Beneath the Darkness
Beneath the Darkness
The steady sound of sweeping and shuffling filled the room. At least, that what it felt like. The sound was pleasant and she felt somewhat at ease by it but carried cation as she realized she was not alone.
Slowly her eyes came to focused and the room became clear, though it was a guest room no doubt. No real furniture was in it other than a draws, an empty closet, a bed-stand, a desk with a mirror and a door which lead to a bathroom. However, what caught her eyes was the pony in the room with her.
She had some black vest on, covering her white coat, leaving her lower half. She had a three diamond Cutie Mark with a violet mane and tail. She was tidying the room all the while her magic tended to the drapes and dusting of unreachable places she personally couldn't reach.
However the mare was obviously intended to keep an eye on her. The mare didn't seem to notice that she was awake but, she did seem to expect it as she would occasionally glance at her.
Twilight reached for her horn and felt the edges of it before moving it up and down…
Huh… she half expected an inhibitor on her horn. She gave her horn a light feed and felt a small twinge of pain. The magical backlash from the spell probably messed with her magic. It didn't seem permanent or damaging, but it did look like she won't be able to use her magic for awhile.
In the meantime, she moved around the bed, catching the mare's attention.
“I see that you have finally awoken.” she spoke, her tone graceful. When their eyes met, she was filled with curiousness. “The mistress must be notified.”
She kept her gaze on Twilight for a bit before slowly walking out the door.
“Wait!” Twilight called.
The mare paused, meeting her eyes again.
“How long was I out? Why didn't Nightmare… imprison me or… lock my magic up?”
The mare in question gave her another look over before responding.
“My mistress just informed me to keep you company when you woke. That was all though you have been unconscious for at least five hours.” she paused.
Twilight saw her eyes keep looking at her but not directly at her. Her eyes kept scanning her, expecting something to be there.
“Is… there something wrong? Do I have something on me?”
“… No, rather the lack of something.”
“What?”
She shook her head.
“I shouldn't be socializing with you anymore than I need to be. I will inform the mistress. For now, she says to remain in the room and I do mean, remain in the room… for your sake. We will bring your meals soon enough. Now if you will excuse me.”
She grabbed her duster with her magic and opened the room. Before she left, she spoke to Twilight once more.
“I have never seen her so terrified. I don't know what you have done to her or what you did, but you have her on edge.” Her gaze hardened to Twilight. “With or without wings, you prove a challenge to her and you better make sure that the backlash you get from her is worth it.” She then left without another word, closing the door behind her.
“Wings?” asked Twilight to no one.
About 20 minutes later, Twilight was pacing around the room when the door opened and the mare came back with a tray of food.
“After your meal, my mistress wishes to see you.” She brought the food to the stand. She looked towards her. “I suggest you eat quickly. She expects you in 10 minutes.” She then turned to leave.
“Wait, before you go, you said that I have put her on edge. With the wings or without… what did you mean by that? What lack of wings?”
The mare didn't respond right away, rather she looked away from her.
“My mistress says to not speak of the incident again.”
“What incident? She said that I traveled through time and tried to change the future.”
The mare gave a pause before speaking carefully.
“It is not my place to discuss this but...” she looked around, looking to see if anypony was watching before speaking softly. “I don't know what she had meant future but a pony much like you, rather exactly like you came and dra….” she paused and sighed. “I am sorry I cannot say anymore.” She then turned to leave, almost dejected.
“Wait I...” a shadow came from the door as the mare left through. The shadow moved past the mare, giving her once over before passing her and slowly moving towards Twilight.
Twilight moved back as it moved closer. It stopped a few hooves away before it grew from the floor and began to take pony shape. From the shadows, it peeled and began revealing the form of a light blue mare.
The mare was the same mare that Twilight had defeated earlier. Giving her a harsh look, the mare spoke with a hard edge in her voice. Twilight guessed she still had a grudge on her.
“The mistress awaits you in the hall. She expects you to be done in 10 minutes with your food. It is best not to keep her waiting, so I suggest you quickly eat..”
Twilight didn't respond right away.
“Kay...” was all she said. As she turned from the mare, though not completely, making sure the mare wasn't about to stab her in the back. She glanced at the food and really… expected something different. A salad bowl of alfalfa, baby tomatoes, carrots and a strew of dandelions, complete with a warm cup of tea.
“Huh, I figured she would have fed me a piece of stale bread and a bowl with something resembling soup.”
“And yet that is really what you deserve instead of that meal before you.” snarked the mare.
