Past Sins
By Pen Stroke
Assisted By Batty Gloom
====
Chapter 5
Theatrical Trouble
====
It had been nearly a week since Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon’s prank had gone wrong, and Nyx was back at school. It was recess, and, while the rest of her classmates were out enjoying a large game of hoofball, Nyx was by herself. She was sitting on the swing, moving, at most, two inches back and forth as she stared at the ground and tried her best to keep herself from crying. 

She didn’t want to be at school, and, the first morning after she had been brought back from the Everfree Forest, she had just wanted to stay at the library. She wanted to stay where it was safe and, maybe more importantly, away from Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. 

Yet, during the first few days after the forest incident, things were different at the library. Twilight had been avoiding her. She was trying to hide it, had tried to tell Nyx that she was just imagining things, but Nyx knew things were different. Twilight kept looking at her with this weird expression, like she was looking through her and expecting to find some monster. It was that strange look alone that made Nyx finally agree to go back to school. 

But school was no better. Over the few days she had been back, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had become unbearable. Diamond’s father, Filthy Rich, had grounded her for what she did, and now she was doing everything in her power to get back at Nyx. They had spread nasty rumors around the school, picked on Nyx openly, and even tried to frame her for putting a tack on Cheerilee’s desk chair.

Thankfully, Cheerilee had seen through their ruse. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon were now missing recess, sitting at their desks as punishment for the tack. It gave Nyx her first peaceful recess in days, though it did little to raise her spirits. She still felt horrible. She had wanted to hurt Twilight sometime in the past! She didn’t know when or why, but the fact remained, and she knew it was because of that fact that Twilight kept watching her with that strange, almost-scared look in her eyes.  

How could she have ever wanted to hurt Twilight? She was such a nice pony. It was Twilight who had found her in the forest, had taken her in her home, and had been taking care of her. It was Twilight who helped her catch up in school and read her bedtime stories. How could she want to hurt somepony who was willing to do all that?

“Hey, Nyx, how are you doing?”

Nyx jumped a little. She hadn’t noticed that somepony had come up beside her and quickly looked up, fearing Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had been released from their no-recess punishment by Cheerilee. Yet, instead of the school bullies, Nyx saw the faces of her classmates and friends. Apple Bloom and Twist were near the swing, with Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle just behind them.

“I’m okay,” Nyx lied before she looked back down at the ground.

“You don’t sound okay,” Twist pointed out. 
 
Scootaloo nodded her head. “Yeah, and you don’t look that good either. Are you sick? Cause you look like you’re about to throw up.”

Nyx winced at those words, flattened her ears against her head, and turned away. At the same time, Apple Bloom glared over her shoulder at Scootaloo and whispered, “You’re not helpin’!” 

“But I didn’t mean—” Scootaloo tried to protest, only to find Sweetie Belle pushing her away.

“Come on, let’s just let Apple Bloom and Twist talk to her.”

“But I was just making a joke to make her laugh. I didn’t mean—”

Scootaloo’s voice faded as she was led away from the swing set by Sweetie Belle. That left Apple Bloom and Twist standing beside Nyx, and both waited for Scootaloo to be well out of earshot before they looked back to Nyx.

“You know she didn’t mean it like that, right?” Apple Bloom asked.

Nyx nodded her head but did not look up at her friends. “Yeah, I know.”

“So, why are you sad, Nyx?” Twist asked. “Is it because Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon tried to get you in trouble?” 

“No, it’s not that.”

“You know, my sister says a pony always feels better when they tell the truth, especially when somethin’s botherin’ them,” Apple Bloom said before putting on a smile.

“Well, I guess,” Nyx began before she sniffled and rubbed her hoof across her nose. “But… can you two keep this a secret?”

“Of course,” Apple Bloom assured.

“And you promise not to tell anypony else?”

“Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye,” Apple Bloom rattled off.

“What was that?” Twist asked, confused by Apple Bloom’s odd movements and rhymes.

“It’s a Pinkie Pie Promise.”

Twist arched an eyebrow. “There’s a promise named after Pinkie Pie?” 

“Yep! It’s a promise between friends that you have to keep forever.”

“Forever?” Twist echoed.

“Fooorreeevvveeerrr!”

Nyx, Apple Bloom, and Twist jumped and turned to look towards the path that ran alongside the school. Standing on the other side of the fence that surrounded the playground was Pinkie Pie, glaring seriously at the three fillies. She was carrying a tray of cupcakes on her back, and her saddlebags were loaded down with other assorted goodies.

