The bird’s song filled the quickly silenced area, as everypony turned as one to the stage. The mayor started her speech as the last few ponies gathered, Cadance, having heard it countless times before at other celebrations, instead inspected the hall: the decorations were as immaculate as they had been when Rarity had been showing them earlier; the food looked as delicious as it tasted under the sparkling crystals; the faint birdsong was effectively accentuating both the general suspense and the underlaying tone of excitement as the citizens of Ponyville waited to welcome the sun for the longest day of the year- everything was perfect! Still…

“Somethings not right.” Lyra was the one who voiced the thoughts of the whole group with a quiet whisper, her eyes wide and fearful, “S-something terrible has happened!”

Bon-Bon gently put a hoof on her shoulder, anxiously analysing the room and glancing between the various guards scattered throughout the room. Shining shuffled so he was at the front of their small group. The sisters shared a glance, silently arguing. Cadance shuddered. The other ponies were all cheerfully smiling, little fillies were sneaking pastries while parents and older siblings were focused on the stage, but something in the air just felt wrong. Nebula gasped lightly, staring at the moon.

The shadow was gone.

“And now announcing…”

The Nightmare was free.

“…Our beloved ruler…”

The daydream was over.

“NIGHTMARE MOON!”

The mayor was cut off by the roar of a fiery-maned alicorn, blasting them off the stage as she raised her hoof in a sweeping gesture towards the podium, from which a spectral maned alicorn emerged,

“Why my dear, darling subjects… it has been far too long since I have seen your precious, sun-loving faces,”

“Who are you?! What have you done with our Princess!?” Rainbow Dash darted out of the crowd, looking seconds away from bucking the alicorn in the face. Shining snapped out of his stupor and yelled for the guards to seize both of the alicorns,

“NO! You can’t fight her! Flee!”

The guards ignored Nebula’s desperate plea and charged, Rainbow Dash barely being caught and held back by Applejack. Nightmare Moon merely cackled, effortlessly blasting away all the guards. Shining Armour quickly caught them all in shields and lowered them gently to the ground, keeping their protective bubbles around them.

“Oh? It is good to see that despite that traitorous foal’s best efforts one of you little ponies saw the signs of my glorious master’s return!” The fiery-maned one smirked and glared across the crowd, “Did the rest of you truly think it wise to forget!? Forget the true ruler of our land!? Forget the mightiest warrior history has known!?”

“Forgive them, my dear Sunset Blaze- they have had centuries under that thief’s rule after al-”

“She is no thief! She rules justly while you wallow in your own foalish ambitions!” Nebula snarled at the two tyrant alicorns, “You are but a living shadow, nightmare.”

“SILENCE! You know who I am, yet you dare to defy me!?” Nightmare Moon stalked towards Nebula, walking easily between the parting crowd.

Sky Tierer tried to dart forward but was stopped by a small glare from Nebula. Shining surreptitiously dropped the spells protecting his guards and began gathering energy to protect Nebula when it became necessary. Lyra huddled behind Bon-Bon. Rainbow was still being restrained by Applejack.

Nebula glared up at the alicorn.

“Such arrogant defiance… tell me, do you know what I intend to do? What I have the power to do?!”

“You intend to bring eternal night and rule over the wasteland it creates! Everything in this world needs the sun, idiot! You intend to gather the enforced adoration of an ended world!” a small smirk crossed Nebula’s lips “But you won’t win. The world won’t let you win. If ponies fail, destiny will bring the Elements of Harmony together to defeat you once more, because you are destined to fail!”

Sky Tierer quietly gasped and, realising her sisters plan, hissed under her breath “Oh, you suicidal idiot!”

Nightmare Moon began charging her horn, Shining threw a shield around Nebula only for Sunset to blast him, causing it to flicker away. Sky stared on in horror as her sister continued to stare defiantly into the nightmare’s eyes, perfectly still.

“HEY!” Cadance dived into Nightmare Moon’s back from behind the stage, casting a teleport spell as soon as she impacted and slamming her forehooves into the other mare’s face.

Sunset Blaze threw a ball of fire, forcing Cadance to back away before diving at the Nightmare once more, horn glowing with an overloaded stunning spell which exploded in the Nightmares face. She locked eyes with Shining Armour who instantly threw a shield around the crowd. In that second of distraction, however, Sunset grabbed Cadance in a telekinetic grip, only to find her head jolted to the side. Moon summoned a sword above the now-free younger alicorn’s head, nicking her tail as she threw herself into the skies, shooting a bolt of energy at Nightmare only to find it effortlessly blocked.

Nightmare’s mane grew into tendril’s, holding Cadance still and wrapping around her horn. She struggled, trying to force herself free, but it was to no avail- Nightmare Moon was blocking her magic and without it Cadance had less than no-hope of stopping them.

Still she defiantly glared at her captor, “What did you do to my Aunt?”

To her surprise, the Nightmare looked momentarily surprised before cackling “Oh Chryssy you card! You actually got one of your drunken schemes to work! And so perfectly too! Oh ‘the Princess of Looovveee!’- she must be a free snack bar to you!” with a final, barking laugh Nightmare Moon grinned sinisterly and leaned forward “Your darling ‘Auntie Tia?’ she’s a liar, manipulator and tyran-”

“Try the betrayal card on someone whose special-bucking-talent isn’t love, Moonie. Go to Tartarus.” Cadance, not entirely rationally, figured she may as well have something memorable on her tomb.

Shining tried to run forward, opening a hole in his shield, but was pulled back by a familiar faint green glow that filled Cadance’s heart with hope.

“Release my niece, Luna.” Celestia strode through the hole in Shining’s shield.

The nightmare hummed, mock-pensively, “You know, I don’t think I shall. It tends to be counter-intuitive to give up hostages when attempting to take over a country.”

“Release her and…” Celestia closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, “Release her and promise not to harm my precious little ponies and I will surrender. You can have your revenge.”

“THEY ARE NOT YO-” Sunset Blaze began to shout, but Nightmare Moon raised a hoof to silence her.

“Tempting, tempting, but first…”

A taunting smirk.

“Show everypony here the truth, Chrysalis!”

Author's Note

No, Sunset Blaze is nothing to do with Sunset Shimmer. AU stuff none of the go-to names would work here and that was the best one that I could think of that would. Also, I am not good at writing fight scenes.