Nightmare Free Equestria

...don't understand...

...changeling...

...shock...princess...

..waking...

Princess Luna let out a groan as her head throbbed. Grabbing the blanket, she pulled it up tighter against her as she shifted. She turned over, digging her head into her pillow and trying to get back to sleep. She had been having the strangest dream.

Except something was not right. Her pillow held neither its normal softness, nor its sweet scent. The blanket as well felt different, lacking its regular warmth and fluffiness. Also her bed did not feel like her bed. It was too firm and coarse.

Luna opened her eyes and sat up. Two ponies stood at the foot of the bed. One was a buttery yellow pegasus with a pink mane and tail that she recognized as Fluttershy. The other was a light blue unicorn with a silvery-blue mane and tail that Luna did not recognize.

"Oh good," Fluttershy said. "You're awake." Flying up, she looked at one of the princess's eyes. "How are you feeling?"

"As though there is a pegasus kicking a thundercloud within our skull," Luna answered.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"There... was a barrier that was intended to keep changelings out..."

"Yes," Fluttershy confirmed. "According to Octavia and Pipsqueak, when you tried to pass through, the field had a negative reaction and gave you a massive shock."

"Twilight is uncertain what caused it or why," the blue unicorn. "She is checking the system now."

"Well you seem to be fine," Fluttershy said as she pulled away. "I'll give you and Trixie some time alone to talk and catch up."

"Thank you," the blue unicorn -- Trixie -- said as the pegasus walked off, leaving the two of them alone.

Although "alone" was not entirely an accurate description. The two of them were in what must have been the hospital ward. Luna's cot was one of many that were scattered through out the room. A small number of them held ponies, most with various parts of their bodies covered in bandages. There were some other ponies that were moving from bed to bed, checking on the patients. For some reason, Princess Luna had been set on the opposite side of the room, as far from any of the other ponies as possible.

"So," Trixie turned to face the princess, "who are you?"

"You do not believe that we are Princess Luna?"

"Trixie is Princess Luna's personal student," the unicorn snapped, almost yelling. "She has been my teacher and friend for many years and nopony but Celestia herself knows Luna better than Trixie!"

"Perhaps it would be best," Luna said, "if we held this conversation with the appropriate ponies so that it need not be repeated."

Trixie narrowed her purple eyes, studying Princess Luna for a moment.

"Very well," she finally said. "Do you feel well enough to get up?"

"Indeed." Luna replied as she set the blanket aside and moved to stand up.

"Then please follow me." Trixie turned and started walking toward the doorway. Luna followed, looking at the ponies still in beds as she passed them. What had happened that had led to so many injuries.

As the two walked through the stone tunnels, they passed many ponies. There were colts and fillies, mares and stallions, pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies.

"Coming through," a voice called out. A blue blur passed by over their heads, leaving a rainbow contrail behind it. Shortly after there was a buzzing sound. Trixie placed a hoof on Luna, moving the two of them aside before an orange filly shot by on a scooter.

"Well, that means at least three of them should be together," Trixie said as she resumed walking.

"Three?" Luna asked.

"If Rainbow Dash is back with information from the north," Trixie explained, "she will share it with Twilight Sparkle and Time Turner." With that, she picked up her pace, Luna trying to keep up.

"Here it is," Trixie said as they reached a doorway and turned to go in. Princess Luna stopped and looked at the doorway. Nothing about it from this side made it look any different from any of the other doorways she had seen.

Most of the room was filled by a tail set in the center of it. Standing beside the table were several ponies. One was a brown earth pony stallion with a dark brown mane and tail that was wearing a tie. The stallion currently looked at a map spread out on the table. On one side was a purple unicorn whose mane and tail were a darker color with a streak of lighter purple and another of pink.
On the other was a sky blue pegasus with a rainbow colored mane and tail, currently wearing goggles on her forehead and a brown leather bomber jacket. Beside her was a small orange pegasus filly with a purple mane.

"Captain Macintosh says that the snow to the north has gotten more than a half inch thicker," the blue pegasus, Rainbow Dash said. "There are also more of those strange black crystals." She pointed at the map. "About here."

"Time Turner?" the purple unicorn said, turning to the brown stallion.

"Well most of the news is bad, Twilight," Time Turner responded. "The reports from around Ponyville say that Discords growing more powerful, with his sphere of chaotic influence expanding. Whatever is happening to the north of us is also expanding. Without any reports on The Crystal Empire or what happened, we have no idea what is coming."

"Isn't there any good news?" Twilight groaned, dropping her head on the table.

"Well..." Turner said, "It is possible that the ice and snow could either kill the changelings, or cause them to go into hibernation, granting us the opportunity to reclaim Canterlot."

"Sure!" Twilight looked up at him, narrowing her eyes. "Either until something we don't even know attacks us or things just get weird as-Oh!" She looked toward the entrance. "Princess Luna. I didn't see you there."

"I am still skeptical," Trixie said. "However, she has asked for the opportunity to explain to us all at once."

"Are there no other ponies that should be informed?" Luna asked, looking at the small group.

"If Trixie and Twilight-" Trixie stopped at a cough from Twilight. "If Twilight and I think it is valuable, we will make sure that any and all other ponies that need to know will."

Luna looked at the five ponies that were all paying attention to her. At least three of the faces were familiar, although it seemed the Luna of this world had a student of her own, which turned out to be a pony the displaced Luna had never met. Had she heard the name before?

"I am Princess Luna," she stated, "but I am not the Luna that you know." She then began to give a brief explanation of how she came here.