• Published 9th Apr 2013
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The Affection of Princess Nightmare Moon - Aegis Shield



SEQUEL! Nightmare Moon tries her hoof at wooing one of her subjects. Meanwhile Chrysalis returns to feed on Celestia.

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Meeting Your Parents, Bandaid!

The Affection of Princess Nightmare Moon
Part 22: Meeting Your Parents, Bandaid!

“Nightmare!” Bandaid came on, holding a newspaper. The black alicorn looked up from her work at her mahogany desk. “Er, listen, I know you’ve been sort of stressed the past few days with your brother being back and all,” he began, stopping to pat her back. He put the paper in front of her. “So I thought maybe we could go out tonight.”

“Oh?” Nightmare said with interest. It was the sports section, and the headline read ‘Prize Fighter Makes Retirement Match In Hometown of Canterlot.’ “Huh,” the Princess said, lifting the article to her nose. In it was a photo of a ruddy-looking middle-aged mare with a short mane and rather muscled legs. “Ah, I see. We wish to gander at other powerful mares in the sight of our companion, do we?” she prodded him, smirking.

“Th-that’s not what a meant,” Bandaid shook his head with a chuckle, pointing to the photo. The stout-looking mare was reared up, holding a title belt and, frankly, didn’t have a mark to show for the fight that she’d won. Her opponent, another earth pony mare with a ponytail and a boxing-glove cutie mark, lay splayed out on the mat. Mountains of cheering fans were in the background.

“I know that some officials have already declared thee Prince Consort,” Nightmare put her foreleg hammishly over her forehead. “Surely you would not sully our loving relationship, Bandaid?” she said airily.

Bandaid threw his head back and laughed. “No no, not at all.” He pointed to the photo again. “Look closer.” He tapped the very corner of the ring where two stallions stood beaming for their prize-winning fighter. One was the fighter’s age, but the other…

Nightmare choked on her own spit. “Is that you?!” she said. “Indeed!” she lifted the paper again to her muzzle. “Thou are as meek as tigerlily blossoms most times, what brought you to this violent setting?!” she looked at the photo’s date. “Why, you would have been a teenager when this was taken!”

“This,” he pointed to the champion fighter, “Is my mother.”

“What?!”

“Remember I told you she fights in the octagon?”

“I--- I’ve… of course I do!” Nightmare said, looking everywhere but him.

“You forgot,” he said flatly.

“I did not,” Nightmare pouted.

“You did,” be prodded. “And as punishment, you’re gonna get us tickets to my Mom’s last fighting match. It’s in three days.” He bopped her with the newspaper, and dropped it in front of her. Turning and flicking her with his tail and a rather naughty-looking smile, he marched away.

“But… but…” Nightmare said, looking up at him.

“You’ll like it, it’s super violent and my mother’s always interesting to watch. Ever wonder where I get my temper tantrums from?” Bandaid smiled innocently, then shut the door behind him and was off.

Nightmare stared at the door. Had… had he just strong-armed her into a date? Bold thing! She found herself giggling. Perhaps he was getting used to ‘handling’ her by now. Well she’d handle him later tonight when he came to bed! Hah! Turning, the Princess of the Night lifted and rang a servant’s bell. She lifted the paper again to actually read the article, “Dazzle Kick, huhm…? Interesting name…”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

“L------adies and gentlecolts, welcome to this evening’s main event!” An announcer strode about the ring, garbed in black and white stripes. Nightmare and Bandaid could’ve had ringside seats, but they didn’t want to distract Bandaid’s mother with their presence. “The final fight of the continental champion of the octagon, let’s hear it for Da-a-a-a-a-a-a-azzle Kick!” the stadium imploded with roaring applause.

Stomping hooves and blaring music made Nightmare Moon look around in wonder. Even from the royal box she could see the flailing ponies, waving signs and flashy lights. Did ponies really crave such carnage? Or was it okay because there was a referee? The blood stains on the ring certainly didn’t help her opinion. Were they going to kill each other in gladiatorial combat?! “Bandaid! Bandaid!” she shouted to be heard. “Should we conjure sword and shield for your mother? A bullwhip?”

