They had done it. She’d failed. Before the tyrant queen Nightmare Moon stood the six embodiments of harmony, newly affixed with their magical accessories. They had beaten her at every turn. They stood strong together and overcame every obstacle she had thrown at them. She felt… she felt…. so proud.

They were so brave to confront her. Face to face with an alicorn, practically a god. They sought to stop her with the belief in their new friend Twilight Sparkle and these elements that could best her. Perhaps proud is the wrong word Nightmare pondered in the scant moments she had before their oncoming attack. It’s not like I had done anything with them to be proud about. Sure I set the obstacles but it’s not like I helped them overcome their challenges or helped them grow into the ponies they are today. I did have a hand in their ancestors, so let’s say some kind of maternal pride. Yeah, let’s go with that; it sounds the least weird at least, the moon princess concluded.

I’m over thinking things again. This moment isn’t about me, or, it is, partly about me, but mostly them. My subjects, they should feel like heroes, if only for a little while longer. And the little purple unicorn had given such a heartfelt speech earlier concerning her friends; it took all of Nightmare’s strength to keep her sneering façade and not break out in a loving smile. The Princess thought she might have gone a bit overboard by breaking the elements but her sister’s student was more astute than she gave her credit for. She will be so useful.

Oh, how she had missed all of her little ponies, a thousand years is a long time. Granted, she wasn’t awake for most of it bu-

Oh wait, here comes the rainbow.

From the 6 floating ponies a light comprising of all their colors shot out; swirling and merging together into a magnificently ribbon like rainbow as it flew towards the dark queen. “NOOOOOOOOOOOO” she screeched pleadingly as the rainbow quickly encircled her. “NOOOOOOUUUUAAAAAAAAOOOOOO” she screamed again, perhaps overplaying it a bit much she sheepishly thought to herself. The princess tossed the thought aside, quickly focused on the task at hand. Weaving together the shield spell had taken quite a few more years to master than she was willing to admit (And even longer to come up with the concept of it), but she had plenty of time during her stay on the moon. Nightmare began surrounding herself in a dark shroud of chaos magic, counteracting the harmony of these ponies and their sparkly rainbow. The effect was so minimal it felt a bit anticlimactic. I might as well be sitting in an easy chair drinking a hot cup of cocoa while I’m inside this thing, the princess huffed, her impatience getting the best of her as she tapped a hoof impatiently on the base of her shield. Oh but I wish I could have fully appreciated the harmony magic in action. Perhaps I will get them to do their little trick again in one of my courts, the idea playing around in her head. It’s a shame I’m too busy keeping myself from being completely destroyed, that’s probably what would happen if I didn’t have this handy chaos shield spell. I’m almost sure of it.

After a few moments the princess felt the harmony magic slowly dissipating outside of the shield. Seizing the chance, she slipped into her cloud form and seeped into the cracks of the old decrepit castle. She moved outside of the now fading rainbow to assure its effects did not touch her. Better safe than sorry she mused. Nightmare moved quickly and reformed just behind the now unconscious group of ponies in a puff of smoke. Yes, it was most definitely maternal pride she felt while she stared at the exhausted group. Of course that doesn’t mean I have to be a loving mother Nightmare inwardly snickered.

“Oh, my little ponies, you tuckered yourselves out.” she cooed sarcastically working her way in between the sleeping group- suddenly stopping at the white unicorn and glancing down at her decapitated tail. “I might as well get that for you” Nightmare said in a huff, lowering her head and touching the scrap of a tail with her horn. A soft blue that matched her flowing star filled mane and tail spread from her horn and covered the white pony’s tail. Out of the magic sprang full, luscious new violet fur. Better than the last as it had not even seen a day’s worth of wear.

“I still can’t believe you helped that silly old serpent! I suppose I should go back and fix his ‘moostache’ too whenever I’m not too busy.” The princess all but giggled, remembering the event while she moved to the purple pony in front. “Ah Twilight Sparkle, my sister’s most faithful student, you have done well and served my sister to your best abilities” A wicked smirk played across Nightmare Moon’s face as she spoke “it is a shame my ever planning sister had not planned for me coming up with a counter plan! Mwah ha ha ha ha!” by the Stars playing the villain is so much fun she inwardly squealed in delight. But it was time to end this; they would be waking up soon… and look at that, right on time! What punctual ponies.

