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                   Year of the Nightmare                   
                    -by Silver Letter-                     
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                   Year of the Nightmare                   
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Year of the Nightmare
In days long ago, the ponies of Equestria dwelt close to a spirit that existed beyond the grasp of time. So close it had been that a pony could have concealed it within their very shadow without ever knowing it. Its name was Nightmare. Since the dawn of the world, the ponies supposedly never suffered and it could tell. Forever to their dismay, it happens to be that suffering is the only goal of this spirit. It forces itself into the mind like a parasite and allows no pony to go free once its darkness has sunken deep. Such an eternal force must have been too small even for the guardians of the sun and moon to perceive, perhaps a molecule or even an atom’s width at its faintest. As it watched ponies, its hunger for power only grew stronger. It is a difficult thing to grasp, even for an immortal. It takes the form of the singular and infinite number of bodies at once. All fears originate in its very being but it needs living things or the very idea of fear would be a mere myth. Nothing is immune to its personality; it can only be called a sickening arrogance. If it is beaten, its tendency is to burn its victims, to destroy them utterly if they can’t be possessed by it. The ponies that took Equestria as their home could not sense the shadow coming. The perfect target it had chosen was none other than the route towards great power, the princess of the night.
Nightmare’s sweeping powers through its new host was challenged and defeated by the will of Celestia, the princess of the sun. She survived its long and brutal quest. She witnessed Nightmare’s manifestation, a perversion upon any natural body. Its true home isn’t the moon, its shadowy refuge, but inside the creatures of the world. Once it slips into a mind, it takes over violently; and like a denatured egg that can never revert back to its former self, there can be no restoration for its poor and unfortunate victims. But a real reprieve spared Princess Luna for her spirit was strong. Nightmare may have wrestled and took possession but there was still resistance, a faint light that couldn’t be consumed fully. Celestia couldn’t know this. She could only watch as the beloved princess disappeared to be replaced by Nightmare Moon, a fusion of moonlight and the pure dark. Her mouth where she once proclaimed her benevolence now brandished the most unnatural of long fangs as she dreadfully threatened the world with eternal night. Her wings, covers of darkness that no light could pierce, poised to smother her subjects rather than embrace them.
Celestia could not deny that the Nightmare was real and in her midst. Like all others, she hadn’t seen it coming. Nightmare was more powerful than it has been in eons, free to do as it will. But first Nightmare Moon rushed into the sky to deal with Luna’s sister. It charged into battle. Celestia couldn’t bear to do anything but flee, and she became cornered in her own castle. Shaken by such power, she took decisive action if only to stop the spread of this evil that challenged her so brazenly. She is well aware that great weapons were at her call. At any moment she could unleash them and spell the end of any disaster or great threat. They were even more powerful than she. Nightmare Moon laughed in her delusion; she thought that Celestia was overcome by sheer force. There was no reasoning with it. Celestia and the elements rose together in a brilliant display of power, a shield around her body. As they stared each other down, Celestia kept all of her powerful emotions in check, knowing that she desperately had to balance the elements. Such power required it. But this task was too great, the sadness too heavy to control, even for her. Without this balance, there was no hope to purify Nightmare and the elements denied her the ultimate magic. The supreme leader of the pony world with all of her own power was helpless to interfere in its will; helpless because the use of these gifts from the Tree of Harmony was the only thing that would prevent all of Equestria from falling into Nightmare’s control. She could only watch as the elements did what she could not, banishing corrupt pony and spirit to the moon; the heavenly body above was given great scars from Nightmare’s fall. Celestia lowered it and brought things back to the way they should be except that her own magic waned until her mane hung lifelessly beside her because her body could be stayed by grief, not death.
For a month, the princess was nowhere to be found. Her advisers and friends searched the forest. The rising sun made them believe that she was still alive. But the rumor spread that a great turmoil had taken their princesses. Nevertheless, the ponies refused to resign to declaring Celestia gone. The weather turned harsh, pelting Equestria with hail from thunderstorms and engorging rivers until valleys were flooded. The ponies refused to look upon them as a bad omen. They chanted and prayed to the sun, hoping their words would make it to wherever Celestia was. But all that time, the princess wasn’t weak from her injuries sustained from Nightmare Moon’s fury. She was in a state of reflection, a very long trial uninterrupted by rest or food. It strained even her immortal body. Even in the deep parts of the forest, she could see that the world all over still needed her even when she’s so isolated with no company to speak of. The ponies look up to the sun. It was then fitting to leave early from the land of ancient and forgotten creatures and to spare the ponies a period of needless chaos.
The only question then was where should she appear? She flew high over the forest, refusing to turn back as there was a new dawn and as she wished, the flowing warmth of red and orange beautifully erased the night. She saw a traveling band of ponies off on some adventure that morning. She lands beside them to their astonishment. As they bow, she sighs in discontent. Being fresh from her humiliation, she no longer feels worthy of such a show of respect. As they rise, she asks where her loyal advisors had gone. The ponies tell her to head far to the south in the Macintosh Hills. Celestia thinks for a moment as to a reward and decides on transmuting a pile of gold in front of them. For a few lowly ponies, it is a gift beyond measure but her only condition was that they share it equally as friends before flying off to the far mountains. Supposedly, the gold becomes the first type of gold bits, the modern form of money used in Equestria.
When Celestia returned to her royal leaders, they were overjoyed as can be. Their jobs were difficult not only at the suddenness of such a burden but also during the period of thick storms. They asked her about the weeks that she was away, expecting a tale worthy of song or poem; but she rebuffed their requests and gave them only what they needed to hear, a minimalist retelling, leaving out almost all the details of Luna’s corruption. Afterwards, word spread of her safety and Equestria returned to a state of calm.
Months passed and business keeps Celestia busy. She is too embroiled in the affairs of her country to be paralyzed by loneliness of all things. Too important of an asset, she can’t be delayed even for one day. As she dutifully leaves her royal tent that morning, she watches the royal Equestrian flag wave in steady breeze. She always sees a vibrant flag to be a form of great beauty, making her recall all the loyalty and pride that her name inspires with great fondness. At the very least, it helps to lift her spirits.
