And so it came to pass, deep inside the castle ruins of Everfree forest, that the six bearer of the elements of harmony combined their bonds of friendship into the mightiest source of power the land of Equestria ever had created, ultimately defeating the evil spirit by the name of Nightmare Moon. In a tempest of rainbow colored energy, her possession over the innocent alicorn princess Luna came to an end, and her evil will passed away into oblivion. As soon as the princess of night was released, her elder sister, the sun goddess Celestia, tamed the poor soul with her tearful offer of friendship. Luna obliged, hoping her sister could forgive her for what the alter ego had caused. The ponies of Equestria rejoiced, celebrating their saviors and the return of Princess Celestia, as well as welcoming their new co-ruler into her role as the symbol of the dark canopy that blesses them with rest.
But what history never told of was the involvement of yet... another enemy. One that lived to serve Nightmare Moon to his dying breath. In the great evil's shadow he stood, pledging his loyalty to the one and only pony he saw as the true empress of this sacred land. His loyal eyes never stopped watching the youth of midnight, a true joy he thanked Nightmare Moon for blessing him with.
The mightiest unicorn ever to come out from the void of darkness.
Midnight Watcher.
The nightmare's consort
Part 1
The sun's radiating heat was no rare sight for the inhabitants of Ponyville. Both earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns woke up from their blissful sleep to greet another day of light. Foals running out to play or go to school, adults to do their everyday routines or work for the sake of their family. The pegasi of Cloudsdale could always watch the burning orb's might raining over their cloudy city, a gift in itself for them to bask in while clearing the skies. It was nothing but an honor for them to make way for their princess' sun so everypony could share it. Sun reflected on the monocle of a wealthy stallion, his smile grew wide as a grateful thought struck past his mind. He wanted to thank destiny for giving him the life of a rich pony in this glorious city named Canterlot.
It had been a day since the festival of the summer sun celebration, which had been temporarily postponed for reasons everypony knew of, and today there was nothing else to do than relax and enjoy the sun's return...
But in one place, far away from all that was civilization, the craggy mountains of Equestria remained cold and deserted. The gray and dead ground served only as temporary homes for the dragons during their wanderings and pilgrimages. A chilly wind swept past the surface, dragging some dust and gravel with it in a short-lived journey before continuing up in the air. As the breeze dispatched, a slight jolt appeared from nowhere over a flat piece of ground. As sudden as it appeared, it was gone without a trace.
After a few seconds, the jolt returned with an increase in quantity. Crackings and rolls resembling the might of a thunderstorm filled the empty air, expanding slowly into a lump of electricity with the size of a smaller boulder. The lump continued to grow in size and began to consume more and more space around it. Thunder bolts shot out like roots from a tree and sought down to the hard surface, binding its source firmly before spreading further down into the mountain's inner. The electricity illuminated the area violently, moments form creating a flash of blinding light.
In an ear-cracking explosion, the cool air of the mountain top combusted into an ocean of lightnings shooting everywhere. If ponies would have turned their eyes to the mountains at that moment, they would have seen a small twinkle from the highest peak.
Smoke and ashes rose up in the sky, filling the pure air with tainted scorches as it left the ground. When the giant smokescreen finally died out, an equally giant searing had drawn several lines all over the dead ground, forming a mark impossible to see if you didn't see it from an higher altitude. In the middle of the epicenter, a silhouette revealed the pony that had arrived with the harsh outburst of magic. The equine wobbled for a brief moment before it took a step forward, the art of walking was a challenge worthy its entire attention and focus. As the second step seemed to achieve more progress than the previous one, the third and fourth were nothing but normal movements.
A dark gray horn appeared, tightly followed by a blueish and light purple mane hanging loose over a gray muzzle. The pony shook his head without opening its eyes; that was still another task he couldn't complete just yet. But as his long tail was visible, which was knotted into a shortened style nopony had seen for many years, an inhale through the nostrils was all needed to give him strength.
The gray eyelids opened, revealing the cat-like irises in his dodge blue eyes. His legacy spoke not only of a pony's, but a dragon's too.
He blinked once, then twice to clear out all dust from his dry eyes, now his vision had full access to what was around his line of sight. Pain pulsated uncomfortably inside his head, an ache which had been held back for a time he didn't know of, a result of his recent state which he just exited. The pain convulsed and forced the unicorn stallion down to his knees, gritting teeth and tensed eyelids was his only escape in this personal pony hell he experienced.
“Argh.... what... how... long have... I...” he mumbled without any success to keep a clear mind.
Suddenly his horn began to glimmer. The hurt intensified due to his channeling, but this was now his final resort to be free. A small but steady stream grew from the tip of his magical cusp, this would surely help in all ways possible as long as nopony interrupted him...
“What is this...?” an incredibly deep voice like a demon's said before several tons of weight landed next to the concentrating pony. Hard scales all over the body, massive muscles in each limb and torso, sharp talons and teeth able to cut through stone, and to finish the dreadful sight, a set of large wings decorated on the back of this giant creature. A fully grown dragon with the color of emerald green had arrived to the scene.
“I don't know, but the light came from here” a light blue dragon said as he also decided to put his feet on the craggy ground, flapping his wings one last time to ease the landing.
The unicorn didn't notice them, he was way too occupied with channeling his puny amounts of magic into an orb smaller then a pea. His muscles tensed as perspiration broke out from his forehead.
Meanwhile, the two dragons looked down from their height at the tiny pony. Their sharp eyes immediately noticed the markings all over the ground, sadly something they completely ignored. Their monstrous teeth were revealed in two sinister grins as pretty much the same idea came up in their mind. “I suppose we at least didn't come here for nothing” the light blue beast stated and glanced up at his friend.
“It's not much, but I suppose it's something” the other one replied while licking his split tongue over his upper row of teeth. “Let's make it crispy, at least...”.
The two dragons snickered in unison while their prey kept his focused state of mind. The orb from its horn was still way too small to give the appearance of doing any harm. Thus, the giant monsters leaned back with wide-open mouths to inhale air. Their lungs filled up the fresh oxygen and defiled it with their own innards' putrefying abilities. The air they stored became heavily combustible as it shot up from their throats again.
The pony almost succumbed to the pain that now spread to his entire body, but the magic kept growing.
Two jets of fires flew through the air, incinerating everything on their way to the common target. As just a few meters remained until the high-velocity bursts would reach their victim.... the dark gray unicorn flashed open his dark blue glowing eyes.
An enormous amount of magical energy expanded from the tiny orb into a protective shield surrounding his body. When the sea of flames collided with the sudden obstacle, the sphere immediately started to crackle with even more magical substance. Several beams of gray shot from the equally colored horn, increasing the power output to ridiculous levels. Black streams surrounded the orb like belts, the energies grew unstable, another surge of expansion took place, and then the host of all this magic arched his eyebrows in rage. His body levitated up from the ground, leaving him floating in the orb he fed with magic. His mane and tail burst into dark blue flames and his entire body shifted into pitch black, only his dark blue eyes and gritting teeth were visible.
The two dragons only had time to widen their eyes in shock before another flash of light exploded with the sphere closely behind it. Their giant bodies disappeared in the light, consumed just like the rest of the surroundings. Gravel and dust shot like shrapnel in all directions and big parts of the mountain top cracked into smithereens, crushing the peak in the process.
In the remains of destruction, four hooves gently levitated down to the ravaged mountain surface. Hardly a sound was made when his body finally could lean comfortably on their steady pillars. The mane and tail had returned to their normal states, leaving no trace of what just happened to them. His eyes were also 'normal' again, slit-like just like the dragons he just turned into nothing. The pain was gone, his magic was restored thanks to the outbreak, and the clear eyes could now finally behold where he was.
A disappointed grimace was all he could afford for the moment. “Dragons? Those pathetic creatures still exists? Hmpf.... then it can'st have been that lo-”.
He cut himself off once he realized the bitter truth peeping up from a big cloud. His bestial eyes widened in terror as what he least expected to see again emerged from the thick clouds. Warmth and light covered the entire mountain with its massacred top, showing the lone unicorn its full presence in the canopy. It was the very evidence that Celestia's might still ruled Equestria.
His lips trembled in fear, his eyes stared in terror, his entire muscle system collapsed in defeat, absolutely nothing of what just happened in front of him was approved. A fore hoof full of anger and hatred raised up in the air, gathering all physical might it could summon before striking down to the hard ground.
“MAY YOU BURN IN PONY HELL, CELESTIA!!!” his extremely loud voice shouted at the sun. His slit eyes narrowed, pressing together the darkness it hardly let through as a flood of memories took shape in the blackened void...
Year 350
The Canterlot mountains
An all consuming night stained with millions of stars, an eternal cloak of darkness stretching out to the horizon. This was the work of a pony carrying powers without any worthy adversary, and the very being who decided to taint the clear blue sky with this darkened counterpart had decided to behold the fruits of her blessing.
A body more pitch-black than the night itself, an ethereal mane and tail reflecting the very symbolic ideals of a clear sky's pattering stars in a cloud of cobalt blue, the elegant shoes, chest piece and unmistakeable helm, a piercingly sharp horn that dignifies the standards as magical and the majestic wings showing the capabilities of flying, and last but by no means least the body height combined with a proud pose... created a most perfect pony meant to rule with a hoof harder than diamond.
The divine spirit Nightmare Moon cast a look colder than ice down from the high cliff, observing what her subjects had decided to do during this eternal night. She was pleased so far, judging by the satisfied smirk on her lips. The ponies of Ponyville had no choice but to wander in the night, awake and aware of what was to come during their new ruler's rule.
Her head tilted slightly for every time she wished to see another part of her empire, there was no need for her to come close and look; being a part of the night gave her the unique ability to see much clearer than during the time of day.
She simply had to snicker at the humorous thought. Sunlight? Ever to appear again? Virtually inviting Celestia to take part of her reign? A breath of laughter finally escaped Moon's lungs, providing a terrifying tone echoing down the high cliff. The sound traveled all the way down, ending up as a breeze of reminding to all the subjects who still doubted their ruler's good will. Foals cried, mares curled and stallions shivered; none of them wanted to hear the tyrant's prosperity...
However, terrifying as the laughter was, there was yet one pony who simply couldn't imagine a more beautiful song playing through his ears when the divine mare showed her good mood. Walking out from the evil mare's shadow, a dark gray unicorn with a bluish and purple mane had taken the choice to stand right next to his empress. Moon glanced down at the stallion who basked in a fresh gust of wind blowing through his mane, she certainly liked what she saw.
“Well...?” she simply asked without any explanation to what she meant. But there was no need for it, the stallion knew exactly what the topic of conversation was about.
A deep inhale of chilly night air, then he spoke. “I've visited every settlement and tribe in Equestria. They've been properly informed of the change of power, my empress. And of course, all of those who immediately opposed you... have been properly obviated” he explained with a stain of sadism and death reflecting in his slit-like eyes
The addressed mare could now see her loyal servant kneeling, a very usual sight to behold for her. “Good. And... any words of where that coward Celestia might be hiding yet?” she asked with a significantly stronger hope for good news. But as the unicorn glanced up with a frown at her, she understood it was a negative. Anger pulsed through her mind as a fore hoof stomped the ground.
“May Discord haunt her dreams! I simply cannot understand how the ponies of Equestria could let this weak alicorn rule them. As soon as she sensed my almighty power approaching her throne, she escaped it! Abandoning her loyal subjects like nothing and then hides without leaving any traces?! Is this what the so-called 'sun goddess' Celestia is capable of?!!”.
Her voice increased in strength for each breath she took, enhancing into fishtail winds cracking through the calm air. The divine mare snorted in frustration for each time she found displeasing thoughts in her head, especially the ones about a very sad fact...
As long as Celestia carried the crown of Equestria, Nightmare Moon couldn't call herself a true ruler of these lands until she had claimed it. That was the major reason for why the search for this specific pony was the most important task at hoof for her.
The unicorn known as Midnight Watcher sighed with a confident smile as he rose from the kneeling. “Celestia is nothing but a misguided alicorn believing she had what it takes to rule a land. Her very acting is the strongest proof of why Equestria has been saved and not 'stolen' from her weak grasp...” his slit eyes looked deeply into the larger mare's almost equally shaped irises.
“The puny cries from your subjects are just a side-effect from the sudden change your beautiful night have given them. It's just a simple matter of time before they realize what an indescribably generous gift they have been blessed with, and then.... nopony will remember the light of the sun or even their failure of a leader...”.
Moon tilted her head down with the eye-contact in place. The doubtless expression her servant gave pleased her to no end, his immortal loyalty was her pride, something she always congratulated herself for. Another snicker from her black lips.
“Oh my, dear Midnight... if my inner voice didn't know any better, It'd suspect you for being a silver-tongue...” she explained while turning around to face her servant.
The male chuckled delightfully over the recently spoken words. “My tongue was made to spread your message, my ears to obey your commands, and my eyes to witness the night's stunning beauty.... ” he paused just to cock an eyebrow before finishing that praising sentence.
“... as well as its creator's...”.
The divine mare narrowed her ice blue eyes. Those words were of several kinds in her mind.
“Your loyalty is remarkable, but the bold nature of your soul is what truly marks who you are.... PEASANT!!” she suddenly yelled with violently arched eyebrows and gritting teeth.
