"So, Anonymous, could you please explain WHY I am wearing a brittle?"

"I told you, this is an Earth thing. They call it Horse-Back Riding, which is when a human wearing the appropriate clothing (ie an awesome setson, Cowboy boots, winchester revolver, and the sweetest overcoat to ever come out of Redsteel 2! Seriously, that overcoat is badass.) rides on the back of a horse for sport, travel, or just for the hell of it!"

"Right, and who taught you how to do this exactly?"

"My father, he used horsepower to plow the gardens and taught me how to ride them to get the job done quicker." Anon explained.

"And the 'horses' agreed with this?"

"Nightmare, Horses and ponies are similar in physical build, but are completely different species on the inside. On my planet, they didn't have a sentient brain like humans or Equestrian ponies, they were just like any other animal in the brains department. They were trained to do this kind of thing, and in exchange we would house them and feed them. Also, they didn't have wings or horns, they didn't have cutie marks, and they only came in specific colors fit for their breed. Oh, and they were MUCH larger compared to your species, even taller than humans!"

"Oh? Than why don't you show me than?"

"..... Oh, right, this is a dream isn't it?"

With the snap of Anon's fingers he summoned the first horse that came to his mind, a large Earth horse appeared out of thin air, it's mane and tail was white and it had a brown coat and it wore a saddle with the reins to steer it. It's size was definitely larger than Nightmare's but she had the same height, only because of her horn though, if you didn't count that than the horse would have been taller than her. "You... Ride these things?"

"Well not this one specifically, but yeah, I can ride these things no problem." Anon climbed onto it's back and grabbed the reins, he whipped the reins and the horse took off with a neigh. He did a quick lap around the dream realm and pulled the reins back, the horse reared back, standing on it's back hooves and flailing it's front hooves in the air while letting out a loud neigh. Once it settled down and landed on it's front hooves Anon climbed down and the horse disappeared. "That's all there is to it."

"Well I am NOT taking part in this degrading ritual. It's barbaric and shameful." Anon shrugged and turned around, pondering.

"How about this, we'll only do this once and see how it feels, and in exchange I'll never ask for this again, deal?"

Nightmare remained silent, but let out a huff in defeat. "Alright, but only ONCE!" Nightmare lifted Anon with her telekinesis and set him on her back. She didn't know how to feel about this, it felt degrading but... Strangely it felt... Right? No, there was a better word for this.

"Nightmare, are you still with us?"

"Huh? Oh, yes..."

"So... Do you hate it?"

"Honestly i don't really know, it feels degrading but..."

"Feels natural?"

"... Yes... I think?... I'm not entirely certain..."

"Well, let's start moving I suppose." They stood there for a few seconds, Nightmare turned her head to Anon.

"Your... Not using the reins?"

"The horses aren't smart enough to heed vocal commands, so you gotta whip them to get them started. You aren't a horse, your a... Alicorn?"

"Oh! Well that's a relief, I thought you had to use them on me." Nightmare said with relief in her tone.

"Nightmare, if I used this thing on you I'd be a red stain on the wall. Now, let's see where this takes us!"

Elsewhere

"So, you want to know about Anon, huh?"

"Yes, I am... curious about his species." Princess Luna explained.

"Liar." Shizuki claimed. "Tell me the REAL reason your here, before I blow your cover."

"Fine, keep your voice down! I'm rather cautious of Anonymous and I need information regarding his species and planet, I figured that since you were a human as well-"

"Alright, cut the chatter." Shizuki looked around, then opened the door to Luna. "C'mon, before someone sees." Luna entered the home of Fluttershy, the pony who housed the humans, and followed Shizuki to Anon's room. "Now, before I tell you anything I must know," Shizuki whipped around and the next thing Luna knew was the cold steel of a dagger pressed against her neck. "Do you... Love Anon?"

"I... No?"

"Good." Shizuki sheathed the knife and her expression went from cold to warm. "I always hated people who would get in my way, and you didn't lie to my face this time! So, what kind of info are you looking for?"

"I need to know of Anon's power, could he be considered dangerous?"

"Dangerous?... Pfhahahaha! A-Anon being a thre-ahahahaha! Oh, princess, I didn't know you were such a joker. Anon can take a beating but him actually being a threat?"

"Anonymous is really that weak?"

"Listen Princess, there's a reason that I watch over him, besides my undying love for him of course, and that reason is because he can't defend himself. He's a crafty little sneak, but he could never hold his own in a fight!"

"Your certain of this?"

"Certain? I've been protecting him for years, he couldn't hold his own against a raccoon! Of course, he doesn't need to worry about being tough, I'll always be there to protect him." Shizuki swooned over Anon, Luna looked at her strangely and brought her out of her yandere day dream. "Oh... Pardon me, sometimes I get lost in thought. Anywho, you don't need to worry about Anon, he's relatively harmless unless someone or something hurts him."

"Hurts him? Is he dangerous when wounded?"

"No," Shizuki crushed a small rock in her grip. "But I am."

