Mlp friendship is magic and the works of Gary Jules do not belong to me and I have no intention of using them for profit.

Chapter 2
The only way out is...

And I find it kind of funny, I find it kind of sad. The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had. I find it hard to tell you, I find it hard to take. When people run in circles it’s a very, very. Mad world, mad world.

GARY JULES - MAD WORLD LYRICS

The sun rose over the land of Equestria with a glorious flare of light. It quickly climbed the heavens, as if eager to shine its warmth across the land below it. For the ponies that inhabited the realm it was a welcome sight and they always greeted the new day with varying emotions of happiness.
Nowhere was the welcome of dawn more fervent then in the capital city of Canterlot. The denizens of that vibrant city basking in the suns light, happy in the knowledge that the custodian of their sun lived within their own home.
Princess Celestia, steward of the sun, ruler of Equestria and a goddess made flesh watched the dawn from her balcony high in the towers of her royal palace. The new dawns rays filled her with strength and comfort and while she normally found joy in the act of raising the sun today her heart was filled with fear. Not for herself but for her beloved subjects who had began their day unknowing of the danger soon to befall them.
Some would quickly notice the disparity of the day and voice questions but she knew nopony would panic. Their faith in their princess absolute in the face of uncertainty. The thought did nothing to comfort her.
Her luminous violet eyes hadn’t moved from a single spot in the skies even as she raised the sun. Above her was the moon, the partner to her sun, and for a thousand years she had taken custodianship of it along with her own charge. It had been difficult to control but after so long she had eased into a familiar rhythm with controlling the night cycle.
But today the moon had stubbornly refused to retreat below the horizon, its position fixed and unmoving in the night sky. Celestia had been forced to raise the sun to match the moon to prevent panic but even after that it still refused to move.
The princess had known what was happening. She had been waiting for this moment for a long time. But she had found herself hoping it wasn’t to be. Old fears and regrets and indeed guilt had plagued her and she had begged the celestial body to move aside for the day.
But it was when the mare in the moon, that ancient mark upon the moon’s surface that was a constant reminder of Celestia’s failure, vanished from sight that she knew today was the day. Today the nightmare was to start all over again.
Today she got to see her sister again.
Today she had to fight her sister again.
‘Today I have to kill my si- no! That won’t happen!’ Celestia shut her eyes tight as her heart pounded against her rips.
She almost chuckled in bitter amusement. Even after a thousand years that pain returned as sharp as ever. Her defeat as fresh on her mind as it was so long ago.
With a heavy sigh she left her balcony and retreated to her quarters. She knew it wouldn’t be long before the Nightmare attacked her. A thousand years ago she had been cautious about engaging her in a straight fight but Celestia imagined that after a so long imprisoned the Nightmare would be eager for a reckoning and probably a little insane.
‘Thank the stars that Luna slept all that time. The elements enforcing a coma on her until the spell failed’ Celestia thought with some thankfulness. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like to be locked away for so long. In a way she even felt some regret for forcing such a fate on the Nightmare. But in the end it hadn’t been her choice. She had wielded the elements but they had chosen the punishment not she.
‘I wanted my sister back safe and sound you fickle lumps of rock’
Breathing deeply through the nose and letting out a long breathe the princess kept herself under control. She had raged and lived under a black depression for almost a century after banishing Luna. Now was not the time to lose focus.
She was ready and prepared for the Nightmare’s attack. She was confident that she could defeat the beast and free her sister. She had had a long time to grow stronger and wiser. But she had to make sure she had a contingency in place if the unthinkable happened.
Lifting a scroll with kinesis and dipping a quill in ink she prepared the most important letter she had ever written. She wished she didn’t have to do this. She never wanted to put her dearest student in danger but she had no choice. She knew that if she failed someone would have to use the elements that she no longer could and nopony was purer of spirit then Twilight Sparkle.
But she would need help. And more importantly she would need friends...
“Please forgive me Twilight” Celestia whispered as she put quill to parchment.
“To my most faithful student.”

High in the skies above, hidden in an unnaturally dark cloud Nightmare Moon gazed down with avaricious eyes at the city below her. Despite her need for vengeance she had found herself just staring at the beautiful world below her and the ponies going about her lives. It was probably a lingering sensation from Luna but she found the real breathing creatures oddly fascinating.
She shuddered and resisted the urge to frolic in the cloud she rested in. The softness, the breeze, even the cursed sunlight were like the most powerful drug to a creature that had spent so long starved of contact.
Nightmare found herself grinning smugly as she contemplated the truly sublime torture she had enforced on her dearest pet. While she had been forced to stay awake by those cursed elements she had managed to pass the time between enforcing a near comatose state on herself for decades at a time and abusing Luna. It had been enough for her to keep the majority of her mind together through the long years. Pity Luna hadn’t been so lucky.
