Nighttime Harmoniesby BelgerumChaptersChapter 1: PreludeChapter 2: AdagioChapter 3: AllegroChapter 1: Prelude“I’m sorry this had to fall upon you, Octavia, but it had to be done. I wish you luck, and pray you will be successful.” Those were the final words Octavia heard from anypony before she was sent away from her home in Canterlot to a place where very few had ever ventured. They echoed through her head as she felt herself falling through space towards the night sky above her, a brilliant magical aura propelling her upwards. The stars looked so close, and Equestria so far. It felt almost wrong for the grey pony to see the land she had held dear and close to her heart fall away, as the menacing darkness of the unknown swallowed her up into it’s dark embrace The pale moon grew larger and larger, no longer outshining the stars as a simple shape in the sky, but as a full landscape of grey matter, quickly approaching as Octavia fell towards it. The colorful globe of green and blue now took it’s place as the secondary object in the heavens, a distant point to look upon, but not return to. The pony braced herself as the sun’s light grew dimmer, it’s edges slowly being eaten away by the edges of the massive world she was approaching. Darkness came... and soon enough, she could see nothing but the magic surrounding her, propelling her figure into the shadows, towards the place that would be soon be her home, and towards the only pony, mysterious as she was, that could possibly hear her screams as she fell into the darkness. ~N~ Nightmare Moon looked up to the starry sky, and sighed. Her most recent visitor, apparently appointed by the sister she so despised, had died of old age a few months back, so now it was yet another day in the lonesome void, gazing into nothingness, and pondering the coming days with Luna. The two mares, though locked together in the same mind, still spoke every so often, but she could tell the mare within had grown more distant. It pained her that this had been their fate, to be trapped for so long on this desolate landscape. She'd never thought Celestia would have done something like this, despite her past actions. When she and Luna had acted, they did it under the assumption that they would either win or die, not be sent off to some space rock to suffer a millennia of loneliness. The visitors helped somewhat, but they were never enough to keep loneliness and misery at bay. She felt no real connection to them. Nothing special. Nothing like what she had with Luna... It didn’t help that most of them feared her with a passion, for she was even known as a 'nightmare'. They all could not see through this false premise and see that Luna was kind, caring, and even meek at some times, and while Nightmare was cold, vicious, and cruel, she craved company and social interaction, and could feel the chilling loneliness of solitude just as much as anypony. They never would not be dissuaded from these thoughts, and since Luna had opted to spend the majority of time locked inside the very back of her mind, the only pony they could see in this alicorn body was the one they feared and hated. Suffice to say, it didn’t work out well at all. A small glint of light flickered in the darkness between the stars, as Nightmare sensed the new mare approach the moon. Another visitor. Another inevitable failure... but there was always some hope in her heart. As the light in the distance slowly grew larger, she thought to Luna the same thing she always did upon the arrival of a new ‘friend’ as she caught the mare in a gentle magic grasp, bringing her down to the moons surface below. ‘Maybe this one will be different, sister.’ she spoke inwardly, ‘Maybe this one will make us both happy...’ ~O~ Octavia opened her eyes. After half expecting to find a crater around her spot of impact, Octavia was pleasantly surprised to find that the surface around her was actually quite flat. Her hooves felt the ground about her, feeling the grey surface of the moon,and picking up a few bits and sending them flying as if they were grains of sand on a vast, lunar beach. She sat up, raising her head to look around her, seeing only mountains of grey on all sides, with no signs of anything close to life anywhere. This was to be her home... for who knows how long. The landscape was full of rocks. Lots of them. And dust. The grey landscape was bland, boring, and for a first time visitor, unbearably cold, but if other ponies had survived here, it must be something she could get used to with time. An imposing alicorn mare stood about twenty paces away. Coated in a coat of the darkest black, with ancient armor, glowing with magical power, covering her face, hooves, and much of her body. A long, dark horn glowed in the middle of her forehead, as leathery wings folded themselves at it’s sides, more like those of a bat or dragon than those of a pony. Her mane floated like a mist about her head, filled with shining stars just like the night sky around her. The silent figure wasn’t shivering, or even moving at all. It just looked at her from it’s stance, as if it were expecting some reaction of her. Slowly, Octavia pulled herself to her hooves, feeling bits of grey dust pick up, and fall back down at a fraction of the rate that it would have on Equestria. The silence was almost overwhelming, so as she and the figure faced each other, Octavia spoke her first words from this new, alien world. “Hello, I’m Octavia.” She said. Her words left no echo, and fell dryly into the bland air around her, and quickly dissipated into the darkness. The figure raised a brow, “...Greetings. I am Nightmare Moon, guardian of Luna, sister of Celestia, and ruler of the moon.” The dust around Octavia settled as she continued to stand still, bravely facing the nightmarish alicorn facing her. Guardian of Luna? Weren’t they the same pony? Octavia kept the thought in the back of her mind as she tried to remain calm and polite. “I cannot boast such titles, being a mere earth pony,” She said, “but I am here nonetheless. It is an honor to meet you.” “An... honor. Yes, it is. Finally somepony acknowledges such.” She stood tall, raising up her head, horn pointed toward the world above. “...” Octavia remained Silent for a few moments longer afterwards. This Alicorn was very much higher than her in class. Magical prowess beyond any other, and the ability to fly... Those were powers Octavia could only wish and dream that she had. Not sure how to proceed in fear that she might offend this goddess of shadows before her, Octavia maintained her stature, ready to flee or serve the alicorn, depending on what would happen next. “...” oddly enough, the alicorn was in very much the same position, not knowing what to say, not because she might offend, but because she might frighten the pony away. “Thank you.” She said simply. Octavia was surprised by this reaction herself. She had never expected that Nightmare Moon, whom legends made out to be a villain, might express gratitude to her for merely her presence. Perhaps... things were not as bad as she thought they might be. Still, she remained polite, however, if only to be sure not to ruin the moment. “Anything for one so—” “There is no need for flattery or modesty here. I wish us to be as equals here. It is far easier to hold a decent conversation without that droning ‘I worship you with elegant words to win your favor’ nonsense," Nightmare moon said plainly, as if bored already. "Yes, I am your superior, but we are each others only company, and such things make for naught but meaningless babble.” Surprised once again at Nightmare Moon’s speech, Octavia bowed her head respectfully, acknowledging the request. “As you wish, Nightmare Moon.” She sighed, “So... what makes you different from the others? Why have you not run away? Or even so much as trembled in fear? You don’t bow down deep and kiss my hooves either...” “Well, if you so desire, I might do as such.” The earth pony responded, raising a hoof and waving it across her chest as she lowered her head in an exaggerated, grandiose bow. “No. This is my preference. I just wish other ponies had not acted so...” she trailed, and clicked her tongue, “superficial with myself.” “Very well.” Octavia said simply. With the matter settled, she raised herself from her lowered stance, once again standing up straight, though she still wasn’t nearly as tall or intimidating as the alicorn Princess of the night. “But you never answered my question. Why AREN’T you scared, running, groveling... why did you address me so casually in the first place?” Octavia sighed, looking to the stars, tho only beautiful thing about this place that she could see. She reflected upon Celestia’s words. She had told her to try and be honest and kind, and to tolerate the alicorn... She’d never imagined it might be used in this particular context. “If you must know... I merely thought it would be best not to simply panic right away, considering I am to be stuck here for however much time it will be, with you as my only company. Not the best introduction, screaming is.” “At any rate, I am thankful. I am not sure if, right off the bat, I am prepared to reveal to you the true story of how things played out so long ago. I have a feeling that sick, revolting, tyrant of a leader you ponies have has told some rather convincing, and misleading stories about Luna and I’s past, and why we live up here now.” “I assure you that King Sombra no longer rules in—” “I meant Celestia. Don’t be a dimwit.” That quickly shut Octavia’s mouth. Taking the insult very seriously, she bowed her head apologetically, looking back down at the ground. On the other hand, she never knew anyone to so openly appose Celestia in such a way. To call her sick, and revolting... That was unheard of in Equestria. Thinking logically, Octavia thought out her next response very carefully. “I’m sorry. But surely Celestia isn’t that horrible. She sent me, and other before me, merely to keep you company, correct?” Nightmare Moon was silent for a moment, before sighing, “To keep Luna company. I’m sure...” she trailed, “She doesn’t care about me. She wants me destroyed. She thinks I’m some demon in Luna that makes her do bad things. She doesn’t understand... she doesn’t... she won’t.... GRAH!” in a fit of anger the mare blasted one of the large rocky mountains with a beam of dark energy, causing an explosion of dust particles to fly forth from the center, coating the landscape in more particles, as nothing remained of the peak but a crater now. And that was when Octavia realized that the alicorn before her was not like Celestia at all. Celestia’s