My Beautiful Nightmare

by Ink Pot

Rating: mature
Tags: Adventure, Princess Celestia, Alternate Universe, Twilight Sparkle, Sad, Main 6, Nightmare Moon, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike, Romance
Length: 11739

Twilight fears become real when she becomes a prisoner to the pirate Nightmare Moon. Will she be able to escape and return home? Most importantly, what secret is Nightmare Moon hiding? Pirate AU/Nightlight

She never saw it coming. Nopony saw it coming. Screams and shrieks of pure terror assaulted her ears. She was running as fast as her legs could move. Another boom rang out through the night sky, and a building nearby exploded, leaving only a husk of the former structure. She needed to get to the castle. It was the only safe place in the whole city. Then she heard something that made her blood turn to ice and her heart stop. Above the burning destruction and the cries of the dying, a cackle echoed throughout the burning city. It was the cackle of the most feared pony in all of Equestria. Nightmare Moon was here to bring Canterlot to its knees.

Everypony in Equestria knew about the stories of the terrible pirate captain known as Nightmare Moon. Twilight Sparkle knew the stories just like everypony else, and her fears become real when she is taken as a prisoner to the pirate. Will she be able to escape? Will she ever return home? Most importantly, what secret is Nightmare Moon hiding?
Pirate AU/ Nightlight
Cover image: "nightmare-moon-water-colour" by artist-apprentice587
Go check out some of their artwork at artist-apprentice587.deviantart.com/

Published 2014-03-15 16:30:02 UTC
Last updated 2014-04-07 02:13:21 UTC

Delivering Bad News

Author's Note

Hello everyone! Ink Pot here! This story has been at the forefront of my mind for quite awhile. The rating will go up soon to mature due to language and gore, but for now, teen will work just fine. Also, if anyone is interested in being my beta-reader please message me. I do need one. If you like this story, then please check out my other story "When The Harmony Was Broken." As stated in the description this is an AU with pirates and airships and pew pew lasers! Okay no lasers... pew pew... But! There are pirates and airships!

So sit back, relax, and enjoy reading.

Delivering Bad News

Chapter 1
Delivering Bad News

“Twilight, we have been at this for hours! Can’t we take a break and get something to eat. I’m starving.” As if on cue, a rumbling of a stomach echoed around the room.

“Not yet, Spike,” came a reply from Twilight Sparkle. “I just need to make a few more adjustments to my spell.” In a grand library filled from floor to ceiling with books, a lavender colored unicorn with a purple and pink mane sat in a small fortress of books and scrolls. Her horn glowed ever now and then as she turned a page with her magic or moved a scroll, and on her flank was an image of a star that symbolized her unique talent with magic. A purple and green dragon hatchling was with her who was flicking his short tail back and forth in his agitation. Normally, Spike the dragon would not mind being in the library with his best friend, but he was getting hungry. Twilight had woken him up early that morning and dragged him to the library, making him skip breakfast. It was now well past noon, and his stomach was letting him know its demands which he was more than happy to satisfy. However, his obligations kept him there, and he was rubbing his belly to soothe it.

“Ha! I got it!” exclaimed the unicorn happily. “This should work now.” Twilight stood up and faced a potted daisy that was placed on a nearby table. “According to my research, my spell should be able to change the daisy to another species of flower.” When she was given this task from her teacher, she thought it would be easy to complete, but it proved to be trickier than she imagined. Twilight had been working on the spell for the past few days and received very little results. Now, she was sure that she had gotten it right! She could taste her excitement as she widened her stance to brace herself.

Twilight began to concentrate with her eyes shut and reached deep inside for her store of magic. The power flowed through her as she strained to manipulate it to create her spell, and her horn glowed a pale purple as she focused it. She released the spell on the unsuspecting flower and it shone white before the light faded away. She withdrew from her magic and opened her eyes. Instead of a white daisy, the pot housed a pink tulip.

“You did it, Twi!” said Spike happily as he bounded over to the flower with a gleeful expression. Twilight let out a sign of relief when, suddenly, she felt lightheaded. She wobbled were she stood, and Spike called out in alarm, “Are you okay?” The dragon rushed to her side and tried to support her as best as he could with a grunt. He managed to ease her down into a sitting position as the dizziness slowly began to pass.

“I’ll be okay, Spike,” said Twilight with a small smile as she rubbed her head with a hoof. “That spell just took more out of me than I expected. I’m just glad that I managed to figure it out finally.”

“Just like I knew you would,” came a kind and regal voice from behind the pair. Both of them jumped in surprise before whipping around to a beautiful white pony. Princess Celestia, wise ruler of Equestria, smiled down at her student. Her wings were fold against her body, and her multicolored mane and tail, that reminded Twilight of the dawn, rippled around her as if caught in a gentle breeze. On her flank was a golden sun, the symbol of her charge and the specialty of her magic. The princess’ deep purple eyes gazed upon the tulip and her smile grew larger. “To be honest, I thought it would take you little bit longer to figure out how to change the daisy. I am pleased to say that I am wrong.” The alicorn’s white horn glowed yellow as she levitated the flower and brought it closer to inspect it. She turned the pot this way and that before giving Twilight a nod of approval. “You did an excellent job. I would like to see you try again.” She set the pot on the floor.

Twilight said happily, “Of course, Princess!” Staying seated this time, Twilight called upon her magic once again and transformed the tulip into a yellow lily. The wave of dizziness was less this time because she knew what to expect. The spell was easier to cast, and she was sure that if she continued to practice she could cast the spell without feeling the side effects.

“Well done, my faithful student,” said Celestia. “You have succeeded in completing your task and deserve a rest. You may take the rest of the week off to do whatever you wish. Next week, we will work on changing larger plants.”

“Will I be able to change animals or change a plant to rabbit?” asked Twilight excitedly. She was hopping up and down in her eagerness. She did not care about resting because she wanted to start right away with the lessons. She was always impatient when it comes to learning new things.

“You’re not turning me into a rabbit,” muttered Spike and Celestia chuckled at that. She reached out a gold covered hoof and placed it on Twilight Sparkle’s shoulder to make her stop.

“Always so eager to learn,” said the princess as she ruffled Twilight’s mane. “Patience, my student. You must first learn the basics before you can do that. As you have learned first-hoof, it is difficult to change a flower from one species to another. An animal or even a dragon for that matter,” Her eyes slid to Spike, and he looked down sheepishly. “Requires great skill for it is a complex spell to cast. If you wish, you could research to prepare yourself.” Spike’s stomach suddenly grumbled loudly. He blushed and nervously laughed. “Perhaps we should save that for another time. You two must be hungry. Let us have dinner, and then we can further discuss your studies.”

