//------------------------------// // Chapter 5: A Splitting Surprise // Story: A New Reign // by Reddened Chaos //------------------------------// Nightmare Moon looks in shock at the Guard's message. "You've found her? My dear sister, Celestia?" She asked, worried, but also happy. "No, your majesty," Lone said. "We only have a lead, and we aren't certain as to it's credibility." "Well, what is it," Nightmare asked. "The guard contingent in Ponyville has reported sighting of a borealis like color effect being witnessed at the edge of the Everfree, Ma'am." "I see...then I believe we should check it out.....investigate, see if it is her." Nightmare said standing up. "I wouldn't recommend that, Ma'am," Lone said. "A few guards tried to approach it, and they lost all recollection of then, only to begin remembering again an hour later with burn scars over their bodies." "Hmm....then what would you recommend?" She asked, worried. "Would you suggest sending Red?" She asked. "If we did, it'd not be until after he gets back that we can send him. I'd recommend a group of the most skilled unicorns under your command that are unquestionably loyal to you." "Hmm...but Red is arguably the most loyal to me....and he has not yet left, infact he's not meant to leave for another week or two at least." She said. "And He has both his marefriend Fleur, and his charge, Rarity, and his little sister Moon Dancer, whom are all unicorns, that can possibly apply flame retardant spells to prevent him from being burned, or burned as badly." She wagered. "Plus, it might be better to send One, rather than a group...less chance to spook her, if it is Tia...she's very paranoid at times...and if she's been hiding out, she's likely to be extremely paranoid." She explained. "If that is the case, and it is your sister, might I suggest her former student?" "What about sending both of them then?" Nightmare asked thinking about it. "If you think that is best," Lone said. "Then send for them both to come here." She commanded. "Yes, Ma'am," Lone said, leaving the throne room. A short while later, both were collected, and are standing before Nightmare. Twilight was nervous, for obvious reasons, while Red stood at attention. Red decided to try and cut the tension, and spoke first. "So, Princess...what did you bring us here for?" he asked, looking to Nightmare. "Because the guard contingent I stationed in Ponyville believes they know where my sister is," Nightmare said. Twilight perked up in shock. "Oh my! So, what is it you want us to do?" She asked instantly. "I hope for the two of you to bring her here so that I may speak with her." Red nodded. "Understood. and I imagine we are to go alone like this, so that there is less likely a chance to spook Celestia or make her afraid she's being captured?" Red wagered. Nightmare nodded. "Correct. In fact that is the reason I wish for you to go with Red, Twilight, much as I wish I didn't have to." Red nodded. "Alright. We understand." he said, before Looking at Twilight. "Should a bad thing happen, Twilight, I want you to run, and get out of there. I'll protect you." he said, before he approached Nightmare, and gave her a hug. "I will protect her with my life, Nightmare, I swear to you I will." He said. "I knew you would," Nightmare said. "And Twilight, I wish to speak with you in private." She gulps, and nods, going with Nightmare. "What did you want to talk to me about, Nightmare," Twilight asked nervously. She took a deep breathe, before speaking. "It's...I...Umm...Oh how do I say it..." She said, stuttering, trying to get it out. "Nightmare, I do remember what happened earlier," Twilight said. "And I just want to say I'm doing this for you." She smiled, blushing greatly. "I see....thank you, Twilight." She said. "But please, listen to Red...If the situation turns dire, and he tells you to flee, then flee, and come home..." She said, hugging Twilight softly. "I will," Twilight said, a smile on her face. She nodded understanding. Red waited for her outside for them to go. "So, you ready," Twilight asked Red. "Always ready Twiley." he said smiling as the two headed off, for the location dictated, to investigate, and see if it was Celestia. Twilight lit her horn with a teleportation spell and said, "Then let's go," she said, and they disappeared in a flash of light. Red and Twilight arrived, Red being a little uneasy due to the teleport, but looking around, for the spot of TIa's mane, as he spots it disappearing. "There." he said, pointing it out, as he began to slowly approach it with Twilight. As they got closer, Twilight whispered, "What do we do if she attacks us, or doesn't recognize us?" "I don't know how she could forget you...but if she attacks us before we can talk, you RUN." he said giving her the standing order. "I will," Twilight said. "I know I'm already engaged with Fleur...but...you're lucky Twi...you know? You're...the one who has Princess Nightmare's heart...Me? I adored the night sky...before I joined the Lunar guard, I was a solar guard who purposefully took the graveyard shifts, the all night shifts, just so that I'd be able to enjoy the night sky even more....and stare up at the moon...at her, and speak to her...just because...I felt that I wanted to give her company....during her isolation..." he said, before sighing as they