The group of six stirred and groaned, slowly finding their bearings “Oooh, my head” the blue pegasus pony groaned out, rubbing the side of her skull to alleviate some of the throbbing. Focusing the elements was not an easy task and had left the group thoroughly worn, Nightmare observed, as she settled into the cracks underneath them in her smoke form. This was good, she didn’t feel like actually fighting them, and in their weakened state she wouldn’t have to. Setting traps and blocking paths was one thing, but she wasn’t actually going to let anypony get hurt. Nightmare felt content simply waiting for her cue to return to the stage for her big finale.

Ooooh the goddess squealed to herself, having trouble concentrating with how excited she was getting. This is going to be so much fun!

“-but I reckon we really do represent the elements of friendship”

There it is!

“Indeed you do!” Came a dark hollow voice followed by a cackling laugh “Too bad it wasn’t enough to defeat ME!” The dark princess swirled up from the ground as she began to reconstitute her dark and terrible self, a lightning bolt or two was sent off around her for theatrical effect.

“No- no it can’t be!” Twilight gasped in disbelief. The group of ponies behind her mimiced her in her shocked horror struck face. “How did-”

“How did I withstand the elements of harmony?!” Nightmare cut her off in a booming, demanding voice. “The elements that I have already faced once before?! Do you take me for a foal TWILIGHT SPARKLE?” the princess sneered as she drew closer to the purple unicorn. Nightmare’s star filled mane wrapped itself around Twilight, lifting her into the air until she was eye to eye with the new ruler of Equestria.

“TWILIGHT!!” the recovering group of ponies yelled as the now limp unicorn was hoisted away from them.

“Face it, I have won, I am the ruler of these lands, I! Am! Victorious!” The princess’ eyes glowed menacingly white as the moon. They felt as if they were searing into Twilight’s very soul, and it petrified her. The unicorn could do nothing but stare back in blank horror. “And now I shall take my prize” a wicked grin played across the tyrants face. “YOU Twilight Sparkle. You are to be my slave from hereafter as punishment for your treasonous actions against your queen!”

Thi- this can’t be! Twilight’s mind floundered. I have to be dreaming, Celestia is gone, evil has won, I finally made some friends and now I have to leave them to be a slave to some usurper for the rest of my life!

Panic finally started to settle into Twilight. The purple unicorn struggled in the magical hair surrounding her “no, NO!” she tried to concentrate, find the magic; I just need enough to-

“Goodbye, my little ponies” Nightmare said in an evil hiss, her horn glowing with arcane power. She and Twilight were engulfed in a sparkling, white and blue light. The light faded leaving nothing in it’s place. They were gone, leaving behind an empty castle, and defeated friends.

The world burst into light. Twilight could feel herself being pulled into the magical stream. Its currents and waves of colors flowing around her, through her, and a feeling of weightlessness bore into her skin in strong waves. She opened her eyes and for a brief moment she saw a magnificent and powerful creature before her. Its deep shades of blues and resounding whites were in stark contrast with the surrounding cluster of swirling colors.

It was beautiful, this being was beautiful.

Then the world burst again. This time in darkness, the light was seemingly ripped away to be replaced with blindness. The creature faded into nothing along with everything else. Her eyes adjusted and found that this place wasn’t as dark as she thought, though dark it was, she could still see. Twilight began to survey her surroundings while she worked off her muddled state.

These columns, this tiling, this room, she recognized it. The purple unicorn was in Princess Celestia’s throne room. Though where are the guards, Twilight absentmindedly thought. The palace seems completely empty.

And I seem to be floating.

She remembered. Nightmare Moon came into view, staring her down. Terror washed over her once again, I have to get away I have to- no I have to face Nightmare- no I have to get away first, yes, first, concentrate.

Twilight focused her magic around herself, expelling the hair that entangled her in a burst of purple light. She landed, quickly rolling away and spinning to face her smiling captor: the alicorn goddess that was able to defeat Celestia, and the Elements of Harmony, and is currently the ruler of all of equestrian, all by herself- oh right there was a reason she was panicked. Panic was a perfectly natural and called for response to the current situation she was in.

So Twilight Sparkle, after reviewing her circumstances and weighing her options, which were nonexistent, decided to panic.

Her knees buckled. Her pupils became the size of peas. Twilight trembled as the moon princess sauntered closer to her. Nightmare let out a maniacal laugh. Wait… that wasn’t a maniacal laugh, that was…. a laugh, a regular bubbly light hearted laugh that cooled the soul in a way that you would expect a moon princess’s laugh to do.

