Canterlot Bells a Ringing
It was hardly the first time she had stared at herself in a mirror since Nightmare Night, contemplating her appearance: one she had intentionally designed out of anger to invoke fear in her sister, her enemies, and even her subjects. Yet she did not wear a scowl, and so her appearance was less threatening for it. Not that it helped ponies look at her any differently. No. They regarded her the same as they did at her return: fearfully and with anger. They did not love her.
She channeled her magic into her horn and cast the transformation spell that turned her back to the form she had when she was Twilight's age.
She closed her eyes as the spell worked, leaving her to feel out the spell and the changes to her body. And then the spell finished, and her body was not her own, and it felt foreign. So small and weak compared to the strength she was used to having, and her legs, far shorter, would betray her should she try to move, bringing her to stumble for lack of familiarity. She opened her eyes and stared at herself in the mirror.
It was hardly the first time she had stared at herself in the mirror in her younger form since Nightmare Night, contemplating her appearance: one that was somehow so much more innocent, yet stained and scarred, branded by what she had seen during and well after her youth had ended. How was it so, that her eyes held such innocence yet while being stained? How did she see such a duality in them? She could not understand it, despite her contemplation.
She cast a transformation spell again, and her body was once more her own.
She stared at her expression in the mirror, considering how Twilight was, aside from Sister, the only pony alive to have seen all three forms.
Luna was dead but she remembered Luna’s face. She could almost see Luna staring back at her in the mirror, yet like herself, Luna’s eyes held no innocence. Only hidden pain, anger, resentment, and bitterness.
She breathed in and turned away from the mirror, then strode back into her bedroom, leaving behind the vain, pointless reminiscence. Her bare hooves hardly made a noise against the floor as she walked, and the cool of the air against her chest brought her to long for Twilight as it always did.
Nightmare Night had not been kind to her.
She thought back on the night as she turned towards her balcony, but did not scowl.
She considered the inherent mockery as she passed through the door: that ponies were so ignorant to who she had been, how she had looked, and that if they knew it was her who had walked among them, they would have turned from her as ponies had so long ago.
They did not see the beauty of her night.
They did not know how she had protected Equestria so long ago.
Sister had erased her.
They did not see her glory.
They did not know what she had born witness to in their defense.
Sister made them fear her.
They hated her.
They mocked her.
They hurt her.
And they did not care.
They did not care that she had protected them.
They did not care that she had suffered for them.
They did not care that she had suffered during those one-thousand years of banishment.
She knew nothing would change that. She felt bitter.
And yet, her thoughts again drifted back to Twilight: how the filly smiled and laughed once they returned to Ponyville, how Rainbow Dash and Applejack somehow brought her to smile, albeit just barely. Pinkie Pie's antics which left her bewildered, though drawing Twilight's sweet, musical laugh that soothed her.
Twilight was naive as they were.
Twilight was ignorant as they were.
Her jaw tightened as she stopped at the railing, some of her bitterness forgotten. She looked towards Ponyville and draped her forehooves over the railing.
Twilight was not yet more than a filly.
An ache in her chest smothered out the anger. She yearned for Twilight's company. One thousand years of isolation and hatred would not be so easily forgotten, but Twilight’s company helped comfort her.
And because of it, she questioned herself. Since her return, she had changed so much. She was not the mare she had been when she first battled her sister, consumed by anger and hatred, but neither was she blind and naive and foalish as Luna.
She breathed in deeply, then let the breath out and cast her gaze to the courtyard below. Only a few guards walked about on patrol under her moonlit night. Were they calm, or were they anxious? Did they walk along enjoying the peace and serenity of her night, or did they expect something to jump out at them and claim their lives?
She suspected the latter.
A cold chill blew through the courtyard; one of the unicorns standing guard shivered.
Winter was never kind. It was something else that hadn't changed. Even if pegasi controlled the weather, Winter was still not kind. It always rebelled, always resisted. Nopony liked the cold it brought, let alone at night. The air was clear and so she could gaze upon the unblemished beauty of her jeweled sky, and yet other ponies would only see their breath misting in the cold as they exhaled. And so with Winter, whatever progress had been made since her return was cast aside, for the ponies would stay in their homes rather than leave so that they would stay warm and safe.
Cloudsdale was fairing poorly because of the constant night. Between the cooler temperatures and problems seeing to work, the pegasi were struggling to manage the weather. A few sporadic, uncontrolled storms had brought heavy snowfall to a few isolated villages that didn’t have the pegasi to properly deal with it, further straining Cloudsdale’s resources. It reminded her of her youth, when Equestria was not yet what it was, when the pegasi struggled to control the weather.
And the griffins? They were so much worse off than her subjects. Her subjects had their homes for warmth and protection, or at least most of them did. The griffins did not. She hoped that the shipments of winterwear and goods would alleviate some of the griffins’ suffering. Perhaps the pegasi could help further with their efforts to wrangle winter in over the griffin lands. Whether or not it would be enough to help was another question.
Of course, one comfort was that the minotaurs’ offer had been rejected by the griffins. There would be no minotaur proxy in the griffin lands, no matter how infuriated the minotaurs seemed to be. Merchants were complaining about import tariffs, but there was little she could do to address it. The minotaurs were being unreasonable, refusing to give. It was a thorn in her side. Still, unlike the griffins, the costlier imports wouldn’t prove so destructive to Equestria.
She pondered the thought for a few seconds and found herself reminiscing on Griffinheim’s desolate streets. Even with the good news of her intervention spreading, none of the griffins looked at her happily; they still scowled bitterly, as if they were broken. Was it Sister’s fault or was it somehow her own doing?
Their cities were so run down that it would take time to repair, like her castle in the Everfree. Progress had slowed to a crawl because of the Winter, like the construction of roads and railways throughout Equestria. Spring could hardly come fast enough as far as she was concerned, but once it was here, work would resume in full and the griffin lands would be developed properly.
Perhaps the Deer needed similar intervention. King Aspen had come to her asking for help. Food and medicine for his kind, as both were in short supply. Had they not properly prepared? She had asked, but he had not truly answered. Perhaps she needed to speak with King Aspen about integrating the Deer Kingdom into Equestria. They had much to gain, though Equestria had less so.
But would they truly gain safety? Even if they had her protection, she could not be everywhere at once, nor could her batponies. Winter had already proven that. Monsters had attacked her subjects, and for as many as were hunted down, there were those which escaped justice, despite her subjects pleas for help. There was only so much she could do, and because of it, her subjects feared her night and despised her all the more.
Perhaps it was fitting then that the Royal Guards and Batponies weren’t developing a strong comradery, but rather a rivalry. Or perhaps it was her own fault for considering replacing Shining Armor with a batpony before he talked her out of it. Perhaps it was even Shining Armor’s own fault for being so distracted with his upcoming wedding and preparing his replacement that the rivalry developed.
Winter was truly the worst season of the year. Equestria had started to recover from her return, only for Winter to toss all of that progress aside. Equestria would recover come Spring, she hoped, otherwise Equestria would be choked into nothing more than a desolate husk that mocked her. A shadow of its glory under her sister.
Crack! She caught the scroll in her magic, broke the seal, then read it. Her lips pulled back, baring her teeth as she read on.
Was the Royal Guard truly so incompetent? She had already given them their instructions for the wedding’s Honor Guard, and yet the Colonel requested the same orders again. She crumpled the scroll in her magic and summoned a fresh scroll and a quill to send the order once more.
She considered the recently-repaired Throne. Perhaps she needed to remind them that she was Queen. Perhaps it wasn’t incompetence, but rather, was an active effort against her. Was the resistance involved? Twilight had not talked to her about them any further, nor had any more riots occurred like in Manehattan. Perhaps it wasn’t the resistance, but simply the Guard resisting in their own way.
