The Nightmare's Nightmare

by Shardikku

Chapter One: Awakening Asweat

Searing winds howled as the grand beast roared, sending waves of scorching, foul heat across the land, withering plants and beasts alike. The harsh stench of burning oil and molten stone filled the hot air, beating in forceful waves, bending trees and slamming shutters. A storm of winged creatures took to the skies as the forest was ravaged by the heat and noise, joining the smoky, dull haze in a perverse painting of panic and confusion.

The beast, an impossible silhouette on the horizon, let one titantic limb fall slowly to the ground, and a half-minute later, the juddering tremor hit the town, cracking windows and cobbles alike, as a thin crack coursed through the land, revealing a narrow slit leading to darkest oblivion. Hot, stinking air rose from the rift, filling the foul air with more acrid, stinging tones.

They didn't stand a chance...

---

Luna awoke with a start, leaping out of her bed with a yelp, her wings snapping open in instinctive terror, sending an array of bedside knick-knacks smashing to the floor.

Her heart was racing, pounding audibly in her heaving chest. "Oh! Sweet Sun and Stars! Oh!" She gasped as she dropped the floor, whimpering and cowering, trying desperately but hopelessly to compose herself.

The nightmares... Again! that strange, enormous figure, far beyond her reach, and teasingly out of sight. Almost like some sort of drake, but even the oldest dragons, warped horrifically in the Discordian Years had barely seemed half as large.

The town had been crumbling, just as it always did. The beast, rose, roared, cast chaos and destruction across the land, split the ground, and then... she awoke. Always at the moment she peered into the thin black slash that scored the land. And the stifling, painful heat and burning scents lingered. Her nose was running, with a hint of a nosebleed as she wiped her face on the back of her hoof; her sweaty body stank, but somewhere beneath the rank smell of stale perspiration which lined her fur and bed, hints of the searing, sulphuric tang still dwelt.

She shuddered and shook it off, climbing shakily to her hooves. She brushed the blinds open with a shaking wing, and recoiled as a warm beam of sunlight struck her eyes. She hissed in pain, covering her face and letting the covers swing shut, shrouding herself in cool darkness once more.

Judging by the heat, it was midday, perhaps early afternoon. She sighed, blinking the sleep from her eyes. Another restless day's sleep, it seemed. That was twice this week, and nearly a dozen times this month. She kept a strict record of her times spent dreaming, both her own, and the dreams she wandered during the night. She didn't need to look at the increasingly messy scribbles of quillwork in the tattered old diary resting on the edge of her dresser to know how common it was. Lesser dreams faded, bad dreams stayed, and nightmares lingered.

She was in need of help, that much was certain. But there were problems with that immediately- she was the dreamwalker, the Nightstalker, the one who ponies confided their deepest fears in. Who was she to turn to? Celestia? Young Twilight? She nickered dismissively. They would try to help- leap at the chance, even- but they would be of little help in her own realm.

And she did not wish to worry or scare them. Celestia was a busy princess, and maintaining her air of cheer and solidarity was tough enough as it was. And Young Twilight, well, though she had triumphed many times before- even against the Tantibus, one of her own foulest creations- this was not a simple nightmare. No, nightmares could be solved or banished with a relatively easy spell and a few moment’s reflection on the root of the problem.

Nightmares didn't hurt- didn't feel so horrifyingly 'real'...Didn't worry her.

The rise of Daybreaker had been unnerving; Nightmare Moon's return had been downright disturbing, even as a mere dream of Twilight's student's stressed mind- but they didn't terrify her, wake her in the middle of the day in a cold sweat- didn't fill her with a sense of bestial fear that almost made her want to flee to the safety of her cool, faraway Lunar sanctuary.

She yawned, and struggled to her en-suite. Trying to sleep was a wasted effort, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to chance seeing that strange and horrible dream again, regardless of the exhaustion and fatigue it caused her.

The mirror was unfriendly, showing a bedraggled, tired mare, whose eternal youth was marred by the heavy bags under her eyes and her dulled eyes. Sweat matted her fur, and crusted track marks lined her face, running from the corners of her bloodshot, slightly yellowed eyes. Her mane, messy and unkempt, had lost its magical aura, turning back to its wavy, deep blue self.

