A Shadow's thorn

As she awoke she found herself on a beach. She knew this beach it was the one place in the dream realm she could be at peace. The beach it self wasn't anything special in her mind. Out facing the sea and sitting on a towel she looked up in the moonlit sky with all the beautiful stars that came with such scenery. She closed her eyes listening to the waves crashing on the shore. When she opened her eyes she spotted a pony at her shore staring at the Night sky. She recognized the pony as princess luna of the night, but what was she doing here as gar as she knew she wasn't having a night mare.

She made her way off her towel and toward the shore where the princess stood. "You have kept me waiting for quite awhile little pony," the princess of the night said.

"Came here to admire a work you did not create princess," as she stood beside the princess she took the time to see the princess herself. She had no clothes on and neither had she. But that was normal for her she was always naked in her dreams, she wanted to be free as the day she was born.

"Watch your self little pony despite you knowing how to control your dreams I can still give you nightmares," Luna was now looking at her with a threatening glare.

"We both know you can't and won't do that because your still afraid to use the power of darkness In fear of becoming the famous Nightmare Moon. And even if you did have power over me, which you don't I'm still in equal power to you in magic," she said walking back to her towel with luna following close behind. Luna grabbed onto her shoulder to step her moving forward.

"You lie, nopony has the power to traverse the dream realm as well as I. If there was we would know of it,"

"perhaps we got of one the wrong foot. my name is Aura Embers," she stuck out her hand towards Luna. which she took.

"I am the princess of the night Luna," she shook hand with a grip. Moonlight let go of Luna's hand and went back to resting on her towel. "Where do you think you're going,"

"Uhhh going to rest on my towel so I can enjoy the scenery" and she wasn't talking about the sky. While she was a huge fan of the show back in her old world there was one pony that was her absolute favorite pony/alicorn, Nightmare moon. Though she only appeared a limited time in the show, but that's what made her so good to Aura. But Luna was nice too she had to admit. The way the mlp fandom portrayed was nothing compared to the Luna that was sitting beside her.

Luna saw that was indeed a towel laid across the beach. when she blinked saw that there were two towels side by side each other. She then looked at her and saw that Aura was already sitting down on her towel. Aura patted the towel next to her inviting Luna to sit down next to her. Though reluctant she did sit, but she pulled the towel away from Aura.

"So what's a princess of dreams doing here, so far as I can tell I have no nightmares," which was true she wasn't scarred of her nightmares so why was Luna here.

"Your door to your dream showed a dark aura so I had to investigate. But it was interesting," Luna replied

"Oh,"

"Yes when I entered I was transported to place of sea and sky and the the sea was flat and was reflecting the sky, though i could stand on said sea. I was wondering there for hours until I found a door leading here," as she said this she was staring out at the sea. "Why do you have a protective realm that protects your mind. I have never encountered some like that before,"

"Well for one that wasn't a protective realm that's more of like a check point," one her most challenging 'check points' it was design by Apophis to read the person or pony's mind and heart. If they had intensions to hurt Moonlight they would be shot out her mind and they were going to endure pain in their head that made it feel like their head was splitting in two. Though it lasted for one minute.

As she explained to Luna she was shocked and was glad she wasn't shot back out of her mind. "So what are you if your not one of my bat ponies then what are?"

As she went to respond she sensed something behind them, she looked behind her and saw inky tentacles growing on the tree. Luna saw this as well and went into a defensive stance. "What is this?" she asked feeling fear but it wasn't her it was Aura's fear. She looked at her and saw that Moonlight was on her knees gripping her head panicking.

"No no NO you can't be back. I put you in the trap door and sealed it. you can't be back," she was panicking this monster was coming back. The tree that the tendril was growing on the tree turned the tree into pony shape person. Then a magic blast came from Luna's horn she had try to banish the nightmare from the poor mare's mind but the shadow was still there unfazed by her attack. The shadow turned into a version of Moonlight, but she was fully back instead of the usually grey that most bat ponies had. Her hair was ethereal like Luna's but it was completely black moving in the none existent wind but it gave off a very inky way of moving. Her eyes were bright purple both in the outer eyes and inside.

