Strength of the Night

by Emerald Aura

Rating: everyone
Tags: Adventure, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Nightmare Moon, Princess Luna, Drama
Length: 10455

The events of the pilot episodes, Friendship is Magic: Parts 1 and 2, are retold through Luna's perspective.

This story is my personal interpretation of what may have happened during the pilot episodes of Friendship is Magic: Parts 1 and 2, from Luna's perspective. It began as an attempt to answer some unanswered questions about the episodes (what happened to Celestia for the during of the episodes, why did Nightmare Moon take interest in Twilight and her friends rather than just claiming rulership over the kingdom right away, why did she provide indirect trials for them instead of just disintegrating them with magic, and so forth). The story does include events and dialogue that happened off screen, but some of the story simply uses the dialogue and action from the pilot episodes and re-contextualizes them using Luna's inner thoughts.

Published 2021-09-10 22:00:01 UTC
Last updated 2021-09-10 22:00:01 UTC

The Element Bearers

Luna came to herself as Nightmare Moon flew through the night, a wisp of smoke streaking towards Ponyville. She had almost lost herself. In fact, she was shocked to discover that she was even still here. She had never felt so distant or so weak as she had when Nightmare Moon had banished Celestia. Nightmare Moon’s rage had been so powerful, so overwhelming, that it had almost obliterated Luna once and for all.

But she was still here, the small part of Luna that had endured throughout the centuries. Why was she still here? Had Nightmare Moon consciously chosen for some reason to not completely destroy Luna? Or…was it that Nightmare Moon couldn’t destroy Luna?

But either way, she couldn’t take that risk again. She didn’t know what would happen if she drew Nightmare Moon’s ire once more. She curled up into the dark recesses of the Nightmare’s mind, waiting, watching, as she had for centuries.

Nightmare Moon saw Ponyville beneath her, a sprawl of colorful buildings lit by the moon. She could hear the voices of ponies coming from a large building in the center of town. If she was going to find out what Celestia’s plan was, that would be where she would learn it.

She peered in through a window in the building to see that the ponies were gathered, staring at a balcony in the building. She gathered from their conversation that they were waiting for Celestia to appear. Grim satisfaction filled her heart. You will soon meet your new Princess, one more beautiful and more powerful than Celestia ever was.

She teleported into the room in a surge of smoke before appearing in the flesh before her new subjects. The ponies looked up on her with a collective gasp, quaking at the sight of her imposing armor, cat-eyes, and fanged teeth.

“Oh, my beloved subjects,” Nightmare Moon said, basking in their fear. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen your precious little sun-loving faces.”

Luna realized that Nightmare Moon was loving this. She loved watching these ponies quake in fear. This was what Nightmare Moon lived for. But Luna…Luna didn’t like this at all. She vaguely remembered that back when she had first created Nightmare Moon, she had taken a thrill out of the fear that she could inspire in other ponies. But now, it just felt like a cheap substitute for the love that she craved.

“What did you do with our princess?” a pegasus with a rainbow mane demanded. She surged forward as if to attack before an orange pony with a hat stopped her, holding her back.

Interesting, Nightmare Moon mused. The rainbow one doesn’t fear me. She’s feisty. I think I recall this pony from seeing her dreams…This one wants to be a Wonderbolt, yes? I must remember her. She would make a good captain of my new royal guard.

Nightmare Moon laughed and said, “Why? Am I not royal enough for you? Don’t you know who I am?”

“Ooh, ooh, more guessing games!” a pink pony said. Nightmare Moon felt a twinge of annoyance. This pink one was insufferably perky. “Um, Hokey Smokes. How about Queen Meanie? No, Black Snooty, Black Snooty!”

The orange, hatted pony, still holding back the rainbow one, stuffed a cupcake in the pink one’s mouth, silencing her. The orange pony is wise. She knows better than to allow her friends to antagonize me.

“Does my crown no longer count now that I have been imprisoned for a thousand years?” Nightmare Moon asked. “Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?”

“I did, and I know who you are,” a purple unicorn said confidently. “You’re the Mare in the Moon, Nightmare Moon.”

Nightmare Moon focused in on the purple pony as collective gasps sounded around the group. Now this was interesting. So, Celestia had decided to allow Luna to fade into myth. No surprise there; Celestia had never viewed Luna as anything more than an embarrassment and a disappointment, and she would have wanted to erase her from history. But this purple pony knew who she was…A favored student of Celestia, perhaps? Now that she thought of it, Nightmare Moon actually recalled seeing this purple pony in Celestia’s nightmares. This purple pony was Sunset Shimmer’s replacement; Celestia feared that she would go down the same path that Sunset Shimmer had gone down. If Celestia had told her student about Nightmare Moon’s return, she doubtlessly had something to do with Celestia’s plan.

“Well, well, well, somepony who remembers me,” Nightmare Moon said. “Then you also know why I’m here.”

“You’re here to…to…” the purple pony gulped, unable to finish. Celestia taught her student to fear me. Good.

Nightmare Moon laughed and said, “Remember this day, little ponies, for it was your last. From this moment forth, the night will last forever!” Time to make my exit. I’ve learned what I needed to know. She laughed, and lightning crackled down her mane and tail, sending a collective gasp through the ponies.

“Seize her!” a pony said. “Only she knows where the Princess is!” Royal guards surged forward at the pony’s command.

Pathetic. “Stand back, you foals!” Nightmare Moon shouted as she sent a surge of lightning towards the guards. They jumped back in fear. Nightmare Moon laughed once more before turning into a wisp of smoke and storming out of the building.

Once she was out of sight, she doubled back, sticking to the darkest parts of town to avoid being seen. She flitted between the shadows of the night, following the purple pony. What was her name again? She knew it from Celestia’s dreams…Twilight Sparkle, perhaps? That sounded right.

This pony was the key. Celestia’s plan rested with her. Nightmare Moon followed the mare to a library. She was walking with a group of ponies. The rainbow one, the pink one, the hatted one, a yellow pegasus with a pink mane, and a white unicorn with a purple mane. Were they all savvy to Celestia’s plan?

The ponies went into the library, and Nightmare Moon hovered by the window, listening in on their conversations. Luna listened intently as well. She needed to know Celestia’s plan just as badly as Nightmare Moon did. She hoped that Celestia’s plan was a good one. Though she was still kind of on the fence about it, she partially hoped that Celestia actually won. She was tired of being Nightmare Moon, and she wasn’t looking forward to the guilt she would feel when the ponies of Equestria suffered beneath Nightmare Moon’s harsh rule.

A chill went down Nightmare Moon as she heard Twilight Sparkle mention the Elements of Harmony.

The Elements…the same weapons that Celestia had used to banish her in the first place. Celestia’s plan had been to use the Elements all along. But rather than using them herself, she had sent her student to find them and use them against Nightmare Moon. Clever Celestia. As Nightmare Moon peered through the window, she noticed that Twilight and her friends totaled six ponies. One for each Element, perhaps? Yes, Celestia had clearly thought this through. As Nightmare Moon listened, she heard Twilight mention the Castle of the Two Sisters. So, she knew where the Elements were, too.

