To say that she was tired would be a horrible understatement. Luna was exhausted. Every night would be the same in regards to keeping the Shadow Ponies out of other ponies dreams and fighting off the nightmares that the Dream Demons created to feed off the life and energy of innocent ponies. Bottom Feeders lurked solely in the Deepest Sleep, so that was a bonus, but still. The idea of a single Shadow Pony taking the body of an innocent pony or a Dream Demon escaping the realm of sleep was a nightmare in itself. To her surprise, however, she hadn't a single nightmare about Nightmare Moon. In fact, not a single nightmare at all. She had stopped purposefully giving herself nightmares to punish herself, but on occasion she would have nightmares about Nightmare Moon trying to convince her to fight against Celestia and become that monstrosity again. Luna promised herself, the ponies of Equestria, and her sister that she would never let that happen. Not again. Not ever.

"Oh, come now, Lulu, must we always be so melodramatic?" she grit her teeth in anger at the sound of that voice. "Show yourself!" Luna ordered. "Oh, please. I would love nothing more than to hold you in my hooves but you would blast me into oblivion the first time I tried," while Luna was confused about her statement, she was furious. "What have you done to the Shadow Ponies?" she demanded. "Getting sentimental? More than usual?" Nightmare Moon's voice taunted. "Have you destroyed them?" Luna questioned, her eyes narrowed as her horn glowed a dangerous blue. "Of course not. They're much more useful to me alive," Nightmare Moon said and Luna could feel the roll of her eyes. "Then where are they?" she demanded. "Where they belong. The Deep Sleep, the Deeper Sleep, and most certainly not the Deepest Sleep. They too fear the Bottom Feeders," Nightmare Moon said casually. "And the Dream Demons?" Luna feared the answer. "They are not going to be a problem," Nightmare Moon said, an idle thought causing a grin to form on her lips, though Luna did not see it. At least not right now.

"What do you want?" Luna questioned, her stance defensive. "Many things, Lul--" she cut Nightmare Moon off with a blast of magic into the darkness that surrounded her. "DO NOT CALL ME THAT!" the dark blue Alicorn roared. "Your aim is better than I remember," she felt satisfaction at the pained groan of the other Alicorn. "This is simply a dream and you will disappear now," Luna said as she felt a wave of her magic go through her before it disappeared. "What?" she whispered with wide, fearful eyes. "Oh, Lulu--" Luna snorted with anger. "Oh, get over it. Just because it's a dream doesn't mean it isn't real. You of all ponies should know that. What with the thousand years we spent together as well as the time you spent torturing yourself the idea of me," Nightmare Moon said, almost sounding offended. Luna ignored it. "This is a dream and it will never be real. You were only a nightmare, a figment of my imagination that I let loose. You are not real now and you never will be again," Luna said angrily.

The other Alicorn was silent. A small sigh echoed in the darkness. "Some ponies appreciate me, just not the one I want," Nightmare Moon said in a wistful voice. "Stow your pathetic emotions for somepony who does care and is foolish enough to believe them," Luna said firmly. "Hurtful, Luna, really. Here I thought we had something special," Nightmare Moon said. "Chrissy appreciates me. Twili appreciates me. Dashy appreciates me. Cadence, Pinkie, AJ, Rarity, Flutters, they all appreciate me," Nightmare Moon said. "The Six? Don't make me laugh, Demon," Luna growled.

"This may be a dream, Luna," Nightmare Moon stepped out of the shadows, her eyes twinkling as she grinned, revealing all of her sharp teeth and her new pointed fangs. "But I am very much real," Nightmare Moon growled. Luna fired another blast of magic and this time Nightmare Moon used her own magic to grab it. "How I've missed the feel of your magic with my own," the dark Alicorn said wistfully, absorbing the magic Luna had fired into her. "Away with you!" Luna ordered. "I've been around for more than a thousand years, Luna, no differently than you and nothing has changed," Luna covered her ears with her hooves. "I don't want to hurt you, Lulu, and I would never betray you," Nightmare Moon said and Luna shivered as she felt the almost tender caress of Nightmare Moon's hoof.

Her magic wasn't working and she had the dreadful feeling that Nightmare Moon was gaining power from it. She refused to give in, however. "Leave me be," Luna said quietly and Nightmare Moon clucked her tongue. "I can't leave you. I am you," Nightmare Moon said quietly as she ran her hoof along Luna's flowing mane. "I was created for you, I am, in a way, you. We are one in the same, Luna, why do you hate me?" Nightmare Moon asked and Luna was faintly surprised to see tears in the dark Alicorn's eyes. They couldn't be real, could they? "I hate you because you're a monster. You may have been made from me, but you came from the envy I had for Celestia. I hate you because you're the bad side of me and because of that, you can't exist anymore. You'd destroy Celestia," Luna said, tears streaming down her own cheeks.

