Changing Lanes

Chapters

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Epilogue
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 10

Chapter 1

It is closing in on two weeks since you landed in this weird place, though the first week and a half was essentially a blur in your mind.

Jolted out of sleep, you had assumed it had been an earthquake, or some sort of cataclysmic event, as various books and trinkets tumbled off their shelves, clattering to the ground in a heap. You weren't worried about those, however.

Your first reaction was to haul ass to the garage, worried about your baby. As soon as the shaking stopped, you were out of the house and headed toward the garage, not even noticing the multi-colored creatures that had begun to gather in the mid-day sun.

Heaving the sliding garage door open, your fears were realized as your eyes darted around the cramped garage bay. Crap was piled all over your pride and joy, her metallic purple paint dented and chipped in areas where the heaviest objects had landed. The windshield had an ugly spider web of cracks, and the massive spoiler that took two years to find was bent in the middle.

You had spent years piecing together the Plymouth Superbird that was your baby.

All that hard work right down the drain.

To say the ponies gathered around were confused as to what was going on was an understatement, startled and nervous when you started screaming and throwing out swear words left and right.

But two or your soon-to-be closest friends approached you anyways, albeit cautiously.

A blue pegasus with wild rainbow-striped mane and tail who was fittingly named Rainbow Dash, as well as a purple alicorn named Twilight Sparkle.

Introductions didn’t go well, to say the least, between the nonstop screaming and relentless circling you were doing.

That was when you found out this world had magic, as you abruptly felt like someone was holding your lips together, and holding your feet in one place.

It was then you realized you weren’t on Earth anymore and promptly passed out.

“….Twilight, did you shut him up or suffocate him?” a female voice inquired, as you slowly came to.

“Rainbow, if I had suffocated him, he wouldn’t be waking back up,” another one replied.

Slowly getting your bearings, you could see you were still in front of your garage, on the ground, with these two….. things looking at you, cracking nervous smiles.

The purple one spoke up first.

“Now that you aren’t screaming anymore, I’m Twilight Sparkle, and this is Rainbow Dash. And since you clearly are from…. I don’t know where, let me formally introduce you to Equestria."

You rubbed your eyes and took a hard look around at all the talking creatures that had gathered around, a barrage of bright colors almost blinding to your unfamiliarized sight.

“Yeah, this doesn’t look much like Earth, unless I woke up drugged in Japan. God damn the Japanese are weird.”

The two in front of you exchanged confused glances.

“I can’t say I’ve ever heard of Earth before, nor Japan,” Twilight said.

“That’s a first, I would have figured one of your thousands of books you bury yourself in would have something about this,” Rainbow chipped in.

Twilight shot the other mare an angry glare, then turned back to you with a softer expression.

“So, why were you screaming nonstop, and what is that….. thing in the building?”

Part of you had an urge to instantly go through all the details of your Superbird, but these ponies wouldn’t have a clue what you were rambling on about.

"It’s a car, we use them for transportation where I’m from, humans - which is what species I am - aren’t all that quick on our feet, so it helps us get places faster. And landing here damaged it some, which is why I was flipping out.”

Twilight perked up, her curiosity piqued.

“So how does it work, can you show me? I mean, if you want, you don’t have to if you aren’t comfortable..”

You didn't have to be asked twice, as you clamored to your feet, brushing yourself off.

“If you can help me get all this junk off of her, I will gladly show you,” you told her.

Twilight jumped into a frenzy of levitating all the junk out of the garage, while Rainbow Dash’s interest was caught on your words.

“Wait, that “car” is a she? It doesn’t look alive to me.”

Awkwardness sets in as you carefully pick your words, as you try not to sound like a complete freak.

“No, it’s a machine, people where I am from tend to refer to things like this with gender pronouns when we have grown attached to them.”

“Uh, okay then…. So how fast does this thing go?" Rainbow asked, still a bit puzzled with your previous answer.

You grinned, as you were hoping for a question like that.

Twilight was just finishing up the last of the garage clearing.

“You’re about to find out.”

Just then, a blinding white flash appeared out of nowhere, scaring the crap out of you. It took a while to finally get your sight back, and where the flash has been stood two ponies much larger than any of the others gathered around.

One was stark white, her mane a flowing river of bright pastel colors.

The other, a bit smaller, was deep blue with a mane that seemed to be a piece of the night sky.

Both obviously were of some sort of royalty, judging by the crowns and the fancy jewelry. Not to mention everyone gathered instantly turning to bow.

Everyone except for Twilight, as she ran over two the two regal ponies in restrained excitement.

“Princess Celestia, I didn’t expect to see you today, we haven’t prepared for a visit," Twilight said nervously, facing the taller white pony. She then turned her attention to the blue one.

"Nor you Princess Luna, also good to see you!”

Celestia looked up from Twilight, right at you. Nervously, you waved in response, keeping your mouth shut.

“I heard there was some sort of an odd visitor today. I came to see for myself,” Celestia said. She offered a small smile, making you relax just a bit.

You glanced at the other alicorn, Luna. She cracked a sly smile, making you even more uncomfortable.

Quickly, your attention turned back to Celestia, who began walking toward you. Twilight was hot on her heels.

“I was going to send a letter, I just got so caught up introducing him to our world and - wait, how did you know this happened?” she asked.

Celestia smiled at Twilight, before looking at you again.

“I could hear the screaming all the way to Canterlot.”

“Um, sorry about that, I was kinda a bit in a daze," you said, a bit embarrassed.

Surprisingly, no one here seemed incredibly suspicious of you, mainly just curious. That was more than a relief, you didn’t see living in a prison as a good time. If they even had prisons.

Luna, silent this whole time, finally broke her silence.

“We are curious as to what you are, in addition to your name," she said.

You just realized you hadn’t even mentioned to anyone your name yet.

“Oh yeah, I forgot. Name’s Anonymous, but I prefer Anon. And I‘m a human.”

You felt an odd tingling sensation in your head and chest at that point, which quickly disappeared. The two royals turned around and had a quiet conversation.

Celestia turned around after a time, sporting a warm smile that broke your feeling of dread.

“Allow my sister, Princess Luna, and I, Princess Celestia, to formally welcome you to Equestria. Our home is your home.”

You realized you hadn’t taken a breath since the two had turned around. You found yourself letting out a long exhale.

Everyone else gathered broke their silence to voice their approval, as well as undoubtedly release any tension they felt.

“Um, thanks. You all seem very open to strangers, I’m rather flattered. Can’t say I was expecting that.”

“Let us or Princess Twilight know if you need anything, we will be in contact for further questions and study about your fascinating world and people.”

Twilight blushed heavily at the mention of her title. Apparently, all alicorns were royalty.

“We do have to ask, what is it you were, as you say “flipping out” about? You seem quite calm about being here, we believe it must have been something else," Luna inquired.

Luna's dialect struck you as very odd, but kind of endearing. Perhaps she was from another part of this place?

You quickly made a recap of what you had told everyone else, up to the point where you had planned to show off the Superbird.

Luna remained quiet, keeping a straight emotionless face the whole time. After a spell, her sly smile returned.

“We would be most interested in seeing this piece of technology in action.”

With that, you slowly rolled the ‘Bird out into the light. Everyone gathered around gave you room, albeit barely.

She wasn’t quite as bad as she had looked in the garage, but it didn’t matter. Not like you had all the tools you needed to fix it.

You popped the hood to make sure everything was situated underneath. While from the outside the Superbird looked stock, you had taken “liberties” on many other items.

She was in fact, a bit more race-bred; a cross between street, and what she had been built for, the high bank ovals. Heavy duty suspension, tubed frame, and that orange beast topped with a NASCAR style intake and 4 barrel carb.

Yup, that thing’s got a Hemi.

“Alright everyone, this thing is going to be a bit loud, so be prepared. And make a bit more room so I can actually drive it.”

Everyone cleared the dirt road that ran through the area, except for Twilight, Rainbow, and oddly enough, Luna.

“Are you sure you want to be this close, guys?”

"Hey, you seem to be pretty sure this thing is quick, I wanna see what you got,” Rainbow replied, brushing aside your question.

The other two rolled their eyes with a smile. Apparently, Rainbow Dash's cockiness was normal.

"I want to understand how it works, I’m not going to be able to study it well unless I’m up close to it," Twilight said, circling around the car.

But Luna was quiet, you weren’t sure what to make of her.

“Alright then, suit yourself," you told them, before hopping in and twisting the key.

Despite your warnings, you still startled everyone gathered. The throaty growl likely sounded like a mad predator to them, you thought to yourself.

Before the three nearest to you could take to the sky, you jammed the shifter into first and matted it.

“Try to keep up!”

Chapter 2

Back in the present, Twilight, Rainbow, Luna and you have been nearly inseparable from day one. While Twilight is ecstatic to have a whole new treasure trove of things to learn about you and everything you own, Rainbow just enjoys the simple desire for speed you possess. Luna, however..... you aren't sure what draws her towards you.

Luna was not able to spend as much time in your company as the other two. After all, she was one of the princesses that presided over the kingdom of Equestria, serving at night. During the day was when she slept, so there was only a small window open for her to visit between when she awoke and when she sat on the throne.

Quite frankly, you could not imagine dealing with royal matters. The schedule, yes, but not the day to day crap of running a whole country.

Perhaps most astonishing to you was when Twilight told you that Luna had been around for centuries. At first, you assumed she was pulling your leg until Luna confirmed it. But as far as her past, she remained mum.

You didn't push her to reveal further, even though she seemed to want to let something off her chest.

But the past week has been a focus on your car, and not just by you. Luna and Rainbow have been eager to help in any way possible.

Twilight, however, has been reveling in the information you give her. Already she had come up with a solution for one problem you had considered right away: fuel for the thirsty beast. She explained the intricacies of the spell she used, but you couldn't make heads or tails of anything she said.

Bodywork was something you hated, so you dreaded the idea of tackling the dents, dimples, and creases on the car. Fortunately, Luna's powerful magic made sheet metal seem like putty, easily forming it and smoothing it out. You would have killed for such a tool when you originally restored the car.

Even other ponies were willing to help outside your little group. Twilight had invited a few ponies from a local glass-making shop in town to inspect the windshield that was cracked and offered to make a new one free of charge.

You have been humbled to say the least, as you look over the finished product, already installed.

Rainbow Dash lands near you, breaking your train of thought in the fading light of the evening. Beaming with pride, she holds up a gallon paint can in her hooves.

"Is that the paint? I thought you said you wouldn't have it for at least another day," you asked Rainbow, causing her smirk to grow even wider.

“Hey, I do everything fast, whether it’s flying or getting work done. Sometimes I’m faster than I can predict though,” she says, posing with her wings outstretched.

It hasn't taken long for you to understand Rainbow Dash has a massive ego. It doesn't bother you too much, as you tend to antagonize her more.

“I seem to recall you overestimated yourself in our first race. And that was with the Hemi not tuned quite right.”

Her smile quickly vanishes.

“Hey, I was taking it easy so I didn’t completely embarrass you and the car. And whatever a Hemi is," she replies, a little confounded.

“Rainbow, I’ve explained that to you twice now, it has to do with the shape of the combustion chamber in the engine,” you tell her, shaking your head.

“Right. I forgot, I normally fall asleep when you go into Twilight mode and ramble.”

“I heard that, Rainbow Dash," Twilight says, landing next to the two of you.

You point at Rainbow Dash. “Haha, you got in trouble.”

Rainbow Dash says nothing, resorting to sticking her tongue out at you in mock frustration.

You look over at the horizon, the sun just about to make its drop below the horizon. With all the work you've done today, the time has gone by rapidly.

Luna will likely be showing up at some point soon, as well.

“We are most impressed with how far work has gone on the Superb Bird today.”

You jumped a bit as Luna makes her presence known behind you. She has a knack for showing up without a sound and enjoys doing it.

“Well, you scared the hell out of me again, Luna, thanks for the cardiac workout,” you tell her, turning to face the blue alicorn. "And it’s Superbird. Super. Bird.”

Her sly grin fades a bit at your correction.

“We apologize, it is something we have not quite grasped onto yet," she says.

Feeling a bit bad, you wave a hand at her.

“It’s not a big deal, I’m nit-picky. So how long till you have your duties to attend to? Rainbow got the paint, with your help we should be able to be finished, aside from the windshield.”

Glancing over at the horizon, Luna takes a moment to respond.

“We could most likely be here an hour, but that would be really stretching it,” she says, turning back to face you and the rest of your group.

“That’s plenty of time," you tell Luna, before turning your attention to Twilight. "Twilight, you said you had an idea on how to get this thing painted without a spray gun?”

She perks up at the mention of her idea.

“Yes! Well, sort of. You see, the paint you had from Earth is different from what Rainbow brought. Almost everything in Equestria has some sort of latent magic in it, all we need to do is find the correct frequency to agitate and atomize it to-”

You interrupt her before she can go on a long-winded explanation.

“Twilight, I’m already lost. You may as well show me.”

Luna and RD giggle behind you while Twilight lightly blushes.

“Alright, alright, let’s see how the paint looks,” Twilight says to Rainbow.

Rainbow hands the can over to Twilight, who levitates it with her magic and pops off the lid.

A gorgeous metallic purple sheen gleams from the inside of the can. You can't help but grin.

“Good work, Dash. It’s a bit closer to Plum Crazy Metallic than In-Violet Metallic, but Dodge and Plymouth didn’t change much when they shared hues, mainly ju-”

“Now you’re the one losing everyone else, Anon," Twilight interrupts, smirking.

You suppose you deserve that, as Luna and Rainbow giggle again, this time a bit harder.

"Let's just get on with it, then," you say.

Luna suddenly goes quiet and still, deep in thought. You have seen this before, as apparently being alicorn sisters gave Luna and Celestia the ability to speak telepathically or something.

It is still a little creepy to you, but you’ve mostly gotten over it.

"It seems our time here tonight is limitless, we have no obligations to be in Canterlot," Luna says, snapping out of her trance.

“Why, what’s going on in Canterlot that you’re suddenly free from that royal crap for a night?” you ask her.

Luna just shakes her head and laughs at your rather harsh question.

“Our sister believes it would be of benefit to stay with her friends for a night. To take a night off, so to speak,” she tells you, earning a smile from the other two ponies.

“Awesome. Once Twilight gets done with the car, the three of us were going to go in my house and hang, maybe watch some movies," you announce, receiving a hoof pump from Rainbow Dash.

"Or in Sparkle’s case, probably read and play Twenty Questions,” you add, grinning.

“You know, I don’t have to make sure this paint job is perfect, it’s not my car,” Twilight says, unamused by your quip.

“Okay, I’m done with the wisecracks, let’s see you flaunt your artistic side, Picasso," you tell her.

Everyone looks at you, not understanding the reference.

"Nevermind, it's not worth explaining the joke."

While Twilight readies her spell, you, Luna, and Rainbow give her some space, unsure of how this spell is going to work. It doesn't look promising as her first move is to heave the paint can forward, slinging the paint into the air.

"This doesn't exactly look promising," you mumble.

Twilight’s horn lights up with a brighter aura, as the flying globs of paint begin to shimmer and get smaller. Soon, it looks as if the paint had been ejected from a professional spray gun, and mists the whole car, spinning and twirling around the ‘Bird, covering every square inch.

Once the mist has dissipated, Twilight approaches the three of you, a content grin on her face.

“That should about do it, Anon. Now it just needs to dry. Told you I had a plan,” she says, beaming with pride.

“Thanks, Twi, I shouldn't have doubted you," you tell her. "You just made me a bit uneasy with the initial toss.”

"It's fine, Anon. I know you aren't exactly well-versed in how magic works," Twilight says.

You look over the horizon, just above Ponyville. The sun has finally set, and night is beginning to take hold. of the land

“Alright you three, why don’t we go in and relax? I already have planned what we’re watching,”
you tell your group.

“Wait, so why was the car all pissed off? How can it come possessed straight from the factory?”

Rainbow Dash's question breaks you away from the TV screen as the end credits begin to roll.

“Wow Rainbow, I wasn’t expecting you to actually think while watching the movie. I’m impressed,” you joke, playfully shoving her.

Dash lightly pops you in the back of the head with her hoof, while Luna laughs at your exchange.

You decided to show them one of your favorite movies, Christine, based off of Stephen King's book.

"It just came like that, I guess. The book made a bit more sense on that aspect, but it’s been a while since I read it, so I don't remember for sure,” you tell her.

You look over at Twilight, expecting her to cut in.

Instead, Twilight is still buried in one of your books. She's already gone through half of your collection in the short amount of time you've been here.

“Watcha reading Twily?” you ask.

While she normally gets irritated when you call her that, she doesn't respond, immersed in her reading.

“Oookay then, while bookworm is in her own fantasy land, you guys want to watch another movie?”

Luna speaks up first.

“We were actually curious as to why you have such a passion for these ‘cars.’ If you do not mind explaining, of course."

“Well Luna, I just sort of grew up around people that worked on cars, so I was around them at an early age” you tell her, reflecting back in your mind some of the cars you've owned over the years.

“But what is the significance of your Superbird? I would assume not all of your species is this attached to transportation. Especially something that is almost fifty years old, if I remember what you told me,” Luna asks.

You quickly grab one of the books lying in a pile near the couch, a hefty hardcover filled with racing history.

"The only reason my car was created was for racing. Automotive companies had to build a certain number of a model in order to make it eligible for racing, so they didn't make many. But the Superbird dominated racing, at least until it was outlawed from competition."

Flipping through the pages of your book, you point out a few photographs of some of the winged wonders, before pointing to a portrait photograph.

"That man is the reason Plymouth made the Superbird, to get him back into their race cars," you tell your friends.

"Who's he?" asks Rainbow, deeply interesting in the old photos.

“Richard Petty. He drove one of those in 1970 during his long racing career. Picked up 200 wins, 7 championships, and 7 Daytona 500 victories, which was a crown jewel race,” you tell her.

“Holy crap, that makes what Spitfire has accomplished with the Wonderbolts seem like nothing,” says Rainbow, clearly impressed.

You figured Dash would be impressed. Racing seemed to be in her blood, a lot like you.

“Most impressive. We can see why one would want to have something that helped a person reach such an astounding achievement," Luna tells you, smiling. "It is amazing how one person can have an effect on how others go about their lives.”

With Luna's question answered, you see an opportunity to learn more about her. She has been very quiet about any sort of her past, especially considering she has been around for a long time.

“On that note Luna, I’ve shared an intimate part of my past, I think it’s only fair you share something, as well,” you say, flashing her a grin.

To your surprise, Luna drops her head, avoiding eye contact with you.

"I mean, if you want. You don't have to," you softly tell her, unsure of what to do.

The room remains quiet for what seems like an eternity, before Twilight breaks the silence, finally tearing herself away from her book.

“Come on Luna, everypony else has made peace with what happened in the past, don’t feel ashamed,” she says, rising to her hooves.

Rainbow Dash pipes in as well.

“We all have things we aren’t proud of, Luna. Like how I secretly talk to my Wonderbolt sculptures sometimes!”

You turn your attention to Rainbow, as does Twilight.

“Rainbow? I don’t think that’s a secret anymore,” you say, trying not to smile.

"I used to I mean. That came out wrong, obviously," Rainbow says as she blushes.

You roll your eyes, turning your attention back to Luna. She has continued to hold her head low.

“Anyways.... what are you so afraid of, Luna?" you ask her, nudging her shoulder. "I like you for who you are right now. What has happened in the past has made you the way you are, for better or for worse.”

She continues to be silent. Part of you expects her to teleport out of the room at any moment.

Finally, Luna speaks, still keeping her head low as her horn begins to glow.

“We will not tell you what haunts us from our past. We will show you.”

The room goes white in a blinding flash before a scene slowly begins to materialize in front of your eyes.

As things become clearer, you find yourself in an expansive ballroom, surrounded by a throng of ponies.

Before you can focus on any details around you, your attention is drawn to a voice ahead, though you cannot make out any coherent words. But you definitely recognize it, as you suddenly find yourself at the front of the crowd.

Princess Celestia stands before you, as does Princess Luna. Both are attired in their royal regalia, standing above the gathered crowd in front of a pair of thrones.

While Celestia revels in applause as she finishes speaking, Luna's face is lined with frustration and annoyance.

As you stand there, the crowd behind you begins to move. Turning to see where they are headed, you see a set of doors at the opposite end of the room slam shut, echoing through the room.

Confused, you turn back around to see Luna's horn aglow, her face twisted into a rather uncomforting grin as she scans the room.

“We are not finished here. Since you all seem to have little interest in us, we shall make you stay!”

In shock, Celestia turns to Luna, mortified by her sister's outburst.

“Sister, this behavior is most unbecoming of a Princess! We ask you immediately silence your tongue!” Celestia says, her voice revealing restrained anger.

Luna, however, shows no restraint.

“SILENCE! We no longer care what is expected of royalty! We are tired of being ignored, left by the wayside while everypony gathers and kisses your hooves! Nopony cares for us, for our night, only your daylight!”

At this point, Celestia seems to be at a loss for words, both confused and perhaps a little frightened.

“What are you saying, sister?” she finally manages.

The younger alicorn suddenly seems to lose consciousness, before another voice breaks the sudden quiet that has fallen upon the room.

“We are no longer your sister."

The shadows in the room suddenly begin to twist and stretch, moving toward the princess of the night.

Meanwhile, the rest of the room erupts in chaos, as ponies run towards the closed doors. Several stallions try to kick them open as screams and gasps erupt from others.

As the shadows converge on the Luna, her once blue coat darkens to onyx. She lifts her head and opens her eyes, revealing strikingly feral turquoise eyes.

“We shall be known as Nightmare Moon from this day forth, and night shall be eternal!”

The scene vanishes before another develops, also in the same room.

This time, the walls, even the roof are in shambles, rather than a glorious ballroom.

You see both Celestia and the aptly-named Nightmare Moon fighting, blasting each other with magic as the other parries the incoming attack.

In a spare moment between attacks, Celestia removes something from a nearby pedestal, her normal golden magic aura shimmering into all colors of the rainbow. With a powerful blast, the scene instantly disappears in a white flash, before a quiet, pained voice calls out.

“I’m so sorry, sister.”

As your vision returns, you find yourself back in your own home, facing Luna.

Her bright turquoise eyes are locked on you as she speaks, every word betraying the emotional pain she feels.

“We were banished in the moon, atoning for our actions for nearly a millennia in solitude. Our return to Equestria is quite recent, only two years ago were we freed, thanks to the actions of these two and their friends,” she says, as she points a hoof to Rainbow and Twilight.

They remain quiet as you try to comprehend everything you've witnessed.

Meanwhile, Luna drops her head. Reacting, you wrap your arms around her, embracing her as she jumps a bit.

“Luna, it’s alright," you tell her, stroking her mane. "We’ve all made mistakes in the past at some point or another. I don’t think any less of you.”

You feel Luna's wings slowly embrace your form as she looks up, a small smile making its way onto her face.

"We are most thankful for your support and concern. Everypony seems to have forgiven us, but it is still hard to look back upon the past without feeling pain,” she says.

“Well, at least all this made sense and had a happy ending, unlike that movie we just watched. Who names an inanimate object, anyway?”

The moment interrupted, you turn to Rainbow, who grins sheepishly.

"Just saying," she says.

Chapter 3

“Twily, you wanna hand me a flat blade screwdriver?”

“A what?” Twilight looks up from one of your books she is reading.

“Second drawer from the top, yellow handle, end of it is wedge-shaped," you say, pointing to your toolbox on the picnic table.

Twilight rummages through some of your various tools with her magic, still not quite sure what you are requesting.

“Oh, here," she says, smiling triumphantly as she hands you the tool.

It’s just you and Twilight spending time this afternoon, tinkering on the Superbird. Rainbow Dash was busy with weather duty the next two days, and Luna was no doubt sleeping after a night of royal duties.

A few days have passed since you finally cracked Luna’s shell and got her to tell you what bothered her so much about her past. She had been a lot happier the past couple days, though maybe that was because of the good laugh she had gotten later that night when you had fallen asleep.

Saran wrap on the living room doorway, that will get your attention when you have to get up and take a piss in the wee hours of the morning. At least she didn’t saran wrap the toilet.

“What are you doing anyways, Anon?” Twilight asks. She leans over the passenger side fender opposite you get a view.

“Tuning the carburetor, the engine feels like it bogs when I get on the throttle lately," you tell her, waiting for the next question. You enjoy her curiosity, but she does ask a LOT of questions.

“What does the ‘carburetor’ do?”

“It meters the fuel and air mixture so when it goes into the combustion chambers, it burns properly. Too much or too little fuel compared to air, and the car will respond sluggish or run like shit,” you tell her.

Twilight seems to ponder your answer for a moment.

"So how many of these particular cars are left in your world?”

You wipe your hands off with a rag as you stand up straight, taking care not to hit your head on the hood. “I don’t really know, not many. Plymouth only made about 1,920 of them, I guarantee less than half survive.”

Twilight is quick to follow up your answer with another question.

“What was with the odd number of production? Seems to me they could have rounded it off at 2,000,” she says.

“Plymouth only needed to build the equivalent of half their dealerships at that time, of which they had 3,840. They wanted to take the car racing, and that's what the rules at the time required for eligibility,” you respond.

Surprisingly, Twilight is not instantly following up with another question. While you enjoy answering her inquiries, you change the subject for now.

“So Luna’s been in a lot better mood lately, huh?”

Twilight nods her head in response, smiling.

“Yes, Luna told me she wished she hadn’t hidden her past from you for so long," Twilight tells you. "She felt a huge weight lift off of her.”

While you're glad to hear that, you still wonder why Luna is so drawn to you.

“I can imagine. But why is she so interested in me? Sure, I’m some weird ass freak from another world, but she doesn’t ask me about every minute detail about my world till the sun goes down like you do.”

Twi rolls her eyes at your playful jab.

“I don’t really know, Anon. She just really likes your company, I guess," Twilight says, before pointing a hoof to your car. "She likes watching you race this thing, too.”

That was quite obvious to you, too. Every day Luna came over, she hoped to see you out on the little road course you had set up out behind your home. It was a crude setup, being hard-packed dirt, but sufficient, and at least you weren’t endangering ponies by being a speed demon on public pathways.

“Yeah, what is with that?" you ask Twilight. "I asked Rainbow, and she said Luna never showed much interest in any form of racing till I popped up here. Apparently, she’d show up at Wonderbolt Derbies from time to time, but didn’t seem to enjoy it, more there as a guest of honor.”

Twilight shrugs. “I just don’t know, Anon. Luna has been around for a long time and has seen and experienced a lot of things in two millennia. Something just piqued her interest, I guess. Does it bother you she enjoys being around you?”

You quickly shake your head at Twilight's question.

“No, she’s a lot of fun, I like hanging out with her just as much as I do with you and Dash. It’s just odd to me. Still feels like she isn’t being open with me, hiding something, but I don’t know why.”

“Even me being part of royalty now, I don’t know even a quarter of the things Luna and Celestia have been through. There’s a lot of history there, both good and bad. You‘ve seen the worst," Twilight says, referring to the sequence Luna showed you.

“Yeah, that was pretty trippy. Would have been nice to have a warning I was going to be thrown into a movie.”

Twilight just laughs.

“You wanted movie night, Luna obliged you,” she says.

Twilight left not long afterward that afternoon to spend time with her other friends, while you spent much of the early afternoon running laps around the track. The carburetor tuning definitely helped throttle response, especially out of slower turns and going from a stop.

Eventually, you pull the old girl into the garage, and head inside for a nap.

Now, a tickling sensation on your nose slowly brings you out of sleep. Opening your eyes in frustration, you can help but yelp at what greets your sight in the dark room.

Smoky tendrils darker than even the blackest of nights begin to seep into the room from underneath the closed door and gather in the center. Slowly, they take a familiar form, a sinister laugh echoing through the room.

“The Queen of the Night has returned! And this time, we will not be defeated!”

The form of Nightmare Moon becomes whole as she strides toward you, turquoise eyes and ethereal, starry mane piercing the dark.

Panicking, you scan your room, looking for a way past this fiend and out the only door out.

Your stomach churns as you see no way past, Nightmare revealing her pearly white fangs. You close your eyes just as she leaps towards you, fangs aiming for your neck.

But instead of pain, the sound of laughter fills the room.

You open your eyes again as the lights overhead flip on, revealing Luna standing before your bed, giggling.

“……really Luna? Dammit, you about made me piss myself!” you yell, fumbling with the sheets as you rise out of bed.

Luna's giggling only gets louder as she speaks.

“Our apologies, but the opportunity was too good for us - we mean, me, to pass up," she says, slowly getting a grip on her composure. "What are you doing asleep this early, anyway?”

Lately, Luna has been trying to update her speech to the present, frequently correcting herself. You haven't said anything about it, for fear of making her uneasy.

“I was tired, I worked on the Superbird most of the day and thrashed her a bit on the test track," you tell her as you shuffle out of the room. The rest of the house is not much brighter, as dusk has settled over Equestria.

“You did not wait for me to arrive before testing?" Luna asks, pouting.

"It looks like it’s still really nice outside, I can still get out the ‘bird and go for a night cruise if you want to tag along.”

Her face lights up in response.

“Absolutely! Our - my, night is free, no open court or royal functions to attend.”

It was a rare occurrence, but the princesses occasionally found themselves with a day free of duties.

“Gimme a sec, and I’ll be right out.”

You throw on a pair of shoes and grab your keys, before heading out the door. Luna is just outside, pacing impatiently.

"Is everything all right Luna?" you ask her, confused by her sudden change in mood.

"Yes, I am. We just... I have a rather odd suggestion to make, and I am not sure how to ask," she says.

Unsure what could be so bothersome to ask, you heave up the garage door, stepping inside. "Well, how about I get the car out in the meantime, and give you a little more time to think."

Pulling open the driver's door, you duck inside, closing the heavy door behind you with a solid thump. Twisting the key in the ignition, the engine roars to life, filling your ears with the sound of its throaty rumble as you back out of the garage. Once you're clear of the garage bay, you swing the steering wheel clockwise before coming to a stop and shutting off the engine.

Climbing out, Luna stands nearby, looking more sure of herself. "We thank you for your patience with us, Anonymous," she says.

"You're my friend, Luna. I got plenty of time for you," you tell Luna, causing her to blush a bit.

"Yes, well, the movie that you showed us a couple of nights ago, it has given me an idea. Specifically, how the car in the movie is possessed," she says, in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Wait, so you want to possess that?" you ask cautiously, pointing to your car.

Luna shakes her head, laughing. You relax a bit, feeling a bit silly at the assumption you made.

"Of course not, Anon. No, we want to possess you," she says.

You raise your brow, perplexed by her idea. "You want to possess me?"

Made nervous by you concerned tone, Luna begins to talk faster.

"It would not be a permanent thing, Anonymous. And it would be painless, you would still have consciousness," Luna rapidly spits out.

You put your hands up, trying to get her to slow down. While this whole conversation is bizarre, you don't want to rile her up any more than you have to this point.

"Just relax, Luna, I only asked because it surprised me. But I would like to know, what is the point of this idea?"

She strides over to your car, looking in through the driver's side window.

"It looks like you have so much fun driving this, we - er I, would like to try. But of course, the controls are not exactly tailored to our own body," Luna says, motioning to her hooves.

While you think over what she has said, Luna looks you in the eyes, her own turquoise eyes pleading with you to say yes. You can't resist that look.

"If you think you can pull it off safely, I'm in, Luna."

You find yourself on the ground as Luna rushes at you, tackling you to the ground as she hugs you.

"I - uh, you're welcome. What do I need to do?" you ask her, as she rises off you.

Her horn begins to glow as she summons her magic.

"You need not do anything but sit right there," she says.

As her spell is cast, you suddenly feel very tired, before everything dims to black.

Your head throbs as you slowly wake up, unsure what happened.

"Luna, what did you do?"

Your fatigue vanishes instantly upon hearing your voice. Why the hell do you sound like a girl?

Or more specifically, Luna?

Looking down at yourself only causes your heart to race, as your voice matches the rest of you.

At this point, your brain is in full-on panic mode, scanning the area. "Luna?!"

"I... I may have made a mistake, Anon." You hear the sound of what would normally be your own voice, as you turn to see your human body standing in front of you, hanging its head low in embarrassment.

You can't help but continue looking over yourself, experimentally spreading your wings while you decide if this is reality or a dream. The movements of your ethereal mane are quite distracting as well as you brush it aside with your hoof.

"You may have made a mistake?" you ask, standing up on all fours. "That would be an understatement considering I'm YOU right now!"

"We know, we know. I am just not sure what I did wrong while casting the spell," she says, kicking at the dirt. It surprises you how well the two of you have already adapted to movements in each other's foreign bodies.

"Wait, you didn't know the spell?" you inquire, pressing for more information.

"Not exactly," she says, stuffing her hands in her jean pockets. "I just found the spell in a book earlier this evening."

Already angry at the situation, her answer tips you past the boiling point as you raise your voice.

"Obviously you screwed something up! Great work there!"

Luna flinches at every word.

"I'm sorry, I guess if there is one thing I'm good at, it is screwing up," she says, turning away and shuffling to the direction of your home.

Regret sinks in at your outburst. This is a stressful situation for the both of you, this isn't the time for throwing blame.

"Luna, I'm sorry," you tell her softly.

She says nothing as she reaches the front door to your home, opening it and closing it without a word.

You sigh, unsure of what to do at this point. Do you follow her in? Technically, it's your house, even if you are in the wrong body. Or another, more nerve-wracking thought: if this can't be fixed, you have to head back to the castle at some point, don't you?

"Princess Luna!" A voice calls out from above, breaking you out of your thoughts.

Twilight Sparkle lands, stumbling just a bit before making her way to you on hoof. Your mind races, considering whether to tell her the truth or play it cool.

"Hi Twiliy," you mumble. Instantly you cringe, already failing at playing it cool with a nickname Luna would never use.

Twilight takes notice of what you said, as she eyes you with uncertainty.

"Uh, are feeling alright, Luna?" she asks.

You clear your throat awkwardly. "Yes, I've just been..... spending too much time with Anonymous, it seems."

Flashing her a nervous smile doesn't seem to settle Twilight down at all as she continues to prod.

"Where is Anonymous?" she asks, scanning the general area with her eyes. "It's not like him to leave his car outside."

"He, uh... he went inside for a few moments. He said he would be back out shortly, so I did not follow him inside," you tell her.

"Wow, I have to say your concentrated effort in speech is going well, Luna. You're using the correct pronouns flawlessly," Twilight says with a big smile. Part of you wonders if that smile is because she's figured you out.

"It's been difficult, but I'm getting there. Thank you, Twilight."

"I just have one other question, Luna," Twilight says, as she narrows her eyes. "How many of those Superbirds were originally made?"

"One thousand, nine hundred twe- dammit." You stomp your hoof in frustration, ashamed you took the bait.

Twilight gasps, rapidly doing circles around you as if she is looking for something on your being.

"Anon? Why are you Princess Luna?!"

Worried she is being too loud, you motion with your front hooves for her to quiet down, meticulously maintaining balance on your hind legs.

"Luna got a brilliant idea to try out a new spell tonight. Obviously, it didn't work out too well," you say in despair, posing.

"But where are you? I mean, Luna.... inside you. Your body, I mean." Twilight fumbles through her question.

You sense your ears droop in response, betraying your shame before you even respond.

"I lost my temper. She's inside the house," you say.

"Why didn't you follow her?" Twilight asks, confused at the situation.

"I figured I did enough damage. And, it's my house, but it's not, at the same time. I don't know, this is confusing," you tell Twilight, holding your head.

Twilight places a hoof on your shoulder. "Just relax, let's go in and talk to her," she says.

You nod, letting Twilight lead you to the door, before she stops, using her magic to twist the doorknob. She grunts as she tries twisting harder, but the door will not open.

"Awesome, she locked the door. And I left my keys in my pocket, so she has those, too," you sigh, unsure of what to do now.

"Just teleport us in. You have Luna's magic, after all," Twilight says, pointing to your horn.

"But how? And why can't you? You have magic, too."

Twilight shakes her head. "I don't know your home as you do, I can't visualize where to place us. But that's all you need to do, focus and visualize," she says, offering a smile as a boost of confidence.

Still skeptical, you oblige her, closing your eyes and focusing. You visualize being in your living room on the sofa, with Twilight next to you.

"So, when am I going to know it has worked?" you ask.

"Open your eyes and tell me, Anon," Twilight says. As you do so, you are shocked to find yourself on your old couch. Twilight sits next to you, beaming with pride.

"How the hell did I do that?" you ask.

"I'm not sure, but I think whatever the spell was that Luna cast only switched your consciousness around, not necessarily your skills and abilities," she says. "I wasn't sure if it was going to work myself, but it was worth a shot."

"I think there have already been too many chances taken with magic tonight, let's not do it again," you reply.

"Luna, please open up," you call through the door.

Your home isn't exactly big, but you took your time scanning the house for her, not wanting Luna to run away again.

"No, leave us alone!" You hear her voice come out rather hoarse, telling you she's likely been crying.

"I didn't mean what I said, Luna. Open up and we can talk about this."

Her voice is closer as she speaks again, likely right beside the door. "What do we have to talk about? I screwed up."

"That doesn't mean I don't still love you." Beside you, Twilight turns, looking at you funny.

"You love her?" she whispers.

You hadn't even realized what you had said, but you have no time to think as the door quietly opens.

"You... love us?" Luna asks.

"Well, I yeah, I love you and the time we spend together." You try to diminish the significance of your words, while not destroying the progress you've made thus far.

Before you can react, Luna reaches down with what were previously your arms, wrapping you in a tight hug. "We love you too!"

It wasn't a lie, you love spending time with her. But what possessed you to say that?

Eventually, she releases you, smiling brightly as you contemplate your predicament.

"So, does anyone have an idea of how we're going to fix this?" you ask, hoping for some good news.

"Well, what was the spell supposed to do?" Twilight asks.

"It was to allow me to see and feel what Anonymous sees," Luna chimes in. "To experience his car from the driver's seat."

Twilight scratches her head before responding. "So how were you going to reverse the spell if you were inside his head without magic?"

You watch your body's shoulders slump at the question. Twilight sighs.

"Well, I guess I'm going to have to do some reading in Canterlot. Hopefully one of the books in their massive archives will have something to undo this that I can cast," Twilight says. "But until then, you two are going to have to act your roles."

You groan in response.

Chapter 4

Over the next few hours, Luna debriefs you on some of the nuances of her life, and what to expect for at least the next day or two. Twilight had no idea how long it would take to find a spell to reverse what Luna had done, but you hoped it was very soon. You still feel extremely nervous about doing this, but you have no other choice.

Luna had it easy masquerading as you, considering she could just stay in or near you home. You didn't do too much outside other than tinker with your car, as you were admittedly still a bit shy. She sits across from you on your bed, with Twilight next to you. Twilight has already begun her reading assignment, going back home to grab a few old leather-bound books earlier tonight.

Now, as the sky outside begins to lighten with the glow of the rising sun, a voice seeming to come from within your head startles you.

"Sister, where are you? It is time for you to rest and me to rise."

"Holy crap, who is in my head, Luna?!" you shout, making Twilight jump.

Luna nods, a smile creeping across her face as she looks out the window.

"Yes, it is about time to put the moon away. Celestia and I share a link within our minds, we've had it ever since I can remember," she says.

"Great. I mean, I kind of figured that out already," you tell Luna, who turns back to you. "But how do I respond back, and how do I lower the moon?"

"All magic is based on visualization. Picture my sister and tell her what you wish to say. As for the moon, visualize it as a part of you, and extra limb, and push it below the horizon."

You do as you are told, visualizing the graceful form of Celestia, complete with her flowing pastel mane.

[l]Yes, I will be back at the castle shortly. Do not fret.

Rather than hear a reply back, you sense Celestia's approval. Next, you focus your attention on the moon, as you concentrate on the bright sphere handing low in the sky.

Gently, you push, and as if you have reached out and moved it with a hoof, the moon drops out of sight. Meanwhile, Luna voices her approval.

"Wonderful, Anon. Or should I say, Princess."

You groan at her tease, as she and Twilight giggle.

"Uh, what's going on in here?" You turn your head, finding Rainbow Dash standing in the doorway to your room."

"Dash, don't you know how to knock?" you ask.

She shrugs, brushing off your question. "Eh, Anon doesn't mind, do you?"

All eyes turn to Luna, currently inhabiting your body. She doesn't seem to pick up on the fact she should be answering.

Alarms go off in Rainbow's head, as her demeanor quickly shifts from carefree to suspicious. "What did I miss?"

After giving Rainbow Dash the details of your predicament, she agreed to watch over Luna for the next few days, to make sure she stayed out of trouble. You also made it clear to Luna there would be no use of your Superbird under any circumstances, much to her disappointment.

Afterward, Twilight accompanied you as you high-tailed it to Canterlot's Castle, making use of your graceful wings. She had agreed to stay with you and help with whatever you needed, in between her own priorities of finding something that could help you in the castle's library.

You didn't get much time to prepare yourself when you arrived at the castle, as Celestia was already waiting on her balcony, spying you in the sky upon your approach. While she was surprised to see Twilight, Celestia didn't seem to notice anything out of the ordinary, which was a relief.

Twilight and you had briefly considered telling the Princess the truth but decided against it. While the elder alicorn might be able to help, you thought she might also be rather upset with Luna. Twilight seemed rather confident she could solve this, anyways.

The next biggest hurdle for you is getting used to being referred to as Luna, as Twilight reminds you by prodding your ribs.

"Dammit, sorry. I just zoned out again," you tell her. Twilight's face remains stern.

"You can't keep letting your mind drift, this is very serious. If we are going to pull this off, you have got to stay focused and remember who you are," she says.

"Right. I'm Luna," you say, before yawning. "And I'm ready for bed."

Yawning seems to be contagious in Equestria as well, Twilight mirroring you as the two of you shuffle down the hall.

"I know, I am too. We'll stop by your room and get some sleep before I head to the library,"

You pause a moment.

"Right, my room. which would be..... where?" you ask.

Twilight picks up her pace, moving in front of you. "Just follow me."

You do so, following Twilight as she twists and turns through the numerous corridors of the castle. The sheer size of this place boggles your mind, the threat of getting yourself lost very real.

After a few minutes of walking, Twilight stops and turns, opening a door and ushering you inside. As you walk through, your eyes take in the sight of Luna's room.

Just like the rest of the castle, the room is expansive, the ceiling nearly to the stratosphere. It is quite clear Luna is fond of the color blue, as the walls, the drapes, even the carpet is some shade of blue. As you look up, you find yourself awestruck by the mural above, a beautiful snapshot of the night sky.

"Wow, Luna has it made," you exclaim, waiting no longer to hop onto the massive bed. You instantly sink in, the softness of the mattress beyond compare.

"Before you fall asleep, we need to talk," Twilight says, just as you close your eyes.

"Can it wait? Please?" You plead, but to no avail, as Twilight continues.

"You need to work on keeping your emotions in check, Luna," she says, while you cringe at your temporary name.

"I know."

"I'm not just saying that because of your outburst last night, I'm saying it is imperative that you remain calm these next few days no matter what happens. Luna is well-known for her cool demeanor, even under pressure," Twilight says.

"Yes, mom," you respond sarcastically.

"Now get some sleep, you'll need it for your upcoming shift tonight."

Her voice is barely audible as you are already slipping away into sleep's embrace.

“Rise and shine Luna, your shift is up!” Celestia's melodic voice stirs you from your slumber.

Slowly, you roll out of bed, reluctant to leave its warmth.

You almost trip as some of the sheets are still clinging to your legs, but you maintain your balance. It at least wakes you up a bit.

It's then you notice something off about your room.

"Why am I standing on the ceiling?" you shout. Outside the door, you hear the laughter of Celestia.

Without warning, you feel the whole room tilt. By instinct, you flare your wings, allowing you to gracefully drop to the floor. You are the only thing to drop, as the furniture in the room stays on the ceiling.

The door to your room opens with a creak, Celestia's head popping through.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist having some fun. I forgot how much of a heavy sleeper you are," she says, smiling. "You seemed tired this morning, so I let you sleep in. I already lowered the sun and raised the moon, hopefully you don't mind."

"No, I don't mind, thank you," you reply, quickly donning your onyx tiara.

"Not a problem, it should be a slow night. There was a bit of paperwork I didn't finish up, I left it on your desk." she points a hoof upward, to the mahogany furniture. "And I'll fix that before I go to bed."

"Yeah, that uh..... that was interesting to wake up to. Where's Twilight, by the way?" you inquire, earning a giggle from Celestia.

"I'm surprised you even have to ask. She's in the library, I'm sure she'll be along shortly," Celestia give you a wave, before turning and heading back out of the room.

You can't help but smile, pleasantly surprised by Celestia's good-humored nature. But you turn your thoughts to your task tonight, remembering the directions Twilight gave you to the throne room.

No sense in waiting, Twilight will catch up.

Eleven hours of mind-numbing boredom later, Twilight pops in for another visit, the guards in the room watching her casually.

The night has been relatively quiet, the few ponies that have come only making minor requests. Most notably requests to move the stars around, to make new constellations. Twilight has visited every now and then, but overall you've just occupied yourself with some of the paperwork Celestia has left.

You would like to know what she would consider a lot of paperwork, for the stack on your desk was nearly as thick as a novel.

Rising from the throne, you stretch your stiff joints, getting a few pops from your back before casually striding down the stairs to meet with Twilight. For such an angular seat, the throne is surprisingly comfortable, but not for hours on end.

"I see you've survived your night, Princess," Twilight says, with a knowing wink. You only smirk in response as you head out the double doors she arrived from just a moment ago. Out of earshot of the guards, you finally speak up.

"I never imagined ruling over a kingdom could be so damned boring," you tell her. "Can you really blame Luna for losing her marbles years ago?"

Twilight isn't amused by your quip, judging by the disappearance of her smile. You also notice bags under her dry eyes.

"You haven't slept at all, have you?"

"I got an hour's worth of sleep," she tells you, making you cringe. "It was worth it though, I found the book and original spell that she used on you two. I also got a bit better understanding of the mechanics of this particular magic."

You are careful not to get your hopes up, managing a restrained grin. The two of you reach Luna's room, Twilight taking a seat at your desk while you flop onto the bed.

"Now, I want to know something from you, and be honest," Twilight says with a stern tone.

"Ask away, then."

"Do you really love Luna?" Twilight asks. Her question causes you to jolt upright.

"What kind of question is that? I mean, how does that help us with what's going on now?" You feel your face growing hot at the embarrassment of her question.

"I'm not judging you, I just want to know," Twilight says.

You lay back down, contemplating your words before you say anything. It was true, you loved her personality, her quirkiness. Despite her past, she was sweet and down-to-earth, not letting her royal status get to her head. But were you IN love with her?

"Twilight, I don't really know. I can't say yes, but I won't say no, either. I just really enjoy being around her," you say, waiting for a response.

The room is dead silent for what seems to be forever before Twilight says anything.

"Fair enough," she says. You breathe a sigh of relief.

Not but moments later, your bedroom door swings open as Princess Celestia makes her appearance unannounced.

"Hello Twilight, I trust you had a good night in the archives?" she asks, a slight smirk underlying her warm smile.

Twilight only giggles nervously, nodding her head. This whole time she's worried about you blowing the lid off this secret, and she can't even respond to Celestia calmly.

If Celestia notices anything odd about Twilight's behavior, she doesn't show it, turning her attention to you instead.

"How did last night go, sister?"

"It was.... very boring," you say, sitting up. "Perhaps that is not a bad thing, for I managed to get through all the paperwork you gave me to peruse." Like a seasoned veteran, you slowly float the stack of files over to Celestia, hovering them in front of her face.

"I'm impressed," she says, chuckling. "I'm not used to seeing you fly right through paperwork like that, usually you repay me the favor the next morning."

You sense Twilight's eyes locked on you as you repeat the nervous giggle she gave earlier.

"I'm just full of surprises," you say. "But no, I had perhaps three, maybe four visitors over the course of my night. There was little else to do."

Celestia seems troubled by something you said, causing you to pipe up.

"What's wrong, sister?"

"You aren't bothered by your nights being so slow, are you? Maybe we need to make a change," she says.

You wave a hoof, trying to settle her. "It's fine sis. Don't worry your mind."

"Alright," she says. "By the way, if you're not too tired, I would like to show you something."

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Twilight begin nervously chewing on her hair. Needless to say she doesn't know what is in store for you. But you know with this on your mind, you will not be able to sleep for sure.

"Sure, sis," you reply. "Lead the way."

Celestia beams, turning and heading out the door with you in tow. Once in the hall, you pick up the pace, getting alongside the taller alicorn. The suspension is nearly killing you as your stomach churns.

"So, what is it you want to show me?" you ask, hoping for some sort of clue. Her smile only seems to get brighter as she continues forward, turning her head to face you.

"Luna, I'm just so glad to see you happy again. I think Anonymous landing in this world was perhaps the best thing that has ever happened, because it brought my sister back that I fondly remember," she says. Your face grows hot, regretting the fact that Luna is not hearing this for herself.

"Hearing you so excited about visiting with him and talking about his transportation device, it takes me back to when you used to race," she says.

"I... what?" Confusion reigns in your mind, unsure if you heard her correctly.

Celestia's smile diminishes. "You mean, you don't remember? Before Discord, before I..."

She trails off, unable to say anymore. You know what Celestia is referring to, as you awkwardly drape a wing over her.

"It's fine, Tia. You need to stop beating yourself up about it," you tell her.

Celestia gathers herself up, flashing you her smile again. Then, she closes her eyes, horn glowing, before the hallway disappears into a white haze. Slowly, a room begins to fade in through the fog.

The room doesn't seem to have any doors or windows. But every wall is lined with pictures, shelves, and what looks like various awards and trophies. You spin your head around, trying to take it all in.

"What is this?" you ask. Stepping closer to one side of the room, you see that every photo is of Luna, but younger based on her smaller stature. Some pictures are of her posing with some of the trophies in the room, while others are of her posing at a starting line, or even crossing a finish line, ahead of everyone else.

"I saved all these a long, long time ago. You were quite the speedster yourself one time," Celestia says.

"I was? I just... I don't remember any of this," you say, keeping up the charade. But you find yourself awestruck by this time capsule room. If Luna does remember this, why hasn't she told you about her past?

"Before we ruled Equestria, you were the terror of the race track. I don't think there were many races you didn't win," Celestia says, giggling. From what you see, she's right. Almost every award in the room, from the smallest to the tallest, is a bright gold hue.

"What happened, sister?"

Celestia sighs, sounding like she was hoping that question would not be asked. "Well, when Discord made his presence known, we stepped forward to stop him. It took a long time to overthrow him, and between your magic development and natural maturation, you grew. By the time we had won the battle, your agility and speed had diminished quite a bit from when you were smaller."

You flare your wings out, looking them over. They are definitely larger than the typical pegasus wing, from what you've seen in your time here.

"It didn't help that I pushed for you to give up racing, either," Celestia says, a bit of shame evident in her voice. "I just felt we needed to bring harmony to the land, and the only way to do that was by jointly presiding over Equestria."

You can't stand seeing Celestia beat herself up like this. You whap her lightly on the nose with your wing.

"Stop talking like that, right now," you tell her in a scolding voice. "What has happened in the past, is in the past. We should learn from it, but focus on now, the present."

Celestia is awestruck for a moment, unable to speak. You continue in the meantime.

"I am proud of where we stand now, how far we have come. Thank you for showing me this, Tia."

At this point, Celestia seems on the verge of tears. Without warning, she pulls you into an almost painfully tight hug.

"Oh sister, you are right. I'm glad we had this talk, " she says after a time, before slowly letting you go. "But I suppose I've kept you too long, and I must get going as well."

You nod as Celestia's horn glows again, the room warping back into the hallway you were in minutes before.

"Thanks, Tia. You've given me a lot to think about," you tell her. She beams with pride, before turning and heading out to begin her day.

At this point, you have only one thought on your mind. How are you going to get any sleep after all this excitement?

Chapter 7

The temptation to rest your eyes for just a moment is beginning to become more difficult to resist by the minute as you sit through another financial report. For the past two or three hours, it has been nothing but an endless stream of numbers, facts, and exchange of formal pleasantries.

It hasn't helped your headache has returned, though not necessarily the pain. Nightmare Moon has made her presence known once again, with a full assault on your senses. You consider the real reason she was not present last night after your discussion with Luna was to regroup. Between her rambling about nothing in particular and constant distractions, your nerves are frayed.

"I am sorry, Princess Luna, but is there somewhere else you need to be, or do you find me that much of a bore?" Snapping to attention, you find all eyes in the room on you, including the stallion standing by the presentation board at the front of the room. Wearing a pressed business suit and a pair of rather outdated glasses, he stands with his chest puffed out.

"I... my apologies," you manage to stutter. "I have been a little under the weather as of late.." Your answer does not seem to sate the presenter, who is the mayor of a city called Manehattan or some such.

"While you may not be at perhaps the best of health, I expect you to show at least some interest in our budget, considering we are short of the money to complete our bridge project," he says.

"You aren't going to take that from him are you?" Nightmare Moon says, prodding at your temper. "Or are you really that spineless? How pathetic."

Biting your lip, you struggle to ignore her and keep your composure, only managing to nod.

"Luna, are you okay?" You sense Celestia reach out to you through your mental link.

Fine, never better, you answer her curtly. Your blood pressure rises as everyone in the room continues to stare at you.

"Do you find no interest in our financial burdens?" the mayor asks with an air of arrogance. You can't take it anymore as you rise from your seat.

"Do YOU care about your financial burdens?" you ask as you stride up to him, your wings outstretched in an imposing manner. "Tell me, how much do you make in a year?"

Startled by your sudden animated questioning, the mayor steps back a bit before he can answer. "Maybe a couple million bits? Your Highness?"

You refuse to allow him any sort of comfortable breathing space, as you lean in towards him, pressed against the wall by this point.

"So if we were to throw you off the edge of your beloved bridge in progress, there would be enough funds left to finish it up as well as have some left over for various other items. So perhaps YOU need to cut back on what you earn, or find another way to solve this issue before I solve this problem MY way!"

"Yes. I mean no. I uh... I will find a way, yes," the stallion mumbles weakly. Before you get another word, you feel an unseen force pull you towards the door. Looking down, you find the golden aura of Celestia's magic surrounding your form.

"Will you excuse us a moment?" Celestia says, rising from her own seat at the table. Pushing you forward, both of you head outside of the room. As the door closes behind, her face is red from embarrassment.

"Luna. What. Was. That?" she says, putting an emphasis on every word as she points a hoof to the door. As if exiting a thick fog, your head clears, the storm of anger within dissipating as you fully comprehend your outburst.

"I... I don't really know, sis," is all you can manage to respond. In the background, you sense Nightmare Moon chuckling to herself.

"Luna, sister, I am very concerned for you right now," Celestia says, sighing. "You are normally the more level-headed one when it comes to these meetings. Something is going on that you are not telling me."

"Oh, if only she knew. Of course, Celestia isn't known for being receptive to problems with her sister, if history is anything to go by." Nightmare Moon smirks, her face appearing just behind Celestia's shoulder.

Celestia shakes you. "Look at me, Luna. What is wrong?" she asks, genuine fear creeping into her normally calm voice.

"I haven't been sleeping well. The past two days I've gotten maybe four, five hours of sleep. I really don't know why," you lie. Celestia can only sigh as she slowly opens the door to return back to the meeting.

"Go try to rest, sister. I will let them know you have taken ill. I pray you are being truthful with me, Luna," she says somberly.

Without another word, Celestia shuffles back into the room, lightly closing the door behind her.

After a quick check on Twilight in the library, you shuffle to your room once again, hoping to get at least some sleep. At this point, you feel like the walking dead, as fatigue has truly settled upon you after a long boost of adrenaline. Rather than bother with the sheets, you flop onto the bed, closing your eyes.

Just as you are about to drift off into slumber, the door to your room slams, making you bolt upright. It takes a few seconds for your sight to focus, finding Celestia standing in your doorway. Her normal cheerful visage has been replaced with a scornful look as she walks towards you.

"Hi, sis. what's wrong?" you ask as calm as you can. Truth be told, you find yourself a bit frightened as she comes to a halt a few feet from where you lay, still silent.

"You aren't my sister," she says coldly. Your heart rate instantly goes up.

"Celestia, Princess Celestia, let me explain...." you start to slowly rise to attention as Celestia's horn begins to glow with a charging of a spell.

"I don't want an explanation from you. I want you GONE!" you close your eyes and flinch as the princess's whole form lights up, her voice seeming to echo from every direction. In futile, you shield yourself with a foreleg and wait for the inevitable.

Jolting upright, you find yourself still laying in bed, panting for breath. As you look around, you find the door to your room closed, and no one in sight. If that was a dream, it was the most vivid and intense dream you have ever experienced.

"Why thank you. I take pride in my work." You nearly jump out of bed at the unannounced appearance of Nightmare Moon, as you turn to find her smirking, sitting beside your bed.

"Fuck you," you tell her, glaring angrily. Her smug grin only seems to get wider in response.

"No, but thanks for the offer," she quips. "Just think, I'm just getting warmed up here. I already have you shaking in your little slippers."

"You act like giving me nightmares is going to break me. You think I'm pathetic? You're the one that's pathetic," you snarl. The reverse psychology seems to work, as Nightmare's exuberance disappears, baring her fangs in anger.

"Anonymous?" Twilight's apprehensive voice breaks you away from Nightmare, as you turn to see your friend in the doorway. "Are you.... are you okay?"

Rather than lie, you take a deep breath, climbing out of the confines of your bed and onto the deep blue carpeted floor. "I'm... it's getting worse, Twilight. Please tell me you're getting closer to solving this," you say.

Twilight's eyes drop away from your own for a moment, making your heart sink. "I guess that's a no, then?" you mumble.

"No, I am getting close," Twilight says. "I'm just surprised at how much you've let Nightmare Moon get to you."

"Well, I haven't been able to get much sleep, Twilight," you tell her, backpedaling. Admittedly, you are a bit embarrassed by Twilight's observation.

"I know but... I mean, you've only been seeing her for a day now, right?" she asks, looking back up at you.

"Yes," you reply cautiously. "A very long day."

Twilight sighs, making you even more uncomfortable. "Well, I told Luna you were doing well. Guess I was wrong," she says, turning for the door.

"Twilight, why are you acting like this? I'm doing the best I can," you tell her. At this point, you feel almost sick to your stomach, letting down your friends like this.

She pauses as she is about to walk out of the room. "I just expected you to be stronger than... this. I'm going back to the library."

Before you respond, she disappears around the corner, leaving you alone again. Alone with Nightmare Moon.

"So, we were debating who was really the weak one?" Nightmare says, her cockiness notched up even further.

"Shut up," you tell her quietly. You don't turn to face her, instead trying to keep your composure as your legs tremble underneath you.

"Aw, did your feelings get hurt? You are weak. Just imagine what Luna would say if she were here."

"Shut up," you tell her again, this time with more force. You grit your teeth as you struggle to remain calm.

"I've just about got you broken," Nightmare whispers as she moves up next to you. "This has been even easier than I could have imagined."

"Shut up!" you roar, unable to contain yourself. Stomping a hoof down, energy radiates throughout the room, extinguishing the light shining in through the window in a dark haze. Soon, the whole room is almost pitch black as you look around, both scared and confused.

As you slump down to the floor, your eyes begin to adjust to the darkness, finding Nightmare Moon staring in awe and excitement at what you've done.

"Excellent work, my little protege," she says, chuckling. "You've even gotten my magic warmed up for me and everything."

You don't respond, just wanting to wake up from this nightmare. Your mind races, unsure of what to do as you put your hooves over your head and close your eyes, hoping it will all be over soon.

It isn't clear how much time passes before you feel something prodding at you. Cautiously, you move your forelegs just enough to look and see who is there.

Twilight is there amidst the darkness, clearly rattled as she says something to you. Her mouth moves, but you hear no sound come out. As you continue to just stare at her, she becomes more animated, shaking you with her forehooves. Slowly, you try to focus on what she is saying, bringing you out of your daze.

"Anonymous, come on. You need to snap out of it," she says, her voice coming out shaky as she continues to poke at you to get your attention.

"Twilight.... why did you come back?" you finally manage to croak. She seems to be confused by your question, but rather relieved that you have finally responded. At the same time, the darkness in the room seems to recede a bit.

"I came back? I mean, I've been at the castle all day, if that's what you were referring to," Twilight says.

"You weren't just in my room? Or at some point, talking to me?" you ask. Gingerly, you take your hooves off your head and allow yourself to relax just a bit.

Animated, Twilight shakes her head. "No! I haven't been in your room all day. The last time I saw you was in the library. You said the meeting didn't go well, and you were going to try to catch up on sleep. I didn't want to disturb you."

You've been sleeping this whole time? You try to comprehend how that is even possible. Gradually, the blackness in the room fades, light once again returning. In a matter of moments, your room is back to normal, as candles illuminate the place.

Outside, the moon hangs low in the sky, having just recently made its nightly appearance.

You turn your head back to Twilight as you rise off the floor. "Twilight, it's getting worse. I don't know what's real. Is.... is this real? Right now?" you ask. Fear once again creeps into your voice as it simultaneously fills Twilight's eyes.

"Yes, I swear to you, Anon," Twilight says, putting a hoof to your chest in reassurance. "Don't worry, I think I almost have a solution to this whole mess. We need to get back to your house and Luna right away."

"You must relax, Anonymous," Luna says as you continue to fidget. While you lay on the couch in your living room, Luna and Twilight are on the floor, surrounded by a mountain of dusty tomes.

"That's easy for you to say," you bark. "You aren't the one trying to figure out if this is all real or another hallucination."

"Anonymous, come here," Luna says, sitting up as she marks her spot in the book she is perusing. Your nerves frayed, you are cautious in your approach as you slide off the couch.

You haven't had another attack like that in the castle since arriving home, but you have not dared let your guard down. Luna looks you over with sympathy as you sit in front of her.

"Now, I want you to lay down and spread your wings," she says softly. Mentally drained, you oblige her without an argument.

"Like this, Lu- holy... shit!" You are cut off by an explosion of pleasured relief centered on your left wing. As you look to see what is taking place, you find Luna deftly massaging your wing, starting at the base of your shoulder and working her way out.

It is unlike any massage you have ever received, as you melt away in the sensation and rest your head on the floor. Nearby, you hear Twilight let out a small giggle.

"There is nothing more relaxing than a good wing massage," she says. "Though I can only imagine what these digits must feel like, it could be perhaps better than any massage I've ever gotten."

"Mmhmm," you mumble, unable to create a coherent sentence. You feel yourself slipping away into the embrace of slumber before sudden movement upon the floor startles you.

"Luna, I think I have the final piece to get this spell to work," Twilight says excitedly. You groan in disappointment as Luna lets go of your wing, focused on the page Twilight is pointing a hoof towards. Luna's lips move ever so slightly as she reads, before breaking out into a wide smile.

"I believe this is exactly what we are looking for, Twilight," she says. "Excellent work."

Twilight is absolutely giddy at her discovery, before calming down and looking at you. "Are you ready to get this set back to normal?" she asks.

"Well, I was enjoying the massage," you grumble in jest. "But it's probably for the best we get this squared away before I have another attack."

Without another word, Twilight's horn begins to glow, as she turns her eyes back to the book in front of her. After a minute of hesitation, she focuses back on you and Luna.

"Okay, here goes nothing," she says. You close your eyes, expecting some sort of feeling or sensation.

Right away, you hear the sound of rushing air, before everything goes quiet again. You don't notice anything else out of the ordinary.

"So, I'm guessing it didn't work?" You answer your own question as you hear your voice, putting a hand up to your mouth instinctively as you open your eyes.

Sure enough, you find yourself standing in your correct body, looking down to see Luna back in her own body as well, as she looks up at you.

"You were saying, Anonymous?" Luna states smugly.

Ignoring her smartass remark, you drop down to the floor and hug her, grabbing Twilight with your other arm. "I'm just so glad to be back to normal," you exclaim.

"Us as well," Luna responds as you let go of her and Twilight. "You did an admirable job Twilight, thank you," she says, as Twilight beams with pride.

"Not a problem. That was a fun project," she says. You and Luna look at each other, as if asking one another if she really just said that.

You hear your front door open at the same time, a rush of color flying into the room like a whirlwind.

"Hey guys," Rainbow Dash says. "How's it going today?"

"Back to normal, thank god," you respond, earning a chuckle from Luna and Twilight. Meanwhile, Rainbow seems a bit disappointed.

"Aww, you mean I missed the main event?" she asks. "Why couldn't you wait for me?"

Twilight shakes her head, smiling at Rainbow as she pipes up. "There wasn't much to see, Rainbow. Besides, Anon was getting pushed near his limit, there was no time to lose."

Your happiness diminishes somewhat, remembering back to the hallucination of Twilight you had in the castle. Instantly, you feel a wing wrap its way around you, dragging you over to the princess of the night.

"Do not be ashamed, Anonymous," Luna says, sensing your troubled mind. "You mustn't forget, we have fallen for the trickery of Nightmare Moon as well."

You turn to face Luna, her turquoise eyes and warm smile offering sympathy.

"Thanks," you say rather flatly. "But uh... how is everything going up there?" You gesture to her head.

"All is well," she says. "Your mind may have been a fresh haven for Nightmare Moon, but we are used to her. She is back in her place."

You breathe a bit better, as does Twilight, who lets out a loud yawn.

"I think you need to get some sleep. You've slept little to none during this whole ordeal," you tell Twilight. She nods in response to your suggestion.

"Yeah, I should probably head home," she says. "Take care, everypony."

As she waves and shuffles to the door, Rainbow takes a seat on the couch. "Luna, you got the night off? How about movie night, the three of us?"

"Apologies, Rainbow Dash, but it would be wise for me to return to the castle," Luna says, dampening Rainbow's spirits. "After two days of Anon masquerading as myself, it would not surprise me if my sister is suspicious. I suppose I owe her the truth."

Before departing, Luna throws herself into your arms, wrapping her wings around you. A bit shocked, it takes you a moment to return the favor.

"Have fun," you tell Luna in jest. She sticks her tongue out at you, before waving to Rainbow and disappearing in a flash of light.

"Well, I'm game for movie night," you say to Rainbow. Her energy that had been sapped by your other two friends' departure returns in full force.

"Alright!" she exclaims. "But I'm surprised you aren't out there kissing your car and driving it all over Equestria. You know, being separated for two days."

You can't help but roll your eyes. "Yes, I missed it a bit, Dash. But I'm not that obsessed with it. Besides, it isn't the best idea to mix fatigue and power."

"Sure, now you're a responsible citizen," Rainbow jokes as you begin to shuffle through your movie collection. You just decide to grab a random one and toss the disc into the DVD player, joining your friend on the couch. No sooner do you sit down do the questions begin.

"So, how was it being a princess?" Rainbow asks with a sly grin. "Apart from about losing your marbles, of course."

"Very exhausting," you reply. "Having magic and the ability to fly was cool, though. I'll miss that a bit."

Rainbow seems to mull over your answer a bit, before shooting back with another.

"What was Princess Celestia like? Is she really formal even when she's not presiding over Equestria?"

"She's... a character," you say, preferring not to delve into the details. It might be best the world not know how their monarchs behave behind the scenes. Rainbow seems disappointed, but you can't blame her for that.

"So, are you and Luna officially together now?" Recoiling away from her in shock, you look at Rainbow.

"What?" she says.

"I'm not even getting into that mess," you say flatly. Rainbow crosses her forelegs as the movie begins.

"You're no fun."

Chapter 8

The few days since returning back to the correct body have been relatively uneventful, a welcome change after that two-day ordeal. Most of that time you've spent relaxing and catching up on much-needed sleep. Absent, however, has been Luna's presence. She has not visited you in the evenings since everything went back to normal. While you are certain she is likely busy catching up on matters, you miss seeing her.

As you lay inverted in the front seat of your Superbird, you head the muffled thump of hooves contacting the ground nearby, before hoofsteps begin to make their way towards you.

"Hey, Anon," Rainbow Dash says, poking her head into the open driver's side door. She cocks her head sideways as you turn away from the underside of the dashboard to look at her. "Uh, what are you doing?"

Carefully, you twist and turn your way back to a correct seated position. "Trying to get the tachometer gauge to work again. It just randomly jumps around from time to time, rather than read what the engine is actually doing" you say, pointing to the aforementioned dial.

Rainbow glances over at the instrument cluster, before focusing back on you. Her blank stare is all you need to tell you she didn't pay attention when you explained all these dials previously.

"It's not working right, I either have a plug loose or a broken wire," you say. Rainbow Dash nods at your short answer.

"If you want, I can look in the compartment at the front of this thing," she calls out while walking towards the open engine bay.

"Thanks, sounds like a plan to me," you reply back. "I'll keep looking through the mess of wires under here." You worm your way around the front seat again, until you can see underneath the dashboard. More than likely, you will regret laying in this awkward position when you wake up tomorrow.

