Changing Lanes 26

>Upon your insistence, the three of you quickly return back to your home.
>You mind is spinning, anger muddling your thoughts.
>Luna lied to you.
>She had to have known Nightmare Moon jumped ship with you.
>"Anonymous, maybe we should get you to a hospital, a hit that knocks you out like that could be a con-"
"No, Luna, for the last time, I am fine. Are you alright?"
>She seems utterly confused at this point, but says nothing.
"I'm tired of finding out nasty little surprises for myself, Luna. But this time, you've outright lied to me."
>"What in Equestria are you talking about?"
>You stop pacing your living room, staring the blue alicorn in the eye.
"I know, Luna."
>It takes a moment before confusion turns to a mix of horror and shame.
>She quickly averts your gaze, while Twilight is staring at the both of you as if you are crazy.
>"Will anypony clue me in here, or do I have to stay in the dark?"
>You keep your eyes on Luna, your blood reaching a boiling point.
"It seems a certain black alicorn didn't stay with Luna as she had claimed, Twilight."
>She gasps, while Luna directs her gaze to the floor in front of her.
>"Are you seeing her now? Is she talking to you?!"
"No, when I was knocked out cold she talked to me. I didn't realized I had lost consciousness until she told me."
>The room falls under an unsettling silence.
"Luna, I was you to tell me one thing."
>She looks up at you, her eyes misty at this point.
"When did you know?"
>She looks back down, silent.
>"I knew she was not there when the spell was completed, but I didn't know where at that point."
>She looks back up at you, tears streaming down her cheeks.
>"But then I saw her. In your eyes."
>You bite your lip and turn around, trying to contain your temper.
>"You must understand, my intentions were good!"
"Yeah, the road to evil is paved with good intentions, too!"
>"Anon!"
>You turn around as you realize the stupid thing you've said, helped by Twilight's shout.
>Luna's jaw drops, the dams about to burst.
"I didn't mean it that way, I-"
>Too late, as she teleports away in a flash.
"Son of a bitch."
>"What were you thinking?!"
"I wasn't Twilight, okay?! I was pissed, I'm still pissed. At her and myself."
>Twilight sits back down on the floor, as you stare at the ceiling trying to collect your thoughts.
"I think it's best if I have some time alone, Twilight."
>"Are you sure? Maybe you just need to ta-"
"I'm sure Twilight."
>You turn to look at her as he ears droop.
>"Goodnight, Anon."
>She quietly saunters out of the room, apparently in no hurry to return home.
>You hear your door close, just as the clock strikes ten.
>The foreboding chime echoes throughout your otherwise silent home.

>You naturally do what you always do when you need to clear your mind - cruise.
>Slowly, you make your way out into the dark countryside at a leisurely pace.
>The rhythmic rumble of the engine is all you focus on for a while.
>Inevitably, your thoughts return to tonight's events.
>Now what do you do?
>"For one thing, why not try using your brain next time before you speak?"
>You turn to see yourself riding shotgun.
"What the fuck?!"
>"Relax."
>His, or its eyes flash a turquoise hue.
>Nightmare Moon.
"Okay, seriously, creepy as fuck."
>Your doppelganger sighs, shimmering in a dark haze before reappearing as the black alicorn.
>"Better?"
"No, not really. You said I had control, how are you here?"
>"Well, stress helps prop open the door for me, I suppose. Appearing as you put me through until you would talk to me."
>Your eyes go back to the road.
>"Really? The silent treatment? All I wanted to do was help."
"Help. Ha. Shouldn't you be gloating how you made Luna and I miserable?"
>You turn back to look at her.
>"I didn't make anyone miserable. I gave you answers to the questions you had, what you did with that information was up to you."
"Bullshit."
>"Do you really thing I want to be stuck listening to you mope in that head of yours? Or see you take your own frustration out on Luna?"
>You do a quick double take at her last words.
"Luna? Why would you give a fuck? You possessed her, tried to kill her sister, then a thousand years later escaping and trying again. Not to mention trying to push me past the brink after our mix-up."
>A hearty laugh erupts from Nightmare Moon.
>"Possessed, oh what will the next tall tale be?"
>You jam the brakes, quickly coming to a standstill.
"Alright, what the fuck are you?"
>"Oh, just call me your free-spirited conscience."
"No, cut the shit. What are you?"
>You cut the engine, as Nightmare exhales, not answering.
"Answer the question, or piss off."
>Averting your gaze, she finally speaks.
>"Luna was miserable when she was basically forced to give up her passion to help rule Equestria. But she couldn't tell anypony that, how would that look to the new kingdom? How could she say no to her own sister? So, no other alternatives, she talked to the only pony she could. Herself."
>You stare at her, unsure where this is going, if anywhere.
>"After a while, talking to herself turned into talking to another part of herself, into somepony else completely. Somepony that could actually respond back. That somepony else, imbued with the same power and magic our little Luna had, offered to make things better."
>You scoff.
"You're telling me you're a rebel tulpa? Come on."
>"Ooh, and to think, momma told you shows like Supernatural couldn't teach you anything."
>Glaring at her, she shrugs in response.
>"I don't have the master key to your mind, but your library is open to the public. Anyway, tulpa, no, not quite. Think of me as Luna's rebellious side. So really, Luna shared a part of her with you. Is that so bad?"
>You say nothing as you turn the key, causing the engine to come to life again, and taking off.
>It is quiet for a few miles aside from the rumble of the engine.
"Why tell me this? Why are you suddenly being, well, not a complete bitch?"
>"I'm not exactly going to be given attention if I'm nasty in the home of a guest, am I?"
"So you're an attention whore?"
>"No, I just like attention."
"So if all of this is true, why are there so many other theories of why Luna turned into you? Why didn't she tell me that?"
>"You tell me. You're the one talking to an empty passenger seat."
>You whip your head around.
>Sure enough, the black alicorn is gone.
>Sensing you're alone again, you continue on in silence.
>As much as you hate to admit it, maybe you have over-reacted a bit.
>Really, has anything bad happened as a result of not being told Nightmare got stuck with you?
>You still would have like to been informed, but at the end of the day, nothing has really changed.
>Other than knowing about it.
>You have to find Luna.

