//------------------------------// // Ch.6 6/20/1012 Build // Story: Only shadows of the past... // by Phoenix Quill //------------------------------// "And I am proud to say, that on this day, the palace of Nightmare Moon is officially done!" Nightmare Moon smiled as she walked into the grand palace that she had labored on for over a year, what once started off as a simple one room building had expanded into a full castle, made of the natural stones and materials that could be gathered from pulling asteroids and other space junk onto her moon. In other words, while there were many surfaces made up of gold, platinum, silver, glass, and rare gems and metals not found in Equestria nor the rest of the world. The palace lacked in carpets and beds and other things that fibers were needed to make, all the fiber material that Nightmare Moon found went to one bed. So she may slumber in comfort. Nightmare Moon smiled at the building and turned behind her, "Alright everyone, find your rooms." Her horn glowed as she levitated the roughly three dozen statues of various creatures that she had made over the year. All the statues hobbled inside to the different room locations, and Nightmare gave off a weak smile. The dark princess kneeled before the sky once again, spreading her wings open across the lunar floor, "Mother, I thank thee for your guidance in the building of my house, and ask that you bless it and all who dwell within, So let it be written, so let it be done." Nightmare rose and headed inside, her stomach rumbled as she trotted across the entrance hall and she noted that she was hungry. Turning to her left she decided to make her way to the royal kitchens to see what she can do to stop the hunger. Moments later she found herself looking at the food stores that she had. Minerals, different kind of nutritional minerals that were mined out of the moon's rocks, and siphoned from the dust were labeled in neat little bottles that she made from melting glass herself. Nightmare grabbed a bottle drained the dusty contents down her maw. She swallowed down as much as she could before gagging and licking at the giant chunk of ice that she had moved here from a crash site. Nightmare sighed as she walked through the empty palace, nodding at the guard statues as she passed by them until she reached her room. The alicorn curled herself up on the bed she made herself, and sighed as she drifted off to sleep. ________________________________________________________________________________ "And it is with great honor, that I, Princess Celestia of Equestria, dedicate this, the founding of Canterlot Castle!" Thousands of ponies cheered for their princess, shouts of praise came to her from ponies that had been given new homes in Canterlot, Manehatten and Fillydelphia as compensation for the homes they lost in the forever abandoned Everfree Forest. Celestia took a breath before continuing, "I now wish to present to you, the Royal Architect, Blue Print." A polite smattering of applause this time. "My fellow Equestrians, it is my privilege to lay down the foundation of what will become Canterlot Castle, with this corner stone." As he spoke, a trio of earth ponies brought out a slab of stone on a cart. Carefully, the three earth ponies slid the stone off the cart into position, showcasing the writing upon it, The Royal Castle of Canterlot Founded on June Sixth One Thousand and Twelve C.E. May Celestia's Light Lead This Nation To A New Era of Peace and Prosperity Designed by Stone Wall Royal Architect Blue Print Funded by Ink Well's Taxation Plan Everypony cheered as the ceremony came to a close, but Celestia’s eyes were filled with tears, though mistaken for ones of happiness, were actually tears of sorrow. ________________________________________________________________________________ Nightmare Moon's slumber was harsh and disturbing. The dreams that plagued her were not of victory, not even of better times, no, these were dreams of guilt that haunted her almost every night. A scream across the palace tore through the chilled air jolting the master of the night awake, "Who's there?" She called out in as brave a voice as she could. Nightmare quietly made her way out of the bed, and placed her helmet and other war dressings upon herself before quietly sneaking to the door. A loud knock echoed across the room as somepony pounded on the door desperate to get in. "Please, I'll be right there!" Nightmare called out. She quickly went and flung the door open and looked into the hallway only to find it... “Empty? I was sure I heard somepony out here, I must finally be losing my mind.” The mare cautiously looked around and saw no indication that there was any other living being on the moon that could have possibly made such a sound. She was about to step back in when she saw a red tail swish around the corner of the hall. "WAIT! COME BACK!" The alicorn called out as she gave chase after the other pony. No matter how fast Nightmare Moon ran, the pony ahead of her was faster, always evading Nightmare around another corner just as she was about to catch up. It lasted for what seemed to be forever, until Nightmare Moon, exhausted from hunger and running collapsed to the ground. "Please," she sputtered, "Come back..." A clip clopping sound echoed through the halls, as Nightmare looked up to see the form of a white alicorn make her way back to her. She was tall as her sister, and a pure white with fiery red mane and tail. Nightmare Moon looked up at her in fear and love, "Mother." Faust, the mother of the world looked down upon Nightmare with a frown, "Why did you lock away my daughter to die?" The black alicorn balked at this, "Mother, I did not harm my sister. She lives! She lives and is loved by her subjects while I suffer here alone, please help me mother!" Faust looked down at her and frowned, "Why did you lock away my youngest daughter and take her place? Give me back my Luna." Nightmare smiled at her mother as wide as she could, "But mother, I am Luna! I am just more than I once was, I have grown and become wiser for it!" The white alicorn shook her head, "Nay, my daughter is a good mare who never harmed any of her ponies, you tried to kill the entire world in one swoop posing as my daughter with a false mask." "I don't understand mother," "Then let me be as clear as I can to you, the stars will aid you in your escape, but only the stars will free my daughter from her prison." The alicorn turned to leave as Nightmare Moon stood back up, "Mother, please! Don't leave me! Not here, not like this!" The white alicorn turned back to Nightmare, "I can never consciously let Nightmare Moon ever roam the world again. Until the stars are able to aid in her escape." The white alicorn vanished into thin air as Nightmare Moon called after her one last time. ________________________________________________________________________________ "MOTHER!" The dark maiden of the moon jolted up from her bed and looked around her, she hadn't moved and nothing had changed. She jumped out of bed and ran into the hall hoping to find something that would prove she wasn’t just dreaming.. The princess searched every inch of her castle for over two hours, asking every statue weather or not they saw anything. They would always answer no. Just as the Nightmare gave up her search and started to head back to her room, she looked down and found a lone white feather upon the ground.