Another horrible and sleepless insomnia-filled night for the little alicorn filly Luna was yet again underway. She continued to toss and turn in her comfy and warm bed, clutching her little teddy bear in hopes that sleep would somehow come to her eventually. However, the longer she tossed, turned, and waited...the more she began to realize sleep was just not likely to be on her mental table that night. So instead, her mind drifted to some other thoughts she had, and she thought back over how her day had gone. She remembered how she had told her sister and parents about her new friend Nightmare Moon during breakfast earlier in the day. She then remembered that they had seemed slightly amused but ended up giving little thought to Nightmare Moon, as they only dismissed Nightmare Moon as just a mere imaginary friend and nothing more than that.
This greatly confused and even slightly upset Luna, as she knew Nightmare Moon was obviously very real, and Luna had seen plenty of evidence to prove that to herself, but yet sadly nothing that would convince her sister and parents to believe her. She remembered that Nightmare Moon had interacted with Luna's door to enter her room and had physically snuggled Luna to help her sleep. There was no way she imagined all that so realistically, right? Nightmare Moon had to be real. There was no other logical explanation that would make sense, right?
Just as her thoughts had begun to really overwhelm her mind, a very familiar pony creaked open Luna's door with their magic, reveal the fact they were wearing a very gentle and warm smile that Luna was quite happy to see.
Nightmare Moon was back! She had to be real, Luna just knew it! This was proof, right!?
Luna almost screamed in joy and excitement before Nightmare Moon quickly and gently stopped her.
"No, no, remember what we said? Quiet, please! Don't wake up anypony accidentally!" Nightmare Moon ordered gently.
"Oh, yeah, sorry," Luna replied sheepishly to Nightmare Moon.
"It's fine, just remember next time, please. Please don't get yourself in trouble talking to me, that's the whole reason I even needed to quiet you. Remember, nobody can see me...so it'll just look like you're up late...talking to yourself...instead of sleeping like you're supposed to," Nightmare Moon stated, with a slight hint of concern and worry in her voice.
This once again triggered Luna's thoughts that she had been thinking about just a few minutes prior, and made her even more curious about. She decided to voice her thoughts about it and questions to Nightmare Moon.
"So, Moony, can I ask you something, well...tell and ask you something, I guess?" Luna asked.
Nightmare Moon paused for just a second, as she quite liked Luna's new nickname for her, it was cute...and she actually kinda liked that fact, despite the fact she normally disliked cute things...
It seemed Luna really was having a great impact on her and changing her overall feelings about everything. Anyways, she had to respond to Luna.
"Sure, it's not that late, we have a little bit of time we can talk before you have to get yourself to sleep. So, please ask away!" exclaimed Nightmare Moon in a gentle and reassuring tone, making sure Luna would be comfortable telling her.
"So, uhm...my sister and parents...they, uh...don't actually think you're real," Luna said softly, with a small amount of sadness in her voice.
"Hm?" Nightmare Moon curiously asked, lightly tilting her head and slightly prying for more details on what Luna meant.
"So see, at breakfast today I kinda just...mentioned about my new friend, Nightmare Moon of course. At first they were confused, but after some explaining they just said you're...an imaginary friend who's not real," Luna said sadly, slightly tearing up at the thought that Nightmare Moon might not actually be real. Nightmare Moon might just be...part of her imagination.
"Well, Luna, they just...don't understand, trust me, I am very real," Nightmare Moon reassured the sad filly, once again using her same gentle and reassuring smile she had grown accustomed to using.
"I-I might not understand it or whatever, but please explain exactly what you are or whatever? You're smart, and hearing an explanation from you will help me feel better about everything, y'know?" Luna asked, using cute and pleading eyes.
Nightmare Moon was slightly flattered by the compliment, but...she also felt happy for Luna. She knew how to word her explanation in just such a way to ease all of Luna's worries, well...hopefully ease all of Luna's worries. Little fillies weren't always the easiest group to explain complicated magic ideas to.
"So, I am an actual existing pony, just like you, your sister, and everypony else in this great wide world of Equestria and the regions beyond," Nightmare Moon started.
"But then, why can only I see you? If you're real?" Luna asked.
"Patience, little Luna, I will get to that point very shortly, just be patient and listen closely, okay?" Nightmare Moon responded gently and reassuringly.
"Sorry, hehe, I just get a little impatient sometimes, I guess," Luna responded.
"No need to apologize, we all have our own moments like that sometimes. Nopony is perfect, after all, we all have flaws," Nightmare Moon said with yet another reassuring smile to comfort Luna.
Luna returned a happy smile, very grateful that Nightmare Moon was such a great and understanding friend who really did seem to care about Luna. Luna actually had very few friends, with her sister being the closest friend she really even had.
"So, let's just say that I am...magic, a manifestation of somepony's heart and soul of sorts," Nightmare Moon explained.
She could tell by Luna's face she had explained it in a way much too complicated way for the little filly to understand.
"Alright, uh...I am a magical pony made out of your feelings and emotions. Since you exist and have feelings, so do I. And since I am a representation of your feelings only, only you can see me," Nightmare Moon explained simply.
Luna's face lit up, symbolizing that she finally understood the concept of it.
"So uh, does that mean everypony has a friend like you? That's a representation of their feelings?" Luna asked.
"Well, see...it's a bit more complicated I guess, I don't know if I can really explain it, y'know?" Nightmare Moon half stated, half asked.
"I...guess. I just have a lot of questions about this all," Luna replied.
"I know you do, it's a very...natural reaction to all of this, I'd say. However, all of the questions that you have will and should be answered in due time, don't you worry," Nightmare Moon responded with a nice smile.
Luna's imagination now began to run a bit wild. If Nightmare Moon really did represent her feelings and was created from them, what would happen if Luna had hateful emotions like jealousy and anger? Luna let her imagination run wild for a few moments before Nightmare Moon snapped her out of her trance of thinking.
"I understand many thoughts are in your mind right now, but I think it is about time to go to sleep, alright? We can talk more tomorrow," Nightmare Moon stated.
"I might need snuggled again," Luna said slightly sheepishly.
"Nothing wrong with friendly hugs to help you sleep," Nightmare Moon exclaimed as she crawled up next to Luna, wrapped her wing around her, and put her crescent moon print blanket over both of them.
"Moony," Luna mumbled.
"Yes?" Nightmare Moon asked.
"You're like...a second sister to me," Luna stated.
"...thank you," Nightmare Moon said. That statement...warmed her heart.
The two sisterly ponies fell asleep very quickly.