>It takes almost two hours to get to Canterlot's castle.
>Normally, it would have taken longer, but you had already been cruising in that general direction for a while.
>The guards let you in without trouble, knowing you are Luna's special someone.
>Or at least were.
>It is quiet in the castle as, aside from posted guards burning the midnight oil, everyone else has retired for the night.
>The echo of your footsteps is the only sound as you make your way to Luna's room.
>You only hope you guessed right, as Luna has blocked herself off from you, so you cannot sense her presence.
>Slowly, you open her door, darkness greeting you.
"Luna?"
>You hear the bedsheets rustle in response.
>"Who is there?"
>The bedside lamp suddenly flickers to life, illuminating the night princess and her room.
>She is, quite frankly, a mess.
>Mane disheveled, eyes red.
>Her aforementioned eyes lock on you, then drop.
"Luna, I'm not here to argue."
>You slowly walk in, sitting on the side of her bed.
>She still says nothing to you.
"I'm here to say I'm sorry."
>"What?"
"I'm sorry. Sorry for getting mad, and certainly sorry for not thinking when I was angry, and saying something stupid."
>She seems confused as her eyes dart up and across your face, as if reading you.
>"But why? Why have you suddenly become apologetic?"
"Well, I would have liked to have been informed that she was connected to some of her powers I'm suddenly imbued with, but what negative things have occurred by not knowing?"
>Her eyes meet yours again, lightening up even more as you reach out and brush her mane.
>"Nothing."
"Exactly."
>"I was not trying to hide information from you Anonymous, I just did not know how to tell you such a sensitive item."
"I guess you just have to trust I'll understand."
>Her eyes continue to study you.
>"You've been talking to her, haven't you?"
"Who?"
>She gives you a look of suspicion.
>No sense in lying.
"Yes. Believe it or not, that's what got me to come to my senses."
>You keep mum on what else you know, since Luna seems to want no one to know.
>"Okay, but I would suggest not speaking to her. I am confident Nightmare Moon can do nothing in your mind, but until we know for certain, better safe than sorry."
"Alright."
>The two of you sit in an awkward silence for a while.
"Well, I guess your big night of the year turned out rather shitty."
>"Not necessarily. Nightmare Night doesn't technically end until dawn."
"So what should we do? Most people have gone to sleep for the night."
>"Including my sister, who missed out on the festivities and is sleeping now."
>The two of you look at each other, smiling.
"Let's go scare the crap out of her."

>It is the next morning.
>You and Luna are having a small breakfast in the castle, waiting.
>Finally, Celestia joins you, looking the worse for wear.
>She looks like she didn't get a wink of sleep.
>"Rough night sleeping, sister?"
>The white alicorn takes a seat across from the two of you.
>"If I did not know any better, I would say my room was spontaneously haunted last night. You two wouldn't know anything about the bangs from in the walls or some of the weird visions I saw, would you?"
>She stares down at the two of you, accusingly.
>You and Luna look at each other, shaking your heads.
>"No."
"Nope."
>Silence, as the three of you hold an impromptu staring contest.
>"You must remember sister, the veil is at its thinnest on Nightmare Night."
>Celestia turns her focus on Luna.
>Luna grins, her smile showing a pair of fangs.
>"Mwahaha."