Riding the Moon and Stars
It is said that the bond between a mother and child is the strongest link in existence. Conventional wisdom would suggest that a mother can and will do anything to protect her child, come hell or high water. This is a strong evolutionary instinct, which means to ensure that her progeny will survive and reproduce on their own. What is not said, however, is what happens when this bond between mother and child is between two separate species. There are cases recorded in nature of one animal “adopting” another of a different kind and taking care of them; as well as symbiotic relationships between different species. Manta rays coexist with remoras, clownfish with sea anemones, etc. There are also more atypical examples of this symbiosis, and of motherly care between two individuals.
Horses were domesticated around 7000 years ago, and have become beasts of burden. They have evolved alongside man and learned to cooperate with him for certain tasks. These animals are also very socially intelligent, recognizing human faces and forming long-term memories. If these bonds can form between a simple horse and her human companion, what would happen if the equine in question is a god?
In 2003, a human boy was born in New York City. His name is Noah. As a child, he was very loved by his mother, but detested by his father. There were many reasons for this, but the factors pertaining to Noah’s father’s infidelity and his lack of compassion for his son’s autism led to Noah developing many difficulties forming meaningful relations with other humans. He often overheard his father and mother arguing, and his mother crying in the face of her husband’s alcoholic abuse. Noah pleaded over and over again for his father to stop, but he continued to hurt his mother.
“STOP, you are hurting Mom!” He cried, to no avail. The smell of his father’s breath tainted by alcohol scared Noah, and his mother was unable to defend herself.
“What do you know, kid? You’re retarded, aren’t you? Go back to doing whatever the hell you’re doing. This is none of your concern!” His father proclaimed, swiping his bottle of cognac against Noah’s mother’s face, knocking her out. Noah was scared, and he didn’t know if he would be his father’s next victim. He ran immediately to his mother and tried to bring her back to consciousness. For someone only 13 years of age, this is too much to handle. His father cornered the both of them, and Noah was afraid for his life.
Noah closed his eyes and prayed for someone, anyone, really, to step in and protect him and his mother. He knew that nobody would come, and he was scared and crying.
“D…don’t hurt me.” He whimpered, trying to find whatever modicum of reason remained in his father. Looking at the full moon outside of his mother’s bedroom window, Noah tried to look away, so he didn’t have to eye his father in the face as he, too, would become the next victim of his abuse. Thankfully, the youngster was to find a savior.
“CEASE!” A powerful female voice proclaims, startling both Noah and his father. The room begins to cool substantially, and a mysterious cosmic purple mist begins to coalesce into material form. Noah’s father was too drunk to make out the form of this mist, but Noah noticed it began to form in the shape of a horse. Finally materializing, the mist disappears, revealing a powerful, obsidian purple mare, wearing a regal suit of battle armor. She was unique, as she had both a horn and wings. Her mane seemed to be sentient itself, colored with the very fabric of the cosmos. The stars in her mane and tail twinkled. Her horseshoes looked worn from battle, and the mare’s fangs lashed out at Noah’s father, trying to assert her dominance.
“We are the moon incarnate and have sensed a desperate plea for aid. As a noble warrior, we are giving you one final chance to yield and release your son. If you refuse, the consequences will be dire!” She hisses, trying to give Noah’s father one final chance to repent. He didn’t listen and tried to hit his son with the cognac bottle anyways.
Fat chance that would work! The bottle became enveloped in a purple aura, and levitated out of the drunkard’s hand. It recoiled and hit the man on his head, knocking him out instantaneously. Noah was very scared, and cowered in fear, curling up into a fetal position. Once the alicorn saw Noah, she immediately changed tune from a fierce warrior to a protective mother. She hushed and trotted towards the youngster, trying to calm him down.
“Wh…who are you?” Noah whispered, his teeth chattering in fear. The lunar goddess looks him in the eye and smiles.
“I am your mother, Noah. I’ve been looking for you for some time.” She replied, confusing him.
“H…how can you be my mother? You’re a horse!” He retorts. The alicorn sat down on her haunches and tries to look at Noah's eye level.
