Author's Note

My apologies if anyone has coined an OC that, in any way resembles our villain. Any similarities are not intentional.

Chapter 2: The Plunge

Appearing in the throne Room, New Moon looked around to get her bearings.
Spotting the object of her pain and crushed hope; Mounted over the throne, the 'trophy' wrenched a strangled sob from her muzzle.

Struggling to ignite her horn, she finally managed to surround the object with her magic, gently dislodging it from its mount. The entire time feeling as if she were committing both the most horrible of offences, as well as mercies.

Bringing the white colored object close, she gently cradled it in her forelegs, bringing it to her barrel.

After moments of her like that, her muzzle distorting into a broken shape, beginning to shake; It began. Starting out small as a whimpering whine, it grew in volume as she lifted her head skyward. Reaching it's crescendo as a shrieking wail that shattered the windows of the throne room, raining glass down, and blanketing Canterlot.
Waking all of the residence with a start, and driving little ones under their beds in alarm, foals in their cribs crying.

Though they didn't know what, one thing was certain: Something was wrong, Somepony was in pain, and it or it's pain was powerful.

Another pony was also roused by the noise. Though it was not shaken. In fact, after a moment, it smiled.

As she made her way to the throne room, the princess passed by many guards drawn by the sobs coming from her destination. Dismissing them in turn, she confidently stepped through the doors. 'Hmph, she's so wrapped up in herself, this'll be a piece of cake.' She thought as she came closer the the alicorn.
Sitting down behind it, she began her spell. The one that got her, her rule and power:
The spell that could steal the magic from an alicorn.

As the magic began to ebb from the dark alicorn onto her, she thought 'aww, no challenge? boring.'

Aboard the flagship, Shadow Blade, watching the transporter scanner, screamed "A trap! Her Highness is under attack! GET HER OUT OF THERE! NOW!!"

The transporter operator, Flash Frame's panicked reply "I, I can't! Transporting with what much magic around would kill her!!"

"Then get Me down there! I'll take my chances!!" He grabbed Frame, a fierce but fearful look in his eyes.

"Y-you wouldn't make it down there in one piece captain. We're....we're cut off" Tears coming to her eyes.

Releasing Frame, Blade double bucked a dent into the wall next to the transporter console.
Screwing his eyes tightly shut, he cried: "Your Highness, I'm sorry. I failed you. I'm..."

On the bridge, the crew looked on in horror thinking 'Is this how our mission ends? We loose our empress?'

What nopony noticed was, that Moons mournful cries had slowly taken on a more mirthful edge. Beginning to sound more like an angry chuckle. Even the 'princess' didn't seem to notice it.

At least, not until the alicorns head swiveled toward her. That's when she noticed it's unusual eyes, and their familiar color. Looking down at it's cutie mark, seeing another familiar sight, she thought; 'What is this creature, the princess never spoke of any other family?'

It was then that it dawned on her; 'How could this possibly exist? Separate from the princess...alive, here?'

Then it's eyes flared, the spell connecting them taking on a more solid nature. Her hold over it slipping. 'No, I have to finish the transfer, I can't let it slip.'

From nowhere in particular, a voice filled her head, one that was not hers;

'Yes, We will finish this, young one. There is no backing out of this now. This is your trial to be awarded my magic. Bear the burden of what is mine to hold, and you shall be worthy to hold it in my stead.'

At once, her control of the spell was no longer hers, and her mind was flooded with more sensations than she knew could exist. Moon taking all of her own hopes, dreams, anguish, loneliness, and rage, pushing it through the spell ahead of her magic.

'Though you may be grown in form, you are but tiny in mine eyes.
As thee sought to take what was another's;
Thou Will Have It. Thou will have it ALL. Can Thee Bear It Little One?! Can Thine Fragile Mind Bear the Weight?!
Answer Me!
Can a Mind of a Mortal contain that Of a Timeless?!
IS it EVERYTHING Thou Dreamed it Would be, you Awful, MONSTROUS FOAL?!!'

Moon lashed out at the would-be predator, the orchestrator of her misery. The insignificant creature that would do such a thing to her family and dare to prey upon them.

She was morbidly curious if it would bear the burden. To find out if she would have to relent and relinquish her power. In the moment, nothing else seemed to have much of importance. Her empire of ponies would continue on, with either her as a magic-less figurehead, or another of her subjects chairing the court...

After an uncountable number of moments later, she got her answer. A magic bolt, hovering in mid-air, a couple lengths from their position. As it hovered there, it amassed incredible energy into it, light and dark magic. Likely even, able to penetrate an alicorn, and there it built up. The false princess casting it, putting everything she could manage to scrape together outside of the connection spell.

Looking upon the false princess, Moon noticed her eyes. They were looking around everywhere, as if she were desperately seeking a place to take refuge in, to flee to, though they focused on nothing in particular. Above her eyes, her horn smoking slightly, and starting to glow a dull red color from the casting.
The bolt now, beginning to arc a black energy. The 'princess' putting everything into it she could think of to end this.

