Luna's Bloody Nightmare

by Miss Vixen

Page 5

Twilight was preparing some papers and the journal that she had brought from Ponyville, onto a large table within a small meeting room, which was held in a smaller part of the Canterlot Castle. Spike and the other main six were sitting around the table still pondering the journal and its contents that were given to twilight only a few nights ago. As they were becoming more comfortable with the current situation, Princess Luna walked into the room. “Thank you all for coming.”

“You’re welcome Princess.” Twilight said as they all bowed in unison.

“My sister is currently discussing the matters of the changelings with advisors in another part of the castle. She will be joining us shortly. Has any more progress been made on obtaining information from the journal?”

Twilight looked down at the journal “Well, hardly any progress has been made.”

“Yes even I have it admit that making all those dresses for Hoity Toity were much easier.” Rarity replied

“It was no fun, no fun at all.” Pinkie Pie piped in as she laid her head down onto the table pouting.
The rest agreed to the difficulty of the challenge at hand.

Luna let out a sigh and stated “I see. Very well, I believe I know somepony that may be able to help.”

Twilight replied “That would be very helpful, but who do you have in mind?”

With the last of those words being said a grey smoke started to fill the room and a menacing form, glowing colors of a deep thick blood and the burning shades of fire. It appeared to hover above the table and it looked similar in shape to that of an undead pony growing flesh from its very bones.

“WHO DARES DISTUREB MY ETERNAL SLUMBER?!”

All the ponies that sat around the table were terrified from the apparition and took shelter under the table, Spike however couldn’t move from pure fear, uncertain of what was happening. All except for Luna who was well aware of the situation.

Luna giggled “Stop it Nightmare you’re scaring them.”

“Sure thing Luna, but I was only having a little fun.”

The ponies came out from under their hiding spot as the smoke began to collect around a spot next to Luna and form the body of a pony. The apparition disintegrated into black sand and started to wrap around the pony, forming the mane and cloak that he wore. Nightmare took the form that he had worn inside the church.

“Everyone, I would like you to meet Bloody Nightmare. The youth I have spoken of.” Luna announced.

“Um Luna, he looks nothing like the young colt you had concerns about.” Twilight said with confusion.

“Nightmare, I believe it would be best for you to explain it.”

“Absolutely Luna. Well as it so happens I can change my form at will and I often take the form of a youth.” Nightmare said these words as he aged considerably from young to old and back again before their eyes.

The ponies sat surprised at what they had just witnessed.Nightmare thought that he had showed off a bit too much and decided to try and continue with the task at hand. “Twilight you had questions for me?”

“Yes I did. Let’s start with how I received this journal and the skeletal hand that handed it to me. It still gives me chills.” Twilight said slightly shaking from the thought.

A cold silence hung in the air with the mention of the disturbing event that left unwanted thoughts, corruptible from wandering imaginations. Nightmare could only give a calming response with a slight smile on his face. “There is no need to be afraid. The only creature it could only have been was my good old father.”

“FATHER!” Everypony else in the room shouted.

“I see I need to give some explanation, but first I need to explain about alicorns” Nightmare stated.

“Wait, what do alicorns have to do with this?” Twilight said with confusion.

“Well I must explain or else my situation will make far less sense.”

“Alright, but I’m just willing to bet you just mastered some form of magic to complete the ascension, just like all alicorns.”

“Actually, Twilight your last words aren’t exactly true, isn’t that right Luna and Celestia?” Nightmare said, sending his gaze towards Princess Celestia as she entered the room.

Celestia looked around the room at the princesses and her loyal subjects as they took their proper greetings, along with a new face she didn’t recognize. “What am I being involved with?”

Nightmare stood up, “Ah Celestia, I do believe that this is the first time we have met. I am Bloody Nightmare and I am glad to make your acquaintance.” He said as he greeted Celestia in his own way with a tilt and nod of the head, while standing firm.

