Nightmares Don’t Last Forever
Chapter 2
“Yes”
Twilight squeezed her eyes shut, expecting to be blasted to the sun at any moment for not showing allegiance to her new ruler.
A soft laugh answered “Well then I guess you had better get on with it.”
The purple unicorn opened an eye inquisitively still expecting some sort of discomforting repercussion. Many, many discomforting repercussions. Most scenarios spinning through her head involved copious amounts of dungeons and chains, and yet Nightmare Moon was just sitting serenely across from her. Flanking the moon princess sat her sister Sunny, the goddess previously known as Princess Celestia; a white alicorn who was busily trying to hide her distressed state with any number of distracting things around the balcony. Sunny was currently picking at a small crack in the floor, feeling yet again like she really didn’t, and shouldn’t, be around for so serious a conversation.
“Get on with what?” An inquisitive Twilight ventured. This has to be another one of her tricks the purple unicorn determined.
“Why, stopping me of course” Nightmare stated with a wide grin. “You aren’t going to get a much better time than now to do it. I mean just look how weak I am~” the princess voiced in a high pitched whiny tone. “I’m sure even your little yellow and pink friend could take me in my current state.” Time passed and the dark pony began tapping her hoof in mock annoyance “Well get on with it, it’s not like I have all ‘day’. Just blast me with some fire or maybe you want to use your signature special move, ‘Star Sparkle’ on me!”
“I’m not going to hurt you! And I most certainly do not have a signature move. And even if I did I wouldn’t call it that” Twilight said getting a little annoyed with the princess’ constant antics. Then the current situation dawned on Twilight. I… I could take her, couldn’t I? I mean, defeat her, Twilight quickly corrected herself. But I couldn’t just hurt a defenseless pony that isn’t fighting back, even if they were an evil, sarcastic, troublesome witch. “I… I’m not going to hurt you”. A thought surfaced in Twilight’s mind, spreading into a smug grin on her face “I’m just going to force you tell me how to restore Sunny, I mean Celestia… to her real self” Twilight said in a confident tone.
Sunny perked up at her mention. The floor had been a great distraction. She looked between Twilight and Nightmare, trying to read the mood. Oh, still tense huh? Sunny thought drearily. The mini sun princess’ thoughts turned inward, Twilight’s last remark compelling her to wonder just who her ‘self’ really was. I may have only a couple hours of memories but it doesn’t take a detective to figure out that I probably wasn’t the most social of ponies if this awkwardness I feel around other ponies is any clue. Though what kind of pony am I exactly? Let’s see, I like jokes, there’s an important discussion going on and I’m trying to ignore it so I’m probably very carefree, I’m very open and casual… as long as it’s around ponies I know, which is just my sister for right now, does that make me shy? Yeah I guess it does. But I would like to get to know Twilight Sparkle as well, she seems like such a nice pony. Which means I’m not antisocial at least, Sunny thought happily to herself. Oh I do so hope I can get to know more ponies, though I’m obviously no good at these tense discussions. I guess I’ll just resign to my personality and keep quiet while sister takes care of all the important stuff, the thought relieving the goddess of a great amount of worry.
During Sunny’s inward musings, Nightmare had gently picked herself up. She wobbled slightly while she addressed the purple pony in her now standard sarcastic tone “Sorry Sparkle, but even if you did have the skills to, coerce, the information out of me. I no longer have the means to restore my sister’s memories”
Twilight’s heart sunk, her demeanor deflating “No… you’re just lying again!” Twilight made a step towards Nightmare a desperate look on her face “just- just tell me!” A purple shimmer sprang up from Twilight’s horn.
“Easy now” Nightmare took a few short steps towards the purple unicorn, the effort making her wince. “Twilight, you are going to be interacting with me a lot in the future. And to make this go as smoothly as possible there’s something that I’m going to have to give you to stay by my side.”
Unease permeated Twilight’s voice “What are you giving me?” The purple unicorn kept her horn lit with caution at how close the dark princess was getting. Twilight gulped down the dread building in her throat, her slight muscles strung taught against her frame. Nightmare lowered her head, bringing her teal eyes level with Twilight’s violet. Her eyes, they’re so… exotic, the observation floated through Twilight’s head as she lost her train of thought. So much like a dragon’s, the teal color seemed to be drawing her focus like a gentle swirling whirlpool. The purple unicorn was lost in their depths.
