Chapter 2: beginning of a long night
With all the excitement from the day before, I was reluctant to get up. However since I did promise golden harvest to go to the summer sun celebration with her, also, Dinky has been excited about the summer sun celebration for almost a month now, and I would really hate to disappoint her. I slowly get up, and rubs my eyes, still tired. As I slowly move towards the door, I heard a knocking on the front door. I moves down stairs, and look out the door. Standing outside is a pale golden earth pony with orange mane.
"Ditzy, sweetie please tell me you didn't just woke up." As I open the door, Golden harvest saw my messed up mane and the still half-asleep look on my face.
"Sorry, Pinky's party lasted really late last night." I tried my best to clean up my mane a bit, as golden harvest shakes her head.
"Just hurry up, I don't want to be late." The irritated look is clearly on her face; I show a forced smile then runs up stairs to wake up Dinky. Similar to yesterday, Dinky was very resistant to waking up. However, after reminding her we were going to the summer sun celebration, she jumps out of her bed and runs into the bathroom. in less than a minute, Dinky reappears ready to run out of the door, while I still look like a mess.
We manage to arrive at the town hall before Princess Celestria makes her appearance. While the mayor was finishing her speech, I was thinking how great that the ruler of all of Equestria takes the time of day to come to a small village like pony ville. After the mayor finished her speech, the curtain opens, and princess Celestria was not there.
"Oh my, what happen? Where is princess Celestria?" I was not alone in the astonishment. As the mayor tries her best to calm the crow, it was clearly not working.
"She was gone." Rarity's single sentence was like adding oil to an already blazing fire, setting the crow into even more unrest. right after Rarity finished her sentence, a dark cloud appears where Celestria should had been, and moment later, the dark cloud came together, creating thundering noise, as a dark alicorn in armour materialized from the dark cloud. Her mane was like the night sky full of beauty, yet stroked fear into every pony in the town hall. Her light blue eyes were like sapphires under the moon light, but at the same time those beautiful eyes felt like the eyes of a beast from the everfree forest. Dinky hides behind golden harvest, as the dark alicorn address the crow as her subject. The bold Pegasus, rainbow Dash, calls out to the dark alicorn, demanding to know what had she done to our precious princess Celestria. The dark alicorn laughs at the question.
"Why do you want to know? Is one Royalty not enough for a small town such as this? Or perhaps you simple do not know who I am." The dark alicorn returns Dashie's question with a smile, which while with grace, also shown her sharp fangs.
"While I was, imprisoned, did my royal status expire? Did no pony recall the legend, or perhaps the signs were not clear enough?" the dark alicorn looks the at crow with her cold blue eyes.
"I saw the signs, and I know who you are. You were imprisoned in the moon for a thousand year, you are nightmare moon." The lavender unicorn from yesterday steps out of the crow and confronts the dark alicorn, as the crow gasp in shock.
"Oh, so some pony does remember me. Yet, such poor manor you have. Were you not taught to bow before a princess? Or, one should only speak, when spoken to. But formality aside, you must know why I have returned, since you seem to know who I am," The dark alicorn now turns her glance at the lavender unicorn.
"You….. are here to…." the lavender unicorn hesitant to reply, which only made every pony else in the town hall feel even more unsettled
"I thought better of you, perhaps I was wrong. Such a shame, I was hoping that at least one pony would have remembered me from the past. But no worry, the night is long, and you all will have plenty of time to be re-educated of the identity of your new princess. Remember this day well, all you sun loving ponies, for the sun shall never rise upon this land again." the dark alicorn lets out a thundering laugh, with thunders and lighting flashing from the dark clouds behind her.
"Take her down, she must know where the princess is." With the word from the mayor, the royal Pegasus guards took flies, the two Pegasus jumps on the alicorn, but as soon, as they landed, the alicorn turns into a dark cloud. While the two Pegasus looks at each other wondering where did the dark alicorn went, she rematerialized behind the two Pegasus.
"Oh how cute, You two think that you could catch me." the Pegasus turns and swing their hoof, but the alicorn simply turns back into a cloud, and the Pegasus ended hit each other. A laugh fills the town hall, as the two guard tries their best to catch the dark alicorn.
"As much fun as this is, I do believe the crow is getting bored." The dark alicorn rematerialized in front of the two Pegasus, and with a flap of a wing, the two royal Pegasus was on the ground, unconscious. The dark Alicorn lets out smiles claiming her victory, once again showing her sharp fangs.
