After the land of Equestria had been plunged into everlasting night, one unfortunate soul had still held onto hope for their princess’s resurfacing from behind her eclipsed feelings. Is his hope enough to bring back his friend, or is it all in vein ?
Equestria’s altered fate had been set in stone, where all had no choice but to befall their love onto the moon forever, with Celestia finding her new home on a cold isolated rock. The newly appointed usurper queen Nightmare Moon finally had achieved her goal, but at what cost other than that of her most faithful follower. Years had passed and there she would reminisce less and less from the past, keeping up with other leaders from other regions, adapting to their new slang, and holding the devotion of her subjects. As the years had passed however, so did the resolve of her most faithful follower. Now after so many years, would one’s resolve overcome mountains full of doubt and sorrow ? Would only one ponies faith be enough for many years of internal conflict to crack the mask and find light within, or would it just be all for not ?
The queen of the night stood from her bed from an uneasy rest, nightmares had no place for her mind, she conquered and even ruled them. Yet she had one of her own now, after a thousand years she finally found herself in shock. Her jet black coat felt the rushing cold winds from her extravagant night flow throughout her body, from the bottom of her hooves to her glittered starry mane. The night sky, it still was there, still above the land of Equestria even after her rest, yet she found fear, that maybe her eternal night sky could be taken away forever the next time she awakened. Interestingly, the ponies and other races used their internal clocks to regulate their waking and resting times, but the difficulty of finding out clearly the exact time it was, was all up to the clockmakers and Nightmare Moon herself. Although alone, she spoke inward gazing toward her moon, hoping the voice she was looking for would answer, to either mock who she has become, or be as confused of being in confusion and fear.
“Hath thou shown me a sign ?” She looked outward to see the moon staring back at her, uneclipsed and unwavering like every night. The four stars that accompanied around it, the stars of destiny she had named them, glimmered unchanging such as all the others. Just as she thought she would hear the voice she was hoping for, something else had interrupted.
“Who are you trying to talk to, mother ?”, much to her dismay, that voice was replaced with one of her own creation, the Tantabus. Though it was an intangible being to the rest of the world, its form still stood in front of her alone. The queen had come up with many of theories to explain why she could see her creation so vividly without nearing the dream world, either from dawning her helm and instantaneously having the ability to manifest her own creature mentally, or prolonged exposure to wearing her helm, or just her dark magic finally catching up to her. Nevertheless, the queen knew she had no way to deter their dialogue now.
“Tantabus, must I keep reminding thou art not your mother. Thou creator, yes. Thine mother, not at all.” She had reminded her creature almost more than that of the stars in the sky, yet that didn’t deter the creature from continuing this blind act of stupidity.
“Although you’re persistence is still much to admire, you are my mother. Now, what troubles you? You barely ever wake up in the middle of our wondrous eternal night in such a frenzy. If you had thought our prisoner escaped, well if she did escape, she’d be taking my job of being your personal one and only fear keeper.” the Tantabus laughed ethereally from her mind.
“Might I remind you, thy creator can always taketh away the gift of such existence? If thou art done taunting and prodding, I shall speak of the sign that drove us away from thy slumber. ” Agitation could clearly be heard from the queen, wanting to get straight to the point instead of small talking all night.
“Well, what are you waiting for ? Tell me, I was terrorizing a nearby village's dreams, so I need to be back their quick and keep up the carnage.”
“Not the foals this time, right ?” Nightmare Moon gave a stern look toward the Tantabus, her cold cyan slits, ones of recollection and anger, staring into the Tantabus’ soul for what they pulled out from the past.
“No, I learned my lesson from that one. Never harming a foal again psychologically or physically.”
“Thou saw a vision of one of our Lunar Guards, a strong stallion yet small for his size to fit our standard height requirement.”
“You think it may just be a colt? Maybe a foal? Mother, did you have a secret somepony hidden away in those memories of yours you aren’t sharing with me? Might it be that old crush of yours had wormed into your mind?” The Tantabus eagerly teased giddily.
“T-THOU HASETH PARTAKEN IN NO SUCH RELATIONS WITH ANOTHER !” The boom of the queen's mental Canterlot voice shocked the Tantabus from the physical standing quadruped next to her, laid flat on the ground like ink messily splattered onto a clean piece of parchment and canvas, that parchment being the floor. “T-Thou’s relationship hath no other pony to be in our vicinity, neither the time to find that of a suiter. Only servants, guards, and peasants come to me, and they barely ever have any relevance to thou.” She sighed in a feeling of both loneliness and slight embarrassment at the resurfacing of that ‘old crush’ her creation relayed to herself.