“Uh, hey, Pinkie Pie,” Apple Bloom said, giving the earth pony a weak wave.

The serious expression on Pinkie Pie’s face quickly shifted back to its normal, cheerful nature. “Hey, girls! I was just taking some sweets to a party. Well, I’d better get going. You have fun.”

“Uh… Okay, see ya,” Apple Bloom replied. The three watched Pinkie Pie bounce down the path, and, only when they were sure Pinkie Pie was out of earshot, did Twist say something.

“That… was weird.”

“It’s Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie; that’s just how she is,” Apple Bloom assured Twist. “Still, you have to keep a Pinkie Pie Promise, since breaking one makes you lose a friend’s trust, and losing a friend's trust is the fastest way to lose a friend forever.”

“FOOOREEEEVVEEEEER!”

The three fillies jumped again and turned once more to see Pinkie Pie. She was standing a long way down the path, almost out of sight of the school. At the moment she was staring down the three fillies as if she was able to hear their conversation despite the distance. Her hardened gaze drifted between each one like she was peering into their very souls.

Yet, just as quickly as she had spoken out, Pinkie Pie returned to her normal perky nature, turning and bouncing around a bend in the path as she continued on her task of delivering food for a party.

“If it’s okay with you, Apple Bloom, I think I’ll just use a normal promise,” Twist said.

Apple Bloom nodded and instead focused her attention back on Nyx. 
“So, what did you want to tell us?”

“W-well, when I was in the forest… I-I remembered things, and… and, in some of those memories… I wanted to h-hurt Twilight.”

“Why would you want to hurt Twilight?” Twist asked. 

“I don’t know!” Nyx half blubbered, half shouted at the ground as tears formed in the corners of her eyes. “But I wanted to. I really wanted to… but I don’t know why. And I don’t want to hurt Twilight because she’s so nice… but… but…”

“Whoa, easy, Nyx,” Apple Bloom said, seeing her friend start to hyperventilate. “Is that why you’ve been so sad, because you thought you wanted to hurt Twilight?”

Nyx nodded, trying to dry her eyes. “I’m not even sure when it happened or why, but… I remember wanting to hurt her. We were both standing in some old castle ruins, and I was really tall, and when I spoke, my voice was all strange, but I remember wanting to hurt her, and—”

“Are ya sure you weren’t just dreamin’?” Apple Bloom asked.

“D-dreaming?” Nyx echoed, looking up at Apple Bloom. She sniffled, rubbed her nose, and adjusted her glasses, which had fallen down a little. 

“Yeah, dreamin’. I mean, Twilight said you were way out in the Everfree Forest. Maybe you just got tired, passed out, and dreamed the whole thing up. You just didn’t know it ‘cause of how scared you were. I mean, you ain’t exactly taller than Twilight, are ya?”

“Well… no… but even if it was just a dream, I still feel bad about it.”

“Have you told Twilight about this?” Twist asked.

“Yes.”

“And did you apologize?” 

Nyx sniffed and nodded. “Yes, I apologized, and she said it was all right.”

“Well then why are you worryin’ about it, you silly filly?” Apple Bloom asked, smiling gently. “Like you said, you don’t really want to hurt Twilight, and it sounds like she’s already forgiven you. As my big sister would say, ‘it's all water under the bridge now.’”

“What does a bridge have to do with any of this?” Twist asked.

“It’s an expression.”

Twist cocked her head to one side. “What does it mean?”

“Well… it kind of… look, I don’t know for sure, but I know it does mean somethin’ like once you’ve apologized for doing somethin’ and somepony has forgiven you, then it’s okay just to forget about it.”

“Oh, so since Twilight’s forgiven Nyx for thinking she ever wanted to hurt her, they can both just forget about it and go back to being happy?”

“Exactly!” Apple Bloom said with a smile.

“But… I don’t think Twilight has forgotten about it. She keeps looking at me funny, almost like she’s scared of me. And what if it wasn’t a dream? What if I wanted to hurt Twilight for real? What if I want to hurt her again? I don’t want to hurt her!”

“Okay, we’re going in circles. Time for an Apple family remedy,” Apple Bloom said before she stepped behind Nyx.

“Wait, what are you— WHOA!”