With a laugh she rose to her full height and spread her wings wide. This was it. No hiding or skulking. No long wait to gather an army. She was going to settle this right here, right now, and finally topple the rule of the goddess of the sun.
Wrapped in deep shadows of magic she launched off the cloud and dived towards the city below. She angled her flight towards the tallest tower of the palace feeling the essence of Celestia concealed within.
She bared her fangs and let out a mad laugh as the wind whipped through her mane and scratched along her fur. She was finding her recklessness exhilarating and instead of unease she felt such freedom at throwing everything on the line. She knew that Celestia would be waiting for her and no doubt she had made plans to defeat her.
But that was fine. Nightmare Moon had a plan of her own.

The first warning Celestia got was a sudden chill that swept over her despite the warmth of the summer sun. She had barely looked out of her balcony when she saw the ball of dark energy rushing towards her. Eyes wide in surprise she threw herself back, throwing up a shield of energy as something collided with her tower with enough force to crack the walls.
Black smoke billowed in every direction and within an instant Celestia was a lone light in a dark void that refused to part no matter how bright she shone. She grit her teeth as a mocking chuckle echoed across the darkness and she steeled herself as her enemy appeared before her.
“Hello Celestia” she said with a fanged grin.
“Nightmare Moon” Celestia growled back.
“What no fond welcome for your sister? Not even a hug?”
“YOU ARE NOT MY SISTER!” Celestia screamed in outrage.
“Oh? Nightmare stretched and ran a hoof down her neck, this is Luna’s body. I think I can safely make a claim to being your sister”
“You are a parasite who steals the flesh of others nothing more” Celestia hissed.
“Tut tut sister. I do not ‘steal’. No this body was giving to me freely and willingly. It is mine, now and forever”
Celestia snarled and dropped her shield. Nightmares’ eyes widened in glee as Celestia fired a blazing beam of light at her. The Nightmare breaking apart into a wisp of smoke before the beam struck.
“Did I say something to upset you?” Nightmare said sweetly.
“YOU TRICKED HER! YOU TOOK ADVANTAGE OF HER LONELINESS AND THEN HER BODY!!” Celestia’s scream was loud enough to shake the building as she hunted for her enemy but she couldn’t lay eyes on her.
A sickening laugh from the Nightmare, “I took advantage of her body? Oh Celestia you walked right into that one. I did a lot more to Luna then you know”
Celestia didn’t like the Nightmares’ tone, “What do you mean?”
More laughter from the darkness, “Let’s just say that it gets boring and... frustrating... being alone on the moon. Luna, the poor thing, was such a delicious morsel that I’m afraid it was quite impossible for me to keep my hoofs off her”
Celestia heart beat cold, “You’re lying” she said faintly.
“Such a stunning body she had Celestia, Nightmare continued lustfully, the moans and cries she’d make as I took her on the cold surface of her beloved moon. Did you know she was a maiden? Of course you would you were her sister but then, she mused thoughtfully, if you knew her better she wouldn’t be in the predicament she’s in now right?”
“You’re lying! The elements locked you both away. Luna slept inside while you roamed on the outside!” Celestia argued hotly.
A snort from the Nightmare, “Please Celestia I broke out of that enchantment in a mere century”
“You see... I realised that I couldn’t escape and that I would go mad if I didn’t figure something out. So after a great deal of trial and error, and I admit desperation, I managed to break the connection between Luna and me and separate us”
Celestia was frowning now, “She’d be free though. Once unbounded you couldn’t take over her again without consent” she murmured.
“Correct but that wasn’t a problem. Luna was bound to the moon too and I could only force myself to sleep for about fifty years at most before I’d awake and quickly get bored. Which is where Luna came in”
“Shut up”
“The first time I took her... oh how she fought, really that mare surprised me, but I still had a great deal of power from possessing her and she only got weaker as time went by. For awhile she struggled but eventually she stopped so I had to think up new ways to get a reaction from her”
Celestia didn’t respond. She was staring at the floor silently, her face set in stone as tears blurred her eyes. She shook with a growing rage and the Nightmare just smirked seeing it.
“Over time our sweet Luna wasted away until she was nothing but a shell of the mare she was. It got to the point where no matter how many bones I broke or how vicious I was during intimacy she just didn’t care. Amazing really because I can be pretty imaginative”
Celestia looked up and her eyes burned pure gold with power. Flames started to lick around her as she glowered into the darkness. The Nightmare watched with a mad grin and couldn’t resist twisting the knife some more.
“And you want to know the truly sad thing Celestia?” Nightmare said almost gently.
“She cried for you. Every time I took her she begged for you to come save her until one day she just... stopped”
Celestia swallowed thickly as tears streamed down her face, “Thank you... for telling me that...”
