The Royal Family Reunion

"Huh?!" Said six very confused ponies.

"I said thank you for saving me and stopping me from bringing eternal night." Nightmare said again in a much calmer tone. She sat back in her chair and poured herself a cup of tea.

As Twilight and her friends sat there stunned at what they heard from Nightmare. The same Nightmare that appeared before them and was bent on bringing eternal.

Was now thanking them for stopping her, and drinking tea with Celestia and Luna.

"Saving you what, we stopped you from taking over Equestria, why she even here?! " Twilight said looking to Celestia and Luna, trying and failing to break her magical bindings.

"You see Twilight, Nightmare was not herself back when you all first met her, she is very friendly once you get to know her." Celestia said smiling and explaining to them as she tried to calm them down.

"If she's so friendly, why hasn't she let us go yet?" Rainbow said with an angry tone. Pointing out Nightmare's magic grasp was still around then, only for them to vanish a moment later.

" There you go, now let's talk and get to know each other better. " Nightmare said smiling, trying not to seem scary or threatening to them.

"Yes let's, our sister Nightmare would like apologize, and for you all to hear her side of the story." Luna said as she pulled out six additional chairs for the large wooden table.

"Wait you said she was not herself, what do you mean she attacked us, tried to bring eternal night, what's going on?! " Twilight said still in panic mode, frantically trying to make sense of the situation,

"Yeah she seemed plum set on her intent to bring eternal night, and didn't seem to want to talk then." Applejack said, finding this whole thing hard to believe.

"Huha she sure was, I didn't even get to throw the party I had planned." Pinky said nodding her head.

"S-she was quit a bit mean when she first arrived, and I can't imagine what would have happened to the animals without the sun. " Fluttershy said timidly as she poked her head out from behind Rarity's tail.

" I am awfully sorry for terrorizing you all, I was not in control of myself back then. That is what I want to explain." Nightmare said as she tried to convey her regret through her eyes.

" I-I'm sure you didn't mean to though." Fluttershy squeaked out, retreating back to her hiding spot upon seeing Nightmare eyes land on her.

" Oh come on, I know I look intimidating but I'm doing my best here, I already feel bad enough! " Nightmare thought, feeling worse after seeing she was still scaring them.

" She does seem sincere y'all." Applejack said feeling the honesty in her voice and seeing the look in Nightmare's eyes.

"I agree with Applejack, all she is asking for is a second chance and I think we should hear her out at least. " Rarity said placing a hoof on Twilight's shoulder.

"Ok, what you think girls? Twilight said looking to rest of her friends.

"Yeah I'm cool with this Twi." Rainbow said nonchalantly with a shrug.

"Yeah, I can always plan another party, so no more frowny faces here! " Pinky said cheerfully, before jumping in her seat.

"So now that that's over with, tea?" Nightmare asked, raising a teapot with her magic.

As Twilight and her friends sat down with the three royal sisters at the table, they could feel a thick sense of unease in the air. All of them were feeling awkward as they were having tea with a former enemy, Nightmare in particular was feeling very uncomfortable.

"She looks so nervous". Fluttershy thought as she stole a glance at Nightmare.

Nightmare looked as calm as can be on the outside as she sipped her tea. But Fluttershy was not fooled by her act, she had gotten good at telling a creatures emotional state from carrying for animals for so long.

"So Nightmare... what happened?" Twilight asked delicately, noticing Nightmare's behavior.
Breaking the awkward silence with the question they all wanted answered.

Celestia and Luna looked at Nightmare, ready to stop her if she got too angry, knowing that the emotional wounds had barely began to heal.

But they were also ready comfort her if she got too emotional from this, not wanting a repeat of what happened when they first visited her in the hospital.

When Nightmare first woke up in the hospital, she instructing one of her guards on watch to send a message to her sisters to visit her, and that she needed to talk with them.

When she first tried to tell them what happened to her, to put it mildly, she had a full blown emotional breakdown.

Which shocked them greatly, for they never saw her so emotional vulnerable before, she began crying and getting more and more upset as she went on recounted what she had done.

