Mare Of The Moon

Chapters

1 - Prologue
2 - Early years
3 - Nightmare Moon
4 - 987 years later...
5 - Entrance Exam
6 - Friendship Is Magic
7 - Nightmare Nova
9 - Change of Heart
10 - Jailbreak
11 - Dawn
12 - Epilogue
8 - Change of Management

1 - Prologue

Castle of The Two Sisters, 20 years before Nightmare Moon.

The castle was abuzz with activity as servants rushed to and fro and a loud scream echoed throughout the long hallways.

The Princess of the sun, Celestia rushed down the hallways almost breaking into a gallop towards her destination, her assistant had just informed her of the very news Celestia had been waiting on for days now, her sister, Princess Luna diarch of the night, was entering labour.

Celestia's thought pattern raced a billion miles-an-hour as both excitement and no small amount of nervousness fell over the solar diarch. Ultimately her thoughts fell on the Pegasus stallion who should have been here to see this, Night Rider would have made a brilliant guard captain and would have made an even better father... if only it wasn't for those damned Griffons and their border skirmishes...
Celestia came to a halt as she reached the infirmary doors, inside she could hear Luna in so much pain and yet she froze, unable to decide whether she should enter or not.

One voice, or rather Royal Canterlot Voice, however, made that decision for her

"WHERE IS THAT DAMNED SISTER OF MINE?!"

So now it was obvious Luna wanted her support so Celestia did the right thing and promptly flung open the doors, swiftly entered the infirmary and went to her sister's side. There were doctors and nurses buzzing around the place with one constantly telling her to 'Push'.

"It's OK Lulu, I'm here," Celestia comforted her sister.

"WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" Luna shouted in her Royal Canterlot Voice, again.

Celestia suppressed a slight giggle, "Now now Lulu, you don't want to deafen the poor foal moments after the birth!"

"Ha ha very funny Tia..." Luna said, grimacing in pain.

For what seemed like hours Celestia sat at her sister's side comforting her, helping through the pain that came with the miracle of childbirth.

And then at long last, it was done...

"Its a filly!" Shouted one of the doctors delivering the small form into Luna's waiting hooves.

"She's beautiful..." Luna smiled with tears of joy welling up in her eyes.

Celestia observed the small filly in Luna's hooves. She was a beautiful lavender coated Alicorn filly with a dark purple mane and tail with a pink stripe going through both. The filly opened her eyes which were the same colour as her coat, before closing them and going to sleep.

"That she is Luna, what will you name her?" Celestia asked, giving her sister an affectionate nuzzle.

"Myself and Night Rider..." Luna paused slightly at the mention of his name, but she quickly continued, "We had discussed names for if it was a stallion or a mare, we never could decide on a male name but the female name we decided on pretty quickly..."

Luna nuzzled her daughter for the first time.

"Twilight Sparkle."

Author's Note

And so begins my first non Doctor Whooves story! Enjoy!

2 - Early years

Castle of The Two Sisters, 17 years before Nightmare Moon

"Mommy!" shouted a three year old Twilight Sparkle as Luna walked into her bedroom.

Luna dismissed the servant who had been foalsitting Twilight before giving her daughter an affectionate nuzzle.

"Where is he mommy?" asked Twilight giving Luna the most adorable puppy eyes she had ever seen.

From behind Luna in a magical blue aura came a grey stallion doll in blue shorts with white polka dots.

"Smarty Pants!" Twilight shouted grabbing the doll in the biggest hug she could give.

Luna laughed warmly. "Now be careful my little star, we don't want to break him again so soon after mommy fixed him now do we?"

Twilight nodded before running up to Luna and hugging her left foreleg. Luna knelt down to Twilight's level and scooped her up with her wing into an embrace of her own.

Neither noticed as the doors opened and another pony walked in.

"Enjoying yourselves?" asked Celestia with a warm smile on her face.

"Aunt Celestia!" Called out Twilight, freeing herself from Luna's embrace to give Celestia a hug equal or possibly greater than the one she gave Smarty Pants.

Celestia chuckled. "Well aren't you in a good mood today Twilight!"

Twilight looked up at her aunt. "Mommy fixed Smarty Pants!"

"So she did," Celestia remarked looking up to see Luna approaching, Twilight quickly moved back to her mothers side.

"Tia, how was the day court?"

Celestia snorted, the mask she wore in front of the nobles had no part in her family life. "Dull, though a little more annoying than usual"

"The Bluebloods?" Luna asked knowingly

"Yes, out of all the nobles they are the family I have the least patience and respect for"

"Well at least they never come to my night court..."

Luna's mood fell slightly. "Not that many pony's come to my night court anymore anyway, only the bat pony's really come for my help".

Celestia shrugged not registering her sisters sadness. "Oh well, all the less bothersome nobles for you to deal with."

"Not the point..." Luna mumbled before giving a sigh, many pony's had begun to shun the night and Luna herself, or sometimes even
Twilight just because she was the 'Daughter of the night', and Celestia despite clearly caring for both Luna and Twilight deeply was blind to this, blinded by the limelight that shone on her and her sun.

"Come my little star, lets go get something to eat." Luna addressed her daughter, both walking out of the room with Celestia following shortly after.

Celestia was blind to how her sister felt, and she could not have possibly have known how much she would come to regret that fact.

Castle of The Two Sisters, 10 years before Nightmare Moon

Twilight sat in her bedroom, inside the book fortress she had constructed looking through spell book after spell book as she did most afternoons. However today was different, having not yet gotten her cutie mark Twilight had decided, somewhat foolishly the best way to get it was to magically raise the moon like her mother. Twilight had naively looked through dozens of spell books from the deepest part of the library she had access to, she even had 'borrowed' some books from Celestia's secret study in the library and a few other hidden rooms accessed via that stupid organ.

No luck

Twilight growled in frustration and chucked the book she was reading away, all that she had found in that was some sort of 'want it, need it' spell that seemed more trouble than it was worth. However Twilight was one determined filly and decided, once again somewhat foolishly, to try it anyway.

In another area of the castle Luna walked out on to the balcony readying to raise the moon, which she began to do with flawless grace that she had done it with for centuries, and then she felt it.

Somepony else was tugging on the moon with her, trying to wrest control, however while it was impressive they managed a connection in the first place it was not nearly enough power to raise it never mind overpower Luna, the moon came to rest in its proper place in the sky and Luna let go ready to go find and punish whomever tried to steal HER moon.

And then Twilights bedroom exploded.

Panic swept over Luna as a magical maelstrom formed around where her daughter was likely located and she took to the skies in that direction as fast as she could.

When she arrived she entered through a new hole in the wall and found Twilight levitating next to her ruined book fortress, her eyes glowing a bright white as uncontrolled magic spewed from her horn.

Luna walked up to her daughter and touched the side of her head gently with one hoof.

"Shh my little star, I'm here for you, you don't have to be scared anymore..." she cooed

It worked, the maelstrom quickly died down and then disappeared all together, leaving behind an alicorn filly with a guilty look on her face.

"I'm sorry! I thought if I could raise your moon I could be like you and then I would get my cutie mark and... I'm sorry!" Twilight burst into tears and buried her head in Luna's chest.

Luna wrapped a wing around Twilight to comfort her, both their heads turned to face Celestia as she burst her way into the room.

"Luna! What happened here?!" Celestia asked looking at the devastated room.

"I'm sorry!" Twilight cried out again

"Shh, Twilight," Luna cooed to her daughter. "Sister, my daughter had a magical flare when she tried to raise my moon by herself, I have it under control there is no need to worry now."

Celestia gave a sigh of relief, but then she noticed something that brought a smile to her face, "It would seem one good thing came out of this event after all," she said, pointing at Twilight's flank.

Luna looked to see what Celestia was talking about, and there sat a starburst cutie mark.

For the first time in many years Pony's all across Equestria looked up to the nights sky in wonder as a newly created constellation sat in the sky shining brightly.

Canterlot, 2 years before Nightmare Moon

Princess Twilight Sparkle walked through the small city flanked by a small escort of Lunar guards as she liked to do every Saturday. She liked to visit a small shop near the city centre called 'Joe's', it was a family business that had been set up to sell a recently invented food item called donuts.

She mainly did this because, other than the fact donuts were delicious, to show she was not just some noble who thought herself above the 'common pony', but rather was a pony like any other. She had begun this practice three years ago and had at first been warmly received by the community, but as shun for the night increased the inhabitants had come to welcome her less and less until only Joe and his regular patrons who Twilight often conversed with would give her a chance.

Twilight couldn't understand it, all she and her mother had ever done was bring about the night and make it as beautiful as possible, Twilight herself had put much work in creating new amazing constellations ever since she took charge of the stars a few years back. The hate they were unjustly receiving had begun to take a toll on them both and yet Celestia remained blind to it.

Twilight sighed as she came up to Joe's shop, at least the pony's she hung out with there were friendly AND appreciated her work with the stars, the only others were those within the Lunar guard which by this point was mostly Bat-Pegasi.

"Hold up your highness..." Captain Steel Blade warned, pointing out some solar guards which stood outside Joe's.

"What is it, Captain?"

"They should not be there, I don't like the look of this"

The Solar Guards spotted them and the lead one whistled, several more solar guards came out of the alleyways either side of them, all had their weapons drawn.

"Oh horseapples! To arms!" Steel Blade shouted to the other three Lunar guards.

Over a dozen solar guards surrounded them now, the Lunar guards drew their weapons and Twilight's horn lit up with a lavender aura, her wings lifted in a threatening manner.

The Solar guards struck first

Several threw spears at the group which Twilight deflected with ease, Steel Blade and the solar guards ringleader crossed blades and began to fight, the other three Lunar guards quickly had their hooves full and began to get overwhelmed before Twilight got the majorities
attention with a few well placed spells.

"Princess!" Steel Blade shouted wiping a bit a blood off his muzzle, witnessing the solar guards surround Twilight while a couple kept them from assisting her.

Twilight prepared to defend herself but shrieked in surprise as a loud 'Clang' erupted among the group, interrupting the fight as all turned to see its source.

One of the solar guards slumped over unconscious having been hit hard with a frying pan wielded by Joe who was flanked by several of his patrons whom Twilight recognised, all wielding makeshift weapons.

"See here, I really don't appreciate you bothering my most high profile customer like that, so I'm asking you nicely to stop," Joe calmly stated

The solar guards ringleader approached the group. "Civilians! This has nothing to do with you so, er, please leave now we do not wish to harm you!"

"Not gonna happen, get em'!" Shouted Joe to his patrons.

The battle ended quickly after that, normally solar guards could deal with angry ponies with frying pans quite easily, but the solar guards reluctance to hurt them (and the groups lack of reluctance to hurt the solar guard) combined with both the Lunar guard AND an alicorn princess attacking them at once, it was over within the minute as all the solar guard lay unconscious on the hard stone road.

The news very quickly spread about an attempt on the young Princess' life. But if any believed that would be the end of it, they were sorely mistaken.

Even as Twilight's safety was ascertained, that evening was one of anguish and rage for her mother.

"CELESTIA!" shouted Luna as she barged into Celestia's private study

Celestia looked up with a serious expression on her face, she had just been going over the report of the attack on her niece, and she was not in a happy mood, Luna less so.

"Sister, how is Twilight?"

"Fine, no thanks to you or your guard!" Luna shouted angrily

Celestia was taken aback by that comment. "Me? Luna I had nothing to do with this, neither did the Solar Guard in reality! Those who attacked Twilight were a group of fanatics who broke away months ago!"

"Fanatics who worship YOUR sun 'dear sister', and attacked MY daughter!"

"It will be dealt with Lulu!"

"It had better, things are coming to a head so you had better hope things get better for if anypony ever lays a hoof on my daughter again I will rip apart all of Equestria if that is what is necessary to get the fools responsible, understood!"

"Lulu I..."

Luna turned and stormed out of the study, slamming the door behind her.

Celestia let out a long sad sigh, they had been such a happy family the three of them once upon a time...

Castle of The Two Sisters, 0 years before Nightmare Moon

Celestia had claimed that she was doing everything in her power to stop the fanatics, to stem the hatred towards the night, but then they were attacked again, both of them this time, and then Celestia had the gall to make more empty promises, promises Luna no longer cared for.

Twilight had been reluctant, but after all she had been through she came around and decided to stand at her mother side, this was it, the final day, and the night...

The night that would last forever!

Author's Note

And so come Nightmare Moon! Next chapter will be all about the banishment and then we get more onto the present day stuff.

3 - Nightmare Moon

It had begun.

Nightmare Moon (formerly Princess Luna) and Nightmare Nova (formerly Princess Twilight) had gathered in secret those of the Lunar Guard who were loyal to them above all else, which was almost all of them and held secret meeting after secret meeting, all leaning towards one ultimate goal, Equestria itself.

And now those plans were all falling into place as most the Lunar guard both inside and outside the castle turned on their Solar counterparts and attacked them, those in the Lunar guard who did not join were considered traitors and were to be given no mercy. At the head of the invading forces stood Nightmare Nova and Captain Steel Blade, Nightmare Moon had gone to confront her sister.

For Twilight it began with just standing by her mother's side from filial loyalty. However, the corruption had just spread from there, especially after dabbing into dark magic.

Nightmare Nova was, thanks to dark magic and some transformation spells, now as tall as her mother and aunt with razor sharp teeth lining her mouth and a gas-like dark purple mane and tail which sparkled like the sky in a state of twilight. Her coat remained its usual lavender colour but her starburst cutie mark had turned black to represent the corruption within her. On her sat silver coloured armor that
matched the set which Nightmare Moon also wore.

"How goes the fight captain?" Twilight calmly asked Steel Blade.

"Those loyal to Celestia are putting up a good fight, but I'm confident we will push through their ranks soon"

"Good."

"Your highness, may I speak freely?"

"You are a trusted friend Steel Blade, you may say what you like, within reason"

"Thank you but... it's just that won't an eternal night essentially tidal-lock the planet and kill all life on this world eventually?"

