S2 Ch 7: Deserve
Nightmare Moon groaned before her eyes slowly opened. Groggily, she got to her hooves and stretched out her body. Her balcony sprang open and she stepped towards it, looking out over her kingdom.
There had been less nightmares tonight. Perhaps her subjects were calming at least. She truly wished to believe that… but knew it wasn’t true. No. Some nights were just calmer than others. Or maybe she didn’t see them as she once had. It was true she didn’t have the time to delve deep into their thoughts and serve as their guardian as she had millenia past.
She shook her head. No. The ruler of Equestria could not focus on such things. Her kingdom, not its dreams, was what mattered. And one day the nightmares of the terrifying Nightmare Moon would fade. Perhaps they would have the kind, beautiful dreams of her they did of her sister.
Perhaps in a few years, after another birthday. She felt a grin form on her lips when she walked to the door and opened it. Her heart did a little flutter when she saw the fruit basket outside it. She plucked it from the ground in her magic.
It had been almost a week since the events of her birthday. And while it had been a bit shocking at first, she found it oddly enticing now. Twilight treated her with the utmost devotion and care. Giving her gifts, listening intently whenever she spoke. For the first time in Nightmare Moon’s life, she felt as if she had a pony who looked at her in the way they normally only looked at Celestia. Perhaps if just one pony had looked at her in such a way a millenia past, she would have never felt the need to take what she deserved.
While there were times where she found it a bit odd, when Twilight seemed almost insane with her devotion, it felt good to be appreciated for once.
She couldn’t believe she was actually thankful to Discord of all creatures while she chewed idly on an apple and began to make her way down the tower. Moondancer had been searching for a cure ever since, with no success. Nightmare Moon trusted her, though. Once they found the way, her bard would be back to normal. For now, she endeavored to enjoy this. And if there was no cure? She could get used to being loved and adored for once.
She lit up when she saw the young earth pony waiting at the bottom step of her tower. “Your highness!” Twilight said, bowing politely.
“Bard.”
“I had the cooks specially prepare strawberry pancakes for your delight,” the young mare said, not raising her head yet.
“Of course. Thank you, young one,” Nightmare Moon said with a smile, reaching out a wing over the mare, giving her a soft hug. “Please, join me for breakfast.”
“It would be my honor, your highness.”
The ruler of Equestria smiled as she walked, guiding the young mare with her. Yes. She was quite satisfied with this result. Mostly.
------
“Okay, I hate this,” Rainbow snapped, pacing back and forth. “There’s got to be SOMETHING we can do.”
“Ah don’t like it any more than yah do,” Applejack said, before glancing to Moondancer. “But for the time bein’, there ain’t a whole lot we can do.”
“But… gahhh! She’s so BORING!” Rainbow said with a shake of her head. “It’s all ‘Nightmare Moon this’ and ‘Nightmare Moon that’ and I swear if I have to listen to another one of her little flurry of kissing her royal pain in the flank’s butt, I’m gonna gag.”
“As much as I am loathe to agree with the crude… examples of our winged friend, I must admit it is quite disconcerting,” Rarity said while she poured the tea. “Twilight was… always quite civil and easy to talk with. She had her moments of… eccentric behavior. But truly, what genius doesn’t?” she asked. “Is there nothing you can do, Fluttershy?”
Fluttershy sighed and shook her head. “I’m afraid not. I tried asking Discord but… well, he said he can’t undo it even if he wanted to. Only Nightmare Moon can… I’m sorry...” She took an offered glass of tea and sipped it.
“Maybe if I can set up a four point… combine it with Starswirl the Bearded’s spell on delousing and...” Moondancer mumbled while she flipped through the books.
“Hey! Brainiac, how about sharing it with the rest of the class?” Rainbow called out. “Or maybe finish a sentence.”
“Huh? Oh! Right, sorry! I’m just…. trying to figure out how to break this spell. There has to be…” She sighed and her horn glowed. An image of Twilight appeared in the air, an almost ghostly form. “Now. Here...” A dozen different glowing marks formed across her body. “Is where the spell is seated.”
“Okay, then remove them,” Rainbow said with a shrug. “What’s the big problem?”
“A normal spell like this would have only TWO points,” the mare said with a sigh. “Two in all. Some, the more powerful, have three. THIS? This is incredible. This should be impossible. This! This right here? Is pure chaos. If I wasn’t so incredibly annoyed by all of this, I’d be gushing about how brilliant it is.”
“Why thank you,” Discord’s voice rang out with a small chuckle. “The line between brilliance and insanity is ever so fine, no?”
