As former Queen Luna stepped onto the Sun Kingdoms royal balcony, she sighed. It seemed like just yesterday her worst fears were becoming reality. Chaos ensued the land, all of the ponies of Equestria cowering in fear and unhappiness, and her beloved niece had been taken away. But now that was all in the past. The land was at peace once again. She had decided to remain in the Sun Kingdom which had now become the head of Equestria, though she still kept watch over the Moon Kingdom, Crystal Kingdom; and she even once tried to look over at the Chaos Kingdom. She hadn't gotten far, but she could tell that Discord was still out there. Lurking in the Everfree....

"We mustn't worry, calmness and steadiness is the key."

Slowly she began to use her Unicorn magic to raise the moon over the whole land, one by one she brought the glimmering, twinkling stars into the shimmering night sky. A cool summer breeze flowed through Luna's mane and tickled her nose. But she wasn't Luna any more, now she was once again Nightmare Moon. It happened every time she raised the moon into the sky, the Night's magic gave her it's power and allowed her to protect Night's treasures. She walked inside to find Twilight looking around the castle for something.

"Dearest Twilight," Nightmare Moon began. "What is troubling thou?"

"Oh! Lu- I mean Nightmare Moon, have you seen Sombra? He wasn't at dinner when Star Shadow came home."

"No, I'm afraid we haven't. And where is Star Shadow? We wish to speak with her."

"In her bedroom, you know Nightmare Moon you don't have to speak like that all the time. Ponies haven't spoken like that in one thousand years!"

"Oh but where is the fun in that Twilight Sparkle. I can speak however I wish to......"

"What?" Twilight said in surprise. She had never heard Luna or Nightmare Moon call herself 'I'.

Nightmare Moon winked at her. "Now I shall be seeing Star Shadow now. Afterwards WE shall assist you in finding Sombra."

Twilight giggled. "Thank you."

Nightmare Moon walked regally out of the hallway into Star Shadow's bedroom. The young filly was with Spike who looked a bit taller then he had looked when Twilight was just a Princess. His voice had deepened a bit too.

"Spike? Do you think you could walk with me in the garden tomorrow?" Star Shadow asked.

"Of course Star Shadow. I'd be honored, but you need to go to sleep." Spike answered.

"Not yet she doesn't!" Nightmare Moon said loudly.

Spike jumped. "Oh, Nightmare Moon. Um.... I'll just go help Twilight now....."

"Yes, that would be a wise option." Nightmare Moon replied.

Spike slowly walked passed Nightmare Moon and shut the bedroom door. Star Shadow laughed.

"Your so funny Luna!"

"Star Shadow, what is the name we told you to call us when the moon is in the sky and we take this nightly form?"

"Oh, Nightmare Moon. Sorry."

Nightmare Moon smiled gently. "It's alright little filly. Our name may be 'Nightmare' but that doesn't mean we will hurt you. Our bark is worse then our bite after all."

Star Shadow's smile began to return. Nightmare Moon turned towards the large bookcase up against the wall.

"Star Shadow?"

"Yes, Nightmare Moon?"

"I'll tell you what, if you get one of your books I'll read one to you before you go to sleep...."

"Really!" Star Shadow squealed.

The Princess rushed over to the bookcase and pulled out a hardcover book made with expensive paper that had gold-like lining. The pages were thick and the cover was purple with small glitter streaks flowing across. Nightmare Moon knew the story all too well.

"The Legend of the Chaos King huh?"

"Mom and Daddy told me that they really knew him! Did you know him too?" Star Shadow asked.

Nightmare Moon hesitated for a moment. "Yes.... I did...."

"Besides, it's my favorite story to read."

The black Alicorn chuckled. "Very well....."

"Daddy, are you sure you don't want to stay in my room? Mommy seemed a little crazy around you.." Disarray asked.

"I'm sure sweetheart, besides I think I owe her a bit of an apology. Don't you?" Discord responded.

"Yeah, I guess."

"That's a good girl." Discord whispered. "Now get some sleep. We still have to find that six legged Manticore with green fur and a dolphin tail tomorrow."

Disarray smiled as Discord gently kissed her on her forehead. The little Draconequus closed her eyes and fell asleep quickly. Discord quietly flew out of the room and shut the upside down door. He walked towards his bedroom and tried to open the door, but found it locked as he had expected. Moonlight had shown him a very sarcastic attitude ever since he laughed at her earlier. He took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Moonlight? I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings by laughing at you, truthfully I thought you looked so adorable I couldn't help but laugh. I promise I would never do anything to hurt you intentionally. Please let me in.... Let me make it up to you?"

Suddenly the door opened and Discord was grabbed and dragged into the room. He found Moonlight hugging him tightly.

"Apology accepted!" She said warmly.

Discord sighed in relief. "I feel so much better now..."