Midnight's eyes shrunk in an instant before his immediate kneel to the dirty ground. Fear clenched his heart, but there were no regrets in his intentions for using that last sentence. But he knew how pleasing his empress found it to punish her subjects, and as she just clearly stated, he was nothing but another subject to rule over.
Her royally decorated hooves stepped forward to the unicorn, each one enhancing the dark aura she brought with her. And as soon as she looked straight down at her servant, the moment of revelation was in.
Suddenly, her magical mane moved out to touch the gray chin almost scraping the ground. With a quick snap, the pony stood up again with his muzzle aimed directly at Moon's, giving the cyan eyes a moment to send a wave of lust into Midnight's entire soul.
“And that's why you one day will earn the warmth from a divine mare and ruler....” she whispered.
The unicorn didn't have time to feel the exploding blush on his cheeks until the majestic alicorn tossed him down to the dirt again. “Make sure you continue looking for Celestia. I won't rest easy until her presence is vanquished by my hoof” Moon said as she reached the end of the cliff she stood on.
The stallion got up on his legs again, absolutely much more grateful with his position after hearing these extremely exalting words. “Of course, my empress! I live to...” he was about to say until the mentioned pony looked over her shoulder.
“Now....” she hissed with a glare able to kill.
Midnight Watcher halted, nodded and then focused magic from his horn to finally disappear in a flash...
The roar traveled far out from the mountain top, but the even greater distance prevented anypony to hear even a chirp of the angered sound. Even more frustration echoed inside Midnight's head, the scarlet emotion boiled up under extreme heat and transformed into renewed hate. He couldn't understand how Nightmare Moon could have failed again. The odds were so insignificant they shouldn't even be considered an option. Not when it came to her, not even close. The return was supposed to be her most prepared attack ever and nothing would be able to stop it.
Not even those cursed elements...
Midnight knew he had to cool down and think. If, against all odds, Celestia would have defeated her opponent, would she be so ruthless and merciless that she'd go for a kill?
No, she was too weak for such a cunning strategy. The feelings she always held for her fellow ponies would tell her to stop and instead try to convince the enemy to form a pact of peace. According to Midnight, that was completely ridiculous... so that simply had to be the truth. Celestia must have imprisoned Nightmare Moon after her inglorious victory, probably in the deepest part of the Canterlot dungeon.
The dark gray unicorn closed his eyes for another second, the overflowing emotions still hadn't calmed down in his inner mentality. All thoughts about how disgraced his empress had to be right now, how utterly pathetic she must feel, the very mortification in letting an alicorn of lower dignity and power overthrow her, a horror he suffered for each moment that passed. So there really was nothing else but to act at once and save his empress. He had to travel to Canterot and release the almighty being, even if Celestia who obviously is guarding her would prove to be a worthy adversary versus himself. After all, Nightmare Moon was much more powerful than him...
With dedication and a burning thirst for revenge, the unicorn stallion channeled up enough magic for his teleportation spell while he recalled the image of his intended destination. Since he actually had no idea of how long he had been gone, safety was necessary; he certainly didn't want to end up being materialized in a wall or tree. And as soon as he pictured the perfect spot, a flash occurred, and what once was a silent and chilly mountain top, could now continue its rest as the remains of an immense explosion and what seemed to have been a one-sided battle.
Meanwhile in the wonderful city of Canterlot, several ponies had succeeded to find what today could offer. If it wasn't a fancy restaurant, it was a boutique with Hoity Toity's latest brand of clothes for the rich pony. Stallions with their top hats and monocles, mares wearing pompadour dresses and expensive make-up, those were the main inhabitants of the wealthy and refined city. Not a disturbance in sight as long as the eye could reach along the exquisite roads.
On a square not too far away from the Canterlot palace entrance, there was a famous bakery many ponies happily took their time traveling to. In the midst of the road there were several tables and chairs made for outdoor serving so the customers could enjoy their fabulous afternoon sun.
“I'd say, my dear. These scones are certainly the most delicious treats I've ever laid taste on” a fancily dressed stallion said as he leaned back on his chair. “You sure you won't have another one?” he then asked the mare sitting across the table. She giggled while waving her paper fan with a fore hoof. “Oh no, dear. I do have to think of my shape. Can't trot around with a swollen flank now...” she excused.
The fine stallion chuckled. “Do ho ho ho! Don't think of such things, my dear. Sure, you might not be a Fleur de Lis, but that flank of your isn't that big....”.
In that instance he realized what he just said, causing him to drop his monocle in fear of the grievously hurt mare. She glared in anger as she leaned over the table. “What... did you just...”.
She never had time to finish that sentence. Right when her yells of anger were supposed to hail over the poor stallion, a magic flash appeared right next to her.
Dark gray magic illuminated the whole area for a brief second before vanishing again as a male unicorn carrying the exact same color as his magic appeared from nowhere. The couple jumped in fright. “Oh my sweet goodness!” the fine mare yelled as she fell off her chair and landed on the hard ground. The stallion quickly adjusted his monocle and stared in even more fright at what just happened, unaware of exactly who stood just a hoof away from him. When he realized it was a unicorn who obviously used some fancy magic trick, he furrowed his eyebrows while his mare got up from the dust.
“I'd say, young colt! This is no place for meddling magicians to do their frazzle and dazzle!” he stated to prove his point.
The unicorn Midnight Watcher glanced slowly at the arrogant stallion, seriously annoyed of the noises escaping his mouth. He noticed the fancy clothes on the pony, something he didn't quite understand. Such garnets was more than a rare sight, but that didn't really concern him even the slightest. Instead he wanted to prove his own point. “Keep your muzzle silent, peasant...” he hissed with a shade over his eyebrows.
Sadly, the stallion didn't catch the hint. Instead he stood up from his chair and prepared a scolding he never expected to use in his life. But when he opened his mouth, a magic collar surrounded his neck in an instant, halting his movement as it squeezed his soft neck.
“I said..... keep that ignorant muzzle shut, or I'll make sure it will never speak again” the even angrier unicorn said and shrunk the collar to suffocate his victim even more.
The fancy pony got up on his hindlegs with his fore hooves struggling to get off the deadly grip, but nothing else than puny grunts and choking noises came out. At that moment, the mare realized what happened, thus used her high-pitched voice to scream in terror. Midnight glanced at her and summoned another magic collar from his horn onto her neck, giving her the same kind of terror the fancy stallion experienced. As the annoying sound stopped, he shifted his eyes between the dying ponies.
“It would seem the ponies of Canterlot haven't lost their ignorance. There are needs for many changes when Nightmare Moon comes back...” he stated and levitated the two ponies up in the air, only to directly throw them away from each other. As the refined equines hit the ground in loud tumbles, Midnight released the collars from their necks and walked past the outdoor serving. Several ponies had heard the scream and gathered around the scene. Several of them ran away to warn the guards of this violent pony...
With little to no obstacles in his way, Midnight casually beheld all the structures he never had seen before. A little doubt tainted his heart when buildings made out of colored cement instead of wood and marble appeared in every corner he saw. He didn't understand the architecture at all. Last time he visited Canterlot there were no buildings this high or sturdy. Why were there glass over the windows? What in Equestria were those banners on the house walls saying? 'Fashion Show'?
Too much unusual things filled Midnight's mind, so many new objects and so little time to spare. Had Celestia really been able to reinstall and practice more influence on her subjects during this short....
The unicorn stopped dead in his tracks with wide-open eyes. All air around him stilled as his heartbeats actually ached for a moment. How... long had he been gone, actually?
Year 350
Outskirts of the Cloudsdale tribe
The winds were usually chilly and continuously moving past the spread clouds of what one day would be the greatest city in the sky, but lately they had been steadily enhancing due to the lack of sun. The pegasi always shivered, their wings slowly growing weaker for each day that passed during their new reign. No happy thoughts lived inside their heads, no will to smile existed, yet they all smiled reassuringly wherever they walked, knowing somepony always watched them. A young pegasus colt disobeyed his mother and walked out from his cloud tent just so he could glance up in the sky for a second. When the frightened mare hasted out to grab her foal, she accidentally looked up too.
They both stood frozen in fear. The bloodcurdling sight of the divine alicorn who stood on a smaller cloud made them realize what was so important to do whenever those cyan slit-irises saw them. The two ponies instantly curved their lips into sheepish smiles, temporarily pleasing the evil being staring down at them before they turned away.
Nightmare Moon couldn't stop smiling either. As she gently focused magic into the little cloud so she could move away a little distance, a snicker almost developed into a madpony's laughter. But before she could reach that level of entertainment for herself, a dark gray flash appeared behind her.
“Good. You're here...” Moon stated instantly without even bothering a glance over her shoulder. Instead she kept her muzzle pointing directly at the Canterlot castle, allowing her servant to quickly use the walk-on-clouds spell on his hooves. A comforting smile dressed Midnight's lips as he bowed down in submission.
“Why of course, my empress. When you call, I obey...” he said and rose up again. The alicorn lost her smile at the very same second.
“There is a matter you will participate in hearing now. I will make myself clear the first time, so listen carefully” Moon stated with a sigh. Midnight didn't have any intentions else but to do as he was commanded, even if the lack of eye-contact would have felt better for him if this really was that important. But the other pony didn't turn around.
“My suspicions have spoken to me lately, and it would seem that Celestia isn't merely hiding; she must be preparing something.”
The unicorn cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. “How come, my empress? And preparing for what?”.
Moon arched her eyebrows due to the incompetence she heard from behind. But perhaps an explanation would help her slow subject “Lately.... I have felt a presence gaining strength all over Equestria. The night remains, but it's like the air itself and the very ground the ponies walk on are boiling with intensity. The winds are telling a tale of change, my soul... is actually growing unsure of what is going on. I can't predict it! It MUST have something to do with Celestia!”.
She stomped a fore hoof on the dark cloud, causing a lesser lightning bolt to strike down to the earth in the split of an already split second. Midnight widened is eyes in shock of what just occurred before his eyes.
Using his most respectful way of talking, he decided to open his mouth. “My empress. Celestia is no near your potential, less your wisdom... but....” he paused to ready his next words, knowing they could be dangerous. And as predicted, the divine mare finally turned her head around, awaiting the words she didn't allow.
“.... But since your senses are feeling this approach, I can understand... if... fear is...” he cringed before saying.
The darkness in Nightmare Moon's cat-like irises consumed all colors in her eyes, creating two voids of black that outmatched the shade on her coat. Faster than the lightning she just ccreated, a burst of magic shot from her horn directly at her servant's horn, dispelling the magic around his hooves. The male pony could only gasp in the face of his possible destiny... that until another shot of magic grasped his neck like a collar.
He levitated through the empty air, now hanging defenselessly in front of the furious mare. The grip wasn't so tight, so he could still breath regularly. But when he understood his magic was disabled after the beam to his cusp, plus minding the extreme altitude beneath, he knew how close death still was.
“Fear.... you say?” Moon asked with an echoing voice traveling far away. Her eyes were still covered in darkness so frightening it actually unnerved Midnight Watcher. “Look into yourself! What do you feel?!” she yelled and moved him a little closer to her head.
The unicorn couldn't stop staring into the two voids, the chill they brought up his spine was way too terrifying for him to even come up with the idea. No thoughts stood still, they all ran around in his head randomly without any goal. That feeling of insecurity and fear of death ate him up from the inside, digesting all his cool and self-esteem into pure.... fear. His facial expression imitated the feeling, a reflection with wide-open and bloodshot eyes, followed by frowning eyebrows and reluctant lips.
Moon grinned, this feeling showering over her had a very invigorating effect; it was almost too fun to end.
“Do I look like somepony who 'fear', my dear little peasant?” she asked, causing the pony in her deadly grasp to shake his head violently. She finally decided to end this little game, thus turned her eyes back to normal and shot a beam of magic at Midnight's horn before throwing him back on the cloud again. The stallion slowly got up on his hooves again, utterly ashamed of being so easily converted into what his empress even easier could repress. But while he focused on standing up again after the tumult he just experienced, Moon continued to her point, looking directly at her loyal servant this time.
“I don't fear, my subject. But I have decided to take precautions.... and that involves you” she continued and took a light step towards Midnight.
The downed stallion had managed to get up on his knees at least when responding. “Y-yes?”.
“Let's say... hypothetically... that Celestia somehow would walk away victorious once I confront her. What would you do in that case?” she asked, expecting no answer else but...
“I'd dedicate my useless life to take vengeance on that cursed creature of a pony...” he answered without a stain of doubt as he finally stood up again.
Moon saw the dedication in his eyes as usual, therefore she had to snicker again. “Yes, that is you... my little pony. I knew your answer before I even asked.... but that is also why I must do...”.
The stallion blinked.
“... this...” Nightmare Moon said casually just a second before the spell she had been working on for a while charged up from the tip of her horn and immediately shot at her servant again. He shut his eyes tight, believing she had decided to kill him for his disobedience. But to his big surprise nothing particular happened. When he looked again, a transparent shroud of dark blue magic had completely covered his body. A few seconds later, the coat melted into his body, disappearing into his flesh. Looking like a question mark, Midnight carried the most confused stare he knew of.
“I must defeat Celestia alone. And if I can't do it, you will be even easier for her. That's why I just cast this spell on you...” she explained with relaxed eyes at the unicorn.
“But... what purpose does it serve? I've never seen this kind of magic before...” the still confused stallion responded while looking at his chest, hooves and then his back.
