Night Terrors

by ShadowKick

Rating: everyone
Tags: Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Adventure
Length: 5119

NIghtmare Moon returns, and Luna must face her alone

After being banished by the Elements of Harmony, Nightmare Moon returns. She tracks down Luna, and the princess of the night must face her greatest nightmare alone.

Published 2012-05-02 05:44:02 UTC
Last updated 2012-05-02 05:44:02 UTC

Night Terrors

All she knew was darkness. Cold and uncaring darkness. Ordinarily she would relish it, take delight in the bitter embrace of the dark. But this was no ordinary darkness. It was not a lack of light obscuring the sights of the world. This was nothingness, emptiness. This place was no place. This was not the dark beauty of night, but the empty dark of nothing.

So she rebelled. Her last memory was a lifeline, a path back to the world she was thrown out of. Six little ponies, a stirring speech, a blast of light and a beam of rainbow wrapping around her. Her eternal night was ended before it could even really begin.

The memory was terrible. She had been torn away from her host, the princess of the night. The pain of it had been unbearable, she had screamed for an eternity in this place where time had no meaning. Even the memory of it twisted her wretched soul in pain.

But it was her lifeline. She grabbed it, a soundless scream ripping from her throat as pain burned through her mind. She yanked on it with her thoughts, dragging herself back towards reality. She saw a light in the nothing, drawing closer as she pulled. The light grew wider. Closer, somehow, even though distance had no meaning here.

She pressed against the light, forcing herself into it. Light flooded her world, washing away the darkness around her. She could see trees, smell fresh grass. She could taste a light rain on the wind. She found herself in a pleasant field, in the middle of a nice summer afternoon.

Nightmare Moon laughed. She had returned, and soon Equestria would pay. She would retake her host, destroy the Elements of Harmony and Celestia, and bring about her eternal night at last.

***

Luna woke with a start, soaked by a cold sweat. She took a few seconds to calm her heavy breathing, then sighed. Standing up from her bed, the princess of the night threw open the thick curtains over her windows, letting in the bright sunlight of the afternoon.

Another nightmare. Or daymare, as the case may be. Ever since Nightmare Moon had left her, Luna had been plagued with nightmares. Memories of the horrors that had been committed with her body. Watching, helpless, as the malevolent will of Nightmare Moon used her to commit such heinous acts.

Luna shuddered. Even now, months later, the memories terrified her. Celestia still had not convinced her to take over the duties of the night again. What if Nightmare Moon came back? What if Luna was forced to commit more atrocities?

Luna rarely left her rooms. She even took meals here, and did not allow visitors, although Celestia usually ignored that. Like this afternoon, judging by the firm knocking on Luna's door.

"More nightmares, sister?" Celestia asked, walking in without waiting for Luna to answer the door.

Luna sighed, "Yes. They aren't going away."

"You need to get out, take your mind off of things," Celestia said, nuzzling her sister, "You can't keep dwelling on the past."

"But what if it happens again?" Luna asked, laying on the floor and buying her face in her hooves, "I don't want to go back down that road. The night should be beautiful, with bright stars and the shining moon. It should not be cold and heartless. I don't want her to take me again."

Celestia knelt next to her sister and spoke with a soft voice, "Nightmare Moon is gone, dear sister. I know you're afraid of your past, but you need to face those fears and move on."

"I don't think I can."

Celestia sighed. Luna knew she was disappointing her sister again. In the past Luna had never let fear control her. She was strong, powerful. She could take anything. But now it was her own strength that scared her, strength that had already been turned against those she loved once.

"Luna," Celestia said, pausing a moment, "Nightmare Night is coming up soon. Everypony always has a good time. You should get out and enjoy the holiday."

"Nopony wants to see me out and about in Canterlot. I see the looks they give me whenever I poke my head out of my door."

"Then don't stay in Canterlot," Celestia said, not even trying to deny the whispers and rumors that floated around Canterlot, "You could go to Ponyville. I'm sure Twilight Sparkle and her friends would love to see you again."

Luna looked away from her sister, "I don't want to."

"Sister," Celestia sighed, "I'm worried about you."

"I'm worried about me. You should strengthen the guard around my rooms, just in case."

Celestia stared at her for several moments. Luna hid her face behind her hooves, unwilling to let her sister see her tears. She heard hoofsteps and the sound of her door opening and then closing again. Looking up, she saw that Celestia had left the room.

