bolting through the night

As soon as he could see through the door, the wall next to him was left with a burnt mark after Nightmare Moon had shot a spell at him. Freezing when he saw the dark mare, he was momentarily scared until he saw her rubbing her temple with a pained expression.

"House keeping?" He said smiling. "I'm here to clean."

"I-I do not care what you are here for." She said taking her hoof away. "Leave and do not return unless you wish to fight me." She said baring her fangs before turning around and going to a balcony.

Going in, he shut the door quietly and took a moment to look around. The floor as a smooth white stone, a large bed sat against a wall, its wooden frame still in good condition and the blanket still looked fresh, the other wall had a bookcase with only three large tomes and scrolls, all of which looked brand new. What caught his attention was the mare sitting outside on the balcony with her wings stretched out, head thrown back and moonlight giving her coat a moving shine when he moved his head.

"Hi again, remember me?" He said rubbing the back of his neck.

"I believe I told you to leave." She said keeping still. "Do you wish to fight or are do you have difficulty following simple threats?"

"The last one." He said making her glare at him from over her shoulder. "What are you doing? I've heard of sunbathing but you're not going to get tanned by moonbathing."

"What I am doing does not concern you," she said. "Why you are still standing should be yours. Why are you here, pegasus?"

"To be honest, I'm still trying to figure that on out myself. I guess I'm here to talk to you." He said stepping closer to her only for her to turn and narrow her eyes.

"You flew from your home, at night, ventured into an abandoned castle in the deadliest forest in Equestria to speak with me?" She asked stepping out from the moonlight and back indoors. "Is that what you expect me to believe?"

"More or less, yeah that's about it." He said nodding. "Just to talk with you."

She smiled and for a fleeting moment he heard her laughing as she shook her head. The humorous moment was gone when she lunged forward and attempted to fire a spell, but her horn gave out and she fell to the floor clutching at her temple again. He, in a moment of instinct, rushed over and was trying to take her helmet off when the wind was knocked out of him and he was sliding across the floor.

"Do not touch me!" She snapped getting up even as her legs shook. "I do not need your help."

"O-Only trying to make sure your horn wasn't overheating." He said rubbing his belly where she had hit him. "Geez, for somepony with a magic deficiency you can hit hard."

"How did you know I had a magic deficiency?" She asked looking at him with a look of surprise that quickly turned back into a neutral frown.

"I have a friend, a unicorn," he said getting up and approaching her regardless of the fact she was getting into a defensive stance. "She went nuts one year with making my friends dresses and a tux for me, she could hardly keep a pin in the air for more than a minute. Yours must be bad if you keep falling to the floor like that."

"I am fine," she said backing away when he reached for her helmet. "I do not need your help."

"Well, unless you'd like to let your horn to crack and fall off, I'd suggest you let me." He said making her stare at him again. "Lean down and let me take it off."

"You will not touch me again." She said turning away. "Leave this place at once or I will hurt you without magic."

Narrowing his eyes, he jumped into the air and with a flap of his wings took her helmet off her head before hovering outside by the balcony. She staggered forward and put a metal clad hoof to her head in disbelief before she glared at Rainbow Bolt as he held her helmet in front of her.

"Return my helmet now!" She yelled knocking him back in the air.

"You want it Nightmare, come and get it!" He yelled back putting it on his own head.

Taking in a deep breath, he blew a raspberry at her until she began running to the balcony. Just as she was taking off into the cold night air and out of the protective warmth coming from the bedroom on the balcony, she shook in the air as the base of her head went from hot to body temperature.

Flying at a quick pace, he looked back and saw Nightmare quickly catching up with her teeth barred like she was going to bite one of his wings off. Quickly increasing his speed, he looked back again and saw she was gaining at a slower pace. Smiling down at her, he stopped only for a moment when he saw the moonlight suddenly light up her face. Shaking him out of his trance, he began to fly away again as cloud of stars appeared in front of him.

Folding his wings against his sides, he dropped with her helmet as Nightmare solidified from the mass of stars. Snorting in fury, she dived after him but he was already pulling up when her shadow came over him when she tried to land on him.

Looking at the downed alicorn, he was about to land and ask if she was hurt, but she stood up and took to the air as soon as she had landed. Flying upwards now, he could hear her wing beats against the wind whistling under her helmet as it shook slightly. Stopping above her, he took a dive back and watched as she copied him and soon they were both free-falling into the chasm he passed on his way there.