A blast of fire exploded from her body and The Nightmare threw up her own shield with a yell of surprise. The shadows that had enveloped them were ripped away by the light and Nightmare screamed in defiance as her own shield buckled then shattered and she was caught in the incandescent storm of magical fire.
Thrown from the erupting tower with incredible force she snapped open her wings and struggled to right herself. Letting out a snarl she glared daggers as Celestia rose from the wreckage to face her. The other alicorn was glowing golden with energy and a bright aura of power shone around her as she advanced on the Nightmare.
“I was worried about facing you. I feared that I would be found lacking in a contest of strength between us” the older alicorn said placidly. Nightmare blasted a beam of dark energy that was effortlessly blocked by a pulse of power.
“But hearing what you did to Luna... I know I can’t lose now. Because I can’t allow you to get away with it”
A burst of gold and Nightmare reared back in shock as Celestia teleported right in front of her. The princess gave no warning as she punched her across the jaw sending the dark alicorn flying again.
“I’m going to free my sister from you once and for all. Then... I’m going to kill you” Celestia hissed with deadly promise.
Nightmare recovered and with a roar rushed at Celestia. Another blast of dark energy was blocked but Nightmare kept coming and smashed horn first against Celestias’ shield. The shield shattered but Celestia surprised Nightmare by spinning and lashing out with a buck at her.
The crack of Celestias’ golden shoes smashing into Nightmares chin echoed for miles and before she could recover Celestia shrieked and smashed into her.
The dark alicorn was on pure defence, hoofs raised to cover herself as Celestia relentlessly pummelled her with furious strength. To say Nightmare was surprised was an understatement. In the past Celestia had relied on her magic to fight but now she was scrapping like a pit fighter.
“I’M STRONGER THEN BEFORE NIGHTMARE! YOU DARE THROW YOUR CRIMES IN MY FACE AND ACT LIKE THEY’RE ACHIEVEMENTS!? I’LL MAKE YOU SUFFER FOR WHAT YOU DID TO US!” Celestia screamed in her face.
Hooves grabbing her neck Celestia drew the dazed Nightmare close, “Be strong Luna” she whispered before she raised a hoof and punched Nightmare clear before following up with a direct hit from a blast of magic.
Nightmare Moon screamed as her flesh burned with agony. She struggled to clear her senses and as she saw Celestia charging up a second shot she teleported away in a desperate burst of dark energy.
Celestia yelled in outrage and teleported too, following the trail of her essence towards the Everfree forest.

In a pulse of golden light Celestia manifested high above the wilds of the Everfree forest. The dense dark canopy stretched for miles and birds took flight all around her in fright. She sensed the monsters within watching her warily but she paid them no heed, her eyes searching zealously for her quarry.
She felt a burst of magic to the west and raced after it with a powerful flap of her wings. As she raced ahead her mind was obsessively examining and re-examining the spell she had prepared for this moment.
She had had a thousand years to research ways to safely remove the Nightmare from her dear sister. After tireless search she was confident she had succeeded and the spell nestling within her thoughts would surely banish the Nightmare for good this time. All she had to do was weaken the demon enough for her to be unable to escape the spell.
Not for the first time she cursed that she had not been strong enough to perform the spell last time they fought. That she had been forced to rely on the uncertain nature of the elements. Her ears still rang with Nightmare Moons mocking words and her heart burned with pain as she considered what state her little sister would be in once freed.
No matter her injuries, physical or mental, Celestia would be there with her sister every step of the way. Even if it took another thousand years for Luna to recover Celestia would be at her side without rest or regret.
She soon came to a massive clearing hidden deep within the forest. She sensed the lingering traces of magic and seeing the levelled trees she knew this hadn’t been made naturally. Touching down gently she viewed her surroundings haughtily.
“I can sense your presence Nightmare. Cease your cowardly hiding and reveal yourself. Or do you truly fear my wraith?” Celestia said with tight lips.
She heard a shriek and whirled round with a howl of rage. The Nightmare was falling upon her, fangs bared and wings wide. Celestia responded with a boom of telekinetic force that struck the Nightmare back and the white alicorn followed with another blast of magic.
Nightmare Moon dissolved into mist to escape the attack and acting on instinct Celestia spun and swung a hoof behind her, catching the reappeared alicorn across the cheek. Reeling back in pain Celestia grasped her in TK, ignorant of the Nightmares struggles, and slammed her into the ground twice in quick succession.
Coughing blood the Nightmare scrambled back desperately and Celestia stalked after her slowly and murderously. Nightmare continued to back away, eyes wide with terror and she raised a hoof to beseech Celestia.
“Please! Please show mercy!” she begged as she kept retreating.
Celestia grit her teeth as the rage threatened to consume her, “After everything you’ve done? You dare ask me for mercy?” she hissed.
Nightmare didn’t respond but her backpedalling grew more panicked.
