//------------------------------// // 10: Nightmare // Story: Pony of the Gears // by TheFoxern //------------------------------// To say that Chrysalis was a rough lover would not be the proper term. A more accurate description would be passionate. Very much so. Though as Copper awoke the next morning to see Chrysalis, he didn't feel a single ounce of regret. He yawned and moved slowly off the bed. Though he felt quite worn out, it was...enjoyably so. A stretch, a deep breath and a long walk was all he needed now. The stretch and breath were easy. He left the room quietly for the walk. He would admit that he probably shouldn't have slept with her, but she had asked him to; practically begged him to. He sighed and admired the architecture. It was actually quite impressive, though in bad condition. The walls were made of stone and covered with crumbling tapestries and banners. The floor had a carpet going down the center. It was hard to tell what color it had been originally, but now it was simply a grimy sort of gray. It almost made him feel sad. He headed downwards, as he knew he had been quite high. There was nopony around at all that he saw, but he felt hallways empty ahead of him. Things were keeping away from him. That was unfortunate. He would like company now, but he guessed that the changelings wanted nothing to do with him. Or maybe they wanted everything to do with him, but were afraid, or ordered to not. He wasn't sure. But either way, it was annoying. He wanted to speak with somepony, anypony, even if it was just a changeling. Just as he was thinking this, he turned a corner and almost ran into a griffon. “Good morning, Mr. Feather,” she said, looking at him. She was all shades of gray, with some parts darkening all the way to black and other parts lightening all the way to white. The spots around her eyes were white, while most of the feathers on her head were a dark gray, which lightened as it went further down, ending in a white where her feathers ended and her fur began. Her fur was in fact a shade of gray that darkened to black in her wings and where most griffons wore yellow on their beaks and front talons, hers were colored black. “Uhm.” He hesitated, looking at her. Could changelings take the form of griffons? “Good morning...” “My name is Ellis. I am the castle steward.” Her voice was soft and light, it reminded Copper oddly of clouds. “Is there anything that I can help you with?” He hesitated again and then nodded. “Actually, yes... I was looking for a good place to stretch my legs.” “We have an excellent garden,” Ellis said as she walked down a side passage. “This way.” Copper hesitated before he followed after her. He wondered if it would be rude to ask her questions, but decided that it wouldn't hurt to ask. “Do you mind if I ask you some questions?” That seemed a safe approach. She shook her head slowly. “No.” The way she moved was odd, she seemed to almost drift down passageways, swaying from side to side as she did. “No you don't mind? Or no you do?” Copper wanted to be sure that he did not offend her, as now he was uncertain if he could make it back to the room. He felt a slight pang in his chest as he realized that he left Chrysalis up there alone. A smile formed on her face and like the rest of her, it seemed soft. “I do not mind. I do not get to speak with others often.” He nodded slowly, thinking of ways to phrase questions. “All right...well...why are you here at this castle? Are you a changeling?” Not as gentle as he would have liked to ask, but he wanted to know. She shook her head slowly again. “No, I am not a changeling. The Doctor asked me a long time ago to come here. It is better than where I am from and I like it here very much.” “I see...” He didn't in fact, but he did not want to offend her. This place must have it's good points somewhere and he supposed to some it was a great place. It wasn’t to his liking though. It was dark and dreary. “Why are things avoiding me?” “Are they?” she asked, drifting slowly around a corner and looking back at him as she did. “I suppose because you belong to her majesty.” He thought for a moment on this and then nodded slightly. “So I'm sort of...off limits?” She nodded. “Interesting...how long have you been here?” She paused mid step and seemed to gather a thoughtful expression. “I'm not sure. I do not pay attention to time...here we are.” She pushed open a door. He stepped out slowly onto the gravel path and stared around. It was interesting. It was also very large. He could see quite a number of statues overgrown with vines, some of which were slightly intact. And bushes that must have been topiary animals at one point, but had not been cared for for a long time. There was what was left of a gazebo and what he was fairly certain a start of a bridge over the pond. He guessed the rest of the bridge was somewhere in its murky depths. Overall, it was fitting. Beautiful would not be how Copper described the garden. But it wasn't ugly either. “Do you come out here often?” He turned around; the door was left open, but Ellis was gone. He blinked, staring at the open door. “Every day.” He spun around to see Ellis quite a ways into the garden, looking into what could