After a short moment, the Tantabus rose back from the floor comically shaking its head from the booming and becoming uniform, returning to its natural state. “I keep forgetting about your royal yell, really going to keep our minds ringing for a while now aren’t you.” The imaginary body of inky likeness put its forehooves to its head, again comically making a small swirling head motion.
The alicorn sighed again, the embarrassment left from her body and mind, only focused on that lonely aching at her heart. “Arth thou really doing the right thing? Many now appreciate our night, yet they stare at us still with fear in their hearts. We hath done so much to earn any love to our night sky, maybe we should-” before she could finish her thought, the Tantabus stood in front of her with an angered expression. Although it obeyed comedic effects, it stood in thin air this time staring deep into the queen's cyan eyes.
“Mother, do I sense a small hint of weakness in your thoughts? Maybe, I should take over your responsibilities for a while again, to make sure that thinking stays just a distant thought, like the name you threw away.” The tone of the room had shifted severely in the Tantabus favor, from comical annoyance to struck nerve filled rage.
Nightmare Moon groaned in defeat and offered her revised thoughts rather than arguing the matter. “No Tantabus, you need not do such a thing, nor remind me of that pitiful name. That name stays dead, as well as the pony that was once connected to that name, we only feel as though our rule is dull. There must be something to excite our rule, to show our subjects that we deserve love as well.”
That answer seemed to quell the anger that would’ve been unleashed from her entitled “child” so to speak, and got an idea from such a revision. “How about a royal guard contest? Other ponies could sign up to see if they could make it into our ranks like old times!” The Tantabus let out a burst of cheerfulness and held a chaotic inky smile, prancing around in midair for a while till comedically falling to the ground with a loud mental splat being heard by only the queen herself.
“Very well Tantabus, enough with your games for tonight.” The jet black mare yawned to her ethereal shadow calmly. “We shall see each other another waking night, correct ?”
“Only if you want me to be mother! Good night, as always.” The Tantabus chuckled at the pun, and then after disappeared, of course going back to its duty of terrorizing the grown mares and stallions, never the colts and fillies as Nightmare Moon kept reminding her.
As Nightmare Moon trotted back to her bed, she took the time to realign her sights to the four stars, and as she kept her gaze toward them all, she saw the stars all pulse at once, a rare sight, a rare sign. When all four stars were to shine at the same time, a wish would always come true rather than taking a chance at a shooting star. She shut her eyes prematurely on instinct rather than on command, as if to be obeying an old habit. Waiting a few minutes, she finally heard a long awaited voice of a pony lost from long ago, a voice that came from her own muzzle.
“I wish that things could go back to the way they used to be, to see my sister, to feel the warm sun, to feel love for my night.”
Nightmare Moon looked back to the stars as she opened her eyes, they all shone desynchronized from one another like they used to. She finally leapt back into her comfortable bed, her body and mind falling out into a deep slumber a second time.
It was morning, or should’ve been morning for the ponies that woke up afterward if the moon would’ve moved. Alas, it stayed in place just like every 24 hour cycle, never the day yet always the night. Though it may have seemed like another day in Equestria, the appearance of the Lunar Knights would’ve offered a different story, along with what they were posting around every street corner, light fixture, and billboard. A flier that read as so,
“Come one, come all to the Castle of our majestic ruler to test your strength, speed, smarts, and skills to earn extravagant rewards before our rulers glorious eyes. Bits, Treasure, Jewels, galore are promised for those that come close to winning. For the luckiest winner however, have a free position as our queen’s personal Knight without any need to pay or pass commonly necessary exams. Food and Refreshments will be provided for the event along with other festivities of the night. This event will take place on the day of the Equestria Games, for these are games for those with bravery and ambition. All races are welcome to bask in the Glory of the Night and the Stars they carry. All praise our rightful ruler, Queen Nightmare Moon.”
Many of the ponies either grew disgusted, sickened expressions at the gesture of playing the parts of fools led to a clear slaughter for entertainment. Others held eyes only filled by greed and fame of such a chance to be praised and wealthy. Although many found the fliers and either started burning them as some way to remember some resemblance of the sun, or running to start training themselves and read up on advanced magics, a small hooded figure took one of the fliers with a white magic aura. After reading it fully, realizing there wasn’t any age requirement or time to waste, the hooded figure spread their wings behind a nearby alley, and flew off out of sight.