walked along. "And yet, here you are, the pony who gets her heart...and here I am...the most loyal guard on her force...the one who spoke to her during the final few years of her exile...the one who wanted, beyond nearly anything, to be close to her....and I'm...nothing...Nothing to her at all..." he said showing a tear, sparkling along from his eye. "Well, at least you didn't start off awkwardly," Twilight said. "And yet you're the one who was noticed....me? I could have literally bumped into her...whilst screaming, and on fire, and she wouldn't have noticed me..." he said somberly as they continued, tracking the trail, as Red looks. "You don't know that," Twilight said, the two still following the trail. "You're right, I don't....but it hurts, when I serve her so faithfully...and yet she hardly will turn her head to me on a normal day or night...when I'm not on duty, and she's not working as princess..." He explained, sighing in defeat, before they saw a shadow, and they began to approach, looking over, and seeing the tall, white alicorn, in all her own beauty. "Princess Celestia....it is you." Red said smiling. "Hello, my little pony," Celestia said. "I was hoping one of my subjects would find me, and not one of Nightmare's brainwashed guards." "I wouldn't say that Princess. I used to work for you, except I volunteered for the graveyard shifts to watch the night sky as I did my duties, even speaking to her during her exile...I'm not brainwashed, I'm perfectly normal...Though I'm not the only one here, who's likely happy to see you." Red said. Celestia's eyes narrowed, but widened upon seeing Twilight. "Twilight?" she asked in surprise. She smiled running forward and hugging Celestia. "Princess!" She exclaimed. "Hello, Twilight," Celestia said, hugging her student. "I had feared the worst." "You always do Princess." She said chuckling. "Honestly, Nightmare wasn't that bad, she's been very kind to us...sure a bit harsh because she's trying to not be so ....lenient, I think is the right word?" "Trying not to look weak." Red said. "Yeah that's it. but she's been treating us well, very kindly, and I've been helping her in terms of managing things and getting caught up in the times." Twilight explained, hoping to relax Celestia. "But Twilight," Celestia said, more worry getting into her, "you wanted to get rid of her, and you even tried to warn me of her return." "I know. Before I continue I can't stress enough. We aren't brainwashed at all. I know I wanted to get rid of her, but, that was before we all met her....Strange thing was, the final element didn't appear at the time...I don't know why....but it didn't...and, she asked us to surrender....we did, we had no real choice anyway, but we surrendered, and submitted to her, and she's been treating us well. Rainbow I believe is working to join the Shadowbolts, Rarity stays with Red and his fiance Fleur there actually." She said motioning to the guard, who nodded confirming. "Tis true. She's set to come with us to Prance soon to attend to a special meeting to help with keeping alliances and contact." Red said explaining about the trip, as Twilight continued, explaining about how, whilst Nightmare may be a bit hard at times, she's still a fairly good mare, and actually likes Twilight herself. "Twilight, you seem, different," Celestia said, ignoring Red. Red was annoyed that she ignored him. "Grr...ignored just like back then...now by both princesses..." He said to himself. Twilight was hurt that Tia had ignored her friend, and was also confused. "Different? What are you talking about Princess? I'm the same I've always been." she said. "I mean you've found somepony. I know you Twilight, and you've never been this happy before. Who is it?" Twilight hesitated, worried. "You....Wouldn't want to know..." She said. "Why not, Twilight," Celestia said. "What," Celestia said. "Twilight, Nightmare is evil beyond all imagining." Celestia closed her eyes and lit her horn, a tear running down her face. "I'm sorry, Twilight." Before Celestia could attack, Red jumped in, and tackled Twilight to the side, bringing his shield up to take the blast himself, wearing heat resistant clothing. The beam left Celestia's horn, and met with the shield, and Red held his ground, for a while. Red growls, as he stands his grown, despite the heat from her attack. "Twilight, RUN!" he said as his shield began to falter, and he was blasted back, battered, beaten, and burned, but not as severe as the others who attempted to find Celestia. Celestia then teleported away. Red grunted, growling, as he tried to move his body, to get up, and get back to Canterlot, and to Nightmare, before he finds himself being lifted, gently, by Twilight who carries him along. As he blacked out, Twilight said, "Just hold on, Red. Just hold on." Red blacked out, from the pain, and everything. Hours Later Red groans, stirring in a hospital bed in Canterlot, being monitored by Nurse Redheart, and he feels someone, holding his right hand...He begins to look over, and is surprised to find Not Fleur, not Moon Dancer, not Night Shade, but none other than Nightmare Moon herself. "m....Moony?" He said softly, his voice hoarse, and clearly he's parched. Nightmare, her head resting on his chest, looked up. "Red?" "P...Princess....Nightmare....it's you...you're...here....for...me...?" he