Priorlight

"I control my own Nightmares."

Teardrops let out a loud squeak that rang through the wind as they were buffeted by the winds, almost cast out of the sky as Riding and Teardrops flew together. Riding glanced over and could see the panic in their eyes as the winds began to overwhelm both of them for very different reasons. Riding caught himself in the wind and used it to guide himself into Teardrops, tacking them mid fall and catching them as they fell into lower air currents, shrugging Teardrops into safer currents right below the treeline.

Riding turned to look at Teardrops but they had already flown for the bottom of the treeline, slamming into the ground at a trot and almost losing their balance before trotting several paces. Riding landed next to them, panting and looking ahead at Teardrops. Teardrops trotted closer to a tree, leaning on it and huffing. Riding approached, not touching Teardrops but looking at them from their side.

"That's... I'm sorry." Teardrops looked away, and Riding Rain averted his eyes so he did not have to see them cry. "That's dangerous!"

"I..." Riding huffed, "I know. But if you can... fly up there, you can fly, anywhere."

"I'm sorry, I..." Teardrops paused for a bit to breathe, sitting down and then laying flat on the ground to breathe.

"Strong wind." Riding agreed, still panting himself. "it takes... a lot of pegasus ponies to tame the winds of Equestria, beyond the lower cloud layer."

"Lower, cloud layer?" Teardrops asked. Riding brushed off his hoof, and offered a hoof up to Teardrops, pulling them up and onto their hooves again and beckoning with his head for them to follow him towards the lower practice field. Trotting through the overgrown field, they reached the edge of the Enclave, which oversaw Canterlot, and the Equestria beyond. A layer of clouds floated below them, with another above them.

"Down there, you can fly anywhere. Up here though, you have to learn how to actually fly. Past that, it's weaker. and in untamed places..." Riding trailed off.

"I will- I am going to try again!" Teardrops said, brushing the back of their hoof across their face and stretching their wings out, but Riding Rain stopped them.

"No. Not today. You look tired. There might be another way." Riding suggested, mouthing "For us to speak in private."

Teardrops tilted their head, looking up at the sky as their wings gave another beat and then folded up, nodding. "What about the others?" Teardrops asked.

"They'll be alright. I remember learning to fly, they won't get above the treeline for a few days. You though, you're a natural. Like Tree Tops."

"Who are they?" Teardrops asked. Riding stopped, looking at the ground, then walked forwards more, continuing his trot.

"Who were you before you were a bat pony?" Riding asked, not answering the question.

"Nopony." Teardrops said, trotting with haste to keep up.

"So was Tree Tops. An Earth Pony who was given a wing as a cutie mark, but never able to fly." Riding said. Teardrops gave a gasp, but did not comment for some time as they trotted further into the forest.

"Teardrops." Riding simply put it, saying only their name, but in a grave accent.

"Yes, Mister Riding Rain?" Teardrops said.

"Just call me Riding." Riding Rain replied.

"Riding, yes?" Teardrops tried again.

"When we get where I am taking you, I need you to know something. I will not be responsible for what happens once you go in. I can not truly help you. You will be on your own, but if you can pass this test, we may speak. However, the test is twofold." Riding felt the shadows lick at his coat, and closed his eyes and trotted forward, letting them overwhelm his coat.

"I do not understand what you mean." Teardrops replied.

"Have you heard of Nightmare Moon?" Riding asked.

Teardrops nodded, trotting faster to keep up. "I think everypony has once or twice. That was Luna, long ago, right?"

Riding paused, before continuing, "In a way, she still is. And every bat pony is afflicted with the same Nightmare. A realm of dreams and shadows and... darker things. Nightmares."

Riding saw Teardrops shiver next to him as the shadows grew, the very sky itself seeming to become darker and darker, the trees more and more transparent. Riding closed his eyes, falling into the shadows as he saw Teardrops disappear next to him. The shadows seemed to fall over them, hastening their hooves, inviting them in.

It begins again.

Riding looked down at the landscape before him, carved from red, bone, and shadow. A small orange bat pony trotted along, looking side to side as the forest gave up it's moniker and illusions, revealing a world painted with red. Riding watched under him as Teardrops screamed in fear, wrapping her tail and wings around herself and apparently sobbing, completely trapped and alone. Riding reached out a hoof, however, another hoof he could not see stopped him.

"This is Teardrops test, not yours." A regal voice of the night said, and then was gone as soon as it had spoken. Riding held his hoof back, feeling sick with himself as he looked down on the darkness and horror before him.

"Stop it."

Riding looked down at the trees of bone and the flaking leaves of red as Teardrops walked forward, screaming around every corner at the bodies of ponies flayed and put on display. So many times Teardrops could barely continue, urging themselves to look down while the darkness drew closer, slowing closing the world off. Riding watched helplessly from the dream realm as he saw Teardrops reach Ponyville, trotting with tears in eyes past a white and yellow pony who had been tied onto wood, holding them still and forced to watch.

