“She wants us to what?!”

“Exile her into the human world by using the Resonator to open the Fractures the humans used to invade when the castle came down,” Celestia felt the phantom weight of dozens of stares piling on her, threatening to bring her to her knees. If she closed her eyes, it would be just like any old day talking to the Royal Court. “And she wants it done as soon as possible.”

Tents were a precious resource at this time, so Celestia had everyone gather in a place in the garden that had been untouched by the chaos; a stone fountain surrounded by a ring of hedges with only two entrances. There was space for everyone to move comfortably and the moon was particularly luminous tonight.

The sculpture in the middle of the fountain was of a rearing alicorn spitting water into the basin. Ponies found it beautiful, but it just weirded Celestia out - something about the way its muzzle was shaped.

Aside from Celestia, there was Luna, all six of the Element Bearers, Spike, Shining Armor and Cadance, Zecora, and Sunset Shimmer; it only took a little over an hour to get everypony assembled once they got back from Vinyl's funeral and had Nightmare Moon safely secured.

Rainbow Dash, stood between Rarity and Applejack, quickly blinked a few times. “That’s… I mean, that kinda works, doesn’t it?”

Applejack nodded. “Sure. Don’t have th’ finality of a hangin’ but so long as she ain’t around, then it’s fine by me.”

Her sentiments were echoed by several others. The majority were for this idea. Of those that kept quiet like Fluttershy, Pinkie, and Zecora, the one that Celestia was most interested in was Twilight Sparkle.

Noticing this, Luna cleared her voice for silence. “Young Twilight, what are your thoughts?”

Twilight’s cheek bulged from within as she poked it with her tongue. “Hmm… I did mention that we could theoretically use the Resonator to re-open the Fractures, but I haven’t tested it.”

“Maybe you got something wrong.” Sunset said.

Spike cringed sympathetically as Twilight turned around, and anyone between Twilight’s terrifyingly neutral stare and Sunset Shimmer wisely moved out of the way.

To her credit, Sunset didn’t back down, though she seemed primed to bolt at a moment’s notice. “It never hurts to have somepony of equal intellect there to check your notes.”

Twilight rolled her eyes. “Moving on, I agree with Applejack. It doesn’t have the same sense of resolution and, well, I guess you could say ‘karma,’ but the humans have as much reason to hate Nightmare as any of us do. If she goes there, then she’s not coming back. She won’t be able to cause any more trouble for us, and that’s what really matters.”

Fluttershy grimaced. “But…! Oh, n-never mind…”

“No, go ahead.” Twilight said in a gentle tone.

“Well… it just doesn’t seem right. You know what the humans do to us. I can’t imagine wishing that on anypony.”

“Oh, come on,” Rainbow Dash huffed. “She’s the one suggesting it, for crying out loud.”

“I know, but-”

“Besides, we gotta do something!”

“I agree with Rainbow Dash,” Rarity added. “Personally, I would use the Elements of Harmony on her, but we’ve yet to find them, and it’s much too dangerous to leave her imprisoned while we search. From what I understand, she’s no longer listless as we saw her during the trial.”

“Indeed,” Luna rolled her eyes. “Not a day ago, she was docile and melancholic, but she is now demanding that we find the Resonator and the Elements post-haste. We-"

Shining Armor suddenly cleared his throat. Loudly.

All eyes were on him.

"Listen - I know Nightmare Moon is probably everypony's main priority right now, but she isn't the only one.

"We have no idea what the humans are planning. They've taken so many unicorns in their last attack, and what if that's still not enough? What if it was enough, and we're just standing around while they're getting ready to become our new neighbors?"

Shining Armor paced in front of the stone fountain and its prancing statue.

"And don't forget we've still got Ebony and the rest of Nightmare Moon's Praetorian Guard locked up. But for how long? Nightmare Moon's no longer apathetic, so she might be communicating with them right now about a way to get free."

Concerned murmurs arose.

"A lot of time has passed where nothing's been done; it's just talking," He stopped and raised his hoof. "That being said, I understand why: we've been hit by the humans hard and we're still reeling, disorganized. I'd say that setting up this entire rescue effort so fast is an incredible accomplishment. And I'm not saying the trial was a waste: you needed to know whether or not Nightmare Moon was capable of redemption and if she should be given a chance. It's not a bad thing to want to be fair. I wonder about letting Nightmare Moon attend Vinyl's funeral, cruel as that may sound, but what's done is done. Now is the time that we need to decide what the hell we're going to do about all of this."

Luna smirked. "Spoken like a true commander."

Celestia nodded. "I believe Shining Armor is correct. It's been... a harrowing couple of days to say the least; we're all tired, not just physically, I'm certain. But if we leave too many things undecided, it might just get near impossible to keep track of."

Applejack grunted and adjusted her hat. "So... we're doing this? Deciding what to do with her once an' fer all?"

Celestia nodded again. "Are there any objections?"

Silence.

"Alright. So, what should we do about Nightmare Moon?"

Luna immediately raised her voice. "I have thought about it and I believe that we should not attempt to send Nightmare Moon to the human world. I believe we should end her life by more traditional means."

"I'm with her." Rainbow Dash agreed.

Twilight nodded. "I think that's the best solution considering what we're dealing with. We haven't found the Elements yet, and we'd have to find the Resonator as well if we wanted to exile her. It would take too much time."

"Oh, but... can't we take that time?" Fluttershy murmured. "If we have the Elements, then we can use them to make her good, right? It seems wrong to kill her."

"Ooh, I want to do that!" Pinkie bounced in glee.

Sunset snorted. "Oh come on, don't you think it's messed up to force somepony to change? Using the Elements with that in mind is essentially brainwashing."

Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie went quiet.

Sunset continued. "Hey, do what you want; I don't care so long as Nightmare Moon gets what's coming to her. It just pisses me off seeing you act like your way is more moral than killing her."

Fluttershy's mane hung over her face like a veil. "It's not?"