only be described as a pond, because it supposedly had water under the green muck at the surface. She moved abnormally quietly, despite the gravel. “I see,” he said, walking slowly over the overgrown lawn. It paid to take it slow, as he avoided stepping on a number of things that would have been quite unpleasant, such as twigs, glass, bones and odd little insects. They were something like crickets and cockroaches mixed together. Copper couldn’t remember what they were called. The rest were things he wasn’t sure of and didn’t want to know. “Do the changelings bother you at all?” She looked at him. “Should they?” He blinked again and shook his head. “No. Just curious. Some ponies would find them uncomfortable to be around... But I can't speak from experience as they all avoid me.” Her nod was slow; everything about her seemed slow and deliberate. “I think that you frighten them.” “I thought you said it was because I...belonged to Chrysalis?” He was unsure what to think now. And he wasn't sure how he felt about belonging to anypony. “That is part of it...” She teased the surface of the pond with a claw, watching as it caused the entire surface to shift slightly. “But many of them have seen you in action...know of what you've done...and what you're capable of. Some of them are quite intelligent. They do not want to bother you.” He thought a moment, remembering other times when ponies had avoided him because they knew who he was. He sighed. “Yeah...that makes sense...” His gaze traveled the length of the pond and noted the bubbles in certain places. “Are you afraid of me?” She adorned her thoughtful expression for a moment and then shook her head. “No. You do not frighten me.” “Good,” he said, smiling a bit. “You do worry me though.” He looked at her, tilting his head to the side. “The Doctor has high hopes for you. He believes that you can stop Celestia. Her majesty has taken a special interest in you, partially because the Doctor wants to use you, but mostly because you are so willing to love.” Her gaze turned from the pond, to him. “That worries me. Why would you allow such things?” “Because I always have.” He looked out over the garden and took a deep breath. The air was stagnant and he partially regretted breathing it in. “I'm used to being used, for one thing or another. The first real choice I had made in my life for myself...was to end it.” “Do you regret it?” “Not really. I mean perhaps it was not the best decision, but I was done with listening to others. For me, it was always about others... I spent my life doing things for other ponies. I enjoyed a lot of it... Especially near the end. Having friends was great...truly it was.” “You chose to make friends,” Ellis said. Her gaze would probably make some ponies uncomfortable, but Copper was used to those kinds of look. “I...suppose I did... I guess I made quite a few of little decisions near the end for myself...” He nodded slightly. There were a few moments of silence, before Ellis spoke again. “What was it like?” “Hm?” He looked over at her and blinked. “To die?” She nodded slowly. “It...well, to be honest I don't remember...it feels like...like I forgot. It was like I fell asleep and then woke up in that bed...” She looked at him, a blank expression on her face. “Like falling asleep?” “Yeah... I...feel like there might have been pain, but it's more like...the memory of pain, rather than actually having it...like I remember feeling a lot of pain, without actually having had it...then there was...” His face wrinkled up in thought. Ellis waited a bit of time, before she felt the need to prompt. “There was what?” He waved a hoof vaguely, shaking his head. “Something. I don't know... It's like a dream you can't remember, but you remember having... But it was...nice.” Her head tilted to the side slightly. “Nice?” “Yes.” He looked at her, her gaze was searching. “I'm afraid I can't say anymore about it... It may have been four years for everyone else...but for me it was like...blinking. I know a lot of time passed, but... I can't remember any of it.” She sighed, looking back at the pond. “That is disappointing... I was wondering what would be next...what comes after death.” He opened his mouth to say sorry, but figured he had no reason to. Instead, he said, “Well I don't think I want to do it again.” Her gaze moved slowly to him once again and he could feel it hit him. If looks could kill, he'd be a smudge on grass about now. “Are you frightening Copper, dear Ellis?” Copper looked to see Chrysalis walking through the doorway. Ellis did not look at her, still glaring at Copper. Who managed a slight smile. “No. She does not frighten me.” Her expression melted slightly, she could not keep the glare up. “I merely spoke wrongly, it seems. My apologies.” He bowed his head to her slightly. He wasn't sure what he had said wrong, but it apparently upset her. She seemed at a loss for a moment and then recovered. She turned away and walked back to the door. “Good afternoon your majesty. Copper. I will return to my tasks now.” “Yes... You do that,” Chrysalis said and looked at Copper once she had gone. “I've never seen her feathers so ruffled. What did you say to her?” “We were talking of death.” Copper