Diamonds and Dreams

"Alright, let's get this training underway," Luna said as she brought Rarity into the dream realm.

Rarity gasps at how easily Luna can drag her into the ether, looking around as dreams dance around her.

"Wait, it's morning so how is the dream realm filled with dreams?" Rarity asks as Luna smiles.

Sweet Rarity, the dream realm is always filled with dreams, daydreams, pipe dreams, night dreams, and many other types of dreams, but that is not why we're here," Luna replied as she used her ties to dark magic to summon a Nightmare Moon clone.

"We are here to train you, your battle is both physical and mental, so you must train here," Luna says as she walks behind Rarity.

"What do you want me to do?" Rarity asked as she looked at her Nightmare clone, fear entering her mind.

"Use your magic to attack, but I can already tell that something is holding you back," Luna said as she sat down next to Rarity.

"How?" Rarity asked, confused and a little angry that Luna would assume that.

"Because you moved back slightly, also because it's my job to read ponies, dreams are windows to the desires and fears of ponies' hearts and I can tell you have a lot of unanswered questions, and I know somepony or in this case ponies that can help," Luna said as she brought them out of the dream realm.

"Who?" Rarity asked.

"You're parents, I feel you need closure between them before you face the nightmare in you," Luna replied as Rarity looked down.

"W-would you come with me?" Rarity asked.

"Of course, after all, I do need to confess to them and thank them," Luna said, causing Rarity to look puzzled at her.

"Thank them, but why?" Rarity asked.

Luna smiled and caressed Rarity's cheek with her hoof. "I'm sure you might already have an inkling," Luna said as she teleported them to the home of Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles.

Rarity looked at the house, and a wave of emotion washed over her as she took a heavy breath.

"I'm nervous," Rarity said as she tried to take a step forward.

Luna smiled. "It's normal you would feel that way, your whole world just came crashing down when you found out the truth so I don't blame you for feeling nervous, I am as well," Luna admitted as she wrapped a wing around Rarity.

Rarity smiled as she and Luna approached the house and knocked on the door.

A few seconds passed before the door swung open and standing there was Hondo Flanks.

"Ah, what a surprise, how are you doing, Rarity?" Hondo asks as he notices Luna. "And might I say what a pleasure it is to be visited by you, Princess Luna," Hondo added as he kissed Luna's hoof.

"Don't forget you're married dear," Cookie Crumbles says from behind, witnessing her husband's actions.

Hondo turned around and blushed. "Right, dear," he said as he cleared his throat. The display made Rarity giggle as her parents invited them in.

"So what brings you here, Rarity?" Cookie Crumbles asks as she sets out refreshments for their guests.

Rarity fidgets in her chair, unsure on how to break the ice on such a sensitive subject.

"Well, it has come to my attention that…." Rarity stops mid-sentence trying to think of the right word.

Cookie Crumbles sits next to her husband and looks at Rarity. "I think I know what this is about," she says looking at Rarity, holding her hoof in hers.

"You do?" Rarity asked.

"Yes, a mother knows these things, I don't know how you found out, but you did so you deserve to know the truth," Cookie Crumbles said as Hondo wrapped his foreleg around her.

"We always wanted to tell you when you were older, but with your businesses booming and how close you and Sweetie Belle had gotten, it got harder to find the right time," Hondo explained as he hugged his wife.

Taking a deep breath, Cookie Crumbles steels herself to tell Rarity everything.

"When we found you, we had been trying to conceive with little success, the night that you showed up on our doorstep, we had just found out that your father had a low sperm count, and the doctor had advised us to limit our activities in an effort to get it up, along with other sacrifices," Cookie said, Hondo embracing her all the way.

"While we were discussing game plans and how we could spice things up, we heard a knock on our door. We weren't expecting company at the time so it really threw us off guard. When we went to check who it was, that's when we found you, you were wrapped in a black blanket and in a basket," Cookie continued as she took a sip of tea.

Rarity listened wholeheartedly as her mom explained things. "So that's how you found me?" Rarity asked.

"That's right, we had felt like our prayers had been answered, attached to you was a note that read 'Dear, strangers, this is my little one, I am unable to take care of her so I will be grateful if you would raise her right.' We didn't know what to make of the note, but we welcomed you into our house with open hooves," Hondo said as he helped Cookie tell the story.

"I see, that does explain why I felt different, even though our coats and mane match," Rarity said as she took in the information.

Cookie chuckles to herself causing Rarity to look at her. "What's so funny?" Rarity asks.

"Just a memory dear, when you were younger you had incredible magic, you were levitating things before the age of two, you even had an imaginary friend, what was her name?" Cookie said as she tried to recall.

"Her name was Nira, dear," Hondo said, causing Rarity's breath to hitch.

"Yes, that's right, after a while you stopped talking about her, but that's life; the only thing that pretty much stayed constant was that you loved staring at the moon," Cookie said as she finished her story.

A moment of silence passed before Cookie spoke up again. "When you were older we tried looking for your birth parents, but to no avail, we just hope whoever placed you on our doorstep gets to see what a lovely mare you turned out to be," Cookie said as she caressed Rarity's chin.

Rarity and Luna tear up a bit as she says this, Rarity is unsure how to proceed but takes a deep breath.

"Thanks, Mom, that's actually why I'm here, I found my birth mother, but I don't feel right calling her mom because it feels like I'll be replacing you," Rarity confessed with tears in her eyes.

Cookie smiled and wiped the tears from Rarity's eyes. "Oh, darling, you don't have to worry about that, we're glad you found your birth mother, and you won't be replacing us, it just means you have more family," Cookie says as she brings Rarity's eye to meet her's. "The choice is yours, but if you do call your birth mother mom, it won't hurt me, I'll always be your mother and now you have two," Cookie assures Rarity.

Rarity throws her forelegs around her mom, thanking her for talking with her. Cookie embraces the hug, bringing Rarity in close.

After a moment, the two unicorns break the hug. "So when do we get to meet her?" Cookie Crumbles asks.

"You just have," Luna chimes in.

Cookie and Hondo stare in surprise. "You?" Cookie asks.

Luna nods. "Yes, you two have done a wonderful job in raising our daughter, I can't thank you enough," Luna said smiling.

"But wait, you were in the moon when Rarity was young, how can that be?" Hondo asks.

"I know it sounds unbelievable, but Nightmare Moon was able to escape for a short time, she came to earth, but was unable to do anything while lying low she found love, when she gave birth her time here was almost at an end, so using the last bit of her magic, she embedded some of her power into Rarity, somehow I was able to seize control and made her give her up to a loving family," Luna explained.

"I see, that explains the immense magic and the moon staring," Cookie said.

"But the situation is dire, Rarity's nightmare side is now emerging, and I fear that it will be most difficult to contain her now, I just thought it emerged, but it seems she was at work to gain Rarity's trust, her imaginary friend Nira, is in fact her nightmare form," Luna said as Rarity's parents gasp.

"Don't worry, Mom and Dad I'll stop her," Rarity said with confidence as she turned to Luna.

"I'm ready, mom. I want you to teach me all that you know about defeating my nightmare self," Rarity said, a look of determination in her eyes.