Only an hour had passed and a great deal of searching had been made, but to no avail. Twilight closed the book she was looking at and swapped it for another, setting the book onto a pile of more books that she had already gone through. No sooner had Twilight placed the book on the pile; Nightmare, who was sitting next to her, would correct its placement making sure that the pile was perfectly even. Twilight took notice of this only because he had done this five times already and just to see what would happen, Twilight placed the book she had just opened onto the pile and Nightmare corrected it without fail.
“Are you going to do that to every book in this pile?” Twilight spoke.
“A little OCD never hurt anypony.” Nightmare replied.
“OCD?”
“Obsessive compulsive disorder.”
Twilight look at Nightmare quizzically.
“I’m sorry if you’re not familiar with the term. Should I explain?”
Twilight shook her head, “No it’s not that, I know what it is but, it’s just you don’t seem like the type to have a disorder is all.”
“I actually don’t have OCD, medically anyway.”
Nightmare sighed. “Sometimes the people I used to know and I would just be OCD about random things.”
Nightmare put a hoof to his forehead, “Great now I’m starting to remember some of the completely random things I've heard from conversations.”
Rarity overheard this and asked “What where they darling?”
Nightmare started to ponder one of the best lines that he had overheard throughout the years, from what little he could remember that is. “Let’s see there was, ‘Wait so you’re telling me that there are enough bones in a body to make a skeleton.’”
Pinkie Pie couldn't help but laugh at this, accompanied with giggles from every pony else. Rainbow dash began to speak as the laughter started to die down “That is funny and all but did things like that really come up in conversation?”
“Yes quite often actually.”
Rainbow Dash gave Nightmare a challenging look, “How often exactly?”
Nightmare didn’t say a thing, but began to count down with his hoof starting with three, two, and one.
“That pineapple was our love child, you don’t even know!” Shouted a guard, from out in the hallway.
Apple Jack closed her eyes and asked. “Can somepony please tell me if I heard what I think I just heard?”
Nightmare had a huge grin streaked across his face. “Well if you think that you just heard one of the palace guards state that he is in a relationship with another and that they have a pineapple for a love child, plus another pony who doesn't even understand the situation at all then yes it’s exactly what you thought you heard.”
All Apple Jack could do was raise her hooves into an, I give up position, because she could not give a worded response to this.
“Alright now that we know it is possible to be more random than Pinkie Pie, as hard to believe as that sounds may we get back to searching for anything that may help?” Twilight butted in.
“Sure thing Twilight, now where is the conjuration section?” Nightmare said rubbing his hooves.
“Why conjuration?” Twilight asked.
“You know, just checking for conjuring disasters and some casual light reading is all.” Nightmare said with an innocent smile.
Celestia rose from her seat and with a stern voice, “Although your reasoning is clear, that type of magic is one of the most forbidden and even though the door to that section is behind me I and I alone am the only one who can open it.”
With the finale air of those words leaving Celestias lips, a knocking came from the door in subject. Everypony turned to look at the door, but it was the only way into that section and the door was still covered in ages of dust that was still undisturbed.
The knocking continued as Celestia approached the door. She slowly reached her hoof out towards the knob and her horn started to glow as she prepared the release spell for use, a voice came from behind the door.
“Can somepony open the door for me I have my hooves full here?” Nightmare asked from the other side of the door.
All of the ponies looked back to see that Nightmare was not in his seat, but indeed behind the door. Celestia opened the door and greeted Nightmare with an annoyed look. “I tell you that the magic is forbidden and you still want to casually learn it?”
Nightmare simply stated, “Yes.”
The two alicorns stared each other down until Celestia, knowing that Nightmare wouldn't abuse the magic for trust was in his eyes, gave up. “Okay fine, but how did you get past the powerful spell that I had placed on the door.”
“I didn't break the spell on the door, but there are some loose bricks in the wall.” Nightmare said placing the books down on the table.