Well then, I simply need to make sure that these ponies never reach the Elements. Then Celestia’s plan will be thwarted, and I will be the unchallenged ruler of Equestria for all eternity.

For a moment, Nightmare Moon considered how she would stop them. The simplest approach would be to confront them directly. It wouldn’t be much of a challenge for her to destroy them all. A disintegration spell would do the trick.

NO! Luna thought. You can’t!

What? Nightmare Moon responded. You dare challenge me? Go back to the mental prison where you belong, weakling!

Nightmare Moon tried to shove Luna deeper into her subconscious, where the pesky old version of her would no longer get in the way. But Luna resisted with shocking strength.

You can’t kill them, Luna thought as she struggled to rebuff Nightmare Moon’s attack.

And why can’t I? Nightmare Moon responded, exerting all of her mental force to drive Luna back into oblivion. But Luna held firm.

Because…because that would be too easy. It would be a surrender to Celestia!

Nightmare Moon paused. What do you mean?

Celestia…Celestia intended these ponies to inherit the Elements of Harmony. Killing them would stop Celestia’s plan, yes. But you know what would be even better? What if…what if you proved that Celestia was mistaken? If you proved that these ponies are not worthy to bear the Elements? You are Nightmare Moon, the master of nightmares and the queen of mental deception. If anypony can get inside these ponies and expose their weaknesses, you can. If you prove that Celestia was wrong and that these ponies can’t use the Elements, that would be the ultimate way to humiliate her. That would be your ultimate victory over her.

Nightmare Moon considered for a moment. You…you may be right. Yes, we will start there. We will follow these ponies and destroy them from the inside. That would just drive Celestia crazy, wouldn’t it? And if it doesn’t work, I can just destroy them. Or the Elements themselves. Either way.
For once, it seems like you had a good idea, Luna. Perhaps you have become more like me after a thousand years of solitude? If you continue to please me, then perhaps I won’t destroy you, and we can coexist.

Luna made no response except to draw back into the darkest corners of her mind.

Nightmare Moon followed the little ponies as they left the library towards the Everfree Forest.

Luna was both relieved and shocked. What had she done?

She had defied Nightmare Moon and survived.

It had been an impulsive decision. A foolish decision. How could she have risked herself by drawing the Nightmare’s attention? She couldn’t fight the darkness. It was so powerful, and Luna was so weak.

But somehow, by some miracle, it had worked. Her plan had succeeded.

Nightmare Moon would try to challenge the ponies to prove that they were not worthy to wield the Elements. But if Celestia was right and these ponies were worthy to wield the Elements, then Nightmare Moon’s trials would only make the ponies stronger and make them even more worthy.

This was Luna’s last chance. If she couldn’t be free of Nightmare Moon, then she at least needed to do what she could to make sure that Nightmare Moon failed. She needed these ponies to use the Elements of Harmony against Nightmare Moon. The Elements would banish Nightmare Moon again. Luna wasn’t sure if she was ready for another thousand years of solitude, but…she didn’t have a choice. Equestria didn’t deserve to suffer Nightmare Moon’s wrath. Nightmare Moon had already caused enough grief for the ponies of Equestria. And Luna had suffered enough guilt on their behalf. If Luna could do anything to stop Nightmare Moon’s imminent reign of terror, she had to do it. Even if it meant being banished for another thousand years.

* * *

Nightmare Moon watched in anticipation as the little band of ponies walked over a patch of stony ground, a steep slope and a sharp drop-off to their flanks. This was the perfect opportunity. She pressed her ethereal form into tiny cracks in the stone. The stone broke, sending the six ponies tumbling off the edge.

The pegasi took to the air, of course. One pegasus grabbed the pink pony, while another grabbed the white unicorn. The orange pony caught herself on a branch, but Celestia’s prized student slid towards the edge. Nightmare Moon watched in eager anticipation. If Twilight fell, that would end it. Celestia’s plan would be thwarted. Luna watched on in silent horror inside Nightmare Moon’s mind.

“Hold on, Imma comin’!” the orange pony yelled. She slid down to Twilight and caught her. Twilight dangled halfway off the edge, vainly struggling to get back up.

“Applejack, what do I do?” Twilight cried, panicked.

The orange one thought for a moment, then said, “Let go.” Nightmare Moon saw that the pegasi had dropped off the pink one and the white one, and they were circling back around to help Celestia’s student.

“Are you crazy?” Twilight exclaimed.

“No, I ain’t,” the orange one said. “I promise you’ll be safe.”

“That’s not true!”

“Now listen here,” the orange one said with a tone of urgency and sincerity. “What I’m sayin’ to you is the honest truth. Let go, and you’ll be safe.”

A moment’s hesitation. Then Twilight let go, trusting that the orange one was being honest. She plummeted for a few seconds before being caught by the pegasi.

Nightmare Moon stared on in disappointment. Twilight Sparkle one had almost died. That would have been a simple, easy solution to this. But she had plenty more tricks to make these ponies fail.

Deep within Nightmare Moon’s mind, Luna felt a buzz of excitement. Honesty. The orange one was honesty. After what Luna had just seen, she was certain that the orange one could attune the Element. This might work just yet.

Nightmare Moon continued down the path that led towards the Castle. Her next opportunity presented itself in the form of a manticore blocking the pathway. She transformed herself into a thorn and embedded herself in the manticore’s paw. The manticore roared in rage and paced around in agitation.

With the manticore in a sour mood, it would likely attack the ponies on sight if they tried to pass. Best case scenario, the manticore killed the ponies and ended this. Even if the ponies came out on top, could they really claim to represent the Element of Kindness after harming an innocent creature? The plan was foolproof.

When the ponies came, Nightmare Moon’s plan began to work perfectly. The manticore attacked, and the ponies fought back. All of the ponies except the yellow pegasus, that was. The yellow one was trying to get their attention, but the others were too busy with the manticore.

After a few moments of scuffling, the ponies all charged as one, ready for battle against the manticore.

Yes, Nightmare Moon thought happily. Defeat the manticore. Kill it. Kindness will be out of your grasp.

“WAIT!” the yellow one yelled, putting herself between her friends and the manticore. Her friends stopped. She calmly, quietly approached the manticore. “Shh, it’s okay,” she said, nuzzling the manticore’s paw.

The manticore showed the thorn to the pony. Oh come on, Nightmare Moon thought. Foolish pony. That could have cost you your life. Stupid beast, why didn’t you just attack her?!

“Oh, you poor, poor, little baby,” the pony said. “Now this might hurt for just a second.” She grabbed the thorn that Nightmare Moon was disguised as and ripped it out of the manticore’s paw. The manticore roared in pain but quickly began to affectionately lick the pegasus. The pegasus tossed the thorn to the side.

