Six little ponies, those who dared stand against her, rose into the air as the magic of the Elements coursed through them, surrounding them in a grand rainbow of magic. The wind howled around her as the magical pressure began to rise. She could feel her skin crawling underneath her fur as the harmonious magic fought against her very being. The magical rainbow then shot forward, and Nightmare Moon looked on in horror as it surrounded her. Pain was all that she felt, and she screamed. She didn't want this, she didn't want to return to the moon. She couldn't. She'd do anything to stop this from happening again!

Time slowed down, and then stopped. The pain stopped, and within her mind, Nightmare Moon could hear something. Voices in her mind, talking to her. It was the Elements, and they were offering her a chance. She would not have to return to her prison, and spend another thousand years trapped. But she had to be punished. She had done too much, more than any of these ponies would ever know. She would be imprisoned here in Equestria, and only for a short time. Nightmare eagerly accepted. She felt herself being pulled away, out of the rainbow, as time returned to normal. Where she had been, she saw a small, blue alicorn.

Suddenly, she found herself flung out of the castle, and down into the ravine surrounding it. Pulled into a cave, she found herself hanging in front of the Tree of Harmony itself, the source of the elements. She was given the details of her punishment. When she had heard what they demanded of her, she wanted to refuse, to turn it down and just be sent away again. But it was too late, she'd already accepted, and now she had to live with it. And live with it she did.

She was chained high above the tree itself, hidden from view of any who should enter. Then there was pain, as her magic was ripped from her, leaving only enough to keep her alive, but not enough to fully sustain herself. Chains surrounded her legs, binding her to the place, and sapping any magical buildup, but allowing her to move about the small space some. There she sat, staring at the very thing that she currently hated most, unable to eat, to drink, to sleep, but never dying. To spend an eternity there alone, or until the terms of her imprisonment had been met.

She was offered a small reprieve to her loneliness. Through the tree, she was sort of allowed to watch the world, observe events as they happened, and learn from them as she spent her time in solitary. She saw those wretched Element Bearers, going about their disgutingly happy lives, having adventures and making friends. She hated it. She hated them. And most of all, she hated that bitch who had replaced her. That fake who gladly took her place alongside Celestia. She looked happy, and ponies loved her and the night. Her Night! The songs and praises they gave the false one should have been for her! How dare they... how dare she...

Once the confusion left their minds, chaos broke out, and ponies ran from the Nightmare reincanated, screaming and knocking things over as they tried to escape the evil that just wiped out their snacks. The Elements attempted to calm everypony, and restore order to the place, but it was difficult. Luna could only stare at the site before her. This miserable... thing that had come into town. A shadow of what she used to be. A pile of skin and bones, blowing out weazing breathes as it slept a fitful sleep upon the hay pile. She hated what this thing represented, what it reminded her of. But at the same time, she felt pity. This thing... She. She had been subjected to something terrible. A punishment had been dolled out to her, and Luna wasn't sure she had really deserved it, not if this was the result.

Reaching out with her magic, Luna examined the Nightmare. She had so little magic. She only had enough to keep her alive, and keep her body from falling apart around her. Her internal organs and muscles were shriveled and usless. Her skin was nothing but a crusty covering. She was more like something a Necromancer would have brought forth, except this being could be saved from the effects. Nothing important had completly crumbled away. In fact, she was already absorbing magic from the environment, and Luna's spell. Luna stopped her examination, and thought to herself. Should she really allow this mare to continue? All of Equestria could be at risk! Everything she'd come to love and care for could be taken away! Maybe... maybe she should just... end it...

"NO!" Luna cried out loud. She would not stoop to that level. No matter what this creature represented, she would not go down that path again. What few citizens had been left in the area quickly made a hasty retreat when Luna shouted. Only Luna, Nightmare, the Elements, and Nure Redheart remained. She'd cautiously moved closer to the two alicorns to take a look at the pitful sleeping mare. She quietly waited for Luna to finish her examination, clamping her ears to her skull when she'd yelled, before speaking up.

"P-princess Luna? W... what did you find out? Is she going to be alright?" The Nurse, ever true to her cutie mark, was worried for the sickly alicorn, and willing to help her get better, even if she was evil. She got closer to her, climbing up onto the hay and looking her over. She grimaced at what she saw. This mare shouldn't have been alive at this point.