The dark Alicorn scowled. "Celestia this, Celestia that, they over exaggerated the sunrise for that childish play," Nightmare Moon muttered and Luna felt sadness because she knew that deep down, she had the same opinion. "The more things change, the more they stay the same. Celestia is still the pride and joy of Equestria, the sun rises and sets with her. The moon matters little to nothing and they all bask in her precious light," Nightmare Moon growled. "Those were the thoughts I had before and I don't want them to happen again, I don't want to destroy her anymore," Luna knew deep down, that was somewhat a lie. All she ever wanted was to be loved like Celestia was. "Not even dethrone her?" Nightmare Moon asked. "I can't," Luna said quietly, her ears lowering as teardrops fell from her chin. "Nothing could change how I feel about you. You and I are one in the same. I know you look in the mirror and see me just as I look in the mirror and see you. Think about what I said, Lulu, I know you will," Nightmare Moon said before disappearing into the darkness. "This is only a dream," Luna whispered, though her emotions felt very real.

"It may be a dream, Lulu," Luna looked up to see a pair of dark turquoise eyes with slitted pupils staring at her from the shadows, pearly white fangs twinkling in the darkness. "But that doesn't mean it isn't real," Luna dreaded those words. "You of all ponies should know that dreams can be so powerful that they become real."

**********

Twilight woke up with a start, tears streaming down her cheeks and her eyes were pink and puffy. She used magic to levitate a tissue and cleaned her face off. "That was horrible," she whimpered while Spike slept on. "Good to see somepony had a good sleep," she muttered with minor annoyance as she got out of her bed and went to the kitchen for a glass of water. Her throat was parched. "Twilight?" Starlight asked tiredly as the pink unicorn came into the kitchen.

"Can't sleep either?" Twilight asked as she took her drink. "Actually I slept... okay? I think, anyway," Starlight looked sheepish and Twilight raised an eyebrow. "Well, I dreamt that I was the Princess of Friendship," Starlight admitted and Twilight's eyes widened as she spit out her drink, spraying it all over Starlight. The now drenched unicorn looked unimpressed. "Sorry, it's just... I had a nightmare," Twilight admitted. "About?" Starlight asked. "Well, Discord gave you, Trixie, and Sunset Shimmer a pair of wings and you were wearing my crown," Twilight admitted. "Huh, maybe Discord set up some kind of dream prank," Starlight said. "I don't think he has the power over dreams, even if he is a Draconequus with chaotic powers," Twilight said. "Luna doesn't seem like a prankster, though," Twilight admitted. "Maybe just a coincidence," Starlight said with a shrug before leaving. "But she was so real," Twilight said, thinking about how she saw a black furred Unicorn that had looked a lot like her, but a lot darker and without wings. Twilight knew she would have to go back to sleep. "Maybe Luna just had a dream issue," Twilight said, though she was secretly itching to hope so. She sighed like Cadence taught her so she didn't let her paranoia get the best of her before she returned to her bed.

"Let's hope for a nice quiet dream with books," Twilight smiled at the thought. "Maybe the library in the Castle of the Two Sisters," she said hopefully. She fell asleep, unware of the dark shadow that resided in the corner of her bedroom. Her purple eyes twinkled with sinister delight. "Yes, definitely the Castle," Dark Sparkle chuckled evilly as her horn glowed with magic, her eyes turned green, and purple swirls formed around her eyes. She grinned all the while.

~the next day~

The Mane 6 were sitting at the Map with tired expression, some of them with their eyes still pink and red rimmed from crying and their throats scratchy and voices hoarse from the screaming. "I'm guessing none of you slept well either?" Twilight asked as Spike gave them tea. "Ain't that the understatement of the year," Applejack muttered, massaging her neck where the phantom bite still resided. She shivered as she remembered the claws, which were supposed to be hers, and what they did to the Apple family. Her family. Big Mac, Granny Smith, Applebloom, and even Winona, especially. "I was up all night and I didn't want any of the animals touching me, not even Angel," Fluttershy said in a voice that was more quiet than usual. "Not even Angel?" Starlight asked with shock and Fluttershy's eyes lowered. "I never thought I would not want to see my parents other than the fact that they were embarrassing," Rainbow Dash said quietly. "Your parents?" Fluttershy asked with confusion. "You know how supportive they are, overly too, and we got past that, then that dream was worse than the last one with the Tantabis," Rainbow Dash said vaguely, not wanting to dive into details. "So why did we all have nightmares? They were nightmares, right?" Twilight asked and the mares looked away. "Why didn't I have a bad dream? Well, other than what it was," Starlight said sheepishly. "Well, I certainly slept well and have lovely dreams," Trixie said boastfully as she approached the Map. "Good for you," Twilight muttered with annoyance.

"What'd you dream about?" Starlight asked. "Well, I had these beautiful large wings, making me an Alicorn, and then I had a lovely crown on my head," Starlight and Twilight froze. "Jeez, don't look so creeped out," Trixie said with a raised eyebrow. "I had a dream just like that," Starlight admitted. "Ooh, Dream Buddies!" Trixie said, hugging Starlight's face. "And I had a dream that I lost my wings and my crown!" Twilight yelled before clutching her head with pain, as did the other five. "Twilight, please... not so loud," Rarity whined slightly. "Jeez, don't get your feathers in a twist, probably just a coincidence," Trixie said with a huff. "Someponies," the blue unicorn said.