Moon was a little more tolerant on his lack of knowledge this time. She had invented and completed that spell just a few days ago, so nopony could know of it. “I say again: if I somehow would loose against Celestia.... you and I will share the same fate” she stated very matter-of-factual.
Midnight didn't need much time to understand what she meant by that. He had just lived through fear, so it shouldn't have been that easy accepting the fact his soul was kept hostage. He didn't understand her reasons for why she wanted him to follow the same path of destiny as his empress. But none the less, he actually felt honored to be the bearer of Nightmare Moon's enchantment no matter what it did. She simply had to have some idea with this. “I see, my empress...” he said in a tone of appreciation and bowed his head.
The alicorn mare smirked in satisfaction. “Very good, my loyal servant...” she said with narrowed eyes “Now go and keep looking for Celestia”.
Midnight nodded and charged up magic from his horn. In a flash, he disappeared to the next part of the realm he hadn't searched. He sure didn't doubt obeying Nightmare Moon, his loyalty to her was so strong that it only could grow weaker. However, he did have some thoughts still surrounding the enchantment placed on him. What did it actually mean? And could it perhaps have something to do with... what she said the last time they met? The unicorn blushed as that specific idea started to create images in his head...
At the front gate of Canterlot castle, several guards stood in front of the bridge leading over the moat into the very castle yard. All dressed in their golden armor, they looked so similar it was almost ridiculous. However, most of the guards had a black or very dark brown coat and only one of them was completely white like snow. In fact, all of the black guards leaned at the only one sticking out like a sore thumb, all looking rather annoyed and ready to fight.
“WHAT... did you call us?” one of the dark brown stallions asked the white one.
He was filled with insecurity and fear, forcing him to go into a defensive behavior. “Hey, I'm sorry! I thought it was... okay using... that word since you always do it!” he excused with shifting eyes looking everywhere but at the other guards.
“That's OUR word! You're not allowed to use it! If you say that again, we have a problem here! You got that?” another of the black guards pointed a hoof at the poor male. The rest grit their teeth in anger and leaned even closer.
“Okay, okay! I get it! Sorry, I was just trying to fit in and....” he was about to excuse again when his nervous eyes landed on a dark gray unicorn about to cross the bridge from a distance.
All of the other guards turned their heads to the pony of attention and dropped their arguing. The four guards held up their sharp lances just like they always had done after years of field exercise. But none of that were of any concern to the unicorn walking like it was nothing heading this way.
One of the armed stallion took a step forward. “Halt! What business do you ha-” he had time to say until he realized the male unicorn didn't pay him any attention at all and kept walking towards the line of guards. “I said halt!” he repeated, but still didn't even get a glance. The professional guard kept his cool and aimed the spear in his right hoof at the unicorn, all the others did the same while standing right next to him.
“This is your last warning! Trespassers will b-”.
Faster than the blink of an eye, a beam of highly volatile magic was shot at the guard in the middle. As the magic hit his coat, a large explosion of heat and combustion blew away the other guards in a sweep. The ground trembled for a short second before a large collection of smoke descended up in the air, leaving the now trespassing unicorn free to walk out of the smokescreen like absolutely nothing had happened. The bridge had taken a beating, but it was still sturdy enough to let him pass before falling into pieces together with the torn and scorched corpses of the guards down in the moat.
Midnight's eyes were still radiating heat. In normal cases he wouldn't go really that far with such weak opponents, but due to the thoughts still haunting his mind... there wasn't really anything else he wanted than to kill everypony who served that wretched hag of an alicorn...
As he entered the yard, the paved road to the castle was nothing he found interest in rather than just walking straight through. He hadn't reached the castle yet and nopony knew of his recent act, so why not just keep walking casually like he was just a visitor that had been approved by the front guards? After all, he HAD been hiding in the shadow of his empress, so nopony would recognixe him anyways.
But as he kept walking, it sure was rather interesting to see how quickly all of the guards had forgotten about who they previously served. Like it was just another regular day, like it had been hundreds of years ago since Nightmare Moon was defeated. Finally he had reached the end of the paved road and found himself standing before the great door leading into the Canterlot Castle. It was just like he remembered it with its high towers, colors and.... the glassed windows he didn't quite remember.
Midnight didn't like this. Not at all. Just HOW long had he been gone?
He looked around and saw two guards standing vigilantly at each side of the big door. Both of them glanced and then walked up to him. Midnight decided to play it cool for as long as it worked.
It was just another white stallion, dressed in golden armor and a sharp lance just like the rest of his comrades, built with strong muscles and an expressionless face meant only for guarding and absolutely nothing else. Midnight wondered for a brief moment if that stone-face even knew how to smile. Not that he cared, but it'd be interesting to know the facts.
“Welcome to Canterlot Castle, sir. Since you're here I presume the front guards already have asked you this, but are you here to see princess Celestia?” the white pegasus stallion asked, holding the standard serious expression. Midnight smiled gently at first, remaining silent for several seconds while looking straight into the guards eyes. An awkward ambiance almost took place until the guard asked again. “Uhm... sir? Are you here to visit the princess, I asked?”
Midnight grinned maniacally as a vein of anger popped up from his forehead...
Meanwhile in the royal working chamber, a majestic pony carrying the purest shade of white rested comfortably in a pile of pillows. The long, white horn decorated her forehead ever so perfectly, her equally white wings were wide enough to reach her own length, truly a grace to behold whenever they were used. But two things that easily could outmatch the feathered limbs and the great headpiece were without doubt the mane and tail, both beautifully moving in their ethereal forms and vary of colors. The crown and chest piece were absolutely nothing but mere jewelry compared to this stunning alicorn's beauty.
Her kind smile and rejoicing eyes were evidence that whatever was in front of her certainly gave her a better mood than she ever had dreamed of. Yes, there was something she beheld and also had spent limitless time with since yesterday. And yes, she intended on spending even more than just a single more day. But just when she was about to open her mouth again...
“Princess Celestia! Princess Celestia!!” a muffled voice yelled behind the door into the working chamber. The mentioned mare quickly glanced, understanding something had to be really out of order for that specific pony she heard to be this devastated.
“What is it, captain?” she exclaimed and slowly got up on her legs.
The handsome stallion with a white coat and a blue mane, Shining Armor, gathered his thoughts for the report. However, as a drip of blood from his forehead fell down to the floor, he wasn't sure on how to actually say this. The ache could have been worse, especially compared to what he just had lived through to see.
“There.... there's an intruder in front of the castle gate and he's... he's” Shining tried to explain further, but no words seemed to work together anymore when the memories came back. Instead he closed his eyes and hung his head in shame.
Celestia furrowed her eyebrows when she understood how utterly serious this had to be. So she walked up to the reinforced wooden door to see her captain. Sadly, as her magic opened the door, a certainly not comfortable sight got stuck in her eyes.
The white, armored stallion had several bleeding scars and bruises on his body, evidence of what horror he experienced before he ultimately got away to tell the princess what was going on. Celestia gasped and took a step back, shocked to see her best soldier all bloody and beaten up.
“My dear goodness! What happened?!” she asked more out of fear than as a order. But the stallion received it as such. “There... there's a male, dark gray unicorn wreaking havoc outside! The whole castle yard has turned into a battlefield and I fear he... h-has already killed some of my men!” he exclaimed the last part of the sentence with dedication and discipline to hold back the pain.
The white mare widened her eyes, unaware that Shining Armor wasn't done.
“He keep screaming something about... Nightmare Moon... I think! And his magical power is absolutely unmatched, not even I can hold him back...” he ended with his head hanging down in shame again.
Celestia felt her spine shivering as her heart skipped a beat. A combination of fear and anguish brewed together into an unstable concoction overflowing inside her mind. Realization had never been so uncomfortable as now, and what once seemed to have been a problem she never needed to attend had gone from bad to something much more horrifying than worse.
A glance over her shoulder fell on the object of her interest. “Wait here.... I'll be right back” she stated, hoping the one she talked to wouldn't care to ask what was going on. Whatever she looked at replied in a way that made Celestia understand it was okay to leave. “Lead the way, captain...” she than whispered to Shining who simply nodded and galloped down the long hallway together with his empress.
Meanwhile outside the big castle door, an ambiance only resembling with war had taken its place around the involved ponies. There was a serious difference in numbers between the two sides, but the one keeping the highest number had since long realized the lone enemy was good enough to take on several squadrons of them. Reeking craters from recent explosions, pieces of broken armors, knocked out ponies and still standing ones in defensive stances, these facts were just a taste of what power the unicorn Midnight Watcher could offer.
Standing alone just a few meters from the door he tried to enter before, the dark gray stallion looked in every direction for new opponents to defeat.
“Well?! Are any of you pathetic degenerates finally going to tell me where the great Nightmare Moon is?! Or are there anypony who still thinks they're holding the ghost of a chance against me?!” he screamed out in frustration.
Midnight was certainly out of his focused mind. His old plan of trying to infiltrate the castle in discretion had turned out to a suicidal attack on the front gate without any plan of getting away. The anger inside him had developed too much, it kept growing for each time he recalled the darn name 'Celestia' being mentioned by those even more darned guards. They were all going to face his wrath no matter what the cost. However, his way of reasoning had missed one very important detail.
Wouldn't this massacre catch the attention of the last pony he should face right now?
The remaining guards weren't many, but they intended to obey orders from their captain: buy him time to reach the princess. The brave stallion himself had already tried getting his hooves on this perpetrator, almost ending up like the two guards holding the door who were now nothing but smithereens.
And just as the dark gray unicorn charged up another beam of the volatile magic from his horn, the chanceless guards jerked back as they felt the hoof of death touching their necks.
“Enough!” a loud voice demanded from the door.
Midnight's eyes widened for a second when that way too recognizable sound vibrated inside his ears. The channeled amount of magic withdrew from his horn as he looked over the shoulder. There she was, in front of the wide-open door into the castle, the greatest alicorn alive today and ruler of Equestria. Her wings were straight erected in anger over what she beheld. The sight of her loyal guards either dead or seriously wounded laying all over the castle yard engulfed her senses into anger, just like the pony she was about to confront had live through. The only thing holding her calm was the fact that many of the downed guards were still alive. The ones still standing sighed out of relief.
Even though her eyes had the ability to stare straight into the unicorn's soul, it had no really effect in unnerving him. “Well, well. If my eyes aren't deceiving me: the unworthy princess Celestia herself. No games of hide and seek this time, I presume?” he taunted with an arrogant tone.
The words were as useless as the mentioned pony's ice cold stare. She simple took her time understanding who it was that had caused a ruckus out here in her own castle yard. Their eyes met in a hostile connection before Celestia decided to speak. Even if the truth wasn't pleasant, it had to be revealed.
“Midnight Watcher, I presume...?” she asked which caused quite a shock to the dark gray stallion.
He raised an eyebrow. “What? How can you...” he wanted to ask, but the answer proved to come out faster than his words.
Celestia inhaled deeply before her great sigh. Even though she felt a little more relaxed, her eyebrows remained arched in anger. “You speak praising words of one of the most evil beings ever to walk this world, carries magical power beyond any mortal unicorn even could achieve, and you even have the same kind of eyes as the mentioned spirit you seek...”.
Midnight didn't quite understand until she continued. Why he even bothered listening was actually a little of a question mark for him.
“I know all of my subjects, and you are most certainly not an exception. I've seen you standing in the shade of your empress, hiding your mortal body behind her powers and serving as a traitor to your true leader!” she finally stated, which kindled a flame in Midnight's bestial eyes.
A hoof hit the paved ground beneath him, silencing Celestia for his own words to dominate the silence. “Don't you dare tell me who's my true leader, you weak and pathetic excuse of a princess! Nightmare Moon held power far beyond your limits, and you know that too!” his own words kept throwing wood into the raging fire, killing his interest for what Celestia knew and giving rebirth to his true goal with all of this.
“I've had enough of your ignorance!! And I demand you tell me where you have imprisoned Nightmare Moon!” he finally exclaimed with exposed teeth.
The divine mare furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Did he seriously believe she was still around when the sun stood high? Nightmare Moon's mere presence brought darkened skies of night, didn't he know that?
“What?” she thus asked, pretty much making her hostile visitor even angrier.
“Yes! Lies won't help you, because I know you're too weak and soppy to kill anypony! But I don't know what you've done to seal her power since I'm fully aware you don't control the elements of harmony anymore. But I don't need to know, because you're going to die here and no-”.
Midnight stopped speaking when he saw the white foreleg pointed straight at him to signal 'stop'. It felt bad to actually stop talking there, but nor was he prepared for what Celestia was about to say either. She didn't doubt anymore. This unicorn knew much more than she expected, but there had to be a few details he really didn't know off. Her first question was therefore settled.
“Dear Midnight Watcher.... may I ask how you've been able to survive for this long?”.
The unicorn froze. That question hadn't really been reached in his head, but small suspicions had started to take growth. And he also didn't suppose his hiding had been a secret, so why not answer that question and perhaps return with his own ones.
Thus, he glanced at the ground before facing the celestial being again.
“When my empress still resided, she laid an enchantment on me. Its purpose was to let me share her destiny in case you somehow would win against her. But since she didn't expect any resistance from you, the spell was more of a pure formality for my undying loyalty. However, your elements of harmony took her by surprise and thus lead to your... inglorious victory.”