“You may have a point, Noah. I am not technically your mother, but I did have a son. His name was Clockwork Relativity, and he died trying to protect his family. You are his human counterpart.” She replied, quite calmly and with a soothing voice, a stark difference from her previous tone.
Noah took a minute to look at the alicorn, and at a closer glance saw she did, in fact, have his mother’s eyes. Obviously, that must be a coincidence, right? He uncurls himself and looks at the mare.
“If you wish to touch me to verify my existence, then aye, you may. I am quite soft.” She chuckles, inviting the young teen to approach her. She looked absolutely stunning, and Noah stood up and slowly but surely approached the warrior pony. His right hand shaking, he approaches the alicorn’s neck and places his palm on her body. It was cool to the touch and resembled the cool side of his pillow. The hairs on her fur stood up, and buried his hand into her neck.
“You can pet me, if you want? I want you to be calm, alright? Just move your hand up and down my neck, or put it through my mane. I am real, Noah, and I want to take care of you. Just…just breathe, alright? My name is Nightmare Moon, but you can call me Miss Moon if you want; even Mom! I am technically your mother!” She chuckled, beckoning the child to continue caressing her. Noah’s anxiety levels out, and he continues to pet the alicorn in front of him, becoming calmer and calmer as each moment passed. Nightmare’s horn lit up, and she emoted glee at seeing the teen feel calmer and more level headed.
“Excellent, Noah. Just splendid.” She said, lifting her head up and placing a gentle kiss on the boy’s forehead. He chuckled at the display of affection. “Hehehe…Miss Moon, thank you for helping me with my dad. Will he be okay?” Noah asked the alicorn. She nods. “Aye, he shall be fine. I merely incapacitated him. He shall remain alive.” She said, reassuring him.
She clears her throat and stands up once more on all four legs. “Alright. I have a question for you, Noah. Would you care to fly?”
“Care to fly? What kind of a question is that?” Noah asks Miss Moon. She laughs at him and plants another kiss on his forehead, this time standing upright.
“Well…I am a fully grown alicorn, Noah. Further, I can let you ride on my back. I am a good 22 hands tall. I am wearing armor, and look!” Miss Moon tilts her head towards the centre of her body, where the armor indents at her stomach, and her wings are folded. “There’s a PERFECT spot in here just for you. All I need is to conjure a bridle, and we are good to go.” Nightmare explains. She casts a spell, and the armor quickly spawns two stirrups, so Noah can climb aboard the alicorn.
“You must be joking, right?” He asks Nightmare. She sticks her tongue out at him and smiles. “I am not joking, Noah. I am strongly encouraging you to fly with me, and I am more than eager to carry you. There are many benefits to riding ponies. I made sure to do my homework before coming here, Noah.”
Miss Moon was adamant that the human she claimed to care for climb astride her. With another spell, the lunar goddess conjures a beautiful obsidian bridle, and opens her mouth, placing the bit inside and securing it.
“It’s not that uncomfortable, child. Besides, I don’t want you to fall off. The bridle isn’t to steer me, but to keep you balanced. What kind of a mother would I be if I put you in danger?” She retorted. To make this experience easier for her human “son”, Nightmare Moon lies down on her stomach, so Noah can scramble himself astride the alicorn.
Nightmare Moon was right. Her armor DOES have a perfect spot for a human passenger to be mounted. Her armor reflected the moonlight, and she looked at Noah with a playful grin. “Come on, now. I promise you won’t be hurting me. I want you to fly with me. How else are we going to get acquainted!”
Noah sighed, and slowly but surely approached Nightmare Moon. He’d never been horseback riding before, so he wasn’t sure how to get on top of the alicorn. Nightmare decided to help. She placed a hoof on his shoulder, and turned his body around toward her back.