“Oh, you’re just a little old baby kitty, aren’t you?” the pegasus said in a grossly cutesy voice. “Yes you are, yes you are!” Please spare me this, Nightmare Moon thought, disgusted. Why must you be so cute? Honestly.

“How did you know about the thorn?” Celestia’s student asked as she passed the pegasus. How indeed? Nightmare Moon wondered.

“I didn’t,” the pegasus said. “Sometimes we all just need to be shown a little kindness.”

Luna felt a jolt of excitement. The yellow one was Kindness. She could attune the Element. Her plan was working.

With an annoyed groan, Nightmare Moon shifted from the discarded thorn back into a cloud of smoke. Fine, she thought. Fear will make them leave.

She went ahead of the ponies into a dark, thickly treed section of the forest. She split her magic into many different pieces, embedding herself in the whole grove of trees. As the ponies approached, she created illusions on the trees, making them glow a sinister red and twisting their bark into horrifying faces.

The ponies gasped and screamed in terror. For a moment, Nightmare Moon was sure they would flee in fear. I am the master of nightmares! I can instill fear in anypony!

Except…except the pink one, apparently. The pink one didn’t scream in fear. She laughed. She literally laughed in Nightmare Moon’s face. Not directly; Nightmare Moon was hiding behind the illusion. But still, Nightmare Moon felt a surge of rage. The pink one started making ridiculous faces at Nightmare Moon’s illusions and continued to laugh.

“Pinkie Pie, what are you doing?” Celestia’s student asked. “Run!”

“Oh girls, don’t you see!” the pink one said in an insufferably happy voice. Then she started singing. “When I was a little filly and the sun was going down!”

“Tell me she’s not,” the purple one said.

Twilight Sparkle, Nightmare Moon thought, I have never related to anypony as much as I relate to you in this instant.

“The darkness and the shadows, they would always make me frown!” the pink one continued.

No no no no! Nightmare Moon thought. She left immediately, not willing or able to sit through a spontaneous, annoying, cutesy, ridiculously happy song. The illusions would fade over time. She continued down the path in a rage. I hate that pony, Nightmare Moon fumed.

Laughter, Luna thought. The pink one is Laughter. I’ve never seen a pony laugh in the face of Nightmare Moon’s illusions. There’s no doubt of it. The pink one is Laughter. Three down.

As Nightmare Moon stormed down the path, she thought, I’ll do the next one from a distance. I don’t think I can take another song. She cut off the mustache of a sea serpent as she passed by a stream that blocked the way. Hopefully, the sea serpent would be upset and wouldn’t let the ponies pass. Even she had to admit that it was a pretty half-hearted attempt, but she was still mentally recovering from the fact that the pink one had randomly burst out into song.

The ponies approached the stream after some time. Nightmare Moon watched from the shadows as the sea serpent wept and wailed over the loss of his “beautiful” mustache. Wow, I forgot how incredibly sensitive the inhabitants of Equestria are. I just got back from being banished for a thousand years, and this sea serpent is having a pity party because I cut off his mustache.

As Nightmare Moon watched, the white unicorn cut off her own tail and used it to replace the sea serpent’s mustache. Nightmare Moon groaned in annoyance. The sea serpent was calmed and allowed them to pass the stream.

As Nightmare Moon flew further down the path, Luna counted out the Elements. The white unicorn was Generosity. We already had Honesty, Kindness, and Laughter. That leaves Loyalty and the Sixth Element. We still don’t know what the Sixth Element is…Celestia never told anypony what the final Element was, not even me. But I have to trust that Celestia knows what she’s doing. It will be her student who figures out the Sixth Element. So Loyalty is next.

Nightmare Moon was counting out the Elements at the same time. Celestia was good at this. The ponies she had chosen were perfect representations of their respective elements. It was infuriating. Why did her sister have to be so perfect? Couldn’t she just make a mistake, for once? But wasn’t out of chances yet. Next was Loyalty. That would be the rainbow pony. Fortunately, she remembered the rainbow pony’s name: Rainbow Dash. She knew her from her dreams. She wanted to be a Wonderbolt. That was something that Nightmare Moon could work with. This was her last shot. If this didn’t work, she would have to concede the fact that she had failed to prove that the ponies weren’t worthy of the Elements. She would need to give this one her best.

First, to isolate Rainbow Dash. Nightmare Moon came across a bridge on the path to the castle. She cut the bridge and waited on the other side. One of the pegasi would have to cross the gap and secure the bridge. If the yellow one volunteered, the plan wouldn’t work, but the yellow one was timid, and Rainbow Dash was fearless. Rainbow would fall for the bait.

When the ponies came, everything went according to Nightmare Moon’s plan. Rainbow Dash volunteered to cross the gap. Once she was isolated, Nightmare Moon began her illusion. She generated a haunting, echoey voice that emanated from the mist to get Rainbow Dash’s attention.

“Rainbow…”

“Who’s there?” the pegasus demanded.

“Rainbow…”

“I ain’t scared of you!” Rainbow said, rearing back on her hindlegs and taking a fighting pose. “Show yourself!”

Nightmare Moon smirked. Fearless indeed. “We’ve been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the best flier in Equestria,” her echoey voice said.

“Who?”

“Why you, of course!” She remembered this one’s ego from her dreams. This pony would fall for it, she was certain.

“Really?!” Rainbow said, excited. “I mean, oh yeah, me! Hey, you wouldn’t mind telling the Wonderbolts that, would ya? ’Cause I’ve been trying to get into that group for like, ever!”

Time for the reveal. “No, Rainbow Dash, we want you to join us, the Shadowbolts!” Nightmare Moon projected an illusion of three pegasi coming out of the mist, dressed in a dark parody of the Wonderbolts’ outfits. Nightmare Moon allowed herself a moment of pride; it was a rather good illusion. “We’re the greatest aerial team in the Everfree Forest. Soon, we will be the greatest in all of Equestria. But first, we need a captain.”

Rainbow’s eyes got wide and full of glee. Gotcha, Nightmare Moon thought.

“The most magnificent…”

“Yep,” Rainbow said happily.

“Swiftest…”

“Yes.”

“Bravest flier in all the land.”

“Yes,” Rainbow said, proud. “It’s all true.”

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes behind her veil of mist. This one had an ego the size of whale. This was almost too easy. “We need you,” her illusion whispered.

“Woo-hoo!” Rainbow exclaimed. “Sign me up!”

Luna grew nervous. Nightmare Moon had her. If Rainbow couldn’t attune the Element of Loyalty… it would all be over.

“Just let me tie this bridge real quick, and then we have a deal,” Rainbow said.

“No!” Nightmare Moon cried. “It’s them or us!” Hesitation and doubt crossed Rainbow’s face.

“Rainbow, what’s taking so long?” a voice said. Nightmare Moon looked across the chasm to see Twilight Sparkle. The purple pony made eye contact with Nightmare Moon’s illusion. “Rainbow!” Twilight said, worried.

