Did somepony say nightmare...?

[mareinblack]

Who: Luna and YOU
What: Nightmare plot
When: Right now?
Where: Her dream
Rating: PG???



[It's a meadow; a beautiful one, illuminated under the light of the full moon, large and low on the horizon. The coolness after the heat of the day is refreshing, as shyer creatures make themselves known. The fireflies dance, even as the stars above seem to hum their own stories.

It starts off with whispers. Kind ones, even. "Oh, there's no need to trouble yourself. We're just waiting for your sister." "What a magnificent job! You'll catch up to your sister in no time!"

It gets darker and it gets louder. Pity, chuckling little laughs. Hesitance. Questions about Celestia's approval or the lack thereof. Loudest of all are the silences. The silences broken only by whimpers and cries, the sharp scent of fear that only goes away with the rising of the sun.

It becomes impossible to see and there is nothing to hear, beyond the sound of your own breathing, magnified in this absolute nothing.

And then after an interminable amount of time, there are vividly green, slit-pupil eyes in front of you. The contours of the fully grown alicorn mare can barely be seen in the dark, if not for the glow of her mane and tail. That smile is nothing short of insane.]

"'Will you walk into my parlour?' said the Nightmare to the dreamer." [and her grin grows wider]

Comments

[huffythedragon]

[It takes Spike a moment to realise exactly what's going on, why is Luna acting weird? It's not Nightmare Night yet. She doesn't need to do her gig right now.

Except that smile doesn't look like she's acting. He'll give a nervous laugh and back away a little]

"Uh...Princess Luna? You feeling okay?"

[mareinblack]

[that smile disappears and she takes a step forward]

Do not call me that.

[huffythedragon]

[Uh oh. Spike gives a nervous laugh, stepping back and trying to keep the distance between them]

Are you practising for Nightmare Night? You know, perfecting the creepy thing?

[mareinblack]

[there's a raucous laugh in response to that. And yup, that smile is back.]

Practicing? For that farce? [aaaand she lowers her head to Spike's eye-level] Perhaps I am feeling a bit peckish...

[huffythedragon]

[Spike gives a nervous laugh, reaching up to pat her on the nose]

Ahahahaha...ha. Good one, Princess. You'll knock 'em dead this year.

[mareinblack]

[he gets an arched look, and then she lunges, suddenly sharp teeth closing with a snap a hair's breadth (or scale's breadth) away from his face.]

My intentions exactly, foal.

[huffythedragon]

[Yeah no. This was not right. Spike yelps and jumps back. First Twilight and now this? What was next? Discord showing up?]

Luna! Aww man, don't tell me this castle turned you back. You don't have to do this any more.

[mareinblack]

[there's a hissing intake of breath and somehow, it gets darker. And possibly colder.]

Do not call me that.

[huffythedragon]

[Ohhhh snap where are the Elements of Harmony when you need them? Oh right. Back in freaking Equestria :| Well, except for Twilight's crown thingie, which is totally useless without the other Elements.

He raises his claws, trying to placate her]

Okay, okay, Nightmare Moon. But listen, okay...just listen. Everypony loves you now, for real. You don't have to do the rawr rawr nightmare doom deal any more.

[circleoflife]

[There was something different about these dreams from the ones he regularly had; he felt more aware, less uninhibited than he usually did. Mufasa frowns as he pads through the area, the powerful scent of fear enough to make him feel uneasy.

Blindness and deafness. He felts a small shot of fear; it's not unlike what he experienced the day he arrived at Paradisa; and suddenly, he is in front of the Alicorn. Even his trusted night vision was betrayed by the dream's darkness.

Even so, there was no mistaking that glowing mane, and the lion cannot stop the surprise that makes its way into his eyes, arching his eyebrows.]

Princess Luna?

[mareinblack]

[that smile is replaced by a very ugly look]

No. I am no longer that sniveling disgrace of a filly.

[circleoflife]

[And his own surprised expression turns into a much sterner one upon hearing Nightmare's words. Those cold eyes were nothing like Luna's own, and yet, the scent was irreplaceable.

He's not sure what's going on, but the blatant slander of someone who had been so kind and patient to him upon his arrival immediately makes him sour.

Demanding, now:] What is the meaning of this?

[mareinblack]

[welp. Have a crazy laugh.]

Perhaps I've outgrown the shadows to which I've been confined. But would you really understand that, Mufasa, King of the Pridelands? [sardonic tone? Check.]

[circleoflife]

[His eyebrow gives a twitch at that. Is Luna still in there? He's not entirely sure...]

The princess that I knew had nothing she needed to prove. [The edge to his tone dies away a bit, not necessarily becoming gentle, but more neutral, at least.] She was gracious, kind, and patient, and I could not imagine anyone asking for anything more of her.

[mareinblack]

[uh. And she's angry again. You can blame the crazy.]

That's because nopony would bother. Who in Equestria would want - or even acknowledge the existence of - the sad little second-rate princess when they've got Celestia?

[circleoflife]

[Something flickers in his eyes, then, at that sentence, but there's no other reaction.]

Your value is not determined by the pedestal by which others put you on, Princess.

[mareinblack]

Platitudes are ever so boring - but I can agree. [man, she sounds almost sane]

I am not 'the lesser' because I'm younger. I am not the shadow just so she can shine more brilliantly. I am not some stupid little filly forever stumbling after her sister, hoping for whatever spare tidbits of praise they have leftover.

[she goes completely still, almost whispering to herself now] And I will prove it.

[insert crazy smile here]

[mom_to_us_all]

[Well, isn't this a pretty place... As for why she's here, there is no clue. Listens to the whispers as if they were told next to her ear, yet they make no sense to her.

The darkness has always made her a little uneasy, but she waits for something to happen, this time she doesn't even yawn; this darkness isn't one for a cozy nap.

The bright eyes startle her a little when they show, she didn't feel the presence before. The voice though, she can recognize, and if she squints, maybe the shape looks familiar.]

Luna?

[mareinblack]

[that smile disappears]

No. I am Luna no longer; only the Nightmare remains.

[mom_to_us_all]

[Tilts her head, not sure of what is going on, but she doesn't like this.]

Night... mare? [It's tempting to laugh at the pun, but she doesn't.] That's a cool name, a bit dark for you though. Got tired of being Luna?

[mareinblack]

[there's a raucous laugh] Dark. Hah! [looks like her mood swings more than a grandfather clock.

Smile.] I got very tired of being eternally overshadowed, yes.

[mom_to_us_all]

[Yeah... she's noticing that.]

With that new attire of yours, overshadowed would be an understatement... [Lul wat?] Anyway, what brought that up?

[mareinblack]

[scoff] Why should I not take on what is rightfully mine? What has always been mine?

[mom_to_us_all]

Hold your ponies... What are you even talking about?

[mareinblack]

[insert that insane smile. Again.]

I have overthrown mine sister and swathed the world in darkness. [chuckling to herself now] They will accept me or they will die.