Ch. 1: Bad Dreams
Chapter 1: Bad Dreams
(note:) slight alternate universe in which Twilight and the rest of the Mane 6 are already friends prior to Nightmare Moon’s return)
It was a bright night in Ponyville.
Upon the face of Equestria’s radiant satellite, the curious visage of the Mare in the Moon provided a sharp contrast to the unusual lunar brightness. Yet this oddity did little to disturb the peace of the night, as ponies slumbered and waited for the next day.
But one might say this was not the case for any number of astronomers, who opted to spend their nights gazing into the dark sky, in search of the many brilliant constellations that adorned the voidscape. Many thought that the stars above were simple points of light, placed by a once benevolent princess to bring light to the night.
But there were some who regarded the stars with a strange curiosity. Morbid in their outlooks, these few ponies spoke of the stars not as embers beside the nocturnal beacon, but as fell sources of light. These ponies spoke of an ancient prophecy, of a tale long passed into legend, into myth, and forgotten by history.
The tale of Nightmare Moon.
None but Celestia knew what truly occurred nigh upon a millenia ago, nopony alive at least. The sparingly few times the solar princess had been asked about that night, she would reluctantly recount the story with far more trepidation than any old mare’s tale had right to.
But tonight was not a night for concern. It was, as any, a time for rest. And this particular night found a family bidding their goodnights and laying their heads to sleep.
A tiny filly nuzzled into the forehoof of her loving father. “Good night, Daddy…”
The father of the little filly smiled as he drew his daughter’s covers up to her head, letting her snuggle into her bed without effort. As the stallion drew his hoof away, a smile graced his muzzle as the child’s breaths became slower and more sleeplike.
The prideful father in question was a tall unicorn of solid build, complemented by a sleek coat of dark blue. His eyes, by contrast, shone as twin neon blue orbs, a color shared by his short and spiked mane and tail. On either flank was the insignia of silver star, superseded by a pair of crossed swords.
Soft hooffalls announced the presence of the motherly figure in the household. The mare was a mirror of her husband, with dark blue eyes, offsetting her light blue coat that faded into completely white mane and tail. A ladle-like arrangement of stars adorned her flanks.
“She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?” the stallion muttered to the mare. His deep voice was thick with an accent trademark to Marebourne, a desert city on the Equestrian coast rich with kangaroos. “I tell you, Const, I know I sound biased but…” He shook his head and chuckled softly. “What a kid we made…”
“That she is, Alabaster…” The mare called ‘Const’, or ‘Constellation’ if one was to use her full name, whispered to him. She leaned into his shoulder, resting her head upon him. As opposed to her husband’s thick accent, Contellation’s speech was adjusted to something expected of a Trottingham native. Being such, it made sense that she sounded the part. “Our daughter… a magnificent sight, if ever there was one…”
“But come, let her rest…” Constellation lifted her head from her husband and left the room, quiet as she could be. Alabaster followed suit, after taking one last look at his daughter. His smile persisted until he left her room, closing the door behind himself.
As Alabaster and Constellation made their way downstairs, they passed through the remains of various party decorations, from confetti, to streamers, even a range of partially deflated balloons. A large banner was hung high, reading in flowery script ‘Congrats on Your New Discovery Constellation!’.
Only one pony remained among the leftovers of the party, a multi-hued purple unicorn mare. Constellation immediately went up to the unicorn and began conversing with her. Alabaster opted to settle down in his chair next to the fireplace, letting a heavy sigh loose as he sank into the cushiony depths.
“What a night!” he said with exhausted enthusiasm, running a hoof through his spiky mane.
Constellation and Twilight Sparkle chuckled before Twilight spoke up. “Too much punch, Alabaster?”
“I think the problem is that he’s not used to Pinkie Pie’s parties yet…” Constellation held a hoof up to her mouth and chuckled.
“And I reckon I won’t ever be…” He muttered, turning his head to look at the two mares. “Where in Equestria did you find that crazy mare? It’s like she can’t stop partying! Does she eat pure sugar or something for brekky everyday?”
“I don’t know about that…” Twilight smiled before walking to the front door with Constellation. “She’s ..well, she’s just Pinkie.”
