//------------------------------// // Chapter 11: Havoc // Story: I wish, I hope, I dream, I pray // by TNBi //------------------------------// Star Swirl had gone away, and Princess Celestia had gone along with him. In the empty dreamscape, only light and shadow remained. Princess Luna and Snowdrop stood there; they were the only ponies left. Neither of them spoke anything for a long period. Finally, it was Luna who worked up her nerves to speak first. “It was all my fault… I ruined everything. I didn’t have the power to realize your wishes, and I only fabricated an illusion for you… then it all broke down right here, right when you thought your life could be happier than before… I have totally failed you. I’m… so useless. If only I had more power to —” Before she could say anything more, the little filly had rushed to her to hold her tightly. “No, princess, you haven’t failed me! You did make my wish come true! It was you who opened up my eyes, and allowed me experience the joy to be able to see! It doesn’t matter if it’s in real life or in a dream, the joy is all the same…” Snowdrop said as she uncontrollably sobbed, “Even if I couldn’t see ever again, I’ll always be grateful for what you’ve done for me! All I wish is that… you could come to visit me sometime… if you’re free… So that we could have small talks in reality… just like in dreams.” Her voice was wavering; she wasn’t prepared for such a sudden parting at all. “I promise it shall be done. This time for sure, I promise…” Luna answered her little friend’s wish, but then stopped in mid-sentence. She froze for a moment, as if she lost herself. “No… wait, there may be another way for us.” she said. Her words puzzled Snowdrop, who let loose and looked up. The young filly was surprised to discover her Princess was staring into the distance disorientedly, with a somehow very grim expression on her face. “Princess Luna?” she asked. “I remember there’s another way to enhance my powers. As long as I’m strong enough to sustain all the burdens a dream brings upon you, I can keep this dreamscape going without risking your life.” “But Princess Luna — what are you going to do?” Just as she asked, everything she saw started to waver again — the dream was ending. “I haven’t lost yet!” Luna called out as the dream started to fade away, her voice was determined, as if making a promise. “There is another way! I won’t let it end like this!!” “Princess Luna!!” Snowdrop sat up from her bed — she couldn’t see a thing again, and she realized that she had already woken up into reality. She felt her stomach twisting, her mind racing, and she was scared. She couldn’t forget that last scene she saw from the dream — it was the expression of Princess Luna. It looked terribly grave… as if she had the determination to try something desperate. What did the Moon Princess plan to do? Snowdrop hadn’t the slightest idea. All she could do was pray with all her heart, that nothing bad would come along before she could meet Princess Luna one last time in her dream. Life, however, always go against one’s wishes. Soon afterwards, Equestria was meeting one of its most grim situations. She couldn’t see, but from the agitated chatter of other ponies, Snowdrop learned what had happened: there was a strange change in the sky, that the bright day turned suddenly into night, and the Sun high above was gone, replaced by a pale Moon glowing. What was even more peculiar, the Moon didn’t move one single bit after long hours, without a sign of breaking dawn and the Sun rising. Just as everypony in Cloudsdale was puzzled and worried at the situation, an urgent message from the ground reached their ears: The castle in Everfree Forest had fallen! That breaking news brought a shock to all of Cloudsdale. Who did it? Who could have conquered the castle where both princesses live in, and most importantly, why? The castle itself as well as the two princesses were the sign of the three races' unity; could there be some conspiracy behind this vile happening, aiming to break the bonds between the pony races? Or, could it be the demon named Discord, who once ruined the peaceful world by bringing chaos upon it — had he broken free from the seal? Soon enough, all their questions were answered — for that very night, that night that lasted all day long, every pony still had to sleep. When they did, all of them, including Snowdrop, had one same dream… The little blue filly opened her eyes to find she was in a forest unknown to her. The moon and the stars were high in the sky, and far in the dark woods stood the silhouette of a magnificent castle. Even though it was her first time seeing it, she could absolutely tell that it was the fallen castle ponies were talking about -- it's the castle in the Everfree Forest, the very castle where the Princesses live in. Please, Princess Luna, please be all right… She thought as she walked along the path to the castle, wanting to confirm her concerns. But then, up on one of the balconies in the towers walked out a pony. Her coat was deep black. There was a horn on her head, and wings on her sides, and a set of cold armor clutched tightly to her head and body. Under the purple eyelids were her turquoise colored eyes that looked exactly like a dragon's. Yet to Snowdrop's biggest surprise, the cutie mark on that pony was too familiar — wasn't that… How come she had that cutie mark?! "All my loyal subjects, heed my call!" the black pony announced in a loud tone, "I, am, Luna! From now on, I will be the one and only ruler and queen of all of Equestria! And I order you to address me by my new name — Nightmare Moon!" Snowdrop couldn't believe either her ears or eyes. She really was... Princess Luna?! But how did she become like this? Why would she declare that she was the one and only ruler and queen of Equestria? What happened to Princess Celestia? The answers reached her ears in