Somewhere deep inside the castle, somewhere somewhat familiar to a certain zebracorn...

Silver wandered through the vast halls of the castle, memorizing the passage ways she took and the areas she ended up at, even finding a few secret doors on the way, a few of them leading to places that made her shiver with slight excitement. It had been about an hour since she left the room and had nearly found her way back to the library, when she heard the sound of a mare crying.

The sobs seemed to echo from a hall to Silver’s right, so naturally she took it and began walking down it, the cries growing louder the further she walked. The hall eventually ended at two diagonally facing doors, one with a crest sun and the other with a crescent moon. The crying seemed to come from the one with the moon. “Nightmare…” Silver said to herself as she reached out and opened the unlocked door, walking in.

Silver’s eyes widened. On her knees at the side of the queen sized bed, face buried into the blankets, was Nightmare Moon. The alicorn was sobbing loudly and uncontrollably, the blankets already soaked through with tears. A few items around the room were shattered and her knuckles were bleeding slightly. Her floating mane was a mess as well as her tail and her dress had been discarded, leaving Moon half naked.

“Moon!” Silver cried and ran to her side, kneeling down to pull Nightmare into a tight embrace. “Shhhh… Its ok… its ok…” She whispered.

Moon turned and wrapped her arms around Silver, burying her face into her shoulder. “I-I… *hick* I…”Moon choked out. “I’ll never… be accepted by… by Celestia…” She said before breaking into another fit of sobs.

Silver pulled Moon closer. “Don’t say that. What would Gold say if she heard you say that?”

“I… I-I know that she w-wouldn’t be… too happy… a-about it, but… y-your mother… she h-hates me… why would she accept me?” Nightmare stated between sobs and sniffles. “W-why should she?”

“Shhh… She adopted me when everypony else hated me… You made a mistake. I’m not forgiving you for it yet, but I can’t be too hard on you. I myself lived a life of loneliness. She loves me for who I really am and now I know what you did wasn’t you.”

“But I’m not… Like you… it was me… I tried to… bring about eternal night… using Luna’s own power… I’m a… a monster…” Moon cried out loudly.

“No… That was not you. This is you, regretting every second of everything you’ve ever done wrong. That was pride and hate for those that made Luna herself lonely.” Silver corrected. “And if nopony else sees that… They can kiss my clit.”

“Well… I-I’m sure... Gold saw it when... she first realised that she... loved me… She’s the only… one that I know of… that actually loves me…” Moon stated. “and I love her too… but she’s… t-the only one… that loves m-me.”

“You can change that.”

“Y-you mean it?” Moon said as she looked Silver in the eyes, searching for anything that could prove her wrong but saw that every word was true, bringing her to sobs again as she buried her face once more into Silver’s shoulder.

“I don’t normally tell lies.” Silver added as she comforted the sobbing alicorn. “You may have done some pretty messed up things in your life, but nopony’s perfect and mistakes will be made, but that doesn’t change who you really are, somepony that’s hurt. And Nightmare Moon doesn’t really mean that you’re evil, does it? Your name has another meaning, doesn’t it?”

“Y-you’re right… I’m not evil, but… my name… what could it possibly mean other than what I’m known for.” Nightmare said.

“Now that I think about it… I think it means you have a fear, a nightmare. You’re afraid of ending up like the moon, lonely and watching as others find love.” Silver said, giving Moon a comforting squeeze. “You’re even afraid of it happening to others under the light of the moon.”

“I… I was afraid, I never wanted to see anypony feeling or being lonely and without love… but what I did with Luna and her moon… I just… I feel so terrible for doing that to her and everypony in Equestria.” Moon said, her sobbing calming down to sniffles and tears. “What I did to you and your sisters, I just feel so horrible for doing it that way.”

Silver smiled. “Now I can forgive you.”

Moon tightened her arms around Silver, holding her in an embrace that she hadn’t been able to give to anypony of her own. “I’m so so sorry, for everything.”

“It doesn’t matter now. You know why?” Silver asked, rubbing the mare’s back gently.

“Why’s that?” Moon replied, looking up at Silver.

“Because…” Silver leaned down and kissed Moon gently on the lips, licking her lips as she pulled away a few seconds later. “Now you have to focus on winning my affection.”

