> Phases of Love
>  by AMinorDisChord
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> A New Moon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Nightmare Moon's Point Of View)

The sea of light from up above, days to nights, nights to days.

Skies would cast a rainbow's light, before they slowly fade away.

A single sol, of age untold, that all the eyes admire.

A deepest blue, a sacred hue, burn with tiny dots of fire.

One is shown, the other shunned, by evening they rest beyond her art.

An anger tears and throws, her tear's in throe, an emptiness now fills her heart.

All she needed was a friend, to allow her suffering to end, and all would remain alright.

But who could look at her, not breaking, and let their heart to be completely taken, with a child of the night?







Every atom of whom I once was had felt the changes from light to dark. The sun floats across the sky, trailing the rays of life. I feel the moon and stars light the evenings as ponies party or... What ever they do at night. I especially felt the moon.

Even if I wasn't the one who controlled it.

How could I? My body has been shattered past existence. All of me has been broken by the so-called 'Elements of Harmony'. How is that, in any way, harmonious? I was destroyed, each particle spread across the vast night skies.

Oh, you didn't know? Each star that burned alive was once me. The beautiful nights where born of my power. But who could believe that? That something so horrid, grotesque, and cruel could possibly create such a miraculous sight.

Not me.

But why should I matter? My essence has been torn apart and put back together. By all means, I am dead, forced to know what lies in the minds of who used to be my subjects. By my own moon, all the fear I caused.

All the pain.

All the hatred.

I was pulled out of my thoughts as I felt a slight pain in the back of my head.

Wait... Pain?

I'm not dead? ... What? I was torn into pieces and tossed into the sky, lighting up the vast unknown as I once did magically... So why does my head hurt?

I stood up shakily from my crouch. Stood up? I must have returned! I tripped over myself, without moving. Yep, I'm alive. OW!

Suddenly, memories rushed into me like a meteor. I have been on the moon for alone thousand years. I know what a meteor feels like.

I wondered if I have that bruise still...

That sadly needed to wait, as I remembered every negative emotion towards me. No pony had a single nice thing to think or feel. Not even my appearance! One thousand years ago, I would stand by the mirrors in Canterlot and checked myself out. I enjoyed it! A lot! Maybe a little too much. Perhaps they were right to say I was vain...

But I also had other rthings to consider.

I'm alive! I'm alive. I'm, alive?

I pondered this for a moment. I could not fathom why I was so elated to be alive. From what I remembered, it wasn't that pleasant of a life. One thousand years of being stuck on the moon, countless hours spent planning on how to gain the liking of my subject, which was utterly in vain.

I don't have anything worth living for here, I realized. No pony could possibly like me after what I made them feel. Oh, oh Celestia! What have I done? I tried to give them something I found so beautiful, but only managed to make them afraid. I caused so much pain! Those who once were my subjects now fear and hate me!

And believe I am dead. "I, I can't stay here," I whispered, surprised by the hurt and fear within my words. Perhaps, 'surprised' would not be the choice description. Rather, I was disgusted. A princess should not reveal those emotions.

But what kind of princess has no subjects? I was devastated by this.

"I won't let any pony fear me anymore," I felt so empty and dead. "I don't want them to fear and hate that much ever again! I saw their emotions, and I wish I could help them. I never meant for this to happen! I just wanted to be liked! But that will never happen now."

I couldn't help but cry as the truths stabbed me like rusty blades. I wept for every single one of the ponies which I so desperately wanted to love me as they loved my sister. And they would never know. All they would be aware of is how scared they were as I took away their precious day, how I threatened their whole world with darkness.

"If I stay, I will only make matters worse. They are afraid of me, and always will be. I have to leave, forever."

I continued to spill my royal tears, each droplet like a dying star. They burst and cascaded as they rushed to the ground.

"I have nothing here. My sister fears me, and will kill me on sight. The Elements would cast me into oblivion. My origin feels stronger than any other. I, I hurt Luna so much. My own counterpart, whom I have warred with over her form for countless generations, and I hurt her. She's so afraid, so alone. She fears she will turn into me again, so she doesn't let her emotions show. It's eating her up inside, and it was all because of me! I am so sorry! I am so sorry!" The torrent of pain had yet to cease, and I knew I deserved it, and so much more.

"I should not have the right to live."

I wish I could have ended my life, my suffering, right then and there. Death would be a true comfort, not only to me, but to every creature in Equestria as well. One less monster in the world. Alas, there were only a number of ways for an Alicorn to perish. I only new of one guaranteed way, but there was a chance that every pony within ten thousand miles of me would be killed as well.

I couldn't let that happen, no matter how much I ached.

I knew what I had to do. I had to travel far from Terra in order to die and keep my little ponies out of harm's way.

Requiring to move, I discovered I had not opened my eyes yet. I didn't even know what time of day it was.

I slowly allowed the muscles clamping my eyelids shut to release their hold. Light softly seeped into my eyes. It was clearly not daylight, unless I was inside. My irises readjusted to the brilliance of my surroundings. When I could see again, what I saw astonished me.

I was inside, surrounded by glistening, stone walls. Pitch black mortar held the stones together, crevices . Emerald vines interweaved as they ensured the structure, their leaves held by spiral stems the width of a string. The chambers were sealed, save for a wooden door and a curtained window. Enchanted candles illuminated the room with flickers of mystic greens, blues, reds, among other tinctures. The scarlet curtains were haloed with a gentle white incandescence, which meant it was nighttime. The door had several metal bracers supporting the wood, which was in the early stages of rotting.

I forced myself onto my hooves, wobbling and nearly tripping due to the lack of practice. Now able to stand, I lifted my front right leg to take a step-

And landed on my face with a malicious force. I cried out in surprise and agony as my muzzle flattened against the cold, stone floor. Did I ever mention how much I hate walking? No? Well, as of that moment, I detested it with a burning passion. I braced my legs a second time and rose upward, more cautious this time. I reached my leg out again, but I did not let myself fall this time. My hoof landed lightly on the ground, and the subconscious kicked into action, each step after the other, not tripping once.

I was ecstatic. I could finally walk again. I had no time to question my joy as another question blipped into my mind.

What about magic?

I had nothing to test myself with, until I rediscovered the curtains. I focused and put my heart into making them move.

My horn lit up, judging by the new color on the ground, but the curtains did not move.

"This is going to be a long night."

On Earth...

A store, a restaurant, a hair salon, another store, a theatre. The buildings would come and go from view as people would walk past them, most of the time not heeding them any attention. Police station, town hall, restaurant, for lease, bar. Eyes would occasionally glance upon the names of such things, before moving on to the next thing that they would focus upon.

Or, at least, most do.

One person stood out in that perspective. He would stare at each establishment and wonder to himself how nice it would be to be able to go in, and buy something from them like a normal being.

He was homeless.

And few souls would care about the homeless. Except those that have been homeless themselves, or work at a shelter. Rarely was there a case otherwise. But that did not mean such lives did not exist.

James was one such creature.

He would give money to charity often, but he could never find the time to do physical labour for them.

He had just graduated from his school, but still hasn't started his life yet.

James Point Of View

Thank you for introducing me, narrator.

... Even though it was my turn. But, it can't be helped.

So yeah, I am James. James Knight. I know, it is an epic last name, right? Makes me sound like some sort of hero. Just imagine, a barely of age adult wearing a metal suit from day to day.

Getting off track here, sorry.

So, yeah, I am James Knight. But you seem to already know this already. You know, this would have sounded a lot better if I had known before hand I was going to tell my life story. I would have planned it out instead of blabbering on and on... You get the picture.

Anyways!

So, as my 'friend' was saying, I had just graduated college, but I didn't do much back then. You know how adults seem to tell you that as soon as your out of college, your life will begin?

Do. Not. Believe. Them.

I had been out for around six months. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Nothing.

Oh sure, I had a job, but it sucked the life out of me. The adults were honest on that point. If only I had listened.

I was a... Actually, I don't even remember what my job was. Only that it was close to minimum wage and I was freaking bored out of my mind.

Here was the basic day: wake up, shower, work, home, eat, sleep, repeat.

Now, I couldn't complain about my job. At least I had one. Some people aren't so lucky. I usually saved up money from what I didn't spend on groceries, and gave it to the homeless shelter. I couldn't find the time to do anything else, otherwise, I would have lost my required six hours of sleep.

But that wasn't the worst part.

No, the worst had to be how lonely I was. I had my mom, dad, and little brother back when I was living with them, but my college was out of state. And before my twenty third birthday, I never had a girlfriend. I didn't even had my first kiss yet.

Everyone says you will find the right one at college.

They. Lied.

No dates, no kisses, no naughty nights, nothing.

So yeah, I was one of those forever-alone people.

I can live without electronics, and I don't need that much money, aside from buying groceries. But what has been hurting me inside, is that I don't have someone to share a life with.

No one to hold close to me at night.

To hold her tight in my arms and say it will all be alright.

To just take away all this loneliness inside.

To learn the rules of loving much and force my heart to abide.

So, yeah, you got to know me before anything important happened. Sorry if I'm not saying much about me at that point, but I don't really become who I am now until later.

It's weird, but you will understand.

I think.

I hope.

I digress.

Now let me tell you about when a miracle happened.
> The First Crescent
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nightmare's Point Of View

My excitement was reaching it's limits.

It had been a few days since I discovered my... Rebirth. I could finally use magic, gallop without tripping, and fly.

Flying was the hardest thing to learn.

It started when I realized I needed to get off of Terra in order to die, which meant either build a ship, teleport to a point far beyond my capabilities... Or open my wings and flap.

My flight training got off to, let's say a 'rocky start'.

I shifted the curtains to reveal the outside world, shadowy, but eerily glowing due to the stars and moon's light. I wondered why the heck the stars were up there if I was not, but I had to hold that thought. I spread my wings, folded them in, walked a good distance away from the opening, and galloped toward the window.

Unfortunately, I tripped before I made it to the outside, giving me another muzzle full of rubble. Blech.

After checking myself for injuries not including my pride, I tried again. This time, I made it out of the room, and felt the cool night air hit my face. It was so wonderful, that chilling breeze running along my fur and feathers.

Wait, feathers! Too late I realized I forgot to open my wings. I crashed into the conveniently soft earth with a muffled thump. No rocks to break my fall, and no bruises, thank the moon. I rose to my hooves and saw where I was. It was the castle within the Everfree, the place I was destroyed! I should have guessed, but I didn't, so I turned my mind to other matters at hoof.

This time, I just flapped my wings, not taking the chance of slipping. I could get off the ground with relative ease, and soon enough I zoomed along the ground. I missed the sensation so much, the night, the flight, the-

Tree. I once again, managed to crash even after the first times I swore I would be more careful. The tree shook from the impact, but nothing fell out, thankfully. I slowly slid down from the accidental kiss I gave the poor plant. I noticed the mark on the bark, so I mentally remarked how my astricted park under cover of dark rekindles a spark to change my arc and avoid those who Hark and lark and lurk nearby.

What? I am a poet. Besides, do you know how many love songs and words use the moon? Trust me, you pick it up after a while.

After a number of attempts to fly, I saw the horizon take a red hue. I had to return to my room. Luckily, after trying for a while, I got the hang of flying, and flew into the opening at the castle side before the sun fully rose above the ground. I rushed to shove the curtains closed and figured it was best to sleep now and wait until tomorrow.

My sister would easily see that I was alive in the light of day. Luna, however, would only see me as another creature of the night and would be too busy helping ponies with their dreams. I closed my eyes, not caring that I didn't have any blankets or pillows to sleep on. My suffering would end soon anyway, and I don't deserve such luxury.

The next day...

I opened my eyes to feel a trickle of water on my face. No, wait, not water, tears. I had cried, probably from the dream I had. I couldn't remember it, but I was not so sure I wanted to. I looked at the windows's outline to see it was nighttime. I removed the silken barrier to see the courtyard I had been using last night. I felt my stomach rumble, and I knew I had to get something to eat.

I am immortal, so I don't really need food to survive. But I need some form of energy to use magic, and food is a strong source.

Also, hunger is very distracting. I looked to the forest, mentally preparing myself to go on my search for sustenance. I decided to get it over with, and floated down at a smooth glide. I landed softly, and set off to go for breakfast.

After walking for about five minutes, I came to an open area, which for some reason felt familiar to me.

I remembered.

I was only a little filly. I wanted to go exploring, despite my parents warnings, demands, and guards. The forest was so beautiful to me, but no one else seemed to think so. I just kept running, nothing was able to end my elation. But then I realized, I didn't know how to get back.

Suddenly, the forest did not seem so friendly. I wanted to go back, but I didn't know my way.

I ran around the forest, trying to find my path, but the trees seemed to move, I couldn't remember how to go back.

I cried, calling for my mommy, my daddy, my sister, any pony to help me. I curled up into a little ball, lying down in this very clearing. I never felt so alone. I was scared.

"Please," I moaned to myself, still crying. "Some pony please help me. I don't want to be alone. Help me, please."

Suddenly, I heard a wheezing sound beside me. It was quite similar to when I ran my shoe along the piano keys to get it off. A clang and thud stopped the wheezing noise, and my eyes beheld something, odd.

A blue box, four times my height, was the epicenter of sound. I was too young to read, so the words at the top of the box meant absolutely nothing to me.

The door creaked open, to reveal a strange creature. I don't even recall what it looked like, but it startled me. I screamed, and tried to get on my hooves, but I constantly kept slipping in fright. The being stepped out, and spoke with a calming tone.

"Sh, sh, it's okay, I'm not going to hurt you. I'm not going to hurt you," the creature's voice calmed me slightly, and I relaxed. "Are you okay? You seem lost."

"I- I don't know where I am-m," I stuttered. "I don't kn-know which w-way my parents are, and-" I broke off into tears again.

I felt something grab me. I wanted to struggle, but I couldn't.

"It's alright, I'll help you get back." It was the creature. The thing was hugging me. "We will find your parents." It spoke with certainty.

"We, we will?" I was hopeful. The thing nodded.

"Yes, we will," it reached into it's fur, which I suddenly realized wasn't fur, it was clothing. It pulled out a stick, but it wasn't like any stick I had seen before. "Stay calm, this won't hurt." It pointed the stick at me, pressed down on it with what looked like tentacles, which made the stick light up, creating a heavy buzz. The buzzing stopped, but started up again. This time, though, the creature was spinning around.

"That way!" The thing lifted a tentacle in a direction. The creature picked me up, and ran. Fast. I could not run this fast if I wanted to, nor could any other pony I knew.

In no time, we reached the castle. The guards were running around, looking for me from what I could guess. My savior put me down, and I ran towards the castle. I looked back to say goodbye, but it was gone.

I walked over to the place on the ground where the blue box had been. After more than a thousand years, the burn marks that the box made were gone. I decided to wipe away the leaves to reveal the ground, and to my surprise, the ashes were still there, as if preserved by the forest.

I started to tear up. The creature, for I never learned it's name or gender, was the closest thing I had to a friend. The guards and maids were paid to be there, and didn't show much interest in me. Celly was my sister, and your sister isn't really your friend, more like outright rival.

Oh, Celly. Celestia.

I cried again. I lied down on the ground, ignoring my hunger, and cried.

I still hadn't forgiven myself.

I heard something. I didn't know what, but I listened. It was like a bee, but nothing like it at all.

It was that stick! I rushed towards the direction of the sound, and found, to my surprise, an Earth Pony. But he was not one I had seen before.

No, wait, I did see him. He was at my sister's sun celebration. And at my twenty sixth birthday party. And at so many other places in time. Once, I though I saw him and a Pegasus on the moon. I just wrote it off as me being insane.

But I never saw his emotions. I didn't know why, but he was the one creature I could not hear.

In his mouth, was a stick, just like the one the creature had.

I wanted to know more, but I was afraid to show myself, so I remained in the shadows.

"Excuse me, where did you get that stick thing?" I called out, raising my pitch so as to not be discovered.

"I made it myself, Nightmare," he answered, looking directly to where I was hiding. He didn't look frightened, more determined.

I was shocked. He knew who I was? And didn't run? Or call for help? I subconsciously stepped out from behind the clearing. He smiled.

"Who are you?" I asked, almost fearfully.

"The one who helped you out of the forest all those years ago, but you can call me the Doctor."

"Doctor who?"

"Close enough," he shrugged.

I recalled the first thing he said. "Wait, you didn't help me out of the forest, a-"

"Two legged creature with tentacles and clothes that stepped out of a blue box? Hello again."

I blacked out.


<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>


When I came to, I realized I was back in my hideaway. I had a blanket on top of me, and the aroma of food stole my attention. A breakfast platter of eggs, toast, fruits and vegetables lied on the table. I didn't know how I got here, but I took a guess.

"Thank you, Doctor," I whispered. I didn't get a reply, but I hoped he could hear me.

I knew what I had to do. I had food, my magic, my flight.

It was time to go.

Goodbye, my little ponies. I am so sorry, but I will never hurt you again.

I took off.

I was flying through the night sky, before I took a final flap and forced myself out of the air of Terra. I didn't need to breath, so there was no concern for oxygen. learned that after the first few panic-filled moments on the moon. I levitated myself through the empty space, moving at least one thousand miles per hour. Magic works even better in space, without strong gravity, air resistance, or any other annoying interference. Finally reaching a safe distance from Terra, I began the spell.

Suddenly, an object came into view, moving at an incredible speed. It was the blue box. It was the Doctor. I had to stop my spell, I could not let him, of all ponies, be hurt. I magicked myself close to the blue box, and read the words 'police public call box' and touched it. It sparked at my fur, and I felt a strange tingling in my hoof. The box's door swung open to reveal the creature I was rescued by.

"I couldn't let you die, Nightmare," the Doctor smiled. "But you are not welcomed in this dimension anymore, and would be locked up in an instant. So I'm going to take you somewhere else." He pointed his stick at me, and I felt another tingle as I fell through the void.

On Earth

James-

No way, bro. You are not talking while it's my turn.

"But I'm the narrator."

With a bloody nose.

"I don't have a-" *smack*

Right. Where was I?

Oh yes. I was waking up for my five month anniversary with my job. Imagine my elation. Insert 'sarcastic whoopee' here. I rushed out of my bed, and showered, ran to the kitchen, made a small sandwich, and headed out the door. I don't get that much time in the mornings. I got into my car and drove off.

I was stuck in the intersection, like usual. The light system, sucks. Anyways, I was waiting there, windows down, eyes on the road and feet on the breaks. My mind begins to wander around the events of my life... Which didn't cover much. For the past five months, there is rarely a single change from day to day life. It has gotten redundant, boring, and-

A sound brought me out of focus. A sound from my great grandparent's fairy tales. A sound I had heard once before.

I craned my neck to look at the sidewalk. A telephone box I knew did not belong had groaned into existence. I turned off my car, practically leaping out, locking it, and ran toward the blue box.

Why is he here? Scratch that, I don't want to know. If he is here, then something is bound to go horribly wrong. Thank goodness it isn't Christmas. Or London for that matter. Still...

The door creaked open as a man I did not recognize stepped out. Behind him were two kids, both girls, and a woman I would have had to guess was around thirty. The two girls seemed to be a teenager and a preteen. I had no idea who they were, but I knew who the man was.

"Doctor," I acknowledged.

"Goodness gracious, is that you James?" The Doctor's voice was just as easily different, but the underlying personality was in there.

"Yes," I answered.

"My boy, it has been far too long. How are you?" He started to walk towards me, but tripped. The girls didn't move, although they all looked concerned about his well being.

"You okay dear?" The woman asked.

"Dad?" The teenager called out.

"Daddy?" The preteen sounded worried.

"Don't worry, and don't move if you don't want to fall." The Doctor answered to his companions.

Wait... Daddy? Dear?

I moved over to help the Doctor up, and he gripped me in a rough hug.

"I haven't seen you since my graduation." I told him.

"Good, something we both remember. I was afraid of-"

"Although your new body seems familiar, but I can't remember why," I interrupted. "Oh wait, it was because I saw you at the-"

"No!" The Doctor commanded sharply, cupping his hand over my mouth.

"Relax, I was kidding," I chuckled. "You taught me not to break the rules of time, remember? Or did you lose your sense of humor."

He glared at me for a couple seconds, which worried me, before he broke out in laughter. "Remind me to use that one someday!" He was starting to tear up.

"So, Doctor," I began cautiously. "Since when were you a dad?"

The Doctor suddenly looked confused, but then looked at the girls, smiling sheepishly. "That's right, you haven't met. James, this is my wife Derpy, and my daughters, Sparkler and Dinky." He gestured to the girls.

"How do you do?" I waved my hand nervously.

"Girls, this is my friend, James Knight. He is the great grandson of Amy and Rory Pond."

"Williams," I reminded him.

"Nonsense," he replied.

"So, not to be rude, but, uh, why are you here? Please tell me it isn't going to be some disaster."

The girls giggled while the Doctor held an expression of confusion. "Why would there be a disaster?"

"Remember my birthday? Or my graduation? Or every Christmas in London?" I smiled slyly.

He blushed. "Right... Well, sorry to disappoint, but I don't have any world threatening problems at hand. Actually, I need a favor."

I was worried. As far as I knew, the Doctor's favors were not pleasant. "Do I have to look after an Ood?"

"No, nothing like that at all. Well, okay, a little bit, but not too much, I mean she won't be doing chores or anything," he rambled.

"She?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I need you to look after someone for me," he sounded worried, which is always a good reason to be worried.

"What's the catch?" I sighed.

"Um, she may or may not have wanted to kill herself, and has never had a friend before. Oh, I should also mention she has had the worst life I have ever seen." He was practically begging with his eyes. I looked to the girls, and caught their eyes. They nodded slowly, uncertainly, but nonetheless did so.

"Where is she?"

"At your place, in fifteen minutes."

I stared at him. "Fine. I have a couple of sick days anyways."

"Oh good. Also, you may need to teach her about being human, such as clothes, bathing, walking, that sort of thing."

"Wait, what?" I exclaimed.

He quickly shut the door and the TARDIS was phasing out of existence.

"I fell for that one, didn't I?" I muttered aloud.

I rushed to my car before the light changed to green. Yes, it would take at least seven minutes for the light to change. It's crazy, and a very crappy design. I started up the car, and took the route back to my home.

When I parked the car, I called my boss, telling him I was not feeling well. That may or may not have gone horribly wrong, but I didn't have to work today, so whatever.

I walked inside my house to see a girl sleeping on my couch. Without clothes, to my dismay. I ran to my closet and threw a blanket over her, so I wouldn't see anything, inappropriate.

I do have some morals, despite being a guy. Deal with it.

I had no idea what to do at this point, so I just sat down on my chair and slept.
> Half Empty
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Nightmare's Point Of View)

I woke to feel a strange feeling upon my skin. It was like my fur was replaced with some other hair. I was on something springy, like a bed.

What the hay is going on? I thought to myself. I opened my eyes to see I was in a room, with a strange creature sleeping a few yards away from me. Things I had never seen before, like a black box with glass in front of it, a smaller version of the black box, although with other symbols on the glass, a small sun contained in glass, and several other things.

I tried to get up, but my body was constrained by some form of cloth, and I fell, banging my head on the ground.  Was shocked to discover I could not see my snout. Instantly the creature awoke, and yelled "who, what, when, where, why?" It turned it's attention to me, and I saw that it was much like the Doctor in his bipedal form, although with many differences.

It had green eyes, yellowish hair, and an odd face. It was more flat than a ponies', and with smaller eyes. It had clothes covering most of it, save for it's front legs, which had little fur on them.

I just stared at it as it rose from it's seat and walked slowly over to me.

(James Point Of View)

Ok, thankfully, I don't have to worry about the narrator since he quit, so let's continue.

I woke with a start as I heard a crash. I yelled out, and looked to see what it was.

It was the girl. She must have slipped.

Maybe the Doctor and her have been off of Earth's gravity for too long,  I thought.

I walked over to her, and finally got a good look at her.

Not in the inappropriate way, mind you. The blanket still covered those areas, so don't get your sick hopes up.

She was around my age, maybe a little older. Her skin was as pale as the full moon. She had turquoise eyes, and her hair was night black. If I didn't know any better, I would have assumed she was associated with the night somehow.

But that would be crazy.

Here eyes were red, and I think it was due to crying. A lot. Like at least twice a day for the past two days.

I know what that's like.

Her face reminded me of the evil queen in the Snow White cartoon, except, she was, afraid. Of me.

"Are you alright?" My concern was completely genuine.

"Who- who are you?" She was definitely terrified. I felt so sorry for her.

"It's alright, I won't hurt you," I tried to calm her down.

"Where am I? Who are you? Are you going to kill me?" This was bad. Seriously bad. She must have gone through something very traumatic. I knelt beside her and put my hand on her shoulder.

"Look at me,"I tried to say calmly. She stared at my face with terror written all over. "Do I look like the kind of person that would hurt you?"

"Person?" She must have never heard the word before. "No, you don't." Her fear started to assuage.

"Good, because I won't," I said with certainty. "My name is James. James Knight. What is yours?"

"Nightmare Moon," she was barely speaking above a whisper.

"Wait," I took a while to process her name. "Your name is Nightmare Moon?"

She was suddenly worried again. "Yes. Are you going to hurt me?"

I took her hand in mine, which surprised her a bit. "I swear I will not hurt you. I promise. I just found it odd how your appearance reminded me of the night, and here you go telling me your name is directly related to it. I just found it odd."

