And again you couldn't... Part 1
Author's Note
I am not a great archmage of the English dialect, so there may be mistakes in writing the text and loss of meaning in some moments.
Also, it turned out to be quite difficult to write this text, even with the partial help of Yandex translator. Therefore, I will divide this mini-story into several chapters. At least I'll check, there is at least someone who will be interested in this little story.
P. S. If you need a sufficiently high-quality translator from English to Russian, then use Yandex Translator.
P. S. S. I hate the bureaucrats that gradually began to ruin this browser (previously the main owner was an independent private person, and later more or less politely "отжали" state officials (a narrow circle of carrion)). Thank you (no) to them for the fact that Yandex Translator is not being touched and is not going to be touched yet.
And again you couldn't... Part 1
Night moonlight illuminates the streets of Canterlot. It hadn't been more than a year since the Princess of the Day had fallen. Together with her, "That" Equestria that was with her reign fell. Now Equestria is ruled by Nightmare Moon. Her power is absolute and undivided for all 120%, as Rainbow Dash once said. Now, instead of the usual fear due to legends and fairy tales that somewhere on the Moon there is a real Monster with the name "Nightmare Moon", horror and endless fear among ponies now rule. The "Monster" still really descended from the Moon to Equestria, and not for one night, for a "Night of Nightmares".
When all the Equestria ponies found out that Princess Celestia was overthrown by Nightmare Moon and now she will be in her place... Then the whole Equestria fell into a numbing horror and fear. There will be no more of their beloved Princess, no more of Their Equestria. But only a few thought about it. And then, mostly they were a few griffins, minotaurs and hippogriffs. Almost the absolute majority of ponies were in shock.
News of the return of the "Ancient Evil" was coming by leaps and bounds even outside Equus. This news also shocked all those who were not residents of Equestria, albeit for some other reasons. For many, there was one, the most important question - "What will happen next?".
But back to Equestria. Old Equestria has fallen. In its place there is a new Equestria Nightmare Moon. With new rules of life, with new foundations and traditions. But all the fear that mortal beings experienced did not cancel out all the foundations and norms of life that were under Celestia. This caused numerous indignation of the new ruler of Equestria.
Nightmare Moon was incredibly angry about this situation and fell into confusion. But the most important thing was something else. Nightmare Moon was
Angry.
And many understood this, many saw it, many felt it in their lives. Some of which were ragged by death. Fortunately for many, a fairly quick death.
But do not think that non-lethal punishments at the behest of Nightmare Moon were more beautiful. Numerous personal punishments, for many, were worse than a quick death. There will always be a moment in Fluttershy's life when she was ordered to kill some of her animals as punishment. And she did it. Otherwise, death would have taken them all by order of Nightmare Moon.
The reign of Nightmare Moon was tough, sometimes even cruel. She herself was not very tempted to kill someone, especially massively. But on the other hand, there was plenty of rigidity in "educational measures", although it could not achieve what was happening in death camps and similar places.
And these few circumstances, such as, for example, almost zero mortality during the change of the ruler-monarch, greatly surprised Human. Yes, yes, you heard right - Human. After even a month, seeing most types of punishment (of all types of severity), a person could not understand how this could be. "Shouldn't Nightmare Moon be a Real, Real Evil?" - the Man sometimes thought. After all, how can it be that when a monarch like Celestia is replaced, mass deaths do not occur, not even counted in just hundreds, but in a couple of dozen lives.
It is worth noting that the existence of Human in this world was for him the same surprise and shock as the arrival of Nightmare Moon to power for ponies. But many ponies and non-ponies didn't really care if there was a Human or not. Until he became the only one who couldn't be punished by Nightmare Moon herself. Not by word, not by deed.
It was the human figure that was the only monolithic contrast in all Equestria. At least in most of it. He was not afraid of Nightmare Moon and her admirers, he mocked in satirical allegories at Nightmare Moon, at ponies, at everyone and everything. Sometimes it happened that his satire was used as real facts in the courts, because his words reflected that real reality, which many did not like, but reality.
At the same time, Human allowed himself not only satire, but also more explicit free actions that no one in Equestria would have done, well, except for a maddened reasonable. What is only worth remembering the short prose written by Human, where he literally mocks all those who considered the tales of Nightmare Moon to be just fairy tales for children, but also ironically expressed in poetic form about the weakness of Nightmare Moon, when the old foundations of society were preserved even under the force of fear of her.
But I suggest returning to the topic of the Nightmare Moon narrative. We will still have time to talk about Human.
During the first months of Nightmare Moon's reign, there were absolutely a lot of mistakes, some were due to ignorance, some due to changes in society, the reasons for mistakes in actions were caused by numerous reasons and facts. But. This power was strengthened and improved (quite often with the help of Human), and along with this, control over those who were seized by fear of her and her power. We can say that Equestria has undergone changes, some were impressive, and some were only minor moments, but Equestria has not changed in essence. Nightmare Moon did not know how to break the rod set by Celestia without starting more aggressive and violent actions. Sometimes, once or twice a month, she thought for a moment - "Is it worth changing that rod? Maybe I should replace Celestia with myself, but in the way I want?".
Such rare thoughts caused burning hatred and malice, they caused enough to kill their devoted admirer one day, and for a Person to write an ironic satirical story the next day. Nightmare Moon hated his antics, such statements in her address and in the address of her fans. Yes, even many ironic (with a significant part of black satire) words about day ponies did not really like her (but she could not help but note that most of his words were so accurate that sometimes she herself thought that in his homeland they were just used to telling the truth in this form). But she didn't stop him. Nightmare Moon just couldn't punish him. She knew why, but she almost desperately didn't want to think about it. But the Man often reminded her of this (with his constant antics), because of which she many times wanted to punish him with a simple punishment, but later, she longed to personally execute him. And every time Nightmare Moon was ready to make a punishment (from a simple reprimand to the death penalty), she could not utter a word. After the "that" case...
Nightmare Moon perfectly remembers that early evening when she again could not stand his next satire. That time, he ridiculed everyone too much. Already in those days, she often began to summon him to the palace to punish him, but she could not carry out the punishment. Rage and hatred overwhelmed her mind and feelings for Human in those moments, as in other similar cases. Until he abruptly changed his behavior from satiric-mocking to tired, less emotional than before (Nightmare Moon and many others do not understand how his race is able to distinguish the emotions of other people, since for ponies and others, his face almost did not express distinct emotions even in his satirical the manner of behavior), with a distinctly sad voice and saying: "How much more beautiful are you when hatred and anger with malice are exalted in your behavior. Why should I see in my life an even more beautiful sight than you when you are not in anger?".
When Nightmare Moon realized what she had heard, her inner world cracked. It was small in size, but this crack went everywhere. Nightmare Moon was shocked then, she didn't understand what was happening. She was shackled by fear.
A sufficient amount of time has passed since that incident, during which several more times she called Human to the palace to punish. But at the same time suppressing emotions in advance, if they crossed the line that could not be crossed according to the Nightmare Moon. She couldn't forget "those" words of his. She couldn't forget the tone of his voice in those moments. "That" case, more and more often forced her to remember the crack that Human had left in her. Nightmare Moon didn't know how to act. Is it necessary to act at all?..
And today, on this ill-fated night, the Nightmarish Moon finally decided to think about what to do with "Him". The decision was made. In the middle of this day, the Nightmarish Moon will finally solve the "Human Question".
But the Nightmare Moon has no idea what awaits her this afternoon...
