“I swear ta Celestia, my family is tryin’ ta drive me insane,” Applejack shook her head, “First we have Aunt Orange an’ Sombra, then my brother an’ Discord and now Braeburn said he’s commin’ to visit with his marefriend.”
“It’s… not so bad,” Twilight managed a weak smile.
“Easy for you ta say. You don’t have ta hear the moanin’ and groanin’ an…”
“We get the point, AJ.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes, “ ‘sides, you didn’t say anything when you found out about Rarity and-”
“That’s different!” the earth pony snapped, “She ain’t family.”
“Well, Cadance did say that love isn’t always conventional,” Twilight added, “Just look at Spike and Applebloom.”
“Did he say who she was?” Fluttershy asked.
“Nope. Jus’ said it was somepony we all might find familiar.”
“…I got a really bad feeling about this,” Dash shook her head, “Aaanyway, I’m gonna go look for Flam. Later.”
Dash took off, leaving the remaining three ponies at the train station.
“…I still don’t see what RD sees in that schemin’, no good…”
“He claims to have changed, Applejack, give him the benefit of the doubt,” Twilight shook her head.
“I’m jus’ sayin’ I don’t like him.”
“So you can forgive Discord after he plunged Equestria in chaos, but you can’t forgive Flam for technically beating you in a competition,” Twilight snarked.
“That’s different, it’s personal,” the farmer countered.
“Oh, um… the train is arriving.” Fluttershy pointed out, interrupting Twilight’s rebuttal.
---
“Now remember, let me do th’ talking, aright?”
“As you wish.”
“Good.” Braeburn nodded as he stepped off the train.
“Well Howdy, Princess Twilight,” the stallion beamed, “Miss Fluttershy, AJ.”
“You don’t have to call me Princess, Braeburn.” The alicorn chuckled.
“It ain’t very polite to ignore titles,” Braeburn chuckled, “but if you say so, Miss Twilight.”
“Well anyway, Braeburn, your letter said it was someone we knew?”
“Ah, Eeeyep,” the stallion’s smiled changed to embarrassed, “Jus’ promise me one thing…Don’t start panickin’ alright?”
Fluttershy and Twilight exchanged a slightly concerned glance as Applejack nodded.
“Braeburn, we can handle it.” Applejack rolled her eyes, “We haven’t told ya about Mac yet anyway.”
“What?”
“That can wait until later,” Twilight cut off Applejack’s response, “So please…”
“Alright then,” Braeburn turned his head around and motioned with it, “C’mon out darlin’.”
With those words, the sky grew dark and thunder rumbled. The train doors flew open with the crunch of metal on metal. As the sole occupant exited, lightning illuminated the station.
Nightmare Moon stood in front of the ponies, her mane flowing in a sudden, dramatic wind.
“GREETINGS TWILIGHT S-”
“I told you ta cut down on the Theatrics!” Braeburn scolded the larger mare.
“…Fine.” Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes as the weather suddenly returned to normal.
“Anyway… Y’all can see why I was a bit hesitant ta tell you straight up, right?”
Twilight, Applejack and Fluttershy continued to stare at the alicorn. After a while, Fluttershy’s eyes rolled back into her head and the mare collapsed to the ground.
“…I give up. Twilight, if anypony needs me, I’m gonna be at Berry’s getting hammered.”
Applejack turned around and left the station, as the confused Braeburn and Nightmare Moon watched her go.
“…Did I do something wrong?” the alicorn asked.
“…It’s a really long story…” Twilight sighed as she picked Fluttershy up.
---
“…So lemme get this straight,” Braeburn paused as he look at Big Macintosh, “You married the spirit of chaos?”
“Eeyup.”
“That makes my relationship look downright normal.” The stallion laughed.
“How did you end up with Nightmare Moon?”
“Call her Selene, she likes it better,” Braeburn corrected his cousin, “and as for that… Well, I went drinkin’ and there was this beautiful Dark coated unicorn at the bar counter.”