The shower, at least, was forgiving and refreshing. Despite her growing familiarity with the times since her return, warm water had been something that had always sat wrong with her- cold, natural water and a little soap were more than enough for her. Celestia had a collection of fancy shampoos and conditioners, for everything from her mane to her fetlocks, with every possible fragrance imaginable, and some less so- What was 'Watermelon Blush' anyway? It tasted foul, and not in the slightest bit as nice as it smelled.

She ran a sturdy metal comb through her mane, dragging the knots outs with little care for the twinges and painful pulls. She was far more focused on the reinvigorating and cleansing feeling of the cold water running down her body than the slight discomforts. She then brought up a pair of wire brushes and proceeded to brush her fur through, removing every hint of sweat and dirt, and giving it back its normal sheen. She may not have felt perfect, but she had an image to uphold- something Young Twilight needed some lessons on, now that she thought of it. Perhaps she could drop by later. She had nothing else planned, the Princess of the Night was rarely up and about during the day, after all.

After a short while of idly soaking, Luna slapped the faucet and turned off the flow. With a light blue flash, she was dry, the water falling off of her in a small flurry of snow- ice spells always had been easier than manipulating fire and heat to her, and they were so much faster for drying off.

"And..." She took a deep breath as she strode back into her bedroom proper, slipping her ornate silver shoes on, "...Good morning, Sister." She muttered, sliding the blinds on her windows all the way up, letting golden sunlight pour in, illuminating her shining royal-blue coat, and making her silver and obsidian jewellery glow brightly. Fully awake, the sun didn't seem quite as harsh, and after a moment's blinking, she went to her Prench doors, and pushed them open, wandering out onto the balcony.

The cool breeze of a bright Summer's day greeted her, swirling around and relaxing her wonderfully as the warm sun bathed her back in its warm, comforting glow. The dainty scents of fresh grass and flowers drifted up from the valley and meadows below, as the beautiful rolling fields and elegant, homely towns and neat forests spread before her. In the far distance- she shivered as a looming shadow seemed to dance on the horizon- she blinked, and it resolved into the familiar shape of the distant mountain skyline. She almost laughed- she, the one who had once embodied the Nightmare herself, and for whom a festival of horrors was held every year, was scared of a bad dream. Of course, it warranted further exploration, and was fairly unsettling, but she was quite safe in the gentle caress of the sun.

It was probably an unresolved element of her past. Occasionally, little sprites and terrors would pop up, reminding her of some poor soul she terrorised during her rise, or fall, she supposed, to Nightmare Moon. The odd pony fleeing, or a crying foal- or Celestia weeping for a sister lost. All touching, powerful scenes from her past that haunted her at times. But she pushed through. She understood dreams and nightmares better than any pony- they were part of talent and role as a princess. This was just another strange dream-warped interpretation of an event she was scared by or ashamed of, no doubt.

"Luna!" An oh-so familiar voice called, followed by the buffeting of wings and the clattering of heavy hooves on stone. "Good to see you up and enjoying the sun for once. The first few days of summer truly are beautiful aren't they?"

"Hello, dear Sister." Luna turned, embracing the slightly larger form of Celestia in a gentle, loving hug. They held for a moment, before breaking apart, and they both took up places against the balustrade, watching calmly across their realm. "'Tis truly a wonderful-" She discreetly glanced skywards, gauging the position of the sun "-afternoon you have granted us."

"Thank you, Lu'. And may I ask why the sudden urge to enjoy the sun?" Celestia nudged her shoulder, a teasing smile forming on her lips as she added, "Is it not a little, oh, how did you say it the other day- Ah! 'Sweltering and boiling, like Tartarus' burning circles have ne'er known.'?" She chuckled, her clear, melodious, joyful laugh, like wind chimes swaying gently in the breeze. Truly, she was a pony whose very essence was that of a perfect pony, from heart, to body, to action.

Luna flicked her with a wing, "I haven't the slightest idea of whom you talk, 'Tia. I just thought I should enjoy the warmth 'fore it becomes too hot for those unused to the glare." A sly grin had appeared on her face, despite her attempt to remain utterly unreadable. Emulating Celestia's completely neutral- and yet surprisingly cheeky away from the public eye- manner was considerably more difficult than she had thought. It clearly took practise.

