I. Chapter 12: You belong to me

It was her. My mother was standing in front of me. She was staring at me and smiling warmly.

"Mom... It's really you?"

"Yes, I'm here..."

Then Rainbow, Fluttershy, and Rarity, went downstairs.

"What the? Is that?..." - Rainbow didn't finish

"Mom... But... How? How did you get here?" - I asked with tears in my eyes

"Is it important? The important thing is that we're together again, my son. I missed you so much, come to me" - My mother said, spreading her hands

I began to approach her slowly, I wanted to cry from happiness, it was really her, or at least... It just seemed to me.

"Mom, I..."

"Colin, no!" - I suddenly heard behind me

I turned around and at that moment, I was pulled back by Luna, who stood opposite my mother.

"It's a trap. It's not your mother" - Luna said, turning her head towards me

"Don't listen to them, come to me..."

"Colin, your mother is dead" - Then Luna turned her head towards my mother - "Is not it, Demon?"

"Luna... What if it's really her?" - I asked hopefully

"She is dead, she cut her own throat. Look at her neck, do you see any trace of the cut?" - Luna asked

I looked at my mother, there was not a trace of the incision on her throat, something was actually wrong.

"Colin... come to me, you'll be happier with me. Don't you want to be with me? I miss you so much"

"Mom, I... do I want to? It's too little to say" - I said, crying

With tears in my eyes, I began to approach my mother slowly.

"Mom, I... I miss you so much, I dream about being with you again, but... You are not her"

"But... what are you talking about? Come to me, it's me..."

"I know you are not my mother..." - I said firmly

"Come here... You belong to me" - My mother said

My mother's behavior was at least weird since it was her, why did not she come to me alone? Why did not she hug me when she saw me? If she missed me. Luna was right, it was not her.

"No. you are not my mother. She would never behave this way if it's you, why did not you come up to me yourself?... Mom..." - I said sarcastically

"You belong to me, understand it? And to no one else!"

"And I also know that my mother would not say something like that, demon"

At that moment, her eyes became red, her fingers changed into claws, she screamed, I saw rows of sharp teeth in her mouth. At the moment when It was about to hit me, from Luna's horn fired a beam that hit it, in the face. The creature clutched face, began to moan and retreat into the shadow, thanks to the moonlight piercing through the window, everything was seen in the shadows, I saw a female figure that began to take on a different shape, and the sound of broken bones was heard in the air. After a moment, the lament turned into laughter, and the very voice of the figure began to change, it was deeper and deeper, then a black manticore began to emerge from the shadows.

"Hah... What happened? You were not happy, seeing your beloved mommy?" - The demon asked slyly, laughing at my face

"What right do you do this, to him?!" - Rainbow asked furiously, facing the beast

The demon laughed, grinning sharp teeth.

"Dashie... Sweet, little Dashie, so... Brave, loyal, ready to stand up for the oppressed, this is so cute" - Demon said, then he made a sudden step forward, Rainbow Dash stepped back a bit

"If you think we'll let you hurt him, you're wrong!" - Rainbow shouted

Then opposite Demon, there was also Fluttershy, Rarity and Twilight.

"I sense your fear... Do you think that will stop me?" - Demon asked, dismissively

"We are not afraid of you, we are stronger than you" - Twilight said bravely

"Hehehehe... That's what his mother said... Right before I killed her" - Demon said, slyly smiling at me

"Why do you do this to him? You nasty monster!" - Fluttershy said

"You will not hurt him, I will not let you do it" - Luna said

"I warned you. I told you that you will die if you try" - Demon said, slowly approaching us - "I will kill you first, and then..."

"Wait!" - I said, interrupting Demon and coming up to him

"Colin... Do not do it" - Luna said - "You do not have to do it!"

"I have to... I don't want anything wrong to happen to you" - I said, turning towards my friends

"What a courage..." - Demon said mockingly

When I turned around again, I noticed a knife lying on the table.

"You want me, yes?" - I said, coming closer and closer to the Demon - "Let it be so..."

"Colin, no..." - Fluttershy said, sobbing softly

"Finally... I've been waiting for this moment so long" - Demon said, coming up to me

"Me too..." - I said, picking up the knife from the table - "Do you want me? Here you go!"

