And With The Dawn Of True Peace

Chapters

Reconciliation
An Enlightening Visit
Coming Clean
A Fateful Decision
Punishment and Reward
A Shock
Conspiracy
Offers and Alliances
Returning to a different world
A Less Than Friendly Conversation
A Very, Very, Very Overdue Conversation
Lost and Found Again
The Downfall of a Diarchy

Reconciliation

Queen Void sits calmly atop her throne during a brief respite between grovelling nobles. Although just under a year has passed since she first banished Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, and six months have passed since she formally took the throne, she has ensured that little has fundamentally changed about Equestria. Aside from giving bad ponies what they deserve, she has mostly kept the former diarchy's policies in place with addendums to foalabuse laws and quality of life changes.

Just as she prepares for her next set of ponies, Rainbow Dash bursts in with a serious expression. "My Queen, I've received word from the Crystal Empire that Princess Cadence and Shining Armour are plotting against you and plan to rise up. What should we do?"

Void lets out a chuckle. "Nothing." she says simply.

Rainbow's eyes nearly bulge out of her head. "Nothing?! But my Queen-"

Void raises a patient hoof that she waves around absentmindedly. "I've always known that Cadance and Shining would try and rebel against me when they think I've become complacent. If we take any actions against the Crystal Empire, we'll turn our own citizens against us. Remember Rainbow Dash; we're liberators and peacekeepers, not tyrants like Sombra or Chrysalis. We aren't here to dominate and conquer Equestria; we're here to guide and care for it and everypony within its borders."

Rainbow Dash gulps at the stern glare she receives. Despite the fact she is a filly, her Queen has a paralysing glare. "I understand, Queen Void. All the same, shouldn't we be worried about the Crystal Heart or thier combined magic?"

Void lets out a shrill but good-natured laugh. "Sister, the Crystal Heart is simply a more potent version of the Elements of Harmony. It is designed to defeat evil but none of us are so it can only make us stronger. Look at what it did to Luna during that faithful Summer's Sun Celebration." Rainbow smiles warmly at the memory to try and hide the wince at the word "sister."

Do any of you have any idea how useless a flightless Pegasus is?! Well, I'll tell you! There is nothing more pathetic than a Pegasus who can't fly!

Before she knows what's happening though, she finds herself being magically brought beside Void who nuzzles her. "It's okay sister, what you said was horrible but I forgive you, You didn't know that I was there and it was just very poor wording."

Rainbow gapes at her. "But you said-"

A firm look cuts her off. "Actions speak louder than words. I may forgive you for what you said but I may never truly forgive you for leaving me alone all those times. All things considered though, I have you to thank for everything that has come to pass."

Rainbow Dash looks at her smiling Queen with confusion. "Huh?"

Queen Void chuckles. "Your comment pushed me over the edge and convinced me to merge with Nightmare which has brought peace to all."

Her sister fixes her Queen with a worried look. "S-scoots is still in there, right? It's something that's been bothering me ever since you assumed your new duties."

Void gives her a wide smile. "She's been talking to you this entire time, Dash."

Rainbow breathes a long and deep sigh of relief. "Thank you. If Scootaloo was gone, I don't know what I would have done." She silences herself as she realises how that could sound. "I-I mean..."

Queen Void just chuckles before watching the throne room doors ease open as a Royal Guard enters and bows low. "Your Highness, Raven Inkwell is here to discuss your new tax reforms."

Void nods proudly. "Send her right in. I'm afraid, Rainbow Dash, that I must cut this talk short. If you still have any concerns later, don't hesitate to find me."

Rainbow Dash shoots her Queen her signature cheeky grin. "Right away, my Queen." Void stifles a laugh as she watches as Rainbow Dash bolts past a started Raven Inkwell and makes her lose her stack of paperwork. She does have to keep up her royal appearance after all.

An Enlightening Visit

It’s a calm and sunny day when Princess Cadance and Shining Armour recieve an invitation to lunch in Equestria. Usurper or not, Void is royalty and it would be very rude to refuse such an invitation. Even so, the reason for the rsndom summons is a mystery.

"Do you have any idea, dear?" Shining asks as he and Cadance slowly walk towards the main throne room of Canterlot Castle.

Cadance shakes her head. "No, I don't. It wasn't even that long ago that we were trapped in that... prison." She shudders at the memory which Shining solves with a kiss. "Thanks."

Shining gives her a smile. "You're welcome but I will admit, I'm on edge. There are only two possible reasons that Void would call us here. Brainwashing or-" He cuts himself off as he and his wife exchange a horrified look at the thought. It makes sense; a being like Nightmare Moon would want to eliminate any potential political rivals and replace them with its own allies.

Before they can ponder more, they come upon the throne room doors where the two Guards on either side bow to them. "Just a moment, your majesties." The Guard on the left goes inside to announce thier presence as the other shoots them a disarming smile. Before Cadance and Shining can speak, the first Guard exits the throne room with a grin. "The Queen will see you now." The royal couple exchange a look and take a deep breath before entering the throne room hoof in hoof.

Much to thier surprise, the throne room hasn't changed in terms of its aesthetic. They expected to find it completely different given many tyrants often try and remove any trace of thier predecessors.

"Greetings, my friends. It's nice to see you again." Cadance and Shining look up to find Queen Void sitting atop Princess Celestia's former throne with a smile that would look warm and welcoming on any other being.

Even so, she is acting regent of Equestria so they maintain thier pleasantries. "Good afternoon, Queen Void. We hope you've been having a good day."

The Queen chuckles before gesturing towards the dining room. "Shall we?" Shining and Cadance nod and follow Void.

Like the throne room, the dining room hasn't changed much besides even more seating. Cadance and Shining find thier chairs being magically pulled out for them by Void as she takes Princess Celestia's former seat at the head of the table.

Taking notice of the two's worried glances at each other, Void smiles eerily. "Since you are clearly wondering why you're here, let's get down to business shall we?" Cadance and Shining hold hooves before nodding. "So, how far along are you in your plan to bring me down?" Cadance and Shining are visibly shocked by the question although they don't know what surprises them more. That Void already suspects them of planning to betray her or the fact that she said it in the same casual tone with which you'd ask about somepony's health.

"We don't know what you're talking about, your highness." To her credit, Cadance keeps a nervous stutter out of her voice only for Void to erupt with laughter.

"Do you think that I'm so arrogant that I think no-pony will ever attempt to dethrone me? I'm not a fool."

Cadance and Shining Armour quiver slightly; they are sitting directly across from the powerful Queen of Equestria in her own palace with her Guards everywhere. Although both of them are formidable, they can't sustain a fight against a being with Nightmare Moon's power for long without the Elements or the Crystal Heart.

Gathering his courage, Shining turns serious. "Why are we here, Void? We're right here so kidnap or kill us."

The Queen sighs disappointedly. "Why must you assume that, just because I am half Nightmare Moon, I am an evil tyrant on par with Sombra, Tirek or Chrysalis?"

The two royals glare at Void. "You corrupted Twilight and her friends, banished the Princesses, conquered Equestria and sealed us in crystal for several months."

Void sighs. "I'm genuinely sorry that it came to that but I couldn't afford to be stopped from doing what needed to be done. However, what I have accomplished more than makes up for it. Go and ask any of my citizens and they'll tell you how I have only made things nicer for everypony by punishing the truly rotten and pouring more Bits into public services."

Shining fixes her with a harsh glare. "Even if that were true, that does not justify what you did to Twily and her friends, your highness."

He spits the last words with such venom that Cadance looks worriedly at the Queen who looks... sad. "I'll admit, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie truly didn't deserve it since thier only crime was ignorance. The others though?" Her face goes dark. "They deserved what came to them and much more"

Cadance levels Void with a glare. "And we're just supposed to trust the being who conquered Equestria and corrupted an innocent filly?"

Queen Void fixes them with a glare. "The Nightmare in and of itself is not evil. It simply goes to whoever needs it the most and bonds with them, one of which unfortunately happened to be Princess Luna when she allowed her dark emotions to take control. But nopony ever considered that did they? No, it was all the big shadowy pony spirit's fault that she was bonded to a hate-filled being." She growls in anger but softens when she sees the horrified royals. "Sorry."

Shining decides to get down to business. "What are you going to do with us then?"

Void flashes them a cheeky grin. "Nothing."

The rulers are taken aback. "Nothing?!"

Void dismissively waves a hoof. "If I imprison or kill you then the Crystal Ponies and my subjects will rise up against me."

Cadance decides to test her luck. "Why not just brainwash us into your puppets then?"

Shining bristles at the idea but Void smiles widely at her fellow rulers. "And why would I do that? You don't deserve to be punished and you pose no threat to me whatsoever."

Shining and Cadance stare at her with absolute disbelief. "No threat? We still have the Crystal Heart."

The beaming smile from Void is enough to unnerve them though. "You misunderstand, Princess Cadance. The Crystal Heart only works against evil and neither myself nor Nightmare are evil. I simply do what is necessary to bring peace to Equestria and sometimes that takes more... extreme measures."

Shining decides to play his full hoof. "But we could turn Equestria against you and you can't defend against the entire kingdom and the Crystal Empire at once."

Void looks on proudly. "If you are able to turn my kingdom against me, I will willingly capitulate. You won't even need to fight me. I am here to help everypony, not become a tyrant. The changes that I've already made to Equestria will ensure a long and prosperous future regardless."

Slumping in defeat, Princess Cadance and Shining Armour share a distressed look before the latter fixes Void with a look of absolute hatred. "We'll never forgive you for what you did to Twilight and her friends, Void."

Queen Void sighs in exacerbation but, before they can speak again, she flashes them a smile. "You two haven't been here long, have you?"

Cadance shakes her head. "We teleported straight into the foyer from our throne room when we were ready."

Void shoots her a grin. "Tell you what, after lunch, I'll take you on a tour of Canterlot and show you what I've changed. so you can decide for yourself how evil I truly am." She watches as the royal couple exchange a look before slowly nodding. "Excellent."

As she says this, the doors to the kitchen open and waiters bring out thier food. "I hope you don't mind but I went ahead and ordered for you. Twilight was kind enough to tell me both of your favourite dishes." Queen Void begins eating and, after checking to ensure that the food isn't enchanted or poisoned, her guests do the same.

An hour later, outside of Canterlot Castle

As promised, after letting thier food settle, Queen Void begins the tour. "Queen Void! Wait up!" They all turn to see Dread Rainbow Dash flying above them with a concerned look on her face. "Will you require my help, your highness?" Cadance and Shining Armour are slightly off-put by the distrustful look that the Dread gives them.