Celestia didn't say anything, she only face-hoofed at the realization of the flaw in the spell. As Nightmare picked up the first book on the pile, a piece of paper fell from in between the books. Spike quickly picked up the paper saying, “I've got it Nightmare.”
Before Spike handed the paper back to Nightmare, he examined it. “A music sheet, but why would this be in conjuration and this doesn't sound like a pony’s name?”
Nightmare looked over, “Really, what is the name Spike?”
“Top Hat Skull, but why would a skull be wearing a top hat?”
“Let me take a look Spike.” Nightmare said taking the music sheet as spike happily handed it over. Nightmare began to chuckle to himself.
“What’s so funny?” Spike asked.
“Well Spike, Top Hat Skull was one of many pen names used by my grandfather and this was in the conjuration section probably because of its title, which sounds right since its titled Waking Thy Dead.”
“You can wake the dead?!” Spike said starting to freak.
“No Spike, although the title is a metaphor, it is use to let others know of the songs purpose. In fact this isn't the songs original title, but I digress.”
Rarity closed the book she had. “What does those it sound like?”
Nightmare looked towards the sky. “It’s the most beautiful sound that I have ever heard. I remember hearing it growing up and thinking of how it was sung in the multiple languages of the world. I always wondered if individuals could come together and make something so lovely, why couldn't the world just come together for a better tomorrow?”
“Was it really so beautiful?” Rarity asked resting her head on her hoof.
A frown formed upon Nightmares face. “Yes it was and I hope none of you ever have to hear it.”
This took every one in the room by surprise. Nopony could figure out why Nightmare didn't want them to hear the song. Luna finally asked why. “Why would you not want us to hear the song?”
“Well Luna, the song is only to be used in a last case scenario and if everypony heard it, then they would want to hear it, over and over until it would hold no more power. Even my grandfather only heard it sparingly.”
Luna began to wonder. “What would have to happen for you to use it?”
“Well Luna, all of Equestria would have to be at war for you to hear it.”
Everypony in the room held their breath at the thought of Equestria having to be at war just to hear a single song.
Celestia with a concerned voice spoke, “Why would such a thing be within our world if it was from yours?”
“Well Celestia, My grandfather knew that in the wrong hands/hooves that this song would have dire consequences, but he also knew that it would be wrong to hide it away from the world. However to the exact details as to how this wound up in Equestria, I don’t know.” Nightmare said shaking his head.
Celestia tried to ponder the decision that Nightmare’s grandfather had made, but couldn't for it was a very unusual decision. She had to ask Nightmare, “That appears to seem make very little sense. If the song was as powerful as you say, then I would understand if it was locked away, but to give it freely to everyone is well… very odd.”
“Yes even when you yourself said that if every civilian heard it, the song would lose its power?” Luna added.
Nightmare nodded in agreement, “Indeed I see where your concerns bloom from, but there are things that I must explain. First, he didn’t want to hide it, because he had learned that it was wrong to hide information from any followers. This lesson was taught by one of the great empires that ruled his world. For you see they had done just that, but they had grown quite greedy and had kept vast amounts of information for themselves. The information would have been harmless if they had revealed it in the first place. However by doing this the citizens grew no trust for their leaders, but were placed into a situation where they could do nothing to oppose them and only received the punishment for their leader’s actions.”
“In the end the civilians suffered, but even so wouldn't there be situations where it is wise to with-hold information?” Celestia argued.
“Exactly!” Nightmare shot back, “I am actually in full agreement with you, although it should only be done sparingly at best.”
Celestia thought upon this and then nodded in agreement. Luna on the other hoof still had some concerns. “Indeed it is best to be honest with others, such is the way of Apple Jack here.”
Apple Jack’s ears perked to attention when she realized she was being referenced.
“Still how could your grandfather be sure that the song wouldn't fall into the wrong hooves, I mean hands? Jeez this is getting confusing.” Luna questioned.
Nightmare giggled slightly, “Well Luna he gamble on the fact that if they freely had the song then they would ignore it.”
