Steeling her resolve against the rising dread in her chest, Nightmare Moon prepared her teleportation spell. 'This is a mistake. It will not end well,' plagued her mind. And yet against her better judgment, against knowing that she ought not cast the spell, she cast it anyway. She did not cast it for herself, as she knew little good would come of it for her: ponies and foals would simply flee from her, running in terror at her presence. It was a mistake, but then what of the alternate? Staying in her chambers the whole night, locking herself away and letting the knowledge of what was happening torment and distract her?
She cast the spell, knowing that the only good which would come of it would be spending time with Twilight. She cast the spell knowing it was a mistake, knowing it would end poorly, but also knowing it was what Twilight wanted.
And even though she had steeled herself against the dread in her chest, as soon as the crack! and flash of light from her spell faded, she felt as if she forgot her stomach in Canterlot. Despite arriving inside the library, she felt cold. Anxiety plagued her mind.
Why? Why did it bother her? Why did it bother her so much, that coming to spend time with Twilight made her anxious? She held her wings tight to her side so that they did not fidget out of her control, so that they did not betray her anxiety and worry.
She slowly turned her head left and then right, surveying the warmly-lit library. Fake cobwebs made of wool were draped over some of the bookshelves, and a few lines of autumn leaves were strung across the room.
She heard the click of a door and turned to gaze at the top of the stairs to watch Twilight step out from her loft.
The filly wore robes not too dissimilar from those that her mentor had worn, and so for a moment, she was reminded of Starswirl the Bearded. And yet even with the gray-white beard hanging from her chin and the blue cap with the little bell at the end, there was no mistaking the filly underneath it. The cape was adorned with stars, and had she known the original, had she not been able to tell the material was wrong, she might have been convinced it had been Starswirls' robe.
And dressed up in the costume as she was, Twilight looked adorable. It was endearing, the way the filly dressed herself up in mimicry of Starswirl the Bearded. It was endearing how the filly smiled at her so warmly, her eyes reflecting the flickering light of candles and catching the soft glow of the magelight in such a way that made them shine. And as the moment drew on, a little of her anxiety surrendered to the reassurance that seeing Twilight smiling at her brought.
That Twilight dressed herself up as her idol was endearing, even if she felt strained. She wanted to say, 'You will surpass him,' but did not. She had already told Twilight such. Yet, she felt compelled to say something. "You look pleasant," she complimented.
Twilight's lips pulled up a little more, then relaxed back to their prior state. "Thank you." Twilight trotted down the stairs, never looking away from her. "I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up."
She only looked away from Twilight to glance at Spike as he followed Twilight down the stairs. The young dragon wore what seemed to be a dragon costume with a second head. She was not quite sure what to make of it, so she turned back to Twilight and inhaled before saying, "I... decided that the offer of your company was more appealing than simply locking myself away in my chambers and brooding over this night."
Twilight's lips twitched up again and a soft, musical giggle escaped her lips. "Well, I'm glad to hear that!" the filly eagerly called.
She smiled, and as Twilight approached her, she turned to face the filly. She welcomed her friend with an embrace, draping her right foreleg over Twilight's withers and pulling her chest close to her own. Twilight leaned in against her neck and nuzzled her, and so she returned it, leaning down and rubbing her cheek up and down Twilight's neck. A little shiver raced through her body as she felt her fur meshing with Twilight's and felt the soft, almost tickling sensation of Twilight's fur against her cheek. And as she nuzzled Twilight, she nudged her muzzle a little closer to Twilight's mane and breathed in her familiar scent of lavender and books, though she found that she couldn't smell Twilight's friends' scents.
When they broke, she missed the warmth against her cheek and chest. She missed the rhythmic beat of Twilight's heart, how the pulse left her calm and reassured. She missed the way Twilight's chest pressed into hers with each breath her friend drew, even if the clasp of the robe was dug into her body. And she longed for more, perhaps to simply lie with Twilight, but she could not have more, and so she felt disappointed.
She ended up nodding, but she didn't know why.
And now what? What was there for her to say?
"What of your friends?" she questioned.
"I haven't seen them since they finished helping me decorate, but I'm sure we'll run into them," Twilight answered, unaware of her inner turmoil.
She nodded slowly and turned to look out the window. She watched as a pair of mares walk by, both wearing their own costumes, neither of which she could place. A pair of foals pranced down the street, passing the two mares. If they laughed, she did not hear it.
The few buildings she saw were decorated with more lines of autumn leaves and wool cobwebs. Square hay bales were stacked neatly in front of one of the alleys, where several pumpkins and gourds were neatly piled, aside from a large basket which seemed to have fallen on its side, spilling more gourds and pumpkins in front of it.
"Are you okay?" Twilight asked.
She turned back to regard the filly. "I am... uncomfortable. I do not know what to do, nor what is expected of me."
"Try to relax?" Twilight suggested, bowing her head and raising her eyebrows for emphasis. "It's supposed to be fun. Or just, try to enjoy my company?"
Nightmare grimaced and turned back to look out the window. "Though I do welcome your company, my presence here will do nothing but ruin this holiday for anypony who does enjoy it."
She felt Twilight's hoof brush against her own. She turned her head back to Twilight, glanced down at their hooves, then met her gaze. "You don't know that," came Twilight firm yet soft retort.
She held back a groan and peered out the window again. 'I should not have come. This is a mistake.' Twilight's hoof pulled back, and she glanced down at her own bare hoof for a moment before looking away.
She heard Twilight sigh. "Okay, look. You're worried that ponies seeing you will be scared, right? You're worried that being here will make ponies unhappy. You don't want to ruin it for them. You don't want them to be scared of you. You can show them that they don't have to fear you. Just... try. You don't need to scare anypony, you don't need to be the Queen tonight. If you don't want them to fear you, give them a chance to see you as somepony they don't need to be afraid of. Show them that you're not a monster. Give them a chance. Show them that you're a pony, just like me, just like them. Let your guard down. Nopony is going to try to attack you."
How she doubted that, and how it left her bitter. She shook her head. "They will never love me."
"Maybe you're right," Twilight stated, "But you won't know unless you try. Besides. How do you think they're going to feel if you're walking around grimacing or scowling? They won't feel safe. They'll be worried and afraid. Do you want them to be afraid?"
Her lips twitched apart. "Of course not," she dismissed.
"Then try," Twilight pressed. "You know illusion magic. Use that. Disguise yourself as somepony else."
'And lie to them?' she wanted to accost. Presenting herself as somepony she was not: perhaps ponies would not so fear her, but it would not be directed at her, for if they knew it was her, then they would fear her just the same. It left her feeling defeated. "I do not desire to lie to them by presenting myself as I am not."
"Then go as Luna," Twilight coaxed.
Nightmare turned her head back to face Twilight. A moment passed as she stared into Twilight's eyes. No malice, nor ill will. No betrayal. "I am not-"
Twilight nudged her head a little higher. "You were at one time."
"So I was," Nightmare dismissed, "and yet I am not Luna, and surely they would know, if not by look, then that I am an alicorn."
Twilight shook her head vigorously. "Then hide your wings or your horn. Try to look at them the way you look at me. Give it a chance."
A grimace spread across Nightmare's lips as she turned back to gaze out the window. Going as Luna was such an absurd idea, ponies would surely hate her as much in disguise as not. But perhaps Twilight was right. After all, Luna had been erased. If she hid her wings, it would be harder for ponies to tell who she was. But still, she was not Luna. She was Nightmare Moon.
“Please,” Twilight said softly.
