07-06-2015, 02:41 PM
Chapter 5: Blossoming Love, Suspicions
-----
I felt like I could have been flying at hearing her say my name. Her beautiful, beautiful voice had spoken my name. A sense of elation lingering in my chest as I made my way home, feeling like I hadn't a worry in the world. A rare feeling for me. I stopped at my door, my keys jingling in my hands and my mind so happy yet so unfocused as I accidently dropped the small metal objects to the ground, I actually chuckled somewhat and stooped to pick them up. Things had been so different ever since I first met her, and I hadn't even really known her for very long! I finally got the door unlocked and entered my apartment, the light was still on so I could see just fine, the comfortable silence greeted me as it always did. Yet somehow this dissatisfied me all of a sudden. Absently I locked the door behind me and tossed the keys noisily onto the coffee table.
Somehow I still felt happy, but why was the silence of my home so dissatisfying to me.
"Don't ruin this now, you damn idiot," I mumbled to myself. I found speaking to myself was often easier than keeping my thoughts in my head. I didn't feel unhappy, in fact I'd been happier than I had in ages...but somehow I just didn't feel content with walking into my home by myself now. My eyes traveled to the couch, and for the briefest moment I imagined Nightmare Rarity sitting there, looking up as I walked in. Her expression turning into a tender smile upon seeing me.
I shook my head in an attempt to jar myself from these thoughts. But no matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop thinking about her, not that I even wanted to anyway, and just the thought of her made me so happy.
----
Nightmare Rarity appeared in her room with a bright flash of blue, the magical energy dispersing just as suddenly as it had appeared. She was in no mood to deal with servants tonight, namely because her mind dwelled on the human.
"Michael...," she said his name out loud. A strange, yet wonderfully warm sensation entered her chest at the mention of his name; but she immediately disregarded him. "What is wrong with me?" She snapped at herself mentally, visibly scowling at nothing in the present room of which she stood. "Did you forget who you are? Stop this nonsense now!" She commanded herself. Proceeding to walk into the bathroom, her horn glowing as she magically twisted the knobs for fresh water to begin pouring into her bathtub. Or rather what could cave qualified as a small pool. It was lower than the rest of the room, with small steps for easy entrance, four steady torrents of water pouring into it from a higher point like little waterfalls.
"I will not see him again," she concluded, her horn glowing once more to lift her tiara off her head and lay it down on soft, black pillow made specific for it to lay upon. Her necklace followed soon after.
"It's for the best, he means nothing to you," she told herself. But the thought of not seeing him again was a saddening one, and suddenly she felt a pang in her chest, a lovely hoof raising to her heart. Nightmare Rarity could only imagine how hurt he'd be if she didn't show up tomorrow night, he seemed rather sad to begin with. Not in a miserable sort of way, or even a pitiful way. Just...sad. For what reasons she didn't quite know (yet) but whenever they spoke she saw a shine in his brown eyes that she instinctively knew that no one else but her had ever seen before.
"Pity visits? Is that what I am reduced to?" She mockingly thought, but again the truth nagged at her. "You care for him."
He intrigued her, what few conversations they had had in the past had been genuine, and he was rather brave. He did stand up to her when she could have easily hurt him. And he was rather cute...
"Did I really just think that?"
----
Canterlot was a stark contrast to Nightmare Rarity's lunar castle, friendly looking and less imposing. A majestic castle with golden towers and fluttering flags that flowed proudly in the breeze. The streets below were vacant, save for a few ponies here and there, the moon was full and bright; it seemed so close from the tower in which Princess Celestia stood. Her magenta eyes never leaving the glowing white moon, her face unreadable in her contemplation. Her ears briefly recognized the sound of her younger sister's wings beating the warm spring air as she approached in her brief flight.
"I certainly hope you are not trying to take over my position of guardian the night," Princess Luna softly teased her sister, her hooves touching the ground delicately. She carefully adjusted her small black crown and approached her older sister. "You've been up almost ever night, whatever is the matter?" Luna asked, becoming serious. Princess Celestia's white feathers ruffled slightly.
"I was unsure if what I sensed was real...,"
Luna blinked her dark blue eyes in surprise.
"You sensed something as well?" Her voice became dark, somewhat knowing. "I was deliberating on whether I should tell you," Luna went on, "the power I feel every night stemming from the moon is unlike anything I have felt...but I know not what it is."
Celestia only nodded gravely, beginning to step away from the finely crafted balcony railing.
"We must investigate this as quickly as possible," the Sun Princess stated, locking eyes with her sister, a sense of hesitation visible in her eyes. Her golden shoed hooves ceasing movement as she stood in silence. Luna approached slowly, feeling rather small in the eyes of Celestia.
"Sister?"
Celestia exhaled tiredly, accepting the fact she needed to say her suspicions.
"Luna," she placed a hoof softly on Luna's shoulder, "I fear Equestria's greatest enemy has returned."
The Night Princess stepped back, mouth slightly agape, feeling herself bump into the railing as the feeling of shock and fear overcome her. Celestia looked on sadly at her sibling, wishing to provide comfort of some sort, but knew not what to doin this sort of situation. Luna's personal nemesis, as well as hers, was quite possibly alive and well. And doing something, no less.
"How...how is that possible?" Luna asked in a quiet voice, a torrent of anger and fear building within her, her face growing dark. "We vanquished her in Ponyville nearly two years ago now!"