Time had passed after the fliers were posted, giving enough prep time for the participants of the event that seemed to have glory in the eyes of the moon and its queen. Small vendors of food and little games were outside of the castle of the twin sisters small accompanying arena for those that only came to grab small, carnivalesque prizes, but those that went into the arena were in it for the bigger prizes. The lands subjects were split into three visible ques, the first and second ques were for the ponies to sit either at the far left or far right seats to view the ironic form of entertainment, funneling into the arenas major numbers. The third line however was purely for the competitors, the ones that cared to take up the name of glory or for the sin of greed.
The line led under the stadium to the barracks below where numerous pieces of armor and weapons were at their disposal, yet many used their own homemade weapons to use against their competition. Lunar guards kept watch over those that entered, making them sign a completely unnecessary waiver for acknowledging whatever damage they take in battle is their fault and will be entitled to, being laughed at, being sent to the closest mortuary or hospital, and such. Those that signed the waiver were also given a second sheet of paper to fill out the basic name, age, gender, race, cutie mark, and address of the participants to keep track of their records. Although it was given, the guards did say it was optional to fill out, thankfully a hooded figure that walked past the guards took advantage of its optionality and instead denied the second form, opting out to have been assigned a number for their call out.
The competitors waited underground for their names to be called out to start the tournament, the mixed yells of cheers and oppositions heard from above ground. Groups of unicorns were still studying their spell tomes and picking up standard weaponry to use their magic. Flocks of pegasi stretching their wings and chose simpler weapons that were lightweight, some daredevils using wing blades that could cleave clouds into perfect shape. Herds of earth ponies came around and chose heavy weaponry such as hammers to swing and copper hoof plates to have a harder swing. Griffons were taking up two weapons at a time to intimidate some of the ponies of the competition, only being the second best fliers in equestria. Yet, nothing compared to the intimidation tactics of the dragons that signed up, holding arrays of weaponry with no trouble at all, the addition to breathing fire, and born with the most durable scales raised them as the highest on the power scale. All these opponents, so intimidating and stronger than any could imagine, yet the hooded figure sat on a bench on their haunches, back legs hanging out in front of their veiled form.
“Hey! Look at the silent shorty over here, aren’t you a bit too young for this type of shit?” There at that point did a single griffon’s taunting caused the whole of the armory to stare at that one pony. Many looked at the griffon and the hooded pony, unanimously agreeing that they were strangely short to compete.
“Hey! Say somethin’ you fuckin’ brat! You’re probably scared aren’t ya?” A dragon added in, “Scared to see how outmatched and out classed you are? Best just to give up before you get beat back to your mom and dad.” The rest of those that were in the barracks started to let out the most mocking laughs imaginable, all aimed at the short silent hooded pony, the whole time though, they did not engage. “Maybe we should cut down the competition by one less potential nuisance right guys!” The whole of the barracks were completely filled with the chants and cheers of death before the main event, the griffon and dragon holding weapons at the ready without a second thought. Both of the aggressors were immediately caught off by the sounding of the loud trumpets that signaled the first act of the tournament. “Fuck. I guess we’ll be forced to see how terribly you place after all. You got lucky punk, but not lucky enough.”
The room completely spun around, staring at the iron gates finally opening. Lunar guards escorting all participants out onto the arena's circle were met by the mixed reactions to the fighters, blending together in a whirlwind of all voices combining to form aggressive neutrality in a crowd. Guards along the perimeter of the arena were tasked for clean up, along with pegasi tasked to attack any that disturbed the fight in any unfair manner. After a few minutes, trumpets blew for the second time to reveal the one that organized this event of clashing races, the one that had kept the moon from moving an inch from the skies, the queen of the night herself, Nightmare Moon. The spectators stood silent as she stood tall above her subjects, even if rejecting her rule she was a ruler nonetheless. Were it a choice between Chrysalis or her, then they would rather take their present situation to the rule of the changelings.
