A World Without a Rainboom

by Mocha Star

10. Good Night to All and Nightmares to End All (Pt. 2)

Pinkamena woke up, stretched, and groaned happily as she rolled out of bed. "Hey Rarity. Didn't you sleep at all?"

Rarity looked at Pinkamena with bloodshot eyes. Her breathing was raspy and she was trembling as she drew a cloud over and over and over. "I haven't slept in days, or. nights, or... No, I haven't slept since the nightmares started. Can't sleep. Can't see it happen again," Rarity returned to her clouds muttering 'can't sleep.'

"Well, I see you're going a little crazy, so I'm gonna see mom and dad. Should be breakfast time, I think. Want anything, Rarity?"

"SLEEP! Can't sleep. Can't sleep..."

"Mom, Dad. I feel great. I had the best dream and I feel so refreshed. Oh! Maud and Limestone are gonna be here tomorrow. Or, today. Tonight? Sometime in the next 20 hours, I guess. Oh, is it time for breakfast?"

"Pinkamena? You seem unusually happy and your mane is still permed. I think it's a nice look on you, dear. I don't know what time it is, I think it's about noon, or five? If you're hungry can you cook something yourself? I- I don't feel well enough to cook right now."

Pinkamena stroked her chin then smiled wide. "I dreamed I became a baker. I'll make muffins and some cupcakes, those make everyone happy."

---

"Mom, have you gotten any word from Shining yet? I'm worried about him leading a rebellion against Nightmare Moon and all that."

"Twilight, when we know something, you will. Shining is the captain of the royal guard, he can handle himself. Have you found your special somepony yet?"

"Mom! I am so not even thinking about that right now!"

"Well, your mom has a point. Just find a mare who likes long walks on the beach under the moonlight and you're set!" Both her parents launched into a laughing fit that Twilight didn't want to be a part of.

"No pony has slept good in days and nightmares haunt us all and all you can do is laugh at my sex life?!" Her parents stifled their laughing for a moment before her mom spoke.

"PMS?" Twilight stormed to the bathroom amidst a hailstorm of laughs. Looking into the mirror she held an internal monologue.

I'm so tired of the jokes, and no sleep, and nightmares and... Blast the night time! If I had the choice I'd blow up the moon, just 'Blew, Kapow, bang' and then there would be... Nothing. Drat. No sun, no moon. Darkness. Like that Nightmare Moon. What a mean mare. Making it so I can't sleep. I have to admit, Nightmare Moon has a nice- NO. Twilight put her hooves to her head and groaned. I must need sleep. I can't think of an evil nightmare inducing tyrant as a lover.

---

"Light Foot, thy return. Doth thou bring word from the south?"

"My queen, I traveled south and found the land shrouded in the eternal night you spoke of."

"Fantastic! Glorious tidings indeed," Nightmare Moon laughed with glee, "And what of the ponies? Have they built grand cities as a testament to my night?"

"There are almost none left, your majesty. Those that remain are living in destitute homes and eating insects and weeds to survive. No plants grew there."

"Light Foot, surely thy jest!"

"I- I couldn't stay long. Some were crazed with hunger and killed and began to eat one of my escorts. I had never seen such an act, we ran and didn't look back. My queen, please, forgive me."

Nightmare Moon stood over him for a moment looking at him as Celestia began to chuckle. "Nightmare Moon, you setup the land I had advised you not to 1000 years ago, and they died. Those that didn't die from the darkness went crazy, what else must you see to understand that balance is needed. If I were to keep my sun out for even three days time life would begin to burn to death. With your moon, starvation will begin. Raise the sun, Luna. Don't have the rest of Equestria become your hidden kingdom."

"Light Foot, go stand by the door." He complied and galloped to the door where he turned around to face Nightmare Moon. "It's so nice to have ponies that will do what one says, doth thou agree sister?"

"I ask them and they have the choice to do something or not. Rarely do I tell them to do anything."

"That is why it's so easy to enchant them. There are many reasons my country fell: Disease. Famine. A secret attack from you after I was banished? The reasons are many." Nightmare moon began circling Celestia inside the ward, "You could have known from the first night I began collecting orphans, homeless and the few that worshiped my night. Is that how you did it? Sent in a virus that killed the plants? Or did you-"

"Nightmare Moon stop. Just, stop. Listen to yourself and think about me. You've known me your entire life; have I ever killed for vengeance, spite, or anger?"

"No, thou wouldn't have then. Time changes us though. Look at me, no longer am I a tiny filly always trying to earn thy respect and attention. I recall watching every pony sleep through my beautiful nights. I made stars just for their festivals, and they never looked up to them. I made sure they had the best dreams, and they never said 'thank you.' Curse thy daytime and thy ponies' sweet dreams. If I must raise the sun to earn their respect I shall do so."