Her ears twitched slightly at the sound of Twilight’s voice. She made the mistake of looking over at Twilight. Seeing her friend’s gentle, pleading expression, mixed with that little inkling of hope that she would finally see how Luna looked in person, left her feeling defeated. ‘You want to see me as Luna. You truly believe that it is not a mistake...’
Twilight would not simply lie to her as Sister had. Twilight, naive as she was, wanted to help her.
What was the alternative? Disguising herself as somepony else? For as much as Luna was dead, she had been Luna once. If she did not disguise herself, ponies would only run in terror from her, and neither of them would enjoy tonight.
‘I am going to regret this.’
But, perhaps for Twilight’s sake, it was worth it.
For a few seconds, she watched to see if anypony would come to look inside and see her, and seeing that it didn't happen, let out a groan and channeled her magic into her horn.
"Fine..." Perhaps it would not be deceitful; perhaps all it would take was a little effort on her part. Maybe they would see her differently if they knew, or perhaps it would change nothing. Yet it was Twilight's advice, and something Twilight desired.
Still, the thought of going as Luna settled in her gut as a heavy weight of dread. She considered her options. ‘Not... not as I looked before I was banished. No.’ Yes, perhaps that was the solution. It wasn’t quite what Twilight wanted, but the idea of transforming so that she looked as she had during her youth didn’t carry the same dread as Luna before Sister had killed her.
She took a deep breath to steel her nerves as she settled on her action, then she prepared her spell, bowed her head, and cast it.
Her body shifted under her magic's command, and though it was an uncomfortable feeling, it did not bring pain. Her legs and neck grew shorter, almost making her choke at the change. Her wings and horn shrank, and the tingling sensation of her mane and tail faded away, gradually replaced with the unfamiliar pull of gravity, then the feeling of her mane and tail against her neck and hind legs.
And once the spell was finished, she fluffed her wings and then used her magic to hide them. She bowed her head low and regarded her coat: how it was so alien to her, a cyan blue, rather than black or rich midnight blue. How short her legs were and the weight of her mane and tail. She turned her head to the right and looked back at herself, glancing at her mane and contemplating the ancient light-blue strands that she had not seen in so long before pondering how her back looked, so baren, just as Twilight’s back was.
She turned left and looked straight ahead at Twilight. Seeing the filly standing at her own height was so different, such a unique experience. It was as she desired and not as she desired: that Twilight was her height, yet it was only so because her body was younger and smaller. She contemplated it as she studied the filly, taking in her bewildered expression and the slight part of her lips. The way Twilight's eyes widened in wonder, the way Twilight studied her curiously, trying to answer an unasked question.
She glanced back at her hidden wing, then faced Twilight and nodded. "This-" the sound of her voice, so young and unfamiliar, so pure and untainted by pain and agony, made her fall silent as Twilight startled, recognizing it from her dreams. And she watched as Twilight grasped for it and reached the answer to that single unasked question.
"This is how Luna looked when I was about your age," she finally confirmed.
Her voice and body were so alien to her, having spent but a few decades that small in comparison to how long she had other forms.
And for some reason, Twilight just grinned. Her eyes practically twinkled with excitement and eagerness, and both only served to torment her, reviving her anxiety and making her hooves colder. Eventually, the grin faded as Twilight's brow creased. "Wait, were you a unicorn?"
Nightmare Moon reluctantly nodded. "Yes. Sister and I were both born as unicorns. Though by this time we had both ascended."
"How?" Twilight asked, eyes sparkling with wonder.
Nightmare turned away from her, slowly drawing in a deep breath before letting it out. "We moved the sun and the moon," she stated. "Where it had taken many unicorns and Starswirl to do so before, we each were able to move them on our own at a young age. Regarding the specific circumstances of our ascension, I do not recall, though it was some time after we had first moved the sun and moon.” She hesitated, uncertain about sharing more. “I was young, Twilight.” Another short pause; a grimace worked its way onto her lips. “Sister... Celestia would remember, I think."
"Oh..." Twilight murmured softly.
Nightmare shook her head. "We ascended at the same time. But... perhaps let us discuss this another time."
Twilight nuzzled her neck. The feeling was odd compared to what she was used to: she felt the filly's muzzle against the back of her neck and the base of her mane. She leaned into it, though she didn't return it. She missed the feeling when it ended.
"Well... let's go, I guess?" Twilight offered.
"Uh, maybe she should have a costume?" Spike asked.
Nightmare turned to look at the dragon. It must have been her appearance because he no longer looked at her with the same fear as normal.
Or perhaps it was seeing her with Twilight.
"I do not desire to partake in the festivities... I am here for Twilight's company," she stated.
"Uh, right."
Twilight stepped forward, crossing in front of her, only to pause midstride and face her again. "Uh, if I have to introduce you..."
She couldn't contain her grimace, but it didn't come out as a scowl. She held in a groan. "I suppose it would not be lying to introduce me as Luna," she mumbled.
Twilight swiveled around to face her head-on, nodding. "Okay, Luna."
She would have sworn Cadance had replaced Twilight because of that teasing smile. She turned her head to the right and looked out the window, up into the night sky. "I do not like this," she stated.
"Try to relax. I know you don't want to, but please, give it a chance. I'm not lying to you when I say that I think giving it a chance will be worth it," Twilight murmured.
Reluctantly, Nightmare turned back to face Twilight. Where the filly's teasing smile had been, in its place she found nothing on Twilight's lips, but a certain pain in Twilight's eyes. And though she hated seeing that pain, she said, "This is not who I am, Twilight. I am unaccustomed to this."
"I know," Twilight repeated. "Trust me, please?"
And how that twisted a dagger in her heart, forcing her to turn away as a grimace spread across her lips. 'To not trust you is to betray you.' She knew that Twilight meant well. She inclined her head lower, then lifted it again. "Very well."
When she turned back to Twilight, a soft smile was once again on the filly's lips, though she watched it morph into a grimace as Twilight winced. "Ah... my friends are going to figure out who you are, aren't they? Between your name and the cutie mark... well, uh-"
"It is likely, yes," Nightmare agreed. "Though perhaps it does not matter."
Twilight flashed her an awkward, forced smile. "Well! Let's go." And with that, Twilight turned from her and trotted to the door, then opened it with her magic and turned back to face her.
Nightmare inclined her head and gradually walked the distance to the door. More than once, she almost stumbled over her hooves, not being used to her short stature. Twilight watched her stumble but said nothing. She paused at the door for a moment and surveyed the street beyond, taking in the decor, and then with trepidation, she stepped out into the night.
Several foals pranced through the street, unaware of who she was. They laughed and smiled as they chased after one another, and their laughs and smiles were daggers that cut into her heart, bringing with it anger and bitterness and disappointment over the simple fact, 'Sister did this to me,' and all it entailed.
Another foal wearing a costume jumped out from an alleyway in front of the prancing foals, eliciting a sharp yelp from them as they jumped back with surprise that was immediately replaced with happy laughter.
The door clicked shut and Twilight stepped over to stand at her right, as was proper, though she felt the filly's robe brush up against her side and hidden wing. She turned away from watching the foals to instead gaze upon Twilight. Acting on a fleeting thought, she lifted her wing out from between them and draped it over Twilight's back. Twilight looked at her and smiled fondly, then turned away from her to survey the street.
And since it was night and her wing was hidden, only the two of them knew. It was something they could share. She could hold Twilight close and shelter her, and in exchange, she would feel the pleasant warmth of Twilight's body against her. The robes Twilight wore left her longing for their destruction or removal so that she would feel Twilight's fur against her own body and wing.