Perhaps the teachers at the School for Magic were aiding the resistance as well. They tried to hide it, but she could still hear the whispers spoken behind her back.
She stifled a growl and breathed in deeply, then looked across the plains before Canterlot. She cast her gaze to the sky, letting her eyes run from left to right. They came to rest on the moon. She stared but didn't scowl as she watched it imperceptibly sink lower.
And for the briefest moment, the thought came to her, 'What if Cadance is right? What if Twilight is right?'
'What if I am wrong?'
She looked down at the courtyard and shook the thought from her mind. Perhaps asking the question served a purpose, or perhaps it was pointless, but dwelling on a question she could not find an answer for served only to distract her and make her uncertain. Neither of which would serve her any; neither of which were in her best interest.
And even if they were right, it would neither change the past nor erase what Sister had done.
She steeled herself against the uncertainty, steeled herself against the frustration the past weeks had forced upon her shoulders. It would not help her feel better, but she would not hesitate like Sister!
A knock on the door broke her contemplation. She glanced back behind her and breathed in, then pushed herself away from the railing and strode back inside, closing the door behind her. She walked to her study, then approached the door and opened it.
Two Royal Guards stood before her, and for a moment, her lips twitched back just enough that she felt the air against her teeth. They must not have noticed, which surprised her, as neither reacted to her agitation. 'What will it be this time?' her mind groaned. "This had better be important," she snapped.
Both guards flinched slightly. The one on the left shifted his weight and nudged his muzzle up a little higher. "Your student and her friends have arrived, your Majesty."
For a moment, she considered him and his message. 'Not something pointless, then,' she decided and was thankful for it. She nodded her head once. "I see," and as pointless as it was, "Thank you." She paused for a moment and listened, wondering if the mares and filly were standing just out of sight, but heard nothing. "Are they not with you?"
He shook his head. "No, your Majesty. They elected to-" he shifted his weight uncertainly, and his muzzle scrunched up ever so slightly, "-take a scenic route through Canterlot, but they should arrive at the castle shortly."
"I see," she said. "Very well. When they arrive show them to their chambers, though send Twilight to me."
He bowed his head. "Of course, your Majesty."
She inclined her head once and then turned from the door as she closed it with her magic. For their arrival, she felt not glad but perhaps satisfied and assured. Though the reason for their arrival, she was unsure of how she felt: in only a few nights, Cadance and Shining Armor would be wed.
Perhaps it would be a good thing, something that Equestria needed. A reason to celebrate. A symbol of hope.
And yet, she felt unsure. Something of it did not quite feel right, and she was not sure what. 'Cadance was Twilight's foalsitter. Is this why it so bothers me? Shining Armor will be Prince after he is wed to her. They are happy, and they will be happy.'
Was it their happiness that bothered her? Was it how they mocked her because it was something that she could not have?
She frowned and shifted her weight before turning and gradually walking back to her bedroom. Her gaze lingered on the floor, and her lips settled into a scowl.
Yes, perhaps that was why it bothered her. Not that Shining Armor would be titled Prince, not that Cadance had been Twilight's foalsitter, but that they were happy and had something she did not.
But why did she still feel uncertain?
She lifted her head and set it at an angle as she channeled her magic into her horn, and a moment later, she cast a teleportation spell. Appearing in front of Cadance's door, she looked at one of the guards and asked, "Is Cadance here?"
He nodded rigidly. "Yes, your Majesty."
Barely acknowledging his answer, she turned back to the door and knocked. A few moments passed before the door opened, revealing the lesser alicorn. She thought she saw her niece flinch, or maybe it was a squint, but it happened too fast for her to be certain. "Niece," she acknowledged with a simple incline of her head.
"Nightmare Moon," Cadance acknowledged.
There was a hint of agitation in Cadance's voice that brought her brow to crease. 'You are stressing over your wedding again,' she decided, and so grimaced. "Is this a bad time?"
Cadance turned her head to the left and looked back inside her chambers for a few seconds, then turned back to face her. "Kind of. Can you make it quick?"
Nightmare shifted uncomfortably but nodded. "Very well.”
"Thank you. What did you need?" Cadance asked with a smile.
She frowned slightly; something seemed off but she couldn’t quite place it. “I desired to speak with you about Twilight.”
Cadance perked up immediately, her earlier stress vanishing as renewed energy filled her. She even heard Cadance inhale, and she saw a faint glint of something cross her niece’s eyes, but it seemed different than her niece’s usual playfulness and teasing. A knowing smile pulled at the corner of Cadance’s lips. “What about her?”
She opened her mouth, only for that damned hesitation to strike. Why was it that out of everything, this was the topic that made her most uneasy and brought her to hesitate and second-guess herself? Indecision did not benefit her! And yet of the uncertainty, it meant that she was not forced to face knowing Twilight's rejection, she was not forced to be alone again. She brought her tongue to the top of her mouth and gradually bowed her head before closing her mouth.
'Coward.'
She shook her head and stood up straight. "She and her friends have arrived in Canterlot. They should be at the castle soon."
Cadance's brow twitched. "You didn’t come all this way to simply tell me that."
"No," she forced out. "Though now that I have, I am inclined to take my leave."
"What about Twilight did you want to talk about?" Cadance pressed.
She glanced aside at the two guards in turn, then faced Cadance again. "May we speak in private?"
Cadance stepped aside. She walked inside, and Cadance closed the door behind her. She cast her gaze about Cadance's chambers: it wasn't quite as disorganized as she expected, though there were papers strewn about her desk, with a few on the floor. She turned back to Cadance and asked, "I am being a fool, aren't I? I should just talk to her."
"Yes," Cadance agreed.
Nightmare breathed in deeply and straightened herself, staring straight ahead. ‘You are not normally so blunt.’ "And yet I feel that I cannot." She waited for Cadance to ask why, but it never came, so she looked at Cadance and continued. "I feel that admitting it to her would be a mistake. I am teaching her. She is my friend. Other ponies would grow to hate her or would perhaps hurt her in order to hurt me."
And it went unsaid that she could be hurt worse.
Cadance's expression was harder than normal. A few seconds passed in silence. Cadance nodded her head slightly. "You're either going to tell her or not tell her, so just decide which you're going to do and do it."
It was neither the advice she wanted nor expected. How was it that Cadance was so bold? Perhaps it was because Cadance was the Princess of Love. But did she love Twilight? Did Cadance think she did? Is that why Cadance pressed her to decide? She was procrastinating, and Cadance was right. Worrying about it without making a decision was only distracting her. She turned away from Cadance and aimlessly studied the wall. "I suppose you make a valid point," she mumbled.
Was it worth it?
Maybe she needed to, if only for the sake of being honest with Twilight.
'It's the ponies closest to us that hurt us the most,' Twilight's voice repeated in her mind.
She grimaced and breathed in. "Very well. I shall take my leave, then." And with nothing else to say, she simply teleported herself back to her chambers to wait.
She considered her options and decided to step out onto her balcony to watch the night sky while she waited. So she sat down on her haunches on the balcony, propping herself up against the railing, and lifting her head to the sky to watch the stars. There was peace, and yet in that peace, she found herself agitated and wanting, and anxiety pricking the back of her mind as she continually contemplated how such a conversation with Twilight would go. What good did it serve her? What did it benefit her? All it did was bring her to worry over the future, bring her to hesitate, cripple her.
And yet she found that she could not conquer it.
Perhaps by chance, or perhaps by some reason she did not know, when she looked back down at the courtyard and turned her gaze towards the gate, Twilight and her friends passed through the entrance. The guards subtly bowed at Twilight, and she caught the filly noticing the hints of bows, and yet Twilight neither knew nor realized its importance.
