A/N: Happy New Year everyone!

I just though I would throw in a small chapter to both celebrate the occasion that passed, and a gift for all of you. So I'm not going to be writing in this Author's Note too much. When I first uploaded the chapter, I think a glitch occured resulting in no new chapters to appear. I'm not sure why, but hopefully that can be fixed soon. If you can see this A/N that is.

No review responses for now... but I will get back to them in the next chapter.

Nightmare Moon's POV

I could hear the birds outside as they softly chirped sweet tunes and flew by the window of my room. I slowly open my eyes and could see the bright sun of Celestia's slowly rise up into the skies of Equestria to greet another newborn day for all. The sound of a clock tower is heard and the sounds of guards' horns are heard for the oncoming changing of the guard. The chiming of the golden bell rings and after a few seconds… had begun to slow down and come to a complete full stop. I move the both of my long black front legs, pushing the sheets off of me with my hooves. I step out of bed and slip on that smile hidden when I had them closed.

To those who don't remember, it is I. Nightmare Moon. What's that? Don't remember me being all swallowed up by a beam coloured rainbow and having every dark magic erased out of my body- okay, never mind. I'm kind of already starting to let my emotions start to swell in. I can't let it do that, bad memories were always those scars that remain forever. No matter how long I live, I will always look back at how terrible I was.

I was part of a form of jealousy. I was born inside the empty halls of Luna's own mind. Since her envy towards the sun, I had been placed into action and was allowing myself to control her and become who I would eventually be. Then I was banished for a long thousand years that I have been scarred my life forevermore, and to all eternity because of the result. I did return, and Twilight and her friends brought me out of Luna's mind and I was left for what was yet to come for me.

A grace of hope came to me though, the one I had tormented for about two dreams. It was the angel himself that spared my life right when I just wanted it all to end. That young boy becoming a man named Brayden. I hurt him so many times and he hit me in return as part of a reflex for assault towards one of Equestria's leaders. He gained a new weapon and used it against me. I had felt the pain of a miserable thousand years return to me and I had always let my anger get the best of me when someone was against my own opinion as my own entity.

"You were not meant to be spared by the blade…"

"That human boy should have sent you to Tartarus, for what you did…"

I could only hear the ponies of Equestria say to me whenever I had gone out of the castle all on my own without something to cover me up. It wasn't like it would have helped anyway. Most others in Canterlot would have recognized the color of my coat and pointed me out, becoming yet another target again to be glared at, or worse. A few ponies attempted to assault me when I wasn't looking or was too distracted by all the others glaring at me. Since I was with Princess Celestia or Luna, I would feel a little safer. The guards of theirs were just about ready for anything if somepony came close to even attacking one of them. Because the dark powers were dispersed of, all these ponies would do to me was cowering in fear, glare with their dirty looks or try to attack me when I invaded their presence.

Getting out of bed, I pretty much do what I always do every time I get up in the morning: making my bed in my royal suite, brushing through my wavy mane and tail to set them straight, so it can move about properly as it always had been. My armor that the usual pony folk would see me in has been put away, so I cannot really wear that and most of the time, I did not even want to set a hoof on those pieces of royal armor. To do so would bring back that terrible reminder as to why I was so dark and jealous. I had to restrain myself from even trying to destroy them. Princess Celestia was aware about it and she made sure that it was put in the safest place where I cannot possibly see it again. Even so, I fear some of that dark magic still remains with it unaffected. She denies such a thing like that, but not all can be true.

I turn away from the mirror that shows my own reflection. I start making my way towards the double wooden doors of my suite. I ignite the smallest magic on my horn to turn the golden doorknob and use my front right hoof to push open the door softly.

Outside of my door are the two royal guards that stood there to guard me as I slept throughout the night. Most of the time in my private suite was besides taking my time to rest, as part of the resting procedure: Just like Luna, I was able to enter the dreams of other young fillies' minds and just watch them play around in the meadows of the dream heaven.

I would just hide from afar to where none of them would notice me. Even if they did see me and were starting to come over, my fear of turning what was already happy into a nightmare came to me and I just went further in their dream. Most others just go back to what they were doing. Princess Luna would come into their dreams sometimes, I couldn't help but watch when she had interacted with them, and trotting with them and telling those stories about legends that came and went. I had to keep quiet though, or Princess Luna would probably be disappointed in me for risking a visit in dreams.