"Oh," She replied, raising a skeptical eyebrow, "I thought, perhaps, my little sister was going to be a normal pony for a moment there and go out to enjoy the weather. No such hope, I suppose." She turned to leave, her musical laughter flowing once more as she dropped her mock-sarcastic tone, "Well, I must be off, Little Lu'- the nobility haven't nagged me for nearly a whole hour whilst I've been having a little wander. I need to get back before they decide I've been ponynapped. Again." She leaned in, sharing a nuzzle with Luna, before stepping up on the balustrade, and, like the most showy and majestic pegasus, she dropped off, falling for a second, before pulling up into a rocketing ascent.

Luna waved until she had looped out of sight. Celestia was the busiest, most hard-working pony she knew, without a doubt. Young Twilight worked hard too, of course, as did Cadance, running a whole empire between herself and her stalwart prince, but they didn't have to deal with the Canterlot nobles- the most entitled, foalish, and pedantic ponies there were. A relatively nice bunch, until they got into a petty dispute. Then the hoof-pointing and multi-generational bickering broke out.

Not for the first time, she was glad she only had to deal with the minor disputes between the thestral families, whose lineages she could personally recall and who treated her with utter respect and dignity; and the occasional pony who hadn't been able to make it to the Day Court, and thus was barely awake and could usually be sent on their way with a few kind words and a smile.

"Well, I shan't be wasteful." She murmured, watching a pair of pegasi twisting and racing through the skies above the city, before leaping into the air in a graceful dive, and taking wing.

Around she circled in a large, lazy spiral, her wings spread wide and slanted to catch the thermals and rise effortlessly. She closed her eyes, letting the warm winds play through her mane.

Raging heat, scorching winds, primal roars from the deepest pits of the darkest realms-

She gasped, blinking away the strange visions and sensations that had rushed into her mind. It probably wasn’t the best idea to daydream so soon after a nightmare, she mused sheepishly.

Casting away her laziness, she decided that being surrounded by other ponies would help aid her troubled mind. Perhaps a good distraction was all she needed to let her mind work itself out, or let her remember what great mistake she had made that she was punishing herself for.

The city of Canterlot spread before her as she alighted on one of the few clouds that dotted the sky. From the tiny corner shops, to the bustling market, to the parasol-littered cafes and gardens, Canterlot city was alive and buzzing with vibrant life. The wind carried the lively notes of conversation and laughter, and the sweet scents of the bakeries and florists that dotted the streets, vying for business against each other.

She smiled, and glided gently down, a pair of royal guards- two pearly-white pegasi in armour just a little too shiny to have ever seen proper use- appearing silently at her side the moment her hooves hit the cobbles. She sighed, offering them both an appreciative nod, before promptly ignoring them. She respected them, of course, it was simply that she could not remember a time when any of the guards had been particularly useful- Chrysalis had thwarted them twice, that they knew of; Twilight and her friends humilated them on a weekly basis with their feats of magic and heroism; and she herself had managed to give them the slip several times when she had wanted to go out alone.

She watched them keep perfect step with her out the corner of her eye. The temptation to teleport away and disguise herself was almost too strong, but she had promised Celestia she wouldn’t do it again, after half the Guard had threatened to quit following their supposed failure to protect her. To be fair, it had taken Celestia nearly five minutes to blink to the bar she had been relaxing in. That had killed the atmosphere, for sure. Nothing made ponies sober up and act sharp and boring like their Princess-Goddess walking in looking as if she’d been chewing a lemon.

“Ah! Miss Luna, it’s good to see you. Your usual?” A sharply-dressed stallion, his mane short and neat, and a thin red tie hanging from his collar, leaned out of a stable door as she passed.

“‘Tis barely noon, Hoppy.” She protested weakly, “How is a princess to lead by example if she begins the night before her citizens?”

“True, true, true, my dear. It’s just a little odd to see you daytime.” Barley Hoppings adjusted his tie and dropped his marketing smile for a moment, leaning in a little, “Ahem, not my place to ask or tell, but are you alright, Princess?”