“Just Pinkie…” Alabaster yawned. “Well, I’m just Alabaster, and unlike just Pinkie, I need sleep. I have an early day tomorrow…” He slowly stood and walked to the door as well. “Thanks for coming Twilight. It means a lot to us.” He smiled at her.
Twilight turned her head to the side and waved her hoof passively. She then gave Constellation a large hug. “Congrats on your discovery, Constellation...I can’t wait to study those stars and see what they mean…”
“I’ll beat you to it dear…” Constellation smiled, patting her friend on the back and looking her in the eyes. “It’s what I do best…” She chuckled before letting go of Twilight.
“Challenge accepted.“ Twilight smiled back. Constellation opened the door for her, and Twilight took her leave with a generous goodbye wave.
“Good bye Twilight!” Constellation waved back before shutting the door. She turned around and saw Alabaster over in the kitchen part of their home, uncorking a fresh bottle of cider. “Isn’t it a tad late for that, dear?”
“I’m never gonna sleep after a party like that, love…this’ll help.” His horn glowed light blue, as his eyes, levitating the cider bottle in the air and pouring a glass for himself, as well as his wife. “And besides, I’ve been wanting to share a moment alone with you ever since the night began.”
Constellation turned slightly red. “Oh Alabaster…” She trotted over as he levitated over his cider glass. She caught it with her dark blue magic. “What should we toast to?”
“Hm, a toast, eh?” He scratched his chin with his forehoof. “To the new constellation you’ve discovered…” He winked and raised his glass next to hers in the air. “And to Moonblaze.”
She smiled and clinked her glass against his. “To my discovery, and to Moonblaze.”
The couple took their sips of cider and set their glasses down on the kitchen table. They took a moment to savor their drink, before Constellation perked up. “I’ve got it!”
“Eh?” Alabaster Star looked up towards his wife. “What have you got, hun?”
“I know what to brand the new constellation. It fits perfectly!” She smiled and trotted to their living room window. “I’ll name it after our daughter, Moonblaze.”
“What…? After our...daughter…?” It took Alabaster a while to register what she had said. Finally, he trotted up behind his wife. “Are sure about that, love?”
She turned around and nodded furiously. “Absolutely. I’ll call it...Princess Moonblaze. Just for her. I know how she’s always wanted to be a Princess.” She chuckled. “She’s always playing Princess with her friends…”
Alabaster shook his head and embraced his wife in a hug. “I love you, Constellation. It’s times like this that I realize just how much I love you. That’ll make her the happiest filly in the world.”
She embraced her husband back. “I love you too. Anything for our daughter…”
They held each other for a moment before they parted. Constellation leaned in and kissed her husband on the lips for a second or two before hugging him again. He gave a soft chuckle before she turned around and they both gazed up at the stars above and the moon. Alabaster’s gaze, in particular, fell upon the moon, and the mysterious black craters that formed the face of the legendary Nightmare Moon, or Mare in the Moon, as she was being called these days.
“Speaking of Princesses…” Alabaster said, pointing up to the sky. “Do you ever wonder about the moon? And the legend? Like, do you ever study the moon at the lab?”
Constellation leaned on his shoulder again as both their gazes went up to the moon now. “Not much to tell about it, dear. Some say it’s just that, a legend. Some say it’s coincidence that the craters on the moon were formed that way. Only the Princess could tell you that for sure. And I’m pretty sure you don’t rank that highly.” She smirked.
“Knock it off, Const.” He smiled and playfully nuzzled her nose. “Ah well, at least it makes a great stor-”
It all happened in an instant. Broken glass flying through the air as the window shattered, Constellation’s scream as she and Alabaster were tackled by something that had flown through the window...two things that had flown through the window. Pain flared in Alabaster’s neck as unusually sharp teeth sank into the nape of his neck.
“Where gems?!” A crackly voice cried out from over near Constellation. “Need gems for pony!”
Alabaster cried out and rolled over, slamming his back two hooves into whatever was attacking him. Another voice yelped as whatever attacked them was sent toppling into one of Constellation’s bookcases. Picking himself up, he lunged at the creature that was on top of his wife, holding a dagger at her neck.
Diamond Dog.
Enraged at the tears of fear sliding down his wife’s face, he rammed into the Diamond Dog as hard as he could, slamming the creature into the wall, which cracked under the force of the stallion’s attack. The creature cried out in pain as Alabaster used his forehooves to choke the it.
