//------------------------------//
// 21 Mercy by Knight of Lycaeus 
// Story: Full Moon Fever: A MoonLight Prompt Collab 
// by TheLastBrunnenG 
//------------------------------//


Mercy
by Knight of Lycaeus

Sequel to Kitten and Hammer






Twilight inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly going through her breathing exercises. "Okay, this is time for a real chance for some in pony experience."

Nightmare Moon grumbled, "Fine, where then, here or Canterlot?"

Twilight sighed, "Here. You're last appearance in Canterlot went badly...." Twilight rubbed her head hoping to stall any oncoming headaches, "No badly is too gentle, it was a disaster...."

"I merely appeared and said a few things." Nightmare Moon supplied.

"This was before we helped your grammar, you sounded worse than Luna did with a very thick Middle Equish voice and add in the booming Royal Canterlot Voice along with shadows acting like they were alive! This doesn't even count the darken skies, the thunder and lightning, or the appearance of shadows golems turning into Lunar Ponies!" Twilight yelled her voice rising.

"Small display of power although you have forgotten my full regalia of battleplate and armaments." Nightmare Moon added.

"That's exactly the problem! Celestia crafted a ward and then convinced Luna, Discord, and me to help supercharge it!" Twilight turn to glare at the onyx alicorn, "Place hoof, horn, hair, or magic near Mount Canterhorn and it's automatic banishment."

"Is that not slightly excessive for Celestia?"

"It is" Twilight said as she went through her breathing exercises again, "There are reasons but you're better off asking Celestia. Simply put it has to do with her past and her early reign." Twilight stopped glaring and starting walking towards town, "We're headed to the market. Please try to socialize and not smite everypony."

Nightmare grunted, "No promises."





Entering the Ponyville Market, Twilight turned to Nightmare and asked, "Okay. We should start with something simple. Which food stall?"

"Any peasants.... ponies" Nightmare corrected seeing Twilight's glare. "Any ponies sell fruit?"

Twilight nodded, "Many, we'll go see Applejack then."

The two made their ways towards the Apple's stall. The entire trip felt uneasy to Twilight, it seems most ponies were still wary of Nightmare. She was glad when she finally spotted Applejack.

Twilight nudged Nightmare, "Apple stall. Try to buy something."

Nightmare walked up to the orange mare, "Peasant! Present a tithe for your Goddess!" Nightmare yelled as the skies darkened.

Twilight sighed and trotted up to Nightmare and prodded her. "Not what we practiced, Alicorns are not viewed as Goddesses any more. We don't ask for tithes! And we certainly don't call the citizens PEASANTS!" Twilight yelled tried of repeated failures to clarify that last point to Nightmare.

Applejack didn't flinch. "Reckon y'all need some help here. Wasn't as bad as last time though."

"Sorry Applejack" Twilight said.

Applejack shook her head, "No problems, Twi. Certainly loses bein' intimidatin' after a while."

The other nearby ponies however did not agree with this statement. Predictably the Flowers Sisters fainted while a few farmers had filled small baskets with produce and were kneeling at Nightmare's hooves begging for her to spare them.

"Y'all want help?" Applejack continued as the two alicorns glanced around them, "Would be good if y'all could talk an' not scare everypony else."

Nightmare looked at the apple farmer, "Why have you not cowered like the rest?"

Applejack shrugged, "I reckon between you and Luna bein' so fond of the same greeting. Life an' world messed by Discord. Fought off hundreds o' Changelings lookin' like mah friends and Ah. Beat off Sombra, Everfree vines, no good film-flams. Found foalhood nightmare Tirek's real an' fought him off an' just plain ol' Ponyville crazy. Got used to some o' it."

Nightmare turned to Twilight, "What exactly do you do again?"

Twilight had been slowly rubbing her forehead, "Doing the impossible it seems while dealing with beings that break mind and logic." Twilight turned to head back home, "Let's go Nightmare, we need more practice so you can stop scaring the populace.