presence had been calming, reassuring, and emitted a feeling of security to those around her. The dark power she had just witnessed, the sheer emotional hatred, and the way she spoke about herself... she seemed unstable, like a bomb just waiting to go off. And Octavia knew she would be like a grain of dust, hopeless to resist what explosive power might come forth from her. And so she ran. Across the grey landscape where there was nowhere with any bit of privacy, nowhere she could be free from the grey dust that was settling in her mane, her tail, and her fur, and nowhere where she could ever hide from the goddess of the night, trapped just as she was in this horrid landscape. She missed her cello. She missed her family. She missed her home, and soon, tears streamed from her eyes as she realized that she might never see any of them again. And so she ran through the grey desert of craters and mountains, to nowhere in particular, knowing that no matter what she did, there was no escape now. ~N~ Nightmare Moon suddenly froze, instantly ending her rage as she saw the earth pony flee. She did not chase after the pony, nor not levitate her up and forcefully bring her closer, nor fire magical dark energy bolts to harm her, or do anything to pursue her. This new pony... This 'Octavia' had been one of the only ponies who had been willing to give her a chance to show her true colors, and she had wasted her chance to make a good impression. She wishing now that she could have controlled her temper, and not scared the pony so much that she might flee, but what was done was done. ‘That pony was reasonable... sane... and now she’s running... she’s running away... from me... I... made her run... I...” From deep inside of her mind suddenly came the voice of Luna. Bitterly, she lashed out with her thoughts, adding yet more shame to her actions. “Of course you did. Making ponies run and hide and tremble in fear is all you do! Haven’t you noticed? This is what you are, and this is why we’re here.” And so, that powerful goddess of the night, alicorn of immense power, and ruler of darkness, fell to her knees, and cried. It started as a sniffle, and grew to a trembling whimper, before turning into full, raucous wails, as the alicorn bemoaned her actions. Chapter 2: Adagio~N~ Hours passed quickly for Nightmare Moon, though she couldn’t hope to count them. No clock ticked to keep the time, but yet, it continued to pass by, with no means of measurement. The past years of isolation seemed to make each day, each rotation of the rocky sphere in the sky above Equestria, pass at a sluggish pace. Octavia had still not returned, but Nightmare didn’t necessarily expect her to be so open this soon after her arrival. She had behaved a bit differently than others at their first meeting though, though, so she didn’t know what exactly to expect. There was definitely a lot of potential though. If only she could get the mare to trust her, she likely become a wonderful companion. But at this moment, Nightmare felt horrible. She had gotten carried away, and shown Octavia her true power, unleashed by anger. The pony had just been forced away from her life in Equestria, and to start her new life in such a way must feel horrible for the her. And it only happened because Nightmare Moon couldn’t control her emotions. She was exhausted, hurt, defeated... even Luna, her only true friend for centuries, couldn’t forgive her for her actions. Eyes glued to the surface beneath her, tears dripped from her turquoise eyes to the stony ground below. ‘I’m just as horrible as they say...’ she thought to herself, ‘I really am. Even Celestia can’t—’ Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden pain in the back of her head. “OW! By the night! What was—” Nightmare’s horn glowed for a moment as she rose to her full height, intending to make clear the harsh consequences for the assault of a deity. Her regal horn glowed, illuminating the grey dust of the moon with a eerie blue light as her eyes searched, furiously seeking whatever had dared to interrupt her solitude. A hollow thud sounded as an object hit the ground nearby. After a thorough scan of the area with both vision and magic, to be sure there were no assailants, Nightmare Moon grumbled, cursing herself for her inattentiveness. She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and collecting herself before she did something she’d regret in anger. Hundreds of years on the moon had helped her control her temper somewhat, but she still needed a few moments to herself sometimes. The object that must have hit her had landed in a small crater, the dust from impact now settling on the ground around it. Walking closer and inspecting it, Nightmare saw it seemed to be a brown carrying case. She guessed, and after flipping latches and inspecting the inside, confirmed, that the contents were a musical instrument. She assumed it belonged to the newest visitor, probably sent in her wake by Celestia as an act of 'mercy' on the poor pony who was now trapped with her. So this "Octavia" was a musician. she recognized the instrument as a cello, which, if she remembered correctly, was the second largest of the stringed instruments. It took some talent to play such a large instrument, not to mention a stringed one in general, without the magic of a unicorn. The prospect of such an endeavor being possible for the newest visitor made her feel more respect for the mare than before. Nightmare Moon sighed and picked up the cello in the firm grasp of her telekinesis. She figured it would likely be a good idea take this instrument to its owner, even if the pony didn’t ever want to talk to her again. Nightmare herself knew little about the operation of such an instrument, much less what tunes she might play on it if she did, so it seemed logical to give it to another who could make better use out of it than she. Nightmare galloped into the distance, keeping the object close to her with strands of magic. Her gaze held straight with her head high, her eyes scanned the horizon, searching. The surface of the moon was such a vast space to be searching for her little pony, but she kept on, looking for the mare And she searched not just so she might return to her the one possession the mare might now have access to, but also so she might apologize for her earlier temper, and to try to show the mare the better side of her. ~O~ Octavia lay on the surface of the moon, looking up at the stars, counting the shining dots for the seventeenth time. She couldn’t tell whether it were day or night back in Canterlot, for the moon and Equestria below both seemed to move between the two on their own cycles, but that couldn’t stop her from thinking of home all the same. Her family, friends, and even the few possessions she could call her own were all now caught up in a place that she couldn’t even fathom how far away it was. wiping away her tears, she continued to silently stare at the heavens above, memorizing the locations of all the objects contained within. “Ahem.” Octavia looked up as Nightmare cleared her throat quietly, though that didn’t mean much on the silent landscape of the moon. “I believe this may belong to you. Celestia sent it.” she said, using blue strands of magic to levitate an all-too-familiar case to her side. Octavia wiped away the moisture from her eyes for a second, making herself at least somewhat presentable as she stared at the case, eyes open wide in disbelief. She quickly undid the latches on the side of the case, revealing the polished surface of the musical instrument beneath, the familiar strings, each of a different width and tone, and sleek carvings into a deep resounding wooden chamber. Reaching into the case and pulling the instrument upright, and holding it against her chest. The feel of the instrument on her hooves was so familiar to Octavia, unlike anything else in this harsh world of gray dust. Looking it over to be sure nothing was impaired or broken, she glanced at the ornate emblem carved into the back side of the wooden body. Octavia glanced away quickly, more tears forming. After a moment of easy breathing, she wiped them away, before placing the instrument back in it’s case, hiding the emblem from her sights once more. “Thank you...” She whispered, looking back up at the alicorn. Nightmare sighed, “You are welcome.” She looked down, before mumbling, “I’m sorry about before... I lost my temper, but you should know that I would never do that to somepony like you... I’ve never killed anypony who didn’t deserve it.” Octavia silently shut the cello case, briefly wondering what she meant by ‘deserving it,’ but she pushed the thought out of her head quickly. She resolved to make sure that she didn’t get on this alicorn’s bad side, so that she would never need to find out. “Apology accepted. I’m sorry I brought up such a... troubling topic.” She said in return. bowing her head once again, showing respect and courtesy. The alicorn had shown her a lot more kindness than she’d expected. She didn’t know what her expectations were of a goddess of nightmares and shadows before she came to this place, but, at least for now, it seemed not to be as unpleasant as many might have thought. “You have my word... I shall do nothing to you, so long as you don’t try to,” she spoke through her teeth, “Rid the world of the demonic scourge of Nightmare Moon.” She growled and rolled her eyes. Octavia blinked, then looked away from the alicorn, feeling her fears both assuaged and agitated. Not knowing what else to say, she simply looked back and forth from the ground to the sky, as if expecting something about them to change, to save her from her fate. “What is wrong. Do you not trust me? Am I that hard to put faith in? Has Celestia so corrupted your mind with lies that you cannot fathom that I could be trustworthy?” Octavia felt a sob come from deep in her throat, but she managed to hide it within a forced chuckle. “Oh no, I’m just a little upset by the fact that I’ve been forcibly trapped on a hunk of rock, far away from everything I’ve ever known. Nothing much.” Another sob came, but this time, there was no hiding it as she voiced her own despair. Nightmare walked over and put a hoof on her shoulder, “Octavia... that was your name, you said, right? Do you not realize how lucky you are? Every other chosen one has spent the remainder of their years here, until they died, but didn’t Celestia tell you? It’s our destiny to return together in two years.” Octavia shrugged off the hoof, looking away. “I appreciate the gesture, but... right now I just... need some time to collect my thoughts.” She