As the crowd descended back down into the Lunar Palace, Nyx was struck by one impression: chaos. For every pony that had borne witness to the events on the palace rooftop, there were a dozen others; Ponyvillians, Canterlot nobility, guards and guests and countless castle staff who had been partying or going about their work one moment, and imprisoned in a bizarre magical bubble-trap the next. The Ponyville ponies were alarmed, the nobleponies from Canterlot were angry and raising a fuss, both the Day and Night Guard were trotting about, double time, to secure the compromised castle, and the castle staff were scurrying frantically to set things aright and soothe frazzled nerves.

Much to Nyx's surprise,  two or three of the palace staff, nurses from the palace hospital wing, swooped down on her and Twilight with blankets and hot cocoa, and started clucking and fussing over them like mother hens. It seemed kind of silly-- it wasn't like they'd been trapped out in a blizzard or something. Still, she hadn't realized how her tummy had been doing the jibblies after all the excitement. With Twilight and Spike and Ink Spot huddled up beside her and the warm blanket over them all and the chocolaty cocoa in her hooves, somehow it did make her feel better, all warm and safe.

And it was nice that other ponies were caring about her and Mom, even if it was just their job.

Other ponies--- ones carefully watched by the Guard--- were busy under the guidance of Spell Nexus, removing certain "decorations" and chiseling odd bits of engraving and crystalwork out of the floors, walls and ceilings.

Ponies just milled around in the palace, trying to get their bearings after the ruckus, but eventually the Guards got organized and began passing word on to everypony that the Princesses were ready to speak, and that everypony should gather in the throne room. The crowd shuffled in, not knowing what to expect.

When they got inside, the Princesses--- Celestia, Luna, and Cadence--- were standing at the dais, overlooking the crowd. Uncle Shining was standing there as well, next to Aunt Cadence. They were flanked on either side by stern looking armored Guards, from both the Day court and the Night. The musicians, the castle staff, everyone had crowded in. The nobility had crowded in the first few rows as if it were their just due. Everypony else, even the Elements of Harmony, were forced to stand behind them. Even Silver Spoon's and Diamond Tiara's family were only barely included in the front rows; Nyx could see them both huddled next to their disgruntled-looking parents. (She giggled a bit when she saw they still had confetti stuck in their manes.)

Some of the nobility were kicking up a rumpus, trying to shout over each other at the Princesses. Celestia and Luna let them continue like this for a minute, letting them wear themselves out, then flared their wings for silence. The chattering roar dropped to a murmur, then silence. (Nyx felt a little twinge of envy at that; if she'd ever tried to flare her stubby little wings for silence, her friends would have laughed her out of the room.)  

"Ponies of Equestria," Luna said in the ensuing silence. "We summoned you all here so that we could let you know what has occurred here today. We thank you for your patience, in light of these recent events.

"Not much more than one year past, not far from this very place, ponies who were infected by dark magic attempted to resurrect the mare of darkness, Nightmare Moon. They both failed-- and succeeded. A child was born-- an alicorn child.  A local mare found the filly, took her in, raised her as her own, and in that short time worked a dramatic change. The cult returned; she was given the full power of and memories of Nightmare Moon..."

" But not before the love of a mother had worked its power on her," Celestia stepped in. "Though she did go forth to conquer Equestria, the love and friendship she had been shown changed her heart. She put her own life on the line protecting the people of this town from terrible monsters, and subsequently surrendered the throne back to its rightful rulers: myself, and my sister." Celestia smiled enigmatically. "But most of you here know that much of the story."

She motioned with one wing for Twilight and Nyx to come forward. They did so, awkward under all those eyes, and stood before the Princesses, facing the crowd.

"She was stripped of her power, restored to the innocence of fillyhood that she had lost, and given to her adoptive mother ---  My most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. To be raised in love and happiness and in the values of Harmony by which our nation thrives." She reached down and briefly nuzzled both of them, a gesture that startled them both. Then she looked up at the audience.

"Earlier this evening, a group of badly misguided and foolish ponies abducted this child and attempted to destroy her with a spell of dispersion. They failed. Badly. They have been captured, and are now in prison in Canterlot awaiting trial. They will be thoroughly investigated, as will all their associates--- for anyone who may have contributed to, or funded, or encouraged them in their project." She looked up at the audience. Her eyes were suddenly stony.

"We are not pleased at this attempt on her life."

Her voice was like the Sun had gone out. Ponies all over the room shivered involuntarily.

