Sombra was currently stomping down the hall angrily, while speedily trailing after him was Lightning Dust.

Lightning Dust grew more frustrated with the colt the longer he ignored her. "Hey, Sombra!"

Sombra continued to ignore her to the best of his ability as he kept trotting down the hall.

Lightning Dust eventually fluttered up and flapped quickly over and in front of him. "Hey! Listen to me!"

Sombra groaned as he looked up at her in irritation. "What do you want!? Can't you see that I'm-"

Lightning Dust cut him off immediately. "Annoyed? Childish? Grumpy? Yeah, I caught that."

"Sombra! Oh Sombra! Do not rush off like that! I'm sure she didn't mean it!" Fleur De Lis was hurrying over now, just as concerned.

Sombra and Lightning Dust both glanced back in the previous direction, catching sight of frantic unicorn.

Fleur smiled widely as she chuckled nervously, raising a hoof to her chest. "Surely we can all be civil about this whole me-"

"DID YOU THINK WE WERE DONE!?"

Fleur gulped and paused. "Eeep!" Suddenly she was shoved out of the way, as marching up was Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare Moon snarled angrily as if consumed by rage. "Get back here you whelp!"

Sombra closed his eyes and smirked. "Oh so your first brash and reckless display wasn't enough for you?"

Lightning Dust frowned heavily before sighing and getting in Sombra's way. "Back off Nightmare!" She looked fairly serious, glaring at her intensely. "Sombra is just a kid. Why're you two fighting like this all of a sudden? We all were so cool when we first arrived here."

Sombra snickered as he deviously glanced over at the alicorn. "Yeah, what's wrong princess?"

Nightmare Moon flinched as she hesitated upon seeing Lightning Dust. "Move out of my way!"

Lightning Dust swiped a hoof as she peered straight at the alicorn. "NO! Not until you tell me what's the matter!"

Nightmare Moon stomped a hoof as she now looked desperate. "I SAID MOVE!"

Lightning Dust snapped back again. "And I said no!"

Fleur De Lis got in front of Nightmare Moon, blocking her. "W-Wait a second now darling! Be civil! You're better than this!"

Nightmare Moon looked down at her in annoyance. "Well apparently not! Apparently I'm just reckless right!? I have no skills right!?" She growled. "I've gotten just about tired of his smart mouth! He's only some weak little pony! I'll put him back in his place!"

Sombra couldn't help but cut in. "Hah! And what makes you so special anymore!? You said it yourself! Friendship is the ruling magic of this world! Your little stunt with those bugs is all you're good for! While I'll take care of the real problem!" He cocked his head back with a cheeky confident smirk. "You can just stand back and watch as I rise and deal with the cello mare. Because you're obviously incapable."

Nightmare Moon growled fiercely, before screaming and forcefully shoving both Fleur and Lightning Dust out of the way with telekinetic magic. A pitch black tendril sprouted from the alicorn's shadow and then shot straight for the colt, whopping him in the face.

Lightning Dust attempted to wriggle free to no avail, snapping at the alicorn. "NIGHTMARE! STOP IT!"

Fleur De Lis trembled with a nervous look as she remained still, not wanting to become involved at this point.

Sombra flew down the seemingly endless hall, tumbling and rolling before gasping for air as he came to a gradual stop. "Grah! Violence violence violence! Didn't we already establish that that wouldn't work!? Yet it is the first thing you resort to!" He stood, swiping a hoof at her as he did. "I'm the one who gave us this opportunity!" And suddenly emerging in front of Sombra were black crystals which created a barrier and blocked oncoming tendril attacks and kept them at bay. "And I'm the one who will take care of the cello mare!"

Nightmare Moon gradually made her way down the hall as she wore an eager grin, not even taking the colt's spell seriously as she eventually arrived in front of those black crystals and continued to playfully assault them, not saying anything as they began to crack.

And as the black crystal barrier eventually shattered, immediately leaping out was Sombra with a hoof encased in black crystal.

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened as in that split second she could only eye the incoming colt.

Sombra shouted. "Stupid wench!" Before his hoof connected right with her face, and sent her flying and tumbling back herself.

Nightmare Moon rolled across the wooden floorboards before her tendrils latched onto the ground and brought her to a halt.