said, stopping herself from getting too emotional. She felt like refusing the comfort of such a powerful being was wrong, that she might somehow offend her, but it felt so strange to feel the dark hoof on her shoulder, so uncomfortable that the higher being, who she might fear and respect, was stooping so low as to care for a complete stranger. “If you want me to leave you alone, I can.” She said simply. “That would... be nice, thanks.” She said. Nightmare Moon nodded her head in acknowledgement, before pacing off into the grey landscape, disappearing over the crest of a hilltop, leaving Octavia to herself in a bowl of grey dust, with only her cello to keep her company. Octavia stood still for a few minutes, just thinking. Breathing in and out slowly, calming her nerves again. She looked at the case that was lying nearby, knowing that what lay inside was all that she had in this new world to remind her of home, and the only thing left to keep her separate from the dust that surrounded her. The sun shone down upon the backyard of a towering mansion, reflecting on the surface of the large swimming pool. The very tops of other buildings in Canterlot rose above dividing walls, keeping the land of the rich ponies separate. While the space was in the middle of a city, the land was well-kept by magic and servants. Greenery had been planted in this particular area, with even a few trees extending towards the sky, though not nearly as high as the towering royal castle in the distance, or even the buildings nearby. Octavia lazily dipped her hooves into the pool from the edge, as other ponies milled about the space, talking with one another. There was a high-class party going on, and while guests were about, she had to with hold her desire to plunge into the water, and feel the cool liquid relieve her from the sunlight’s warmth. But doing such might ruin the fancy dress her parents had made her wear, and this was a somewhat serious event for them. It simply wouldn’t be proper to do such a thing in the presence of so many others. It would be especially unacceptable for her to do such a thing on her birthday. Coming once a year, the event seemed much like other special events to Octavia. While the day was special mainly for herself, her parents made it an event for all, with a public party for family, friends, and many that Octavia didn’t even know. Sure she received gifts from her parents, and some of her family, but she disliked the formality of events like this, and how she had to restrain herself and behave ‘presentable.’ At the very least though, there was the music. A group of five ponies had been hired to play, all playing differently sized instruments. They played together, the five sounds, each different in their own way, coming across differently in each context, from measure to measure and tune to tune. Octavia liked each of them, taking in the beauty of the sounds they produced. Three of the instruments were fairly similar, being smaller, and held in the same way, with the bow and wooden body drawn over a shoulder. They made higher sounds, and played melodic material amongst themselves. Playing expressively, the players moved along with the sounds, raising eyebrows and tensing muscles as one piece rose to it’s climax, before releasing the tension in both sound and body, letting their arms fall back to more relaxed positions. The last two players seemed very different, however. The instruments were much larger, perhaps even bigger than the ponies themselves. They played along with the first three, though they demanded not nearly as much attention, playing parts that would only accentuate those of the others. the sounds they made, though not prominent or featured, were deep and resounding, and filled the entire sound with emotional texture together. The second-largest instrument was being played by a mare with a silvery white coat, and an equally fine mane of light blue. Passionately playing, a warm smile formed on her lips as she drew her bow into complex rhythmic patterns, not missing a beat, nor making a single wrong movement. Octavia had always loved music since the moment she had first heard it’s majesty, but this instrument was one of those she loved the most. The gracefulness of the carved wood, and the thickness and resonance of the strings all gave her chills as she heard the instrument play. The piece ended shortly after, with a few repeated gestures and one final, echoing note from all five instruments. Hearing the temporary closure, the guests nearby gave a small round of polite applause to show their approval. Hearing a light chime of a silvery utensil on a glass from the center of the area, the guests finished their conversations and began milling towards the source of the sound. Octavia followed, knowing that the summons was likely for an announcement of some kind. “Gather round everyone!” Said Octavia’s father, from the center of the group of ponies. His grey coat and mane matched perfectly with his top hat, as he called the attention of everyone around. “Today is a very special day for my daughter, Octavia,” he said. “Today is the day she turns six years old. It is a day to be celebrated as she edges closer and closer to becoming a grown mare. It won't be long now before my little filly will get her cutie mark, and soon after, find her place in the world as whatever it is she chooses to be.” The young filly sighed in embarrassment. Her father, despite his formal appearance, and the wealth he commanded, was ever the dreamer. He was one of those fathers who believed that if anypony wanted something with all of their heart, their wish would someday come true. And so, of course, he had always tried to plant in her head tales of wonder, of achievement, and of striving hard for dreams. Octavia had always wondered how such a man had ever come to accumulate his fortune, especially considering that he was an earth pony who commanded neither wings or magic. "And so, of course," he continued, "We have gifts for my young mare. Gifts that will be hers forever more, and help her chase whatever dreams might come upon her mind as she enters the world, ready to show what she can become." As her father continued to speak to appeal to the crowd, and introduce what was yet to come, Octavia noticed her mother approaching the center of the group, carrying a large wrapped parcel on her back. The petite mare was more colorful than her husband, with a light green coat and mane Silently shaking her head as unicorn stallions offered magical help carrying what the filly could only assume was her gift, she glanced briefly at Octavia, smiling proudly. "...And so we are proud to present to her something special for her birthday. We hope that she finds it enjoyable and useful in the future." Her father finished his little speech as the package reached her, the crowd shifting their attention to the filly and the wrapped parcel. The stares of the others were expectant, so she wasted little time in getting to work, neatly untying ribbon and string, and unfolding paper wrapping. Inside was the cello. It looked exactly like the one she had seen onstage, and which had pricked her ears up in enjoyment and content. This was the cello upon which she would learn to play, upon which she would give her first performances, and the which she would cherish and keep as she became an independent mare. The cello that would someday reach the moon. ~N~ Over the hills of grey rock and dust, the sound of the musical instrument rang out. The silence that constantly pervaded the desolate world broke as the vibrations of strings struck the world about them with sounds that it had never before been witness to. But the grains of sand and the rocky surface of the moon cared not for the musical and elegant melodies that moved past them. They were merely objects, and what a poor audience objects were. They could not support any form of art, could not enjoy it, nor even comprehend it. All that the sound would ever be to them was a slight movement, a small twitch of movement as the vibration passed through. It seemed such a waste indeed, that so much effort could be made, and so much beautiful music could be made to an observatory of stone and dust. But the barren land was not entirely devoid of a listener. Nightmare Moon stood silently, listening on a hilltop nearby. From her vantage point, she could clearly see the earth pony in the valley below, eyes closed in concentration as she drew a bow over the wonderfully resonant strings. She looked much calmer than she had before, like the art of making music had granted her a certain aura of serenity and focus, allowing her to forget everything around her, save the sounds of virtuosic beauty. Meanwhile, Nightmare Moon listened, silently observing the musician practice her craft. For the first time in hundreds of years, the ears of the alicorn pricked forward, hearing a melody strung together masterfully by an artist. Nightmare didn’t know the name of the melody, or if it even was a written tune or an improvisation, since she had been gone from the earth for long ages while equestrian arts flourished. Despite that fact, Nightmare Moon, the goddess of night and ruler of darkness, found herself closing her eyes and listening in bliss. Oh, how long it had been since she had the luxury of the arts at her disposal. She remembered a time long ago, when she lived in a castle framed with paintings, where a quartet played in the courtyard, and soft fragrances emanated from flowers blooming in spring. Oh how long it had been. A small grin spread across Nightmare Moons face for what felt like the first time in ages. 'Soon, Luna, will we hear music again.' she thought inwardly to Luna as the cello played on and on. 