Besides entering dreams, when I had gone to rest from those evening of peace: most dreams I had was all empty and cold. I found myself facing the very fear every time I entered those cold dreams. The dreams were becoming lost and alone in the world of Equestria, with nopony in town or city accompanying the buildings. No Brayden, no Celestia, No Luna… no nothing. Loneliness was the fear that would always be found inside my dreams.

My hooves are heard pacing the plush carpet while I am trotting myself down the stairs to enter into another hall of trotting guards and the sounds of their shuffling armor whenever they moved. It was just another march around the hall for the set of guards on their way to change places with the guards that were standing there in the last hour. These stairs I were trotting down from were sort of like a spiral-kind, but they were on a curve when I already done coming about.

What was I going to do today in Equestria? Oh yes, I had a meeting to attend with Princess Celestia alone outside by the royal gardens where she would talk to me about the trouble I had with trying to engage with others. Besides Brayden, I didn't really have the courage to approach and interact with any of the ponies in Equestria after all I had done.

"Good morning Nightmare Moon." I could hear Princess Luna say from down the hall behind me.

I turn around and take a look at the very pony that I remember being in control of. As I had gotten along with her the most, I found myself feeling rather heavy-weighted every single time that I was next to her in the very same room. I felt nervous about being next to her because she was the one I manipulated, pulled like a puppet to do what I had desired back then.

"Greetings Princess Luna." I said back to her, curving only a very small smile across my face.

She trots forward towards me and is looking at me with those gladed cyan coloured eyes. "You must've slept in. It has been a busy night for you." She tells me. I in turn, begin to trot alongside her when we are coming down the hall.

"Well yes, the senators from the Canterlot Council were really friendly towards all of us," I said with the look of confident crossing my face. "Senator Rosebud was probably the nicest out of all of them I got to meet."

Luna let out a bit of a giggle. "I just came by to remind you that my older sister Princess Celestia is waiting for you in the gardens. I am not sure what she wants to talk to you about but it should be ear-catching." She responded to me, with a look of understanding on her face.

"Not to mention that she has the best tea in the castle," I said, letting out only a small and quiet squee from me. I clear my throat and proceed with that solemn smile. "Yes, I am quite aware that she wants to meet up with me. I too wonder which topic she will cover for this morning."

Luna continues "Now I understand that you're still feeling a bit down after what had happened, but don't worry Nightmare. We're going to make sure that we work you back into a better rate so that everypony in each city will not give you any death glares. Look at the citizens in Ponyville… they are always willing to forgive anypony no matter what catastrophe they had done."

Wholeheartedly, I released that smile that had been on my face and it curved into a rather curious look. "You think that they might be willing to do so after all?" I had asked, my tone dropping down. It didn't lost its soft tone, but it grew more questioned. "Even all I had done? After I blocked out the sun and tried to freeze their lands?"

Luna trots closer to me and places her hoof onto my right shoulder. "Nightmare, do not let the spirit of guilt take control of you. It is what destroys us if we are not careful." She had advised to me. Her smile had dropped when I could feel myself becoming overcome by that feeling she just about mentioned by now. She is right, I have heard about how it can crush and destroy others by its own will. It had also driven others outside Equestria to… I'd rather not say.

"Don't listen to Princess Luna, she'll only deceive you in the end."

There goes that voice that is trying to put me back in control of my anger and attempt to revert me back on the course of darkness. It's probably the only thing that had remained with me. With a brief motion to try and ignore what it had told me inside, I look down at the ground and close my eyes. I exhale a soft sigh that breathed out from my mouth. I can't let this voice get the best of me.

"Nightmare Moon," The princess questioned, her tone sounded only a little bit concerned about what I was going through briefly. "Does something bother you?"

"It's nothing…" I said with my head still lowered. "It's that voice inside my mind that is trying to deceive me again."

We trotted down the hall in silence for a few minutes before the both of us had begun speaking to each other again. Princess Luna was the first to speak out. "Nightmare, it is the voice of guilt that is starting to rush through your head. This is what it wants; it wants you to divert the course of your redemption back to the way you used to be."

