A/N: Another chapter is here once again! Sorry if it ends up being a little rushed near the end, but I think I did an okay job.
If you are wondering... Yes, I have seen the episodes of Season 6. I caught the most recent one called "No Second Prances" which was about the return of somepony every brony knows. I will not spoil though.
Other than that, I finally beat Fallout 4 after six months of being absorbed into the game and the exploration. I haven't bought the DLC for that game yet, but I will eventually. I have officially finished college and I will be graduating in June, which I am relieved about because college can be so much hard work but worth it in the end. Captain America: Civil War comes out in a few days, and I am ready to start watching Phase Three of the Marvel Cinematic Universe; and I'll definitely make sure to tell you how it was. (Though both that movie and Doctor Strange will be good; Deadpool all the way was the best movie of the year for me. But seriously... I'm really pumped to see Spider-Man in the new Captain America.)
The next chapter is going to be focused on both Brayden and Rarity. If you have any ideas for the upcoming chapter, let me know in your review. It will be another 'spark' chapter, so that's the only thing I'm telling.
Alas, Review Response Time:
chipmunkfanantic: Sunset already met Nightmare Moon in the chapter before their journey in Mortem. :) Keep on rocking too. Yes, Trixie will be in this, coming soon.
guest: Yes... He will meet Flurry Heart. I have a chapter coming up planned for that.
raven 2012: Thank you. Well, I have something planned for the upcoming Earth visit chapters, but I won't give away spoilers. You'll have to wait and see. ;) If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise.
rd24: Read on my friend, you'll like it.
Minty breath: Don't worry, I added something that explained everything.
Juul265: Thank you.
jvs12: You'll see.
4theworldman: Thanks, and exams went well.
Billykilly: Thank you. :)
Steve03: Thank you. Brayden and the others will go and visit the Earth in approximately a few chapters from now, as I hold a few surprises before they begin. :) Plus during the Earth chapters, you'll see a few people from the flashbacks return and they could potentially play a big part in the story later on.
P.S. Even though I am Canadian, I've been really fearful of what has been going on in the United States recently. I keep hearing about the election going on there and all the hatred being spoken out towards many groups of people. It's almost scary because I fear they might elect the wrong person to be president.
P.S.S. While I am writing the next chapter, I might end up taking a few short breaks every once in a while. But I can guarantee it will all be worth as it's most related to stuff in my personal life whether it's concerts I'm going to or attending band rehearsals or being with friends. Alright, I've gone on too long... enjoy the chapter.
Crickets were sounding off into the night once again, and the sounds of the other insects quietly buzzing amongst themselve could be heard through my own ears as the sight was closed off to rest them. Little light was shining right in, but I knew that this was a sign of being possibly in a dream or that I was just waking up to the moon.
The sight began opening up, not at once looking very blurry when I could clearly see the stars shining above me and the full moon in the distance, illuminating itself like all of the others. The sky itself besides the stars pictures the part of the recognizable galaxy that we lived in, some giving it different names like the Milky Way. For me though, I've considered that as a kid but now I think it could be any galaxy name if it could only be seen from above rather than normally where we would be in Equus or wherever Earth may be. A few nebulas here or there, but they show no interest for me as they are usually stellar nurseries for the beginning of what could be planetary life.
My body feels relaxed itself, as the hands haven't stressed on anything large and heavy to pick up nor even light to burden it. All it do is lie on the soft floor right behind the backside with only a brush that hardly ever tickles.
The grass in both hands and spreading about with the dream wind that doesn't give me any chills surprisingly. Kind of gives me that feeling that this was a summer version of the fields and valleys of Equestria itself, in everlasting harmony. Anything can be in a dream though, and environments in these matters can get a bit out of place if not too careful with controlling how well they are; just like how falling in a dream can turn into a nightmare.
My mind was usually in this dream state of fantasy whenever I needed some thinking time to myself before the sun rose, but I can remember the recent events that have been going on since the winter equinox finally came to the enchanted lands...
From what I was aware, both myself and Twilight went to go and visit our friends in the mirror world for a small amount of time. While there, I was a bit confused about why there was a human version of Twilight before us, but Sunset who by coincidence was visiting the mirror world as well explained it to me. Something about a device taking magic from the mirror version of our friends and her becoming an alicorn-angel monster. Reminded me of Sunset when she couldn't find the magic of friendship in her from the crown incident. Not to mention her talking about a strict principal from Crystal Prep named Abacus Cinch, and after hearing what she wanted the human version to do, I was in a bit of shock myself.
Besides the news of a new friendship being made between Canterlot High and Crystal Prep, I was surprised by how much both Adagio and Aria have changed. They had completely new hairstyles and there was no anger driven towards me by the post-leader of the Dazzlings herself. She seemed rather happy to see me, and she did apologize to me for what she did to me in the mirror world on the first visit. In the end, I have forgiven her and like usual, gave her a friendly hug to show that I really meant that I accepted her apology.