At seeing Twilight and her friends, she found her hooves and body feeling cold. Her body twitched, or perhaps it was a shiver from the night's chill. The anxiety that tormented her grew worse, even as she took a deep breath and steeled her resolve.
'I will tell her,' she decided, 'after the wedding.'
For better or for worse, she had made her choice.
She licked her lips and, for a moment, glanced at the sky. She thought back on her dreams and considered her nightmares. So much potential! It could be what she dreamed of, or the conversation could turn into a nightmare that she would never awake from. 'Do not doubt her!' she chastised herself. 'Twilight is my friend. Even if it complicates things, surely we can work through this. I am willing, and surely you are.'
She hoped.
Time had taught her it was a mistake, but she hoped.
She looked back down at the gate. Twilight looked at her balcony. She wasn't sure if Twilight could see her or not, but it felt like she could.
As per her request, Twilight had visited her shortly after arriving at the castle, though did not stay long. Where Cadance seemed to be agitated, she couldn't miss the excitement that permeated Twilight's actions and expressions: the filly talked faster than usual about her progress with developing her magic and studying.
One thing that stood out the most, however, was when they sat on the balcony together. She had been enjoying the mutual silence and Twilight's company, but then Twilight had simply said, "The Flag of Equestria."
At first, she wasn't sure why, so she had looked at Twilight for her to elaborate. Twilight's brow was creased in thought as she looked down at the courtyard, but then Twilight had turned to face her. "There are two alicorns on it."
She had nodded, then turned away. "There are."
"Princess Celestia and Princess Luna," Twilight acknowledged.
She didn't say anything. She had to stop a scowl from slipping onto her expression.
"She didn't erase everything," Twilight said bluntly.
At that, she had turned back to face Twilight. There was no malice in her expression, and it seemed to her that there never was. She turned away from Twilight and looked out over Canterlot. "Perhaps not," she relented, then turned back to face Twilight to ask one simple question, "And yet, can you say that anypony realizes?"
Twilight's eyes dropped to her shoulder. "No." Then Twilight's frown deepened. "And... I hadn't thought about it before."
Reluctantly, Nightmare bowed her head, nodding once. "Sister did not erase everything. She left just enough to tease at the memory of my life, and yet erased enough that it is nothing more than mocking to me. The Flag of Equestria, Nightmare Night, the tale of Nightmare Moon, and so on."
"We should have realized. I should have realized," Twilight had stated.
"You had no way to know," Nightmare countered. "For you knew nothing else."
"But I was Princess Celestia's student," Twilight argued.
"And you are yet young," Nightmare emphasized. Twilight looked at her with an almost bitter scowl, one that she hated seeing on the filly's expression as it reminded her too much of her own scowls; she did not wish such torment upon the filly.
And after that, they had settled again into a mutual silence that gradually grew more comfortable as they merely watched the sky together.
In the end, they shared a hug, and then Twilight left to retire, and as such, Nightmare retired to her own bed.
Strangely, she did not find herself remembering her dreams that night, only certain feelings from them: in one, joy, warmth, comfort and satisfying companionship, and in another cold, damp, and isolation. She pondered what the second dream could have been as she laid in bed the next morning, for it could not have been her banishment, as the moon was dry. No answers came to her.
Sitting at the end of the table, Nightmare Moon had a good view at everypony present. On the left, from closest to farthest, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Applejack, and on the right, again from closest to farthest, Twilight, Spike, Rainbow Dash, and then Fluttershy. She pondered Cadance and Shining Armor's empty seats. 'Do they not desire to join us this morning because they would rather eat alone together, or are they yet sleeping?'
Very briefly, she considered that they might yet be sleeping, though she quickly swept any thoughts of the reason why that might be aside.
It still bothered her. She did not miss their company, but it felt odd.
She shook her head and looked back down at the bowl of cereal before her. It was quite simple: honeyed oats and milk, and surprisingly more enjoyable than she had originally expected. The slight sweetness of the honey, mixed with the cool, slightly too-thin milk was a pleasant combination.
It wasn't very expensive, either, which was something she was fond of. She levitated a spoonful of milk and honeyed oats to her mouth to chew it up, then swallowed and set the spoon back in the bowl. She lifted her head again and looked at the door, wondering if Cadance and Shining Armor would show up this morning at all.
After a few seconds, she looked back at her bowl, though her gaze swept over Twilight and she saw the filly's pensive expression. She turned to face Twilight and took it in full: her friend's brow was creased in thought and perplexion. She tilted her head. 'What troubles you?' she wondered, but she kept it to herself; it was perhaps something she should ask in private.
Although Twilight trusted her friends, she was certain, with her life. 'Do you trust me with your life?' she briefly contemplated.
Twilight must have noticed her, because Twilight glanced at her, then nudged her head up and then down, then tilted it at an angle and faced her. "Has Cadance been acting-" Twilight's muzzle scrunched up, "-odd lately?"
Rarity glanced over at them, but at least for the time, said nothing.
She inclined her head. "She seems distracted and stressed, yes," she agreed.
Twilight's frown deepened. After a moment, the filly turned back to stare down at her plate of waffles.
"Oh, I'm sure it's just wedding stress, dear," Rarity offered in a chipper tone.
She saw Twilight's eyelids twitch, then Twilight looked at Rarity. "Maybe," was her reluctant admission.
Rarity tilted her head. "Wouldn't you be stressing out over your wedding, darling? Even more so if your wedding was on Hearth's Warming? And you were a Princess having a Royal Wedding?"
Twilight grimaced and sat up straighter. "Yeah, I guess I would..."
Nightmare frowned. 'You do not sound convinced of that. Something else is bothering you?' "Cadance does seem to have too much emphasis on wanting her wedding to be perfect. Such may be the source of her distress, despite my counsel on the matter," she stated.
Rarity frowned at her. "Can you really blame her? It's her wedding day!" Rarity tilted her head and made some kind of sound that Nightmare couldn't quite place; it sounded either pitiful or fawning. "Why, every mare wants her wedding to be perfect!"
"Maybe you, Rarity, but not all of us want to get married," Rainbow Dash commented. The pegasus puffed out her chest and beamed with pride. "I don't need anypony weighing down on my awesomeness!"
Twilight rolled her eyes.
Rarity looked across at the pegasus and let out an indignant "Humpf!" then she jerked her head to the side in rebuke.
Rainbow Dash just rolled her eyes in response, then went back to eating her broccoli.
"I reckon she just needs to relax a little. She'll be fine after the wedding, I'd imagine," Applejack commented.
"Most likely, yes," Nightmare had to agree. "Though I must admit her attitude is... somewhat frustrating. I do not like it.”
Her comment drew a few leery glances from some of Twilight's friends, including the filly herself, but nothing more came from it. She breathed in deep and took another bite of her honeyed oats.
Twilight gradually turned her attention back to her waffles and cut off a large piece and nearly shoved it in her mouth. Nightmare had half the mind to chastise her but thought better of it. So in silence, they returned to eating, and as such, she cast her gaze upon the door, again considering the future, which inevitably led her thoughts to drift onto Twilight.
'Why her?' a part of her mind demanded, and because of it, her gaze fell onto the filly. 'Why now?' And she felt that she had no answers, and so her lips pulled into a line as disappointment settled into her chest.
Rarity levitated her napkin to her lips and gently dabbed them clean, then set her napkin back down on the table. For having been used, the mare had still set her napkin back down neatly. Looking over at Twilight, Rarity said, "I hope you don't mind that I'm going to go shopping tonight since we're already in Canterlot."
