Every Nightmare's Caveat

Chapters

Stay of Execution
A Goddess's Proposal
An Aide in the Darkness
One Spell to Rule Them All
Research, Development, and Propaganda
Loyalty Test
The Truth
It's Time to Clean the Castle
The Night that Never Ends
Ashes to Ashes...
...Dust to Dust

Stay of Execution

The prisoner’s tray laid upon the ground, long cleaned of his last meal. The bluegrass and wheat bread still stuck to his teeth but he made no attempt to lick them off. His mouth was too occupied breathing in the dank air around him, the sole solution to the fermenting mold upon the walls and the bucket filled with bodily refuse the guards refused to change. Only the water dripping down the stairs to the cell door, their light plunk-plunk upon the stone steps, provided any accompaniment to the prisoner’s ruminations.

At least it’s just a beheading, he thought. One swipe and done. Not like the gryphons. They still did drawing and quartering last I heard.

He stared out the barred window into the night. No, the Night. A majestic force demanding respect like any sovereign. Refuse to acknowledge it, and one found themselves in such a dungeon. The moon stood out in its full glory, filled as it had been the last seven years. But it was the stars, the little suns of faraway solar systems that prompted a small smile upon his face. They were the sole indicators of passing time in a dungeon without clocks or calendars. Even now, he could see Gieneigh shining ten degrees from the last position, an indicator of three hours past.

Somewhere the sun still shines, he thought. Not too far, only a billion million miles away. Could make a fine vacation.

“Vacation,” he said. He’d gotten in the habit of repeating the words he’d remembered from the daylight years. “Vacation.”

The prisoner closed his eyes, trying to remember the vacation. Neighami, capital of Equestrian sun. He could just make out the waves splashing against his skin and the salt filling his nose with each towering wave. The ponies wandering the sand, dripping with overapplied sunscreen and shining in the afternoon rays. Every hotel sticking up from the ground and hoisting itself above a landscape flatter than the western plains.

Dad was there, the prisoner thought. Mom too. But not Silver or Emmy-

“Get up!” a harsh voice called out. The words reverberated inside the cell like a cave.

“Get up,” the prisoner repeated. The words held a certain taste of unfamiliarity, the first in a long time that hadn’t been the prisoner’s own private mumblings.

“Do not talk back! Get up!” the voice said.

The prisoner sat up from the creaking cot and glanced up the stairs. A tall mare with a disapproving look in her eyes stared down at him. A black set of armor sat upon her violet coat, and thin wings stuck out from her shoulder blades.

“What?” the prisoner whined. “Can’t give a stallion a little time alone before his execution?”

The guard jostled the lance in her hoof. “Speak without permission again, and death will be the least of your worries.”

The prisoner chuckled. “You say that like it’s a threat.”

“What are you-? Never mind. Just hurry up. The Princess wants to see you.”

His ears perked up. “Princess? She’s come back?”

“Not that Princess, you imbecile!” the guard growled. “The true Princess, Nightmare Moon!”

Disappointment came across his face. “Ah,” he said, laying back down on the cot.

“What’re you doing? I said get up!”

“Why? I very much doubt such an illustrious ruler like herself needs a dungeon dweller like myself to offer her counsel…”

“It doesn’t matter what you think! The Princess wants you, and she’s going to get you!”

“Oh she is, is she?” he said, a slight smile coming across his face. “I suppose that’s true. Her powers vastly overwhelms the one that’s kept in this little thing.” He pointed toward his horn, a tan brown protrusion sticking out from his disheveled black mane. “It probably is pointless to just keep sitting here and stalling…”

“Then what are you waiting for? Get up here now!”

He looked back up at her, a bemused expression on his face. “You speak in ups, don’t you?”

“What?”

“‘Wake up’, ‘get up’, ‘hurry up’. It seems to be the main building block of your extremely varied vocabulary.”

“Look buddy, I’ve had it up to here with your-”

“There it is again!” His hoof shot to his mouth, desperate to restrain his chortles.

“I’m warning you, Subversive. Make one more crack about me and you’ll be sorry!”

“Not as sorry as your school teacher must be for spawning such an unimaginative pupil.”

He heard the lance hit the ground first, a loud clang ringing through the cell. Then he felt the guard’s hoof in his stomach and his back hitting the stone floor. Hnnng, hnnng, his lungs wheezed while the rest of him curled into a ball.

The guard stood over him, a sadistic grin on her face. “You going to keep mouthing off, or are you going to be a good little pony and shut up?”

He looked up at her. A slow smile crossed his face. “You…said ‘up’…again,” he gasped.

The guard’s smile fell to an annoyed grimace, then she stormed back up the stairs. “I swear, she doesn’t give me enough credit for what I put up with,” she grumbled. “Quartz! Rainbow Dash! Get your sorry flanks over here!”

For a few moments, the hall outside the door echoed with quick hoofsteps trotting, before stopping right outside the door. A red stallion and mare with a rainbow mane stood there, looking intently at the purple guard.

“Yes, ma’am?” the two said in unison.

“The Princess has requested a conference with this prisoner. However, he’s being more than a little uncooperative. Drag him up to the Throne room, no matter how much he kicks and shouts.”

The duo saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”

“And don’t talk to him any more than you need to. The Princess warned he’s a talker.”

The two guards nodded, then made their way down the stairs. The prisoner still laid in a ball, staring up at the window.

“Alright, you,” the pony named Rainbow Dash said. “Get on up.”

“Can’t, I’m afraid,” he gurgled.

“Why not?”

“Ask your Commander.” He glanced down at his stomach. “She apparently decided I was the perfect test subject for her amateur bariatric surgery.”

Rainbow looked back up the stairs to her Commander, gazing down in increasing annoyance. She bent down to the prisoner and whispered: “Look, if you don’t get up, she’s going to tell us to beat you even more. Getting up now will save us both a lot of trouble.”

The prisoner looked up, his eyes squinting up at the light blue mare. “Threats,” he gurgled, “don’t work on a dead stallion.”

“Ugh,” Rainbow sighed. She motioned toward the curled-up stallion, and her partner nodded. Simultaneously, they grabbed opposite sides of the prisoner and forced him up. They then began their ascent up the stairs, hooves under each of his front legs.

“A compassionate response,” the prisoner said. “You’re not cut out for this organization.”

The Commander looked at the display with a strange mixture of amusement and irritation. “Heavens above, you’re a hooful.”

“‘Heavens above…” the prisoner intoned as they reached the top steps. “Another variation of ‘up’, Commander...”

The Commander closed her eyes and brought a hoof to her face. “I really hope the Princess is upping your execution to disembowelment. That, or the Moon.”

“Ah, the Moon,” he said as the duo snapped shackles onto his legs and dragged him down the dungeon corridor, the Commander leading them forward. “Nice place. Looking out the window just now, I could see why Nightmare Moon loved it so much. Always full, all the time. Heck, I heard it was so good, Princess Celestia decided to make it her residence during her ever-continuing vacation from-”

The Commander spun around and grabbed the prisoner’s neck with both hooves. His eyes shot open wide and his body fell backwards. Quartz and Rainbow Dash’s hold stayed steady though, keeping the stallion upright.

“Listen to me, you little piece of trash,” the Commander growled, her eyes staring hard and long into the prisoner’s still-blurry eyes. “You can mutter whatever you want about me, my guards, or whatever else floats into that diseased mind of yours. But if I ever, and I mean ever, hear you mention her name again, I’ll make sure you don’t ever talk again. Understand?”

The stallion looked at her, a shock and fear still displayed on his face. But after a few moments, his eyes went back to their original weary gaze and he gave an uneasy smile.

“Completely, Commander.”

She let go of him and promptly resumed her walking. Quartz and Rainbow Dash gave each other quick looks, then promptly followed with the prisoner in tow.

“As I was saying, great place, the Moon,” he said, the group making their way up the stairs to the main part of the castle. “Always full, all the time. Heck, I hope you’re right Commander, about the Princess banishing me there. I’d like it. Heard the cheese is to die for. In fact, I knew a guy…”

A Goddess's Proposal

“...and then it turned out the Moon was actually an egg. So then this Doctor guy recommended we initiate a Horrendous Space Kaplooie to set everything straight-”

“Mother of Nightmare Moon,” Quartz muttered. “Don’t you ever pipe down?”

The prisoner gave him a mischievous grin. “Only when somepony else has something interesting to say. And no offense to you and your comrade, but you haven’t really provided stimulating conversation.”

“Just be quiet already,” Rainbow Dash whispered, the Commander pushing open the doors to the throne room. “You’re going to be in the presence of the Princess.”

The prisoner was about to retort when the duo dragged him through the dark black doors, but he couldn’t help but stare at the room. A soft blue light permeated the space, glowing from the ethereal torches lining the room. Up and down the hall large banners with symbols of the night sky and Moon hung, reaching from the top of the ceiling to the floor. The walls and ceiling all held the same soft blue tone as the torches, with only the dark purple carpet on the floor serving as contrast to the affinitive colors.

It wasn’t just the room that caught his eye. All around him, he could see a wide variety of other ponies. Some were guards as well, each with their own black armor of the Night. Most of them looked to be castle staff, with the mares wearing a black and blue dress and the stallions wearing a dark blue suit. They all stared at him as the guards dragged him further inward, transfixed at his scruffy beard and grungy mane contrasting so heavily with their own tidy attires.