But despite the robe, for a time, she felt content. Laying her wing around Twilight and feeling her body through the robe was comforting, not quite enough to fully banish her dread and worry, but enough to reassure her that, despite how poorly the night would end, for a time, it would be okay.
And how she welcomed that reassurance.
"Where to first?" Spike asked.
Twilight turned away from her and looked down, presumably at Spike. "Well, I was thinking we would head to the market since Applejack is likely to be there, and we might run into Pinkie and Rarity as well." Twilight turned back to face her, wearing a sheepish smile. "If that's okay?"
Nightmare inclined her head and voiced, "I will go where you go. Lead the way."
The corners of Twilight's lips drifted lower, then lifted again. It seemed that Twilight looked at her for longer than she should have, or longer than was necessary. "Okay."
So Twilight turned and took the lead, and Nightmare followed, staying right at Twilight's side so that her wing stayed in place. They walked through the streets, passing foals who played and laughed, passing mares and stallions who chuckled and talked as they walked along. Few ponies paid attention to them, and the looks came only in passing: there was no recognition of who she was, but Twilight was recognized, and that alone brought scrutiny onto her. Who was the pony walking alongside Twilight?
And perhaps, she worried: Why was she walking so close?
Though the fabric of Twilight's robes separated them, it was not lost on her how close they walked, for she could feel the little movements of Twilight's muscles through her robe and fur and the rise and fall of her chest as Twilight breathed. She welcomed the little movements for what they meant, that she was not alone and that she had somepony to call friend.
Perhaps she should take a chance and ask Twilight if she would consider something more, but no: she neither could nor would. Asking such a thing gave too much away, asking such a thing was unfair on Twilight. And to ask such a thing, she could not, for the thought of rejection haunted her.
And what then? Things between them would be different, both as friends and as teacher and student. And even if by some miracle Twilight did not reject the idea, things would yet be different, and perhaps it would be a bad thing.
And yet she could remember Cadance saying, 'It's what you want, isn't it?'
And how it weighed down on her.
'I will wait. You are yet young,' she decided. There was plenty of time to wait, and in the future, perhaps the aftermath of her return would have settled and perhaps it would be okay. It was something to look forward to. She just had to be patient. She could be patient.
Crack!
She tensed at the unexpected lightning while the flash stunned her. Spike yelped. Twilight yelped and jerked towards her, pressing close to her side. Her mind and body reeled from the attack; she prepared her magic, but because she was smaller than she was used to, Twilight’s added weight pushed her off balance. She fell to the ground on her side, and not a moment later, she felt Twilight’s weight fall on top of her. Enough to break her focus.
“What-”
She hastily relit her horn and scrambled to get out from under Twilight’s body, but she wasn’t quite as strong as she was used to, and Twilight was still reeling. She was trapped and caught off-guard. The first attack missed, but the next attack likely wouldn't. She doubted there was enough time for her to get out from under Twilight before they attacked again. She wrapped her wing around as much of Twilight’s body as she could cover to protect her friend and braced herself.
She made out barely-restrained laughter. She recognized the voice.
Rainbow Dash.
Not an attack?
She looked up to see the pegasus’ tell-tale rainbow-mane and tail sticking out from behind a small black cloud.
The mare’s head popped up, revealing that she too was in costume, one that she recognized as being a Wonderbolt uniform, complete with flight goggles. The brash pegasus grinned and laughed, batting her hoof at the air for a moment as she fell back onto the cloud.
“Rainbow Dash!” Twilight growled.
She held in her own growl but relaxed, letting Twilight pick herself up off of her, and then she stood back up at Twilight’s side.
“Ah! I got you good, Twilight!” Rainbow barked.
She blinked at length, closing her eyes and shaking her head. ‘Of course.’
The laughter eventually came to a stop, followed by a satisfied sigh. A moment passed in blissful peace.
“Wait. Is that-”
“Yes,” Twilight hissed.
Another moment passed in silence, followed by Rainbow laughing nervously. “Uh... Sorry about that. I uh, didn’t realize it was you.”
She opened her eyes and looked up at Rainbow flatly. The pegasus smiled awkwardly.
Perhaps the apology was genuine.
She sighed and looked at Twilight to find her friend glaring up at Rainbow Dash. “That was a completely uncalled for prank,” Twilight chastised.
Rainbow scoffed, tossing her head back. “Oh come on! That was great! Relax a little, Twilight! It’s Nightmare Night.” A few seconds passed where Twilight continued glaring at Rainbow. “Ugh, of course, you wouldn’t appreciate a good prank,” the pegasus grumbled.
She heard Rainbow mumble something else, then watched the pegasus push off the cloud, loop back behind it, and hastily push it off somewhere else.
“I uh... sorry about that,” Twilight apologized. Nightmare turned back to see Twilight grimacing and fidgeting. “I um... She...”
“It is fine,” she preempted, doing her best to mask her annoyance. Still, it was preferred that it was simply nothing more than Rainbow Dash, rather than an attack. She turned her head back and looked over Twilight’s robe. It was a little dustier at the edges, but otherwise mostly fine. “You are unharmed, yes?”
Twilight nodded timidly.
She gradually unfurled her wing and laid it over Twilight’s back again. She wasn’t sure if it comforted Twilight or herself more. Twilight leaned against her and gently nuzzled her cheek. She closed her eyes and leaned into Twilight’s nuzzle, relaxing and enjoying the peaceful reprieve.
They both startled as a more distant crack! of lightning came, followed by a chorus of screams and yelps.
Twilight grimaced and groaned. “Yep...” her friend muttered. “At least Rainbow Dash is enjoying tonight.”
She chose not to say anything.
The market, she discovered as they filed into the large open plaza, wasn't quite packed with ponies, but was far from empty. A few dozen ponies, ages ranging from young foals to the middle-aged adults, meandered about, where the foals pranced and danced between stalls and hay bales, chasing other foals and laughing so carefree.
And she found herself slowing even as Twilight slid out from under her wing as she took it all in, because it hurt. She regarded it all and longed for it to have been as such so long ago, that they knew peace and prosperity, rather than war and destitution.
And it all happened because of Sister. For what had she contributed to it, other than her banishment?
She clenched her jaw and sucked in a deep breath. Turning her attention back to Twilight, she found the filly stopped a few paces ahead of her, head turned back to look at her, wearing a curious and slightly concerned look.
"Are you alright?" Twilight asked.
"I will be fine," she answered. Forcing herself to ignore the creeping disappointment, doubt, and agitation that snuck into the back of her mind, she strode forward and again laid her wing over Twilight's back.
Twilight stayed where she was for a few seconds, and when she watched the filly, she saw her contemplative look, saw how she considered what was bothering her, and then saw when Twilight figured it out. She watched Twilight lower her head and look down at the ground, then turn away from her.
Perhaps Twilight didn't fully grasp it, but at the very least, Twilight had some idea of what troubled her.
Twilight finally lifted her head up, then silently led on. They made their way through the crowd. She cast her gaze about to survey her subjects' smiling faces and her ears twitched when she heard the carefree, warm giggles and laughs of foals who enjoyed this night beyond any other. And how it set in her chest as a heavy weight that sought to bring her down and strangle her. How it only served to emphasize her own failures and shortcomings, how it served to set her Sister on an even higher pedestal than the one she sat upon those thousand years ago.
And how it brought her to feel mocked, rather than loved or adored.