Both Adagio and Aria still have a lot to learn, but I know our mirror friends can help them out in any way they can.
After we had got back to Equestria, not much went on for a bit. There was the news of the Crystalling to happen at the Crystal Empire in the North. Twilight, her new student and friends were able to get going to make a visit to Cadence and Shining Armor and to meet their newborn filly: Flurry Heart. Something about eternal winter went on involving the Crystal Heart shattering... crazy stuff I can tell you. Unfortunately I wasn't invited because at that time I was spending time with my friend Sonata.
I am really happy to hear news from Starlight Glimmer though, and the news she had to tell me herself when she got back from the Crystal Empire. She finally got to meet her old friend Sunburst. Couldn't say I was surprised about it, but differences was a problem until they figured out for each other what was wrong. Starlight was nervous about telling of her past mistakes, and Sunburst couldn't keep in that he was not as powerful a wizard that he had claimed to be by his own words.
But as always, there was a way and Sunburst played a huge part as the Crystaller to save the Empire from an eternal winter. Well, I have something processing in my mind at the moment since my last couple of previous dates with Twilight that I could bring up to Cadence for advice. If any, I could stop by to see if Sunburst is around judging by if he isn't too busy. (Seriously, I can't get over how Flurry Heart is a newborn alicorn. A reminder to see her as well.)
The feathered wings behind are unfurled and inactive from flight as of the moment while on the floor. I know I couldn't stay right there forever as I haven't turned to look and see the rest of what could be something new before my eyes. I do not stretch as I make my way up off of the grass below, turning my brown eyes straight ahead with quick, sharp turns.
The fields and valleys look from the side that they are stretching out rather infinitely with yellow daffodils to accompany the fresh-cut blades of grass that I sit upon now. Ahead of me if almost like a forest, but seems much mystical. Giant mushrooms themselves that are the size of regular pine trees you see on Earth. Each one of the tops stretch down a load of vine-like material similar to the leaves of the willow trees.
In each of them past the leaves and from the roots themselves, there is a source of water that seems fresh and like a pool that can both be bathed in or can be used as a way to swim about the deeper you got to the root of each mushroom tree. The invisible wind was swifting with a soft flow among them as they shift ever so peacefully.
Such imagination in this place reminded me of the fantasy worlds I would create in my mind when I was a child, as refuge away from the troubles of reality.
Besides the sound of the gentle distant wind from afar, I could swear that my ears were picking up a tone that is quite recognizable. As if someone was singing by themselves, and even I can tell by the tone that it is a female here so I was never that alone as I thought. The singing itself sounds beautiful like every other voice that I've heard sing, like this was a first time singing by themselves in a perfect tone.
I get up off of the grass, as the softness that grace contacts with my two feet themselves, brushing along it by the invisible wind. Something was just telling me that I was curious about who could be in my dream and singing from the mushroom forest that the direction gave off to me.
Moving forward, the mushrooms from my point of view look like they are embracing the night skies above, giving off a summer tone to the realm that I made up for this place for I knew that it was already snowing outdoors in the reality of Equestria itself. My eyes can only wander the mushroom forest but looking for whoever would be singing here in this dream that I usually was kept to myself in, unless I was having a nightmare. Sometimes when the dreams were good, Aunt Luna and Nightmare would come along to talk with me and check up on how I was doing.
A shadow caught the glimpse of the eyes on the left centre, past one other mushroom tree. The speed I had been walking slows down a bit, carefully approaching the scene while trying not to make too much noise. I didn't know who that could be past underneath the vines of green and ever-growing, but judging by the shape of the figure; my guess was very well that it could have been a human girl that I remembered from Earth in this memory or that it was a mare of my imaginations being that it would be Twilight herself nevertheless.
The closer I got, the more of the shape and sound came in through the eyes and ears. The shape of the shadow was more taller than I thought, so it could be a taller mare herself inside under the tree. Water splashing back down onto the surface of where they were picked up, fall right back down into the body underneath with a few dripping back when I watch the shadow motion the gathering of water with a magic essence lit by the horn itself illuminated by the moonlight, some of it blocked by the vines.
I reach out towards the vines in front of me with my right hand; pushing them slightly to the side so I could peek inside and see whoever it was.
The water was only rippling a little bit from the water that poured onto the user; but I could see the figure herself a little more clearly, by the tone of that familiar voice herself as she bathed underneath the mushroom and pouring water onto herself and that stellar mane of hers going flat by each amount of water she placed upon herself, drenching her in care though she could also do that in reality.
That black coat on herself, and that almost recognizable mane similar to my aunt's own mane itself... I smile when I recognize that shape to be an alicorn. Nightmare Moon herself was in my dreams, and already she was singing while giving herself a bath privately to herself. I'm not bothered by this whatsoever as I kept watching her, deciding if I should go and say hello to my friend or just wait until she is done.
