How did she know?

If what I'd read about her, and if what Pinkie had told me was correct, Nightmare Moon was supposed to have been trapped in her own namesake for a thousand years. I'd just seen her escape with my own eyes, so how in the world could she have possibly known about the Dead Goddess?

Was there something Pinkie wasn't telling me? Was there something she didn't know? More important than that, why did Nightmare Moon seem so... familiar? Like I'd seen her once before with my own eyes? I chanced a glance in Pinkie's direction, but the mare looked just as confused as I did, if not more so. She noticed my bewildered look, but could only shrug in response.

"Hey, don't look at me!" she whispered, "aside from Nightmare Moon returning on the morning of Summer Solstice, I knew just about as much as you do," her face scrunched up in thought for a second, "well, that and the fact that she was once the other Princess of Equestria before she got banished, but that's it. I had no idea she knew about the Dead Goddess."

"Hey... guys?" came Spike's nervous whisper from above me, "she's uh... she's still looking at us."

I turned back to Nightmare Moon and sure enough, her eyes were still locked on our little group. She'd fallen silent and as I watched, her expression shifted from amused to troubled, to confused, then thoughtful, and finally settled on something entirely unreadable. It all happened in a near-instant, but I managed to catch the change, and it only made me all the more uneasy.

What was she thinking? Just how much did she know?

What would she do about it?

"What do you suggest we do, darling?" Rarity murmured in my ear, her voice barely audible amidst the nervous muttering of the crowd, "it might not be a good idea to do anything... drastic in front of all these ponies, but I'm fairly certain you're the one that holds all the power in this situation, so it's up to you. Should we confront her or make our escape?"

The problem with that statement was that I wasn't even sure I did hold all the power, not as I was anyway. It wasn't mine to hold and aside from the Black Tongue, I still didn't know how Skal-Gazaath's power worked. Besides that, Rarity was right, I didn't want to cause a scene and do something I couldn't or didn't know how to take back. I felt like we'd gotten lucky when the Servant took over Spike, and I didn't want to count on something like that happening again.

I didn't want anything like that happening again, not if I could help it.

"Let's... let's wait and see what she does," I whispered back, "she hasn't attacked anypony yet, and I want to know what else she knows about me—er, about Skal-Gazaath, I mean."

"You... the pink earth pony mare."

We all looked up to see Nightmare Moon staring directly at Pinkie, her face still as blank as stone and her tone just as flat and emotionless. Pinkie blinked in surprise and looked around before gesturing to herself wordlessly. Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes slightly in response.

"What is your name?"

"Oh!" Pinkie replied pleasantly, "I'm Pinkie Pie! Ponyville's premier party planning—"

"Enough!" the dark alicorn barked in annoyance. Her irritated scowl settled back into an inscrutable line as she continued, "...do you know of a stallion by the name of Onyx Thaddeus Pie?"

There was a beat of silence before Pinkie's slow reply.

"Yeeess..." Pinkie said, squinting at Nightmare Moon with exaggerated suspicion, "but how do you know about Onyx Pie?" Nightmare went to reply, but Pinkie spoke again, pointing a hoof in her direction, "what do you know, black snooty? SPILL IT!"

Nightmare Moon slowly closed her mouth and frowned. Rather than the outrage I expected, or even annoyance, she just looked troubled again. Something wasn't right about the situation, but it didn't look like Nightmare Moon was Tartarus-bent on... drowning the world in eternal night or whatever it was she was planning on doing. Whatever her plans were, my presence, or rather the presence of Skal-Gazaath, seemed to have thoroughly derailed them, I could see it on her face.

It was like she'd completely forgotten about the rest of the ponies in Town Hall, or so I thought. As if to spite the notion, she once again addressed the entire hall, her voice booming and imperious.

"It seems my sister's precious little subjects have all but forgotten their Princess of the Night," she began, pacing across the raised platform and somehow staring down each and every pony in the crowd, "I wonder if you still fear the dark? I wonder if you still shudder when the sun sets and you look up to the night sky?"

She stopped and scanned the crowd as if to judge their reaction. A flicker of some negative emotion crossed her face—something that could've been anger, pain, or sadness... or possibly a mix of all three—but it was gone a moment later and she once again schooled her features into something more neutral.