“The truth.”
“Huh, whah?” Twilight snapped back into reality
“I’m going to give you the truth, all the time. I will never lie to you, and you will serve under me as my personal… attendant? We’ll think of a proper title for you later” Nightmare’s normal snappy mannerisms quickly returned. “But for now, I am feeling so very, very exhausted. Let us retire for the morning shall we?”
At the mere mention of rest the purple unicorn realized just how exhausted she was. She had a right to be exhausted, not only did she fail to sleep the previous night, but she braved the Everfree Forest, fought a goddess, and perhaps most taxing of all was dealing with said goddess in these last few conversations. And with the thought of rest came the overpowering sense of failure, and just how unfinished things seemed. I… can’t rest can I? I’ve been through so much these last two days. And it was all for nothing! I lost. I lost everything. These dark thoughts scattered through the unicorn’s mind, the weight of it all spread across her body.
Nightmare’s new sun must be increasing the gravity too somehow, I feel so heavy. The thought made no sense yet Twilight paid it no mind, her attention drifting back to her failures. I failed, I failed I failed I failed everyone. Twilight’s eyes watered as she fell to her knees. What am I supposed to do now?
“You’re supposed to be escorting me to bed” Nightmare said with a huff. The princess lit her horn and brought it down to Twilights head. The second it touched all of the purple unicorn’s apprehensions and misgivings were pulled away like cobwebs from her thoughts.
Twilight jumped back up, the weights on her lifted “How did you- what did- did you read my mind?!?” Twilight yelled in disbelief.
“Well, it’s not like I was trying to” Nightmare said indignantly. “You were practically yelling out your feelings, and our thought patterns are eerily in tune. Oh oh! Check this out” the moon princess bubbled in excitement. Testing TESTING 1 2 3, do you read me Twilight Sparkle? The princess yelled in her head.
“AH! Stop that!” Nightmare’s words sprang directly into Twilight’s brain.
The princess giggled at her attendant’s expense “Oh this is going to be fun. Just remember to keep your thoughts on a lower setting from now on. The more you feel about something the more it’s going to get leaked out. Fair warning, I’m not the only pony that’s adept at mind magic.” A smirk forms on Nightmare’s face. “Make sure especially to keep a lid on thoughts of the more, provocative nature. We wouldn’t want anypony else finding out your little tics, now would we?”
“I- I do not have provocative thoughts!” Twilight sputtered back
“You do now~”
An image popped up in Twilights head “AAAAAAAH I did not think that!”
Nightmare burst out laughing, earning her another death glare from Twilight.
Nightmare wobbled again “Oooh boy, I am losing it, way past my bedtime.” The princess looked down at Twilight who seemed to be suffering from similar sleep deprival symptoms. “Past both our bedtimes it seems.” Nightmare glanced behind her “Oh Sunny, would you mind lending us a shoulder? It would appear that both of us have forgotten how to walk.”
Sunny jumped at the chance to be included in the activities again. She had just gotten done counting the leaves on the nearby tree and had no idea what to do next. “Oh yes of course sister!”
“Wha-oh, I don’t think I need help walking-” Twilight began
Sunny swooped in between Twilight and Nightmare “Nonsense, you look like you’re about to fall over any second!” The sun princess extended her wings and wrapped them over the two ponies beside her, bringing them in to rest against her. “OH...” Sunny gasped, realizing just how forward she was being with her new acquaintance “Well, I mean, you really don’t have to- I don’t- if you don’t need my help, that’s ok too.” Sunny looked away nervously
“No no, it’s ok… Sunny” Twilight conceded. “Thank you very much, that is very nice of you” Twilight took some weight off of her tired legs as she rested up against her past mentor. They began their trek off the balcony, and through the castle’s arching marble corridors. “If only your sister were as thoughtful and considerate as you are” The unicorn said shooting a smirk over at Nightmare, who promptly sent back a stuck out tongue. The act of which forcing Twilight to cast a scrunchy face at the dark princess, who deemed it necessary to make an equally silly face by puffing up her cheeks.