“And then there’s that,” Moondancer said with a sigh. “He’s always. There. Interrupting my work. Offering ‘suggestions’. I swear, it’s ridiculous. I just… I don’t know what to do.” She then slammed her book closed. “I… can’t do it. I could maybe. MAYBE, knock out four of the points. But all twelve? No. Heck, I doubt she’d even survive having eight broken. I think...” She was quiet, before lowering her eyes. “I think… she’s stuck. I can’t fix this.”
“Ugh, this is ridiculous!” Rainbow snapped. “Where’s Pinkie, anyway? Shouldn’t she be here for this, too?”
“She’s helping out Mrs. Cake,” Applejack said with a sigh. “You know, cause the baby? Due any day now?”
“Right, sorry,” Rainbow said sheepishly.
“Anyway… how much has Nightmare Moon gone an’ helped you with this?” the earth pony asked Moondancer.
“A little. She did a small disenchantment spell, but she keeps making excuses on how overly busy she is, It’s like she LIKES Twilight like this...”
“...” All of the ponies just turned and stared at her.
“Fine, she definitely likes having her fawn over her. And writing all these reports on how wonderful she is… And making her tea… but that doesn’t solve the issue any,” Moondancer said with a sigh. “We need to find out how to break it. Discord, why are you even doing this?!”
“It was her very first birthday, I had to do something special, no?” Discord’s voice rang out, taunting. “You need to have it be memorable. Otherwise, you end up being old and cranky.”
“How in Equestria are you friends with that creature, Fluttershy?” Rarity asked, glancing to her yellow friend with a confused look.
“He’s really not so bad once you get to know him. And he has all the best stories. And he enjoys blood pudding, too,” Fluttershy said sheepishly.
“… Wait, Blood pudding?” Rarity asked. “Err, you don’t mean...”
“There’s no actual blood,” Rainbow cut in quickly. “It’s a pudding made from blud berries. Some kind of weird, vampire delicacy. Tastes like liquid sugar and salt.”
“Pinkie likes it too...” Fluttershy mumbled.
“See?” Rainbow said with a sigh.
“Girls, please, we’re getting distracted,” Rarity said with a shake of her head. “We really must focus. If we can’t disenchant this spell, then we need to have the princess break it. You remember what Discord said, do you not? If only she can do it, then we’ll need her aid.”
“Good luck with that,” Moondancer muttered. “This is pretty much Nightmare Moon’s heart’s desire. A pony is fawning over her like… well…. Like ponies used to fawn over Celestia. Worse, it’s Twilight, one of the most important ponies in the world to her. It wouldn’t be so hard if we just knew WHAT we were supposed to have Nightmare Moon do. We could probably get her to do it, then. But until we know how to break it? She’s likely not going to help much. If she just--”
“Or maybe if you didn’t skulk around the shadows and plot behind her highness’ back!” Twilight’s voice rang out, making the ponies jump. Twilight shoved open the door and stepped into the room, glaring at the gathered ponies. Rarity and Fluttershy looked sheepishly at their tea, Rainbow pretended to be fascinated by the chandelier, Moondancer hid behind her book and Applejack stared at her.
“What? We’re tryin’ tah get this curse undone. Ah ain’t got nothin’ tah hide,” the earth pony said with a shrug.
Twilight sighed. “Listen, I understand, but--”
“No, you REALLY don’t understand, Twilight!” Rainbow snapped angrily. “Can’t you see? All these feelings for Nightmare Moon are--”
“A spell? Yeah. I kind of figured that out on day three.”
There was a long, long moment of silence. Then six pony heads turned to face her. “WHAT?!”
“I have a minor in enchantments and mind alteration magic,” Twilight said.
“Wait, why? Wait, were YOU the one who beat my high score on my final project? They said it was the greatest they’d seen in decades...” Moondancer asked.
“Because it’s fascinating. And yes. Though I have to say your project was absolutely incredible. Mixing those three enchantments with fruit bats to create a force of tree restoring flying bats? Amazing. A shame it didn’t turn out to be feasible for more than a few trees at a time.”
“Why in Equestria wouldn’t you be working to break this spell, then?!” Rainbow yelled, flying down to grip Twilight’s shoulders. “Are you kidding me? Do you LIKE liking Nightmare Moon or something?”
The earth pony blinked a few times, staring at the mare with befuddlement. Finally, she nodded. “Well, duh. I’m… kind of enchanted to? But that’s not why,” she said, trying to push the other mare off. And failing. “Do you mind? A little space.”
Rainbow hmphed before she flew back, landing on the table and scattering the tea. “Fine! But I want an explanation, and it better be a good one!”