'Only two years... and we can return. Only two more years, and we can finally see our precious subjects again.' A bitter laugh sounded from deep within the alicorns mind. "Maybe you will..." Chapter 3: Allegro~N~ Nightmare had sat there for what felt like an eternity, but was actually more like a day or so. She guessed that Octavia was so enthralled with her playing that she had lost all grasp of the passage of time. It was a sign of a good artist, to get so wrapped up in their craft. She had been almost as wrapped up herself just listening, sitting there and enjoying the artist’s skillful playing. However, all things eventually come to an end. One doesn’t spend years with only one other pony for company and not speak at all. She also grew quickly tired of Luna’s pessimism, and felt a desire for speech that was less unpleasant. She knew not why her alternate persona kept such a grudge even now against her, even now, many centuries since the fateful events of the past... While thinking such, the alicorn walked quietly over, so she would not disturb Octavia’s playing, before stopping, and waiting for the minuet she was playing to be over. Once it was, she began to speak to the musician. “You play very professionally... had we been in power still, we would pay you to perform in our courts.” She said with a slight bow. A gesture of respect was rare from one of such power and class, but Nightmare felt Octavia deserved it. She smiled, appreciative of the wonderful music she had heard, and the skills the mare had mastered. “Thank you...” Octavia said, putting her bow down beside her, before letting the entire instrument lay down on its side next to it. If one looked closely, one could see the smallest blush of modesty color her cheeks, and the faintest hint of a rise in the corners of her mouth. She turned once again to speak with Nightmare. “I’ve... had a lot of experience with music. I’ve been playing for what feels like forever. I’m glad I memorized a lot of the pieces I’ve played, or I wouldn’t have much to play out here.” “I am glad you have done so as well. Your music is pleasing to my ears. I have not heard it’s equal in a very long time, before that tyrant Celestia sent me away. Though, an artist such as yourself would be brilliant at improvisation, as well, I’m sure.” Octavia shrugged off the flattery with a growing smile.“Hmm... I suppose I might. Though I don’t know if you could even tell if I was.” She wiggled her eyebrows at that last statement, though Nightmare could not tell if she was being sarcastic or not. She looked at Octavia quizzically, baffled by the strange gesture. “Young mare! What silliness is this you bring to my vision with this strange... eyebrow wiggling?” She tried to mimic the gesture, “What is the meaning of this?” Putting a hoof up to the bottom of her mouth, the mare giggled a bit, humored by Nightmare’s display, however well it could have gone. “Well, it means nothing without context, but it’s usually a gesture of... what’s the word... sassiness?” “Sassiness... is that like sauciness? I’ve heard of sauciness from a previous visitor.” Without warning, the tall, imposing alicorn walked over, looming high above Octavia, standing tall, in all her regal majesty. She looked down at the mare, blinked a few times, tilted her head, before lowering her neck and placing a small kiss on her nose. Octavia’s eyes grew wide as she felt Nightmare’s lips briefly contact the end of her muzzle, before breaking away. She had obviously not been prepared for that, and shrank back quickly after the gesture, leaving Nightmare standing above her. “...would that not be more appropriate if we’re talking of sauciness?” Nightmare said, “I do not understand how wiggling one’s eyebrows is... saucy.” Octavia shuddered a bit. “Well... sassiness isn’t the same thing as... um... ‘sauciness,’ as you put it. Sassiness is more more like sarcasm or swagger, not... uh... intimacy.” “Oh... how droll.” The alicorn shrugged her wings, “I thought that you were pronouncing intentions of that nature. How unfortunate.” “Well what did you think me as, a prostitute? I was going to be in the High Canterlot College of Musical Innovation before I was sent here, I’ll have you know, and if you weren’t goddess of the night, I’d have a right mind to slap you for such lecherous behavior.” “Of course you are no common whore, but if you were a prostitute, I think you would be rich.” She said, meaning it as a compliment, but if it would actually be taken that way... one couldn’t be certain. “Well, I am not! Perhaps others that were sent before me, but I refuse to be even compared to anypony who might sell their body for such lewd acts!” Octavia put her nose in the air, obviously displeased, perhaps even insulted. Nightmare frowned, “It was meant as a compliment, dear artist. Of course you do not belong in a harem. You are like a fine rose, meant only for one vase. I was only implying that you might be sought after... that is to say... that you are beautiful. That is all.” Octavia scoffed at the alicorn. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’d prefer to be complemented without being compared to a filthy prostitute. Now, if that’s all you want to say, I’d like to forget that any of this happened,” She said, before picking up her bow once more, and raising the instrument, testing the strings and preparing to play once more. “Actually, Octavia, we have got off track. My whole reason for coming here was so that we could begin to get to know each other more fully and deeply... after all, if we are to be friends... that is only appropriate, yes? Perhaps you can tell me something... personal about yourself... and then... I can tell you something about me.” “Oh? Is that what this is to you? I’m sure you expect I’m just going to spew out my life story at will, and then you’ll tell me about being stuck on the moon for a thousand years, and then We’ll fall in love, and live happily ever after trapped on the moon together.” She said, scornfully imitating a dreamy mood, before quickly frowning once more. “I am not just some royal subject who will buy into the advances of another just because they want me to. Just because I have to be stuck with you does not mean that I’ll put up with this and mindlessly become part of god knows how many mares and stallions have become your lovers!” “...” Nightmare frowned and looked down, “None... No one has ever even come close enough to consider me,, let alone be my... lover, as you say. After having lived for over a millennia... there is much about me that you don’t know...” she trailed, and frowned, sighing a second time, “that nopony knows.” “Oh what, so now you seek to repent by telling me some sob story? If you have secret you so desire to share, why don’t you just act like any normal pony and wait until the right time to do it?” “Well you shall have to forgive the lack of social skills that comes from a thousand years almost with no one to talk to. Yes, Celestia sent them, but that doesn’t mean they did their job as they should have.” Octavia dropped her bow, and it fell into the dust, making a small cloud upon impact. She stamped up to Nightmare Moon,sticking her muzzle out before yelling into her face. “Well maybe they would have been your friends if you didn’t behave like a lusty mare-hole full of venereal diseases! Maybe if you didn’t think only with your nethers and expect me to be a good little whore, I might respect your speech! Maybe if your words didn’t come from so far up your glorified posterior, I might believe what you say! Maybe if you weren’t such a resentful, stuck-up ugly piece of griffon dung, your sister wouldn’t have done the world a favor and sent you here for me to be stuck with!” “...” her lip trembled, eyes wide at the insult. Physical insults she was used to, and she knew most of what the mare had said was due to a minor misunderstanding in the language she had used, but that last bit, “Done... the world.... a.... a....” She turned away, “Go away... your words are hurtful...” “Oh, I wish I could go away!” Octavia had clearly lost it at this point spewing insults and all the rage she had stored in her heart since her arrival on the moon. “I’m not surprised you say that nopony ever loved a stain on the world like you, you dust-speckled grime-smeared demon! Celestia above, I hope you die, and I’m sure everypony who’s ever met you feels the same, you stinking, looney, slovenly garbage heap! Celestia told me to be reasonable and give you a chance, but now I know you’re just as evil as they say!” “You’ll never be anything more than the incarnation of a bad dream!” Nightmare blinked, “I... I...” she closed her eyes and whimpered, body trembling with a mixture of sadness and an untameable fury, “NO!” Came a horrible voice from deep within her, as her eyes flew open, “SHUT YOUR MOUTH! YOU HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE MARE!” her horn glowed, as did her eyes, a dark violet blazing from them, so bright her pupils disappeared. She could feel her body shine with an aura of purple magic, a sphere of power beginning to circle it. She could hear the voices of everyone who had ever mocked her.. said the kind of things that came from Octavia now... but the difference was this time it was coming from someone who she’d actually spoken with, someone she felt close to... someone who, in some sense, knew her more than any other. “I’M MORE THAN A NIGHTMARE … JUST.... SHUT UP! SHUT UP! EVERYPONY, JUST... SHUT... UP!” and with that, the sphere exploded outwards, crushing the surface of the moon beneath it, and sending a huge cloud of dust hurtling upwards, leaving nightmare floating above a deep canyon of a crater she had left. The remains of the moon’s surface from the area was flying, gradually starting to descend across the landscape once more, specks of ash landing miles away. But the mare’s rage was not quenched merely by this. Purple shooting stars fell from the heavens, embedded into the rocky crust of the moon, exploding. Mountains were obliterated in plumes of dust and smoke. Rocks flew in a violent wind from the various explosions. Lightning arced from both the goddess’ body and the sphere that surrounded her, loudly cracking into the roar of the explosions which kept coming, creating small crater after small crater whenever one of the mystical purple stars hit and exploded. The alicorn thought about the pain caused by the mare’s words, thought about all of the others who had said the same, and deeply dwelt upon the fact that, in reality... it seemed like they were all right. She’d never done any good for any pony, had she? Not really... and as these things flowed through her mind, she felt herself screaming something that wasn’t understandable; pure, agonized wails of pain and hate, as the raging storm of attacks continued, the flurry destroying the various mountains and hills that once dotted the landscape of the space-rock... After several long moments, the falling stars, lightning, the orb around herself... it all faded away, as she stayed there, hovering in the air, panting heavily. As she rose into the air, Nightmare Moon gave Octavia one last direct, piercing look, a mix of the utmost rage and hate, mixed with a deep sadness and hurt. A single tear fell, and then she flew off into the bleary, spacious sky, filled with emotions that she never knew had so much power. Though, as she flew, she realized that... even through all of that rage, in what amounted to a godlike wrath... ...a small magical shield had been conjured around Octavia the entire time.