"Oh, forgive me, I have not been treated well as of late."

I saw her tear up, and I knew this was a touchy subject, so I had to stay away from it for the time being. "I am sorry."

"It is alright. Where am I?"

"My home. I think the Doctor sent you here."

"You know of the Doctor?" She asked incredulously.

"He is my great uncle, in a way. Can I get you something to eat, or drink?"

"Um, water... Please," the 'please' was way too late to be something said often.

I let go of her hand, and went into the kitchen, grabbed a glass and filled it half way.

I walked aback over to her to find she was studying her hand. I tried to give her the glass, but she didn't grab it. I remembered what the Doctor said about teaching her to be human.

I took her hand in mine, and adjusted her fingers to hold the water. She was confused, so I continued by moving her arm to get the cup up to her lips. At that point, she seemed to know what to do, and slowly drained the glass. Her eyes were locked onto mine the entire time.

"Thank you," she smiled serenely, but almost uncomfortably. Like she was not used to smiling, not that she was lying about being thankful.

"Of course," I smiled back. "Do you want more?"

"That would be nice," she was more sure of herself, but there were still signs of inner conflict in her eyes. I peeled her fingers off of the cup and went to get more water. When I came back, Nightmare was moving her fingers, amazed at the things.

She still needed help grabbing the container, which was now close to spilling. She was clearly trying to be careful , but her hand kept shaking. Water flew out and landed on the floor.

Without a word, I stood up and went towards my closet.

"Please, I'm so sorry, don't leave me alone! I didn't mean to, I'll try to be better, I promise, I-" she was bawling, and I was more certain than ever of what I needed to do. I forgot about grabbing a cloth, ran over to her, and wrapped my arms around her. She continued to cry on my shoulder while I held her. I kept telling her it was okay, but she continued to sob. So I held her even tighter, slowly rocking side to side. I hummed a tune I learned from my mother, and Nightmare's crying began to cease.

"I wasn't leaving you, I was just getting a towel," I told her.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-" she began.

"Stop, just, stop," I interrupted. "You have nothing to apologize for, and for the rest of the night, please stop saying you are sorry. You have done nothing wrong, and I won't have you beating yourself up for every little thing. Okay?"

She didn't speak for a while, until she muttered, "okay."

I continued to hold her. "I think what we need is some sleep. It has been a rough day for the both of us. Come on." I started to stand up, but she continued to lie down. She was either way too tired to move... Or she didn't know how. I imagined it was both. The Doctor did say she didn't know how to walk either, but she was certainly tired as well. I lifted her in my arms, and carried her to the bed. I lied her down, taking her arms off me as I moved to sleep on the couch.

"Wait... Don't... Leave... Me," she was barely conscious, but she was still there.

"Alright, but I am going to put some clothes on you, understood? I don't want to you to get too cold." She didn't mention not having clothes on before, so I guessed it was something not unusual to do for her.

"... Fine."

I went over to my bedroom closet, and grabbed underwear, shirt, and basketball shorts. I put them on her slowly as to not disturb her slumber. When I was finished, I lied down in the bed next to her. I didn't want her to wake up, afraid I abandoned her, or something.

I let sleep take me away.


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The thing about sleeping next to Nightmare that would have been nice to know about, is that, sometimes, you get sucked into her dreams as well.

I was looking down upon a group of... Horses? Multi colored, tattooed, talking horses.

Meh, it's just a dream right?

I look to my left to see a black one, taller than the other horses. It had an ethereal mane that blew in the non existing wind. It wore teal armor and had a picture of a crescent moon on it's rump. I also noticed the eyes. Turquoise, slotted like a snake.

Wait, black fur, turquoise eyes, moon... Is that Nightmare?

"Please don't be afraid of us, we won't hurt you, don't leave us. We are not evil!"

Yup, that was my Nightmare Moon. Despite the odd use of the words we and us, it was her voice, and her fear. The horses below continued to run and scream in chaos.

"Please, some pony be my friend," she whimpered.

"Nightmare?" I asked aloud. Her head snapped over to me, and I could see how powerful she was. She could kill me, even in this dream, if she so desired.

She slowly walked towards me, glaring, yet, there was something else. Fear? Hope? I put that aside as she jumped onto her back hooves, and fell back down... Her weight was surprisingly light, and I noticed what had happened. She was hugging me, wrapped her legs around my neck, and hugged me.

"How are you here? Or is this part of my nightmare?" She asked.

"I have absolutely no idea," I answered.

"Are you real?"

"... I think so."

She squeezed me even tighter.

"So, uh, why are you a pony, exactly?" I was not certain how this question would be recieved.

"You see us as we once were," she stated. "Our form before the Doctor, we do not remember what he did, but he changed our form, much like he did his own."

"That would explain all of the tripping, and teaching you how to be a person."

All of a sudden, the dream shifted, and we were staring at an open field with an orange sky. We turned around to see ponies with pitchforks and torches in their hands.

"Cliché dream, huh?" I asked nervously as we began to run away from the attacking ponies.

"How so?" Her voice was shaking slightly as she galloped.

"You know, the whole 'grab your torch and pitchforks' spiel," I tried to explain.

"That is, a strange idea," she huffed. "And here I thought I have heard everything."

"You learn something new everyday."

"Not at my age," She grunted.

"Come now, you can't honestly think that-" I tried.

"I am over one thousand years old," she dead panned.

"You are? You don't look a day over twenty three in my world," I tried to let my smile show, but reality started to fade in and out.

The dream faded away and Nightmare Moon fell out of sight.


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I felt something strange as I woke up. I opened my eyes to see Nightmare, the human, not the dream horse thing, lying next to me. She had her arms gripping my neck like it was her lifeline, her legs holding my stomach like a vice, and her head underneath my own.

Being without someone my entire life, I never knew what it was like to wake up to this sort of thing.

I. Loved. It.

It was something that warmed my heart so much, and I wished I could always feel this way. Unfortunately, it had to end.

Nightmare began to wake up, and she started to move away from me... Before constricting me to the point where it was slightly difficult to breath.

She opened her eyes, jumped off of me, and nearly fell... Again. This time, I was ready for it, and I grabbed her before she fell. She instantly began an onslaught of apologies until I held my finger to her mouth.

"Stop saying you're sorry. Please." I wanted to beg for her to stop, but not for the reason you might think.

Oh sure, her constant groveling got slightly on my nerves, make no mistake. But I knew she also had to accept that things happen, and not everything that happened was her fault.

I also learned that too many 'sorry's' can get you nowhere, fast.

"Remember what I said last night? About not apologizing? Please, try to not apologize so much. I may not understand what you went through, but you have done nothing wrong."

She nodded, so I removed my finger. She looked scared, and seemed ready to apologize again, held back only by her new promise to me.

"Look, I'm sorry if what I am saying is scaring you, I just want to help. Feeling sorry for yourself doesn't get you anywhere you want to be. I know from personal experience. You are my friend, Nightmare, and I don't want to see you hurt."

Her eyes widened, probably at something I said. It wasn't hard to guess, judging from her dream last night. Tears pricked her eyes, a happy/ sad smile spread across her face, and she pulled me into a deep hug.

"Thank you," she said simply.

"For what?" I knew the answer, I just wanted to hear it.

"For being my friend," she elaborated. "Other than the Doctor, no pony was my friend."

"Wait, pony? Oh, right, technicolored ponies with wings, horns, and tattoos. Got to remember that." I mentally kicked myself.

She smiled, not in an evil way like some dark sorceress, but like your every day to day average girl would do. It helped me relax a little bit.

"Perhaps it would help if you saw me in my normal form," she commented.

"Is that possible?" I was confused.

"The Doctor had different forms back where I came from."

"He is, different, than other people," I hesitated.

"Ponies," she corrected.

"Actually, he looked more like my kind before, well, I'm guessing he turned into a 'pony', as you call yourselves, judging by how you talk about him."

"He was the closest thing I had to a friend, and I don't even know if he can count as one," she was starting to get distressed.

I had to change my approach. "So, you're unicorn-"

"Alicorn."

"Right, so an alicorn that is over one thousand years old, anything else I miss?"

"Plenty," she answered smartly.

"Cute," I said sarcastically

"It was meant to be."

"Sure it was."

"Are you insinuating that I lie?"

"... Maybe."

"Arrogant little foal!"

"Pissed pretty pony person."

"You," she faltered. "You think I'm pretty?"

"Um..." Crap! I was caught. "... Yes?"

Nightmare switched her faux angry expression with a blush. It was adorable.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, let's get out of bed, because I have a lot to teach you about being a bipedal hairless ape."

She pouted. "Aw, can't we stay? this is so comfortable."

"Either you learn, or I can call the Doctor."

She was immediately terrified. Crap! Went too far! Fix! Now!

"I'm sorry!"I blurted before she could. "I was joking, I wasn't thinking, I swear I would never do that to you!"

She relaxed a little, but was trembling. I grabbed her and pulled her into a bear hug. I was apologizing profusely as she continued to shiver.

"I am such an idiot, I am so sorry. I promise I won't leave you. I shouldn't have done that I'm sorry! I'm-"

She pulled back from the hug, and put a finger over my lips.

"Don't apologize for the rest of the day," she spoke maternally, commanding but with a softer touch. I nodded silently as she removed her finger.

"So, what are we going to learn first?" She asked enthusiastically.

I tried to come up with some ideas before my own body odor hit me like a train... Powered by rockets.

"Showering. Definitely showering," I began to feel sick.

She looked confused, and a little offended, before she took of a whiff of herself, turning green in the face.

"Yes, showering is a good idea." She concurred, disgust written on her face.

I got up, held out my hand, which she took, pulled her up, and began walking to the bathroom with her using me as a walker.
> The Dark Ellipse
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Due to a Rock Paper Scissors game against my friend, I shall have to make you all feel extremely extremely stupid. Blame the scissors.)

(James Point Of View)

"Now, Nightmare, I need you to grab that white bar on the ledge. Be careful, it is very-"

A procession of loud bangs and a scream of pain from Nightmare told me I was too late.

"Slippery. Nightmare, listen to me, I know it stings, but do not jump up and down!"

"But it hurts!" she whined.

"I know, but if you jump, you will fall, and I don't want you injured, okay?"

She grunted. "Too late for that!"

... Maybe I should explain what happened.

I finally managed to waddle my way into the bathroom with Nightmare clinging onto me without either of us getting hurt. It was a miracle.

Nightmare Moon was in the shower, with all of her clothes on, and barely enough balance to remain standing. Against my hormone's judgement, I decided not to shower with her. As much as it would help her, I know I will have to explain the rules of revealed skin to her... That is going to be so weird.

Anyway, she got the clothes off with a lot of difficulty, due to the lack of balance, finger skill, and practice. But, she did get them off. And without hurting herself. I felt proud for some inexorable reason.

In any case, I told her how to turn the water on. The knob was not trying to be friendly with her. Resisting the urge to look at her, I guided her hand, and soon enough, a squeal of surprise from the cold rang through the bathroom. I did warn her before hand, so she wasn't likely to kill me over the temperature... Right?

I did survive her wrath, which was so far just a lot of complaining.

And a punch in the side, but I will explain that later.

After the water heated up, I told her how to use the shampoo and conditioner. I pre opened the bottles, so all she had to do was turn them upside down and squeeze.

A lot to go wrong here, right?

Actually, she did pull it off both times without a hitch. She wins this one, pessimists!

The soap, however, as mentioned above, proved to be of some difficulty. We opted that, due to the recent event, she should lie down and use the soap. Which meant I had to help her.

After several minutes of awkwardness, apologies, and confused acceptances, we got her lying on her back as she, outside of my gaze (suck that hormones!) soaped down her body. She started shifting around, probably so the water would wash the soap away, and told me she was done. I turned off the water, grabbed a towel, and handed it to her.

She had absolutely no idea what she was supposed to do. She said it had to do with being used to dry spells, but I had no concept of weather. In any case, I had to help her again. Trying to make sure I didn't hurt her, I gently wiped down her body. (You win this battle, hormones.)

After all of that, she put on a new set of my clothes. I needed to take her shopping at some point. I helped her out of the bathroom, sat her down at the table, and told her to wait until I came out. I walked into the bathroom, excited at what I had just done, partially, but mostly shameful over it as well.


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(Nightmare's Point Of View)

I could not, for the life of me, understand James. He was flustered all of the time, didn't run away from me when he entered my dreams, and wasn't shocked about my true form.

But the most confusing thing was that he genuinely cared for me. He did his best to make me feel welcome, safe, something I had not felt since foal hood. He tried to keep me from apologizing, but when he thought he hurt me, he nearly groveled. It was so, strange.

But, nonetheless, he was always kind. If other 'people' were as nice as him, maybe I could live here in peace.

I was amused at how awkward he was around me. And secretly, I knew why.

Yes, I am evil, didn't get that from what I did to the other ponies?

Oh, you poor things, so confused about my obvious change in personality! Allow me to explain.

I know I have been shown to have a very profound emotion all the time. To be honest, that was how I truly was, at the time. I either felt extremely happy, extremely sad, scared, etc. That was because I was feeling every single emotion from the ponies of Equestria. Their heart's words were heard by the stars, in so far as I could tell.

Stellar magic. Go figure.

Anyway, I had also just tried to kill myself. Do you have any idea what kind of fear that puts on a pony, how worthless you feel after you can't even take your own life? I wanted to crawl up in a hole and die like other ponies could do, just so I didn't have to feel the shame or guilt I carried.

And don't even get me started on how weird it is to be in a completely new form, an alien world, a creature I had never seen, with pain and fear racking my brain to the point of illness! So how in the world did I come down from that?

You see, James did something no pony ever did. He called me his friend. I said the Doctor was my friend, but I am not so sure about that. He saved me, several times, did what he could to help me. But that was what he does, I think.

His name is the Doctor, the healer, the one who makes others better. And that is what he did for me. But no more than that.

James outright claimed me as his friend. He took away that burden on my shoulders about no pony caring for me in such a manner.

He did everything he could to protect me, shield me, guide me. He has earned his name Knight.

The Doctor, as I was told by James, actually chose his name to be 'the Doctor'. He was already that when he was named. But James, he was not born a soldier, a hero, a protector. He was just a normal person. But he became something no pony had ever been for me, and he earned his title.

It also helped alleviate my negative emotions by how he could not stop blushing whenever he had to see me without my, well, his clothes on. I know, I know, a princess should always be modest.

But this was pretty damn funny for me. Let me enjoy it while I can.

Alright, where was I? Oh yes, the kitchen.

Oh, do I have a story to tell!

After spending five minutes in the chair, I got bored. I wasn't willing to mess with any of the black boxes, I couldn't reach the faucet on all fours, and for all I knew, I would release some sort of extra dimensional demon if I opened a door.

It's not like I thought that would happen... But you know, just in case.

But there was something I could do.

I could try to use magic.

I felt pretty confident about my ability to focus, now that I didn't have James worrying over me. It was sweet what he was doing, and from what his first impression of me was, I could understand why. I also knew how much he actually did what I needed him to help me with, not being overly fussy about me to the point of disgust, but not to the point of uncaring either. He gave me what I needed, and I admit that it was a lot. But a mare needs her space.

I focused on a pillow on the couch. I didn't feel or see a thing. Maybe I wasn't trying hard enough. I tried again, but nothing happened. I tried almost every low level house safe spell I could think of. Nothing.

But there was one spell I had yet to try.

Remember when I said I would try to shape change into a pony? I gave it a whirl.

And I finally had my hooves again.

"YES!!" I yelled.

"Something wrong?" I heard the water stop.

"No, it's all good." I called out.

The water continued.

I forced down my excitement and joy as I could retain my original form. I tried to levitate the pillow, and this time, it moved. This was my lucky day.

I continued practicing the different simple spells. I was extremely focused, slinging spell after spell on the known 'safe objects', which included the cushions, books, and fruit. I was incredibly focused. I didn't even hear the water ceasing.

"That's a good look for you," a voice from behind me commented.

I yelped, losing my focus and letting a watermelon drop from the ceiling.

James ran towards the wall, ran along it for about three steps, pushed off, and back flipped, catching the falling fruit, spun around, and landed on his feet, facing me.

"So is that what you meant by dry spell? You meant a literal magic spell." He seemed to realize.

I could only nod slowly. My jaw dropped like a weight... Or a soap bar... Or a watermelon. There's a lot of falling things in this home.

"And that, my dear, is why I have such a high ceiling," he said smugly, setting the watermelon on the table.

"It- it is?" I was surprised at his forethought.

"No, actually it came with the house," he replied, patting the wall with his hand.

"When did you learn to do that?"

"Having a great uncle with a passion for running, trouble, and travel, you get fit very quick. That, or you die," he stated bluntly.

"That must be... Interesting," I was skeptical. "Tell me, I have had a total number of, at most, fifteen minutes of knowing the Doctor. What is he like?"

"Which version?" He asked, which confused me.

"There is more than one?" I had no idea what he meant. "How many Doctors are out there?"

"Just one, but, uh, you're going to want to sit down for this. It's a long, long story."

"Surely it can't be that long."

"Sit down," I set my rump on the floor. "You said you are over one thousand. What is the exact number?"

"Isn't that rude?" I smirked.

"I helped you shower, walk, and caught a falling watermelon. There is no concept of 'rude' here."

"Such a compelling argument,"I responded sarcastically.

"From such a handsome gentlman," he returned.

"I was being sarcastic."

"I wasn't... Wait a second, you were distracting me!" He realized. "Oh, you sneaky little-"

"Little? I am just as tall as you in this form."

"Back to the subject at hand, give me a ballpark figure."

"A what now?"

"... An estimation."

"One thousand, five hundred years."

"... Wow."

"What?"

"Nothing, it's just, you look hot for one thousand five hundred, or even a twenty three year old."

I felt some warmth on my cheeks, which meant only one thing: blushing. And it is very obvious with black fur when red hues pop up from out of nowhere. Curse the maker!

"I u-um well, uh, thank you," I was used to insults. I didn't exactly learn to take compliments as an evil goddess.

"Anyway, the Doctor is at least two thousand years old, and that was back before he came to your world, as far as I know."

"... What? Hold on, does that mean your species lives that long?"

"Thankfully, no. Even though there are many good people, there are at least just as many horrible ones. The human race would kill itself off if it could live any longer."

I heard an word catch my ear. "Wait, human? Is that what you and the Doctor are?"

"I'm human, he isn't, he is a Gallifreyan, also known as a Time Lord. The Time Lords are known for, well, having time travel at their disposal. They also have this amazing ability, known as regeneration, which means that, if their body comes close to death, they can change their entire genetic structure, creating an entirely new personality, appearance, and mind set. However, they do retain their memories, and while their personality changes, their inner being does not. It's kind of hard to explain."

"You did very well, I actually understood all of that," I complimented. "However, I do have a couple of questions. First of all, how do they travel through time?"

"They have these living ships known as TARDISes, which stands for Time And Relative Dimensions In Space."

"Why was the Doctor in my world if he only travels through time?"

"The TARDIS must have somehow been so over powered that the only way to remove that much excess energy would be to hop into another universe."

"Last one, where are the other Time Lords? Surely you know more than one. What are they like?"

He quickly began to shift in his spot, clearly very nervous. "There, there was a war. He called it the Time War. The Time Lords fought against a monstrous species, known as Daleks. They wanted to destroy the universe, to be the only species left in existence. The Doctor has often told me about these things, and except for a couple of cases, they hate everything, kill anything, and love nothing."

"A couple of cases?"

"One Dalek saw into the time stream, and did what he could to destroy his own race, after knowing the evil they have done. Another accidentally got a concept of true mercy from the DNA of a human. One put it's mind into a human body, and gained emotions. The last one I am aware of was a failed human conversion that ended up with the human creating a false reality where she had been hiding from the Daleks on one of their worlds."

"By the stars!" I had never thought that such short lives could go so wrong. That last one was just as horrible of a truth, if not more so, than my own.

"In any case, the Doctor fought on the front line. He personally ended the war, but at a cost. He locked the two warring worlds away, permanently, well, for the most part. The Daleks managed to escape several times over from the time lock, but the Time Lords had only escaped twice. And in both cases, the Time Lords died. Worse, they died right in front of the Doctor."

"I- I don't know what to say," I was horrified by the story. Never, in all of my years, have I considered such a sacrifice. Nor have I ever had the need to.

"The first time, it was only one Time Lord, who called himself the Master. He was insane. His life was spent killing, destroying, trying to live longer to cause more pain. But most of all, he tried to torture the Doctor. He did what he could to make him suffer. Ultimately, the Doctor forgave the Master, again, but the Master was shot and killed. The Doctor burned his body personally. The second time, humans that wanted to have eternal life brought the Master back by using some strange trick, but the Master was unknowingly being used as a beacon for the Time Lords to escape the Time Lock. The planet's gravity field would have destroyed the planet, but the Master sacrificed himself to save the Doctor, and our world."

I couldn't believe what I had heard. I just closed my eyes, and cried for the poor soul. How had he managed to keep going after everything that had happened to him? He killed his own people, twice!

James wrapped his arms around me as I sobbed relentlessly. So many tears I have shed, and yet there are still so many things that are wrong with the universes.

"I have yet to forgive myself for all that I have done," a voice other than James spoke.

I reopened my sealed eyes to find a man I didn't recognize. I quickly zapped myself into my human form, luckily with James' clothes still on.

"Doctor," James said slowly.

"That's not the Doctor! He looks different... Oh wait, regenerations," I felt like an idiot.

"How did you get into my house?"

"You gave me a key in the future, and told me I needed to be here to tell you some things." He put simply.

"Fine, but do you know what you need to tell me?" James asked, somewhat tiredly.

"Yes, but it is private," the Doctor sounded cautious. James thought on it for a second before his eyes widened.

"Oh come on, do we have to? Can't we trust Nightmare? Besides, that always makes me feel sick." I had absolutely no idea what he was talking about, but I was touched that James warmed up to me so quickly.

"What if what I say to you will hurt her if she heard it?" The Doctor asked.

"Can we please not talk about her as if she isn't in the room?" James whined, but then he grew serious. "Fine. If it will keep from hurting her, we'll do it your way."

"Um, what are you talking about?" I interjected.

"There are some things that James needs to know, but they will only hurt you if you know them. So, I am going to use a Time Lord psychic ability to tell him without worrying about you listening in."

"Let's just get done with this," James sighed. He let go of me, which worried me a little. "Contact."

"Contact," the Doctor muttered at the same time.


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(James Point Of View)

The last thing I remember was saying contact before I was thrown into utter turmoil. I don't even know why I said it; it's not like I have the whole Time Lord ability stuff, for obvious reasons. In any case, I felt the dimensions of reality twist, vortex, and churn until I was in an eternity of swirling black. No floor, no ceiling, no walls, I was hovering in mid air, with nothing to see by.

So how did I know it was swirling, one might ask. The thing is, that's how it felt, to me. The emptiness always seemed to be spinning in millions of varied cyclones.

I felt presence of the Doctor within a few moments. I couldn't see him, or anything, but he was there.

"James," the Doctor began. "There are some things about Nightmare Moon you should know about."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure I know most of it," I replied aggressively. I was downright sick of the idea that, despite all I have seen of Nightmare Moon, I knew nothing about her.

"Do tell," he sounded genuinely interested in what I knew.

"Nightmare Moon is not of this world, or dimension for that matter. She came from a land where ponies are the equivalent to people on Earth. She is an Alicorn, has control over dreams, and is around one thousand five hundred years old."

"She-" he tried, but I wasn't finished.

"She also had wanted to become friends with someone, anyone, but she was alone. The ponies attacked her. She never had friends before, save for you, and despite that bad past, she has a better soul than more than half of the lives known by your eyes and mine."

"Yes, but-"

"She has a severe case of bipolar disorder, which has somewhat infused with multiple personality, although they all retain the same memories. On top of not having anyone to be her friend, she tried to commit suicide. Most of her life, she spent with her name installing fear and hatred towards her, to the point where the worst things in her realm of power were named after her."

"... And how did you come to that conclusion?"

"No loving parent would ever name their child something bad on purpose, and she acted like like a mother would when I thought I did something wrong. She could have mimicked me, but I was using a more fatherly tone when I calmed her down. She had a loving family."

"... So you do know a lot about her."

"She needs a friend more than anything, and you and I are so far the only ones who count. She probably thinks her bipolar problem is gone, but one wrong move and it will hit her like a meteor powered by fusion fueled rockets in a vacuum."

"That is an amazing metaphor, I must use it some time. There are some things you don't know, however."

"Such as?"

"She tried to create eternal night, twice. She was broken into a million pieces which spread across the galaxies, her conscience aware of every emotion towards her. She was locked up on the moon for one thousand years before being destroyed."

She did what!? "Doctor-"

"Let me finish. She kidnapped her own sister as to avoid being defeated a second time, the first one leading to her life on the moon. She was dispatched by some artifact known as the Elements of Harmony in both cases."

"Why did she do that?"

"She is the entity of the night. Unlike you and I, the ponies didn't often give respect to the night and it's beautiful gifts. She wanted them to like her, to see the wonders she had to offer. Her sister, who controlled the sun, didn't want the eternal night, and neither did any other pony, and she was banished. The second time, she tried to do it by force."

"Why would you tell me this?"