When her cyan cat eyes have opened up slightly, I can tell that there was a bit of a shine in them in the light that illuminated through the leaves and even making contact upon her coat. Taking a breath, she was singing once again as I was hearing from where I had come half-way through.
I step past the vines I've pushed open, letting them close right behind me as I move forward, my bare feet setting itself into the warm, comforting waters of the mushroom tree that was fed by the nutritions this clear liquid provides to keep it alive. She hasn't noticed me quite yet, but the sound of the water below my feet could quietly be picked up by my own ears the closer I began to move towards her.
Her horn channels magic again, lifting a ball of water into the air and over her head before releasing it with a splash upon her own head and body. Her mane is still wet, but the sparkle that represents the twinkling of stars in the night sky remain. Her left hoof rises and begins to stroke at her own mane, cleansing it of what normally would be done even by human standards, so I knew it was the same in Equestria. Well, considering I take a shower every night at the cottage I reside.
My right foot got caught between the soft dirt below my feet and part of a root that stuck out from the mushroom, and lose my balance there. I fall forward face-first into the water with the sound of the splash heard that would really catch her attention then. But tripping into the water... not what I had intended.
She had stopped singing, and her ears were perked to the sound of the splash I ended up creating. My head has lifted after having gotten all wet including a part of my hair, returning her into my sight as she turns around and sees me there upon the ground, all wet and even with a bit of surprise brought upon her emotion.
I began to pick myself up off the ground, letting the driplets of water fall off from me. She doesn't seem to respond quite yet, but I figured that this was a busy time for her so I shouldn't really try to bother her during her bathing if that is the case. A guilty look comes upon my face accompanied by both a sheepish grin and a bit of an embarrassed blush upon the both of my cheeks.
"I- I'm so terribly sorry about walking in on that Nightmare," I started off, clearly without any idea on what to say to her. "I wasn't quite aware that you were having your bath here, but if you want to, I can leave and not bother you during it."
The black mare could tell that I was a bit nervous that she was going to be a bit strict on me about this matter, but all she can really do is smile as her cat-eyes were focused on contact with my brown eyes as I spoke to her. She began trotting forward to me as her hooves cause the water to swift by each step she took towards me.
Giggling for a moment, her sigh afterwards sounded quite happy to see me in her presence again. "Don't worry about it Brayden. I'm not angry at you about this, I was only a little bit surprised to see you coming in."
"I didn't expect to see you either in this dream tonight either," I returned, the sheepish smile having faded into a small and happy one. "But even if you do come into my dreams to do what it is you need to do, you are welcome by any means."
"Thank you Brayden," She commented after I gave her permission to allow her entry to my dreams. "As you are here to talk with me, if at any time you feel yourself to be in distress... you can depend on either myself or your aunt to come in and keep you comforted, and make sure you're in such a good state."
I was unsure about what she meant by me being in a good state. "What do you mean? I'm happy and calm about everything, so why say that?"
Her head lowered down a bit and an almost worried expression crossed upon her face. "It- It's because of the events that transpired before with the corrupt anger in your mind almost taking you over completely. I don't want to nearly lose you again..."
"I showed him though, and it was good that you, Starlight and Luna came on time to help me out, and I don't know what I would do without you or the rest of my friends."
She sighed only for a moment, and it was in such a way that I was trying to figure out what it meant. Was she upset and needed some comfort, or was she still posing that worry about what could happen to me? Her right front hoof rises out from the water, placing it upon her left front leg without a response yet made from her lips.
Her eyes focus back on me, and still the same expression from before. "I feel alone sometimes, and the blame that the ponies of Equestria point at me for still causes that effect to this day since my redemption. They're still out to taunt me and try to attack me... nothing could ever be done from that."
The loneliness in her voice drops the question that I had about why she would be like this. Everything began to come into realization, and I knew she was feeling that same way that I felt back in my previous life when I was different upon everyone there. Being the one time that I was lonely, I think I know how she is feeling.
"Even after those events, I just have to drown out the bad memories when you come into my thoughts. You were the reason why I was wrong the entire time about wanting the eternal night, but I was too blind to see through my arrogance and hatred towards the day. That day when I wanted you to slay me..."
"I didn't though," I said to her, taking a few steps closer. "As you are one of my favorites and being new and unaware of how powerful the Song of Order stripped you of the darkness that resided in you... I didn't want to kill you. I made a promise to myself that I will never hurt anypony as long as I live."
I brought my wet right hand towards her left cheek, placing it gently onto it to keep her comforted if she was this upset. "But not everypony in Equestria wants to hurt or taunt you for your past mistakes. You have me, my friends, the princesses and all of the other residents of Ponyville to talk to and open yourself to. You'll never feel alone then, just I will never be in that way that I had been on Earth."