“Howdy, folks,” the prisoner said with a smile. “Don’t mind me, just going for a little chat with the Princess. Something about how the Moon can be utilized for Cheese production.” A few of the staff let out small chuckles, but were soon silenced by the guard’s glares.

“Corporal Smoke!” the Commander barked.

An armored pony ran up to her. “Yes ma’am?”

“Go tell the Princess the prisoner is here!”

“Yes ma’am!” With a quick salute, he ran off past the throne. It stood erect on top of twenty steps, its wide backrest stretching ten feet in the air and with wings sprouting out of either side.

“A most queer-looking chair,” the prisoner said.

“Be quiet!” the Commander barked.

“No, seriously, why does it have wings? I get why it’s dark because, you know, Princess of the Night and all. But wings? That’s just silly.”

The Commander gritted her teeth. “I swear, if she’s passing a new execution sentence, I want to be the one that swings the axe.”

“Tsk, tsk. Such an angry attitude, Commander.” He looked back around the room, still propped up by Quartz and Dash.

“Interesting color scheme,” he murmured to himself. “A bit too simplistic for my taste, but a more than adequate representation of the current night-obsessed regime we find ourselves under.”

“I’m happy you approve,” a deep voice boomed to his left. The Commander and guards holding him let go of him and bowed low to the ground. The prisoner, still off-balance, fell flat on his bruised stomach.

“Ow!” he cried.

“All hail Nightmare Moon!” the room rang out. All around, the staff and guards bowed to the figure entering the room. She was a large pony, a full head taller than any of the stallions in the room. She was wearing dark blue boots on her hooves and a similarly colored helmet sat on her head. A long and thin black horn poked out through the headpiece, while her equally dark wings laid on her side. She marched up the stairs and took her place on the throne.

“Your respects have been noted! You may resume your duties,” she uttered. The guards and staff all nodded, scattering off to different parts of the room. The prisoner remained on the floor, clutching his stomach.

“Prisoner!” the princess barked. “On your feet!”

“I...can’t, your Highness…”

“Why not?” she said with annoyance.

“I’m sick.”

“Sick? With what?”

“Surgically induced dyspepsia.”

Annoyance crossed the monarch’s face. “Guards, make him stand. I won’t stoop to the level of talking to an unmannered vermin who won’t even respect his ruler.” Quartz and Rainbow Dash nodded and replaced their hooves under his front legs.

Once propped, the prisoner looked up toward the throne and gave a weak smile. “Greetings and salutations, Your Majesty. How can I be of service on this eternal night?”

A hint of contentment crossed the monarch’s face. “That’s more like it. You should keep such manners if you wish to stay out of that dungeon.”

“Well, good manners do cost nothing, Your Highness. I certainly wouldn’t want to upset you again.”

“Your Majesty,” the Commander said, stepping between the two of them. “I feel inclined to inform you that, despite the prisoner’s congenial attitude, he was actually quite insolent when we attempted to retrieve him.”

“Is that right?” Nightmare Moon said.

“Yes. He consistently refused to come willingly, so we had to drag him up here. He even went as far as to use... her name when talking about the majesty of Your Moon.”

The Princess’s face immediately soured, her eyes staring daggers at the prisoner. “Do you know the punishment for mentioning her name is?”

He nodded his head towards the Commander. “A date with her?” The Commander’s face turned red, the lance quaking in her hooves.

“No!” the Princess said.

“Then I’m afraid I don’t.”

“Death, you fool! Death is the punishment!”

“What?”

“Death, you insolent whelp!”

“What?”

A flash of blue magic surrounded the prisoner and in less than 2 seconds, he was dragged in front of the Princess. He floated in mid-air, the aura around him the only thing separating him from the irate entity staring at him.

“You imprudent pig!” she growled through her teeth. “You dare mock me, a Goddess incarnate?!”

“Oh no, Your Majesty! I meant no insult! I was just...just making a slight jest.”

“‘Slight jest?!’ You were mocking me!”

“I truly am sorry, Your Highness. I’ve been in that dungeon so long that I think I may have lost knowledge of the required formalities and preferred humor a figure such as yourself demands.”

The Princess’s eyes did not soften as he said this. They continued to gaze long and hard at him, determined to spot any sin within the scruffy stallion’s eyes.

He gulped. “If it pleases you, Your Majesty, I would like to ask that I be put down.”

She didn’t even blink.

“Uh...may I please be put down, Your Highness?”

Nothing.

“L-look, I really am sorry for the Death joke!”

Her eyes didn’t move.

“Beg,” she growled.

“Wh-what?”

“Beg for yourself. Demean yourself in the vilest way imaginable. Then I shall let you go.”

The prisoner gave her a nervous glance. “Shouldn’t you put me down first?”

“No. Beg from within there.”

“Well, uh...I’m not a very special pony. I’ve...no business being around even the most lowly servant of Your Majesty. How I got up here, in your presence, is an eternal mystery.”

A few moments passed in silence.

“Is that it?” she said.

“What?”

“Is that the best you can demean yourself? You, a filthy, pathetic, airheaded little stallion that has been taken up precious dungeon space every year since my rule began?”

“Well, honestly, Your Highness…” The prisoner’s eyes filled with a certain gleam. “If I’m really that bad, do I even need to bother demeaning myself? Isn’t my mere existence an insult to You and Your Glorious Night?”

For a moment, the Princess seemed puzzled. Her hard eyes and stern face wavered with each moment, and a smile soon crossed her face.

“Well done,” she said, putting him down in his original spot. “Very few ponies are able to truly grasp their inferiority to Me. You may be as smart as they say you are.”

“Well, um...thank you, Your Majesty. Anything to make your Night more pleasant.”

She grinned, her sharp fangs protruding from her mouth. “Excellent. Then perhaps it will have been worth plucking your undignified flank from that dungeon.”

He gulped. “If you say so, Your Highness.”

“I do say so,” she said with authority. “And you shall do as I command.”

“And what do you command, Your Highness?” the prisoner said, a slight shake in his voice.

“I have a task for you.”

“A task?”

“A very special one. A task that, if you complete it, will give you an inordinate reward.”

The prisoner cracked a small smile. “And what will failure give me?”

“You shall be returned to the dungeon to spend the rest of your days. Spared of your scheduled execution, but doomed to a quiet solitude while your body withers away.” She said it matter-of-factly, as if it was a simple office task she doled out daily.

The prisoner trembled for a moment, but he solidified his stance and stared up at the throne. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “Not good enough.”

A puzzled expression filled the Princess’s face. “What? You refuse my task already?”

“No, I refuse your punishment. It’s too weak, too soft. You obviously need me for something quite badly if you’re going through the effort to fetch me.” He began to stare up at the various runes covering the stone walls. “No, a lifetime in the dungeon must be paltry for your task. You need to show me just how much this task means to you. Name a more severe punishment, something that’ll make me rue the day I failed you.” He stared back at the Princess. “And I have just the punishment in mind. One I’m sure you’ll find most agreeable.”

Nightmare Moon tapped her hoof upon the dark throne. “Name it,” she said.

“Banish me to the Moon.”

The room hushed. The staff and guards looked amongst each other, faces ranging from fear to confusion. Nightmare Moon herself didn’t change her face, instead gazing down in vague fascination.

“There’s only one pony who ever got that fate,” Nightmare Moon said, a hint of anger in her voice. “And she committed a crime far worse than you ever could.”

“Perhaps,” the prisoner said. “But despite the joking visage you were presented with, I have certain principles. When I take a task, I complete it. Failure is not an option; I can’t live with it. If I take this task, I want your guarantee that you’ll punish me to the harshest extent you know.”

Nightmare Moon sat still for a moment, her stern face unchanged. “You speak the Forbidden Name in my court, you mock me with jokes, and now you have the gall to demand an even greater punishment?” A thin smile came upon her face. “Your reputation of boldness precedes you. Very well; I shall banish you to the Moon if you fail my task.”

The prisoner nodded his head. “Thank you, Your Highness. I shall do my best.”

“You better.” She stood up and strode down from her throne towards him. The Commander and other guards backed away from her path, all bowing their heads in respect. The prisoner, however, was so transfixed he could do nothing but stare and shake at the large shadow looming over him. Soon, she was not even a foot away from him.

“Because pain is something I am very good at giving,” she said with a raised hoof.

The prisoner closed his eyes. Any second now, it would come crashing down on his head. A near-death blow which would knock him clear across the room and-

A soft pat came on the top of his skull.

He opened his eyes and found the Princess softly stroking his mane like a dog.

“But punishment is not the important thing for us right now. Now we must see to the task at hoof. Guards!” Rainbow Dash and Quartz rushed to her side.

“Yes, Your Highness?” they said.

“Remove the prisoners’ shackles,” she said. “He’ll need free hooves for his task.”

They nodded and grabbed the stallion’s legs. With a few twists of the keys, the shackles fell to the floor and were gathered up.

“I shall also restore your name to you,” Nightmare Moon said, her horn glowing. “I hereby revoke your status as Prisoner #254893, and restore your birth name, Earth Shine.” Her horn tapped his head, and a wave of energy seemed to flow through him.

