Breakfast of the Gods, Bandaid!
The Affection of Princess Nightmare Moon
Part 10: Breakfast of the Gods, Bandaid!
Nightmare awoke with a precious male musk under her nose. She lifted her head to see Bandaid’s muzzle buried in her breast and along the nape of her neck. His breathing was long and easy. She fought down a happy jitter, but settled to kiss the top of his head. Such a handsome thing. Studying the length of his body, splayed out with hers, she lifted a black wing and draped it slowly over him for warmth. He shifted, turning towards the darkness and flopping his arm around her mid-section. Delighted, she settled her chin atop his head. She could rest a bit longer if he was going to be this heart-meltingly adorable. She heaved a long, quiet sigh as only a mare in love could. She liked Bandaid, liked him a lot. Perhaps he would be more than just her royal consort, given the proper coaxing? She pondered for a time, looking at the walls and ceiling. He was a simple thing, and she knew grand gifts would only draw his ire. Perhaps another hoof-full of dates or something. They’d had a wonderful time at the festival, and Hearts and Hooves Day had… well, been a disaster… but she could certainly keep trying to better her average.
The words ‘husband’ and ‘lover’ ran back and forth along her mind. Bandaid was not really king material, but his warm and caring heart would let him see the plights of others when she could not. And what was a companion, if not a partner that could stand strong in one’s own weakest areas? Nightmare tilted her head in thought. It had just been a couple of dates, she really should not have been thinking such things. She needed to play the long game, like Tia did. Sighing impatiently, she rested her head on the pillow again. Pure seduction would not aid her this time. The brown earth pony lying next to her was a delicate creature, and needed her care and affection. He would have it then, if only to be hers. She snickered at the thought. The Affection of Princess Nightmare Moon. It sounded like a good name for a wine. Hmm! She would need to write that down somewhere. A nice dark wine, mmm...
There was a light knock at the door, which made Nightmare’s head cock. Who would dare disturb her at such an hour? It was almost dawn, and the two of them had been out rather late last night. Rising and careful not to disturb her beloved, the black alicorn went to the door and leaned out grumpily. “Who calls?” she asked the dark corridor. She looked back and forth, but only saw the pair of guards some distance away, standing silent at their posts. She furrowed her brow, blinking the sleep from her eyes.
“D-down here, your Majesty,” said a colt’s voice. She snapped her eyes down at him like a bird of prey. “Royal Messenger Snap Step,” he introduced himself by hitting his chin on the floor in a bow. “I was told by,” he paused to make sure he got everypony, “Two of your sisters and your mother that you should come to breakfast-- and bring your coltfriend, too.” He added coyly with a grin. “Is she really your mom? The red-maned alicorn?” Nightmare Moon frowned a bit, and it took a few moments for the message to really sink in.
Two sisters and her mother.
Her Mother.
Mother.
Nightmare’s eyes went wide, “Mother?!” she squawked, slamming the door in his face. Snap Step flinched, looking rather hurt. She flung the door open, “Tell them I will come with haste, now toddle!” she jabbed a hoof in the appropriate direction. The messenger saluted with all seriousness and galloped away. Nightmare slammed the door again, pressing her back to it. “Mother’s here!” she said, rushing over to her vanity. “Wait, no I must shower!” she ran into the bathroom. “Wait, no I must trim my hooves!” she came stampeding out and went to her chest of drawers, “No no no! I must find the appropriate dress!” she flung her closet open and rushed inside. Dresses started flying out this way and that.
Bandaid sat up with a moan, just in time for a rumpled dress to land on his head and rather easily slide down his shoulders. “Nightie…?” he rasped, yawning and stretching. He rose to all four hooves and the skirts settled around his flank. He blinked sleepily, trying to make his eyes focused, and wandered towards all the noise.
Nightmare tumbled out of the closet, brush in her mouth and all sorts of implements hovering around her. She spat the brush out, eyeing Bandaid-in-a-dress up and down. “Bandaid! Now is not the time for bedroom games! Go and groom! My Mother Faust is here!”