“Yes, Princess,” said Twilight as she levitated Spike onto her back. She and the princess walked out of the library. The royal castle was grand and luxurious. It was white stoned with purple roofs and gold trims. The castle had four main towers. The first held Princess Celestia’s quarters and rooms for foreign dignitaries, the second was the guard’s keep that housed the royal guards and training grounds, the third was dedicated to the servants, and the fourth was forbidden to everypony. Twilight did not know what was in the north tower, nopony knew, because the doors that lead to it were locked by powerful magic, undoubtedly cast by Celestia herself. She did see only two ponies enter on occasion, which meant that whatever was in there was maintained by the princess’ most trusted ponies. As for the rest of the castle, it was cleaned meticulously, and the decorations were tended almost daily. There were guards stationed or on patrol throughout the castle with the most elite forces in the throne room. Almost every window had an amazing scenic view of the castle grounds, Canterlot, or the fields and valleys that lay below the mountain city. Beneath the castle was the basement that contained the food and drink storage rooms, the treasury that was also magically secured, and the dungeons. Grand stairways, luxurious ballrooms, and beautiful gardens were scattered about the castle grounds. Yes, Canterlot Castle was a magnificent structure that stood for centuries. Princess Celestia, Twilight, and Spike were currently walking through the east wing where the massive royal library resided.

The young unicorn remembered the first day she arrived at the castle, and how she was overwhelmed by its sheer size. She had gotten herself lost several times before a guard was appointed to escort her until she better understood the layout. Now, she could navigate the castle with her eyes closed and knew some of its secret passages. The hall that they walked in had large tapestries adorning the walls with a golden sun in the center that was a match to the princess’ cutie mark on her own flank. The light of the setting sun reflected off her regalia and her crown, perched behind her horn, glinted. Twilight could not help, but admire her teacher’s beauty and grace as they walked and talked. She truly shone like the sun that she rises and sets every day.

Their little group arrived at the main dining hall on the first floor. The floor to high ceiling doors, made from thick oak and carved with images of twisting vines, were already opened, and the two guards were at full attention. The dining hall itself was grand just like almost every other room in the castle. Large windows gave them a view of the garden, and their thick purple curtains were held back by soft tasseled ropes to allow the orange light of the sun to permeate the room. The floor here was wood and in the center of the room, on top of an ornate rug that was a gift, stood a large wooden that could easily sit fifty ponies and seventy-five if pushed. A cacophony of idle chatter greeted their ears from the ponies that were already seated at the table, waiting for dinner to be served. The ponies were a mix of unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies, all from different parts of Equestria as either representatives or personal advisors. Some of them wore special clothes to indicate their position in the government. At one end of the room, two unicorns stood by a set of doors that lead out of the room. One of them, a mare, caught sight of the princess and exited through the doors, most likely telling the staff to get ready to serve dinner. At the head of the table was an expertly crafted chair with the sun carved into the back. To the chair’s right, were two empty seats.

The ponies continued to chat amongst themselves until one of the guards in the room announced in a booming voice, “All rise for Princess Celestia!” The ponies stood from their seats and waited as Celestia walked to her chair, and Twilight hurried to the empty seats. The moment that the princess seated herself the rest followed suit. The food was being delivered as every pony picked up his or her conversations.

“Your Highness,” said one of the consolers as the servants bustled about, placing plates in front of the court members. His name was Drama, and he was Celestia’s cultural advisor who oversaw Equestria’s cultural matters and public events. He was an earth pony with dark brown fur and a straw yellow mane. He wore orange robes with a gold trim to signify his position as a personal advisor in the royal court. Twilight did not know much about the stallion other than his name and position. He tolerated her at best and loathed her at worst. He would not say anything rude to her in front of Celestia. However, he was not afraid to ridicule her when nopony else was around to hear. She quickly learned to avoid him whenever she could. “As you know, the Galloping Gala is only a few months away, and I was hoping we could go over some ideas. The earlier we start planning the better.”

“Later, Drama,” said Celestia gently as she levitated her cup of tea to her lips. “This is a time relaxation, not of business. We’ll discuss it at tomorrow’s meeting.”

“Of course, your grace,” said Drama with a courteous nod before returning to his food.

“How are your studies, Twilight Sparkle?” asked a pegasus. Twilight looked up from her soup bowl. Across from her was Windseeker, another council member. Twilight always liked Windseeker ever since she was a young foal. His fur was stormy grey and his mane was white. Unlike his fellow council members, he did not wear a robe, but instead wore a simple cloth collar. When she had asked him why he wore that, he said that the robes interfered with his flying. Windseeker was the former representative of Cloudsdale, but with his incredible diplomacy skills, the princess offered him the advisor’s position of foreign affairs since the previous one was retiring. Windseeker accepted the position. He was sent to foreign lands as an ambassador of Equestria, took care of visiting delegates, and advised the princess on international relations. When she was young, the other advisors were wary of her. They knew of the stories that involved Celestia’s sudden decision to take on a student. Windseeker was the only one that was friendly to her. He became her first friend at the castle, and he told her stories of the lands that he had visited and of the ponies he met. She would always listen with rapt attention to his stories, and she began to picture what it would be like to see those lands with her own eyes. It was because of him that Twilight wanted to travel abroad once her lessons were complete. She wanted to see wide plains, tall mounts, zebra’s, griffons, and so much more!

“I’m doing well,” said Twilight. “I turned a daisy into a tulip today!” Her excitement from earlier returned vigorously.

“Oh, you did?” asked Windseeker with a large grin on his face. “Tell me about it.” Twilight more than gladly launched into her story. He was quiet throughout her retelling, asking some polite questions here and there, but content to let her talk. She knew that she would not bore him because he was always interested in her lessons.

Once she and the main course were done, he clops his hooves together and said, “Fantastic. You have come very far. I still remember the little foal that accidentally set fire to the rug in her room.” Twilight blushed at this, and both Spike and Windseeker laughed at her embarrassment, even her teacher giggled. She remembered that incident all too well. She was practicing a spell to change an objects color in her room after her lessons, but she misshaped the spell and accidentally casted a fire spell. Her rug became the victim of her magic and caught fire. Once Celestia found out about her little mishap, she was not allowed to practice magic unsupervised until she had a better grasp of her abilities. Desert was being served now, and a slice of carrot cake was placed in front of her.

“It was only a small fire,” mumbled the unicorn.

“Yes, she has come far,” said Celestia. She was levitating a spoonful of banana pudding. “She has been able to overcome every task I have sent her.” She placed the spoon in her mouth and gave an appreciative moan before she went for more. “She has yet to lose her desire to learn. At this pace, I will soon be running out things to teach you, Twilight.” Twilight glowed under the compliment her teacher gave her. Suddenly, there was a loud bang as the doors burst open.

A frantic guard rushed in and panting heavily he said, “Your Highness, please forgive me, but I have an urgent message.” He readjusted the lop-sided helmet on his head then took a deep breath before saying, “Nightmare Moon has just attacked Dodge Junction!” There was an outburst around the table. Ponies were clamoring and Twilight could not help the shutter of fear that ran down her spine.

