Midnight, March 10th 2013, 7 months after The Long Night

     The Golden Oaks Library, Ponyville. Inside, one owl, one dragon named spike, a unicorn named Twilight Sparkle and it's newest resident Nyx Nightmare Sparkle were all sound asleep. Nyx was and as far as most ponies where concerned still was Nightmare Moon incarnate, a year ago she had over thrown the royal sisters and ruled for about over a month before abdicating her thrown. Shortly after she had defended Ponyville from everything the nearby Everfree forest could throw at Ponyville as well and got injured in the possess, and after some coxing from her Mother Twilight sparkle she released the Royal sisters and they in turn showed her mercy.

      Other the rest of that year she had slowly rebuild the filly image of herself rather then dark ruler she and the Cult of Nightmare Moon had built up. Still there  had been a few bumps in the road, her first Nightmare Night had been a bit awkward with everyone not telling her what it was about not to mention those young ponies trying to kill her. They clamed "You all under her spell," which wasn't true, she had survived that by a hairs breath. Then came Christmas time, when she had met both her Aunt Cadance and Uncle Shiny. That had not gone over too well at first but in the end things worked out and she was happily accepted buy both of them.

      New years eve had been more fun, Ponyville was still lined with Christmas lights. Despite this, Luna's night sky was outshining any of the light displays. The firework show that night was met with much anticipation and was the most beautiful thing Nyx had ever seen. Her Mother Twilight Sparkle, brother spike and even Luna had sat by her that night, she felt so happy with the various designs and colors overhead, curled up with her mother with spike munching on popcorn and gems. It was one of the highpoints of her short life.

    Such unpleasant and equally happy memories where a distance thought as she pleasantly dreamed, when she was awakened by a faint sound. After tossing the covers back she groggily decides to investigate. Failing to wake her mother, she slowly makes her way down the winding staircase.... and what she sees sends chills down her spine, for sitting on a couch by the fire was the familiar form of Nightmare Moon. She appeared to be huming some sort of tune, Nyx gasped at the mare as she spotted her.

"Hmmhmmhmm huh? Oh Nyx, did I wake you?" Nightmare Moon Replied looking up from her book at Nyx, her heart racing in panic did the sensible thing, fainting right on the wood floor and hoped she would go away.

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     NightMare Moon sighed getting up from her book "Well that went as well as I could have expected" and moves Nyx over to the couch with her magic.  "Ok what am I going to say to her when she wakes up let's see, Hi Nyx I'm..., no that won't work. Mabye if I try to show her I'm not a threat? That might work, but how can I do that?"

     As she ponders this Nyx slowly woke up, before she can move, Moon grabs her and says "Look, I know your scared right now. Please just... calm down ok. I just want to talk." She put Nyx down and they started the process of trying to reach out to each other. Slowly taking in her situation Nyx said "Ok WHO are you, and What are you doing here?"

     In response Nightmare said "Well I guess you can call me Nightmare Moon, Moon if you wish to shorten it and I 'was' just siting here reading a book. And you?" There was dead silence as the two stare at each other awkwardly, after about a minute or two Nyx brakes the ice "I was just had having a nice dream when I hear a noise and came to find you here. And you are Nightmare....Moon...." she doesn't finish as she quickly Dashes up the stairs an teleport into the bedroom above. "Twilight!, Twilight Wake up please!" She desperately tries to shake Twilight awake but nothing seemed to work.

     Nightmare raced up the stairs after her and into the room, she found the Nyx desperately trying to wake her mother, "Nyx she's not real its just an illusion," she told Nyx, having next to no effect. Suddenly a small white tendril pops out of Nyx's horn and goes into Twilights forehead, Nightmare Moon stared at the feat of dream magic as she whispers "Did she just do that?" Twilight bolted upright and turned to Nyx looking very tired.

     "Nyx, what's the matter?" Twilight asks rubbing her eyes as Nyx points at Nightmare Moon, fear written on both there faces.

     Nightmare quickly says "Twilight just go back to sleep, I'm not here to hurt her I swear," Twilight blinks a few times then laughs before saying, "HAHA, good one Luna, good joke." For a moment Nightmare pauses "Why didn't I think of that option earlier!" she thought, then decides better then to lie to Twilight "Sorry to disappoint you Ms. Sparkle, but this is anything but a joke," then quickly zaps Twilight sending her back to dreamland before she can react, she then glares at Nyx, dragging her back downstairs.

     "What the Hell was that about?! Are you trying to..." she paused lowering her voice "Well suppose you do want me gone, but still your could have asked!" Moon shouted, very annoyed at Nyx, who just stared at the floor, "Go away...please." she said curling on the couch.