"It'll be also the reason to why I will never get over my mistakes I've done for many years." I said, still dwelling with myself over what had happened.

"Don't think about it then," I could hear her say to me, placing her hoof at the bottom of my chin, gently pushing it upward. I could see Princess Luna offering me a small and gentle smile. "It is time to let go of your dear past Nightmare. Think not of that, but of now."

I responded to her quietly "It'll be a long path down until I get everypony's full trust for me that I am not bad anymore. It is what I am willing to take though."

"A few had already accepted your change," Princess Luna spoke in that gentle and appreciative tone that she always did every time she was happy and at peace. "You should take that into big consideration when the blade spared you. My dear friend Brayden didn't want to kill you, it's not in his blood to kill a single one of us."

"So no wonder I have been hiding away after the party of his victory." I spoke softly to myself, but at a good volume so she could hear exactly what I needed to say. I must always never hide whatever I need to say from any of the princesses. Though I am an alicorn but not of the title for a princess, I always fear what would happen if I said something really quietly and they didn't hear it. But they always have a way to understand what I sometimes go through.

"There is no need to fear about saying the wrong thing to me," Princess Luna smiles at me. "Speak freely if you must."

I couldn't think of anything to say. "It's probably been the stress of things about," I just about summarized with a short few words. "Good things and bad things come and go."

"Canterlot elites giving you trouble again?" She does not hesitate to ask.

"I-" I just about get out when I turn back away from looking at Princess Luna. "I guess you can sort of say that."

"I did notice something like that. Thank goodness for the guards accompanying us though." Princess Luna states with the decree of a relieved smile coming across her face.

"Last thing I would like to have on my list is to be assaulted by others who hate me at the moment." I responded, finally letting out a bit of a chuckle from my mouth with that meek smile. "Again, I would have snuck right out of there as fast as I could."

She gently chuckled with me and said "Well, I can see why Brayden thinks you're a bit of the sneaky type."

The both of us could find ourselves coming down the hall where the royal steps would lay and where the roses would form close to the gardens of the castle. I could sense that it would be the very spot where I would be able to meet with her older sister there, so our conversation just remained quick enough for the both of us.

"You have a good rest of the day now Nightmare," Princess Luna said to me with a warm smile coming from her. "I have some duties to attend to, but we shall chit-chat again soon…. Won't we?" She let out a bit of a pause of silence and raised an eyebrow with the look of a smile.

"Oh, of course Princess Luna. I don't want to take up much more of your time." I responded to her with a pleasant and elegant tone. "I will see you later, for I cannot keep your older sister waiting any longer."

I stop trotting and glance for a few moments as Princess Luna trotted back the way we came down the halls, disappearing into another that I never did get to trot through, though I had gone down that one many times when in my spare time.

I approach the large white windowed double doors and peek through one of the small windows. I could see the clear blue sky in the gentle air of infinity, and the rays of the sun beaming down on the surface and below the mountain. The only thing when a morning or late-afternoon was around if the creation of the mountain's shadow on any side of it. No way to prevent that though. It's all dependable on the geography of this enchanted land.

I gently push open the white double doors with my left front hoof and embrace the warm and tender light of a summer day. I could see a few of the natural insects flying about the plants to get what they needed to get.

A honeybee heads onto a small flower and moves about it for a bit, pollinating the plant for the things it needs in order to make honey. After a few moments, it gets up with its fast-rate wings and buzzed off with the bits of pollination that it had left. A few butterflies that remind me of the element of kindness Fluttershy, fly about the orchids and move their antennas about as interaction with each other began to converse between the few.

Near the garden maze, I could see a few of the castle's staff just wandering about to mow the lawn or trim a few spare leaves that somehow managed to get on the creative bush sculptures or maze walls. It did so make me as curious as ever as to why the staff would be doing work about the castle when it seemed to be a bright and beautiful summer day. Though I shall argue there, it is almost close to being as close to the fall equinox. Other than that, I think they should take their time off and be able to spend it about. I do understand if they don't want to take a break or if they are honorary servants sworn to the duty of the royal sisters.

