Nightmare Free Equestria

That single word had sent a shiver through Queen Chrysalis, in what would have been her spine if she had a normal skeleton. That single word had sent an icy blade of fear through the changeling, more than any monologue or speech, any threat, could have. It was mainly for one simple reason: the alicorn standing before her meant it. The pony was planning to kill her.

Queen Chrysalis braced herself, preparing to counter any impending magical attack.

Moon Shadow charged forward, throwing herself at full speed toward the changeling queen. The alicorn felt a thrill of excitement as she caught the look of confusion in the queen's face before they slammed into each other. The two flew toward the wall. Moon Shadow released Chrysalis and turned up, flying toward the ceiling while her opponent slammed into the wall.

Queen Chrysalis had been ready for a magical attack. After all, that was how these things normally went: a direct using magic since it was their strongest and safest method. The possibility of being tackled and thrown into a wall had not even crossed her mind. Fortunately her chitinous shell absorbed the worst of the blow, and she had recently fed, leaving her a little sore but with no major damage.

"Don't just stand there!" Chrysalis shouted at her drones. "Get her!" she pointed up toward Moon Shadow. Five drones launched themselves up from the ground, flying directly toward the alicorn.

Moon Shadow watched them approach, getting ready to knock them out of the air. Just before she did, something shifted. Not like the changeling transforming to look like a pony she knew, but a memory. A moment when she had done similar, much to her regret.

Instead of the throne room of the castle, she was back in the city hall of Ponyville. She, as Nightmare Moon, had just made her grand entrance and proclaimed herself so ruler of Equestria. At the order of the mayor, several pegasus guards had moved to attack her.

The delay was long enough for three of the drones to tackle her, knocking her into the wall as well. The impact of her helmet against the stone sent a ringing through the metal and into her skull. It was enough to bring her out of the past and back into the present.

Can't think about that, she told herself, especially now. Focus on what's going on here before you get killed.

Moon Shadow turned her head, slipping her muzzle underneath the chin of one of the drones. She pressed her sharp teeth against the creature's throat and bit down with all her jaw strength. The changeling let out a screech, the ended in a gurgling sound as the chitin cracked and the teeth sank into the flesh beneath. She shifted to press her back hooves against the changeling's stomach and pushed hard with all her might, tearing its throat out and sending it falling away.

Tilting her head, she slams into another, impaling the creature through the shoulder with her horn and causing it to shriek. Pushing hard, Moon Shadow forced herself from the wall and into the air. Pulling her head free, she turned to grab the third. She squeezed the form tightly with all her might and all four legs and flew straight down.

The changeling slammed into the floor with the weight of a full sized alicorn on top of it. There was a loud crack as the carapace broke open against the stone floor, the green fluid pooling around the body.

Moon Shadow pushed to stand up, her legs shaking beneath her. The glowing green fluid that was the changelings' blood flowed down her face from her horn and her chin from her lips. Eyes wide and teeth bared, she looked around. More of the drones surrounded her. She lifted her head, eyes turning white with power. The fluid on her horn began to sizzle and burn as magic began to gather.

Outside, the sound of the storm grew louder. Bolts of lightning came in through the window, striking the surrounding changelings. The deafening boom of thunder mixed with the stench of ozone and burning hair. One burst from the assault, shattering like glass. Another was boiled alive, cooking inside its shell with steam escaping from the seams. Several survived, but collapsed as they were rendered unconscious.

A burst of crackling green energy struck Moon Shadow from behind. She let out a scream of pain as she felt the skin and muscles burn from the blast. The impact sent her forward, falling onto her side as she skidded across the floor.

"Oh," Chrysalis groaned, "you poor thing. Didn't anypony ever teach you that you never take your eyes off your opponent." She made a tsking noise.

Moon Shadow grunted as she tried to get back up onto her hooves. Her body screamed with pain from where the magical blast had struck her, leaving a spot of burnt tissue on her back. She turned to face the form of Queen Chrysalis.

"If that is the best you got 'queen,'" Moon Shadow said with a chuckle, "then I have severely overestimated your power." She narrowed her eyes and bared her teeth more. "And I am going to crush you like the bug you are beneath my hoof."

"Then come and get me child," Chrysalis said before cackling.

Moon Shadow let out a roar as she collected energy and fired it at the form in front of her. A green shield popped up around the form, absorbing the attack. Another cackle filled the air as the shield faded away.

Moon Shadow lowered her head and let out a snort, pawing at the ground.

"Really?" Chrysalis asked. "You're going to try charging me? You must be joking."

Moon Shadow said nothing and began to run toward Chrysalis. Her hooves echoed against the stones of the floor with each step as she picked up speed. The alicorn's horn began to glow with energy as she continued to run. There was a pop of air as vanished in a burst of magic.

Chrysalis straightened up, blinking. A hoof struck her cheek, sending her spinning sideways from the impact.

"A trick I picked up from a friend," Moon Shadow said with a grin as she walked toward...

It was not Chrysalis.

As she got closer, Moon Shadow watched as the form shifted, changing from the queen to a drone. The cheek was cracked from the impact, blood leaking from the spot. It looked up at the alicorn, eyes wide in terror and tearing up with pain. Another laugh began to fill the air.

"Did you really think it would be that easy?" Chrysalis asked. "You must think me a foal if you think I would just stand there like that."

Moon Shadow let out a roar as magic pulsed and exploded from her horn, filling the room. It all shook as it was filled with raw rage-fueled power. Windows shattered. Columns cracked. Princess Celestia's throne exploded.

There was a cry of pain from behind where the throne once stood.

Standing there was Queen Chrysalis, the real one. The burst of raw magical energy had knocked her against the wall for the second time that night. She pressed against it as she worked to stand back up, shaking her head. One side of her face was torn open and bleeding from the shards of the exploding throne.

Moon Shadow shot forward, wings flapping. She tilted her body as she raised her hooves out in front of her.

Queen Chrysalis had just enough time to turn and look at the approaching alicorn before being slammed into. One hoof drove into the queen's shoulder as the other pinned her wings. Moon Shadow bit one of the insect-like wings and pulled, the sound of paper tearing filling the air as the appendage was ripped off. Chrysalis let out a scream before collapsing back to the ground.

"Please," Queen Chrysalis whimpered as she looked up at Moon Shadow. "Mercy. I surrender. Just... please. No more."

"Mercy?" Moon Shadow snarled. "MERCY? You dare ask for that which you have never shown another living creature? The only mercy I shall show you, is the mercy of making your death a swift one." She raised her form up on her hind legs, ready to bring the front ones down onto the top of Queen Chrysalis's head to smash it in.

"STOP!"