Nightmare Moon and the Human
Having been trapped on the moon for almost a thousand years, it would be an understatement to say Nightmare Moon wasn’t doing well. Being able to do nothing but wander around and kick up dust would drive anypony insane, but the alicorn had a strong disposition. While she managed to hold on to her sanity, nothing was able to quell her anger and hatred. One day, or at least what passed for a day on the moon, she felt a surge of powerful magic. When she went to explore she was expecting some random pony or other creature that her sister had banished. What she wasn’t expecting was a furless ape-like creature. It was clearly civilized considering it was wearing clothes, but it wasn’t anything she recognized from her time on Equestria. Did Celestia send it here? Did it somehow teleport itself all the way to the moon? She approached and poked it with her hoof.
“You there creature, wake up. We demand you wake up and answer our questions!” she demanded.
“Ugghhhhh….” the creature groaned, “Huh?....What? Why is the bed so uncomfortable?” it said.
“Fool, thou are not in bed, thou ist on the moon!” she yelled, hoping to wake it up.
“What the huh?” the creature said as it sat up. Now that Nightmare Moon could hear its voice more clearly she deduced it was male.
“Wait….” he looked at the alicorn, then his surroundings, then behind him only to see a planet in the distance.
“I-bdpffffftbllbt-WHAT!?!” he mumbled then screamed.
“I assume from how thou ist surprised, you have no idea how thou wound up here, creature?” Nightmare Moon asked.
The creature turned turned towards her slowly, “Number one, I have no clue. Number two, I am a human, could you please call me that instead of creature? Number 3,” he breathed deeply before continuing, “I am trying very hard not to panic or freak out, so if you would, could you provide an explanation as to what is going on?”
So this creature’s species is a human? She would have to question him to learn more. She also figured she should answer if he truly had no idea about what was going on.
“I am Nightmare Moon, Alicorn Princess of the Night. And you, little human, are trapped on the moon.” the mare answered.
The human was very obviously stressed and was struggling to remain calm.
“How…..exactly……did I get here? And how am I breathing or even not dying in general from being on the moon?” he asked.
“The moon is not instantly fatal to any who arrive, thou can walk on its surface and be completely fine. As for how thou arrived, hast thou met another alicorn by the name of Celestia?” questioned Nightmare Moon.
“No. You’re the first alicorn I’ve ever seen or met,” the human answered.
“Does thou have any experience in magic? Or know of being with powerful magic?” asked the Nightmare.
“No, not at all. Up until now I didn’t even know magic was real. I don’t even know if I’m in the same world or universe as before since all this should only be possible in fiction or in dreams,” the human responded.
“This is no work of fiction, nor is it a dream! We of all ponies should know,” said Nightmare Moon.
“I see, I see,” the human said while nodding.
He then proceeded to lay down and curl up into a fetal position. Nightmare Moon could see tears begin to well up in his eyes. At that moment, she felt something she hadn’t felt in a long while, sympathy and relatability. This human was forced from his home, imprisoned on the moon, with no way back.
“Just like us,” she thought to herself.
It was then that a small part of her that she didn’t acknowledge had made itself known. It was the fact that during all this time spent on the moon, with her thoughts normally full of anger, hatred, and vengeance. Deep down, she was very lonely. It may have been hundreds of years, but the desire to be loved and adored even a fraction as much as her sister had never truly gone away. It was at that moment she did something she’d never thought she’d do again in her immortal life. She approached the weeping human and wrapped a foreleg around him and brought him close.
“We are truly sorry thou hast been put in this situation, we know how harsh it can be. But if we must bear this burden, the very least, we can do it together,” Nightmare Moon said in a soft, comforting voice.
The human wiped the tears out his eyes.
“Thank you, your majesty. That helps, it really does,” he said.
“Please, refer to us by name,” said Nightmare Moon.
“Ok. Call me Thomas, or Tom for short,” said the now named human.
After that, the two began to talk about each other's lives.
“Thou wast responsible for preparing food for others?” asked the mare.
“Yeah, although it was just supposed to be temporary till I moved on to something better, something that could provide me more for living. I dunno how things work down there, but where I’m from, most jobs like what I work pay the minimum required by law,” Tom said.
“What were thou planning on moving towards?” Nightmare Moon asked.
“Something in the medical field. Not a doctor per say, but something pertaining to that field that paid a decent amount and didn’t require so many years of schooling to become a professional. I would’ve had to pay quite a hefty sum to attend all those years, so that’s why I didn’t aim higher. Though I suppose it doesn’t matter now,” Tom said.
“Twas a noble goal, wanting to partake in such a profession,” said Nightmare Moon.
“Thanks, but it was more so for the money. It had to be if I wanted to live a decent life and live in a decent home. If you didn’t earn enough then you either hope you have friends and family willing to take you in, or living in, shall we say, unpleasant conditions that aren’t fit for living in,” Tom said.
Nightmare Moon then shared her life story.
“Celestia, your own sister, your own family, would rather bask in the glory of her subjects and take all the praise than make sure you’re treated as an equal?” Tom asked.
“Tis true. She knew what was going on, she knew nopony respected us, she knew everypony saw her as the sole ruler and the sole reason Equestria was thriving. And she…did…NOTHING!!!!” Nightmare Moon screamed.
“She refused to give us credit for anything, our subjects refused to respect us, and when bringing the issue up she said it was no big deal….”Nightmare Moon trailed off.
“All we ask for is a little, just….a….little, love and respect. And we….get….NOTHING!!!” she screamed.
At this point tears were starting to well up in her eyes, and Tom could easily tell. There wasn’t just jealousy and anger, there was sadness. Seeing no other choice, he walked to her and gave her a hug.
“Even if I wasn’t there, I truly am sorry. You didn’t deserve any of that,” he said.
Nightmare Moon started to calm down and she hugged him back.
“We thank thee for thou kindness,” she said as she returned the hug.
The next few “days” were some of the best Nightmare Moon had experienced in hundreds of years, including the time before her banishment. But sadly, it wasn’t meant to last. While her alicorn biology allowed her to survive without need for food or water, the same couldn’t be said for Thomas. It wasn’t very long before he grew weak from dehydration and starvation. It got to a point where he could barely move. Nightmare Moon tried to help him, but magic was limited due to her imprisonment.
“I’m sorry this had to end so soon, but I speak truthfully and from the heart when I say you made these moments worthwhile,” Tom said weakly.
“Don’t give up yet! There has to be a way for me to fix this! Alicorn magic is incredibly powerful! I just haven’t found the solution!” Nightmare Moon yelled desperately.
“You truly are somepony who deserves love, I just hope I was able to provide it in the short time I was here,” Tom said.
“You have! You really have! You brought me a feeling that no other has!” Nightmare Moon screamed with tears in her eyes.
“I’m really tired. I feel like I need to close my eyes,” Tom said quietly.
“Tom, THOMAS!!! PLEASE, DON’T GO!!! DON’T LEAVE ME!!! THOMAS!!!!” Nightmare Moon cried as the human closed his eyes for the last time.
Author's Note
I tried comedy, now I wanted to try my hand at something more emotional
