Casual
Twilight almost threw open the door to her library before trotting inside with a happy smile. She powered on the magelight, then swept her gaze around the room to make sure nothing looked out of place and shut the door behind her. Already, the library's warm, homey feel brought her to sigh contently. "I know we were only gone for a couple of nights, but it's good to be home," she said with a nod.
Midnight strolled on passed her and headed upstairs.
Spike jumped off her back. "Yeah..." he mumbled, then turned to face her. She looked down at him, and a bit of a frown pulled at her brow when she saw his insecurity: tapping his claws together while his brow folded slightly down. "I guess this is home, isn't it?" he asked.
She turned to face him and sat down on her haunches, then pulled him to her chest with a foreleg. He returned the embrace and she nuzzled him. "I guess..." she mumbled. "It's not the same as Canterlot, but..."
Spike nodded, accidentally returning the nuzzle. "Yeah." He pulled back and looked up at her, a little of his worry banished with a slightly brighter expression in its place. "Hey, I guess the ponies here are nicer than in Canterlot, so..."
Twilight winced and turned away from him. "Right..." she muttered. "Nicer..."
A second passed in silence. "Uh, I mean, your friends are nice?" Spike offered.
Twilight turned back to face him with a strained smile. "They are..." she quietly drawled. It was a point she could not argue, and one she would not argue. Her friends were wonderful.
Spike nodded and looked away from her. "And everypony else still avoids you, for the most part."
"Well..." Twilight mumbled as she stood up. "Maybe eventually that'll change." She walked over to the bookshelf on the other side of the room and looked over the books, scrutinizing their titles and placement. Nothing looked out of place.
"It might help if you'd go out more," Spike offered.
Twilight paused, blinked, then looked back at him.
He held up his claws defensively. "I'm just saying with as much as you're cooped up in here and as much as you're not around..."
She winced again and her ears fell back. "I'm... gone for a good reason..." she defended.
He frowned and walked over to her. "I know you are, Twilight, but still. Princess Celestia wanted you to make friends-"
Twilight brightened and her ears jumped back into place. "I did make friends!" she happily declared. "Seven of them."
"Right," Spike mumbled. "Nightmare Moon..." He shook his head, and she frowned. "She still scares me."
Twilight sighed. 'I don't feel like dealing with this right now.' So, she wouldn't! "I'll be fine," she repeated for what must have been the hundredth time. She inhaled and nodded to herself. "Spike? Can you check to make sure the food is still good?" They were only gone for three nights, but a lot could happen in three nights!
"Yeah, sure," he said, then walked on into the kitchen.
"If anything's spoiled I might have to visit the market," she mumbled to herself. And that would require changing her plans. And she had plans. Sure, they were only gone for three nights, but that was three nights away from her studies! Even if she had taken a lot of time to browse through Hollow Shades' libraries in search of information on Luna, and three nights really wasn't enough time for that, especially given that in truth it really wasn't even one night because of spending time with her friends, which she was happy to do, and the art gallery.
Nodding to herself, she knew, 'I need to go back sometime.' It surprised her how few books she managed to find on Princess Luna and history from way back then. She had expected more, especially with her success at the art gallery. But she had made notes on the books and their contents so she could come back at a later date.
But now she was home! She could relax, study, practice her magic, inevitably get drawn into more sparring matches with Nightmare Moon, and of course, spend more time with her friends. "Spike, while you're at it, can you check to make sure we're stocked on scrolls, ink, and quills?" she called. "Oh! And candles too!"
"Sure thing, Twilight!" Spike called back from the kitchen.
She smiled. "Thanks, Spike!" She walked along the bookshelf and made her way to the basement door, then opened it and started down the stairs. She relit the magelight as she descended the stairs, then hummed happily as she trotted over to her desk.
The crate of books was right where she left it, and lifting the lid, she found the books all neatly packed just like before. She set the lid down off to the side, but before she could levitate out a book, she heard Spike call, "Twilight! Mail's here!"
So Twilight blinked in surprise and turned back towards the stairs. She half expected to see him standing there, but he wasn't. "Coming!" she called, then turned around and climbed back up the stairs. The front door was open, and a light gray pegasus stood in the doorway. Her mane was blond, and her yellow eyes didn't focus on the same point. She carried a pair of saddlebags in front of her wings. She smiled at the mare. "Hello Derpy!" she called as she walked towards the door.
Derpy smiled happily. "Welcome back, Twilight!" she called in a warm, bubbly voice. As she came to a stop before the mailmare, Derpy asked, "How was your trip?"
"It was good," Twilight said with a nod. "Hollow Shades is an... interesting place."
She watched Derpy's right eye drift back until it focused at some point on the ceiling. It made her uncomfortable, but she didn't let it bother her too much: Derpy was one of the friendliest ponies in town, and one of the few who seemed more or less unphased by the permanent night. Derpy didn't have a problem with her being Nightmare Moon's student, either. The pegasus was lovable and hard to hold a grudge against.
"Oh, I can imagine!" Derpy said with a bright smile. "I've run into those batponies a few times when I've gotten lost and they're always nice and help me find my way!"
Twilight smiled. "Well, I'm glad somepony is starting to warm up to them. I just wish everypony would..." she trailed off shaking her head. 'They probably will, eventually.' "Did you have something for me?"
For a moment, Derpy's expression blanked, then she smiled. "Oh, yeah!" The pegasus shook her head and refocused her gaze, then turned back to her saddlebag on the right side, lifted the flap and scrounged around for something. She tried to see what it was and how the pegasus managed to sort the envelopes with her muzzle, but she didn't have a good enough view. After a few seconds, Derpy grabbed one of the letters and tugged it out, then turned to face her and present the letter. She mumbled something incomprehensible through the envelope.
Twilight just kept smiling and took it in her magic. "Thank you, Derpy," she said as she levitated the envelope closer.
Derpy closed her eyes and smiled happily. "No problem, Twilight! I'll see you around."
And with that, Derpy left, turning around and flying off into the night sky. She watched for a moment, then turned her gaze back to the envelope as she closed the door. Unmarked, aside from the library's address. No return address. Not bound by any seal or anything to distinguish it from a normal letter. If it wasn't for the lack of return address. She frowned at the one piece of missing information. 'If it was my parents or my brother, it would have a return address.'