"Did you really think I looked adorable when my coat looked like a cotton candy cloud?"

"Of course! You looked so fluffy and huggable! And you now how CRAZY I am when your mane is like that..." Discord replied. "In fact..."

Moonlight looked up at the ceiling to see a large pail floating above her head. It tipped over and splashed water all over her soaking her mane and coat.

"Oooh! Well at least the water wasn't cold!" She said.

Discord chuckled as she shook herself, water droplets from her coat splashed everywhere. Then her coat was fuzzy and fluffy once more.

"I guess your right," Moonlight giggled. "I do look like a cotton candy cloud!"

Discord now had a huge grin on his face. He grabbed the Alicorn and ran his talons through her soft coat.

"So fluffy....." He sighed.

"Discord is this necessary?" Moonlight asked; though enjoying the attention.

"Yes, this is necessary. And this is only part one...." Discord answered.

"Part one? Of what?"

Discord responded by kissing her. "I think you know what I'm talking about my pretty, cozy, adorable little Chaos Queen."

Moonlight Chaos snuggled up against Discord and sighed. He had promised to make her feel better and he would. And she knew when this happened he wasn't letting her out of his grasp until he decided it was her bedtime. This brought back so many memories from when Discord was ruling Equestria. But that didn't matter right now. She was glad she hadn't shut him out, and she wouldn't have been able too. At some point she would have dragged him back into the bed. She wouldn't leave him out again, not this time...

Nightmare Moon had finally joined Queen Twilight to help her search for Sombra. This was very unlike him, he was never absent for anything; yet he had missed dinner and the rising of the moon! First Twilight and Nightmare Moon had asked all the guards and servants in the castle. Twilight had even visited one of Sombra's closest friends that had also once lived in the Crystal Kingdom. Her name was Trixie, a pale blue Unicorn with a foggy blue mane. While she was more talented then most other Unicorns in Equestria sometimes she could be a bit too overconfident and arrogant. But she was learning in time. Her cottage was close to the castle and she made a living as a magician performing for ponies across all of Equestria.

"Trixie, are you here? It's me Twilight Sparkle!" The Queen called.

The blue Unicorn quickly answered the door. "Oh, good evening Twilight Sparkle. What brings you here?"

"I was wondering if you had seen Sombra? Your one of his closest friends and you always know where he's going. Did he stop by to see you by any chance?"

"No, Trixie hasn't seen Sombra since Star Shadow's last birthday party. Trixie has to visit the Moon Kindgom tomorrow for another magic show but Trixie will keep her eyes peeled."

"Oh thank you Trixie." Twilight said.

"Oh and Twilight?" Trixie called.

"Yes Trixie?"

"I'm sure he isn't too far. You and I know he wouldn't leave like that! Perhaps he'll be there tomorrow and he'll tell you where he went. I'm certain you'll find him, or I'm not the Great and Powerful Trixie!"

Twilight shook her head. "Sure thing Trixie, thanks for your help."

"Any time Twilight Sparkle." Trixie responded waving her hoof.

When Twilight got back to the castle she had a discouraged look on her face. Nightmare Moon stared at her.

"Trixie doesn't know where Sombra is either. Where could he be?!"

Nightmare Moon shook her head. "Come Twilight, get some rest. We are sure he couldn't be in any danger, he is strong and brave."

"I know.... I'm just nervous." Twilight responded. Slowly she trotted towards her room.

Spike walked towards Nightmare Moon. "Twilight really misses him doesn't she?"

"Of course Spike! Twilight loves him. Just like we know you love Twilight the way she loves you." Nightmare Moon said sternly.

"Right, well I'm going to bed. Goodnight Nightmare Moon!" He said as he happily walked off.

"Goodnight Spike." Nightmare Moon responded. "Sombra, please come out of hiding. Twilight misses you dearly..."

"Well, my dear, am I forgiven?" Discord asked as he gently ran his talons against Moonlight's wings.

The only answer he received was Moonlight Chaos' sighs and moans to which he gladly took as a yes. While he was mesmerizing the Alicorn in his clutches he tried to think of what would really put her treatment over the edge. Then it hit him, there was one thing he remembered that Moonlight always used to sleep with when he was still in power. Discord snapped his talons and a familiar tapestry appeared. Discord removed his paw from her wings, and when the Alicorn saw it she gasped.

"Oh, Discord! This is the tapestry you made for me! I can't believe you kept it! It looks the same way it did when you first gave it to me!"

Though it had been made to be a piece of decoration Moonlight used it as a blanket, it had reminded her of the world she grew up in. After all Discord had taken over Equestria when she was only a filly.

The memory was stuck in Discord's head. He could never forget that day he had it made for her while his reign over Equestria was known for the past fifty years.