Twilight gave a glance at her. “Still upset about me knocking you out?”
The other mare growled. “What do you think? You made look like a foal to my queen!”
Twilight gave a shrug. “You and every other guard that went against me, so lighten up.”
The mare just continued to growl before turning away. “Hurry up and eat! If the mistress doesn’t see you in the next few minutes she'll...”
“She'll do nothing that she could have done while I was unconscious or sedated.” Giving her a knowing glance, she returned back to her food. “I am still alive and so are you after our misgivings, so relax and let me enjoy myself.”
The mare gave a glare but didn't say anything. She turned away from her and let Twilight eat.
“What the Buck you mean she isn't dead!?” half-yelled Rainbow Dash.
Lightning Dust shrugged. “Apparently the assassin blew out her magic and the queen didn't kill her when she was out cold.” She took a bite out of her sandwich, munching loudly, further agitating her leader.
“So you mean to say that… we did a bug hunt, all this time, have half our guards looking like minimum wage security guards that are out of commission, she blew out her horn and the queen didn't kill her when she was down?”
Lighting Dust swallowed, followed by a 'Eeyup' before continuing to munch on her sandwich loudly. It took all of Rainbow's effort not to punch or hit Lighting for agitating her so much. Then again, she would probably take the hit, continue eating then hit her back.
“What the buck is my life?” she groaned as she let her head drop and hit the table. Lighting Dust glanced at her in a bored expression before finishing her sandwich with a last gulp.
“Not sure captain, but all I know is that we were just a wasted resource. Heck, if I didn't know any better, I'd say she just wanted us to get humiliated for her own entertainment.”
She easily missed a fast hoof jab from Dash; she looked at her with an arched eyebrow as Dash glared at her.
“I should...”
“Look Dash,” she interrupted almost immediately with an expression to match her own. “I don't give two shits on what the buck we are to Nightmare. Whether we are guards, or we are toys to her, I don't care. What I want to know is what makes that ‘Mare’ so special, alright? I want to know, why she was worth getting our flanks hooved to us, why Nightmare didn't kill her and what this has to do with the other princess or whatever. I didn't sign up to be a prissy little guard and not be at the bottom like most of these wannabes in here. I joined because the Shadowbolts are the ones that can do the extreme that I am seeking. They are the ones that get to shove everypony else out the way and no one will question them.”
She snorted, leaning back and giving a glance towards the rest of the guards in the room.
“I hate that I am even on the same level as most of these idiots here. The only one that comes even close to my level is you, if not more so.” Dash lost her glare but kept her eyes steady on her, listening and observing. “Yeah, drink it up cause I will deny it if you tell anypony else.” Dash smirked at that and Dust returned it before turning serious again and leaning back in. “But I am tired that we, me and you, are still at the bottom. That we could be up there with the Elites, showing everyone who is boss, who really runs these joints and what happens if they don't… follow… orders!”
Dash hated to admit it but the truth was, the Shadowbolts were the Elites. Much like the Wonderbolts were to Celestia, the Shadowbolts were practically the top three below the queen. Her 'Shadows' or 'Dark Lights' as they were officially classed as, were the unicorns whom were trained in dark spells and arch mage level sorcery that makes even modern unicorns look like preschoolers. Then came the 'Heavy' class which were the strongest earth ponies around and those are the ones that even scare a few of the other guards. Lead by the 'Pie Sisters Three', those mares are the definition of 'Indestructible' and 'Force of Nature.' The fact that they can turn solid rock to dust, crush coals into diamonds and have strength to go against a battalion of soldiers and come out unscathed, it made her question if they were ponies or demons from Tarturas itself.
All these groups however have one thing in common. They only take one or two recruits, every year. And that is from hundreds of ponies whom tried to join them. Currently, the Shadowbolts have four members with a slot to open in a few months. The 'Heavy' have only the Pie Sisters themselves and that is because they were the only ones to have 'their kind of strength', on that class, though rumors suggest that they have found another to join them. The Dark Lights had only three members and they were chosen the first year by Nightmare. They haven't gotten another member since.
“IF we can show Nightmare that we are the badasses that she needs, then we have got to prove it! We have to go out there and make a statement about us!”
Dash snorted before looking around. All around were recruits and guards that chatted and mingled like it was a casual great but none of them really took their jobs seriously. Or as serious as they should. Turning back to her, she leaned in, “What do you suggest then? I mean, Queens' practically got that assassin in her hooves now and with our big shot out of the way, how do we get her to notice us?”
Dust gave a grin before whispering.