She tutted, smoothing down a stray strand of mane. She had to remind herself that this was one of the few ponies who saw her during her highs and lows, night after night, whilst she visited the lonely few who haunted the bars in the darkest hours. It wasn’t all that odd for such a familiar pony to notice a few oddities. It didn’t mean the rest of the general public had noticed her mane being extremely un-ethereal today.

“Just a-” She really could not say ‘a bad dream’. As the one sworn to watch over the dreams of Equestria, it would be rather silly to admit such a weakness. “-a-an urgent meeting over court-proceedings. I thought I’d make the most of the day, as was.” A lie was only a bad thing if it caused issues. Protecting the faith of her citizens was not a poor cause for a little mistruth, as far as she was concerned.

“Of course, Princess.” He said, stepping back. His sales’ smile was back in place, and any hint that he might have doubted her was either gone, or very well hidden. “Shall we be seeing you this evening?”

“Perhaps, Hoppy, perhaps.” She smiled, and went on her way, a wing spread in farewell. He knew as well as she that she would be. And if those Nightmares wouldn’t stop for a while, then she’d be back again and again. Nothing stopped bad dreams like a good heart-to-heart in a cosy setting, with a few calming drinks. If only foals could take a tipple, all those silly ‘coming of age’ dreams would be a breeze, instead of the hours-long reassuring talks about ‘strange feelings’ and first romances they had to have.

Where should she go? She had -judging by her bodyclock- a couple of hours before she need to start her preparations for dusk and the night ahead. She enjoyed the busy streets and the buzz of industrious life around her. Even if only the odd pony stopped marching about or sneering at someone else long enough to offer her a quick greeting, the very warmth and brightness of it all did her tired, confused mind a world of good.

But still, despite the distractions, she couldn’t help but keep flashing back to the visions.

Searing air scorching her lungs, acrid fumes and sulphurous streaks stinging and burning, as the ground quaked…

She shook her head, ridding the uncomfortable feelings that tingled across her body. “Hey, you.” She commanded suddenly, tapping the guard to her side on the helmet. “Where do you go to relax after a stressful day?”

After a stunned moment, the guardsmare stuttered an answer, “I-I like to t-take my daughter to the ice-cream parlour, and s-sit in the Royal Gardens, Princess Luna.” She offered a lame bow, her armour clinking awkwardly.

Luna chuckled, patting her on the side and pulling her back up. Typical guard: Strong, silent, and sturdy, until their charge treats them like a real pony. If that was all it took to beat them, no wonder Chrysalis had an easy time of it- a polite word here, a caring conversation there, and the whole Guard would be stunned speechless.

“Well then, young Miss, lead the way. That sounds like a lovely way to spend the afternoon.” And distract her, whilst soothing away the aches that had developed from her mild fatigue, she added mentally. It would probably be best not to share that with a member of the notoriously gossipy Royal Guard. Her own Nightguard wouldn’t dare speak about something they weren’t sure she would like, but Celestia’s lot? They were known for their ‘banter’ behind closed doors. After all, those humiliating pictures and stories about Celestia’s cake habits didn’t give themselves to the papers.

They trotted on, the guard skipping ahead everso-slightly nervously. Luna thought to tease her a little, but decided against it- it wasn’t every day She Who Brings the Night used you as a guide. Celestia would probably have had a few laughs at her expense, but she was better than that, saving her pranks for the other royals. Why waste a good scheme on one who would break down in pitiful tears if she looked at them wrong, when she could make Young Twilight squirm hilariously in front of Celestia and Cadance? Teacher-Student fancies died hard, and they were always a good laugh to pick on.

They arrived at the parlour. As the colourful glass doors opened, a wave of hushed reverence settled over the crowd of young ponies and scattered adults. Each of them lowered their heads in respectful half-bows. She sighed and offered them a polite wave and a smile which seemed to placate them as the chatter resumed.

“Go, get us some desserts. Simply tell them it’s on the Crown.” She whispered to the guardsmare, who was relaxing slightly now that she no longer led them.