“Go right in the middle of my armor, kid. See where the metal plates meet up? There’s a soft spot in the middle for you. Go sit there, and put your two feet inside the stirrups That’s how you don’t knock your feet around, accidentally kicking me.” She chuckled. Noah walked a few steps backward, and stepped over Nightmare’s body. Standing up, his two legs were equidistant from each other, and were a few inches away from the mare’s body. He carefully sits down into the makeshift seat, and Nightmare promptly stands up.
“Make sure to put your feet in the stirrups, Noah. And grab the reins. They are slack. I want you balanced!” She kindly reminds him. Noah did as he was told, grabbing the purple reins and placing his feet inside the stirrups. Nightmare Moon swayed her body back and forth for a few moments, trying to calibrate the amount of weight she would be carrying.
Noah took a minute to process what was happening. Here he was, a thirteen year old young man, riding what appeared to be a divine creature, who claimed to be his mother! He was quite curious about the mare’s anatomy, and spent a few moments caressing different spots on Nightmare’s Body. Her wings were of the softest down, but the tips were sharp, like talons. He tapped Nightmare’s barrel, and felt nothing but pure muscle. Even though this mare was incredibly fit and warrior-esque, there was something very cuddly about her.
“You look very strong, Miss Moon.” Noah complimented his mount. She smiles at him, and stomps her hoof on his floor in affirmation. “Aye, I am a fit mare. Now. To acclimate you properly to riding alicornback, I think we should travel a bit on the ground first. I don’t want to alarm you.” Nightmare says, promptly teleporting the two of them outside. Noah was quite startled by this, and grabbed Nightmare’s neck tightly, but not enough to choke her.
“Silly child. Alicorns can cast magic, and even teleport. I apologize for not warning you. Now. Would you care to depart?” She asked him. Noah nods.
“Okie Dokie. Hold on!” She chuckled, as she slowly began to trot forward through the suburban jungle. She walked at a moderate pace, her gait bumping Noah up and down slightly. The rhythmic tapping of the alicorn’s hooves sounded melodic, and Noah felt calm.
“As we ride, would you like to know more about me?” Nightmare asks Noah. He nods, and she began to tell her tale.
“As you might have guessed by now, I am actually a god. I am the goddess of nighttime, the moon, and dreams.” Nightmare began to explain, as the nighttime continued to progress. “Every night, I use my alicorn magic to raise and lower the moon, as well as survey the dreams of ponies, warding off disturbances.” Noah nodded his head in understanding.
“That’s actually pretty cool, Miss Moon! Now, didn’t you say when we first met that I am a variant of your son? What happened to him?” Noah asked, forgetting that this query could cause his alicorn friend emotional distress. She stopped walking and freezes.
“He…he died protecting me.” She said, stuttering. “In Equestria, the land I call home, there are often many foes who wish to harm my pony subjects. One of them was named Grogar. He wanted to remake Equestria in his own image and threatened to harm millions of innocents. I had to harness my Nightmare form to defeat him. Clockwork…er…you, was a unicorn capable of harnessing time and space. He was able to freeze Grogar in time for ten seconds but ultimately paid the ultimate price. He…he died trying to save me.” Nightmare whispered, trying not to cry.
Noah is not typically someone who experiences empathy, but hearing that a mother lost a child resonated with him. He immediately embraced the alicorn deity and hugged her tightly. “I am so sorry, Miss Moon. I don’t know what else to say.” He replied. Nightmare took an extra deep breath, and began to trot again.
“You don’t have to say anything, Noah. You are my baby boy. You will always be my baby boy. Just don’t leave me again. It took me over a thousand years to find you.”
“A thousand years is certainly a long time! Maybe the multiversal reincarnation cycle is complicated?” Noah thought to himself but didn’t dare to utter it aloud. Nightmare continued: “Now that I have found you, I want to do anything in my power to ensure your wellbeing. I know you have to stay in this world and grow up, but I will always come and visit you. Think of me like your guardian angel. I can come every single night, now that I know where you are.” She said, reassuring him.
“Will I always be safe with you protecting me?” He asked. Nightmare nodded eagerly. “Aye, under my guardianship, you will always be safe and secure. Which is a PERFECT segue to my next conversation. Do you trust me, child?” She asked, slowly picking up the pace of her gait.