"Yes... don't worry I talked mother out of that, instead it shall alternate between night and a state of twilight, no daytime and yet it should be enough to keep the planet alive"

"Ah, good to know..." Steel Blade gave a small sigh of relief

"I have stood idle long enough captain, lets re-join our brothers and sisters in the fight"

With that Nightmare Nova took to the skies blasting a few unlucky Solar Guards as she passed.

Inside the castle Luna sat behind her throne having temporarily reverted to her original form, she had sent a message for Celestia to meet her here to finish this once and for all.

The throne rooms doors opened with an almighty creak as an alabaster alicorn walked in, Celestia surveyed her surroundings for any sign of her sister.

"Not another step," Luna warned walking round from the back of the throne into full view.

"Luna! Why are you doing this?" Celestia demanded to know.

"Did you really expect me to sit idly by while they all basked in your precious light!"

"Luna?"

"There is only room for two princesses in Equestria, and neither will be YOU!" Luna shouted as she slammed both hooves into the ground, dark magical energy began to swirl around her as Celestia could only sit and watch, soon where Princess Luna once sat was now existed Nightmare Moon, who lifted of both hooves as her horn glowed a bright blue aura, the moon moved into position and completely blocked out the sun.

"Luna! You must lower the moon! It is your duty!" Celestia pleaded to her sister, those pleads fell on deaf ears.

"Luna? I am Nightmare Moon! I only have one royal duty now, TO DESTROY YOU!"

Nightmare Moon reared back and unleashed a devastating beam across the ceilings supports, causing a large chunk to fall where Celestia would have been standing had she not seen it coming and dived out of the way.

Celestia avoided another beam and flew out the brand new hole in the ceiling into the open night sky.

"Where do you think you're going?" Nightmare Moon snarled giving chase.

Nightmare Moon followed Celestia unleashing beam after beam trying to land a hit on the solar diarch, many stray beams hit the castle causing considerable damage to the structure.

Celestia did several more manoeuvres to avoid her sisters attacks, but she could only run for so long as at long last one of the beams hit their intended target causing Celestia to scream in pain as she was knocked out of the sky back towards the castle, crashing straight into the elements chamber.

On the ground Nightmare Nova gave a sinister smile as she heard her mother laugh out in victory.

In the elements chamber Celestia slowly and painfully got to her hooves, she looked up to her sister in the sky and knew there was only one thing she could do to save Equestria from her insane sister.

"I am sorry sister, but you have given me no choice but to use these!" Celestia proclaimed as she used her magic to activate a hidden mechanism, out of the ground a large pedestal emerged on which six bright coloured gems sat waiting, the Elements of Harmony.

The elements reacted with Celestia's magic, Luna's three having abandoned her the moment she became Nightmare Moon and had chosen Celestia to be their bearer also.

The six gems swirled around her as they all gave Celestia their power, Celestia once more took to the skies and came to a stop with Nightmare Moon dead in her sights.

Nightmare Moon growled in frustration and began to charge the most powerful attack she could, not realising Celestia was now the bearer of all six elements and not believing that she could use them against her.

A single tear slid down Celestia's cheek as she charged up the elements and fired the rainbow coloured blast in her direction.
Nightmare Moon unleashed her spell only for it to completely evaporate on contacting Celestia's, her eyes widened in horror as she realised at last what had happened and was consumed by the elements magic.

On the ground Nightmare Nova screamed in anger and horror as she witnessed her mother being launched into the moon and her silhouette forming on its surface, Luna's new prison.

However Nightmare Nova didn't have time to dwell on it further as Steel Blade caught her attention.

"Twilight! The Solar Guard have received reinforcements quicker than we predicted, we are being overwhelmed."

Tears came to Nova's eyes as their well laid plan unravelled and everything she held most dear was lost in seconds.

"Run," Nova muttered.

"Your highness?"

"I said RUN! I will not ask anypony else to die for me today, especially when this battle is now unwinnable for you, get our ponies out of here captain that's an order!"

"What about you?"

"I have business to take care of..."

"Celestia? You said it yourself the battle is unwinnable now its..."

"ENOUGH! This is not about the battle, its personal. And besides she will be weakened from her previous battle so I may just have a chance, goodbye Steel Blade..."

Steel Blade tried to protest but Nightmare Nova bolted off, flying to the throne room where Celestia had returned to. With no other choice Steel Blade ordered a full retreat.

Twilight stormed into the throne room to find Celestia sitting on the floor surrounded by the stray elements staring up into space, having yet to raise the sun again.

"CELESTIA!" Nightmare Nova shouted in challenge.

"Twilight..." Celestia whispered

"You have no right to call me that name!"

"Please, haven't we all lost enough to this madness? Please stop this, come back to me!" Celestia pleaded to her niece, more tears welling up in here eyes.

"Go to Tartarus!" Nova unleashed a bolt of energy in Celestia's direction, which she barely avoided.

Twilight released spell after spell, some of which were dodged or blocked, but many hit their target as Celestia was too exhausted, physically and mentally to put up any measurable fight or even to call on the elements power once more.

Celestia fell to the ground with Nightmare Nova holding her in place with a hoof on her chest, readying for the killing blow.

"Farewell Celestia!" Nightmare Nova went to release a final beam of destruction magic but thinking quickly Celestia kicked her and knocked her to the side.

The beam Nova released swung violently along the floor before making contact with the Element of Magic, the same element represented on her cutie mark.

Nightmare Nova found herself unable to break off the magical beam as contact with the elements began to cause a magical feedback,
Twilight screamed in pain as the feedback traveled down her horn and into the rest of her body.

Celestia could only watch helplessly as her niece began to glow brightly before seemingly being completely, brutally disintegrated in one giant magical explosion.

Then, Celestia passed out.

As Celestia awoke mere minutes later she moved her head to observe the scene on front of her. The elements of Generosity, Loyalty, Honesty, Kindness and Laughter had all been turned into balls of stone with each element imprinted on, the Element of Magic had completely disappeared.

However, the thing that caught Celestia's attention was the black mark on the floor where Twilight had been standing just before.

"Luna... Twilight... I'M SORRY!" Celestia shouted out in anguish, completely breaking down into tears.

She was still in this state when the Solar Guard found her and began to tend to her injuries.

Author's Note

Last of the 'in the past' stuff, into the future we go!

This chapter was released slightly early due to the user Nectarina giving puppy eyes, tell me if there are any big mistakes I missed during editing.

4 - 987 years later...

Canterlot Castle, 987 years after Nightmare Moon

The days bright blue sky glistened and the halls of Canterlot Castle were quiet. Celestia sat in her study looking out of the window onto the city below. It was a peaceful day with little commotion aside from the occasional Solar Guard, servant or even off-duty Lunar Guard wandering the halls. Despite what happened many years prior Celestia had rebuilt the Lunar Guard ready for what Celestia hoped would be the return of Princess Luna, not Nightmare Moon. But would Luna even be willing to reconcile with Celestia? Even if she was at first when she eventually finds out what happened to Twilight...

Celestia closed her eyes and gave a deep sigh, there wasn't a single day where her thoughts didn't turn to her banished sister and her deceased niece, as well as her own failings that led them down the dark path they took.

Regret and sorrow

These feelings have been Celestia's sole companions since that fateful day. However things had been looking up recently. For one Celestia had discovered a filly with particularly strong magical powers despite her age, Sunset Shimmer, a filly who Celestia plans to make her personal protégé as well as potentially being a future element bearer. There was then also the coronation of Princess Mi Amore Cadenza AKA Cadance, her adopted niece not only now shared the burden of royal responsibility but also provided a comfort to Celestia with the knowledge she once again had family. However whenever she thought of Cadance her thoughts would soon turn to her biological niece, and how Luna might react to Cadance who she might view as Celestia's attempt at a 'replacement' for Twilight, even though that was never the case, nopony could ever replace Twilight.

Celestia's thought pattern was shattered when the doors of her study burst open and a Stallion, Guard Captain Righteous Justice ran in.

"Knocking is out of fashion now is it, Captain?" Celestia joked

The guard paled visibly at Celestia's words, not picking up that she was only joking. "My apologies your highness, but we have received news from Mayor Mare of Ponyville!"

"News? What news?" Celestia's interest peaked, Ponyville was situated on the border of the Everfree Forest which had since grown around the Castle of The Two Sisters, so really anything could be happening.

"Apparently there is a severe magical anomaly forming around the ruins in the Everfree Forest! Some weather pegasi say it originates from the old throne room, the Mayor had asked all citizens to stay way until she receives word from you."

Celestia nodded. "Tell them to stay put, I will investigate this myself"

The guard saluted and left to carry out his orders, Celestia however found the nearest balcony and prepared to take flight to the Everfree Forest.

Two former solar guards, both of them unicorns walked through the Everfree Forest towards the Castle's ruins. Night Light and Twilight Velvet, husband and wife with a son currently in an academy for all aspiring guards had bravely, or foolishly decided to ignore Mayor Mare's request to stay away from the anomaly and decided to investigate themselves.

"Honey, don't you think this may be a mistake?" Night Light nervously questioned his determined wife.

"Come on Nighty! Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I would rather live long enough to see Shining Armor again."

"Oh we'll be fine, just keep your eyes peeled."

The tree's before them parted and the big hulking ruin appeared dead ahead of them.

In the castle's throne room a magical vortex span out of control, if anypony was there to see it they would have seen the distorted figure of a tall alicorn mare at its centre.

The vortex built up more and more energy before finally it exploded with enough force that any windows that had not yet broken over time where finally shattered and a few pillars collapsed after years of erosion.

Nightmare Nova opened her eyes slowly and observed the scene before her. For her only minutes had passed but she knew what had happened to her, she had studied Starswirl's theory of time travel after all.

Giving the area a quick scan with her horn she confirmed what she already knew, the room itself was laced with chronoton particles, particles only produced during time travel.

Nova observed the corrosion of the castle trying to date how long it had been since what to anypony else would have seemed like her death.

"Nine hundred years give or take," Nightmare Nova muttered to herself.

Her attention was suddenly caught by two voices whispering to each other just outside the throne room. Acting quickly Nova used her magic to cast a veil of shadow around her and hid behind her mothers old throne for good measure.

Two unicorns walked in observing the room with caution, the mare spoke first.

"Oh, its stopped," she moaned, pouting with disappointment

"Sorry dear. Maybe next time you go off on a random adventure it will be less anti-climatic?" The stallion said in comfort, but with a hint of sarcasm.

Nova observed the two carefully, she could use this to her advantage! After all she needed a cover while she figured out her next move, and who would hurt a poor defenceless little lost filly?

Nightmare Nova chuckled to herself as her horn glowed softly, her cutie mark and wings disappeared, hidden from the view of anypony who would look upon her. She also began to shrink as her eyes reverted to their original look, her hair lost its ethereal qualities and her teeth turned back to normal equine teeth rather than the razor sharp fangs they had been. When she was finished where the dark alicorn of the stars had been standing now sat a five year old lavender filly.

...

Night Light and Twilight Velvet turned to leave when all of a sudden they heard the sound of somepony sobbing.

"Do you hear that?" Velvet whispered

"Yeah, its coming from behind the blue throne!" Night Light responded

The two slowly and cautiously approached the throne and looked behind the towering chair. Both their eyes widened in shock as they saw a small crying unicorn filly of about five years of age.

"Hello there..." Velvet said softly

The lavender filly recoiled and seemed to cower behind her mane in fear.

Twilight Velvet slowly walked up to and sat next to the filly, "There there little one, there is no need to be afraid, I'm Twilight Velvet and that is my husband Night Light, what's your name?"

The small filly looked up slowly. "Twilight," she sniffled.

"That's a wonderful name, the same as mine in fact! What about your last name?"

The filly seemed to think for a moment before responding. "Twinkle, Twilight Twinkle" the filly lied to an unknowing Twilight Velvet.

"Well Twilight Twinkle, where are your parents?"

"I don't have any, I've lived on the streets for as long as I can remember, I wandered into this forest following the pretty light but there were monsters so I ran and hid."

Twilight Velvet and Night Light shared looks of horror. "You've never had a family?" Night Light inquired.

The small filly shook her head.

Velvet left the filly's side and walked up to her husband. "Oh, the poor thing. What are we going to do Nighty?"

A warm smile crept onto the stallions face as her turned to look at the young unicorn, "Well Shining had always wanted a little sister..."

"Are you suggesting we adopt her?"

"Why not? Its not like we haven't got the room being from nobility and all that, albeit minor nobility. We would have to contact the
authorities and make a case for it, but considering her circumstances I think they will agree this is probably what's best for her at this point."

Velvet thought to herself for a few moments before nodding in agreement. She then approached the timid filly and gave her an affectionate nuzzle. "Twilight, would you like to come with us?"

The filly seemed to light up and gave a quick nod in confirmation, Twilight Velvet then lifted the filly onto her back. The group then began their trek back to Ponyville and from there, Canterlot.

Neither noticed the filly's pupils briefly turn into slits as she gave a small, sinister smile.

Celestia descended onto the Castle right into the throne room. Looking around the room she couldn't see any sign of the magical anomaly that was reported. Celestia sighed, realising she had arrived too late. She gave the room a quick scan with her horn and found a few fading particles that were now unidentifiable due to their decay.

Slightly annoyed she would likely never know what happened here this day Celestia spread her wings and began the journey back to Canterlot Castle.

It had been a few weeks since Night Light and Twilight Velvet had found Twilight Sparkle (or Twinkle as they knew her) in the castle ruins. The two had gone to an adoption agency who found no record of Twilight anywhere, after some drama they had finally approved the adoption. Shining Armor was overjoyed that he got a little sister and had rarely left her side when he was at home, much to Twilights hidden annoyance.

The family had contracted a 'friend' of Shining Armor to foal-sit Twilight every now and then, at first Twilight despised Cadance on the revelation she was Celestia's adopted niece, but on spending some time with her she had legitimately began to like her.

The differences between their time periods had also been an obstacle, but she was adapting quickly.