"She is... in a bad spot. Only magic is keeping her alive at this point. If she is to make a recovery, we must get her to a hospital quickly, and give her fluids and nutrients. Magic can only help her so much," Luna surrounded the skeletal mare, and layed her upon her back. She weighed almost nothing, and felt disturbing against her fur. Suppressing a shudder, Luna motioned for Redheart to lead her to the hospital.

"Sparkle? I need you to write a letter to my sister. I urgently need her here, but do not tell her of the Nightmare, I will do that myself. Please join us when you are finished. I need the rest of you girls to make sure everypony in town is okay, and see if you can convince them to return and help clean up the festivities. We-," Nightmare suddenly vomited up the contents of her tiny stomach, all over Luna's neck and front leg. This time, she did not supress the shudder.

"Uuuuughhh... I will need a very long bath after this." Casting a quick spell, she cleaned off most of the vomit, but she could still feel it in her fur, and it made her feel ill. "Come nurse, we must make haste."

beep... beep... beep...

"are you sure... I mean she is... Luna...."

Her ear flicked softely. Somepony nearby was talking.

beep... beep... beep...

"I know.... she didn't attack... ate alot of pie..."

Try as she might, Nightmare couldn't hear what they were saying. They sounded far away. All she could really hear was an incessant beeping sound.

beep... beep... beep...

"alright... trust you... I just hope..."

The beeping was starting to get to her. And the pain. She felt alot of pain. Her body felt like it was recovering, and her nerves were growing back, and it HURT. Her limbs were sore, her head was pounding, her teeth ached. Everything hurt. She groaned as loud as she could. Only a light sigh escaped her lips.

beep... beep... beep...

"Wait, I think she's waking up."

With great difficulty, she cracked open one of her eyes. Everything was blurry and unfocused. She saw something to her right. It was a dark blue color, and vaguely pony shaped.

beep... beep... beep...

"Nightmare? Can you hear me?"

Opening her other eye slightly, she attempted to get a better look at whatever this blue thing was. To left was another pony shape, smaller, and purple.

beep... beep... beep...

"Here, I'll go get the doctor. You just stay here with... her."

The purple pony left, leaving the blue one. Her vision was beginning to clear up, and she was able to see what was around her more clearly. The blue blur of a pony started to take shape. She tried to speak, but her throat was dry and her lips were cracked. "Mmmmph..."

"You need to speak up. I can't hear you..." A tall, somewhat thin Alicorn mare with a blue, flowing mane and tail filled with stars and star dust. Upon her flank was a large black splotch with a crescent moon within it. Large feathered wings were folded up at her sides, and a grand horn peared up from her mane. Princess Luna.

Her teal eyes looked upon her with concern... and fear...

Nightmare's dull, dragon slit eyes slowly towards the nearby desk, before flicking back to Luna. She parted parted her dry, cracked lips, her dull fangs showing as she opened her jaw. A small, forked tongue weakly liked her lips.

"Oh, of course." Luna picked up the pitcher of water left on the desk and filled up a cup for before levitating it over to the sickly alicorn. Nightmare lifted her head a best she could, letting Luna put the glass to her lips. Luna watched the Nightmare's throat bulge slightly as she drained the glass, not having been used for such a thing in a long time. When she was finished, Luna place the glass back on the desk.

"Nightmare, I... why are you here? What happened to you?" The Nightmare could only weeze and cough, and Luna winced with sympathy.

"Princess Luna? Please dont make my... patient try to talk right now. She need time to recover before she can do even that. The doctor had come in, and brought a cart of supplies and tools with her. Twilight stood outside the door, waiting for Luna to follow her

"I am sorry doctor. I will take my leave for now. I shall return in the morning to check up on her. Don't be afraid to contact me if there are any... complications," Luna exited the room and followed Twilight out into the lobby, taking a seat in one of the larger chairs. Twilight spoke up.

"I just got a message from Celestia," Twilight magiked a scroll over to Luna, who unraveled it and began reading. Celestia couldn't make it. Something had happened in Canterlot that caused a panic, and she needed to be there to help calm ponies down. Unless it was an emergency, Luna would have to wait until morning for her.

"Hmm, very well, I suppose this can wait until then. Sparkle, I hope you do not mind me staying at your castle for the night do you?"

"Oh! of course not! I've already got some rooms ready for when guests stop by!" Twilight and Luna got off the chairs, and made their way outside.

"Thank you Sparkle," They took off into the sky, towards the giant crystal tree that was Twilight's home.

Author's Note

A complete rewrite of this chapter, and one that I feel more satisfied with. I can actually go places with this.