“No no, she’s fine!” Bandaid shouted back over the crowd, laughing. “No weapons are allowed anyway. She can do it bare-hoove’d!”

“Your mother has bore seven foals and has led a life of such violence still?!” Nightmare gaped down as a hooded pony entered the ring. “What chance does she have?!”

“She’s the best, Nightie, just watch,” Bandaid promised, putting a hoof around her.

Dazzle Kick reared up and whinnied, stomping the mat and making it shake. Her hood and cloak bannered off. She was every bit as muscled and wild-looking as the photo from years ago. Only her eyes and her mane betrayed her age, for there were a couple of grey streaks here, and a few age lines there. The crowd roared again, chanting her name. She lifted a hoof high, smiling for the flashing cameras and cheering fans. Leaning, she took off her championship belt and gave it to the referee. It was put on a special hook and lifted high for all to see.

“Oh see over there?!” Bandaid pointed to one of the octagon corners, where a stallion was busy working with ice backs, bandages and other things. “That’s my dad! Hey dad! Daaaaad!” Bandaid shouted. Of course the stallion couldn’t hear him over the crowd. He was a plain brown thing, and Bandaid was his spitting image. Brown with dark brown and striking eyes. He smiled, nodding encouragingly to Dazzle. His wife came and pecked his cheek. They exchanged words, nodded some, and the stallion stepped out of the ring to be out of the way. Dazzle Kick bounced on her hooves a couple of times, rearing to go.

“And her-r-r-r-r-r-e comes the challenger, the rising star of pegasus league! Star athlete of Cloudsdale, the super speedy Ra-a-a-a-a-ainbow Dash!” From on-high came a rainbow colored blur, slamming hooves first into the mat with an impressive crack of thunder. She flared her wings, tossing rain droplets in all directions. Stallions swooned over her as she tossed her multi-colored mane. “Wonderbolts Special Forces Hopeful, Rainbow Dash is here to retire Dazzle Kick and fight her way to the top! With a championship fighter belt on her, her journey to being in our nation’s most elite flying squadron would be all but guarunteed! But will the blue blur be enough to take on the titanic takedowner that is our champion?!” the announcer paused for the roar of the crowd. “Or will Dazzle Kick retire on top?!” Another roar from the crowd.

Bandaid leaned back in his seat with a soft smile. Nightmare looked over at him. Why was he so at ease? She was an aging mother of seven, about to retire, and this virile rainbow-maned creature was young and looked ready to trounce her by the very definition of trouncing! Something in Bandaid’s cool expression said there was a secret to be learned here. She didn’t dare ask. In her time a thousand years ago, a warrior's techniques and secrets were what kept them alive. Perhaps she could learn by watching, if ‘age of retirement’ meant nothing to anypony present?

Rainbow Dash pulled the light cape from her back. Why, she was positively scrawny! A physical fight between the muscled earth pony and this slender thing would be no contest. Then she turned in the light, and Nightmare saw the muscle in the glint of her sweat. Unlike an earth pony, she was built for speed, not power. The Princess touched her chin with a frown, and Bandaid passed her the popcorn. “With a cat’s waistline like that, your mother may break her in half, beloved,” Nightmare said a little worriedly.

“Maybe!” Bandaid said, smiling. She stared at him in horror, but he didn’t seem to notice. “We’ll have to watch.”

“Alright ladies!” the announcer gestured for both of them to come forward. “Rules as usual! No biting, mane-pulling, tail-pulling, or punching your opponent in the anus!” (Nightmare wildly wondered which of the two mares had warranted such a specific rule as ‘don’t punch anypony in the butthole’…) The official checked them over for a few moments to look for grease, powders, weapons, or anything else. They never took their eyes off each other. “You have wings, Rainbow Dash, so you know well enough not to fly above the line,” the official gestured to the octagon’s netting, which could not have been more than fifteen feet high. “And you’ve tetra-strength, Dazzle Kick, you know well enough not to destroy the ring.”

“I understand,” Dazzle Kick said automatically.

“You got it! I won’t need to fly too much to take on this Gramma!” Rainbow voice was amplified with a little rune that had been drawn on her neck, so the crowd could hear her.