"Nightmare Moon." I could hear the voice of Princess Celestia speak to me with a gentle tone in her voice as she always had it when she was happy. Hearing it to my right, I turn my head in that direction and could see her sitting there at the table of white painted iron. Resting before the table was the sight of that gently-stirred tea that she always seemed to have with her everywhere she was around the castle for the sight of it all. A medium-sized plate of those sweet biscuits could also be seen resting motionless there.

I pause for a few moments to get my thought back on her and gather some strength. "Princess Celestia," I had finally responded with the way I had let out the words to make absolutely sure that I was being so ever greeting to her. "It is good to see you on a fine summer day that is brought in the land of Equestria as of every day."

"Oh, it's not every day Nightmare," She chuckled lightly as she had always done. Her horn released an aura of gold when she took her teacup and got a sip out of it with her own mouth. "It's always about the weather sometimes to the weather team."

In each silence that came between me and her, I could hear the sounds of birds chirping ever so beautifully for their offspring with the others sharing the same song that got beautiful every time. In the ambience, the sound of the gardeners working away with the distant lawn-mowing continues through the calm day. Not an alarm of heavy wind can be seen going our way. The mane of Celestia's flows continuously when she pours another from the teapot for her cup. The teapot of hers turns to another cup on the opposite side of the table and pours in another set of tea for another white ceramic cup. The cup on the other side that was supposedly for me.

"Come take a seat." Princess Celestia offered to me with a solemn smile.

I trotted forward with every light step as possible, making my way over to the dry white-painted iron seat near the beautiful orchids where they had bloomed before during the wake of spring. I take my seat on the chair and set both of my two eyes towards Celestia on the other side of the table with her sipping the tea out of her teacup and then pouring another bit of liquid from the silver teapot for her. Hopefully she has enough saved for the both of us, unless it was like a bottomless teapot.

"You requested to see me today?" I had asked with the sound of curiosity coming into my tone, though a little too much would have sounded like it was going to become a confrontation that I was going to be pulled into. Yet again, Princess Celestia still understands that I struggle with trying to not become what I once was again. She knew I was curious.

"Why yes," She responds to me so ever solemnly with a weak smile. She places down her white teacup after she had filled it with the right balance that she needed for it. The tea in front of me smelt sweet, as of sugar and honey blended together in a fine hot and tender balance that could never burn thy own tongue. "I have called you here for an assured check-up about how you are doing."

I pause for a few moments to find the right words to get out of me. "Whatever do you mean in what way, Princess Celestia?"

"You do not need to address my royalty that way," Celestia says with a giggle coming from her mouth. "You are free to call me just Celestia whenever you like."

I let out only a small, embarrassed blush onto both of my black cheeks. "My apologies, Celestia."

"It's no problem Nightmare," She said to me, lifting her cup to take another sip of her tea. I activate a bit of my magic and guide it to take that silver spoon near the honey jar and take out a bitload of honey for my tea. After I pour it in, I continued hearing what Celestia was telling me while taking a sip of that tea. "Now, as I am aware… there were some threats being made towards you by my own subjects."

I shook my head with a nod and place the tea down onto the table. "It always seems to me that at any moment, one of them will pounce towards me and try to finish the job because Brayden never got the chance to." I confessed.

"That is because of his oath that he swore," She calmly says to me. "He stands by it so strongly and will make sure to keep watch over everypony as if he were a guardian of this land. But he noticed deep inside that- Wait." She paused for a few moments with only the sound of birds to fill in the silence. "You were one of his first favorites, right?"

"One of his first favorites? In what way?" I grew curious to what she could have meant.

"Before he started watching the show, he had a predicament that he was going to like you at first on his favorites. You did make it on, but somewhere in the top 10. I am thankful to have Princess Luna as a sister to tell me these things." She takes her teacup and takes another sip out of it.

"Well, as an evil entity I thought he would fall in love with me. In the end, he fell for Twilight," I said while lowering my head for a few moments, but raising it back up towards Celestia. "But I am happy to hear she and Brayden are happy in their healthy relationship."

"I see," Princess Celestia gathers a biscuit from one of the plates on the table and begins to chew on a piece of it. I allow her to take her tame as she is eating it, and then swallowing that piece to continue. "Now what were we talking about?"