Spike scratched his head. "Well, killing's bad. I mean, duh, right? But then what Sunset said... Yeah, that sounds bad, too," He huffed and folded his arms. "Boy, that's gonna keep me up at night."

"We're searching for the Elements as much as we're able to, but there's still a lot of ground to cover," Cadance said. "And I'd rather look for trapped ponies; the Elements don't need food, water, or air. It leaves us one less option to deal with Nightmare Moon, but..."

"Okay, let's come back to Nightmare Moon," Shining Armor ran his hoof through his mane and released a sigh. "What can we do about her Praetorian Guard, then?"

Luna rubbed her chin. "I say keep them in custody. They appear to be incapable of bypassing the security measures we have in place, and they still have to answer for their own crimes. Let them do so after we have dealt with Nightmare Moon."

"If we want to be safe, we should keep them separate," Celestia added. "We can spare the space and resources to keep them isolated."

"Yes, I agree."

Shining Armor nodded. "All in favor?"

With a show of hooves, Celestia wasn't entirely surprised to see it was a unanimous agreement. The Praetorian Guard played a large role in this and committed many crimes, but none of them cast as large, as dark, and as enigmatic a shadow as Nightmare Moon. The sense of urgency just wasn't there.

And speaking of which-

"Then, moving onto the topic of the humans, I am sad to say that Caed took many unicorns," Celestia's tone was grave. "We should assume he has enough to power his machine for his goal: the relocation of his kind to our world."

A grim mood settled over the area. Eyes were downcast; everypony looked anxious and afraid. Even the fountain with its statue of an alicorn hanging its head seemed to add to the dark mood. Celestia felt the same darkness weigh on her shoulders, but she had to be strong.

"When we first met Caed in Ponyville, he mentioned the place where he was planning to go," She turned to Luna. "Do you remember? It was somewhere near the Milliaun Island."

Luna nodded. "True, but those are outside of Equestria's waters, and they are uncharted territory. I need not remind you, sister, that the waters and skies are home to many dangerous beasts that make exploration impossible."

"We've made headway in mapping the Wyrmorean Sea this past decade." Twilight interjected with a scholar's gleam in her eye.

Luna smiled apologetically. "That may be, but as it stands, maps of the Wyrmorean Sea have changed little from my time; there is still much we do not know. The humans can circumvent these hazards with their technology, but ours has yet to catch up, as does our magic."

Twilight reluctantly assented with a nod.

"I bring this up because once the humans settle there, they may as well have escaped from the consequences of their actions - we can do nothing without investing a great deal of time and resources. And that would be just trying to locate them; what would be the cost of fighting them?" Celestia said, pausing to let her words sink in.

Applejack scowled. "Ain't right seein' them get off scot-free."

"It doesn't sit well with me, either, but sadly, justice-" Or vengeance, some may argue. "-rarely wins without good ponies to fight for it."

Celestia watched as tense silence filled the space. She could see everyone was thinking hard, dealing with their thoughts on the matter. She went to speak, but-

"If Nightmare Moon is exiled, then-"

"We can't trust her!" Luna snapped.

Sunset narrowed her eyes defiantly. "Look, we can all agree that Nightmare Moon is tough, right? She's a psycho and a bitch, but she is tough," She waited a little to see if anypony would disagree. "See? Now that means two things: the first is that killing her without any of the zebra's voodoo magic-"

Zecora snorted.

"-is going to be a huge pain in the ass. Ponies might die. Not me, since I'll be running in the other direction, but some of you. And the second thing is that it's also a pain in the ass for the humans to kill her."

Luna's tail swished behind her. "Your point?"

"Us killing her..." Sunset moved her hoof in a circle and looked at everyone in turn. "Would be a lot of trouble. On our end. And what would happen to the humans? Nothing. But if we set her on them, then either she slaughters them, or they kill her. If we're lucky, they'll wipe each other out," She shrugged. "Seems logical to me."

Celestia cringed at the callousness of her former student. "That's-"

"Ridiculous," Luna huffed and ruffled her wings irritably. "And what if she allies herself with the humans? What then?"

"Why would they?" Sunset shot back. "The humans pretty much have what they wanted, so what would they gain by playing nice all of a sudden? Remember - they blame her for blowing up their home."

"I can't see Nightmare Moon forming an alliance with the humans, either," Celestia said. Luna glared at her, but she stood her ground and kept her tone soft. "They killed Vinyl - her friend."

"You do not know that demon's mind. You have not had her in your head," Luna grimaced. "She can mask her true intentions entirely, and you would not know until it is too late. I was foolish and blind enough to be tricked and look at where my mistake has gotten us!" Luna shook her head fiercely. "No. We cannot trust what she says. She is planning something nefarious."

Sunset rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Killing humans."

Celestia knew they would argue well into the night if no one stepped in. That would not be an issue if she also didn't know that Sunset had a habit of name-calling when she felt like she was losing, and Luna defaulted to archaic vernacularisms when she was heated. They were also rather pressed for time, as Shining Armor justly pointed out.

Sighing, Celestia cleared her throat. "Luna, Sunset - please..."

"Let them fight - it's good for the mind."

Celestia frowned and searched the faces around her. "We don't have..." She frowned deeper seeing the confusion on each face. "Er, actually, who said that?"

“Well, you are getting on in years. I'm right here."

By now, Sunset and Luna stopped arguing and were looking around like everyone else.

Celestia narrowed her eyes. She knew this voice, but somehow it was eluding recognition; it was as if her brain simply refused to put a name or a face to it.

Wait.

The statue on the fountain, having somehow gone completely unnoticed despite changing forms multiple times, suddenly became the point of interest for everyone in the garden. It was there, still spitting water, but the shape was uniquely peculiar and familiar in its oddity - a serpentine body coiled round with a face of mismatched features.

Celestia blinked and her jaw fell, wondering if she was perhaps dreaming.

"Are...? Discord?"

The statue did not respond.

Suddenly, there was a loud snort behind Celestia. She jolted and turned as it escalated into a hearty chuckle.