      Nightmare sighs "Ok, this is getting me no where," she thought "I'm just as surprised as you are really, I never expected to actually meet you." Nyx didn't move, thinking of what might win her over, Nightmare Moon then got an idea "Wait here," she went into the kitchen and wiped up a few bowls of Nyx's favorite food, she returned and placed it in front of her, "Can we start over? I want to be your friend, its funny to think I of all mares am your guardian angel, as far as I'm aware". She had chosen Twilights approach.

Nyx's attention peaked at her words and she barely contained herself "Wait you, my guardian angel, HAHAHA, that's a good one!" she bursts into laughter.

      "Alright you got me there, but I may as well be. I did save you last Night mare Night after all." Moon said making a halo appear for added effect. After a minute or so of Nyx's laughing, she calmed down and they started slowly warming up to each other by chatting, "So feel better?" Moon asked, Nyx nodded slightly "I still don't trust you."

     "I don't expect your to, not completely. How's the soup?" Nyx garbed a spoon and took a sip, her eyes widened "Just like Mom makes it," she continued to eat, "I thought you'd like that, eat first we'll talk later." She too, indulging in her culinary creation.

    The bowls where cleaned in about 20 minutes, at Which point Nyx again asked "So what do you want, Nightmare Moon?"

     "Your help of course, but I can get into that another time. Right now I want to get to know you, I've been watching you ever since you where created." Nyx nodded "So can I call you Moon? You name is a mouthful ya know?"  

     "I said you could already," Moon replied, the two alicorns started to talk about there perspectives on various events, Nightmare Night, Hearths warming, the Summer Sun festival, among others. "So you said I can call you Nightmare Moon? Who are you then?" Moon shrugged "Given my current looks I can't think of a more fitting name. Also if it comforts you a bit more, your dreaming."

     "So your not real? That's a relief." Nyx said not really thinking, "That's harsh Nyx, you wound me. No I'm quite real I'm afraid." To prove it she tried to walk through a wall, she pressed her hoof against in and it stayed firm "See? I'm just as much a constant here as you are." Nyx nodded, accepting this fact. Moon returned to her seat "So I know you have no reason to trust me but... Friends?" she extended her hoof, "I don't know I mean... If your who you say you are... UGH Why is my life so complicated!" Nyx kicked the table in front of her. She sighed then took a breath "Can we just... hold off on the friends thing? Just for now." Moon nodded and the two sat in silence.

      Moon broke the silence, "Nyx, why do you hate me so much? Beside the obvious I mean." The filly turned away a moment, then as if she had known Moon for a while said "Do I really need to tell you? Luna, Twilight, and even me and Celestia. Your hurt people, I don't want to hurt anyone, let alone be associated with someone like you." Moon understood this well, Nyx was hated by most of Equestria, at least that's what she had gathered from her prospective, still that same anger and resentment usually turned to pity and forgiveness.

      Realizing she had zoned out for a moment she shook her head "Sorry you lost me at 'someone like you', did I miss something?" Nyx shook her head "Good." she paused to think of what to say, then said "Well Nyx, like it or not we're stuck together now. To what extent I don't know but, I want to show you I'm more then you've seen and heard." As she spoke, the air between them was relived of tension when...

BANG

     The door to the library was blasted apart and Nyx teleported herself upstairs as Nightmare Moon dove for cover behind the couch, Then the very last voice she wanted to hear booms through the white void, "NIGHTMARE MOON, COME OUT AND FACE ME!!!!" Luna walked slowly in horn at the ready, a small white flag greeted her from behind the couch. Luna commanded the mare to reveal herself, Moon pops her head up and says "Luna for all that my life is worth, DON'T KILL ME!", Nightmares voice slowly rising in panic.

     Luna eyed the mare but turned her attention to Nyx, "Nyx are you ok?" Luna asks called to the filly, "I'm ok, You wouldn't happen to know anything about her would you?" Nyx reply's from upstairs pointing at the black alicorn in the room as she came down, Moon slowly came out from her way from improvised shield.

     Luna holds held twin scimitars to the black alicorn and looks her over, "Who are you?"

     "Nightmare Moon from your perspective." Moon replied,

     "You don't feel like my counterpart, nor do you seem like a creature of the dream realm," and makes a mental check list: black coat check, blue ethereal mane check, twin crescent cutie mark check, fangs...no, must have retracted them. Ok so what is she then? Maybe she was just a little rusty, but she knew this mare wasn't normal.

     "Luna, why are you here?" Moon asked raising her blade defensively, "I was sent here to stop you from hurting this little filly."

      "The thought never crossed my mind, I just found myself here and..."