Lightning Dust, who was still stuck to the wall looked at Nightmare in both worry and frustration. "N-Nightmare! Let us go!"

Sombra breathed heavily as shadows began to surround him. "See! This is your problem! You are but a child! I may be the one trapped in this body, but you're the one who's childish antics will get us both caught!" His nose wrinkled in annoyance. "I knew there was something to worry about when I saw you attack that insect. I knew I saw hesitance in you when we arrived here.  But this only proves my point. You need somepony to constantly watch over you to keep you in check. You are now a pony's pet. You lack the mindset to be able to succeed in the fast food enterprise. You're born to be a rash tyrant, not a king, not a queen, but a bratty princess. You lack confidence."

Nightmare's eyes were wide as her hoof quivered as she felt the bruise on her swollen cheek. Her pupils dilated as she glared intensely at the colt and remained laying on her side, allowing her tendrils to strike as four now surged towards him. She snarled at him "Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up shut up!" She grinned fiercely as each tendril latched onto one of his legs and raised him to the air as she tugged at them intensely. "I lack the mindset to be able to succeed in the fast food enterprise!? I'm the one who brought you in!" She began to go off into a belligerent rant. "I'm the one who gave you this opportunity! And you think I'm the one incapable of helping us succeed!?"

Suddenly, Sombra's form dissipated into nothing but shadow as another shadowy form molded and formed in front of Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare Moon continued with her rant. "I'M-" before she immediately froze with shock.

Standing in front of her was Princess Luna with a disappointed glare. "Afraid? Little sister."

Nightmare Moon trembled as she laid on her side and muttered. "L-Luna? Luna I-"  before she was struck in the face again. The alicorn's eyes widened exponentially as a look of fear became more apparent and she attempted to crawl away from the haunting figure. "Y-You, you and these cheap illusions. Face me like a real unicorn!" She appeared frustrated yet frightened. "Do not play these mind games with me!"

Luna's form pressed forward. "Afraid of making some friends?" She struck Nightmare in the face again.

Nightmare forcefully rolled back as she coughed. "Do, do you think this will be enough to-"

And soon that form molded and turned into Celestia. "Afraid of disappointing your family?" As she raised a hoof at the alicorn.

Nightmare Moon raised a hoof at the image of Celestia before crying out. "OKAY STOP! STOP!"

And Sombra's shadows soon disappeared as it was revealed that he was the image , now standing in the position Celestia was once in as if he were about to strike the alicorn again and his hoof was encased in crystal. He glared down at Nightmare angrily, silently.

Nightmare Moon covered her head with both hooves as she trembled, and sniffled. "Please stop."

Both Lightning Dust and Fleur De Lis were silent as they looked upon the scene from afar worriedly, still stuck.

Sombra stood on his hind legs and looked down upon her. "For now you need to follow my lead. You're obviously in no shape to be leading, nor to be acting so high and mighty. Do you see now what you are? You may be strong Nightmare, but in the end you're a quivering child. You reign over the darkness, but here you are, sulking in it. Drowning in fear and despair. It is pathetic and you know it."

Nightmare Moon didn't say anything, as she continued to lay there with her head covered, trembling and sniffling.

Sombra's eyes saddened somewhat. "You helped me escape that place and I am grateful, but I am already gradually becoming more familiar with the way things work here while you are being left behind. Have you not realized yet what your reckless pursuit even means? Once this is all over, which it soon will be, you will draw the attention of those you fear. And look how you react, look how you quiver and tremble like a filly at the mere sight of them. Violence will not work against them. There is only the new world method, and you have yet to even muster the courage to understand this. You spoke so confidently when we first met again. Now? I'm not so sure."

Nightmare Moon began to snicker deviously beneath her breath.

Sombra's eyes widened suddenly. "What's so funny?"

Nightmare Moon cackled, "IDIOT!" As she suddenly screamed with intense ferocity, before all of her tendrils struck the colt and sent him crashing through the ceiling and onto an upper floor before she herself hopped up there, disappearing from sight in dust and debris.

At that moment Lightning Dust and Fleur De Lis were released from their telekinetic hold.

Lightning Dust gasped for breath as she wheezed. "Guh!....What's with those two!?"