"Goodness, you are getting on in years, aren't you?" A claw wiped away a tear. "Don't you know that statues can't talk?"

Celestia stared, gobsmacked and numb. “I can't believe it.”

Curling his serpentine body into a spring, Discord bounced over Celestia’s head and landed in the middle of the group.

“Well, well, what’s with all the long faces?” Discord’s fang flashed as he grinned cockily and gave a bow. “Yes, it is I – the Wonderful and Marvellous Discord, who is good at everything and famously humble.”

Celestia just blinked.

“No, no - save your applause. Well, never mind, feel free to shower your affections upon m- hugh!”

A yellow blur planted itself firmly in Discord’s abdomen. He reeled back and his eyes bulged out of their sockets. Literally.

“Discord, you’re okay!” Fluttershy cried with an elated laugh. “Oh gosh, I’m so sorry we froze you! I’m so, so sorry!”

Five more bodies rushed in to surround Discord. Slowly, everyone was coming to terms with the sight before them, and an air of cautious and long overdue optimism was settling.

Celestia could feel her lips pulling back at the corners.

“Discord, I’ve never been so happy to see you,” Rainbow Dash laughed, flying up to slap him on the shoulder. “And you know I mean that because Isaid it.”

“Oh, uh, I suppose so,” Discord’s usual showy nature was notably absent as he was hugged and showered with attention. He didn't seem quite sure what to do with affection once he was given it whole-heartedly. “Ah, one second…”

One slap to the side of his head and a new pair of eyes rolled up from within to fill his empty sockets.

“Oh, it’s you hugging me so tightly, my dear Fluttershy. For a frightening moment, I thought it was Luna.”

Luna just snorted, failing to hide a grin. “Five seconds and I miss him being stone already.”

Fluttershy sniffled and sobbed.

“Oh, stop with the waterworks, my dear,” Discord shrugged, and his shoulders squeaked like rusty taps. “I’ve had plenty of time to think, and I’ve decided that I’m not in the least bit angry with you,” He grew five extra pairs of arms to hug all six mares, then grew an extra one to give Spike a fist-bump. “With any of you. It’s a tricky spot you’re in when your loved ones are being held hostage and you can’t alter reality with a wink and a snap. How you all survive everyday life is beyond even me.”

Celestia closed her eyes and laughed joyfully. She wiped at her face and opened her eyes again. “Discord…”

He looked to her, one bushy eyebrow going up.

“It’s wonderful to see you again.”

He smiled. “It is, isn’t it? Things get so gloomy and serious when I’m not around.”

“Speaking of which, how did you get free? And when?”

“My stony exterior cracked enough to let me slip through a few hours ago. I'd have shown myself sooner, but I overheard that you were having this meeting about what to do with Nightmare Moon and, well, couldn't help but be a fly on the wall. Or should I say a statue in the fountain? Eh, semantics,” Discord stepped back, and his arms came free with a pop, leaving six mares and a dragon entangled in them like meatballs in spaghetti. “The 'how' is rather simple: there’s been so much turmoil these past months that it’s a miracle I didn’t break free sooner. The castle falling was the final straw," He paused and looked to the structure in question. "Part of me wishes it wasn’t.”

“Indeed,” Celestia nodded, understanding. “Discord, I'm sorry we couldn't get to you sooner. We had no idea where Nightmare Moon hid your statue, and with the castle as it is-"

"Ap, ap, ap!" Discord waggled his finger. "This is no time to feel morose, my dear. My handsome face is here to make everything better, so turn that frown upside-down before I do it for you."

Celestia chuckled, his words lifting an invisible weight from her shoulders. “If you insist.”

"Why, 'insisting' is what I do best!"

With a snap of his fingers, Twilight and her friends were freed. In a fluid, snake-like motion, Discord went between Celestia’s legs and stood behind her.

She huffed, turning. “Was that really-”

“Of course, it was. I’ve got plenty of energy to burn,” Discord clapped his hands together and surveyed the room, brimming with energy. “Ooh, so many unfamiliar faces!"

He snapped his fingers and appeared in front of Shining Armor and Cadance.

"My, my - I never got to congratulate you two on getting betrothed, did I? Oh, and your wedding present!" He stuck his hand into his fur - somehow - and took out a cast-iron frying pan with a red bow wrapped around the handle. "Only for when he truly messes up."

Cadance took it with a confused 'thanks'. Shining Armor sweat nervously as he watched her test its weight.

SNAP

"Ah, Zecora - the mare with an exotic air, the wayfarer from way over there, who in her gracious care gave us the means to stop the villain's reign of despair."

Zecora stuck her bottom lip out, hummed, then nodded. "Six rhymes; we should talk more some time."

SNAP

Sunset made a face. "Ugh!"

"Well, then..."

SNAP

"Now, that's enough about all of you!” Discord held his hands up. “Let’s talk about me and what wonderful things I can do to help fix this mess.”

Celestia grinned ecstatically. His jokes aside, Discord being free was a massive boon; his powers could aide in so many ways that it was effectively limitless. Indeed, finding him had been one of their top priorities, not only for what he could do but because he was their friend and, at the time, they believed he was trapped under the rubble with no means of saving himself.

Celestia drew joy just from seeing him around, laughing and boasting and being so 'Discord' - a personality like no other, perhaps in all of creation.

“Can you fix the castle?” Twilight seemed to be on the same page as her. She approached Discord to get his attention. “There may still be ponies we can’t get to.”

“And the Elements!” Rarity added. “We’ve no idea where that fiend Nightmare Moon put them.”

“Also, fix Twilight,” Spike interjected, then quickly turned to her with a wince. “Ah, I-I mean-”

“I know what you mean, dragon-breath,” Twilight smirked and lightly bopped him on his crest. “But the castle and Elements take priority. I can wait.”

Discord raised his arms over his head and stretched grandly. “I won’t mince words: it’s much easier to repair things that I’ve taken apart, so the castle will still take a bit; no snap, instant fix there, unfortunately. Needs a bit of elbow grease and temporal disassociation. But for the Elements?”