“Rainbow, do try not to make such a mess!” Rarity snapped before she struggled to keep the tea from spilling all over the floor. “Though, she does have a point. Twilight, why ever would you want to be under this spell?”
“Because Nightmare Moon needs me to be,” Twilight said firmly. “Listen. I’ve done a lot to… no, EVERYPONY has done a lot to hurt her in the past. Ignored her. Betrayed her. Told her she wasn’t good enough. Basically everything and anything to make her feel like less than the wonderful, radiant, beautiful and powerful pony that she is. The kind of pony who can just… take your breath away. As amazing a ruler as she is a-”
“Twilight!” Rainbow snapped.
“Err, right. Yes. Everypony has hurt her so much and… she’s never had somepony she could trust. Somepony who sees her for how amazing and… err, wonderful she is,” Twilight said after getting a glare from Rainbow. “But now she does. More importantly, she knows she can trust me, because it’s something I am magically inclined to do.”
“Ah don’t like this one bit, Twilight. It ain’t you,” Applejack snapped. “This is all just a whole buncha hogwash, an goin’ through life givin’ fake feelin’s tah somepony ain’t right no matter what the reason. Yah aughta know better than tah try!”
“You’re wasting your breath,” Moondancer said with a sigh while she flipped through the book.
“What? We’re merely trying to help Twilight see the light,” Rarity said firmly. “I would hardly call it a waste of time.”
“The fourth law of compulsionary enchantments,” Moondancer said, placing a book on the table and motioning to the page. “The victim will never attempt to dispel such an enchantment. In the vast majority of cases they won’t even realize it and will disbelieve anypony who says they are under it. However, in some cases, where the victim is of… well… a stronger mind, they will instead realize what it is and their minds will rationalize it. Unfortunately, they will almost never be willing to remove it themselves, no matter how badly they want to or how much better it is for them. It just doesn’t happen very often and is usually the cause of a faulty spell, rather than the will of the enchanted.”
“… WHAT? That’s stupid!” Rainbow snapped. “She can’t just like… believe it and not see that part! Come on, Twilight! That’s just the spell, you’re stronger than that!”
Twilight sighed. “Listen, I understand. But this isn’t the spell. This isn’t me just attempting to rationalize everything. I really, truly believe this is the best option. You ponies don’t know her like I do!”
“I know her plenty well!” Moondancer snapped, slamming a hoof down on the book. “In case you’ve forgotten I’ve had to spend almost EVERY single day with her since this whole ordeal started! Studying with her! Becoming her precious little student! Of course I know her! I probably know her better than you do!” the unicorn yelled, glaring at the earth pony and getting stares from every other pony there.
“Err… something yah wanna get off yer chest, sugar cube?” Applejack asked, blinking.
Red began to slowly form across the unicorn’s cheeks and then grow out. She quickly hid her face behind her book, lifting it up to hide. “I-I mean, I didn’t mean… I just… I’m working hard with her too, y-you know.” She coughed and motioned to the book. “A-as I was saying. This won’t be disrupted or, honestly, nothing we do will make her stop trying. She’s going to believe she wants it, regardless of what we say.” She lifted a hoof when Twilight’s mouth opened. “Even if she DOES truly want the spell to remain, there’s no real way to prove this is your desire, or the spell making it your desire, is there Twilight?”
The earth pony looked uncomfortable for a moment, before shaking her head. “No, no I suppose there isn’t.”
“Which means we’re back to square one. I can’t remove this, you don’t want this removed. The only one who can remove this is Nightmare Moon, and she’s not touching it unless we find the actual way TO remove it. And we don’t even know if she will. I… hate to say it, but I think Twilight is going to be stuck this way for a long while.”
Rarity sighed and gave a nod. “I guess you’re right. And I am sorry, Twilight. We didn’t mean to stalk through the castle, it’s just… for your own good, we’re trying to look out for you.”
“I’m fine,” the earth pony said with a shake of her head. “Now, if you don’t mind, the princess has a meeting with the mayor of… somewhere or other, I forget. The important thing is she’s asked me to help pick out which of her royal garments she’ll wear. Eeeee! I can’t wait!” With a happy squeal the mare ran off.
“That is just depressing,” Rainbow said with a shudder.
“… There is always… one other option…” Rarity said with a sigh. “Discord, you said that you, yourself, can’t break this. Correct?”
“Oh, of course not,” the spirit said with a laugh, before appearing in the painting of a fruit bowl, replacing a pear. “But where would be the fun in that? Games aren’t delightful if you cheat to get to the end,” he said with a laugh.
Rarity sighed and then looked up at the others. “There may be one other. A… well… There’s always Tirek.”