Nyx went wide-eyed as she sailed forward. Apple Bloom had put all of her applebucking practice to use by turning and bucking the swing. The buck sent Nyx rocketing skyward, her purple mane flowing behind her as she clung tightly to the chains. The swing had reached its peak and begun swooping back when Nyx finally realized what had happened. 

Apple Bloom stepped out of the way before Nyx swung back. She joined Twist, and, together, the pair couldn’t help but laugh at Nyx’s panicked face. Apple Bloom lifted a hoof to her mouth and shouted, “Come on, go higher!”

“Yeah! Higher!” Twist added in her nasally tone.

Nyx gulped. She was already swinging higher than she ever had before, but Twist and Apple Bloom’s cheers filled her head. Taking a deep breath, Nyx began to throw her weight into the swing, causing it to travel higher and higher. Eventually, she reached the point where the swing began to hang loose at the top of its arc, a few moments of free fall before the chains snapped taut again.

Nyx swung back and forth a number of times before her courage ran out, and she let the swing slow down. When she did stop, she was smiling and laughing along with Apple Bloom and Twist who quickly moved up beside her.

“See? The Apple family remedy works every time.”

“What’s the remedy? Swinging on a swing?” Nyx asked.

“No, havin’ fun. Nothin’ can get a pony feeling better like havin’ a little fun. Now scooch over. It’s my turn,” Apple Bloom said.

Nyx gladly relinquished the swing, and, once Apple Bloom was seated, she used her magic to give it a push. Soon, Apple Bloom was swinging high while Twist and Nyx cheered her on. Apple Bloom’s laughter filled the air and drew Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo back over. The quintet of fillies would spend the rest of recess taking turns on the swing, challenging one another to go higher than they ever had before.

===

Twilight smiled as she looked at the calendar on the wall, striking off another day. Time had flown, as it often did, and it had been about a month and a half since Nyx’s arrival.

And, all things considered, Twilight was happy with how Nyx was doing. Nyx was caught up in school, so now she could spend afternoons outside playing with friends instead of stuck in extra lessons. There were, however, still days where Nyx chose to come back to the library, wanting Twilight to teach her more about something she had learned in school. Sometimes her curiosity was simply insatiable.

School itself had been going better as well. After Twilight’s confrontation with Diamond Tiara’s parents and a few other altercations between the fillies at school, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon started going to Cheerilee’s afternoon class, which in turn let two other students move to the morning class. Nyx hadn’t really had a chance to meet or talk to Dinky Doo or Pipsqueak, but Twilight was just happy with the fact that Nyx didn’t have to deal with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon on a daily basis anymore. 

Moving away from the calendar, Twilight began to shuffle and clean up the library. Spike was over at Rarity’s place helping her with a dress, Owloysius was asleep, and Nyx was at school. All in all, it gave Twilight a quiet morning to clean up the mess caused by her usual study practices.

After popping a small treat to Peewee, whose nest was on the windowsill at the moment, Twilight went about stacking books on the shelves. As she did, she glanced at the titles. After living in the library for over two years, she had read most of the collection. There were, of course, some books she hadn’t cracked open. Some books had been skipped by choice, and she was sure there were a few that had slipped under her radar. 

All the books Twilight put away were ones she had read, but she couldn’t stop herself from lingering on the last book. It was brown with golden clasps on the corners and a gold unicorn on the cover. It was a book of folklore, old stories from Equestria’s past, and it was the book that contained the legend of Nightmare Moon and the prophecy of her return.

Without even thinking about it, Twilight opened the book and quickly turned to the folktale in question. Her eyes glanced over the beautiful illustrations before moving to the first lines of the story. 

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest—

“I’m home!”

Twilight smiled and set the book down on the reading table as Nyx came scampering into the library and up to her. 

“Hey there, Nyx. How was school today?”

“Great!” Nyx chirped. “Cheerilee told us that we're going to be putting on a play.”

“Really?”

“Yep! She says that every spring the school puts on a play for the Ponyville Spring Festival. It’s this really cool thing where a bunch of musicians, artists, and entertainers come to Ponyville and everypony has a lot of fun.”

“That’s right, the Spring Festival is coming up soon, isn’t it?” Twilight lifted a hoof to her chin and smiled as she recalled a book she had read on the subject. “If I remember correctly, it was started by a traveling group of musicians that came to Ponyville every year around this time as they toured Equestria. Eventually, other musicians started showing up at the same time, and, after a few years, it grew into the festival it is today.”

