I grunted and cracked my eyes open, turning my head to see I'd again managed to wake up before my alarm went off. Through my window, I could see that the sun had already reached the horizon. By the time I made it to my post, it would have vanished entirely leaving me and my quarry alone in the dark of night. I had to hurry as if the moon rose and I wasn't in position, chances were she'd get loose.
The sun rarely rose in my world, but that wasn't so bad. After all, my efforts ensured that while my life was almost perpetually nocturnal, the rest of the world's inhabitants could enjoy the sun. They'd certainly spared no effort in showing me their gratitude for that fact, and this house and everything in it was paid for by the state. I'm pretty sure I was classified as a National Treasure by this point due to my efforts.
Three months ago, I had just been another nobody drifting through life, and three months ago, this whimsical fantasy land had been inhabited solely by talking pony people. Three months ago, all of that changed when the sister of Pony Land's ruler returned.
The battle between Celestia and her evil sister caused all kinds of magical calamities worldwide. Among them was the arcane vortex that yanked me right off my back porch and dumped me in the middle of Ponyville. I was initially viewed as a herald of destruction, as following my appearance, the moon never set and day never came. The younger and evil sister had won, banishing Celestia to who knows where, and claiming dominance over the whole world.
But while the rest of the world quivered and quailed, I discovered I had a unique gift that allowed me to rein in the worst of Nightmare Moon's evil deeds. Leveraging my gift against her during our first meeting, when she demanded to have the strange wayward ape brought before her, I managed to force her to release her sister and renege on her plans for world domination. For this, I am hailed as a hero, but my work is not over yet.
I now have to make nightly trips to her abode, deep in the Everfree Forest, and use my unique ability to restrain her, lest she stir and attempt to destroy the world again.
I switched off my clock and swept my legs out, stretching with a groan as I began preparations for my journey. In the center of my single-story cottage was a table on which all of my supplies were resting, with a canvas bag underneath to carry it all. I double-checked everything I'd laid out before falling asleep earlier in the day and gave a satisfied nod before making my way to the bathroom to freshen up.
Once I was clean, I loaded my bag and slung it across my back before moving toward the little kitchen. On the counter beside my stove was a box the pink bakery mare had given me per my request, which reminded me to visit the unicorn seamstress before venturing to the woods. Behind the box was a loaf of sliced bread and a tray of butter which I combined to make a hasty breakfast before my journey.
Grabbing the box as I munched my simple meal, I strode toward my front door, grabbing my lantern hanging beside it. As I stepped outside, I smiled at who I found waiting for me with her own saddlebags and supplies ready to go.
"Hey, Twilight," I greeted as I shut the door behind me. The little unicorn from Canterlot huffed at me as her unhappy frown worsened.
"Please, Henry, this is important," she begged, trotting beside me as I stepped onto the main street. "You have to let me tag along and see how you manage to restrain the nightmare!"
"No can do," I replied, shaking my head. "Mainly since I can't guarantee your safety if she sniffs you out." She paused and tilted her head.
"Sniffs?" She murmured in an anxious squeak. I fixed her with a wry smile and nodded.
"She can smell fear," I quietly replied, causing her to shiver. "Might tick her off, you know?" I nodded sagely before continuing on. The nervous little unicorn didn't follow.
As I walked, I made note of the sun's rapidly vanishing light and doubled my pace. Along the way, the locals who were already indoors and preparing for bed peered through their windows and doors at me. Every face was painted with a mix of guilt and gratitude, and a few waved to me as I passed.
Returning the gesture, I rounded a corner and sighed in relief when I bumped into exactly who I was looking for. "Rarity!" I laughed.
"Oh, there you are!" She chirped in response with a nod before hovering the item I'd asked her for up to me. "As requested."
"Ah! You're a lifesaver," I sighed as I took it and slipped it into my bag. "Thanks."
"Oh, think nothing of it," she hummed, waving her hoof before fixing me with an incredulous frown. "Mainly since I'm not sure how this will help you."
"Ah, just trust me," I replied with a wave of my hand, before adjusting the straps on my bag and stepping past her. "Alright, thanks again. Gotta run."
"Be safe," she hummed after me as I marched. As the last of the day's light began to fade, I encountered fewer and fewer ponies on the street, until I finally reached the edge of town and the road leading into the forest. There, a pair of guards stood watch and saluted me as I stepped under the vine-covered arching metal trellis that marked the threshold between Equestria and Nightmare Moon's domain. I considered the emblem embedded at the peak of the structure, which depicted her head in profile before I finally and officially entered the forest.
Taking a moment to light my lantern, I scanned the dark forest around me for any signs of disturbance. Nightmare Moon had been restricted to the forest for so long that her own magic had begun to bleed into it and now the whole place began to reflect her mood and activity level. As a result, the sudden and abject silence that filled the forest was a sign something was wrong. I raised my lantern and cast its light across the forest for a moment, which drew the attention of the guards.
