Chapter I: The Mirrored Existence
Chapter I: The Mirrored Existence
Magazine. The word popped within Nightmare Moon's head the moment she picked up one with her hoof, but she had no idea where such a word originated from. It was currently the heart of daytime, mid-afternoon, as she stood within a convenience store at the magazine aisle. She felt the warmth of the sun upon her face while feeling absent from the world around her. Despite ponies consistently trotting past her from right to left.
"Um, e-excuse me?"
Contact. Nightmare Moon's eyes widened as she kept her cool nonetheless. She casually glanced to her left, eyeing whomever sought to engage in conversation with her. Her bubble was shattered, but ... she expected as much. "Yes? What may I assist thee with?" Strange, Nightmare Moon thought. Had anypony desired to invade her bubble before, she only wished to reduce them to a pile of ash. Now, it wasn't as bothersome.
The one whom spoke was none other than a middle-aged mare. She stood there dumbfounded for a moment, before a light chuckle escaped her. "You truly are the spitting image of Princess Luna. W-Without the wings!"
Nightmare Moon glanced down at her own side reaffirming her statement as she too was reminded of her absent wings. She then looked back towards the mare with a slight sigh. "Yes indeed, I am. Now, was that all?"
The middle aged mare continued. "But still a spitting image nonetheless. You certain you two aren't related?" Light snickers escaped her again, "Oh I kid I kid. You can most certainly be a successful model. Agreed?"
Nightmare Moon flinched momentarily, as her volume fell to a mutter. "Nay? A what?"
The middle aged mare exhaled with an amused smile. "A model dear. You know? Stand around, look pretty?"
Nightmare Moon raised a brow at the middle aged mare. "That sounds like an awful lot of nothing."
The middle aged mare gasped with excitement. "Yes! Isn't it wonderful!?"
Suddenly a voice rang out across the store, particularly at the checkout counter. "That makes no sense!"
Nightmare Moon flinched yet again, followed by a tired cringe. She knew that voice, regrettably so.
Standing in front of the counter was another violet unicorn mare. Her front bangs were black, while the rest of her mane consisted of both evenly distributed strands of pale purple and pink. Her eyes were also a darker shade of violet, in similarity to her coat. "Truly it is not difficult to understand the logic behind what I am clearly stating to you, correct? Can you definitively explain to me why there is such outrageous pricing for material that doesn't even have a place on a pony? I do not wish to pry but ... this surely boggles your mind as it boggles mine." She glanced around, wide eyed as she raised a hoof in reference to the rest of the denizens in the store. "Am I truly alone on this! Come on guys!" She leaned up on the counter, "We have coats. So why would I wear some fabricated one? Explain!" She gave a stern and inquiring glare to the counter clerk. Paying attention.
The clerk was sweating as all eyes were on them. She tossed shifty glances to his left and then to his right. Then back to the bothersome teenage mare in front of him. "Listen kid! I-I don't know okay! Cause it's cool?"
The violet mare's pupil's dilated as she was left speechless for some time. "Cool ... did you just say ... cool?" She slammed her hooves on the table before referencing a hoof towards the page within a magazine which showed a pony adorned in a thick black wool jacket. "Then why isn't such a thing advertised! Surely a contraption to lower the body's temperature in such grueling weather would be appreciated. Yet from the picture it offers no such implication. Actually, quite the opposite! Is this purposeful? Who created this thing? Where is he or she!?"
"Midnight Sparkle!"
The unicorn mare blinked, before turning her gaze towards her right.
Standing there was Nightmare Moon. "Come. I told you not to be of disturbance."
The counter clerk exhaled with a cry. "Oh thank Celestia!" He immediately departed to the back of the store.
The fellow unicorn referred to as Midnight, immediately dropped to all fours. She pouted in irritation, as she closed her eyes halfway. "Niiiiiiightmare, why is it that you scold me when I only attempted to make an inquiry? Surely this is not difficult to understand for I only wished to acquire knowledge about the strange workings of-"
But Nightmare Moon's face darkened as she glared momentarily at the smaller unicorn. "You will cease to speak while in my presence in this store. You will listen to as I command, while I search for what I came to find and acquire some sustenance for us to eat. Do you understand these words I have formed? Nod ... if so."
Midnight Sparkle glared up at Nightmare Moon, rolling her eyes and nodding grumpily.
Nightmare Moon now turned a passive gaze ahead before referencing a hoof towards a few seats at the front of the store. "Now go, sit. I will be done here shortly, then we will head back home. Do not disobey me.
Midnight Sparkle huffed as she trotted over towards those seats, keeping her head lowered all the while.