“Who now?” Rainbow asked.
Rarity sighed. “The creature that Nightmare Moon has been using to steal everypony’s magic. He might be able to--”
“He can’t,” Discord said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “He’d need half the magic in Equestria to counter my magic.”
The unicorn sighed. “Truly? Then… I guess we’re doomed. We can hardly make the princess of the darkness herself release Twilight from the spell she so feverishly adores.”
“… Why not?” Rainbow asked.
“Excuse me?” Rarity asked.
“Why CAN’T we make her?”
“Because she has enough magic in her little hoof to wipe out all of Ponyville?” Applejack offered.
“She has the will and wrath to maim anypony who goes against her?” Moondancer added.
“She’s really, really mean?” Fluttershy threw in her opinion.
“I get that. But what if we tricked her?” Rainbow asked with a grin. “She doesn’t trust Discord, right? So what if she thought there were OTHER things in that spell?”
Moondancer opened her mouth… Then stopped. “What… kind of other things?”
“I don't know. Sleep spells? Flatulence? Make her run into walls? You're the unicorn, magic is kinda your thing.”
The unicorn frowned and rubbed her chin. “That… is an idea. That's an actually pretty good idea. I'll look into it. Adding a second spell to the existing spell has risks, but it will be easier… Far easier…” She flipped through her books. “Let's reconvene in a week, I'll work on it until then…” she mumbled. “Maybe even try something… just… In a week, Twilight isn’t back to normal, let’s meet up again...”
------
Moondancer gulped nervously while she walked through the castle, fearful each step would give her away. Not that anypony would likely notice her, she did have a tendency to go through the castle all the time, her heading up to Twilight’s room wasn’t really anything worth noticing. Still, she couldn’t stop herself from wanting to freak out and panic. She’d been half tempted to don a black outfit that would help her hide in the shadows, but that felt a bit silly and would surely draw way too much attention. Instead, she had merely used a muffling spell to make her hooves so light on the floor she could barely be heard. After all, she was doing the most dangerous thing she’d done since that royal pain in the butt arrived.
Cursing Twilight. The most important pony in all of Equestria to her highness. Not that she suspected that was a very high bar. A pony who knew almost as much about magic as her without the actual ability to USE it. What was the deal with that? She still didn’t understand. It was a waste, somepony so talented being born a--
She shook her head to clear it. She had a mission to do. The lights were out and it was night now. Well, she supposed it was more night now. It was the night of the night. She shrugged and continued making her way up to Twilight’s room, going as silently as she could.
Her heart almost leaped into her throat when she turned a corner and found Nightmare Moon coming the other way. Their eyes locked for a moment. “Y-your highness,” Moondancer said softly.
“Student? What are you doing here?” the ruler asked, glaring down at her.
“I… I wanted to ask Twilight for some advice on a magical theory of mine. You see if I take an apple and--”
“Enough!” the ruler snapped, her eyes narrowing on the mare. “We have heard quite enough theories for the day!” Her voice boomed so hard the windows rattled.
Moondancer took a step back, her mouth falling open. “I-I’m sorry. I...” Then her eyes looked over the alicorn and she realized the mare was weighed down with a whole slew of books and papers. “Err… are those from...”
“Twilight? Indeed. Ever more papers on how… kind. And generous. And loving. And forgiving we are,” she said, her voice so sharp it could have cut stone. “Why?”
“Err… you just seem… ummmm...”
“Yes?”
“Extra… radiant today?” she tried with a small smile.
Nightmare Moon just glared at the student. “Do not lie. We are tired of empty platitudes.”
“I just--”
“We will not harm you for these views. Tell us the truth.”
Moondancer sighed and took a deep breath. “Promise?”
“… We vow on the moon itself.”
“You seem extra… testy. Right now. I mean, you’re kind of… err...”
“...”
“But I mean, you’re still, err, radiant as always. Just a bit more...”
“Do you think us honest?”
“I’m… sorry?”
“It is a simple question. Do you think us honest?”
“Yeeeeees?” Moondancer offered, staring up with worry. She felt as if she was walking through a minefield while blind folded. She couldn’t begin to imagine what would set the pony off.
Nightmare Moon sighed and then her wings moved out, encircling the other mare. The unicorn was pulled in close, her face inches from the ruler of the night.
It was all Moondancer could do to stop from screaming, backing away as far as the wings allowed and shrinking herself as small as possible, staring up at the alicorn with terror. She didn’t know what the other mare had intended for her, but she knew it couldn’t be good.