He glared a her during the last two words, something Celestia didn't pay any attention to.
“And when you banished her to the very sphere we both worshiped, I shared her destiny as promised by the spell. But before it finally grasped me into a prison of stasis, I heard of the prophecy that one day.... Nightmare Moon would return and bring ever-lasting night again, and that YOU.... wouldn't be in possession of the elements anymore! In short: your defeat was only delayed! And now...”.
“... She's been defeated yet again” Celestia ended his sentence like nothing.
Midnight felt an urge of killer instinct racing through his brain. But what she spoke of was undeniably true. “Yes... but it can't have been by your elements of harmony. I don't know what trick you used, but it's not going to work on me!” he stated and secretly began channeling magic from his horn.
Celestia saw it but didn't care even the slightest. She had already measured this unicorn's power, and he wasn't really that much of a threat to her. Besides, her concern rested on the recent answer she was given. “A stasis... but I presume it wasn't the moon you went to?” she asked further.
Midnight shook his head. “No. The enchantment could only imitate to a certain level. Since the elements of harmony proved to hold so much power, it apparently couldn't do the exact same thing. I suppose stasis in oblivion was the closest thing the spell could manage to imitate. Once I returned I had to restart my magic... and since I was lucky enough to absorb a few dragons in the process, my powers are back at full potency again” he explained casually in a try to distract Celestia from the magic he concentrated.
But as mentioned, she didn't care the slightest. “I can't imagine one thousand years on the moon, nor less a thousand in obl-” she almost finished.
“Wait, what...?” Midnight said as the first nail of shock struck him. His eyes opened wide and his magic dispelled in an instant. Celestia tilted her head to the left. “Yes... the year is 1350. Nightmare Moon was imprisoned on the moon for a thousand years, or a millennium if you prefer those words. So I presume you did the same in your stasis... plus one day”.
The unicorn stallion slowly dropped his jaw. Denial washed over him, but the bitter truth made too much sense for such weak defenses to remain solid. The majestic mare thought it would be wise to continue crushing his self-esteem with some more facts.
“And don't you even think I've just been sitting on my behind during those years. You might have been a possible adversary in the past, but ten centuries of freedom gives you quite the opportunity to train and sharpen your abilities...” she said in a rather subtle way to prove how pointless a battle would be between them.
Midnight was no foal on that subject. If he really had been gone for so long and if Celestia really knew of Nightmare Moon's return, she must have prepared herself since the elements wouldn't be present for her disposal. A jolt of concede tilted the unicorn's mind. He was truly chanceless against this opponent. And if there was something his empress didn't need, it was weakness. One thought started to sweep through him, one and only.
What was the purpose of living if he couldn't serve his ruler. There was only one solution, a solution that would lead him to the ultimate sacrifice for the only reign he believed in. He didn't regret his choice while scraping a fore hoof on the ground.
“Very well. Then there is only one way left” he stated with a reluctant smile as his horn channeled up an overcharge of magic ready to fire any moment soon.
Celestia sighed in disappointment. “So it will end like this?” she asked, hoping there was still a possibility of a peaceful solution. Midnight destroyed that hope by nodding.
His entire body started to illuminate, turning his mane and tail into magical, blue fires raising up in the air. “I will fight you... as the last defender of Nightmare Moon's rule. And I will give my life without a shred of doubt!”.
The earth beneath his hooves split up in small cracks due to the awesome power he decided to use. Second by second he added more from his reserves to launch a full-scale attack, literally going all in with every last drip of power he could summon. Celestia saw the threat, thus did the same and channeled up her divine magic from the majestic headpiece. The guards turned their hooves and ran away when the lights from both magical ponies consumed the empty air around them. Soon the two opponents were left alone on the battlefield.
“For I will pledge my loyalty! I will do whatever I can to avenge my empress! If it so requires my life...” he stated as rocks and loose pieces of earth ripped up from the ground around him. An entire swarm of lifeless objects levitated by the sheer power he summoned from his magical cusp. His mane and tail burned more passionately than he could remember, his dedication was in its strongest form, the selflessness was pushed aside to levels that he simply didn't even know how to care for himself.
Celestia broke a sweat of fear. Even if this huge amount of volatile magic wouldn't pose any bigger threat to her, it most certainly would annihilate the ground they stood on and the castle behind her. No matter what the outcome of this showdown would be, it would be disastrous. And just as she thought that, Midnight's eyes had turned into voids of darkness together with his pitch-black body.
“If I can't win, I will at least bring as many as possible with me in death!!” he said with a deeper voice resembling a demon and prepared to lower his head.
Celestia gulped and prayed, begging to her mother and father that they would forgive her for this inevitable outcome. And as Midnight grinned like the maniac he currently had become, Celestia grit her teeth. The earth trembled, the air burned, the sky lightened, and the magic floating everywhere was so thick you could inhale it.
Destiny was about to play out, leaving the next chapter of Equestria's history ready to be written....
To be continued...
Author's Note:
This is a commission to Darksmirf, and I sure do hope you guys find my change of genre a little entertaining. There will be more explanations in the second part.
Buuuuuuut you know me! That mature tag isn't there just for the violence (hint hint, wink wink).
Anyhow, this is ALSO a one-shot, but it proved to be a little longer than expected. So just head on to the next chapter, fellas! That's the last and second one!
No brohoof yet...
Previously: the day after Nightmare Moon's return, everypony knew she had been defeated by the elements of harmony again. However, just a day after the victory, a powerful unicorn who once was Nightmare Moon's servant suddenly returns from an otherworldly stasis. His name is Midnight Watcher and has returned just a day too late for him to help the already defeated spirit. When he finds Celestia who he believes has captured Nightmare Moon, he finds out exactly how long he's been gone. In a desperate attempt to bring revenge over his fallen empress, Midnight decides to use all of his incredible magic power to lay waste to everything...
The nightmare's consort
Part 2
What turned out to be such a wonderful day in Equestria had instead turned out into something much more shocking. All of the ponies in Canterlot could not only feel the slight vibrations from the earth, they could even sense intense amounts of magic stir through the air. It was however a spectacle none of the inhabitants could see.
Up in the mountains, deep in the city of Canterlot all the way into the Canterlot castle, in the center of a battlefield, the ground cracked up more and more as the two remaining ponies who've decided to stay put charged their magical resources. Glimmering lights illuminated from one horn while dark gray ones altered from the other. Two different orbs of magic expanded, physically symbolizing the two wills dedicated to fight for their determinations, but only one of those would walk away victorious.
Two sets of eyes stared at each other from several meters of distance. The magenta ones belonging to princess Celestia, and the pitch-black ones to Midnight Watcher.
“You might survive, Celestia! But what about the castle and all of your loyal subjects?! You can't protect them! You can't protect anything but yourself! And you know why?!” Midnight roared with his deep, demonic voice, grinning sadistically over the answer he already had given himself. Celestia arched her eyebrows even more in frustration.
The unicorn's slit-like irises lit up for a brief moment in the darkness as his curved lips spoke. “Because you're weak...”.
The alicorn's concentration didn't buy the taunt, but her fear sure did. It was true, and now there was nothing else to do but experience her precious ponies and home getting annihilated for nothing. Midnight had finally charged up all magic in his horn, ready to let it all out in one single beam aimed at his opponent.
He lowered his head to execute the aim...
“ENOUGH!!!!”.
A fishtail wind stronger than anything the weather ponies of Cloudsdale ever could create exploded over the entire castle yard, blowing away all the loose rocks and pieces of earth in a giant shockwave. The extreme burst of wind was so powerful it actually pushed aside the unprepared ponies to the ground, sending them scraping a hoof's distance in the swirling dust. The concentrations of magic cut off, dispelling both orbs into harmless air. The powerful voice traveled far away over the castle yard walls, echoing past Canterlot and even reaching out to the borders of the mountainsides.
When the dust and echoes had passed away, Midnight and Celestia shook their heads after this extraordinarily unexpected assault of wind and vibration, their hostility to each other dropped as both got up on their legs again. However, the ear-cracking voice still ringed inside their heads, causing them to stand still and gather up thoughts in pain.
Celestia looked over her shoulder, stricken with an annoying headache. There she saw from the very gate she had walked through, the pony she accompanied before walking away to face her foe. It didn't take much of her intelligence to understand where that deafening shout came from now. Midnight tilted his head sideways to see who it was, something he didn't know how to react to.
His eyes widened as the beautiful ethereal mane waved in the air, the color he so much loved to see in the canopy with its glimmering stars. A dark sapphire blue coat dressed the bearer of this divine mane, exquisitely decorating it with yet another symbol of the night. A long horn only given to those born in the royal family, a set of feathered wings displaying even more beauty on the pony's sides. A chest collar with the same half moon as the one on the alicorn's flank, only to be topped of by four crystal shoes covering the hooves.
But what really caught the attention of everypony was without doubt the marvelous cyan eyes ever so beautifully displayed in the white of her eyes.
The princess of the night, Luna, had arrived to the scene.
While Midnight stood dumbfound before this incredible rejoice for the eye, Celestia grit her teeth in worry. “I told you to wait inside the working chamber!” she exclaimed and turned back to the male unicorn. She was still dedicated to finish this battle, especially now when she knew her enemy's intentions.
But Luna ignored her big sister's command, thus walked out in the warm rays of the sun to get closer. “Sister! I told you...” the white mare repeated in a moderate angry tone until she got cut off.
“Wait...” the dark blue princess said and walked past the addressed pony. She hadn't returned to her archaic speaking just yet, it would take more time for her to remember everything like it used to be, so she simply didn't know how to speak in the old ways just yet, or use the royal 'we'. However, her muscle memory still knew how to raise the voice beyond explosive levels. The royal Canterlot voice was something her cords never would forget.
Midnight understood first now that it was she who managed to unleash such a fearsome power by merely shouting. He didn't even want to know what more she had in store if things would get ugly.
Celestia felt fear as she saw her younger sister getting closer to the unicorn. She didn't really want it to proceed, but somehow a voice in her head said it was okay. But for the sake of safety, she prepared a lesser load of magic in her horn that would serve excellently as a stun-spell. Meanwhile, Luna now stood right in front of the male. Her gorgeous eyes scanned his body for a few seconds, moving down the dark gray hooves and up again to the dark blue mane and the knotted tail.
Midnight stood still without any idea to make a move. For some reason he found this alicorn's presence very disturbing, but at the same time.... highly calming. It wasn't just her absolute beauty, it was definitely something more, something about her aura, perhaps the eyes, or the fact that her cutie mark was very resembling to one he'd never forget. Their eyes suddenly connected, giving them both a chance to communicate without words. Sadly, the princess tilted her head to the left.
“Who are you?” she asked with a soft and tender voice. She even frowned like it was out of pity.
Midnight jerked his head back and cocked an eyebrow. “I could ask the same...” he said with his voice returned to normal as well as the rest of his body.
A few meters away from the ponies, Celestia heard everything they said to each other. She felt a sting of confusion hitting her mind when they both didn't seem to recognize each other even the slightest. Sure, Luna probably lost most of her memories after Nightmare Moon leaving her body, but didn't Midnight Watcher knew her before?
An idea took place in her head. Perhaps it was time to shed some light over this moment, clearing whatever seemed to block their abilities to understand. Thus, the majestic mare dispelled her magic and walked up to the confounded ponies. Midnight didn't drop the eye-contact, and he wasn't alone with it. He did his best to find out what was up with this mare attracting so much thoughts, something Luna actually shared the same idea with. Suddenly they both heard a voice coming closer to them.
“You don't know who this is, Midnight?” she asked, causing a spike of anger to raise inside the mentioned pony's mind.
“Don't you dare say my name with your defiled mouth!” he ripped off the contact and glared at Celestia. The other princess arched her eyebrows in to a cute pout, not approving what she just heard. But before she could act, a white body stood right next to her.
“So you wanted to know where Nightmare Moon is?” Celestia asked nonchalantly, narrowing her eyelids while looking down at the unicorn. Midnight could virtually already feel the nail in his heart turning when she said those words, just like Luna did. They both turned their heads to look directly at the bigger mare, and they both didn't know what to say when she raised a hoof and gently rested it on the dark blue pony's back.
“Here she is”.
Luna looked like she was about to succumb into tears. The last thing she wanted to hear again was somepony remembering who she once was, a personality she only wanted to forget and never be mentioned as again. For her, it was the absolutely meanest thing you could say, thus forcing out the saddest expression she could make.
But Midnight Watcher froze, his pose unchanged aside from the slowly dropping jaw. Like a torrent of ice cold water, a flow of memories returned from his subconsciousness...
Year 350
Somewhere in Equestria
A long field of grass and dirt as long as the eye could see aside from the distant town of Canterlot and the Cloudsdale settlement, this was the location the divine spirit Nightmare Moon had decided to take her rest away from all that was responsibility and annoying subjects. Her catlike irises glanced up in the sky as she laid down with her stomach on the grass. A sigh left her mouth, moving through the chilly night together with her ethereal mane and tail.
She was relieved to finally have a moment of peace after months of adjustments and appearances all over Equestria to prove her presence and power. Even if she found entertainment in it, there had to be some point when she could just lay down and be somepony else than the tyrant she had dedicated herself to. Being a divine mare didn't automatically mean she had a limitless amount of stamina, after all.