A rainbow coloured monster turned back to look at Teardrops, saying only one word, "Failure."

Riding tried to touch the nightmare but felt his hoof pushed back, as if some invisible force kept him at bay. a dark laugh, from a time forgotten, and a regal sigh, both on either side of him, held him still. This is Teardrops test, not yours.

"I will help! I cannot just simply watch!" Riding said, looking up and seeing a mirror in front of him. A bat pony in jaded armor grinned back at him, tentacles petting his coat and extending out.

Helpless.

Riding looked away and ripped his mind towards Teardrops below, who was now cornered by many rainbow monsters, all encroaching. They chanted songs of weakness, holding them down, holding Teardrops along, ready to display her like every other pony that had suffered.

Riding Rain felt glass break as he pushed both hooves forward, and all time and dreams seemed to stop.

Within Riding's mind, he could still see Teardrops far off, facing what seemed to be an inescapable fate. Tendrils escaped forth from the rainbow monsters, reaching, grabbing, and Riding turned to face his own situation that was right in front of him. He had seen this many times before, but he had never had to witness another pony's nightmare.

In front of Riding Rain was the bat pony from before, and their visage was not pretty. Their sides were stained with blood, but new wings unfurled from their back, also soaked in blood that was fresh and crimson, not dulled. Every vibrant colour of Riding's coat was restored, and while he could not make out the eyes of the creature, it smiled back at him. A triumphant, long coat streaked under the blood, with jaded armor having long dark tentacles rubbing along every inch it could reach with what was nigh an embrace.

No, that- Riding Rain breathed deep, looking back at the being.

"Why are you doing this?" Riding asked the Nightmare, which did not respond. Riding heard Teardrops crying something but it was far away. The Nightmare continued to smile, and Riding listened for his internal monologue, trying to strike up conversation with himself. However, the words did not come out the way he desired them to.

"No, that's-" The Nightmare seemed to be talking over him, looking past Riding. Riding turned around in spite of himself and the obvious sound of alarm bells screaming inside his head to look behind him.

"No, no, no." The Nightmare said, as Riding struck at the ground, watching as the tentacles wrapped themselves around him, never controlling him, only rubbing along his side and around him. Riding Rain looked down a short hill at the scene before him, his internal monologue said aloud rather than in his head.

Gone now are the attachments that one once had. Lost, and alone. Riding looked down at Teardrops, seeing the rainbows, monsters though they were, recede from the world, as the other ponies faded away, leaving only red, bone, and shadow. Teardrops was several paces away from Riding, and this time he was forced to see tears. Teardrops looked absolutely petrified, shaking in place and backing away while never taking their eyes from Riding.

Teardrops, it is I. Riding said, trotting forward a few paces. Teardrops fell over, looking upwards horrified. The sound of the regal voice from before, now clearer than ever, rang inside Riding's mind. He recognized this voice, although, it was happier times when Luna had spoken to him in such a gentle tone.

Teardrops bit their lip, which drew blood, slashing the world with colour. Riding felt himself move forward in spite of himself, crunching noises under his hooves as he trod closer.

"Why did you do this?" Teardrops finally yelled, pushing aside their tears and standing up. Teardrops took a stance, alone, looking up with fury mixed with tears.

Ehehehe. Do what? The Nightmare said, the tendrils reaching out and righting Teardrops. Teardrops, for their part, fought, bit, and hit at the tendrils, however, they forced them to stand and then moved Teardrops forward, moving them to the top of the hill with Riding as he turned with a flourish of his coat. There was a sound as if every thunder had rung out at once without lightning, and the world suddenly went entirely dark. Teardrops screaming was not even audible over the sound of thunder

Teardrops was averting their eyes as the world reformed, however, Riding commanded them, the tentacles forcing Teardrops eyes to stare downwards. There was a hole in the middle of an island, which could have been a black pool, but today, was instead full of red, bone, darkness. A picture of destruction. Look. The Nightmare left no room for debate within it's realm.

Teardrops' tears stained the map below, spilling like rain and mixing with the map of Equestria that all were forced to watch. From Manehatten and Canterlot to Vanhoover bay and Las Pegasus, every inch of Equestria stood lifeless. Cold, freezing winds had consumed most of the rest of the world, reducing much of it to ashes from the sheer biting of the polar midnight, eternal night casting all into the shadows and leaving it without colour. Something like a great hole rose out of the ground near some silver grass, and only a very small area remained stable, protected but almost illusionary, just south of Equestria.

"This!" Teardrops screamed, gesturing at the map as the nightmare tendrils receded, wrapping back around Riding and rubbing along him with excitement and fervor. Teardrops rounded now on Riding, and then banged a hoof on the ground.