No! Luna and Nightmare Moon thought at the same time. She must do this alone! At Nightmare Moon’s command, a blanket of fog closed in across the chasm, blocking Twilight’s view.

“Don’t listen to—” Twilight began to say, but Nightmare Moon’s magical fog deadened the sound before Rainbow noticed.

“Well?” Nightmare Moon asked. Both her and Luna were filled with anticipation.

“You…” Rainbow said softly.

Nightmare Moon grinned. Yes! I did it! I proved that these ponies are not worthy to wield the Elements! Take that, Celestia!

Luna’s heart fell.

“Thank you,” Rainbow said, “for the offer, I mean. But I’m afraid I have to say no.” Rainbow tied off the bridge and took off across the chasm.

NO! Nightmare Moon thought. I had her! I knew her deepest desires and her dreams! Why would she turn this opportunity away?

Luna mentally sighed in relief. That had been close. But Rainbow had come out on top. Her loyalty to her friends had trumped her greatest desires. She could attune the Element of Loyalty. The five known Elements were tested and accounted for. All that remained was to hope that Celestia’s student could discover the Sixth Element.

The Final Confrontation

Nightmare Moon retreated into the castle. Flashbacks streamed across her mind. So many happy memories of this place…and so many lonely ones. The castle was in ruins, now, barely recognizable. It was sad, really. Once she took over Equestria, she would restore this castle back to its former glory, and it would serve as the capitol of her empire. But more importantly, the Elements of Harmony were here, just where Celestia had left them. The stone orbs were positioned in their astrolabe, waiting and ready for somepony to take them.

Nightmare Moon couldn’t help but feel a twinge of fear upon seeing the Elements again. These Elements had banished her to the moon for a thousand years. Did they still have that kind of power?

I should just destroy them now, she thought. I can end this.

No, don’t! Luna thought.

Nightmare Moon turned her attention inward towards Luna. How dare you defy me?! I’ll destroy you right here, right now!

Wait! Luna thought, recoiling in fear. She desperately tried to think of a way to stop Nightmare Moon without making it seem like she was trying to stop Nightmare Moon. You have to let Twilight Sparkle try to attune the Sixth Element! If you destroy them now, you’ll never know if Celestia’s student was worthy or not!

I don’t care! I can’t take that risk! I will not be banished to the moon for another thousand years!

Listen, Luna thought desperately. You can still destroy them after Celestia’s student arrives, you just need to prove that she can’t attune the Sixth Element! Imagine if she fails! Celestia will have to live in her banishment with the knowledge that both Twilight Sparkle and Sunset Shimmer failed her! That knowledge will crush her!

Nightmare Moon hesitated. Luna was right. That kind of knowledge would crush Celestia. Fine, she thought. But I will destroy those Elements if it looks like she’s going to attune them, and I’ll kill all six of them afterwards. There will be nothing left of those ponies but piles of dust.

She could feel a twinge of fear from Luna. But Luna remained silent and retreated back into Nightmare Moon’s subconscious.

Just in time, too. The six ponies were approaching the castle. Nightmare Moon hid in the shadows and watched. The ponies found the five Elements and laid them out on the ground.

“There’s only five!” the pink one said.

“Where’s the sixth?” Rainbow said.

Twilight Sparkle answered, “The book said, ‘when the five are present, a spark will cause the Sixth Element to be revealed.’”

“What in the hay is that supposed to mean?” the orange one said.

“I’m not sure,” Twilight said, “but I have an idea. Stand back. I don’t know what will happen.” Her horn began to glow, and she closed her eyes and concentrated.

The other ponies stepped back to allow Twilight some space to concentrate. As Twilight’s horn glowed, Nightmare Moon thought, Surely it couldn’t be that simple? A spark of magic? Is the answer that obvious?

She didn’t think that was the answer. But she was starting to get nervous. She didn’t want to wait and find out, just in case she was wrong. She surged out of the darkness in her incorporeal form. She seized the Elements and swirled them around her in a vortex, keeping them out of Twilight Sparkle’s reach as she prepared to teleport.

Twilight opened her eyes. “Ah! The Elements!” She dove into Nightmare Moon’s cloud of darkness, and Nightmare Moon teleported her and the Elements deeper into the castle.

Good, Nightmare Moon thought. Now, I have you alone. You can’t use the Elements without your friends. Now we’ll see if you know the secret of the Sixth Element.

When she rematerialized, she deposited Twilight on the ground and appeared before her, keeping the Elements close, suspended in the darkness of her tail and mane. Nightmare Moon laughed and flashed a bit of lightning to intimidate the unicorn.

Twilight hoofed the ground and took a fighting pose.

Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow. She set the Elements down and said, “You’re kidding. You’re kidding, right?”

But Twilight charged forward, horn glowing.

With a roll of her eyes, Nightmare Moon charged forward, planning to beat this unicorn with her bare hooves. Fine. If this pony really wants to fight me, I’ll teach her a lesson, and then I’ll find out what I need to know.

But as Twilight came close, she disappeared in a flash of magic, reappearing behind Nightmare Moon. Where the Elements were.

Nightmare Moon snarled as Twilight’s horn began to glow. I can’t let her activate the Elements. She turned into a puff of smoke and raced towards the Elements, but not before a spark of magic surged from Twilight’s horn and zapped the Elements. Electricity surged between the five Elements, and a magical shockwave sent Twilight flying back as Nightmare Moon appeared next to the Elements.

“No, no!” Nightmare Moon cried as the Elements glowed with magic. She can’t have activated them. It’s impossible!

A moment later, the magic sparking between the Elements went out. Nightmare Moon let out an internal sigh of relief.

Twilight gasped. “But where’s the Sixth Element?”

Nightmare Moon let out a laugh. That was actually her plan. Celestia’s trusted student thought that could activate the Elements. I’ve seen what I needed to see. She failed. She couldn’t activate the Elements. Celestia’s student is a failure, and Celestia is a failure. There is no need to keep playing this game any longer. Nightmare Moon stomped the ground and let out a surge of magic. The stone Elements shattered beneath her power, breaking into a thousand tiny pieces. It was over. The Elements were gone.

Both Luna and Twilight Sparkle looked on in horror. That was it. All hope was gone. The Elements were destroyed. Nightmare Moon was now unstoppable. Luna had failed. As she always did.

At this moment, Nightmare Moon caught a glimpse into Luna’s mind and saw what her plan had been.

“You little foal!” Nightmare Moon cried, addressing both Luna and Twilight Sparkle. “Thinking you could defeat me!Now, you will never see your princess, or your sun. The night will last FOREVER!” She laughed, a pure laugh of delight, drunk on power and the image of her impending unstoppable reign. She had defeated Celestia once and for all. She would take a moment to bask in her victory before destroying Twilight Sparkle first, then Luna.

But then she heard Twilight gasp. Twilight was no longer facing Nightmare Moon. She was facing the entrance. Nightmare Moon could hear the voices of the other five ponies coming through the door.

