Waking Nightmare
Rarity stepped back from the mirror, terror working its way into her heart. "No. No, this isn't possible, you're gone!" she shrieked at the form in the mirror, who was unfazed at her outburst. The tall, dark mare merely shook her head with a sigh. Her violet mane had streaks of white running through it, her eyes a soulless and empty cerulean hue, even her horn was pitch black as it seemed to pulse with a familiar power.
"Poor, poor child. I will never leave you alone, not when you need me so. Why else would you be back on the moon, if it were not for your so-called friends forsaking you? You know as well as I do what it takes for an alicorn to banish a pony to the moon."
The Elements of Harmony, or at least some of them. Did Twilight have that kind of power on her own?
"And even if she had not forsaken you, like I told you they would, your ward against me is removed. All that false love of your friends, contained in a petty rock. Without that barrier, you and I can speak again. You can have everything you wanted. After all, what more do you have to lose? You will not live forever, Rarity. You will die here, alone and forgotten. But with my help, you could do so much more..."
The Nightmare was being bold, because it knew that she was in a corner. She had no options besides the two placed before her. Accept the power and return, or die here alone. She wanted to see the world again. Her friends, her sister... Spike. But there was such a huge cost attached to this. She'd given away so much, couldn't she just be selfish for once? Couldn't she just make herself happy? As she thought of this, she could see the mare in the mirror stepping towards her.
"Rarity..." the dark mare called, her voice seeming more solid than it had a moment ago. She heard the clack of hooves on stone, as the mare passed through the mirror like it was a pool of water. Rarity backed up again, averting her gaze from the mare.
"No! No, I refuse! Not again, I won't do it again!" she cried out in despair. She just couldn't, not after everything she had done last time. She would sooner die, forgotten and alone.
"Look at us Rarity," came the voice from before her, as a hoof came down on her shoulder. In that instant, Rarity responded. She'd trained in some self-defense when she was a young filly. Even though she rarely used it, you never really forgot such things. Almost by instinct, she reared back and brought her right hoof up to strike the aberration right across the muzzle.
A muffled yelp of shock and pain greeted her ears, causing Rarity's eyes to peel open in surprise. The dark mare still stood before her, but Rarity finally took the time to get a better look. Her heart nearly stopped in her chest.
"P-P-Princess Luna?!"
The alicorn slowly shook her head to rid the stars from her eyes. "We apologize. We did not mean to startle you so much," she spoke, regaining her composure. Rarity's present situation quickly flew out of her mind as she began reacting to the sudden revelation. She had just slugged the Princess of the Night!
"I'm so sorry! I just... and she was... but I thought... did Twilight...?" Rarity was spitting out half sentences in her panic, her heart slamming against her chest. Luna placed her hoof back on her shoulder, looking deeply into the unicorn's eyes.
"Breathe, Rarity. You are in no danger," she instructed. Her voice was commanding, though it didn't seem frightening. The unicorn still trembled, but she slowly began to regain control of her breathing. After almost a full minute, she had recovered enough to speak clearly. She didn't get the chance at first.
"We have been watching you for some time. We apologize that we allowed things to progress as far as they did before intervening."
"I... I thought she was gone. When I lost the necklace, I didn't know how important..." she began, but Luna cut her off.
"Rarity. I said you were in no danger. You are in your residence in Canterlot. What you saw, what you experienced, was exactly what you thought it was."
Rarity was able to connect the words, even through her own fear over what she had just seen. "Nightmares... this is... a dream?" she spoke the words, as if seeking verification for what she assumed. Luna nodded.
"We have been watching you since the last battle with the Nightmare," Rarity winced upon hearing that. "We are familiar with the despair and terror that can come from such an infection. We wished to spare you the pain we had to endure upon our return. When we saw what your mind had created, we thought it best to speak with you."
"But it seemed so real," Rarity spoke, unconsciously shivering still.
"The Nightmare force is not gone, Rarity. It will never truly be destroyed. It is too weak to consume a host, but in your moments of weakness it can strike out at your mind. Your fear and despair opened the door, and it seeped in to lash out at you." Luna lay down on the ground by the throne as her eyes shone. In an instant, they were no longer in the drab stone palace, but in Luna's private room, a far more comforting place to be. Finally, Luna asked a dangerous question.