“I think that we should go out, do some recon and find that mare's Base of Operation. Or if she has a small resistance settling near by, snuff them out. If we take out the resistance, than we can end the rebelling and Nightmare Moon will sign our names on her moon with praise.”
Twilight was guided(more like watched as she moved forward by a creepy shadow) towards one of the main rooms. She knew what awaited, she knew what to prepare for…
She knew that when she was unconscious, Nightmare took her Sol Steel. She groaned mentally at that. So far, not the best way to go about if you are walking into your death. Still, it might mean that if she fell, her rebellion would avenge her in some way.
Shining Armor currently held leadership. He would hear of his sister's fall and rise to avenge her. If she fell, Sunset Shimmer would replace her as current Mage. She prayed it didn't come to that.
The doors opened towards the throne room where Nightmare and a few of her guards were currently in the middle of a conversation. Off to the sides, were a group of band, playing a soft, gentle tune. A mare with a giant cello, two stallions with violins and another mare with a harp. The music was gentle but it made Twilight question why Nightmare had it playing with her in the middle of the discussions.
Nightmare caught her entrance and quickly sent her guards off. With a quick bow, they left and her sole attention was back to Twilight.
“Glad to see your still intact and alive.” she said evenly. Though in truth, Twilight knew she wanted her hurt or dead.
“Surprised I am still alive to hear that.” Twilight responded. “Though it begs the question… why?”
Nightmare kept her focus on her before turning towards the band. She heard them finish their first part of the symphony before slowly starting another one.
“I told you before, I am not a murder. Yes, it would have been so simple to end your life there and then, but… I choose not to.”
Twilight cared to glance at her feature, almost wanting to move forward to see but the fact that her 'Shadow' was right behind her, possibly well-armed, she wouldn't get a chance to. Instead, she opted to swing the conversation around.
“So… then now what? You’re going to… keep me prisoner or something? Ask me my base of operations?”
“If it was your own will and freely asked, yes.” Nightmare answered truthfully.
Twilight snorted.
“I think I rather have my horn blown out again before I do that.”
Nightmare grinned.
“Is that a promise?”
Before Twilight answered, a guard quickly came in.
“Your majesty!” He quickly bowed before rising up. “Your arrivals are here for their appointment.”
“Tell whoever it is to cancel it and set it for another day.”
“But your highness… it is for the newly born. The parents have asked for you right after they were conceived,”
Nightmare's attitude quickly changed. A pleasant smile appeared before her and Twilight saw this as no faux, nor malice or anything else but genuine happiness. What do newborns have to do with anything?
To answer her question, four ponies were escorted to the room. Two were males and two were females. The first pair were threshals unicorns. The male black mane with ash coat while the mare had a navy-blue mane and light grey coat. The next couple where a normal pair of ponies, a Pegasus and an earth pony. The earth pony was male with a brown coat and yellow mane while the pegasus was dark blue and silver mane. Both females where carrying bundles in their arms.
Twilight stood in confusion as Nightmare allowed the couples to approach her. With a bow, they spoke in unison.
“Your majesty.”
With a smile that surprisingly made Twilight's heart flutter a bit, she spoke in a gentle carrying tone.
“Rise my children, and let your ruler see your offspring.
Both families unwrinkled and revealed the two tiny little foals within the blankets. Both foals were only a few weeks old judging by their looks and had not fully opened their eyes. The one with the threshals, they had a son, easily mimicked its parents features. A blend of black and blue mane with a cloudy grey coat. The others unraveled a chocolate coated filly with a light sky blue mane. All in all they were adorable. Nightmare seemed to think so.
“Before I begin, may I ask for your names and the names of your foals?” spoke Nightmare. 'Begin? Begin what?' thought Twilight.
The therashal father spoke first.
“Your majesty, my name is Mist Light and my wife, here is Umbra Nox. Our son here, we have chosen to name Midnight Cascade.” Nightmare nodded, seemingly pleased with the name. She then turned to the others.
“Your majesty,” began the male earth pony. “My name is Acorn Oak and my wife is Midnight Breeze. We uh… don't exactly have a name and part of the reason we actually hoped that along with the blessing you can bless our sweet little filly here with a name as well.”
Nightmare positively glowed with adoration at having to get to name a foal. Twilight saw her smile again; it was so odd knowing that the ponies before her where not fearing her a bit nor where they a bit intimidated. They actually looked just as happy as Nightmare for doing this… blessing?