"Everypony! Everywhere! It was you!" Teardrops was screaming, but the sound was drowned out as thunder without the light of lightning sounded around them, casting the entire world around them into gloom. There was only an island of darkness in black and white colours, constructs moving too and fro and never truly staying in one place around them.

"Where are we!" Teardrops demanded, rounding on Riding. The Nightmare only laughed in response, inaudible over the sound of thunder.

Would you like to write that down? The Nightmare said, the words appearing as text in an aerial box and floating along, completely transparent, yet visible. it turned with a flourish of the coat, Riding gesturing with a hoof at the world around himself and Teardrops. Riding held his hoof still, and then there was a beat of a heart before he and Teardrops stood within a small room, overlooking an array of shadowy buildings. the Equestrian map vanished, leaving only Riding and Teardrops breathing and alone, overlooking shadow.

"You are where I was able to save." Riding and the Nightmare said in unison, feeling his voice crawl like pleasing spiders massaging him as he looked out a window, motioning for Teardrops to go forth and look. Teardrops did not move, and kept their gaze focused on Riding.

"You're a-" Teardrops tried twice to say what they wanted to say, but found their voice muffled.

"Not here." Nightmare Riding paused, looking down and petting his own coat, seeing black mane hover just in front of his eyes. "Eventually, this place is the fate that awaits all who touch The Nightmare." Riding was aware that he was using knowledge that he did not know how he could recall now, and did not care, either. Teardrops remained angrily focused on him, not phased now by the visage before them.

"You are not Riding Rain. Those ponies from before- they weren't my friends or Rainbow Dash! I'm telling you, it's not true!" Teardrops cried.

"The truth is awful to accept." Nightmare Riding spoke, trotting to the window with his back turned to Teardrops. After a few moments, Teardrops approached, looking out at the blackness beyond the small island.

Within this place, the one you know as Reddling Rain of Silverfield, made a different decision than other bat ponies. Nightmare Riding said.

"What would you know!?" Teardrops hissed. "You're just trying to look like him! You don't know the Riding Rain I know!"

Nightmare Riding waved his hoof, and Teardrops gasped, as if their breathe was stricken, and a few moments later, coughed. the violence was short and quick, and then, Teardrops recovered with heavy breathing.

"Look." Nightmare Riding said. Teardrops looked out at the darkness, looking deeper and longer into the great shadows swirling around. Rain, wind, and shadow whipped around, the roar of thunder deafening to all outside the room, and still almost unbearable within the room from all the noise.

"I see nothing." Teardrops said, turning back to face the Nightmare.

"What you do not see is the darkness in which the those things called eldritch, horrible, and evil exist within. There was, once, a great rift there, however, I am unsure how to operate it now. This became unimportant however, as within those realms, I found more libraries. From these, I found my way back to where I desired to be."

"Which is killing everypony in Equestria." Teardrops snarked, having a violent coughing fit. Riding hissed as something stung him in the side, and he felt himself almost stumble.

"A lie." Nightmare Riding spoke, adding fast, "Not everypony."

"Yeah, yourself, right?" Teardrops asked, narrowing their eyes. Riding said nothing.

"You still have not told me why." Teardrops continued. Riding felt the tension in the room rising, and he reached into his coat, pulling out his kukri and placing it on the window. A series of cracks ran through the blade, which seemed to be shifting into any possible shape it desired, but always holding the visage of a kukri.

"Have you considered, of course you have, that I enjoy shadows, and red, and ivory bone colours?"

"Like hell you do." Teardrops remarked, moving around and then approaching Riding at anotehr window, where he gestured down at the map from before, which had reappeared. Bound within the middle of the red, shadow, and bone, was another Equestria, completely unharmed, and completely untouched. Every single pony was in their place, each foal, each pony, every Night Guard. All arranged in perfect harmony.

"You tell only lies." Teardrops coughed, leaning on the window, looking down at the Equestria, and coughing more before heaving out. "How- how is that possible to see? We are not there."

"Nopony ever saw me, anyway." Nightmare Riding spoke, gesturing towards a small town in the center of Equestria where a library and a castle were shifting around. There were ponies playing, all them enjoying their land. Nightmare Riding continued, "While we are here you will address me in the proper fashion, however, only you will retain memories of this place when we depart. It will have felt like a dream to us both, yet I assure you, this is very real."

"So, everypony is alright? This is just scare tactics? What's the point, what kind of dream is this supposed to be?" Teardrops demanded.

"Shorten that to one question at a time, Little Teardrops." Nightmare Riding spoke.

Teardrops looked down at the map. "So everypony is alright?"

"They are very much all dead and gone, except for those that were spared the horrors bound." Nightmare Riding turned, looking over at Teardrops and their purple mane.