Twilight turned to face Nightmare Moon. But rather than horror or dismay, Twilight’s eyes were lit by a spark of hope and determination.

“You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that?” Twilight asked. “Well you’re wrong, because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here!” She gestured to her friends, who had just come through the door.

At first, Nightmare Moon was tempted to laugh. Couldn’t this pony see that this was over? But then, the crystalline shards of the Elements began to levitate into the air. “What?” Nightmare Moon cried, a surge of fear going down her spine. No, no, this can’t be!

“Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt,” Twilight said, “represents the spirit of Honesty!” A flurry of glowing crystalline shards surged towards the orange pony, orbiting around her.

Luna watched with a weird sort of thrill. The Elements were still powered! And Twilight Sparkle had figured it out. Could this really be it? Could she really access the Magic of Friendship and banish Nightmare Moon?

“Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of Kindness!” A flurry of crystals circled the yellow pony. “Pinkie Pie, who banished fear by giggling in the face of danger, represents the spirit of Laughter!” Nightmare Moon watched on in horror as Twilight Sparkle put it together one by one. “Rarity, who calmed a sorrowful serpent with a meaningful gift, represents the spirit of Generosity!” They were doing it. Celestia had been right all along; they were worthy to wield the Elements. “And Rainbow Dash, who could not abandon her friends for her own heart’s desire, represents the spirit of Loyalty!” The cloud of levitating crystalline shards was now totally gone, each Element rotating around its corresponding wielder. “The spirits of these five ponies got us through every challenge you threw at us!” Twilight said triumphantly.

This isn’t over yet. Nightmare Moon had one final hope, and Luna had one final fear. “You still don’t have the Sixth Element!” Nightmare Moon hissed. “The spark didn’t work!”

“But it did!” Twilight Sparkle said confidently. A shiver went down Nightmare Moon’s spine. “A different kind of spark…” Twilight Sparkle turned away from Nightmare Moon and towards her pony friends. “I felt it the very moment I realized how happy I was to hear you, to see you, how much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me, when I realized that you are all my friends!” Twilight Sparkle turned back towards Nightmare Moon. With a flash of magic, a final stone orb appeared in the air above Twilight Sparkle’s head and descended towards her.

Nightmare Moon’s heart raced. She did it. She attuned the Sixth Element. But it wasn’t over yet. The Twilight couldn’t use the Element if she was dead. While Twilight was busy monologuing, Nightmare Moon could send a bolt of magic right through her smug little face and reduce her to a pile of dust. Nightmare Moon moved to strike.

But she was paralyzed. She was no longer fully in control. What is happening?! She screamed internally in a panic.

It’s over! Luna responded. You’ve lost!

NO! Nightmare Moon wrestled for control over her own body. For a moment, Luna and Nightmare Moon were locked in a stalemate. She was stronger than Luna! Luna was weak! She could take control back from that pathetic weakling! Right?

But Luna didn’t back down. This was it. No more hiding in the shadows. She didn’t care what Nightmare Moon did to her afterwards. She would not let Nightmare Moon kill Twilight Sparkle in cold blood.

“You see, Nightmare Moon,” Twilight said as Nightmare Moon was paralyzed in her internal battle with Luna, “when those Elements are ignited by the spark that resides in the heart of us all, it creates the Sixth Element: the Element of Magic!”

As Nightmare Moon watched in horror, the Elements reformed, changing their appearance to match their new wielders’ cutie marks, taking the shapes of pieces of jewelry. The six ponies levitated into the air and began to glow with intense power. An all-too-familiar beam of rainbow energy rushed out of the ponies, hovering in the air for a moment before turning downwards—straight towards Nightmare Moon.

“Nooooo!” Nightmare Moon screamed. Not again! As the beam of rainbow energy struck Nightmare Moon, time seemed to slow. She felt the Elements of Harmony touching her mind, almost like a sentient consciousness brushing up against hers. Its light shined into the deepest corners of her being, exposing her naked self to its power.

As the rainbow energy swirled around Nightmare Moon in a vortex, the energy itself hesitated for a moment. Luna felt something look at her. Not physically, but a vast force seemed to notice her. For centuries, she had been hidden and sequestered deep within the darkness of Nightmare Moon’s mind. Now, she was exposed and in the light. Something spoke to her. A rush of information. Not words, but pure knowledge coming into her being. And in a moment, she understood.

It didn’t have to be this way.

She didn’t have to go back to the moon.

The Elements of Harmony dealt with threats in whatever way worked best. Their purpose was to protect Equestria, and they did so in whatever way made the most sense. They could banish threats to the moon or to Tartarus. Or they could freeze them in stone. They could even outright destroy threats that were evil enough.

But they could also bring her back.

They could destroy Nightmare Moon and bring back Luna. If Luna chose it.

You can’t get rid of me! Nightmare Moon thought. Without me, you are nothing! Without me, you are weak. Before you had me, you were but Celestia’s shadow, forever living unnoticed, outshone by her greatness! Before you had me, you were undeserving of the love, the praise, the admiration you desired! You were ugly, pathetic, whiny, worthless! You are weak, Luna, and you always will be!

In that moment, Luna heard the voice of a memory. Celestia’s voice, of all ponies. ‘You are stronger than me,’ Celestia had said. ‘You always have been. But a pony’s magic isn’t what makes her strong. Her heart is what makes her strong. What makes you strong, Luna. You’ll remember that, before the end.’

You’re wrong, Nightmare Moon, Luna thought. I am not weak. You are weak. You are nothing but a facade. A mask. A veil. You were a crutch, Nightmare Moon. I created you, because I thought I needed you. And you lied to me, telling me that I was weak so that I wouldn’t cast you aside. But I don’t need you anymore. I am not weak.

I. Am. STRONG.

I’m ready to come back. Elements of Harmony, I choose to be me.

“NOOOOOO!!!” Nightmare Moon screamed. The rainbow energy swirling around her closed in. The light drove Nightmare Moon out, and Luna filled the space that was left inside her own mind. For the first time in a thousand years, it was just her. The darkness was still there, in her mind, but it was formless, nameless, and weak. She felt the imposing armor around her disintegrate, she felt her teeth turn back to normal, she felt her body shrink, she felt her mane and tail take physical form. When the rainbow energy disappeared, the facade was gone.

Luna gasped her first breath of air in centuries. Then she collapsed to the ground, exhausted. Vast amounts of magical power had surged through her, leaving her weak and sore. Her head was pounding, and her vision was foggy. Through ringing ears, she heard the six ponies talking, doubtlessly celebrating their victory and Nightmare Moon’s defeat.

Luna tried in vain to get her bearings. She had forgotten what it felt like to be. The ground beneath her cheek was so real. The stone was cold. Was stone always this cold? She couldn’t remember.

Light gradually started to fill her vision. It took her a moment to realize what was happening. Light was coming in through a castle window. Yellow, warm light. Sunlight. The sun was rising.

