Nightmare Worlds:
Nightmare Mirror
By Alex Warlorn

"Come on in, Big Mac." Said Nightmare Mirror on her throne, which was surprisingly simplistic, and straight forward wood chair brightly polished.

Then again everything in the room was polished to a reflective shine. To surprise of everypony, she hadn't moved into Canterlot Castle, but had built a spiral of mirrors near Sweet Apple Acres. And had actually been using reflections of herself to maintain Applejack's contribution to the farm. These reflections could appear nearly anywhere. But the Cruelest of Truths had sworn she had no intention of invading pony's privacy.

"Yes yer Majesty."

"Ah told ya already big brother, ya can still call me little sister."

" . . . alrighty." He bowed, his body armored in round reflective panels.

"So what's the report fer the day? Ya know, new news, old news. . . " She sighed.

"Lots and lots of ponies still hate yer guts, Ah still think ya've gone crazy with power."

"And?"

"And out of the hundreds of politicians who left their jobs when they couldn't lie no more, they kept tryin' to get ponies ta rise against ya, but then they let it slip it's mostly revenge fer ya not lettin' pull the wool over ponies' eyes no more."

"And?"

"And Applebloom's group and Diamond Tiara are all friends now that they're being honest with each other. And Filthy Rich gave Diamond Tiara a big old spakin' for everythin' she'd been hidin' from him. Prince Blueblood's been stripped of his title an' rank and property after all the mares he charmed came forward with his illegitimate foals."

"And?"

"Flim and Flam are in jail now that they've confessed to cheatin' on their taxes. And Twilight is still thinkin' yer gonna burn down the fiction section of the library."

"OH FER PONY'S SAKE! Ah told 'er Ah wasn't evah gonna do that! Fer cryin' out loud! Ah ain't some side-widen half-truth speaker!"

"Yea little sister."

"And?"

"Princess Luna and Princess Celestia still ain't all that happy with ya."

"Ah know."

She kept asking him, again and again, to tell her what she already knew. She kept lookin' off, starin' inta space. She always sounded so tired, or maybe, Big Mac thought, she always sounded sad.

"A zillion couples have broken up now they found out what their special somepony really thought of them. And a zillion new couples have gotten together now that finally let it out how they really feel to each other. And the population is sleepin' a lot better after ya said ya ain't goin' inta ponies' minds lookin' fer lies."

"And why should Ah? Dreams are when a pony's the most honest with herself."

" . . . right little sister. Ah still think yer takin' this too far. Oh and the owner of Pony-leak dot equs sent ya another love letter."

"Just add to the pile. And my friends?"

"Pinkie Pie is lovin' how everypony is bein' more open with their feelin's but is annoyed she can't throw a surprise party, but is really happy cause now she knows for reals that all her friends do love her and is devoted to you out of gratitude.

Rarity is still in therapy from her breakdown, the docs say she'll make a full recovery in a few months."

"Did she get the flowers Ah sent her?"

"Yeah, and the were her favorite kind, like Sweetie Belle said."

"Tell tha docs Ah wanna visit her personally tomorrow."

"Ya got it. Spike hates yer guts now."

"Ah know." Nightmare Mirror hadn't try to dodge, hide, regenerate the scar left on her side when Rarity had thrown the glass cup at the Nightmare when she had last visited.

"Rainbow Dash had a breakdown when she couldn't embellish her tales anymore, but is now in total support of you. Since she couldn't lie to herself anymore about her feelin's towards others she liked or about her girlie side."

Nightmare Mirror sighed, "No such thing as the perfect world Ah guess."

"Uh, right. Fluttershy still thinks yer bein' mean, and Twili' keeps talkin' 'bout the Princesses."

"Fer the last time, as long as everypony keeps honest Ah ain't gonna dictate how they live. Rarity can make all her fancy smancy dresses, and Pinkie Pie can still act as crazy as she wants."

Big Mac kept an even face at the mirror winged Alicorn who he knew was still his little sister even if her Element of Honesty had devoured her.

"Right little sister."

"They'll see the good out-weights the bad here, give'em time. As long as honest ponies did nothin', dishonest ponies were free to hide truth and twist it about however they pleased. It was only a matter of time before an honest pony took a stand. Ah'm just somepony who can't be neatly all silenced up after 'gettin' too big for her breeches' as them fat cats would say."

"... Yeah little sister. The tabloid industry has completely crashed by the way."

"Good riddance."

Big Mac couldn't bring himself to argue that one.

"Ya also got a lotta fan letters from stallions and mares who now don't haveta worry about somepony thinkin' 'they're playin' hard to get' when they tell somepony they ain't interested."

"Like the mares who bothered you big brother?"

He couldn't lie. "Yes. And Trixie swore revenge on ya for not bein' about to tell her lies no more, but also broke down when she had to face the truth 'bout herself too."

Nightmare Mirror snorted, "About time. There are WAY TOO MANY buckin' ponies in this world hidin' from themselves! Sure, takin' out the thorn bleeds 'em, but it's better than the infection just stayin' in."

"Oh and Screw Driller, formerly Barkin' Mad, and her family, say thank you for curin' her of her delusion."

"Ah'll tell'em welcome all personal like, after all . . . Ah'm not just doin' this fer mahself after all."

"Yes little sister."

"Big Mac... come'er. Then Ah order ya not ta move."

Big Mac obeyed. The Nightmare put her forehooves around his neck as she kneeled in front of him and wrapped her reflective wings around him. "Everypony will see, everypony. The truth is stronger than lies, right Big Mac? Ponies will see bein' honest is better than lyin' left and right, right? Right big brother? It's better ponies face themselves instead of just hidin' from themselves right? ... They ain't, they ain't gonna, they ain't gonna, they ain't gonna hate me forever right? No. It's okay if they do, but, if they can just see the truth, instead of just lyin' ta each other instead of actually dealin' with their problems, they won't be scared ta death of the truth no more. Lies aren't strong than truth. Right?"

" . . . yer a good pony Applejack, yer . . . a good pony."