“Wh-what?” Bandaid shook his head a few times. “Your mother? But you’re a goddess, isn’t your mother--?” Nightmare leaned out of the bathroom to give him a meaningful look. The stallion went pale. “Oh my goddess…” he said softly, eyes wide. “I-I-I better shower! And brush my mane!” he ran for Nightmare’s door, the train of the dress flapping behind him. He flung the door open, grabbed his bag, and started galloping down the hall as fast as his hooves could carry him. The first set of guards in the hall stopped him with explosive laughter and pointing. “What?” he asked, still only just awake on adrenaline. “What?!” he demanded angrily. Then he finally looked down at himself. “Oh j-j-j-jeez…” his face went blood red.
=-=-=-=-=
The confused kitchen staff was something to behold, for over three dozen ponies had been side-lined that morning. Everypony had arrived for work at their usual time, only to find their tools rushing about and their food stocks cooking themselves. A rather charming alicorn mare was sitting on a stool next to one of the ovens, pawing through a cookbook.
When Faust saw them coming, she smiled grandly and gestured to a long table. Nopony knew where it had come from, how it had fit through the servant’s doorways, or where on earth the strange foreign princess had come from. Word spread like wildfire and more and more palace staff came to gawk at the red-headed alicorn mare. Who was she? Where did she come from? And most importantly, what was she doing taking over the kitchen?!
After some smiling, mute gestures dozens of ponies found seats around the long-table. Fruit exploded into perfect slices, toast flung itself across the room like a poker-dealer’s cards. Butter poof’d from precisely nowhere, slathering itself into grits along with the salt. Seven sorts of juices ran back and forth until everypony was served before the main course came out. The unicorns that normally worked in the kitchen watched the marvel with special awe. Seeing so many countless things move and levitate and work in tandem with each other must’ve taken god-like concentration! Hash browns landed in pairs and trios while condiments huddled together in groups. Eggs and porridge! Cereal and fruit tarts! Ponies started to get dizzy after a while, but then the feast was suddenly done.
The oven that the strange alicorn was sitting next to dinged. She threw her book over her shoulder and it vanished from existence. Eagerly pulling it open she pulled out, marked and decorated, a strawberry cheesecake. But… but strawberries weren’t added until after the… some of the chef’s started giving up there, reaching for utensils. “Cake isn’t for breakfast,” one of the teenage assistance mumbled to his master to his right.
“P-bb-b-b-ht!” Faust blew a raspberry at him, startling everypony. Then, she took a food cart with her on the way out.
Everypony looked at each other in stunned silence. “W-well, we shouldn’t let it go to waste.” Somepony mumbled. “And it’s not like we have to work on lunch for another few hours…” that was logic enough for everypony present, and the feasting began. “Why do I feel ten again for some reason…?” mumbled one of the older chefs, feeling very much like his own mother had just made him breakfast before school.
=-=-=-=
Celestia, Chrysalis and Faust were already seated when Nightmare Moon and Bandaid arrived in the royal dining hall. The Changeling Queen positively bubbled with love energy, all of Faust’s giving, and she was all smiles. Celestia looked winded and a little exhausted, but otherwise okay. Faust, with her golden laurels and tiny necklace, looked divine as they came. The slight glow of her skin was all it took to tell Bandaid exactly who she was. The mother and creator of all… creation, and the mother of the physical gods of Equis, Faust Almighty!
Bandaid looked ready to faint, looking around with a rather pale expression. When he spotted Faust he froze like a deer in headlights. She offered a kind smile, studying him for a moment. Then she saw Nightmare and rose, grinning from ear to ear.