“And I am glad to make your acquaintance, Bloody Nightmare is it?” Celestia said with uncertainty of the name.
Twilight interrupted the Greeting, “Wait a minute! Not to be rude and interrupt, but are you telling me that there is more than one way to become an alicorn?”

Twilight looked towards Luna and Celestia, but they just looked down, unsure of how to answer. Nightmare could only let out a sigh, “Under normal circumstances an alicorn goes through ascension by mastering a magic, but some are born with the understanding and mastery of a magic.”

“Yes it is true we were born as alicorns, Luna and I. That should explain why we have lived for so long.” Celestia said

Twilight was still curious, “Yes it does, but where do you fit into this Nightmare?”

“Although for me, I still follow the same rules as normal alicorn ascension, but in truth and reality…” Nightmare replied rubbing the back of his neck.

“I’m not an alicorn or even a pony.” Nightmare shrank into his seat as he waited for the others response.
The room sat silent as everypony tried to comprehend what Nightmare had just said until Luna spoke up with a concerned voice. “Nightmare, what do you mean?”

Nightmare looked away from her. “Well Luna, what I mean is that I was born a pony and in every aspect I essentially am one, but my family line is a bit more complicated. It is actually made up of powerful beings that take the form of other creatures when were born, whether they be real or mythical. However we are restricted to any rules, such as alicorn ascension for example, that may apply to said creatures.”

“If you are almost an exact copy of the creatures you take the form of, how do you know you’re not that creature?” Twilight asked.

Nightmare was biting his lower lip. “Well, we just feel different, as if we don’t belong and that we are different from others. It started with my grandfather, the first known individual of our kind. He was born as a human, but of course he always felt like an outcast, mainly because he was usually thinking about things humans wouldn’t normally think about. Common thoughts of his were different what ifs of little changes in the world and the changes that would come from them. Basically he would have thoughts far deeper about subjects others would just glance at.”

At this time Rarity began to speak. “Um darling, I’m just being curious, but how did your grandfather find out he was a different being?”

Nightmare closed his eyes and his head fell a little bit. “I’m sorry if I can’t answer your question, since most of my childhood is fuzzy at best, but what I can remember being told, is a real kick to the head.”

After gathering his thought and without a specific way to avoid the subject, Nightmare let out a sigh, showing that it wasn’t something he liked to talk about, but felt he must. “A wall was found that listed all of the information of every individual that had ever existed. It was determined that it told the fate and destiny of every single person, pony, etc. Although when he looked for himself…, his name wasn’t to be found.”

“Oh, um… I’m sorry if I brought up any painful memories.” Rarity replied.

Nightmare lifted his head and took a deep breath to reassure himself. “No it’s fine let’s just move on. Next in my family line there is my father who took the form of a living human skeleton and last of course is me. Also there is something I should mention. The world my grandfather lived in had long since died and was in constant decay, even though he was the only one who could see it.”

Spike interrupted, “But wait, when I was in the human world, it seemed fine to me.”

“Well spike, now bear with me because this is going to be very complicated.”

“You’re from another planet entirely within this dimension, which has no magic so harmony cannot be achieved, which means it is in a constant state of decay like you said and it would only make sense that in the other dimension there is a pony world that also has no magic and is also in a state of decay.” Pinkie said with clear understanding of the situation.

Nightmare stared at Pinkie and then nodded in agreement. “Pretty much, yes. I can only guess about the pony world in decay though.”
~~
Everyponies heads were spinning by now. Nightmare tried to avert course back onto the main topic, but became just as confused. Twilight was a bit more successful. She opened up the journal to the reference of the four horseman.

“Alright, um Nightmare, what do you know of the four horseman?”

“Well Twilight, in simple words to ease the mass of confusion that we have filled the room with. The four horseman are said to bring with them… the end of the world.”

All the ponies began to speak amongst themselves with fear of destruction and the end of everything they knew, but Nightmare raised a hoof into the air to get their attention. “Now calm down, they were said to bring the end of the world, but it is the end for my world and not yours.”