Then she spoke. The black malice and arrogance missing from Nightmare’s speech, replaced with a sarcastic tone and… slightly less arrogance “I hope I didn’t scare you too bad Twilight, I do get carried away sometimes” she gave the unicorn as friendly a smile as her current black form and menacing armor would allow.

Surely somepony around is very good at ventriloquism or there was some sort of switch during that teleportation because this couldn’t be the same insane pony that had kidnapped me. Twilight scrounged up some half-baked reasoning while she felt her mind going numb.

“And please pick up your mouth, you’re going to get drool on my new floors” the princess joked, JOKED?!? She circled Twilight, using her goddess-like power to raise the purple pony’s jaw, which slapped up against the rest of the blank face that seemed to be plastered on. Twilight stared ahead, unable to comprehend what was happening anymore.

“Oh noo~” Nightmare said in a fake concerned tone, placing her hooves on her face in a worried expression “don’t tell me I broke you already! I was hoping to get some more fun first.” Nightmare’s hair whipped across Twilight’s flank, startling her out of her stupor.

The purple unicorn quickly backed away from Nightmare, the panicked look quickly reforming on her face “w- what’s going on?” she squeaked.

“Oh you know, coup of the millennia, nighttime eternal, getting furniture to match the new scene. I mean honestly all this gold and red just isn’t going to work out” the princess said nonchalantly, walking up towards her new throne.

“No!” Twilight said regaining some of her courage though still trembling “no why are you- why are you acting like this? Why aren’t you-” Nightmare cut her off, looking back at Twilight’s shaking frame “Completely insane? Off my rocker? Loooony? Well, I can’t help that my name is… never mind. I guess I can’t use that terrible joke anymore” and for a split second the princess almost looked… sad.

But that was impossible. You can’t just take over a country and be sad about anything, could you?

Whatever face she was making soon cleared as she perked back up “but let me guess, you’re wondering about my change in demeanor aren’t you? Well truth be told, that whole dark queen thing before. That, was the act. Wasn’t it fun though?” Nightmare quickly turned around and trotted up, coming face to face with Twilight. “Didn’t you have fun? You made all of those friends, and went on an adventure, and even fought a goddess, I know that would be fun in my book.”

Twilight was completely taken off guard, who was this menacing and sarcastic pony in front of her. “Yes… I… I did have fun, but-” Twilight shook her head attempting to dispel her confusion, priorities Sparkle priorities, pull yourself together. She’s just trying to mess with your head, Twilight assured herself. Ooooh if only the princess were here… “Wait! Where’s the princess, the real princess! What have you done with Celestia?!” The student demanded taking a step towards Nightmare.

The Princess’ smile spread from ear to ear. She had been waiting for that question. Quickly slipping into smoke and sliding across the room she solidified, now sitting regally atop the throne. “Oh that tired old mare” Nightmare sneered imposingly.

“Why…. I ATE her of course!!!” the princess’ eyes widened, her pupils grew smaller, and her smile seemed impossibly big for her face “Those sun goddesses are just delectable. Seasoned correctly they can be the finest meal you’d ever eaten. I saved some if you want to try it, no sense in letting it go to waste.”

Twilight stared back in disbelief, mouth agape yet again. She had lost track of how many times she had made this face tonight. “No, you’re lying!” the unicorn struggled.

Nightmare let out another maniac- regular moon princess laugh. “It’s not lying if you don’t expect anypony to believe you” she jested letting out another small laugh that garnered a rather unpleasant look from Twilight. “oooh~ fine… you big party pooper” the princess jested again leaning forward in her chair for emphasis. “Sweety. You can come in now” the princess seemingly called out to nopony.

The great engraved stone doors behind Twilight creaked open as a pony entered the throne room. The guest slowly made their way towards them. While it was still dark in the night lit castle room, Twilight could make out most of her features.

She was a nervous looking unicorn with light pink hair; wavy, with small curls at the ends. With a white coat that seemed to accentu- wait, she had wings. So that would make her a pega-… no… no it couldn’t be.

“Twilight Sparkle…” Nightmare announced. “I introduce to you… Sunny!” Even though Twilight wasn’t looking at the moon princess she could just hear the incredible smile sprawled on her dark face.

“Hello…” Sunny squeaked looking nervously at Twilight “um, Princess Nightmare Moon, it is rather dark in here. If it wouldn’t be too much bother could you-”

“Oh yes, of course, of course, where are my manners?” the princess’ horn glowed and the torches lining the room shot alight in a brilliant white flame. The illumination lit up the room and its occupants.