Perhaps whoever had sent the letter simply forgot. It still wouldn't have been her parents or brother, but it was probably unimportant. She just barely started to rip the envelope open with her magic when Spike came up beside her and asked, "Who's it from and what's it say?"
She just gave him a flat look, drawing a nervous, apologetic laugh from him. She couldn't keep it up, and a smile broke onto her lips, so she turned her gaze back to the envelope and ripped it open. She levitated the letter out of the envelope and levitated the envelope lower as she studied the paper. She opened it, then read it twice.
As Nightmare gazed out across Equestria, the thought, 'You know what Luna looked like,' ate at her mind, as it had so often since she had seen that damned dream. It seemed like whenever she had a moment of peace, her mind instantly went back to the dream and that thought. Her jaw was tight, but not clenched or clamped. Her wings were pressed against her side, but not rigid.
And yet, even with as much as the thought twisted her lips into a strained grimace, as much as the thought disgusted her, she found that she wasn't angry. At least, not now. Not after reflection. She kept her word; she didn't destroy the art gallery. At first, she had wanted to, but not quite as much after visiting it the first time, and every time after that she cared less and less.
Paintings and portraits and sculptures of Luna. She could hardly remember the works existing, could hardly remember the faces of the artists, their features a blur as she thought on and digested their names.
Paintings and portraits and sculptures of her sister and Luna. A time so long ago. A time when Luna was so blind and naive and foalish. Blind to sister's lies. Naive enough to believe them. Foalish enough to hope for a better future. And she felt bitter and violated by the reminder of how stupid she had been! To erase that vile memory would be welcome.
And yet, it contributed to who she was today. It was a part of her, no matter how much she hated it.
Paintings of her battle with sister. A few of them were too accurate, forcing her to think back on the memory when faced by the painting. That she had lost to her sister. That she had reason to see it as a good thing that she lost to her sister, for if she hadn't, she wouldn't have what she now had. The knowledge left her mind twisted uncomfortably, left her sickened and bitter and feeling something she couldn't quite place. Dissociated from herself, as if she simply inhabited her own body, as if she was looking through her own eyes, powerless.
As much as she disliked much of the artwork, she had made a promise. And perhaps Twilight was right. Perhaps it was foalish to want to have it all destroyed. They remembered Luna. They remembered what happened. They remembered what her sister did to her. Equestria may have forgotten everything she had done, everything she had sacrificed, everything she had endured, but her batponies remembered.
And now Twilight knew what Luna looked like. Now Twilight had seen her take on that weak form, even if only in a dream. 'Why!?' her mind demanded, but even asking the question was stupid. 'You asked. You wanted to know.'
And oh, how frivolous and pointless and banal it was! It didn't matter! It was a waste of time! Luna was dead and gone. Nothing but a memory. A legend, perhaps. An idea. Something lost to the footnotes of history. Purged and erased.
Her eyes rolled right and settled on that quaint little village of Ponyville. She tried to look at the tree that she knew was her student's library. And then her eyes lost focus; the memory of the dream washed over her. Twilight standing before her, looking almost lost and yet so sure of herself as she declared, 'You were beautiful!' And it brought her friend to tears, that nopony else thought so.
And the dream faded away as the phantom sensation of Twilight colliding with her chestplate to hug her tickled her body.
Twilight thought Luna was beautiful, and Nightmare Moon couldn't wrap her mind around it. How could it have been? Sister's own former student! Sister hadn't indoctrinated Twilight, at least not in that way. And perhaps Sister hadn't indoctrinated Cadance with a hatred of Luna. Perhaps Sister hadn't indoctrinated Equestria with a hatred of Luna.
But Sister still lied to them all. Sister still used each and every one of them to her own gain, just like Sister used Luna. Cadance and Twilight and Equestria were all victims of Sister's lies, just like she was.
And yet, Twilight still thought Luna was beautiful. It caught her off-guard.
A pony who wasn't a batpony, who thought Luna was beautiful. Once upon a time, Luna would have leaped for joy. Pranced through a field of flowers. Galloped to that damned Sister, babber all about it while her sister smiled on in faux joy. Or more likely, Sister wouldn't have given Luna time.
She couldn't understand it, couldn't grasp it. It made no sense! How could it have!? Sister did nothing but take advantage of Luna, lie to her, use her, exploit her! And yet neither of Sister's greatest pawns harbored that same hatred for her. Neither of them twisted her, neither trying to take advantage of her nor undermining her. And perhaps that was part of Sister's plan: hoping to obtain some unknowable advantage by lulling her into a sense of security through seeing both Cadance and Twilight as victims of her lies, as ponies who did not hate her.
Because both of them had one thousand years to think and plan.
And yet, even now, Sister was using them. Using Cadance and Twilight and mocking her from her banishment on the moon. Neither of them saw it, but she did.
Cadance did not hate her, and Cadance genuinely believed Sister loved her, so swayed by Sister's lies.
Twilight did not hate her, and Twilight thought Luna was beautiful.
And Equestria had not.
She felt disappointed for some reason. 'It only took being gone for one thousand years for somepony to think I was beautiful. One thousand years where Sister ruled alone.' A thousand years for everypony to forget who she was. The insanity of the thought, of what it might suggest, and of what Cadance said, made her want to laugh, and yet, she stayed deathly silent. Listening to the city's silence. Listening to Cadance's breathing and hoofsteps. Feeling the calm, unassuming night breeze wash over her body, bringing with it a renewed, unwelcome chill.
Feeling the longing for Twilight's company, or at least to know where she was and that she was safe.
Her eyes dropped down to Canterlot, then lifted up just enough to look at the valley so far below at the base of the mountain.
She missed Twilight. It had been two nights since she had seen the filly; after she put Twilight back in bed, she left, and she had not seen her since. And she hadn't heard from her. 'I perhaps grew too accustomed to having you close by,' she mused, then shook the thought from her mind: It wasn't important, yet it lingered because she was too fond of Twilight. She lifted her head back up and looked at Ponyville again.
It was within her reach.
Her student, no, her friend, was just a teleport away.
She had the time. Nothing else needed her attention.
Perhaps the loneliness she felt would pass. Perhaps it was simply out of the desire to teach Twilight more. After all, the filly was still unprepared. Her friend still doubted herself and her potential. And that lack of confidence hurt both of them: to Twilight, it hindered her. Even with the occasional surge of magic when Twilight was at her end and about to lose, she didn't realize. Twilight didn't grasp it. She didn't see.
