Author's note: I don't own anything but the plot. There's some Gamer Luna references in here.

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Luna's P.O.V

It has been two months since Tirek's defeat. Everypony still has nightmares about what has happened two months ago. A loss of power, so much fear, and extreme anxiety are the main things in their dreams. Most ponies call that post-trauma stress disorder. I fly through the night sky after finishing my nocturnal duties as a dream walker.

I then enter Canterlot Castle, and still, I can sense other ponies having leftover nightmares, even though they do know that the events from two months ago has stopped. I panic as I notice a figure similiar to Nightmare Moon. "W-what are you doing here?" I asked.

The figure simply flashes an evil grin as the slitted eyes focus their stare on me. "It is me... You have thought that I am forever gone, Luna..." She said.

"I will not betray my sister again as long as I live!" I shouted.

"But you're an immortal, not a mortal... They still don't accept you... Join the dark side again, Luna... They shall fear you-"

"Never!"

I lunge at the figure, and the next thing I know, I crash into the wall. "Are you serious?!" I demanded, "Show yourself, coward!"

"Foolish choice, so-called night princess... I am right here. I am just a shadow, and you couldn't stop me- you could only fight me in a nightmare," Nightmare Moon said.

Alicorns don't get severe headaches as much as mortal ponies do, and neither do they get hurt easily. But still, they can feel emotions- we alicorns aren't so blank like most ponies thought. The long centuries do train alicorns to become stoic, very much befitting a benevolent and wise ruler like my sister and I.

"Nightmare Moon! I don't lose as easily as I once did! Go back to the Shadow Realm! You don't belong here in the Light Realm!" I demanded.

"Oh, but you are born into the night, right? On the night of a full moon, foolish princess! What makes you think that you were wise and benevolent?!" Nightmare taunted.

"Wisdom means having lots of experience, and benevolence is being like a kind ruler. You only know how to cause terror and corrupt others that may cause the others to be hurt and misunderstood in the long run!"

"You are only getting more stupid and foolish as you speak."

"Go!"

I activate my magic as quick as I can, and I force Nightmare Moon into the Shadow Realm. The Shadow Realm is called Darcquestria for short, because it's dark often. Sometimes there would be eternal light, so I doubt that the realm is filled with life like this Equestria. Everypony has a dark counterpart that is only seen in dreams and the Shadow Realm.

I hate when I get called stupid or foolish. Surely, they don't sound very kind at all. I use even more magic to tightly seal the link between both Equestrias. That is when I feel deprived of my magic. It takes a lot of magic to seal links between worlds, right? Nightmare Moon is the total opposite of myself- she is very malevolent and heartless.

Even though I care for the ponies in this Equestria, I keep a stoic exterior, yet I don't feel compelled to speak such a monologue like Celestia does whenever she is speaking in public. A minute later, the lights flash on as Celestia rushes in. "Are you okay? I heard you arguing with somepony that probably doesn't belong here," She said.

Tears well up in my eyes as I rush to her. "It's her again! She forced me to go back to the dark side, and I refused, because I don't want to be feared once again! I want to forever stay by your side as long as I live, sis! I don't want to betray any of you," I said.

"That could explain those recent midnight screaming matches since three weeks ago... Well, you seemed to have lost all your magic while sealing the link."

"If only I have enough magic, I could seal all the links so that Nightmare Moon wouldn't find a way here."

"That would surely cost you a lot more magic than it already has. Not only that it will cause lack of magic, but it could hinder your ability to dream walk- dream walking uses magic, right? Let's continue speaking about this matter in the morning. Twilight and her friends used the Elements of Harmony a few times, so... I think it will be wise to send them to stop Nightmare Moon and maybe turn her to stone."

"I would gladly like for that to happen!"

"Now, you must have patience. You need some rest to restore your magic."

"It's still nighttime, and most ponies haven't gotten past the nightmares that are interfering with their sleep. They still need help on getting over the events that happened two months ago."

"Have you any idea what will happen if a unicorn or alicorn uses all of their magic? They could pass out, or worse."

"But alicorns are more stronger in magic, so they wouldn't suffer from lack of magic. I'm sure that I will regenerate as quick as I can."