With a sudden motion, he linked his hands together and pushed them out with a bellowing grunt.

“Hoo-ah!”

Before Celestia’s eyes, in a flurry of wind and prismatic light twisting out of thin air, an ornate wooden chest with a gold lock spun into existence. On reflex, she grabbed it before it could fall.

The energy leaking through the box left no room for doubt.

“The Elements…”

"And that's not all~" Discord cupped his hands and blew into them, suddenly releasing a cloud of ash through his fingers.

Ash that immediately ignited and birthed a flaming bird that gave a victorious cry.

Celestia's gasp caught in her throat as she held her foreleg out. "Philomena!" Her companion perched on her limb and rubbed against her, and Celestia felt her eyes burn. She had not feared that her phoenix pet would have perished in the explosion or the collapse, but she worried when days passed with no sign of her. "Oh, I'm so happy to see you again. I'll be sure to give you the finest coals after this is done."

Philomena screeched in approval.

“Discord, I... I don’t know what to say.”

He grinned and gave a shrug. "I'm sure it'll come to you."

Sunset huffed as she looked at the Elements. "So, I suppose you guys can reform her now, huh?"

"Not quite," Discord crossed his arms. "You see, I've been listening to your conversation, and I don't think we should reform Nightmare Moon. To be quite frank, I don't want to reform her. Call it petty, but after what she did to me... and you, I simply cannot let my vengeance go unsated."

Celestia frowned. "Then what do you want?"

Discord turned his palms up and shrugged. "Why, exile," He took a second to turn his head a full 360 degrees. "It's the best option, isn't it? We'll have both our enemies at each other's throats."

Celestia frowned deeper. "It's..."

"Yes, I know that you wish to try your hoof at redemption. You've a soft heart, Sun-Butt - you'll even reach out to those who have hurt those closest to you."

He said that with utmost sincerity, so Celestia didn't feel like she was being attacked.

"But there comes a point when good-heartedness puts everyone else's lives on the line."

"I took a chance with you," Celestia shot back. "Should I have not?"

"You shouldn't have," Discord answered without hesitation. "It worked out and, yes, I am grateful for what you did, but knowing what I was capable of, it was still quite the risky move."

"I thought you could be redeemed."

"And that was due to Fluttershy," He paused to glance at the pegasus in question and give a small smile. "She made me want to try redemption. Nightmare Moon doesn't want to be redeemed, she wants to get back at the humans."

Twilight chimed in. "He's right. She's so fixated on her personal goals that nothing is out of the question for her. At least if we help her with this, we can prevent the damage she will cause if we ignore her demand."

Celestia grimaced. She found herself unable to argue those points. Was she being selfish by pursuing the idea that Nightmare Moon could change? Was she putting everyone's safety in jeopardy?

As she mulled it over in her head, Luna scoffed, drawing attention to herself. "We should be done with her as quickly and thoroughly as possible. I see no reason to take risks entertaining this idea of playing two enemies against one another."

"Oh?" Discord pressed his fist against his chin and cocked his head. "You don't think that's a good idea?" Before Luna could reply, he held his index finger up. "Tell me, then - if I could prove that there is no chance of Nightmare Moon turning on us, would you be willing to go for exile?"

Luna opened and closed her mouth. She thought for a while. Then, narrowing her eyes, she replied, "Perhaps. Though, how do you intend to prove this?"

Discord tented his fingers together and wore a small smirk.

Alarm bells went off inside Celestia’s head. Devilish smirk? Fine. Mysterious wink? Fine. Tented fingers? That could only mean something serious.

"I would like to discuss that with you in private."

Sirens were now going off.

The corner of Luna's mouth curled. “The last time you asked to speak one-on-one, I had glitter and adhesive clinging to my mane for a fortnight.”

Discord looked very pleased with himself. "Fair point, but I promise it's serious. I have a feeling it would even sway your opinion on this matter."

"Doubtful," Slowly, Luna's eyes softened. "But I shall hear you out."

"Wonderful!" Discord pushed his middle finger and thumb together. "Let's go!"

"Wait, n-"

With a reality-warping snap, Discord and Luna disappeared from sight.

"Seemed pretty focused," Applejack said. "Mighty unusual fer tha' one."

"He's upset. I can tell," Fluttershy put her hoof over her mouth. "... I've changed my mind. I don't like it, but maybe it's for the best we... get rid of Nightmare Moon."

Celestia was stunned; so were several others judging by their looks. "I didn't expect that from you."

Fluttershy's expression soured. "I-I know. But I think Sunset is right."

"I am? I mean, of course I am."

"I don't like using the Stare on my animals to get them to behave or calm down, so I don't know if I could go through with forcing somepony to change with the Elements. It's just like the Galloping Gala - those animals didn't want to be my friend, but I kept trying to force them. I don't want to do that again," She gave a gentle sigh. "I wish there was a better way, but if there isn't, then..."

She trailed off, and Pinkie picked it up. "Yeah. A smile on its own looks waaaaay better than a smile you stapled on," More than a few faces underwent an interesting transition from understanding to confusion to mortification. "And if that's what Moonie really wants, then I guess we should give it to her. But this is the only time! Otherwise, I'll never let anypony else go on a crazy, revenge-filled rampage of destruction. Even if they ask me nicely."

A few murmurs of agreement went through the crowd. Eventually, Celestia felt their eyes on her, waiting.

"... I believe in giving chances to those who want it, but it is as Discord says: Nightmare Moon does not want to change. With that in mind, I believe exile would be best. I'm not doing this for revenge on her or the humans, but because I think any other means of dealing with her would be too risky and futile given what she is capable of and her current emotional state."

She did not like this outcome, but if there was anything her long life had taught her, it was that things did not always work out for the best. She had been spoilt in the years since Twilight and her friends saved her sister from the darkness; threat after threat resolved with the power of love and friendship - it was foolish to believe that would last forever.