As both of you work in silence, you begin to hear another sound outside the car after a time, barely audible. You can't quite put your finger on what the muffled sound is, but you've heard it before.

"Greetings, Anonymous," a voice sings, causing you to jump a bit. Turning your head, you find Luna's smiling face looking down at you from the open driver's window. Your heart skips a beat, excited to see her as you once again go through the process of sitting upright. Luna backs away from the door as you open it and step out of the car.

Oddly, Rainbow Dash is nowhere to be found. She must have gotten bored and left without you noticing, you figure.

"Where have you been the last few days? I missed having you around," you say, causing the night princess to blush a bit.

"Yes, our sincerest apologies, Anon," Luna says. "We have been catching up on royal matters with Celestia, not to mention filling her in on the happenings of recent."

Instinctively, you cringe. "So, how did that newsflash go over?" you ask.

"Celestia was..... less than enthused. She was relieved there was in fact nothing wrong with me," Luna says, taking a moment to blow a stray wisp of her mane away from her face. "But Tia was not fond of my experimentation with such obscure spells."

"She isn't mad at me for not saying anything, is she?"

Luna shakes her head with a slight smile. "Not at all. My sister was understanding in the predicament you faced. Secretly, I think she was impressed at how well you did impersonating me."

As pleasant as she was to be around, you were still a bit nervous that Celestia might be upset. You breathe a bit better knowing it's not an issue, considering she holds the power to banish you from existence.

"And how did she feel about me almost letting Nightmare Moon out?" you ask. Luna seems uncomfortable, playing with her mane.

"I didn't mention that, considering the situation is now under control," she says. You begin to protest her decision, but stop. If she feels it is not an issue that needs to be addressed, you trust her.

"Alright Luna," you say. "So what are you up to now?"

"I actually must get back to the castle," she says, looking over the horizon at the late afternoon sun. "I just stopped by to assure you everything is well."

You flash her a smile, glad to hear from her. "Thanks for letting me know. I was getting worried," you say, as you open the Superbird's door to resume work. An unseen force lightly tugs you back, and as you look down at yourself, you find Luna's magical aura gripping you.

"You did not expect me to leave without a hug, did you?" she says, giving you a sly smile. She rears up on her hind legs, placing her hooves on your shoulders. She gives you a tight squeeze, as you do the same, a bit surprised by her rather aggressive embrace.

"Or perhaps a bit more," she says, her grin growing wider as she leans in.

"Anon!" Rainbow's voice rings out, causing you to smack your head on the underside of the dashboard.

Wait, under the dashboard?

"Ow! Dammit, what?" you ask, rubbing your forehead out of pain and confusion. Craning your neck, you find Rainbow Dash smirking at you, holding back laughter.

"You managed to fall asleep. Laying like that," she says, acknowledging your befuddlement. "And by the way, I found a loose plug.

Rainbow helps you up and out of the car, before directing you to an unhooked wire in the engine back. How did you manage to miss that earlier?

"Yep, that's probably it. I'm embarrassed I didn't see that before," you tell her as you hook it back up.

"Speaking of embarrassing, what were you dreaming about?" she asks, her smirk growing bigger by the second.

"I don't know what you're talking about," you lie.

"Right, so you were just mumbling about Luna for no reason," Rainbow retorts. You feel your face grow hot.

"Don't worry about it Dash. And if you bring it up with Luna, I'll kill you."

Dash laughs at your threat. "You know, Luna watches over dreams in Equestria. She would probably be able to tell me about it," she teases.

"Really? She can see other people- er, ponies' dreams?" you ask? This is the first time you have heard of such a thing. Rainbow nods her head.

"Yeah. I mean, she is the princess of the night, after all. In fact, she can control dreams, and even appear in your dreams," Rainbow explains.

Perhaps that dream was not just a dream then? You doubt there is really any way to find out aside from directly asking Luna.

Sure enough, that loose wire was the culprit to the tachometer's erratic behavior.

Over the proceeding couple hours, Dash and you blast across the countryside, her in the air and you pounding down the roads. Through the various impromptu races to various landmarks, the two of you split about evenly in wins.

Rainbow Dash has outstanding agility, but she is no match for the Superbird's straight-line speed. In fact, the only pony that has shown to be a match has been Luna, in the few times she has raced you. But as you found out personally, her large wingspan does not lend itself to quick direction shifts.

You had noticed Luna was bothered by being unable to beat you, and never understood why. Of course, with her past pedigree in racing coming to light, it makes more sense.

Now as the sun begins to set, you keep a hopeful eye out for Luna, while cruising over to Twilight's home, the Golden Oaks Library.

You shut off the engine and leave the keys in the ignition, climbing out slowly after sitting in the seat for a few hours. Heading up to the treebrary, you pause and knock on the front door. Normally you would just walk in, as it is a public library, but it is beginning to get late in the day.

"We're closed for the day," you hear Twilight call out from within. It strikes you as odd, considering she is more than happy to welcome visitors into her home at nearly any time of day.

"Twilight, it's me, Anon," you say. "I just came over for a vis-" Before you can finish your sentence, the door opens just enough for you to be forcefully pulled in. You stumble as the door slams behind you, aided by the glow of Twilight's magic.

"Uh, alright then," you say in shock. Looking over Twilight, her mane is somewhat disheveled, while her face tells you she is clearly stressed about something.

"Sorry, sorry," Twilight says in a burst of nervous energy. You pat her on the head, trying to calm her down a bit.

"Relax, Twi. What's eating at you?" you quietly ask. In response, she levitates up a scroll with her magic.

"I just got a letter from Princess Celestia," Twilight says. You are perplexed by her answer, considering she and the princess regularly exchange messages.

"Okay," you say cautiously. "I'm assuming this isn't just a normal friendly letter, otherwise you wouldn't be stressed out."

"Princess Luna is missing, Anon," Twilight finally blurts out. Dumbfounded, it takes you a few seconds to process her words.

"Missing? As in, not even her sister knows where she is?" you ask, a shake of Twilight's head answering your question. As time ticks by, your head fills with worry, and yet more questions.

"How long has she been gone? Do you think it could be a result of the hallucinations I had afflicting her?" you ask in rapid succession. Twilight motions for you to slow down before a sudden bright light fills the room. It takes some time for your sight to return, finding Princess Celestia standing in front of you and Twilight.

"Good evening Twilight, Anonymous," she says with a radiant smile. It strikes you as odd, considering the fact her sister is missing.

"Princess Celestia, have you heard any news of Luna?" Twilight asks frantically. Celestia's smile dims down.

"No, I am afraid not," Celestia says, her voice monotone, devoid of emotion. "I have been unable to contact her via our link, and the information regarding Anon's encounters with Nightmare Moon you shared with me in your correspondence only makes this more unsettling."

So it seems Luna didn't tell her big sis about your hallucinations. Maybe that dream earlier was her? You briefly consider sharing but decide against it, too embarrassed.

Meanwhile, Celestia notices you have been quiet this whole time, and turns her focus to you.

"Anonymous, I want you to know I do not blame you for this," she says, stepping towards you and resting her hoof on your shoulder in reassurance.

"Even if it is my fault, letting Nightmare Moon loose and all? I mean, what if she is gravely injured? How many ponies know of her disappearance and are looking for her?" you inquire at a rapid pace.

Celestia closes her eyes, focusing on one question at a time.

"Anonymous, it is not your fault that you were afflicted by Nightmare Moon's trickery. In fact, even I did not know she was still harbored within my sister's mind," she says, wincing at the utterance of that sinister name.

"As for your other questions, I have as many guards as I can afford to spare searching for Luna as we speak. However, it is also my duty as Princess to make sure the kingdom has nothing to fear nor worry them, so I have kept quiet up to this point as far as notifying the public," Celestia says.

She pauses a moment, mulling over your last question before continuing. "Lastly, I am not exactly concerned for her physical health, more her mental state, considering the fact we are both immortal."

You aren't quite sure you heard her right the first time. "Wait, you two can't die?" you ask.

Celestia seems surprised at your question, as her eyes grow bigger.

"You mean you didn't know? I would have assumed somepony had told you by now," she says.

"I mean, I knew you two have been around for a long time. I know about Luna's past," you say, as Celestia solemnly nods. "But you two can't get injured at all?"

Understanding what you are getting at, Celestia chuckles a bit. "Well, we aren't that fortunate. You see, if we take ill enough or serious injury to a point where a normal being would pass, Luna and I merely turn to ash, and rise from the flames. Quite similar to a phoenix, really."

You can't resist asking yet another question. "So, how did you two figure out you had this gift? if you don't mind me asking, that is."

"Luna was always a bit of a daredevil when flying. That's all I will say for now," Celestia says with a smile. She looks over at Twilight, her face turning serious once again.

"I will be in touch if I find any information. Twilight, I am counting on you and Anonymous to keep quiet about this for now, for the sake of peace of mind for Equestria's citizens," she says, turning her eyes back to you.

Both you and Twilight silently nod in agreement, as Celestia's horn begins to glow.

"I must return to Canterlot now. As I said, I will be in touch." With a flash, the Princess disappears.

"So she expects us to sit here? And wait?" you wonder aloud.

"You heard her, Anon," Twilight says in a rather condescending tone. "This needs to be kept quiet. I'm sure Luna will be fine."

"Sure, whatever," you grumble. "I guess I'll just head home then." As you reach for the door, you feel a tug on your shirt, looking down to see Twilight's magic with a grip on you.

"Anonymous, don't," Twilight pleads. You turn back around to face her.

"Don't what? Go home?" you ask. While you understand what she is implying, you play stupid. Twilight shakes her head.

"You know what I mean. Go home, get some sleep. Nothing else," she demands.

"Alright, I'll behave. Goodnight, Twily," you tease. You have found she hates that name, so you enjoy using it when you can.

Twilight says nothing as she glares at you. With a chuckle, you head out of her home, closing the door lightly behind you.

Night has fully descended at this point, the air already getting a bit crisp as you slide into the front seat of your car and hit the key. The engine turns over quickly, settling into an aggressive burble.

As you slowly creep away from Twilight's home's, you flick on your lights, the pods in the nose popping up and illuminating the dusty road in front of you.

"I'm not going to be able to trust you, am I?" Twilight's voice rings out from behind you, in the back seat. While you didn't know she was there, it hardly surprises you.

"No, probably not," you respond, beckoning her with a wave of the hand to join you up front. Awkwardly, the purple alicorn makes her way to the passenger seat, trying a few seated postures before settling on her haunches as normal. "So we're good to go?"

Twilight gives you a look of pure disapproval. "Just shut up and go."

You come to the realization this is the first time you've had her in the car with you. She did say she wanted to 'go', right? With a smile, you mat the throttle, throwing Twilight into the seatback as she lets out a scream in unison with the engine's RPMs.

The speedometer does a steady climb, as the tachometer in front of you does its rhythmic dance in time with your shifts. When you hit one hundred, you let the throttle breathe, as the Superbird coasts down to a more comfortable, leisurely speed.

"What was that about?!" Twilight yells, her voice a bit shaky.

"It occurred to me this is your first ride-along," you say, smiling at her. "I did the same for Luna, I wanted to make it memorable."

"How about keeping it more civil from now on," she says in disapproval. You sigh and nod your head in agreement.

"So where should we look, Twilight? You know Equestria way better than I do," you say, hoping for a good idea. Twilight merely crosses her forelegs.

"This was your bright idea to disobey Princess Celestia," she grumbles, turning her head to look out the window. "I have a bad feeling about this, personally."

Just as she finishes her sentence, a loud thump echoes through the car, as if you've hit something in the road. Reflexively, you jam the brakes, sliding the car to a halt as Twilight struggles to keep from falling forward.

"What the hell was that?" you exclaim.

"Don't ask me, you're the one driving," Twilight replies, frustrated. "Weren't you watching where you were going?"

You look up in your rearview mirror, hoping to see something. Unfortunately, the dark of night makes it nearly impossible to see anything. Reluctantly, you open your door and climb out of the car, killing the ignition and taking your keys.

Rather than open the door, Twilight teleports next to you as you make your way down the trail, the sound of gravel crunching underneath mixing with the sounds of nighttime rural Equestria.

"I didn't feel anything when we heard that sound, are you sure we hit something?" Twilight asks after a quick search of the previous few hundred feet.

"I don't know what else it would have been Twilight," you tell her, feeling a bit uneasy. She continues to fidget nervously.

Suddenly, the night air is filled with the sound of a vintage Chrysler starter winding up, followed by the deep rumble of the engine as it fires. You whirl around on your heels, seeing your Superbird's lights come on.

"Didn't you turn the car off when we got out?" Twilight asks nervously. You merely pull your keys out of your pocket, twirling them around your index finger.

While the two of you stand in shock, the ass end of the car whips around with a rev of its engine, before lunging forward, towards you.

"Run!" Twilight yells. You grab her before she can, feeling her struggle against you as you stare off the Superbird's headlights. It quickly closes in, only about a hundred feet away.

"Anon, have you lost your mind?!" she cries, almost in hysterics. Just as the two of you are fully illuminated by the mechanical beast, you throw Twilight off to one side, before jumping in the opposite direction, landing on your back.

The Superbird growls past the both of you, before sliding to a stop. Just as you begin to get back on your feet, the engine cuts out, and all is silent once again.

"You could have told me you were going to do that," Twilight grumbles as she rises to her hooves, joining your side.

"There wasn't any time," you tell her. Slowly, the two of you creep towards your car, wary of any sudden sounds or movements.

You jump as the trunk lid suddenly creaks open, and a familiar face pops up from the abyss.

"Good evening," Luna says with a horrible Dracula impersonation.

"Luna?! What the hell?" you stammer. Your mind tries to make sense of what is going on as the night princess climbs out of the trunk, closing it behind her.

"You never said you were going to do... that!" Twilight yells out, taking a step towards the smirking blue alicorn.

"No, but that omission made it possible for me to scare you as well," Luna says.

"Wait, wait, so all of this has been a practical joke?" you ask in shock.

"Happy early Nightmare Night," Luna says. "Twilight and my sister helped me with it. She was right, you are fun to scare."

You just stare at her, completely at a loss for words.

"I think this is perhaps the best prank we have pulled, he is absolutely speechless!" Luna exclaims.

"Oh, sorry, I'm still trying to get my heart rate back to a normal level," you mutter, your hand on your chest.

Luna stares at you as if you have spoken gibberish, as you realize she never moved her lips when she said that.

"Whoa, Luna. What's going on?" you say, a bit scared.

"I... do not know," she replies. She focuses her eyes on you, as you suddenly hear her voice in your head.

"Can you hear me?" she asks.

You slowly nod your head, wide-eyed and dumbfounded.

"What's going on you two?" Twilight asks. "You're creeping me out."

"it seems somehow... Anonymous and I can speak to each other. Telepathically." Luna says, her eyes still focused on you.

What the hell is going on?

Chapter 9

"Luna, how is this even possible?" You are freaked out beyond belief as you try to make sense of this newest development.

"I honestly don't know, Anonymous," she replies quietly. "I am sure it has something to do with the body swap we underwent a few days ago, but this is beyond even my understanding."

"Anon, can you talk to Celestia, too?" Twilight asks as her eyes dart between you and Luna.

"I don't think so," you say. Pausing a moment, you visualize Princess Celestia, attempting to send her a message. A moment's silence is all you need to answer Twilight's question, shaking your head in confirmation.

This situation has you nerved up, and not just because of this newest development. If there are some side effects from that messed up spell, what could be next?

Next to you, Luna giggles, resting her head on your chest. "Do not worry, Anonymous. I am sure we will get this sorted out in time. It will be difficult to find any information on an occurrence like this, but there is always a way to undo a spell's effects."

"Luna, please stop reading my thoughts," you say in a slightly scolding tone. Luna grins sheepishly as she looks up at you, embarrassed at herself.

"My apologies. We will have to work with you so personal thoughts can be kept private," she says.

Without warning, Twilight turns away and begins galloping back towards the fading lights of Ponyville.

"Twilight, where are you going?" you call after her?

"This calls for research!" Twilight shouts back without missing a step.

You can't help but chuckle at her as you turn your attention back to Luna.

"Should we follow after her?" you ask.

"In a bit, yes," Luna says. Something else is clearing on her mind as you carefully take a seat on the nose of your car. Luna likewise joins you, taking care not to cause any damage with her hooves.

"Something on your mind, Luna?"

"Perhaps," she replies coyly. "Though I suppose it is something on YOUR mind that intrigues me so. More specifically, a dream you had earlier today."

You flush red with embarrassment, recalling your snooze while working underneath the dashboard.

"You saw that, huh? I wasn't sure if it was a dream or if it was really you," you tell Luna. She seems a bit uncomfortable as well, only making her awaited response that much more intriguing.

"Parts of it were actually me, yes," Luna cryptically replies. "The reasons for our lack of visiting the past few days are true. But I am curious about after that. Do.... do you feel that way about me?"

In an instant, you freeze, unsure of how to respond back. Admittedly, you are beginning to accept you have feelings for her, but a fear of creeping her out if she does not feel the same way blocks you.

"I promise not to judge, Anonymous," Luna quietly tells you, sliding closer to you. "I just want to know the truth."

"Yeah, I guess I do," you say nervously. "I wasn't sure about it when I accidentally spouted 'I love you' a few days ago, but there is something there between us. I think."

"I think you may be right," Luna whispers, her breath tickling your ear. A sense of relief washes over you as you turn to her and smile.

"So we're officially a thing then? I mean, like together, right?" you ask.

Unfurling her wings, Luna envelops you in a warm, feathery hug as her eyes light up.

"Absolutely, Anon," she gleefully replies. "Though I must admit, I am unsure of how this relationship thing works."

You can't help but chuckle, before Luna's look of confusion makes you realize she is serious.

"You've never been in a relationship before?"

"No, I can not say that I have, Anonymous," Luna says, sounding a bit hurt. "You forget too easily, while we are quite old, centuries of our time alive were in exile, alone."

"I didn't mean anything by it, Luna," you say, running your hand through her silky mane. "I was just surprised, I guess. If it makes you feel any better, I have never been in a relationship either."

Her ears perk up instantly. "You are serious?"

"Cross my heart," you say, placing your hand over your chest. "I guess we will just have to be clueless about this together."

"Together. I do like the sound of that," Luna says, as her smile returns. Gingerly, she slides down off the car, looking in the direction towards Ponyville.

"I guess we probably ought to head after Twilight, huh?" you ask as you rise to your feet. Luna nods before rising into the air with a graceful flap of her wings.

"Indeed. But how about a little race back to Twilight's home?" Luna says with a mischievous tone to her voice. "I'll even give you a head start."

"Shouldn't I be giving you a head start?" you inquire in confusion. Considering she has yet to beat you in a race, you find her suggestion rather odd.

"Do not worry about me, Anon," she says, offering no insight to her thoughts. With a shrug of your shoulders, you oblige, sliding into the front seat of the Superbird and firing her up with an angry rumble.

Once more, you look over at Luna, who eyes you expectantly. What is this mare hiding?

The low rumble turns into a roar as you dump the clutch, ramming through first, second and third gear in rapid succession. As you look in the rearview mirror, you see Luna's rapidly shrinking form remains still, until finally moving as you find fourth gear, the engine's RPMs falling back down, before beginning their ascension once again.

As you keep an eye on your mirrors, you consider today's events. Why is it only now that this side effect from your swap has shown up? And how much of your dream was actually a dream earlier? You are glad your feelings for Luna are shared mutually, but your mind cannot help but consider there is a lot of missing pieces to this puzzle.

Just as you let the car settle into an area just shy of hitting triple-digit speed, the unmistakable starry mane of Luna begins to rapidly grow in your mirror. While she has always been quick in a straight line to a point, she has never caught up to you. Her form gets clearer even as you hustle the car up to well past one hundred ten miles-per-hour in an attempt to mitigate her gains.

With ease, Luna gracefully pauses by your open driver's side window, giving you a sly grin. She doesn't even look like she is struggling, her wings flapping at a quick but restrained speed.

"Surprised to see me?" she smugly asks.

"How?" you manage to stammer, turning your eyes back to the road ahead.

"I'll explain when we get back to Twilight's home," you hear in your mind. With that, she zooms past you, leaving wisps of her smoky mane in her wake.

You have never had your ass thoroughly beaten like that as you arrive back at the Golden Oaks Library, where Luna sits waiting for you with a cocky grin on her face.

"Alright, you destroyed me. Now spill it, Luna," you bark, shutting off the engine and coasting to a stop. She can only chuckle in response as you climb out of the Superbird and join Luna on the doorstep.

But rather than answer, she turns and opens the door to Twilight's with her magic, allowing you entry before shuffling in herself.

"Luna, details," you repeat. While she seems to be enjoying watching you struggle, Luna finally relents.

"While we have been busy back in Canterlot, Rainbow Dash has spent the last few evenings with me, helping to regain some of my lost racing form," Luna says. "We worked on agility, as well as outright speed, which I believe was demonstrated to full effect."

"Damn, so everyone was in on this faux disappearance except for me?" you ask flatly. Luna can only chuckle, while Twilight pops her head up from her upstairs bedroom.

"You actually beat him, Luna?" she asks with exuberance.

Luna's face grows more serious. "You act as if it was an impossible task, Twilight."

In an instant, Twilight's excitement fades as she trots down the stairs.

"No, I didn't mean it that way. I mean, I knew you could, you just hadn't yet, and-"

"Twilight, relax. She's messing with you," you say, ruffling Luna's mane with your hand. She sticks her tongue out in response.

"I knew that," Twilight says, her nervous expression still apparent. "I was just going along with it."

"Well, I don't suppose you've managed to find any useful information in the time before we arrived, have you?" Luna asks flatly.

"No," Twilight says, as her ears droop in disappointment. "I got so excited in the idea of researching this issue, it didn't occur to me this is unique."

"Luna, is there any other ponies or creatures in this world that can communicate telepathically? Maybe we could get some idea of what caused this from understanding how it works," you say, hopeful for some good news.

"Not that I know of, Anonymous," Luna replies, shaking her head to reaffirm her answer. "Celestia and I have had this gift ever since we were young. We thought it normal until we realized nopony else shared this peculiar connection."

Before you can say anything, Luna nuzzles your side. "But all will be fine Anonymous. After all, is it really so bad being connected to your special somepony in such a way?"

A gasp erupts from Twilight, before she begins leaping up and down in uncontrolled excitement while shouting, catching you and Luna off guard as you turn to each other in surprise.

[Well, I didn't expect *this* kind of reaction,] you silently say to Luna, as she giggles.

"Twilight, calm down," you quietly urge the purple alicorn. She does so, coming to a standstill while blushing profusely.

"Sorry," she says. "I'm just so happy for the two of you!"

Your mind turns to the fact that Luna is still here. At night.

"Luna, shouldn't you be heading back to the castle? I don't want to be the reason for you being late," you say, concerned. Instead, Luna's calm smile grows.

"Well, that is the other piece of news I had for you tonight before this latest development. I will no longer be holding court or presiding over the kingdom at night. Aside from special occasions, of course." she says.

Considering her past, you don't quite understand what is going on, nor why she seems so happy about it.

"Tia and I have decided and unanimously agreed to share royal duties during the day. She will preside for three days, then I will serve the other four, flip-flopping every week. Not only does that allow us some free time, but it also results in a more equal share of duties."

"That's awesome, Luna. It means we get to spend more time together, right?" you ask

"Indeed," she says, nuzzling you affectionately.

It is a shame this night has had somewhat of a damper on it.

[I do not think it is bad. Unexpected yes, but not necessarily concerning,] you hear Luna say as she looks up at you.

"We really need to work on keeping each other's thoughts private though," you say aloud.

Twilight yawns, rubbing her eyes with a hoof. "I'll look through the rest of my library tomorrow, but I doubt I will have anything helpful. For now, it's getting late."

"Get some sleep, Twilight. I'm sure I'll see you tomorrow," you say, leading Luna outside. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight Anon, Luna," Twilight replies with a tired grin. You and Luna wave before closing the door behind. Walking back to where you parked your car, you stop and turn to Luna.

"Well, since you have the night off, what do you want to do now?" you ask her. Without warning, she rises up on her hind legs and rests her forehooves on your shoulders.

"I would like to finish the dream we were interrupted with earlier today," she says, leaning in and pressing her lips to yours. Surprised at first, you relax and return her kiss.

"So it really was you in that dream?"

"Perhaps," she replies with a sly grin. "But can you blame me?"

"You're a very dirty princess," you playfully scold her. Luna giggles as she lets herself down to the ground again.

"Maybe a movie is in store for tonight? I intend on staying overnight if you do not mind," she says.

"Sure, that sounds good to me," you say, opening the driver's door of the Superbird.

"How about a race back to your house? Unless I'm too fast for you now," Luna replies, riding a wave of confidence from beating you earlier.

"You're on."

Chapter 11

"Anonymous!"

You bolt upright at the sound of your voice being called, taking a deep breath as you try to get your heartbeat under control. Looking around, you see the confines of the old library around you. Meanwhile, Luna stands in front of you, flashing you a sly smile.

"What? I'm awake," you say, rubbing your eyes.

It did not take long to find the library in the old castle after Luna blasted a hole into the throne room. As it turned out, the sign you had previously pointed to on the wall was a switch to open a secret door to the throne room.

Luna was pretty embarrassed about that.

Unfortunately, you haven't been a whole lot of help going through the massive collection of tomes and journals. Nearly half of them are in languages completely foreign to you. According to Luna, a few of them are even in languages that are non-existent today.

Of course, she would know, considering her age.

"Perhaps it is time to see if Twilight Sparkle is home, and get her assistance and expertise," Luna says. You nod in agreement as her horn begins to glow.

With a flash, the castle's dark, gloomy interior is replaced with the sunlight of Equestria, making you squint as your eyes slowly adjust. Once again, the Golden Oaks Library stands before you, this time in the afternoon light.

"I will return shortly, I am returning to Canterlot briefly to collect some items for our overnight stay."

"Whoa, whoa. We're staying overnight in that place," you ask, a bit shocked. Luna's mischievous grin returns, as sinister as ever.

"Oh? Are you frightened by the prospect of spending a night in the castle?" she asks teasingly.

You shake your head no, but in reality, the thought of spending a night in the abandoned building does creep you out quite a bit.

"Good, I will be back for you and Twilight in just a few moments," Luna says, before disappearing in another brilliant flash.

Turning around, you only have to take a few steps before reaching the door to Twilight's home for the second time today. Reaching out with a fist, you pound firmly on the door, to make sure Twilight hears you.

If she is home, that is. Perhaps she had something to do today?

All thoughts are cast aside when the sounds of movement inside filter through the door to your ears. You wait patiently before the door finally opens with a slight creak. You find yourself taken aback a bit by what you see.

It's Twilight at the door, but she doesn't exactly look chipper. Rather, it looks as if you just woke her up from some much-needed rest, judging by her disheveled mane.

"Anonymous? What are you doing here?" Twilight asks with a lethargic groan.

"Well, this is the second time I've visited. Have you been sleeping this whole time?"

Twilight nods, trying to rub the sleep from her eyes.

"Sorry, I haven't been sleeping well lately," she says, letting out another long yawn.

"Are you having nightmares? Why not ask Luna for help?" you ask.

"No!" Twilight cries, shaking her head in a very animated manner before calming down a bit. "I mean, no, I'm fine Anon. But thank you."

Right. That reaction wasn't suspicious at all. But, you also respect her privacy, so you drop it for now.

"Anyways Twilight, Luna and I were curious if you could help us today. We made our way to the old castle, trying to find anything in the collection of books there that may shed light on what exactly has caused this link between her and I. You up for it?"

Twilight seems hesitant, much to your surprise. Rather than jumping for joy, she merely kicks a hoof at the floor, looking up at you nervously.

"I can if you want me to join," she mumbles. "I don't want to get in the way of you two if-"

Not bothering to let her finish, you grab Twilight and hug her to your chest, while she squirms in your grasp.

"Twilight, I don't want to hear anything like that come from your mouth again. You are my friend, of course I want you to join us. Luna does as well, she thought you would be a big help in our mission." You let Twilight go, while she stumbles backward a bit.

To your relief, Twilight's face begins to light up, letting her enthusiasm shine through in a beaming grin.

"Okay, count me in!" she shouts. "Do I need to bring anything? Where is Luna, by the way?"

"Slow down, I can only answer so fast," you reply, chuckling. "Luna should be back any moment, she had to get a few things from Canterlot. I guess we're planning on staying the night in the old palace, so I'd suggest bringing a sleeping bag."

"It's not necessary. Ours is plenty big enough."

Your heart rate picks up a bit as you turn around to face Luna, who once again manages to have impeccable timing. On her back is a rolled up sleeping bag that looks almost triple the size of any you have seen before.

"What?" Luna asks with a knowing smile.

"You know what," you reply, playfully scolding her. "Anyways, look who got out of bed and is ready to join us?"

"Hello, Princess Luna," Twilight says cheerfully. "I heard the two of you needed another set of eyes to go through your old library. You can count me in!"

Luna practically beams with joy upon hearing Twilight's enthusiastic response.

"That is wonderful news, Twilight Sparkle. I was hoping you could join us, as Anonymous here seems to have difficulty staying awake for more than an hour at a time."

You fold your arms in front of you, as Luna just smirks.

"I suppose we have wasted enough time, let us return to the castle with haste," Luna announces, as the three of you are wrapped within the glow of Luna's magic.

Your concentration on the book in front of you is broken by a sudden tugging sensation. Starting out gentle at first, it literally begins pulling you across the floor. As you come to a stop, a blue feathered wing wraps itself around you, as you finally look up.

"Luna, you could have just asked me to come over. I'd rather not get splinters in my ass," you grumble, getting a snort of laughter from Luna.

"Sorry, I just wanted you to see this book I found," she says, her voice filled with excitement.

"It's not another joke book, is it?" you groan quietly. "I'm beginning to think that's about all you and your sister kept in this place."

Luna shakes her head with a smile. "No, it is, in fact, an old photo album. I find it hard to believe my sister forgot this one here, but it is in remarkable condition," she says, directing your attention to the pages with a hoof.

As Luna slowly flips through the pages, you see many of them are of her, some intermingled with Celestia as well. In fact, quite a few seem to be from race meetings, from when she was younger. Yet, unlike the labeled years suggest, she doesn't seem to change much in the photos.

"True alicorns tend to age at a much slower rate, Anon," Luna states, reading your mind. "My apologies for intruding upon your thoughts."

"It's fine, Luna. I probably was going to ask about it anyways," you reply. Your eyes dart away from the album, spying Twilight nearby fidgeting as she watches the two of you before she quickly returns her gaze to the tome in front of her.

Despite her protests, something is clearly off with Twilight today. Aside from the obvious signs of fatigue, she has been rather restless all day. Not to mention she has only gotten through maybe one book, a far cry from what you have seen the voracious little reader get through in the same time span in the past.

"Twilight," you call out, causing her to feign surprise as she looks back up.

"Wha-huh?"

You feel Luna stir next to you, and as you glance over, you see her smile has been wiped away, replaced with a look of concern. She rises to her hooves awkwardly, before striding over to Twilight.

"Twilight, I do not wish to intrude," Luna says while draping a wing over Twilight, "but you have seemed troubled all day. Perhaps Anon and I may be of help to ease your mind?"

Twilight only shakes her head, not willing to divulge her issues, much to your disappointment.

"I'm fine," she insists, flashing a half-hearted smile for the two of you. "I appreciate the concern, but I just have some minor things to deal with. Nothing to worry about."

Just as you are about to speak up, Luna makes eye contact with you, slightly shaking her head as she urges you to let it go.

Rather than return to your side, Luna heads over to where she placed her sleeping bag earlier. With a heave, she throws it in the air, allowing it to unroll and drift lazily to the floor. Even with as big as it looked rolled up earlier, the deep purple bag is even more massive than you thought, perhaps big enough for four or five ponies to fit comfortably.

"I never took you for one to own camping equipment, Luna," you chide. "But isn't it a little early to be getting to sleep?"

"Nonsense," she replies, beckoning to you and Twilight to join her as she lays down and snuggles in. "We have all been buried within these dusty tomes for hours. A rest is well in order."

You and Twilight exchange confused glances, before silently nodding. You crawl over to the makeshift bed and slide in next to Luna, as does Twilight right behind you.

It isn't clear what kind of fabric this is made out of, but one thing is for sure - this sleeping bag is more comfortable than even your own bed at home. As you're getting situated, Luna drags you up close to her.

"It's not that cold, is it?" you ask, as Luna grins mischievously.

She puts a hoof up to her muzzle, insisting you lower your voice. Turning your head, you're surprised to see Twilight's jaw hanging open, as she has already managed to fall asleep. You turn back to Luna.

"I guess Twilight wasn't kidding she hadn't been sleeping well lately," you whisper to Luna. "I'm worried about her."

While Luna nods in understanding, her smile does not seem to diminish in the slightest.

"It is understandable and admirable to be concerned," she says, hugging you close to her. "But, consider how Twilight must feel seeing two of her closest friends suddenly becoming.... more than friends with each other."

The idea that the relationship between you and Luna could be the culprit of Twilight's uneasiness is not a new one, especially with her comments earlier today when you asked her to join you. Could it really be bothering her that much?

"It's going to take some time, Anonymous," Luna whispers to you. "Just allow her some space to adjust."

"Alright," you quietly reply. "But what are you up to tonight?"

"Me? Whatever do you mean, Anon?" Luna asks in an all-too-suspicious tone.

"It is really early to be getting to sleep, don't you think? I mean, we can't see the sky from in here, but I'm not really that tired, so it must not be that late. Oh, and the whole staying the night thing, that's a little odd."

"I believe you are overthinking all of this, Anon," Luna says, kissing you on the forehead. "Perhaps you are not very tired, but I am. Good night."

"Good night, Lulu," you mumble, as she snuggles up against you.

The sensation of free-falling jolts you awake and upright, panting breathlessly as you try to regain your bearings. Without any windows to view the sky or any other way to tell time, you don't know how long you've slept. It is not a big deal, but as you look to either side in the sleeping bag, neither Luna or Twilight are anywhere to be seen. Your heart rate speeds up once again.

"Luna? Twilight?"

The only response you receive is that of your own echo cascading off the walls around you. With caution, you slide yourself out from the sleeping bag, keeping your eyes peeled for anything moving amidst the shadows.

"You two better not be screwing with me," you call out. Your voice sounds way more nervous that you intended it to be. Yet against your better judgment, you tiptoe out of the room and into the hallway, looking for your missing friends. This is probably some sort of prank by Luna, but you're not willing to just assume.

Fortunately, Luna took you for a bit of sightseeing earlier, so you aren't too concerned about getting lost. As long as you don't wander too far away, that is. Once you make it to what was the main ballroom, you stop and just stare.

Earlier in the day, you had been here, and the ceiling was intact. Now, the ceiling is absent, allowing the night sky and the crescent moon's light to shine through to the interior.

"What the hell..."

As you speak, the sky above begins the move, the stars swirling about as they inexplicably start to envelop the room around you. Stunned and rattled by the sight, all you can manage to do is shut your eyes and throw your arms in front of your face.

"Are we really that frightening, Anonymous?"

The sound of Luna's soft voice causes you to open your eyes and lower your arms, finding the night princess standing before you. She snatches a kiss from you while your mind tries to make sense of everything.

"Luna?"

"Were you expecting somepony else?" Luna asks with a giggle.

"Why did you leave without saying something? And where's Twilight?" you ask breathlessly. Before she can answer, you notice Luna is at eye level with you, yet another oddity in this whole sequence.

You don't get to ask that question before Luna's form abruptly shrinks back to her normal shorter stature.

"Twilight is fine, Anon," Luna says, sounding confused as her grin fades. "You don't know where you are, do you?"

"What kind of a question is that? I'm in the old castle, with you and Twilight Sparkle. Right?"

Luna shakes her head, giggling like a school girl.

"Anonymous, let me formally introduce you to my domain. The dreamscape," Luna announces. The room suddenly brightens as chandeliers far above the room come to life, shining brightly. As the light bounces around the ballroom, everything it touches seems to rejuvenate, the whole room going back in time to when it was new.

"So, I'm dreaming," you state flatly. At least this makes more sense.

Yet once again, Luna shakes her head in disagreement.

"No, Anonymous. You are fully conscious, as I am not visiting you. You found me," she says, hardly containing her excitement.

While it seems there is nothing to worry about, not understanding what exactly is going on begins to frustrate you.

"Luna, what are you talking about? Give it to me straight, please."

"Well, I was hesitant to say I had a theory about our connection, but it seems to be true," Luna says, clearing her throat before continuing. "When I improperly cast the spell that resulted in us swapping bodies for a short time, the switch back seems to have left you with some of our magical power. Or more specifically, Nightmare Moon's power."

Luna's words hit you right in the gut, as the mere mention of Nightmare's name causes you to flash back to the psychological torture she placed on you.

"You're saying Nightmare Moon is with me?" you shout in panic. Luna puts a hoof up, trying to calm you down.

"No, only her magic made the transfer with you, Anon," she replies softly. Quite honestly, that does not make you feel much better, as it only raises further questions and concerns within you.

"So, does that mean I'm going to be able to teleport and levitate shit as you can?" you ask.

"I doubt it, Anon. Without a horn like unicorns or alicorns, I do not see how you can discharge magical energy," Luna says, as your shoulders slump a bit. "But, you do have the ability to wander amongst dreams as I do. A dreamweaver, as I like to call myself."

"So I'm Gary Wright?" you joke. Luna only gives you a confused stare.

"Nevermind, Luna."

"Anon?"

Luna fades away as another voice echoes through the castle, as it too fades away into black.

Opening your eyes, you find yourself back where you were before, still in the sleeping bag. You can feel Luna lying in slumber beside you, while Twilight is hovering over top of you, as your eyes slowly focus.

"Twilight," you groan, trying to shake off your grogginess. "What's wrong?"

Despite her eagerness to wake you, Twilight once again clams up, unsure of herself whether to go on. You sit up, yawning quietly.

"Twilight, something is bothering you. Luna and I care about you, so spill it. Please."

"Sorry," she mumbles, unwilling to meet your gaze. "I just don't want to make it awkward between us. All of us, I mean."

"I'm assuming you're having issues adjusting to me and Luna being.... more than friends?" you ask. With a silent nod from her, you pull Twilight close to your chest.

"Twi, it doesn't change anything between me and you. Nor Luna and you, for that matter. Both of us still enjoy your company, and nothing is going to change that."

"But the same thing happened between my big brother Shining Armor and Cadence, and I never see them anymore! What's stopping that from happening again?" Twilight cries, finally looking up at you. Her eyes are filled with anguish and turmoil.

Frustrated, you rack your brain to come up with anything that can convince Twilight you won't leave her. A thought pops up, and you act upon it, as you lift Twilight's chin and press your lips to her.

Needless to say, Twilight is too shocked to react, and as you let her go, she just stares at you wide-eyed.

"Does that convince you that I care?"

"I'm convinced," comes Luna's voice from behind you.

Fear and worry grip you as you turn to face Luna. "Luna, I-"

With a glow of her magic, Luna silences you. But judging by her serene grin, she is not mad at all.

"I am quite all right, Anon," she says calmly. "And Twilight, do you believe him now?"

Twilight seems to break out of her trance, focusing her eyes on Luna as she nods.

"Good," Luna replies, eyeing the both of you. "Now, considering all we have learned tonight, I say we get some sleep and discuss this in the morning."

Facing Twilight again, you make eye contact with her. She has definitely relaxed some, though still rather shocked by your actions. All three of you lay back down before both Luna and Twilight slide closer to your form.

A lot to discuss is quite an understatement.

Chapter 12

"Nightmare Moon is inside you?!"

You can only groan as Twilight reacts the way you had expected with the news of last night's revelations.

Rainbow Dash can only stare in silent shock, as if unable to comprehend your words.

Both Luna and you had agreed to wait to discuss what happened until after arriving back in Ponyville. Unfortunately, that wait meant that when you got there, Rainbow was already waiting to hear about the stay at the castle. It wasn't anything against Rainbow, you just weren't keen on having to explain this to more than one pony at a time.

"No, Twilight," Luna says, speaking up to calm the air in the room. "Anonymous is not inhabited by Nightmare Moon herself, merely some of her power and abilities, such as dream-walking."

"So, you're not seeing or hearing that evil horse?" Rainbow asks. Her words catch Luna by surprise, as she raises an eyebrow at Dash.

"Sorry, no offense. Caught in the moment," Rainbow mumbles, her ears drooping.

"Understandable," Luna says with a smile, to the relief of Dash.

"So, what else can you do?" Twilight asks, much calmer than her previous question. Instinctively, you shrug.

"No idea, Twilight. Obviously, Luna and I can talk to each other mentally, and I can apparently view other's dreams. Beyond that, nothing."

Twilight seems disappointed, before perking up again as an idea forms within her head.

"This could be an amazing learning experience," she exclaims, startling everyone in the room with her exuberance. "Somepony with no experience with magic suddenly receiving such a gift is unprecedented. Just think of what we could learn if we can get Anon to develop a magical talent."

"Hold on, Twilight," you say, putting your hands up apprehensively. "I know you like learning, but I'm not keen on being a science experience."

"Might I add that I do not think it is feasible for him to use that magic in a physical sense, Twilight," Luna chips in. "Considering he has no horn with which to focus his energy."

"I hadn't thought of that," Twilight says in an apologetic tone. "So what do we do now?"

"I suppose it would be wise to inform my sister of what we have discovered," Luna replies. The idea makes you instantly break into a cold sweat. With everyone else on edge as soon as Nightmare Moon's name pops up, it terrifies you how Celestia might react.

Twilight raises from where she sits, sensing your thoughts as she looks up at you with sympathy.

"It will be alright, Anon. Rainbow Dash and I were a little.... excitable at the news before it was explained to us, but I am sure Princess Celestia will be more open-minded," she says, offering you a smile for comfort. It doesn't ease your mind much.

"So..... when should we go?" you ask, eyeing Luna.

"Now is a good time, is it not?"

"I guess," you mutter. With a flash, Twilight's home is replaced with the interior of Canterlot's castle, with your friends alongside you.

"Gee, Luna. I hardly even finished answering before we were here," you grumble, as she only grins sheepishly back at you.

"Well, I had already told my sister we would be along shortly. Sorry."

Twilight and Rainbow put their hooves in front of their faces, as you hear muffled laughter coming from them.

"Yeah, it will be really funny if Celestia launches my ass to the moon, right?" you bark, frustrated. Both of them stop giggling instantly, embarrassed by their actions.

Abruptly, Luna curls her wing around your form and pulls you next to her, quick enough that you nearly lose your balance.

"Now stop, Anonymous," Luna scolds. "I understand you may feel a little nervous, but believe me when I say my sister adores you almost as much as I do. She will listen, and I promise she will not jump to conclusions."

With that, Luna lets you go and strides forward, pushing open the oak doors that lead to the throne room. Still feeling uneasy, you reluctantly follow her, with Twilight and Rainbow Dash right behind you.

"Sister, I did not expect to see you so soon," Celestia calls from the top steps of the throne plateau. With seamless grace, she descends the stairs to meet Luna, before turning her eyes to you, then to your other friends. "I see you have brought a whole group with you."

Behind you, both Twilight and Rainbow bow. You do the same, albeit rather awkwardly.

"It's good to see you again, Princess Celestia," Twilight chirps with a burst of excitement. Celestia's smile grows, chuckling lightly.

"Likewise, my dear Twilight," she says, her eyes focusing back on you.

"Anonymous, I understand your..... link with my sister has had some developments that need to be discussed," Celestia says, her smile fading as her tone grows more serious. Your nerves flare up quickly.

"I - yes. There have been things that have... happened. That we found, I mean," you stammer.

"I would like to speak with Anonymous in private, if you do not mind, sister," Celestia says, turning to Luna. Luna is surprised but nods silently. Without a word, she ushers your other two friends out of the room, the doors closing behind her.

Turning back to face Celestia, her face remains stoic and emotionless, as your anxiety begins to warp into fear. This is not a side of Celestia you have ever seen before, nor one you had expected to see.

"Tell me, Anonymous, are you nervous?" she asks.

"I..."

"Good," she interrupts, as your stomach drops.

"What?"

Celestia's face suddenly bursts into a mischievous grin, as she giggles uncontrollably. You are speechless as you try to understand what is going on.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself," she says, gaining control of her composure.

Celestia beckons you to follow her, as the two of you make your way up the stairs to the throne. While she takes her seat on the bejeweled pedestal, you sit beside her on a large, cushy pillow normally reserved for her aides.

"Now, before you tell me about your newest discovery, I want to understand more of this link that you and Luna share. In your own words," she says.

"Well, it happened the same night that you stopped by Twilight's to keep that prank going that Luna was missing. By the way, that's at least three times now you've screwed with me, and I haven't gotten you back once," you say, as Celestia only grins wider.

"Sorry. My sister said you were fun to toy with, I suppose I've gotten carried away," Celestia replies, blushing just a bit. "But please, go on."

"Anyways, I don't really know what sparked it, but in an instant, I could hear Luna's thoughts, and she could hear mine. Just like the two of you can do. It's been a bit difficult to figure out how it works, but I think I'm getting the hang of turning it on and off."

"That is odd. While it may be similar to the telepathy Luna and I are gifted with, we do not have any issues of peering into each other's private thoughts. Your link sounds much more intertwined," she replies, deep in thought as she put a hoof to her chin.

"Last night Twilight, Luna and I went to your old castle in the Everfree, and at some point in the night, I managed to stumble into Luna's dream."

Celestia's expression switches from one of intrigue to outright shock.

"You can manipulate dreams as my sister can?" she blurts.

"I... guess so. I mean, that was the first time it's ever happened, and I could change some minor things in her dream as well. Luna said she had a theory it was possible because she thinks I somehow inherited some of her magic during our little... body swap adventure," you reply sheepishly.

"I have to say I'm surprised my sister was willing to trifle with such archaic spells she does not understand. Luna also told me you have experienced Nightmare Moon firsthand as well during your time as her."

"That's just it, Luna thinks that's where I managed to get the magic from. Nightmare Moon."

For a time, Celestia remains silent, pondering all the information you have given her. While you feel awkward and uneasy as you sit waiting in silence, you aren't terrified as you were earlier.

"I can certainly understand why you were so worried to tell me this news," Celestia says, devoid of emotion. "Yet, it only proves to me I made the right decision about you."

"What do you mean, Celestia?"

"When you first arrived here in Equestria, I took the time to use a spell you look through your memories, to see your world to decide whether you could be trusted. I apologize for doing that without permission," Celestia says.

Honestly, you can't blame her, considering the circumstances. But comparing your world to theirs was likely an eye-opener.

"I'm sure you didn't like what you saw, considering Equestria is much more peaceful."

"It caught me off-guard, yes. The number of wars your kind has seen, the greed, the hatred. It was... overwhelming," she replies in a forlorn tone.

"But you still let me stay. Why?" you ask, a bit reluctant to hear the answer.

"Honestly? I do not know. I just sensed.... there was something about you that drove me to take a chance," Celestia says, suddenly breaking into an ear-to-ear grin. "I am glad I took that chance because you have brought the Luna of old back to me, something I did not think possible."

"I uh... thanks? I don't know what to say," you mumble.

"No, thank you, Anonymous. Rest assured I have only minor concerns if any with what you have told me today," she says, beaming with pride. "Judging by how much she talks about you and the joy she gets from visiting you, I take it you and my sister are more than mere friends now."

You feel your face grow hot as all you can do is nod in response. Celestia lightly chuckles as her horn glows, the golden aura of her magic extending out to the double doors on the other side of the room. With a low groan, they open, as Luna, Twilight and Rainbow Dash all spill forward into the room, sprawled out on the floor.

"I see your friends were just as concerned as you were meeting with me," Celestia announces, loud enough for all to hear.

Luna rises to her hooves quickly, taking a stoic stance as she puffs her chest out.

"Apologies, dear sister. My attempts to keep Twilight and Rainbow Dash from listening to your private conversation were interrupted as you opened the door," Luna says, closing her eyes. Without a doubt, Luna can feel the glares the other two are giving her at this point.

Shaking your head and chuckling at the absurd scene, you turn your focus back to Celestia, while the other three make their way forward.

"So, now with all that explained and squared away, what do we do now?" you ask Celestia.

"Pardon?"

"This magic inside of me. Is there anything that can be done to get rid of it? Do I just ignore the idea of it? Where do I go from here?"

"I have an idea, if I may suggest it," Twilight says, as everyone turns to her.

"Go on, Twilight," Celestia goads.

"Thank you, Princess Celestia," she says, before turning and focusing on you. "This is a scenario that Equestria has never seen, a being with no prior knowledge or experience with magic suddenly imbued with the gift. Perhaps there is something that can be learned about our own magic by working with Anonymous and seeing if he can tap into the magic reserves now contained within him."

"It is an interesting concept, Twilight," Celestia replies, pondering the thought. Meanwhile, Luna silently beckons you to join her with a wave of her wing. Celestia nods in approval, and you rise to your feet and head down the steps, the sun princess right behind you.

"If Anonymous is willing to try this experiment, and you are willing to put in the time and effort to work with him, I see no reason to disagree with your idea," Celestia tells Twilight, much to her delight.

"Thank you, Celestia," she replies, clearly straining to keep from shouting with joy. "Anonymous, what do you think?"

"Is it really a good idea? What if I start messing with this stuff and I can't control it?" you ask, surprised no one seems to have considered the dangers.

Twilight steps forward in front of you, while Luna brushes her wing against your back in a comforting motion.

"You can do it, Anonymous. I would not have brought it up if I did not think you were capable," Twilight says, her eyes practically pleading with you to endorse the idea.

"I as well am more than willing to support you in any way I can," Luna adds.

"I can be the cheerleader, I guess. I don't know squat about magic," Rainbow pipes in.

Everyone's eyes remain focused on you as they wait for your answer. Seeing the excitement that Twilight has in teaching you, as well as your other friends' willingness to aid you makes the decision an easy one, despite any fears you have.

"Alright, as long as I don't explode. Or risk blowing up the world. Or anything of that nature," you say, shrugging your shoulders.

The rest of the day was a pleasant, much more relaxing visit with Princess Celestia, as well as your friends. There were a lot of questions about your world, but that was to be expected. Even after being here for several weeks, the princesses were eager to learn all they could about the culture back home.

With the day nearly over, Luna teleported you and your friends back to Ponyville after saying your goodbyes. Rainbow Dash left for home not long after, leaving you, Twilight and Luna lounging in your living room.

"So, how is this going to work then? As in, how do I even get started experimenting with this stuff," you ask, staring at your hands.

"I believe the best way to start out is with what we know you can do - dream-walking," Luna replies. Twilight is already buried in a few books about beginner magic.

"That makes sense to me. But what else are you two planning on. What else do you know, Luna?"

"Obviously, you have the basics everypony learns at some point - levitation, item manipulation, spells like that. I am not sure if it will be possible for you to learn such things, so I think the next step will likely be illusionary magic, which I excel at. I strongly doubt shapeshifting will be possible, though."

"You can shapeshift? Why didn't you just do that instead of trying to possess me and messing up that spell?" you ask, your voice involuntarily rising out of surprise. Luna's initial reaction is to cringe out of embarrassment, as Twilight looks up from her book.

"Shapeshifting is not something we have dabbled with in a long time, Anonymous," Luna says, almost sounding ashamed of herself. "Once again, I am sorry for all the trouble this has caused."

"Luna, I'm not mad. Just surprised," you say, scooting next to her on the sofa as you give her a reassuring hug. Luna's smile slowly returns.

"There is somepony that could help us understand what Anon might be capable of, but I don't think you will like it," Twilight interjects.

"Who would that be?" Luna asks, her interest piqued.

"Discord."

"You are right. I despise the idea, Twilight," Luna replies, scowling.

"Wait, who is Discord? If it means less of a burden on me, I'm interested," you pipe in.

Luna is reluctant to speak, her face cross with Twilight for even bringing up the idea. Twilight grabs another book from the stack she has beside her, flipping through it before showing a page to you.

The image she shows you is some sort of serpentine creature, an odd marriage of eastern dragon and traits from multiple other animals.

"Discord is the spirit of chaos and disharmony, a draconequus to be more specific," Twilight says.

"My sister and I overthrew him long ago before he returned to wreak havoc on Equestria again. Supposedly, he has changed, and is on our side," Luna laments, rolling her eyes.

"Look, I'm not debating whether he's really changed or not, I think he can be a pain too," Twilight says, rising to her hooves. "But considering he can harness and use magic without a horn, Discord may be able to help us."

"I will think about it," Luna says, though her tone does not seem promising.

With everything seeming to be squared away as far as plans for magic, your mind turns to the other development from the previous day.

"So, uh, Twilight. I - you feel better about me and Luna being together? I mean..."

Twilight tenses up, blushing profusely as she instantly realizes what you are getting at.

"Fine. I mean, yeah, that was... good? I mean, I'm good, yes," she stutters.

"Next time, don't be afraid to speak up, Twilight. I'm not going to abandon you, and neither is Luna," you say to her as you give her a hug. Twilight gives you a sheepish grin as you pull away, giggling uneasily.

"I know. I should head home for the night, Spike is probably wondering where I am. Goodnight!"

With a flash, Twilight disappears, leaving you and Luna alone.

"You think she's really alright, Luna?" you ask.

"Yes, I believe she's just a bit confused as far as her emotions go," Luna says calmly as you sit back down next to her. "Twilight has always been a bit socially awkward, so I think she is still trying to understand where she fits in exactly, especially after your display in the castle."

"Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking," you admit.

"Don't be ashamed, Anon. I know you care about her, and I do not take offense," Luna replies, smiling as she wraps her hooves around you. "After all, I know who your favorite is."

"Oh, who would that be?" you tease. Luna giggles uncontrollably as you ruffle her mane with your hands.

"Let's get some sleep, Anonymous," she says, letting you go. "Your lessons in magic begin tonight."

Chapter 13

"Let me reiterate I do not approve of this idea," you grumble as Twilight paces back and forth along the dusty road.

"Luna, it's been three weeks since I suggested it, and we've been procrastinating meeting with Discord. I can't get ready to teach Anonymous what I know if I don't have some sort of idea of his capabilities," Twilight says in a scolding manner.

Twilight is right, you must admit. In the weeks since discovering Anon's possession of magic, he has excelled in everything you've taught him in the dream realm. Not only did he quickly pick up on navigating into others' dreams, but his manipulation skills are also already quite close to your own mastery.

Then again, hardly surprising when one considers where this magic originated.

"I apologize, Twilight. I just find it very hard to trust somepony like Discord. You must remember, my sister and I had to deal with him when he was more than a mischievous pain in the flank," you say, scanning the horizon.

Rather than meet up with Discord in Twilight's home or anywhere else in a populated area, you suggested that Twilight, Anon and yourself head out into the countryside. It has already been a tiring day, having spent the majority in the throne room of the castle, overseeing the mundane intricacies of ruling the land.

"Have you even met him since your return? Or his return, I should say," Twilight asks. You shake your head.

"The last time I have seen Discord was when Celestia and I sealed him away in stone. I have not been keen on making his acquaintance since then."

"I know it's hard Luna, but just try to cut him a bit of slack," Twilight mumbles, as your ears pick up the sounds of a distant growl.

Anon had insisted on driving out here, rather than be teleported with Twilight. The two of you have been waiting for close to ten minutes for him.

Were you planning to show up at some point this evening? you ask Anon through the link.

"Sorry, took the scenic route. Be there in about five to ten minutes," he replies.

"Pardon me for being intrusive, but I am curious. How do you feel about Anonymous?" you ask Twilight.

"What do you mean, Luna?" Twilight asks. Despite her question, you can see in her eyes she knows what you are referring to.

"I mean what took place in the castle a couple of weeks ago. You are much more relaxed now than you were before. What do you see between you and Anon as far as a relationship?"

Twilight's face instantly turns bright red as she breaks into a sweat.

"I mean, I like him yes. But... I mean, I don't know if I'm ready for anything like what's between you two. And how would that even work with the three of us? and I don't even know the first thing abo-"

"Twilight, calm down," you plead, raising a hoof. "I do not want to cause you distress, I was merely asking out of curiosity."

Slowly, Twilight regains control of herself, taking a few deep breaths and closing her eyes as the sound of Anon's car grows louder as it nears. Looking at the horizon, the unmistakable dart-like profile of Anon's Superbird crests the hill.

"There he is," you say with a smile, looking back down at Twilight. "I apologize if I have made you uncomfortable, don't let it get to you."

"I'll be fine," Twilight says, turning around to face the approaching car. "I guess I need to do some soul-searching to clear my mind at some point."

The engine of the Superbird cuts out as Anon coasts to a stop beside the two of you. The driver's door squeaks open, as Anon steps out, taking a moment to stretch before closing the door and joining you.

"Better late than never, right?" he asks with a goofy smile.

"I suppose," you say teasingly.

Twilight clears her throat, awkwardly garnering the attention of you as well as Anon.

"Sorry," Twilight says, scratching the back of her head. "Anon, I just want you to know Discord is..... well, he's a little odd."

"Odd does not do his demeanor justice, Twilight," you snort. She looks past Anon to shoot you a frustrated glare.

"And I expect *both* of you to keep an open mind. Rather than judge somepony who has a troubled past, which should be a familiar scenario to some of us," Twilight says loudly, making sure you hear her.

"I'm good," Anon replies before he turns around and looks at you. "Everything okay, Luna?"

"I will be better when we get this over with," you sigh.

Twilight concentrates as she casts the summoning spell your sister taught her. A rainbow of color erupts from Twilight's horn as she completes the spell, the ribbon descending to the ground before swirling back up in a violent whirlwind. As the tornado of color slows and fades, a form you have not seen in centuries becomes clear.

Attired in a tuxedo and a top hat, Discord is oblivious to the presence of anypony other than Twilight, as he taps his foot disapprovingly.

"Twilight, you must give me a heads up before giving me a call," Discord says, his attire disappearing with a snap of his fingers. "I was just preparing for a night out on the town."

Judging by Twilight's rather annoyed expression, this kind of reaction from Discord is not a surprise.

"Hello Discord, sorry to bother you," Twilight politely greets. "I was hoping you would be able to help me wi-"

As Discord takes notice he and Twilight are not the only ones present, his eyes widen. Gradually, his muzzle twists into a rather mischievous smile as he approaches Anonymous.

"Wonderful, you've brought me visitors," Discord crows with excitement, looking over Anon with curiosity. Despite the attention from such an odd fellow, Anon remains calm as he just stares back at Discord in silence.

"And ponies say that I look strange," Discord says, scratching his chin. "Tell me, what is your name?"

"His name is Anonymous, he is a human," you interject, causing Discord to whip his head around to face you.

"Princess Luna, what a surprise," he shouts, approaching you with outstretched arms. As you take a few steps away from him, you shake your head, causing his enthusiasm to diminish.

"Oh come now, is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"We were never friends, Discord," you hiss. "Do not toy with me, I still remember your misdeeds."

Rather than frustrate him further, Discord merely laughs your words off, skating circles around you as if on a patch of ice.

"Of course, Princess Luna. Believe me, I've changed," he gushes. "After all, we haven't seen each other in what, a thousand years?"

"One thousand eighty-seven years, to be exact," you respond flatly.

"Yes, silly me," Discord says, slapping his forehead with an open palm. "For some reason, I was thinking of how long it's been since you've seen Equestria."

You figured he was trying to get a rise out of you this whole time. There's his last resort.

"Discord, you do not know the slightest of what happened," you snap, doing your best to remain calm. "After all, my sister and I put an end to your reign of terror years before my own errors."

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong," he says, laughing hysterically. "Sure, I may have been frozen physically, but I could hear all sorts of things. such as a young princess taking pity upon herself for lack of attention."

Without a second thought, you lunge at him, tossing the two of you to the ground in a heap.

Despite this, Discord continues to seem amused, as he struggles not to laugh as you growl at him.

"Touch a nerve, did I?"

"Listen to me, Discord," you fume. "Perhaps others believe you have changed your ways, but I can see through your charade, and you are still the monster you were previously."

With a sudden tug, you fall backward, before slowly being dragged along the ground to Twilight's side.

"Luna, you need to calm down," Twilight scolds as you look over at her. "Discord isn't going to help us if you're rude to him."

"*I'm* being rude? Did you just hear what he said to me?"

"Yes, and I'm not saying he is right, either," Twilight replies, closing her eyes. "But you need to open your mind and give him a chance. Your sister did, so can you."

Looking back toward Discord, the lanky fellow bats his eyes innocently, making your brow furrow in simmering anger.

"I will make no promises," you mumble to Twilight.

"My apologies for losing my temper, Discord," you say, stepping towards him once again. "We have summoned you hoping for some advice regarding Anonymous here."

Glancing over at Anonymous, he watches the two of you, visibly uneasy. He hasn't said a word during this whole ordeal.

"I assume it is about your magic that I can sense radiating off of him as we speak, yes?" he replies, grinning madly.

"Yes. Well, Nightmare Moon's magic," you respond, quickly correcting him.

"Same thing, right?" Discord chips, his expression becoming very smug as you struggle to stay calm and courteous. "Sorry, that came out wrong."

"No offense taken," you begrudgingly force out, clenching your teeth. Discord is enjoying pressing your buttons way too much, but you expected it.

"Wonderful," he exclaims, turning his attention to Anon, who has taken a seat on the fender of his car. Discord strides over to him, silently looking him over very carefully.

"Uh, can I help you?" Anon asks warily.

Discord does not reply, as he procures a clipboard from thin air and begins scribbling at a torrid pace.

"Discord," you call, trying to get his attention. He still pays you no mind, wrapped up in his own charade. "Discord!"

Finally, he looks up at you, his face stoic and serious.

"Luna, if you want me to help you, you need to use a nicer tone. Perhaps some anger management classes are in order for you in the future?"

"Perhaps some etiquette classes are in store for you in the future, Discord," you snap back. Your retort only seems to please the draconequus, as his sly grin grows frenzied.

"Funny that comes from you. At least I did not try to kill my own sibling."

Any semblance of control you had disappears as you grab him by the throat with your magic in a fit of rage, hovering at eye level with a lazy beat of your wings.

"Not another word from you, fiend," you snarl.

"Luna, stop!" Twilight's voice calls out from behind, but you pay it no notice.

As you stare daggers into the eyes of Discord, his pupils slowly begin to roll around, picking up speed until becoming an endless, intoxicating spiral. All effort to pull away diminishes, transfixed on his eyes as everything else melts away into an endless sea of black.

"That's right, Luna," you hear Discord whisper, echoing around you from every direction. "You say I am a monster, but I want you to show everypony the monster inside you."

Nearly as soon as it started, your surroundings begin to fade back in, as in reverse, Discord's maniacal eyes slowly melt into oblivion. However, rather than hovering in front of him, you find yourself standing upon the dusty trail, staring at Discord's serpentine midriff.

"Well, at least it looks like I still possess the ability to calm even the angriest of ponies," he laments, brushing his chest with pride. Abruptly, he reaches behind his back, pulling out an over-sized pocket watch.

"This has been a memorable get-together, but I am afraid I must be somewhere. Long story short, I can not tell you whether Anonymous here will be able to do anything with the magic with which he is imbued. Perhaps in time, he can grasp it, but I can not say for sure." He reaches over with a taloned hand to Anonymous, shaking his hand.

"It was a pleasure meeting you. apologies for the melodramatics," Discord says.

"Uh, yeah. Thanks," Anon mumbles, looking over to you in confusion. Your mind still feeling foggy, you can only stare back, as Discord turns his attention to Twilight.

"Twilight, my dear, always a pleasure," he coos, while Twilight stares back at him, unenthused.

"And dear Luna, we must catch upon on old times, perhaps on better terms at a later date, yes?"

Your mind is blank as you just stare back, having no idea what to so, or how to form words.

"Wonderful. Tat-ta for now." With a snap of his claws, he disappears in a flash, as your mind and body suddenly come back to you.

"Luna, are you okay?" Twilight asks as you turn to face her.

"What?"

"Are you alright? You're breathing heavy," Twilight says, as Anonymous swings himself off the fender of his car, crouching beside you.

As you continue to regain your sense, you realize your breathing is shallow and rapid, on the verge of hyperventilation. You take a massive gulp of air, before slowly expelling it.

"I'm fine," you reply. "I - I suppose I lost my head."

Both of them breathe a sigh of relief, believing your words to be figurative to explain your anger. But that was no calming spell that Discord cast. That was hypnotism.

But what did he do?

"I'm going to have to have a talk with Discord. He was trying to push your buttons the whole time, and that is uncalled for," Twilight growls.

"Yes. I should probably head back to the castle now, and try to digest all of this," you mumble.

"Are you sure you're okay, Luna?" Twilight asks again.

"Fine, I'm fine," you reply sharply. "It's just been a long day, sorry." Hurriedly, you give Anonymous a hug, before nodding to Twilight and flashing back to the castle.

'You say I am a monster, but I want you to show everypony the monster inside you.'

Discord's words echo through your mind repeatedly as you sit at the dining table with your sister, nibbling at the fine cuisine before you. Even after all these years, there is nothing that beats a fresh fruit and nut salad.

"So, how did today go, Luna?" Celestia pipes up.

"Uneventful, for the most part. San Flankcisco is looking for more funds to overhaul their rail system," you lament. "Again."

"Even if we approve it, the system will still be a snarling mess, I'm sure," Tia sighs. "The mayor really needs to get some better engineers on his side, and soon."

"Yes. Oddly enough, the mayor of Manehattan stopped by but left abruptly when he learned that I was presiding today. The bookkeepers said he left no reason for his departure."

Celestia bursts into a fit of giggles, catching you by surprise. It takes nearly a full minute for your sister to regain her composure.

"I'm sorry," she says, snorting. "I assume Anonymous did not tell you of the impression he made on the mayor during his time masquerading as you."

"I can only imagine what he said," you say, unable to keep a straight face. The mayor of Manehattan has always been a pain in your flank, you do not much care for him.

"Well, he has not asked for the funds to begin his grand bridge project since then, so I would say Anonymous did a good job."

You nod in agreement, as your mind quickly shifts back to the evening's events.

"Tia, what do you know of hypnosis?" you ask. Celestia looks up at you from her own meal, perplexed by your abrupt change of topic.

"Not much, dear sister. Why, what is on your mind tonight?"

"Nothing," you say, trying to play it off. "Twilight was asking me, I'm not too sure of her reasoning."

"Well, knowing Twilight, she's buried in another obscure book," Celestia replies, smirking. "I swear she sleeps by reading, it's the only way I can explain her frequent reading marathons. But to get back to your question, might I suggest asking Discord his knowledge on hypnosis? He is certainly well-practiced in the art."

In an instant, your optimism is crushed, finding yourself back at square one understanding what Discord has done.

"I will inform Twilight of your suggestion. But I must ask, do you genuinely trust Discord, sister?"

Celestia does not seem at all surprised by your inquiry, nor enthused.

"I am not blind to the past and what he has done, Luna," she says, as her tone switches from ruler of Equestria to the familiar big sister role. "Yes, he has done some questionable things in the past, but I believe he deserves another chance. Discord can be helpful when he wants to be, and the more liberties we allow him, the more likely he will be to aid us in any future conflicts or projects."

"You and Twilight may trust him, but I must confess, I have my reservations," you blurt.

Tia locks her lavender eyes upon you, her face empathetic. "I know you don't trust him, and I suppose I can respect that. But if you reflect upon the past, was I not willing to give you another chance upon your return, sister? Even after what had transpired between us previously?"

You say nothing as you just stare back at her. How do you even respond to that?

"Or what about Anonymous?" Celestia adds.

"What about him?" you belt out defensively.

"You saw what I saw when we tapped into his mind upon his arrival. The war, the bloodshed, the strife contained within his memories of the world he left behind."

Once again, your sister was right. The images within Anon's head were more akin to Tartarus than any place here in Equestria. By all accounts, Anon should have been locked in a secure area until proven not to be a threat. But you were willing to look past all that and begged your big sister to do the same. For beyond the horrors his memories contained, you saw hope.

Optimism.

Love.

You turn away from your sister across the table and look down, as your eyes become misty with the thought of not having Anonymous. In a matter of moments, warmth envelops you, as out of the corner of your eye you spy the outstretched wings of Celestia embracing you.

"Come now, sister, I was not trying to upset you," she coos.

"I know you weren't," you mumble. "I just didn't realize how hypocritical I had become in such a short time."

You feel your head rise at the insistence of Celestia's magic, as her beaming smile shines down upon you.

"It is quite alright, Luna," Celestia says, soothing your troubled mind. "Even at our age, we make mistakes. Nopony is perfect."

"Thank you," you reply, gathering yourself together and returning her hug.

