Full Moon Fever: A MoonLight Prompt Collab

by TheLastBrunnenG

41 Rapture by toratchi888

Rapture
by toratchi888

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Darkness is Beauty, Beauty is Magic, Act 1

She is beautiful…

* * *

The assembled citizens of Ponyville waited eagerly for the climax of the Summer Sun Celebration. Fluttershy waited in the wings with her choir of birds, and Rarity was on the balcony, ready to draw open the curtains to the dawn.

Twilight Sparkle stood among the crowd on the floor, outwardly calm (betraying little of her irritation) as Pinkie Pie prattled on about parties. Twilight knew Applejack and Rainbow Dash were nearby.

Twilight’s right hoof twitched. Just breathe. It’s almost dawn; Princess Celestia isn’t far. Just make it through the next few minutes; if Princess Celestia is right and you’re wrong, you won’t be eaten by the Nightmare Moon. That is good. You’ll have the rest of your life to study the legend of the Mare in the Moon. Safely. In Canterlot. With books.

…and if you’re right, and Princess Celestia is wrong…

…Well, the worst that will happen is…

…slavery.

...eternal night.

…okay.

The murmurs of the crowd-ponies swelled with excitement as Mayor Mare mounted the dais and took the podium.

“Fillies and colts, mares and gentle stallions! Tonight we remember the victory of the Light over the Darkness, and thank our graceful ruler for her benevolence!

“Without further ado, I humbly present Princess Celestia!”

The bird-choir sang out joyfully, and the curtain fell back—

* * *

The room plunged into darkness. Ponies gasped and murmured. “What’n the hay?” Twilight heard Applejack mutter.

Twilight ignored the crowd, her eyes fixed on the balcony:

Instead of the golden rays of Celestia’s sun, a black shape curled about itself before resolving into the suggestion of a pony.

In the depths of this dark cloud, two brightly glowing eyes opened with exquisite slowness. Rarity squealed in fright and hid behind the curtain; Fluttershy cowered behind her wings, her bird choir mimicking her.

The pony’s form slid from the shadows, coalescing into a graceful mare, tall like Celestia, with a midnight-black coat illuminated by starlight. Those same few stars’ light shimmered on the mare’s wings and glistened on her ebony horn.

She was barded for war: A sleek silver champron framed her eyes, startlingly blue against the black of her body and slit like a dragon’s. Malicious intelligence danced within them, and also arrogant amusement.

Her peytral too was smooth and silver, and as Twilight squinted, she could barely make out black runes etched upon it, dancing before her eyes. On her hooves were war-boots, smooth and blue like sapphires, curled in the ancient symbol of the fleur-de-lis.

Frontal armour only, head and body; no flanchards and no croupiere, and no criniere for her neck. She must always face her foe head-on… Terrifying.

Twilight completed her analysis of the Mare’s armour before noticing her Cutie Mark. It was striking like nothing else: A white patch that Twilight could just make out as hundreds of tiny, overlapping starbursts, fairly glittering with magic to Twilight’s sight; and a black halo, the center of the circle hollow but perhaps filled halfway from its edge.

Twilight swayed, looking into the mare’s eyes…

…and the mare gazed back.

She is beautiful…

…I am Nightmare Moon.

* * *

Dear Princess Celestia,

As your faithful student, I have studied the wonders of Magic since I was a filly. Magic has inspired me; it is who I am.

But I never expected… to find magic in a legendary terror.

If this is the Nightmare Moon… if she is my nightmare…

…would that I never awake from my Rapture.

Comments

[Mister Morden]

When you look into the abyss, the abyss looks back into you.

[Toratchi888]

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