But for reasons she couldn't find, somepony just had to disturb her as she was about to lay her head in the comfortable grass.
“My empress?” a male voice asked from behind. Moon exhaled in annoyance and ignored looking over her shoulder, she already knew.
“Are you too blind to see that I'm trying to seek rest, peasant?” she said to her loyal servant.
Midnight was about to take another step towards her, but stopped in an instant when that rejecting tone came. “Oh... of course, my empress. I'll leave at onc-”.
But before he could finish that sentence, Moon had changed her mind and actually decided to glance over her shoulder anyway; she didn't want to be taken as somepony who couldn't make up her mind at the first try.
“So why don't you come here and share the moment with me...” she finished with a gentle smile.
The unicorn nearly gasped from the highly unexpected offer, but none the less felt greatly honored to receive it. Just a shred of doubt remained while he walked the short distance on the soft grass to his empress and laid down three hooves away from her. The pitch-black mare snickered when he tried to lay down.
“Now.... don't be so modest when your ruler wants you close to her...” she allured, using her self-confidence as only weapon. It was a clear bulls-eye at Midnight's heart, causing it to skip a beat. He gulped audibly and caught the hint, crept a little closer just to get hinted for an even nearer approach. Finally they laid side-to-side, almost touching each others flanks. Moon's aura floated through his coat with the cold air, stimulating him so much it actually became a challenge to not...
Midnight's slit-irises were left totally exposed as his eyelids opened wide. A touch so soft and pleasing that he almost burst in scarlet colors, yet so decided and powerful he almost died from arousal. Nightmare Moon's left wing was resting over his back, embracing him like a cold blanket. The owner of that wing smiled mischievously at her blushing stallion, knowing he was so excited that there was something hard pressed to the grass between his hindlegs. No words were spoken for a full minute, giving the evil alicorn a moment to recall things. When she spoke, the male instantly turned his eyes to her.
“There are many who are yet to enjoy my eternal night... and even more who still doubts my reign, dear Midnight Watcher. But when I see your loyal eyes born from the blood of ponies and dragons, I never forget where I still can find comfort...”.
The male felt a little more comfortable to speak when hearing that. In fact, he felt more eager than ever to show his gratitude. A relaxed smile curved his lips.
“My empress... serving you was the very purpose of my birth. If you didn't exist, I would have no reason to live” he said in a most humble way, something that didn't quite impress the pitch-black mare. However, it was just because she'd heard that so many times it started to sound like a broken record. And it was her pleasure to remind this simple stallion what he actually was, right after looking up at the beautiful night sky.
“Don't think so high of yourself. I still remember the day I found you as a foal, abandoned by your parents like a negligible item, hollers of sorrow and fear through the silent air when you couldn't find comfort. You were but a helpless whelp ready to succumb into my night's merciless grasp...”.
Midnight hung his head in shame, it was a part of his life he couldn't remember nor forget. Sadly, Moon found great entertainment in bringing her loyal servant down as far as she could.
“The only reason for why I decided to raise and train you was because of the great potential I saw in you, that little foal who kept his loyal eyes sealed to the darkened canopy, an offspring of the most taboo relation there could be...”.
Her ethereal mane floated down to the unicorn's muzzle and tilted it up so she could look into his slit-irises.
“... the breed of a dragon and a pony who's forever to be seen as an outcast, only I saw usefulness in your existence. So yes... you were meant to serve me ever since you emerged from your mother's womb, my little Midnight” she finished with her eyes still connected to the male equine.
Midnight didn't find any pleasure in hearing those words, it always ached in his mortal heart remembering the painful truth. A saddened expression he couldn't escape dressed his muzzle, even though he knew his empress didn't want weakness. The divine mare, however, had been pleased with the degrading recalls and finally disconnected the eye-contact so she could gaze upon the round orb in the sky. It glowed from its distance, providing weak natural light, a faint sign that the sun still lived. In fact, it could pretty much symbolize her own amount of faint generosity, and now was the time to share what she never had told anypony else.
“But don't fear, my subject. We were all created for a purpose, both great and small. My birth relied solely on the wrath from an alicorn who once ruled this night.... sadly with a weak hoof” she said which instantly caught Midnight's attention.
His self-pitying halted. “What? W-what are you saying, my empress?” he then asked.
“Twenty-five years ago, just a few weeks before I decided to raise you....” she began and told Midnight Watcher the tale of the two princesses of Equestria. A tale of how the younger one failed to find happiness over her subjects' ignorance to the night, and how they instead rejoiced in the elder sister's day. The younger sister's dedication and stubbornness became anger and ruthlessness, and one day it grew so strong that her emotions as a ruler took over completely, locking herself in her own ideal. Thus, she ultimately allowed the darkest side of herself take physical shape, usurping control of her body and mind.
Midnight was awe-struck to hear this story. Even if a dozen of question appeared in his head, he decided to ask the one which intrigued him the most. He glanced away for a second at the black wing resting over his back, catching his ruler's attention by simply doing that.
“Forgive me for asking, but... you said it was one of the princesses?”.
Nightmare Moon stared blankly at him, they both knew it was a correct statement.
“Then... what was the name of that princess?”.
A little chuckle escaped the mare's lips as she adjusted the unfolded wing over her servant.
“That's a name I'll never forget, she is after all my creator... my mother. Her colors reminding of the shiniest sapphire, an ocean of cyan in her eyes, and not to mentions her mane and tail worthy the canopy of night which I out of vanity kept for myself. A sweet little alicorn with beauty I admit as a worthy adversary. Her name was...”
“Luna...”.
Midnight's facial expression was still locked in shock when he uttered that name. The pony carrying it jerked her head back together with Celestia.
“So you DO know who she is after all?” the white mare asked with a slight confusion.
The unicorn spoke into the air without moving away his eyes away from the younger princess. Instead they scanned her as he stated everything he saw.
“Shiniest sapphire...” he said while looking all over her coat. “... ocean of cyan...” he confirmed when seeing the gorgeous eyes. “... like the canopy of night...” he finally added after beholding the smooth waves in her mane and tail. Luna didn't understand a thing, but followed his eyes anyways to see if it could explain his behavior and words. Celestia understood what Midnight spoke of, however. And she would in usual cases mutually agree about her beauty of a sister. But times were like they were, so the focus and attention still rested on her hostile visitor.
But Midnight didn't find any reason to be even the tiniest hostile. In truth, he was actually in the middle of an inner conflict. If this was the pony Nightmare Moon possessed, then why is she here? Had she been freed? If that was the case, then his empress had to be....
When the puzzle pieces fell together, frustration and fear broke out. His eyebrows arched in anger again as he went back to a defensive stance for reasons he didn't know of.
“What is this?! What have you done to Nightmare Moon?! EXPLAIN, CELESTIA!!!” he roared out of desperation at the elder princess. The very emotions haunting his mind reflected themselves in his slit-irises, a world of potential traumas and nightmares started to take root in his brain. If this went on for much longer, he would most possibly go insane and try to attack again.
Luna still didn't say anything, especially not when her sister took a step forward. The magenta eyes radiated a serious variety of seriousness and.... respect? Whatever it was, she stared down at the soon-to-be crazed unicorn who returned the look.
“It is true what you say that I didn't control the elements of harmony when Nigh... your empress returned. However, I knew she would return after a thousand years on the moon, and thus... decided to find heirs to the elements”.
Midnight's ears flapped up as his left eyebrow raised. “Heirs? You... you mean... s-somepony else to... control them? You mean... that it wasn't you who...” he almost finished his quickly put together idea.
Celestia nodded. “I decided to let six of my subjects find and use them against your empress. Combined by the gifted unicorn Twilight Sparkle and her friends, they gathered their energy from the ponies who represented each element the best. I didn't doubt them even the slightest, all it needed was a … spark”.
“A... spark?”.
“Yes... and since I'm aware of your loyalty and pride to Nightmare Moon... I'm afraid to say that this time she wasn't imprisoned on the moon. The elements of harmony actually.... destroyed her, releasing the being she had possessed which was my beloved sister Luna. Now she is gone, forever”.
Midnight's body calmed down. All sense of madness disappeared after Celestia's explanation, giving him the opportunity to process logic. It was true, the prophecy only said that Celestia herself wouldn't control the elements, it said nothing about other ponies lacking that ability too. And he knew what they represented, so splitting the powers into each one was actually a rather clever, if yet risky, idea.
“But... but if she's destroyed, then why am I still alive? The spell was supposed to bring me to my empress' fate!” he asked and stated, unable to understand that part of the magic's logic.
“Well, since you were trapped in a stasis I suppose no magic could effect you. And once Nightmare Moon fell, all magic that was her must have dispelled, meaning you're probably freed from that enchantment” she explained very pedagogically. Celestia had already thought about that since she heard about the spell, and it wasn't really that hard understanding the facts.
It made too much sense to deny for Midnight even if he felt like breaking all anger out at once for mentioning that cursed fact. But there was no need to get all worked up, Luna stood here as a living evidence for Nightmare Moon's defeat, bringing a very sad realization to him.
“But... but... if she's gone. If... she's gone....” the unicorn repeated while looking down at the grass beneath him. The thoughts gathered in a messy pile, giving him no comfort with a good idea nor bad one. It was just a painful world of torment he didn't want to know of. It was that feeling he couldn't remember, that feeling when he was just an infant, screaming out his fear of being alone and abandoned. The voice screeched, ached and burned. This reality was no fun anymore. What purpose did his existence serve? There was nothing to it, everything had changed into a world were he was forgotten and buried in a memory that didn't exist anymore.
He shook his head and backed a few steps, denying the truth. Who was he supposed to serve now? Who would bring the eternal night he wanted? Who would save those poor inhabitants from the worthless Celestia's grasp?
Both of the princesses saw the demise Midnight went through, his body trembled enough for them to understand there was no happy place in his head anymore. It was like a fresh start without anything to begin from, a merciless cruelty able to kill. Celestia feared he would try to destroy everything again, but she had no idea what this unicorn walked through right now. All will to crave vengeance and destroy... had simply vaporized into nothing.
He had no dreams anymore, there was no reason for it. All hope was gone, leaving him alone in the dust of crushed dreams and ideals. He finally sat down and covered his face with his fore hooves, blocking the horrible reality before him. A short-circuit occurred, bringing down the lights to all thoughts. A single tear broke from the dodge blue eye as he revealed his tensed face.
“I don't know what to do. She's gone... I'm all alone again. What have I done to deserve this curse? Am I supposed to live the rest of my life like this?” he asked out in the air, ignoring if anypony actually heard him.
Celestia shook her head in a disappointed manner, unable to understand how this pony reasoned. He had killed hundreds of other ponies and lived his entire life under the rule of an evil spirit who planned to never let the sun raise again. Thus her reasons to speak up again were clear.
“Nightmare Moon was a harbinger of death and annihilation to all of Equestria. Her defeat is nothing but a celebration, something ponies have rejoiced in since yesterday. Allow me to say this in a less respectful way: she had what was coming for her...”.
The white muzzle was high up in the air, symbolizing exactly how much of a right she had to say it like that. However, Midnight couldn't help but arch his saddened eyebrows, a dedication he couldn't let go of just yet.
“Don't you talk like that about her!” he exclaimed and stood up again.
But just as he was about to channel magic, mental pain blocked his focus. A painful grunt, and he was back down on his dark gray behind again. Celestia kept her cold eyes on him, fully aware he was just an empty shell right now. She walked to the downed male, beholding just how much of himself he had lost. He was without belief, unable to follow his old ways, and so mortified that his stubborn loyalty was flawed. Midnight looked up at the princess, his frowning eyes and single tear moving down the cheek was something she hoped from the beginning to see.
At that moment, Celestia beamed a friendly smile at the unicorn. “I believe you're ready to listen and reason, my beloved subject”.
Midnight couldn't get angry, he was so confused and distorted that the words didn't trigger any emotions... except a faint light of comfort. The glad curve on the white lips promised security and reassurance in a warm and soothing way. He couldn't interpret this sudden change of behavior, it was so odd he couldn't put his hoof on it.
Celestia looked over her shoulder. “Come here, Luna. There's something I want to show you both”.
None of the ponies understood her intentions, but since the first one trusted her and the other one didn't really care anymore, they all three now stood together in a small group. Celestia's long horn glimmered, charging up enough magic for three ponies to teleport into a desired location. After the illuminating flash in the castle yard, another one occurred exactly at the same time on another location in Equestria. Midnight opened his eyes and looked around together with Luna. Sadly, he was the only one who reacted to this specific place.
It was the cliff he once had a conversation with Nightmare Moon on. A quick glance over the edge behind him confirmed it, Canterlot was several hundreds of meters beneath him now.
Celestia walked to the edge, standing right next to the mortal unicorn as she looked down at the refined and royal city. She hoped this wouldn't all be in vain, especially not now when she had brought Luna with her too. Thus, she used her pedagogical tone again.
“Midnight Watcher.... forgive me for using your name, but there are some things I would like to tell you. And what I'm going to say is solely built on my own view of perspective, if it's true or not is for you to decide...”.
She turned her magenta eyes to the mentioned unicorn who stared back. “I'm begging for you to at least listen...”.
Midnight didn't say anything, and instead kept staring at the divine mare. There were things he could say now, things he actually would like to share. But a life without any allies or companions besides the one who now was gone had forbidden him to talk about all those things. Since he actually didn't say no, Celestia took that as a 'yes' while Luna flanked her sister.