Fleur De Lis raised a brow at the hole in the ceiling with concern. "This might actually be quite serious."

Lightning Dust looked at her with a raised brow. "Ya think!?"

Sombra gasped for breath again as he laid upon the floor on the upper level and his eyes began to emit a green fiery aura. But suddenly a black substance latched onto his eyes as he groaned and pulled at it. "AH! Disgusting! What is this!?" He tried to get it off to no avail.

Nightmare Moon snickered. "My own special touch! Do you like it!? Now what will you do without your petty visions?"

Sombra stood up straight as a calm demeanor overcame him. "I do not need eyes to sense you Nightmare." He appeared extremely focused and silent as his ears twitched, he immediately faced her direction down the hall with a blank expression.

Nightmare Moon began to cackle wildly. "Hahahaha! Fool! Are you serious!?"

Sombra immediately swiped his hoof then.

Nightmare Moon continued to cackle when she suddenly felt an uncomfortable jerk on her horn. "W-What!?" She glanced down at the floorboards as her eyes widened, for it was only then she noticed that Sombra's actual shadow had reached out to her position, and like a whip latched onto her horn. She growled, "What do you think you're doing!? Release my horn this instant!"

Sombra trembled as he struggled to keep her source of magic at bay. He kept his hoof raised as his eyes were still covered with the black substance. It won't last long on somepony as powerful as her, but maybe I can trick her. He pulled his hoof back in a jolting motion.

Nightmare Moon cringed as she felt a sting in her hoof again before looking up and seeing it was encased in black crystal. "WHAT!?" With that action her black tendrils disappeared and her darkness ceased. She was completely out of touch with her magic supposedly. "Irk!"

The black substance melted away from Sombra's eyes as he only stood now, glaring at the alicorn. "It's my win Nightmare."

Nightmare Moon lowered her head as her expression darkened intensely.

Lightning Dust who was already on the move made way for the hole leading to the upper level.

Sombra continued to speak. "Without your magic, you can no longer continue this meaningless act."

Nightmare Moon glared at him in that moment, as suddenly the lights began to flicker around the mansion, coming on and off as a deep ominous rumbling accompanied it. She continued to glare at him as the darkness began to seep from her very being and she only raised her head with a determined stare. Black magic had even spread over the hole in the floor, preventing Lightning Dust from entering the scene. Nightmare eyed Sombra, as if wanting him to understand what she was prepared to do to prove she wasn't powerless.

Sombra blinked a bit, before raising a brow at her. "What do you think you're doing?"

Nightmare Moon spread all four of her hooves, as if readying herself. "You might be right, Sombra, maybe this is all pointless for me. Maybe all that's waiting for me is my sisters despising me. Maybe, I can't succeed in the fast food enterprise."

Sombra stared at her plainly for a second, as his expression gradually sunk.

Nightmare Moon closed her eyes before chuckling softly. "Maybe, a world of nightmares, is the only one for me."

Sombra's eyes widened as he shook his head and he swiped his hoof in a panic. "Are you crazy!? Calm down!"

Nightmare Moon gritted her teeth. "And we can go there, TOGETHER!" She grinned fiercely as suddenly a bubble of magic surrounded their perimeter, and the world around them drastically changed constantly, as if they were jumping scenes in mere seconds instantaneously.

Lightning Dust knocked on the barrier blocking them to the upper level. "Nightmare! Nightmare what's going on!?"

Fleur De Lis glanced around her home as the lights flickered on and off the floors rumbled. "Oh my word."

Meanwhile downstairs, both Derpy and Raindrops now sat on the porch as Raindrops was eating a muffin.

Raindrops munched happily as she merrily glanced over at Derpy. "Derpy, why aren't you eating some!?"

Derpy frowned and whimpered as she stared at a box of muffins in front of her hungrily. "It'd be unfair for Dinky."

Raindrops nodded in understanding, before looking back out to the gardens being sprinkled with water. "Ah, it's so nice out here." When suddenly the porch began to shake and tremble. Raindrops glanced over at Derpy as they both looked horribly confused.

Inside the mansion, the children and butlers were all gathering into one massive group while most of them were in a panic.

