Eternal Nightmare

by Jgame

Chapter Ten

The months passed at an agonizingly sluggish rate. I had not lied when I told Star that I had much time on my hooves, and through the next six dull months very little changed in that regard.

My typical night-to-night schedule was: wake up, raise the Moon, read the morning newspaper at night, (an irony my sister gleefully pointed out to me,) and make a polite appearance for the Canterlot aristocracy. If there failed to be any vitally important galas or other social gatherings on that night, I continued on to the library, read history books or whatever else appealed to my sense of curiosity, and then went to rest again when the morning Sun dawned over the horizion.

Alicorns, namely my sister and I, did not need nearly as much sleep as I did. My sister and I could go on for months without rest before showing any signs of exhaustion if we so wished. In fact, I had never seen my sister sleep ever since I returned to Equestria.

My nocturnal sleeping habits were a way to pass the time, to advance from one day to the next.

And every night, I waited for my sister to allow me to shoulder her burdens with doing royal duties that were more than merely providing myself as a living, and occasionally speaking, lawn ornament for the Canterlot aristocracy.

I wanted to truly co-rule the throne, helping pass judgements on issues in Equestria that could not be solved by ordinary lawmakers, to sift through endless piles of bureaucratic papers with my sister hard at work beside me, to be my sister's equal in the amount of work that I would put in for our subjects.

And yet, my sister never said so much as a word. When I expressed my desire to help in the royal duties of a Princess, she simply shook her head and told me that I still needed my rest and relaxation. No matter how much I argued otherwise, my sister would not be persuaded.

So instead, I merely waited.

---

I took a sip of tea that was delivered to my room while I read my favourite morning paper, Equestria Daily.

On the front page was a story on an upcoming holiday that I didn't recall seeing before. Apparently, it was named Night Mare Night.

I decided to do some more reading into this Night Mare Night. Evidently, it was a tradition that was celebrated to celebrate the banishment of Night Mare Moon.

I ground my teeth. While my transformation to Night Mare Moon was a massive mistake on my part, I did not enjoy the
prospect of being reminded of it every year.

But I must not take the bait, I reprimanded myself, I will simply ignore it, and assume that this celebration was not meant to intentionally mock me.

I flipped past the front page where the story was housed, opting to look for non-Night Mare Night related stories.

I failed to find them.

Angrily, I folded the newspaper and threw it on my bed.

Just then, I heard a loud knock on the door.

“Enter,” I said.

I wasn't surprised when my sister entered the room.

“Hello,” my sister greeted me.

“Hello. Did thou needst something?” I asked.

“Actually, I wanted to ask if you were aware of a celebration that was coming up in two days from now. It's called 'Night
Mare Night.' Have you heard of it?” my sister asked.

I took the newspaper and presented the front page to my sister. “Rather hard to miss.”

“Oh,” my sister said as she realized the explaination of Night Mare Night was on the front page, “try not to be offended. While it is partially about Night Mare Moon, it's mostly just a night of entertainment for the little ones,” my sister explained, “but as I was about to say, I was thinking that perhaps you should make a surprise visit to Ponyville on Night Mare Night.”

“No,” I said immediately.

My sister sighed, and that commenced an argument that lasted several minutes. I pointed out to her that going back to the town I had terrorized a short six months ago was not a wise idea under any circumstance. My sister argued that with the nighttime celebration putting Ponyville's populace at ease, there would be no better time to make a good second impression.

In the end, it proved to be a contest of stubborness, and unfortunately, I lost.

“Very well!” I finally said, “I shall go.”

“Good,” my sister said in audible relief, “and you won't be going alone. Three of the castle guards are being sent to the Lunar Guard to pull your chariot for Night Mare Night.”

The Lunar Guard were my personal guard, separate but working with my sister's guards.

“Thank you,” I said.

My sister smiled. “You're welcome.”

---

The night of my departure to Ponyville, I took a moment to look at myself in my full-length mirror once again.

The first thing I had noticed was that I was much taller than I realized. Before, I was the size of an average pony. Now, I was at least two feet taller than before, nearly as large as my older sister. Coupled with how my mane had darkened and now shimmered slightly, I was far more intimidating than before.

I scowled at the mirror. I looked like Night Mare Moon once again.

I went into a drawer and took out a bedsheet, and draped it over the full length mirror.

I checked the time from a clock hanging on the wall. Only a quarter-hour until I was due on the chariot my sister had prepared for me.

Not enough time to get rid of the infernal mirror.

I took a simple black cloak from my personal wardrobe and put it on as I made haste to the Canterlot Castle launch tower, where my chariot and Lunar Guard were already harnessed and ready.