“THAT’S ENOUGH!” He roared angrily. “You have some nerve breaking in like this…”
“We only wants gems...pretty...pretty gems…ACH…” gasped the Diamond Dog. “For nightmare...pony…”
“Nightmare pony…? Who’s Nightmare Po-” He stopped and slowly turned his gaze towards the broken window, looking up at the moon. He growled and slammed his hooves harder into the Diamond Dog, which howled in pain. “Nightmare Moon is just a legend!”
“Not...what pony...thinks…” The dog sputtered through being choked. “Pony knows not...legend true...need gems for...return…”
“What the bloody hay are you talking ab-”
“ALABASTER!” Constellation screamed from behind him.
He tried to turn around, but it was too late. A crack and a flash of light in his vision, and Alabaster was down, dazed after being hit with a piece of the bookcase by the dog that had been biting him.
Now free, the dog he was choking turned to Constellation. “Now, girl pony...give me your gems…now, lots of gems, we needs…”
Constellation was sweating nervously. “I...I don’t have any...we have enough to get by…”
The second dog didn’t take that comment very well. He walked up from behind Constellation and swiped at her with the back of his paw, knocking her to the ground as well.
“Go checks the upstairs…” The first dog said to the one that just swiped Constellation.
Alabaster’s eyes opened wide when he heard that. No...Moonblaze…
With strength only a father could have, he leaped up from his delirium, using his magic to send a chair flying the first dog, who cried out in pain and fell to the floor. The second dog was tackled before he could get to the stairs.
“OH NO YOU DON’T!” Alabaster bellowed, wrestling with the dog. Remembering his training from the Royal Guard Academy, he put everything he had learned into this fight. His first move was to clap the Diamond Dog’s ears, dazing the creature for a few precious seconds. He then began wailing on the dog, until its muzzle was significantly bloodied and the dog was whimpering in pain. He shakily stood up and wiped a bit of the dog’s blood from his torso. “Constellation? You alright?” He panted heavily.
He looked across the room at his wife, who groaned as she shakily stood up. With one eye closed, she nodded with a small smile. But then her eyes widened.
“What?” He turned around at what she was looking at and saw a very tired-looking and very confused Moonblaze standing on the bottom step. She looked down at the nearly unconscious diamond dog on the ground and her eyes instantly widened to that of her mother’s. “Daddy, wha...what’s happening?”
Alabaster, still panting heavily, felt his breath catch. “Honey, go back upstairs. Go back to bed, please..”
“Are those diamond dogs? Were you fighting diamond dogs?” Moonblaze’s look turned from that of shock to that of slight excitement. “That’s awesome!”
“Moonblaze, I’m not going to ask again…” Alabaster stepped over the dog’s body and put a hoof around his daughter’s back and turned her around and gently pushed her upwards. “I’ll be up in a momen-”
“AAAH!” Constellation suddenly cried out from behind him.
“Mommy!” Moonblaze suddenly cried, looking behind Alabaster.
Alabaster whirled around and saw the first diamond dog, whom he had hit with a chair, was now up, and holding Constellation against his body and his knife against her throat. The dog had broken splinters in his face, and he looked none too happy about it. “Gives us gems, or we slice the girl pony open!”
Alabaster slowly reached a hoof forward and shook his head. “Hey, come on now, don’t do anything we’ll regret!”
“Silence pony!” He pressed the knife a little more into Constellation’s neck, drawing a little blood.
“MOMMY!” Moonblaze shrieked, clutching her dad’s hind leg like her life depended on it.
“Do not do this...I’m sure there’s something here you’d like to take...please…” A tear slid out of his eye. “Take anything you want, just do not kill her...please…”
“No gems!?” The dog growled. Constellation fidgeted as she struggled to breath with the knife pressed up against her throat. “We wants gems for Nightmare Pony’s return! She will not like anything else!”
“Please…” Alabaster had started to shake. “Please don’t kill my wife...please...I don’t have anything else to give…”
For a moment, it seemed like the diamond dog hesitated. Slowly, but surely, the knife was removed from her neck. Alabaster heaved a sigh of relief.
But it was for naught.