"And, they're alright?" Teardrops questioned, flicking their tail.

"Even the ponies who never met me. Although, they will not remember you, even if they should. Your friends do not remember your name, or your face, or your mark." Nightmare Riding gestured next to a farmhouse with a large apple orchard, and also at Silverfield, where deep within a mountain, there seemed to be something small and smeared with blood chained away.

"That's... No. No, no no." Teardrops backed up. "That is impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible. I learned well," Nightmare Riding spoke over Teardrops coughing, "Within that mountain awaits a final fate, and within that small community, a pony lives a life. However, you are not her."

Teardrops approached again, looking down and still coughing a bit. "What they said is true, then- what are you doing." Teardrops cut themselves off mid speech.

Riding had produced a small, black book from inside of his coat and opened it. The book appeared to only have a single page, and Riding folded the book back up after a glance.

"You'll learn about that, one day. The Nightmare is persistent. You will learn this." Nightmare Riding slowed, turning around and looking back at the darkness, and trotting over to where his kukri had been.

"So everypony is alright. And you, you are in the Night Guard. This place..." Nightmare Riding trailed off.

"It is where you pacified discord, lower case." Teardrops said, "You didn't defeat them?"

"Yes." Riding spoke softly, "One day, you will learn to accept that some battles cannot be won, but that does not mean that there is not victory."

Teardrops paused, shuffling a bit. "Are you really Riding Rain? Reddling Rain? The Nightmare? Who are you right now?"

Riding said nothing, so Teardrops continued, "I want to know how all of this is possible."

Riding closed his eyes and wrapped his bat wings around himself, closing his eyes in pain.

"The Nightmare never comes for free." Riding said in a soft tone.

"I don't care." Teardrops' resolve was resolute, expressed in vibrant tones of their voice that shimmered as light does.

Riding closed his eyes again, nodding, "The first thing you have to accept is there is another pony that looks similar to you in that little town. Remain a bat pony, and you will find the answers you seek in the Nightmare."

"I can ask you questions anytime here?" Teardrops asked.

"That remains to be seen, but once you have gained the power, yes, you will be able to speak to me and do so for free, but only outside, not within this room."

Teardrops nodded, glancing over their shoulder and then approaching as Riding Rain turned around. Teardrops was resting their hoof on Ausfall, sending a glint through Riding's eyes as he appraised the situation.

"Who are you?" Teardrops' remark was simple, and without cadence to their voice. Riding brushed his mane back in response, and Teardrops continued, "I met Riding Rain in the Night Guard before I was... here. This place. He has a purple mane."

"He has a black mane." Nightmare Riding replied, grabbing at his chest as he felt pain and speaking soft again, "It was painted so he could fulfill his role."

"Alright. So who are you?" Teardrops' voice was again simple and without cadence.

"I am..." Riding found his strength again, pulling himself up. one of the windows cracked, letting in the noise from outside and causing Teardrops to flatten their ears. the glass flung itself at Teardrops, inches from their face.

Riding Rain opened his left eye in the forest. All was quiet, and the moon was passing into day. He had been asleep for many hours. Riding looked down and saw Teardrops resting against the bottom of his chest, resting peacefully and unafraid. Riding shoved Teardrops onto his back and made for the camp, finding all the other cadets absent from the field. Without any ceremony, he shoved Teardrops into bed, making sure to tuck them in before heading for the door and shutting it with a sharp click.

What the hell was that. What did they really see? What did I see? Nightmare... and, Luna. Riding thought to himself, heading for his cabin. He did not rest when he laid down, he even kept his armor and weapons on, petting Ausfall and keeping it locked in it's sheathe. I remember glass breaking. I demanded to know why the Nightmare was...

Riding shook his head, seeing his purple mane drop in front of his face as he sat up and paced about in his room. Light was leaking through the bottom of the door, dangerous and threatening. Riding, meanwhile, sat down with his bottle, taking a long swig. II doubt I will be getting any sleep tonight. May as well enjoy myself. Riding swapped his trench coat out with one of his others- this one had a large hood, one that would cover his entire face. Riding adjusted himself until he was sure that not a single shred of light would dare defile his flesh. When all was adjusted and pleasing, Riding Rain stepped out into the dawn and headed for the bar.

When Riding got there, he stepped into the bar and let himself into the back area with all the bottles, shutting the door and inspecting the weapons that he had stored there. They were exactly what he thought they would be, and Riding held out one of the smaller ones, strapping it to his hoof. There was some odd manner of sensor that he could run under his coat and put into his mouth, which is exactly what he did. Riding checked the side of the weapon for it's command word, and then grabbed one of the packs at the bottom of the box. Turning the dial all the way down and then adjusting the pack, Riding slid it in and saw a brief flash of magical light, and then darkness. Riding picked up a second pack, smaller pack, which seemed to contain seven slotted areas with a scant few particles of dust in them. Riding slid this into the darkness area, and saw a non-offensive light glow in a faint fashion, showing the weapon to be ready for use.