She did not feel free, nor happy, nor relaxed. Rather, she felt as if she had been defeated and was now led through the streets of some city to be made a mockery of, to be shown off as a 'prize' to the pony that had defeated her and captured her. The only things missing were unbreakable bindings, and her humiliation would have been complete. That bitterness settled in her stomach like a poison, sickening her.
And there wasn’t a thing she could do about it.
She cast her gaze back on Twilight, who was looking off to the right, perhaps examining one of the produce stalls they passed. Twilight did not know her plight; the filly was unaware, ignorant to it. 'And letting it show would only ruin this night for you,' a part of her mind growled.
They walked towards Applejack's stall, and nopony recognized her. They did not consider her with fear, neither did they consider her with adoration, for she was unknown to them.
'Do they seek to mock me?' she asked herself. 'They have lived their lives without knowing who I am, they did not know who I was nor that I existed.'
Perhaps Twilight was right, and perhaps they didn't seek to go out of their way to mock her. What benefit was it to them? And yet she still struggled with the idea.
Applejack finally noticed them, and the mare's eyes jumped back and forth between them. Confusion faded to concern and worry and recognition. "Is that who I think it is?"
"I am, yes," Nightmare answered.
Applejack looked at her bewildered. "Uh..."
She tilted her head as the mare just stared at her. Eventually, Applejack shook her head. "Right, sorry. I'm just surprised is all."
"Understandable," Nightmare acknowledged.
Applejack shifted her weight and turned her attention to Twilight. Though it went unsaid, Applejack's expression asked, 'What's going on and why is she here like that?'
She turned her head to look at Twilight, only to find herself facing Twilight's ear. For a moment she considered it, contemplating that they were the same height, then she turned back to face Applejack.
"I invited her to come," Twilight explained. The filly's voice had taken a defensive edge, and in response, she noticed Applejack squint. "And I suggested... this," Twilight added. "How did you know?"
Applejack tossed her head to her right, then nodded towards Nightmare Moon. "Her cutie mark. And I can't think of anypony else you'd be that close to unless you forgot to mention something."
At that, Nightmare breathed in and leaned away from Twilight. The filly coughed, and Nightmare took a single step away from her friend. And though she didn't want to, she lifted her wing and tucked it back against her side.
"So... why do you look like that, then?" Applejack asked.
"Ponies will not immediately recognize me. Such means that perhaps my presence will not ruin tonight for them," Nightmare answered.
Applejack briefly frowned, then a slight grimace pulled at her lips. "I suppose that makes sense..." Just like her, Applejack wasn’t completely convinced.
"Applejack!" somepony called.
Nightmare turned to the source and watched a small yellow earth pony filly race towards the stall. Her mane was red, and a pink bow set atop her head. With a quick glance at Applejack, she saw the mare smiling. Quickly turning her head back towards Twilight, she mumbled, "Applebloom, I presume?"
"Yes," Twilight quietly answered.
"I see." Nightmare turned back to watch Applebloom practically jump at Applejack's chest.
The older mare let out a chuckle and hugged her. "Where's Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle?"
"We were all wondering if we could go and visit Fluttershy since nopony's seen her out here tonight!" Applebloom answered.
Applejack grimaced and drawled a reluctant, concerned, "Well, that's awfully close to the Everfree Forest..."
"Please!" Applebloom pleaded.
Applejack grimaced, then sighed. "Alright. Just stay out of the forest and stay out of trouble."
"Yay!" Applebloom squealed. The filly turned and noticed them. "Oh, hi Twilight! Hi Spike."
“Hey, Applebloom,” Spike greeted casually.
"Hello, Applebloom," Twilight greeted fondly, though not quite as fondly as she would have her other friends.
Then Applebloom looked at her. "Whose that?"
And at that, both Twilight and Applejack looked at her. "You may call me Luna," she answered.
"Luna?" Applebloom asked, her brow folding down in though.
Nightmare reluctantly inclined her head. "Yes."
Applebloom smiled. "That's a really pretty name, Luna!"
'That's a really pretty name,' echoed in her mind. She blinked and found the filly still looking at her, still smiling. Had her ears deceived her? Surely not. But how? Why? Was the foal lying? Surely not! For what reason did she have to lie? Applebloom did not know who she was; she was a stranger to her. "Thank you," she murmured.
"So you're another one of Twilight's friends?" Applebloom asked.
Nightmare nodded. "I am."
Applebloom's brow folded down. "Huh. I don't remember seeing you around here before."
"I..." Nightmare trailed off, considering her answer. She would not lie, but what would she say? "I reside in Canterlot," she finally said.
"Oh! I guess that explains that then. Well, it was nice meeting you, but Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle are waiting for me! Bye!"
And just as oblivious as before, the filly pranced off in search of her friends. She turned to watch her leave. Bewilderment slipped onto her expression, leaving her lips frozen in a straight line and her brow slightly creased. She turned back to face Applejack and saw both of them still looking at her: Applejack not quite indifferently and Twilight with a smile.
She half expected Twilight to say something, but instead, Twilight turned back to Applejack. "So, I guess nopony's seen Fluttershy then?"
Applejack shrugged. "As far as I know, she always stays home on Nightmare Night. Locks herself in and all that."
Twilight frowned. "Huh. I guess that explains why I never heard about her plans for tonight."
"Eyup," Applejack agreed with a hearty nod.
"What about the rest of the girls?" Twilight asked.
"Well, from what I've seen, Rarity's also staying home. Planning for the Royal Wedding and all that. Rainbow's flying around somewhere... taking a cloud with her. She's dressed up as a Wonderbolt too..."
“Yes. Yes she is...” Twilight mumbled.
“Did she prank you too?” Applejack asked.
“Yes,” Twilight answered flatly.
Applejack rolled her eyes and sighed. “That’s Rainbow Dash for you... I'm pretty sure Pinkie Pie's running around in a chicken costume."
Nightmare frowned as she pictured that; the image left her bewildered.
Twilight pursed her lips. "So she shouldn't be too hard to miss, then."
"Eyup," Applejack heartily agreed.
"Hmm. Well, I guess we'll... see you around," Twilight said. The filly glanced at her, then started to turn.
"Have a good night, Twilight... Luna," Applejack said.
Nightmare warily nodded at Applejack, then turned alongside Twilight. Twilight walked in front of her and headed off to the right, so Nightmare followed. They made their way out of the market, following the same general path Applebloom had taken. "You intend to visit Fluttershy?" she asked.
"Yes," Twilight answered.
They walked on in silence for a few seconds while Nightmare scrutinized the ponies walking in the opposite direction as them. Not all of them wore costumes, but most did, and as with before, she scarcely recognized any of them. Things had certainly changed during her absence. And that ponies were now safe and free to roam the night dressed up as monsters and laughing at the idea? Rather than the joy and satisfaction she expected to feel, she felt disappointed, dissociated, and distant. She held back a sigh and lifted her head up to the sky. Overhead, the stars shined brightly, for the sky was clear with hardly a cloud to break the pristine view. And her gaze eventually drifted to the moon and its scarring, bringing her to remember the centuries of banishment and torture she had endured.
Cadance had asked if revenge was worth it. Twilight would be appalled if the topic was brought up. It wasn't satisfying as she had hoped.
But she gave it no further thought, instead casting her gaze across the rest of the sky, searching out any batponies that flew on patrol, yet she found none and grimaced. 'Perhaps they are being discrete,' she decided.