"So you can understand the true beauty in the fact that she wanted to commit suicide so the ponies wouldn't have to fear her. And that she flew out in space, far from her planet, just so that the small chance of her death causing any form of pain to her ex subjects would be negated."

"By God!" I couldn't believe it. I didn't want to. I didn't want to think that Nightmare Moon went through so much suffering. I finally recovered from the shock. "Is that all?"

"No. You told me to tell you that the Worgs of Feh are about to begin their hunt, so be prepared. I don't know what that means, so I hope you do."

"I do." I swore mentally. "And this is one of the few things you cannot know about."

"Time paradox?"

"Something more horrid than you could ever imagine," I answered solemnly. This was bad, worse than I feared when I first conceived the problems the Doctor now spoke of.

"You also mentioned they were growling at the moon. I can only suspect that you are referring to Nightmare Moon, and they plan on hurting her."

"Please, don't try to figure this out," I pleaded. "This is not your fight. I can win this without you, but if you interfere directly, you will die."

"How will you be able to face something I cannot?"

"I'm not at liberty to answer with certainty."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you. Look, is there anything else?"

"One last thing: in five months, do the one thing you fear, and all will be fine."

"Interesting. When exactly did I tell you all of this?"

"Five months and one day from now."

"Huh. Seriously? Alright, I'm ready to get sick."

"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad last time."

"The nurses put me in hospice care, thinking I was going to die."

"... Right."

And thus the world had light once more.

Right until I blacked out.
> Fully Half
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Nightmare Moon's Point Of View)

"Contact."

That was the last thing James and the Doctor said before they closed their eyes. They appeared to be in deep thought, but did not seem to be in any danger. This confused me greatly, as James expressed a lot of distress before he went into the strange trance. Their focused state only lasted a couple seconds, before they opened their eyes.

I looked into James' eye, and I discovered that he was in pain. Suddenly, he dropped to the floor, his entire body giving out under him. I rushed over to his side on all fours, still in my human state, hoping he was alright. I tried to examine his body for some clue as to what happened, but I didn't know what to do.

Is this normal? I thought worriedly to myself. Do humans usually pass out? It might be something I don't have to worry about. But what if it isn't? What if he is in need of medical treatment and I don't know about it? What do I do? I can't lose him! I can't lose him! I can't lose-

I felt a hand on what James told me was my shoulder. I woefully turned my attention away from my friend to see the Doctor smiling sadly at me.

"Is he okay?" Is what I wanted to say, but it was unlikely it was as comprehendible as that, with tears choking at my throat.

Somehow, he was able to understand me. "He will be fine," he relied calmly. "Just look after him."

I found myself lost to my anger. "LOOK AFTER HIM? LOOK AFTER HIM? I CAN'T LOOK AFTER MYSELF! I CAN'T EVEN WALK LIKE A NORMAL PERSON! HOW DO I LOOK AFTER HIM? I DON'T KNOW HOW TO PREPARE FOOD, IF HUMANS EAT! WHAT DO THEY EAT? I CAN'T DO IT! I CAN'T DO IT! I can't do it. I can't lose him. I just can't." The sobs came back to dehydrate me, and all I could do was sit and let my pain overcome me.

"You won't. He is going to be alright. By tomorrow morning he will wake up again with no issues, but you must calm down." he responded harshly. My ears would have dropped if I had my larger ones, but I only whimpered instead. He continued. "You have little to worry about, miss Moon. You can just cut up some fruit and eat it yourself, since you lack the skill to feed him in his sleep. If you're so bothered by not being able to walk, practice." He removed his hand from me, and backed a good distance away.

"Th-there's noth-thing I c-can do for h-him?" I was doing my best to hold back my tears, but the sight of James being hurt, and worse, that I couldn't do anything to help him, destroyed any emotional barrier I may have had.

"No," the Doctor answered bluntly.

"W-why did-d he-" I stuttered.

"Faint?" He finished for me. "His body is not built for what we just did."

"And you did it anyway?" My anger returned.

"Yes," he confessed, not even trying to sound remorseful.

"Why would you do such a thing!?" I would have thrashed him with my magic, if I had any in this form. I could only glare in disbelief and hatred at the creature in front of me. The one person who called me his friend is lying helplessly on the ground, because this thing didn't think to try something less dangerous? Who do you think you are?

"I did it because I had no choice." He remained composed.

I failed to gawk in sheer astonishment. This man, the one who had felt so much pain and suffering, the one who held the last of his race in his arms as it died, who had lost so much more than I, put his own family at risk. And he didn't even pretend to act concerned? No. No more of this.

"I am going to warn you once, Doctor, you have lost my trust," I was glowering, and if I had magic, my eyes would have shone white with rage. "I don't care that you helped me when I was a foal, that you saved my life several times, that I used to see you as my friend, or that you gave me to someone as caring and compassionate as James. If I see you again, if you come anywhere near James, if one cell of his body is out of place because of you, I will not hesitate to end you. Am. I. Clear?"

He gazed at me questioningly, before nodding slowly.

"Get out of my sight," I growled. Not even checking to see if the Doctor followed my order, I turned my attention back to James, who was now quite pale. I didn't know what that meant, but in Equestria, the change of fur color was not good.

He looks so, lifeless, I was concerned, despite what the Doctor said earlier. Don't you dare leave me James. Don't you dare. It's alright, James, it is going to be alright. I am right here, no matter what.

I transformed back into my pony form, and used my levitation to carry him off to bed. I lifted the blanket over his body, and laid them on top. I put my head against his chest and let the abominable tears streak across my face. I could have lost him. I didn't do anything, I just stood back and watched him. He expressed so much concern over what he was about to do, but I made myself a bystander. I could have stepped in, prevented this from happening. Now, I can only curl up into a ball and cry uselessly. How can he think of me as a friend if I did nothing to help him? How am I worthy of his trust and friendship?

Removing my head from his body, I maneuvered around until my eyes were only inches from his. I stared at his face. His eyelids were starting to twitch, and I noticed some color, although not much, return into his face. He is coming back to me, and I will not lose him again.

I continued to look at James for a while longer, before I noticed how hungry I was. I was about to trot off, when I reconsidered what the Doctor said.

If you're so bothered by not being able to walk, practice.

I reformed, once again becoming human, and stood shakily on my legs. I took a single step, but unlike my other attempts previously, I had managed to remain upright. I took another step, and then another.

This was going to be a lot easier than I expected.


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(James' Point Of View)

The painful banging in my head slowly dissipated as I returned to the realm of the living. I was... Back in my bed. I wondered if everything I experienced was a dream, but that idea shattered as I felt a shifting on the underside of my chin. I didn't even have to look down to know it was Nightmare. However, I did notice something else as well. The top of my chest was... Wet. Nightmare was crying... That or drooling on me, in which case that would be somewhat disgusting, but I doubted that was what happened.

I realized she was in her human form, based on how her weight matched onto my own body and the fact that it was black hair, not blue hair, that partially covered my eyes. She had on a new set of my clothes, which reminded me that I still needed to take her shopping. She started to whimper, which I guessed was because of a bad dream. I put my arm onto her back and began to pet her slowly. Her shivering halted and her whole figure relaxed.

Her weight began to shift and I stopped moving my arm along her back. Her head moved out from under my own and she moved her face up to peer at my own. I kept my gaze fixated on hers.

"Good morning," I whispered, smiling serenely.

Her eyes widened, pupils dilated, and an expression of shock flashed across her face, before she threw her arms around me. Tears flowed from her eyes to my chest as she pulled it close to her.

"I was so a- afraid," a muffled voice cried. "The Doctor said you would be fine, but you looked like you were about to die!"

She backed up from her embrace to glare at me. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!" She screamed harshly.

"And what if I do?" I joked.

The choking on tears began to cease, until it ended completely. I brushed away the sadness that marked her face, both metaphorically and literally. She smiled sadly, before catching my hand in her own and squeezed it lightly.

"Do you really want to find out?" She grinned evilly.

"Um... No?" I half asked, despite the fact that I knew it was the right answer.

"Good choice," her grin grew even more so. "And another thing."

"What?"

"Don't leave me," her expression darkened, trying to read my own facial tics. I knew what I had to do, even if it was, if my guess was right, binding.

"Only if I don't have to wake up to you crying every morning."

She raised a sarcastic eyebrow, before lowering her head to the left of my own. "Deal," she practically collapsed on top of me.

I began petting her again, which she seemed to enjoy immensely. We stayed like that for what could have been five minutes to five hours. Eventually though, I heard my stomach growl, which wasn't that surprising, considering I didn't eat for two days. She released me, giving a slight giggle as she did so.

Wait... She giggled? What the heck happened? I wondered.

"Oh, you poor thing, you haven't eaten have you," she sounded almost condescending, while playful. She giggled again.

Do I have the right Nightmare Moon?

"Let's go get some food then!" She was way to cheery for it to be normal. I couldn't understand why. Then it hit me. Hard.

Oh gods, she must have been worried out of her mind! I realized. No, not worried, that would be too light of a word. She was terrified. She wasn't even sure I was alive, most likely. It must have been hell for you. I wanted to apologize, but at this point it would have been confusing to her. Nightmare, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry I didn't warn you. I'm sorry, for everything.

I snapped out of my thought trance to find out she was standing by the bed, using her finger in a come hither gesture, the one I used on her yesterday. Oh, you clever little-

"Come on slowpoke! I am not dragging you to the kitchen." With that, she walked out of the room.

Hold on... How is she walking without help? She can walk on two legs? Now I have to wonder what other surprises she has in store.

I crawled out of bed, and into the kitchen, where Nightmare had a kiwi in one hand, and a knife in the other. She was clearly trying to cut the fruit, but instead came close to cutting herself. I got behind her, took her hands in mine, which managed to make her gasp quietly. We slowly went through the motions for peeling until the whole kiwi was skinned. We lowered the knife, and she threw the peel into... The sink. I looked inside to see several peels of assorted fruits and vegetables found their place of living there.

"Hey, Nightmare?" I called, which grabbed her attention. "Listen, next time you have trash, instead of the sink, I want you to put it in this bin," I indicated the trash can I was now relocating the fruit skins.

I was prepared to stop an onslaught of crying, but she surprised me by rolling her head in an 'oh, that should have been obvious to me before' gesture. "That makes a lot more sense than the sink," she put bluntly.

After washing my hands, I got to the side of the counter opposite of Nightmare. There were two halves of a kiwi on the plate, which wasn't much, but it would be enough for now. I picked up one piece, and she picked up the other. I held up mine. "Cheers," I smirked.

She was confused for a second, before she thought to copy me. "Cheers?" She said questioningly. I nodded, which made her seem to radiate happiness. We quickly finished off the kiwi, before we moved back to the sink to wash out hands.

"How much have you been practicing since I was out?" I asked with genuine interest.

"A lot. I was hoping to impress you when you woke up," she admitted, blushing slightly.

"Consider me impressed."

Her blush deepened, which was extremely cute when you pair it with the sheepish grin. Suddenly, she looked to be in pain, and started to grab her nether regions.

I should have seen this coming... I thought, annoyed that I didn't. "Nightmare, do you need to, um, defecate?" I wasn't too sure about using the term 'go to the bathroom', seeing as how she was a pony, and may or may not have had toilets before.

"If you mean crap, then yes." She cringed. That was quite unladylike, but hey, when you have to go, you have to go.

"Alright, I don't know how they did it in your universe, but here, we have... You know what, just come with me."

Leading her to the bathroom, I told her what to do.

I won't go into the details.

Soon enough I heard the tearing of paper and swirling water. After washing her hands, I looked inside, just to make sure I didn't forget anything. And I didn't, for the most part. One vital element was missing.

Namely, redressing herself. Returning my gaze back to Nightmare, I found she wasn't wearing anything. Anything. All of the clothes, even the shirt were on the floor. I turned my gaze away as quickly as I could, but there was no way I could forget what I saw.

After I finally convinced her to don on the clothes once more, which was a surprising amount of arguing, I sat her down, and had a talk with her about the human body, and the necessity of clothes.

When I was finished, she erupted into laughter. Confusion plagued my mind.

"It took you long enough!" She managed to choke out.

"Wait, you knew?" I was miffed.

"Of course I did. Do you honestly think I would be able to put you in so many extremely embarrassing situations otherwise?" She was clearly having difficulty breathing.

"How, how long?"

"Since the first night. Why else would you be wearing clothes and then put clothes on me, even if I didn't say I was cold?"

"So why didn't you say anything?"

"It was just adorable with how much you struggled, I couldn't help myself!"

"You are cruel, you know that?"

Her expression softened quite a lot, which was something I had to fix.

"So just save the really bad jokes for me. I might be able to handle them, but I'm not so sure about other people," I smiled and gave her a quick hug.

That must have cheered her up somewhat, as she was now wearing a sad smile. "So I guess that means I can't use this as a prank on you anymore, can I?"

"Not really, no. And I wouldn't suggest doing this to other people either. Which reminds me, I have to get you some new clothes, so we should start heading out to the store soon."

"Why can't I just wear yours?" She almost whined.

"Trust me, you will enjoy doing this," I smiled knowingly. As sexist as it was, I can't think of many girls that don't enjoy shopping. She still looked skeptical. "Do you trust me?" I asked.

"With my life."

"Then trust me now."

"Fine."

I found shoes that would fit Nightmare, although I didn't know how, and we were out of the door. I stepped onto the doormat, and turned to lock the door, but I felt something odd under my feet. There was an almost imperceptible bulge in the mat, which would be normal.

Except I could tell it was deliberate. There was a small amount of dust on the ground, which had a scrape mark in the shape of a hand, and the mat was out of place. Locking up the house, I checked what was underneath.

It was an envelope.

When the Nightmare needs to be redressed.

Doctor's orders.

The Doctor now seemed to have a love for mysterious puns. Great, just great.

Inside, was around five hundred dollars. Nightmare gave me a confused stare, but I only shrugged.

Suddenly, she saw the car, and gave it a blank look.

This might take a while...


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(Nightmare's Point Of View)

I cannot believe how much I missed out as a princess. Shopping is freaking amazing. I can't explain it, but I now know for a fact that I love shopping. How James knew, I didn't have any ideas. Fortunately, we found plenty of skirts, shoes, pants and other garments that I simply adored. I did feel somewhat bad for James when he carried the majority of the load, but then I remembered how I can't play the clothless prank on him.

Oh, how I will miss those times. He brought it upon himself. However, I did find it in my heart to help him carry many of the items into the car. We somehow managed to fit all of the apparel into the trunk of the car.

Yeah, the car was going to take some getting used to. I was amazed at how fast it could move. Maybe not as fast as a flying Pegasus, but nonetheless it got where we wanted to be rather quickly. I thought it was magical, and I expressed this to James.

"Actually, we don't have any magic here," he explained. "We have technology, which is, if you think about it, not too far off from magic. Technology is just an appropriated form of science, much like I imagine magic is."

This was an interesting lecture, to be honest. "How so?"

"The technology uses forms of work, electrical currents, and theories and laws in order to get what we want done. When you use magic, can you use more energy that what you have physically?"

"No, when we use too much magic, it fails to work."

"So tell me, how does it work?"

"We concentrate on what we want done, and if we have both enough power and focus, it works."

"Alright, here's what I imagine. Your magic is syphoned by concentration, but you also have a set energy source, most likely gained through osmosis or food. This means that, by either collecting nearby magic, or by turning the chemical energy of food into a energy we humans are unaware of, you can use a subconscious knowledge of physics to change your surroundings."

"... What?"

"Let me put it this way: when you levitate something heavy, is it more difficult, less difficult, or the same difficulty compared to something light?"

"It is harder, but how much there is needs to be taken into account as well."

"Now, how do you light things on fire?"

"I imagine the whole material bursting into flames."

"A bit dramatic, but I mean- hang on, I will show you what I mean."

I hadn't realized it, but we were back at James' home again. I was intent on learning what he knew about magic, so I rushed to put all of the clothes into the closet in one go. However, a door blocked my path, and I had to wait for James to unlock it. As soon as he did, I charged to the dresser, threw all of the clothes in, in a completely orderly fashion of absolutely no pattern what so ever, and ran back to the living room. James was sitting patiently on the couch, and had a red container, a flat stone surface, and two pieces of paper. He indicated to a place opposite of him.

"Alright, I'm going to need you to use magic for this, so could you please, um, ya know," I had no idea why he was being nervous, but I was more desperate to learn. Becoming a pony again, I sat down by the table.

"Now, light one of these napkins the way you normally would," he instructed. I complied with a little amount of concentration. Instantly, he blew out the paper.

"Alright, this time, I want you to imagine this picture," he pulled out a black box from behind him, only this time it had a visual of a bunch of spheres clumped together, surrounded by much smaller individual spheres. "focus on where the piece of paper is, and picture these orbs shaking around violently, moving faster and faster."

It was confusing, but I did so anyway. With a lot less effort, magic, and with a bigger effect, the paper flashed alight. James tried to blow it out, but it failed, so he pointed a snakelike object at the fire, messed with the red container, and white clouds spewed out, some of it marking my coat.

"What, what the heck?" I was amazed by what happened. "How did you know how to make using magic easier, and what is this white stuff on my coat?"

"To answer the second question, don't eat it. I'm not sure if it is poisonous or not, but I don't want to risk it." He pulled out a roll of paper and began wiping down the counter, floor... And me. I then discovered my love for belly rubs.

Anyway, after the white stuff got cleaned up, he smiled, and looked at me. "To answer your other question, that was a wild, but accurate guess. Instead of making your subconscious mind do all the work to understand the physics to make it do what you want it to, you are able to use less energy, and less focus due to your mind doing a direct command instead of an indirect one."

"Huh?"

"What you did was picture the atoms, which is what everything is made out of, vibrating, which in turn causes heat. The increased friction of the atoms caused it to combust, like so."

"How did you know it would work?"

"I didn't, but I think that magic is really just a way to manipulate your own energy, which in turn controls outside energy. By sending your own commands via energy waves, and the more direct commands made, you can use less energy to send too many extra waves to do what you want."

"I sort of understand it, but how did you grasp this yourself?"

"I have quite the mind, believe it or not. I figured magic was simply unknown physics, and it was," he looked at a circle on the wall I didn't notice before. It looked quite similar to a sundial, but I wasn't sure. "Look, we can do a lot more of this later, but we both need to get up early tomorrow."

"Why is that?" I didn't have any plans.

"Your first day of work, Nightmare." He smirked as my jaw dropped. "I'm sorry, but I might not be able to provide for both of us on my salary alone, and staying here all day is going to bore you out of your mind."

"No, it's not that," I was shocked. "I just never really had a job before, so this will be completely new to me. I've honestly wondered what it was like to do something that people might actually give notice to in a positive way."

We both smiled as we walked off to the bedroom, lied down on the bed, and became excited for the next day.
> Thine Obscured Edge
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(James' Point Of View)

Almost immediately after I fell asleep, I was thrown into a vision of swirling purple, blue, and black. It seemed as though I was falling through a void, only I didn't feel anything. Instantly, the colors stopped, and faded away into a new world.

It was a beach. Crystalline sand, diamond-clear water, no washed up plant or animal matter that I could see, and my sight was stretched for miles. I turned around to see the grass. It looked like it was made of gold, with ruby red flowers, lavender reeds, and a plethora of other hues mixed into a painting of beauty.

"This isn't my own dream, is it?" A feminine voice that I easily recognized as Nightmare came from behind me, or in front of me. My head was facing opposite of where my chest was pointed, so I don't know what the situation would be dubbed.

Moving on, I turned my head, expecting to see Nightmare in her pony body, but instead found her non-anime sized eyes piercing into my own. Recalling that she asked a question, I shook my head.

"No, this is mine," I replied.

She stared at me quizzically. "You have been to a place that looks like this? I would have thought there would be, what did you call them? Postcards, yes, that's it, postcards of this place at the stores."

"No, I haven't been here, nor do I imagine anyone in this universe would be able to come to this place," I shook my head again.

"Then why do you dream of it?"

"And that, Nightmare, is the question," I smiled cryptically. "I've been dreaming of this place ever since I was five. It's not like any beach I know of, and that is including otherworldly ones. I even asked the Doctor about this place, but none match up."

"That's, confusing," she pointed out slowly.

"I would like to think of this place as my personal get away, even if I never truly come here."

"It looks beautiful," she stared in awe at the world surrounding us.

"It is," I concurred. "... Do you want to go for a swim?"

"Are you sure the water is safe?" She asked uncertainly.

"It is a dream. Besides, I have swum in this ocean several times ever since I've started dreaming of this place. No monsters in these waters, unless we make them, since this is a lucid dream."

"But what about clothes?"

"You're the dream expert. Just imagine they are different."

"And what about-" at that point, it appeared to me like she was simply wanting to avoid the water.

"Nightmare, are you afraid to swim?" I interrupted.

"I- I," she faltered, before directing her attention to the sand beneath her in shame. "I don't even know how."

"Then we shall have to change that." I grinned, changing the reality of the dream so we were both wearing bathing suits: me, a pair of simple red bathing trunks, and Nightmare, a midnight blue bikini. "Into the water, my young Padawan!" I commanded, marching shamelessly towards the ocean.

"Your young what?" She obviously didn't get the reference. That kind of ruined the whole effect, but I wouldn't let that stop me.

"Student, now stop stalling!"

I heard a harrumph before I could hear the crunching of soft sand behind me. Soon enough, we both waded into the glassy liquid.

"Alright, I want you to lie flat in the water, belly up!" I demonstrated the simple floating technique. She tried to copy me, but only succeeded in fully submerging under the water. After dragging her up from under the surface, ignoring the scowl she gave me, I looked into her eyes, and smiled.

"Better than my first try," I continued to smile, which prompted her to cease the venomous look and crack a grin.


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It must have been hours since I began to teach Nightmare how to swim. Thankfully, she has proven herself once again to be a fast learner, and soon enough she was swimming and stroking her way through the waters like an Olympic contestant. So what else could I do but play a joke on her? Not much.

"Oh Nightmare!" I called out to her with one of my most innocent of tones, even if what I was about to do would be far from that.

She stopped and gave me a questioning look. I splashed at her, blinding her for only a second, but that was all that I needed. I dove under the surface of the water, and imagined the water to continue being clean, but losing it's opacity at the same time. I slowly swam in her direction, using memory as my guide.

Through the dream control, I was able to hear Nightmare sputter to get the water out of her mouth, before she started calling out for me. "James, James, where are you?" She was turning her head left and right, up and down, trying to find me. "James, please be okay."

I just can't let you worry about me too much. I had eventually reached her without her knowing where I was. I was in place, so I allowed my evil plan to take action.

I grabbed her leg, and pulled her under, making Nightmare yelp as I did so. I forced the water to be clear once again, so I could give her the biggest smirk possible. She looked down at me in annoyance, before getting a sly grin on her face. Oh crap! I realized too late what she was about to do. Namely, payback.

Her eyes began to glow, and soon enough I was sent out into the air on a column of water. She managed to pull that one on me, but I still had a few tricks up my sleeve.

I thought of all of the water in the air, and pictured them condensing into clouds I could stand on. Soon enough, both of my feet were engulfed in fluffy white shoes, and I used them as hover boots. Moving my legs as if I were skating, I flew in the air, until finally coming into contact with the ocean's water. As I did, I forced the clouds to become ice, which I used as a surf board. I felt like I looked pretty awesome from where Nightmare was looking.

She clearly had other plans...

She dove under water before flying back out like a dolphin, reaching at least ten feet in the air. She then floated without any form of water, which kind of felt like cheating, until I saw the foggy wings on her back, like an angel.

I hate to admit it, but she was good. In the skill way, not the whole angel thing, although-

Nope, getting off tangent!

Anyway, she then cupped her hands as if they were holding tennis balls, and about one hundred plus baseball-sized spheres of water rose up from the sea and existed freely in the air. Oh snap!!!

She made a throwing motion with her left hand, and about twenty of the orbs charged at me. Luckily, I have had a lot of practice dodging laser fire, so those things were going to be a piece of cake... Or so I thought.

I forgot how bad of shots Daleks were. Thankfully, I did maneuver out of the way for all of them, though with way more effort than I was used to. Nightmare, of course, would not have that. She tossed the other eighty something water balls at me, so I did what I could think of. I forced the water to orbit around me, remaining in their ball form, had them travel around me about five times before rocketing towards their original sender.

She elevated out of the way, letting every single shot miss. What she did not take into account however, was the water lasso that took shape behind her. She screamed as she was dragged back down under water. Suddenly though, my surfboard flew into the sky, me along with it, and evaporated. It was a brilliant and almost foolproof move on her part, but I was not finished with our little game just yet.

Using my downward momentum, I concentrated on the idea of monstrous tidal waves. As soon as I landed my cannonball, a giant series of ripples generated around me. Nightmare was forced out from underwater as the waves lifted her out into the open. She went sailing through the air in free fall for a few seconds, before I sent up a path if water for her to slide on, ending it right in front of me.

Not my best move.

As she came towards me, she raised her arms, and a bunch of bubbles came up from under me. It got very difficult to keep afloat, and I was struggling to maintain my balance. Unfortunately, I had to focus on staying up, and didn't notice she had continued her ride directly at me. She rammed into me, which would have hurt more if that was not a dream.

