The Ruler of the Night;Equestria's True Queen

           She sat in her cell, pondering all of the terrible choices she'd made over the years. Then she heard keys jingling. She saw a guard unlocking her cell door.  Confused, she got up and trotted over. "Under orders of Princess Celestia and Queen Luna, you are hereby released from the Canterlot prison," he said. He also took off the anti-magic braces. Nightmare galloped up the stairs and into the Canterlot throne room. She wanted to thank Celestia and accept her punishment. Rushing to the door, she slowed her pace. Calm yourself, Nightmare, she thought. She opened the door. Walking over to Celestia, she bowed her head. "I am ready to accept my punishment," she said, loud enough for Luna, Eclipse, and Chrysalis to hear as well. Celestia was slightly shocked. What made Nightmare change so much? "What did you say?" she squeaked. Nightmare looked up and said, "I am ready to accept punishment, no matter how severe. I deserve the worst you can throw at me after all the torment I've caused. I am a plague upon this world. I am a flame, destroying lives and homes. You are the water, saving the ponies by drenching me. I am at your mercy."

           Barely breathing, Luna walked over to Celestia. "Maybe she saw something that made her change," she whispered. Celestia looked doubtful. Yet even she couldn't deny the power of Nightmare's eyes. They had changed. They looked more like Luna's eyes now. The slit pupil had widened to a more natural size. The whites had tinted white. Nightmare was currently standing next to Chrysalis, discussing the dream Nightmare had had. Celestia looked over her shoulder at her then looked at Luna. "Maybe..... Maybe you're right. As much as I hate to say it," she sighed, "Nightmare seems more like an innocent pony than a tyrannical beast." Luna nodded, smiling. She called over Chrysalis and Eclipse. Nightmare started setting up some flowers she'd knocked down during a rampage.

           "You want to WHAT?!" Chrysalis practically screamed. "Keep it down!" Luna said. Celestia took a deep breath in. "I honestly believe she should be freed. Only stripped of her powers. She could be a Pegasus or a unicorn, but never an alicorn ever again." Eclipse nodded. Being a pacifist, she resented the idea that they had to punish Nightmare. It just wasn't right. With her smooth, soothing voice, "I agree. A power stripping ritual would work better than a banishment." Luna was ecstatic. If they banished Nightmare, Luna would be considerably weaker. But she still needed to strip Celestia of power. She hadn't addressed this problem. She would later. Chrysalis was still furious. Trying to whisper, she said, "Why would we allow her to live in Canterlot exactly? Won't ponies recognize her?" Luna cut in. "If this was 1,000 years ago, maybe. But nopony even remembers the tale of Nightmare Moon. All they remember is a lie I told them about my banishment of Celestia." Celestia froze at the mention of her name. She still had her youthful look, while Luna had aged. Both ponies were the same height, which was strange. Celestia still had a multi-colored magic mane, but Luna had the Northern Lights against a black & blue night! As these thoughs ran through Celestia's head, Nightmare was thinking of something else entirely.

What if they think I'm faking? Will they banish me again? Why did Chrysalis scream? Nightmare thought. Questions just kept circling through her head. Calm down, Nightmare. Breathe, she said to herself. Breathing deep, she decided she would calmly wait until the four princesses finished debating. She didn't have to wait long. "Nightmare?" Luna called softly. Head hung low, Nightmare walked over to Luna. Celestia looked down at Nightmare. "Nightmare Moon. You convinced Luna to trap me in the sun for 1,000 years. Correct?" Nightmare nodded. "You tried to corrupt her again. Correct?" Nod. "You tried to kill me when you realized I was free. Correct?" Nod. "Are you ready to hear your punishment?" Nod.

           Celestia took her hoof and raised Nightmare's head with it. "Nightmare Moon. I hereby sentence you to a life stripped of power. You will grow up with unicorn parents. You will be a unicorn yourself. You will never be able to return to your current alicorn stature. Do you understand the terms?" Nightmare looked Celestia in the eyes. "Yes," she said. Celestia nodded at Luna. She raised the Elements of Harmony with her magic. Luna, Chrysalis, and Eclipse fired magical lasers at the center Element, the Element of Magic. Nightmare curled into a ball. Celestia fired a laser into the Element. A bright white light shone across all of Equestria that night. And it would never be the same. Not ever again.