The Nightmare in the Moon

by Omega Dracomancer

Coming home

I couldn't hate anypony. Not even Chrysalis. Even after she toyed with me. Guess that's how I am... At least in Equestria.

"Which way?" I asked.

She took the lead, and led me through the snow covered forest we had emerged into from a cave.

I followed behind silently. I refused to say anything meaningful to her, but I didn't want her hurt. I didn't want revenge.

Her pace was slow to accommodate for my still-healing injuries. I refused to take any medicine that blocked the pain. It would just make Nightmare leave again. I was almost used to it by now, but it still hurt.

I almost giggled. I didn't want to take my meds because it would make the voice in my head go away.

I realized that I was being completely irrational. I was bordering on insanity.

My hoodie hung loosely off of my body, with the sleeve I wasn't using wrapped around my neck like a scarf. Engineering at its finest.

She stopped just as the trees stopped. I could see the Crystal Empire to the west of here.

"Am I your prisoner?" she asked quietly.

"I haven't decided yet. Change into a pony."

She gave a small nod, and was quickly covered in an emerald flame.

"Angelus, I know you're there." I called out behind us.

A white figure walked out from behind a tree, blending in with the snow. "How?" she asked.

"I didn't know you were really there, but I knew you would be there. If you want to come with, change into a pony, first."

"Do... do as he says." said Chrysalis.

"You're taking orders from him, Your Highness?"

I walked out of the forest. I didn't have to look back to know that they would join me.

The crunching of snow under my hooves was especially loud to me. It continued all the way to the city. The temperature didn't go up at all.

I didn't know how long I was gone for, but it was already winter. The beginning of it, at least.

I walked all the way to the castle, never looking back once. When I pulled my hood off, the guards recognized me, and let me through to see Princess Cadance.

"Ph-Phil? Is that you?" She rushed over to me. "Oh my goodness, what happened?!"

"Hello Princess. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"You've been gone for a month! Lightning Dasher said that you were alright, but he didn't say anything else. We were so scared."

"Thanks for worrying."

"Where were you?"

"I was trapped in a prison. Just a few hours ago, I finally managed to escape with these two mares."

They greeted the Princess as Arcana and Angelus. Chrysalis bowed, and Angelus reluctantly did the same. Chrysalis was a unicorn, and Angelus was a pegasus.

"Who was keeping you there?"

I looked back at Chrysalis.

"They... they were changelings, Princess." she said to her.

"That must've been awful. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

I just nodded. "I'd like to go back to Ponyville, Princess."

"Of course. And what of you two?"

"We're going with him, Princess." said Chrysalis.

Angelus sighed. "That's right."

"If I may ask... why?"

"He said that he would take us to see Princess Celestia."

"I... I'm going back to sleep. Thank you, Princess." I walked to the room that she had given me.

"He's not here. We can leave, Your Majesty."

"No, Angelus. We will stay here and wait."

"What? Why?"

"Well, he knows where we live."

She sighed.

"Princess, can we stay here, as well?"

"Of course you can. I'll show you to some rooms you can stay in."

"Thank you, Princess."

The next day, I felt different. Much happier. I was going home!

'Chrysalis is outside the door.'

I sighed. 'Alright.' I got up, and opened it. "What are you still doing here? I expected you to take off."

"I... don't want to do that right now."

"Where's Angelus?"

"Elsewhere."

"She's in here already, isn't she?" I grumbled. "You ruined my good mood."

She stepped out of my way as I headed to the kitchen. I got a light meal, and she did as well.

I said goodbye to Cadance before I left, and went straight for the train station.

"Shouldn't we wait for Angelus?"

"No. Why are you following me? You can just go home. Bye-bye. I won't bother you if you won't bother me. What do you want? And be honest, I don't have time for lies."

"Well... You have far more love than most others."

"Whatever, don't tell me the truth, then. Just... I don't know... Be nice to everypony."

We boarded the train, and a minute later, Angelus sat next to her.

After it started moving, I moved next to Chrysalis. There were two others in the cart with us.

"I have a secret for you." I said to her.

"Yes?"

I leaned in next to her ear, and placed a hoof over my mouth. "I may be friends with the ponies, but if you decide to stay an enemy, I will assist you."

"What are you saying?"

"However, if you hurt them, I will hurt you. Do you understand me?"

"Yes... I think I do."

I sat up again. "Good."

"What did you say to her?"

Chrysalis ignored her and said, "You're making me feel things I haven't felt in years."

"Yeah? Like what?"

"Fear, mostly. And... respect. Whenever you speak like that, I get nervous."

"Y-Your Highness?"

"You should fear him as well, Angelus. If this is what a human child is, then I don't want to meet an adult."