"Oh it feels so good to be out of that place," the shadow figure was coaming her hair before noticing Luna. "Oh! I didn't know you had a guest Mia,". The shadow figure was began laughing. Luna fired up her horn but the shadow was faster. Tendrils appeared from the ground at both at Luna and Aura's feet. the tendrils began coiling around their bodies binding their limbs to their bodies, one tendril managed coil itself around Luna's horn cutting her off from her magic. The two mares were bound together back to back against each other.

"No no we can't have that now can we..." The shadow got closer towards the two of them. she then grabbed Aura's throat. "Now you, i have some fun things planned so the both of us can enjoy"

Luna tried to get loose not managing to." what are you?"

"I'm what you what you call a shadow. like your little Nightmare Moon form we're buried deep inside your heart and get stronger and stronger by you burying your repressed thought deep inside yourself," The shadow let go of Moonlight's throat. She then moved in front of Luna and placed her hand of Luna's chest. "And she's still in there waiting to be free," The shadow then began to laugh again. But unknown to Luna and Moonlight the shadow was pouring dark magic to bring out Nightmare Moon out of Luna.

"No the elements bani-," Luna noticed something, she looked down as much as she could with the tendril hold her horn. Her shadow began move out from under her then moving under the shadow touching Luna. Luna's shadow moved behind the shadow . Then it began to shape by rising from the ground too take the shape of a pony. it turned into Nightmare Moon. Luna was terrified she thought she would never she her again.

"Why am I here. what am i..." Nightmare then notice Luna" oh you I'm going t-" she went to attack Luna but felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked at whoever was touching her, her Nightmare Moon.

"Hold on there, not yet we need to let them know we exist that will be torture enough" she then summoned a corridor.

"And who you think you are stopping me. I will destroy you," she charged her horn but the shadow stopped her by snapping her fingers snuffing out Nightmare's magic completely. "How did... what did you do to me.,"

"Relax I just nullified you magic. And reason you can't attack them is because if you kill her you'll die along with her" the shadow began to walk towards the dark corridor. "Follow me I'll tell you the plan once we're out of this dream,"

Nightmare looked a Luna and smirked at her fear. She placed a hand on Luna's cheek. Though look hesitant Nightmare followed the shadow through but before she did she asked "so what is your name savior"

"You can call me..." the shadow looked at Aura. she stared back with fear in her eyes at her worst nightmare brought. "Mia...". Mia then stepped through the corridor with Nightmare following soon after. Soon after the corridor disappeared the tendrils that were binding the two mares dissolved into inky puddles. After the tendrils were completely gone the two mares fell to the ground. Luna tried to stand up but couldn't due to her legs crippled with fear.

"we have... stop them," she tried to stand up but fell on her face.

"we can't their too strong," Aura said sitting on haunches. Fear still plagued her despite 'she' being gone.

"What have you wrought upon us," she said glaring with anger at Aura. she began to crawl, it would almost comical it the situation wasn't so serious.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to release her. the seal must of broken because of my betrayal"

"What do you mean?" Luna asked curious.

"I was betrayed by my friends and family and I guess that's what broke the seal on the trapped door deep inside my mind"

"What happened?" feeling even more curious at the mare.

"Years ago on a different world called earth. I was once part of a race called humans," she said with her back against the tree. "I hated being part of that race so I became this, a thestral a bat pony hybrid,"

"The how were you betrayed what does that have to do that thing being released,"

Moonlight sighed "To answer both those questions I'll have to answer the second one," she then got up walked over to Luna to help her up" Luna got up into a sitting position with Aura sitting beside her. "When I changed I felt powerful. My world had no magic so I created it though no one knew how to use it even though it available for everyone to use. The reason was because no one discovered it. But that wasn't the only thing I created I also created new life called venians,"

"Venians?" Luna asked wondering how she could create magic. for all she knew magic couldn't be created it already was created, it existed all around them. it was inside every living thing in equestria. you couldn't created magic, or could you? she knew that magic spells could be created but to create a whole new magic that was something that star swirl couldn't even do. But if what if she said was true and her world had no magic then it was possible for her to do it in her world. She already new other worlds existed due to her sister once visited a world where sombra was good and was courting her. That was one memory she wanted to forget.