'I'm sorry, Nightmare Moon, but if you're so intent on going down this path, then I can't let you drag me or anypony else along.'

Shining Armor nodded when she was done speaking. "Then that's it? We're going with exile?"

Celestia waited for a sound of protest. "... I believe so."

"Then all that's left is to see if Discord can convince Luna," He sighed and ran his hoof through his mane. "If he can't, then I guess we'll have to. Somehow."

"I think he will," Fluttershy said with a knowing look. "I just have a feeling."

"-ow?"

Luna found herself in a cold, stone corridor lit by torches lining the walls. It took a second before she recognized her surroundings.

“This... is where we are keeping Nightmare Moon,” She said, then turned to fix Discord with a suspicious glare. “What exactly are you planning, Discord?”

“So paranoid,” Discord waved his hand dismissively and started to walk. “As tempting as it would be to cover Ol’ Nighty in glue and feathers, even I would have trouble subduing her. She’ll be revved up and ready to start swinging.”

Luna trotted alongside him. “Then...?"

“You already know that I believe we should send her to fight the humans. Enemy of my enemy and all. But I admit that I harbor some doubt, a little… a little nugget of doubt that will pester me over whether that was the right decision or not. Ironically, I don’t deal well with things that pester me. I’m the agitator, not the agitatee.”

His hands kept fidgeting and moving all over the place.

“You seem quite agitated, yes.”

Discord linked his hands behind his back with a shrug. “Well, I have been petrified for several months. Normally, a blink of the eye for me, but that blink was stretched out over what felt like eternity as I could do nothing but watch – well, listen, but you get the idea – while Nightmare Moon did as she pleased. She harmed dear Fluttershy and her friends, whom I also hold some affection for.”

Luna’s eyes softened. “I see.”

“Incidentally, don’t tell anyone I said that, or it’ll be chocolate rain every morning for the rest of your days.”

“Not a word shall leave these lips.”

“Wonderful! Now, I personally believe that if we are exiling her, then it should be a proper exile; I don’t want there to be any chance of her joining the humans – slim as that may be – and I don’t want her to come back here. I want her out of our world for good.”

He suddenly stopped and looked at her. Even though he was smiling, there was a sinister air about it that made her skin crawl.

“Do you think that’s an outlandish request?”

Luna shook her head. “Not at all.”

“Then we’re on the same page.”

He resumed walking.

Luna followed him, perturbed by his demeanor. By now, she felt comfortable enough to trust him not to relapse to his old ways and speak with him casually, though like most she found his antics to be draining at times. Seeing him like this was off-putting; there was too much focus and anger behind his gaze.

“I agree that she is too dangerous to let live in our world, but I do not agree with exile. Even if the risk that she may side with the humans is small, the consequences of it are simply too severe to be anything but overtly-cautious.”

"It's also dangerous to try and kill her outright," Discord retorted. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't she fight you and Celestia at one point and held her own?"

"She had help, but you make a fair point. However, I believe it is the lesser of two evils: we are together, and she is alone."

“But it's better to avoid damage altogether if you can, isn't it? So, how would you make sure that she’s telling the truth?” Discord’s head swivelled to face her. His body continued to face forward. “How do we know that she’s angry enough and motivated enough to follow through on what she says when she promises to bring hell to the humans?”

Luna suspected the question was rhetoric, so she stayed quiet. And sure enough…

Discord spread his hands in front. “We see whether or not the reason she’s got is valid and, most importantly, strong enough to sustain her rage.”

A frown turned Luna’s lips. “She claims that it would be revenge for Vinyl.”

“Yes, the little DJ pony,” Discord’s tone rumbled lowly. “A shame about what happened, but I think she would’ve been happy going out in a blaze of glory like that. Anyway, Nightmare Moon says that’s her reason, but is it true? I’ve listened to a few of their interactions - things that were said between them and no one else - but it's not enough to get the full picture. It’s said that those are the moments that reveal one’s true character. You would know about that best, wouldn’t you?”

Luna tilted her head. “I sense purpose beneath your words, but clarity eludes me.”

Discord threw his head back and laughed loudly. At some point during that motion, his body realigned itself, so he was fully facing her. He chose to float along instead of walking backwards.

“My dear, I’ve been eluding clarity for eons. But allow me to be perfectly clear…”

One of his talons tapped the side of his head.

“We show who we truly are in the moments when we are alone. And when are we most alone?”

Luna stopped. “… Our dreams.”

Discord nodded.

“I do not think I can do that, Discord,” She inhaled deeply. “Dreams are sacred. I restrict myself to only interfere when they are in distress. That said, even the most weak-willed can resist my presence if they are aware. I am accepted – for the most part – among my subjects, so they allow me to enter their slumber. Nightmare Moon can easily keep me out.”

“All you need is a little boost,” Discord snapped his fingers and produced a plume of prismatic fire. “I can get in her head, cross some wires, and weaken her mental fortitude enough for you to get a foothold. It can only work once, though, and she can’t see me coming.”

A shudder went through Luna’s body. It disgusted her to imagine doing such a thing to a living creature, and it repulsed her even more that she wasn’t completely averse to it. In her mind, Nightmare Moon was a demon that sowed chaos wherever she went and deserved any punishment she got. Invading her thoughts when she had done the same thing to countless others was just delicious irony.

“Even if you say that…” Luna closed her eyes and sighed. “Discord, if I do this, then you must promise not to do anything to Nightmare Moon aside from helping me look into her thoughts.”

“Of course.”

“I mean it. I will not have anypony cheating the hangmare's noose.”

“I doubt a noose would do much against her, but I get what you're saying. Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick- ouch!”

Luna groaned and carried on down the corridor.

Shortly after, the iron door to Nightmare Moon’s cell appeared at the end. Two guards were stationed in front of it.

They stiffened when they saw Discord, but it seemed to be in anticipation of something rather than fear. Well, he had included a lot of ponies in his antics, and there was no guarantee they weren’t traumatizing.