She doesn't react at all to my hand on her left cheek, as her eyes haven't been taken off from these brown eyes looking at her. "You saw what happened in my past as someone who had been bullied before... and I felt exactly how you are now. But I grew and learned to understand that as they were as young as I was; opinions were different. Some can never let go of their opinions whether it comes to politics or how different others are..."
She remained silent as my gentle voice began speaking to her. "I understand that the few ponies of Equestria still think you may be a threat; but you are more than a monster... you're a mare that was lost in the darkness and reached out to save." I took my hand off from her cheek and bent down to gather some water in it. I get up again, and begin to wetten her mane to gently stroke the stellar colored mane that I knew would flow.
"I... I don't really know what to say though." She could only find herself responding to me as my now-wet hand is stroking her mane gently to keep her comforted.
"Easy to tell by the tone of your voice that you've been under a lot of distress about this kind of situation," I told her. "All it really takes is for me to listen. It's something the gift in me had chosen; so I can see past the negative that it brought upon me. When I first came to Equestria, I was still living under the thought that my autism was a curse to me and a reason that I had lots of trouble making friends and not knowing that I was embarrassing myself in the process."
She moved her black hoof to my hand that was softly stroking her mane, stopping me for a moment but began to lower it down and was holding onto it. "Your autism was one of the reasons you were lonely. But you have no idea what it was like for me... being banished for a thousand years to the moon, and slowly trying to become a separate form, cut away from your aunt... it's the guilt I have done that haunts me."
"We all have that, and sometimes we need to let go and carry on with our lives no matter how small. But it is always the big guilt that we all wish we could take back."
"Yeah..." She says to me, turning her head towards the moon and the light it was shedding above in the dream realm. "The night is beautiful, is it not?"
"Of course," I replied to her question, but surprised how quickly she had changed the topic. "Any night has a sight of wonders and brilliant skies above with the stars shining ever so brightly, though they are distant... it is almost like you can reach out to try and touch them."
Nightmare turns and begins trotting towards the vines under the mushroom, as if she was going to peek out and view the rest of the sky view. The water under her hooves moving by each step forward in a rippling effect. I don't really have much a choice, but still I wonder what was on her mind and follow right behind her, which I hope to her is something she doesn't mind.
Moving closer to the edge of the bathing waters, her hooves were only a few feet distant that had gone out, raising her right front hoof while proceeding and pushing those vines to the side to look. Her mane was still a bit damp from getting it all wet, but the sparkle looks like it is beginning to sparkle like it normally would when it was dry and flowing ever so smoothly. The wind outside past these trailing plants from atop the mushroom would be of great use most likely to drying her mane completely.
She paused there, not saying a word as her eyes were straying towards the skies of the night and towards the hillsides and valleys out of the forest of large fungi. The moon was above, shining down on all of the forest and valleys in this dream; almost like reality and dream realm were blending together to form a fantastic environment of endless adventure.
At that moment, she moved again, pushing past the vines and into the outdoors with the soft-cut grass underneath her hooves, and those eyes glazing with a shine in the night. I move myself past the vines and join up next to her, walking by her right side.
She turns her head and looks at me, as my brown eyes were looking right at her; but none of us are able to figure out what to say next. It could be that my mind is blank so all I can really assure myself is that Nightmare will speak of anything, and my ears are open and listening to her talk about what goes on in Canterlot since my last visit there and figuring out about 'the truth'. Since then, I'm hoping that I can go back and visit my mother at the castle.
We both start making our way out of the fungi area, and back into the valleys where I woke up here. The grass remains the same, but the lands stretching out far look majestic for the rolling hills of grass and yellow daffodils in random patches; and a few of the clouds rolling about slowly doesn't take away anything from this environment.
"It's amazing..." Nightmare Moon says to me, my sight no longer directed upon her but still sounding soft, yet surprised by the perspective of this. "Of all the dreams I have been to, this one tops it all."
While I enjoyed hearing her comment, I had to make her see how big this dream could be from the highest point, but even if it was a mountaintop there had to be another way to see how far the green stretched. Behind me, my diamond blue wings were there, having been inactive the entire time that I had been here in this dream. Well... better put them to use.
"Perhaps you want to go to higher parts to see everything and what they're like from up there?" I comment to her with a smile upon my face and the sound of my feathered wings unfurling to open up for flight. Aware that I still needed some training from Rainbow Dash to get used to these as I no longer have the ethereal wings that the Song of Order can provide me with, I can maintain them in my dreams thankfully.
I turn my head towards Nightmare Moon, watching her closed wings open up as well and her cyan cat-eyes looking right back at me. "The honor would be mine to see this view you speak of."
My wings from behind my back begin to flap and lift my bare feet off of the ground and into the air. Nightmare's wings lift her up into the skies of the dream as well, as I make a position that I was diving into a pool, but moving forward to gain speed. The grass below look much small like distant forests from thousands upon thousands of feet off from the soil itself.
