"Hello?" Luna called out. Her voice echoed in the distance. She could tell she was dreaming but something was different about this dream. Trotting forward, the princess looked around the void of her subconscious. Normally when she slumbered there were nightmares to plague her. However, no nightmares made themselves visible. The princess looked around the void. It was completely black, dark, and cold. Like an underground cavern.

"Hello??" She called out again.

"Hello princess."

Luna spun around and lit her horn. She knew that voice. It plagued her mind years ago when she was Nightmare Moon.

"The Pony of Shadows.. I should've known you'd show yourself in my slumber one of these days," said Luna. The voice chuckled as a pair of red eyes appeared in the distance, growing bigger as the sound of hoofsteps reached the princess's ears.

"Indeed. I took my time to make my presence known. But then again, you've always known I was here, didn't you?"

Luna took up a fighting stance and flared her wings.

"This is my body! My mind! You have no control over me anymore!"

The shadow pony chuckled once more and continued trotting towards her.

"Don't I though? Already you have lashed out towards Polar with your anger. It's only a matter of time before the darkness that was trapped inside you completely takes you over and gives me free reign to your body!"

Luna fired a magical burst of energy at the pair of red eyes. But it was deflected by the shadow pony and ricochetted off into the void.

"Save your energy Luna. You'll need it to try and stop that pathetic pony from leaving you like all your friends did so long ago. Did you really think you could return and simply get rid of me that easily?" The Pony of Shadows laughed and stepped into the light of Luna's horn. His shimmering black form rippling in the quiet void. The daggered black teeth stretching into a smile as he looked at her.

"I'll make you a deal. Accept me back fully into your body, and I'll let you stay with him and love him, like I know you do."

Luna glared at the dark being in front of her.

"Resist me, and I shall command Nightmare Moon to kill him. The clock is ticking Princess Luna. I'll await your answer."

The Pony of Shadows laughed and flew backwards away from Luna as the princess fell down towards a blinding white light and the void around her dissipated.

"Gah!!! Pony of Shadows!!" Luna shouted, sitting straight up in bed. Panting she looked around as beads of sweat dripped off her muzzle. Realizing that she was awake now, Princess Luna took a few deep breaths and looked toward the stairs. Polar was passed out, laying against the far wall. Arms crossed over one another. Apparently her shout hadn't awoken him. She was both relieved and distressed at the same time. The Pony of Shadows claimed she loved him. It was preposterous. He was her friend and that was all. But, it did frighten her he threatened to kill Polar if she did not succumb to the darkness. Levitating the glass of water sitting next to her bed, the princess took a sip and made a final decision right then. She would have to leave Polar here and venture out on her own, for his own safety. If the darkness were to completely overtake her before she found someone to help her, who knows what would happen to him. Throwing off her blanket, Luna stood up took a piece of paper from Polar's saddlebag, as well as a pen and began to write.

"My Dear Polar,

It is with a heavy heart that I write and leave this note explaining my disappearance. The darkness growing inside of me is a dangerous thing. I cannot put you at risk if I once again fully return to being Nightmare Moon. I'm afraid you cannot help me with my quest and I must go alone. I leave now for Maretime Bay as it is the closest settlement that still gives off a powerful field of magic and harmony. Hopefully there I will be able to find the help I need. You are a good friend, and a good pony and I thank you for everything you've done for me. What you are doing here in Ponyville is a beautiful thing I know for a fact, Twilight would be proud of. For your safety I ask you do not follow me or try to find me. I will always remain your best friend and shall find you when I am Luna once more.

Yours Truly-
Princess Luna"

The princess sighed and set the note down on her air mattress, taking another look at Polar.

"Goodbye my friend, thank you for your hospitality and friendship."

Luna grabbed the saddlebag Polar had given her and quietly exited Sugarcube Corner, looking back to take one last look at the white alicorn. After a minute, Princess Luna turned and trotted away slowly.

~~~~~

Polar opened his eyes and yawned. Blinking a few times as his eyes adjusted to the light of the morning sun streaming in through the windows. Stretching, the stallion grunted and looked around.

"Hey Luna, are you awake y-"

He stopped short when he saw her empty bed.

"Luna?"

Polar got up and trotted around, looking in each room before returning back to the front room. Something white and glistening caught his eye and as he took another look at Luna's bed, he saw it was a piece of paper. Picking it up in his magic, the stallion read the note and folded his ears down.

"Oh no, no no no. I cant let her go out there all alone! Equestria isn't nearly as safe as it used to be."

Polar grabbed his saddlebag, some food and supplies, then headed out of the corner shop. He knew she told him not to follow her but he couldn't leave his new friend out there to fend for herself. Even a princess wouldn't be able to stand up to all the magical threats on the journey. Especially the Everfree Forest, which had grown so wild, to venture into it'd depths was suicide. Re-reading the note, he saw the name of the town she was venturing to. Maretime Bay. The Earth pony settlement far southeast of Ponyville. Getting to the coast used to be easy. Until the Everfree Forest expanded and encircled the entire village of Ponyville. The only thing stopping it was the magical spell Polar had cast on the the town. An ancient spell from Starswirl the Bearded he had learned through old textbooks.

Heading to the edge of the forest, Polar took flight and began flying through the trees, calling out Lunas name.

"Luna!! Luuuuuunaaaa!!"

~~~~~

Princess Luna charged her horn and fired another beam at the black thorn tentacles reaching for her legs.

"Back!! You heathens!" She yelled, blowing bits of vine everywhere. However it was no use.

The forest had gotten simply too out of control for her magic to have any major effect. Looking at her still burnt flight wings, the princess bit her lip and sighed.

"Do your worst," she said, allowing the vines to snake up her legs.