And to her, it left her disappointed that her friend didn't trust in her own magic. It left her disappointed that Twilight didn't see her potential, or perhaps, refused to accept it. Almost turning away from what she could be. And it ate at her mind, 'Why would you turn this away!? You will surpass Starswirl!'
Was it her own doing that was hurting Twilight's confidence? The disappointment grew worse as her mind lingered on the possibility. She frowned and her head drooped lower until her eyes settled on the courtyard below.
Perhaps it was her own doing. Or perhaps she coddled her student too much. Maybe Twilight needed more pushing. But was she ready? She felt unsure, and the uncertainty twisted her chest and ate at her mind. 'I cannot ruin this,' nearly paralyzed her. And the paralysis making her hesitate to take action was foalish. Stupid.
Her eyes snapped back onto the tree in Ponyville. 'The next time we spar, I will tell you to stop doubting yourself. I am sheltering you too much. You must recognize that your enemies will not care that you are a foal and will not fight fair,' she knew. And if she didn't tell Twilight the truth, then she was failing her as both her teacher and her friend.
And perhaps worse: Holding Twilight back, just like Sister did.
She clenched her jaw and flicked her tail.
It was in their best interests.
Cadance knocked on the door. She turned her gaze away from Ponyville and walked back inside, leaving the door open. As she walked into her study, she opened the door and looked at Cadance. Her niece hesitated a moment to look around, then once Cadance saw her, her niece walked inside.
"Cadance," she acknowledged with a nod. Cadance nodded once, and once she was clear of the door, Nightmare closed it with her magic. "Pray tell, what brings you here?"
Cadance offered a weak half-smile. "I thought you'd like to know that preparations for the Gala are complete." Cadance paused and tilted her head to the side, breaking eye contact for a moment before meeting Nightmare's gaze again. "Well, as complete as they can be without last-minute details and ensuring everything is ready before it starts."
Nightmare inclined her head once. "I see. Good," she said. A moment passed, and a flicker of something ate at her mind until she added, "Thank you."
Cadance's smile grew a little warmer for a moment, then faded back. Her niece studied her expression, looking at her curiously for some reason. "Are you sure you don't want to attend?"
Nightmare scowled and turned her head away from Cadance. "Yes," she said succinctly. "You are more than capable of handling this yourself."
"Yes, but ponies might like to see you," Cadance murmured.
She turned back to look at her niece with narrowed eyes. "I do not think so," she stated. Cadance winced and her niece's ears flicked back. "My attendance would only turn into a mockery." She felt a twinge of victory. There was nothing Cadance could say that would convince her otherwise because she knew she was right! And Cadance knew she was right too, no matter what she said.
Yet Cadance met her gaze, and Nightmare felt her victorious smile fade away into nothingness. "I'm sure Twilight would like to see you there," was all her niece had to say, and her victory slipped out of her hooves.
And then all traces of her smile were gone.
Nightmare waited a moment to digest her niece's words, then inhaled and turned away from the lesser alicorn once again. 'You are correct,' she knew, and it pained her, both that her niece was right and that Twilight would be so close and yet so far. "She will still see me, but I will not be attending," she affirmed with a nod.
A moment passed. She looked back at Cadance. "You care about her," her niece acknowledged.
And Nightmare felt a little spark of anger, deep in her core. That Cadance would think after all this time that she did not care!? "Of course I care about her!" she snapped. "She is my student and friend!"
Cadance didn't back down, nor look apologetic. And Nightmare knew she had overreacted, because Cadance had not meant it as an insult; Cadance did not question her care for her student. A small playful smile pulled at the corner of her niece's lips, disarming the anger and turning it into something that made her uncomfortable. She felt the need to shift her weight but forced herself to stay still. And then Cadance bowed her muzzle a little lower, looked at her with a playful glint in her eyes, and murmured, "More than that."
And Nightmare knew what Cadance meant, so for several seconds, stayed silent. To immediate crush or dismiss such a notion would only serve to reinforce Cadance's belief that it was true. Waiting gave her time to think and collect herself, but waiting did nothing about the twist in her chest and anxiety coiling in her gut. She took a deep breath, then let it out before calmly repeating, "She is my friend."
"And that means a lot to you," Cadance added in that sweet, soft voice of hers.
Nightmare tilted her head to the right and turned away, letting out a strained admission of, "It... does..." And oh! How it made the anxiety in her gut and twist in her chest all the worse! She turned back to face Cadance, met her gaze for a second, then broke eye contact: Cadance's eyes were too eager. "I find myself... perhaps too fond of her." Looking back up at Cadance was a mistake; her niece grinned. 'This is far too agitating.' So she put it aside. She stamped out that twist, stamped out that anxiety. Lifted her head higher. "She is my friend and for that I am thankful. Her potential..." she broke eye contact and let her gaze trace over the floor as she whispered, "her destiny..."
And in her dreams, she had seen it. And in her dreams, she was free.
"My offer to talk still stands," Cadance said almost teasingly.
Nightmare looked back up at her. For a few seconds, she just looked at her niece, taking in the warm, genuine smile so different from the faces that normally looked at her, the faces that scowled in disgust or gazed on her in terror. She nodded once. "I will keep that in mind, Niece." And she would. Perhaps not for what Cadance thought, but Cadance might still be able to help if problems occurred in her friendship with Twilight.
Cadance smiled far too happily as she turned around, opened the door, and then pranced out of the room. Nightmare closed the door and let out a low groan.
It was such a pointless conversation. So what if she was too fond of Twilight? The filly was her friend.
And of course, Cadance knew that she was fond of Twilight.
She turned around and walked back out onto her balcony. The night welcomed her back with a chilled hug that brought her memories back to feeling Twilight laying beside her. She was still a pony, and so the warmth and companionship were pleasant and desired. 'Us being friends means something to you as well,' she knew. Speaking with Twilight in her dream had been proof enough of that.
She felt comforted. Even if she did long to see her student reach her full potential.
But would Twilight reach that full potential? Twilight had the potential, but would she be able to draw it out, grow her student, and bring her to shine? Could Twilight overcome herself, her doubts and fears, and everything that held her back?
Her eyes flickered to the moon, and for a moment, she put the scarring out of her thoughts. In her mind, she could almost picture the two of them sitting on the balcony in the pitch-black darkness of the moonless night, crossing her horn with Twilight's and guiding her student and friend to do what needed to be done. She could almost picture their magic intertwining as she guided her student's magic out to the spells to move the moon; she could almost picture showing and teaching her student everything required in that moment of contact between their horns and magic.