“I’ll try.” Moon said, a small smile of happiness and relief appearing on her face. “What do I have to do?”

“Prove you can love me. I want your compassion. I want you to be there no matter what. I want you to give everything from your heart. The same goes for my sisters. I want you to love us all as equals, one no more than the other. None of us will ever be used… Well in Heart’s case, only if she asks. The same goes for us. We won’t use you.” Silver explained. “But most of all… I never… ever want to see you down talk another pony or any living thing for that matter. Only if said being insults or attacks me, my sisters, or you are you to hurt or talk down to another.”

“I understand… so should we get ready for lunch or should we wait?” Moon asked, standing up, looking at her hands afterward. They were covered in dust, mascara, and a little bit of blood from her knuckles. “I should probably get my hands cleaned up.”

“I’ll get my sisters. You get yourself looking pretty again. I’ll see you in the dining hall.” Silver said, standing up.

“Okay… I’ll see you in a bit then, alright.” Moon replied, then went to the nearest source of running water she could find to clean herself up with.

Silver nodded and walked out of the room and made her way back to her sisters. Striding back into the cell, she found that Gold was still asleep and Heart was lying with her arms behind her head.

The zebracorn smiled widely as she entered, her sister looking at her funny. “Heart, I… I think I’m in love.”

“Really? You don’t mean with Moon, do you?” asked Heart.

Silver blushed, shying away cutely. “Is there a problem with that?”

“No problem… but you have ‘trust issues’... How did she get past those?”

Silver walked further inside and sat down on the sofa. “When I was exploring, I found Moon’s room. It was pretty torn up from a fit. I found her crying… about not being accepted by Celestia. She looked so… weak and afraid… Naturally I comforted her.” She said with a saddening expression. “She was so sorry… It hurt to even hear her say it… Nightmare Moon… Her name isn’t even scary anymore now that I figured out its true meaning.”

“It’s true meaning?” questioned Heart. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I found that it didn’t really mean she’s meant to be a nightmare for others. Rather that her nightmare is she becomes as lonely as the moon itself.”

Heart looked interested. “That pretty interesting… So… you love her now?”

Silver blushed. “Well… Yeah… I guess.” She looked away. “I… e-even kissed her… on my own.”

“Well, that’s you done.” sighed Heart. “Now, she just need my affection.” She shuddered slightly. “What if I start calling her master again? Will I be able to control myself?”

“Hay. You don’t need to worry about that. Besides, from what I can tell, that was your hidden fetish. You naughty bitch you.” Silver teased.

Heart blushed. “It wasn’t my hidden fetish… she basically forced it on me.”

“Oh? I heard you loved every second.”

“I- I- Well-... I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy it.”

Silver had to hold her victorious laughter. “You are a naughty bitch, big sis.”

“Look who’s talking… You basically just kissed the alicorn...” She thought for a second. Her counter-argument didn't bring up any points... “Actually… you might be right…”

She had to work harder to hold back her laughter. ‘OH MOTHER! I’m gonna burst!’

“Just laugh already Silver!” Heart yelled.

With that, Silver burst into laughter, falling into Heart’s lap, laughing so hard that tears came to her eyes.

Heart sighed and she watched her younger sister dying of laughter right in front of her. “You done?” she asked after a while.

“Y-yeah…” Silver panted.

Heart started to trail her fingers through Silver’s mane. “Good. For a second there, I thought you wouldn’t stop.”

“I would… have… laughed myself… to death…”

Heart sighed and continue to brush Silver’s mane. “The hell did Moon do to me…” she whispered.

“She opened you up to something even you didn’t know about yourself, Heart.”

“That’s… partly true.”

Silver rolled onto her back to look up at Heart from Heart’s lap. “Pfft, partly my ass. You hated pain, before Moon.”

“That’s true… But…” Heart couldn’t think of any retort. “Okay, fine, it was an experience. Can we leave it at that?!”

The zebracorn giggled. “Sure, and fyi, its time for lunch.”

“What does that- Oh…” Heart cleared her throat. “Gold, wake up!” she yelled.

Gold's eyes snapped open before she sat up. "So, what happened while I was asleep?"

“Oh, not much…” sighed Heart. “Silver got the 1-up on me and she loves Moon, so nothing really exciting. How was your sleep?”