Earth Shine’s eyes narrowed for a moment, before giving a quick nod. “Thank you, Your Highness,” he said. He tried to make it sound nonchalant, though he suspected the Princess caught the tremble in his voice.

“Now go and clean yourself up,” the Princess said. “An advisor to a ruler should not be so ragged.”

He bowed low to the ground. “As you wish, Your Highness.” Better play into her good side as long as I can, he thought. Might give me a chance to escape.

She gave an approving nod, then walked off back towards her chambers. The staff and guards stood at attention until the doors closed. A certain stillness filled the air before they all relaxed and continued their work.

Earth Shine glanced back at his guards. “So…to my new room?” he said, taking a step towards a nearby door.

Woomph! Earth Shine found his face rammed right into the Commander’s breastplate.

“Make no mistake,” she said. “Just because you’re working for the Princess now doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. You’re still in prison, just with a bigger cell. You try and leave this castle or sneak around, I’ll know.”

Earth chuckled. “I’m sure you will. I certainly exude a certain attention-grabbing vibe.”

“Alright,” the Commander said. “Now go clean yourself up. If we’re going to have to look at you for longer than ten minutes, I want you to at least be personable.” With that, she marched forward, Earth and the two guards following close behind.

Well, better than beheading, Earth Shine thought. Now I just have to make sure I’m not going to be Celestia’s new roommate.

An Aide in the Darkness

The room was practically a mansion compared to what Earth occupied the past seven years. A wide bed covered with a black bedsheet filled up almost an entire side of the room. A large desk sat across from it with candles and lamps covering every available inch of the room in light. The bathroom sat close to the door, with a sizeable bathtub and cistern sitting on opposite sides. Soaps along the tub wafted through the air, a strange mixture of jasmine and blueberries Earth could just barely remember.

A clever bribery, Earth thought. Definitely something somepony locked up for too long would fight to the death to keep.

He wandered over to the sink and splashed water on his face. His haggard face stared back at him in the mirror, but he paid more attention to the grime sticking to his hair. One by one, the spots came out of his mane, and the dark black he could remember shining in the sunlight shone in the bathroom’s candlelight.

Earth then began to cut his hair. He’d tried to cut it back in the dungeon, but he’d stopped attempting to find anything to do other than lay in the cot two years ago. Here, he had the proper tools to cut away the loose strands now starting to clump around his hooves. His moustache and beard came next, eliminated entirely from his face.

He wandered over to the bath, a vague recollection of how the red and blue knobs worked. Ten minutes spent twisting them eventually yielded a water just cool enough to not be scalding.

Hot water! he thought, easing himself into the water now close to overflowing. I’d forgotten such a thing existed. He kicked his hooves in the water and felt the mini-waves crash against his face. Maybe I should’ve asked to be imprisoned in one of those erupting geysers near the Whinnandoah Valley.

He sat there for a long time, letting the water seep into his pores for as long as he could stand it. But when his hooves wrinkled more than he could bear, he waddled out towards the towels. It was halfway through drying himself he caught the tub water sitting still.

That’s right, he thought. You’re supposed to drain it once you’ve used it. He pulled the plug, the water letting out a long slurk down the drain. Once dry, he wandered over to the bed. He’d barely landed on it before he curled deep within the warm covers and fell asleep.

Knock-knock!

Earth’s eyes shot open. In his mind, it’d been mere moments since he fell asleep, but he could tell looking out at the stars he’d slept at least six hours. He lurched over towards the door.

“Who is it?” he said.

“Nightshade!” a little voice said back.

He sat up and walked to the door. “Who?”

“Nightshade!” the little voice said.

Earth opened the door and was greeted by an empty hall. Only the glowing torches and displayed suits of armor seemed to fill the space.

“Excuse me,” the voice said. Earth looked down and saw a little filly at his feet. She had a black coat with silver hair, wearing a petite dress with a moon symbol on it.

“Hey,” Earth said. “Nightshade, you said?”

“Yep!” she said cheerfully. “I’m supposed to be your, uh…ay-duh?”

“A what?”

“I’m supposed to show you where things are and help you around the castle.”

Earth gave a chuckle. “An aide.”

“That’s it!” she giggled. “Like lemonade.”

“That’s right. So… did you come over here just to introduce yourself?”

“Nope. The Princess wants to see you now.”

“Ah.” He closed the door and shuffled out into the hallway. “I guess we shouldn’t keep her waiting then.”

“Okay!” She took off down the hallway.

“Wait!” Earth hobbled after her, legs still stiff from imprisonment. A little further down the hallway, he saw Nightshade glancing back at him. She waited until they were alongside each other.

“You’re kind of slow,” she said.

“Not where it counts,” Earth said, tapping his forehead. “Probably why the Princess wants to talk to me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I used to be a teacher before… before I ended up here.”

“Was it fun?”

Earth gave her an amused look. “You’re asking a lot of questions.”

“Well…” She looked up and down the halls. “They said I should spy on you.”

“They did, eh?” Earth chortled.

“Yep! They said to watch out for you doing anything suspicious or against the rules.”

“Heh. Not a bad plan. But you forgot something very important.”

“What?” she said with earnest alarm.

“You’re not supposed to tell the pony you’re spying on that you’re spying on them.”

Nightshade’s face fell. “Oh.” She turned and began walking the other direction.

“Hey, where are you going?” Earth said.

“They said if I couldn’t handle being around you, I should just go back to the kitchen.”

“Kitchen? Moonie’s got kids cooking her meals?”

She nodded. “It’s not the worst, but I like it better out here in the castle. Not so hot and not too many ponies bumping into each other.”

“So stay out here.”

“If I can’t spy on you, how can I?”

Earth gave a sigh and walked toward her. “Look, you’re my aide, right? Do you know what that word means?”

She shook her head.

“It comes from the word ‘aid’, which means to help somepony. They wanted you to help me with little things, right? Like finding my way around the castle, or getting things for my room. You can just do those things.”

“But how do I spy on you?”

Earth wanted to laugh, but he kept a straight face. “Look…how about you just tell them what I do every day?”

“Day?”

“Night,” Earth said, shaking his head. “Sorry. Have trouble keeping that straight. Anyway, just go and tell them what you see me doing every night. It’s more or less what spying is anyway.”

“But if you know about it, it’s not really spying.”

“No.” He gave a small smile to the filly. “But they won’t know that. For all they know, you’re watching me without me ever suspecting. Spies are not usually sweet little fillies, right?”

Nightshade nodded, her smile slowly returning. “So we’ll just pretend you don’t know.”

“Yup,” Earth said. “Pretend I don’t know and that you’re watching me all the time.”

“Okay!” She began to pull ahead. “Let’s go!” she said, taking off down the hallway.

Earth shook his head. Such a cheerful filly, he thought. Maybe a distant cousin of mine. Has the same moral flexibility. Or maybe- He shook his head. No. No, a silly thought. It isn’t her. It can’t be her.

He followed after her, now running as if some terrible beast behind him threatened to attack any second.

One Spell to Rule Them All

“Here we are,” Nightshade said. She motioned to a large black door. Even in the limited light, Earth could see it shone in the flickering torchlight. A large insigma of a horned pony sat above it in the same crest as the throne room banners. The two guards from earlier, Quartz and Rainbow Dash, stood at attention.

“Nightmare Moon’s private quarters?” Earth asked.

Nightshade nodded. “It’s where she sleeps, thinks, and a bunch of other things I’m not sure about. I think she plays some games sometimes.”

“Yes,” Earth said. “Even a busy ruler like her probably needs a little time for games.”

“Well, I’m going to leave now,” Nightshade said, shuffling away from the door. “I’ve got to get some things from Ms. Evergreen for the kitchen.” She rushed off down the hall and was soon invisible in the darkness.

Earth looked at the guards, then reached up towards the knocker.

Thump-thump-thump!

“Enter!” a deep voice boomed. Quartz and Dash stood taller at their monarch’s call and the door creaked open, causing Earth to step back in surprise. He waited until the door fully stopped, then rushed his way inside.

The room itself was far more ornate than the throne room. Large glass moons hung from the ceiling, all at different phases and with varying levels of light shimmering within them. A large black table stretched along the far side of the room, covered to the hilt in various scrolls and papers. The dark blue carpet under Earth’s hooves felt soft to the touch when he walked over it. He made his way over to the table, glancing at as many of the papers as he could. Maps of Equestria, arcane tomes of Equestria’s past, and anything else in-between filled the table.

“Such a breadth of knowledge,” Earth said.

“Indeed,” the deep voice boomed again. Earth glanced behind him to see the one part of the room he hadn’t observed: the bed. It was larger than even his own, stretching at least twenty feet across the middle and with sides just as long. A dark aqua bedsheet covered it, its fabric seeming to be a smooth cotton Earth could only fantasize about touching.

But it was the figure on the bed that caught Earth’s eye the most. Nightmare Moon lounged upon it, laying on her side as if just playfully watching him gawk over the documents instead of her. She wasn’t wearing her official regalia now; laying bare save the crown on her head.

Earth did a quick bow. “Apologies, Your Highness. I didn’t see you.”