“Yeah, that’s what Cheerilee told us,” Nyx confirmed as she took off her saddlebags. “Cheerilee also said that we can pick what the play will be about and that we’ll all have something to do.”

“Well, doesn’t that sound fun? Do you have any ideas?”

“I… was kind of hoping I’d find a good story in one of the library books,” Nyx sheepishly admitted. 

Twilight smiled and gave an approving nod. “That’s a great idea. Books have some of the best stories, but remember that it’s meant to be a school play. Try to pick a story that’s short and everypony in your class will like.”

“Okay,” Nyx agreed. She was  going to ask for Twilight’s help in picking out a story, but, before she could, Applejack burst in through the library door.

“Twi, there you are! I need your help with somethin’ fierce!”

“What’s wrong, Applejack?”

“Some nasty plant showed up in Sweet Apple Acres! It’s a vine and it’s startin’ to grow up around some of the trees. You got any books in here that can tell us what it is?”

Twilight nodded and, with her magic, grabbed a number of phytopathology books from the shelves. She stuffed the tomes into her saddlebags and settled the bags onto her back before she looked over her shoulder at Nyx.

“I’ve got to go help Applejack. Will you be okay by yourself for a little while?”

“Sure, I’ll just try and find a story for my school play.”

Twilight nodded while she tightened the straps on her bags. “Good. Now, I’ll be back soon, but if you need help, Spike is at Rarity’s and Owloysius is asleep upstairs.”

“Okay, Twilight.”

“Thanks again, Twi,” Applejack said as she and Twilight galloped out the door. “I don’t know what that nasty plant is, but I know it ain’t good for my apple trees.”

Twilight pulled the library door shut as she and Applejack left, leaving Nyx to her studies. Nyx looked about the room for a few minutes, mindlessly skimming the books on the shelves for something that looked like a storybook until she took notice of one book that was left sitting out.

Nyx approached the book and was soon drawn in by its beautiful illustrations. She flipped through the pages, reading the titles of the stories. Some of them Twilight had told her as bedtimes stories, but others she hadn’t heard before. One in particular caught her attention, and she eagerly began to read. 

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest…

===

“So, do you know what the play is supposed to be about?” Twilight asked as she and Rarity walked in the direction of the Ponyville Elementary School. The pair of unicorns had volunteered to help the students prepare the show, though all the actual work was going to be done by the fillies and colts. It was a chance for the students to find their cutie marks, after all. The two mares were going to be there to not only help with things the students could not manage, but also to help Cheerilee keep all the energetic students on task.  

“I’ve asked Sweetie Belle, but she’s refused to tell me. She says we’ll find out today,” Rarity answered Twilight. “She seems particularly excited, though.”

“Is she going to be acting in the play or is she helping some other way?”

“My sister wanted to help with the costumes. But, well, I may have mentioned in passing to Cheerilee that Sweetie Belle was the one that made the costumes for the Crusaders’ appearance in that one talent show. After that, Cheerilee encouraged Sweetie Belle to take on one of the acting parts, a part with singing.”

“Oh, that’s good. Sweetie Belle has such an amazing voice. It will be nice to hear her sing.”

“Yes, it will. Personally, I’d bet that singing is her special talent, but we can’t be sure until that little cutie mark of hers appears, can we?”

Twilight shook her head as the pair began to get close to the schoolhouse. While the school and its playground were set up on one side of the path, the school’s outdoor stage, the one and only permanent stage in Ponyville, was set up on the opposite side of the road.

Cheerilee stood in the center of the many colts and fillies, giving directions to the eagerly listening young ponies. Yet, when Cheerilee saw Twilight and Rarity approaching, she let the students slip off to recess a little earlier than scheduled, so she could talk with the two unicorns.

“You two have excellent timing,” Cheerilee said while greeting Rarity and Twilight with a smile. “I was just telling the class how you were kind enough to volunteer your time to help us make this play.”

Twilight took a moment to wave to Nyx, who smiled and waved back before running off to recess with her classmates. Twilight then turned her attention back to Cheerilee and said, “Always glad to help, Cheerilee. Though, we still haven’t been told just what the play is supposed to be about.”

“Oh, of course. Here, take a copy of this.” Cheerilee moved over to a nearby stool and quickly picked up a copy of the play’s script. She held it out to Twilight, who gingerly took it in her magic. She opened it to the first page as Rarity looked over her shoulder.

