//------------------------------// // Chapter Six // Story: Eternal Nightmare // by Jgame //------------------------------// I found myself standing at the gates of Canterlot. My sister was standing there, her face a frozen mask. Several guards stood behind her, equally as emotionless. “Go,” she said. “Why must I?” I asked. “Go,” she said again. “Where must I go?” I asked. My sister stuck out her hoof and pointed towards a hill in the distance surrounded by thick forest. Then she abruptly turned around and went back into Canterlot. I wanted to follow, but I somehow knew that I had to go to that hill. While I could have flown, I instead chose to trot through the moonlit forest. Trees rustled as I passed by and I felt the warm dirt under my hooves. After a few minutes, the forest cleared to reveal the moonlit hill. There was a shadowy figure, facing away from me. She had her head tilted upwards, admiring the night sky. I felt like I knew her, but I couldn’t quite tell who it was. The shadowy figure turned around, and I realized with horror why I knew her. I'd seen her in my reflection for over hundreds of years. “I’ve been waiting for you,” she said softly. I tried to teleport away, but my magic failed. I tried to fly, but my body felt like it was made of stone. So I ran instead, as her laughter filled my ears. A river that had not been there before blocked my path. Even with its raging rapids I could still hear the laughter. Steeling my courage, I jumped across, landed, and kept running. The forest, which before had been partially lit by moonlight, was pitch black. Something touched me, and I shrieked. The laughter in my ears only grew louder as I stood, finally paralyzed by fear. “It's rather rude, running away from an old friend like that,” the voice sneered. The voice echoed around the forest, as if there were several voices instead of one. “Begone,” I pleaded. Night Mare Moon gave a mocking gasp as she put her hoof to her chest dramatically. “I haven't even done anything yet. Why are you so scared? I'm your friend.” “Thou art my enemy.” “Am I? All I did... was do what you wanted.” “It was never my wish to do what you hath done.” “You said it, loud and clear to anypony who listened.” “I said nothing.” “Your mouth said nothing, but your thoughts were loud and clear to anypony who paid attention. Shame Celestia was too busy being high and mighty to notice our pain.” Any retort I had died in my throat. “Well,” Night Mare Moon chuckled, “I suppose I can let it drop for now. Sweet dreams.” The ground underneath me cracked, and I began to fall into endless darkness. I woke up, bolting upright. I closed my eyes and focused on my breathing while the hammering of my heart roared in my ears. I threw off the covers and got out of the bed. I opened the curtains to discover that it was still daytime. How long had I been asleep? A minute? A day? I strolled over to the door and opened it. Two guards, who previously had their backs to me, immediately spun around and knelt. “Princess Luna,” they greeted me in unison. “How long have I been at rest?” I asked them. “Three weeks,” one guard dutifully answered. Three weeks? While not much time to a pony that was not affected by old age such as me, it was still far more time than I expected. “Thank you,” I nodded. I noted that they had moved themselves directly in my path. “If thou would excuse me, I hath business to discuss,” I said. “I’m sorry, but we kinda have to keep you in here until further notice,” the second guard said. “Have you received any other orders of that nature?” I inquired. “I was instructed to inform Princess Celestia of when you woke up,” the first guard said. “See to it immediately,” I said as I retreated back to my quarters and shut the door. While I waited, I fixed my messy mane with a hairbrush. I had finished brushing and was starting to wonder if my sister was out doing something else with her time before I heard a knock at the door. “Enter,” I said. My sister opened the door, walked inside and gently closed the door. “Good morning, little sister,” she said cheerfully. “Good morning,” I said, much more drearily than I intended. My sister's smile shrank slightly. “Did you sleep well?” I went slightly ridgid at the word 'sleep.' “Erm, pardon?” Celestia blinked and then nodded her head slightly. “I said, did you sleep well?” I swallowed. “Of course. No nightmares, simply a longer rest than I thought.” My sister tilted her head in confusion. “I never said anything about nightmares. If there's anything that's bothering you, we can discuss it. You can trust me.” “I know.” “Luna. What's wrong?” “Nothing,” I said, my body rigid. “Is it Night Mare Moon?” I slowly nodded a defeated yes. “I thought so. What happened?” I bit my lip before admitting, “she appeared in my dreams.” Celestia breathed a sigh of relief. “Don't worry. It was just a dream. Your time as Night Mare Moon is over, dear sister.” I grinded my teeth. “Thou hath not changed.” “It's been one thousand years. A pony changes a lot in that amount of time.” “Hath you?” “I'd like to think I've grown wiser, and less apt to make mistakes.” “Keep deluding yourself, then. Night Mare Moon was in my dreams, and she was very clear that she fully intended on coming back.” “It's only a dream,” my sister said calmly, “she doesn't have any power over anypony in dreams.” “Who am I?” “Your sister.” “My title.” “Princess Luna,” Celestia said, the quizzical expression clear on her face. “My full title.” “Princess Luna, Ruler of the Night, and Traveler of...” “Dreams. I know the power of dreams better than anypony has or will. Used for good, they can turn an ordinary pony into a being that will not stop trying to achieve their dreams no matter what challenge or insult that bars their path. “Used against a pony, and it will slowly rob them of their wits, one by one, until a hopeless, cruel, and bitter husk is all that is left. “Do you know what transformed me into Night Mare Moon? It was a dream. A rather pleasant one, at first. It was a dream where ponies would laugh and play and stargaze in my night instead of simply sleeping it away. But I knew it was a pointless dream, so I tossed it away. But then, a voice began to whisper to me in my dreams. “'You can make this dream into a reality,' it said in a hushed whisper, over and over, every night. Then, another voice joined it too. 