Dreams that Bind

...and I woke with a jump.

"Gah!" I cried.

Looking around, I noticed that I could see better in the dark. I stood up on my hooves to find that everything was shorter than before, much to my confusion.

"Huh? Rarity?" a voice asked and the lights came on, revealing Twilight at a light switch. She rubbed her eyes and looked at me. "Oh no!" she cried.

The others, stirring and complaining, looked around. When they noticed me, they screamed and huddled behind the purple unicorn. That's when I noticed I towered above them.

"I think I know what's going, but I'm not sure." she said after a moment. "Rarity? Is it you in there?"

By now, I had pieced two and two together and realized I was Nightmare Rarity again, except my body was my own.

"Yes, I'm not lost." I replied.

My friends calmed down after that. Rainbow Dash approached me for a better look.

"I don't get it, how can she look like this when she isn't corrupted anymore?" Dash asked.

"You see Dash, Princess Luna can take the form of Nightmare Moon whenever she wants." Twilight explained, "But, I don't know how that works exactly."

"I can tell you that." another voice said.

We turned to face Princess Luna herself. "When the Queen of the Nightmare Forces, Nightmare, took my body over, she left some of her magic in my body after you six freed my from her influence. It mixed with my natural magic when when I got it back, allowing me to take the form at my will. They same is true for Rarity, the same thing happened to me the next day."

The Princess approached me. "Of course, I didn't do it, she did, but it can easily be undone. You just have to whim your body to transform back to normal."

I took a breath and composed myself. I wanted to change back to my normal self, this form held too many bad memories. I felt myself shrink down until I was at eye level with my friends.

"Am I...?"

"Yes, your back to normal, Rarity" Twilight answered.

"Rarity, I'm afraid Nightmare will be back. I remember after I was freed, she lurked around in my mind, taunting me with vile words that, unfortunately, held truth." Princess Luna told me. "I suggest having friends and family around during this time. She may not be in your body anymore, but you and her share a mental link. Remember, she'll remind of your "guilt"; it's important you don't let her push you around. Only when you've shown her she can't under your skin will she leave you alone." the princess informed me.

I nodded. "I understand." I replied.

"I can do no more, the rest is up to you, good luck Rarity." Princess Luna said before she charged her horn and teleported home.

We stood there quietly for five minutes contemplating the situation when we we interrupted by a yawn.

"Sorry. Rarity, we all know you can do it." Spike said sleepily as he crawled into bed.

"Spike's right, we're all here for you Rarity." Twilight added.

"I know you will be Darling. Shall we go back to bed then?." I asked.

Everypony else agreed and we went back to sleep.

***

We had  blueberry pancakes for breakfast the next morning, courtesy of Pinkie Pie.

"These are delicious Pinkie, thanks." Spike said with a mouthful.

"No problem Spike." Pinkie replied.

"So Rarity, I assume you'll be heading back to your boutique?" Twilight asked me.

"Yes, but only for work." I replied, "I contacted my parents via telepathy this morning and I'll be staying with them for some time." I replied.

Twilight could only nod in reply. After breakfast. we left for our respective jobs. As we walked through town, I noticed that the townsponies were acting as if the traumatic events everypony had to endure didn't happen. We got a number of "Hellos" and "Good mornings".

"It's nice to see so much tolerance among ponies." Twilight pointed out cheerfully.

"Eeyup, good to know folks are willing to be so understandin." Applejack put in.

I guess after living in this town for some time, you get use to it. I heard Ponyville is considered a death trap by the other town and cities. Well, you can't really blame them, given all the down right bizarre things that happen in this town. I mean a parasprite infestation, a visit from Cerberus, and having an Ursa Minor brought to town aren't exactly normal events in any town.

Oh well, we had to go our separate ways eventually.  As I walked on my own, ponies started to give me pitying looks as I went by. It was rather uncomfortable, I could feel them judging me.

"Oh look, they've lost all respect for you." a familiar voice said.

"Shut up!" I cried, only to attracting unwanted attention. "Sorry." I apologized as I galloped off with ponies staring at me.

I arrived at my boutique and locked myself in. Taking deep breathes, i calmed myself down.

"Aww. Look at you, so cute when you're helpless." Her royal pain in the plot taunted.

"I wish I could say the same for you, Queen Nightmare." I remarked, "You can't make anypony's body you use look good." I sneered back.

"Whatever." The queen of the nightmare forces huffed indignantly, then seemingly "cut off" the mental link we shared. I sighed with relief, peace at last. It remained so for the rest of the day, but I couldn't help but wonder just how long it would last.