A sun goddess’s giggle interrupted the exchange. “Thanks Twilight. By the way, the funny faces store had just called, and they were wondering if you could give them their funny faces back!” another giggle escaped the goddess’ lips at her own joke.
Polite, pity laughs escaped from the other two, each finding something else in the empty hallways to pretend to look at instead of Sunny.
“Eeeh, good one Sunny”
“Ha ha, yeah…”
A happily content Sunny accepted the new silence as another confrontation successfully averted. Oh, I must have been the best comedian princess ever, the “best comedian princess” thought to herself.
The trio walked along in silence until they reached the royal bedchambers. The room’s door crafted in a similar fashion to the one leading in to the throne room, though this one was considerably smaller. It arched high above anypony’s head, with two large engraved double doors sitting majestically against the elegant stone masonry that surrounded it. Sunny magically opened the doors which lead to a large circular domed room. Opposite the doorway stood an archway leading out to a small balcony that let in plenty of the new light coming from the bright moon.
The room was decorated with silver and gold banners and linings hanging from the walls. Down their line of sight the room seemed to be mirrored on either side with furniture suitable for a bedroom. Both sides had matching desks and dressers with seemed to try and keep the mesh of light and darker colors together as gold and silver lined each one evenly. The only noticeable differences in furniture style were the two large ornate beds lined against opposite ends of the wall. The left bed held soft pink covers and drapes, while the right sported a darker blue.
As Twilight took account of the contents of room she realized that she may be the only non-goddess pony to have set foot in these bedchambers since… ever. Princess Celestia’s room had always been private, even from her most faithful student. Twilight noticed the cluttered sun princess’ desk and general side of the room, and how in contrast the opposite side seemed completely devoid of any life. This can’t be a new addition, pondered Twilight. This furniture looks incredibly old. How long has Celestia had her room like this?
“Uuuuhg too bright!” Nightmare moaned. The heavy curtains hanging over the archway leading to the balcony fell as blue magical energy wrapped around them, shielding the room from the moonlight and plunging the occupants into a half-darkness, though small slivers of light still permeated the edges of the drapes. “Aah, that’s better. And yes, Sparkles, apparently the room has been like this since the castle was built, and no, I wasn’t reading your mind.” Nightmare stuck out her tongue “You’re just easy to follow.”
Twilight replied with a soft humph and mumble about the incorrect usage of her name and how she wasn’t thinking about that at all. The moon princess giggled as she put her full weight back on her hooves. Nightmare stretched and trotted over to the dark blue bed “Thank you very much for the escort Sunny. Now for some much needed rest.”
“No problem sis” Beamed Sunny as she began walking to her own appropriately colored bed.
“Well? Are you coming my little pony?” Nightmare said in a saucy tone, slowing down on her trot to sway her hips seductively “You must be so tired…”
“Wait, what? No, I am not sleeping in the same bed as you” Twilight said adamantly, also I don’t trust you to keep your dark little hooves to yourself. “I’m going to sleep with Ce-Sunny.” The unicorn scoffed and trotted slowly to the pink bed. Abruptly a blue corona surrounded Twilight, lifting her off the ground and above the dark blue bed the moon princess was now laying on.
“Oh Twilight~” Nightmare cooed “You act as if you have a choice.” Down plopped a frowning purple unicorn, her arms folded in defiant acceptance of her current situation. “Oh, and one more thing…” Nightmare leaned herself closer to Twilight, and lowered her head down to the purple unicorn’s horn. The moon pincess’s breath flowed across Twilights bangs, brushing them away from her forehead. The alicorn lightly tapped the silver bracelet with her snout. Lingering for a bit, the princess blew out a warm gust of air through her nose that hit Twilight’s horn dead on. Noting the small shiver play across the smaller pony’s body Nightmare smirked and pulled away “There, all naked and ready for bed.”
“What did-” Twilight looked down to realize that she was indeed without her garments, though at Nightmare’s comment wishing she was clothed in anything at the moment. The bracelet still adorning her horn hardly made a difference.