"We know of the gossip and the rumors, and those that have spread them..." she shot a chilling glance at the newsponies and their photographers who had joined the festivities--- "that Nyx, a mere filly, has somehow ensorcelled one of us, or possessed us, or corrupted us with her power. Let us inform you that this is foalish rubbish. Were she even capable of such a thing, she would certainly not have been so easily captured by a handful of conspirators in bad robes and cheap masks."

"We are also aware of the fable that Nyx is not a 'real' alicorn or even a 'real' pony, that she is some animate wisp of magic." Did she glance deliberately at Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon when she said this? " Allow us to assure you, this is also foalish rubbish. She is a pony, made of flesh and blood and skin and bone, the same as any other.  She has a mind and a heart and a soul, like any other. And we are profoundly disappointed in those who would spread such hurtful lies." This time the glance at Tiara and Spoon's families was deliberate.

At this point Princess Luna stepped forward. Where Celestia's lecture had been been like the Sun hiding its face, Luna's was like the light of the Moon on a cloudless winter night; mercilessly baring what one thought was hidden in the dark with cold, clear luminance. "We also know of the more callous speculation by our nobles. That Nyx is merely laying in wait, hatching her plots, biding her time while her tiny, weakened body grows in power, then she will attempt to overthrow us yet again." Her glower at the nobility spoke volumes. "We know these things well, because thou wast saying no less about your own Princess of the Night not long ago." Several upper crust ponies blanched and studiously looked away. "No, your carefully cultivated whispers against us did not go unnoticed. And.... mayhap tis true." Several ponies looked at her in surprise. "Indeed, mayhap I am plotting the downfall of Equestria and of my sister this very minute! Mayhap this grade-school filly plots mine own demise as well!" She fluttered her wings at them in mock horror.

"Or perhaps not." She gave the surrounding ponies a dry look. "I sinned against my country and against my sister most terribly. But I have paid penance since then, and have dutifully and loyally served thee, my subjects. My heart has long recanted my past evils, and, I trust, I have found favor in thine eyes."

"And if I, how much more so this child, who needed no purging of the Elements, but abdicated her throne of her own free will? And who moreover did in her remorse defend this village with her very life? Hast thou already forgotten the hideous wounds which she suffered on thy behalf? Hast thou forgotten how she freed us-- again of her own free will-- and subjected herself to our justice? No more sincere a repentance can be asked than that."

"And, if despite all that has passed, she doth indeed plot against us, I would fain hope that thy princesses can thwart the plottings of a child who is yet learning to make pictures with glue and macaroni!" A halfhearted chuckle went up at that.

Nyx scowled a little. "Hey, the little macaroni bits are sticky..." she muttered under her breath--- not quite low enough to avoid being heard by those in the front row. Fresh laughter greeted this.

"Well said," Celestia nodded to her sister. " Nyx is a living being, with rights the same as any other. She is one of our little ponies-- a citizen of Equestria."

"And let it be also noted that she is family," Cadence said, speaking for the first time. "She is my niece, by marriage. As such she is part of the royal family, and the Crystal Empire will look with great disfavor on anyone who attempts to harm her, or her mother."

Nyx's eyes went round. Royalty? I'm actually royalty? She looked at her mother; Twilight's pupils were pinpricks.

"And she is, by extension, a member of the Equestrian royal family as well. In... a complex fashion," Celestia said, rolling her eyes meaningfully at her sister. The royal genealogists were going to have fits trying to figure out where to put Nyx on the family tree... "Though not in line for either throne, she is our kin, and we regard her as under our royal wing."  The tiniest sly smirk crossed her face. "Though perhaps Nyx might like to claim her proper place in the ascendancy to the throne--?"

"NO!" Nyx and Twilight yelped. "Um, no, no thank you, Princess," Twilight said.

"No," Nyx added. "No. No, no no. NO. Heck no, actually. ---No."

"Ah. Well then." Twilight and Nyx's sigh of relief was heartfelt. And echoed by many of the more politically savvy who were present. It would be noted with amusement for generations hence that this humble and artless refusal did more to persuade most ponies present of their lack of ambition to the throne than all the flowery speeches and elegant written denials before or after.

"This stated, we  feel that we have been... neglectful in certain matters," Celestia said sorrowfully, much to her audience's surprise. "Much of what has happened here this night is attributable to misplaced fear... and that fear to ignorance and misinformation that we--- no, I--- should have been more dutiful in correcting.

