//------------------------------//
// Episode 8: Upstaging 
// Story: EoH Evolution: Season 3 
// by Bahamut0 
//------------------------------//

Nightmare Moon stirred in her bed. Slowly, she rose to meet the source of what had disturbed her slumber. To no surprise, it was a ray of sunlight. "Morning already." She mumbled to herself. The former Woman in the Moon stopped and sniffed the air. "Of course, that would be the more obvious hint."

With a small smile, Nightmare Moon wrapped herself in the covers of her bed and opened her door. Like any morning, Burst Stream was cooking breakfast. "You're late with my breakfast in bed."

"Funny. I thought you would have slept in all day. And I didn't want to risk you biting at me with your fangs." Burst Stream quipped as he turned to face Nightmare Moon. "Can't you just, well, wear certain portions of your armor? You don't need to use your bed covers as clothes!"

Nightmare Moon smirked. "And miss out on this fun? Please. I might be reforming, but that doesn't mean I can't have some fun with my gracious host." Nightmare Moon went back into her room, and put on certain portions of her armor. Namely the portions for her chest, lower arms, and her legs. "Well this saves me some equip time." She then slid her helmet onto her head. Slightly compressing her ethereal hair.

"Here's your breakfast." Burst Stream said as he set a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast in front of Nightmare Moon. "I already got mind ready so-" Burst felt his phone buzz in his pocket and sighed. "Looks like digging in is gonna have to wait." Burst took out his phone, and frowned slightly. He then began texting away, and sent a message. "That's the third text I've gotten from her."

Nightmare Moon tilted her head in interest. "So who's the lady giving you trouble? I could always give her a nightmare since I can enter the dreamscape."

"I don't think you frightening my girlfriend is really going to help me." Burst Stream responded crossly. "It's just. . . (sigh) she's worried about me, you know? And I honestly can't blame her." He then looked at Nightmare Moon. "My fight against you was almost a curb stomp. And that's keeping in mind that you were holding back because you didn't want to kill anyone. So now that you're staying in my house? Yeah. I can definitely see plenty of reason for Celestia to worry about me."

Burst let out a long sigh. "I just wish she wouldn't check in on me almost every couple of hours. Still, me being silent with her would make things worse." The only thing stopping Burst from continuing was the sound of his stomach grumbling. Prompting the Element of Power to devour his breakfast. "Anyway, I'll get you a phone after breakfast. I'll be sure to teach you all the workings."

"Trying to give me your number?" Nightmare Moon asked with a flirty smirk. "I didn't know you thought we were that close already Burst Stream."

Burst slightly blushed and shook his head. "Just. . . give me your plate when you're done Nightmare Moon." Well, it could be worse. She could be super prideful and refuse any help I might try to give her. A minute or two later, Burst had cleaned up both his and Nightmare Moon's plate. "Well, no sense putting it off."

The two headed off to the phone store. It surprised neither of them that they were getting stares from people who were out and about, but they paid no mind to it. Namely because the people felt safe because Burst was keeping himself close to Nightmare Moon and had equipped his Duelist Arms, and the fact they all thought Nightmare would haunt their dreams if she caught them staring. 

Once inside the shop, things didn't go exactly as planned. Nightmare Moon had picked out a phone and a case that was designed after Luna's talent crest. "Easy fix." Nightmare Moon said with a nod. One zap of magic later, and it resembled her talent crest. She then placed it on the register counter. "So. How much will this cost?"

"I-It's on the house!" The cashier answered nervously. "J-Just please don't give me nightmares!"

Nightmare Moon sighed internally. "Burst! Could I get some help over here?"

"I'm on it." Burst said with a shrug. I figured it would take some time for people to get used to her. It's only been a couple days. Burst had just gotten to the counter when he heard the sounds of panic outside. He also could've sworn he heard Rainbow Dash shouting at whatever was the source of the commotion. "What the?!" He was about to tell Nightmare Moon to stay put, but noticed she had gone out the door. "She can handle herself. But just in case. . . " Burst then went outside himself.

Nightmare Moon peeked out from the corner of a building. She watched as Twilight was facing off against the attacker. Said attacker called herself The Great and Powerful Trixie. A stage magician's name if ever there was one. Nightmare Moon thought with a smirk as she watched the vengeful magician rant at Twilight. The former Lady in the Moon just shook her head in disappointment as she heard Trixie's motivation for revenge. A petty cause. And an even pettier motivation. She could have spent time refining her act, and she decides to get payback just because she was upstaged. Such unbecoming behavior from a professional.

Nightmare Moon was about to power up her magic, but then a thought occurred to her. Her prior defeats had grantedher an invaluable skill. The ability to think things through. Nightmare Moon focused intently on what she'd heard from Trixie's rant, and the amulet around her neck. I can sense it. That trinket around her neck is greatly amplifying her magic. But it's also amplifying her negative desires. While she is stronger than Twilight Sparkle is now, and I could easily defeat this magician, that wouldn't exactly paint the best picture of me. However, Nightmare Moon smirked. Let's see how she handles her return being upstaged as well? Nightmare Moon snapped her fingers, and a veil of mist surrounded Twilight and Trixie! Nightmare Moon then turned into mist herself, and floated around in the air.

"And now, Trixie shall-wait." Trixie paused as she looked around herself and Twilight! "Where is all this mist coming from?! Is this one of your tricks too Twilight Sparkle?!"

Twilight was about to protest, but stopped when she heard a familiar voice coming from all around them. "Yes. It appears you have become much stronger Trixie." Nightmare Moon's voice called out from all over the veil of mist. "I can sense it. Your magic has grown to a level that exceeds hers."

"Hmph." Trixie said with a smirk and a hair toss. "I don't know who you are, but it's very clear that you have a refined sense of strength. Indeed! Trixie is now the most powerful Magi in all of Unity!"

