The Nightmare and Me

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Nightmare's daily shenanigans became a part of life; my little Nightmare was growing up.

It was in May when I took her outside for the first time. She wasn't fat, but after an incident involving glitter, glue, and my entire wardrobe, I decided that she needed to use her energy in a less destructive manner.

"Okay, Nightmare. You wanna do something weird?" I asked the cornered filly.

"Maybe. What is it?" she asked suspiciously, her eyes darted for escape.

"Going outside. If you go out there and stay in the yard, I won't punish you for glitterbombing my clothes." I gestured to her sparkly purple hooves.

"Oh, I didn't do that. It was Celestia!" she pointed a glimmering hoof to her partner in crime.

I originally bought the Celestia stuffed animal so she could you know, rip it to shreds. But it became her best friend while the Nightmare Moon and Gilda plushies sat on her bed, barely played with.

She consulted Celestia before answering. "Yeah, we'll go 'outside' or whatever you called it."

"Perfect. But were cleaning you up first." I proceeded to give Nightmare a bubblebath and put Celestia in the wash. Nightmare was still a little apprehensive of bubbles, even though she seemed as emotionally mature as a twelve year old by now.

Nightmare had a scowl on her face when I took Celestia out of the dryer. She swiped her dear friend from my hand.

"Now where is this 'outside' you speak of." she said.

"Over here," I opened the back door. "Now, you might get a little freaked ut at first, but it's usually pretty safe out here." I waved my hand at the proud ten acres I own.

"What is this?" Nightmare inhaled the cool spring air.

"That's fresh air. Go out farther, I'll be here in case you get scared." I held the door open.

"You think I'm scared? I AM the scare. I am Nightmare Moon!" she stuck her chest out. "But... could you keep the door open?" she finished quietly.

"It's okay, sweetie. I'll keep it open for a while." I patted her on the starry mane.

She tentatively took a step out onto the still-wet grass. She jerked her hoof back. "What is that stuff?" she wrinkled up her nose.

"It's grass. The dew just hasn't evaporated yet."

"Oh, ok." Slightly braver, Nightmare once again stepped onto the damp grass. She withdrew immediately by instinct, but firmly put it back down. She took another step. Slowly but surely, she daintily made her way across the yard to the pear tree about fifteen feet from the door.

"I did it!" she hopped, then glared at something on her shoulder. She reared and waved her hooves in front of her. "You dare poke Nightmare Moon? Take this, foul beast!" Nightmare flew around the yard shooting blue laser beams at mosquitos. The lasers killed the grass, so I had to wipe the tears from my eyes and attempt to keep a straight face.

"Nightmare they're mosquitos. They- BWAHAHAHA!" I broke down again when I saw the look on her face.

"What's so funny? Huh? Tell me!" she shot a laser at the offending parasite.

"Mosquitos suck blood. They bite you and the bite gets really itchy." I nearly had to shove a fist in my mouth.

"It's not funny," she pouted. She jumped to the side. "Vile creature! I shall besmirch you!"

I fell to my knees. I chortled at the sight of a three foot black alicorn running around my backyard shooting lasers at miniscule bugs.

I crawled to the kitchen and got bug spray. I got back on my feet again and walked over to the door.

"Nightmare!" I called to the angry filly.

She walked up to me. "What."

I sprayed her.

She jumped "Jesus! What is that?" She picked up on my language.

"Bug spray. Keeps the 'vile creatures' away." I sprayed her again and she relaxed.

"Well, if it keeps mosquitos away..."

"Go play. Fly. Just stay where you can see the house." I walked back inside and shut the door. She can open it.

A few minutes later she came running in sniffing back tears.

"What happened?" I said all concerned.

She sniffed. "Well I-I was fly-ying an-and I lo-o-ost c-control and I hurt myself!" she wailed and showed me her skinned foreleg.

"Oh, well it does look like it hurts."

She nodded.

"But to make it heal right, I have to make it hurt a lot for a second, okay?"

"I-It'll make it fix faster, right?" Nightmare sniffled.

"Yep. I'll go get the peroxide." I got up.

"Wait, what's peroxide? It sounds bad and scary," she called after me.

I searched the master bathroom for Neosporin, peroxide, some cottonballs, and a bandage. I've got everything but a bandage. A clear box catches my eye.

"First Aid. Should have a Band Aid in it or something." I muttered. "Ah, here we go." I truimphantly held up a large Band Aid.

I returned to the distraught Nightmare. "I have the peroxide. It cleans up the cut." I poured some of the clear liquid onto a cottonball and twist the cap back on. "You need to hold still, okay?"

"Okay." she help her foreleg out.

I touched her leg. It was tense. "It's gonna hurt a lot," I warned.

She shut her eyes. "Just do it."

I dabbed the hydrogen peroxide on her leg and her eyes opened and turned white. Like glowing white. Twilight's eyes in whenever they use the Elements.

"UNHAND ME, MORTAL!" she screamed in the Royal Canterlot Voice.

I dropped her leg like in was a hot coal and scooched away.

"THOU HATH TREATED US WITH DISRESPECT, AS IF WE WERE A FOAL! NO MORE SHALL WE SUCCUMB TO THY FOOLISH ORDERS!" she spread her wings, which were quite big by now. She pinned my foot to the couch and leveled her horn to my heart.

Fear and adrenaline were speeding through my veins. "Nightmare!" I managed to croak.

"THOU SPEAKEST OF THY NAME? FOOL! THOU SHALL DIE A PAINFUL DEATH!" her horn lit with dark magic and I didn't doubt her.

"Stop or NO MUFFINS!" I yelled.

That seemed to snap her out of it. "A-Ana? What happened?" she said in a small voice. She took her hooves off my feet.

I was frozen in place. "You... turned into the Nightmare Moon from ancient. I think." I said weakly.

She shook her head. "I'm sorry if I scared you. It's just... that's what it felt like going to the moon. Cold. Painful." she winced.

I put a hand on her shoulder, between her sparkly breastplate and her wing. "I'm sorry. I'll just put the Band Aid on."

I squirted Neosporin on the bandage and put it on Nightmare's injured leg.

She closed her eyes in bliss. "Mmm. That feels good."

"How about we bake muffins. Together this time."

She jumped off the couch. "Yay!"