The Affection of Princess Nightmare Moon
Part 5: Hearts and Hooves Day, Bandaid!
Princess Celestia sighed aloud, stretched out on her giant fluff pillow. She peered outside at Canterlot, beyond her balcony. There were streamers of white, pink, and red between every open space in the city. Hearts had been pasted up in windows. Flower shops had quadrupled their prices. Love confessions and consumations were abound. It was Hearts and Hooves Day. The Day Princess knew she had to stay in her room, though. It was the law.
Each of the five children of Faust had a holiday. Princess Celestia had the Summer Sun Celebration. Princess Nightmare Moon had Nightmare Night. Discord had April Fool’s Day. Chrysalis had the Day of the Dead. Princess Cadance, of course, had Hearts and Hooves Day. But, there was a rule to all this celebration. If it was not your holiday, you were to stay out of sight. Celestia did not celebrate Nightmare Night, Chrysalis did not swoon for Hearts and Hooves Day, Nightmare Moon most certainly did not bask in the light of the summer sun celebration, and so on. Each of those respective holidays were to be about one of the gods (or pseudo-gods, in Chrsyalis’ case), and the others had to hide themselves out of respect. So, just for that day, Princess Cadance was the only Princess in all of Equestria.
Celestia decided that the best thing to do was just to spend the day in her room, out of sight. She would no doubt find a small mountain of Hearts and Hooves Day mail the next day, outside her room, but for now she wasn’t allowed to even stick her head out. It was Cadance’s day, after all, and she would respect it as such. She sighed once more, tilting her head when she heard approaching hoofsteps.
“We’re here by her majesty’s summons.” said a smooth-as-silk male voice. Celestia’s smile grew as she heard papers being given to her guards. “I assume everything is in order?” The voice positively oozed smooth-jazz background music, so much so that Celestia shifted her back legs a bit. You know, to be more comfortable back there. The white alicorn heard the guards grunt their admission, and the double doors swung gently inward.
Three stallions entered the room. A milky-white Pegasus with the eyes of a doe, a studly-looking earth pony with stubble on his chin, and last but not least a unicorn with shorn fetlocks and a flushed expression of shyness on his face. Together, they made up Celestia’s private harem. She only summoned them on the four holidays that were not her own, but they always knew to come and keep her company.
“Ah, I’m glad you could all come.” Celestia smiled when all three bowed and shut the door behind him. “You brought something new this time, I hope?” the white alicorn leaned to see their saddlebags.
“Of course, Princess.” said the doe-eyed Pegasus. Turning and flipping open his bag, he pulled a thin chapter book from it. “I found The Boxcar Fillies this time around, I thought you might like something adventurous.” He smiled. Celestia smiled in delight, going to lay in front of her hearth and relax. The earth pony and unicorn settled on either side of her, and she lowered her head to a resting pillow. While the Pegasus read to her in a quiet, silky voice, the other two stallions massaged her and brushed her mane. It was kind of cute, the three stallions thought, that one of Celestia’s secret little desires was to be groomed and read aloud to.
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Nightmare Moon grumbled, pacing impatiently back and forth in her high-ceiling’d room. She’d forgot all about Hearts and Hooves Day. She’d made plans to present Bandaid with her gift, but she couldn’t go out today at all. And of course she would be one of the four ponies in all of creation that could not go out and give a gift on the day devoted to love and affection.
Seizing a waiting wine glass, she downed it easily before returning to her massive mahogany desk. Her new night sky was almost done, after months of careful work and revising. The huge strings of numbers and angles and equations would paint a sky so beautiful mortal ponies would weep! Sighing and setting the empty glass down next to herself, she rested her chin in her hoof. She counted the ceiling beams for the tenth time (still thirteen), then tapped her hoof for a while. She couldn’t help it, she was fidgety being confined like this. She couldn’t concentrate on her work.
Reaching into a drawer, she pulled out what looked like a wedding ring box. Flipping it open, she stared at the little plastic figurine inside. Silverstreak the Slayer would surely please Bandaid very much, if Nightmare could ever get her hooves on him again! Giving a gift the day after Hearts and Hooves Day seemed sort of rude, and having it delivered wasn’t good enough for the night time princess. She wanted to give it to him herself. Leaning, she set the little box on her desk and stared at it. Sulking a little over the disasterous ‘first date’ they’d had, she tried to think of something better. Clearly extravagant dinners, royal theatre boxes and the like were a bit much for the poor thing. Starting smaller would have to be key. The little plastic mare was a good start, but what else? Hmm…
There was a knock at her door. Nightmare stood, frowning. Who would come to bother her on such a day? “Enter!” she said, grouchily reaching for the throwing knife she kept strapped on the underside of her desk. She wouldn’t aim for the head, just to the left of it to scare whoever it was off.