Going past the bridge and slime coated rocks, he took off her helmet and used it to scoop a load of the cold water from the small stream at the bottom. Putting on an extra burst of speed, he rushed out of the chasm and back to the balcony. Standing there on the balcony, he held her helmet under his other wing so the feather he took wouldn't fall in. When she caught up to him and landed, she was breathing heavily through her teeth as she glared down at him.

"Remember," he said holding the helmet full of water back. "This is for your health."

Her eyes widened as he slung her helmet forward and felt her joints momentarily lock when she was soaked with ice cold water. Standing there in shock, her legs shaking and teeth chattering, she watched still in shock as he went inside and brought the blanket from the bed over and put it on her. As soon as the warm fabric hit her cold coat she sank to her haunches as sat there with it wrapped around her while she glared daggers at Rainbow Bolt.

"I-I hate y-you." She stuttered pulling the blanket closer.

"How's your horn feeling?" He asked leaning against the door frame. "Any better?"

She snorted and looked away, not choosing to acknowledge him. After a moment, she looked at her helmet and summoning what magic she had, she found she had more than she thought and it smacked into the blanket and her chest piece underneath it.

"My magic seems to have returned fine." She said placing the helmet on her head before taking it off. "I will be without my helmet for the night, since you decided to use it as a bucket."

"Again, a thank you for saving my horn would be nice." He said. "Are you going to come in where it's warm, or do I have to drag you?" He said emphasizing his point by reaching for the blanket she had a death-grip on.

She pulled it away from him and stormed inside, shutting the doors behind her and leaving him to press his face against the glass. Sitting in front of the window, she held the blanket to herself as she watched in amusement as he tried to push them open.

"Is there a problem?" She asked. "Did I lock the doors? If only I knew where the key to unlock them was, I may let you in."

Staring at her through the glass, he narrowed his eyes as he backed up.

"Let me in, or I break through the glass." He said making her teasing grin grow. "I'll even use your helmet to bust through." He said smiling as hers dropped when he picked up the blue steel.

As he raised it above his head to swing down, she opened the doors and begrudgingly stepped aside while he passed her. Closing the doors, she sat by them while he sat opposite to her with her helmet sitting by his side. Glaring at him, she took off the blanket and using her magic, brought her helmet back to her side.

"Do you-"

"Do not speak to me." She said cutting him off. "I have nothing to say to you."

"You're just upset because somepony got the drop on you and saved one of your body parts from falling off." He said smugly when she blushed. "Don't be such a sore loser. I'm not the fastest flier in Equestria for nothing you know."

"You are a thief and a despicable pony for what you did to me. Throwing water from my own helmet, that is insulting."

"It's better to be soaking wet and insulted than to be missing your horn and magic." He countered making her snort. "Admit it, you don't want to say I'm right. It's alright, I know I am, you don't need to thank-"

"Thank you," she said looking away. "For making sure my horn did not crack and for not letting me lose my magic."

"There, was that so hard?" He said making her glare at him. "Apparently for a sourpuss like you, it was."

"I am beginning to feel the beginning of a blood lust forming." She said. "I gave you my thanks, what more do you wish for?"

"To stop threatening me for a second so I can warn you." He said getting up and stepping towards her. "My friends and the princesses are coming here in the morning to find and kill you. Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie, and Fluttershy will just weaken you and Celestia and Luna will come in and do the rest." He admitted looking away from her while she stayed silent.

Looking at the pegasus while he stared at the ground with a grimace, she let the blanket fall off her so she could stand. Going up to him, she waited for him to look up at her before speaking.

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked watching as his face contorted as if he had eaten something sour. "Guilt?"

"Loyalty," he said looking her int he eyes. "It's not right, teaming up on somepony like that when they're so weak. You wouldn't be able to defend yourself. My element is loyalty, but it doesn't mean I'm just loyal to my friends, you deserved to know."

"I tried to kill you and your friends, plunge Equestria into eternal night, and I have done nothing but scorn you for your help," she said shaking her head sadly. "Yet you still help me? It does not make sense."

"Lots of things don't make sense." He said. "By the way, this is yours." He said pulling her feather out from his wing.

She looked at her own wings and seeing one missing from the second row, she took it out of his grasp and held it in the air. Setting it on the floor, she opened the balcony doors again and took the same position as before. Looking down at the feather, he glanced at her and saw an open spot by her outside.

Taking a few cautious steps she didn't move so he went the rest of the way and sat beside her on the balcony. Looking at her, she was completely still except for her breathing and mane. Looking up at the stars, he put his head on the railing and stared off at the moon.

