Nightmare Mooning

by CosmicAfro

Part two of many

The alicorn walked out of the cottage with another snide grin that resembled victory. She could hear the stifled sniffles of the victimized pegasus ring in her ears like an echo of a canyon, beautiful and everlasting. Levitating a needle out of her hindquarters, she laughed manically and took off into the night sky.

“Another wonderful success,” she congratulated herself. “I must admit, her little rabbit friend put up quite the fight and was terrifyingly resistant to my charm, but I managed to work it out in the end. That face of pure terror will be one to remember for all of eternity. Maybe when my full power is restored, I shall have her for entertainment. Speaking of...”

Out in the distance, one bright window panel made a stark contrast to the sky, and like a spider with food freshly caught in its web, she was inevitably drawn to it.

.-~v~-.

Spike jogged through the moon-lit town towards his first destination. After Twilight’s reaction, he figured he would need to gather the other elements to stop the issue from proceeding any further. The first location, Pinkie’s place.

As the confection-themed building came into view, a mint unicorn mare ran up to him.

“Spike, that is your name right?” she asked with a sense of urgency. “A friend of Twilight’s? Right!?”

He halted to address her. “Uhm, yeah.”

“You’ll never believe what I saw! I was walking home when I suddenly saw Nightmare Moon walk out of Sugarcube Corner! She had this... stuff... on her back -”

“Stuff? What kind of stuff?”

Her eyes darted left and right for a moment. “N-nevermind. A-anyways, I knew I had to find somepony but nopony I knew was even awake. But I remembered Twilight Sparkle knowing The Princess so I turned around and then here you are! And I heard Pinkie Pie in there! Crying!”

The dragon silently mouthed the words “oh no” before rushing inside. While the building seemed normal, the sobs from the kitchen in the back told him otherwise. He followed the sound until he found the source, a cabinet near the floor.

He softly knocked. “Pinkie Pie? Are you ok?”

“Nice try Nightmare Moon! You can be my stomach, but you can’t be Spike too!”

He shook his head. “What?”

“Nopony’s home!” she barked.

Spike took a deep sigh. “Pinkie, it’s Spike.”

“Oh sure you are, but I’m obviously Star Swirl the Beardless!”

“Just ‘Bearded,’ and I cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye, that I’m Spike.”

The crying from under the counter ceased for a moment. Through a choked cough, the baker replied, “Ok, I trust it’s you Spike, but I’m not coming out until it’s daytime.”

“But how would you know if you’re in the cabinet the whole time?” he argued.

After ten seconds of silence, Pinkie Pie cautiously opened the door and stepped out. Her hair was remarkably straight as opposed to its usual curly bounciness. The dragon took a moment to notice the space was impossibly tight in there with a giant sack of flour and a pile of… rocks to keep her company. He parted with any logical notion about how that was possible and moved on.

“Ok, tell me exactly what happened here.”

“… and that’s when you arrived and gave me a pinkie promise that you were Spike,” she finished with a glum sigh.
Rubbing his temples, he tried to absorb the painfully accurate recreation of the scene, especially when she used a pile of rocks to portray Nightmare Moon. “So, she left after… doing that… and then she stole your cinnamon buns?”

“Yup, that’s pretty much it.”

He furrowed his brow. “All right, you should meet up with Twilight at the library. In the mean time I’ll go talk to the other girls to see if they’re alright. Try and cheer her up a bit, she’s a little shaken after Nightmare Moon visited her too.”

“You mean, I’m not the first?” she asked curiously. “You don’t think Nightmare Moon is-“

“Yes, we do. We even got a message from Princess Luna to report any findings we get. Since Twilight doesn’t want to leave, you should go there and write a letter.”

“But don’t you norm-“

“Yes, but we need you there and I’m needed elsewhere.”

With her head raised a little higher, Pinkie nodded and galloped out of Sugarcube Corner. Outside, Spike could faintly hear the unicorn he had met ask if she needed to be escorted to the library.

“Ok, Rainbow Dash’s house is the closest, I should head there next. If I get her on board, I’ll be able to get to Applejack’s and Fluttershy’s house in no time.”