Twilight Sparkle knew of the Dread Pirate Captain Nightmare Moon. She was the most ruthless pirate that controlled the skies. Twilight heard stories of the pirate. Nightmare Moon commanded a powerful airship that has yet to be shot out of the sky. It was so big that it could blot out the sun, and cannons that could turn even the most fortified cities into ruins. She killed anyone who stood in her way, and if anyone dared to encroach on her territory then he or she were made an example. She was both feared by pirates and hated by the empire. Though she has never seen Nightmare Moon, Twilight had heard rumors of her fearsome appearance. It is said that she was tall and as black as the night sky. She could creep through the dark undetected and strike when a pony least expects it. The last thing they saw was a pair of draconic glowing eyes. Twilight was confused on something that the guard said and apparently so was the princess as she saw a look of bemusement on Celestia’s face.

The dining room became louder as some of the ponies began to panic. Princess Celestia let out a small sigh of annoyance as she raised a hoof, covered in a golden leg cuff, and slammed it hard on the table in front of her. Her pudding bowl rattled and her teacup toppled over, spilling all over the expensive tablecloth.

In a loud booming voice, she cried out in the royal Canterlot voice of old, “We demand silence!” The room immediately quieted, and Twilight slowed pulled her hooves away from her ears. Very rarely did her teacher use the royal Canterlot voice, so she knew that her teacher was angry at the ponies in the room. Celestia’s eyes swept across the table as if daring someone to speak before removing her hoof from the table. Her smile was wiped off her face as if it was not there in the first place. Everything about her screamed authority and commanded respect. Even though she was kind to her subjects and a gentle soul, she was still a pony of great and terrible power. It was moments like these, when her posture becomes rigid and her eyes were harder than steel, that she reminded her subjects why she was their ruler. She cleared her throat before she asked in her normal speaking tone, “Dodge Junction? Are you sure of this?”

“Yes, my lady,” said the guard. He was panting less now. “The attack happened only a few hours ago.”

“I see.” Celestia rose from her seat. “Silver Coin, Iron Shield, and Apple Sprout come with me. You too, guard. There are many things we will need to discuss. As for everypony else, please finish your meals, and do not panic. I will handle this. Twilight Sparkle, I want you to return to your room as soon as you can. We will discuss your lessons tomorrow.” As Celestia strode out the room, she was followed by two unicorns, an earth pony, and the guard. Just before the doors closed, Twilight faintly heard, “Tell me everything that had happened.”

The rest of diners had lost their appetites as the simply pushed their food around their plates and bowls with only the occasional bite. Twilight gave Spike a nervous glance, which he returned.

Windseeker sighed before he said, “It is getting late.” He pushed his plate away from him and stood. “I think it’s time for a certain pony to get some sleep.” The grey pony winked at Twilight, and she pouted like a foal.

“There are some things I need to pick up from the library though,” said Twilight.

“I’ll walk with you.” Spike climbed onto Twilight’s back as she followed Windseeker. The halls were still bathed in the orange glow of the sun as it waited to be lowered for the night. “You’re worried about Nightmare Moon,” said Windseeker after a stretch of silence.

She sighed and said, “Am I that easy to read?” The older pony chuckled at her.

“Only because I know you so well. Every time that pirate gets mentioned, you look scared as if she was going to get you at any second.”

“Can you blame me? With everything I have heard about her, I would think she was some kind of Boogey-pony created to scare little fillies and colts if it weren’t for her raids on our towns and cities.”

“I don’t,” piped in Spike. “She is pretty scary, but it will be okay.” Spike patted a small-clawed hand against her neck. “Celestia will get her soon, and then she will put her in jail and throw away the key.” She gave dragon a small smile.

“Thanks for trying to make me feel better,” she said. “It’s just that the guard said she attacked Dodge Junction. It’s odd because she attacked a place so close to Canterlot. She has never done that before. What if she attacks Canterlot?”

“Nightmare Moon is many things, but she is not stupid,” said Windseeker as the library doors came into sight. “She knows that if she attacks the capital she will have to deal with Princess Celestia.”

Once they reached the library, she quickly gathered up materials to research transfiguration of various plants and animals, and put everything else back in their rightful place. She levitated some of the books while Spike carried the rest. As they were walking to her room, she could not help but ask, “Have you ever seen her before? Nightmare Moon, I mean?”

Windseeker let out a heavy sigh before saying, “Once a long time ago.” The corridors no longer shone with the light of the sun. In its place, silvery pale moonlight flooded the land with the twinkle of starlight. Long shadows made their home in the winding hallways that the ponies and dragon walked. “It happened three years after you arrived at the castle. At the time, I was still the representative of Cloudsdale, and I was returning to the castle. I was flying above the cloud line, just enjoying the night, when it happened. There was the sound of cannon fire, and I followed the sound but was surprised by what I saw. Two massive airships were brutally attacking each other. At first, I didn’t know what was going on and thought that maybe some of Canterlot’s army was in a fight with a neighboring country. When I got closer, I realized that the airships were not military but pirate. Then I saw her for a brief moment.” Windseeker’s eyes were almost glazed over as if he was seeing something far away. “Her fur was so black that she made the night sky look grey. She moved so fast that I could barely keep up with her and her mane was nothing like I have ever seen before. But the thing that I remember the most was her eyes. For a moment, our eyes met, and she stared at me. It felt like she was staring into my very being and I couldn’t look away no matter what. Then, she turned away from me, and I flew as fast as I could. I hurried to Canterlot to tell Princess Celestia what I saw. When the army arrived, she and the other ship were already gone.” They had stopped walking and Twilight was surprised to see that they had already arrived at her room. Windseeker turned to face Twilight.

“Listen to me carefully,” he said in a serious tone. “If you ever find yourself confronting Nightmare Moon, do not fight her. You are very good with magic, but she is much more powerful. She will destroy you. Run as far and as fast as you can, and do not stop. Do you understand me?”

Twilight nodded before saying, “Yes, I do.” Windseeker let out a sigh of relief.

“Good.” He pulled her into a tight hug and she returned it. “You are like a daughter to me. I don’t know what I would do if I lost you.” He pulled away and ruffled her mane a bit. “Get some sleep tonight. You’ll need it for your lessons if you plan on tuning Spike into a rabbit.” Spike let out a huff at which the pegasus chuckled.

“Tell me everything that had happened,” said Celestia to the guard. Her group strode through her castle and she turned left down another hall. They came upon a grand staircase with white banisters that was flanked by suits of armor, polished to a fine shine. At the top of the stairs, a large banner hung on the wall with the golden sun in the center, the symbol of the solar empire.

“Your Highness,” said the guard as they climbed the stairs. “The attack occurred only a few hours ago. Reports indicated that no one saw the airship until it suddenly appeared over the town.”

