Nightmare Moon took in deep breaths from her wild goose chase. One of the Thestrals approached to her.

"Your majesty?"

"What!?" she snapped.

"Uh... perhaps you should go and get some shut eye. My men and I will search high and low for these mares."

"Hm... that sounds good." She made her way to her old room, but stopped as hundreds of ponies came from her hallway, all covered with quesadillas and had a bad smell on them. She took a child from the crowd. "You! Where did you all come from!?"

"Me?" The colt asked "Why, All o' us have been trapped in that one bloke's glowey amulet, miss."

"How did you all escape!?"

"Some Lasses tricked the old wanker into getting into his amulet to get to some other lasses room."

"The mares!!! Men! Get to my old room! I'll be with you shortly! And... why did you try to get into my room?"

"I needed some new britches."

The six mares looked all over the room, seeing some books around, but tried to find something about Nightmare Moon/ Princess Luna's past. So far, many of the books were old tales that both Twilight and Moondancer read as fillies to pass a book report on. Moondancer, however, found something of interest.

"What's this? ... It's her diary!"

"Luna had a Diary?" Lyra asked

"I'm certain everypony has a diary." Twinkleshine suggested.

"I didn't." Minuette replied "I just had... her... to talk to." Loud banging was heard from the other side of the door.

"Open the doors, now!" One of the Thestrals from the other side yelled. "By order of Nightmare Moon, you will open or face grave consequences!"

"Oh Horse apples!" Lemon Hearts shouted, running to the door and pressing her body on the doors to keep it shut.

"Help her out!" Moondancer spoke to the others. "I've got to find a way to stop Nightmare Moon! Perhaps something in the past can help us stop her." Everyone nodded, running to the door and barricading it with anything they can find.

Nightmare Moon watched as the Thestrals tried to push down the doors together, but to no success.

"This is too hard!" One of the Thestrals whined "Isn't there another way to open the doors!?"

"Use your heads!" Nightmare Moon ordered. The thestrals looked at each other, unsure on what to do.

"But I don't want to use my head!!!" The biggest Thestral whined. He was tied up and the rest carried him, charging and yelling as they used the biggest thestral as a battering ram against the door. It barely made a budge. Nightmare Moon Face-Hoofed herself.

"Ugh! Idiots!" She yelled, disappearing into a cloud and flew away. The Thestrals got up.

"Again!" One of them yelled "For the princess!"

"Not again!" The ram-used Thestral whined as they began to charge again.

Another small bump was heard outside. All of the unicorns sat in, otherwise, an emptied out room that was Nightmare Moon/ Princess Luna's old room.

"...That's it!" Moondancer yelled "That's the key!"

"What's the key?" Twilight asked "You know the way to stop Nightmare Moon?"

"I do, but it's going to be tricky."

"Tell us then!" Twinkleshine replied, followed by another bump.

"I'm getting tired of these bumps." Lemon Hearts added. "I do wonder if they know that there's a window here."

"They don't, but I do." The voice of Nightmare Moon spoke. The mares gasped, as they saw Nightmare Moon taking shape from a dark blue-purple cloud entering from the window.

"Get behind me!" Twilight yelled. They followed, though Moondancer stood next to her.

"How adorable. Twins believing-"

"They're not related." Minuette interupted.

"...Oh... well... why do you both-? Never mind! The fact is this: you have lost! There's no point in fighting it!

Celestia will stay in the sun for a thousand years and the night will last forever!"

"You're wrong!" Moondancer yelled, marching towards her "Because I know the only thing that can defeat you!"

"Ha! What is that?" Moondancer and Nightmare Moon stared into each others eyes. Silence was heard, but Moondancer charged at Nightmare moon, followed by-

"What!? What are you... doing!?" Twilight asked. Moondancer was hugging Nightmare Moon. Nightmare looked around, sweating a bit and looking nervous.

"Uh... what are you doing?"

"It's alright." Moondancer simply spoke "Just let it out."

"Let it out!? What do you mean by 'let it out'!? I'm victorious! I'm-"

"You deserve this, every bit of it."

"...I'm lost here." Twilight and the others shrugged.

"I read your diary, and I know what you've been through. You were born precisely 217 years, 4 months, 2 weeks, 3 days, 4 hours, 17 minutes, and 22 seconds right after Celestia."

"That's... strange to know. But my sister-"

"Everything you have done, Celestia had done already. Your parents loved you, but everything you did, Celestia already did herself."