The light allowed Twilight to examine the white pony after a couple of blinks. She looked… well she looked like any other pony, completely normal. If it were not for her slightly longer horn and wings, Twilight wouldn’t even think that it might be, that it could possibly be… “is that… Princess Celestia?” her voice trembled. Twilight’s eyes then fell to the white alicorn’s flanks, and there it was. Celestia’s sun cutie mark blew any lingering doubts in Twilight’s mind.

“Why yes, she is. And it is quite rude to talk about a pony like that while they are standing in the room with you. Much less look at them in such a… lewd manner” Nightmare said in an annoyed and disgusted tone, though the smile on her face quickly dispelled any belief that she felt either emotion.

Too shocked to pay Nightmare any attention, the purple unicorn stared at sunny with a frightened look on her face. “You’re…” Twilight breathed.

“Celestia?” the pink mane’d pony helped with an unsure tone. “Apparently, or at least that’s what I’ve been told.” Sunny let out an unsure laugh as she stared between Twilight and Nightmare. “Though I like ‘Sunny’ better so um, if you wouldn’t mind...” The white alicorn wasn’t sure if she was supposed to say something else or get some silverware because she felt she could cut this tension with a knife. Oh that was a good one, maybe a joke will break the ice the sun princess thought. It is pretty chilly in here. Oh Sunny you are on a roll, the purveyor of ‘jokes’ complimented herself. Sunny took a deep breath “Should I go get some-”

“What did you do to her?” Twilight blurted out turning back to the residing princess, and away from the now disheartened one.

“Well if you must know… I took away her memories, her power, and all of her experiences” the Princess retorted with a matter of fact look on her face, the smile gone.

“You- you MONSTER!” Twilight choked out, her teacher, her mentor, the closest pony she had ever been to was… was…

“Monster?” Nightmare asked quietly, her eyes set aglow, the torches dwindled as the princess sucked in any ambient light around her.

“Monster?” she didn’t yell, she wasn’t even talking very loudly, but her voice cut through both of the ponies witnessing the scene. The dark princess’ edges shifted as her coat became an inky blackness that reflected not even a hint of light. Her eyes glowed ever brighter “a MONSTER would have sent her sister into the sun for exile!!!” the throne room shook and reverberated with each syllable. The blackness surrounding the princess whipped around the columns and furniture as she floated off her throne towards the two shaking ponies. “Would you like to go live on the sun SUNNY, Twilight seems to think you should, I hear it’s lovely this time of millennia!” the moon princess seethed as she closed in on the two frightened ponies too petrified to even look away.

Twilight knew for certain now that the Nightmare Moon that had crashed the summer sun festival was just acting. This was the real Queen of Equestria, and all her terrible glory.

Nightmare stared at the two quivering beings in front of her as her rage poured out. I lost control again the despondent moon goddess thought. Quickly berating herself she drew back her power to her previous form, relighting the torches she gave a heavy sigh “oh Sunny, I’m so sorry.” Nightmare sat slowly in front of the shuddering, smaller princess. She wrapped her dark hooves around the white pony bringing her in to a tight hug. Sunny flinched at her touch, energy from the dark rage still flowing around her. The terror, however, slowly ebbed away as she gently sank into the soft obsidian fur. “I would never, never hurt you” the moon princess comforted, stroking Sunny’s pink mane with a hoof. “Even if you betrayed me, even if you hurt me, even if… you exiled me for a thousand years, I would never hurt you. I love you so much Sunny.” Sunny’s trembling stopped as Nightmare slowly released her from the hug, small smiles played across both their faces “I love you so much, you know that don’t you?”

Sunny looked deep into the moon princess’ teal eyes and knew “yes, I know. I… I love you too sister” a warm smile spread across the white alicorns face.

“Oh and I love you sis” Nightmare responded bringing Sunny in for another hug, her voice cracking, betraying her emotional state.

The sun princess giggled to herself, burying her face in her sister’s arms “you already said that.”

“S- sister?!?” Twilight cried, interrupting the two hugging princesses who seemed to have forgotten she was even there.

“Oh Twilight Sparkle” Nightmare said with squinted eyes and an evil grin on her face “I especially love you!” letting go of Sunny, Nightmare strolled towards to Twilight, crossing her hooves playfully in front of her as she walked “I love you so much, my little slave” she said coyly.

“I am not a slave!” Twilight responded dejectedly.

“Well not looking like that you’re not” Nightmare retorted bringing her face up to Twilight’s. A small unnoticed blue shimmer ran up the dark alicorn’s horn “and don’t bother trying to take them off, you won’t be able to.”