As you glance out the crystal clear windows of the dining room, you note how low the sun sits in the sky. With a nod, both of you harness your magic, Celestia easing the sun below the horizon as you, in turn, nudge the moon skyward.

"It is getting late, and tomorrow we must begin preparing for the Grand Galloping Gala," your sister says with a roll of her eyes.

Both of you chuckle at your shared displeasure of the event. But, it is a good morale boost for the kingdom, and so it must go on another year.

"Goodnight, Luna."

"Goodnight, Tia."

It does not take long to fall asleep tonight and enter the dream realm, as you are on a mission. Willing to admit you are wrong, you search the various doors to others' dreams, before finding an odd, warped and multi-colored door belonging to a certain draconequus.

Despite your best preparations, you find yourself taken aback by the chaotic world that greets you upon entry. The surrounding is a roiling storm of deep blue and purple hues, as various land masses and objects float through the air past you effortlessly. As you try to move forward, you find your wings are in fact moving you back upon every beat of their lazy rhythm.

Discord certainly did not become known as the lord of chaos by being normal, as you focus your energy upon yourself, warping the dream enough to allow your normal movements.

"Why am I not surprised to find you here tonight?" comes the voice of Discord behind you.

As you turn around to face him, you find the serpent laying upon a recliner, slowly revolving in place as he alternates between right side up and upside down.

"I suppose you're here to terrorize my dreams for my actions earlier this evening? Or perhaps a stern scolding?" he asks, sounding way more excited than would be considered normal.

"Actually, I came here to apologize to you," you softly announce.

Instantly, all movement in the dream halts, even the swirling colors that compose the sky. Discord's eyes go wide, as he studies your face carefully for any hint that you are lying.

"You... are apologizing.... to me?" he asks, gesturing with his hands for clarity.

"Yes, I am. I do not know the spell to summon you, so this was the only way I knew to reach out. I should have given you a chance to prove yourself, rather than revert back to my pessimistic and negative views of you."

With lightning speed, Discord puts his arms around your form, wrapping you in a bone-crushing hug.

"Oh, miracles really do happen!" he shouts emphatically. "I never imagined that I could sway you to believe I have changed."

As he puts you back down, you fiddle with your disheveled mane, ruffled up and draped over your face by this point. "Yes, I am willing to admit that I made a mistake. Upon reflection of the events of the past few weeks, I realized my judgments were in haste and unfounded."

"I suppose you are referring to that being that I met today, Anonymous?"

As you nod your head, Discord snaps his fingers, as you feel a coolness suffuse through your core. He looks a bit perplexed upon your own confused stare, before shaking it off and resuming his crazed smile.

"Sorry about that. Wanted to make sure I did that before you left," he says.

"What did you do, Discord?" you ask, trying to mask any concern in your voice.

"Oh, do not worry your mind, Luna. It was nothing important."

"Discor-"

"I suppose I should be waking up now, the early bird gets the worm!" Discord shouts before everything disappears into a black abyss.

"It's one in the morning," you mutter in frustration. With a burst of magic from your horn, you fade back to the starry skies of the dream realm itself.

While you feel a bit better apologizing to Discord and his apparent reversing of whatever he did to you, your mind still lingers on the same question, as well as a new one.

What did he do to you that he reversed?

And why did he seem confused and unsure upon his revision?

Author's Note

Apologies for the slow update with this chapter. Life called, it wanted me to spend some time with it.

Chapter 14

"Anonymous!"

Luna's melodic voice slowly stirs you from slumber, as hints of sunlight pry at your eyelids. You feel the whole bed move, as shadows suddenly block out the sun's rays. Frustrated by the interruption, you finally relent and open your eyes, coming face to face with the night princess's lively turquoise eyes, who takes the sign of alertness as an invitation to lie atop you. Even for her larger size than most other ponies, she's damn near light as a feather.

"Five more minutes," you groan, lifting your head just high enough to reach her soft lips. She obliges you, giggling all the while like a mischievous schoolgirl.

"Anon, haven't you slept enough? It is already two in the afternoon."

"I didn't fall asleep right when you left last night. I was up until about four," you mumble, struggling to clear your head from the fog of sleep.

"That is still ten hours of sleep," she lectures as she climbs off of you. As she gracefully leaps off your bed, she pulls you upright with a quick pulse of her magic.

"I thought you were the princess of the night. Shouldn't you be encouraging me to sleep the day away?" Your question only extracts another giggle fit from Luna, who has opened up even more and shown her more playful, carefree side in the past couple weeks.

"In the past, I may have agreed with you," she admits, her face becoming very serious for a moment. "But there is no time to waste. Hop in the shower while I find you something nice to wear for this evening." With that, she turns away, opening your closet door and flicking the light on.

"Why? What's the big occasion?" you ask, throwing your legs over the side of the bed. With a yawn and a quick stretch, you pull yourself out of bed, stumbling a bit as your body adjusts to being on its feet.

"Celestia would like to get to know you better, and learn more about the world from which you came," she replies, her head buried within your closet. "So she has invited you to the castle for a nice dinner with Twilight and me."

"Uh, okay. But if it is just us, why do I have to get all fancy for that?"

Luna pulls her head out of your shirt rack, her lower lip jutted out in a pouting manner. "You want to look good for us, don't you?"

"I never have before," you quip.

With a smirk, her horn gives off its familiar blue glow, as the aura of her magic gently pushes you out of the room, guiding you towards your bathroom just down the hall.

"I'm guessing that was the wrong answer?"

To your surprise, you did not have to push hard to get Luna to agree to drive to Canterlot in the Superbird, rather than teleport as she normally would. She enjoys riding shotgun, so you've never quite understood her reluctance to take the scenic route. The only drawback is the length of time it takes to get to Canterlot by wheels. Depending on how heavy your foot feels, it can take upwards of two hours to reach the castle. Still, the journey getting there is sometimes more fun than being there itself.

This ride has not been quite as enjoyable as in the past, with Luna being abnormally quiet and uptight. You aren't sure if she is just impatient to get to the castle, or nervous about how you will act during the dinner.

"I'll be on my best behavior, Luna. Relax," you tell her, reaching your arm over to pull her close. She leans into you with little encouragement, the scent of lavender filling your nostrils. While she normally looks the part of royalty, she has upped the ante tonight, wearing a formal gown you've never seen before, accenting her coat with its deep blues and black hues, topped off with highlights of silver.

You've personally never been one for formal attire, so the best you could do is a smart polo shirt, topped off with a pair of black pants and black tennis shoes. Luna wasn't exactly pleased, but found it to be acceptable, noting it would be a good idea to visit Twilight Sparkle's friend, Rarity, to get something properly formal for future occasions.

"Park here," Luna suddenly chirps, sitting upright as she points a hoof to the side of the trail that leads to the castle gates. Her instructions strike you as odd, considering you've driven to Canterlot's castle on a few occasions. Every time, Luna nor anyone else has had an issue with you parking well within the castle gates, near the main doors that lead inside.

Even so, you oblige her request, gently applying the brakes as you turn the wheel. Even with the power steering, the Superbird is a bear to turn at low speeds, the orange behemoth under the hood weighing down the front end. The old girl relents, as you do a one-eighty to face the way you came, coming to a stop and shutting off the engine. Leaving the keys in the ignition, you turn to Luna, who seems to sense you aren't getting out until you get some answers.

"What's going on, Lulu?" you ask, trying to keep an optimistic frame of mind. Luna fidgets in her seat as she adjusts her gown. She is silent, even as her familiar blue aura begins to flow from her horn.

"Luna, don't you teleport me in without an explanation," you warn her, as she gives you a nervous grin. Instantly, you feel the urge to stand up, feeling off-balance as your surroundings begin to warp from the cozy cockpit of the Superbird to the cavernous interior of the castle. You fold your arms in disappointment as the magic surrounding the two of you evaporates. For her part, Luna feels the displeasure emitting from your entire being, taking a seat next to the doors that lead to the main atrium

"I'm sorry Anonymous," she says, hanging her head low. "I didn't want to tell you the truth because I knew you would not come along." As she goes quiet again, you begin to notice a low drone, a blending of unintelligible voices speaking at once just beyond the doors.

"What is really going on? I can hear it in there," you say, pointing to the door. Before Luna can speak up, the sound of hoofsteps approaching from behind causes you to turn around.

"Anonymous, what a pleasant surprise," calls Celestia in a cheerful voice. Much like her little sister, Celestia is dressed up for an occasion, attired in a rich pick ballgown draped over her back half.

"Uh, hi Celestia," you start, glancing over at Luna. Her shame seems to have reached immeasurable levels, as she drops her teal eyes to the floor. "Luna was just about to tell me what exactly is going on here."

Celestia shifts her focus to Luna, a bit confused by your words. "Luna, you brought him here without telling him?"

"Yes," she pouts, her expression tugging at your heart despite the fib she told you. You find yourself unable to remain angry, reaching over and stroking her silky mane in reassurance.

"Well, I'm here now, might as well tell me what's going on," you say. Your sentence is hardly finished before the door beside you creaks open with a nudge from Celestia, the sounds of mingling conversation and classical music pouring through.

The main ballroom of the castle is jam-packed with ponies, all dressed in formal attire as they stand in little groups dispersed everywhere. In one corner of the room, a small stage has been set up for a small orchestra, as various tables lined with all sorts of cuisine sit next to the far wall. The ballroom itself is decorated with fine drapery, a blend of purple and deep red hues.

"This is the Grand Galloping Gala," Celestia says. "It is one of Canterlot's biggest gatherings, and it gives the ponies of Equestria a chance to intermingle within the castle, as well as my sister and I."

Luna's face twists into disgust as her sister describes the event. Celestia takes note, giving off a hearty chuckle, much to your surprise.

"As you can tell, Luna isn't fond of the Gala. Truth be told, I too find little to enjoy in this gathering, but it is good for the ponies of Equestria." Celestia finishes.

"I thought you enjoyed helping your people. Er, ponies," you correct yourself. "I would have thought something like this would be up your alley, Tia."

"Unfortunately, it never turns out as I hope. I don't get to intermingle with folks as much as I get my hooves constantly kissed," she says, staring longingly into the ballroom. A few ponies catch sight of her, directing others' attention to the doorway in which the three of you look inward. Soon, the room as a whole is clapping their hooves in approval, beckoning the Sun Princess to enter.

"I suppose I should be joining the Gala," Celestia says, smiling as she looks at you and Luna. "Be good you two, and try to have fun."

"That is a tall task, dear sister," Luna mumbles, as Celestia joins the crowd.

"Misery loves company, huh?" you quip. Luna's eyes dart back to you, as she ponders what you've said.

"I should have asked. I just wanted somepony here that I could enjoy being with, rather than the scores of ponies in there."

"I'd rather not be here, but hey, I've got you here. I'll manage," you tell her, as your own eyes scan the room.

You've never been fond of big gatherings like this. Perhaps it's a bit of claustrophobia or general shyness. Regardless of what it is, your stomach feels uneasy as Luna rises to her hooves and heads through the door. Taking a deep breath, you follow closely behind her, the crowd splitting to give their princess a clear path to walk. As they bow on either side in her presence, the gathered ponies eye you with curiosity and just the slightest hint of anxiety.

"What's wrong, Anonymous?" Luna asks through the mental link, sensing your own anxiety at all the eyes upon you.

I'm not exactly thrilled with the idea of being in such a crowded room. or having everyone staring at me, you tell her, taking a deep breath.

"You never told me you had social phobia," she responds, concerned. She comes to a stop as her attention is drawn to a particular area. "Oh, horseapples."

"What?" you ask aloud, surprised by her sudden change in tone. You try following her line of sight, but can't make out what she is looking at across the room, one of the various little cliques blocking your view.

"I will be right back," she sighs in frustration. "Why don't you get something to eat while I'm gone?" Without an answer back, she shuffles in the direction she was looking, giving you a clear line to the tables of food ahead. Slowly, your nerves return, scanning the crowd for a face you recognize as you move forward.

Much to your relief, you spot someone you know. Sitting on the floor next to one of the tables is Spike, Twilight Sparkle's little dragon helper. However, Twilight herself is nowhere to be found as you make your way over to the baby dragon.

"Hey, Anonymous," Spike calls out, his words muffled by his current mouthful of food. You do your best not to laugh at him as you kneel down, hand outstretched for a high-five greeting. He does so, before stuffing another miniature appetizer in his maw.

"Hey Spike, fancy seeing you here," you say. "How did you get dragged into this?" As he finishes chewing and swallowing his mouthful, you reach up and grab a cup of punch from the table, taking a sip.

It takes an effort to keep from spitting it out, practically feeling granules of sugar within the overly sweetened drink. Did someone dump a whole bag of sugar in the bowl?

"Eh, I was here last year when Twilight and her friends came. It was a real mess," he says, chuckling to himself. "Twilight's around here somewhere, considering she's a princess now. I just came here for the food, it's great!" Looking down at the plate Spike has outstretched before him is the last thing you expected to see.

The unmistakable scent of bacon hits your nose, as every item on his plate has something a meat-lover would die for.

"Uh, I was under the impression that ponies were not carnivores," you say, taking what looks to be a potato skin loaded with cheese and bacon bits. Your eyes almost roll into the back of your head as you savor the taste, determined to find and load up a plate with as much of these as you can.

"Ponies aren't, but they are," Spike replies, pointing a clawed digit to somewhere behind you. Turning to follow his direction, you spy a small table, where two griffons sit in quiet conversation.

"Geez, is there any mythical creature from my world that doesn't exist here?" you mumble. Your eyes dart from the pair of avians to the trademark ethereal blue mane of Luna, who is in conversation with what looks to be a white stallion. You direct Spike's attention to them, pointing a finger.

"Who's that with Luna, any idea?"

Spike squints for a moment, before relaxing back to lean on the table leg behind him. "That's Prince Blueblood, I think," he says. "I don't really know much about him, other than he's supposedly a distant relative of the royal sisters. I personally don't see the resemblance."

"Thanks Spike, we need to hang out more often," you say, patting him on the head before rising to your feet. Luna's eyes dart to your movement, as does Prince Blueblood's in turn.

"I'm sorry, Anonymous," Luna says through the link, as Blueblood leads Luna in your direction.

Perplexed by Luna's apology, you just stand there as she and Prince Blueblood stride over to you. Once they are only a few feet away, you feel your cup being snatched out of your hand, a faint gold glow emanating from the stallion's horn.

"My word, you have trained monkeys to be waiters at this year's gala? You and your sister have outdone yourself," Blueblood says to Luna in a haughty, almost arrogant tone. Luna's only response is to giggle quietly, which only further confuses and disturbs you.

This isn't funny, Luna, you scold through the link.

"I know," she replies back, even giggling a bit in your mind.

Then stop laughing.

"I'm trying," she says, before finally getting a hold of herself. Clearing her throat, Luna turns her gaze back to Blueblood, who seems oblivious to your existence right after taking your drink. You had not planned on finishing the super-sweet drink, but still, he has a lot of nerve.

"Blueblood, this is Anonymous. He is not a monkey, he's a human. Anon is not actually from our world, my sister and I have granted him refuge until we can find a way to return him home."

Blueblood takes another look at you, studying your features closely. "Yes, he does look a lot stranger than a monkey, I suppose. Very little hair," he says nonchalantly.

"Thank you. That makes me feel so much better," you grumble, causing him to recoil back in shock.

"My word, he can talk?" Blueblood exclaims.

You bite your tongue, already getting very frustrated with this rather snobbish stallion. In addition, Luna's nonchalance with the whole scenario is a bit upsetting, as well.

"Perhaps we should go outside the castle walls for a stroll, the air is getting a bit stuffy in here tonight," Luna says, breaking the awkward silence that has befallen the group.

Without a reply, Luna turns around, heading for the door you arrived through earlier. Blueblood joins her side and engages in idle conversation, while you just stand there, dumbfounded.

"Come, Anonymous," Luna calls in your mind.

Why? I can stand this asshole, you bark back. Luna stops in her tracks and turns her head, giving you a smile. But it's not a light-hearted one. It's downright sinister.

Luna is scheming something, you're sure of it.

Quickly, you make your way to her and Blueblood, as the two of them resume their small talk as the group heads out of the castle. You remain silent the whole time, trying to figure out what she has in mind.

As you make it out of the castle walls, the conversation switches to you.

"So how did this.... human get here, Princess Luna?" Blueblood asks.

"We don't know, Celestia and Luna are perplexed as I am," you respond, drawing an unhappy glare from Blueblood as he peers over his shoulder.

"I don't believe your name is Princess Luna," he replies in a scornful tone, before turning to Luna again. "Clearly he needs work on his social skills concerning interactions with nobility."

Why do you like this guy? you ask Luna, gritting your teeth in restrained rage.

"I don't recall ever saying I enjoyed his company," Luna responds. Through the mind link, Luna urges you to look forward, your attention quickly drawn to the Superbird, which sits just outside of the gates where you parked it.

"I forgot to mention the wonderful contraption that accompanied Anonymous upon his unexpected arrival," Luna says aloud.

Luna, no. I don't want this prick anywhere near my baby, you warn.

"All I want from you is to give him a ride-along," Luna says as she turns her head again. Once again, a mischievous grin crosses her face. "A really good ride-along."

As the three of you approach your car, Blueblood's nose instantly wrinkles in disgust.

"His kind certainly seems to have little taste in aesthetics," he says. "What an abhorrent design of... whatever this thing is."

"This is how his kind travels, Blueblood," Luna says while keeping her eyes on you. "Perhaps Anonymous would like to take you for a ride?"

"I suppose I could, if he wants," you respond, as Luna nods her head slightly. Without another word, you open the passenger door as Blueblood tentatively wanders over, taking a look in before awkwardly climbing into the seat.

"My word, these seats are absolutely dreadful," he whines. Rather than let him finish his bitchy rant, you slam the door closed, making him yelp in surprise.

You don't even need to look over to Luna to sense her approval, as you walk to the driver's side of the Superbird and climb in. Blueblood is still complaining about something, but you ignore it as you start the engine.

"What an awful commotion. I can not believe the princesses allow you to use this noisy contraption," Blueblood moans. You slowly take off in first gear, the headlight pods popping up to lead the way in the slowly fading light of dusk.

Barely a mile goes by as Blueblood continues to bitch in his snobbish manner, taking note of the harsh ride and every little bump, squeak, and rattle in the chassis.

Already tiring of his mouth, you jam the brakes, making the stallion slide forward in his seat. You never bothered telling him to buckle his seatbelt, considering he would just complain about the lack of comfort the device afforded.

"Could you warn me before you come to a stop? This thing is an absolute deathtrap," he grumbles. You shut the engine off before unbuckling and opening the door to climb out.

"Sorry, forgot something," you tell him politely, as you reach underneath your seat. After a moment of feeling around blindly, your hand finds the glove you were looking for, and within it, the wrench you need as well.

Putting the glove on, you carefully reach under the car with your wrench and take out the bolts holding the cap on the exhaust header dumps. Even with only a mile of drive time, the ceramic tubes are scorching hot. Finishing up the driver's side, you circle around and quickly get the other one, before tossing the caps, bolts, and everything else behind your seat and climbing back in.

Without a word, you turn the ignition, and the engine comes to life with an ear-rattling roar. It brings a smile to your face hearing the Hemi underhood exhaling unrestricted for the first time in a while.

"Sweet Celestia, it gets louder?" Blueblood shouts, putting his hooves over his ears in a futile effort. You push the clutch in and slide the shifter into first, before revving the engine with a few quick pulses of the throttle.

"What's that? You want to go fast?" you shout back. "I can do that."

When you dump the clutch, the car rockets forward, as the tires, engine, and Blueblood all shriek in an oddly fitting chorus. You pay him no mind as you watch the tachometer dance, rowing through the gears at a rapid pace.

"This is fun, isn't it?" you ask, glancing over at Blueblood. His face is twisted into a look of pure terror, his eyes wide open looking forward. Putting your eyes back on the road, the headlights illuminate a left bend just ahead, giving you another idea.

Easing the brake pedal down, you begin to slow like a civilized person, as you hold in the clutch and put the gear lever into second. Once you see the speedometer in the dash fall below 35 mph, you rev up the engine and dump the clutch once again, slinging the steering wheel to the left. The ass end of the Superbird fishtails sideways until you're almost perfectly lined up with the road again, while you hear the unmistakable thump of Blueblood smacking his head against the passenger window.

Once again pointing straight, you mat the accelerator, the car surging ahead in turn as you quickly go through the gears. Unfortunately, the beams of the headlights illuminate a fence just ahead, as Blueblood tries to form words to warn you. You're hard on the binders again, the car sliding to a stop as Blueblood slides forward in the seat.

"Well that sucks, it's a dead end," you announce calmly. Beside you, Blueblood is breathing rapidly, quiet whimpers escaping him from time to time even as he begins to calm down.

"Time to go back, I guess. Bummer," you say, jamming the shifter into reverse and matting the gas. Lurching backward, you sling the steering wheel, the nose of the car snapping around to face the direction from whence you came. All the while, Blueblood starts to squeal like a little girl, making you grin.

Once again, you rocket back towards the castle, swinging the car sideways again at the bend until you stand on the brakes a mile from the castle, where you started the journey, shutting the engine off as you turn to the terrified, trembling stallion sitting beside you.

"Now, maybe you should try not being such an arrogant ass for once in your life," you growl, as Blueblood only stares at you wide-eyed, whimpering in fear. "Get the hell out of my car, the door handle is there by your hoof."

Barely do you finish your sentence before Blueblood throws the door open, galloping away towards the castle in the distance as he disappears in the fading light.

"That wasn't very nice," calls Luna's voice, as a haze materializes beside you, the passenger door closing with a thump. Slowly, her form takes shape, the blue alicorn lounging in the passenger seat with a smirk on her face.

"I refuse to believe he is related to you in any way, shape or form," you say, folding your arms.

"Not really. It's a very distant relation, but Blueblood likes to make the most of it he can. I personally have never cared for him since the day I met him," she says.

"And yet you dragged him over to meet me? Why not just ditch him?" you ask her, as she chuckles.

"Because I knew you wouldn't be able to tolerate his attitude. And I thought you might be able to give him a good comeuppance."

"I'm not going to be hearing from his lawyer or thrown in a dungeon for that, am I?"

"No, he doesn't have that much influence. 'Prince' is just an honorary title." Luna says, before leaning in towards you. "Besides, you have me on your side."

Luna closes in the distance, locking her lips with yours aggressively. Even as she relents and lets you go, a fire burns within her eyes.

"So, has this Gala been that bad?" she asks in a sultry voice.

"Well, it's the first one I've been to. It's been memorable, I suppose," you say with a smile.

"Let's make it one you won't forget," she says, before leaning in again with more vigor.

You have a feeling neither of you will be heading back to the Gala tonight.

Chapter 15

"Do you have any movies that aren't lame?" Rainbow Dash asks. As she stretches out next to you on the couch, a few audible pops erupt from her miniature form, as the credits rolling on the TV give off the little light there is in your dark living room.

"What are you talking about, Rainbow? The Shining is a classic," you protest. Rainbows only response is to stick her tongue out, blowing a raspberry to emphasize her disappointment.

Without warning, the TV set flickers, before powering off, as does the indicator lights on your DVD player. The two of you sit blindly on the couch, your eyes attempting to adjust to the lack of light.

"Did you do that?" Rainbow asks, a bit of anxiety creeping into her voice.

"No, but I know who did," you sigh. You give up on your eyes, closing them in order to focus your mind on what you cannot see. Sensing what you expected, you reach out into the darkness with your hand, grabbing a hold of something silky smooth and pulling with a light tug.

"Ah, my tail! Let go of my tail," comes a frantic voice from the darkness. The lamp next to you comes on, piercing through the darkness and revealing your living room once again.

As well as Luna, whose star-studded tail you currently have in your grasp. She does not seem pleased in the slightest, as you relax your grip and let her go.

"Luna, I understand this is your favorite time of the year, but could you tone it down just a bit?" you ask. Luna's gaze softens up, turning around to sit down on the floor in front of you.

Nightmare Night is quickly approaching, and with each passing day, Luna has become more and more excited. it is her time of the year to shine, and from what you've gathered, the time for her counterpart to be feared. Every night when she visits, Luna has tried to give you a scare, and her attempts have been foiled by your own senses in tune to her energy, a byproduct of your mental link with her.

"Wait, how did you know she was there?" Rainbow asks. It amazes you with as many times as you have explained the link you share, Dash is still absent-minded, asking the same question every time.

"I'm not going to explain it again, Dash," you tell her, as she smacks herself in the head with a hoof.

"Sorry, forgot about your mental thingy," Dash says, correcting herself.

Meanwhile, Luna continues to pout in front of you, as you scratch her ears and caress her mane.

"I'm not trying to be mean Luna, I know you're excited for your big day. But you haven't scared me the last three nights, because I can sense you," you tell her.

Her eyes light up as she giggles mischievously.

"It is good that your senses have become sharp because tomorrow is when the real fun begins," she says with a sinister cackle, leaning in for a kiss. You happily oblige her, even as Rainbow Dash gags in response.

"You two are embarrassing to be around when you're like this. Twilight's lucky she never seems to see this crap," Rainbow groans.

Ah, Twilight. You haven't seen her in about a week, but every encounter with her has been a little awkward. Perhaps she is unsure about how she really feels about you now after your stupid stunt in the castle. Even so, you've repeatedly asked her to spill what's on her mind, and every time she has rebuffed your request. simply stating that everything "was fine."

Keen on giving Rainbow Dash a hard time, you lean towards her, puckering your lips up as she freaks out, backing away. With a laugh, you sit back upright and ruffle her mane with your hand.

"Don't get me involved in this crap. What time is it, anyway?" she asks.

"About ten o'clock. You calling it a night already?"

Rainbow nods in response as she rises up from the couch, spreading her wings and hovering towards the door. "I have to get ready for tomorrow. My costume still isn't finished," she says, before bolting out the door with a quick burst of speed.

"Wow, everyone is excited for tomorrow night."

"You are not?" Luna asks, tilting her head as her eyes scan you with concern.

"I never said that, Luna," you say, patting her on the head. "I guess I've just grown out of the celebration a little bit. We had a night like this back in my world, but it was mainly catered to the children, not adult. But I always did enjoy the folklore that came with the holiday."

"Folklore?"

"Yeah. You know, ghosts, monsters, all that stuff," you reply. Luna's face lights up with a smile.

"Well, be wary tomorrow night. After all, the late-night hours are not called 'the witching hour' for nothing. Especially on Nightmare Night."

With a sinister cackle, Luna's form dissipates into a hazy blue mist, swirling around you before it races out of the living room.

"Carry on, oh Keeper of the Night," you say with a smile, shaking your head as you lean down and plug in your DVD player and TV again.

"Anonymous," calls a stern voice from the entrance to your living room. You turn your head to find Luna, who looks none too pleased with you. You are far from surprised to see her, nor the rather unhappy demeanor she shows.

"Oh, hi Luna," you say with a smile. Luna's expression does not change as she storms into the room, flicking the TV off with a touch of magic from her horn.

"I am curious to hear your excuse for why you feel the need to be anti-social tonight," she says, already short on patience.

"I'm not anti-social, I would just rather avoid the large crowds you say gather at this event every year. I filled in my quota for the year on being social when you made me go to the Gala," you say. Luna's ears droop, her face quickly shifting from annoyance to one of a more pleading nature.

"Could you at least show up for me? I will not even ask you to wear a costume, though everypony else in Ponyville will be wearing one," Luna says.

Her azure eyes silently beg you to say yes, and you find yourself unable to resist.

"Alright, just for you, Luna," you relent, causing Luna to instantly perk up and smile from ear to ear. "But where is your costume if everyone else has one tonight?"

Luna's grin instantly turns sinister at your question.

"In due time, Anonymous," Luna answers with a slight chuckle. "In time."

Without another word, Luna's horn erupts in a blue glow that envelops the two of you, the living room of your home giving way to the sights and sounds of Ponyville. You tense up a little as you find yourself at the back end of a crowd gathered near the center of Ponyville, where a stage has been set up.

The murmurs of the crowd die down as the mayor walks along the stage, headed toward a podium place upon the stage, equipped with a microphone. Just as she begins to speak, your attention is turned to a voice calling your name. As you turn toward the voice, a lavender blur hits you in the chest.

"Twilight, hey. It's been a while," you say, as Twilight squeezes you in an energetic embrace.

"I know, sorry," she says, letting you go and resting back on all four hooves. "I've been really busy with some projects Princess Celestia has given me."

"No need to fret, Twily. I'm just glad to see you," you reply, as your eyes finally have the chance to look at her.

Like everyone else this evening, Twilight is attired in a costume, with hers being a whole body cloak. Deep blue in color, it is adorned with various stars, both individual and linked together in various constellations. Atop her head, a tall pointed hat is colored and decorated the same way, with the addition of various small bells.

"So... are you a galactic wizard or something?" you ask, genuinely unsure of what or who she is dressed as. Shaking her head, Twilight giggles, the bells letting off a light jingle with her movements.

"No, Anon. I'm Starswirl the Bearded," she says posing for you in pride.

"And he was a wizard?"

Twilight rolls her eyes, smiling all the while.

"You don't listen much when I talk, do you?" she asks in jest.

"You talk so much, I tend to lose track of the topic at hand," you respond, earning a playful shove from Twilight.

The mundane drone of the mayor's voice ends, drawing your attention to the stage again as Luna makes her way towards the center.

"It looks like you got here just in time to see Luna," Twilight whispers, her hushed voice still unable to contain her excitement.

Before the mayor steps off the stage, she offers Luna the microphone. Luna politely declines, preferring to use her royal voice you've personally heard only once.

"Greetings, citizens. I see you are all in a quite festive mood this evening," Luna shouts, as the crowd erupts into a chorus of cheers. Even as she tries to keep a straight face, Luna is unable to contain a small smile at the enthusiasm Ponyville shows in her presence.

"It was on a night like this many years ago that what we now know as Nightmare Night came to be," Luna shouts, her voice deepening as she speaks. "Who better to begin the night's festivities than the pony that began this tradition. Me!"

As Luna finishes her short speech, her horn lights up with a bright glow. In an instant, a bright full moon rises up behind her on the horizon, its light bathing her body as she too begins to glow in an eerie blue haze, lifting Luna off her hooves by at least a few feet.

Luna's form begins to warp and shift, partially obscured by the ethereal mist surrounding her. As her entire body begins to grow, the outline of her horn grows longer, the energy surrounding her feeding the changes as it slowly dissipates. Her wings unfurl, the shape of them changing minutely as the deep blue plumage falls away onto the stage

While it quickly dawns on you this is part of the show, many ponies in the crowd gasp at the sight, some even breaking out into screams. A pang of fear tears through your own chest, your heart rate jumping up just a bit. Even so, a more foreign sensation courses through you, a feeling of calmness, perhaps even satisfaction as the magic surrounding Luna finally disappears. But she is Luna no longer, as a sinister cackle erupts from the tall, onyx alicorn.

Nightmare Moon.

"Tonight, my little ponies, the night belongs to us all," she shouts, as her wings keep a slow, steady beat to keep her aloft. The crowd erupts into a deafening cheer as she swoops down, skimming across the crowd before her feral, cat-like eyes hone in on you.

"Luna, that was amazing," Twilight exclaims as Luna descends next to you, giddy with excitement.

"Thank you, Twilight. I am so happy to see everypony else enjoyed my performance as well," she says to Twilight, before focusing her striking turquoise eyes upon you again.

You can only stare back, transfixed by her feral eyes, getting lost in them. Everything else disappears from your vision as you feel as if you are free-falling.

"Anonymous?"

Shaking your head, you snap back to the present, Luna having reverted back to her normal form as she and Twilight stare at you, both looking very concerned.

"Sorry, just day-dreaming," you lie, unsure what the heck is going on with your mind today.

"For two whole minutes? While we were trying to talk to you the whole time?" Twilight asks, seeing through your fib.

"I'm really good at day-dreaming," you reply. While Twilight is frustrated with your passive attitude, Luna continues you eye you with suspicion and anxiety.

"You are sure you're alright? I can understand if you were a little frightened by my appearance," she says quietly. "Especially if one considers that you have been through the torture of Nightmare Moon herself once before."

"I'm good, I swear," you snap, getting flustered with all the questioning. Luna backs off, nodding her head before changing the subject to the night at hand.

"Well, what would you two like to do? There's apple-bobbing and other fun games, a spooky haunted house, and even a haunted corn maze," she exclaims, motioning to all the attractions.

"Corn maze sounds interesting, where is that at?" you ask. Luna becomes even more animated upon your choice.

"It's only a trot east of town. Come on, I'll race you two," she shouts, before turning and heading off in a full-out gallop. Twilight is right behind her, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake as you set off at a jogging pace.

"I only have two legs, wait up for me," you call out. Yet part of you is glad they are so far ahead because it at least gives you some time to dissect the last several minutes in your mind.

While you were quick to catch on to Luna's transformation as part of the show, you still don't understand why it felt so... right to you. Reflecting back on your personal encounter with Nightmare Moon, it was a nightmare in the truest sense of the term. So why did seeing her form again result in any other feeling than dread?

Your lack of awareness while you think catches up with you as your foot catches on a large rock in the dirt path. Before you can react, you lose your balance, sprawling face first on the trail.

"That was intelligent," you grumble as you pick yourself up off the ground. Hoofsteps rapidly close in as Twilight makes her way back to you.

"Are you alright?" she asks, as you rub your forehead. Pulling your hand away, you groan at the presence of blood on your fingers. It's not a lot, but you need to see what the hell you managed to do.

"Yeah, I'm okay," you say, pointing to your head. "Does it look bad?"

Twilight studies your face for a moment before her own face warps into a perplexed stare. "I don't see anything, Anonymous," she responds. She raises a hoof, directing your attention to a funhouse nearby with a collection of funky mirrors at the entrance.

You shuffle over to the display, focusing on a taller mirror that looks relatively normal. Peering into it, you scoff as the visage of Nightmare Moon looks back at you, following your every movement. Admittedly, it's an impressive feat, but it doesn't help your current situation.

"What's wrong? Unhappy with your own reflection?" You jump back as the image suddenly speaks up, no longer mirroring your movements. Nightmare's face grows smug, as you turn to look at Twilight. But she, as well as everyone else in the village, seems to have disappeared.

"Relax and listen to me. You have no idea how much effort I had to put in to create this dream," she says as you turn back to her voice, watching her tall, lithe form step out of the mirror.

"I'm dreaming?" you ask. At least this makes a bit more sense, though Nightmare Moon still shouldn't be here in your head.

"You managed to knock yourself out, genius. Maybe that's why I was able to reach you now, when I had such difficulty in your dreams during sleep," Nightmare muses, before shaking her head. "Enough of that, are you going to listen to me, or not?"

"Why should I?" you retort, folding your arms in front of yourself.

"Because you've got questions, and I've got answers," Nightmare replies, harboring a smug grin.

"So you're a Radioshack commercial now?"

"You know, if you just want to be a smartass, I'll gladly go back into my personal corner of your head and let you stew in your own insecurity. That works for me, too," she snarls.

"Whoa, back up. What do you mean your 'personal corner in my head?'" you shoot back. Nightmare Moon's eyes light up upon hearing your inquisition.

"Ah, that one got your attention," she croons before her expression grows much more serious. "You see, these odd sensations you've been getting during Luna's little show, those were like..... deja vu. Because I'm not with Luna anymore."

Outstretching a wing, Nightmare pulls you up next to her, directing your attention to the mirror once again. Slowly, her form begins to meld into you, before the only image in the mirror is your own. A flash of turquoise shines from within your reflection's eyes.

"We're bunk buddies now," Nightmare's voice echoes. "But I think you've spent enough time unconscious. We can discuss this later."

"Anon!"

You rapidly sit upright, your head lightly throbbing as you take stock of your surroundings.

Both Luna and Twilight sit in front of you, their faces lined with anxiety, though relaxing a bit as they watch you scan your environment. A few other ponies have gathered around as well, checking to see if you are okay. Once again you're sitting back on the dirt path you managed to fall on, but your vision is at the forefront of your mind right now.

Luna said that she had Nightmare Moon under control upon reversing the spell she cocked up weeks ago. Either she genuinely believed she did, without knowing what happened, or she flat out lied to you.

You focus on Luna, who takes notice as her expression grows more anxious.

"We need to talk, Luna."

Chapter 16

Luna's eyes stay locked on you even as she teleports your little group back inside your home, upon your insistence. The conversation you need to have with her does not need to be heard by anyone else, for Luna's sake.

"Anonymous, are you sure you are all right? You're worrying me," Luna says, her voice coming out a bit shaky.

"I'm fine Luna. In fact, everything is a bit clearer for me now," you snap, your mind swimming in a sea of anger. "So I'll ask you before I go completely off the rails, is there anything you want to tell me about my situation?"

Twilight watches the two of you with apprehension as Luna continues to stare blankly back at you. While she seems confused, you don't believe her for a second.

"Luna, I'm really getting tired of you lying to me. You lied to me about taking me to the Gala, you withheld the theory you had regarding our telepathic link, and now tonight... tonight is the worst yet."

Luna's eyes widen as she realizes what you are talking about.

"Anonymous, perhaps we need to discuss this in private," she mumbles, motioning with her eyes to where Twilight stands in the room.

"No, I think she deserves to know, too. Since you seem to think this is not something important to disclose, surely it won't bother you to let Twilight in on this," you say.

"Are you two done bickering? You're both acting crazy," Twilight grumbles.

"Twilight, would it bother you if a certain black alicorn was hidden away inside your head?" you ask.

"Well, I'd be a little freaked out if Nightmare Moon suddenly popped into my head, obviously," she replies with a giggle, before pausing. "Wait, are you saying that you-"

"Yes."

Twilight's demeanor instantly changes, circling around you in a flurry of energy, as Luna hangs her head low, her ears drooping in silent frustration and shame.

"But how? When did you see her? Do you see her now?" Twilight shouts.

"No, I don't see her now," you respond, keeping your eyes locked on Luna as she fidgets nervously. "I saw her when I managed to trip and fall, and black out. But according to what Nightmare told me, she has been trying to get my attention for a while now. Which only brings up a further question."

Bending over, you lean in towards Luna, until your nose is almost touching her muzzle.

"When did you know Nightmare Moon was not with you?"

As Luna tries to look away, you reach out with your hand and hold her chin, gingerly forcing her to keep her eyes locked with your own.

"When the reversal spell was completed, and I was back in my own body. I couldn't sense Nightmare Moon's presence as I had in the past. I thought maybe I had just grown so used to being without her for a couple of days, that I forgot what that sensation felt like," Luna says forlornly, before taking a deep breath, exhaling heavily with a sigh. "But then I saw her, a glint in your eye."

You let go of Luna as you stand up straight once again, clenching your jaw painfully as you resist the urge to blow your top.

"Why didn't you tell me, Luna? Why did you think leaving me in the dark was a good idea?" you ask, your voice flat and emotionless as you struggle to remain composed.

"I didn't think it would be an issue," she responds, with an air of nonchalance.

"You didn't think it was going to be an issue? What the hell does that even mean, Luna?"

"I didn't mean it the way that you think I do, Anon," she replies, her brow furrowing. "What I meant was, Nightmare Moon cannot do any harm to you like she could when you were in my body. She's not used to the way your mind works, she doesn't know the ins and outs."

"And you think I'm going to believe that, after all the cascading lies you've handed me before that?"

"I never lied to you," Luna protests, growing a bit angry herself at the accusation.

"When we got everything back to normal, I asked you if you had Nightmare Moon taken care of, and you told me everything was under control. Clearly, it's not," you shout, throwing your hands in the air.

"It is fine. You are over-reacting, Anonymous," Luna protests, turning away from you as she remains calm and composed. "I knew you would lose your composure, it's why I didn't tell you in the first place."

"Over-reacting? How the hell am I supposed to be reacting to this?"

"Like somepony who has a bit of self-control," she growls back, staring daggers into you. "I meant well by keeping this from you, why can't you see that?"

Wonder if she felt she had good intentions a thousand years ago, too, you think to yourself.

At least, it was meant to be a private thought.

Luna suddenly gasps, her anger suddenly twisting into a pained expression as she rises to her hooves.

"Luna, are you all right?" Twilight asks nervously.

"I... I should go," Luna replies quickly, her gaze cast downward to the floor in front of her.

"Luna, wait. Stop," you say as she turns away from you, her horn lighting up with her magic as she prepares to teleport. "I didn't mean it!"

Leaping forward, you try to grab Luna, as her whole body glows white. Unfortunately, you aren't quick enough, as you fall to the floor where she stood only moments before, gone in a blinding flash.

"What was that all about?" Twilight asks, staring at you as you pick yourself up off the floor.

"I need more practice keeping my thoughts private when I'm stressed, I guess," you sigh, making Twilight freeze in place.

"What did you say?"

"I may have considered she thought she had good intentions a thousand years ago before her banishment," you reply, hanging your head in shame.

You feel forcefully shoved down onto your couch by an unseen force, before Twilight jumps atop you, her face lined with restrained anger.

"What were you thinking, Anonymous?!" she shouts, loud enough that it hurts your ears.

"I wasn't, I didn't mean it," you mumble before you feel your own temper begin to simmer once again. "Why did she have to lie to me Twilight, answer me that."

Your question causes Twilight to back off, slipping down to the floor as you sit upright. Her brow furrows as she mulls over your question.

"Anonymous, between you and me, I'm a little worried myself," she says, barely above a whisper. "I understand Luna says Nightmare Moon poses no risk to you, but this is still a serious matter and something that should have been discussed rather than hid under the rug. I don't know if all her time...... away, has made her somewhat oblivious to how things can affect others, or if she's just afraid of hurting you. She's gotten a lot better with her social skills in the short time she's been back, but Luna still has a ways to go."

"So you're on my side, then?"

"I'm not on anypony's side," Twilight replies, shaking her head. "I think both of you have reason to be upset because you both are in the wrong. Luna for keeping all of this to herself, and you for letting your temper get the best of you."

You slump back on the couch, dropping your head in frustration. Twilight is right, you've let your temper cloud your judgment once again. Even if you hate to admit it.

"Are you going to be okay?"

You look back up at Twilight, her ears drooped back as she frets.

"I'll be fine," you say, playfully ruffling her mane with your hand as reassurance, easing her anxiety. "I just need some time alone to think."

"Yeah, it's getting late," Twilight concedes, peering out the window at the far side of the room. Only a few stragglers are out milling the streets at this point, the majority of tonight's festivities likely over.

Turning around and pointing towards the door, Twilight pauses and glances over at you again.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," you reply, waving your hand. "Have a good night, Twi."

With a solemn nod, she opens the front door and steps out, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

As you slump back on the couch, surrounded by darkness, your clock hits the top of the hour, letting out a foreboding chime that echoes through your empty home.

A low rumble carries through the night as you make your way at a leisure pace down the road.

While others may find the Superbird to be a loud nuisance, you have always found the deep tone to be relaxing. Whenever you feel troubled, you tend to take a slow cruise to get some thinking done.

Tonight has certainly been a disaster. You're still a bit peeved at Luna for hiding that she knew Nightmare Moon was with you, but you moreso feel the regret of how you reacted towards her. You tried reaching out to her a couple of times through the link, but each time came the sensation akin to a door being slammed in your face.

Through all of these troubling thoughts, you find yourself whether you can even trust her to tell you the truth anymore.

"Maybe she would be willing to trust you with troubling information if you didn't fly off the hook every time she tried to explain something," a voice calls out from within the car.

You jump up in your seat a bit as you jam the brakes, the car lurching to a standstill as your head snaps around, your eyes settle on a rapidly expanding mist in the seat beside you. As it grows and contorts, it settles upon a form as it takes a solid form, until you are looking at a mirror image of yourself.

"What the hell?"

"Relax," your doppelganger replies flatly in your own voice. The thing closes its eyes for a moment before snapping them open, revealing a pair of icy blue, feral eyes. "It's just me."

You relax a bit as your fear subsides, only to be replaced by irritation as you point your eyes forward and get the car moving again. "So I'm dreaming again, I assume? Why do you have to make it creepy as hell?"

Nightmare Moon huffs, closing her eyes as the for sitting next to you fades to a starry blue mist, shifting and contorting once again until forming into her normal appearance.

"No, you're not dreaming," she replies in her normal, feminine tone, leaning back in the seat with a smug expression.

"Bullshit," you snap back, already frustrated by Nightmare's arrogant demeanor. "You said yourself I have complete control over my mind, so how can you just appear to me like this?"

Nightmare Moon rolls her eyes as her smirk disappears.

"Yes, you do have control. However, you seem to lack control over your emotions. That lack of control gives me a little crack that I can gain a hoofhold upon and pull myself through, though not without a fair deal of effort," she bitterly concedes.

"So you just figured you would add to my misery by gloating at how poorly the night went? Wonderful," you grumble back, revving up the engine and dumping the clutch, the Superbird darting forward.

You had hoped to throw off or startle Nightmare in the seat next to you, but a quick glance shows she is undisturbed.

"Do you really think that's the reason I popped in?" she asks, her tone sounding almost pained as she frowns.

Dropping the car into high gear and settling at a leisurely pace again, you turn to the black alicorn seated next to you.

"Why else would you be here annoying me now? You're the one that started all this crap tonight, you're the one that started all this misery years ago when you possessed Luna and well full world domination mode. Let's not forget, of course, the hell you put me through when Luna messed up that spell and I was stuck with your sorry ass for a few days."

Nightmare Moon remains stoic through your rant but quickly speaks up as you finish, her voice calm.

"Let me start off by saying I started nothing tonight. I merely gave you information that you lacked and Luna was unwilling to divulge. What you did with that information, I had no control over. But believe me, I didn't want to listen to you mope inside your head all night. As for the rest of your outburst, I don't even know where to begin," she says, chuckling a bit at the end.

Once again, your anger simmers as you pull off to the side of the path, shut off the engine, and coast to a stop.

"Well, you better find somewhere to begin, because I'm tired of these games. Exactly what the hell *are* you?" you demand.

"I'm you, why is that so hard to understand?" she asks innocently.

"Cut the shit, right now," you snarl, leaning towards her. "All you've been since I met you is an arrogant pain in the ass. If you want me to listen to you, to even believe you aren't here just to make me miserable, you're going to tell me what you are. I've heard a lot of theories, I want it straight from the horse's mouth."

Nightmare's eyes narrow, scowling for a moment before she turns her head away from your glare.

"First off, I'll pretend you're too stupid to realize 'horse' is considered a derogatory term around here," she bitterly retorts. "But to answer your question... I am Luna, in a quite literal sense."

You lean back towards your side of the car, slamming the steering wheel with a clenched fist.

"Of course, more mind games. What else is new?"

"I'm not done, you impatient mule," Nightmare snaps, drawing your attention back to her. "If you're not going to shut up and keep an open ear for five minutes, why should I bother wasting my breath?"

Biting your tongue before you hurl back an insult, you take a moment to reflect on the night thus far. You haven't been doing much thinking or listening tonight. Perhaps it's time to start.

The car remains silent for a while before Nightmare begins to speak again, facing away from you and towards her window.

"Luna - or should I say, we, were miserable for a time when we had to stash away our own hopes and desires for what Celestia called 'the greater good of Equestria.' That was painful enough, but to add upon that ruling beside your older sister? Whom everyone else adored more than you? Misery does not begin to describe it."

"Why didn't Luna just tell Celestia how she felt?" you ask with genuine curiosity. Nightmare Moon turns to face you, surprisingly devoid of emotion.

"Being the older sister, Celestia had a bit of an issue listening to her sibling from time to time. Luna decided it was not worth the effort to bring up her own problems, as it would only serve to make herself look jealous and selfish. So, she bottled up that frustration. Telling no one, for a time. But at some point, one has to vent such anger, and in periods of isolation, Luna would let it out to the only pony she could trust to listen and agree. Herself."

As she continues, Nightmare's eyes seem to glaze over, as if she is looking beyond you and visualizing what she speaks.

"Of course, such a release can be beneficial. But when you become your only audience, your only shoulder to cry upon, your own being can emerge into a separate part of yourself. Especially after years of such behavior. Continuing to do so can slowly warp your own conscious until it begins answering back, offering comfort. Taking a form all its own."

"Hold up," you say, stopping her before she can continue. "Are you trying to tell me Luna pushed her own sanity to the brink and created you? Some sort of perverted tulpa?"

"I see somepony is well-versed in their folklore and mythology," Nightmare teases with a smirk. " To think mom said those old stories couldn't teach you anything."

"And how the hell would you know anything about me or my past?" you demand, irritated by her tone. Admittedly, you're also irritated that she's right.

"Well, I don't have the key to the city, but the library is public access," she replies, pointing to your head. "I decided to help myself to some past memories for my own amusement."

You can only fold your arms in front of yourself and glare in disapproval as Nightmare Moon flashes you a rather mischievous grin, showing off her fangs.

"Get used to it, we're roommates now," she taunts, before returning to a more serious demeanor. "Anyways, I suppose I started out as a tulpa, even if I find that a rather belittling term. But over the years, Luna and I would discuss her anger, her sorrow, and I comforted her as best I could, all the while trying to come up with a way to help her with her problems as I began to think for myself. Whether it be the stress from all that pent-up rage, or trying to balance both of our personalities, Luna finally reached the breaking point."

"And the rest is history, I suppose," you add, garnering a solemn nod from Nightmare. "But why are you telling me all of this information? Not your history, I asked for that, I mean what Luna was trying to hide from me, that you're crammed inside my head now."

"Because Luna is going to lead to her own self-destruction again if she keeps lying her way through this," Nightmare grumbles, much to your surprise.

"Why do you care? I mean, the two of you don't seem to have a happy relationship anymore."

Nightmare Moon's brow furrows as she mulls your question, hesitant to respond for a short spell.

"As much as I despise being ignored, I came from a desire to help her, to help myself. I suppose that desire still remains inside of me, a bit. Which is why I'm passing on this information to you."

"So you can get attention?" you ask, loading your inquisition with sarcasm as you look forward out the windshield.

"So you can help her, you idiot! I'm trying to help the both of you," Nightmare Moon snaps back. "If you couldn't deduct from everything I've told you that she has major trust issues, you're as hopeless as she is."

"Joke's on you, I figured that out a while ago," you reply.

"Joke's on you, you've been talking to an empty passenger seat," she says. You turn your head to the right just as you hear Nightmare Let out a chuckle, almost sinister in nature, echoing away into silence.

A bit unsettled by the realization you've been conversing with someone that was never there, you shake it off as you start up the Superbird again, grabbing the wheel and the shifter and whipping the car around in a quick u-turn. As you row through the gears and head for distant lights far on the horizon, your mind goes over everything you've learned tonight.

It takes close to three hours to reach Canterlot's castle, leaving your joints a bit achy even before you begin climbing the flights of stairs to the sisters' private chambers.

One good thing about being unique in this world is everyone knows who you are just by a quick glance. You have no issues getting past the guards as you pass by them in the halls, offering a knowing nod of the head as you wave to them. But now as you reach the final few steps, you're almost hesitant to go on.

Even with all that time to think, you don't have much of an idea what to say to Luna. Apologize for getting so angry with her as well as the comment are obvious no-brainers. But do you tell her what you have learned to try to help her let go of some of the stress? Or will that cause more issues? Surely she will want to be filled in on what made you understand what she's been through.

In the end, you decide to play it by ear, as you reach Luna's closed door and knock lightly.

"Luna?" you call softly.

With no response, you try the door handle, which twists freely in your grasp. Gingerly, you push the door open a way, poking your head through the gap. While it is dark in her room, enough light filters in from the balcony for you to make out Luna's bed, and a form lumped underneath the covers.

"Luna?" you call again, a bit louder than before. The sheets jostle around the form on the bed in a frenzy, before Luna's head pops up out of the mess.

"Anonymous," Luna mumbles in surprise. She rubs her eyes as you slowly make your way into her room. As you get closer, her disheveled mane and rather red-tinged eyes would tell she did not go to sleep on a high note, if you didn't know that already.

"Hey Luna," you say quietly, unsure of where to start. You stop at the foot of her bed.

"How did you get here?" she asks.

"I drove here. Took a while, but... well here I am."

"Why?" Luna asks as she drops her gaze downward, her tone flat and almost demanding in nature.

"Judging by what I've said and done tonight before traveling here, I'd say I'm a pretty stupid person," you say, biting your lip. "I'm sorry, Luna."

"You really came all the way out here just to say you're sorry?" she asks, not believing what she's saying. She tries to make some sort of order out of the tangle of blankets before giving up, ushering you to sit down next to her with a wave of the hoof.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I wanted to say something through our link, but..." You trail off as you sit down, kicking off your shoes before bringing your legs up onto the bed as well.

"I was afraid of what else you might have been trying to tell me," Luna replies, her voice quavering just a bit as she reminisces the events of earlier tonight. You seize the moment to put an arm around her and pull her next to you in a gesture of comfort.

"As I said, I can be pretty stupid sometimes. Especially when I lose my temper," you admit. "I need to work on that. But it wasn't fair of me to get that angry with you in the first place. I mean, I really wish you would have told me before I found out for myself. But in reality, other than the shock of it, nothing has happened to me thus far. I haven't exploded or anything."

For the first time since you've arrived, Luna's somber demeanor breaks, offering you a small smile for a moment before it fades.

"I suppose I still have some issues regarding trust that I still have yet to resolve," Luna admits, as you nod in understanding.

"From what I've heard, you've been dealing with those issues for quite a while."

Luna's eyes narrow at you in suspicion as you mentally kick yourself for saying that.

"What do mean, 'from what you've heard?'" she inquires.

You figure there's no sense in lying about it if you are trying to convince Luna to be more open with you. Time to practice what you preach.

"I... Nightmare moon talked to me tonight. Before I headed here. Sort of gave me a brief inside story of you and what you've dealt with," you say, almost in a whisper.

Luna's eyes widen as you watch her process the bombshell you just dropped on her. She remains silent for a time, almost as if in a trance.

"You okay, Luna?" you ask, becoming a bit unsettled by her silence. Luna finally shows some sign of life as she shakes her head, bringing herself back to the conversation.

"I'm just surprised. Shocked. Now I know how you felt tonight, I guess," she replies with a slight chuckle. " But I would not recommend continuing to speak with her, even if she was the catalyst for you coming here tonight."

"Why's that? I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, I just assume you have a reason."

"I just don't believe it is a good idea, is all," Luna says in a cryptic manner, making your heart sink a bit. There must be more to it than that, but after making amends, you don't want to push your luck.

"Okay," you agree. In the back of your head, you feel a twinge of anger seemingly pop up out of nowhere. Deep down, you know it isn't your anger emerging, but someone else unhappy with your agreement.

"And I am sorry as well, Anonymous," Luna says, wrapping her forelegs around you and she hugs you tightly. "I will try to be more open with you in the future."

A sudden, loud snort breaks the silence, making both of you jump a bit.

"What the hell was that?" you whisper, as Luna just chuckles.

"My sister, in all her nightly glory. I am surprised you never heard her snoring when you were me for a time. Perhaps she tried her best to stop it from happening, knowing that you were not me at that time."

"I definitely would have heard that, I'm not THAT heavy of a sleeper," you reply, before shaking your head. "Anyway Luna, I'm sorry your special night got wasted on our squabbling."

Luna chuckles as she waves off your apology with a hoof. "Do not fret, there will be plenty more Nightmare Nights to come. They can not all go off without a hitch. But the celebration does not end until the sun rises, there are still scares to be had."

Luna eyes you with a smirk, before her eyes dart to the right, nodding her head to the door. You can only chuckle when you get what she's trying to tell you.

As morning breaks, you and Luna make idle chat in the dining room over a cup of coffee, as Celestia finally strides through the doorway.

Or perhaps stumbles through the doorway would be more appropriate, as the normally cheerful white alicorn yawns loudly, barely paying any attention to the two of you.

"Good morning sister," Luna sings in a giddy voice.

"It is morning, yes. I'm not sure how good it is right now," Celestia mumbles, levitating a coffee mug out of an open cabinet. Carefully, she pours herself some of the steaming brew out of the pot on the counter. Setting the full mug on the counter, she quickly chugs the rest of what is left in the coffee pot, as you and Luna exchange amused glances.

"Anonymous, I'm surprised to see you here." Celestia chips in as she dabs her snout with a napkin.

"Yeah, I decided a sleepover with Luna would be fun tonight," you say with a smile. Meanwhile, Celestia's vision narrows, darting between you and Luna.

"You wouldn't happen to know anything about my room being spontaneously afflicted by a poltergeist last night, would you?" she asks tepidly.

"I didn't hear anything last night, Tia," you say, doing your best to keep a straight face. All eyes turn to Luna, who is biting her lower lip.

"Sister?" Celestia asks as she raises an eyebrow.

"They say the veil between the world of the living and the world of the departed is at its thinnest on Nightmare Night, dear sister," Luna says.

Celestia's eyes narrow as she slowly shuffles towards her sister.

"Mwahaha," Luna chuckles in a sinister voice, grinning widely as she sports a pair of slowly growing fangs.

Author's Note

Not dead, guys and gals. Been keeping the wheels turning one sentence at a time as I've binged on my other hobbies in the past couple months. But I knocked out the last 1k words in this chapter the past two days, so maybe (hopefully) I'll be doing some binge writing for the next couple weeks.

Chapter 17

"Anonymous!"

You jolt up in your seat, nearly tipping backward in your chair before you settle down. In front of you stands Twilight, disapproval emanating from her dour expression.

"What?" you call back, trying to act innocent.

"Were you sleeping again?" Twilight inquires, despite knowing the answer.

"If I say yes, are you going to be mad at me?"

"Yes."

"Then no, I was not."

Twilight Sparkle only shakes her head in frustration as she turns around and grabs an eraser, wiping the chalkboard free of the gibberish it contained.

The past few weeks had been a replay of this same scene, as Twilight has been on an endeavor to tutor you through various lessons on magic, in the hopes you may get a grasp on it. But whether it has been the rather stuffy atmosphere in her tree-library combination she calls home, or the inconceivable and rather dull subject matter, you have had difficulty staying tuned in to what Twilight is attempting to teach you. More often than not, you have dozed off when she has gone on one of her many rambling monologues.

"How are you going to learn anything if you keep falling asleep, Anonymous?" she cries in exasperation, turning back to face you. "It's been nearly a month, and we still aren't past the basic material."

"I'm sorry Twilight, it's not like I'm doing this on purpose," you whine, throwing your hands in the air. "But even this 'basic' stuff boggles my mind. You keep telling me to find that magical spark and grab onto it, and I don't have a clue where to find it or how to look for it."

Twilight's ears droop as her expression softens up. "I know. This has been more difficult than I had imagined it would be," she admits, frowning as she places her hooves on the desk you are seated behind, leaning towards you. "I feel like I'm not doing enough to help you along, either."

"Twily, you drill me on this stuff for two hours a day, sometimes more," you say, taking a moment to stretch your limbs. "I don't see what else you could possibly do. We may have to face facts, maybe I can't use magic even if it is in me."

"Don't give up," Twilight pleads, her eyes filled with worry.

"I'm not saying I'm giving up," you tell her, reaching up and running a hand down her mane. "But maybe we need to call it day."

With a relieved sigh, Twilight smiles and nods.

As you scoot your chair out from behind the desk and get ready to stand up, Twilight steps in front of you with a stern expression once again. "Just make sure you get plenty of sleep tonight, so you don't fall asleep in class tomorrow," she instructs.

"But then I don't have an excuse for falling asleep in class," you say, quickly grabbing her and hugging her tightly, causing her to squeal in surprise and delight.

Just then, the door flies open as Rainbow Dash rushes in, eyes frantically darting around the room, scaring the hell out of both you and Twilight. Rainbow says nothing as she darts around as if looking for something hidden in the room.

"Rainbow Dash, don't you know how to knock?" Twilight scolds, still sitting in your lap.

"I heard screaming, I thought you were in danger," Rainbow blurts, as her vision focuses on the two of you, turning her expression queer. "Uh, what are you two doing?"

Embarrassed, Twilight scrambles out of your grasp, leaping onto the floor and turning back to look at you. "Anon was just cracking my back for me, didn't you?" she says, nodding her head fervently with a smile.

"Uh yeah, no problem," you lie. "You definitely need to relax more, all that stress just tenses you up."

Rainbow Dash doesn't seem convinced as she continues to study both of you with attentive eyes, before shaking her head. "So Twilight, did the new Daring Do book come in yet?" she asks, her voice suddenly filled with excitement.

Twilight rubs a temple with her hoof, shaking her head. "No Rainbow, I told you I would let you know first when I get it in. Unfortunately, I did not get it in this week's shipment, so it likely won't be here until at least next week."

Rainbow Dash completely loses what little composure she had, grabbing Twilight with her hooves and shaking her in a frenzy. "Next week?! But it released today! What am I going to do, Twilight?"

Twilight raises her own hooves and places them on Rainbow's shoulders, trying to bring her back to earth. "You're just going to have to be patient," she consoles, as Rainbow begins to pout. "I'm sorry, but I have no control over when my deliveries come."

"I never took you for someone that enjoys a good book, Rainbow. I figured that was too much of an egghead pastime for you," you tease. In an instant, Rainbow Dash takes to the air and is nose to nose with you, a fierce look in her eyes.

"There is nothing egghead about Daring Do," she grumbles, before moving back and brushing her mane back with a hoof. "You should pick up one of the books sometime, they're really good."

"I'll keep it in mind, thank," you reply. Rainbow nods with a grin as she drops back down to the floor, turning her attention back to Twilight once again.

"Are you sure everything is okay? No ninjas holding you hostage or anything?" she asks, her magenta eyes darting around the room with suspicion once again.

"We're fine, Rainbow. Maybe you need to lay off the adventure novels for a bit," Twilight replies with a giggle. "But I promise, when I get the new book in, you will be the first pony to know about it."

"Alright," Rainbow Dash concedes with a sigh. In an instant, she perks back up, full of energy. "Crap, I gotta get going, I'm going to be late for works. See you guys," she says, before zipping out the door, a rainbow trail left in her speedy wake.

Twilight only shakes her head with a smile as she closes the door with her magic. "I swear Rainbow tries to run late so she can go faster."

"Either that or she's terrible at planning," you reply.

"Yeah," Twilight trails off, her smile fading away with her voice. After a moment, her violet eyes focus on you. "Anon, I'm sorry. I just didn't want her to think something was going on between us."

You shrug it off. "Is there something between us?"

"Well, no. I mean, sort of," she hastily replies, quickly getting flustered by your question. "It's not really serious, but it is at the same time and I-"

Holding up a hand, you cut off her nervous rambling. "Twilight, calm down. I was just asking. We're good."

Twilight gives a sheepish grin as she lets out a nervous giggle. "Sorry, I guess I just get a little excitable sometimes," she admits.

It is nothing new for you. Since the night at the old castle when you kissed Twilight to calm her thoughts, she has flopped back and forth between considering a relationship with you and getting cold feet. Er, hooves. Luna didn't mind at all, nor did you initially, but the past month or so has been a seesaw.

"I know you do, Twilight. You just need to relax and not think so much," you lament, patting her head in reassurance as you finally rise out of the chair in which you have been seated. "Anyways, I guess I'll head home and tinker with my car. It's a nice day out, may as well take advantage of it."

"Yes, before long winter will be here," Twilight chips in, pushing your chair in behind the desk as you head for the door. "See you tomorrow, then?"

You turn around as you pull on the handle, the door opening with a creak. "You bet, Twilight. No promises I'll stay awake though," you say with a smirk. Twilight merely shakes her head, and you step out into the warm fall sunlight.

While the old girl has never seen winter since you've owned her, the cool mornings and evenings of fall are still enough to play havoc with the driveability of the Superbird. Ever the cold-blooded beast, you usually have to tweak the carburetor at least twice a year to keep the engine running strong. At times the desire to go modern and put fuel injection on the Hemi came up, but in the end, that takes away some of the involvement that makes a classic so special.

As you make a few tweaks to the carb jets, you get the sensation of being watched. And you already know by who.

"Hi Moonbutt," you say without turning. A disappointed stomp of a hoof is the initial response you get, signifying your instincts were spot on.

"I do wish you would at least play along at some point for old time's sake," Luna pouts as you rise up from the fenders of the car and tun around. as expected, she's giving you her sad teal eyes.

"If I did that, I wouldn't get to see the face you're making right now," you tell her. She rises up on her hind legs and puts her forelegs around your neck. You likewise return her warm embrace, soaking in her lavender scent. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were presiding on the throne today."

Luna hops down, her beaming smile you've grown accustomed to once again returning. "Well, I am, but it has been slow today. I thought I would see what you are doing."

"Nothing exciting, really," you say, shrugging your shoulders. " Just tinkering with my car."

"I should have expected that," Luna says, giggling. "How did this morning's lesson go with Twilight?"

Despite your best efforts, you can't help but feel your frustration bubble back to the surface. "Not very well, Luna. If it was an actual class, I would be flunking right now."

"Anonymous, you can't get down on yourself about this," Luna consoles, wrapping a wing behind you and pulling you up close to her. "You must keep in mind, none of us are certain you can even use the magic inside of you. This is just as much of a learning experience for us as it is for you. Nopony said it would be easy, or even successful."

"I know, but I would still like to see at least some sort of progress to know I'm not wasting my time," you tell her, slipping free from her grasp and grabbing your tools from underneath the hood of the car. "I've already gotten this pep talk from Twilight earlier today."

"What is bothering you about Twilight?" Luna suddenly spouts, throwing you off a bit as you close the hood. Instead of going all the way down, the springs catch and send the hood back up, almost catching you in the chin.

"Twilight? Nothing. Where did you come up with that?" you ask, properly closing the hood before turning around. Luna is quite literally in front of you, her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"Your tone of voice changed when you said her name. What's wrong?" Luna asks again, softening her gaze just a bit.

"Luna, relax," you say, even as she pushes forward. With no other choice, you take a seat on the nose of the Superbird.

"Tell me," Luna instructs.

"You want me to make something up for you?" you shoot back, getting a little annoyed.

"No, just tell me what's bothering you," Luna's voice echoes from within your mind.

"Luna, get out of my head. Not cool," you scold. Undeterred, Luna smirks and places her forehooves on your legs, leaning towards you until your nose is touching her snout.

"All you have to do is tell me what's eating at you."

"Alright, look. Twilight is fine, we're fine," you stammer, as Luna lets up just a bit. Her smirk disappears in an instant as she stands upright again, her undivided attention all yours.

"You're both fine, so what is the issue?"

"I just don't know what we are," you mumble. "Ever since I kissed her in the castle, she's been....."

"A nervous ball of energy that cannot decide whether she truly desires a relationship?" Luna pipes in. You only stare back for a moment, surprised at her guess.

"Uh, yeah. You sound like this isn't something new," you reply, coaxing a chuckle from Luna as she relaxes a bit and sits down.

"Well, maybe this is a new situation. But I'm not at all surprised to hear Twilight is unsure of which path to take," Luna says. "I have seen it many times in only the couple years that I have known her. Some of it is social anxiety, some of it is a fear of change, the unknown."

"I get that, but it just puts me in an awkward spot," you lament, standing up again as you let your bottled up frustration out. "I want to support her in either choice she makes, whether that be just friends or more like what the two of us have. But how do I do that?"

"You will just have to be patient and let Twilight come to that conclusion on her own," she says, giving you a reassuring smile. "There's not much you can do, just keep being the friend that she has known in your time here."

Admittedly, you feel quite a bit better talking this out with Luna, as you exhale your remaining stress away. "Thanks, Luna. Maybe if the whole night princess thing stops working out, you should consider being a therapist," you quip, earning a bout of laughter from Luna as she stands upright again.

"That's already a part of my job, Anon. You've seen me do my work in ponies' dreams at night," she replies. Her eyes abruptly dart up to the sky, glancing up at the sun. "I should probably be heading back to the castle, though. I do not want the guards to think something has happened to me. Would you like to come along?"

"If you want. I know it sucks being bored all day, I don't mind keeping company, but will the guards mind?" you ask, a bit unsure.

Luna dismisses your concerns with a wave of the hoof. "Do not worry yourself. The only thing that might come up is private matters a citizen wishes to discuss, in which case I'll just have you step outside for a moment."

"I'm in then, ready to go?" you ask, squinting as you prepare for the flash of light from teleportation.

"I thought we might take the more scenic route," Luna replies. As you refocus your eyes, Luna has her wings unfurled, motioning your attention to her back with a nod of her head.

"I hate to break it to you Luna, but I'm bigger than you are," you tell her, a bit flabbergasted by her suggestion. "No offense. I just don't want to hurt you."

"You don't think I know my own strength?" Luna teases with a smile. "As an alicorn, not only do I have the ability to fly like a pegasus, and the magic of a unicorn, I also possess the sheer brawn of an earth pony. You'd be but a feather to me."

