Nightmare night was truly the worst night of the year for Luna. Worse than the summer sun celebration, which she saw as now more of a celebration of her return to being sane again. Worse than the anniversary of her parents death or the anniversary of Discord coming to power all those years ago. Worse than all of the loses that she has had to deal with over the long course of being an alicorn. The reason was simple, it reminded her of turning into the horrible nightmare of a thing. Ponies were still slightly scared of her, but this only showed on Nightmare Night since shem looked like Nightmare Moon. Tears would well up in her eyes as she saw fillies running from her because she was Nightmare Moon. Twilight told her that they weren’t being mean, that it was fun to be scared, but it still didn’t feel good to be reminded of what she once was. This year she decided not to spend Nightmare Night matching people run from her, scared of the monster that she worried was still inside. Instead she went to her favorite field in all of Equestria, Snowdrop Hill.
The hill was quite a ways away from civilization so not many people remembered that it even existed. Luna was not there when Snowdrop Hill had been planted or when it had even been named. She had read about it in a history book after Twilight had asked her if she knew someone named Snowdrop a thousand years ago. Luna had not been able to hide the tears she shed for the loss of her dearest friends or the tears that fell because she never even got to say goodbye.Seeing these tears made Twilight frazzled and the only thing she could think of was to give Luna the book so she could read what Twilight had just found out. Apparently after Snowdrop’s death they had decided to plant an entire hill full of snowdrops and cast a spell on them to make them live forever. Celestia had said it was because Snowdrop had given them something that generations to come will always enjoy, the snowflake. However, while Luna did not doubt that was part of the reason, she also figured it was for when she came back so she could feel at peace with the loss of her friend. The first time that Luna had visited after she returned she had wept for hours, it was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen. Shortly afterward she had two statues made during the winter festival in Snowdrops honor, one in Canterlot and one on Snowdrop Hill. The winter she came back the snowflakes were celebrated all over again and the ponies once again remember exactly who Snowdrop had been, but none of them understood the pain their princess felt, nor that she had even knew Snowdrop before her fall.
Since then Luna had also come to Snowdrop Hill to the statue she had made when she felt upset. It was nice to talk to the statue as if Snowdrop was still there, while Snowdrop was no longer comforting her or giving her advice it still felt nice to feel like she was in her presence again. Luna landed at the top of Snowdrop Hill looking down at the thousands of snowdrops that had adorned the hill. Flying low she let her feet softly brush against the flowers. She felt free as she flew around the hill, free from care and worry, as if it was not the worst day of the year. However she couldn’t stay in that carefree mood for long because her mind reminded her what day it was and why she was even there to begin with. Slow she flew down to the bottom on the massive hill where the statue had been made.
“Hey Snowdrop, it's me again,” Luna told the statue, lying at the base of it. “It's time like these I cannot help but wonder what was your reaction to all of this? To me becoming a monster and vanishing, to the first summer sun celebration, to even the first Nightmare Night. I guess I will never know, but it would be nice to,” Luna sighed, looking up at the night sky. She then closed her eyes and listened to the twinkling sound of the star. She could almost hear Snowdrop, I hear them, I hear them twinkling! It was then that she looked at the engraving on the statue.
To Snowdrop, Creator of the Snowflake
However there was brial under that message. This was something that cannot be found on the Canterlot statue. Most thought it was just what the engraving is above, since that was the usual. Many also thought that it was a tribute to the fact that Snowdrop was blind. However if you could read brial you would find that is now what it said at all, in fact it said something rather different.
To Snowdrop, the only one who understood my night.
This was a personal touch and she figured since not many came to Snowdrop Hill no one would figure out that the brial and engraving did not match up. Luna laid her head on the statue at Snowdrop’s feet.
“Actually I would like to know your reaction to a lot of different things. I really took you for granted when you were here with me, I wish I could do that all over. The only reason I stayed sane for so long is because of you,” Luna said, tears rolling down her eyes. She never even could thank her for everything that Snowdrop had done for her.
“What are you doing here on Nightmare Night?” Luna heard a voice and jumped up, hitting her head on the statue. “Ouch,” Luna said shaking her head to lessen the pain. Looking up she was stunned into silence, before her was none other than Snowdrop.
“B-But… H-How,” Luna stumbled, trying to figure out a logical explanation. It had been over 1,000 years there was no way a normal pony could be alive for that long, only Alicorns could.
“It’s Nightmare Night, ghost can walk around. However it is only around their grave or a memorial made for them, such as this hill and that statue,” Snowdrop explained to Luna as she walked closer. Luna was wondering just how hard she had bumped her head, but that wouldn’t explain how she had heard the voice before she hit her head on the statue.
“Am I dreaming?” Luna asked ghost Snowdrop, who was now lying atop her statue. The statue really had been a great resemblance of Snowdrop, much to Luna’s pleasure.
“Wouldn’t you of all people know that? After all, you go into people’s dreams all of the time now right?” Snowdrop commented. That was true and this all seemed too real to be a dream, besides, she always knew when she really was dreaming.
“So I am hallucinating,” Luna pointed out. Snowdrop sighed, Luna hadn’t really changed all that much over the years they had been apart. Even before she turned into Nightmare Moon she did not believe in things such as the paranormal, even though she was the princess of the night.
“No I am actually here, I promise. Nightmare Night is one of the only times I can come back to this hill and see people who are here, though normally the ghosts on Nightmare Night do not let ourselves be seen by the living. It always causes too much of a ruckus and sometimes, like you, they don’t believe us at first. However, you seem like you need a friend to talk to and I know I am the only one you feel like you can open up to. You are making new friends now that you are back, but I figured I would probably be the best for tonight,” Snowdrop explained. Luna started to tear up, Snowdrop always knew more about Luna than Luna knew about herself. THis had to be Snowdrop, there was no doubt in Luna’s mind anymore.