Nightmare Moon slinked up, crawling to the bed’s edge. “Do not worry. I was simply laying until you were ready to begin your task. Even a goddess such as myself requires some manner of relaxation.”

Earth nodded. “I presume you want to talk about this task you’ve given me.”

Nightmare Moon smiled. “Indeed.” She wandered around the table, making her way to the window across the room. “Tell me, what do you know of time travel?”

Earth paused. “Not a whole lot. There were studies about it, of course. A few experiments here and there, mostly by Star Swirl the Bearded, but nothing substantial to my knowledge.”

Nightmare Moon continued to stare out the window. “My advisors said the same thing. That they poured over every single text written since the dawn of Equestria, searching for anything that could allow a pony to travel throughout time.”

Earth made his way around the table, tiptoeing around leaning towers of books. “And you don’t think they looked hard enough.”

“On the contrary,” she said. “I think they did the best they could. The threats of death and eternal imprisonment certainly spurned them to do their best.”

Earth gave a knowing nod. “A strong motivator.”

“No, I know that time travel is possible because I saw it happen.”

Earth stood still. “You…did?”

Nightmare Moon turned around and faced him once more. “A month ago, a mysterious... unicorn came to this castle. She had a baby dragon with her, and she was babbling about time travel. I captured them and forced them to take me to the place where they’d initiated the travel.” Her face grimaced in unfathomable rage. “But they escaped. Before she disappeared, she mocked me, claiming she was from a future where I’d been defeated and changed back into the weakling I’d been before I embraced my true self. Then she vanished, leaving me and my troops in the dust like fools.” Her horn began to flicker, small sparks shooting off in varying directions.

“Well, uh, are you sure this unicorn was a time traveler? She could’ve been some mad mare, or a twisted dissident pulling a fast one on you for sick amusement.”

Nightmare Moon shook her head. “No. The magic she used was an ancient one. I could feel its energy as it was cast. No prankster or insane pony could manipulate old magic like that. She time traveled; I’m as sure as that as anything else in this world.”

Earth stood still, his breathing a little more labored. Time travel… he thought. It doesn’t seem possible. Nopony in university ever managed to successfully do it. He looked up at his sovereign, her face still filled with intensity. She seems really sure about it, though.

“This place you talk about. Where is it?” Earth asked.

Nightmare Moon pointed out the window, out at the tangled trees below. “In the Everfree Forest. It’s a stone table, made from some deep magic I haven’t been able to fathom.”

“Did you ever see this table before?”

“No. And ancient magic like that should’ve been readily apparent to me, back when I was first consolidating my power.” She pointed down at the scrolls. “And that’s where you come in. I’ve read the files my police and intelligence groups had on you. You were top of your class back at the School for Gifted Unicorns, as well as an expert on theoretical magic use. I therefore task you to find the spell for time travel. With it, I could rule across all of eternity, past and future.”

Earth gulped. “You want me…to find the secret of time travel?”

“Yes,” she said. “Is that a problem?”

“Not problematic, per se. Just…extremely difficult. I mean, if what you’re saying is true-”

“And why wouldn’t it be?” she growled.

“…Based on what you say, such a magic might take months, even years to discover and hone.”

She smiled. “Good thing I’m immortal then. You, however…” She passed by Earth, running her hoof along his cheek. “You’d better get to it. I’m a patient mare, but I’ll require tangible results soon. Otherwise…” She slinked back onto the bed and looked at Earth with a malevolent smile. “Well, you know what will happen. You were the one that demanded the punishment.”

Earth gulped. Oh Celestia, this is bigger than I wanted, he thought. I should’ve just taken the eternal sentence. At least the dungeon would’ve been familiar. Now I’m going to be stuck on some lunar wasteland where-

“Well?” she said, gesturing toward the table. “What are you waiting for? Get to work.”

“Of course,” he said. He looked back up at her, seeing she still stared at him expectantly. “Are you…you going to sit there the whole time?”

“Of course,” she said with a wry smile. “I want to be here when you find the thing that will give me dominion over all existence. Don’t feel intimidated.” Her horn fizzled, a thick crackle filling the room. “Or do feel intimidated. Whichever makes you work better and harder.”

Earth nodded and made his way back to the far side of the table. He sat down at one of the chairs and grabbed the closest parchment he could get his hooves on. He read for several minutes about applied spatial manipulation, trying not to think about the all-powerful goddess staring at the back of his head.

Research, Development, and Propaganda

“Time travel?” Nightshade squeaked. “That's so cool!”

“Hmm,” Earth said. His eyes stared dead ahead, not looking at the filly skipping beside him. The dark hallways stretched silently before them, save the occasional guard or castle staff shuffling past. The clocks stated his meeting with Nightmare Moon was seventeen hours earlier and a glance out a southern window confirmed Gieneigh indeed shifted the estimated amount. But between the tense study session and the uneasy sleep that followed, Earth thought it may as well been seventeen years.

“It’ll be so great when you and the Princess figure it out,” Nightshade said. She shifted to the right at a diverging passageway, and Earth followed her lead down the new path.

“Not sure that’s the word I’d use for it,” Earth said.

“Why not? Being able to control all of time sounds great. You could help so many ponies that way.”

“Depends on your definition of ‘help’.”

She gave him a funny look. “That’s what the Princess wants, right? To help all the ponies in the past and future?”

“More like help herself keep power.”

Nightshade shook her head. “No way! She’s not like that meanie sister of hers. She wants to give ponies the glory of eternal night.”

“And what if some ponies don’t want eternal night? What if they like playing in the daylight?”

A confused look came across Nightshade’s face. “Why would anypony want that? The Moon is a lot softer. It won’t burn you and you can nap anytime you want!”

“Some ponies don’t like that. They want to go outside and play in warm sunshine.”

Nightshade stuck out her tongue. “Sounds like a bunch of weirdos. They probably like eating broccoli or reading books without pictures.”

Earth sighed and stared forward. “I hope one day you understand. Maybe you’ll see the world a little more clearly.” They walked in silence for a moment, the crackling torches the only sound down the hallway.

“They told me you’d be grumpy about the Princess,” Nightshade mumbled. “Said you had a bad attitude.”

“Hah!” Earth laughed. “You wouldn’t have liked me seven years ago.” He glanced down at Nightshade, who looked up at him with a nervous expression.

“Look,” Earth sighed. “I’m sorry about what I said about Nightmare Moon and the Sun. Just…just know that while we may not agree all the time, we can at least get along well with everything else.”

Nightshade nodded. “Okay.”

Earth nodded back. “Now let’s get to the library.”

Her cheer returned and she started trotting down the hall faster. Earth caught up and kept the pace, chuckling to himself. At least she’s pleasant to be around, he thought. Even if she’s more indoctrinated than the Lunar Corps.

“What’s the Sun like?” Nightshade asked further down the hall.

Earth gave her a disbelieving grin. “You just told me ponies who like daylight are weirdos. Now you want to hear about the Sun?”

“I don’t want to be in the Sun,” Nightshade said defensively. “I just want to know what it’s like.”

Earth closed his eyes for a moment. “Alright. You work in the kitchen, correct?”

She nodded her head at breakneck speed.

“The Sun is like a really big fire in an oven, heating up everything else around it.” He pointed up at one of the aqua torches burning on the wall. “And it gives off a lot of light like that torch.”

“So that’s why it burns ponies.”

“Well, yes and no. If you got too close to it, you could definitely burn up. Down here in Equestria though…” His eyes wandered to a passing Night Guard, her eyes wandering over him with a suspicious glare. He waited until she was further down before saying: “Here on Equestria, you couldn’t get burned alive.”

Nightshade gave a confused look. “But what about the sunburn?”

“What about it?”

“Our teacher Ms. Grizzle said ponies used to get a thing called sunburn that left them in pain for a long time.”

Earth chuckled. “Well, there was sunburn, but not quite like that. It was just a nasty rash you got if you stayed out in the Sun too long. Nothing like the burns you’ve seen in the kitchen.”

Nightshade scratched her chin. “So Ms. Grizzle was wrong?”

She lied, Earth thought. “Everypony makes mistakes,” he said.

Nightshade stared down at her hooves. “That’s what they said my parents did.”

“What kind of mistake?”

Nightshade turned red. “I shouldn’t talk about it.”

“Why not?”

“We’re not supposed to talk about traitors.”

“Ah, of course. Damnatio memoriae.”

“What?”

“It’s an old term. They use it for ponies who do crimes so heinous that they refuse to acknowledge they even existed from that point on.”

“Ms. Grizzle said they tried to fight Nightmare Moon. Said they wanted everypony to burn in the Sun. Said they were…” She looked back down at the ground. “Said they were going to give me up to Celes- To her so that they’d be on her good side.”

“Why would she want you?”

Nightshade’s eyes grew wide and fearful. “Because she wanted to eat me alive.”

A silence passed through the hall, with only the chirping crickets outside and the duo’s hooves clopping along the stone floor.

“Ba-ha!” Earth said. “Aha-ha!” He fell the floor, his guffaws running up and down the hallway. A few ponies stuck their heads out from doorways to see the curled up stallion rolling on the floor.

“It’s not funny!” Nightshade said, her face beet red.

Earth took quick breaths between his laughs before sitting back up. “I’m sorry. It’s just…I never thought they’d be pushing the propaganda to that degree.”