---
“…He was very persistent,” Nightmare Moon took a sip of her tea, “after about a week of this I agreed. He is actually quite romantic.”
“...I see,” Twilight faked a smile.
“…Twilight Sparkle, there is no need to worry. If Sombra and Discord are given a second chance, do I not deserve one as well?”
“I don’t think that is for me to decide, Selene.” Twilight Sparkle shook her head, “I think it’s more up to Luna and Celestia.”
Nightmare Moon’s mouth twitched slightly at the mention of Luna, “Yes… well… I will. Eventually.”
“It’s best not to wait too long.”
“I know.”
The two grew silent again, sipping their tea.
“How exactly di-”
“I get a new body?” Nightmare Moon finished. Twilight nodded as the mare continued.
“It involves some unexpected results, involving Discord’s brief reign, the love shockwave created by your brother and his wife, residue from Sombra’s modern day defeat, and byproducts from your own ascension to Princesshood.”
‘So it’s…”
“Unexpected results from Magic that was not meant to interact,” Nightmare moon finished.
“As for why I am this way…”
A devilish grin suddenly replaced her smile, as the sky darkened and thunder roared.
“WOULD YOU PREFER IF I HAD GREETED YOU LIKE THIS?” she bellowed, knocking over the table.
The weather returned to normal, as she used her magic to return the table to its upright position.
“That is why.
Nearly starving to death in the desert and learning about what happened during my absence helped.”
“I see.” Twilight responded.
“Are your fears sated?”
“Partially. I still want to know though…How much of you is Princess Luna and what are your intentions now?”
Nightmare Moon paused, “I do not know.”
The mare placed her cup back down.
“My memories are…jumbled. Some of it is when I was evil, some of it appears to be Luna’s before her…our banishment. All I remember was you and your friends using the Elements of Harmony on me… and then waking up in the desert, reduced in power and alone.”
“I find it strange that the Nightmare force continued to carry your consciousness.”
“There is much you do not understand about me, Twilight Sparkle,” Nightmare Moon chuckled, “Even I do not know everything about my resurrection. Only that I have been reduced to a laughing stock and some gaudish holiday where children attempt to appease me with sweets.
That I do not mind very much, I enjoy these…Jawbreakers creations.” Her chuckling continued before dying off.
“As for my intentions, I do not dare stand against four princesses, the Spirit of Chaos and the Elements of Harmony.”
“Sombra has returned as well,” Twilight added, “He married Braeburn’s aunt.”
“…From what memories I have of him, he was not much of a threat.” Nightmare Moon smirked, “But what do you expect from self-proclaimed rulers.”
“…I suppose?” Twilight’s eyebrow rose at the other mare’s statement.
“I am aware of what I was, Twilight Sparkle.
When I finally made it to Appaloosa, I had little choice but to act as a humble, simple mare. As news of the exploits of you and your friends reached me, I realized something.
What am I going to do with my new life?”
“So you stayed in Appaloosa.”
“They needed a blacksmith, and it was one of the few things I was good at.
Do not ask why,” Nightmare Moon cut off Twilight’s response.
“So I found my work niche, made friends with some of the townsfolks and buffalo…I remember the buffalo quite fondly,” Nightmare Moon chuckled.
“And then you met Braeburn.”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“About a month and a half,” Nightmare Moon Shrugged, “There is little to do out there.”
“…And after that?”
“Raiders attacked the town. I did not have any other choice than to reveal who I was and scare them off. The town actually took it rather well, once it sunk in that if I had intended on taking over Equestria, I would not have spent months hiding among them.”
“I see.” Twilight continued.
“Is your curiosity finally sated?”
“A few more question. Why Selene?”
Nightmare Moon paused, “You’d have to ask Luna about that. I do not know why, it just felt appropriate.
“One more thing. Did Braeburn learn about you before everypony else?”
“Of course. If he did not trust me, why should any other pony?” the Alicorn shrugged.
“And how did he take it?”
“Rather well. He only screamed for about seven minutes and passed out twice,” Nightmare Moon chuckled.
“He has a very feminine scream.”