You Can Only Monologue So Many Times.
“Ahh, so you’ve finally arrived.” Nightmare Moon announced while continuing to stare out of the tower window.
Below her lay the sprawling Everfree forest, its wild, chaotic nature having remained unchanged even after a thousand years. Nightmare Moon couldn't help but grin at the dark landscape, her moon hanging high above the dilapidated castle that would serve as the site for her greatest victory. The magical pressure exuded by Celestia upon her arrival was unmistakable and Nightmare Moon could hear the distinctive clip clop as the other alicorn stepped fully into the room.
“You will not harm my little ponies.” Celestia declared.
Nightmare Moon scowled. “Your little ponies? Am I no longer a princess, dear sister?” Spat the dark alicorn.
Celestia came to a stop somewhere near the center of the room. “You gave up that title the second you sought to destroy the very nation Luna and I built together.” Retorted the solar princess.
Nightmare Moon’s scowl deepened as she gazed up at the starry sky above them. “Then I suppose I will have to take back what is mine by force then. And here I thought you would welcome your sister back with open hooves.”
“You are not my sister.” Celestia spat.
Nightmare Moon laughed aloud. “You would say that wouldn't you. After all you were the one who-” The alicorn turned around to face her nemesis only for her words to falter when she truly beheld her opponent.
“Can you not bring yourself to attack me now that you don't have an army at your back?” Celestia taunted.
“What in the world are you wearing?” Nightmare asked, pointing to the alicorn.
Celestia blinked and looked down at herself. “What do you mean? This is traditional dueling garb.”
Nightmare Moon stood there, jaw hanging open as she stared at the sombrero clad alicorn who also wore a necklace of bananas and a pair of bright pink, reflective, aviator sunglasses. “No it isn't. You look ridiculous.” Nightmare Moon declared.
“It is not ridiculous.” Celestia shouted, stamping her hoof. “I’ll have you know that the last time we fought you were wearing the very same outfit as I.”
“Bull crap. I would rather drop dead then be caught wearing that getup.” Nightmare Moon retorted.
“You literally fought me in this exact same room, wearing this exact same outfit exactly one thousand years ago.” Celestia cocked her head. “You didn't go like crazy crazy when you were up there right?”
“I will have you know I am perfectly sane! I may not have been able to interact with the ponies of Equestria but I was still able to observe their dreams and keep my mind sharp.” Nightmare Moon retorted.
“And yet you forgot what you were wearing when we fought.” Celestia stated.
Nightmare Moon sighed and ran a hoof down her face. “I get it, this is another prank of yours. Well it's very poorly timed I will have you know. Very inconsiderate of the circumstances I must say.”
“I- this isn't. Augh fine. Give me a second and I’ll go get the scrap book.” Celestia muttered before turning and walking towards the door.
“Wait, you had pictures taken? How?” Nightmare Moon asked.
“Remember that scrawny mare who followed us around for most of the fight?” Celestia offered.
“I…” Nightmare Moon tapped her chin. “Do.”
“Yeah she was taking the pictures. Just uh, don't move. I’ll be right back.” Celestia announced before turning around and trotting back down the stairs.
Nightmare Moon stood there, blinking in confusion. “Wait, why would she make a scrapbook for that? Augh, I will never understand that mare.” Nightmare Moon muttered.
Tapping her hoof, Nightmare Moon hummed a tuneless melody as she waited for Celestia’s return. As she did, the alicorn considered what she was going to do after she had finally won, and had already mentally redecorated the castle when Celestia finally returned. In a flash of light the other alicorn stood in the center of the room, a scrapbook floating in her magic.
“Here it is. Right where I left it, on top of the toilet seat.” Celestia declared.
Nightmare Moon beckoned her closer. “Well, what are you waiting for? Show us this evidence of yours.”
Celestia flipped through the pages until she found the one she was looking for. “Aha, see?” Celestia declared, showing Nightmare Moon the photo in question.
Though taken from outside the window by an unsteady hoof, the picture clearly showed both Nightmare Moon and Celestia wearing the same ridiculous garb. They were also mid spell, right before the east wing had been leveled, a moment Nightmare Moon remembered clearly. She also remembered that she had definitely not been wearing such bizarre headgear even once in her entire life.
“Wait a second.” Nightmare Moon announced before turning and walking over to the window, gazing up at the night sky.
“This isn't another one of your tricks is it? Because it's not a very good one.” Celestia remarked.
Nightmare Moon laughed aloud. “No, I’m actually on the wrong Equestria. See? My Equestria has one less star in Orion’s belt.”
