Balance of the World

Chapter 4:
Dream or Nightmare?

A few months have passed since Zecora had gone missing. While princesses Luna and Celestia used everything in their power to fine the zebra, it was if she just vanished. Twilight sat at her desk looking over a letter she had just reserved from Princess Luna and Celestia. A few days ago after another failed search, Twilight upon returning home decided after all the information she had gathered over the past few months that the only place left to look was the Crimson graves.
Twilight knew off the warning of the princesses and this leads her to write a letter requesting assents as to help her with the search of the graves. If twilight was going to go back to the graves, she did not want to worry her friends and the princesses.

Dear Twilight Sparkle,

Upon reviewing your request and do to the nature of this search both my sister and I have granted your request, a pony most suited to this kind of area with be there tomorrow to help
Your mentor,
Princess Celestia

Twilight waiting already with her saddlebags packed by her front door. She did not know of any pony who could really help her, but anypony the princesses sent would be more then versed in what she may need. Suddenly a knock at her door drew Twilight from her thoughts as she went to open the door.
There in her doorway stood Princess Luna, but only princess Luna, no guards, no escort, just her friend.

“Princess Luna?! What are you doing here?” Twilight stepped back stunned a bit.

“Good After-Noon, Twilight, I am guessing you are ready to go?” Luna asked, she was wearing an old saddle bag herself full of supplies

“Go? You mean to the graves?!” Twilight said in more of a yell then she wanted to.

“Yes Twilight. Both my sister and I thought it be best if I come along as your guard, seeing as how I do know more about the graves” Luna said with a smile.

Twilight grabbed her bag and locked the door behind her. Both Luna and Twilight slowly but steadily walked to the Everfree forest. After a bit of quite Twilight had a question bugging her and she just had to ask

“Um, Luna? How do you know so much about the graves when other ponies don’t?”
Luna smiled a bit along with a sigh “you see Twilight, being the princess of the night, I am charge of many things, and one of which is passing along story’s in such a way they either become legends or campfire tales. Bending the story just enough to make it believable and yet few ponies dare seek the truth”

Twilight smiled at her past memories of such tales, when a scary realization hit her

“wait, so every story, every tale is true?” twilight’s face turned a bit pale, remembering a few that scared her, and yet to overcome the fear she just told herself they were fake tales

“Yes Twilight, though most monster in tale just want to be left alone and are in fact really kind” Luna smiled

“Well then on another day, I we will have to sit down for a longer talk, but we are here” Twilight said with a little sigh
While talking and lost in memories both Luna and Twilight had not only walked straight though the Everfree forest but soon found them a little past Zecora’s house. A thick walk of fog was now in front of them. While before when Twilight had first found the graves, the only fog was on the ground of the graves, but now it seemed to not only raise above the trees, but in fact it covered the whole clearing like a barrier

“Well this is new, but I guess it’s been a few months, and maybe there are getting ready to move?” Twilight said wishing it was true, until Luna spoke up

“Sorry Twilight, but I know this barrier spell quit well and our fears just came true. This spell is for a space merger, it seems not only do the graves plan to stay, but are now making their own realm inside ours” Luna said with a smile hint of fear in her voice, but she hide it well form Twilight

“Well then I guess we have no choice but to enter and talk to Balance” Twilight said with a sigh and she and Luna walked into the thick fog.

Upon entering the fog, Luna and Twilight where greeted with a strange sight. On the boarder of the fog where doors, each label with a letter and a number. The doors where made of a red oak with marble door knobs. The graveyard seemed smaller; now looking as it only went as far as the fog, unlike the other time where it seemed to go on forever.

“Is this what it looked like last time you were here?” Luna asked as she took in the new sight. “It seems more organized then you talked about or I could imagine”

“No this id different. It has changed so much” Twilight said with a little concern in her voice

Luna smiled alit and put her wing around Twilights shoulder to calm her mind

“It’s ok Twilight, they say the graveyard has a mind of its own, maybe it needed a change?” Luna said with a small giggle at Twilight. Twilight nodded and sighed a bit. She knew Luna was right and decided to push it to the back of her mind until later.
Twilight and Luna walked a little bit until they reached a strange building seemly just appearing from the fog. The building was made of the same stone that the tombstones where made from. Giving off a little red hue, it had small windows, enough to let light in, but not big enough to see into. The door was made of a fine wood, with an eerie green color. A few voices could be heard from behind the door. Twilight and Luna got closer as the door opened and out walked a very tired looking zebra, carrying a saddlebag with a cross on it, clearing being a medical bag

“Remember rest is enough, please let her sleep until dusk” Zecora said with a smile as she walked down the small stairs leading from the building to the graves.

