The Defeat of Nightmares

by Angel Midnight

Rating: teen
Tags: Starlight Glimmer, Daybreaker, Princess Celestia, Slice of Life, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Alternate Universe, Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna, Drama
Length: 1475

In Starlight's dream, Nightmare Moon falls, and Luna does something unexpected.

Starlight Glimmer was sent to Canterlot Castle to try and resolve the growing feud between the Royal Sisters. Celestia and Luna's cutie marks were swapped, and each of them tried to do the other's job for a day.

In Starlight's dream, Nightmare Moon and an alternate version of Celestia calling herself Daybreaker fight for Equestria's throne. Starlight fears she made a mistake in trying to show each sister how difficult the other's jobs are. For a moment, Nightmare Moon falls.

Luna has Celestia's magic. She can do nothing to change the dream. Or maybe she can, by talking to her own Nightmare.

An alternate version of the Season 7 episode A Royal Problem. Rated T for villain squabbles.

Published 2021-02-03 20:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2021-02-03 20:00:01 UTC

The Defeat of Nightmares

Luna was unsure what to think of the dream she had just been pulled into by Celestia. Her older sister had explained everything, and the two of them knew that the situation could be dealt with, but still, something was upsetting the younger sister. She had had enough experience in Dreamwalking to know that something was severely wrong.

There was Celestia and Luna here. It was Starlight Glimmer's dream, and Starlight was cowering in fear, surrounded by a bubble of magic. The nightmare involved the two Royal Sisters. It was what Starlight believed would happen if the sisters were to continue fighting as they had been for the last few weeks. The poor pony had been sent to deal with the problem and switched the sisters' cutie marks. Luna's day in Celestia's place had been more than unpleasant, and ruined her own dreams that night before she had been asked to deal with this.

Nightmare Moon was here, as was an alternate version of Celestia, calling herself Daybreaker. She had glowing golden eyes, a mane of pure fire, orange armour, and a cutie mark of the sun surrounded by flames. Daybreaker and Nightmare Moon were locked in battle, flying everywhere and shooting dangerous spells at each other. The former could breathe fire with as much power and accuracy as a dragon. The sky was purple, at that moment of twilight, and Luna was unable to tell if it was morning or evening in the dream. That, she thought, would probably change if one of the titans fell.

Daybreaker's fire hit Nightmare Moon, who fell to the ground.

The landscape of the dream changed to the Canterlot Castle throne room. Daybreaker placed herself on Celestia's throne and either side of the red carpet running through the centre of the room was lit up by towers of flame. The creature laughed maniacally. Nightmare lay across the carpet, wounded and unconscious.

Starlight was terrified. Luna didn't need dream magic to tell. Celestia was the only one able to change the dream completely, but Luna had something she needed to do first. She wanted Celestia to deal with it on her own. However, she recognised something was different about this dream. Something she had only heard of once.

She flew down to where Nightmare Moon lay, ignoring Celestia's pleas for her not to. Luna's evil counterpart lifted her head.

"We meet again, Nightmare," Luna said, her voice giving no indication of how she felt.

"Luna, my wonderful friend, my soul sister. Help me fight Celestia, like the first time around."

Daybreaker cackled from her perch. "Oh, little Luna, do you really think there's anything you can do? I sent you to the moon for a thousand years! I would be more than glad to do the same again. Another thousand years of having Equestria all to myself!"

"Nightmare. You are not a part of the dream, are you? You aren't a creature of Starlight's imagination. If I am right, you are... real."

"Daybreaker has never existed, not yet, so she is only a part of the dream. I am not. I have been hiding in the shadows. The Elements of Harmony did not destroy me completely. In fact, they did something better. They separated us, Luna."

"As I thought. So you now have a body of your own?"

"Indeed. I have a life independent of you, in the real world. I have been touring the dream realm from time to time, though. I have been trying to help ponies in their dreams so they can realise how strong they are, and how little they need Celestia."

"Hmm, how little they need you, you mean," Daybreaker snarled. She stood up and began to walk slowly towards Luna and Nightmare Moon.

Starlight screamed, "No! There has to be the balance! Equestria needs both of you!"