Void chuckles. "I'll be fine, Dash. I'm only going into Canterlot to show our friends around and will be back later. Besides," she fixes her guests with a smirk, "they know better than to try and attack me without the Crystal Heart." The two shudder as Rainbow Dash salutes her Queen and rockets off to her room, doubtless to read the latest Daring Do.

As her companions process what just happened, Void chuckles fondly. "Let's get on with the tour." She leads them away as they follow, surprised at the Queen's rather foalish behaviour.

The first place they go to is the sculpture garden which is largely unchanged aside from a new stone carving of Void near the center. Unlike what they would have expected though, it isn't any larger or more prominent than any of the surrounding statues or sculptures. "Excess and hubris waste time when there is such better uses for somepony's time." By and large, the sculpture garden hasn't changed so they quickly move on.

The second place to visit ends up being the Cloud Stadium where Shining has a nasty shock when Void suddenly teleports them all directly onto the cloud. "SHINING!"

Rather than falling to his death though, Shining lands as easily as if it were terra firma. "W-what?"

Void chuckles at thier shock. "That cloud walking spell non-Pegasi used to use is now obsolete. All I had to do was change the properties of cloud magic so that it's both solid and can still rain. The old way always made the users worry about it wearing off and sending them plunging to thier deaths. Now, nopony ever has to concern themselves with that ever again."

Cadance thinks for a moment. "But why didn't the Princesses do this before?"

Void scowls for a moment. "Clouds were enchanted so that only Pegasi could stand on them to prevent them from being attacked back when the tribes were at war. Since nopony ever complained, Celestia and Luna never corrected it. Testing my spell's stability was a fun way to punish the foal abusers though."

Cadance and Shining recoil at the smile on Void's face as she recalls the "happy memory." "Come along, our next visit is to the Canterlot School for Gifted Ponies."

Sure enough, they arrive to find the same school that Twilight once attended which is largely the same as before but with one key difference. Instead of just Unicorns, Pegasi and Earth Ponies can also be seen practicing. "To give Celestia some credit, she had a fantastic idea when she opened this school. Teaching those with unique skills and abilities beyond thier peers how to use thier talents to thier fullest potential is genius." Void's smile turns into a frown. "However, her scope was limited to Unicorns only and her main goal in its creation was to find somepony to ultimately save Luna. How selfish."

Cadance can't help but smile as a Unicorn and Pegasus happily practice side by side. "As you can see, I kept her overall idea but given it greater scale and impact. What was once a school for just Unicorns is now a school designed to help foals of any race hone thier abilities and overcome any issues. I will never allow anypony of any race to suffer the same humiliating... deficiency that I once did."

She ruffles her wings at the memory as Shining decides to speak up. "So you modified Celestia's work to indoctrinate your future subjects then."

Void's eyes become harsh. "You think we'd take advantage of others' disadvantages for our own gain?!" To thier credit, neither he nor his wife shy back at Nightmare Moon's voice.

Clearing her throat, Void gives them an apologetic look. "Sorry but Nightmare is right. Have you seen anypony throw themselves down at my hooves and proclaim me to be superior to the former Princesses? Do you sense any mind control or fear?" They shake thier heads. "I visit the school quite regularly as Scootaloo so that they can get used to my presence. I have made it very clear to them that I shouldn't be considered superior to them in any way. I refuse to be worshipped as some holier than thou almighty pony just because I am an Alicorn. The only difference between me and any other pony is that I have the power to change everything for the better."

Before either royal can respond, Void sighs. "I don't think I'll be taking a personal student though. It's hard to watch those you care about grow old and die as you never age. There's always Dreadification but I only use that with explicit permission since it's very painful."

As much as they hate to admit it, Cadance and Shining are gaining a begrudging respect for Queen Void. Her methods and motives may be questionable at best but they can't argue with the results. "And now for something special." Void's horn lights up.

"Wait, where are we-" Shining is unable to finish as they are instantly teleported away.

They immediately appear inside a dark blue cavern system lit only by dim light reflecting off the surrounding crystals. Shining notices his wife shuddering. "What's wrong, Cady?"

"This is where Queen Chrysalis held me prisoner." After hugging Cadance, Shining turns his attention back to the monarch of Equestria.

"Why are we here, Void?" The Queen beckons them forward towards a solid wall of crystal where she presses down on a seemingly random protruding crystal.

Once she does, the entire front sinks back into the wall and reveals a room filled with various artifacts; some of which they quickly recognise as the Alicorn Amulet, Sombra's cape and crown and Star Swirl the Bearded's magic tome. "This is a prison for the most dangerous artifacts in Equestria. Artefacts that, should they fall into the wrong hooves, could devastate the entire world." Void levitates Star Swirl's magic book. "This may be useful in emergencies but also contains many spells that could be ruinous if used by evil."

Cadance steps forward. "But couldn't evil find this place? This would be the first place they'd look and the entrance is easy to unlock."

Void smiles before beckoning them out the cave which locks behind her. "Now Shining Armour, please try and open the cave." Shining presses down on the crystal from before but it doesn't budge even when he puts his full weight down on it. He then tries to use his magic but only manages to give himself a headache and even his and Cadance's magic combined doesn't even shift it an inch.

When they stop, Void just walks open and casually pushes down on the crystal so the room reopens. "Clever little spell devised by Star Swirl. It ties my magical essence to the lock so only I can open it. Even if I was cloned, it would be useless since its magic would still be different from mine. And if by chance somepony did manage to break in, there is no way to exit the room without my magic and it is enchanted to prevent teleportation in and out. You could put Sombra, Chrysalis, Chrysalis' entire hive and Tirek in there together and they wouldn't be able to escape." As Cadance and Shining Armour process that, Void's horn glows again. "And now for one last stop." They are teleported away again.

The three abruptly find themselves at a fashion shop which they recognise after a moment as the Canterlot Carousel. Rarity fixes the Queen with a glare whilst she measures a tall Earth Pony. "Do you mind, darlings? I'm in the zone right now." Cadance and Shining exchange a surprised look at the Element of Generosity chastising her master. Even so, Void just chuckles and waits patiently for the measurements to be completed and the pony to leave. Rarity sighs as she turns to her friends. "I'm sorry but you should know better than to interrupt me when I'm working. Now, what can I do for you?"

Void chuckles before turning serious. "I brought them here so you can tell them what's been happening in Equestria since I took over."

Rarity smiles. "Yes your highness."

Ushering Cadance and Shining over to the fashionista, Queen Void turns to the door. "I have some things to take care of so I'll be back in an hour."

With that, she leaves and Shining swiftly turns to Rarity. "Rarity, we're here to save you and the others. Together, we can defeat Void and free the Princesses who can hopefully restore you to your-"

He stops as Rarity chuckles sadly. "Sadly darling, there's nothing that can be done. Even so, it makes certain aspects of my life easier. Please, take take a seat."

As dusk falls, the three royals traipse back into the throne room in silence though they are both brought back to reality by the Queen clearing her throat. "Well?"

After a moment's silence, Cadance and Shining refocus. "So... what now?"

Queen Void chuckles and gets back down on her throne. "You two will go home and continue ruling as you have but don't hesitate to call for help if you need it. I will come at once."

Shining Armour looks at her in disbelief. "You're letting us go? After everything we've learnt?"

Void chuckles. "As I said before, you pose no threat and I have no intentions of ever hurting good ponies. I know that you'll go back and consider all that you have learnt today to decide whether or not you will oppose me."

As the royal couple turn to leave, Void speaks again. "And Shining Armour? Please consider my offer."

Shining turns in confusion. "What offer?"

Void chuckles. "I thought it'd be obvious. Princess Cadance is immortal whereas you aren't getting any younger. I'm offering you both the chance to never have to worry about losing each other."

Shining is confused for a moment before freezing in shock. "You don't mean..."

The monarch shows him a sympathetic smile. "I will never force you to make a decision either way. The process is painful but I can assure you it is worth it in the end. Just look at your sister. Twilight was going to long outlive her friends but now they'll spend many ages together."

Void straightens up. "You don't need to rush your decision though. I'm not going away anytime soon and the offer will stand until you die. Now, have a safe journey home."

They turn to leave, Shining unsettled by the offer, but Cadance turns around one last time. "If I may, for a monarch who holds herself with the same grace as Aunt Celestia, you are quite childish."

Void shoots them a massive Cheshire grin. "I am only a filly after all."

Coming Clean

One evening, Queen Void paces back and forth in the royal bedroom. Although the public sees an emotionally mature ruler, she is still a filly at heart and one currently embroiled in a debate with her other half. You know I'm right. You don't want to be alone for the rest of time, do you? It's quick and your friends are then immortal.

Scootaloo paces harder. "Of course I want that but I can't force that upon them. Even if they were willing, they'd have to watch thier families grow old and die around them." She looks down. "And besides, once they learn who I am and what we've done, they'll never want to see me again."

Why would they do that? We've improved everypony's life and the only ones suffering under us deserve what they get. "We're usurpers and the last time they met you was... less than ideal." Nightmare grimly recalls the Crusaders hiding and cowering during the Summer Sun Celebration.

Scootaloo sighs miserably. "This is the curse of immortality, I guess. Sacrificing your own happiness for the greater good and watching those you care about die around you." She finally comes to a decision. "We need to tell them the truth, Nightmare. They're already suspicious that I'm nowhere to be found for days at a time especially after they learned what happened to me. Whatever they think of me, they need to know."

The next day, the Crusader Tree-house

Apple Bloom meets Sweetie Belle and both of them are frustrated. "Ah dunt know about you but ah haven't sin Scootaloo in days."

Sweetie Belle looks down in disappointment. "Neither have I and it worries me."

Before Apple Bloom can reply, the door to the Tree-house opens and they turn to see Rainbow Dash beaming in the doorway. "Good morning."

The Crusaders rush over to the rainbow maned Pegasus. "Rainbow Dash! Have you seen Scootaloo? We haven't seen her in days."

The clone chuckles. "Sorry to have worried you girls but it's been a hectic few days. After the truth came out about Scoots, I decided to officially adopt her as my little sister. We've spent the last few days settling in but I left it as a surprise for her until the last moment so she didn't have time to tell you."

She worries for a moment that they won't buy it but they suddenly gain massive smiles. "REALLY?!" The Rainbow clone nods proudly before they tackle her for a group hug. "Thank you! We've been so worried about her having to leave Ponyvile."

Rainbow Dash chuckles as she gently pulls herself out of the pony mound. "It's okay to come in now, squirt."

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom's head snap to the doorway as the familiar orange and purple Alicorn steps in. "Hi, girls."