“No grand-foals yet,” Dazzle Kick said, her own rune lighting up. “Though with my son’s luck I’m hoping. Did you know he’s dating a Princess?” she smirked from under her eyebrows. High, high in the stands Bandaid thrust his face into his hooves, SCARLET. Nightmare threw her head back in a cacophony of shrill, scandalous laughter. As though on cue, lightning split the sky outside.

“Meh, let’s focus on the here and now!” Rainbow tied her mane back with a little band, flaring her wings aggressively. “I’ll have you on the mat in ten seconds flat!” she bounced about to loosen her ankles.

“You’ll try, sweetie,” Dazzle Kick turned and walked towards her corner. “You’ll try.” She gave a toss of her hips for her watching husband, who laughed and gave an approving gesture.

BING BING!

“Watch closely, Nightmare,” Bandaid said, putting a hoof on her shoulder. “Watch my mother’s back legs.” Nightmare turned, then looked curiously down.

Rainbow wasted no time and dashed forward with a shout. Powerful wings came open, flared, then pumped her to the height limit. Dive-bombing with a feral whinny and a hoof raised she charged into Dazzle. All Rainbow’s opponent did was shift her weight.

WFF-POW-CRASH!

If Nightmare had not seen it she would not have believed it! Rainbow collided with Dazzle, hoof’d her across the face and bounced in the recoil. She bounced so hard she flew bodily across the ring and rag-doll’d into the opposite post. The impact sound was devastating. Stunned and falling on her face, Rainbow ran sideways and then fell a bit.

Dazzle Kick coughed, nursing the little bruise she’d received on her cheek. “That wouldn’t have left a mark years ago. Getting old sucks,” she sighed. Rainbow steadied herself and redoubled her charge, stampeding forward with all her feathery fury. Whipping her legs about she landed a spectacular buck right on her chin. Dazzle’s weight shifted, a muscle or two coiled, and Rainbow Dash spun ass-over-tea-kettle to the mat before her. “Stop hitting yourself,” Dazzle said with a light smirk.

Nightmare looked over at Bandaid. This was impossible. Had they not checked both combatants for repulsion spells? Shielding? Surely she was cheating! Rainbow flew into a wild fury, always aiming for the face and chest. Each time, Dazzle Kick would shift herself and repel her like she was made of rubber. “Watch her legs!” Bandaid shouted over the crowd again. Nightmare looked down and tried to stay focused. Each impact made Bandaid’s mother shift one leg and stomp in time with the blow. There were visible cracks in the mat.

“What is she doing…?” Nightmare whispered.

Rainbow’s wings locked and she dive-bombed to one side, then directly into Dazzle’s exposed ribs. A dozen lightning fast blows rained on the middle-aged mare’s side, cutie-mark, and withers. The elder mare finally turned, seized one of Rainbow’s hooves, used her momentum against her and flung her to the furthest post. The clang of metal-on-skull was audible. “OHHHH!” went the audience.

“Didn’t your mother ever teach you to respect your elders? Pity. Most approach a champion like myself with at least a hoof-shake and a degree of respect.” Dazzler coughed twice, scuffing one of her hooves on the mat a few times.

Rainbow rose, shaking her head quickly. She could feel the bruise forming already. But no, her head was much harder. Snorting steam, she dashed in to keep fighting.

“This is not a fight,” Nightmare said after a time, for Rainbow had not landed a single defining blow. “Thy mother toys with an infant.”

“This is my Mom’s last match, they weren’t going to put her up against a competing champion,” Bandaid smiled sympathetically. “I told you she was a super-star, remember? Or did you forget that too?”

“Thy siblings told me she was a big face in the octagon, yes, I remember,” Nightmare admitted. “I just did not think the difference between them would be so vast. Is a fair bout not more appealing to watch? Or is this just an exhibition of your mother’s abilities?”

“Don’t be a sourpuss, it’s her last night. If they want to throw a rising rookie at her, let ‘em!” Bandaid said. Nightmare wondered what had gotten into him, but remembered it was his mother. Anypony would be protective of their own blood’s reputation like this. “Did you figure out what she’s doing yet, or no?” he smiled mysteriously.