We skidded across the surface of water, stopping about a mile off shore. I did the only thing I could think of at the moment, and began to bombard Nightmare with tickles. She laughed like crazy, trying to keep my fingers from reaching her sensitive stomach. After about thirty seconds, she tried to tickle back, resulting in an all out war of fingers.

By the time we finished, my sides were killing me. I looked over to see Nightmare taking many deep breaths, face flushed. I was planning on challenging her a second time, but it took me several moments to gather myself.

As soon as I did, I felt the darkness close in on me, warning me that my dream was about to end. I was about to tell Nightmare, but she looked at me and nodded.


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The dream ended in an instant. I once again felt the familiar weight of Nightmare using me as a bed. I also began to hear the sound of my alarm going off.

"I don't care what you say, we are so doing that again," a cheery voice claimed from under my chin.

"And what makes you so certain?" I asked, reaching over and turning off the alarm.

"Mistress of dreams, remember?" She answered smartly.

"Alright, you win. Now up we go, we have a job to get you," I muttered.

"Fine!" She tossed off the blanket, and marched over to the dresser, where a disarray pile of clothes now held residence. I stared at it, but said nothing. I crawled out of the comfy bed, and went through my side of the dresser, picked out some clothes, and rushed into the shower. I only took a few minutes before I was finished dressing, brushing my hair and teeth, and prepared breakfast.

I was looking through my phone, trying to find some way to explain why Nightmare didn't exist as she was taking a shower. I had to make sure my plan was full proof, and it was, I hoped.


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(Nightmare's Point Of View)

"Alright, Nightmare, let's get going!" James yelled from the living room.

"Just a second!" I called back. I finally finished putting on my enseble of clothes, and rushed out of the bathroom. When I came into James' view, his jaw dropped.

"... What?" I asked, confused by his reaction.

"You look... Amazing!" The hesitation in his voice didn't sound like a lie, more like awe.

I was wearing a black blouse with many stars and galaxies sewn into the fabric which shimmered when I moved, a midnight blue knee length skirt that was split in several different places, purple high heels, black socks, golden bracelets, and a necklace of a crescent moon, just like my cutie mark. My hair was curled, and fell down to my shoulders. Midnight blue mascara thinly lined the area above my eyes, and I threw in a small amount of blush on my cheeks.

I admittedly blushed a little at his compliment. "Thanks," was all I could say.

"Alright, we've got a little more time, so dig in!" James announced as he gestured to the table. Fruits, vegetables, toast, milk, juice and eggs were spread out on it. My mouth watered at the sight.

The food was fantastic! I honestly wished I knew how to cook, which prompted me to ask about him giving me lessons.

"Sure thing," he smiled. "But not right now, okay?"

"Clearly," I gave him a sarcastic look as we finished cleaning up.

We got into the car, which still seemed extremely weird to me, and began to drive off into the sunrise.


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We finished our conversation as James pulled his car to a stop. In front of us stood an extremely decorated building. I looked to the front of the store to see the name of the establishment: BANDERSNATCH: WONDERLAND EMPORIUM. I had recognized the term 'Bandersnatch', but I could not remember why.

"What's a Bandersnatch?" I directed at James.

"It's a creature from a story," he half answered.

"What was it?" I repeated.

"Well, it was never well described, but in the original story, it was an intelligent creature with enough strength to pick up a man as if it were a feather, as fast as an unladen swallow, had claws that could shred through a tree as if it were perforated paper, and a neck-"

"A neck that would be able to reach great lengths." I finished, slightly surprised as I did so.

"... Did you read a book called The Hunting of the Snark, by any chance?" He asked nervously.

I shifted lightly from foot to foot. "Not that I know of," I answered, just as confused as he was. "But now that I think about it, the title does sound familiar. Maybe there was an equivalent where I come from." I shrugged.

"Well, as strange as this is, we can't worry about it right now. In we go," he held open the door as I walked past him. I couldn't see anything from the outside, so I got my first look at where I planned to work and...

"Wow," was all I was able to enunciate as I stared at the interior decorations. The place was decked from wall to wall with clothes, costumes, trinkets, and other objects. Many represented the creatures of my own world. Dragons, griffons, Rocs, Minotaurs, and sprites appeared on tee shirts, costumes, and balloons.

"You know you're going to let pigeons nest in your mouth if you leave it like that," James commented. I moved the muscles in my jaw around to find that it had been hanging open. I quickly closed it. James just continued to smile at me. "You have no idea how long I have wanted to say that. Now come on, interviews that way." He grabbed my hand and started to drag me towards the back of the building.

In front of us now stood a door that read 'Manager' in a variety of colors, light refractions, sparkles, and other forms of decor. James gave it a light tap, to which a voice called out "come in". Inside was a small, poorly lit room with a single, unpersonalized desk with only a strange looking black object, a white box with light emanating from it, and a weird flat thing that I can't really describe. A skinny brown-haired man with glasses sat behind the desk. He seemed to be older than James and I, though I couldn't say how much.

"Welcome back James," the man smiled, somewhat forced.

"Yeah, sorry 'bout that," James began to rub the back of his neck nervously. "Didn't feel too well. But I brought another slave- I mean employee to make up for it." The way he said that last bit was liable to have been pre-planned with how smoothly he said it.

The man, whom I assumed to be the manager, stared blankly at James for a couple seconds, before breaking into laughter. "Yes, I can see that. So, you are the one he called in about?" He directed at me.

"Yes, I am," I answered. He gave me a strange look.

"So serious," he grumbled.

James squeezed my hand. I turned my head to see him switch from an emotionless face to a smile a couple times before nodding. I could only guess what he was trying to say, so I went with my instincts. I giggled, which didn't sound as real to me as I wished it to be, but it was a giggle none the less.

"Only when I'm a princess," I smirked, although it felt extremely forced. I wanted to kick myself for letting the truth be the best comeback I could think of.

The manager changed his expression to one of pride. "What's your name then, princess?"

James and I went over this back in the car, thankfully. "Diana. Princess Diana Magrenith, my newest subject." If he was going to call me princess, I was going to have fun with it. "And what, pray tell, is thine name?"

He bowed sarcastically. "'Tis a pleasure to meet you, Princess Diana. My name is Brandon Maublé. Are you prepared for your interview?"

I nodded, but I was surprised when James let go of my hand. I turned to see him walk towards the door. "Wait!" I nearly shouted, causing both James and Mr. Maublé to jump. "Can James stay with me?" I didn't want to do anything I would regret, and I knew next to nothing about interviews. Besides, James knew my backstory better than I did.

"Normally, I would say no," Mr. Maublé mentioned in thought.

"I'll sort the back room," James interjected. Mr. Maublé's eyes lit up.

"Done," he slapped his hand down on the desk. "No take backs!" James' shoulders drouped at that, but he said nothing.

"Now, what is your full name?" Mr. Maublé became extremely business like. But dealing with ambassadors for five centuries has a way of keeping such acts from bothering you.

"Diana Star Magrenith," I answered.

"Where were you born?"

"New Wilmington, Pennsylvania," I really didn't know why James stressed that specific part, but I figured he knew what he was doing. Not that I really knew what he had planned.

"Why do you want to work here?"

"Because I want to bring joy into people's lives in a magical way," I felt silly saying it, but it seemed to work. I was going to have to thank James for making me say it later.

"Do you have anyone to vouch for you?"

"Um..." I didn't know what he meant by this, so James stepped in.

"Yes, she does. Me."

"Obviously. Aside from that?"

"Yup. His name is John Smith. Here, I have his number."

John Smith? Who the heck is that? I wondered.

An strange bell sound came from the black box on the desk. After a few repetitions, it stopped, replaced with a person's voice.

"Hello?"

"Hi, yes, this is Mr. Maublé from Bandersnatch, Wonderland Emporium. I would like to talk to John Smith."

"That's me, what do you need?" A Trottingham accent came out.

"Do you know of a Diana Magrenith?"

"Give me a moment, oh wait, yes I do. Sorry, it's been a while. It feels like a lifetime ago. What about her?" The voice rambled.

"Can you tell me about what she is like?"

"Brilliant girl, although stubborn when it comes to her friends. Fantastic worker, can do almost anything she sets her mind to. Give her a while and she'll warm up to you. Wonderful people person. And absolutely brilliant when it comes to handling kids. I know that may be a bit cliché to say, but when you put her in the same room with them, they become instant best buddies."

Why is this man talking as if he knows me? I looked to James for an answer, before he slipped a paper into my palm. I opened it to see it read: Doctor.

"Do you trust her?"

"I trust her to be there for her friends. I trust her to be the most compassionate when it comes to others. I trust that if she has a job, she will get it done. And if she makes a promise, she will do what she can to keep it. I trust her with the lives of my friends, family, and even more surprisingly, my own. There is not a more trustworthy person than her, and I know a lot of people."

Even after threatening him, he still stands up for me? Strange.

"I will have to call you back later, if that is okay with you."

"Of course, have a nice day Mister Maublé."

"You too, Mister Smith."

A sound of banging and the conversation stopped. I had absolutely no idea what just happened, and I was about to freak out.

"Telephone, I will explain later, but stay calm," James whispered into my ear. I felt my heart beat slow down, as did my breathing.

"With that part out of the way, tell me, why should I pick you other than any other person for this job?"

"Are there any other applicants?" I asked, smirking.

"Good point. Alright, I am going to need to see your social security card," he stuck out his hand. Once again, something in the interview was lost on me. I am so glad I forced James to stay here. I thought to myself proudly.

"Actually, she grew up in an Amish settlement, but she decided to remain in the 'new world', as she calls it." James spoke up. I could almost see the victory within his eyes, like he wanted to say that the entire time.

Really, a 'new world'? Was that pun necessary James? When we are alone again, I am going to face palm. Hard. I swore to myself.

"Very well. What's your contact information?"

"She's living with me, so just put my stuff down. I still need to get her a cell phone." James mumbled the second part.

"That's, odd. Anyway, welcome to the job, Diana. We will have your badge, shirt, and other stuff in by tomorrow. Today, how about we let your boyfriend over here take you through training." He smirked as my jaw dropped.

"We're, um, not, dating," James stuttered. At least he could speak.

"Pity, 'cause you two seem closer to each other than any of the couples I've seen. Not to mention you have been holding hands since you've walked in here."

James tried to drop his hand, but in my daze I continued to grip it. My new employer just laughed at this.

"'Not a couple' my rear."

"... Let's just go," James grumbled. I merely nodded and walked beside him as we exited the office, the manager still laughing.

We walked to the front of the store, where James pointed to an oddly shaped desk, similar to what the saleswoman at the clothing store stood behind yesterday.

"Do you remember yesterday when I took you shopping, that lady stood behind the counter and checked the clothes?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Same thing. You stand here, and put the black and white line parts of the tag, known as bar codes, in front of the red moving light."

"Fair enough."

"Good, now, if they can't set it on the counter, you need to use this thing. It's called a scanner. Point the black part at the bar codes. Then pull on this thing with a finger." He demonstrated, which in turn caused a red light to flash out from the end. It surprised me a little, but not enough to make me scream.

"Okay."

"That is the simple bit of that job, and I will go into details later, but right now we need to introduce you to the store, so come along, my little grasshopper," he started to skip away.

"Why am I a grasshopper?" I asked, confused. "I thought I was an Alicorn." He stopped in his tracks.

"That is two for two. Grasshopper also means student. I am going to have to sit you down and force you to watch every single important movie and reference, aren't I?" He sounded disappointed.

"Probably."

"That's going to be so much fun," he moaned, appearing to be tired in an instant. "Anyway, we should let you get used to the layout of this place. Come on."

We went through the store, with him explaining the basics. It seemed simple, almost monotonously so. Eventually, we reached an isle within the store which caught my eye. I couldn't fathom why, but I decided we needed to check it out. James followed me, and what we saw made both of our hearts nearly stop.

WELCOME TO EQUESTRIA
> Halfway In Darkness, Halfway In Light
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(James' Point Of View)

WELCOME TO EQUESTRIA

"I don't remember this being here," I muttered, disturbed by the sudden appearance of a new store isle.

"It, it can't be!" Nightmare was extremely apprehensive, her entire body shuddering. The expression on her face was one of awe and despair. I could not fathom why she was so upset by the-

Wait, Equestria... Equestria. I eventually put two and two together. Eques, meaning horse. She must have recognized the terminology. But still, why would it worry her so much? I had absolutely no idea what was in this area, but I intended to find out. With Nightmare's hand in mine, we prepared to learn this new world's strange secrets.

By all that is holy and most things that aren't, was that ever a mistake.

I turned my attention to what was in the isle. Nightmare and I began to maneuver our way through the world of pink and rainbow colors.

And ponies.

"Oh my God!" I whispered harshly under my breath. I saw several of the characters portrayed on the items, and to my surprise, I recognized some of them. Nightmare's dream, it showed several of the ponies, like the green one with the harp tattoo, a white one with a purple mane...

And a brown haired stallion with an hourglass as a 'Cutie Mark', as Nightmare called it. His eyes, oceanic blue. I recognized them, not only from Nightmare's dream, but from somewhere else as well. I couldn't remember where.

I looked to see a comic cover, and what I saw confused me. That brown pony which had an hourglass on it's rump held a fob watch in his hoof. A multicolored scarf wrapped around his neck and he was looking behind him. A lamppost with a very, familiar design, caught my eye. That is until I saw what he was looking at.

A Pegasus, a stone Pegasus on top of a fountain, covering it's eyes with it's hooves.

A crying Pegasus, much like the angels in our world. But there was more about it that bothered me. A creature of stone, covering it's eyes, with wings, and a person, pony, staring at it? What!?

No, not crying. Weeping. A Weeping Pegasus.

And that scarf, I have only seen one that looked remotely like it, and it was-

"The Doctor," I heard Nightmare groan quietly.

"Nightmare, what's going on?" I turned my attention around to see a sight that worried me. "Don't turn around," I ordered. "Please, trust me, don't turn around."

She looked anyway. A piercing scream emitted from her. Behind her, a lifesize plush of a pony stood. A black furred alicorn with a billowing blue mane and tail. Turquoise eyes glared back at my own from beneath a headdress.

"Is that, you?" I whispered.

"Why, how, what?" She stuttered.

"I, you, where did this isle come from? Why am I seeing a pony that you call the Doctor on a comic page, and the pony version of you?" Nightmare suddenly fell to her knees, tears streaming from her eyes. I got down and held her tightly as she began to cry.


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(Nightmare's Point Of View)

Why are they here? Why did they have to follow me across dimensions? Why must they torment me? these thoughts streamed through my mind as I gazed at the many objects around me. My home, it was known in this universe. How could this be?

I noticed James was staring at a book cover, which showed a very recognizable stallion. "The Doctor," I muttered with a small voice, the surprise gripping my words. James turned around, eyes wide.

"Nightmare, what is going on?" He stopped suddenly, eyes widened. "Don't turn around. Please, trust me-" it was too late. I ignored him, and saw myself snarling back. Not my human form, but my alicorn self.

James said some unintelligible words, as my attention was entirely focused on myself. No, I thought. No. No. No no no no no no!

My worst nightmare.

Myself.

I have come back to haunt me.

Nightmare Moon, an immortal alicorn goddess of the night, was scowling at Diana Magrenith, a sniveling, barely of age, human girl.

I tried to speak, but my ability to use words coherently was shattered. I could feel tears stinging my eyes, and I fell. My knees took the fall, and I cried, no attempts to hold back the tears. I felt someone grip me. It was James. I felt everything inside me calm down as his warmth flowed into me.

"Nightmare, it's okay, I'm right here," James' words soothed me even further. "Don't worry, I've got you. Sh, it's going to be alright."

I returned his embrace almost forcefully and instinctively.  He once again managed to hold my hoof, or in this case hand, through my emotional turmoil. For him, I could be strong. For him, I would calm.

For him.

Those two words, is that what it meant to have a friend? To be willing to give life and limb for that one person? To stop being who you once were if it makes them feel better? If it is, then I am his friend.

And let the dead entrap the souls of any who hurt him. Better death reach them first, for I will not be so pleasant.

"Thank you," I whispered. I stood up warily, before glaring at my plush self. "You will never hurt the people the people I love again. You will never exist in me as you once did. I will never be you. Never again." I swore aloud, feeling the pain in my heart slink away. Something in my mind seemed to click, as if falling into place. I suddenly felt, free. I felt free of every worry that I would do what I had once done before, that I could live without losing myself as I once did. I was secure, I had somepony, some one, to hold me back, to keep me grounded. And that person squeezed my side gently as if trying to get my attention.

"Nightmare, can you look a me for a second?" James asked. My eyes returned to his, where I now saw a piece of cloth in his hand. He gingerly dabbed around my eyes, which I now saw began to mark the cloth with blue. I could only imagine he was wiping away the mascara, which I thought was strange, but I didn't object. He stopped cleaning my face, and caressed my hand.

As we walked away from the isle, a song began to play from an unknown source.

Even in my darkest hours,
You stand as my living light.
Despite my fears and horrid past,
You hold me close at night.
I don't know what friendship is,
But I hope that's what we share.
So hold me close and don't let go,
As you save me from despair.

I've lost one thousand years,
And yet you hold me dear.
My mind addled with fear,
Only knows you are here (for me).
You stole my fears away,
You claimed I'm not to blame.
You spared me all my pain,
From the Nightmare I became.

I see myself as a monster,
You hold my hand without shame.
I came from an unknown strange land,
You share your dreams all the same.
I was forced into your world,
Racked with tears and fears and strife.
Yet you show me I can live again,
Brought some magic into my life.

Each time, it feels as though
I might cry, you tell me that
It's alright, you're always by my side

Hold me, when I lose my
Sanity, when my tears try to 
fly free, I now know your my knight.

My nightmares, will stop when I know
You're there, cause I know that you
Do care, even if it's only you

So know this, that your warmth has given
Me bliss, and how I won't let
Me miss, if there's something I can do.

I've lost one thousand years,
And yet you hold me dear.
My mind addled with fear,
Only knows you are here (for me).
You stole my fears away,
You claimed I'm not to blame.
You spared me all my pain,
From the Nightmare I became.

From the nightmare I became.

From the nightmare I became.

"Where did that come from?" I asked James.

"Usually, I would say the intercom," he tried before I gave him a quizzical stare. Keep in mind that all of this technology was still new to me. "I will explain later. Anyway, I would have said the intercom, but the sound wasn't broken enough for it."

"What do you think it was?" He was the only one from this dimension in the conversation, so his lack of knowledge worried me slightly.

He shrugged. "I have absolutely no idea, but it sounded pretty good. I don't recognize it, though. Maybe Mr. Maublé played it on the big speaker. But why did it sound so clear? It was like the band was right in front of us." We turned our attention over to the manager, who was now walking down the isles, seeming to be making sure of something. James waved him over.

"Hey James, hello greenhorn, what's up?" He asked cheerily.

"Greenhorn?" I looked to see James give me an expression that I have come to know as I shall explain later. I turned my attention back to the Mr. Maublé. "Um, what was that song?"

He gave me a bizarre look. "What song?"

"The one that played just now."

"I didn't hear anything," he shrugged.

"How could you have missed it?" James asked.

"It was playing out clear as day," I continued.

"Well, either you two are crazy, or I'm going deaf. And since I can hear you two screaming at me at the top of your lungs, I'm going to say that you two cuddle buddies have gone off the deep end," he crossed his arms.

I was about to argue further, but James stopped me. He pulled my head close to his own. "Drop it," James whispered. "This isn't his kind of joke. He didn't hear it, what ever it was."

"Um, never mind then. Sorry to bother you," I mumbled sheepishly. Another weird look from our employer, before he shrugged.

"Is there anything else you puppy lovers need?" This was beginning to get on my nerves. James likely agreed with me on some level.

"We are not dating!" James sighed. "Yeah, um, where did this isle come from? Seriously, I was gone for one day, three days counting the weekend. And what is about anyway?"

"We'll, the reason I was so upset about not having you here on Friday was because we were adding a new set of merchandise. Apparently it's one of the most popular tv shows, even for adults, called My Little Pony," Mr. Maublé explained.

I will spare you the specifics over what it was, since James and I chose to write our tale on this site specifically because it centered around said show. Eventually, our manager began to finish explaining the whole show, which shocked me, a lot.

Seriously, learning that you are a character in a 'TV series', as James later on explained what it was, bothered me to a surprising extent. Fortunately, James told me what I needed to hear as Mr. Maublé told of the wonders of Equestria.

"We are all characters in some way, shape, or form, whether we believe it or not. You and I may be watched by some random dimension elsewhere with some lonely guy in his room writing our dialogue. But we are our own selves. You are Nightmare Moon, just as I am James Knight, and whether by fate, free will, or story board you are my friend. And that won't change any time soon."

How ironic that James and I tell our tale in a story later on, with those exact lines in it.

Eventually, Maublé ended his speech about magical ponies, such as yours truly. We thanked him for his, invigorating, tales of woe.

"Alright then, I will leave you two love birds to do," he paused momentarily. "Whatever it is you were doing. Just make sure you clean up after yourself."

He laughed heartily as I felt my face become rage incarnate. I sputtered as he practically skipped away, whistling a very happy and innocent tune. At some unknown point in time, customers had begun to prowl through the different sections of the store. Mr. Maublé used this to his advantage as he disappeared into the crowd.

"Why that insolent little-" I growled.

"Relax, Nighty, he's jut trying to get under our skin." James interrupted.

"And, this doesn't, bother you?" I was confused by his almost blatant disregard for what his employer had implied. James patted my shoulder, shaking his head slightly.

"Some people, you just have to live with them," he smiled warmly. However, this sentence made me feel uncomfortable.

"Am I, one of those people?" I asked nervously, sensing, once again, more tears prepared to come out of my eyes.

James just hugged me tightly. "Of course not. You are a wonderful person to be around."

"Would you be saying that if you were lying? Or telling the truth?" I was still wary.

"I am telling the truth. Do you honestly think I would let you sleep beside me, share my dreams, or work in the same place as me if I didn't like you?"

"I don't know," I answered.

"Neither do I, because that wasn't what happened, Nightmare. I don't tolerate your presence, I delight in it," James admitted. I conceded to his point.

A voice that I didn't recognize came from outside of my vision. "Hey James, what's- woah, when did you get a girlfriend?"

"OH COME ON!" James and I shouted at the exact same time. I noticed that a couple of onlookers eyeing us, but I ignored them. We reluctantly released our embrace as we turned to see a new face smirking at us.

"Hello Eric, nice to see you to, and no, Ni- I mean, Diana and I are not dating," James sounded exasperated, something I could have easily related to as of that moment. There was a brief pause, before Eric spoke up.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me to 'Ni- I mean Diana'?" His face had on a goofy grin, his hand stuck out in a gesture of acquaintance by means of shaking them. I put my own palm into his and shook it lightly.

"My name is Diana, Diana Magrenith. And I might assume you are Eric?" I already knew the answer.

"That is correct, beautiful. Eric Wayne, at your service," he kept that stupid smile, which was getting on my nerves. "So how long have you two been a couple?" He asked jubilantly. I wanted to smack that grin right off of his face.

"We aren't going out!" James and I practically yelled with our combined volume. Eric just smirked.

"And ponies fly," he reasoned sarcastically.

In my world they do, I thought haughtily, knowing it was best not to say it aloud.

"So what's up with you two then if you aren't dating, cause it looked like you were hugging hard enough to-" Eric began.

"DON'T YOU DARE FINISH THAT STATEMENT WAYNE!" James yelled to interrupt. Eric shrugged.

"I was just going to say you were hugging hard enough to be Siamese twins, but I guess the other way too," he grinned devilishly.

One hard smack; that was all I needed, all that I asked for. But my rage had to go without satiation.

"Look, we aren't together," James tried to explain. Eric, however, would not drop the subject.

"Oh really, where do you live?" I could sense a trap from the question.

"Um, in James' house?" I answered questioningly.

"Where do you sleep?"

"In... My bed," James admitted dejectedly.

"And how long have you two been within physical contact with each other?"

"A couple of hours-" I stated without actually thinking, before both James and I flew out of each other's embrace, with Eric laughing maniacally. "We are not dating!"

"How did you know she was living with me?" James interrogated. I was slightly concerned that we may have been dealing with what James refers to as a 'peeping Tom', but his answer pacified that worry.

"Overheard the interview, congratulations, by the way. Now you get to hang out with people as awesome as me. Unlike James over here."

Scratch 'only one hit'. I wanted him to be a bloody smear on the ground by the time I was finished with him. How dare he insinuate that James is not as good as him? I had absolutely no idea where that protective part of me came from, but I was more intent on Eric's rude comment, as well as the violent things I wished upon that rat of a man. Unfortunately, he started to walk away, outside of my melee range.

"Anyway, peace out love makers," he held the first two non thumb fingers out in a V- shape, as he walked out of view. I forced myself to contain my wrath, before turning to James.

"I am really starting to question your choice of where we work," I uttered in disdain.

"As soon as this whole 'believing that we are dating' thing blows over, I'm sure it will all be fine." James seemed to try to be convincing himself more so than me.

"Let's just keep going," I wanted this day to be over as soon as possible.

"We just have one more place to head over to, although I'm not too sure about showing you it," he stated uncertainly.

"Why is that?" I asked.

"It's the break room," he dead panned. "Which means more people, who will think that we are in a relationship, and misfortune will ensue."

"Does this kind of thing usually happen to, new recruits?" I asked tentatively.