said defensively, trying to not look at Chrysalis, but instead at the spot Ellis turned the corner, expecting her to come back around at any moment. “Ah... That is a touchy subject with Ellis...” she said as she moved beside him and sat down. Things went crunch and squish as she walked. “Noted,” he said with a sigh. She looked at him and then out at the garden. “What is your opinion of my garden?” “It looks-” he paused mid sentence and rethought what he was about to say. But he decided that he should probably be truthful. “Awful.” Though that didn't seem to cover it. “Horrid. On the verge of disgusting.” Laughter was what met him, when he had expected some sort of comment. “Oh yes. Quite all that indeed. And more.” She took a deep breath of the air and let it out slowly. “It is what's become of the land. When I was younger this place was beautiful.” His brow arched slightly. “This place? I suppose it's possible...but it looks like...” He paused, as he remembered who he was speaking to. “Like it's been untouched for a long time.” “I'm afraid that when Celestia banished my changelings, soon after Luna, for some sort of reference of time, the land began to sour. Of course, I blame her.” “Of course,” Copper said, nodding slightly. “I can see that it would be logical to assume that when they occur so close together.” “It was the same day,” she said and kicked something into the pond. It went bloop. “The same day?” He turned, looking up at her. His heart skipped a beat when he saw her expression. She looked miserable. “Yes...she did not even give us time to leave. I merely got a letter from her, then reports of her slaughtering changelings...then of my kingdom beginning to rot. All in a day...” It was still hard to picture the Celestia he knew doing such a thing. She had always been so understanding of everything. So calm. So patient. “I don't understand how she could do such a thing...” She looked down at him and smiled slightly. “You believe me, yet still have internal conflict... I admit that it was out of character for her. We had been at peace before...” Her gaze moved back to the pond. “Everything had been going so well...then Luna had her little fit and became Nightmare Moon.” Copper nodded slowly and sighed. “I know. I had dealings with her when she was Nightmare Moon... Celestia wanted me to check on her mental state, before she made her return to Equestria.” “I can imagine that that went poorly,” she said, smirking down at him. But his expression made her change her mind and her face lost its humor. “More poorly than I can imagine, I guess?” “Very...she nearly killed me.” He closed his eyes and shuddered. It had been quite brutal. “Because she was sealed, she had nothing but raw power to lash at me. She would hardly speak with me. She would not listen to me. All she had up there was hate and sorrow. More sorrow than hate. I felt her regret. It was suffocating.” She put her leg around him and pulled him close to her. She was warm, very warm. “I'm sorry. I'm sure that it was not something you like to remember.” “No...” He couldn't keep himself from leaning against her. “But it doesn't matter anymore...she has changed. I...” His mind suddenly changed gears and he blinked. “I wonder whose side she's on...” “Her sister’s, of course,” Chrysalis said, waving a hoof flippantly. “Honestly I have no doubt.” “I do.” She looked down at him. “Well, Luna went mad with power...but now she's a lot better, or so I've seen... What if Celestia went the same way? What if there had been a fight between the two of them for control and Luna had simply lost, because she was younger and weaker. What if Celestia had gone mad as well, but in a more controlled way. Some ponies are just good actors.” Chrysalis looked down at him, her expression quite blank. “You'd have to discuss that with the Doctor...” He sighed, closing his eyes. “I don't like him. The only reason he wanted to help me, is because I can help him.” She shook her head. “No, that's not how he works.” Copper looked up at her. “He helps ponies, because that's what he does. If it helps him out as well, that just means he'll try even harder. And if it'll help even more ponies, to help one...he'll do everything he can. And even some things he can't.” She smiled down at him. “He's like you in that sense. Always another job to do and no excuse for failure.” “I guess...but that doesn't mean I have to like him...” he said, folding his hoofs in front of him. She laughed, smiling down at him. “Oh yes I suppose you don't.” Silence fell, but it was the comfortable kind. The kind when nothing needs to be said, so nopony says anything. Then there was a faint idea trying to work its way into Copper’s head. It was fuzzy and felt odd. Like it was an idea coming from a long way off. “Luna...” he said after he managed to get some kind of mental grasp on it. “Hm?” She looked down at him. “What about her?” “I...” He hesitated. What about her indeed... He didn't like this foreign idea that was working its way into his head. “I need to talk with her.” He managed to get from the thought. She raised an eyebrow, staring down at him. “Are you nuts? She's a direct link to Celestia. And that's the last pony we want to