“What’s propaganda?”

Just then, Earth pointed towards the door with a book imprinted within the wood. “Is this the library?”

Nightshade nodded.

“Then you can learn what it means in here,” Earth said. He pushed the door open and found himself within a tall room. A dim chandelier hung from the ceiling, providing just enough light to make out the center tables and three-story high bookshelves lining the remaining space.

Earth took a deep breath of the dry and dusty air. “Better get to it,” he said. “Nightmare Moon likes to have things quick.”

“What should I do?” Nightshade said.

“Do you know Dewey Decimal?”

“Um…no?”

“Do you understand the concepts of fourth dimensional transmutation and matter manipulation?”

“Trans-moo what?”

“That’s what I thought.” He waved his hoof towards the section labeled ‘Equestrian Fiction’. “Why don’t you go over there and read some stories until we leave?”

“Well, um…” She gave a nervous look towards the section. “They told me that if I didn’t have anything to do with you, I should just go back to the kitchen.”

“Do you want to go back to the kitchen?”

“Not really. I just think they’d want me to…”

Earth leaned down and lifted her chin. “Nightshade, I am working for the Princess, and so are you. As long as I say I need you, nopony will be questioning it. Even if you sit around reading books all day.”

Nightshade gave a nervous glance towards the section. “I won’t get in trouble?”

Earth shook his head. “Not as long as you’re with me.”

A small smile came across her face. “So what are we going to do?”

Earth looked up at the cramped bookshelves. “I am going to look at Star Swirl and the other ancient scholar’s works about time manipulation and spatial displacement. And you… go find a dictionary. Find at least twenty new words you can recite to me at the end of the da- I mean, later on tonight. After that, read whatever you want to.”

“Okay!” she said. She went off towards the back of the library, skipping as she looked up and down the aisles.

Earth chuckled. Cute little filly, he thought. Just like Emmy. Shame they both had to be born in these times. He shook his head. Focus.

He wandered over to the librarian’s desk, where an elderly mare with glasses stuck in her white hair and a faded orange coat sat. She read a periodical titled The Equestrian Grazzette with a headline reading: GRYPHON AND DRAGON SKIRMISHES IN THE NORTH.

“Excuse me?” Earth said.

The librarian looked up with disinterested eyes. “Can I help you?”

“I’m looking for the scientific collections by Star Swirl and the Ancients.”

She put the newspaper down and began to shift through a collection of cards. Her lips remained pursed while Earth stood expectantly. A minute later, she pulled out a worn card with crumpled corners.

“The works you seek are in Section F, Row 45, Call Numbers ERGI 345.H3920 A84 to 347.J4923 R90.” She glanced up at Earth’s confused face. “Do you need assistance in finding these materials?”

“Yes, please,” Earth said. The librarian stood up and began walking to the library’s left side, Earth following close behind. Their steps echoed within the lonely aisles until the librarian pointed up a shelf.

“The books are on the fifth shelf up,” she said in a monotone. “Do you need any more assistance with this endeavor?”

“Maybe,” Earth said, his horn lighting up in a light green aura. The ladder near the aisle’s end lit up in the same aura and started rolling their way. Once it came to a rest, Earth began climbing up past the lower shelves.

The first book revealed itself quite easily: STAR SWIRL COMPILATED STUDIES AND ADDENDUMS. The title revealed itself among a thick brown cover with a picture of Star Swirl and his official seal. The remaining books to the right all consisted of various literary add-ons about Star Swirl’s later studies. To the left, nothing but a thick pile of dust.

“Where are the books about the other Ancients?” Earth said, doing his best to not breathe in too deeply.

“They’re arranged in chronological order,” the librarian said. “If they came before Star Swirl, they should be to the left.”

Earth reached over and took a hooful of dust. “Nope, nothing up here but dust bunnies. You guys do any rearranging recently?”

The librarian shook her head. “Somepony else must have checked them out.”

“Alright,” Earth said, taking each Star Swirl book into his hooves. “I’ll only be able to get through these today anyhow.” He made his way down and found a table near the library’s center. With only the occasional scurries from the library’s rear filling his ears, he began to read.

Loyalty Test

The next few weeks consisted of a dual routine for Earth Shine: spending long hours in the library researching, or spending long hours in Nightmare Moon’s quarters researching. It was the latter Earth Shine currently found himself. The monarch’s eyes stared at him and his collected assortment of rotting scrolls and dog-eared books, reclining upon her bed with her front hooves behind her head. Earth scribbled a note upon the first parchment he’d found without every margin filled with calculations.

“Well?” Nightmare Moon said.

“The calculations seem in order,” Earth said. “Star Swirl definitely wasn’t faulty with this spell.”

“Then what’s stopping you from creating an even stronger spell?”

Earth squinted down at his long-running equations. “It’s something about the time manipulation conditions. Instead of merely transporting a pony to the past or future, the spell makes them more akin to deep sea divers: in another place, but still anchored to the point of origin. Star Swirl apparently had safety precautions in mind when he was writing this spell.”

Nightmare Moon chuckled. “That sounds like Star Swirl. He was always so persnickety about the morality of spell use.” She sat up and wandered toward the table. “Still, we mustn’t judge. He couldn’t have known somepony with my power would come along and render such ideals pointless. After all, morality is just another means of control, enforced by those with limited power trying to keep it within their grasp.” She gave a playful grin to Earth. “And of what use is morality to one who controls all?”

“Indeed.” Earth turned back to his notes, hoping the Princess didn’t see the slight shiver in his body.

“Can you remove the anchor?”

Earth grimaced. “Not in the spell’s current form. The magical energy creating the anchor is the same one used to propel the traveler through time. From a spell creation perspective, it’s remarkably efficient.”

“But insufficient for my purposes.” The Princess wandered over to the window and stared out at the stars. “Can you change the spell for a more permanent trip?”

“Maybe. But it will require me to actually see the spell in action. Notes and calculations can only tell me so much.”

Nightmare Moon nodded. “Very well. You may cast the spell when ready.”

“…Right now?”

“Yes.”

“On what?”

“Yourself, of course.”

Sweat trickled down Earth’s forehead. “Wh-What?”

Nightmare Moon twisted her head towards him, a certain amusement on her face. “You need to test the spell, yes? Are you not the most available test subject?”

“Ah…I suppose. But-“

“But what?” she growled.

“You’re asking me to test a spell thousands of years old on myself! I have no clue if it’ll work exactly as written! One small mistake could leave me stranded in some foreign time period! Or worse, completely disintegrated!”

The same smile filled her face. “All the more reason to get it right.”

“Shouldn’t we at least try with a nonliving object first? Like a book or-”

“That won’t be necessary.” She returned her gaze out to the dark forest stretching long into the distance. “Your predecessors for this task reached this same point on their journey, but they got no further. Some followed my orders, but sadly lacked the talent to cast the spell correctly. They’d disappear in a flash, then return ten minutes later. At least, what was left of their charred hides would return.”

Earth let out a nervous chuckle and wiped his brow. A wet streak soon covered his hoof.

“But some were like you: hesitant and cowardly. They crawled on their knees and begged me to let them cast it on something or somepony else. Had I a hundred jugs, there still wouldn’t have been enough to collect the tears they shed in their final seconds. But as you know by now, Earth Shine, I am a merciful goddess. I gave them a final reprieve: Cast the spell right then, or throw themselves out this window.”

She beckoned Earth Shine to the window, her hoof flowing as smoothly as a wave in the water. His legs shaking, he got up and positioned himself beside the Princess. She pointed her hoof all the way down to the cliff far below and his eyes followed. No moonlight penetrated the dark chasm, though the faint squawking of buzzards echoed out the gap.

“Consider this your loyalty test,” Nightmare Moon said. “If you are loyal and able, you will cast the spell quite adequately and find yourself alive to continue your task. Even if you fail, your remains will be buried in the crypt reserved for only my most loyal advisors. However, if you can’t bring yourself to sacrifice something for the good of your Princess…” Her eyes wandered back to the chasm.

“Isn’t…” Earth said, only stopping when Nightmare Moon’s eyes narrowed at him. “Isn’t this somewhat brash? You won’t get any more help from me if I’m dead.”

“Mmm,” she said, pouting. “You could be right.”

Earth’s shoulders relaxed and a relieved sigh escaped his mouth.

“Of course,” she said, slinking back to the other side of the desk. “This test is perfect for finding the strong-willed in my Court. They and their heirs could reap incredible benefits for generations to come.” She looked over Earth from head to hoof. “You’re not too old yet, Earth Shine. You could start a family. You already have the experience, yes?”

Earth Shine’s eyes went wide. Don’t you dare, he thought. Leave them out of this.

Her eyes dashed towards his, a knowing playfulness in her pupils. “You could find another wife. One more…inclined to my rule. Produce a new daughter, maybe even a son. All under my protection, of course.”

Earth’s breathing became faster, and he forced his mouth shut to not show his gritting teeth.

“Of course,” she said, floating back towards Earth’s side of the table. “Rewards for the future are easy to promise. Perhaps something more tangible would do better.” Her horn lit up and a dark blue cloud shot out before Earth. It solidified into something resembling a mirror, and a little body began to appear. Its silver hair bounced while walking down long passageways lit by blue torches.