“What do you mean by ‘suddenly appeared’?” asked Celestia. They went up a second set of stairs. Iron Shield, Silver Coin, and Apple Sprout trailed silently behind her, ready to speak only when their ruler asks.

“No pony in Dodge Junction saw the airship at all. The guards stationed there claimed that they saw nothing in the skies until the attack happened. Eyewitnesses said that a shadow appeared out of nowhere. Then the attacked started.” The Princess was unsettled by this information.

They walked through a long corridor that was lined with paintings and other pieces of art. They were part of her personal collection that she had gathered over the period of her long life. Some she had found in markets while others were gifts. A few in her collection where given to her by young fillies and colts. Amongst the pieces of rare and valuable art was the occasion hoof-painted picture with stick figures, handmade dolls, and even a birdhouse. The nobles, who have seen them, raised their eyebrows, but did not question the princess’ eclectic art collection. The simple truth was that she enjoyed them and the look of joy on her young subjects’ faces when they present them to her.

How is possible for Nightmare Moon to hide a ship of that size? thought the alicorn. It can’t be a camouflage spell. A large ship would still be noticed. Could it be an invisibility spell? But how? It would take great effort to do that, but to hide all of the crew as well? That should be impossible. Unless she has indeed grown more powerful like the rumors suggested. It has been a long time since I last fought her.

The guard had fallen silent as soon as he realized that Celestia was in deep thought, and she was grateful for that. She arrived at the end of the corridor with her entourage in tow. The guard hurriedly opened the door with his magic. The room was vast and lead out to a large balcony. Pressed up against one of the walls was a bed with soft, light blue sheets and white pillows. Perpendicular to it was the fireplace with a carved mantle and piled next to it was a stack of logs. The floor was a thick carpet that was comfortable underhoof. On the other side was a series of bookshelves that varied from fiction to fantasy to reference texts. They surrounded an office desk that had a plush chair and a stack of documents waiting for her approval. The center of the room had several cushions on the floor with a low table in the middle.

Celestia walked to her balcony and slide the glass door open, and when she stepped outside she came to a stop. The other ponies gathered around her. She stood high over the city. From her advantage point, she could see almost everything that was happening in her kingdom’s capitol. The citizens were walking streets while others were rushing to complete errands before the day was done. In the air, she saw the occasional pegasus fly over the rooftops, and group of younger ponies zipping across the city in a race of sorts. She could hear their faint cheers and hollers as the wind carried the noise to her ears. Celestia watched the main plaza were a few street performs were entertaining the evening crowds and shopkeepers were preparing to close down for the day. In the center, a tall and aged statue of her stood proudly in its water fountain, and ponies were sitting around it, laughing, fighting, or just simply reading.

There was a small commotion as the city guards apprehended what appeared to be a thief, judging from the way a pony in an apron was yelling and the thief dropped a bag of coins. Canterlot and its castle bathed in the burning glow of her sun that rested upon the horizon, waiting for her to put it to rest for the night. The grey mountain behind Canterlot rested indifferently as the mountaintop began to accumulate the first snow of the year. A breeze flew over the city then, causing the trees to sway and the flowers to dance in the castle garden. The wind made her mane and tail undulate almost violently, and her gaze shifted away from stone and ponies. She turned her head away and gazed out on the valley beyond the city walls. Long shadows were cast upon the land like long fingers digging into the ground. As her horn glowed yellow with her magic, she voiced her thoughts.

“That is troubling news,” she said as she gathered more power. “I had hoped that the rumors I have heard were false, but I guess it was not meant to be.”

“If I may ask,” said the gruff sounding Iron Shield. “What rumors are you referring to, your Highness?”

“Nightmare Moon’s power is growing,” replied the princess. “It is no easy task to cast a spell of invisibility on an airship and its crew, especially one of Nightmare Moon’s size. Some of my subjects are frightened that she will grow more powerful than I. And if that were to happen… If I were to be defeated…” Celestia’s wings unfurled as she released her built up power and sent it to the sun. It slowed sank beneath the horizon, and the pinkish red and the burnt orange of the sky melted away into inky black. The moon rose now. Its ethereal silver light shone upon the kingdom in a soft glow. One by one, the stars blinked into being, weaving a shimmering tapestry of constellations. Celestia tucked her wings against her body as she stared into the night sky.

“What happened next?” asked Celestia.

“Chaos, ma’am,” responded the guard. “The pirates fired upon everything and every pony. The guards weren’t prepared.”

“How many casualties?”

“We do not know for sure,” said the guard. “So far it is estimated that at least one hundred ponies are dead in the civilian sector, and the number is higher for the guards. There are still some trapped under the rubble or are missing. We won’t know for sure until the search and rescue efforts have ceased.” Celestia let out sad sigh. So many lives pointlessly taken.

She bowed her head slightly as she said, “Continue.”

“Damage to the town’s infrastructure is staggering, and reports indicate that the aqueducts have been caught in the cross fire. The railway and the roads leading in and out of the town have been destroyed. The barracks and all of the guard towers have been ruined as well. Thankfully, the prison and the hospital were untouched. That is all the report has to say at the moment.”

“Thank you. You are dismissed. Please tell the Captain of the Guard to report to my chambers first thing tomorrow morning.”

“As you wish, your Highness,” said the guard with a bow. The click of the door signaled his departure. Turning her back to the night sky, she faced the remaining three ponies.

“Iron Shield,” she said to the battle-scarred unicorn. His fur was navy blue and his eyes were cold steel. A long scar that reached up his cheek was adorned on his muzzle as several more scars littered his body. His near-black mane was cut short and his tail of matching color was tied into a bob. He was her military advisor and war consul. He oversaw the royal army and advised her on battle strategies. Before becoming an advisor, he was a well-respected general of Celestia’s army, and he proved his worth on the battlefield many times. He bowed his head before standing at attention. “I want you to appoint some pony to take some squadrons of the Royal Military to Dodge Junction. Undoubtedly, looting and crime will become an issue in the presence of a weakened military. See to it that the law is upheld during this time, and make sure that the soldiers don’t abuse their power. I want them punished if they cross that line. Set up a camp wherever you can until the barracks have been rebuilt. I want a weekly report sent to Apple Sprout. I also want some sent to Appleloosa in case Nightmare Moon decides to attack it since it is close to Dodge Junction.”

Iron Shield bowed his head and said, “Of course.”

“What is the state of the coffers?” asked the alicorn to Silver Coin. Silver Coin was a pale green unicorn. Her mane was snowy white and elegantly braided with a few curls spilling around her face. Her tail was styled with curls that bounced as she walked, and following the shell of her ears where two silver ear clips that were in the form of weaving vines. Silver Coin exuded elegancy. She herself was a former banker. She rose quickly through the ranks and soon found herself running her own chain of banks. She was excellent with numbers, which caused her business to flourish and to be noticed by the princess. Silver Coin became her financial advisor.

