Changing Lanes 09

>“Celestia really needs to change things up a bit in here. White is so overdone in this place.”
“Please shut up.”
>The guards in the throne room look at you with confused and concerned looks.
“I mean, shut the windows, please. It’s a little drafty in here.”
>“Yes, of course Princess.”
>You glare in the direction of Nightmare Moon, who is trying not to laugh.
>“What? Just trying to lighten the mood. You’re way too tense.”
>Ever since you’ve returned to the castle, Nightmare Moon has been talking almost constant.
>Which has made it a pain in the ass to hold court, to say the least.
“Is there anyone else in waiting for court?”
>“No Princess, it is clear.”
>You get up off the throne you were sitting in, and force yourself to use Luna’s dialect.
“We will take a walk, allow ourselves to stretch our legs.”
>The nearest guard nods in approval.
>“Yes Princess. Would you like a guard to accompany you?”
“Uh, no, we are fine. Thank you.”
>“Nicely played. You’re getting good at your impression of Luna, and that’s coming from someone that was stuck with her for a 1000 years.”
>You walk out of the throne room in complete silence.
>“Oh come on, don’t ignore me. You’re gonna hurt my feelings.”
“I didn’t think evil had feelings.”
>“Well, no I don’t. But it got you to talk to me.”
>For fuck’s sake, this is annoying.
>Nightmare continues to ramble as you walk along the hallways of the castle.
>You don’t even have a particular place you’re going, you just need to collect your thoughts again.
>No easy feat with this black and blue bitch talking your ear off.
>“Can’t you please come up with another insult? ‘Bitch’ is getting stale really quick.”
“Alright, how about ‘whore’?”
>“Better, but I expected something more original.”
>“Princess Luna, there you are!”
>You and your antagonizing hallucination turn to see Twilight trotting toward you.
>“Oh no, not the purple one. Don’t let her monologue.”
“Hello Twilight, how are you tonight?”
>“Fine. I’m surprised you didn’t visit Anon tonight.”
>You look around and see the hallways are clear aside from you two.
>“Make that three. I count.”
>Ugh.
“I did, I was just in a hurry and forgot to get you. Sorry.”
>Twilight shakes her head and smiles.
>“That’s okay, how is Luna holding up.
>Do you really tell her or just lie?
“She’s doing fine. Mostly just bored, watching TV with Rainbow.”
>Nightmare Moon leans in close.
>“It’s a good thing Twilight is socially retarded, you aren’t very convincing at lying.”
>“…..are you okay, Anon? You look like something is bothering you.”
“I’m fine. I just… didn’t sleep that well.  And court has been dull.
>“Well played. Not awkward at all.”
>Fuck you.
>“I‘m not in the mood. Besides that fact, that’d pretty much be masturbation.”
>Twilight directs her attention to where you are staring, concerned.
>“…anyway, maybe we should go to the archives and see what we can find? I think I’ve narrowed down the section we need to look in.”
“Sounds like a plan. Lead the way.”

>“What was that all about, Luna?”
>You are Luna, and you’ve just returned to the house after spending a half hour wandering along forest paths.
>It took a while to calm yourself down after Anon started talking about what he had learned from Celestia.
>He may not have meant to upset you, but it feels like he is using this predicament to invade your privacy.
“It is nothing, Rainbow Dash. Anon seems to be a little under the weather, so I had him head home.
>Dash gives you a concerned expression.
>“Is he all right? And more importantly, are you all right? You look a little pale.”
“Everything is fine. Now, let’s get back to what we were watching, shall we?”
>Rainbow shrugs and unpauses the movie.
>Really, you can’t even remember what it is about, nor do you care much.
>As you sit back down, painful memories flood back to you.
>Anon had been correct in saying racing was a passion for you.
>Nay, an obsession. An endless hunger for speed.
>You had always been someone a runt so to speak. Smaller than most p0nies, until being an alicorn, you finally outgrew everyone.
>Well, except for Celly.
>But really, it was an advantage.
>After all, less weight means more speed.
>And your smaller stature allowed you unprecedented agility.
>It would be a gross understatement to say you had dusted your rivals in nearly every race and agility competition.
>Quite funny how all those years ago, something in you decided to race with the number 43, considering how Anon was obsessed with the man in his home dimension that dominated racing with the same number.
>But when Discord began his tyranny, you had put your own passions aside to help Equestria with their coup.
>Years of battle paid off in the end, but the lack of practice meant when you had returned to racing, you were well outpaced by most p0nies.
>Well, the lack of practice and your growth spurt.
>Sure, the larger wings meant less effort to get you going, but it also made for wider turns.
>And more weight.
>But by that time, you and Celestia had taken power over the land, and she wanted your focus to be on royal duties, not “hobbies,” as she called it.
>A part of you felt like it had died when you had to give up racing.
>A part left vacant, empty until Nightmare Moon.
>“Luna. Hello, you in there?”
>Rainbow Dash fills your whole line of vision.
“Yes, how many times must we say it in one minute for you to understand?!”
>Rainbow cringes at the hint of venom in your voice.
>This has really been a stressful few days, and you keep taking it out on your friends.
“I’m…. I’m sorry, Rainbow. I didn’t mean to raise my voice. I just have a lot on my mind.”
>The pegasus rolls her eyes.
>“If you don’t open up and tell me what is going on, I’ll have Twilight hold you down and torture you with a speech.”
>You sigh. It really isn’t worth holding it all in any more you suppose.
“You win, Dash. What Anon said earlier about my past is true.”
>“But I don’t understand. Why would you hide something cool like that?”
“Sit back down. This is going to be a long story……”

