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Star: Why are there so many guards around the castle? Geeze. And where’s mom? spots Night Light Oh, Nighty.
 
Nighty: Hey, Star.
 
Star: You know where mom is? Or dad?
 
Nighty: shrugs Probably busy.
 
Star: You’re helpful. Hey, you know why there’s so many guards around?
 
Nighty: Nope.
 
Star: …………Gee thanks. Well I’m out. Tell mom and dad if you see them.
 
Nighty: Are you serious? You’re going out? Good luck.
 
Star: Why?
 
Nighty: There’s obviously guards around here for a reason. They won’t let you out.
 
Star: Well I’ll just sneak out.
 
Nighty: Alright, sis. Whatever you say.
 

 
Star: Heh, still easy. There really were a lot of guards around though. Weird. spots Anthea walking alone Annie?
 
Anthea: looks to Star’s general direction Starburst? Hi! Um… what are you doing out of the castle.
 
Star: Um…. walking around? Like I usually do.
 
Anthea: Right, of course.
 
Star: Where are you going? Where’s T?
 
Anthea: He’s at home. I’m going to Canterlot Castle today.
 
Star: looks around Alone?
 
Anthea: Yes ma’am!
 
Star: No offense, but are you gonna be able to make it?
 
Anthea: Yeah for sure. Probably. Ehhh….
 
Star: facehooves
 
Anthea: I’m just joking around, Star. Of course I can.
 
Star: I can go with you if you want.
 
Anthea: Ahhh… no thank you, Star. It’d probably be better if you stayed here.
 
Star: Why?
 
Anthea: I……. uhhh…..
 
Star: ………….. why’re you acting so suspicious?
 
Anthea: I’m not acting suspicious. I’m just giving you an answer.
 
Star: I don’t trust you. You know something I don’t. As a guard in training I know when I’m being lied to.
 
Anthea: Don’t worry about it, Starburst. Everything’s fine.
 
Star: You realize that I can just follow you, right?
 
Anthea: Why Starburst, I had no idea you were thaaat into me. I knew you were pretty obsessed but–
 
Star: S-shut up, Annie! You know what I mean!
 
Anthea: giggles Fiiiiine you can come with.
 
Star: Good. Yes….. So what’s happening?
 
Anthea: looks away You’ll…… see when we get there.  

 
Anthea: Well here we are! I think
 
Star: We’re here.
 
Anthea: Ah good! I definitely would’ve got lost if you weren’t here with me chuckles
 
Star: Yeah….. looks around There’s so many guards here too. What’s going on?
 
Anthea: …………
 
enter Canterlot Castle
 
Star: Where’re we going?
 
Anthea: To Nidra’s room.
 
Star: Oh………. Are you guys just hanging out or something?
 
Anthea: No. Not today.
 
Star: ……..
 
arrive at Nidra’s door
 
Anthea: Okay. Um…. try not to freak out okay?
 
Star: Freak out why would I–?
 
Anthea: Nidraaaa? It’s Annie. We’re coming in~
 
Nidra: Wait “we”?
 
Anthea: Hi, Nidraaaa
 
Star: looks at Nidra, lying down covered in bandages N-Nidra…
 
Nidra: Princess Starburst. What are you doing here?
 
Star: What happened? I was just– I… WHAT HAPPENED?
 
Nidra: That’s not important right now.
 
Star: Why didn’t I know about this?
 
Nidra: Please, Star, I’d prefer not to talk about it.
 
Star: But–
 
Anthea: I came here to help with her injuries. How are you feeling by the way?
 
Nidra: Better. Still very sore.
 
Anthea: We’ll take care of that smiles Got my first aid kit and everything. starts unwrapping Nidra’s bandages
 
Nidra: removes the rest of the bandages revealing a huge burn
 
Star: Nidra……..
 
Nidra: I take it Turquoise wouldn’t have been able to handle… this chuckles
 
Anthea: You got it feels Nidra’s wounds They feel better than what you described.
 
Nidra: Oh yes. Thank Celestia for alicorn genes. Er… I suppose my mother in this case chuckles
 
Anthea: Let’s fix you up begins applying a soaked, cold towel on Nidra’s injuries
 
Star: ………………. Are you two really ignoring me right now?! What happened?!
 