As their journey continued, as they neared the edge of Ponyville, fewer and fewer ponies were out, leading her to decide that most of them were gathered towards the center of the village, perhaps the market, or were staying inside. As the edge of the village was near the Everfree Forest, it made more sense for ponies to keep their distance as it was safer. Once they left the last buildings behind, their walk fell silent as they had left behind the giggles of prancing foals and the chatter of adults.
The claps of thunder, however sporadically, continued.
Leaving behind Ponyville, she felt peace soothe her tormented soul: no longer was she forcibly reminded of her shortcomings and her Sister's accomplishments. No longer were there ponies who looked at her curiously, who would have instead scorned her had she appeared as she should have.
She let her mind wander and found herself considering her dreams. She thought back on them, how she and Twilight could soar through the peaceful night sky, each carried on their own wings, before landing on a cloud together and laying there until they set or raised the moon together. And so she looked at Twilight, longing for the time that it would be so, yet knowing it was so far out of reach: for Twilight was not yet ready to help her, not yet ready to ascend.
Soon, but never soon enough.
And how she longed for their walk to simply be the two of them, without Spike. How she longed to be her true form, rather than such a young, weak body that brought her to stumble every few steps!
And how she longed to drape her wing over Twilight’s body once more, sheltering her as they walked together.
She turned her head to the right to watch Twilight walk beside her, then cast her gaze out across the open meadows that stretched across the land between Ponyville and the Everfree forest. She considered the grasses and flowers, so softly lit under the light of her moon, and thought back on her dreams where Twilight and her had walked such meadows together. She considered the gentle trickle of the stream that split the land, how it reminded her of the trickling fountains in the castle's gardens and brought her to reminisce on walking through them with Twilight.
She breathed in deep and caught Twilight's soothing scent of lavender and books, though mixed in with the crispness of the Autumn air and the scent of dry grass. She let her eyes trace along Twilight's spine, then let her eyes settle between Twilight's withers, then contemplated the way the filly's body moved with each step she took. She let her gaze slither back to the middle of Twilight's body and pictured lavender wings where her robe hid her bare body.
And it seemed that even then, the world was against her: she stumbled again, tripping over some stone on the road, and winced. Twilight turned to face her as she recovered. For a moment, she met Twilight's gaze, then cast her gaze back ahead so that she did not trip up again.
And the peacefulness gradually faded away as they neared Fluttershy's cottage. The pegasus owner was nowhere to be seen, but three fillies were gathered at the door: she recognized one as Applebloom and thus presumed the unicorn to be Rarity's sister Sweetie Belle, and the pegasus to be Scootaloo. The foals didn't notice their approach until Twilight called out, "Hi, girls!"
The three young foals turned back to look at them. "Oh, hi Twilight!" Applebloom greeted. "You here for Fluttershy too?"
"Yes," Twilight answered.
By the time they had crossed the bridge over the small stream that separated Fluttershy's cottage from the main path, Fluttershy had timidly opened the door and, upon realizing that it was only three young foals rather than some monster coming to get her, opened it wider. Only once the door was all the way open did Fluttershy notice Twilight, Spike, and her. "Oh, um, hello everypony..." was her soft, mumbled greeting that she just barely heard.
Twilight's smile brightened at the sight of Fluttershy, and she mostly ignored Nightmare Moon as she trotted over to stand near the foals at the entrance. "Hello, Fluttershy."
Nightmare lingered back, unwilling to approach the group and intrude on them.
"Hi Twilight," Fluttershy greeted. Nightmare watched Twilight and Fluttershy share a gentle nuzzle, and she felt a tinge of jealousy prick her mind- not enough to make her dislike either of them, but enough that made her cast her gaze towards the Everfree Forest.
She scanned the treeline, though perceived no danger. She had to wonder, 'Out of all of your friends, Twilight, why is it Fluttershy who lives closest to this forest?' And yet, from what little she knew of Fluttershy, the pegasus chose to live so close to the forest because of her fondness for animals.
Yet even that seemed odd. For her to be fond of animals and yet live so close to such a dangerous forest? She found herself shaking her head.
She heard, "Who's that?" and it stood out to her, so she turned back to see the white unicorn filly looking at her. And at the filly's question, everypony turned back to look at her.
Before she could answer, Applebloom said, "That's Luna!" She caught a flick of Fluttershy's ears at the name, and Fluttershy stared at her as Applebloom continued, "One of Twilight's friends from Canterlot."
"Oh, okay!" the unicorn filly chirped in a carefree, musical tone.
And how she longed for that tone to come from a foal when she was not unknown to them. It stung. She felt disappointed but didn't let it show, instead, bowing her head in acknowledgment.
Fluttershy ducked her head low and moved to step away, only for Twilight to nuzzle her again, which at least halted her retreat, even if it didn't bring her back out. Her student whispered something into Fluttershy's ear, and the pegasus let out a quiet "Eep!" but then hastily, albeit timidly, nodded.
'And again another of your friends knows it is me.' And because of that, Fluttershy cowered, even with Twilight's gentle coaxing in an attempt to comfort her. She held back a sigh. Fluttershy did not deserve her ire. Though Fluttershy had stood with Twilight against her, she did not hold it against the pegasus. 'You are far less confident than even Twilight... that you bear an Element of Harmony, and yet you do so bear Kindness.'
Why was it that Twilight's friends bore the Elements of Harmony? Why couldn't it have simply been Twilight? Things would have been so much simpler, so much better, had it been solely her student. That destiny had chosen the six of them, she could not understand.
Spike hugged Fluttershy's foreleg and whispered something into her ear, and Fluttershy again nodded quickly.
But before she could dwell on it, and before Fluttershy could do anything else, the orange pegasus filly with a purple mane asked her, "So if you're friends with Twilight, does that mean you're friends with Rainbow Dash?"
A bit of a grimace played across her lips: the filly looked at her wide-eyed, wings buzzing in excitement and anticipation of her answer. She shook her head and answered, "I am not very familiar with Twilight's Ponyville friends. I have met Rainbow Dash but I do not know her well." She did her best to hide her annoyance from their last meeting, and fortunately, it seemed the young pegasus didn’t pick up on it.
The young filly still ducked her head low, looking at the ground as her wings fell from her sides. "Oh."
She frowned as the sight tormented her, reminding her of things far worse that had happened in the past, how she had seen foals told things, then watched the realization set in. But that realization did not come, and so she took some comfort in that knowledge, though it did not erase all the torment.
"I'm sorry girls, but, um, I don't have any candy if that's what you're here for," Fluttershy murmured barely above a whisper that Nightmare strained to hear. The three fillies turned back around to face her. "I um, can fix some tea, if you'd like?" was the pegasus's meek offer.
"Naw, that's okay," Applebloom replied. "But thanks anyway! We were kind of hoping we could convince you to let us borrow Hank..." the filly trailed off.
Fluttershy's eyes widened, and she barely heard a slightly more energetic whisper of, "Oh, um, I don't... I don't think that's such a good idea..."
"Aww, come one! It's Nightmare Night! It'll be fun!" Applebloom protested.
'Hank? What kind of name is that?' she wondered. True, there were species that had very odd names, but Hank? What kind of a name was that!? She squinted at Fluttershy, then looked to Twilight. "Who is... Hank?"
Twilight stepped back over to her. "Hank is... Fluttershy's bear."
"Bear?"
"Yes," Twilight answered.
'Fluttershy has a pet bear? Or would friend be a more apt term?' Perhaps so. And yet, 'Fluttershy is friends with a bear?' She had questions: How was it that Fluttershy was friends with a bear? She had no confidence and was scared of almost everything, from what she had gathered. 'Perhaps it is because she bears kindness?'