'I can give you everything you want.' They began to become less welcoming and more demanding, more insistent. I begged them to stop. I was beginning to slip away from reality, I knew, but I still couldn't do anything to stop it. “And then, harsher and more vicious voices than before, with harsher words. 'Why does one sister get attention, and you out in the cold?' 'You should overthrow Celestia. She doesn't deserve the throne, or even co-rule it. You would be much better on your own.' “And finally, it took away the last of my wits, drove me to utter madness, and that was the night I was christened as Night Mare Moon. “So if thou wishes to tell me that dreams are meaningless,” I said, “then there is little more I can do to persuade you. But I remain firmly in my convictions that dreams hath the power to tear me down, like they hath done once already. And t'will as long as I give the nightmare that power.” “Then, how do you stop giving that nightmare power?” “I need to stop being afraid of it.” “How do you intend on doing that?” my sister asked. I could only shook my head sadly. “I wish I knew.” “I suppose I was much too optimistic about your recovery.” “If I recall, you had fought me even though I was clearly the stronger pony of us two. I hardly place that in the realm of optimisim and more in the realm of foalishness.” “You lost the first time.” “With the Elements of Harmony at your disposal. The second time, they were broken relics. Why fight the second time?” I asked, curious to hear the answer. “It doesn't matter.” “One cannot say that the truth is important, only to shy away from the truth once it becomes inconvenient.” “I was hopeful that your banishment would bring you to your senses once you returned.” “You were willing to fight me in a honourable duel with the kingdom and it's subjects at stake for a vague hope?” “I also had a back-up plan.” In my mind's eye, I could begin to see the outline of a jigsaw puzzle, with the pieces slowly taking shape before me. “Twilight Sparkle. Your pupil, I suppose?” I asked. “Yes,” my sister confirmed reluctantly. “Where is she now?” “I allowed her to stay in Ponyville.” I remembered the pool of water on the Moon. I had seen her pupil before, but never in Ponyville. There was something vaguely amiss. “I was under the impression she studied under you in Canterlot," I asked, "when did this change?” “Two weeks ago,” my sister answered. She had an excellent poker face, but the tiny giveaways, the way her eyes moved, the subtle shift of weight onto the back legs, hadn't changed in spite of one thousand years. My sister was hiding something from me. I was determined to find out what. “If you do not mind my curiosity, why were you in Ponyville two weeks ago?” I asked, continuing my line of questioning. “There... was a celebration. One of Twilight's friends had wanted to throw the party sooner, yet I waited as long as I reasonably could for the celebration.” “Twilight Sparkle being in Ponyville was not a happy accident, was it?” “Didn't I mention I had a back-up plan?” my sister asked with forced humour. “I suppose you did. But why hide it?” “I wasn't hiding anything.” “Then why did you seem so nervous to tell me?” “I... had expected you to react worse to missing the celebration.” I laughed. “Yes, it was a shame I didn't have to face the town I single hoofedly terrorized.” “That was Night Mare Moon's work, not yours.” “What Night Mare Moon did was not your fault.” “Do they know that for certain? Will they believe me?” “I'm sure they will, with time.” My laughter died immediately. “Sister, even I do not believe that what Night Mare Moon did was not at least partially my fault. How much time and explanation will it take to convince them?” “They will. Someday.” “Mayhaps,” I said somberly, “Mayhaps not.” My sister took a deep breath, and changed the subject. “I need you to begin raising the moon as soon as you can.” I nodded, relieved that there was something we could agree on. “Of course. I'll commence tonight.” “Tonight?” My sister asked nervously. “Is there something wrong, big sister?” “Maybe... we should wait a week. Until we know you've fully recovered.” “My powers depend on my connection to the moon. For my recovery to be quick, 'twould be best to begin as quickly as possible.” A realization formed in my mind. I knew what she was hiding. “Unless thou does not trust me?” My sister bit her lip. “So you have changed. Into a hypocrite.” The eyes of my older sister narrowed at the accusation. “Excuse me?” “You insist on honesty from me, yet you seem hesitant to give me the truth.” “I've been completely honest with you, Luna. What is it you're talking about?” my sister asked, continuing her charade of stupidity. “First, thou insists on coddling me as if I were a small filly and telling me everything will be alright when only a fool would think it truly. “Second, you attempted to hide that I had missed a celebration that I had no interest in attending. “Third, just now, you tell me that I should recover as soon as possible, yet raising the moon, the first vital step to regaining my powers, you wish to 'wait a week,' and will not explain your reasons for your actions. Rather suspocious for one that I thought I could trust. “And you have also posted guards to ensure I do not leave my room... I took a breath before asking, “so if thou are not hiding the truth from me, what is thou hiding?” “I... I...” my sister stammered, “You have the nerve to tell me that I'm the one in the wrong? Even after Night Mare Moon?” “When thou deceives me in one breath and tell me that thou wishes the truth in the other, then yes! Thou is the one in the wrong!” “I wish you'd never come back from the Moon. I can rule without somepony arguing with me,” my sister growled. “A mutual agreement, then,” I spat. Celestia stormed out of my room, slamming the doors shut as she left.