Despite her confidence, you are still hesitant, remaining still as an awkward silence befalls the two of you. Luna only shakes her head and snorts, before a flash of light erupts from her, before fading away and leaving you alone. Your heart sinks as you worry you've offended her.

Another flash of light directly underneath you make you jump, as before you know it, Luna has reappeared, placing you upon her back in an instant.

"I'm not taking no for an answer. I'll prove to you I can do it," she stubbornly laments.

For you, it is still a rather uncomfortable arrangement, barely able to fit being seated on her back. "Luna, how is this going to even work? I mean, yes, you got me here, but this isn't exactly-"

Luna's form begins to glow underneath you, causing you to lose focus on your argument. Slowly, the silhouette of her body contorts and grows, while you feel your feet gradually lift off and leave the ground. When her magic dissipates, Luna is as tall as her sister, if not just a bit larger.

"Better?" she asks.

"Er, I guess. But I-"

Luna doesn't give you a chance to protest as her massive wings flare out ahead of you, each one as wide as you are tall. With one mighty flap after another, Luna propels the two of you into the air, as you quickly wrap your arms around her neck and hold on for dear life.

"Luna, I'm afraid of heights," you quickly blurt out, keeping your eyes planted on the back of her head rather than dare look down. Your heart pounds in your chest, as you try to focus on your breathing and not completely hyperventilate.

"Really?" she asks, concern in her voice. "You did just fine flying when you were me for a spell."

"Yeah, because I was you. Meaning I had wings," you sharply reply.

"I suppose that makes sense," she muses, turning her head a bit to make eye contact with you. "But let me show you something to ease your nerves, just let go of my neck first."

"Are you nuts? No way in hell am I letting go," you bark.

"Please, just trust me, Anon," Luna pleads, flashing her sad eyes as extra encouragement.

"Dammit, why do you have to do that?" you sigh, relinquishing your grip. You're still a sucker for that look, and Luna takes advantage of it whenever she can.

Without warning, Luna rolls over until the two of you are flying inverted, leaving her giggling gleefully.

"Luna, what the hell are you doing?" you scream, your heart feeling like it's going to explode as you hang upside down on her back.

"Proving to you there is no need to be fearful of flying with me," she calmly replies. "You're not holding on right now, but are you falling?"

"I.... huh," is all you can manage to say, as Luna rolls right side up again.

"As long as I have my magic, you need not fear falling. I wasn't even actively casting a spell to hold you," Luna spouts gleefully, before pulling up into a small loop.

Your anxiety subsides a bit with this new revelation, though you're still not keen on looking down at the landscape below. In the meantime, Luna picks up her pace, wingbeats steadily increasing as the two of you go ever faster. it's hard to gauge how fast you really are going without some sort of reference point besides clouds, but the fact that the castle is already coming into focus ahead tells you you're hauling the mail.

"There is one other thing I want to discuss, Anonymous," Luna says softly, slowing her pace. "How is everything... 'upstairs?'" She points a hoof to her head.

Instantly, something like a warm, prickly feeling emanates from somewhere inside the back of your head, letting you know that Nightmare Moon is listening in. You've grown accustomed to knowing when she's either trying to manifest or get your attention in the weeks following her first appearance.

"It's - I'm doing okay, I think," you respond, garnering a look of unease from Luna as she slows her pace even further.

"That's not very reassuring," Luna says, treading carefully. "You are keeping your distance from her as I asked, yes?"

Even before Luna finishes her inquisition, you feel a wave of anger wash over you briefly, likely originating from Nightmare Moon once again. True, you had promised Luna you would not speak to Nightmare, but things haven't quite worked out that way. On several occasions she appeared in your dreams, complete with her snarky attitude you have grown to know and loathe, usually ending with an argument about something trivial and stupid that happened earlier in the day that she witnessed.

Yet, in some ways, it seems Nightmare does genuinely care about anything that is bothering you, though she certainly won't admit it. Often times, you've talked out loud to yourself to sort out your personal issues, a habit which lends itself to an open door for Nightmare Moon to walk through. Her lack of any sort of social grace from being sealed away for so long is detrimental to any sort of advice she could give, but you sort of like having someone there just listening.

"Anonymous?" Luna calls, breaking you from your thoughts. As you refocus, Luna has inverted herself while you have remained stationary, ending up with you riding on her belly as she gazes into your eyes, visibly concerned.

"Sorry, I spaced out for a moment," you say, trying to brush away her fears. "It's been a trial and error getting used to having someone else sentient in my head. I'm managing, but I may have slipped up a few times."

It only works a little as Luna sighs, rolling back over. "Well, I appreciate you being honest. Just try to keep working on it."

"Is it really a big issue, though? Not to say you're wrong, but Nightmare, she actually seems like she wants to help sometimes," you say quietly, trying to ease into this as delicate as possible.

Judging by the way Luna's ears suddenly pin back, you were not successful.

"You realize you are talking about the same fiend that tried to wrest control of your own mind from you when we were swapped around? As well as persuaded me to commit an atrocity for which I feel I still have not made enough amends. Am I hearing you correctly?" Luna demands with a rough tone.

Your anxiety earlier returns again in full force, while the simmering anger from a piece inside you begins to bubble up again. Taking a deep breath, you do your best to push aside the storm inside you and remain calm.

"Yes, Luna, and I'm not saying you're wrong. I just don't understand why you're suddenly so angry about all of this again. You said yourself, this was a choice you made, and why would she want to talk about issues that I'm facing if she didn't really care?"

"To fool you into believing her lies, Anonymous. You are already beginning to be blinded by her facade, and there is no telling what she could do if you continue to follow this path," Luna warns in a grim voice.

"But you said she couldn't do anything. Or were you making that up?" you prod with suspicion.

A flash of light answers, followed by the castle's shadow suddenly looming over the two of you. Only moments before it had still been a hazy mirage on the horizon.

"Well, here we are," Luna pipes up, completely ignoring what you just said. Gracefully, she flares out her wings as she approaches her room's balcony, touching down so lightly upon it you hardly feel the landing.

"Luna, did you hear what I said?" you ask, trying to mask your irritation as you slide off her back. While the flight wasn't as terrifying as it started out, you're still glad to be back on solid ground.

"Yes, I heard you," Luna says, her body wrapped in a bright glow as she reverts to her normal shorter stature. "And there is nothing to worry about."

"But you just said-"

"Just heed my warnings, Anonymous, and trust me," Luna says, her teal eyes locked on you in a rather cold, stern stare. You can't help but shiver a bit at her sudden change in demeanor before her mood instantly brightens up again.

"Now then, we should hurry back to the throne room, I'm sure the guards are having a fit that I have been gone for this long," she chirps, turning away and heading into her room proper. You follow her as she leads you onward, while your mind goes over the short, awkward conversation again.

You love Luna, but something is going on that she isn't willing to divulge.

And that thought frightens you worse than anything Nightmare Moon has done to you.

Author's Note

Another chapter knocked out, and this one took longer than I anticipated. Much of that has to do with this chapter being combined with a much later chapter in the story (the whole flying bit) because it didn't make much sense to have the fear of flying not addressed the first time out. In addition, there were some other changes from the original greentext story to align properly with the tweaks I have made in previous chapters.

Chapter 18

Luna wasn't joking when she said today had been a very dull day presiding over the kingdom. Over the course of the proceeding few hours, only a handful of ponies have appeared before Luna with an issue to resolve. Fortunately for her, you've been there to make idle chat, sitting beside her throne on an oversized cushion.

The two of you have made no mention of the earlier conversation, choosing to avoid the topic entirely and enjoy each other's company. Even so, you can sense Nightmare Moon is peeved with how that whole talk went down.

"I do appreciate you willing to spend time with me, it has made today enjoyable rather than dull," Luna gushes, leaning over to you with a pleasant smile.

"No problem, Moonbutt," you say, booping her nose with a finger. She blushes deeply as the guards in place at the base of the throne stairs exchange looks.

"Could we refrain from that name in public? It is a bit embarrassing," she mumbles through the link you share.

Sorry Moonbutt, you reply, making her blush yet again. She looks up, craning her neck to see the clock on the wall behind her.

"Well, it is just about time to call it a day," Luna announces aloud, rising up from the throne and stretching. You hear a few audible pops from her joints, making you realize how long the two of you have been sitting here. Likewise, you pick yourself up off your seat with a groan, feeling stiff.

"Wait!" shrieks a voice, before a flash of color bolts through the double doors marking the entryway to the room. The guards are caught by surprise, before assuming an attack posture with swords raised. Luna herself quickly stands at attention, while your heart skips a beat with the sudden excitement.

"Halt!" calls out Luna, just as the blur screeches to a stop. Everyone in the room freezes, including the intruder, who is none other than Rainbow Dash. Luna takes a deep breath upon seeing who it is, relaxing her body.

"Rainbow Dash, it is unwise to rush in here as you just did. What were you thinking?" Luna scolds, as Rainbow tries to catch her breath. But Luna's words seem to register with Rainbow Dash after a moment, as her ears drop and she drops her gaze to the floor.

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking," she laments, turning her gaze upwards to the princess. "I heard you say the day was over and I just panicked. I need to talk to you."

"Just because court is over does not mean I cannot make time for a friend," Luna replies, softening up her tone. "What troubles you?"

Rainbow Dash's confidence returns somewhat as she raises her head back up, scanning over the soldiers who have relaxed after the excitement just moments ago. "Actually, maybe it would be better if this was a more private conversation," she mumbles nervously.

"Of course, Rainbow," Luna replies, before turning her attention to her guards. "You are all dismissed, assuming nopony else is waiting outside."

"She is the last visitor, your majesty," one of the guards near the door calls out, as the rest of them bow and head towards the door in an orderly fashion. As the last one leaves, the massive doors glide closed, stopping with a resounding thump that echoes through the room.

"Is it all right if Anonymous stays with us?" Luna asks. Rainbow Dash seems perplexed at first before her eyes dart over to you. Apparently, she was too preoccupied with everyone else in the room to notice your presence, as she jumps a bit in surprise.

"What are *you* doing here?" Rainbow growls, pointing a hoof accusingly towards you.

"Whoa, what did I do, Rainbow?" you ask, trying to figure out her major malfunction. She was fine earlier today when you saw her, when she barged in when you were with Twilight...

Oh.

Hey, I think Rainbow's got the wrong idea about something that happened earlier today, you tell Luna. She doesn't turn her head, but she looks at you out of the corner of her eye.

"It would be impolite to jump to conclusions without letting her speak," Luna's voice echoes before her eyes shift back to Rainbow Dash.

"I believe it is safe to say you would like Anonymous to excuse himself, as it involves him," Luna says, her voice flat and calm.

Rainbow's anger softens up as her attention shifts from you back to Luna. "It's.... kinda. More about you, actually," she replies, her voice cracking with the uneasiness of her words.

"Very well," Luna announces, before turning her head to face you. "Anonymous, would you please excu-"

Before she finishes, a burst of fire appears in the air in front of Luna's throne. As it quickly dissipates, a scroll falls, landing on the floor soundlessly with a light bounce, before beginning to roll towards the stairs leading downward. A faint blue glow envelops it as Luna levitates and unfurls the note, while you and Rainbow Dash exchange glances.

After a short time, Luna pulls herself away from the scroll and back to the conversation at hand. "My apologies, Rainbow Dash, but I am needed immediately by my sister," she says, much to the disappointment of the rainbow-haired pegasus.

"What is it, Luna?" you ask, before backtracking a bit with another question. "Where is your sister, anyway?"

"My sister is in Pintonesia, surveying the damage done due to an earthquake just a few days ago, and seeing what we can provide to aid them. She doesn't seem specific in why I am needed though, which is odd..." Luna says, examining the scroll closer.

"Why don't you two just instant message each other through your link like we do?"

"Such a long distance requires much more effort on our part to get through to the other side, more effort and energy to expend than practical. It is a wonderful gift, but it too has its limits," Luna replies, before rolling up the note and tucking it under her wing. "I must get going if I am to reach Celestia before nightfall, but I should be back sometime tonight if all goes well."

"I can just wander around the castle while you're gone, maybe do some reading in the library," you tell Luna, as you feel Dash staring at you again.

"That sounds like a good idea. Perhaps you and Rainbow Dash can..... discuss the issue she came here with as well," Luna says as her eyes dart between you and Rainbow Dash. "Again Rainbow Dash, I apologize."

"It's okay, I understand," Rainbow says politely.

With that, Luna trots down the stairs and through the doors at a brisk pace, leaving you and Rainbow alone with an uneasy silence.

Good luck, and I will be back as soon as I can, Luna tells you through the link.

"So, Rainbow Dash," you start, before Dash's expression quickly snaps back to one of barely contained anger.

"You have a lot of nerve being here," she shouts, taking to the air to quickly reach where you are seated. In an instant, she's practically nose to nose with you, her fierce magenta eyes shooting daggers into you while you try to push yourself further into the cushion upon which you are seated.

"Dash, I know you're upset, and I know why you're here. Are you willing to listen to me?" you ask as gingerly as possible.

Rainbow Dash doesn't blink or respond in any sort of way for what seems like an eternity. The silence in the room at this point is nearly deafening as you decide what to do next.

"You have thirty seconds to explain yourself, so you better talk as fast as I fly," she demands, flitting backward just a bit to give you some breathing room.

"I don't think that's possible," you tell her, trying to get her to relax a bit so you can put enough of this story together to convince her.

It works as she anger melts away, her face breaking out into a cocky smile as she slicks her mane back with a brush of her hoof. "I know," she boasts, before quickly regaining control over her ego. Shaking her head out of the clouds, her anger returns with a vengeance. "Enough flattery, you're wasting time."

"Okay, first of all Dash, I'm sorry you came out all this way to talk to Luna because Twilight can't make up her mind what she wants. No, there's not really anything going on between me and Twilight, aside from the occasional light display of affection, and she's probably going to kill me for telling you this," you ramble, before taking a breath to continue. "Luna knows about all this. In fact, I was just discussing it with her earlier. This goes way back to when the three of us spent a night in the abandoned castle months ago."

Rainbow's eyes focus on nothing in particular as she mulls over the wealth of information given to her, even as her face remains gruff and unhappy.

"If all of this is true, why wouldn't Twilight have told me? I've known her longer than you have, there's no way she would keep a secret like this from me," Dash protests.

"You kidding me Dash? You know how neurotic Twilight can be, if she isn't sure about something, she bottles up that anxiety until she figures it out," you reply, unable to hold back a slight chuckle.

Rainbow Dash seems to come around as the anger displayed on her face melts away. "If this is all true, then why didn't YOU say something to me? I could have helped out, I could talk to Twilight," she responds, with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"Wasn't my choice, Dash. Twilight didn't want anyone to know she was trying to decide whether a relationship was something she desired. Hell, the scene in the library you barged in on earlier today? That was just a hug. And you saw how freaked out she got."

"So, you two weren't.... 'doing it'?" she asks, emphasizing the last phrase with a motion of her hooves.

"Wait, hold on. You thought me and Twilight were getting it on?" you say, not quite believing Rainbow is being serious right now.

"I don't know how all that works with your kind, how am I supposed to know?" she barks back, as all you can do is laugh at the absurdity.

"Wow Dash, that's something I would have expected to come out of Twilight's mouth," you tell her, as you calm down.

"I don't care," she says, slightly irritated. "I'm just glad I was wrong, for the most part."

Finally getting up after sitting for a few hours, you stretch and get a few pops out of your joints, just as Luna had. Slowly you descend the stairs, with Rainbow by your side.

"I have to say I'm glad you were concerned about Luna in all of this mess, if that means anything," you tell Dash.

"Hey, she's my friend," Dash replies with a smile, before her expression grows a bit uneasy. "Well, that and I guess I was a little worried about what Luna would do if she found out about this for herself later on. You know, with her... 'history'."

"Yeah, I don't think you have to worry about that," you respond. Rainbow gives you a confused look, indicating Twilight hasn't told her about the latest development. "She's gotten a lot more resilient," you quickly add. You figure there's no real reason for her to know, why stir up more drama?

"Right," Dash agrees, still unsure. She shakes her head free of confusion. "Anyways, I should probably be heading home now, next train leaves in just a few minutes, I think."

"You don't want to hang out? I'm sure Luna wouldn't mind, and she will probably be back before you know it," you suggest.

Rainbow Dash reluctantly shakes her head. "Sorry, I gotta work tomorrow morning. We're preparing for a big rainstorm in the afternoon, it's going to be a rough day," she says. It still amazes you they create their own weather here and don't just make it as sunny and warm as possible.

"Alright, at least you get to leave on a positive note, right?"

"Yeah, sorry for snapping at you, by the way," Dash apologizes, rubbing the back of her head in shame. You take the time to reach a hand up and ruffle her mane playfully.

"No worries, you're looking out for your friends, I can respect that," you tell her. "Have a safe trip home."

"Thanks. We'll hang out sometime soon, I promise," Dash says, before darting off through the castle in a blur.

With not much else to do, you push through the doors as well and head down the hall towards the library. With any luck, maybe you can find a book to help make some sense of what Twilight is trying to teach you.

"That is an interesting way to read a book," a familiar voice coos as light suddenly hits your eyes. It takes a moment to adjust, but once your vision focuses, you find Luna leaning over you with a smirk on her face. Just barely in your field of view is the book you were "reading," levitating in the air with the help of Luna's magical aura.

"Your bed is way too comfortable to lend itself to anything other than sleep," you joke, garnering a slight giggle from the night princess. Slowly propping yourself up on your elbows, Luna gives you some space as you turn to look out the balcony, expecting to see a starry night sky.

Instead, the sun hangs just above the horizon, with the moon nowhere in sight just yet.

"Wow, you got back really early, what happened?" you ask.

"Oh, by the time I got halfway there, she sent me another message saying she had everything figured out and didn't need me," Luna grumbles, motioning for you to move to the side so she can join you on her bed. You oblige her, scooching over as she clambers up and lays next to you.

"That's not so bad, at least we get to spend more time together," you say, trying to spin the situation into a positive, before switching gears. "I got Rainbow Dash all sorted out by the way."

"Er, Rainbow Dash? What did she want?" Luna inquires, much to your surprise. You think maybe she's playing with you, but her serious expression says otherwise.

"You know, the thing between me, you and Twilight? That whole mess?"

"Right," Luna says, nodding her head but still seeming to not quite get it. "It doesn't matter, I suppose. What matters now is we have all night to spend with each other," she gushes, a sly grin crossing her face.

You feel that familiar prickling sensation in the back of your head again, rapidly getting more and more intense as Luna pulls you closer to her with one of her soft wings. Before long, the sensation becomes almost unbearable, forcing you to pull away from Luna. As you scramble off the bed, you turn to see Luna visibly upset and concerned by your reaction.

"Sorry, I suddenly have to go to the bathroom real bad," you lie. "I'm going to use the one down the hall, instead of your personal lavatory. I don't think this is going to be pleasant," you add, causing Luna to wrinkle her nose in disgust.

"I uh, I understand," she says with unease. "But hurry back."

You rush out of the room and down the hall, confused and a little scared yourself by what is going on. Slowly, the feeling fades away, and by the time you reach the bathroom, it has fully dissipated. Even so, you close and lock the door behind you as you step in. The mirror over the sink reveals you don't exactly look the greatest either, beads of sweat from the stress of the situation forming on your forehead. You lean over the sink and turn it on, splashing some cool water over your face.

This is getting ridiculous. Maybe Luna was right, Nightmare Moon could be trying to wrest control of your mind away from you by acting like something other than a pain in the ass. After all, these sensations didn't really begin until you started to speak with her. What the hell were you thinking?

You feel a bit better with the sensation gone, but your thoughts are no less comforting as you turn off the water and grab the towel hanging up by the side. Drying off, you stand up straight and nearly fall backward when your eyes return to the mirror in front of you.

"You have no idea how much effort it took to get your dumb ass to pay attention," Nightmare Moon growls, her visage in the mirror panting as if she just finished running a marathon.

"What?" you exclaim.

"Keep your voice down," Nightmare hisses, finally catching her breath somewhat. "She isn't going to be able to hear me, but if you keep shouting-"

"What the hell are you talking about? I mean, I'm not even supposed to be talking to you right now," you snap back in a low tone. You really don't know why you're heeding her instructions, but at this point, your frayed nerves are getting the best of your rationale.

"There is no time for me to fill you in, you just need to get out of this castle and run as far as you can," Nightmare instructs with a stern voice, motioning with her feral eyes to the door to your side.

"Right, because I'm going to listen to the boogey-mare in the mirror. That makes complete sense," you sharply reply, in no mood to deal with these mind games. "That's fine, I get you're pissed at Luna because she said you're a bad influence, but don't take it out on me."

"That isn't Luna, you dolt," Nightmare shouts, baring her fangs. "Did you stop and think how odd it was she didn't even remember the whole thing with Rainbow Dash? That happened just a few hours ago?"

A knock on the door prevents you from answering or mulling over Nightmare's questions. "Are you all right in there?" calls Luna's voice from the other side. " I thought I heard you mumbling to yourself."

"Yeah, I'm just... trying to talk myself through this," you groan, trying to sound sick. Your eyes dart across the bathroom, centering on the bar of soap nestled in its own tray above the sink. You grab it and chuck it into the toilet, making a loud splash. Everything goes deathly quiet in an instant.

"Er, okay then. Just wanted to check on you, I'm going back to my room," Luna replies cautiously. You hear her gag quietly as her hoofsteps trail off down the hall. As you turn your attention back to the mirror, Nightmare Moon smirks with amusement.

"Shut up, it bought us time," you grumble, not giving her a chance to comment.

"I said nothing. But try contacting her through your link, see if she responds," Nightmare says.

Hey Luna, is there more toilet paper in here somewhere? you ask silently. Waiting a few moments, your blood runs cold when there is no response. Even without an answer, you should be able to sense her presence when you reach out, but the connection feels empty.

You focus turns back to Nightmare Moon, whose eyes light up as she eagerly awaits to hear the outcome. Your mind reels from the number of questions you have, but you calm yourself enough to keep your voice low.

"How the hell did you know that wasn't going to work? And if that isn't Luna, who or what is that thing out there?"

"I could sense the magic emanating from her when she climbed up on the bed next to you. It only got stronger when she pulled you in closer." Nightmare Moon replies flatly, before mulling over what she just said. "Though I'm not sure why I could feel that while you could not. Perhaps because I wasn't the focus of her feeding-"

"We can analyze this shit later, what is she?" you interrupt.

"That thing out there is a changeling, and she wants you for dinner."

The term isn't entirely unfamiliar to you. You remember having an interest in folklore for a time back on Earth and coming across the old English monsters once or twice.

"So you could sense its transformation magic, or what? I don't get it," you confess. Nightmare sighs, rolling her eyes in irritation.

"Here you are criticizing me for being analytical, and you are doing the same shit," she complains. "But no, I could sense her drawing energy from you, trying to feed."

"Energy? Don't they feed off of bodily fluids, like blood?" you ask, confused.

"What? No," Nightmare replies, somewhat disturbed by your question. "They feed off of love. Wow, your world really is sick and twisted, isn't it?"

"Screw you," you snap back angrily. "So where is the real Luna?"

"How in Equestria should I know? I'm stuck with you, dingus. Now, get moving before that thing comes back to check on you."

Snapping back to the reality of your situation, you grab the door handle, before rethinking it and bending down to the floor. Looking underneath the door, you see no sign of anyone or anything waiting to surprise you when you walk out. As you rise back to standing up straight, you quickly unlock the door and shuffle out into the hall quietly.

Fortunately, there's no sign of anyone in either direction the hall leads, but you certainly won't take the chance of going past Luna's room. You're going to have to find an alternate way out of here. Not an easy task, considering the vastness of this place. Now you regret taking a nap in Luna's room, rather than exploring.

It is a delicate balance, trying to be quiet while covering the distance as quickly as possible. The carpeted floors certainly help your cause, as you rush down the hall in the opposite direction of Luna's room. Wherever this way leads, it at least gives you a head start on that.... thing before it realizes you're gone. Eventually, the hallway comes to an end, intersecting with yet another long, vast hall that leads in either direction. You consider your options, unsure where to go.

"Where are you going?" Luna's voice calls out from behind you. Your blood runs cold as you slowly turn around, finding "her" standing behind you. She doesn't look pleased in the slightest.

"Hey, I just decided... I worked up an appetite after all that. Just looking for the kitchen," you lie. The absurdity of what you just said doesn't escape you, but it was the first thing that came to mind. There is no change in the cross expression of the thing standing before you.

"I suppose I'm a little disappointed, but this was an experiment after all," she replies, her eyes suddenly flashing from their usual cool teal color to an iridescent emerald green as she takes a step towards you. "No matter, you aren't the main course."

Thinking fast as the situation becomes dire, you point a finger behind the faux Luna. "Princess Celestia might have something to say about that," you shout. As she turns her head to look back, you quickly turn and book it down the hallway to the left, running faster than you ever have in your life.

You don't get far before something hits the back of your head, causing you to stumble and fall flat on your face. A warmth suffuses throughout your body, dulling your senses even as you hear Luna's chuckling from behind you, growing deeper until it is entirely someone else's laughter.

"Nice try, but did you really expect to get far from me?" the voice asks. You feel too fatigued to respond or even move, your mind growing hazy. Something pushes you on your side, rolling you over with little regard for your comfort. "Luna" stands above you with a sinister grin upon her face, before your vision fades into nothing.

"Sweet dreams, freak."

Author's Note

This chapter has always been among my favorites to write, mainly for the bantering between Nightmare Moon and Anonymous in the mirror.

Hopefully I'll keep riding this wave of motivation, last weekend's Canadian airing of "A Royal Problem" certainly helped me with some extra inspiration.

Chapter 19

Head throbbing as you slowly come to, the sound of an echoing drip of water fills your ears. Slowly opening your eyes as you try to clear your mind of fog, your vision doesn't help much, as it is nearly pitch black wherever you have been deposited. You lie there for a while as you give your eyes time to adjust to what little light there is, as the occasional sound of a whistle of wind from somewhere far off is the only other thing you hear aside from dripping water.

It is obvious this is some sort of a cavern, even before your eyes make out the dark silhouettes of stalactites hanging low from the ceiling. With that in mind, you cautiously pick yourself up off the dusty floor, finding you are able to just stand up straight without endangering your head. It would have really been nice if the thing that put you down here had at least given you a flashlight.

Still feeling a bit woozy having just woken up, you shuffle down the narrow passage, using your hands to guide you along the rocky walls. You don't have a clue where you're going, but considering no one knows you're down here, waiting around isn't an option. Every once in a while you stop, listening for the slight whistle of the wind as you attempt to head in its direction. Where there's rushing air, there has to be an opening, right?

Stopping again at a fork in the path, you stand still to listen for the whistle. But instead of the wind, you hear the unmistakable sound of footsteps coming from the left. Quickly checking your surroundings, your heart races as you attempt to find somewhere, anywhere to hide. There's no way to tell if whatever else is down here may be friend or foe, you're not willing to take a chance with the way tonight has gone.

Unfortunately, you have to settle for pressing your body against the nearest wall in the path you just traveled, hoping to get the drop on whoever it is. You don't have to wait long, as the footsteps shuffle ever closer until a figure walks past, nearly as tall as you are when including its large horn. Despite the darkness, you can vaguely make out its mane, an ever-shifting, almost mist-like form, a lot like...

Luna, you call through the link. Instantly, the figure freezes in place.

"Anon?" Luna replies, surprised. "I've been trying to contact you, where have you been?"

Right behind you to your right, if you're the one down here in this cave with me, you respond. Much to your relief, the mystery figure indeed turns around in reaction to your message, as you step away from the wall you've been pressed against.

"What are you doing down here?" Luna asks, unable to contain the shock as you put your arms out and embrace her.

“No, you disappeared first, you tell your tale before me,” you say. “But why don’t we talk while we work on getting out of this place?”

Luna nods in agreement. “I don’t know how long I’ve been wandering around down here, but I feel the exit is close. I’ve been following the sound of the wind in these caverns.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’ve been trying to do after waking up,” you note.

“I suppose that explains why I could not sense your presence or contact you,” Luna replies, opening her right wing and wrapping it behind you. “Stay close, it’s a maze down here.”

“Can’t you just light it up with your magic?” you ask, a bit perplexed by her lapse.

“Well, I suppose I should explain what happened to me this afternoon,” she says, sighing as she guides you forward with her wing. “As you can tell, I did not make it to Pintonesia. It’s quite likely the letter itself was a fake, but a good one nonetheless.” She pauses a moment, listening for the wind again before continuing. “But anyways, while flying en route to meet my sister, I happened to spot a caravan below me that had stopped and looked as if they needed assistance. I swooped down to offer a helping hoof, finding they were having trouble replacing a wheel on one of their carts.”

“This already sounds like a setup to me, but hindsight is twenty-twenty, I suppose” you muse.

“Indeed, for as I leaned down to inspect the issue, one of the ponies clamped something to my horn as a few others grabbed me. I’m assuming that Item was a sort of magic inhibitor, for I could not teleport away. There was just too many of them, and they had the jump on me. I can only assume one of them either cast a spell on me or struck me over the head, as the next thing I remember is waking up here. A lot of effort for what I thought was to steal my regalia, because I noticed also when I woke up all of those items were gone. But with you deposited here, there must be a more intricate scheme being played out.”

"Well, your royal attire is safe, if that makes you feel any better," you say. “You were wearing them when you returned to the castle. Except, it obviously wasn’t you.”

“I..... what?” Luna asks, at a complete loss of words. “You saw me back at the castle? Tonight?”

“I thought it was you. Turns out, it was a changeling, who didn’t take kindly to me finding out the truth. so, here I am.”

“Oh no. I despise those accursed creatures,” Luna snarls, before her attention shifts. “But how did you know about changelings? And how in Equestria did you know it was not me?”

You hesitate for a moment, trying to decide how to answer her. Part of you wants to be honest, to tell her Nightmare Moon warned you, but you can only assume her reaction will not be one of relief. Your mind whirs as you quickly come up with something for a response.

‘The irony in all of this was the book I picked up out of the library was one of the various creatures in Equestria, and changelings happened to be there. When “you” returned, explaining how the talk with Rainbow Dash went didn’t seem to register with you, so my paranoia kicked in from reading that book. Tried to contact you via our link, and I didn’t get a response, so I knew something was up.”

You can practically feel Luna eye you with suspicion as you finish your tale. But if she doesn’t believe you, she keeps mum.

“It is more important than ever to get out of here now, and fast. Who knows what mischief these fiends are up to this time?” she says.

“’This time?’ You mean you have dealt with changelings before?” you ask, curious.

“I personally have not in many years, but we had an issue with them just a few years ago. One of the princesses was to be wed, and the changelings took that opportunity to crash the ceremony,” Luna responds. “This was when I still ruled over the night rather than shared duties with my sister, so I..... slept through the events.”

“Missed all the action, huh? I guess you aren’t that lucky this time around,” you quip, trying to lighten the mood a bit.

“No, it seems I am in the thick of this mess,” she grumbles. “But I do not understand; if I was not the target, and she was unable to use you, why did she resort to leaving us both here? Surely she is not going after my sister, who is not even due to arrive back for another day or two.”

“Well, I wasn’t the main plan, I know that much. All that thing said was I had been the experiment, and the main event was due to begin,” you reply.

"I do not like the sounds of that," Luna says, concern evident in her voice. "Let us make haste."

After about another hour of wandering underground. you and Luna eventually found a hole in the ceiling large enough to escape. Now, as you ride on the back of Luna, the two of you soar through the air, the lights of Ponyville shining like a beacon up ahead.

Despite the clear skies, it is exceptionally dark with the sun having gone down, as Luna has been unable to raise the moon. Sure enough, once above ground and with a little light, Luna had some sort of metallic ring on her horn, inhibiting her ability to use magic. Try as you might, the object could not be pried off, likely being placed there and only removable by an outside magic source.

"Perhaps it is a good thing I do not have my magic," Luna announces as she pushes herself down into a shallow dive, keen on getting to Twilight's home as quickly as possible. "It will be clear to my sister something is wrong due to the absence of the moon, I am sure she will be heading back as soon as possible."

"You don't think Celestia will just believe you've forgotten or fallen asleep or something?" you ask, holding on tight.

"No, neither of us has ever fallen negligent in our most important duty."

Luna levels out just as you reach the outskirts of Ponyville, the houses gradually clustering closer and closer together. Despite your aversion to heights, you look down, seeing if anyone is outside tonight mulling over the puzzling absence of the moon. You happen to spot a familiar purple and green figure frantically waving down below.

"Luna, hold up. I think that's Spike down below us," you yell, pointing down towards the animated dragon.

"What? Why would he be out at this time of the night?" Luna replies as she looks down below. She abruptly turns around in a tight spin and descends, forcing you to hold on even tighter to her neck. "And why are you holding on so tightly? I assure you, you will not fall."

"You don't have your magic, Luna," you respond.

"Right, sorry," she replies, embarrassed by her cognitive lapse, making you even more nervous. Part of you had hoped she would have some sort of comforting excuse. Fortunately, her hooves touch the ground without incident, and you eagerly hop off her back.

Spike is equally as eager to sprint up to the two of you, panting as he comes to a halt, trying to catch his breath. You and Luna exchange worried glances as you give the little dragon a moment.

"Spike, you okay dude?" you ask, scooping him up in your arms.

"Unless you just left Twilight's, tracked down Luna and hopped on her back for a quick flight all in the span of about five or ten minutes, no," he replies, his voice coming out a bit shaky.

"I wasn't at Twilight's," you reply, glancing over at Luna. Her expression reflects the feeling of dread inside of you.

"I know! I mean, I didn't think you would be rude enough to tell me to get lost. Or that Twilight would agree with you," Spike says, his voice trailing off with sadness. You give him a reassuring squeeze.

"No way I'd do that," you reply with exuberance. "And Twilight wouldn't either, under normal circumstances. But I think we know what the main plan is now." You look over to Luna, who nods in silent understanding.

"It's changelings again, isn't it?" he asks, his voice suddenly filled with anger. "I thought we got rid of them for good."

"You know about them too?" you inquire, setting him down on the ground.

"It's a long story. But what are you guys doing out here?"

"Escaping from our own encounter with the changelings. It seems they are using all resources available to make this plan succeed," Luna grumbles, before focusing on you. "Anonymous, I want you to stay here with Spike for the time being. I will head back to the castle in hopes of meeting my sister there before she encounters my imposter, and hopefully get this accursed ring off."

"You're just going to leave without helping Twilight?" you blurt. The thought of leaving Twilight at the hands of that creature posing as you any longer makes you sick to your stomach.

"It would be incredibly unwise to deal with the situation without my full power, even more so without magic AND alone. We will rescue her, I promise. But please, stay here with Spike," Luna replies quietly, her eyes pleading with you to calm down, before turning her attention to Spike. "If you could get a letter to my sister, it would be most appreciated."

The little dragon throws a salute, before pulling out a quill and paper from behind his back and quickly begins scrawling the message. Without another word, Luna jets into the air, quickly growing smaller as she rushes onward towards Canterlot. You stand there awkwardly in silence as Spike continues his writing, caught up in his own little world. Eventually, he finishes, rolling up the parchment and holding it outwards in his talons, before sending it off with a puff of green dragonfire from his maw.

"So, what happened tonight? I mean, I'm assuming I didn't just barge in and Twilight and not-me just told you to leave," you ask. Not falling for the bait yourself, you're wondering how this whole feeding thing works.

Spike shrugs his shoulders initially, seeming uneasy to discuss the situation. "I don't really know. You - well, the not-you, I suppose - knocked on the door and just walked in as soon as I opened the door. Twilight was downstairs working on some project, your imposter asked where she was. He went downstairs for a while, and then both of them came upstairs and told me to beat it."

"So you didn't see much of anything that happened between the two of them at all, huh? No wonder you were upset, how would you know it wasn't me?"

"I suppose I should have taken the hint when I saw your parking job, pretty sloppy," he says with a laugh. Your blood instantly runs cold.

"'Parking job?' That thing drove my car?" you ask through gritted teeth. NO ONE touches your Superbird without permission. EVER.

"Um, no?" Spike replies, quickly recognizing his mistake as you clench your fists. "Anonymous, just calm down, why don't we get some ice cream or something?" He tugs on your pants leg, hopeful you will listen to him.

But you're beyond angry right now as you pull away from him and start walking in the direction of Twilight's home. Waiting for Luna to return is unacceptable.

"Anonymous, what are you doing?" Spike calls after you.

"Saving Twilight, getting my car back, and kicking my ass," you shout, before breaking into a sprint through town.

It doesn't take long at all before Twilight's tree is before you, the light inside shining through the windows like a beacon as you come upon the house from the back side. Quietly, you ease up to one of the windows and peer inside, eager to see what is happening to your friend.

Twilight is seated on the floor, completely motionless with a blank stare upon her face, as if in some sort of trance. Right in front of her is a splitting image of you, a smug grin on your twin's face as he mumbles something to her that you cannot make out. As he finishes, a green haze envelops his hands, reaching out and placing them on either side of Twilight's head. Soon, Twilight's whole body is surrounded by the green glow emanating from the changeling's hands, though you see nothing happening physically.

Quickly, you circle around the house, spotting your Superbird parked awkwardly near the front door. Even from several feet away, you recognize the stench of a heavily abused clutch, quickly replenishing the anger deep inside you. That stupid creature couldn't even drive the damn thing properly, how did Twilight fall for this? Of course, Twilight is also often buried in a book and oblivious to happenings. Not to mention Spike said she was in the basement, but still.

But it doesn't matter now as you mull your options. Clearly Twilight is already under the changeling's influence, and there's no telling what that can do to her. Luna wants you to wait for her, and it's not like you have any weapons with which to fight.

Or maybe you do, as you eye your car again. Quickly sneaking over to the Superbird, you open the door and slide in, finding the keys still in the ignition. You crank over the engine, catching it before stalling with a jolt of the throttle, sending a resounding roar through the quiet town. For good measure you blare the horn a couple of times, the voice of the Roadrunner almost comical considering the situation in which you find yourself.

Sure enough, the front door to Twilight's house flies open, as a mirror image of yourself walks out and looks in your direction. You don't waste a second as you turn the wheel, gun the engine, and dump the clutch, lurching forward towards the imposter and Twilight's home. Shutting your eyes, you brace yourself once you've drawn a bead on your target in preparation for the impact.

"Sorry girl, this hurts me more than you, I hope," you mumble, just as the sound of tinkling glass and the crunch of sheetmetal fills your ears. Despite your efforts, you still slide forwards and strike the steering wheel with your head, leaving you dazed for a moment as you cut the engine and take your keys. You won't be leaving them in the car ever again if she can be salvaged. But your friend's well-being was worth the risk.

Needless to say, you don't let your eyes venture to the front of the car, unsure if you can stomach the sight of what was once the changeling, and what was once a pristine muscle car. Still feeling a bit woozy, you pull the door handle and push open the driver's door, slowly sliding yourself onto your feet and standing up, just as Twilight Sparkle pokes her head out of the opening to her home. Her eyes go wide in shock as she slowly shuffles outside.

"Anonymous?" she mumbles quietly, her eyes darting through the chaos before her.

"Twilight, holy crap am I glad to see y-" You're cut off by Twilight, whose face suddenly hardens in anger and determination, her magic hurling you back into the door of the Superbird. Pain rushes through your whole being as you feel something pop in your shoulder, hitting the car hard enough to put a dent in it before slumping face-down on the dusty ground. You hear the beat of Twilight's hooves come closer, before stopping ahead of you, at the front of the Superbird.

"Anonymous, are you alright? Please tell me you're alright," Twilight cries. Without warning, you hear a cacophony of creaks and groans as you turn your head sideways to see your car rolling backward slowly, before coming face to face with the front tire.

"I'm fine Twilight," you hear in your own voice, causing you to snap out of your pain-induced daze. Attempting to get up or roll over, you try putting weight on your right arm and shoulder. Instantly, you regret the decision as the intense pain washes through you again.

"Twilight, grab our guest and bring him inside. I want to hear how exactly he got here tonight," you hear your twin say again. You feel yourself lifted up roughly by Twilight's magic, a lavender glow surrounding your whole body as you are hauled towards the open door of Twilight's home. You manage to catch a glimpse of the changeling disguised as you, his face dressed in a smirk.

How the hell is it even possible that thing is alive? Surely the nose cone of your car would have cleaved him in half, right?

But your thoughts stop there as you drop to the floor of Twilight's library, causing you another violent surge of pain and nausea. While you gather yourself up to keep from hurling, you hear the door slam closed, the lock clicking into place.

"Twilight, be a dear and close the windows and blinds, would you?" your twin suggests. You hear Twilight's hooves scurry across the hardwood floors, as you gingerly roll over onto your back. You find the changeling staring down at you, its expression cold and disapproving.

"How the hell are you even still alive?" you croak. "I should have smashed you like a bug."

A swift kick in the ribs is your instant reply, knocking the wind out of you as you sputter for breath.

"Don't you dare you that terminology again, you freak," your twin snaps back, before squatting down and grabbing you by the throat, forcing you to look into its hate-filled eyes. Close up, you see they shimmer with just a hint of green, not unlike the encounter you had in the castle with the Luna imposter. "I want to know, how did you manage to get back here?" it demands.

"Is it really that much of a surprise Luna and I found each other in the same cavern you dumped the two of us in?"

With a growl, the changeling tosses you aside, standing up straight again and looking down upon your pitiful form. "Why does it not surprise me my children would be stupid enough to put you both in the same place?" it laments.

"Children? There's more of you creepy bastards?" you ask, dumbfounded.

"We are numerous, spread across the land in an effort to sate our hunger. But I have a plan now to sustain us for years to come," it replies, a sinister grin slowly taking form, just as Twilight stops next to your twin. She still seems to be in a sort of trance, oblivious to the conversation.

"Come on Twilight, snap out of it," you plead. But Twilight ignores you, staring off into space as your mirror image laughs.

"Twilight is under my control now. She only thinks when I want her to think. Speaks when I give her the nod. Or, perhaps even attack when I deem it necessary," your captor announces, just as Twilight's horn begins to glow with a faint light,

"But enough of this, I tire of this form," your captor interrupts, just as its body begins to twist and elongate, falling to all fours as its skin turns a shiny black. Hooves form on its limbs, pockmarked by gaping holes, as wings with the same feature sprout from its back. A wicked horn shoots out from its head, jagged and twisted as it sparks with a green glow. Even the mane forming down its neck and its tail seem sickly, tattered and marked by holes as it shifts to a sea green.

By the time the changes stop, you're face to face with a hybridization of an insect and a pony, standing about as tall as Celestia.

"Much better," it speaks, with a feminine tone. She looks down upon you again, an air of arrogance in her smile as she shows off a set of razor-sharp teeth.

"Well, you're certainly no looker," you quip, much to the dismay of the changeling. She snarls, kicking you in the ribs again. This time, you feel something crunch, and another sharp wave of pain wracks your chest.

"You are in no position to talk to me that way," she growls, as you wheeze for breath. Every inhale and exhale is a new experience of agony, forcing you to take shallow breaths. The changeling continues to just stand in front of you and stare, with Twilight right beside her.

"I take it I'm not in the presence of just any changeling," you manage to gasp out.

"That's the first intelligent thing you've said all evening," she coos. " I am Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings. And soon, Queen of Equestria, once my plan comes to fruition."

"Sounds to me like you're full of yourself. Luna will be back here shortly," you snap back. Looking up, you see you've cut Chrysalis's ego-stroking short, as once again her face is drawn into a scowl. You really need to just shut up.

"You don't think I have planned for your 'princesses?'" she asks in a mocking tone. "Why do you think I have dear Twilight here under my control?" Chrysalis motions with a hoof to where Twilight sits, unmoving and oblivious to everything around her.

"So you're using the two of us as bartering chips? That's clever," you jab back, unable to stop your mouth from running.

"No, she is," Chrysalis replies. "You're just a pain in the flank that has twice bungled his way in and out of my scheme. But I'm done being nice since you're useless to me anyway."

Chrysalis abruptly turns away from you and silently walks over to Twilight, leaning down and smiling as she eyes you again. "Twilight, be a dear and send our guest on a permanent vacation," she gushes.

Without a word, Twilight takes a step forward, her eyes gleaming with a greenish sheen over her normal lavender eyes.

"Twilight, come on, it's me. The real me," you plead as Twilight's horn begins to glow with her magic. "Please, you gotta snap out of this, Twily."

For a moment, Twilight hesitates mid-step, as if becoming aware of the situation.

But Chrysalis is having none of it, as she spins around and growls.

"No, we're not doing this sappy crap. You've done enough damage," she shouts as her wicked horn suddenly crackles with magic. The sickly green energy seeps outward, Twilight's horn acting as a conduit as her face slowly contorts from emotionless to a scowl, mirroring Chrysalis who stands beside her.

"End him. NOW," Chrysalis demands, as she sends a final bolt of energy into Twilight.

Instinctively, you throw your arm over your face as Twilight's horn begins to hum with the charged spell she's been holding onto this whole time. With a crack not unlike a gunshot, you feel the air sizzle around you as you clamp your eyes shut, your mind running through one final, stupid thought.

Do ponies have an afterlife, and are you included in it?

Author's Note

So yeah, I got lost mid-way though this chapter and side-tracked on some real-life projects through the summer. But, here's the next chapter.

Hope I don't cliffhang the next installment for another couple months like this one.

Chapter 20

"...you had to be a big shot, didn't you? You had to open up your mouth..."

Billy Joel's melody crackles through a speaker as you slowly come to your senses once again. Fluorescent lighting above momentarily blinds you when you open your eyes, before they adjust to the harsh light. Finding yourself lying down in a bed, you prop yourself up on your elbows to look around.

Judging by the colors - or lack thereof - it looks like you've managed to find your way to a hospital. It is a small room you've been situated in, surprisingly barren aside from a cabinet with countertop on one side, and a hodgepodge of miscellaneous equipment and diagnostic devices on your right. A stark white door lies in front of your bed, closed and isolating you from the rest of the world. Aside from the soft music playing from the speakers overhead, there is dead silence.

You try to remember the last thing before waking up here, but your last memory is of Twilight getting ready to blast you into oblivion with her magic. Stretching a bit as you sit up and look yourself over, you don't feel too bad. Even your ribs and shoulder feel fine, as if the events earlier never happened. Must be magical healing, you tell yourself. Either that, or it was all a dream. But why would you be here in the hospital?

"This is the dream, dummy," Nightmare Moon interrupts, just as you sense her presence. You turn your head to find her seated upon a stool next to you, inspecting herself in a mirror as she adjusts her armor. "It's about damn time you woke up."

"If I'm dreaming, how can I have woke up?" you ask. Your question quickly draws a look of disdain from Nightmare, who finally turns to face you.

"Really? You want me to try to explain this to you? Because I can already tell you how that will go," she muses, already frustrated. "It will end up like that stupid argument scene in Scary Movie 3 debating whether or not one can wake up dead."

"What did I tell you about going through my memories?" you demand, already as short on patience as Nightmare Moon seems to be with you. "And don't answer that, it's a rhetorical question. I'm not looking for a wisecrack, Darkie."

Nightmare cringes with disgust as you utter the stupid pet name you came up with for her. Considering she always has to refer to you by something rather insulting, you figured it would be best to repay the favor. More often than not, it only stirs the pot already simmering with sarcasm.

"What else do I have to do all damn day? Besides, you said memories of your past, not memories of movies," Nightmare calmly responds, ignoring your jab at her. You can already see this argument will lead nowhere, so you fold.

"Fine, whatever. So I've basically been completely blacked out in my own head, I'm surprised being alive is still an option after taking the brunt of Twilight's fury," you mumble. Despite being told this is a dream, you still find yourself gingerly moving different parts of your body, searching for pain. Meanwhile, Nightmare shoots you a queer look.

"Twilight? She didn't touch a hair on you, remember?" Nightmare responds cautiously. You can only stare back, unsure if the two of you are even on the same page of the previous events.

"Uh, no. I don't remember," you announce, folding your arms. "The last thing I remember is Twilight preparing to zap me. Maybe you can fill me in."

"Wow, you missed the whole event, then," she says calmly. Nightmare eyes you suspiciously, evidently not believing you really have no idea what has happened. The two of you sit there in silence, waiting for the other to speak up. After almost a minute, you break first.

"So, do you plan on filling me in, or are we just leaving it at that?" you ask, slightly frustrated. Without a word, Nightmare turns away from you, sliding off the stool she had been sitting on and trotting to the door.

"How about I show you rather than explain it?" she responds quietly, turning back to look at you.

"You can do that?" you ask, somewhat confused. Considering you have no recollection of the events, you don't understand how you're going to see a memory that doesn't exist.

Nightmare only sighs, clearly impatient with you at this point. Without another word or sound, she opens the door just wide enough and slips through to the other side, closing it behind her. Quickly, you jump out of bed and dash for the door, flinging it open and stepping through without a thought.

"I figured that would get you motivated," Nightmare says as you check your surroundings. Once again you find yourself back in Twilight's home, a freeze frame of your last memory. Except this time, as you spot yourself on the floor, this is a third person view of everything.

"This doesn't make any sense, how am I seeing myself? Are you just making crap up now?" you ask. Wandering around the scene, Chrysalis stands beside Twilight, her face twisted in rage as the green glow of her magic seeps into the form of your friend. Twilight stands over your splitting image, at the point you are about to raise an arm in a futile attempt to brace yourself.

"You're seeing it from my viewpoint, not yours," Nightmare laments as your whip around to focus on her.

"How do you have a view of this other than through my eyes?"

"Honestly? I'm not really sure," she replies, lacking any sort of the excitement or shock her statement has created within you. "Best theory I can come up with is I've figured out how to project myself outside of your body. Maybe it was the stress of the situation. But you're losing the whole point of this exercise."

The scene suddenly starts up, just as Twilight starts to charge up a spell to finish you off. But just as she releases it, a crackle of blue light erupts from your cowering form in all directions, not only striking Twilight's magic beam but the alicorn herself, throwing Twilight across the room into a bookshelf. She crumples to the ground as Chrysalis turns to watch in shock, as Twilight lays lifelessly in a heap.

"How did you do that?! You don't have magic! You can't!" cries Chrysalis as her rage builds, turning back to your past self on the floor. You watch yourself slowly lower your arm and look around in confusion, just as the changeling queen leaps atop you. By this point, you actually feel as if the memory is reminding your body what it has gone through, as pain lances through your chest, albeit somewhat muted from what it had been before.

"I will not be bested by some freak! This ends right now," Chrysalis shouts, her eyes wild as she lunges towards your face, her mouth wide as she bares her sharp teeth. Even as you watch yourself stare down this monster, you feel your hand reach into your pocket, mirroring the scene unfolding in front of you.

Everything slows to a crawl, as both you and your memory draw your hand out, clutching the key to your car. It begins to glow with the same blue energy as enveloped your form moments ago, but brighter. Just as your twin swiftly jabs Chrysalis in the neck with it, a sound like electricity sizzles through the air as her whole form suddenly tenses up. An ungodly howl escapes from her, loud enough to make your ears ring slightly.

Abruptly, the scene flickers, as a wave of searing, painful heat washes over you, strong enough to drop you to your knees in seconds. You close your eyes and clench your jaw, the sensation seeming to center around your torso.

"What's wrong?" call Nightmare Moon. The normally stoic, almost arrogant tone of her voice has been replaced with an air of uneasiness. You manage to look up to see her looking genuinely frightened by you.

"It feels... fire..." is all you can gasp out as it intensifies.

"Anonymous," another voice calls out.

The pain suddenly subsides, as if a light switch had been flipped. Opening your eyes, you find yourself back in the hospital room again. You quickly sit up in surprise, finding Princess Celestia sitting by your side. With a scan of the room, you find Nightmare Moon nowhere to be seen.

"Celestia?" you manage to bleat, turning your attention back to her. Your mind swirls trying to make sense of the situation, as you look around the room, finding yourself laying down and hooked up to various medical devices and IVs. Celestia places a hoof on your bedside near your arm, as her magic slowly drapes a cool, damp cloth over your forehead.

"You were suddenly turning and groaning, I was worried for a moment. You're in the hospital, Anon," Celestia quietly responds. Her mane seems less lively and flowing than normal and judging by the bags under her eyes, it is a result of fatigue.

"I can see that, but thank you," you say. Looking over yourself, your right arm is in a sling, and you can feel a set of bandages wrapped around your torso, cinched around your lower ribs. In general, you feel your whole body ache, but it's nowhere near as bad as the pain you felt in the dream. Though you would swear you could feel some remnant of that burning pain within your gut.

"So how long have I been here?" you ask Celestia. "And how long since you've had sleep?"

"Don't worry about me, you've had us worried for about two days now, Anon," Celestia replies, letting out a brief sigh of relief. "My sister and I got to you roughly the same time the scuffle inside Twilight's home ended, with Twilight and Chrysalis unconscious as well. What the hay happened in there?"

"I don't- I don't really remember, I guess," you lie. At this point, you can't decide whether to fully believe the vision, considering it was not from your viewpoint. "Last I remember is being thrown against my car when I tried to ram Chrysalis. Not one of my brightest moments, I suppose."

Celestia says nothing, her face slightly troubled by your answer. Perhaps she sees right through your fib, but after a moment she relaxes a bit. If she suspects you aren't telling the truth, she leaves it alone for now.

"I understand. But yes, it was rather foolish to run into a situation like that. You very easily could have been killed by Chrysalis. What injuries you have should be considered a lucky escape indeed."

"You're probably right, but I have a feeling I'm going to hear it from Luna," you sigh with a tinge of regret. It is a little surprising to you Celestia is here rather than Luna, but a bit of a relief at the same time. No doubt you're in for it when you finally do see her again, whether it be justified or not.

"She's... yeah, she's a little upset with you. I fully understand why you did what you did, rather than wait. But that was not a wise decision," Celestia lightly scolds. As you drop your gaze downward, she comforts you with a brush of her soft, feathery wing across your cheek.

"But I guess, other than me everyone is good, right?" you ask, hopeful. But your positive outlook is misplaced as Celestia's gaze falls away from you, her shoulders slumping just a bit. She takes in a rather deep breath before responding.

"No, I'm sorry to say, not all is well, Anon. I don't know what happened between the three of you, or what Chrysalis cast on Twilight as far as magic, but Twilight is..." Celestia trails off for a moment, unable to bring her internal turmoil outward.

"But what? Tell me," you demand. It takes much of your strength and more than a bit of pain from your aching body before you sit upright in bed, eager for the truth. You think back to the memory Nightmare showed you, Twilight being thrown against the wall and falling like a sack of potatoes. What did you do?

"Twilight is back in Canterlot, currently being watched over by Luna. Whatever mind control spell Chrysalis cast on her did not rescind even after the changeling queen was defeated," Celestia sighs, the pain in her voice palpable at this point. "Now, she just seems to be trapped in her own mind. Devoid of will. Just... sitting there, empty."

Your stomach churns as a wave of nausea washes over you. It takes a moment of focus to keep from being sick right then and there at the thought. The thought that you are the cause of this.

"But what about Chrysalis, she's not..."

Before you can finish your question, Celestia shakes her head and interrupts. "As I said, I don't know what happened between the three of you, but Chrysalis is not in good shape. She's alive, but not conscious at this point. We haven't been able to rouse her, and there's no guarantee she will survive either. Whatever, whoever stopped her managed to actually go through her armor-like hide and gave her something akin to an electrical shock."

That last sentence makes it feel as if you have been hit square in the chest, causing your breath to catch in your throat as you slump back into the hospital bed. Your injured shoulder throbs with a new wave of pain, but it is drowned out by the mere idea of what you have done to Twilight. Instead of helping her, you may have completely ruined her, and her only chance at recovery.

But a wingtip once again tries to comfort you even as you dwell in your own misery and self-pity.

"Anonymous, do not be hard on yourself. You did what you thought was right at the time. There's no guarantee my sister and I could have solved this mess with a positive conclusion, either," she says, trying to convince you that this wasn't a complete cock-up on your end. "But all hope is not lost, I promise we will find a way to bring Twilight back," Celestia adds, her sudden change of tone and steely resolve causing you to meet her gaze. Even with the odds stacked against her, the princess's magenta eyes burn with silent confidence.

"I hope so, Celestia," is all you can respond.

"I know so," she replies. "Do not blame yourself, or worry about any of this. We will fix this. But for now, I think both you and I need our rest." Just as she finishes her sentence, Celestia's maw opens in a wide yawn.

"I'll say, you look like hell, Tia," you joke, trying to lighten the mood a bit. It at least elicits a small chuckle from Celestia.

"You don't look much better, Anon," she jests, before slowly rising from her seat and heading to the door. "Get some sleep, and either Luna or I will be here again this evening."

A thought crosses your mind just as Celestia is about to turn the corner out of the room. "Hey, Celestia?"

The alicorn turns around quickly and trots back to the foot of your bed. "Is something the matter?" she inquires.

"No, I just was wondering, is it just my shoulder and ribs banged up, or did my insides get rearranged, too?" you ask, thinking back to the intense, fiery pain you experienced watching the flashback. True, it was basically like a dream, but you swear you felt it again as you awoke.

But Celestia shakes her head, looking more than a bit concerned. "The doctors did not see anything during examinations and x-rays. Are you in pain?"

"No, but... I don't remember really what happened back there, but I vaguely remember a burning pain, I think," you explain carefully, watching your words as to not arouse suspicion from her.

"Like heartburn?"

"Yeah, but a million times worse. As in, literally on fire burning from the inside out."

"I don't know, Anonymous. Unless Chrysalis hit you with her magic, it's hard to say, especially if you don't feel it now. Of course, I suppose the doctor could have missed something, you are unique in this world. Maybe they should take another look?" Celestia turns toward the door again, looking out into the hall.

"No, don't worry about it," you quickly backtrack. "Probably just a dream or something like that. Who knows what the stuff they got me drugged up on can do to my mind?" You offer up your most convincing grin possible to go along with your excuse.

Celestia nods with a small smile. "Alright then, but don't be afraid to speak up to the doctors or nurses if you need anything, I will see you later."

"Thanks, Tia," you reply, as she shuffles out the doorway. As you rest your head back into the pillow behind you, your mind swirls with confusion, with endless questions from the last few days. Yet, even with a busy mind, you feel your eyes grow heavy, and you feel no need to fight it. In fact, you welcome it.

Hopefully, you can get some more answers, from somepony you feel you can trust with your thoughts.

Chapter 21

"Care to explain what the hell that was all about?"

Nightmare Moon's demanding voice cuts through the darkness as you reenter your own personal dream realm, before it even comes into focus. As you step forward, what was once the interior of Twilight's home in your memory has changed to a scenic landscape, framed by the waning light of a summer sunset. Nightmare Moon sits nearby, perched at the edge of a grassy area near a cliff. As you shuffle forward and kneel down to sit next to her, Nightmare turns away from the sky to stare at you.

Despite her angered tone, Nightmare looks concerned, eyeing your form as you sit back and relax. Her eyes - normally showing at least hints of the simmering, pent-up anger she seems to always possess - have a calm, almost sympathetic gaze to them. Quite frankly, it throws you through a loop, making you reconsider whether this is actually Nightmare Moon or a dream you have conjured up yourself.

"Well?" she asks, impatiently. You realize at that point you've just been staring at her for close to a minute.

"'Well' what?" you ask right back, not sure what she is expecting out of you at this point in time.

"You left in dramatic fashion, all you did was fall to the floor and complain about a fire, and up and disappeared," she explains, slightly irritated and impatient with your lack of forthcoming answers.

"I got woke up, I thought that was obvious," you retort. Your response merely makes the black alicorn shake her head. Slowly you see the normal Nightmare Moon disposition return to her.

"You know what I mean. I'm not in the mood for games," she growls.

"I don't really know what it was. Felt like I drank a gasoline martini with a lit match chaser. Literally felt like I was burning from the inside out." As you explain the scenario to Nightmare Moon, her nose wrinkles in disgust, but she remains silent throughout. "It started right after you showed me that memory where I stabbed Chrysalis with.... what the hell was that blue glow?"

Nightmare's ears perk up as she gives you a deadpan stare before your question registers with her. " You really don't know what that was? I thought that was easy enough to figure out."

"Sorry, I'm a little slow," you respond sarcastically, making a face akin to someone trying to eat their own tongue. "Now humor me, what the hell was that?"

Surprisingly, your shenanigans coax a small chuckle out of Nightmare, despite her attempt to hide it. She shakes her head, trying to save face before she answers you. "Well, allow me to be the first to congratulate you on your very first dabble in magic," she gushes, before quickly following up her statement. "My magic, by the way."

To be fair, you had already assumed the energy was magic. But to hear it confirmed as such it still shocks you down to the core. After all those stupid lessons with Twilight and embarrassing attempts to coax even a spark out of you, it finally pays off in saving your own hide.

"If you're thinking this is all some sort of miracle, I'm going to burst your bubble," Nightmare Moon continues, her voice flat and devoid of emotion. "It's not uncommon for foals to unleash their first spell in a time of raw adrenaline coursing through the veins. This doesn't make you that special."

Her last sentence really rubs you the wrong way as you try to keep yourself from snapping back and turning this conversation into an argument. Or a session of name calling.

"Whatever, so you think it was just a one-time thing, fine. Could that at least have something to do with what I felt? Reliving that memory?"

Nightmare Moon is silent as she ponders your question. Her demeanor is jarring, to say the least, flip-flopping between her normal antagonistic mood and comments, and this.... rather calm, more curious version of her. It makes no sense to you at all. Finding yourself now curious, you make a note of what to bring up after you get an answer.

"I suppose you could have managed to zap yourself when you gave Chrysalis the shock of her life. Considering your rookie status and the punch alicorn magic can have, yeah, it's feasible," she responds, rubbing her chin with a hoof. "But I would think something like that would cause harm, much more than just mere pain. I'm assuming you aren't actually fried to a crisp since you managed to wake up."

You shake your head no to quickly answer her question, before delving into your next mystery.

"I guess it's not a big deal anyways. I managed to screw up bad enough that Twilight isn't Twilight anymore. Whatever Chrysalis cast on her to make Twilight her pawn, it didn't wear off after I stabbed her." As you finish, you focus on Nightmare Moon, eager to see her response not just in words, but body language. If this is the same vindictive alicorn you've grown accustomed to, news of Twilight's trouble will at least be of no interest to her, if not a smile. You recall Twilight was the one that stopped Nightmare upon her return from a thousand-year exile.

"So even the little purple runt can meet her match from time to time. I'm surprised," Nightmare says, mulling the bombshell over as she averts your gaze. "What about Luna and Celestia, do they know any way to undo the damage?"

"Uh, not yet, no," you hesitate, waiting for some sort of outburst or celebration from Nightmare Moon. But all that follows is an awkward silence between the two of you. At this point, you can't bear it any longer.

"Alright, I've filled you in on my situation, now it's time for you to spill it. What the hell is going on?" you demand, your tone jolting Nightmare's head upward as she gives you a look of complete confusion.

"Going on, as in..."

"With you. Why are you not being an asshole like normal?" You rather blunt question rankles Nightmare the wrong way if her ears suddenly pinning back is any sign. Her face droops into a scowl.

"Excuse me for not living up to what is expected of me," she shouts back, as you kick yourself for being the antagonistic one. You hold your hands up in a sign of surrender, and Nightmare holds her tongue.

"That came out wrong," you admit, in perhaps the understatement of the year. The alicorn in front of you huffs in response but otherwise remains silent as she calms down a bit. "What I meant by that was, normally you have - well you just have a lot of sarcasm and attitude to throw at me. But not now, you actually seem keen on listening and trying to help put this puzzle together. Why?"

Nightmare merely shrugs at your question. "What else do I have to do to bide the time?" she replies, attempting to avoid the conversation. Her comment rings hollow, at best.

"I don't buy it, Nightmare. I'm serious, what made you suddenly care?" you ask quietly. "Hell, you saved me back in the castle before all this other stuff went down. I could be changeling chow right now if it hadn't been for your warning."

"Considering that if you bite the dust, I follow suit, that would give me a reason to care for your well-being, no?" she retorts, her voice growing slightly agitated. yet, it's quite obvious by this point she's putting on a show to dissuade you from continuing to ask her. But you're not going to back down, not now.

"I'm not sitting here saying you love me, Nightmare. But I saw your eyes before I woke up when I was writhing in pain. You were genuinely fearful of whatever was going on. You can at least acknowledge that much before you go back to this tough mare facade you got going on."

Nightmare Moon merely scowls at you for the moment, studying your face for any sign of a bluff on your end. Eventually, she gives up, rolling her eyes as she sighs. Rather than answer, she turns away from your piercing gaze and lays down on the ground.

"So that's it, you're just going to ignore me?" you shoot back in frustration. "I actually show some interest in you, and that's just too much to bear for the self-proclaimed Queen of the Night?"

"I don't know how to answer your questions," she finally responds. "All I've felt for the past...... thousand some years is just pure, unadulterated anger, rage. And I've just kept that bottled up to myself, even fed more the past few years."

"Well, you were basically formed from anger and jealousy, right? Not trying to be a dick here, but that's basically what you told me," you interject, reflecting upon your first talk with the black alicorn on Nightmare Night a few months ago. The quip draws Nightmare's eyes to you once again, as her scowl has disappeared. Instead, she seems somber, fatigued.

"No," is her quick response. You start to protest, but the mare puts up a hoof, requesting your silence. "I told you what Luna would feel more comfortable with as far as an explanation. The simple truth is, Luna and I are not the polar opposites she believes, or even I believed at one point."

"That's a.... one hell of a confusing way to answer," you confess, scratching your head. "How about translating that into English for me?"

"That's about all I'm willing to divulge, Anonymous," she replies, void of emotion. "All I'll add is I'm beginning to let go of my anger, but Luna is not. And she has not learned from the past."

"Really, you're going to leave me hanging with that?" you protest. The cryptic answers provided to you only fuel your burning desire for more information. But true to her word, she goes no further.

"It's not my place to say," she says. Her ears suddenly perk up, swiveling around as her eyes lose focus, diverting all concentration to her sense of hearing. Likewise, you remain quiet and listen, even though you have no idea what has abruptly piqued her interest. But try as you may, the silence is too bothersome for you to stand.

"What's wrong?"

"I should go," Nightmare responds, hurriedly rising to her hooves as she turns and heads away from the cliff where you still sit. Your legs cramp up as you attempt to follow suit, the length of time spent sitting causing them to fall asleep beneath you.

"Hang on, what the hell is going on? What were you listening for?" you call after her. Nightmare doesn't stop or spin around as she continues her trot.

"Now is not the time, Anonymous," she shouts.

"Why don't you stay for a while longer?" comes a loud, booming voice. It seems to echo from every direction, startling you as the volume is literally loud enough to make the ground tremble. In fact, the shaking grows stronger as the voice falls silent, fissures opening up in the ground around both you and Nightmare Moon, forcing the two of you to backtrack towards each other. Eventually, the fissures widen enough as to create a gap way too wide to jump over.

"Oh, crap," laments Nightmare Moon, looking up at the sky. You follow her gaze to see the sun has disappeared over the horizon, the ink black sky pockmarked with stars and constellations. But they aren't staying still. Instead, the formations shift and swill, rearranging themselves in a particular order as the two of you stare in fascination.

Well, you in fascination, Nightmare in reserved fear, as she seems to understand what this dance of the stars actually means. But it becomes clear the more you think about the voice, and as the light show begins to take a familiar form and solidify.

Luna.

As she becomes fully materialized before you and Nightmare Moon, Luna towers above, easily over 100 feet. Her teal eyes, normally warm and inviting, glare downward in anger upon the two of you, disapproving of what they see.

"Uh, hi Luna," you gingerly call out. The giant princess has her attention drawn squarely upon you with that simple greeting, as your stomach twists and churns.

"You have some nerve to speak up when I have caught you conversing with this... this fiend!" Luna's temper finally erupts as she responds, her voice growing louder even as her form begins to condense. Quickly, she shrinks to her normal size, though it seems even more uncomfortable than when she was towering over you. But for the moment, she steps past you, her ire now drawn to Nightmare Moon, whose face has twisted into a scowl.

"It's nice to see you, too," snapped Nightmare. The two alicorns glared at each other for a moment with matching frustrated expressions. Luna is the first to break up the staring contest, turning her attention back to you.

"So I must ask, why is it you decided to not heed my warning and talk to Nightmare Moon?" she asks.

"I think I owe it to her considering she saved me from the changeling back in the castle," you answer without hesitation. But Luna's disapproval is still evident as she glances back over toward Nightmare. As if wanting to make the situation worse, the black alicorn gives a smug smile, offering a little wave of her hoof.

"It was nothing, really," she gushes, heavy with sarcasm.

"Yes, clearly she deserves the attention she seeks," Luna growls, turning back to you. "How can you not see she is trying to catch you up in her web of lies? You are making the same mistake as I did many years ago."