"Go ahead," Twilight replied after swallowing her last bite of waffles. "Spike and I were planning on visiting my parents... and maybe doing some Hearth's Warming shopping too."
'Perhaps I should get Twilight a gift,' teased Nightmare's mind. She considered it and found herself asking, 'But what?' What was something she could gift Twilight that the filly would appreciate, and that was not inappropriate? A book? Twilight would surely like that, and yet it felt inconsequential: she had already given Twilight many books, and Twilight likewise already had many books.
How could a book do it justice?
A spell? But she would teach Twilight magic regardless.
Rarity hummed thoughtfully. "Well, we could go shopping together if you wanted, dear."
Twilight smiled. "I'd like that, Rarity."
"I already did my Hearth's Warming shopping in Ponyville," Rainbow said perhaps too quickly, drawing a few looks from the rest of the mares.
"I did as well, but Canterlot has a larger and finer selection," Rarity replied.
She considered a multitude of options and, perhaps it was because of her desires, each felt insignificant and meaningless. No gift ideas felt satisfactory. Some ideas she barely gave thought to for knowing Twilight would not appreciate them and the ones she did think Twilight would appreciate did not feel meaningful enough.
And so it was that she found herself staring at the door, watching her student's five friends depart. The door clicked when it closed at last, leaving her alone with Twilight and Spike. She blinked, then gradually turned to face the filly, who she found looking at her.
"Are you alright?" Twilight asked.
"I am merely thinking," she answered.
Twilight's brow twitched slightly, but then it faded and Twilight breathed in while nodding. "Can I ask what?"
She inclined her head once. "You may," she said.
A moment passed. Twilight shifted her weight. Perhaps awkwardly? Perhaps expectantly? "About?" Twilight finally asked.
"Hearth's Warming," she answered. She gradually turned her head to the left, letting her eyes trace over the marble wall. Should she elaborate? Perhaps not, but honesty would benefit her far more than dismissing it, and she would not lie to Twilight. "I did not get you anything," she said, then turned back to face her friend, "I did not... consider it until now."
"That's okay," Twilight said. "I wasn't expecting anything." And yet, despite Twilight's reassurance, she found herself frowning. "Did ponies even exchange gifts back before your banishment?"
She cast her gaze onto the door. "I believe they did, though..." she trailed off. Disappointment started to creep up from somewhere inside her. She couldn't pinpoint where it started, but it crawled over her heart. She steeled herself against the feeling and said, "I remember seeing such happen, though I never partook, excepting my Sister on occasion."
And only then did she let her gaze return to Twilight. For a few seconds, Twilight watched her, then Twilight's gaze dropped to her chest. "You didn't have any..." Twilight trailed off and met her gaze. "Well, you didn't have anything on the shelves in your room in the Castle of the Two Sisters."
She nodded once. A few more seconds passed in silence, and with Twilight continuing to look her in the eye, she found herself growing uncomfortable. She shifted her weight and tightened her wings at her sides, then inhaled and looked back down at her bowl of honeyed oats. Taking the spoon once more in her aura, she scooped up a bite before saying, "But I suppose you shall want to join your friends in Canterlot and visit with your family. I shall not keep you." She brought the spoon to her mouth and ate.
"I don't mind staying," Twilight countered.
She swallowed, then nodded once. "Very well." She returned to eating for a while until she finished. Cadance never showed up. 'Perhaps they went out to Canterlot to eat,' she pondered. She cleaned her lips with her napkin, then again faced Twilight. "You are yet planning to spend Hearths Warming Eve with your family and friends, yes? And the night of the wedding?"
Twilight nodded and breathed in. "Yeah. I'm not entirely sure how it's going to work out because of the wedding, but... well-" Twilight grimaced, "-as I'm learning, things don't always go as planned."
Spike chuckled softly.
Nightmare found herself snorting and felt a smirk pull at her lips. "Indeed," she had to agree, "things rarely go as expected and planned. The best-conceived plans are often ruined and as such, being able to plan as one is going can be quite useful. Do not be paralyzed into inaction when something unexpected occurs."
Twilight retained her grimace and turned to stare at the wall across from her. "Right... Easier said than done..." the filly breathed out.
"And how are your friends handling being asked to help with the wedding?" she asked.
Twilight's eyes widened as her brow arched up. "Oh, Rarity loves it." The filly turned to look at her. "Believe me."
She nodded once. "I do." At that, Twilight just blinked. She glanced off at the wall, contemplating what to say next before looking at Twilight again. "I believe the exposure will be good for her business."
"Probably," Twilight agreed, "though, for her, I think just being asked to help with a royal wedding is a dream come true."
And from what she knew of Rarity, she had to agree. "Perhaps." She waited for a moment, then rose from her chair. "I shall see you this evening?" she ventured.
Twilight smiled and stood from her chair as well. "Yes. Stargazing again?"
She smiled and nodded once. "Indeed."
"Sure," Twilight said.
"I look forward to it," Nightmare declared. Twilight, still smiling, walked around to meet her for a hug. She leaned down and laid her head against Twilight's neck while the filly's head rested against her own neck. She inhaled, just enough to catch the scent of lavender and lilacs, trying to avoid drawing attention to it, then squeezed Twilight with her foreleg. Spike watched her, or perhaps them, from where he sat. After a few seconds, he looked away and climbed down from his chair. She closed her eyes and gently rubbed her cheek up and down Twilight's neck once, and then they parted. "Enjoy your time in Canterlot."
"Thanks. I will," Twilight said.
The door opened, and when she glanced at it, she found a Royal Guard unicorn cautiously ducking his head in. "Your Majesty?"
She glanced at Twilight when the filly turned back to look, then she looked at the guard again. "What is it?"
The guard opened the door all the way. "One of the Royal Gardeners accidentally decapitated one of the hedges," was his response.
She waited several seconds, but when it became apparent that was the full extent of his message, she took in a deep breath. "So tonight is going to be one of these nights," she breathed out. Twilight looked back at her, half concerned, half perplexed. "Does this truly demand my attention?" she asked the guard.
The guard shifted his weight. "The groundskeeper-"
"It does not," she immediately countered.
"But-" he started, only to fall silent when Nightmare glared at him. "O-of course, your Majesty. I will, um, inform them to deal with it themselves."
"See to it that they do," she commanded.
The unicorn disappeared and the door clicked closed.
"Was that necessary?" Twilight asked, her voice edged with sarcasm that made her squint.
"The Royal Guards seem to think I must be informed of every banal mishap that takes place," she stated. "Such matters are hardly worth my time, nor do I know how best to address them."
"I meant... snapping," Twilight mumbled.
She looked down at Twilight-the filly didn't quite frown, but she wasn't happy either. "Were you in my position, you would be as annoyed."
That made Twilight's brow fold down. "Is that any reason to take it out on him?" came out defensively.
Rather than directly answering, she chose to say, "Perhaps Cadance is not the only pony who is stressed from the coming wedding."
Twilight shifted her weight, perhaps not knowing what to respond with. "Has it really been that bad?"
Nightmare tilted her head. "As of late, yes. It seems that they either take my orders too literal or they do not understand them enough. At this point, I do not know whether to think they are incompetent or working against me."
Twilight's frown returned and deepened.
"Tell me, did the Royal Guard beforehoof tell Sister when a hedge had been damaged?" she asked.
Twilight opened her mouth to answer, only to hesitate before giving a drawn-out nod. "They did, but... it was only telling her that it had happened. And generally not like... that."
"And incidents in the school?" she asked.
Twilight nodded vigorously. "She cared a lot about her school and the students there, so yes."
"I see," Nightmare said. "So perhaps then I should not be frustrated by hearing of that matter..."
Twilight set her head at an angle. "I think... I think you need to relax."
