Wake up, my little pony. Rise and shine...

Twilight mumbled something in her hazed state, not waking like she usually did at the Computer's voice. "Yes, rise indeed." Another voice chuckled sinisterly. Jolting her eyes awake, the girl shot up, despite the enormous headache it gave her. Recovery be damned, she was determined to stop Nightmare Moon from harming her!

"Nngh, y-you won't h-hurt me!" Twilight fought with her every being to get up from the bed and get ready for a fight. Fighting through her drugged haze, Twilight stood up on her legs. They felt like jelly underneath her and even the thought of moving sent her into a dizzy spell. "Easy now," Nightmare Moon grabbed her shoulder. "You still need to-" her hands were swatted away.

"Don't you touch me! I'm fine. I recovered at least enough to protect myself!" Her magic flickered to life, fading in and out dangerously with every labored breath. "N-now go, before I hurt you!" She shot a spell designed to kill the strongest of foes, only to watch it fizzle out halfway to its target.

The Navy blue woman laughed hysterically. "Clearly! Your powers are too much for me, I am just quivering in my boots! AHAHAHAHA!" In a blink of an eye, Nightmare swooped to the young girl in a cloud of smoke, reappearing mere inches from her face. Silence hung in the air, save for the beeping and whirs of the nearby hospital equipment. "You cannot harm me, Twilight Sparkle. I am Nightmare, I exist by just the mere thought of fear in the Dreamscape." Suddenly she hoisted the Alicorn back into bed and pried it off the wall, floating it in her magic. Gasping, Twilight groggily held on for dear life as Nightmare began to move.

Doors opened and lights flickered on in the hallways they traversed. "That doesn't make sense, they're supposed to be disabled!" She scowled at Nightmare. "How exactly did you gain access to Cel- The Computer"! She's programmed to follow only the orders of those verified! Especially if they were tainted by dark magic!"

Nightmare Moon didn't answer. Slowly and carefully, they weaved through the empty halls and doors, heading down the stairs and out of the Memorial Wing. Surprisingly, the Alicorn was extremely careful with Twilight. "Celestia." The Blue Alicorn spoke. "Explain to this whelp that I am of no harm."

ERROR, CHAOTIC PRESENCE DET-*%@S$#

...RESETTING. Of course, sister dearest.

A small metal cube detached itself from a nearby panel and projected a set of images in front of the recovering woman, all of her long lost mentor at her varying stages of "imprisonment":

ENTRY ONE:

When The Resistance first approached me, I, well, I didn't know what to think to be honest. Rebellion? Against Him? It was impossible, but I thought to Humor them, if only a little. After all, I wouldn't be a SILLY PRINCESS IF I DIDN'T, HAHAHAHAHA!

...

...I am sorry, it seems whatever power Discord has gained was able to distort my mental faculties. I am truly his puppet, my thoughts are not my own... END ENTRY ONE."

"I-I don't care about this! why-" she was suddenly shushed by her apparent escort. "Watch. Learn. Understand. It's all I ask, and then you can attempt to monologue and murder me, deal?"

Adjusting her position in the floating bed, Twilight grumbled and continued watching:

ENTRY TWO:

It's getting...... Harder and harder...... To think! But I must stay strong for... For.... Someone. I can't remember WHY I WAS DEPRESSED! THERE'S NO NEED TO WORRY, DISCORD SAID SO AND IF HE SAID not to worry, it makes me stand even more on edge. The "Project" is almost done, but I doubt the other races will join. It seems Discord decided to show mercy to the Dragons and Griffins, and let them build their Arks. They were massive FLOATING BOATS, THEY LOOKED PRETTY! He was only holding the pony races hostage. Oh Discord, I'm so EXCITED TO BE YOURS!

...Please, whoever is reading this, do not pity me. I'm not Celestia anymore, just someone who looks like her... END ENTRY TWO

"...She was the leak, wasn't she? The reason I needed a 'Code Indigo'?" She asked, hesitant to hear the answer.

"You seem determined not to listen today, don't you? Keep watching, and this time NO MORE QUESTIONS."

FINAL ENTRY:

I FINALLY DID IT, I TOLD MASTER DISCORD ABOUT MY DUMB STUDENT'S PLANS! AHAHAHA! I'VE EVEN PERFECTED MY *ahem* "Resting bitch face" as he liked to call it.