"Everything alright?" One of them nervously asked.
"Has it been this quiet for very long?" I asked back as I continued shining light all around. They shared a look before one replied.
"Since before the sun went down," he said, his ears snapping back. "Why? Is it a problem?"
I furrowed my brow. "Dunno yet," I declared before making my way down the road. In truth, while I saw no signs of anything in the darkness, I had a gnawing feeling building up inside. It was like the forest was patiently waiting, which meant she was too.
As heavy a sleeper as she was, I never considered the fact she might've managed to wake up before me. Since I didn't want to panic the guards, I waited until they were well out of sight before taking off at a full sprint. As if responding to my sudden haste, the forest suddenly erupted into hissing and chittering from all kinds of unseen creatures slinking through the brush on either side of the road.
My feet pounded against the stones of the road, pushing me ever onward. A few times, I passed under an opening in the tree canopy above, allowing the moon's light to fall upon me.
Each time it did, for some instinctual reason, it made my heart and stomach sink and the hairs on my neck stand up. She was definitely awake. I leaned hard into my run and ignored the aches that began to creep up my legs.
Finally, I burst into the open plain surrounding the castle and I practically dove toward the recently repaired bridge crossing the chasm that cut through the plain's middle. The castle was in sight and the door sat open. I gritted my teeth and charged inside, only to be met with a uniquely oppressive veil of darkness.
I slid to a halt with a gasp as I stumbled into it. To my horror, the dark was so all-encompassing that I found myself unable to gauge how far into the entryway I'd stumbled. The light of the doorway seemed smothered and distant and even my lamp was dim. As I scanned the infinite void around me, I paused when I saw its source.
Amid the darkness, there were two pale blue and glowing eyes glaring at me with slit-like pupils.
The second her eyes and mine locked, the air chilled to the point my breath became visible.
"Hey," I panted, fatigue finally catching up to me. "You're up early." She continued to stare, and I swallowed hard. After a moment, I held up my box.
"I brought cookies," I offered to no visible reaction. Wincing, I reached into my bag and pulled out the item Rarity had given me. "And this!" This time, as I held it up her eyes snapped to it for a brief moment before falling back upon me.
"You want brushies?" I offered, gently waving the brush. She stared at me for a while before blinking and looking off to the side.
"Yes," she murmured, causing me to beam in relief.
"Okay!" I quietly laughed, before considering the darkness and gesturing to it with the brush. "You mind- Turning off the shadows?" She continued to stare off for a moment before all at once the darkness shrank into her, revealing all of her glorious, currently pouting, self.
"Thank you," I sighed, before turning and spotting the big chair she liked. Making my way up to it, I swept my bag off and set it and the box of cookies down before the throne. She lingered behind for a moment before slowly trotting up, giving me time to unload my supplies: a pouch of sugar cubes, some oatcakes with cheese sprinkled on them, and other assorted treats and goodies good ponies liked.
Bad ones too, as it turned out.
Finally, I drew out a light folding table that I set beside the throne and then placed my spread upon. Satisfied it was in arms reach of the throne, I turned and sat down. Nightmare Moon stood just before me with a pouting frown, so I leaned forward and cupped my hands on either side of her helmet. Slowly, I slipped her headwear off, at which her ears twitched.
Setting it on the table, I reclined on the throne and clapped my hands on my legs. Her ears snapped back, but she scooted closer and hopped up into my lap. I grunted quietly as she curled up and then lay with her head resting on the throne's arm.
I smiled at her as she sighed before reaching over and grabbing the brush, scratching at her ear with my other hand as I did. While she smiled and leaned into my hand, I took the brush and began gently running it along her coat, drawing a happy hum from her initially.
"Mm," she grunted suddenly, before lighting up her horn. "No." She snapped the brush out of my hand with her magic.
"No, I actually hate that," she declared, snapping the brushing in half and tossing it away. "Just use your hands like normal." I frowned before nodding and doing as ordered.
"Okay, you're the boss," I hummed, causing her to stretch her legs out and curl up with a happy humph.
"That's right," she cooed, rolling and tensing as I scratched at her coat. And so began another night of pampering the grumpy moon horse for the sake of the rest of the planet. It wasn't always easy, spending every night here, scritching and scratching at an ancient and nigh-omnipotent being.
As I pondered that, she suddenly shifted and rolled onto her back with her legs tucked in and a big dopey smile plastered over her face that drew a smile from my face as well.
"Who's a good pony?" I cooed as I rubbed her belly.
"Me," she giggled.
It wasn't always easy, but sacrifices must be made.