A surge of panic filled Luna. Celestia. Celestia is coming back.

The light grew brighter and brighter. Sunlight coalesced in the room. Through blurry vision, Luna made out the figure of Celestia appearing before the six ponies. She looked as regal as ever, perfect white wings spread in a powerful pose, perfect mane and tail flowing and shimmering in a breeze that didn’t exist. In that moment, it crossed Luna’s mind how pathetic and weak she looked. She felt tiny, an exhausted, broken figure huddled on the ground, surrounded by the smoldering pieces of her once imposing armor. She must have looked ridiculous. Vulnerable. Scared. And weak. So very weak.

A tear formed in Luna’s eye. I beat Nightmare Moon. But I still lost to Celestia. She beat me. Defeated me.

Celestia seemed to be addressing the six ponies. Perhaps she hadn’t noticed Luna yet? Luna felt the sudden need to escape, to flee, to hide. She couldn’t face her sister now. She had just banished Celestia to the sun and attempted to usurp her kingdom. Nopony would ever know that she had chosen to come back, that she had chosen to fight Nightmare Moon, that she had chosen to give the bearers trials that had helped them access the powers of their Elements. Celestia’s judgement would be swift and cruel. Banishment? Imprisonment? Death?

Luna struggled to stand. But the magic from the Elements had weakened her and exhausted her. She could do nothing more than lay there, helpless and pathetic.

“Princess Luna,” a voice said imperiously. Her voice.

Luna gasped in terror and looked up. Celestia’s tall, commanding figure was walking towards her. Luna could do nothing but watch as Celestia towered over her.

“It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this,” Celestia said. But then, her manner changed. Her wings went down, and she knelt down on the ground next to Luna. Celestia looked Luna in the eyes. Her gaze softened, replacing the imperious, harsh gaze that she had had a moment ago. “Time to put our differences behind us,” Celestia said softly. “We were meant to rule together, little sister. Will you accept my friendship?” It came out more as a plea than anything else.

In that moment, Luna saw Celestia. Truly saw her. She saw that Celestia was not a tyrant, or a jerk, or even a princess or a ruler. She had been all of those things, at some point in the past. But that wasn’t who Celestia truly was. Deep down, Celestia was just a pony. A pony who was trying her best to do what was right. A pony who made mistakes sometimes, and a pony who sometimes could be a bit arrogant or a bit insensitive. But deep down, Luna knew that all that Celestia wanted was for the ponies under her protection to be happy. Even Luna.

“I’m so sorry!” Luna said, tears flowing down her cheeks. She unsteadily stood and embraced Celestia. “I missed you so much, big sister.” Moon above, had she always been so short?

“I missed you too,” Celestia said, her voice cracking with emotion.

The pink pony started crying as well, apparently touched by the tenderness of the scene. After a few moments, Luna and Celestia let go of their embrace. “Hey, you know what this calls for?” the pink pony said. “A party!”

The other ponies let out a cheer of approval. Celestia nodded and said, “Twilight Sparkle, why don’t you take your friends back to Ponyville and inform Mayor Mare of the situation? We’ll be right behind you.”

Twilight Sparkle bowed deeply. “Of course, Celestia.” The ponies exited, leaving Celestia and Luna alone in the empty castle room.

“How do you feel, Sister?” Celestia said.

“How am I supposed to answer that?” Luna said, her head still reeling. “Happy, sad, free, defeated, thankful, embarrassed, indebted, overwhelmed. Would you like an itemized list?”

Celestia laughed. “You haven’t lost your dramatic flair, I see! Would you like a moment to sort through your thoughts?”

Luna nodded. “Yes, that would be nice. I may actually need a very long moment. I have a lot to think about and work through.”

“Of course,” Celestia said. “I won’t expect you to resume your royal duties until you feel fit to do so. You can take as much time as you need to adjust back to normal life. I’ll give you a moment to yourself.” She began to walk towards the exit.

“Just one thing,” Luna said.

Celestia stopped. “Yes?”

Luna swallowed. Did she even want to ask this? She was scared of what the answer might be. But it was too late to back out now. “Did you know?” Her voice came out as barely a whisper. “Did you know that the Elements would bring me back, or were you planning on banishing me again?”

Celestia sighed. “I didn’t know, but I hoped. I knew that the Elements could bring you back. But only if you chose to come back.”

She knew, then. Celestia at least, if nopony else, knew what Luna had done. Luna nodded. “Thank you,” she whispered.

Confrontation with Celestia

A thousand years.

A thousand years of banishment. Darkness. Loneliness. A thousand years of watching, waiting, plotting.

And now, it was over. Nightmare Moon was coming back.

She had watched from the moon as the stars had converged. She watched the four stars that were prophesied to aid in her escape on the thousandth Summer Sun Celebration. They were closer than they had ever been. When they converged, their astral magic would shine down on the moon, giving her the power she needed to break the spells that imprisoned her here. She stared from the moon’s cold, dark surface, incorporeal but present, as the stars slowly moved across the sky.

Celestia knew she was coming back. Nightmare Moon had seen it in Celestia’s dreams; the sun Princess was aware of the prophecy, and she feared Nightmare Moon’s return. Good. Nightmare Moon had prepared. She was ready to face Celestia. Nothing would stand between her and her rightful rulership over Equestria.

Deep within Nightmare Moon’s subconscious, Luna watched, as she had for a thousand years. She watched through Nightmare Moon’s eyes like a passenger looking out of the window of a carriage. She hadn’t been fully conscious at first, but Nightmare Moon’s grip over her had weakened over the centuries.

Nightmare Moon…in some ways, the Nightmare was everything she had ever wanted to be. Strong, beautiful, confident, powerful, tall. She had begun as a persona, a mask that Luna had put on to hide her insecurities. But Nightmare Moon had fed off of the darkness inside Luna. Mixed with and empowered by dark magic, Luna’s own dark desires had become so powerful that they had become a completely separate personality. They were two minds within one body, two versions of who she might be. Nightmare Moon had tried to utterly destroy Luna, and she had nearly succeeded. But Luna had survived within her subconscious, imprisoned, banished, weak, but still alive.

Even after a thousand years of being trapped within her own mind, Luna still couldn’t bring herself to hate Nightmare Moon, despite the fact that the Nightmare had tried to destroy her. Part of her still wanted to be Nightmare Moon. But ultimately, she knew this had gone too far. She had only ever wanted to be respected and revered, as her sister was. She had wanted to be loved, not feared. She had never sought to be the sort of creature that haunted ponies’ nightmares.

She was done. She didn’t want to be Nightmare Moon anymore.

She couldn’t remember when she had made that decision. There hadn’t been a single moment that she could pinpoint. Sometime within the last two hundred years, maybe. Time was a blur in banishment. But after centuries of solitude, she had realized that she was sick of this. She was tired of being this evil, vengeful creature.