"Long ago, my sister fell from grace," Celestia continued, looking over at Luna. "Her redemption depended upon her true name and true past being forgotten. And thus the fable of the terrible Nightmare Moon was born; a fell creature who preyed upon children and terrorized the night. Once my sister had been rescued and restored, she displayed fair good grace and humor over the matter-- far more than others might have shown in similar circumstances." She shot Luna an amused look.

"But in letting these hobgoblin tales linger, I did poorly. Children feared the hobgoblin; they in turn feared their princess. There are those who say a child's fears are a little thing; I say to you that a little hurt is still a hurt. Those fears left to lie made my sister's first years a difficult thing, shadowed by them. And in Nyx's case, her life from its first moments was ruled by them, and redemption and acceptance turned into a trial. The ponies who came here tonight came here because of ignorance and fear. They came here to destroy a monster; a monster who does not exist.

"Let us no longer teach our children to fear monsters that do not exist."

There was a brief silence. Then, slowly but with growing enthusiasm, ponies began to applaud. After the applause died back down, Cadence spoke. "Please let the children come forward." There was some shuffling as the crowd did so. They lined up in front of the dais, hooves scuffing nervously. .Cadence stepped down, lowering her head to look them in the eye."Tell me, children; do you know what happens to the candy you leave for Nightmare Moon?"

There was some mixed mumbling about Nightmare Moon eating up the hoard of candy rather than eating the foals in question. "...Really? Children, what we want you to understand is: there is no Nightmare Moon..."

"Wait...." Pipsqueak squeezed his way to the front of the crowd. "But Princess Luna is Nightmare Moon!"

"Well, it was more that she was trapped inside Nightmare Moon," Cadence began... but at Pip's baffled look she relented. "Okay she sort of was, but she got better---"

Pip's expression cleared for a moment. His pointing hoof moved to Nyx."So Nyx is really Nightmare Moon--"

"No, she's what used to be Nightmare Moon."

"But-- But you said Princess Luna used to be Nightmare Moon..." Pip started looking bewildered. "So you're saying Nyx is Princess Luna??"

"Wait, what? No!"

Pip's space helmet clunked on the floor. "I'm confused and my head hurts."

Shining Armor snorted in amusement. "Here, dear," he said to a frazzled Cadence, "Let me make it simple for him... kids, what she's saying is there's no Nightmare Moon anymore."

The light dawned on dozens of young faces. "But....if there's no Nightmare Moon, do we still have Nightmare Night?" one filly asked worriedly.

"Of course," Cadence said, relieved to be back on solid footing. There were relieved smiles at this. But a few expressions turned thoughtful. "But... what about the candy we leave for Nightmare Moon?"

"That is what we wish to tell you, child," Luna stepped in. "What you left at the statue, Nightmare Moon didn't take. Your parents took it and gave it to colts and fillies like you, who were sick or in the hospital and could not get out to trick or treat for themselves.  You do not have to leave your treats for Nightmare Moon anymore..." she stopped and smiled. "Though I hope that some of you still will, now that you know where it really goes." The grins she received in reply gave her confidence that they would.

"And we now have some few brief proclamations this night," Celestia said, suddenly serious, "Before we return to the festivities. Snips, Snails, Spike, Scootaloo, Peewee and Owlowiscious-- step forward and be recognized."

There were several very audible gulps as the named parties edged out of the crowd. Memories were obviously winging back to a little fracas around the statue of Nightmare Moon; The only ones who didn't look nervous were Peewee and Owlowiscious. "Earlier this night, I, Princess Celestia, had a little confrontation with you six," she said, her face a mask. "I flew into the grotto where the statue of Nightmare Moon stands to retrieve the candy left there tonight. Imagine my surprise when I found Nyx there long after the Grotto was to be abandoned." Nyx blushed a bit; Twilight gave her daughter the stinkeye. "I confronted her while in the guise of Nightmare Moon....unfortunately I was a tad too convincing, and sent her and her friends into a panic.

"There would be little more to this tale, save that in the ruckus Nyx's friends came to the conclusion that I was about to gobble Nyx up.... and being no more than children themselves, with no weapons or arms and little or no magic, launched a counterattack against a monster of childhood fear itself to save their friend." A slow smile spread over her face.

"Rarely indeed have I seen such bravery. Stand and be commended for thy courage." She lowered her horn and tapped each one of them, gently, on the brow. Spike and Scootaloo were transfixed with glee. The expressions on Snips and Snails' faces were indescribable.