At this moment, I drove the knife into Demon's head. He roared furiously in pain - "How dare you?! Enough, if you want it, you will in terror, knowing what fate awaits you" - He said furiously, pulling out a knife. Then It charged on me. The beast hit me on the left side of my throat with claws, I was falling on the floor, I hit my head, then I lost consciousness for a moment.

I don't know how long I lay unconscious, but I was damned lucky, the claws of the beast missed my larynx and did not damage the spinal cord. After a while I got up, grabbed with a left hand at the place where the demon hit me with his claws, the wound hurt very much, I looked at the hand on which my blood was, only then realized that I was in dark forest.

"What the hell?" - I asked myself - "Where am I?"

It was dark and cold, although thanks to the shining moon, I saw reasonably well. Not knowing what to do and seeing no other solution, I began to go ahead, I had no idea where I was going. I walked for a long time, when suddenly behind my back, I heard a snarl, I turned around and saw something unusual, before I stood some... big, wooden wolf, with green glowing eyes.

"G-good... Wolf" - I said, raising my hands up and slowly retreating, the wolf began to growl even furiously and began to come closer and closer

At this point, I started to run away. The beast immediately followed me in pursuit. I was running through the forest, stumbling over the protruding roots, all the while I was being hit by branches that partially rip my bandages and my shirt.

I don't know how long I ran, but the damn thing did not want to stop chasing me. After some time I managed to lose it. I turned my head back, nothing was running, but turning around was a mistake because I collided with something very hard. I fell down again, I looked up and saw a strange stone column in front of me, after a moment I noticed the second and then the rope bridge, I could not see what was on the other side because of the fog. I heard a howl from the forest, so I decided to go over the bridge. When I got to the other side, I saw the ruins of a castle, then I heard the howling from the forest again, this time it was heard more clearly. I ran to the entrance door of the castle, which I opened and then walked inside, closing it behind me.

When I was inside, I breathed a sigh of relief and looked myself. My bandages were completely ripped, my torso, my legs, and my head. I turned from the door, then a long corridor appeared to my eyes, at the end of which there were doors. Every few meters, columns stood near the walls, between which there were windows, I began to slowly walk down the corridor, all the time I had the strange impression that someone looks at me, I also saw a shadow that penetrated between the columns, although... It was a silhouette like a pony. A very tall pony.

After reaching the door, I opened it, when I went inside, I took a few steps forward and I stopped. It was the same room that I saw in my nightmare. I wanted to turn back, but the moment I turned around, my heart jumped to my throat. A tall mare was stood in front of me. She looked just like Luna, just like her, she had a waving mane reminiscent of the night sky, however, she was completely black and her eyes were blue, with vertical pupils. Then I knew it was Nightmare Moon, only that... She did not have her armor and helmet.

Nightmare Moon was stood and stared at me with interest, but also with distrust.

"H-hello... You are Nightmare Moon, am I right?" - I asked, bowing slightly

"Hm... I see that you know who I am, and I also see that you have respect for a rule" - Nightmare Moon said

"Yes..." - I said, getting up - "We have a very nice night, do not we?" - I asked

"Do you like it?" - Nightmare Moon asked, smiling

"Yes, is very... beautiful, I like to look at the stars" - I said

Nightmare Moon smiled slightly.

"So you really like it?"

"Yes" - I said

"Tell me... what brings you here? What are you doing in the Everfree Forest, alone?" - Nightmare Moon asked

"Wait for a second... I'm in the Everfree Forest?" - I asked a bit surprised

"Indeed"

"Okay, but... I'm not alone. You're here" - I said, smiling

"That's true, but you should know that this is a dangerous place for foals, but... it's hard to call you a foal. What exactly are you?"

"I'm a human..."

"Hu-man?... interesting. I've never heard anything like that"

I looked around again, taking a few steps toward the pedestal

"What is this place?" - I asked

"These are the ruins of an old castle that belonged to me and my sister. It was here that I was wiped out by Elements of Harmony, actually... they only think so, with the rest. If you know who I am, you probably know too, who they are" - Nightmare Moon said

"This castle belonged to you and to Princess Cele..." - I did not finish

Nightmare Moon approached me sharply, she glared at me angrily, her face a few centimeters from mine.

