Nightmare Free Equestria

Princess Luna awoke and stretched, groaning out. Nearly every part of her body hurt. It always seemed strange to her that pain seemed to get worse after sleeping than it was immediately after. Considering how much she went through keeping Discord distracted, being so stiff and sore was no surprise.

Closing her eyes, she took a deep, slow breath and slowly let it out. As she did, she used her magic, collecting it in her horn and focusing it. The aura of dark blue magic grew brighter, expanding as it encompassed her entire form. The aches and pain faded -- not gone but numbed -- and the form once again shifted to Moon Shadow.

Catching sight of herself in the mirror, she turned away. She knew it was her. It was not Nightmare Moon. She knew that. She had just used this form while facing Discord. Before that, she had even worn it for Nightmare Night to scare some foals (which was surprising to discover they actually enjoyed). Still, seeing that face, knowing what she did... she could not bare to look at it. She still hated Nightmare Moon. She hated her. She hated... herself.

As she walked through what could be called halls, she noticed a change in mood. The ponies were not necessarily happy, but the tension had lessened. It was most likely a relief at the return of their princesses.

The princesses....

That was the main reason the Princess Luna visiting from another reality now kept her alternative form. No reason to cause confusion by having two different versions of Princess Luna walking around. So she would continue to use the shape and name of Moon Shadow for the time being to keep confusion from occurring.

She stopped as she caught sight of Twilight Sparkle, then hurried to catch up with her. The purple unicorn turned to look at the black alicorn, giving a small smile.

"Hello pri..." Twilight stopped, letting out a cough. "Sorry. I mean 'Moon Shadow.' Are you sure you to use a different name and look like this?"

"I'm sure," Moon Shadow replied. "I... told more than I intended during my outburst in Ponyville. I kind of wish I had thought of it sooner. Would make things less confusing for all the ponies here.

"Speaking of sure," she looked at Twilight from the corner of her eye, "are you sure that you want me to be there when you show them..."

"Yes," Twilight answered. "I have an idea but I don't know if it will work. I would prefer to have as much power as possible to try though."

"Try?" Moon Shadow raised an eyebrow. "Try what?"

"I'll explain to everypony once we're all together."

Moon Shadow nodded, but asked no further questions on the matter. The two of them were shortly joined by Trixie before finding their way to meeting Princess Celestia and this world's Princess Luna.

"Good morning, Princess," Twilight said to Celestia then turned to Luna. "Princess."

"Good morning my student," Celestia said, moving to nuzzle Twilight. Luna looked at them, then moved to do similar with her student. Trixie tensed, raising an eyebrow in confusion at the action. Slowly, she leaned forward, pressing herself to her teacher.

"I must admit," Celestia continued, "I am curious as to why you wished to wait and let us rest before telling us of what happened to Cadance."

"Well...." Twilight shifted, looking toward Trixie a moment before turning back to the princess. "I think it would be best if I started by just showing you. I can explain it all after. If you will, please follow me."

Twilight started walking again, moving through the halls and past the ponies. She was followed by the two local princesses, the visiting one, and her fellow unicorn and student. The five of them walked quickly, stopping as they reached the door.

"Brace yourselves," Twilight said, then pushed the door opened. She stepped aside while Moon Shadow and Trixie stayed back, allowing the two princesses to enter first. The pair of rulers let out a loud, audible gasp at the sight.

"What happened to her?" Princess Celestia asked.

"We don't completely know," Twilight answered, moving to push some locks from Cadence's face. "We found her in the crystal tunnels when we were running from the changelings. Considering that Queen Chrysalis was pretending to be her, it was mostly likely weeks, or possibly even months."

"We've done all we could," Trixie continued as she stepped into the room. "We've treated her for malnutrition, dehydration, Twilight has even been looking through medical books and we've used nearly every healing spell she could find."

"Well..." Twilight shifted, "all that we have enough power for actually. None of the unicorns here are specifically talented in healing spells."

"There must be something that we can do for her," Princess Luna stated. "She is family to us."

"That is actually part of the reason I need all three of you here," Twilight said. "I think that between the five us, we can help her recover."

"Five?" Moon Shadow asked, raising an eyebrow. "You need my help as well?"

"I don't know about 'need,'" Twilight said, "but the more alicorn power we could get, the better."

"Allow me," Trixie said as she stepped beside Twilight, "before you start to get all technical and put all three of them into comas as well."

"HEY!" Twilight shouted. "I DO NOT-"

Trixie placed a hoof over Twilight's mouth, shutting it. Twilight's face turned bright red with anger, but she said nothing more.

"Twilight believes that she and you two," referring to Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, "can use the love you have for Princess Cadence combined with the sheer power of you three," she motioned toward the two princesses and included Moon Shadow, "channeled through Twilight and myself, would both have the raw power and the magic of love that is Cadence's domain to help her recover and wake up."