      "LIES!" Luna yelled lunging forward, Moon stepped to the side "Nyx, would you kindly recreate Ponyville for us?" She asked blocking a blow form Luna. The filly closed her eyes and concentrated, the white void slowly formed a image of the town beyond, Moon flew out the door into the sky above "I don't want to fight Luna! But you give me no choice!" Moon dived down to meet Luna's charge, they clashed before parting "Your holding back, why?" Luna asked "Because I don't want to hurt you. I will defend myself however if I must." The two clanked blades a few times before Luna pinned Moon to the ground with her shadow "Huh? Haha, and I thought you gave up shadow magic?" Moon walked out of the shadows like it was nothing "But you fight the Queen of Nightmares, REMEMBER!" Nightmare Moon struck her with a fear spell to end the fight quickly, Luna dropped like a stone to the pavement, Moon catching her in her magic grip.

     "Celestia no...I thought you loved me... NO, DON'T SEND ME AWAYYYYYY!!!" Luna muttered her eyes blackened, "That's enough of that," Moon released the spell, Luna's eyes returning to normal, and she slowly rose to her feet, "How typical of you Nightmare Moon." Said mare produced a pair of necklaces "Perhaps these jewels will convince you of my intentions," she levitates a pair of necklaces of a sun and moon out of her mane and Luna's jaw drops. How those are...but, but her thought turns to words "Where did you get those!?"  Luna says as she steps forward, only to bump into the black rapier Nightmare moon was holding in her magic. "I've had them I left Emblem, I don't know why though."

      Nyx looks at the necklace's confused and asks "Do these have some significance I'm missing here?" Moon put them back in her mane "I'll keep them for the moment, I promise I'll return them to you in time." Luna quickly recovers, sheathing her blades and starts to leave, as she reaches the Moon she leaves a warning to her new acquaintance "Well I don't know who you are or what game your playing. but you harm this filly and I will be the last thing you see, understand?" Nightmare nods saying "I expected as much, I however have nothing to fear form you, my dear little Luna. Good evening to you."

     As Luna takes her leave Nightmare walks back inside and over to a shelf and pulls out a book, "Nyx I know you doubt I'm real or that I'm anything good, however here's a book for you to prove other wise and one other thing," Nyx takes the book and asks what that is, her answer is "When you wake for breakfast ask your mother if she knows a man named Alan Wake ok?" Nyx nods and goes off to her bed leaving the mare to herself, "Huh I wonder how Twilight will react to my presence, plus I still have to teach Nyx her 'special powers' well that last part shouldn't be too hard, after all we are the same," she takes a sip of wine from a glass that had been siting on a table on the ground floor,  she takes a look in a mirror "Hm out with the old," she looks up to Nyx's room, lets her hair down it becoming solid, her cutie mark disappears "And in with the new long live the Queen".

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     In the morning Nyx rolled out of bed to the smell of fresh pancakes and the sound of her Mothers voice in her ears "Nyx, breakfast if ready!", She pushed back the warm covers and rolled out of bed, She made her bed like good little filly, before leaving her room she took a look at her home town, Ponyville. The little town near the capital of Canterlot was small, simple and peaceful, most of the time. The town had accepting of her quite quickly, certainly faster then she expected, though she suspected that her friends had something to do with it.

      She proceeded out of her room and down the stairs,  the dream from last night still on her mind, "I really need to tell Twilight about that one, she'll get a kick out of it, or panic more likely." Before going to the kitchen she went to wash up in the bathroom, conveniently located mid-way down the short stairway. The bathroom was rather simple and all the better for it: a tub with a shower curtain sat next to the back wall, a toilet and sink sat a few feet apart form each other and a single window sat on the far end, a wooden cross bar in it along with the glass for added support. Nyx brushed her teeth like her mother had taught her, then took a quick show which still managed to steam up the mirror, as she bathed however she could hear a faint voice, she stopped to water to listen... nothing. She waited again, still nothing, Shrugging she dried herself with a quick spell Twilight had taught her and hurried downstairs.

      Upon entering the kitchen she to find her mother, Twilight Sparkle carrying some plates. "Good Morning sleepyhead, I made some pancakes for us," Twilight said moving over to the table. Nyx smiled "Good morning mom. Man I had the weirdest dream last night." she sat down, grabbed a plate of pancakes and started to dig into the fluffy delight before her. She looked up at her mother, the most precious thing in her young life, Nyx knew for certain that whatever the future would hold, Twilight would always love her. As she her thoughts drifted, she remembers her dream from last night, she filed it for later and grabbed the maple syrup "Ahh Maple syrup, classic".  When Twilight starts taking the dishes to the sink she decides to ask "Hay Mom can I ask you something?"

"What is it Nyx?" Twilight asks.

"Do you know a man named Alan Wake?" Every plate hitting the floor shattering to bits. Next Chapter: Spirits (revised) Estimated time remaining: 4 Hours, 24 Minutes