A fraction of a moment later, it was over. The connection spell dissolved, and a soft shock-wave passed across the land and through the air.

There Moon sat, quietly cradling one of her family members in her arms, near the prone form of the false princess. Her tears drying on her face.

Looking to the motionless form across from her, she spoke: "You fool."
Screwing her eyes shut, lowering her head "you ...fool" whispering of herself.

Summoning her will she arose, placing the ex-princess's 'trophy' tightly under her left wing. Turning around and walking past, she noted that the 'princess's' wings had vanished, leaving only the form of a paint coat unicorn mare.
Shaking her head sadly, she continued on towards the entrance of the throne room.

As she neared the doors, what she assumed was the guards captain placed herself in her path

"H-Halt, in the name of her Royal Highness, Princess Wish Maker!" She exclaimed

Moon, came to a halt. There was one thing more she needed from these ponies; Mother.

"I hereby place you under arrest for trespass, theft of property of her Royal Highness, and a-Assault on the Crown!" She continued, shaking while barely maintaining grip of her spear.

Moon was undaunted by this. She had no love in her heart for these guardsponies, ones that rallied and supported such a terrible thing, 'to Tartarus with their sense of duty' she thought. Standing straight and tall, she spoke with a commanding yet emotionless voice:
"Where is the Other One?"

The captain, her nerve almost having left her completely, the other guards beginning to shrink away subtly:
"Wh.. I, I said Halt!"

Moon, not moving a single muscle:
"We are Halted, which is why ye Still Draw Breath. Now we ask ye Again: Where. Is. The. Other. One??"

In response to the guard's silence, her hackles rose.
At Moons ears pinning, and her stance widening; The light from the room dimmed, the colors faded, and air took on a chill to it. The very crystals in the chandeliers seemed to loose the will to shine.
All light having abandoned the ponies around her, her eyes the only thing that seemed to shine in the darkness.
Moons voice seemed to saturate everything and everypony in the hallway beyond the throne room as she spoke:
"We Will Have Our Question Answered, With Your Aide Or Without. Give Voice, Lest We Rend Thine Thoughts From Thy Minds, As Had Your Princess Rend Her Own Existence From Hers. SPEAK! Where Is The Night Princess!"

The guard captain couldn't tell if she were floating helplessly in mid air, or light headed from the effects this alicorn was exuding. In her terror, she blurted out: "Dungeon!"

Suddenly, she hit the floor. Not knowing if the alicorn had simply dropped her, or if her legs had collapsed out from under her.
As the sound of hoof falls approached her in the darkness, she dared not move a muscle.
When they landed right next to her, she squeezed her eyes shut, silently cursing her body for shaking;
for fearing the mere movement would draw the alicorns wrath.
Even as the hoof falls faded into the distance, she kept her eyes tightly shut, not noticing that light and color had come back into the world once more.

As Moon walked past the crumpled and shaking heap of a captain, she coldly pitied her. 'Tis a shame the princess of dreams is in disposed, as this one will be in need of her service. With any fortune, she will come to realize her many follies in this manner.'

Walking steady, she turned down corridor, and walked down stair. Proceeding towards the lowest most levels. It was a search, as an 'invader' or 'savior' does not ask for directions.

After some back tracking, she came to an unassuming door, inside was a short hallway with another unassuming door. Opening the first door, she could smell it; the dungeon. It had been the better part of Two Thousand years since she last smelled a dungeon, but you never forget the smell.

When she discovered her aunt, she had thought the worst. However when the captain uttered the word 'dungeon' a tiny spark of hope ignited inside her. It took all of her willpower not to rush down the halls and kick open every door in her search. In the back of her mind she knew she was setting examples to everypony, her slip in the throne room already beginning to fill her with regrets. Her actions this day would have ramifications to the ponies of Equestria, as well as her own.

Coming to the bottom landing of the dungeon stair, she looked around. The stench of the place stinging her nose, she could tell the place was occupied. 'Unsurprising with their quality of rule' She thought.
Passing by cells and paddocks of miserable and bored ponies, she kept her composure as best she could. No way of telling whether these ponies were being held unjustly or not, though she'd lean heavily on unjustly. After making a few turns and passing through another door, she came to an isolated part of the dungeon. Her heart sank, as this was an especially cruel thing to do to a pony; isolation. Checking each of the separate sections, she found they were empty, except one.

There, lying on the mostly stone floor, chained, diminished in size, pale blue in color.....

"what in the stars have they done?"

Her coat filthy, stained with.... unmentionables

"how could they?"
Her voice barely above that of a mouse's squeak

The bound mare slowly looking up toward her next....

Slowly, too slowly... the princess had a faint spark of recognition, coming to the conclusion that this intrusion was not yet another disgrace that was to be thrust upon her. It was something else.
She just, stared. As if trying to remember why this pony looked so different... With a blink, and then another, she noticed; This was an alicorn, and it was not the 'princess' that had placed her here. But it was not 'Tia.... or any of her friends.... it was, familiar, yet not. It's eyes spoke of compassion, but they were different, yet familiar.

