Nightmare's Task

by Lionblaze103

Rating: everyone
Tags: Slice of Life, Alternate Universe, Sad, Romance, Comedy, Tragedy
Length: 1903

Nightmare Moon rules Equestria.

Nightmare Moon won, and the elements lost. Now the night lasts forever, and she rules Equestria as it's queen. But now she faces an even bigger challenge. Getting her subjects to accept her.

Published 1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC
Last updated 2012-07-23 16:36:52 UTC

Prologue

"The night will last forever!" Nightmare Moon said, before cackling. Just then the voices of the others could be heard, and Twilight realized something.

"You think you can destroy the elements of harmony just like that?" she said, turning to Nightmare Moon, " Well you're wrong, because the spirits of the elements are right here!" Just then Nightmare Moon started laughing.

"You honestly think I don't know that after my last mistake." she said. Suddenly her horn glowed, and all the pieces of the elements of harmony levitated. "I'm getting rid of them for good this time." she said before all the pieces rocketed through the windows of the old castle. "Now that you don't have your precious elements I have won." she said. Twilight's legs collapsed beneath her.

"We... We lost." Twilight said.

"That's right. And now if you don't mind I've got some business to attend to." Nightmare Moon said, her horn lighting up. She then teleported herself out of the ruins, leaving the six friends alone.

"I-I can't believe we really lost." Twilight said.

"Isn't there anything else we can do?" Applejack asked her. Twilight shook her head.

"No. She got rid of the elements. We have no way of stopping her now. All we can do is just go back to Ponyville, and wait." Twilight told them.

"Wait for what?! I say we go beat her up!" Rainbow Dash said.

"No she's too strong. We've lost." Twilight told her. Rainbow stomped her hoof to the ground.

"It's not fair!" she yelled, "Why can't we do anything?!"

"Simmer down Dash." Applejack told her.

"Simmer down?! How can I when we just got beat by Nightmare Moon?!" Dash yelled.

"She's right darling. Getting angry won't help anything." Rarity said, "Let's head back to Ponyville." Dash finally settled down, and let out a huff.

"Fine." she agreed. With that the six friends started their journey back to Ponyville.

--

Nightmare Moon suddenly appeared inside the throne room of Canterlot's castle, surprising the guards. "You! You're Nightmare Moon!" a guard said.

"My, my. Glad you remembered your new queen." Nightmare Moon said.

"Queen?!" the guard spat in anger, "You'll never become queen. Guards ATTACK!" With that all the guards lunged at her, battle ready. Nightmare Moon just powered up her magic, and levitated the guards. She then rammed them into the castle walls. Not hard enough to harm them, but hard enough so that they wouldn't try it again. One of them stood up, and limped to the door.

"Must tell Captain Shining." he said. Nightmare Moon just smirked as he went to get the captain of the guards. All according to plan. Now she only need to make the captain of the guard surrender, and Equestria was hers. An easy task. Five minutes later the throne room door slammed open to reveal a white unicorn with a blue mane.

"I suppose you are the captain of these guards." Nightmare Moon said, "As your new queen I command you to call down your troops."

"Never!" he hissed, "You are not our queen. What have you done to Princess Celestia?!"

"I've done to her what she did to me all those years ago." Nightmare Moon told him.

"Guards attack!" he yelled before the large number of guards rushed into the throne room.

"I wouldn't have done that if I were you." Nightmare Moon said, her horn glowing. She picked up every single guard, and threw them against the wall. "Now you will submit to me." she told him, "That is unless you want your soldiers hurt." The captain gritted his teeth.

"Fine." he relinquished. Nightmare Moon got a smirk.

"Now bow." she told him. It took all of his willpower to force himself to bow down to Nightmare Moon. "Very good. You may all leave now." she said, releasing her grip on the guards. He gritted his teeth again, gathered up the guards, and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

"Captain should we just leave like this?" asked one of the guards.

"I'm afraid we have no choice." Shining Armour told him.

--

Nightmare Moon supposed it was time she addressed her new subjects. She walked outside onto the balcony Celestia once used, and found a crowd of ponies going as far back as the eye can see. When the ponies saw her they started asking questions.

"Who are you?"

"Where's Princess Celestia?"

"Where's the sun?"

"Why is it night?"

Finally she'd had enough. "Quiet!" she called out. It was no use though, and all the ponies kept asking questions. "I SAID QUIET!" she yelled out, her voice reaching all across Canterlot. Suddenly every pony went quiet. "Good. As I can tell most, if not all, of you don't know who I am. So I shall tell you." Nightmare moon called out, "I am your new queen Nightmare Moon!"

This caused another uproar, causing  Nightmare Moon to loose her temper once again. This time she raised her hoof, and slammed it on the balcony, causing the very earth to tremble. "SILENCE!" she called out, immediately getting it. "Princess Celestia is no longer your ruler I am!" she announced. This time nopony burst out.