"No, but seeing how close we have been acting to each other, an outsider would only assume that-"

"Hey man, I heard the news. Did you finally get yourself a date?" Another new voice came out. "Oh, dumb question. Dude, you hit the jack pot!"

... Oy vey.

"EXCUSE ME?!" James howled. "I, she, you know what? Yes, we are dating, Max. We are in freaking love and we don't give a crap about what other people say about it!" James gave up, gripping my sides close to his and began nuzzling my head, which I found to be wonderful, but it was somewhat disconcerting that he said we were dating.

"Seriously?" The man who I assumed was named Max asked, surprised.

"No, of course not! How in the world would I get someone as amazing as Diana here to date me?" He stopped his nuzzling, partially to my disappointment.

Wait... Amazing as me?

What?

"Look, sorry man, it's just-" Max began.

"I know, I know, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have gone off like that," James interrupted. "Look, how about I introduce you to Diana. Diana, this is Maxwell Bonsa, our friendly neighborhood, forget that I tried to say that, I need to show you that part of culture as well. Jeesh, I  have a lot to catch you up on. Anyway, Max, this is Diana Magrenith, our newest coworker."

"What's up?" He asked, which I found to be a strange question, but answered anyway.

"Stars, skies, anything and everything," I replied sagely.

"That, is a new way to put it," Max hesitated.

"I have my work cut out for me," James moaned quietly, probably to keep me from hearing. That obviously didn't work, but I could understand his hesitation to let me hear that. Luckily, I was honest with myself here and acknowledged the truth that James did have a lot to teach me about this world. Perhaps too much.

"Yes James, you do," I replied aloud, making him jump and Max just look at me.

"If you're not going out, then how did you know what he was thinking so easily?" Max inquired.

"I heard-" no, I was going to do this the fun way. "I'm an evil enchantress with the ability to read minds and bewitch poor souls like James over here to do my bidding in this physical plane."

James reacted to my statement almost immediately. His entire body stiffened, eyes partially closed, and uttered strange, haunting noises.

Max just shook his head. "There is no way in any universe that you two aren't a couple."

"Okay, fine, you have discovered our secret plans to hide our relationship from you for some evil plot for which we have yet to reveal to the public," I replied sarcastically. Then I had a cruel, and almost self-destructive plan.

But that didn't stop me the first time.

... Or the second time.

... Or the ones after those.

... Maybe I should stop while I am ahead...

Nah!

I turned my gaze over to my 'enchanted' friend. "Hey, James!" His entire face snapped towards me questioningly. I quickly snatched his head into my hands, leaned in, and almost kissed him.

Almost.

I stopped a centimeter from his own lips, confusing him to an even greater extent than if I had fully kissed him. But he quickly discovered my intentions, and pretended to lean in even more so into the kiss. We held each other within a hair's distance, but we never actually made contact with each other.

That would be just plain weird... Right?

We pulled out of our 'kiss', and I heard a voice I recognized as Eric's scream out "I knew it!"

"This isn't going to work well if you wanted people to not think you're together," Max warned. "Cause it honestly, to me, seems like you are as much of a good couple as a pair that had been married for thirty years without a hitch."

"I guess we have to go and explain ourselves later," James looked downcast. I couldn't have that.

"Meh, we could always play along," I whispered to James.

"To think that we should insult such poor bystanders by pretending to be dating when we clearly state otherwise at the same time?" James gave a mocking tone, before grinning darkly. "I like the way you think."

"Well, if you haven't already found out, you two are the talk of the town," Max mentioned.

"Oh great!" James and I moaned in unison. Max gave us a look that has been mirrored by those before him.

"Are you sure you two aren't together?"

"Certain," I nodded my head to confirm James' answer, right before coming close to planting a kiss on James' cheek. Max accepted this with a false smile, and moved away quickly. He waved goodbye without another word.

"I think we are going to have fun with this," I said optimistically.

"I'm with you on that," James concurred.

"This is going to be, at the very least, slightly entertaining. Tiring, but entertaining," I hypothesized.

"Somehow, we will get through this," James vowed. "Some how, we shall persevere. But for right now, lunch break, dear." He put great emphasis on the courting nickname.

"Lead the way, my hunky piece of masculinity and manliness," I was having difficulty holding in my laughter at my overly extensive and dramatic description. Oh, this is going to be fun! I thought jubilantly as James and I walked hand in hand.

As a 'couple'.


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(James' Point Of View)

The thing about being around Nightmare is that you have to be extremely... Flexible. You have to be able to do practically anything without feeling uncomfortable, and you have to react fast.

Not trying to brag here, but I felt I could give myself a pat on the back.

I'm going to hop back to the point when Max came in.

Right as Max said "dude, you hit the jack pot,", I may or may not have lost it a little bit. I should have kept myself under control, but the constant bombardment of people claiming that Nightmare and I, or rather Diana and I were special someone's to each other...

Sigh.

Let's analyze where Max went wrong. Do you see his mistake? It's that little part where he referred to Nightmare as a 'jack pot'. That was one of the most 'complimenting' insults I have ever heard. Sure, Nightmare is a wonderful girl, both in her persona and her looks, make no mistake about that. But one of my personal pet peeves is that he judged her based on her appearance, not her personality.

Kind of helps when you grow up with an alien great uncle, am I right? So yeah, I was not very happy about that.

And thus, my first layer of inner madness broke out. I raged about how we were in love, and I began to nuzzle Nightmare. I felt so guilty, putting Nightmare in such a confusing predicament. I planned on apologizing later, but I had to keep whatever dignity I had left to properly introduce Max and Nightmare.

I may or may not have whispered to myself that I had a lot to help Nightmare with. And of course, little miss princess over there decided to hear me... That sounded a bit rude, didn't it? I imagine it was, and I would never usually think of Nightmare in such a crude manner, but I was tired of the relationship thing. And I was partially annoyed that I wasn't in a relationship still, despite all that was going on, but that was more outside of my knowledge at that point.

So of course, when Nightmare replied to my whisper, Max thought we really were going out, since he probably didn't hear my words.

Then Nightmare decided to do something completely random, saying I was some sort of mind controlled person under her will power. What else could I do but play along? Not much. Thus I let my face become blank and my body stiff as a board. That sort of thing is really uncomfortable if you didn't already know.

But Max had quickly come to the idea that we were so used to each other that we had to be dating.

And then, and then, Nightmare took things a step further, coming close to kissing me, stopping a small distance away from my lips.

Confusion, 2.0. She could have kissed me and let things make more sense, but I guessed she still thought of me as a friend, so she wouldn't go through with the kiss. She probably didn't know how amiable she could be within friendships, something I knew I was also going to have to rectify later on.

I knew that from any other point of view, with Nightmare's hair curls blocking the outside view, it seemed as though she was trying to tongue me. I couldn't make it seem as though I was going to hurt her by denying it, so I pretended to kiss back.

I figured that at this point, she didn't really need me to apologize to her about nuzzling her head. After all, we were pretending to smooch our way into oblivion; anything we did at that point couldn't be considered too weird.

As a side note, I was acutely aware that Eric yelled out "I knew it!" I really wanted to knock that guy's head against the wall. I may not be violent, but goodness gracious, he loved to piss people off. And that would be putting it lightly!

After that madness, we decided to play along with us dating, for the time being... Hopefully. I knew that neither Nightmare nor I would be able to maintain the illusion that we were in love for long.

Anyway, we used contrasting statements and actions, such as Nightmare kissing my cheek after saying that we weren't dating, or me nuzzling her head again while stating that nothing was going on between us. I think we may or may not have completely alienated Max.

So yeah, I now have a very, affectionate Nightmare Moon trying to get people under the impression that we were dating. That was going to be very, very taxing.

Don't get me wrong, I don't hate Nightmare in the slightest, I can't even say I dislike her. She can just be, an extremist, at times. Not really her fault, but still, I hoped that most days would not be as exciting as this one.

Thankfully, we were interrupted by the fact that it was time to eat.

"But for now, lunch break dear!" I went went along with our crazy, nutty, self injuring fool of a plan to be fake dating.

"Lead the way, my hunky piece of masculinity and manliness," Nightmare replied. Dang, she knew how to take things to the furthest. When I first met her I thought she was some lonely, timid girl. Well, she was, but that phase mostly blew over quickly. Along with most of my sanity.

And thus we marched off, arm in arm, like lovers.

Yeah, this couldn't possibly go disastrously wrong.
> Of Argent Lining
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Nightmare's Point of View)

I carefully rolled the little ball of what appeared to be reddish brown clay with my trident. The irregular sphere indented with every stab and push, before retaking its original shape. Flanking the tiny morsel were several others like it, all of which bathing in tomato sauce with grains of unknown origin within. Underneath the sauce lied what I easily recognized as pasta, the only part of the "meal" I recognized. Thrusting my minuscule weapon into one of the globs of... Stuff, I raised it to eye level, gazing intently at it.

"James, what is this?" I directed this at my "date", who sat across me, who was taking a dreg of water from his cup. He eyed me with confusion, as if trying to determine what I had asked.

Suddenly, his expression morphed into one I had seen several times before: Oh God, what have I done?!? His eyes grew to the size of what lay on the tip of my utensil. He twisted his head rapidly before spewing water into the plant conveniently next to the table we were at. He began coughing and contorting uncontrollably. I dropped the fork in surprise as he did so. He stopped coughing, and returned his sight to me. There was a distinct feeling emanating from his eyes that I had not seen previously from him.

But it was one I was accustomed to: fear.

James, please tell me you aren't afraid of me, I wanted to plead, but knew better. What did I do? Please don't fear me, don't go.

James' gaze was steady, but pained, not unlike a poor creature staring into the eyes of its predator. He wanted to run, but he was cornered, or was far too afraid to. He was not lost to his instincts, an issue which many of my little ponies had fallen victim to when fear welled within them.

No, they weren't even my ponies, they were my sister's. All I had left was James, and I was not going to lose him.

Please stay with me.

Wiping his face with the napkin on the table, his eyes began to dart back and forth like he was trying to find some way to escape his predicament. He opened his mouth, began to say something, but stopped, clutching his head in his hands. I reached out to take his hand in my own, in the hopes that it would calm him down.

"I am going to regret this," his whisper barely reached my ears, but I paid no heed. I captured his left hand, which trembled like the ground under a dragon. My fingers intertwined with his, securing his palm firmly to my own.

"James, what's wrong?" My maternal instincts were searing, my tone trying to be soothing. He regarded me with worry, maybe even mistrust, and it crushed me inside to see him look at me that way. He dragged out a breath, before answering.

"Nightmare, if I tell you, you will hate the answer. You will hate the human race. You will hate me."

There was so much certainty in his words; it scared me. I knew that there was not a possible thing in the universe that would make me hate James. He could hurt me, but he would never do it willingly, and would never let something take control of him like that. He could destroy everything I knew, but again, he would never do so. He could end his own life... Would he? What was so bad about the food that I could never forgive him?

"Meat."

His flat, emotionless tone nearly broke my heart. He sounded like a lifeless body, and that was only with one word. Such a short word, how could he convey so much agony with-

Wait... What?!

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" I hoped that I had misunderstood.

"Meat," he held his head in shame, but I was too preoccupied to notice. My whole body had turned to ice; just the idea of eating others was, well...

The humans? They eat, living THINGS!? It started to make sense; the sharp teeth, the eyes being more to the front. The agile and precise claws, or as they call them, hands, used to pull things apart with. The clarity didn't help the situation however.

"I think I'm going to be sick," I warned as my stomach started to churn as it understood the complications. Queasiness flowed through my body, and I knew things were not going to end well. I jumped from the table, almost threw James' hand out of mine, and charged to the conveniently nearby restroom. I slammed the door, and held my head over the toilet as I prepared for the worst.

Bile along with the contents of my breakfast was retrieved from the depths of my digestive track as I let the food come out of the wrong end of my body. The horrid odor and taste attacked my senses. The acidic liquid was all but the blade of death to my body. My sides contracted uncontrollably, my head buzzing, my mouth chock full of the vile substance, my eyes stinging from the imminent tears, my nose searing with the malevolent incense, my knees bruised when I banged against the tile floor, my hands clutching the toilet in a vice grip, my whole shape spasming and contorting.

None of those things hurt as much as the fact that I was about to eat a once-thinking thing. That it was the norm for the creatures of this world. They slaughtered hundreds of thousands of lives for one being. How many have died at their hands for one generation? How many have been lost to this planet's dominant species?

A slimy, cold and rough material raked across my forehead, but I did not know what it was. My mane was smoothly combed backwards, before the alien fur took its course on my forehead again. I felt no recurring urges to empty my insides, so I turned around to see, who else but James, trying to clean my face with a piece of cloth which was previously in his jacket pocket.

He held up a plastic cup filled with what I presumed to be water. "Swish this in your mouth, then spit it out into the bowl."

I had no energy to argue, and even if I did I would have been too afraid to act against him. Gingerly taking the container and its contents, I did as I was instructed: sip, swish, spit, sip, swish, spit, over and over. James continued to dab his handkerchief above my brows as I did so.

They are predators! my mind was filled to the brim with fear and anxiety. They are killers! Life stealers! All of them! I began to whimper as the toll of man's existence was shoved in my face without end.

I felt what I barely registered as James' arms wrap around my shoulders. But even as I did know it was him, my basic survival instincts kicked in. I knew what he was, and I needed to get away from it. I shoved its arms off of me and crawled as far away as I could in the small room. 

"No! Get away from me!" My voice was a mere whisper out of my attempt to scream.

I looked to see the hunter gaze at me with regret, probably for letting its food escape so easily. Its head lowered, so as to make me believe it would not strike. It sat down, still as stone, as I trembled with the force of an earthquake. Neither of us shifted from our standstill, waiting for the other to move first. I never let my guard down, my senses heightened to the point where I could hear the chaos and clamor outside of the enclosing, behind my one escape route.

"Nightmare, it's me," the monster seemed to say. "It's James, your friend. I'm not going to hurt you; I never would. I don't know what's going on in your head, but please, please come back to me."

I snorted at its words, a and is kicked the air to emphasize my point with the predator: it would not fool me this day!

"Nightmare tell me what I can do to help, talk to me!"

A whinny escaped me. I would not be easy prey. I would take it down with me if I had to.

Its claw came towards me slowly. I turned around and bucked at it. My body did not react the way it I expected it to, and I was thrown off balance. I fell to the floor with a heavy thud, but not enough to take me out.

"Nightmare!" The creature grunted, its prize now in sight. It made to grab for me, but I bit at it. It retreated, failing to take me when I was down.


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(James Point Of View)

"I think I'm going to be sick!" Were Nightmare's last intelligent words before she scampered into the bathroom. I rushed in after her, which meant it was convenient that the bathroom was for both genders, but I could have cared less at the time.

Nightmare was hurt, and I was the cause.

How could I have been so stupid? My mind screamed in pure disbelief and anger. I should have kept my mouth shut! She is a pony for goodness sake! They eat grass, flowers, hay, not meat. I hurt her! I had one job, and I was the one who hurt her! I may have altered the language somewhat for the young ones reading this, but you get the idea.

I found Nightmare with her head over the toilet. I used the faucet to wet the handkerchief from one of my pockets, before switching out the cloth with the cup that I... For some reason never let go of. Didn't matter.

I tried to cool down Nightmare by wiping her forehead with the drenched cloth, before thinking to move her hair out of the way. As I did so, she turned around and looked at me. Her eyes were haunted, and it did not take many IQ points to guess why. Her face was pale, and she was shivering like an underdressed person in absolute zero temperatures.

I raised the cup of water and told her to clean her mouth out with it, which she did with no hesitance. But she wasn't doing it out of trust this time; it was to appease me, to surrender to me. The way she stared horrified at me, I knew she was long gone. It was only instinct that ruled her now.

She started to cry. In a futile attempt to calm her down, I tried to hug her, but she pushed me away and crawled to the other side of the room. "No, get away from me!" I had to strain to hear her. I wasn't her friend anymore; I was an eater. She glared at me, not with anger, but fear. It broke my heart to see her like that.

How could I let this happen? How did this happen? Shouldn't she know who I am, even with her instincts raging in her mind? I stared at her. She was ill, tired, malnourished, in shock and pain, and was prey in a world of predators.

Everything about her displayed a cornered animal: her eyes, her shaking, her white knuckles and tense form. I sat down, and tried to do what people did with animals. I relaxed, lowered my gaze, hid my hands, remained unmoving. I silenced any and all sounds that could have or were coming from me. I tried everything I could think of to make her relax.

I tried talking, but she didn't seem to understand me anymore. I tried to get close but she lashed out. I did everything I could have possibly come up with in the moment of panic.

But to no avail. She was still breathing rapidly, and I knew that if I didn't think of some way to placate her, she was going to pass out from sensory overload, exhaustion, and lack of nutrition, if not die first.

Save her, save her, save her, the two word mantra echoed in my head. I don't care what I have to do, just let me calm her down. Let me bring her back. Help me, please. I didn't know who I was begging. I just wanted to help her. I had been able to help her before, why couldn't I do it then?

Somehow, my wish was granted, and an idea that I didn't think of came into mind. I remembered when I was young, barely seven years old. I don't know why, but for some reason, I was angry. I wanted to break everything in my sight; I was out of control. But then, my mom picked me up... and...

Please, for the love of everything, please let this work! I prayed as I opened my mouth.

The world is full of pain and tears
That torment you every day
But there are things like love and life
That whisk them all away
The agony enthralling you
May bring you to your knees
But I still stand here at your side
I need you here with me

If music soothes the savage beast
Then I'll sing you an aria
If words could force your pain to cease
Then I'd recite each novella
If life goes like a river flows
Let your hate erode away
And show me that you still can love
Just bring back my little babe

The ache you feel within your heart
That burdens the world on you
That you may break the things you love
And there's nothing you can do
But understand that in your hand
You hold this heart of mine
And I won't let you walk alone
Just let me be your guide

If music soothes the savage beast
Then I'll sing you an aria
If words could force your pain to cease
Then I'd recite each novella
If life goes like a river flows
Let your hate erode away
And show me that you still can love
Just bring back my little babe

Though your fear may take your mind
You don't need to be scared of me
When the pain holds you confined
You'll be solaced until you're free

I don't know what
Life has shown but
I know I am here for you
My heart's racing
Always chasing
What makes you feel blue
Darkness wallows
Light shall follow
To bring forth new days
Though you may fear
I'll still be here
To show you the way

If music soothes the savage beast
Then I'll sing you an aria
If words could force your pain to cease
Then I'll write you a novella
If life goes like a river flows
Let your hate erode away
And show me that you still can love
Just bring back my little babe

If music soothes the savage beast

If music soothes the savage beast

If music soothes the savage beast
Then I'll sing you an aria
If words could force your pain to cease
Then I'll write you a novella
If life goes like a river flows
Let your hate erode away
And show me that you still can love
Just bring back my little babe


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(Nightmare's Point Of View)

The calming melody from the hunter melted away my mental frenzy. The... The preda- no. My, my James, it was James, let his voice slowly fade until all was silent.

James...

James,

James!

The name eventually broke me out of my stupor as I looked to see my friend, not a pony devourer, breathing deeply.

Oh no, what did I say, what did I do?! I thought worriedly. Nothing like that had ever happened before. I had turned on my best friend, and for what? Because he eats something which, although goes against my morales, is in fact totally natural and is done in order to survive?!

I had to apologize. I had to make this right.

But he is going to eat you! my instincts screamed.

He would never hurt me, I reasoned. He is my friend.

It is a ruse! He is a predator! He will kill you!

He is my best friend.

He is your slayer! Turn back!

Do we even know if humans eat ponies?

Run away, run away!

Keep going, get to him.

Do not kill yourself! Run!

He is my friend!

Friends are food to such mindless beasts!

He is not some mindless beast! He is the closest thing there is to my heart.

He'll be even closer when he rips it out of you!

He would never!

He will!

He wouldn't sing that song just to eat me!

Killer! Murderer!

He did everything he could to make me feel better!

Toying with his food!

James, this is James.

Doesn't matter who he is! He is a life thief! He will kill you.

My James would never-

Was he ever yours to begin with?

He cares about me.

You mean nothing to him!

...

That last one, it hurt me, badly. I knew, oh by the moon that I walked upon for one thousand years I knew it was false, but it still hurt. I stopped in my mental tracks, barely able to process what my instincts were trying to tell me.

N- nothing?

I mean nothing to him?!

There was no way in this or any universe that I meant nothing to him.

... But I had to know.

As silently as I could, I took my original form, hoping not to draw James attention just yet. Fur as dark as the void now covered me from horn to hoof, my tail and mane flowing without a breeze. In place of my hands and feet were hooves. My dress had vanished with my transformation, but my helmet and horse shoes did not replace them.

I charged at him while his gaze was averted from me. If what my instincts were telling me were true, then I would die if I did what I planned to do.

But if he doesn't care about me, then I have nothing to live for. I have lost my home, my family, my world, my throne, and my right to live. If I am nothing to him, then I truly am nothing.

I hit him with full force, careful not to hit him with my horn, knocking him to the ground. Before he could recover, I rolled the two of us so that he ended up directly on top of me, where I would be vulnerable to anything he did. He could hold me with his weight, bite my neck, anything. In fact, he would have to work to keep his body from flattening mine.

I was under his complete and total control. I had slept at his side for three nights, and he did nothing against me then.

But you did not know of his plans to eat you! my instincts continued, but I knew that this was something I had to do.

"Nightmare!?" James was visibly perplexed. "Why did you do that?"

"Sh!" I commanded. "Prove to me right now that I have nothing to fear of you. That the fact that you being my friend is not a farce. That I mean something to you. If you do not feel that way, then don't draw this out any longer! Take my life right here and now because I cannot be without the one thing I have."

He waited a few seconds, likely mulling over what I had just said. He eventually nodded slowly, before moving his mouth towards the left of my head, right at my neck. His warm breath moistened my unguarded lifeline. I closed my eyes and waited for this to end, and he...


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(James Point Of View)

Alright, I had just sung a song that I heard when I was a little kid to a magical pony disguised as a human woman who had just discovered that humans ate meat and was in survival mode.

...

...

...

What am I supposed to say about that? I don't know if it's situationally funny with its pure randomness, emotionally tearing with her fear of me, or something completely out of the ball park.

We'll just call it "ploggy", alright?

Now, after that "ploggy" situation, Nightmare tackled me, out of the blue. Or out of the black, as she now decided to take up her Ali- something form.

"Nightmare!?" What she did made absolutely no sense, and it scared the crap out of me. "Why did you do that?"

"Sh!" She didn't put a finger to her lips, seeing as how her arms were now forelegs for... Some unknown reason. "Prove to me right now that I have nothing to fear of you." She demanded with way more seriousness than I could have conjured up if I were in her position. "That the fact that you being my friend is not a farce. That I mean something to you. If you do not feel that way, then don't draw this out any longer! Take my life right here and now because I cannot be without the one thing I have."

Oh gods, did she honestly offer her life like that? Was I truly that important? Would she really be worthless if I didn't see worth in her?

Had I truly underestimated the weight of my importance in her life as of this moment?

I gazed into her apprehensive expression to find the truth of her words; she wasn't lying. If I didn't care about her, she had nothing. She didn't even like herself enough to keep going. There wasn't a fiber in my body that didn't care about her, that didn't trust her, that wouldn't die in her stead, and the fact that she didn't trust me to feel that way...

It was like a rigid, rusty spoon was used to carve my heart out of my body. It hurt me far more than that, but that was as close to a description as I would be willing to get. I never wanted to feel that again, and I certainly didn't want Nightmare to fear me. She had to know. I had ultimate power over her in that very moment, and she needed to know what I would do with it. What I would always do with it.

I nodded to myself, knowing very well what I had to do. I moved my mouth to the top of her neck, the part directly under the head, stopping only a few centimeters away from what I assumed to be the jugular. With all of her fur in the way, I couldn't be certain. I remained there for a while so she knew where I was. If human and pony biology were anything similar, then this would be the most threatening place for me to be. Then, I moved in.

I let my teeth lightly graze her neck, letting her know that I could easily take her life. She tensed from the contact. Her breathing quickened and turned jagged. I could feel her fur rise onto its ends. Her pulse was all but audible, a beat the speed of a snare drum pulsating through her body, and in part, my own. She began to nicker quietly, and her hooves kicked the air, like a desperate animal stuck on its back.

I kissed her neck. Her entire body went rigid from the light touch. It was prepared for death, but I had given it a sign of affection instead. I planted my lips on her neck a second time, and she tensed up once more. I kept brushing my lips against her soft, midnight hairs over and over again. She needed to know that even when I could hurt her, I would never will it.

I nuzzled her cheek with my own, something I imagined that ponies did. She replied in kind, so I guess I was right in that perspective. We continued on like this until I felt my arms warn me that I had about one minute before they would fail. I positioned my head so I was looking directly at her, to which she stared at me expectantly.

"Nightmare Diana Star Magrenith Moon, you mean the world to me. I would never want to hurt you, and I would never try. You are my best friend, something, somepony, and someone I cherish deeply. I am one of the happiest things in the universe just because I got the chance to know you. I would put my life in your hands, just as you have put yours in mine. You have nothing to fear of me, because I swear on my life that I never have, do not, and never will want to hurt you. And let my wrath befall those that do."