.-~v~-.

Her lust for entertainment eventually lead her to an obscure little farm house just outside of Ponyville, and a matching farm full of ripe, perfect apples to accompany it. While the produce looked tantalizing in the midnight glow, she was far more interested in the light from the window.

“If somepony enjoys staying up late… they must also enjoy the moon,” she snickered.

Summoning her most prominently used spell, Nightmare Moon vaporized once again into her cloud and, as soon as she saw it, plunged down the chimney.

The rest of the house, mostly empty except for a few pieces of furniture and minor décor, was empty. She slinked through the home and soon found a staircase with a small orange light at the top. Like a snake, she slithered up each step, as if increasing her own sense of suspense. She hovered just above the door crack and stayed out of the light, pressing an imaginary ear to the wood.

“Ah dunno Sweetie Belle, Ah don’t think yer sister Rarity would like it too much if we borrowed some of her sewing supplies again. She seemed pretty upset about the capes you made for us.”

“But we’re only going to be using the needle and thread. We just need to fix up a coat we already have for our scarecrow. How are we going to be farm protectors without a good scarecrow?”

“I don’t get why we have a scarecrow in the first place. Why don’t we just scare the bids as they come in?”

“Ah don’t think it works that way, Scootaloo. Applejack says we need them to keep the ravens away from stealing our food. They’re nice birds but only when it ain’t fall time.”

Nightmare Cloud rubbed her non-existant chin. “Hmm,” she thought, “a scarecrow for pre-teens, eh? Perhaps I could show them just how scary scary is…”

Slipping through the door frame, she hugged the walls and slinked behind the furniture in the room. Gaining a glimpse, she noticed that the three ponies were a little younger than she imagined, so mooning them wasn’t perhaps the best plan of action. Exposing them to such wonderful horrors during such a critical age might harm them more than toughen them up… plus it would be in bad taste. On a bonus thought, she needed a master plan, soon.

Just as she fully concealed herself, the door opened.

“Now girls, why are ya’ll up so late? You know that you need yer sleep.”

“We’re sorry, Applejack, we just couldn’t sleep yet. We need to figure out how to get our cutie marks.”

“Yeah, can’t we give up a little sleep for a lot of talent searching?”

Nightmare Moon could hear a thoughtful sigh from the one named Applejack. “Well, that might be true, but how can you build your scarecrow if you’re too tired to do it tomorrow?”

“She has a point you know.”

“Ah do need to do some farm chores tomorrow. Well, Ah guess we can go to sleep then.”

“Don’t worry Apple Bloom, we can help you with your chores tomorrow so we can get to it earlier!”

The collective clack of hooves rang through the air. That seemed like the perfect opportunity to strike.
Like a lightning bolt, the alicorn flashed into place on the spot with all her radiance and glory. She flared her magnificent black wings and raised her chin high. “Hello my creatures of the night!”

The three fillies and the mare all gasped in shock and scrambled to a nearby corner.

“It’s Nightmare Moon!”

She gave a maniacal laugh, more for show than actually being evil. “I’m so glad to see some of my little ponies remember me. Tell me young ones,” she said while lowering her head to glare at them with her draconic eyes, “are you enjoying my night?”

The eldest in the room stood up first. “I don’t know how you got in here, but I know how you’re about to get out!”

Facing her directly, Nightmare Moon conceded her bravery. “I remember you, you were the one who convinced Twilight Sparkle to let go of the cliff? And you three… you were on the balcony, weren’t you?”

The middle one, a yellow filly with red hair and pink ribbon gulped, “y-yes.”

Out of nowhere, the kind of ‘out-of-nowhere’ that sparks uninfluenced brilliance, a sinister idea popped into her mind. It may not have occurred to her if she hadn’t been eavesdropping but it was perhaps the most perfect ultimatum; in other words, her master plan for the town of Ponyville. She smiled and then returned her body to a more relaxed pose. “Well, fear me not young ones, I am not here to bring upon eternal night. I actually was flying by and couldn’t help but hear you three were in need of some scaring lessons.”

They stopped their cowering for a moment and gave each other glances of confusion. “Y-yeah, we were going to make a scarecrow to keep the ravens away this year,” the middle one replied again.