Now Twilight sat in bed looking out the window at the nights sky, specifically her mothers moon. She had been back weeks now but she still had no idea what to do and so far the whole 'play the innocent filly' act had been a bit of a struggle, but she was easing into the role. She had started to grow fond of her adopted family, but they could never fill the hole in Twilight's heart.

Eventually Twilight drifted into a deep sleep, when she did she began to dream.

Twilight was floating in darkness, completely alone.

"Twilight..." a voice whispered out

"Hello?" Twilight called out in alarm

A bright blue light appeared and from it emerged the form of Nightmare Moon.

"Mother!" Twilight shouted running into Nightmare Moon's waiting embrace.

"My little star, I have missed you greatly, I had believed for so long you were dead but then I sensed your presence on the planet below!"

Twilight chuckled. "What can I say? I'm a time traveler now."

Nightmare Moon laughed warmly, happy to be reunited with her daughter, if only briefly.

"Twilight listen, I don't have long, I'm using much of my strength to enter your dream and I shouldn't do this again unless I want to cause myself serious bodily harm."

"What? But then..." Twilight looked way dejectedly, only to have a hoof gently turn her head back to her mother.

"But we won't be apart for long, for on the thousandth year since my banishment the stars shall aid in my escape, until then I want you to stay safe, do not let Celestia find out about you, I do not want to lose you again..."

"Don't worry, I've placed myself within a tight family unit and they haven't a clue who I am."

The dreamscape they were in began to collapse as their connection to one another was lost.

"Don't be afraid Twilight, I will be there soon," Nightmare Moon gave her daughter one last nuzzle before disappearing.

Twilight awoke with a start, quickly turning to look out of the window she could see her mothers silhouette still lining the moons surface, a wave emotion hit Twilight like a speeding train as she began to cry.

Author's Note

I will only be updating stories at the weekends due to collage having started, next week I will be updating 'A Mare Called Missy' before returning to this.

5 - Entrance Exam

Twilight slowly opened her eyes, she was met by the large bedroom she now called her own. The curtains were closed with only the smallest amount of the dawns light seeping through. The past two years had been quite peaceful, Twilight had remained within the confines of her disguise and everypony was none-the-wiser to her true nature. Her 'family' had been good to her and Twilight enjoyed regular visits from Princess Cadance, maybe she could convince them to join her when the time came? Despite Twilight's hopes she knew that would be unlikely and she would just have to settle with convincing her mother to go easy on these particular Pony's.

Anyway it was time to put thoughts like that out of her head, today was a special day. Twilight had been frustrated at how over the last two years she had been unable to help her mother in any way and had to simply sit and wait, but that was now at an end. Twilight had spent considerable time considering the best way to get in close with Celestia without raising suspicion and hopefully using this position to spy on Celestia the best she could. She had finally figured out how she could potentially do this. The School of Gifted Unicorns would be holding entrance exams that day, a school run by Celestia herself, a school where she might just be able to secretly snoop around for anything that could help them when the time came. Honestly, who would ever suspect such an innocent little filly?

Grinning to herself Twilight slowly lifted her bed sheets off of herself and groggily got herself up.

Making her way downstairs she was met by the wondrous smell of sweet blueberry pancakes, her favourite type of pancake. Twilight excitedly trotted towards the table and sat down awaiting her delicious breakfast. Twilight had noticed sometimes she would actually become the filly she was pretending to be, a sign she may be playing the part a little too well.

"Morning Twily, I made your favourite pancakes! You will need all your energy for today!" Twilight Velvet warmly greeted her 'daughter' with a smile.

Twilight gave a genuine smile back nodding quickly as she eagerly awaited the pancakes.

Velvet placed four empty plates around the table where each pony would be sitting and then a larger plate filled to the brim with mouth-watering pancakes at the centre of the table.

When Shining Armor and Night Light walked down the stairs and into the dining room they found Twilight with her face shoved right into a pile of pancakes on her plate while Velvet stood with an amused smile on her face.

"Whoa Twily save some for us!" Shining Armor laughed.

Twilight looked up from her meal, her face covered with stray bits of pancakes smiling sheepishly, she was definitely playing the part a little too well.

The group finished their pancakes in peace with the occasional idle banter between them. In the end Shining left to go meet a 'friend' he wanted to meet with before he had to return to the academy in a few days, promising to meet up with Twilight at the school. Likewise the
remaining three ponies all got ready to go to the School of Gifted Unicorns for Twilight's entrance exam.

"She's oddly calm don't you think?" Night Light whispered to his wife.

"She's confident in her abilities, that's a good thing Nighty."

"But I mean shouldn't she be the least bit apprehensive, I mean those exams can be brutal!"

"She's fine Nighty, now stop worrying!"

Soon after they were out the door heading towards the school.

The walk to the school was quiet enough and thirty minutes later they were standing at the gates. The schools spires glistened wonderfully in the sunlight.

"Look at those spires," Night Light remarked with a whistle. "Celestia's sun really brings out their full glory!"

Twilight winced. "I think they would look better sparkling in the moonlight..." she muttered.

"Why do you say that honey?"

"Just personal preference I suppose," Twilight sighed

Night Light shrugged and they continued up the pathway into the school building itself.

The entrance hall was a massive structure with polished wood floors and magnificent marble pillars holding up the giant roof over their heads. Directly ahead of the two massive oak doors sat a wooden reception desk with to large staircases either side leading up to the classrooms.

Behind the reception desk sat an elderly mare with a light blue coat, a grey mane and with green glasses sitting on the end of her muzzle.

Looking up from a log book the receptionist saw them approaching, "Ah you must be here for the entrance exam"

"We are, my names Twilight Velvet and my husband here is Night Light"

The receptionist looked at her log book muttering to herself "Twilight velvet, Twilight Velvet", she then nodded and addressed the group again., "Yes you are on the list, this little one must be Twilight Twinkle then" she said leaning over the desk to better view Twilight.

"Yes ma'am," Twilight responded.

"So polite!" The receptionist remarked. "You will do well in this school, you are participant number seven so if you would head up to the exam tower up the stairs to your left and wait until you number is called, good luck!"

They said goodbye to the receptionist and headed up to the exam tower, on arriving they were greeted with a plain white room with a single window and a few rows of seats, a closed door at the other end that led into the exam hall itself, a guard directed them to a couple of seats to wait their turn.

Around them sat three other ponies, participants four, five and six. They sat there for about five minutes before the next door opened and a family exited the exam hall, the filly that was participant three was crying while being comforted by her mother, obviously having failed her exam.

A mare with a scroll and quill cutie mark followed them out. "Participant number four please!"

A brown colt got to his hooves and along with his family followed the mare through the door and up another set of stairs.

A little while later of dull waiting as participants four and five entered and left the exam hall, the former having passed and the latter having failed. With participant six now in the hall another family strolled into the waiting room and were directed to sit next to Twilight's 'family'.
Participant eight sat next to Twilight, she was a blue mare with silver hair and a cutie mark with a wand in the foreground and a sparkling cape in the background. The mare looked Twilight up and down judgingly.

"Huh, a blank flank? You will certainly need all the luck you can get to pass this exam," she snidely remarked.

Twilight snorted. "And you are?"

"We are the Great and Powerful Trixie! We are well above your level in magic we are afraid, you may have to consider other options."

Twilight facehoofed. "Well aren't you pleasant."

"We already know how great we are, there is no need for such flattery."

Twilight facehoofed again.

"Trixie Lulamoon, be nice to the poor filly. There is no need for that attitude!" Trixie's mother scolded her daughter.

"Yes mother," Trixie shrunk back into her mane.

Twilight rolled her eyes, clearly bemused by the other filly.

"Participant seven please!"

Twilight looked towards the door to see participant six leaving with a smile, having passed the test.

The three ponies got to their hooves and followed the brown mare through the door and up the spiral staircase.

The brown mare spoke to Twilight on the way up. "My name is Quill, what's yours?"

"Twilight Spa..." Twilight stopped herself realising her sudden blunder, she had would have thought herself above such mistakes, but apparently no. "Twinkle, Twilight Twinkle"

"Nice to meet you Twilight Twinkle, now I know you may be nervous but I'm sure you'll do fine. Just do your best and you will get through, I promise!"

Twilight simply nodded as they came to a final door and entered the hall.

The exam hall was a round room with one area elevated with seats where three pony's sat, the exam instructors.

Quill, Velvet and Night Light gave Twilight encouraging smiles as she walked forwards and stood before the instructors.

"Twilight Twinkle?" one of the instructors asked

"Yes," Twilight responded

The instructor nodded. "Bring forth the egg."

From a side room a pony brought on a trolley, on this trolley sat a purple egg with green spots.

"Your task today is to hatch this dragon egg, take your time."

"No it isn't," Twilight deadpanned.

"I beg your pardon Miss Twinkle?" The instructor said sternly.

"No filly can hatch a dragon egg. You just want to see if firstly I can get any reaction what-so-ever from it, and secondly to see my determination to hatch the egg despite its futility."

"Huh, very clever of you Miss Twinkle," one of the instructors said, clearly impressed at her intelligence. "Go on then, see if you can get any reaction from it."

The instructors wrote something down on their note pads as Twilight walked up to the egg.

Smiling slightly, Twilight lit up her horn with a lavender aura and the egg began to wobble. You could hear everypony's jaws hit the floor as the egg began to crack and a small purple and green dragon emerged from it.

Twilight had used the opportunity well, for while casting the spell to hatch the egg she had been able to cast another in secret, and a new fake cutie mark now sat on her flank, a white wand with a sun in the background. Not a design she particularly liked but it would help her cover.

One of the instructors got up and walked down to Twilight. "I erm... um... well... Quill, could you please take young Twilight aside. I believe I have a letter to send."

Now Twilight was confused. "A letter?"

"All in good time, Quill if you would please?"

Quill shook off her own shock and led a confused Twilight and a near catatonic Twilight Velvet and Night Light off into the side room.

Dear Princess Celestia

I know you haven't been actively looking for a new student after that recent incident with Sunset Shimmer, but I have found a filly with some potential.
Which is an understatement because she hatched A DRAGON EGG. Got her cutie mark in the process too.
We await your arrival.

Yours Truly
Instructor Elder Scroll

Celestia flew swiftly into the School of Gifted Unicorns and quickly made her way up to the exam tower. When she entered the now empty waiting room she was met by instructor Elder Scroll and a couple of guards.

"Where is she? Celestia asked

"In the side room, getting a little impatient due to being kept there for the last hour, you know how fillies can get!"

Celestia chuckled, "Then we shouldn't keep her waiting, come."

Leaving the guards behind, Elder Scroll and Celestia made their way to where Twilight was currently located. On arrival they found Velvet, Night Light and Quill all discussing something in the corner while Twilight herself was playing with the baby dragon.

The three grown pony's were surprised by Celestia presence and all rushed into a bow, however Twilight's reaction was different. She froze.

She completely locked up, not even blinking. She was stuck with a blank stare on her face, a stare directed at Celestia.

Celestia approached the filly. "There is nothing to be afraid of, I just wanted to meet you, you certainly made quite the impression today"

Celestia examined the filly, and her heart sank. She looked like her niece. The coat and the mane were all the same colour, as were her eyes, her first name was even Twilight! However the differences were obvious, for one she was a unicorn and her cutie mark was different along with her last name. But still... Celestia couldn't help but feel something was off. Unfortunately, she didn't pry into it and put it down to one of the universes many cruel coincidences, of which she had seen many in her long life.

Finally the filly seemed to unfreeze. "Hi..." she said almost as a mere whisper.

Celestia gave the filly a warm smile. "Is it true you hatched this little guy all by yourself?"

Twilight nodded slowly.

"Well then, you are quite the little magic box aren't you! With your parents permission, how would you like to be my student?"

...

Twilight's mind was racing at a billion miles an hour, Celestia's student!? Her own aunt's student!? How had Celestia not found out about her yet? Did she already know and this was some sort of trick? However, Twilight had come here to spy on Celestia had she not? As her personal protégé' that would become so much easier, but it would also mean she would have to be much more careful.

Making up her mind Twilight gave a (very insincere) smile. "I would love to!" she exclaimed, and playing the role the excited filly she began to bounce around saying 'Yes' in quick succession, in another life she should have been a great actress.

In a place very far away Nightmare Moon looked up at the planet, and then to the stars. She could see a few in particular that would soon align, giving her a chance to use their energy to boost her own magical abilities, giving her the strength to break the already weakening 'chains' that the elements had placed on her so long ago.

"I'll be there soon Twilight... soon..."

Author's Note

Here we are! The next chapter is out! Just in time too as I'm feeling a little ill as of late, the problem with being around as many people as you do in collage during the dawn of winter...

Anyway I hope you enjoy this! I'm now off to watch Friendship games and Made in Manehatten!

6 - Friendship Is Magic

Canterlot, 1000 Years After Nightmare Moon

Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn; the younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all the different types of ponies. But as time went on, the younger sister became resentful. The ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth, but shunned and slept through her beautiful night. One fateful day, the younger unicorn refused to lower the moon to make way for the dawn. The elder sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the young one's heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness: Nightmare Moon. She vowed that she would shroud the land in eternal night. Reluctantly, the elder sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponydom: the Elements of Harmony. Using the magic of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her younger sister, and banished her permanently in the moon. The elder sister took on responsibility for both...

In a flash book burned to ash in Twilight's hooves.

"What a load of rubbish," Twilight sighed moving away from the burnt ashes that was once a book titled 'The Mare of The Moon'. Twilight would normally consider it a tragedy for a book to be destroyed in such a fashion, but in this case she would make an exception.

"Spike? Spiiiike?" Twilight called out entering her apartment at the top of one of the spires of the School of Gifted unicorns.

Hearing a groan Twilight looked behind the door to find Spike in a heap on the floor having been hit by the door.

"Oops, sorry Spike..."

"It's okay..." Spike said slowly getting up. "You called?"

"Yes, I'm expecting a letter from the princess any moment and I wanted to be here to read it immediately"

"You're expecting a letter?"

