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Organised by
RogerDodger
Word limit
400–750
Regretless
"I regret nothing."
The words echoed through the long hallway along with her hoofsteps, sound bouncing unevenly off of the many alcoves and empty suits of armor. She contemplated the sound for a moment as she passed yet another window. It was nice to hear the words, if only briefly. Conversation was difficult to come by this late into the night. She paused at the next window, glancing out at the moon. It was beautiful tonight.
"No! Please don't hurt me! Trixie didn't mean it!"
The powder blue unicorn scrambled backwards to get away from her. Tears streamed down the unicorn's face as she lost her footing. Her hooves moved spastically, trying to find purchase on the ground. This pony dared to challenge her. Now look at her laid low.
Curiously, the unicorn was not meeting her gaze. That wasn't right. Ponies terrified of their fate generally looked their tormentor in the eyes, desperate for a sign of mercy. Slowly, deliberately, she followed the unicorn's eyes.
Ah, the Alicorn Amulet. The unicorn - Trixie - indeed had wielded great power when it was in her possession, but was she so powerless without it? Did Trixie truly covet the amulet so much?
A grin alighted her face. She looked back to the unicorn as she spoke, "This is my prize now."
Trixie had stopped struggling to get away, simply shaking on the ground as she held back her sobs, her breath sharp gasps. "N-No!"
"Do you realize who you just assaulted?"
The unicorn finally tore her terrified gaze from the amulet.
She sniffed sharply.
It would not do to fall into the dreams of memory. Her mind stagnated. Action was required. She continued her path through the hall and down the stairwell.
She paused at the foot of the staircase. Should she proceed to the throne room? No, it held nothing for her. Not even the guards were still present, not that she needed them.
"Your majesty, the beasts of the Everfree are roaming throughout the land." Flash Sentry had quickly risen through the ranks - necessary field promotions. Her captain's reports were short and to the point recently. At first he had been a breath of fresh air. Now a grim air hovered about him. "Ponies are abandoning the cities in droves. They're following rumors that the zebras can provide food and shelter."
She scowled at him. "Were I informed sooner, I would have taken the field. Why has the guard not acted?"
He didn't even flinch. "The guard is joining them."
Rage gripped her now. "Traitors! They would dare abandon Equestria?"
His face broke into a snarl. "Equestria is dying!"
Her horn flashed. "I am Equestria!"
She shook her head. The cold night air must have gotten to her. Perhaps a walk outside to get her blood pumping.
She trotted now, heading for the castle's entrance. She knew every step of this journey. She'd made it enough.
She placed a hoof on the doors. She didn't feel like using magic at the moment.
The six ponies lay on the ground, grimacing at their pain. Five she recognized. They had dared to gather the Elements of Harmony and raise them against her. The sixth was new. Yellow-orange with streaks of red through her mane and tail. A sunburst her cutie mark. Sunset Shimmer, Celestia's other student -
"I regret nothing."
The words were firm this time. She pushed the doors open, allowing light to filter into the entryway. The moon was brilliant, as always, but little else greeted her as she stepped into the courtyard. Ice covered the ground, the walls, even what remained of the plants. There wasn't a sound to be heard outside her frosty breathing. Not even a whisper of wind brushed against her mane.
The long night had been silent for a while. There hadn't been ponies here for years. The dreaming world was silent as well. She gazed up at the beautiful sky to distract herself. The sun had long been relegated to its place amongst the stars, no greater than its peers.
"What did you do to her? My student, Twilight Sparkle?"
She coolly regarded her oddly somber sister. "The foal charged me, a spell on her horn. I taught her that one should not joust with an Alicorn."
Celestia flinched in her sorrow. Then she asked, "Do you regret it, Luna?"
"My name is Nightmare Moon!"
"I regret nothing," she whispered, wishing it were true.
The words echoed through the long hallway along with her hoofsteps, sound bouncing unevenly off of the many alcoves and empty suits of armor. She contemplated the sound for a moment as she passed yet another window. It was nice to hear the words, if only briefly. Conversation was difficult to come by this late into the night. She paused at the next window, glancing out at the moon. It was beautiful tonight.
"No! Please don't hurt me! Trixie didn't mean it!"
The powder blue unicorn scrambled backwards to get away from her. Tears streamed down the unicorn's face as she lost her footing. Her hooves moved spastically, trying to find purchase on the ground. This pony dared to challenge her. Now look at her laid low.
Curiously, the unicorn was not meeting her gaze. That wasn't right. Ponies terrified of their fate generally looked their tormentor in the eyes, desperate for a sign of mercy. Slowly, deliberately, she followed the unicorn's eyes.
Ah, the Alicorn Amulet. The unicorn - Trixie - indeed had wielded great power when it was in her possession, but was she so powerless without it? Did Trixie truly covet the amulet so much?
A grin alighted her face. She looked back to the unicorn as she spoke, "This is my prize now."
Trixie had stopped struggling to get away, simply shaking on the ground as she held back her sobs, her breath sharp gasps. "N-No!"
"Do you realize who you just assaulted?"
The unicorn finally tore her terrified gaze from the amulet.
She sniffed sharply.
It would not do to fall into the dreams of memory. Her mind stagnated. Action was required. She continued her path through the hall and down the stairwell.
She paused at the foot of the staircase. Should she proceed to the throne room? No, it held nothing for her. Not even the guards were still present, not that she needed them.
"Your majesty, the beasts of the Everfree are roaming throughout the land." Flash Sentry had quickly risen through the ranks - necessary field promotions. Her captain's reports were short and to the point recently. At first he had been a breath of fresh air. Now a grim air hovered about him. "Ponies are abandoning the cities in droves. They're following rumors that the zebras can provide food and shelter."
She scowled at him. "Were I informed sooner, I would have taken the field. Why has the guard not acted?"
He didn't even flinch. "The guard is joining them."
Rage gripped her now. "Traitors! They would dare abandon Equestria?"
His face broke into a snarl. "Equestria is dying!"
Her horn flashed. "I am Equestria!"
She shook her head. The cold night air must have gotten to her. Perhaps a walk outside to get her blood pumping.
She trotted now, heading for the castle's entrance. She knew every step of this journey. She'd made it enough.
She placed a hoof on the doors. She didn't feel like using magic at the moment.
The six ponies lay on the ground, grimacing at their pain. Five she recognized. They had dared to gather the Elements of Harmony and raise them against her. The sixth was new. Yellow-orange with streaks of red through her mane and tail. A sunburst her cutie mark. Sunset Shimmer, Celestia's other student -
"I regret nothing."
The words were firm this time. She pushed the doors open, allowing light to filter into the entryway. The moon was brilliant, as always, but little else greeted her as she stepped into the courtyard. Ice covered the ground, the walls, even what remained of the plants. There wasn't a sound to be heard outside her frosty breathing. Not even a whisper of wind brushed against her mane.
The long night had been silent for a while. There hadn't been ponies here for years. The dreaming world was silent as well. She gazed up at the beautiful sky to distract herself. The sun had long been relegated to its place amongst the stars, no greater than its peers.
"What did you do to her? My student, Twilight Sparkle?"
She coolly regarded her oddly somber sister. "The foal charged me, a spell on her horn. I taught her that one should not joust with an Alicorn."
Celestia flinched in her sorrow. Then she asked, "Do you regret it, Luna?"
"My name is Nightmare Moon!"
"I regret nothing," she whispered, wishing it were true.