“Mother!” Nightmare shouted gaily, rattling the windowsills with her Royal Canterlot Voice. An elegant midnight-purple dress flowed around her, and the touch of scarlet lipstick glittered. Faust rounded the table and rushed to hug her daughter. Bandaid sidled to one side, intimidated. Faust stroked Nightmare’s mane, then held her at arm’s length to look her over. “Yes, I’ve grown, thank you!” Nightmare giggled, red in her cheeks. The mute alicorn gestured here and there, then hugged her once more, rubbing back and forth. Then she turned to the plain brown stallion next to her. “Er, this is Bandaid, Mother, my…. Erm…” Faust started to make a gesture even Bandaid recognized. “Mother!” Nightmare balked, swatting her hooves. “He is more than that!”
“Bandaid is Nightmare’s beau,” Chrysalis said rather serenely from the table where she sat. Bandaid turned his head to look at her. All the mischief and pent-up hunger was gone from her voice. She looked… healthier, somehow. His nurse’s training scanned her over. Her skin seemed darker, and her carapace shinier. Flicking his gaze back and forth, he put two and two together. Faust must have had infinite love in her. “And a rather fierce warrior, if I recall.”
“I’mma nurse! I work here at the palace,” the stallion said, scratching the back of his head and mussing his slicked down mane. Faust smiled appreciatively. It took a special sort to look after the well-being of others. She leaned down to his eye-level, kissing the end of his muzzle.
“Mother!” Nightmare squawked again, territorial. The goddess tittered, retreating back to her seat. When a slight level of calm finally came back, Nightmare and Bandaid finally sat down at the breakfast table. The spread looked as beautiful as it looked tasty. The scent was tantalizing, but Nightmare just had to know, “It’s been a…” she didn’t name a number of years (mostly for Bandaid’s sake), “A very long time, what prompted the abrupt visit?” Faust’s smile faded a little and Celestia looked rather guiltily to one side.
“Celestia snapped my neck like a twig,” said Chrysalis helpfully, steepling her hooves. A sly smile spread across her face as a lock of her hair fell part-way over her face. It gave her a sinister, smug look.
“You didn’t!” Nightmare gaped, grinning wide. Celestia sank a little lower, ears turning back. “You did! You murdered our sister and mother came to revive her! HAH!” she slapped the table with a massive hoof. Bandaid smiled like it might be a joke, but the expressions around the table wouldn’t let him have that one. He looked at the Changeling Queen, who was eyeing him with a calculating expression. “That is simply-!” she saw her mother’s expression. “Er… erhm…” she toned it down a bit at Faust’s frown.
“It was an accident,” Celestia said embarrassedly. “She tried to feed on me and I just… reacted,” she stared at her plate like a scolded foal.
Faust made a never-mind-it gesture, levitating a few plates this way and that to mound food in front of her children. She was a mother, she knew an accident when she saw one. “Ah I see,” Nightmare said just a little bit acidly, “When I am imprisoned on the moon under false pretenses, nopony comes to my aid, but when baby sister gets herself killed Mother comes to her rescue.” She grinned wryly at Chrysalis, who glared. “That’s ju-OWCH!” She yelped when Faust beat her with a wooden spoon. “What?!” she balked under the stern expression.
Bandaid giggle-snorted before he could stop himself. “They’re like children!” he’d passed the point of madness at seeing the High Goddess in the flesh, and had passed around the bend again. Faust nodded with one of her mothering smiles, pushing extra hash-browns onto his plate. “Th-thanks,” he said, leaning to get ketchup. “So what will you do while you’re here, uhm…” he fished for a good honorific, “Your Holiness?” he tried. Faust shrugged a bit, in a carefree way. She gestured vaguely to the windows and the city beyond, then helped herself to some grits when everypony had been served. (Other than Chrysalis, who was quite full of love, thank you very much) “She’s a little… quiet, isn’t she?” he whispered to Nightmare.
“Mother doesn’t talk in mortal company,” Nightmare said gently, stirring pepper into her scrambled eggs. “She’s quite shy.” Bandaid frowned, cocking his head at her.