"Yep, a new assignment from her."

"If she already told you why aren't you doing it already?"

"Oh, she hasn't told me, I just know."

"How?"

"Call it a hunch..."

After a few minutes of waiting sure enough Spike clutched his stomach as green flames erupted from his mouth and a scroll appeared from them. Twilight quickly grabbed the letter with her magic and began to read with haste.

"Yes! Today is the day!" she shouted out in excitement quickly grabbing Spike into a deep hug.

"Twilight... can't... breath..." Spike choked out.

"Sorry!" Twilight let go of him quickly and used her magic to steady him back onto the ground. "Or at least the day after tomorrow is!"

Brushing himself off Spike asked. "Today's what day, Twilight?"

"Oh, Princess Celestia is sending me to Ponyville to oversee the, urgh, Summer Sun Celebration."

"But Twilight, you've never liked the Summer Sun Celebration!"

"I know, she's also asked me to make some friends."

"You're not exactly good at that either you know..."

"Hey! I've got you!"

"Yeah, but you practically raised me! Not to mention it was YOU who hatched me!"

"Well neither of those is why I'm excited anyway."

"Then... what are you excited for?"

"Oh, you'll see! It's a bit of a surprise..." Twilight said with a smirk.

"Um, OK... shall we get packing then?

Twilight nodded in confirmation and the pair spent the next half an our packing everything they would need, once they were done they grabbed their things and began to head out of the door. Just before they stepped outside however Twilight turned to Spike, her confident attitude seemed to morph into once of... sadness?

"Spike... you know I will always care for you and would never, ever hurt you, right?"

"Of course Twilight, is everything OK?"

"Yes, everything's fine..."

Before Spike could pry further Twilight turned and continued to walk down away from the apartment, leaving Spike more than a little confused.

The sun was shining brightly in the sky as the chariot containing Twilight and Spike flew through the skies down towards the small town of Ponyville. Finally arriving Twilight thanked the guards and brought up her checklist with her duties for the day written down in an organized fashion.

"So it's off to Sweet Apple Acres first to check up on the food," Twilight informed Spike.

"Twilight the Princess also said to make some friends remember? Maybe the Pony's in Ponyville have something interesting to talk about. Come on Twilight, just try!"

Spike pointed out a pink mare, sighing Twilight slowly approached the mare and attempted to make conversation.

"Um... hello?"

The pink mare jumped into the air and gave a prolonged gasp before speeding off into town.

"Well... that was interesting..." Twilight deadpanned

As the pair walked towards sweet apple acres the silence was disturbed by a loud...

"Yeehaw!"

An orange mare ran up to a tree and bucked it with her hind legs, causing all the apples to fall out and hit the ground with several tiny thuds.

With a sigh Twilight approached the mare. "Let's get this over with... Good afternoon. My name is Twilight Twinkle--"

The mare suddenly bounded up to her and caught her in a manic hoofshake. "Well, howdy-doo, Miss Twilight, a pleasure makin' your acquaintance. I'm Applejack. We here at Sweet Apple Acres sure do like making new friends! "

Twilight struggled out of the hoofshake. "Yes well, good to meet you too I guess..."

"So, what can I do you for?"

Twilight ignored Spikes snickering. "Well, I am in fact here to supervise preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration. And you're in charge of the food?"

"We sure as sugar are! Would you care to sample some?"

"I don't see why not..."

Applejack reared up and shouted at the barn. "Soup's on, everypony!"

All of a sudden Twilight and Spike were surrounded by dozens of Pony's all with apple related Cutie Marks who quickly began shoving plate after plate in front of Twilight.

"This here's Apple Fritter. Apple Bumpkin. Red Gala. Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Caramel Apple, Apple Strudel, Apple Tart, Baked Apples, Apple Brioche, Apple Cinnamon Crisp... [deep breath] Big McIntosh, Apple Bloom and Granny Smith. Up'n'attem, Granny Smith, we got guests!"

An older mare in a rocking chair drowsily woke up. "Wha..? Soup's on? I'm up, here I come, ahm comin'... "

Applejack turned back to Twilight. "Why, I'd say you're already part of the family!"

Twilight laughed with a tinge of nervousness. "Okay, well, I can see the food situation is handled, so we'll be on our way"

Before anypony could protest Twilight teleported herself and Spike away, far, far away.

The rest of the day went just as well, she had met a mare called Rainbow Dash who demonstrated her ability to clear the skies in ten seconds flat, another called Rarity who had tried to force Twilight into a makeover (and Spike fell in love with), and finally there was a rather shy mare named Fluttershy. That's not even mentioning the party that the pink mare from earlier, who Twilight found out was named Pinkamina Diane Pie or 'Pinkie Pie' for short, had thrown. The party had been enjoyable enough and Twilight had participated fully, this was after all a night to celebrate, and now as they walked towards the town hall the real festivities could finally begin.

Twilight walked into the town hall and found it packed with excited pony's all awaiting the start of the summer sun celebration. Twilight slowly made her way through the crowd until she found a seat nearby to a window which in turn had a good view of the moon.

Twilight sat with Spike and Pinkie Pie (who had decided to tag along with Twilight for some reason) in the town hall as Mayor Mare gave her speech, Twilight was ignoring both this and Pinkie Pie's ramblings and was instead staring intently at the moon, specifically the silhouette that was imprinted on it.

And then that silhouette vanished.

Twilight eyes lit up in joy, it was finally happening! After thirteen years of waiting for her and a thousand years of waiting for Luna they were finally going to be reunited!

The Mayor concluded her speech, "In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year! And now, it is my great honour to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria... Princess Celestia!"

The curtains opened, and the whole crowd aside from one gasped to see it was empty. Twilight had in fact known Celestia wouldn't attend, no the coward was expecting Twilight and these 'element bearers' to act as her little militia, the element bearers who were the same pony's Twilight had encountered earlier that very day.

Twilight's joy only heightened as a swirly mass of shadow swirled around the stage and formed into the recognisable form of Nightmare Moon.

Nightmare Moon observed the crowd, spotting Twilight among them but making no recognition of such aside from a sly wink.

In her head Twilight began to here her mothers voice. "Twilight, Go to the castle we once called home and we shall be reunited at last!"

Nightmare Moon finally addressed the pony's before her. "Oh, my beloved subjects. It's been so long since I've seen your precious, little sun-loving faces. "

Twilight used the distraction to slowly slink out of the hall and began to make a run for the Everfree forest.

As Twilight approached the Everfree forest she didn't hear the frantic flapping of wings until a blue mare slammed into the side of her sending her tumbling to the ground.

"Where do you think you are going? Are you a spy?!" Rainbow Dash accused.

Applejack came up behind Rainbow and dragged her off of Twilight. "Now simmer down there sugarcube"

Rarity pulled up alongside Applejack and was followed by Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. "Yes darling she is Princess Celestia's own student, I highly doubt she has such malicious intent."

Thinking quickly Twilight decided these element bearers may yet be of use, so she might as well keep up the façade until they arrived at the castle where they could be imprisoned until such a time where they were possibly needed. Besides, they didn't deserve death, aside from their eccentricities they had been quite accommodating to her.

"The elements of harmony," Twilight said simply

"The elements of what now?" Applejack asked in confusion

"Within the Everfree forest lies a castle, in this castle lays six magical artifacts that could be used to defeat Nightmare Moon!"

"Well then we're coming with ya, all of us!" Applejack proclaimed

Fluttershy seemed unsure. "Well I could come, maybe... if you wanted me too, but the forest is just so scary..."

"Don't worry darling we'll make sure nothing bad happens to you!" Rarity comforted her friend.

"And then we can have a 'we saved the world' party!" Pinkie Pie butted in with excitement.

"Well, okay... try not to fall behind!" Twilight agreed turning back towards the forest.

The journey through the forest didn't exactly go smoothly, but it did give them all a chance to showcase their individual elements. Applejack was honest the whole way, Fluttershy showed kindness to an injured Manticore, Rarity was generous to a rather fabulous sea serpent named Steven Magnet, Pinkie Pie had hilariously sung her way through a scary situation and Rainbow Dash had chosen them over the 'Shadow Bolts'. All of these were challenges instigated by Nightmare Moon, Twilight noted she was having perhaps a little too much fun messing with the five.

Finally the journey came to an end, the group entered the Castle of the Two Sisters and Twilight led them down the dark decaying hallways towards the elements chamber.

"Is everypony OK?" Asked Applejack out of compassionate concern.

"Oh don't worry about us darling, we've come this far and we aren't backing off now." Rarity assured Applejack.

Rarity's reassurances did help alleviate some of Applejacks concern, but an air of nervousness overcame all of them, except maybe Twilight who was feeling more apprehensive than nervous. Finally they came to two large wooden doors that were largely broken down over the last thousand years. However they opened easily enough with a little push from Twilight's magic, and there right in front of the pedestals that held five of the elements of harmony sat Nightmare Moon, who was waiting for them

Nightmare Moon saw Twilight and for the first time in a long time, she smiled. "I have been waiting for you for a very long time".

Rainbow Dash quickly took to the air. "Well, you won't have to wait any longer!".

Dash swooped down aiming to brashly attack Nightmare Moon directly despite the objections of the other four. She never made it to her target for she was stopped, held tightly in a lavender aura.

Nightmare Moon continued to smile. "I wasn't talking to you..."

Suddenly Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy were all also gripped in this magical aura before being slammed into and pinned on a far wall.

"What in tarnation!" Shouted Applejack

The response was from a voice that didn't belong to Nightmare Moon, but to Twilight!

"Sorry girls, truly, but you will not lay hoof on her!"

The five mares looked at Twilight in confusion.

"So you were a spy! I knew it!" Shouted Rainbow Dash accusingly.

"A spy? No Rainbow Dash, I am so much more than that"

Rainbow Dash was getting angry, and her eyes shot daggers at the lavender unicorn. "Then who are you, Twinkle?!"

"Sparkle"

"What?"

"My name is Twilight Sparkle, but only my mother can call me that, you may call me by another name!"

The five ponies could only stare in horror as shadow formed around the unicorn they had come to know as a friend. Once more Twilight Sparkle disappeared and in her place a dark alicorn arose, the group gasped in fright as history repeated itself.

"You and the whole world may call me... Nightmare Nova!"

Fluttershy began to cry. "What... what are you going to do with us..."

"You are the element bearers, Honesty, Loyalty, Generosity, Laughter and Kindness. You may yet be of use to us, to the dungeons with you!"

The element bearers couldn't even protest before they were teleported away into the dark and dingy dungeons deep below the castle.

Nightmare Moon laughed out in sadistic glee, but Nightmare Nova did not, for she felt something that she had not expected.

Shame.

From within the pocket dimension known as the starfields Princess Celestia had been observing everything. Though she had left the element bearers to combat her corrupted sister she had wanted to keep an eye on them in case they failed and would perish if she didn't involve herself.

But now she had made a wonderful, and terrible discovery.

Twilight Twinkle, the very pony whom she had taught and practically raised for the last eleven years... was Twilight Sparkle... her niece long thought dead. Celestia felt a fool for not having realised the truth, blinded by the grief she had felt for the last thousand years. But now she felt two conflicting emotions.

Joy

Horror

Joy on the revelation Twilight Sparkle was alive and reunited with her mother at long last.

Horror for the fact she had once again taken the mantle of Nightmare Nova, and they would undoubtedly make another attempt at conquest. And now the element bearers were imprisoned only herself and Cadance stood in their way.

Closing the visual feed she turned to leave the starfield, her destination... Canterlot.

The end would be coming soon, only time would tell how...

Author's Note

Released this chapter a week early to celebrate 1000 views and 100 likes!

Things are certainly getting tense out there, will Twilight go through with her evil plans?
Or will the magic of friendship prevail?

7 - Nightmare Nova

The disorientation passed quickly and Applejack took a note of her changed surroundings. They were in complete darkness.

"You girls there?" Applejack called out.

"I think so darling, one moment," a familiar voice responded.

All of a sudden the darkness lifted due to the illumination of Rarity's horn and they could finally see where they were. They were in a dungeon.

Each of them was in a separate cell side by side to one another, and no matter how hard each of them would try the bars and doors of each cell wouldn't budge, they were tough and designed to last.

Rainbow Dash groaned in frustration. "I can't believe Twilight was a traitor! I mean, what the hay!"

"She can hardly be a traitor if she were never on our side to begin with..." Said Applejack.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Well she did say somethin' about being that there Nightmare Moon's daughter, so she's likely been waiting and biding her time for as long as there's been a mare silhouette on the moon."

"But that's been, or rather was there for like a thousand years!"

Fluttershy's quiet voice interrupted the two. "Well that must mean she was without her mommy for such a long time, I can't imagine such a thing".

Rainbow facehoofed. "Well of course you would be so understanding, Flutters!"

Rarity spoke up. "Well losing family in such a manor would be quite the traumatic experience..."

"OH COME ON!" Shouted a increasingly frustrated Rainbow. "She locked us down here and plans on taking over Equestria!"

"Calm down sally, we ain't suggesting we let her off the hook or anythin', we're jus' exploring the reasons why she is like she is," Applejack said trying to calm the cyan Pegasus. "To know your enemy, y'all gotta understand them."

Rainbow huffed. "Well I suppose it's not lot any of us know the full story anyway..."

"I do!" Shouted the bubbly pink mare named Pinkie Pie, who somehow was standing outside of her cell. "You see Twilight and Luna were really really close but pony's didn't appreciate their stars and night and they were really mean and it made the two of them sad plus sometimes bad pony's would attack them and Celestia didn't fully understand how sad they were so in the end they had enough and became bad but then Luna got locked in the moon and Celestia thought Twilight got killed and...", Pinkie took a deep breath. "Twilight actually traveled into the future and placed herself in a family environment to wait for her mommy to return and now she has and they want to complete their revenge BUT Twilight is... Whoops! Almost spoiled the rest of the story!" Pinkie finally finished with a squee.

The other mares were left in a stunned silence as Pinkie returned to her cell. A few of them had twitching eyes.

