Imperial Affairs

by The Sound of Loneliness

Safety In Shadowy Coils.

Nightmare Moon’s lungs clamorously pulled air in. The sudden influx of cool gas resulted in her having to cough out the excess; forcing her to acknowledge she was still living.
The next minute she spent relishing in less pleasant signs of life and trying to remember where she was and what happened.

“Are we not dead yet?” Luna expressed surprise. “Alicorns are hard to kill...but this much?”

Nightmare Moon lifted her head and found a pile of bloodied glass lying a few steps away from her nape. She then looked down her body, it was covered in bandages and splints.
“Hmm… not quite. Someone took very good care of us.” Nightmare Moon tried moving her hind legs, they obeyed, the spine was fine again. She tried to lift herself and the hooves held her, she managed to sit. She, then, proceeded to take off now useless splints.

“Your Shadow followed us after all?” Luna suggested.

“No, she wouldn’t dare. Someone else found us.” Nightmare Moon swiftly looked the hall over. Except for a sizeable puddle of blood a few meters away and a glass plie, it was exactly like it used to be.

Something creaked down at Nightmare Moon. A vibrant, flaming bird was sitting on top of a broken column, watching her.

“Oh, I remember you!” Nightmare Moon called out to the familiar sight. “You are Celestia’s bird!”

“Philomena,” Luna reminded.

“Philomena, right?” The bird creaked in affirmation. The phoenix, then, spread her wings and flown a circle above mare’s head, before landing again on the other side of the hall lighting up space behind the collonade. Somepony’s shadow treacherously laid itself for Nightmare Moon to see.
“Thank you, Philomena.” The mare got on her hooves and began slowly, like a cat, creeping towards the column. “Who are you?” The shadow quivered. “No need to fear me now. Come out, so I could show my gratitude.”

Nightmare Moon quietly moved around the column and found a shaking yellow pegasus on the floor, trying to make herself as small as possible.
Nightmare Moon looked down at Fluttershy with curiosity and kneeled down closer to her.

“You are an odd one, Fluttershy,” she spoke. “You are afraid to look at me, but you are brave enough to come here at night, alone.”
Fluttershy didn’t respond and continued shaking, afraid to make a sound.
“Come now, don’t be afraid. I won’t harm you after what you’ve done.” Still no reaction.
Nightmare Moon looked at Philomena for a clue, but the phoenix was simply sitting on her piece of rubble without a sound or movement, watching.

“You don’t even hear me, now do you?” Nightmare Moon lightly poked Fluttershy, provoking a sob. The black mare frowned, she, then, lowered her head down to Fluttershy’s ear, “You know, Twilight is looking for you. She needs your help with something very important.” Again, no reaction.

“Tired of wasting time yet, by any chance?” Luna coyly queried.

“Shush, Luna.”

“Well, I mean, you are the Empress, you can do whatever you want; but I believed you prefer effectiveness in your approaches,” Nightmare Moon gave Luna long and heavy huff. Luna laughing at her was new.

“I take it you have a better plan, my host?” Nightmare Moon dryly reversed.

“That depends. She is no servant of yours, she will not do your bidding simply because you told her to. You need to try something different here.”

“Luna, what is it you want me to do, exactly? I am not up for games!” Nightmare Moon boomed with exasperation.

“Ugh...” Luna groaned. “Look, do what you would have done if you weren’t Nightmare Moon.”

“Eh...You mean, if I were you?” baffled Nightmare had to clarify.

“Yes...Well, no. Sort of,” Luna, finally, decided. “Why this always has to be so confusing?”

Still perplexed Nightmare Moon blinked, trying to wrap her mind around what she was supposed to do. Right then, what would she do if she was the Princess of Tears?

Nightmare Moon lowered her head again, laying it next to Fluttershy’s. She looked at her terrified subject, sighed and began humming Fluttershy a soft tune. The very same tune Luna often sang to calm down foals from their nightmares.

Nightmare Moon allowed the yellow pegasus a few minutes to get used to her voice and calm down a little; she, then, spread one of her wings and wrapped Fluttershy in her feathers. Lastly, Nightmare Moon softly pulled her in with hooves, sharing her warmth with shivering pegasus.

The pony, gave in surprisingly quick, leaning against Nightmare’s chest. The black mare, then, stopped her humming, allowing Fluttershy to hear her heartbeat. Nightmare Moon smiled widely at her triumph.

“Luna, you are genius,” Nightmare Moon whispered her thought over to Luna in glee, watching at the resting angel in her embrace. “If she is afraid of me, don’t be me.”

“You... actually did it.” startled Luna replied, provoking a smile. “I thought you would have to drag her out of here.”

Nightmare Moon looked again at Philomena and, upon seeing her unspoken approval, allowed herself to relax together with her sweet saviour.

“No need for that, Luna. Celestia can stand her vigil a little longer just this once.”

---

Fluttershy sweetly yawned and opened her eye to look her literal nightmare over, still a little frightened, but no longer frozen from fear. Nightmare Moon slowly blinked at her.

“You are...not like I imagined,” she quietly admitted.

“I am sorry for scaring you,” Nightmare Moon apologized. “Are you better now?”

“...Yes, thank you.”

“Are you afraid still?”

“A little...not very much though.”

“Fluttershy, I wanted to tell you: thank you for what you did.” Nightmare Moon bowed her head to Fluttershy, coloring her cheeks.

“I think I was more afraid of someone dying on me than I was afraid of you. ...Sorry.”

Nightmare Moon chuckled,
“My reputation is deserved, Fluttershy. Many ponies are afraid of me.”

“Well...I think you are nice.”

“Why, thank you!” Nightmare Moon smiled.

“I don’t think anypony should be afraid of you.” Nightmare Moon smiled again, this time sadly. But Fluttershy didn’t notice, “I am only a little afraid of the dark now.”

“I think, I can help you with this. Hold still now.” Nightmare Moon lighted her horn and lightly touched Fluttershy’s head with it. Her pupils shrank into slits. Fluttershy looked all over the hall in bewilderment,
"Better now?" Nightmare Moon winked her own slitted eye. "Better get some shades though, the sun hurts."

“Thanks,” Fluttershy finally said, Nightmare Moon noded. “Can I ask something?”

“Certainly. You've earned your every question.”

“...Did you really make the stars?”

Nightmare Moon chuckled again and gave the sky above a dreamy look,
“No, Fluttershy. Stars are a lot older than I and Luna, and even Celestia.”

“Didn't you weave them?” Fluttershy’s look showed growing disappointment.

“You don’t need to create something to have control over it. Watch.” Nightmare Moon engulfed her horn in blue aura again.

The sky came alive. The stars were dancing with each other, making patterns, gleaming brighter and dimming. Fluttershy watched breathlessly until Nightmare Moon finished the show and put the stars back in their places.

“Luna did most of the legwork up there," Nightmare Moon recounted. "I remember her having entire star maps lying around her quarters for her to change the sky every night.” Nightmare Moon smiled nostalgically, “Celestia had to stop her in the end, ponies find it hard to navigate with the stars moving around every night. But did it look dazzling...”

“Is she here?” Fluttershy cautiously asked.

“She is. There is something you want to tell her?” Fluttershy nodded.

“Princess, I am glad you are ok.”

Comments

[THERDSTORYWHISPERER]

Sweet chapter!

[Batpony46]

We finally meet fluttershy nice chapter

[My Little Epona]

Aaaw, this was so sweet! I really love this take on NMM--and Fluttershy is so sweet and cute. Can't wait for the next chapter!