“I see. As it just so happens, I may have something better for you three to put your collective talents together with.” She smiled as they perked up at the mention of “talents”.

The one she assumed was Applejack stood up. “I don’t know what it is you’re up to but you’re-“

“Applejack, correct?” she interrupted, “Forgive my rudeness, but you need to shut up. Are you really so self-centered that you would deprive an opportunity for their cutie marks?”

“Hey, you can’t talk to my sister like that!”

“Of course,” she deadpanned. “I’m sorry Ms. Applejack, it’s been one hectic evening,” she feigned while trying to conceal her tone. “Anyways, I’m willing to enchant your orchard so that your apples will gain nutrients from my glorious night in exchange for borrowing these three for one hour.”

“Ok, sure, lemme just grab mah fancy shmacy contract givin' away my own kin to some evil crazy lady who pops into my sister’s room.”

“We could all do without the sarcasm Ms. Applejack.”

“And Ah don’t like you after what you did to Equestria!”

“Could we at least hear her out?” the orange filly piped up.

“Nuh uh, no way. I don’t talk to snakes.”

Nightmare Moon easily recognized how far south this was going, and fast, so she paused for a moment and scanned over the room. Obviously, this backwards hick wasn’t going to allow her the opportunity to put her plan into action without some emotional reinforcement. Then, she hung her head low. “I- of course, you’re right. I apologize for my rudeness. I just figured since I was around and all that maybe I could maybe do right for once.”

She could see the effect slowly taking place on the children. They raised themselves off of the floor and kept looking into each other’s eyes and communicating purely with expressions alone. If there was one thing she had a talent for, it was manipulation.

“I mean, did I actually ever do anything wrong? Sure, I elongated the night for about two hours, chopped off a moustache, made trees look evil and made a fake Wonderbolt’s team, but was that actually so bad? It could have been worse, could it not? Your group stopped me before I even had the chance! I was just so excited with my return and so amazed that ponies would try and stop me so soon that I over reacted. Does one over-reaction really characterize me, a newly reformed separated embodiment of the one you know as Princess Luna, forever? But no, I suppose you’re right.” She raised a hoof to her head dramatically. As she walked out of the room on three hooves, she continued her sob story. “Once a villain, always a villain.”

She watched with secret glee as the children’s noses began to sniffle.

“Oh you’ve gotta be kiddin’ me.” Applejack rolled her eyes. “Alright, you can help them with their scarecrow tonight, but on three conditions.” She began to walk forward with a stern expression on her face. “No magic on the kids, don’t get within five feet of em, and the moment I think you’re up to something more than yah already are, you get outta here.”

Something was to be said for sisterly protection. “Fair enough.”

“So, Ms. Nightmare Moon,” the yellow filly spoke up, “w-what did you have in mind to help us?”

“I’m glad you asked. Instead of making scare crows… we’re going to make a scare pony.”

Author’s Note: “Cosmic! What the hell is this!? I want some more mooning!”
I can assure you there will be more. Much of the plot has yet to be eclipsed; this chapter merely acts as a transition.

Comments

[Mr. Grimm]

Oh dear...I think I know where this is going.

But has anyone bothered to tell Nightmare, (Or Ponyville for that matter) that because they rarely where cloths, they are able to see each other's backsides most of the time anyway?

[Thorax]

1370868

Nightmare Moon isn't actually evil, she's just an ass

Aw, another writer who has a more comedic take on the "Villains" it's nice to see some good old fashion comedy.
You've gained another follower :P

[RaptorCalloftheShadows]

Much of the plot has yet to be eclipsed

Dat Plot? :D

[CosmicAfro]

1417553
Personally, I just feel that Nightmare Moon was robbed of her victory. Celestia's strategy was purely lucky based as far as I'm concerned and maybe if Nightmare Moon had taken a more serious approach than moustache chopping and evil trees, it could have turned out differently. I just like giving her what she deserves.

Regardless, thanks for the follow and the comment!

[Bluenova]

I hope Nightmare knows what she is getting into...

[OmniFox]

Stick it to the plot.