And then she could picture the moon breaking the horizon. Perhaps not by much, or perhaps Twilight would surprise her and do far more than Starswirl could on his own or with the help of other unicorns. She could picture Twilight's amazement when her student saw what she herself had done. She could picture Twilight squealing in delight and prancing around in circles on the balcony.
And she smiled as she shook her head. Then the smile faded as a cold feeling crept into the back of her mind and sunk down to her chest. 'You are not yet ready for that, and it will be some time before you are.'
But she had time. She could be patient. She could wait and watch and help Twilight along her course.
And perhaps Twilight would surpass her.
Perhaps.
As she pictured Twilight wearing the tiara that was the Element of Magic in her mind, she wondered, 'How far does your destiny go?' Because there were hints and whispers of more. She could feel it. Twilight was still incomplete, and she had a feeling she knew what was missing. And it sent a shudder of ecstasy down her spine, making her swipe her tongue across her lips as energy coiled inside her chest in excitement. Or perhaps she was being a foal. Perhaps she was grasping at that which wasn't there. Perhaps her hope was misplaced, but she still hoped.
And she had to wonder, 'Did you intend for Twilight to replace Luna?'
But there was no answer for her. There would be no answer for her unless she spoke with Sister. She could not speak with Sister until the Elements of Harmony were safely locked away in her castle.
So she had to wait and be patient. And perhaps even then, she would have no answer. Wouldn't that be in her sister's interests? To mock her even further, taunting her by knowing, yet refusing to give her the answers she sought. Holding them just out of reach.
And the anticipation wilted, and worry and concern sprung up inside of her. 'Am I deluding myself? Lying to myself?' her mind questioned. What was it that Twilight even saw in her to want to call her friend? What did Twilight see in such a short time that other ponies had not seen in their lifetime? And that Twilight had been taught by her sister!
She did not understand it, she could not grasp it, because it was not a lie that Twilight was her friend.
And she was distracted. She groaned and shook her head. Perhaps she did not need to understand it. 'It will not do to be unprepared.'
Perhaps Twilight would appreciate her company for a few minutes. Besides, an idea flickered in the back of her mind: Rarity was a seamstress; perhaps she would be willing to make dresses for Twilight and the rest of them for the Gala. Once again she tried and failed to picture Twilight wearing a dress. But Rarity was Twilight's friend, and if anypony could make it work, it would be Rarity.
She nodded to herself as she wrapped her magic around her horn, and a moment later, she cast her teleportation spell.
Something Twilight was far better at than her, even if Twilight's range was limited by lack of experience and self-doubt.
After the flash of light from her spell subsided, she turned her head left and then right, then turned around to survey the room. To her surprise, the library's main room was empty, aside from the normal written occupants. She breathed in and her muzzle twitched in disgust; the scent of smoke hung in the air. 'A failed spell, perhaps?' she wondered. But it didn't smell like a failed spell, nor did it smell of burnt hair, rather, it smelled of burnt paper.
She winced. 'I do hope you did not damage one of your books.' Twilight would be most displeased if that happened. Perhaps it was a good thing she came; she could cheer her friend up if that was the case.
She heard the scratching of claws on wood and turned back to the left to find Spike standing at the top of the stairs, looking down at her. "Uh, hi," was his mumbled greeting.
She inclined her head once and watched him for a moment longer. He stood tall and held himself tight, yet his claws twitched at his sides. "Is Twilight here?" she asked.
He blinked once and shook himself out of inaction. As he started down the stairs, he kept eye contact with her and said, "Uh, no. She went out for a bit..."
'Her friends, perhaps?' Nightmare wondered. Tilting her head, she asked, "Did she say where?"
"You might check the market," he offered.
Nightmare nodded and turned back to the door. 'Perhaps not her friends, then.' "Did she say what she was doing?"
"Well, not really," Spike answered. "She got a letter from somepony and then she said she was going to go to the market."
Nightmare paused and pursed her lips before looking back at Spike. "From who?"
He shrugged dismissively. "Dunno. She didn't say."
He was hiding something. She turned back around and scrutinized his body. His shoulders were rigid and his claws were balled up, yet the claws on his feet twitched. He tilted his head a bit lower and forced a strained smile that almost made her scowl. 'You neither like me nor trust me. I make you nervous.'
Perhaps she was wrong, then, and he was not hiding something from her. Perhaps it was simply his distrust of her, or perhaps she was imagining it. She shook her head. "I see."
"The letter might not even be related. She said she needed to get some quills, ink, and scrolls," Spike said.
A moment later, she heard Midnight trot out from her room. The batpony stopped as soon as Nightmare looked at her. "You are not with Twilight," she surmised.
Midnight turned to look at her, and gave a mixture of a grimace and a smile. "No..." was her quiet, diplomatic answer.
Nightmare closed her eyes and let out a soft groan. "Your duty," she reminded as she opened her eyes and tilted her head, "is to keep Twilight safe."
Midnight frowned and turned as she descended the stairs. "She'll be fine. There's plenty of us patrolling, and besides, she can teleport."
Nightmare nudged her head higher and turned to the right. Agitated by Midnight's response, she countered with, "Yes, but if she were attacked, I am not convinced-"
"She'll be fine," Midnight repeated more firmly.
Nightmare turned back to face Midnight and squinted at her. The batpony held herself seriously, yet relaxed and unconcerned. 'Perhaps she can protect herself,' but she wasn't sure. "She is my student." Twilight would have enemies.
Midnight nodded seriously. "There's nopony here in Ponyville who would want to hurt her."
Nightmare snapped her head at an angle. "And you are certain of this?"
Midnight frowned. "Yes, my Queen."
Nightmare stared at Midnight unblinkingly as she said, "I hope you are correct." Midnight's dereliction of her duty was unacceptable. If a habit was made of it, it would put Twilight at risk. Surely her batponies had not forgotten their training in her absence to the point that they made such foalish, stupid mistakes!
"Twilight told me to stay here with Spike," Midnight added.
For a second longer, Nightmare stared at Midnight, then turned away from her. 'Perhaps you are abusing your authority, Twilight,' she wondered, and yet, it was within her student's authority and right to do so. No, perhaps she was being unreasonable. Perhaps Midnight was right, perhaps Ponyville was safe.