“What is it you wanted us to see, big sister?” she asked innocently with curiosity as her main source of fuel. The bigger alicorn smiled yet again.
“Behold this city, you two. If you narrow your eyes, you can see everypony who lives in it. Can you do that?” she asked and looked at the other ponies besides her. Luna caught the hint and leaned out to look with narrowed eyes. After a short silence, she gasped.
“Why, I can see everypony. And look how many they are!” she simply stated with a glad and surprised tone. All these years of solitude had prevented her to experience exactly how many more subjects she now ruled over together with Celestia.
Midnight furrowed his eyebrows, the curiosity Luna carried had a contaminating effect on him, something he didn't really want to approve. But in his current state, anything else but the thoughts in his head was better. And before anypony knew it, the slit-irises looked down on the city too. After that, he raised an eyebrow.
“One thousand years is a very, very long time for ponies. They have prospered and multiplied during all this time under peace and comfort from my watchful eyes” Celestia stated in a little pretentious way, something Midnight noticed at once. He glared at her, almost gaining the ability to hate again when those words were spoken. But the second before he could say anything, the majestic mare channeled magic again. “And now to the next location”.
In yet another flash, they all disappeared and reappeared somewhere else.
Midnight was shocked yet again when the sudden lack of underlay became reality. Beneath him was a single cloud high up in the air, leaving him hanging in thin air. His reaction wasn't fast enough, forcing him to struggle relentlessly in the air the instant moment he began to fall.
But just as gravity was about to do its work, Midnight stopped moving at all. A thin coat of magic surrounded him while a smaller cloud moved beneath his hooves. A shining beam of magic shot at his hooves right when the magic coat vanished. He landed softly on the fluffy cloud right next to the pony who helped without him asking for it. The two princesses smiled at him from their own clouds, making it slightly uncomfortable for the male. “Here we are...” Celestia spoke and looked past Midnight. Her interest rested on the city behind him, which he soon turned around to see too.
“Behold.... Cloudsdale!”.
The gigantic mass of clouds filled with different structures serving as both homes and facilities for everypony, the most ideal place for a pegasus to be in. It was a city full of possibilities and even might, carrying a huge responsibility to make sure the weather worked as it should over at the very same factory everypony knew of. Midnight didn't understand when he saw the ponies flying around the stormy parts of this giant city. In fact, he was outraged when he added two and two.
“What?! Mortal ponies.... taking care of the weather?! This... this is...” he paused and looked angrily at Celestia. “This is one of the very reasons why you shouldn't be on the throne! Such careless and irresponsible ideas such as letting regular ponies handle the weather of this land are simply unacceptable!!” he stated with rage, lacking any doubt of his reasoning.
The divine alicorn just smiled back at the frustrated male. She understood his reasoning, but also knew hers was even better.
“Careless?” she said and then giggled. “Let's see if that's true...”.
Within the blink of an eye, her horn glimmered again, sending them off again. Once the flash ended, the unicorn felt the hard ground meeting his hooves again. Without his knowing, it was very fertile grounds he stood on, only the sight of a horizon filled with apple trees could give him a hint. Luna looked around, confused over never seeing this many trees with fruits before. Celestia grinned in satisfaction and grasped an apple from one of the crowns with her magic. The red apple snapped from its branch and levitated to the dumbfound unicorn.
“Growing fruits this fine requires a good and fair weather condition, combined with sun and rain. Why don't you test the result?” she asked invitingly to Midnight.
The stallion jerked his head back at first, but soon felt rather intrigued to actually see if she was right. His own magic took over the apple and brought it to his mouth. Luna decided to do the same and picked a sample too. As the two chewed their first bite, they both reacted to the sweet and nutritious taste. Luna was very pleased, but Midnight felt only disappointed. He knew how to identify the taste of a magic object, and this did most certainly NOT taste like that at all. This was a genuinely grown and nurtured apple from an equally genuine tree.
“By giving my subjects the duty of weather control instead of doing it myself, I'm showing that I put my trust into their devotion and ambitions. They are in charge of this land's very survival, and so far... there hasn't been a single mistake in the scheme I personally provide them with” Celestia explained with a proud voice, showing clearly that she still had a hoof in what weather was to come.
Midnight sighed in defeat as another charge of magic teleported him and the two others to a new place.
He looked up, completely clueless yet again over where they were again. However, as the sight of a small village appeared in front of them from the hill they stood on, she smiled.
“Isn't that the town where everypony greeted my upon my return?” she asked Celestia.
She nodded, but Midnight shook his head. He recognized this place that once was a long field of grass. The very field of rest he once shared with Nightmare Moon. But what was this town doing here?
“Ponyville... the very evidence of how fast my subjects can build something if the weather and circumstances are right. One single family was allowed to build a camp here, and just a few decades later... we have a shining new village for many more ponies to live in, opening markets and trading wares with other cities thanks to the fertile grounds of Sweet Apple Acres and the intelligent investments from other residing ponies...”.
The elder princess looked down at Midnight before the finisher. “I'd dare to say that Ponyville is one of my subjects' biggest achievements”.
The unicorn wasn't impressed. He didn't even understand what the point with all of this was until the princess opened her mouth again.
“In fact... most of the bearers of the elements of harmony lives in this town” she added, aware of what that revelation could lead to. But Midnight simply widened his eyes, surprised when he understood this was just a simple village without any greater position aside from its history. He finally looked back at the princess, wondering and willing to know.
“But this is just a regular village for peasants. Shouldn't the bearers live somewhere more grander? Like in Canterlot?”.
“My subjects find this town very pleasing. They didn't demand any improvements in their lives after their destinies played out. And that is also why they are the bearers.... do you understand?”.
Midnight thought, and yes... yes he did.
“You are a most intelligent pony, Midnight Watcher. I'm not surprised Nightmare Moon decided to raise you as her pupil” she said, hoping he would note the little respect she actually had for her old enemy. Even that was something he understood, but smiling out of self-esteem wasn't part of the plan. As soon as he caught himself doing it, the elder mare widened her own smile.
“Not everyday you received such compliments from your empress?”.
The unicorn didn't answer orally, but the shake with his head was visible. The only times he could remember hearing anything good about him, were only moments when his spirit and courage was brought to the lowest level. To actually hear kind words without that was surprisingly stimulating in a good way.
The two sisters looked at each other, soon ending up with the white one turning away again. “I believe we have one last thing to talk about” she said and prepared to use her spell again for the last time...
Just a flash and a second later, Celestia, Luna and Midnight walked along the massacred road up to the castle door again. They remained silent until their hooves couldn't go any further, the door into the castle had to be opened for them to proceed. But Celestia didn't intend on opening it just yet. She was out of her mind curious to know what the unicorn had to say now after seeing what all the wonders of life had brought to this land. She stopped and looked at the dark gray equine, asking with her eyes what was on his mind.
The stallion caught the hint from their recently neutral bond, and he sure had an opinion about all of this. His last move before speaking was to glance over his shoulder to see the dark blue princess coming up behind him.
“I believe... Equestria wasn't in such.... bad hooves as I thought after all...” he began which brought a smile on Celestia's lips, a smile he wanted to erase as soon as possible. “... but what are you doing trying to show me all of this? What are your intentions, Celestia?”.
The princess took on a little more serious expression on her muzzle, but the smile was only reduced into a smirk when her true plan was revealed. “To make you realize what was wrong with Nightmare Moon's ideal”.
“You can't convince me on that part” he said with an equally serious look back at the mare. “I lived for Nightmare Moon, and I knew that whatever decision she made, was for the benefits of Equestria!”. Midnight still hadn't let go of that part of his loyalty. He still believed in the divine spirit's good will and rewarding generosity. It was an ideal he never planned on dropping, not even after everything he had seen here and now.
Those words weren't arguments for Celestia. In fact, they were so weak that she only needed one word to shake the pillars of that statement. She had already learned how this unicorn worked, and if his way of processing thoughts was correct... that single line would do well enough.
She stopped smiling, using her most dead serious expression.
“Really...?”.
Midnight was ready to counter as he stomped a fore hoof to the hard ground. “Yes! Nightmare Moon had a vision! A vision that told of eternal night for her subjects! The night would bring its rewards in time to all ponies, and they would soon er later understand that everything she did was to....”.
Before he could finish that sentence, a flood of memories halted him for several seconds...
Year 350
Canterlot Castle, the observation tower
A cat-like eye looked through the magnifying glass of the telescope, what reflected on the other side of the lens was just another distant town of Equestria which she could see with her unique eyes enhanced with this tool. The beholder, Nightmare Moon, backed away from the tube on the tripod, looking down at the castle yard instead. It was empty, all of the guards were either resting in the infirmary after battling her or simply sleeping in their barracks.
She was tense today, something was building up really quickly now in the air. Today was going to be a very eventful day, a day she never would forget, and it was to her pleasing knowing it was just for her and nopony else to experience. But she couldn't be sure, it was a very heavy aura hanging over entire Equestria, so she had to be sure about it. And right when she thought of a special unicorn male, a flash appeared right next to her.
Already kneeling with a very promising expression on his lips, Midnight had returned with the news she wanted to hear. He spoke with the same pose, too much in a hurry for himself to change it.
“My empress, I have found Celestia! She is holding up in the northern mountains!”
The evil mare snickered, pleased to hear this.... but at the same time worried.
“Do you feel that presence, my subject?” she asked with her eyes still beholding the dark horizon.
“Yes, I was about to tell you! Celestia has brought with her a weapon, something with incredible magic in it and...” he was about to continue until the pitch-black alicorn cut him off ignorantly.
“She can bring whatever she want... I will defeat her anyway. Even if it's a weapon she's been working on for the past twenty-five years” she stated, full of her own self-confidence.
Midnight found no reason to not trust her, he smiled and rose up from his submissive stance to look at the taller pony. “Of course, my empress... you are the one and only to rule this land”.
That line was the prelude to something he didn't expect to hear in response from the proud mare as she unfolded her wings to take off.
“As long as the night remains, I'm satisfied. The future descendants will grow up as foals of the night and worship me for who I rightfully am. They will eat from my hoof and obey my slightest command, NO MATTER WHAT THE COST!!!” she roared and scraped a hoof on the stone underlay of the observation tower.
The unicorn nodded, proud and grateful over his position in this gambit of the divines. “May victory smile at you, my empress” he wished the mare before her departure. However, those words actually caught Moon's attention for another brief moment. She turned around and looked at her servant, seeming very pleased in a way he didn't always saw.
“You have been a worthy servant, Midnight Watcher. Much of what I have accomplished till this day is partially thanks to your loyalty. Believe me when I say this.... that when my victory finally is a fact.... so will you and I be too” her innermost lustful voice spoke just before she decided it'd be time to leave. Behind her she left an almost too excited stallion trying to hide his blush even though loneliness was his only companion right now.
As the blush finally disappeared, the dark gray stallion could finally calm down so he wouldn't exaggerate this whole event. Sure, Nightmare Moon had been searching for Celestia for a long time, so a piece of nostalgia would perhaps be in place.
But Midnight's thoughts wandered back to the sweet imagination of what would happen after the victory. She spoke so beautifully about 'foals of the night', something perhaps they would have if he would be found worthy of it.
Foals of the night.
Foals.... night
Midnight furrowed his eyebrows as a new thought came up in his head. It was not a too complicated way of getting to the point, but once it became clear, he stopped.
Eat from my hoof
Eat...
And like that, a second thought came up from nowhere. He had never even been close thinking in ways like these, they were just plain stupid! Just like his empress had told him. There's nothing wrong with how Nightmare Moon is leading her subjects, right? It's not like if she let the night stay up, it would lead to Equestria's...
Midnight froze in place. That theory he came up with short before Moon's defeat. That blasted thought that actually served as proof of how wrong her idea was. Celestia tilted her head sideways, knowing he had to see it now.
The dark gray lips shivered in fear when they opened again, and this time they spoke what the majestic mare wanted to hear.
“The... if the night continued forever... there would be no sunlight at all. So the mares would never enter their estrous cycles due to the lack of it. The population was... already dying when she went to battle you...” he said reluctantly. The facts hurt so much in the deepest parts of his core, where everything he had learned was stuck.
Celestia didn't move, she had a feeling there was at least one more thing he should realize, which he had.
“And... if the grass didn't get any sun... it'd die... leaving the subjects starving!
“Let's not forget that the ocean tide wouldn't work either, since the moon would be up all the time...” Celestia added and looked away.
A complete breakdown entered Midnight's head. Not only because such obvious facts had been concealed into believable lies for all these years... but to know that the one and only he always had worshiped and trusted as the true speaker of truth and justice was actually just a....
“Harbinger of death and destruction.... she would have annihilated the equine race” he said to himself as his muscles gave after. All four of his legs slowly dropped to the ground, shivering as they fell together. In the next moment, he was laying down on his stomach, facing the ground with a frown so hard it almost hurt his face muscles. Luna and Celestia sighed in unison, they both understood from the beginning how wrong she was, but for somepony loyal as Midnight, the reality must have been so harsh he decided to deny it and interpret it in a way that 'made sense' according to his empress' opinion.
It was at that moment he understood it was all a lie. Nightmare Moon simply wanted the night to last forever, she didn't care if ponies died in mass numbers, just as long as the night was there.
