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What if I Rule the World, Twilight?1,488 words
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The Wrong Path Taken1,167 words

What if I Rule the World, Twilight?

As the sun rose up from it's long sleep, dawning pale golden light over Equestria, Princess Twilight Sparkle blinked her hazy eyes open. Her mane was an absolute mess, but so was her fur, and her cuts stung as she sat up and stared, bleary-eyed, out "Fluttershy's" window.

Then her gaze flitted to the banged up filly who was quivering in her sleep beside her. It had been three days since they had been together, and Nightmare had finally learned Twilight's name and started trusting her. Yet, she still shook violently in her sleep, whimpering and flipping over until she woke up with a squiggly frown on her face and visible red veins in her eyes.

Twilight assumed that Nightmare must have been able to feel her gaze because she blinked open her eyes, staring directly into Twilight's.

"Good morning, Twilight. . ." She whispered, gaping her jaws open and revealing rows of sharp teeth as she yawned heavily.

"I suppose the manners I taught you have kicked in." Twilight said with a giggle, covering her mouth swiftly with her chipped (right) hoof. She was also very thankful toward the fact that she had remembered one of Zecora's potions that helped with scabs, because the one on the top of her muzzle still felt irritated when she woke up, and she feared she'd accidentally break her wing off as she slept, though most of the gash had closed. And it was all thanks to Zecora.

Twilight tilted her head fondly. If only Fluttershy could see how much of a help her cottage could be, even when abandoned. Luckily, though, Twilight had spruced the place up a bit, and most of the dust had skittered out the door that herds of scared ants. She sighed in satisfaction, loosening her muscles peacefully as the words "Good morning, Nightmare," were brushed from her cracked lips.

"I had a nightmare tonight." Suddenly, Nightmare's serious, solid voice broke the peace that'd been held captive in the air.

"Oh?" Twilight sat up. "What was it abou--"

"You were in it." The small black filly blurted, standing up on the bed. "We were here at the cottage and then guards came to said cottage and took me away." Princess Twilight could tell that Nightmare was holding back tears as she trembled harder than a newborn kitten. "You tried saving me but you failed and I got taken away. . ." Her quavering voice faltered into a wail of frustration, and tears came cascading down her face.

Terror bolted through Twilight. "Did it seem vivid?" She asked breathlessly, her heart slamming against her ribs as though a dog was shaking it like a toy and banging it against a wall.

"Vivid?" Nightmare inquired quizzically, though she shut down the question quickly. "No idea what that means," she shook her head and added; "but it was very realistic. But, it was so odd! It wasn't even like a dream, it felt like a memory, but it was, like, in the future!" She finished in a squeak.

Twilight blinked and jerked her head back, her ears twisting back but not flattening. "Alright, well, let's not focus on that. We simply must clean the house." Her wing rested on Nightmare's back softly and the filly looked at her and sniffed, wiping a tear away.

"Alright! Just let me get my armor back on," Nightmare said over her shoulder as she jumped off of the bed and tottered over to where her armor lay.

Twilight giggled lovingly. Now, onto cleaning the cottage!

"Twilight?" Nightmare Moon mustered up her courage to ask, gulping hard as she scrubbed the wall vigorously with a squishy yellow sponge that had soap frothing from it, using her magic obviously.

"Yes, dearie?" Twilight answered sincerely as she dusted one of Fluttershy's lamps.

"Will I ever be able to rule the world?"

"Er. . .Uh. . ." Twilight's magic made a stopping noise as she dropped her duster onto the table, on which the lamp sat lazily on. "Well, that, uh, would not necessarily be the best idea. . ." Twilight bit her lip, memories of the Nightmare Moon from her dimension flashing before her eyes. She backed away in horror.

Nightmare's lower lip jutted out and quivered as she asked innocently with wide eyes; "Why not?"

"Because, uh. . .Well. . .Where I came from, youuu. . .Turned kind of evil. . ." Twilight forced out, coughing when she finished.