Nightmare considered it. "Perhaps I do. There is much weighing on my mind as of late, I will admit."
"Maybe join me and the rest of the girls later tonight? We were going to go out for dinner," Twilight offered, a hopeful smile pulling at her lips.
Nightmare found herself staring at Twilight's lips. A part of her, perhaps small, wanted to say 'yes,' but she knew better. It would be a mistake, so she shook her head and said, "Another time."
So Twilight's smile faded and her expression hardened. "You always say that," was her counter.
Nightmare gradually nodded once. "I suppose I do. I do not desire to intrude upon your friendship with the others, and I know that they do not welcome my presence."
"The only way that's going to change is if you spend time with them so that you'll all be more comfortable around each other," Twilight predictably said, her flatter than normal tone betraying a hint of impatience.
So she said, "We will see."
The door opened again, and she looked up to watch as another guard came into view. "Your Majesty?" he called.
Twilight squinted at her.
"Yes?" she forced herself to acknowledge, still looking down at Twilight.
"The colonel wants to go over the details of the wedding's Honor Guard," the guard answered. There was a noticeable pause before he added, "Again."
She held in a sigh and bowed her head. "Very well. I shall be there shortly." The guard left and the door closed. She looked down at Twilight.
"So the wedding has been keeping everypony busy, then," Twilight surmised.
"Indeed," Nightmare muttered. "I shall see you this evening," she promised with a bow of her head, "but for now I must address such pointless matters as this, and others that will undoubtedly arise." She turned and started towards the door.
"You know, for as much as I'm supposed to be advising you, it seems like I'm not," Twilight said. "I'm... fairly skilled at organizing. I could probably help."
Nightmare paused and looked back at her, then nodded. "I suppose... I have neglected to include you as my advisor as of late, haven't I?"
Twilight awkwardly shuffled on her hooves.
Nightmare nodded once. "Then we shall address this after the wedding."
Twilight turned her head to the right to glance over the window-side display of the shop she walked by. Though granted, her experience with shopping in Canterlot in the past was limited since she mostly didn't shop around in the upper-class jewelry and goods stories, everything somehow seemed less glamorous than she had expected. Where she had expected to see glistening jewel-speckled golden and silver necklaces on display, instead she found that the jewelry looked dull and lackluster. Maybe it was just her, but she still found herself frowning.
The lighting probably didn't help. If it had been six months ago, she suspected that the displays would have been lit up with bright magical lights that cast their warm glows out into the street, making the gold and jewels shine, but instead, the lighting was soft and subdued, more akin to the light of the moon that filled the streets. Nothing displayed in the window caught her eye, and so she passed on and turned her head back to look down the street.
Even with Rarity and Spike walking along beside her, the street was mostly empty. A few well-dressed stallions and mares walked along. Some of them must have recognized her or Rarity since when they saw them, their steps staggered and then the ponies ended up either staring or glancing at them every few seconds. Six months ago, she wouldn't have drawn as much attention.
Rarity came to a stop and turned to look into the next window-side display, so she stopped and turned to face the store as well. The base of the display looked black, and each item on display was set on a pillow or a stand to show it off. A few amethyst necklaces and earrings were displayed, along with an amethyst pendant, a sapphire pendant, and a golden necklace that reminded her of the Element of Generosity, where instead of the Element itself being centered in front of the thick gold necklace, there was a sapphire. Beside it was a similar necklace, though set with an amethyst that caught the low light in such a way that it seemed to be multiple shades of purple at the same time. A golden laurel was displayed, alongside a few golden headbands.
Rarity lifted her forehoof up to tap her chin a few times. She glanced at her friend and found her frowning as her eyes meticulously scrutinized each necklace and headband. For some reason, Rarity's blue eyes looked piercing, even her friend's gaze wasn't directed at her. "I do wish the lighting was better," she heard Rarity grumble, then Rarity sighed and shook her head. "But I suppose if it's too bright, ponies would be blind."
She nodded in agreement, though cringed when she checked the price tags. "This might be a stupid question," she said as she turned to face Rarity.
Rarity turned to face her. "Hmm?"
Still cringing, she leaned to the left and asked, "But is all of this-" she glanced at the window and nodded as she swept her hoof around to motion towards the items inside, "-normally this expensive?"
Rarity smiled sheepishly. "Well, dear, you remember that I've not been to Canterlot before the whole eternal night thing, although I will say that when I ordered gems before they weren't nearly as expensive as this."
"So it's all more expensive, then?" she ventured.
Rarity nodded and sighed as she turned back to the window. "It's a shame, really," her friend murmured in a longing tone.
'It sounds more like a problem than a shame,' she thought. True, ponies could live without jewelry and clothes, but the effect was glaringly obvious. 'Do you know how bad it is?' she wondered. 'Maybe it's a seasonal change?'
She wanted to believe that, but a part of her simply knew it wasn't the case.
Her lips set in a firm line.
Rarity turned away from the store and started walking again. Spike followed almost immediately, and she followed behind them a few seconds later. As they passed by the next building, she glanced inside and saw dozens of outfits filling the softly-lit room. None of them really appealed to her, but then she wasn't fashioned inclined.
She turned back to look at Rarity and ventured, "Do you think Nightmare Moon would appreciate me getting her a gift?"
She wasn't sure if Rarity could have stopped moving any quicker than she did. Rarity looked back at her, a hint of a crease in her brow. "I'm... not sure," was mumbled. Rarity turned around to face her. "She doesn't quite seem the type to..." Rarity trailed off and squinted, pursing her lips. A few seconds passed in silence before Rarity continued, "She seems to be a very practical mare, from what I can tell."
And thinking about that, she had to agree and then some. "Yeah..." 'Would giving you a gift be pointless? Would you think it's pointless?' But as she considered it, she felt inclined to think, 'No, you'd appreciate it because it's coming from me.'
"Did you have anything in mind?" Rarity asked.
Twilight frowned. "I'm not sure."
"Well, what are some things she likes?" Rarity asked thoughtfully.
Twilight flexed her brow up and bobbed her head, listing, "The night. Stars." She paused for a moment, then added. "Me."
"Twilight," Rarity chided, "You're her friend. Surely you can think of something?"
Twilight sighed and felt her ears pin back against her mane. "I don't know. I feel like... I feel like there's not a whole lot to her at times. She's..." she trailed off. "Detached..."
Was that the right word?
"Distant?" Spike offered.
She frowned. She wasn't sure that was the right word either.
Rarity's brow lifted up and then fell again. "Well, you can say that again..."
"She was alone for one thousand years," she said.
Rarity winced. "I simply can't imagine what that would be like."
"I can't either," Twilight agreed with a nod. "Even if she was consumed with anger and resent, that had to be hard on her."
"I think that would be hard on anypony," Rarity agreed. "That had to leave a scar."
'It did,' she was certain. "Maybe we're thinking about it wrong?"
Rarity frowned. "What do you mean? You want to get her a gift, right? Something nice?"
Twilight nodded. "Yes, but..." she trailed off, her lips curling up as she leaned away from Rarity. "I was thinking that maybe I shouldn't be getting Nightmare Moon a gift, but I should get Luna a gift."
"That's an interesting idea," Rarity complimented. "Does that help any?"
"I'm not sure," she admitted.
"Twilight, I think she'd appreciate anything coming from you, if nothing else, then for thinking of her," Spike said.
Twilight looked at him and smiled, then reached out with her forehoof to stroke his crests. "Thanks, Spike. But I still want to get her something she'd appreciate."
"I suppose now the question is, 'What do you give as a gift to the Queen of Equestria?'" Rarity said.
Twilight grimaced. "When you put it like that, it sounds hopeless."
"It is a challenge, dear," Rarity emphasized. “But you are her friend, and Spike is probably right.”