However, Nightmare Moon just looked mildly annoyed for a moment, before shaking her head and releasing her. “No. You do not think us truly honest, or any of the other things that...” She sighed and dropped a large collection of papers and books in front of her student, leaving only a small amount on her back.
“What’s this?” Moondancer asked, afraid to move away, lest she draw more attention to herself.
“The reports of our bard. That earth pony is… quite methodical. Or… was...” she said, before sighing again.
“I mean… yeah. She’s probably one of the most methodical ponies I’ve ever met. If she were a unicorn, I couldn’t imagine what discoveries she’d have made,” Moondancer said with a shrug. “She’s fairly unique, in that. Why? If, err… did she make these? I uhhh… have read some of the reports on how amazing you are, your highness. But I can read these too, if you like!”
Nightmare Moon nodded. “She did. But they are not on us. They are on… She...” She took a slow, deep breath. “She tossed them in the trash.”
Moondancer stared, her mouth falling open. She didn’t know what was more shocking. That the Princess of the Night had gone through the trash to rescue them, or that TWILIGHT had thrown them away. Even worse were the BOOKS. Twilight had thrown away BOOKS? “Were they… bad? I mean, she throws away all manner of… when it’s bad, the rough drafts and...” She looked down at all the notes again, eying them more closely. “May I?”
The ruler nodded.
Moondancer picked up a notebook up and began to flip through it. She shook her head. “These…. Are her notes on Tirek. Why would she throw these away? She hasn’t finished the book on him, has she?” Once again her eyes wandered to the book that had been tossed as well. Auntie Graymane’s collection of Ancient Myths and Legends, volume 7.
“… She said they no longer mattered. That she no longer desired to… write of anything aside from us, her muse,” Nightmare Moon said softly. “That the report was a waste and… that the books lacked the most important legend of all… ours...”
The unicorn just stared at the mare. She seemed almost repentant. Saddened. Even distraught. More importantly, this was the opening she needed. “And you want me to tell you that it’s normal. Correct?”
“…” Nightmare Moon didn’t say a word, but she could read the hope on the ruler’s features. The way she jerked, the way her wings tightened. Just the way she stood.
“I can lie, if you like.”
The alicorn sighed and lowered herself just a little, her tension leaking away. “Do not lie to us. Not of this.”
“Then no. This isn’t normal. This is Twilight. You know her. I know her. There’s no way she could just toss all of her notes and work away. DEFINITELY no way she could toss away a book, even a bad book, let alone one like this. Heck, she has still been gathering notes on you since the book finished.”
“She… has?”
“Yes. She wants to know everything about you. Or… she did. But that was who she was. She wouldn’t stop working on this book on her own. She wouldn’t abandon knowledge like this. So...”
Nightmare Night took a long, slow breath before speaking up. “So this is not who she is. This is a…. mockery of her. Is it not? A cruel reflection crafted by that abominable spirit.”
“I’m afraid so, your highness. Now, if you want to keep with it, and--”
“If we wish to abandon our bard, leave her like this, she will forever worship us as the stars and moon in the heavens,” the alicorn said shaking her head. “But no. That would all be fake, wouldn’t it? It wouldn’t be something we earned, something we deserved. It would just be...”
“… It wouldn’t be, no,” Moondancer said softly, staring up at the ruler.
“… How do we fix this, then?” the ruler said, her eyes lowered. “You have studied this, have you not? You must know by now how we may break it.”
“… I have a few ideas, but I think we can. Your highness, how long until you need to go to bed? Would you be willing to help me with a few experiments, on Twilight?”
“… Yes. I would. Let us go.”
Moondancer nodded and began the slow trek up the stairs, the alicorn at her side. She couldn’t help but occasionally glance towards the other mare. No, she wasn’t Celestia. But sometimes, she could definitely understand how they were sisters. She felt a small semblance of relief that she wouldn’t have to curse her friend, though. Twilight definitely didn’t deserve that.
Though she had an odd feeling the earth pony would have valued it as a learning experience. Even she was sometimes boggled at the mare’s thirst for knowledge.
------
Twilight groaned and opened her eyes. Where was she? This wasn’t her be--
She shrieked, jumping to her hooves. She was in the middle of a magic circle, with Nightmare Moon and Moondancer standing outside of it. She tried to gallop out, but slammed face first into an invisible barrier, stumbling back and landing on her flank. She pushed a hoof out against the barrier. “No no. Stop. What are you doing?!”
“We’re going to remove Discord’s spell on you,” Moondancer said, shaking her head. “I’m sorry.”
“Y-you can’t! Please! Nightmare Moon, you need to stop this. Please!”
“It’s for your own good, my bard. You are… not yourself.”