Luna threw herself back onto her bed, slamming the curtains shut with her magic and cutting off the light. Plunged into darkness, she sobbed quietly into her pillow. She wished she could just give up her power, get rid of it forever. She did not want to worry about her power being used against others again.

At some point she fell back into a fitful sleep. When she woke in the night, her pillow was wet with tears.

***

She could feel the presence of her previous host, far away. She could feel tension in the alicorn, fear and loathing in her distant mind. Nightmare Moon chuckled. Just like so long ago, the princess of the night was filled with self-doubt and fear. Ripe for the plucking. Luna would never learn.

Nightmare Moon rose up, a haze of purple magic given vague form. She flowed through the light woods, moving towards the far off alicorn that had once hosted her. The sun shone down on her, and she laughed at it.

"Let your little sun shine, Celestia," Nightmare Moon said, "Soon it will never shine again. This time I won't give that stupid lavender unicorn time for her friends to come save her. Once I've taken your sister, I will kill your precious Elements of Harmony one at a time. And then nothing will be able to stand in my way."

She laughed again as she traveled across Equestria. The day would end before she reached her destination. Fitting, she thought. Let Celestia have her final dusk.

***

Luna paced in her rooms. Her nightmares had been going on since she was given freedom, but tonight they had agitated her far worse than usual. She could not sit still. What was worse, she knew Celestia would be coming by at some point. Luna knew her sister well enough to know she would not drop their earlier argument.

As if summoned by Luna's thought, she heard a firm knock on the door.

"Come in," she said, as Celestia opened the door. Luna sighed, "You could at least wait a second after knocking."

"I'm still worried about you, Luna," Celestia said, "Your guards said you've been pacing in here for hours. What's wrong, sister?"

"The nightmares are growing worse," Luna said.

"How so?"

Luna regarded her sister for a moment before resuming her pacing, "I don't know how to describe it. I can't sit still. My mind keeps going back to that night, the night you banished me."

"The night I banished Nightmare Moon," Celestia said.

"Yes, that night," Luna said, "And the night Twilight and her friend freed me. I keep feeling what Nightmare Moon felt that night. The memories are so strong and clear. It almost like she's in my head again."

Luna stopped pacing and stared at her sister, eyes tearing up, "I can feel her coming back, Celestia. I'm so scared."

Celestia watched her for a long moment, "Come with me," she said, turning and walking out of the room.

Luna considered ignoring her sister, but decided to follow. Celestia would just come back anyway, and drag her along. Luna followed her sister through the door. The two guards, one on either side, watched her pass. She imagined there was fear in their eyes, but could not bring herself to look directly at them to check.

They passed a few other ponies on their way through the castle. Luna avoiding looking directly at any of them, while Celestia smiled and nodded. Luna did not fail to notice the widening of eyes as ponies noticed her. She felt more tense than ever, even with Celestia walking right next to her. Her sister led the way to the top of the tallest tower in the castle, then turned to Luna.

"You have to stop hiding away in your rooms, Luna."

"Celestia, I'm dangerous," Luna said, her throat tightening, "Nightmare Moon already took me once, what's to stop her from doing it again? Even here in the castle the other ponies know it. Did you not see the fear in their eyes as you led me up here tonight?"

"Oh Luna, that was not fear," Celestia said, "They were surprised to see you outside of your rooms. Look," Celestia said, pointing up into the sky, "This is your night. The beauty of the stars, the shining moon, the dance of meteors. This is your amazing artwork."

"And she tainted it. Tried to use it to destroy Equestria. I don't want that to happen again."

"You are strong, sister," Celestia said, "You do not need to fear."

Luna frowned, "It is my strength that I fear, Celestia. Watching all my power being turned against the ones I love."

"Luna, stop it," Celestia said, "I am tired of seeing you this way. Nightmare Moon is gone, banished forever by the Elements of Harmony. You have nothing to fear."

A chill passed over them, and Luna shuddered. She felt that chill every day in her nightmares. It was familiar, and it was
horrifying to feel it while awake.

"Not forever," a dark voice said from behind the two alicorns. Luna's eyes went wide, and she turned to see a familiar purple haze rising over the edge of the tower.

"Wha- no!" Luna said, in shock.

"Yes, dear little Luna," the voice said again, emanating from the purple cloud of magical energy, "I have returned. And together we will bring about our eternal night at last."

"No!" Celestia shouted, stepping between her sister and the evil entity.