“Reunion of the Royal Pony Sisters,” Twilight read aloud.

Cheerilee smiled. “Yes, it was Nyx’s idea. She found an old fairy tale about how Princesses Celestia and Luna kept the world in balance, and then how Luna became the frightful Nightmare Moon. Apple Bloom then had the idea to incorporate the adventure you and your friends had where you defeated Nightmare Moon and restored Princess Luna back to normal.”

“Wow, that’s actually not a bad story. A wonderful little tale for a little school play. Much better than the usual fare,” Rarity mused.

“What are the plays usually about?” Twilight asked.

“Well, when Cheerilee and I were in class together, our Spring Festival play was about a pony picnic that got stolen by ants. It was… cute… but not exactly what you would call great theater, though it was because of that particular play that I got my cutie mark.” Rarity’s horn lit with magic, and she took another copy of the script off of a short stool and began to flip through the pages. “This, however, sounds far more interesting.”

“It’s so exciting! Usually, the school play is held the day before the Spring Festival and we just have it on our little stage here, but I told the mayor what we were planning, and she said if the students can do a good enough job, we might get our own slot in the festival. It would be a wonderful opportunity for the kids. They would get to perform in front of everypony on that big stage they set up in the town square,” Cheerilee explained.

Rarity perked up, nudging Twilight as she pointed to a spot in the script. “Oh, look here; they have Pinkie Pie’s song.”

“You mean the song she sang in the Everfree Forest when she was telling us to giggle at the ghostly and crack-up at the creepy?” Twilight asked, flipping to the same page in the script.

“The very one. Oh, I can only imagine how Pinkie Pie will react when she hears about this. We won’t be able to stop her from bouncing for days.”

Twilight giggled, picturing Pinkie Pie’s reaction. “Yeah, she’ll probably start singing along right there in the audience. Still, this looks fun.”

“Oh yes, it's going to be one of the best plays the school has ever put on!” Cheerilee energetically agreed. “I’ve actually pulled together both classes because there are just so many parts to play and things to be done. And we’ve already got all the characters cast. You can see who is who on the second page.”

Twilight and Rarity nodded and flipped to second page of the script.

Reunion of the Royal Pony Sisters
A Ponyville Elementary School Production

Written by Cheerilee
Music composed by Lyra Heartstrings

Narrator………………………=……………………………Zecora
Twilight Sparkle…=……………………Dinky Doo
Applejack…………………=…………………Apple Bloom
Rarity…………………………=……………Sweetie Belle
Rainbow Dash…………………………………Scootaloo
Fluttershy = Cotton Cloudy
Pinkie Pie…………………=…………………Sunny Daze
The Mayor……………………=………………Little Hoof
Sea Serpent………………=……………Tornado Bolt
Manticore……………………=……………………………Archer
Princess Celestia…=………Diamond Tiara
Princess Luna……………=…………Silver Spoon
Nightmare Moon…………=…………………………………Nyx
Ponyville Residents & Everfree Forest Trees
Hot Rod, Ruby Pinch, Paradise, Tootsie Flute,
Flash, Peachy Pie, Lily Dache

Set Design
Ruby Pinch, Paradise, Peachy Pie
Costumes
Sunny Daze, Tootsie Flute, Lily Dache

Stage Hooves
Hot Rod & Flash

“You have Zecora as the narrator,” Rarity noted before she glanced up from the page.

“It was Apple Bloom that not only suggested it, but also got Zecora to agree. From what the fillies and colts say, she did an excellent job telling stories on Nightmare Night.”

“Too good even,” Twilight mentioned as she recalled the events of the Nightmare Night when Princess Luna had come to Ponyville. “I think she’s half the reason Pinkie Pie and all those fillies and colts got as worked up as they did.”

“Nightmare Night aside, Zecora does have the perfect voice to narrate a story of this genre,” Rarity mused before looking thoughtfully at Cheerilee. “Though, I would suggest you let her come up with her own lines.”

Cheerilee arched an eyebrow. “Why is that?”

“Zecora speaks in rhymes very naturally, and having a rhyming narrator would just give the whole play a very old world, fairy tale appeal. That, and I can’t imagine what her voice would sound like if she didn’t rhyme like she does.”

“I’ll be sure to sit down with her and work on the script then.” 