“So? I am better than I was! I love you!”
Moondancer sighed. “No you don’t. You like her. But this spell makes you believe that she is the--”
“Oh just shut UP!” Twilight screamed. “You’re jealous! That’s all this is! You’re jealous that I’m her favorite! That she loves ME best!”
“No I’m no--”
“Of course you are. Do you think I’m stupid? Do you think I can’t see the way you look whenever she praises me and not you? Oh Moondancer, the perfect little student. But you’re not that any more, are you? No. Now you’re just that reminder of Celestia. You’re just an afterthought. The pony that Nightmare Moon took as a student for no other reason than to show her sister up. And it’s tearing you apart, isn’t it? Knowing you don’t really matter any more. That you’re just a… a side project. That the only reason you’re noticed at all is because of who you were a student for, not because of who you are now.”
“I-I...” Moondancer whispered, her hooves lowering. “I-I don’t...”
“What? Care? Of course you care. And that’s why you’re doing this. Nightmare Moon FINALLY has a pony who admires her. Who actually SEES her as somepony amazing as she is. And that tears you up, because you KNOW you can never be that, don’t you? You know you’ll never be able to truly see her in all her glory. Because all you can ever see in her is the reflection of Celestia. That’s all anypony can see in her. Except for me. I can truly see how magnificent she is. Oh my ruler, please. You can’t do this.”
Nightmare Moon stared at her. “Oh my bard. But this isn’t… you. This isn’t the pony you are.”
“So?” Twilight asked, staring up at her. “If you release me from this bind, I won’t love you any more. I won’t be able to care about you. All I’ll see is that same reflection of the sun that everypony else sees. And that’s not what you deserve. You deserve to be able to stand in the light, at least once. You deserve to have somepony who loves you. Who admires you. Who cares for you. Who doesn’t constantly hold you up to the… to the image of Celestia. Who doesn’t always compare you and require you to be something you’re not. You are my ruler. Mine. And I love you. Please don’t give this away. Please don’t abandon it.”
The alicorn hesitated, shaking her head. “We are sorry. We--”
“Nopony will ever love you like I do if you do this.”
The alicorn froze, staring at the earth pony. “You… are right. Nopony will ever… stop this, Moondancer. She is right. We cannot do this. We will NOT do this. We--”
Moondancer gulped. Her horn glimmered for a moment and silence fell over the circle. Twilight’s lips moved, but no sound came out. “Your highness. With all due respect… no.”
“No?” Nightmare Moon asked, glaring down at her, eyes narrowed. “You dare to speak back to us? And mute our bard? We--”
“You wanted my truth? My honesty?” Moondancer snapped, digging up what courage she could. She had seen Twilight do this. Had watched that mare take the danger on herself in order to stand up to the ruler. For her, Moondancer would do the same. She turned to the alicorn and stepped forward, looking into her eyes. “You want to know the truth? Maybe she’s right. Maybe she’ll never love you like you want. But you know what else? She doesn’t love you now. A SPELL loves you. This isn’t her. This is a charm. A poison. A magical fault that flows through her. No more real than it would be if you enchanted a doll and made it say it loved you.”
“But… she is a pony and she--”
“She’s a slave, now. To a spell she has no power to resist. That nopony but you can break. A toy. An OBJECT. She’s not a pony. She may speak like one. Act like one. Even talk like one. But she’s not Twilight. She’s an object animated by a spell. The real Twilight, the pony inside? The one capable of love, or truly caring about anything? The pony that has again and again tried to understand you and get close to you of her own volition? To help OTHER ponies understand you? She’s trapped. And only you can free her.”
Nightmare Moon stared down at her student and slowly she wilted. Those cold, icy eyes showed the fear hidden within. “But… she is right. She will never see anything but… the reflection of Celestia in us. If we release her, then nopony will--”
“If that is the way you intend to make us love you, then you never deserved our love from the beginning.”
The alicorn’s eyes widened and she leaned back as if she was struck. She stared at her student for the longest moment. Then her eyes narrowed and she rose back to her full height. Moondancer held her breath, staring at the other mare. She’d gone too far, she knew it. She was going to be banished or imprisoned or worse.
“You are correct. If we wished to enchant ponies to love us, then we would have done so. We will be the pony they love, by our own deeds. By our own worth. Not by the spell of some vile spirit that we will destroy later. Let us continue.”
Moondancer let out a sigh of relief. Yay, she got to live! She didn’t know HOW Twilight managed to do that so often. She wanted to run upstairs and hide under her bed. Still, they had a job to do. She glanced to the Twilight inside the circle, pounding on the wall of the barrier and crying. Soon it would all be okay. She hoped.