Bandaid stuck his head meekly in, smiling in his coy and coltish way. Nightmare’s heart lifted, soaring high into the black heavens of the night! He’d come to visit her! “Heya.” He said lamely, tucking his ears when a guard snapped the door shut behind him. “I remembered a little while ago that only Princess Cadance gets to run things today, s-so I thought I would drop in.”
“Joyous day!” Nightmare said, stepping around the desk with the knife in her hoof. He jolted to a halt, looking frightened. “Uh? Oops.” She mumbled, looking down at it. With an off-hoofed toss, she launched the eight-inch blade into the ceiling. The stone split and it stayed there. “Forgive me, I was just… fidgeting most of the day.” She swept forward to embrace him. He smiled a little shakily, but hugged her back.
“Er, these are for you.” Bandaid said, fishing into his saddlebag. He gave her a wrapped plant, encased in a little plastic dome. Nightshade! It was a nightshade plant. The blossoms were quite poisonous, but black and purple as the mare herself. Nightmare chuckled, delighted. Turning, she set it on her desk to admire them. Though she could never touch them, they were certainly lovely. “I thought you might like that.” He brightened when he saw her expression.
A powerful urge to kiss him boiled up inside Nightmare, and she leaned aggressively as her wings opened in a powerful display. He eeped a little shyly, and she ended up pecking his cheek instead. Catching herself quickly, she backed up and turned aroun. “I acquired something for thee as well, I am glad thou came!” she turned and plucked the little box from her desk. Turning around, she knelt down to give it to him.
Bandaid’s eyes got big and soft. “Ohhhh Nightmare…” he whispered, staring at the little plastic figurine. “Th-that’s… that’s so nice!” he said in an awed voice. His eyes lidded like he might cry, and he stared at it like a pony of the cloth might stare at a holy relic. He reached out as though to touch it, but couldn’t even bring himself to do that. “She’s so pretty!” he whispered, his muzzle pressing up against the little box. “How did you know?”
“Oh-well-I…” Nightmare Moon fished for an answer. “I saw it and uh… picked the right one, I suppose!” she liiiiiiied. She lied like a snake. While embracing him, she made a mild gesture with her magic. Her draconic eyes betrayed mischief as the stealthiest guards the palace had to offer slipped into the room behind the brown stallion.
“That’s really nice of you.” Bandaid leaned, pressing the gift between them and nuzzling her. Tucking his head under her chin because she was so much taller, Bandaid gave a pleasant little murr of happiness. “I was sure you might buy a monster cake, or have me kidnapped and brought to your bed, or something silly like that…” he chuckled merrily.
Nightmare’s eyes widened. The guards that had snuck into the room with ribbon-rope froze. They three of them exchanged looks. “W-well that would be very silly, would it not?” she said, holding him in place while they retreated.
“I know, I know, you’re better than that. You’ve matured a little, I think.” Bandaid clucked, nodding. “I know things were a little rocky at first, but I thought maybe… maybe we could give things another try.” The brown stallion said in a coltish sort of way. Panicking and clinging to Bandaid, Nightmare made a harsh gesture with her head. The trio of night guards carefully wheeled away the heart-shaped bed that had been hidden around the corner from her majesty’s room. The hug the goddess and the stallion shared grew to awkward length as a cello player was snuck past, along with a rack of mare’s lingerie and a bottle of expensive wine. “It means a lot to me that you didn’t try to overdo it.” Bandaid said, smiling affectionately.
“Right, eheheh…” Nightmare breathed a sigh of relief when all the evidence had been vanished away. Plucking the little figurine from its box, she gave it to him. He balanced it on his muzzle, smiling grandly. Putting it on the desk next to them, Bandaid turned and leaned up a bit. She was too tall! He looked vulnerable, so she quickly bent her knees to make herself look shorter. Leaning, the awkward stallion kissed her cheek.
“Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, sister.” Bandaid said, eyes flickering green for a split-second.
“…wat.”