But there was nothing she could do. Nightmare Moon was too strong for her. She knew that she couldn’t fight the Nightmare for control over her mind. Nightmare Moon would destroy her. Luna suspected that Nightmare Moon didn’t even know that Luna was still in here, watching, waiting, barely conscious. If Nightmare Moon did know, she would finish the job and obliterate Luna from existence.
Luna could do nothing to prevent Nightmare Moon’s return.

“The convergence,” Nightmare Moon said, her echoey voice breaking the silence of the moon’s surface. “It begins.” The four stars aligned, and a shaft of starlight descended to the moon. A surge of magical power went through Nightmare Moon. She chanted the counterspell that she had spent centuries devising. Powered by the stars, the spell broke the chains of banishment, shattering Celestia’s spell. She was free.

With a cackle, her incorporeal form shot down from the moon, racing like a purple comet to the planet below. She shot across the sky, heading straight for her first destination: Canterlot. A visit with her sister was long overdue.

She reached the Canterlot Palace, smashing through a stained-glass window of her sister. She sped through the hallways towards the throne room. She manifested as a trail of purple smoke. The guards outside of the throne room spotted her as she turned the corner.

“What is that?!” one of them yelled, pointing a hoof at her.

She took corporeal form, appearing before her subjects in all of her glory. “I am your new ruler,” she said. “I am Nightmare Moon, Empress of the Night and Queen of Nightmares. Bow before me.”

The guards glanced at each other in a moment of hesitation. Then, they charged.

Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes. She lowered her horn, and a blast of moonlight surged forward. Its power knocked the guards off their hooves, sending them flying back and slamming them into the wall with enough force to knock them all unconscious.

Luna watched with dismay. Were the guards alright? That hadn’t killed any of them, had it? No, they all seemed to be alive. Nightmare Moon had just hurt innocent ponies. Luna had just hurt innocent ponies. Stop…she pleaded. But her voice was a tiny whisper next to the roaring river of Nightmare Moon’s revelry.

Nightmare Moon fired a second blast of moonlight. The throne room doors shattered into a million pieces, and Nightmare Moon strode victoriously through the wreckage.

Celestia. She was there. Not sitting in her throne, but sitting in the middle of the room, bathed in moonlight. She was right beneath a skylight, looking up at the moon. Celestia’s back was turned towards Nightmare Moon. She didn’t turn around as Nightmare Moon strode into the throne room.

Just because Celestia knew she was coming didn’t mean that Nightmare Moon couldn’t make an entrance. At her will, the yellow torches that dimly lit the room flared up in dark, purple flames. Her ethereal mane and tail swirled around the room, filling it with smoke that crackled with lightning. Her cackle echoed around the throne room. “Did you miss me, dear Celestia?”

Celestia was silent for a moment. Her eventual response was barely a whisper. “More than you could ever imagine.”

The response caught Nightmare Moon off guard. She felt Luna stir, deep within her mind. What was this? Luna was supposed to be gone.

Luna realized her mistake. She couldn’t help it; she had felt such a powerful surge of emotion when she had heard her sister’s words that Nightmare Moon had taken notice of her existence. Now, it was too late; she had drawn the Nightmare’s ire.

Nightmare Moon lashed out at Luna, burying her beneath a wave of rage. How dare you, you insolent foal! Once Luna was silent once again, she turned her attention back towards Celestia, her rage against Luna fluidly transitioning to rage against her sister. “Did you think this would be a happy reunion?” she snapped. “Look at me!”

Her horn glowed, and she grabbed Celestia with telekinetic control. Celestia made no apparent effort to resist. Nightmare Moon lifted the alicorn into the air and whirled her around so Celestia was suspended in the air, face to face with her. She bared her teeth, making certain to show Celestia her fangs. “I am not the pony that you once claimed to love, Celestia! I am NIGHTMARE MOON! Luna is gone, and she will never come back!”

At that moment, Luna feared that it was true. She could feel herself slipping away. Being in the presence of her sister was filling Nightmare Moon with rage. She hadn’t been this angry during all of her centuries on the moon. Even Luna was kind of angry at Celestia, although less so than Nightmare Moon. It just drove her insane to see Celestia sitting there, waiting for her, regal, peaceful, calm, in control. Even in this moment of crisis, Celestia hadn’t lost her aura of perfection. After all this time, Luna had still not found it within her to forgive her sister. If she didn’t leave Celestia’s presence soon…she may be lost forever.

“I believe you’re wrong,” Celestia said calmly, still suspended in the air by Nightmare Moon’s magic. “I believe that Luna will come back, some day.”

“Then you’re even greater a fool than I recalled!” Nightmare Moon yelled. She lifted Celestia into the air and slammed her back down with enough force to crack the stones beneath Celestia’s hooves. Celestia cried out in pain and collapsed to the ground as Nightmare Moon released her telekinetic grip. She began to circle Celestia like a timberwolf circling its prey.

“You knew I was coming back,” she hissed. “Where are your armies, Celestia?”

“No armies tonight,” Celestia said, shakily standing back up.

“Then what’s your plan for defeating me? Where are the Elements of Harmony?”

“I don’t have them.”

Nightmare Moon laughed, the sound echoing around the stone chamber. “Of course you don’t, dearest Celestia! Surely you must know that you can’t use them! You are no longer attuned to them. How could a pony like you hope to access the Magic of Friendship? You don’t have any friends. You’re the loneliest pony in all of Equestria!”

Nightmare Moon could read from Celestia’s reaction that she knew it was true. Celestia knew that she no longer could use the Elements. But Nightmare Moon saw an opportunity to dig beneath Celestia’s armor, and she couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

“You’ve lost everypony you ever cared about,” she hissed. “Starswirl. The pathetic weakling that you once called your sister. Sombra from the Mirror Dimension. Sunset Shimmer.”

Celestia’s eyes grew wide. “How do you know about Sunset Shimmer? That was long after your banishment.”

Nightmare Moon stopped her predatory pacing for a moment. “You…you don’t know?” Her laughter filled the hall. “You really don’t know, do you? You thought just because you banished me that I was helpless? I am the Queen of the Night, banished or not! I still had the ability to walk the dreams of Equestrian ponies during my exile. Even your dreams, Celestia. I have been haunting your nightmares in secret for centuries!”

The slightest twitch of Celestia’s ear, the slightest tightening of her jaw. Nightmare Moon could see that she was getting under Celestia’s armor. She pressed her advantage.

“I am the reason that you can’t use the Elements of Harmony! For centuries, I have been tearing down your psyche in your nightmares. I have fueled your loneliness, your sadness, your guilt. You can’t use the Elements because I have destroyed you! You are nothing but a broken shell, a husk of the pony you once were, and it is because of me! This is my ultimate victory, the ultimate crystallization of my centuries of plotting. I have defeated you, Celestia, and I have proved that I am stronger than you!”

Celestia was shaking. Ever so slightly, but enough for Nightmare Moon to notice. And Nightmare Moon was certain that she saw a tear forming in the corner of Celestia’s eye. Nightmare Moon licked her fangs. Gotcha.