“AFTER WHAT YOU DID TO LUNA YOU ACTUALLY DARE TO ASK ME FOR MERCY!? NO NIGHTMARE! THERE WILL BE NO MERCY, ONLY DEATH AND DAMNATION FOR YOU!!” Celestia screamed as she finally grew tired of the sight of the filth before her and lit her horn as she prepared the spell.
Nightmare suddenly stopped and picked herself up with casual ease. Celestia frowned as the monster smiled at her, “Thanks for walking into the circle Celestia” she said.
Celestia’s eyes widened in shock as Nightmare sent out a pulse of magic from her horn and a circle of eldritch runes blazed to life in vivid green fire around her. She cursed as she realised she had been tricked into walking into Nightmare Moons trap.
She quickly let out a blast of magic and smiled grimly as she felt the containment crack. She glared back at the Nightmare who was watching her with an eerie calm.
“This won’t hold me” she promised.
Nightmare Moon shook her head, “It’s not a prison. It’s a banishment spell”
“All the more reason for me to break out” Celestia spat.
Nightmare smiled again and this time Celestia felt uneasy at the sick gloating to it, “If only it was that simple”
To Celestia’s surprise the Nightmare summoned a blade of dark glass to her side, wickedly sharp and long she held it in her telekinesis and Celestia tensed.
“This is gonna hurt...” Nightmare sighed and with a grimace reversed the knife and plunged it into her own chest.
“LUNA!” Celestia screamed and rebounded from the circle as instinct made her rush forward. The Nightmare laughed wetly as she withdrew the stained knife.
“Luna, Luna, Luna... it was always about her wasn’t it Celestia? It was the reason you had such a hard time dealing with me all those centuries ago”
The Nightmare ran the blade down her neck and Celestia let out a whine of distress as a red line traced her fur, “You always held back when we fought. We wouldn’t even ride out to meet me in battle until I destroyed a few towns to get your attention. All because you were worried about your precious little sister”
“Well now I’ve decided to use that weakness of yours. The ultimate gamble as it were... something I wouldn’t have done before but now I feel I have no choice”
“What do you mean” Celestia said roughly.
Nightmare smiled and Celestia shuddered at the blood that flecked her teeth.
“Surrender Celestia. Put up no resistance as I banish you to the sun. Not for a thousand years unfortunately but long enough. I’ve had a lot of time to think up this spell”
Celestia swallowed thickly, “Or?”
Nightmare rested the blade against her neck, “Or I slit my throat and Luna dies. It may kill me too but I’m willing to take the chance”
“You’re bluffing”
Nightmare stared at her flatly and pressed the knife into her skin, “STOP, STOP!” Celestia screamed.
“Your answer!?” Nightmare Moon demanded and Celestia hung her head and grimaced as her mind raced for a solution.
But nothing came. And with a sob the regal alicorns shoulders slumped, “Ok” she whispered.
Nightmare laughed triumphantly and quickly began to speak the words of her spell. Celestia remaining silent with tightly shut eyes as she fought back her tears. The wards around her flared brighter and brighter and she could feel a terrible pressure build upon her body as her essence began to dissolve.
Just before she disappeared to join with her beloved sun the Nightmare couldn’t resist a final jibe, “Don’t worry Celestia. I’ll take good care of your subjects while you’re gone. And Luna too!” she laughed as the tears broke across Celestias face.
‘Forgive me Luna... I failed you again’

Celestia vanished in a blaze of light and Nightmare laughed uproariously. She had done it. She had finally won!
Her laughter cut out with a hacking cough and a dry rattle as the pain in her chest overcame her. She let out a pained moan and held a hoof against the weeping wound.
It would take some time to heal. Luna’s body was greatly weakened by her long isolation and such an injury that normally wouldn’t faze an alicorn was regenerating at a fraction of its normal rate.
Inwardly Nightmare was amazed and a little fearful of how powerful Celestia had been. She had been expecting a fight but the battle had been completely one-sided as the sun goddess beat her across the land. Celestia hadn’t been joking when she said she had grown stronger over the centuries and only a desperate gamble on Nightmares part had snatched victory.
Still her rival was gone now. Only for a century or two but more than enough time for Nightmare Moon to regain her strength and consolidate her power. And she knew the perfect place to start.
Observing the ponies below she had overhead that tonight was the summer sun solstice and that Celestia was expected to appear in a small town called Ponyville. It would be the perfect place to take the stage and announce her rule to the world.
Plus, she grimaced and lay down weakly as her chest still throbbed in pain; it wasn’t until later tonight and would give her time to get over her injury.
She could wait a few more hours to ensure she looked as regal and powerful as possible for her new subjects.

Surrounded by endless darkness Luna sat silent and distant to all around her, eyes staring off into space as her broken mind wallowed in numb isolation. Bars of dark iron locked her in a cage and her friends gathered close around her for warmth and comfort.