"I hate these." Riding thought to himself, a darker tone in his head making everything hurt for a moment as he grabbed at his chest, not quite in pain, and stumbling a bit. Riding quickly quieted himself as he heard noise on the other side of the door, the sound of many ponies trotting around and speaking. Riding Rain waited, closing the box quietly and looking around at the bottles, before picking out one that was pleasing to him. He tucked the bottle under his wing and waited. Once Riding heard six sets of hoofsteps and had heard the door almost close but left open a crack, he opened the door to where he was located.

"Close the door." Riding coughed, the Nightmare leaking into his voice as he calmed himself. There was a screaming squeak as one of the bat ponies hurried to shut the door tight, all of the cadets except Teardrops locking their eyes on Riding. Some of them were fearful, some of them were obviously nothing short of terrified. Riding put the bottle on the counter, looking around the room. All the cadets were standing, and Riding gestured with his wing to the countertop, taking down his hood and removing his sunglasses. The cadets averted their eyes as he sighed, putting the sunglasses back on and gesturing to the counter.

"Are you here to stand or are you here to drink? And I'll take the note," Riding paused for a moment, then added, "Please, Starshadows." Starshadows hurried over and dropped the note with a bit of a crumple onto the counter and lunged back, hurrying to sit as far away from Riding as he could at the bar as the other cadets all took a stool near the counter. Riding picked up the note and looked it over. The note was written in glowing ink and black paper with blue trim, advertising only three bright blue letters emblazoned at the top.

"Really, invisible ink." Riding asked. Starshadows looked directly at the counter, saying absolutely nothing.

"You know that these are contraband in all of Equestria, right?" Riding pressed Starshadows, who again, kept absolute silence. Riding folded the letter up and put it away, uncorking the bottle he had chosen and using the shadows to lift seven glasses up to the table. He picked up the bottle in his mouth and poured some out for each of the cadets, and then for himself, setting the empty bottle back down.

"Pass them down." Riding said, pausing and watching as the cadets distributed the glasses to one another. Riding then took his sunglasses off again, folding them up and putting them into his coat and continuing, "When we are not practicing or training, or you are not within Canterlot, I want for you to all address me as if I was a normal member of the Night Guard. If you must use honorifics, do not do that."

The cadets all nodded in a militant fashion, although, they seemed to ease up a bit at this. Riding pulled a stool up and sat at the counter with them, rolling his glass in his hoof. The others waited on their drinks, and Riding raised his and drank first, downing it all in a long gulp. Still, however, the others did not drink. Riding looked at them, suspicion and curiosity simultaneous in expression on his heart.

"We are uh, waiting on Teardrops." Moonbeam idled, tapping their glass.

"Teardrops has already gone to rest. We will all continue practice tomorrow together.

"Oh." Moonbeam seemed a little disheartened, but all the cadets raised their glasses and took drinks.

It was the darker green bat that spoke next, pushing his blue mane back, "I was kind of hoping they would join. They are always so... cold when we try to talk to them. You're the only pony I see them be cordial with." When they were done speaking, Riding looked over at the pony, meeting their eyes and seeing them avert their gaze just a little.

"You are Nightwing." Riding said, then looked over at Moonbeam, saying "And Moonbeam."

There was dead silence from the cadets, so Riding continued, "It would be pleasing, for the rest of you to introduce yourselves, please." Again, there was dead silence, so Riding passed off a chuckle as a cough, speaking up more. "Do not all speak at once now."

"Ah!" A light blue bat stood up, his red and blue hues blowing over his eyes as he spoke up, "Sir! I am Secret Sound, Sir!"

"Never call me sir again." Riding mumbled.

"Yes!" Secret Sound said, sitting down.

"I am Night Guard Riding Rain, of Silverfield." Riding introduced himself back, then turned to the next pony in line.

"Rust Shade." Rust shade spoke next, and in the darkness, Riding identified them to be more of a rust colour than a brown, which made his bat pony ears perk up a bit at the name. Otherwise, neither of them said a word to one another. Riding turned to the final pony who's name he did not know.

"Mint. You know, like-" Mint stopped, looking down. "Bits, and such."

Riding nodded, turning away and heading into the back room before returning with two more bottles, setting them down. As he did and began uncorking another bottle, Moonbeam gestured towards the wrist of his forehoof.

"What is that?" Moonbeam asked.

"It's called a weapon." Riding said, slowing his speech at the end as he uncorked a bottle, pouring himself another drink and setting the bottle down in front of the cadets.

"Not to question you, but are we allowed to drink this?" Secret Sound asked.