------
Twilight groaned, slowly opening her eyes. She felt as if her brain had been scrubbed with a wire brush. She was laying on a couch in… the princess’ room. She glanced over to the right and saw Nightmare Moon and Moondancer, staring at her with worried eyes. “Hi,” she said, the words burning a little in her mouth. Her eyes felt puffy, as if she’d been bawling, though she couldn’t imagine why.
“Hey. Huh uhhh… are you feeling?’ Moondancer asked. “How much do you remember of the last day?”
“I uhhh...” And then it all came back in a bolt. She shrieked and jumped to her hooves. “Oh my gosh! My notes! My BOOKS! I TOSSED THEM IN THE TRASH! No no no no no! I’ll need to--” She stopped when her notes appeared in front of her. “H-how?”
“We retrieved them,” Nightmare Moon said coldly, nudging them lightly with her hoof. “We… knew once you were freed of this affliction, you would desire to have them back.”
Twilight stared at them for a few moments before smiling. “Thank you, your highness... for everything.”
Nightmare Moon nodded and turned to head out the door.
“W-wait!” Twilight said quickly, looking between the two of them. “I’m sorry. I’m really, really sorry. For all that I said. Moondancer, I know you’re not jealous and… I know what I said wasn’t really true.”
The unicorn sighed and glanced away. No, it was incredibly close. That was what made it hurt so much. “Thanks...” Though, she appreciated Twilight lying and saying it wasn’t. Or maybe the earth pony truly believed it. She hoped she did.
“And your highness… I am so, so sorry about what I said to you. What I said was… hurtful and merciless.”
“And yet it rang of the truth, did it not? The love you had for us… it is unlikely any pony will ever feel such devotion to us. At least, not until long after the memory of my elder sister has fully faded from the minds of all. But… it is no matter,” she said with a shake of her head and a stomp of her hoof. “We are Nightmare Moon, ruler of the night. If ponies are too foalish to appreciate our glory? Then we will merely wait. We can afford to be patient, as we have millenia to outlive even the memories of our dear, departed sister,” she said, with just a hint of cruelty to her words. “And we will out live them. Eventually, all ponies will feel for us as you felt.” With those cold words echoing through the room, she trotted towards the door, slamming it behind herself.
Twilight sighed and shook her head. “She’s… not taking this well, is she?”
“Can you blame her?” Moondancer mumbled. “She...”
“I know. I know.”
“She almost didn’t let you go. If I hadn’t… pushed her. Hadn’t nudged her that last little bit?” Moondancer mumbled, shaking her head. “She cares about you a lot, Twilight.”
The earth pony nodded. “I know. And yet… I’m the one who’s hurt her the most. I just wish I could… make up for it. For everything I did...” she whispered.
“What’d you do?”
“I said some things I’d rather not have said, and they hurt her. A lot,” Twilight said, shaking her head.
“I understand. I won’t ask any more. How are you feeling?”
“Icky… so very, very icky,” Twilight said with a shudder. “Like I wanna wash my brain with soap and water. Having Discord rummage around and mess with it like that… I don’t recommend.”
“Well… if nothing else, at least everything can go back to normal, now. Well. As normal as things… were.”
Twilight nodded. “Yeah. Thank heavens...”
------
Nightmare Moon stared at her reflection in the mirror. She’d finally had what she wanted for so, so long. Something she’d never have again no matter how hard she tried. No matter how hard she worked for it. Ponies would never look at her like that. Like the way they had looked at her sister. With love. Adoration. Belief that she was the most beautiful thing in their world. Glorious and wonderful and…
She felt the tears begin to form in her eyes, though she tried to stifle them. She’d given it all up. Why? Even if it had been all fake, it had FELT real. It had felt so, so incredibly real. She wanted it back so bad. She’d have given anything to have it back. Slowly, a hoof reached out and touched the mirror.
“We… I will destroy you, Discord...” she whispered. “I will tear you apart. I will laugh as you scream for mercy. And I will have none. You will learn that this game you play with us ponies has dangers beyond any you imagined...” she said, gritting her teeth. “And ponies will LEARN to love me, as they loved my sister. Even if it takes a thousand millenia.” She stood up straight, her mane billowing in the candle light. “We have tasted the sweet nector of their love and adoration. We will not let it slip through our hooves again. And you will learn to truly fear us…” she whispered, shaking her head. “We will not be toyed with. Will not be made foals of. We are the rulers of all, the ruler of this world. And we...” She felt the tears rising up in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away with a hoof. “We will show the world why they must follow us… why they must learn to love us… Why it is… what we deserve.”