Scootaloo has barely a second to brace herself before being swamped by her friends. "Congratulations!" She returns the hug before they slowly extricate themselves from the mound.

The shadow clone of Rainbow Dash flashes a proud smile at the three before turning to leave. "Make sure to be home by 6;15, Scoots. Have fun."

With that, she flies away and leaves three delighted fillies. "So, what's the plans for today?"

Several hours later, it turns out that the answer to Scootaloo's question was "not much." They spend most of the afternoon catching up on what they have been doing for the last few days. Unsurprisingly, Scootaloo does most of the talking but it turns out that being spiritually linked to an immortal entity who has had countless hosts over the millennia gives somepony a fantastic imagination.

Just as Scootaloo finishes, they hear a knock on the clubhouse door. "Come in."

The door opens to reveal Rarity and Applejack with content smiles. "Good evening, girls." Realising the time, all three Crusaders jump to thier hooves at once. As they move for the door though, they are stopped by Applejack's hoof. "Whoa, slow down fer a second. We firs' need tah tell y'all somethin' very important." Two of the Crusaders look confused whilst Scootaloo braces herself. "We've all bin called tah Canterlot bai Queen Void and she specifically asked fer us to bring our sisters too."

Scootaloo tries not to let her heartbreak show upon seeing the terrified looks on her friends' faces. Thankfully, due to its relative isolation and low population, word has yet to properly reach Ponyvile about the Dreadified Elements of Harmony and any such murmurs have been dismissed as hearsay and fear mongering from spies to sow distrust and fear. Even so, everypony is aware of Princess Celestia and Princess Luna's fates and rumour is that she is actually Nightmare Moon with a new host.

"W-w-why would she want to see US?! We haven't done anything wrong! We swear!" Scootaloo cringes as her friends huddle to her in fear.

Rarity throws her mane with a reassuring smile. "Don't worry. Queen Void doesn't hurt fillies and, if she tries, she'll be on a one-way trip to the Moon."

Although still scared, the two Crusaders nod bravely. "See you tomorrow, Scootaloo." Scootaloo watches them go before flying to Rainbow Dash's house where she lets her conscience retreat back into her true body.

Momentarily, Canterlot Castle

Nightmare has just finished her court for the day and heads to the dining room as she feels her other half return. "Welcome back, Scootaloo. Did you have a nice time?" Although jovial, Nightmare becomes worried when silence is her response. "Scoots?"

My friends are going to absolutely hate me and never want to talk to me again.

"Scootaloo, you don't know that." Scootaloo shows the memory of her friends' reactions which leads to a very pregnant silence. "I-I'm sorry, Scootaloo." Scootaloo sighs miserably. It's not your fault, Nightmare.

Nightmare adopts a motherly tone. "We can cancel the meeting and pretend we never had this conversation." Scootaloo shakes her head determinedly. No, I stand by my decision. I can't continue to live a lie to my friends. Perhaps this is for the best anyway; it will be easier to live without my friends when they absolutely despise me. Void wipes away some tears before heading for her bedroom, having lost her appetite.

Four days later, Ponyvile Train Station

Scootaloo climbs onto the train with the clone of Rainbow Dash close behind. As the whistle sounds, they make thier way to the fourth car where they find most of thier friends talking happily. As Scootaloo sits beside Sweetie and opposite Apple Bloom, she adopts her own nervous look as she sees that they are barely disguising thier fear. In spite of this, Sweetie Belle greets her with what is supposed to be a warm and welcoming smile. "H-hey Scootaloo, nice to see you."

Scootaloo wraps a comforting wing around Sweetie Belle who manages a small but genuine grateful smile. "Hey, there's no need to be so scared. I know for a fact that Queen Void is extremely generous to good ponies."

This visibly seems to slightly relax her friends although they remain anxious. "How do you know, Scootaloo?"

She shoots her friends a cheeky smile. "Call it a hunch. Rainbow Dash took me on a secret visit to Canterlot yesterday and things have definitely improved for the better."

To keep up the façade, the other clones lobby a harsh glare at Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash, that was extremely reckless and dangerous. We have no idea what Void is capable of."

Rainbow Dash recoils slightly with a sheepish smile. "Heh, sorry."

As the train speeds away from Ponyvile, Scootaloo gulps and settles in for the long train ride. She might as well enjoy the final few hours that she will ever experience with her friends.

An hour later, Scootaloo finds herself alone in the compartment with the other Crusaders after the others go to get lunch. "So Scootaloo, what's Canterlot like now?"

Scootaloo breaks from her daydreaming at the sound of Apple Bloom's voice. "Huh?"

Her friends adopt cheeky smiles. "You said that you and Rainbow Dash had a secret visit yesterday. Sooooooo, what's it like?"

Scootaloo can't help but chuckle. "It's incredible. Little about it has really changed but Queen Void has changed what is there for the better. As for what about it has changed?" She adopts her own cheeky grin. "That would be telling."

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle scowl at her in frustration. "Ah, come on Scoots. Can't you even give us a hint?"

"Nope."
"Please?"
"No."
"Please?"
"Nope."
"Pleeeeeeeease?"
Scootaloo laughs at thier puppy dog eyes. "Where's the fun in telling you now?"

The two fillies pout. "You're no fun." Scootaloo lays back as the others return with thier hay sandwiches.

Much later, the others have gone to talk to Lyra and Bon Bon who happen to be travelling in the compartment next door. Alone with her friends once more, Scootaloo takes a deep breath. "Girls, would you still be my friends if you found out that I was hiding something super important from you?"

Sweetie and Apple Bloom exchange a confused look. "A small secret or..."

Scootaloo clops her front hooves together nervously. "A secret that could destroy our friendship beyond any chance of repair. The kind of secret which would make you hate me forever."

Her friends look shocked before fixing her with comforting smiles. "Scootaloo, as long as you're true to yourself, we will never hate you."

Scootaloo puts on a brave face with a happy smile. "Thanks guys. I'm sorry for bringing the mood down." They give her a hug that she happily returns though she doesn't feel any more reassured. She chuckles as the irony hits her. I survived years of abuse, I'm bonded to an immortal deity, I've ascended to become an Alicorn, I've defeated the Princesses with little effort, I'm monarch of Equestria and we've been stamping out foal abuse. And yet, my greatest fear is losing my friends.

Later, Canterlot

Once they arrive, the group explore whilst they wait for Queen Void's court to end for the day. Although the Crusaders are bored by the statue garden, they are delighted to see the diversified School for Gifted Ponies and Scootaloo will never forget how hard she laughed when she pushed Apple Bloom onto the Cloud Stadium only for the terrified filly to find that she won't pass through.

Eventually though, they approach Canterlot Palace with the Royal Guards at the entrance immediately admitting them. After walking for a few minutes in relative silence, they reach the entrance to the throne room. Before they enter, Scootaloo embraces her friends one final time with visible tears in her eyes. "No matter what happens now guys, just know that I am proud to have been your friend,"

The other Crusaders look at her in surprise. "Scootaloo, are you okay?"

Breaking the hug, Scootaloo nods to Twilight who gestures to the Royal Guards at the door which slowly opens. "Let's get this over and done with." With that said, the group enters the throne room and the doors close ominously behind them.

Nightmare watches proudly as the clones walk calmly in with her other half and her clearly terrified friends. "Greetings, my little ponies." Fortunately for Scootaloo, though Void is clearly a filly, she is almost unrecognisable due to her completely black coat. Even so, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom flinch at the familiar voice of Nightmare Moon. “Welcome to Canterlot.” She looks down at the Crusaders. “And you two must be Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom. Scootaloo has told me so much about you.”

The two fillies in question are taken slightly aback. “She has?”

Nightmare chuckles. “Of course she has. Scootaloo told me all about you yesterday."

The two's eyes go wide. "You didn't say you met with the Queen!"

Scootaloo chuckles, starting to wish that Nightmare hadn't mentioned that. "Yeah, we didn't mean to but we caught her on her afternoon walk and she insisted that we come in for afternoon tea. Nothing notable happened so I guess I forgot to mention it."

Deciding to take the chance, even as her friends subtly back away from Void, Scootaloo doesn't move and instead calmly faces down her true self. "Scootaloo! Get back!"

The Pegasus can only sigh. Here goes. "Guys, do you remember when I asked you if you would still be my friends even if I had a devastating secret?"

"Scootaloo, what are you talking about?" With one final sigh, Scootaloo allows her cloned body to finally disintegrate and lets her conscience retreat back into her true body.

As she opens her eyes, she looks sadly at the traumatised looks on her closest friends' faces as they back away from her. "SCOOTALOO!!!"

"She's been v--v-v-v-vaporised!" They turn and run from the entrance only to find the way blocked by the clones. "What are you doing?! We need to get out of here and find help!"

Hearing hoof-steps approaching, they turn to see the Dreadified Element Bearers file in from a side-door. "W-what is this?" They watch in horror as they see the clones vanish into thin air in front of thier eyes. "RUN!"

Before they can be stopped, the two fillies bolt outside and Void stops the Royal Guards from pursuing. "It's okay, I'll go after them myself. If anypony else goes after them, they'll become even more scared."

Rainbow Dash flies in front of her. "Will you require assistance, your majesty?"

Void shakes her head sadly. "I think it would be best if I went alone since, if we all go, we will probably scare them to death. And besides, they can't do any harm to me."

Rainbow Dash nods as Void walks calmly out into Canterlot. Fortunately, Sweetie had not noticed Scootaloo place a tracking spell on her before they entered the throne room.

Half an hour later, in an abandoned house on the outskirts of Canterlot

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom huddle together for comfort. "What do we do, Bloom? Our friends... Scootaloo... Rarity... They're all..."

Her friend sighs. "We hide 'til tomorrow and take the earliest possible train back tah Ponyvile. When we get there, we'll find your parents and Granny and hope they know wha' tah do."

Sweetie shakes her head. "That'd never work. 'Hey mom? Queen Void vaporised Scootaloo, Rarity and the others.' They'd never believe us! And what if those... things that look like our sisters come to Ponyvile as them and take us away?"

Apple Bloom gulps. "But Scootaloo said that Queen Void would never-"

"Scootaloo IS GONE, Apple Bloom! We’re the only ones left now." Sweetie's voice catches in her throat as the day begins to wear on her. "Almost everypony we care about is..." She swallows. "We'll make sure that they didn't die in vain. We just have to find Spike who can send a message to Princess Cadance in the Crystal Empire. Rarity told me that they have this Crystal Heart thing that can banish evil and can surely do the same to Queen Void and whatever those things with her were."