"You are if I serve it to you. You are also allowed to do so in the Night Guard. If you are old enough to perish for Equestria, then you are old enough for strong drink." Riding mumbled, before downing his glass. "Do not worry, you will not get intoxicated. You may get drunk, but not intoxicated."

"R-Right." Secret Sound said.

"Is that a bat pony power?" Nightwing's wings flapped a bit, and Riding could see that he was trying to keep them contained so he did not buffet the two cadets next to him.

Riding shrugged, "Depending on how you look at it. Our metabolism works different, similar to those masked ponies."

"The 'Luminous Ones' you mean?" Secret Sound chimed in. Riding nodded to him.

"Do you trust them?" Nightwing asked.

Riding waved a hoof, looking away and replying with rudeness, "Do you?"

Nightwing shook his head. "Admittedly, no."

"That's your answer." Riding Rain uncorked the second bottle and poured himself a third drink. After this they all sat for a moment of silence as the cadets poured themselves more drink, and then they talked amongst themselves a small amount.

"So, what do you... do, in the Night Guard? Just guard the princesses right, but you- you don't do that?" Moonbeam interrupted the chatter, looking at Riding Rain as he swirled his glass.

"More drink?" Riding offered, turning and heading for the back room as he fetched two more bottles.

"No thank you." Moonbeam called after. Riding secured two more bottles, bringing them out and uncorking another bottle and pouring himself a double helping. He took the glass and glugged thrice before he sat it down, looking Moonbean direct in their eyes. Moonbeam had eyes like teal moonbows, echoing around the diamonds in her eyes.

"I protect and save ponies." Riding said in a quiet tone.

"The books say you killed a lot of ponies." Starshadows spoke for the first time from the end of the bar. Riding looked down at him, uncorking the second bottle and pouring another double helping before passing the two bottles among the other cadets, who were beginning to fall behind in drinking.

"Yes," Riding said, "I suppose they do. But I am here to learn about all of you, and help you fit into the Night Guard, not talk about myself."

"Well we aren't training right now." Starshadows said back, looking up. Riding caught their glare, and Starshadows was quick to look back down.

"Remember your helmets before you go outside." Riding did not disguise the upset tone in his voice; downing his double helping and then throwing his hood up. He unfolded his sunglasses with a bat claw and positioning them on his muzzle before he stepped towards the rear door of the bar, opening the door and heading out into the day. Even under his cloak of night, this was a very unpleasant experience, and he made sure to hurry to his cabin and vanish into the darkness, laying down in bed and keeping his body covered in his coat.

Again.

Riding found himself in the clearing without light, shadows and ivory and silver whipping around him as he arced out of his dream and into the realm full of other dreams. He headed straight for the Nightmare he was aware of, pursuing Teardrops' dream.

Riding found the landscape, but found something preventing him from entering. He could look in, and he saw a pony coated in every colour he could imagine. It had all been splattered across their coat and armor, and they were speaking with Teardrops. Their coat was blood, and their mane was black, shining with all colours of the rainbow, but only in the light. The Pony spoke with Riding's voice, but Riding knew they were not him.

"Who are you?" Teardrops asked, their voice devoid of kindness. Riding tried to press into the dream, but found himself still kept out, unable to intervene. He tapped his hoof over and over, but found himself unable to enter the dream as the conversation continued.

"I am..." The Nightmare Riding said, and Riding bashed both his hooves down on the dream, feeling it shatter in front of him.

The next colours were red. Red, ivory, and blackness. Time slowed and Teardrops seemed to be moving in the slowest motion possible as Nightmare Riding turned around and stared at Riding, their visage turning into a snarl. Riding felt the glass slow and cut his dream body, embedding his body as he entered in the dream, the dream window becoming real glass that was daggers in front of him. There was a dripping sound as Riding stood before the Nightmare, glaring angrily as he unsheathed his blade, the real Ausfall.

"Fool." The Nightmare said, turning into shadows that warped around the room. Riding found himself wrapped within them, and then saw black mane fall in front of him. The glass repelled itself and he felt whole again. Everything was vivid and real. Teardrops stood there, with almost no ability to move as Riding felt the dark tendrils clasp his limb and raise Ausfall to his mouth. Riding felt murder in his eyes as he looked down at Teardrops. Another bat pony who failed to accept the Nightmare. The Nightmare coated Riding's limb to steady the blade as it plunged towards Teardrops' throat. There was a sharp pull, and Riding felt the blade move, just a small amount, away. Willing his other forehoof forwards, Riding saw Ausfall shove straight into his own foreleg before the dream blacked out.

When the dream cut back there was a Nightmare Riding behind Riding, and Teardrops was slumped against him, unconscious. Looking over his shoulder, Riding saw the Nightmare in all of it's glory for only a moment as it vanished, still clutching the real Ausfall in it's tendrils. Riding had but a moment to see the cracked, fake Ausfall fly to him, leaving him holding Teardrops and with a fake knife.