Her sight never wavered from my own, as if trying to judge my honesty. I didn't even blink as I let her know that I wasn't lying. Everything in the world mattered less than Nightmare's trust in that moment. I couldn't breath, couldn't think, couldn't move.

Her eyes began to tear up, before she got out what I hoped to be the last time she would be crying for a while.

"I- I'm-," she tried, but I interrupted.

"I know, and I'm sorry that... we eat meat," it was a lame apology on my part, but what was I supposed to say?

Her forelegs unbent, stretched past my body, and grabbed my shoulders, pulling herself into an embrace. I turned our bodies so I wasn't going to crush her, and where my arms could relax for a while, where we remained for some time.

"It's sick," she groaned. "Taking lives just to live. It is horrifying. How can you do it and not hate yourself every day? I know it's for survival but-"

I gave her a tiny squeeze, hoping that she would stop babbling. She took the message, and we remained on the tile floor in silence, still in the other's embrace. After a while, Nightmare couldn't handle the silence, and spoke again.

"Why was I afraid of you?" Her voice ever trembling. "So many times have you been there for me, and yet I still didn't trust you. Even now, I have half a mind to jump out of your arms and run to the door. You would never hurt me, and yet my heart is pounding."

I didn't know what to say. I did everything I could think of to get her to trust me. Were instincts really that strong?

"I would rather die than hurt you," I swore.

She took a very deep breath, which I could feel enter and exit her body with her... Underbelly right next to mine. "I know, and yet I can't control how I'm feeling right now, and I'm barely able to stay strong as it is. Half of me wants to stay in your arms, where you will always keep me safe-"

Aw!

"- while the other half wants to be out of the door and somewhere you could never touch me again."

... Ouch.

A sudden banging came from the door. "Come on you two, get back to work."

Mr. Maublé.

"Nightmare, change back now!" I hissed.

She released a tiny eep before lighting her horn and retaking her human appearance and clothes. The door swung open to reveal our... Disappointed boss.

He sighed almost distractedly, his hand holding his face in annoyance. "You know, if you are going to lie about not being in a relationship, do a little bit of a better job of hiding it."

I had no idea what he was... Oh.

Bathroom. Alone. Together. For a while. Hugging. On the tile floor. Heavy breathing.

Oh boy.

"OH COME ON!" Nightmare and I once again screamed our apparent trade mark.

"Actually, they already admitted to dating," says one of the most obnoxious voices known to any man: Eric.

"Oh, they did?" Mr. Maublé sounded intrigued. "Let me get this straight: they lied about not dating but are now telling the truth about dating? You went through all the trouble of getting me to believe you aren't going out, which I eventually fell for, and now you're telling me I was right? I... I need a break." He walked away, holding his head as if a migraine had just taken a visit.

Eric decided at that moment to act serious for once in his life. "You two aren't going out at all, are you." It was more of a statement than a question.

... What?

"Of course were dating," Nightmare claimed, but even I saw how unconvincing it was.

"Uh... Right. And I'm the Duke of Wales," Eric answered sarcastically.

"I didn't know we were in the presence of royalty!" Nightmare retorted, although I have yet to know whether she was joking or not.

"Look, there is no way you two are going out. You have gotten into far too many awkward situations for it to be real. That, or this is a seriously unlucky couple and you should bail out of this soon to be train wreck while the both of you are still alive." He smirked.

"Fine, you got us," I admitted.

"So here's how you do it right!" Eric began.

"Wait, what!?" Nightmare and I shouted at the same time. Again.

"Look, if you two want to do this prank right, or if you really are wanting people to stop mentioning the fact that you're 'dating', then you need some help. Bad."

"Since when have you been an expert on relationships?" I asked incredulously.

"Point taken. But I do know when I see a fake couple. Now, you two are close, no doubt about that. But you are way too uncomfortable around each other, you have absolutely no idea what to actually do to look like you're dating, you only look into each other's eyes instead of... Elsewhere, you hesitate, you're too extreme, and to top it off, you're too clingy."

"... Did you seriously pay that much attention to us?" Nightmare asked, expressing my worries as well.

"Relax Diana, I just happen to work better with people's body queues than computers."

"As shown when you tried to blow up the computer with inexistent TNT," I quipped as I recalled that... Interesting day. "And with the fact that you are able to annoy every single person you meet."

"And it never occurred to you I might be doing it on purpose?" He asked, all seriousness in his tone.

"Why would you want people to hate you?" Nightmare countered.

"Never mind that. Look, just consider this: you can either have my help and, as soon as people get over the initial shock of you dating, be free of shippers, because as we all know, shippers ruin everything."

"What's a shipper?" Nightmare asked.

"I'll explain later," I answered.

"Or you can have no help, let people realize you're faking it, get people to try and force you two together, until you get so sick of it that you end up hating one another."

I was shocked at how right he was. I could honestly see that happening. And I regretted that Nightmare and I did need help if what he claimed was to be prevented.

"... I hate you," I growled at Eric.

"Fair enough. Now, let's not have you two practice in the bathroom, okay?"

Oh yeah, we were still lying on the ground. I jumped to my feet, and helped Nightmare stand back up.

"No, no, no!" Eric was clearly unimpressed with something. "James, you need to help her up at the same time you're getting up. Get closer together, no further than an arm's length apart, and use that movement to get more, you know, physical!" Was he seriously doing this now?

"Dude, seriously?" I gave the best tired voice I could.

"Yes, now, try again."

We had to practice for five minutes. Five. Freaking. Minutes we had to get up and lie back down on the tile floor. I hoped it was recently washed to be honest.

When we finally past his first test, Eric had written down everything that he had seen couples do. This ranged from mild stolen glances and inside jokes to... Oh gods, he couldn't be serious.

"On a table!?" I nearly shouted, Nightmare following suit.

"Yeah." He answered simply. "My parents did it all the time."

"Not. Happening." I grunted.

"It will convince people you're dating!"

"No!" Nightmare shouted. "People eat on tables."

"And your point is?"

"We're not doing it, especially not on tables," my tone was monotonous, hoping he would accept no as an answer.

"Fine, you can sing to each other on the ground, but the table has a better effect."

"I really don't see how," Nightmare replied unconvinced.

"Look, we've spent enough time on this, we need to get to work," I tried to weasel our way out of this embarrassing situation. Eric stared at me for a long time, judging my intentions. He nodded curtly.

"Fine, but we are picking this up tomorrow," was his spoken reply, uncertain as may have been. Nightmare and I practically bolted away from Eric, moving as far away from him as possible before we gave ourselves the chance to breathe.

"That- that was *huff* embar- embarrassing!" Nightmare exclaimed through stolen gasps for air. "And I *huff* was the- the one who... Give me a while."  She recovered her ability to speak coherently. "That was embarrassing! And I thought going around with a bad mane cut was a self esteem killer!"

Eventually, I saw a woman walking toward us, so I told Nightmare to watch what I did.

"Hello," I welcomed with a kind voice. "Can I help you?"

"Um, yeah, could you help me find some Once Upon A Time stuff? My daughter's birthday is coming up, and she loved the show."

I nodded, and walked her to the specified area. I told her about the certain things she could be looking for, and helped until she told me she found what she was looking for.

"Wait... Is that all we have to do?" Nightmare asked in disbelief.

I nodded. "Mostly, aside from register work, warehouse management, stall handling and the occasional random things we are told to do for the kids."

"What do you mean?"

"Sometimes," I began. "We have to go over to the kids section and do something interesting and entertaining to them as their parents go shopping. I personally tell stories, use slight of hand magic, and sing songs to them."

"Like the one you sang for me earlier?" She guessed.

"No, that was one my mother would sing to me and my brother if we got out of control. I'm surprised I still remember it to be honest." I scratched the back of my head with that.

"It has a great melody," she commented. "If music soothes the savage beast, then I'll sing you an aria."

"Yeah, I'll have to ask here where she heard it. Anyway, let's see if you can handle some customers." I suggested smugly as a guy came up to us.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but uh, where is the dragon stuff?"

First floor, district seventeen, center aisle, I thought, wondering whether Nightmare remembered it or not. I doubted it, this was a huge store.

She instead gestured around her. "Right here," she smirked.

"What the-?" I was startled. How did I miss that? I looked around to see all things dragon snarling, glaring, breathing fire, talking, frolicking in the autumn mist in a land of Honah Lee, and so forth.

"Oh, hehe," the guy turned red. "Sorry to bother you then."

"No problem," she maintained a kind smile. "If you need any help, don't be afraid to ask."

"Thanks!" The unknown man went to searching the rows and columns of dragon figurines, posters, and other things.

"This doesn't seem too bad of a job," She mentioned under her breath.

"James, is this your girlfriend that I've been hearing about?" A voice of what could have been a high school cheerleader called from behind us.

"... I jinxed it, didn't I?" She muttered as we turned to see Jane smiling sweetly at us.

"Oh, big time," I answered. I didn't like Jane, and I had good reason.

"... Well, aren't you going to introduce me to her?" She smiled sweetly, betraying the bratty attitude that I knew lay underneath.

"Hi, my name's Diana," Nightmare grinned, something I knew would inevitably fall.

"I'm Jane, it's a pleasure to finally meet someone who can look past all of James' faults and-" she didn't get any further before Nightmare got right in her face.

"What did you say?" Nightmare growled dangerously. Smoke literally came out of Nightmare's ears, until I saw it was a figurine dragon behind her. But still, the effect was scary.

Jane gulped. "Nothing!" She squeaked.

"Good answer," Nightmare grunted with finality, but wasn't done talking. "I don't want to hear you insult James again. Am. I. Understood?" The last words were spoken precisely, with a definite edge to them.

"Yes!" Jane was flustered, and scared out of her mind. I put my hand on Nightmare's shoulder. Nightmare spun around, ready to stop being the pony princess and become the war goddess, but her expression softened as soon as she saw me. Her body loosened, her eyes lost the deadliness, and any indication that she was ready to kill she had previously was gone. I could see how much she wanted to fight for me even without her murderous appearance, but I shook my head.

Jane watched our exchange with wide eyes. Nightmare turned to glare at Jane once more. Jane turned on her heels and quickly scampered off.

"Remember when I said that I was still afraid of you?" Nightmare asked, the question seemingly out of the blue.

"Um, yes," I half questioned.

"Not any more." She swore.

"That's, nice," I wasn't sure how to reply to that.

"Why did she say you have problems?"

"Well, she is half right, I do have some problems, but most of them have to do with her," I explained. "She doesn't think anyone is worth her time, unless she can get something out of it. She would rather sit around gossiping than actually work, has no people skills, and can't follow directions if they told her to stay alive. So of course Maublé tried to get us to work together on some things to see if she would pick up some of my working habits."

"What happened?" Nightmare sounded worried, and rightly so.

"She hated me, seeing that I was more likable than she was, how much more productive I was, that I was way more focused about work than gossip, you know, small things like that. Didn't help I could sense when she was going to trick me into something that could get me fired."

"What do you mean 'sense'? Do you have foresight?"

"It's more of when I see the right side of her lip upturned, left eye half closed, and a dangerous twinkle in her eye."

"I will keep an eye out for that sort of thing," Nightmare promised as we walked through the rest of the store, helping other customers and such.


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(Nightmare's Point Of View)

I don't know how to explain what had gone on that day. So many strange occurrences have happened to me, it should have overwhelmed me. Things I could not possibly understand became reality, but dissipated just as quickly at James' hand. I couldn't count how many times he saved me just by holding me, by comforting me, not raising a fist, but a finger to quiet my anxiety. And even when I turned against him, he brought me back.

I remembered how several ponies were driven mad by their instinctive fear. Few have ever came back from it, and none returned to their original mental state, often relentlessly terrified by the image of their hunter. And yet, within the hour, James had accomplished what would have taken months of careful treatments and therapy sessions would have called for otherwise. And he was the focal point of my fear! How did he do it?

My life had been thrown out of control since the moment I passed into this world. I have cried more in the past four days than I have in most of my life.

But I have honestly never been happier.

Maybe it wasn't just James, but the human race. Before my introduction to Jane, my fears were slowly fading from me. I was able to keep myself under control, although barely, when another human was around me, excluding James. And even with James, he still scared me. But there was something about that Jane that made the remnants of my fear break. And made me want to break her into remnants.

By the third sentence she spoke, she had tried to insult James. I could take an insult, I have been taking them all of my life. I couldn't handle the hatred of the ones I love, but their words, I could bear.

But not when they are aimed at my friend. No one hurts my James.

Wait, my James?

Where did that come from?

"Miss, I'm sorry, are you alright?" A voice intruded my thoughts.

"Oh yes, I'm sorry," I quickly apologized. "What did you ask for again?"

The man in front of me lifted his eyes to the heavens in response. "I'm trying to find the library. There has to be one , since I am checking you out."

... What?

"Um... I'm unsure of what you mean, but I don't think there is a library here," I responded unsurely, to which his jaw dropped. "Let me ask someone."

"It's okay, I'll just try my luck somewhere else," the man walked away moodily.

I turned around to face James, who was apparently trying to drink out of a folded newspaper in front of some kids.

"But it's a trick newspaper!" One of the kids yelled. The other young ones around him glared, and told the first to be quiet but James stopped drinking and smiled smartly.

"Is it?" He asked. "Well then, I guess I'll just have to use a different newspaper," he left his post and went over to the newspaper stand not twenty yards away. He returned with a different newspaper in his hand. "Alright, this is a real newspaper. Go ahead and examine it, if you like."

He handed the paper to the kid who spoke out, who checked it quite thoroughly, but found nothing arbitrary.

I watched James take the paper, fold it, and poured water into it. I was standing behind him, but I saw no special tools; he was filling up a newspaper with water, no tricks, no plastic bag, nothing special about the pitcher. Then he began to drink. I tried to move around him, to see what angle I had to be at to see the fault, but there was none.

Okay, how is he doing that? I wondered.

The newspaper had been drunk dry, literally, and James passed it around to the kids to show it was. I kept my eye on him, but he did nothing. When the paper had made its round, the children returned their eyes to James, who had picked up the pitcher once more. It was made of glass, so it could be clearly seen through. He then breathed out deeply, causing the pitcher to fog up. He did so again, and I saw the water begin to condense inside, forming liquid droplets. He breathed, more water returning to the pitcher with each bit of air. Within thirty breaths, the pitcher was full of water, with James bending his head over to put the lasts bit of fog into the pitcher.

He set the container down, and took his bows to the applauding audience, which I was happily a part of.

He began doing things that I thought nothing short of magic could accomplish: making fire dance in the air without strings, candle, or pitch; blowing bubbles into shapes outside of the normal sphere; holding up a see through tarp, dropping it and vanishing, only to appear beside me; making what looked to be streams of living light swim in the breeze.

Applause was a constant companion to his tricks. He never let his smile cease, and I don't think he could have if he wanted to.

"For my finale, I shall pull a rabbit from my hat," he announced, to which many chuckles and groans responded. He raised his hands in admission. "I know, I know, it's cliche, but bear with me here, for you shall see what I add to this trick."

He went over to a table at his side, and removed the curtains of a cage, to reveal a small white bunny.

"Now, this is my friend, Jermichiah. How about you go say hi to the audience." The bunny hopped up to its cage, pawed at the lock and released itself, and jumped off of the table. It raised its paw, and waved. Already, rounds of applause started up.

"Jermichiah, are you ready?" James asked, obviously with genuine concern. The bunny looked at him, and nodded its head. It leaped back into the cage and waited patiently. James went to one of the kids in the audience, and asked if he could borrow the hat the little kid was wearing. Obtaining the hat, James reached inside, and I looked to see a hand coming from the top of the cage which the bunny was in. James' hand was far too deep inside the hat to be natural, and the hand in the cage was without a doubt his own.

The crowd pointed and gasped at the cage, seeing the displaced hand. The bunny was grabbed gently, and was raised to the top of the cage and out of the hat. I could not believe my eyes; what did I just see?

"Alright, I'm going to go give Jermichiah a chance to rest, and I'll let my friend Diana entertain you for a while," he announced.

I rushed over to him and spoke as quickly and quietly as I could. "Wait, what do I do? I can't do anything to entertain them."

"Tell them a story of your world," he suggested in the same manner. "Tell them of your life in the castle, maybe a story you were told as a child. Maybe read them a story. Teach them a game."

"But, I don't know what to do," I whispered. I turned around and grudgingly walked towards the stage.

I suddenly felt arms lightly wrap around me, and heard James whisper into my ear "you'll be fine," and he was gone. I had walked up the stage, and tried to do what I was told.

"Hello everyone, my name is Diana, and um, I'm going to tell you a story. But before you say anything, I want you to know this: it is a true one."

A number of gasps came from the audience. I waited until they finished, and I began my story.

"There once was a princess named Nyxus. She had ruled along side her sister Solace for years before. Despite her sister and her entire kingdom, there was not a more lonely soul than she. While the subjects of her land followed Solace, she had none. The people of her realm feared her, but loved her sister. Nyxus, in a bout of anger, pain, and loneliness, tried to force what she saw was a great gift upon her subjects, but it was only seen as a curse. And for it, she had been sent away.

She returned to the kingdom after many years, hoping that her gift might be accepted the second time around. It was met with retaliation, and failure. The people believed her to be dead from the second attempt, but she was merely hiding away. She saw the fear that she had created, and hated herself for it. But even more so, she saw how she could never be trusted, never be with anyone.

'Please, don't let me be alone anymore!' She cried out in the torment of her dreams. 'I never wanted to be alone, and now I am forever!'

'You are not, my child,' a voice from the unknown came. 'From this point on, you will never be alone'.

'Who are you?' Asked Nyxus.

'A friend, my dear Nyxus,' was the answer.

'I do not have any friends!' Nyxus screamed, tears stinging her eyes at the horrid truth.

'Until now, poor lost heart,' returned the hidden entity.

'What is your name, If I may ask?' The princess inquired.

'I am a wanderer,' came the reply. 'But if you wish to be more specific, then I am a magician. I have watched your tale, young monarch, and it fills me with such sorrow for any soul to be dealt such torture. Thus, I shall take you to a new world, one for which you will not be judged for your actions here, but for your actions from now on. A knight will await your arrival, and you must trust him with your life, as he will always be there to save it. He is the only one you should risk telling your tale to.'

'But will he not fear me?' Wondered the concerned princess.

'Neigh, my lonely liege. He will not. He will not care of your past, only of who you are now,' answered the magician. 'Now allow my spell to send you to another world.'

Nyxus awoke to see a creature unlike any she had ever seen. She also discovered that she was not of her original form, but of one not unlike the creature in front of her."

"I'm sorry, but how is this a true story?" Interrupted one of the children. "There isn't magic or monsters."

I tried to come up with an explanation for what he laid claim to. "James did magic earlier," I tried. It's not like I could have performed any magic right now.

"That wasn't real," the little one replied.

"And how do you know?" I asked.

"Because it can't be; magic isn't real," certainty was dripping in his voice.

I thought back to something I had heard from my father long ago. "To disbelieve is to make it false to your own mind. We live in a world we cannot easily explain, but what occurs happens whether we believe it or not. An open mind is the best one for this day and age."

I smiled as much of a real smile as I could towards the child, who seemed to accept my words.

"I think I should let my colleague entertain you for a while," I claimed as I noticed a person wearing a uniform carrying a book walk up to the stage. A couple of kids began to groan, but didn't move as I stepped from the raised platform.

I found James waiting for me by the exit of the kids section. He was smiling, but I couldn't understand why.

"What's so funny?" I asked, able to hear the agitation in my voice.

"You, thinking that you didn't know what you were doing," he almost giggled. "Nightmare, whether you knew it or not, you had those kids practically hypnotized by your words, and most of the adults. In fact, if I wasn't trying so hard to compare your story to your life, I would have been gone too."

I certainly didn't feel like that was what happened. "But, that one kid-"

"- Is a tough one to impress, and even harder to convince. He has been here more than once, and it is hard to get him to be surprised at anything," he interrupted. "And I saw how much he wanted to believe your story, in my magic, in anything and everything that the people perform. But his mom kind of hammered into his head that magic and stories aren't real."

"You know his mom?" I was surprised.

He smiled sadly. "So do you. It's Jane."

... Wow.

"Let's not think about that. Come on, we have about an hour left, so let's go check on some of the other customers," and I walked around the store, checking on any of the people inside. He left most of the customers to me, but was able to interrupt if I didn't know where exactly to go.

"I'm surprised you actually remember most of this store. Most people would have no idea where the bathroom is when they first try working here," James commented at one point.

"One and a half thousand years of practice does not hinder learning," I shrugged.

"... You know, I honestly forgot about that bit of your life," James uttered as his face was frozen in shock. I felt another wave of pain hit my heart.

"I wish I could," I moaned bitterly. James snaked his arm around my shoulder.

"I can never share your sorrow, but I'll be at your side nonetheless," he grinned. "Whether or not I can understand your grief, I shall give you a shoulder to cry on."

I honestly wanted to cry, but for James' sake, I only spoke; he had enough of me crying that day, no doubt. "Why? Why do you care so much? You have known me for around four days, most of that time was spent sleeping anyways. What did I ever deserve to have a someone to be there for me?"

He waited for a moment, and made to answer my question. "The universe isn't always about being fair, or being correct. Sometimes, sometimes the guilty go free, and what they do with it is their choice. Sometimes the best of people get the worst of fates. Sometimes, everyone needs someone to show them how to feel cared for."

"So them what does that make me?" I had to hear his reaction. If nothing else, then to keep me from crying once more.

Once again, he paused before speaking. "It makes you, a person given the worst of life, trying to get something out of it by getting others gratitude, and being punished for it by getting stuck with an idiot of a guy who is barely able to keep you from crying on an hourly basis."

Curses! I felt the tears begin to sting my eyes. And I was doing so well. "Yeah, you're kind of horrible at it," I let small tears crawl down my face, but I never let my smile drop. These were not tears of sadness, but of joy, of happiness. These were the kind of tears I would shed with James. "But you aren't a punishment, James. You know that right?"

"KNIGHT AND MAGRENITH TO THE WAREHOUSE, KNIGHT AND MAGRENITH TO THE WAREHOUSE!"

"What the heck was that?!" I nearly jumped out of my fur from the unknown sound. In fact, I imagine I would have, but James' arm was both literally and figuratively grounding me, so I was capable of maintaining my wit about me.

"That could be answered in two ways," James spoke drily. "The least accurate would be the intercom. It's a sound system running through the building, which allows the guys at the front to relay messages to other people in the rest of the store."

"... What's the other way to answer it?" Worry managed to creep into my tone.

"Trouble."


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"If it might end up badly, why don't we just ignore it?" I asked as we made our way towards the back of the store.

"Because it might actually be important," came James' reply. "As much as I doubt it being an actual call for us by Mr. Maublé, I'm not willing to risk it."

Customers in our path had decided to wisely move out of the way as we rushed away from the front entrance.

"Why is it so bad anyways?" It occurred to me that we were hustling for what could be nothing, so I added "and why are we running?"

We unfortunately did not slow down, but James did back up on his running so he could speak more clearly to me. "The store is about to close, to answer your first question. And for your second, I will give my first answer. The doors lock in three minutes, and not just the front doors. The night guard skips checking the warehouse on Mondays for, some quirk of his I guess. Anyways, if they shut down while we're in there, we'll have to spend the night."

"On the other hand, if we spent the night alone, together, it wouldn't hinder the belief that we are dating," I joked. James gave me a short laugh, but his face scrunched up in forced emotion.

"True, but tell me, would rather sleep next to me on the cold, concrete floor without any dinner before hand, or a nice, warm, bed with some good vegan food in your tummy?" He gave a sarcastic smile, but left me in confusion.

"Vegan? What does that mean?" I had to jump to the left to avoid colliding into a rack of books.

James  stared at me blankly for a millisecond, before nearly crashing into an aisle. He twisted out of the way in the nick of time, and smiled. "No meat."

"I like that idea," I smiled blissfully at the thought of not having to eat... You know what. "But as for the other bit, I'm going to use you as my bed either way. I won't be the one that has to worry about the comfort underneath."

There was a slight pause in the conversation. "... Crap," I heard James mutter. I got a good laugh from that. "But you wouldn't dare do anything to hurt your 'hunky piece of masculinity and manliness', now would you?" Oh, he was seriously asking for it.

I purposefully showed my slowing of pace, grinning how I imagined an evil mastermind would. "Try me," I challenged him.

But my attempts to trip him up were foiled, as we reached the warehouse by the time I tried slowing down.

A sign reading "employees only" hung on the door. James looked down at the contraption on his arm. "One minute," he groaned to himself.

We pushed through the doors to enter a room that I could only describe as seeming bigger on the inside than on the outside. Rows of aisles that appeared to be by the thousands that held objects of unknown purpose and origin in a near haphazardly manner lined the barely lit place. I could not believe my eyes at the sight.

"No people here," James muttered. "Which means..." His entire body stiffened. "Nightmare, get to the door, now!" James commanded me. I rushed to hold the door, but it swung shut. I heard a click, which I learned meant a door locked, and it didn't take a genius to figure out which door it was.

"James, we're stuck here, aren't we." I moaned. To be honest, I never wanted James to feel uncomfortable, but it now seemed unavoidable.