Ah, it feels so nice to not yell! I hope Sissy is enjoying her time on the moon again, or at least, I think I aimed for that big ol' ball of cheese! It didn't put a face on it when I banished her, so I'd have to assume I veered her off course a bit. Oh well, Dissy says it's fine, so it's fine. Now, I need to go tell Twilight to start packing bags. We have a long journey to CONQUER THE COSMOS, AHAHAHAHA!

*the footage crackles and fizzles out for a few minutes, producing nothing but static, until the video came back, to a room ablaze and a crying woman in the center. Though saying the room was on fire fire would be inaccurate. The furniture and walls seemed to be made of fire itself.*

"I-I don't know what I've done! Was it me or, or HIM that sabotaged the Harmony?! I c-can't remember anymore! I can't believe my own thoughts anymore, so I did the only thing left and sacrificed myself. Not to Discord, but to the only other evil strong enough to snuff him out for good, aside from my Sister, now somewhere in the Lunar Axis cluster and possibly quite dead. No one alive has seen this side of me, and for good reason: I- SHE cannot be stopped, not even you, my faithful student, can befriend her! Your friends are dead, they died long ago before the ship even came close to completion, so their Elements of Harmony came back into my care, under Mas- Discord's supervision of course. He knew I was too far gone to even consider using them, but I knew he would order them destroyed regardless.

So, I did the only thing a dying woman could- I used them to banish myself to where She is imprisoned. That's why I'm sending you these messages, though I do not think you know how to access them. You are too logical to see a lowly AI as my latent magic stripped bare.

By the time you are hearing this, the first order I gave to the "Computer" will have taken effect, and my sister, or perhaps Nightmare Moon now, will have explained, if she managed to survive, that is...

Listen to me, Twilight- by the time you see this, you will have found out the life support for the Cryopods was sabotaged, but there still might be a way t-to ssssssave them from the WRATH of....ngh.... I can't th-think any m-

...

...

...Alive, I'm alive?

....heh. Aheheh. AHAHAHAHAHAHA

HAHAHA FREE, DAY BREAKER IS F-

FINAL ENTRY ENDED, FURTHER BROADCASTS TERMINATED.

The cube flickered for a moment, sputtering its last power reserves before falling to Twilight's feet in a clump of dead metal. The girl herself was in tears. All this time, her mentor, her friend, was closer than she realized. Celestia was right, she thought too linearly. Though weak still, she managed to huddle her knees close to her chest and began to sob.

"Get a hold of yourself, child!" Nightmare Moon spat, disgust written clearly across her face.

"I-I just found o-out C-Celestia sacrificed herself, and you expect m-me n-not to c-cry?!" She spoke between sobs.

"Ugh, and to think you once defeated me." A chirp sounded in front of them, the rows of lights all illuminating a path to a single set of doors: the Bridge. "Regardless, we're where we need to be. Wipe away your disgusting tears and open this door. I doubt it'll be pleasant inside, but at the very least we'll be somewhere safe." Slamming down the bed, Twilight didn't have a choice but to stop crying and brace herself for the sudden impact.

Wiping away her tears, Twilight looked at the dark metal doors, still shut since she and her crew first went into Cryostasis. "What do you mean by 'safe' exactly?"

The woman groaned. "What I mean is stop asking questions and open the damn door, or I'll tear off your arm and do it myself."

Taking the hint, Twilight got up from the bed and leaned against the wall for support, making her way to the Biometric lock that all major areas had. She pressed her hand to the square pad on the wall, scanning her handprint. A small needle pricked her index finger as she was doing this, taking a blood sample to look for any chaotic influence in her DNA.

The computer for the bridge sounded different from the disembodied voice of Celestia, instead sounding artificial and lacking any personality.

BIOMETRIC DATA RECOGNIZED: TWILIGHT SPARKLE, CAPTAIN.

ANALYZING DNA......COMPLETE.
ERROR! SUBJECT COMPROMISED.
OUTSIDE INFLUENCE DETECTED.

VERIFYING IDENTITY...

A small camera whirred to life from above the doors, extending itself to the front of the two women. Scanning both faces, the computer continued analyzing data.

PROCESSING DATA......COMPLETE.
ENTITY ONE: TWILIGHT SPARKLE, CAPTAIN
ENTITY TWO: UNKNOWN. CLOSEST MATCHING RECORDS INDICATE NIGHTMARE MOON.

ENTITY TWO PERCEIVED AS THREAT. CHAOTIC INFLUENCE DETERMINED TO BE FALSE.

TWILIGHT SPARKLE, CAPTAIN. COMFIRMATION REQUIRED FOR ACCESS.