“Nightshade…” Earth said.

Nightmare Moon’s thick grin illuminated through the cloud. “Indeed. I’d originally planned to cease her assisting activities a few days ago, but the little thing just seemed so happy to help you. And who was I to stop her? I was a filly once, too.” The cloud dissipated and her form towered over Earth. “Besides, she now has a much more useful purpose.”

“Please…” Earth said. “Don’t do anything to-”

“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it.” The devilish smile returned to her face. “Of course, my Night Guards are sometimes a little rash. If they heard little Nightshade disappointed their ruler, who’s to say what they would d-”

“Alright!” Earth screamed, staring at the ground. “I’ll cast the spell!”

A hoof lifted his chin up to Nightmare Moon’s face. “That’s a good little pony.” She gave his cheek a pinch and wandered back to the bed. “Best do it fast, though. Our conversation has taken more time than I would’ve liked.”

Earth Shine took a deep breath. He glanced back at his notes, now seeming more like gibberish than the calculations that would let him come out of this alive.

Relax, he thought. Focus your energy on the anchor, not the actual time travel. He looked back at Nightmare Moon, looking on with an excited grin and lazing upon her bed.

He closed his eyes and focused all his energy in his horn. A buildup began to occur, the light green aura covering his horn and beginning to push outward. Electricity flowed along his fur and pulsated around. Nightmare Moon sat up, a fascinated look upon her face. For several moments, the crackle of energy built and built, papers and scrolls flying around the room.

Then, it was all over.

Earth opened his eyes to find himself on the other side of the table, facing the window. A glance behind him revealed an alert Nightmare Moon, staring on in gaping wonderment.

“Astounding!” her deep voice boomed.

But it was his twin across the table that caught his attention. The stallion’s face seemed ten years older rather than the ten minutes that should’ve passed. His eyes fell back to the notes gathered on the table. Tears seemed to be forming in his eyes as he wiped a smattering of dust sitting on the table.

Earth Shine turned away from himself, back to the open window. He looked out at the night sky to name all the stars he could recall. He needed something, anything to keep his mind from the evil he’d just allowed.

Polaris, he thought, looking to the north. Ponycyon. Gien-

He paused. Gieneigh’s spot laid bare, a dark black blank spot instead of the bright star usually filling the sky.

Earth Shine shook his head. I’m looking in the wrong place, he thought. I can’t think straight. Not with these monsters behind me.

He couldn’t bring himself to look at either the tyrant now dancing across the floor or his future self, even as Earth Shine began to feel the electricity coursing his body again and the flash consumed him once more.

The Truth

A week passed before Earth could forgive himself. The routine continued as previously established, though Nightmare Moon’s eyes shone more in the starlight now. Progress picked up exponentially, with various experiments of self-sustaining time travel being committed every passing night. Indeed, this very night he’d found himself utilizing a shard of ancient magic Nightmare Moon had bottled from the mystical Table. The result was a cornucopia of objects and ponies sent through time. Nightmare Moon commissioned different prisoners and guards who displeased her to be the guinea pigs. All disappeared and reappeared several minutes later.

Now, walking back to his room with Nightshade in tow, he couldn’t help but wonder where life would lead him.

“So are you going to do it?” Nightshade asked.

Earth looked down at her. “Do what?”

“Go through time. Everypony in the kitchen has been saying the Princess will have power over all time soon.”

“I guess she will.” He stared back ahead at the Night Guards passing by. “The Night will last forever, throughout all of time.”

“Great!” Nightshade cheered. “Now all those ponies in the past will be able to live in the moonlight!”

Earth gave her a look somewhere between quizzical and offended. “Is that all you can think about?” he growled. “Moonie’s expansionism?”

Nightshade shrugged. “It’s a good thing, right?”

Earth looked down. “Good implies morality. The Princess herself said such a thing doesn’t exist anymore.”

“Okay…” she said. “What would you do with it?”

“With what?”

“Time travel. Where would you go, backward or forward?”

Earth didn’t need to dwell. Backwards, he thought. Before this madness started and I could keep that wretched thing on the throne from ever-

But he sighed when he saw Nightshade gazing up at him in unrestrained expectation. “Forward,” he finally said. “To see what happens to me in the next few years.”

Nightshade nodded. “That sounds pretty fun. I would go backwards, to see my parents.”

“Heh,” Earth chuckled. “Not a bad choice. I might do that myself.”

“Do you miss them? Your parents?”

Earth shrugged. “Can’t remember them much.”

“They die when you were little?”

Earth pouted and looked up at the ceiling. “Can’t recall. In fact…” His squint intensified toward a burning torch. “I can’t remember the early part of my life at all.”

“That’s weird. Maybe you got bonked on the head.”

“Mmm.” He looked down at Nightshade “And what about yours?”

“Huh?”

“Your parents. You said your teachers told you things about them.”

Nightshade’s face filled with confusion. “I don’t remember that. I don’t…” Her face drifted far away, lost in thought. “I don’t remember anypony saying anything about my parents.”

It was Earth’s turn to look puzzled. “We talked about them a few days ago, walking to the library. Well, sort of. You said you couldn’t talk about them because they betrayed the Princess.”

She shook her head. “No way! They couldn’t be! I follow the Princess all the time. I can’t have bad blood.”

Earth’s eyes narrowed. “Did they tell you to say this?”

“Who?”

Earth grabbed her and pinned her against the wall. “Did they tell you to say this?!”

“P-Put me down!” she squealed.

“You know your parents!” he shouted. “You told me weeks ago! You hate them! They’re traitors!”

“Stop!” she cried.

“Are they telling you to say this? Did they threaten you with something?”

“Put me down!”

“Hey, you!” a harsh voice called out. Earth turned to see a Night Guard running his way, her lance drawn. “Put that filly down!”

Earth looked back at Nightshade, now quaking in fear. “I’ve got to-“

Then the thought came to his mind. No, not a mere thought: a realization. A chill ran down his spine as he stared into Nightshade’s eyes, wavering with fear. It was the fear he felt now, his own body starting to shake in tandem with the terrified filly in his arms.

After a few moments, he gently let her down and pushed her toward the Night Guard. “My apologies,” Earth said, his face now stoic. “This filly is my aide. I thought she was trying to play a trick on me.”

The Night Guard looked at Nightshade. “Is this true, little one?”

Nightshade didn’t answer, still shaking.

“You can talk to the Princess,” Earth said. “She’ll confirm both her position and mine.”

The Night Guard pursed her lips. “Very well. You two may continue, but I better not see any more foolishness.”

Earth held up his hoof. “That won’t be a problem. We’re actually through for tonight. In fact, I would actually prefer it if you escorted her back to the kitchen.”

Nightshade’s eyes went wide. “I-I can be quiet…” she murmured.

“No,” Earth said firmly. “You’ve helped me more than enough. I’m sure the cooks wouldn’t mind if you gave them a helping hoof.”

She looked ready to protest, but just held her head low. The Night Guard looked at Earth before leading the filly down the hall. Nightshade looked back once, a look of utter hurt across her visage until the dark hallway enveloped her.

Earth sighed, then rushed down the original path. I hope she can forgive me, he thought. I just hope I’m wrong, so that I have a chance to apologize.

He ran as fast as he could, brushing by guards and castle staff alike with the same ignorance of their presence. More than a few discontented looks came his way.

“Slow down!” a rough voice called out. He recognized it as belonging to the Night Guard from his initial release, Rainbow Dash, but that was the most thought he gave it. He just kept running until the door rendered familiar from dozens of journeys came into sight. Without even trying the lock, he threw it open.

A musty smell filled the room, already disheveled by thrown about books and parchment. The bed remained unmade from last night and bath towels sat crumpled next to the bathroom doors. Earth made his way to the desk, considerably cleaner than the rest of the room, and began to root through the various papers stacked throughout.

Where is it? Earth thought. Please be here.

Paper upon paper flew up into the air and fell back in a graceful flop upon either the bed or floor. For a minute, the process continued until the desk sat bare. Earth stared down, horrified. A thick gathering of dust sat where once Star Swirl’s Compilated Studies and Addendums sat.

“No,” Earth pleaded. “No.” He turned to the window and threw open the curtains. His eyes desperately searched the night sky, praying for some sign he wanted more than he wanted Nightmare Moon to be gone.

Soon, his eyes stopped darting across the sky and fell back to the floor. For a few moments, he was silent, only his heavy breathing and the papers crumbling underneath his hooves reverberating through the room.

Then he began to laugh. He laughed until he could do nothing but curl up into a ball and laugh into his stomach. His laughter continued long into the night, even when it began to hurt and the tears started to flow down his cheeks.

It's Time to Clean the Castle

“Ugh,” Rarity grumbled, lugging the large sequined rug down the hall. “They could’ve at least given this to one of the lower maids. I’ve been here for six years, and I’m still doing the grunt work.”

She continued down the hall, the rug making swirch-swirch noises with each of her heaves. She passed by the occasional guard, who merely gave her an acknowledging grunt or tip of the helmet. She rolled her eyes at each display.