"The venians were a race that was the best of both world combined with animal and human DNA they were able to become better than their counter parts. I created six venians to be my friends even my family. but back to me as i was training with my new found power my desire to rule and conquer grew stronger and I was barely able to resist its sweet temptations. in the end it consumed me and I let it and became this dark entity that stopped at nothing to rule and conquer,"

"Then how were you stopped" she wondered is she was same her.

"My friends managed to banish it with their magic but that wasn't enough, she was still there in my mind trying to get me to submit to her again. But I didn't listen I banished her in the trap door in my mind,"

"Trap door, you mentioned that before what is that?"

"Its a place in my mind where I banish all my darker thoughts. when I sealed that place it was my bond with my friends and family the kept it sealed. But that's gone and I have no one or any pony left in my life, that was what broke the seal and set her free," she said this as she was laying down on her back.

"So what are going to do now we have to stop them," she got up and went back the way she came. She stop she turned to Aura who was looking at the ground. Luna couldn't help be see her self in her she was here alone. "Where are you right now?"

"Probably at ponyville general I was damaged pretty badly my body can't really move much"

Luna wide eyed kneeled in front of Aura she placed her hand on Aura. " What happened to you? Who found you?"

Aura looked up at Luna with tears in her eyes. "I told you..." she got up slapping Luna hand. "I was betrayed... they tried to kill me after all I did for them and the repay me by banishing me...here," she said sobbing. she then fell to the ground her hand on her face.

"Don't worry I'll get you somewhere safe once I find you," she put her hands around Aura. 'she is like me... here... alone'

Aura stood up slapping Luna's hand away" So what so you can banish me from this world too?" she started to walk away when Luna grabbed her wrist stopping her.

Luna could see that she wasn't in the right in the right mind to deal with this. As she looked around and the beach was crumbling around them it was getting un stable. Luna felt a pull on her body. Then Luna was pulled out of the dream "Aura!!!" she yelled as she was pulled out. She saw the door to Aura's dream. She tried to get in but lack inky tendrils were covering the door in a rapid pace preventing Luna from entering Aura's dream. "Aura please let me in i can help you," she banged the door with her fist. With no response the door started to dissolve into a inky mess. Luna tried to reverse the door back into shape but the magic was too strong she would need to be a bit stronger to reverse it.

By the time she managed to gather enough magic, the door was gone. right where the door once stood was another pony's dream. one of which she would not enter until she knew that mare was safe. She exited the dream realm and went straight to her sister's room, which it was already close to morning so she knew she would be awake. And as she passed the two night guards that stood by her sister's room she was reminded of Aura. She greeted the two guards and proceeded into the Celestia room.

Sitting in her chair near the fire place was Celestia herself, she was reading a book. She look up at whoever entered her room when she saw that it was her sister Luna she smiled that only she shared between her and her sister. "Ah Luna i was just about to raise the sun. what brings you here dear sister?"

"Its Nightmare Moon she back" at this Celestia smile dropped. she got up from her chair walking over Luna

"Luna she can't be back the elements banished her she's gone Lulu," she said grabbing onto Luna's shoulder.

"But she was still inside me and that monster brought her out," she walked away from Celestia to the fire place looking down at it with sadness in her eyes.

"What happened?" worried for her sister she walked beside her trying to see into her little sister's eyes.

"I was in the dream realm when I spotted a unusual door that had blue light emanating from it. I went to check it out and I was transported to a place of sky and sea, there was land I was standing on but the sea was reflecting the sky. I was wondering there for hours on end until I was a door. I went through it and saw a place I couldn't believe could exists in ponies dreams," she said smiling at the memory.

"What place was that Lulu," she was happy seeing her sister happy. But what bothered her was the she said Nightmare Moon was back. How?

"it was a beautiful place dear sister. It was a beach but it wasn't the beach itself that was beautiful it was the sky. the moon in the sky stars behind it were all so beautifully placed as if made by a artist themselves. but then I met a mare by the name of Aura Embers and she already knew who I was. we were talking when a creature came from nowhere. she was the exact copy of Aura but she was different. she tied the two of us together I tried to use my magic to dispel her from existence but she negated my magic. She told me that Nightmare Moon was still inside me and she released her from inside me. and when i saw her i was terrified at what I saw her a darker version of me," Luna was at the point of crying in her sisters arms.