"Quiet! You have no right to defend Luna. She tried to cause eternal night, and you know it would have killed you all. I should really return the favour at some point."

Celestia was torn. She had Luna's magic, which meant she had the power to end this dream. She had the power to get rid of the monster Starlight had dreamt of. The unsettling thing was that she had thought of what it would be like if she used her full power, just as Luna had tried to do. She knew that it was something she didn't want, and that she should kick this Daybreaker's sorry flank all the way to the sun.

However, Nightmare Moon was here, and she was real. She had Luna's magic too. That meant she too could raise the sun and moon and... As Celestia stared in horror at her fire-maned twin, something clicked in her head. Nightmare Moon could walk in dreams too. Nightmare had already shown that she was not strong enough to deal with the dream on her own, but maybe Celestia didn't have to either. She had never wanted to see her sister's corrupted form again, but perhaps if she mended an old fence she could deal with two nightmares at once. After all, if this was a real pony, she wasn't going to disappear once Starlight woke up.

"Nightmare Moon," Celestia called.

"Beast, just because I could not control my emotions it doesn't mean you should not try to control yours," the mare spat back.

"I am, and I wish to apologise. I have already forgiven you for your mistakes, but I have not said sorry for mine. Luna is recognised widely by Equestria and respected for her role in society. I could make the same happen for you, so that ponies are no longer afraid of you."

"Oh, making a deal with the devil, are you?" Daybreaker tittered.

"I'm making a deal with my sisters, actually," Celestia answered.

Starlight could not believe everything that was going on around her. Perhaps she hadn't made a mistake. If Celestia and Nightmare Moon could accept each other, then Equestria was safe. But what about Daybreaker?

"Oh yes, Starlight Glimmer, what about me? Am I not your sister too, Celestia?"

"No, you are not," Luna answered, pulling Nightmare Moon to her hooves.

"You aren't me, and you never will be, Daybreaker. If I were to turn evil, I'm sure I would choose a much more interesting name," Celestia said.

"This is not my nightmare, but clearly my thoughts have had an influence on it. Celestia, if she were to become like me, would be nowhere near this strong. I was not this powerful, so you wouldn't be." Nightmare Moon turned to Celestia. "I believe you said I was your sister."

"I did."

"Now I am just confused. I'm supposed to hate you. You sent me to the moon for a thousand years, and your student almost obliterated me. I'm supposed to want to kill you. Yet you want to work with me to snuff out this abomination of a counterfeit?"

Celestia grinned. "You could say that. This is the one time when you are allowed to blast me across the horizon."

"With pleasure, sister. Get some of that anger out. Then perhaps I can do some good. I doubt you will let me cause eternal night, but I'd like to make sure I get some recognition."

"You will."

"Hmm, my weaker self and the devil. Am I supposed to be concerned?" Daybreaker sighed with contempt.

"Very."

Celestia and Nightmare Moon fired magic at Daybreaker, who screamed and disappeared. Luna and Starlight looked stunned. The former enemies had just showed that they could - and would - work together.

"Is this real, or is it still a dream?" asked Starlight, rubbing the side of her head.

"Real. My first Nightmare Night without ponies fearing me," smiled Nightmare. "So, sister, did you talk to yourself?"

Celestia grinned, "I'm not admitting anything."

"Does this make me and Nightmare twins?" Luna questioned her older sister.

"It would seem that way. There will be some paperwork, and some explaining to do to the public. Also, Luna, I can tell you had an issue at the school. I will have to sort all of that out. Don't worry, Luna, Equestria aren't going to suddenly hat you or your twin."

Nightmare smiled. "I'll call past Canterlot Castle in the morning. I think I might have to use the back entrance until you've explained everything to the guards, though."

The three sisters chuckled and parted ways, leaving Starlight to dream about an Equestria with three Royal Sisters.

Author's Note

A random idea that I thought was worthy of making into a story. I might expand on this in the future, but at the moment I have other projects in mind. Ones involving other villain squabbles, and possibly some EqG stuff.

I hope you all enjoyed this!
~ Angel Midnight