“Just a tap of that bracelet will bring out and pull back your lovely new outfit and tiara. Pretty handy huh?” Nightmare boasted
“Fascinating” Twilight said with a vacant uninterested face while Nightmare tapped the bracelet with her hoof a couple more times playfully. The garments swished in and out of the accessory at each of the moon princess’ tap.
“Oh, don’t pretend you aren’t simply frothing with questions as to how it works” Nightmare said, a quick flash from dark her horn liberated her own armor.
The scene gave pause to Twilight’s apathetic demeanor, awestruck with just how slender the moon princess looked without all of her intimidating armor. She might even be more fragile looking than Princess Celestia. Though she somehow kept that look of strength that let you know she could lop your head off with a flick of her hoof. And her star filled mane… Nightmare’s helmet must have been holding most of it down as it now naturally filled up the top of her head and surrounding her even more beautifully. The night mane even came forward a bit to cover one of her eyes a bit like Celestia’s hair had done. Twilight watched as the princess slipped under the covers across from her at the head of the bed. She moves so elegantly, even when- Twilight shook her head at what the princess just said, choosing to examine anything else at the moment “Uhhhg” how would I even ‘froth’ with questions. Twilight smartly chose not to argue with the alicorn on the subject. Later, when I’m not so exhausted, she determined.
“Well then, I guess I’ll be going to bed now. On this side of the bed” the purple unicorn stated flatly pointing to the foot of the bed as she grabbed one of the fluffy pillows. Luckily the bed was large enough that the two wouldn’t be meeting hooves in the middle, even if Twilight were as tall as Nightmare. The fact brought at least some solace to the unicorn.
“But what if I get cooold?” The moon princess whined in response.
“Goodnight!” Twilight snapped
“Good morning” A soft voice from the other side of the room corrected, followed by a small giggle.
A similar giggle came from the head of her bed “Good morning, Twilight Sparkle”
A light, grudging good morning and Twilight slipped under the covers, drifting off to sleep. Or, at least, that is what she would have liked to do. Unfortunately her mind was still buzzing, trying to sort out everything that had happened this long day, and then decide what to do with the future, and on what her new friends were doing, and if Spike will be ok, and if she left the oven on in that tree house in Ponyville, and that she had only been in it for a couple of hours and it was extremely silly to even think the oven would have-beside the point. She had a lot on her mind, and sleep was not going to come graciously to this purple pony.
After a few tries to shut off her brain, which took a good 30 minutes or so, Twilight gave up and deemed it impossible. Maybe I can try counting gems hopping over a fence, Twilight considered. Spike had said that worked for him plenty of times. Though maybe I should try a food I like. Is that the reason why he does that, because he likes gems? Or is it because of the aesthetic appearance that lulls him to sleep. I’ll have to perform a test, tonight I’ll count gems, and tomorrow I’ll count… grapes, or something. I like grapes. Oh but what if I don’t go to sleep at- something stirred on the other side of her bed, interrupting her train of thought. Twilight had nearly forgotten that she was sharing a bed with the current tyrant of Equestria. She peeked through a half closed eye to see if she could spot anything in the still darkness.
There! A large bulge in the sheets was steadily moving closer to her. It snuck quietly, and with as little disturbance to the bed as possible, and it was coming straight at her. Twilight was a quick thinker, or rather quick to jump to conclusions, and it didn’t take her long to figure out just what was going to happen now.
Twilight froze and her muscles clenched in fear. Ok Twilight, Twilight began talking to Twilight. You thought something like this would happen, it’s definitely not a surprise or anything. Especially after what she had you dressed in. Just stay calm and enact the plan you concocted for this very occasion.
Twilight hadn’t concocted any plans.
AAAAAAAH Horsefeathers! Hay! Horsefeathers! Horsefeathering Hay Celestia! I haven’t concocted any plan for this! I just wished really really really hard that it wouldn’t happen. The unicorn screamed silently to herself. I mean what am I supposed to do, just say ‘no’!? ‘No means No, my queen. Now I know that you could take me whether I agreed to it or not, but I have faith you’re going to respect my wishes and- oh by Celestia why are there tentacles coming out of your hair?!?’ Yes that is exactly what is going to happen, and they will be going everywhere!