They were lit by a stuttering blue glow generated by Filly, a desperate attempt to push back the unafraid shadows around them. Anger paced the small cell like a caged beast and Apathy lay sprawled across the cold floor beside Luna, her eyes just as blank and senseless as their leader. Of the three she was most in sync with Luna right now.
“Please Luna talk to us! Don’t let her break you like this!” Filly sobbed.
“When I get out of here she’ll suffer for this” Anger hissed under her breath. Just outside the cage three creatures of formless shadow watched her intently. Extensions of the Nightmares consciousness they were the jailors and guards of this mental prison.
Anger lashed out against the bars with a loud rattle, the shadows unruffled by her posturing, and shouting in rage whirled on Luna.
“She screwed us over again Luna! She’s out there now walking the land while we’re stuck in here! We can’t let this happen again!”
(Nothing we can do. She’s won)
Luna agreed with a sad sniff. It was too late; she was just a puppet all over again. A useful meat suit for the Nightmare to wear while she terrorised Equestria.
She’d felt pain, especially a agonising wound in her chest, for awhile now and guessed that the Nightmare had fought her sister. Judging by the fact she was still alive and not free she guessed her sister had lost the fight. Her sister... She... she couldn’t remember what she looked like... couldn’t even remember her name. She only had a vague sense of warmth and a loving smile... and of betrayal.
It was too late now. She couldn’t escape a thousand years ago when she was at her prime there was no way she could now.
Apathy moved slightly, “Just want to stop caring” she whispered.
“Want to be free”
“Want to kill!”
(Want to die...)
Luna almost chuckled at that hopeless dream. Death... such a thing was beyond her. She’d tried plenty of times but the Nightmare wouldn’t let her. Her body too great a prize to allow to die. The best she could hope for was her mind to completely become catatonic and cease to care.
“That’s the way” Apathy said softly.
“NO! WE CAN GET OUT OF THIS!” Filly yelled in distress.
“We fight. We keep fighting” Anger agreed with a growl.
“How though? It’s impossible” Luna muttered. She giggled hysterically as memories continued to flood her mind. The terrible things Nightmare had done to her, the constant pain and fear, the overwhelming sense of loneliness.
She understood why she had forgotten everything including her name. Sacrificing her sense of self and memory was the only way to cope with what was happening to her. But now that she was back in equestria the floodgates had opened and she was forced to experience every agonizying moment in clear detail.
She cried and pulled at her mane with both hooves. She didn’t want to remember again. She didn’t want to beg for her sister again. She just wanted to forget it all!
Filly rushed forward and pulled her into a hug, “Don’t give up! We have to keep believing. We can’t give up hope”
Luna shook her head, “It’s too much” she sobbed.
Filly wiped away Luna’s tears and nuzzled her comfortingly, “It’s not over yet. We have a chance now! We can’t give it up now we’re finally back home”
“What do you mean?”
Anger knocked her hooves together, “We’re back in Equestria. Ponies will fight the Nightmare and maybe after a thousand years they’re stronger, maybe they can actually challenge her!”
The mare started to pace again, “We wait for a weakness. For the Nightmare to use up so much power in battle that we have a crack in her prison to fight her, she gave Luna a black look, we could have tried earlier if you would lift yourself from your pathetic stupor”
Luna looked away uncomfortably. It was true that during the earlier battle the Nightmare’s concentration had slipped and Luna had seen a small chance to try and resist. But she had been too afraid and too broken to try.
Filly took her head in her small hooves, the small mare giving Luna a pleading look.
“Promise us you’ll try. The next opportunity, no matter how small, you’ll try to break free”
Luna stared at the ground for a moment, struggling to find some resolve before she gave the tiniest nod, “Ok” she whispered.
Filly grinned and hugged her tight and feeling some life return to her Luna hugged back. Anger smirked and went back to hurling insults at the shadows and even Apathy found the energy to roll over and sit up.
(A small chance to escape... we know that it’s a foolish hope)
‘But it’s a hope. And right now it’s all we have’
Filly pulled back and gave the group a determined look, “Come on. Let’s see what’s happening out there!” the others nodded and rallied around her, horns beginning to glow as they pushed back the void.
The light they nurtured stuttered and threatened to die at any moment but Luna and her friends pushed on, determined to defy the darkness. Their shadowy jailors hissed and prowled agitatedly but couldn’t stop the light.
With a shout of effort the light flared out and the darkness receded. Eyes wide with amazement the four mares stared at the spectacle revealed above them.
A mirror, massive and curved showed an image of a world before them. A world shrouded in night. Despite the wince of guilt they still drank in the sights. The long grass, trees and flowers, beautiful rolling hills that stretched for miles. Bathed in moonlight it was the most wondrous thing they had seen for so long... except for one ugly stain.