"Whatever you might think, I assure you, you've no need to hide yourselves away from the night," she paused again and glanced in my direction before averting her gaze back to the mass of ponies, "perhaps... a proper introduction is in order..."

I frowned.

Nightmare Moon wasn't acting at all like I'd expected her to, at least, not anymore. Before she'd known I was here, she'd acted every bit the villain, but now...

Now she sounded reasonable, almost unsure of herself in fact. I got the impression that she was trying to tone down her arrogant and antagonistic attitude to win the crowd over... but why? Why change tack now? I knew I played some kind of factor, but exactly how did I factor into the equation?

"I've long since renounced the name, but at one time, I was called Luna," the alicorn continued, "sister to your vaunted sun goddess Celestia and Princess of the Night. I ruled this land alongside her and together we built this nation into what it is today... or at least we were supposed to..."

The gathered ponies looked to each other, their nervous mutterings taking on far more confusion. Suddenly a voice rang out from the crowd, the stallion in question apparently mustering up enough courage to speak to the dark mare directly.

"If you're a Princess, why haven't we heard of you until now?"

Before Nightmare Moon could respond, another voice spoke up, this one a mare.

"Yeah, and where's Princess Celestia? What did you do to her?!"

It was a fair question, and though I was admittedly rather glad she wasn't here at the moment, I couldn't help but wonder just where she was if not here. My own worries grew as the questions began to pile on and voices were raised as mob mentality slowly took over. Nervousness and confusion gave way to outrage and indignation. Though Nightmare Moon had been showing a surprising amount of patience with the ponies below her so far, I knew that patience could only last so long and after a few moments of trying to get a word in, she'd reached her limit.

"SILENCE, FOOLS!"

The command was deafening, and just as Nightmare Moon ordered, there was complete silence among the audience. Her icy glare pierced every pony in the crowd, making some shiver and others flinch back, lower their ears or bow their heads. I watched to see what the mare would do next and was again surprised. Once she'd cowed the audience into silence, I'd expected her to start screaming, and for a moment it looked like she was going to, but then she glanced over to me again and closed her mouth before letting out a calming breath and speaking again in a measured, if somewhat clipped, tone.

"I've done nothing to your beloved Celestia. I've not seen her since my return, and while I too wonder where she's gone, it ultimately is not my concern at the moment," the corners of her mouth turned down in another sneer, "so keep your petty grievances to yourself!" there was more flinching from the crowd at the edge she'd put into the last word, but Nightmare paid no heed and continued, "that said, there is a far more pressing issue at hoof than my sister's whereabouts..."

Her eyes settled once again back on mine and it was then that I realized just what she was doing.

"I'm sure some if not all of you have felt it, have you not? The dread? The horrible sense of foreboding that likely began to permeate this town like a heavy mist long before I arrived?"

She pulled her gaze away from mine and turned back to the audience as she spoke. I did the same and saw to my slight horror that, while some ponies were looking around uneasily, a good few near the back were looking right at me with eyes full of fear and suspicion. I didn't like where this was going and I wasn't sure what Nightmare Moon would gain by turning the entire town against me. It was Spike who voiced my concerns aloud.

"I don't like this, Twilight," he muttered, looking around the hall, "maybe we should leave?"

No, we weren't going to leave.

I had too many questions to ask, and Nightmare Moon seemed to be the only one besides Pinkie who had any answers. She probably had more answers than Pinkie did herself, and as ludicrous as the notion was, I needed to speak with her, mare-to-mare, and soon before she started some kind of riot against me.

"Nightmare Moon!" I cried, letting my voice carry over the murmuring den of ponies. The alicorn looked back at me expectantly, like she knew I'd speak out eventually. It wasn't just her either; the entire hall had gone quiet, and all eyes turned to me. I pushed aside my unease at that and continued, "I don't know what your goal is with all of this, but... but I need to talk to you about... things, and I'd rather not get the town involved."

It was the best I could think to say on the spot, and I silently prayed it would be enough because I didn't have any other ideas right now. There was another tense moment of silence in which some of the other ponies looked from me to the dark alicorn above. Confusion was once again written on the faces of more than one onlooker, but Nightmare and I only had eyes for each other. Then Nightmare Moon blinked and a small smirk crossed her face as she turned to address the crowd once more.