Nightmare joins up alongside me with a calm look upon her face with her front hooves stretched out like the both of my arms. I exchange a happy expression towards her, but am secretly planning to surprise with a bit of a race to the clouds above. Wait... there's a look on her face with a smile that wasn't cruel but rather joyful.
"I'll race you there Brayden, but you'll have to catch up!" She tells me with a playful tone in her voice as if she caught onto what I was doing.
Her speed mid-air begins to accelerate and I find that she is moving faster here in the dream with a loud giggle coming in. With that joking smile on my face I knew my friend wasn't going to win this time. "Oh yeah? Wait up there while I do that!" I shouted right back at her and begin to speed up my flight to try and bypass her in this aerial race between me and the black alicorn herself.
My wings are pumping a load of adrenaline into my wings as I fly towards Nightmare who is really enjoying herself and looking behind to watch me catch up while her laughing sounds playful and that she's in good spirits; a side that I never thought I'd end up seeing from her. With her eyes closed while laughing, I managed to get much closer as she opens her eyes and begins to move right into the puffy smoking clouds of white.
Through the clouds I found myself following after her with a bit of a brush past the clouds and creating a hole through one of the strays wandering the skies above, but she's not out of my sight just yet. Like a puppy, I follow right behind her and keep her right on track by the color of her mane which was starting to flow again from flight and the wind invisibly blowing on our faces.
Her horn channels magic for only a few moments that have my attention, and just like that she casts the teleportation spell and disappears. Though I have a bit of knowledge on the spell, I stop right there and flap my wings in the air to keep me afloat to look around for Nightmare Moon. To no avail, I can't seem to find her anywhere in my sight... she wants to go all hide and seek then? Won't be easy for her if she is.
"Yoo-hoo!" I can hear her voice calling from a different direction unknown to me in these skies and my perception just wasn't picking it up quite yet, but when I look up I was a bit surprised.
She had transformed into her cloud form and was on ramming speed right towards me, and without any time to react to it at all. She brought herself back into the normal mare form that I was used to, and she pounced right onto me with a clever and frisky smile upon her face when she makes the back of my head impact onto the soft clouds below and above off from the dream's earthly surface.
"Pinned you." She says to me with a laugh and a friendly smile.
I chuckled with her for a moment before I exhale a sigh of false defeat. "Of course you did Nightmare, but you can't expect what I'll do sometimes."
I move the both of my arms around her while she was standing on top of me, and I flip myself all the way to the right while holding my friend close during that. Now her head was arest on the clouds, and I was looking down at her with that same smile she had. The only difference with my smile was that it was more kind and accepting of this happiness she was experiencing.
"Now I've pinned you, so we're equal now." I said again.
Nightmare Moon begins to think to herself loudly to make me suspicious of what next trick she has coming for me. I wonder what it could be? Her horn ignites for a moment and I wasn't sure if she was going to teleport again or give herself a boost in the race that was supposed to be going on between us, but I guess that was dismissed rather quickly if you ask me.
I can feel the skin by the side of my ribcage being tickled a lot, which was the most sensitive part of where I can just end up laughing... but I can see she was using one of her wing feathers to do this and rub it there with a joyful smile on her face.
"Nightmare, stop that!" I was trying to say to her but was laughing too hard from the feather was tickling me with. "It tickles! Please stop that!"
My friend just laughs in response to my own laughing while doing that, and I can feel her wings open up and move around my back and then pulling me closer to her while she continues to do that. I could swear that my laughter was beginning to get the best of me as the more I laughed hard, tears of joy were starting to crawl out from my eyes.
"What's that? The tickle feather missed an extra spot?" She says to me with a laugh before the feather began brushing onto my ribcage sides again.
The laughter seemed uncontrollable as it got to that level, but only for a bit until I was gently pushed forward by her black and strong wings towards her, and I knew that was probably a hug that she was offering me there.
The feather has disappeared and my chortling was beginning to settle down as her wings were wrapped around me gently and softly giving my back a caress. In this friendly, yet warm presence I had to move my arms around her neck lightly and join in this moment with both of us while the side of my head gently contacts with hers.
In our hug, I can feel her left cheek nuzzling mine and the gentle breathing she made when I was keeping her company in my arms and with her wings around my back. Her black cheek rubbing against mine feels pretty much how everypony's coat would feel; soft like a gentle warm blanket, and exactly what came to my mind whenever I was holding Twilight's hoof or anypony's hoof for that matter.
The wind was quite as silent as I thought would be minus how part of my hair is blowing in it. Her mane remains the same as it was one of the flowing; being that it was only Celestia and Luna who were known to have them but Nightmare can count as an exception.
Her head began to shift to the right and I find my own forehead beginning to rest upon hers underneath her black horn. Her breathing remains the same, though these ears could only pick up that her nostrils were inhaling a little more air than expected usually when one is calm. My eyes were closed, so I shouldn't expect anything going to happen between myself and the mare I saved from the dark reaches.
