As the days ticked away, life in the arcade seemed better than ever for nearly everyone. With more and more 'fans' of the arcade 'Lore', the sprites were less and less bound to their on screen behavior patterns. While mostly they still stuck to what was expected, every so often they would act out on screen, changing a few things up. Never the player characters, of course. It wouldn't do to take power away from the players. But NPCs and villain characters sometimes would change up their actions or dialogue, just to get a laugh out of the players.
All this brought unprecedented success to the arcade, and Stan had saved up enough that he could probably keep it open for the rest of his natural life even if no one ever came to play again. Of course, the number of people playing had skyrocketed, and the tournaments were more popular than ever before. Stan still hadn't been able to set up another sign up sheet with the backlog of character selection already listed.
Off the screen, the sprites couldn't have been happier. The net exploration outings had been supremely successful, and Zero.EXE and Nightmare Moon had brought back all sorts of news and ideas to make the arcade - and life in cyberspace in general - even more enjoyable. Virus activity was at zero, and what viruses did show up were taken out by Zero.EXE long before they threatened anyone.
Nightmare Moon was troubled by all this joy. After all, twice so far it had been when everything was perfect that something would happen to steal it all away. Each time, she had achieved a new stage of growth, and the events surrounding that had played a part in restoring the status quo of the arcade, and everyone would soon be joyful again. However, she knew she was at her full power now. There would be no new growth. Whatever would happen next...it would change the status quo permanently.
Then again, if she was at full power now...she had some idea what change would be coming. As such, she had made preparations. The video file was on the website, and would become publicly visible if she didn't input the code to stop it every day. She'd been spending time with all her friends, and been slowly removing herself from the games she participated in, so when it happened, the disruption would not be too great.
All she could do now was wait.
As the sun set the night before the Summer Solstice, Nightmare Moon was on a picnic in Sugar Rush with Vanellope, Ralph, Wily, and Zero.EXE. Nightmare was also nearby, watching over them.
As they ate, talked, and laughed, the sky began to darken. Vanellope was the first to notice. "Moony, are you making it night for some reason?"
Nightmare Moon shook her head. "I am not."
"Then what could be happening-" Ralph began, only to cut himself off as the moon rose to its zenith. "Wait...that's not Sugar Rush's moon...that's my moon!"
"Not exactly," Wily commented, staring up. "In the same way it wasn't exactly your moon that fateful night, so many years ago..."
Everyone turned to look at Wily in shock, and then all eyes turned to Moony's in despair.
Nightmare Moon sighed. "I knew this was coming," she said sadly. "I just...did not expect it to be so soon...or to be tonight..."
"It's...it's time for you to go home?" Zero.EXE asked. "That's...your moon?"
Moony nodded. "It is..." Standing up, she wrapped her wings around them all, holding them close. "I will miss you all...so very, very much..."
Everyone returned the embrace. "Do...do you want us to say goodbye to everyone for you?" Vanellope asked.
Nightmare Moon shook her head. "I've already said all that needs to be said," she whispered as the four of them began to shine like stars, a beam of light erupting between them, which she began to ride to the moon. "Well...almost all." She turned to Ralph. "I'm bad..."
Ralph wiped his eyes. "And that's good," he replied.
"I will never be good."
"And that's not bad."
"There's nobody I'd rather be than me," they finished together, Nightmare Moon sorrowfully resigned, Ralph on the verge of tears.
"Thank you, Daddy...for everything," she whispered, before turning towards the moon, her face becoming focused and determined.
As they all watched, Nightmare Moon vanished into the moon, her face permanently etched now into every moon in the arcade.
The next day, a new video appeared on the website, titled simply, "Goodbye." When opened, it showed Nightmare Moon sitting in the final stage of the Tournament grounds, where the red and blue squares filled the field.
"Hello everyone," she spoke, then chuckled. "What on odd way to start this, all things considered, but it's only polite. If you're watching this video, then my time in the arcade has come to an end. We still don't know how I came to be here in the first place, or what brought me here...but if I didn't stop this video from becoming public today, whatever it was has called me back.