Rarity spoke first. "How did you... and why... why did you go back to your cell?"

"Because if we get out now the story won't take it's correct course silly!" Pinkie proclaimed.

Applejack sighed. "Just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie... still if what you say is true, I can certainly relate as ah know what it's like to lose a parent."

"Seriously AJ?" Rainbow deadpanned

"What?"

"You find a demon-esque crazy alicorn... relatable?"

"Once again, not lettin' her off the hook, but you have to see it from her point of view. She must of gone through some pretty terrible things to make her who she is."

"AJ she was meant to be our friend! No matter the reason you never stab a friend in the back! I mean I could have gone with those Shadow Bolts and left you guys hanging but I didn't! What she did was just... not cool..." Rainbow Dash's shoulders sagged a little.

Fluttershy spoke up. "Well I can see both sides of the argument. While like Rainbow Dash said she is a bit scary and mean, but also following Applejack's point I have seen baby animals lose their mommy's in the past and they are always devastated with it affecting them for the rest of their lives."

"Yeah, but Flutters according to Pinkie she was like this before she lost her!" Rainbow objected.

"While I understand your point Rainbow Dash maybe all we need to do is show a little kindness to her and she will see what a terrible mistake she is making... maybe."

Applejack spoke up again. "Well all this speculating ain't useful unless we get out of here!"

"We'll figure something out darling," Rarity said. "Until then I'm sure princess Celestia has everything in order."

Nightmare Nova continued to stare at the spot where the element bearers had just been as Nightmare Moon's laughter died down.

"Twilight?" a soft voice spoke out.

Nova turned to face her mother was wearing a gentle and genuine smile on her face. She held out a hoof and Nova accepted the invitation, running quickly up to her mother and meeting her in a deep embrace.

"I missed you..." Nova whispered tears forming in her eyes.

"As did I my little star, but I'm here now, and they won't part us again..." Nightmare Moon cooed to her daughter.

Nightmare Nova let out a small laugh. "I'm hardly 'little' anymore am I?"

The two slowly pulled out of their deep embrace. "You will always be my little filly, Twilight".

Nightmare Moon nuzzled her daughter before informing her of their next move.

"We can't sit idle for long as Celestia will be moving against us and we must act quickly, firstly, the elements..."

Nightmare Moon levitated the five stone balls with the imprint of five different coloured gems and lowered them onto the ground.

"Is this really necessary, Mother?" Nova asked unsure of the next course of action.

"It is a necessary sacrifice lest they be turned against us once more, petrified or not"

The elder alicorn reared back on her hind legs and stamped down hard, cracking the floor and shattering the Elements of Harmony into dust.

"It is done, come let's make haste to Canterlot and confront the tyrant directly!" Nightmare Moon declared before taking to the skies.

Nightmare Nova stayed for a few brief moments more, once again looking at the spot the element bearers had been shortly before. They had actually considered her a friend...

Nova took to the skies and followed her mother, all the while in the back of her mind a small part of her, personified by a younger lavender alicorn named Twilight Sparkle screamed at her to stop, and kept screaming.

A panicked Celestia landed hastily in Canterlot Castle, a couple of startled Lunar Guards and one Captain Shining Armor approached her.

"Your highness! Why hasn't the sun risen yet?!" Shining frantically asked.

Catching her breath Celestia responded, "A dark alicorn by the name of Nightmare Moon is keeping me from raising it".

Shining's eyes widened. "What of the Summer Sun Celebration? What of Twily?!"

Celestia couldn't look Shining Armor in the eyes, how could she tell him his sister was really a corrupted alicorn bent on conquest of Equestria?

"Get me Cadance..."

"Your highness?"

"Get me Cadance! And once you've done that evacuate the castle of all personnel, including all of the guards!" Celestia ordered.

"All of the guards? But what if this dark alicorn comes for you?"

"I'm counting on it, and there is nothing any of you can do to help you will only place yourself in unnecessary danger!"

"But..."

"That's an order, Captain!"

Reluctantly Shining Armor nodded and gave a salute before leaving to carry out his duty.

Briskly, Celestia walked down the darkened hallways towards the throne room. Opening the large doors with a creek she found it empty, and there she waited for only a few minutes before Cadance joined her, worry drawn all across her face.

"Aunty? What's going on?"

Celestia turned to her adopted niece. "Did Captain Armor tell you what I told him?"

"Only that Nightmare Moon has returned and is coming here," Cadance sighed, she knew of Celestia's plans and who Nightmare Moon was, possibly the only other pony in existence aside from Celestia. "What happened with your plans to redeem Luna? Please don't tell me she... is Twilight OK?"

A look of sadness flashed across Celestia and a few tears cropped up at the edges of the aged alicorns eyes, not much broke through Celestia's regal mask, but here she was... crying.

Cadance recoiled. "No... please Celestia... don't tell me she's..."

"She's not dead..."

Cadance became confused. "But then why are you so upset, and why did your plan fail?"

Celestia closed her eyes for a few moments to collect her thoughts before looking up at Cadance once more. "Do you remember what I told you about my niece, Twilight Sparkle?"

"Of course but I hardly see how that's releva... no... you're not saying..."

"Twilight Twinkle and Twilight Sparkle are one and the same, she turned on the other element bearers and has imprisoned them. Now Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Nova approach Canterlot, they will be here soon."

Cadance tried to absorb this revelation, but how could she?

"I foalsitted Twilight for years! How can that sweet little filly have been Nightmare Nova?" Cadance demanded to know.

"She played the part well, she fooled even I..."

"But... her family... did she ever even care for them? For any of us?"

Tears began to form in Cadance's eyes, she had loved Twilight like a sister, and now she was revealed to be a power mad alicorn. How was she meant to accept that?

"I don't know... maybe she did... but right now they are coming to attack us and we alone must be ready for them."

Cadance gave a reluctant nod. "I understand".

Celestia looked upon the younger alicorn, the poor thing was shaking. But even she couldn't even imagine how Celestia was feeling.

Oh Luna... Twilight... why do my mistakes still have to haunt us so?

Bursting through stray cloud into open sky Nightmare Nova got a clear view of Canterlot. Even from here she could see pony's moving about unaware of what was coming.

Nova couldn't help but think how the modern pony's didn't really resent the night so much as those of the past.

As they flew Nova, for the first time in a long time, lit up her horn and began to rearrange the stars in the nights sky. New constellations came into existence as well as some old ones not seen in a thousand years. Let's just hope moving those stars isn't messing up the day of any aliens that may live out in the depths of space, scientifically it shouldn't but you never know.

Nova observed several pony's pointing to the sky in shock and awe, looking at the spectacle none of them had ever before witnessed. A happiness surged through Nova as she looked on the scene, and the screaming in the back of her mind grew louder still.

Nopony noticed as the two alicorns glided swiftly down towards the castle. On entering the first thing the two noticed was how empty it was, there were even a few things like scrolls abandoned here and there.

"Look's like they left in a hurry, she definitely knows we are coming..." Nightmare Nova observed.

They continued down the hallways, the only sound was their hoofsteps echoing constantly down the long winding hallways, which only added to the tension Nova was feeling.

Finally they came across two large closed doors. The throne room, and Celestia was inside.

"Are you ready my daughter?"

Nova gave a quick nod and the two combined their magic's, opening the large doors with an almighty screech.

Inside an alabaster alicorn and a pink alicorn lay in wait. Cadance looked visibly saddened to see Nightmare Nova while Celestia had reapplied her regal mask and was hiding her emotions behind it.

"Sister," Nightmare Moon greeted with much sarcasm. "How much the blood boils to see you once again, you know, after you chained me to the moon for a thousand years!"

"Luna! You know I had no choice, please stop this! It doesn't have to be this way!"

"Twily?" Cadance addressed the younger of the two opposing alicorns. "Please, don't do this. Think of your family!"

Nova grimaced at the mention of her adoptive family, but remained silent.

Nightmare Moon seemed to notice Cadance for the first time. "Who is this? Forget to use a preventative spell did we, Celestia?"

Both Cadance and Celestia seemed to blush at what Nightmare Moon had just insinuated, luckily Nova cleared up the confusion.

"She's not her daughter, rather her adoptive niece."

"NIECE?!" Nightmare Moon shouted out in the Royal Canterlot Voice. "YOU DARE REPLACE MY DAUGHTER?!"

"I'm not the replacement for anything!" Cadance retorted

"Twilight," Celestia now addressed Nova. "You have lived among us for eighteen years right under my nose! I got to watch you grow up again and that was one of the most wonderful things I have had happen in the last thousand years, I still love you! Both of you! Come back to me, let us be a family again!"

Once more Nova stayed quiet, trying hard to ignore the screaming.

"Enough of this Celestia!" Shouted Nightmare Moon in anger. "We will not listen to your petty lies any longer!

"Luna I..."

Before Celestia could speak Nightmare Moon charged up a spell at unleashed it towards the two alicorns before her, who got out of the way just in time as it exploded, leaving a crater where they had been standing moments earlier.

Having no other choice Celestia shot back, unleashing several bolts of destruction magic. however all of them were deflected by Nova who swooped down and kicked Celestia in the side of the head, disorientating her momentarily.

The three mares juggled a few more spells back and forth, a few hit their targets but most battered the throne room walls and floor.

Cadance, who had frozen at the start of the fighting finally sprung into action. Flying up she tackled Nova who was swooping down on Celestia for another kick and the two struggled in the air for a moment before Nova sent Cadance flying through the wall with a particularly strong spell.

Nightmare Nova followed Cadance through the hole and out into the Canterlot gardens while Celestia and Nightmare Moon continued to clash within the confines of the throne room.

As Cadance struggled to her hooves Nightmare Nova landed on the grass before her and began to charge another spell. Not willing to give her the chance to do so Cadance teleported right in front of Nova and hit her across the face as hard as she could, sending Nova plummeting to the ground.

Cadance unleashed a beam towards her opponent which was met with a hastily raised shield, the beam continued to beat against the shield draining it over time.

However, Cadance didn't notice a park bench caught in a lavender aura come barreling towards her and hit her in the back. She struggled to stay on her hooves as Nightmare Nova got up again. Their eyes met and they stood still, staring, the only noise was the ongoing fight in the background.

"Twilight... all those years we spent as friends... why?"

"You weren't there, you don't know what we went through!"

"That was a thousand years ago! This is today we are talking about, what of your other family? How will Shiny react to what you have become!"

"I am what you all made me!"

"No! You are what you CHOOSE to be! And right now you are choosing to be a monster!"

"SHUT UP!" Screamed Nova in her own Royal Canterlot Voice, anger coursed through her very being at Cadance's words. Sparks flickered as her eternal mane quickly lit up and became an inferno! Her lavender coat bleached white and her dark magic corrupted eyes turned a shade of red. Her armor began to glow from the heat being produced by her mane.

Before Cadance could react Nightmare Nova charged head first into her, the flames singeing her fur. Nova then reared up and bucked Cadance right in the face before spinning round and unleashing a devastating spell right into her chest, sending Cadance flying through the air into a nearby statue which was immediately reduced to rubble.

Cadance couldn't even gain back her senses before Nova landed on top of her, one hoof on her chest to keep her still. The heat from the flames were unbearable and Nightmare Nova began to charge one final spell that would end it all.

"Twily..." Cadance muttered, a tear rolling down her cheek.

Nightmare Nova fired.

Back underneath The Castle of the Two Sisters five mares sat in miserable silence.

All of a sudden Pinkie Pie perked up and began to have odd spasm's.

"Twitchy tail, wobbly knee's, droopy eyes and shivers down my spine!"

"What was that darling?" Asked Rarity

"My Pinkie Sense is tingling!"

"Oh no, what did it say this time?" Fluttershy enquired

"That some being of super awesome power just began fighting!"

"Well, that would likely be the princesses and those other ruffians." Rarity suggested.

"Ah hope the Princesses are ok." Said Applejack.

"Don't worry AJ, they got this!" Rainbow Dash said with confidence.

Cadance slowly opened her eyes as the unbearable heat died away. Next to her a small piece of the ground had been completely eviscerated. Looking up she saw Nightmare Nova had returned to her usual look, no flames anywhere to be found.

Nova slowly stepped off, the voice in her head stopped pleading for Cadance's life and began to return to it's usual screaming.

"Why? Why am I alive?" Cadance weakly asked.

"I..." Nova paused, "How could I kill the best foalsitter of all foalsitters?"

A small smile passed Cadance's lips, maybe there was hope yet.

Pain and exhaustion finally caught up with Cadance and she passed out.

Nova stared at the unconscious alicorn a few moments more before turning to re-join the fight within the throne room.

Two spells collided mid air, one blue, one golden.

The fight between them had left throne room and now raged high above the castle itself. The two alicorns danced around each other as they unleashed spell after spell and dodged each and every single one.

Finally the two mares were brought to a halt when something flew through the air towards them, coming to a halt next to Nightmare Moon.

"Ah my daughter, you return victorious I presume?"

Nova nodded. "That I do, Mother."

Celestia's face fell. "Cadance... Twilight please tell me you didn't..."

"She is alive, for now. Though she won't be going anywhere anytime soon."

Celestia breathed a sigh of relief, but then observed the two dark alicorns before her. She realised the odds were stacked highly against her favour. She was already beginning to struggle against her enraged sister, against two? If she stayed she would die...

"This isn't a victory for you, I will be coming back you can count on that, I just hope against all hope you realise how wrong you both are before the end."

"Oh no you don't!" shouted Nightmare Moon. "Stop her!"

Before Nightmare Moon or Nightmare Nova could do anything there was a bright flash from Celestia's horn that momentarily blinded the pair, when their sight returned Celestia was gone.

"Gah! No matter... we can deal with her later and Equestria is ours never-the-less. Come Twilight, let's tell our subjects the good news..."

Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Nova, mother and daughter walked slowly towards the balcony that overlooked the city itself, where Celestia would make all of her announcements.

"How much resistance can we expect?" Nightmare Moon asked her daughter.