Rarity nodded and read further down the page. “Well, would you look at that. Sweetie Belle is going to be playing me! Though, I suppose that does make sense. She does have my wonderful white coat. Oh, and Scootaloo gets to be Rainbow Dash! She must be positively ecstatic!”

“Oh yes.” Cheerilee said with a small laugh. “Scootaloo was practically begging for the chance to play Rainbow Dash the moment she realized she’d be a character. One could argue it’s a role she was born to play.”

“Yes, Scootaloo is definitely the filly you hear saying ‘awesome’ just about as much as Rainbow,” Rarity agreed before looking back at the page. “Let’s see, don’t know her, or her, or her… wait, Sea Serpent? Do you mean Steven Magnet?”

“Who?”

“Steven Magnet, that’s the name of the sea serpent we met on our way to find the Elements of Harmony. Oh, I do hope you are portraying him well. Such a well-groomed and polite sea serpent shouldn’t be relegated to a role of a simple monster. Wouldn’t you agree, Twilight? …Twilight?”

Rarity and Cheerilee turned to look at Twilight, who was stiff as a statue and a few shades paler than normal.

“Twilight, dear, what’s wrong?” Rarity asked before taking notice of where Twilight’s eyes were focused. Returning to her own copy of the script, Rarity read down a few more lines and then froze up as well.

“Is… is something wrong?” Cheerilee asked, concerned as to why the two unicorns were acting so strangely.

“Oh… Oh, of course not,” Rarity replied, regaining her composure. “I was just curious about some of your casting. For example, what makes you feel Nyx will play a good Nightmare Moon? She’s a sweetheart, and, well… she’s also very timid and sensitive. Nightmare Moon, on the other hoof, was… well…”

Cheerilee raised a hoof to her mouth and suppressed a chuckle. “Yes, but isn’t that the point of acting, Rarity, to be characters we usually aren’t? Besides, it was Scootaloo that suggested it, and everypony in class agreed that Nyx would be the best Nightmare Moon, if only because she has a black coat. I asked Nyx if she was okay with that, and she didn’t seem to mind at all. ”

“Oh, well, I suppose that if Nyx agreed to the role…”

“I think she’ll be just fine,” Cheerilee assured them. “I’ll admit, I think it will be a little challenging for her. Nightmare Moon’s Character has a lot of lines. Not as much as, say, your character, Twilight, but still a significant amount. Nyx, however, is a smart filly, and I think she should be able to memorize everything she’ll need to say.”

“Of course, I’m sure she’ll be a perfect Nightmare Moon. Don’t you agree, Twilight?” Rarity said before she elbowed Twilight in the side, snapping her dazed friend back to reality.

“O-oh, yes, of… of course. Perfect,” Twilight said with a forced grin.

===

“It’s going to be so much fun!” Nyx chirped as she bounced out of the kitchen with Twilight following a few steps behind. Over the course of dinner, Nyx had chattered almost constantly about the upcoming play. She had just come back from the dress rehearsal in her full Nightmare Moon regalia.

“Are you sure?” Twilight asked. “You’re going to be up on stage in front of a lot of ponies.”

“It… is kind of scary,” Nyx admitted, her enthusiasm diminishing as she turned to face Twilight, “but everypony else is really excited about it and are having a lot of fun.”

“But what if you forget a line?”

“Cheerilee promised she’s going to be just offstage, so she can whisper our lines to us if we forget,” Nyx answered. “But I’ve been studying my lines really hard.”

Nyx frowned a little, glancing off to the side. “That and Diamond Tiara’s been saying I’m not good enough to play Nightmare Moon. She’s been saying that Cheerilee should get a rock since it would do a better job, but I’m going to show her,” Nyx snapped with determination. “I’m going to do my best and I’m not going to forget a single line. I’m going to be the best Nightmare Moon I can be!”

Twilight winced, cursing to herself quietly before sighing. “I’m… I’m sorry Nyx, but you can’t be in the play.”

Nyx stood stunned for a moment, her brain having trouble processing what she had just heard. “What?”

“I said you can’t be in the play,” Twilight repeated with more authority in her voice.

“B-but… but,” Nyx stammered in confusion, “why can’t I be in the play? Did I do something bad?”

“No, you just… I’m sorry, Nyx, but you just can’t be in the play.”

“But the play is tomorrow and they won’t be able to perform without me!”

Twilight frowned, feeling her heart clench in her chest. It had been a few weeks since she had found out Nyx was going to be Nightmare Moon in the play, and, over those two weeks, Twilight had agonized over what to do. Did she let Nyx participate in the play or make up an excuse to keep her at the library?