"I don't know where I will be now that you're watching this...and I don't know what I'll be doing...but I have no regrets. I have left everything so that the arcade will continue on without me, even those parts that relied upon my presence. I can depart with no shadows preying on my mind.
"I will miss playing with all of you. You made my time here wonderful and so much fun. And I know you all enjoyed seeing me on screen." She chuckled. "I heard most of it."
She sighed sadly. "The hardest part for me...I know how sad my departure will make all my friends within the games. That sorrow will eat away at them. I...I don't want them to suffer like that. So to all you players, I ask a favor.
"Keep playing."
She smiled softly. "Going through our games for your entertainment...it gives us a drive. A mission. A goal. We can push aside those things preying on our minds as we focus on bringing you joy with the games. I know you will miss me...so please, stand with my friends...especially my Father, Ralph.
"So please...bring them joy and purpose in my absence." She closed her eyes, holding in tears. "Farewell. I know not who I should pray to...so I will simply hope that somehow, someway, someday...we will all meet again."
The video ended.
Nooooo! I'm going to miss you Moonie!!! T________T
That's deep, man.
THE FEELLSSSSSSSSS
Almost time for a sequel.
...So, how many of you guys want to bet that we'll see Moony return to the Arcade after the inhabitants of Equestria (most likely) try to kill her?
Must....not.....cry.....
But still, just a little rushed.
*trying not to cry* sad that all good things must come to an end. Mooney will be missed but not forgotten in the arcade.
No Ralph going to Equestria with Nightmare? Damn, talk about a changer, seeing as how, in the others, the adoptive parent always went with the one they adopted. But more importantly, please tell me Nightmare comes back after season one. I want to see her kick Tirks ass in this story.
6291657
6291653 Or the EOH blast her
I'm still waiting for the inevitable beatdown when Cellybeans decides 'Aha! It's time to purge NMM!' And ends up learning the true meaning of the word 'wrecked'.
I think if she were to return...She should have the power to exist both inside the arcade and outside whenever she wants...And the ability to go back and fort between the world and her world like other stories.
After all, she can't really show her full power in the arcade world.
The major part of this I have liked? This hasn't dragged on for a billion chapters like Merc Moth has. Congrats for staying on task!
(Then again, I doubt that Deadpool OR Chryssy have made it easy for you to stay on task, either. XD)
If your watching this video
1. You're.
... Is it still too much to hope that Ralph and the others will somehow get to Equestria? Moony leaving on such a note is a sad thing and the fact that all the other displaced characters had their families come with them.
Now I'm almost excited to see how they'll arrive. But still scared should they not.
*looks at incomplete status* Hmmmmmimg.wonkette.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/detective-pinkie-pie.png
I Think i can speak for everyone who likes this story when I say this but.
This damn well better not be the end. And if it IS the end of this story there better damn well be a Sequel in the works, so we can see what happens with Moony..
Well this going to be interesting next chap, I mean Nightmare Moon has gone through a fair bit of character development to be more than just a physical manifestation of all of Luna's negative emotions.
Either she'll stop the fight with the Mane Six herself, or maybe she will go along with it in a way like she did in the games. Pretend to be evil boss just to give them a fun quest...idk who knows. Though if she does...look out Mane Six this Nightmare Moon is gonna be genre savvy as hell.
Just IF she gets blasted by the Elements I think it shouldn't destroy her, just defuse her from Luna -if her returning has her refused to Luna- So that they are each their own beings again, following that...high chance Nightmare would do her best to return to the Arcade and live there.
I mean sure she COULD live in Equestria but well she doesn't got a good rep there, things would be heavily awkward around Luna and Celestia, and then the fact she has friends and family back with Ralph and co while Equestria doesn't have any of such things.
Well beyond Luna and Celestia being sort of her sisters in a way...but the awkwardness kinda would negate a fair bit of the `bond` that would be there.
Since this seems like an ending point but the story is marked as "Incomplete" I'll play along and post the comment I was going to post when the fic'd be complete.