"From the nobility... very little. Most won't care as long as they got to hold on to their illusion of power. Some may prove a problem but they can be easily dealt with."

"And the guard?"

"We will encounter some resistance from them, ironically most of that will likely come from the Lunar Guard. However many in the guard are not as disciplined, loyal or even competent as they were back in our time. As long as they get paid their bits on time they will follow us."

"Remind me to replace them with some better guardsmen at some point in the future would you, Twilight?"

"Of course, anyway as for the civilians, Equestria hasn't seen much conflict in the last thousand years, most pony's today won't have the backbone to oppose us. The rest will just have to be given ample reason not to."

"Understood, now... let's go greet the masses shall we?"

The two finally walked out onto the balcony and began their announcment of a... change in management.

As Nightmare Moon declared her victory the feeling of shame in the back of Nightmare Nova's mind got louder and louder, the screaming just kept getting worse.

Author's Note

Things have reached rock bottom, only up from here!

I'm a bit tired but I managed to get this released on time, go me...
Anyway next week I have two extra days off Collage due to inset days and what-not so I may be able to release more of the story a bit quicker!

9 - Change of Heart

Two Weeks Later

"Five million nine hundred and eighty eight bottles of cider on the wall five million nine hundred and eighty eight bottles of cider, knock one down pass it around five million nine hundred and eighty seven bottles of cider on the wall, Five million nine..." Pinkie continued to sing much to the annoyance of everypony else. It's worse when you realise Pinkie started at one billion bottles of cider on the wall.

"Oh sweet Celestia please make it stop!" Rainbow Dash shouted while trying to block Pinkie Pie out.

The five mares had spent the last two and a half weeks trapped down in the dungeon beneath the Castle of The Two Sisters, Nightmare Nova had personally delivered food and other supplies for them, and surprisingly good food at that considering they were prisoners, and had even given them a few books to read; and while Rainbow Dash wouldn't admit it, she was in fact really getting into the 'Daring Do series. However, every request and angry demand for release had been shot down immediately along with a threat to take away 'book privileges'. One thing they knew for certain was, quite definitely, that Nightmare Nova was really into her books.

"Calm down sugarcube it ain't that bad..." Applejack sighed.

"If I ever hear that song again it will be too soon, I just want to get out of here more than ever!" Rainbow despaired.

"Well my little ponies I believe you are in luck," a new voice sounded from the dungeon entrance.

"Princess Celestia!" everypony shouted in unison, surprised by the Solar Princess' sudden appearance.

Celestia walked down the stone steps towards the cells, her horn lit up with its wonderful golden aura which connected with the five occupied cells and forcefully yanked the doors of their hinges.

The five mares ran out of their cells and up the tall alabaster alicorn.

"Your highness!" Rarity was the only one in this case to bow.

"There is no need for that now, I am not the Princess anymore."

"Well let's go and change that! It's about time somepony kicked those two off of their pedestals!" Rainbow Dash proclaimed with renewed determination and enthusiasm.

"Hold on there sugarcube, the six of us against two evil alicorns with an army of guards behind em', ah don't like them odds."

"AJ we have to do something!" Rainbow protested.

Celestia shook her head. "It is too dangerous for you five, I shouldn't have involved you in the first place, it's my fault you have rotted down here for as long as you have," Celestia hung her head in shame.

"Oh please don't feel bad, Princess..." Fluttershy pleaded.

"Flutters right, we all came of our own free will," Applejack said with a stamp of her hoof.

"Yeah and it was that big meanie that put us down here not you!" Pinkie supported.

"Besides aren't we meant to be those element bearer... things...?" Rarity questioned.

Celestia sighed. "The Elements of Harmony, yes you were to be the bearers..."

"Were?" Rarity questioned further.

"Twilight Sparkle was meant to be the bearer of the Element of Magic, which disappeared a thousand years ago along with her.
Unfortunately, the other elements were also all destroyed by Nightmare Moon soon after your capture."

"So... what do we do?" this time it was Rainbow asking.

"You? Nothing, go back to Ponyville, to your families. I will wait here for Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Nova. It started with me and it will end with me, tomorrow morning either the dawn will finally come or a state of twilight will ensue once more."

"How did it start with you, Princess?" Applejack asked, Nova had given them very little details, only that the sun was gone and the Princesses and other resistance had been defeated.

"They... are family. A very long time ago I was so absorbed in the limelight I received I failed to stop the destruction of the two ponies who needed me most. My sister and niece suffered and I did nothing to stop it, I just assumed it would ultimately blow over, I was blind. I made the same mistake but a few years ago with another student of mine, I do not know where she is now. Maybe one day they could forgive me, but recent events cast serious doubt on that... those two are monsters I created, and now it falls to me to stop them or die trying."

The five mares processed this new information, it was Applejack you spoke.

"At the end of the day, Princess, ah would say that you are just a pony like any other. We all make mistakes."

Celestia smiled sadly. "That we do..."

"Come on everypony," Applejack addressed her friends. "Let's go home".

"Are you sure AJ?" Rainbow Dash seemed uncomfortable leaving after everything that had happened.

"If the Princess feels she needs to do this, who are we to stop her? Ah say we respect her wishes..."

Reluctantly the other mares agreed and after bidding the princess their farewells and wishes of good luck they all left, heading through the Everfree Forest back to Ponyville, back home.

Nightmare Nova stood on a cliff edge in the Everfree Forest, from here she could see the Castle of The Two Sisters, or more specifically the Alicorn flying towards the old throne room.

Celestia.

She had been bringing some supplies to the imprisoned element bearers only to find her aunt already there. Nova used her magic to bring out a quill and some paper from her saddlebag.

Mother

I've found her, our old castle, throne room.

Twilight

Finishing her letter she consumed it in green flames which then turned into a magical smoke flying off in the direction of Canterlot. It didn't take long to get a reply.

Twilight

Do not engage, wait for me. I am coming.

Five mares walked through the Everfree Forest in silence, each going over recent events, from Nightmare Moon's return until now.

All except for Rainbow who was flying overhead watching out for any monsters who may threaten the group.

Rainbow Dash peered through the tree's looking for any danger, she wouldn't let anything harm her friends, not again. A small clearing was dead ahead, a cliff edge by the looks of it with a clear view of the castle. And somepony was standing by it.

"Stop!" Rainbow hissed through the trees.

The group stopped dead.

"What do you see?" Rarity inquired.

"It's her, Nightmare Nova, she's just standing by the cliff edge, staring at the castle."

"She mus' know about the Princess," Applejack noted.

"Well she isn't harming her on my watch!" Rainbow suddenly blurted out.

"Rainbow, don't!" Applejack shouted up to her friend, too late.

A Rainbow streak tore though the sky towards the dark alicorn.

...

As Nova stood looking at the castle she heard sudden raised voices, before feeling an object hurtling into her at ridiculous speeds.

Nova was knocked off of her hooves and fell to the floor with an almighty crash, her saddlebags came off and tumbled over the edge of the cliff.

Looking up, she saw an angry Rainbow Dash standing over her, and behind her four other mares ran forward all looking rather panicked. Their panic, in hindsight, was for good reason.

Summoning a surge of magic Nova blasted Rainbow into a nearby tree. The others were now committed due to Rainbow's actions and they attempted to charge Nova before she could recover.

They were too slow.

Nova jumped back to her hooves and with a snarl unleashed a barrage of magic that slammed into Rarity and Pinkie Pie sending them flying backwards. A terrified Fluttershy hid behind the nearest rock while Applejack reached Nova and attempted to give her the hardest buck she could muster, only to be met with a magical shield blocking it.

Nova levitated Applejack into the air, another Rainbow streak flew across and grabbed Applejack placing her safely a few metres away. Rainbow Dash then turned and charged towards the dark alicorn, only to be met with a hoof batting her away. A disoriented Rainbow Dash collided with the recovering Rarity and Pinkie Pie.

Applejack and Fluttershy ran to help their battered friends, with the five now gathered Nova discharged a spell in their direction.

The five jumped out of the way just in time, the spell trailed after Pinkie Pie before dissipating.

Then Nova heard a rumbling sound.

Before she could react rocks began to fall all around Nova, her last spell having caused a rock slide to begin.

The five ponies scrambled out of the way of the incoming rocks and away from the distracted Nova.

Nova herself went to teleport to safety but before she could a massive boulder hit her dead on at high speeds, there was a almighty crack as pain soured through Nova's body.

The dark alicorn was sent flying, she landed on the ground but momentum carried her over the edge of the cliff. With one hoof Nightmare Nova only just managed to grab onto a stray vine lining the cliff side.

She now dangled dangerously on the side of a very large cliff, this was not a place she particularly wanted to be.

Looking back Nova could see one of her wings bent horribly out of shape, it was broken. She tried to use her magic to teleport but pain was the only result, the impact had severely damaged her horn, neither could get her out of this mess. And to make matters worse the cliff had nowhere she could get a grip of to climb back up, the surface was too smooth.

It was a long way down, now she had the choice of either hold on or suffer a long drop with a sudden stop. Without any magic to help soften the fall the drop would almost certainly kill her, if it didn't then one of the forest's many hungry predators would be more than happy to finish the job.

It would appear the five ponies had gotten lucky, and that luck would cause the death of the younger Nightmare.

"I'm sorry mother..." she muttered as a tear rolled down Nova's cheek, the alicorn having resigned herself to her fate.

Then, to Nova's complete shock, two winged ponies appeared either side of her and grabbed onto a foreleg each. Struggling they lifted her a few meters where three hooves dangled from the cliff edge waiting to help.

With all five helping they managed to bring Nova back from over the edge and set her down on the hard rocky ground.

The Element Bearers had saved her!

"Wow... you are really heavy..." Rainbow Dash wheezed in exhaustion.

"That was a close one sugarcube, one more minute and you would of been more messed up than a rodent under a wagon wheel!" Applejack laughed.

Nova didn't see what was funny, they had saved her, she had imprisoned them and conquered Equestria but yet they still saved her!

"Why? Why did you save me? After everything I did..."

"Because sugarcube, that's jus' who we are, that and I'm willin' to bet from what I've heard that your a good pony at heart and deserve a second chance..."

"A second chance? But I betrayed you!"

"Yup, and you'd have to work pretty hard to earn our complete trust, but ah think that's jus' what the magic of friendship is about, second chances."

The other four all nodded in agreement, even Rainbow Dash.

"Friendship...?" Twilight muttered

And they were right, they had always been right. And Twilight now knew she had been so, so wrong. In her heart she had known this for a while, this was just confirmation.

The screaming in her head finally stopped.

Above them Nightmare Moon flew overhead towards the castle, ready to end this, and so was Twilight.

"This ends tonight, and I'm going to put things right!"

She meant every word, this grudge, this hatred had gone on long enough. She would make her mother see and reunite their family at long last, even if it killed her.

With that Twilight got to her hooves and ran as fast as she could towards the Castle of the Two Sister, shortly followed by the five mares who, if Twilight worked really hard might one day call her friends.

Author's Note

The next chapter will be the finale! It is indeed time to end this...

"About time after that U-turn!"
Pinkie! Get out of the authors notes!
"But then how would I walk to you silly?"
Pinkie I'm warning you!

10 - Jailbreak

Author's Note

I know I said the next chapter would be the finale, but I decided to add one more in to show what's going on with some of the side characters while all that is going down, enjoy!

10 - Jailbreak

Canterlot

Shining Armor stood idly just outside his parents home, watching the skies as Nightmare Moon sped away from the castle with a sense of urgency.

"Shining?" Twilight Velvet called out to her son. "What are you doing?".

"Both of the tyrants are away, now is the perfect time".

Shining parents exited the house, Velvet walked up to him and placed a tender hoof on his cheek.

"Don't," Velvet pleaded. "It's too risky, I don't want to lose you!"

"What about Cadance? I can't leave her to rot in that dungeon. And what if Twilight is also locked up there, all alone? We know she was in Ponyville when Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Nova first appeared. Besides, she is Celestia's student, remember? Nightmare Moon would have almost certainly imprisoned her," Shining said with a sense of determination, he was completely unaware of his 'sister's' identity.

A tear slid down Velvets cheek as she meekly nodded. "Just... please come home safe".

Shining gave her a warm smile. "I promise".

He gave his mother and father a warm hug before taking off into the darkened streets of Canterlot.

Shining sat in the shadows waiting for the guards to pass by, he had known many of these traitorous guardsman, he had even called many of them friends. He was ashamed to have once called them brothers and sisters in arms.

Once they were gone her quietly sneaked into the decrepit pub sat in a far away corner of the high end district just below the castle, only to be met with a dagger pointed at his throat.

"Shining?" Valiant Heart near shouted, quickly withdrawing the dagger. "My apologies, Captain, I thought you were one of them".

"You are forgiven lieutenant" He said reassuringly.

Before him stood three other ponies, all of them guards he once served alongside. Lieutenant Valiant Heart was a Bat-Pegasi and now former Lunar Guard, there was also Private Healing Touch, a Unicorn mare who had been a medic. Finally there was an Earth-Pony stallion named Lieutenant Dead Bolt, he was a well built stallion with a crossbow strapped to his side.

All three stood to attention as Shining Armor closed the door behind him and walked fully into the room.

"At ease, anything to report?".

"Negative, Captain," Dead Bolt answered. "It's all been quiet here".

"Good, how's our entrance?"

Valiant smirked as he placed hoof on a seemingly random brick on the far wall, said wall rumbled and then slid away leaving behind a gaping dark passageway. Shining Armor being Captain of Celestia's Royal Guard had it's perks, like knowing all of the hidden passageways Celestia had installed in secret in case of an emergency, information he had recently shared with the other three.

"So, Celestia honestly predicted there would be a day where we had to sneak into out own castle?" Healing Touched questioned, slightly amused by the idea.

"Well, the Princess does like to be prepared," Shining shrugged. "Now if I remember correctly this passage should lead directly to the dungeons."

"How convenient for our current mission," Dead Bolt snidely remarked.

