then was away to fetch Prince Blueblood.
Nightmare pushed back her hood and removed her sunglasses, setting them on the coffee table. Sipping her tea and looking about the décor, she frowned a bit. Whites and golds and ivories, the lot of it. There was a hearth burning bright (it was mid-October, after all), and above it was perched a portrait of some long-dead stallion and his wife. She didn’t bother to squint at the names, merely observed their faces. She could kind-of-sort-of see her sister’s blood in their faces. The smooth, almost feminine curve of the jaw. The slightly-longer-than-average horns. Hmm.
Cellie must’ve hit a very real heat cycle during her absence if she’d allowed herself a pregnancy. She was usually so strict with her foal-staying brews, if she even took a lover. The poor thing could go for centuries without one if she pleased. It made Nightmare ill to think of having a cold bed for that long. Though Celestia was the shining, virginal symbol of light and purity it was not beneath her to have foals it seemed. Mortal foals, but foals. It was the way of the lunar herd, not the solar, to enjoy mating for… well, just enjoyment. The solars had always been more upright, chaste and tidy about it. Nightmare scoffed a little, smirking at her distant relatives in the picture. They could be white and regal all they liked, but lovemaking still happened at night, and that was her realm. It was the regal and uptight sorts that turned savage and passionate in bed, anyway. She made note to poke her sister for details about her long-passed lover later.
Sipping her tea again, Nightmare Moon looked over at Nurse Bandaid. She was still a little sore at him about the epicac potion, but… perhaps it really had been for the better. Who knew. She frowned a bit, returning to her cup until movement drew her eye.
Blueblood was leaning back into whatever was pushing him through the doorway. It was only the light layer of wax on the floor that kept him moving forward. The butler must’ve been powerful indeed, thought Nightmare, to shove a stallion so large for such a distance. She adjusted her opinion of the servant up exactly one notch as she stood. “Y-your Majesty!” Blueblood smiled, wide and nervous. Beads of sweat went down one side of his face. When he found the Princess staring at him, he threw himself forward to bow instead.
Satisfied at his respect, Nightmare spoke. “Prince Blueblood.” She said with a particle of friendliness in her tone. “We’ve come to make amends for our… misunderstandings.” She said delicately, gesturing to a mahogany box on the coffee table. “We’ve brought you a gift, and hope this may be placed behind us in memory.”
“Wh…what?” Blueblood said, slowly rising with fear in his eyes. Tombs gave him a less than subtle CLONK on the backside, startling the Prince forward until he landed on the sitting pillow across from the Princess. Nightmare’s eyes betrayed amusement as the butler bowed and vanished from the room.
Nightmare lit her horn and poured tea from the tea set, which he took. “Our sister tells us that we may not eat anypony that displeases us like in the olden days, and that the death penalty does not exist anymore.” She sounded a little annoyed at this, but quickly shifted back to him. “We… apologize,” she almost had to gag it out. “For what we have done to thee, and we have brought thee a grand gift to make up for it.”
Blueblood stared at her. An honest-to-Celestia apology? He was even more caught off guard now. “I… erhm… thank you.” He said, awkward now that he didn’t know what was going to happen anymore. He expected threats, maybe a second attempt on his life, not an apology. He eyed the fancy, carved box on the table between them. He wondered what could possibly be in it that Nightmare thought would make up for her eating him alive.
“It is a wishing star.” Nightmare said, seeing his curious look. “Within reason, it will grant you anything thou wishes for. Merely place your hooves upon it and speak thy desire.” When she saw his disbelieving stare, she spoke again. “We are a goddess of the night, nephew, think thou we did not craft the very heavens in our hooves?” she said with just a grain of challenge. Blueblood didn’t have the stones to tell her no, and stayed silent. “In the ancient eras, thou shalt now know, we occasionally hung a wishing star in the sky for somepony to wish upon. Once it is in the sky, it merely needs to be looked upon and spoken to.” She smiled at the cleverness of it all. “One star every hundred years or so was a grand game. So, consider thyself lucky.” She pointed at him a little, pushing the box his way. “We give thee anything thy little heart desires, in this box, for thy forgiveness. Consider it a peace offering between our herds.”
“I-I… of course.” Blueblood nodded quickly, a little overwhelmed by the impossible miracle that had just been given to him. A wish? Anything he could want? Right there, in that box? “I-I’m glad we can be… friends?” it came out like a question.
“Perhaps not close friends yet.” said Nightmare, arching a brow at him. It was clear she did not approve of him, but was willing to at least move up from enemies. “Perhaps we shalt be on neutral ground for the moment.” She nodded a bit deeper, a show of respect from royalty. Blueblood bowed from the base of his withers, holding the bow until she spoke again. “We shalt not linger in thy dwelling. Come, Bandaid. We shalt retire until the night.” She addressed her nurse, who popped the umbrella opened and nodded, making for the door. “Farewell, nephew."