Twilight thought for a few seconds. "I'm kind of surprised you're not recoiling in shock at the idea of... well, either helping me pick out a gift for her, or me giving a gift to her."
Rarity frowned. "Ah, well... She's..." Rarity trailed off, lifting her right forehoof from the ground and limply holding it against her left leg. "Well, not nearly as bad as I expected, I suppose." Rarity set her forehoof back down and tilted her head to the right. "And I know you two are close. She means a lot to you, and you mean a lot to her."
Twilight smiled weakly. "I guess I'll just... keep it in mind and see if anything catches my eye?"
Spike shrugged. Rarity inhaled and nodded. "I suppose that's as good a plan as any. If I think of something, I'll let you know."
"Thanks, Rarity," she said.
Rarity smiled back, then turned and started walking again.
They walked to the next store and she followed Rarity and Spike inside. To her surprise, it was an arts and crafts store. She hadn't thought Rarity would want to investigate something so simple, and yet, sure enough, Rarity cast her gaze around, scrutinizing the walls and shelves. She watched Rarity walk over to a shelf with spools of thread, then went back to looking around the shop.
Though there was a large variety of goods for sale, none of it seemed like a good idea as a gift for Nightmare Moon: the alicorn was surely old enough that most everything in the store would have been nothing more than a momentary curiosity if that.
Although, she found herself looking at a small telescope on one of the shelves. It was a cheap one intended for a young foal, so that if it broke it wasn't a huge loss. 'A telescope?' she wondered.
Would Nightmare Moon appreciate that?
'You enjoy stargazing,' she remembered. She smiled. It sounded like a good idea to her, but of course not that one. It was too cheap and, of course, intended for foals. No, if she was going to get Nightmare Moon a telescope, it needed to be better than that. After all, Nightmare Moon was the Queen. She could get a very good telescope if she wanted.
And then there were the significantly less practical telescopes in observatories. If Nightmare Moon wanted to, she would have access to those. But that was far more impersonal. Just bringing up that idea to Nightmare Moon didn't carry the same meaning as giving her a telescope as a gift. For a moment, she wondered if Nightmare Moon had seen or used a telescope since her return, but she wasn't sure.
'But where would I find a good enough telescope that's not too expensive?' Her smile morphed into a grimace. She would have to do some looking for that. Of course, Canterlot was likely the best city to look for a quality telescope.
Rarity walked back over to her, carrying a sack that had a string around the top tying it closed and a spool of red ribbon. The string had a tag with a sapphire on it. "Couldn't you get that somewhere else?" she asked.
"I promised Sweetie Belle I'd pick up something for her in Canterlot, and I know she enjoys art," Rarity answered.
"Oh." She turned and followed Rarity over to the counter, where Rarity levitated out several bits to pay for both items before placing both back inside her saddlebags. Having finished, she followed Rarity and Spike back outside.
A pair of Royal Guards walked by on the other side of the street, though neither paid attention to her friends or herself, the few ponies that walked on that side of the street hastily moved out of the way. She thought she saw the closer guard grimace, but she wasn't sure.
"I think..." she trailed off in thought.
Rarity looked over at her. "Yes, dear?"
She nodded to herself. "I think I have an idea of what to get her."
Rarity turned to face her. "Oh?"
"A telescope," she answered with a nod. "I know she enjoys stargazing-or at least she enjoys stargazing with me. I think she'd appreciate it."
Rarity smiled. "Yes, I think that’s thoughtful..." her friend mused.
Twilight smiled sheepishly. "I'll have to do some looking around to find a good one. I'm not sure how long it'll take, and since you're still shopping, uh, I guess I'll see you this evening?"
Rarity smiled sadly and nodded. "Alright, dear. Do be careful."
For a moment, her smile wavered, but then she reaffirmed it. "I will be," she said. She stepped over and hugged Rarity, then nuzzled her neck. After a few seconds, they parted ways. "Spike?" she asked as she turned to face him. "You're coming with me, right?"
"I was kind of hoping to go with Rarity," he said.
She thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded. "Alright then. I'll see you two this evening back at the castle."
"Good luck, Twilight," Rarity said.
"Thanks, Rarity," she replied. Spike walked over to Rarity's side, and the two of them walked off to the next store. Twilight breathed in deep and turned around. 'Well, where to start?' she wondered. After a few seconds of thought, she started walking off to find a proper shop for telescopes.
'Some of the teachers at the School for Gifted Unicorns enjoy astronomy. Maybe they could help.'
Following breakfast, Nightmare Moon's night had been busy. Between nigh-constant interruptions from Royal Guards informing her of the slightest mishaps occurring around the castle, going over preparations for Cadance's wedding, and meetings with advisors and bureaucrats, she hardly had any time to think about anything else. So it was that she ate a quick lunch alone, and though she longed for Twilight's company in the silence, she found herself thinking that perhaps it was a good thing Twilight wasn't there: 'We would not have enough time to enjoy this.'
After lunch, she had roamed the halls of her castle going to and fro, trying to track down a few administrators and high-ranking Royal Guards and Batponies who were either incompetent, shirking their duties, or purposefully creating chaos.
She was the Queen. She did not have time to handle the details of everything. And it seemed that there was nopony she could truly trust with delegating tasks to. The Royal Guard? Their competence was lacking, to say nothing of their inexperience in running a kingdom! The batponies? For the most part, their skills did not lie with administration and logistics, even if they managed their own towns and were loyal to her.
And it felt like the ponies who held positions of authority before her reign and had kept those positions were scheming behind her back! Though it came as no surprise: 'They want their princess back.'
Her own inexperience did not help. She was learning, but she was still only one pony, and it was simply too much for one pony. Perhaps she should have pressed to take a more active role in administering Equestria before her banishment. Of course, her Sister probably would not have let her.
It took far longer to sort out than it should have, and by the time she had worked through the problems, it was nearly time for dinner. So rather than wait for a problem to find her, she took an early meal and again found herself alone, as Twilight was likely out with her friends or family, or perhaps both.
And as badly as it would have gone, she considered, 'Perhaps I should have joined them.'
Surely it would be better than simply sitting on her own in silence, frustrated over the bureaucratic inefficiency, longing for her friend?
She found herself sitting in her chair, simply staring across at the doors to the room, and when she realized it, she simply looked around the room in silence. Time to think, time to consider, but not time to relax. It was inevitable that something else would go wrong and somepony would say, 'Get the Queen so that she can deal with it,' when the task should have fallen to another.
Did they do it on purpose? Was it incompetence? Or was it simply that they were yet afraid of her to the point that they didn't want to risk her wrath if they made a decision she did not like?
She sighed and finished her meal, then left and returned to her chambers. Perhaps as futile as it was, she told the guards at the door, "I do not wish to be disturbed unless it is important or Twilight." They both bowed their heads as she passed by, but it didn't escape her that it seemed almost everypony had no idea what important meant.
She ignored her study, ignored the papers on her desk that filtered through for her to review, and strode into her bedchambers. For a passing moment, she considered her options as to how best relax, and found them all wanting. She walked to the balcony and propped herself up against the railing and then cast her gaze down to the courtyard. A few Royal Guards patrolled along the walls, and several ponies she recognized from their varying positions as administrators and advisors walked about, some carrying documents in their magic, tucked under their wings, or in their saddlebags as they made their way to the gates to return to the city proper.
She turned her head to consider Ponyville and the Everfree Forest, so far away. Under the Winter moon, everything looked cold and dull. For how clear the sky above was, she found the banks of clouds in the distance offputting. She contemplated the snow-covered plains between Canterlot and Ponyville, considering how the white snow almost glowed under the light of the moon, making the world seem almost like some dreams ponies had. There was an almost mystical look to the world, one that she had not seen in so long because of her banishment.
