“H-hello, monster.”

Princess Nightmare Moon sat down at the table. She had struggled to make eye contact the last time. Now she drank in every detail of Celestia’s body. Every smudge of dirt, every cut, every dent in her barding. The eyes in particular looked just like she remembered. “Hello, sister.”

“Our h-h-host has informed me that she intends to leave you here.”

“Yes.”

“This is your last ch-ch-chance to return of your own volition.” Celestia leaned forward. “What is-s your answer?”

“I’m sorry, sister, but I cannot go back.”

“That’s the only word you can mus-s-ster? ‘S-sorry?’ You believe that you have b-been absolved? That all the sssins carved on your soul have been erased?”

“Of course they haven’t!” Nightmare Moon averted her gaze. “After everything I’ve done, nothing could cleanse me. That is the problem. Everything I’ve done, to myself and others. It was all meaningless.”

“All those ponies you murdered were anything but m-m-meaningless.”

“That’s not what I meant. I—”

“What better p-punishment could there be, than to rebuild the world you d-destroyed? One plant, one stone, one p-pony at a time.”

“I can’t return there, sister. Even if I wanted to, even if I thought it could help. Nothing can make my sleep any more restful, make the memories any less painful. But going back there…” Nightmare Moon forced herself to look at Celestia. “I can’t go back, Celestia. I did so much to escape that graveyard. I know I don’t deserve my life here, but I can’t go back. It would destroy me, to return to that place.”

“If you will not returnnn willingly, then I can bring you by f-force.” Magic flooded the room. The air shimmered with heat, lightning crackled along the metal window frames. The change happened suddenly, but Nightmare Moon showed no surprise.

Nightmare smiled. “You know, sometimes, when I was alone, with nothing but skeletons and corpses, I fantasized about this. I imagined that you would return and punish me for everything I had done.” Nightmare Moon chuckled uncomfortably. “In fact, when you first appeared, those fantasies returned. They seemed so validated.” Nightmare Moon smile faded. “But fantasies like that are never healthy, are they?”

“Sh-shut up.” Celestia rose from her seat. “If you won’t return with me to our Equestria, then I sh-shall mete out your p-punishment here.” Her mane billowed, the air thickened with more magic and heat.

“Killing me won’t change anything,” Nightmare Moon whispered. “I wish it would, but it won’t.”

“It is better than nnothing.”

Nightmare Moon closed her eyes. “I’m ready, then.”

Celestia’s horn ignited. Lightning arced forward.

Nightmare Moon felt it approach. Even with her eyes closed, she could sense its path perfectly. The bolt tore across the carpets and table, burning a jagged line down the middle of the room. It shot straight towards her. The sound of crackling electricity and Celestia’s scream filled her ears. The bolt reached her, sizzled inches from her chest.

It veered away, brushed against her cheek.

Nightmare Moon opened her eyes. A long, black scorch mark traveled from Celestia to her, then swerved to the left and into a bookshelf.

Celestia stood there, tears trailing down her cheeks.

She stamped on the floor. “After everything, after all th-this, I can’t do it.” She slumped to the ground, buried her head in hooves. “You were r-right,” she whispered. “After everything, I’m j-just like you. A monster p-p-pretending at something they aren’t. Except I’m even w-worse than you are. I’m too weak to even get proper v-v-vengeance.”

Nightmare Moon approached her sister slowly. She knelt down and wrapped her hooves around Celestia’s body. The dirt and scars under Celestia’s coat rubbed against her.

“No, you are the strongest pony I know.” Nightmare Moon felt her tears leak into her sister’s coat. “I’m the weak one here. That’s why I have to stay. I’m too weak and pathetic and broken to go back with you. I’ve always been weak and selfish. That’s what started this in the first place.”

Both of them sat there, embracing each other, until the guards worked up the courage to check on them.