“My loyal subjects of Equestria, I, your queen Nightmare Moon, welcome all to The Nightmare Games!” Half the crowd yelled out in cheers praising her entrance to get the show on, while the other half sat silent in anger and disgust. “Tonight, you shall either gain righteous glory over those who stand as your opponents, or be humiliated by your peers from your defeat! The rules are simple to restate from, if there is any form of trickery, unfair conduct, or stray idiotic attempts to attack your ruler or any unparticipating spectators, these offenses will be punishable by imprisonment or death from the severity of your stupidity. The first event consists of all participants to battle in a free for all, the last six survivors shall fill the brackets, and become closer to your ultimate prize. That being said, let your Nightmares come to life!” She stomped her hoof to the ground in her high placement, the crack of power making the Lunar guards signal another trumpet song, sounding off the start of the games.
“Mother!” a whinny disheartening voice arose from the Queen's side. “Did you forget to invite me to the games? The mean guards didn’t let me in without a ticket.” Of course the Tantabus had to make up fake scenarios when only she could see her, ironic how such a mental construct could joke about participating in a physical event the queen had thought.
“Of course, my apologies Tantabus. Although, thy expected thou to remember their own idea. I see a grandiose night ahead, and a similar grandiose event to all who have come to see.” Her majesty whispered optimistically.
“I am very busy terrorizing ponies of the night for your important duties as Queen. Serving ponies in their waking hours sounds boring anyways.” It says with an upside down stature. “So, who’re we betting on to win the grand prize ?”
The queen sat on her throne, spectating the contestants with her cold cyan slit eyes. The dragon with the large ego looked to be the strongest of them, the griffon was easily the most balanced yet fast, a certain unicorn seemed the most skilled in magic, the decision was hard to make. For seeing each race being in the arena all at once waving at the appraisers, there was one that had no reaction to the cheering and booing, the small one in the hood. It had that look, or lack of a visible look, that it would be the underdog, the black sheep, the many many other metaphors that excluded that one suspicious and unsuspecting being of no importance having the most promising results.
“Thou hath chosen the one in the hood.” Her hoof decorated with a clear polished silver hoof piece, the moon's glow reflecting a beautiful shine from it.
The Tantabus stood confused as to why she had bet on a weakling gaining the upper hoof from a dragon, griffon, and ponies that looked tough enough to squash the competition. “Um, why him? The little shrimp won’t make it past round 1.”
“Thy did not specify age, but as they say nowadays, I just have a hunch.”
The Tantabus had a strange look on its ethereal face, of course it stood blank yet the expression it gave was that of a stern agitated look at the queen of the night. “If you say so, but I’m betting on a winner, mainly the dragonborn. Durable, strong, and can fly, in all three categories he looks like a beast, of course he is a beast. So now, to the exciting part, what we’re betting.” The Tantabus smirked a toothy grin, its teeth an ineffable mix of milky stone, she continued issuing her first bet, “If you lose, then I get to take over your body, along with the terrorization of a few fillies.”
The queen gave her extraterrestrial mental creation a face of pure unnerved agitation, and gave her end of the bet. “If thy are victorious, placing thy faith in the hooded one, I get to speak to Luna-” before she could finish, her creation was instantly filled with unending rage, cracking the stone wall encasing their private seating. She continued again, ignoring her imaginary friend, “-and I will release the sun for a day.” That again set it off in anger, only a small piece of restraint keeping it back from the unimaginable things it wanted to do to teach her a lesson.
“You have too much confidence in this little fool, as if you’re trying to conspire against our victory. What foalish game do you play mother?”
In a professional plea for explanation, Nightmare Moon spoke. “If they desire sunlight, we shall only tease them as much. They will only see the first ray of dawn, and the last ray of dusk, never being able to gain the satisfaction of the full experience.”
It seemed to calm her metal cognition a bit, “And for you speaking to that of the dead ?”
“To see the reaction of such a broken mare, would put a bigger smile on my face.” She planned for these responses in truth, yet accomplishing that in reality was a different story. Seeing its demeanor change to a somewhat calm state made her own state of mind become calm.
“Yes, of course. Why wouldn’t I think of that?”
“Dream jumping becoming too much for thy to handle?” The queen smugly commented.
“As if. You created me to do so without any stamina, so there isn’t any boredom or exhaustion to speak of.”
“Of course.”
The first act of the tournament started underway, the races of all clans had to clash in a vicious free-for-all. Fire spewed immediately from dragons that wanted to kill of the competition easily, spells fired from unicorns that balanced their defense and offense, blood flew from most that were brutally wounded, and screams of those that had fallen out of the arena’s ring were promptly labeled losers of the tournament getting actively kicked out without a reward, or carried off from the rules of the waver. In the center of the ring, the ever so confident dragon and griffon were taking the competition by storm, scorching and tearing flesh from multiple targets. The screams didn’t deter them from their task though, the task of simple victory, with casualties resulting in their imaginary scoreboard rising higher and higher.