Reaching the point to were she simple cried in her hoofs, only being able to say sorry over and over again. Celestia and Luna did the only thing they could think of, they hugged her in a tender embrace, letting her know they were there for her.

Nightmare hugged them back, wrapping her forlegs and wings around them, not letting go for a minute or so. She was still crying, but was smiling as she found that their roles had been reversed.

They were comforting her liked she did for them when they were sad or upset.

" All this time I was the one who had to be strong and protect them, now their the ones comforting me, how ironic. " Nightmare thought while feeling relived that there were no hard feelings between them.

Celestia and Luna knew she was her old self again, but it was very clear to them that she was far from okay.

.

Upon being asked the question Nightmare's face became blank, showing no emotions. A blank look that she used when trying to control her emotions, similar to talking deep breaths to calm down. Making all present more than a little nervous as to what she might do.

Twilight and her friends readied themselves, not knowing how she would react. Though Celestia and Luna were more worried that she would have another breakdown than anything else. Then after a few seconds she looked up at Twilight's group with a sad and pained look.

" Huuhaaa, that...is a long...and painful story young ones, and it is not easy for me to tell." Nightmare said with a long sigh, looking looked up in the sky with a distant look, like she was remembering something long ago.

After another long pause she started telling the grim and tragic events, leading to her going mad and being banishment to the moon.

After what seemed like hours, with the help of Celestia and Luna explaining and adding in details Nightmare had forgotten, due her still having a little bit of memory loss, she told her story.

Nightmare started out telling them that she was Celestia and Luna's older sister, and queen of Equestria after the three of them debated who should lead. Then she told them how she and her sisters had built and ruled Equestria together.

She went on telling what they accomplished throughout history, smiling as she remembered the fun adventures they went on.

She went on explaining how and why she suppressed her emotions, being driven to the decision because of the overwhelming stress and frustration she was going through. From dealing with the wars from multiple fronts, to the berating, slander, and schemes of the nobles, and from the public against her and her sisters and everyone they were associated with.

She said It was simply to much for her to keep a sane and level head, and she knew after dealing with it for so long, she realized she was cracking under the pressure.

But didn't tell anypony about it, because she didn't want it to be known and having them worry about her, especially her sisters.

She explained that she devised a magical emotion limiter in her mind to suppress and regulate her emotions to keep her calm and collected.

However as time went on more and more stress and frustration built up in her, and as a result the emotional seal kept suppressing the excess emotions in it.

Which resulted in the seal wearing out and breaking, releasing centuries of bottled up negative emotions into her heart and mind, making her go insane.

She ended her story with her time trapped on the moon and up till her return back to Equestria.

"It's a miracle that she's back to her old self, and that she found it in her heart to forgive us. " Celestia thought as she looked to Luna with a gloomy expression.

Luna looked back at Celestia with the same look, they couldn't even imagine what Nightmare went through.

"Being a prisoner in her own mind, having her own thoughts and personality drowned out by overwhelming negative emotions. Constantly flooding her mind, amplifying her anger to the point of being stripped of reason. Then being left on the moon with only her thoughts in a void of silence, how awful." Celestia and Luna thought, as Nightmare began to continue after pausing to take a sip of her tea and refill her cup.

Nightmare left out as much details about the many wars she and her sisters fought in as she could, so as not to reopen old wounds for her or her sisters.

"My sisters and I fought so Equestria could be at peace and it is, there is no need for those gruesome times to be retailed." Nightmare thought, knowing that Celestia and Luna didn't want to share such grim and dark stories of war as well.

"Ahh you poor dear, I'm so sorry we were so afraid of you, it wasn't your fault." Fluttershy said gently, feeling sympathy for the bat alicorn.

She flew over and hugged Nightmare's neck with both her forlegs, completely forgetting her fear of Nightmare in a second.

"I'm afraid it was my fault Fluttershy, but it's nice to hear you forgive me." Nightmare said returning the hug a bit hesitantly.

"You were going through a rough time darling, between the stress of ruling, the fighting, and the persecution you were facing, its no wonder you had a emotional breakdown. No pony should have to go through that, and frankly somepony should have notice you were struggling, no offense
Princess Celestia, Luna." Rarity said smiling apologetically to the royale sisters.