"From this day forth the night shall last forever, and I shall be the queen of Equestria!" she said, "Now I know that plants are unable to survive in only moonlight so I have developed a spell that will allow them to do so. I shall personally visit every farm in Equestria, and use this spell to keep them from dying. Also everything produced by their seeds shall also live in moonlight. There will be other changes, but that is the most important."

There was an outburst again. "What happened to Celestia?" one of them asked.

"I have sealed her away like she did to me." Nightmare Moon answered, making all the ponies gasp. This caused an even bigger uproar. "Silence!" she called, making them all quiet down. "After I am done with my spell I shall open court. Come back tomorrow, and I shall answer all of your questions." She then opened her wings, and took flight, leaving the city full of speechless ponies behind. "First stop Ponyville." she said.

Chapter 1

Nightmare Moon was thoroughly enjoying her flight from Canterlot to Ponyville. She hadn't been able to fly when she was trapped in the moon, so it felt good to be able to stretch her wings again. "My. I forgot how amazing flying feels." she said as she soared through the air. It only took her five minutes to get to Ponyville, but for her it seemed like an eternity. She swooped down, and landed in the middle of Ponyville.

As soon as she did everypony went crazy. "It's Nightmare Moon!" one of them yelled then they all broke into a stampede as they rushed into their homes. First Nightmare Moon was bewildered, then she got angry.

"Is this how you treat your new queen?!" she yelled, "I demand respect! Get out here now!" When nopony came out she stomped her hoof to the ground, making it shake. "I SAID NOW!" she shouted. Finally, slowly but surely, ponies started to come out of their homes. She smirked. "See. That wasn't so hard." she said. "Now where are the farmers for this town?" she asked.

"I-If you don't mind me asking why?" asked a light yellow mare with an orange mane or tail.

"Of course. What might be your name?" she asked the mare.

"C-Carrot Top your majesty." the mare told her.

"Well Carrot Top I simply wish to enchant them with a spell so they can survive on moonlight." Nightmare explained, "Show the way. You are all dismissed." she called out the last part. With that all but Carrot Top fled back into their homes. "Now are there any farms outside of town?" she asked Carrot Top.

"Just one your majesty." she told Nightmare Moon.

"Good.  This should be fairly easy then." Nightmare Moon said, her horn glowing. A soft sheen of light covered all of Ponyville as Nightmare Moon cast her spell. Soon the light faded. "There." she said, "That takes care of the ones in town. Now bring me to this farm."

"Yes your majesty." she said. Nightmare Moon followed her out of town, and to the front of a large apple orchard. "Here we are." Carrot Top told her.

"Thank you. You are dismissed now." Nightmare Moon told her. Carrot Top quickly galloped off back towards the town. As she walked into the orchard she saw a familiar face. "Well, well, well, if it isn't an element of harmony." she said, catching the mares attention, and her scowl deepened.

"What do you want here?" she asked.

"Now, now, is that any way to talk to your queen?" Nightmare Moon said.

"You ain't ma queen, or anypony elses." she seethed.

"I believe the captain of the royal guard would disagree." Nightmare Moon told her, making her grit her teeth. Applejack knew she had no other choice.

"Fine Queen," she spat, "Why are y'all here?"

"Just to cast a simple spell to allow the plants to survive on moonlight." Nightmare Moon explained.

"And why should ah believe you?" she asked.

"And why shouldn't you? I'm not just going to let my subjects die of starvation." Nightmare Moon retaliated. Applejack wanted to argue more, but couldn't think of anything to say.

"Fine." she said. Nightmare Moon smirked, and her horn glowed as she started the spell. The spell cast a soft sheen of light over the whole orchard just like with Ponyville, and Applejack couldn't help but stare in wonder, but snapped out of it when she finished.

"I've finished. I'll be taking my leave now." Nightmare Moon told her before flying off towards the next town. She did that for every town in Equestria until she landed back in front of her palace in Canterlot. "Servant!" she called out as she sat on her throne. A tan mare with a light orange mane stumbled into the room doing a clumsy bow.

"Yes your highness?" she asked.

"Draw me a hot bath will you." Nightmare Moon told her.

"R-Right away." she said, stumbling out of the room. Five minutes later she trotted back in the room a little more dignified than last time. "Your bath is ready your highness." she said.

"Very good. You are dismissed." Nightmare Moon told her. She bowed again, and left the room. Nightmare Moon trotted out of the throne room door, and into the bath room. There was a large bath filled with steaming water. She then slipped off her armor, and shoes.

As Nightmare Moon slipped into the hot water she felt all her muscles relax. She hadn't realized how tense she'd been, or how sore her wings felt. She let out a soft sigh. "This is amazing. I haven't had a bath in over 1000 years." she said as she relaxing. After about 20 minutes she got out, her mane and tail sticking to her.

She shook herself like a dog, getting most of the water off her, and making her mane and tail become ethereal again. She finished drying herself with a towel. "I should probably get some rest." she said as she laid down in a bed in her chosen room, "After all I do have court tomorrow." With that she drifted off to a dreamless sleep.