"Tell me, Rarity. Do you remember what happened while you were under its control?"
Rarity was at first surprised by Luna's use of a first-pony pronoun, but the question unnerved her even more. "Some of it. I see bits and pieces of it, sometimes randomly. I know what I did, but it feels... hazy." She could remember certain events clearly. Defeating Twilight and her other friends, 'gleefully' ordering them into the dungeon, even staring down the residents of Ponyville. But she knew that there were large gaps in her memory.
"You do not see the pieces that you do not wish to see," Luna answered her unspoken question. "You remember nothing of the time when you confronted the little dragon, because you do not wish to accept it. This is weakness Rarity, and it is what causes the Nightmare to find a hold with you."
Rarity shuffled her hooves slightly, as she finally regained enough sense to lay down a few feet away from the princess. "I just... I'm not sure I can handle seeing that. I always suspected that monster treated him horribly, but he never mentioned it to me. I'm not sure I want to remember."
Luna shook her head, allowing her glowing mane to flow about her. "Everypony has fears Rarity. Everypony must face them in their own way." Her voice took a harsh turn, now quite stern. "But they must be faced, or the nightmares will continue." She paused, looking down at the terrified mare with compassion. "Perhaps I can give you the strength to see them. You are not weak, Rarity, and I intend to show you that."
With these words, her horn began to glow, projecting a midnight-blue aura around the princess, as the room slowly dissolved away. "Watch, then, the truth I had to face when you saved me from the Nightmare," her voice rang out. Rarity looked around as the scene formed around her. She was in a similar room, but different. The layout was different, the shape of the room, and even the cut of the stone upon the walls. This was not the same room they had just been in, this was not Canterlot Castle. It was night outside, and a figure stood on the balcony. Tall, flowing mane, horn, wings. When did Luna get over there?
"Princess Luna? What am I supposed to be seeing?" Rarity questioned, moving over towards the balcony. The figure did not respond, merely looking over the stars as smile graced her lips. The clouds drifting lazily across the sky finally parted long enough for the rays of moon light to fall upon her form.
Rarity nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw Nightmare Moon standing there. Nightmare Moon did not respond to Rarity, nor did she do anything else except stare at the moon with an odd smile. Rarity heard the sound of galloping outside, and the door flew open a moment later. Nightmare Moon did not turn, but Rarity did. The figure in the door was younger than she remembered, and looked beside herself with worry. Still, it was obvious that this new arrival was Princess Celestia, which would mean that this was a memory of a thousand years ago!
"Luna! Please, this must stop!" Princess Celestia cried out, moving towards the alicorn on the balcony. "Our little ponies cannot live without the sun; we must return it to the heavens before all life withers and dies." It would only take a few days without the sun to ruin the crops for an entire harvest. The damage that could do would be catastrophic.
"It is beautiful, isn't it Celestia? The darkness covering the land, the moon high in the sky, the stars shimmering so far away. Ponies ignored this beauty for so long. Now these specks of light will be all that pierces the darkness. They will learn to appreciate the night, to worship it as easily as they bend their knees to your sun."
Celestia moved up to her, shuddering as she saw the change that had been wrought in her beloved sister. "Luna, no. This is not the right way to do this. We can make them understand, make them appreciate all you give for them..."
"No!" came the shout as Nightmare Moon turned around now. "They have taken us for granted for too long! We gave everything to those ungrateful wretches! If they cannot love the beautiful night, then they will fear it!" Without warning, her horn glowed as it blasted out a shockwave of magical power. The room was shattered around them as the magical forces poured out. The stone broke from the very walls, as Celestia was thrown back and through one of the crumbling walls. "The night shall last forever! And not even you can stop me, Celestia!" she declared, moving to the window and taking flight into the night sky. Her laugh was haunting, echoing around them.
Rarity was shocked. Of course, since this was merely a vision, nothing affected her here. But still, seeing all of this felt far too personal for a princess to be showing a subject. Even with Nightmare Moon's departure, the scene did not fade. Celestia staggered to her hooves, and walked back into the room. She looked to be on the verge of tears as she began sifting through the wreckage.
Finally, as she pushed aside wooden scraps from a shattered dresser, she found what she was looking for: an orb of solid stone, with a diamond carved into its surface. Rarity gasped as she recognized it. An Element of Harmony!