“How would you feel if anything you ever said to anypony anywhere was written into holy scripture and kept documented for all time?” Chrysalis said. Faust looked embarrassed, hiding her pink cheeks behind a glass of orange juice. She made a waving-it-off motion to her daughters.
Bandaid stared at her. Wow, he’d never thought of it that way. “Sh-should I leave? So you guys can have a proper visit? I don’t mind!” he started to get up, but colorless magic held the seat in place. Faust shook her head with a tittering little expression that said ‘no.’ “I mean, if you haven’t been with your mother in so many centuries don’t you have a lot to talk about?”
“When your mother sees all, knows all, and so on its hard to find anything to talk about,” Chrysalis said. “You should’ve seen the last time she used the True Voice.”
“Chrysalis, that’s not polite table conversation,” Celestia said sharply, suddenly getting her courage back. “You shouldn’t speak of it.”
“It’s a part of his religious dogma, he should know it!” Chrysalis smirked, leaning on an elbow.
“I forbid it! This is our home and you shan’t sully him with such tales!” Nightmare snapped.
“The only one sullying him lately has been you, Nightie-Poo.” Chrysalis shot back.
The three mares argued back and forth like six-year olds while Bandaid watched. He leaned back in his chair, quietly sipping his coffee. So this was what breakfast was like with Gods. Huh. It wasn’t quite what he was imagining. He caught Faust looking at him with an expression of pity, but her smile was still just as enchanting. As if to say ‘sorry for my bickering foals’. He offered a grin, going back to his food. She seemed nice, for such a high and mighty entity.
“—And after that, we went through five Artax Fantasia’s before we figured out it was mother’s voice making his head explode!” Chrysalis belly-laughed, leaning back in her chair. Nightmare squawked angrily, red-faced at her heartless sister.
Bandaid hadn’t heard a word that the first stallion in recorded history had been killed five times by the True Voice of Faust. Man these were good hashbrowns! Faust’s eyes passed over him, and his hearing suddenly returned to normal without his realizing. “Maybe you guys should go see a play, or something? Get out and do something fun!”
“We could visit the hive,” Chrysalis suggested. “My children have no inkling of Mother’s physical face,” she gestured at Faust. “And she visited Equestria last time she was here as well.” Now they were fighting over what to do with her. Bandaid felt kinda sorry for the poor High Goddess, who was eating and shaking her head at the same time. “No?”
“Perhaps a tour of the countryside? A carriage ride?” Celestia said. “I know you like seeing farms and quiet places where things grow.” Faust thought about this for a time, then nodded. “There’s an apple orchard in the nearby town of Ponyville, if you like, we could visit there,” more nodding. “Very well! It’ll make a good day off for all of us!”
“I don’t like apples,” Nightmare said sourly, sticking her tongue out.
“Me either,” Chrysalis agreed. “What about--?” And on and on the argument went.
Faust sighed, smiling patiently. She loved her children, she did, but they could be such handfuls when she made her appearances. Discord was still in time-out, what was Cadance up to these days? Her eyes flickered white while her children argued, her vision extending beyond the horizon.
“Shining! Oh Gods! OH GODS! SHINING, YES! YES! HARDER!”
Faust’s cheeks went hot and she quickly squeezed her eyes shut to bring herself back to the breakfast table. Arguing children was a better thing to see at the moment. Pushing her red mane out of her eyes, she shook her head quickly to banish the image. They really were growing up around her. Most of them anyway. She found her eyes settling on Bandaid again, who was smiling broadly while he watched Nightmare and Chrysalis argue. The High Goddess peered briefly into his mind to see what he was like. If he was Nightmare’s companion there must’ve been something about him.
Faust saw the fang marks on his soul. Chrysalis must’ve gotten her hooves on him at some point. She watched the events of the past to see how it had happened. Well, at least he’d recovered nicely. Nightmare was certainly growing if she was looking at a stallion as more than a piece of meat to be savored.