"Riding Rain? Sir?" Secret Sound's voice cut through the door. Riding sat up, covered in cold sweat as he looked at the door. it was already dark outside, moonlight and stars twinkling enough light for bat ponies to see by under the doorframe.

"A moment and I will be with you!" Riding called out, throwing off his coat onto the bed and donning the one without a hood, shoving his sunglasses on and trotting at haste to the door and opening it inwards. Secret Sound had already taken several paces back, looking rather sheepish at the situation.

"Did you sleep in Sir?" Secret Sound asked.

"Do not call me that. Let's go... Thank you." Riding took a moment to add the last part, setting a brisk pace towards the field, Secret Sound almost sprinting to catch up with the trot. The practice field already had every other cadet present, and Secret Sound went to stand by Teardrops, who still looked tired. Teardrops did not meet Riding's eyes today, staring straight down into the ground. Riding looked at the rest of the cadets, and raised a hoof, waving it.

"Back to flying practice. After lunch, we will begin a different activity before we fly any higher. Make sure you are prepared." Riding finished the order, watching as the cadets all nodded and Teardrops moved to start gliding away. Riding, however, interjected fast, "Teardrops- meet me in the mess hall."

Teardrops stopped, not making eye contact before they headed to the mess hall. Riding watched the other cadets all get to gliding practice before he huffed, and turned to head to confront Teardrops. Teardrops was in the mess hall, at the very end. Riding grabbed himself two small mangoes, tucking them into his wing as he headed to the end of the table and sat down. Teardrops shied away a small bit, still not meeting his eye.

"I saw what you saw, Teardrops." Riding's tone was like a point, a point similar to the two he drove straight into the mango in front of him, taking several gulps.

"I know. I saw you." Teardrops mumbled.

"No, no you did not," Riding said. "You saw the Nightmare."

This made Teardrops stop, and look up. There was curiosity now in their eyes, but still, hesitation. "The Nightmare? Riding?"

"You see what you fear the most in The Nightmare. Why did you not stab when you had Ausfall? It would have slain the Nightmare." Riding asked, opening his coat and revealing Ausfall to be sheathed there, right next to his ribs and throwing knives.

"I... But, that was you, and it was not you?" Teardrops asked.

Riding looked away, pausing before he asked, "What is the last thing you remember occurring in the Nightmare you had?"

"Glass shattering, and... a hug?" Teardrops questioned themself, and Riding waved a hoof. Teardrops repeated their statement, nodding at the truthfulness of it.

"Take my hoof." Riding positioned his hoof towards Teardrops. Teardrops took a few moments, brushing their hoof on the table, as if wondering if they actually wanted to do this. Teardrops looked up, locking eyes with Riding, and then, finally, touched their hooves.

An Ethereal world enveloped the two of them, making the mess hall appear less real, as if it was never truly there to begin with. Riding looked down at a scene with Teardrops, seeing himself covered in blood and then a duel breaking out. As the Nightmare grinned and began to vanish Riding moved very fast, drawing the fake Ausfall and pushing Teardrops to the ground. The Nightmare raised Ausfall and struck down, hard, against Riding, who raised the fake Ausfall and parried. There was a bright streak of light and Riding fell away, throwing himself onto Teardrops before the entire scene ended. The two of them seemed to zoom in, arriving back within the room, with the window repaired, great thunder still echoing outside.

"I control my own Nightmares, thank you very much." Riding Rain spoke as the tendrils quieted themselves, fading into his clothing as darker than pitch colouring for his jacket and armor. He patted himself down and let his long, dark hair fall around him as he looked over at Teardrops, his hair reflecting both purple and black as all colour drained from his armor and leaked across the ground, oozing towards the center of the island.

Teardrops brushed a hoof on the ground, flicking their tail side to side before saying, "So..."

"One moment." Riding Rain said, moving his hoof over to a small clear glass pane that had some black mirror behind it and adjusting some dials. After a few moments, Riding looked back up at Teardrops, saying, "Some of what we talk about has to be held until later, just be aware that if you ever need to, you should be able to visit here and listen to any recordings- that is, you can re hear our conversations, like a memory, here."

"How is that supposed to work?" Teardrops asked. Riding Rain nudged the cube.

"Much like the dream realm, this realm also possesses wonders that Equestria does not know yet. Past, present, and future exist without causality here." Riding tried his best to explain, but Teardrops kind of just glanced up at him.

Teardrops shuffled a bit, looking down still. "So this is where we can speak free any time? And you- you are still, you know. Riding Rain, not the Nightmare?"

Riding reached forward, offering a hoof to Teardrops, which Teardrops accepted. For a brief moment, both of them could see themselves with eyes closed, and hooves clasped in the mess hall, before it faded back into the ethereal, leaving them present again still within the dark place.