"Shhhh dear sister she can't hurt you," she felt Luna holding on tighter. She notice something that her sister said this Aura Embers. she looked down Luna's face which was matted with tears staining her beautiful face, she felt pain in her heart seeing this. "Hey Lulu where is this Aura. Maybe if this creature came from her dreams maybe she knows how to deal with it "

"I don't know we can talk with her for the moment, she said she was in ponyville general"

"What!?!?!" she said alarmed. "What happened? Is she alright?

"I don't know what happened, but she said she was betrayed and thats how she ended up in the state she is," she remembered what she said ' I was betrayed... they tried to kill me after all I did for them and the repay me by banishing me...here,' "She said was almost killed by her friends,"

"Hmmhm well she mustn't be left alone. I'll twight to get her ready for transfer to the hospital in the castle then we can talk to her then," she summoned a scroll and wrote to twilght exactly what she said she was about to sent off the scroll but Luna stopped her.

"Thank you dear sister. But we should let her rest ," Luna hugged celestia tight.

"Why deat sister she Is clearly troubled and needs our help if we let her be she will only grow more so," confused at Luna's she lowered the scroll.

"I know but I have a feeling twilight and her friend will help her. I'll contact her again through dream sometime later. Right now she's in fragile state and if bother her anymore I fear she'll become worst than the shadow itself,"

"OK Lulu I trust your judgment. I'll holdof on the scroll for now,".

~==============~

Deep inside the nightmare realm sat two creatures made entirely of shadows of two ponies they hated but couldn't kill because if they did they would die along with them. So here they were forming a plan to grow stronger than the two ponies they hated.

"So Mia why did you take me out of Luna?" Nightmare Moon said with her hand underneath her chin and elbow on table.

"Well I don't really have a reason why I did it, I just did. And as for how we'll deal with them we'll have to gather more villains for this because this requires more than just the two of us to pull off," she summoned two tea cups with a teapot. She poured herself and for Nightmare Moon. She place Nightmare's tea cup in front of her and her tea cup in front of her.

"What do you have in mind?" She took a sip of the tea which was quite delicious in her tastes.

"First we'll have to get more help. I'm thinking Daybreaker," she also took a sip of her tea.

"And who Is this Daybreaker you speak of she sounds powerful,"

"She's Celestia's shadow and the I plan to release next," she saw Nightmare's wide eyed expression. She would have expected Celestia herself had a shadow of her own. She was the holy light in everyponies life. If she had a shadow of her own she was hiding it well. "Well I can assure she does. You see after she banished you and Luna to the moon she felt an intense amount of guilt and over the thousand years she spent without her dear sister Luna that guilt grew into darkness. The only reason she was able to keep it at bay was due to the ponies in her life. But that darkness that shadow just waiting to be released, oh how much chaos she can bring,"

"And how to you know she wouldn't kill us as soon as she sees us. The only reason I haven't killed you was because you saved me from that hell of being inside that sorrowful pony's mind," she then placed her empty tea cup on its saucer, asking for more tea. Mia poured more tea into Nightmare's cup.

"Well for one when can become so much better if we all worked together. And If she doesn't well she can meet the same fate you suffered at the hands of twilight and her friends and this time..." she leaned over the table at where they were sitting at." there wouldn't be a a way for her to survive this time,"

"Are you threatening us?" She asked feeling the threatening tone coming from Mia's voice.

"No. Just finding out where your where your allegiances lies cause you see while you mind be connected to Luna, she is not connected to you meaning you can die and she'll be completely fine. This is why we must work together otherwise without them their our life line,"

"And what happens if they do find us they're just going to use the elements on us"

"And that's exactly why I have a second part of my plan involves us finding ourselves new vessels to In habit so it can protect our spirits so we inhabit as many bodies as we want,"

"Hmm that does sound interesting what's your third part of your plan," she said curious.

"Well we'll cross that bridge when we come to it right now we focus on the first part of the plan getting more people first,"

"Fine I'm in" Nightmare said with a wicked smile on her face. She took another sip all the while laughing manically.