Nightmare Moon simply laughed, "In the light of day, and without your sister under my control, maybe you could stop me. But Celestia, your precious sun has set. The day is yours, but the night is mine."

With a swift blast of energy, Nightmare Moon sent Celestia flying off of the tower and plummeting to the ground. Luna watched her sister's limp body falling away. She tried to jump after Celestia and catch her, but felt herself held in place by a tug of magic.

"Where are you going, little Luna?" Nightmare Moon asked with a mocking laugh.

"Leave me alone!"

Nightmare Moon pulled Luna closer, "Why would I do that? You are my host, little Luna."

"I don't want to be your host."

"Oh, but you invited me in. It's too late to change your mind. Poor little Luna, she worked so hard to make her beautiful nights, but everypony gave her sister all the praise," Luna cringed, not just from the mocking tone in Nightmare Moon's voice, but from the truth of her statements, "All you ever wanted was for other ponies to appreciate your nights. And I can give you that. My night will last forever."

Luna could feel Nightmare Moon pressing in on her mind. Dark thoughts invaded her. Thoughts of vengeance and destruction. She saw scenes of Twilight and her friends, each cornered alone and helpless, dying one by one. She saw Celestia wounded and crying, Canterlot crumbling around her. Everypony suffering and dying, and unending darkness throughout.

She knew Nightmare Moon's plan. To kill off the bearers of the Elements one by one. Nopony would be able to stop her, and Luna would be forced to bear witness to it all, to carry out the actions of that evil will. And then Nightmare Moon would cover Equestria in darkness, in her eternal night.

Her night, Luna thought, she will take my night and make it her own. My beautiful night will be twisted into something evil, and all the ones I love will be destroyed. Just as I've feared for these many months.

"Hahaha!" Nightmare Moon laughed, pressing in on the weakening Luna, "Nopony knows it yet, but they will spend the rest of their lives under the cloak of my night!"

She called it her night again, Luna thought. Narrowing her eyes, Luna looked up at the dark glowing haze above her.

"No," Luna said.

"What?"

"They will not spend their lives in your night."

"Oh, and you think you can stop me?" Nightmare Moon chuckled, "Even Celestia was too weak."

"You forget, Nightmare Moon, that the night is not yours. It never has been, "Luna stood tall, glaring defiantly, "THE NIGHT. IS. MINE!"

Luna's wings flared out, her mane and tail flowing around her. With a blast of magic, she sent a beam of moonlight piercing through the hazy form of Nightmare Moon. The dark being screamed, flowing away from the magical energy and then turning and wrapping around Luna.

Luna felt herself grow hot. Nightmare Moon was pouring magical energy into her body. Coughing, she felt herself growing faint. At the same time, the malevolent will pressed on her mind. Luna felt her will weakening, her body shuddered and her legs gave out.

"Yes," Nightmare Moon said, "Give in. My night will get the appreciation it deserves."

"It's. My! NIGHT!" Luna screamed, channeling power. She cast a mirror spell, twisted it, and reflected the magical energy of Nightmare Moon. The magic blasted outward, scattering the vaporous form of Nightmare Moon.

She quickly cast several force fields, cutting Nightmare Moon into several vaporous clouds, shrinking the force fields and crushing the pieces of her foe.

Nightmare Moon's voice screamed. The force fields glowed brightly and shattered, and the haze of Nightmare Moon regathered. The tower below Luna shifted, the stone oozing around her hooves, rooting her in place. The tower warped and bent, and she found herself surrounded by stone faces, screaming and crying in terror.

"They fear you, little Luna," Nightmare Moon said, "Every time they see you, their eyes fill with terror. They will never love you like they love Celestia. They will always fear you. Give them reason to fear you. Make them respect you."

Luna felt her will weakening. She was disgusted with herself for being tempted by such madness. She shook her head, tears flying away at the sudden motion, then stood tall and stared down Nightmare Moon.

"I will not give in to you this time," Luna said, "I remember last time. I remember all of it. You forced me to do horrible things. Stay away!"

Quicky, before her foe could react, Luna unleashed her power on Nightmare Moon. She poured every bit of magic she had into the nightmare from her past, used all of her energy and will to drive away the cold darkness. Nightmare Moon screamed, writhing under Luna's magical might.

But when Luna had spent herself, Nightmare Moon remained. The purple haze closed in around Luna, laughing.

"I forced you?" Nightmare Moon said, "You invited me in, dear Luna. You practically begged for my help. You wanted it."