Nightmare had just popped out of the covers directly behind Twilight, laying her head down on the same pillow. The purple unicorn could feel the princess’ hot breath playing against the back of her neck. She shivered uncontrollably at the heat. No, don’t do that! She yelled at herself, this isn’t enjoyable, you aren’t going to enjoy it. Oh! I know, just pretend you’re asleep, she definitely won’t do anything if you’re sleeping. Oh horsefeathers that is so dumb that is the dumbest thing ever dumb dumb dumby dumb, oh Celestia why isn’t she talking? I expected her to be taunting me in my powerless, weak, feeble, helplessness by now.
Nightmare’s front hoof lifted up and slowly traveled across Twilight’s upturned side, coming to a rest on her stomach. Twilight bit her lip harshly to keep herself from reacting to it. Why isn’t she saying anything, why isn’t she talking, she should be talking, the purple unicorn went through the possibilities. The hoof pulled her in, Twilight’s mind let out a small squeak in surprise though thanks to the biting she was able to suppress it before it escaped from her mouth. She was now pressing tightly against Nightmare’s stomach. The princess’ breathing and heartbeat could be clearly felt against Twilight’s back, the hoof twisted even tighter around Twilight’s abdomen. Nightmare’s larger form encircled Twilight in a curve that mirrored the moon. A single thought crossed both of the pony’s minds as their racing thoughts stilled, allowing them to drift off to sleep.
‘Warm’.
Sunny trotted down the long marble halls whistling a bright morning tune. She had just left the royal kitchen after preparing two meals for her dearest sister and hopeful new friend. The alicorn carried the newly made meals on a pair of foldable table trays, balanced squarely on her rump. Some forethought compelled her to bring along two cups of black bubbling coffee, with some cream and sugar in case they preferred their coffee a little sweeter. Sunny didn’t know how she knew what coffee was, with having her memories taken and everything. But she didn’t dwell on it seeing as it was magic and she didn’t have to explain it to anyone. Or she hoped she wouldn’t have to at least.
Sunny opened the doors leading back into the silent, dark bedchambers with Nightmare Moon and Twilight were still sleeping soundly on their bed. The sun princess had gotten up only a short while ago and thought that her two roommates would enjoy a nice breakfast when they woke up. It was now the middle of the day, the three ponies having slept for around 6 hours. Not a complete night’s sleep, but I can’t just have them wasting this new beautiful, day Sunny thought cheerily to herself.
Sunny extended the legs on the trays and plopped them down next to the bed, crawling out from underneath them. Looking towards the bunk, the white pony saw Twilight and Nightmare lying tangled up in the sheets in a bit of a compromising manner, but looking comfortable enough. “Some ponies must not be very good at sleeping” Giggled Sunny, examining the small mound of pony. Nightmare had curled into a ball, the sheets weaving in, out, and around her haphazardly, while in her dark hoofs were held a dark blue tail with purple and pink streaks going through it. Connected to that tail was one purple rump belonging to Twilight, who was entwined equally in fabric as well as in Nightmare Moon. The purple unicorn was hugging one of the dark princess’ back legs while her head rested on her crescent moon cutie mark. This scene, Sunny determined, was adorable. Yes, this is definitely what adorable means.
Sunny trotted over to the large curtains blocking the sunlight from entering the room. “Rise and shine girls!” The princess yelled as she pulled back the curtains. Light rushed into the room, much to the discomfort of the two sleeping ponies.
Annoyed hissing emanated from the bed, oddly enough from both of the ponies; neither of whom felt like rising nor shining today. Sunny giggled to herself again. Oh gosh those tired ponies really do need to ‘snake’ up! Ha ha, oh Sunny you are just too ‘punny’! Sunny snorted at her own pun mastery. The ‘punny’ alicorn headed back towards the two groaning ponies, a huge smile covering her face “Come on sleepy heads, I even got your breakfasts here. Though I guess it is a little late for breakfast. Are you guys ok with eating breakfast? I can go make something else if you want.” Sunny said in an apologizing tone.
