"Why didn't my sister tell me it would be so... so... BORING," the jet black alicorn remarked to herself. She turned over to the quivering pegasus standing a few feet behind her. He lowered his head, clearly trying to think of something to say in response.

"Why... your highness..." the golden stallion squeaked out.

"Oh, for goodness sakes, it's a rhetorical question," she replied, "Now, bring in the next supplicant!"

The massive doors of the ballroom swung open. Nightmare Moon stared at the tiny green pegasus walking through. She seemed defiant. Yet the new ruler of Equestria could almost smell the fear that the pegasus barely kept down. Moon motioned for her subject to come closer.

The doors swung back shut. The guards lined up back in front. It went by like clockwork, and it felt as sufficatingly boring as watching a clock tick. Moon took a breath. Perhaps I should demand some refreshments or something... What am I paying my lackeys for, anyways?

"Uhhhhh..." the green pegasus began. She glanced around the numerous open windows across the enormous ballroom-- showing off the eternal night that had begun mere hours before. "Please, ma'am..."

"You, subject," Moon said, the condensation just dripping off of her voice, "May use the term 'Your Highness' in this court. Further infractions against the royal office will be punished, we assure you."

The pegasus attempted to break eye contact. She shuffled a bit as well. Moon took some satisfaction at that fear. It seemed to fill the alicorn's senses so strongly that she almost licked her lips.

"I would, your highness," the pegasus said, "Wish to make a request on behalf of the Florist Association of Ponyville."

"Your name?" Moon asked. She shot a quick glance at her attendant and waved with her right hoof. The golden stallion nodded, and he went off for another dining tray for her majesty.

"I know y-y-you've heard this b-b-before..." the pegasus murmured.

"Your name!" Moon called out. She felt her mane flutter with the power of her voice through the air.

"S-s-s-s-summer Wind," the subject responded. She seemed to shrink by at least a foot. She took a breath, and then she went on. "I would like to beseech you, please, your highness. Please, just give us a single day back. The flowers will never grow again if this goes on..." The pegasus trailed off.

The alicorn began to laugh, but she immediately stopped. Oh, come on now... Come on... Must we repeat this same blasted script every other minute. I laugh, I say no, they cry... Rinse and repeat. I can't stand it. I just can't stand it. She turned over and picked up a glass of lemon-orange soda from her attendant.

"Please?" Summer Wind whispered.

"Just... go..." Moon replied. She spent a second thinking up unique punishments that she could give Wind. Her word was law. Yet, somehow, it didn't seem to matter. It didn't mean anything. She looked at the pegasus the same way she would a cloud in her perpetual night sky.

"What?" Wind asked.

"Just... go... Get out of this place, now," the alicorn answered in a soft voice. She didn't put an ounce of that burning intensity that she felt before into those words. She seemed to have passed the stage of boredom. She felt-- basically-- empty.

Wind bowed, and then she scurried away. The gigantic doors opened and shut another time. The alicorn reached for another glass. How many blasted times has it been now that I've had to answer a subject about my night? A hundred? Is someone counting? Was I even counting? Blast it, I thought I was counting. Moon turned over to her attendant, and then she asked, "How many times? Have you been counting?"

"I, uh... don't know... I don't understand your question, your highness," he replied.

"Oh, right, whatever," she said. She wondered why she had expected him to be reading her mind. Who cares how many ponies ask! The answer will always be 'no'! How dare they reject my glorious night! She got off of her small throne, and then she stepped towards the closest window. She gazed at the river flowing down below. A group of owls had just swooped into the nearby trees-- still rustling the branches.

"Your highness," the attendant asked. He slowly moved up behind her.

"What was your name, again?" Moon asked. She didn't really know why, but she had a sudden wave of curiosity.

"Marks," he replied.

"Marks what?" she asked.

"Dazzling Marks," he said. Moon saw that he seemed a bit embarrassed at his other name. She smiled a little, since he clearly didn't look much like a show pony.