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Nurse Bandaid punched out from his afternoon shift, wondering if he should visit Princess Nightmare Moon. Their first date had been, well, a bit rocky. Maybe that didn’t count and he should give her another chance? He knew there was a loveable mare in there somewhere. Yes. Yes, sure why not? She could be a very good pony when she tried. One more date, that would help him decide if he could maybe be her ‘royal coltfriend.’ He chuckled a little, shaking his head. Royal coltfriend! It sounded silly, hahaha!
Turning, he bent to get his saddlebag and medical pack. Sliding it onto himself and popping open his personal bag, he eyed the tiny box of chocolates. Well, it wasn’t much, but it wasn’t like there was anything he could get for Princess Nightmare she couldn’t get for herself. A box of nine chocolates was more about the gesture than anything, right? He didn’t know. He’d never had a marefriend before. Mares liked chocolates and flowers, right? Ah well, he’d see how it went over.
Walking down the massive corridor, Bandaid bowed to Court Vizier Twilight Sparkle as she cantered past. My, wasn’t she in a merry mood? She nodded in acknowledgement to him as she went by, a pink rose tied in her tail. My my. She had a date, then. White roses on a mare’s tail meant a she was single, pink meant dating, and red meant wedded on Hearts and Hooves Day. Good for her. When Celestia’s adopted daughter had turned the corner, he straightened and turned to look out an extravagant window. The day was certainly a perfect one for the festival of love. The sky was blue. The birds were singing—
The tallest tower of the palace exploded on one side, sending an avalanche of stone and glass down the mountainside! “Ah, Nightmare…” he face-hoofed. Suddenly a giant black pony fell out of the sky, skidding upon the ground and bumping into him. Queen Chrysalis! Bandaid froze like a deer in headlights for several long seconds. She turned her head to look at him, then grinned in recognition. Her horn ignited as her black carapace began to blush brown. “No you don’t!” Bandaid tackled her with all his foalish might. They tumbled ass-over-tea-kettle until he landed, straddled, over her. “Not this time!” The meek stallion’s inner, hidden temper snapped. His earth pony strength coiled and he brought his hooves down on her.
Chrysalis yelped when her head bounced off the marble floor while he laid into her. Wiggling back and forth furiously, she found her wings pinned. He was heavy for such a weak, mortal thing! Snarling, she bit his ankle. He yapped like a mare, then head-butted her fiercely. Chryalis shrieked, her eyes in swirls while they struggled back and forth. She tried to telekinesis him away, but with all his blows she couldn’t get the concentration to use magic.
Nightmare Moon exploded into the hallowed hall, crashing through a window. Landing with all her god-like authority, she bared her fangs with fiery eyes as glass rained around her. Her two royal guards were hot on her hooves, landing on either side of her and ready for battle. “HOW DAREST THOU SHOW THY FACE IN THE VISAGE OF--- my… love?” She’d stumbled onto the scene of the real Bandaid beating the hell out of Chrysalis.
“And this! And this! And this!” There was something about the meek stallion’s rage that made him shake and quiver with fear. It was as though the terror of his nightmares had driven him to madness, and now all he could do was try to beat her down. Nightmare stared open-mouthed, as did her two guards. She slowly sat down on her haunches. While Bandaid swore and flailed and did his very best to bludgeon Chrysalis to death with his bare hooves, the night time goddess could only gape at him. This was the same fury she’d seen on Nightmare Night. That weird, hidden little temper of his. “And-this-and-this-and-this-and-this!” he was flailing wildly, foaming at the mouth and red in the face. His muscles were already overclocked and he wasn’t breathing properly. “Huwhhh! Hwahh! Huhhfff! Huff! Hff! HFF!” like an over-weighted beast of burden Bandaid began to slow down.
A desperate ache rose in Nightmare’s wings. *POMPH*! One of her guards was not fast enough, and was literally knocked down by the royal wingboner. This was so hot. She couldn’t help it. To see Bandaid unhinged like that, beating Chrsyalis no less, it was arousing.
A couple of white feathers floated by Nightmare’s vision, and she turned her head. In a shower of golden sparks, fresh from teleporting, stood Princess Celestia. She was frowning severely. Lighting her horn, she lifted the fierce nurse from atop the Changeling Queen. Floating him through the air as he began to burn out from his rage mode, she set him down in front of Nightmare Moon. “Take him.” Celestia said gently. Nightmare slung a long, slender leg about Bandaid’s shoulder as he flopped back onto his haunches. He was sweaty, hot, and exhausted. The poor thing looked woozy from his onslaught. The white alicorn cleared her throat a little. “From your letter, Chrysalis, I was hoping you would come after Hearts and Hooves Day. You do know that Cadance could have all three of us arrested for showing our faces in public, yes?” The sun Princess said with disapproval. “I didn’t think you would go to torment Nightmare some more, either.”