Just as Apple Bloom is about to agree, thier hearts stop as they hear a nervous knock on the door. "G-guys, are you in there?" The two Crusaders go dead silent; it could easily be one of those creatures using a voice change spell. "P-please, it's me Scootaloo."

It can't be her; we just saw her turn to dust in the throne room. It must be a trick to make us come out. They hear the voice sigh from downstairs. "I guess you have no reason to believe me after what you saw. I-I'm sorry for lying to you guys about everything but I was just so scared that you would hate me for my secret."

Sweetie finally can't take it anymore as she hears the voice audibly crack and is about to speak when another voice emerges from below. "It's no use, Scootaloo; they're convinced that we are using your voice to get to them." Sweetie and Apple Bloom exchange a look; why would Void say that if she and the Royal Guard are trying to lure them out?

Before they can do anything else, they hear the door open downstairs and two sets of hoof-steps moving inside; one heavy and the other light as a filly's. Reacting quickly, Sweetie Belle pulls Apple Bloom into a cupboard whilst they hear hooves on the stairs and watch the room's door open.

Despite themselves, they gawk as they see Scootaloo walk in followed by Queen Void and find themselves unnerved when they see the two staring right at thier hiding place. "Are you getting a feeling of déjà vu, Scootaloo?"

Unlike her counterpart, Scootaloo can't bring herself to chuckle and instead throws open the cupboard doors to reveal her absolutely terrified friends. As they run once again, the two Alicorns restrain Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom in thier magic even as they continue trying to run.

After tiring themselves out running uselessly, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom look worriedly at Queen Void as she eyes them with intrigue. "You certainly keep company with some... interesting friends, Scootaloo."

Scootaloo sighs before releasing Apple Bloom though not before securing the door with her magic. She feels incredible pride as her friends put on brave faces and stand up to them. "Well, what are you waiting for? You have us cornered and we're the only witnesses to what you did."

Void sighs disappointedly as she gestures to Scootaloo. "Why-ever would I do that? Your friend would despise me if I ever hurt you."

The Crusaders scowl defiantly at the Queen who just looks back impassively. "You can't fool us. That's just some magical construct designed to trick us."

Scootaloo looks down forlornly as Void sighs. "I guess I have no choice, do I?" Scootaloo shakes her head sadly so Void advances on the two fillies who try to scurry away but are soon both put into magical sleeps like the Element Bearers were.

Void approaches her friend and wraps a wing around the sobbing Scootaloo. "There's nothing to be afraid of, Scootaloo. When your friends see what happened to you and all the good we've done, they'll accept us for who we now are."

Scootaloo shakes her head as she looks over at her soon-to-be-former friends. "After what we did to the Princesses, Cadance and Shining Armour, our friends but especially Applejack and Rarity... I'll be lucky if they don't try to kill me on the spot." She adopts a sad smile. "At least I won't be keeping any secrets anymore." With that said, the two prepare what to say when the fillies come to.

With all the memories that they have to go through, totalling just over a year and a very busy one at that, it takes until the next afternoon for Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom to wake up. Once they recover from the grogginess, they exchange a disturbed look with each other. "Apple Bloom? You didn't just happen to have a dream about Scootaloo having one hay of a year, did you?" Apple Bloom responds with a slow nod.

"Good morning, my little ponies." The two jump and spin around to find themselves staring at Queen Void as she beams down at them. Now that they can properly look at the Queen without recoiling in fear, they notice just how much she resembles Scootaloo except for being slightly bigger and her fur being black. "I take it you found that trip down our memory lane enlightening?" The two Crusaders nod sadly. "One question at a time, please."

Apple Bloom raises a hoof which makes Void chuckle. "We thought you were defeated in Canterlot Castle."

Void ponders how to put in understandable terms for a filly. "I'm neither good nor evil, merely neutral. The Elements of Harmony merely purged me from my hosts and left me extremely weak."

"Why did you defeat Princess Celestia and Princess Luna?"

Void can only look down in shame. "I wish I didn't have to but they refused to listen. Celestia has been too accepting of atrocities in favour of maintaining her sparkling clean image and Luna was kept in the dark and attacked us. There was no reasoning with them so I gave them some alone time to consider my proposal."

Apple Bloom's is next. "If you are so kind then how did you end up corrupting Princess Luna and Rarity?"

Void groans at the memories. "I am drawn to the creature that needs me the most and, unfortunately, one of my hosts was Luna whilst she was angry at her sister. My sudden influx of power simply amplified her power and drove her completely insane."

She turns to gaze sadly at Sweetie Belle "Truth be told, I was truly gone after the Elements purged me for causing the initial corruption. The strain from the initial forced rejection was just too strong, When the Nightmare Forces freed me, they forced me into your emotionally unstable sister and Nightmare Rarity was the result. I am truly, deeply sorry for everything that we did in that body."

As those revelations sink in, Sweetie Belle raises a shaky hoof. "You mentioned that you will someday fully merge with Scootaloo. What happens to her?"

Void considers the question. "I honestly have no idea but my guess is that our personalities will merge with Scootaloo becoming the core of the new pony. She will still be Scootaloo the ways that matter but with all of my knowledge and memories. I'd functionally cease to exist but continue live on in a way through Scootaloo. My legacy won't be one of corruption, evil and terror but one of peace, tranquillity and prosperity."

The fillies exchange a very worried look. "If she's bonded to you, doesn't that make Scootaloo immortal?"

Queen Void nods. "That is unfortunately the price that she is willing to pay for the sake of Equestria. Watching everypony that she knows and loves slowly die around her whilst she will never age is a truly horrible fate but she knew the consequences when she agreed to make our merge permanent."

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom look crushed. "But if Scootaloo is immortal, she'll be lonely. That's horrible!" Void nods dejectedly, deciding to keep the solution for the problem to herself like Scootaloo asked. "C-can we see her?"

Smiling, Void leads them out of the house and points towards the School For Gifted Ponies. "Whenever she's especially stressed, Scootaloo takes time to visit the School and watch the lessons. She finds it incredibly calming and the others are used to her presence by now. Lessons should be ending for the day very shortly." The Crusaders nod at the Queen, nod at each other, and race away up the road as the Queen heads back to the Castle.

Presently, Scootaloo calmly walks out of the school and begins her journey back to Canterlot Castle to have some time alone. "Hey, Scootaloo!"

She stops abruptly as the other two Crusaders reach her. "H-h-hey guys, what's shaking?"

Apple Bloom shakes her head pitifully at the emotionally exhausted Alicorn. "We know everything, Scootaloo."

The filly nods as she turns to leave but finds herself stopped by Sweetie Belle. "Scoots, we know everything that happened and everything you've done but we don't mind. You're still our friend and you never really hurt our sisters despite everything. We don't and never will hate you."

With that single sentence, Scootaloo's heart stops beating for several moments but she shakes her head nonetheless. They must be bluffing. There is no way they'd ever forgive me. Not after everything. When she tries to leave though, she finds herself pulled into a tight hug by the others much to her shock. This can't be real. And yet, as the hug tightens, she can feel deep in her heart that this is no dream or joke and she finally lets some tears out as she returns the hug.

Two hours later, Canterlot Castle

After the revelations at the school, the three sit in the antechamber within the Princess Suite of Canterlot Castle. What was originally just a storage room for Princess Celestia's suit of armour and an emergency planning room in the event of crisis has been converted into a comfortable bedroom for Scootaloo.

As Scootaloo lies back relaxed though, finally able to stop worrying after almost a year, she sees the other Crusaders exchange a look. "Is something wrong?"

Sweetie Belle chuckles before turning serious. "You're immortal, Scootaloo."

The young ruler rolls her eyes. "No duh, I'm an Alicorn."

Apple Bloom crosses her hooves. "What Sweetie means is that you'll be forced to outlive everypony, including us, and live a lonely life."

Scootaloo groans; way to ruin a thoroughly good mood. "I know and it hurts but I've already made peace with it."

The two fillies look at her sadly. "Scootaloo, we hate the idea of you being alone for thousands of years. Isn't there anything we can do?"

Scootaloo takes a moment to considers telling them the truth but it is already too late when she sees the Cheshire grins on thier faces. "So there IS a way!"

Scootaloo's eyes go wide. Uh oh. "N-no, not that I know of. I was just asking Nightmare if she knew of any ways." The other two clearly aren't convinced as they give her a suspicious glare. I already regret showing them my memories. "Fine, it's called Dreadification and you've already seen what it can do. It extends your natural lifespan to make you effectively immortal."

The two fillies look at each other, nod in mutual agreement and turn back to Scootaloo. "When can we do it?"

With that answer, her brain completely shuts down for a few moments. "No, no way!"

The two fillies look confused. "But why?"

"You saw what it did, didn't you?" They nod. "Then you know why I can't do it. It's horribly painful and I have no idea if it will have any nasty effects on you."

The two can only give her reassuring grins. "We don't care, Scootaloo, We want you to be happy and being immortal can't be so bad."

Scootaloo tries to think of a way out of this. "I at least need permission. It's not going to be easy for your families." There, that'll stop this. There's no way that Granny Smith, Big Mac, Hondo or Cookie would ever let them go through with this.

As she allows herself a cocky grin, she sees her friends move towards their beds. "Uh, what're you doing?"

The two turn back with smiles. "It's nearly bedtime, silly, and we have to get up early so we can get to Ponyvile. After all, the sooner we get back, the sooner that we can get permission."

As they settle down for the night, Scootaloo shakes her head in bewilderment before allowing herself to re-enter Void's mind just as she finishes court. Due to watching over Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom, she had a lot of work to do so ended up working much later than usual. "Good evening, Scootaloo. Did you have a good time?"

Scootaloo sighs. They want to undergo Dreadification.

She can feel Nightmare's sheer joy at the statement. "Amazing! When do we start?"

Scootaloo groans at her friend's enthusiasm. I told them that they have to get permission from Sweetie's parents, Big Mac and Granny Smith before we'll ever consider it. They'll never allow it.

She feels the disappointment wash over her. "Why? I thought we talked about this, Scootaloo."

Scootaloo chuckles sadly. You said it yourself. Immortality is a curse and we agreed to never force it onto another being.

Nightmare chuckles. "They sounded pretty willing to me."

Of course they would. We're friends but this isn't deciding what to do today. This is the difference between living a normal life and having to watch countless generations of ponies die around you. I've had to make peace with that and I can't let them make a decision that they will later regret.

Even so, Nightmare smiles bemusedly. "And what would you do if thier parents said yes?"

Scootaloo laughs hard at the idea of that ever happening. Yeah, right. They'd never even tolerate the idea. They're much too sensible.

A Fateful Decision

Princess Cadance watches Shining Armour pacing nervously after court wraps for the day. "It's okay, Shiny. We don't need to decide anytime soon."