Rainbow Dash streaked about the octagon in a blur of Pegasus speed. Dazzle Kick stood in the center, looking back and forth with narrowed eyes. The wind conjured was making her eyes tear up a bit. She rubbed them. Rainbow saw the window and streaked forth with all her might. The hoof connected and the muzzle rumpled. Time stopped for an instant as both ponies flew through the air. Dazzle struck the mat with a surprised, “Oof?!” she sat up quickly, and a drop of blood trickled down her nose.

“First Blood! Round One is over!” The announcer cried. The crowd roared in excitement, stamping their hooves and whistling shrilly.
The mares turned from each other, going back to their corners. Dazzle’s husband, First Aid, touched her nose with a warm rag and began to fuss over her. The mare grinned a bit, nodding her approval. A lucky hit, surely! Rainbow went back to her corner as well, where several ponies looked her over and checked her wings, ankles, and face. A few minutes went by between the rounds, until the bell finally rang again. “That was a good hit kid! I guess when I can’t see you I can’t repel you like I do most folks,” Dazzle Kick admitted, nodding her approval. “I’m glad I’m hangin’ up the cape with such interesting characters to take my spot!”

They clashed once more. Finally Nightmare Moon was able to spot it, “She’s channeling!” the alicorn exploded. Bandaid nodded with approval. “That’s ancient magic! I thought it would have been bred out of earth ponies by now! Spectacular!” the black alicorn was on her hooves with grand interest.

“That’s right,” Bandaid gestured. “Whenever my mom gets hit, she channels the force of the blow through her body, then into the earth with her back leg. Then, the earth pushes back in the recoil and it goes back the way it came. Thusly all the ping-pong-balling that Rainbow Dash is doing.” He smiled. “Most opponent’s don’t see it until it’s too late. Mom literally… oop, here goes!” Bandaid stood, and cameras started flashing wildly. Nightmare whirled about.

Rainbow’s tornado trick had not worked twice, for Dazzle had seized her. Carrying the momentum with a dizzying spin, she pulled back like an massive oil pump jack. The kenetic energy, earth pony strength, and tectonic recoil focused for but a moment as the blue mare was seized by her neck and thigh. Dazzle shifted her attention to the mat, and Rainbow’s wings flapped wildly.


“Your strength be turned against you.”


With a roar and a glowing rune to amplify her cry for all to hear, she threw Rainbow face first. The explosion of wood, earth, rock, plaster, and stone blasted the octagon to pieces. Rainbow smashed so far into the ground she vanished into the earth. Splinters flew in all directions, smoke billowed and the audience was on its hooves with screams of horror and jubilation.

Nightmare slowly stood. So this was the mother figure of such a stallion? Surely she was an elemental! An elder fury! No mare was so powerful! Eyes glowing white for a moment, the black mare studied Dazzle’s body, soul, spirit, mind… neigh. Neigh…. She was a pony. A mere pony! Such strength! She found herself slowly stomping her applause, for Bandaid was cheering and hooting for her.

Dazzle made a slow loop around the ring as the octagon began to buckle around her. She lifted a hoof, and her spine crackle-popped, “My back!” she complained. There was scattered laughter and flowers being thrown. She tried again and it rather comically crackle-popped a few more times. “My back!” she sidled forward until her husband came into the ring with a hot towel to comfort her.

“H-hang on th… thuhhh…. There now now nilly…” a weak voice and a glowing rune said from within the hole. A shaky blue hoof rose from the smoke and earth, grabbing the jagged edges of the crater Rainbow had been thrown into. The crowd went quiet. “I… I ain’t done yet…” the star athlete wobbled out of the hole, then fell on her side. Her wings were rumpled, and one of them was folded oddly. Broken?

“Unbelievable!” the announcer cried into his microphone. “Rainbow Dash has crawled out of Dazzle Kick’s Tectonic Plate Crusher! Nopony has ever gotten up after the move, and we’ve never seen it break the mat like that!”

Rainbow, through sheer willpower, shuddered to her ankles. She leaned on one of the broken posts. Five or six Dazzles were walking towards her, smiling with approval. “I gotcha, I’ll take… wuh-hah?!” she fell over, clutched the mat, then rose again. “I’ll still take you on.”