Celestia walked over and looked up at the constellation. “But it's always- oooh I get it. That is strange. How exactly did you get here then?”
“It's the spell I used to escape. Look it doesn't matter. I need to get back to my Equestria in time for the summer sun celebration.” Nightmare Moon exclaimed.
“In that case I wish your Celestia the best of luck in defeating you.” Celestia exclaimed with a grin.
Nightmare Moon snorted bitterly. “And I hope your Nightmare Moon reclaims her rightful place as queen of Equestria!”
With that, the alicorn vanished in a flash of magic.
Leaving Celestia in an empty room. “Now what?”
Nightmare Moon appeared in a flash of blue light, her hooves landing on nearly the same exact spot she had been standing a second earlier. Looking up at the moon determined that she had also managed to get back to the same point in time as her first attempt. In addition, it meant that Celestia was about to walk through the door behind her in mere moments from now.
With all desire to monologue wasted on the wrong Celestia, Nightmare Moon didn't feel like wasting anymore time and lit her horn. A second later, an armored Celestia burst through the door, battleaxe raised above her head and a warcry on her lips. Nightmare Moon wasted no time in unleashing her ace in the hole, firing a beam of magic at the screaming alicorn mere milliseconds after she had opened the door.
The beam did its job perfectly, causing Celestia to vanish, her essence being banished to the sun and leaving Nightmare Moon as the only alicorn left in Equestria. A moment that Nightmare Moon would have savored if not for the fact that this most recent Celestia had been more violent then she remembered. Still, it wasn't exactly outside the realm of possibility that her sister had changed dramatically over the years.
“Where did that other Celestia say her scrapbook was? On top of the toilet?” Nightmare Moon muttered. “That must mean her old chambers. Better not waste anytime, lets see if this is indeed my Equestria.”
A quick teleport later and Nightmare Moon was standing in Celestia’s bathroom, with a familiar book sitting on the toilet before her. Grabbing it, Nightmare Moon began to flick through the pages, revealing bloody battles, and mares wearing skimpy armor. It was definitely disconcerting, but Nightmare Moon held out hope that it was her Equestria, until she reached the same page as last time.
“Why is all of the armor so skimpy?” Nightmare Moon muttered aloud. “It is utterly useless, and makes my, or her behind look enormous.”
And it was true, the skimpy, chainmail bikini the other version of herself wore was indeed useless. It was also a little hot if Nightmare Moon was being honest with herself, though that didn't spring to mind until later. Right now she was a little too annoyed that she had somehow managed to miss her Equestria yet again.
“I really should have spent more time on this spell. If only I hadn't spent that first hundred years trying to master making moon pies.” Nightmare Moon sighed. “Well, at least I helped some other version of myself.”
Nightmare Moon’s bitter mutterings were cut off when the bathroom door exploded, showering her in bits of wood and revealing an angry, chainmail clad Nightmare Moon.
“How dare you rob me of my victory doppelganger!” Shouted the other Nightmare Moon.
“Look I thought it was my Celestia and-” Nightmare Moon tried to explain, only to get a comically large axe thrown at her face.
Jumping out of the way, Nightmare Moon found herself caught in Celestia’s shower covering which depicted a smiling stallion who was covering his privates with a very small pillow. Nightmare Moon didn't have time to curse her sister’s poor taste though, as her alternate universe copy had already ripped the axe from the stone wall it had been embedded in. With a cry of rage, the chainmail clad Nightmare Moon went to cut off her copy’s head, only to miss when her enemy vanished.
Leaving Nightmare Moon standing there, breathing heavily for several seconds. “I can't believe I revenge blocked myself. And she wasn't even wearing any armor, how stupid can you be.” Nightmare Moon muttered to herself.
Panting hard, Nightmare Moon stood in the same spot as last time, only this time she was still tangled in a shower curtain. A quick spell turned the ridiculous thing to dust, and a shake ensured that none of it remained in her fur. After that, Nightmare Moon sprinted over to the window, and looked up at the night sky, scanning it for any irregularities.
Before she could finish though, the door was kicked down and a strange buzzing voice announced the arrival of another Celestia. “Sister! I’ve come to settle this once and for all!” She shouted.
Turning around revealed that there was an odd, buglike version of Celestia standing across the room. Dark green chitin replaced fur, a long jagged horn replaced the smooth, normal one, and her and Nightmare Moon now shared similar slit like eyes. This other Celestia’s magic was also a deep green color, and she had no cutie marks upon either of her flanks. Even still, Nightmare Moon could tell that this was indeed Celestia due to the color of her eyes, her general body shape and her voice which remained somewhat normal.