It was a calm and clear morning, a worker’s day where the clouds are pushed aside to the horizon like fallen leaves stacked in a pile; it’s that easy for ponies to control and secure their own realm like that. Celestia wakes early when it’s still dark since the sun had to be risen to signal all of her ponies when to begin the day and to continue with their special destinies. For her, that’s the regular order; first light then such lofty things as loyalty and pride later. Such a simple exchange of moon and sun begets such dramatic consequences for the majority of the world. For her pony subjects, their lives begin at dawn. But for a few, perhaps the mere arrival of sunlight is a weak incentive. The ponies, loyal workers of the crown, force themselves out of their beddings and almost staggered into the dazzling hillside. In deep winter, their sometimes tender hooves had to shove snow out of the way, piles of ice that could already stack in heaps on the mountainside during the night. It simply couldn’t be allowed for the workers to be snowed in. They, unlike Celestia herself, were affected dangerously by too much ice and cold. The princess wouldn’t have been bothered otherwise even with snow that rose up to her ribs, the equivalent of a normal pony’s neck. The best that could be done was the raising of over a hundred log cabins. They were drafty and miserable, places that one would rather not spend any time in. But in her haste, comfort was one thing she didn’t bother considering.
Celestia’s magic unrolls a large blueprint in the air. She rechecks her calculations, wherein nothing of technical value remains unaccounted for. Her ability to consider every last possible hiccup that she might encounter is simply unmatched and she puts her skills to great use. Such a grand new castle would be far more elaborate and full of light than anything that came before. If the legacy of Nightmare left any good in the world, it would be this. The sisters’ old castle had a kind of magical allure, but like a rusty birdcage holding a rare bird, it left much to be desired on the outside. Celestia must admit that without Luna’s influence, her creativity was unfettered, her desire limitless. It was within her grasp to envision towers that sprouted into the sky with golden turrets that mimicked sunshine. It would be made of white marble and would illuminate even in dull light. She recalls the building of her old home to be a headache with two minds vying for an equal share of the responsibility. But as a good older sister, she often caved to what Luna wanted. The younger always loved stone and dark colors, black especially. It was better to contrast with lightning that would naturally attract to the tall copper rods outside which unfortunately made her home look a little less pleasant. Celestia promised herself that the new castle would be colorful inside and out, glass windows filling the halls with glorious radiance. And at the very top, there would be a grand observatory where she could watch her ponies from afar with a magical telescope.
The princess requests very little but will always indulge in her habits, one being her love of hot tea every morning. She sips some as she walks across the muddy ground. Her workers were already equipping harnesses as they trudged on the hour long journey up a steep ascent. Even the location couldn’t be bested, being in the center of the pony world. The mountain base had the highest peak in the region and a commanding view. Up there, the air was sharp and great birds like eagles or the occasional griffin soared overhead, wondering what the massive commotion below was about. As the ponies begin their work, the princess herself goes and treks beside them. After all, they are her subjects and she wouldn’t deny them such a brilliant inspiration as her beauty; her exquisite form is slender and her mane flows like the rivers or fields of sunflowers in summer.
All the ways she has received love and adoration in writing, song, and in honorable traditions has always made her feel welcome. Secretly, she seldom reciprocates the same love to herself but at least does not interfere in her subjects’ adoration. With much of her own self-respect faded, it did not take much convincing for her to relent to the creation of a united Equestrian royal guard called the EUP Guard. She is seldom absent from their sight, even when alone, which she grows to dislike. The idea of a permanent guard doesn’t grow on her as easily as the vines that used to creep up the sides of her old isolated castle. On the other hoof, she is not blind to the fact that her subjects had been greatly disturbed by the sudden upheaval in their world. It meant that such a response was not out of the question. Whenever a guard enters her tent to check on her safety, she doesn’t make it seem as though their services are an intrusion. She is polite enough to hold her tongue.
Celestia is an overseer that cares for her workers yet that overshadows her great intelligence. She accepted this, knowing that her subjects can look forward to a princess that looks out for their safety. She heads up the mountain with the workers for a while, wary to look out for weakened ponies and also requesting that the Pegasus dim the sun with clouds every two hours so the ponies will have shade during their breaks. Alongside her are some of her aides; her first advisor, a pretty young mare named Azure Jewel, walks by her, flicking airy stands of her bushy golden hair against her deep blue coat. She is the sort of pony that could have gone into anything she wished. Privileged and confident, she still looks up to the princess. There were also an old stallion that acted as royal surveyor and two flag bearers that were a part of the daily procession.
Soon, she reaches her lofty perch which presents her a view over the entire site which is quite vast on its own. She sits gracefully, the only movement distinguishing her from the rock only perceived in the miniscule hints of her breathing. The foundations for the castle were being cut from the rock, each massive block a dozen to a hundred tons in weight. But even this was no match for Unicorn power or the raw strength of the Earth Pony. The Pegasus dealt with the weather as usual. Celestia divided the work, not believing in absolute things like stereotypes but still realizing that a Pegasus or other pony was better for some tasks than others.
“The weather has entered upon another tangent this morning, your majesty. The Pegasus has handled it nicely but they had to withdraw reinforcements from nearby villages as of last night” Azure Jewel reports, her attitude bouncy and youthful. Her voice is most confident when speaking to Celestia as though she is a reporter or even a politician, without any inherent negativity. On her flank, an image of the lapis signified old dignity.
“I read it in the sky” the princess says with much concern. “I just didn’t expect the signatures of such powerful winds. It’s unusual save for the coastal regions at this time”.
“I wish I could read an unpredictable sky”.
Celestia chuckles softly. “My friend, you are beginning to doubt yourself. All unicorns have the talent of reading weather to some degree. Then again, I admit that that such a revered arte may have passed away by now. As my powers are not so far removed from your own; they are simply on a higher scale. And even an unpredictable sky leaves signs. So when you look at the sky and see long wispy clouds that look like veins, then expect that heavy winds are on their way”.
Azure looks up and sees the clouds bent and wave in long fragments. “I’ve always felt the need to head home when I see heavy clouds, ones that are grey but shimmery”.
“I knew you had it in you. Those are snow clouds. Luckily for us, there are none here. The Pegasus ponies are doing a splendid job”.
“About that…I fear that the natural skills of the flyers of this country have been allowed to dull as of late. But I wouldn’t desire to criticize them in your presence”. Celestia can sense that decorum hides a bit of frustration from her friend’s body language.
“Please continue. Do not restrain yourself from expressing what you wish to tell me” Celestia says, giving her greater leeway to speak freely.
“In that case, from what I’ve seen, I’ve concluded some time ago that we need stricter standards, your majesty” she pleads earnestly.
“My standards are quite strict” the princess retorts.
“Yes, they are but my home town might not benefit from them directly”.
“What town is this?” Celestia inquires.
Azure clears her throat. She loves her town, a mainly unicorn land in the northwest, and knows everything about it. “The famous ‘Jewel Summit’, home of several hundred and the place where the finest royal jewelry is made. We call it Shale Summit though since our mountain didn’t produce many gems. We are just jewelry makers”. Azure was just an apprentice when she left her home on the long trip which used to be quite an adventure years ago. Her family has had a relationship with the crown for many generations.