Yes, surely that was the reason why.
It still made no sense to her.
She tried to shake the bewilderment off and failing that, she decided to push the thought from her mind.
Fluttershy shook her head and frowned. "I'm sorry girls, but no. Hank's staying here with me tonight."
"Aww!" all three young fillies pouted in unison.
Fluttering her small wings, Scootaloo looked back and forth between her companions. "Hey, why don't we go find Rainbow Dash? Maybe she can help us?"
Sweetie Belle and Applebloom shared a look and rolled their eyes while Scootaloo jumped in the air and squealed. Her small wings buzzed at her sides but did not give her flight, bringing Nightmare to frown slightly.
"Come on, let's go!" Scootaloo called, then took off. Both other foals followed.
Nightmare watched them leave, then continued to watch them as they galloped back to Ponyville. Once they were well along their way, Nightmare turned back to face Fluttershy and Twilight. "Fluttershy," she acknowledged.
And even with her true form hidden, even with her voice far softer than she could remember, Fluttershy squeaked and fell onto her stomach, hiding behind her mane and forehooves.
Nightmare scowled and turned to face the forest.
"Fluttershy, it's okay. She won't hurt you," Twilight murmured.
She thought she heard Fluttershy whisper something, but couldn't tell what.
"She's here because I asked her to come," came Twilight's soft response. Nightmare thought she heard a bit of disappointment slip into what Twilight said next, "I thought... I thought you two might be able to get to know one another better..."
She held back a sigh and turned to face Fluttershy again. Twilight leaned down and gently rubbed her nose against Fluttershy's neck, and again she felt jealous that it was Fluttershy being nuzzled rather than her.
Fluttershy said something.
"I know... but... try, please? She's not that... bad once you get to know her," came Twilight's soft murmur. The filly lifted her head back up and turned to face her. "Talk to her."
Nightmare shifted her weight and begrudgingly stepped closer. "You..." she trailed off. 'She is like Twilight. She is fragile.' Was it worth it, giving Fluttershy a chance as she had Twilight? Twilight would say so, she was certain. And perhaps Twilight was correct: Fluttershy was one of her student's friends, one of her allies, and bore Kindness. That, and Fluttershy neither deserved her anger nor ire: Fluttershy had surely done far less against her than Twilight had. "I will not harm you. I give you my word," she said.
It took a few seconds, but Fluttershy gradually came out from behind her mane and looked at her. And though there was fear in her eyes, though her body was tense, there was perhaps something more: a willingness to give her a chance.
Give her a chance. And oh! How the idea left her bitter. Did she not deserve Fluttershy's respect? What had she done so long ago that caused ponies to turn on her, shun her, betray her, and hate her?
And yet she was neither naive enough nor foolish enough to forget, 'I have done nothing to deserve her friendship since my return.' She had not made any effort with anypony outside of Twilight and perhaps Cadance.
'Give them a chance,' Twilight had told her.
So she did. She took in a deep breath, then calmly exhaled. She was patient. She waited until Fluttershy finally picked herself back up and stood facing her at eye level. "May we come inside?"
Fluttershy timidly nodded, then backed up and stepped aside. Twilight looked back at her. She looked at Twilight and inclined her head, so Twilight then took the lead, heading inside, followed by Spike. She followed after the two of them and watched Fluttershy watch her as she passed by.
Once she was passed the door, she turned her gaze from Fluttershy and took in the room. Spacious and open, yet cramped from birdhouses dangling from the ceiling. A few pictures dotted the walls, and off to the side two couches and tables. She trailed after Twilight and Spike and sat down on the couch beside her, though for sitting with Twilight at her left instead of right side, she felt uncomfortable.
Fluttershy finally closed the door, then made her way over. "I um... I'll fix some tea if you'd like."
"If it is no trouble," Nightmare answered.
Fluttershy nodded quickly and retreated to the kitchen even quicker. A few seconds after Fluttershy left, a small white rabbit hopped out from the same room and stared at her. Somehow, it felt disapproving.
Ignoring the rabbit, she slid her wing out from her side and wrapped it around Twilight, then with a gentle pull, brought Twilight to lean against her side. Spike glanced at them from the other side of Twilight, but she ignored it. In her smaller body, she was not used to the feeling: that Twilight was the same size as her and quite possibly weighed more than her, yet the warmth and weight were comforting and reassuring.
"I do not know what to say to her," Nightmare admitted.
"Just talk to her," Twilight offered. "Like you talk to me."
'There are times when you are not at all helpful,' Nightmare noted. "I still do not know what to say to her. She is neither my student nor my friend."
"And you can change that," Twilight pressed.
"We have little if anything in common," Nightmare countered. She faced Twilight. "What would you have me say to her?"
Twilight looked at her and opened her mouth, only to hesitate. A few seconds passed, and her student's mouth gradually closed. Once her lips were sealed, Twilight turned away from her to face the wall. "I don't know," Twilight admitted, then turned back to her. "There has to be something. You've lived a long time and you've seen a lot of things. Can't you think of something?"
Nightmare frowned and tilted her head. "I have seen many things, yes, but a great many of them are things that I will not speak on. And do keep in mind that I am not versed in the concept of being friends with anypony, as you are the only friend I have truly had." Twilight's jaw tightened. "I do not believe the circumstances of our friendship can be replicated with Fluttershy, nor do I desire to replicate such circumstances."
Twilight turned back to the wall, and her muzzle drooped lower. She watched Twilight's eyes dart back and forth across the floor, then she turned her gaze back towards the doorway and waited.
"She's a good pony. She's shy and timid, yes, but she's nice, and kind," Twilight finally said.
Nightmare glanced back at Twilight, and Twilight lifted her head up to face her. "I would not disagree with that, but I do not see how that brings us any closer to... being friends. That is your goal, is it not? For Fluttershy and I to become friends."
Twilight timidly nodded. "Please give her a chance."
She sighed and cast her gaze back at the doorway. "I will give her a chance, yes, but I do not see how it is possible."
"Hey, I'm friends with Rainbow Dash. I have no idea how that's possible but I am," Twilight stated.
Nightmare glanced back at Twilight's smirk and then rolled her eyes. "So you are."
"If I can become friends with Rainbow Dash, then I think you can become friends with Fluttershy," Twilight offered. "or at the very least, if not friends, comfortable with her?"
"I am not uncomfortable around her," Nightmare countered, "rather, she is uncomfortable around me."
Twilight exhaled sharply. "And we'll fix that. If you try."
All Nightmare had to say was, "Perhaps."
Fluttershy carefully flew through the doorway, holding a platter with four teacups and a teapot in her hooves. Nightmare sat up straighter at the pegasus' timid approach. Once Fluttershy was in front of her, she levitated one of the teacups from the platter and brought it under her muzzle. She watched Twilight take two, then looked down at the amber-tinted tea. She breathed in the steam and asked, "Chamomile?"
"Oh, yes. I um, hope you don't mind..." Fluttershy murmured.
Nightmare glanced at the pegasus. "I do not. Chamomile is quite pleasant."
Fluttershy gave the barest hint of a smile for a moment, then set the platter down on a table and took her own teacup before sitting down on the couch across from them.
She breathed in deep again, taking in the subtle aroma of the chamomile, then lifted it to her lips and took a small sip. Earthy with a floral undertone, neither truly sweet nor bitter. It was not so hot to make her lips tingle, but the warmth was welcome compared to the chill in the Autumn air. She savored the tea for a moment, then swallowed.