"None taken, you have a point there Rarity, we should have seen that something was wrong, but unfortunately Nightmare is really good at hiding how she feels." Celestia said as sipped her tea, giving Nightmare a look.

"I had to, between all that was going on I had to keep calm to make competent decisions, plus every creature around me was terrified of me. And the last thing I wanted was to make you both worry about me. Getting angry and acting on it would only make everypony more afraid of me, my looks didn't help either." Nightmare said with a huff, probing her head with a hoof as she leaned on the table.

"How so, you have a stunning figure and great looks darling, I don't now how anypony could not see that. " Rarity said, finding it hard to believe.

" Now that she's out of her armour she's stunning, she has a figure that beauty models dream of." Rarity thought, amazed at how Nightmare looked.

"Besides my razor sharp teeth, fangs, and eyes, most saw me as cold and harsh, but thank you Rarity I appreciate that." Nightmare said smiling at Rarity's kind words.

"Well I hope you realize that you can share with us how your feeling Nightmare, we always will be there for you. " Celestia said smiling as she hugged her with a wing.

"We're always going to be, just please don't lock your heart up again, that is what we fear the most for you. " Luna said as she hugged her wing as well.

"I won't let that happen again sisters, and I'll be sure to be more forthcoming. " Nightmare said smiling as she looked at her sisters.

"So how did the mare in the moon story come to exist? If Nightmare Moon was the queen of Equestria back then, how did that happen?" Twilight asked, a bit overwhelmed by Nightmare's stories, and the fact Nightmare was driven to suppress and limit her emotions.

"Yeah, how did you become a myth in the first place?". Rainbow asked blatantly, raising a valid question.

"My sisters would know more about that than I would." Nightmare said looking, over to Celestia and Luna, turing the question to them. She already had a pretty good idea what their reasons were though.

"Well you see, Luna and I didn't want Equestria to only remember Nightmare as a madmare tyrant. We hid what she had done while she was under the magical induced insanity. Which lead to ponies forgetting about her after a few centuries. " Celestia said sadly, being reminded of their failure to help Nightmare, which lead to her sister becoming a fairytale.

"And to be honest me and Celestia didn't know what had really happened to her at the time. Overtime knowledge of her faded and what was still known of her became the Mare in the Moon story. But over time it was changed from what it was originally from and turned it into a fairytale. Again we are very sorry Nightmare." Luna said, apologizing a she placed her hoof on Nightmare's.

"Huha, like I have already said it's ok as much as I don't like being reduced to a scary story, I wouldn't want to be remembered as a monster either." Nightmare said looking to her sisters with understanding.

" I've had more than enough of every creature fearing me already, hopefully that will change now. " Nightmare thought feeling a sense of hope as she looked at new element bears.

"Well I think we all owe you an a apology Nightmare, we misjudged you." Twilight said sincerely.

"True that." Applejack said smiling in agreement, her other friends nodded as well.

"Well I'm glad to hear that now, why don't you all tell me about yourselves. " Nightmare said gesturing to Twilight and her friends.

"Well as I'm sure Celestia has told you I'm her personal student and am now living in Ponyville. I live in the Golden oak library, and my friends and I are the beares of the elements of harmony." Twilight said smiling as she told about her meetings her friends on her first day there.

"Ahh, a talent for magic, I bet they don't teach what they did when I ruled. If you ever want to learn some really unique and advance magic let me know. I may be able to even teach you some of my specialties like elemental, ethereal, or shadow magic." Nightmare said offering to pass on her knowledge to the magic prodigy.

"Shadow magic, isn't that dark magic? Twilight said worried as she remembering what she read about dark magic. How it corrupted and twisted those it effected.

"Huha, I see that knowledge of such magic has not been maintained, I'll have to fix that." Nightmare thought as she looked at the six ponies staring at her.

" Twilight the term dark magic refers to types of magic outside of the normal categories of magic. Like shadow magic or chaos magic, shadow magic is just manipulating shadows, and chaos magic just has the power to change things from what they are naturally. It isn't evil by nature but like any kind of power, it can be misused. Their have been those who have made magic and spells designed for ill intent." Nightmare said, imparting her wisdom on magic.