the next moment. "I hereby order all the ponies accept my dominance willingly, for from now on, there will be no sun shining in the sky! The night of Equestria will last forever! Anyone who dares to defy me will be imprisoned along with Celestia and Starswirl, and soon meet their ultimate doom! Now, prepare your most loyal welcome to your new queen's grand opening! Mwahahaha!!" Her cackling laughter pierced Snowdrop's heart like a cold and shrilly knife. The dream had once again started to waver again; it wouldn’t last long. "No! Wait… Princess Luna!" Snowdrop jumped up from her bed, only to find she was having her unseeing eyes again. She was so depressed… what in the name of Equestria had happened to The Princess of the Night? From that day onward, Cloudsdale had started to prepare for war. The councils here refused to obey Nightmare Moon's orders, for none of the ponies would accept to live in a night that lasts without an end. All across the land, resistance forces were uprising; they formed volunteer armies and declared war on Nightmare Moon. It was only the beginning, for Nightmare Moon's powers were far beyond their imagination — ever since the ponies started to rebel against her reign, when they’d close their eyes to fall asleep, there was a nightmare ahead, awaiting in their most dreaded form — none of them were quite the same, yet they all represented the worst possible experiences for each of those dreaming. The nightmares seemed so real, striking at the ponies’ weaknesses deep inside, dealing the fatal blow to their minds, scaring them awake from their restless slumber screaming, terrified and panting, not daring to close their eyes again. The resulting lack of sleep soon took tolls on them, making them easily weary and unable to fight. Somehow, Snowdrop was the only one spared. She wasn't affected by the nightmare magic, and her dreams were at peace, although without any visual at all. It seemed as if Nightmare Moon was intentionally keeping her from the curse, but she didn't feel any better for it, only more confused, heartbroken and guilty. Why are you doing this? Princess Luna, why would you put so many ponies in such agony? Was it for my sake? I don't want any of it! Make it stop, please, I beg you! Snowdrop was screaming inside. She had so much to tell the Princess, but she couldn't deliver them -- Princess Luna had never come to her dreams again. Then, there returned a Pegasus soldier from the front, intact, but apparently terrified. The ponies soon learned what had happened on the battlefield through his hysterical, broken sentences — In order to effectively assault the Pegasi race who rebelled against her reign, Nightmare Moon had created her own air forces: the Nightlings — the horrible creatures converted from ponies, with bat-like wings and reptile-like golden eyes and narrow pupils. Their strength was unmeasurable; so were their speed. But the real disadvantage was their toxic body fluids, imbued by the curse Nightmare Moon cast upon them — for any other winged creature, getting bitten by a Nightling only meant an inevitable, painful death. His entire battalion had fallen in the encounter with the Nightlings; all but him. It wasn’t luck that he had escaped the bloody bath in one piece — they let him go on purpose, to let him carry the shocking news back home to everyone. The situation turned grim day by day: all the soldiers were exausted from the haunting nightmares, the climate became colder in the eternal night, and the Nightlings never ceased to advance toward the Pegasi’s homeland. Tidings of defeat kept coming from the front, and all the grown stallions were drafted to fill in the empty positions in the army. All of these things made Snowdrop feel that the world she knew and love was falling apart — all she could hear was the ponies in the once peaceful community bidding goodbye to each other and weeping at their possible eternal parting. Earlier that day, Cumulo Nimbus went to her blind friend wailing, saying that her father would soon go to the frontlines to stall the enemy. She also told her that even Cirrus had been taken to the army involuntarily right in the early morning, to fill in the increasing gaps. Even Snowdrop was the one that didn’t have bad dreams at all, she felt as if she was living one — fighting a losing war, separated from family and friends — why must all come to this? Such a life is a living nightmare, the worst dream she had ever had, one that lasts even when awake. Will it ever end? She wondered, but didn’t know. Then, she felt some unnamable power incoming from far away… It felt strange at first, but somehow very familiar. Then there’s warmth, warmth thawing her freezing coat from the everlasting night, it felt just like the sunshine she used to know… And then she heard cheering and praising rise from all around. Could it be the end of the night? The answer came shortly afterwards, in the news brought from the ground: Leading the imprisoned soldiers along with them, Princess Celestia and Star Swirl the Bearded broke free from within the dungeons below the Everfree Castle, and took it back from its nocturnal guards. She defeated Nightmare Moon, and banished her permanetly to the moon. When the Sun finally rose, the Nightlings’ wings vaporized into thin air, and their strengths drastically waned. It was the turnabout of the war — they were no match for the Pegasi any longer, and were driven back into the dark shadows. … That was their victory, as sudden and unexpected as it came. Amongst the excitedly cheering crowds, Snowdrop fell to the floor in a heap, dumbstruck at the news. Her living nightmare had ended, but she didn’t have any mood for celebration. Now all she could think of was that Nightmare Moon had been banished permanently to the moon. Banished. To the Moon. Permanently. She could never have a chance to see Princess Luna again — could she?