Shining paces harder. "I know but what happens if we keep putting this off? Eventually, I'll become too old to go through with it and die. You're basically immortal whereas I have maybe forty to fifty years left if I get very lucky. If we have any children, they will likely spend most of thier lives without a father."

Cadance looks down. This has always been a worry for them and, though they have never let it get in the way of thier marriage, it has always been an unspoken issue. To avoid nepotism or giving power to tyrants simply because they're next in line to the throne, Alicorns in Equestria are never chosen by Celestia. Instead, they're chosen by a mixture of the Elements of Harmony and the world's latent magic with ascensions dependent on the pony passing certain very strict "rules."

Unfortunately, one of the main factors has to be some form of importance to the world as a whole. An importance so great that thier loss would have massive effects on Equus itself. Celestia and Luna controlled the sun and Moon, I'm the mistress of love and Twily is the ultimate wielder of magic who also happens to be both an Element Bearer and exceptionally good at bringing ponies together. Shining Armour does not ultimately matter and his passing will not effect the world at large. He's heroic and a fantastic ruler but not remarkable enough to be considered. For this reason, though she has always resented the fact that her husband will die long before she ever will, she doesn't blame her aunts since they have no more control over the process than her.

There are of course ways to bypass the ascension rule like the Alicorn Amulet or by merging with greater beings but Void only gained her status by being half made-up of a being formerly bonded to Luna and the Alicorn Amulet... just no. The new ruler of Equestria though has offered them a far easier and "safer" way to give Shining Armour effective immortality but the method worries them. From thier conversation with Rarity, they know how ridiculously painful the process is and doubt still lingers over Void's influence over her Dreads. Although they trust the Queen slightly more than before, to the extent of not wanting to overthrow her unless they have to since she is a popular and clearly benevolent ruler, they worry that she has control of Twilight and the others but allows them to retain thier personalities.

Shining experienced a powerful form of mind control first-hoof with Chrysalis during her wedding invasion and that was when she was still weak from love deprivation. How strong could the control be for an Alicorn at the height of her power? I can't deny that she has certainly made life better for ponies across Equestria but is it just a coincidence that the world's greatest heroes all happen to have been Dreadified? Did she punish them for what they did but also take them under her own control in the process to officiate her reign? By having the heroes of Equestria supporting her, she would after all look somewhat legitimate instead of just another tyrant.

As it stands, the only beings that pose a significant threat to Void and Equestria anymore are Chrysalis (who hasn't left her hive in over a year) and Discord who spies report to have been pacified since Fluttershy is the same and the fear surrounding Void's true intentions creates some enticing chaos that keeps him entertained.

Cadance is snapped out of her thought as Shining's face hardens into clear decision. "We have to go through with it, Cady."

His wife is slightly taken aback by the comment. "Are you sure? We don't have to do this if you don't want to. There must be another way."

Shining sighs as he shakes his head. "We've looked for two years and Princess Celestia looked for much, much longer. There is no alternative. I-I don't want you to have to watch me grow old and die. I don't want to be frozen at an age where I'm more of a burden to you than a husband. I...I...I..."

Cadance gives him a kiss and they hold hooves. "You're scared of dying, aren't you Shiny?" He nods slowly as she nuzzles him. "But what happens if this is a trick to take control of you?"

Shining Armour gives her a hug. "Even if that's true, at least we'll still be together."

Around a week later, Shining Armour and Princess Cadance walk calmly hoof in hoof into the throne room just as Void finishes court for the day. "Y-your highness?"

The Queen's frustrated scowl turns into a warm smile. "Good evening, Princess Cadance, Shining Armour. What can I do for you two? Another tour of Canterlot? Some tea?"

Shining shakes slightly at the serpentine eyes bearing done on him before stepping forward. "I've decided to take you up on your offer."

It takes all of his self-control not to run for the hills at the sight of Void's smile. "EXCELLENT! FINALLY!" Void slams her mouth shut and giggles. "Sorry, Nightmare hasn't done it to a willing victim yet so she's over the Moon." Rather than laughing at the pun, Cadance and Shining only exchange a perturbed look. "If I may ask, what prompted this decision? It's only been two months and I was expecting to wait at least another decade."

Shining looks sadly at his wife. "I don't want to die and leave Cady alone forever and, as I get older, I'll only become less able with time and I want to still be able to rule effectively." Cadance looks at him with proud tears in her eyes before he locks eyes with the ecstatic monarch. "I don't care how painful it is or what you do to me afterwards, I just want to be with my wife and be able to look after my subjects."

Void smiles reassuringly. "I can assure you, Shining, that you have made the right decision." Her face becomes serious. "Remember, this is your last chance to pull out. I can stop this right here and we can forget we ever had this conversation."

Shining looks defiantly at her. "Do it."

Void looks at him proudly. "You truly are one of a kind, Shining Armour. The future will be much better with you helping to guide it." Instead of generating a shadowy blade as before, Void fires a powerful black coloured laser from her horn straight into Shining Armour's heart. The strike is so sudden that he can only release a wheeze like he just had the air punched out of him before crumpling to the floor. "Straight shot of darkness through the heart. Quick, painless and efficient."

Cadance meanwhile is deathly pale as she sees her beloved stop breathing whilst dark tendrils consume his body. "Y-you killed him. W-we trusted you and you killed him."

Void flashes her a comforting smile. "I merely stopped his heart but the darkness will sustain him until he’s ready. This is a far less painful way to Dreadify ponies but also a much slower one." She smiles at the slight look of relief on Cadance's face before teleporting them to Princess Luna's former chambers where she levitates Shining Armour onto the bed.

"Like Twilight, his magic reserves are strong and will need time to be converted but he should be awake by morning." She turns to the door. "There'll be a guard outside so just call if you need anything." With that, she leaves and Cadance pulls up a chair to watch over her husband.

Shining Armour slowly opens his eyes with some effort as he finds himself in an unfamiliar room.

"Wh-where am I?" He hears a very loud but relieved gasp and feels a body slam into him. "YOU'RE ALIVE!!!"

Shining looks down at Cadance with a smile. "Yes, I'm alright. Has the Dreadification happened?"

Pulling back for a moment, Cadance nervously eyes him head to toe. "Yes but are you still... you?"

Shining takes a moment to examine himself; black fur where there once was white but still a Unicorn and he retains his blue mane and tail. "I... think so. I feel like myself and I don't think I'm being controlled by Queen Void."

Princess Cadance then locks him in a hug and kiss which he happily returns. Though he may no longer be completely Pony, his beloved wife will never have to worry about outliving him ever again. Come what may, they'll be able to face any danger together.

Punishment and Reward

Three days later, Scootaloo walks back to the Palace from a lunch with Rainbow Dash but hears quiet sobbing in a nearby alley. When she investigates, she finds a terrified colt hiding behind a bin and trying to make himself as small as possible. "Hey, is something wrong?"

He jumps two feet into the air and looks around to flee only to stop when he spies her horn. "Y-you're that Alicorn I've heard about, aren't you? The one who shows up and things get better?"

Scootaloo smiles. "Sure am. Now, please tell me what's wrong."

"That's ENOUGH! You can't keep doing this!" Foggy Day finally confronts her boss as he releases a filly who had been locked in a shed all afternoon for talking back.

Signed Papers only leers at his employee and flashes an arrogant grin."And here we go again with your empty threats. What are you going to do about it? Complain about me to FPS? Call the Royal Guard? One word from me and you'll never work another job ever again. What will your precious orphans do without you to protect them?"

Foggy can only bristle as she knows he is right. I can't risk being kicked from my job and leave my charges completely alone against an absolute monster. As vile as he is, he's careful never to lay a hoof on the orphans so it's my word against his. Besides, who on Equus would listen to the low-paid carer who never handles the orphanage's paperwork aside from adding her signature? Best to listen to the crooked psychopath with incredibly powerful friends. She has heard the new Queen Void has liberated many orphanages from tyrants but can't risk sending a message or going to visit the Castle in case Signed discovers her and turns his anger on the foals.

Signed laughs at her misery before turning to go only for another filly to run up. "M-master." Foggy cringes at the term that her boss forces them to call him when out of the public eye. These poor fillies are little more than his personal army of slaves.

"WHAT?!"

The filly cowers. "W-w-we have a new addition being brought in by Miss Rarity."

After a moment of silent surprise, Signed Papers adopts a genuinely happy smile at the thought of being visited by an old friend. "Excellent, tell her to meet me in my office." The filly nods nervously before bolting away as if her life depends on it.

Scootaloo shifts nervously in her seat next to Rarity as she waits for Signed Papers to enter. Ever since her ascension to Queen, Canterlot has grown used to the Dreadified heroines after seeing that they haven't changed much besides the physical. Whereas Void typically sends a fake shadow filly instead of going personally, Signed Papers is the most disgusting since Bad Winnie and just as unnecessarily cruel so Scootaloo decides to go herself after concealing her horn with magic.

As she considers this, the door opens and an absolutely beaming Signed Papers prances in with a spring in his step. "Good evening, Rarity! It's so great to see you."

Rarity laughs a wonderful but fake laugh; she has absolutely no patience for cruel abusers. "Good evening, Signed Papers. I wish I didn't have to visit under such terrible circumstances but I unfortunately have another orphan."

Signed Papers' face lights up in a horrible grin though it would appear warm and welcoming to anyone unaware of his secret. "The poor thing. What happened?"

Rarity sighs. "She lost her family in Tirek's attack last year and has been bouncing from orphanage to foster home. I brought her here in the hopes that you could find her a wonderful loving family to care for her how she deserves."

Signed's eyes light up with evil delight though he hides it with a consoling look to Scootaloo whose fur stands up on end. "Don't worry, Rarity. Me and Foggy Day will make sure that she finds the perfect family. Please sign here and here."

Once Rarity leaves, Signed maintains his happy persona as he leads Scootaloo to the staff-room where she meets a light green Unicorn with a grey mane. "Ah, Foggy. This is our newest friend Scootaloo who lost her parents to Tirek last year."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Even though Foggy puts on a smile, Scootaloo can both see and sense her inner misery at seeing another poor innocent foal enter this hay-hole. It looks like Money Banks was right after all, Foggy Day truly is a kind soul forced to serve a cruel boss.

"Please show Scootaloo to her room. I unfortunately have some leftover paperwork to complete about her adoption." Nodding, Foggy leads Scootaloo away but stops at the kitchen where she shuts and secures the door before muting it with a sound-proofing spell.