Not long afterwords, the middle aged mare approached Nightmare Moon again, giggling all the while.
Nightmare Moon glanced back at this mare passively. "I do not understand such humor."
The middle aged mare lowered her chuckles as she eventually spoke. "Oh ... I just found it adorable how easily the two of you understand one another. Daughter perhaps? Now she must be a relative of yours."
Nightmare Moon paused momentarily, as she made a calculated response. "Sister."
The middle aged mare glanced back and forth between them as she smiled. "Ah, I can see the resemblance. She seems like a bright one. Might I ask ... uh, what brings you two to the city of Manehattan dear?"
Nightmare Moon had to take a moment to think about what she'd say. Her memories took her back to flashes of the past. To which she saw herself reaching for a crying Midnight Sparkle in a darker place, a place she preferred not to reflect on. The moment seemed dire. Whereas a final flash bared the picture of a smaller filly, huddled in a corner guiltily. She was then taken back to the present. "A future. That is all I desire for my family."
The middle aged mare smirked at her. "Well if it's a future you desire dear, then please consider my offer." She soon removed a card from her purse, holding it out towards Nightmare Moon. "No matter your past, I only see opportunity. A mare with your good looks can surely make it in the big city. You'll also be a big hit with kids."
Nightmare Moon looked skeptically down at the card. "I am not too sure I am good with any child."
The middle aged mare continued to smirk up at her. "Oh nonsense. Sassy, tough, straightforward, beautiful. All qualities I'd like to have in my daughter. Just ... think about it dear." She turned away from her casually.
Nightmare Moon took the card with telekinetic magic, glancing it over in silence.
The mare glanced back at her then. "A-Ah, almost forgot. Dear ... might I get your name please?"
Nightmare Moon looked at her passively again, before stating simply. "Nightmare."
The mare smiled further at her before closing her eyes and nodding. "Nightmare? Like Nightmare Night? Yeesh, you truly are somehow just like her ... well," she looked ahead again, trotting. "Do keep in touch, Nightmare."
Nightmare Moon looked back down at the modeling gig card, eyeing it in contemplation.
Even hours later, at sunset as she were trotting down the sidewalk with a bag of groceries in her muzzle, she continued to contemplate. While trailing behind her was Midnight, whom seemed a bit pushy. They were alone as they trotted down this lone part of the city, consisting of primarily apartment buildings and small houses.
"Nightmare! Niiiightmare! N-Nightmare!" The mare kept lightly shoving her side, leaning up and trying to stop her as well. She huffed, "Stop ignoring me! Do you not think I recognize the social trickery that you're conducting at this very moment to produce angst from me! I recognize it you know! Like ... totally recognize it!"
Nightmare Moon paused now, wearing a blank expression as she used telekinetic magic to lower the bag from her muzzle and onto the ground. She simply eyed down at Midnight, before uttering. "Fine then, go on."
Midnight groaned as she raised a hoof to her head. "What do you think I've been doing the whole time!?"
Nightmare Moon just picked up the bag again and then began trotting forward, ignoring Midnight.
Midnight immediately pressed her hooves against her in panic. "W-Wait! Wait wait wait! Okay!"
Nightmare Moon paused again, looking down at her blankly, still with the bag of groceries in her muzzle.
There was now a long pause between them, as obviously Midnight was having trouble collecting her thoughts.
Midnight exhaled, gulping, before standing straight. "Nightmare ... w-why're we living like this? Why're we living like we're ordinary ponies!?" She glared up at the taller unicorn, fiercely. "We're beyond mere ordinary ponies! We're capable of so much more! Such greater status! Just like that measly Twilight Sparkle and her friends! Just like the Princesses! Why're you subjecting us to living in some city, far away from royalty where we belong!?"
Nightmare Moon continued to eye her blankly, slowly again ... she lowered the back of groceries onto the ground. Eventually, she spoke. "Troublesome girl. It is not a matter of what we're capable of, it is a matter of what we risk to lose. Do you not understand where we came from? What we escaped? Is it so hard?"
Midnight Sparkle gritted her teeth up at her in irritation. "S-So hard? And what're you!? A spineless chicken!?"
Nightmare Moon began trotting forward down the sidewalk again, unable to humor Midnight any longer. "I find it hard to believe you are a spawn of Twilight Sparkle. For such a being, you sure do lack proper insight." She used telekinetic magic now to raise the groceries began just so she could speak to the smaller mare. "You are truly a child." With that she placed the groceries in her muzzle again as she closed her eyes while she trotted.
