I made my way towards my sister's throne room going through all my thoughts as I tried to piece them together the best way I could so I could explain what's going on to her. I slowed myself to a stop right outside the giant double doors and took a few deep breaths before I felt I built up enough courage to talk to Celestia. Before I could use my magic to open the doors a few of the castle guards flung them open as they called back to my sister.
"Yes, your Highness. Right away!" as they galloped down the hall and out of sight. I stood there looking towards the direction that they left for a moment before turning and stepping inside the throne room. Celestia was busy with a few emissaries and messengers around her. Things did not look well and they had worried expressions upon they faces as I neared the small group.
"Oh, Luna, good you're here." Celestia said as she waved me over with a wing as I trotted over to her and stood next to her as she continued. "Things are bad in Saddle Arabia. These two have brought a plea of help and I offered my services for as long as it is needed." My sister pointed to the three emissaries as they talked amongst themselves. My eyes shifted from them back to her and as I was about to ask a question she cut me off and went on.
"I need you to stay here and watch the castle and our lands while I am away." Celestia's horn was glowing as she started gathering the items she would be taking with her. She told the emissaries that she will meet them there as they bowed and left the two alicorns alone.
"Dear sister I need to speak with you." I told her as I followed her towards her room so she could get the rest of the things she needed together.
"I'm sorry Luna but it will have to wait until I get back." she said distractedly as a multitude of items, some of which I have no clue to what they are, floated into her saddle bags. "Do not fret little sister. As soon as I get back we will have plenty of time to sit down and talk." Celestia reassured me half heartedly.
"It's important, Celestia, please." I tried to plead with her but she was to absorbed in her new mission that my words were not getting through.
"I promise the moment I get back then you can tell me all about it, okay?" she smiled as she placed her saddle bags upon her back and started to make her way towards the balcony. Stopping to turn and look at me from over her shoulder she nodded and spread her wings before taking off with a few quick beats and then was off to her destination. I watched her flying form fade slowly into the early morning sun as I stood there disappointed and feeling empty once again.
Turning I started to make my way out of her room and down the hall towards my own when I was stopped by one of the officials asking questions about something or another that I did not have any cares about. I just waved him away and continued down the hall making a left at the end and upon reaching the doors to my room opened them with my magic closing them behind me as I walked through. Passing by the full length mirror something caught my eye and I stopped turning my head to see what it was.
My eyes went wide at the image I was looking at. I turned to fully face it and took a few steps towards it as it mimicked my movements and took a few steps towards me. I was looking at myself but it wasn't me. The body was slightly different, the wings were sharper, the legs were taller, she wore what looked like some kind of helmet upon her head with an opening for her horn and those eyes...the eyes that shone with hatred and power and vengeance.
I stopped a few feet from the mirror and just stared at it before it moved her head on her own and smiled down at me with a grin that felt unnatural. I cringed at it before regaining my composure and stood up strait doing my best to put on a brave face. It was just an image in a mirror, I told myself and the alicorn in the mirror laughed that sent shivers down my spine.
"That may be true for the moment. This is what you look like, on the inside that is." she said as she stared at me.
"That's not possible. I know what I look like and that is not it."
"I am the representation of all your fear, hatred, envy, and every other negative emotion that you bury deep down inside of you."
"But how? All that training I had to keep those emotions in check should be keeping anything like you from surfacing." I tried to reason with myself.
"Well it looks like all that "training" was for nothing. Every moment that we feel any of those emotions I become stronger and become that much more closer to fulfilling our dream."
"And what dream is that?" I questioned her. She just looked at me and smiled before answering the seemingly simple question.
"We are pretty sure that you already know that answer." She laughed again then stared down at me with those eyes which I could have sworn felt like fire against my skin. "My time is nigh and the time for endless night will be glorious!"
"Who...are you?" I asked frighteningly as I sat down staring at the mirror. She stopped laughing and held herself up high and said in the royal voice which seemed to shake the entire room.
"I am Nightmare Moon and ALL will know my power and the joy of eternal darkness that I will bring all across Equestria!" There was a sudden knock on my door and it snapped me back to reality as a voice called out from the other side the same time I turned to face them.
"Is everything alright, Highness?" It was only one of the guards that must have been passing by. Walking over to the doors I opened them slightly and reassured him that it was and that I should not be bothered for the rest of the day. He bowed as I told him to relay those orders to the captain of the guard then turned and headed to deliver my request. Closing the doors with my magic I started making my way over to the bed and as I passed the mirror once more I noticed it was only my own reflection in it now and that emptiness crept back into those small pieces of my heart that were missing.
"NO!" I shouted as my magic destroyed another building and that familiar laughter could be heard echoing around the ruins of a small town. I tried shouting for some ponies to turn and run but I couldn't hear my own voice as another beam of magic struck them and they just turned to dust. My body wasn't doing what I was telling it to do as yet another building came crumbling down before I took to the air and hovered there spinning slowly laughing at all the death and destruction that I seemed to have caused. A small filly sat crying near her dead parents. My eyes fell upon her and I could see that she did not even have her cutie mark yet as I felt my eyes glare at her before the magic started to build up in my horn. I heard myself laugh again as the filly looked up and our eyes locked for a moment before I fired down upon her.
Waking up in a panic and covered with a cold sweat I fell out of my bed and landed hard on the floor. I just laid there on the cool floor breathing heavily as fear and sadness gripped the edges of my heart and I started to cry. I needed Celestia but she wasn't due back for at least another two days and I feared that may be to late. Sitting up slowly I used my magic to bring a small dry towel over and I started to wipe the sweat from my forehead as I tried to calm myself. I started to shiver slightly so I floated my covers over to where I was sitting on the floor and wrapped myself in them.
Letting the small towel drop to the floor I surrounded myself in my blankets and laid back down right there on the floor as I closed my eyes as the thoughts of that small filly filled my head and I started to cry once more. I knew it was just a dream but it felt real and I knew that if I did not get this under control soon these nightmares will become a reality for every pony here in Equestria and beyond.