Noah wasn’t sure what Nightmare meant, but it didn’t matter. Her trot turned into a canter, and the canter into a brisk gallop. They began riding quite fast!
“Don’t tell me you are going to fly now, Miss Moon!” Noah asks, as the lunar deity adjusts her wings for air pressure.
“Well of course I am. I am going to carry my son into the stars!” She chuckled, as the alicorn goddess spread her wings. “But you didn’t say that you trusted me. Do you trust me?”
With a brief moment of fear and hesitation, Noah said “Yes, I do, Miss Moon!” and he flicked the reins of his new guardian.
“We’re going to space!” She exclaimed, launching herself into the stratosphere. The alicorn’s muscles contracted, and the goddess flapped her powerful wings with gusto, higher and higher into the sky. It took no more than a few very brief moments before the two companions reached the cloud line.
“I take it this is a luxury for you, my child. Would you like to touch some clouds before we go to outer space?” Nightmare asks her rider. He nods his head, and the alicorn does a playful dive through a cumulus cloud, making herself and Noah soaking wet with condensation. They both laugh.
“That was cool!” Noah exclaimed as Nightmare leveled out her flying. “I am glad you are content.” Nightmare replied.
Noah realized something as they rode. How exactly would he be able to breathe in space? This troubled him, and he was afraid to inquire further. It didn’t matter, because Nightmare Moon was in tune with her son’s emotions.
“Is there something ailing you, Noah?” She asked, poking her head back to check in on the teen.
“Not yet, Miss Moon. I was just wondering how I am going to breathe in space!” He chuckled. Nightmare scoffed. “With magic, silly! I can protect you from the elements. We’ll go to the upper atmosphere, touch the cosmos, and return home. Growing boys need sleep!”
And with that, Nightmare tilted her wings upward and continued her ascent towards the heavens. Higher and higher they flew, and Noah began to feel cold and short of breath.. With some quick thinking, Nightmare Moon cast a protection spell, providing her human companion with oxygen and heat. The atmosphere thinned, and gravity lessened its harness on mount and steed.
“We’re almost at the edge of space. Zero gravity feels fun! Trust me!” Nightmare chuckles, flapping her powerful pinions ever higher. She had the stupidest grin on her face, and Noah was excited to become an astronaut! A few more moments passed, and they finally made it to space. The earth beneath them looked so small, and Nightmare’s reins began to float, and even Noah himself lifted into the air!
“EEK!” Noah gasped, clamoring for his mount’s protection. Nightmare didn’t do anything, and instead flipped upside down and made funny faces at him.
“You are protected by my magic. You don’t want to enjoy zero gravity?” She inquired. Noah shrugged his shoulders and began to enjoy what space had to offer. Over an hour of weightlessness passed, and Noah and his motherly steed were enjoying themselves.
“I forgot to thank you, Miss Moon,” Noah said, floating in mid-air. Nightmare paused and looked at Noah very carefully.
“I forgot to thank you for saving me from my drunk father. I would have been in the hospital had you not shown up, and-.” he would have finished his praise, but Nightmare Moon grabbed Noah with her forehooves and buried him in a tearful hug, wings fully embracing her rider.
“I…I don’t need any thanks. I got my baby back. A thousand years and I can see my Clockwork again, you have his beautiful eyes, Noah. Just…just stay with mommy. I’ll take care of you. I promise on the moon and stars."
Noah was flabbergasted, but come on! Hugging a moon goddess in the vacuum of space? Isn’t that awesome!
“Ok ‘mom’, very nice.” He said jokingly.
“You will be my rider, and I will be your mother. We will conquer WORLDS together, and fight for those who cannot fight for themselves. Do you want to be my knight, child?”
He nodded in agreement, and Nightmare quickly rearranged everything so Noah was astride her once again.
“I must return you home, and then we shall cuddle like mother and foal.”
With a gust of power, the two began to return home, feeling fulfilled, calm, and happy to have each other.
This is the case of a goddess willing to end everything to see her child once more.