Twilight had actually started leaning towards letting Nyx be in the play, considering how much fun she seemed to be having. Two things, however, quickly changed Twilight’s mind.

The first was the announcement that Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were going to be attending the Spring Festival. Princess Celestia had attended the festival in the past, but the sisters were especially eager this year. They seemed particularly interested in seeing the school’s play, which would be the first stage performance of the story of Princess Luna’s return. Twilight knew Nyx’s disguise could fool common ponies, but she couldn’t expect it to fool the princesses. Princess Luna had been Nightmare Moon, and Princess Celestia was arguably just as familiar with her. They would surely notice Nyx’s resemblance, and Twilight feared Nyx would be banished on the spot.

The other thing that had swayed Twilight was Nyx’s costume. The armor was made of stiff fabric and wire, the wings were fake, and the sparkling mane was obviously just indigo fabric with glitter… but it was enough. The costume made Nyx look too much like Nightmare Moon, especially with the crescent moon cutie mark painted on her flank. Sure, some ponies in Ponyville might just think the costume was wonderful, but Twilight feared others would draw unwanted connections.

“I’m so sorry, Nyx, but they’ll just have to make do without you.”

“But—” Nyx pleaded, only for Twilight to shake her head firmly.

“I said no, Nyx.”

Nyx tensed up, sniffling a little. She didn’t break down and cry, though. Instead, Nyx glared up at Twilight and stamped her hooves against the floor.

“But it’s not fair! If I haven’t done anything wrong, then I should be able to go to the play!”

“Nyx—”

“NO!” Nyx snapped, cutting Twilight off as she threw her first temper tantrum. “It’s not fair! I’ve worked really hard, and I learned all my lines, and—”

“Nyx.”

“IT’S NOT FAIR!”

“NYX!” Twilight barked, forcing the filly to fall silent, though she continued to glare coldly at Twilight. 

“I'm sorry, I really am, but this is just how it has to be! Now, I want you to go upstairs and take that costume off.”

“But—”

“Upstairs!” Twilight said, stamping her hoof. Nyx met Twilight’s hard gaze and attempted to glare her into submission. When that failed, Nyx broke down. She bolted upstairs, wailing the whole way and slamming the bedroom door shut behind her.

“Twilight, don’t you think you could just let her be in the play?” Spike asked, having watched the confrontation from the sidelines. “I mean, she was really looking forward to it.”

Twilight’s face fell as she looked over at Spike. “I know she was, Spike, and I want to let her, but… it’s just too risky. If Princesses Celestia and Luna were to figure out the truth, that she was made by the spell those cultists were casting, they’d banish her to the moon. They’d take her away, and I can’t let that happen.”

Spike crossed his arms and looked at Twilight with a very skeptical expression. “Do you really think Princess Celestia would just do that? I mean, she trusts you completely. I’m sure you could convince her that Nyx isn’t Nightmare Moon.”

“I’m glad you think so, Spike,” Twilight said before heaving a heavy sigh, “but I just can’t risk it.”

===

“Now, Spike and I have to meet with the princesses this evening. Princess Celestia expects the both of us to be there to watch the evening performances with her and Princess Luna,” Twilight said. She was talking to Nyx, who was sitting on the floor nearby in her normal, everyday clothes instead of the costume she’d rather have been wearing. “Owloysius will be keeping an eye on you, and I expect you to behave for him.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” Nyx said, the tone of disappointment thick in her voice. It was the first time Nyx had ever been angry like this, but Twilight knew it was for the best.

“I’m sorry, Nyx, and I’ll make this up to you,” Twilight promised as she turned to leave. “Try not to think about it. Spike and I will be back soon.” With that Twilight stepped out the door and closed it tightly behind her. Owloysius then flew across the room, took the key from the door lock in his talons, and flew back to Twilight’s writing desk where he landed with a flutter of his feathers.

Nyx scampered to the window and peered outside. She watched Twilight leave, holding onto some small flicker of hope that Twilight would change her mind, come back, and say she could be in the play. However, when Twilight disappeared around the corner of a distant building, Nyx scrunched up her nose, jumped down from the window, and began to stomp across the floor. 

“It isn’t fair… it isn’t fair! Cheerilee is expecting me to be there. They’re all counting on me! I practiced so hard! It isn’t fair!”