Twilight shook her head, “I’m sorry Nightmare, but there doesn't seem to be any grounds for that to actually work realistically.”
Nightmare scratched his chin, “Noted, but for my next explanation it needs to be known that due to the decay of my world there was constant war.”
“Alright, go on.” Twilight said
“Well although it would appear that this idea wouldn't work, it was actually a very common sight. However the first account starts hundreds to even thousands of years before my time. There was a man and with all the knowledge he possessed he… well, he perfected war.” Nightmare said unsure of how the others would react.
“War p-perfected?” Twilight stuttered.
“Indeed and if one would take a look through the history that we have recorded, any instance where this process was followed, the lessons that it taught ring true without fail for countless examples.” Nightmare stated.
“If all of the regions of your world were at war and with it being perfected the results would be devastating.”Celestia commented.
“Indeed it would be if they actually bothered to follow his lessons.” Nightmare stated firmly.
“Just think of it, if they were to simple follow the lessons that I’m assuming they had relatively easy access to the results would be most devastating.” Luna said.
“Yes it would be very devastating, but you know what?” Nightmare said with a grin and a chuckle. “It was so easy to just look up. As easy as walking over and picking up a book, but from your ignorance you didn't give two bits about it.” Nightmare said more too himself than any of the ponies in the room.
Nightmare’s grin turned to a frown as he looked towards the floor and turned into his child like form without realizing it. “You were sending the world too war and you didn't’t even bother to do it right. Because of your stupid incompetence you were sending everything to hell… and you couldn't even do it right, you idiots why, why?! My grandfather, a simple child at the time, saw how stupid you were being! Why couldn't you, why couldn't you?!”
Luna saw how this memory from Nightmares past was starting to affect him so she walked up behind him and wrapping her front hooves around him tried to give him some comfort. “Nightmare…, Nightmare?”
Nightmare was grinding his teeth together as tears fell from his eyes. “Why, why?! You idiots, why?!”
“Nightmare everything is fine.” Luna said.
“Idiots the lot of you. You only knew greed and you messed that up you idiots!” Nightmare loudly stated.
“NIGHTMARE, you’re in Equestria remember!” Luna had to yell just for Nightmare to hear her.
Nightmare snapped out of his daze. As he looked around the room he saw all the concerned looks of the others and this made him feel all the more worse. “I’m sorry, I so sorry.”
‘Oh Nightmare.’ Luna thought, but she wasn’t entirely sure what to do next though. “Look… how about… we change the subject?”
“Thank you Luna, that sounds nice.” Nightmare said regaining some of his composure.
“Tell me about your grandfather. You seem to have a high regard for him.”
“Yeah he was pretty great.” A smile started to come back to Nightmares face.
“I do believe you haven’t told us much about him, like what he looks like or even his name. How about you tell us that?” Luna said in a soft voice trying to make Nightmare feel better with a better memory from his past.
“Yeah, what he looked like. What did he look like?” Nightmare said restating the question to himself.
Nightmare pondered this, for he had never really thought about. He would always give great praise, but did he even know what his grandfather looked like. The more Nightmare tried to remember what he looked like, the more his head started to hurt.
“Oh my head, but what did he look like?” Nightmare said
“Nightmare are you okay?” Luna asked.
As the pain in Nightmares head continued to grow, the more concerned Luna became from seeing him just trying to remember. The pain grew until it could grow no more.
Luna became very worried for Nightmare, the pony for which her hooves now wrapped around and who held a nightmarish past which seemed to have no good parts and was starting to catch up with him. “Nightmare are you alri…?”
“AAAHHHHHHHHHHH” Nightmare screamed as he went into uncontrollable convulsions. Luna used all of her strength to try and hold Nightmare still so that he couldn’t hurt any other ponies or himself.
Both Twilight and Celestia used their magic to help Luna, but his own strength was quite great. Luna took the brunt of it all as she only held that much tighter to Nightmare as he thrashed about.
“Nightmare calm down!” Luna yelled.
“Nightmare, Nightmare, NIGHTMARE!!!”