“That would explain the state of your world.” Answered Apple Jack.

Nightmare grinned slightly, “That would be the initial thought, but in reality they arrived long after my world had died. Even they could not believe the sight they saw and after that they travel the world lost and without purpose. Because of this they grew very weak and sought out my grandfather for help, which he did without question. They were placed within me, lying dormant, so that I may call upon them or their powers when needed.”

“That doesn’t make a lot of sense if you think about it.” Rainbow dash spoke.

“I know very well that it doesn’t, but I have no idea why my grandfather did it.” Nightmare replied with his shoulders raised in confusion.

“But don’t you have like tons of your own power?”

“Yes I do and in my opinion having both my own power and that of the four horseman’s is over doing it, but whatever.”

Then rainbow dash became really excited. “Wait, if you have so much power then you must have a really amazing cutie mark right?”

A look of fear grew on Nightmare’s face, as he pulled more of his cloak over his flank out of reflex. “Well um…”
Luna answered for Nightmare, “I have seen his cutie mark and I have to admit that it is not a sight for our world to see.”

Nightmare simply whispered to Luna a “Thank you.”

The rest of the ponies let their imagination wonder on what the cutie mark looked like when Fluttershy began to speak.
“Um Nightmare I was just wondering if it’s alright to ask you.”

“Fluttershy its fine, you can ask me anything.” Nightmare said with a soothing voice.

“Well, what magic did you master, out of curiosity of course?”

Nightmare pondered it for a second, “That is a very good question. Well it could one of three different things, or possibly all of them. The magic’s themselves I believe I have mastered are as follows rage, sorrow, and understanding.”

“How can any of those be a form of magic?” asked Rainbow Dash skeptically.

A large grin grew upon Nightmares face, “Well, since you asked I can at least show you the first two. I am not sure on the last since there isn’t really a form that understanding takes.” Nightmare said as he flew out into an open window so that he had a bit more space to work with. Once Nightmare had some room around him, he started to unleash some of his built up rage. The air that circled him started to tremble and Nightmare started to become the fiery pony that Luna had seen at the edge of the forest. He put his front hooves together as a small ball of light formed between the two. The ball started to hum loudly as lightning began to spark from the ball and up Nightmares hooves. At the last moment he let out a beam from the ball of light, which was something that has not been seen in Equestria before. The beam landed deep into space releasing an explosion that could have destroyed half the land if not for Nightmare take precautions beforehand.

As Nightmare landed back, slightly laughing to himself from showing off a little, Rainbow Dash muttered to herself,
“Remind me not to get on your bad side.”

Nightmare replied to what Rainbow had said, but gave no notice that he had actually heard her. “Do not worry I have control over my powers.”

“Well that was… interesting, but what does sorrow look like?” Celestia asked with a mix of fear and intrigue.

“Actually Celestia, sorrow is best heard instead of shown.”

Nightmare stated to move his head to a slow beat only he could hear, but soon the music could be heard by the others as it started to flow from beneath Nightmare’s cloak. Then he began to sing with a soft soothing voice.

“I’m so tired of being here, Suppressed by all my childish fears”

The song was deep and moving. It could be felt by the others in the room.

“And if you have to leave, I wish that you would just leave, because your presence still lingers here, and it won’t leave me alone”

As drops of water began to form on the faces of each pony, the world around them began to turn to shades of dull blues and greys, while their heads began to fill with the memories of the saddest of times, each had once experienced.

“These wounds won’t seem to heal, this pain is just to real, there’s just too much that time cannot erase”

Celestia wrapped a hoof around Luna. She could remember when she had banished her sister and all the heartache that was left with both of them.

“When you cried I’d wipe away all of your tears, when you’d scream I’d fight away all of your fears”

Pinkie blew into a tissue as she thought back to when she lived on the rock farm, back… when she didn't have fun.