Nightmare sat up, still holding Twilight’s tail “No… no…” she yawned “No it’s ok Sunny, breakfast sounds lovely.” Twilight, still too faint to think coherently, was groaning and trying to figure out why her butt was currently floating in the air. Twilight’s back legs kicked in confusion, alerting Nightmare that she was still holding the purple streaked tail; and that that tail was still connected to a pony. The moon princess briskly let go of the tail, landing Twilight squarely on her lap. “Ooooy, ge’ off!” Nightmare mumbled, shoving Twilight off and onto her back.
Twilight shaken from sleep, but not fully was now wondering why she was flying. The unicorn began kicking the air experimentally before resigning that she just didn’t care enough and wanted to go back to sleep. Her legs feebly went slack and fell quite unceremoniously to either side of her, giving the other two ponies quite a view.
“Oooh, Twilight Sprkle” The moon princess still drunk on sleep, slurred “I did not exchpect you to present yourself to me so shoon. I guess I have no choice… but to ravage you!”
“S-Sister!” Sunny exclaimed, shocked at her sister’s words.
But Nightmare wasn’t listening. There was only her, and this delicious purple mare in front of her. The dark princess opened her smiling jaws wide, and dove right in.
The alicorn gnawed at Twilight’s exposed belly. Biting haphazardly at the chunks taken into her mouth and blowing raspberries into the purple fur, Nightmare showed no remorse. Twilights eyes flashed open, chortling escaped her mouth in loud burst “AH NO haahaha NO STOP!” Twilight pleaded through bursts of laughter. The pleading only made Nightmare’s tickling harder.
“… So that’s how you ravage a pony” Sunny looked on in fascinated embarrassment before modesty compelled her to speak “Uuh… your food is going to get cold” Sunny squeaked, blushing. “Is it… is it normal for ponies to be so, um… familiar with each other like that?”
The silly ponies paused and looked down at the red faced alicorn. They coughed uncomfortably and straightened up on the bed, Twilight speaking up to break the awkward silence “Well no not really. Ponies only feel comfortable letting other ponies touch them when they have become friends, or are at least know each other very well.” Twilight glared at Nightmare for her rude awakening. “Unfortunately some ponies don’t know the meaning of personal space!”
“That’s not what you were saying last night” Nightmare sneered back with a grin.
“Oh my~” Sunny lowered hear head and used her hair to hide most of her face. She looked around the room to see if there was something else she could be doing right now.
“Fwha what no NO, nothing happened last night! Sunny nothing happened!” Twilight sputtered. “I-I-I-I mean I wouldn’t even-” Twilight sniffed the air. “Is… is that coffee?” the purple unicorn stared hungrily at the trays.
Nightmare perked up, noticing the distinct smell herself “Coffee? What’s coffee?”
Sunny stared blankly at her “… I have no idea. But, uh, I brought some!”
Twilight leaned closer to inspect the dark brew. She sniffed at it experimentally, not completely sure in Sunny’s coffee making skills. Just a small whiff, however, and surprise shot through the unicorn’s body. “Oh my gosh! This is the royal coffee, it’s only ever brought out during special occasions it has been forever since I’ve had a cup can I really have this Sunny!?” The unicorn managed to say in one breath, a hopeful smile shined directly at the sun princess.
“What is it?” Nightmare reiterated, eying her coffee with caution.
“Oh of course Twilight! Every morning is a special occasion when you’re with somepony else” Sunny cheerily replied
“What. Is. It.”
“Oooooh thankyouthankyouthankyou this is just what I need right now!” The purple pony praised. Twilight grabbed the cup between her hooves and brought it halfway to her eager mouth when she felt a small tap on her enchanted horn bracelet. The oriental outfit flew out over the confused pony as she looked over to see a tight lipped, pouting Nightmare Moon.
Twilight gave an embarrassed cough into a free hoof “Oh. Well. Um, coffee is a brewed beverage prepared from the beans of the coffee plant. It was originally discovere-”
“Uuuuuuhg just tell me why it’s so amazing” Nightmare moaned.
“Well I was getting to that! Coffee is most often used for its energizing properties, usually in the mornings or late at night when, for ponies like myself, really need a good pick-me-up.” Twilight stared at the apprehensive alicorn. “Just try it!”