"I'm sorry for you being dragged into this, Scootaloo. Signed Papers is truly awful but I can't risk telling anypony or he will fire me and your orphans will be left completely defenceless against his cruelty. Please, for your own sake, don't do anything to make him angry."

To her surprise, Scootaloo fixes her with a comforting smile. "Please don't worry, Foggy. I promise that things will suddenly get dramatically better very soon and Signed Papers will pay for everything he has done."

Foggy looks at her bewildered. "How?"

"I'm sure that Queen Void will be very interested to hear about everything."

The pure look of absolute horror on Foggy Day's face only serves to fuel her anger. "No, please! You can't! If he finds out that anypony told her what happens here, I'm terrified of what he will do. He has a horrible temper."

The look on Scootaloo's face after she says that though makes her wonder who she should really be afraid of. When she speaks, the smile on the filly's face makes her shiver. "Don't worry, he won't know until it's much too late."

After recovering, Foggy leads Scootaloo to a room with only one other occupant. "Good night." She turns and walks away although Scootaloo catches her looking forlornly at her before she turns the corner.

Upon entering the room, the same filly that earlier told Signed Papers about Rarity's visit looks up in terror but breathes a sigh of relief as she sees Scootaloo. "Thank heavens. I was so worried it was-I mean, welcome to Canterlot Orphanage. I'm Sugar Spice."

She extends a hoof which Scootaloo shakes as she tries to ignore the wide, extremely fake smile on her new friend's face. Right after, the filly scurries into bed with incredible speed. "Uh, what're you doing? It's only six o'clock."

Sugar shivers. "Mast-I mean Signing Papers makes us go to bed this early. P-please listen to him." Scootaloo sighs and lies down in bed and waits for Sugar Spice to go to sleep.

When she does, Scootaloo allows her mind to move back into Void as she finishes her tea. "Good evening, Scootaloo. Find anything?" Money Banks was right, Signed Papers is definitely the kind of pony that needs to be dealt with. Nightmare nods. "What should we do?"

Scootaloo scowls. I'll see just how awful he is and report back to you tomorrow night. He has a genuinely kind co-worker though called Foggy Day. She deserves a reward for everything she has done. Nightmare nods as they make plans.

The first extremely blatant signs of mistreatment first appear even before breakfast the next morning when Signed Papers forces his orphans to cook breakfast. When Money Banks attempts to protest, he is yelled at and threatened with "the shed" which quickly forces him to fall back in line. Although she says nothing to object, knowing it would only make things worse for the both of them, Scootaloo begins making plans. Though they would eventually get breakfast, it is close enough to lunch that Signed decides to give them one meal instead of two.

After breakfast, Money Banks gets an earful which leaves him quivering as Scootaloo offers comfort. "Don't worry, this won't continue for much longer. Signed Papers will soon pay for everything that he has done. Please hold on and don't try to anger him until then." Money Banks nods before they are set to work painting the main entrance as Foggy Day watches on sadly.

By the time that the painting is completed, tea-time has arrived but Signed Paper marches before his charges like a drill sergeant. "You may have completed what I told you to do today. However, you were over two hours late so no tea for any of you. Now get to work. I need to eat!" Although the orphans get to work, Scootaloo sits there with a defiant look on her face so Signed Papers gets closer. "Are you deaf? I said get to work!"

Behind him, Foggy gives her a pleading look to tell her to stop and obey but Scootaloo sits there with a mocking smile. "Am I supposed to be scared?"

Signed gets muzzle to muzzle with her. "Are you just plain stupid?! You're new here so I'll give you one last chance. When I say get to work, YOU GET TO WORK!!! GOT IT?!"

Scootaloo's grin only widens to be completely psychotic. "Or what you overstuffed, arrogant, abusive turkey?"

For a moment, Signed Papers looks like he is about to slap her until he picks her up in his magic instead. "Fine, if that's how you want to act, you get to spend the night in the shed. That will teach you to listen to me." As they leave through the front door, Scootaloo's heart breaks as she sees the absolutely soul-crushed look on Foggy Day's face.

Signed Papers throws Scootaloo into the shed, slams the door shut, and bolts it before storming back inside. Now alone until morning, Scootaloo allows her mind to reattach to Void's as she stretches ready to sleep. Nightmare expects frustration but is taken aback by Scootaloo's seething anger. "Find anything?"

Scootaloo snarls which surprises Nightmare. Signed Papers is almost as bad as Bad Winnie. He forces the orphans into slave labour, shouts at them when they disobey, refuses to feed them for reasons he decides at random and locks them in a shed if they complain about it or refuse to obey him. He even abuses Foggy Day whenever she tries to stand-up to him and gaslights her into staying quiet.

Void's face turns dark and absolute hatred burns in her eyes. "I'll personally pay them a visit in the morning. Make sure that they are ready." Scootaloo "nods" before they settle down to sleep.

The next morning, Scootaloo returns to her clone body just as Signed Papers unlocks the door with a completely confident smile. "Have you learnt your lesson? Or do you need to spend another night out here?" Scootaloo nods timidly as Signed Papers chuckles. "I thought so. All of my charges learn whose boss after a night in here."

Scootaloo re-enters the orphanage with her head down just as the other foals finish washing thier dishes. When she sees Scootaloo, Foggy Day looks on the brink of tears when Signed Papers stamps his hoof. "Breakfast's done. Now get to cleaning."

As he though, he finds himself knocked to the ground by a slap and looks up with fury to find Foggy shaking in anger. "ENOUGH! THIS HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH!!!"

Signed Papers recovers and forces her back by walking her into a wall. "And what the buck are you going to do?! I'm the boss and you're the lowly, weak employee with no backbone. Now get your things and GET OUT!"

"Is that how you run your orphanage, Signed Papers? With foal abuse, slave labour and threatening your employees?"

Signed's head snaps around so fast that there is a very loud crack. "Who the hay said that?! Show yourself!"

"Is that any way to speak to your Queen?" Scootaloo smirks as the entrance slams open Queen Void steps in flanked by twenty Royal Guards much to Signed Paper's horror.

"Wh-what is this?! I don't know who spoke such slander against me but I am no abuser!"

Signed Paper's already white fur somehow becomes even paler as Void throws back her head with a cruel cackle. "My dear pony, how stupid do you think I am? I have it on very good authority that you are guilty. I'd ordinarily find a very creative and painful punishment for you but you're the worst I've encountered in a long time. You deserve nothing better than to rot away in a dark cell for the rest of your miserable life."

As the armed Royal Guards advance to arrest the orphanage owner, his eyes dart around desperately until they fixate on Foggy Day and become pinpricks. "YOU! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!" Before anypony can react, he summons a large butchers knife from a knife block and throws it into her quicker than her magic can catch it even as he is pile-driven by six Guards.

As Foggy collapses with a knife through the heart, Scootaloo watches sadly as she quickly fades. "We can't let her die."

Nightmare flashes her a concerned look as the solution comes to them and they grimace at the realisation. Even as they try to keep pressure on Foggy's wound, the orphans' eyes go wide with terror as they see Scootaloo disintegrate and back away. "Take him to the dungeons. I'll deal with him later." The Royal Guards nod and teleport Signed Papers away.

Queen Void slowly walks towards Sugar Spice and Money Banks who remain due to trying to stem the blood-flow. "P-p-please do something, your highness. Foggy's our friend and she doesn't deserve this."

Void offers the sobbing filly a reassuring smile even as Sugar Spice swallows with fear. "There is a way to save Miss Foggy Day but I'm afraid that it is quite horrific."

The orphans shake thier heads regardless. "Anything has to be better than this. Please, do it."

Void offers them a disarming smile"Please step back then." When they do, she fires a concentrated shadow laser directly into Foggy Day's exposed heart . Due to being so close to death, little more than a pained grunt comes from the fading Unicorn before she goes completely still and the orphans gulp. "She's...she's... You..."

Void only watches passively. "Watch." As she speaks, tendrils of black ooze emerge from Foggy Day's mouth and heart before quickly covering over her body.

As she approaches the fillies, they shy back in fear as they watch the hoof where the blade came from with fear. "Don't worry about Foggy, she'll be better than ever after her Dreadification."

"Dreadifi-what?"

Void smiles. "It's a process that replaces the light in a pony's heart with darkness but they retain thier original personality and memories. Foggy Day will still be the same pony that you've all grown to love but just look a little different. It also extends the pony's lifespan to make them completely immune to ageing."

Scootaloo visibly watches all fifteen orphans visually relax as a five year old foal steps forward nervously. "W-where's Scootaloo? Is she..."

Void chuckles. "Me and Scootaloo are one and the same. She came here after learning from Money Banks what it was like here." Before more can be asked, the tendrils completely vanish to reveal Foggy Day.

She shakily stands and examines herself slowly, Like all other Dreads, she now has a completely black coat but retains her grey mane and blue eyes though the latter are now serpentine. "Wh-whoa. What happened?" The orphans rush over and give her a strong hug which she returns before looking over herself in shock. "What happened to me?"

"You are now a Dread, Foggy Day." The mare stands bolt upright and bows to Queen Void who sighs.

"It's okay, Foggy. You have no reason to fear me unlike that monster you worked for. I saved your life and now it will effectively never end."

Foggy smiles before her eyes go wide looking around in terror. "Wait, where's Scootaloo?! Please don't tell me that monster-"

Void cuts her off by lifting the mare's head and making her eyes flash as the mare gasps. "Me and Scootaloo are the same pony, Foggy Day, but we can enter different bodies if we wish. After she heard what was happening from Money Banks, she came personally to investigate and thank heavens she did."

Foggy Day nods reassured before turning to her charges. "So...what now?"

Void laughs pleasantly. "If you are willing, you may become the head of the orphanage and I can promise you extra funding and support. If you prefer your current job more, I can assign one of my fully certified and checked caretakers to take the place of Signed Papers."

Foggy shakes her head. "No, I think I'd like to become head. It's time I finally made things right." Void nods before turning to go. "Your highness?"

The Queen turns with a gentle smile. "Yes?"

"What happened to Signed Papers?"

Void smiles as she stands in the doorway. "Let's just say that he'll regret everything he ever did by the time that I'm done with him."

Three Days Later

Queen Void cackles joyously as she watches Signed Papers being tortured by... himself. After much consideration, she decided to seal him within the dream-world forever and trap him in a never-ending loop of his victims' memories; reliving his cruel punishments from his own point of view.

Unlike Rainbow Dash though, he will have no protection from the memories and will likely lose himself in them until he believes that he really is his own victims. And when he does, the torture will only become more personal and hurtful. How fitting for a complete monster.

A Shock

Late one evening, as Queen Void prepares to go back downstairs for dinner, a knock sounds at her door. "Come in."