"I know well the source of your unrest, fair citizens, and though I've returned to regain what's been so unjustly taken from me, I've also come to put an end to that which threatens your lives," she boomed triumphantly, "think of me not as a tyrant or an usurper of the throne, but rather as your savior from a much greater evil that has descended upon our fair kingdom!"

My heart sank.

She'd completely ignored my request in favor of vilifying me even further. Throughout the audience I could see some ponies muttering, whispering to each other and pointing in my direction. Others were still unsure, but there was definitely a shift in the focus of their uncertainty. All the while, Nightmare Moon continued her speech with renewed fervor.

"Doubt me if you must, but know that at this very moment in this very place, something terrible is watching you, waiting for the opportunity to bring ruin to all you know and love!" she continued, "fear me if you must, but I am a Princess of Equestria, and soon I will be its one and only Queen. As such, I will not allow any harm to come to my subjects!"

At that, her horn burst to life with a dark blue iridescence. Seeing the anxious and indecisive faces in the crowd, Nightmare Moon frowned and a low growl of frustration escaped her lips.

"And if it will put your fears to rest, I will bring back Celestia to help me remove the threat if necessary," she grimaced, looking as though the statement had physically pained her, but her words had the desired effect. Though most remained nervous and doubtful, there was a clear ripple of approval throughout the audience. A mix of irritation and satisfaction crossed Nightmare Moon's face, but she pressed on, "if you stay here, your lives may be forfeit, so I will send all of you away to safety. Flee, hide yourselves in your homes, leave town, I care not, but do not come near this place again if you value your continued existence!"

Before anypony could object any further or get any more words in at all, Nightmare Moon's horn flashed brighter and an instant later, the entire crowd vanished with a deafening pop. Town Hall was left completely empty save for me, Rarity, Pinkie, Spike, and Nightmare Moon herself. I looked around in surprise, then turned to Rarity as if to confirm that what had just happened, actually happened.

"She's teleported the entire town from Town Hall," Rarity confirmed, looking just as surprised as I probably did, "and quite a distance it seems."

So that was it.

Through a rather unbelievable feat of magic, Nightmare Moon had given us the privacy I'd wanted, and what's more, it almost seemed like she'd planned to do that from the very beginning. With that feeling in mind, what was the point of trying to rile everypony up like that?

"Twilight, was it?"

We all turned just in time to see Nightmare Moon alighting on the ground floor where we were. She folded up her wings and made her way over to us at an almost leisurely trot.

"My name is Twilight Sparkle, yes," I confirmed, eyeing Nightmare warily, "and you were once one of the princesses of Equestria and Celestia's sister, Princess Luna?"

"I am a Princess of Equestria, and as I said before, soon to be its one and only Queen if I can help it," Nightmare Moon corrected, "but yes, I once went by the name of Luna, Princess of the Night, and despite what you may think, I am not the villain here; I'm no villain at all in fact," she stopped a short distance away from us and glowered at me, "I merely wish to reclaim the title and respect that are both rightfully mine, but what of you, Dead Goddess? What do you seek?"

"I'm not the Dead Goddess," I replied somewhat hotly, "I told you my name is Twilight Sparkle. The situation with Skal-Gazaath is... complicated."

"Clearly," Nightmare Moon huffed, before turning her gaze to Pinkie and Rarity beside me, both of whom stared back with eyes far blacker than Nightmare's own coat. To Nightmare Moon's credit, she only grimaced in disgust, "and I suppose these are your... thralls, then?"

"Wha—no! They're..." I'd spoken reflexively, but as I turned to face Rarity and Pinkie I winced, knowing full well that that was exactly what they were, "they're... they're my friends."

Though I still knew next to nothing about these mares, I was surprised to find that the words didn't ring as hollow as I'd expected. It could have been that strange unnatural bond that I'd more or less forced on them—I'm almost certain it was—but it really did feel like I'd know both of them for years. Reaching out with these unnatural senses, I felt the same for Minuette, Lemon Hearts, and Twinkleshine, though I had actually known and been friends with them before all of this, even if I hadn't shown it all that often.

Rarity seemed just as taken aback by the revelation as I was if the shocked look on her face was anything to go by. Pinkie only smiled at me, as if what I'd said was an obvious truth for anypony to see. I looked up to see Spike wearing a strange expression that shifted into something resembling a smile when he noticed I was watching him. No words were exchanged between any of us, but I felt as though there'd certainly been a conversation of some sort, I just wasn't sure what kind.