"Don't think of me as a normal human, because I'm not one. I heard this quote from someone. It's pretty accurate to me. 'I hate mankind, for I think myself one of the best of them, and I know how bad I am.' Ponies are much better. This world is much better. I love it. I love being here."

"I've never felt hate like this before."

"You've never met a human before."

'Your mental state is being tampered with. She's trying to feed off of you.'

I stared at her, and her expression changed. 'It doesn't matter. She can't do anything to me. I'm not like Shining Armor. My feelings aren't as strong. Let her do as she wants.'

"Hey Chrysalis."

"Do not..." Sigh. "Yes?"

"Hmm... never mind."

I got up and walked away, finding wherever the food was. I brought them both something, with a completely different attitude, as if I hadn't just talked to them.

"Trains always have awesome food, but Pinkie's stuff is the best. You gotta try some when we get there!"

"Are you toying with me?"

"Maybe. Probably. But seriously, Pinkie makes the best cupcakes. Y'know, out of all of my friends, I think I've missed her the most. And guess who's fault that is. That's right! Yours!"

"It... sounds like you really like her."

"Oh yeah, I love Pinks. Love everything about her. Her cooking, her personality, her cute widdle face... Hmm..."

"What?"

I shook my head. "Wonder how Lightning is doing. He got home, she said. Though wherever he may be is still a mystery to me. I'm bored again. Angelus, find me something to do."

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe you could shut up!"

"Boo, you suck."

"You suck!"

"Yeah, I guess I can't argue with that." I rested my cheek on my hoof and let out a sigh. This was going to be a long trip.

The train slowed to a stop. We were in Ponyville. Home.

"Finally!"

"Ah!" They both jumped awake.

I looked out the window, and saw my friends. A huge smile spread across my face.

'Ok, buddy. Calm down. Calm down, your ribs are broken. You can't jump out the window of a train while your ribs are broken.'

I rushed to the door and pressed my face against the window. "Ponieshh!"

"Others are staring at you."

As soon as the door opened, I ran out as fast as I could, only tripping once.

"Phil!"

Pinkie ran up to me. I tackled her to the ground and shnuggled her.

"Oh, I missed you! I missed you! I missed you! I missed you! I missed you!" I repeated, rubbing my head against hers.

"That tickles!" she said with a giggle.

I pulled back, smiling at her. "Pinkie!"

"Phil!"

We both laughed, and I got off of her. Oh how I have missed these cute faces.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah." I said.

"You're... crying."

I lightly rubbed my eyes with my arm. "Yeah. Yeah I am... I have missed each and every one of you... so much. Each day I was away was worse than the last."

"We were all terrified."

"Don't do this to us again, man."

I chuckled. "I'm so happy to be home. I never want to be apart from you girls again."

"What happened to you?"

"Well... Lightning told you about the cave, didn't he?"

"What happened after that?"

I explained what happened to me in more-or-less specific detail. I omitted the part about the Queen of the changelings following me home.

"Excuse me..."

I turned around. "Oh yeah, and then there's these two. I'd like you to meet Angelus and Arcana."

"Hello, I'm Arcana."

Angelus stepped in front of her, but didn't say anything.

"Hello! I'm Pinkie Pie!"

"We know who you all are. Phil told us all about you."

"He did? What did he say?"

"Well, he said that he loves you all."

"Aww..."

She chuckled. "He said it quite often, actually." she said with a smile, "Almost every day."

"He did?"

I let out a nervous chuckle.

"He also said that Pinkie Pie makes the best cupcakes ever."

"Oh yeah, it's time for breakfast!" I realized, "Lets go to Sugercube Corner. I recently heard that the baker there makes great cupcakes. Quite recently, in fact. You may even say that I heard it less than a minute ago. From her."

"Wait, but... you told me that."

"It's great to be home."

We left the station and headed to the bakery.

"Is your arm still broken?" asked Twilight.

"Yeah. And my ribs. They still hurt, too."

"He won't take his medicine, either." said Chrysalis.

"Painkillers make my head feel funny." I said, a complete lie, "Besides, it only hurts when I move."

"That's a bad thing!"

"Quit worrying, I'm fine. Speaking of, hey Rarity, can you repair my hoodie for me? It got torn in the cave."

"Oh, of course I will."

"Sweet."

Pinkie got us all some food when we got there.

"I have missed this." I said, taking a bite of a cupcake. So good... "Try one."

I gave one to Chrysalis. Angelus snatched it from my hoof and glared at me.

"Eat it." I said to her.

She examined it, then took a small bite.

"Well?"

"How is it, Angelus?" asked Chrysalis.

"It's... amazing..." She ate it quickly.

"You hear that, Pinkie?"

"Loud and clear!"

She got us another batch of cupcakes. These things get better each time you eat them.

"Man, I didn't get anything this good in prison." I said.

"Princess Cadance told us that you escaped with these two." said Twilight.

"How'd you do that?"

