ESF: Galaxy & Nightmare

Celestia had a hoof to her forehead with a pack of ice Sunset had given her. Valerium paced back and forth, worried about Mocha. Crystal had gone to go get bandages for my wing, and she applied them gently. I winced. "Hold still. I can't wrap up your wing with you squirming." She told me. She finished applying the last bandage. "There." She said. "Oh Galaxy, I know it must be hard, blaming yourself for all this." She looked at me, worried. I was seated on a box Quillton had gotten for me. I lifted Crystal's chin and kissed her gently. She leaned into the kiss, breaking it after a few moments.

"I know." I told her. "Sometimes I wonder if I really am Nightmare, what with all the dark thoughts inside my head." I admitted. Crystal looked at me.

"Galaxy, you are nothing like that monster. You're funny, sweet, caring, loyal, brave, and to top it all off, intelligent, and cute." Crystal blushed at the last word. My eyes lit up.

"Yeah, you're right, Crys. I may have dark thoughts, but I'm no monster, either." I got up, addressing my friends. "Guys, huddle up." I told them. Crystal, Sunset, Valerium, Quillton, and Joy huddled around me.

"OK Galaxy, you're the boss. What's the game plan?" My best friend asked me.

"OK, we know Nightmare is holed up in Celestia's old castle, right?" I asked. Everypony nodded. "Well, I've read the spell he's going to use to resurrect Nightmare Moon. In order for it to work, the moon has to be directly overhead and once it is, it will turn blue for a few moments, long enough for Nightmare to cast the spell." I told everypony.

"So you're suggesting we get the book and keep it away from Nightmare long enough for the moon to pass over him and not turn blue?" Joy asked. I nodded.

"The moon has to be directly overhead when he finishes the spell, otherwise, goodbye Nightmare Moon, and hello sunshine!" I laughed. Crystal hugged me. I winced for she had accidentally hugged my broken wing. "It's alright." I told her. I then looked at my friends. "We're going to need everypony to help us." I smirked. Quillton did as well, and he sent a message to Thunderbolt, Bubbles, Tacitus, Pony Pint, Feline Fluff, who wanted to put some hurt on Nightmare, Spellbound, her coltfriend, and finally, last but not least, my sister. I gasped as Crimson walked through the palace doors. She smiled.

"Hey big bro. Been a while." She smiled. She was now a full grown mare, with her mane falling just a bit above her eyes. She glanced at my broken wing. "Lemme see that." She told Crystal. Crystal nodded as Crimson walked over. "Now, Galaxy, hold still. This might hurt for just a minute." She told me.

"What're you talking about....." I asked before she popped my wing back into it's socket. "Ow!" I exclaimed as my wing went back in its socket. Crystal and everypony gasped. The bandages fell off, and my left wing folded up and down with ease. Crimson smiled.

"Little trick in our family." She explained. Quillton walked up.

"Pleasure to see you again, Ms. Ink." He said. Crimson hugged him. "No, no, not the hugging!" Quillton yelped as Crimson hugged him more. "No, no, no! Please, I'm against the hugging!" Quillton protested. Sunset giggled. Crimson giggled as well, letting go of Quillton who sighed in relief, then looked at me.

"OK Galaxy, what's the game plan?" My sister asked me. I smirked and told everypony my plan again since Crimson wasn't here. Meanwhile, at the Castle of the Two Sisters, Mocha struggled to break her chains. Luna sighed.

"It is no use, Ms. Mocha. The chains are unbreakable and they block both Alicorn and Unicorn magic." She told her. Mocha dropped to the floor and sighed. A door opened, and Mocha snarled as Nightmare appeared form the shadows, grinning.

"It's time." He smirked.

"Come on, let's go, go, go!" I rallied everypony. Crystal raced after me, followed by Quillton, Valerium, Joy, Paradise, Breeze, Pony Pint, Feline Fluff, Thunderbolt, Bubbles, Tacitus, Spellbound, and Crimson. Twilight and Sunset stayed behind to look after Celestia. Crimson and I were in the air flying as fast as we both could.

"There's the castle!" Feline called. Tacitus agreed.

"I see it, too!" He replied. The 14 of us stopped in front of the castle ruins, all determined. I turned to face everypony.

"Alright, guys. We're here for two reasons. To get Mocha back, and to stop Nightmare before that bastard causes any more destruction." I told them. My friends, sister, and wife nodded. "Let's do this." I said. "Allons-Y!" I shouted as I lead the charge. The moment all 14 of us burst in the ruins, iron cages enclosed us in two groups, 7 of us in each cage. I tried breaking the bars. "Gah!" I exclaimed. "It's like trying to break obsidian!" I said. A chuckle came from the shadows and lanterns lit up, revealing Nightmare in Nightmare Moon's throne. He was sitting with his legs crossed and his front legs on the arm rests, smirking.

"Galaxy, Galaxy, Galaxy." He chuckled. "You should've known better than to try and stop me." He said. Mocha was next to him, her hooves clasped in iron chains. Valerium growled.

"Leave my marefriend alone, you monster!" He snapped. Nightmare looked at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, are you talking to me?" He asked. More of Nightmare cleared the shadows, each one dressed in our outfits, one of them having Quillton's coat.

"Or to me?" A Nightmare clone asked. 3 more faced the second cage.

"Or to us?" They laughed. I growled. Nightmare himself got up from the throne and brought Mocha to a cauldron. He got out the Dark Prognosticus.

"One of you clones come and read the spell." He ordered. The clone with Quillton's coat walked forward. The cauldron sparked to life. Nightmare dropped Nightmare Moon's amulet into the dark blue potion. Quillton gasped. Mocha was shocked as well. Feline tried to break the bars with Crimson, but it didn't work.

"Amulet....of the soul being resurrected...." The clone read from the book. Another clone stepped forward. "Flesh....of a servant, willingly sacrificed...." The clone continued as Nightmare used a knife to kill the clone being sacrificed and dropped the clone into the cauldron. He then turned to Luna, smirking. "And blood....of the enemy....." The clone smirked. "forcibly taken." Luna winced in pain as a drop of her blood fell into the cauldron, followed by Mocha's. Mocha winced.

"Don't worry, your use to me is now over." Nightmare smirked, looking Mocha in the eyes. Mocha looked up and whimpered. Valerium growled. I looked at the cauldron with Crystal. Then, I looked at Mocha. I gave it all my might and smashed through the bars of our cage, ramming into Nightmare.

"Get Mocha and Luna!" I told my friends, wife and sister. "I'll hold him off!" I called. Quillton nodded, breaking Mocha's chains as Feline broke Luna's.

"Come on, up you go, Mocha." Quillton said. Mocha nodded and raced to Valerium, hugging him tight. The cauldron sparked and fizzed. I gasped as Nightmare smirked. A dark blue smoke took shape, taking the shape of a familiar pony. Soon, Nightmare Moon stood up, laughing. Nightmare laughed in success.

"The nightmare......is reborn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Nightmare Moon cackled, her laughter echoing throughout the ruins. Me and Mocha gasped. Nightmare Moon.....was back.