Hazard
by Kean
I sigh as I leave Ponyville Town Hall and make my way toward my crystal palace. Ever since the palace literally rose from the ground, a few nobles have moved here from Canterlot. In every meeting I’ve been to, my word has been above Mayor Mare’s – unless, of course, I say otherwise. I don’t want to take her town from her, but the nobles seem dead set on it.
Everything I say is law to them, unless it leads to either causing some sort of problem for them – I honestly don’t understand how Celestia and Luna put up with them – or it relates to Nightmare Moon. No matter what I say, they seem to think that her residing in my castle will either drop their property value or dissuade others from moving here. No matter how I try to convince them, they believe her to be a hazard and search for ways to convince me of it.
In an attempt to destroy my trust in her, they said she was a deceiver; that she lied to Luna and used her.
She showed me those memories, with Luna’s permission. Luna had been the one to approach her. Never once did she lie to Luna; she told her exactly what would and could happen should she accept her power.
Of course, I would never tell the nobles that. It’s not my place. If they want it to become public knowledge, Luna and Nightmare would be the one to tell ponies.
In an attempt to destroy my love for her, they said she was a betrayer; that she’d betrayed all of ponykind and that she would have no problem doing the same to me.
But, before Luna, she never had any loyalty or obligations to any pony. Except for the few that had approached her, she was ostracized from pony society. The only pony that she could have possibly betrayed is Luna, but they have shown me that their plan on their return was made and agreed upon by the two of them.
Approaching my new castle, I charge a teleport, not wanting to walk the long halls. Releasing it, I feel myself being pulled and appear outside the doors to my chambers. I gently, silently open them and find Nightmare in bed already, sleeping. I carefully, silently approach our bed.
In an attempt to have her exiled, they petitioned Celestia and Luna, stating that she was a devil: a demon spawned in the darkest depths of Tarterus.
Reaching the bed, I see a wet stain on the pillow her head is on, and a streak of matted fur running down the cheek not against it. Carefully, softly I climb into the bed. I nuzzle her cheek, gently clearing the tears with my muzzle and she pulls me close, tight against her in her sleep. I lay my head on the base of her neck, just above her chest. After a while, she stops shaking, stops sobbing in her sleep.
When I arrived to dispute it, the nobles asked me if I could prove that she wasn’t a demon. Thankfully, Luna was there to laugh them out of the throne room, as I didn’t have an answer at the time.
Nightmare would never willingly show any vulnerability to any pony, even me. But as I fall asleep against her and feel the last few hitches from her sobbing, I realize how simple the answer was:
Devils never cry.