Twilight ran up and tackled Zecora nearly throwing her to the ground. “Zecora! You’re ok! I was so worried for you, where have you been for this look?”

Zecora raised an eye brow at the purple unicorn and cleared her voice “I did not think I would be missed this quick, only a few days have I missed” she said hugging the small mare with a kind smile

Luna walked up to Zecora “Miss Zecora, it has not been a few days; it’s been a few months! Twilight has been so worried and my sister and I have been looking for you so long”

“I see. This place really does have its own time, I was warned, but alas I did not obey, for this I am sorry” Zecora said with a small smile and look of shame

“It’s ok, but why where you here?” Twilight asked before the voice form the building cut her off

“Why she was here to care for a very close friend of mine, Twilight. Though I should have at least sent you a note, for that I am sorry” out stepped Balance, wearing a small smile on his face and also looking like he has been very worried

“Now Zecora, thank you for your help. Please head home, you need the rest, if anything happens I will send for you” Balance said waving Zecora off. Zecora smiled and nodded, her cheeks turning a little red as she walked home

Twilight looked over at Zecora and back to Balance

“How could you not tell me she was here?! And how come you lied to me? I talked to Luna and Celestia; there is no pony who watches the graves! WHO ARE YOU REALLY?’ Twilight yelled lighting up here horn, when soundly it failed, only glowing but Twilight felt like her magic was gone. Twilight fell to the ground on her flak with a confused look

“What? My magic….it’s gone!” Twilight looked over, hopping Luna had some magic, but to her horror, Luna’s face told it all. She too no longer had any magic. Balanced laughed a bit, weeping tears of humor from his eyes before he started to explain

“Don’t worry Twilight; your magic’s not gone, just sealed away. I added that after you left, along with the doors. Every door leads to more of the graveyard, this is just the center.” Balance closed the door behind him quickly and nodded to Luna and Twilight to follow him around back. Twilight and Luna looked at each other and followed, there were still so much to know, magic or magic.

“I did not lie to you Twilight, just not explain everything. You see while there has been no real pony to watch the graves, there has never needed any, at least not until recently. You see twilight, I am the graveyard!” Balance said turning around, the sky full of lighten at if to respond to his voice. Twilight started to ask a question, but Balance stopped her

“As you know the ground is full of alicorn magic. Well we just don’t bury alicorns here; with bury every type of creature here, dragons, griffins, and even some parasprits. All that magic and knowledge, well it does not just vanish, it collects, and over time, well bore me. I am the embodiment of the Crimson Graves, with all their power and knowledge of those buried in this place” Balance smiled turning back around waving for them to follow

“But if that’s true, then you must know of the harm you are causing the world, why have you stopped moving? What has changed?” Luna said with venom in her voice

Balance just smiled and replied simply

“Family Luna. I now have a family.”

Twilight and Luna looked at each other and both seemed to have the same thought. Family? But who would be able to hand a place like this, let alone be able to fall in love with a being such as Balance. As Luna was about to ask another question, the air got colder. A strange very small sense filled the air, it was magic, but a magic they both had not seen in a long time. As they rounded the build, both Twilight and Luna stood in horror at what they saw.

There in a newly dug grave, holding a shovel with its magic, was a tall dark mare, snake like eyes, mane made of blue mist, wearing amour of old’ stood before them was none other than nightmare moon. She looked over at Twilight and Luna and with an evil grin jump from the hole, landing in front of them.

“Well this is a surprise. My two most hated ponies in the world, here, and with now magic I can see. Oh I have been planning this for a long time” she said with just pure hate in her voice

Twilight and Luna stood next to each other, closing the eyes. They knew that nightmare moon had her magic, and without theirs, they were doomed. A warm feeling embraced them, very gentle and kind. They both opened their eyes and in shock and so much confusing them, nightmare moon was hugging them, tears forming in her eyes

“I am so sorry for everything I have done in my past, please forgive me” nightmare moon begged

This though Twilight and Luna for a loop, but before they could ask, balance walked up to nightmare moon and gentle pulled her into a loving embrace comforting her, gently combing her mane with his hoof

“Please forgive me, it’s been a long time for her, much has happened, let me explain” balance said smiling, as Twilight and Luna lead into to listen. They both eyed each other with a thin-is going-to-be-good look

“You see when you banished her with the elements of harmony. You kind of killed her, but since she had not body of her own, and still technaly an alicorn she was sent here. But I had not grave for her. She just wonders the field for a few days, when we demand it was nasasrey to do something with her. That’s how we got this body. Born from the ground itself, one of the reasons I look like an earth pony.” Balance smiled as nightmare calm down a bit and looked up at Twilight and Luna

“when I met Balance, I was still full of so much hate for both of you, but, being here for 10,000 years, it gave me time to think” nightmare said smiling a little