After my sister had left my room two nights ago, I had done some research on Favourable Outcome's credentials. Nearly all of them marked him as a pony who often bent the rules and spoke out of turn, but was still recommended by his superiors for being a natural leader with a healthy sense of initiative.

I was not quite sure of what to make of him being placed in my personal guard.

As I approached the chariot, I slowly analyzed the Lunar Guard.

The first thing I noted is that their white manes and golden armour were gone, replaced by dyed grey manes with violet armour, appropriate for one of the Lunar Guard. Their ears were now pointed as well, and their feathered wings were replaced by batlike ones.

I noted that Infectious Cheer kept looking at her wings and then looking away, as if they severely perturbed her and was attempting not to show it.

Favourable Outcome snuck a quick glance towards me, and I had the feeling he was attempting to analyze me as I analyzed him.

Idle Hooves simply kept a neutral expression, looking out at the sky ahead of him.

I got onto the chariot. “Art thou all prepared?”

“Yes, Princess Luna,” the Lunar Guard said in unison.

I nodded. “Then depart.”

The Lunar Guard ran to the open sky and then leapt into open air, and began the flight to Ponyville, the open air whooshing around me.

The Lunar Guard flew in a triangular formation, with with Infectious Happiness at the top of the triangle, Idle Hooves at the bottom left, and Favourable Outcome at the bottom right.

In order to keep myself distracted on the journey to Ponyville, I focused my mind on reviewing how I would greet the villagers when I arrived.

“I must be royal and formal,” I spoke aloud to myself, “they will surely be expecting the royal Canterlot voice and the royal 'we.' No informal actions such as my time with Star until it can be assured they are fully welcoming of me. If I remember that, then I will surely leave this night triumphant.”

The sky was starting to turn slightly foul when we had nearly arrived in Ponyville.

I leaned over the side of the chariot.

On the ground, I could see several of Ponyville's citizens dressed with various costumes in a forest clearing, congregated around a grey statue. Of whom the statue was built to resemble, I could not see from this distance.

Suddenly, they began to run to Ponyville, yelling something that had to do with the Moon.

It was a curious sight, to say the least. Perhaps it was a tradition.

Nevertheless, we kept our course towards Ponyville, following the villagers.

“Please, slow down!” I called down to them.

The villagers looked up and began to run even faster.

Certainly, Night Mare Night was an odd holiday. I cursed myself for not doing more research on local customs before coming.

The chariot stopped over the Ponyville town square. As I peered down, I could see why the Lunar Guard chose not to land. The town square was nearly crammed to the brim, nearly everypony was out enjoying the festivities.

Excellent, I thought eagerly, the entirety of Ponyville shall hear me, and it shall be a joyus occasion!

Without a moment's hesitation, I lept from the chariot and gently glided down to the earth below.

At once, everypony bowed in reverence to me.

I trotted over to a nervous pony, who glanced up at me with hesitation. I gave her a reassuring smile.

She merely bowed her head and cowered at the ground.

“Citizens of Ponyville!” I shouted, ensuring I was loud enough to be heard by all, “we have graced your tiny village with our presence, so that you might behold the real Princess of the Night! A creature in the hold of nightmares no longer, but instead one that desires for your love and admiration! Together, we shall change this dreadful occasion into a bright and glorious feast!”

“Did you hear that, everypony?” one of the villagers asked in a small voice, “Night Mare Moon says she's going to feast on us all!”

Immediately it was followed by frantic screaming, with half the town square running away from me.

“What?” I asked, I asked in disbelief, “no, children, no! Screams of delight are what your princess desires, not screams of terror!” I said as I stomped my hoof to emphasize my point, which only brought a small whimper from one of the remaining citizens.

I looked into the meager crowd that was left to find the Mayor, dressed in a jovial clown costume.

“Madame Mayor,” I said with as much politeness as I could muster, “thy Princess of the Night hath arrived.”

She simply cowered before me, visibly shaking.

And they think I am the mad one, I thought to myself in utter disbelief at my current situation.

“What is the matter with you?” I huffed, “very well then. Be that way. We won't even bother with the royal farewell.”

I exited the town square, fuming.

---

I was lost in the depths of my own mind when my chariot came down to land beside me in an open field next to the Everfree Forest.

“Pardons, Princess,” Idle Hooves said, “but we await your further orders.”

I sighed. “Do what thy will,” I told them, “'tis immediately apparent that my task of winning the hearts of these villagers is not going to be without struggle. All I ask is that you are to be back at the chariot at midnight. Understood?”

“Understood!” the Lunar Guard said as they deharnessed themselves from the chariot.

“All I shall say is that I recommend you stay out of the villagers sights for the night. I cannot guarantee your warm welcome,” I said dryly.

“Can't hurt to try,” Infectious Happiness said before taking flight to Ponyville.