Sombra's look of panic only worsened as he stared at her. "Nightmare! Stop this! Please!"

Nightmare Moon suddenly had a skeptical expression as the chaos around them never dissuaded. She leaned her head back before looking at him grumpily. "Oh? But what about all those things you said? Do you now admit I am still your superior?"

Sombra cringed heavily as he snarled in frustration. "Are you serious!? You're doing this just to prove a point!?"

Nightmare Moon leaned forward as she smirked. "Of course I am you idiot! Now, ADMIT IT!"

Sombra ran a hoof over his face before looking at her in annoyance again. "Fine fine fine! I admit it! Whatever you want! Please just stop this before it's too late!" The scenery around them continued to change as they were being pulled into an entirely different world.

Nightmare Moon began twirling her hoof upon the ground. "Oh? You don't sound very convincing Grah King."

Sombra snapped at her furiously. "DO YOU THINK THIS IS A GAME!?"

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened as she looked at him skeptically once again, insulted by his tone but remained silent in curiosity.

Sombra continued hastily. "Playing around in the dream realm will inevitably draw attention to us!"

Nightmare Moon sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Oh come on, all I wanted to do is give you a little scare. Look around you, we are enclosed in a small space. A tiny bubble disconnected from this reality. Showing you this is not nearly enough to have serious impact. All it is is a fraction of what I'm capable of. Temporarily pulling us into the world of nightmares cannot possibly affect anypony but those I choose."

Sombra groaned yet again as he persisted further. "Do you truly believe that? You act as if you're still the only pony in the world with control of the dream realm. You may have had that influence in the other world, but here, HERE!? Are you that blind to the obvious!?"

Nightmare Moon, now over her little tantrum, stared at him plainly in annoyance. "What're you on about?"

Sombra swiped a hoof yet again. "Haven't you realized you were both once the same pony!? She has just as much access as you! LUNA!"

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened exponentially as she shuddered.

Sombra hurried and trotted over to Nightmare in a panicked manner. "Now hurry and get us out of here before!-" and it was in that moment that all shifting realities and scenery around them ceased, coming to an immediate pause. Within their little bubble of the nightmare realm, the two were now in one single setting. It appeared to be a shabby run down castle library, massive in size. Sombra glanced around as a sweat drop gradually coursed down his head and he eyed the area nervously. "W-What, what is this?" It no longer appeared as if they were in the process of transferring to the nightmare realm, and had been taken there completely. Now fully within the dream world.

"Grah King! Grah King help me!"

Sombra's eyes widened further as he heard that soft petite voice. He glanced to his right where Nightmare Moon once stood as a look of dread came over him. Standing beside him was a filly, her mane being abnormally long much like his was when he'd first arrived in the world of the living. Her coat was black as night, her eyes a gorgeous cyan hue, and she began to tremble fiercely.

Sombra was dead silent.

The filly looked over at him. "W-What's happened to me!? Where are my powers!? Why am I like this!?"

Sombra attempted to theorize an explanation. A mortal shell, much like mine. So abusing her magic does have a cost in this world. But we're here, and she has no control of her powers. It can only mean we are now in the dream state, and somepony, has siezed control.

Suddenly a portal in the distance opened from afar, as something came through it.

Both Nightmare Moon and Sombra began to tremble exponentially as they both looked to the distant figure in despair.

Descending down upon the library ground was an all too familiar princess of the night, as she glanced around momentarily.

Nightmare Moon's look of fear became painfully apparent as she couldn't cease in her trembling, shaking her head and backing away.

Sombra glanced over at her in worry and irritation. "Nightmare, c-calm down. We'll get through this. Don't panic."

Eventually, Princess Luna's gaze turned towards the two children with a blank stare. "Oh?"

Nightmare Moon's psyche broke in that moment as she turned tail and ran. "Noooooooo!!!!"

Sombra turned as she ran off and reached out to her as she scurried off further into the gigantic library. "WAIT!" But before he could finish, Princess Luna was already standing behind him, which caused the colt to freeze and not make any sudden movements.

Princess Luna remained focused on him. "Strange, I followed the disturbance here and all I've found is two children." She lowered her head beside Sombra's. "Do forgive me child. My name is Princess Luna, and it appears you two are stuck in a nightmare. Although, I could've sworn the nightmare originated in this very instance. I have seen no indicator of the cause. Might you know why that is?"