With a thought Nightmare Moon’s horn glowed dark blue and the moon fell in the sky and the sun rose to its rightful place in time of day. "Doth thou see the sunlight? Doth thou feel the warmth on thy coat? Smell that? It's nature changing shifts so all your day creatures can enjoy thy sunlight. Listen, sister. Can you hear it? The faint cheering in the distance? Listen, shhh." No pony in the room moved or breathed, the sound of cheering was audible in the distance. Celestia smiled at Nightmare Moon.

"Thank you, Nightmare Moon. Your compassion will earn you the love of the ponies." Nightmare Moon’s horn glowed again and the sun moved to midday and stayed there.

"If thine subjects want the sun so much, shall I leave it in place forever in the moon’s stead? Shall I work the eternal mechanism? Shall I do thy job and maintain the balance for the sake of thine day loving ponies? Or," the sun fell and the moon rose in its place, "shall I just keep the night? I care not what thy think. I have a rebellion to quell, then I'll decide the next course of action. I do appreciate thee entertaining me these past few minutes, my pet. Now, lay down and I shall have you fed before thy nightmares return."

Nightmare Moon turned away and walked to Light Foot. She opened the door, then stopped at the threshold before she exited the room and spoke without turning around. "You are mistaken, Celestia. My children of the night are not dead, I have found many in their dreams; hiding in plain sight within cities and even this castle itself. I will have them gather and spread the message of my glorious night!"

---

Far across the land within a network of caves outside a nondescript town in the east, a gathering was taking place. The participants wore light cloaks and hoods of various dark shades and each carried a small torch to light their path to a main cavernous chamber carved from the rock with magic. Intricate etches were carved along the smooth sections while more basic glyphs and runes were chiseled into the rougher parts.

"Mistress Night Lead. Our queen has returned, what news have you about our nightmares? Will Queen Nightmare Moon end them?"

"Already done. I spoke with her in a nightmare during my last sleep. She is pleased to know we left the southern islands and continent and lived. She is truly resplendent in her beauty and she is as majestic as any horse from legend. You may sleep and enjoy the most delicious dreams of your lives, family. Soon, we will be with her again."

The cavern and caves roared with cheers of joy. Lowering her hood Night Lead exposed her face. A yellow unicorn with yellow mane and eyes. Casting a spell she made a bright light in the room and the cheering stopped; but the mood in the room was joyful. "My little ponies, tonight begins the greatest time of our lives and the lives of our children, and their children and...so on. Go home to your cities, towns, and families and you may share the joy of the truth of night with them.

“They will understand, for Queen Nightmare Moon is truth in the night."

"Night Lead?" a stallion’s voice called from the crowd, "I- I thought Princess Luna was the messenger we were waiting for." The crowd murmured as Night Lead looked around them.

"I understand your concern, and I wondered the same thing. Nightmare Moon is Princess Luna. She had to take a stronger form to fight her sister, Celestia."

"They're sisters?!" The crowd gasped and side conversations began. With another spark of light silence fell.

"1000 years ago, a lot happened. Princess Luna bid us farewell as the history says, and that was the last we saw of her. We have a single page in the book of the past about a pony fighting Celestia, then the mare in the moon appearing. That was the reason Princess Luna didn't return. For us, for the night, for all of Equestria she fought her corrupted sister and waited for her revenge. All will be fine, let's just say the prayer and remain calm."

For all of time the moon shall shine, from day to night we won't fear any light.

Celestia's moon is a lie and the day is not true, for Luna's moon shall be here soon.

Thy day and thine night are Luna's toys and are no cause for fright,

Pray to Luna for a glorious life.

"That concludes this gathering. Go home and spread the love of the night. Queen Nightmare Moon and I will contact you all shortly. Go in peace."

The ponies left the cavern taking different caves and routes out of the network and returned to their homes across southern Equestria while Night Lead stayed behind. One more gathering in the north and Queen Nightmare Moon will have thousands of her true loyal citizens by her side.

"Long live the night."

Comments

[IMNOTHERE889]

Day 1: wowowowowowowowwoooooowwwwww. Sh*t's gettin' real now.

[CoffeeBean]

THE LAYERS JUST KEEP PILING UP.

God, this is an extremely deep and complicated narrative. We got the main 6 trying to sort their shit out, we got Shining Armor and his resistance, Nightmare Moon and... whatever fucked up shit she does, Celestia and her torment... now these asshats?

So many ends, I can't wait to see how they tie together.

EDIT: I FIGURED IT OUT. I figured out why dialogue seems a little strange sometimes.

I'm worried about him leading a rebellion against Nightmare Moon and all that."

The overly stated exposition. As the reader, we can pretty well assume Twilight is worried that her brother is fighting a rebellion, so it just seems odd for her to say such a thing out loud, especially when we know that those around her know she feels that way.

Just an additional thought; you did want me to comment on each chapter, after all.