"Indeed you are. So why waste your power on one who you know that you can defeat so easily?" Nightmare Moon questioned. Gradually taking form as she spoke. "Why not duel against a more worthy foe? One in which the duel shall be a true spectacle!"

Trixie's ego grew bigger with every word thanks to the amulet's influence. "Of course! I can't believe I was going to waste my new strength on such a plain opponent!"

Nightmare Moon fully formed, and materialized right behind Trixie! "Then how about me?" Trixie turned around, and her entire body paled. As Trixie began to step back, Nightmare Moon advanced. Emphasizing her steps with the clinking of her armor. "You know that you can best Twilight. Surely you could claim victory over one of her previous foes. Or was all that bravado earlier just puffing your chest to draw attention to yourself like the low-quality performance you put on last time?"

Trixie would have been enraged at Nightmare Moon's remark, but the mere fear that had been induced from Nightmare Moon's appearance completely overshadowed it! Much like how Nightmare Moon towered over the fearful performer! "O-Of course not! She had to defeat you with her friends! A-And Trixie shall best you on her own!"

"Then prove it!" Nightmare Moon slapped Trixie across her face! "Muster thy magic, magician!" The two got into dueling stances. Their arms hanging on their sides. Fingers twitching in an attempt to psyche the other into firing off the first spell. The whole town was watching in anticipation! Beads of sweat began to fall off of Trixie's face while Nightmare Moon maintained a calm, stoic expression. Suddenly, Nightmare Moon made a gesture as to strike at Trixie!

"I FORFEIT!" Trixie screamed as she ripped off the Avatar Amulet and groveled on her knees! "I WAS CHEATING! I DIDN'T EVEN WORK TO BOOST MY MAGIC! THE AMULET WAS WHAT POWERED ME UP! I'M SORRY!" Trixie began shaking as Nightmare Moon calmly strode towards her. "P-Please! D-Don't devour me!"

Nightmare Moon smirked and let out a small sigh. She dismissed the mist veil with a wave of her hand. "How long has that stupid rumor been floating around to get children to obey their parents? Let's get one thing clear. I don't have any taste for sapient life." She then heard a sigh of relief from the crowd, and noticed that Trixie had stopped shaking. "Lastly, I'm not going to do anything to you. Your return reminded me of myself in some ways. Vengeance. How utterly pointless. However, I have a punishment in mind." Nightmare Moon then knelt down to Trixie's level.

"Work on your performing skills." Nightmare Moon said with a smirk. "Live up to your title. Show your audience a performance that truly merits you calling yourself The Great and Powerful Trixie! You have forgotten the magic already in your craft. You'd do well to remember it."

Trixie nodded frantically, and Nightmare Moon nodded in response. "Good. Now then, I have a purchase to finish." As Nightmare Moon began to leave, she levitated the Avatar Amulet and tossed it to Twilight. "A trinket like that shouldn't be left in just anyone's hands."

"The Avatar Amulet!" Twilight exclaimed as she caught the infamous amulet in her hands! "It can greatly boost a Magi's magic, but it also slowly corrupts them!" She then looked at Nightmare Moon. "Even if Trixie was wearing this, you could've easily beaten her! But how did you beat her without even casting a single spell?!"

Nightmare Moon turned to Twilight, and did something Twilight didn't expect. Give her a genuine smile. "Not all magic is as obvious as spells Twilight Sparkle. I merely defeated Trixie by using her own magic against her. The art of a performance and stage magic. I was observing her own rant, and used her own background against her. All it boils down to is smoke and mirrors, a bit of atmosphere, and just a dash of misdirection." Nightmare Moon then turned and began to leave. "You should probably talk to her. You and whoever convinced you to one-up Trixie in the first place."

"That's on my head." Arctic Ace said as he teleported in. "Come on Twilight. We'd better do some damage control on Trixie." Both Ace and Twilight saw Trixie sitting with her legs curled towards her chest. "Um. . . hi?"

Trixie perked her head up and looked at Ace and Twilight. "You can go ahead and gloat. I kind of deserve it." Trixie sighed. "I think I let my own hype get the better of me." She then looked to Arctic Ace. "Who are you?"

"Arctic Ace." Ace answered with a comforting smile. "Element and Avatar of Wisdom. And let me drop some wisdom on you. You boasted. That's all part of being a performer. But a little tip? Give off a believable feat. One that you can actually pull off. Because if you get your audience by claiming you can do something and NOT back it up? It's the epitome of a lousy performer."

Trixe managed a small smile, and nuzzled against one of Ace's wings. "For a guy with ice wings, you're certainly warm-hearted."

"Uh. . . uh. . . no problem!" Ace said as he sprung to his feet. "Gottagobye!" And in a flash, Arctic Ace had teleported away. Leaving Twilight and Trixie to chat.

"Soooo, is there ANY way I can make up for pretty much wrecking your day?" Trixie asked Twilight nervously. "I kind of owe you one for giving you so much trouble over something that insignificant."

Twilight shrugged. "Sure. You were pretty good at fireworks if I remember your first visit. Princess Celestia's coming over with some VIP guests. I think they'd appreciate a great and powerful performance."

Meanwhile, Nightmare Moon had run into Burst Stream on her way back. She then noticed the smile on his face. "I didn't think you'd ever be happy to see me."

"Well, I've got a good reason to be." Burst said with a shrug. "I paid for your phone case. But, we're not done yet. There's one more thing I need to get for you today."

Nightmare Moon raised one of her eyebrows. "Oh? And what would that be?"

"Ice cream." Burst answered. "I thought you might like something to enjoy with your sweet victory."

Nightmare Moon smirked. "Couldn't I just kiss you again?"

"NO!" Burst shouted as he blushed!