"Can it, Lieutenant! Everypony ready?" Shining addressed the group.

"Yes sir!" they all saluted in unison

"Very good, move out!"

The four ponies slide entered the hole where the wall used to be, once they were in they were met with a staircase leading down to a large cave like tunnel, on the wall sat a lone lever which Shining pulled to close the wall back up.

Shining and Healing both lit of their horns to illuminate the dark passage. Slowly they quietly made their way down the tunnel, twisting and turning at several junctions.

"Couldn't she have made the passage a little less creepy?" Healing grumbled.

"Scared, Private?" Valiant chuckled.

"Shut up before I stick that dagger of your where Celestia's sun doesn't shine!" she retorted.

Shining near facehoofed, but just refrained from doing so.

Finally the passage gave way to another set of stairs leading upwards. As they ascended the rock walls gave way to stone brick, the same that lined the castle dungeon. They had arrived.

They reached the top and were met wit a wall and a single lever much like back at the pub. Shining pulled the lever partially down to open the secret door just a fraction. Through the small opening her had a quick look outside, he could see several cells, a few of them occupied. Just off to the side there was a small wooden table where two guards adorning black armor with a symbol of the moon imprinted on the front. They were sitting around the table playing a game of poker, bits were strewn around the table so Shining guessed they were betting actual money on the game, no wonder they were so preoccupied...

"Looks like they're too busy with their game to even notice us..." Shining muttered, rolling his eyes.

"Orders?" Valiant asked.

"There are three of them, Valiant Heart, Dead Bolt and myself will choke them out, Healing Touch you open the door on my signal".

They all nodded and got into their positions.

"OK on three. One... two... three!"

Healing Touch yanked down the lever and the other three rushed into the room, grabbing a guard each before they even had tome to react.

Shining held a struggling Pegasus stallion in his hooves, but soon enough he went limp as he fell into unconsciousness. Looking up he saw the other two guards had also lost conscious.

"Put them in an empty cell," Shining ordered as bewildered prisoners looked on.

One by one the guards were chucked into a cell, which was then locked by Healing Touch who had taken their prison keys. Looking around they could see many eyes staring at them, one cell in particular caught their eye.

Prince Blueblood and Sir Fancy Pants were sharing a cell.

The four ponies rushed down to that cell and Healing opened it with a jingle from the keys.

"I say it's about time somepony rescued us," Blueblood grumbled. "The conditions have been just ghastly, so unbefitting of a Prince such as myself, honestly what took you incompetent fools so long?"

"Oh shut up Blueblood..." Fancy Pants sighed.

Blueblood huffed, but complied. Fancy Pants walked out of the cell to greet his rescuers.

"Captain Shining Armor, a pleasure to see you again dear boy."

"Likewise Fancy, do you know where Cadance and Twilight are being held?"

"Twilight? You mean you don't know?" Fancy seemed a little concerned as he said those words.

"Know? Know what?"

Fancy shook his head. "Perhaps it would be best if you spoke to Princess Cadance on the matter, she's being held in solitary confinement just down that hallway."

"Thank you, head back down that passageway, Dead Bolt go with them, once you reach the other end wait there for us." Shining pointed towards the open wall.

"Thank you Captain. Come, Blueblood, and do try to behave yourself."

After the other three had departed Shining, Healing and Valiant turned to walk towards solitary confinement.

"Hey what about us?" a rough looking stallion on a nearby cell protested.

"Nice try, I seem to remember I was the once to put you in there," Shining remarked as he smirked.

The pony huffed and crossed his hooves in frustration, Shining ignored the pony and continued forwards.

The individual cells gave way to a blank corridor, after a few moments they eventually came up on a few heavy steel, numbered doors.

Shining looked through the shutters on each door to view their occupants, he found what her was looking for in door number five.

He took the keys from Healing Touch and placed them in the door, he opened said door with a loud screech as it scrapped against the floor.

Inside a pink alicorn looked up, Cadance had her wings bound and an enchanted ring around her horn to stop her from using her magic.

"Shining!" she cried out running up to her fiancé.

"Cadance..." he whispered hugging her tightly back. "Are you alright?"

Breaking off the embrace Cadance looked Shining in the eyes. "I'm fine for the most part, I've been fed well enough and treated well, its the loneliness that was the worst part".

"Really? I would have thought Nightmare Moon the type to make your life unbearable during your 'stay' here".

Cadance chuckled meekly. "You're probably right, it was Twilight that made sure I was treated well. I know there is still good in her, if only that good could be brought out in full..."

"Wait... Twilight?"

"Shining? Wait... you don't know do you...?"

"Know what!? First Fancy Pants an now you? What has happened to my sister?!" Shining shouted getting angry.

Cadance flinched back, tears forming in her eyes. "Could you two wait outside, please?" she asked Valiant and Healing Touch.

Valiant and Healing nodded and exited the cell, closing the door behind them and standing at guard near it.

"All right..." Shining muttered trying to calm himself. "What... happened... to.... Twilight?".

"Shining, Twilight was adopted."

"Yes.. I am aware, what of it?"

"Do you know anything about her real parents."

"Real parents? Her real parents are back home, no 'real' parent would abandon their foal in the street!"

"What if she wasn't abandoned Shining... what if something happened... something that left it's mark that she never quite forgot?" Cadance's voice was trembling, she took no joy in what she was about to tell him.

"Cadance?"

"What if she was never actually a foal, and that her last name wasn't even Twinkle"

"Cadance, you're scaring me now..."

"What if... her real name was Twilight Sparkle... and what if I told you that..."

Cadance gave out a light sob as Shining backed away from his fiancé, anticipating her next word.

"...That Twilight Sparkle and Nightmare Nova are one and the same."

Shining Armor fell to the floor, Cadence rushed to his side and giving him the biggest embrace she could muster, tears streamed down her face in gallons now.

Shining Armor's mind went numb, his world shattered.

11 - Dawn

Twilight ran through the Everfree Forest as fast as she could, ignoring the excruciating pain from her horn and wing. She didn't have time for pain, for she could already hear explosions coming from the castle as her mother and aunt engaged in on final battle, a battle that Twilight wouldn't let finish, no matter what.

Celestia stood in the throne room of the Castle of The Two Sister. She could remember all of the wonderful times they had experienced within these walls. She could remember how she and Luna had installed all sorts of secret passageways, some were designed for quick access or to hide things, others were created to simply mess with the nobility. She could also remember the birth of her niece, how Luna had screamed and cursed for her sister and then at the end of it all looking down on a small bundle containing an adorable lavender alicorn filly. They had been so happy then, Celestia had always hoped for a child of her own some day, but since what happened a thousand years ago those dreams slid away, there had been suitors, but she had turned them all away. She didn't want to establish any close relations, she couldn't... not while her sister remained on the moon.

And now that sister rapidly approached the castle with one goal in mind, Celestia's destruction.

On top of all that her niece was revealed to be alive, and her own student no less. he had spent so many years with Twilight 'Twinkle', she had loved her as her own daughter, she was the first pony she became that emotionally attached to in a thousand years, maybe a part of her realised the truth? The thing is Twilight had seemed to return those affections, was that all just an act, or was it real? Celestia had to hope that somewhere in her niece's heart a light shined, and no matter if she dies this day perhaps that light would emerge through the shadow, and even spread to her mother.

She hoped that for both their sakes, and for the sake of Equestria and her little ponies.

"CELESTIA!" a loud voice boomed across the castle, destroying a few fragile pieces of the ancient structure.

Nightmare Moon descended through the open roof, landing at the other end of the room.

"Luna," Celestia greeted.

"Celestia, you run and hide for over two weeks and then just... stop? It's almost as if you welcome your death!" Nightmare Moon smirked.

"Oh dear sister, I would try and talk you out of this action, but I know that it would fail once more."

"Indeed," Nightmare deadpanned.

"Just one thing, should I fall... could you raise the sun?"

"Raise the sun? You're kidding right?"

"Your daughter's twilight may keep the world from freezing, but there is still too little sunlight reaching Equestria, it may not be the end of the world but there will still be chaos, death."

"So there shall, but we will move on from it. In the end all of your legacy will vanish just as we did a thousand years ago... only unlike us it will never return. The day shall never come about again!"

"Then I pray that you or your daughter see the error of your way one day should I die here, not that I will make that easy."

"Naturally, farewell... SISTER!"

Nightmare Moon lunged at Celestia seeking to impale her on her razor sharp horn. Celestia spread her wings and took to the sky to avoid the strike. Seeing this Nightmare skidded to a halt and instead launched a devastating beam of magic at Celestia, which she also avoided. Celestia dove down and struck Nightmare in the jaw, she went around for another hit but her hoof was met with Nightmare Moon's magic stopping it mid air, Nightmare levitated Celestia up and slammed her into a far wall.

Regaining her senses from the impact Celestia just managed to avoid another beam of magic coming at her by rolling to the side. The two traded spell after spell each avoiding them for the most part.

Neither was relenting, somepony would die this day.

Twilight finally reached the castle, flashes and bangs still emanated from the throne room as the fight carried on. Rushing through the hallways, Twilight began to take the most direct route to the throne room, suddenly the entire castle shook and the hallway ahead of Twilight collapsed.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me..."

Twilight turned around heading back the way she came having to take a detour around the collapsed hallway.

Suddenly the fighting stopped and silence filled the castle. Panic began to fill Twilight but she didn't stop, ten a massive explosion began to sound throughout the castle, the fight had escalated further and was reaching the end. The explosion continued to sound as two spells met and clashed for dominance.

Shortly behind Twilight five mares struggled to navigate the crumbling ruin of a castle, not having as much experience with the structure as Twilight.

"Great, the halls collapsed, what do we do now?" Rainbow groaned in frustration.

"There must be a way around, come on girls the Princess is countin' on us!".

"I just hope Twilight can make it in time..." Rarity sighed.

In the throne room the fight dragged on as spell after spell, punch after punch and kick after kick was exchanged.

The two sister locked horn and began to struggle, Nightmare Moon kicked Celestia and then blasted her backwards with a spell to the chest.

With a grunt she landed in a heap at the very end of the throne room, where she first started. Slowly a battered and bruised Celestia got to her hooves and viewed her opponent, Nightmare Moon had also received several injuries, but to a lesser extent.

The two mares stared at each other for a few moments, one had hatred in her eyes, the others held sadness. Silence emanated throughout the halls of the castle.

That silence was broken when the two alicorns charged their horns with ungodly amounts of magical energy and fired them into each other, the spells meeting at the centre of the throne room.

Sun and Moon, Light and Dark clashed violently, each vying for dominance over the other. Neither could gain any ground, when one faltered it would quickly push harder and regain ground.

But neither was giving in.

The stars above twinkled, a vast audience watching as two sister fought with all their strengths, their anticipation building to see who would ultimately reign victorious.

Sparks crackled and flew up into the air, fires also broke out as the intensity of each spell continued to rise and rise further still; should have the sun been in the sky Celestia may have began to encroach on her fallen sister, but the sun wasn't in the sky... but the moon was.

The stars watched as this moment echoed throughout time and space, they watched as Nightmare Moon began to slowly gain ground. No matter how hard Celestia tried she couldn't regain her spell's former momentum, the dark blue quickly swallowed her golden aura...

And then it swallowed her.

...

Silence.

There was no more fighting.

Twilight slowed her speed as she came across the throne room. Her stars had informed her of what had transpired, so she already knew what awaited her.

Entering the throne room she stood directly behind her mother who was breathing heavily as all the gathered adrenaline was slowly released from her system.

At the other end a bloodied alabaster alicorn lay on the floor breathing shallowly, her eyes barely open. Death was close at hand for Princess Celestia.

Nightmare Moon heard her daughter's arrival and turned to greet her.

"Twilight, good of you... to..."

Nightmare Moon's eyes widened as she saw her daughter, or more specifically her broken horn and wing. Hurriedly she ran up to her daughter to inspect her injuries.

"Twilight! My little star what has befallen you?!"

"This is the result of my own actions mother, a mistake, like the one you yourself are about to make".

Nightmare Moon backed away from Twilight. "Mistake? Celestia needs to die!".

"No, she doesn't!"

Celestia heard Twilight's words, slowly and painfully she looked up at her niece, a smile formed onto her face.

"Why do you say such things, my daughter? Do you not recall the pain we went through, how she neglected us? How she had believed she murdered you and locked me onto my own moon?!" Nightmare Moon shouted out.

At this point the element bearers finally showed up, standing their ground just by the entrance way.

"Of course I remember! But that was a thousand years ago! Those ponies who harmed us are long dead! Here they appreciate our night, both the moon and stars. Celestia herself is repentant of her neglect, I know this to be true after having spent so many years at her side as her ever so faithful student... but my desire for vengeance blinded me, I couldn't see it..."

Twilight looked back at the mares behind her. "But then I learned the truth, I have been doubting myself for a while but it took the actions of five wonderful mares to show it to me. They taught to me the magic of friendship, they saved my life from my own folly despite my actions against them, they forgave me! Just as I plead to you mother, forgive Celestia, let us be a family again..."

The Element Bearers and Celestia all gave happy smiles at Twilight's heartfelt words, Nightmare Moon however had a look of shock etched onto her face, for a minute Twilight thought her speech had worked.

But then the look of shock on Nightmare's face was replaced with one of pure anger. "So I see Celestia's little soldiers have managed to manipulate you, to warp your mind..."

"Warp my mind? No Mother, that's-"

Nightmare Moon turned around to face Celestia once more. "YOU ARE A MANIPULATIVE TYRANT CELESTIA, YOU SHALL NOT TAKE MY DAUGHTER FROM ME AGAIN!" Nightmare Moon roared in anger as her Royal Canterlot Voice echoed for miles.

Nightmare's horn quickly charged up with all sorts of magical energy, dark magic seeped through her very being as in her pure fury she charged up one spell, a spell stronger than any she had ever cast before and would most certainly kill Celestia, very violently at that.

Celestia closed her eyes excepting her fate, she was too battered to place up a shield or even dodge out the way, this was it.