The griffon and dragon were back to back, counting their kills like wildlife hunters stalking the hundreds of weaker prey in a stampede of color, feathers, and pure bloody carnage. The griffon smirked, “Well, do you see the shorty anywhere? I counted fifteen kills and none of them were the kid.”
The dragon replied in dumbfounded arrogance, “Fifteen? I thought griffons were good at combat, meanwhile I’m at twenty-one. I didn’t get a hit on the kid either though, so we’re both waiting for the jackpot to show up.”
His feathers beat from his skills not holding up like he thought they would, “You think the kid is worth ten kills, or twenty?”
The dragon spurted out, “If anyone other than me kills the kid, I’ll let everyone in the barracks know I’m-” Suddenly, out of the commotion, the silhouette of a small hooded figure started trotting toward them and from under their noses. “Well well well, guess we don’t need to hear the last part of my bet, cause I’m the one that’s gonna win this !” The dragon took the opportunity to lay a strong fiery burst on the tiny figure that once stood in front of the red scaly creature, if only that figure wasn’t still standing. Attracting the attention of the griffon behind the once confident dragon, now wishing their birth was completely halted. The small statured figure lifted its head, the show of dark glowing eyes from behind its shadowy veil. It hovered into the air, carrying both the cocky dragon and his griffon ally with a force that couldn’t be broken. After fear had been fully instilled in the two unworthy opponents, the force that held them in the air had suddenly flung them both into the nearby arena walls with great force, ending their chance at victory for life.
Almost hundreds of competitors had entered the ring in the pursuit of glory and greed, but when the dust had cleared, all that was left were six contestants each from a different equestrian race. Nightmare Moon stomped her hoof to end the first act and give her decree. “You who have survived long enough shall endure your opponents in formal combat after a quick recess. Rest thyselves and take up arms in your waking hours.”
With that they all bowed their heads and retired to the barrack chambers. The watchers of the arena also making their way wherever they could to gain rest, even if it was outside of the arena’s walls in a tent to get the best seating arrangement possible for tomorrow. In the barracks, the lunar guards escorted each of the six remaining contestants to six independent rooms, there would’ve been more if all the races were involved, however the Yaks and Hippogriffs still shunned away from the queen's rule, hidden away effectively. The six entered for their resting hours, a strange way to say sleep with no sun, ‘waking hours’ and ‘resting hours’ sounded the most understandable to the rest of Equestria at this point. Still astounding how none of the vegetation had died off by now. In the depths of the night, the hooded contestant made their way out of their room, with Lunar guards already holding weaponry at the small figure. They stood still, holding a paper in their mouth, it read. “Which way to the restroom?”
We arrive again on Equestria’s hindered morning, Nightmare Moon freshly trotting out from her warm waking shower, her dark navy coat fully wet with droplets of stray water landing on her brilliantly shiny floor. Her magic was actively holding a towel to slowly dry and soak the extra struggling liquid to escape into a dry trap, the feeling of a soft custom-made towel felt way better than the instant drying magic that she could effortlessly generate, she’d rather have some form of comfort other than her bed to use. Besides, even evil knows not to use a bed to dry off on, that’s just pure insanity and stupidity, and why would she sleep on a wet bed, it’s just uncomfortable and wrong. She eyed herself in a mirror, her mane still eternally flowy, her eyes still slit and glossy, and her one of a kind so called “daughter” behind her head with pristine white glowing eyes following in suit with slimy white saliva.
“Tantabus, to what do I owe the pleasure.”, Her majesties tone unwaveringly unsurprised.
“Were you scared mom? Tell me honestly.” The ineffably ethereal creature wiping off the foam comically off where presumably her mouth was.
“I was close to being scared, although the cosmic sludge is a new touch.” Her returned sarcasm had no intention of holding back from its obviousness, along with her not holding back a toothbrush from her muzzle, brushing vigorously.
“Oh it was nothing really, just the trillions of unspeakable horrors taking their physical form inside of a liquidy ball. Nothing really that out there.” The sludgy creature scooping up the white sludgy material, slurping the “ball of horrors” like a milkshake. “So, the mini figurine survived the first round. Are you proud of their resilience or your strange foresight?”