"Well it's a little more complicated than that," Twilight said, rolling her eyes, "but I guess it's close enough for now."

"What do you need us to do?" Princess Celestia asked.

"Could you and Princess Luna stand at the head of the bed on opposite side?"

Princess Celestia went to the right, and Princess Luna went to the left. The both walked to the head of the bed and stood on each side of the comatose Cadence.

"Pri-" Twilight stopped and coughed, realizing she had almost said Princess Luna. While technically accurate, the Luna from another universe wanted neither of the other princesses to know her true identity.

"Moon Shadow," Twilight continued after correcting herself. "If you would, please stand at the foot of the bed, in the center."

The night black alicorn gave a nod and moved to stand at the foot of the bed, looking directly at the unconscious Princess Mi Amore Cadenza. She felt it again. She barely knew the Cadence of her world, but she seemed so sweet, so loving, so kind. Seeing her, even another version of her that she had never known, caused her to fill with rage. Not the burning hot rage she had felt when she had been jealous of her sister and became Nightmare Moon, trying to create eternal night. Something about it was cold, hard, like a block of black ice from coldest part of the deepest ocean. Such a feeling should have scared her.

Trixie moved to stand on the right side of the bed, equal distance between Princess Celestia and Moon Shadow. Twilight walked around the bed and stood in the same spot on the opposite side.

"Now," Twilight continued, "If you could close your eyes, summon your magic and think about how much you care about Cadence."

The three princess all closed their eyes. The horns began to glow as their energy began to build, collecting and forming. The air of the room crackled with the magic of three alicorns using their power at once.

Twilight and Trixie looked at each other, and gave a small nod before closing their eyes as well. Shortly, the lavender and magenta of their magic glowed as it joined the golden sunlight and dark night sky colored energy of the others.

A beam of energy went from Princess Celestia to Trixie, the color mingling and shifting as their power combined. A beam then shot out Trixie and to Moon Shadow, the bright magenta shifting through the colors of dusk before turning the dark of night. The beam continued on, moving from Moon Shadow to Twilight Sparkle and shifting from the dark blue to the bright raspberry used by the unicorn. From Twilight, the beam continued on to Princess Luna, turning back to the dark night color.

A golden yellow beam split off from Princess Celestia's horn and went to Cadence's. On the other side of the bed, the a dark beam of night went to Cadence, joining the sibling beam and completing the circle. With it, the energy started to change color, shifting to the pale blue used for Cadence's magic. Additional beams then shot out from Trixie, Twilight, and Moon Shadow, all moving toward Princess Cadence's horn.

The energy of the five ponies continued to flow, moving through the circuit and into the unconscious alicorn. The pale blue aura around her horn grew larger, and brighter. It began to shift and swirl, taking on the colors of the other five. A rainbow of energy shifted and danced, pulsing and changing.

The magic exploded out from Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, encompassing the room in a brilliant pink light. The five other ponies in the room were thrown back from the outburst. The three alicorns were pushed back, sliding across the floor. The two unicorns were less fortunate, being thrown back and hitting the walls.

The light of the room faded, the energy returning to Cadence. She floated a foot above the bed, her entire body encompassed in the magical aura. The energy shifted from pink back to a pale blue as the princess within levitated. Slowly she was spun, set on all fours and facing the foot of the bed.

Princess Mi Amore Cadenza opened her eyes. She blinked as she slowly started to look around.

"Wha..." She shook her head. "What's going on? Where am I?"

"It worked!" Twilight shouted as she got up. She ran and jumped up onto the bed, wrapping her front legs around her friend's neck.

"Twilight?" Cadence asked, looking down at the unicorn holding her tight and wrapping one leg around her. "What's going on? Where are we? Where is Shining Armor?"

"I am glad it worked," Moon Shadow stated as she turned and started toward the door. "I will leave you all to catch up and plan."

"Plan?" Trixie asked as she stood up. "Plan what?"

"Princess Cadence needs to rest and recover," Moon Shadow explained as she looked at them over her shoulder, "but there are still reports of heavy snow coming in from the north."

Princess Celestia and Princess Luna both gasped out, their eyes going wide. This caused Moon Shadow to grin.

"I see you two understand the significance of that."

"You mean..." Princess Luna started.

"Sombra..." Princess Celestia whispered.

"Correct," Moon Shadow responded. "The Crystal Empire, and King Sombra have returned. When she has recovered, Princess Cadenza will need to go there to face the King and take her rightful place." She looked away and continued toward the door.

"What about you?" Twilight asked. "What are you going to do?"

Moon Shadow stopped. She did not turn around to face the others, but she did not keep walking. Her eyes narrowed and ears twitched. She bared her teeth, snarling.

"Me?" she responded, her voice seeming to make the room grow colder. "I am going to squash some bugs that have been infesting the city for far too long."

With that, she stepped out of the room. The other five ponies watched her go, but none of them moved to go after her.