“I do recall. I remember your family being exceptionally old out of many I’ve come across and one of the few that bore lasting friendships”.
“We thank the sun every day of our bond and I value our friendship in particular”. It was actually Luna that trained Azure in the ways of political knowledge. She learned so much that being an advisor was rather easy for her. Over time, Azure grew close to Luna, and by extension, Celestia as well.
“So do I”.
“We are grateful. But anyway, I may not confirm this but all accounts claim that the Pegasus have shifted their efforts towards protecting their citadel in Cloudsdale, not caring for their non-flying neighbors. They have been allowed to grow emboldened towards selfishness and all this have reduced your glorious standards”.
Celestia narrows her eyes sternly. Any criticism of them is not taken lightly and never eagerly faced. She rolls up the blueprints and looks at her subject directly with an air of displeasure. If this mare wasn’t Celestia’s advisor, her thoughts would have been dismissed altogether. But Celestia always disliked advisors; they seemed rather useless to her. She’s the supreme leader. She needs no other point of view.
“What is so insufficient about the situation?” she replies tartly, putting an emphasis on ‘insufficient’ as if Azure’s words were taken personally.
The advisor humbles herself by lowering her back. “Your majesty, I assure you that it is no stain upon your throne. The inability to regulate the weather throughout the world is an insufficiency which lies with the Pegasus only”.
Celestia huffs with a measure of indifference towards her complaints. “Don’t be absurd. I will not entertain such bold claims until I’ve actually seen them. I am faithful in their talents and they have never failed me”. She flicks her wrist back, a gesture which means to leave her.
After shutting Azure down, Celestia turns back and checks her plans again. This time, she notices that the work is slightly behind schedule. She is already irked somewhat by her advisor’s degrading speech against the Pegasus so she stands at once to investigate why the south foundations were taking longer than planned. Her wings spread and she jumps, carried by the breeze all the way to the main construction site. Despite her size, she is quite light like any Pegasus so she barely has to use her wings at all. She walks to a low plain looking cabin, and was let in immediately. After she enters his office, a tall Earth Pony stallion bows. He was one of the architects, ponies hired to maintain the logistics of the construction; things Celestia didn’t concern herself with. Celestia still towers over him even when he stands. His blue mane has many tangles and split ends that droops around the white fur of his neck. Celestia sees that a crumpled up bag rests next to his drafting desk, possibly filled with a discarded royal uniform. The one he wears now was clean and crisp, not matching the paper strewn office he worked in.
“Welcome, your majesty”. He begins to praise her for the brilliant designs she created in his slightly whiny voice. As usual, nopony could simply greet her casually. For her, there was no such thing.
Ignoring him, she got right to the heart of the matter but did so with a heavy tone. While she spoke, she looked out the window towards the ponies hard at work. “Sir architect, I am pondering as to the slow progress of the south foundation. While it is not a grave matter and I do not suspect that your working ponies are slothful on the job, I did create the schedule before you for a reason”.
He nods respectfully, obviously on the same page. “Your majesty, I’ve seen the same. The plans you drafted out called for the right number of ponies and no less to sustain the construction. I realize that it should result in no injuries of any kind. However, there have been several this day alone. The overall effort has also dropped according to the numbers from the last several weeks”.
“It cannot be” Celestia says in alarm, looking at him. “Why was I not notified before”?
“I believed that reporting it to you would slow our progress even further” he tried to rationalize.
“How preposterous. I would never put such things above the wellbeing of the ponies”. She sighs angrily and air puffs from her nose again. “You disappoint me”. She leaves at once, outraged by her limited knowledge. The architect follows behind, his sweat likely ruining his new uniform as he hopes that the princess isn’t angry enough to dismiss him from such a lofty position. She is the sort that’s more than eager to punish her subordinates for the most trivial of matters like not having her soup hot enough at lunch or her personal Pegasus team not creating a perfect rainbow during garden parties.
As the princess returns outside, she hears awful sounds within the noise of construction. She turns her head, trying to pinpoint the source. There were several voices that were struggling, edged with distraught. As soon as she figures out where it came from, a line of Earth Ponies let go of a rope which supported a heavy beam six meters above the ground. Before it could get into place, it fell; the impact left a cloud of dust after its heavy impact. A tightly held wire suddenly snaps and hurtles down with such force that it could have severely hurt a pony instead of simply turning two wheelbarrows into scrap metal. The large simple machine which allowed for the ponies to lift heavy things fell apart. The ponies scattered about in a frenzy as a side of the unfinished tower lists to one side. Anticipating that it will fall, Celestia summons her magical power to stabilize the beams, moving them back into place. Before long, she has the device rebuilt and the new beam set correctly. She even reinforces the outer wall to prevent a recurrence. She knew the risk was high with her new design but this close call bothers her greatly. She almost didn’t want construction to resume at all afterwards.
To her dismay, she is met with praise yet again for coming to her ponies’ rescue. But she can’t smile genuinely; it is a sort of thing that deflates her, makes her restless rather than flattered. She loves to be appreciated but when she is reacting to a mistake that could have cost a life, she gains little solace from their warmth.
Hiding her true feelings only accelerates her anxiety; what she saw with those Earth Ponies was impossible. She had never seen it before. She had come to expect so much from them but even with her magic, their survival was far from assured. It was really luck they should be glorifying, not her.
With evening close enough, she has the construction cease for the day and the workers march to their tents in the valley. Her attention would now be focused on figuring out what is affecting those ponies.
“Azure Jewel, please go to the royal doctor over at the far tents. Request all pertinent information about accidents and deliver them to me” Celestia says.
“As you wish”. Her adviser bursts into a swift gallop, covering the distance in short order. Celestia waits patiently for her to return, passing the time by staring at her unfinished castle. Her vision was being pieced together slowly. The wall that she stared at would form part of the great archway that would let ponies in and out of her castle. She also planned to form a moat around the walls which would be filled with crystal water from the waterfalls nearby. As she continued to gaze at it, she noticed that the skeletons which rose out of the foundation looked rather lonely. She couldn’t claim to really believe in it but it always felt right to think that a castle absorbed memories from its owners. If it did, then the castle of the two sisters surely had a bold and impassioned spirit. She imagined that when her own castle has a spirit then it might surprise her. In her long life, her emotional side has shifted so wildly that she often chooses to keep her distance. Without Luna, it is possible that her memories would draw inwards rather than out; the idea makes her uneasy.
Azure Jewel returned shortly with the royal doctor’s information.
“There were injured in that tent. The doctor and the nurses aren’t prepared for it and I can see why” she says seriously while passing the report over to the princess.