"So I did rule the world?" Nightmare's voice was high-pitched. "Doesn't that mean that I can do it now, if I did it then?"

"Well, if you do it the right way, possibly." Twilight's shock was very clearly ebbing away. "But I suggest that you don't. Too much power can overwhelm you and make you a pony that you are not." Memories of Sunset Shimmer transforming to a raging she-demon flashed before Twilight's eyes and she shook her head to clear it. Did the portal still even exist?

Fear sparked inside of Twilight as she faced the dreadful truth that she may not ever speak to Sunset again, feel her skin against hers, or even potentially sneak a quick kiss. But what hurt the most was not being able to see Flash Centry. Surely he was still alive and breathing in the Crystal Empire? Or even the Canterlot castle?

Twilight bit her lip. The real question is, though, would I rather raise Nightmare Moon all by myself or with somepony? She tapped her chin with a fuzzy hoof, then realized that it would be best for her to raise this filly alone. If she raised Nightmare alone then that would mean that she could treat Nightmare the perfect way so as to make sure she didn't turn. Flash could mess up with only the smallest of actions and Nightmare could lash out and take over Equestria.

"What about Spike?" Twilight's quavering voice was barely a breath, brushed off of her lips like a tear from an eye--the transition was smooth and not very noticeable.

"Uhm, Twilight?" Nightmare blinked in confusion and waved a hoof in front of her guardian's face, of which was starting to tear up.

"Huh?" Twilight gasped and shook her head, spreading her wide Alicorn wings.

"You kinda blanked for a few heartbeats."

"O-Oh. S-sorry, Sweetie, I'm just a little homesick." Twilight's throat clenched as she strained to speak over the large lump sitting lazily within it, tears catching in her violet eyes and the top of her wings folding sorrowfully.

"Then why don't you go home?" Nightmare asked, bewildered. "I could go with you and we could be a family!" She finished with a squeak.

"I wish it was that easy. . ." Twilight's head hung a little and her shoulder blades jutted out, "But we need to stay here, at least for now. And. . .There's no going back." Twilight shuddered as she held back a wave of tears, her eyes squeezing shut and her upper teeth digging into her lower lip.

Nightmare flapped her black wings until she lifted herself from the ground and kissed the tip of Twilight's horn swiftly, melting the purple mare's heart. "One day you can, and I can go with you!" She exclaimed, throwing her front hooves in the air happily. "We can do everything together, and spend long nights outside looking at the stars and the moon!"

"I hope that that can happen, too." Twilight choked out, tears flooding in her eyes and clouding her vision as the lump in her throat strengthened. Her unfolded wings stretched back as she stood on the tips of her hooves and pressed her muzzle against Nightmare's, breathing in the dark Alicorn's night-like scent. I also hope that Spike can show up at some time. . .He was such a big help and I miss him so much! I just can't believe that Starlight had to take him in and hold him hostage. . .All so that--just in case she needed to--she could use him against me. Twilight closed her eyes as a tear found it's way down her cheek.

"Please don't cry," Nightmare's high-pitched voice was a scratchy beg. "I don't like it when ponies I love cry. It remind me of all the ponies that went away crying with my father and never came back. . ." Her voice faltered into a gasp, and she placed herself on the ground, folding her wings at her sides.

Twilight's tears paused in her wide, shocked eyes. Taken aback, she managed to say; "Dear, I am so sorry." She sniffled, tears finally streaming down her face.

"Please!" Nightmare squeaked, her eyes watering. "Please don't leave me. If he comes for you, just don't. . .Don't let him take you to where you never come back!"

"Sh, sh, sh. . .It's okay, filly. . .We'll get through this. We'll survive." Twilight soothed.

"You promise?" Nightmare sniffled.

"I promise." Twilight sounded solemn, though fear was creeping up to her. She just hoped that what she said was true.

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