“Take what-” she looked down at her two hooves. Yup, they were there all right, all purple and hoovy. She slowly looked back at the rest of herself… Yup; she was definitely purple, nothing out of the ordinary here. Just a purple magic unicorn purple pony.

“I think it looks kinda’… pretty” Sunny commented in a helpful tone.

“Pretty? Hah, ha ha. What’s pretty? I’m not wearing anything, yup, completely naked” Twilight responded in a high pitched voice, a small cracked smile on her face with pinprick sized irises of varied size.

Nightmare moon let out a bubbly laugh “oh now I most certainly broke her, what’s wrong Twilight? Don’t you like the clothes your sovereign has bestowed upon you?” she asked flirtatiously, tapping the unicorns new horn bracelet.

This seemed to awaken Twilight up out of whatever delusion she had placed herself in. The unicorn flustered “N- No I I I I do not like these these clothes you have forced on me! I- I look like some kind of… of… oriental belly dancer!”

And that is exactly what she looked like.

Her horn was outfitted with a small violet bracelet, letting down two chains that attached themselves to her tiara of harmony; now a similar shade of silver. On her neck rode a thick, similarly dyed metal bracer with a small silver moon engraved in the centerpiece. Tied to that were two long light purple pieces of easily seen-through silk that were draped loosely along her sides and flank, tied together again to her tail in a small bow. The extra length of silk flowed behind her, drooping between her haunches. The fabric’s end neatly embellished with tassels that nearly hit the floor. On each hoof was adorned a matching silk which spun down each leg in a tight wrapping ending in a small bow just above the base of her hooves. And the most striking piece of apparel was the long pieces of silk that connected her right and left hooves together. The ribbons held a slight similarity to the chains normally worn by the incarcerated. A completely unintentional similarity, a certain alicorn would respond if the subject were ever brought up.

The princess gasped mockingly “and where have you seen ‘oriental belly dancers’ young mare?”

Twilight looked away blushing causing her coat to turn a brighter purple “I’ve read books that have… illustrations” lowering her head she spoke quieter voice to herself “so many illustrations” with wide eyes, and a blushing face, she remembered just what those ponies had been doing in their similar garb.

At the confession Nightmare let out a gleeful laugh “oh by the stars I was informed you were a tad reclusive but I never would have thought that you didn’t get out at all” the way she put emphasis on those last two words caught Twilight’s attention.

“What do you mean by that?!” the purple mare asked incredulously.

“Tell me little filly have you ever even kissed anypony?” the moon princess asked with a sly smile.

“Yes! Of course I-”

“Parents don’t count” Nightmare cut her off.

The red faced pony quickly closed her mouth, looking away to blush yet again “I don’t see how that has any relevance to anything! Much less the current situation” Twilight said in a nervous business-like tone. Though something the princess had said buzzed through the unicorn’s head again “wait, ‘informed’? How do you know about me at all? I don’t imagine the moon gets much reception”.

“I told you before” Nightmare professed, ignoring the little moon comment “I took my sister’s memories, and… reviewed them a bit. Oh don’t give me that look I got her permission first. Now don’t change the subject!” The moon princess’ voice took on a sultry tone “you know, I can help you out with that little… problem of yours.” There it was again thought Twilight. The way she put emphasis on those words made Twilight feel a bit- no! She can’t get caught up in her games, stay focused; there is something much more important to discuss.

“No I think this is the perfect time to change the subject” Twilight said confidently planting herself directly in front of Nightmare Moon. “Because you can’t rule Equestria, you know why?”

“Why?” the princess asked with little enthusiasm.

“Because you would have night eternal, and if it were night eternal than everypony and everything would die from lack of sunlight! Granted, it would take the animals and ponies a bit longer to die than the plants, but that’s beside the point! If everyone were dead, you would have nobody to rule! So you might as well just stop now, and save everyone the trouble of dying.”

The moon goddess paused for a moment before responding “you think it’s the ruling that I want?”

“Huh?”

“Nothing nothing, well I guess we should get down to business. Twilight, Sunny, come with me if you would” the moon princess beckoned, turning away and walking out to the small balcony that overlooked most of Equestria.

Sunny put on a bright smile, lifting a hoof to her head in mock salute as she followed closely “yes ma’am! This is the part you said to look forward to right sis?”

“Yes, it most certainly is” Nightmare replied with a small smile.

Twilight stood perplexed as the two princesses walked away from her “what? What part is this?” she asked quickly as she galloped to catch up.

