Author's Notes:

A bit of much required light reading before you continue

And remember, keep breathing...

Complacency is perhaps the most dangerous force in the universe. It causes wars. Misunderstandings. Careless mistakes. Easily avoided pitfalls. All manner of hubris can be avoided if you can prevent being complacent. it is the downfall of kings, the toppler of queens, it has ended empires, ruined entire generations, and has destroyed civilisation several times over.

Rookwood was young and did not have such worldly experience. He fell into complacence as one might fall into a comfortable couch and settle in to read a book or laze about on a rainy afternoon. He wore it like a warm cloak on a cold day. And every day was cold now for Rookwood.

It really was that simple. A single simple moment of complacence, brought about by boredom, that made everything go wrong. Mr. Bun decided to leave the sanctuary of his rabbit hole and see what might be seen in his outside world…

Luna lay napping. It was a little after midnight. She was showing now, a faint curve beginning to form along her belly, either from pregnancy or her daily bottle of maple syrup. She had also been on an eggnog kick since the holidays, demanding it for breakfast every day.

Violet lay upon a chair, wrapped in a blanket, also snoozing.

Rookwood was levitating at least a hundred books, all bound in the bonds of shadow. Each looked dim. He had pulled each one into shadow slightly, allowing him to apply his grip. He held a cup of wine to his lips, also held in shadow, carefully tipping it back to drink, the library all around him looking dark. Even the crackling fire now looked dim.

Rookwood knew that he could pull the flames into shadow and extinguish them. He had been practicing on candles. He could plunge a room into darkness in seconds.

And so, in perhaps the most foolish moment of Rookwood’s life, he decided to go looking for Nightmare Moon and try to force her hoof.

He concentrated, focusing his will, plunging the room into shadow. The flames died. The globes of electric light far above went dark. A velvet shroud fell upon the room. A funerary shroud.

He focused on the strongest memory he had. Violet’s torture, rape, and murder. Rage boiled. His hatred gave him power. He felt himself beginning to drift, disconnected, dropping into the darkness, trying to sense Nightmare Moon and her hiding place.

Behind his horn, he felt it, a faint tug.

“I have you bitch!” Rookwood hissed, vanishing into the darkness.

Rookwood awoke in another library. The alicorn library. He had been here before. There was nothing in the room. And everything seemed odd. Distorted. Bent out of a believable shape. The reality of this place seemed off.

He trotted through the library, looking around, his own complacency blinding him to the obvious. He went through the rear door, into the long hall full of portraits, and began to walk down the long corridor, trying to find the door that led to Luna’s room, never once making the connection as to why he was here.

He found the door he was looking for, with three doors in a small chamber at the end of the hall. A cold sensation began to prickle through his body as he came to his first realisation, the dreadful realization of suddenly understanding where he was. The second realisation was that he knew that the door would be locked.

The third and final realisation was that he was going to have to unlock the door.

He heard sobbing from the other side, pitiful mewling.

“You are the only one who can.”

Rookwood whirled, no longer alone. Violet stood close by. She seemed oddly different.

“What are you?” Rookwood hissed, not sure if he wanted the answer.

“I am a psychopomp.” Violet replied, her voice not her own. “The events you have set in motion cannot be stopped now. You must continue. Nightmare Moon created my body, but something else has repurposed me. She must be stopped.”

“Who? Who repurposed you…” Rookwood said.

“I am not allowed to say, but you will be meeting them soon.” Violet answered.

Rookwood felt a cold shiver. He turned, pressing his horn against the door. He knew Luna. He knew her secret places. He had touched her mind, seen her shame, seen her discomfort, he knew her fear. The door unlocked silently, as he knew it would. Luna trusted him.

He pushed the door open, terrified at what he might see…

“You!” A voice hissed. “Damn you, how did you get in here!”

Rookwood stood in the doorway, looking in to Luna’s private room. She was in a small iron cage, covered in padlocks, some old and rusty, many of them looked new and fresh. Nightmare Moon had just snapped on a new one as Rookwood had entered, adding another chain around the cage.

Luna was little, helpless, looking emaciated and worn through in the cage, a shadow of her former self. The room was dark. DARK. Rookwood knew that Luna could not see, not in this darkness, the one thing she feared above all else.

“Bitch.” Rookwood uttered.

“Wookwood?”

Rookwood froze, an icy chill scraping along his spine. Violet was in the room with him, standing beside him, Nightmare Moon staring at the both of them, she seemed quite terrified to see Violet.

“Wookwood, hwelp me!”

“So it begins.” Violet announced in a steady monotone.

Rookwood lunged forward, a cloak of shadow surrounding him, once again becoming Death’s visage. He moved with supernatural speed, catching Nightmare Moon completely off guard. He collided with her, slamming into her body, bowling her over and bearing her down to the floor, toys scattering.

Every horrible thing Rookwood had collected within his soul came forth, tendrils of black shadow reaching out into the blackness, a manifestation of every pain he had ever experienced. The tendrils speared forth, crawling along Nightmare Moons body, digging into every orifice, plunging into her ears, sliding between her eyes and eyelids, up her nostrils, into her mouth, they wormed into her pucker, into her vaginal opening, and finally, into the nightmarish phallus she had grown from absorbing some of Rookwood’s essence. The black tendrils crawled into every orifice they could find, burrowing their way in deep, seeking Nightmare Moon’s secret places.