"I think so," he hung his shoulders dejectedly, but rose them up just as quickly. "Or maybe not!" He started searching his pockets, and gasped in elation as he removed three cylinders. He quickly put them together, forming what looked like a woodwind recorder, but with a series of lights and wires that gave it a futuristic appearance. He played a short number of notes, aiming at the lock mechanism, and I heard a click, meaning we were free.

"What is that?" It seemed like a reasonable question.

"My fifth happy birthday present," He answered swiftly.

"You were given a lock breaker at five years old?" Came my uneasy voice.

A twinkle in his eyes told me that maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. "No, it's an inside joke. A 'happy number' is a number that can have the squares of the digits added, then repeating the action over and over again until it becomes one. My fifth 'happy birthday' was when I turned nineteen. So I've only had this thing for a while." 

I stared at his hand. "What is it? It looked like something the Doctor had, but it wasn't activated through the mouth and didn't play music."

He smiled slyly. "It's a sonic recorder, the only 'sonic' tool the Doctor ever made that actually made sense to be sonic. The draw back is that I have to play certain notes in order to activate it in certain ways, so he thought I would have more use of it, with him always in a hurry and such. I'm still uncertain about some of the command keys to be honest. Now come on, it's time to eat."

We ran back to the entrance to the store, which was a lot farther than it would have been deemed reasonable. He played his recorder again, and the front doors swung open. After exiting, he played a different set of notes to lock the door.

As we got into the car, James stopped moving and stared at the store. I followed his gaze to the light-up sign, which had many of the letters not working in an eerie manner.

BAND  RSN        H  WO   DER           EM  OR  UM

"James?" I tried snapping him out of his deep thought. He shook his head and smiled at me. We got into the car and made our way to what I guessed to be the vegetarian restaurant.


> Eclipsed
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Nightmare's Point Of View)

"James?" I groaned quietly to the comfy creature underneath me. A few moments of absolute silence filled the room, bringing an eerie feeling within my mind. I was about to call out again, when I felt a sudden shiver from underneath me, and within a few seconds, a drowsy voice answered my call.

"Huh?" Came the moan that could have come from the recently woken dead.

"I can't sleep," I muttered. A mirthless gasp, followed by a breath of understanding emanated from my semi-conscious friend. The land which I laid upon shuffled, changing the geography until I fould myself in a seated position, with arms wrapped around my body and my head in the crook of James' neck.

"What's on your mind, Nighty?" Asked he, whose voice reverberated soothingly through my form.

"I'm not sure; I just can't stop thinking about today," I uttered, desperation creeping into my tone. "I mean, this sort of thing has never happened to me before," my voice was beginning to become very fatigued, my thoughts sluggish.

"Which part? Coming to a new world? Getting a job? Being forced into a fake relationship with the guy you are sleeping with?" I could almost hear the smile in those last words, but I could not understand the joke. My head nodded in agreement anyway.

"All of it," I rubbed my arms subconsciously. "Making a friend, ponies, people, not running from me, having an actual choice in what I do with my life without mobs coming after me. This is all new to me."

James' arms slid from around my waist and made their way up to my neck. I was about to inquire what he was doing before I felt pressure where my neck and shoulders met. I gasped at the sharp pain, wondering why he would hurt me, too shocked to ask aloud. He released almost instantly, and the pain was replaced with a much more pleasant feeling. He squeezed again, and I felt less agony than before, but definitely more pleasure as he let go.

He repeated this over and over, changing where his hands were, but never leaving my neck, as he spoke. "I'm not sure this is normal for anyone, going to an alien universe, all that was once known now in a distant world. I need you to stop tensing up," The last sentence came from out of nowhere, but I attempted to do as he asked.

"Everything is happening so fast," I mumbled. "Already, I have done over one-hundred things I never did back in my universe, things I could have never conceived. What if I can't keep up with all of it? What if I lose myself in it? I don't even know the first thing about being like you and already I'm thought to be among your people. What if everything comes crashing down if someone realizes I'm not like you?"

A pregnant pause between the two of us, ignoring my forced breaths that came from James was doing to my neck muscles. He eventually stopped clutching me and rewrapped his arms around me.

"I can't say, but I do know that I won't let something like that happen to you." He promised. "Everything that has happened to you, they not simple things, no matter how you look at the,. But when the dust settles, you are given a second chance at life; that is what matters right now. You may not have much time to adjust, but I guess that is what I'm here for."

"How are you not worried over everything that has happened to you?" I asked with an odd touch of hope.

"If you think I'm not concerned with your problems, I am. I want to help you in any way possible, but I don't know how. On the other hand, if you mean why am I not disturbed by a magical, flying, talking, black furred, tattooed pony that has the ability to enter my dreams and me enter her dreams, then I assure you, I'm freaking out. I'm just trying my hardest to accept what's going on."

"... Oh," I lost the hope that he had some convenient answer to not worrying about this. "How do you accept it?"

"By remembering that crazier things have happened to me," my friend replied vaguely. "By reminding myself that I need to stay strong for you, and I can worry about how strange this is another time because you need me here and now. That you are nothing less than any other living, sentient creature, and that you are my friend. I tell myself how much the world needs me to grow up, how to keep a clear head, how much everything that I am certain of means to me."

"And that actually helps?" Skepticism was quite evident in my words.

A sound which I could only describe as a bark of laughter echoed in the room. "No, not much. But neither does getting yourself worked up over what you don't control. Life is not easy, and while I am willing to admit yours is quite a special case, we all shall find a way to overcome it."

"So, there is no simple way to deal with this?" I felt my shoulders sag, though with less tension thanks to what James did only moments ago.

"It's never easy, Nighty," a soft, deep purring from behind me traveled through me. "Life never is. But if it helps, then just remember that the best spoils are of the best labor. With great work, comes great gifts."

I felt a vacancy behind my back and flattened myself out almost instinctively, finding my head once again resting on James' chest. Something began tugging lightly at my mane as the blanket which had slid down to my waist now recovered all but my head. "I don't know what to tell you. I could say so many things to you but you need to forge your own path. I can't encourage you to do one thing or another, that is for you to decide."

I nickered at the last words. "You sound like my father. Why do I need to find my own way? Why can't I have someone let me share their own?" I almost jumped at the harshness of my tone, my blood running cold as I felt the body below grow rigid. "I'm sorry, that wasn't fair to you."

"We all lose control sometimes," Came the words which could have just as easily been used by a wise man. "Just make sure you can find some way to come back."

I listened to his words, barely able to process what he said. He just, accepted my words. He didn't get angry, he just, he took them.

"No," I whispered, half to myself.

There was a brief pause, before he asked. "I'm sorry?"

"No," I spoke more firmly this time.

"Nightmare, is something wrong?" He spoke more hesitantly.

"Why?" I directed this specifically at him.

"Why... What?" He was slow in his question.

My voice grew timid as I asked him the question. "Why aren't you angry?"

"... At?" His hanging statements were getting on my nerves.

What do you mean 'who at'? My mental yelling was dripping with sarcasm and aggression.

"Me," I answered.

"I really don't-" he tried.

"Stop!" I honestly wanted to scream at him. "Stop this right now!" I felt myself shake uncontrollably. I was keenly aware of the tears that began to roll down my face once more.

"What did I do?" His voice still calm after I yelled at him. I rolled over so I could look directly into his eyes, which still managed to remain unaffected. He continued to look at me with concern, and nothing less.

"Nothing," I whispered harshly. His eyes remained steady, never straying from my face, nor with a light in them other than the utmost desire to help. "And that's the problem."

"I don't understand," he raked my mane delicately with his fingers. I brushed them away half heartedly. 

"Why aren't you scared?" I growled lividly at him. "You're holding it back all of it. You want to be scared, but you aren't. You want to be angry, but you can't. Why don't you let go? Feel something for yourself! Stop holding it in! Let me know what you are feeling! I am screaming at you for no reason and yet all you can do is wonder how you can help me!"

"Nightie," he tried to calm me once more, but I had had enough.

"Why aren't you doing anything against me?" Rage at his lack of such thoughts arrived in a spitting sting in my furious rant. "So far, I have not seen you once lose your temper beyond how you reacted towards Max.  Isn't that anger welling up? Don't you want to do something?"

He was holding back. Anything and everything that he could have done, and he chose to hold back. I could guess his anger was swelling, he was keeping it inside instead of letting it out. Building up anger, only releasing it when it had become too much to bear, instead of freeing it before it grows. I had seen that before. I, I had been that before. I can help him, I thought with certainty. Just this once, I can help him. I can keep him from becoming me.

But how to do it?

"Do you want to become me?" I let my volume die down, my tone more motherly. "Do you want to become the lost soul that shattered because she let everything be unvoiced until it destroyed her?"

He tried to argue. "You aren't that, Night-"

"Yes, I am," I interrupted sharply. "That was how I was made. That was how I grew. That is who I am. But you aren't. Let your wrath be known and gone before it hurts you."

"No," his hand began to climb up the side of my body towards my shoulders. "I can't."

"Can't, or won't?" I snapped. " If you don't, it will only bring you agony. Just show me how you are feeling, what you are truly feeling. I don't care if you yell at me, I can take it. But I can't stand to see you broken, in so much pain, especially when I could have done something to help. Please, just do something, before you hurt yourself, before you hurt me, before- Omph!" I failed to continue as James pulled me into an embrace, my mouth connected to the pillow which James rested his head on.

"Sh," James hushed me, letting my tears, no surprise, fall onto the cloth casing. "Please be calm, Nightmare."

"Then tell me what you are feeling!" My words were muffled by the pillow.

"I'm tired. I'm scared. I'm angry," came his simple words. "I'm tired of trying to stay strong for you when it feels like my world could shatter at any moment. I'm scared that of I let go for one second then I might not be able to bring you back. I'm angry that, every single time it seems like I'm able to help you with your pain, a new one comes to haunt me. Not only that, but the more recent pains are, at least partially my fault."

After several moments, I noticed a particular wetness on my face that didn't come from my tears. I lifted my head up to see thin lines of water flow from James' eye to the bed.

"Why- why are you crying?" I felt compelled to ask.

"Like I said," James was shaky in his words, but comprehensible. "I was trying to stay strong for you."

"Then don't," I shifted so that I now lay beside him, instead of on top.

He attempted to argue. "But I keep feeling like you need me to-"

"No," I shook my head, grabbed one of his hands, and squeezed it. "I need you, and nothing more. Don't be strong for me, I already know you are. I just need you. Now let me help you, please. Tell me whatever you need to let off of your chest." Where the words were coming from, I had no idea. Maybe it's where James has all of his healing words. But it mattered little.

"Fine," he took a shaky breath, and began. "I, I don't even know how anything happened. That you randomly pop into my life, that what seems like every five hours I have to comfort you, that suddenly I'm in a fake relationship with a girl that I've known for less than four days, most of which at least one of us was unconscious, and yet almost every night you are sleeping on top of me. How much longer until I lose myself? Do I even want to know the answer?"

"I, I don't know," I felt dejected. Every single time I cried, I had James to bring me something that could show me the way back. But the one time he needs me, I'm useless.

"No, you're not Nighty," promised James, answering what I guessed what I was thinking. "Sometimes, listening is as good as any speech."

"And for the rest, a single word would be better than some pitiful lack of things to say." I snarl.

"I'm not sure," he responds. "I would rather have someone listen to my problems then trying to tell me how to fix them."

My face contorts into confusion. "Then why don't you do that to me?"

He snickered at himself. "Yeah, I guess that makes me a hypocrite. To be honest though, it seems more like you prefer to have me try and help. But if that is not the case, I can stop, if you like."

I contemplated his proposition for a few seconds. "I think," I paused momentarily. "I would prefer it if you continued to give advice."

"So long as I'm not a bother," his smile broadened.

"You always seem to know what to say," I mumbled. "Why can't I just do that for you? For once, I want to be the one who is the one who helps. Why can't I just be like you?"

"Then you wouldn't be you, Nighty," he spoke sternly. "If I were to not follow my own path, I would not be me. I have my own life to live, just as you have your own. One and a half thousand years you've lived with another soul, both taking the same road and warring with each other. Now, you don't have that other voice in your mind. You are an individual now, with your own life and world. The question is, where will you take it?"

His caesura was quick, but felt like millennia. "And who says that you aren't helpful? You're letting your ears bleed as I lecture myself hoarse," we both titter at the joke. "But in all seriousness, you are helpful. Heck, if you didn't force me to speak my mind just now, I would likely have blown a couple fuses tomorrow. Now the only thing that will make me explode is if Eric decided to try to 'help' us date."

"Why?" I wondered aloud.

"Sorry?" Once again, I discovered his inability to read minds, and I voiced my opinion.

"Why would you have only become enraged now? You've been stuck with people you didn't like for a while; why, all of a sudden, would you lose your self control?" I left my last fear out. Is it my fault?

"Because of what's going to happen tomorrow," he answered vaguely.

As he finished the last sentence, I could sense that he was about to lose consciousness. I wanted to keep talking to him, but I could tell he was spent. He slipped away, and I heard his last thoughts before he went into my realm.

How much longer?

I didn't understand the question. Without any context, it could have meant anything. I mulled over the different interpretations as I laid unmoving on top of James.

How much longer does he have to deal with me? No, that wouldn't be like him at all. How much longer does he have left to sleep? Maybe, it's a possibility. How much longer is one thing compared to the next? I doubt it. How much longer until something dark and inevitable happens that could possibly foreshadow events that would have a negative impact on the outcome of his and or my life?

... Would he even bother thinking that?

And what was he talking about when he mentioned tomorrow?

As each idea came to mind, I felt myself grow more and more drowsy. I was eventually capable of yawning, until I lost myself to rest.


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"Nightmare," James asked carefully, his voice echoing from the dream state.

I found myself on a cold stone floor, not unlike the one from my old castle. I lifted my gaze to see James reaching his arm out, offering assistance for me to stand up. I notice the room was a mimicry of the throne room; the one I tarnished all of those years before. Somehow, it regained its former glory, glistening banners and well-oiled armor outfits standing guard over the two thrones. The ground itself gave a miraculous reflection from polishing, the crystalline chandelier hanging grandly in the oversized court room.

In short, it felt wrong.

It was too perfect. I never let myself remember it this way. I could only allow myself to wallow in pity at the shattered throne room, which represented the rupture of mine and my sister's rule.

I took his hand and steadied myself on two legs.

"It's, it is my old throne room," I told James. "But, it hasn't been this way for so long. It's too, clean."

"I'm guessing that this is your dream we're in, then," my companion gave a quick glance around the room. "It is a beautiful room. I can't wait to see how the rest of the palace looks."

Oh, do not worry, a low, feminine voice reverberated. You will not have to for long.

"Oh... Kay," James spoke tentatively. "That isn't creepy."

A dark chuckle came. Then you, my poor James, the voice spoke mockingly. Are not very attentive.

James' sneer quickly followed. "It's called sarcasm. Now how about you be a good little whatever-you-are, and show yourself."

A sharp intake of breath was delivered from the disembodied speaker. Good? I know of no such good. I am a creature of the-

James waved a hand in the air. "You know, if you're about to go into a monologue, how about we just cut to the chase," he spoke drily.

SUCH INSOLENCE! boomed the unknown. Almost immediately, it began to giggle. I can see why she chose you. But no matter; she will not have you anyway. You shall be long gone by the time-

"If you don't mind, how about you tell us who you are?" I interrupted.

Why should I, Nightmare Moon of the Lunar Reich? asked the voice precisely. When you already know who I am. I am you, Nightmare Moon, and by that right, everything you have shall become mine. Starting with HIM!

A shadow came to life in the center of the room, ten feet off of the ground. A great sphere of red and black swirled until it revealed the outline of an alicorn. Its body was covered with black flame, eyes peircing white, and teeth gleaming like a predator. A snarl like that of a rabid dog escaped its lips, and it began to howl, the head towards the ceiling.

It charged at James. It was getting closer. I needed to do something, but there was no time. It was only meters away.

No! I screamed in my head. But right before the creature made impact, James threw up his hand, blue fire catching the demented alicorn in the jaw, sending it reeling back almost thirty yards. The impact caused the stones to shatter. James took a solid step, slamming his foot on the ground. The broken tiles shot upward, catching the limbs of the would-be assailer in a earthen trap. The shadowy entity growled gutturally.

"Let me get this straight," James gestured as if to lower something. "She is an evil entity of you, an evil entity of Luna? Why does this sound like an M. Night Shamalan movie?"

"A what?" I asked, not catching the reference.

"Never mind." He shook his head. "I'd actually rather not put you through that kind of torture anyways." He walked up to the captured alicorn like creature. "Who are you, really?"

Your worst nightmare, she grunted.

James appeared ready to burst into laughter. "So," he had to stop to release a few snickers. "You're Batman?"

This time, both I and the wraith stared at James blankly. He could not contain himself further and began to roll on the floor with mirth. After a few moments, he calmed down.

What is going on with you? I asked mentally. Of course he did not hear me.

"Sorry, but can we call you something else?" He asked earnestly. "I prefer to only call one person a nightmare at a time, and that spot is being taken up by the other woman in this dream."


The shadowy figure displaced itself from the enclosure, reappearing in the center of the throne room. Very well, she smiled darkly. If you so wish, you can spend the rest of your numbered hours calling for mercy of Phobetor, the goddess of nightmares!

"Wait," James once again called for a pause. "Wasn't Phobetor a male spirit?" Silence hung between the three of us.

Alright, he's going to die, swore Phobetor.

She charged once more. James began to back up, and continued doing so. She was almost upon him, but he vanished in a shroud of white mist. It swiftly took to my side, coalescing into James once more.

Phobetor, on the other hand, was using her hoof to rub her muzzle. She whirled around, and charged up her horn. The chandelier began to groan, until every single glass crystal flew straight at us. I felt an arm around my waist, then the whooshing of air as James forcibly rolled the two of us out of the way, quickly taking stance, with the glass shards revolving around him, melting and shaping themselves into a giant bubble.

A soothing steam enveloped all three of the beings in the room. James and I looked to find ourselves in the place of Phobetor, with the nightmare spirit trapped in the glass as James looked on intently. I felt something hook around my leg, screaming out in surprise as a vine latched onto it, dragging my toward the window. James turned his eyes to me, shock and anger visible in a haggard expression.

Everything happened at once. From what I could gather, James decimated the glass bubble with a flick of his head, and glided at a speed beyond the capacity of the naked eye. The still-falling shards would have cut him, but he moved so quickly that the air friction was so great that it reached the glass' melting point. He swung a fist at the un reactive Phobetor, throwing her through about twenty stone walls. He used what remained of the walls to change direction. The vines snapped from a stone spire which created a hole a tree almost a quarter of a mile away. James ran up the wall, snatching me in mid fall. He turned around as he began to feel the effect of gravity, and ran back down the wall with me in his arms. He decimated the cobble stones that lay under his feet.

He stood back up, and slowly placed me on my feet. His arms wrapped around me, his entire body trembling from the exertion and fear. What could have been twenty seconds, he just stood there, embracing me. The arms eventually undid themselves, and he moved back just enough for me to catch his eye.

They were glowing golden. The light faded within a millisecond, but I was certain that they shimmered.

"Are you okay?" He asked worriedly, dusting me and otherwise obsessing over my wellbeing.

"I'm fine," I answered calmly despite the shock in my head. 

"Good," he smiled kindly. He let go of me, and began marching towards Phobetor, who just began to attempt to move. "Try to hurt her again, and I will not hold back. Do you understand?" He began using profanity, something I had not heard from James before. He was clearly scared and angry about me. "If you so much as hurt one cell upon her, I will not hesitate to END. YOU! Am I clear?"

Was he threatening to kill her? I knew he was pissed, but to swear to take a life...

I will have my revenge! the dark, demented mare made an oath.

"If you try," James scowled icily. "Then you better pray to whatever gods you believe in that there is an afterlife, because even they will not stop me from removing you from this life." He turned around, took my hand, and we exited through the giant throne room door.


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"Would you really?" I asked carefully to James as we marched though the corridors. He was still fuming about the incident which occurred not twenty minutes ago, and it was starting to worry me.

"Would I really what?" His voice was surprisingly calm and gentle, despite his agitation.

"Would you really kill her?" I finished my question. He stopped for a moment.

He opened his mouth, but closed it right after. He opened it again, but no sound came out. Finally, he hung his head. "I don't know," his tone was on the verge of tears. "I've never felt that much anger before. I've come close, but I wasn't willing to hurt the offenders. But now, I've just promised to kill a sentient being, whether it be to protect, or avenge you. I don't know."

"James, look at me," I commanded. His eyes pierced into my own, as if trying to find some answer to what was going on. "James...." I struggled to find something to say that would help him, but nothing came. Instead, a strange word echoed from in front of us.

"Minute! Minute!

"What is that?" I asked. James only looked on in horror.

"Stir! Nate! More! Eggs!"

"No," I heard James whisper. "No."

"Stir! Egg! Nom! Minster Eggs!"

"What's going on?" I pleaded worriedly. James began to make his way in front of me, forcing me behind himself.

The sounds came from a strange metallic container with a few metal bits sticking out. A blue light from the top moved to look at us.

"Eggs. Stir. Men. Ate." it struggled to say, it's low robotic voice almost pitiful. "Eggster. Minute."

"Stay away from her!" Came the wild cry from James.

"EXTERMINATE!!!" it cried. "EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATE!!!"

"Don't you dare hurt her!" James' eyes began to twitch.

"EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATE!!!" the pitch of the screaming rose with each word. "EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATE!!!"

"What is it?" I felt idiotic for asking, but I could not make heads or tails of the overturned-tin can.

"EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATE!!! EXTERMINATE!!!"

Suddenly, it stopped its rant. It stayed silent for what could have been days.

"No. More." It grunted slowly. The last two words came almost forced.

"... What?" James seemed surprised at this.

"EXTERMINATE. NO. MORE." it cried out. "EXTERMINATE NO MORE! EXTERMINATE NO MORE! EXTERMINATE. NO. MORE!

"What is it doing?" James looked on in amazement. The creature pointed a metal rod at a wall. Light blasted out of it, and behind lay a passage way I had long forgotten.

"Run." It grunted. "Run like the Doctor. Run and do not dare look back. Run."

"Why are you doing this?" James asked skeptically.

"Because. I. Can." It answered firmly. "Run, Guardian of the Moon. Run, Tamer of the Beast. Run, Saviors of the True Dalek Empire." It turned its attention to behind us, and continued at its slow pace, continuing to chant. "EXTERMINATE NO MORE! EXTERMINATE NO MORE! EXTERMINATE NO MORE!"

"Come on," James tugged at my hand. We ran down the hallway, torches lighting our way. We passed many halls on our trek through the corridor. I of course, took the lead, my memory pointing me in the direction of the entrance.

We had eventually escaped the long walkway, to find ourselves in a gargantuan room, but not the one I was expecting. In front of us lay a giant glowing orb, the only prominent feature within the vast hall.

"What is it?" I spoke our shared question.

Suddenly, the cries of a hunting animal sounded from a little ways behind us. Hooves in gallop from the passage we had just left.

"I don't think we have time to find out," James answered worriedly. We rushed over to it, hands outstretched. On instinct, we reached out for it.

Then: nothing.

> The Black Moon
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

(James Point of View)

Consumed in nothing but darkness, I reached my hand out blindly in the general direction of where I remember Nightmare was. I made contact with what felt like skin, and grasped and groped in order to get a grip. I was certain that what I held in my hands was a human body, more specifically Nightmare's, and I dragged it towards me. I wrapped my arms around a torso and embraced my friend as we were pulled in some direction.

A Dalek that saved, I rolled the idea around in my head. 'Exterminate no more'. What would give it that idea? And what did it call Nightmare and I again? The guardian and the tamer? Did Nightmare and I have something to do with it?

Or is this all just part of some cross between my dream and hers?

I felt Nightmare and I continued to fall through the void. It was strange; there was no true gravity, in the sense that there was a distinct lack of the overbearing drag of it. And yet, I was almost certain something was pulling the two of us towards some unknown direction. Blackness swirled in front of my eyes, the only colors I could see were the strange, inexistant dots of vibrant tintures which danced in my vision in low light.

Suddenly, there was ground underneath me. Light blared in my eyes, blinding me momentarily. A weight shifted in my arms, but only faintly so. I was on my feet, and carrying something, or more likely someone, bridal style. I could tell I wore shoes, socks, boxers, tshirt, and jeans; I could not discern their appearance.

When I could open my eyes, I saw that it was, indeed, Nightmare, that I was bearing. She wasn't conscious, which I found odd considering it was a dream. I was within a forest, which I would describe as tropical or jungle-like. There was no perceptible path around us, nor any signs of a stream or lake. Bird calls I had never heard before repeated throughout the wooded area. Bugs zipped around, but thankfully not anywhere near Nightmare or I.

I began to mumble aloud about my surroundings. "Hm, high precipitation levels, thick tree tops, possibly a rainforest. Popcorn cumulus clouds suggest this is true. Ooh, an Aracari toucan, meaning were likely in the Amazon. No signs of deforestation, so it's either wrong time or deep within. Actually, no signs of any human life; no clean cuts, footprints.  Where, where are we?"

"Are you so foolish to ask such an obvious answer?" a familiar female voice called out. "Why, it is only your worst nightmare!"