The two alicorns were sitting on the balcony staring up into the star filled sky when Twilight joined them. Nightmare let in a deep breath as she inhaled the magic of the night, gathering her power. “Hold on to your socks” she said in a dramatic voice looking at the purple unicorn “here comes the magic part.”

Twilight scoffed, “these” she held up one of her silk adorned hooves “are not-” a flash of light from Nightmare’s horn interrupted her. Magic was definitely coming, strong magic.

Twilight had seen Princess Celestia raise the sun and moon countless times and it didn’t take near as much effort as it appeared Nightmare Moon to be putting into it. The unicorn’s mind raced. Maybe she was weaker than her sister, no that couldn’t be it; maybe she wasn’t just raising a spatial entity. Though compared to that how many things could be harder?!

Twilight’s thoughts buzzed with the possibilities while Nightmare’s horn developed a cone of pure magic that encased it. Her forehead became completely hidden behind a sheet of blinding light. This is it girl, the princess thought to herself. Sink or swim, if you can’t do this then- No, that’s not going to happen, you can do this. You. Can. Do. This. Concentrate.

Wind was whipping around the group at the moon princess’ labor, except it wasn’t wind, it was night. Night was whipping around the group, smells of the crisp dark air. Sounds of the nocturnal animals making their rounds. Memories of the beautiful starry sky, the pearl colored moon, nights in solitude. The feeling of night invaded every sense.

Light began to peek over the edge of the world, not in shades of orange and yellow. No, there were no shades. This light was pure white and it mixed only minimally with the dark night around it sending off a small white corona. It shone with a purity that would make poets speak of its appearance in despairing tones, for they did not have enough words to describe it. Some tried and came pretty close though.

What rose above the horizon wasn’t the sun, but the moon. Not The Moon, but a moon. A moon with not a single crater marking its surface, shining with its own magical white light. A light that spread across all of Equestria. The colors from the surface’s plants and rivers rebounding more vivid than they ever did before.

And so the night stayed.

Behind the new moon shadowed the blackness of night, with pinpricks of stars poking through. As the new moon rose through the sky the stars just as visible as they were during the night bent around their new sibling in the sky. The earth was lit and the sky was black, a more surreal sight would be hard to find. And it was beautiful.

Twilight and Sunny were speechless, staring at this miracle before them. Twilight broke the silence “this… is amazing, the stars are exactly as they should be! There’s Altair, and and Arcturus, and there, there’s Capella” Twilight gushed like a school filly meeting a famous… star. “This is amazing! This is impossible!”

Twilight’s words began mumbling together as she talked faster and faster “the light coming offa thatthatthat moon is enough to light the ground just as much as the sun maybe even brighter which would mean that the atmosphere should be just as visible or more so absorbing and scattering the light before it hits the---” time passed. Then Twilight breathed, a huge smile playing across her face “it’s impossible, how did you do this?” she questioned looking back at Nightmare.

The princess scoffed “well it’s good to know at least some ponies will appreciate how… how hard that… was” suddenly she collapsed. Falling to her knees, her head lulling forward as her eyes unfocused a soft cry escaping her lips.

“Sister!” Sunny cried rushing to the moon princess’ side.

“I’m fine, I’m… fine” the moon princess weakly looked up at Sunny reassuringly “it just took a bit more out of me than I thought it would, I’m fine.” A low groan liberated itself from her heaving lungs “just… just let me sit here for a bit.”

Sunny sat with her, a pained expression on her face, not knowing what else she could do “sister…” Sunny whispered.

Nightmare gave a nervous cough as she examined Twilight “hm, the flabbergasted look suits the student well. How many times is that tonight? I lost track myself.”

Twilight was indeed flabbergasted, and it showed. Tonight had held one shocking surprise after another “how… why-”

“I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut you off there, there’s a bit of an important matter we need to discuss at the moment” the princess donned a somber face, her eyes unblinkingly trained on Twilight. “First, say my name.”

Twilight couldn’t help but comply with the demand. “… Nightmare Moon” the unicorn slowly announced.

“Good, you know who I am.” Nightmare lifted her head. “Sister to Celestia, ruler of Equestria, I will have night eternal, my subjects will live normally and happy… along with my sister as well. Nopony will be hurt through my actions as long as I am on the throne, and Equestria will thrive in peace and prosperity. So, there is just one thing I need to ask you.” Twilight froze; she knew the next question before the dark princess sitting in front of her asked

“Twilight Sparkle, will you stand against me?”

End Chapter 1