//------------------------------//
// Moon 
// Story: The Nightmare in the Corner 
// by Kaffeina 
//------------------------------//

	I smiled, the child trembling at the nightmare before her. Feeding off her, the nightmare grew stronger. It was much more tasking this way, but it was more fun than my prior methods. Just tearing the nightmare from within the foal, or anyone else in general, proved to be normally simple since all the fears were the same for most ponies.

I shook my head, "Such a foolish fear," I muttered. The filly trembled as I left her and the nightmare behind drifting into Fearland Fair with little care for the child I left. Who cares when my end goal would produce the same result? Of course, that didn't make it any less fun. Unlike most villains, aside from the Joker, I generally idolized having fun and producing pure fear.

It was for that reason that I decided that I ought to do something that would benefit my plans oh-so-greatly. Two things, actually. With out flinching, I found a world where a few little nightmares roamed, these being a specific type of scare. It would make for a fantastic future of the world. 

So it was that I chose the children that would bring the greatest of fears to Equestria, each of them representing a different fear or nightmare. Absolutely fantastic. In fact, here's a picture. Just... ignore the other words and stuff. Yeah, thanks.


I approached the children giving a little grin and leaning down, "Greetings children," I said, clearly drawing their interest, "Would you like to scare more people than you could ever scare here?" They looked around at each other as I smiled. This was followed by nodding and odd hissing noises.

I opened up a portal and led the children through it back to Fearland Fair with little trouble. They seemed overly eager and I could definitely relate, "Welcome to your new home," I laughed, before leading the children to the largest tent, they had exceptionally large smiles, though the one without a face had an eager look about him. Then again, most of the children had smiles to begin with.





1,000 Years Ago in Reality

I looked around at my Nightmares with my usual grin, they were mostly mindless, aside from those based on the most powerful fears. That was why they were so easy to control as I could see it. The problem was the mindlessness, they couldn't act of the situation was unexpected, so when a large blue horse came in the Fair, they merely watched as I hid.

"We know thou art here, Nightmare!" it yelled in a rather feminine voice, "We know what thou hast done to our ponies and demand that thou stop thy devilish ways or face me," it made it ways through the Fair, looking about as I watched from the stage. So, that was it. She only knew I was in the area, not exactly where I was.

Stifling a laugh, I floated over and lightly positioned myself on her back as she made towards the stage. Clearly, she assumed that was were I would be and normally, she would be right. I had set up a little living space, particularly a little table and chair. I remained on her back as she flew up to the chair and looked around. As she looked away from the table, I grabbed my drink and crossed my legs.

"Who are you looking for?" I asked, sipping at the drink, not like I actually needed to drink anymore. She jumped. "Over here. No, not there. Here. Back, back... Yeah, hello!" I grinned and waved at her. She went silent for a moment and I started counting mentally. 3... 2... 1... 

The horse let loose an exceptionally loud scream, "WHAT ART THOU DOING ON OUR BACK?" It scampered back as I stayed mid-air, drinking from the mug.

"Somebody needs to be a bit more polite," I took a final drink and set the cup in the middle of the air before brushing off my knees and standing, "I'm not the one who barged into someone's home like they own the place." I poked her in the nose.

She sneezed and glared at me, backing herself up, "Thou hast no place in our dream realm," she growled, her teeth baring. Her wings were upright as I rolled my eyes and leaned back.

"The Mindscape does not belong to you," I grinned and leaned forward, "Princess Luna," she went wide eyed and her haunches rose. Despite all this time, I marveled that the horses had such cat-like responses to some things. It was actually quite adorable, but it still wouldn't stop my plans. I merely grinned.

"Concerned I know your name are you?" I laughed, "Its not that hard you know, peeking into someone's mind, especially yours." I walked forward, causing her to back up into the backside of the stage, "I know much about you. The poor little sister," I said, giving a frown, "not as loved as her elder sibling, always in the shadow." I leaned in to her ear, "Why torture yourself? You're the princess of the moon! You could make the night last forever, or," I smiled, "are you scared that big sissy will do something terrible?"

She looked away from me, confirming my questions. She HAD thought about it. I hid the next grin and started petting her, "How about we make the night last forever and drive the sun out. Make them love you like you should be," I said, bringing my hand back away from her as she trembled. As she looked at the floor, I reached out and ripped her fears from her, creating a new nightmare, a rather powerful one. 

I stroked the new nightmare before creating a shadow, and killing it, absorbing the fear, the jealously, the hatred she had for her sister and pushing back the darkness, forcing her to act. She shuddered as the shadow took over, driving her to the extent of madness and even causing physical changes as well, "So, Nightmare Moon, my dear child," I smiled, "Shall we make the night last for eternity?"

The previously scared little princess laughed loudly, "SISTER! WE SHALL MAKE THE NIGHT LAST FOREVER!" With a cackle, she flew back out through my recently created portal and I watched through it as the moon eclipsed the sun and Equestria was plunged into darkness. For a few hours new nightmares came in droves, and my plan was working.

If only it hadn't been for those 'Elements of Harmony', I could have been one step closer to turning Equestria into an eternal nightmare over which I could rule for eternity. Oh well, this was nothing more than a setback, I could wait and increase my forces, assure my victory and never lose.