"No," Luna said, her voice barely more than a whisper.

"You wanted it all, and more," Nightmare Moon continued, "You wanted Celestia dead. You wanted everypony cowering at your feet."

Luna could not respond again. She merely buried her face in her hooves, sobbing, terrified of what was happening and what was to come.

"And now, you shall have it."

Luna felt Nightmare Moon within her, moving in her mind. Darkness filled her, not her beautiful night but the cold and terrifying darkness of the nightmare. The nightmares that had disturbed her sleep for months. But now she was not sleeping, and the real nightmare had come back in force.

She lost track of where Luna ended and Nightmare Moon began. The two minds were now occupying the same body, vying for control, and Nightmare Moon was the stronger by far.

I am Luna, she thought, clinging to that fact. It had been the only thing to keep her sane, last time. The knowledge that she was not this monster residing within her.

"We are the princess of the night!" Nightmare Moon shouted through Luna's lips. They cackled.

No, she cackled! Luna thought, she, not I!

Luna could feel the wretched thoughts of Nightmare Moon. Looking, searching. For the Elements of Harmony, she knew. Nightmare Moon planned to remove the only hope of stopping her.

Where are the Elements, Nightmare Moon asked inside her head.

Luna shank back to the furthest recesses of her mind, I will not help you, she thought.

Poor, dear Luna, Nightmare Moon thought, you do not have a choice.

Pain flared, and Luna screamed. Or tried to. She had no control of her mouth or her throat. She could feel Nightmare Moon sifting through her memories. The touch of such an evil mind on her deepest thoughts and memories burned. Just when she thought she could bear it no longer, the pain stopped.

Ponyville, Nightmare Moon thought.

With that thought, Luna felt her body teleport.

***

Luna found that she had been taken to a small library. It did not take her long to figure out which one. It was the small library in Ponyville where her sister's student, Twilight Sparkle, was staying. The sixth Element. If Nightmare Moon removed Twilight Sparkle, it would be nearly impossible to use the Elements of Harmony in time to save Equestria.

The room was dark, but a light shone under a nearby door. The occasional sound of a turning page could be heard from the other side of that door. They walked casually towards the door, reached out and pushed it open.

A lavender unicorn sat at a desk, her nose buried in some book. So intently was she reading, she did not even look up to see who had entered the study. As they watched, Twilight turned to a scroll covered in hasty writing and added a note to it. This task completed, she finally turned to her guest.

"Spike, shouldn't you be sleep-" Twilight started, but as she turned around to the doorway her eyes went wide, taking in the sight of her visitor, "P-princess Luna?"

They chuckled at the uncertain tone of the Element of Magic, "Yes, Luna is with us."

"N-nightmare M-m-moon?" Twilight's pupils dilated, and she shank back against her desk.

"Indeed, we have returned!" they said, laughing.

No, she said, Luna thought to herself, she, not us. We are not her, I am not her.

Nightmare Moon laughed internally, too, amused at Luna's struggling thoughts.

Twilight Sparkle ran, diving at the window, but Nightmare Moon caught her with telekinesis, throwing her to the ground and towering over Twilight. Nightmare Moon laughed again, reveling in her victory.

"With you out of the way, the other Elements will fall easily!" Nightmare Moon said.

"Leave my friends alone!" Twilight shouted, her eyes narrowing.

Nightmare Moon leaned down, nose to nose with Twilight, "Make me," she whispered.

Twilight's horn glowed, and before Nightmare Moon could stop her she vanished with a popping noise. Irritated, Nightmare Moon looked around the small room, and peeked out into the main library room. Twilight Sparkle was nowhere to be seen.

Luna's mind burned again. Nightmare Moon was searching her thoughts and memories, trying to discover where Twilight would go, who she would turn to. The answer was obvious once she had it. The little pony would run to her mentor, Princess Celestia.

Luna felt herself being teleported again.

***

Canterlot castle again. At the base of the tower where her nightmare returned. She could see Twilight Sparkle a short distance away, and next to her was Celestia. Celestia was lying on the ground, injured, a sight which filled her with remorse and joy.

No, it filled Nightmare Moon with joy. It filled Luna with remorse.

Both Twilight Sparkle and Celestia looked up when Nightmare Moon arrived. She could see their fear in the widening of their eyes, the slight quivering of their bodies. Nightmare Moon smiled, stepping closer.

"Well well well, running to Celestia for protection?" Nightmare Moon mocked.

