It has been two days since the covert, for lack of a better word, revival of Nightmare Moon. Those who had been present under Twilight's control were helping by bringing more ponies to her for a loyalty spell. Already, she had cast the loyalty spell on ten other ponies. Though she was rethinking casting it on Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. The only reason she needed them was so she would have an easy way to get to money, should she need it. Though even under her control, the two didn't stop tormenting the CMC, even though all of them had been brought into the fold.

"Spike," Twilight said, "remind me to order Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon to not bully the CMC. I already have enough problems with helping Night,are keep herself secret."

"You got it, Twilight."

Both of them were under the castle, in a new, under construction bunker that would be the main room in which Twilight and Nightmare planned. Twilight was smart enough that she had the foresight to bring the leader of the construction company into the fold. Otherwise, the plan would be discovered much more easily.

The two walked up to the foreman, a muscular, brown earth pony with a black mane and a hammer cutie mark, who was over seeing three other construction ponies. "Steel Hammer, what's the progress of the chamber?" Twilight asked.

"Empress," Steel said as he bowed. "With the current amount of workers, the chamber should be done within a week, should no unforeseen complications arise."

Twilight nodded. "Good. Should you need anything for construction, let Spike, Applejack, or Fluttershy know, and they'll inform me."

Steel bowed again. "Yes, Empress."

"Good. Continue with construction."

Still bowing, Steel said, "Yes, my Empress," and went back to work.

From there, Twilight and Spike made their way back into the actual castle to wait for Nightmare to arrive so she and Twilight could discuss who of Celestia's more powerful enemies they would ally with.

Once they made it back into the castle proper, they found one of the ponies Twilight didn't want to see.

Hey, Twi," Rainbow said as she flew up to them. "What you up to?"

"Oh, nothing, Rainbow," Twilight said behind a fake smile, "just a personal project."

"Sweet, Twi. Mind telling me what it is? I may be able to help."

"No, Rainbow. It's a secret, and I personally doubt you'd understand any of it."

A look of disbelief appeared on Rainbow's face. "Are you calling me stupid, Twilight?"

A cruel smile adorned Twilight's face as she said, "Yes, Rainbow. I am. You know absolutely nothing about the most basic things. You didn't even know the history of the Wonderbolts, even though you said that you wanted to be one. It makes me think you don't care about being a Wonderbolt." She leaned in closer, to the point that her face was only two inches from Rainbow's, "I actually think you don't give a shit if you get into the Wonderbolts, so long as you get the recognition you think you deserve. News flash: They're military, which means you wake up early in the morning."(1)

She leaned an inch closer. "And you know what else? I don't want you here in the castle, which means that you're trespassing. And unless you want to further decrease the chances of you getting recognition, you will get out of my castle before I decide to have you arrested for said crime and have you sent to prison. One where you won't fly at all." Another inch, though Rainbow was too terrified to make a joke, which probably saved her life. "Get. Out."

Whether she was smart enough to do as Twilight said or because her higher mental functions were still processing what happened, Rainbow, shocked look still on her face, left the castle.

Twilight then chuckled. "Oh, I needed that." he looked at Spike and said, "How much longer until," she paused, looking around to make sure Pinkie or Discord weren't around, "Nightmare's here?"

Before Spike could answer, a flash of teal light appeared, heralding the arrival of Nightmare. "Hello, Twilight," she said in Luna's body after the flash was gone.

"Hello, Nightmare," Twilight said as Spike bowed and Nightmare dropped the illusion spell that made her look like Luna, bringing out her true, and, in all honesty for Twilight, regal appearance.

"It is good to be back in my old form. It is a shame I can only look this way here."

"At least we can start planning," Twilight said, "The only thing I'm actually worried about at this stage is if the other Elements find out, If I hadn't made Rainbow go away, we could have easily been discovered."

"Are you certain you do not wish to bring them under your control as well?" Nightmare asked. "That would ensure we are no discovered by luck, or would at least decrease those chances."

Twilight shook her head. "No, that might attract to much attention. It might not, but I'd rather play it safe. And should it come to that, I already have a plan."

"Hmm. Impressive, Twilight." the midnight black alicorn said. "But I still believe we should bring one other into the fold."

"And if we did," Twilight said, both of them now going to the main library in the castle, "who would you suggest?"

Nightmare stopped and brought a hoof up to her chin in thought. "Perhaps the last I possessed. Your friend, Rarity? We will need a loyal pony with high-society contacts who can actually stand them. Plus, we will need somepony to create our flag."

"True," Twilight said. "But Pinkie Pie could help even more with espionage, what with her being able to appear at any place at anytime, and being able to hide in anyhting."

"Though with her. . . abilities, she may be immune to your loyalty spell."

"Maybe, and I would rather not try Rainbow, seeing as how I don't see anything she can contribute to our cause."

"So we can agree that Rarity is next?"

"Yes," Twilight said. "Though, I'm not sure as to when."

"Perhaps after we discuss who the major ones are."

Twilight nodded. "Agreed," she said as the two alicorns arrived at the library. They entered and took a seat at the nearest table, which had been moved as far away from the windows as possible.

"Now", Twilight said, lighting up her horn, "there are only a few ponies, or other sentient race, for that matter, that wish for revenge that are alive. One, though, is all that is in our dimension."

What do you mean?" Nightmare asked.

"Do yo know of the Sirens?" Nightmare nodded. "Well, the three of them were banished to another universe, one I hope we can conquer as well, but going through and bringing them back would attract attention we don't need, which only leaves s one option." Twilight used the magic she had been building up to show a life-sized image of the one being, next to Nightmare, she would not expect to team up with.

Queen Chrysalis.

"So, you wish to ally ourselves with the changelings," Nightmare asked, raising an an eyebrow.

"Yes," Twilight said, dismissing the spell. "They are excellent infiltrators, which is supported by the evens of the wedding two years ago, and the drones are loyal to their queen without reservation. Plus, we could easily have an army at our backs, and Celestia wouldn't know otherwise."

"That is indeed an advantage, but what would happen should they refuse?"

"Simple," Twilight said, pausing for effect. "We kill Chrysalis and take her throne."

Author's Notes:

(1) My own thoughts on the Wonderbolts and Rainbow's aspiration to be one. It's supported in the show if you know what to look for.