"Um... Well, I believe I have all the information I require, goodnight!" Luna quickly trotted out of the cottage and closed the door, then breathed a sigh in relief. "By the gods... I pray mercy on any unlucky soul who crosses Anonymous."

"They'll need more than mercy after I'm done with them." Luna froze as Shizuki walked past her, a smile of false innocence adorn her face. she went to Fluttershy's mailbox and dropped a letter inside, raising the flag up. "Oh, and goodnight Princess Luna." She went back inside the house, leaving Luna to think about who the real threat here was.

Anon's dream.

"Woah, Nightmare! Slow down already!"

"Oh this is so much fun! I haven't felt this good since I was young!" Nightmare was happily enjoying running across the grassy plains of Anon's dream realm, and poor Anon was holding on for dear life being the one riding on her back. At first nightmare was reluctant to this whole ordeal but things quickly got out of hand once she started experimenting with different speeds. "I was so used to using magic to get around, but this is so much more enjoyable than using my wings or horn!" Anon knew that she was too distracted to listen to him, so he took the risk and let go of her neck to try and grab the reins, he was successful and jerked the reins back with all his strength. Nightmare reacted immediately, coming to a grinding halt and standing up on her back hooves and letting out a neigh that sounded like an actual horse neigh. Once she realized what noise she just shouted to the heavens she quickly landed on her front hooves and blushed. "O-oh my... Um, I had no idea I could do that... Anon?"

"Holy... Holy crap... Alright, are you done running?"

"Are you alright, Anon? You look a little pale." Nightmare said.

"Yeah, I'm fine. That's just from the fear I had while you had your fun." Anon got off and immediately collapsed, Nightmare gasped and helped him up by craning her neck so he could use her for leverage.

"Anon, are you sure your alright?"

"I can't feel my legs at the moment, so there's that... But other than that I feel fine." Anon said.

"Oh, I pushed you too hard, didn't I?"

"It's fine, Nightmare, I should have had the reins in the first place so it's kind of my fault." Anon admitted.

"No, it was my fault for forgetting that I had a passenger." Nightmare argued.

"Nightmare, we can play the blame-game all night if we wanted, but instead of that let's just say we call a truce." Anon said.

"But I could've severely hurt you, Anon! It's my fault for being so reckless, and I stand by it!"

"Nightmare... It's okay, Nightmare, you don't have to beat yourself up over this, everyone makes mistakes." Anon let go of her neck and landed on his butt, he patted the ground beside himself and Nightmare sat down beside him. "If you wanna take the blame, i won't stop you."

"... Anon?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you... think I'm evil?"

"Evil? Of course not, but why do you ask?"

"Anon, look at me, I'm the very incarnation of shadow, the true ruler of darkness. My very name strikes fear into the hearts of millions, is that not evil?"

"No, your not evil. Your just dark... One moment," Anon snapped his fingers and a pokeball appeared in his hand, he threw it and a strange pokemon came out. It had fur as white as snow and a deep indigo skin-tone. It had beautiful red eyes and a growth coming out of the right side of it's head in the shape of a crescent or a scythe and it had a bald tail that resembled a bat wing. It also had a patch of fur missing on it's forehead in the shape of an oval and a long, slick mane. To Nightmare it resembled a white wolf with a scythe-shaped horn growing out of it's head but it gave off an ominous aura. "Nightmare, do you know this Pokemon?"

"Um... No, I don't?"

"This is the disaster Pokemon, Absol. It has the remarkable ability to predict future disasters such as earthquakes and tornadoes, and when it does it travels to any nearby areas that are populated to warn the people." Anon explained.

"So you show me something that's done heroic deeds, what's your point?"

"Well, Absol's ability of predicting future disasters has given it a bad reputation of being a harbinger of doom and a walking disaster. When people see it they either flee in terror or... Try and fight it because seeing an Absol is a bad omen. There are even people who think Absol itself caused the disaster, giving it an even worse reputation as being an evil creature! My point is darkness is often mistaken as being evil, but that doesn't mean it can't be evil. This concept goes along with light as well, people often thing light is good, but that doesn't mean it can't be evil."

"But I WAS evil, I wanted to bring eternal night to all of Equestria!"

"Do you still want to bring eternal darkness?"

"Well... No, I don't."Nightmare said.

"Than your not evil, your just good with an evil appearance. Darkness is, like I've said, often associated with evil, but that doesn't mean it IS evil. You have a good heart, Nightmare, and don't let other's opinions change that, even your own!"

"... Thanks, Anon... That means a lot to me." Nightmare said.

"Anytime, Nightmare... So what now?"

"I don't have any ideas, do you?"

"Hmm... say, do you think we share the same magic pool?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like, if I could cast spells with your magic. Think it's possible?"

"Maybe, but let's focus on that once you wake up." Nightmare said.

"Alright, well how about some chess?"

Author's Note

Redsteel 2 Overcoat:

Hey, I'm back!... Again! Yeah, I had a bit of a mental block, but I think I'm better! I wasn't dead this time if you were wondering, i was writing some other stories to take my mind away from this one. But it's good to be back, see ya!