“I’ve never seen anypony get up from that move,” Dazzle Kick said in admiration. “You got spunk, kid, serious spunk.” The crowd roared and stomped and cheered. Rainbow sagged against the ropes for safety, trying to make her vision stop spinning. “It takes all your strength and turns it exactly back against you. It’s like hitting yourself as hard as you possibly can. Just enough to take somepony out, without hurting them too seriously.” The middle-aged mare watched the exhausted Pegasus slowly slide to the floor. “Now stay awake, kid, you’ll wanna hear this,” she smiled. She looked over at First Aid, who’d scurried out of the ring when Rainbow had re-emerged.

“Lay down!” Nightmare cried, horrified at what might happen next. “You are beaten! Lay down!”

Dazzle gave a quick stomp of her hooves. The title belt fell from its hook high above them. Leaning and touching the rune so her voice would be loud for everypony to hear. “Congratulations Rainbow Dash, you’re the new champion!”

“Uh-whuh?” Rainbow said blearily, looking at the golden ornament as it was laid across her midriff. “I… I what?”

“You weren’t supposed to fly too high, but I wasn’t supposed to break the ring,” Dazzle gestured to the absolute ruin the ring had become. “Guess even in my retiring match, I just didn’t know my own strength.” She smiled, leaning and kissing Rainbow’s sweaty forehead. “Good luck kid.” She smeared the rune on her neck to turn it off.

“Er, er…” the announcer was taken aback but quickly regained himself. “TH-THAT’S IT EVERYPONY! DAZZLE KICK LOSES BY DISQUALIFICATION! RAINBOW DASH IS THE NEW CHAMPION OF THE EQUESTRIAN OCTOGON!” The audience blew the roof off with its shouting, cheering, stomping, flailing excitement. “THE RISING WONDERBOLT WANNABE HAS TOPPLED THE TITANIC TAKEDOWNER!”

“Ye-e-e-a-arghh---yay me…” Rainbow said, flopping down at last to stare at the ceiling. “Yay me... unf...” Medics were already rushing over her, putting her on a soft stretcher.

Bandaid looked positively shocked. “She… she threw the fight!” he gaped. Nightmare looked over at him. “She broke the ring on purpose to pass the torch!”

“Your family frightens me, beloved,” Nightmare said, never taking her eyes off Dazzle Kick as she reported to her husband for medical attention. She turned and watched Rainbow be carted away, and saw the blue hoof of victory rise as she was going. Dazzle lifted an encouraging hoof. Anypony that could survive all of their own strength and still have the willpower to rise like that… they deserved to be champion. Nightmare saw the exchange, and the look in her eyes as it happened. Beat her opponent into the earth and retire a superstar… or let a rising star shine all the brighter as she came into her own. “Poetic,” mused the Princess of the Night. “I cannot wait to meet her at tonight’s dinner.”

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Dazzle Kick sat at a huge long-table of a cheap Chineigh’s restaurant, surrounded by her children, her husband, and one black alicorn. (“If I wanna celebrate my retirement at a Neigh-Donald’s I could! I get to pick! It’s my retirement!”) She was wrapped about the middle with a nice icepack, and all her plates were mounded with food. “Thanks for coming, all of you,” she said. “I’m glad you made it to my last match too, Bandaid, you used to hate them when you were a colt.”

“I hated seeing you get beat up,” Bandaid stuck his tongue out a little.

“And I married you, imagine how I felt for all those years, huhm?” First Aid said.

“You know you loved my toned, athletic body. Our seven children are proof of that!” Dazzle shot back.

Mom!” Bandaid blurted as his sisters ewww’d and grumbled obscinities. “Erm, I know this is your night but I’m glad you got to meet Nightmare Moon too.”

“Pleasure,” said Nightmare a little warily. She found herself wondering if, when struck by an alicorn, if her little body would hold out and she’d be able to bury a goddess at the center of the earth with her ‘tectonic recoil’.

“Glad to see my son landed such a big fish,” Dazzle nodded her approval with a mischevious smirk.

“Was that a fat joke?!” Nightmare demanded, looking up sharply.

“Are you a fat alicorn?” Dazzle said with a smile and a tilt of her head. “There’s only three so I can’t tell.”

“Not as fat as your swollen head!” Nightmare began to rise angrily.

“Honey!”

“Nightie!”