"Isn't it even remotely possible Nightmare Moon may have changed? You gave Discord a chance, why can't you do the same for her?" you protest. Instantly you regret opening your mouth, as Luna's temper only boils over. She takes another step towards you, her eyes lit up with a wave of fiery anger you have never seen before, and wish you still hadn't.

"Discord is hardly what I would consider a reformed individual, but he at least never attempted to take a life," Luna shouts. "Somepony that does something so horrendous, so evil, they do not deserve a second chance!" Behind her, a short burst of laughter rings out, startling the both of you for a moment, all eyes drawn to the black alicorn seated on the other side of the small island, as Luna whips around.

"You really have created the perfect delusion for yourself, haven't you?" Nightmare Moon taunts. You can only drop your head into the palm of your hand, silently begging her to just shut up and not make the situation worse.

Nevertheless, Luna takes the bait, as she storms away from you and over to Nightmare, who seems all too amused.

"I do not recall asking for your input of opinion," Luna says with a surprisingly reserved voice. "But pray tell, what is this 'perfect delusion' of which you seem to have knowledge?" The arrogant smile Nightmare once had drops away, her expression grim and serious for the first time since Luna appeared.

"You know what I'm talking about," she says. One of her hooves rises and points towards you. "There are things I know that I will not say aloud, because I will not be the one to break it to him."

"How noble of you, keeping your, as Anon would say, 'bullshit' to yourself."

"You haven't changed a bit, have you?" Nightmare retorts, stirring the pot. The battle of words between the two alicorns makes you feel sick to your stomach, but you can't look away as Nightmare presses onward. "You haven't learned a single thing from the events in the past, and you're falling into the same trap you did so many moons ago. You're sinking down into the depths, Luna, and you don't even sense it at all. How sad."

Without warning, Luna raises a hoof, striking Nightmare across the muzzle with enough force to create an echo from the hit. "You will silence your tongue before I do it for you," Luna warns. "If there was a way I could vanquish you from existence, I would not hesitate for an instance to do such a thing. You were and always will be nothing but pure evil, no matter how hard you try to convince others."

"Getting rid of me doesn't erase what you did, Luna, remember that," Nightmare Moon quietly responds. "History will eventually repeat itself and-"

Abruptly, Nightmare's voice is cut off, as Luna's horn glows brightly. What comes out of Nightmare moth now is nothing but a series of barks and growls, more akin to a dog.

"As I said before, silence your tongue or I will do it for you. I would say this is an improvement for you, really." Luna flashes a smug grin for Nightmare Moon to take in, who is understandably none too pleased. She growls angrily, her ears pinned back and teeth bared in a rather appropriate display. Luna turns away from her and heads back to you, returning to her scowling, disappointed expression.

"I am shocked and disturbed that you would be willing to defend her, Anonymous," she says, her voice dripping with shame upon you. "My one request was that you stay away from her, and you could not even do that. I find it hard to even look at you right now."

"Luna, will you just let me explain a little bit?" you protest. But Luna shakes her head, raising a hoof.

"No, there is nothing to say. Your actions have spoken much more than your words have, and right now you are lying in a hospital bed, while Twilight lies in Canterlot, a husk of who she once was. Nothing you have to say will overcome those sobering facts. Goodbye."

With that, Luna vanishes in a flash of light, leaving you alone in the dark. Nightmare Moon strides over to you, clearing her throat repeatedly.

"That went well," she snidely comments, her voice returned.

"What did you mean by history is repeating itself? What were you going to say?" you ask her. She only looks at you with a somber expression, shaking her head after a moment.

"As I said, it's not for me to say, and I will leave it at that," she says. "I'm sorry."

With a jolt, you suddenly sit upright, sweating profusely. Looking around with wide eyes, you find yourself once again in the confines of your hospital room. Catching your breath from the shock of waking up, you try to let everything sink in, looking out the small window to the outside.

By this point, night has fallen over Equestria, the sun having turned in and the moon hanging low over the horizon, blanketing the landscape with its pale light. While the dream may not have lasted that long, you estimate you were out for a good six or seven hours.

No, not a dream. A nightmare.

You don't feel that whole discussion could have gone any worse. Luna had a point, she asked you not to speak to Nightmare Moon, that's a given. But your mind can't shake the banter that went on between the two of them. Nightmare being calm and collected, and Luna shouting and letting her rage get the best of her, hardly something you would expect from her. At this point, you consider Nightmare Moon truly does know something she is unwilling to divulge, and not just hanging a carrot over your head to keep you moving along. It makes your head spin, trying to make sense of the whole mess.

One thing is for certain, you weren't finished talking to Luna when she left your dream. And judging by the lack of activity in the halls, the hospital is lightly staffed right now...

Chapter 22

A low rumble echoed around you, the only sound as you tear through the countryside, chasing the beams of light projected just ahead. The radio was on, but your mind was too preoccupied to make any sense of what was being played.

It had been a new lesson in pain getting out of the hospital through your room's window. Thankfully, you had been situated on the ground floor, as you hadn't really thought much of it as you made your silent escape. The awkward landing on the ground reminded you further of the injuries to your shoulder and ribs if the squeeze through the window had not been enough. Other than that, it was a relatively easy and quick jog back to the center of Ponyville to get to the Superbird, and another few minutes of making sure nothing vital was damaged as far as the mechanicals.

Thank the heavens for the long nose cone. It may have looked like hell, but the only damage smacking the tree was cosmetic. Still was not going to be fun to repair, though.

"Look at you making the clean getaway," mused a voice. Startled, you suddenly sensed another presence alongside you in the passenger seat.

"Did I not tell you to stop doing that crap?" you growl. Turning your eyes away from the road, Nightmare Moon's smirk greets you.

"I know, but it's just too much fun watching you jump out of your skin," she taunts. You only shake your head, returning your attention back to the road ahead. It had only been an hour since you left Ponyville, and it was likely another hour or two before reaching the castle.

"So, why are we heading to Canterlot at this time of the night?" Nightmare asks.

"Honestly? I don't know," you admit. "But I can't just sit in a hospital bed after knowing what I caused. It just going to bug the hell out of me."

"What you caused, meaning what happened to Twilight? Or are we referring to Luna?"

"Both, I suppose," you mumble. The more you think about everything that has taken place, the more it feels like your whole world is crashing down. Yet, even as you see it happening, you don't see any way to stop what has been set in motion.

"I'm surprised you went to bat for me when Luna came calling," Nightmare chips in. "That was certainly a stupid decision if you ask me."

"Gee, duly noted," you snap back, irritated by her callous statement. "Remind me to not do anything for you ever again."

Again the interior of the car falls silent, save for the Hemi engine thundering forward through the night. You still sense Nightmare's presence beside you but are unwilling to acknowledge her anymore. It seems she's back to her normal antagonistic self.

The trail ahead abruptly cuts to the left, so you start slowing down, awkwardly downshifting with your left hand. At first, you had attempted to shift with your right arm, busted shoulder and all, but after a few times of that, it was pure agony to do it further. Probably was not the best idea to be driving like this, but it was not as if you were in danger of being pulled over.

"You know, you keep doing this Twister-like game of operating this machine, sooner or later you're going to run out of luck."

Your frustration has built up to a point that you find yourself unable to keep your mouth shut. You slam the brake pedal to the floor, the sound of tires dragging across gravel filling your ears as you come to a halt. Molten anger courses through your veins as you turn to your unwelcome passenger.

"Yeah, who gives a shit? I managed to get my ass whipped by an oversized cockroach, Twilight is evidently a mental wreck, Luna is beyond pissed at me, probably thinks I'm batshit. Oh, and then I get to listen to your snide comments as I try to figure out how to unscrew myself in this whole mess. After I put my heart out there, thinking maybe you aren't so bad after all. My mistake."

Nightmare Moon merely stares at you, aghast and caught off-guard by your angry tirade unleashed upon her. It is fine by you, and a rather relieving feeling letting your anguish off your chest in one go. Without a word, you gun the motor and get rolling again, once again the sound of gravel being tossed about reaching your ears, but just barely above the roar of the powerplant.

The ride resumed its silence it had previously, though you could tell your passenger had not left. You didn't bother looking over at her, just focusing on the road ahead and going over what to say to Luna when you arrived in Canterlot.

What was there to say? Whether she was right or not, you had openly defied her requests, and then defended the one pony she detested the most. 'Only trying to help' was not going to cut it for an apology at all, and after this experience with the spirit you defended, you have literally nothing to put a positive spin upon her.

"I did appreciate you sticking up for me," murmurs Nightmare, barely audible above the sounds of the road. You still ignore her, an obvious attempt to get you talking to her again. It's not going to work this time. Instead, the miles fly by, not a sound from either of you, sans a few grunts of pain when you moved the wrong way. But as you closed in on the city in the distance, one headlight pod abruptly goes out, leaving you half blind to the path ahead.

"Why now?" you moan in frustration, rolling your eyes. With no other options and not enthused about the idea of crashing in the middle of nowhere, you quickly pull to the side of the road and cut the motor. Minding your sore ribcage, you slide out of the seat after opening the door, gingerly rising upright and shuffling to the front of the car. In hindsight, you were stupid to not bother to bring any tools with you. Fortunately, the headlights are still working, but the headlight bucket has evidently slipped off the track, sinking back into the crumpled nose piece.

With only one hand available, you pry with what strength you have, moving the pod a little bit, but not near enough to where it was previously. Something seems to have jammed it from the inside, causing more resistance than you can overcome. You just stare at the front of the Superbird, unsure what to do now.

"Just focus on what you're trying to do," comes Nightmare's voice from beside you. "Relax and just feel it come to you." You turn to her, trying to understand the gibberish she is spouting to you.

"What the hell are you talking about?" you bark. Her face twists into a scowl, not taking kindly to your harsh tone.

"Do you want to keep going or sit here and pout like a little foal?" she snaps back. "Try prying on it again, but relax and focus on what you're trying to do," she repeats. Your eyes go back to the stubborn headlights, following the directions given to you despite your reservations.

Clearing your head of the storm inside, you begin to pry on the bucket again, pulling upward as you visualize it moving. After a few seconds, it starts to move, rising inch by inch. As you watch in awe, your hand faintly glows with a blue energy, before finally, you get the headlight door fully open. Dropping your hand away, the headlight stays open, as the blue haze you witnessed fades away into nothing.

Without a word, you slowly step away from your car, before heading back to the driver's door and climbing inside again, closing the door with little enthusiasm. Did that really just happen?

"It did happen, I can assure you that much." Nightmare Moon interrupts your personal thoughts, as yet again she sits next to you in the car.

"So what, I got my magic cherry popped a couple of days ago, and now I'm a walking dynamo like any other alicorn?" Nightmare shakes her head in response, disappointing you a little bit.

"No, I don't think so. To be honest, I was not entirely convinced that would work, I just figured it was worth a try," she says. Her tone changes a bit as she looks you over from head to toe. "How do you feel right now?"

"What?"

"I'm guessing just fine then," she notes. "Evidently the pain you felt in recalling that memory was not just because of casting magic." Understanding now what she was asking about, you feel your blood pressure rise just a bit.

"Wait, so that was an experiment? What if you had been wrong and I was out on the ground convulsing?" you demand. But Nightmare retains her composure even as you raise your voice at her.

"No, I was sure enough magic itself was not the cause of your issues to talk you through that," Nightmare calmly responds. Even though she seems sincere in her answer, you're a bit miffed that she pulled a stunt like that. You start up the engine once again and take off with a brisk row through the gears.

"Look, I'm sorry," she says after a moment. You don't turn to the alicorn before responding back.

"Are you really sorry? Or are you just trying to be an attention whore? Because I'm getting a lot of mixed messages."

"Have I ever apologized before?" That answer is enough to grab your attention, finally glancing over at her again. Nightmare Moon does not meet your gaze, instead looking forward through the windshield. "And for what it's worth, I did appreciate you sticking your neck out for me when Luna interrupted our talk. I did not expect that."

Rather than cave into the mare, you keep pushing with a stern voice. "Then why do you keep acting like a snarky bitch? It's irritating as hell, and it doesn't help your case at all. As I said, you just seem to be pressing for attention at this point, when I thought you were turning a corner."

"I am trying to adjust myself, believe me when I say that," she responds somberly, turning to meet your skeptic gaze. "I suppose I fall into the same habits more often than not. I'm used to being ignored, locked away in isolation, so reacting properly is... it takes some thought process." While you try your best to stay mad at her, you see something in her eyes that tells you, this is complete sincerity. Sure, the dream you had gave you glimpses of a different Nightmare Moon, but this time, there is a distinct lack of pride, bottled up anger she has always possessed.

In fact, as you look upon her form, you see less of the fiend that tortured you those few days while trapped in Luna's body, and more of the Luna you knew just months ago, before all of this drama between the two of you. It takes you aback, trying to understand exactly what the hell is going on in this awkward, twisted triangle.

"Alright, since you're being mellow right now and want me to believe you're trying to change, riddle me this." As you speak, your gaze hardens again to prevent Nightmare from sensing any sympathy from you. "Earlier you told me that you and Luna had more in common than you were letting on. Before that, you had told me that Luna had created you out of the jealousy and anger she harbored towards her sister. Now, if you want me to believe you're trying to change for the better, I want you to connect those dots and lead me to the next one."

"If you want what I know, you will promise me not a word gets to Luna from you," she demands quietly. Her gaze now holds a silent, stern determination towards you, waiting for a response that suits her.

"Scout's honor," you say.

"You weren't a Scout, you quit after only a couple months," Nightmare responds, devoid of emotion.

"It's a saying, stop going through my memories when you're bored. I swear I won't say anything to her, even if I don't understand why I would speak aloud whatever you tell me."

"You're promising me because I still haven't decided whether she is in denial or has already forgotten. And I don't know what it will do to her should she remember what I'm going to tell you."

That sentence gets your undivided attention. Or at least as much as possible, as you continue to head down the empty road.

"I was, in essence, created from Luna. But before I became a separate entity there was just us. Us, being Luna, her and I as one being. I didn't actually come into being as you know me until after our thousand-year exile ended. Not until after Celestia's protege and her friends used the Elements of Harmony to end our return and bring Luna back to her normal self. That is the point that I began to exist as you see me now."

"Wait, so you're saying the Elements of Harmony created you? How does that make any sense at all?" you interject. Nightmare Moon stares at you, stupefied.

"Are you really that dense?" she shouts. Within a moment of her outburst, she shakes her head, calming herself. "No, the Elements did not create me from Luna, they split us from one being into two. The best way to put it I guess would be the magic took what one would consider the 'corrupt' part of Luna and blasted it away, leaving her back to her normal self she once was. Free of the jealousy and anger. I am that part of her."

"So, you never convinced her to turn on her sister like she said she did? You weren't even part of the equation."

"No. You see why I do not want you running around with this. As I said, part of me is beginning to believe Luna is not in denial, so much as she doesn't remember what happened. Whether that be because I retain those memories of the past that came with me, or those memories are blocked from her mind. Or maybe a combination of the two, I have no idea." Nightmare rubs her temple with a hoof as you continue to alternate your glance between here and where you're headed.

"Now that I've calmed down some from being just a literal ball of pure, seething anger, I've been doing a lot of reflecting on what happened, which is why I'm beginning to question what I thought I knew," she continues. "Most foes that have met up against the Elements of Harmony have not lived to speak about it. Or if they have lived, remain as they once were after being freed from their prison, such as Discord. The more that I've been able to speak to you, I feel that I've been able to let go of all of that hatred, the general, nonsensical anger. I didn't get that when I was within Luna's mind, not that I necessarily blame her, I suppose."

"You think eventually you're just going to turn back into Luna proper then, or what?" you ask, feeling rather overwhelmed by this mountain of information hurled at you.

"I don't know, but I doubt it. Who is to say what exactly makes an individual just that, a separate being with his or her own ideals and desires. I mean, no offense, but I feel nothing towards you, not like Luna does, relationship-wise. So I must be my own pony at this point, I guess."

"That's a relief, because that would just be creepy having someone else in my head that was in love with me. But this is getting too philosophical here, at least I understand that much of what's going on," you say. Letting everything sink in, one more question bubbles up to the surface of your mind.

"By the way, you told Luna she was repeating history again, what did you mean?"

Nightmare purses her lips, remaining quiet for a time.

"That one... I'm sorry but I will not explain," she says, finally giving you some sort of response. "That is between Luna and me for the time being. It is up to her to change her course, that is all I will say."

While disappointed by the answer, you at least get a better picture of the tension between the two alicorns. But it leads you to another sickening conclusion.

If Luna does remember what happened all those years ago, it means she's been continuing to lie to you, and Nightmare has been the more reliable one the past few days. Even so, you still don't blindly trust Nightmare Moon, even if she seems to have come around a bit. But nonetheless, it's a thought you would not have ever expected to have.

It was another solid hour of driving before you finally reached the outskirts of Canterlot, and close to another hour spent navigating through the city streets before reaching the castle gates. Entering the castle gates, and furthermore, the castle itself was simple enough. The perks of not only being unique in this world, but a close friend of one of the princesses, as a nod of acknowledgment from the guards is the most you get from them.

Most of the way here had been silent, as Nightmare Moon had disappeared shortly after your talk with her. Evidently, she knew you needed some time to sort everything out in your mind. Or perhaps she had overheard your thoughts that you still didn't completely trust her, which bothered her. It was hard to say.

But now, wandering through the nearly empty hallways of the castle, you kind of wish she was here. You knew the basics of the castle, such as the dining room, throne room, as well as the private chambers of the princesses. But without a sign of either Celestia or Luna anywhere, you were a bit stumped at this point. of where to look.

"Chances are they're in the dungeon," you hear Nightmare Moon's voice echo in your head.

Very helpful, you shoot back quickly. I don't suppose you have any idea where that may be, do you?

Just as you finish your thought, you feel drawn a certain direction, without Nightmare needing to speak a word back. You follow your internal guide, through familiar territory as you pass both Celestia's and Luna's rooms once again. But it doesn't go much farther than that, as you reach the end of the hall. Instead, you stand there, absolutely confounded as to why Nightmare has led you here and just stopped, facing the wall.

Uh, is our GPS recalculating or something? Need an update? you ask, feeling rather stupid.

"Pipe down, smartass," is the instant reply you get before she continues. "The entrance is hidden from prying eyes. You don't think the princesses of Equestria would just have a big sign that says 'Dungeon' pointing the way to go, do you?"

If it was, it would explain why this land has had so many issues with baddies, you joke. To your surprise, you sense a bit of laughter on the other end of this odd conversation.

"You do have a point. No, you see that statue on the table to your right?" she asks. You look down upon her direction and spot a bust of the two royal sisters together, chiseled out of what looks to be marble. "Turn it so their faces are looking at the wall."

As you do so, the wall in front of you abruptly shimmers and disappears, leaving a doorway that leads not to a room, but a set of stairs that quickly spiral clockwise in a downward direction. Unlike the pristine walls of the castle proper, the walls flanking either side of the staircase - as well as the staircase itself - seem neglected and unfinished. The way down is not exactly welcoming, with very little light to lead the way, aside from some rather fitting torches. Definitely very dungeon-esque.

But you've made it this far, so you make your way through, spying another bust of the princesses on a ledge just past the entrance, also facing toward the wall. You turn it, and as you assumed, the doorway disappears behind you, replaced once again by a wall. However, this side is more fitting with the rest of your surroundings at this point in time, raw and dusty. You make a note in your mind to ask Luna about how they come up with this stuff when you two make up.

If you make up.

It is quite a long way down the staircase, at least a hundred steps, if not more. Though not well-lit, the torchlight available is at least ample, making your way down with no incident. However, it is a rather claustrophobic experience, as the staircase only allows you perhaps a foot on either side of you, at most. Once at the bottom, the narrow corridor expands just a bit to allow more breathing room, much to your relief. In addition, the lighting is just a bit better, aided by a marked increase of torches along the walls on either side.

With only one way to go, you head forward, spotting a light right in front of you at the end of the hall. When you reach it, you find the path splits away in either direction, leaving you with a choice.

Or, more truthfully, a blind guess.

"Don't ask me," comes Nightmare Moon's voice. "It's cells down either hallway, which leads to another branch on either side. They went a bit overboard when this was built, I guess."

Just as you are about to respond, something strikes you in the back, the unexpected hit dropping you flat to the floor. Instantly, pain surges through your chest as your rib injury is aggravated by the fall. Even as you struggle to get your breath back and understand what is going on, you feel a pressure on your back, as if someone or something is holding you down.

"Don't move a muscle," warns an unfamiliar voice above you.

Chapter 23

"Okay, I'm not moving, I promise I won't move," you say nervously to your mystery captor. Pain radiates through your ribs and shoulder as he - or by the sounds of it, she - continues to rest a foot or hoof on your back. Unfortunately, your words of surrender have the opposite effect you were hoping, the pressure on your back increasing. You can't really look around at all with your head turned to one side, eyes relegated to a close up view of the wall.

"We have company," the being above you shouts down the hall. Soon, a flurry of hooves upon the cobblestone floor echoes through the hall, getting ever louder as whoever it is comes closer. They seem to slow down as this second guest approaches, before stopping mere feet away, by what you can tell. An audible gasp follows almost at once.

"Cadance, let him go," shouts the familiar voice of Celestia, causing you to breathe a sigh of relief. Sure enough, the hoof in your back quickly disappears, allowing you the chance to finally get a decent inhale of air without pain. As you try to compose yourself, you are pulled to your feet gently, a golden glow surrounding your body. It radiates off of you, leading to the horn of Celestia, who stands before. Her face is a mixture of shock and concern as you finally feel well enough to speak.

"What a way to make an entrance, thanks," you joke quietly. But Celestia doesn't laugh, nor does her expression change.

"What are you doing here?" she inquires, before shaking her head. "I mean, how are you even here? And how did you find your way down here?"

"The hospital staff said I was well enough to leave," you lie, doubting the princess will believe you. Her skeptical expression confirms it, but you continue onward. "Car was fine too, so I decided I had to make my way here. One of the guards told me how to get down here, and then I got jumped by..." Turning around, you face this 'Cadance' whom which Celestia referred.

Yet another alicorn is present in this world apparently, this one being a light shade of pink. Her mane remains static like Twilight's, though her mane curls at the ends, with contrasting shades of magenta, lavender and cream. She stands roughly as tall as Luna, and she seems quite embarrassed as you look her over.

"I'm - I'm sorry, I didn't know if you were friend or foe," she apologizes. "Though now that I stop and think, you must be Anonymous, the one the royal sister told me about. You fit the description."

"The one and only," you announce with a cocky smile. But you quickly drop the facade and put a hand out, Cadance likewise meeting your offered handshake with a lending of her hoof. "No hard feelings, I should have probably knocked before coming down here."

"You should not be down here at all," Celestia scolds, making you turn back around to face her. Cadance meanwhile joins your side, rather than being left out of the circle, but remains silent as Celestia continues. "My sister and I are trying to find something - anything that can help Twilight break free of Chrysalis's influence, and thus far, we have not been successful. I think you should -"

"I want to see them," you interrupt, taking Celestia by surprise. "Luna and Twilight I mean. Please."

Celestia sighs and shakes her head disapprovingly. "While I think it better you return to the castle proper and get some rest, I will not stop you. Follow me if you must," she replies forlornly. At that, she turns away, slowly walking back down the hall from which she originally came. Despite her reservations, you follow the princess, with Cadance right beside you. As you go along, cells begin to appear to your right, at this point empty. By the looks of it, the barred prisons have not been used in quite some time, dusty and littered with cobwebs.

Now that you have time to think, you vaguely remember Luna referring to Cadance by name once, in a brief mention of another princess in the world. But by the tone of her voice, she did not seem to be very thrilled, so you had not asked further questions.

"I'd like to say it's nice to meet you, but the circumstances kinda put a damper on that," you say quietly, trying to break the silence. Out of the corner of your eye, Cadance relaxes just a bit, some of the awkward tension in the air dissipating.

"Yes, it is a pleasure to meet you. The royal sisters have mentioned you quite a bit, Princess Luna in particular. I gather you two have a close relationship," she replies, sounding a bit more upbeat.

"Yeah, we're pretty close," you respond hesitantly. If only she knew how much of a mess Luna and you had going between each other. It's easier to just agree with Cadance than try to explain the story right now, but it may be a short-lived reprieve from reality. Depending on Luna's reaction to seeing you, Cadance may be in for a rude awakening.

It is a short walk before Celestia turns a corner, and as you and Cadance do so, there is Luna. She is rested upon her haunches, facing towards a prison cell. In front of her, she levitates a rather hefty leather-bound book, flipped open and obscuring much of her face as she focuses in on the contents. From what you can see of her, Luna is an absolute mess, her mane and tail frizzled and unkempt, much of their ethereal properties having died down as they lay almost completely static.

As her sister approaches, Luna finally pulls her gaze away from the tome she is buried in, and it's quite clear she has had no sleep in quite some time. Her eyes are bleary, with heavy bags underneath them. All liveliness is gone from them, as if sheer willpower and determination are the only things keeping her awake.

"Sister, memory restoration is a dead end, I'm afraid," Luna sighs. As she turns to focus on Celestia, her eyes are instead drawn straight to you. They open wide in surprise for just a moment, before piercing through you, her face twisted into an ugly scowl.

"Why is he here?" she demands, catching everyone but you by surprise.

"Hello to you, too," you reply back, with an edge of sarcasm cutting right back. It does nothing for her dour mood, while Celestia and Cadance exchange concerned glances with each other.

"I did not ask for you to speak," she shoots back, venom in her voice. Even this catches you off-guard, your voice getting caught in your throat as you attempt to respond. "Sister, why is he out of the hospital?" she asks, turning her focus to Celestia.

"I.... he came here on his own, Luna," Celestia stutters, looking quite uncomfortable with her sister's attitude. "I think you need to get some rest, Luna, you've been down here fo-"

"I'm fine," Luna cuts her off. "I just did not expect to see the one that caused this whole mess down here." as she speaks her eyes once again shoot daggers through you.

"I may have screwed up, but that's not fair and you know it," you shoot back, frustrated over her vile tone. Eager to see your other friend's condition, you stride over to where Luna sits, ignoring her as she recoils back a bit in response to your presence.

In the dim light the cell is afforded, your eyes take a moment to fully adjust. Sure enough, Twilight lays towards the back of the cell, not on the bed provided, but upon a pile of straw. She turns to look at you, noticing another set of eyes. But her eyes, to your horror, are dull and lifeless. She only stares back blankly, before closing her eyes and lowering her head to rest.

"Now do you understand why I told you let my sister and I take care of Chrysalis? Look at what you've managed to do to Twilight," Luna scolds. You turn to her, getting the full experience of her disapproval. Her disgust only seems magnified by the lack of sleep evident from her appearance, making you feel as if this is not even Luna at all. At least, not the one you know.

"Sister, that's not fair to Anonymous to say such a thing," Celestia responds in a motherly tone. Luna's ire shifts over to her sister, as you take the chance to back up a few steps. Out of the corner of your eye, you catch Cadence looking on,
visibly uncomfortable with the bickering.

"You may not approve dear sister, but it is true. I specifically told him to not interfere, and yet here we are," Luna snaps. Celestia's own somber face begins to show some impatience at this point, but her sister continues to lay it on thick. "Here we are, with almost no hope of restoring your student to normal. The one hope we have is the changeling queen, and we aren't even sure if she will ever awaken again, because nopony has a clue what she managed to do to Twilight. So yes, this is on Anonymous."

"Because you've never done any wrong, right?" you shout back, frustrated by the public shaming. " I'm not even referring to the obvious one, I'm talking about all the other crap you've done since I've been here. You managed to screw up a spell that set a lot of this in motion, you've lied to me time and time again. And I think there's something else you haven't divulged. Or perhaps, more fitting, that I haven't figured out yet."

All at once, Luna's mane abruptly comes to life, the flowing colors practically awash in a gust of hurricane winds as she storms over to you, her jaw clenched tight.

"You dare to talk to me that way? After all I have done for you? I feel as if I am talking to somepony else right now, and not the Anonymous I know," she growls. You only fold your arms, not backing down from her intimidating pose. Silently, you ponder that her anger about Twilight is more of a facade for Celestia, and has more to do with your defense of Nightmare earlier.

"What's that supposed to mean Luna? I feel like you have some deeper meaning behind that," you taunt. Luna rears up, pressing her face up to yours.

"You know what I mean, I don't have to say it," she hisses all but confirming your suspicions. But without warning, Luna is yanked backward, much to her own surprise. You see now with some distance her whole body is bathed in a golden glow, emanating from her sister's horn.

"That is enough," Celestia shouts, her own temper simmering, the first time you have seen that happen. She spins Luna around and sits her next to you with authority, before you as well as her are pulled toward the sun princess. She stares down at the two of you, the shame from her gaze almost palpable.

"I don't know what has gotten into the two of you, but this is hardly the time for bickering," Celestia scolds, shaking her head. "We are all tired, nopony wanted this to happen. But this is the situation we find ourselves in, and if there is any chance of saving Twilight, we need to stand together. Blame has hardly any importance at this point, or at any point for that matter."

"With all due respect sister, you do not understand all that is going on at this point, it goes beyond just Twilight," Luna grumbles, shooting you a glare.

"Luna, with all due respect, shut up," Celestia snaps back, catching the whole room by surprise with her blunt response. In an instant, Luna stops her protests, perhaps in more shock than you or Cadance.

"I want you both to go upstairs and get some rest. Luna, you have been up for well over a day," Celestia continues, before turning her bright pink eyes to you. "Anonymous, you should still be in the hospital, but I suppose since you came this far, I will allow you to stay here. I'll send a message to the nurses on station so they are not searching the countryside for an escaped patient. I will be up tending to Twilight, so you may use my bed if you so desire."

"Thank you," you say, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with the offer. Then again, it's a lot better than trying to share a room with Luna after tonight's blowup.

"Tia, I am not tired. I will continue to work with Twilight," Luna argues. But Celestia stands firm as her gaze hardens.

"Luna, I am not asking you to get some sleep. I am telling you - as your older sister - you need to get some rest. No buts about it," she responds. Luna's ears drop, clearly embarrassed by Celestia as she shies away from making further comments. Unceremoniously, the solar princess releases the two of you from her magic, and under her watching eyes, you and Luna shuffle back down the hall.

Most of the walk is silent, with Luna leading and you in tow just a few feet behind. After all, what is there to say at this point?

But once the two of you get back to the castle proper, Luna finally breaks the stalemate.

"How did you manage to get here? And how did you find out about the dungeon entrance?" she asks, a certain tone in her voice making it obvious to you she already knows the answers.

"Got here with the car," you answer with a short reply, before giving the second response some thought. However, you decide there's no real way around it. "Found the dungeon because a little birdie told me about it."

"A little birdie that is black and has the tongue of a snake, I would assume," she replies, irritated. "Why am I not surprised you continue down this troublesome path?"

"Honestly? She saved my ass here when there was a changeling masquerading as you, I think I owe her the benefit of the doubt," you respond, quickening your pace until you are beside Luna. She does not meet your eyes.

"Talked you into confronting the changeling queen as well? Yes, that was intelligent," she replies, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"No, that was my own stupid decision. I at least will own up to my mistakes," you say. At this point, Luna tenses up, finally meeting your gaze with a cold, frightening glare. Maybe that comment was best left you yourself.

"What is that supposed to mean, Anonymous?" she asks, her voice oddly flat and calm.

You don't answer her, two things stopping you from continuing the argument. First of all, you sense Nightmare Moon listening in, and silently reminding you of the promise to keep what she had divulged to you a secret.

But second, and perhaps most importantly, your head clears for the first time since arriving. You did not head all this way to fight with Luna. You love her, why would you try to hurt her? What the hell is wrong with you? The emotions of the disaster at hand have gotten you so twisted up and backwards by now you're doing the exact opposite of what this trip was meant to accomplish.

By now, both of you have reached the private bedrooms of the princesses, Luna's room lying directly across the hall from her elder sister's. Luna is still staring at you expectantly, having been silent since asking for clarification of your previous statement.

"Luna, I don't want to do this. I didn't sneak out of the hospital and drive half the night to argue," you sigh. I came all the way here to try to make amends. I didn't want all this to happen, I just plain screwed up. Nightmare hasn't convinced me to do anything, it's all on me, Luna. I know you don't like me defending her, but she is trying to change."

Luna is caught off-guard by your sudden change in attitude but quickly affirms her judging stare. "While I appreciate your apology, it changes nothing that has happened. Until we can resolve Twilight's issues, I will not accept your apology, Quite frankly, I do not believe I can trust somepony that is willing to listen to a word of what Equestria's greatest evil has to say. Or perhaps worse, try to defend her."

"Luna, please," you beg, your heart sinking as she turns away from you and heads into her room.

"Goodnight, Anonymous," she replies dismissively, not bothering to look back. She closes the door behind her with a resounding thump.

You don't know how long you just stand there in front of her door, staring. There's no sense trying to knock, you decide, but you just can't force yourself to turn away. But eventually, you do pull yourself away, and head into Celestia's room.

Much like her younger sister's room, Celestia has her room catered to her liking, this room being a stark contrast to the deep, dark hues of Luna's personal quarters. Most of the room is a warm shade of cream, with vibrant accents scattered throughout, not unlike her own mane. It is definitely a more welcoming atmosphere, though perhaps a bit too vibrant for your personal tastes, especially for a bedroom.

It doesn't really matter to you at this point, shuffling over wordlessly to the bed and falling back upon it, forgetting your injuries momentarily. However, they do not hesitate to remind you of your idiocy, a fresh wave of pain shooting through your shoulder. Fortunately - or perhaps, unfortunately - the physical pain dissipates, leaving you with just the emotional turmoil festering inside.

"I had a feeling tonight was not going to go as well as you had hoped," come's Nightmare Moon's voice. You turn your head to the side to find the black mare laying on the bed beside you. You end up doing a double take, realizing she lacks the helmet and chest-plate she normally possesses. Oddly enough, her hair is quite similar to Luna's now that you can see it. With the tight fit of her headpiece, you assumed she would have a rather bald appearance.

"What?" she asks impatiently. It dawns on you that you have been staring at her silently for some time now.

"I'm not used to.... this. What happened to the normal crap you wear?" you ask, feeling awkward as hell.

"Well, I said I am trying to adapt and change my attitude, I figured maybe that would help my cause? I don't know, is it that big of a deal?" she replies. Clearly, she finds the extra attention uncomfortable, as with a flash her armor is once again adorning her form.

"I didn't say it was unwelcome, I just wasn't expecting it," you tell her. Finally, you peel your eyes away from Nightmare and stare up at the ceiling, not waiting for a response back.

Time passes as you just lay in silence, not really focusing on anything in the room. You still sense Nightmare Moon beside you, but she has said nothing either. What is there to say, honestly? It was a mistake coming all the way out here, it would have been better to give Luna some time away from you rather than talking to her tonight.

Yet here you are, and even worse, you're still speaking to the one pony Luna despises the most. But you're beginning to think Luna has other reasons for wanting you to avoid her. Yes, the main reason is obvious, but there just seems to be something under the surface bubbling up. Or, could it be Nightmare Moon influencing you? Maybe her recent actions and change of heart are a charade. Either path ahead is unclear, and by now your head is spinning. The choice a toss-up at this point in time. Nightmare Moon has a history, but Luna has also proven herself to be a pathological liar recently. Perhaps you can't trust either of them?

With that though, you feel a pain that seems to emanate from your very soul. Or perhaps from Nightmare Moon, as she disappears without another word. It's hard to say, nor does it matter, with as miserable as this night has been. You kick your shoes off onto the floor and rotate your body, laying on the bed proper. Eager to escape reality, you close your eyes and try to relax, but still find yourself desperate for one last try.

With a final attempt for the night, you probe through the link you and Luna share. Just as you reach out to her, a sensation akin to a door slamming in your face greets you. Rolling over, you bury your head in a pillow and wait for sleep to take you away.

Chapter 24

You had enough of this back and forth bickering and underlying tension months ago. Perhaps Anonymous and Luna were oblivious to it, or they may have been forcing themselves to ignore it. But being a silent observer in all of this, you - Nightmare Moon - could sense this was coming for some time. Just without the dramatics of everything else that had transpired.

You let the real world fade away, replacing it with the starry backdrop of the dream realm. While Anonymous has sole control over his body, you're still fortunate enough to be able to independently trek through this world. You weren't even afforded that luxury when imprisoned within Luna, so it is a welcome change.

But this is no relaxation getaway, as door upon door manifests itself in front of you, a vast collection of portals that lead to an individual's personal dream. Quickly perusing them as they fly by at speed, your magic brings one in particular to a halt, a deep blue door with a crescent moon emblazoned near the top. For once, you feel a bit uneasy about this, but there's no way this feud will resolve unless you confront Luna about it.

With a deep breath, you twist the knob within the grasp of your magic, pushing the door open and stepping through with great care. But an empty black void is all that greets you upon entry, meaning Luna is either not asleep, or she is somewhere else within the dream realm. Frustrated, you backtrack and slam the door shut, wracking your mind for some sort of an idea.

It's all but certain Luna will not be visiting Anonymous, that much is a given. Her sister is still awake, down in the dungeon, so her dreams are out of the question as well. But you find it doubtful that she would be visiting random ponies' dreams tonight, which leads you straight back to square one. Unless she is trying another method to release Celestia's prized pupil from her mental affliction...

Again the doors race past you while you stand unflinching. Eventually, the door you are seeking comes into view and stops directly in your path. Much like Luna's, Twilight Sparkle's door bears her cutie mark, the door itself a lazy lavender hue. Just as you are about to enter, a part of you hesitates.

Perhaps this is not such a good idea. If your hunch is right, Luna will be preoccupied with trying to help Twilight. Whether that attempt is in vain or not won't matter much, she will be none too pleased to see you.

Then again, is she ever pleased to see you? Certainly, she has quite some reason to be angry. Essentially, you are her past she desires to wipe from the books, the remnants of a mistake that led to her exile. Yet you keep popping up and reminding Luna of the blemish upon her reputation that will never fully fade away. Nor do you want to fade from existence.

The fact of the matter is death would have been a better alternative to what you have endured. The legend referred to you as "the Mare in the Moon," and that was honestly not far from the truth. Whether you were encased within the moon itself or not is irrelevant, as wherever you spent those years was a millennium of pure hell. A neverending muscle cramp that wracked you from head to hoof, unable to move for centuries. And being conscious through it all.

Then, a brief moment of freedom, a time you spent seeking revenge rather than forgiveness. But the years of dwelling upon the events that led to your banishment only fed your hate, your lust for retribution delivered upon the pony you felt responsible for it all. But when that failed, again you were isolated, thrown into a vacuum of ceaseless silence. Sure, peace and quiet can be relaxing for a while, but that silence over time can make even the most strong-willed being go mad. With nopony to talk to, you were left alone with your own thoughts, your own misery.

So perhaps you and Anonymous got off on the wrong foot the first time around, which would be an understatement, but the ability to converse with somepony after years of seclusion brought you to a realization - the only thing that anger was going to bring you was more pain. An eternity of being alone with yourself.

The changes you've made have been difficult, it's been a long road as you attempt to remember and learn what it is to actually be social. You feel you've made a lot of progress, and Anon was comfortable and confident enough in your demeanor to defend you when Luna caught the two of you speaking with each other, the one being she despised the most. For somepony so keen to accept a human whose species seemed to be filled with hatred towards each other, Luna is unwilling to give you a chance. Anon threw himself under the bus for you, and you were both run over.

No, it's time to put an end to this nonsense. You have come too far to sit idly by and have your hard work be laid to waste. Luna has come too far for you to sit back and watch her make the same fatal mistakes she has in the past. You won't stand for another second of it as you throw open the door and step through.

Upon stepping through the portal into Twilight Sparkle's dreams, you find yourself in a familiar environment - Twilight's home, the Golden Oaks Library. Unlike when you last set eyes on it, the library is tidy and free from signs of any scuffle having taken place. In the center of the room is the lavender alicorn herself, buried nose deep in a book, as usual. But next to her stands Luna, prodding at her friend with a hoof, looking desperate and forlorn. But Twilight takes no notice, even as she flips the page.

Sensing another presence, Luna looks up and spots you. Instantly her eyes narrow as her expression shifts into a bitter scowl. But rather than entice her to say something with a face or witty remark, you stand your ground in silence. Without a word, she turns around, her horn glowing with the blue haze of her magic as a portal opens in front of her. She jumps through it without hesitation, and you quickly gallop past the idle Twilight and reach the portal before it closes, leaping through to find a starry sky greeting you, with Luna hovering nearby.

"You have some nerve showing your face here," she growls in a rather threatening tone.

"Thank you," you reply. You know your response with not be well-received, but you can't help yourself.

"That was not a compliment, what are you doing here?"

"I came to talk, isn't that obvious?" you shoot back, already finding yourself impatient with your other half. Yes, you figured it was going to be a tough uphill battle meeting with Luna, but it still does not change the amount of frustration it builds.

"We have nothing to talk about. Be gone," she says dismissively.

Once again, Luna's horn glows as she begins to open another portal. But you're ready for it this time, quickly using your own magic to stop the swirling blue window from manifesting itself any larger. She may have caught you off guard in Anon's dream, but you can match her prowess in the dream realm under most circumstances.

"Oh no, you're not running away from your problems anymore, Luna," you scold. "We need to talk, you and me."

The shock of your quick response to her escape plan fades away from Luna, as pure resentment oozes from her every pore, her teal eyes ice cold. "My only problem is you, and the mess that you have created, Nightmare," she says, in a calm but ominous tone.

"Considering I have no body and no physical influence on the real world, would you mind explaining how I have created this mess?" you ask, raising an eyebrow, In reality, you restrain yourself from rolling your eyes, having expected such an accusation from her.

"You know how, the same way you always do. Manipulation of the mind," she replies. "I don't know how you have managed, but you have turned Anonymous against me, he disobeys me and listens to you now."

"Are you listening to yourself right now?" you shout, utterly disturbed and disgusted by her reply. "Is Anonymous really your special somepony, or a toy that is supposed to bow to your every whim?"

"You can spin my words any way you want, it changes nothing. What I do not understand is how you are even awake in the first place," she says, brushing aside your sudden burst of anger.

It was a simple enough question, but it had personally taken you some time to unravel the events. You had no recollections of anything between the time of being shifted into Anon's mind, and one simple phrase.

'Show everypony the monster inside of you.'

"Oh, you can thank Discord for that. Very trustworthy one, that draconequus," you replied, rolling your eyes in time with the touch of sarcasm in your voice.

Luna stomped a hoof in anger as she snorted. "Of course, I assumed he had not fixed whatever he had done to me." Luna paused for a moment, her anger subsiding just a bit. "But that doesn't make sense, how would Discord have risen you from Anon's mind if he had been focusing his spell on me?"

"I don't know, I just know his words were the first thing I remember when I realized I was no longer attached to you. Near as I can figure, his magic jumped your mind to Anon's via the link you share, but I have no proof," you explain, shrugging your shoulders at the end.

"I knew he was untrustworthy, I never believed for a second he would have changed," Luna grumbled.

"And what about you, Luna? You complain about other entities not changing their harmful attitudes, and yet here we are repeating history, no?"

"What are you talking about? Do you just enjoy hearing yourself talk?"

"I'm talking about what led to me in the first place, the same thing you are doing now," you reply calmly, sitting down upon your haunches. "Rather than share how you feel with other ponies, you bottle it all up. You hold secrets, even when they can be harmful. You spew further lies to hide the truth."

"I have no idea what you're talking about. My mistake was falling victim to my own jealousy and trusting you to make things right. I have not made that mistake again, nor ever will," she says, watching you with a wary eye as she herself sits down.

"Oh, we will get to that next," you warn. "I'm talking about Anonymous."

"What about him?" Luna responds halfheartedly. But beneath that nonchalant attitude, you sense some worry.

"I know what you did to him. Do not play dumb with me, Luna."

But with that sentence, silence falls over the two of you, both staring down each other in a stalemate. You want her to admit to this whole mess she is responsible for, but Luna is stubborn and remains mute. It's up to you to break this standoff.

"I know the spell you cast was no accident."

"What spell? You're out of your mind," Luna quickly snaps. "I am trying to help Twilight Sparkle in any way that I can, and you are here wasting my time and only trying to spread more misery in your wake. Absolutely pathetic."

"That wasn't an accident that you and Anon switched bodies, was it Luna? You can keep playing the victim here, but I saw what you had brewing within your mind. I was there to see it as you schemed. Just because you locked me away in the back corner of your head does not mean I am blind to your actions, your thoughts, and your emotions."

Luna's eyes are as wide as saucers by now, realizing the gravity of your words as they sink in. Again there is nothing but silence between the two of you, but with your piece spoken, the ball is in her court.

"So you told him?" she asks quietly. You solemnly shake your head, noticing her breath a sigh of relief, but not for long.

"I did not tell him. But you will, if you truly care about him as a being," you mutter.

"Why do you care? Do you get a kick out of making him miserable? Does it excite you to see my life in turmoil?" Luna asks in a snide voice. Her tone is enough to leave you teetering on the edge of your self-control.

"Are you even listening to yourself? You have lied to him all the way, your whole relationship built on a foundation of lies, and you see no problem with that? Do you understand how much of a complete and utter sociopath you sound like?" you shout, gritting your teeth as seething anger pumps through your veins.

"It hasn't hurt anypony," Luna shouts back, trembling as she loses her own temper. "You made me the way I am, you ruined my life and caused me to live years in isolation, so I do what I must to make myself happy. And again you are ruining my life! If I had any possible way of destroying you, I would not hesitate for an instant. You are pure evil and always have been!"

The last comment sets you off as you rise to your hooves and march over to your other half. Luna starts to rise as well, but you put an end to that, using your magic to hold her in place as you stand eye to eye with her.

"I'm evil?! If I am pure evil, then what is Equestria's name are you?" you scream, causing Luna to recoil in shock from your volume and the spittle that flies from your maw. "It's always my fault, it's never been your fault! I've always been the scapegoat that you hide behind even as you try to pretend you've learned something!"

Like a pressurized vessel tossed into a fire, you feel the rush of your pent-up anger burst through as the restraint you've demonstrated thus far continues to fracture and blow away. A small voice inside tells you to stop, but by now you're too far gone, your eyes seeing red as you stare down the cowering form before you. You press onward with your tirade, stepping closer to her until you are almost standing above Luna, who has tried to press herself closer to the invisible floor the two of you stand upon.

"I can not believe how far you have deluded yourself in such a short time, it's sickening. You've managed to whitewash everything that happened so you can slip free of the blame when it was you that was responsible for what happened. There was never an us until after our return, but you have managed to fool everypony. But not me, Luna, I remember it. I lived it," you snarl, no longer shouting. Even so, your violent outburst has left Luna reeling as she tries to compose herself.

"I don't... I don't underst-stand," Luna finally manages to stumble out, trying to slink backward and away from you. But you catch her right away with a flick of magic, regaining a grip upon her that had slipped during your outburst. Her comment only irritates you further, even as tears start to well in her eyes.

"If you don't understand, then I'll make you understand," you growl, your horn glowing as you focus your magic upon the sad excuse for a princess. You grit your teeth as your magic lashes outward, not just to her horn but to the surrounding area as well.

All around, the air fills with memories, of your memories and what should be Luna's. She looks upward, trying to make sense of the cascade of snapshots as the air crackles around you, alight with your magic as you focus it all on Luna now. You see it in her eyes as the memories flood into her mind and file themselves away, tears beginning to flow freely from Luna as you only harden your gaze upon her. One by one the scenes above disappear as they funnel their way into your other half's memory bank until the skies are again only lit by the dim light of the stars.

You release Luna from your grip, turning away from her as you gather your own thoughts and gain some semblance of self-control. You hear her slump to the group rather than rise, a few whimpers here and there as she processes what you have shown her.

"If you want to call me a monster, you are only throwing that insult upon yourself. Just because we are separate beings now, does not mean we always were. Evidently, I was the only one to bear the burden of our actions, but now you share the same privilege. I did not persuade you to make the choice you did so many years ago, as I was still you, a single being. You did this to yourself because you decided your sister never cared. And now, rather than speak with Anonymous, you do the same thing. You push him away, you blame him, you blame me for everything that has happened when it is you that began this whole mess. So I ask you, do you still consider us, as a single being, a monster?"

"Monster," you hear mumbled quietly. You whirl around to face Luna with a new found fury, her answer the opposite of what you had expected.

But she is not looking at you, nor at anything in particular as she stares glassy-eyed into oblivion. A loud crack akin to thunder hits your ears, as the starry scenery around the two of you suddenly fractures like a pane of glass. The fissure splits and grows every time Luna speaks, the same word over and over.

"Monster."

"Luna, no that wasn't the point of this, I just-"

Another loud crack echoes across the realm as fissures continue to erupt all around, shards of Luna's dream beginning to fall away and leaving a black abyss in their place. Reality sets in even as fear grips your very core, that this was too much for Luna's mind to bear all at once.

"Luna, snap out of it," you shout, the anger that had consumed you long gone from your voice. But Luna is lost in a trance, showing no response to your plea.

"Monster," she mumbles again

With no other option and fearful of what the collapse of this place could do to your own well-being, you quickly summon a portal out of Luna's dream, jumping through it without hesitation. On the other side, you find yourself back in the real world, within Celestia's room where Anonymous lies sleeping.

"Wake the hell up," you shout at the top of your lungs. Anonymous jumps up at attention, panting for breath at the rude awakening. Even as he gains his bearing, you can hear what sounds like murmuring across the hall.

"What is your problem?" Anon groans, actually relaxing just a bit when he sees it is you that roused him from sleep.

"There is no time to explain, you need to go to Luna, now," you roar, the full scope of what you may have done sending your mind racing. Why did you have to go and be a hot-headed moron?

"Luna doesn't want to see m-" Anon starts before you jump onto the bed and get right up in his face. Finally, the last bit of sleepiness dissipates from him as he can sense your turmoil.

"Go to her," you say through gritted teeth. This finally gets him moving, Anon jumping out of bed and walking at a brisk pace to the door. His pace quickens as he too hears something going on in Luna's room, flinging the door open and stepping into the empty hall.

Once in the hall, you can make out what is being said, the same thing you heard before fleeing Luna's mind.

"Monster."

At this point, Anon wastes no time even knocking, barging through the door into Luna's room as you stay close behind him. Luna lies in bed staring straight up at the ceiling, chanting over and over the same word in an emotionless, monotone voice.

"What the hell happened, what's going on?" Anon asks as he rushes over to Luna's bedside. She pays no notice to Anon, even as he sticks his face within her view. "Luna, Luna!"

"I.... I lost my temper, I tried talking to her," you admit, hanging your head in shame. "I told her everything. What I told you not to say."

"Dammit, Darkie, what the hell were you thinking?" he shouts angrily as you look back up at him. But his focus is on Luna as he lifts her up off the bed, struggling to do so with only one good arm. A vigorous shake ensues, Luna's head bobbing back and forth lifelessly.

"Luna, you're not a monster, you never were a monster," he calls out as he stops and holds her, cradling her head as her mane drapes lazily over his arm. "We all make mistakes, but you came back from it. You gotta snap out of it."

Something within Anon's words resonates with the night princess he holds in his arms, as Luna's eyes suddenly take focus. Her chanting stops as she just stares at him, evidently unaware of what's going on.

"Anon," she says quietly, shaking her head. "No, no, you shouldn't be here," she says, her voice suddenly filled with sorrow.

"No, I do belong here," Anon answers back with a firm tone. "I'm not mad at you Luna, no one is. You're not a monster, your past is just that, history. You've changed, Luna. I love you for you, regardless of what has happened."

As you watch on at the scene, you notice Luna's lips move ever so subtly, tracing the words Anon says to her. With every word, her whole body begins to tremble more and more, her breaths becoming ragged. Anon clutches on to her, embracing her tightly as she suddenly lets out a banshee-like wail.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she shouts repeatedly through choked sobs.

The hallway outside comes alive with a rapid approach of hoofsteps. Princess Celestia bursts through the doorway in an instant, her tired form rigid with anxiety as she looks on at her sister in Anon's arms. Anon looks up at her as he strokes Luna's mane in comfort, her loud sobs continuing as she babbles incoherently. You shake your head, ashamed at yourself, watching as Anon buries his face in Luna's mane before you take your leave and fade back into the recesses of his mind.

Chapter 25

The sound of hoofsteps echoing along the hall corridors rouses you from your sleep. You don't know how long you drifted off for, just as the time down here has been a mystery. With no light aside from the glow of torches, the damp foreboding darkness of this place makes every minute that passes feel like an hour. Being stuck alone with your thoughts is near torture, so any sleep you can get to pass the time is a blessing, even if you don't need it. But every few hours, a guard's check of your cell disturbs your restless slumber.

But this time, you note a subtle difference in the hoofsteps. Not different in the sense of the pony, but in their nature. So used to the almost casual march of the guards, these hooves clearly move with purpose, on a mission as they grow louder and louder.

Briefly, you consider making some sort of effort to make yourself presentable. But in reality, there is no point. Instead, you continue to lounge upon the straw in the cell, your eyes peeled for your mystery guest.

It doesn't take long before the origin of the sounds comes into view, a single Canterlot guard attired in the standard golden armor. This particular stallion is a unicorn, his horn lighting with a warm white glow as a mess of chains and shackles levitate off of his back, untangling themselves as gravity takes hold.

"You've been summoned," he states, his tone gruff and apathetic.

You only nod slightly in a silent acknowledgment as the restraints he holds slip through the bars of your cell. You rise to your hooves, complying with what you know comes next. One by one, each clasp encloses around your hooves, the chains attaching your left and right sides clattering noisily upon the cobblestone floor.

A final piece - a large ring - makes its way into your cell as well, separate from the other restraints. This one slowly slides over your horn, locking itself into place upon sensing the presence of magic. The cold steel clasps and ring begin to glow with a ghastly violet hue, sigils appearing on the bands as you feel the magic within you being sapped away.

It is only a matter of seconds before the glow fades, the magic within you dissipated for the safety of everypony else. The cell itself has made any casting of magic impossible from within, but the chains binding you now make it possible for you to be moved.

"Come, the Princess is waiting," the guard orders, tugging on the chains between your forehooves. You oblige him as the cell door creaks open, stepping into the hall to see another guard waiting for you, another unicorn stallion. He turns away and begins to march forward as you follow him, the original guard tailing behind.

You keep your head low as your escorts lead you up into the castle, only looking up to be sure of where you are walking. Your wardens are silent, the only sounds exchanged between the three of you being the clop of hooves upon stone and the clatter of steel chains. You feel the glares and scowls that await you as your caravan passes guards on station, waiting for any sudden movements from their prisoner. But you have no thoughts of escape.

Eventually, the guard ahead stops, causing you to look up. He stands before yet another pair of white stallions attired in the same gold-plated armor, protecting a towering set of oak doors with spears clutched within their forehooves. They nod silently as the doors open slowly, groaning with deep reluctance. Again you feel eyes upon you, judging your pathetic form as you forge ahead into the room.

The march forward feels as if it takes eons, as you dread what comes next. You want to just gallop forward and get this all over with, but that would be far from an intelligent idea. As you contemplate what to say, you realize your escorts have stopped, and you do the same. Finally looking up, you find yourself at the base of a flight of stairs, leading up to the plateau where a white alicorn meets your gaze, her posture rigid and regal, her magenta eyes drilling through to your soul.

"Hello, Princess Celestia," you say, barely above a mumble. Celestia remains silent for a time, merely taking a moment to study you as you keep your head low.

"Hello Luna," she finally replies, lacking any sort of emotion. "I'm sure you know why I have called you."

"Indeed," you agree, slightly nodding.

Frankly, you are surprised it has been such a wait since seeing your sister again. While your mind remains hazy with the details, the night of your confrontation with Nightmare Moon in your dreams led to an apparent spell of incoherent babbling as your mind tried making sense of all the memories suddenly flooding back in all at once. During that time, you were in and out of consciousness, before coming back in a hazy state of mind. The truth you hid came out in that period, with your older sister present.

You eventually confirmed to her everything you had said was fact.

Your sister turns her attention away from you, scanning across the guards posted around the throne room.

"Guards, you are dismissed," she orders. The guards on either side of you look at each other, unsure of what they just heard. Indeed, all the guards seem taken aback by Celestia's directions.

"That is a direct order," Celestia barks, impatient with the lack of movement. At once, everypony evacuates the throne room with haste, leaving just you and your sister, whose gaze focuses upon you once again.

"It pains me to once again be in a position like this with you," she says in a hushed tone, trying hard to mask the sadness within her. It still touches her voice a bit, though her gaze remains firm and emotionless.

"I know," you reply quietly. You feel no desire for long-winded answers at this point in time; there is no need.

"Why you decided to purposely place one of Equestria's greatest threats with your human friend is beyond my comprehension," she says, her tone becoming more biting and direct as she continues. "Not just that, you fail to inform me Nightmare Moon even exists in any form in the first place. Would you care to elaborate?"

Your mind stumbles upon itself as you try to come up with an answer for Celestia that will sate her. With the revelations that Nightmare Moon fed to you in the confrontation the two of you had, your brain is still a hazy, haphazard mess as it continues to try to file everything away, even now.

"I do not have a sensible answer to that," you respond, giving up on any sort of excuse or explanation. "For some reason, I felt this was a good way to get closer to Anonymous, though the idea makes no sense. Perhaps I just wanted to spread my sickness."

Princess Celestia remains mute throughout your response, though her face and posture exude disgust and disappointment with every word you speak.

"I gave you another chance, I thought you had changed as a pony. I suppose you have proven I was mistaken, blinded by our tearful reunion," she finally says, cold in both her sharp tone and judging gaze upon you. It causes you to slump you whole form even more, the weight of the restraints pulling you down along with the realization your sister is right.

She took a chance on you, forgiving your past misdeeds and handing you a fresh start on life after millennia away.

All you have done is throw it back in her face.

"Maybe I have always been broken. I don't know," you muse quietly. The statement hangs in the air, as silence befalls the two of you for a spell. Both of you stare at each other, waiting for the other to speak up.

"I have not told Anonymous why I had you imprisoned," Celestia announces, drawing your attention enough that you stand up straight.

"That may be for the best. I have ruined our relationship enough," you reply back. But Celestia shakes her head quickly.

"No, I want you to tell him what you did to him. You owe him that much," she snaps, anger seeping into her voice for the first time. She does not give you time to answer, raising her head and turning to her left.

"Anonymous, you may enter now," she booms. As quick as her words come out, a door to the far left of the room opens up, the aforementioned human cautiously entering.

His eyes fall upon you quickly, causing him to rapidly drop his apprehensive attitude and heads your way in haste. Clearly, he has no idea what has befallen you to necessitate the state he sees you in now, nor does he have an idea of why he has been summoned.

"Luna, what's going on?" he asks, concerned. Your heart sinks with every step forward he takes. You've lied to him so much to keep your secret intact, and now you must divulge everything.

There is no way out of this.

No more running.

As he reaches you, he kneels down, ready to give you a hug. But you halt his advance with an outstretched hoof. Or at least, the best you can, considering the chains that bind you. Even so, it is enough to keep him at a distance, as much as it pains you.

"What? What's wrong?" he asked, deeply hurt by your rejection. It only makes your stomach churn uneasily as you try to decide how to begin.

"There's something I need to explain to you," you start hesitantly. "Something I probably should have told you a long time ago. Actually, something that should not have occurred in the first place."

Anonymous is silent, frozen stiff by your low, ominous tone. You take a deep breath, before exhaling every detail you held from him.

"The spell I cast that eventually led to Nightmare Moon being stuck within you was not an accident. It was what I had planned to do, other than her actually being awake and able to speak with you."

Anonymous opens his mouth to say something, but you keep going, letting the truth gush out in one swift current.

"The spell was not an accident, the way it was cast I had to wait two days to make sure Nightmare Moon bonded to your consciousness within my body. It was wrong, but I liked you, and I wanted to know if you felt the same way about me. I was just too scared to ask you or confess my own feelings. I'm sorry."

You finish, taking in a big gulp of air after another session of rambling. Anon is frozen in place, mute as he wraps his head around everything you have explained.

But in the blink of an eye, he suddenly scowls, raising a fist in anger and striking you across the snout.

Your eyes well in tears from the sudden shock of pain sent through you, as a metallic smell and taste permeate your senses. You raise a hoof to your nose slowly, gingerly touching your muzzle before lowering it again, confirming your nose bleed.

"I never should have trusted you," Anonymous growls, rapidly rising to his feet and storming away from you. You say nothing in response as he directs his ire towards Princess Celestia.

"I don't ever want to see her again, Tia," he shouts angrily. "I hate her."

You hear a door slam shut as silence once again falls upon the throne room. You do nothing, only staring down at the floor, blood occasionally dripping from your nose onto the carpet. But the physical discomfort is nothing compared to your heartache, the last three words from his mouth cutting deep, sending shockwaves through you.

Nightmare was right, this is the path that you chose. All along, you weren't the victim of circumstance, you were the creator of every hurdle you have faced and stumbled over. You are the monster you have been afraid of this whole time.

"Luna, stand up," you hear Celestia command quietly. You do as you are told, hardening yourself and pushing away your emotions as you look up to your older sister.

"You heard him, sister," you say, your voice cracking. "I do not deserve mercy. I ruin everything I touch. For the sake of Equestria, rid the world of me once and for all. You can not kill me, but you can lock me away for eternity, a fate I deserve."

"I could not agree more, Luna," Princess Celestia bluntly responds. While she is agreeing with what you have said, hearing somepony else with the same conviction still stings.

No words are spoken between the two of you, as Celestia's magic envelops the shackles around your hooves, freeing them with a click from each of the four before lifted away. However, the ring upon your horn stays, as it should.

"I will at least grant you your latent magic, enabling your strength and flight. You will likely need it where you are going," Celestia says, her horn's normal golden glow slowly fading into a bluish-violet hue, a portal opening up before your forehooves.

"Tartarus," you mumble, the name of the vile place hesitant to even leave your tongue. Your eyes dance across the forbidden wasteland as it takes form in the portal, dark and foreboding forests contrasted with towering, rocky crags. Even from outside, you see eyes of various fiendish creatures piercing the dark, staring in your direction.

As if knowing fresh meat is in store.

You take a step forward, just about to enter the portal before you hold and look up, meeting the watchful, wary eyes of your sister one last time.

"I am sorry," you say, your voice wavering with emotion despite your best effort to keep stoic. "Goodbye, Tia."

Celestia nods slowly, keeping her composure as she continues to stare you down. "Goodbye, Luna."

With last words exchanged, you take a deep breath, leaping through the portal in one swift movement.

As you enter this new dimension, a chill runs down your spine, the temperature having dropped drastically over what had been a pleasant warmth in the castle. Underhoof, gravel as black as night crunches loudly, making your presence known to all inhabitants.

You are home, where you belong.

But through the silence and the endless dark of night, another sound reaches your ears. A low rumble off in the distance, seeming to echo ceaselessly across the landscape and all around you. It's a familiar sound, but you can not quite put your hoof on where you have heard it. After all, you aren't sure what all creatures inhabit this place, who knows what you will stumble upon.

Or what may stumble upon you.

It seems the eyes you had spotted in the portal before entering were just an illusion of some sort, as there is no sign of activity in your immediate vicinity. Even so, you remain on guard as you try to decide which way to head. Shelter is certainly a priority, as is water.

But no sooner do you take a step forward do you hear a sinister snarl behind you. With great care you turn your head to face the aggressor, finding nothing but a pair of floating eyes all too familiar to your memory. Teal, feral eyes.

"No, how are you here?" you manage to gasp, as fear grips your very soul. You get no answer back as you take a step backward, the eyes moving towards you as they keep the same distance. This has to be a hallucination, right? Nightmare Moon is still with Anonymous, how can she be here?

The rumble you heard earlier suddenly returns, before instantly growing into a deafening roar, the origin of the sound manifesting directly behind you. Forced to make a decision on the most concerning foe, you turn away from Nightmare Moon's gaze to the newcomer.

Instantly, you're forced to squint, as a blinding white light obstructs your view of what lays in front of you. But as you bring a hoof up to your eyes to shield yourself, the light dims, though your eyes are still in shock from the brightness to focus. But you sense one presence is gone, the specter of Nightmare Moon that had been behind you before this intruder came along.

In reality, the sudden events in such a short time span have your mind reeling to make sense of everything. Your ears pick up the same rhythmic rumble as earlier, right in front of you. Finally, something clicks in your head as you remember the sound, but it still makes no sense whatsoever.

Anon's car, the Superbird.

Your heart races upon the realization, your eyes finally beginning to adjust once again to the relative darkness. Sure enough, the mechanical beast sits directly in front of you, as improbable as it may seem. The burbling note of the exhaust continues to purr away, the headlights focused squarely upon you.

"Anon...?" you ask, barely above a whisper. The windows are too dark to see anything inside, forcing you to slowly make your way to the driver's side of the car. But as you do so, you find that this contraption is not what you are expecting.

Instead, the Superbird is a glossy pitch black, rather than the metallic purple it should be. In fact, there is nothing that accents the car, as the wheels, the trim around the windows, everything is blacked out. Quickly, you take a few steps back, dread creeping within you as your stomach turns, the absurdity of it all making your head spin.

An echoing click is the only warning you receive as the driver's door flings itself wide open, giving you a glance not into the interior, but an empty black chasm. Just as you prepare to bolt in the opposite direction, wisps of blue haze seep out, surrounding your hooves and seizing them with force. Terrified, you spread your wings and frantically flap to no avail, the mysterious smoke overpowering your attempts at escape. What little flight you get only serves to help whatever has you within its grip, dragging you quickly into the abyss.

The force of the tug upon your body sends you reeling, tumbling backward upon the ground as the haze dissipates and leaves you at the mercy of gravity. What little light that shines in comes from the outside of the "car," through the open door. But that too is short-lived, as with a shrill squeak of the hinges, the light fades away as the door closes with a resounding thump.

You can see nothing - not even the ground under your hooves as an endless sea of black surrounds you. Again silence reigns, only the sound of your own hooves echoing infinitely as you slowly take a few experimental steps.

But exactly what in Equestria is going on right now? Everything made sense until you stepped into the portal before, but since entering Tartarus all logic has gone out the window. You have been here before when dealing with some of Equestria's other villains, banishing them here with your sister. It is a different realm, but it still always acted relatively normal, rather than the bizarre and rather impossible experiences you have had thus far.

At least now there is nothing in existence, giving you a moment to slow your frantic heartrate. Perhaps this place acts differently for those lacking magic? At this point, it is the only plausible idea you possess. Tartarus is a place of punishment, after all. Maybe it manifests objects and creatures that in reality are not possible.

"Oh, I assure you, I am real," calls a familiar, threatening voice. Once again, you spy Nightmare's trademark predatory eyes, as she manifests herself in front of you. She looks pleased, an air of cockiness practically oozing from her form.

But you have had enough of this. Even as your fear returns and spikes your pulse once again, you stand defiantly, looking her straight in the eyes. "No, you're not real. At least, not physically," you snarl. "I don't know what this is or what you really are, but your existence here in Tartarus is not possible."

"Oh, I never claimed this to be Tartarus," she says with a chuckle. "That was all you, my dear. I've just been... helping you along, so to speak." Nightmare begins pacing around you, as you in turn slowly match her every move. "This is all just a fun little game, Lulu. Just getting you where I need you. I need your will broken, and I think we're close."

"You are lying. I'm - I'm dreaming, aren't I?!" you shout back, continuing to mirror your other half. "Why are you doing this? What is the meaning of these mind games?"

"Oh, I figured that was obvious enough. You and I are meant to be together, as one entity once again," she says, flashing a sinister, toothy grin. "As Nightmare Moon. No more Luna from here on out. You get to ride in the back seat."

"Impossible, you're inside... inside Anonymous..." you trail off, remembering the last meeting with him. But was it real?

When did this become a dream?

Or a hallucination?

What is this?

A sudden bout of laughter snaps you from you existential crisis as Nightmare is almost beside herself with amusement, her wicked grin only continuing to grow. "Maybe none of this is real. Maybe you've been on the moon this whole time and your return was just a fantasy. Or, perhaps you really have fallen from grace once again. Does it really matter?" She takes a step toward you, causing you to flinch away.

But to your horror, your legs do not respond. In fact, the chains that had previously bound your hooves have returned, tied tightly to the ground below you.

"Leave me alone!" you shout at the top of your lungs, your eyes slammed shut in an effort to make this terrible scene disappear.

"You've always been alone, and always will be," cackles Nightmare Moon, her voice drifting around you, surrounding you as she continues to laugh. Opening your eyes in surprise, she is indeed gone, though her laughter continues. You drop to the floor, covering your head with your hooves and sob heavily at your own helplessness. There's nothing else you can do, trapped by your own self, as a result of your own actions.

Whether this is real or fiction does not matter.

This truly is Tartarus.