And of course the taming of the Night Mare and the ascension of Chrysalis could only mean one thing. Nightmare was no longer strictly adhering to her nature, and the fifth child of Faust had achieved godhood, albeit by accident… Equis was turning, and the apocalypse was about to start. How strange, it was so early compared to her estimations… Faust smiled pleasantly at the stallion, heaping more hash browns onto his plate with her magic. What a charming fellow he was. She could see why her daughter was so giddy and happy with him. Hopefully the end of the world would happen after he’d died of old age, so Nightie could have some happy times before the Equis turned to ash. Ah well. All things happened in cycles. This cycle was just about over, was all.
End of Part 10
Stats
Page generated in 0.029 seconds
Total duration
1,023 users online
39,281 hits today, 2,314,256 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
I love this story already!
fausts entire lack of care about the world and those living on it was really creepy and showed how different her way of thinking is, well done
:p Title drop.
I guess once you're the literal creator of everything you can be nonchalant about things like the destruction of the world.
How veeeery interesting.
"Hey kids, long time no see! How are you? Good? Well that's great, just dropping by to let you know the apocalypse is about to start! Have fun!"
-Things Faust doesn't say in the company of mortals.
Holy Dogma reference, Bandaid!
I think the thing that weirds me out the most is how she thinks of the apocalypse so... GENTLY, I guess. It's odd, but it resonates perfectly and creates a lovely crystal note.
4119988
4119995
4120011
4120115
Yeah I know I know. Its an alien way of thinking. But its really hard to write GOD, you know.
I tried for a sort of "playful Celestia" with a mix of "mute" and "playing the long, lonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng game". In the end the only fixed point is her children, so that's at the top of her priority list. It does make her look a little cold, I imagine, but she's still trying to be a good mother, giving them all their turn on top. 
This Chapter.... is FULL OF WIN!!!!!
> Soon ragemaker.net/images/Determined%20-%20Focused/im%20watching%20you.png
>.>
<.<
This had better not mean what I think it means.
I'm watching you
This chapter is awesome. I love how Faust behaves like a silent goddess and the nonchalant way she treats the apocalypse. It's also refreashing to see the Children of Creation, except Discord, behave like quarreling children and that the absent Cadence was the mature one by spending Quality time with Shining. I can't wait for the next chapter. BTW, did NM and Bandaid already consummated the relationship?
Excuse me, I do believe I laughed a lung out, there. I'll be going to the ER now.
Also, just wondering, why is Blueblood listed as one the major characters where it says when it was last modified, and not the the OC symbol for Bandaid?
4120145 I think when Nightmare Moon and everypony else at the table with exception of Chrysalis learns of upcoming "end of the world" they will stand up and fight tooth for tooth to prevent from it ever happening.
I can imagine because they care about their citizens and Chryalsis doesn't expect for her hive. She is now full of limitless love that was given by her mother; thus capable of feeding her hive for long-long time. Why should she needs anymore top of it?
I think nightmare should bite bandaid again. It would be much excellent
Faust should meet her other, non-insect grandchild and her beau.
4120599 fix'd.
4120297 they've not had sex, no.
Wow! Incredible! I love how Faust is just like.. "oh it's the end of the world.. that's cool... mmm these hash browns turned out really good.. What was I saying?"
Lolz!! Its too casual!
4121020 I'm like, the only one so far that's unsettled by that :s
Maybe I'm overthinking that >.<
The end is nigh, Band-Aid!
What have you done, Band-Aid?
4121032
Ikr!! Its like... umm the whole world u created is about to be destroyed..And your okay with it?!?!? What your kids? U have to care at least about your kids-
a circle in a spiral, a wheel within a wheel, never ending or beginning, on a ever spinning reel. Like the circles that you find
In the windmills of your mind.
4121102 For some reason that just makes me sad xD
4121032
No, I am too.
Well, that sucks. Existential crisis thoughts in the beautiful love story...
anyone else catch the reference?