Floating just before the mirror was the Nightmare, her spirit limp and unresponsive as her focus was on the waking world. Anger hissed and Luna felt an echoing urge to sink her teeth into the monster.
“Where is she going?” Anger grumbled after awhile. The others frowned as they realised the landscape was moving at great speed and it surely meant Nightmare Moon’s body was on the move. But to where?
Soon the hills levelled and a town came into view. The mares let out a collected gasp as they saw stunning rows of houses, gorgeous gardens and architecture. The quintessential country town basking in nature.
“Look! PONIES!” Filly squealed in delight as they saw real life ponies. The bars rattled as everypony rushed forward to see as much as they could.
“Wow...”
Ponies walking the streets... ponies laughing and holding loved ones... ponies dancing and playing games. Despite the lateness of the hour the town was full of life as if a party was about to occur. Small foals ran around their elders’ in play and Luna let out a choked sob of bliss seeing the smiling faces.
... It was all so lovely...
(That will all change when the Nightmare reveals herself)
The thought was a splash of icy water. “No, no, no!” she started to shake as she imagined what would happen to all those smiling faces. All those precious ponies suffering again because of her.
With a cry she smashed against the bars, shoulder aching every time she slammed into the metal but refusing to acknowledge the pain. Anger was quick to join her and even Filly got involved.
The bars refused to bend and the Jailors started to glow with energy as they prepared to attack. Luna snarled back, refusing to back down, but she was grabbed by a pair of hooves and pulled back violently.
“What are y-“she began but Apathy slapped her and she stilled in surprise.
“Are you a complete fool Luna!?” Apathy hissed and the others were surprised at the intensity of her voice. “If you seriously want to escape then don’t reveal your intentions this early!”
“What are you talking about?” Anger asked impatiently.
Apathy shot her a scathing look, “Right now the Nightmare isn’t paying attention to us. She’s unafraid because she thinks Luna is broken and too weak to fight her. If we start causing trouble before our opportunity arises she’ll come down on us like a comet and we’ll never have a chance at rebellion again”
The others shared glances and Filly stepped forward, “W-what if she starts hurting ponies again?”
Apathy looked back impassively, “Then we let them suffer. We let them die. And we wait for our chance in silence” she said coldly.
Filly shook her head as she started to cry and Anger looked ready to explode but Luna nodded and let out a heavy sigh, “She’s right”
The other two looked at her pleadingly, “We have to stay quiet. It’s the only way” Luna whispered and she looked up to watch the mirror in silence. The others joined her, Filly still sniffling sadly, and looked out at what Nightmare saw with extreme reluctance.
They saw the Nightmare reveal herself to a grand gathering of pony folk. They saw the terror on their faces. They saw the Nightmare threaten and enforce her will on the helpless ponies.
They saw it all. And did nothing but watch.

Time passed, quickly and with no casualties thankfully, and right now the Nightmare was occupied in the grand city that seemed to be the capitol of Equestria.
She and her companions had watched gloomily as Nightmare Moon stamped down her authority on the city. Armoured pegasus and unicorns had tried to fight but had quickly been defeated. No deaths, but Nightmare had been quick to break limbs and cause terrible pain to get her new subjects under control. Now the city was panicked and afraid as ponies scrambled about under the Nightmares commands.
Luna had seen the crying, the longing glances at the sky and the ever-present moon. Endless night had returned and from her barely working memory she bitterly recalled the last time that had happened.
Endless night. A desperate cry for attention from her younger self now turned into a punishment and means of control for Nightmare Moon. Luna knew the monster would raise the sun eventually. No point ruling a dead world. But the ever present threat of no sun would keep the populous under control forever.
Luna hung her head. The ponies had tried to fight but their resistance had been broken before it even began. There was no hope of them weakening the Nightmare. There was no hope for any of them.
“Don’t give up” Filly whispered.
(It seems like now is the perfect time for us to give up)
Luna snarled and hit the bars. It wasn’t fair it just wasn’t fair!
Lost in her turmoil she didn’t notice the view upon the mirror change rapidly as the Nightmares attention was drawn back to the Everfree forest. Anger and Apathy watched with interest and nudged Luna.
“She’s moving again!”
“Something has worried her”
Luna gazed above as a new image came into view; something deep in the Everfree had Nightmare Moons’ attention.
Luna let out a gasp as six ponies appeared. Each beautiful and exotic to the starved alicorn. They were scared and yet determined as they made their way through the dangerous forest.
“What are they doing there!? They’ll get hurt!” Filly yelled.
“If the Nightmare doesn’t get them first” Anger growled.
Indeed the Nightmare was watching them with clear interest yet no hostile intent yet. Luna understood her fascination on some degree. Both of them were starved of contact and the six mares were beautifully interesting and full of life. Just watching them talk amongst themselves; smiling and cheering each other on was mesmerizing to watch.