"Just one more subject, please," she said. Marks fidgeted a bit. She didn't know why, but then she realized that this had been the first time she had used the p-word in centuries.

"Yes, of course," he responded. He trotted over to the other side of the ballroom. The alicorn walked back beside her throne. She decided not to sit back down, but instead she rested herself at the foot of the stairs.

Even here... it's so comfy... She let out a very quiet giggle at how good it seemed to finally get off of the throne. Well, I don't know... I guess that never was the point. She watched as the doors opened and closed again for the umpteenth time. Well, obviously! Capturing the throne was never the point! The point was revenge. No, a better word would be 'justice'. You enacted true justice against your sister's tyranny and made up for her crimes. The throne was just a means to that end.

A young looking unicorn stepped out into the ballroom. He had on a small set of black glasses as well as a tiny cream colored jacket. A satchel bounced off of him as he walked. His big, poofy tail and long mane shifted around as well with each step. Colored a light frizzy pink, it all seemed to go well with his bright white body. His horn had a pinkish tinge to the end as if he had dipped it in some frosting. The stallion halted about twenty feet from Moon.

"Welcome, subject," she said. She stressed the word-- loving how she could lord her position over her guests. She cocked her head a bit to spot his cutie mark. She saw a set of three cupcakes with red frosting and strawberries on top.

"It's a honor to be here, your grace," he said, and he bowed. Unlike the rest of the mares, colts, foals, and everypony else that had filtered through the ballroom, he leaned himself right to the floor. "I'm honored to hear your voice and to be able to see you face to face."

"Yes," Moon said. Oooh, looks like somepony wants to try charm and grace rather than pleas or cajoling or begging or fake definance to get me to end my night. At least, that's a nice change... maybe... I suppose breaking his spirit would cheer me up.

"I would like... to... m-make... a request, your highness," he said.

"What's your name?" asked the alicorn. Most of the previous subjects had avoided eye contact. Those that didn't either focused their eyes with anger or widened them with fear. Although he stammered with clear nervousness, the pink and white stallion looked straight at her with every last word. Well... something is interesting about you...

"Strawberry Dawn," he replied. He kept on eyeing her.

"We are interested in hearing your request," she said. The royal 'we' seemed to flow more naturally and less sarcastically than usual. She eyed him back in return. What is it... about you...

"I would like... I would love it if... you... I would be honored... if... you..." Strawberry stammered. He had what he wanted to say on the tip of his tongue. He had rehearsed it numerous times-- not just outside the ballroom but off in the waiting room and everywhere else. He just couldn't spit it out at that moment.

"Tell us," Moon said. She felt genuine curiosity rather than her usual casual scorn, for once. "What is it?"

"Here it goes..." Strawberry said. He gazed at her eye to eye. He trembled with every word. "Would... you... like to... go... on a... date... with... me?"

"Date," the alicorn repeated. She didn't seem to register what he had been saying.

"I brought th-these... for you," he said, and he pulled out his satchel in front of him with his magic. He produced a a small silvery vase. A set of tall, midnight blue flowers jutted out. The petals folded back on themselves, and they looked a bit like small bluish potatoes. "It's... s-s-ssaussurea o-obvallata, technically..." He blushed a little. "In Ponyville, we call them 'Evening Stars'."

"Yes," she muttered. She still didn't seem to know what to think. What... are you doing here, Strawberry? What's your game? What's really going on?

"The evening stars b-b-b-bloom only at night," Strawberry went on, "But these are u-unique still. They're darker than most of them u-usually a-are. And these need a lot m-m-more night than usual. They seem to only live for th-the n-night."

Thanks for the science lesson, shorty... Moon stepped down, and Strawberry walked a little bit closer as well. She picked up the vase with her magic, and then she took a closer look. The flowers seemed to have half-bloomed already. She gazed into the folds upon folds. This is... beautiful... actually... She inhaled the wonderful scent as well, and she let herself show the smile that she had been hiding.

"So," he said, and he took a gulp, "May I?"