Sombra kept his eyes closed as he couldn't cease his trembling. I can't let her see my eyes! No matter what. "N-No, sorry."

Princess Luna wrapped a hoof around the colt, comforting him. "There is no reason to be afraid child."

Sombra continued to tremble as he said nothing, attempting to remain composed as best he could.

Princess Luna chuckled as she made her way in front of him and raised her hoof. "Now awaken from this nightmare." As she tapped him.

Sombra's eyes immediately snapped wide in that instant as he looked at Luna. "WAIT!" And disappeared right afterwords.

Princess Luna flinched as she saw the colt's gaze and appeared startled, despite the fact he was already gone. "Those eyes..."

Sombra slowly opened his eyes as he found himself back in the hallway from earlier. Surrounding the area was an awry blue mist, while looming over him was Fleur De Lis. "Sombra! Sombra are you alright!?" She continued to shake him desperately.

Sombra blinked, before wobbily rising to all fours as Fleur De Lis helped support him. He muttered, "Nightmare, w-where is she?"

"NIGHTMARE!"

Making their way through the hall was Lightning Dust, now accompanied by Raindrops and Derpy as they fluttered around, looking for Nightmare, each with worried looks. Raindrops raised both hooves to her head. "She just disappeared!"

Lightning Dust glanced over at her. "There's no way she'd just run away from everypony. She has to still be in the mansion."

The three were fluttering over what looked like a large circular clump of long blue mane.

Sombra frowned heavily as he made his way over to the clump of mane and began digging through it.

Lightning Dust, Fleur De Lis, and Raindrops all paused as they eyed the colt and what he was digging through.

Sombra eventually halted in the process, unveiling something to the rest of them as they all gasped, and he just sighed heavily.

Princess Luna was currently trotting through the library as she wore a steady frown and grumpy glare. "There is only one other I've met who acquired that manner of magic. But he is long gone, so who else could it be?" She glanced to her lower right. "Their appearance was shockingly similar however. A distant relative perhaps? That child may very well be responsible for this nightmare. I shouldn't have let him off the hook so hastily." She peered ahead with interest. "But his reluctance to leave has me curious, who is the other one?"

Hiding beneath a nearby table trembling was Nightmare Moon.

Princess Luna continued to trot nearby, as she eyed a particular table beside her with a blank stare.

Nightmare Moon covered her head with both hooves, closing her eyes as she continued to tremble.

Princess Luna smirked, as she closed her eyes. "How amusing, did you think you could hide from me child?"

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened as she scrunched up further as if to make herself smaller than she already was.

Princess Luna lifted the table she stood by, only to find nothing hidden beneath it. "Blast, well, no harm in guessing I suppose."

Nightmare Moon, who was hidden beneath a table further away kept her eyes focused on Luna from beneath it as she was at the opposing side of that particular section of the library, looking around for wherever she was hiding.

Princess Luna frowned in slight annoyance with a huff. "Oh come now! Surely you'd prefer waking up compared to having to endure this nightmare! If you are frightened because of the rumors you've heard I can assure you there is nothing to worry about!"

Nightmare Moon kept trembling as she remained hidden beneath the table.

Princess Luna continued with a bright and wide smile. "Nightmare Moon is no more."

Nightmare Moon crept back further as her fear only intensified.

Princess Luna washed away that smile almost instantaneously. Unless, this child is hiding for a different reason....

Lightning Dust looked down at what looked like a filly in confusion. "What happened to her!?"

Raindrops raised both brows. "She's so small."

Sombra pointed at her hurriedly. "She may need to recharge. But right now that's the least of our concerns."

Fleur De Lis looked at him with curiosity. "Recharge? L-Like a battery?"

Sombra nodded. "Yes, but as said, we can worry about such things later! We need to wake her up! Now!"

There was a long drawn on silence as Luna was lost in her thoughts for some time.

Princess Luna glanced around observingly for a second as she raised a brow. "Wait, this location, this is-"

Nightmare Moon began to crawl along the floor from a distance, as she crept towards one of the book cabinets.

Princess Luna's eyes widened in shock. "The old castle?"