Fluttershy took an even smaller drink, though didn't look away from Nightmare Moon, and Twilight sat her teacup down on the table while Spike held his in his claws.
"You enjoy animals, do you not?" Nightmare questioned.
Fluttershy nodded and smiled sweetly. "Oh, yes. I love animals. They're just so cute and lovable and sweet," the pegasus murmured. At the very least, Nightmare found that the sound of Fluttershy's voice was soothing: it mixed well with the chamomile and Twilight's company.
She gave a nod. "I suppose they can be, though I must admit my experience with animals has been..." she trailed off, lifting her head up and setting it at an angle. 'Perhaps this is not the best subject to discuss. She is even more naive and soft-hearted than Twilight. She would not like to hear of my experiences.' A grimace spread onto her lips. She leveled her head and gave a drawn-out shake. "Not the best."
Fluttershy frowned. "Oh, I'm sorry..."
She found herself saying, "Do not apologize," before she could consider it.
"S-sorry," Fluttershy meekly murmured.
She caught herself before telling Fluttershy not to apologize again. "It is fine," she replied. A few seconds passed in silence, so she brought her teacup back to her lips and took another small drink. 'Fluttershy lives near the Everfree Forest.' She pursed her lips in thought. "Pray tell, have you been having problems with anything since you live so close to the Everfree?"
Fluttershy reluctantly nodded, then turned to the left, almost hiding her face with her mane. "Some... it's worse now than it was..." the pegasus trailed off and then met her gaze for a second before shying away. "It's worse than it was before you came back..."
'You are reluctant for fear of my retaliation. Or you are reluctant because that is who you are. You do not desire to offend me.' She found herself grimacing as she inclined her head. "I see. Have the batponies been helping?"
Fluttershy turned back to her and nodded quickly. "Yes, they have been. I don't know what I would do if they weren't here... I probably would have lost more animals, and I might even have to move."
'Lost more animals,' stood out in her mind, and it made her grimace grow worse. She felt pity for the pegasus: she was naive, yes, and yet Fluttershy had innocence as Twilight did. Indeed, she had seen things she would not wish anypony else to see: things far worse than Fluttershy had possibly seen, and yet she still pitied the pegasus.
Was it because of how soft Fluttershy was? Perhaps it was; she would not wish harm on Fluttershy in a similar manner to how she would not wish harm on Twilight.
"Have you seen..." she trailed off. 'I should not ask that.' She breathed in quickly, then said, "If you require further protection, I can assign more batponies to assist in protecting Ponyville."
Was it a waste of resources? Perhaps. But Fluttershy was important, not only as Twilight's friend but also as the Bearer of Kindness. If Fluttershy was in danger, then it was not a waste of resources. It would not do for some animal or another to kill Fluttershy and render Equestria defenseless to Discord. She nodded to herself.
"O-oh, it's um, no problem, really... The batponies have been doing a really good job. Though... I've seen them get hurt and..." Fluttershy trailed off quietly and looked at the floor.
She inclined her head unsurely, recognizing the look. "I... would not wish for ponies to be hurt unnecessarily," she said testingly. Was it true? She thought so, or perhaps she was lying to herself. Unnecessarily inflicting pain and suffering was not good. They did not benefit her any, nor did it make anything better. And to purposefully inflict pain and suffering on another as Sister did to her without reason was wrong. 'And yet at one time I would have,' condemned her.
Well, as Twilight would say, she could change that.
And, at least to an extent, she had.
'Equestria suffers because of me,' teased at her mind. She shifted her weight and pushed the thought aside. 'They have themselves to blame. They should not fear me as they do.'
'I have given them reason to fear me, have I not? I crafted this appearance to inspire fear, did I not?'
Perhaps there was something she needed to do or address. But she was not Luna; she was Nightmare Moon.
She took another drink of her chamomile tea, then set the teacup down on the table. 'How long will we linger here?' she wondered.
That white rabbit from earlier hopped over to Fluttershy and then sat down beside her.
Fluttershy looked at him with a smile, then turned back to face her. "You care about Twilight a lot, don't you?"
She nodded once. "I do,” she admitted. All present could surely tell by the tone of her voice how genuine it was. Fluttershy smiled a little more, and Twilight smiled too. “She is my only friend." Twilight, Spike, and Fluttershy all looked at her for a moment. She waited until Twilight and Spike looked away before asking, "Why is it that you stay home on Nightmare Night?"
Fluttershy ducked back so that her mane fell to cover her face. "Oh, I'm sorry-"
She shook her head. "It is fine. I am not particularly fond of this holiday-" the pegasus reluctantly lifted her head back and frowned, "-I simply desire to know why it is that you stay home, rather than leave. Other ponies..." she trailed off and had to stop herself from grimacing. "Other ponies seem to... enjoy it, to an extent."
"Oh," Fluttershy murmured, lowering her head. "It's just that I'm afraid. I know that it's just other ponies dressing up, but it's still scary. And all of the ponies out... and what if one of them isn't actually wearing a disguise, but actually is a monster?" The pegasus let out a quiet, fearful squeak.
Nightmare frowned. "Monster... I will not tell you that they do not exist, as they do and I have seen them first hoof. I have dealt with monsters many times before, and they learned to fear my name." She tentatively nodded once. 'You are soft and weak. This is Sister's fault. And yet you are innocent and naive to the horrors the world can hold. Such reflects well of Sister, that she protected you all from that.'
She felt conflicted. Sister had accomplished one of Luna’s goals, and yet through her accomplishing one of Luna’s goals, Sister had left them weaker for it. How should she feel? Was not one of her goals to likewise ensure Equestria was safe? And if she was successful as Sister had been, would that bring the same end, that ponies were weaker for it? And if that was so, could she hold it against Sister? Or was it foalish and hypocritical?
She did not know and shook her head. "Equestria as you know it is a much better place than I knew it," she said.
Fluttershy frowned. "Oh, surely it couldn't have been all that bad?"
But she didn't answer. Neither Fluttershy nor Twilight needed to know, and while of the two of them, Twilight might have some idea, Fluttershy did not. Twilight squirmed at her side and glanced at her. She glanced at Twilight and met her gaze. 'You know more than most ponies, though perhaps there are yet scholars who know more than you do. A thousand years is a long time, but the batponies know.'
Realizing that she wasn't going to answer, Fluttershy shifted her weight and looked at her rabbit for a moment, then turned back to her. "You said you didn't like Nightmare Night?"
"I do not," Nightmare answered.
"Why?" Fluttershy asked, then ducked back behind her mane. "If, um, you don't mind my asking..."
She inhaled deeply, then inclined her head once. "I do not mind. I have spoken on this subject with Twilight in passing. It is... it mocks me. It emphasizes how Sister erased me, and that one of the few reminders that I ever existed is a holiday where foals are told that I would hurt them? I do not like it."
Fluttershy watched her for a few seconds, then averted her gaze and timidly nodded. "I... I can understand that." Fluttershy met her gaze. "You don't want ponies to think of you that way, do you?"
Her brow folded down. "Of course not. It is foolish." She kept, 'And hurtful,' to herself. "I would not wish harm upon foals-" she grimaced and tilted her head back to the left, "-though I suppose I did with Twilight-" Twilight fidgeted under her wing. She gradually leaned her head back and looked at her friend for a few seconds before nodding at Fluttershy. "-and I suppose at one time I would have done so callously as well." She bowed her head once. "A long time ago."
