A full week has passed since James and Nightmare Moon had their last conversation.

During that week, James pretended that the mare didn't even exist. He completely ignored her, and just did what he used to doing before Nightmare Moon appeared in his life. The man, however, didn't even yell at her when she would bother him. He let her touch anything in his house as long as she doesn't break anything. That allowance was the last thing James had said to her before stopping talking to her altogether.

James would often seemingly disappear from the house, even during the night. But he always came back, sometimes covered in snow. Nightmare Moon, even if she wanted, couldn't follow him outside as it was still too cold for her, so it remained a mystery for her as to why would James go alone into the wilds like this.

James rarely muttered anything to himself, especially when in presence of Nightmare Moon. He did everything silently, and that scared her. Sometimes she caught him looking at her with something that she defined as irritation or anger in his eyes. She could wear she heard him talking about kicking her out of his house for good, but that never came. Instead, James started disappear from the house more frequently than before. Dark rings appeared under his eyes, and his overall look just screamed of tiredness. Nightmare Moon guessed that it must be because of lack of sleep he might be getting.

Nightmare Moon slept during the day more than at night, and she could see and hear James just walking circles downstairs, muttering something incoherently to himself. The mare had some fear in her heart as she didn't understand what James was doing to himself.

And she wanted to make it up to him somehow because she understood what a burden she's been since she appeared on the Earth. She understood that he welcomed her with kindness, warm house to stay in, plenty of food and water, and a bath to clean herself. What else could the mare ask of a stranger? And she understood her stupidity and arrogance only when the damage was dealt. James was fed up with her, and she now must find a way to fix everything.

Her night is cold and dark, but her heart is not.

***

On one particular day, Nightmare Moon decided to follow James into the wilds. She found an old but warm coat, and went outside. The wind hit her hard, but the coat protected her well. It was past midday, and the sun was shining bright, even through the obstructive grey clouds.

She followed the trace of James. Her legs were cold as they weren't very well protected, and it didn't help her that she would often stumble in the snow. Her legs just weren't made for walking through the snow, especially if taking into consideration the big amount of snow that reached her past her knees.

The mare thought she walked hours before getting to a small clearing, where she found James.

A lone tree stood in the center of he clearing. Its base was covered in cuts, and an axe stuck out of the tree's trunk. James was sitting in the snow, panting heavily.

"...FUUUUUCK!" he yelled suddenly, grabbing the axe and delivering hits on the trunk. He did at least five hits before the axe fell from his shaking hands. "Why can't this nightmare end?! She's still here, the nightmares in my sleep just won't end! And I can't even tell her to get the fuck out of my own house! How pathetic I am..." he sighed. "Why wouldn't fate gift me with someone who is not so fucking vile to me?! Why, oh why does it have to be an over-fucking-arrogant pony-human hybrid?!"

Nightmare Moon stared wide-eyed at the human. Just hearing what he yelled made her feel bad. She rarely apologized for her behavior, and she even rarer was being nice to anyone.

"And I can't even bring it to an end!" James continued. "I... I... I can't! Why can't I? I don't know! Why am I put to do this kind of decisions?! Why can't I just live my life here? No, the fate decided that it would be perfect to give me someone who doesn't like me because I don't lick her... hooves!"

He growled, then lowered his hands. With a sigh, he muttered something to himself.

"James?" Nightmare Moon called him. He quickly turned around, facing her.

"Why did you come here?" he snarled. "To watch me suffer? I know it is all you wanted from the beginning!"

"No, I... I came to apologize." the mare admitted, taking a step towards the human. She was very nervous about the situation, as she could see the burning hate in his heterochromical eyes.

"Another trick!" he replied with anger in his voice. "Who else could have sent nightmares while I sleep? Who else but you?! And now you dare say sorry as if you aren't the cause of all this insanity!"

"No, I didn't send thee nightmares! I am truly sorry for what I've done to thee before!" Nightmare Moon said, taking another step forward. She didn't notice how James's eyes darted from the axe to her and back.

"I am sure you are fooling me! You have been nothing but a demanding and arrogant bitch!" James yelled, sweat rolling down his forehead, all of his body shaking. "You... I... I had been living alone for five years! A-and then you appeared out of the blue!" he grabbed his axe. The mare's eyes widened in horror as she expected him to chase her and beat her to death with that. But, with a growl, James threw the axe away. "I thought... I thought you'll be someone to enjoy being around, but... but all you do to me! It is pain you bring, not comfort! I was such a fool to even think that you might be the one... Such a fool I am! And now... Now I'm going insane from everything!"

James fell on his knees, tears streaming down his face and falling onto the snow, freezing quickly. He shut his eyes tight.