"Do not you dare to pronounce this name in my presence, understood?"

"Y-yes... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you"

"Very well" - Nightmare Moon said

"How did you survive?"

"When Elements of Harmony were used, on me. My subconscious and subconscious of Luna were separated. She managed to keep the physical form, and I... I was only a weakened, shadowy being"

"Supposedly you were to have been banished to the moon 1000 years ago. You wanted to bring an eternal night, is it true?"

"Unfortunately yes... I'm trying not to go back to the past, and to be honest... I don't want to do it again. This is also the reason why I got rid of my armor"

"So... you don't want to bring eternal night anymore?" - I asked

"I think you ask too many questions, but well... At the beginning I wanted revenge, however... being only a shadowy entity, in addition to time for regeneration, I also had a lot of time to think. The world cannot exist without sun, I... I saw what would happen if I brought an eternal night"

"What would happen?"

"I saw Equestria in ice, there was snow everywhere, there were no crops, no animals, nothing at all, just one big ice wasteland. I saw the inhabitants desperately trying to warm up, unfortunately unsuccessfully, because after a while they froze" - Nightmare Moon said with sadness - "When I regained my physical form, I decided not to reveal myself to the world, I decided never to bring an eternal night, I have no intention of returning to the past. No one knew I was alive, until now"

"We all make mistakes. You were just lost, and the fact that others didn't understand, it was their problem" - I said

"You are the first person who shows me positive feelings, it is something completely new to me and... Really nice" - Nightmare Moon said, coming closer to me - "Do these wounds not hurt you?"

"Uhmm... A little bit" - I said

Nightmare Moon touched my forehead with her horn. A very bright light flashed, which blinded me for a short while. I step back a little, rubbing my eyes. I felt different. All my physical pain disappeared, I looked at my hands, there were no wounds on them, on my torso and legs too, only the skin color remained the same, still white as snow.

"Thank you..." - I said

"You're welcome" - She said, smiling at me

"I wanted to ask you something"

"It's probably time for my questions, don't you think? Tell me, can you appreciate real beauty?" - Nightmare Moon asked, interrupting me

"It means?"

"Am I beautiful?" - Nightmare Moon asked

"Uhmm... What?" - I asked, scratching my head

This question surprised me, why did she ask about it? Well, I had to answer. Nightmare Moon stood a few meters away from me, I examined her, she looked... pretty, she was very similar to Luna in almost every respect, but most of all she was distinguished by her blue eyes with vertical pupils, though... Nightmare Moon was a pony like any other, so I decided to give a different answer than she expected.

"So... Am I beautiful? Or not?"

"Well, you are... Normal" - I answered in a calm voice - "You look nice, but... You look also just like any other pony"

"Well... Looks like I misjudged you" - Nightmare Moon said, smiling even more - "Most stallions and these... Brave knights would say that I'm beautiful in fear. In your case it's different... You said that I'm normal, but what's important, you were not afraid to say that, it's a nice change" - Nightmare Moon said, smiling sincerely

"You're welcome" - I replied

Nightmare Moon was described as a very cruel person. When I talked to her, I realized that it was not so. She was simply rejected, she was blinded by hatred and the will to take revenge. Each of us can be like that, no matter who is that. Everyone treated Nightmare Moon like a monster, no one except me tried to talk to her normally. No one showed her compassion and nobody tried to understand her. I understand Nightmare Moon, she was treated in the same way as me, everyone considered me a monster, although I was not, so I knew her pain well.

"Actually... I didn't ask you, for a name. How does it sound?"

"Colin, my lady..."

"Hm... well, I'm Nightmare Moon, but... you probably know that, don't you?"

Both I and Nightmare Moon laughed.

"Your Highness, I wanted to ask you something. Didn't anyone really tries to talk to you normally?" - I asked

"No... you're the first. Thank you for that"

"I wanted to tell you that I understand you. When I first appeared in this land, I was also treated as a monster, or... a bloodthirsty beast" - I said a little sadly.