"To speak of 'friendship' in so meaningful a way... you really are an entirely different breed compared to the last Vessel, and yet you are her spitting image. Curious, that."

I returned my attention to Nightmare Moon, almost having forgotten she was there. She eyed all of us with another thoughtful frown but as we all looked back to her, she focused her intense gaze on Pinkie. I followed that gaze and saw that Pinkie was staring back at Nightmare Moon in shocked disbelief.

"The Progenitor," the pink mare whispered, "so it's true then. That is how he did it, but wait... if she looked like you, then does that mean..." she frowned and looked from me to Nightmare Moon, then back to me again, her eyes growing wide enough to nearly pop out of her head and a giddy smile stretching across her muzzle, "wait... WAIT, SERIOUSLY?!"

"If you are indeed of his bloodline and Twilight Sparkle is indeed the new Vessel, then it would seem so," Nightmare Moon confirmed, somehow managing to look both grim and intrigued all at once, "frankly I would find the whole thing a horrible coincidence if I didn't believe that there was something much greater and much darker at work here."

I shared a confused glance with Rarity and Spike before turning back to Pinkie and Nightmare Moon.

"I'm sorry, but what's going on here?" I asked, "what's this about a 'progenitor'? And what do you mean the 'new Vessel'? Are you saying there was another pony that got possessed before me?"

"I suspect that only a certain pony can house the power of the Dead Goddess without either going mad or having their body destroyed," Nightmare Moon began, "looking at you, there is a strong possibility that the previous Vessel—a pegasus mare by the name of Shining Dawn—may have been an ancestor of yours, meaning that you and the pink one may possibly be rela—"

"SISTERS!" Pinkie squealed, pulling me into a tight hug, "you're not just my Goddess, you're also my sister! The Dead Goddess is my sister! Well, a billion times removed anyway... maybe? Is that how that works?" she pulled back and held a hoof to her chin in thought, then shook her head a second later, "ah that doesn't matter. What matters is that we're family!"

"I... but... but how?" I stammered, completely thrown off guard by the ridiculous turn of events, "even if I am descended from this 'Shining Dawn', how does that relate to Pinkie Pie?"

"Because Shining Dawn is the 'Progenitor', silly!" Pinkie explained, "none of my family knew exactly how Onyx Pie was able to continue our bloodline, but most of us figured there was some kind of ritual he used to create a progenitor of sorts using Skal-Gazaath's power. It was all just rumors and speculation, but now we know it's true!"

"And we're to just take Nightmare Moon's word for it, then?" said Rarity, eyeing the alicorn with distrust, "forgive for being a bit skeptical, but we have no reason to believe what this mare says just yet."

Rarity did have a point, but looking at Nightmare Moon, I got the sense that she wasn't lying, not about this. I could tell she was genuinely surprised by the set of circumstances in which she found herself—in which all found ourselves, and she had no reason to lie about something like this, none that I could think of anyway. Still, the idea that I could've been related to Pinkie in any way was ludicrous, but it was definitely something worth checking out when, or if, I got the chance.

"Believe what you want," Nightmare Moon replied with a dismissive snort, "it doesn't matter to me. More importantly..." her narrowed eyes once again settled on me as she spoke, "...the foul stench of the Black Dimension and her presence hangs heavy about you, and yet you remain unchanged in who you are as a pony," she took a step forward, "and I can feel that this is no simple ruse either. Tell me, Twilight Sparkle, how is this possible? How have you managed to hold back Skal-Gazaath's will so completely?"

I opened my mouth to respond, but stopped myself and looked to the other two ponies beside me. I'd been ignoring it up until now, but the strange nausea and sense of unease I'd felt hadn't gone away. If anything it had gotten worse because I knew now that while Nightmare Moon was involved in some way, she probably wasn't the cause of my distress. If what she'd said was true, and she had nothing to do with Celestia's disappearance, then why wasn't she here? Neither Rarity nor Pinkie had to say anything for me to know that they had no answers of their own to give, and I knew Spike didn't.

In the end, I decided to trust Nightmare Moon for now—or at least trust that she wouldn't suddenly attack me outright. She seemed to be just as hungry for answers as I was and I was hoping I could use that, so I chose to respond with the truth, or most of it anyway.