"Luna... you gave away everything without any thanks. Nopony acknowledged what you sacrificed, especially not I. What can I...what can I do?"
The darkness began to overtake Rarity once again, as the scene melted away before her eyes. She quickly found herself back in Luna's room, her host looking quite forlorn as she glanced back towards her.
"The pain we cause those close to us is something few of us wish to dwell on. But until you can accept what happened, you cannot move past it. Until I understood how terribly I had injured my sister, I could not bear to use my powers for anything other than raising and lowering the moon. If you wish to move beyond this, you must confront it."
Rarity sighed meekly. She knew Luna was right, as loathe as she was to admit it. At the very least, she had a guide who understood her fear, and had been down that road before. "All right," the unicorn spoke, "but I do not know how I can force these memories to come." That much was true; she didn't even know where to begin.
In response, Luna stood up and walked over to Rarity. Her own horn glowed its familiar midnight-blue, and she leaned down to touch it to Rarity's. The glow shifted over, enveloping Rarity's horn and filling her with an odd magical power. "Try to remember; the magic will guide your thoughts. Do not fear what you will see, I am with you," came the comforting words.
Rarity focused on her magic. Her horn sputtered and sparked with magic, as the world around them faded away once again. Rarity did not notice, her eyes clenched shut in concentration. She could hear voices around her as the landscape of the moon came into being around the two of them. She felt more magic near her, and she knew what it was. Luna had been there too; she was guiding her through the memories. Finally, Rarity heard a very familiar voice.
"I'm sorry! I totally just told!" Her eyes shot open to see the familiar scene before them. Pinkie was trying to reason with the Nightmare, in the way only Pinkie was capable of. She could see, with a certain satisfaction, that the Nightmare was irritated by her friend's mannerisms. The moment of humor died quickly, however, as a new voice took center stage.
"Rarity?" The familiar voice made her head whip around, as she looked down at the little dragon. He wore the ruby about his neck, like a badge of honor, but he looked at her with timid eyes. "It's Spike. You know, your little Spikey-Wikey? We... I... You're the best, please come back." Looking at his expression was almost painful, the pleading in his voice made her heart sink. She felt, rather than saw, that this actually struck through the Nightmare. Unfortunately the moment was all too fleeting, as the Nightmare reared up and released a blast of magic from her horn.
This part she remembered. She could recall vividly taunting Luna, watching the nightmare creatures attack her friends, everything. However, when she saw Spike grab onto the tail of one of the creatures, she knew her memory had never recalled this. He clung with conviction, refusing to let go as the creature spun him around. With a mighty push, it forced him off, sending the drake sailing across the horizon as she brought a hoof to her mouth. How had a fall like that not killed him?!
The scene faded quickly, and when she was next aware of herself, she was in Ponyville. Confronted by her friends and Luna. The magic was striking against her, causing the horrible creature to writhe in agony as the love of her friends peeled away the power corrupting her. As the power built, the evil force being purified from her, something struck deep into her mind.
"You mean everything to me. Please come home."
Almost instantly after it, however, she heard Luna's voice speaking to her. "You are still hiding Rarity. We have seen the beginning, and now we have seen the end. There is more to be seen: the most horrible memory is still hiding deep in your mind. You must face it, you must want to see it. Why was the ruby broken? Focus on that question and let the magic guide you."
The climactic scene before them faded away again, as Rarity found herself floating in darkness. Her mind rang out against the darkness, pushing the two of them forward. How did the gem come to be broken? Had it been in the fall? Had it blocked some attack for him?
She saw the landscape of the moon come back into focus, as her eyes beheld the horrifying damage. A large rut in the side of a cliff, ending in an unconscious baby dragon. How he had survived such a fall was a question she would save for later as he rose and regained his senses.
In little more than a moment, he was off to help his friends. Rarity found some small humor in how he sang to himself to keep his spirits up. She was curious now, because she had no idea what adventure Spike had been on. It was rather exciting, really. She saw him listen in on their plans, find out that they intended to attack Ponyville, and even slip right by them thanks to his small size. She watched him sneak through the castle, and finally come to a stop in what she was sure was a room of importance.
She was not wrong.