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Oh wow, i don't remember this story at all! I'm gonna have to reread it because apparently i kept up until almost exactly a year ago.
9650571
Not surprising. About a year ago life hit me with a big fish, then ran off laughing with malevolent glee. I've (mostly) got things sorted now, though. So hope you can re-enjoy it. :)
an update yea, I hope for more, and now I got to start reread it all yea
9650583
IT"S ALIIIIIIIIIIIIVE!
IT LIVES!!! Ahem...
Thanks for the update! This is one of the stories here that I was waiting for to be continued the most.
I wish you luck with getting your problems sorted completely!
Sadly, life is currently trying to beat me up too. Oh well, will have to schedule re-reading this whole story for a bit later.
So. Yeah, luna's in baaad mental shape.
CUDDLE PILE ON LUNA!
9650662
AGREED...! AND THANKS NIGHMARE MOON THAT STUPID SPELL IS OVER!!!
9650598
Well, it's a good time to, there should be more and more frequent updates now!
9650664
Now with 25% more pep in her step! <3
9650676
On the up side, depending on how long it takes, the story may be entirely done by then.
9650688
I think she'd be shocked but happy.
9650662
Soooo happy I finally get to start writing again, feels great to get these arcs done.
It's alive, It's Alive!
IT'S ALIVE!
We're somewhat surprised Twilight didn't at least dash over and hug Nightmare, even if it was in gratitude. It would demonstrate that even without the spell, she does have positive-ish feelings for her still, and that it wasn't all farce. Her failure to immediately recompense Nightmare's faith (yet again) did more damage than her little epiphany made up for...
Keep going! ;)
Yay! Update!
Yay
Always glad to see a story come back from the dead. Looking forward to seeing where you take us next.
I'm not gonna lie, I forgot all about this story, but this was a great way reintroduced us to story. Cya next year!
So glad to see this story come back. It's one of my fave AUs.
The sad part is that Twilight really DOES care about her. I hope Nightmare Moon sees that and it helps her come back to Luna some day.
Of course, the problem is that you can't chance someone just by loving them hard enough.
But, at least, Moondancer managed to give Nightmare Moon an important lesson, and got her to resolve to actually deserve to be loved.
I have an image of Twilight becoming an alicorn, in this timeline, by getting Nightmare Moon to return to Luna. But that's still 2 seasons and change from here.
Yaaaaaaaay!!! Welcome back! Im very excited to hear we will be getting more updates more frequently! It’s always nice to see a lovely story that could have been abandoned like all the others come back with fresh life. ^^ I look forward to seeing how the adventure will continue!
WOOOOOO
YOU'RE BACK!
I'll have to reread the story tho, I have no idea of what's going on
I'm more surprised that there hasn't been word of suicide attempts. Even if the ponies weren't in such desperate states, surely some would have considered that if NNM wanted them to love her, the greatest insult of all would be choosing death by their own hooves rather than live under her rule or facing her judgement on anything.
Take my commentation as you will, but surely there had to have been some who thought nothing was left for them to continue with.
media.tenor.com/images/c0241ef0556a00fa8766fa943af446d5/tenor.gif
It lives!
It is a pleasure to see your return. I checked more than once over the past year to see if this story had updated, and it is in good form that it does. So, as others have said, welcome back.
9650891
Quite possibly. Hopefully she won't accidentally toss more gas on this fire...
9650986
Oof, okay, I probably deserved that one.
9651110
Eeyup. There's oh my gosh still soooooo much to write. XD
9651406
Oh, don't worry. THAT particular line of thinking has been considered. I will say no more, though.
9651622
Thanks. Feels great to be back amongst those who like my works. Though sometimes I can't imagine why you people are so patient with me.
Well, after this I firmly believe that after this, the changelings showing up to steal all the love would drive NM absolutely ballistic.
Poor Moondancer..
But, good pone, stuck up for her friend to break the curse she was under. Honestly kinda suprised that it wasn't the Twilight is as good as dead in that state type of trope, but cool beans
Well ... that did not quite go as I thought it would.
On day 3, Twilight figured out what was going on, realized it was a spell, knows that these spells make you rationalize it away, and ... rationalized it away :-).
Why do I remember that scene in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, where Buffy and company are discussing a mind-control spell, and Buffy's response was "Good thing being a slayer makes me immune" or something like that.
And, as expected/hoped for, Luna realizes that just having empty praise isn't good enough.
Poor books.
Aww! Discord used his powers to help Luna grow!
He's a good boy! You're a good boy Discord! You're a good boy!
Never thought I was going to say that again.