//------------------------------//
// Rarity: Nightmare of Generosity 
// Story: Dark Terrors 
// by Dragon Angel Knight 
//------------------------------//

Fear of Generosity


Luna groggily rose from her bed, silently thanking whatever higher powers there were for the creation of coffee. She looked over to her bedside table and raised the cup of steaming liquid to her lips with her magic and took a sip, perking up a little bit as the caffeine hit her system. 

Heaving a thankful sigh, Luna began getting ready for Night Court as the sun began setting. Still strapping on her torc, she began the process of raising the moon and painting the night sky. It was a common misconception that the Princesses needed to have pomp and ceremony in order to raise their respective celestial bodies when it was as easy as breathing for the sisters.  

With her celestial duties done for the night, Luna finished garbing herself with her royal adornments and took a brush through her mane and tail, removing any unseemly knots and stepping out into the hall. She stopped once near the kitchen to ask for a breakfast platter to be sent to the throne room, then continued on her way.

When she reached the throne room, there was only one petitioner and her platter of food already waiting there. Celestia was already handling said petitioner while Luna ate a little bit. 

"Thank you, Princess," the stallion said as he made to leave, "I'll make sure that the guard knows the plan when the delegates arrive."

Celestia nodded magnanimously, then turned to Luna and said, "He was speaking about the Changeling party set to arrive before too long."

"Ah," Luna said, "I assume we are sending an escort to prevent any trouble, correct?"

"Yes," Celestia said through a huge yawn,"However, now I must retire for the night..."
Luna went to Celestia, nuzzled her lovingly and said, "Pleasant dreams, sister mine, I love you."

"And I you, Luna," Celestia said.
`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

Moments after Luna had finished her food, she prepared the two spells she would need tonight. The first was her usual dream walking spell, while the second was a quickfire tracking spell, to be let loose when she next saw the Shadow fleeing from the nightmare of whomever she was helping that night. Steeling herself, Luna stepped into the dream realm once more.

'Ponyville,' Luna thought, '...it always seems to be near this town. It's almost as if the Element Bearers attract trouble like moths to a flame...'

Steering herself towards the next Bearer in line for a Nightmare, Luna entered the dream and waited for something to happen. Thankfully, she didn't have to wait for too long. Unfortunately for Luna, the Nightmare possessed Bearer of Generosity immediately turned and began an attack.

"Here to torment me some more?!" Nightmare Rarity bellowed, "Not one moment longer! I fell once, but why can you not see that it is me this time?!"

Shocked, Luna tried to form a response, but was harshly tossed to the side, directly into the path of the dream versions of Rarity's friends and Spike. Rarity turned to face them and bellowed in an extremely good approximation of the Royal Canterlot Voice, "LEAVE ME ALONE!!"

Charging her horn, Nightmare Rarity sent out a shockwave that immediately dispelled the visions of the other Bearers and Spike, leaving Luna completely caught off guard and speechless. Noticing that Luna had yet to disappear, Rarity asked herself, "Why are you still here? Is this another trick?"

Coughing, Luna sat up on her haunches and said, "Not a trick..."

Blinking, Rarity realized that the Luna in front of her was in fact real and rushed to her aid stammering an apology. She helped Luna over to a seat that hadn't been destroyed in the aftermath of Rarity's shockwave spell, then proceeded to conjure a tea set.

"Remind me to never upset you," Luna said as a joke when she recovered enough. Rarity let out a light chuckle, then looked away from the Lunar Princess as she took a sip of tea.

"How long has this been going on, Lady Rarity?" Luna asked somberly.

"About a month now," Rarity replied, "It has been happening every night since Spike, you, and the others brought me back..."

"I see," Luna said simply.

Rarity paused as she brought her tea cup up for another sip, then asked nervously, "What will happen to me?"

"What do you mean?" Luna asked.
"I mean some part of Nightmare Moon still lingers on in me!" Rarity exclaimed, "Surely you must feel that as well?!"

Luna set her tea cup down on the table, then looked at Rarity with as serious an expression as she could. Then, she began to morph into Nightmare Moon's form, saying, "Those of us who have been taken by the Nightmare will always have a portion of its power within us."

"W-what about my friends?" Rarity began again, panic edging in her voice, "Or Spike? Or your sister?! What is going to happen to me, damn it?!"

Luna, still wearing Nightmare Moon's form, brought Rarity, still wearing her Nightmare form like a pained mask, in for a hug. "They are your friends. They will understand that this is only a part of you now. My sister would be understanding about this as well, so you do not need to worry."

Nightmare Rarity's face contorted into a pained expression before she said, "And what about my little Spikey-Wikey...? He... he confessed yesterday... I-I was so happy that he had finally said something to me... B-but then I remembered this... this monstrosity I am, just beneath the surface... I told him I needed a bit of time..."

Luna pulled back and smiled, the action looking alien on Nightmare Moon's face. "He loves you, Lady Rarity. That is all the reason I need to give for them accepting you. They will not abandon you, not for something like this."

Rarity finally broke down in tears, her form changing back to normal. Luna returned to her normal state as well and said, "You are no monster, Rarity. I can assure you of that much, at least."

"T-thank you," Rarity said as she wiped her eyes, "C-could I ask a favor of you, however?"
"Of course," Luna said with a smile.

"When I tell my friends... would you be there with me?" Rarity asked hesitantly, "I cannot in good conscience keep this from them any longer..."

"Of course," Luna replied, "Just send a letter to me when you feel you are prepared to tell them."
Rarity nodded once. Luna then made to take her leave, the Bearer of Generosity looking and feeling much better than before, any lingering doubts pushed to the side as she steeled her resolve.
`~`~`~`~`~`~`~
Luna spotted the shadow once more as she left Rarity's dream. Taking careful aim, she launched her tracking spell at the mass of shadow, which swerved to avoid the spell, the arcane energy missing by millimeters. Cursing under her breath as a peal of dark laughter hit her ears, Luna gave chase, once more losing the shadow near Canterlot. 

Sighing, Luna returned to her body, then prepared to lower the moon to make way for the sun.