“Your Majesty,” said Silver Coin in a very feminine voice with an elegant bow. “We are in an age of prosperity. The treasury will have plenty of money to pay for any and all repairs that Dodge Junction requires. However, it will be costly.”

“How costly?”

Silver Coin tapped her chin thoughtfully as she spoke. “Judging from what the guard has said it will cost at least,” She trailed off here as her eyes obtained a glazed look. One could almost see the numbers dancing across her eyes. She blinked as she pulled herself out of her mind and her hoof clopped faintly as she placed upon the ground. “250 million bits. I will be able to provide a more precise number when I receive a report that better describes the damage.”

“I will see to it that you will have one as soon as possible,” said Celestia with a small flick of her tail.

“We must also consider that taxes will most likely need to be raised in order to compensate, probably by three percent.”

“We will discuss that when you give me your calculations.”

“As you wish.” Silver Coin respectfully curtsied.

“Apple Sprout,” she said, addressing the sandy brown earth pony. He wore a faded brown vest and on his flank was a cutie mark of a tree sapling. He stood a little straighter as she spoke. “Since you are the representative of both Appaloosa and Dodge Junction, you’ll be in charge of the reconstruction. You will go with the squadrons and work with the pony that Iron Shield appoints on restoring security. I will send workers within the week as well as supplies. Your first priority is to restore the aqueduct and the railroad. We don’t want any ponies dying of thirst in the dessert, and the restored railroad will make sending future supplies easier. I want a progress report of the reconstruction every week. If you need anything additional, send me a request form. Understood?”

“Yes, Ma’am,” said Apple Sprout with a southern accent.

“If there is nothing else, you are all dismissed.” The three ponies bowed and left. Celestia sighed and let her body sag under the weight of the current events. So much destruction and death for what purpose? What did Nightmare Moon gain from an unprovoked raid on Dodge Junction? A strong gust of cool wind blew through Canterlot. The ponies were telling each other good-bye and heading back to their homes. Their windows glowed with candlelight, and she watched as the lights faded one by one. The moon floated serenely through the dark and glittering sea of the night. Its silvery light made everything it touched ethereal and mystical. The stars shimmered and twinkled in the sky, forever immortalizing great ponies in their constellations.

She slowly raised a hoof into the moonlight. The light made her white fur silvery much like the moon and turned the once radiant gold of her hoof cuff to a pale yellow. She stared at the mixture of colors, and she flipped her hoof over as if she was trying to catch some of the light like she would rain. It was a remarkable sight and wondrous as well. Her sun was bright and covered the land with its warmth. It makes everypony feel safe, but the moon makes everything look magical. Yes, the dark made ponies afraid to venture out from the comfort of their homes, but if one was to conquer those fears then they were rewarded with a glorious sight of moonlight and stars. Nopony can gaze upon her sun without pain whose light burns, but the moon’s soft light never caused harm to anypony.

A streak of white caught her attention then as a shooting star rocketed across the sky. She placed her hoof back on the ground. She tore her eyes away from the night and returned them to her city. The streets were almost completely empty now, and she saw members of the night watch patrolling the area. Some of her servants were speaking to each other on the castle grounds after a long day of work, and she saw some of them drinking cider as they gossiped, joked, and swapped stories. Celestia could not help but be a bit envious of them. They were not burdened with the worries of a monarch. Their lives were much simpler than hers will ever be.

Turning her back to the peaceful scene displayed before her, she strode back into her room and closed the doors with her magic. She immediately began to strip off her royal garments and neatly placed them on the low table in the center of the room. She lifted off her crown and stared at for a moment. A torrent of thoughts rampaged through her mind as she gazed upon it. Her crown was nothing too extravagant, just how she liked it. It was made of gold with three spikes, the middle one being the longest, rising from the top, and in the middle was a simple deep purple gem carefully placed in its socket. For something so simple, it sat greatly on her head. The weight of her position made her heart feel heavy. Putting a halt to those thoughts, she levitated the offending object with the others. She summoned a ribbon and tied her mane up into a ponytail. Her hoof steps were muffled by the carpet as she got into her bed and she doused the light with her magic. Her eyes fell on the mantle.

It was decorated with little trinkets and nick-knacks that she had gathered over the years. Among them was a sloppily made clay pot that was chaotically painted with many colors. It was one of her favorites in her collection. The pot had streaks of red, blue, green, yellow, grey, and so many other colors that were haphazardly painted. Besides the colors, there was an oval shaped sun with light beams of different sizes branching off the orb, and it was completely off center. She remembered the day it was gifted to her.

“Look look! I made something for you!”

“It looks lovely.”

“You’re just saying that.”

“No, I’m not. I think it is wonderfully done. It looks like I know a future artist.”

“Do you really like it?”

“I love it. I will treasure this always.”

She let out a mournful sound at the memory, rolled over, and closed her eyes.

The Calm before the Nightmare

Author's Note

Thank you guys for the wonderful support and watches. I went back and cleaned up the first chapter a bit, and I fixed some surface issues. Hopefully, the tenses for the chapter are good now. Before writing this story, I had taken a long break from writing and this is the first story I have written in years. My skills are rusty, and I'm trying to get back into the swing of things and find my voice again. Anyway here is the second chapter of My Beautiful Nightmare, and once again it is self-edited. If you spot anything wrong, feel free to leave a comment. You won't hurt my feelings. Also, the rating has been bumped up to mature because of swearing, but the story won't truly earn it's mature rating until later.

Previously on My Beautiful Nightmare: Nightmare Moon attacked Dodge Junction, Princess Celestia watches the city go to sleep for the night, and Spike doesn't want to be turned into a rabbit.

The Calm before the Nightmare

Chapter 2
The Calm before the Nightmare

The cabin was very dim, only lit by a few candelabras that were place around the room. The light weakly illuminated the glorious treasures that decorated the space. One of these treasures was a set of silver armor. Its surface was marred with scratches and dents from its many years of combat, but that did not mean it was neglected. It shone brightly in the low light because of a recent polishing. Hanging on the wall above it was a pair sabers, sharpened to a fine edge. Their owner was staring at them in deep thought. A strong breeze flew into the room from an open window and with it were the scents of the night. Her mane and tail writhed almost violently in the wind.

She was in a foul mood, a very foul mood. Her prey had slipped by her, and she was not pleased. All of her hard work and careful planning ruined in only a few minutes. Her anger made her magic flare and an orange suddenly exploded, making her visitors jump in alarm. No, she was not pleased one bit.