“Hoo?”

Nyx looked over at Owloysius, who was watching her with his head cocked to one side. Nyx stared back at him for a few moments before going wide-eyed and scampering over. “Please, Owloysius, let me go! They won’t be able to do the play without me! I’m supposed to be Nightmare Moon, and you can’t tell the story without Nightmare Moon.”

“Hoo?”

“Nightmare Moon, the bad mare! Please, Owloysius. Please please please please PLEEAASSEEE,” Nyx begged. She looked up at Owloysius with the biggest, most pleading eyes she could muster. She even pushed out her bottom lip, pouting just as Sweetie Belle had taught her.

Despite Nyx’s pleas, Owloysius continued to stare blankly at her while his clawed grip on the door key tightened. His beady eyes and non-expressive beak were a perfect poker face crafted by nature itself, and thus Nyx had no clue if her tactics were having any affect on him. 

Nyx, however, had one more trick. While the school had been rehearsing, Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara were asked to try and learn to cry on command. This was because the Royal Sisters were supposed to cry when they were reunited at the end of the play. Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon had whined it was impossible. Nyx, out of curiosity and a small, spiteful desire to prove them wrong, wanted to see if she could learn to do it. It had taken practice, but, if she thought about the right things, she could get her eyes to water. It was a trick she had yet to put to use, but, with the Royal Sisters as her witness, she was going to get to the play!

So she began to add her own touch to her carefully crafted display of begging. She let her eyes water, and, soon, a few pitiful tears streaked down her cheeks. “Please, Owloysius.”

Owloysius stared at Nyx as coldly as he had before but, within a few moments, was forced to look away. He hooted in defeat before taking off from the desk. Nyx watched him circle the room a few times and then smiled as Owloysius expertly placed the key back into the door’s lock. He made another pass, turned the key, and unlocked the door with a resounding click. 

“Oh! Thank you, Owloysius! Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Nyx said with several bounces before running upstairs. In a flash, she got out of her vest, tossed off her glasses, and pulled out her costume. With a single leap, Nyx landed in all four of the costume’s shoes. She then began putting on her fake armor.

Cheerilee would paint on the fake cutie mark once Nyx got to the performance, but she would have to get the rest of the costume on herself. The fake armor was easy enough, but then came the challenging part: the costume’s wings. They were comprised of feathers glued on a wooden skeleton that was then attached to an all-black vest similar in design to the purple one she wore on a daily basis. Personally, Nyx didn’t see the point of wearing fake wings when she had real ones, but Twilight had insisted that, if she was going to be in the play, she had to wear the whole costume.

Nyx, however, struggled and fumbled with the fake wings. They were the one part of the costume that was poorly designed, and they usually needed to be put on before the helmet. Unfortunately, Nyx had already put on the helmet, and she was in such a rush that she didn’t want to waste time taking it off.

As Nyx was working on getting the last part of the wings secured, she tripped on her own hooves. She stumbled and let out a panicked “eep” as she fell to one side. The wings hit the floor first, Nyx landed on top of them, and the end of the fall was punctuated by the sound of splintering wood.

“No!” Nyx cried, now starting to shed genuine tears while looking at the horribly bent wings. She nudged at them with her hoof, which caused one of the fake wings to snap in half and flop to the floor. Nyx might have started to wail if she hadn’t glanced back at where the fake wings would have been and noticed the real wings that were already there.

“Well if I keep them straight all night… that might work,” Nyx mumbled to herself as she extended her wings vertically. She knew she was going to be in so much trouble with Twilight once she got home for sneaking out to the play and for going out with her real wings visible.

Still, at the moment, she was less afraid of being punished by Twilight than she was of disappointing the rest of her class. She did not want to let down her few friends, and she was already unpopular enough with the rest of the class. Everypony in class, except her friends, thought of her as a crybaby, a teacher’s pet, or both. Ruining the play would only make things worse.

Her decision made, Nyx broke the fake wings off the costume vest and used a pair of scissors to cut some crude holes in the fabric. She then slipped it on and did everything she could to make her wings look like the costume’s fake ones.

With vest on, Nyx double checked her costume in a mirror. She went down a mental checklist, and, when she was sure she had everything, she galloped downstairs and out the front door. She doubled back only once, to poke her head in the library door and offer a final “Thank you!” to Owloysius. Then, Nyx ran as fast as her little hooves could carry her towards the center of Ponyville.