“You’re right,” Celestia said. “You are stronger than me. You always have been. But a pony’s magic isn’t what makes her strong. Her heart is what makes her strong. What makes you strong, Luna. You’ll remember that, before the end.”

Nightmare Moon felt a surge of rage. After all this time, Celestia was still taking the moral high ground and projecting that pathetic aura of wisdom and virtue? The smoke from her mane and tail swirled around the room, crackling with lightning that shattered stone pillars in its wake. “How dare you sit there and lecture me?! Enough of this idle chatter! You can’t use the Elements of Harmony, so you must have had a different plan. What is it? How are you going to stop me? How are you going to protect your precious subjects from my wrath, perfect Celestia?”

A thought crossed Nightmare Moon’s mind. One that made her giddy with joy. She laughed an echoey laugh that shook the room. “Oh please, Celestia, you’re not planning to fight me, are you? Was that your plan? Did you really think that your magic would be stronger than me?”

“I’m not going to fight you, Luna.”

Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes. “We’ll see about that, dear Sister.” Now that she had had the idea, she couldn’t let it go. She needed to prove that she was stronger than her sister, once and for all. She already knew that she was stronger than Celestia, but she needed Celestia to see it.

The darkness in the room swirled around Celestia, tightening around her. Lightning crackled towards her, and she did nothing. Celestia cried out in pain as the lightning crackled across her body.

“Fight me, Celestia! FIGHT ME!”

Nightmare Moon heard motion behind her. She whirled around to see more guards were coming through the doorway, charging towards her with spears. She grinned as she glanced back at Celestia.

“Save your precious subjects, Celestia!” The darkness of her mane and tail surged towards the guards, and bolts of lightning shot out towards them. Several of them were struck, and they cried out, crumpling to the ground. The lightning continued to flash. “Stop me before I destroy them!”

Luna would have cried, if she had a body to cry with. This wasn’t what she wanted. She had never imagined that she would become this. These were her little ponies, her subjects. She only wanted their love. Stop, stop, please stop!

Something hit Nightmare Moon from behind, a bolt of magic that sent a shock of pain through her whole body. She turned to see that Celestia was standing, horn glowing with a radiance like the sun, a determined look on her face.

“Finally!” Nightmare Moon snapped, taking a fighting pose.

Thank you, Sister, Luna thought.

“Leave them alone,” Celestia said. “I can see now that you won’t be satisfied until we do this. Stay back, guards. This is between me and my sister.”

Nightmare Moon let out a wordless war cry and a surge of moonlight streamed out of her horn. Celestia’s magic rushed out to meet hers, and sunlight and moonlight intercepted each other in a magical explosion. The impact shattered every window in the room.

Nightmare Moon began to push her stream of magic closer to Celestia as Celestia pushed back, the meeting point between their magics crackling between them like a thunderstorm. This was the sort of fight she wanted. No teleporting, no dodging, no trickery. Just magic against magic, power against power. The chance to prove, once and for all, that she was stronger than her sister.

The meeting points between their magics began to push towards Celestia. Quickly, in fact. In a direct confrontation like this, Celestia was shockingly weak. Luna’s magic cut through Celestia’s and struck her in the chest. Celestia screamed and collapsed to the ground. The whole exchange lasted only a few seconds.

“Is that it?” Nightmare Moon demanded. “That’s all you have? That was pathetic!” She approached where Celestia had collapsed. The alicorn was struggling unsuccessfully to stand. “To think, for all this time, I’ve considered us equals! Unless of course…perhaps you have a reserve of power left? A reserve of power that you would never tap into, except at the utmost hour of need? Something that you would never tap into unless it was your last, desperate chance to save Equestria?”

Nightmare Moon knew that Celestia could do it. If Luna could, Celestia could. She didn’t just want to beat Celestia. She wanted to beat Celestia at her best. If she still had more to give, Nightmare Moon would lure it out and destroy it too.

But Celestia collapsed back down onto the ground, not acknowledging Nightmare Moon’s taunts.

“Come on, Celestia. You know you want to. I know you can do it. Come on.” She bent down to Celestia’s ear and lowered her voice to a whisper. “Come out and play, Daybreaker.”

A shudder went down Celestia’s body, as if a slumbering beast within her was stirring. But then the moment was gone. All that was left was Celestia, weak, broken, and defeated.

Celestia met Nightmare Moon’s gaze. “You’ve won, Luna. You’ve beaten me. Now what?”

What is your plan, Celestia? Nightmare Moon wondered. Surely you’re not just going to roll over and let me take your kingdom?

“Fine,” Nightmare Moon said. “If you won’t really fight me, we’re done here. Get out of my throne room.” As Celestia struggled to stand, Nightmare Moon said, “Actually, never mind. I’ll remove you myself.”

She glanced back at the entrance to the throne room to make sure the guards were still there. They were standing there, cowering and trembling. Good. They needed to see this.

“You banished me to the moon for a thousand years, Celestia,” Nightmare Moon said, turning back to the alicorn. “It seems fitting that I banish you to the sun. Maybe I’ll bring you down in a thousand years from now to be my servant. I wouldn’t mind watching you dirty your perfect hooves cleaning out pigsties.” Her horn glowed with moonlight as she charged up the spell. “Any last words, Celestia?”

Celestia looked Nightmare Moon in the eye. “I love you. And I’m sorry.”

Nightmare Moon felt a lump of emotion in her throat as Luna began to stir, once again rising from her mental prison. How did Celestia do that? But rage quickly silenced Luna. How dare Celestia take the moral high ground in this moment? How dare she claim to love her after banishing her to the moon for a thousand years? Nightmare Moon lashed out again at Luna, drowning her underneath a sea of fury. Once Luna was silent, Nightmare Moon turned her rage back towards Celestia, and that rage boiled to the surface as a wordless scream. She fired a blast of magic, a banishing spell fueled by her passion. When the blinding moonlight faded, Celestia was gone, banished to the sun, replaced by a smoking crater. The power of Nightmare Moon’s spell had incinerated the very stones where Celestia had stood.

As Nightmare Moon stood there, panting, staring at the sizzling hole, her mind raced. Celestia still had a plan. She knew it. Celestia wouldn’t hand the kingdom over to her without a fight. But what was her plan?

“Guards!” Nightmare Moon snapped. She turned towards the guards, who were still standing in the doorway, staring, mouths agape. “I am your queen now! I am Nightmare Moon, Queen of the Night and rightful ruler of Equestria. Tell me, what were your previous queen’s plans for this evening?”

The guards stared in shocked silence.

Nightmare Moon’s mane and tail stirred and crackled with lightning. “One of you will tell me, willingly or not.”

“She was going to show up for the Summer Sun Celebration,” one of the guards blurted out. “It was going to be in Ponyville this year.”

“Ponyville, you say?” Nightmare Moon said, grinning. “Perhaps it’s time I paid a visit to my new subjects in Ponyville.”