“Something worse than the cold is robbing my ponies of their strength” Celestia says, responding with a frown. “If so then I may have been wrong in not taking your opinion about the Pegasus seriously. I’m sorry”. She turns away, something she does when she feels ashamed of herself.
“We ponies know you are doing your best and we’ll always forgive you”.
“Thank you, Azure Jewel”. She goes over the report and grimaces.
“It’s worse than I feared” she says sadly. “Did you manage to ask any questions to any of the injured”?
“Yes. I wrote notes on the other side of the page”. Celestia checks it and nods. “In my opinion, they are a little disturbing” Azure adds.
Regardless of the fact that Azure wrote in long scribbles, Celestia could read any writing so it was as clear as if she had robotic precision. They detailed how the ponies had fallen into states of weakness, lightheadedness and nausea. Their muscles felt sore as though squeezed like a lemon. But that was the least of their worries. Their minds sounded infected and the ponies reported violent dreams. They would have visions of a red moon and would wake early, paralyzed from fear and unable to return to sleep.
“It is almost as if my ponies have fallen under an evil spell” Celestia says, perplexed.
“It’s not natural, I’m guessing” Azure murmurs.
Celestia feels jittery and wants to get back to camp right away. “These ominous signs point to only one source” she frets. “But it sounds so impossible to me that I must take a very direct route to confirm it”.
“If these nightmares or whatever comes from an evil source then how will you figure it out”?
“I will personally seek out the dreamscape”. Celestia’s confidence returns to her as she thinks about it.
“That was one of Princess Luna’s duties, wasn’t it?” Azure whispers, hesitant to risk disrespecting her memory.
“Yes, but I can fulfill them myself if need be”. Celestia lowers the sun and brings out the moon as if to make her point.
“I know you can” Azure agrees. “We need full productivity if you want the castle to be finished before summer”.
Celestia smiles to dissipate Azure’s gloom. “I’m sure we will. I will use more of my power to personally build this castle if need be. This summer will be very important to chronicle our first celestial year of peace, my friend”.
“I’ll definitely do my part to ensure that it happens, your majesty” Azure says proudly.
“I know you will”. Celestia steps towards her and gives her a reassuring hug. “For now, I need you to go and rest. I’ll meet you in the morning”. After Azure says goodbye and left, Celestia sighs as she thinks about taking on one of Luna’s most intimate tasks. No matter how often she reminded herself of the dreamscape’s importance, it seemed that she refused to take it seriously, always putting it off to another day or the next month. Now with the demand high towards using it, she thinks how inconvenient it may be to enter the minds of ponies. It’s not something she ever dwelled on in her long musings in her old castle. The two sisters never even conversed about it. The night was hers; it was too easy to dismiss such things, to judge them as something she need not concern herself over. Only a fool would still believe that now.
A light drizzle of snow arrived early in the night. Many nocturnal animals stir deep in the pine forests. Many were Luna’s friends, the owl, wolf and bat especially. She remembers their cries deep in the Everfree. It was like the night itself mourned over the loss of its guardian.
The short trip back to the camps cools her body with strong northern winds. The guards greet her as she arrives. She doesn’t have much in the way of treasure that she managed to bring with her but there is one object which she was unable to leave in the ruins. She demands that it be heavily guarded at all times. It is a single piece of stone, kept sealed in a metal casket.
Now inside her quarters, she lowers herself over a long stretch of fur blankets. The candles which allowed Celestia to see her bed and royal desk were snuffed out. One part of the tent was a light mesh which allowed for her to see the moon every night before she rested. She grumbles in emotional pain as she thinks of Azure and all the promises unfulfilled in her life. In those moments, she is the one that feels the weakest. She tries to find comfort in sleep as of late but it has come to her less and less. She is seeing every new day as a test of the very role she owns as leader and guardian of the sun. An ageless being with the appearance of youth. The real young of her world look up to her wisdom but it’s that very same wisdom that works against her. There are some things that simply don’t age well.
The moon became fuzzier and weaker as her eyelids slowly fall. But before she sleeps, she uses magic formerly foreign to her. It is not as though there was no power for her to create parallel dimensions; just one of them was the dreamscape which used to belong to her sister and was a place where even she would never tread. Without any hesitation, she engages the portal in her inner mind. But as she does so, she soon realizes that she doesn’t know what she’s doing and she is overwhelmed. She tried to battle it but it isn’t easy. She peers about this landscape of information with great incredulity. She has never known that the dreamscape is a stream, where threads of memory flow together in an intertwined deluge. She sees flashes of red lightning strike between portals into the minds of ponies. Since she could only float directionless within that realm like a tadpole caught in a storm drain, she withdraws before her ethereal form is torn asunder.
She wakes, greatly disturbed by what happened. Her eyes energetically look about the room and she saw that the tent is bathed in a harsh red glow. Outside, the sunken image of her former enemy on the moon stood out as black and imposing. Celestia leaves the tent and found all her guards had fallen on the ground unconsciously. The entire hill was wrapped in thick mist and trails of it had leapt into the sky, intermixing with the moon’s eerie light.
The ground trembled and Celestia ascends into the sky with heavy beats of her wings. Celestia knows that she’s fully alert and what is occurring before her isn’t a dream. Her heartbeat accelerates along with her speed and as she climbs over the clouds, the vibrations in the air become a voice that only she can hear. She is taken aback by the harshness of Nightmare’s call to her. She never figured that she would dislike hearing her own name.
“Nightmare Moon! You have no business waking so soon!” she exclaims with her head raised towards the moon, the red air making it appear even angrier than she was. “Go back to sleep”!
“You once again underestimate us. We never sleep in night and our night is forever ours” the spirit of darkness responded. Its voice is a low murmur which sounds incomplete and at times garbled as if hearing it underwater.
“Then you are the one responsible for all this. I was only in such disbelief because I thought you were dealt with for good. But even in exile, nothing can persuade you from your cruel desires”!
Celestia summons a sphere of light which whisks her away to the heart of her former castle. She rushes to the old monument and then tries to physically touch the exposed elements of harmony but instead of coming to her aid, they burn her. Unlike nearly anything else, this pain reaches deep and she recoils in utter confusion.
Nightmare Moon laughs excitedly at her agony. Her red glow enters through the hole in the throne room. “You fool” it says. “You are no longer able to use this magic so for all your efforts, you have failed to stop me”.
Nightmare’s horrible voice strips the royal delicacy from the princess and she is left with her emotions which flare out like the sun.
“No….this is not possible!” Celestia cries blusterously. Her face is twisted in her fury. “Stop this at once”!
“We will never stop. Nightmare has influenced the ponies already. You’ve never understood that it was your intervention all along which was impossible”. Celestia recognizes this unfortunately familiar scorn and turns to see a body made of clouds, circulating like plasma or blood. It was in the shape of Luna.