"No, that's not possible. Remember when you were released from Nightmare Moon? It took a few months for your magic to be restored."

I calm down a minute later, and then I use more of my magic to start dream walking once more. "She would get you if you're in your weakest point," Celestia warned.

"But the links are sealed," I replied.

I enter the dreamscape, and I feel my magic waning slowly as I walk past the doors to the dreams of subjects that could be sleeping throughout the night. "Even though you closed the link, I can still enter many dreams," A familiar voice said.

What if Celestia is right? I quickly take action as I rush out of the dreamscape using my magic. I am in the waking world once again, and the moon starts to set on the horizon. I use my magic to lower the moon so that I can make way for Celestia's sun.

I walk to my bedchambers, and now my mind is debating on whether to sleep or not. Sure, this Nightmare could enter many dreams at any time of day or night. I tend to dream a lot, and that could allow for her to enter my dream. She could pressure me even more.

I decide not to sleep. Even though an alicorn's energy depletes slower, they still need sleep. Knowing some video games that I have played, I could mentally connect the Shadow Realm with a Dark World from a certain gaming platform such as Legend of Zelda.

---

Twilight's P.O.V

The sun's bright rays shine through my bedroom window. The new bed is surprisingly more comfortable and soft than the bed that was in the old treehouse. I walk downstairs, and I am greeted by my friends. We always plan a meeting place- sort of, just in case, like for lessons, trips, or to use the Elements of Harmony.

Because I am the Princess of Friendship, I now have the Elements of Harmony in the Friendship Castle. "How are you?" Rarity asked.

"I'm good. Well, have the nightmares about the events stopped?" I asked.

"Of course," My friends said in unison.

"And to count Discord's slight betrayal?"

"Discord still has nightmares about what has happened," Fluttershy said.

Coincidentally, a letter appears in front of me. I start reading the letter. "Twilight Sparkle, you are needed at Canterlot Castle. -Princess Celestia," The letter said.

"We are needed at the castle, girls," I told my friends.

"Do I have to go?" Spike asked.

"Possibly," I told him.

"We don't have to go through another villain... Do we?"

"You'll see," Rainbow Dash said.

"Would it have been somepony like Sombra or somepony worse like Tirek?" Fluttershy asked.

"Tirek's not a pony, he's a demonic centaur," I reminded her.

We all quickly go to Canterlot. We enter the throne room, and two alicorns are sitting atop their thrones. "Celestia, what is it?" I asked.

"Luna will explain this- I believe she has encountered Nightmare Moon. I wasn't there when it happened, but when I heard the screaming match, I rushed here to check on her. She said something about another realm that is full of evil," Celestia said.

"Earlier, during midnight, Nightmare Moon was trying to force me to turn to the dark side. I refused, and then I sent her to the Shadow Realm, where she'll be imprisoned. The Elements of Harmony may stop her from going between worlds," Luna added in, "The Elements surely do have many uses."

"I will like for you to go into the Shadow Realm to find Nightmare Moon and stop her."

We all walk into the room with the mirror-like portal. "So, are we entering an alternate Equestria that is always dark?" I asked.

"It's not always dark- sometimes there would be a sun rise, but it's mostly dark. You may encounter a doppleganger-" Luna replied.

"Cool! A doppleganger?" Pinkie and Rainbow asked in unison.

"It's not a 'cool' thing. Not everypony is as kind or gentle, and that holds very true for Darcquestria. And, you shouldn't speak without letting somepony finish. The time in this world is unlimited, unlike the alternate reality that Twilight Sparkle once entered so that she could get her tiara back. Now, you must enter this realm to find Nightmare Moon."

"Are you sure about this?" I asked.

"Of course," Luna said as she gives me a warm smile.

I smile back as my friends and I approach the portal. Fluttershy seems the most hesitant. "I don't want to go," She said.

"But we all have to, for the princesses!" Rainbow Dash replied as she pulls her through the portal.

"Wait!" Rarity and Apple Jack shouted as Pinkie hops along with them.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go," I told them.

The rest of us walk through the portal, leaving behind Princess Celestia and Princess Luna.