Blueblood watched them go, barely able to utter a goodbye. “Goodbye… erhm… aunt Nightmare.” It was so, sooooo awkward to say that, even if it was true. There was such distance between them it felt really inappropriate. But, if she’d come to extend an olive branch it was only right to return the term of endearment. He gulped a little, before looking down at the artifact again. Nightmare glanced at him over her shoulder, seeing him stare at the box curiously. She smiled on one side of her muzzle, her glittering fangs showing for but a moment.
Tombs showed both of them to the door, aiding her majesty in donning her cloak and adjusting her sunglasses. As soon as the door came open Nightmare threw up her hood to cover her head, and Bandaid held out the umbrella to shield her from the sun’s rays. “Let us away, hoofservant.” The black princess said. Bandaid nodded, following her with a smile. That hadn’t gone badly at all!
The mustached butler watched them go, stroking his facial hair thoughtfully. Hrm. He watched the black alicorn stop and look up at the house from the sidewalk, then turn and start to stride away. He closed the door slowly, locking it. Turning with a slight sniff, the servant returned to the tea room. “Sire, the Princess is away. Will you be needing anything?”
“No, I’m okay.” said Blueblood absently.
Tombs had been listening in from the hall, as butlers tended to do. His master had a big decision to make, it seemed. Anything his heart desired? Why, that would be an easy one for him, no doubt. But, he would not voice it. It was not his place to meddle— too much— in his master’s affairs. Leaning and taking the used tea set, the servant dutifully vanished from the Prince’s sight and let him alone.
Blueblood took the black-purple wooden box in his magical aura, going upstairs and to his bedroom. Closing the door for security, he drew the curtains to hide himself. Clambering up onto his bed, he lay on his belly amongst all the books and notes. That’s what he’d been doing when Tombs had rather literally dragged him downstairs to meet his guest. Turning it this way and that, he set it down and pawed at it a bit. It didn’t feel heavy, or cold, or unusual. Hopefully it wasn’t some spring-loaded trap of doom. Would his 'aunt' try to assassinate him in such a way? Nah, she’d eaten him in front of Faust and everypony in Twilight Sparkle’s apartment. She wasn’t the sort to kill subtl--- Twilight Sparkle.
Prince Blueblood’s eyes suddenly lit up and he grinned down at the box. Why, this solved everything! It was perfect! All his efforts and hard work in pursuit of the purple mare could end here, right now. Reaching for the clasp, he unlocked it and flipped it open. Instantly, he was blinded by the light. Crying out and holding his face, he toppled off the bed with a bump. Pawing around until he found it again, he flipped the lid shut. Rubbing the spots out of his eyes, he squinted around until he could see again. “Well, it is a powerful artifact.” He scolded himself, handling the box a bit more carefully. Sweeping his books and notes aside with a grand smile, he settled himself onto the bed again. “This could be the answer to all my mare problems.” He said, stroking the fancily carved box.
=-----=-----=-----=-----=
“—And when he wishes for Twilight Sparkle’s affections, we shalt squash him like a bug!” Nightmare cocked an eyebrow when Bandaid looked up at her frownily. “Er, throw him in a dungeon!” she corrected. “He has a one track mind, we’ve seen his lewd literature more than once.” She turned her nose up. “Tiz inappropriate for a solar stallion!”
“Isn’t it, well, none of your business, your Majesty?” Bandaid ventured, massaging her legs with the tingling lotions. Nightmare scowled at him, but he went on. “I mean, so what if Prince Blueblood wants Twilight Sparkle? Shouldn’t he be free to pursue her?” he stretched her back leg up, out, and around. The black alicorn bit her lip so she wouldn’t moan at the aching pain.
“Neigh.” said Nightmare Moon. “He doth not be courting her. Merely lusting after her. It is not his intent to make her happ—EEE!” her nurse stretched a tendon a little too hard. He smiled apologetically, easing her leg down. “It seems ironic, too.” She stroked her chin a moment. “Twilight. She that stands between the day and the night.” She philosophized for a time, narrowing her eyes. “Our sister hath always played the longer chess game. We only ponder what sort of role Twilight Sparkle has to play in the long run.” She watched the stallion reach for more lotion, and move to her ankle. She purred slightly at his handling, resting her head on the couches arm. Her draconic eyes stared into her massive hearth, the flames dancing in her gaze.