This story was one I've always had mixed feelings about: when you look at the sprites not from MLP/Wreck-it-Ralph characters you can see Wily, Zero (reploid and .EXE, even if in this fic both were the same character), Samus, Ridley and Robotnik among others. All characters mentioned have been characters in arcade games, true, but they are more indentifiable as console game characters. That's where I have mixed feelings: I don't like you having so many characters not representetive of arcade but at the same time I like you having characters I can recognize (because I'm not much of an arcade player anymore, I play Nintendo consoles mostly).
*hugs Moonie* I don't want to see her have to leave Ralph behind completely, so I'm hoping she manages to get back to him. Now, I have several thoughts on what could happen next:
1) if this is just before NM returns at the start of the series, I can see Moonie purging Luna from herself and tossing her to Celestia before opening a portal back into the arcade world.
2) if this is after her defeat by Twilight and Co, I think she'll hunt down the nearest arcade, see if she can get a wifi signal, and try to contact her dad.
3) she gets hit with the Elements of Harmony and ends up back at the Arcade.
Again, this is why this story earned a Black Bolt. It hits home in a way most of the others don't.
6291812 Shhhh! We are playing along.
I think, from the chapter set on Halloween, with her being made to feel sad from the song, this NMM, isn't just a manifestation of Luna's negative emotions, I think it is Luna taking on the form of Nightmare Moon, but, when being sealed away for the first time, she gets put in the arcade. I'm thinking if she returns, she's gonna be returning as Luna, not NMM. But, we shall see.
MOONIE!!!
*sniff* i hope she's not blasted soon after coming back to Equestria...
And now, the waiting begins...
Lets cross Wreck It Ralph, With Ponies.
then use UP.
I just watched Jon Stewart leave the Daily Show, I'm already sad.
This hits a lot, so sad right now.
Good work.
Those feels, though...
Ok! Just making sure that the uneducated know. I'll delete my old comment.6291826
...What a story. But, judging by the incomplete tag, it ain't over yet.
Finish this with a bang, Tats.
Holy... Now that is a tear-jerking way to say goodbye.
Another enjoyable chapter. Well Done.
odGay aumday youyay ellway itenwray assholeyay
That made me cry almost as hard as the end of animorphs.
I am bad
and thats good.
i will never be good
and thats not bad.
There's nobody I'd rather be then me.
And then all the players of Litwak's arcade became bronies when MLP:FiM released it then learned that NMM was an enemy in the series and then came the games.
Nah.
*tips hat*
6291972 theres one to go. Then im hopig a pwnyvers crossover happens.
Shut up! I'm not crying! It¡s liquid pride, OK?!
Godspeed Nightmare Moon. Perhaps she'll come back to the arcade one day, perhaps she won't, maybe she'll be defused from Luna by the EOH, or maybe she already was, and be able to hopefully live a peaceful existance, maybe Ralph and co can go with her, either way, *salutes you* Good work, Tatsurou.
6292080 Pig Latin please.
6292085
Oh...a great deal more than one remaining.
6292133
maybe something involving skullgirls? *cough* bigbandvinyl*cough*
6292133 if that means what I think it means... then... LUNA GOES TO THE ARCADE
We salute you, Nightmare Moon.
usarmy.vo.llnwd.net/e2/c/images/2014/01/09/327270/size0.jpg
i1.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/686/352/36a.gif
No tears. Only dreams.
Rainbow Dash : Must not cry . Most . Not . Oh hell . Screw it . " a tear falls on her check . "
Me: can't hold back the tears as I listen to [youtube=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rxUImfvzM08] will reading this chapter . 'starts crying .' :'( very sad chapter . When is the next one comeing out . Oh man he comes the mermoroies of my little dashie again.
Moony, I wish all the best for you, and stay bad... Because that's good, remember that. You will forever be in my two hearts and I will always remember you as not just a villain but something more, something different.
6292289 I feel the exact same way
And now to cry myself to sleep at 4 AM because I binge read the whole story...
what no... why?!
Am i heartless for not being close to crying?
and this fic is not a sad fic why? the feels are killing me
... It isn't that I'm not enjoying these stories, but it's starting to feel like you, the author, are starting to get spread a bit thin, or bored with the concept. Many of your earlier works seem to be painstakingly written while more recent ones seem as if they are being concluded or even written simply to get them done.