You’d think I’d have more respect around here, with all the task-

“Rarity!” a rough voice called out. Rarity looked ahead and saw a light blue Pegasus waving to her. Rarity smiled when she caught a glimpse of the rainbow mane and tail sticking out from the armor.

“Why hello, Rainbow Dash!” she said, closing their distance with a few trots. “How are you?”

“Just fine,” Rainbow said. “Feels like we haven’t talked in ages.”

“The feeling’s mutual, darling. I’ve just been so busy with all the tasks at hoof that I haven’t much time to cultivate a social life.”

Rainbow nodded. “I know what you mean. I’ve been trying to submit for the Wonderbolts, but always get guard duty on the night of applications.”

Rarity shook her head. “A travesty, darling. I remember when you were the fastest flyer in Ponyville.”

“Yeah.” A vague sadness came over Rainbow’s face.

“So, um,” Rarity said, eyes shifting every direction. “What are you doing right now?”

“Standing guard for the Princess’s quarters.” She motioned to the big black door behind her. “She’s in there with that prisoner she brought out a few weeks ago.”

“Oh. Has there been any…” She waved her hoof about. “…Interesting developments?”

“Not really. He just goes in every few hours, they talk a little, then he comes back out. Pretty dull stuff.”

“I must say, ‘dull’ wasn’t the word I was thinking of when I looked at him.” She shook her head. “I still remember his scene in the throne room. Such a repulsive fellow!”

“You should’ve seen him when we dragged him up. He was ranting about his stomach and telling weird stores about the Moon.”

“Well, maybe the Princess has straightened him out,” Rarity said with an affirming nod. “She was very pleasant to me when she gave me this position, so perhaps she has the patience to redeem that ruffian.”

“I hope so,” Dash went. “I don’t like the way he’s been looking at me.”

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. It’s just that…He’s had this strange look in his eye the past few days. Like he knows something he’s not telling anypony else.”

Rarity tilted her head. “Could just be him trying to get back to the groove of living outside bars.”

“Maybe, but I still wouldn’t trust him.”

“Well, regardless how we feel, I’m sure the Princess can handle any skullduggery he might be planning.”

“Definitely,” Rainbow affirmed. “One wrong move, and he’ll be back in his dungeon faster than he can blink!”

Rarity smiled. “That’s the spirit, dear! Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get this wretched thing over to the Thousand Year Memorial.”

Rainbow chuckled. “They decided to update that old dump, eh?”

“And not a moment too soon! That place was absolutely writhing with cobwebs and dust.” Her whole body shivered at the thought. “The old rug was so filthy that they didn’t even bother to beat it. Even some of the artifacts were filthier than a squatter’s refuge. How Sweet Leaf allowed it to get that bad is a my-“

“Ha!” A hard laugh pierced the door. Rainbow and Rarity both looked toward it, the former snapping into a fighting position.

Rarity gulped. “What was th-?”

“Ha-ha! Ha-ha!” the voice went again. It was raspy and harsh, like a stallion who’d chewed too much tobacco.

“Is that him?” Rarity whispered.

“I think so,” Dash went. She reached up and knocked on the door. “Is everything alright in there?” she called out.

“Everything’s fine, guard,” the Princess’s voice cooed. “We’ve just discovered something very interesting…”

For a few minutes after the Princess’s words, things were quiet. Then the door flew open so fast Rainbow just barely jumped out of the way. Nightmare Moon strode out, an intense happiness radiating from her face. Earth Shine soon followed, a similar glee filling his visage.

“At last!” Nightmare Moon shouted. “It is accomplished!” She turned to Rainbow Dash and stuck out her hoof. “Guard!”

“Yes, Your Highness?” Rainbow said, standing at full attention.

“Gather the rest of the Night Guard! We will be leaving on an expedition soon, and I will need as many stallions and mares we can muster!”

Rainbow saluted. “Right away, Your Highness!” She then flew down the hallway, ruffling many of the banners as she passed.

“And you!” Nightmare Moon said, pointing towards Rarity. “I want you to make sure my room is spotless by the time I get back!”

“Yes, Your Highness!” Rarity said with a bow.

“Do an especially good job! I won’t be coming back simply the Princess of Equestria, but a goddess of all time!”

“Of…course, Your Highness!” she said, a confused look on her face.

Nightmare Moon turned and galloped down the hall, Earth Shine trotting after her. Soon they were invisible in the long-stretching darkness filling the long passageway.

What a strange commotion, Rarity thought before entering the chambers. Her eyes could just make out the room in the bright moonlight, and her jaw soon dropped.

Oh my, she thought. Crumpled papers laid strewn about the floor, the bed covers were mussed up, and she was certain a small pile of drool had gathered below the table. Worst of all, the table itself seemed to be a twenty-foot long dust magnet. Rarity leaned over and took a sniff.

“Ah…Ah…Aah-choo!” she squeaked. She produced the hoofkerchief she kept on her and wiped her nose.

This place is absolutely filthy, she thought. How could the Princess have let this place go to Tartarus so fast?

But such considerations soon fell to the wayside as she began working. First, she grabbed the bedsheets and tore them off the mattress, throwing them into the laundry bin located near the chamber door. No need for these to gather any more dust, she thought. She then started picking up some of the discarded papers, throwing them in the trashcan as fast as she could.

“Gather up!” a loud voice called outside. Rarity perked up and wandered over to the window. In the courtyard, in front of the deep chasm lining the castle’s northern side, a large number of soldiers stood at attention. Nightmare Moon stood at the front of them with Earth Shine standing right beside her. A little filly with silver hair sat next to him, rubbing her legs and trying not to look at the stallion. They all then turned and marched out into the forest, the guards’ hooves marching in time with each step. Soon, they were gone from sight, their marching rhythm the only sign of their existence.

What is going on down there? she thought. The Princess was sure acting strange. Did that prisoner tell her something or-?

She stopped. She couldn’t hear anything now. Not the soldiers marching, not the wind in the trees, not the usual castle bustle, nothing. Everything stopped in place, as if a strange spell had come over the land.

“I wonder what’s-” she began, but she didn’t finish. Before the words had even left her mouth, Rarity was gone, as was the entire castle of Nightmare Moon.

The Night that Never Ends

“Keep up, Nightshade,” Earth Shine said.

The little filly quickened her pace, walking alongside Earth and the Princess. The Night Guards marched behind them, their hoofsteps and clinking weapons the only sounds within the night.

“Curious,” Nightmare Moon said. “Not nearly as many Timberwolves this time.” She gave a quick shrug. “But who am I to complain about such luck?”

“Indeed,” Earth Shine said. “Fortune seems to favor your ascent.”

Nightmare Moon gave him a questioning look. “It seems your belief in fortune extends to bringing the filly with us. I would’ve thought you of all ponies would know better than child endangerment.”

“You know her purpose, Your Highness,” Earth Shine said. “I told you I would show you my devotion to your cause.”

Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow. “A most abnormal tribute.”

Earth gave her a look as hard as steel. “This is a most unusual event. Don’t act like some hollow praise or kneeling will satisfy you. You want proof?” He pointed toward Nightshade. “What better than willingly sending my one true companion through the portal with us?”

“Still. Devotion of this degree is…unusual.”

“If you’re in a cynical mindset, think of her as insurance. I won’t try anything funny with Nightshade at risk. You should know; you tested my devotion the same way.”

The Princess’s smile returned. “Indeed. Perhaps your devotion will be as pure as you suggest. But for now, we march forward.”

Earth Shine nodded, then looked up at the sky. Then he gazed back down at Nightshade shivering in the cool evening wind. His eyes softened for a moment before returning to their hard look.

“Come on,” he said. “We mustn’t disappoint the Princess.”

Nightshade nodded and picked up her pace. She stared at the ground, watching for vines and hoping she wouldn’t trip over her hooves in the dark.

A few minutes later, a clearing appeared before them. At the center of it sat a giant stone table surrounded by broken thrones. It was a dim white color, almost pure marble. A tangle of vines covered its surface, and croaking bullfrogs leaped off the thrones once the soldiers came into view.

“Here we are,” Nightmare Moon said, her voice barely containing her glee. “The place where my destiny shall be fulfilled.” She glanced down at Earth Shine, who stared at the scene with a blank face. The joy he’d originally felt during his earlier revelation didn’t appear now.

“Well what are you waiting for?” Nightmare Moon said. “Use the magic you described.”

He looked up at her and gave a small smile. “Of course, Your Highness. Let me make sure the spell parameters are correct first.”

“Well, hurry up,” she said. “I’d rather conquer all of time sooner rather than later.”

He nodded and made his way to the table. He shuffled around every which way he could, glancing at each section as if it were the important part of a machine that needed to be oiled. He continued this way for several minutes, the Princess growing more restless by the minute.

“Well?” she eventually burst out. “Can you do the spell or not?”

Earth Shine looked up and smiled. “Indeed I can.” He motioned towards Nightshade. “Nightshade, please come on up here.”

Nightshade looked nervous, but the Princess’s irritated glare soon prompted her up to the table.

“Now stand here,” Earth Shine said. “We need to make sure the spell stays within certain parameters.” Nightshade followed his hoof and stood at the table’s center, now shaking slightly less.

Earth looked down at the table and smiled. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

“What?” the Princess said.

