For whom the Sweetie Belle Toils
Deep in the dungeons of Canterlot there is a forgotten room. Or almost forgotten. It is so deep, so old, that if one were to see it they might believe that it is cloaked in darkness. It is a circular room, where shadows hang in the air like a roiling mist. Though no door is visible a wooden platform is attached to the wall near the ceiling and curves with the wall until it reaches the floor.
There is only one object in this room. Sitting on a pedestal, forgotten for a thousand years before it’s rediscovery, is an orb. An orb that appears to be made of thick, black glass so dark that one might believe light itself avoided the orb. The orb just sat on the pedestal, and nothing happened.Up above, where the ramp began, the stone wall slid away, revealing a dark alicorn mare, with a crescent moon cutie mark. She trod down the ramp on well shod hooves, her mane containing all the stars of the night sky, which was flowing and luminous. Her steps were heavy, weighted with a thousand years of regret and her new duties.As the lonely half of the Royal Sisters approached the dark orb it burst to life. The center glowed a vibrant green, while the darkness within flowed like clouds, occasionally allowing the green light within to escape.A light grey glow appeared around the orb as Luna gripped it in her magic. She opened her powers to the orb, allowing it to use her as a conduit she felt the power within diffuse throughout the sleeping ponies of Equestria. A few ponies were unfortunate enough to receive a concentrated burst of the stuff, and when that happened their normally happy dreams changed. Images of madmen, pain, eldritch creatures, and living clouds raining lightning replaced the bright and sunny meadows, the lakes of sugar, the fields of cake.Luna released her hold on the orb and hung her head, plodding heavily back through the door. The stones slid into place and nopony knew the hidden room and the nightmare orb was there.
Princess Twilight Sparkle was in Canterlot to ‘assist the Princesses is carrying out duties of the crown.’ Or at least that was the official story. In reality, publishers from across Equestria sent copies of their works to Canterlot to be approved– or denied– by the Princesses. When Celestia had suggested that she come to Canterlot to help in the process, she had jumped at the opportunity.Presently Twilight was reading ‘The Secret History of Equestria: what Celestia doesn’t want you to know.’ It was a disturbing piece of historical fiction that posited that Celestia was actually an evil tyrant that had imprisoned Luna in the moon when she rebelled and then used her magic to manipulate her mind into believing she was evil.It’s slander, thought Twilight, these publishers are going to receive a strongly worded letter.Twilight glanced up from the chapter she was reading. The little window was nearly obscured by books, but Twilight could see the dark night sky with it’s smattering of stars.The purple mare yawned. She had not realised it while she had been reading, but she was tired. Likely there were heavy bags under her eyes, and she could feel a weight behind her eyes.Twilight rose from her seat and began the long trek to her old room in the observatory. She was so preoccupied with the books that she had read that it didn’t even occur to her that it would have been faster and easier to fly.After a long walk spent pondering the mysteries of Sherlock Roan and the Canterlot Caper, Twilight reached her room. Collapsing into her bed, the alicorn was asleep instantly.
Then Twilight wasn’t asleep. A loud groaning noise, like some ancient titan falling, sounded throughout Twilight’s chambers. Jumping up Twilight sprinted to her balcony. Looking out across the darkened landscape, Twilight saw hell itself unfolding.Zebra’s were amassed by the thousands in lighted corrals. Ten at a time, ponies were wearing armor of the royal guard were herding them to...a wooden platform with a massive blade. A guillotine.Twilight leaped off the balcony and glided down to the throne room. There was Celestia, right where she should be.“Princess! What’s going on?”“Whatever do you mean, Twilight?” Celestia’s voice was it’s usually light and cheery tone.“Outside. The zebra’s they’re...they’re–”“Being executed? Oh Twilight, I know.”“You what!? You have to stop it!”“Why would I stop it? I’ve waited for a thousand years for my great revenge.”“I...no...you can’t.”“I already have.”“No, you’re sick. We’ll gather the elements of harmony and fix all of this.” Twilight couldn’t keep her voice from wavering.“The elements of harmony? Oh please, I’ve already taken care of you friends.” With that Celestia seemed to grow to tower over Twilight. Her face became obscured in shadows, and a red glow sprang up. The giant Celestia raised one massive hoof.
