The sun was high in the sky over the meadow. Birds were chirping and the clouds were light and fluffy. Bees collected their pollen from the multicolored flowers that doted the field. Sitting calmly in the shade of a large glow apple tree sat a large alicorn, her white fur and red mane seemed to glow in the sunlight, beside her sat a equally large colt, his fur black and mane a dark purple. Two young fillies were playing a ways off in the field, under the ever watchful eye of the white alicorn, one a stark white with a pink mane the other a dark blue with a purple mane. They played peacefully in the sunlight, when the white alicorn spoke. Her mouth moved but no words came out, the white filly stopped and looked up at her mother.

"No." Luna stood where her younger self once did, tears beginning to swell in her eyes. "Please, no." her terrified whisper met noponys ears. The shade under the grew dark as a pair of glowing red eyes appeared in the darkness, "Not again." With a sicking crack the severed head of the white alicorn rolled out of the shade. Luna clenched her teeth and looked down at the filly Celestia, frozen in terror. She looked back up at where the black alicorn was, Nightmare moon stood there looking sadly at her.  

"Luna," Nightmare Moon spoke, her voiced echoed even in the open field, "Why do you resist yourself?"

"I am not you." Luna turned her back to her. Nightmare Moon leaned in so there were nose to nose.

"I AM you." Her eyes dilated with anger.

"No, you are just the manifestations of my anger and madness!" Luna shouted back.

"WE ARE THE PRINCESS OF MADNESS! YOU OF ALL PONIES SHOULD EMBRACE ME! I WAS BORN OF YOUR TORN AMBITIONS! AND NOW!" Nightmare dropped her head an clenched her sharp teeth, "And now, even still, you rip at me, lock me away, and even what little attempt to escape I make, you stop." She leaned back and looked up at the sun. "Funny, isnt it? Even in our mind the sunlight is everywhere. Even here we are subject to Celestia." Nightmare gave a hearty laugh, it chilled Luna.

"You, are, not, me."

"No, you are right, I am part of you, the part that you cut away," Nightmare was whispering, "I am that itch we cant scratch, the voice in the dark, our violence, sexuality, brutality, the desire to grab a guard and have him rut us till sun up, I make our knees weak at the sight of blood, and our heart skip when we hear bone snap. Our sister gets to be herself all day long, and here we are, divided, separated because she pushed us to far. SHE ripped me from you, and now you've been without me for so long, you are scared." She lifted Luna's face to meet hers, "We are one, Luna, take me back and sit mighty on your throne."

"You are wrong on one account." Luna's words sent a wave over the field, where the tree once stood a small light blue sapling now grew, and the sun and the moon shared the sky. There was along pause as Luna thought, Nightmare moon smiled at her. Luna cracked devious smile. Nightmare stepped back, almost afraid of Luna. A spear and a large horn struck the ground on either side of Luna, shattering the ground. "A True Princess doesn't sit on her throne alone." In a brilliant flash of light Acropolis and Rune Shift appear from the spear and horn. They were in their full armor, and immediately stood at complete attention beside their princess. "I didn't understand that when I made you, when I locked all of my hatred for Celestia away with you. I wasn't trying to kill you Nightmare Moon, I wanted them to purge their fear of you! To have those they care about fight for them! To rise above! To Survive! TO FACE THE HORROR THAT I SHUNNED IN MY DESPAIR!"

"What!?" Nightmare Moon was shocked. "You planned this whole thing!?"

"After you forced me to almost kill my subordinates I saw a opportunity to put you back where you belong, and save my friends." Luna's eyes grew wide and her smile widened. "You are right in one way, I AM THE PRINCESS OF MADNESS! Not YOU! YOU ARE CALM, COLD, CALCULATING! YOU LACKED ONE THING THAT I HAVE, NIGHTMARE MOON!"

"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!?"

"You wanted power, eternal night, a permanent domain. Anger drove you. I couldn't admit this to my self, and for that I was weak, but now I know the truth. I spent three months biding my time, thinking and planning. And now it is so clear to me!" Luna thrusted her wing towards Nightmare, Acropolis and Rune sounded off in unison. Nightmare Moon just stared at the trio, she stared right into Luna's eyes. Luna blinked and her iris became a slit, "I DONT SHUN MY VIOLENCE, MY DEVIANCY, MY LUST, OR MY ANGER! I get off on it!" Nightmare Moon was gone. The sky slowly became night, the grass began to glow, Acropolis and Rune looked up at the moon. Luna closed her eyes and the mare on the moon reappeared. Her toothy grin spread ear to ear. "None shall stand before the Lunar Guard."

Celestia awoke in a cold sweat, she quickly looked out to the moon. Spying the mare on the moon, her concern grew.

"What are you doing sister?" Celestia walked out onto her balcony and looked up at the moon, now bearing her sisters resemblance once again. A cold chill ran down her back making her wings flutter slightly. She looked over to Everfree forest where a beam of light was piercing the nights sky.

Rainbow Dash flew around the spire of light bursting from Luna's chamber in the ancient castle. Flying into the shaft she tried to land close to Luna but the force of th emagic she was giving off was to much for the star flyer. Luna was completely enveloped by light, RD couldnt get close to her. And then darkness, the light cut out and RD fell to the floor.

"Oww." Rainbow rubbed her shoulder as she got back onto her feet.

"My apologies, Rainbow Dash." Luna spoke calmly, no canterlot voice, no childish twang. She stood as tall as Celestia, her coat was black, her eyes were dark purple, and her mane was flowing and sparkling like the nights sky. Rainbow Dash just stood in awe, she looked just as regal as Celestia. "Please, take me to my guard." her order was met with a terrified nod from RD.

Twilight looked out of her window and in terror at the moon, she had watched at the mare on the moon reappear. The thought of facing Nightmare Moon again terrified her.

Chrysalis blew bubbles from her half submerged swamp bath. She rose slowly and looked over at Glint who slept quietly on some reeds. A smile came across her face, she could feel Luna, every feeling going off at once, she was in extreme pain and mind blowing ecstasy.

"She has reclaimed her throne." Chrysalis laid back down in her swamp, glad that Luna wasn't scared anymore, maybe now some progress can be made.