"Well... no... she didn't... I-"

"When you first flew, Celestia was already leagues ahead of you. The first leviatation spell you did, Celestia already knew how to reverse and rapid aging. When you moved the moon on your own, Celestia not only moved it back in place, but she was controlling the sun with ease and watching over your old castle in the Everfree forest at the same time." At this moment, Nightmare Moon began to tear up a bit.

"Y-yes... she did! She-she-"

"And wherever you went, only some ponies paid attention to you; Everyone's attention was at your sister. That is why you made the Thestrals, isn't it? You wanted to feel good, so with the ponies that followed you, so you used your magic to turn them into thestrals, as a way to reward them & remind them on who they're watched by." Nightmare Moon was tearing harder.

"Y-You wouldn't believe... just ho nice they were! And... and-"

"But you still felt inferior. Just a shadow of your sister. Just something powerful that nopony cared about. Just... nonexistent. Am I right?" She finally cracked as waterfalls of tear fell from her eyes.

"YES!!!" She grabbed Moondancer and hugged her tight, crying hard. "E-everything I did was worthless! She... she never paid attention to m-e-e-e! I wanted to be-be as great as Celestia, but n-n-nothing got her attention! I-I would've followed her to the ends of Equestria! Sh-sh-she was my idol!"

"It's alright. We're all here for you. Let it all out, Princess. Let it all out. Please... care to join us, girls?" Everypony else stood there, tearing up as well, ran and gave Nightmare Moon a group hug... except for Twilight. Twilight stared at how hard Nightmare Moon cried: starting from her tail & reaching all the way to her head, she was slowly, but effectively, turning back into Princess Luna. She then remembered Moondancer's reaction that afternoon; if she just went on with her studies, Moondancer may have turned into something just as bad, if not, worse than Nightmare Moon. Were it not for that one action, Nightmare Moon may have taken over Equestria herself. Then she got an epiphany; they were the elements of harmony! Lemon Hearts acting as their guide in the Canterlot castle, along with tickets to the grand galloping gala in a few months prior, was generosity. Minuette & her alter Ego, Colgate, was laughter (though, it may be cheated that way). Twinlkeshine helping the lone Thestral out when they didn't was kindness. Lyra telling off the guard Thestral about what she felt was honesty. And Moondancer, being the one to step up against Nightmare Moon and help, was a sign of loyalty. She was the final piece. Twilight couldn't help herself, but she ran to the changing Nightmare Moon/Princess Luna and joined the group hug. A large, bright light was seen.

Twilight's eyes were slowly hit by the morning sun.

Wait a minute!? she thought The Sun!? She opened her eyes, blurred by the light, but regained her vision as well as stood on her hooves. All her friends were doing the same, but they noticed something different.

"What the-!?" Moondancer yelled "What's this thing around me neck?"

"It... looks like your cutie mark." Lyra commented.

"So does yours." Indeed, everypony looked at each other's necklaces with their matching cutie marks: Moondancer's was a red moon with three small stars around it, Minuette's was a blue sand dial, Twinleshine's was three pink stars, Lemonhearts had three light purple hearts, and Lyra Heartstrings' was an orange lyre. Twilight Sparkle, however, wore a crown on her head, which had her cutie mark of a large star, though none of the smaller ones around it. A moan was heard and, right near the barricaded door was a reformed princess Luna, free from her Nightmare Moon self.

"I'm... I'm free!" She spoke to herself "I-I'm no longer Nightmare Moon! Ha! I'M A FREE MARE!!! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!! Who ever knew I needed to cry!?"

"Catharsis." Moondancer commented, walking to Luna.

"...What?" Twilight asked

"It's a little something I read. When strong emotions are built over time, the mind's first instinct is to repress them, and that affects the personality in many negative ways. Luna needed some sort of release and relieve herself of these emotions. Trust me, this is so much better that say... a zappy zappy 'turn good' spell."

"Well... whatever the case, thank you." Luna replied "It... it feels great, having somepony who went through what I was going."

"Don't thank me. Thank my friends, and, of course, Twilight Sparkle. Were it not for her coming to my party, then not only would I probably become some book hermit, but I'm certain that Equestria would slowly fade away."

"Thank you all... uh... I never got your names."

"Moondancer."

"Lyra Heartstrings!"

"Twinkleshine."

"Lemon Hearts."

"Minuette.

"...Twilight Sparkle." Luna smiled at the six.

"You six mares," she began "you six friends, I'm proud to say, that you have bested me and became my new friends."

"Sweet!" Minuette commented

"Just... one question." Lemon Hearts spoke.

"Yes?" Luna replied

"Can... can Celestia come back?"