The two stallions were automatic in their defusing. This was a night for celebration, neither of them had any right to start anything at the dinner table. “Erm, what I meant was, somepony of good quality like yourself,” Dazzle amended. “A good catch.”

“Oh,” Nightmare said, placated. Both mares sat and the meal resumed in contemplative silence. Bandaid and First Aid rolled their eyes in precise unison.

“So Mom,” Bandaid said down the table to her. “What’re you gonna do now that you’re retired? Gonna live the easy life on all your prizes and winnings?”

“Well, I’ve got about a dozen different doctors to see, according to your father. Decades in the octagon and seven foals doesn’t really make merry with your body,” she gestured to herself. Bruises from the fight were starting to show on her ribcage. “But what can you do. Hubby knows best.”

“Especially when he has a medical license and knows where you sleep,” First Aid pushed his little glasses up his nose. Dazzle snorted. “She’s gonna be in physical therapy for a while.”

“And then?” Bandaid asked.

“I dunno, write a book or something. I retired for my health, I’m sure I’ll find a hobby or mentor somepony,” Dazzle said thoughtfully. “I’ve got monies to last the rest of my life. Maybe that Rainbow Dash filly needs a coach.” She touched her chin with a hoof.

“When she gets outta the hospital,” Fireball slurped her noodles with a laugh.

“To Mom!” Bone Break lifted her drink.

“And all her fights!” Stitches amended.

“And all her happiness!” Rug Burn elbowed Stitches.

“And to her good health in the future!” Triage said to make her father happy.

“Cheers!” Candy Crush almost destroyed her glass, smiling embarrassedly when it cracked in her grip. Everypony lifted their drinks to the retired champion. Bandaid and First Aid leaned on either side of the mare of honor, kissing her cheeks. Stitches lifted a camera and started taking pictures.

The party lasted well into the night, plate after plate, story after joke, and merriment all around. Bandaid’s sisters left one at a time when the clock was passing one and two in the morning. When they were all gone, Bandaid went to the restroom.

“So you and Bandaid, huhm?” Dazzle looked over at Nightmare. “Getting along okay? Does he seem happy? He writes me letters, but how has he been?”

Memories of his kidnapping, torture, and recovery flashed across Nightmare’s mind. “Erm,” she said nervously. “As well as one might imagine, when courting a goddess such as I! We are very happy together, I think. He is tender and most precious to me,” she smiled wide as she spoke.

“I heard about his month in the Badlands,” Dazzle set her glass down with such authority that, on the other end of the table, Nightmare’s spoon hopped from her egg-drop soup to her napkin. First Aid remained silent and neutral-faced. “…Want to share?”

“I moved heaven and earth to get him back. My sister and I both,” Nightmare defended.

“Not the first time he’s been kidnapped since he’s gotten involved with you,” Dazzle’s pupils expanded just a bit. Nightmare felt a bit smaller all of a sudden. “Take better care of him, would you?”

“Y-yes, of course.”

“Nightmare, ready to go?” Bandaid said, coming back from the bathroom and giving his parents hugs and kisses goodbye. “Bye Mom! Bye Dad!” He cantered out to the waiting royal carriage.

“Take good care of my son, Princess,” Dazzle said as Nightmare turned to go. “I’d hate to break your pretty face,” she said to the back of her head. Nightmare turned, but the stone-cold octogon champion's stare allowed for no words... not even from she. Her husband offered no respite either, for he nodded in agreement. Their daughters were violent, but their son was precious. The dark alicorn didn’t allow herself the shiver until she’d gotten outside into the cool September air.

“So?” Bandaid said when they were on their way back. “What’d you think of my folks?” he smiled broadly, quite proud the evening had gone so well.

“Delightful!” Nightmare gave him a crooked, fanged smile even he could tell was fake. "Erm... on a side note, Bandaid. Can you do that? What your mother did in the ring? Earth pony magic like that is quite old, I thought it was lost to the ages."

Bandaid touched his chin thoughtfully, "Y'know, I've never tried," he admitted. "It takes pretty heavy precision. Then again I'm not an octogon fighter, so I prolly couldn't do it, no." he laughed a bit. Nightmare let out a sigh of relief.



End of Part 22