A whole world of lies exploded, leaving a trail of smoke and dust flying in each direction. Midnight's faith in his empress died out piece by piece, she had been using him just for this simple-minded goal that not even a pony of lower intelligence would come up with. She was but a spirit, an immaterial being inside another body listening to the stubborn wills of a confused mind. He had been so blinded by his own ideal, so tricked and fooled by himself. Obeying Nightmare Moon's commands so he could get the beautiful night for the price of how many lives? They must have been close to extinction if she really... over twenty years.
Another tear broke, soaking his cheek with a trail behind it. A knife of shame cut through his self-esteem, creating a scar so deep it almost hurt for real. This pain inside the crushed male could be felt from a distance, something Celestia understood. She didn't even want to know how it felt realizing that something you've believed and lived for your entire life was actually a lie. The humiliation and degradation he had suffered just for his goal, to find a purpose in life and be proud of it. All of that was gone now, proven in all ways possible how much wrong he had caused.
The kindhearted princess frowned, understanding no rest and comfort could reach his heart. It was her plan to show him the true path, perhaps even converting him from his old ways so he also could live with a smile in the rays of the sun. She didn't know if any more moral and pedagogy could help him. Instead she could only watch the strong unicorn breaking apart on the spot he rested on.
“Sister?” Luna spoke from nowhere with pleading eyes at the mentioned alicorn.
Celestia glanced back. “Yes?”.
“Let me take care of him for a while...” she asked for, using a reassuring tone.
The bigger mare saw the dedication in her sister's cyan eyes, she knew what to do right now.
“Very well...” the white princess said and opened the castle door with her magic. One last look at the poor unicorn, beholding his broken spirit and lost confidence, then she walk away. As soon as she had left the scene, Luna focused all her attention on the crying stallion in front of her hooves. She leaned down to reach his ear sticking out from the dark blue mane.
“Come with me, Midnight Watcher...” her warm breath tickled the sensitive ear. And it actually helped relieving its owner. The male dried his tears and looked up at the divine beauty, noticing at once how resembling she still was to his old empress. But he didn't want to see her as such anymore, she was a lie, a living deceiver who only raised him to be blind. What could this mare she actually possessed offer that would ease his pain?
But as the fine princess smiled innocently, another pulse of relief waved through his senses. He didn't dare trust her yet, but giving her a chance wasn't impossible. Without the use of words, Midnight nodded and got up on his hooves, taking his time doing so. And once he was up, Luna glanced up at one of the higher towers of the huge castle. A spark ignited in her horn, expanding into a glimmer just the moment before she imitated her sister's teleportation spell. But instead of a shining white flash, the magic flowed out with a beautiful dark blue aura as it consumed both him and the caster.
In the next flash, Midnight looked around in the small room shaped like a cylinder. He understood after noticing the stained-glass art over the window that he had been brought to one of the towers you could see even from a distance. And judging by the cone-shaped ceiling, they were on the top level. However, he also saw the old-fashioned furniture consisting of a large mat with a fancy brand of the sun and moon drawn in an ancient way, the old four poster bed with a thin curtain hanging from the tall posters, the big full-body mirror on the stony wall and not to mention the very art decorating the glass on the windows. A field of ponies sleeping restfully under the beautiful night sky.
Midnight turned his head to see the dark blue princess making her way to that window, beholding it from a few meters distance in the small but cozy room. “Why have you brought me here...?” he asked, still a bit shaken and impatient.
Luna glanced over her shoulder, then tilted her head to signal he should come closer. The stallion found no reason why, so he placed himself right next to the slightly larger mare. It was indeed a beautiful piece of art, professionally painted several hundreds years ago, when this kind of art became popular. A total of eleven ponies sleeping on the yellowish green grass, above them was the darkened canopy colored as dark blue with a shade of cobalt around the glimmering spots of stars. A sense of relaxation and peace radiated from the painting.
“A thousand years ago, when I still ruled together with my sister... I sensed injustice when all the ponies played and laughed during my sister's day, and just slept during my night. I was not mature enough to understand how important and crucial that sleep my night gave was to the ponies of Equestria, nor could I see what would happen if it disappeared or remained eternal...” Luna began speaking with her eyes still locked to the painting.
Midnight turned to her, listening to the reasoning even though he didn't feel like it.
“Even though Celestia tried to convince me how wrong my behavior was, I refused to listen. It was the biggest regret of my long life, something that cost my subjects endless torture and suffering. But... I was so angry at that moment, so furious over the injustice that I didn't care. My will broke out, melding with my stubbornness into the very being that brought the ideas to my head. They were lies, but very convincing lies. Her extreme potential easily defeated me, taking over my body like nothing when its peak had been reached....”.
She paused and looked at Midnight, getting trapped right into his slit-irises.
“If me and my sister's roles were reversed, she would also have fallen to Nightmare Moon's will...”.
Midnight glanced at the painting and quickly turned back to the princess again. “I've already understood that my emp... Nightmare Moon was evil and strong, but what is your point with this?” he asked with a slight annoyance hanging over his tone.
“That you shouldn't be ashamed over your past, Midnight. Nightmare Moon had an unique influence on ponies, she knew how to manipulate even divine beings... so a mortal unicorn couldn't have been much harder” she explained and suddenly turned away from the window. She walked to the center of the cylinder room, right on the middle of the large mat, between the sun and the moon. The dark gray male turned around but remained where he stood.
“And now, when the dreaded spirit is gone once and for all... I'm back as co-ruler of this land, and I couldn't be happier to be with my sister again and watch my loyal subjects rest during the night. I even take on opportunities to travel, seeing if there's anything more I can do to help the innocent ponies... and it's my greatest pleasure to do so. They might not be aware of my deeds... but knowing they are rested and safe thanks to me is enough to make me smile”.
She turned to Midnight again, smiling just like she just claimed to do. “And when I see you, Midnight Watcher, I can't help but feeling responsible for what you've lived with... and... well, one other thing too...” she said rather cryptically.
The unicorn cocked an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
Luna bit her lower lip and stepped closer to her company. A sudden presence of another ambiance invaded the room. In the next moment, she spoke again.
“I can't remember much during my time as my alter ego, but there are faint holes wherever I look. Some ponies are visible in my memories, some are not...” she had almost reached the male when a scarlet blush filled her dark blue cheeks. “But you, my little pony... are everywhere. When I look back, there is always a dark gray unicorn with the exact same eyes like yours, kneeling and smiling at me....”.
Midnight widened his eyes as Luna stood right in front of him and took off her right fore hoof's shoe. Suddenly her naked hoof touched his mane, carefully stroking it down to his neck.
“Emotions and thoughts that are usually forbidden for a royal pony like me wakes up, ideas I'm not supposed to think of. They are there all the time, controlling my needs and will. I don't know why, but... they are strong when I look at you....”.
Her eyes changed to a set more fitting in a bedroom, which she currently was in, and her voice got smoother with a sexy tone. It was not until then Midnight understood what was going on. That warm look of lusts he had seen before, the very same one the evil spirit had given him before. Was this a feeling she had left behind in her host? Was it actually a promise she intended on keeping ever since...
In the midst of his thoughts, the royal alicorn before him stepped out of her other crystal shoes, letting her hooves touch the floor like Midnight did. When she had reached the end of the blue mane, she moved the caressing hoof down to the dark gray chin and tilted it up to her level.
“One thousand years is a long time, don't you agree.... my... servant?” she said with a warm grin, closing in on the unicorn's muzzle. Midnight couldn't move, his heart raced as his breathing accelerated. And before he knew it, the dark blue lips leaned up to his own, connecting ever so elegantly before developing into passion.
Midnight gasped inside Luna's mouth, she didn't waste any time with light smooches when her fire of desire engulfed from the little spark it received. With her open lips pressed to the male's, she let her tongue seek its partner in this moment, and find it she did. However, Midnight was still in shock from all of these sudden words and confessions, a thick layer of confusion covered his mind when the dark blue forelegs embraced his head and pressed him harder to the eager princess.
When Luna understood he wasn't going to cooperate, she disconnected with half-closed eyes at the dumbfound stallion.
“I don't know why, but... this is going to happen, no matter what” she stated seriously and focused magic from her horn. A shroud surrounded the unicorn and levitated him off the ground. Before he even could speak out of his mind, he flew with haste into the thin curtains around the four poster bed, landing less gently in the comfortable and well-made bed. And as soon as he sat up, the curtains were pushed aside again to let inside the princess too. She jumped up in the bed and pulled the curtains back after her.
A superior look from her cyan eyes. “Peasant... are you saying you don't... want me?” she then asked while taking of her little black crown hiding in the ethereal mane and unlatching the decorated chest piece from her neck. As the jewelry fell down to the bed, the dignified princess had nothing but the beautiful sapphire coat on her royal flesh.
Midnight gulped when he saw the stunning mare in all her grace. She was definitely more well-shaped than her already gorgeous sister, and when he thought about it, even sexier than Nightmare Moon. Thoughts such as how right and wrong this was flooded in his mind, fighting a war against each other until only one remained as the winner: right.
“No... I... I want... you...” he said reluctantly, unsure how to proceed in an act like this when he never before had felt the warmth of a mare or even been close to it either. After all, his thoughts had only surrounded the cruel mare who once ruled him. But as he spoke those words, Luna frowned in sadness as she got down on her stomach between the unicorn's thighs.
“Really?” she asked and glanced down between his spread hindlegs with a suddenly pleased smile. “I can see that now”.
She lowered her lips to the growing erection and lapped gently over the tip, sending a strong signal of excitement as fuel to the male's perversion. To her great satisfaction, she saw the stallionhood getting harder, stiff enough for her to take it where she actually wanted it right now. The stallion yelped in a smooth moan when he felt the warm lips around his hardening pride. With a quick glance down his body, he confirmed that the princess had him in her mouth, sucking gently on the tip as she dragged her fore hooves over the tall shaft. The immense shot of ecstasy by that single grip was all needed to bring the male into full length, something the princess noticed when she was forced to open her mouth some more. In the end, she finally had the fully erect rod she sought for, covered in saliva.
Midnight tossed his head back on the soft pillow as the full grasp around his stallionhood became reality, a thrill electrifying him from the marrow of his bone to the coat on his skin. Luna, behaving like a starved beast, swallowed more of her partner's stiffness, wrapping her tongue all over it to extract the full taste. She bobbed her head up and down, filling her mouth to the brim before emptying it for a brief moment. Her own arousal came mercilessly like a flood of dirty thoughts through a broken dam of moral and dignity, she didn't want anything but to suck this piece of meat until she couldn't breathe anymore.
“P-princess! It... I don't... ahhh.... just...” Midnight tried to say anything at all, but it just ended up as incoherent words leading nowhere. The intense work sucked out all ability to think and process, leaving him in the same position as the hungry mare enjoying her sexual supper.
The dark blue alicorn glanced up with the rod still stuffing her mouth, she smiled and paused by letting her genuine toy out. “Am I... really that good? My goodness, this is my first time...” she said with a hint of embarrassment. The male looked down at her, panting after the unexpected bliss bucking his head. He saw Luna as she continued stroking the throbbing erection with her right fore hoof, connecting their eyes in the meantime.
“Tell me, Midnight. Was I a... well... a bad princess? Were there things your empress did that made you...” Luna gulped in excitement. “... want to... punish her? Just make her regret what she did?”.
Midnight didn't quite understand what she implied. “I... I don't know... what you're... talking about” he responded between the heavy breathings.
“Well, since Nightmare Moon actually was me.... I thought... that I perhaps could bring some justice to her unfair ruling?” she suggested innocently as always.
The male narrowed his eyes at the jerking female, understanding where her logic rested, making it interpretable. And when he thought about it, there was a 'yes'. There were so many things he wanted to say to her. So many wishes and even more desire for revenge than he ever dared imagine. He had served that mare for so long only to finally realize she was nothing but a huge mistake.
A small kick went inside his mind, traveling down to all muscles as the wonderful fact exposed itself to him. His eye twitched, warning Luna what was about to happen now. In a strong jerk with his entire body, Midnight pushed aside the royal mare and got up on his hooves. His slit-irises narrowed, shrinking into hardly any visibility as the beast in his blood woke up.
“Yes, mistress....” he hissed with a grin and channeled up some basic magic from his horn. A long snare of magical substance shot at Luna, transforming into a sturdy rope which aimed for her forelegs. In a snap, they were both tied together behind her back, leaving her chest and stomach wildly bare.
She gasped in surprise, especially when the suddenly aggressive unicorn grabbed her body and turned her around, summoned another set of ropes and tied each end to her hindlegs and the four bed posters.
When Midnight finally was done, he beheld his fantasy finally being displayed in reality. The naked alicorn was laying with her head and upper body pressed to the bed while her hindlegs still stood up, leaving her voluptuous flank utterly exposed and defenseless in the air. She couldn't move her hindlegs since the ropes tied around her fetlocks prevented any movement. If she moved one way, the ropes would strain from the other direction, and since her forelegs were also suspended behind her back, she was completely downed and unable to change her position.
“Yes... there are a few things I'd like to do to you...” midnight finished and stared at the fine, pitch-black halves of the dark blue princess. Luna herself was really caught by surprise with this eagerness outmatching her own, but none the less fully aware how alluring all this quickly became. She felt so weak, but still comfortable. So helpless and still secure. She was most certainly pleased with this humiliating degradation and stance, enticing her to keep playing with a smirk.