“Ten bits says she comes back within the next quarter hour literally tearing her mane out,” Favourable Outcome whispered to Idle Hooves once the rather sociable pegasus was gone.

Idle Hooves snorted. “Rejection stings, but not enough to get that bent out of shape over it.”

Favourable Outcome grinned wickedly from ear to ear. “So, wanna bet?”

Idle Hooves grinded his teeth. “I do not gamble. It would make a poor example for Star.”

“Star's not here,” Favourable Outcome pointed out.

“I stillam not gambling,” Idle Hooves said sternly.

“You were the one that said it's not gonna happen,” Favourable Outcome taunted.

“And I believe myself to be correct.”

“But not enough to put the bits where your mouth is?”

“Fine!” Idle Hooves snapped, “I'm betting this one time, if only to prove you wrong.”

With a sigh and a slight insight as to what my personal guard does in their spare time, I trudged into the Everfree Forest, retracing my steps back to the clearing that I had seen in the chariot.

When I arrived at the clearing, I stopped in shock.

The statue I couldn't make out before... was of me.

Or should I say, of Night Mare Moon.

Her stone helm and armour hugged her body tight. She was on two legs, her massive wings spead to full, fangs bared, rearing up as if to lunge at anypony who dared look into her cruel, hate-filled eyes. Her long, flowing mane dipped below the raised statue's pedastal, as if the height advantage was deliberately done simply to emphasize to how much larger and evil Night Mare Moon was over anypony.

This is how Ponyville must see me, I thought.

I sat in front of the statue, allowing it's moonlit shadow to envelop me as I puzzled over my dire situation.

“Princess Luna?” an uncertain voice called out to me.

I turned around to see a familiar lavender unicorn, with a fake white beard and dressed in a blue, clearly hoof-stitched wizards attire, yet I noted the bells on the costume were so accurately done. It made her seem as if she had walked out of a history book.

“Hi, my name is-” the lavender unicorn started.

“Star Swirl the Bearded. Commendable costume! Thou even got the bells right,” I noted.

“Thank you! Finally!” The bells along her cape and pointed hat jingled musically as she gesticulated in apparent relief, “somepony who gets my costume!” The lavender unicorn immediately froze, embarrassed by her outburst. “Uh, I just came to welcome you to our celebration!”

Does your celebration involve the mockery of apologetic alicorns? I resisted the urge to ask.

“My name is-”

“Twilight Sparkle,” I finished for her. “It was thou who unleashed the powers of harmony upon us, and took away our dark powers!”

Twilight Sparkle recoiled slightly. “And... that was a good thing, right?”

“But of course! We could not be happier. Is that not clear?” I asked.

Twilight Sparkle recoiled again. “Well, it kind of sounds like you're yelling at me.”

“But this is the royal Canterlot voice!” I protested, “it is tradition to speak using the royal 'we,' and to use this much volume when adressing our subjects!”

Twilight Sparkle readjusted her hat, which had nearly fallen off when I was speaking. “You know, that might explain why your appearance was met with... mixed results? I think if you just changed your approach a bit, you might be met with a warmer reception.”

“Change our approach?” I asked.

Twilight Sparkle readjusted her hat once again. “Lower the volume?”

“Oh,” I said with a realization of what Twilight Sparkle was attempting to imply, “we have been locked away for a thousand years. We are... unsure if we can.”

“I have an idea,” Twilight Sparkle said, “Let's pay a visit to Fluttershy! Maybe she can help you.”

“It is difficult for a pony to change her mannerisms overnight! Art thou certain of this plan, Twilight Sparkle?” I asked.

Twilight Sparkle recoiled again.

I realized I had slipped into the loud version of the royal Canterlot voice. “Our apologies.”

“No problem,” Twilight Sparkle said as she levitated a leaf off the forest floor and rustled it next to her right ear. “Anyways, I think that you can change, you just need to watch how you say things until it becomes a habit. We just need Fluttershy to help teach you the habit.”

“Very well, then,” I said slowly, “let us visit the manticore tamer.”

“See?” Twilight Sparkle beamed at me, “you're doing better already!”

“And I hath thou to thank, Twilight Sparkle!” I said happily.

“Okay... maybe not quite as better as I thought,” Twilight Sparkle said in a pained voice before she examined the night sky. “Okay, so there's North Star, so we take... this path,” Twilight Sparkle pointed to a path that was in the opposite direction of the North Star.

“We art impressed by thy skill in astronomy,” I said.

Twilght Sparkle smiled. “I always loved to use the Canterlot library telescope when I was a little filly. My foalsitter would always help me find the constellations and important stars in the night sky.”

I nodded in quiet approval as I followed Twilight Sparkle down the small forest path she indicated.

Not wanting to unintentionally torture her further with the royal Canterlot voice, I held my peace.