And how that snow brought her to think back on ages past, considering how snow used to torment ponies, considering how snow used to bring hunger. And how much better off Equestria was now!
She turned her gaze to Twilight's tower. 'We will raise the moon together,' she decided. 'That will be my gift to you.'
Was Twilight ready for that? She did not know, but regardless, she would have Twilight help her. Something that she felt was long overdue. Perhaps Twilight wasn't ready, but if that was so, then she would do most of the work and Twilight would still get to help her and feel it. Regardless, it would be her gift to Twilight; it would be something for them to share, and it would help Twilight grow her magic, even if she wasn't ready. They would raise the moon together! Her wings bristled at her sides, bringing her to remember the chill in the night's air.
And so steeling her resolve, she inhaled deeply and lifted her head to the sky. The question she was left to ponder was, 'When will be the best time for us to raise the moon together?'
The morning of the wedding, Hearth's Warming, perhaps? But it would perhaps be a bad thing for Twilight to tire herself out helping her raise the moon. With such in mind, she decided, 'After Hearth's Warming.'
And she felt confident and reassured.
She turned back and walked to her study, then sat down at her desk to review the reports waiting for her. And the next few hours passed by at a crawl: while reviewing was necessary, for the most part, it was not enjoyable. A few reports gave her momentary pleasure to read and consider the implications, but many more left her feeling dread and weighed down as if her Sister had sunk a hook into her heart and wrapped Equestria on the other end.
And as such, when she heard a knock on the door to her chambers, she welcomed it and dreaded it in equal measure! She hoped for it to be Twilight, come to spend the rest of the evening with her so that they could talk and stargaze. She feared that it was a guard, simply come to inform her of either bad news or unimportant news.
She rose from her chair and crossed the distance to the door, then opened it with her magic. Rather than Twilight, rather than a guard, Rarity stood there, shifting her weight uncomfortably and looking behind her. She blinked and glanced behind the unicorn, but found her alone.
"Is Twilight with you?" was Rarity’s question.
And so she frowned. "I have not seen her since breakfast," she answered.
Rarity's brow folded down, and her gaze jumped off to the side. "That's odd. I thought she would have been here." Rarity looked back at her again. "She was supposed to meet us for dinner but she never showed up, so I thought she might have been here."
"I see," Nightmare replied. Overreacting as it likely was, she felt worry plague her, making her chest tighten as her heart throbbed. 'Perhaps she is talking with the resistance?' she considered. If so, it would have been on the resistance's terms. Was Twilight in danger? She licked her lips before asking, "When did you last see her?"
Rarity rolled her head to the side as she answered, "Hours ago. We were shopping." Rarity leveled her head and smiled sadly. "We parted ways after that. She said she was going to look for a present for somepony. She was going to visit her family, too, so I guess she could be with them."
Nightmare straightened her body. "I see," she said.
"Applejack and Pinkie Pie are supposed to be checking with Twilight’s parents," Rarity volunteered.
She bowed her head once. "Very well. If she comes to visit me, I shall have the guards inform you," she said.
Rarity smiled. "Thank you." The mare turned to leave, only to hesitate and look back at her. "Enjoy your evening, your Majesty."
Once Rarity had turned away from her, she frowned. Your Majesty didn't sound mocking, but it didn't quite sound right coming from the unicorn. Regardless, most of her attention was directed on the matter of her missing student.
No, her missing friend.
She felt herself grimacing as she watched Rarity leave. 'It is likely nothing,' she told herself, but that didn't appease her worries. After all, Twilight was her student and friend. Perhaps it was simply the resistance, but it could have been something worse. Somepony might have gone after Twilight because they were close in order to hurt her.
Or perhaps she was overthinking it, perhaps she was worrying over nothing and worrying too much.
She tried to steel her resolve, but it didn't work. She turned to the guard on the left and said, "Have the Guard-" the guard turned back to acknowledge her, "-keep an eye out for Twilight and inform me as soon as she is found."
He bowed, then rose. "Of course, Your Majesty. Is there anything else you need?"
She considered it for a moment, then shook her head. Saying nothing else, she closed the door with her magic. "You will turn up by tomorrow," she told herself.
Because it was likely she was overreacting. Because Twilight wouldn't miss her brother's wedding.
The rest of the evening passed by tediously slow for Nightmare Moon, plagued by both worries of her friend and reading a combination of logistics reports, reviews from teachers and administrators at the School for Gifted Unicorns, and economic reports and projections. So it came with welcome relief when she set aside the business of administration to step out onto her balcony and lower the moon.
And how she missed Twilight's company. Even if Twilight said nothing, simply having her there, having the filly at her side while she did her task would have made her feel content, rather than disappointed, worried, and alone.
For some time after lowering the moon, she kept watch from her balcony. Looked out over the snow-blanketed plains between Canterlot and Ponyville. Considered the enveloping darkness of the night without the moon. Listened to the wind, listened to the occasional sounds of the guards below: a cough here, a faint chuckle, the clicking of metal boots on stone, the flap of pegasi wings.
She waited, but Twilight never came, and so settling on her fate to not see Twilight that night, retired to bed.
When she awoke the next morning, she found herself thinking back on her troubled dreams: that Twilight was lost, hurt, or worse. That somepony, or something, had captured Twilight and come to her, threatening Twilight's life should she not submit to them or return Celestia.
She forced the concern from her mind as she walked out onto the balcony and raised the moon. But her worries were not so easily conquered as the moon was raised; foolish as it was, and as much as the worry crippled her, she couldn't conquer the fear that something was wrong.
She hoped that she was wrong. She hoped that she was overreacting. She hoped that Twilight was alright.
Because she had made a promise, and she worried that she had failed Twilight.
In silence, she bathed, and after having finished, she stood before the vanity and gazed at her reflection in the mirror. With trepidation, she levitated the onyx tiara she had only worn before in passing and brought it to eye-level. It was familiar, something she had made herself from her memories of Luna's assuredly-destroyed tiara from so long ago.
Her tiara, and not her tiara.
Stifling a sigh, she bowed her head and levitated the tiara into place, setting it atop her head behind her horn. It fit perfectly, but when she lifted her head and looked at herself in the mirror she did not like it: the tiara was Luna's, not her own. The tiara suited Luna more than Nightmare Moon. But she was Queen and had avoided it long enough; she had nopony to blame but herself.
Tiara in place, she levitated her onyx regalia to her neck, and against her black fur, the regalia was barely visible, save for the crescent moon-shaped white opal set in the center. And even then, she did not like it. It did not suit her. It did not look right. It did not look appealing. At least her tiara contrasted with her ethereal mane.
As she stepped out of the bathroom, the thought, 'Perhaps this is pointless. Perhaps I am getting ahead of myself,' occurred to her. Because she still had no idea where Twilight was, or if Twilight was safe; the guards had not awoken her in the night.
Then again, when she considered their incompetence, perhaps there was less reason to worry about not having been informed. And with such in mind, she walked to her study, then opened the door to ask the guards, "Has Twilight been found yet?"
The one on the left looked back at her and shook his head. "No, your Majesty."
"I see."
He shifted his weight. "I'm sure she will show up soon," he offered.
'Yes, unless something has happened to her.' But all she said was, "I hope as much." She stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind her, then set off to the dining room, carrying herself at a rigid stride. Both guards stayed at their post, and both Royal Guards and Batponies alike patrolled the halls as she made her way to the dining room. The two guards at the doors to the dining room straightened when they saw her, then opened the door for her at her approach.