"We were talking about the ponies during the royal visits. A few of them seemed like they were about to assault me," I got back on track for what the topic we were discussing was. "I mean, any corner I turn could be somepony with a grudge towards me waiting to make the first move whenever possible. It doesn't make me feel safe outside the castle. I would try to defend myself, but if I even unleashed the dark magic once again, I would end up disappointing Brayden. I even told myself in my sleep that I won't ever hurt anypony ever again."

"Nightmare," She questions with the gentle tone in her voice. "There is in no way possible that you could ever get back the dark magic that you once had upon you. If you still had it, I would not be sitting here."

"Then why do I still hear the guilt in my mind about everything I had done?" I take another sip of that warm tea to calm myself before the panic could start to settle in. "I have not only blocked the sun twice with the moon, but I have also tried to kill your subjects. Forgiveness doesn't seem to be in my reach as of now. I somehow feel like I am missing part of something that makes me a pony of Equestria. It's not about the wings or horn I have that matter to me, it's not even the lost opportunity to become a princess that matters to me anymore. I feel like there is something there but I just cannot see it. I am blinded by hatred and guilt that others towards me."

"I am willing to forgive anypony as easily as possible," She had finished eating the biscuit that she had taken from the plate. "As for those that are trying to assault you, I will deal with them."

Deal with them? "Please don't tell me you are planning to bring harm onto your own subjects." I said, sounding rather shocked.

All Celestia could do was giggle when she saw my reaction to what she had said. "Oh Nightmare, I would not ever think to bring harm onto any of my subjects."

I let out a silent sigh of relief and take a biscuit from the plate in the center of the table. "To harm a subject is like attacking your own pet. You feel bad afterwards." I take a bite on the biscuit and slowly chew with my lips closed. After a few tender bites of the soft treat, I swallow it down. "Tis would be a shame for such a thing to happen ever."

Silence came between the both of us as only the sounds of the lawnmower were heard and the birds chirping would fill in the sounds. Cicadas could occasionally be heard in the trees with the loud droning of buzzing. It did not really bother us too much. Princess Celestia lifts up her teacup and takes another sip of the warm liquid to drain the whole small cup. She pours herself another batch of tea into her cup. I chew down the last portion of the biscuit that I took from the plate and swallow it down.

"Brayden's on his way to Manehattan." Celestia finally spoke out to me as if to find another topic to cover in our meeting.

"Manehattan…" I struggle to find the right question to ask. "You mean the city on the Eastern coast of Equestria whereas it is the very city that nopony ever sleeps?"

"Precisely," She smiles and takes another biscuit to chew down. "Brayden managed to get the train on time en route for the big city. I think it has something to do with one of his friends inviting him over there to be with for a few days." She takes another bite of the golden treat.

"Besides Ponyville, Canterlot and the Crystal Empire, I do not think I have ever gone ways to travelling elsewhere around Equestria's province nor outside the enchanted land." I take another sip of the honey-tasting tea with that sugar in it being very little. I didn't mind sugar in tea, but it was too much if I took in more than I should be taking. I guess sickness and disease still affect us even if we are as alicorns alone. Many ponies predict that we are immortal as Princess Celestia and Luna have lasted a thousand years. The aging of alicorn is too complex to understand as to why they seem to last a long time by our supposed 'immortality'. I am sure we aren't as immortal as we seem though.

"Do not worry about it Nightmare," Celestia responded to me with a bright smile. "I will definitely speak to my subjects in address as to why they will not attack you during the royal visits. They will treat you as such a princess like us."

"I have no title to my name though." I lower my head only a bit, but keep my eyes on Celestia.

"And I am sure that you will get the title when you find it for your place in history and in the stars," She says to me. She takes another sip from her cup, emptying it once again. She places the teacup down onto the small round plate of silver in front of her. "It's all about destiny that matters to you as of now. If you must, go with the flow and others will watch your path for your safety. It's the power of friendship, believe it."

"I believe every word you say, Celestia. I do not doubt what you tell me." I take another sip from my teacup and place it back down onto the small silver plate in front of me on the white table of iron.

To my left, I can hear the sound of the double white doors open once again. I turn my heads towards it and I could see one of the guards with golden armor coming out from inside the castle. In his mouth, he was carrying a scroll that was marked read for Celestia. By the way that the scroll had been flagged red, it was marked down to be read immediately. The guard trotted over to our table and came by Celestia's left side. He lowers his head, placing the scrolled paper onto the table.