“10,000 years!” Both Luna and Twilight screams, while it’s been a long time since the events of that night happened, no way in hell it was that long

“Twilight you know time is different here; in fact I control its passing. It would be boring to just wait for pony’s to die if we followed your time line. With nightmare, I slowed the passing of time here. And in that time, I gave her many things that she needed. That she longed for” Balance said looking back at nightmare that cleared her throat

“he gave me a place with enteral night, a night I was free to control, to craft and most importantly a night I owned by myself, but he gave me more. He found me a realm where not lonely was my night loved, but needed, a realm much like this one, with ponies and everything. In that realm there was not sun, and a damaged moon, I fixed it along with the sky. Everypony was so happy, it was everything I wanted.” Nightmare smiled, a real smile, not just a fake one

“It was everything I ever wanted or needed, after sometime though, I wanted to repay Balance for his kindness. That’s when I moved back here. I decided to help him take care of the graves, whiles it’s been hard work, and I found a new fondness for it. And after that, he became like a father to me” nightmare blushed a bit, clearly she had more than just friendly feelings for him, but at the moment she was just happy to be loved

Both Twilight and Luna could not believe what they just heard. Twilight looked other to Luna and could tell she was not lying. Luna could always tell if nightmare was laying, even when she and she shared the same bod so long ago, Luna just like the lies better, but this time it was all true.

“well, it’s getting late, and Nightmare still has a lot to do before she can head to bed” Balance smiled at nightmare before turning around “ you girls can caught up later, right now I am glad you both came, I need your help with some medicine I got from Zecora”

Nightmare wore a frown on her face as she huffed and walked off into the graveyard, shovel in tow, most likely to dig more graves and or other yard keeping. Twilight both looked at each with emotionless faces, both hoping this was just a strange dream, but alas it was not. Nightmare moon, trying to be friends? Her doing manual labor willingly? Zecora being not only fine, but blissful? There magic no longer working as well? What in hay is going on here? Is the same look and though they both shared as they followed Balance from the back yard to the front door.

“Now please keep your voices down, she is sleeping, even though she is on heavy pain killer’s right, and deep asleep, this medicine tends to burn. Zecora helped me apply it, but it still cased problems. I hope you two can help” Balance whispered to Twilight and Luna. They both nodded. Though they had no idea who or what was behind the door, they trusted Zecora enough to know the being must be hurt bad enough to look pass whatever it was and that was good enough for them to at least see for themselves, and to see what this “ family “ Balance has to put equestrian in danger

Balance places his hoof on the door and slowly and quietly pushed it open. Despite how the outside looked. The inside was quite different. The walled where covered in the same wood as the door. Bookshelves ran along a small hallway, candles hung on the walls, lite by magical blue fire. The floor was made of pinewood, tinted red. The home felt warm and inviting, unlike the dark graveyard surrounding it.

Twilight and Luna’s jaw dropped. This is not what they expected. It was like a cabin, a royal cabin none the less. They were expecting a dungeon like home, especially since Nightmare moon lived here, full of hate this place lacked. The only emotion they could think of was love. The whole house felt like pure love. Balance smiled and turned to them shutting the door.

“I know, not what you’re where expecting. But what can I say. I always liked the cabin style you ponies had and since it always seems gloomy outside, this was a nice change of pace”

Twilight and Luna just nodded in silence, not believing their eyes. If this was a dream, this just more or less proved it, how could this be real? It was like a nightmare and yet a loving dream all in one. They just followed balance as he walked down the hallway.

Along the way, they passed a door with Luna’s cutie mark on the door. Twilight and Luna looked at it as they walked passed it

“That’s my cutie mark! I am guessing that must be Nightmare moons room right?” Luna smiled a little

“Why yes it is Luna. She stays here most of her time now. Even though she does return to her kingdom now and then on weekends. She seems to spend most of her time here. I think it’s because she’s bored at the other place. Royal duties do weight on the mind. Taken care of the graveyard at first was my idea. But now she seems to enjoy it, though she still hates digging, but its part of the job” Balance laughed a little, remember how Nightmare was when she first started the job

“Now that I think about it. It does seem to give her time to think of things, I guess mostly new laws and such. But who really knows” Balance smiled as she continued to walk down the hallway passing a few different doors, until they reached the end of the hallway, a door standing in front of them.

The door had a strange mark on it, where Nightmare moons mark was. This was the cutie mark of Balance, but it was bright green, the bottom of the mark seemed to ooze and a green flame wrapped around the outside of the mark.

“Well this is our rooms” Balance said with a smile on his face as her slowly opened the door. Revealing to Twilight and Luna something that scared them more then Nightmare moon. To them this just becomes a worst nightmare then they ever thought.