"I just..." he muttered weakly. "I... I admit I want someone to be in my life! Someone to care for! This loneliness destroys me from the inside!

"And maybe you'd like to know why am I so alone? Let me tell you, make you see!

"So, I... I... I was at my father's back then. He is... He trains horses for competitions. I always helped him when he needed it. But one day... One phobia I earned... For the rest of my life! Nngh..." he coughed heavily a few times, then continued. "I was riding a horse, just making sure it's alright. And then, a loud sound of a car's horn appeared out of nowhere! The horse got scared, dropped me, and galloped away from me. I was already hurt, broke my arm on the landing. But then... A car just... It..." he inhaled deeply. "It drove over me!" he yelled. "Then... It crashed into a tree! And that tree... It fell on me, nearly completely shattering my rib cage! Can you even imagine the pain?!" he inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "Those scars you've seen... They appeared there because of that...

"And fortunately for me, my father found me quickly. I don't remember much from there, but doctors could barely get my rib cage into one piece again. Since then... I am afraid of loud noises of cars... I fear the cars! I could no longer live in the city, so I moved here. And... The silence and loneliness was comforting for a while, but... I found that I miss someone special in my life... Someone who wouldn't mind being with me! But I couldn't move to any town, city, or even a village! Cars, cars are everywhere! And I am forced to live here for the rest of my life... alone."

James ended his speach, then sighed.

"I doubt you care anyway." he added quietly. Then he stood up and started walking towards his house. He passed the stunned and shocked Nightmare Moon, but didn't even glance her way. He just muttered: "I shouldn't have told you any of this..."

James entered his house, Nightmare Moon followed him. He dropped all the warm clothes he had and went upstairs.

"Leave me alone..." he told the mare, but was stopped by her when she grabbed his arm.

"No, James. I... I must say sorry. I am sorry. It is all my fault that thou art in so much pain." Nightmare Moon said, holding him tightly. When James was about to reply, she hugged him. "I am so sorry..."

James was stunned by her action. He blinked. More tears streamed down his face as he hugged her back, melting into he comfort he didn't feel for years. He could feel the warmth of her fur against him, her arms behind his back. He didn't know if it was right or wrong, but he understood he needed that.

After a while, they parted. Heavy blush was on the mare's face. James was still a bit surprised, but no blush could be seen on his face. He smiled a little.

"We'll have to talk." he said. "I think... I need to know you better."

"And I need to know three better as well." Nightmare Moon nodded. "Let's start everything from the blank page."

"You are right." he nodded. "I... Thanks for listening to me back there. I needed to tell someone about it."

***

James and Nightmare Moon took a seat opposite of each other at the table in the kitchen. Sighing heavily, the mare told him her story of who she was, what she wanted, what was done to her, and why she thought she appeared on the Earth. James was really confused and surprised about what she's said, but he didn't question her, as he had a feeling all of that was genuine truth.

In turn, James told a little about himself. He told her of his uneventful and straight common childhood, his time in school, his teen years. All of that came to that fateful moment when James left for a better life away from what scared him, into the depths of the north.

He also told her about his rifle and how it is used, as he promised to do it a week ago. He has shown Nightmare Moon how to properly dissemble and assemble the SVD, how to load and fire it. He took her outside and taught her how to shoot. She was very interested in the rifle, as she was always fascinated by complex weaponry.

Overall, the two had a very great time together that day, and the memories of dull and silent week just disappeared from their heads, replaced by joy they earned through activities and talk they shared.

"...and there is one last question I want to ask thee." Nightmare Moon said. "Why hast thou never called me by my name?"

"You've just told me that your real name is Luna." James replied. "Besides, I didn't feel it was right to call you like that."

"I... I don't think I'm Luna anymore." the mare admitted. "Nor do I want to be Nightmare Moon."

"Well, then you can choose your name." James smiled. "My father once told me that the only true name a man has is the one he calls himself by. I don't think it's any different for women, or mares in this case."

"Then I want to be... I want to be Lucine." the mare smiled. "My name is Lucine."

"A very beautiful name." James smiled in return, earning a slight blush from her. "Nice to meet you... Lucine."

And the alicorn of night understood that a new life begins for her. A new life that she welcomes with open arms. A new life that can help her forget her fears and be herself once again. A life that is her own.

And no more is she connected to the dark of loneliness. She understood that James can be the one she sought for so long. The one she might love someday. The one that will bring her joy and happiness. The one that will help her in her time of need. The one she might want spend her entire life with.

And a new name... A name that shatters her bitterness and arrogance. A beautiful name... Lucine.

Author's Note

I hope I did it right and not too fast.

Also, what do you, dear readers, think of Nightmare Moon's new name?