“What the heck are you supposed to be?” Nightmare Moon exclaimed, gesturing to Celestia.
“You speak nonsense sister. Shed your silly disguise so we may do battle like true queens.” Celestia shouted.
“I’m proud that you finally shed that stupid princess title but seriously. What in tartarus are you?” Nightmare Moon replied, gesturing to the other creature.
Who blinked and looked down. “We are changelings. Do you not remember? Don't tell me you went like, crazy crazy when you were up there.”
“No I could visit dream- you know what nevermind. This clearly isn't my Equestria. Toodles!” Nightmare Moon exclaimed before disappearing in a flash.
Leaving a confused changeling Celestia to remain in a defensive stance for several more seconds before slowly relaxing. “I knew I should have just sent my daughter and her children. I think I can feel a migraine coming on.”
Nightmare Moon appeared in another identical tower and quickly ran over to the window, only to discover that her night sky seemed to be in order, though it did look oddly cheap for some reason. “Could this finally be it?” Nightmare Moon wondered aloud.
When the door was thrown open a completely normal looking Celestia stepped into the room. “Sister, I have come to settle this once and for all. You will not-”
“Are you actually a freaky bug thing under there?” Nightmare Moon shouted suddenly.
Celestia blinked. “Uh, no?”
“Did we wear chainmail bikinis or sombreros during our last battle?” Nightmare Moon continued.
“Not that I remember.” Celestia muttered. “Why?”
“I’ve just had a hell of a day and I can't believe I’m saying this but I am so glad to see my Celestia.” Nightmare Moon
“Wait, your Celestia?” Replied the baffled alicorn.
“It has to do with the spell- you know what it doesn't matter, lets just fight already. Maybe a duel will help lift my spirits after everything that's happened.” Nightmare Moon muttered before lighting her horn.
Celestia narrowed her eyes and took up a battle stance, her horn glowing brightly. “So be it villain. After today you won't harm a single one of my little ponies.”
“Yeah yeah, have at you already.” Nightmare Moon shouted before losing a bolt of magic.
Celestia reflected her attack with a well placed shield, and followed it up with a fireball. Which Nightmare Moon countered by summoning a wall of water, turning Celestia’s spell into a puff of steam. Nightmare Moon readied her next attack only for the roof of the castle to suddenly get torn off.
“Quick it's the Elezibeth, act natural!” Celestia shouted before suddenly becoming inert.
“What are you talking about? Who is this Elizabeth creature you speak of?” Nightmare Moon muttered.
Her question was at least partially answered when an enormous, strangely flat face appeared in the hole left behind by the castle’s roof. The creature was clearly young, with short curly blonde hair hanging down her face which nearly obscured her bright blue eyes. It looked like one of the creatures Nightmare Moon had read about in her youth, a human if she was remembering correctly.
Only this one was far, far larger than any Nightmare Moon had read about.
“Ooh there you are Celestea, what are you doing here?” Asked the young creature who reached down and plucked Celestia from the ground.
“Hey what are you doing! Unhand her, you foul beast!” Nightmare Moon shouted.
The creature blinked and looked down at the dark alicorn. “Did you just talk?”
“Of course I can talk, what do you think I am, a toy?” Scoffed Nightmare Moon.
“Woah. I wonder if daddy got you for me.” Exclaimed the human. “It is my birthday tomorrow.”
“I am not a gift you insolent- you know what nevermind. This clearly isn't the correct Equestria anyway.” Nightmare Moon lit her horn and gave the creature a salute. “Goodbye everyone, I’ll remember you all in therapy.”
In a flash, Nightmare Moon vanished, leaving a stunned human child and a silently enraged toy Celestia who could do absolutely nothing at the moment.
Luna you idiot, when you get back I am going to strangle you. Fumed the plastic alicorn.
When next Nightmare Moon landed she found that beneath her hooves was not stone but rather grass. Looking around, the dark alicorn found that there was no sign of her and her sister’s castle. The forest also seemed less… chaotic for lack of a better word, more normal, as if Discord had never messed with it.
“I wonder…” Muttered Nightmare Moon.
Looking up at the sky revealed that this wasn't her Equestria, as the stars were all wrong, and worse then that her moon didn't respond to her magic. Pushing that bit of weirdness off for now, the alicorn leapt into the air, her wings easily carrying her above the treetops. Catching a glimpse of a distant town, the alicorn flew in that direction, her curiosity getting the better of her.
“It can't be any worse then that last one.” She muttered to herself.