Nightmare brought the cup of warm dark liquid up to her mouth. Banzai, Nightmare thought uncertainly, and then she threw her head back and gulped down a couple swallows of her drink. She suddenly stopped and brought the cup slowly away from her face. Nightmare turned to Twilight, who was watching with interest at how her reaction would be to the experience. Twilight was not disappointed as Nightmare grew a stern, serious expression.
“This is the best thing ever” The night princess swiftly brought the magical elixir back to her mouth for more.
The purple pony giggled at the sight of Nightmare Moon ravenously drinking a cup of coffee. She remembered her first time trying this drink and how similarly she had reacted. It was Celestia that gave me my first cup, Twilight reminisced staring into her own cup with a small smile. Granted it wasn’t as good as the royal brew but it was still really good, and it helped me get up for those early morning lessons after a night full of stargazing and studying. The unicorn shook her head to disperse the memories. There’s no point in thinking about any of that stuff now, I suppose.
Twilight eagerly drank her own cup, a content sigh slipped from her after each long sip of pure dark liquid. “Mmm, no sugar or cream necessary” The unicorn breathed, setting down her cup and pulling over her bowl of cinnamon oatmeal.
“Hey Sunny, aren’t you going to eat too?” Twilight questioned before sinking her nose into the bowl of food.
“Oh yes, of course, but I don’t eat food like you do!” Sunny cheerily said as she walked closer to the balcony.
Twilight stopped eating. The unicorn carefully raised her head out of the bowl, a couple pieces of oatmeal still clinging to her chin and nose. She turned her head to look at Sunny with a pensive look on her face “Uh… come again?”
“Yup, I eat the sun’s rays! I am a sun goddess after all” the sun goddess stated matter of factly. She turned towards the moon-sun and took a long deep breath. She closed her mouth sharply, trapping a good amount of air and… sun rays… which puffed out her cheeks considerably. The alicorn then swallowed the contents of her mouth and looked back at Twilight “and there we go, all re-energized… I think. Maybe I need to do it a couple more times…”
Twilight sat shocked, she had never known Princess Celestia to have done anything like this. Movement from beside Twilight caught her eye. The purple pony’s blank stare moved to the moon goddess who was shaking, hunched over, face first in her own bowl of oatmeal. Nightmare’s front legs were wrapped around the top of her head, covering all parts of her face.
“… you didn’t” Twilight breathed. Nightmare responded with even more shaking and a couple squeaks that had escaped her tight lips. “Sunny! Don’t listen to your sister, she’s playing a joke on you!”
“Huh?” Sunny stared back quizzically.
Loud muffled guffaws emanated from the oatmeal. Twilight huffed at Nightmare “You can’t eat the sun’s rays Sunny, you eat food like everypony else”.
“But…” Sunny looked even more confused as Nightmare fell back on the bed, rolling over it in laughter. The sun princess’ face quickly changed to anger and embarrassment. The goddess turned a bright red and puffed out her cheeks, daggers were thrown from her eyes at Nightmare “SIS! That is not funny!”
“HAHA, oh yeah? And I suppose you know what funny is?” The dark princess quieted her laughing to respond, small hiccups and giggles popping up instead.
“Yes!” The white alicorn pouted. “Like- like this morning, when I opened the curtains, and you two hissed. Something funny would be like ‘oh boy, those two ponies really need to, snake, up’!”
Nightmare stopped laughing and Twilight turned back to her food.
The dark princess sat bolt upright, a stoic unmoving, pitying expression filled her face. “Oh Sunny… I’m so, so sorry” The dark princess said sincerely.
Sunny pouted again with her puffed out cheeks “well, as long as you apologize it’s ok. Just make sure you know what’s funny.” The sun princess missed the real reason for the apology entirely.
Twilight was simply relieved to know Sunny couldn’t see that she shared the same pitying, stoic face as Nightmare. The purple pony felt just as sorry for the alicorn as the moon princess did. Oh… oh Sunny, Twilight grimaced, that was just horrible. These thoughts could never be said to the sun princess’ face.
“You can have my food Sunny.”
“I’m really not that hungry either.”
Twilight played with the silk that draped over her sides, lifting pieces up with her hoof and letting it fall back over her. “So, when is this thing supposed to be happening?” The unicorn tiredly asked Nightmare for the third time. The student sighed and rested her head on the dark blue carpeting that lead to the throne. Both Twilight and Sunny were seated diagonally in front of the sovereign’s chair, on which sat an equally bored Nightmare Moon.