Celestia’s mouth was dry and she could barely speak at this point. “Luna…I did what I believed to be good”. She was rightfully scared. Her wings folds defensively.
“Your beliefs are futile because you have been blind for far too long. Nightmare and I have cursed your throne with a thousand years of unrest and terror. Your trophy castle will crumble before your very eyes because we will never let you forget us”. Luna’s cloud form hisses and black smoke leaves her mouth. A few seconds later, she dissolves as if made of salt.
“We have spoken, Celestia, guardian of the sun” Nightmare continues, mocking her still. “How long will you last until you are so full of regret that you must abdicate in shame”?
She braces herself and stands to her full height. “I’ll never surrender my duty because the shame I feel belongs to me alone. It wasn’t the fault of my subjects. I was an unfit leader but things can change and I will not rest until the ponies and I unite and send every last bit of your dark magic back into the moon”.
“You are so assured of victory even after proven wrong” the Nightmare says confidently. “I love a good challenge. If you are beaten, then what will become of you, Celestia”?
“My rule will become no more. This is the pact I shall forge this night just to be rid of you”. Celestia knows that this is a great risk but in a way, what does she have to lose? If she is unable to stop Nightmare then she is unfit to keep her seat of power.
“I will hold you to it”. The Nightmare recedes, and it is over.
Back at the camp, Celestia once again sacrifices her own desire for sleep to think of ways to fight the dark influences. Without the elements, merely expelling it by force would be too much for her to handle. Equestria is vast and Nightmare can send great waves of negative energy through space to ride on the winds towards any place it wishes. A mere power struggle would then prove fruitless as it could return like insects retaking a house residing next to a landfill.
In the morning, she tells the architects to continue as planned but she would not be among them. She explains that royal business elsewhere demands her attention. As they leave, Celestia tells Azure Jewel to wait. She hesitates to confide in her friend until they are alone.
“Azure, you know that you’re not merely my advisor but also my trusted friend. I’ve wish I had kept you closer when I needed somepony to talk to for these days have given me much grief…I’ve only been too hesitant to mention it”.
“I understand perfectly, your majesty”.
“That is why I wish for you to aid me in a critical task that might even determine whether you remain in my service or not”. Celestia’s talk comes off as a warning and her young adviser seems tense.
“I hope I have been adequate in carrying out the various tasks entrusted to me”.
Celestia shakes her head. “Do not despair as this is a validation of my own right to continue as I have for so long. In all the years I had lived, I was meant to look after the ponies. When I see them, it’s with the lens of a guardian as I do with our sun”. She goes and wears her old saddlebags around her body. She hasn’t carried them in centuries.
“Your majesty, you are meant to be our guardian” Azure says appreciatively.
“I know but I haven’t lived up to my own ideals. I hope I can someday”. She uses magic to give Azure her own bags, already filled with food and water. “Are you prepared? We may be gone for a while”.
Azure stands at attention. “I am ready”.
Celestia is so pleased that she goes and embraces her friend. “Then let’s be on our way”.
A royal chariot takes them to the south. Azure peers over the side at the steamy mysterious interior of the Everfree Forest. As the chariot touches down near a clearing next to a cliff; the mare jumps out, her attitude full of excitement. The wind diffuses through the castle and they hear rustling sounds of things disturbed inside.
“Is this an ancient ruin?” she asks, enchanted by the sight.
“This place is ancient but its ruination had recently come to pass. I’m actually surprised that my path has led me back here when I had desired to never look upon it again”.
“I see. This is your old castle” she realized. “I’ve never actually been here before, even though I’ve been in your service for so long. Strangely, I just don’t get a sense that you used to live here”.
“Neither do I. This place never gave me much joy” Celestia admits. “I wish that things had been different”. She looks around and notices how isolated the castle is. No pony inhabitations for many kilometers around and no major roads lead to its front door. There aren’t even any signs telling ponies where to go to find it. Only one weak wooden bridge spanned a sheer drop down to a pit below.
The princess shows her the front door then ushers her inside.
“I was born far to the north. Why did the crown build castles like this? It’s really short and thick” Azure says, blinking her eyes in the darkness. Their hooves step lightly on the dust covered carpets, going around many chunks of rubble interspersed about from the quakes less than a year ago.
“Our oldest castles used to squat low and had thick walls as a defensive posture. That’s how we learned to build them. You wouldn’t know this I suppose. I didn’t consider it a need to have my subjects at large learn of such things”.
The two of them walks through the library.
“It would appear that you two kept a great deal of information about our world. Can I take a look”?
“Yes, you may”. The pony reaches, taking a few books off the shelf.
“There’s so many” Azure notes with amazement. “They’re historical, cultural, informative, scientific…you had everything in here”.
“It was a rather humble collection but I think you’re right”.
“Well, why don’t you have them recovered”?
“To be honest, many were not mine. Luna was the reader between us. She says that she needed to learn while I spent my time dealing with rather simple matters; things like inviting dignitaries over or lunching with mayors. So, I feel that it isn’t right to take them away”.
“Why are we here, your majesty”?
“To stop a great threat to Equestria” Celestia answers. “In order to do this, you must learn of the truth behind Luna’s exile”. She takes Azure from the library to the old throne room. As they enter, their steps echoes off the wide chamber, scaring off the birds that had been perched on the tapestries. The place was in a state of disarray, a frozen image of destruction. Celestia saw the birds and wished it could be that easy for her to run from her problems. She hates every second in that castle. It’s haunted with whispers from the past, the voice of the castle’s spirit.
Azure was awed by the destruction that Nightmare Moon left behind. “What happened here”? She saw the two thrones at the back of the chamber. A great crack forced its way through Luna’s old seat.
“My sister attacked me. She joined forces with an evil power called Nightmare. It is one of the four dark powers that the Wendigoes released in our world to keep Equestria in order”.
Azure walks around and feels the sun on her fur. Celestia is freezing; her nose fills with the stench of tears. “I can’t believe all this happened because your sister was possessed. And you said, ‘order’? What do you mean”?
Celestia sits and ponders for a moment. “It’s hard to explain. You know the story of Hearth’s Warming Eve? Where the ponies that founded Equestria were nearly imprisoned in ice for their hubris? This was one of the few things I mandated to be spread to every village. Everypony should know of it”.
“I do. It was the order that forced the ponies to join as one long ago. Are you telling me that those were the same Wendigoes from that story which created Nightmare”?
“They are”.
“Then what were the other dark powers you mentioned”?