A Lunar Guard enters and bows. "Your Highness, some visitors are here to see you."

Void groans; not another noble. "Did they give thier names?"

The Guard shakes his head. "They only said that they came to discuss an offer you extended to them."

A look of confusion passes over Void's face before it turns into a delighted smirk. "Please tell them to meet me in the throne room." The Guard bows again and hurries away even as Nightmare takes control. "I told you, Scootaloo. Where there's a will, there's a way." With that, Void struts happily from her bedroom.

Void strides into the throne room to see eight ponies; four she easily recognises as the Dreadified Applejack and Rarity as well as the absolutely beaming Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle. The other four Nightmare has never met herself but can tell that they are Granny Smith, Big Mac, Hondo Flanks and Cookie Crumbles.

After the Crusaders' visit to Canterlot three months ago, and the Dreadification of Shining Armour two weeks after that, word had quickly spread of the Dreadified Element Bearers who were welcomed home somewhat trepidatiously. Understandably, thier families didn't initially fully accept who they were for around two months and it took convincing from Scootaloo and the other Crusaders for them to believe it.

Nonetheless, Void gives them a wide grin which makes the smiles on Hondo and Cookie's faces slightly more strained. "Good evening, my little ponies. I understand that you wished to speak to us."

Despite the warm greeting, four sets of eyes watch the Alicorn with trepidation. "Y-yes, we came to speak about your offer."

To thier surprise, they see the calculated glee in Void's eyes become slightly more nervous though the warm smile remains. "Ah yes, my offer." What the hay? That's not how I phrased it. What have they been saying? "I think there may have been a slight misunderstanding and I'm sorry for causing you any inconvenience by coming here. It was never an offer, only something that I mentioned when they asked about immortality."

To her slight surprise, Granny Smith walks closer and looks sternly into her eyes. "I don't remember hearin' that from my gran' daughters. They said that it twas an offer. Are you callin' us Apples liars?"

Scootaloo groans. Maybe a quick memory spell will work if I immediately teleport them back to Sweet Apple Acres? When she attempts it though, she finds Nightmare blocking her magic. You're not getting out of this that easily.

Cursing her friend, Scootaloo offers Granny Smith an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry for insinuating that. I merely meant that an off-hoof remark may have been taken as an offer."

The old pony chuckles. "Even aser Queen, you're still notta very good liar."

Scootaloo sighs. "Alright, they asked if there was any way for them to live as long as I will and I unfortunately said yes." Granny Smith appears to be satisfied and steps back to the others. "I failed to convince them otherwise and I told them to talk to you about it. They wouldn't listen to me but I knew they'd listen to you."

She smiles at the group only to be slightly perturbed by Applejack and Rarity giving her happy smiles. Hondo clears his throat after a few moments of awkward silence. "We've decided to take you up on the offer."

Nightmare lets loose a long, hard, joyous laugh even as Scootaloo completely shuts down from shock. Whilst her co-host recovers, Nightmare flashes them a delighted smile. "You'll have to forgive Scootaloo. She's so happy that she needs some time to recover." With a flash of her horn, Void takes them to a comfortable sitting room. "In the meantime, how did you come to your decision?" Smiling, Applejack begins.

Five days earlier, Sweet Apple Acres Farmhouse

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sit opposite Granny Smith, Big Mac, Hondo and Cookie at the kitchen table whilst Applejack and Rarity stand off to one side. Suffice to say, having been called all the way from. Canterlot for some unspecified news, Hindi and Cookie are rather confused. Clearing his throat, Hondo Flanks breaks the awkward silence. "Well, Sweetie?”

His daughter takes a deep breath before replying. "Scootaloo fused with Nightmare Moon and is really Queen Void."

In other circumstances, the sheer looks of absolute surprise on the four adults' faces would be hilarious. Cookie breaks the silence with a laugh. "Good one, Sweetie. You almost had us there but why are we really here?" To thier surprise, the two Crusaders don't start laughing or grinning but just deadpan.

Chuckling nervously, Cookie turns to the smiling Dreads. "Applejack, Rarity. This has to be some kind of joke, doesn't it? They roped you into some elaborate joke?" The two return the same look as thier sisters which makes Cookie go slightly pale. Applejack would perhaps keep up the facade but Rarity would only do it for so long.

Granny Smith sternly looks over at the four. "Tarnation. I've sin Scootaloo in Ponyvile since Void's ascension." The four ponies groan; this won't be fun.

One hour later.

By the time that the full story is told, even Granny Smith is as white as a sheet. The news of Scootaloo's mistreatment and abuse at the hooves of Bad Winnie is common knowledge by now but the news of her descent and becoming the new ruler...

After a few minutes, Applejack clears her throat as the shocked quartet return to themselves. "O-o-oh my, if we had only known... We could have..." Sweetie Belle goes over to hug her mother before rejoining Apple Bloom. "Thanks but what does this have to do with us?"

Rarity chuckles. "It's okay, mother. It's the other Crusaders she's interested in."

All four then have to stop themselves from laughing at the horror on thier elders' faces. "What could she want with Sweetie and Apple Bloom?!"

Apple Bloom decides to answer. "Scoots is'n Alicorn an' they live mighty long lives. She'll live fah ah long time an' have to watch us die around her."

Granny Smith directs a stern look at her youngest granddaughter. "She should know there ain't no way tah fix that."

Applejack looks her grandmother in the eyes. "There is one way for her to make it possible, Granny." Eight eyes snap to her at once as she gestures to her and Rarity. "You're lookin' at it."

For the next minute, you could hear a pin drop. Hondo Flanks is the first to recover. "Absolutely not!"

Sweetie Belle looks crushed. "But Dad-"

"No buts, Sweetie. You're too young to understand the implications." He turns to give his eldest daughter a stern look. "But I'm very disappointed in you Rarity for even entertaining the idea." Cookie nods as Granny Smith gives Applejack an equally scathing look though Big Mac sits in contemplation.

After taking a moment's breath, Hondo calms down. "I'm sorry but you know I'm right. Rarity and Applejack turned out fine but we don't know what it could do to you and Apple Bloom. It could completely consume you and leave you slaves to Queen Void's will. Even if you turned out fine, you'd have to watch us fade too. You are both much too young to make such a decision. We're sorry for what Scootaloo had to go through but she has no right to ask this even if she is the Queen. Now come along. We must get home for dinner and forget this nonsense."

Sad, Sweetie Belle turns to leave with her parents.

"Why not?"

All seven ponies jump as they turn to see Big Mac looking at them inquisitively. "I'm sorry?"

"Why not let them go through with it?"

Hondo Flanks returns the look with one of absolute disbelief. "Why no-I just said why not. They're much too young."

Big Mac looks at him inquisitively. "They're too young but we let them get up to thier often dangerous Crusades an' trust them to explore Ponyvile alone?"

Cookie Crumbles is taken aback like her husband. "Ponyvile is perfectly safe and Applejack rightfully reprimanded them after thier last 'adventure.' What they did was incredibly reckless and dangerous." She decides to ignore the Dread cringing at the memory.

Big Mac raises an eyebrow. "An' yet, we still let 'em do it in the first place but they're too young tay make thier own decisions? Remember, they went up in the hot air balloon but we let 'em do it in the first place."

Granny gives him a glare. "Choosin' tah ride a hot air balloon an' becoming immorta; are vury different."

"Ponies mus' follow thier own destinies. We have Cutie Marks tah tell us what we are supposed to do. What if theirs is to stay with Scootaloo and help her rule?"

Hondo tries to find a rebuttal but can't after a few moments. As much as I hate to admit it, the Crusaders almost seem to have been destined to be friends. What if this is thier destiny? "But they're fillies!"

Granny Smith eyes the two proudly. "True. Two very kind, thoughtful, selfless an' sacrificial fillies. Big Mac hasa point. After years of tryin', they haven't gotten thier Cutie Marks so what if he's right?"

Hondo turns to his wife. "Cookie, surely you don't believe this."

Cookie looks thoughtful. "They have a point, Hondo. If this is thier destiny and we deny it to them, they will have harder lives. It's not like what they want to do is inherently dangerous and I've always said that I wish Sweetie could live forever."

With the votes clearly cast, Hondo groans. "This isn't going to end well." The two fillies beam.

Present

As the story finishes, Queen Void's smile has only grown even wider. "Excellent!" All eight ponies recoil from the accidental use of the Canterlot Voice. "Sorry."

At that moment, Scootaloo manages to recover from her meltdown. I just had the funniest dream, Nightmare. I dreamt that Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle were here and they had permission to- She stops short as she sees the awaiting group. NO, NO, NO, NO!

Nightmare laughs. Oh yes. Now you have no reason for me to stop. The Crusaders step forward as Void charges her magic. "Are you absolutely sure about this? Once I do this, there is no going back and you will be Dreads forever."

The Crusaders exchange a look and one last glance at thier families before nodding firmly. "You are truly excellent friends." NO! PLEASE STOP! I'LL DO ANYTHING! It is futile as the magic is already being released.

Later, Princess Luna's former bedroom

Scootaloo sits sadly by her friends' bedsides as the conversion slowly happens. "Why were you so against this, Scootaloo? You knew about the less painful method of Dreadification but still lied to them to try to make them reconsider."

The co-ruler rounds on her other half in anger. "They just threw away any chance they'd ever had of having normal lives and you expect me to be happy?! We agreed to only use Dreadification on those who need or deserve it."

She looks down. "Now my friends will have to watch almost all of thier families and friends turn to dust around them and be outcasts for being Dreads. That is what I meant when I said they'd grow to absolutely hate me. 'Look, there's Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom; the freak friends of that usurper. Let's attack them and send a message.' I had hoped that it would end after they took it to thier families. They have no reason to trust us after what we did. I was hoping that they'd crush the idea."

She soon starts breaking down; for all her power and importance, she is ultimately just a filly acting older than she is. "W-why couldn't you understand?!"

Nightmare sighs. "Why are you so adamant that this is a bad thing? They chose this for themselves; you only mentioned the idea. Everything we have done, we have done because they asked us to."

Scootaloo's head snaps upright so fast that it audibly cracks. "They haven't considered the future. They might enjoy it for now but in one year? A hundred years? A thousand years? They'll come to regret it and regret ever being my friend." Void wraps a comforting wing around her friend as she sobs.

Later still

By morning, the Crusaders' Dreadification is complete but they remain unconscious so Void takes court whilst Scootaloo watches over them sadly. "I'm so, so, so so sorry for putting you through this guys. I-I wish I never told you about this."

As she takes another deep breath to calm herself, she hears grunting as her friends start to move so she slinks into the shadows. Within a few minutes, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle sit up with groans. "Ugh, wha' happened? I feel like I was hit by an apple wagon."