The queen took a simple swig of tap water, spitting every piece of foamy toothpaste out of her mouth, wiping her muzzle with the same towel after her full body drying, and responded promptly in her cold calm demeanor. “Pride is a chain that could be clutched from under ones own cockiness. I for one, am only seeing if the most unprecedented and unpredictable could also be the most victorious.”
“That isn’t what I think you are planning, but I know you wouldn’t lie to me mother. Why would you need me to rant about my ideas when I can simply find out the result at the end of the games though? Even though we’re mentally connected, I’d rather give your the privacy of mind no matter how...tempting it may seem.” The Tantabus dared to dream of pushing her limits to the full on her mother, but all she was rewarded with was the metal regalia set piece by piece on the navy blue coat of her mother.
“I acknowledge the fact of the temptation Tantabus, but why spoil the cake with sugar when the guests aren't near. Isn't it best to save the surprise for everyone to witness at once ?" The jet navy mare dawned her helm, fixing her regalia to a comfortable setting on her torso. "Besides, I cannot be sure of what you talk of. I do not see the future, nor can anyone else now could they?"
A knock on the queens door had echoed in the room startling her from her mirror talk. She pranced to the entrance of her quarters and opened the door to find one of her royal guards, sporting a cyan blue coat and a buzzed rainbow mane in the form of a mohawk. Her magenta eyes could be recognized from their fierce color contrast, and popular recognition from those beyond the fourth wall. Lieutenant Rainbow Dash of the Shadow Bolts division, and her fastest protector by far, better than that Flash guy that barely ever showed up to duty. "Your highness." She bowed with her wings lowered but full, showing unwavering loyalty to her superior as she should.
"Arise Lieutenant Dash, explain the meaning of your sudden arrival ?" Her voice was just, calm yet had the potential to be forceful if the wrong answer was given, like that of an assault. Assassins tried their best to bring her close to deaths door more than once, the previous chef, the strange dentist, even a spectator of the last Nightmare Games had tried a frontal assault. They all failed in their attempts at poisoning, physical injury, and sudden idiocy, but the queen could never be too cautious with her subjects, or with toothpaste.
"Forgive me for my sudden presence," the lieutenant began in earnest, "but the brackets for the opponents are yet to be decided. We have tried to make fair and worthy matches for each contestant during your resting hours, yet every time we do dutifully there is some disagreement between the rest of the council. Since the contestants are still at rest as we speak, we would like to request your preferred matches for the remaining six your excellence."
The queen had nodded in her approval of the circumstances given, and followed her guard to the awaiting council. From their trot, she had noticed her lavender flowers had wilted from their usage, yet to be replaced with freshly picked ones. "The lavender needs replacing Lieutenant. Should I assume my seamstress has also attended the council without permission again ?" An annoyed but less fierce face plastered on the queen of the night.
Dash sighed in response to the more than likely assumption, "Yes your highness. We had told her kindly to keep out from official business, but her insistence only slowed the status of an official answer for the placements of the contestants, to where I had to ask for your gracious intervention without notice."
"You are pardoned. Your loyalty to me, your Queen, have only proven your loyalty more for requesting my aid in such a time of need, rather than try to usurp power from the council and take up command. Very honorable and commendable." The praise built Dash's confidence without the mare noticing, thankfully not showing to much of her enthusiasm.
"Thank you your majesty, your compliments are always filled with a gracious welcoming." As they had trotted forward, the once quiet halls started to hold the bickering of aggressive ponies hitting their hooves to the floor and wooden cider mugs splashing against the walls of the room they finally stood across from. "The court hearing is being held here." The last bit of her thought was mistakenly unrestrained and flew out without warning, "I bet ten bits, that the seamstress is still arguing with the commander."
"Lieutenant Dash, I would never take such insolence from you to disrespect even someone as important as my seamstress." A few seconds of silence and a stiff looking Rainbow Dash trying to find the words to apologize with, and the alicorn mare spoke with humor. "Make the bet twenty bits." With that, Dash's jaw dropped mentally while she physically sighed in praise for her queens humor.
The doors to the court open instantly, revealing the sight of a room in total disarray and audible chaos. Tankards of cider were spilled everywhere, a few ponies were eating popcorn and laying back without seeing their ruler behind them, watching the main event of two feuding ponies kept going at it without any restraint.
"You've gotta be fuckin' jokin'." a bright orange coated mare with a cowboy hat and a country accent kept an aggressive tone to a continuing argument, "The dragon should take on the midget and get rid of them to have a chance to take on the other opponents! Get rid of the squirt and have an actual battle!"