"Sundiver and Lightning Blitz, step forward and be recognized." Two battered, singed, and defeated looking guards stepped forward. "You two, alone, faced the Order that sought to harm your charge, and struck against him with all valor. Stand and be--" Sundiver lowered his head and looked away; Lightning Blitz shied back, shaking his head. "What is wrong, my guardsponies?" Celestia said sympathetically.

"We don't deserve any commendation," Blitz said gruffly.

"We were supposed to protect her. We failed. We tried to save her and only fell flat on our plots," Sundiver said mournfully.

"You do yourselves a disservice," Celestia said. "You acted with great valor."

"And we failed," Blitz said. "I'm sorry, your majesty, but we cannot accept this from you."

"Then you'll accept it from me!" Nyx said suddenly. She dashed up to stand before the two of them. "You were brave. You were! I was so scared, and there you two were, like heroes out of a storybook to save me-- and you even bucked the bad guy in the face for me! You two are my heroes, no matter what anypony says. So there's my commendation for bravery!" She reached up and kissed Lightning Blitz square on the cheek. Then she spun around and did the same for Sundiver. "So there!"

There wasn't so much a chorus as a tabernacle choir of " D'awwwwws." The two guards blushed red as beets. Lighting Blitz 'harrumphed' and looked up at the Princesses. "We'll... return to our posts. With your permission, your Highnesses?" Celestia  smiled and nodded. The two guards nodded, turned about face, and hastily marched off. Noone missed the smiles on their faces, or the fact they held their heads a little bit higher.

Nyx stood there for a moment watching them go and smiling, till it sank in what she'd just done.

She'd kissed two guards.

On the cheek.

Right in front of a bajillion ponies.

Eeeeep! Face flaming, she scurried back to hide behind her mother.

"There is but one final proclamation," Princess Luna said. "In the name of the Court of the Night, I call forward Trill, Buzz, and Flitter. Step forward and be recognized." A small group came from the back; what looked like a mare, a filly, and two ponies bearing another on a stretcher. The murmur of the crowd at this sight grew to a tumult as the ponies saw that the mare, filly, and colt on the stretcher were all Changelings. The stretcher-bearers set Buzz down at the foot of the dais; the changeling stallion had been bandaged and had one leg in a splint-- and was, strangely enough, chewing on a candy cane. His wife and daughter huddled with him before the Night Princess.

"SILENCE!" Princess Luna fanned out her wings. The audience grew still. "This night, one of our own was put in peril by an evil conspiracy. At great risk to her own life, for the sake of friendship, knowing she had but little hope of any help,this child, Flitter--" she motioned toward the changeling filly--"did seek to save the life of her friend, and warn us of a conspiracy against the throne." She gestured to the father. "In turn, her father, for no benefit to himself, at great risk of life and limb, did put himself in harm's way to protect an innocent.

"Up to this day, since the birth of their daughter, these beings have lived  in our own Everfree Forest, beside if not among us, doing no harm, living peacefully, and only seeking to be left in peace. Only breaking their secrecy this night, to throw themselves upon our mercy... and even then not hesitating to lift wing, horn and hoof in the aid of right against wrong, e'en though it imperiled them greatly.

"I have offered them reward, and their only request was to be allowed to live as free citizens of Equestria." The crowd began to murmur again. "They have earned my favor. As Coregent, I hereby proclaim them to be free and lawful citizens of Equestria, under the protection of the crown, and subjects of the Court of the Night--"

The crowd erupted. The nobility, especially, freaked. "You go too far, Princess Luna!" one duke shouted when the tumult died down enough to be heard. "Changelings as citizens and members of the Court? Never!"

"Leave them alone!" a high voice shouted.

Heads turned to see who it was.

Out of the colts and fillies stepped Pipsqueak. He took a spread-foot stance in front of the crowd, placing himself square between the Changeling family and the onlookers. "Flitter's our friend! She's nice! She never hurt anypony! And she even tried to save the Princesses! Leave her an' her Mum and Dad alone!" He scowled at the crowd defiantly through his bubble helmet, visibly daring anyone to cross him and test his little pony wrath.

It almost seemed to be a signal. Slowly at first, then in a rush, the Cutie Mark Crusaders gathered around Pipsqueak, shoulder to shoulder, scowling defiantly at the courtiers and nobles who were raising the most fuss. Finally even Rumble, his whole body quivering with his repressed phobia, stumbled up to join the others.