“And I held your hand through all of these years, but you still had all of me”

As Nightmare finished singing, he couldn’t help but think back to the years he had been alone. However something was different this time that broke through the silence of the isolation that he was accustomed to. The sound was coming from Luna.

“Nightmare… Nightmare…”

“Huh, oh sorry Luna. What is it?” Nightmare asked in subtle voice.

“That song was very lovely, thank you… for singing it.”

“You’re welcome.”

Nightmare moved his attention to Celestia. “Celestia, I know you had some business about the changeling situation you wanted to talk to us about and I was thinking that we could discuss it maybe in the library or archive, some place that has much more room than this, so we can get some air and use it as a pallet cleanser.”

Celestia began to rise from her seat. “I agree and it sounds like some air would be good change of pace.”

~~

As everypony left the room and headed for the archives, Luna, Celestia, and Nightmare were at the back of the pack.
Nightmare was the first to speak, “Celestia, I wanted to talk to you”

“And I to you Nightmare.”

“Alright, you may go first.” Nightmare said with a nod.

“Thank you. When I entered the room you only nodded when the others gave a formal greeting and I was just curious because I heard from Luna that when she meet you, you bowed for her. I just want to know your reasoning.”

“Very well then. It may seem strange but I try to be careful when in public and although one could argue that we were in private, there was more ponies which means for me, more ponies to take my actions the wrong way, if that makes sense.”

Celestia nodded, “Somewhat, but I see where you’re coming from and now for you to speak your mind.”

“Alright, but we need to slow down our pace, just till were out of ear shot of the others.”

Luna lowered her voice, almost to that of a whisper. “Why do we need to slow down our pace?”

“It’s because I don’t know how Twilight will react if she hears what I’m about to say.”

“Is it that offensive?” Celestia asked.

“It may be for Twilight anyway, due to the relationship that she has with you. I think it’s now safe to talk. Look, on my old world there was a Ruler much like you Celestia and she was put into a similar position of having to banish her own sister due to the evil forces that had influenced her.”

Luna looked at Celestia, “Just like us sister.”

“Indeed.” Celestia said with pain in her voice as she remembered her own actions that had once banished Luna.

“Although this left the Ruler heartbroken from the action she took, the citizens that she ruled over did not see it that way. They thought that she did it to assume full control over the land and many ill thoughts were born from it. Even I hate to admit that there had been times where even I had thought of her as an anti-hero, which was believed to generous.”

Celestia looked at Nightmare with concern filling her eyes. “Nightmare… what did the citizens call her?”

Nightmare looked away from Celestia knowing that his story was starting to hurt her. “There are some names that I can’t even bring myself to say, but what the citizens called her the most was a tyrant.”

All three ponies stopped in their tracks. “I’m sorry Celestia, I just…”

“Nightmare it’s fine, but why tell me such a story?”

Nightmare could only look at the ground and feel awful for himself. “I told you the story to warn you, because somepony of your status should take great consideration for what results come from the actions they take, just like how I try to be careful with what I do…, but from the moment I meet you I could tell there was nothing but good inside you and… I just don’t want either of you or anypony else or even Equestria to become like my old world. I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry.”
Nightmare felt more ashamed than ever. Luna wrapped a hoof around Nightmare’s shoulder and Celestia use her hoof to raise his head out of the sorrow he was feeling. “Nightmare, you have nothing to feel sorry about. I completely understand that your world may not have been the best of places and you don’t want Equestria to end up in a similar state. Your intentions were good and if you ever have any other maters you want to talk about, you will be welcomed to speak them to either Luna or I and we’ll both be willing to listen with open hooves.”

“That’s right Nightmare both Celestia and I will be glad to listen to your concerns any time you need somepony to talk to, alright.” Luna said.

Nightmare straitened himself up and replied, “Thank you, you don’t know how much that means to me.”

The three of them start their pace back and continue onward towards the archives, when Celestia realized Nightmare didn’t finish the story. “Nightmare, how did that story end?”

Nightmare kept facing forward, “You tell me you’re still writing it.”

