The Fateful Tale of the Sisters Two

Nightmare

I was on my bed crying, my cut face providing withering pain that shot through my entire body. I could care less about the injuries. There was a scar that would never heal, a different scar, one inside me. The only sentient being who had been there for me for the three hardest years of my life, the years proceeding my parents' death, the years before I met Sombra, was gone. My sister, the one I had cared for most, she was gone. The horse I cared for was dead, replaced by a monster. One who only cared for herself. Not phisicly dead, but I would never say I love you to her again. I would never say I need her again. And she would NEVER be my sister again other than in blood. Only moments ago I was in the dining hall with her. I said I loved her, she then glared at me. "Don't you care about me anymore?" I had asked. We had seemed to drift the three years after the defeat of Tirek, I was a teenager now, thirteen, and she was almost of age, nearly ready for her coronation, but I didn't want being queen to throw a wedge between us. She then laughed a malicious laugh. Then she said the most nasty things I'd ever heard out of anyone. She rounded it all off by hurling a vase at my head, which shattered on impact and cut me severely. We once loved each other to pieces, trusted each other with our lives. Now I sat in tears on my bed. Why? That seemed like a question I asked all to often. But who cared. My sister didn't like me anymore, who cared about anything, who cared about me? Did I care about me? Sombra does, a small voice inside me squeaked. Does he? Where is he now? Where was anyone? Sombra? Forget him, I told myself, never open up to weakness like that again, you'll only get hurt. "There there child, I'm here. And I can never leave you," I heard. I looked around and no one was there. "Hello, wh-who are you?" I asked quietly, yet bravely. "My name is Moon, I am inside you. I am your nightmare, everyone has a nightmare, somthing they fear. But I am here because your,nightmare is coming to life. So I have come to life. I am here to save you, to stop your nightmare, I will help you," she whispered. Did I trust her? Somthing seemed true in her words. I did trust her. "Then Moon, my Nightmare, Moon, how do I begin? How do I stop my nightmare?" I asked ready for anything. "In time child, for now know that you are safe with me," She finished. And I sat there a long while, not sure how I should be feeling.

I was reading in the garden, somthing I spent more and more time doing lately, the strange encounter I had with my nightmare still fresh in my head from yesterday. Another reason for my extended time spent in the gardens was it being the easiest place for Sombra to infiltrate. There was no set schedule for his visits, and his absence cannot evade the notice of the other boys in the orphanage forever, let alone the one in charge of them, but I truly hoped he would make it today. I needed to tell him about Moon. I stayed in the garden all day, and even a few hours after I brought the moon up, but he didn't come. Moon did however, every night, and I enjoyed, even looked forward to her visits, despite the fact I couldn't see her, and being a nightmare didn't seem to be a healthy freind. But she spoke to me, calmed me, retold the terrible events of the day, the love Annette gets, the cruelty she gives, she helped me see where I needed to go. I needed the kingdom for my own, to help save it from loving my tyrant sister. I couldn't wait to tell Sombra of her visits. The next day I was disappointed as well, he did not come. The third, I finally was rewarded for my days of bordom.

Yawning I walked over to the grassy patch under my favorite tree to read. I had just barely set the moon and Annette hadn't finished sun rise, a cheering crowd at the gates of the palace exuberant for her day. Just then, Sombra came running up the path. "Sorry it's been so long," he gasped, obviously he had run the whole way here,"There's been some delay with the other boys, but I should be back on schedule now... not that there really was a schedule, but whatever!" I chuckled under my breath. "I've missed you, a lot, and I need to tell you somthing..." I said, repeating the phrase 'honesty's the best policy' over and over in my head. Why again was I telling him this? Would he understand? Or think I'm crazzy... "Well, I've been talking to somone new for a few days now... she says her name is Moon, and... well... I've never actually seen her, she... she's a voice, inside, my head..." I stuttered. Sombra didn't joke or make me feel stupid like anyone else would but started asking questions, concerned. "What does it say? Does anything stand out to you? How does it comfort you? Can you elaborate? Why?" And finally he pulled a book from the blue saddle bag I gave him. "This is on magical creatures, there's a chapter on things called nightmares, read it and see if you think that's what it is, if it is, your in grave danger," Sombra said, thrusting the book at me. But... Moon is my freind... no. Sombra has been my freind much longer. I need to tell the whole truth, and if he says Moon is bad... I believe him... I think... "Sombra... she said she was my nightmare... am- am I going to die? Moon seemed nice... I don't understand..."

The wind blew, scattering my mane around my face. "I'm ready," I said firmly to my freind Sombra. He gave instruction and I acted accordingly, summoning my nightmare, Moon. My hooves left the ground, the pure power lifting me, and my eyes flooded with darkness. Her darkness. A hoof reached out from inside my now black eye, shadowed and near liquid state. It pulled the body it was attached to through. The form scrambled to exit my body, pulling herself apart, thrusting herself out of my eyes and mouth then whisping her liquid dark form back into shape until a tall mare stood before me. She wore a helmet and tall protective shoes the color of my mane. Her coat as black as night, and her green eyes had slits like a snake's. She was an alacorn, like me, her horn sharp and her wings armored, her mane a cloud of blue smoke. "Child... you have need of me? Tell me how to please you," she coaxed. "Go, Ela, it's the only way," Sombra mumbled firmly, taking in the sheer height of the mare. "Child?" She asked, addressing me unintentionally intimidatingly. "I..." I whispered, frozen. Sombra walked up to me, he stood closer than he ever had before, whispering so only I could hear,"I'm here." He gave me strength to face her. "I... you came to me to help me find joy... I already have it, all I need to be happy is Sombra. And he will never leave me." I said rather pathetically. She looked at us questioningly. "Is he really there forever? Do you really think your safe with him? I only mean to ensure your future, a single colt, a... freind, is that what you want? I can give you what your sister has, you will be loved by all. Even him. Especially him, if you so desire. With me you will have all you desire, not a small portion. It seems silly to me really..." she coaxed, pulling me to her. "I..." I was froze, ice inside my brain. If I chose her... I could have everything. But... what did Sombra say about nightmares... I forgot... what did... who was I talking about? I stepped closer to her. She was there to help... a freind... my freind. "I want-" Then he walked up to me. He was talking. What was he saying? Who was he? Then he put his head to mine. He whispered. "Please remember... I need you... I love you." He...? Sombra! Every moment we shared ran through my memory, the joy we shared, the sadness, desire, hopes dreams, fears. I remembered. Every. Single. Thought. When we met on the steps of the librart. Up until before we summoned Nightmare Moon. She was deceptive, a lier, she could erase or change memory. She made me think I wanted fame. But I had what I really wanted. "No! I have what I want, and I can never loose it! I choose him, forever, I. Choose. Sombra!" She looked surprised, accepting, and... hungrey. "You fed me well, but if... that is what you want... so as you please. Farewell, until next time, child." She shrunk until she was my size, then the color drained from her, until she was her original shade of dark. She melted to the ground and latched back onto my hooves. "Gone," Sombra panted. "And there's no reason to be afraid of your own shadow anymore."