At least from ponies who would want to hurt Twilight. The village was still close to the Everfree Forest; monsters could still attack and might harm her student. But if Midnight was doing as Twilight instructed, then holding such against the guard would only cause uncertainty.
And perhaps she was underestimating Twilight. It still soured her mood, and she still grimaced. "Very well. I shall return. If Twilight returns before me, tell her that I was here and will return soon," she said as she walked to the door again.
"Uh, okay," Spike said.
She did her best not to let her annoyance show. But of course, Spike didn't deserve her agitation. Spike was essentially Twilight's little brother. He wasn't like the dragons of old, and he was yet young. A foal. Innocent, like his sister. She inhaled deeply again and caught another whiff of smoke, but put it aside as she opened the door and stepped out into the night.
Midnight was another story.
To her surprise, when she looked around, she saw ponies walking about in the darkened streets: not many, but more than she had seen before. As her eyes glanced over them, they froze and looked at her fearfully. And the novelty of seeing ponies out in her night wore off, and she turned to the right, only to pause. 'Stopping at Rarity's boutique would be a quicker first stop, and perhaps Twilight is there. If not, perhaps I will run into her on my way to the market.'
She turned back around and made her way to Rarity's boutique. Along the way, there were more ponies out walking, though they were timid well before she looked directly at them. Even when she was certain that hadn't detected her approach, they were nervous because of her night. But maybe they had reason to be afraid since they were close to the Everfree Forest. A few times, she spotted batponies flying overhead as they did their duty to keep everypony else safe.
She stopped for a moment to look at the boutique: from the windows, bright glows reached out into the street from magelights that surely were meant to substitute for the day, so that Rarity could see well enough to do her job. She did not take it as an insult; Rarity and other ponies did not see as well as she did in the dark.
She knocked on the door and just barely touched her boot to the porch when she heard Rarity call, "Come in!" So she opened the door with her magic and walked inside to the far-too-brightly lit room. She heard the chime of another pony's magic and looked to the right. A moment passed, so she stepped all the way inside and closed the door. The chime of magic continued, but accompanied a few hoofsteps until Rarity walked through a doorway. "Welcome to-" and Rarity froze when the mare's eyes landed on her. "Nightmare Moon..." she muttered.
Nightmare tilted her head. "I was unaware your Boutique was called Nightmare Moon."
For a second, Rarity's face blanked, then she blinked and shook her head before muttering, "Well, that's something I would have expected from Pinkie Pie rather than you."
"Yes," Nightmare agreed.
Rarity sucked in a quick breath and stood up straighter. "Might I ask what brings you here?"
"You may," Nightmare answered.
Rarity waited for a moment, then shifted her weight on her hooves. "What brings you here, exactly?"
"I desire to commission you to make dresses for Twilight and the rest of your friends, yourself included, for the Grand Galloping Gala," Nightmare said.
And Rarity's eyes lit up, practically sparkling like stars. The unicorn did a little dance and then reared up to squish her cheeks with her forehooves. "The Gala! Oh!" Rarity fell back onto all four hooves and danced in place, then disappeared through the door to the other room. "Twilight already asked me to make dresses for us all!" she called from somewhere. A moment later, Rarity trotted back out in a confident stride, pushing along a rack from which a set of six dresses hung.
Dresses that she knew had only been started on a few hours earlier: they were mostly unadorned cloth cut and shaped so that ponies could wear them. She found such frivolous, extravagant attire wasteful, though there were a time and place for it.
Rarity smiled sheepishly, almost blushing. "I haven't had much time to work on them since we just got back to Ponyville, but I made the designs while in Hollow Shades."
"I see," Nightmare commented. "After I told Twilight..?" she ventured.
Rarity nodded. "Oh yes, of course. I'm rather worried that a month isn't enough time to finish them all in addition to other commissions, but..." Rarity trailed off, turning her head to the left and looking down at the floor. "I must admit business still isn't quite the same as it was..." and the chipper tone flattened as she finished, "before."
And there it was: even more reminder of how foalish everypony was acting! "I am unsurprised," Nightmare acknowledged. "There has been an economic downturn from my rise to power, though from what I have seen, I believe things will start to improve."
Rarity looked back up at her. "And if they don't?" was her innocent question.
Nightmare glanced over the dresses on her way to look at the wall on the left, then she met Rarity's gaze and nodded once. "I already have plans in motion that should help alleviate the problem. Expanding the rail and road system should help, and if it does not, I am in discussions with the griffins for a way to increase our trade with them. Their resources should be very beneficial."
Rarity frowned a bit. "Hmm... I see." But the unicorn did not sound convinced. "And how are those discussions going?"
Nightmare bobbed her head. "They are... proceeding slowly." She lifted her head up and tilted it at an angle. "The griffins are... most peculiar now."
"Yes, yes," Rarity muttered. "Gilda sure was... something."
Nightmare looked back at Rarity. "I was unaware that she had made it to Ponyville."
Rarity grimaced. "Don't mention it around Pinkie Pie," she cautioned.
Frowning, Nightmare asked, "Something happened between Gilda and Pinkie Pie?"
Rarity nodded. "It was... well, the two of them got into a fight over Rainbow Dash. Gilda ended up making a fool of herself at a party Pinkie and Rainbow threw for her."
Nightmare nodded hesitantly. "I see... I will... keep it in mind."
A moment passed in silence. Rarity shifted her weight and then coughed into her hoof. "Yes, well..." she drawled, turning back to look at Nightmare. "I've already started on the dresses."
Nightmare nodded. "I do not know what resources the rest of Twilight's friends have to spend, but I will cover the expense for all of you."
Rarity quickly shook her head. "Oh, no, no, no!" she chirped. "None of that. Just getting to make dresses for all of us for the Gala is enough for me!"
Nightmare felt her eyebrow go up as the thought, 'Yes... how generous of you,' meandered through her mind. And, of course, Rarity represented the Element of Generosity. "I insist," she stated. "I believe, given your location, that you would have been hit harder by the..." she trailed off, searching for the right way to word it. She settled on, "Problems my return has caused... and as you are Twilight's friend, I insist you let the crown cover the expenses, as it is by my invitation you are coming."
Rarity waited a moment, then blubbered, "Well, I appreciate the offer but it's really unnecessary!"
Nightmare waited a moment before reluctantly nodding. "Very well. But my offer still stands. If you change your mind, have Twilight forward a..." she paused and pursed her lips. "I believe the proper term is invoice?" Rarity nodded. "To me and I shall have it taken care of."