"You..." Moon said, but she stopped. She didn't let herself say 'may go now, loser' even though she had planned to. She didn't call him any of the names that she instantly thought up-- making fun of his glasses, his hair, his cutie mark, and everything else. He seemed to cry out for scorn. Yet she didn't really feel like mocking him. She looked back at his face.

Strawberry silently gazed back at her. She glanced behind her, and then she placed the flowers besides her throne with her magic. What is it about you... the sheer gall... The nerve! For a commoner like you to approach the princess! She opened her mouth to say something, but she halted yet again. Something about you... Then, she noticed it. It had to be the eyes-- the gaze. Nopony had ever looked at her like that for hundreds upon hundreds of years.

He looked afraid and yet still content. He seemed more than willing to accept everything she would say to him, regardless of the consequences. The only word she could think of was 'unconditional'. He might even jump out of the window if she asked him. She didn't see a drop of anger, hate, worry, concern, or anything like that.

"May," the alicorn told him. She felt a sudden clenching inside of her when she realized what she had said.

"I... I... can..." he said. He seemed to shiver, surprised at her answer.

"Yes," she said. She felt rather surprised at herself as well. She sized him up. Well, well... It's not like I've having any fun in this stupid room with these other stupid ponies. Why not? I suppose leading him on and then crushing his dreams like a hoof on an anthill would feel pretty nice. She giggled on the inside. Or maybe... it would just be fun on its own. I could see how it goes, naturally. Leave my feelings open. She suddenly made a blank face. All of these feelings kept warring inside of her.

"You... will... you mean it?" Strawberry asked. He seemed to catch on pretty slowly, but in just a moment he found himself hopping in joy. "Oh, wow! You really mean it! You meant it! Oh! My goodness!" He paused, and then he bowed before Moon again. He regained his composure. "I am very honored by your graciousness, your majesty."

I wanted justice against my sister. And that's it. That was it. Wasn't it? Why am I thinking that hurting him would be any fun? The alicorn walked over, and she touched him on his shoulder. She said, "Our attendant, Dazzling Marks, will make arrangements. We look forward to seeing you again, Strawberry."

Strawberry looked like he was about to die from the sheer happiness. Trembles of joy shot through his body. He nodded at Moon, and then he almost seemed to float out of the door. In just a moment, the new ruler of Equestria found herself alone except for her ever silent guards. She leaned down on the steps and then rubbed her head against the flowers. They felt so smooth and so soft.

"It's been a long while since I've had... well... male companionship," she whispered to the bouquet. She saw the flowers move a bit at every word. Although she knew it was just the force of her breath, she still imagined that she was holding a real conversation with them. "It's been years... decades... centuries... And I just don't know. This is all I wanted. Isn't it? Wasn't it? It's my throne now. My revenge. My destiny. It doesn't feel like anything. It's all empty."

She shifted a bit to look at the guards. "I suppose I could always try my hoof with one of them," she told the flowers. They seemed to shake their little heads 'no'.

She concurred. "It just... I don't know... that's not really the kind of companionship I had in mind," she whispered, "I'd order them to my royal bed. But what after that? What happens? It wouldn't feel right. I need more than that."

"Your highness," said Marks, breaking into her little world. She felt rather sheepish as she stood back up. "Strawberry has a rather empty schedule. I'm afraid that I'm a bit confused about what you wanted me to do for the rest of today. What is our own schedule?"

"It's not your QUEEN'S job to pay attention to those things," she retorted, "It's your job, you imbecile!"

Marks muttered something indeterminable as a response. The alicorn motioned for him to stop talking. She didn't care to hear anything more. She sighed, and then she resigned herself.

"How many more subjects wanted to see me after Strawberry?" Moon asked.

"Seven thousand," Marks calmly replied.

"BUCK IT!" Moon yelled, startling her assistant and almost causing him to fall over. She jumped off of the throne, holding the flowers behind her. "Tell him the date. Happens. NOW."