Both Luna and Celestia froze on the spot when it hit them of what Nightmare had just said. Both of them kept changing their focus between Nightmare and each other. With their mouths hanging open, neither of them could say a word. It took Nightmare a moment to realize what he had said. “Um… I may have said too much. Look I only used the word citizens for the stories sake, but believe me when I say that no pony in Equestria has ever thought that way about you, however I can’t say the same for anywhere else.”

Both of the sisters were unsure how to even respond to this news, until Luna had thought back to what Nightmare had told her, when she had the horrible nightmare. Luna placed a hoof on Celestia, “Sister, look you are more than what your past has made of you the past actions you have done.”

“Thank you Luna I should put what others may have thought of those actions far behind me and I also think we should ketch up with the others.” Celestria smiled.

The rest of the walk was held in silence.

~~

As the three ponies entered the Archives, they were met with curious questions

“Hey, what kept you up?” Rainbow Dash yelled from across the room.

Nightmare calmly replied, “Just some casual chit-chat, nothing important.”

However Luna did take notice, ‘That was not just chit-chat, that was a serious conversation we had, but even so that was a clear lie. Oh Nightmare, I know from what you have told me that your child hood wasn’t the best, but still… things like that are starting to feel as if they come to you a bit too easily.’ She thought to herself.

All the ponies gathered around a large table, with Celestia at one end preparing to speak. “As you all are aware that there is talk of a new faction of changelings somewhere near the Crystal Empire. Our first knowledge of this came from the changelings themselves. They had sent a messenger to Cadence stating, that since the last great battle we have had with them, they have been keeping their numbers down and in check, so that they would be able to feed without giving us concern to stop them. However a group of them has gone rouge and the rest of the changelings are becoming very concerned. They have no further knowledge on the subject, but what we have been able to uncover, from a few changelings that had offered to become infiltrators, was that they plan to bring a great disaster to Equestrian and have a ceremonial final feast from what we have been told.”

Nightmare put his hooves together, setting them on the table and resting his chin upon them. “Yes that would make sense since within the breaks of disaster love reaches a peak, also knowing that it would destroy them in the process and seeing it as a final feast would mean that they are working in a cult like manner. That would be the only way they would ever agree with their own destruction, but I’m still curious. How do they intend of summoning a disaster?”

Celestia sighed, “There was mention of a book and a possible area for their location, but that is all we know at this current time.”
“All we have to gone is a book that can cause disasters, so that’s why we’re in the archives.” Twilight pointed out.

“Yes and we need to find any information or reference to such a book and fast.”

Celestia used her hoof to signal for the search to begin and all the ponies went to different shelves in hopes of finding anything that may help.

Author's Note:

First I have to give cedit to Evanescense for their song My Immortal. Loving it.
Second my long list of apologies. I'm sorry it took so long to publish. I'm sorry for the length of this note and I'm sorry if the authors note from the last page offended anyone. If you haven't read it here it is

'I apologize in advanced for not adding to this story, but I am in an odd situation.
I have become rather busy recently and when I do find some free time, I find myself having no motivation to continue, but I want to continue this story badly. The main reason is for the lack of feed back from comments and the fact that I'm not sure of how well I'm doing. The best example I can think of to explain how I feel goes as follows. "Some one has tasked you with making lunch to a group of children and you want to do something really special, so you can see the kids smile from a good meal. However the kids remain emotionless and give no reply to see if the meal was good or not. You think it must have been good because they ate everything on their plate, but you can never be sure." I understand that a few have liked this story, but is it because the story is pretty good or because it's that bad, I just don't know.
I would be most grateful if a comment would be left even if it is an insult that will help me be a better writer.
I apologize for the length of the note and I also apologize to the fact that by posting this I am seen as a horrible person, I'm sure I deserved the title.'

Due to my idiocy it only donned on me as I'm posting this that I should have just put please comment.
Not only am I an idiot, but I'm also a horrible person.
The concerns are all still the same and
P.S. please comment.