"I don't know all the details, but when I was... possessed, it seems like Skal-Gazaath lost her memories in the process. I don't have any of her memories at any rate," I explained, "from what I can gather, the transition into our world wasn't smooth, and instead of her taking over, I just... kind of lost my... sense of self?" I scrunched my face up in thought, "it's hard to explain. It was like I was an empty shell and didn't know who or what I was, but I regained memories over time, specifically of being Twilight Sparkle. Skal-Gazaath's memories never returned and still haven't, so... here I am."

"I see," Nightmare muttered before looking over my companions with a critical eye, "and yet her power bleeds through, and you've used it to obvious effect."

"That's... well..." I grimaced, "I didn't really know what I was doing at first. I only just found out what this ability actually was, and I don't even know if that's all I can do right now or not. There's still a lot I don't know, and you seem to know a lot about all of this, so I was hoping..."

I trailed off expectantly, but Nightmare Moon's cold predatory eyes were settled on Pinkie Pie, who waved back at her with a wide friendly smile. The alicorn frowned in response and turned back to me.

"Very well, Twilight Sparkle. I will share what I know, as there is much I wish to understand as well, and not just about this matter either," she raised her eyes to the sky above, silently watching the stars the shone through the opening of the roof, "...make no mistake, the return of a creature such as the one that resides within you is a catastrophe beyond measure, but it's also allowed me to stop and think."

"What do you mean?" I asked, both wary and curious, "think about what?"

"It's made me realize that I may have been too hasty in my approach," she replied quietly, "I will have my revenge, and I will take this country as my own, but I also have... many other things to consider as well," she fell silent again for a brief moment before lowering her eyes back down to look at me, "but first and foremost, I must consider what to do about you and your... friends. I've thought of putting an end to you while the Dead Goddess sleeps, but that may make the situation significantly worse than it already is, and so there must be understanding before action can be taken."

Relief flooded through me at those words, but it was short-lived, buried under all the other worries and questions that remained. Nightmare Moon's next statement didn't help matters either.

"Though I'd planned on using this gathering to make my grand entrance, I'm aware that it was meant for my sister," Nightmare Moon said after a quiet moment, "and though I despise the mare with a passion that burns brighter than her own accursed sun, I can't help but wonder at her absence," she cast an idle glance around the hall before looking at me, "if I know Celestia—and I do know Celestia, she wouldn't simply abandon her subjects in their hour of worship."

"I had nothing to do with her not showing up!" I replied immediately, not liking the accusation in her eyes, "I thought you'd done something to her. I don't know why she's not here, or where she could possibly be."

"Hm, well I suppose that can wait for now," she replied in an almost dismissive tone, "more importantly, there is somewhere I'd like to go, and I want you and the pink one to accompany me there."

"Hey! I have a name y'know!" Pinkie cried indignantly, "I told you, I'm Pinkie Pie! Ponyville's premier—"

"You've not yet told me everything, Twilight Sparkle," Nightmare interjected, "and if we're to solve the rest of this mystery and possibly prevent the end of all things as we know it, you must tell me everything, and quickly," she frowned and turned away from all of us. Her next words were subdued, but still audible, "and we must find Celestia, loathed as I am to do so. A horrible premonition is beginning to claw its way into my mind when I think of that mare."

I didn't know what to say to that, so I said nothing. I had already felt entirely the same about Celestia's disappearance, and deep down, I was rather heartened at the prospect that Nightmare Moon... that Princess Luna still cared for her sister in some fashion. There was an awkward bit of silence between all of us, a silence Spike was about to break before Nightmare Moon spoke again, turning just enough to look watch me out of the corner of her eye.

"I will be waiting for you at the ruins of my old castle deep in that old forest," she explained, lighting up her horn, "leave the dragon and your other thrall behind and come only with the pink one."

"I told you, my name is—"

"They're not my—"

Our words fell on deaf ears as Nightmare Moon vanished with a sharp crack.

Author's Notes:

I've got good news and bad (depending on how you look at it) news regarding this story. The good news is that I'm going to be focusing solely on this story until it's complete, as I do see an end in sight for it. The bad news is that that end is coming much sooner rather than later, and yes, there will be a sequel.

I have my reasons for ending the story and making a sequel, and while I won't reveal specifics just yet, I will say that most of those reasons have to do with the direction I've decided to take the story. That said, I'll try to make the ending as much of a non-cliffhanger as possible, but I can, unfortunately, make no promises.