"NO!!" Screamed a voice inside her head. "Fight them! Use the darkness inside you Luna. Let your hatred and anger fuel your rage."

Luna shook her head, tugging at the vines holding her legs down.

"No! I will not give in!" She shouted.

"You must, do it for Polar princess. If you ever want to see him again you will use your darkness and fight back the forest!!"

"Nghhh!! N-no! I-I refuse to l-let the d-d-darkness c-consume meeeeeee!!!!" Luna yelled, her voice contorting as the vines began to envelope her whole body. Just as the last vine covered her eyes however, a bright flash of light pierced the darkness of the forest as vines were blown away around her. However she was no longer Luna. But a mare of darkness. Intent on bringing the world to her knees and ruling in total night for eternity. Nightmare Moon spread her wings, laughing maniacally as her eyes glowed. A dark, inky black sea of magic pulsating beneath her hooves.

"You think some petty little forest can defeat Nightmare Moon!! I AM your worst NIGHTMARE!!!" Nightmare Moon lept forward, destroying bundles and bushles of vines as she made her way through the forest. One vine missed her destructive magic and shot towards her horn. Turning, the mare of darkness hissed at the vine, baring her fangs. The tentacle stopped and slithered away whimpering in a deep voice, as did the rest of the vines.

"Pffft, oh please. Like I'm not already THE scariest thing in this forest." She said, smirking as she trotted through the trees.

As she came to a clearing however, she was shocked to see a pony tied up in vines, struggling to free himself. As the mare looked at the stallion, a rainbow flash lept across her eyes as she shook her head and stared at him.

"P-Polar??" She said, galloping over to him and blasting the vines away. Panting, Polar fell to the ground.

"Th... thanks Luna. I thought I was a goner. Bastards jumped me before I could use my spell against them."

Luna smiled and helped him up. The same voice from before however, making its presence known as it hissed in her ear.

"Kisssss him. Claim him Nightmare," the voice said. Nightmare Moon shook her head.

"No!" She shouted in her mind. "You may have taken my body but you have not taken my mind! I will not jeopardize our friendship like that!"

Polar looked at Luna with a confused look on his face.

"Uhhh.. Luna? Are you okay? You look different than when you left."

Nightmare Moon shook her head and backed away from him.

"No! Stay back! I cannot let the darkness hurt you Polar!" She said, closing her eyes and fighting the will lunge toward him and hold him down. She wasn't about to let the shadow pony use her body to rape him, she'd rather die first. Polar took a step toward her.

"Luna, whatever is happening to you, whatever has a hold of you. It doesn't scare me, because I know deep down, you wouldn't hurt me. That's not how you are."

Nightmare snarled and snapped her head upward to glare at him.

"Luna cannot save you pony, you will bow to me now or die!" Nightmare Moon flared her wings and charged her horn with magic.

"And what if I said that's fine with me?"

The dark mare stared at him blankly for a second, her face becoming expressionless.

"W-what did you just say?" She asked, her magic dissipating as she folded her wings.

"I said, what if that's fine with me? Being your servant. Hasn't anyone ever just offered to be your friend and serve you loyally and guide you?" Polar asked.

Nightmare Moon shook her head still staring at him blankly.

"Uh.. I-I.. well..... no, actually. Everypony has always resisted me." Said Nightmare Moon.

Polar sat on his haunches and looked at Nightmare.

"Why are you so angry in the first place? What happened to make you this way?" He asked.

Nightmare Moon was completely taken aback. This pony... cared? About her? No, it had to be a trick. The mare of darkness shook her head violently and recharged her horn.

"NO! I won't allow you to trick me into lowering my guard!"

Polar simply looked at her and lay down on his stomach, setting his saddlebag off to the side.

"Why would I try to trick you? What would I gain from trying to kill you?" He asked.

"You would gain your freedom from my tyranny and rule! You would allow Equestria to experience day and night! Why would you want eternal night?" Nightmare said.

"Maybe because I think night-time is more beautiful than day-time?" Polar said, taking out an apple from his bag and biting a chunk out of it. "And what if I don't want to be free from you? What if I say that I like you Nightmare Moon?"

The dark mare once again lowered her guard, all of these things he was saying. He seemed to be... honest. Maybe she should give him a chance?

Nightmare Moon stepped forward towards Polar and plopped down onto her haunches in front of him.

"You... like me?" She asked. Polar nodded.

"Well yeah, in my honest opinion, I think you're actually very pretty Nightmare. Your coat colors, your serpentine eyes, I've always loved snakes eyes. They are quite beautiful and mesmerizing. Yours are just as pretty."

Nightmare Moon was speechless. What was this heat in her cheeks she felt? It was warm to the touch.

"Hey Nightmare Moon, you're blushing."

"Huh?" She said, poofing a mirror in front of her and looking at her cheeks. "W-what is wrong with my face!? What have you done to me!!?" She yelled, smashing the mirror into a million pieces with her magic, glaring at the white alicorn fangs bared. Polar shielded his face from the glass shards.

"Woah woah easy easy, I didn't do anything to you. It's just your body's response to my compliments about your eyes. It means your embarrassed, but in a good way." Polar explained, wiping some glass from his mane.

"O-oh. I see." Nightmare Moon cleared away the broken mirror between them and cleared her throat. "Ahem.. well, what now? Since it's obvious I don't have to kill you." She said, looking down at Polar.

"Well, maybe we can spend some time talking? Getting to know one another better."

Nightmare Moon thought for a minute before nodding.

"Okay, but no funny business. Or I'll rip your head off and mount it in my castle!" She snarled.

Polar crossed his heart.

"I promise I'm not gonna double cross you."

And with that they began talking.

Next Chapter: The Pony of Shadows and... Love? Estimated time remaining: 9 Minutes