=-----=-----=-----=-----=
An orange earth pony mare approached the throne, bowing deeply. “Yer Majesty.” She said, taking off her Stetson. “Wh-uhh? Who’re you?” she frowned at the purple mare that was standing rather nervously on the throne.
“My name is Twilight Sparkle.” The purple mare said, very very careful not to sit. To sit upon the throne was to claim it, and that was a biiiig no-no. She was literally just a stand-in, standing ON it. “Princess Celestia had to step out for just a moment, and left me here to see you.” She gave a formal bow, as proper throne room behavior dictated.
The orange mare scowled rather openly. “Ah came here to see a Princess, not a stewardess! Ah had an appointment and ever’thing!” she said stubbornly, stamping a hoof. The guard posted at the bottom of the dais snapped his head in her direction like a bird of prey, frowning angrily. “Whut? You got somethin’ to say?” she said, backing up defensively.
“Twilight Sparkle is the Sun’s Favoured Foal.” He snapped in his deep base voice. Twilight winced. She hated that title so much. “While she’s on the throne, you do what she says or you get out!”
“Captain Slate!” Twilight said a little desperately to the armored stallion, trying to salvage the situation before somepony got hurt or thrown in jail or something. “I-It’s fine, really. Princess Celestia will be back in a few minutes. I’m more than capable of helping you, though.” She put on her most winning smile, hoping the orange mare would try to cooperate.
“Welllll,” her southern twang was endearing, but she didn’t seem so sure about all this. “Ahm here about the Grand Gallopin’ Gala.” She said slowly, fishing into her hat for a very old, beaten up piece of paper. Unrolling it, she offered it out. Twilight took it with her magic, unfurling completely it in front of herself. “The Apple family’s got dibs on some prime real estate at the Gala, but we’ve gotta renew the license every decade ‘r so.” The orange mare said as the purple one scanned the document.
The scroll bequeathed the ‘Apple’ family with the front and center location for selling refreshements at the Grand Galloping Gala, which was due to happen in the middle of November (perhaps a month from then). Celestia’s royal seal was on it, too. The original signature date was over a hundred years old too, wow. This must’ve been the tenth version of this particular document, if not higher in the numbers.
Twilight Sparkle cleared her throat, getting parchment from the ready pile next to her. Igniting the ancient ink on the document, she closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. Advanced magic grasped the deed, and the words themselves peeled off the original--- then slowly drifted to rest on the new paper. With a flick of magic the purple mare burned the original and vanished the ash. With the crisp, new document ready, she leaned over it and signed it with a flare of the quill. The signature turned gold, and she set the date for ten years in the future. “There we are! Royal license renewed!” Twilight said.
The orange mare gaped at the magic she’d just seen. She’d peeled the words right off her family’s deed and slapped it on new paper! Unicorns never failed to amaze her. Clearing her throat a little, she gave a rather humbled smile. “Thank ya, er… Twilight Sparkle.” She said awkwardly, feeling bad for her earlier rudeness. She smiled apologetically, and gave a bow to her and the throne.
“See you at the Gala!” Twilight said brightly, waving as the orange mare turned to walk quickly away. She smiled, then when the stetson’d mare was gone she let out a huge breath. “Whewwww!” Captain Slate looked up at her, a certain kindness in his eyes. She was doing fine, his eyes said to her. She smiled gratefully.
Suddenly Celestia appeared in the archway and Twilight let out a second sigh of relief. Vacating the throne before the alicorn even reached the bottom stair, she received nuzzles along her withers. “Thank you for standing in my stead, Twilight. I knew you would be just fine.”
“Where did you go?” Twilight wanted to know, ever the curious student. She just had to know, what made a princess vacate her throne so suddenly in the middle of the day. Some emergency? Some big matter of state? Burning orphanage?! What was it?!
“I had to pee, Twilight.” Celestia said simply, trotting up the dais.
“…oh.” Twilight said, blushing.
Captain Slate eyed his Princess, and they locked gazes as she passed him on the way up to the throne. The middle-aged soldier knew she was full of crap. If he could put bits on it, he'd say the Princess had just been listening at the door-- maybe invisible or something. But, it was not his place to say anything about it. Whatever the Princess was up to, was her own thing to worry about, not his. He was just a guard, and he didn’t need to complicate things learning about the giant chess games that the royals played. Grooming Twilight Sparkle to stand on the throne, even for fifteen minutes, was a big deal indeed.
=-----=-----=-----=-----=
Blueblood shifted in his bed, trying to come up with the proper words. Wishes were fickle, in every story he’d ever heard or read. If he didn’t word it right, something bad might happen. Genies tried to trick their masters out of their wishes. What if the wishing star could hear him through the box? He’d better watch his words. Looking at the mahogany chest, he tied a bit of cloth around his head and fiddled with the clasp. Even through the blindfold he squinted at its brilliance. The wishing star. This was it. Twilight Sparkle would be his forever, he need merely ask it.