"Well, this was fun. But, I do have to leave now. I am a princess after all, and the royal duty always calls. Especially since, I was absent for so long. However, do not worry your little heads; I will be back when I am done with my task. I know how much you ponies love your princess." The dark alicorn lets out one last earth-shattering laugh, as she turns into a dark cloud, making her exit.
"Get back here you!" Rainbow Dash spring into action, and went after the dark cloud. The dark cloud lets out a lighting that hits Rainbow Dash square on the head. While us Pegasus don't take much damage from lightning and other weather related injuries, it does however manage to daze Rainbow dash, stopping her from chasing after the dark cloud. As the dazed Pegasus falls towards the ground, me and a few other Pegasus manage to catch her, placing her back to the ground lightly. Rainbow was ready to took off again, as soon as he recover from the daze, luckily Apple jack manage to hold him down.
"Let me had her, I'll show her a good one-two." As rainbow struggle to break free, Apple jack simple said one thing
"dash, What good does running after her do?" looking at the two still unconscious Pegasus guard, Rainbow dash seem to realize she may not be a match to her. While she still wants to break free, she clearly seems to have calm down a lot. As soon as the group calm down a bit, the mayor turns to the Lavender unicorn, and said
"Miss….
"Twilight Sparkle" Pinky fills in the name,
"Miss Twilight, any chance you could enlighten us of this nightmare moon." the Mayor asked kindly.
"I don't know much about her, but I think I may be able to find out more in the library. Also please leave this to me; I do not wish for any pony to get hurt." After saying that she turns and runs out of the door, assuming heading to the library. As a few pony run after her, I felt a tapping on my wing. When I turn to look, I hit my head on the side of a pony standing next to me.
"Watch it Derpy." I apologize for hitting her, and then turn to look at who was tapping on my wing again, and it was golden harvest.
"Sweetie, I think we should head home. Dinky looks really spooked" golden harvest lift her hoof, showing a little filly wrap around her hoof. The little filly was holding so tightly to the hoof that Golden harvest's hoof is starting to change color.
"Muffin, she is gone now. Will you let go of Aunty Golden's hoof? I think you are starting to hurt her" I smile at Dinky hopping to calm her down, although I myself is still pretty spooked by the event that just took place. Dinky let go of Golden harvest's hoof and almost immediately wrapped herself onto mine.
"I suggest you should take that little filly home. This is no place for a young filly such as her. Oh dear, I could only imagine what the long nights will do to my crops." I smile at the fact that Golden harvest still has time to worry about her crop at a time like this. I bid Golden harvest good-bye, and then slowly drag Dinky and myself back home.
Since Dinky refused to let go of my hoof, I end up having to walk all the way back home. since I can't just fly and dodge most of the ponies. I end up running multiply ponies, while some ponies excused my poor walking skill with the fact that it is dark outside. A more common reply to my inability to stay out of ponies way were, "watch where you going, derpy." or "Keep your eyes on the road derpy." I have gotten quite used to the nickname "derpy", but it still hurt whenever someone else calls me that. At first, the nickname was given to me due to my clumsiness, but after that incident, even more ponies started to call me derpy. Now days, only a hand full of ponies still calls me by my real name.
By the time we finally arrive back at home, I was exhausted.
"Dinky, you got to lost some weight." As I plop on to the couch, Dinky finally let go of my hoof.
"What can I say mom, your cooking is so good. I can't help myself, but to eat a whole lot" Dinky makes a witty comment to counter my comment on her weight. However, I was too tired to call her out on that.
"Mom, do you think the night will really last forever?" the young filly pokes me with her horn. To tell the truth, I really do not know what to tell her. On one hoof, I felt lying to her is wrong, but at the same time, I really do not want to scare the young filly any worse.
"I don't know, muffin. I really don't" to my surprise the young filly actually looks happy to that answer.
"Does that mean I won't have to get up for school every morning?" the question made me giggle a bit inside, if any pony can make a "bright side" out of all of this, it will be Dinky.
"Hate to burst your bubble, muffin. But I think you still had to go to school." I smile.
"Speaking of school, what time is it?" I look at the clock, and realize it was actually noon already.
"Oh no, I'm late to deliver the mails. All those ponies always look forward to receiving their mails every day. I can't disappoint them, especially now." With that thought, I was ready to run out of the door. However, as soon as I putted on my mail mare hat, my stomach started growling, reminding me that neither Dinky nor I had ate anything all morning. I dash into the kitchen, pulls out a blue berry muffin, that I had been saving, and handed to Dinky.
"Here muffin, Mommy had to go do her job. Be good and stay home ok?" after saying that I tried to dash out of the door, but right before, I could make it out of the door, Dinky jump onto my back.