A scream from Constellation was silenced by the knife entering her neck…
A scream and crying from Moonblaze…
Alabaster roaring and charging the dog who had just taken his wife from him...
A flash of light.
Twilight Sparkle has blown open the front door and, with horror on her face, sees Alabaster cradling his dead wife in one hoof and his crying daughter in the other, both dogs dead with horn wounds through their chests.
It’s raining. He’s dressed in his newly made Royal Guard armor, silver with blue trim, and he’s surrounded in ponies dressed in black. Twilight Sparkle and her brother, Shining Armor, are lowering a casket into the ground.
R.I.P.
Constellation
Brilliant Astronomer, Mother and Wife
Alabaster sees Nightmare Moon laughing at his pain. His misery. Her delight that she had taken his wife...his eternal love...was easily seen. Lightning struck the ground in front of him.
“GAH!!!!”
Alabaster sat up in his bed. Sweat was pouring down his forehead and neck. He panted heavily for a few seconds, before he finally gulped and sighed. “Just that dream again…”
He looked down, his unkempt neon blue hair making a shadow over his eyes. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed from his window. Slowly, he removed the covers and stood up. The sweat coating his body glimmered faintly his body, another bolt of lightning flashing illuminating both him and his room as he walked to the window and gazed outside.
Rain fell against the cobblestone streets of Canterlot like a barrage. “Great…” He muttered, turning from the window and making his way of the room. “Guard duty in the rain…my favorite…”
He made his way down the small hallway of the Canterlot apartment that he now shared with his daughter, Moonblaze. It had been a year since Constellation had died, and the same dream haunted his sleep once a week… if he was lucky. He thought about getting help, but dismissed that thought rather quickly. He thought shrinks were a crock anyway.
He entered the small kitchen of his flat and opened the fridge. Using his magic, he grabbed some milk and placed it on the table. He turned on the coffee machine with his magic as well, which began grinding the beans with a whir. Before he knew it, he was silently sipping his coffee. He wouldn’t be be going back to sleep anyway. Never on days with that… nightmare. All he could do was find ways to stay awake for his shift at the castle in four hours.
He looked over at the clock. 4 PM. Night shifts required that he get his rest during the day.
“Fantastic…” He looked down at his coffee before placing it on the table. Slowly he got up and walked down the hallway, past his small room, to another door. He scratched his chin, which had the beginning of neon blue stubble on it, before quietly knocking on the door. “Moonblaze? You there?”
“Yeah, Dad. Come in.” Her voice came back.
Quietly, Alabaster opened the door into his daughter’s room. The little filly with mixed blue and white hair and a slightly lighter coat than his looked up at him from her bed, where she held her handheld gaming device. She cocked her head. “What’s up Dad?” She noticed he looked slightly shaken and had some sweat remaining. “Are you okay? You didn’t have that dream again, did you?”
Without a word, he slowly walked over to her bed. As she looked up at him, he slowly ran a hoof through her mane, tears beginning to form on his head. Slowly, he nodded as more tears began to flow. “Y...yes…” Slowly he fell to the floor at her bedside and buried his face into the covers of her bed. He gripped the covers with his forehooves. “I...I miss her so much, Moonblaze! I...I...oh why…”
Moonblaze threw her game aside, and embraced her fallen father in a tight hug. “I miss her, too, Dad…” Moonblaze gulped and tried to hold back tears herself. “I miss her, too…”
Stats
Page generated in 0.027 seconds
Total duration
1,125 users online
2,035,367 hits today, 2,561,572 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
Awww now im sad
This seems interesting.
I'll be sure to give it a read.
Wait, I have to read a story before favoriting it? FUCK THAT! Will read this when I have the chance, busy working on.....stuff.....yeah, stuff. Zalos, out. (Backflips out window)
I love this story! I can't wage to see what happens next!
Hmm... Lets se where this goes.
Mmm, any OC's from some users here that maybe added later to the story or will that not be the case?
"Marebourne" haha you clever person. And those damned diamond dogs.
Omg I need to go cry now
Loving it so far!
Much feels, need moar feels.
I figured this would make me sad. I was right. Darn it. *goes into corner and cries forever*
Need to make sure and keep those tenses consistent.
you can always bring out the feels in a person
great beginning even if it is sad