“She’s curious but unwary. She doesn’t see them as a threat” Apathy said blandly.
“Pfft. Six young mares are no threat at all. Not for an alicorn” Anger agreed.
‘Please don’t hurt them, please don’t hurt them, please don’t hurt them’
They were following a charming lavender unicorn. The mare had considerable power about her and was very pleasing on the eye. Luna saw the light of purpose in her eyes and she found herself liking the mysterious mare immediately.
Nightmare backed away but continued to watch. She seemed interested to see what they were doing and despite themselves the trapped mares sat down to watch too.

Luna was grasping the bars tight as her eyes were glued to the mirror above. The journey of those six mares was incredible to watch. The heroism and bravery, the care and support they showed one another was inspiring.
The little yellow pegasus, dismissed as the weak link by the group, had shown such courage soothing the rage of a manticore that crossed their path. The stunning white unicorn, showing a total lack of fear and sublime generosity as she snipped off her tail to comfort the sea serpent they encountered.
The tough earth pony, rugged and strong, had been a bedrock for the others and now Luna and her friends were eager to see what nobility of spirit the other three would show.
Their excitement slipped away as the Nightmare acted. Clearly she was getting edgy with how much progress the ponies were making though Luna still didn’t know where they were going.
Her magic spread out into the forest and they watched gloomily as the trees took on horrible faces and fanged trunks in a display of terror. They ponies wailed and clung to each other in fear.
“At least she’s just trying to scare them away” Apathy remarked.
But a giggle and a musical laugh made them blink and stare in surprise. The pink earth pony, boundless and full of life, had hopped right over to the terrible trees and laughed at them.
She found them funny; she wasn’t scared in the slightest...
Her laughter rallied the others and to Luna’s amazement the illusion shattered as they marshalled their fear. The Nightmare too twitched and frowned in her comatose state.
There was some kind of power to these ponies. Some force was at work here to allow them to break an illusion from an alicorn with nothing but laughter.
“They’re special” Luna whispered and the others looked at her in bewilderment.
“How did they do that? I saw no spell”
“All she did was laugh!”
“Troublesome”
Nightmare seemed wary to approach these ponies and she weaved a new spell. Anger snarled as their shadowy guards, forgotten till now, began to change into something else.
Darkness solidified as they took the form of pegasi wearing strange uniforms. With a pop of magic they disappeared and flew off into the real world.
Luna saw them try to tempt the rainbow maned pegasus to join them but she still didn’t understand Nightmare Moon’s reluctance to confront them. What was going on here?
Anger let out a cheer and Filly whooped, “She’s telling them to get lost!”
They all grinned as the pegasus chose her friends over the monsters offer and as the group trotted on they saw a crumbling ruin come into view. One that seemed strangely familiar...
Luna let out a shocked gasp as she remembered that castle being grand and resplendent once. It was the site of Nightmare Moons’ and Celestias’ final battle. The place where she had been banished all those years ago.
Now it was fallen to disrepair, the ruins broken under the wild forest. Luna wasn’t sure how to feel about that. She and her sister had ruled her once... together...
(She probably found the place too painful to stay in after what happened)
‘Yeah. Her pain’ Luna thought bitterly.
She frowned as the ponies raced towards a collection of stone spheres, but when she saw the symbols on them she fell back in amazement.
“THE ELEMENTS OF HARMONY!” she yelled in delight. Apathy and Anger quickly tackled her while shooting fearful looks at the hovering Nightmare.
“Not so loud! Want her to notice us!?” Anger hissed.
The Nightmare was snarling in distress, the mirror image abruptly changed as she raced forward in a whirlwind of magic to scoop up the elements and whisk them away. Filly squealed in fear as the lavender unicorn jumped into the vortex.
“She’s crazy!”
“Nononono!”
“Oh stars” Luna whispered as the Nightmare finally revealed herself to the unicorn, wings spread wide and a mocking grin on her lips. The little mare was clearly terrified but she overcame her fear and challenged the Nightmare.
“She’s kidding. She’s kidding right?” Apathy said flatly.
Nightmare took the challenge and charged when the unicorn did. Both raced towards the other with blazing horns and Luna looked away with a sob. She didn’t want to see the brave mare die.
“She’s ok!” Filly shrieked and Luna whirled back, eyes wide and delighted as she saw the unicorn had teleported at the last moment and was now at the elements. She was trying to use them.
(Wait a second. Have we considered what will happen if that mare manages to use the elements on us again?)
Luna felt a thrill of fear as the thought consumed her. She hadn’t considered that... another thousand years trapped on the moon with Nightmare again...
‘Stars no!’ she started to panic. Sent back to that empty wasteland. That hell of pain and agony. What she suffered before at the hoofs of Nightmare Moon would be trivial compared to what the monster would do to her if Luna herself was responsible for their banishment. She couldn’t go through that again!