"But not now," Fluttershy murmured.
She gradually nodded once. "Not now," she repeated.
She finished her tea and set the cup back down. Turning to Twilight, she asked, "Perhaps we should take our leave?"
Twilight frowned and hesitated to answer. Instead, Twilight looked at Fluttershy, then back at her. She caught Twilight's ears tipping back. "Yeah... I guess." Twilight turned back to Fluttershy and finished her tea, then set the cup down and said. "I'll try to stop by tomorrow if that's okay?"
Fluttershy smiled softly and nodded. "I'd like that."
Twilight smiled back, then it faded as the filly slid off the couch to stand. "I... hope that you're okay with me having brought Nightmare Moon here."
Fluttershy nodded a little more timidly. "It's okay," was her soft comfort.
She stood from the couch and folded her wing as Twilight walked over to hug and nuzzle Fluttershy, and again at the sight of them nuzzling, she turned away from it as jealousy bubbled in her chest. 'They are friends as we are. I cannot force her to choose between me and the rest of her friends. It is not fair to her and will only hurt us both.'
Spike stood from the couch and set his teacup down on the table, then walked over to hug Fluttershy after Twilight.
"Goodbye, Fluttershy."
"Goodbye, Twilight. Goodbye, Spike."
"Bye, Fluttershy!"
Twilight walked back to her side, trailed by Spike. She gave the filly a smile and laid her wing back on Twilight's back, draping it over her side and pulling her close, then turned to leave.
"Um... goodbye... Nightmare Moon," Fluttershy murmured.
She paused and looked back at Fluttershy. For a moment, she hesitated, then nodded once. "Goodbye, Fluttershy. Enjoy your night."
"Oh, um, thank you," was Fluttershy's soft murmur.
'Do you mean that, or are you merely saying it as a pleasantry?' she wondered. With a glance back at Fluttershy's timid, meek expression, she decided, 'Perhaps you do mean it. You bear Kindness.' Though in truth, it mattered little.
But perhaps it wasn’t completely meaningless. It was pleasant.
She inclined her head once, then turned back and lead the way to the door. Fluttershy trailed behind them. She opened the door and stepped out into the night. She cast her gaze around, making sure it was safe, then lead on. After a few seconds, she heard the door close.
"We could have stayed longer," Twilight said.
Nightmare stopped and turned to regard Twilight. The filly looked at her with a creased brow. "Do you wish we had?" she asked.
Twilight turned away from her, but said nothing. Twilight strode forward, sliding out from under her wing.
She frowned and reluctantly lowered her wing to her side, then followed. They crossed the bridge again and turned back to head to Ponyville. "You are upset," she ventured.
Twilight stopped and turned back to face her. "You're not going to make friends with ponies if you don't put any effort into it. You're not going to make friends with ponies if you avoid them. I know you're not a normal pony, but you still have to try."
She gradually nodded once. "I know."
Twilight's ears fell back. "Then why did you want to leave?"
She grimaced and turned her head to the right. "As I said, I do not know what to say to her."
Twilight sighed. "Look, I know Fluttershy isn't that talkative, but you could just stay there and enjoy her company. She enjoys the peace and quiet, and I enjoy it too. I'd say we should all go on a picnic together, but it's probably too cold for that so it would have to wait."
Nightmare grimaced and turned back to Twilight. "I... perhaps would not be opposed to the idea, though I am inclined to agree it would have to wait."
Twilight watched her for a few seconds, then exhaled and shook her head. "You don't even want to be friends with them, do you?"
"I do not know," Nightmare answered.
Twilight groaned and turned back around, shaking her head vigorously. "You want ponies to love you but you also don't want to put any effort into it."
Nightmare frowned. "That is not what I said."
Twilight lifted her head up and looked back at her. "No, but it's what you think."
"Luna put forth a great deal of effort, Twilight, and ponies hated her despite it," Nightmare stated. "Hoping for that to have changed is foalish. Time taught me it would not."
Twilight shook her head. "It's been a thousand years. What harm is there in trying again? Equestria isn't the same as it was when you were Luna."
"Perhaps," Nightmare said, "but I still do not know..." she trailed off.
Twilight turned to face her and crossed the distance between them, stopping in front of her and meeting her gaze. For a moment, Twilight said nothing, simply watching her. "Please. Give it a chance."
"I have-"
Twilight's brow shot up. "Barely." The filly's brow fell, then creased. "Look. I'm new to the whole-" Twilight tossed her head to the right and flexed her eyebrows, "-friendship thing-" Twilight leveled her head again and met her gaze, "-but I have friends. I'm your friend, and you're mine. That should prove that you can have friends, but you have to put effort into it. Isn't that more appealing than being looked at with fear or hate?"
And how the idea held so much sway over her. Nightmare gradually bowed her head. "It is."
Twilight searched her expression. "Isn't it worth trying?"
"Perhaps," she mumbled as she turned her head away from Twilight. "Though I am inclined to think hoping for such is foolish."
Twilight leaned towards her. She looked at Twilight and felt the filly's nose touch her neck, then Twilight gradually nuzzled her. And how it made her chest and stomach coil with anxiety! How it made her legs feel cold! How it tickled her neck, feeling Twilight's soft fur rubbing against her own, making her long for more contact. She contemplated whether it was okay or not to return it, but damn the consequences! She was still equine, and Twilight was her friend, so she leaned into the nuzzle and returned it, closing her eyes and rubbing her cheek against Twilight's cheek.
And how she welcomed the warm softness of Twilight's fur against her own! How it brought her to reminisce on her youth! How it brought her to contemplate Twilight's youth and intelligence, her potential and her destiny.
And all too soon, Twilight pulled back, and as soon as the filly did, she was left longing for Twilight's nuzzle and embrace. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes and leveled her head so that she could look straight ahead at Twilight. She bowed her head once. "I will attempt to-" and the idea was so strange and foreign to her that she squinted as she spoke it, "-make friends with your friends, though as I have said, I do not have experience with this, nor do I know what to do."
"It helps if ponies don't think you're out to get them," Twilight said.
Her lip twitched back and she turned away from Twilight. "I have tried that and yet it does not matter. They still fear me."
"I know," Twilight said softly, and it pulled at her heart, bringing her to feel guilt.
She turned back to face Twilight. There was no malice in Twilight's expression. How could she think that? She inhaled deeply and then bowed her head. "I should not have snapped like that."
Twilight leaned over and briefly brushed her nose against Nightmare's coat. "Don't just give up on it. Please..." Twilight pleaded. The filly pulled back and looked into her eyes.
'For you, perhaps,' she decided. "I... will need help, then."
Twilight smiled softly. "Well, I'll be glad to help. That's part of why I'm your student, isn't it?"
A bit of a smile pulled at her lips. She nodded in agreement. "Indeed, though in this case, I suppose I would be your student."
Twilight's wonderful smile grew warmer, though the filly rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't say that. I'm just... giving you advice."
"Perhaps, though I suppose we shall see," Nightmare said. "Shall we return to Ponyville?"
Twilight's smile dimmed a little while she nodded. "I guess we should unless you want to head back to Fluttershy's?"
"Another time," Nightmare said.
"Right..." Twilight mumbled as she turned around.
She walked up to Twilight's side and laid her wing over the filly's back. Twilight looked back at her, then turned back and started walking along. She breathed in deep and turned her head to the right to watch the sky above.
And yet there was no companionship to be had there, only condemnation in the form of the scarred moon. She held back a scowl as she cast her gaze upon the grasses and flowers of the field.