Chapter 1: Prelude“I’m sorry this had to fall upon you, Octavia, but it had to be done. I wish you luck, and pray you will be successful.” Those were the final words Octavia heard from anypony before she was sent away from her home in Canterlot to a place where very few had ever ventured. They echoed through her head as she felt herself falling through space towards the night sky above her, a brilliant magical aura propelling her upwards. The stars looked so close, and Equestria so far. It felt almost wrong for the grey pony to see the land she had held dear and close to her heart fall away, as the menacing darkness of the unknown swallowed her up into it’s dark embrace The pale moon grew larger and larger, no longer outshining the stars as a simple shape in the sky, but as a full landscape of grey matter, quickly approaching as Octavia fell towards it. The colorful globe of green and blue now took it’s place as the secondary object in the heavens, a distant point to look upon, but not return to. The pony braced herself as the sun’s light grew dimmer, it’s edges slowly being eaten away by the edges of the massive world she was approaching. Darkness came... and soon enough, she could see nothing but the magic surrounding her, propelling her figure into the shadows, towards the place that would be soon be her home, and towards the only pony, mysterious as she was, that could possibly hear her screams as she fell into the darkness. ~N~ Nightmare Moon looked up to the starry sky, and sighed. Her most recent visitor, apparently appointed by the sister she so despised, had died of old age a few months back, so now it was yet another day in the lonesome void, gazing into nothingness, and pondering the coming days with Luna. The two mares, though locked together in the same mind, still spoke every so often, but she could tell the mare within had grown more distant. It pained her that this had been their fate, to be trapped for so long on this desolate landscape. She'd never thought Celestia would have done something like this, despite her past actions. When she and Luna had acted, they did it under the assumption that they would either win or die, not be sent off to some space rock to suffer a millennia of loneliness. The visitors helped somewhat, but they were never enough to keep loneliness and misery at bay. She felt no real connection to them. Nothing special. Nothing like what she had with Luna... It didn’t help that most of them feared her with a passion, for she was even known as a 'nightmare'. They all could not see through this false premise and see that Luna was kind, caring, and even meek at some times, and while Nightmare was cold, vicious, and cruel, she craved company and social interaction, and could feel the chilling loneliness of solitude just as much as anypony. They never would not be dissuaded from these thoughts, and since Luna had opted to spend the majority of time locked inside the very back of her mind, the only pony they could see in this alicorn body was the one they feared and hated. Suffice to say, it didn’t work out well at all. A small glint of light flickered in the darkness between the stars, as Nightmare sensed the new mare approach the moon. Another visitor. Another inevitable failure... but there was always some hope in her heart. As the light in the distance slowly grew larger, she thought to Luna the same thing she always did upon the arrival of a new ‘friend’ as she caught the mare in a gentle magic grasp, bringing her down to the moons surface below. ‘Maybe this one will be different, sister.’ she spoke inwardly, ‘Maybe this one will make us both happy...’ ~O~ Octavia opened her eyes. After half expecting to find a crater around her spot of impact, Octavia was pleasantly surprised to find that the surface around her was actually quite flat. Her hooves felt the ground about her, feeling the grey surface of the moon,and picking up a few bits and sending them flying as if they were grains of sand on a vast, lunar beach. She sat up, raising her head to look around her, seeing only mountains of grey on all sides, with no signs of anything close to life anywhere. This was to be her home... for who knows how long. The landscape was full of rocks. Lots of them. And dust. The grey landscape was bland, boring, and for a first time visitor, unbearably cold, but if other ponies had survived here, it must be something she could get used to with time. An imposing alicorn mare stood about twenty paces away. Coated in a coat of the darkest black, with ancient armor, glowing with magical power, covering her face, hooves, and much of her body. A long, dark horn glowed in the middle of her forehead, as leathery wings folded themselves at it’s sides, more like those of a bat or dragon than those of a pony. Her mane floated like a mist about her head, filled with shining stars just like the night sky around her. The silent figure wasn’t shivering, or even moving at all. It just looked at her from it’s stance, as if it were expecting some reaction of her. Slowly, Octavia pulled herself to her hooves, feeling bits of grey dust pick up, and fall back down at a fraction of the rate that it would have on Equestria. The silence was almost overwhelming, so as she and the figure faced each other, Octavia spoke her first words from this new, alien world. “Hello, I’m Octavia.” She said. Her words left no echo, and fell dryly into the bland air around her, and quickly dissipated into the darkness. The figure raised a brow, “...Greetings. I am Nightmare Moon, guardian of Luna, sister of Celestia, and ruler of the moon.” The dust around Octavia settled as she continued to stand still, bravely facing the nightmarish alicorn facing her. Guardian of Luna? Weren’t they the same pony? Octavia kept the thought in the back of her mind as she tried to remain calm and polite. “I cannot boast such titles, being a mere earth pony,” She said, “but I am here nonetheless. It is an honor to meet you.” “An... honor. Yes, it is. Finally somepony acknowledges such.” She stood tall, raising up her head, horn pointed toward the world above. “...” Octavia remained Silent for a few moments longer afterwards. This Alicorn was very much higher than her in class. Magical prowess beyond any other, and the ability to fly... Those were powers Octavia could only wish and dream that she had. Not sure how to proceed in fear that she might offend this goddess of shadows before her, Octavia maintained her stature, ready to flee or serve the alicorn, depending on what would happen next. “...” oddly enough, the alicorn was in very much the same position, not knowing what to say, not because she might offend, but because she might frighten the pony away. “Thank you.” She said simply. Octavia was surprised by this reaction herself. She had never expected that Nightmare Moon, whom legends made out to be a villain, might express gratitude to her for merely her presence. Perhaps... things were not as bad as she thought they might be. Still, she remained polite, however, if only to be sure not to ruin the moment. “Anything for one so—” “There is no need for flattery or modesty here. I wish us to be as equals here. It is far easier to hold a decent conversation without that droning ‘I worship you with elegant words to win your favor’ nonsense," Nightmare moon said plainly, as if bored already. "Yes, I am your superior, but we are each others only company, and such things make for naught but meaningless babble.” Surprised once again at Nightmare Moon’s speech, Octavia bowed her head respectfully, acknowledging the request. “As you wish, Nightmare Moon.” She sighed, “So... what makes you different from the others? Why have you not run away? Or even so much as trembled in fear? You don’t bow down deep and kiss my hooves either...” “Well, if you so desire, I might do as such.” The earth pony responded, raising a hoof and waving it across her chest as she lowered her head in an exaggerated, grandiose bow. “No. This is my preference. I just wish other ponies had not acted so...” she trailed, and clicked her tongue, “superficial with myself.” “Very well.” Octavia said simply. With the matter settled, she raised herself from her lowered stance, once again standing up straight, though she still wasn’t nearly as tall or intimidating as the alicorn Princess of the night. “But you never answered my question. Why AREN’T you scared, running, groveling... why did you address me so casually in the first place?” Octavia sighed, looking to the stars, tho only beautiful thing about this place that she could see. She reflected upon Celestia’s words. She had told her to try and be honest and kind, and to tolerate the alicorn... She’d never imagined it might be used in this particular context. “If you must know... I merely thought it would be best not to simply panic right away, considering I am to be stuck here for however much time it will be, with you as my only company. Not the best introduction, screaming is.” “At any rate, I am thankful. I am not sure if, right off the bat, I am prepared to reveal to you the true story of how things played out so long ago. I have a feeling that sick, revolting, tyrant of a leader you ponies have has told some rather convincing, and misleading stories about Luna and I’s past, and why we live up here now.” “I assure you that King Sombra no longer rules in—” “I meant Celestia. Don’t be a dimwit.” That quickly shut Octavia’s mouth. Taking the insult very seriously, she bowed her head apologetically, looking back down at the ground. On the other hand, she never knew anyone to so openly appose Celestia in such a way. To call her sick, and revolting... That was unheard of in Equestria. Thinking logically, Octavia thought out her next response very carefully. “I’m sorry. But surely Celestia isn’t that horrible. She sent me, and other before me, merely to keep you company, correct?” Nightmare Moon was silent for a moment, before sighing, “To keep Luna company. I’m sure...” she trailed, “She doesn’t care about me. She wants me destroyed. She thinks I’m some demon in Luna that makes her do bad things. She doesn’t understand... she doesn’t... she won’t.... GRAH!” in a fit of anger the mare blasted one of the large rocky mountains with a beam of dark energy, causing an explosion of dust particles to fly forth from the center, coating the landscape in more particles, as nothing remained of the peak but a crater now. And that was when Octavia realized that the alicorn before her was not like Celestia at all. Celestia’s presence had been calming, reassuring, and