>“Celestia still doesn’t know how to have any fun,  why does she insist on locking away all the books on dark magic?”
>You have spent an hour in the archives with Twilight, and your hallucination still hasn’t shut up for five minutes.
>“Well maybe if you paid attention to me and we had a meaningful conversati-”
>Ignore.
>You turn to Twilight,  who is surrounded by a number of books she is apparently reading simultaneously.
>You aren’t sure whether to be impressed or disturbed by a talent like that.
“Find anything of interest, Twilight?”
>“Not really. Some spells I would like to try out at some point, but nothing to help the current situation. What about you?”
>You sigh as Nightmare Moon continues to ramble on a few feet away.
“No, and I’m starting to get a bit of a headache. I think if it’s alright with you, I’m going to head back to my room.”
>Twilight nods in approval.
>“Sure Luna - er, Anon. Sorry.”
“It’s fine. I’ll probably be back in a while.”
>You place the book in front of you back on the shelf and shuffle out of the room.
>With one black alicorn in tow.
>The hallways are completely barren of life at this point of the night.
>“Oh come on, why didn’t you tell Twilight about me? I know you want to.”
“Yeah, that’s a great idea. Cause panic and probably lock me up in fear, what’s not to love?”
>“That’s the spirit!”
>You stop and glare at her as she shows her fangs again in a wide grin.
“That was sarcasm, asshole.”
>“So was my reply, sweetie.”
>You resume your walk down the long corridors of the castle.
“What is your deal? I understand your apparent purpose is to annoy the fuck out of me, but why?”
>“I thought it was rather obvious. To make you go insane.”
>You stop again and look at her.
>Nightmare Moon’s face is serious, this apparently isn’t a joke.
“What good is that going to do?”
>“Oh come now, you don’t think Luna just agreed to let me through, did you? I had to……give her a few nudges in the right direction.
“So basically, I lose control of my mind, and you regain it and take full consciousness.”
>“There you go, Sherlock Hooves. Took forever, but you finally get it.”
>Once again, you begin your walk.
>“Aw, did I hurt your feelings? I’m sorry, really.”
>The rest of the walk to your chambers is in complete silence.
>Well, for you anyway.
>Nightmare Moon seems content to make stupid comments about everything.
>Once you reach your room, you flop onto the bed and stretch out.
>Your mind continues to replay the visit with Luna earlier.
>The anger that flashed through her glare and her voice was unsettling and painful.
>Curiosity got the best of you, and it may have cost you a friend.
>Maybe more.
>“Ahahaha, that is so cute! You actually think you and Luna could be a couple!”
“Goddammit, shut UP!”
>Anger sears through your veins as you focus on where Nightmare Moon is standing, and send a blast of energy hurtling toward the alicorn.
>Needless to say, it passes through her and obliterates the desk behind.
>“Anon, what in Tartarus is going on?!”
>Twilight is standing in the doorway to your room.
“I……I…..”
>What do you even say at this point?
>Nightmare meanwhile is sporting her toothy grin at your cockup.
“What are you even doing here? I thought you were in the Archives.”
>Twi gingerly steps towards you, apparently in fear whether she is dealing with a stable being.
>“I followed you, because something hasn’t seemed right about you at all tonight.”
>She glances over at the charred remains of the desk, as well as the cracks in the wall behind where it once stood.
>“And I can see my hunch was correct. Now tell me what is going on.”
>You glance over to where your annoying vision is standing, who is trying not to laugh again.
>Fury begins to grip you again, as you begin to charge another energy blast.
>A sharp pain erupts from the back of your head.
>Darkness begins to envelop your vision as the echoes of laughter fill your ears.
>Then, nothing.