"Where are you taking me Discord? I'm supposed to be keeping an eye on the guards like you told me." Moonlight questioned.

"Oh it can wait, your too good at your job for anything to happen. I think we can let it slide this once." Discord answered, covering Moonlight's eyes with his paw.

"But-"

"Are you trying to disobey a direct order from me? You may be second in command but I can still throw you the dungeons for treason. I am the ruler of Equestria and all it's inhabitants, including you..." Discord said suspiciously.

"No My Lord, I'm sorry..." Moonlight replied.

"That's what I like to see from you, obedience. That's a trait that will get you far in MY kingdom dearest."

Discord led her into a dark room where he took his paw off her eyes. Moonlight's eyes were still shut when Discord turned a dim light on giving them just enough light to see.

"Alright, you can open your eyes now."

The Alicorn did as she was told and when she saw what was in front of her she gasped. Hanging on the wall was a tapestry that could easily cover both Discord and Moonlight Chaos. It had the image of of Discord on the upper left corner and and image of Moonlight on the bottom right. On Discord's side bright images of chaos in the sun could be shown, things like cotton candy clouds, upside down buildings and random sigh a of insanity could be shown. On Moonlight's side a gleaming moon was shown along with blue and bubbly soap road trails and the ground looked like a multi-colored chess board in purples, blues, blacks, and grays.

"Discord, this is.... beautiful; how on Earth did you have this made?" Moonlight asked in awe.

"I had it specially made by the finest seamstresses in Equestria. It took almost half a year to make and to make sure the detail was just right, but I wanted to have something a little different this time. You know? Something that didn't just focus on me this time, something with a little more mystery I suppose. Do you like it?"

"It's beautiful, it's incredible. IT'S CHAOTIC! I love it Discord!"

"That's good to hear, then perhaps you also wouldn't mind have it hung in your bedroom? I'm certain the maids won't mind admiring some new architecture..." Discord wondered.

"Oh, you don't have to do that Discord. I'm not worth all this trouble, my only purpose is make you happy. I am here to please."

"Well putting it in your bedroom would make me happy." Discord said.

Moonlight laughed. "Thank you My Lord."

"Oh no, the pleasure is all mine..."

The two shared a smile and as they turned around one of them began to blush.

"I can see your face you know, it certainly matches my eyes." Discord remarked.

"Oh let it go Discord! I'm just happy..." Moonlight mumbled.

"Whatever you say Moonlight, whatever you say..."

"So you held on to it for all those years?" Moonlight asked.

"Yeah, it's one of the only things that I managed to save after the whole castle was destroyed."

"What were some of the other things you managed to save?"

"Me, the tapestry, and you...."

"Oh Discord...." Moonlight sighed.

"It's alright, it's not anything else in there was all THAT important." Discord replied.

There was a moment of silence between the two, then Discord shook his head.

"Well, I think that's enough 'treatment' for one night. You should probably get some sleep. Disarray and I have to find a six legged Manticore with green fur and a dolphin tail tomorrow."

"Oh my, sounds like quite an adventure! You want me to dust all the furniture and make a big meal for tomorrow?"

"Oh Moonlight, sometimes I wonder how you put up with all the work I gave you because you work WAY too hard sometimes. Get into the randomness! Have a little fun, you should come with us tomorrow!"

"I'M NOT RANDOM ENOUGH?" Moonlight said in a sassy tone. "Discord, ealier today I was trying to see how I could paint a fence using only water balloons, tried to eat an entire stick of cotton candy with my horn in one bite and used paper clips to build an exact copy of what your old throne used to look like!"

"Well that would explain why you were covered in the paper clips and balloons. What about the whole 'eating cotton candy with your horn' thing?"

"Oh, well my horn had a small headache for a while but you know all is wrong with the world." Moonlight answered.

"True; I didn't even know horns COULD get headaches! How does it feel?" Discord asked.

"Strange, like the inside of your head tickles and hurts at the same time..."

"I'll have to try it sometime... Oh! And before you get into bed..."

Discord dumped another pail of water on Moonlight, causing her to shake and shiver.

"Discord! That was cold!" She complained as her mane started to frizz.

"It was supposed to be."

"Huh? What do you mean-"

But before she could finish Discord scooped her up and carried her over to the bed along with the tapestry. Once Moonlight was on the bed he put the tapestry on top of her and snuggled against her body.

"Now I can keep you warm ALL night..." Discord purred. "And your really cozy and fluffy now too."

"Only you could do this to somepony and actually get away with it."

"Ah yes but with you, I get away with EVERYTHING...."

"Yeah, and Discord? I'm sorry I was angry at you earlier, what you said was true, and silly."

"When all the truth does..." Discord started.

"Is make your hart ache..."

"Sometimes a lie, is easier to take..." Next Chapter: Hostile Takeover Estimated time remaining: 32 Minutes