Luna wandered slowly, taking in the cosy, if a little crowded shop, with its gaudy paintwork, over polished floors and counters, and an assembled jumble of chairs, cushions, and tables that appeared to be from no less than three different fashion eras. Hardly her usual regal standards, but she couldn’t fault a place that her guard’s foal favoured for being a little childish and unprofessional, so she lowered her critical eye and sought out a place to sit that would afford her at least some protection from the sneaky looks and awed smiles she saw whenever she gazed about., and would situate her sizable form. After wading through a small sea of gawping foals and tacky furniture, she eventually chose a worn out sofa sitting beside the window, affording a limited view of the nearby street and park, and a glimpse of the plains of Equestria beyond. She had half a mind to silence the noisy rabble of young, energetic fillies and colts. But their high-pitched chatter and laughter made a comforting static to drown out the sounds that strained her ears so. Sounds that she could not hear, but that she could remember, and feel as she looked upon her kingdom.

The endless, grating roars, brutal and raw, screaming of stone, fire, and things far deeper and darker than she could understand...

She couldn’t help but let her tired eyes slip and blur a little, letting it all take on a faint crimson hue that reeked of arid, hopeless desolation-

The guardsmare returned, snapping her from the miserable glimpse of a vision, carrying a tray loaded with a trio of large sundaes and slid it smoothly onto the table with a wing. “On the house, courtesy of Ripple Berry’s Ice-Cream Parlour.” She announced, shining a smile over towards the counter. “If only my little one was here to see this- big ol’ ice-cream sundaes with her favourite idol Princess!” She giggled to herself, before seeming to remember her company, and coughing gruffly. “Your dessert, Princess.”

The surprise and absurdity tickled her to laughter. “Yes, thank you, Miss.” She tittered, “Mayhaps you should take of your helms for a moment and enjoy the break?” And perhaps their chatter would distract her some more. Guards always had plenty to talk about, it seemed. The barracks would be positively bawling if she hadn’t brought in her enforced quiet times at night to stop them distracting her dreamgazing. They really should invest in some more Thestral guards, or maybe a few of those Neo-Changelings. Normal ponies were too friendly and chatty to be effective guardponies.

“So, ah, Princess Luna…” The mare fumbled with her helmet for a moment, before clicking open the catch and flipping it off, and throwing her freed mane backwards as if in a shampoo commercial- a lustrous wave of shocking pink. Though her stark white coat-dye muted it somewhat, Luna couldn’t help but be a impressed and wowed by the natural grace and beauty the guardsmare now suddenly held. Why, not so long ago, she would have been rescued from duty by any rich pony with a good eye! Celestia’s armour choice really left something to be desired, it seemed. “...heard any interesting stories recently?”

“Just Luna is fine now, Miss. As for stories, well, there was the matter of Young Twilight’s protege visiting the other week.” Luna paused. Could she really reveal such potentially harmful or hurtful things? She looked about conspiratorially, then leaned in and lowered her voice. It wasn’t like she could change the blindly-loyal Royal Guard’s opinions on Celestia, after all. “A Miss Glimmer, if I’m not mistaken. Twilight sent her up to Canterlot to help with a so-called ‘friendship problem’, and you’ll never guess what she did then…”

As she recounted the tale of the switched cutie-marks and the outrageously silly fears Starlight had shared with them to the eagerly listening guardsmare as they slowly ate their ways through the vast amounts of ice-cream before them, she couldn’t help but notice the second guard sitting aside, his dessert untouched and his helm still firmly in place. If anything, he seemed to be avoiding her gaze, stoically looking into the distance whenever she happened to glance over, his face completely unreadable.

“...Daybreaker! I know, it is quite a childish name, isn’t it? But it all worked out fine in the end, and it was something of a bonding and learning experience, so ‘twasn’t a wasted time.” Luna finished. Before the mare could ask her anything further, she quickly confronted the yard-eyed stallion. “Good Sir, is something the matter? I bade you relax. Please, remove your armour and have a well-earned treat.”

He grunted, much to her bemusement. A guard- a Royal guard- not bowing and scraping to her every light-hearted whim? She wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed or impressed- a backbone was important and somewhat praiseworthy in a guard, for sure, but just where that line blurred into defiance seemed a little too close. Perhaps he simply hadn’t heard her properly. Those ear-paddings were awfully thick, after all. “Sir?” She tapped him on the shoulder, and he pulled away, whirling to face her as he stood up.