“One of them was Discord, the spirit of chaos. More recently, my sister and I dealt with a dark king named Sombra. He was cursed like Nightmare Moon. We defeated it but at a great cost to an entire civilization. Lastly, there’s the spirit of greed, a slippery thing that has always eluded our capture. Gladly, these other enemies of Equestria were defeated but we hadn’t even known of the fourth. Nightmare is the one that doesn’t strike without planning ahead. At least I know this now. I should not have hoped to have overcome it so easily merely by robbing it of its host”.
“You mean Luna”?
“Yes”. Celestia stands close to the elements. Her face is heavily weighed by regret but Azure doesn’t mention it. “I used these to send her to the moon. I thought the task had been done but something terrible happened. The elements hadn’t sealed away all of Nightmare’s magic. I have little time to stop it now before it corrupts my subjects. If the worst comes to pass then they may no longer recognize me as their rightful leader. By then it will be too late to do anything about it”.
“Why do you need my help”? Even as she asked the question, Azure senses that Celestia has lost much of the dignity she had before. Coming to one of her subjects was like begging, an act that’s like stamping out the fire of her self-reliance.
“I need you because this is going to be a battle for the hearts of my ponies. But I can’t do it alone. I’ve grown so distant and unable to reach out to my own subjects that sadly, Nightmare has an advantage over me even without a physical form. If I have any chance of countering the immense fear it can inflict, it will be through knowing how my ponies live”.
“We ponies aren’t easy to understand” Azure says sympathetically. “Maybe it’s the same with us? I mean, you two were living alone for a very long time. I think Nightmare is taking advantage of us because we’ve grown apart. There has to be a way to undo that”.
Celestia walks around in circles, puzzled. “But how?” she asks. “What can possibly bring us ponies closer to an understanding”?
Azure grins with much interest. “Well, we like parades, parties and of course, festivals. Who doesn’t like them”?
Celestia shudders, the thoughts of ponies practically salivating to meet her always put her into a bad mood. “How can a mere party stop Nightmare?” she replied annoyingly.
“Trust me, princess. It will work. We just need the right angle”.
She looks at her advisor skeptically. “I suppose you will think of….something”?
Azure takes out her parchment. “I’ve gotten the perfect idea”.
A couple weeks later, all the ponies that were working on Celestia’s new castle were given orders to cease and to congregate in the lower valley near the base of the mountain. The crowd of thousands was so large that it was divided by a river that went through the area. It was a chilly morning with the ponies’ breath streaming out in visible steam. Nopony really knew what was going on and they talked amongst themselves until Azure stood above them on a high ridge to address them. They are told in simple terms that there was to be a celebration held in honor of the country. If that was not enough, they would also be hosting a festival to give homage to the night. The idea made many in the crowd upset. It wasn’t just odd but disturbing for them all to celebrate nightfall. Celestia knew that many have been suffering from nightmares and are weak from the stress. It’s why she nearly lost her temper to the point of striking the mare down when she outlined an idea so outlandish. To hear of something honoring nightmare sounded like a crime onto itself. That’s was the name she proposed: Nightmare’s night or simply Nightmare Night. But Azure told her that it wasn’t really an honor and she would have to wait to see it for herself.
They went ahead with this festival which sounded counter-intuitive at best. Aided with Azure’s knowledge of pony lore and culture, her advice allowed Celestia to decree that a number of games would be held on the night of the last day of the month. The first week, the princess arrives to the event on her chariot. She peers quizzically at the bowing workers, which wore all manner of fanciful and exotic costumes. They all matched a similar motif, the idea of fright. Some dressed as ghosts. Others as various creatures, legends and other ghoulish monsters.
She steps out and sits in a low throne, not even raised to any great height. Keeping her sadness mollified was like choking down lemons. But she did, soon declaring the first day of Nightmare Night to have commenced. There was high turnout; the event was mandatory for the workers after all. While the ponies walk around and played games from traditional Pegasus, Unicorn and Earth Pony festivals, the princess observes them. Azure advised Celestia to require the arrival of cooks from her own village as well as from Cloudsdale to provide unique and interesting treats to tide over the crowd. At least that was a success from the long lines to the vendors but many seem uncomfortable by the dressing and the modified games meant to spook those that played them.
The princess became bored and her mind drifts away. She feels alone; the empty space by her side is immense. The absence of her sister was a gaping hole in her heart and to make things worse, she was still angry but not at Nightmare so much. Knowing that all of this could have been prevented is a kind of slow torture. But within all that pain, there was a glimpse of something good that she recalled. It was small and distant but alone, standing out like the northern star does. Perhaps many ponies know this, the one true memory which can bring them back to the best days of their lives. For Celestia, this was her journal she wrote with Luna. Back then, she didn’t frighten anypony except her sister and she did it with style and creativity every night somehow. And the elder sister never really learned how she did it, never anticipating the next scare around the corner. Even when it took her by surprise, it always ended with laughter.
Suddenly, she feels a hoof touch her arm. She returns to reality and sees that Azure is standing beside her with a look of concern. Her cheeks are wet from long tears and she figures that a couple hours had passed. A lot of the scary games had ended by now. Many of the ponies were standing around, unsure what to do. There was something definitely missing from all this.
“Your majesty, are you alright”?
Surprisingly, Celestia had a sweet smile on her face as if waking from a pleasant dream.
“I am more than alright, my friend” she tells the confused mare. She pats Azure’s head, the pony responsible for such an ingenious plan. She asks for all the ponies to gather around her.
“My loyal subjects” she begins, raising her voice so everypony there could hear. “What I am about to tell you is something which may at first fill your heart with dread but it doesn’t have to be such a bad thing because even when you’re afraid, there’s nothing better than to feel closer to the ones you love”.
So begins the first tale ever told at the first Nightmare Night in the history of Equestria. She tells the story of the two sisters, the royal ponies which used to live alone in a huge castle deep in the woods. It was very quiet in the crowd. The wind rattles the bare trees in the forests around them and even the animals seemed content to listen that night. The clouds part and Celestia sees the moon again but is not afraid. She chose to recount the beginning when they had settled in the forest. She didn’t mention it but they lived close by to the Tree of Harmony out of respect despite keeping the shiny stones for themselves. It was that first night that she remembered. Celestia had kept herself busy all day and believed that Luna was asleep but the sister had actually been watching for some time. Taking advantage of moving doors and walls she had made in secret, she was always one step ahead. She did a number of pranks that only increased in severity from putting her paintings upside down to replacing her paperwork with ashes until her poor elder sister was quite agitated. They were very random and chaotic and it was done on purpose. No sooner than nightfall had Celestia scrambled to Luna’s room to tell her of the awful day she had. She went to her sister’s bed and with her hoof, tried to nudge her awake. But instead of a glittery violet mane, the ugly face of Discord rose from under the covers with his tiny red marbles for eyes staring at her. Faced with one of her worst enemies, Celestia backed away and fell back, yelling. As Luna laughed and tossed aside the cleaver costume she wore and her sister eventually calmed herself. Maybe Luna somehow knew that the dreadful sight of the spirit of Chaos had been in control of her senses whenever she passed by its stone prison. In a way, Luna helped her to overcome what she felt whether or not her spry mind even conceived of that outlook when she decided to annoy her sister that night.