Not wanting to alert any potential guards to her presence, the shadowy alicorn found a lone cloud hovering far above the town and landed atop it. Peeking over the edge, Nightmare Moon found that the bit of civilization below her looked surprisingly normal. A few earth ponies, pegasi and unicorns flitted this way and that in an unhurried manner, some carrying supplies from the market while others were simply enjoying the night air.
“That's strange. Shouldn't they be getting ready for the summer sun celebration?” Nightmare Moon remarked. “Though if Celestia and I don't exist here then it would explain the castle and the lack of activity.”
With a smile slowly growing across her face, Nightmare Moon began to consider the possibility of simply staying here. It was ripe for conquest after all, and without Celestia, it would also mean that there would be no one to oppose her. Though it also made Nightmare Moon kind of disappointed, as she had been looking forward to making her Celestia pay.
“Well I guess I got revenge on a Celestia.” Nightmare Moon whispered to herself.
A sudden flash of light from deep in the Everfree forest grabbed Nightmare Moon’s attention and she gazed curiously at the spot that she had appeared in only a few minutes earlier. Within seconds a familiar, but clearly different magical presence appeared in the distance, one that quickly turned in her direction. Raising an eyebrow, Nightmare Moon studied the flying object closely, finding that although it looked almost like Celestia it was clearly was not her sister.
Gone was the soft pastel colored mane and tail, replaced by what looked like a barely controlled inferno that sprouted from the mare’s head and butt. Her eyes were dark, and she wore what looked like armor rather than the simple regalia her Celestia always wore. This other alicorn’s expression was also strangely wary, almost as if she had experienced something similar as to what Nightmare Moon herself had.
Leaping up from the cloud, Nightmare Moon decided to approach the newcomer, and meet her just outside of the town’s boundaries. The other alicorn’s eyes went wide upon seeing Nightmare Moon, only to narrow quickly, as if realizing the same thing Nightmare Moon just had. This was not her Luna, nor Nightmare Moon’s Celestia, and though they were both cautious, neither took any overtly aggressive action other then to subtly adjust their right hoof guard.
Now flying several feet apart, the two alicorn’s eyed one another carefully. “Let me guess, your an evil version of my sister?” Asked this other alicorn.
“Nightmare Moon is my name, and you are?” Offered the dark alicorn.
“Daybreaker.” Declared the flaming alicorn. “I also feel as though we have experienced similar strangeness recently.”
“I did. Each more stranger then the last I’m afraid.” Nightmare Moon muttered.
“And this place? What fresh horror awaited you here?” Asked Daybreaker with a hint of hesitation, as if the alicorn was unsure if she even wanted to know the answer to her own question.
“Nothing.”
“Nothing?”
“Correct. It doesn't seem as though Luna or Celestia ever existed here.” Nightmare Moon exclaimed.
“That is… interesting.” Daybreaker murmured. “The sun doesn't respond to my magic either.”
“Neither does the moon.”
Daybreaker lifted an eyebrow. “Meaning neither of us can bring eternal night, or day.”
“Indeed.”
“Most… distressing.”
“Quite.”
Daybreaker frowned. “What now?”
“I had a proposition.” Offered Nightmare Moon.
“You think to conquer this world.” Replied Daybreaker.
“I do, but it would be boring if we turned out to be the only two alicorns left.” Nightmare Moon exclaimed. “Wouldn't you agree?”
“So you are offering what, an alliance?” Scoffed the flaming alicorn.
“Think about it. You are not my sister, nor I yours. We do not know one another and with neither of us able to move our celestial bodies we have no true quarrel.” Nightmare Moon grinned. “Think about it. This world is ripe for the taking, and this way we'll always have a rival to keep things interesting.”
Daybreaker’s eyes narrowed, and for a moment it seemed as though she were about to shut down Nightmare Moon’s idea. Only for a sly grin to slowly cross her face, and she subtly twisted her right hoof cuff a little more before extending that same limb. A move that enacted a subtle enchantment on the peice of armor which would kill whoever touched it via thousands of volts of electricity.
“You got yourself a deal.”
Nightmare Moon smirked, and twisted the same hoof cuff, priming the poisonous dart she had tucked beneath it.
“Excellent.” Declared Nightmare Moon, who extended her own forelimb.
Sorry stranger, but there's only room for one all powerful alicorn around here. They both thought at the same exact moment in time.
Their hooves connected, electricity erupted from one hoof while a poison dart sunk into the other. Both alicorns convulsed violently, before plummeting out of the sky, dying before they even hit the ground.
Leaving an entire world unaware of the horrible fate that they had only just barely avoided.
Author's Note
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