"Were there more stars a thousand years ago?" He asked.

"What did you ask?" She asked looking at him even though he didn't look back.

"Were there more stars a thousand years ago?" He asked again. "I heard a rumor that they sometimes flicker out and a new one appears."

"I do not remember much from that long ago," she admitted. "All I know from that time is pain, darkness, and a vast cold. When Celestia banished me, I was the only thing keeping Luna from feeling those things, but when I listened to her those nights and days, all I heard was crying."

He watched as her posture became more relaxed, her ears folded against he head and her eyes became distant. She got down on her belly, crossing her fore-legs but not resting her head in them.

"I was never meant to be a being of hatred and darkness," She said wiping away a tear threatening to run down her cheek. "Luna made me to protect her. I used memories, thoughts, feelings to make myself, but in he end she succumbed to both of our hatreds. Do you wish to know why the ponies of Equestria truly hated and feared her? Why I was actually brought into life?"

He simply nodded, watching as she hugged herself with her wings. She took in a deep breath and slowly let it out.

"It was Discord." She said. "Before Luna and Celestia imprisoned him, he put memories and thoughts of anger and fear for Luna in the ponies minds all across Equestria, even after his magic was extinguished he still left his mark. The ponies feared her and called he a monster, eventually driving her away from even her sister and giving into those fears and anger. She made me to protect herself from her own subjects, the ones she had fought for alongside her sister. Ultimately, I failed her in the end, I was the one who hurt her the most."

Looking at her, she was stressed out evident by the few tears she had let escape. Scooting closer to her, he put a fore-leg over her neck, she flinched but didn't pull away so he put his other leg around her neck and pulled her to him. She sat there, shaking as he held her int he cold night air.

"W-What are you doing?" She asked wiping away her tears.

"Hugging you," he said. "It's what ponies do with somepony else if they're crying, they try and comfort them. I noticed you haven't tried to strangle me, so I must be doing something right."

"I was never the one being comforted, it was always I who tried to comfort Luna." She said hesitantly wrapping one of her own fore-legs around his barrel. "This is nice."

"So, if you just tried to protect Luna, why did you try to plunge Equestria into eternal night?" He asked feeling her other leg begin to hug him.

"We were both angry at the ponies, so we were going to show them the monster they saw." She said. "When Celestia used the Elements of Harmony on me, do you know how painful that was? It was as if I was being crushed and stretched all the way to the moon before the cold and darkness overtook me." She said squeezing tighter. "The second time they were used on me, I felt like I was being cut to pieces from the inside and split open like a rotten piece of fruit."

"Sorry," he said. "I didn't know it was like that." He said rubbing the back of her neck. "How do you feel now?"

"Happy," she said laughing. "Something I have never felt before. Is this what it feels like to be cared for? To know somepony out there cares what happens to you?"

"It is," he said. "You know, I still remember that night. When me and the others used the elements on you, I didn't see a monster. I saw somepony who didn't get the attention or respect they deserved."

"What would do you know about respect?" She said pulling away from him. "All you have done tonight is offer me a small comfort after you have done nothing but cause me stress."

"What do I know?" He laughed bitterly. "When I was a colt in flight school, all the others and even some instructors made fun of me, called me Rainbow Bash or Rainbow Crash, but I earned their respect. I showed them they were wrong about me, and just a moment ago, you showed me, the whole world, they were wrong about you. Would some monster have hugged somepony or cried or opened up like you just did?" He said getting up in her face.

"Than, if I am not a monster, what am I?" She asked looking sadly at him.

"You're... You're somepony that another pony cares about." He said. "That night, I wasn't scared of you, and I'm not scared now, I'm scared about what's going to happen to you. Ever since that night, I haven't stopped thinking about what we could have done, if there was some other way that didn't involve the Elements of Harmony."

"Why do you care for me when others haven't attempted to speak to me without fear?" She asked looking at him accusingly. "What made you see me like-"

Her eyes widened when he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. It lasted for a few seconds before he realized what he had done and backed away, holding his fore-legs in front of his face.

"I'm sorry, just don't hit me in the face!" He said expecting to feel cold steel breaking his legs and skull, but instead he only heard her breathing. "Nightmare? Are you alright?" He asked lowering his legs.

She was blushing heavily, looking at him with glassy eyes, and her breathing was coming out heavily. She raised one of her steel clad hooves and put it to his cheek and moved it down to his neck before pulling him in and kissing him.