Rarity smiled. Not as warm as Cadance or Twilight, not as genuine, and still strained, but it was a smile. "I appreciate the offer, Nightmare Moon..."
She just gave a single, succinct nod. She started to turn around, but before she could, Rarity asked, "Would you... perhaps-" Nightmare turned back to face the unicorn who rolled her head about unsurely before chirping, "-want me to make you a dress for the Gala as well?"
The first thought that came to Nightmare's mind was a final, 'No.' But she didn't immediately voice it. Having Rarity make her a dress was pointless. She would not wear it nor get any use out of it. She would not even be attending the Gala. But, even if she did not, perhaps Rarity would at least accept compensation for such a dress.
But she felt uncertain over the whole idea. 'A dress,' echoed in her mind, and oh! How it tore at her very being! She, Nightmare Moon, wearing a dress!? She had no time for such pointlessness! She had no place to wear something so useless! She had her armor and that was what she needed: something that protected her, giving her something to fall back on and rely on if she slipped up and made a mistake. Something that could buy her time to react, if something went wrong.
Though, perhaps she could enchant it. With enough magic, it could suffice as a suitable replacement for armor, although it just would not be the same.
So she gave a reluctant nod. She held her muzzle low while she voiced, "Provided you accept compensation."
Rarity winced a bit. "Er, sure..." was her mutter. "Although I think simply making a dress for you and having that known might help..." the unicorn mused, though her brow folded down with uncertainty. "Although... maybe not..." but it wasn't directed at her.
And Nightmare had to admit, it was likely a mistake. Yet she still lifted her head up and said, "Then I will... commission you to make a dress for me."
"Alright. Come this way, then," Rarity called as she turned around and walked into the next room. "I need to take your measurements."
Nightmare hesitated for a moment, then walked over to the doorway. She stopped and looked around the next room: shelves lined with rolls of cloth and thread, tables with sketches and needles and gems, ponnequins and racks and hangers, and a raised platform that had a maroon curtain behind it.
Rarity levitated up a cloth measuring tape up, then turned to face her. "Coming, dear?"
Nightmare squinted at Rarity for a moment, then walked into the room and stopped in the middle.
Rarity unrolled the measure as she approached, then stopped. "Er... take your armor off?"
Nightmare raised an eyebrow. "Is this necessary?"
Firmly, "Yes. I can't take proper measurements if you're wearing that, so anything measured with your armor on wouldn't be my best work."
Nightmare stared at Rarity for a few seconds, then turned to face the opposite side of the room. "Fine." She levitated her helmet off, then set it down on the floor before lifting each of her hooves, one at a time, and pulling her boots off. And then all that was left was her chestplate, and her head tilted lower until she could gaze upon the cyan armor she had worn unceasingly for a thousand years.
Her oldest friend; a part of her.
Something that, perhaps, she needed to leave behind.
She levitated the chestplate up off her body, leaving herself fully exposed to the world. The air immediately rushed in up against her chest, and without any of the armor on, she felt so much lighter, so much more vulnerable. The missing weight was freeing, and yet it made her cautious, put her on edge. If she was caught off guard, she did not have her armor to fall back on to protect her.
And Rarity was the only pony who had ever seen her without that chestplate on, as Luna did not count.
But to Rarity, it didn't mean anything. It was simply a means to an end. So Rarity walked around her, taking those measurements she needed. And every time the cloth brushed against her chest, she flinched at the unfamiliar, almost tickling sensation. She missed her armor and the safety it gave her.
But she wasn't in danger.
Rarity wrote down the measurements on a pad of paper, using a pencil. Muttered under her breath a few complaints and ideas. "Have you ever been fitted for a dress before?" Rarity asked.
A grimace pulled at Nightmare's lips; she leaned her head to the left. "Yes. A very long time ago. I did not wear dresses often..."
Rarity hummed in thought as she walked around to Nightmare's left. Nightmare leveled her head again and watched the unicorn scrutinize her body. "Extend your wings, please."
So Nightmare did as requested, unfolding her wings and stretching them out to her full extent. Out of instinct, she held them at the ready to propel herself in the air, yet Rarity did not comment on it.
"I think blue would work well... or perhaps silver? Purple?" Rarity's brow folded down in though.
"I am somewhat fond of royal blue," Nightmare said.
Rarity blinked and glanced up at her. "Yes, yes, it could work... but it's missing something. Purple? Fuchsia, maybe? Hmm... silver? Lavender... maybe..." The unicorn squinted as she continued studying her body, sweeping her gaze from neck to wings and flank and tail. Flipping the page in her notepad, Rarity started sketching what Nightmare presumed to be a rough idea of the dress.
"What do you think of Twilight?" Rarity asked, almost dismissive as she continued sketching and scrutinizing Nightmare.
Nightmare looked away from Rarity. "She is..." she trailed off. How could she describe Twilight? "I am fond of her," she admitted. She heard the scratching of Rarity's pencil against the paper stop for a moment, then it resumed. "She is more talented than most unicorns I have met, and she has more potential than my mentor. It is... I would like to see her reach that potential." She paused for a few seconds to think, then inclined her head, "And she is... a good pony. She is kind and curious." And there was a lot more she could say on the matter, but she did not.
"You like having her as your student, don't you?" Rarity asked.
Nightmare glanced at Rarity and found the unicorn looking at her face. "I do," she agreed.
For a few more seconds, Rarity watched her, then looked at the pad of paper and continued sketching for a few more seconds. "Finished," Rarity stated.
Nightmare wasted no time in putting her armor back on, and the weight was comforting, yet at the same time, she missed the freedom. But it was pointless.
"I'll have to come up with a few more ideas, then I'll run the designs by you?" Rarity offered.
Nightmare shook her head. "I am sure whatever you decide will be fine. And the cost is not a concern, so long as it is within reason."
"Of course," Rarity said. "I'll get started on it right away!"
Nightmare looked at Rarity. "Finish your own dresses for the Gala first," she said. "I would rather the six of you have your dresses than have my own."
Rarity hesitated a moment, then nodded. "If you're... sure."
"I am," Nightmare stated.
Rarity looked up at her mane. "Have you considered putting your mane up? Or do you plan to leave it like that with the dress?" And then Rarity frowned, turned away, and grimaced. "Or... can you even do anything with your mane?" Looking back at her, "How does that even work?"
