Sunset lounged on her back on the rooftop of Rarity’s stupid theater castle. The Paradise, such as it was, had been lit up in glowing neon colors that looked like a sad parody of the stars in the skies on the surface world, and it kept the village illuminated even in the pitch darkness that fell over the Circle during late hours.

It was hard not to feel a little melancholy; a lot of monsters had never even seen the real stars and didn’t know or care about what they were missing, but to Sunset she couldn’t help but feel trapped by the presence of the ceiling, the wall of stone and magic that kept her from seeing the sky for the last… damn, how many years had it been? Ten? Something like that.

Sunset didn’t know. Sunset didn’t care. All she knew was that she was exhausted, and all she wanted to do was rest her eyes for just a moment…

“Sunset Shimmer.”

A familiar voice brought Sunset’s thoughts to a screeching halt, her ears twitching at the woman’s sultry tone, but Sunset didn’t react in any other way.

“Look at me,” the woman commanded, and Sunset sighed. She really couldn’t refuse.

Sunset sat up and turned around, sitting cross-legged as she looked up lazily at the woman calling for her attention.

“Nightmare Moon,” Sunset said drolly, the Empress cocking her head and giving a slight grin.

“I’m disappointed in you,” Nightmare Moon crossed her arms and her teal eyes burned a hole through Sunset’s body. Not literally, though honestly she probably could’ve literally if she wanted to.

“What else is new?” Sunset said dryly.

“Don’t get smart with me,” Nightmare shifted her weight to one side and glowered, though she then let a slight smirk creep onto her lips. “It doesn’t suit you.”

Sunset huffed and looked away, her cheeks turning red. She definitely felt like she walked right into that.

“Okay, so what?” Sunset griped. “You just come by to hassle me, is that it? Tell me what a huge screwup you think I am?”

“Ugh,” Nightmare groaned in disgust, looking down at Sunset like she was a leech, or some sludge that had stuck to the bottom of the Nightmare’s shoe. “Your self-pity act makes me sick. Keep your mouth shut, and I’ll tell you why I’m here.”

Sunset did as she was ordered. Nightmare didn’t need to use anything but her words for Sunset to feel the Empress’ leash around her neck.

“I’m disappointed in you,” Nightmare repeated, and it didn’t sting less the second time, “because you’re—” Nightmare scoffed. “I mean, what are you doing? Your performance lately has been nothing short of pathetic. How long were you wasting time in the wasteland of the First Circle?

“Now you have a soul, you have my demonic power, and what? You’re sitting here jamming your thumb up your ass while Twilight Sparkle leads you by the nose. And don’t even get me started on your miserable displays at trying to protect her.”

“Leave her out of this,” Sunset grit her teeth and growled, digging her nails into her legs.

“No,” Nightmare said coldly. “She’s the entire reason I’m here. You know this routine better than most. A pony cannot just enter the Underworld and keep what belongs to me. I will have her soul, and you were supposed to deliver it to me, and yet here you are… doing what?”

“You reached out to her already, yeah?” Sunset asked, trying to keep the conversation away from what a miserable failure she was for as long as possible, even if she knew she couldn’t delay the inevitable forever. “How’d it go?”

“Standard first encounter,” Nightmare shrugged. “She’s been poisoned with lies about me her entire life, so of course she doesn’t trust me. She was desperate enough to accept a small token of good will, but that was all. I can’t complain.”

“Hm,” Sunset grumbled. “So why do you even need me then? Sounds like you’ve got this situation under wraps already.”

“It’s not so simple,” Nightmare said. “And I’ll let you in on a little secret, but first I want to talk about you.”

“Oh, great,” Sunset sighed and hung her head, awaiting the inevitable verbal eviscerating.

“You have so much potential in you,” Nightmare said sweetly, kneeling at Sunset’s side and lifting her chin up to look into the Empress’ cool teal eyes. “It’s such a waste the way you’re squandering it out of fear.

“What happened to the magical prodigy who so impressed my sister at just ten years old? What happened to the genius magic theorist who was so close to unlocking an entire new school of magic? What happened to the woman so determined to rescue her friend that she turned her back on Celestia and willingly chose my power instead?

“What happened to you, Sunset Shimmer?”

“I failed,” Sunset shrugged. “Even with your power, I couldn’t— I couldn’t do anything. I’m not strong enough. I’m not smart enough. I’m not… I’m not anything.”

“So why lead Twilight Sparkle all the way to this little Paradise?” Nightmare asked. “If not to go deeper into the Underworld and find your friend? Why take the soul at all if—”

“I don’t know!” Sunset snapped, Nightmare looking mostly unfazed but slightly irritated. “I don’t know! I don’t think, I just do things! I didn’t think we’d make it to the wall! I didn’t think we’d make it inside! I don’t know what I’m doing!”