“How did this happen?” she asked in a deathly quiet voice. The other occupants knew better than to respond. It was a rhetorical question, after all, because she knew exactly how it happened. That son of bitch stallion distracted them long enough to make his escape. He most likely had a concealment potion that made him blend into the environment, and he slipped away in the commotion. He was the reason why Dodge Junction was attacked in the first place. The destruction, the chaos, the bloodshed, it was all for him, to capture him and to execute him. She has been hounding him for weeks, and the moment she finally had his location pinned down he disappeared. Another piece of fruit, this time a pear, suffered under her wrath and exploded as well. She desperately needed a drink. She glared at her tankard as she levitated and filled it to the brim with alcohol, and she took a large gulp of the drink. It slid warmly down her throat and into her belly. She could feel the warmth start to spread slowly throughout her body, but it did nothing to soothe the raging blizzard that viciously stormed inside. There was a silver lining to the situation though. The bastard may have escaped, but in his haste, he left a trail for her to follow.

“Does anypony have any information about where the fucker ran?” she asked. This time the others knew she demanded an answer.

“He escaped on the north side of Dodge,” said an earth pony. “He is either makin’ a run for it to Appleloosa or Ponyville.”

“Hmmm,” she muttered as she took another mouthful of rum. The wind picked up fiercely again as a whooshing sound could be heard. A pegasus flew through the open window and landed neatly without disturbing any of the papers and maps that are on the wide circular table which everypony surrounded. “Ah, there you are. Tell me, where did you run off to?”

The pegasus gave her a smug smile and said, “I followed our prey when he made a run for it.” She perked up at this. “He was good, but he wasn’t better than me. I followed him to Appleloosa where he boarded a train.” The smugness vanished as she visibly drooped. “You will not like where he is going.”

“Tell me,” she demanded.

“He went to Canterlot.”

A unicorn spoke out, “Canterlot? Are you sure? Maybe he knew you were following him and tricked you.”

The pegasus scowled, obviously offended by the lack of faith in the pegasus’ skills, and replied, “No, I stayed out of sight. He didn’t spot me once. He fled to Canterlot. I followed him into the city to an inn, and overheard him speaking to some pony. He told them that he was going to be lying low in the capital for a few days before he moves on and said that you wouldn’t dare follow him there.”

“That smug bastard!” she cried out, and her mane and tail writhed in rage. “He thinks he’s untouchable in Canterlot, does he?” A bitter and crazed laughter escaped her as she crushed the tankard with her magic, rum spilling on the floor. “He will see. Oh yes! He will see! Canterlot does not frighten me! We will follow him there and I will show him just how cruel I can be.”

“Are you sure?” asked the earth pony. “I mean, Princess Celestia-” Straightaway the earth pony knew that was the wrong thing to say, and other ponies in the room tensed. The tankard flew across the room, barely missed the earth pony, and slammed against the wall. The earth pony stood stalk still in fright.

“Do not question me,” she hissed as she glared at the pony. The threat of a slow and agonizing death flittered through the still cabin as if the very air itself was afraid of her wrath. “And do not say that name in my presence. Celestia will not stop us from catching that son of a whore. We will find him and nothing will get in our way.” She pointed a hoof at the pegasus. “Do reconnaissance on Canterlot. Get as much information as you can. We will meet you at home base.”

The pegasus saluted her and said, “On it!” The pegasus zipped out of the window and vanished quickly from sight.

“Plot a course for Canterlot,” she said. Behind her, the early rays of dawn were spilling over the horizon. “He will learn soon enough that nopony can ever escape from Nightmare Moon!”

Twilight Sparkle let out a mighty yawn as she slowly peeled her eyelids apart. The sun was up in the sky and she groaned at its light. She had nightmares about that bloody pirate. She was running, but not matter how fast or how hard she ran, she was not moving. She could hear Nightmare Moon cackling right behind her and her shadow loomed over her, growing bigger as she neared the terrified pony. Twilight could hear Windseeker’s voice echoing.

“She will destroy you. Run as far and as fast as you can, and do not stop.”

She felt a rancid breath on her neck, but right before the pirate could bite down on her flesh, she awoke. She rose from her bed, rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and looked blearily around the room. Her room was of modest size and a mess, an organized mess in her opinion. Scrolls and books were scattered about the floor and her desk where several quills, paper, and bottles of ink resided. Her bed was queen size, and its sheets and pillows were a simple white. Next to her bed was a smaller one for Spike whom was currently snoring softly. The far wall housed a small fireplace to keep her warm during the winter months, and in front of it was a carpet of large cushions where she could read comfortably in front of the fireplace.

She took in the state of her room and grimaced. She was normally so neat and organized, but the task that the princess had given her made her toss her study materials everywhere in frustration as she had searched book after book for the answer. She made a mental note to clean her room after she had breakfast. Twilight stepped out of bed and stretch, yawning again, and fixed her bed for the day. She quietly walked pass Spike and out of the room. The castle was very busy today, she noted as she weaved through crowds of workers and soldiers. She raised an eyebrow in confusion. She knew that Nightmare Moon –a shudder raced through her body when she remembered her nightmare from the previous night- had attacked one of their cities, but what where all of these ponies doing here at the castle? Should they not be at the train station or the barracks? She trotted to the kitchens and picked up some food for both her and Spike. The castle hummed with noise as she hurried back to her room.

“Spike,” she said softly as she nudged the sleeping dragon. “Time to wake up.” He grumbled in displeasure at her and rolled to his other side. Twilight rolled her eyes. “Come on, Spike. You need to get up.”

“Five more minutes,” he mumbled.

“Oh, I guess you don’t want all of this delicious food then. It’s a shame too. It looks so good. Maybe the birds will like it then.” Spike shot up, alert, and the unicorn could not help but chuckle. It worked every time.

“I’ll take it!” Spike exclaimed.

They ate together in companionable silence for a moment before Twilight said, “There are a lot of ponies at the castle today.”

“Really? Do you know why?”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t, but I know somepony who does. But first-” She launched into the list of goals she wanted to accomplish that day. She wanted to clean her room, return some books to the library, get more books, practice her new spell, and visit with the princess about her lessons. When she was done, Spike groaned at the busy schedule. “It’s not that bad.”

“Knowing you,” said Spike as he ate the last bit of food on his plate. “You are going to be outside practicing until midnight.”

“Oh, you’re just exaggerating.” He gave her a skeptical look. “Okay, maybe I have done it once or twice before, but it won’t happen this time.”

“I’m not going to hold my breath.” Twilight glared at him and gave in to the temptation of immaturely sticking her tongue out at him, a gesture that he returned and had both of them laughing. Throughout the rest of the morning, they worked on straightening out her room. Twilight was sitting on her cushions as she sorted through her literature, separating ones that she wanted to keep and ones that she no longer needed. Spike, meanwhile, was moving items around on her desk. Once that task was completed, they took the books to the library and passed them off to a librarian. They ate a quick lunch before the purple unicorn was tugging on Spike’s arm.

“We are taking a detour,” she said. She placed Spike on her back before trotting out of the castle. They entered a large plaza that was rich with greenery. The gardens were carefully tended all year around, and fruit trees were planted so that anypony could enjoy them. She heard the faint twittering of birds and the occasional butterfly flew past her as made her way across the grounds. She always loved the gardens. When she was younger, she would spend hours in them just to catalogue each species of flower and plant that she could find. The princess was impressed with her work when she finally completed the journal. However, now was not the time for her to stop and admire the early fall flowers that were in bloom. She was a pony on a mission. She passed through an archway and spotted her target.