Except... I wasn't expecting her do this to me, and I was surprisingly calm when she did that.
I could feel her head shifting once again, possibly to give me another nuzzle. I can feel her muzzle pass upward from me, and past my own nose with hers touching briefly before quickly releasing. There was nothing for a few moments and then I could feel her closed mouth gently press onto my lips which was the result of my surprise.
She was giving me a kiss, and my eyes remain closed, yet I am surprised on the inside on why she would do this as of now. At first I seemed a bit reluctant... but then I found myself beginning to share it with her; even if it meant it was only going to be a brief moment.
The both of us released ourselves from the kiss, and my eyes open up to look at hers as they were revealing those eyes of hers. While I cannot take the look of the unexpected shock off from my face, I can tell that her reaction was much different. It was almost like a face of horror, like she had committed the most terrible crime of all. If any, I couldn't see her doing any of that though the most terrible of all bad things would be murder; and even I know she wouldn't do that either.
"I..." She was almost speechless from placing her lips upon my own. Probably remembering what had happened when Twilight found out about what happened when I was visiting my other love Coco Pommel in Manehattan. "I'm sorry... for doing that..." She manages to get out, like she sounds like she is a bit guilty and upset at the same time.
She starts to get up off of the cloud fluff behind her back, taking her wings off of my back and allowing me to release my arms from around her neck. I got up off of her while she got right onto her hooves with a look of heavy guilt upon her face, her eyes getting a little bit misty when she turns around and faces away from me to stand over by the edge of the cloud not looking back at me.
I could only stand there and wonder to myself why she looked guilty. That mist in her eyes though got me thinking that she was now experiencing the emotion of hurt, and can feel herself beginning to release the tears of all of the horror she caused when she was in that dark part of her life from the beginning. I couldn't hear any sobbing at all, but I can tell from the expression that she was really upset.
Something in my mind was telling me to comfort her, and I knew that is what I was intending.
"Nightmare?" I called out her name, taking a few steps forward. She hasn't turned to look at me just yet, but I can tell she was upset about placing her lips upon mine. I could only assume that she did that because of something inside that brought her to commit that by her own instincts, or could it have been something more that I wasn't aware of? Even if that is my guess, only having to know why she placed them upon my own to kiss me is my question. "Why... did you kiss me?"
Taking a few more steps on approach towards her, the left side of her face was coming into view. The mist in her eye by that side was no longer there, but having formed a visible tear that slowly crawls down on her cheek. Seeing that... I felt a little hurt inside especially when seeing anypony releasing tears or just crying. I wasn't going to start crying myself though, as I felt like I needed to come forward and comfort her.
She hasn't responded to me when I approach by her side, and turning to my right to face her. Her eyes were looking straight across the horizon, lost in that guilt and sorrow she couldn't release. My right hand begins to rise up towards her and open up, gently placing itself upon her left cheek.
My hand gently strokes her cheek while it wipes away the crawling tears, dampening her cheeks a bit and feeling a bit like there was nothing after that. Her head turns to look at me, and I use my other hand to wipe away the rest of the tears from there. By the tears crawling from her eyes though, she was holding back on what she wanted to say.
"Please..." She whispers quietly to me, almost having turned her head again. "If I tell you, it'll only make things worse for me than it is now by the guilt that haunts me..."
I take in a bit of soft hushing to my voice when my left arm moves slowly around her neck and my right hand is still stroking her left cheek to keep her comforted. "It's okay..." My voice was lowered to an almost-whisper from there. "I'm here to understand... you can tell me. As long as you have me, you'll never feel alone and guilty again."
Nightmare's cyan cat-eyes could only stare back at me in silence as the moon shone between the both of us on this cloud from far away for if anypony was watching from a distance, they would only see as what we could be like in a shadowy perspective from us blocking the light of the moon. She sighs for a moment as more tears push out from her eyes and only then would she start speaking to me.
"Brayden... it's something on my mind I couldn't get out no matter how hard it was to tell you. The days after the attack of Tirek, you kept on appearing in my thoughts. From the suffering that I was going through here in reality and the times where I stop and think, I thought I was never going to feel this happy again," She had begun to speak to me, sounding pretty quiet at first, but her tone raising a bit to give more volume. "...But then I realized you were the one that saved me from what I was made from, the jealousy that created me. You were and still are my beacon of hope whenever you came to mind as a reminder of how lucky I am to have you in my life; and how you were the first to spare me from death. It was only when you ran away that my feelings towards you began to grow, and I felt my heart racing in worry when I feared that the Queen of the Changelings had changed you. I wished upon the stars in the sky that you would protected... that's how much I cared for you and love you, even if it means I have to protect you for any danger. In that beach dream, my feelings towards you finally flourished when you kissed my cheek and the feeling gave me the illumination that I could finally experience happiness; even if it were brief, and I wanted to tell you that I had feelings for you, but it was all interrupted... and... you know the rest."