"It's not really a coincidence that we would have the same dream and Twilight would have the opposite dream, and then the others had nightmares," Starlight said. "Someponies have nightmares and others don't. I'm pretty sure Princess Luna said that dreams are often the result of either your greatest fears or your greatest desires," Spike said simply as he flew over their heads. "Maybe, but still. Your greatest desire is being the Princess of Friendship?" Twilight asked. "It'd be nice," Trixie said idly. "I think it used to be, so maybe it's just my past haunting me," Starlight said awkwardly. "Well, to make sure, we should tell each other," the others shook their heads. "So then your greatest fear is what we shared in common?" Twilight asked and they nodded. "Princess Celestia didn't like my dress," Rarity said, bordering hysterics. "Seriously?" Rainbow Dash asked with boredom before she turned shocked at Rarity's glare. "You didn't know what it was like to see the absolute disgust on her face! She ripped it apart and threw it at me! You all insulted me! You especially!" Rarity sobbed. "I kinda know what it was like to see her disgusted face," Twilight admitted quietly. "She told me I was a failure for a student and then Discord took my wings and put them on Starlight, Trixie, and Sunset Shimmer. Then Starlight took my crown," Starlight looked hurt. "I'm not trying to say that I don't have faith in you!" Twilight defended as tears welled up in Starlight's eyes. "I thought we were over that, but I guess not," she said before walking out, Trixie following behind her.

"She'll come around, eventually," Spike said sympathetically. "I hope so," Twilight said with a sigh. "What'd you dream about?" she asked Fluttershy. "The animals started attacking me and Discord and nopony else liked me and while I know that you all know that I am weak and helpless, it still hurt to see you all insult me," Fluttershy said. "Laser Dash ruined perfectly good pies," Pinkie muttered and they all stared at her with annoyance. "Your greatest fear is Rainbow Dash hating your pies?" Twilight asked. "It wasn't just that, none of you liked me anymore. Nopony in Ponyville did," they frowned. "Sorry, sugarcube," Applejack said as she patted her hoof on Pinkie's back.

"What'd you dream about, AJ?" Rainbow asked. "Well, I, uh... what is said don't leave this room! Ya hear?" Applejack glared and they all promised. "Well, y'all remember Spike savin' me from the Timberwolves and well... this time they attacked the Apple family reunion and I got bit by one of the varmin," she said, tears welling up in her green eyes. "What's so bad about getting bit by a Timberwolf?" Rainbow asked and both Twilight and Applejack glared at her. "Timberwolf bites are extremely infectious. Lycanthropy. Anything they bite gets turned into either another Timberwolf or a Timber Creature," Twilight explained. "I started hurtin' my own kin! Big Mac, Granny, Applebloom, Winona, Braeburn, all of 'em," Applejack was turning green at the thought, about to be sick. "So, why all the nightmares all of a sudden? And why did Trixie and Starlight have dreams about becoming the Princess of Friendship?" Spike asked and nopony had the answer.

"They were just dreams, though, right?" Fluttershy asked. "I'm not sure, they felt so real," Twilight said quietly. "I failed everypony. The windows in the Canterlot Castle were the victories of our enemies, not us. Nightmare Moon defeated Celestia. Sombra overtook the Crystal Empire. Chrysalis and her Changelings. Starlight and ponies without Cutie Marks. Discord and his chaos. Every enemy we ever faced, even the reformed ones, had won," Twilight blinked. "But there was one that didn't happen before, it was all of us but with black fur, sparkling flowing manes--" Rarity sighed. "Like Princess Celestia's and Luna's?" she asked and although Twilight rolled her eyes, she nodded. "And our pupils looked like Nightmare Moon's. Slitted," she said. "A dark version of Cadence was there too but her Cutie Mark, the Crystal Heart, was red instead of blue," Twilight explained. "Rainbow's wings were also bigger and pointed," Rainbow looked slightly smug at that one. "And the cloud on your Cutie Mark was black," Twilight said. "You sure take a lot of notes," Rainbow said with amusement and Twilight shook her head. "The point is, they were all bowing to Nightmare Moon," Twilight said. "So what does that mean?" Spike asked. "I don't know. Nothing good, obviously. I just hope it doesn't mean Nightmare Moon is coming back," she said. "Luna won't turn into Nightmare Moon again," Spike said firmly. "Remember how she and Celestia had the friendship problem? Starlight fixed it," Spike said. "Still, though. I don't want to jump to conclusions and hurt Luna's feelings for nothing, but that had to mean something. Didn't it?" Twilight asked and nopony had an answer. "If it happens again, then we'll ask her about it. If it doesn't stop and Luna does seem to be going back to those ways, then we'll tell Celestia and at least this time we have Discord and the Elements and the Pillars," she said. "It was just a dream though, it wasn't real," Fluttershy said quietly but Twilight wasn't so sure.

Author's Note

• Any fellow fans of Supernatural?
  
• Any fellow fans of Nightmare on Elm Street?