Rookwood became the living embodiment of the black touch…

Nightmare Moon’s screams were beyond description, ragged, anguished, delighting Rookwood to no end. His hated enemy writhed before him, completely powerless and thoroughly violated. Rookwood dug in deeper, He focused all of the pain from Luna’s memories now merged with his own.

Rookwood became vaguely aware that he was laughing. A maniacal cackle flew from his lips, turning into a guffaw, his body racked with laugher as Nightmare Moon’s body was wracked with pain.

And then she was gone. Vanished. She had simply exited, leaving without a trace.

A faint light returned to the room, causing Luna to squeal , her cage rattling as she pushed upon the bars. She kicked frantically, her cries becoming more and more desperate.

Rookwood’s laughter faded in his throat, his cloak of shadow dropped away. He turned and looked at her, fresh pain in his soul, knowing, understanding, what he must do. He flexed his will, causing the locks and chains to fall away, landing in the floor with a clatter. As he did so, he shrank down, becoming smaller, less threatening, large oversized glasses appearing on his nose.

“Woona.” Wookwood said, opening the door for her.

“Wookwood!” Woona cried.

Wookwood pulled her close, a sob escaping his lips, dreading what he must do, but knowing it must be done. He puckered his lips.

“Once you do this you will never know peace again.” Violet warned. “Endless ages of torment await you. You still have a choice. The events of tonight will still play out, but you need not condemn yourself to darkness so completely.”

Wookwood remembered Woona’s words, knowing a kiss would make things better. He couldn’t scrub Luna’s mind, he did not have that power, he could not erase the things she had been witness to. But there was one thing he could do for her…

He pressed his lips to her head as she squirmed, trying to pull away from him. The effect was immediate and instant. Every torment she had endured now flooded into his body, bleeding away from hers. He drank in all of her anguish, drawing her pain out like poison, flooding and polluting his own body with her centuries of tortures, from the very beginning when the nightmare had started, through the endless middle, the long thousand years locked away in the moon, struggling to keep the final shreds of her self, and finally, the fresh and recent wounds, the horrible sense of betrayal she felt for draining away Rookwood’s life essence as he slept in the bed beside her, forced to watch, unable to do anything, bleeding him dry. Nightmare Moon had been clever, working during the day when Rookwood was weakest, an enemy within his own bed. And Luna felt no end of guilt for being unable to stop her.

Woona gave a sob, first of anguish, knowing what was about to happen, and then of relief, knowing the nightmare would soon be over.

Wookwood held her for a long time after the kiss, keeping her close, struggling to keep his own sanity, Woona being the only anchor left. A faint giggle escaped his lips. He had just seen his first glimpse of forever, and it was long.

And then Woona was no longer Woona, but Luna, looking down at him, her face sad. “You lovesick fool… What have you done?”

Wookwood shifted, rippled, becoming Rookwood. “I did what had to be done. I love you.”

Luna shook her head sadly. “Any moment now, she is going to take over my physical body. Be prepared… I will probably try to kill you once we wake up.”

“And so begins the struggle.” Violet announced, looking at Luna, her expression gentle. “One has been released from the bonds placed upon them, the mantle now torn free. Your life is your own.”

Luna looked confused but Rookwood did not have time to explain as the dreamscape shattered like glass all around them.

Rookwood awoke, seconds before slamming into a wooden table, caught in a swirling magical vortex. As he flew through the air, he sensed dawn approaching… But it wasn’t at the right time. Dawn was coming early. He felt an odd heat in the room.

He collided with the table, his hip and hind leg catching the edge, sending him tumbling end over end. He landed in a heap, pain flooding through his body.

“SISTER!” Celestia screamed. “FIGHT HER!”

Rookwood looked down and saw bones protruding from his leg. He gulped, feeling a cold sweat gripping his body. He looked up and saw Violet, who was looking at him intently, nodding faintly. He moved, causing the broken bones to grate together in his leg.

Above him, in the air, Celestia battled with Nightmare Moon, locked into combat in the tight confines of the Library tower. Celestia was losing. One wing was smouldering. She wasn’t putting much into the fight, not wanting to hurt Luna again.

Violet looked at him curiously. “You must leave your rabbit hole.”

Rookwood nodded, knowing what must be done, trying to find the courage to do it. He hissed as he moved and the bones in his broken leg wiggled together obscenely. He fell into shadow, diving deep, drawing together as much of his strength as he could.

“Go forth Rookwood. Do what must be done.” Violet said, her eyes blinking, her face solemn.

Rookwood soared upwards, a black cloud.

Luna was half Luna and half Nightmare Moon now, the blackness crawling along her flesh, trying to consume her. Luna struggled, her wings flapping, her head thrashing, trying to reclaim her body. Nightmare Moon no longer had the many long centuries of pain to hold Luna down. Luna was winning, but Rookwood knew that she could not win this alone.