"I can do things with it, yes," Nightmare answered, bowing her head once. "Though I would prefer to leave it as it is."
"I see..." Rarity mumbled. "Well, I shall attempt to work around that, then."
Nightmare nodded once. "If that is all?" Rarity grimaced but nodded. "Then I shall take my leave." With nothing more to say, she turned around and left. She walked outside and closed the door behind her, then stood there for a moment as she surveyed the still mostly deserted street. But it was better than it had been. She teleported back to the library.
"Ahh!" Twilight cried out. As the flash of light died, Nightmare saw Twilight land on her hooves, facing her. Then Twilight forced a smile as she greeted, "Uh, hi!"
Nightmare nodded. "I did not intend to startle you."
"Me?" Twilight asked, leaning left. "Startled? What? Noo..." she drawled, then forced a laugh.
Nightmare tilted her head. 'You are not good at lying, or perhaps this is simply because I caught you off-guard.'
Twilight ducked her head lower, her ears lowering. "Okay maybe just a little," she clarified.
Nightmare ignored it in favor of looking over Twilight's body. The filly wasn't wearing any saddlebags, and glancing around the room, she didn't see any lying on the floor. Either she hadn't taken them or she had teleported them away. Turning back to Twilight, the petite filly stood up a bit straighter.
"So..." her friend ventured, "what brings you here?"
"I had time," Nightmare offered, and her mind added, 'And I missed you.' "So I thought you might enjoy my company, and I wanted to speak with Rarity."
Twilight perked up at the mention of her friend. "Oh?"
Nightmare inclined her head. "Yes. I was going to ask her to make the six of you dresses for the Gala-" she felt a smile pull at her lips, "-but I see that you have already taken care of that."
Twilight smiled sheepishly. "I maaaay have mentioned that you wanted us to come to the Gala." A moment passed and her friend cringed. "You... should have seen how they all reacted to that," Twilight muttered.
Spike shifted his weight uncomfortably. "That was something," he mumbled.
"I shall take your word for it," Nightmare said. "How was your trip?"
A smile replaced Twilight's cringe. "Oh, it was good! Thanks for asking. We had a lot of fun and I learned..." Twilight paused and her expression fell, then she scowled and muttered, "A lot, though not as much as I wanted to..." Then Twilight brightened, putting a smile back on. "But still! It was good."
"I am glad you enjoyed it," Nightmare replied.
They watched each other in silence for a moment, and Nightmare found her eyes tracing back along Twilight's sides. Then Twilight turned her head towards Spike, and her eyes snapped back onto Twilight's face. "Spike? Could you fix us some tea?"
"Sure thing, Twilight!" Spike called as he scampered into the kitchen.
The corner of Twilight's lip pulled up as she looked back at Nightmare. "So... how long are you going to be here for?"
"Provided nothing comes up," Nightmare said with an incline of her head. She paused and held her head in place, still inclined. "I can spend the rest of the evening with you if you so desire."
At that, Twilight perked right up. "Oh! Sure, that sounds good," her friend eagerly agreed. As Twilight turned towards the stairs, she looked back at Nightmare and said, "There are a few things I'd like to ask you and-" Twilight bowed her head a little, avoiding eye contact, "-ask, if um-" her student lifted her head back up, smiling hopefully, "-you don't mind?"
Ever so slightly, Twilight reminded her of Fluttershy, shying back like that. It gave her a moment's pause before she answered, "Perhaps. It would depend on what it is, but as I have said, I do not mind talking with you, and I wish for us to be able to talk openly and honestly."
"Great!" Twilight climbed up the stairs, then stopped at the top and looked back at Nightmare. "Are you coming?" Without saying anything, Nightmare walked over to the stairs and started climbing up. Twilight walked on into her bedroom as she said, "I'm not sure if you know about it or not, but the library has a balcony."
"I see," Nightmare replied. Once at the top of the stairs, she paused and peered into the dimly lit bedroom. Twilight's bed looked so small and scrawny compared to what she was used to. It was hardly fit for somepony of Twilight's status! But Twilight didn't seem to complain about it. In particular, she took note of the stars and crescent moons adorning the blankets. Besides that, there was a window and an open door to the window's left which opened to the night sky. Against the wall on her left was another door. Beside the bed was a nightstand, but the only thing on it was a ceramic plate that had a pile of dust on it.
Twilight ducked her head back in from the balcony and watched her, so Nightmare Moon walked across the room and stepped out onto the balcony. She glanced over the railing, then lifted her head up and scrutinized the branches overhead.
The balcony was halfway obscured by the branches, and as such, the wind was blocked out and only a small section of the night sky was visible in the east, without the moon.
Twilight laid on her stomach on the right, looking back at her with a friendly little smile. "I think I should probably get a telescope... This might not be the best place for it, but I think there are plenty of places around Ponyville that would work. My friends might enjoy it, too. And since it's night all the time..." Twilight trailed off, smiling an awkward smile.
Nightmare walked over and then sat down on her haunches beside Twilight. "Perhaps. Though I suspect it would be better in Canterlot, given the elevation and less humidity."
"Yeah..." Twilight said quietly. "But I can't always be in Canterlot and... the rest of my friends are here, so I thought maybe they'd be interested in it."
Nightmare gave a slow nod. "Something for you all to share in," she summarized. 'And perhaps something we could share.'
Twilight was quiet for a moment, then Nightmare saw her student turn to face her, so she looked at Twilight. "How... do you move the moon?" was Twilight's cautious question.
Nightmare waited a few seconds as she mulled over her student's question. She took a deep breath, then looked behind her. Assured that nopony was watching and listening, she slid her forehooves forward, then folded them as her chestplate rested against the floor. What did Twilight want to know? Was this the opportunity she was waiting for? But Twilight wasn't ready to try.
But Twilight could learn. She could prepare Twilight. Nightmare licked her lips and started nodding. She turned to face Twilight and studied her hopeful, innocent expression. "What did Sister tell you of it?"
Twilight broke eye contact and looked at her neck. "Not... anything, really."
"I see," Nightmare said. She lifted her right wing, then gently traced a few of her feathers along the length of Twilight's back, drawing her friend's gaze back to her own. "As I said before, it is not something that I have to constantly power."
Twilight nodded and gradually turned away from her to face the sky. "Yes, I... remember."