asked softly, his eyes betrayed his feelings for her, as she now sees how much he had adored her, for all that time, Twilight had told Nightmare what he had told her, before they encountered Celestia, and it all began to come rushing back to her, hearing his voice speak to her during the banishment before she returned, his charm, good looks, and his devotion to her, it was admirable, and he was certainly arguably, the most loyal, and it made her feel terrible for neglecting him for so long. But there was far more than Red knew as to why Nightmare was there. "Indeed I am, Red," Nightmare said. "I wished to thank you in person for saving my dear Twilight." Red nodded, understanding, and his eyes looked away from her, clearly showing he was...slightly disappointed, but smiled. "Thank you, my Princess." He said...."For being here." He said. "Of course, Captain," Nightmare said. Though weak, Red smiled, as he moved, to stroke Nightmare's head, and her mane. "Tell me, Princess...is there anything you'd like to know?" He asked her, softly smiling. "Only why you think my sister attacked you two." Yet again, her actions hurt his feelings, because she yet again, is sticking to be professional, rather than showing care since the two are alone, and he has wanted her affection for so long, despite never being able to... "She believed us to be brainwashed.....me at first, then when she noticed Twilight being happy...she mentioned her having found somepony...a lover obviously...Twilight hesitated...she mentioned it was you, and that we weren't brainwashed, and Tia, with tears in her eyes, went to attack us before I knocked Twilight out of the way to protect her..." He said. "After I fell from the attack ending, in the state I'm in now, Tia just...disappeared, teleported away...I don't know where she went now." He said.."Why she attacked us...I think is probably because she thought Twilight was brainwashed...considering much like you...she doesn't care about me...........She attacked us likely because we like you...are affiliated with you...and that's it..." Red said softly, a tear beginning to fall. "Red, I do care for my subjects, I am simply wary of showing it, for fear of being taken advantage of," Nightmare said, with her eyes changing for less then a second to more pony like eyes, but they changed back before Red could notice. Red looked at her, tears flowing. "That may be, and I can understand that...but you should know me by now...I would never take advantage of you...I just want you...to show me that same affection you give Twilight....I've loved you for so long...I spoke to you whilst you were stuck on the Moon, before you got free...I would speak to you at night whilst I had been on duty, or not on duty...and on top of that...I was such a night owl, that even when I was a member of Tia's guard, I went out of my way to ask for the Night shift...just so I could look up at you on the moon, and the stars at night. Now...when you came back...and took over, with me being a member of your guard, and now, a Captain of it...It's like...since you've been back, I've been forgotten...like I'm not even there...." Red said softly looking at her. He thought he noticed her eyes change for a moment, but believed it to be nothing, likely just part of the drugs he was put on by Nurse Redheart, giving him side effects. "I remember," Nightmare said, "but I simply thought you would have been happier with Fleur." "I love numerous mares...Fleur's just one...but believe me, you're also one just as Night Shade also is one I care for..." he said, feeling great that she remembered, as he gently pets her mane softly, looking deep into her eyes. "I know it's....selfish of me to ask this but....for just a while...for just a little while....could...I be your lover just like you love Twilight?" he asked looking deep into her eyes, and was very surprised, when he noticed her eyes changed into more pony like eyes, before she answered. Nightmare closed her eyes. "My self, no," she said, "but I do know of somepony who you'd love just as much as me," she said as she lit her horn. Red blinked, watching, but he was slightly hurt, but he watched. "Who? Who is it?" he asked curious. "Me," Nightmare said cryptically, but her voice was different, and when she opened her eyes just before the spell, Red saw that her eyes were, indeed, a normal pony's. Red looked in awe. "Your eyes....and voice...who...who are you?" he asked. "You're...not Nightmare..." Before she could answer, a bright light suffused the room, nearly blinding Red as he looked away. Red shook his head before the light faded, as he began to look now, and see what it was, that Nightmare had done. He saw, instead of Nightmare, two mares. One of them was Nightmare, who was unconscious from the spell. The other one had a flowing, ankle length dress that was colored navy blue, with their being only sleeve straps, revealing on the mare's shoulder a single, crescent cutie mark. Her eyes were a teal green, and her blue mane blew, as if in an invisible wind. Red looked in awe, at the second one, who was Not unconscious as he motioned for Nightmare to be put in the nearby bed, as he stared at her. "Who....are you..." He asked looking in utter awe, and shock. "I am Princess Luna," she said. "Nightmare's alternate personality."