The room was a palace! Gold, gems, the finest silks and even more! A beautiful throne of gold, and a crown sitting next to it. She noticed two things as Spike walked towards the throne with his mouth watering. First, was the 'King Spike' sash laying atop the throne. The second was the presence of the large romanticized letters on the back of the throne. S and R... no. She wouldn't... she didn't. Spike reached for the sash, clearly checked out of his mind for a moment, when a foreign voice came to her ears.
"Why of course, my little Spikey-Wikey..."
Rarity looked in terror as the figure came out from behind the curtain to the side of the throne. The Nightmare... no. This was not the Nightmare, this was her. There was no external difference, it was as if she were looking into a mirror.
"Rarity! You're... You're ok!" Spike managed out in delight upon seeing her. Rarity wanted to scream as she saw him run and hug the shade.
"And why wouldn't I be? I'm a Queen now! Isn't it glorious?" She saw the adoration in his eyes, the same thing she always saw when he looked at her. But to see it given to that fake, that mere shadow of her, filled her with hatred. Not towards Spike, this was not his fault, but towards the monster that had done this.
"It's amazing! But what about the other po-" he began, before being silenced by a hoof softly against his lips. Rarity wanted to rip this imposter's tail right off of her fake flesh, so livid was she to see her taking advantage of him like that.
"Oh hush, you are far too cute to be thinking so much. Besides, I have a question for you..."
And with that, Rarity's heart nearly stopped. She wouldn't sink that low, she couldn't. Had this monster really used this against him? Had she taken advantage of the most wonderful little gentledrake she had ever met?
She levitated the sash and crown up, keeping them mere inches away from him as the little dragon fell to his knees, his eyes filled with love and adoration. She always loved the expression, it made her feel so special. Tonight, it only made her sick.
He questioned her at first, but his resistance faded quickly. "Will you, Spike, forget the past and be my king forever?" Rarity's face was contorted in rage, anger at this hideous power that had dared to use such precious feelings as a weapon. Spike nodded wordlessly, lost in the enchanting melodies of that fake voice.
"Then you will serve me, and only me..." Spike's head lifted, as if it were about to come down in one final act that would take him from her forever. Then a miracle happened, as his eyes popped open. There was no adoration there now, it had been replaced by suspicion.
"Wait a minute..." he said, as he stood, pushing the crown aside. "Rarity, what do you think of my necklace?" he asked, holding the Fire Ruby up to her.
"It's cute," she answered dismissively. Spike looked as if he had just been struck in the gut.
"Cute? It doesn't look familiar?"
"Not my color really." As she said those simple lines, Rarity saw all joy vanish from Spike's eyes. Depression took hold for a moment as he stared down at the Fire Ruby forlornly.
"That is the first time I ever hated you saying the word 'cute', Rarity," he began, before staring up at the fake with his eyes burning. "But you're not Rarity! Not my Rarity!" he declared. Rarity felt a moment of elation, of triumph, as Spike stood up against this horrible monster.
In that instant, the throne room exploded around them. The fake dissolved into shadow, and the shadow collar that had been inches from his neck exploded into wisps of smoke. Spike had seen his dream, what he wanted more than anything else in the world, and defeated it. A creature ruled by greed was given everything that he had ever wanted, and he rejected it. And for what, for her? For the hope that one day the real mare would make these dreams come true?
She watched as the Nightmare mocked him, made light of his emotions, and tormented him further. Rarity wasn't aware of her own tears until they were pouring from her cheeks. "Luna. Luna please, I can't bear to watch this anymore. Please." she begged. She just wished this could all stop, she had never wanted to do this. She never wanted to cause this much pain, to play with his emotions so.
"Wait, this is the part that matters most," came the response into her ears. She saw the shadow holding the ruby before Spike, lecturing him on why he was still alive. Something about him was causing a problem with the Nightmare. The true Rarity was still alive inside, because there was an anchor for her to hold on to. They needed... to make Spike hate her. That was why they attacked Ponyville, to remove all the love ponies had for her.
And the dream within a dream faded away as Rarity collapsed onto the ground in a fit of sobs. She could no longer feel the passing of time, and she was expecting to wake up any moment now. Still, the dream world around her remained. She felt a wing pull over her, as she cried like a little foal. She didn't even care how pathetic she looked; she couldn't even muster up the energy to be dramatic. She knew she had done horrible things, but the truth had been so much worse then she had thought.