“They should be coming soon” She absentmindedly replied “or at least I should hope they do. I gave the castle servants and guards the day off today in preparation for their arrival.” The three ponies had spent a good amount of the afternoon lounging in the throne room after the breakfast fiasco, waiting for whatever it was that Nightmare Moon had planned. The princess had instructed Sunny and Twilight separately on what their orders were to be after they entered the throne room. The ponies then spent the last couple hours making idle banter concerning the moon’s temperature, whether or not Nightmare was an old hag, how Twilight’s only friends before yesterday were encyclopedias, and bearing through the awkward silence that always permeated the room after one of Sunny’s jokes.
“Huh…” Twilight mumbled through one of her legs that she moved under her head for more cushioning “I was wondering where all the staff was. I just assumed you ate them or something.”
“Keep up that tone missy and I’m going to eat you too” Nightmare shot back in a hearty tone. “Unless that’s what you were hoping for. And by the way, you taste like some sort of exotic fruit”
Twilight jerked her head up “I assure you I do not!” the unicorn adamantly retorted. Do I… do I really taste like that? It’s not like I can taste myself, Twilight thought to herself.
“Oh yes, you most certainly do. Like some sort of dark and forbidden fruit from the recesses of an unknown jungle.” Nightmare licked her lips “I wonder what the other parts of your taste like…” the dark princess whispered just loud enough for Twilight to hear.
A faint, almost inaudible knocking on the large doors leading into the throne room interrupted Twilight as she was just breathing in to begin her long winded rebuttal.
“Sunny, you remember your instructions?” Nightmare asked, getting a sharp nod in return from the white alicorn. “And you Twilight?”
Again another set of knocks came from the door, somehow even quieter than the first set.
“All you told me was to keep my trap shut!” Twilight hastily hissed back, aware that the door could burst open at any second.
“Just making sure you can remember that much” Nightmare sneered at a glaring unicorn.
The doors slowly creaked open, the intruding object became visible. An extremely large cake rolled into the throne room on squeaky wheels. The squeaks filled the air as the car slowly made its way to the center of the room. The cake stopped, and from behind it stepped a meek looking yellow pegasus pony who had been apparently pushing it. The new pony had luscious flowing golden hair with a cake cutie mark adorning her flanks.
She spoke in a quiet whisper that the other ponies in the room had to strain to hear “Oh, hello miss, um, dark Queen Nightmare Moon, uh, I heard that you… took over Equestria, so I made you a cake” a large unsure smile crossed the pony’s face as she gestured to the cake. “To… to celebrate?” the pony managed to squeak out. Her wings clutched against her body, appearing to be capable of fainting at any moment.
Twilight gasped as this mysterious never before seen pony’s true identity became evident through her keen deductive skills (who could it be). “What are-” Twilight blurted out, only to be interrupted by a muzzle magically winding around her mouth.
“Be quiet slave!” Nightmare commanded. The dark princess’s horn aglow fastened the muzzle on tight, her star filled main whipping across Twilight’s flanks for emphasis.
“Mpfh!” Twilight cried through the muzzle “mfph Mmmfh-” cut off by another whip across her flanks. Grumbling she lowered her head again in unwilling submission, looking back at the small pegasus.
“Um, please don’t do that” the yellow pony whispered.
“What was that, cake maker? You were talking about this lovely cake before we were so rudely interrupted” the dark and intimidating voice that Nightmare had used when she first appeared was back. Venom and malice dripped off of every syllable she uttered.
“Yes, um, yes, it’s a cake I baked… for you?” The pegasus weakly replied.
Twilight took notice of just how large this cake really was. Large enough to hold say, four ponies, easily. They… couldn’t have. They couldn’t possibly be doing this, Twilight thought. What could they possibly hope to accomplish? They don’t think they could possibly defeat Nightmare Moon, do they? Twilight looked pleadingly at the fidgeting pony. They wouldn’t even stand a chance.
The buttercup pegasus met Twilight’s eyes; she smiled nervously, and squeaked.
End Chapter 2