She remembered her fights with Discord, Sombra, Tirek, and a few other foes from her past, though most of them she had personally slayed.

"If not for my sisters I would have beheaded that wretched centaur after we defeated him back then. After all he had done, he deserved nothing less, but my sisters convinced me a life sentence in Tartarus was better. "

And Scorpan did ask us to spare him if we could, but creatures like him don't change. " Nightmare though bitterly.
t
Hiding her hatred for the red centaur, remembering the day they locked him up, a decision she still wasn't sure was the right choice.

"Oh,oh,oh! My turn, I'mPonyville'spartyplannerandIworkatthebakerySugarcubeCorner. Sinceyour firsttimetoPonyvillewasn'tsogood,howaboutIthrowyouapartywhenyoucomevisit?Ohwhat'syour favoritefood,cake,muffins,cookies,drink,music,whatkindofpartydoyoulikeWhenareyougoingtobecomingto Ponyville?" Pinky Pie said in rabid succession, smiling widely as she looked at Nightmare.

Surprisingly Nightmare could easily make out what she had said, thanks to her extraordinary sharp hearing.

"I would like that Pinky Pie as for what I like, I like various kinds of meat and sweets. My favorites are red velvet cake with pecans, white chocolate macadamia nut cookies, banana muffins, and Apple sweet rolls. As for drinks and music I like a good wine and scotch, though I do like root beer floats too. I like classic music but I've grown fond of jazz music." Nightmare said smiling nervously at them.

"No problem I can only fix sweets though, I hope that's okay." Pinky Pie said smiling happily, seemingly unfazed hearing that Nightmare was carnivorous.

"Of course, though are you all okay that I that eat meat?" Nightmare asked surprised by how well they took the news.

"None with me, Gummy my pet alligator likes to eat fish and eggs so it's no big deal." Pinky Pie said remembering her little gator buddy.

"Oh no, I'm around a lot of animals like wolfs, hawks, and bears too, so I'm used to it. Most of them like fish and I can easily get them from a river near by." Fluttershy said going over the carnivorous animals she cares for.

"Oh wow that sounds nice, you must be really good with animals, unfortunately I never was." Nightmare said smiling with a bit of saddens.

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that, how about I show you where I live and we can see about fixing that, animals like to come by my cottage." Fluttershy asked cheerfully, though sadden that Nightmare thought that.

"Thank you I'd like that." Nightmare said looking forward to seeing some animals who won't be scared her.

"So what about you Rainbow dash, I hear your the weather manager of Ponyville and a very skilled flyer." Nightmare said smiling at the cyan Pegasus.

"Yep, I make sure to see about the weather and make sure it gets done right, lots of ponies count on me and my weather team to see about it." Rainbow said smiling proudly.

"Well it's good to hear that your dedicated to your job, that is a good quality for a pony. Especially one who plans to join the Wonderbolts, I wish you good luck with that Rainbow. " Nightmare said, smiling at Rainbow, seeing a bit of herself in rainbow mare.

"Thanks I've been dreaming of joining them since I was little, I'm not the best flyer in Ponyville for nothing." Rainbow said smiling confidently.

"You said you like apple sweet rolls, you should try some made from my family. We make other things with apple's. My family runs Sweet Apple acres, it's right outside of town, we also make the best cider in Ponyville." Applejack said while enjoying a slice of apple pie.

"That sounds lovely, a family that works together , reminds me of when Celestia, Luna, and me worked together when we ruled Equestria. I'd like to stop by your farm Applejack when I visit, perhaps you can show me around and maybe I can try some of your cider. " Nightmare said as she remembered something.

"Sweet Apple acres, why does that sound like a name I've heard before, oh now I remember! " Nightmare thought remembering a light gold pony with a dark red mane with a gold Apple cutie mark.

" Would your family happen to have an ancestor named Sweety Apple by chance?" Nightmare asked curiously.

"I'm not to sure I've heard of her before. Though if their apart of the Apple family Granny Smith might know, I'll have to ask her when I get back. " Applejack said puzzled by the name.

"Excuse me but in Celestia's letter said you like fashion and art right?" Rarity asked remembering it being mentioned.