Eventually, her sobs passed, and she became aware of the mare laying next to her quietly. She became aware of the dark wing draped over her. She became aware that she'd just had a mental breakdown in front of the only other pony in existence who would understand exactly what she was feeling. Rarity looked up, her vision still obscured by her own tears. "I... I'm sorry you had to see that. I'm so pathetic..."
Luna didn't look directly at Rarity, instead her gaze went straight ahead. It was as if she found something in the castle's architecture infinitely interesting. "Let me tell you a story, Rarity. You may gain some peace from it." Luna took a breath, and then began her tale.
"Once, there was a great mare. She was kind, loved, and beautiful. One could say that she shone as bright as the sun. This mare could easily have attained anything she desired, anything in all of Equestria. However, this mare had one close to her; a younger sister. Her little sister became jealous of what the elder one had, and desperately sought to emulate her. It was in vain, the two sisters were far too different. One day, the light of the eldest fought with the anger and jealousy of the younger. When the conflict ended, the youngest was cast out of her home in anger. However, the eldest soon realized that the perfect world she had created for herself had no purpose without her beloved sister. When she realized this, and that all of the pain came from her sister's desire to be as loved as she was, the eldest moved to recover her sister by any means. The two were reconciled with the help of friends, and their bond was all the stronger for it."
Luna finished, and Rarity looked up at her. The alicorn did not meet her gaze initially. "That was a story about you and Celestia, wasn't it?" she asked, not sure how it would help her at all. She was familiar with the history of Celestia and Luna's fight. However, the story seemed off. Some facts of the story did not seem to agree with what she had thought.
Luna looked at her now, her face calm, but still showing a small smile for the unicorn. "No. That was your story, Rarity. Do you not remember it?"
Sweetie Belle... that fight had been horrible. It had been the moment when Rarity had realized just how important her sister was in her life. Everything between them had changed since then, and they had both grown a bit from it. "I... I do remember it. It was not one of my prouder moments."
Luna kept her gaze on Rarity. "Why not? Everypony fails, Rarity. Our failures are what let us grow and mature. You learned much from that event, or from your last stay in Canterlot, or from the Best Young Fliers Competition. You and I are... similar. I only wish to help you see the good in you that everypony else sees. Would you not do the same for me?"
Rarity was shocked by the statement, and finally stood up from the stone floor. Luna pulled her wing back to allow her to rise unimpeded. "Princess, I really do not think that comparing me with you is fair. I could never even compare to the incredible things you have done," she protested. Luna shook her head, however, as she rose to her hooves.
"We see similarities, but also differences: it is like a reflection. Two pairs of sisters, the eldest is refined, formal and knowledgeable. The younger sister, however, is more wild, passionate and outgoing. Both gave everything they had to those around them, and suffered greatly for it. We fell victim to jealousy, you to depression." Luna paused for a moment, as if considering something. Rarity sensed this distraction, and acted quickly.
"Princess? What is it?"
Luna's response was quick and to the point. "We were wondering what caused this. It would be unlikely that the nightmare could infect your dreams so soon, unless your mind was already troubled. We would be a very poor friend if we did not ensure you were well." Luna paused again before continuing. "That was not presumptuous, was it? We are friends?"
Rarity was shocked by the question, the latter half of it anyway. "Of course! I would be honored to be your friend, Princess!" she responded with delight.
Luna smiled a bit before responding. "Please, Rarity, we are in your dream. Such titles are not needed here. However, you still did not answer our question," she finished with a pointed glance.
"...I lost something very precious to me. I was careless, and I lost the Fire Ruby..." she explained, looking downcast once again. Luna, however, just shrugged her shoulders slightly.
"Is that all? I was concerned something horrible had happened," the words struck Rarity across the face, and her expression betrayed her shock at the alicorn's words. "What? It is just a rock, nothing irreplaceable."
"Just a rock? Just a rock?!" she practically shouted, her voice rising to a fevered pitch rapidly. "How could you even say that? You don't know what that jewel means to me!"
Despite the livid mare in front of her, Luna remained stoic. "The stone is proof that you both know each other fully. You have seen each other at your worst, and you still remain close. But the stone itself has no value to that, it is the memories attached to the stone that make it valuable to you. As long as you hold those memories in your heart, then the stone is naught but a physical reminder."