“It was just a bit of fun.” Chrysalis sat up, grinning widely. She was nursing a mild cut on her lip and nothing else. Strong though Bandaid was as an earth pony, he could not harm the Changeling Queen in her true form. “I’m sorry.” She tittered, not at all sorry. Celestia lifted her powerful wings in a rather aggressive gesture. Nightmare flinched, lowering both her wings to shield Bandaid. If a solar wind suddenly rushed through the hallway, it was turn every living thing out in the open to cinders.
“Your prank is not appreciated.” Celestia said. “If you want to visit us, you will follow the rules of our home. That means not playing such tricks on my sister.” The white alicorn came close as Chrysalis found her hooves again. Though they were the same height, the sun princess more than towered over the changeling. “You’re my guest, I’ve already told Nightmare that you’ll stay away from her. You’ll stay with me, or not stay at all.” She laid down the law. Their long horns cross briefly, an audible crackle of magic passing between them. Celestia was by far the superior, but it didn’t keep Chrysalis from poking the tiger to see how fierce it could be.
“I appreciate you receiving me.” Chrysalis said, standing regal at last. “You know it is not my kind’s way to walk through the front gate. I couldn’t resist!” she chuckled a little. “But very well, I won’t leave your sight the whole time I am here.” she promised.
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Bandaid felt a velvety warmth pressed around him. His eyes fluttered and he turned, his body aching and muscles screaming at him. How could he bear to have done that? He was an introverted healer, not a fighter. He’d just… just freaked out suddenly, and his body couldn’t keep up. Blushing miserably, he sat up on his belly a little to study his surroundings.
He was in Nightmare’s bed, he’d recognize those purple velvet sheets anywhere. Bandaid opened his mouth to complain at a big lump next to him, but found it to be pillows and not the alicorn herself. Leaning, he pushed the curtain of the bed aside, fearing what he might see. The tower had been blown open on one side, right? But no. No, he peered out and found the room perfectly intact. “Nuhh?” he called loudly as his voice would allow. Apparently screaming had destroyed his voice as well, he was usually so soft-spoken. He tried again, a bit louder that time. “Nuhhh?” He couldn’t call out to the Princess. Rubbing his throat sorely, he sagged.
The sound of hoof-steps turned his head. Princess Nightmare had heard him stirring from the couch. She looked exhausted. She must’ve fixed the tower by magic. Even for an alicorn, that must’ve been very taxing. It didn’t take Bandaid long to surmise that she’d given him the bed and curled up on the couch herself. “Bandaid.” She whispered, smiling a little. He looked panicked, and she lifted a hoof. “Relax, my sister has Chrysalis.” Coming to the bedside, she touched his chest and bobbed her head. He gurgled a little, but couldn’t speak. He’d really overdone it. There was a long, rather tender silence as she knelt next to the bed. “That was very stupid. And very brave. I saw thou fight Chrysalis by thy lonesome.” She said, cocking her head in a scolding way. He looked to one side silently, red in the cheeks. Leaning to the bedside table, she got him a glass of water from the waiting pitcher. He drank eagerly, gasping a little while he gulped. She set the glass aside when he was done.
“My saddlebag?” he asked. She leaned to one side and gave it to him. Inside was a smooshed little box of seven chocolates (it used to be nine, but two were missing now). He smiled a little miserably, giving it to her. “H-happy Hearts and Hooves Day.” He mumbled, turning his ears back.
Nightmare opened it and peered inside. Chuckling a little, she turned her head and pointed her horn. It lit up with gentle magicks. Smiling in a rather sideway fashion, she deposited a little pile of plastic pieces onto his bed. She’d wanted to repair it like she had the tower, but it was so small, the paints had melted over themselves and she couldn’t quite remember exactly what it had looked like when it was new. “Happy Hearts and Hooves Day, dear Bandaid.” She whispered, hanging her head a little and smiling at him.
The stallion puzzled over what his gift was supposed to be, but soon gave up and put the plastic bits on the bedside table. He reached for her, smiling warmly. The alicorn grinned with all her terrifying fangs and leaned into him. They embraced quietly. Nightmare purred.
End of Part 5