Luna gestured for them to be at ease as Discord leaned in toward her.

“Now, you enter first, then I’ll sneakily put her to sleep. We’ve only got one shot at this.”

Luna nodded. She took a deep breath, then unlocked the door and entered, her body language relaxed but alert.

These cells, seldom used, rarely needed anything other than a locked door with a few attentive guards standing outside. Nightmare Moon was a special case; including the iron door, there were iron bars cutting half the space in half, and special wards on the floor that prevented teleportation.

Nightmare Moon was behind those bars. Thick chains linked the wall to cuffs on her hooves, inhibiting mobility. An obsidian ring had been placed on her horn.

Such measures would be called cruel. Luna called it necessary.

As soon as she entered, Nightmare Moon turned to her and moved as close to the bars as the chains permitted. Luna kept her expression neutral and did the same.

“Have you found the Resonator?” Nightmare Moon's eyes were bright and alert; no longer was she listless, this was a predator ready to pounce. “This would go faster if you let me help. The longer the search takes, the less time we have to re-open the Fractures.”

Luna grimaced, not needing to pretend to be incensed. “For one ready to die, you are suddenly eager to give orders.”

Nightmare Moon’s teeth flashed behind her lips as she spoke. “Our motivations differ but we have the same goal. You wish to be rid of me, don’t you? Then exile is your best choice,” Her eyes narrowed. “No, it is the only choice that I will accept.”

“So, we are to simply trust that you will help us search instead of using the opportunity to flee or attack?”

“Should I escape now?” Nightmare Moon bared her teeth, anger sharpening her tone. “I am not as imprisoned as I appear.”

Luna saw something from deep in the cell’s shadows. It snuck up on Nightmare Moon and loomed larger and larger.

It must have shown in her gaze because Nightmare Moon’s body went tense and she quickly turned-

-as Discord clapped his hands together and splayed them to unleash tendrils of energy, switching between colours so fast that it made Luna's eyes hurt, that latched onto Nightmare Moon's head.

Nightmare Moon reared up with a strangled cry and tore one of her chains out of the wall. She made a wild grab for Discord before collapsing, her eyelids sliding shut.

Luna released a breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding. "Good work."

Discord let out a low whistle and wiggled his hands. “That should have dropped her instantly. To think that she could resist even for that short while... Well, anyhoo, let’s get to business…” He crouched beside Nightmare Moon, licked his finger, and stuck it in her ear. “Annnd her defences are down. Ready when you are."

Luna realized that she could have killed Nightmare Moon in this instant and save everyone a lot of trouble. But her hoof stayed, and she called on her magic instead.

A ribbon of blue magic leaked out of her horn and homed in on Nightmare Moon’s forehead. The instant it made contact, Luna felt a jolt go through her body and reflexively closed her eyes.

When she opened them-

-she was hovering in an endless void occupied by countless doors. A familiar sight to her, save for the vortexes of chaotic energy swirling about.

“Is this your doing, or is it a product of her alien mind?”

One of the doors morphed into Discord, and he looked around. “My doing, of course. Is it supposed to be this empty?”

“She is unconscious, which is different from sleep but close enough that my power should work,” Luna focused and moved them both through the void, passing door after door. “The memories containing Vinyl should be further ahead.”

“How do you know to do this, by the by?”

Luna was quiet for a few seconds. “It is something I just know; an inner instinct within me since I was born.”

Discord grunted. “I suppose that makes sense. It wouldn’t do well for the Princess of the Night to get lost in a common pony’s dream. Quite lame, as the young ponies nowadays would say.”

Doors whizzed by at blinding speeds, but Luna was able to stop on one. “Yes, this is it.”

She opened it and walked inside with Discord in tow.

It was the interior of a bar. Nightmare Moon and Vinyl sat in a nearby booth with drinks, both frozen in time.

Luna nodded. “This memory is significant to her.”

“And you just know this?”

“Yes.”

Luna lifted her hoof and stomped it on the floor.

Soft music filled the air.

“No shit? She called down the actual friggin’ sun?”

“I was not aware she even had such an ability,” Nightmare Moon shifted in her side of the booth a third time – she took up the entirety and it was only just enough. “It makes me wonder if Luna possesses something similar.”

“Maybe,” Vinyl’s horn glowed as she lifted a small glass of whiskey to her lips. She sucked on her teeth once it was empty and shuddered slightly. “Mm. Hey, maybe it’s not a beam of moonlight; I betcha it’s like a… like a sword or some crap.”

Nightmare Moon gave an amused smirk. “A moonlight sword?”

“Do you have something like that?” Discord asked.

Luna shook her head. “No,” She rubbed her chin. “Although, if I adjust the way a spell I know works…”

She trailed off, distracted by the version of Nightmare Moon that, until now, only Vinyl had seen: calm, not antagonistic, and content to just sit and drink.

“Seems genuine to me.” Discord said after a few minutes.

“Perhaps.”

Luna waved her hoof and tore the scenery apart, then lit her horn to snag fragments of another memory and put it together around them.

Nightmare Moon stood in front with her back to them, watching a frozen image of Vinyl being carried through an Entropic Fracture by a human.

“Vinyl!!”

“Wolf?” Vinyl ceased her struggles as her eyes widened; there was a smear of crusted blood running from her nose. Instantly, she brightened and grinned. “Wolf!”

The large knight turned around and stared at Nightmare Moon through the thin slit in their helm.

“Let. Her. Go.”

The knight’s helmet clanked as they cocked their head…

And swiftly turned to lift one leg through the Fracture.

“No!!”

Luna’s hoof came down.

Silently, she walked in front of Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare Moon’s face was frozen in an expression of dismay; she looked frightened, even.

"Another question," Discord said as Luna moved back next to him. "If we're seeing this through her eyes, then shouldn't it be through her eyes? How are we watching this?"

"I am taking some liberties," Luna replied distractedly. "I recreate the environment from her memory and place her where she was at that point. It is not perfect - there are some mistakes, but they are minor."