"A message from Princess Twilight marked urgent, your highness." The guard informed her, sounding very serious in that matter.

"Thank you. You may go on your break." She says.

The guards nods his head with a smile and turns around to trot away from the table and back indoors to head to the nearest guard quarters for relaxation most likely. Believe me on that, I ended up almost sneaking into the guards' bunkhouses within the castle. It however on my end was not a pretty sight to see guards without their royal armor.

I turn back towards Celestia while unwraps the paper and reads it silently to herself. I take my time as to fill up my teacup with another batch of warm liquid. Another spoonful of honey is also poured into my teacup by my own. I didn't bother to add sugar this time. I guess it might be the taste of honey that really gives that sweet taste. I take another sip of the warm tea, waiting for something from Celestia when she was reading the letter from Princess Twilight. Speaking of her, Twilight's new castle in Ponyville was quite beautiful on both the outside and the inside and I wish her continued luck in her journey even as the Princess of Friendship.

"Duty calls." She said and takes the napkin from the table to her mouth to wipe off the crumbs. After she dealt with them, she places her napkin back onto the white table and gets up off her chair. "Twilight needs my help to deliver something to her."

"What does she need?" My curiosity grows once again.

"The letter said something about sirens running loose in the mirror world, so it is urgent that I send off a letter to Princess Cadence to notify her that she requires the magic mirror. I know it's still closed for another thirty moons, but I am sure that Twilight will be able to figure something out to make sure that it remains open permanently. The only concern is if one from their world comes through this portal." Celestia says. "But the thing I know is that somepony there is already there, probably alone, though Twilight said she was in good hands…"

"Who are you referring to?"

She lets out a sigh to gather courage to get those words out. "I mentioned her to you once before. But nevertheless, her name is Sunset Shimmer. She was a former student of mine."

"Now I recall that you told me about her." I said to her, still sitting there. I move the teacup of mine to my mouth and take another sip. What used to be warm was now starting to become a little bit lukewarm.

"You'll have to excuse me for cutting our meeting short, but it is highly important as Princess of Equestria to respond to this," She said, sounding a bit worried at even thinking about her former student. She is about to trot away and head inside to where I can guess would be the throne room. But she stops and turns around to look back at me. "Shall we arrange our meeting for another time where nothing bad will happen for a fine day like this?"

"Of course." I said, enlightening a smile right onto my face. "Whenever possible, you let me know as soon as you can."

Celestia smiled at me with a nod and turns away, heading back towards the door. Just about to go in, she stops for the last time, turning to look at me again. "Oh, I almost forgot…"

"Yes?"

"Remind me to make sure that we cover your status on how you are doing. Plus, I will send you to Ponyville in two days once Brayden gets back. I think he could take some of his time to show you around the village," Celestia said to me. Her joyful smile remained on her face. "Also, don't worry about the mess. The servants will help to clean up."

I silently nodded with the smile being shared towards her and watch as she heads inside with the door closing gently behind her. I was alone outside with only the sound of nature and the sight of its beauty to be seen like never before.

I pretty much wrapped up on having the rest of my tea and ended up taking a few of those delicious golden biscuits with me. Just make sure not to tell Princess Celestia or Luna about that though, they do get a little annoyed about the biscuits disappearing. Don't worry though, I probably would have ate them all anyway.

I get up out of my chair and proceed to head back indoors. It was another quiet afternoon after that inside my suite, with only the ambient sound of birds and gentle wind to accompany me as I thought to myself. Maybe Celestia and Luna were both right, in a way: I will probably need to boost a little bit in how friendly I now can be and how much of the villain I am not.

All I can do is thank Brayden for saving me, and because of him… I am now reborn again as somepony new and refined. But as I always saw him, he was a bit cute for a human. Wait…

No, I can't be having these kinds of feelings about him. I can't possibly like him in that way, especially since he already has Twilight in his life. But I can't stop thinking about him from time to time… I mean he did save me.

Why am I already starting to think about Brayden this way?

Uncertainly, I cannot know what I should expect when Brayden gets back, but I need a lot of time to think about this. But I will continue to wait until whatever is up with my mind focusing on him a lot gives me such reason for this kind of feelings.