"Yeah, tell us how you escaped!"

"Yeah Phil, how did you escape?" asked Chrysalis, giving me a sly smile.

"Storytime!" I called out. Alright, shut the fuck up and sit the fuck down, 'cause it's storytime, motherfuckers!

I started in the cave and went over what Lightning should've already told them. After that, I talked about the cell I had to stay in. I talked about Angelus, not mentioning her name.

"Man, she was even cuter than Shining, if you can believe that."

I got a few strange looks from that comment. Angelus looked like she wanted to kill me. She probably would have if we were alone.

I told them exactly what happened, minus the parts about Nightmare Moon, up until I was talking to Chrysalis.

"And I talked to her, in my own special way. I've always been good with words. I knew I couldn't compare. And you know what? She backed down. When I asked her to tell me how to leave, well, I'm here, aren't I? She decided that I wasn't worth the trouble anymore and let me go. So finally, after a long month, I was able to go home."

Chrysalis chuckled. "The thing is, he isn't lying."

"Whoa..."

"That was like... the coolest story ever."

"I'm very impressed." said Twilight.

"Yeah. I was pretty surprised that I made it out."

I smiled to myself. 'I'm happy with the way things are going for me.'

'Good for you.'

I ate another cupcake. "You know what sucks, though? My arm being broken. It's a hard to have a party with a broken arm."

"It wouldn't suck if you just took your medicine." said Angelus.

"I told you, they make my head feel funny." I giggled a little. "I said it before and I'll say it again. I have missed this."

An hour had passed. We all entertained each other for a while, but it was getting a little boring, and for the record, late.

I was still happy, even if I was bored. Just looking at them put a smile on my face. I was fine with anything at this point.

Soon it was just the three of us and Pinkie. It was her house, after all.

"I ate too much." said Angelus, rubbing her stomach.

"I always eat too much." I said, "Except now, I haven't eaten enough."

I grabbed another cupcake. The last one. Time to commit suicide.

"Thanks, Pinkie."

"You sure ate a lot today."

"That's normal. I... guess I should get going."

"Alright."

I walked over to her and gave her a hug. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too."

I pulled back, and stared at her for a few moments. I let go of her.

"See ya tomorrow, Pinkie."

"Bye-bye!"

The three of us left.

"Alright, gotta give my coat to Rarity. Gonna be cold without this thing. Twilight has hats I can use."

I quickly dropped off my jacket, and she happily took it. I thought about talking to her for a little bit, but it was pretty late. We went to Twilight's house.

"Are they staying here tonight?" asked Twilight.

"You're still following me? Go home, damn it!"

"Hey, don't talk to her that way! Show her respect."

"Starting to get sick of you, Angelus!"

"We're going nowhere." said Chrysalis.

"Uh..."

"Alright, then answer this, where are you going to sleep? This place is pretty crowded already with just me here, and there's only one more bed."

"Actually, it isn't that crowded." said Twilight.

"I'm sure Arcana doesn't want to sleep on the floor, do you?"

"That would be unacceptable."

"See? Looks like Angelus gets the floor."

"Oh, no I'm not. I'm taking your bed."

"Screw you, I get the bed!"

"Maybe you could share a bed." offering Twilight.

"Are... are you being serious right now?" I asked.

"Well, you would both be in a bed, wouldn't you?"

"Not happening."

"I'm going to have to agree, Ms. Sparkle." said Chrysalis.

"If you're so keen on sharing beds, then why don't you share with him?" said Angelus.

"What?"

"I suppose that would be fine." she replied.

"That wasn't a suggestion, it was..."

"It's fine with me if you're ok with it." she said, looking at me.

"Uh... I... guess."

"Well... I guess everything works out, then!"

Chrysalis laughed at us. "Are things always this funny here?"

"Got that right."

Chrysalis was being really nice. Considering... well, her... she was going to do something bad sometime. Whatever. Didn't care what it was, didn't want to find out.

"I'm going to sleep. Goodnight, everypony."

"I will as well."

"Night."

They both got into their beds. Twilight looked at me and shrugged.

"Are you going to stay up any later?"

"No, I think I'm done."

"Come on, lets go to bed. I hope you don't find this awkward."

I just shrugged.

She got under her blankets, and I got in the other side, away from her. Not feel awkward? What a silly thing to say.

"Now, no funny stuff tonight."

"Twilight!"

She laughed at me. "Sorry. Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

I missed this.

Comments

[Death2205]

Damn it twirly u made it awkward

[fluttershyfan3030]

I don't get this is Chrysilas messing with him or is she actually afraid of him, second is he acting loopy because he is coming down from a high that the pain killers induced or is it also Chysilas screwing with and feeding off his emotions also why is nightmare not affected by this please PM me the answers I pinkie promise I won't spoil your story but I REALLY need to know