Swiftwing stood before the throne of his ruler, forelegs bent and head dipped low, listening to Celestia orate about his accomplishments. His heart soared in his chest as the Princess lauded him for having done great jobs in service to Equestria, even if the words themselves disappeared from his mind the moment after he had heard them spoken.
"..and for this, we grant you the medal of accomplishment," Celestia spoke, levitating a medal dangling from a decorated sash over his head.
Darkness fell over the throne room, and all voices hushed. The medal clattered upon the ground as Celestia's magic let go of it.
A loud crash caused Swiftwing to look up as well, just in time to see part of the ceiling come down and smash onto half the gathered ponies stood in the room with him. Their bodies exploded in a cloud of small stars drifting up to the new hole in the ceiling, around a dark figure descending through it.
"Your sunlit reign of merriment is over, Celestia," cried the dark shape of Nightmare Moon in a wicked voice as she charged her horn with black magic, her voice dripping venom.
"Not today, Nightmare Moon," exclaimed Celestia in turn, charging her own horn and meeting the blast of magic erupting from the black interloper halfway between them.
Sparks of magic flew through the room as the two Alicorns did battle, with Swiftwing rushing from one end to the other trying to find safety, and a few small foals with him.
Just when it seemed Celestia may gain the upper hand in the fight, Nightmare Moon hit her with a full blast in her flank, and the white princess of the sun fell to the ground. Nightmare Moon stood victorious over the corpse of the other Alicorn, throwing her head back while letting out an evil laugh that chilled Swiftwing to his core.
The foals had mostly gathered behind him, in a corner of the room, and he had his wings extended so as to shield them from the sad sight before them. Backing away to their corner, the metal medal around his neck scraped over the ground, drawing attention from the evil one.
"What is this?" she demanded, her eyes focusing on the medal. "Celestia's hero come to save the souls of those tasty foals behind him?"
"I may not have magic, but I will defend Equestria and its residents to the best of my abilities," Swiftwing spat back in defiance.
Nightmare Moon's horn charged and she sent a blast of energy his way, but Swiftwing somehow managed to deflect it with his wings, leaving scorchmarks on his feathers.
"You have no chance," Nightmare Moon decided, starting to walk to him at a slow pace. "Give up now, little colt. I will eat your soul regardless."
"I will never give up," Swiftwing stated, backing up until he felt the foals' heat behind him.
Another blast of magic singed his feathers again, but he stood his ground even as the large figure of Nightmare Moon towered over him.
She charged her horn again and he prepared to deflect it anew, ready to give his last breath to defend even the small group of nameless foals behind him, when the double doors to the throne room burst open with a loud crash!
The shadowy figure of Nightmare Moon appeared in the doorway, her right eyebrow raised over her pink gemstone eye.
Both Swiftwing and the other Nightmare Moon peered over at her, while the new arrival turned her head to look over the scene she had just entered.
"What sorcery is this?" the Nightmare Moon closest to Swiftwing demanded.
Recognition flashed over Swiftwing's face, and he bent his legs to fall into a bow to the newly arrived Nightmare Moon. "My Queen," he spoke with barely withheld admiration.
The Queen, as she was, put her focus on Swiftwing for barely a moment, then strode up to the other Nightmare Moon and frowned at her. "Be gone."
"What is the meaning of thi..." the evil mare started, but quickly faded away into nothingness.
The remaining Nightmare Moon put her focus back on Swiftwing and lifted his head with a hoof under his chin. "Is this how you repay my kindness, Swiftwing? By dreaming of me in this fashion?"
Swiftwing stared up at the mismatched eyes of his Queen, shaking his head as much as her hoof allowed him to. "I did not mean to, my Queen, truly!"
"What's this?" his Queen wondered, spotting the medal dangling from his neck and reading the text etched in it. "Celestia's Medal of Accomplishment?"
Swiftwing looked away from her with growing shame. "I... dreamt of Celestia granting me this, before the interruption by your... other, my Queen."
"Well, you are a daypony," Nightmare Moon snorted. "I don't know what I was expecting."
Swiftwing's gaze fell to the ground as he continued to look away.
"Let's clean this nightmare up, shall we?" his Queen suggested, and a flash of dark magic followed to disintegrate everything around the both of them. Swiftwing found himself standing on a floor which had no substance for but the briefest of moments before the throne room returned around them, the thrones set up to accomodate his Queen, Nightmare Moon, and her advisor, Darkstar, now.
Nightmare Moon gave a glance around with a growing smile upon her face. "This is much better, don't you think?"
Swiftwing could but nod in response, finding the medal having disappeared as well. "Yes, my Queen."
"Truly, you should not think of me in that way any more, if you can help it," the Queen continued, walking away from him toward the center of the room.
Swiftwing gave a glance behind him at where the scared foals had been huddled up in the corner moments before, only to find them having disappeared as well.
"It was not my intention," he mumbled in his defense.
"How can I convince you that I am not the evil thing you saw me as just now, if not by restoring your eyesight in the waking world?" Nightmare Moon asked, using her magic to put a table filled with assorted treats in the center of the room. "This is but a dream, so I can throw a banquet in your honour," she continued as a pile of assorted medals rose up beside her, "or shower you in medals."
Swiftwing stood and stared at it in confusion and awe, but then looked down at his forehooves. "I think it is just some getting used to, my Queen. Your reign has only just begun, and it has struck us with fear and confusion due to the changes you made. It is difficult to get over that, even if I am forever grateful for your aid in restoring my sight again."
Nightmare Moon gave a slow nod to his words. "Time, then," she realized. "I shall come visit you in your dreams from time to time, as long as you keep praying to me. It is important that you realize I am not out here to hurt you; I am here to show you it is in your best interest to stay loyal to me."
"Yes, my Queen," Swiftwing answered timidly.
"The realm of nightmares is my domain; I shape them at will," the Queen continued. "As long as you remain loyal, I will help you overcome the adversities present in them. If ever you forsake me, you are on your own."
Swiftwing thought it over for a moment; could he have really defeated the dream-Nightmare Moon on his own? Most likely not. "Will it be like this every time you come to my aid, my Queen?"
"No, I may adopt other ways to help, such as giving you escape routes or objects to defend yourself with. I may just be a whisper in your ear, giving you advice," Nightmare Moon answered calmly, walking up to him. "Or, I might do this," she stated, suddenly slamming her right forehoof into his forehead!
Swiftwing woke up screaming in agony in the royal barracks, reaching for his forehead as if something had impacted with it! His heart was pounding in his chest, and he was bathing in cold sweat from the nightmare he'd woken from. Several of the guardsponies around him were giving him curious glances, and Captain Merryweather came walking up to the bed she had assigned him to.
"Everything alright there?" she asked, setting her slitted pupils upon him.
"Ah," Swiftwing started, letting himself fall back onto the wet mattress. "Just a nightmare. I'll... I'll be fine."
"You want some water?" Merryweather pressed.
"No, no," the Pegasus stallion started, then smiled to himself. "Our Queen already gave me all that I needed."
A soft murmur went through the barracks, but a stern glance from Merryweather made it stop as quickly as it had started.
"Can you explain that, Swiftwing?" she asked of him.
Swiftwing looked over at her. "Pray to Her and She will protect you in your nightmares," he spoke like a true convert. "Like Luna did for us in our dreams, our Queen Nightmare Moon will guard our nightmares."
Merryweather smiled up at the thought. "I never thought about it that way, but it feels right."
"I may not be a night pony like yourself," the Pegasus stallion started, "but I am forever in Her debt. Trust me; pray to Her instead of Luna and your nightmares are no longer a thing to fear."