The hallway seemed to extend forever in either direction for the poor, beleaguered guard. His plain purple armor bears scratches along his hindquarters, focused along his right flank. His right foreleg lacks its standard issue legging. He's not sure where he left it, but he's not exactly eager to turn around and look for it again.

His ragged breathing is the only sound in this part of the castle. No other guards are posted nearby for him to spread the word to. He gulps nervously, rising from his slumped position against the wall where he'd stopped to rest his legs.

Sweat matts his light blue fur against his toned body. Muscles built and toned by the rigorous training exercises of the EUP Guard are visible where his armor fails to cover them. He'd always resented his Sargents for the constant drilling and exercise routines, but now he must silently thank them. If he'd been any less trained, perhaps he wouldn't have escaped the attack so well, or with all his legs attached.

Starting up the hall with a slow, limping gait, he gradually gains speed as the possibility of what he'd just witnessed occurring again drives him to run faster. Muttering under his breath, he tells himself, "Better hurry."

Less than two seconds after the last passes his lips, he can hear them: footsteps, each ringing out through the hall as metal shoes meet the floor. They aren't as close together as his own footsteps. Whoever is following him must be considerably taller than any pony he's ever met.

He begins to beat his wings, adding some measurable amount of propulsion to his gallop. But it doesn't seem to matter. The creature behind him is getting closer. His sonar ears tell him as much.

He can sense a pair of terrifying eyes trained on the back of his neck, something powerful trying to push its way into his mind, something telling him to run faster.

His fear does the job, and he races past doors and windows at considerably impressive speeds for a bat pony, whose style of flight is more focused around agility than speed.

He knows it doesn't matter. The monster will be upon him soon. He can feel her breath on his haunches, hear her strong, overpowering heartbeat, practically taste his own panic in the air.

And then, the monster falls back.

He doesn't notice for a few seconds, and only even registers the lack of her presence after he's passed at least fifteen doors. He slows to a stop, looking over his shoulder, and then begins calmly making his way back.

Had any of what just happened been real, his actions would make no sense to an observer, and there were onlookers, hidden from sight.

And, indeed, Princess Luna was baffled by the events playing out before her. She didn't understand why the beast had stopped pursuing her prey, and just when the fun part was about to begin.

The guard no longer shows any signs of injury. In fact, he's dropped the act altogether. He's broken character completely. Upon finding the spot where he was when Nightmare Moon was closest to closing the gap, he tilts his head to one side, and looks around. "Zeleeka?" he inquires, finding not a trace of the antagonist of the production.

Now Princess Luna was, herself, curious. Had Zeleeka only called off the chase for the sake of later pounding on the guard, she would have done so by now. She'd let him realize she wasn't in pursuit, and then still given him time to relax, and even break character.

It is now that the guard turn to face the floating orb through which the Princess of the Moon was watching, and smiles warmly. In a burst of bright blue flames, he drops his disguise, and says to her, "Happy birthday, your highness."

The alicorn blinks, dismissing the sensory projection spell she's used to watch the shows her pets put on for her.

At precisely that moment, small wisps of black smoke pour into her field of view from the back of the room. Her emerald eyes widen as she realizes what they're doing.

Her head whips around to face the rising form of Nightmare Moon. Familiar, and yet alien eyes stare down into hers. They pierce her soul, and any plans to remain separate from the scene her pets have arranged for her melt away.

Fear floods and freezes her mind like a supercooled cocktail poured over a mechanical watch. Panic wells up in her chest. She opens her mouth to scream in abject terror.

Already, black smoke has covered every inch of the floor deep enough for stray tendrils to crash against the edges of her bed like waves against weathered cliffs. She scrambles back against the head of her bed, and shrinks back, surrounded by the convex walls of the crescent moon frame. Her hind hooves kick blanket and pillow away, and she plants her forehooves on the insides of the bed frame, trying to root herself in this position, to keep the monster from ripping her away from all semblance of security and protection.

Regalia and crown, she realizes, were left on her dresser when she was told that the stage was set. She had prefered to enjoy the shows and herself without such attire getting in the way. Not that her yoke and crown would do any good to protect her, but she feels underdressed, considering Nightmare Moon wears her helmet and boots everywhere.

She is mildly surprised when a bare hoof emerges from the writhing pool of smoke at the foot of her bed. It rises until its ankle can be distinguished from the identically colored mass, and then it hooks onto the edge of the mattress. From this, Luna's darker self begins to drag herself from the floor. She shows no sign of attempting to harm Luna, but simply having her evil side on the same bed is plenty terrifying for Luna.

Nightmare Moon smiles as warmly at Luna as possible with such terrible and sharp teeth as hers. A cool, commanding voice that calls to mind the soothing sounds of nocturnal creatures and chirping insects passes through the specter's lips. "Have you missed me, Lulu?"

The use of her pet name simply did the Princess a world of confusion. Now fully immersed in the role of herself, and gathered around the mental campfire of belief, she was allowed to accept this reality, one that would never be true. Perhaps to every other pony, that was a good thing, that Nightmare Moon would never rise again.

But to Luna, Nightmare Moon had been a needed companion, a confidant and, yes, bedmate. She knew that she could never bring Nightmare Moon back, that fulfilling such a selfish desire would cost her sister and Equestria dearly. But she still missed those first few nights, the feelings of safety and content that her darker self had given her.

Luna's eyes snap open, and she gasps sharply. Looking down, she bears witness to the sight most desperately desired by her naughty side.

Nightmare Moon's eyes were closed, and her forehooves rest on Luna's inner thighs, holding spread the alicorn's vulva, into which her long, wicked tongue makes slow, languid journeys.

Luna throws her head back, and instinctively rests her right hoof on the back of Nightmare Moon's head. She feels the gentle tickling sensation of her evil side's ethereal mane on her hoof, and takes note that the black alicorn isn't wearing her helmet.

The two alicorns of the night are alone, together, and naked. And they aren't locked away in the dream world where actions are meaningless beyond memory.

The end of Nightmare Moon's wonderfully flexible tongue finds its way deep enough to prod Luna's cervix, eliciting a long, drawn out moan from the Princess.

The two remain in that position for a while, one appreciating her mistress's love, and the other comforted by an old friend who she can never be reunited with.

Author's Note

Contains: cunninglingus, lesbian sex, pseudo-rape, roleplay, and implied voyeurism.

~~This one miiiiight get a special secret ending later if you guys are interested.~~