Nightmare couldn't help but lean in a bit more to the filly, scanning her features. She wished to could see her eyes but alas, maybe when they returned to her in the future, she would see them. Still for now, as her royal duty degree she must serve her children and give them what they must ask. A name for a foal. How queer that ponies come to her for it. And yet, from Twilight's understanding, this wasn't the first time couples have approached or come in with their new foals to be blessed or given names. After scanning the foal, their parents and even mentally running through a list of names, she spoke calming and almost happily.
“I, as your ruler, thank you my children for giving me this opportunity to name your foal and I believe I have one you both may love.” She then closed her eyes and her horn glowed a bright blue. Both parents closed their eyes and held their foals in front of them.
A whisper of air blew around them and Twilight watched almost in awe as blue sent a chill in the air but it was… pleasant and rather soothing. A wonderful voice filled the air as Nightmare opened her eyes, showing pure white.
'By the Setting of the Sun, The Rise of the Moon, The Beat of your Heart,
I grant you a sliver, a piece, a token, of the Moon's glow of impart
From where you rise, you may pursue, a higher cause bright and true.
Your fears be not the dark, you fear not the night, my moon will be your ever lasting might.
What brings forth my guiding moon, our hearts will always beat in tune.
My glow of silver will follow you, into the darkness of night and thru,
With Luna's light and her heart's guide, we rise together as a thundering tide. As so my children of the night, I grant you my part, my strength, my light!
She leaned down with her horn and gentle hovered over the threshal foal.
“Midnight Cascade, my Luna's Light will watch your might.”
She then turned to the others that are eager to hear her blessing. She then paused, smiling at the filly and then leaned down.
“Breezy Falls, my Luna's Light will watch your might.”
Both parents glowed with happiness and were filled with merry as their foal glowed brightly for a bit before it faded. Nightmare's eyes returned to normal where the smile that was there before had never left. And just like that, the foals carried a small marking of a pale moon crescent just above their brows. Not once did the babies cry, rather their rhythmic breathing and soft murmurs in their sleep was heard.
“And to the sire and dam of the foal, I bless you with words of guidance and peace. Should you ever feel lost, you only look up to the stars and moon for your way back. If your life is to ever to turn down, to always remember that the guiding pale light will always lift your spirits. And should you ever feel your emotions run dry, keep close to your heart, the ones you love and cherish, for they are the ones that will keep you going.”
Both families were overjoyed with their Queen's words. They bid their farewells and many 'Thank you's' for the blessing before walking out of the room with their foals.
A silence had been but a moment as the musicians had finished their piece before starting a new one. Nightmare still carried that smile and Twilight has never felt so conflicted in her life.
“Wow,” was all Twilight managed to say.
The sudden voice brought Nightmare out of her peace and turned to Twilight whom seemed confused but not in a bad way.
“You have something to say, Twilight?” Nightmare's voice had quickly changed, almost a bit intimidating as if waiting for Twilight to call her 'false' or a 'liar' with the blessing.
“Honestly,” she began, tracing small circles on the floor below her with her hoof. “I just never expected you to do blessing nor have them be so...”
“Cryptic? Odd?” Nightmare was saying, trying not to sneer.
“I was going to say… beautiful and gentle.”
Nightmare immediately felt bad knowing she judged Twilight for her blessing, let alone calling them beautiful.
An awkward silence pass until Nightmare moved pass Twilight and headed towards her side doors.
“Come, we will take a walk and then discuss your predicament.” She spoke to Twilight as a subject.
However, she knew that she was not her subject, nor her guard, nor her maid nor anything else. No, Twilight was her equal. She had great magic that almost completely rivaled her own. Not even Cadenza has her strength, and yet, she also has nothing to hold her back from unleashing it. Nightmare herself had analyzed Twilight's power when she was out cold and when she found the full power and mana that the mare had within her, it unnerved Nightmare how great she really was. Even now, despite having blown some of her magic in the backlash, she was recovering at a quick pace. Faster than most unicorns could. Should she come close to her, she would practically be fighting another alicorn herself. She could very well say that this mare was… her.
An old thought passed...
… Nopony in my kingdom but me should possess a magic powerful enough to change time!'
…Your kingdom?
… Who Else?
… Princess Celestia of course!
And it was Celestia whom gave that… other Twilight the means to travel through time. More or less, that alicorn had access to that magic to do so. However, that mare was from a different time line, a different universe. One where Nightmare fell as she was sent back to the moon again.
Loneliness… cold… fear… hate… agony…
Her sister now was suffering for what she suffered for a thousand years. Staring at the moon, she gave it a hard glare.