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened as she impulsively moved for the cabinet hurriedly, hiding behind it.

Princess Luna's expression darkened as she spread her wings in anger and confusion as she rose. "What is the meaning of this!? How do you know of this place!? Who are you!? Show yourself this instant child!" She began recklessly moving furniture with her telekinetic magic as books tossed and tumbled and she cared little now for casual searching. She appeared desperate. "DO NOT HIDE FROM ME!"

Nightmare Moon continued to creep along a row of cabinets, attempting to avoid Luna at all costs. When suddenly a flung couch slammed into a particular cabinet and caused it to fall backwards, landing flat atop Nightmare's abnormally long mane. She felt a sudden jolt and tug at her head as she was forced onto her back. She yelped, before rolling over and attempting to free herself.

Princess Luna's eyes widened as she immediately looked in the direction of the yelp. She glared before moving all the book cabinets out of the way in a hurried manner, only to see the little filly attempting to free herself. "There you are." Princess Luna touched upon the ground as she began to casually trot over to her. She tilted her head to the right, "You two are up to something, and I want to know what.."

Nightmare Moon in her panic eventually came to a sudden pause. Her eyes were wide as she stared at her mane trapped beneath the book cabinet and she wore a look of intense fear. Around her, the library itself was beginning to crack, while currently only tiny streams of water began to leak from the ceiling. She closed her eyes, before putting on a determined expression. She then faced Luna, spreading her hooves and readying herself as she glared angrily at the alicorn. "If this is how it has to be! Then fine! But I won't be afraid of you!"

Princess Luna raised a brow in confusion. But it was at that moment she also took the time to actually look at the filly and her features before her eyes widened. She had wings, and a horn, but anything was possible in the world of dreams. "Hm, despite this she seems oddly familiar." She continued to eye the filly up and down as she asked in an impatient tone. "Who are you child? No more games."

Nightmare Moon closed her eyes for another moment, as her eyes then snapped wide and the filly went off into a loud determined roar of ferocity. And as she did, a blue mist emitted from her as she continued to concentrate and her horn started to glow as she screamed.

Princess Luna covered her ears as her irritation became more apparent. "What're you doing!? Cease this nonsense!"

But as Nightmare Moon didn't cease, suddenly large stone walls blocked Luna's path to her, and then surrounded the filly.

Princess Luna's eyes snapped wide as she was forced back by the sheer suddenness of the filly's control over the state of the dream. Princess Luna growled. "Do not be foolish child! I control this world! Who are you to suggest otherwise!?" She gritted her teeth as she pressed forward persistently, and cringed in deep annoyance as she found that she was actually being forced back by winds of pure momentum. S-She truly expects to keep me back? Why such persistence!? And how can she have so much control? And as Princess Luna only continued to get pushed back further, suddenly bursting from the ceiling was large streams of water at a rapid rate. What!? What is going on!? She eventually spread her hooves before her horn started to glow and she snapped angrily. "THAT'S ENOUGH!!!!" And she cast a powerful spell releasing a surge of destructive magic, blowing the walls to pieces before hitting the very location of the filly.

And leaping out from the rubble in that moment was the filly as she took the chance to retreat from Luna.

And as Princess Luna caught sight of her, she didn't fail to notice the filly's cutie mark which caused her to shudder. "What?"

There upon the black filly's flank, she saw a lone crescent moon.

And glancing back at her, the filly eyed Princess Luna momentarily in the heat of the moment.

Princess Luna made eye contact with the filly as she saw those cyan eyes, while she stood there in silence.

It was at that instance, that the entire library crumbled, suddenly being flooded by water.

Nightmare Moon's eyes snapped wide open as all she saw was blue, before impulsively rising and gasping for air as she immediately clutched onto the thing closest to her which was Raindrops, who eyed her with worry. Nightmare Moon, still in her weakened state, glanced around as she found she was sitting in a bathtub while Lightning Dust, Derpy, and Fleur De Lis were also all watching. Nightmare Moon's eyes were wide for a second as she looked down at herself before just gripping at her mane and screaming. "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Meanwhile, Sombra stood at the doorway of the restroom before looking down at the tiled floors and covering his face with a hoof.