Chapter 26

The cacophony of laughter is endless as it continues on and on, drilling through your hooves which have planted themselves over your ears. Still, you remain trapped, chained rigidly to the ground upon which you lay with no means of breaking free.

But what does it matter? Where would you go anyways? At this point, you have to question when this all became fantasy. This exile to Tartarus has made no sense, but has anything else been believable?

If the actions of this realm cannot be trusted to be reality, how can you consider a being just dropping in from another world anything other than a delusion? Perhaps this is your original exile, maybe Nightmare Moon is right.

But is she real? Are you real? What is reality? Your head throbs with a migraine, the ceaseless questions straining your mind to what feels like its limits.

It takes you a while to realize that Nightmare's torturous cackling has died off. Instead, you once again hear the rhythmic low rumble of an engine at idle. Sure enough, you raise your head from the ground and sight the same black car as earlier, parked mere feet from where you lay.

"You aren't real, I am sure of that!" you shout in anger. "Leave me be!"

But your cries are only matched by the mysterious machine, the engine revving up to a loud snarl, enough that the car lurches to one side slightly from the torque. As quickly as it comes, the revs die back down to a normal lopy idle, as if mocking you. You only glare in irritation rather than try to make sense of this uninvited guest. However, the machine acts as if it has heard your thoughts, the engine cutting off abruptly, in time with the driver's door creaking open.

Now you are intrigued, focusing all your attention to the side of the car, waiting to see what comes out. You aren't forced to wait long, though you only catch a glimpse of... a starry blue mane...?

The door slams shut, revealing the odd visitor - yourself. She stands there, eyeing you carefully but remaining silent and motionless.

"What now?" you moan. This is supposed to be a place of punishment, not torture. Why all of a sudden is your whole understanding of - everything being turned upside down?

"Are you all right?" your clone asks, audibly concerned despite her rather emotionless expression. Despite her inquisition, she remains where she stands, keeping some distance between the two of you.

"Does it look like I am well?" you shoot back, a tinge of venom within your voice. The other Luna is startled by your harsh answer, but remains silent, apparently waiting for you to try again with less misdirected anger. "No, I am not all right. The whole reason I am here is that I am such a depraved mess," you sulk, dropping your gaze to your chained hooves.

"But what is here?" is the response given back, almost as instantly as you finish. The question is odd enough that you snap to attention, away from your self-pity. Again, even as you stare at this doppelganger, she only awaits your answer. In fact, unlike your own demeanor, she remains calm and relaxed.

"This is Tartarus, is it not?" you respond, asking your own questions now. The other Luna considers your inquiry but remains mum. It seems you are the one expected to be the contestant in this game of twenty questions. With the silence, you ponder your own uncertainties. Maybe this is an extension of Tartarus? If so, it is nothing like you've ever seen before. Thus, it likely is not, especially considering the way in which you arrived.

"This is not the desolate wasteland we call Tartarus," you blurt with conviction. Your twin nods silently, closing her eyes as if in deep thought.

"But it does seem to be some sort of prison, would that be safe to assume?" she asks.

"Of course," you quickly chime in. "Do you not see the chains I am bound by?"

The other Luna breaks her meditation and comes to attention at your response. Her bright teal eyes dance across your body for a moment, before focusing in on your identical pair of eyes.

"Are you bound here against your will? Or have you chosen to see it that way?"

You huff at her words. "Perhaps you need to get your vision tested, because clearly I-"

Looking down, you're shocked to see your doppelganger is correct. The heavy chains and shackles that had bound you in this spot have vanished without a trace. Cautiously, you rise and take a few steps, assuring yourself of freedom.

Shaken to your very core, you stare wide-eyed at the other Luna. However, she seems nonchalant about your epiphany, as if it were no big deal.

"So, is - have I been doing this to myself the whole time? Without even knowing?!" you shout, exasperated.

"Indirectly, but yes," she says. "The mind is not just the consciousness that we are aware of, but the subconscious, which can afflict our thoughts our dreams, all without one's realization."

"I know that. Or, I thought I did," you say. This Luna reminds you so much of- well you. Maybe you aren't Luna...?

"So this is a dream?" you quickly blurt out. As if everything else that had happened wasn't confusing enough, this encounter was beginning to make your head spin. "How can you be me, if I am... me?"

"It is a dream, and yet, it is not," Luna replies cryptically. "Try your magic, and see if you can affect this realm in any way." She sits upon her haunches in front of you, patiently awaiting you to experiment.

Needing no further encouragement, you focus, invisibly probing at your surroundings - or lack thereof. But you feel nothing respond to your efforts, no sense of malleability in the abyss surrounding you. It remains dark and lifeless, only further confounding your efforts to understand the situation.

"Who are you, really?" you ask again, still feeling rather suspicious about the whole scenario unfolding as your eyes dart from Luna to the Superbird. She follows your eyes, glancing over to the car before turning back to you with a slight smile.

"That was merely a way of snapping you from the vicious self-torture cycle place upon yourself," she replies. Abruptly, the Superbird begins melting away from the rear of the car forward, seeping back into Luna's mane until it has vanished completely. The show only hardens your resolve, your suspicions of this visitor peaking in an instant.

"Answer my question," you demand. "You tell me this is and is not a dream all at once, and what you just did is not possible in the waking world. There are only two other beings I know of that can manipulate dreams, and for some reason, I am unable to do anything. Why should I trust you?"

Your other self sighs and hangs her head, frustrated by your incessant prodding for an explanation.

"I suppose it was to be expected you would be too curious about the why and who to listen for very long," she said, looking back up at you. "I will answer your most pressing questions, on one condition."

"Tell me your condition, and I will consider it," you respond firmly.

"Allow me to explain myself before flying off the handle."

"Why would I be unwilling to listen? Unless..." Your mind makes the connections quickly with the pieces in place.

"Yes," she says before her form suddenly grows taller, and her coat turns to black. "I came back, but not to argue, Luna. I came to help you, and to apologize."

"Help me? Why should I believe that? Why should I not consider the idea that you created this dream and somehow have taken my powers away from me to see through the facade?"

"Maybe you shouldn't listen to me. I did cause this mess within your mind I admit. But it was not my intention," she says, staring directing into your eyes. Surprisingly, you realize now her eyes have remained the same as yours, and the light blue armor she normally wears is absent. Lacking her feral eyes and normal attire, she poses a less threatening visage than usual.

Especially considering her rather forlorn expression.

"Have I ever created a nightmare, Luna?" she asks, the disappointment practically palpable within her voice. "In the years since our return, have you ever had to deal with a mess I created in the dream realm? You know as well as I do my name is just that - a name."

As much as you would like to argue with her, Nightmare is right. You spend every night in the dream realm helping ponies with their bad dreams, and not once have you come across a dream that was altered or otherwise manipulated by an outside force. In fact, you have never encountered Nightmare Moon nor sensed her presence anywhere, aside from the back of your mind, sealed away.

"Then what is this? Why can I not use my magic to change this dream?" you ask, somewhat calmer than you had been just moments ago. "Actually, why can I not even sense that this is a dream? I should at least be able to tell the difference between reality and fantasy."

"You of all ponies should know nightmares do not present themselves as obvious to those afflicted by them. They are caused by troubled thoughts within the mind," Nightmare lectures. "I would assume that the fact this is more or less a sort of nightmare is the main reason your powers do not work, but..."

"But what?" you ask, as Nightmare looks reluctant to continue. She remains silent for a time, avoiding eye contact with you. Finally, after a minute or so of near-deafening silence, she has her words carefully picked out enough to look at you.

"I guess you really did not have memories on what happened directly before and during our time in exile. I am sorry, but your ignorance of the events angered me enough to force my memories upon you, and in turn, I guess - I guess this is what is considered a mental breakdown," she answers. Her horn lights up, its soothing blue aura expanding and lighting up the immediate vicinity before slowly rising up and away from her, steadily brightening.

Eventually, the orb of magic grows large enough and bright enough to light the whole area, and you see now what she means in her explanation.

All around, it looks as if the two of you are in a cathedral, with every wall, every pillar, the expansive ceiling constructed of panels of stained glass, in differing shades of blue and violet. You would consider it beautiful, were it not for areas where huge shards are missing, leaving an empty black hole in its place. Even where the glass remains, ugly, glaring cracks distract from the overall scenery.

"What is - I don't -" You speak, but nothing of substance comes out, overwhelmed and confused by this construct of your own mind.

"Your mind was unable to cope with the overwhelming surge of information all at once. I would assume that is not only why you've been having these absurd dreams, but have not been waking no matter what anypony tries," Nightmare responds. You snap your eyes back to the black alicorn.

"What do you mean? How long have I been asleep?" you asked, surprised.

"About two days, give or take a couple of hours by my last count," she says flatly. Her words hit you hard, taking the breath out of you.

"So, what now?" you press, coming to grips with her news. Despite the rather shocking information, you remain calm. Perhaps you still don't understand the full scope of what she's saying. After all, a mental breakdown is not something that happens every day.

"Now? I suppose all I can do is help you try to sort everything out. I don't know how much I can assist you. It was hard enough getting here, not to mention snapping you out of your intensive nightmare." She looks uncomfortable with the idea she has thrown out, fidgeting a bit where she stands while awaiting your response.

"Why would you want to help me? After everything I've blamed you for over the years, after the way I have treated you? I assume there is some catch to this assistance," you reply, skeptical of her claims. Instantly, Nightmare's mood soured, though not in the way you would expect.

Rather than lash out, Nightmare seems hurt by your distrust, her ears dropping along with her gaze.

"As I said, I lost my temper, and I did this to you. I want to right the wrong that I created. I understand that you don't believe I can change, but at the same time, you now know you and I are truly two halves of a whole. I was once Luna, along with you."

Her words send a chill up your spine. Now that you have your memories back about the events that occurred, you cannot deny the truth.

And the truth is sickening. It was easy to live with yourself believing your abhorrent actions were not entirely pinned upon you, but now you know it was all you. The ideas, the actions, the betrayal.

All you.

"Stop it. I am not here to listen to you dwell upon the past and beat yourself over it," Nightmare scolds. You're about to ask how she even knows what you're thinking until you realize the walls are like a giant projector, putting your thoughts into pictures for her and you to see. Or at least make out, considering the shattered remains of the screen.

"But how do I live with myself now? After what I tried to do, what I almost did to-" You have to avert your gaze from the images that pop up of your sister and that fateful night. When your rage and jealousy had nearly driven you to take a life. The life of your own sibling. A sibling that still stands by you to this day.

Nearly upon the verge of tears as you struggle with your emotions, you feel something brush against you back. You take stock of your surroundings, finding Nightmare Moon have moved to your side. One of her wings cradles your form in its warmth.

"You will live with yourself the way you always have," she says, patting you with her wing. "It was a mistake for which you have been forgiven. We learn from the past, but to dwell upon it is foolish, as it cannot be changed."

"But I don't understand. How are you and I separate when we were once one being? Did I just repress the memories? It doesn't make sense," you argue. "And have I really learned anything? If I was capable of losing control once, I could do it again."

"Halt your tongue," Nightmare commands at a near shouting volume, leaning in closer toward you. "I will answer your questions, but you need to stop torturing yourself, starting right now." She glares at you expectantly, her eyes momentarily flashing to their feral, predatory look you're more accustomed to. After a moment's silence and a nod of the head from you, Nightmare relaxes, her eyes returning to a mirror image of your own.

"I'll tell you what I told Anonymous. The Elements of Harmony split me away from you. It stripped the anger and jealousy from you, which created me," she says, quickly raising a hoof. "Before you say anything, let me repeat, I have changed. No, I have done nothing to dissuade Anonymous from being with you. it is your lies that have made him suspicious of you, and willing to speak to me. I have merely lent an ear, and given advice and my own take and opinion of each situation."

Hearing the truth explained so bluntly puts your whole world in a perspective to which you have been blind. Every time Anon would come to a new discovery that inched him closer to the reality of his situation, you would throw up another wall to stall him. You don't know what he would do if he were ever to find out you purposely placed Nightmare Moon with him.

"Yet he must know, Luna," Nightmare interrupts again. "Do you see the vicious cycle you have fallen prey to now? Are you finally ready to face what has been your Achille's heel all these years?"

"My Achille's heel?" you ask. The black alicorn nods in response.

"The situation you face now and the one you faced so long ago seem so vastly different upon the surface, but they are identical issues," she says. "Tell me, what do you think was the reason for our issues that led to our exile?"

"I was jealous of my sister. She garnered all the-" Nightmare Moon's raised hoof again stops you in your tracks as she slightly shakes her head.

"You are correct in the sense of what eventually happened, but it was not the cause. The problem you have is you are so reluctant to talk about your true feelings. You could have told your sister how you felt, just as you could have spoken to Anonymous and revealed your feelings to him. Instead, you decide to keep it to yourself, bottling it all up over time because you fear that feelings are a sign of vulnerability," she explains.

You feel as if somepony has sucker-punched you in the gut, blindsided by what Nightmare has to say. Yet, everything clicks with you, and everything she has explained falls into place. Thinking back, your sister had even asked in some of your darker periods of depression if you were okay, and you brushed her inquiries aside with 'I'm fine.' It always felt wrong, but at the same time, how would you talk to somepony that was part of the problem?

But she wasn't part of the problem. She did nothing to negatively affect you. It was just what you felt.

"Just as back then, you again faced a situation where you feared the vulnerability of speaking your innermost feelings and desires. Rather than put yourself out there, you suppressed how you felt towards Anonymous. Until your mind came up with... whatever you want to call the mess you cobbled together in haste. You can't keep doing this, Luna."

"I know. I mean, I see it now," you lament. "I just - what if I had spoken out on both occasions, and been brushed aside or rejected?"

"It is a chance you take, but do you really think your sister would not have listened and tried to help you? Do you really think she cares that little about you? After everything now, after being given a second chance after the things you have done, both to her and the land?" Nightmare proposes. You just nod your head in response, you have to agree with her.

"You need to make things right, Luna. Stop this vicious cycle you have begun and trapped yourself in. It starts with telling Anonymous the truth, no matter the consequences," Nightmare says, standing stoic and expectant.

Just the thought of what she suggests causes fear and anxiety to creep into you, thinking back to the dream you had earlier. But she's right, you can not keep going on with the charade you have continued to string along for months. As much as it hurts, you need to come clean, you need to change.

"I want the same thing you do, Luna, the same thing everypony wants. Happiness, affection, peace," Nightmare softly states. "It has taken a while for me to let go of my past and the grudges I harbor, but I feel as if I am on the right track. I suppose it all sounds so odd coming from me, but we have seen ponies change for the better once thought irredeemable, so maybe it is not as farfetched as it seems."

"Well, I certainly did not expect you to be willing to help me and talk to me," you say. Another more sobering thought crosses your mind; Anonymous did not try to help you. But to be fair, you never visited him in the hospital, nor listen to him when he drove all the way here from Canterlot. You have been far from kind to him in the last few encounters.

"Anon tried his best, Luna, but as I said before, you had yourself wound tight," Nightmare Moon interrupts again, causing you to focus your vision again. Sure enough, your thoughts are played out upon the wall, but much clearer than they had been earlier. Many of the cavities and cracks that were once so obvious are now subdued, if not completely mended. "Somepony with a more intimate knowledge of how your minds ticks was the only way to reach you."

"I find it hard to believe I am saying this to you, but thank you," you reply. The gratitude of even the simple thanks is enough to coax a small but noticeable smile from Nightmare Moon as she nods her head slightly.

"Stop dwelling upon the past and use it to your advantage. Learn from your mistakes, do not regret them. Not needing to come back and sit in as your psychologist will be thanks enough," she quips. "Now, why don't you see if your power has returned to you?"

Obliging her request, you focus your energy and let it loose upon your surroundings. Sure enough, the backdrop melts away, the surrounding memories and subtle hues reflecting your inner thoughts gradually returning to a starry night sky, the entryway to the dream realm.

"Again, I apologize for... for what I did to your psyche," Nightmare announces. "I hope no permanent damage was done, but I suppose that will not be understood until sometime in the future. Just promise me you will set things right, yes?"

"I will," you agree, already feeling the anxiety build as you start to consider how to go about telling Anonymous.

It is a necessary evil, but you only hope he is as forgiving as your sister was.

Chapter 27

It has been a day or two since the Evening of Misery, as you have come to know it by. Honestly, you don't know for sure how much time has passed since Luna's outburst that night. It all just runs together anymore.

Twilight is still a hollow husk of herself, while Chrysalis lies unconscious in her own cell in the dungeon. Meanwhile, Luna has yet to awaken since Nightmare Moon force fed her forgotten memories of the past.

Instead, you have tagged along with Celestia upon her insistence. What time you have to yourself is often spent in Luna's room, watching over her as she sleeps. While rather tired and haggard due to the recent events, Celestia does not seem overly worried about her sister, merely due to Luna's previous thirty-six or so hours without sleep.

But she doesn't know what is really going on, and you aren't sure how to even begin explaining everything to her. Yet, you're forced to think of it now, as you walk into her room this evening, an invitation she extended earlier in the day.

"Anonymous, I am glad you could join me," she says, doing her best to appear cheery and welcoming despite her apparent fatigue.

"Well, you did kind make it sound like an invitation I couldn't refuse," you say, trying to throw a joke in to keep the mood light. Instead, you don't sound very convincing, coming off as rather nervous and awkward. Celestia takes note right away, closing her eyes and putting a hoof up, requesting your silence.

"Anonymous, I want to start off by saying I do not blame you for anything that has transpired," she replies before her brow furrows. "But I'm going to be honest, I feel like I am missing a few pieces of this puzzle. About what happened with Twilight, and what has happened with my sister."

She does not look angry, but you aren't willing to take chances of hiding anything from her. At this point, it has been a frustrating chain of events for everyone, and patience likely running low.

"Yeah, there's some backstory to be filled in I guess," you admit. But before continuing any further, you have your own suspicions to sate. "What was the last thing Luna told you about the situation between her and me? I don't want to bring you up to speed on things you already know."

Celestia's eyes widen a bit, perplexed by your inquisition. "I had no idea there were any new developments," she replies, her voice just a bit louder. "The last I had heard of your capabilities was what you had told me. That and a few snippets of the meeting with Discord, Luna did tell me a bit about that."

You're floored by Celestia's revelation. Luna had agreed to fill in her sister on any new discoveries about the magic you were imbued with after her failed spell, but she has done no such thing. Quite literally, you can tell her everything you know and not waste a single breath.

May as well come out with the biggest stunner first, right?

"Well Celestia, you remember the last time we talked I mentioned that I had Nightmare Moon's magic?" you ask. Celestia nods in response, signaling for you to continue. "Turns out I had something thrown in with the deal. Nightmare Moon herself."

At once, the fatigue evident in her face disappears, as wide-eyed shock overtakes Celestia. "You mean to tell me she has returned, with you?" she responds, nearly shouting. You motion with your hands for her to calm down and speak softer, not comfortable with the idea of the whole castle knowing your dirty laundry.

"Yes. I know, it sounds horrible, but it's not quite as bad a situation as you would think," you say. Your words do little to ease the mind of the princess, as you can practically see the gears turning in her head at warp speed.

"How can it not be that bad Anonymous?" she rebuts in a slightly scolding tone. "Nightmare Moon is among the worst threats Equestria has faced. I was fortunate enough to beat her once, and that was due to possessing the Elements of Harmony. That battle cost me my sister, and you mean to tell me her return is not that bad?"

"You know, maybe we should go to a more private room to discuss this," you suggest, feeling a bit uneasy. "After all, your sister is still across the hall, asleep."

Without warning, Celestia's horn lights up, a golden orb radiating outward from the tip and growing larger. Eventually, it stops and holds, once it envelops the two of you.

"Everything within will be unheard outside of the range of this spell," Celestia says, a bit calmer than she had been moments ago. Yet her expression remains that of shock and just a hint of disappointment.

"Anyways, I know, I'm not saying it isn't bad," you tell her, continuing where you left off. "I don't know why Luna didn't say anything. Er, I do get it, but at the same time it was wrong to hide it, I guess." You do your best to tiptoe around this subject, but you sense Celestia is not a fan.

"When did you find this out? How did you find out Nightmare Moon was with you?" she asks in an almost demanding tone.

"Nightmare Night. So, a few months ago," you reply.

Celestia sighs in frustration but otherwise remains silent, waiting for you to continue. You're quick to oblige her.

"I don't know if it was Luna's performance morphing into Nightmare Moon's form or what, but she appeared to me in a dream shortly thereafter," you say, reflecting back on the memory. "Well, sort of a dream. I managed to trip and fall hard enough to black myself out for a moment."

"And? What came of that meeting?" Princess Celestia presses.

"Nothing, really," you say, shrugging your shoulders. "More or less, she was just making her presence known. But, I wasn't too happy with Luna, since she knew that Nightmare was no longer with her, but inside my head. We had a fight about that, I said some things I shouldn't have."

"So Nightmare Moon began to plant her seeds of destruction between the two of you, rather than Equestria as a whole," Celestia muses.

"No, it's not like that at all," you protest, drawing the suspicious eyes of the princess. "I ended up driving all the way here that night, and along the way, Nightmare manifested herself, but this time in a... hallucination, I guess? She gave me some advice, helped me to see past my own anger and patch things up with Luna. Though it still wasn't right of Luna to lie to me about that."

Princess Celestia remains silent as she mulls over your tale. "So, what you're telling me is I should keep my mouth shut until I hear everything that led up to tonight?" she says.

"I -think so?" you reply, caught off guard by her comment. Your response to the princess garners a slight chuckle before her mood returns to seriousness.

"Please, go on. I'm skeptical, but now rather intrigued, as I believe you are telling the truth. Have you seen Nightmare Moon since that night?"

"Yes, here and there," you say, tiptoeing around the question. But with a raise of the brow, Celestia forces you to be honest. "Quite a bit, actually. It started out once in a while, but it has been more frequent."

"That does not alarm you at all?" she asks.

"It did at first, especially since Luna instructed me to ignore her if she were to pop up again. But I don't know... the more I've talked to her, the more she's changed. For the better. She was crude at first, but Nightmare has become more pleasant to deal with lately."

"Do you really believe she's changed for the better or is that what she wants you to believe, Anon?" Celestia questions.

"I could suggest the same thing about that one creature that is supposedly changed for the better, Discord," you retort respectfully. "He seems to have a few screws loose in his head."

" Yes, Discord is a little... eccentric," the princess replies. "Point taken Anonymous, but you have to understand why I am not so quick to agree with you. The one and only encounter I had with Nightmare Moon, she had twisted my little sister into a monster; a seething, jealous and self-centered creature that was determined to stop at nothing to get her way."

"She acknowledges that, yeah," you say. "I know that too, considering she was not exactly welcoming the first time I met her."

"I thought you said she merely made her presence known in your dream on Nightmare Night. You didn't make it sound very malevolent." Celestia observes.

"That wasn't my first encounter with her, Celestia," you correct her. "I met Nightmare Moon back where this all started, when Luna and I switched places. Luna's absence allowed Nightmare to come out of the back of her mind she had been sealed away within."

Without a word, Celestia brings a hoof up to her temple, gently massaging the area as her expression shifts to one of pure frustration. You just sit in silence, glancing uneasily around the room between Luna and Celestia. But quickly, you begin to feel too empathetic to remain quiet.

"Are you okay, Tia?" you ask her quietly. You reach over and rub her shoulder in comfort. Without warning, her forehooves stretch out towards you, wrapping you up and pulling your body close to her chest.

She stills says nothing, only holding you in a tight hug that is borderline uncomfortable for you. Even you, you awkwardly put an arm around her as well, staying like that for a minute before her grip loosens and lets your body go.

"Thank you, Anonymous," she finally says, her face having softened up just a bit. "I love my sister very much, I just don't... why does she continue to lie to me? This was the problem in the first place."

"I don't have an answer for you, Celestia. I wish I did," you tell her. "I'm assuming by the problem in the first place you mean-"

"Yes," she interrupts, reluctant to even speak the reference aloud. "I knew she was troubled, but I did not know why. I could not see the issues she was dealing with, yet every time I tried to inquire about her well being, I was stonewalled with the stereotypical 'I'm fine.' But she wasn't fine, and clearly, she has not been well. Certainly not now, even if we do not know the circumstances."

For now, you keep mum on her final statement. You're more intrigued by the glimpse of the past Celestia is ever so slightly providing.

"So you weren't necessarily blindsided when Luna... did what she did. You had some inkling she was unhappy?" you ask. The way Luna had described her past, she was inadvertently ignored by an elder sister caught up in her duties.

Celestia is taken aback by your comment, recoiling just a bit as if you offended her. But just as you're about to apologize for prying, she relaxes a bit and speaks up.

"I certainly did not expect her to - I don't think we need to go through the details, do we?" You shake your head at the question, eliciting a sigh of relief from the princess. "No, I expected her to at some point come talk to me about her troubles, so I did not push her to speak. I did what I thought was right at the time. But I want to get back to your situation now; you say that you have seen Nightmare Moon, what do you mean by that?"

"It's complicated to understand. I don't quite understand it myself," you tell her. "I can see her and hear her like she's a normal pony sometimes, other times she just talks to me, in my head. And other times she has appeared as my reflection. It just depends on the situation, I guess. We've had conversations in my dreams as well."

Celestia fidgets a little as you finish, uncomfortable with your explanation. "And you're sure she's not malevolent, Anonymous?"

"I don't think so. She helped me patch up things with Luna a few times, and she was the one that warned me that Luna was not actually Luna. When the changelings were up to their crap a few days ago, I mean."

"Wait, how did she know that? Luna never told me how you ended up down in the cave with her," Celestia inquires, leaning forward a bit as her interest piques.

"I haven't really been able to talk to Nightmare much in depth, considering everything that happened up until now," you respond, pointing to your busted shoulder, garnering a nod from Celestia. "From what little we did get to speak, she said she could sense its magic, its attempt to feed on me, and she warned me. Although it goes without saying, I didn't escape."

Celestia pulls herself back, once again sitting up straight as her gaze hardens upon you. "Since we are spilling everything out into the open here, I want you to tell me what really happened in Twilight's library. I didn't push you in the hospital, but I could tell you were holding back some information."

Damn, she's good at reading people. Though you suppose after hundreds of years of practice, one would be able to notice a variety of tells others give away.

"Luna seems to think I went to Twilight's upon Nightmare Moon's insistence, which is why she's so angry, I guess," you start. "I assure you, I'm just stupid, with no outside help. Obviously, it didn't go so well-"

"But?" Celestia interrupts, divulging her impatience.

"But, somehow I tapped into Nightmare's magic. Or my magic now, I guess. I jabbed her with my keys, after I somehow deflected Twilight's attack back at her."

"So you put a spell on the key you stabbed her with?" Celestia asks. You nod your head, which leads to a sudden scramble by the princess. She turns around to the desk, finding a piece of paper and a quill, and jots down something quick before standing.

"I will be right back, Anonymous," she says, disappearing in a flash herself as well as the soundproof orb the two of you had been residing within.

The isolation gives you time to think about how to even begin explaining the rest of this convoluted mess. Now that you have basically put Nightmare Moon upon a pedestal and insisting she's changed, now what? Causing Luna to have a mental break is not something to be proud of, it is something despicable. You know she didn't mean it; besides the fact Nightmare apologized, you can sense her regret every time you have visited with her since then.

The visits have not been for comfort though, they have been brainstorming sessions. For whatever reason, you are unable to locate the door to Luna's dreams in the dream realm. You certainly have never experienced such an issue, and Nightmare Moon has few answers to give as well. But she can at least see the door, though has had little luck opening it and stepping through to reach Luna.

Earlier today, Nightmare said she had an idea, a possible way of reaching Luna through her fractured mind. But she did not explain much, though she believes it is due to Luna being wound so tight, possibly not even knowing she is asleep.

After a time you realize through your inner reflections, you failed to take note that Celestia has returned. You come to attention to find her mere inches from you, her concerned magenta eyes dancing around your face looking for signs of life.

"Sorry, got caught up in my own thoughts, I guess," you announce as you shake your head free of the cobwebs.

Celestia nods, breathing a small sigh of relief as she retreats to a normal distance and resumes her more serious demeanor. "I suppose there is at least a bit of good news tonight. With your explanation of the events that led to Chrysalis's current state, I believe the odds of her recovering are better," she says, her voice picking up just a bit with hope. "I informed Cadance of the situation, both with Chrysalis and Luna."

"How long do you think it will be till she wakes up?" you inquire. But Celestia's hint of enthusiasm she possessed disappears.

"I said there is a better chance of recovery, not guaranteed," she replies. "I'm sorry, but we have no idea of a timetable."

"Wonderful," you lament. It may be better than no news, but you would not consider it necessarily positive.

"Anon, I do have something else to share with you, though I'm not sure how to explain it," she says, pausing for a moment as she mulls her thoughts. Eventually, her magenta eyes focus upon you again, her ears drooping just a bit. " How do you feel being here in the castle?"

"It's okay, I guess. Easy to get lost, but I know the basics of how to get around. Why?"

"I think it would be best if you took up residence here," she says. Her advice makes your heart skip a beat, dread slowly creeping to the forefront of your mind.

"What does that mean?" you ask, unsure whether you really want to hear the answer.

"I mean you have a target on your back now, Anon," she replies, no longer holding back the bluntness in her words. "You didn't just wipe out the plans of the changelings, whatever they might have been, but your actions resulted in the capture of their queen. Your home was vandalized a day ago."

"It what?!" you shout. "What did they do, did you at least catch the culprits?"

"Now, your house is relatively fine, but the door was kicked in and there were obvious signs of somepony rummaging through your possessions. I'm sorry, whoever did it escaped, scared off by a passerby who noticed the door open," she explains. "I have already sent a few Canterlot guards to Ponyville to fetch your belongings, it is your choice whether you have them placed in Luna's room, or a guest room nearby."

"Considering our little squabble going on, I better wait to have my stuff shipped to Luna's room, at least until she wakes up and we talk about it," you reply, feeling glum about the prospect. "That is, if she wakes up."

"What?" A sharp call of surprise from Celestia makes you realize what you just said. Despite the rather calm and neutral discussion preceding, Princess Celestia's expression quickly devolves into one of outright shock and suspicion.

"I... well, this is going to sound bad, but at least let me explain the whole thing," you carefully respond.

"Allow us to assist in unscrambling this mess," comes a tired voice from behind. Celestia's eyes dart to the doorway, widening at the sight. You quickly spin around as well, recognizing the voice as your heart stops.

There, leaning against the doorframe as she uses a hoof to rub at her bleary eyes, is Luna.

"Good evening," she says quietly.

Chapter 28

You prepare yourself as much as possible while Anonymous reacts to your presence. It's still not enough, as he leaps up and throws his good arm around your neck, nearly knocking you over.

You are awake but you certainly don't feel well. Aside from the aches and pains expected from sleeping and otherwise being still for two days, your head is still a mess. The sensation is akin to being severely inebriated, your thoughts jumbled together, nonsensical as your brain is still likely working overtime to file away rediscovered memories.

While Anon's enthusiasm is on the verge of overwhelming, your sister seems a touch standoffish. Her face is adorned with a small smile, but underneath that exterior, you sense there is a bit of tension, of questions that need to be answered.

But that's why you're here. As implausible as it may seem, Nightmare Moon is dead on - the lies, the hidden secrets must stop before you fall into the same trap as before.

"It is about time you woke up, sister," Celestia quips, both as a jest and rather serious. "Anonymous said he didn't think you may even wake up."

"I suppose he was not far from the truth," you respond, as Anon lets you go, beckoning for you to join him and Celestia as he returns to where he was seated. You shuffle your way over to the pair, feeling somewhat off balance. Your sister's face has lost any positive energy it has contained as she watches you with grave concern.

"Are you ill, Luna? I understand you have been asleep for a long time, but you do not look well," she suggests as you finally take a seat. Anon looks concerned as well, but he knows the truth, and is not alarmed at near the level of Celestia.

"Ill may not be the best term, but let us stick with that for now," you say, garnering a confused stare in response. But for now, you put Celestia's confusion aside and focus your attention on Anonymous. "I take it you have been filling in our sister of the events that have transpired thus far?" you ask.

"Uh, where to even begin answering that?" he replies, his enthusiasm surrounding your appearance draining away. "I've been filling Celestia in on everything that's happened since Nightmare Night."

You cringe as you practically feel the disappointment exude from Celestia before you even turn to her and confirm her frown. Nodding in admittance of your dishonesty, you feel your face beginning to grow hot with embarrassment and shame.

"It is true, Tia," you sigh. "I have not been forthcoming with information as of the last few months."

"I assume you have some sort of reasonable explanation for declining to inform me?" Celestia asks, trying to give you the benefit of the doubt. But now is not the time for excuses. Not anymore.

"No, I have no explanation for lying to you," you respond, making your sister's jaw drop.

"Sister," she responds in a disappointed, almost motherly tone. But that is as far as you let her go.

"Hold your tongue until I am finished, please. There is more to share," you say. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Anonymous's concerned expression.

"Luna, what are you doing?" he asks through the link. It takes a bit of effort to concentrate enough to respond to him.

A wise pony helped me to understand the cycle of strife I have created for myself must be stopped, starting today, you tell him. You need not explain yourself to him, as the slight nod he gives you says he understands, even if he still looks a little apprehensive.

"Tia, everything Anonymous has told you is the truth," you announce, shame creeping up within you upon utterance of those words. "Nightmare Moon did not cease to exist when the Elements of Harmony were used upon me when we escaped our exile. In fact, that is when she began to exist as a separate entity."

Celestia blinks a few times, utterly confused by what you have revealed to her. "Would you care to run that by me one more time, Lulu?"

Oh no, not that name. You glance over an Anon, who is having a hard time keeping a straight face, as he avoids making eye contact.

"Sorry, it just slipped," your sister quickly follows up, blushing a bit.

"I believe I will manage," you tell your sister, before focusing on Anon. "You are not to repeat that name. Ever."

"Duly noted," he says, hardening his resolve in an instant to respond in a serious tone.

"Good," you reply with a nod, again turning to face Celestia. "As I said, Nightmare Moon has only existed as an entity since my return. Her presence is not a threat to Anonymous or Equestria? Not any more so than me, I suppose. I am as much Nightmare Moon as she is."

Celestia still looks puzzled by your words, as silence dominates the room. Glances are exchanged between the three of you, waiting for somepony to speak up.

"I have not been asleep for two days. I was stuck in a nightmare," you say, breaking the stalemate. Celestia perks up at once.

"How is that even possible, Luna? You preside over the dream realm," she protests.

"I preside over it. That does not mean I have complete control over it," you explain. " I did not know I was in a dream, which made it that much more difficult to extract myself from it. What does this have to do with what I just told you? I was in this nightmare because I have been mistaken, I have been blaming Nightmare Moon for my past. Perhaps I did not remember what happened; perhaps I created my own memories. It matters not, for I have seen the truth."

"Luna, it doesn't change anything between us," Celestia reassures you, scooting forward to rest a hoof upon your own folded forelegs. "I have forgiven you for what happened, as has the rest of Equestria."

"That may be, but I must come clean to you, sister," you tell Celestia, before turning back to Anon. "And coming clean to you as well."

Surprisingly, Anonymous does not seem taken aback at all by your sudden focus upon him. Perhaps Nightmare told him when you were trying to sort yourself out? Not likely, considering she was so adamant that you be the one to explain to Anon what you had done. No, it could be that he has had some inkling that you were hiding something else amidst the lies you had fed him over the past several months.

You see the slightest glint in his eye for a moment, like a sudden shift of the light reflected within his pupil. But you've seen it before, you know it is not merely a trick of the mind. Your other half within him is watching, waiting expectantly to finish what you have begun confessing.

"Are you sure you're okay, Luna?" Anon asks. You realize then you have been staring at him, transfixed upon his eyes for some time now in silence. Again, you shake your head, returning to the present, conscious reality.

"Yes," you reply, hesitating for a moment. "No, no I am not. Anonymous, I have something I have been hiding from you for some time now, something that I now realize should not have even occurred to begin with. Yet here we are, months later, and I have still been keeping this secret from you."

You take a deep breath, your body slightly trembling with frayed nerves as you attempt to compose yourself. Despite your best efforts, flashbacks to the nightmare earlier push to the forefront of your mind, making it all the more difficult to remain calm.

But you owe it to him. Keeping this to yourself isn't right, no matter what the consequences.

"Anonymous, the spell we cast - I cast - in order to experience your Superbird, it was not an accident," you quickly spout in an exhale. By his befuddled expression, he does not quite understand the gravity of what you told him, nor does your sister.

"Well, that was kind of the plan, right? You would see through my eyes and sense everything that I sensed. That's nothing new, Luna," he replies cautiously. You only shake your head, fighting the temptation to agree with him and laugh it all off.

"No, I mean I did not make a mistake in the spell that I cast. It went as planned, our consciousness shifted between bodies. Furthermore, I already knew the spell to reverse what I had done, but waited to 'find' it, as it were."

"Why would you do that on purpose, Luna? What if Nightmare had succeeded in picking me apart and taking over your body? Then what?" Anon asks, shocked and disturbed by your confession.

"I-I knew you could handle it," you stutter, trying to hold back tears. "I just needed time for her to... to attach to you."

"Luna, are you saying you meant for Nightmare Moon to follow him back?" Celestia gasps, the startled alicorn involuntarily flaring out her wings.

You can only nod as the dam slowly begins to crumble within, a small stream making its way down your cheek.

"Yes," you whisper. "I had hoped to create the link that he and I now share."

Without a word or show of emotion, Anonymous stands up, walking toward the door.

"Anon, where are you going?" Celestia asks. Anon keeps walking until he is almost out and into the hallway before turning.

"I need to think," he says flatly, before disappearing around the corner.

For a moment, you consider following him, still harboring a desire to completely explain yourself. But it is probably for the best you leave him to his thoughts for now, to digest what you have told him. Instead, you hang your head, feeling worse than you had before. It remains a possibility you just ruined your relationship.

Perhaps more importantly, you may have cost yourself a dear friend.

"Sister," Celestia softly calls, trying to get your attention. But with a raise of your hoof, you stop her before she goes further.

"I know what I did was wrong. No, I do not know what possessed me to do something so reckless and stupid," you announce in a rather emotionless tone. "I am sorry, Tia, and I understand there will be repercussions for my brazen actions."

"Lulu, come here," she quietly requests. You don't move, but nevertheless find yourself sliding across the floor, at the mercy of your older sister's magic. You come to a stop lying right beside her, and you meet her gaze. Rather than a stern expression, her eyes belie a sorrowful empathy.

"You are not angry?" you ask, tilting your head in confusion. Celestia's expression does not change, but she closes her eyes.

"Not angry, disappointed," she replies softly, opening her eyes again to focus upon your own. "Disappointed with you, and myself."

"Why yourself? This is my mistake, my burden to bear," you correct her. But still, her sympathetic gaze does not diminish in the slightest.

"I keep making the same mistake to wait for you to talk, to discuss what ails you, what pains you. Even when I know something is amiss, I let it be, assuming you will come and talk to me when you are ready. I did it years ago when I could sense your unhappiness, and I have done it now. Except this time, I have been content to not bring up the past, to not discuss something we should look into."

"What?"

"Us," she says sadly. "What happened between us, the separation, our feelings towards each other. We really need to talk about what happened that resulted in your exile, even if it does bring pain. Clearly, divulging your inner feelings and desires is something you avoid, and it keeps causing problems, Luna." You feel her wing brush against you, draping across you like a blanket.

"I know, I know," you bemoan, frustrated with the same conclusion she has come to as Nightmare Moon had. "I just - that sense of vulnerability, that show of weakness, it doesn't reflect well on us as princesses, does it?"

Your big sister is at a loss for words as she recoils, taken aback by your response. "Lulu, that is simply not true. I understand at one time, far back in the past such a show of emotion in public could lead to questions about our resolve and strength to a fledgling nation, but this is now. Besides the fact, I am not asking you to spill your inner thoughts to the world, I am asking you talk with me in private."

"It still does not seem very appropriate," you say before Celestia cuts you off.

"Now stop, Lulu. We are ponies just like those we preside over," she scolds. "To have emotions is what keeps us grounded and in touch with those we watch over. To deny ourselves emotion... one could argue that is where the path to villainy and tyranny begins." Her words hang in the air as you mull them over, considering she does have a point. Some of the more wicked foes you have faced seemed to only know one thing - greed.

"You may be right sister, but I fear it is too late now. My pride may have destroyed mine and Anon's relationship," you rebut. Your sister's wing clings closer to you upon your utterance.

"Just give him some time, Luna. You saw how happy he was to see you awake. He has a lot on his mind, as I told him he will be staying here in the castle for now."

"I suppose word has already gotten around that Anonymous was responsible for Chrysalis's capture," you reply. Celestia nods her head, looking rather uneasy with the idea.

"Not necessarily among our ponies, but the changelings know. His home was vandalized, I can only assume they are searching for him. I feel he would be much safer sticking with us, for the time being," she explains. "I let him know he may choose a guest room near us to make his home away from home - or, if you and he both desire, to share your room."

"We'll see," you forlornly respond. "I have no qualms with it, but after tonight, I would not dare suggest it to him."

Again, Celestia nods in understanding, before casting an odd glance at you. "What did happen that you were asleep so long? I have never heard of a nightmare trapping anypony."

"You may as well make yourself comfortable," you say with a sigh. "There's a lot to explain..."

You feel as if you are about to drown, a cascading mix of emotions washing over you as you have wandered around the castle aimlessly. Now, you have found your way outside, and into the gardens.

Despite the fact Equestria is approaching winter season, Canterlot has still remained quite warm. Even the foliage has resisted the normal preparations of fall, the trees and grass still green as if summer were still in full swing. Luna had mentioned her sister had a dislike of the cold. You consider the idea that the sun princess herself has staved off the incoming colder weather for the time being.

For now, it is at least a positive you do not need a coat to venture out, considering you did not bring one. The journey here was spur of the moment, even if Ponyville itself had been rather chilly the night you departed. Not that you would have really noticed, as your mind is more attuned to the inner turmoil you face.

Between being a wanted man by a whole species and seeing Luna awake after going through a mental breakdown was a roller-coaster ride of emotions in itself. But now, with the revelation that the whole sequence of events that began this wild ride was planned, you've gone down another steep drop.

Where do you even go from here? Do you forgive her once again for lying to you? After all, not only is this another secret, it turns out this whole time she meant to stick Nightmare Moon with you. Yet she was upset you began to converse with her. It makes absolutely no sense, but it is likely that this was the one thing Nightmare Moon alluded to over the past couple days, that she said she would not divulge.

"Right you are, kiddo," Nightmare coos as she manifests beside you. Fully expecting her to make an appearance, you aren't startled in the slightest. But you are taken back a bit by her rather chipper mood.

"You really couldn't warn me about what she was hiding?" you ask, a bit irritated. Nightmare's upbeat attitude deflates rather quickly as she comes back to earth.

"No, it was not my place to say anything," she reassures you. "Let's be honest here, it would not matter when she explained this all to you, it would still be just as hard to take."

" I understand that, and I'm not disagreeing," you reply. "But I don't even know how I should feel right now. On one hand, I'm glad you were able to help Luna put everything back together enough for her to awaken. On the other, now I have to deal with the knowledge she knowingly stuck you and me together."

"Has it really been that bad?" she suggests, hopeful. You don't give her a response, once again crushing her mood.

You feel like kicking yourself because, in reality, it has not been bad having her around. Of course, you weren't enthused at first, especially considering the hell she put you through during the first meeting. But over time, she has softened up, offering advice and help when you need it most. Sure, she can still be a touch arrogant, or grating on the nerves, but for the most part, you have come to rely on her.

At this point, it would not be a stretch to call her a friend. Or something like that, considering the circumstances of how you two coexist.

"No, it hasn't been bad, Darkie," you chip in. "You have helped me a lot, and I thank you for that. For everything you've done."

Nightmare averts your gaze, scoffing a bit at your words due to embarrassment. "Well, as I said before, it gets irritating listening to you mope, and it's my own hide I'm saving as well so-"

"I mean it. If you would have told me months ago I would come to see you as a friend, I would have laughed at you. But you are a good friend. Just drop the act for once and at least acknowledge what I'm telling you."

She finally faces you, albeit looking rather uncomfortable and insecure. "What do you want me to say? What should I say?" she asks.

Initially, you feel as if she is being sarcastic, until you realize this is a position in which she has never been placed.

"I'm thanking you. In which case 'you're welcome' should suffice," you softly tell her.

"Then you are welcome," she responds, still a bit uneasy as she drops her eyes to the ground. But after a spell, she abruptly raises her head and meets your gaze.

"Thank you," she says.

"For what?"

"You know. Giving me a chance," she replies, flashing a small, relaxed smile.

"I'd say you earned it, but you're welcome." But the short heartfelt conversation only reminds you of what you face now with Luna. "What do I even do now, Nightmare? Do I forgive her again? If I don't, what do I do? I gotta live in the castle, that would be awkward."

Nightmare responds with a light chuckle. "Quite a lot of questions for something that is so simple, don't you think?"

"How is this simple?"

"Your mind says you should be angry, and perhaps you should be. But I see in your heart, you are desperately trying to find an excuse to let her off the hook," Nightmare explains, flashing you a cheeky grin.

As much as you would like to argue with her, you do still feel a sense of relief that Luna is safe, more than your own frustrations towards her.

"I'm not saying you don't tell her your frustrations, don't get me wrong. But maybe, hold off on being angry for a bit until some of this mess gets sorted out, you know?"

That is all you need to hear to feel some semblance of calm. In fact, you feel ready to talk to Luna.

If she is up for it, of course.

Chapter 29

Not long after Anon's departure, you and your sister discussed the past, upon her insistence. While an altogether unpleasant reflection, it at least seemed to help straighten your thoughts out and get everything in order. Celestia tread lightly when it came to asking questions, but pushed on nonetheless, and at least appeared to take some good out of hearing your side of the tale. Even so, with everything that had happened surrounding Anon and what you did, repercussions were in order. You agreed to preside over the kingdom for the next two weeks, giving Celestia a vacation.

In addition, the Canterlot Archives were in desperate need of rearranging, and had been for some time now. Your project for likely the next few months would be to get it all sorted out. All in all, you considered it a light punishment after everything you had done.

Now it was just a waiting game, giving Anonymous some space to fully process and deal with the news you have given him. As a result, you decided to distract your mind by sating curiosity regarding the condition of Twilight Sparkle. Admittedly, your optimism was muted, considering your sister made no mention. But you still wanted to be sure nothing new had been uncovered, and with Celestia likely off to bed, one pony was likely still at work down in the dungeon.

Cadance.

It wasn't that you loathed her company necessarily, it just always felt... awkward being around her. Some of it likely had to do with her being referred to as Celestia's niece - and in turn, you - when in reality there was no blood connection. You didn't understand it, and with Celestia all in on accepting her as family, you couldn't make sense of it, nor tried.

As you figured, you weren't around for what events transpired that led to Cadance's ascension, nor her acceptance as part of the family. Nothing could make that up.

But as you descend the final set of stairs, the realities that have been unleashed upon you over the last several hours have shifted your mind, and in turn, your attitude.

Rather than meet with the normal judgments in your mind, perhaps you should try approaching her with a clean slate. As the pink alicorn comes into your view along your trek down the narrow corridor, it is time to put yourself to the test. You do your best to drag your hooves for some noise, as Cadance lies upon a blanket on the floor, surrounded by books, papers, and faded parchments.

"Princess Cadance, good evening," you say quietly, hoping not to startle her. But with her attention absorbed by the haphazard piles of manuscripts surrounding her, it is inevitable that you see her jolt from your presence, her eyes in an instant snapping from her work to you, wide with astonishment.

"Princess Luna, you are awake," she says, aghast. But with her initial thoughts spoken out loud, she shakes her head free of stupor. "It is good to see you, good evening." With that, she rises to her hooves properly, giving a slight bow in a gesture of respect. Likewise, you return the motion, before turning your attention to the written material strewn about.

"I don't suppose any progress has been made since I was last down here?" you ask. Silently, you kick yourself, deciding you are once again falling into your normal, regal routine without emotion.

"No," she says, her tone flat and dull, lacking the normal optimism her voice normally carries. "I should say, there are some minor notes of interest here and there, but nothing that actually solves Twilight's, er, affliction."

"I would have to say even the smallest bit of information is better than nothing, what did you find?" You take a step closer to her, scanning the document that had held her attention before you arrived.

"Its... older writings, maybe not necessarily even factual," Cadance starts, her voice cracking a bit as out of the corner of your eye, she is surprised by your willingness to listen. "That parchment gives an account of an affliction similar to Twilight's current state. A pony stripped of everything that made the individual - well, an individual. Left just a husk after a changeling invasion and subsequent feeding on a small town. The author describes the change in this individual, 'as if their very soul had been wrenched from their body, left only to basic instinct and command, to serve the monster which had fed upon it.'"

The mere description she gives, while short, sends a chill up your spine, causing you to shiver involuntarily. Yet just from what you have been able to skim read from the worn text, her account leaves out some of the more... graphic details of the feedings. You haven't heard of changelings ever eating the flesh of a victim, but this author paints such a ghastly picture.

"I suppose it's possible, Cadance. We really don't know much about changelings. Encounters in the past, even before the rise of Equestria, have been very limited," you explain, pointing a hoof down to the parchment as you rip your eyes away from it. "This is... I've never heard nor read such a nightmarish account."

"I certainly don't have much experience, other than the disaster that was my wedding," Cadance replies, nodding with an amused grin.

"That's more first-hoof experience than I have, considering I was asleep through most of it," you joke with a slight chuckle.

At once Cadance is brought to a deadpan stare, standing motionless. It is an unnerving change, to say the least.

"What?"

"I'm...I'm just surprised," she finally manages to stammer. "Sorry, I'm just used to formalities when you're around me, this is just, different..." As Cadance trails off, you make the connection where her mind is going and quickly step in.

"I assure you Cadance, I am Princess Luna," you interject. "I'm sorry, perhaps trying a different approach tonight wasn't the best idea considering the circumstances we find ourselves in, but-"

"It's all right, Luna," Cadance says, holding up a hoof to stop you front your defensive rant. "I know it's you. After all, very few ponies would be able to read older writings with such ease like you did. Celestia can, and she taught me. You, of course, well..."

You nod your head, breathing a sigh of relief. "Yes, This older style of literary work is rather fresh in my mind compared to most, considering my own circumstances."

Cadance on nods her head in response, both of you silent for a time while you try to figure out where to go with the conversation from here. But Cadance is the first to speak up.

"I appreciate you opening up a bit more, Princess Luna. I know it's difficult to come back the way you did and everything changed so drastically. Then you add a new face like me into the mix and-"

"I do not blame you, Cadance. It's just been an adjustment I have resisted for some time," you reassure her. "I'm realizing now I've been resistant - no, ignorant - of everything that has occurred. Downright selfishness, to be blunt."

"That might be a bit harsh, Luna. But I get the sense you are not referring solely to your interactions with me," she responds softly. "I don't know what has happened over the last couple days, Aunt Cele - Princess Celestia did not inform me of the details, and I did not press for information. But I did witness your meeting with Anonymous a few days ago. Is everything okay between you now?"

"Other than my self-destructive behavior knocking me down and making an ass of myself?" you ask, your voice lowering to a mutter. Cadance cringes at your self-accusations even as she takes the few steps to meet beside you.

"As I said, I don't know the whole story, nor am I asking for the details," she says, her tone light and comforting. "But by the sounds of it, you haven't forgiven yourself for your past, and it's coming back to haunt you in your personal life, getting between you and Anonymous."

Heavens above, if only she knew...

"From what little time I have had to speak to him, he has a good heart, and he cares deeply for you. I can tell you care deeply for him, you just - you just have to let go, Luna. You need to let go of everything that you once were, because you are not that same pony."

"Yet I find myself in a cycle, back in a position of a downward spiral, at the bottom, Cadance. Am I any different?"

"You need to live and experience the present and open up to Anon. That's what relationships are all about; the bond of two into one, a strengthening of two souls, learning from each other and bettering each other based on trials and tribulations," she argues, her eyes determined to set your mind right. "I suppose I have a bit better understanding considering I am the Princess of Love, but you have to believe me, love changes you. Maybe you do not realize it, but you seeing yourself in a different light, seeing your own follies from the past, you recognize the mistake. It's clearer to you now than it once was. Because maybe in the past, you felt you had nothing, but now you see, there are things to lose if you wander down that path."

You look up at her, listening intently to her words and absorbing them as she continues.

"Fights are all part of the bond as we learn from not only each other, but parts of ourselves we did not know existed. Nopony is perfect Luna. As long as you are open to change, to address the problems you face, you can change. You two can reconcile, and be stronger than ever. But you need to forgive yourself, and let your past mistakes guide you. And opening up to me, I would say you're already beginning to see where you can make changes for the better."

As she finally stops, silence falls over the corridor again, the faint echo of her final words cascading down the halls.

"Are... are you sure you don't know the details of my situation?" you ask, blown away by her wise words. Never having paid her more than passing notice, the wise words of Princess Cadance has truly opened your mind to what you have been missing.

Cadance giggles, her face lightening up into the light and cheery grin you're accustomed to. "Yes, I only base my words on what little I have seen and heard. But I can also reflect back on my own trials with my relationship with Shining Armor," she says. "I'm glad you have found somepony Luna, and I know what you are going through, whatever it may be, can be overcome. It may take some time, but just listening to you now, I can see you feel Anon is worth fighting for, and I wholeheartedly agree."

"Thank you, Cadance. You have given me a lot to think about," you tell her, bowing your head slightly.

"And thank you for allowing me to lend my advice, Luna," she says. But her smile fades away as once again, her eyes dart to the mass of writings before her, as well as the cell containing a dear friend. "I should get back to work. Hopefully, I can help somepony else tonight."

"We will get this sorted out, Cadance, I promise," you tell her. Offering a slight nod in response, her eyes once again bury themselves into ancient texts. With a fresh new perspective and words of wisdom within your mind, you head back upstairs.

As you make your way back into the palace proper, a chilling thought disturbs your calmed mind. It dawns upon you that even though Anon is within the castle walls, he is still vulnerable to the magic and abilities of changelings. At any point, one could pose as a guard, your sister or you once again. You need to find him, for his own safety. Vowing to yourself to only watch from afar, you focus in on Anon's energy to locate him, closing your eyes.

Fortunately, you sense him nearby, letting you breathe a little easier as you head up to your personal quarters at a quick trot. You have a hunch your personal balcony will be a viable spot to locate your friend as the energy draws you in his direction. Sure enough, as you open your eyes and look down, he is safe and sound in the garden.

Though by the looks of it, he is also in discussion with himself. Or at least somepony you cannot see.

It isn't hard to guess who.

But rather than anger, you find yourself with a sense of curiosity. With what you know now, it clear Nightmare is no more of a threat than you are. But why does Anon get along so well with her? He seems to have a lot of trust, which floors you considering his first encounter with your alter ego.

Perhaps it is a question you will ask in due time. But as you watch from afar, you become increasingly impatient. Every ounce of your being wants to go down and apologize, to explain everything, to share the words of wisdom imparted upon you to somehow, some way make this rift between you disappear.

"Luna, are you awake?" you hear Anon call in your mind. Just the sound of his voice makes your heart skip a beat, anxiety mixing with excitement.

I am, you respond, hesitating for a moment as you mull the position you're in. In fact, I am watching over you from my balcony. Please do not be upset.

Even from this distance, you see the surprise upon his face as he cranes his view upward towards you. Giving an awkward wave with your hoof, the link between the two of you lies silent for a time.

"Any particular reason you've been watching me?" he asks, apprehensive.

It occurred to me it may not have been a wise decision to let you roam around the castle grounds, considering the circumstances we find ourselves in, you reply, not missing a beat. I sensed you were out here, so I wanted to make sure you were safe, but from a distance.

"Well, you make a good point," he confesses. "And you were at least honest with me."

It is time I turned a corner and made a change, you say.

"Luna, I want to talk to you," he says flatly.

Is that not what we are doing now? you ask.

"I mean like out loud, in private," he replies, unfazed by your quip. "Both of us together."

You waste not a second more after he finishes, leaping up and over the balcony railing, extending your wings to catch you after a brief swan dive towards the ground. There is no need to even flap your wings, the momentum carrying you in a glide over to Anonymous.

"Well then, that was a show," he comments, somewhat surprised by your display.

"I felt there was no need to delay this any further than we already had," you tell him. Anon motions over towards a stone bench, where the two of you walk and take a seat.

Despite your display of enthusiasm, reality sets in and sends a cold shiver up your spine. What exactly does he want to talk about? Clearly the two of you, but he has shown little to no emotion towards you, making it hard to read his mood. You don't like going into this blind, but there is no choice.

"Luna, I want to start off by saying I'm glad you're alright," Anon says, his eyes focused squarely on you. "I couldn't get through to you in your dream. I couldn't even access it, but fortunately, Nightmare could because..."

"Because she is me, so she knows her way around my mind," you finish for him. "I accept that. I had no idea I was dreaming at all, I thought I was awake the whole time."

"What were you dreaming about? I asked Nightmare but she wouldn't tell me, said she did not like the idea of sharing someone else's private thoughts, which I get."

You aren't exactly thrilled with the prospect of reliving that nightmare in detail, but you suppose sating his curiosity with a bit of information can only help your cause.

"It was a dream of what I have done tonight. Tell the truth," you tell him. "Of course, it did not result in the rather calm situation we find ourselves in now."

Your answer is enough to quench his thirst for information, his gaze dropping down to this hands as he leans forward, resting his good arm upon his legs. It isn't long before you get the question you expected first.

"Why go through all this trouble, Luna? What was the point of this to begin with?" His eyes dart back to you as he finishes, determined and yet reluctant to hear your reply.

"Fear, Anonymous," you blurt out. "Fear of the unknown, fear of rejection. I wanted you to like me, and for whatever reason, I thought this was a well-orchestrated plan that made sense. Now, after everything that's happened, I see it was ludicrous to believe this was the path to your heart."

The infrequent hoots of an owl in the distance is all that breaks the silence that falls after your reply. Anonymous goes back to staring down, as if the ground in front of him holds the response he is searching for.

"So you thought that I would like you because we share a connection like you do with your sister?" he finally responds, pressing for more information. "Why was sticking Nightmare Moon with me part of your plan? Then lying to me about it?"

"She wasn't supposed to fit into the plan, at least not in a conscious state," you reply. "She was merely the piece of me imparted onto you when she tried to wrest control of my body from you."

"Did you think that was really the way to befriend me, rather than just talk?" he asks, looking slightly disturbed. The question makes you feel queasy, but you answer him anyway.

"I guess I did. Now, no. I know it was wrong," you say, practically scolding yourself. "I don't know how to make this up to you, Anon. Perhaps in time... you can forgive me? I understand if you don't want to now, I'm not saying you shouldn't be mad but I-"

As you start to ramble in a frantic attempt to come to some sort of resolution, Anonymous merely raises a finger to his lips, a signal for you to stop.

"Luna, I'm not going to lie, you owe me big time," he says in a stern tone. "This whole time you have been sitting on this, and while the fallout from your initial idea may have been unintentional, it's still pretty crappy that you were angry with me talking to Nightmare, when everything she has said is true."

You hang your head a bit, embarrassed by his words.

No, by your actions. What you did was no way to treat a friend.

"Luna," Anon calls, causing you to look back up at him. His face is solemn, but he has turned his whole body toward you, his arms outstretched.

You hesitate, unsure of what you think you are seeing. It takes a moment before either one of you speaks up.

"Luna, I don't want to be angry with you right now. I just want you. These last few days have been awful, both with the tension between us and then your... long slumber, I guess. Please, let's just put this aside for now," he says, almost begging.

Barely allowing him to finish, you rush into his arms, using your own forelegs to embrace him as he hugs you around your neck.

"I will make it up to you, Anonymous. I swear to it," you mumble, feeling a cooling wave of relief wash over you as he hugs you tighter.

"I know you will Luna," he says, finally letting you go. As you step back, you see the stress and anxiety that once filled his eyes has dissipated as well. "I just don't want any more strife between us, not at a time like this. As I said, the past few days have been hell."

"Yes, I didn't get to discuss the matters at hand regarding Twilight's condition with my sister," you admit, feeling rather uncomfortable as your mind reflects back on the almost motherly lecture Celestia had given you. "I will be making amends for lying to her, as well."

Anon looks as if he is about to speak, but stops himself, just remaining quiet and nodding his head. An uneasiness creeps back into you just a bit. You know he still has more questions about everything that has transpired, as you do. While you want to move on just as much as he does, is sweeping this under the rug for the time being really a good idea?

Both of you have been quick to apologize for each misstep along the journey, quick to move right along to more pleasant situations. Yet here the two of you are again, quick to apologize, to let go of your ire. While it is also not good to hold onto frustration, maybe it should be discussed more thoroughly...

Relationships really are more difficult than what is seen upon the surface, it seems. You have gained enormous respect for Cadance's position tonight.

"Anonymous, while I share your desire to put our transgressions behind us, I think we need to discuss at least some of our problems. Tonight," you announce, drawing a look of surprise and anxiety from your friend. "I know you have questions for me, as I do for you. We keep forgiving each other so easily when we get angry, and yet we keep meeting back in the same situation. I think much of it is because we - well, I, am quick to forget what started the problem in the first place."

Anon's reluctance is palpable, both from his apprehensive body language as well as what seeps through the mind link the two of you share. Even so, you press onward, knowing this is something that should be - no, must be - done.

Please, Anon, you beg him. With great hesitance, Anon silently relents, nodding his head slowly as he exhales.

"As much as I don't want to do this, okay," he laments. "Where do we even start?"

"I want us to alternate questions, and just remain calm. We need to rid ourselves of the soiled clothing we hid from each other," you explain. Much to your surprise, Anon bites his lip, as if silently holding back a chuckle.

"You mean 'dirty laundry,' I'm guessing?" he asks letting a smile creep upon his lips.

"I suppose I do, I still have some catching up to do with common phrases," you admit, the silliness of the acknowledgment relieving some of your own pent up tension. "But I want you to start with what you had on your mind when I mentioned my sister moments ago. I sensed something troubling you."

With your observation, Anon's mood quickly switches back to a serious note, as he runs through his mind what to say before speaking out loud.

"Why didn't you tell your sister about everything that has transpired since realizing the abilities I possess?" he inquires. "We both agreed to fill her in on any new discoveries resulting from our mixup."

You cannot help but cringe at his question, the shame of your blanket of lies covering up the last few months ensnaring you. But, his inquiry, however unpleasant, is justified.

"I thought my own fear of Nightmare Moon was shared with Celestia, and I did not want to think of what my sister would do were she to find out that thing - no, the other side of me, what Celestia would do with that information at hoof," you explain. " I don't really know my logic, I just did not want Celestia to know anything about what was truly going on, and not necessarily because this was ultimately started by me."

"But that thought never occurred to you before you did... well, putting Nightmare with me?" he presses, his tone releasing just a hint of anger.

"No, not really. I don't think there was any rational thought to what I did," you admit.

In all reality, since you have woken nothing from the past few months makes any sense to you. The ideas, the subterfuge through all these events, it all feels as if it was somepony else that has been the culprit. How long has your judgment been clouded by... by what exactly?

"Luna," calls Anon's voice, stirring you from your self-reflection.

"Yes?"

"You've been sitting there staring for a couple minutes now," Anon replies, sliding himself off the bench he has been seated upon and resting instead on the cool grass beside you.

"I'm just realizing I can't justify anything that I have done, Anonymous. None of it makes sense to me. I remember what I did, I remember coming up with the idea to place Nightmare with you, but my reasoning... it's all just a giant mess," you explain, suddenly feeling nauseous as you run everything through your mind, hearing your words out loud.

"Hey, calm down, calm down," Anon urges softly, putting an arm around your neck. "You said you remember everything before your banishment now too, that's a lot to process along with coming to grips with uh, everything else."

At once Anon's attention shifts, his gaze darting from you to something just beyond, on your other side. He remains quiet, listening intently. You keep silent, feeling rather uncomfortable as you find yourself between your friend and an unseen other being, most likely.

"I.. sorry," Anon finally replies as his eyes once again fall upon you. For once, you don't necessarily feel upset, just confused.

So keen on putting your past misdeeds behind you - or rather, distancing yourself from the reality of your actions - Nightmare Moon had always been a silent monster in the back of your mind. But based on your own experience in addition to what you have seen and heard from Anon, Nightmare has been an admittedly decent guide.

Everything truly is upside down from what you know.

"What did... what did she say?" you manage to finally mumble out.

"She thinks she knows what happened, sort of. Like, I get what she's putting out there, I just don't know how to repeat what she just explained," Anon replies, his voice cautious as he studies your face.

"I am not angry, Anonymous," you tell him, much to his relief. "To tell you the truth, I'm a little more open-minded now to what-" You pause, all at once overwhelmingly curious to what exactly is the bond between the two. "What is between you two, Anonymous?"

"Come again?" he asks, unsure of how to proceed.

"Well, I just don't understand the connection between you and Nightmare. I get that she talks to you but after experiencing her torment when you and I switched places, why do you trust her now?"

Instantly your question is stonewalled, Anon quickly looking uncomfortable as he fidgets nervously. Silence befalls the two of you, the hushed ambiance of the night enveloping Equestria the only sound reaching your ears.

"I'm not angry, Anon, I owe Nightmare Moon my thanks, as incredible as it felt saying that," you admit. "I'm merely want to understand what you see in her that I never did, or what I did not allow myself to see."

"I guess like you, I don't really have an explanation," he replies, relaxing just a bit as he sees the sincerity in your curious gaze. However, he pauses, his eyes darting away from you once again before returning. "Apparently she has sort of an explanation for that, too."

"How does she have so many theories?" you blurt.

"To be fair, Nightmare has a lot of time to think," Anon replies with an expectant look to you. It dawns on you instantly that's about all she can do, considering her current state.

"Oh, right," you say, your voice dropping to an apologetic tone.

"Don't fret over it Luna, she's not too offended," Anon reassures you. Somehow, you doubt her response was without some sort of snide remark, but it does not matter.

"Well, now I'm curious as to what she has to say. I don't suppose you're feeling tired at all?" you suggest.

"Considering I haven't slept more than a couple hours at a time the past couple days, you don't have to ask me twice," Anon says. For once you take note of how haggard he really does look compared to normal, the bags under his eyes apparent now as you take in his features.

"Should I just whisk us back to my room, or do you desire a quiet walk back?"

"Why don't we take the time to walk back? I'll say it again, I'm a little mad, but I've missed you more than anything these past few days."

You give a silent nod as he rises to his feet. With a wave of his hand beckoning you to his side, he begins to casually stride back to the castle, and you join him.

It will be a journey to get back his full trust, as you sense in his voice some uncertainty surrounding you.

But Cadance is right.

You're willing to fight, to amend what you've done.

Anon is worth it.

Chapter 30

"You know, when I said you could be mad at her later, I didn't literally mean to drop all your anger in one fell swoop."

"What?"

You swear half the time when you're talking to Anon, it's like speaking to a child.

To be fair, compared to your own age he is a child, but that is not the point.

"Look, I'm glad I was able to help, and you two are talking. But stay mad at her at least a little bit; after all, she did stick me with you," you respond, glancing around the garden. While he had fallen asleep, Anon's dream mirrored Canterlot's castle garden you had been within less than an hour ago.

"Are you alright? You seem really stressed out," Anon says, clearly taking note of your head on a swivel

"Lovely, never better," you answer, impatiently awaiting Luna's appearance.

"Darkie, you know I don't believe you, right?" he asks, much to your irritation.

"Shut up, you know I hate that name!"

"Yes, I do. But I also know that if I keep calling you that, you'll get fed up and tell me why you're suddenly acting so agitated," he teases. "So, are we going to play this game or do you want to just skip the charades and tell me what's going on?"

You grit your teeth in frustration, but nonetheless, swallow your pride and acquiesce to his proposal.

"Look, I finally have your trust, and I have Luna's trust, even after everything that happened. So I'm not keen to screw that all up, but I also know I'm not exactly... personable," you admit.

"You're doing just fine right now, are you sure you're not overthinking all of this? I mean, it's just the three of us, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Luna could come up with an incredibly stupid idea to-" You stop talking as you sense an energy manifest within this realm.

Followed by another.

"Lovely, she did exactly what I feared she would. Good luck, I gotta go," you bark quickly, turning tail to leave the dream.

But a tug on your tail prevents you from disappearing. Of course, Anon in all of his stubbornness, has a hold of you.

"No, you aren't leaving, you said you had an explanation for a bunch of crap Luna and I cannot make any sense of," he argues, waggling a finger at you. "There's no way I'm letting you drop that comment and disappearing without any elaboration.

"Anon, you don't understand, I will explain at a later time, I just can't do it now," you protest, beginning to feel your nerves fray.