"Leave her alone," Celestia said, struggling to stand up on her hooves.

"You aren't strong enough to stop me," Nightmare Moon said, lowering her horn, "Especially since hurting me means hurting dear little Luna."

Nightmare Moon pointed her horn at Celestia, and blasted the white alicorn away. Twilight Sparkle cried out to her mentor, but before she could move Nightmare Moon towered over her again.

"Your name was chosen well, Twilight." Nightmare Moon said, "For now is the last twilight, and your last moment."

"T-technically, it's already past twilight," Twilight said.

"Oh, hahaha!" Nightmare Moon laughed, "Very well, ruin the poetry of your end."

Nightmare Moon lowered her horn to deliver the final blow, but she found herself thrown back. Clambering back to her hooves, she saw Celestia crouched protectively over Twilight Sparkle.

"You'll have to get through me first," Celestia said through gritted teeth.

Nightmare Moon responded with a bored expression, "Haven't I already shown more than enough power to 'get through you'? Step aside, sister. I do not wish to kill you now. You'll miss the show."

Celestia stood her ground, "You are not my sister."

"Very well."

Nightmare Moon lowered her horn again, pointing it directly at Celestia's heart. Luna could feel the magic gathering for a killing blow. She could only watch, helpless, as her body and her power were used to kill her own beloved sister. The only pony who had ever given her the appreciation that Luna desired so strongly.

The magic aura around Nightmare Moon grew, her great power gathering together. Celestia had an expression of defeat on her face, in her stance. Celestia had seen Nightmare Moon's full power before, Luna knew, and without the Elements of Harmony Celestia would be swatted away.

Her own sister. The only one who had ever cared, who had ever tried to reach out to Luna. She felt a stirring in herself, the same sensation she had felt when the Elements of Harmony rescued her months before. She wished the Elements where here now, to save her again. Luna cried, despair welling up inside her, tears blurring her vision.

Tears? Luna thought, how am I crying?

Nightmare Moon, concentrating on her spell, failed to notice the slip in control. She was almost finished, another second and she would unleash a massive wave of magical power that would finish Celestia once and for all.

No, Luna thought.

NO, her mind raged.

"NO!" her body screamed.

Luna stamped her hoof, pointing her horn upward and unleashing a wave of destruction harmlessly into the sky. She could feel Nightmare Moon's shock, her sudden uncertainty.

What is this? Nightmare Moon thought, what are you doing?

"I will not allow this!" Luna shouted. She shook herself, mentally and physically, trying to shake off the evil presence of Nightmare Moon. It was almost easy, in a way. The Elements of Harmony had done it once, and Luna remembered how it felt, how it happened. She forced the nightmare out, expelled the jealousy and rage that fueled it within her. A purple haze enveloped her body, seeping out of her, and she tossed it away.

Nightmare Moon floated in front of her, reduced to a vile mist again. As their minds were separated, Luna's last impressions of the nightmare were feelings of surprise, shock, and even fear.

"WE ARE THE PRINCESS OF THE NIGHT!" Luna screamed in the Royal Canterlot Voice, "THE NIGHT BELONGS TO US, NOT TO YOU!"

"You are weak-" Nightmare Moon began to say, but Luna cut her off.

"WE ARE STRONG!" Luna moved between Nightmare Moon and Celestia, guarding her weakened sister, "YOU ARE THE WEAK ONE! PREYING ON PONIES, DEPENDING ON WEAK WILLS TO GIVE YOU FORM AND FUNCTION!"

"You will never be loved without me!" Nightmare Moon shot back.

"WE WILL ONLY BE FEARED WITH YOU!"

"You cannot banish me without the Elements," Nightmare Moon smirked, as well as a magical purple cloud could smirk, "And they are not all here."

Luna's next words came out very quietly, "We have no intention of banishing you."

"What?"

"The Elements of Harmony banished you to a place of nothing, but you escaped," Luna said, "We will not risk another repeat of the past."

"What are you-" Nightmare Moon was cut off when Luna slipped into the Royal Canterlot Voice again.

"WE WILL NOT BANISH YOU! WE WILL DESTROY YOU! YOU WANT US TO BE FEARED, A THING OF TERROR AND NIGHTMARES? SO BE IT! WE WILL BE YOUR NIGHTMARE!"

Luna drew her power in around herself. The shining light of the moon enveloped her, wrapping her in its beauty. Starlight rained down from the sky, twinkling points of light whirling around the angry princess of the night.