"Best I've had in ages." Gold replied. "Although that Scarlet chick popped up again, this time she was doing something to a wall, I couldn't figure it out cause every time I tried to move it seemed like I was walking in place."

“Better hope she doesn’t pop up while you’re in bed with me and Moon.” Silver giggled.

It was Heart’s turn to laugh. “Yeah.” Then her face grew interested. “I wonder… maybe this pony’s actually real… What did she look like?”

“Yeah. She sounds familiar.”

"Her fur is like a scarlet color, her mane and tail are black, and her eyes were silver in color." Gold replied.

Silver’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me… Captain Scarlet Rain of the Crystal Empire?”

"Wait... You mean to tell me that you know this pony?" Gold asked.

“Hell yeah, I know her!” Silver cried. “The best assassin of her class! And she would talk about you non stop.”

Heart almost fell off the sofa. “You’re kidding! THE Captain Scarlet Rain!? Always talked about OUR Golden Eye?!”

Silver laughed. “I know! Un-fucking-believable!”

"I didn't know I was that damned famous."

“That’s the thing. You’re not that famous.”

"So why would she talk about me?" Gold asked.

Silver placed her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “The world may never know.”

"What did she say about me?"

“A bunch-o mushy things about how proud and strong you looked.” Silver said with a shrug. “There were a few conversations where she had been a little drunk and started ranting off about a bunch-o kinky things about you that popped into her head, ended up giving me some weird dreams later.”

"Uhhhh... too much information... The only pony I can accept having kinky fantasies about me is Moon." Gold said.

Heart shook her head. “Whatever. The point is, Scarlet’s gotta thing for you. Lucky bastard…”

“Not like she’s ever gonna get Gold now." Silver crossed her arms.

“Yeah… you missed out on one fine looking mare…” said Heart, mimicking Silver’s pose.

"Damn straight she missed out." Gold said. "I am not leaving Moon for anypony."

“We~ll… Anyway, its time for lunch.” Silver stated. “Moon should be getting finished up now.”

"I won't have another breakdown like this morning, trust me." Gold said.

“Good… But one thing still bothers me… The food… I can understand where she gets her ‘juices’ from… But if you think about it… How do you suppose she got ours?” said Heart, shivering slightly.

Silver hit her sister on the head. “How do ya think? We were fucked senseless yesterday.”

“True… but… I don’t know. Point is, it bothers me.”

Silver shrugged. “I’m sure she might have run out this morning.”

"You never know though." Gold snickered.

“Shut up, Gold! I don’t care if you’re Moon’s lover, keep teasing me like that and I will END YOU!”

"You would do no such thing." Gold replied.

“You think so?”

"Sheesh, I was just joking Heart."

“Heart, You need to chill, or I’ll do it for you.” Silver scolded her elder sibling. “C'mon. We’re late for lunch.” And with that, the young mare turned and walked towards the door.

Gold followed close behind, ensuring that she wouldn't get lost. "Ya comin' Heart?"

"Yeah, yeah... In a bit... Just go on ahead."

"Oh no, not on my watch, I don't want you ending up like I did." Gold demanded.

"I'm not going to get lost or anything. I just need a minute alone. To collect my thoughts."

"That's the same damned excuse I used before I got lost, I'm not taking that chance with you!"

"Gold..." Heart warned, and for a moment a white light flashed in her eyes. She blinked and it was gone. "Please. Just go."

"Fine, it's not my fault if you get lost." Gold replied, then turned to continue following Silver.

“I swear, if I hadn’t already had a hard life before I met you two, I would say you’re the hardest things I’ve ever had to deal with.” Silver said as she walked through the halls with ease.

Heart waited until she heard the hoof steps recced and then sat down on the sofa again.

"That was close, Heart... You nearly lost it again..." she spoke to herself. She let out a long slow breath, her anger receding. "Remember last time you lost it?" She rubbed her head, erasing those terrible memories from her mind, the screams she heard, that she caused... "Just keep cool. Only one lunch, dinner and then breakfast, and then you're out of here." She stood up and threw open the cell door and followed her siblings to the dining hall.

Author's Note

Sorry for the long wait and a short chapter guys :P It's mostly my laziness that I haven't been putting these up. Probably gonna get 'disciplined' for my lack of attention...
I'll put up another chapter tommorow. Pinkie Promise!