Three years down, 997 more to go… maybe longer if she so chooses. Take it all in sister… remember it all, that loneliness, that utter dark cold…
All that she despised of that mare and now here was another mare that she disliked but somewhat had respect for.
Maybe something else…
Both had reached the gardens were the moon was bright… somewhat highlighting the three colors that embodied it. Walking in the moonlight that never stopped, both mares walked side by side before Nightmare stopped to a small table in the middle of the lawn. Surrounding it, was all sorts of flowers and plant life, some that have been magically altered to grow with moonlight.
A chair made especially for her with cushions, Nightmare sat down on it while Twilight cautiously sat across the one for her. She wasn't sure if Nightmare wanted her to sit but she made no motion of stopping her.
When both have settled, Nightmare was the one to speak first.
“Tell me… dear Sparkle, what is the end game to this?”
Twilight was confused by the question though she had a small idea of where this topic was going to begin.
“I'm sorry?”
Nightmare gave a glance before pointing her horn to the moon.
“Is it to bring my sister back? To have her bring back the day in which ponies can all go back to fearing my night? Is it end my reign and send me to Tarturas when all is said and done?” There was no sneer nor malice voice but there was a bit of disdain and sadness that bared its way through.
For Twilight, it had always been her goal to fight and help bring about Nightmare's reign. When the final day had set nearly 3 years ago, Twilight had watched her world change. From the moment she was told her father was dead, her mother in a coma and her life ending, she knew that it was Nightmare's fault.
Her brother was the Captain of the Royal Guard when Nightmare came in. When his guards fell to her forces, he immediately sent a few guards to Twilight in case they used her to leverage him. They along with a large amount of devoted followers hid by weeks end to a safe house near the borders of Equestria.
Shining Armor had planned to take on Nightmare but had come to realize that she was trying to harm any civilians or family members of the royal guards. They set a retreat soon after.
After a solid month of Nightmare's reign, Shining began training Twilight in offensive and defensive magic. Hoof to hoof was her secondary and she even had some alchemy training with a zebra shaman.
Six months in had already a number of assassins set to end Nightmare's reign but she had quickly gained a guard and with that guard, she gained loyalty. Either through fear or choice, her forces grew swiftly. Within the first year, other leaders from across the world have tried to come and defeat Nightmare but many had either fallen or been forcefully bribed into accepting Nightmare as the new ruler.
Next thing she knew, three years have passed and she now was trained to take down Nightmare. If or when she fell, it would be up to Twilight and a few other unicorns to help rise the sun or if possible get Princess Cadenza to do so. She would be Equestria's leader until a new one could take her place or they found a way to bring back Celestia. The fail-safe to this plan was that all ally with different world leaders to fight a combined assault on Nightmare and then figure a way to bring back the sun.
When it was discovered some time ago that a mare mysteriously came through a mirror portal from a different world, that was Princess Celestia's former student, that she may have the magical potential to succeed if she fail. It was a spur of the moment choice but there were so few choices out there. Any and all powerful unicorns where reported or registered to Nightmare Moon. That left no room for any error if they were loyal or forced into her servitude.
Plans within plans, from backups A to Z and so on, it would have been a wonder if the first plan had worked and now… here she sat, in front of the queen herself. A million different things can change the outcome of
All of that running to her mind and she only said one simple word.
“Yes.” she let it hang in the air for a bit before continuing on. “One way or another we would bring back Celestia. Yes to bring back the sun and restore harmony...” She kept her eyes on Nightmare whom remained stoic before finishing her speech. “… but from what you just showed me, what I just witnessed, I cannot for the life of me think about taking your life, nor sending you to Tarturas. You may be worth redeeming.”
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I would also like to point out this premise is being updated with modern characters, locations and timelines without anything else having to be involved.
more?
..........OHHHHHHHHHH its this story! YES just YES all the YES
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seconded
Prety good. I can see a nightmate this way. She wanted love and adoration.
This is a story I thought dead, it's a wonder I even left it in my tracking folder. I did a little cleaning a bit ago and thought I had removed any stories that hadn't been updated in a year or more. But I'm glad I missed this one, and I do hope you finish it. I enjoy a good story with Nightmare not being a crazy tyrannical idiot. Hope to be here again next chapter!
This is a very interesting story and I would love to see more. This seems like a great setup between NMM AND Twilight
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This will be finished. Dont lose hope!
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That is great news.
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Sorry if it seemed unfinish but one thing I was hoping for wnas something to be explained in the show. Since we are at final season and nothing has revealed what I needed, I will update!