Nightmare Moon flared with power of her own, the ground and even the very air around her warping and twisting with dark energy, a living nightmare growing in the castle courtyard. Nightmare Moon's maniacal laugh echoed as if from very far away, and Luna felt a sense of vertigo when she looked at Nightmare Moon, a sense that the world was falling away around them.

Luna ignored it. Her full might was gathered to her now, and she unleashed it. Her magic wound around the twisting paths of the nightmare, driving towards the center. At the same time, Nightmare Moon released her own magic. Terror filled Luna's mind, images of every bad dream and horrific nightmare she had had in her long life.

Images of Nightmare Moon flooded her mind, and the evils she had committed under that name. Memories of Discord's chaos and atrocities. Impressions of evils far older, and legends of two young sisters alone in a world of terror and nightmares.

Luna closed her eyes, and concentrated her mind on the spell she was casting. The memories and terrors pressed on her mind, growing more insistent. She gritted her teeth, her heart thudding in her chest as she remembered all the times she had been scared, or hurt, worried and alone. All the times she had been rejected or, her greatest fear, forgotten.

She stumbled, and nearly faltered in her spell. A few more seconds and she would have lost her grip on the magic she was pouring out, but suddenly the images stopped, the fear ended and the pain of old memories faded. She could hear the screaming voice of Nightmare Moon and knew that her spell had found its mark.

Looking towards her foe once again, she saw that the twisting nightmare that had filled the courtyard was slipping away, returning to normalcy. The purple haze that was Nightmare Moon faded, shrinking. The screams grew more and more distant, until they stopped altogether. After a few seconds, no sight or sound of Nightmare Moon remained.

Luna stood still, breathing heavily. Her legs quaked, her body so exhausted she could barely stand. She had not been so worn out in a very long time. Luna turned, shakily, when she heard hoofsteps behind her.

Celestia was there, with Twilight Sparkle. Twilight looked shaken by intensity of the magical duel she had just witnessed, but Celestia was smiling. Luna smiled back with great effort, so worn out that even the muscles around her mouth protested.

"I'm so proud of you, little sister," Celestia said.

Luna simply looked away, tears welling in her eyes again, "I let the nightmare back in."

"No, Luna, you forced it out," Celestia said, moving close to her sister and wrapping a wing around the smaller alicorn, "You showed that you are strong enough to overcome it."

"That was amazing, princess," Twilight said, trotting up next to the sisters with wide eyes, "You were amazing!"

"I had to stop her," Luna said with a shy smile, "It was all happening again, just like one thousand years ago. I couldn't bear to watch it again."

She could not bear to see Celestia hurt again, Luna did not say. Instead, she cried, her body wracked with sobs. Her tired legs gave out, and she collapsed to the ground. Celestia knelt down beside her with a comforting nuzzle.

"You have been through a lot tonight, dear sister," Celestia said, "But you have survived it. You have done well."

Luna thought for a moment, and then turned to the onlooking unicorn, "Twilight Sparkle, may I ask something of you?"

"Of course princess, anything," Twilight said.

"My sister has asked for your friends to join you in sending her friendship reports," Luna said, carefully avoiding her sister's gaze, "I am wondering if you would allow me to give one of my own."

Twilight smiled, "That sounds like an excellent idea."

Luna turned to see Celestia smiling, a twinkle in her eye," Dear Princess Celestia," Luna started, then thought better of it, "Dear sister, I learned a very important lesson about friendship today. I learned that I should not fear my own strength and keep myself away from other ponies, because other ponies are what keep me strong. When the nightmare came again, I despaired, I let it back in. It was only through the strength of my friendship with you, my sister, that I managed to throw off the nightmare and rid myself of it forever. I should be strengthening the power of friendship within me, not allowing it to stagnate and weaken as I hide in my rooms. It is with a glad heart that I inform you of my decision to celebrate Nightmare Night in Ponyville, as you suggested to me, and to try to make some new friends."

Luna smiled back at her sister now, "Your loving sister, Princess Luna."

"That was beautiful, Luna," Celestia said, still smiling down at her. Celestia leaned down and nuzzled Luna.

"Thank you, Celestia," Luna said. She wanted to say more, but that could wait. For now, there was a more pressing matter, "Could you, uhm... help me to my rooms? I'm afraid I'm too exhausted to walk."

Celestia laughed, a sweet, kind laugh, and helped her sister walk slowly to her rooms.