A retorted remark from another mare, grey in her coat wearing a gothic torn looking vest with her mane and tail in a purple bun. "I fully disagree! The audience clearly wants a match worth remembering, so they must find entertainment in the magic of a proper duel between a unicorn!"
"And I demand SILENCE!" The queen had finally made herself present in the audience with the royal shout. The guards who were laid back and uncaring, stood at the ready fixing their uniforms in a swift manor. The other two court ponies had stood silent, their backs instantly straightening like quick set stone. "Commander Applejack, seamstress Rarity, your unprofessionalism is undoubtedly unpleasant to say the least, and to the rest of these guards. Your duties are now doubled, starting with the full restoration and cleanliness of this room!"
"Yes our mistress! May the night reign supreme!" At that point, the guards started cleaning up like it was a do or die situation, with Lieutenant Dash passing her majesty twenty gold bits in full. The rest of the guards rushed out the chamber without a second thought to hurry back to their stations, or doing other tasks around the castle.
"Now, from what I've been informed of, the bracket for my remaining competitors remains undetermined. I demand an honest answer and if I do not have one I shall not hold back an appropriate punishment."
"Oh your majesty." the seamstress started. "I can tell you exactly what had caused this troublesome commotion to take place-" but was cut off by her opposing rival, an orange earth pony mare in a cowboy hat. Standard guards with proper armor would be condemned from wearing anything else from their standard equipment, but this one was special due to fighting every guard at once on her recruitment day with nothing but a lasso, because her hat was demanded to be thrown to the nearest trash bin. It made her instantly jump from rookie to sergeant for her strength and will power alone, instantly gaining respect among the guards and of course Nightmare Moon herself.
"Yur majesty. Forgive me for intervening her ramblin, but in all honesty we were just startin' to pair up the victors from last nights rangle by studyin' their entry forms. Well, that was the case until Rares over there made her rounds to this space. She pranced in 'ere when we brung up the short stack goin' by the number '4' with what that their form says. She started blaberin' 'bout how unfair it would be to put someone so small up against a real challenge."
The seamstress revolted in a pompous regal retort, "You were putting the poor thing up against a grown dragon challenger Applejack, at least my suggestion for pairing up the little twerp against a unicorn is more fairly balanced, and better than what Rainbow had come up with."
The rainbow maned mare beside the mistress of the night took no hesitation on responding to the white mare that roped her into this chat. "Putting that small fry up against a griffon is a challenge that meets straight in the middle for both of your suggestions, and way better than just a magic duel or strength stand off, but the rush of a real battle where speed is unpredictable and free to factor into the flashiness of a battle."
It only took the third line of dialogue from the mare to return the council to a state of unrestrained aggression again, showing their true emotion leading their actions without their ruler standing tall literally right next to them all. The mistress of the night however, hated the ignorance of her subjects surprisingly instantaneous attention span loss, and used her royal shout again to regain the attention of her subjects. "Enough! Your insolence drives me to the conclusion of lowering your ranks or fully stripping them if you all do not shut it!" That was all she needed to get their full undivided attention back to the mystic mare of the night, a cold sweat immediately dripping down their hides.
"We're sorry for our ignorance our Queen." Rainbow and Rarity both bowed in a frightened manor, fear being the only expression they knew, excluding Applejack who had no visible fear.
Nightmare Moon kept herself from an inevitable face hoof and breathed a sigh of dissatisfaction. "At ease." She returned from a laid back posture to a stern stoic form. She'd wasted enough time with her half brained council shenanigans, it was time to return to business. "So, the remaining opponents are the traditional three pony races, a griffon, a dragon, and our mysterious short contender. I see the possibilities of this decision are strongly weighed in favor of seeing our concealed character fall to a far more skilled opponent than expected. Unicorns are powerful when their magic is skillfully crafted in their own unique ways, pegasi are their most powerful when the winds are at their sides to make various aerial maneuvers, and earth ponies are naturally powerful due to their close bond with the planets naturally produced magic. Our foreign competitors, the griffon and dragon both are powerful in land and sky, but one is clearly the stronger of the two can only use brute force, the other is more adaptable and we can presume less cocky than our draconic competitor. We know very little about our visitors from other lands, but tales and rumors do sound from others mouths that dragonkin seem very arrogant."
"My decision has been made, and my choice is clear. The matches will be as follows..."