"Why?"

"I'm here, sorry I was a bit delayed," interrupts Luna, as she finally appears in the small clearing. "I decided to bring somepony with me."

You don't even need to look to know who Luna has brought. You already know how your mind works.

Er, how her mind works. Which you used to be a part of.

Something like that.

Sure enough, trailing only a few steps behind her younger sister is Princess Celestia, granted access to this dream through Luna's magic. You and her make eye contact for a split second, which only makes you more uncomfortable. Surprisingly, she seems just as adamant upon seeing you, her gaze darting away to Anon.

"Oh, that's why you suddenly wanted to jet, isn't it?" he asks quietly, letting go of you.

"Congratulations, you figured it out, genius," you snap back at him. Anon doesn't respond, instead turning his attention to the two sisters as he gives them a rather awkward smile.

"I wasn't waiting too long. Well, we weren't waiting too long. Hi Celestia."

"Good evening, Anonymous," she replies, flashing him a bright smile. However, that optimism fades away as once again her eyes fall onto you, this time lingering. "Hello... what do we even call you?" she asks.

Whether it was meant that way or not, you don't like the tone she used when referring to you. Irritated, you step forward, puffing your chest out with pride and an air of defiance.

"I am whom you always knew me as. Nightmare Moon," you respond.

Everyone is silent for a time, exchanging glances with one another.

"You see why I think you should change your name? It's kind of off-putting," Anon whispers to you.

"Am I not a mare of the night?" you hiss back. Your rhetorical question is not taken the way you anticipated, as Anon can't hold back a short snicker.

"I mean, if referring to yourself as a prostitute is your thing, don't let me hold you back," he replies.

"You are an idiot. A genuine idiot," you growl, the stress of this whole situation beginning to light your fuse. You take a few steps towards Luna, who was also just a moment ago in a private conversation with Celestia.

"Luna, a moment of your time. In private," you demand, making it known you aren't thrilled with her shenanigans. She nods silently, still calm and relaxed amidst the tension in the air. As you wander through the clearing to the maze, you turn around to face her.

"What's wrong?" she asks, apparently oblivious to the obvious answer.

"Why did you bring Celestia? What made you think I'm ready to see her? Face to face?"

"Well, I promised my sister I would let her know anything and everything we learn regarding what I did to Anonymous," she replies. "I broke that promise once, I'm not doing it again. You told Anon you understand more of what's going on between... well, all of us, but it was complicated enough you wanted to explain in person. I figured it would be best if Tia heard this straight from the source."

"And you didn't think anything of the last time she and I met?"

"It was both of us, we were one being," Luna corrects.

"Whatever, you know what I mean. I already see Celestia doesn't look thrilled to meet me, and I've seen her whisper something to you on more than one occasion now."

"And you have done the same. Not only do you seem irritated to see our sister, but you've also been whispering to Anon."

"Yes, because I'm already stressed as it is trying to figure out how to best describe this whole mess that - I remind you again - you began, and now you're adding fuel to that fire with her here," you argue. "And it's not like Anon is offering up any intelligence on his part, he's over there talking about whores."

"I... what? Nevermind, don't explain that last part," she said, shaking her head. "But you truly care about improving yourself and where you stand in the mind of Anon, as well as my sister and I, don't you?"

"Well, yes. I mean, Anon is frustrating as hell sometimes, and he doesn't think things through, but he at least talks to me. You didn't offer me that," you say. That was way harsher than you meant it to be, but why sugarcoat it?

"Again, I am sorry for... well, for everything. I did not know what I do now, and clearly, I have been misleading myself. But I am listening now, as are Anon and my sister. Please, you said you could make sense of everything, between you and I, and you and Anonymous."

Her statement strikes you as odd, and as you take in your surroundings that have faded during your one-on-one with Luna, you find yourself once again in a group with Celestia and Anon, who look on in mild amusement.

"How long have they been listening?" you grumble, realizing the trickery you have been submitted to. Noting your gaze in their direction, both Celestia and Anon wave.

"Oh, we never really left. I'm actually surprised you didn't notice we were walking in place as the scenery shifted," Luna replies, looking rather pleased with herself.

"You aren't doing yourself any favors here as far as trust building."

"To be fair, it was Anon's idea. He told me that you were likely to be a little reserved in this meeting," Luna says.

"Good to know, I'll be sure to give him nightmares."

"I heard that, you know I can just stop them, right Darkie?" Anon calls out.

"SHUT UP!"

"Alright, I think there's been enough theatrics over the past few days to last us a while," Celestia says, her amused grin fading as she becomes more serious. "Nightmare, I know we have had our issues in the past, and I must admit, I find myself still a little... uncomfortable in your presence, but to know that you feel the same way - it puts me much more at ease."

"Oh good, you feel better. That makes me feel a lot better," you grumble, rolling your eyes in time with the lick of your sarcastic tone. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Anon start to take a step forward and say something.

But Celestia takes note and halts him with a raise of her hoof.

"No, she is fine. Let her speak," she instructs him. Anon's eyes dance between you and her for a moment, before he backs down and stands next to Luna, who has also moved to the side.

Now, it's just you and Celestia, face to face and only a few steps apart. Her attention turns back to you once she is satisfied her wishes are met.

"I am not here to fight, I am here to listen," she says. "I am not referring just to what Luna has requested me to accompany her for, but also what you have to say. Everything you've held back for so long, let it out."

You stop from proceeding any further with your tirade, suddenly feeling suspicious. Maybe this is a test, to see whether you have changed, in Celestia's eyes. It's doubtful she wants to actually hear you vent your ire at her, right?

"No," you answer her abruptly. "I think that's what you want me to do. You want me to prove all I am is a sentient ball of anger and hatred, to prove to those two I need to be shunned, isolated for eternity. I'll hold my peace, I'm not giving you that satisfaction."

"I'm not looking for satisfaction, sister," Celestia replied quietly, her head bowed.

Your heart jumps up into your throat while your mind tries to decide whether what you heard was reality. But Celestia takes advantage of your sudden speechless state.

"It pains me to see you because I have to face my gravest mistake. I have to bear witness what my ignorance and your jealousy has warped you into. I have to face something - no, somepony - that I cannot fix, whom I am unable to aid. No, I am not afraid of you. But seeing a part of my sister - you - forced into this existence... I do not even know what to say. I am sorry."

"I...What?"

Celestia's head finally rises back up to look at you, while you struggle to find something to even say in return. Did she actually - apologize?

Sure, that's what you wanted - after all these years - but it just feels... it doesn't feel any better. You don't know what you were expecting, but all this anger, this grudge you've held against her for so long seems trivial, pointless. It does not change anything...

"No, I am the one that should be feeling regret, Celestia," you announce, taking a step towards her. "I've hated you for centuries, cursed you while I served my time in exile. For what? What have I gained? What does this gain me? It's only made me angrier."

"I know it has, I knew it as soon as you returned," Celestia says calmly. I could see in your eyes the isolation was not constructive, it was destructive. But you wouldn't stop, you wouldn't listen to me. I did what I had to to keep myself safe, but more importantly, to keep Equestria safe. We made a vow before we even began to fight to bring Equestria together, that we would return harmony and peace. I am sorry for what has happened to you, I'm sorry for not taking notice of your distress before everything spiraled out of control. But I could not let your anger jeopardize our world."

"So in essence, you're saying sorry, but not sorry," comes Anon's voice.

Mirroring each other, you and Celestia turn your heads, glaring at him for the disruption. Luna pays him no mind, other than extending one of her wings and smacking him on the head without needing to look.

"This is the true reason why I brought my sister along tonight," Luna says, taking a step toward the pair of you. "Nightmare Moon has helped me understand and truly face my past and accept it for what it is. It is much easier to live in denial or to place the blame upon somepony else. But such actions only create dissension. I do not expect the two of you to see eye to eye tonight, nor in the near future. But I feel this is a step in the correct direction."

"I have to say I am surprised at how -well, mild-mannered you have become. I trusted my sister and Anon when they both agreed you had made a drastic change, but to see it with my own eyes is something else entirely," Celestia says, turning back to you. "No offense, of course."

"I will admit I had not expected you to be so open-minded upon seeing me. I suppose much skepticism would have been understandable, considering how we have met in the flesh," you respond, pausing for a moment. "But I have to request that, if we are ever to meet again - like this, not with me being, uh - anyway, I only ask you do not refer to me as your sister. Luna is your sister, and while I may be a former part of her, I am separate now. I feel it is only fair for her to keep that title with her."

While initially unsettled by your request, Celestia is quick to compose herself after hearing your explanation. She agrees with a simple nod and the slightest hint of a smile.

"I am glad we are all able to be civil about this, and as I returned back to the castle tonight, it occurred to me we need to be trusting of each other," Luna says. "Sister, you and I share a link, as do Anon and I, and it seems Nightmare Moon has been able to sense a changeling masquerading as me a few days ago when this all began. Unless we find a way to ensure everypony around us is who they say they are, we can only trust each other, because we share a link with one another. But Nightmare Moon, I understand that you were explaining something to Anonymous about-"

"About the effects your little spell had, yes," you quickly interject for clarity. "But to be clear, I don't think I can be of much help in this idea you have. The only reason I was able to warn Anon was because of the changeling that posed as you attempted to feast upon his love for you. So unless another one is dumb enough to try the same trick twice - which wouldn't necessarily surprise me - I can't do much."

Luna nods, though her confidence has taken a hit, as her perked up ears instantly droop.

"While it is not welcome news, I appreciate you being honest," she says.

"Anyway, yes, the main event that everypony is gathered around for," you remark, letting a hint of sarcasm slip. "I personally have been considering why I am the way I am now. Being able to talk with Anon has helped in some respects, even if he can be rather... grating."

"I'll take that as a compliment, thank you," he quips back.

"Exhibit A, as demonstrated. But it goes beyond a release of pent up anger, at least from what I am beginning to believe. Luna, we were separated into two separate beings upon the use of the Elements of Harmony by Celestia's student, yes?"

"Yes, as far as I am concerned. That is when you made yourself known to me," she replies.

"Where do you think I came from?" you ask. The other three all exchange glances, confused by the question.

"I see I have to spell all of it out. Luna, I did not just form out of your anger. The Elements cast me out as another being. That being would happen to be your subconscious."

"So you are like a tulpa?" Anon chimes in.

"Yes and no," you say, shaking your head. "I am in the sense of being formed from her subconscious, but she did not create me in the sense of the normal term. I suppose it is a combination of a tulpa and a split personality. Or something, honestly it's rather irrelevant aside from the subconscious part."

You pause for a moment, curious to see if just from that tidbit, somepony has you theory figured out. But all that greets you is a series of confused faces, forcing you to continue on.

"Anyways, all that anger, jealousy pain, all of that was funneled into Luna's subconscious, which turned me into... well, me. Unchanged from when the Elements were used to separate me, mind you, so Luna just sort of mind blocked me. But then, Anon comes into play."

Upon mention of the ensuing arc, Luna sighs, dropping her gaze to the beaten dusty path underhoof. Anon looks visibly uncomfortable himself, though he tries to hide it as he crosses his arms and remains silent. Celestia is the only one who still remains cool and collected - not necessarily surprising considering none of this directly involves her, but her calm aura about her paints a drastic picture in comparison.

"Anyways, I suppose we already know what happened next, I'll spare the details other than when Luna and Anon swapped places, I saw my opportunity to break free from my isolation. Trying to toy with his mind and thus cause him to lose grip on reality and control only attached me to him when Luna 'found' a way to reverse the spell, and at that point, everything goes blank for me."

"What do you mean by that?" Celestia asks. You can't help but shrug your shoulders.

"Unless Luna knows for sure, I just sort of - fell asleep in a sense. Whether Luna did something to force me to remain dormant or Anon's mind is different enough at first that I could not get a foothold to make my presence known, I can't say."

"But Discord changed that," Luna muses, her head snapping up to attention, a fierce and hardened resolve returned to her in an instant.

"Yes, that's the first voice I remember, that old blowhard telling you - or me, I couldn't tell the difference - to 'show everypony the monster you really are.'"

"Wait, when was this?" Anon interjects. Before you can respond, Luna jumps in.

"Do you not remember meeting Discord? I find that hard to believe," she retorts.

"I do, but I don't remember him casting a spell on you or anything."

"Discord's magic is not like unicorn or alicorn magic. It has no visual aura and can manifest itself in different ways. This particular instance was something resembling hypnotism more than anything else. I did not understand or feel anything different after that encounter - which I admit I am somewhat responsible for instigating our disagreement," Luna replies, pausing as she shakes her head. "When I apologized to him, he was rather - he looked rather confused and disturbed when he tried to undo what he thought he did."

"Evidently he knew you put up a block to keep me out in your mind, but I wasn't there," you clarify. "It would appear that hypnotism or whatever you want to refer to it as jumped the gap between you two through the link formed by my presence."

"That's a great history lesson, but what does it all mean?" Anon interrupts again, clearly grown impatient with the winded explanation.

"It means both questions the two of you had tonight are related - and I've finally made sense of it now why I'm so... 'mellowed out,' as you would put it. It's not just because of talking with you, because we haven't really discussed what I've done in my - our past. Tell me, haven't you noticed I always pop up when you have a dilemma you're mulling in your head?"

In an instant, Celestia's eyes widen as the lightbulb pops on in her head. With a silent bow of the head, you beckon for her to speak up.

"I think what Nightmare is implying is when she became attached to your mind, she melded with your conscience, and thus, acts as that little voice in your head - your moral compass, but in a much more active manner," Celestia explains.

"Indeed. But at the same time, what happened during my split from Luna due to the second use of the Elements of Harmony greatly diminished her inhibitions - hence her questionable decision-making," you reply, before turning to Luna. "Not that this completely exonerates you from what you did."

"No, I take responsibility for what I did, even if your theory makes sense. But speaking of which, why now does everything seem so... clear? Since getting what memories I had blocked off back again, I can see the irrational decisions and lies I have concocted. But why now?"

"That I do not know. Perhaps the memories have served to recreate or jump start your morality?" you suggest. "Again, this is all a theory. I have a lot of spare time to sit around and ponder the world's great mysteries as of late."

"So you're essentially a half of each of us that formed a whole you, am I understanding this right?" Anon asks, his voice underlining his shock and disbelief.

"Very good, you know how to do fractions," you jab. "But yes, that is the bare bones explanation."

"It would seem the Elements of Harmony are not the miracle talismans we were led to believe all these years," Celestia ponders aloud. "I suppose, at the end of it all this has been settled in an overall positive manner, though the details are disturbing."

"I have made my peace with what fate has dealt me. I may not physically ever see the light of day again, but at least I'm not being forgotten and caged away for all eternity," you comment.

"But could there be a way you and I could... could we become one again?" Luna asks. At once, all attention falls upon her.

Personally, you find her question very troubling. On the surface, the idea seems fine and dandy, but will you cease to exist? How would that even work?

"I have to say even if it is possible, I am not fond of the idea, Luna," you reply cautiously. "I understand I'm biased, but I don't think the outcome would be positive. Besides that, what of Anon's conscience that I have been bound to? Do you really want to risk turning him into a sociopath?"

Celestia shakes her head, raising a hoof to rub at her temple. "This is all a lot to absorb in one night. Perhaps we can continue this discussion at another point in time if need be?"

Everyone else comes to the same consensus, nodding in agreement.

"Indeed. But I ask of you Nightmare Moon, do what you can to watch over Anonymous. With Chrysalis in out dungeon, and his home already ransacked, I expect the changeling hive is eager for retribution."

"I'll try. After all, it's my hide that is in danger too if he screws up."

"Thanks for the confidence boost," Anon sarcastically comments.

"I will be taking my leave," Celestia says, turning away from the group and walking a few steps. But she does not get too far before she stops, turning her head until her eyes are locked upon you. "As surprised as I am to say it, thank you for sharing what you know, Nightmare."

You aren't even sure how to respond, so you stay silent, merely nodding your head before the solar princess suddenly disappears.

Luna rises from her seated position, trudging over to Anon before giving him a hug and a peck on the cheek, both warmly welcomed by Anonymous.

"I will take my leave as well, as I can sense a disturbance within somepony else's dream. Good night to you both."

"Night, Moonbutt," Anon calls after her. Luna blushes slightly, giving him a sheepish grin before she too disappears. After watching her abrupt departure, he turns his attention to you.

"Well, I'd say tonight went well, and to think you were all worried about this," he teases.

It did go better than you expected, but you also feel a tenseness leave your body now that Celestia and Luna have left. You let out a deep exhale, the remaining stress within you departing as well.

"I certainly wasn't expecting to hear an apology. I'm still trying to figure out if I'm hallucinating or if it was real," you admit.

"It was real," Anon confirms. "Talking with her last night opened my eyes. Unlike Luna, she always knew you were her sister and not some sort of evil entity that just suddenly appeared. Though I have to agree with you, I wasn't quite expecting this to be so civil. But were you being serious with everything you said?"

Part of you is offended by his question. But before you snap at him, you reel in your emotions. "Yes, I am being serious. You suddenly don't trust me?"

"I never said that, Darkie. It's just - yeah, that's a lot to absorb in one night. So you're basically a part of me now?"

"Yes, and dammit, stop calling me that," you growl. "And by the way, you heard what Luna told me, somehow I'm supposed to help keep you safe, and in turn myself safe. So please, try not to do anything else stupid and get us killed."

"What stupid thing have I done lately?" he asks innocently.

You stare at him for a moment.

"Okay, what other stupid thing have I done?" he asks impatiently.

"There were all those stupid comments tonight."

"I can't help myself," he says, crossing his arms.

"Hm. It's true I suppose. You can't fix stupid."

Author's Note

As I mentioned in my blog, this may be the last update for a little while, but this time it is planned. Here's hoping the momentum keeps going and I churn through the last handful of chapters. I want to make this as painless for you guys as I do for me, I know waiting sucks.

Chapter 31

As you slowly drift back toward lucidness, it is a relief to note that the headache that had plagued you since... what to even call the mess that transpired over the past couple days? An awakening?

You suppose it matters little, it is just a relief to feel like you're finally well-rested. Though you have yet to open your eyes to greet the day ahead, you sense a pressure upon your back. Cautiously averting the warm, bright rays of your sister's sun you feel seeping inward through the balcony, you crack open an eye to take stock of your surroundings, as well as the unexpected presence.

Before retiring to bed last night, you had decided it would be best to give Anon some space, based on everything that had gone on and Cadance's advice. So, upon seeing him sleeping in your bed, you had grabbed a comforter from a guest room nearby as well as a few blankets, making up a comfortable arrangement on the floor to sleep this night. It was not long before you drifted off to sleep, the pleasant night air wafting in from the open balcony doors soothing, almost beckoning you to sleep under the stars for the night on the balcony itself.

But you wanted to remain close to Anon.

Yet, as you expected in the back of your head, Anonymous has found his way to your side, with his uninjured arm draped over your back. You can't help but smile, though the slight movements you have made upon waking have stirred him from sleep as well. He takes great care as he cracks his eyes, but grins nonetheless upon seeing you are awake as well.

"Bed too good for you?" he jokes.

"No, the one within it was too good for me. Plus, I did not want to awaken you."

Your response makes Anon shake his head, as you flop over onto your side for a more comfortable conversation.

"I would have picked you up and tossed you on the bed next to me, but I can't imagine that would be good for my banged up shoulder," he replies.

"How are you feeling? Overall in the physical sense," you inquire, feeling rather concerned. If he slept with his arm draped over you, he had to have been laying on the arm currently in a sling. You doubt that is an ideal position.

Honestly, you aren't even sure how he got here from the hospital. When you and your sister found him, he was unconscious and rather badly bruised after his tussle with Chrysalis. While nopony has any sort of understanding of human physiology or time needed to recuperate from an injury, it's hard to believe he feels much better only two or three days after the incident.

Or has it been longer than that? You can't remember how long it has been for sure, between the lack of sleep the first day or so, then having your mind shattered and put back together.

As if tuned in to your inner musings, he shrugs before answering. "I actually feel pretty good," he says with a fair amount of nonchalance. "My ribs don't hurt, my shoulder feels fine. Hell, I have half a mind to take this sling off, but I'll listen to the doctor and keep it on for a while."

"You're listening to the doctor? At what point did he say it was a good idea to sneak out of the hospital in the middle of the night?" you ask teasingly.

"He never said I couldn't."

You cannot help but shake your head and give him a slight, playful shove for his nonsense.

"I should know better than to trust your judgment," you joke.

"Speaking of which, what did you make of everything last night?" Anon asks.

"It's... unexpected. A lot to take in at once," you respond slowly. "You really weren't helping matters during the discussion, though."

"Yeah, so I've been told. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the idea that Nightmare is part of you and part of me. I mean, I knew she was you, I just... it gets confusing when you start talking about it."

"It would seem that I did an excellent job of creating a mess with one profoundly idiotic idea," you reply. "Again, I am sorry, Anonymous."

"Will you stop apologizing to me, please? I'm fine, Luna," Anon replies, booping your snout with a finger. "It might be stupid of me to be fine with everything and not still be upset, but I don't care. I've missed you."

"And I have missed you," you gush, gently pulling him up next to you. "Mark my words, Anon, I will not betray the trust you have in me again. My eyes have been opened after the ensuing chaos that has resulted from that night months ago, and the last few nights."

"I don't doubt you. But to be fair, Nightmare Moon said it wasn't your fault. If she's correct in being your conscience, how the hell would you know right at wrong?"

"I understand you're trying to make me feel better, but please stop. This is something I need to make amends for, this is a situation from which I should learn. Using excuses to hide is counterproductive." You try your best to be courteous, but put your hoof down at the same time. Anon remains silent for a time, just looking into your eyes.

"Okay," he says, relenting with an exhale. "I'll stop. But other than that, what's your opinion of Nightmare? Do you trust her now?"

You don't hesitate to nod affirmatively. "As surprised as I am to say it, yes. I must commend you for bringing her around, helping her through her own issues. Last night went better than I expected, and I see what you see in her now."

"I still think she needs to change her name though," he muses, pausing for a moment. "You know, since she's a part of you, and a part of me, she's kind of like our child, in a sense. So she should listen to me."

Your eyebrows raise at this suggestion. "Are you sure you want to open up this can of worms? I've heard some strange things in my lifetime, but this is close to the top."

"You might be right, it'd be weird," he abruptly agrees. At least she- nevermind, she heard me..."

"And what's her take on this?" you ask, amused by his sudden complication.

"Nope, nope, not going to repeat it. This was a bad idea," he replies sharply, fervently shaking his head. He quickly raises up the arm he had draped over you, making a fist with his hand aside from one finger.

"What does that mean?"

"Telling her she's number one."

You have strong doubts his definition is correct, but you don't push. Instead, you just break into a giggle fit at the absurdity of this. "You know, it probably isn't the best idea to have conversations with her in public. Ponies that do not know what is really going on with think you have gone insane."

"I'm already getting there anyway," he grumbles, shooting a glare at his invisible combatant before focusing upon you. "So I take it you no longer have a problem with me talking to her."

"No, not after seeing the progress you have made. I was serious when I asked her to do what she can to keep you safe. So in essence, you have to stay in contact with Nightmare."

"In other words, we aren't out of the woods yet as far as trouble," he laments. The sobering turn this conversation is beginning to take spurs you to at least get somewhere more physically comfortable. Without a word, you flare out the magic contained within you, teleporting both of you up onto the bed in a flash. The yielding plush of your mattress is welcoming indeed after a night spent on the floor.

Momentarily dazed, Anon shakes the fogginess from his head, before giving you an unhappy look. "I've told you before to warn me when you do that," he says. "Plus, you know, we were only a couple feet away from the bed in the first place.

"I know, but I was feeling quite lazy, so this was easier. Where were we in this conversation again?"

"Nightmare Moon keeping me safe because this shit storm is still rumbling through," he responds

"Right. As I mentioned in the discussion last night, you need to be wary of everypony. Do not blindly trust the guards, do not blindly trust my sister or I. I want you to contact me first, through our link, as I can do the same with my sister. While it is fortunate we were able to capture Chrysalis, her presence here as a prisoner means we are all targets. I expect the changelings know we have her, and they will likely do whatever they must to free their queen," you explain, feeling uneasy just describing the scenario. Anon suddenly looks quite tense when you finish, but he remains silent.

You are the real Luna in front of me now, right? you hear him ask in your head.

Indeed, Anon. Your response instantly quells his body's tension.

"Oh good, so basically I have to wander around paranoid from now on."

"Until we can either wake her or find a spell to reverse the effects placed upon Twilight, I'm afraid so. When that dilemma is solved, we can move her somewhere else."

"Well, Celestia's been keeping me out of the loop the last couple days. Everything I know boils down to either what I saw before ending up in the hospital or seeing Twilight as a zombie in her cell in the dungeon. Has there been any progress made?" Anon asks, his voice reaching as high as his hope that you will give him at least a morsel of information to digest.

"Slow, but we may be making a little progress," you tell him. "As I understand, you somehow managed to summon a bit of magic to stop Chrysalis, yes?"

"Yeah, it didn't feel like much, but I guess I zapped her pretty good. I was able to use it a bit on the way to Canterlot, too. Popped open a headlight that fell down because of the damage on the nose. Nightmare guided me on that one, fight with Chrysalis was just pure emotion and determination, I guess."

Your eyes widen at his admittance. In a matter of a couple of days, Anon has gone from being hopeless in his pursuit to wield the magic contained within him, to manipulating objects and knocking out the queen of the changelings.

"You okay, Luna?" Anon's voice breaks you out of your stupor.

"Yes, sorry. It's just - when I think I've seen everything from you, somehow you find a way to shock me," you tell him.

"I'm a man of many talents," he says, shrugging with a cocky smirk. "Anyway, back to Twilight."

"Back to Twilight, yes. Now that we know what happened, my sister and I have at least some idea of how to treat her. After all, a purely physical injury is much different from a combination of a physical blow imbued with magic. As for Twi-"

"How is that different?" he interrupts.

"Magic does not just dissipate on its own. The kind of strike you seem to have dealt her allows the magic to continue festering within her body. That needs to be dealt with properly before anything else. I suppose we should have assumed there was magic involved, now that I think of it. Changeling hides are extremely resilient."

"Yeah, I tried crashing the Superbird into her, and that did nothing."

"We had assumed as such, my sister and I," you reply with a nod. "But as I was saying, we are unfortunately still in a holding pattern, waiting for Chrysalis to awaken. Princess Cadance has found some intriguing footnotes in historical texts, but nothing of substance that can actually shed light upon the actual spell placed upon our friend."

"I was afraid you would say that," Anon sighs. Hoping to dull his fears and disappointment, you pull him closer to you and give him a hug, minding his injured shoulder.

"I must say I feel better about our chances getting the answer from the queen herself than we did but a few days ago," you admit to him. "I apologize for my angry outburst when you arrived, I do not blame you for what has happened."

"Thanks. I mean, I still feel a bit guilty, and it sort of is my fault, but you've at least given me a little more hope."

"Do not dwell on it, whatever you do," you warn him. You let go of him and rise to your hooves, taking a moment to stretch.

"Wait, where are you going?" Anon asks, eyeing you with suspicion.

"I must get ready for the day. I will be tending to the kingdom today, and for the next two weeks. Part of my punishment for lying to my sister for the last few months," you explain, sliding down off your bed, your hooves meeting the plush carpet. "Did I forget to mention that last night?"

"Maybe you did. Way too much stuff to process last night," Anon replies, rubbing his temple. "But that doesn't sound horrible if that's all you have to do."

You shake your head, smirking just a bit. "Ah, but that is the easy bit. I'm also assigned to reorganize the library and get it into a more accessible form."

Anon cringes at that. "Are you serious? How the hell does Celestia expect you to do that?"

Try as you might, you can't help but giggle. "Well, I have plenty of time to accomplish it. The downside of being immortal - there is always time to get something done. But I could always use a bit of help, once I begin the process..." You bat your eyes in a flattering, pleading manner.

"You're asking me to share in your punishment? Seriously?"

"No, I am merely putting out the opportunity to spend time with me. Is that so bad?"

"You know, your eyes should be registered as weapons. Way too dangerous to be walking around with those in plain view," he says. "I might take you up on a request for help."

"Ah, but how do you know they are not registered? Not that it would matter, I am a princess, I make the laws," you tease, turning to head for your private bathroom "But I should stop delaying my morning, I need to shower and get ready for the day ahead."

"No kidding, you stink to high heaven," he teases back. "You left the doors open last night, and the flies flocked to you." As if on cue, you spot the aforementioned flies flitting about in the air just a few feet away. Trying to keep a straight face, you levitate an old newspaper from your desk to him, rolling it up.

"There you go, your own weapon with which to fight," you say.

"Wonderful, thank you," he replies, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he takes hold of the offered melee weapon.

Sister, are you awake? Celestia's voice abruptly cuts in through your mind.

Yes, as is Anonymous. We are in my room, you respond back. A brief silence hangs through the telepathic link.

...are you both decent? she finally asks. You can sense how apprehensive she is about asking such a question. You do your best not to laugh.

Indeed. But it would be wise to remove your mind from the gutter, lest you look like a fool.

I'll just ignore your smart-ass remark, she grumbles. Your ears tune in to the sound of hoofsteps nearing your room, and it is but a few moments later Celestia appears in the doorway. She greets you silently with a small, forced smile and begins to step into the room. But you halt her with a rise of a hoof.

You are in fact you, correct? you probe. Celestia nods her head.

"Good morning, sister," you greet her out loud. Anon merely waves to her.

"Yes, good morning. Sorry to disturb you, but we have important matters to deal with," she says, her voice dropping its normally warm tone. It catches you off-guard for a moment, but you are quick to recover.

"What's wrong? Has something happened in the overnight hours?" you inquire.

Your sister gives Anon a polite nod of acknowledgment before she returns her attention to you once again. "Yes, just now. I can back up here right away. Chrysalis is awake and alert."

You freeze in place at the news, your mind taking a moment to completely process the news, as if Celestia had just spoken gibberish.

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Anon is quite the opposite, leaping off the bed and onto his feet instantly.

"Is she talking? Did you get her to release Twilight?" he blurts, continuing with a few more inquiries. As usual for her, your sister remains calm as Anon fires off questions at a rapid pace, waiting for him to cease.

"Yes, she is talking, but I haven't begun to interrogate her. Cadance headed home for the Crystal Empire early this morning; I told her as much as I appreciated her help, her kingdom needs her as well. But I need somepony else with me," Celestia replies. Anon looks a bit discouraged by the lack of action, allowing you to step forward.

"Sister, time is of the essence. We must postpone royal duties for the time being," you strongly suggest.

"I agree, Luna. I've already met with our secretary and ordered the castle to be closed to the public. I also ordered the guard to disperse along the perimeters outside and inside, and not allow anypony inside or outside the grounds until further notice," she says, letting out a brief sigh, her face scrunched into a combination of frustration and disgust. "I suppose that helps us with two problems, in a way."

"You are suspicious of our own guards as well."

"As much as I hate to say it, yes," she admits, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "The changelings have already gotten in once and posed as you, who knows how many more are here, watching and waiting."

"Yes, the sooner we can deal with this matter, the better," you agree. But your stomach knots as you become aware of another matter.

What to do with Anonymous?

As if tuned into your thoughts, Anon glances over to you, looking rather defiant. "I'm coming with you two, right?" His words are less of a question and more of an order.

"No, Anon, I do not believe that would be wise," you say, picking your words carefully even as he looks ready to protest. "It's not that I do not trust you, or that you will be in danger; simply put, you did leave the changeling queen in the condition she is right now."

"So?"

Your sister does not look pleased with the situation either, but her eyes belie she has reached the same conclusion as you. "We have only had the unfortunate opportunity to meet Chrysalis once, and that was long enough to realize she has a rather inflated ego about herself. I'm sure she is less than enthused that you were able to stand up to her and deal with her in a manner that led to her capture. I'm afraid your appearance would only agitate her," Celestia explains, her tone apologetic in nature, but firm in her decision.

"So you're going to trust me with the guards?" he challenges. As much as you love him, you dislike Anon's stubbornness he shows when given orders.

"No, Anon. I know you're frustrated, and you want to help, but this is the best scenario we have," you reassure him, sliding next to him and patting him on the back. "I want you to stay here; when I leave I will put a seal upon the room that can only be broken by me or my sister. Nopony will be able to lay a hoof upon you."

"So, it's Panic Room then?"

His response hangs in the air while you and your sister exchange glances. He hangs his head, realizing his quip is gibberish to the two of you.

"Nevermind. It's a crappy movie anyway," he says.

With that, you stride forward towards the door nodding to your elder sibling. "Lead the way, Tia,"

Once the two of you are out in the hall, you turn towards the door as it closes behind you. Concentrating your magic, it flares out of your horn with a warm blue glow, expanding outward until it envelops the entire expanse of your room. A sudden pulse, and the spell's energy dissipates from view, though you can still sense it.

if you have any issues, you know how to reach me, you reassure Anon through your mind.

Yeah, yeah. Just get Twilight fixed up and come back here, he replies dismissively.

Before turning to head down the hall toward the dungeon, you spy a lone unicorn guard just a few doors down in the opposite direction you're headed, standing at attention. Mentally, you tug at your sister to in an effort to beckon her that way as you close the distance, even as she eyes the guard with an unsettled wariness. She stops, as do you, right in front of the stallion in question. His eyes shift from staring straight ahead over to you, with more than a hint of uncertainty.

"Good day, your Highnesses. Is all well with you?" he asks.

"Indeed. Were you posted here this morning?" you ask.

"Yes, your Highness. Is there something I can assist you with?"

"No, we are fine. We just - curiosity, I suppose," you awkwardly reply.

"I am making you unsettled with my proximity to your personal quarters due to the situation at this time. Understood, my apologies," he says, quickly snapping his eyes forward again.

"Yes. Perhaps you could move your post a little further down the hall, if possible."

"Of course, your Highness," he says with a salute. You and Celestia head the other way, back past your room and toward the end of the hall where the secret entrance awaits.

Turning your head to check on the guard, you see he has moved a good ten yards, to the T in the hall where the stairs leading downward intersect. You nod your approval, which his keen eyesight catches, prompting another salute. Quickly, attention shifts back forward, spying the statue that triggers the door. Moving the hidden switch with a gentle push of your magic, the stone door shifts reluctantly, but yields, as Celestia's horn glows to provide more light against the darkness ahead.

"I do hope we can resolve this quickly and allow everything to return to normal. I despise this sense of overzealous paranoia," you sigh.

"We're at least making progress now, Luna. Try to look on the bright side," she reminds you, before starting down the long, winding staircase. You tail her, only a few steps behind.

"Yes, I've already had to try imbuing Anon with more optimism than even I currently possess. I'm afraid my outburst when my mind... wasn't quite clear - weighs on him. He blames himself for Twilight's condition more than he should."

"How are you today? I can tell you didn't get to bathe before coming to get you, but how are you feeling?" she asks. You can't see her face, but by the tone of her voice, you can tell she has a smirk upon her face.

"Yes, yes, Anon already brought that up, thank you," you reply, rolling your eyes.

"Honestly, you smell like you've been sleeping in a barn," Celestia chuckles.

"I'm sure the Apple family would find your joke to be in poor taste. Why are you so playful all of a sudden?"

"A combination of sleep deprivation and excessive caffeine consumption, along with a desire for more positive conversation," she says. "You never did answer my question though."

"I'm doing better. I no longer feel as if my head has been used as a target for bucking. Despite being asleep for those couple days, it was not restful by any means. But I must say, I am not a fan of traversing all these steps mere minutes after waking up," you lament.

"I know. As much as I'd like to just teleport back and forth, you know as well as I the ward that prevents such magic makes this dungeon much more secure and impenetrable," she replies. With that, the rest of the descent is awkwardly silent, the intensity of the situation beginning to set in for both of you.

Only the sound of hoofsteps upon cobblestone is present as you make your way down the corridor, past the cell where Twilight Sparkle resides. You force yourself to avoid looking in at your friend, while Celestia takes a quick yet reluctant glance, frowning in the process at the sight.

Toward the end, one of the last cells of this corridor, the two of you halt, before turning to face the captive.

Evidently awaiting Celestia's return, the changeling queen is already staring holes through you both, frozen and emotionless upon a makeshift bed of straw near the center of the cell. In the dim light, her striking green eyes are almost all that is clearly visible, the rest of her shiny black hide melting into the darkness. But after a few moments of a silent staring contest, her muzzle slowly morphs into a wide, unsettling grin, showing off her fearsome set of teeth.

"Oh good. Visitors."

Chapter 32

After another short spell of silence, Chrysalis's sickly blue-green eyes dart solely onto you, her smirk never fading.

"Well, I've had the pleasure of meeting your sister before, but I believe this is the first time we've formally met," she says, with more than a hint of sarcasm. "Hello, Princess Luna, it's good to finally meet your acquaintance. I am-"

"Chrysalis," you finish for her in lackluster monotone. Your interruption wipes that unseemly grin off her face.

"That's Queen Chrysalis," she replies sharply, sneering in displeasure. "I have to say, I'm not impressed with your diplomatic relations thus far."

"This is not a diplomatic meeting," you correct her, keeping your voice cool and emotionless.

"That would explain the lack of amenities in my room," she snaps back.

Luna, let's try not to upset her right from the start, your sister suggests in your mind.

I had not planned on it, though I doubt being pleasant with her is going to increase the likelihood of her cooperation, you reply.

"So, what brings the two of you down here to my little slice of heaven?" Chrysalis asks, laying on the sarcasm thicker this time.

"I want to start off by knowing how you're feeling," Celestia responds. "You have been unconscious for quite some time, it is only recently that we understood enough of your condition to be able to treat you appropriately."

"I've been better," Chrysalis says as her eyes wander around her prison. "The room service leaves something to be desired, and I cannot say I am fond of the attire you have provided me." One of her hooves reaches up and taps a collar upon her neck, near a bandaged area.

The collar had been a piece quickly forged upon Chrysalis's capture. Etched with various runes meant to suppress magic, it was you and your sister's hope it would have the capabilities of suppressing changeling magic. The unique, jagged horn she possessed had made a normal ring impractical, but so far, it seemed the collar was working.

Either that, or Chrysalis was too weak in her current state to shapeshift. It was a concerning proposition. But there was not enough knowledge on changelings in general to be sure of how to prevent their abilities from being used.

"But enough of this idle chit chat," Chrysalis said bluntly, interrupting your thoughts. "Unless you have brought me somepony to feast on, why don't we cut to why you're here. I get irritable when I'm hungry, and I'm feeling quite famished." Her eyes suddenly gleamed at the last part of her musing, a soft glow evident in the dim light of the dungeon.

"If you insist," Celestia replied, sounding rather dejected. "While it would appear your plans for retribution against our kingdom have failed, your magic still has a grip upon my protégé and fellow princess, Twilight Sparkle."

"Oh, how sad. The one runt that saw through my facade during the royal wedding is suddenly indisposed," Chrysalis sassed, her smirk slowly returning. "But how do you know my plan failed? How do you know I had not planned on having Twilight as my mindless protégé?"

"I strongly doubt your ultimate plan was to be defeated by a sole being who is not even native to our realm," you answer. No sooner do you finish, you feel a sensation akin to being smacked upon the back of the head. Reeling from the unexpected assault, out of the corner of you spot Celestia glancing over at you, none too pleased.

At least Anon hasn't figured out how to send physical sensations through the link the two of you share.

Meanwhile, all of the arrogance Chrysalis has displayed thus far is gone as she gingerly rises to her hooves. Wincing a bit as a few audible pops sound off from her stiff joints, she nonetheless keeps her suddenly stern eyes set upon you.

"Perhaps my children are even more stupid than I believe them to be, but it was my understanding your little toy was devoid of magic and utterly helpless," she growls, taking a few steps closer to the bars of her cell.

"Your... children?" you ask, somewhat confused.

"My hive, all the changelings in it. They are descendants of my original children, if not directly by offspring. Is that a problem?"

"No," both you and your sister quickly respond. Mentally, you and Celestia exchange feelings of disgust.

"Now, humor me and I might suddenly feel a bit more sympathetic to your plight," she snorts. "How does somepony who is 'completely helpless and ignorant' not only defy my attempt to feed upon him, but come back and make a fool out of me? What sort of trickery is this?"

You do not actually believe her words, do you? you ask your sibling. She fidgets a bit at your question, hesitant to answer.

Not really, she replies slowly. But at the same time, it's clear her overinflated ego has taken a pretty big hit. Maybe if we feed her a little tidbit, she might be more receptive?

You ponder her suggestion. You don't see much harm in letting her in on a vague piece of the puzzle, but as far as helping your case, it's not likely.

Fine, but let me speak, sister, you reply. You have never done well at embellishing the truth.

In your head, you hear something akin to murmuring coming from Celestia, with "practice" being the only discernable word. It really does not take much thought to understand, as you shoot her a dirty glance.

"Are you two going to sit there and make stupid faces at each other all day?" Chrysalis snaps. "I didn't ask for a show."

"I suppose if you must know, this has been a... recent development," you tell her. "It was our understanding he did not have magic either, but he has somehow come to possess it."

Chrysalis merely stands there, staring blankly at you for a time before her brow furrows. "Just like that, all of a sudden he has the power to get through my strong hide?"

"Do you have an explanation?" you respond back with your own inquiry. "You must consider, he is not from our lands. According to him, magic does not exist in his realm. With such a unique occurrence, how are we to know what to expect will happen as he adapts?"

"So you just decide to adopt him as your personal pet? I'm surprised at you, I expected better from somepony who once came so close to exclusively ruling over Equestria," Chrysalis sasses back. Her biting tone and taunt ignites your fuse, but you snuff it out before you act upon it.

"He is not our 'pet,' as you so eloquently describe him, and I do not take pride in my past," you explain calmly.

"Whatever," she replies, brushing aside your response. "I'm growing bored of this charade. Now tell me, why should I be willing to let Twilight Sparkle free of my control? What good does that do me?"

You exchange glances with your sister, both of you silent both physically and mentally. After all, what counter do you even have to that? 'Because it's morally the right thing to do' is not likely to make the cut.

"Ah, and there's the problem the two of you face, and why I am truly not defeated," Chrysalis cackles in delight. "I knew my plan of infiltrating Canterlot was perhaps a bit too bold, but I learned from my last mistake. I made sure I had a bargaining chip this time in case things were to go awry."

"You talk quite highly of yourself when the two of us possess knowledge far beyond the average pony," Celestia retorts, her patience slowly beginning to run out. "How can you be so sure we won't find a way to reverse the spell you have placed upon Twilight?"

"Oh, I highly doubt you will. This little spell that puts Twilight under my hoof is quite old, and has been lost for some time. It requires a little improvisation to normal changeling magic," Chrysalis replies, becoming more smug by the second. "Tell me, how much closer have you gotten since last night? Your little princess of love found a cute little anecdote last night, but has she gotten closer?"

Your heart skips a beat at her last sentence, flashing back to last night's conversation with Cadance. "You have been faking injury this whole time?" you blurt.

"No, but that doesn't mean I haven't caught little bits of information here and there," she teases with an ever-widening smirk. You're beginning to feel quite unsettled by the pleasure she is getting from this back and forth battle.

Judging by the slight ruffling of her wings, Celestia is growing uncomfortable as well.

"Let's just cut right to the chase, no more bickering," Chrysalis continues. "I'm willing to let you have your little princess back. All you need to do is let me go free."

"Absolutely not," you interject angrily. "You have been a scourge of Equestria for far too long as it is, why should we even dare to think about this proposition?"

Chrysalis takes some amusement from your response, a chuckle erupting from her that softly echoes around you. "Well, certainly you're not afraid to voice your opinion. But I wonder if you both feel that way..."

As she pauses, her head cocks in the direction of Celestia. "Well, what do you think?"

The fact that Celestia hasn't responded instantly throws you through a loop, enough that you cannot remain quiet. "Sister, you are not truly considering this, are you?"

Her head darts over to you, her eyes reluctant to focus upon you as her expression grows dour. However, she remains calm enough to keep her reply private.

Luna, in all my years, I have never seen anything quite like the spell Chrysalis has used. If this is something so old that it took years for somepony within their culture to uncover and practice, how long will it take us to even scratch the surface?

We can find some way to reverse this spell, Tia, you reassure her. But Chrysalis has been a scourge of Equestria for some time now, we cannot afford to let her roam free once again.

Your sister's gaze hardens upon you. I didn't say we couldn't find the solution, it's a matter of how long it will take to find it. You forget that time is nothing to us, it is everything to those we hold dear. What about Twilight? Her family, her friends? It could be a month, it could be years until we return her to normal, and that is time she will never get back.

Forgive me, as I mean no offense, but are you not a bit biased in this decision? you ask, treading lightly as you move along. What of those that Chrysalis may harm if we are to let her free? Do their lives matter less than that of your student?

I am not saying that. But you must consider, if it were not for Twilight, would you be here beside me? What of Discord? Not only did she stop him, but she and her friends also helped to make him an ally. Let us not forget, it was she who revealed Chrysalis's true identity the first time around. Think of those she may not be able to help.

You have to admit, while it goes against the 'greater good' mentality on the surface, Celestia makes a fair point; Twilight Sparkle has been more than Celestia's mere student and your friend for some time now. She has already proven invaluable on more than a few occasions, and has a bright future ahead of her.

You don't respond back, merely hanging your head in a sign of deference to your sister's counter-argument.

"Ugh, you two are even bigger freaks than I give you credit for," Chrysalis chimes in. "I suppose you have some sort of sisterly bond that allows you to talk about this silently."

"It is not important, but we have decided your... proposal is acceptable," Celestia speaks up, her voice much more confident than it was just moments ago in private. At once, Chrysalis clops her front hooves together in delight.

"Oh, I knew you would see things my way," she gushes, much to Celestia's chagrin. A strand of your sister's golden magic twists out from her horn, reaching back behind her head into her mane. A few moments of rummaging and she retrieves the key to Chrysalis's cell, hovering in the air.

While it is an added sense of security, you've always found it quite unseemly how Tia tucks away important items in there.

"Sister, could you get the shackles down the hall near the stairs?" Celestia requests, turning to you momentarily. "Better safe than sorry, I suppose."

"Oh, must you two ruin the mood?" Chrysalis sasses again, rolling her eyes. "This momentous agreement should be celebrated with pomp and circumstances. Perhaps some sort of commemorative items, like horn rings!"

You don't even have time to react to the odd statement, as something from above drops onto your head, the unexpected weight causing you to drop to the floor. Nearby, you hear your sister let out a low grunt as she hits the floor as well. But all other thoughts are pushed aside as cold iron slips over your horn in a swift motion, the iciness sweeping through to your core as you feel your magic being sealed off from your grasp.

As you attempt to rise and throw off the assailant, you feel it put a hoof upon your neck, warning you with uncomfortable pressure.

"Oh, that worked flawlessly," Chrysalis cackles. You manage to shift your head enough to catch a glimpse of her smirking at you, before the pressure on your neck changes, the hoof shifting into another form entirely. Something larger.

A growl tells you whatever this changeling has changed to, it's big. But your attention is drawn to one in front of you as it unlocks Chrysalis's cell with the key Celestia held moments ago. The cell door slides open with a nudge of a hoof and a resounding clang.

"The wonderful thing about bugs, they thrive in the dark; they're almost impossible to find unless they want to be seen," Chrysalis muses as she steps out of her prison, close enough to you that you can only make out her legs. You note that even with her freedom, her steps are still somewhat unsteady with weakness.

Sister, you reach out with your mind.

I'm fine, just as indisposed as you are though, she grumbles.

You hear a hiss from the changeling nearest its queen, followed by a smack.

"Oh shut up," Chrysalis bellows. "You have no right to complain about what I call you when your ineptitude dealing with her and her monkey friend is the reason I'm here."

With a jolt, you're yanked up off the floor, the hand grasping you growing larger and holding the majority of you now. Out of the corner of your eye, you see your sister in the same predicament, as well as the snout of a black dragon covered in a chitin hide.

But a clearing of her throat directs your attention back forward to Chrysalis, who is positively glowing with enthusiasm at the scenario before her. "My how quick the tables turn, don't they?" she coos. "Not only do I get out of jail, I still get your beloved Twilight. And while I would just love to finish off this day with the two of you under my control, I have to admit I'm in no shape to deal with you," she sneers.

"You act as if you will be able to waltz right out of the castle," Celestia snaps. "Our guards are on high alert, you won't get far."

"Oh, don't give me that. I already know the two of you are so paranoid, you've spread your guards out around the castle, and couldn't even trust them enough to have them stand by down here," she retorts, stepping toward Celestia and prodding her with a hoof. "Other than a few scouts to tell me what's going on outside of my cell, you two let your paranoia do the bulk of the work for me. There's just one little thing left to take care of," she muses, as her assisting drone pries off her collar. "While I'd love to find out what makes your friend tick, I'm going to have to settle with shutting him up. Permanently."

Your eyes narrow at her heartless comment, as she sashays over to you. "You won't lay a hoof on him," you growl.

"Oh no, I won't. I can hear all my children's thoughts in my head, and I know you've sealed off your room. But I've fortunately had a few flies on the wall to keep track of everything, they will take care of him."

Flies on the w-

No!

Nausea and fear envelop you and you frantically start to struggle your way out of the shapeshifted changeling's grip. Chrysalis only chuckles as her body is enveloped in a green glow, twisting and warping her form, condensing it down before a castle guard pegasus stands in her place. She wobbles a bit in a daze at first, but shakes her head and composes herself. The changeling next to her also shifts into a guard, but Chrysalis shakes her head in disapproval.

"You two keep these buffoons at bay while I get out of here. If you make it out alive, make sure you aren't followed before coming back to the hive," she commands. Without another word, she trots off. The fake guard growls his displeasure, but stays.

Luna! comes a pained cry from your head. You can sense in his message Anon is in deep trouble.

Hold on, I'm coming Anon! you shout back, struggling with all your might as you frantically buck with all your might at thin air. But the faux dragon tightens his grip, squeezing the breath out of you.

Fortunately, in his focus upon you, the changeling does not pay his other captor much attention, being held closer to his body. Your sister lets out a war cry, able to buck your captor in the leg and free herself in his roar of pain.

The guard goes to subdue your sister, but Celestia is quicker, as she pirouettes and slams a hind hoof into its muzzle, sending the fake sprawling into a wall, where the creature slumps. With the distraction, you're able to wriggle free, before dropping down as Tia headbutts the dragon in the gut.

"Tia!" you cry as you duck a frantic swipe of the dragon's talons. Celestia does as well, but she shakes her head as her eyes dart to you momentarily.

I am fine, I'll deal with this!" she shouts. "Alert the guards, and go to Anon, now!"

You don't need to be told twice as you quickly turn around and gallop down the corridor as fast as your hooves will take you. There is no alertness in your mind, you're blindly sprinting and this point, reaching the spiral staircase with nopony in sight.

Anon, Anonymous, hang in there! you plead. You don't get much of a response aside from a few grunts, as you sense his frantic struggle in which he is involved.

You were stupid to put that spell upon your room! Even if the magic he has been imbued with from Nightmare Moon is similar enough that he can pass through the barrier, no guards can aid him if he is trapped.

But maybe he can fend his attackers off? He's already done so with Chrysalis, surely he can do it again with a couple of lowly changeling drones, right?

It's not a guarantee though, which makes you worry more as you push yourself to climb faster. Cursing yourself as you stumble multiple times through your trek up the stairs, you finally reach the top and twist the figure nearby to open the door.

"GUARDS!" you bellow, turning your Canterlot Voice up to its maximum level. You bolt down the hall even as you hear the approaching hooves of your sworn protectors. Your eyes are locked onto your bedroom door, and a lone stallion guard standing in front of it. He catches sight of you before you reach him, just as a group of five other guards crest the stairs and meet you.

"Guards, my sister is fending off a changeling in the dungeon, assist her," you direct two of them, pointing down the hall. In a flash, they gallop toward the entrance. "The rest of you, make sure nopony leaves the castle. I do not care if they are a fellow guard, your best friend, nothing. Lock down the castle."

The three guards that also just arrived salute and set off on high alert, leaving the guard whom you had encountered earlier before you.

"Your Highness, I heard was sounded like a scuffle in your r-"

"I know, get this off my horn at once," you order the guard, directing your attention at the cursed ring. A few moments of his magic removing the seal and it slides off. You waste no more time as you dispel the seal upon your room even as you barge through the door.

It looks as if a whirlwind has torn through your room, with possessions scattered across the floor. You spy a changeling against the far wall to your right, the flaked paint upon the wall showing where it had impacted and fallen. But your eyes quickly dart to your bed, where another drone lays slumped, the air about it crackling with raw magic.

Right next to Anon, who also lays upon the sheets, his legs draped over the side of the bed as if he had fallen backward.

"Anon!" you shout, your heart caught in your throat.

But he doesn't stir.

What's worse, you do not "feel" his presence through the link.

You quickly charge over to the bed and leap up upon it. As you land, you let out a sharp cry as you get a better view.

On his other side, initially obstructed from your viewpoint, the cool blue linens of your bed are soaked, dyed almost black at this point as a smell of copper hits your nose. The mess traces its way back to where Anonymous lies, the right side of his neck profusely bloodied by puncture wounds.

"No! Nonononono!"

Frantically, you reach for an area of the sheet that isn't matted with blood, seizing it with your magic and pressing it to his neck with your hooves.

"Your Highness..."

Anon still doesn't stir, his face frighteningly pale as you try to prod him awake with one hoof, while your other one stays glued to his neck.

There isn't much of a flow now, maybe it's working...

"Your Highness..."

Tears start streaming from your eyes as you resort to shaking him. He has to be messing with you, this is just an awful prank, he's going to jump up and boop your nose, and you're going to smack him for this.

Anon, please, stop this.

An exhale suddenly escapes his lips.

Then, nothing.

"Your Highness, I'm sorry."

You turn your head slowly finding the guard has a gentle hold of Anon's arm, a single hoof placed upon his wrist. He shakes his head forlornly as he lets the limb lightly drop from his grasp.

"No. No, he just needs a doctor. He's not gone, he can't be. He's not-" You start losing grip on your composure, collapsing onto the bed and nuzzling Anon's face, oblivious to the crimson liquid soaking into your fur.

This is a nightmare, isn't it? You never woke up from when Nightmare Moon crammed your lost memories into your mind. It has to be, there's no way this is reality. Just more torture from the recesses of your psyche.

But it's not. As much as you want to believe it, as much as you want to wake up, open your eyes and find Anonymous beside you in bed, his arms around you. Snuggling with him in the rays of the morning sun, hearing his voice break the silence, even his stupid jokes...

You sob, wrapping your hooves around him as you just let go of yourself.

Why?

Why?

At some point, you think you start screaming. You don't really know, it all just feels surreal as the whole world whirls around you in a haze. Different voices come and go, a nudge here and there on your body, but you do not yield.

"...I will not tell you again, I am fine. I am much more concerned about-"

The familiar voice of your sister is enough to bring you to riase your head from Anon's body. You lock eyes with Celestia, who stands in the doorway in shock.

"Oh, Luna..." You feel her magic start to tug at you, while you vainly struggle against it.

"No! Let me go! "

Flailing about gets you nowhere as you just shut your eyes and wail. A moment later you feel yourself touch the ground as two powerful limbs simultaneously wrap themselves around your body.

You crack your eyes open enough to see the white fur of your sister's chest, already beginning to be streaked and matted with the blood rubbing off of you. Pressing yourself into the comfort of her embrace, you let loose another bout of heavy sobs, frozen in time as the world around tries to continue on.

"Your Highness, I-"

"I swear to Tartarus if you ask me one more time to see the doctor-" your sister's angered voice stops, as you feel the presence of her wings make themselves known around you. "My sister is much more important than a few cuts and scrapes," she says, the venom in her voice diluted.

"O-Of course, I understand," the guard pony stutters. "I regret to inform you that even though we have every exit covered and guards outside keeping their eyes peeled, we have yet to locate Chrysalis."

"I was afraid of that. Are you sure everypony is - well, who they say they are?"

"Tests are in process, it will take a while, but nopony is allowed off the premises in the meantime. The dungeon is secure, there is a detail down there ensuring those two will not escape-"

"And these two?" You hear Celestia interrupt.

"One is unconscious, looks to have internal injuries. The one on the bed is deceased."

"Thank you."

Deceased. That word just hangs in your head, repeating over and over. It wasn't even about your friend, the guard did not mention him.

He didn't need to.

Anon is gone.

Chrysalis is gone. And with her, Twilight Sparkle is gone.

That is all these creatures do - take. They take and take, careless to what their actions cause.

You have seen it, and now, Chrysalis has forced you to experience it.

Taken your friend.

Taken the one you love.

All for a bruised ego, a score to settle in a war she began.

Something clicks in your mind as your grief begins to bubble in your heart, churning and mixing with seething, unbridled anger.

You will give her a taste of her own medicine.

You will take everything from her.

Author's Note

Words can not describe how much I hated writing the end of this chapter. It hurt to write it in the original pastebin, and it hurts now. Glad I recently got a Luna plush to squeeze.

Chapter 33

You pull yourself away from your sister's comfort, eliciting a jolt of surprise from her in the process. But you don't hesitate to look at her face; instead, you deftly step around her and head for the doorway. You've run out of tears at this point as you steel your mind away from the glances of sympathy from the guards.

"Luna? Sister, where are y-"

A slam of the bedroom door cuts off your sister's voice, taking a moment to seal the door once again.

You know Celestia will try to stop you, try to comfort you. Tell you that your mind is not clear at this point in time.

It's perfectly clear now as you begin a determined march down the hall, ignoring the sound of hooves pounding on oak behind you. But it's drowned out by the pounding of your heart, the scalding hot blood rushing through your veins.

Whether there are guards in the hall that try to stop you or you are alone, you don't know. Your mind is focused upon what lies in the dungeon.

Information on the hive. Information on Chrysalis, her whereabouts.

All ripe for the picking.

However, you cannot help but notice the lone guard pony at the entrance to the dungeon's entrance, a spear within the grasp of his hoof. As you approach him, he looks quite disturbed, uneasy.

Whether by your gory appearance or demeanor matters none to you.

"We have the dungeon under control and on lockdown, your Highness," he says as you come to a halt in front of him.

"Good. I wish to see for myself," you say coldly.

"It's - with all due respect, there is nothing to see, your Highness. The prisoners are secure, two guards are keeping watch as we furnish magic sealing bindings for th-"

"You misunderstand us. Whether we are needed or not matters little," you growl, squaring your jaw and raising your chin as you look down upon him. "We desire to see the dungeon for ourselves, whether you yield by your own accord or by force. Is that clear enough, or do you require a demonstration?"

Your vision blurs, everything around you growing brighter for a moment before returning to normal. The guard before you stares dumbfounded, before hastily stepping to the side. You say nothing as you stride past him and head downward.

Adrenaline seeps through your every pore, driving you on as you grit your teeth. You feel your sister trying to pry her way into your mind telepathically, before you slam that door shut as well.

All that remains is the sound of your hoofsteps, your heartbeat, and your deep breaths as you traverse the stairs. You reach the bottom in what feels like a second and you quickly make your way through the dim prison system. Before long, two more guards come into your view down the corridor.

While one stands attentive to the cell in front of him, his horn aglow with magic, the other is fiddling with what looks to be a hastily crafted set of shackles for one of the prisoners.

As you get closer, they take note of the echoes of your hooves, snapping to attention as they see who their guest happens to be.

"Princess, we have the situation under con-"

"I have already been informed. Put those bindings on one of the prisoners," you say, your eyes dancing across the neighboring cells and their inhabitants. While one changeling lies in the back of its cell, as if already asleep, the other one glares back at you, sitting upon its haunches near the cell door.

"That one," you quickly add, pointing a hoof to the either asleep or unconscious creature. "Then leave."

Both guards seem unsure of your orders as they glance at each other, which only stirs the ire that smolders within you. You stomp a hoof down.

"That is an order! Ensure that one is secure, and leave the other to us!" you shout. "Is there a problem with thy hearing?!"

Again your vision blurs before clearing, finding yourself able to see better in the dim light. Evidently, the pair of guards are spooked enough by your shouts that they spring into action, the one unlocking the cell door and the other quickly fastening the special bindings onto the incapacitated prisoner. The iron shackles glow with a ghastly green energy as they activate, the guard retreating and locking the cell behind him.

Without another word, the two quickly salute, before rushing past you toward the stairs. But as they do so, you spy the key to the other cell tucked in the armor of one of the guards. You slip it out and tuck it under your wing for now.

You turn your attention to the other changeling, who continues to stare at you.

"Do you know how to speak?" you ask bluntly. It had occurred to you that not once have you heard a drone speak in anything but hisses and some sort of chattering.

The changeling doesn't respond, closing its luminescent eyes for a moment. The drone's whole form flashes in a blaze of green, before revealing another form.

That of you.

"My, it seems we are having a temper tantrum right now," your twin quips with a smirk.

"We have merely asked if you can speak. That does not mean we will allow you to speak out of turn," you warn, stepping closer to the bars of the cell. The prisoner is not fazed in the slightest by your tone, its (you suppose now, her) mischievous grin growing wider.

"Oh? Or what? You'll lock me up?"

The sarcasm resonates within you, pushing your rage past the boiling point. Your magic whips from your horn - and to a lesser extent, your mane. The tendrils wrap themselves around your twin's body, before you yank her into the bars with an audible smack.

Your magic lets go, the doppelganger so stunned by the event she drops to the floor, while you stare at her pathetic form.

"Get up," you order. She obliges, albeit slowly, holding her temple with a hoof.

"I guess that answers my question. But tell me, isn't torture ille-"

You repeat your same actions, with slightly less force as you bash her into the cell bars. Once again, she falls in a heap.

"You will not speak unless directed to. Now get up."

By this point, your grief, your sorrow is... what is grief? Your whole being wracked with anger, a sense of injustice. Hatred. It feels as if an abyss has been torn open within your heart, wrenched from you as Anonymous has been. A bottomless pit of emptiness remains.

Again the other Luna rises to her hooves, the arrogance knocked out of her expression as she looks at you, wincing in pain.

"Where is your queen?"

"Long gone. That's all I will say," she replies.

"Where is your queen?" you repeat again, pulling the prisoner up against the bars. Her snout pops through to your side of the barrier, while the rest of her stays put, her breathing becoming more frenzied and shallow by the pressure you exert upon her.

"Why would I tell you?"

You hurl your twin backward into the wall of the dungeon, as you fetch the cell key and unlock the door.

You fling the sliding door open with a clatter and make your way to where your double lies.

"Get up. We tire of your games," you lament.

Again Luna slowly rises, a few contusions opened up here and there on her body, seeping with a viscous green ooze. Her head rises up to face you, her nose bloodied with the same green fluid, as her eyes have teared up. Whether from pain or fear matters none to you.

You have no compassion for this vile thing. For any of them.

"Fine. Tell us, where is your home, your hive?" you growl.

"She won't be there. Not right now."

You strike her in the chest with a sharp kick from your forehoof, waiting as the fake you sputters for breath, hacking and coughing loudly.

"We did not ask for your queen's whereabouts. We asked where your hive is located."

You don't get a response, the other Luna shaking her head in defiance. You mane seeps outward, a smoky haze dotted with starlight latching on to the pitiful thing in front of you. It yanks her upward, her hooves a foot off of the ground until you are nose to nose with her.

"We will ask once more. Where is your hive?!" you snarl through gritted teeth.

"I'm not telling you," she manages to bleat, choking back tears.

Furious, you throw the whelp to the ground, turning and exiting the cell and slamming the door behind you.

"So be it. If you will not tell us anything, you are worthless to us," you tell the impostor as you lock the door. You glare back at her as she picks herself up gingerly, no longer possessing any sort of composure as she begins to openly weep. You feel nothing toward this sniveling weakling.

And why should you?

"You can do whatever you want. I'm not telling you where mother is, my family's location. I never will," she mumbles, keeping her head low.

Though barely audible, you catch her musings. The sweltering furnace of pent up rage within you flares up again as you drag her back to the cell door, your magic inching its way toward her neck.

"Whether you tell us or not doesn't matter in the end. We will spend an eternity searching for every one of your kind and end them all. You wretched creatures took our friend, the one that we loved!" you scream as the tears rush back to your eyes. "Your queen, your mother took away from us the one we held most dear, and we intend to do the same!"

You let your anger flow freely, letting go as you feel the pit inside you grow, expanding around you, swallowing you in its cold grasp. You hardly need to focus on your magic as it seizes the prisoner's windpipe, gradually applying pressure.

"Perhaps you save Chrysalis for another week, another month. But rest assured, we will find her. We will wipe out your kind, we will have our revenge!"

The other Luna struggles fruitlessly as she begins to grasp for breath. Her teal eyes dart around, filled with terror as she looks for any sort of opening or reprieve from this end. Eventually, they settle upon you, silently pleading, begging for your mercy.

The sight spurs a moment of clarity from within, a small voice crying out to let this helpless drone go. To step back and look at yourself, what you know you've become. What you risk becoming on the inside.

But the black chasm within you is louder. It desires blood, a thirst for an unspeakable, vengeful retribution for what you have lost.

Anonymous did nothing wrong, he defended himself in a life or death situation. Yet there was no mercy for him from these heartless cockroaches.

You will not grant clemency for anypony. You clench your jaw, submitting to the wicked thought.

"Luna, stop."

A solemn, wavering voice causes you to whip your head around to find the source.

Your sister stands just a few feet away, panting as she stands there. Her head kept somewhat low as she catches her breath, her magenta eyes stay locked on you, silently continuing her short plea.

"Why? Why should we spare this... this... this monstrosity?!" you bark back. Celestia flinches from your harsh, biting tone, but nonetheless remains steadfast.

"This isn't you, sister," she says, choking back her tears as she takes a step closer to you. "I know you're upset, I can't imagine how much pain you feel right now, but this isn't right. Deep down, you know that."

The voice inside your head nearly drowned out by your fury pleads in unison with Celestia, louder now as it fights back against the hatred raging within your heart.

"She killed him - they killed him!" you shout back at Celestia.

"I know, Lulu. But what is this going to solve? What kind of closure can you get from taking a life?" she asks, shaking as she starts to cry. "The changeling that killed Anon is dead, Luna. Taking this one's life it..it's not going to bring Anon back."

Nausea washes over you upon her utterance. You look back at the fake Luna, nearly given up at this point as her eyes begin to glaze over. Within them, you see your reflection.

You've become what you have feared all this time, as teal blue predatory eyes glare back with malice. A pitch black, foreboding specter, whom you swore would never return as long as you lived.

Yet here she is again. It's always been within you, that darkness was created by you.

But Anonymous has helped you conquer it, to face your past. He looked past it, upon revealing the mistakes you have made. He forgave the missteps, the lies you told him, because his love for you was stronger than that.

And you're willing to take his determination, his love for you despite your misdeeds, and throw it all away. To make a mockery of his insistence that you weren't a monster, even when you were at one of your lowest points.

No, this is wrong.

With a sob, your magic snaps away from your twin, dropping her to the floor as she begins gasping for air. You feel the black specter within you fighting, trying to finish the task at hand, but it is in vain as you wrest yourself under control.

Causing pain with only bring more pain. You know this lesson, and yet you nearly repeated the same mistake.

You feel your elder sister's presence upon you, finding her clutching you in an embrace. This time, you voluntarily give in, throwing your hooves around her as you slump toward the floor, exhausted. The darkness within you recedes, as you feel yourself reverting back to normal.

"It's - it's not fair!" you sob, your sister beginning to stroke your mane as she gradually rests you and her upon the stone floor.

"I know, sister, I know," she says quietly. You feel her tears drop down onto your head as she continues stroking your mane, while you let go and openly weep into her chest fur, tapping into another well full of tears you didn't know you had.

"I don't want - I can't bear to lose you again, little sister," she whispers, her voice ragged and tinged with raw emotion. "I promise you, we will get Twilight back, we will get justice for Anonymous. Just talk to me, don't let yourself go."

The sorrow in her voice makes you realize how close you were to letting go, letting that same coldness into your heart as you once did before. Leaving your sister alone, isolated.

She's always been here for you, it's time to do the same for her.

"I'm sorry. I - I just hurt. I don't know what to do..."

"I know. You just need to trust me, Luna. I am upset, I am angry, too. But we need to stick together."

You pull back a bit from Celestia, turning your head to look back at your doppelganger. Instead, the changeling has reverted back to its normal form, its breathing finally settled down somewhat. However, it has retreated to the farthest corner of the cell, its luminescent eyes locked upon you fearfully.

"I'm sorry" you mumble, just barely audible. You get no response or sign of acknowledgment.

"Come sister, there is no need to be down here," Celestia says, pulling herself up off the floor with a slight groan. You turn back to her as she offers a hoof, helping you up. Meanwhile, it is only now you note the cuts and scrapes that dot her white coat, from the earlier scuffle down here.