Letting her eyes roam across the dark alicorn standing in the doorway, she observed. 'Black coat, mane, tai-' At once, her eyes widened and she tensed up.

'There we go, she remembers' Moon smiled, then faded, as she thought; 'It is a sad day when I'm glad that she remembers -that- of all things'

Slowly, she nodded to the mare. The response being more wide eyed staring.

'What do I do now? Say? Act? I, haven't planned for any of this. How do I even approach Anypony that has been put in such a place?'

'no rapid movements, soft voice, and patience.'

"hello" Moon began

"i am, here to get you out of here."

With a dry and crackly voice Luna spoke "I've heard you speak sweet words before"

With a wince, Moon replied "this time, i am here to make good on them, mother"

Luna turned her head away in disgust "don't refer to me as that!"

With a sad sigh, Moon slowly approached "very well. first things first, i am taking these dreadful things off of you."

Her horn flaring, the clasps un-clicking and floating away. "can you stand?"

Luna, to her credit, retorted "I'm no invalid!"

"...okay"

On shaky legs, Luna rose. "see?"

"good, good. now, this.. is going to be unpleasant for the both of us..." Moon's horn glowing again, her magic gingerly covering Luna's coat.

"You think you can have me a second time?! I'll never submit to you!" Her words biting.

Sighing, Moon continuing her work cleaning Luna's coat of the messes, said nothing.

As she worked, Luna was confused as to what the Nightmare was doing. It's magic so weak that there was no way it would accomplish anything. In fact it was treating her as if she would break at the slightest touch.

"there, better. though i feel as we both could do with a long shower now." Moon finished, Luna just eyeing her skeptically.

"if, you would not mind me asking; how long?" Moon inquired

"More than nine centuries!" Luna practically spat

"no, not that. How long have you been, here? how long has aunt been?" She asked, motioning to the dungeon cell, and toward what was under her left wing.

Looking to her wing she spied the white horn peaking through, the white mass underneath a stark contrast to the Nightmare's black wing. Realization setting in.

Stumbling back a couple steps, she spat "How Dare you! You, You carry around her, Her..!!"

"I Was not going to simply Leave her where I found her! She deserves Better! Do you know where I discovered this?! Well?? A Treasonous Disgrace of Unparalleled Horror! And ponies were fine with it, intended to arrest me for taking it down!" looking down to her wing "Why, I would not do such a thing to the worst monsters that ever graced the face of a thousand worlds, let alone one of the best rulers that..."

Heaving a sigh, she went on
"Though you may find it impossible to comprehend right now, that I have had a lot of time and reasons to reconsider things since...then. Many things happened."

"One of the reasons I returned was to apologize to her, to you. For coming between you and bringing so much pain in my wake." Starting to lose control of her emotions, and becoming choked up "She was a good pony, one of the best, and a wonderful ruler. I, I looked up to her over these many centuries, modeling my rule on both you and her, what I could remember."

"I hoped to get to talk to her, get to know her. Perhaps even someday, she could find it in her heart to forgive a horrible foal her transgressions.....even if it would never happen, there was hope. But now..."
Plopping down into a sitting position, looking to her wing and hanging her head.
"now..."

Luna was expecting the Nightmare to lash out, but not like this. She remembered what the fake princess had done with her sister, remembered her laughs while she cried for her and the others...

But this creature before her, it didn't make any sense. Its form told her what it was, It even confirmed it itself, but everything else about it was a stranger.

After a number of moments, Moon arose. "For now, I will do what I can. Give her what I can, you as well. You may not be able to trust in me, but trust in my ponies. They are good ponies, and they will help you. They know of your and mine's past, and hold you in the highest regards. You have friends princess, friends you did not know that you had. Friends that a false princess could never tarnish. Please, come, meet with them when you are ready, until then let us get you strong again. Please?"

The thought getting out of the dungeon and meeting ponies that wouldn't throw her right back in here had it's appeal, and with no where else to go, she nodded. 'I hope I'm not making an even bigger mistake...'

Slowly, they made their way through the dungeon, back to the stair. Eyes of the other incarcerated ponies following their every move, not sure what they were witnessing. 'Two Alicorns? Since when were there?'

After an exceptionally slow and perilous trek up the stair (Moon dared not use her magic to hold Luna up, instead offering her right wing, much to Luna's consternation), they were in the castle hallway proper. Turning down the hall, Moon asked Luna which was the quickest way outside. After thinking for a few moments, she directed them through a few passageways. The guards conspicuously absent.
'It seems that I have managed to bring a few nightmares to the palace staff in my recklessness' she lamented to herself.

Once outside in the waning moonlight, the empress looked up into the sky and waived with both her forelegs, encouraging Luna to do the same. In her haste to leave the ship, she neglected to have a communicator on her to request transport with. Though, with the spell in the throne room, it'd have been unlikely to still been operational afterwards.

"I hope they are watching" Moon said

"Who?" Luna asked

"Friends" Moon replied

A couple of moments later, she felt the sluggish field of energy surrounding them, beginning the transport.
"Oh, Thank the stars."

The two alicorns disappearing from the face of the world.