'That is a sore point for you, isn't it?' Nightmare wondered. 'That it did not occur to you or that you failed to realize we do not have to constantly move the sun and moon...' She banished the thought from her mind. "There are... mechanisms in place." She nodded once. "Spells that Sister and I powered. Raising and lowering the moon is a part of the spells which continue to guide the moon across the sky. It is... difficult to explain."
Twilight turned back to her with a folded brow and a slight frown on her lips. "How much do you control? You don't control the meteors."
"The moon," Nightmare answered. "Such is the extent of my birthright." With a hesitant incline of her head, she added, "And as with Sister, I can move the sun, though it is not as natural for me."
And though it went unsaid that the inverse was true, that Sister could move her moon, they both knew it.
Twilight tilted her head. "And what about the night?"
"It too is a part of my birthright, as is the night sky, but I do not control the stars," Nightmare said. "I believe I have said before that I think you overestimate both my and Sister's magic."
Twilight winced and fidgeted where she laid, turning away from her. "Maybe..." was the filly's quiet mumble. Turning back to face her, Twilight's expression hardened as she said, "But you're still an alicorn. Both of you are."
"Yes," Nightmare said with a nod. And Twilight looked at her intently, keeping her from looking away.
"Starswirl the bearded and several unicorns moved the sun and moon before you did, right? That's what the history books say, and that's what Princess Celestia-" Twilight winced and closed her eyes as soon as she realized the mistake.
But it was just that. A mistake. There had been no intent there, and it hadn't been the first time she had heard that damned name. Cadance mocked her with it. But she didn't care. What was the point? That was her sister's name.
"Sorry, I didn't-"
Nightmare brushed her feathers back up to Twilight's withers as she preempted, "Do not apologize. It is fine." Twilight opened her eyes and stared at her. Ignoring it, she lifted her feathers from Twilight's back and turned her eyes to the filly's mane. After a second of contemplation, she lifted her wing higher, then stroked her feathers down the length of the back of Twilight's mane.
Twilight closed her eyes and relaxed, her head drooping lower. "Right..." she mumbled.
Finishing the stroke, Nightmare laid her wing over Twilight's back. It was a feeling she found herself fond of, that of sheltering her friend under her wing. The symbolism made her smile ever so slightly, even if she was the only pony to recognize the promise. Twilight's warmth against her side and the bottom of her wing was most welcome as well. "But yes, you are correct. Starswirl and his council handled the sun and moon before Sister and I took over."
Twilight turned back to meet her gaze. "Could I?" was her simple question.
She found herself staring into the filly's eyes. What had brought on that question? "Perhaps..." she found herself mumbling. She broke eye contact and looked at the stars, but not before she saw some glimmer of something in Twilight's eyes.
"Midnight and Rainbow Dash seem convinced that I could," Twilight said. And Twilight looked away from her, growing visibly uncomfortable.
'They are correct,' she knew. But she would not speak that. Not yet. It would be a surprise, when the time was right. Something they would share in.
A long while passed in silence. Twilight eventually lifted her head back up and looked out at the night sky, and with that, she too turned back to the sky. She heard Spike's claws scratching on the wood. "Tea's ready," he said.
She looked back at him and Twilight did the same. He carried a tray in his claws that held a large tea pitcher and two teacups. Yet he didn't look at her or Twilight's face, rather, his attention was directed at her wing blanketing Twilight's body. She glanced back at her wing for a moment, then looked back at Spike.
"Thanks, Spike," Twilight said as she levitated the tray over, either oblivious to where Spike's attention was or ignoring it.
Spike looked at Twilight and offered a strained, nervous smile. "I-I hope you like it!"
"I am sure it will be fine," Nightmare voiced. Not that it helped Spike feel any better.
"Right. I uh, if you need me I'll be downstairs," Spike said, then disappeared back inside.
She turned back to face Twilight and watched the filly place the tray in front of them, then pour two cups of tea. Twilight's aura enveloped both teacups, and she accepted the cup offered to her. She took a small drink from it and let the smooth warmth caress her tongue before swallowing. The tea tasted of a mixture of apples and chamomile. "He is skittish around me."
Twilight looked aside at her with a grimace. "Yeah..." she drawled. "They all are."
"You are correct," Nightmare noted with a nod. She heard Twilight breathe in, then sigh. She studied Twilight's features and found the filly looking down at her cup of tea, or perhaps through it. She turned back to the sky. 'I am straining your relationship with your friends, aren't I?'
The thought was unwelcome; she did not want to put that strain on Twilight. Twilight had something that she had not had for so long, and she did not want to take that away from her.
A subtle breeze sent the trees' leaves rustling for a few seconds, and after a short while, she could hear the distant buzz of cicadas and the chirping of crickets. A few distant laughs broke the stillness of her night. Twilight's weight shifted at her side, then leaned against her, making her feel the filly's warm body even more pronounced against her side. She tilted her head and turned to watch Twilight.
"What is it like, moving the moon?"
Nightmare looked off at the railing. Thought back on her memories. Reminisced. "I suppose it is... something special, yet I have done it enough that the novelty has worn off. It is more duty than anything now." But that was only part of the reason, and the rest went unsaid. She didn't let the bitterness slip out, but she felt it. Bitterness mixed in with longing and disappointment.
Sister had wounded her so much.
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So, how many chapters are we going to have to wait for the big reveal of the letter's contents, you evil tease?
10138257
Four-ish chapter, five if you include the chapter where it's revealed.
So ten weeks, assuming I stick with my current update schedule.
Okay I had a laugh when I read that. The most surprising thing from this chapter I would have to say is that she removed the chestplate for Rarity to take measurements. I did not expect that. Heck I was banking on it that NMM would finally let it off around Twilight, even if it would've been in the former's room back in Canterlot.
I do wonder how Twilight would answer if asked about how she thinks NMM looks considering her thoughts on how Princess Luna looks. : o Ah well, back to waiting for next chapter purgatory for me. 8D
I think it that this chapter shows nightmares growth very well. Good job!
Okay what was that letter?
10138269
Nobody's gonna even remember the letter by then, kek
10139578
That's what I'm counting on.Oh, you will, you will... when it's brought up at the end of the chapter.
Omfg i cant believe i stopped keeping up with this one since feb 2019 wat is wrong with me
Welp time to reread the 1st set of chapters so im not lost...
So good to have these updates thx
Another great chapter, keep up the good work.
10155835
Fixed, thanks!