Short Shorts

by Coranth

168. Moon

The Mane Six had expected to fight Nightmare Moon at the old Castle of the Royal Pony Sisters.

They had expected to fight an Alicorn Mare of supreme power and stature.

They had expected to see a wicked mare of darkness emerging from ruins crumbling due to old age and disuse.

Instead...

The being whom emerged from the Castle was an Alicorn Mare of Darkness to be sure... but she was thin, frail, fragile - as if a breeze might knock her over - and to her dismay - Twilight made to suppress a gasp as she realized that the mare they faced was blind!

The Mane Six... didn't know what to do.

The Alicorn Mare, however, did. A gentle, closed-mouth smile adorning her muzzle, the thin, willowy mare sniffed the air and then - though she stared through the six ponies - Nightmare Moon's ears pricked forwards as she softly, delightedly cried, "Oh! Visitors! Would you like to see my Garden? Come, follow!"

The Mane Six, bewildered, did so, noting that much of the old Castle had been painstakingly repaired, piece by piece, stone by stone. Though frail and blind, Nightmare Moon was sure of step and light of hoof. "I must apologize for the state of my home," she spoke gently as she led the ponies through to where the Royal Garden lay. "Much of it has fallen into disrepair, but I will soon see it right. Ah, we have arrived..."

The Mane Six expected to see a garden wild with overgrowth, weeds, and rotten things. Instead, the colossal garden was rich with health and life, its main centerpiece being incredible statues of topiary. Applejack took off her hat in respect; she knew hard work when she saw it. Rarity swooned, having never seen something more beautiful in her life. Cut from planted hedges - an image locked forever in time - two Alicorns embraced, as around them ponies of all ages and sizes frolicked, 'guarded' by powerful topiary stallion-guards.

Rarity's eyes teared up as she beheld flowers of all colours, Twilight's eyes widened upon seeing rare herbs, and Fluttershy marveled at the rare animals that called this sanctuary home. Applejack nodded as she surveyed fruit trees with a critical eye, and even Rainbow was impressed with the riot of colour the great garden presented. As the Mane Six followed after Nightmare Moon, they soon came to realize that the dark mare wasn't even paying attention to them anymore; she was off in her own world as she used her magic to tend to the garden, with a snip here, or a prune there...

Until she stopped, suddenly, and sniffed the air. "It is all right," she called softly, as if speaking to a frightened animal, "you can come out. I will not hurt you." It was then that Celestia appeared, the white alicorn's eyes filled with tears, having followed the Mane Six that she might protect them, and having seen the garden with her own eyes. "L-Luna?" she stuttered.

Boldly, Nightmare Moon walked right up to Celestia and then - before the Mane Six, or Celestia herself, thought to stop her - the dark mare openly sniffed Celestia. "I... I recognize your scent," stated Moon softly with childlike wonder, "you smell like a mare I once knew, a long time ago. Her name was Celestia, and she was my sister. I thought her the most wonderful mare in the world!" Now poor Celestia was stunned, as Nightmare Moon - if she even was Nightmare Moon anymore - didn't seem to recognize her!

"Lulu," Celestia sniffled as she tried again, "it is me; it's your sister, Celly..."

At her words, Nightmare Moon's face lit up with joy! "Celly!" she cried, bunting Celestia with her muzzle. "Where have you been? Why is the Castle in such a state? Oh," now the dark mare wrung her hooves, "Mother and Father will be so worried! Who are these ponies with you? Are they new friends for us to play with?!" On and on, Nightmare Moon peppered her sister with questions as she ushered Celestia and a thoroughly confused Mane Six back into the Castle and into her newly repaired room.

Deep inside, Celestia despaired, her heart wrenching painfully as she realized that her sister had not only been rendered blind, but that she had also lost so many memories...

Author's Note:

Inspired by this, the scene of Edward in the Garden.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrCzKQUKj3k

(Imagines a lonely Nightmare Moon tending her garden and making ice statues of her sister and the Mane Six) .... oh dear, tears...

Comments

[Officer Hotpants]

Ouch. That's one way to fix madness, I suppose.

[ninjanaut1000]

if only we had the ability to like individual chapters alongside the story as a whole. cuz i would like the shit out of a few of these shorts.