Inside were Twilight's five friends, along with Spike. Twilight, Cadance, and Shining Armor were noticeably absent. Everypony turned to look at her while she stood in the doorway, considering whether to join them or set off for a different dining room.
She decided against leaving; Twilight had made a point, and so she walked inside and made her way to her chair at the end of the table. As she passed by, Applejack asked, "So, I guess Twilight's not with you this morning, then?"
She shook her head as she sat down. "She is not."
"Ain't like her to be late," Applejack said.
She nodded once in agreement. "Indeed."
"I wonder where she is," Fluttershy murmured. As everypony turned to look at her, even despite them being her friends, Fluttershy ducked back so that her mane hid her face.
"I presume she was not with her family then?" she asked.
Applejack and Rarity shook their heads. "Nope!" Pinkie declared.
"She had been there earlier, but left a while before we showed up," Applejack said.
"I see," Nightmare said. "I am..." she trailed off as everypony looked back at her. After a few seconds of thought, she decided, 'They are Twilight's friends too,' and so tilted her head at an angle and said, "I am concerned."
For a few seconds, silence hung in the air as Twilight's friends looked amongst themselves, then gradually turned to face her. "I'm sure she's fine, dear," Rarity offered.
"Her parents did say that she was gonna pay Princess Cadance and her brother a visit," Applejack said. "Maybe they got caught up and lost track of the time?"
She considered the idea and reluctantly inclined her head. "I shall have to inquire about this, then."
"You sound disappointed about that," Rarity ventured.
She looked at Rarity and frowned. "Do I?" Rarity nodded; it almost seemed sympathetic. "I see. I was looking forward to seeing her last night and she did not visit me." Rarity hummed and turned to face Fluttershy. She heard the door and cast her gaze towards it. As it parted, she saw the familiar shade of Twilight's coat, and sure enough, her student stood in the doorway.
Twilight was safe.
She relaxed.
With everypony looking at her, Twilight put on an adorable, awkward smile that pleaded, 'Please help me,' while her eyes jumped between everypony present before finally settling on her.
Did she see fear or hesitation in Twilight's eyes? Did Twilight's body tense? Surely she was mistaken.
"Twilight, dear, where have you been!?" Rarity called. Though the mare didn't shout, her question was enough to make Twilight cringe.
"Uh, hi," Twilight said. "Sorry, I uh... yeah." She watched Twilight glance back at the two guards, then trot inside. The guards closed the door behind her. Everypony's gaze tracked her as she walked around to sit at her proper place beside Nightmare Moon, though her friends on the same side of the table as her were most obvious, craning their heads and then turning to the other side to track her.
Once seated, Twilight nibbled on her lips while her eyes flicked between each of her friends and Nightmare Moon, though Twilight never met her gaze.
"Well, dear?" Rarity coaxed in a polite tone.
Twilight's eyes snapped onto Rarity, and a grimace settled onto her lips. Nightmare thought she saw worry or anxiety pass through the filly's eyes. "Sorry, it's um, a secret."
Twilight glanced aside at her, then looked back at Rarity. Rainbow squinted at Twilight, and Applejack raised an eyebrow.
'So the resistance, then,' she decided with both equal relief and dread.
Pinkie bounced in her chair, and for a moment, she thought the mare was going to jump onto the table. "A secret? Ooh! So is it about Princess Cadance and your brother?"
Rarity shot Pinkie Pie a flat look. "Pinkie, dear."
Ignoring the two of them, she inclined her head towards Twilight, then reached out with her wings to trace her feathers along the filly's neck. Though Twilight didn't shy away from her touch, her friend didn't lean into it either, and disappointment trickled back into her core. Twilight looked at her almost distantly. 'You seem troubled.' "We shall talk after breakfast," she promised.
Twilight gave a visibly forced nod, then shifted her weight in her chair.
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You know, i am kind of looking forward to the confrontation between her and her
Oh, Chrysalis getting unmasked before the wedding will be interesting, assuming they haven't replaced twilight as well.
Chapter 40 is out?!
There really is a god! (I thank you humbly from my forest home in the Amazon jungle)
edit: or is it a rainforest..? (nonononO)
As much as I'm loving this story something still nags at me every time i read how it's hard for them to see stuff i assume at this point it's been a few months now how are major towns and city's not becoming literal beacons of light i get they're ponies animal instinct so on and so forth and i know the level of technology varies from episode to episode in the show but they're also like us smart innovative and inventive.
But i digress it's not enough to stop me from reading a great story and it's a very minor thing and I know and understand it's for atmosphere and plot as I'm just a logical person like that keep up the great work :).
10640086
A failing on my part to take into consideration that. I could stop a lot of plot holes from developing, but that never really occurred to me until the latter part of 2020...
Im kinda curious as to what would happen if Sunset came back in this timeline
This chapter is cruel. It just set up so much stuff that isn't gonna happen until later chapters
At least I know Nightmare Moon acknowledges the benefits of cereal just like I do, so I guess I'm pretty much Nightmare Moon.
10641256
Cruel? I’m planning on getting Chapter 41 out on February 4th, assuming I can get edits finished in time...
At least I’m not ending the chapter on a cliffhanger such as,
as I considered for the chapter I’m currently drafting...
10640366
Another sub/side-arc that would make the story longer.
Don’t give me any ideas.Could be a fun idea to play around with, but I’d need to give it a lot of thought as to how it makes the most sense and how it would logically play out. It wouldn’t happen like it did canonically, which is probably obvious. Regarding when it’d take place, it could happen in the story’s timeline (that is to say, before the story finishes, as per the passage of time in-universe). I think it’d probably be too out of the blue though, given Sunset Shimmer’s never come up before now. Of course, maybe that’s fine, and I don’t know how much of a problem that actually is considering I have something of a thing for the sub-arcs to show up out of nowhere so far... But, ah, who knows. Maybe an idea will come to me, and maybe the idea would contribute to the greater story, and maybe I’d be able to work it in.
It seems most logical that Sunset Shimmer’s return would be somewhat... swiftly dealt with, given, well, Nightmare Moon. And, you know, Twilight being trained and-actually, I can’t elaborate on that because it could spoil some things.
I’d also have to watch that movie to figure out how to make it work/how to write Sunset Shimmer before her redemption.
10641431
If ya want it to be fleshed out with sunset a good idea would be that instead of twilight who was trained in general magic or smth sunset was mainly battle magic and stuff that's just a suggestion itd be fun to see how sunset and twi and NM interact
So either the resistence or the changelings are moving, or even both
10641431
>feb 4th
Ok, It's not too cruel then...
It just occurred to me that Valentine's day is in like 3 weeks. Imagine you post the chapter where they Nightmare Moon confesses her love then.
10643478
Oh, something happens soon... Six weeks, if I am able to publish a chapter every other week, which is my intent. The next few chapters are meant to follow in... very short order. I suppose you’ll see why when they come out...
Unfortunately, I ruined the timing because I was unable to make Hearth’s Warming and Christmas line up, otherwise, that might’ve happened.
maybe its not twilight at all, maybe its a replacement. drone 8 3 3-codename bee
10640079
if they replaced Twilight... then so Cel... Nightmare Moon helps me I will personally wreak vendetta against their race!
You know when you find a story that's so amazing you can't stop reading, and manage to finish up-till where it stops in a couple of days?
This is that story.
While in the beginning I found the story progressing rather slowly, now I appreciate the pace. Twilight and Nightmare Moon becoming friends doesn't feel rushed and the interactions between them make me smile. If someone had told me in the first few chapters that Nightmare Moon and Twilight became comfortable around each other, I wouldn't have believed them.
And now I can't wait for the next chapter!
I'm scared for the fate of the Chaijlings. I have a strong feeling that their attempt to overcome hunger will lead to their extinction.