emitted a feeling of security to those around her. The dark power she had just witnessed, the sheer emotional hatred, and the way she spoke about herself... she seemed unstable, like a bomb just waiting to go off. And Octavia knew she would be like a grain of dust, hopeless to resist what explosive power might come forth from her. And so she ran. Across the grey landscape where there was nowhere with any bit of privacy, nowhere she could be free from the grey dust that was settling in her mane, her tail, and her fur, and nowhere where she could ever hide from the goddess of the night, trapped just as she was in this horrid landscape. She missed her cello. She missed her family. She missed her home, and soon, tears streamed from her eyes as she realized that she might never see any of them again. And so she ran through the grey desert of craters and mountains, to nowhere in particular, knowing that no matter what she did, there was no escape now. ~N~ Nightmare Moon suddenly froze, instantly ending her rage as she saw the earth pony flee. She did not chase after the pony, nor not levitate her up and forcefully bring her closer, nor fire magical dark energy bolts to harm her, or do anything to pursue her. This new pony... This 'Octavia' had been one of the only ponies who had been willing to give her a chance to show her true colors, and she had wasted her chance to make a good impression. She wishing now that she could have controlled her temper, and not scared the pony so much that she might flee, but what was done was done. ‘That pony was reasonable... sane... and now she’s running... she’s running away... from me... I... made her run... I...” From deep inside of her mind suddenly came the voice of Luna. Bitterly, she lashed out with her thoughts, adding yet more shame to her actions. “Of course you did. Making ponies run and hide and tremble in fear is all you do! Haven’t you noticed? This is what you are, and this is why we’re here.” And so, that powerful goddess of the night, alicorn of immense power, and ruler of darkness, fell to her knees, and cried. It started as a sniffle, and grew to a trembling whimper, before turning into full, raucous wails, as the alicorn bemoaned her actions.
Chapter 2: Adagio~N~ Hours passed quickly for Nightmare Moon, though she couldn’t hope to count them. No clock ticked to keep the time, but yet, it continued to pass by, with no means of measurement. The past years of isolation seemed to make each day, each rotation of the rocky sphere in the sky above Equestria, pass at a sluggish pace. Octavia had still not returned, but Nightmare didn’t necessarily expect her to be so open this soon after her arrival. She had behaved a bit differently than others at their first meeting though, though, so she didn’t know what exactly to expect. There was definitely a lot of potential though. If only she could get the mare to trust her, she likely become a wonderful companion. But at this moment, Nightmare felt horrible. She had gotten carried away, and shown Octavia her true power, unleashed by anger. The pony had just been forced away from her life in Equestria, and to start her new life in such a way must feel horrible for the her. And it only happened because Nightmare Moon couldn’t control her emotions. She was exhausted, hurt, defeated... even Luna, her only true friend for centuries, couldn’t forgive her for her actions. Eyes glued to the surface beneath her, tears dripped from her turquoise eyes to the stony ground below. ‘I’m just as horrible as they say...’ she thought to herself, ‘I really am. Even Celestia can’t—’ Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden pain in the back of her head. “OW! By the night! What was—” Nightmare’s horn glowed for a moment as she rose to her full height, intending to make clear the harsh consequences for the assault of a deity. Her regal horn glowed, illuminating the grey dust of the moon with a eerie blue light as her eyes searched, furiously seeking whatever had dared to interrupt her solitude. A hollow thud sounded as an object hit the ground nearby. After a thorough scan of the area with both vision and magic, to be sure there were no assailants, Nightmare Moon grumbled, cursing herself for her inattentiveness. She paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and collecting herself before she did something she’d regret in anger. Hundreds of years on the moon had helped her control her temper somewhat, but she still needed a few moments to herself sometimes. The object that must have hit her had landed in a small crater, the dust from impact now settling on the ground around it. Walking closer and inspecting it, Nightmare saw it seemed to be a brown carrying case. She guessed, and after flipping latches and inspecting the inside, confirmed, that the contents were a musical instrument. She assumed it belonged to the newest visitor, probably sent in her wake by Celestia as an act of 'mercy' on the poor pony who was now trapped with her. So this "Octavia" was a musician. she recognized the instrument as a cello, which, if she remembered correctly, was the second largest of the stringed instruments. It took some talent to play such a large instrument, not to mention a stringed one in general, without the magic of a unicorn. The prospect of such an endeavor being possible for the newest visitor made her feel more respect for the mare than before. Nightmare Moon sighed and picked up the cello in the firm grasp of her telekinesis. She figured it would likely be a good idea take this instrument to its owner, even if the pony didn’t ever want to talk to her again. Nightmare herself knew little about the operation of such an instrument, much less what tunes she might play on it if she did, so it seemed logical to give it to another who could make better use out of it than she. Nightmare galloped into the distance, keeping the object close to her with strands of magic. Her gaze held straight with her head high, her eyes scanned the horizon, searching. The surface of the moon was such a vast space to be searching for her little pony, but she kept on, looking for the mare And she searched not just so she might return to her the one possession the mare might now have access to, but also so she might apologize for her earlier temper, and to try to show the mare the better side of her. ~O~ Octavia lay on the surface of the moon, looking up at the stars, counting the shining dots for the seventeenth time. She couldn’t tell whether it were day or night back in Canterlot, for the moon and Equestria below both seemed to move between the two on their own cycles, but that couldn’t stop her from thinking of home all the same. Her family, friends, and even the few possessions she could call her own were all now caught up in a place that she couldn’t even fathom how far away it was. wiping away her tears, she continued to silently stare at the heavens above, memorizing the locations of all the objects contained within. “Ahem.” Octavia looked up as Nightmare cleared her throat quietly, though that didn’t mean much on the silent landscape of the moon. “I believe this may belong to you. Celestia sent it.” she said, using blue strands of magic to levitate an all-too-familiar case to her side. Octavia wiped away the moisture from her eyes for a second, making herself at least somewhat presentable as she stared at the case, eyes open wide in disbelief. She quickly undid the latches on the side of the case, revealing the polished surface of the musical instrument beneath, the familiar strings, each of a different width and tone, and sleek carvings into a deep resounding wooden chamber. Reaching into the case and pulling the instrument upright, and holding it against her chest. The feel of the instrument on her hooves was so familiar to Octavia, unlike anything else in this harsh world of gray dust. Looking it over to be sure nothing was impaired or broken, she glanced at the ornate emblem carved into the back side of the wooden body. Octavia glanced away quickly, more tears forming. After a moment of easy breathing, she wiped them away, before placing the instrument back in it’s case, hiding the emblem from her sights once more. “Thank you...” She whispered, looking back up at the alicorn. Nightmare sighed, “You are welcome.” She looked down, before mumbling, “I’m sorry about before... I lost my temper, but you should know that I would never do that to somepony like you... I’ve never killed anypony who didn’t deserve it.” Octavia silently shut the cello case, briefly wondering what she meant by ‘deserving it,’ but she pushed the thought out of her head quickly. She resolved to make sure that she didn’t get on this alicorn’s bad side, so that she would never need to find out. “Apology accepted. I’m sorry I brought up such a... troubling topic.” She said in return. bowing her head once again, showing respect and courtesy. The alicorn had shown her a lot more kindness than she’d expected. She didn’t know what her expectations were of a goddess of nightmares and shadows before she came to this place, but, at least for now, it seemed not to be as unpleasant as many might have thought. “You have my word... I shall do nothing to you, so long as you don’t try to,” she spoke through her teeth, “Rid the world of the demonic scourge of Nightmare Moon.” She growled and rolled her eyes. Octavia blinked, then looked away from the alicorn, feeling her fears both assuaged and agitated. Not knowing what else to say, she simply looked back and forth from the ground to the sky, as if expecting something about them to change, to save her from her fate. “What is wrong. Do you not trust me? Am I that hard to put faith in? Has Celestia so corrupted your mind with lies that you cannot fathom that I could be trustworthy?” Octavia felt a sob come from deep in her throat, but she managed to hide it within a forced chuckle. “Oh no, I’m just a little upset by the fact that I’ve been forcibly trapped on a hunk of rock, far away from everything I’ve ever known. Nothing much.” Another sob came, but this time, there was no hiding it as she voiced her own despair. Nightmare walked over and put a hoof on her shoulder, “Octavia... that was your name, you said, right? Do you not realize how lucky you are? Every other chosen one has spent the remainder of their years here, until they died, but didn’t Celestia tell you? It’s our destiny to return together in two years.” Octavia shrugged off the hoof, looking away. “I appreciate the gesture, but... right now I just... need some time to collect my thoughts.” She said, stopping herself from getting too