"Mom, I'm coming with you."
"Dinky! Be good, and stay home." I try to shake her off, but she held on tight
"I don't want to be lone, please let me come along." Dinky begs. I can tell that she was still spooked from what happen earlier. While I still reluctant to bring Dinky along, I do see a problem in leaving her all alone in the house.
"Alright muffin, you can come long. But, would you get off my back? How about we walk together." With that, Dinky hops down and grabs my hoof. As we tread towards the mail pose
We arrive at the mail pose after a short while. As one would expect, no one was here. I went and grabbed the mails, placing them carefully into my bag. Then slowly went on my usual route. While there are still a few ponies out about, most ponies were hiding indoor. My first delivery was to Berry shine. As I knock on the door, I saw the door creeks open a crack, with an eye looking though the crack. After seeing only Dinky and I was on the other side, the pony opens the door slowly, and then before I knew what happen, Dinky and I was pull into the house.
"Derpy, Dinky, What are you two doing here?" the earth pony with a web color Plum coat looks at us.
"I'm here to deliver the mail. I know how much ponies look forward to receiving their mail every day, how can I disappoint every pony, especially at a time like this." I dig through my bag, and fish out the letters for Berry Shine.
"Derpy… I mean Ditzy. That was really nice of you, but you really didn't have to go through all the trouble." Berry Shine shows a kind face, which I have not seen since that incident.
"It was no trouble at all, I am just doing my job." with a smile we head out of the door.
The next few houses were the same, everyone was scare of the dark, but there is really no reason to. At first, Dinky and I was also a bit afraid ourselves, but after walking under the moon light for a while now, we start to appreciate the moon light and the night stars. Come to think of it, the last time we walked as a family, was before the incident.
After a little while, We arrive at my next destination, Cheerilee's house. I usually just drop off her mail at the mailbox, since she was usually at the school when I run my mail route. But today, due to all the chaos, She was home, and so I knocked on her door. We readied ourselves, expecting to be pull into the house again. But to our surprise, Cheerilee just simply open the door.
"Hi Dinky, and good afternoon Mrs. Doo, I didn't expect to see you two here today." With a sweet voice she welcomes us.
"I got your mail; I know how much every pony looks forward to receiving their mail every day, and I really don't want them to be disappointed after all that has happened today." I smile at Cheerilee.
"Oh, how kind of you, please do come in." as she open the door wider allowing us to enter.
"But I really had to finish delivering the mails." I try to turn down her invitation, since I still have a bag full of mails to deliver.
"Oh, don't worry. I am sure most ponies were not expecting mail today. Surely you could take a little break and enjoy a muffin or two." Cheerilee move back a step, showing some blue berry muffins on her table. At the sight of the muffins, my eyes lit up. While my brain constantly reminds me that, my task comes first, my hooves were drawn towards the muffins.
"Thanks for you generosity, but I really must go." After a fierce battle, my brain won out. Cheerilee did not persist, she grab the muffins, and offer them for us to have. With that, Dinky swiped three muffins, as I grabbed one for the road.
The rest of the deliveries went without any special events. As me and Dinky walks and laughs, more and more ponies started to come out of their house.
"Mommy, why are people afraid of the dark?" Dinky looks at me
"Remember how we were afraid at first? Most ponies do not actually understand the beauty of the night, but once they saw the beauty that the night could bring, your fear will slowly be replaced by admiration for its beauty." With a smile, we continue walking, and before long, we arrive at our last destination, Cake's bakery. I knock on the door, and a moment later, I hear hooves steps coming towards the door.
"Oh Ditzy and Dinky, do come in." Mr. Carrot cake opens the door, and allows the two of us to enter.
"So Ditzy, what can we do for you today?" Mrs. Cupcake came out of the back with a batch of muffins.
"Er….. muf… I mean, I got mail for you guys." I smile covering the fact that the sight of muffins almost shut my brain down. I dig though the bag, and pull out the last three letters and handed them to Mrs. Cupcake.
"Thanks for your trouble Ditzy, I really was not expecting to receive any mail today, not after all that happened. How about a muffin from me, as a token of my appreciation" Mrs. Cupcake push the trait towards me. I pick up a muffin with my muzzle, sat down, and start to nibble on the muffin.
"Where is Pinky Pie by the way?" I notice the lack of a certain hyperactive Pink pony.
"I have no clue; maybe she is setting up a party somewhere." Mrs. Cupcake shrugs. Soon after, I finished my muffin. I turn to Dinky, telling her we should go home.
"Sure mom, but can we take the long way home? I really enjoy walking with you under the moon light." I nodded.