IS ENTITY TWO FRIEND, OR FOE?
PLEASE NOTE CURRENT VITALS ARE BEING MONITORED TO DETERMINE STRESS.
ANSWER TRUTHFULLY.

The machine from before shot out a stasis ray, freezing Nightmare Moon in place. "Twilight Sparkle, tell this thing to release me!"

The girl gave it some thought. "If You are truly here to help, prove it."

"Of all times, you decide now to play the hero?!"

She stood there, waiting. "What's here with us? Well?" She pressed a button on the panel from earlier, causing the field to restrict tighter around the woman like a vice.

"Nothing! Nothing is here! And that's the problem!" She spoke through a strained voice. "The safest place is this room, so stop this infernal interrogation!"

Twilight sighed."Confirmation code: Cadence." The field disappeared and the heavy doors swung open, it's locks disengaging with a loud Clunk. Still weak, Twilight leaned against Nightmare with reluctance and they both made it inside. As soon as they both slipped in, Nightmare was directed to hit the emergency close button located at the top of the door, locking them both in.

"Now that we're in here, can you please tell me what's...going... OH CELESTIA!" The lights of the Bridge flickered on, revealing a gruesome scene before Twilight:

The skeletons of her six friends were strewn about the room, spatters of blood long since dried, painted every corner of the room. "T-this can't be happening!" She started to hyperventilate. "They're supposed to be back on Equestria, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE BURIED!"

"Twilight, listen to me, this isn't-"

"Nonononononono..." Twilight crouched down into the fetal position, unable to listen.

"Twilight, you need to snap out of it!"

"My friends, they're dead! Oh Celestia, why? Why?!" Suddenly, a slap rang across her face.

"Look at me! What you're seeing isn't real! None of it is! I brought you here to help you recover, whelp! Now tell me where the emergency kits are!"

"...Not real?" She looked back at the scene. It rippled slightly with every blink of her eyes. "...Lower Deck, underneath Captain's controls..."

Rushing over to there, the woman found the kit, but found it was locked, and required a passphrase. "I need a password."

"Sunshine...Ladybugs..." Was all Twilight was able to utter in her terrified state.

"Sunshine and Ladybugs?" Suddenly Nightmare realized what she was trying to say. "You've got to be kidding me..." Sighing, she spoke the passphrase. "Clap your hands and do a little shake." The latch released, and she rushed over to the worsening Twilight. "That test was never designed for Serpent level tension on Pony races, you fool!" Reaching into the kit, Nightmare Moon pulled out an injector full of a starry liquid. "These should disperse of the visions. Hold out your arm."

"No!" The frightened girl pleaded. Her visions got worse- Nightmare Moon now was a mass of insects writhing and twitching. "Stay away!" She slapped Nightmare's hand away.

"We don't have time for this!" Forcibly grabbing the girl's arm, she injected the viscous liquid into her.

"No! Poison! You poisoned me!" Suddenly, she became very dizzy. "Why am I spinning..." Was all she said before passing out again.

"...up." A voice, barely audible, pierced through the fog of unconsciousness.

"...need to wake up. Come on, Twilight Sparkle. Equestria needs you..."

Fluttering her eyes, the girl sat up, holding her pounding head. "Nngh, what's going on?"

"We do not know, as of yet." A familiar voice spoke.

Suddenly, she remembered. "Nightmare Moon!" Jumping up, Twilight cast a stasis spell at the voice's origin, unsure if it was actually her or another illusion. "I-I don't know if you're real or not, but I'm not taking any chances!"

"Twilight Sparkle, you are still under the influence of the Drugs your machine injected you with. Listen to me, I am not Nightmare Moon. I'm a friend!"

"N-no! Y-you're wrong! A trick, it's another trick! I'm, I'm alone and you aren't real and this is just a hallucination." She blinked her eyes rapidly, her vision distorting and changing the scenery into one bizarre landscape after another.

"Nngh, head hurts..." Clutching her head in pain, she dispelled the magic holding down the illusion.

With every jolt of pain from Twilight's cranium, everything began to melt and reform around her: the bones of her friends disappeared. The blood splattered on the walls melted and became the colors of the various instrument panels throughout the Bridge. Even the apparition she thought was Nightmare Moon faded away to reveal someone else...

Someone she thought long gone.

"...Princess Luna?"

Author's Note

Hope this chapter was good! I'm going to reveal the actual state of affairs in the next chapter. Let me know what you guys think with either a thumbs up/down, or you can tell me in the comments. Up to you!