The first faint hint of light shone on the horizon, and then went dark, something trying to keep the sun from rising.

Rookwood plunged into Luna’s ear, going once again into Luna’s mind, fading away from the real world, Luna’s pain once again becoming his own, he could feel her struggle as he entered her body.

Rookwood popped into inky darkness. Above him was the moon, below him was a swirling vortex. Nightmare Moon was in the center of the vortex, skeletal, half covered in meat and some flesh, the other half nothing but bones. Luna was caught in the vortex, writhing around, trying to keep her head above the black swirling surface, and Rookwood knew that if she went under, it would be over. Tendrils of shadow gripped her body, trying to pull her down.

Rookwood plunged, diving down on black bat like wings, diving into the vortex, clutching Luna as he crashed into the swirling mass.

“I have you!” Rookwood shouted, holding Luna’s body. She was weak, fatigued, but still fighting. Rookwood pulled, trying to lift her out of the swirling mass, but he found himself stuck.

Rookwood flexed his will, reaching out, his mind touching others, reaching not only into the dreamscape, but into the waking world as well, touching on the dark shadows of all those who had been harmed by Nightmare Moon.

He heaved a sigh of relief as he tugged, pulled, yanked on those minds, drawing them to him.

Above him, a very surprised looking Celestia appeared, her mane and tail now a solar flare, her eyes white hot coals. Next to her, Cadance popped into existence, looking around, trying to take in what she was seeing. And finally, Twilight Sparkle was pulled bodily into the dreamscape, as Rookwood knew he needed a heavy hitter.

The alicorns wasted no time, circling ahead like birds of prey, horns flaring, magics at the ready.

Celestia was the first to strike at Nightmare Moon in the center of the vortex, causing Nightmare Moon to laugh as Celestia’s fire did little to harm her. Cadance struck next, a bright pink light filled with warm striking Luna and Rookwood, restoring their strength. Twilight tried to pull them free, gently pulling and tugging on them, trying to extricate them from the swirling blackness.

Violet appeared, her small wings fluttering, hovering near Rookwood and Luna, her face now sad. She looked at Rookwood, her eyes blinking back tears, her one good eye peering at him with a warm sense of love for all of the kindness he had shown her.

“Rookwood, you know what must be done. You had the strength to hold on to her and love, do you have the strength to let go?” Violet asked.

Rookwood nodded, causing Luna to sob. He said nothing, squeezing her tightly as the tendrils began to drag them under. And then, Rookwood let go. He spread his forelegs wide, leaning back, and the tendrils wasted no time pulling him away from Luna. Luna screamed, and kept screaming, no words, just anguished screams, pleading cries, and she began to kick and struggle as Twilight was at last able to pull her from the writhing swirling mass.

Rookwood was gone, below the surface of the shadowy maelstrom.

Luna’s screams filled this universe, causing the moon to shatter like glass, the shards falling down, glittering like a rain of diamonds. They fell into the maelstrom, glittering points of light in the darkness.

Rookwood resurfaced, now in the embrace of Nightmare Moon, who was rising from the center of the vortex, flesh rapidly covering her bones, recreating her body.

Rookwood was laughing. He laughed the insane laugh of a pony broken, his peals of laughter so horrid that even Discord would cringe, unable to listen to the madness inducing laugh.

Nightmare Moon drew him in to her embrace, drawing him into her body, as the alicorns above struggled to hold on to Luna, Luna’s cries filling the void, pleading for Rookwood with out words being spoken.

“I have you bitch!” Rookwood hissed.

Rookwood popped himself into waking world, Nightmare Moon thrashing around inside of him, four alicorns popping into the top of the library tower with him. He struggled against Nightmare Moon’s nature. Her black form creeped and crawled along his flesh, trying to take him over, trying to break him, to make him submit to her will.

Rookwood looked upon Luna, his eyes wide and pleading. “I love you.” Rookwood’s last words were simple, direct, and to the point. He struggled forward on three legs, the pain in his broken leg causing him to nearly faint, and pressed his lips to Luna’s, remembering to turn his head, just as she had advised after their first awkward kiss.

Rookwood flung himself at he window, galloping forward on three legs, nearly falling, Nightmare Moon’s voice screaming out of his mouth, pleading with him to stop. He hit the glass at a full run. It shattered as the sun rose above the horizon, flooding the world with golden light.

As Rookwood burst through the window, a jagged shard of glass caught his throat, tearing it open, causing a fountain of crimson blood to gush forth, leaving a jagged gash over his windpipe. Nightmare Moon’s screams were silenced, turned into gurgles.

Rookwood cleared the window and began his final descent, the golden rays of the sun washing over him, causing him to burst into flames as he hurtled towards the earth.

The library tower was one of the tallest in the whole castle.

Luna fell, sobbing, still unable to speak, now unable to move, her sister standing near, silent, in shock, unmoving. Cadance and Twilight began to sob, dreading what they had witnessed, but unable to turn away.

Violet walked towards the jagged remains of the window, tears coming from her eyes. She stopped at the edge, looking down, her wings fluttering faintly.

“So it ends.” She announced, her voice quavering with raw emotion. And then, she was gone, the sun banishing her from the waking world.