“Okay, then let me tell you what you’re going to do,” Nightmare grabbed Sunset’s hair in her hand, standing up and dragging Sunset up to her hooves alongside her, Sunset grunting in pain but otherwise not resisting. “You’re going to bring Twilight Sparkle to me. You’re going to protect her with your life, if that’s what it takes. You’re going to give it your damn all, and I will be watching, and I promise you that if I see you throwing in the towel I will make sure you regret it.”

“Your threats don’t work on someone who’s got nothin’ to lose,” Sunset shrugged smugly. She had half a mind to spit in Nightmare’s face too just for good measure, but she got cold hooves.

“You’re going to be difficult, hm?” Nightmare said drolly.

“Yep,” Sunset grinned.

“Fine then,” Nightmare put her finger on the bridge of Sunset’s nose, and light blue magic erupted from it, flowing down to Sunset’s legs and her arms, before binding them, bringing Sunset to her knees and securing her arms behind her back. “How does that make you feel?”

“Um,” Sunset croaked; she wasn’t sure what to say, and she just hoped that the reaction of her body didn’t give her away.

“I mean other than horny,” Nightmare chuckled and cupped Sunset’s chin, before a spark of her magic wrapped a blindfold around Sunset’s eyes, keeping her in total darkness. “How do you feel, Sunset Shimmer?”

Sunset took a deep breath, and focused on the gentle touch of Nightmare Moon’s fingertips.

“Safe,” Sunset said honestly, despite herself.

“I see,” Nightmare purred, “and yet you doubt me.”

“I…” Sunset balked, and she squirmed in her bonds. She hated to admit it, but being at the mercy of the Empress like this… felt really good to her. Felt fitting. This was what she deserved, where she belonged. “I don’t know what I’m doi—”

Sunset was silenced as a magical ball entered her mouth, securing itself around her head and keeping her silent.

“Then I will tell you what to do,” Nightmare whispered in Sunset’s ear, and it almost felt like the Empress was everywhere at once, “and you will listen, and you will do as I command.”

“Mhm,” Sunset nodded her head, saliva starting to pool in her mouth and drip down her lip.

“You will protect Twilight Sparkle,” Nightmare said, “and you will bring her to me. You won’t let anyone harm her. And you will do whatever it takes to fulfill this order, even if it looks like you will fail.”

Sunset felt Nightmare’s hands on her shoulders and she gasped. She could feel Nightmare’s body behind her, not close enough to be touching her but enough that her presence was unmistakable.

“I know you’re afraid,” Nightmare whispered into Sunset’s ear, “I know you’re scared of failing. Of letting everyone down. But I need you to give it your all, even if doing so would result in failure.

“You can’t keep not trying just to protect yourself. You can’t keep putting in ten percent, and then when you fail you can just say that you weren’t really trying. Destroy your ego, Sunset Shimmer, or I’ll destroy it for you.”

“Nnngh,” Sunset moaned, and she felt her drool dripping onto her chest.

“As for that little secret I promised you…” Nightmare said, her voice turning cold as death. “It will have to wait. An opportunity has arrived. You get to show me just how loyal you are to me. Are you going to be a good pet?”

“Mhm,” Sunset nodded, her breath quickening.

“That’s a good girl,” Nightmare cooed, and Sunset moaned in pleasure. “I’m going to let you open your eyes. Destroy the woman standing in front of you.”

“Mmm…” Yes, Mistress.

Sure enough, Sunset’s eyes were opened. She was unbound and standing, with Nightmare Moon nowhere to be seen. The Empress could only communicate through dreams, so thankfully no one else got to see that humiliating display.

“Oh,” a soft woman’s voice squeaked from the shadows. “You’re up. Sorry to bother you.”

“Is that right?” Sunset focused, and she saw the woman hiding in the shadows on the theater’s rooftop; it was that girl Coco Pommel. Suddenly Sunset remembered the Empress’ orders, and she felt a looming sense of danger creeping up her spine. “What do you want?”

“To please Lady Rarity,” Coco said innocently, with a cute smile. The way her fangs poked out her lip was really working for her.

“Yeah?” Sunset chuckled and flicked her fingers, sparks of flame shooting off them. “And what does that have to do with me?”

“Well, you see,” Coco kicked at the ground sheepishly, before another figure emerged from the shadows; it was a mannequin in the vague shape of a pony, completely featureless in its design and yet something about it immediately haunted Sunset. “I need to take that soul. You understand.”

“I can’t just hand it over,” Sunset said sternly, and then cracked a wicked grin, “you understand.”

“Of course,” Coco’s eyes glimmered with bloodlust.

“Of course,” Sunset’s eyes burned with rage.

Fine then. She would destroy the woman standing in front of her.

writing nightmare moon is so fun. i can't use her too much cuz she's gotta stay Mysterious for a bit, but i'm rly looking forward to when she gets to be a much bigger part of the story :3c