Traces of a Hidden Shadow

by Teotle

Filly or Monster?

Later that day, Teotle, Nyx and their friends were playing "filly in the middle". Teotle and Nyx were in the middle of the circle, trying to catch the ball while is flew in all directions in between their dear friends. Everypony giggled and laughed, they were happy.

However, the ball popped and fell to the ground, and all the happiness that compelled them quickly melted away as they stared at the middle of the circle, toward Teotle and Nyx. Teotle looked at them with worry and asked, "What's wrong, guys?"

They all stayed silent, until a shriek of terror escaped their lips as black colored fire began engulf them. They screamed louder than a banshee as their flash began to wither and crumble away from the flames intense power and heat.

When nothing but bone was left, they all stood back up from where they lay and began to talk in one voice, saying the same thing over and over, "You could have saved us, Teotle."

Teotle was horrified, trying to reach for Nyx for comfort, but she was no longer next to him. She was up in the sky, which changed from bright blue, to blood red. The moon had risen to cover the sun, making an eclipse, and with that, Nyx began to laugh. It was the same laugh Teotle had heard while he was under Sombras spell. It was Nightmare Moon's laugh.

Nyx then began to grow in size and age. Her mane began to glow bright as the night sky, and armor began to appear on her body. Nyx was no longer there, only her nightmarish self remained. All of Teotle's skeletal friends began to crumble apart and fly in the air with the wind. Their ashes then shifted over to Nightmare Moon.

She twisted it around with her magic until she finally transformed it into a sword of bone, that bore the faces of the Cutiemark Crusaders, Scarlet Rose, Day Dreamer, Twist, Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. All of them were engraved onto the sword, each with terrified expressions.

It was horrifying for Teotle to see this, and even more so with every passing second. Nightmare Moon then began to charge at Teotle, still laughing demonically, thirsty for blood. But before The blow could be made, a magic shield appeared from nowhere and blocked Nightmare Moon's sword.

It was Princess Luna. She had swooped down from the sky and cast her magic to stop Nightmare Moon's attack. Luna the waved her hoof and made Nightmare Moon disappear, along with the eclipse and the ring of dark fire that surrounded them.

"It would seem that something is troubling you, Teotle." Luna said with a warm voice.

"Princess Luna?" Teotle asked. "What's going on?"

"You're having nightmares in your sleep." Luna replied. "Nightmares about your best friend, Nyx, I'd imagine?"

Teotle tilted his head in confusion and asked, "This is a dream?"

"Of course." Answered Luna. "Why do you think I'm here? It is my sworn duty to help fillies and colts when they have nightmares. I help provide guidance to help them adjust into confident adults."

"But I'm not a pony, I'm a wolf." Said Teotle.

Luna walked closer to Teotle, wrapped her wings around him, and gave him a warm and gentle embrace. "It does not matter who or what you are, where you come from, or whom you were born from. Me and my sister will always love you as we love our subjects. You are part of Equestria's people now."

Teotle pondered for a moment and agreed with Luna's kind words, he then returned her embrace. He noticed that Luna's lip was quivering and her eyes began to water. She was crying for some unknown reason.

Teotle then asked, "Luna?"

Luna was startled a bit, returning from some deep thoughts of regret. "Yes, dear...Um... I mean...Teotle?"

"Why am I having Nightmares?" He asked, disregarding Luna's tongue twist.

Luna wiped her tears and answered, "That depends on what you're afraid of. What did you see when you were under Sombras spell?"

Teotle hesitated, but he knew that if anypony could help him in his time of need, it was Luna. "I saw Nyx reveal her true self, Nightmare Moon."

"Her true self?" Luna asked.

"She said that she was the mare she was always meant to be." Teotle answered. "She was after the arc and its power. She tried to kill me to get her hooves on it."

Luna sighed and said, "You know Nyx very well, Teotle. I know you do, Nyx is not the true Nightmare Moon."

"Why's that?" Teotle asked.

"You must understand that Nyx and Nightmare Moon are two different psyches. Nyx was the result of a failed attempt to give Nightmare Moon her own body and soul. The Spell that meant to resurrect Nightmare Moon was interrupted by my sister and the royal guard, resulting in the birth of a damaged shell of a young filly with no memories of her own accept those of my own past, when I was Nightmare Moon.

Teotle listened with wide eyes and flattened ears. He didn't want to believe what he was hearing, about Nyx being born from a spell and how she was meant to doom the world to eternal night. However, he couldn't help but process every word.

"Really?" Teotle wondered.

"Yes, thanks to Twilight nurturing and raising Nyx as her daughter, she began to make memories of her own. She was her own mare. Which leaves me to ask you something. Why do you fear Nyx, after all she did for you in the past?"

Teotle wondered why, why he would he be afraid of Nyx, of all the people in the world? But the more he thought about it, the less he felt confident about his answer. "I don't know."