Midnight Sparkle's own eyes widened in a passive rage, and deep frustration. She cried out to Nightmare Moon, "Shut up! My intellectual capacity and insight is far greater than yours! Scared Mare Moon!" She began laughing, as if to convince herself as she watched Nightmare Moon trot away. "Hah! Y-You must be so embarrassed! Scared Mare Moon! That's what you are! B-Bet it hurts doesn't it!? I thought it up myself!"
But Nightmare Moon said nothing, she only continued trotting casually, not a care in the world.
Midnight blinked a few times, before shouting at her again. "F-Fine! You go back there! Go back to that cruddy apartment! I need not your help Nightmare! I can do this on my own! And when I come up with a proper plan to go about achieving my rightful place in Equestria, you'll be sorry you didn't assist me! F-For surely that is how your mind works! I already conceived all the proper steps that'd make sense! Everything connects! So hah!"
But Nightmare Moon didn't care ... she just kept trotting. And trotting, and trotting.
Midnight slowly turned, nervously. "W-Well I'm going now Nightmare! Don't try to stop me!"
Nightmare Moon didn't, she just kept trotting. Her figure becoming more distant as the seconds drew by.
Midnight's eyes started to swell with tears, as her lower lip quivered. "D-Do not try! I ... I won't listen you know!"
Nightmare Moon continued to disappear in the distance. She even began shaking her rump a bit as if to a tune.
Midnight's face twisted into one of grief as she cried out. "I'm leaving! One of your only friends is leaving!"
Nightmare Moon now was as small as a toy figure, as she'd likely be out of earshot of the mare.
Midnight sobbed as she trembled, muttering brokenly. "Y-You ... l-lack the proper social dynamic intellect to make friends outside of me. You idiot. Y-You need me." She cried out, "You need me!" She bolted towards her.
Nightmare Moon continued casually trotting forward blankly, as Midnight expectantly, after a few measly seconds had already made her way back to her side. The smaller unicorn scolding her as she blocked out all her words. Nightmare Moon was still contemplating, on more important things. More personal matters.
Eventually both Nightmare and Midnight reached a small apartment building at the corner of Manehattan, more towards a rural district. They made their way up to their floor, particularly the fourth, as they rung their doorbell at apartment #404. Nightmare Moon continued to bear a blank expression, as the door was eventually answered. She eyed down at the one whom answered it, a small dark purple filly with raggedy hair.
The raggedy haired pure purple filly smiled up at them, tiredly. "H-Hiya Big Sisters." She giggled lightly.
Midnight grumbled as she stomped into the apartment angrily. "Out of my desired path of direction Tantabus!"
Tantabus blinked a few times, as she looked to Midnight, then back up at Nightmare Moon.
Nightmare Moon continued to eye her blankly. "We've brought back sustenance Tantabus. How were your dreams, you ensured to avoid Luna's gaze correct?" She squinted a bit, "You know that's my number one rule."
Tantabus nodded with a smile and tired eyes. "Mhm!" She paused, "Did you find the special pony?"
Nightmare Moon pulled out the contact card. "I did. Your help was much appreciated." With this she made her way into the apartment, before shutting the door behind her. Eventually, she seated herself upon a couch, laying upon her side and eyeing the television with a blank expression as the antenna let off a magical frequency. "Though we must be weary. Your dream gaze is helpful, but it can be dangerous Tantabus."
Tantabus still stood at the door as she smiled, but looked towards the ground with sad eyes. "Big Sister ... does Princess Luna not like me?" She paused for a long while, "Did I do something to hurt Princess Luna?"
Midnight glared out a crack of her room door, before slamming it shut behind her.
Nightmare Moon ignored this. "Yes, you did. So you mustn't disturb her." She squinted, "Understand?"
Tantabus continued to smile and eye the ground. "Yes ... Big Sister." She then yawned, as she made her way over to the couch and then climbed atop it, curling like a cat and then resting her head against the rear end of Nightmare Moon. She closed her eyes, breathing softly. "Tantabus take another nap now. Goodnight."
Nightmare Moon didn't respond, as she simply allowed Tantabus to go about her usual actions. She was purely focused on the television set, which currently had a few advertisements about dresses and photography going on in Ponyville. Nightmare Moon allowed herself to take in the silence as she laid there on the couch. As she did, her mind flashed back momentarily to the moment of her defeat. Only to be followed be a memory of herself submerged in a deep darkness, a horrifying and lonely darkness. She closed her eyes then.
Yes ... she thought. This, all this? This was absolutely fine.
Author's Note
Hi there reader. Thanks for reading! If possible, please let me know if you'd like more through a comment or like. 
It let's me know if a concept is popular and you guys would like to see more of it. Much thanks, and either or, take care!