The guard’s keep stood in front of her. It was a wide building made of strong stone. At the top of the keep was a single wrap around balcony that was being patrolled by a group of guards whom were watching the skies and ground. Sitting on the flat roof was a series of battlements with ballista’s and cannons lying in wait. She heard the sound of grunts and metal clashing against metal from the training grounds nearby as she approached. Once she entered the courtyard proper, she saw dummies set up and a group of guardsmen practicing their martial skill. Next to the dummies where targets for the unicorns in the ranks, and a series of aerial obstacles of the pegasi. Next to the training ground were several fenced in areas that were used for sparring and each one had a wooden rack of practice weapons that ranged from the standard to the more exotic. Twilight saw two ponies in a nearby arena, an earth pony and a unicorn, that were currently locked in combat. The unicorn clearly had the earth pony in a corner. No matter what he did, he could not get close enough to the unicorn. Then she heard it.

A familiar voice shouted right after the unicorn struck the earth pony with a beam of magic, “If this was real combat, you would’ve been dead now Lightstep! You must think on your hooves in combat. Try again!” A white unicorn was overseeing the mock fight. His mane and tail were a rich blue color and he wore the red uniform of the Guard Captain. On his flank was a cutie mark in the shape of a blue shield with a star in the center.

“Shining Armor!” Twilight called out to him. She saw his ears twitch at her voice and he met her eyes. A large grin broke across his face at the sight of her, obviously ecstatic to see her. Spike slid off her back as she sat down next to the unicorn.

“Hey, Twily,” he said as he affectionately nuzzled the top of head. “How’s my little sis doing?” His eyes returned to the arena to watch the fight.

“I’m okay,” she responded as she watched the fight with her brother. The gold brown earth pony weaved through the barrage of spells that the unicorn unleased on him. Just when he was close enough to strike his opponent with the sword clenched tightly in his teeth, the unicorn teleported and delivered a swift kick with his hind legs. Spike was resting against one of the fence rungs, and he cringed at the blow. “Got some new recruits?”

“Yes,” he said with a look of frustration on his face. “But they are an unskilled bunch. I hope that with training they will get better. However, they lack discipline.” Twilight could understand her brother’s frustration as she gave the group of recruits a quick glance. The group was snickering and talking to each other in hushed voices that could not be heard over the grunts of the other ponies in training. Some pointed and laughed when Lightstep would make a mistake. They truly looked like an unruly bunch.

“Sounds tough,” she said as Lightstep barely dodged a binding spell and he was forced to retreat. “Don’t you have training officers for this kind of thing?”

“I do, but they sometimes send the trouble makers my way.” He had a frown on his face as the earth pony attempted to get close to the unicorn to strike a blow only to be thrown back by another beam of magic. The group of onlookers snickered at Lightstep’s failure. “One minute,” Shining murmured to her before he called out, “Stop!” The fight immediately halted. “Is there something funny, recruits? If you think you can do better than Lightstep then please, by all means, step forward and take his place.” The snickering died quickly as the group shifted nervously from one hoof to the other. “Fall into formation now.” They scrambled into position as fast as they could. Shining Armor strode forward and stood at attention in front of the group. He glared at them before saying, “Being a member of the Royal Guard is not a game. If you think you can breeze through training then I’m sorry to disappoint you, cupcakes, because none of you will. We don’t simply hand out uniforms to anypony and say, ‘Welcome to the club!’ You have to earn the privilege to wear the uniform. Our job is to protect the capital and its citizens, but most importantly, we must be willing to sacrifice ourselves to save Princess Celestia. If you think this is all fun and games, then turn in your gear and get out of my sight right now. I will not waste my time on steers.” Nopony responded or even moved after his speech. “Now, will you take your training seriously?”

“Yes, sir!” came the resounding response.

“All of you report to lieutenant Wildfire for punishment. Dismissed!” The group quickly trotted off, and Lightstep made a move to follow when Shining said, “You stay and continue with your training. I will return later to check on your progress.” Lightstep saluted and returned to his task. The white stallion jerked his head as an indicator for Twilight to follow him.

“‘You have to earn the privilege to wear the uniform,’” said Twilight in a poor imitation of her brother’s voice. “I think that’s my favorite line of your little speech.” Shining chuckled at her.

“Well, if it gets them to take this job seriously,” he said. “Then I’ll say it.” When they walked into the keep, Twilight was assaulted with the smell of food, sweat, and armor oil. The ground floor was filled with long tables and benches. In a corner of the room was the kitchen and a line of guardsmen were waiting for their food. Groups of ponies were loitering about, some were playing cards, and others were tending to their weapons or armor. She saw one group of ponies betting on the outcome of a leg-wrestling match. Staircases led to places out of sight, but Twilight figured that they were most likely the sleeping quarters and armory.

“Have you two eaten already?” asked the Captain. She nodded in conformation, and he said, “Why don’t the two you find some place to sit while I get lunch for myself. I haven’t eaten since last night.” They parted ways, and Twilight managed to find a spot away from the rowdy section of guardsmen. She was making small talk with Spike when somepony approached them.

“Hello young lady,” said a white pegasus with a blond mane and tail. “I’m Twister. What’s your name?”

“Oh, I’m Twilight Sparkle,” she replied with a bright smile, ignorant of the other pony’s intention. Spike snorted at the stallion. The dragon did not like him one bit. He was ready to set fire to the invader’s tail if he tried anything.

“Twilight,” said Twister as he sat across from her which caused Spike to glare. “That’s a lovely name for a lovely mare. If I may ask, what brings an enchanting creature such as you to the keep?”

“I’m visiting some pony, my brother actually.” The unicorn brushed a part of her mane out of her face as Twister gave her a charming smile.

“Is it some pony that I know?”

“Well-” Twilight did not get to finish for she was then interrupted by a stern voice.

“As a matter of fact, you do, Guardsman Twister,” said Shining Armor. He was levitating a tray of food and his drink as he scowled at the pegasus. Twister leapt out of his seat as if it was set ablaze. He stood at attention and saluted his captain.

“Captain Armor,” said Twister nervously. “I apologize. I didn’t know she was your sister.”

“Now you know. I’ll forget about this if you never talk to her again. Dismissed.”

“Yes, sir!” Twister trotted out of the building. The tray clattered softy as Shining placed it on the table, and he sat down with a huff.

“What was that about?” asked Twilight, a little miffed about what had transpired. “He was only being nice.”

“Twily,” sighed her brother. “He was only being nice because he wanted to add another notch to his bed post.” Twilight’s face flushed with embarrassment.