Discord looked around. "Can't say I see any."

"Because you do not know what to look for."

Luna stomped her hoof again.

The light began swallowing the human as they advanced, and Nightmare Moon launched herself forwards unthinkingly, one forehoof reaching out as Vinyl extended her own foreleg to-

Vinyl disappeared through the Fracture.

Nightmare Moon followed her without a second thought.

“Short but it gets the point across.”

Luna closed her eyes and rubbed the gap between them. “Her expression held no falsity; her fear was true,” With a wave of her hoof, she sent the memory adrift in the void. “Hm, what is it within her that makes her single out Vinyl as the one that can bring out such sentiment?”

Discord leaned back and floated as if he was on a hammock. “Who knows? The mind is a chaotic thing. One might have the greatest love for their country but condemn the parents that raised them. Another may watch hundreds of their kind die without a tear but break down over stepping on a snail.

“I’ve had millennia to reflect and ponder all these philosophical questions, and the only mind I can say I understand is my own,” He suddenly burst out laughing. "Oh, couldn't keep a straight face on that one."

Several doors came and went like driftwood. Luna could tell at a glance they were precious memories of Vinyl.

“What are you thinking, Luna?”

“I want to see more,” Luna beckoned one of the doors closer. “Time is of no issue here, so long as we do not rouse her unconscious mind’s suspicions. With our powers combined, it should be manageable.”

She opened it.

Luna’s power frightened many who did not understand it. They believed – though didn’t say out loud – that Luna could tamper with memories, manipulate thoughts, or control one’s behaviour. That nightmares even existed only served as evidence in their eyes, for why would they willingly subject themselves to such torment?

But Luna could only ever sway the flow of the dreamscape.

Dreams were intrinsically linked to memories; they were recollections of the waking world altered. These changes could be subtle or explicit, a retelling based off a ‘what if this was here?’ or a ‘what if that happened?’

A nightmare was when one’s fears filtered through and shaped the memory into something horrifying.

Because these memories don’t match what truly happened, and because the mind is a fickle thing, the line between reality becomes blurred and the dreamer may believe the past to be the present.

At some point, this mistake is realized, and the dreamer awakens. How quickly they realize this varies, but Luna found that ponies with strong resolve and will almost immediately recognize when a memory goes awry; a lucid dreamer was somepony with particularly resilient fortitude and could make themselves remain asleep.

Luna could control another’s dream to some extent, but she was not its master; the dreamer could force her out if they wanted to. They might not be in the right mindset to accept her help either, merely deeming her another threat.

When the direct approach failed, Luna learned how to stick to the white noise of one’s dream and support them from afar with subliminal messages; a word of reassurance here, a splash of warm colours there – the smallest thing could make all the difference.

But...

But with Discord’s power augmenting her own, even reshaping one of Nightmare Moon’s memories was ‘a small thing.’ Now, instead of entering a dream already in place, Luna could create one from scratch and without fear of waking Nightmare Moon.

And that was what she did.

Dream after dream, memory after memory; she replayed them over and over, stepping in to move a pony or object or change a location.

There was a memory with Nightmare Moon speaking to Vinyl on a couch. Luna created a clay copy of Caed and made him step through a Fracture and grab Vinyl.

Nightmare Moon knocked him aside and ushered Vinyl out of harm’s way before preparing to fight.

Luna replayed the memory of Vinyl being kidnapped. She made it so the Fracture closed before Nightmare Moon could get through.

Nightmare Moon howled in fury and dismay and took to the air to search for another Fracture.

Yet another memory showed Vinyl attacking Caed in the midst of a fierce battle.

Luna inhaled.

She made Caed swing his glaive at her neck.

Then, she had to stop the memory before Nightmare Moon remembered her own death. Even with her strengthened power, she couldn’t have stopped Nightmare Moon from waking at that inconsistency.

Over and over, Luna altered memories, creating dreams in their place for Nightmare Moon to run through like an obstacle course. So long as she was careful not to let Nightmare Moon die, it would go for as long as needed.

She could create any environment, any situation, any trial.

But the one constant was that Vinyl was there in some way, whether that was as a friend, an enemy, or a corpse.

“Enough.”

Luna summoned a wind to spirit the memory away, then pressed a hoof to her eyes.

“I have seen enough.”

Discord chuckled mirthlessly from behind. “You were the one in control, Luna. You’re acting as if all that was forced on you.”

“I am aware of that, I just…” Luna summoned a glass of water and drank from it. Of course, the taste and touch were all in her head, but the act itself was cathartic. “Blood and fire, it’s all true. This damned demon would have done anything for her.”

“Indeed. Quite literally, she would have gnawed her arm off, though I suppose if one could grow it back…”

Luna tapped her hoof against her teeth and stared out into the void. “It was too much. I should have stopped.”

Discord tilted his head to one side.

“I became convinced of their connection many memories ago, but part of me revelled in seeing her suffer. After all that she has done throughout the ages, all the deaths and manipulation, watching her misery enthralled me.”

Luna shuddered and bit down on the tip of her hoof.

“I should be better.”

“Yes, you should,” Luna turned and looked at him in surprise. He simply shrugged. "What? Did you want me to disagree?"

"No. I expected-"

"I'm sure that's what your sister would say, but I'm not so kind. Really, you should have stopped. And I should have done something to stop you, I suppose," He shrugged. "Guess we're both terrible creatures."

Luna didn't see reason to argue. “I am tired of dealing with her, Discord. I want her gone. Death, exile - it no longer matters to me which."

"... Buuut?"

"The humans took my subjects. They killed them, harvested their magic as if they were grain," Luna growled and the dream world flashed a hellish red. "At this point, Nightmare Moon is a rabid animal straining against her cage to sink her jaws into prey. I say we open that cage and let the humans deal with her."

Discord's lips pulled back in a sadistic leer, one she hadn't seen since a thousand years ago. "Sowing chaos from time to time is good for the soul, I always say."