Celestia found herself to be a great storyteller, her royal voice giving more authority and weight to the tale. The ponies that listened seemed to like the story enough to clap in approval when it had concluded. There was a tinge of something new, a sense of unity, as she steps down from her throne and walks amongst the ponies. Her regal defenses which formed out of isolation like a hard shell around a pearl seemed to melt away with every joyful face she saw. For this ancient ruler was finally experiencing change, the right kind that brings out our better selves.
Over the next several months, Celestia ordered that Nightmare Night be celebrated across the land from the deserts to Manehattan. Each town and city has its own customs and brought various musical styles to contribute to this new tradition but they all had something in common, the ability to turn something bleak and horrifying into a chance to stand up to our collective malaise. The celebrations also served as great times between the hard work still demanded for her castle’s construction. Since the first event ended up succeeding, almost no nightmares have been reported and productivity has risen dramatically.
On this night, like the others, the princess and her advisor were happily taking in the delightful sounds and smells of the festival. All this was the payoff of her refusal to give up.
More and more activities were created until everypony had something they liked to do. Even Celestia played a game or two. She was particularly pleased that many of the new ones were invented specifically for this holiday in mind like the spider toss, a game where ponies would throw objects that looked like the creepy animals into a giant web, a test of dexterity. Usually repulsed by the mere sight of a spider or anything out of a pony myth, she instead to played along. This time, the workers had their families over with many foals playing the games. They especially were quite taken with this new holiday, tripping over their feet to collect flowers if they were fillies or smooth stones like agates if they were colts. Candy wouldn’t be part of the festival for another hundred years.
“Perhaps you should read a fairy tale to get better acquainted with the costumes that these ponies are wearing?” Azure Jewel suggests. The mare herself decided to dress in a costume resembling the decrepit old monster with a moss-like greenish-blue fur known as the Swindler under the Bridge, a pony told in legend to live under an enchanted bridge, stealing the life force of any that dared to cross it and using it to extend its life. It managed to fool ponies into getting close to it by feigning to be normal and in need of help. It was a deceiver of the worst order. She was scared as a filly because the story was local to her village.
“That is a wonderful idea” Celestia says. “But not until afterwards. I’m going to give prizes to the winners of the apple dunking contest that the little ones are playing”. Azure is proud of how her princess has overcome her own limitations. Before, she had trouble looking a subject in the eye and now, she was happily mingling in their company. If things were going well across Equestria then Nightmare stood no chance of keeping the ponies in a perpetual state of dread.
“I hear that storytelling is the most popular thing at these holidays” Azure mentions as they walks to where the children are playing.
“I can certainly understand that. From what I’ve witnessed, the ponies have asserted themselves against the core strength of Nightmare. Our plans have worked perfectly”.
Azure ruminates for a moment. “What will you think the future of this will be”?
Celestia steps around a few ponies that were giddy at seeing the princess in the flesh. “Do you think there is a future to this”?
“Absolutely. I don’t think this is going to end, I mean, why would it”? The princess hadn’t really thought about it but with Azure’s original backing of this holiday and the success it has brought, there was little reason to doubt that it would go on.
“Well, then perhaps I shall mandate that it comes once a year and make it standard for everypony”. Celestia is distracted suddenly by the smell of baked bread and pies. “I wonder what sort of thing I smell”.
Azure shrugs her shoulders. “It’s local fare. Maybe you’ll like it and maybe you won’t”.
“I should surely gain from professing an inclination towards the plebeian taste. Let us find out what they have created”. Her reasoning was sound of course but the princess is drawn in by the smell that came off as tantalizing to somepony not used to anything different in her life. They both walk towards the stand and the ponies made way for the princess. The ponies that were making the food like greased machines a second ago now sweated nervously as the princess herself approaches with her kind smile and a royal appetite.
“Your majesty, what will you have?” the mare at the counter asks.
Celestia scans the row of sweets. “I…I am not certain. What is that”? She points to a cake coated black with rich chocolate.
The mare beams as she cuts out a generous serving. “It’s a cake. I’m sure you’ll love it”.
Celestia sits and levitates the cake gently up to her mouth and nibbles at it with a bite that a rabbit would consider to be small. The princess had a gleaming smile. “This is a grand taste. I wish I had known of it before” Celestia tells the mare happily. She then puts the plate back down on the counter. “Hmm…now I wish to have some nice tea”.
“Well, we don’t have that but we have three kinds of ciders”. The mare fidgets, worried that the lack of tea would displease the princess.
Celestia looks at Azure. “What is a cider”?
Azure is leaning on the stand, waiting for a slice of carrot cake. “Cider? It’s a popular winter drink we indulge in every year” she describes. “It’s mostly made from things like apples. Personally, I like the spicy kind”.
“We need it or we can’t possibly function in this cold” the mare exaggerates.
“I wouldn’t say it like that but it’s popular for a reason” Azure says.
“Then I shall drink some of this spicy brew” Celestia decides. The mare gives her a small teacup for her to drink. They thank her again before leaving for the apple dunking contests.
“I didn’t think I would like this sort of thing…but I do!” the princess exclaims to her friend. She is rather lively, even in the middle of the night as they finish their little treats. Soon, they reach the foals that were giggling and getting drenched in the warm water. Some have red apples between their teeth.
“How adorable”. She has a wonderful clear laugh as she receives much attention from them.
As the winner of the contest trots proudly about, the wind’s speed picks up without warning, dashing the area with snowflakes. Celestia stares at the sky oddly while it continues, her gaze becoming ever fiercer. The moonlight dimmed and the wind was blowing away from it. A few of the tents were already beginning to tear. Clouds swirl in a spiral above the forest, gaining in strength. A long vibration became a loose cry like a whistle, causing the birds to stream from the trees in fright. Ponies began to scream when the moon turned red again, signaling the imminent arrival of Nightmare.
Celestia told the foals to run to their parents. The clouds condense in a matter of seconds, forming an apparition in the shape of Nightmare Moon. Its massive eyes are disks of flames.
“Oh, princess, do you hear these glorious sounds?” its voice thunders from above, referring to the shrieks of the ponies whose bodies trembled. “We love it so even if their bodies feign to know true fright”.