I was silent for after she had told me her confession. Nightmare's tears continued to crawl and I'm unable to move my hand off her cheek the whole time she told me. My memory could only flash backwards for a bit to when I first discovered the show back on Earth. The earliest thought on her being that of me thinking that I would end up getting a crush on her, until I realized that it was meant to be Twilight the entire time before slowly forgetting about that.
I step a little closer towards her, only smiling a little bit. "I'm happy that you've told me this," I responded to her confession. "I'll be honest myself, I never ended up thinking that it would work myself, nor did I expect you to tell me. Something inside told me you were holding back when you were about to tell me about your crush on me; but you were hiding it a bit. The truth is out now before me, and I am not angry about this."
"You're not angry or upset at me? Why?"
"Because during the battle of the changelings in Canterlot, the four mare promise that I made with Twilight pretty much states that I could be in love with Twilight, Coco, and two other mares. I know it took you a lot of courage to tell me, and I think it'll be something that could work out between the both of us." I told her, a smile upon my face as my brown eyes could never take those cat-eyes off of my own sight. "I'll never be angry or upset at you. I only do it if I have to, being that in your dark times you were acting out of line; so I had to force myself to get angry towards you because I really cared."
Nightmare's tears still flow, but a soft, caring smile came upon her mouth at the words that I had told her, lifting her right front hoof for a moment. My left arm moves from around her neck, and I allow her to take my hand, with all of my left hand's fingers gently wrapping around her hoof and holding onto it. Slowly back and forth, both my left hand and her right front hoof moves, and not letting go and we held them together.
She can't take those beautiful eyes off of me, as the glimmer from the moon's light reflecting in them showed me the light from within her. In the background I could hear music playing a tune as the moment was coming between us and we slowly look like we are going to embrace one another. She takes in a deep breath in and then when she released; began to sing to me.
You know our love was meant to be
The kind of love that last forever
And I want you here with me
From tonight until the end of time
You should know, everywhere I go
Always on my mind, in my heart
In my soul, Baby
You're the meaning in my life
You're the inspiration
You bring feeling to my life
You're the inspiration
Wanna have you near me
I wanna have you hear me sayin'
No one needs you more than I need you
And I know, yes I know that it's plain to see
So in love when we're together
Now I know that I need you here with me
From tonight until the end of time
You should know, everywhere I go
Always on my mind, in my heart
In my soul
You're the meaning in my life
You're the inspiration
You bring feeling to my life
You're the inspiration
Wanna have you near me
I wanna have you hear me sayin'
No one needs you more than I need you
Her black wings open up while the music played, wrapping them around my back and then giving me a light push towards her, with her lips pressing against mine. I had my eyes closed when my lips had come into contact with hers, and my heart inside with fluttering quickly, skipping a few beats.
When we released from the kiss, we look at each other when our eyes have opened up and laugh together for a moment before I began to join with her in a duet on the cloud we stand on.
Wanna have you near me
I wanna have you hear me sayin'
No one needs you more than I need you
You're the meaning in my life
You're the inspiration
You bring feeling to my life
You're the inspiration
When you love somebody 'til the end of time
When you love somebody
Always on my mind
No one needs you more than I
When you love somebody 'til the end of time
When you love somebody
Always on my mind
The both of us had finished the song and the music that had been playing in the background has ended with a slow fade, bringing back the peaceful sound of the night wind soft blowing from afar.
All we can do right there is stare at one another in silence, smiling at each other and resting our foreheads against one another. A feeling of trust between one another shared, and that pretty much means that I have three out of four mares in my heart that I truely love. Only one more that can fit into my heart, and then I've pretty much reached my limit on how many I can fall in love with. I'm sure that the other three when I get them understand about my commitment to Twilight, my special somepony.
"Nightmare?" Her ears have perked up and open, so that she is listening to what I have to say. "I want to thank you for telling me everything that was on your mind and your feelings towards me." I move my right hand to take her left front hoof and hold onto it, gently rocking it back and forth with her as she shares a smile with me. "I could probably say myself, that even though you had a few appearances when watching from the Earth, I could tell that you were and still are one of my favorite ponies."
She looked flattered herself by the words of having me confess to her that she is one of my favorites. "You have no idea what that means to me... thank you." She says, with her cheeks turning a little bit pink.
I let go of her hoof that I was holding, and come forward; placing the both of my arms around the black alicorn I now love in my heart, the other two being Coco Pommel and the majority being Twilight. She was a bit surprised herself when I did this, but gently wraps both her hooves and wings around my back in the embrace. I'm pretty sure that her cheeks were much pinker from this action.