Twilight jerked awake. Windows. Books. A massive telescope. She was in the observatory, lying under her sweat soaked sheets. There was no massive genocide, no mad princess, just her room and a bad dream.Twilight was somewhat surprised to see sunlight streaming through the window. Usually nightmares wake one up in the middle of the night.Deciding to sneak down to the kitchens for a discreet breakfast, Twilight marched downwards. After her breakfast Twilight returned to her reading room.Many books later, Twilight put down Hard Reset and glanced at the window. The sun was going down. Deciding it would be better to go to bed now than risk a late night and grump chef Twilight put down her book and began the trek to her room once more.Twilight could not help but think about her dream. Logically, it was just a result of reading that awful ‘Secret History of Equestria’ book. Maybe she should recommend that Celestia refuse it’s publication. But the violence, the gore, did it mean something else. Maybe it means that I’ve got some sort of doubts about Celestia? No, that can’t be. Maybe I’m racist towards zebra’s? As Twilight was walking through a hallway she caught sight of Luna walking down a perpendicular one. There was nopony better to ask about her dream.Twilight took a left at the corner, only to see the Princess turning at the far end of the hall. Twilight called out to her, but she didn’t hear. Twilight raced to the end of that hall, but Luna was no where in sight. She checked down the hall, but the Princess of the night was nowhere to be seen.Shrugging, Twilight allowed magic to flow into her horn. Casting the simple searching spell, she searched for Luna and found her deep below the castle. It was odd, but Twilight was determined to talk to Luna. Twilight simply teleported to where Luna was.Twilight gasped at the sudden darkness. She allowed her horn to cast light on her surroundings, and found that she was standing on a wooden platform at the top of a deep but small circular room. Following the wooden steps down Twilight called out for Luna.Reaching the bottom Twilight saw a pedestal rising up from the floor. The only thing on it was a black orb. Twilight reached out to it with her magic and shrieked in pain. Black magic arced out of the orb and threw her across the room.What is that thing? Twilight didn’t know but any object with black magic ready to attack anypony in the depths of a hidden room under the castle couldn’t be good.“Twilight, how did you find this place?” It was Luna, standing in the shadows. She approached the orb, and it lit up. A deep green light was in the center, with blackness rolling around it. The green light gave Luna an eerie glow that couldn’t help but remind Twilight of Queen Chrysalis.“Luna? Why were you down here? What is that thing? It this some sort of containment for a dangerous artifact.” Luna stared at her for a long moment.“Yes, that’s what this is. A containment. I was just checking to make sure the wards were still in place.” Luna’s voice had rose in pitch.“You’re a terrible liar, Princess.”“You should leave, Twilight Sparkle. Forget this place, forget the orb. Just go back to your life.” Twilight gave her a skeptical glare. “You’re not going to, are you?” Twilight shook her head.Luna gave a heavy sigh. “I suppose it’s time I told somepony.” Striding back into the darkness, Luna began to pace around the orb.“Twilight, this is the Nightmare.” Twilight gasped.“But why keep it here, why expose yourself to it? You of all ponies should know–”“Patience, Twilight, patience.” Luna stopped her pacing to stare at the orb. “I use this to create nightmares.”“But–” Luna silenced her with a glare.“This orb diffuses it’s energy throughout all the sleeping pony minds. Sometimes it becomes too concentrated, producing vivid and disturbing nightmares.”“I don’t understand. Why create so much pain?”“Because...because there can be no light with the dark. There is no happiness if we never experience pain.”“That is not a reason!”“I was being philosophical. No, the nightmare’s do serve a purpose. Sometimes such a dream serves to bring problems that the dreamer might not have been aware even existed. Sometimes I can sweep down and help those ponies solve their problems before they become dangerous.”“I…”“For instance, your dream, with Celestia and the zebras.”“How did you–”“Have you ever met a zebra, other than the one that lives in the Everfree forest?”“No.”“Well then, you must wonder why the zebra’s don’t come here. Equestria is a land of peace and friendship after all. Likely your mind was creating a logical but disturbing reason why. As for my sister–”“I know Celestia would never–”“No. She would not. She hold naught but kindness and Equestria’s best interests in her heart. Above all she loves you, Twilight. Don’t let some...test anxiety cloud your judgment.”“But it’s still wrong to give ponies bad dreams!”“Is it, Twilight? When it gives them a chance to look at some problem in their life objectively? Would you have come down here if not for that Nightmare?”“But that orb is evil. It’s full of black magic!”“It’s just an object, it’s not what you think. It’s hardly fair to label an object as good or evil. It’s all about how a pony uses it. When the element of magic fell into Sunset Shimmer’s hooves, was it still a force of good? Is using this object to help my subjects really so wrong?”“I...maybe not.”“Twilight, go back to your room. Get some sleep. Tomorrow, eat breakfast and read your books. Please, take a few days off from saving the world.” Twilight nodded and teleported away.Luna stood alone in the room and stared at the orb. Ah, sister what do you dream of? With a small little smile to herself, Luna channeled her power into it, sending the Nightmare rippling across the dreamscape.Luna smiled, staring intently at the green light. This orb could do so much good if it was in the right hooves. If.