I turned to face a woman I had never seen before, but easily recognized as the spirit of nightmares. She maintained a hair a few shades darker than Nightmare, the side bangs curled in large loops. A dress which I assumed was made of smoke billowed around her, the dark clouds so thick that I could not see beyond them, likely a good thing. It reached the floor easily and covered up to where her arms and shoulders met. Her facial features were smooth, contrasting the very poisonous glare I was given. Her skin was the color of bronze, and her eyes resembled the bright purple flashes within certain lightning storms.

"Phobetor," I smiled as if seeing an old friend. "So nice to see you again."

She sneered like a overconfident bully. "I'm certain it is." A smile began to form on her lips. It wasn't the kind of smile that told you that she was feeling happy inside, that she was taking pleasure from your presence. No, it was more of the kind that told you to get the heck out of there before she attempted to molest you. I, being a huge idiot, did not take heed.

I bent my knees slowly, and set Nightmare on the ground as gently as I could. I then put myself in between the two girls, hoping that I didn't appear too pathetic.

"Where are we?" I repeated my question, this time with the intent of getting it answered.

"Did you not hear me the first time?" the spirit attempted to take a step forward, but fell on her face instantly. She yelped in surprise, her body splayed on the ground awkwardly. Smoke quickly covered her body from head to toe, and shaped into an uneven column. The smoke, of course, cleared to reveal a shaken Phobetor, whose cheeks were as red as magma. She grinned weakly, as if trying to save face. "As I said, this place is your worst nightmare."

"No, no, I heard you," I spoke drily. "I meant, where in my worst nightmares are we, because this certainly isn't one of them."

A blood-curdling cackle was released by the literal spawn of a Nightmare. "That may be. But if it is not already among your darkest of fears," she gave a pause for dramatics. "Then it soon will be!"

"That is so reassuring," I tried to force the sarcasm into my tone, but she failed to react. Apparently, this girl did not understand the existence of sarcasm, so it would only make sense that I would use it as much as possible. "I'll be honest: if this is supposed to be my worst nightmare, then you really know nothing about me."

"Oh, I think I do," she chuckled cockily. "But you will be the judge of that soon enough. You see, this is no ordinary forest. This is a place I personally call the 'Demented Haven,' and it happens to be one of my favorite parts of this realm of dreams."

I studied her for a bit. "While I admit that does sound like an awesome name, I still don't understand where it places us. And again, why am I here?"

Her eyes grew serious. "You should know better than to ask questions you do not want the answer to," she blinked, and her irises were replaced with that of a snake. "This is the place where your fears are realized. It is the place where your inner demons come to live, where they fester and grow before they use you to their own will. For the past few decades, your terror of who you might become, your anguish of what has happened, your hatred towards the evil you've seen in yourself and the world, have all been awaiting the day you would walk up to their doorstep, served on a silver platter."

She licked her lips in a disturbing manner, not that the situation could not be considered disturbing.

"Too bad my skin tone only works with bronze," I jeered. She stared blankly at me, which I ignored. "Tell me, what happened to Nightmare?"

"She is in her own nightmare right now," Phobetor announced with glee. Far too much glee for me to be comfortable.

I contemplated over what she said for a moment. Nightmare is, no offense intended, somewhat of a scared-y cat. Honestly, I think she could be frightened of her own shadow. That being mentioned, said shadow happens to be scaring the crap out of me, so I should probably change that metaphor.

I pondered what otherwise terrorized her. Abandonment, predators, betrayal.

Wait! 

Betrayal. But what kind? I mean, sure, she was horrified when she thought I was going to eat her. But, what I've seen her have a nightmare of, the only time I've seen her dream, wasn't because other ponies were traitors, it was-

No.

No, it can't be.

"What have you done?!" I roared. A bright gleam in Phobetor's eye flashed towards me.

"Oh, so you know where she is then, don't you?" she purred. "Too bad there isn't a thing in the world you can do to save her!" She gave a sick frown, pouting like a woman in an insane asylum might in order to mock the orderly.

"RELEASE HER IMMEDIATELY, FOUL DEMON!" I boomed. She only waggled her finger at me.

"Temper, temper," she patronized. "You are never going to keep your girlfriend with that kind of talk. Then again, even if you change your attitude, you won't get to see her!"

"Let. Her. Go!" I huffed. I drew my recorder from my pocket an brought it to my lips. "While I might regret it later, I will not restrain myself if I feel it necessary to use this."

She simply laughed at me.

"What are you going to do?" she asked as sinister giggles interrupted her speech. "Call a dog with that stick of a whistle?"

I blew a quick set of notes. A single fire ball shot out of it, hitting the tree only inches from Phobetor's face. She gazed at it with both shock and awe, before throwing her attention back to me. She stared surprised, and lightly hurt, at my expression.

"Test me again," I warned. "And the next shot won't intentionally miss. I suggest that you return Nightmare to her body immediately, or I will incinerate you in a furnace."

"While I am hurt that you would think to injure, me of all ponies, do you think that your petty demands will get you anywhere with me?" she asked rhetorically. I could only watch as she snapped her fingers, and my recorder turned to dust. I figured something like that would happen, but still, it bothered me. I was about to try a physical assault, but I held back.

Calm down, yelling isn't going to save her, I tried to reason with myself. You know that you never planned on hurting Phobetor anyways. You can save Nightmare, but you have to keep yourself under control. This is one time and place that you can't use violence. If you hurt Phobetor... Collateral damage... Nightmare.

If direct threats don't work with her, perhaps reasoning might.

"Alright, answer me this," I called out, knowing it would only hurt my heart further if I were to discuss Nightmare's condition. "You said you wanted me to be fed to the night terrors, yet you also want me for yourself. Why would you want me to go to them? Won't that just kill me?"

She cackled. "Do you honestly believe I am going to let some simple fears take your life? Oh no, my dear James, I am going to be the one that has that special pleasure. I simply want you them to, soften you up."

"That isn't at all gross," I gagged.

"Glad to hear you agree," she moaned. "But soon it won't matter. You will end up bowing to me, praising me, thanking me and honoring me in all of my glory, whether or not you comprehend the situation!"

"Yeah, that's not gonna happen," I spoke slowly, almost hesitantly.

"And why, exactly, not, my dear James?" she reached a hand out, coming close to a tree, before slamming her palm into it, making the tree crumble. "What could you possibly do to escape this fate? You are nothing compared to me. I am a god. You are an insect that desires to be squashed. I am a queen. You are the child who watches helplessly as his parents burn in a flame that I ordered so that you would grow up helpless and homeless on the street, only for your life to be taken by my hand when all you've loved has been stolen. I am power, you are nothing. I am life, you don't even exist. I hold the universe, you are the speck of dust that no one even sees. What do you think you are beyond a useless urchin in the vast ocean?"

I found her speech to be mildly entertaining, if not outright insulting. It was pretty much the same thing any other tyrant would say.

I focused on my voice so that the projection would be on par with hers. "What I am is of little consequence. However, what you claim to have and what you have shown me vary greatly. I have only seen one thing, and it does not impress me."

"And what, might I ask, is it you see?" her tone was little more than a groan, any signs of joy or mercy lacking.

"Words," I announced calmly. " and I fear no words, Phobetor. Words are all I have heard and seen of you. I do not quiver in terror of voices, I do not run from thoughts. Your words are empty, your words are wasted, your words are nothing."

"I shattered your flute with a snap of my fingers," she argued. "Who is to say the same will not occur with the snap of your spine?"

"It is a recorder," I corrected. "And you have done nothing to me worth mentioning. It's almost disappointing, really."

"What are you saying, impudent whelp?" she growled, her eyebrows rising.

I strengthened the intensity of my gaze. "I'm saying, Phobetor, that you claim to be a great entity, a god. Now, whether or not that is true, you have done nothing with it worth honoring. Torturing souls? Attacking without cause, without means, without end? Thinking yourself so high and mighty that you feel you have the right to make living creatures your personal entertainment?"

"Hold your tongue, worm!" the dress around her began to grow in size, and her body rose off of the ground.

My onslaught continued anyway. "I have met gods before. I've stood my ground against the great Zeus. I fought along side Osiris and Pluto in the War of Lost Souls. I tricked Loki into his own trap. I have walked with Quetzalcoatl to the Astral Planes, traded blows with Susano."

"Does this lead to a point?" her teeth gleamed in the sunlight, sharp as swords.

I gave a deep sigh, the long speech taking a lot of breath. "The thing is, in knowing these gods, I have noticed that they do not think themselves mightier than men. They do not hold themselves above what they consider to be 'lesser creatures.' That very concept is vacant in many of their minds, and would get you destroyed on the spot by others."

"Then they waste their gifts," Phobetor glanced condescendingly at a bug on the tree. "They should be spending their time making use of their abilities! An insect which makes use of your home is at your mercy, and you choose whether to ignore it, or crush it!" She attempted to smash the bug with her finger, but I grabbed her hand. She glowered at me.

"They are busy doing what they swore to do one thousand years ago, still fighting for their beliefs," I retorted. "They are making use of their powers, defending what they believe in. They are out there, protecting the lives of millions, fighting for their subject's free will."

"And if they fail? If all of their warring is in vain, what then?" she snarled.

"Then they would be remembered fighting along side their kin, written in history as the fallen hero, the gods of virtue. However, you, you are no god, you are no hero. You think that, with more power, you deserve what you desire, that you have all of the right in the universe to take what isn't your own. That your strength justifies for you to get respect. The way I see it, respect isn't given for those with high power. It is given to those in high regard, who earned their place. You have done none of that!"

"I have every right to get your respect!" she screeched.

"You have no right to it. You are no god, you are no spirit. You are insignificant and the last soul any would deem worthy of power!" I hissed, turning my back on her. I bent down, and picked up Nightmare, and continued walking, Phobetor whining all of the way.

"I am a god! Do not ignore me! Without me, you are nothing! Do you understand? Nothing!"

I noticed that the sky was losing its light. I lifted my head to find the sky go into an eclipse. I averted my gaze quickly, not wanting to become blinded by the lunar-solar alignment. I picked up my pace, careful not to bounce too much for my friend's sake.

"DO YOU WANT THE GOD OF NIGHTMARES, JAMES WILLIAM KNIGHT?" a darker version of Phobetor's voice echoed through the woods. "I WILL GIVE YOU THE GODDESS OF NIGHTMARES. YOU WILL SOON KNOW ME AS YOUR ONE AND ONLY MASTER, YOUR QUEEN, YOUR EVERYTHING! YOU WILL BOW DOWN TO ME IF IT IS THE LAST THING YOU ARE CAPABLE OF DOING IN YOUR MISERABLE LIFE! YOU WILL BE MINE!!!"

"Drama queen," I muttered under my breath. I wove through the forest, able to avoid each foot trap and branch with relative ease. I remained oblivious to the lack of light from the sun, relying on my basic instincts to guide me through the woods. My heart was racing, adrenaline coursing through my veins. I was thankful for taking track and field in high school, and all of the running for my life spent with the Doctor.

By the end of the first hour, I was losing my fortitude. My pace rapidly slowed, keeping the reserved energy intact if I needed to escape quickly. My body was trembling, the trek taking its toll. My senses were on overload, searching for any signs of danger. I heard the snap of a branch to my left, and swiveled in place to be staring back at the eyes of a Worg. I backed up slowly, but the wolf followed me. It continued to strut towards me, before doing the one thing I was afraid it would do: it started to stand up.

Its body started to stand vertically, the lupine form becoming more humanoid. The claws extended even further, the body extending. I wasn't just facing a wolf. It was a Lychanthrope. To use a more colloquial term, I was standing face to face with a werewolf.

"Well, I'm screwed," I grumbled, fully aware of how much I feared these things. Werewolves were never my favorite mythic animals, and were definitely not one I'd want to meet in a dark forest. The problem I had with these things was the concept of losing control. To forget everything you loved and cared about and rampaging wildly. I hated that idea, knowing what blind rage could do.

It howled, a sound that made my heart want to grow legs and win a couple hundred marathons. The creature advanced, and I took off. I heard a predatory howl, and it knew I was being hunted. I ran blindly, aware of the encroaching predator behind me.

The trees whisked past me, the whistling of the wind a keen sound in the night. The cold air began to lash at my face, the weight of Nightmare in my arms baring me down. I could hear the grunts of the wolf not far behind, no other calls or cries wasted in the night. It was so close, I was confused as to why it didn't kill me outright.

It must be playing with its food, I rationalized. I'm a meal just giving it exercise. What other reason is there? Unless-

I had stopped thinking due to the fact that I heard no breathing behind me. I froze in my tracks, changing my direction in an instant, knowing what was to come if I kept moving forward. I heard it. The sound of a creature landing where I would have been if I kept moving in a straight line. The wolf had taken to the trees, then attempted to pounce on me.

Without Nightmare, it would have been easy for me to use the branches like a jungle gym, but there was no way I was going to abandon her. I just had to run until something came to mind. Then, a cabin came into view. I burst forth with all of my energy, swung the door, and locked it. I heard the slam of the wolf against the door. I laid Nightmare down on the sofa, and went to inspecting the cabin.

I searched the room for any dangers, failing to see anything abnormal for a hunter's cabin, aside from some strange plants strewn around the room. Nightmare was resting peacefully on the couch, her light snoring a strange occurrence in this otherwise horrifying experience.

I heard a moaning howl outside, confusing me greatly. The werewolf was renowned for having great endurance and strength, yet it couldn't pull apart a simple wood door? This question led me to study the room more closely.

I noticed the place was lined with a special plant. A long vine with purple flowers, around six petals, and a long petal on the top, extending vertically. Aconitum, or by an even luckier name, wolf's bane. I didn't have time to question its presence, I had very little time before the flower lost its effect. I scanned the room for anything useful, and found a bow and three dozen arrows on the wall, all of which with gleaming tips.

Whoever lived here knew about the werewolf, I reasoned. If I'm right, those tips are made of silver.

I grabbed the weapons, drew an arrow, and nocked it. I could shoot, even if I was out of practice. I made sure I was strong enough to draw the bow, which I thankfully was. I looked to the flowers on the wall, their wilting a sign that I was running out of time. I reached for the door, ready to make my final stand.

But I stopped.

I didn't know why I stopped, but I did. I just stopped and looked at what I was about to do. I felt the weight of the bow in my hand, the gentle breathing in Nightmare's rest. The quiver on my back. The cabin of no apparent owner, with obvious weapons that could kill the monster. It was too easy.

What if the werewolf wasn't the nightmare? I'm afraid of those things, sure. But, it seems too simple of a terror for me. No, it was something else.

Wait...

Weapons. Living thing. I had a loaded weapon and there was a living, breathing, thinking animal outside.

What was I about to do?

There are worse things than dying, I knew. If I went out there and survived with how I was thinking now, the blood of a living creature would be on my hands. Whether or not this was a dream, I would be willing to take a life over my own. Isn't that what Nightmare was so afraid of? Am I going to do one of the few things I swore I wouldn't do?

No.

I am no hunter, I thought to myself. I am no killer. I will not do this.

I have seen death. I have seen what it does to people, even those that justify it. I didn't want to live through that. But I didn't want to let myself and Nightmare die either.

Stuck between two worlds, I thought unpleasantly. Either lose your life and the lives of others, or lose yourself to grief and guilt.

I understood: this was my nightmare. I could deal with fear. I could handle the concept of death. Monsters, demons, heights, I could live with them. I could tolerate their existence. But this choice, deciding whether to live through hell or die, whether to take another life or my own, that is what would tear me down.

Am I afraid of the big bad wolf? Or am I afraid to become it? Either way, I would lose.

"No," I whispered. I released the door nob, and threw down the weapons. Phobetor's plan would not follow through, not if I had anything to say about it. I will not kill, and I will not let either Nightmare or I be killed.

The wolf would wait indefinitely. It was too obvious. It was simply there for me as a reason to panic. A reason for me to worry that I was being rushed, that I was doomed if I didn't choose right then. It was there so I would have to make a choice, whether to be slain by the monster, or become one.

It was brilliant, now that I look back on it. I don't fear creatures. I fear situations. I don't fear places. I fear the wrong choice. This was my hell, because I had a reason to stay alive. I wasn't alone; Nightmare was not going to last if I left her. Without her, I wouldn't feel trepidation about my own death.

It was a game of chess, and I was in check mate. I had no way to move. My weak points were wide open. I had no queen, no plan, and my opponent was sitting with a troll face. There was only one thing to do:

Knock the board over.

I went over to the kitchen, and began to wash the dishes. When that was done, I swept the floor. I did chores, anything to ignore the constant howling outside. By the time I was done, the cabin was in perfect shape. Not a speck of dust was anywhere to be found. In fact, if the situation were any less dire, it would be a great place for a camping trip.

I found that there was, indeed, food for me to eat, and I set about cooking, eating, and managing to get the comatose Nightmare to drink small amounts of water, somehow not making her choke in the process.

I got into one of the cabinets, and pulled out a deck of cards. I went about playing all variations of solitaire that I knew of. I forced myself to ignore the constant howling, the fact that it was still night time, the constant wilting of the monkshood's petals. Anything and everything except any changes in Nightmare's behavior were ignored. Sometimes, she would cry out, as if she was having a bad dream, to which I would hold her until it went away. Other times, she would shiver, to which I added the fallen blanket back onto her resting form.

Once, she muttered my name, as if she was calling to me. I thought she was waking up, but almost immediately her slow breathing continued.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" an impatient voice broke my focus. "Is that... Cards?" I looked over my shoulder to see Phobetor, her hands on her hips. Her gaze was sharp, although there were bags under her eyes, suggesting she has been waiting the entire time for me to react.

"Yep, although I'm planning on switching over to pyramid. Wanna join me?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Of course not you fool!" she roared, her face red as an apple. She threw a hand over her mouth, failing to stifle a monstrous yawn.

"Your loss," I shrugged, and went back to the game. Silence fell within the wood walls, although I could sense the piercing glare upon my back which Phobetor provided.

"Why aren't you panicking?" I turned my head to give her a fed up expression. She seemed about ready to explode, rage evident in her arched eyebrows and dilated eyes. "There is a monster at your doorstep, you have no chance of escape!"

"Uh huh," I groaned disinterestedly. I returned to my game.

"But wait!" she announced excitedly. "You have a bow and... Are these silver tipped arrows?" she gasped like it was a fifty percent off sale. Her irises were contracted, her smile just as much of a cringe. Her left brow was twitching in a weird way, although I can't see how it wouldn't be weird.

"Dunno," I mumbled almost incoherently. "Wasn't paying attention."

"... Seriously?" any mirth was vacant in her tone. "You didn't. Even. Check? What kind of idiot are you? There is a werewolf outside and you're here playing poker!"

"Solitaire," I corrected.

"I don't care!" she screamed lividly. "Why aren't you worried right now? Your girlfriend-"

"She isn't my girlfriend," I interrupted. She gave me a do-not-piss-me-off-any-further-than-you-have-right-now look.

"As far as you know, she is effectively dead! A monster is planning on eating you! What are you waiting for?" she had tears in her eyes at this point.

"Quiet down," I hushed her. "You might wake up the dead."

"Be silent you worthless little rat!" she boomed. "Now stop wasting my time and tell me what in the name of hell are you waiting for!"

"You," I answered calmly. I set down my cards, swiveling in my spot to face her.

"W-what?" she stuttered. Her face was flushed, her eyes now filled with fear instead of aggravation.

"I've been waiting for you," I repeated. "So that I could tell you something of the upmost importance."

"A-and what-t would th- that be?" she began to shiver, frightened as could be. I couldn't blame her. All of a sudden, she lost all of her power over me, because she believed she had suddenly been defeated. She thought I was so certain of my plan, she had nothing.

I got up, and took a single step towards her. She moved backward. I stepped again, and she backed up. We continued this until her back was to the wall, where I now stood no more than a centimeter from her.

"I am gonna tell you something," I never let my eyes escape hers. She continued to stare at me in terror. "Something that you made me realize a long time ago, and now I understand it."

"N-no, please!" she cried out.

"I'm gonna say something," I promised to her, my head only an inch from her own. "Your only strength, the only thing you truly have any worth in. Why you are no god. Why you think that you have any control over me."

"Don't hurt me, please!" she was starting to sniffle. There was no way this chick was a nightmare spirit.

"I'm gonna say something," I repeated one last time. "Something that makes a person stay up at night, what truly causes nightmares. What created you. What empowered you. And what will now end you."

She turned her head to the side, her eyes squinted shut. The whole wall was trembling along with her.

"No, no, no, no, no," she muttered defiantly, but miserably. I put my lips to her ear.

"Do you believe?" I whispered. She only whimpered. "Do you believe in anything? Do you believe in good? In others? In yourself?"

"N-n-no," she cried.

"Do you believe in second chances?" I continued. "In justice? In life and love? Do you believe you deserve a chance?"

"No, please! Phobetor got onto her knees, and began bowing to me. "Please have mercy! I'm sorry, I'm so sorry!"

"Do you believe you have the right to get mercy?" I growled.

She only shook her head in response, the wood of the floor becoming visibly damp where her eyes were.

"Well, too bad," I groaned. I knelt beside her. I grabbed her shoulders gently, forcing her to look into my eyes. She kept letting her sight stray from my own, so I gently guided her face with my hand.

"I forgive you, Nightmare Moon."

"James..." Phobetor's body dissolved in my arms, and Nightmare began to stir.

I rushed to her side, holding her hand as she came to. I brushed a small amount of hair off of her face.

"Ugh, did I fall asleep?" Nightmare asked in her daze.

I smiled lightly at her. "For a little while," came my gentle reply. Her eyes snapped open, her head swiveling towards me in the blink of an eye.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Nightmare practically jumped into my arms, crying her eyes out. I wrapped my arms around her back, and gently patted her.

"Sh, it's okay, I'm right here," I tried to slow her tears. "It's all over, nobody is hurt."

"Please don't let me go! I can't- I can't," she choked on a sob.

"I won't," I felt my life slip into its familiar pattern. "I won't. I'm still here. I've got you."

She clawed at my shirt, as if trying to get a better grip. My clothes were now soaked with her tears.

"Oh, isn't that just adorable?" Phobetor's voice resounded in the room. "I don't see what you have against dating each other; you would make the perfect couple. Although, seeing as how you won't live long enough to be together for very long, I can understand your hesitance."

The spirit in her horse version appeared beside us, a heartless grin upon her.

"But, just this once, I will be merciful. I grant you both permission and time to, what is it the kids say these days? Go out with each other. It will make it that much sweeter when I separate the two of you. Permanently."

"You will never have the chance," Nightmare let go of me, and glared daggers at the pony. "I thought I lost him once, but no more!"

The entire room shuddered, dust falling from the ceiling. She stood up from her spot on the couch and leapt in front of the equine.

"You claim you are the spirit of nightmares," Nightmare continued, her hands curling into fists. "Well guess what, little missy: I am the original nightmare!"

The room shook once more, some of the wood in the cabin splintering.

"I am the one that ponies stay up in fear at night! I am the one that brought the Tantibii from this realm into reality! I am the Bringer of Darkness. The Mare of Tartarus! The Nightshade and the Hell Spawn!"

The walls broke open, revealing shards of white light from the outside.

"And now, I have a friend," her voice quieted to a deadly whisper. "I have someone that has looked after me, kept me alive, became my savior, warrior and guardian as, and of, the night."

The ground quaked, a gas lamp in the center of the home dimmed.

"And you thought," she spoke slowly. "That you could just take him away from me?"

The cabin was silent.

"Did you honestly believe, that you would be able to steal him from me?" Her voice gained an edge. "Did you imagine, in that tiny little head of yours, that he would just as easily be yours with a snap of your fingers? Did you trust that your power is greater, that your will is stronger, that your desire somehow miraculously surpasses mine?"

Again, silence.

"He will never, and I mean never," Nightmare continued. "Be your Own. He is my friend, my world, the one thing that I still find worth in this miserable little universe, and I WILL NOT LET YOU TAKE HIM FROM ME!!! YOU WILL NEVER HAVE THE CHANCE TO LOOK UPON HIM ONCE MORE!!! YOU MAY CLAIM THAT HE WILL BE YOURS, BUT HE WILL ALWAYS BE MINE!!! I WILL NEVER LET YOU TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME EVER AGAIN!!!"

Her eyes glowed bright white, her body lifting off of the floor. The house tore apart, forcing Phobetor to fall into the white void. 

Everything stopped freaking out as quickly as my mind could process. The openings to whatever hell Phobetor fell into sealed shut. The room was no less in utter chaos, all items not bolted down in disarray, the stationary objects damaged if not destroyed.

"I am so over this dream!" Nightmare announced tiredly. "Can we go now?"

"If you like," I shrugged, wanting just as badly to get out of there as she did. "Remind me to never piss you off."

She turned around to face me, her eyes gleaming. "Good idea," she remarks with a confident aura. All of a sudden though, that spark was lost, and a wave of exhaustion appeared to pass over her. I rushed over to her, barely able to catch her as she collapsed. Her breathing was heavy, as if she had run a mile.

"Nightmare?" I asked hesitantly. She shifted her head slightly, a weak, albeit contented smile adorned her face.

"I'm okay," she muttered, before passing out in my arms. I stood there, dumbfounded, my kinda- sorta- girlfriend/roommate snoring lightly.

"How do we get out of here?" I wondered aloud.

I began to hear a familiar buzzing, and prayed that it was our salvation. Everything faded into white light, as I awaited for what was to come, be it reality or another one of Phobetor's games.