"I do not know Luna, but we must find out immediately."
-----
I felt like I could have been flying at hearing her say my name. Her beautiful, beautiful voice had spoken my name. A sense of elation lingering in my chest as I made my way home, feeling like I hadn't a worry in the world. A rare feeling for me. I stopped at my door, my keys jingling in my hands and my mind so happy yet so unfocused as I accidently dropped the small metal objects to the ground, I actually chuckled somewhat and stooped to pick them up. Things had been so different ever since I first met her, and I hadn't even really known her for very long! I finally got the door unlocked and entered my apartment, the light was still on so I could see just fine, the comfortable silence greeted me as it always did. Yet somehow this dissatisfied me all of a sudden. Absently I locked the door behind me and tossed the keys noisily onto the coffee table.
Somehow I still felt happy, but why was the silence of my home so dissatisfying to me.
"Don't ruin this now, you damn idiot," I mumbled to myself. I found speaking to myself was often easier than keeping my thoughts in my head. I didn't feel unhappy, in fact I'd been happier than I had in ages...but somehow I just didn't feel content with walking into my home by myself now. My eyes traveled to the couch, and for the briefest moment I imagined Nightmare Rarity sitting there, looking up as I walked in. Her expression turning into a tender smile upon seeing me.
I shook my head in an attempt to jar myself from these thoughts. But no matter how hard I tried I couldn't stop thinking about her, not that I even wanted to anyway, and just the thought of her made me so happy.
----
Nightmare Rarity appeared in her room with a bright flash of blue, the magical energy dispersing just as suddenly as it had appeared. She was in no mood to deal with servants tonight, namely because her mind dwelled on the human.
"Michael...," she said his name out loud. A strange, yet wonderfully warm sensation entered her chest at the mention of his name; but she immediately disregarded him. "What is wrong with me?" She snapped at herself mentally, visibly scowling at nothing in the present room of which she stood. "Did you forget who you are? Stop this nonsense now!" She commanded herself. Proceeding to walk into the bathroom, her horn glowing as she magically twisted the knobs for fresh water to begin pouring into her bathtub. Or rather what could cave qualified as a small pool. It was lower than the rest of the room, with small steps for easy entrance, four steady torrents of water pouring into it from a higher point like little waterfalls.
"I will not see him again," she concluded, her horn glowing once more to lift her tiara off her head and lay it down on soft, black pillow made specific for it to lay upon. Her necklace followed soon after.
"It's for the best, he means nothing to you," she told herself. But the thought of not seeing him again was a saddening one, and suddenly she felt a pang in her chest, a lovely hoof raising to her heart. Nightmare Rarity could only imagine how hurt he'd be if she didn't show up tomorrow night, he seemed rather sad to begin with. Not in a miserable sort of way, or even a pitiful way. Just...sad. For what reasons she didn't quite know (yet) but whenever they spoke she saw a shine in his brown eyes that she instinctively knew that no one else but her had ever seen before.
"Pity visits? Is that what I am reduced to?" She mockingly thought, but again the truth nagged at her. "You care for him."
He intrigued her, what few conversations they had had in the past had been genuine, and he was rather brave. He did stand up to her when she could have easily hurt him. And he was rather cute...
"Did I really just think that?"
----
Canterlot was a stark contrast to Nightmare Rarity's lunar castle, friendly looking and less imposing. A majestic castle with golden towers and fluttering flags that flowed proudly in the breeze. The streets below were vacant, save for a few ponies here and there, the moon was full and bright; it seemed so close from the tower in which Princess Celestia stood. Her magenta eyes never leaving the glowing white moon, her face unreadable in her contemplation. Her ears briefly recognized the sound of her younger sister's wings beating the warm spring air as she approached in her brief flight.
"I certainly hope you are not trying to take over my position of guardian the night," Princess Luna softly teased her sister, her hooves touching the ground delicately. She carefully adjusted her small black crown and approached her older sister. "You've been up almost ever night, whatever is the matter?" Luna asked, becoming serious. Princess Celestia's white feathers ruffled slightly.
"I was unsure if what I sensed was real...,"
Luna blinked her dark blue eyes in surprise.
"You sensed something as well?" Her voice became dark, somewhat knowing. "I was deliberating on whether I should tell you," Luna went on, "the power I feel every night stemming from the moon is unlike anything I have felt...but I know not what it is."
Celestia only nodded gravely, beginning to step away from the finely crafted balcony railing.
"We must investigate this as quickly as possible," the Sun Princess stated, locking eyes with her sister, a sense of hesitation visible in her eyes. Her golden shoed hooves ceasing movement as she stood in silence. Luna approached slowly, feeling rather small in the eyes of Celestia.
"Sister?"
Celestia exhaled tiredly, accepting the fact she needed to say her suspicions.
"Luna," she placed a hoof softly on Luna's shoulder, "I fear Equestria's greatest enemy has returned."
The Night Princess stepped back, mouth slightly agape, feeling herself bump into the railing as the feeling of shock and fear overcome her. Celestia looked on sadly at her sibling, wishing to provide comfort of some sort, but knew not what to doin this sort of situation. Luna's personal nemesis, as well as hers, was quite possibly alive and well. And doing something, no less.
"How...how is that possible?" Luna asked in a quiet voice, a torrent of anger and fear building within her, her face growing dark. "We vanquished her in Ponyville nearly two years ago now!"
"I do not know Luna, but we must find out immediately."