"Thank you for being there to help me when I was in trouble, and for that I will always depend on you whenever I feel down on some of those nights in my dreams." I whisper to her left ear, so she can hear what I have to say.
I can hear her giggle and squeeze me a little bit, but not too tight. "You're quite welcome..." She whispers right back to me.
All else was silent to me during our embrace, and my eyes were open over the horizon as I can see the night sky starting to transition into the colors of a twilight sunrise. Possibly a sign that another day has started for me, and that I have to wake up in the next few moments ahead. But with the white shining from down below: it is best to say the last words in the dream before I come back into reality's good times and that life I love living.
"Just as you were there to be the good influence to guide you, I will always count on you to guide me if I am lost. Even when the rough times come to burden, I know I have you as somepony to love and understand me. You'll be in my heart along with the mares I love, and I will never forget what you did..."
I would never catch it with my own vision, but I could tell that Nightmare Moon gave a warm smile upon her welcome before the white had covered us both and the dream realm's sun rose out of the eastern horizon. Time for another day in Equestria once again...
Earth
1:37pm, Middle-Eastern Desert
The desert winds were blowing across the sands that were being walked upon by soldiers of the common enemy. Besides the hot sun shining brightly above in the skies of their land, there was nothing much out there except the looks of orange-like rocks and the footsteps stepped on before the desert winds would hide the trace and cover them up.
A scout team was out in the desert, on the lookout for any troopers or soldiers hiding about on their lands, and seeing that they will get on point to shooting them on sight with the rifles they have in their hands as they can tell what was a false disguise or if it was just another regular batch of sand by their own eyes.
One of the riflemen has a scope on his rifle to scout from far distances and fire at the enemy if they had to no matter who it was. In this fight these men were experiencing, the war was mostly about their own politics to exterminate those refusing to bend under their will when it came to the strict rules. Even a simple small object stolen like an apple resulted in either a beating or a punishment by death.
On their clothing, they wear a golden colored badge with a symbol that in the language, but was known by other countries outside to be known as "The Global Persecution" or known as . They are many in legion, but they were wise when it came to speaking English or the native Arabic language that they were used to. Though they were small in groups, The Global Persecution were feared by many in the Middle-East, and ruled by their ruthless leader Achmed Daou II.
The sound of what almost seems to feel like a plane rushing through the air caught their attention at first, and then a small explosion nearby proceeds to make them act by raising their own weapons towards the explosion with the shouts of their native tongue about the explosion nearby.
From the rising dusts of the sands, a figure stood there with what seem to look like demonic wings but were that of dragon blood itself. The figure rose slowly from the dusts and begins walking out much to the dismay of the scouts who can only aim their weapons towards the figure who appears more in the sun's light to be a female.
On her neck, the fire ruby pendant itself is glowing recognizing herself as Rebecca to these soldiers. On her sides, are two katanas with all ebony for the handles themselves and while she hasn't wielded the blades themselves, it is unknown as to what the blades looked like or what the description of what they both were actually made.
One of the scouts paces forward, not letting down his weapon at the female in case she is to attack them. He began to shout at her in his language that he was used to speaking, as this was how they would be talking in coversation among one another when at meetings of their orders by their commanders as ordered by the leader of The Global Persecution. The way he was shouting sounds a lot like warning, and wanted her to leave the vicinity immediately or face the consequences of being shot on sight.
Her pendant begins to glow brighter in a blood red and she began to speak to him in his native language. "Speak in English so that I can make this easier for you and your scouting team." She had said in the Arabic tongue.
The scout held his gun there for a few moments and there was a pause for all the other five members scouting the region. She was not attacking nor was she afraid of them to his own surprise; perhaps a brave one spotted in their own eyes who would dare step before them in their land of what they considered democracy and order. The others were ready at any moment to fire when ordered by the leader of the pack.
He slowly lowers the weapon down when she has not acted upon them with violence or savage behaviour to them, but still is ready for any trap she has in mind. Should she disarm him, he could be quick to grab his sword and duel her but only if necessary.
"Why is it that you come before us?" The scout asked Rebecca as she stood there with a cruel smile upon her face.
She can only chuckle to herself for a few moments before speaking. "I come to you, because I have a proposal for your leader."
"He only bargains with the enemy from overseas that keep sending their fighter jets and pathetic soldiers over here to attack our nation; giving them threats and whatever we need to win this war they started through bad relations of the previous leader." The scout answers to her, sounding rather strict in his middle-eastern tone. "If the proposal is a way to get them to stop destroying our cities and driving more rules upon the common folk here, then it could a deal he might accept."
"No..." She responds back to him. "It's something a little different, but I think your leader of the organization will be rather impressed and have something new instead of being here." She can only stop for a moment to come forward towards the brave scout and look him straight in the blue eyes with her hazel green eyes, almost like he should be afraid of her in every way.
"...Have you, your leader or the rest of The Global Persecution ever heard of a land called Equestria?"