Rarity deflated. All of her righteous indignation, anger, and passion had just been let out of her like the air in one of Pinkie's balloons after a party. Luna had spoken so... practiced. It was as if she'd already known what had happened, and was merely reciting her part from memory. "It... it was a precious gift. I don't think I could look him in the eyes after losing it."
"Then I will help you. I will see if I can locate the necklace, but in return you must put it out of your mind. You came to Canterlot to do a job, did you not?" Luna's voice was odd. She was speaking in a comforting tone, but at the same time it seemed almost like her mother. As if she were pushing Rarity to do what she already knew was right.
"Yes... yes, of course. I do have a job to do here. But thank you for helping me. I have no idea where I should even start looking," she answered. How would one search for something so small and valuable in Canterlot? The city was huge; the necklace could be anywhere by now.
Luna's eyes twinkled mischievously as she stood up and began walking towards the window of the 'room'. "No pony can hide from me, especially in the dark. We give you our word that we will find it by this time next week. We will visit you then, like this." She spread her wings and seemed about to depart.
"Wait!" Rarity called, not understanding why her mouth had acted. She hadn't intended to, but as Luna looked over her shoulder at her, she knew an explanation was needed. "If it is all right with you, could we... talk a little more? I mean, I think you were right about how similar we are, and I just realized I don't know much about you at all. At least nowhere near as much as you seem to know about me." Rarity laughed a little bit after the last statement.
Luna smiled, turning around and closing her wings. "It would be my pleasure." Rarity knew, instantly, where she wanted to start.
"So... you were in Ponyville recently for the Summer-Wrap-Up festival. Rumor says that you spent quite a bit of time with a certain farmer. Any truth to that?"
Luna blinked once, eying the unicorn with suspicion. "That is an interesting first question to ask," she stated flatly.
Rarity just giggled. "Oh I am sorry Luna, I was just teasing you a little bit. It isn't every night that you get to hear rumors like that."
Luna cocked her head for a moment. "Teasing? We are unfamiliar with this word."
Rarity paused. Right, Luna had been gone for a thousand years. In the year since her return she had learned much, but some terms still eluded her vocabulary. "Oh, it is just... hmmm. Well, it is saying something to embarrass a friend, I suppose. It is playful, showing trust between two friends," she explained.
Comprehension dawned on Luna's face. "I see. To answer you, yes it is true. I did, and have continued to since then, have a wonderful time with the one called Big McIntosh. He is what the ponies would call a 'gentlecolt'. I do believe he even spoke words of encouragement to young Spike in his own amorous quest."
Rarity's face went such a shade of red she may have been about to burst into flames. She stumbled over her words, releasing a few sounds that did not form any coherent speech. Luna looked extraordinarily pleased with herself. "Ah, excellent! We were not sure we understood your explanation, but it seems that we were not mistaken."
Rarity blinked, realizing what Luna had just done. When she finally regained her voice, she had to admit that Luna had pulled one over on her. "Hah... well played. I suppose I asked for that." In an instant, Luna had levitated over a few cushions. This room may have been a dream copy of her royal chambers, but she still did not wish to stress the dreamscape too much by simply creating things. Forcing Rarity's mind to process too much while she was asleep would preclude rest, and Luna had already done far too much for a normal dream meeting.
"We wonder," Luna began, "if you might tell us one of the stories from your time in Ponyville? The reports from Twilight Sparkle go to Tia, er... our sister," she said, catching herself. Rarity arched an eyebrow at the nickname, as she lay down on one of the cushions brought over.
"Tia, hmm? Of course, I have so many stories I could tell you. Oooh, did you ever hear the tale of my gem hunting expedition? It wasn't that long after you returned, and it was quite exciting." At the time, Rarity would not have called the encounter with the Diamond Dogs 'exciting', but time healed all wounds. Now she had to admit that it had been a fun little adventure, even if the rust stains from those filthy harnesses had taken hours to get out of her fur.
Rarity continued when Luna did not speak up, beginning her tale. "Well, you see, it all started with a surprise visit..."
In a dream, it's difficult to note the passage of time. The two had been sharing stories for a while now, that was for certain. Rarity had told a few tales that she would not have told anypony else, but she had been rewarded for her efforts. Some of the stories Luna could tell, like catching Celestia giving a very unlady-like glance towards one of the guards, were beyond hilarious to imagine. "..she would always say 'Are we not allowed to look?' After all this time, she still does so. Did you ever expect that was the reason she hires all of her guards personally?"