“No, Midnight... n-not like this! I'm so sorry for everything, please just don't punish me!” she exclaimed with a use of desperation in her voice. This just turned on the heat in Midnight's body even more.
“Oh no, my 'empress'. You will know how it feels being the pony who has to look up for once!” he countered and unleashed a sadistic grin on his dark gray lips. At the very same moment, several ethereal lashes took physical shape around the unicorn, floating slowly to surround the princess' behind. He counted up to four of them, all meant to serve his payback while he enjoyed this lustful body. He mounted her, clenching his forelegs to her sides while leaning down to whisper in her ear sticking out from the floating mane.
“I will demand satisfaction for... every... single... day I had to serve under your command...”.
Luna kept looking over her shoulder with a smile, but when she realized, aside from the millennium of stasis, that he had served ever since he was a foal, her glad expression changed into a disturbed shock.
“Oh...” she uttered in regret.
“Yes...” the other pony confirmed and summoned a gag from nowhere and quickly wrapped it over her mouth, sealing all ability to scream out loudly. Luna flinched, suddenly getting a little scared for real when her voice couldn't be head so well anymore. Sadly, it got even worse when a thick rag covered her eyes, blinding her with complete darkness. And at that moment, a rocket of fear and excitement burst from her primal instinct, causing a violent soak between her hindlegs.
Midnight controlled the magical lashes to swing them back, charging up with velocity as they all fell over the innocent body. A scared yelp escaped Luna's mouth when all four hit her at once, leaving bruises on her perfectly shaped flank. None of them hit Midnight since he knew exactly where to aim without missing.
A violent salvo of smacking noises filled the room's empty air, accompanied by the muffled hollers from the tortured mare. Midnight felt a pure load of ecstasy when he saw the beautiful scene, the alicorn he had been forced to serve for so long finally pushed down to her rightful place and punished for exactly each day she had brought submission to her servant's behavior.
This was a combined sensation for Luna, living through pain she couldn't predict on her aching flanks. They could suddenly hit here somewhere else, wound other parts of her body, perhaps even go for her most sensitive spot if she was unlucky enough. Her blush between the gag and blindfold was already clearly visible and her groaning was just a short distance away.
The sight was so arousing for Midnight that he couldn't resist, forcing his body to act after instinct and lean back a little. His still hard stallionhood squeezed out from between his thigh and her flank, pointing straight at the untouched flower covered by the magical tail. He pushed it aside in the background of the mean spankings and gently pressed his throbbing tip to the preciousness, causing Luna to open her eyes wide. She wanted to look back, but aside from the blindfold, the pain slapping her body constantly prevented such ideas to even turn her head even if it served no purpose, only allowing her to blush even harder when she understood somepony could see her virgin orifice.
Her marehood was glistening with love juice, partially thanks to the excitement she never had felt before. A little drip of the musky nectar fell to the bed sheets, proving just how ready she was to get rutted by a strong and dedicated stallion. And lucky as she was, this one mounting her wasn't really in the smaller league...
Midnight clenched his teeth and started pushing, breaking through the tight labia into the even tighter pink flesh. The princess arched her neck and moaned, struggling to aggregate the intense feeling in her sacred hole. But the stiff rod kept digging, going deeper and breaking through the moist inner flesh in its quest to go all inside. All air escaped his lungs when the mare's inner muscles suddenly squeezed his appendage like a hug, he paused for a moment to inhale fresh air before going any further.
Luna wanted to thank him for that. Even if the extreme pleasure took over her mind, the pain was still on a route to calm down and disappear. She could feel the small stains of blood mixing with her love juice, something she didn't really like in difference from everything else.
When the brief pause was over, Midnight kept pushing forward. He had a much easier time when he came to the part of Luna's love cave that had relaxed in time. In the next moment, he was sliding inside her, filling her more and more with his pride. The dominated female's eyes rolled back as she imagined how it looked inside her right now, all stuffed with hard meat in her fine marehood, going deeper just to enhance her lustful cravings.
Then, the unicorn gasped out as he felt the final wall blocking him: the womb. He looked down and saw his pelvis pressed to the pitch-black and dark blue rump. It was a sight he never thought would come, but here it was in all glory, telling him to just go to the next step.
It was not until then he realized the lashes had stopped spanking his victim. Using just a quick thought, they all moved up a little bit along the mare's back, starting a new series of rapid whips to the poor pony.
Luna squealed when the whips hit her spine, she didn't know where to go, she didn't know why, and she had no clue in Equestria if her heart could take this intense pleasure. Getting hurt by the quick doses of pain on her back and receiving even more pain from behind was so divine she couldn't put a name on it. But one thing was more than for sure: she wanted more.
And more she would get, because Midnight had finally decided to move on, pulling out his soaked pole of meat slowly to enjoy every second of this act. He groaned all the way out, tensing his body when the overcoming wish in his mind came back. Thus, he thrust inside again, gently rocking the royal equine until he pulled back again, then charged inside with more force. Luna enjoyed it far more than she thought she should, but in fact nothing mattered at all besides she getting her rightful punishment.
More fluids dripped down on the sheets as the sweet lovemaking increased in pace. Luna screamed through her muffling gag every time her womb got rammed and whimpered when the lashes hit her all at once. Her inner flesh twisted and turned, getting totally massacred by the mauling appendage as it slid in and out. The pleasure went on and grew hotter for each second, making it harder for both the lusting ponies to focus. The whips swung and missed, the hindlegs shivered and almost fell together. Soon they would all break apart and scream out their failure to proceed.
But just as Midnight slapped his crotch into the soft behind with all his inner might again, he experienced a strong exert moving down the spine. He knew what it was, and at that moment he felt that easy idea of just exclaiming his love to the mare he mounted.
Luna was there too, jerking her tied forelegs as much as she could without getting anywhere when the overwhelming sensation kidnapped her calm nature. She squealed faster and more rapid, jerking her pounded butt back and forth as much as she could to intensify the approaching explosions in her mind.
A vice around the dark blue waist so hard it hurt her, a whip so intense it ripped up her wounded skin, a scream so loud it deafened her, and finally a load so pleasing that she could have died on the spot. As the last thrust played out, both the male and the female cried out in pleasure when the ultimate outcome killed their needs. The male seed shot out, filling the stretched love hole for a moment until he managed to pull it out. A long gush of white goo rained over Luna's violated behind, covering it with stickiness in a decorative way like somepony had spilled ice cream on her.
And at that second when she felt the warm liquid on her fine flank, her horn finally acted to summon a small physical touch on her pink pearl. After just a second of stimulation to it, her body jerked in an electrocution thanks to the sweetness sucking out all needs. Her nether lips squirted out the female nectar all over the male's thighs. A perfect bliss caused her to let out a lengthy moan while the unicorn collapsed behind her.
A total drain of energy had surged through his body after that orgasm and absorbed every little drip of it, rendering him unconscious in his dreams filled with afterglow.
Five minutes later, the tied, gagged and blindfolded princess used her magic to dispel the magically summoned lashes and ropes together with the tools blocking her mouth and eyes. Her body could finally lay down on her side and rest as she sighed in relief.
“Well done, Luna...” somepony said from the only door leading into the cylinder room. The mentioned pony wasn't surprised to hear the voice, instead looked at the curtain getting pushed aside by that somepony's magic. In the doorway she saw the majestic Celestia walking up to the bed, glancing at the knocked-out unicorn before turning with a smile at her sister. Luna smirked back.
“I figured you had missed the heat from a stallion after all these years, but that you actually would come up with an idea like this is... a little more than I expected” Celestia stated with a chuckle afterward.
Luna rolled her eyes and snorted. “A thousand years IS a long time, big sister. And besides... I actually felt a little responsible for him. Nightmare Moon was after all just my alter ego, so I suppose her feelings for this pony had been inherited to me after her disappearance.” she stated in a sad tone, frowning at the dark gray unicorn she pitied so much.
The elder mare understood what she talked about, thus simply smiled at her sister before the question she had in mind. “And you claimed you were a virgin because of...?”.
The dark blue princess turned away from her sister and crept up to the fainted unicorn, curling up right next to him so she could feel his warmth. “I've actually never felt this tempted to mate with anypony before, I just wanted it to feel special for both of us. I don't think he deserved any better than this” she stated and nuzzled his cheek.
Celestia sighed, curious to know what she planned to do next. But she didn't found the time to ask before her sister already had answered. “I hope he will find peace in the end with us....” she ended and rested her head on Midnight's shoulder...
Several months later
Outside the front gate of the Canterlot palace during the youth of night, Shining Armor walked past a rather unusual carriage standing idle without any ponies to drag it. He was rather disturbed by the Gothic-like shape, especially the streamlined shapes of bat wings and the spear-like accents. Its center was built with low gravity, allowing one pony to sit while at least two others pulled the whole thing with heavy chains.
In usual cases he would wonder what the hay this meant, but since he knew what day it was there wasn't much to wonder about. And just when he looked over his shoulder, the pony he kind of expected to ride this appeared from the castle door.
“Well... hail, princess Luna. I suppose you're finally taking your first tour to Ponyville?” he said with his standard smile.
The dark blue mare walked with high knees and an even higher snout, doing her best to look as serious as possible while walking towards her carriage. “Yes, it is time we meet our subjects and present to them our true form! No longer shall thou remember their princess as Nightmare Moon!”.
Shining noticed her archaic way of speaking, but knowing she had been doing her best to learn it again, he didn't think it was necessary to point it out. Instead he looked back at the empty carriage with an idea in mind. “Do you want me to call in two pegasi for your carriage?”.
Luna smirked as she got up on her seat in the horror-looking wagon, giving the white stallion next to her on the ground nothing but a mere glance. Shining thought this was going to be an awkward moment until he felt a hoof touching his shoulder from behind.
“This isn't your area, captain. Why don't you go back to your dear Celestia?” a male voice Shining recognized said, bringing him to look over his shoulder to see the other stallion touching him.
Dressed in the opposite colors of the standard royal guard, a dark gray unicorn with the most terrifying irises smiled evilly at him. It was a signal for him to get lost, which the white unicorn understood. With nothing else to say, he walked away, shivering a little over the presence that duo gave.
Meanwhile, Luna cocked an eyebrow at the captain of her personal guards. Her voice and way of talking changed for that brief moment. “Where are your recruits?”.
The unicorn now known as captain Midnight Watcher looked around until he heard two ponies approaching through the air. He glanced up and saw two pegasi heavily resembling him with their dark gray coats and slit-irises. The only thing that separated him from them was the fact that he was a unicorn and they were pegasi. As soon as they landed and folded their dragon-like wings, Midnight snorted in disappointment.
“So now you finally decided to arrive?” he said in a disciplined and scolding way. The two ponies just bowed their heads in apology, hoping to not awake their captain's anger like they had once before. And they were lucky.
“I can listen to your excuses later, so you don't have to come up with any yet. Now form up!!”.
The two recruits flinched at the harsh volume, but quickly charged away to mount the heavy chains on the carriage to their armor. Once they were correctly connected, they awaited the signal to go. It was Luna's duty to do that, but she felt like exchanging a few words with the leader of her guards before that.
“Do you think this will work?” she asked with nervous frown.
“Without a doubt, my empress. They will love your appearance today. Just remain strong and self-confident” Midnight replied.
“Hmm... what if I...” Luna said and focused her horn to summon a bunch of magical bats, transforming them into a gray cape and hood covering her body. “... use this?” she then ended.
Midnight grinned reassuringly. “Now they simply can't mistake you for your alter ego”.
Luna smiled, trusting her captain's words. He was the only one she trusted when it came to preparing for this day, the day when she once and for all would destroy the last images her subjects held of her as an evil princess. She wanted them to love her for who she was now and nothing else. She pulled up the hood over her head turned her head to the recruits.
“GO!”.
And with that, the ponies unfolded their wings and charged away into the thick clouds of Nightmare Night, a day she hopefully soon would change. Midnight watcher followed the carriage with his eyes, hoping to never lose sight of his beloved empress even though she soon disappeared in the distance. He smiled, knowing princess Luna would make a great appearance today.
The night moved on, and the dark gray unicorn looked straight up in the air to behold what he loved the most. A beautiful night sky, that kind of sky he remembered from his childhood...
The reason behind his name glimmered in the sky.
The end
Author's Note:
First of all, I'm not native English, so you can't expect of me to be good at archaic English? Oh well, I did my best...
Well, this ought to be my longest chapter ever. I could have split it into three pieces, but that would have effed everything up further. I let you guys have a cliffhanger in the first chapter so you could pause before going on to the next one.... but whatever, here it is.
And by this... my commission to darksmirk is finished! Now I will write a few more one-shots and THEN finally go back to updating Ponyville's Lusts and Tears of Ecstasy.
It was a nice change to write this story and it tested me a bit to involve another genre than just romance (or should we be honest and say clop?). However, you might understand NOW why this was mature tagged. Pity, really... this could have been my first story rated Teen aside from “Where dreams can't reach” and more people would probably have read it.
BUUUUT, then we come to the bizarre realization that people probably likes me more for my nsfw art than my sfw ^^'
Anyhow, hope you guys liked reading this, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND COMMENTING, and I hope to see you guys in my next installment!
Brohoof on ya all!