emotional. She felt like refusing the comfort of such a powerful being was wrong, that she might somehow offend her, but it felt so strange to feel the dark hoof on her shoulder, so uncomfortable that the higher being, who she might fear and respect, was stooping so low as to care for a complete stranger. “If you want me to leave you alone, I can.” She said simply. “That would... be nice, thanks.” She said. Nightmare Moon nodded her head in acknowledgement, before pacing off into the grey landscape, disappearing over the crest of a hilltop, leaving Octavia to herself in a bowl of grey dust, with only her cello to keep her company. Octavia stood still for a few minutes, just thinking. Breathing in and out slowly, calming her nerves again. She looked at the case that was lying nearby, knowing that what lay inside was all that she had in this new world to remind her of home, and the only thing left to keep her separate from the dust that surrounded her. The sun shone down upon the backyard of a towering mansion, reflecting on the surface of the large swimming pool. The very tops of other buildings in Canterlot rose above dividing walls, keeping the land of the rich ponies separate. While the space was in the middle of a city, the land was well-kept by magic and servants. Greenery had been planted in this particular area, with even a few trees extending towards the sky, though not nearly as high as the towering royal castle in the distance, or even the buildings nearby. Octavia lazily dipped her hooves into the pool from the edge, as other ponies milled about the space, talking with one another. There was a high-class party going on, and while guests were about, she had to with hold her desire to plunge into the water, and feel the cool liquid relieve her from the sunlight’s warmth. But doing such might ruin the fancy dress her parents had made her wear, and this was a somewhat serious event for them. It simply wouldn’t be proper to do such a thing in the presence of so many others. It would be especially unacceptable for her to do such a thing on her birthday. Coming once a year, the event seemed much like other special events to Octavia. While the day was special mainly for herself, her parents made it an event for all, with a public party for family, friends, and many that Octavia didn’t even know. Sure she received gifts from her parents, and some of her family, but she disliked the formality of events like this, and how she had to restrain herself and behave ‘presentable.’ At the very least though, there was the music. A group of five ponies had been hired to play, all playing differently sized instruments. They played together, the five sounds, each different in their own way, coming across differently in each context, from measure to measure and tune to tune. Octavia liked each of them, taking in the beauty of the sounds they produced. Three of the instruments were fairly similar, being smaller, and held in the same way, with the bow and wooden body drawn over a shoulder. They made higher sounds, and played melodic material amongst themselves. Playing expressively, the players moved along with the sounds, raising eyebrows and tensing muscles as one piece rose to it’s climax, before releasing the tension in both sound and body, letting their arms fall back to more relaxed positions. The last two players seemed very different, however. The instruments were much larger, perhaps even bigger than the ponies themselves. They played along with the first three, though they demanded not nearly as much attention, playing parts that would only accentuate those of the others. the sounds they made, though not prominent or featured, were deep and resounding, and filled the entire sound with emotional texture together. The second-largest instrument was being played by a mare with a silvery white coat, and an equally fine mane of light blue. Passionately playing, a warm smile formed on her lips as she drew her bow into complex rhythmic patterns, not missing a beat, nor making a single wrong movement. Octavia had always loved music since the moment she had first heard it’s majesty, but this instrument was one of those she loved the most. The gracefulness of the carved wood, and the thickness and resonance of the strings all gave her chills as she heard the instrument play. The piece ended shortly after, with a few repeated gestures and one final, echoing note from all five instruments. Hearing the temporary closure, the guests nearby gave a small round of polite applause to show their approval. Hearing a light chime of a silvery utensil on a glass from the center of the area, the guests finished their conversations and began milling towards the source of the sound. Octavia followed, knowing that the summons was likely for an announcement of some kind. “Gather round everyone!” Said Octavia’s father, from the center of the group of ponies. His grey coat and mane matched perfectly with his top hat, as he called the attention of everyone around. “Today is a very special day for my daughter, Octavia,” he said. “Today is the day she turns six years old. It is a day to be celebrated as she edges closer and closer to becoming a grown mare. It won't be long now before my little filly will get her cutie mark, and soon after, find her place in the world as whatever it is she chooses to be.” The young filly sighed in embarrassment. Her father, despite his formal appearance, and the wealth he commanded, was ever the dreamer. He was one of those fathers who believed that if anypony wanted something with all of their heart, their wish would someday come true. And so, of course, he had always tried to plant in her head tales of wonder, of achievement, and of striving hard for dreams. Octavia had always wondered how such a man had ever come to accumulate his fortune, especially considering that he was an earth pony who commanded neither wings or magic. "And so, of course," he continued, "We have gifts for my young mare. Gifts that will be hers forever more, and help her chase whatever dreams might come upon her mind as she enters the world, ready to show what she can become." As her father continued to speak to appeal to the crowd, and introduce what was yet to come, Octavia noticed her mother approaching the center of the group, carrying a large wrapped parcel on her back. The petite mare was more colorful than her husband, with a light green coat and mane Silently shaking her head as unicorn stallions offered magical help carrying what the filly could only assume was her gift, she glanced briefly at Octavia, smiling proudly. "...And so we are proud to present to her something special for her birthday. We hope that she finds it enjoyable and useful in the future." Her father finished his little speech as the package reached her, the crowd shifting their attention to the filly and the wrapped parcel. The stares of the others were expectant, so she wasted little time in getting to work, neatly untying ribbon and string, and unfolding paper wrapping. Inside was the cello. It looked exactly like the one she had seen onstage, and which had pricked her ears up in enjoyment and content. This was the cello upon which she would learn to play, upon which she would give her first performances, and the which she would cherish and keep as she became an independent mare. The cello that would someday reach the moon. ~N~ Over the hills of grey rock and dust, the sound of the musical instrument rang out. The silence that constantly pervaded the desolate world broke as the vibrations of strings struck the world about them with sounds that it had never before been witness to. But the grains of sand and the rocky surface of the moon cared not for the musical and elegant melodies that moved past them. They were merely objects, and what a poor audience objects were. They could not support any form of art, could not enjoy it, nor even comprehend it. All that the sound would ever be to them was a slight movement, a small twitch of movement as the vibration passed through. It seemed such a waste indeed, that so much effort could be made, and so much beautiful music could be made to an observatory of stone and dust. But the barren land was not entirely devoid of a listener. Nightmare Moon stood silently, listening on a hilltop nearby. From her vantage point, she could clearly see the earth pony in the valley below, eyes closed in concentration as she drew a bow over the wonderfully resonant strings. She looked much calmer than she had before, like the art of making music had granted her a certain aura of serenity and focus, allowing her to forget everything around her, save the sounds of virtuosic beauty. Meanwhile, Nightmare Moon listened, silently observing the musician practice her craft. For the first time in hundreds of years, the ears of the alicorn pricked forward, hearing a melody strung together masterfully by an artist. Nightmare didn’t know the name of the melody, or if it even was a written tune or an improvisation, since she had been gone from the earth for long ages while equestrian arts flourished. Despite that fact, Nightmare Moon, the goddess of night and ruler of darkness, found herself closing her eyes and listening in bliss. Oh, how long it had been since she had the luxury of the arts at her disposal. She remembered a time long ago, when she lived in a castle framed with paintings, where a quartet played in the courtyard, and soft fragrances emanated from flowers blooming in spring. Oh how long it had been. A small grin spread across Nightmare Moons face for what felt like the first time in ages. 'Soon, Luna, will we hear music again.' she thought inwardly to Luna as the cello played on and on. 'Only two years... and we can return. Only two more years, and we can finally see our precious subjects again.' A bitter laugh sounded from deep within the alicorns mind. "Maybe you will..."