"So we have a lot in common, my dear. But I still don't know what brings you in this castle"

"I escaped from some strange... wolves made of wood" - I said

"Timberwolves, these beasts are dangerous. You were very lucky to have escaped"

"Timberwolves, but... What exactly happened? Why did I run away from them? Wait a minute... Oh no..."

"What happened?" - Nightmare Moon asked

Only now I remembered what actually happened. I attacked the demon, and later I was transferred to the Everfree Forest. The demon there was not with me at the time, and this means that now It probably harm my friends. What have I done?!

"Nightmare Moon, I have to go back to Ponyville, will you help me?" - I asked - "Please... My friends, they..."

"I'll be happy to help you" - Nightmare Moon said

"Thank you again..."

"You don't have to thank me"

I went to the door and then opened it, then suddenly I was pushed back. I fell to the ground, confused. When I lifted my head, I saw this damned demon, he was really angry.

"What is this?!" - Nightmare Moon asked shocked

"Enough... I'm done. I will kill you quickly and painfully" - Demon said, slowly approaching me

I was terrified. I began to step back, all the while trying to get up, the beast was getting closer, when suddenly between me and the demon, Nightmare Moon was stood.

"Well, well, well... Who do I see?" - Demon asked, a little surprised

"Leave him alone, this is an order!"

"I've heard about you... Since when does Nightmare Moon stand on the good side?"

"I'm not standing on anyone's side. Get away from here, or you'll regret it" - Nightmare Moon said, a bit more angrily

"It's such a pathetic creature, why are you defending him?" - Demon asked - "Humans are bloodthirsty beasts, I'm right? You have been attacked for a reason"

"Stop it!" - I shouted standing up

"Attacked?" - Nightmare Moon asked, a little surprised

"Of course yes. After all, a human is a beast that kills for pleasure. Is a merciless monster, possessing killer instincts right after birth"

"It's not true!"

"Something is wrong here. Ponyville residents are too meek and coy, to attack, unless... You forced them, am I right?"

"Where did this assumption come from?" - Beast asked

"Because I know what are you, demon" - Nightmare Moon said - "You are crafty. You can manipulate weak minds, feed on fear and suffering. You will do anything to get your victims"

The demon looked at Nightmare Moon, slightly confused.

"You forced the residents to attack him, you could not do it personally, because the truth is that demons are just cowards, you don't attack your victims, because you are afraid of them, so you are forcing other beings. It's not like that? Huh?"

Then Nightmare Moon looked at me, smiled, and then turned back to the demon.

"I will not let you hurt this child. He has already suffered enough, do you understand?!"

The demon growled furiously - "Let it be so... First I will kill you, and later this damn brat" - he said, preparing to attack

At this point, the demon tried to attack Nightmare Moon, but then, a lightning shot from her horn. The beast fell to the ground, trembling and snarling.

"Colin, get away from here" - Nightmare Moon said - "Runaway, Now!"

I nodded at the sign of understanding, then ran through the door to the corridor leading to the exit. When I was running through the corridor, I was thinking about all of this. I attacked the demon who in the act of revenge probably hurt my friends, I was worried about that most. When I reached the door, I immediately opened it, ran out of the castle from which I began to move away, until I managed to reach the hanging bridge. At that moment, this demon was stood on the road. It grabbed me with his clawed paw and with all his strength, he threw me to the castle wall. When I got up, the demon pressed me to the wall with his paw, I tried to free myself, but to no avail.

At that moment, the demon drew his face closer to mine, smiled and looked straight into my eyes.

"You belong to me" - Demon said

Then I noticed how his tail, on which the poison spike was located, approached me. I was terrified, I was still trying to free myself, but none of this was. Suddenly I felt a stab at the left side of the chest, the pain was so huge that I could not compare it to anything, I started shouting very loudly, at that moment I closed my eyes and then I felt like the demon is letting go of me as if something pushed him away. I fell on the ground and leaned against the wall, I grabbed the left side of the chest, the pain was terrible and in addition, began to spread throughout my body, then I opened my eyes and looked at my hands. Through my tears, I saw pitch-black veins, which was visible through my white skin, and I saw Nightmare Moon fighting the demon, then I lost consciousness.

End of Chapter 12...