"...Oh! Sure, but... we'll have to do it outside. Last time I tried bringing back something for space, the castle had a huge hole in it followed by a large piece of cheese." Luna & the mares removed the barricaded doors, opening the doors to the large crowd of Thestrals out of the door.

"BRIGHT LIGHT!!! BRIGHT LIGHT!!!" All the thestrals screamed in high pitch voices, flying & scurrying away from the sun's light.

"...I'll get them sunglasses."

Outside, in front of the castle, Luna casted a spell that would bring Celestia back. They waited for Celestia to return, though to not see anything immediately.

"Just give it a few minutes." Luna replied, standing & whistling. A minute of awkward silence stood. "~So~... Why do you two look alike?" Twilight gestured between her and Moondancer.

"Us?" she asked

"Yes."

"Yeah," Lyra replied "You had a different mane style when you first joined."

"Last time I saw, Twilight had that mane first." Minuette added

"Is it true!?" Twinkleshine asked "I'm not saying it's wrong, but are you a-HUMPH!?" Lemon Hearts placed her hoof in Twinleshine's mouth, silencing her.

"Let her answer." she spoke, turning to Moondancer. "But yes, why do you look like Twilight?" Moondancer's cheeks blushed at the questions, and she sweated a bit.

"You... you all really want to know why?" she asked. They all nodded. "Oh... um... you're not going to offended or feel weird, Twilight?"

"...Truth be told," Twilight answered "I never really focused on your mane until now."

"Oh. But... Twilight... there's... something I've always wanted to tell you. Ever since I saw you move into your dorm... saw you in those classes... had private tea parties with your dragon and your doll, I... I kinda had a... well... a-"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!" Celestia's screaming was heard. They looked up, seeing Celestia falling from the sky in a ball of fire! She crashed in the middle of them all, but soon jumped out and ran around around her crater. "OWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!!! IT BURNS, BURNS, BURNS!!!" The dust settled, and Celestia stood there, looking fine... except her coat was now pink! They stood at the very bright pink Princess, who stood there in pain.

"Princess?" Twilight asked. Celestia stiffly moved, moving as if she was one of Spike's action figures.

"Twilight? You... you actually did it!?"

"I did, Celestia! But with my friends!" Celestia stared at Twilight's friends.

"Well... I guess not everything's set in stone."

"What do you mean? What did you plan?" Celestia sighed.

"Twilight... you weren't meant to go to Moondancer's party."

"I know that, but what was I suppose to do!?"

"... In Ponyville, I found five ponies that you were meant to befriend and who represent the elements of Harmony. You and those five were suppose to head to our old castle in the Everfree forest and defeat Nightmare Moon together."

"How, though?"

"... With some sort of Zappy-zappy 'turn good' spell." Twilight turned to Moondancer, who just shrugged. "But... I see that you didn't have to do it. You six mares, in Canterlot... but you have a lot to learn about friendship, Twilight."

"No kidding! I need to catch up with my friends, especially with Moondancer."

"Yeah... you do. But... is it alright if you move to Ponyville?"

"...why?"

"It... it's a nice place, and there's plenty of ponies to meet. I've set your home to be in Ponyville's library."

"But what about my friends?"

"I already got a place with my best friend, Bon Bon." Lyra replied

"My friend the Time-Turner has an open room available in his house." Minuette added "Plus, I got a job there for... something, I don't remember."

"Twinkleshine and I have a home in ponyville." Lemon hearts added

"It's true." Twinkleshine added "And some friends can help me get a job."

"What about you, Moondancer?" Twilight asked. Moondacner's cheeks turned full red.

"I'd... I'd like to be with you." she answered. Twilight tilted her head.

"...Why? Is it because of the books? Is it because you'd like to expand? Or is it because-" Moondancer perked her lips and kissed Twilight on her cheeks. Twilight stopped and stared at her, her cheeks then blushed as well.

"That's why. I... I actually... love you, Twi." Twilight stared into space, then fainted.

"...I knew it!" Twinkleshine yelled "You two are so adorable together!"

"There goes my other idea with Cadence." Celestia grumbled to herself.

"Who's Cadence?" Luna asked

"You'll learn, sister. For now... I need to rest."

"Sure, let me help you." Her horn glowed and she picked up her sister. Celestia screamed again.

"BAD TOUCH! BAD TOUCH!!!"

"Oh quit your whining! At least you were only on the sun for a few hours."

Author's Note

Apologies for the sappiness. And yes, Twilight Sparkle-X-Moondancer. Suck it, Flash Sentry!