Nidra: Starburst, it’s–
 
Anthea: whispers Nidra, she deserves to know.
 
Nidra: But– You brought her here on purpose didn’t you?
 
Anthea: That’s not important.
 
Nidra: sighs If we get in trouble for telling her, I’m throwing you under the cart. Alright, Princess Star. You win. Only because Anthea is such a good friend to you.
 
Star: Okay, I’m listening.
 
Nidra: Before I tell you, you need to promise me you’re not going to go out and do something stupid.
 
Star: Why would I d–
 
Nidra: Promise me, Starburst.
 
Star: Fine, I promise.
 
Nidra: Well, last night, I was carrying out my duties. Flying over Equestria, making sure everypony was sleeping peacefully. But at the end of the night, I felt a huge disturbance. There was a particular mare having an abnormally awful nightmare. When I entered it, everything felt much more real than usual. The mare was even able to talk to me. She kept telling me to leave, but I kept trying to help her. She seemed very on edge, and tired. I suppose I pushed her over the edge by staying there and she let out an explosive burst of magic. The injuries you see are a result.
 
Star: Wait, but I thought you could’t get hurt in dreams.
 
Nidra: I thought so, too. Mind you this nightmare was very abnormal. There was dark smoke everywhere and I was also able to interact with the mare. I told my mother about this, and we have reason to believe that…. Nightmare is back.
 
Star: Nightmare? The same Nightmare that possessed Mrs. Rarity and Princess Luna?
 
Nidra: nods
 
Star: Is that why there’s so many guards around? Is she planning to attack? Why wasn’t I told???
 
Nidra: This was very recent, Star. We haven’t seen Nightmare since and the princesses along with Mrs. Trixie and Mrs. Starlight are still trying to decide how to take action.
 
Star: But why wouldn’t you tell me? And Mrs. Trixie and Mrs. Starlight? Does everypony know about this except for me?
 
Nidra: Most don’t. Only the princesses, your mother’s friends, Annie and myself. We didn’t want to tell you yet since… you know the mare.
 
Star: I do? But why do Trixie and…… Star…. light… know……… Who did Nightmare target?
 
Nidra: ……………..
 
Star: No….
 
Nidra: …………………..
 
Star: No… No she’d never….
 
Nidra: Dove has been dealing with issues none of us had any idea about. Although Dove made it very clear what she was going through, it appears she was keeping a lot more from us than we thought.
 
Star: But… No! We helped her! We told her that she wasn’t hurting anypony. We told her that everything would be okay!
 
Nidra: I suppose the reassurance wasn’t quite enough. She knew something was wrong with her magic from the very beginning but all of us were too blind to see. No offense, Anthea.
 
Anthea: None taken.
 
Nidra: She’d been telling us for a long time that she was having nightmares, but whenever my mother and I would wait to see if she’d have one, we never sensed it. We have reason to believe Nightmare was keeping us out. She’s a tricky one. She knew she could get Dove there and she knew that her hurting one of us would get Dove to despise herself so much that her possession of Dove was guaranteed.
 
Star: I– We… We have to go find her! Make sure she’s okay! Right now!
 
Nidra: Star, I know you’re concerned but we have no idea where she is or how to proceed. We need to be patient.
 
Star: We know how to stop Nightmare! We’ve done it before!
 
Nidra: I agree that we should act with haste but we’ve now seen just how powerful Dove is and need to be careful. And with Nightmare, there’s no telling what kind of damage she could do.
 
Star: But she’s our friend. We have to do something!
 
Nidra: And we will, Star. We just really need to think things through before taking action. For Dove’s sake.
 
Star: ………………………. turns around and lies down
 
Nidra: …………… Are you sure it was a good idea to tell her?
 
Anthea: nods Everypony has been underestimating, Star. They think she’s reckless and that she’ll do something stupid. But she’s grown a lot. She’s smart. And if anypony can save Dove, it’s Starburst.
 
Star: I’m gonna figure something out, Dove. Just be safe……