Twilight's Nightmare

by Nightsclaw

Act 2 CH 4 New Beginnings: Nightmare

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The train ride had been strange. For the first time in a very long time, she could see hate and distrust on the face of ponies. Nopony had ordered any secrets to be kept, and Twilight's body was in a dire state. Neither of them was what unsettled the Nightmare. It was how short everypony was now that she was back in Luna's taller frame. There was no doubt this was where she was meant to be, and yet there had also been a rightness to being with Twilight.

She knew that each second that passed was a second closer to Celestia recovering from her parting 'gift'. The suffering that truth wrapped with the deepest, darkest nightmare she could craft had brought a thin sliver of vindictive joy to her heart. One did not survive by letting an opponent recuperate, and that fact weighed on her mind, pressed in as if the walls were closing in.

Restless energy promised action, but she ignored it. One does not spend a thousand years on the moon without getting used to waiting. The most precious thing in the world needed her to remain here, and so she would. The small blessing of Harmony comfortably curled up under her wing was one of the only reasons she did not drag the moon down and use it as a hammer again and again until either Celestia or herself was no more.

If you looked at Little Star now, nopony would ever know that fire had claimed both the hair and flesh from her head less than a day ago. That one so little had been so brave, so determined to push past the pain of a white-hot horn to power a pair of the most powerful teleport spells the Nightmare had ever seen back-to-back. She lightly stroked her daughter's now short mane, careful not to wake the sleeping filly. "You saved us again, daughter mine…"

A small tear started to fall, but once again, the shadows stole it away. Twilight's last gift had been the most meaningful. She had promised to give Little Star wings. She had pledged that she would never be lost to old age and she would become an Alicorn like her parents. They might only be the smallest motes right now, but this close, there was no denying it. Under the mountain that was Little Star's unicorn wellspring sat six additional ones as small as the first spring sprouts. Only time would tell if they would bloom in full.

Outside the window, the glow of the Crystal Empire's shield dome pierced the blizzard. Wrapped in its own smaller dome, the living extension of the Empire rushed closer to her birthplace. Sanctuary was definitely the most unique fragment Nightmare had ever encountered. Nopony from the Imperium had even conceived of something quite like this. Sanctuary's fears had led Nightmare to know who and what she was. Would Twilight be all right? Would Celestia attack them before they got back home? Would all the ponies in her care be safe? Was she strong enough to protect them if it came to that?

Nightmare rested Luna's bare hoof on the crystal wall. It felt so much like Twilight's Castle and yet so different. The castle was alien and aloof most of the time. Sanctuary was a Valkyrie playing foalsitter and woe to all who would harm her charges. "Worry nought, Guardian, if it comes to conflict, we stand with you."

Sanctuary did not speak, but a warmth rippled through the crystal beneath Nightmare's hooves and the succulent fears faded to mere doubts. It was not as nourishing, but Twilight would not have been happy if she had let Sanctuary suffer under the weight of fear longer than needed. It was the least she could do for the unintentional aid the potent fear had been in restoring her Luna.

Outside, the grating sounds of the cannon turrets twitching smoothed, and the hum of magic from the overcharged obelisk returned to safer levels.

In the distance, Equestria called. Her sister was there, and there was no telling what she would do now. Celestia had made the first move and had failed by the narrowest of margins only due to Twilight's brilliance and Little Star's last-second rescue. There were no honeyed words that could soothe over what had happened, no promises that could ever be trusted again.

It was far too easy to imagine Celestia calmly smoking her favourite pipe as she gazed out from the heights of Canterlot at the chessboard that was the world.

"So it's to be another of the Imperium's games… War."

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Comments

[Mister Morden]

Celestia truly paved her road to hell with good intentions...

Some more information about what is going on. Where's Luna? Recovering perhaps? Celestia got a mental nightmare whammy, explains why she's gone.

War with Equestria versus the Crystal Empire? And what about the other newest Alicorn? Or did he not survive. I doubt we would be so lucky that he would fail to ascend...

[Max Stroberger]

So there is going to be an alicorn war at last.

[Iso_the_Werewolf]

I think the thing that sucks about all this ( Assuming I am remembering correctly and/or I didn't misunderstand something )
is that this whole incident was just a product of a sort of..safeguard? there's a word I'm looking for..contigency? whatever the word it was just a preparation to make sure that if anyone cast a type of spell ( that I assume was related to usually evil-type stuff ) then out goes the attack dog. if I am remembering right then Celestia is just as surprised at the attack as everyone else. She is still to blame as she has tried to control so much for so long that some orders were bound to cause a conflict with each other.

I feel like over time Celestia could have been taught to basically just loosen up and not be so controlling, all the bad shit she's pulled off over the centuries could be undone slowly and replaced with acts of good, any bad blood between between Celestia and Twilight and the others would not be forgotten but an understanding of change and an loving acceptance of who she has become would eventually be the normal. But all that has been undone by what is basically a horrible misunderstanding. You're not just gonna get to "oops" an assassin-nuke but Theoretically, if given a bit to explain, Celestia could show them how the attack wasn't intended and was just a product of contingencies put in place a long time ago; but even then Celestia has lied so much that everyone just might perceive her words as more manipulation.

It always sucks when things start looking up and then your past comes up and ruins things without a chance to defend yourself.

Of course I could be remembering wrong or missed a sentence or three and Celestia hasn't changed at all whatsoever but has been doing a good job of manipulating twilight and the others some more.

[Admiral Q Ponyform]

11872609
Basically as i ahve been saying thrkughout all of this that ironically Daybreaker should have been in control, she understood what Celestia needed but unable.to.act.

[Killer20]

"So it's to be another of the Imperium's games… War."

My brain:
Lets Start a new Life from the Darkness,
until the Light Reveals the end,
Sinister places, growing Curses,
This is my Last War!

[Stahlseele]

"So it's to be another of the Imperium's games… War."

ABC-Warrior:"Waaaarrrrrr"

[Max Stroberger]

The road to hell is paved with good intentions, shame Celestia never figured that one out, also now that nightmare is back with Luna is she going to take on her full form now because well there's really no point in hiding it anymore?

[Bruuuuuuuuh]

11872634
It's funny how the nightmare fragment of Luna was reformed by Twilight and Little Star and the nightmare fragment of Celestia would have prevented all this from happening if she wasn't chained by Celestia's unbreakable code and control freak tendencies

[dragonus85]

11872609
As I understand it day breaker was under strict orders from ages past that if certain magic was detected (what twilight used) then she was to attack with intent to destroy. No need for permission, no choice to not do it, if magic of of X type then destroy caster. Based on my understanding she was made with this as part of her base functions and likely long forgot by Celestia.