"Well, now that I have you here, I think you've got a lot of explaining to do." Teardrops said, waiting for Riding and when he said nothing, taking a pace forward at a trot. "Can I trust anything the Nightmare told me?"

"I am not sure. However, the Nightmare cannot see the future in perfect order. Nopony can." Riding commented.

Teardrops gave a nod, turning and looking out the window and tapping on the glass. Riding approached, looking down at the map that had been summoned forth in the middle of the pit. Teardrops spoke up, "Is that part true? Equestria, the... bad place around it, all of that?"

"I do not know." Riding replied, "Just like dreams, this realm has drawbacks. You ever notice you can never fully remember a dream?"

Teardrops nodded, rolling their eyes, "Yes, and it's very annoying! it feels like you are at the best part or you want to talk about it later, and you just forget it!"

"Having important information about some topics or future events can put you into a position where you are going to lose memories of this in the other world. Using The Nightmare I could tell you and myself potentially anything, you're just using me as an encyclopedia. However, it's taking that information back with us that becomes the major issue." Riding and Teardrops looked at each other as he finished speaking.

"So, you're basically a resource for me then. You can help within reason, you can teach me a lot?" Teardrops offered.

Riding nodded, "But neither of us can resolve our conflicts in other spaces and times unless we are there."

"Can other bat ponies do this?" Teardrops asked. Riding Rain narrowed his eyes at this.

"No." Riding said. "Every bat pony, every pony, has limited access to such things in the dream realm. Within this realm, we can have information access across entire Equestrias, as that map shows- even places that no longer exist or have not existed yet."

"So it's not such an unfair advantage, because we have no idea if the information we get is useful to us, or when." Teardrops reasoned, pointing specifically at a town Riding recognized as Ponyville. He had only been there once, but he could recall the quaint place.

"It can help us prepare a little bit." Riding offered, "Most of all this is a private place to speak where we will not spied upon. The Nightmare digs deep, and using it is very dangerous. The other bat ponies will be exposed to the Nightmare. If possible, the Nightmare will overcome them. You can however, defeat the Nightmare, on your own terms."

"Right..." Teardrops said, still looking down at the map, their tail swishing side to side in a nervous fashion, akin to a cat that was unsure if it wanted to accept food from a stranger. "Enough about that though. I want to know about, you know. The thing the Nightmare said about there being- in Ponyville."

"The only way to answer that would be to go there and see for yourself." Riding Rain said. "Prepare your emotions."

"Luna, she..." Teardrops looked down, "She said she needed help. She gave the offer to all of my friends, but I felt like she just... knew, I was right for the job."

"Luna has a way of knowing such things, that is beyond me." Riding said, watching the map as little ponies moved and played from afar with Teardrops.

"Even if I have to forget it, I can know something while I'm here if I have to forget it, right?" Teardrops asked. Riding paused, but then nodded. Teardrops took a deep breath.

"You can tell me where I am from." Teardrops stated, pausing in silence with Riding before continuing, "You can tell me who my parents are, and what happened to them."

Riding shuffled his hoof around, brushing the ledge of the glass. He could feel the thought at the edge of his mind, but for his own sake, he kept it at bay for now. Riding said absolutely nothing, simply looking out at the endless expanse beyond the small island.

"Well? Will you look it up?" Teardrops asked. Riding, looked down, not responding at all.

Riding shook his head. Teardrops stood up straighter, indignant. "Why not?!"

"I do not need to." Riding said. Teardrops glared at him suspiciously for a moment, giving a groan and looking back out the window. After a few moments Teardrops gave a gasp.

"Wait, you already know, then?" Teardrops asked, hope flaming to life in their voice. Riding Rain gave a nod.

"Tonight, after practice, meet me in the bar. We can converse like this then." Riding Rain offered, "I know you would rather know now, but it's going to take a lot of showing you and I need to prepare myself for it. Please?"

Teardrops hesitated for a moment, but then gave a nod of agreement. Riding offered his hoof towards Teardrops, who accepted it.

Riding Rain looked back at Teardrops as he removed his hoof, picking up the second mango and beginning to suck the juice out of it as Teardrops stared at him. Riding reasoned it was good that he had a mango in his mouth, because he was not sure if he would be smiling, grinning, or smirking about the situation. He had never actually tried that before, and was quite excited that it had worked, even though he knew it would.

"What are you?" Teardrops asked the correct question at last.

"Just a Night Pony." Riding put the second shriveled mango down, putting his sunglasses back on and grabbing both in his wings to discard them as Teardrops rushed to catch up.

Teardrops continued after Riding as he rounded the door and headed for the practice field, "Does Éther know?" Teardrops queried.

"I sure hope not; that will make our time a little too interesting." Riding Rain commented.