"Hmph. What sort of soul would that be?"

"Ouch~"

Luna felt sick. "This experience has shown me many things, not just about Nightmare Moon but about myself. There is a darkness in me that does not exist in my sister. Perhaps that is why Nightmare Moon chose me as her host."

Discord shrugged. "You know, you could check that out right now? Why she possessed you, I mean."

Luna looked to the side and saw seemingly infinite doors leading into a dark abyss. "No. I do not wish to know, after all."

"Fair enough. So, are we done here?"

"Yes. Let us return - I have changed my mind about what to do with her."

“Ah, one more thing before we go,” Discord wiggled his fingers, and his grin looked livelier. “Since the last dream you made involved a certain someone falling from a great height, I think it would in everyone’s best interests – mostly ours – to finish off with a less…” He waved his hand. “Let’s say ‘perilous’ experience.”

Luna lifted a skeptical eyebrow. "Do you really think that would calm her?”

“It can’t hurt to try.”

Luna sighed. “Very well. I shall leave the dream to you.”

Discord cracked his neck. “I’m thinking something festive…”

Nightmare Moon woke.

Luna stared at her through the bars, a key dangling in her magical grasp. “What do you want to do?”

Nightmare Moon licked her lips. “I want…”

Her horn ignited.

With one pulse of magic, the obsidian ring shattered, and the bars of the cell exploded outwards. Luna shielded her face with her hoof as twisted, red-hot pieces of iron flew past her, and her teeth ached as the air was wrought with wild magic from disrupted runes; runes that should have been impossible to break.

"Discord, don't-!"

Luna gagged as she was tackled, pushed across the room, and slammed up against the wall. Nightmare Moon's glowing eyes bore into her with crushing intensity.

“I want to kill you right now for putting me through all that.”

Luna pawed at the foreleg against her throat and prayed that Discord stayed back.

“We spoke in the last dream I had, but you conveniently left out the part where you tormented me over and over again,” Nightmare Moon leered sadistically. “Yes, I remember it now. Perhaps you should have scrubbed my mind clean while you were digging around in there.”

“That wasn’t my-” Luna almost choked on her tongue.

“Were you going to say ‘intention?’ ‘Design?’ Is that meant to ease my pain?” Nightmare Moon growled viciously. “You fool. Did you at least get what you were searching for? Well?!”

The pressure eased enough for Luna to wheeze out, “Y-yes…”

“Good.”

Luna found herself thrown to the floor. Discord helped her up as she coughed and rubbed her throat.

At some point, the guards had entered the cell, bringing a lamp and spears. Shadows danced over Nightmare Moon’s face eerily as her broken horn started to grow back. For a while, there was no sound save for Luna’s panting and the shifting metal segments of the guards’ armor as they trembled.

“If intruding on my mind is what it takes for you to see that my attention is solely fixed on Caed, then so be it. I’m even going to ignore all those scenarios you subjected me to. You felt entitled to some vengeance, I can understand that.”

Nightmare Moon rolled out the stiffness in her neck and grunted as her horn finished regenerating.

“Do what you want, but do not let me think that any action you take is wasted effort that could be applied to sending me to the human world,” Nightmare Moon turned her ruthless gaze to Discord. “I don’t care how you got free. You’re helping and that’s enough for me.”

Discord’s laugh had the sharp edge of hostility. “A pleasure to see you again. I’m fine. Little stiff, though.”

Nightmare Moon snorted and turned to the door.

“Where are you going?” Luna cried. She stood and teleported in front of Nightmare Moon when she knocked the guards’ spears out of the way. “You’re still in captivity.”

“I’m forgiving what you did because I’m willing to believe it was necessary for you,” Nightmare Moon leaned and used the few inches she had on Luna to great effect. “But now I need to be out there to make sure everyone is doing what they can to send me to the human world.”

“You will distract them.”

“No, I’ll motivate them. You’d be surprised how efficiently one works when they know I am at their back. Just ask Twilight.”

Nightmare Moon shoved her out of the way hard enough that anypony without a solid constitution would have found their face smeared against the wall. Luna recovered and glared daggers at her back.

“Leave her,” Discord let go and held his hands up placatingly when Luna turned to him sharply. “Much as I hate to admit, we’re lucky she’s doing this instead of trying to rearrange our faces. And I quite like my dashing looks as they are, thank you.”

Luna’s chest rose and fell with harsh breaths, but she stopped herself from turning back. “I fear what will happen if she is left free to do as she wishes.”

“Is it worse than what will happen if you try to stop her? She only wants to help us help her along to her demise,” Discord waved his hand and the space around it distorted until a pipe appeared. “I say let her.”

Usually, Discord only made things appear when they were needed for a joke. As he put the pipe to his lips and breathed in, Luna got the feeling that it was there for a more serious purpose.

“I wasn’t aware you smoked.”

“Eight hundred years clean,” Discord exhaled a puff of grey smoke with a shrug. “Consistency and I have a strained relationship, so it was bound to happen sooner or later.”

Luna said nothing.

“Well, no point in standing here feeling sorry for ourselves, much as a favourite pastime of mine that is,” Discord gave his usual mischievous grin and put out his arm in a noble gesture. “After you, milady.”

Luna huffed in amusement and walked forward. “In my time, ‘twas the stallion that put himself between the threat and the fair maiden.”

“Oh? Well, that explains the correlation between chivalry and 'especially gruesome death.'”

At the far end of the corridor, Nightmare Moon strode ahead with an air of determination and resolve. Even after Luna had given into temptation and showed her all those horrible scenarios, she did not falter or sway from her goal.

A grudging respect swelled within Luna. But she viciously crushed that in an instant.

Author's Notes:

Hey, how are you doing?

The year's been a drag so far, but it's easy for all the bad to cover up the good. Humans are tough and we'll bounce back from this in no time.

Until then, keep your head up. We're all better-looking when we smile anyway.

~Lupine Infernis

~Lupine Infernis