Princess Luna could not help but notice the pegasus colt shaking in fear. "Art thou afraid of these Changelings, little one?" She asked. Her voice was gentle-- but more than clear enough to be heard by all present.

Rumble looked up at her, his mouth dry. "I am," he said shakily. "I can't help it. I'm more scared of them than anything in the world...." he looked out at the crowd. "But that's not their fault."

"Flitter's a good pony, and if she's anything like her parents, they're good ponies too."

The joy on Flitter's face was palpable. Any pony that looked could see her eyes were wet.

"Well said," Luna said. She addressed the crowd again. "Our colts and fillies have learned to conquer fear this night; shall we their elders do any less? Again I state: As Coregent, I hereby proclaim them to be free and lawful citizens of Equestria, under the protection of the crown, and in their particular, subjects of the Court of the Night."

Many ponies in the audience, seeing mere colts and fillies giving the benefit of kindness to these strange creatures, had a change of heart of their own. But not all were so easily turned. The courtier who had spoken earlier was fuming still. "We shall see about this!" he threatened.

"It is already done," Luna replied coolly-- even if at impressive decibels of her own. "There is aught to 'see about,' and thou hast not the power to overturn it."

"Hah!" Pipsqueak shouted. "Best princess ever!"

The duke sputtered. "Princess Celestia-- you can't let her do this!"

"She doesn't 'let' me do aught," Luna retorted. "I am Coregent, fellow ruler of Equestria and of full and equal authority, as well you know-- and as well you and your fellow nobility conveniently and repeatedly forget."

The duke's face went from red to purple. "We have put up with the games of a young, inexperienced princess long enough," he huffed. "If you go through with this folly, the Court of Night will have no support in anything from me or my house!" A few other nobles shouted 'hear hear.' "Only the Court of Day will have any voice with us!"

"So that is how you intend to play it?" Luna asked. "Thou wouldst pit myself and mine sister against one another?" The duke tipped his nose up. "Tis an old game you play, Duke Wellington; played since time immemorial.... by every bratling who sought his own way by pitting one parent against the other."

"Call it what you will, Princess," he huffed. "But if the nobility pitches its favor behind one court, the other must give in."

This was it. Lights went on for dozens of ponies as they saw this play out. They finally realized how the titled nobility had been playing this precise game all along.... ignoring the Court of Night, forcing the "weaker" Princess to have to continually go through the other to get anything done..... and thus through the lords and nobility that aligned with the Day. Pitting sister against sister and gleaning more power to themselves.

Luna stepped down from the dais and strolled slowly over to the Duke. "Well then," she said....

Her midnight blue form peeled away like smoke. Standing before him was Princess Celestia, The Coregent of the Dawn. ".... you'd best be sure which Princess you're talking to, then," she said with a smirk.

The duke's chin could have scraped the floor. "Whaa--" he looked over at the other Celestia, the real Celestia, surely... who was even that moment fading to starlight and indigo, Princess Luna revealed. "You see, Duke Wellington, I've long been aware of this game you and the other nobility have been playing with my sister and I. Pitting one against the other, shuffling all the power to the Nobility in the Day Court, keeping me surrounded by nobility and high-society courtiers to try and isolate me from the common pony, diminishing the power of the common people by isolating them to the Night.... it's true my sister and I don't agree on every idea. That is why we are Coregents; to keep one from automatically overruling the other, forcing us to compromise in both directions. Very naughty of you to mess with that.

"So Princess Cadence came up with this little suggestion. From now on, my sister and I are going to do a little crown-swapping from time to time. She gets the  Court of Day, I get the Court of Night... and no, we won't tell you when, or for how long. In fact, you won't even know when it's happening.

"From now on, you will have to treat us as equals. You will have to pay attention to both Courts. Because you'll never know whether the Princess you gave the runaround last week will be breathing down your neck the next."

"Fear not, good Duke," Princess Luna chortled, walking up to stand next to her sister. "We shall refrain from starting our little game for a few weeks yet..." With a flash of indigo and gold they swapped forms yet again.

"Or will we ?"

The duke made a sound like a cat choking on a hairball and fled. The Princesses pranced up the dais steps to cheering and whistles. "Now, my little ponies--"

"-- let the festivities recommence!"

The DJ powered up and hit the switch. The long-interrupted party spun back to life. When noone was looking, the two Princesses chuckled and high-hooved.

"Let it be said, Sister--"

"--We Rule."