Reaching slowly into the box, he felt the velvety pillow. It was similar to a chest one might keep a valuable gem in, or some other very, very important object. Of course not expense had been paid for the lining. His ankles touched the cool, slick surface of the finished wood. He could feel his heart pounding. Months and months of curious prodding and poking about the beautiful purple mare, skulking to find out about her, then the past month or so to try and truly improve himself-- Now this glowing miracle had literally fallen into his lap. She would be all his. His hooves touched what felt like finely-spun glass. It was cool to the touch despite its radiance.
Prince Blueblood closed his eyes, sitting on his haunches as he lifted the glowing object out of its resting place. “It’s so light…” he whispered reverently. He licked his lips, trying to find a good way to say it. This was his moment, his moment of triumph. His bloodline was secure! His goal within his grasp! Twilight would fall madly in love with him, marry him, and lift her tail like the lovely bookish little minx she was! His family was back on the road to godhood!
“I wish…”
“For Twilight Sparkle…”
“To fall in love…”
“With…”
Blueblood’s hooves suddenly trembled. A shivering, icy-hot sort of sensation went down his back, down his front legs and into his hooves. He dropped the wishing star onto his bedspread. A great sickness suddenly turned his stomach.
The visceral image of Twilight Sparkle floated into his mind’s eye. Their wedding night. Twilight with her hips in the air for him. She was looking over her shoulder as he made to mount her, eyes aglow with… magic. Not love. Wishing star magic, grasping at her beautiful mind to make her love him.
The Prince suddenly gave a great and miserable cry, stuffing the wishing star back in the box. He slammed it shut and threw the chest across the room. It crashed against the wall, sending a single splinter to the floor. “Oh Faust!” he cried, ripping his blindfold off. “Wh-what am I doing?!”Angry tears suddenly went down his face and he rushed to the bathroom. When he was done being ill into the toilet, he slumped against the tub and lay on his side with his golden mane strewn about his face. There was a long silence of his struggling to breath. Had he just had a panic attack? He wasn’t sure. It just… hurt. Everything hurt.
There was a quiet creak at his bedroom door, startling him. Tombs leaned in quietly, studying his distraught master briefly. Blueblood wiped his mouth, unable to stop shaking for some reason. “Sire.” said Tombs gently. “I was listening at the door. Forgive me, I couldn’t help it.” He stared briefly at his hooves and gave an apologetic bow.
“S’nothing compared to what I almost did.” Blueblood hung his head, his face hidden behind his shining mane. Tombs came near and slowly helped him to his hooves. The Prince leaned on him miserably. “I’m a monster, Tombs. A monster.” He mumbled, looking at the floor as he was guided along.
Tombs brought him to a chair and eased him down. Opening the hidden panel of the liquor cabinet, he poured his master a long drink. Pushing it into his hoof and not moving until it was vanished down the stallion’s throat, he shook his head gingerly. “Monsters are spineless, Sire, and they don’t truly care for others.” Blueblood looked up at him with soft, moist eyes. Tombs straightened his mustache a little. “And monsters don’t hold the power of the gods in their hooves, and then refuse themselves their heart’s desire in a sudden bout of good conscience.”
Prince Blueblood sank, his face in his hooves. “Oh Tombs…” he mumbled, ears wilted down. Tears kept going down his cheeks, and they just refused to stop.
“I would not assume to tell you what to do with your wishing star, master Blueblood,” Tombs coughed a little, stepping towards the door to let him be. “But I can tell you, for what it’s worth, I am proud of you for not taking such an easy road.”
Blueblood looked up at his butler for a few long seconds before the stallion stepped out and quietly closed his bedroom door. He looked at the mahogany box for a long, long time-- well over an hour. The box It lay on its side on the floor, the clasp having miraculously stayed closed. If the wishing star really were made of glass, it might have shattered if it hit the floor. The white stallion sank to his belly on the floor, sidling forward bit by bit. He took the chest back into his hooves, squeezing his eyes shut as he took out the wishing star again. Smiling bitterly at how much it hurt to make progress at becoming a better pony, he heaved a dry breath. Slowly lifting the artifact until it touched his royal brow, he enjoyed the cool touch of glass on his face. His selfishness laid bare, the Prince was repulsed with himself, and something deep inside him changed for the better just then. A deeper infection began to drain out of him. With a purer heart than before, Blueblood began to speak. “I wish—”
End of Part 9