Azure could barely stand and holds on to Celestia. “She’s invading, isn’t she? What are we going to do?” she spoke while taking deep breaths.
“That will not happen” Celestia reassures her. “She has no body to invade with and her power is locked away”. She turns and addresses Nightmare Moon, standing confident and tall. “It hasn’t been that long since you tried to take my place. May I remind you that terrorizing your subjects is no way to rule anypony? You will be defeated again”.
Nightmare Moon throws her insane laughter towards the ponies. “Your subjects have abandoned all honor. Look at them! Is mockery really the best you can do”?
“If it’s fitting then why not use it?” Celestia replies sharply.
“Because the darkness burrows deep into the heads of the ponies. They know it more than your light. We’re so powerful now that even you are not exempt. Listen to their agony”! Nightmare then sends a terrible burst of magic over the valley and all the ponies drop to the ground. Azure falls abruptly and Celestia catches her. She tried to shake her awake to no avail. She sees that her subjects suffer and rushes to the nearest ponies which are shaking in pain. She tries using magic to subdue it but nothing has any effect.
“You are a failure! You are unable to protect your subjects! How do you feel? Does your heart break for them”?
Celestia doesn’t answer and returns to Azure. She lies next to the unconscious pony and sobs softly.
“Who will defend the Elements now?” she laments. The sky itself turns crimson and the edges of the forest begin to burn. Every cloud is pitch black, obscuring the stars, drowning out their light. In this place, no longer is there the smell of cake or the songs of birds. The realm of fear only sings its praises to its ruler, Nightmare Moon. It is a horrific sound that pierces the eardrums with a great pain, a long screech. Nopony could ever get far enough to escape it and its black tower where no light dwells.
Nightmare Moon’s gaze falls over the world but Celestia pays it no attention. She holds Azure close and tries to smooth out her tossed mane. Her beautiful hooves meet the mare’s fur softly and soon she’s brushing aside her tail. She sees the lovely mark upon her flank.
“I’m sorry I forgot about what your mark meant. Nothing so important would have slipped my mind if I were a better princess and friend. If you can hear me then I ask only for your forgiveness. Whether I deserve it or not is up to you”.
Celestia stirs at last. Her eyes open just barely enough to let her see the night sky. It is not covered in a red haze; it is sparkly and clear as it always has been. She feels a hoof touch her head near her horn. Then she knows that she has been on her back. She turns her head to see Azure. She is safe and there are no cries of pain from her or from anypony else that crowded near.
“Princess, you are alright!” she exclaims with relief.
Celestia gets up wearily. “It wasn’t real at all. Light is not yet extinguished”. The wind against her back feels like icy water and she knew that Nightmare Moon’s life force still lingers in the sky. “It was so awful, my subjects” she tells them. “My worst fears had come to me and for a moment, I thought they had come to pass. I no longer doubt that I’ve glimpsed what it’s like to lose everything”. She turns and confronts Nightmare Moon. The spirit does not speak as if dazed.
“Unlike you, it’s not too late for me” Celestia says. “You came to spread fear and to consume us, young and old alike. But it can’t happen…what I have learned has granted us strength to resist you”.
“It is too late…far too late for your world”!
Celestia winces in disgust. “You are vile beyond measure. Even if my sister can not be brought back to me, I have recovered something that she kept safe and it will allow me to remain as a great leader”.
“What would this be?” Nightmare Moon asks.
“It’s the love between the ponies and their princess. My ponies need me. I already know that. But the opposite is true! I can’t go on without them and I’ll make sure to be there for them always and to show the same feelings of love whenever I can”.
“I don’t believe it! The ponies will tire of your ways!” Nightmare Moon cries desperately.
“Perhaps you are right to some degree. But as I’m so old, I can’t change by the passing of one day. But it will happen and you’ve already lost”!
“She’s right!” Azure says, sneering at Nightmare. “Get lost! You can’t scare us”! All the ponies started to jeer at Celestia’s enemy. Anger pours from its evil heart, too malicious for words. Then, a blue light came forth from Celestia and her subjects, countering its evil magic. The struggles of this ancient evil were in vain as it is pushed back to the moon. This time, it’s sealed for good. Celestia smiles triumphantly. She can finally rest, knowing that Nightmare wouldn’t have the power to attain revenge for a very long time.
A year later, Celestia was pleased to have bells rung in celebration of Nightmare Night. In its second year, she announced it from the new city of Canterlot. With ponies coming from near and far to settle beside her wonderful castle, the relationship between them had come with a renewed sense of purpose. Azure had become the city’s first mayor and held an office not far from the castle where she can walk along the elegant avenues made of shiny cobblestones. The streetlights were made from silver and capped with pearl. It helped to make the Celestial Year of Peace especially beautiful.
Although guards walk about the castle grounds and stand like statues beside the castle’s massive entrance, it was left open for ponies to come and go as they wished. Azure did so on Nightmare Night. It was still hours before the celebrations would begin and she makes her way through the corridors towards a long hallway overlooking the castle gardens. She looks around, noticing that the still unfinished part of the castle still managed to outshine most of the other rooms. Celestia stands in the middle, watching something happening at one of the open spaces cut into the walls. It looked like they were being fitted for windows.
“Celestia, over here!” Azure says, announcing herself. In time, she had become one of the few ponies to use the princess’s first name.
“Ah, how have the preparations gone today?” she asks cheerfully. “I can’t wait to see what you’ve come up with”.
“They’re great. I’m going to welcome some of my family that came here for the occasion”.
“I should try to give them my best greeting” Celestia says.
“They would love that”. Azure notices that two Pegasus ponies were hovering in place, hammering a frame into the side of the wall. “You are installing windows here? I bet you’ll have the best view of the mountain from the castle on a good day”.
“True but these windows aren’t for viewing”. She walks over to the windowsill and Azure’s gaze turns towards a huge stained glass attached to a rope, ready to be installed.
Azure giggles, impressed at the work of art. “That’s wonderful, Celestia. It’s so pretty” she gushes. Although it was nearly out of range, Azure could make out two pony figures on the left and right of the glass. They reached their hooves out, holding them in the middle. The image of the sun and lapis were above and below and a bright blue filled the background. “Whoa, is that me? I can’t believe it”.
“I found it right for you to share in the brilliance of this glass window. Our reformed world is all about unity and we’re all the benefactors of this gift”.
“Thank you”! Azure and the princess embrace each other. Celestia knew that her friend would live to see many more Nightmare Nights but she can now be assured that even after a thousand years, the mare would still live on like the festival itself and in the faint sounds of a new spirit coming to life. She would probably complain of the slow shifting towards childishness but it still brings ponies together and that’s all that matters.