Nightmare released her spell and it angrily hurtled towards Celestia coming to bring her end.

"STOP!"

Celestia opened her eyes with a jolt in time to witness her niece jump between herself and Nightmare Moon, Twilight closed her eyes in concentration as she tried desperately to direct enough magic through her damaged horn to place up a shield spell.

She failed.

It was too late for Nightmare to cancel the spell and it continued to speed forwards, Twilight's eyes jolted open at the last second as she realised what was about to happen.

Twilight screamed in agony as the spell hit her full force in the chest, dust and smoke picked up obscuring everypony's vision.

"Twilight!" The element bearers called out in panic.

...

A blue aura swept through the room as a horrified Nightmare Moon quickly cleared away the dust and smoke trying to find her beloved daughter. Once it was all gone they all got a clear view of the room and the resulting devastation.

Twilight was standing right where she had been, her eyes were wide as blood seeped down from a massive injury in her chest, she was hurt, very hurt.

Twilight's legs buckled from the strain and she collapsed to the floor in heap, her mother rushed forwards and collapsed onto the floor next to her, sobs echoing throughout the throne room. She picked Twilight up placing her between her forelegs. The element bearers slowly approached the pair in utter despair. Celestia tried to get up, desperate to help her niece but was too weak.

Twilight coughed violently, blood flying out of her mouth. Nightmare's horn began to glow a very bright blue as she placed all of her strength into one healing spell, trying with all her will to save the pony which she cares for the most in the world. But the dark magic infecting the wound refused to let it heal in the slightest way.

"Mother, stop..." Twilight croaked.

"I'm not letting you die!"

"I'm beyond even your power now..." Twilight said, beginning to cry.

"I've killed you... I've killed you... I just wanted to create a world where you could be safe my little star, where nopony would dare harm you ever again..."

"I know..."

Applejack broke off from the group hat held to her chest and went to Twilight's side. "Sugarcube ah... ah jus' want you to know that in the end you were our friend and that we...", Applejack choked. She couldn't bear to see Twilight like this, and unable to finish the sentence.

"I know," Twilight smiled at the five grieving mares. "And I'm glad I found true friends... thank you..."

Twilight's breathing suddenly became wheezy as she held on to the last scraps of life in her broken body.

"Twilight! Please... please don't leave me!" Luna begged.

"Mother, please forgive Celestia, forgive Equestria and most of all... forgive yourself, for me?" Twilight looked at her distraught mother with pleading eyes.

"I... yes... I will..." Luna broke down even more and held Twilight in a close embrace, gently nuzzling her daughters head.

"I love you..." Twilight managed in between her sobs.

"And I you my little star... goodnight..."

With that the last vestiges of life in Twilight ebbed away, she went limp in her mothers hooves as her eyes gently closed as if drifting off into a peaceful sleep.

Throughout the entire planet from Equestria to Yakyakastan and beyond the people of Equus witnessed the stars in the sky flicker, and then fade. They didn't disappear mind you, they continued to burn and support whatever planets that orbit them, but they faded as if something important was lost.

Very few knew what this meant.

Princess Cadance was one of those few.

"No!" Cadance shouted falling to the floor in a fit of sobs.

"What is it?" Shining asked in a slight panic, worried by Cadance's reaction.

Cadance, Shining Armor and the rest of the ponies they were with in the jailbreak stood just outside of the old pub that contained the hidden passage to the castle.

"Shining... Twilight's dead."

The stars had faded, and the universe mourned the passing of one Twilight Sparkle...

There was silence in the throne room aside from the sobs coming from the ponies it contained. Luna cradled her daughter terrified to let go, Celestia lay where she fell blank faced with her mind unable to process how things could have gone this wrong, it wasn't suppose to happen like this.

The Element Bearers were spread out surrounding their fallen friend, together they were all united in their grief for a true friend named Twilight.

...

A spark...

...

All that was needed was one spark to unite six friends, and in those last moments of Twilight life it had ignited, now the remaining five remained united in their grief, and their friendship with Twilight.

The spark remained strong, and the elements finally chose after a thousand years of dormancy who would bear them once more.

In the element's chamber several stone shards began to glow, they levitated into the air and began to form together.

In a flash they all disappeared and in the throne room five Elements of Harmony came into existence, each hovering over one of the Element Bearers. They descended down onto the bewildered mares, each element changed shape and formed into a necklace, each one bearing the symbol of what defined their individual bearers. Each necklace continued to glow, and then each shot out a different coloured light onto the still corpse of Twilight Sparkle.

Luna looked around at the beams confused as to what was taking place, Celestia on the other hand knew perfectly well, all of her grief was washed away as a she warmly smiled.

A new beam of energy emerged from Twilight shooting out to just above her, there that energy formed into the shape of a star. The element of magic descended down onto Twilight morphing into a crown as it did so. The element's beams all increased their power as they met with the element of magic which began to glow brighter than any of the rest.

Then from the element of magic a giant rainbow coloured explosion rocketed throughout the room consuming all of those within.

...

The rainbow coloured blast faded.

Celestia looked around the room, seeing that Princess Luna had been reverted to her original form. She didn't even seem to have her usual ethereal mane which suggested all of her magic had been temporarily drained away. But that wasn't all.

Celestia realised all of her own injuries were healed, slowly she got up and approached her trembling sister.

In her hooves Luna held a much smaller alicorn, it would seem Twilight had also been reverted back to her original form, not only that the wound that once sat on her chest had completely vanished.

A few tense moments passed as all eyes rested on Twilight' still body.

Suddenly Twilight began to splutter as she tried to get air into her starved lungs. She was alive!

The element bearers cheered as Twilight looked into her mother's bewildered eyes.

"Hey..." Twilight weakly said, smiling all the time.

"Twilight..." Luna scooped Twilight into a warm hug, tears of joy rolling down her face. "I thought I had lost you."

"Welcome to my world," Celestia remarked approaching the pair.

Both Luna and Twilight seemed to recoil slightly as Celestia approached them, apparently fearing what may happen next.

Celestia knelt down to look her sister and niece in the eyes. "I want you to know that... I forgive you. I think our feud has gone on long enough, could you ever find it in your hearts to forgive me for my neglect a thousand years ago? To let us be a family again?"

Twilight and Luna looked at each other, before both nodding and leaping into Celestia giving her a strong embrace.

"We can sister!" Luna shouted. "I'm so sorry, I love you so much Tia!"

"And I you my dearest sister, and you my niece... my most faithful student..."

"Come on girls, I think we should leave them to it, we can make a fuss later," Applejack motioned to the door.

"Partyyyy!" Pinkie Pie shouted out her man poofing up to unbelievable extents.

The three alicorns sat there enjoying each others company for the first time in a thousand years. The stars rejoiced, and soon after Equestria too rejoiced as the sun finally was raised high into the sky once more.

Author's Note

Redemption! Now only the epilogue remains...

12 - Epilogue

Dear Aunt Celestia

So this is my first friendship report after I volunteered to the task of studying the magic of friendship in Ponyville. I learned that no matter how far a friend falls there is light somewhere in their hearts, and if a second chance is possible they more than deserve one. My friends could have easily let me drop off that cliff edge to my doom, but they saved me, and I in turn saved both you and my mother.

All in all it went surprisingly well.

I know you are busy with the diplomatic fallout of the recent events that befell Equestria, should you have need of me Princess Twilight would always be here to lend a hoof, I mean it I'm quite eager to get back into my duties as Princess of The Stars.

I should also thank you for giving me permanent ownership of the Ponyville Library during my stay here, you know me well enough that you realise how much I love books it would seem! Mother has been visiting regularly, as you likely already know, it is good to spend time with her after everything that has happened. I had missed just being a family.

Speaking of family Shining has finally spoken to me, I was afraid he never would again. Remind me to thank Cadance profusely for talking to him. I don't know what I'd do without my BBBFF. It was brief but he wants me to come to my adoptive parents home in Canterlot, I'm eager to smooth things over between us, to let them know I always have and still do love them.

The ponies of Ponyville have seem to be warming up to me (after a few hours of running and screaming), but I fear it will take longer for me to earn the trust of the rest of Equestria, I bet mother is having an even harder time. Though with your help and the help of my friends I am confident that trust will come.

On the subject of my friends they all treat me as if Nightmare Nova never happened, a sentiment I am very grateful for. Could you perhaps send extra tickets for this years Gala? I would quite like to treat them...

Spike seems pretty unfazed by what happened, apparently he slept through the whole thing, lazy dragon.

(Princess it's Spike, I'm not lazy it's just that the lack of an actual day confused my body clock I swear!)

Anyway I hope you are doing well, good luck with all those angry nobles. Good to know that some things don't seem to change even after a thousand years...

I look forward to seeing what the future holds.

Your fellow Princess, Niece and ever most Faithful Student
Twilight Sparkle

Author's Note

Thanks you all so much for your support! I did not expect this story to gain so many views and likes... thank you!

See you in my next story: Change

8 - Change of Management

Three days later

The twilight sky glistened above Canterlot. Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Nova had succeeded, Day was gone, replaced by a state of twilight and the nights had been lengthened so it lasted in equal measure to twilight.

Things hadn't gone completely smoothly, as to be expected they faced opposition and an attempted rebellion from those guards more loyal to Celestia, however like Nova had predicted the promise of gold to the majority of guards had brought their blades to fight for them, the rebellion was extinguished before it even began.

The civilian population was terrified, but passive. The nobles were largely indifferent to the change in management though there were a few issues. For instance Sir Fancy Pants had been a vocal protester to the new diarchy and had been trying to encourage the population to take action, he was now sharing a cell with Prince Blueblood (who had acted an arrogant moron as usual). However Nova, who had lost any taste she may have had for conflict had been making sure that the prisoners were treated well and that the conspirators were simply imprisoned and not executed. An example of this would be Princess Cadance, Nightmare Moon had wanted to execute her as an example but Nova had talked her out of it, it would seem Nova and Nova alone held sway with her mother. However Nova did not know how far the influence would extend, her mothers wrath was still great and wouldn't likely fade anytime soon.

Now night would soon befall the world once more as mother and daughter sat on a balcony overviewing the city. Nightmare Moon's horn lit up to bring about the night as Nova did the same to arrange the stars into all sorts of beautiful and artistic patterns.

However this night Nova struggled, the screaming in her mind had yet to stop.

"Twilight? Are you well?" Nightmare Moon asked her daughter noticing her struggle.

"I'm fine."

"Twilight... I will always know when you are lying to me, now what's wrong?"

Nova sighed. "It's just... are we doing the right thing?"

"Yes," Nightmare Moon answered simply. "The good thing? I doubt it, but I do truly believe we are justified."

"But those who harmed us are long dead!"

"Celestia isn't... yet."

Nova sighed, her mothers words doing very little to reassure her troubled mind.

Nightmare Moon nuzzled her daughter affectionately. "I know recent events have been hard on you, but things will get better my little star, I promise."

A cough caught their attention and the pair turned to see a guard standing by the door.

"Sorry to interrupt your highnesses, but there is a group of protesters threatening to barge through the gates, they are demanding the return of Celestia and the day," the guard informed them.

"Are they now? We'll see how that goes for them..." Nightmare Moon said with an annoyed snarl.

"Go easy on them mother, please?" Nova asked of Nightmare Moon.

"No promises."

Nightmare Moon and the guard left the balcony to confront the protesters.

Nova turned to look back over the city.

Events continued to way heavily on her mind, events of the previous few days continued to playback within her mind. She had spent so long hating Celestia. But a thousand years had past, even if it was less for her.

Questions invaded her mind, a conflict of morality coursing through her soul.

And then there were the Element Bearers. They had been true paragons of their own individual elements, and had been nothing but pleasant to her. They had offered her friendship, and what did she do? Betray and imprison them.

And no matter how hard she tried to deny it... she liked them. She had wanted to be their friend, and yet loyalty to her mother kept her from that path.

As it always had been.

That is how it had all started, simple loyalty to her mother led her on the path of dark magic. She hadn't blamed Celestia at first for any of what happened, that only happened as the dark forces in her blood fed off of her darkest emotions, fueling the anger that had started off as barely an ember. And the path she chose had now led here. Could she have stopped all this? Could they have remained one, big, happy family had she just tried?

The more she though on this, the sicker she felt in her stomach.

The screaming continuing in her mind told her as much.

"You know now, don't you?" Twilight Sparkle stated accusingly, appearing as an apparition next to Nova. "How you could have stopped this, and yet blind loyalty led you down an near irreversible path..."

Nightmare Nova didn't answer the apparition.

"Note I said, 'near' irreversible," she stated in a far kinder voice.

Nova turned to face the smaller mare, a reflection of which she longed to see in the mirror again.

"What do you mean?"

"Celestia is still out there," Twilight said. "You could end this."

Nova shook her head. "After what we've done? She would banish, or kill, us both. I will not surrender to that mare. Equestria will hate is for now, but we can make it better!"

"But you don't need to be hated at all!" Twilight shouted in desperation. "You're wrong about Celestia, you have been wrong for a very long time! You friends from Ponyville can forgive us, as can out aunt! You just need to try!"

Tears threatened to breach Nova's eyes, but she batted them away and regarded the apperition in anger.

"Be gone! You aren't real! Banish yourself from my presence this instant!"

"You cannot hide from yourself," Twilight stated sadly. "You will see soon enough..."

And just like that, she was gone.

Nova was shaking, and the screaming continued.

All was quiet at Sweet Apple Acres. Big Macintosh sat on the front porch looking up at the stars. He was worried. Worried for the farm as he didn't know how long the tree's would live with so little sunlight reaching them during the twilight, he was worried at what the tyrants now in charge might do next and above else he was worried for Applejack who had gone missing when Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Nova had revealed themselves.

The sound of a breaking twig caught his attention, he turned to see an exhausted alabaster alicorn slowly making her way towards him

"I need help..." Celestia said tiredly.

"Eeyup," Big Mac responded.

Author's Note

Small filler chapter before we go back to the juicy stuff tomorrow.