Perhaps more noticeable is her chest, now dyed a hideous reddish brown with dried blood.

Anon's blood, which you realize is also caked upon you. The thought sends another wave of sorrow and nausea through you as you hang your head.

But the presence of a warm, comforting wing across your back pulls your gaze upward, while your big sister pulls you up next to her. It is a silent reassurance that you aren't alone, while the two of you squeeze up the narrow staircase, side by side.

For the first time, you realize how much you mean to your big sister. That seal you put on the room should have held her at bay, but it didn't. While her wounds from the fight look harmless, she should still be checked out by a doctor to be safe.

But her priority was you.

And she is here for you now, in this difficult time.

"Tia, I-"

"I know. I heard your thoughts," she says. "It is times like these when we are quick to give up, to give in to our pain. Feeling alone, isolated from the world. I have lost many friends through the years, Luna. It will be hard, but I promise you, it does get better. I am here for you, I am your rock, your foundation. Always."

Nothing more needs to be said as the two of you complete your ascension to the top of the stairs, and back into the hall. You start to feel what composure you've built up to slip once again, seeing personnel milling about your room's doorway, and knowing why they are present.

Without warning, the hall and its contents vanish, the tingling sensation of a teleportation spell tickling every nerve in your body. Pure white emptiness is all that greets your eyes, before the confines of a castle guest room greets you.

"I feel it is best we stay away from... it's best we have some privacy," Celestia quietly explains. You say nothing while you climb onto the comfort of the bed.

You just - what do you even do now?

The bed shifts as your elder sister lays beside you, giving you a comforting nuzzle.

"I started this mess, it's my fault," you moan, the water works beginning to work overtime once again as you eyes dampen. "This started with me, my selfishness. Now it has come full circle to haunt me, and Anon had to pay for my mi-"

"No, stop." A wingtip under your chin persuades you to turn and look at Celestia. "There is no way to have known what you did back then would lead to this. You can't focus on that, on the 'what-ifs'."

"What do I focus on, Tia? What is left to focus on?"

You choke back a sob, silently cursing your immortality. Not once have you considered what happens after death, because it never applied to you. You had friends, but they came and went so quick over the years, you never gave it a passing thought.

Of course, there was a long gap in your life. A gap without friends, which led to an even longer spell of total isolation. It further separated you from these thoughts of life after death mortals often consider.

But Anon is different. You've never been this close to anypony. Time has meant nothing to you, until now.

Now, you're out of time.

"Luna. Lulu, talk to me, please." Your sister's concerned voice snaps you out of your inner turmoil to find her face to face with you

"I understand why you have always mockingly referred to our immortality - our phoneix-like rebirth abilities, why you always disparagingly referred to them as a gift. It is a curse. I would give anything to be with Anon right now, to-"

"Stop. Please, don't think like that," Celestia responds. "I promise you, I promise it gets better. There is a light at the end of this."

"I can't ever forget him, Tia."

"You don't forget, Luna," Celestia says. Her wingtip wipes away your tears as they form. "You don't forget him, you live for him. You carry on, you do the things you enjoy. You go out of your way to bring others happiness, to brighten their day. You live your life because you know he would not want to see you upset. You live your life to the fullest and keep those memories close to your heart."

Your sister loses her composure for a moment as her head bows, chest heaving. After a pause, she rises again.

"I went through the same thing, Luna. I lost you, I thought I would never recover. But I knew deep down, underneath the rift that formed between us - that little sister I fondly remembered - she would want me to be happy. She would want me to move on, to find happiness again. Through losing you, I found myself, I found who I am now. I go out of my way to help ponies because I remember that feeling of pain and loneliness. I realized living behind closed doors like we used to so long ago was detrimental when I could be doing so much more."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you learn from loss, you grow through loss as a being. You will find parts of yourself you did not know existed. Anon helped you so much, and in turn, helped me. He brought me back my lively young sister. He will continue to help you even as he is gone. A part of him will always be with you Luna - and he never truly dies."

With your sister's words, you feel your muscles lose their tensity. You lean forward, your nose touching hers as your horns make contact, a slight charge of energy between the two making the air slightly crackle.

But a sudden cacophony of sounds out in the hall rouse you both from your moment of comfort. Celestia is the first to move as she leaps off the bed, opening the door and craning her neck to look down the hallway.

"What's happened?" you ask, confused.

"I don't know, nothing good I'm sure," she says. Without another word, she trots out into the hallway, disappearing from view.

You steel yourself from your emotions, determined to help your sister if need be. You also rise from the bed, galloping out of the room to catch up with your big sister.

Down near the other end of the corridor, you can hear shouts and orders being barked as guard ponies and other personnel rush out of your room. Fear lances through your heart, pushing away your pain momentarily as your hooves pound the red carpet harder, catching up to Celestia as she sets the spurs to herself as well.

A couple of stallions try to stop the two of you, but neither of you heeds their warnings. Celestia skids to a stop right at the opening to your room, while you slow up and join her side, readying yourself for a possible confrontation.

Instead, you stand there, dumbfounded by a column of flame that is centered upon your bed, illuminating the room in a bath of bright blue light. But despite its ferocity, you sense no smoke, nor does it stray away from the exact spot upon your bed. But just as you make note of its bizarre behavior, the pyre suddenly fizzles out, leaving no trace of its existence.

"Luna, was that..."

"No, it can't be," you reply, inching your way into the room, your eyes wide with shock as you get closer to the bed. All traces of Anon are gone, as well as his blood that once stained the sheets. Instead, fine ashes remain, scattered in a few heaped piled here and there. Your sister stands on the other side of the bed, looking just as confused as you feel right now.

But perhaps more astonishing, the linens are not without mark; rather, they have been singed, an outline that makes no sense.

The outline of a large pony - an alicorn, complete with spread wings and horn.

Another flash of bright blue light interrupts your thoughts. You recoil in surprise, trying to shield your eyes with a wing to catch a glance of what is happening. But the sheer brilliance is too much to bear, forcing you to turn your head away. It isn't until your shadow cast upon the wall behind you begins to fade that you look back, as a collective gasp and murmuring can be heard from the small gathering of ponies outside the door.

Just like that, your friend is whole again - albeit stark naked, the realization making you blush. With a deep breath, he suddenly jolts upward, as if awoken from a bad dream.

"Anon!" you shout, giving him no time to prepare as you tackle him in a crushing hug.

"Luna, what the hell are you doing?!" he yelps in surprise. But you don't answer him, you can't answer him as you hold him tight.

"Wait, where the hell are my pants?! Why the hell do we have an audience?! "

Author's Note

I did not get through writing this chapter without a few breaks to compose myself. I wear my heart on my sleeve, this was difficult for me to write.

Chapter 34

"So, you're telling me I was..."

"Dead, yes," Luna replies, hugging you tighter as she utters that word. At this point, it is starting to hurt.

"Luna, not so hard, please," you tell her, your voice somewhat strained. She eases up a bit, but still remains draped over you. Luna has been attached to you since you woke up.

After the rude - and rather embarrassing - awakening, Luna and her sister ushered you across the hall to Celestia's room, for privacy and to be somewhere that wasn't a complete mess.

"Sorry, it's just - I never thought I'd get to hold you again, hear you speak again," Luna says, as she starts to sniffle just a bit. You put an arm around her, trying to reassure her you aren't going anywhere.

"What do you remember, Anonymous?" Celestia chimes in, her head cocked just a bit.

"Not much, I guess," you tell her, shrugging your shoulders. "I remember waking up, talking with Luna, and then you came in and said Chrysalis was awake. Everything kind of stops after that, until I woke up from what I thought was an hour long power nap, to find everyone staring at me like they had witnessed a miracle. I guess they had a right to do so."

"Well... yes and no," Celestia replies with a playful smile. "It's understandable to my sister and I. But historical texts don't go into much detail of our lives, and it has been a long time since one of us has... had a really bad day."

"What's that mean?"

"I suppose it has been a while. Not long after you and Luna had your little excursion, I mentioned that Luna and I have a peculiar 'gift,' as we refer to it. Do you remember that?"

"Yeah, you mentioned you two don't really die, you just kind of make like a phoenix and - Oh."

"It would appear you now possess that ability as well," Celestia finishes with a nod.

You find yourself speechless with the revelation. How do you even follow up with a response to that?

You never necessarily feared death, you were just mindful of the possibility whenever you got the idea to do something stupid. Though be fair, that didn't stop you from time to time...

A lightbulb pops on in your head.

"Celestia, the hospital," you gasp. Her gaze grows curious at your abrupt fragmented statement.

"What about it?"

"When I woke up, I mentioned... when I went back and relived the memory, I had this sense of my insides being on fire. One of the worst pains I ever felt, could that have been-"

Her eyes widen with the suggestion, connecting the dots as you speak. "You very well may have escaped death once, Anon. The doctor said you were lucky your broken ribs left your internal organs without a scratch. Personally, I've never experienced it, but we do heal at a faster rate."

"Like my shoulder. It felt just fine earlier today. I wouldn't expect that so soon. Of course, it's definitely good now, all things considered."

"Wait, why am I just now hearing of this?!" Luna exclaims. "You mean to tell me you have experienced this sensation of burning before?"

"Luna, I didn't bring it up other than when I was with Celestia because I didn't know if it was real or not. Nightmare didn't know what to make of it either. On top of that, you weren't to keen on listening to me when I first arrived a few evenings ago."

Luna cringes a bit at the reminder. "Right. That's on me then, sorry."

But with the end of their tale, you note the one missing piece out of it all. It makes your heart drop, as you know the answer, but ask anyway.

"So, Twilight is still... you didn't get the answer out of Chrysalis before she escaped, I'm assuming."

Both princesses drop their eyes downward, their ears drooping in time.

"No. Mark my words Anon, we have not given up, we will succeed in returning her back to normal," Celestia says, her gaze locking back onto you. "It will just take time."

"Or, it could be five minutes from now," a male voice chimes in, making you jump. Celestia and Luna both jolt up in surprise, scanning the room with their heads on swivels.

"Oh, relax. I've been hanging around this whole time." With that, a serpentine being droops down inverted from the chandelier on the ceiling, just feet away from where your group is situated. He still hangs on, using his tail to remain latched on to the light fixture.

Discord.

"Discord, now is not the time for your silly games," Luna quickly responds. While her voice remains calm and collected, it's easy to tell her patience for his shenanigans is very low right now. The same can be said for Celestia, who looks rather flustered with the interruption.

But Discord remains unfazed by all of this, the goofy grin upon his face not diminished in the slightest as he lets go of his perch, defying gravity while he slowly turns right side up.

"Why, I have to say I feel quite offended right now," he replies, feigning with a dramatic tone. "Here I am on my own time, trying to help solve your woes with dear Twilight, and you brush me aside with nary a speck of curiosity or passive glance at what I have. Maybe I should just keep this for now."

Upon his mention, an orb roughly the size of a golf ball appears in the palm of his taloned hand. He rolls it around in demonstration before you can get a good look at it, then tossing it up in the air and spinning it on the tip of his claw.

"What is that?" Celestia asks. Evidently, Discord has a history of showing off potentially dangerous objects, as the solar princess takes a step back, one wing curled partially in front of her as a shield.

"You don't recognize your prized student?" he asks. Abruptly, the ball stops, giving you a better look. While it seems to be made of clear crystal or glass, the inside contains a misty, lavender fluid or vapor, slowly twisting and twirling deep inside. Without warning, he tosses it up in the air, forcing Celestia to jump into action and stretch out her wings to catch it.

You don't know why she didn't just seize it with her magic, but who are you to judge?

Nevertheless, as her magic finally does cradle the mysterious object closer to her muzzle, Celestia's eyes light up. "How... where did you get this?" she asks breathlessly.

"Chryssy gave it to me, of course," Discord replies, disregarding the magnitude of his statement with a wave of his hand.

"What?!" Both princesses and you exchange looks after shouting in unison. But to his credit, Discord does not stray from his charade.

"Okay, she didn't just give it to me," he concedes. "First off, I'd like to mention I don't appreciate being kept out of the loop on this whole ordeal. Twilight Sparkle is my friend too. She also happens to be my favorite pony to toy with. Seeing her get all worked up, the steam coming out of her ears, it's hila-"

"Discord, focus," Luna warns.

"You're no fun. Nopony like a story these days," he laments, folding his arms. "Anyways, I happened to drop in just in time to hear you two and Chrysalis hammer out a little deal and-"

"What do you mean by 'dropped in?'" Celestia interrupts.

"I just happened to teleport in at the wrong place, right time."

"We have wards against such magic."

Discord shrugs innocently "Nopony told me that. I didn't see it in the rules," he responds, holding up a pamphlet to his face. After some quiet musings, he tosses it aside, as well as a pair of reader glasses that appeared upon his muzzle at some point. "Nope, nothing."

"Continue, Discord," Luna says, her voice devoid of any sort of amusement.

"As I was saying, you all made a deal. Let her go, and she would revert Twilight. Now, obviously that went pear-shaped, shame on you for trusting a villain."

"Duly noted," Luna chimes in again. Discord's attention instantly snaps to her.

"I feel like there was an underlying anecdote to that comment," he says, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

"You are more than welcome to draw your own conclusions."

"Riiight," Discord replies slowly. "Continuing on, I just didn't think that was fair to her to agree to that and jet without holding up her end of the bargain. So, I intervened. It didn't take long to get her to talk."

"Are you implying you tortured her? That is illegal in Equestrian law," Celestia quickly adds.

"It wasn't torture, not at all. I just introduced her to my realm, let her experience the sights," he says, his grin becoming quite devious at this point. For the first time, he acknowledges your presence directly. "You should visit sometime, especially this time of the year. Birds' feathers changing color and falling off, trees heading north for the winter, very beautiful."

Every fiber of your being doesn't feel at all comfortable with the suggestion - whether genuine or not. Still, no reason to be rude.

"I appreciate the offer b-"

"I have seen your dreams, which you say pale in comparison to your home world. I have to say if that experience without permission is not torture, then I don't know what constitutes that term," Luna interjects sternly.

"Okay, so even if it was torture, what is the issue? It didn't happen in Equestria, nor did one of its citizens do the deed. Neither can be said for earlier in the dungeon, though."

At once, Luna is slapped speechless, recoiling just a bit as her ears drop and shoulders slump.

Evidently, there's more to the story.

I intend to tell you everything that has transpired, I did not feel it was appropriate at the time. After just getting you back, you hear Luna explain in your head. You give her another reassuring hug, trying to quell her sudden bout of shame and embarrassment.

"Now, I worked very hard to get that from her. It was actually well hidden upon Chrysalis," Discord says. The rest of you in the room exchange glances of disgust, to which Discord quickly takes offense. "Oh, do grow up, I don't mean anything like that. As it turns out, all those swiss cheese holes on her hooves are a great place to store small valuables. And collect dust bunnies, lots of those. But I digress, this should be fun figuring out how this works."

"You mean you don't know?!" Celestia's patience apparently has just run out.

"No, but it can't be that hard to figure out, we have the important bit," he says dismissively. "Worse comes to worse I have to track down Chryssy again, but I doubt she would have left if we needed her to undo this, knowing full well I will find her if need be."

"You let her go?! " This time it's Luna who raises her voice. "She tried to take Canterlot, she tried to keep my friend hostage, and tried to kill Anon, and you let her walk away?!"

"That was your deal, not mine. To be honest, I thought you could have gotten a bit more at the bargaining table had you tried. Besides the fact, I take no sides - I'm a neutral party here because let's face it, it's fun to see you all squabble and raise a little chaos."

Celestia looks about ready to zap Discord into another dimension, her horn glowing as her face grows cross. But a lick of his pawed hand and a pinch of her horn extinguishes her magic. "Now, now. We've wasted enough time as it is, let's go wake up Twilight," he says. With a loud snap of his talons, both he and the solar princess disappear.

"Geez, that guy sure enjoys pressing people's buttons, doesn't he?" you comment. Oddly enough, you don't get an answer from Luna, making you turn your head.

Instantly, you're assaulted with a flurry of kisses, on your forehead, your cheeks, and finally your lips. Luna finally runs out of steam after you manage to return a few of them.

"Luna, I know I don't get the full scale of everything you went through, but slow it down just a bit. I'm not going anywhere," you calmly explain to her.

"I just can't help it, I thought I lost you. I thought I'd never see your smile again, feel your embrace, hear your voice - even your awful jokes," she says, managing a slight smile at her last addition.

However, it quickly fades as her emotions grow somber. "Anon, when I - when I found you, and knew you were deceased, I lost myself. I nearly let myself go again."

"Er, what do you mean?" you ask. Certainly, it's understandable to be lost in your emotions with loss, but you don't think that's what she is getting at in this case.

"I mean I almost undid everything that I have accomplished - both on my own and with your help," she says. Her bright teal eyes close for a moment, snapping open as they warp and change, growing predatory as her pupils narrow and her sclera shift color to match her irises more closely.

The familiar eyes of her once alter ego, Nightmare Moon.

Luna closes her eyes again, shifting them back quickly as her ears again droop with shame. "I just couldn't handle the thought of being without you, of being taken away from me like that. All I could think about was getting revenge, by any means necessary."

The last half of her sentence carries an ominous tone that gives you a slight chill. Nevertheless, you shake it off. "But you didn't go off the deep end, you're still you. I'm guessing your big sis got you to come back."

"Yes. As well as you. She reminded me how far I have come since those dark days in the past, as well as the simple fact that vengeance was not going to fill the void in my heart that you left."

"Luna, I-"

Luna holds up a hoof, denying you the interruption. "Anon, you have opened my eyes, you have guided me through some truly difficult times," she says, her breath hitching in her throat. "Every time I have fallen - even if I have been unkind to you or hurt you - you have been there to help me back up. Time and time again, even if it was against your best interest, after so many instances of your trust being broken, you have been there for me. Your presence - just being with you, it has opened me up to the rest of the world, helped me experience joys I have not felt in ages, and given me a greater appreciation for what I have, even in moments of despair."

You can't stand to see the tears beginning to once again gather on her cheeks, forcing you to carefully wipe them away with your thumbs.

"Anon, you've helped me find a side of myself that I lost long ago, to help me forgive myself. You have given me a greater appreciation for my sister, and your loss gave me a greater understanding of how much you mean to me. I feel truly blessed to not only have known you, but to have you returned to me. I love you, with all my heart, Anon."

Evidently, some dust in the air has gotten into your eyes as they start to water as well. "I love you too, Lulu," you tell her, throwing your arms around her neck. She gives a half chuckle as her hooves - and wings - return your embrace.

"I told you not to use that name," she says teasingly, leaning in towards you

"It's too adorable to not use. It was either that or Moonbutt," you reply, brushing your lips against hers. She doesn't hesitate to seize the moment, her velvety soft lips locking on at once, to which you're more than happy to oblige.

Time stands still as you revel in the moment. This last week or so has been a terrifying rollercoaster and unraveling of secrets, twists and turns around every corner. But now, almost all of that is but a memory, leaving you here with the mare you love. Perhaps it's been a shaky relationship along the way, some might say it was ill-advised, especially when Luna put Nightmare Moon with you on purpose. Yet what she said is true - Luna had to deal with her past through this all as a result of her actions, and Nightmare is a... relatively decent pony to be around.

And if it weren't for all of this from a stupid spell so many months ago, you would not be here now, alive.

You and Luna finally separate, as a question pops up into the forefront of your mind.

"Luna, if I just come back from the dead like... well, like I did, does that mean I have the whole package deal you two have?"

"You mean immortality, I assume?" she asks. You nod your head, which spurs a moment of thought from her.

"I have to say it is odd that it took so long for you to come back. For us, it's mere minutes while you were delayed by at least an hour, I believe. Yet it was not days ago you didn't go through the whole process, but seemingly remained unconscious while your organs regenerated. That has never been the case for us."

"So..."

Luna merely smirks at your impatience. "What I mean to imply is while you're do not seem to possess quite the capabilities as my sister and I do, like the wielding of magic, you are developing and growing. There is only one way to know for sure whether your longevity is limitless. But considering that there are only three individuals I know of that possess our 'gift' - my sister and I, as well as Discord - I would be willing to bet you likely will be with us for a very, very long time, if not infinite. Immortality is a very likely possibility, yes."

The truth hits you like a ton of bricks. Living forever does not sound like a good prospect to you. It never has.

But Luna senses your discomfort as she pulls you closer again. "It will be a change and quite the adjustment, but remember you aren't alone in this. We're in this together, and I wouldn't want it with anypony else."

"If your sister hears you, she's gonna be jealous," you quip, booping her nose playfully. She recoils in surprise, before giggling and lightly shoving you.

"I think she will manage."

Epilogue

It's been about a week since everything has (relatively) returned to normal.

As it turns out, Discord should have asked for directions for reinstalling Twilight's mind to her body. It ended up taking another day before Celestia triumphantly presented her to you and Luna.

It was... a little awkward. Twilight was more than happy to see Luna, but it seemed like she was a bit nervous being around you. Nonetheless, she gave you a hug, though you sense it was more for your sake than hers. She wouldn't divulge what happened in her home that fateful night, and her memory was apparently blank after the scuffle you had with her and Chrysalis.

It was a bit disappointing, but understandable for her to feel out of sorts. She assured you in private before she left that you were still friends, she just needed some time to get herself back to a normal frame of mind.

Reading between the lines, you believed her, but also knew in the back of your mind your relationship would not go back to how it was, in the sense of beyond "good friends."

But it was somewhat of a blessing in disguise, even if it felt wrong to say such a thing. With what you had gone through with Luna, you were set on her - a one-mare man. Recalling the reasoning for Twilight to explore a relationship with you, it brought a concern to you on how to lightly put her down. That wasn't necessary now.

In addition, Canterlot's castle was beginning to feel more and more like home. Ponyville was great, and it seemed most of the threat of changelings plotting against you were past. But you could tell Luna really wanted you to stay with her, and you felt the same way. In time, you planned on getting your old home cleaned up and using it for extended visits with your friends. But home is where the heart is - and your heart belonged to a navy blue alicorn.

Nightmare Moon is finally appearing to you again. You've sensed her presence since coming back from the dead, but she has been elusive. Evidently, she wasn't just miffed at you; rebirth took a lot of juice out of her, inhibiting her ability to manifest.

But she was pretty pissed off about it; after all, she did tell you to not get the two of you killed. She was also kind enough to replay the memory of what happened, since she did remember the whole day.

You understand why it upset her so greatly to have experienced that, and it confirmed your theory about your experience in the hospital. The memory brought an indescribable agony with it as it played out - not only the pain of the fight, but the sensation of every nerve in your body being burned at once.

You definitely don't want to experience that again - you're going to do your best to stay away from life-threatening situations.

But now, with things calmed down, you can return to another important part of your life - the Superbird. You were granted space in the garage where the royal chariots and carriages were kept to work on it and store it.

And boy, it needed a lot of work. Besides the destroyed nose and beat up hood and fenders, there was a radiator to replace, and an oil cooler that wasn't doing a very good job of cooling oil - or keeping it contained, for that matter.

It was only by a miracle you didn't starve the car of oil and ruin the engine on your way to Canterlot. Though with everything going on at that point in time, the car was the least of your concerns.

Speaking of which, as you finish removing the last bolt from the bracket, the oil cooler comes off in your hand, allowing you a better look at it. Definitely needs replaced, as the whole core of it is slightly warped, even ignoring two telltale trails of oil.

But the sound of hooves pulls you away from the setback, as you lift your head slightly from the floor you lie upon. You can't help but smile as you find Luna casually plodding toward you, sans regalia.

"Hi Luna, how was work?" Your light-hearted sarcasm gets a weary chuckle from her as you sit up, greeting her properly with a quick peck on the lips.

"I suppose it was a fairly good day. Only minor squabbles from court that were easily dealt with. Nothing major as far as issues needing my advice or oversight. Though I will be overjoyed when I finally get a day of relaxation again."

"To be fair, your sister said you didn't have to do your two-week straight stint ruling the kingdom right away," you remind her.

"Yes, but I would prefer to get it out of the way as soon as possible," she replies. "Besides my own desires, my sister needs her rest, she's been through a lot."

"No kidding. I don't know how anyone can get enough rest with her snoring." The comment gets another giggle from Luna.

"You get used to it after a while. But you seem to have had a productive day," she says, Her eyes scan the pile of parts and tools gathered on the floor around you.

"Sort of, I guess," you sigh with defeat. "There's a lot of work to be done to get it back into shape. The nose is a mess, I tweaked the radiator support a bit, and a lot of odds and ends that need to be looked at. I have some spare parts at home, but other things I'm going to have to try to fix or somehow have manufactured, I'm afraid."

"You know I am more than willing to help in the ensuing days and weeks to come, Anon. I am sure we can bring this back to top form," she reassures you, flashing you an encouraging smile.

"I certainly don't have to worry about a time limit, huh?" you suggest.

"I feel there is some additional connotations to that comment. I assume you have been dwelling on the idea of immortality the past few days," she says, cocking her head.

"A little bit. It's hard to wrap my head around, but I've been trying," you admit. Luna takes a seat upon the floor in front of you.

"I understand it has been a long time since I have made my peace with the idea of a neverending existence, but it will become trivial to your mind one day. You will only be reminded of it when you lose a dear friend," she replies, sounding slightly troubled with the last sentence.

"So how do you not just full recluse and not get attached to people, knowing full well you're going to outlive them?"

"A wise pony told me that with each connection we make, we learn and grow. There is much we can learn from those in our lives, whether it be a five minute conversation, or a friendship that lasts years. You keep those lessons close to your heart, and those you care for remain with you forever."

"I'm going to go out on a limb and say you heard that quite recently from your big sis."

"Correct on both accounts, but nevertheless, advice that may very well help you. Live for the moment, Anon, do not concern your mind with the future. It will drive you mad."

She does make a very good point, you have to admit.

"Another oddity came to my attention today," Luna says, changing the subject as her smile returns. "Apparently, rumors are circulating that Canterlot's castle has had to deal with an issue regarding changelings. Can you believe that?"

"No, not at all," you jab back playfully. "Don't ponies have more important things to worry about that gossip?"

"I suppose if that is the main concern, things are going well for now," she replies with a chuckle.

"You aren't worried about them at all? Even the queen?"

Luna shakes her head. "I'm sure word will quickly get around that you are alive and well - to those that believe you are dead. But I doubt it changes any of the dynamics. Until next time, we shall let resting dogs lie where they are."

"Gotcha," you say, looking behind Luna. "Uh, you know you sat in a puddle of oil, right?"

"What? I did not feel anything," she says, standing up quickly and turning to view her resting place.

Just as planned, as you reach out and goose the black splotches on her flank. "Right here!"

Luna squeals as she turns around, pushing you down onto the floor as she tackles you. "You're terrible!" she shouts, all the while smirking.

"I can't help you fell for it," you tease her. You reach up and stroke her mane, the sensation of a cool summer's evening breeze washing over you.

"Luna, I hate to interrupt but it's time to- Oh for Equestria's sake, you could at least close the garage door!"

Luna turns her head while you crank you neck to get a look, finding Celestia covering her eyes with a wing before turning tail and trotting off.

"We weren't doing anything, sister!" Luna calls out after her with a bout of laughter. She turns back to you. "I suppose we should go after her and find out what she wanted."

"Okay. You think we traumatized her?" you joke. Luna shakes her head.

"No, she'll be fine, she likes to overreact from time to time." Luna backs off of you, helping you to your feet with her hoof.

Both of you head out into the evening air, as you stop to close the garage door behind you. With that done, the castle dining room is the likely next stop.

"Oh, I bet that is why she decided to pop in. My mistake," Luna says, her gaze directed upward to the sky. The sun is almost completely below the horizon now, the slightest light from it dying the indigo sky with a splash of pink and orange fade. Luna's horn glows as her eyes close in concentration, the pale white moon easing up into the sky with silent grace, lending it's own light to the landscape as the sun finally rests.

"Beautiful as always, Moonbutt," you say, your eyes breaking from the sights in the sky to her bright teal eyes.

"The night sky, or me?" she teases, batting her eyelashes at you.

You can't help but grin as you lean over and give her a quick peck on the snout.

"Yes."

Author's Note

And with that, this little story finally comes to a close. It's been a long journey - with more than a few delays - but it is a satisfying feeling to bring the tale to its completion. I want to thank those of you who have offered your compliments and words of encouragement. And in general, thank you for sticking through it all and following along.

I have to say I'm surprised at how far I've come as a writer, which was pointed out to me by a reader. That being said, while I could give the earlier chapters a polish someday, I think it's safe to say I'm going to leave it as is. That could always change though.

Yet this likely is not the end of this universe; I still have some one shots that come after all these events in my pastebin yet to be dusted off and rewritten. I will publish them as a separate entity, either as a collection added on to, or as individual stories themselves (probably the former rather than the latter).

But until that time, remember: Luna is best pony.

Chapter 5

Surprisingly, you managed to get some sleep once you got back to your room.

Twilight certainly did, as she had finally passed out at the desk by the time you got back. In fact, she was still asleep by the time you left, heading for your house.

Rather than teleport there, you decided to fly to the outskirts of Ponyville where your house lay, enjoying the evening sky. While you had previously been afraid of heights, having a pair of majestic wings to hold you aloft quelled those fears.

Touching down lightly, you stride up to the front door, knocking instead of barging in. It's your house, but in this scenario, it's really not. After a few moments, the door opens, your former self standing there.

"Anonymous!" Luna cries. "Come in, come in."

She holds the door open as you walk in, closing it behind you. It feels so odd being a guest in your own home.

"Hi Luna," you respond, turning to her before scanning the rest of the room. "Hey, where's Rainbow Dash?"

"Oh, Rainbow had to head home for a bit, she should be back in a while," Luna says as the two of you walk to the living room, plopping down on the couch. "So, how did last night go? You are here, so you must not have done anything too bad."

"It wasn't horrible, but it was very boring," you tell her, as she nods in understanding. "I had only a handful of visitors, so I mostly just perused a bunch of paperwork Celestia had left."

"Ugh, we hate it when she does that," Luna says, rolling her eyes. "Usually I only go through a few sheets and leave the rest for her in the morning."

"Now I understand why nothing ever gets accomplished in government," you say, earning a giggle from Luna. "So I assume everything has been going fine with you, I didn't see an angry mob outside."

"Yes, after a bit of frustration we figured out how your television device works. Rainbow and I have mostly been watching your collection of films," she says, pointing to the neatly stacked tower of DVD cases. "By the way, where is Twilight Sparkle? I would have assumed she would visit as well."

"Getting sleep finally. I'm pretty sure she hadn't slept in well over a day, though she tried to convince me otherwise," you reply, shaking your head.

"So I assume a fix for our mistake has yet to be found," Luna says, her enthusiasm diminished. She looks down at herself, then back up at you.

"I did not mean for this, Anon. I truly am sorry," she says.

You wave a hoof at her. "Don't be too hard on yourself. I mean, yes it sucks there isn't an instant fix, but this has been an..... interesting experience," you say, flaring your wings out and looking them over.

Knowing everything is still going fine, your attention turns to this morning's events.

"So, before I went to sleep this morning, Celestia showed me something I thought was pretty neat," you say, causing Luna to perk up in curiosity. "She saved all your awards and pictures from when you used to race. Why didn't you tell me about that?"

Her demeanor instantly changes.

"We do not talk about that time in our life," she says, a scowl on her face.

Surprised by her reaction, you find yourself unable to resist probing further. "I don't understand, are you ashamed of it?"

"If anypony should be ashamed of anything, it is you for prying into my private life," Luna growls, clenching her teeth.

You put your hooves up, recoiling back a bit as you hope to defuse the situation. "Luna, it wasn't my plan, Celestia said she had something to show me, so I-"

"You should have said no!" Luna yells as she stands up, facing you. Fury burns in her eyes.

"Luna, stop!" you cry, genuinely unnerved by the exchange. "I'm sorry, I'm just trying to make sure no one gets suspicious. How was I supposed to know she was going to show me that? I mean, Celestia is proud of you, she feels bad that you had to stop raci-"

"Get out!" Luna points to the door, trembling with anger. "I am not talking about this, I do not want to see you again tonight!"

Your ears droop, seeing no sense in continuing to fight. Lowing your eyes to avert her gaze, you drop off the couch, shuffling to the door without a word. Opening and closing it with your magic, you feel sick to your stomach as you slowly trod away from the house, unsure where exactly you're headed.

You lose track of time as you wander, trying to collect your thoughts and hold yourself together. If you had known she would be that upset, you would never have brought up this part of her past. When you finally raise your head and look at your surroundings, civilization has disappeared.

Instead, you've wandered into the forest, a thin trail guiding you along for who knows how long. By this time, the sun has almost set, a few stray rays of sunshine probing through the dense canopy of trees. You have no idea where you are, not that it matters much. You can just teleport out.

Rather than head back to Canterlot, you stride over to a shallow river ahead of your path, taking a seat next to it and peering down at your reflection. It still seems so odd to you being in Luna's body, and yet feeling so normal. Part of you wonders after this magical mishap is undone, if Luna will want anything to do with you.

"Don't beat yourself up too much. Luna has always been a bit... touchy, about her past," a voice softly says.

"Yeah, she seems to have a lot of secrets she would rather bury," you respond. It takes you a moment to realize you are alone, looking up and around the general area.

"Down here," the voice says in a feminine, rather sultry voice. You oblige the voice, seeing only your reflection in the still water.

"Oh, ha ha," you call out, rolling your eyes. All sarcasm fades as your mirror image slowly begins to darken, the eyes beginning to glow with an eerie turquoise light.

"Sorry, I forgot you're new to this world," your twisted reflection says. "Not to mention this body." As it speaks the thing slowly begins to rise off the water's surface, gaining three-dimensional shape before stepping off onto land beside you, spreading her bat-like wings.

She is taller than you, roughly the size of Celestia, but with a jet black coat. The alicorn smiles at you, flashing a pair of wicked fangs as her eyes stop their glow, revealing feral slitted pupils centered in a pool of turquoise. You remember this pony from Luna's little flashback.

"So, I'd assume you're Nightmare Moon?" you say after a moment of hesitation. It feels strange talking to something that was just a minute ago an image in the water.

Her toothy grin only gets wider at the utterance of her name. "So you've heard of me? I'm truly flattered," she says, circling around you.

"Why are you here?" you ask. Questions continue to bubble up in your mind. How can she even be here? According to your history lesson from Twilight, not only did Celestia clean her clock, but so too did Twilight and her group of friends.

"Well, I never really left," she says, stopping in front of you. "It's another one of Luna's little secrets. I've always been right there in the back of her mind." She pauses before her grin turns somewhat mischievous. "Your mind. I've just been.... sleeping, so to speak."

"Then what woke you up? You haven't answered what you even want," you say.

"You did. Or more specifically, the presence of a different consciousness," she says, looking a little annoyed with all the questions at this point. "I just wanted to meet my new... friend."

The way she looks at you as she finishes her sentence is unnerving, like a cat eyeing its injured prey before pouncing the final time.

"By the way," Nightmare says, interrupting your thoughts, "you should be getting back to the castle. It's almost time for your shift."

You peer through the treetops, realizing how dark it has become. You don't dawdle, instead teleporting back to the castle right away.

"Celestia really needs to change this place up. For somepony that should be co-ruling with her sister, there sure is an abundance of white."

It has been six hours since the start of your shift, and the whole time, Nightmare Moon has not shut up for more than a minute. At this point, you have a raging headache, as you close your eyes, rubbing your temple with a hoof.

"Pardon me, your Highness, are you alright?"

You open your eyes to see a guard at the base of the steps leading to your throne looking up, concerned.

"I am afraid I have a bit of a migraine," you say. "Is there anyone waiting outside, or any outstanding matters?"

"Ah, ah, ah. You should have said 'anypony.' Now you're going to draw suspicion," Nightmare Moon says, hovering next to you.

God, just shut up for five minutes. Is it really that difficult?

"No, it is a quiet night, your Highness. If you would like, we can summon you if a need arises, perhaps you would rather rest?"

You rise off your seat, nodding your head in agreement with your guard's suggestion, as the two standing by the double doors pull them open for you.

"Thank you," you say, as you walk down the stairs and out into the hall. The guard detail is rather light inside, so your attention turns to the black alicorn only you can see.

"Is it really that difficult to put a lid on your mouth? I've got a splitting headache because of you," you growl. Nightmare Moon chuckles in response.

"That's good, it means I'm getting to you," she says, her sly smile returning. "Besides, I've been silenced ever since that purple runt and her gang of misfits got the upper hoof on me."

What does she mean by 'getting to you?' You don't have to ask the question aloud, as Nightmare reads your mind.

Or more specifically, hears you through your mind. She is able to hear your every thought, being tied to you.

"Oh, I suppose if you really want me to spoil the surprise, I will," she says, her words dripping with sarcasm. "You see, I'm the odd pony out. I don't get a body. But with you here, all I need to do is get rid of you, and I can claim Luna's old self for my own!"

Your blood runs cold, realizing she isn't joking. "You think I'm just going to let you in? You're insane," you tell her defiantly.

Nightmare Moon lets out a truly sinister laugh as you stop in the hall, turning to face her.

"You already made the mistake of opening the door for me. Just by talking to me. That was the hard part," she says, smirking. "Now, all I need to do is get you unhinged, make you crazy enough that you let go."

With that final statement, Nightmare Moon fades away with another bout of laughter, her feral eyes staying a moment longer before disappearing as well. For the first time tonight, you are alone, which perhaps is even more nerve-wracking.

Making your way down the quiet halls, you finally reach the library, where you expect Twilight will be. As you search the various aisles for your friend, you debate on what to do.

Do you tell her this most recent development? You don't want to make her panic. But will keeping quiet about it put you in more danger?

After covering about half of the ground floor, you finally find Twilight, nearly barricaded by the stacks of old books around her.

"How's it going, Twilight?" you ask. She jumps in surprise, knocking over part of her leather-bound fortress.

"You scared me, I didn't hear you walk up behind me," Twilight says, blushing a bit in embarrassment. "What are you doing here, shouldn't you be presiding over open court?"

"It's a slow night again," you tell her. "The guards said they would notify me if anything came up, I have a bit of a.... headache." You pause a bit, distracted as Nightmare Moon reappears behind Twilight.

"Ugh, this little foal. How I'd love to get my hooves on her," Nightmare says, swinging a hoof at Twilight. It passes harmlessly through her, though you still flinch a bit.

Twilight picks up on your obvious distraction. "Is something else bothering you, Anon? You seem preoccupied," she asks.

"Yes, is something bothering you dear? You can tell us," Nightmare Moon echoes in a mocking, sarcastic tone.

You strain to force yourself to ignore the irritating hallucination, as you focus on Twilight instead.

"I'm fine, Twilight," you lie. "How long have you been here? I left to visit Luna before work, and you were still asleep."

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe a couple of hours. I found this whole section in the library that focuses on manipulation spells," she says, her voice picking up in excitement. "I haven't found what I'm looking for yet, but I think I'm getting close."

Nightmare Moon's cockiness instantly vaporizes, as she scowls at the purple alicorn.

"I see I don't have the time to be subtle anymore," she says, before fading away. Her ominous words send a chill down your spine.

"I know it may seem out of the blue, but I'm curious," you start, as Twilight's attention quickly snaps from her book to you. "What do you know about Luna's... when she went off the deep end?"

Surprised by the question, Twilight is unable to respond for a moment.

"I don't know much, Anonymous. I mean, Equestria did not even know that Celestia had a younger sister. What information existed was presumed to be legend, rather than reality. it was not until Nightmare Moon's return and her defeat that Luna's existence was even known," she says. "The only ponies that would have any idea are the two that witnessed the events, Celestia and Luna herself."

Wonderful, you think to yourself. Luna is already upset with you, and asking a question like that to Celestia is not a good idea, either. She already is haunted enough by the past.

"Why are you bringing this up?" Twilight asks, interrupting your thoughts. She focuses on your face, as if looking for a clue.

"Nothing, just curiosity," you say. "I think for now, I'm going to head back to my room, this headache isn't getting any better."

Not waiting for a response, you turn and head back the way you came, out of the library and into the halls. Rather than dawdle, you pick up your pace to a near trot, eager to try to relax after an already stressful night.

You're getting much better at navigating this place, as you find Luna's room quickly. Closing the door, you leap onto the bed, sprawling out and stretching your tense muscles.

Suddenly, the door to your room slams shut, making you jump up. Nightmare Moon stands at the foot of your bed, sporting a cocky smirk once again.

"I'm sorry, I don't know my own strength, it seems," she says.

"Please, just leave me alone. This night has already been hell," you say, sitting up. Nightmare's smile turns upside down in an instant.

"You think this has been hell? I assure you, you have not experienced anything close to hell," Nightmare says, her tone growing colder by the second. "Do you know what it's like to be sealed up, frozen in time for a thousand years? Do you know what it's like to be damned for eternity to being an extra in a pony's mind?"

"I don't care! I didn't do it to you, stop bothering me with your shit!" You feel your head throb as you raise your voice, anger pulsing through your veins.

"Anon! Who are you talking to?" Turning your attention away from Nightmare, you see Twilight standing in the doorway, looking at you with uncertainty.

"Talk your way out of this one without sounding completely insane," Nightmare says, chuckling lightly.

Like a bottle under pressure, you finally lose your temper, growling as you focus on your horn, charging up a spell. Just as you are about to heave it at the black alicorn, a sharp pain erupts from the back of your head.

Your vision blurs as you suddenly feel dazed, weak. Unable to fight it, you fall to the floor, everything around you fading to black.

Chapter 6

Groggy, your vision is still blurred and dim as you come to, the voices of what sounds like your friends in a room with you.

"...... and that's when I brought her here. Er, him here." The unmistakable voice of Twilight is the first one you can comprehend.

You hear your own voice next. Or, what would normally be your voice, if not for Luna's screwed up spell.

"We are not sure how these two events could be tied together, Twilight," Luna says. You finally get enough strength back to open your eyes, putting a hoof to your throbbing head.

"He's awake," Rainbow says, surprising you. From what she had told you, she would be preoccupied with weather duty for the next few days.

"Yeah... I'm awake," you groan, sitting upright. As your eyes focus, you see you are not in the castle, but in your home on the outskirts of Ponyville. "How did I get here?"

"I brought you back here after I knocked you out," Twilight says, cringing. "Sorry, but you really didn't give me a choice."

You reflect back on the last thing you remember. Nightmare Moon, Luna's room in the castle, and losing your temper, leading to charging up a spell and the blackout.

"I suppose it was either that or tear Luna's room apart," you quip. Rather than get a small smile from anyone in the room, they all look at each other, concerned. Luna finally asks the question you've been waiting for.

"Anon, we want to know what is going on. This sounds quite serious," she says.

"Oh, this should be good," comes the all-too-familiar voice of Nightmare Moon. Your turn your head to the left of the bed, opposite where everyone is standing. Sure enough, the fiendish black pony is standing there, eyeing you with anticipation.

"Anonymous." Luna's voice comes out more demanding, causing you to turn back to her. "I am sorry about earlier tonight, I regret losing my composure."

"I still don't see why you wanted to hide your past. It's awesome!" exclaims Rainbow Dash. Luna must have spilled everything about your confrontation tonight to the other two.

Luna and Twilight both glare at Rainbow, looking rather displeased.

"Sorry," Rainbow says, slumping her shoulders a bit.

"Anon, we can't help you if we don't know what is going on," Twilight says, her eyes pleading with you.

"I'm.... seeing things," you mumble, caving into your friends. Your eyes drop down to the bed upon which you lie.

"Seeing things? That's not exactly being specific," Twilight responds. "Why are you so worried about telling us?"

Rather than look back at your group, you turn your head to Nightmare, who flashes you a toothy, sinister grin. She is enjoying this way too much.

"I'm hallucinating," you say. You hope that you won't need to be more specific than that, though it's still not very informative.

"It is Nightmare Moon you see, is it not?"

"What?!" Both Rainbow and Twilight exclaim the same thought in unison, while you can only snap your head back to Luna, dumbstruck by her guess.

You don't need to answer, your expression is telling enough for her.

"I had feared this may happen before we could get this situation resolved," Luna says, looking down at her hands to emphasize her point.

"But how is it even possible? How could Nightmare Moon have come back?" Twilight asks.

"Because she never really left," you say, turning your attention to Twilight. "She was with Luna the whole time."

"Indeed. Her defeat merely put her to rest, rather than destroy her. It was in the proceeding days after my liberation that I came to that conclusion, for I sensed her presence," Luna says, looking around the room at the three of you. "It took some effort, but I was able to construct a sort of mental wall, to keep her isolated from me."

"I'm guessing that wall came tumbling down when we switched places," you say, shrugging your shoulders. "What do I do now?"

"Well, what does she want, Anon?" Twilight asks apprehensively.

"To be rid of me. To have her own body rather than play the fifth wheel." The room goes eerily silent, as everyone is unsure of how to respond.

Luna breaks the quiet, turning to Twilight.

"We must work even faster to get this spell reversed. Twilight, I want you to bring me some of the books you have been going through so I can help."

Out of the corner of your eye, you see Nightmare Moon scowl before her form flickers, then disappears.

"Alright, I'll be back in just a bit. I found quite a selection of old tomes that may help us," Twilight says excitedly, before disappearing in a flash of light.

"Does she ever not get excited when it comes to books?" you ask. Luna and Rainbow only manage to giggle in response.

"So Anon, how does it feel to be Equestria's newest Princess?" Rainbow asks with a mischievous grin. You cannot help but roll your eyes.

"It's not exactly my cup of tea, to put it lightly," you say. "But I have to say, having magic at my disposal is pretty nifty. And flying, that's awesome." You spread your wings out in display.

Luna tilts her head, smiling. "I am delighted to see you have found at least some positives in this whole experience, Anonymous," she says. "As for me, it has been an eye-opening experience to live without my magic to call upon. I did not realize how much I have taken it for granted."

You can't help but slump your shoulders a bit, realizing you will have to go back to being in that body. But there is one thing she can do now, that you can not.

"Well Luna, you may be stuck without magic right now," you say, unable to keep a sly grin from overtaking you. "But you have the necessary attributes to operate an automobile."

In an instant, Luna's face lights up. "You are not jesting?!" Before you answer her, she throws her arms around you, unable and unwilling to contain her joy. You are unable to see her face though, as her hug causes your mane to fly into your face.

"Blech, get a room, you two," Rainbow says.

"Silence, Rainbow Dash, this IS our room," Luna says. Her tone is playful, but firm. She lets you go after a moment, helping you to fix your ethereal mane. It may be mesmerizing, but it is somewhat of a pain to actually live with. You suppose it would be different if you lived with it as long as Luna has.

Speaking of Luna, she is already halfway out of the house, too excited for this opportunity to wait for you or Rainbow.

As you go over the basics with Luna as she sits in the driver's seat, she mouths every word, emulating the actions. It's scary how good her memory is, as while she has watched to drive this thing as well as ride along, you've only explained it in detail a couple of times.

Somewhat reluctantly, you pull your head out of the open driver's window and step back to where Rainbow is.

"You look more nervous than she does, Anon," Rainbow says, looking at you inquisitively. She's right though, as you see how giddy Luna is as she turns over the engine of the Superbird. But then again, this car is your pride and joy, how can you not be nervous seeing someone else behind the wheel?

Er, someone else in your body behind the wheel. Whatever.

The car roars to life, settling into an aggressive burble. In the driver's seat, Luna's smile grows even larger. Looking over at you for confirmation after a quick scan of the gauges, you nod for her to continue. The next part is the tricky part, as using a manual transmission takes some finesse.

Perhaps it will come naturally to her due to your mind, your body knowing how to work it after years of practice. After all, flying and magic has felt and come naturally to you. For now, all you can do is watch as she puts the shifter into gear and gives the car a little throttle.

Sure enough, the purple behemoth moves forward slowly, picking up speed at a leisurely pace. Luna's excitement tones down a bit, focusing on what she is doing in the cockpit. Meanwhile, you take a breath, realizing you've been holding it since stepping back.

Now, as Luna turns toward your little track behind your home, you lazily take to the air, hovering close by as she begins to run it at a very conservative pace. It is amazing to watch her, looking as if she has done this many times before.

A voice inside your head startles you, making you stop and land.

"Where are you, Luna? It is about time to swap places," Celestia's voice calmly calls out through the mental link she and Luna share.

Meanwhile, Luna notices you are no longer tailing her as she comes to a stop and shuts off the Superbird immediately.

I'll be there in a moment. I had a headache last night, so I'm relaxing, you tell Celestia, visualizing her in your mind. As Luna walks over to you very concerned, you put a hoof up to ease her mind.

"Relax," you say. "Celestia reminded me it's about time for the swap." Looking at the sky, you hadn't realized how light it has gotten in the past hour. Reaching out mentally, you give the moon a final nudge, pushing it below the horizon.

"Well, I don't know how much better your headache is going to get, you remember this morning we have our monthly meeting, yes?" Celestia asks.

Of course, you quickly reply. Turning your attention back to Luna, you can't help but tense up again.

"Luna, your sister mentioned something about a meeting this morning. What is she talking about?" you ask. Her first reaction to your question is to cringe, reaching behind her head with a hand.

"I had forgotten about that," she finally mumbles. "It is a meeting we have every month with the various mayors and councils of the larger cities within our kingdom of Equestria. Mainly to discuss budgetary concerns, notable happenings, and upcoming events or issues on the horizon."

"That doesn't sound like much fun," Rainbow says. Behind her, you see Twilight pop her head out the back door of your home, waving a hoof to signal she has returned. You can't help but groan loudly.

"It will be alright, Anon. These meetings are tedious, yes. But you will not have to necessarily do anything, merely listen and perhaps throw out some ideas," Luna says. She bends down a bit, giving you a warm hug. Likewise, you put a hoof around her, returning the gesture as best you can. "You probably should get going though," she says, standing up straight again. "Perhaps you will be able to get some rest beforehand."

"Yeah, I hope so," you say. It's already been a very long night, and it looks life relief won't be in sight for a while.

"Tell Twilight I'm heading back now. I think I'd rather try to relax a bit by flying back to the castle," you say to your two friends, flaring out your wings. Surprisingly, it has been a while since you've last caught sight of Nightmare Moon, maybe being distracted or preoccupied tonight has paid off?

"Take care, Anonymous. Focus on even the mundane aspects of your surroundings. Do not let Nightmare Moon get a foothold in your mind for an instant," Luna says ominously.

With that, you take to the air, heading to the castle barely visible in the distance. You aren't in a rush to get back, but you settle on a fairly quick pace, your majestic wingspan making it easy work to propel you forward at a good clip.

"Hey, wait up!" A voice from behind causes you to crane your neck, looking back to see Rainbow speeding to catch up with you. Obliging her, you slow your pace down drastically.

"What's wrong, Dash?" you ask as she reaches you. She doesn't look overly concerned, but something is clearly on her mind.

"You and Luna, what is going on with you two?" she asks, eyeing you with suspicion.

"What do you mean? Luna and I are good. We had a little squabble earlier, but it's all worked out, I think." Rainbow only shakes her head, a sign that wasn't the response she was hoping to hear.

"No, I mean between the two of you. The hugging, the awkward eye contact, are you two..." Rainbow puts her hooves together as a symbol of her gist.

"Rainbow, I understand what you're asking, but I really have to get going. Let's talk later, OK?" you say. Rather than give her a chance to respond, you fold in your wings and abruptly dive, wanting to avoid this conversation.

"Hey, you're not gonna outrun me," you hear her yell. As you look over your shoulder, you see she's right. Not only is Rainbow staying with you, but she is also, in fact, catching up to you. Not willing to admit defeat yet, you spread your wings, gliding into a tight grove of trees as you near the ground.

You don't have time to rethink this plan, as your left wing clips a tree branch upon entry, sending you sprawling to the forest floor. What were you thinking?

A much more agile flier, Rainbow Dash casually weaves past a thicket of branches, stopping and hovering in front of you as you brush yourself off. Nothing hurts that much, other than your pride. Sighing, you look up at Dash, her forelegs crossed in front of her, silently demanding the discussion take place now.

"There..... might be something going on between us Dash. I really don't know," you tell her. Rainbow's expression softens as she relaxes her forelegs.

"Was that really that hard to tell me?" she asks. "I'm not looking for a long-winded answer, I was just curious if I was going nuts. But don't get too mushy, okay?" Rainbow smiles, helping to brush away some of the foliage tangled in your mane.

"If anyone's going nuts, it is going to be me, Dash," you say, ruffling her mane playfully with a hoof. "Wish me luck."

"Have fun," she calls out, as you take to the sky once again.

After arriving back in Canterlot, you relish the opportunity to take a relaxing shower, before the stress of the day really begins. There has been no sign of Celestia on the journey to your room, you assume she is already up and about.

Running the water for a bit, you get it nice and steamy in your private bathroom before stepping in, the heat and the steady patter of water over you instantly washing away your cares of the world.

Outside the door to the bathroom, you hear something stir, but you pay it no mind. Probably a guard checking in. Until your shower suddenly turns ice cold.

With a yelp, you jump backward in an attempt to avoid the icy daggers of water. In your haste, your balance is thrown off, causing you to tumble to the shower floor with a loud thump. As if it never happened, the showerhead once again pumps out warm water, as you hear the unmistakable sound of restrained laughter outside.

"Celestia, I will kill you!" you yell, charging out of the shower with a leap before yanking the door open. Her laughter only getting louder, Celestia turns and streaks out of the room into the hall. You give chase to her, determined to catch her as you leave a trail of dampness and drips in your wake.

It isn't long before she reaches a T in the hall, and you take the chance to strike, leaping at Celestia and putting you both to the floor. Her laughter only grows as she turns to face you.

"What was that for?" she asks, playing innocent.

"Oh nothing," you say, smirking. "You may want to talk to somepony about our water though, there seems to be an issue with pockets of ice cold water mixing in during our showers lately." Getting up off the floor, you help Celestia back up as well, as you continue to drip water on the carpeted hall.

"I couldn't resist having at least a little bit of fun to lighten the mood," she replies. "You know how dull the meetings tend to be." Celestia's horn glows with the golden aura of her magic, as you feel the dampness on your body slowly evaporate in turn.

"Thanks, Tia. I can not say I am looking forward to today, but we will manage," you say. Celestia eyes you inquisitively.

"Have you been sleeping well? You look rather fatigued," she says, rather concerned.

Truth be told, you haven't had a sound rest in well over a day now. You so badly want to tell the regal alicorn the truth, of everything that has been happening, the fact that you really aren't her sister. This whole experience has been eye-opening, seeing how down-to-earth she and Luna really are behind the scenes, and you feel you owe it to her.

she might even know how to undo this situation, you think to yourself. But how do you even begin to explain keeping this secret for the past two days, lying to Celestia every second you are around her?

"Luna?" Celestia asks, breaking you out of your thoughts.

"Yes, sorry. I've had a lot on my mind the past few days. Some... some of the numbers aren't adding together in the budget, I suppose it's getting to me a bit," you tell her.

Offering a smile of sympathy, Celestia drapes a wing over your back as the two of you head back from whence you came.

"You obsess over the smallest things, dear sister," she says. "we must break you of that sometime."

You sigh, regretting keeping up this charade. As you slowly trek down the hall, the movements of your shadow begin to move of their own accord, a pair of beastly, turquoise eyes watching you as you sense Nightmare Moon stirring awake.

Chapter 10

"What's that one?"

"That's an LTD, Rainbow."

"Okay, but what about the one behind it?"

Placing a palm over your forehead, you take a moment before you reply.

"Dash, every car in this movie is an LTD. This is like a 90 minute Ford Motor Company advertisement, like I said before we started watching it."

Tonight, you and Rainbow Dash were just chilling out and watching movies. You currently have on White Lightning, one of your favorite car chase movies.

"Sorry, I tend to fall asleep when you drone on," Rainbow jokes. Nevertheless, you mess up her mane with your hand while she tries to squirm away.

"Hey, cut it out," Rainbow says, fixing her mane with a quick brush of her hoof. "Don't tell me you're going to get all mushy and cute now that you and Luna are hooked up."

It has been a few days since you and Luna officially became a "thing," and Twilight wasted no time in telling all her friends. Other than Rainbow Dash, you don't see the others very often, but Dash is making up for that with her teasing.

"I haven't changed at all," you reply, turning the TV volume down a bit. "Luna and I just admitted we have feelings for each other beyond just being friends."

Rainbow scoffs at you. "Oh sure, next thing you know you'll sound like my friend Rarity. 'Oh, darling. Luna my dear.' Blech."

"I beg your pardon, Rainbow Dash?" a voice calls from behind.

Rainbow leaps up in an instant. "I was only kidding Rarity, honest," she cries. Both of you turn to look around the room.

Rather than seeing Rarity behind her, Rainbow Dash nearly flips out when Luna slowly raises herself up from behind the couch, a mischievous smile upon the night princess's face.

"Luna?! When did you get here?" Rainbow shouts, slightly irritated.

You aren't surprised to see Luna. After all, you were the one that told her what was going on through the link you share. Putting your hand up, Luna slaps you a high five with her wing, giggling.

"Greetings, Rainbow Dash," Luna says in a playful tone. "We arrived just in time for a good prank."

Rainbow doesn't seem to buy it as she scratches her head. You already mentioned to her that you and Luna share a mental link now, but Dash seems to already have forgotten.

"Really Rainbow? I'll just leave you in the dark for now," you say, garnering a dirty look from the pegasus.

"As I was saying before I seized this opportunity, I have some news regarding our gift we now share, Anonymous," Luna says quietly.

"Good news, I hope?" you ask. Judging by the slight dip in her ears, Luna does not bear any positive information.

"Not exactly. The last few days we have spent in the library in Canterlot, and I can say with certainty there is no useful information to be had regarding our mental link," Luna states flatly. As your shoulders slump in disappointment, Luna's voice perks back up.

"All hope is not lost," she says, leaping over the back of the couch and landing beside you. "Canterlot may not shed any light on this mysterious development, but the old castle within the Everfree may contain some older books lost to history."

"The old castle?" you ask, confused. You know the Everfree Forest is a treacherous place, judging by the way ponies speak of it. So why would there be a castle there?

"Yes, Canterlot's castle did not come into being until after our banishment," Luna says, her voice dropping a bit. "Before that, our home was the Castle of the Two Sisters. After discussing the matter with my sister, she mentioned that not all of the manuscripts that were in our possession made the journey to Canterlot, so there may be something within the ruins that can shed some light on the situation."

"Sounds interesting, when are you going?" you ask, intrigued.

"I intend on making the journey in the morning, would you like to join me?"

"Absolutely, Luna," you say, trying hard to contain your excitement. There is nothing like a good old-fashioned adventure.

Rainbow Dash, would you like to join us as well?" Luna asks. Rainbow fervently shakes her head.

"No, sorry. I have work in the morning. Actually, I should get going, it's getting late." Rainbow stammers, before waving and quickly rushing out of the house.

"Alright, what the hell was that about?" you ask, spying a sly grin creeping up on Luna's face.

"Rainbow Dash and the rest of her friends paid a visit to the ruins not long ago. Judging by what Twilight told us in her correspondence, it was quite the experience for everypony."

"Well, I suppose it means we get to spend the day together then," you say, putting your arm around her. Luna does you one better, snuggling up to you at the same time.

"I was hoping it would work out that way," she says. "What is it we are watching?"

"White Lightning, another car chase movie. I can start it over if you would like."

"No it is fine," she replies. " It would be a good idea to retire to bed early so we can rise and head out earlier in the morning. I am not sure how long it will take to reach the castle."

"How is adjusting to sleeping at night?" you ask. Considering her whole life has revolved around being a night owl, you're curious if it is an old habit to break.

"It is not too bad, believe it or not. I still sometimes awaken to adjust the night sky a bit, to bring peace to those still awake as well. But I much prefer having a purpose to serve, and actually being busy during my shift, so I am happy." She snuggles up even closer to you as the screech of tires blares from the TV.

"I don't suppose you were planning on just staying here tonight?" you ask, even though you already know the answer.

Luna only gives you a knowing grin.

"Anonymous, are you going to sleep all day?"

Slowly, you stir away at the sound of Luna's voice, as well as her nudging. Lazily, you open an eye, finding the night princess standing beside your bed, impatiently flicking her tail.

"Ugh, I'm up. Just don't expect me to be too cheery for the first hour or so," you groan, earning a chuckle from Luna.

Taking time to stretch as you slide out of bed, you pull open your dresser and grab out a decent pair of jeans and a shirt. Meanwhile, Luna trots out of your room, allowing you some privacy as you get dressed.

"I was thinking before falling asleep last night, it may be wise to see if Twilight Sparkle would like to join us today," Luna calls from out in the hall. "Considering her voracious reading habits, we could go through a lot of the library in just one day."

As you slide on your shirt and run your hands through your hair as a half-assed way of combing it, you walk out and join Luna.

"Good idea, Luna. Twilight is already up and around, I'm sure. Unlike me, she's a morning person. Er, pony."

"Are you finally ready then?" she asks in a light-hearted, sarcastic tone.

"Easy for you to say, you don't have clothes to put on and your mane stays perfect all the time," you say, ruffling her mane with your hand. True to your words, it gradually smooths itself out.

Without a response, Luna closes her eyes, as a bright flash blinds you. Slowly, your vision returns, as the front door of Twilight's home fades into view, in addition to the sights and sounds of early morning Ponyville.

"I really wish you would warn me when you do that," you say. While you have gotten more used to Luna's teleportation abilities, it is still a bit disorienting. Oddly enough, it seemed fine and normal when you were in her body, but not now.

Rather than just barge in, you take the time to knock on Twilight's door. On a normal day, the door would almost instantly be yanked open, be it by Twilight her self or her little dragon buddy, Spike.

Yet today, even after a minute of waiting, all is silent inside the Golden Oaks Library. Trying the doorknob, you find it firmly locked.

"That's odd, Twilight is always awake and energetic at this time of the morning," you say to Luna, turning to her.

"Perhaps she had a late night of reading, Anonymous. You know how she is," Luna says with a smile. "How about we head to the castle for now, and come back for Twilight later in the day?"

"Sounds like a plan to me. How are we getting there?"

No sooner do you ask, Ponyville disappears, engulfed in another brilliant flash of light.

Luna, I told you to warn me next time, you groan through the mental link.

"But I find the surprise to be the best part," she responds playfully.

Gradually, the light begins to dim, as the foreboding shadows of the Everfree come into view. While you have never set foot in the forest, your imagination of this place seems to be accurate, as the thick canopy overhead lets in very little sunlight.

"Wow, does it ever get any brighter in here? It almost feels like night," you say in awe.

"There are sections where it is not quite as thick," Luna replies calmly. "The castle should be up ahead, just a very short walk."

Letting her lead the way, you follow close behind, keeping your eyes peeled for any movement in the underbrush. Even in your short time here in Equestria, you have heard tales about the creatures that lurk within this mysterious forest.

"So, I have to ask, what made you and Celestia decide this was an ideal place for your castle? From what I have heard, most ponies are leery about setting hoof within this place."

A muffled chuckle erupts from Luna as she beckons with a wing for you to walk beside her. You oblige, picking up your pace as the faint outline of a structure appears up ahead.

"The Everfree was not always like this, Anonymous. This forest was quiet and serene when my sister and I settled upon this location for our castle," Luna says, leaving you with even more questions.

"So what changed?"

"Nopony really knows for sure. The Everfree Forest did not become wild until after the Castle of the Two Sisters was abandoned, so perhaps the lack of ponykind allowed it to slip into the nefarious form it has taken," she says. Judging by her stare off into the distance, there's something else on her mind.

"Do you have another theory?" you ask, trekking lightly.

"I do, but it is one my sister is not keen on believing," Luna says. "The magic that was unleashed during... the events that played out, it was not ordinary magic. I'm sure as you've realized, alicorns are very powerful magic wielders, and all of that energy being used in such a short span of time, combined with the raw emotions..... Such an event can 'wound' an environment, so to speak."

The trees overhead slowly begin to thin out as the ruins ahead begin to grow taller, until the two of you are within the grounds of the old castle.

"So you think your... I mean, that you caused the Everfree to become wild?" you ask again, cringing a bit at your wording.

Luna comes to a stop at the foot of the stairs leading to the main door, as you do the same. "It is just a theory. But yes, I think it quite possible," she replies, her voice devoid of emotion.

You place a hand on her back in comfort. "It's not your fault Luna. Don't be so hard on yourself," you say softly.

Your words of reassurance seem to have the opposite effect, as Luna turns to you, a scowl upon her face.

"No, Anonymous. It is our fault," she snaps. "I understand you are trying to make me feel better, but I had a choice to side with my sister, or with Nightmare Moon. I chose the wrong path long ago, and I will not brush such a mistake aside." With that, Luna pushes forward, heading up the stairs to the main door.

Considering her reaction, you do not believe Luna has quite come to terms with her past, either. But, you leave it alone as you follow her, your eyes taking a while to adjust to the dark, damp interior of the castle as the two of you enter through the rotting oak door.

Almost right away, Luna comes to a halt in the foyer. The foyer splits off into two hallways opposite each other, and Luna glances at each of them in turn. Maybe she doesn't remember this place as well as she thought?

"Forgive me, Anon, it has been a long time since we have set foot here," she says, likely getting wind of your thoughts through the mental link.

"I'm fine, Luna," you reply. Despite outward appearances, it is clear from the inside this castle is structurally sound. Aside from years of dust and grime that have collected over the years, the walls and ceilings are in remarkable shape everywhere you look.

Without a word, Luna slowly strides toward the left hallway, as you file in behind her.

"So, what are we looking for? Or what should I be looking for?" you ask. Spying a sign of some sort on the wall, you reach out your hand to brush off the dust. Instantly, your hand is seized by the blue aura of Luna's magic.

"Sorry," she says, seeing you jump a bit in surprise. "it would be unwise to touch anything along the walls, considering how long this place has been left unattended."

"I... I don't follow. What do you mean?" you ask, confused.

"You have seen what the relationship between my sister and I is like. We like to play jokes on each other from time to time," Luna says, letting go of your hand. "We were even more aggressive in our pranks in our younger years, and there is no telling what items have been trifled with, and what they could do now after years of neglect and decay."

"I'm guessing that's why Rainbow's visit here was so eventful. I'll keep my hands to myself then," you say, jamming your hands into your pockets. "So what are we looking for, Luna?"

"If we can find the throne room, I will remember where we need to go from there," she says, turning her attention to the dark hall ahead.

"Lead the way, then."

Nearly an hour has passed since you and Luna began trekking through the castle, with no luck finding the library, let alone the throne room.

Frustrated, Luna comes to a stop, sitting upon her haunches, silently debating what to do next. Meanwhile, with no desire to sit on the stone floor, you lean against the wall next to her.

"So, I'm guessing we just went in a big circle, Luna," you say, spying a familiar dusty sign on the wall. Seeing Luna looking around confused, you direct her attention to the landmark with a pointing finger.

Catching sight of it, Luna drops her head and sighs, kicking a hoof at the floor. "I always disliked how my sister made this castle into a maze. I suppose she will win this bet."

"Uh.... what bet, Luna?" you ask.

Instantly, Luna's head snaps back up to you, giving you a deer in the headlights look.

"Horseapples," she says, realizing what she said aloud.

Frustrated with the last hour of walking, you fold your arms. "So is that the only reason we're here? For a stupid bet?"

"No, absolutely not," Luna cries, shaking her head with vigor. "We are indeed trying to find the library and the collection of books it contains. I had mentioned the plan to my sister, and she had bet me a day off that I would be unable to find my way around after all these years."

You find yourself smirking a bit as Luna allows the frustration of the situation creeps into her voice.

"This trip has gone well so far, hasn't it?" you quip.

"Enough of this," Luna growls, rising to her hooves as her horn begins to glow with a blue light. Uneasiness begins to seep into you, unsure what as to what Luna is referring.

With a sound akin to a primal war-cry, Luna hurls a beam of energy at the wall you were just leaning upon. Dust swirls up, making the already dark corridor pitch black as the sound of crumbling rocks fills your ears.

It takes a while for the dust in the air to settle enough to regain sight, as all is quiet once again. Slowly, a gaping hole in the wall comes into view, as does Luna, standing stoically.

"I suppose that's one was to traverse a maze," you say in jest. Luna's scowling face lights up at your joke, as she lets out a light chuckle.

"Yes, but do not let my sister know what we have done to navigate through this place," she replies.

"Oh? What's in it for me?" you ask, feeling mischievous.

Luna strides over to you, leaning in close as she grins.

"There are a lot of things we can do with an extra day off," she whispers ominously to you. "Do you really want to try to bribe your special somepony? That's not very nice."

"I suppose I can forget that you blasted a hole in the wall," you say, as Luna giggles in response.

"Come Anonymous, let us not waste any more time aimlessly wandering," Luna says, leaping through the hole in the wall. Carefully, you tiptoe through into the next room, and deeper into the castle's interior.