“whatdoidowhatdoidowhatdoido?!” she screamed as she saw above her the lavender unicorn friends gather around her. Even through her panic she felt her heart swell with pride as the elements swirled around them. That hidden power they possessed was the elements all along. They themselves embodied the elements wondrous ideals and it was their friendship that allowed them to stand together against the Nightmare.
She loved those ponies right now... she hated those ponies right now...
“WHAT DO I DO?!” she howled in her friends’ faces and they looked back at in their own panic. Anger was glancing back and forth between Nightmare and Luna. Her eyes wild but her face set as she rushed to her panicking friend.
“We fight. We always fight her. Even if we suffer for it” the mare said in grim finality.
Filly gently placed a hoof on Lunas’, “We promised we’d stop her. As atonement for our mistakes”
The bars were flaking with rust and groaning as they began to warp under their own weight. In the mirror to the world Nightmare Moon was desperately hurling lances of dark energy at the six mares but each attack was brushed aside by the awesome powers of the elements.
The lavender unicorn’s eyes blazed white as the magic of the elements filled her and Nightmare started to draw magic into herself for the longest-distance teleport she’d ever performed.
Luna wiped her tears and glared hatefully at her tormentor. No. No escape for you this time.
(Is it really worth another trip to hell for these ponies?)
‘Yes, Luna thought with clarity, I won’t let anyone else suffer like I’ve suffered’
With a battle cry that echoed across the void Luna spun and bucked the bars, the cage greatly weakened by Nightmares overuse of energy and they shattered into pieces under Lunas’ might. Spreading their wings Luna and her band took flight for the mirror and roused from her stupor the Nightmare of this world turned and stared in shock at the mares racing for her.
“Keep going Luna!” Anger yelled as she barrelled into Nightmare, the alicorn shrieking in pain as the mare sunk her teeth into her neck and tore at it like a carnivore. Filly and Apathy smashed into her a second later, biting and bucking and roaring for all their worth.
Luna shot past and soared for the mirror, eyes locked on the glow of the real world. She heard nightmare screaming at her to stop but paid no heed as she struck the mirror and it shattered into a thousand starlights.

‘Where am I?’ Luna thought as a soothing light bathed her in its radiance. She raised a hoof, squinting into the illumination and after some blinking figures began to form.
Six ponies. Floating in the light as multicoloured streams of energy swirled around them. The unicorn that led them filled with the power of creation as she stared back at Luna with the eyes of a god.
The warmth, the rushing wind on her fur, the sweet smell of the ponies, Luna let out a dry rattle as she raised her hoofs.
She was in her body... and she was feeling...
Tears streamed down her face as her senses were overwhelmed with sensations. Over the rush of the magic she could hear the wind and chirping crickets, smell grass and lichen that filled the castle, feel warmth and caressing fingers of wind stroking her fur.
‘Heaven... I’m in heaven’
The unicorn facing her was frowning and Luna laughed aloud. Her body was still warped into Nightmare Moons form and Luna imagined the mare was confused as to why their enemy was suddenly crying and smiling. Luna could only smile back, happen for these few moments of interaction.
The magic of the elements collapsed into a racing vortex of rainbow coloured energy that grew more frenzied above the mares. Luna knew she had mere moments before it fell upon her like the wrath of creation.
(Take it all in. The smell, the sound, the feel... we will never get another chance)
Luna let out a sad sigh. It was a horrible joke that she finally got a chance to feel and it was all about to be taken from her. She just hoped the knowledge that she had defeated the Nightmare would keep her going over the next thousand years.
“That’s not what’s going to happen Luna”
Luna blinked and glanced down seeing Apathy standing beside her. The mare was bruised and bloodied but had a determined look.
“Anger and Filly are keeping her busy so I’ve got a second to tell you this. We aren’t going to survive Luna”
“What do you mean?” Luna asked as she kept an eye on the elements. The attack was about to happen.
“A thousand years alone. Without food or water? We are practically dead already Luna. But to go another thousand years without any form of sustenance? It’s too much for even the Nightmare to keep us alive” Apathy said urgently.
“We’ll die” Luna repeated to herself thoughtfully.
(Still time for us to teleport away)
Luna grinned and stepped forward. Apathy watching her silently as Luna serenely approached the maelstrom of magic before her. The rainbow was swiftly unleashed and Luna opened her hooves to welcome it with a beaming smile and tear soaked eyes.
The energy fell upon her and before the rainbow swallowed her up she had time to thank whatever divine force had shown such kindness upon her for this moment.
‘Finally it’s over...
Finally I can be free!’
‘Finally... I can die...’

Anndd that’s the end! Of this chapter anyway :D I’d like to thank everyone whose taken the time to read this and I hope you’ve enjoyed it as much as I have writing it 
Well please post your reviews, any likes or dislikes I need them all, and thank you again!