Rarity stifled a giggle at that. "She hires her guards just because they look nice? Oh my, how scandalous!"
Luna laughed as well, but it was not her loud and powerful laugh. It was more light and relaxed, not at all what Rarity would have expected. "Oh, she does check them by true standards. I do believe her words were 'Being nice to look at doesn't hurt.' All this time, and she really never changed at all."
The giggles died down after another moment or two. Rarity was about to ask another question, when Luna looked up oddly. Rarity held her tongue, watching the Princess of the Night. After a moment, she stood.
"I beg your pardon Rarity, but somepony has just come to speak with me; with my physical body I mean. I believe it is almost time to raise the sun, so I am afraid I must go. As must you, since I believe you have much work to do." Rarity looked around, the room had not changed at all. The moon was still high in the sky outside the window, but of course this was all a dream world.
"Have we really been engaged that long? It didn't feel that way," she mused.
"You were asleep for some time before I found you. Nevertheless, it is in the nature of dreams to end. I will see you again in one week's time. Remember your promise, leave the gem to me. I will not fail in the promise I made," she spoke with a smile as she spread her wings and moved to the window.
"Princess Luna," Rarity spoke, oddly formal again. The alicorn looked over her shoulder for a moment, poised to leap out the window. "Thank you, for everything."
Luna smiled warmly, "Think nothing of it, můj odraz," she said, before leaping out the window and vanishing in a flash of light.
Rarity was left little time to ponder the meaning of her words, as the world began melting away around her.
Rarity's eyes snapped open, thoughts assaulting her mind instantly. Had that been real? Did she really just spend all night talking to Princess Luna inside her own dream? It was just before sunrise, and she looked out over the city of Canterlot as the horizon began to brighten. The moon slowly slid from its perch, as the sun broached and shed the first of its rays across the land. "Sleep well, Princess," she said, more to herself then anypony else. She took her first look around the room and realized that she had much work to do before the others arrived. She had cried herself to sleep the other day, so she likely looked a mess right now. The dress was still thrown on the floor, and her personal effects were scattered.
"Well, now there are two promises to keep!" she stated, climbing out of bed and moving towards her vanity mirror again. "I don't have the time to keep feeling sorry for myself, there are too many ponies relying on me to give my absolute best this week!" That was right, two young artists who just needed a little bit of help to find their future.
She would do it, she would make this work. It was her gift, after all. Showing everypony the beauty they really had inside.
She was quite lucky that she had so many friends willing to do the same for her.
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The title is a spoiler!
Do not read if you don't want anything spoiled!
Can you say...
It's a Nightmare within a nightmare!
3504167
Hah! You know, your comments very rarely tell me much about the story, but they always make me laugh. And if you keep coming back to comment, then I guess it means you are seeing things that you like anyway!
Thanks again for being such a dedicated fan;
-Lumino
Oh, I like where you're taking this; very nice approach.
I love how Rarity reacts to this scene with Spike.
I have no words for how incredible this is. I did not see that coming, and the parallel is beautiful.
I laughed so much at this.
Beautifully ended.
3504620
Heh, glad you enjoyed it! Like I said, this is the chapter where we start really digging in. It'll be pretty interesting from here on out, I can promise you that. So much has to happen next chapter, it will probably be a big one.
Such is life though!
Thanks again for all your help;
-Lumino
Another good chapter. After everything they've been through I would hate to see Rarity just dump Spike for Fancy Pants' nephew cause I think that would end up destroying him.
3505032
Glad to see you are still following! Thought I might have lost ya a while ago.
3259534
So, do you believe me that it is a Sparity story now?
Trust me, this isn't the last we've heard of their relationship.
Thanks again for the review, and I am glad that you are enjoying it;
-Lumino
This might be my favourite chapter yet.
3505399
I had a feeling that would be the reaction to this chapter, but I didn't want to sound presumptuous. Maybe it is because things are getting interesting, or maybe it is because Luna makes everything way more awesome.
The world may never know.
Thanks for your review;
-Lumino
3505048 The only times I stop following a fic is if the author starts using cop outs or in the case of Spike fics, the story becomes a 'Shit on Spike' story which i personally hate.
Okay, so a nightmare about the Nightmare, that makes more sense.
I like the use of the comic arcs.