Chapter 3: Allegro~N~ Nightmare had sat there for what felt like an eternity, but was actually more like a day or so. She guessed that Octavia was so enthralled with her playing that she had lost all grasp of the passage of time. It was a sign of a good artist, to get so wrapped up in their craft. She had been almost as wrapped up herself just listening, sitting there and enjoying the artist’s skillful playing. However, all things eventually come to an end. One doesn’t spend years with only one other pony for company and not speak at all. She also grew quickly tired of Luna’s pessimism, and felt a desire for speech that was less unpleasant. She knew not why her alternate persona kept such a grudge even now against her, even now, many centuries since the fateful events of the past... While thinking such, the alicorn walked quietly over, so she would not disturb Octavia’s playing, before stopping, and waiting for the minuet she was playing to be over. Once it was, she began to speak to the musician. “You play very professionally... had we been in power still, we would pay you to perform in our courts.” She said with a slight bow. A gesture of respect was rare from one of such power and class, but Nightmare felt Octavia deserved it. She smiled, appreciative of the wonderful music she had heard, and the skills the mare had mastered. “Thank you...” Octavia said, putting her bow down beside her, before letting the entire instrument lay down on its side next to it. If one looked closely, one could see the smallest blush of modesty color her cheeks, and the faintest hint of a rise in the corners of her mouth. She turned once again to speak with Nightmare. “I’ve... had a lot of experience with music. I’ve been playing for what feels like forever. I’m glad I memorized a lot of the pieces I’ve played, or I wouldn’t have much to play out here.” “I am glad you have done so as well. Your music is pleasing to my ears. I have not heard it’s equal in a very long time, before that tyrant Celestia sent me away. Though, an artist such as yourself would be brilliant at improvisation, as well, I’m sure.” Octavia shrugged off the flattery with a growing smile.“Hmm... I suppose I might. Though I don’t know if you could even tell if I was.” She wiggled her eyebrows at that last statement, though Nightmare could not tell if she was being sarcastic or not. She looked at Octavia quizzically, baffled by the strange gesture. “Young mare! What silliness is this you bring to my vision with this strange... eyebrow wiggling?” She tried to mimic the gesture, “What is the meaning of this?” Putting a hoof up to the bottom of her mouth, the mare giggled a bit, humored by Nightmare’s display, however well it could have gone. “Well, it means nothing without context, but it’s usually a gesture of... what’s the word... sassiness?” “Sassiness... is that like sauciness? I’ve heard of sauciness from a previous visitor.” Without warning, the tall, imposing alicorn walked over, looming high above Octavia, standing tall, in all her regal majesty. She looked down at the mare, blinked a few times, tilted her head, before lowering her neck and placing a small kiss on her nose. Octavia’s eyes grew wide as she felt Nightmare’s lips briefly contact the end of her muzzle, before breaking away. She had obviously not been prepared for that, and shrank back quickly after the gesture, leaving Nightmare standing above her. “...would that not be more appropriate if we’re talking of sauciness?” Nightmare said, “I do not understand how wiggling one’s eyebrows is... saucy.” Octavia shuddered a bit. “Well... sassiness isn’t the same thing as... um... ‘sauciness,’ as you put it. Sassiness is more more like sarcasm or swagger, not... uh... intimacy.” “Oh... how droll.” The alicorn shrugged her wings, “I thought that you were pronouncing intentions of that nature. How unfortunate.” “Well what did you think me as, a prostitute? I was going to be in the High Canterlot College of Musical Innovation before I was sent here, I’ll have you know, and if you weren’t goddess of the night, I’d have a right mind to slap you for such lecherous behavior.” “Of course you are no common whore, but if you were a prostitute, I think you would be rich.” She said, meaning it as a compliment, but if it would actually be taken that way... one couldn’t be certain. “Well, I am not! Perhaps others that were sent before me, but I refuse to be even compared to anypony who might sell their body for such lewd acts!” Octavia put her nose in the air, obviously displeased, perhaps even insulted. Nightmare frowned, “It was meant as a compliment, dear artist. Of course you do not belong in a harem. You are like a fine rose, meant only for one vase. I was only implying that you might be sought after... that is to say... that you are beautiful. That is all.” Octavia scoffed at the alicorn. “Well, if you don’t mind, I’d prefer to be complemented without being compared to a filthy prostitute. Now, if that’s all you want to say, I’d like to forget that any of this happened,” She said, before picking up her bow once more, and raising the instrument, testing the strings and preparing to play once more. “Actually, Octavia, we have got off track. My whole reason for coming here was so that we could begin to get to know each other more fully and deeply... after all, if we are to be friends... that is only appropriate, yes? Perhaps you can tell me something... personal about yourself... and then... I can tell you something about me.” “Oh? Is that what this is to you? I’m sure you expect I’m just going to spew out my life story at will, and then you’ll tell me about being stuck on the moon for a thousand years, and then We’ll fall in love, and live happily ever after trapped on the moon together.” She said, scornfully imitating a dreamy mood, before quickly frowning once more. “I am not just some royal subject who will buy into the advances of another just because they want me to. Just because I have to be stuck with you does not mean that I’ll put up with this and mindlessly become part of god knows how many mares and stallions have become your lovers!” “...” Nightmare frowned and looked down, “None... No one has ever even come close enough to consider me,, let alone be my... lover, as you say. After having lived for over a millennia... there is much about me that you don’t know...” she trailed, and frowned, sighing a second time, “that nopony knows.” “Oh what, so now you seek to repent by telling me some sob story? If you have secret you so desire to share, why don’t you just act like any normal pony and wait until the right time to do it?” “Well you shall have to forgive the lack of social skills that comes from a thousand years almost with no one to talk to. Yes, Celestia sent them, but that doesn’t mean they did their job as they should have.” Octavia dropped her bow, and it fell into the dust, making a small cloud upon impact. She stamped up to Nightmare Moon,sticking her muzzle out before yelling into her face. “Well maybe they would have been your friends if you didn’t behave like a lusty mare-hole full of venereal diseases! Maybe if you didn’t think only with your nethers and expect me to be a good little whore, I might respect your speech! Maybe if your words didn’t come from so far up your glorified posterior, I might believe what you say! Maybe if you weren’t such a resentful, stuck-up ugly piece of griffon dung, your sister wouldn’t have done the world a favor and sent you here for me to be stuck with!” “...” her lip trembled, eyes wide at the insult. Physical insults she was used to, and she knew most of what the mare had said was due to a minor misunderstanding in the language she had used, but that last bit, “Done... the world.... a.... a....” She turned away, “Go away... your words are hurtful...” “Oh, I wish I could go away!” Octavia had clearly lost it at this point spewing insults and all the rage she had stored in her heart since her arrival on the moon. “I’m not surprised you say that nopony ever loved a stain on the world like you, you dust-speckled grime-smeared demon! Celestia above, I hope you die, and I’m sure everypony who’s ever met you feels the same, you stinking, looney, slovenly garbage heap! Celestia told me to be reasonable and give you a chance, but now I know you’re just as evil as they say!” “You’ll never be anything more than the incarnation of a bad dream!” Nightmare blinked, “I... I...” she closed her eyes and whimpered, body trembling with a mixture of sadness and an untameable fury, “NO!” Came a horrible voice from deep within her, as her eyes flew open, “SHUT YOUR MOUTH! YOU HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE MARE!” her horn glowed, as did her eyes, a dark violet blazing from them, so bright her pupils disappeared. She could feel her body shine with an aura of purple magic, a sphere of power beginning to circle it. She could hear the voices of everyone who had ever mocked her.. said the kind of things that came from Octavia now... but the difference was this time it was coming from someone who she’d actually spoken with, someone she felt close to... someone who, in some sense, knew her more than any other. “I’M MORE THAN A NIGHTMARE … JUST.... SHUT UP! SHUT UP! EVERYPONY, JUST... SHUT... UP!” and with that, the sphere exploded outwards, crushing the surface of the moon beneath it, and sending a huge cloud of dust hurtling upwards, leaving nightmare floating above a deep canyon of a crater she had left. The remains of the moon’s surface from the area was flying, gradually starting to descend across the landscape once more, specks of ash landing miles away. But the mare’s rage was not quenched merely by this. Purple shooting stars fell from the heavens, embedded into the rocky crust of the moon, exploding. Mountains were obliterated in plumes of dust and smoke. Rocks flew in a violent wind from the various explosions. Lightning arced from both the goddess’ body and the sphere that surrounded her, loudly cracking into the roar of the explosions which kept coming, creating small crater after small crater whenever one of the mystical purple stars hit and exploded. The alicorn thought about the pain caused by the mare’s words, thought about all of the others who had said the same, and deeply dwelt upon the fact that, in reality... it seemed like they were all right. She’d never done any good for any pony, had she? Not really... and as these things flowed through her mind, she felt herself screaming something that wasn’t understandable; pure, agonized wails of pain and hate, as the raging storm of attacks continued, the flurry destroying the various mountains and hills that once dotted the landscape of the space-rock... After several long moments, the falling stars, lightning, the orb around herself... it all faded away, as she stayed there, hovering in the air, panting heavily. As she rose into the air, Nightmare Moon gave Octavia one last direct, piercing look, a mix of the utmost rage and hate, mixed with a deep sadness and hurt. A single tear fell, and then she flew off into the bleary, spacious sky, filled with emotions that she never knew had so much power. Though, as she flew, she realized that... even through all of that rage, in what amounted to a godlike wrath... ...a small magical shield had been conjured around Octavia the entire time.