“I missed you so much,” Luna cried to her friend. The saddest thing she heard when she got back from being banished was that Snowdrop had passed long ago. While she knew it was coming it was still hard to hear out loud.
“I miss you too, but at least we can talk now. Now, I watch you from where I sit in the sky and I hear what you say when you talk to my statue. So I know you only come here when you are upset, so what’s wrong Luna?” Snowdrop asked her.
“I hate this night more than any other. All it does is serve as a reminder of when I turned into that monster long ago and even came back trying to do the same thing,” Luna said looking down. She was sure Snowdrop already knew all of this, but telling her it was hard for Luna to do. All her life she never wanted Snowdrop to think badly of her, but she probably started after she got banished.
“Luna, you are not that same monster from before. You have proved time and time again you only wish to protect your kingdom now and forever. I know you do not feel as if you have done enough but believe me when I say you have. Now, I also know you had some questions for me. After all, we have all night to talk,” Snowdrop said gliding down to lay beside Luna. Snowdrop put one wing around Luna, while Snowdrop was not really there it was still comforting to Luna, after all it was what Luna had done to Snowdrop when people bullied her all those years ago.
“I do, if you don’t mind answering them. I have always wanted to hear what happened to you after I was banished to the moon. I mean, I doubt it was easy for you since we were so close. What was your reaction to when you heard that I became Nightmare Moon and got banished?” Luna asked Snowdrop. Part of Luna didn’t want to know, but most of her needed to know badly.
“Well, I was devastated that you were gone. I knew you felt as if I was the only one who cared for you back then, but I figured your sister would step in and help you before you turned evil. I knew there was a chance, but all I could do it be there for you as much as I could. That’s why I made my mom take me to Canterlot so many times, so I could be there for you. More than being devastated that it happened I was so mad a Celestia for not helping you before any of that happened. I went to the first summer sun celebration and screamed at Celestia for letting you feel as if no one loved you and not helping you sooner. I told her it was all her fault and that nothing could change that. I know I devastated her, but I apologized to her the next winter when I helped again with the snow and making the snowflakes. She knew I was right and for the rest of my life we always had a strained relationship, mainly because I knew the truth of what had happened to Luna,” Snowdrop explained. Well that answered two of my questions, Luna thought to herself.
“I never blamed you ya know, I have only ever thought of you as the mare who understood me the best, but was taken from me,” Snowdrop reassured Luna.
“Thank you, that makes me feel a lot better,” Luna told Snowdrop happily. “What about Nightmare Night, what do you think about it?” Luna asked.
“It really is a stupid holiday, but it can be a little fun. At first I didn’t celebrate it, but I decided to after a couple of years. It was fun, but I think the feel of it isn’t just about Nightmare Moon as you fear,” Snowdrop told her. Luna looked at her confused, not exactly sure what she meant. “It brings people close together and they get to have a night of fun and be whoever they want to be. I bet some people even dress up as you. I found that my community was closest during Hearth’s Warming and Nightmare Night. Even though the basis may not be the best, it has evolved into something so much better,” Snowdrop explained to Luna. The thought of her past bringing people together was foreign to her, but she had to admit Ponyville seemed close together when she had visited Twilight that one Nightmare Night. Also the foals and fillies loved being scared and had a lot of fun, even when she pretended to be Nightmare Moon.
“I am not saying you should love it, I am just saying there is a bright side to this holiday as well,” Snowdrop clarified. There she goes again, Lujna thought, saying just the words I need to hear and bringing out the bright side of everything.
“I am sorry about everything that happened, I never meant to hurt you,” Luna told Snowdrop seriously. Snowdrop nuzzled her, making Luna’s neck feel a cold sensation where Snowdrop’s muzzle was. This was something they had often done to make the other feel better, mainly because SNowdrop had been blind and touch was a good way to reassure her.
“The hardest part about you leaving was the sky didn’t sound the same. The twinkle of the stars was different, it wasn’t as pretty. I made sure I always remembered what your night sounded so I could make the prettiest snowflakes I could. After I died I actually could see and the first thing I looked at was the night sky. However, it didn’t seem as pretty as I imagined. If I concentrated I could still hear the stars twinkle and it still wasn’t as pretty,” Snowdrop told Luna, “However when you came back the stars twinkled just as I had always remembered. I became so excited that I rushed to see what the sky looked like.”
After a moment of silence Luna shakily asked, “Well, did you like it?” Snowdrop smiled at Luna then looked up at the night sky Luna had made earlier.
“It was more beautiful than I ever could even imagine,” Snowdrop said honestly. Luna smiled happily, at least she had made people happy upon her return. “Celestia just never was a good as you at this sort of thing,” Snowdrop commented, smiling at her friend.
“Hey, do you think we could do this every Nightmare Night? Meet here at the base of your statue on Snowdrop Hill and just talk like this?” Luna asked.
“Well, I don’t see why not. Besides, I would love that,” Snowdrop told her happily. Thus a new Nightmare Night tradition was started between the two. Instead of dreading every Nightmare Night Luna began to look forward to it. Nightmare Night became the day she could talk to Snowdrop, as if nothing changed.
To Snowdrop, the best mare to ever have lived.
Author's Note
Hope you all enjoyed this! I will be making more MLP fanfiction in the future!