know you're alive.” “Yeah...but...” He closed his eyes, trying to focus. “I have to..." He pressed a hoof to his forehead. "She could help us a lot. Enough that it would be worth the risk of talking with her and revealing myself to Celestia.” There was a short silence as she worked this out. “You're absolutely sure? The Doctor won’t like this kind of plan...” “Who cares what he thinks?” He moved away from her and turned to look up at her. “This is the best shot I've got.” He wasn’t sure what it was his best shot at, but it was. “And...you can just...call her up, can you?” She had an amused expression on her face. It seemed that doing things the Doctor didn't like gave her quite a bit of satisfaction. “Well...,aybe in a dream.” He sat down, thinking heavily now. “She'd find me eventually...better now, as soon as possible. It'll be better if I seek her out, rather than let her come across me...” He wasn't sure who he was trying to reassure at this point. “So you think you can just call her up?” Chrysalis said again, standing up and stretching. He sighed and shrugged. “Worth a shot...” She nodded and smiled. “Right then, come on.” She moved towards the door, with a purposeful stride. “Gotta get you to sleep then.” “All right...but how exactly? I mean, it's the middle of the day and I don't think I can dream if you put me to sleep magically...” The look on her face told Copper that he probably shouldn't have said that. “Oh my dear Copper... I have my ways...” ~ When his eyes opened and he saw the brass colored gear, he had to admit that she was right. She could wear a pony out like it was nothing in a few hours. Sure he'd be a bit sore when he woke up, but for now, it had worked. Or at least, it sort of worked. “So this is my mind...” Nothing moved and it seemed so much darker. Not a star was in the sky, nor a moon. Gears and cogs were cracked and springs were snapped. The whole scene made him feel sad. “Luna!” he called, looking around and walking to the other side of the gear. What exactly did she do during the day? Sleep most likely. Did she dream when that happened? “Luna, please!” He stopped and cleared his throat. That sounded a tad too desperate. “Damn it...” He sat down, sighing. “I'm just pathetic...” “Copper?” He did not turn around immediately, but he could feel Luna land behind him. He turned around and she recoiled visibly. “Wh-what...” “Sorry...” was all he could manage to say, nothing else seemed to fit. “Copper...what...why are you here? You're...” She seemed more at a loss for words than him. “Dead,” he said, nodding. “Technically,” he added. When she made no comment, he decided to continue. “Technically, I am dead. But...I am also technically alive. Just...not all here.” She shuddered and nodded. “You...you look wretched...” “Four years dead can do that to a pony,” he agreed and he realized he had not looked at himself since coming back. That was not something to look forward to. She stared at him with what Copper knew was concern. It was a tad heartbreaking to see her in such a state, especially when he was the cause. “But...how?” “I...I can't tell you, yet...I...” He hesitated, staring at her. “I can't...I can't trust you.” Her expression went blank and she blinked at him. “Can't trust me? Why?” “Because,” he said and took a deep breath. Even though he didn't need to breathe here, it made him feel better. “You are Celestia's sister...” Silence. Deep, harsh, dreadful silence. It felt like hours before Luna finally spoke. “So she did kill you.” His eyes narrowed on her. “You knew?” “I-I...I suspected,” she said, looking quite defensive now. “I mean...when Twilight Sparkle and Rainbow Dash showed up demanding to speak with her and then started panicking when you seemed to vanish...I just... I feared the worst. And then the way she...she didn't even seem sad...in public she was...but in private she...” “I'm sure she wasn't... I'm sure that not many were...nopony probably even remembers me, huh....” He sighed, shaking his head. She shook her head. “No. Everypony was miserable.” He blinked at her. “Celestia even set up a monument to you in Canterlot. You did save Equestria by destroying the False God...” There was a short silence. “A monument? You mean a stupid statue? Damn it she knew I hated those...” She nodded. “Yes... I thought it odd of her to do such a thing...but who am I to question her...” Her figure seemed to slump slightly, but when Copper moved towards her, she flinched and he stopped. “Do I truly look that bad?” he said, looking at her. “You...you look like the Nightmare...” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “The Nightmare that...” She shuddered. “That you tried to use to overthrow Celestia...” Copper finished and backed away. The Nightmare had been powerful and in Luna's sorrow, she had given herself to it. But it was too powerful for anypony. “And it almost succeeded...it was like watching it from somewhere far away...it was awful...” She stared down at the gear and then for the first time, looked around. She looked scared. “Oh Copper...you...” “Yes,” he said, sighing and laying down on the gear. “I am broken...they could not bring me all back... I need someone who is powerful.” Luna stared at him. “Like...Twilight Sparkle.” He nodded slowly. “Yes. Twilight Sparkle. That's the reason I wanted to talk to you.” Was it? Where was this coming from? Twilight had not been on his mind at all, but could she really bring him back all the way? She was very powerful, so he guessed that she could...but this made sense. It was like part of him was giving him ideas. The part he didn't have. “You think she can,” she glanced around and shuddered. “Fix you?” “Yes.” Can she? “She can. And she's probably the only pony besides you, or Celestia that could.” He expected the question that came next. “Then why can't I do it?” She moved towards him. “Let me help you Copper. I...I want to help.” He shook his head. “No...you have the power to do it, but I can't go to Equestria...” Wait, why not? What was stopping him? “In this state, Celestia would know I was there...” That made a lot of sense. This whole internal dialogue without any communication to outer dialogue was confusing him. Something told him that he should have known that. “And...I can't leave Equestria without something quite serious...” She sighed and put a hoof up to her head, rubbing it. “So we would have to figure out a way to get Twilight out of Equestria...” “Mhm.” He felt it best to simply lay there. “Somewhere where she would be excited to go...” Aquis. “Like Aquis.” “Aquis? There's some serious conflict of interests within the council there. No one there seems to be willing to negotiate with us. Celestia is becoming impatient.” She glanced around, the shadows here seemed so wrong. “Suggest she send Twilight. It will be a good experience with her and I'm sure that she can straighten things out.” He tried to smile, but it just didn't really work. “Give it a day or so... Get a message to Jeta...she'll help.” “I...” She glanced around again. “Alright. That sounds good...” “And please...don't tell Celestia I am here.” The pleading in his voice made him sound desperate, but she nodded and vanished. He stared at the spot where she had been. The whole place seemed so empty now. “Oh how touching...” said a sleek voice from behind him. Copper did not move, staring ahead at the spot. He just had to remember, that he was safe and warm. Nothing could hurt him or touch him here unless he let it. “Nightmare...” “Goodness. I have not seen a mind this cracked in a long time. What have you been up to?” A black swirl of smoke in the vague shape of a horse walked around, sitting in front of him where Luna had been. “Tad problematic at the moment...seems any old trash can just slip in.” He decided to sit up and stare it down. Two red eyes, or more accurately, lights, turned to face at him. “How rude. Here I come for a chat and I am treated so poorly? For shame, Copper.” He sighed and rubbed his face. “My apologies, Nightmare. I have not been having the best of days...” “Oh yes, I know.” Her voice took on a cheerful, yet still sleek, tone. “Dead four years and you get resurrected...” She waved a smoke hoof vaguely in the air. “That's what attracted me. So...oh so much dark magic...it was just too inviting. I'm surprised the Doctor even tried it. Just imagine...” She gathered a wistful look, or as wistful a look as a horse made of smoke can gather. “If I had just been a day earlier...it would have been the return of Nightmare to the world.” “Sorry to disappoint...” He hesitated. “Does the Doctor just know everypony?” “Oh he gets around. Even more than you do, surprisingly.” She seemed to slide towards him without leaving her sitting position. “But enough about him. Let's talk about you...and me?” She grinned at him. It looked like a mass of sharp pointed teeth clenched together. “There is no you and me.” “Oh but there can be...” She swirled around him, her face pausing in front of his. “You do not need to be fixed. I can fill the gaps...the cracks...the missing pieces...” “No thank you.” It was best to not even look at her, so he stared past her. “Come now...you want power, Copper. I have lots...it will be mutually beneficial. I can help you... I can take down Celestia... I have done it before...” The smoke would have choked him, but he stopped breathing. After all, he didn't need to. “You have nothing I want, Nightmare.” She frowned at him and was suddenly in front of him again in a whipping of smoke. “Fine.” She grinned again at him. “But my offer is still standing. It will always be here for you Copper...like it always has been, my love.” ~ His eyes snapped open and he took a deep breath. It took a moment for him to realize where he was, but the warmth of a body pressed against him was quick to remind him. He sighed and closed his eyes again. Damn Nightmare. She had lost near all her power when Twilight and her friends had used the Elements of Harmony and had banished her back to the world of sleep. No one had accepted her offer, or perhaps he was the only pony she had offered? … No, that would not be her way. That didn't sound like something she would do. She had to make it to as many ponies as she could, that way she could find a way back. But now he was just making excuses. He knew one thing, he didn't want anything to do with Nightmare. After all, it had been her that had tormented him for months.