"Yes I do, but I'm quite picky on what I wear, as for art I do have an eye for such things, but not typical art. " Nightmare said thinking of all the things that interested her.

"Like abstract art?" Rarity asked curious about her taste in art.

"I do have a few paintings but weapons, armour, magical items, and statues are what I like to collect." Nightmare said thinking back on all the stuff she collected in her travels.

"That sounds cool, where did you keep them?" Rainbow said amazed as she pictured all the possible things in Nightmare's collection.

"Well I used to keep them in my room in our old castle, do you know where my things are now sisters?" Nightmare asked looking over to Celestia and Luna.

"Well after things had settled down back then, we put your stuff in storage in a vault here in Canterlot castle." Celestia said, secretly smiling as Luna and her had planned a surprise for Nightmare.

"You'll have to show me where when my room is finished." Nightmare said looking forward to having her own room.

"So Rarity are you a professional hair designer, your mane looks well done." Nightmare said looking at Rarity's purple curls.

" Thank you, I'm good with hair. But I'm a fashion designer. I run a Boutique in Ponyville and though I don't know much about metal work your armour looked exquisite. " Rarity said remembering the astoundingly well crafted armour.

" I'd really like to make you a dress, oh I already have so many ideas, you would look simply marvelous in darling. " Rarity said smiling as she clapped her hoofs together, imagining the designs she would use in it.

"Thank you Rarity I made that armour myself, and I'm sorry to say but I'm not big on dresses but for you I'll make an exception. I only ask that you don't make it frilly please." Nightmare said smiling as she accepted Rarity's offer.

"Oh of course darling I wouldn't dream of it, I'm thinking about a slick design. One that shows your figured and compliments your color, I'll show when you visit." Rarity said smiling, already picking the color schemes.

"Well thanks for having us over Princesses, but I think it's time we head home. It was nice to get to know you Nightmare." Twilight said as she and her friends got up.

It was already late afternoon and they need to catch a train before night.

"It was a pleasure to get to know you all as well." Nightmare said smiling at them, having had a great time with them.

"Thank you all for coming." Celestia said smiling, feeling happy that all ended well.

"We hope you have a safe trip home, we hope you can get back before nightfall." Luna said smiling, glad that they got to know the real Nightmare Moon.

"Yeah we need to head to train station quick, thanks for the express tickets." Twilight said thankful for the tickets Celestia mailed them.

"Take care and I hope to visit soon." Nightmare said waving goodbye to them.

*Yawn* " Well that was nice, I'm going to go to bed now Celestia, I can feel the Day walker spell losing effect." Nightmare said looking suddenly very tired.

"Me as well , how about I show you to your newly finished room Nightmare? " Luna said smiling at her older sister's reaction.

"Really it's done, wait what you said earlier you moved my stuff to it already didn't you?" Nightmare asked, smiling at how her sisters got the better of her.

"Indeed, right under your nose sister. They finished moving the last of your stuff this morning, come sister I'll you show where it is." Luna said as she teleported with Nightmare in tow.

"Huha, well the break was nice, now I've got to finish those documents. And then there's that meeting next week that all three of us are going to have to attend. " Celestia thought dreading to have to return to the unfinished stack of papers in her office.

"Nightshade." Celestia said called out. Directing her gaze to the shadow under a flower bush near the table.

"Yes Princess Celestia?" Nightshade said from within the shadow, having been present the whole time and going unnoticed by twilight and her friends.

Perfectly hidden within the shadow, a natural magic ability of the bat pony race.

"Please tell sergeant Dust wind to find Malty, and tell her to bring a bottle of my usual pick of wine and cake to my office. He is right outside of the garden. " Celestia said smiling to the shadow guard.

"Yes your highness, after that I'll be returning to my post at Princess Nightmare's room." Nightshade said emerging from the shadow, taking to the air as she went to to find Celestia's guard.

A gold flash later and Celestia was back on her office, with 2 small stacks of papers on her desk.

"I hope Nightmare likes her new room, the builders followed her blueprints to the letter. " Celestia thought, getting back to work on the stack of papers. Remembering the blueprints Nightmare showed Luna and her.