“This table. This…total reservoir of ancient magic. With it, a pony could do whatever they wanted, rule whomever they wanted.”

“Yes! And your poetry is keeping me from doing so!” Nightmare Moon boomed. “Now get on with the spell!”

“Very well,” he said. He planted his hooves firmly within the table and lifted his horn high in the air. A firm buildup of energy occurred, his horn glowing green before shooting off above the table. A dome began to form above it with mysterious runes covering the sphere’s surface.

“Yes!” Nightmare Moon shouted over the growing wind. “A portal to another time!”

Just then, the energy immediately died off. The crackling spell went silent, with not even the bullfrogs croaking a reply to the commotion.

“What?” Nightmare Moon said, before looking down at Earth. He was sitting on the table, a weak smile stretched across his face. Nightshade shook behind him, barely able to keep standing on the structure.

“It’s over,” he said.

“What? What’s over? Open that portal back up!” Nightmare Moon demanded.

The prisoner shook his head. “I can’t. There’s nothing on the other side of that portal, Your Highness.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“This place.” He gestured to the woods. “This reality doesn’t exist anymore. That mare you met destroyed it when she went back in time. We’re all dead now. Time just hasn’t caught up to us yet.”

Ashes to Ashes...

“Listen, you punk!” a harsh voice called out. Earth Shine recognized the mare stepping forward as the Commander. “Get that portal open or my whole brigade here will start playing a drum solo on your skull!”

Earth Shine smiled. “You can try.”

The Commander rushed forward, hurtling toward the prisoner at a speed faster than most Wonderbolts ever achieved. Earth Shine didn’t flinch as she neared him.

Whap!

The Commander’s body slammed against an invisible wall, and she fell to the ground with a whump. She hoisted herself up and glared through the barrier.

“You punk!” she yelled. “A force field won’t protect you forever!”

“Indeed!” Nightmare Moon shouted. “For I can disperse it easily!” She reared back and fired a powerful blast of magic straight at the table.

Splonk!

The spell bounced off like a ball to a wall.

“What?!” the Princess said.

Earth Shine shook his head. “Not even your magic can break my shield, Princess. I’m recycling the ancient magic coursing through this table. I can sit here as long as I want.”

The Princess’s face turned a beet red. “You will pay dearly for your betrayal!” She turned back towards the guards. “You lot! Go back to the castle and get some reinforcements! I’m going to get this traitor out if it’s the last thing I do!”

“I wouldn’t do that,” Earth said. “You’ll last longer if you stay here.”

“Silence!” Nightmare Moon shouted. “Now go!”

The soldiers were hesitant for a moment, then started off down the trail. Nightmare Moon turned back to Earth, who now laid down on his side and traced the table's surface idly with his hoof. Nightshade stood just off the table’s center, silent and unsure.

“Oh, you’ll receive your punishment, all right!” Nightmare Moon hissed. “I’ll make sure you stay in that moon for an eternity like my sister!”

Earth Shine looked up at her, a smirk upon his face. “What Moon?” he asked in an innocent tone.

“Don’t play dumb! You know which-” She looked up and gasped.

Nothing sat in the sky. No stars, no Moon, nothing. Not even the total blackness a city would have when all the lights were turned on. Just a firm Nothingness covering the skies, unending as far as the Princess’s eyes could see.

“There isn’t a Moon anymore, Your Highness,” Earth said. “It’s disappeared, just like everything else soon shall.”

“What’re you babbling about?” the Commander said.

“I’m babbling about the encroaching Nothingness above you. It’s the end result of time travel. Of that mare who escaped you months ago.”

Nightmare Moon’s horn glowed. “Don’t you think you can mock me like she did and get away with it.”

Earth Shine gave a sad sigh. “I’m not mocking anypony. Just stating simple facts. She was from a different future, then went back to the past to change it. She must have succeeded, because this world is beginning to disappear. Soon, there won’t be anything here but the vast Nothingness the sky has become.”

“Liar!” the Princess said, launching another magic beam toward him. It bounced harmlessly off the shield.

“Normally, you’d be right. But I’m afraid it’s true.” He pointed down at the table. “I had my first grasp of the truth when you told me about this table. About how nopony knew about it, despite the millennia this nation had existed. Why? Because it was hidden here in the forest? Or because it didn’t exist in this reality at all?

“Then came the missing texts. I initially figured the Ancient Scholars’ texts had been misplaced or shuffled around somewhere.” He stared down at the dirt surrounding the table. “Then I remembered the dust. It was there when I looked for the Ancients’ texts, and there on your chamber table. The reason for its appearance was simple: history became erased as time receded around us, and the artifacts from these times began to crumble into dust.”

Earth Shine pointed to Nightshade. “Nightshade provided the final clue. She remembered her parents one day, then forgot them the rest. Just as I started forgetting the early years of my life, despite knowing I thought about them weeks ago. It made no sense, unless those parts of our lives simply didn’t exist anymore. Not to mention the stars.” He pointed upwards. “I’d long memorized their positions in prison, so you can imagine my shock when they all started disappearing. A few missing might’ve been my own error, but Polaris gone? Ponycyon? Not a coincidence.”

He gestured to the entire forest around them. “That’s when I realized: this world doesn’t exist anymore. Not since that mare escaped you. She must’ve gone to the past and fixed whatever it was that made this world so wrong. Whatever cruel twist of fate that made you the ruler.”

Nightmare’s eyes lit up in rage. “Talk all the nonsense you want. You will not escape my wrath.”

“Yes, I will,” he said. “Because there won’t be a Nightmare Moon soon.”

“Hold your tongue, worm!” the Commander yelled. “Or else I’ll…I’ll…”

Nightmare Moon looked down at the Commander, and her eyes went wide. Part of the Commander was still there, but her back half had eroded into the same Nothingness the sky was now. She looked up further and saw the forest was also gone, replaced also by the Nothingness. By the time she looked back at the Commander, the armored mare was gone as well.

Nightmare Moon inched closer to the table. The Nothingness edged closer every second, absorbing everything it touched like runaway oil.

“This table was the epicenter of our destruction,” Earth Shine said. “The place where that mare began her changes. It was just a matter of when the universe would finally implode all the way back to it.”

“Let your shield down!” Nightmare Moon hollered. “Let me in!”

He shook his head. “Even if I wanted to, I can’t. The magic is self-sustaining now. It’ll last until the Nothingness overtakes it.”

Nightmare Moon’s face flew through a hundred emotions: Rage, confusion, amusement. But the one that she landed on as she began to melt away was sadness. Her eyes looked at Earth Shine the same as a spurned lover, having been thrown away by the stallion she’d entrusted so dearly. It was her last expression as she faded away into nothing, her eyes begging for something Earth Shine could never give.

...Dust to Dust

Earth Shine and Nightshade sat in silence, for how long neither could tell. No clocks or even stars existed anymore for them to glance at. Instead, they stared out into the Nothingness on the cool table, the last remnant of their extinct world’s existence. Earth looked down at the table’s edges, the Nothingness beginning to wear the marble away.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “About yelling at you.”

Nightshade didn’t answer. She sat huddled with her legs to her chest, rocking in place.

“I wanted to make sure you were with me when it all ended. I couldn’t…” He swallowed the lump in his throat. “I couldn’t imagine you staying in that castle, fading away into nothing. You were the only friend I’ve had since…” His brow furrowed. “Honestly, I don’t know now. I can’t remember anything from the past few days, let alone years.”

Nightshade sniffled. “Me neither.”

Earth scooched a little closer to her. “I’m sorry it’s like this. Even if it was this world, you should’ve gotten a chance to grow up in it.”

She turned to face him, her eyes red and little droplets dripping off her chin. “We’re going to die. Right?”

Earth’s eyes wavered for a moment. “Don’t think of it like that. Think of it as a sleep that lasts forever.”

“But I like being awake!” Nightshade screamed. “I like walking around and having fun! Why did the world have to end now?!” She buried herself back into her own chest, the tears falling faster.

Earth Shine stroked her shaking back. “I know,” he whispered. “It’s unfair. We never asked for this, and we don’t deserve it.” He took a deep breath. “But it’s here now. And the only thing we have control over is how we’re going to face it. Do you want to spend your last few moments crying? Or thinking about something else?”

Her sobs paused, then a sniffle. She looked up at Earth, doing her best to wipe the tears from her face.

“L-Like what?”

Earth shrugged. “Whatever you want to think about.”

She sniffed. “All the happy things I liked are gone. I can’t even remember anything good to think about.”

“Oh, right. Well, maybe-“

“Nothing but you.”

Earth stared at her, face frozen. She likewise seemed crippled by what she said. They stared at each other for a long time, the table’s edges eating away ever so slightly.

Then, before Earth could react, he felt her whole body collide into his chest. Her legs flew around him, and the sobs began to stain his coat with tears and snot. He quickly wrapped his legs around her and pulled her tight. He tried to hide the tears in his eyes, but they soon started dripping down atop her head.

“Are you scared?” she whispered.

“Very,” he said. The table was now half its original size, the middle the only part remaining untouched.

Nightshade nuzzled her head deeper into his chest. “At least we can be scared together.”

“Yes,” he said, staring out into the Nothingness now mere inches from their bodies. “Sometimes having somepony to be scared with is the best you can hope for.”