Nightmare Moon woke with a start. Her head lifted from the plush royal pillow and looked towards the open balcony with some curiosity and a disturbing sense of uncertainty. Something tugged at her distant memory but like a fading dream, she was unable to pinpoint what exactly had awakened her.
Frustrated she rose, making her way across the darkened room towards the opening. The full moon shone brightly down and cast a sloping glow into the room. Nightmare Moon stepped outside and looked up at the sky, studying it carefully. Every star seemed in its place and nothing moved there. Lowering her gaze she scanned the horizon, where distant towns were just visible. But again, there was no movement. Now that night was eternal she was able to sleep at the same time as most of the citizens, and so they were all likely still asleep.
A movement in the castle yard caught her eye and she smiled. Spreading her wings she lifted from the balcony and silently landed alongside the creeping creature that she had noticed.
"Difficulty sleeping, my liege?" Ulfrid's voice was bemused more than surprised, as he continued his patrol without breaking stride.
"What of you, Ulfrid? Do you never sleep?"
The large wolf stopped to bow and shook his great head. "I have my duties," he replied. When he stood again, he merely waited quietly.
Nightmare Moon cast her gaze towards the horizon again. Though she could see nothing from here, this was the direction that called most strongly to her memory. But there was nothing but the faded dream now. "I thought I sensed something," she said at last. "But perhaps it was nothing."
Ulfrid nodded and turned his head to follow her gaze. "Your Highness is not prone to false starts," he noted. "Would you like me to investigate?"
Nightmare Moon shook her head slowly. "No… at least, I could not tell you where to start. It was more of a memory."
Ulfrid smiled gently, "And you have many that might cause a midnight stir, my liege. But dwell not upon them, your humble creature stands guard over your resting hours. I have detected nothing that should trouble you."
Nightmare Moon looked at him carefully, and allowed herself a wider smile. "I should very much like to know more about you than I actually know, dear Ulfrid."
Ulfrid bowed again, his face nearly touching the ground. "If one day Her Highness were to tempt me with tea and donuts, I would not refuse to attend. Discussion over pastries could take many turns."
Nightmare Moon outright laughed at the mental image of this large wolf enjoying a plate full of donuts at her table, but it was not cruel laughter at all. To contrary, she felt her undefined concern melt away completely. Ulfrid held the pose until she quieted, then rose again with a large smile on his muzzle.
"Thank you, my friend," Nightmare Moon added. "I think I shall now take to the air… a cool wind will suit me nicely."
"Of course, my liege," replied Ulfrid. "You will be able to find me if you should need me."
As she took to the air, Nightmare Moon again wondered why that was always so.
Flying was effortless for the large alicorn and none who looked up would see more than a brief shadow as she flashed past. But Nightmare Moon chose to avoid populated areas and circled outwards over the peaks that surrounded Canterlot, and then further out. She was making a conscious effort to avoid giving credence to the strange feeling that woke her, and yet she soon found herself touching down in a small town near a vast, ancient forest. This town, Ponyville, called most strongly to her memory.
She walked the silent streets of the little village without a sound, looking around at the dark and shuttered houses that lined them. They were barely more than huts compared to the grand structures in Canterlot - many even bore simple straw roofs. But it was still early and the town was silent, its citizens still sleeping peacefully.
She had never put much thought into this town before and so she wondered what had drawn her here. Her last visit had been her first – to cancel the Summer Sun Celebration and announce her takeover ten years ago. She found herself before the town center, and looked up at the balcony where she had then stood.
"Seize her! Only she knows where the Princess is!"
Nightmare Moon snorted in amusement at the memory. The few royal guards on duty for the celebration were no match for her and the haughty Mayor who ordered the attack spent nearly a year in prison for it. In fact, she thought, there had been only one actual threat here.
"Remember this day, ponies, for it was your last! From this moment forth, the NIGHT WILL LAST FOREVER!"
"No it won't! I won't let you!"
She had looked down just in time to see a powerful bolt of offensive magic launch from a bright amber unicorn, a blast that she had barely been able to deflect in time. It was mere luck that she had deflected it right back at the source, which had unnerved the caster enough to send her fleeing.
Despite ordering a search, she had never found that unicorn. She began to walk again and wondered whether letting it go had been a mistake. She wondered what she would do if she saw that unicorn again – or if she would even recognize her. Or what that unicorn would do to her…
It had been a decade - she hadn't received any report of threats against her for a long time. Perhaps that unicorn had fled to another land; perhaps she had actually been injured after all. But if she was any kind of threat, something would certainly have happened before now.
There was nothing here… no sense of powerful magic, no evidence of upheaval or disorder. Perhaps it really was just memories surfacing in a dream that had awakened her. Spreading her wings, she took to the air again, taking one more survey of the town.
This time she paused, again noting the forest that bordered the town. She had to think for a few moments about why that caught her eye, until she remembered which forest it was. A recent memory surfaced in her mind.
"A report from Ponyville that a meteor struck the Everfree Forest."
Her eyes scanned the forest treetops, curiously. The trees grew so thick that it was impossible to see through them, and she was not certain what she was even looking for. Suddenly a motion to the east of the forest caught her eye, and she noticed a train cresting the small hill, approaching Ponyville.
"If the morning train is arriving," she mused, "then the ministers in Canterlot will soon be starting their song and dance." She sighed to herself, and turned back towards the great city, giving her wings a powerful flap. "I had best be there when that happens. Besides, I am still the Princess of the Night. I have more important things to do than chase my own nightmares."
Yet she merely held her wings as she coasted on the currents, letting her speed slowly fade until she began to descend, finally circling and alighting in a field just outside the village. She looked back towards it again.
"Your highness is not prone to false starts."
Finally she shook her head, muttering to herself. "To Tartarus with the ministers." Her outline took on a bright blue glow and then began to shift, until she stood there as a much smaller, dark blue unicorn with only a black cloud on her flank.
‘Night Shift' could rent a room in Ponyville for a day or two, long enough to set her mind at ease. Let the ministers panic, she was confident Ulfrid would just appear as if from around a corner if a true crisis occurred.