“Urgh, what are we doing wasting time here?” He said with a sneer. She backed up, shocked, and he continued, his voice rising to a shout. “Petty ‘Princesses’ running our lives! What gives them the right?” With a snort, he pushed her aside and trotted off, slamming the door as he went.

Absolute silence fell over the parlour.

They had heard every word.

Every pair of eyes turned to Luna, fear and curiosity etched into their every face. Even the youngest amongst them, a mere newborn being held by his mother, had stopped moving or making a noise.

A chilling wind gusted through, rippling her mane as if it were alive.

“Child…” Luna whispered, stunned still. And then she snapped out of her shocked stupor, and adopted a bitter frown. Her eyes darkened a tone, losing their luster and taking on a strange, haunting look. Her brow furrowed, and her jaw clenched, the pearly-white hints of her teeth visible as her lips curled back. “Petulant, insolent, unruly…” She muttered, punctuated by the sharp clacking of her silver-shod hoof on the wooden floor, which was denting and cracking beneath the blows. A dusting of frost began to creep across the large windows and glass counters, and the floor surrounding her slowly grew a layer of white, icy crystals.

And before her lay a ruined home, blackened and burning, the hot air scorching her throat as timbers and stone fell from the cracked roof, tumbling down in plumes of embers, burning her fur with sparks...

She brought her hooves down in a seething rage, smashing the floor with such force that the worn planks cracked apart, revealing the stone layer beneath, and denting that too. A shockwave blew out, rattling the whole shop. “No pony of my Equestria doth dare speak to their ruler so! Throw that treasonous wretch to the Griff-

The sundae glasses toppled and fell off the table, shattering loudly against the bare, frozen stone. As if in cosmic agreement, the newborn foal began to wail, screaming far louder than any creature his size should have been able to. And thus, the floodgates were unfrozen, and the cries of all the many young fillies and colts ripped the still air.

Luna froze for a second, taking in the shocked, terrified, and crying crowd before her, then jolted back in surprise, avoiding eye-contact as best she could, “No, no! Sorry, sorry my little ponies! I am deeply sorry-” The guardsmare tapped her on the flank, and nudged her towards the door. “Farewell, dear citizens!” She called, flinging herself out the door and setting off at a sharp canter, her guard falling in behind her.

How could she have lost control of herself like that? Especially in front of such a vulnerable crowd! Those children would be having nightmares for weeks, and perhaps the adults too- she had a lot of soothing dreams to grant and fears to banish in the coming days, that was for sure. And once Celestia found out she accidentally ‘gone Nightmare’ as she called it, she’d be in for another age of counselling, long sisterly talks, and other emotional rubbish she simply haven’t time for.

And it was hardly her fault. That guard has struck out, verbally attacked her. Was she supposed to let that happen nowadays? Celestia had let the ponies grow truly unruly, it seemed.

“Who was the guardspony, Miss?” She asked, her remaining guard fumbling with her helmet as she marched along at the brisk clip she had set. She might as well have her excuses ready and waiting for her sister’s imminent reprimanding.

“Uh, Civil Silver, I think, Princess.” She paused, looking skyward as she thought for a moment. “One of the Long Patrol rangers normally, but got brought back for stress-leave, I believe.”

“Well then, he’s earned himself another few weeks of house-duty. And then two months of sewer patrols and a temporary demotion!” She snapped, “Stress is no reason to lash out. If we all did, then Equestria would be a dead, frozen crater after a bad afternoon in the courts.”

They reached the marble steps leading up to the palace gates, and quickly hopped up, shoving the door aside before the stationed ponies could move to open it.

“Sister!” Luna barked as she entered the main hall, servants, maids, and ponies from all walks of life parting before like a living sea as she paced on towards the throne room where Celestia held her court. “Sister! I wish to report an incident!”

Comments

[Ze1a7in]

I am interested to see where this goes

[Ice Star]

Ah, it's finally here! What a good start, antisocial Luna is nice to see.