I wish I could quote my favorite part of this chapter, but I'd honestly just end up copy/pasting the whole damn thing.
But why does the apocalypse need to come!?
I'm getting the feeling that Faust isn't friendly in this story and may be the antagonist
What do you do with this story? The story at least isn't finished yet, and your main protagonist already brings the logical conclusion: everything will be lost (I believe the USA will decide to bring "democracy" to this world). I lost interest in this story. Why to read, empathize if you understand that everything will be lost.
According to forecasts of "creator" pony populace becomes so a little that they should copulate with insect-like parasites to repopulate the destroyed world. What it is more disgusting? To die out? To be given to parasites for a reproduction results of which won't be similar to the primogenitors?
I'm not sure if there is anything to say about this chapter. I seriously got nothing
i loved the story so far but i don't like the whole apocalypse thing.
oh well i love your writing more than enough to wait and see how you play it out.
Oh god, she's psychotic...
Well how said that Armageddon has to happen in under 100 Jears? Faust has obvious the "I lived to Long" Dogma of having no time sense. So her short could be everything between 100 Jears and one Quantillien.
4121933
Me too. Doesn't help that what I saw was Nightmare Moon presenting legitimate grievances and Faust brushing her off with a: "oh, girls will be girls".
Seriously, I have no idea if it's the author's intention, but he made Faust into a thoroughly unlikeable character for me.
4120683
I do hope this happens.
4121239 she knows they will survive, just the rest of the world wont. they will be there to help rebuild it.
4122322
I guess, but still... it's a little unsettling.
Hmm, I get the impression that a lot of these commentators need to watch or read Watchmen and pay attention to Dr. Manhattan. When you are eternal and virtually all-powerful, your perspective is just a teensy bit different than a mortal. That being said, this chapter was excellent. I laughed aloud at the part where Faust views Cadence. Someone needs to make that wine, so we can buy it and drink it and say "I'm drunk on the Affection of Princess Nightmare Moon!"
The only part of the dialogue that gave me pause was when Faust hoped it would be after Bandaid is gone. From what we saw earlier when Chryssie was ascended it looked like these apocalyptic events were quite a ways off. Hrm, we shall have to wait and see. Interaction between NMM and Bandaid was adorable, and everypony's reactions to Faust, as well as Her behavior itself were wonderful.
Please keep writing, I'll keep reading!
This was another excellent chapter!
It's also oddly refreshing to see a new side of the Goddess Faust. Loves her children, but hey sometimes you gotta redo some stuff. Why not a global apocalypse?
4122277 I don't know if "unlikeable" just... exceedingly creepy?
also it worries me that in the vision the apocalypse was started by a white dot falling from the sky....
a goddess maybe? but then she would KNOW when it is going to start...
and Chrysalis only can thrive in a broken world? and only after creating a hybrid race that creates and feeds on love? and that being somethin that she can't do, seeing as she was "cursed to be always hungry"? that is.... sad... especially when certain goddess can feed her and her children with no ill effects...
4122866
...you do know Dr. Manhattan isn't exactly a shining example of rectitude and morality, right? Even as a far-removed god, he's managed to lose almost all of his empathy while retaining his human flaws.
4123333 Precisely.
4122866 I think that was deliberate. From what I understand, the images Faust showed to Chrysalis were predicitions, not actual visions of the future. The point of the prophecy was about what happens, not when it happens. The context and settings can be incorrect, but not the events themselves. Their mother can't see the future, but she's gotten really, really good at predicting it.
Wow, that took a really dark turn at the end there.
Oh, whoops! I snapped your neck! Haha, silly me!
What's Cadance up to?
Getting the dick.
An interesting turn of invents. Can't wait for more!
Yanno, if Faust is the kind of god to provide an afterlife, then I can see her nonchalant approach to the apocalypse.
If not, then you are a sick, sick man.
4121717 A Dogma reference, yes.