“Oh,” she muttered as she wrapped her tail around her body tighter and her ears drooped. She felt stupid, an irony for her since she was supposed to be a prodigy. “Thank you, I guess.” Conversation flowed smoothly after her embarrassment died, and soon all three of them were laughing about a story that Shining had told.

They had come so far the three of them. Spike and Shining Armor were there with her when she first came to the castle. While she and Spike worked on her studies, her brother started to follow the guardsmen. He would watch with eager eyes as they preformed their drills and sparred, and she caught him several times practicing everything he watched. She remembered the times when it would be late at night and Shining was still awake, practicing until he got every movement perfect. He then started to take books from the library that dealt with combat magic and trained with Twilight as a dueling partner. When the young colt finally grew into a stallion, he joined the Royal Guard where he quickly rose through the ranks and received many commendations. It was not long before he became the youngest Captain in the history of the Royal Guard. With his duties and her studying of advance spells, finding time for each other became harder, but they always tried.

“Oh,” said Twilight. “I just remembered that I wanted to ask you something.”

“Fire away,” said Shining as he ate his last cherry tomato.

“Well it’s just that, today I saw that the castle had a lot more ponies than usual,” she said as she nervously rubbed a hoof against a foreleg. “Most of them were part of the guard.” Shining suddenly stopped drinking his water at this. His eyes met hers with a concerned look. “Is there something wrong? Is the castle in danger?” Her brother sighed and floated his glass back to his tray. She could see the worried look on his face as he debated whether he should tell her something.

“No, at least the princess hopes,” said the white unicorn as he pushed his empty tray away from him. “What I am about to tell you, you must keep to yourself because Princess Celestia and myself both agree that it would not be wise to start a panic. Do you the both of you promise?” Twilight and Spike both nodded and Shining continued. “I’m sure that you have heard by now that Nightmare Moon has attacked Dodge Junction yesterday.”

“Yeah,” replied Spike. “We were both having dinner with the princess when we heard about it.”

“Well, I don’t know how much of Dodge Junction is left now,” said Shining as he shifted on the bench to a more comfortable position. The keep grew a bit quieter as some the ponies filtered back outside to continue their training.

“What do you mean?” asked Twilight. Shining leaned in closer and dropped his voice.

“More reports have come in today. It turns out that the preliminarily report had grossly under exaggerated the damage that was done. I’m surprised that town is still standing. Businesses, life-sustaining infrastructure, the roads, the railways, as well as all military instillations were destroyed, and the body count is still rising.” Twilight gasped at this. She gave a horrified expression to Spike and he gave her saddened look. “It was by some miracle that the civilian homes were left alone as well as the hospital and the prison. Can you imagine if the hospital was destroyed? There would have been no way for the injured to be treated, especially after that attack. If the prison was damaged, then we would have criminals running the streets, or even possibly fleeing into the wilds. There is something even more troubling.” Shining looked around the room to make sure that nopony was close enough to overhear him before he said, “The princess believes that Nightmare Moon might attack Canterlot.” Twilight paled at this. Cold fear laced its icy fingers through her spine, uncaring of the frosty trails it left in its wake. It slithered throughout her body, quickening her breath and heart, and making her body shake.

“W-w-what?” she sputtered out, barely able to keep her voice in check. “Nightmare Moon? Attack Canterlot? But how? I mean, she wouldn’t dare attack Canterlot with Princess Celestia here. Is the princess sure?”

“She isn’t, but she didn’t want to leave it chance. You know that that pirate had never before dared to attack any town or city so close to Canterlot. There is no way to know for sure if her boldness would make her attack us. Princess Celestia wants me to increase the patrol of the Royal Guard and to tighten up security around the capital. She also gave me command of a portion of the military to increase our ranks. The workers are here to make sure that our structural defenses are sound. She wants the castle to prepare for the worst. Do you see why the princess doesn’t what this information to spread?”

“Yes,” said Twilight quietly. “I do. If the citizens know, then there would be a mass panic over something that would not happen.”

“Exactly,” said Shining. “So we must keep quiet about this.” She only nodded as she thought about what she had been told. Judging from what her brother had said she was also surprised that Dodge Junction was not ruins by now. She was stunned at how one pony could cause such destruction. Her imagination ran wild as she started to think what it would be like for the pirate to attack Canterlot with the same ferocity. Horrible images danced around her head as she thought about it. Buildings in ruins, the corpses of ponies lying in the street, the whole capital burning…

Fear gripped her in its merciless hold, but then she felt a small hand pat her gently on the neck. She was pulled out of fear-induced coma and blinked rapidly. Twilight stared down at Spike. He had a small comforting smile on his face as he soothingly scratched her neck with his tiny claws. She felt her body relax under his ministrations, not realizing how much she was trembling.

“Twilight,” said Shining and her attention snapped back to him. “It will be okay. Just because the princess thinks there will be attack, doesn’t meant that there will be one. She only wants to be ready. Besides, Nightmare Moon would not dare come here because she knows that she is no match against Princess Celestia. She wouldn’t risk capture.” The young mare felt some of her worry slip away at her brother’s words, but the anxiety was still there in the back of her mind. Taunting her and reminding her that it was only lying in wait.

“Yeah,” she said with a weak smile that she hoped did not betray her emotions. “You’re probably right.”

“Probably?” snorted Shining Armor in mock indignation. “You of such little faith. I am wounded!” He dramatically placed his hoof over his heart. “My own sister, of all ponies, doesn’t believe me! The only pony that I could rely on in this cruel world doesn’t trust me. I feel betrayed!” He brought both of his hooves to his face and faked sobbed into them. Twilight giggled at his antics. He peeped at her through his hooves and wailed, “Now she laughs at my misery! Does your malice know no bounds?” Her giggling evolved into full-blown laughter, and he pulled his hooves from his face with a large grin gracing his lips. “See? It will be okay.” Twilight Sparkle could only nod in response for was too busy laughing. When she finally quieted down, the occasionally giggle still escaping her, she patted her brothers hoof with her own.

“Thank you both for making me feel better,” she said.

“Shy-Shy has everything covered,” said Spike as he hauled himself on the table. “There’s no point in worrying about something that will most likely to happen. Besides, I can protect you if she tries to take you away.”

She laughed at Spike and said, “I sure she will run away the moment she see such a fierce dragon like you.”

“Hey, I am fierce. Watch!” The hatchling took a deep breath and let out a small roar. A stream of green fire burst forth from his mouth. The flames curled into the air before being extinguished.

“You would have me running to another country,” said Shining as he rested his head on a propped up hoof.

With a smug smile he said, “Of course I would. Any pony would cower before me!” Twilight reached forward, wrapped her legs around him and pulled him to her chest. She nuzzled Spike on the head with her muzzle and he returned the gesture.

“With a bodyguard like you,” she said as she pulled away. “I feel much safer now.” Yes, she did feel safer now, but she did not know how much of a turn her life was going to take.