Sweetie looks over at her friend and squeals with joy. "It worked!" The two examine each other; black coat but same mane and same eye colour, just serpentine. After finishing the examination, they scan the room and are surprised to find themselves in Princess Celestia's room that they recognise from thier previous visit.

"G-g-girls?" They turn to see Scootaloo nervously exiting the shadows with an uneasy look on her face. "Are you still in there?"

Apple Bloom puts a hoof to her chin. "Hmmmmm, I dunno Sweetie Belle. Maybe Ah'm secretly Rainbow Dash."

Sweetie does the same. "Oooh, and I'd be Twilight." Scootaloo breaks into a grateful grin and pulls them into a hug; at least they're still themselves.

After breaking apart, Scootaloo smiles widely as she spies something on thier flanks. "Uh, girls?"

They follow her gaze and gasp with amazement. On thier flanks sit twin images of a crown identical to Queen Void's with pink-red and purple-white jewels gleaming from it. "WE GOT OUR CUTIE MARKS!!! But what could they mean?"

Sweetie thinks for a moment. "I remember Rarity once saying something about a jewel in a crown or something."

Apple Bloom looks at Scootaloo sadly. "It looks like you didn' get yours though."

Scootaloo shrugs. "Must mean that I still have many things left to do before I reach my true potential. But I've already saved Equestria so what more could there be to do? Oh well, it's not like I don't have time to figure it out anymore." They laugh quite hard at that.

Two days later

After making sure that the Dreadification definitely hasn't had any side-effects. it is time for the eight ponies to return to Ponyvile. "So...what now? Where do we go from here?"

Apple Bloom chuckles. "We can still hang out, just perhaps not as often now."

Hondo chuckles. "I'm sure that we can find some way for you to stay close. Maybe we can have Princess Twilight teleport you here on Friday nights and have Queen Void send you home on Sunday evenings so you can be ready for school."

The three fillies exchange smiles. "You know what this means, right?"

"CUTIE MARK CRUSADER SLEEPOVERS!"

Conspiracy

Prince Blueblood paces inside his personal chambers within the Castle. Come on, come on. Where are they? Don't they know that I have a schedule to keep? As he finishes though, he hears a loud rapping on the door and opens it to find an enormous cloaked figure and a grey mare with an orange mane. "Excellent. Come in, come in." The two enter as Blueblood securely locks the door and draws the blinds.

"How do we know this isn't some trick to capture us?"

The mares glare is even but betrays a conniving and cruel mind. "He's right. Why shouldn't we just tear you apart now that we're inside the castle? Why would we trust somepony willing to betray thier nation for his own gain?"

Blueblood chuckles patiently. "Because, if you kill me, you'd both be defeated before you can get anywhere near the throne room. Maybe you'd be fine" he gestures to the mare "but him?" He points at the towering figure."If I can get 'Queen' Void to drop her guard though, we can overthrow her and I can take the throne since have the strongest claim. By the time they realise who helped me, we'll be in complete control." He smiles cruelly. "And if they still won't fall in line, I'm sure that you will make short work of any desenters. And if you can't, you know what will happen."

Finally having had enough, the cloaked figure grabs Blueblood by the throat with the cloak falling loose. "Are you threatening us, pony?! All I have to do is suck our your magic and you'll be completely helpless."

Blueblood smiles at the enraged Minotaur. "If I was looking to betray you to Void, Lord Tirek, then why would I have helped you break out of Tartarus? Wouldn't I have just left you there to rot?"

He turns to the mare as she gives him her own scathing look. "And why else would I have had my friends in the Royal Guard look the other way when you left your hive, Chrysalis?"

Green flames shimmer over the mare to reveal the familiar black and green visage. "And what do you plan to do with Twilight and her friends? They are formidable and that Princess in the Crystal Empire is still out there."

She spits out the two names like they're the foulest venom but Blueblood smiles. "They're Dreads my dear; sustained solely by 'her majesty.' Take out Void before they can stop us and they will cease to exist. Cadance will be too busy grieving her poor husband to oppose us until it’s too late. And if not, we will all burn in Tartarus together."

Tirek snarls as he drops Blueblood hard. "Believe me, if your plan gets me sent back to Tartarus, you will wish you had been banished to the Sun."

Blueblood hides a gulp. "Don't worry. If we lose, I'll ensure that there isn't enough left of me to banish." Seemingly satisfied by the pony's frayed nerves, the three get to work planning the attack.

Four days later, Canterlot Throne Room

Queen Void has just finished court for the day when a Guard enters. "Your Highness, Prince Blueblood is here to see you."

Void smiles happily. "Send him in."

To Blueblood's credit, he keeps a straight if respectful face and manages to keep his excitement from his eyes. "Queen Void, I have come to you with a message."

Void puts on a welcoming smile. "Go on."

"Your reign is over, Nightmare Moon. You can come out now."

As he speaks, a loud crack is heard as Chrysalis and Tirek dispel an invisibility enchantment and Void gasps in terror. "N-n-no, it can't be! You're in-"

Chrysalis cuts her off by blasting her clean through her throne and into the wall before Blueblood restrains her in an energy bubble. "Pathetic. This is the mighty being that felled the Princesses? I defeated Celestia without breaking a sweat whilst her royal highness can't even take a single hit."

Tirek looks over his creation with disdain. "You disappoint me, Penumbra. I created you to drive a wedge in my enemies and here you are working with them. I certainly appreciate what you did to them but your most recent actions disgust me."

Prince Blueblood rolls his eyes. "Can we stop talking and kill her now?"

"NOI need the power of an Alicorn." Before he can inhale her magic though, Tirek finds himself being blasted back by a lavender laser and Chrysalis is forced back as she blocks another.

"What the hay?!" Blueblood spins around only to pale when he sees the Element Bearers glaring at him.

"Having fun, Blueblood? You'd happily triple team your Queen but can't put your bits where your mouth is when you meet greater numbers?"

Snarling, Chrysalis launches at the six but gets knocked down by a light pink energy blast from Princess Cadance. "Nice to see you again, Chrysalis."

Tirek inhales but is hoofed in the back of the head by Void and blasted by the Elements of Harmony. "NO! NO! NOT AGAIN!" Within seconds, he is sent back to Tartarus.

"One down, two to go." Blueblood stands his ground bravely only to be immediately tackled by four Guards.

Void turns to the Changeling Queen with a smile. "And then, there was one."

Chrysalis slowly edges her way towards the throne room entrance just to run into a stern looking Shining Armour. "And where do you think you're going?"

She immediately fires at him but he returns it with his own beam. They stalemate until Chrysalis cackles maddeningly. "What's wrong, Shiny? Couldn't stand to let your poor beloved live without you so you sold your soul to the devil? Your parents must be sooooooo proud of you."

Much to her horror, and despite her using the same brute force tactic that previously defeated Celestia, she sees his beam start turning black as it easily pushes back her own beam and slams into her body. Already weakened from prolonged starvation, Queen Chrysalis is picked up and thrown across the throne room like a tissue in a hurricane. "H-how?!"

Shining Armour chuckles darkly. "Turns out that being a Dread lets us harness our darkness for our attacks."

Queen Chrysalis coughs weakly but suddenly smiles insanely as she flashes her horn. "TO ME MY CHILDREN!" I can still salvage this; with those idiots out of my way, I can summon my Changeling army and crush them like ants. There's no way they could fight so many. She happily waits a few moments, grinning arrogantly at a bored looking Shining Armour but nothing happens.

"What?" She searches the hive-mind but finds it inactive so she flares up. "WHERE ARE THEY?!"

Void walks over with her own smile. "It turns out that Nightmare once dealt with your great, great, great grandmother and her hive. She defeated them by releasing a special spell that didn't hurt them but instead put them all into temporary comas. Your children will be fine once they wake up back in thier hive. They merely followed your orders and won't be punished but you..."

Chrysalis tries to hide her instinctive fear at the Alicorn's hardened eyes. "You're a absolute monster. Brainwashing a groom for his wedding, trying to conquer Equestria twice now, forcing your Changelings to follow your orders even when it got some of them killed, attacking not one but now two rulers... You'll get what's coming to you."

Desperate and heavily outnumbered, Queen Chrysalis decides to pull off one final desperate move and fires into the ceiling before instantly teleporting to her hive. Once she does though, she reappears in the throne room with the collapsed ceiling landing harmlessly due to a protective bubble placed above thier heads. "Really, Chrysalis? You thought I had prepared for your attack but didn't place an anti-teleportation field around the room?" Exhausted, Chrysalis lets out one final scream of anger before passing out.

With the excitement over, Queen Void approaches Blueblood as he hangs his head in misery. "How, how could we lose to you? I had two of the strongest beings Equestria has ever seen on my side." Void cackles as Scootaloo takes control to recount the story.

[]Four days earlier

As the three villains plot thier coup, Scootaloo watches from within the dark shadows of the room. As Nightmare's creator, Tirek can sense Nightmare Moon and the presence of rogue magic but a "random" filly whose body has adapted to be able to become shadows at will without using any magic? Virtually undetectable, especially when she is wearing a magic restricting inhibitor ring.

Rainbow Dash had been hearing rumours of a certain prince planning to betray her and Nightmare and it turns out that Blueblood's "friends" in the Guard are either corrupt officers who can be bought for the correct number of bits or spies planted by Celestia in case something like this happened. Looks like she wasn't as ignorant as we thought. Just much too tolerant.

After the three conclude thier meeting and the villains teleport to Chrysalis' hive, Scootaloo allows herself to re-merge with Void as she waits patiently in the throne room. "Well, how'd it go?" The rumours were right. Blueblood has recruited Tirek and Chrysalis with her hive to help him betray us in exchange for power.

Nightmare chuckles; even before the rumours, they had always expected it from one of the only two remaining ponies with claim to the throne. "Well, we're going to have fun aren't we?"

Present

With the story finished, Blueblood cowers before the smiling Alicorn who separates into her two selves. "What in the name of sweet Celestia?!!!!"

Scootaloo sighs. For a wannabe usurper, this guy really needs to get out more often. It's more or less an open secret who I am. "Prince Blueblood; for your crimes against Equestria, we sentence you to life in prison."

The Prince looks somewhat relieved but Scootaloo's smile becomes cruel. "You'll spend the rest of your life rotting away in the darkest and most unclean cell in Equestria."

His eyes go wide with horror. "W-wait, we can talk about this. I-I'll do anything you ask of me."

Scootaloo nods to the Royal Guards who drag him away. "Please not there, anywhere but there. NO!" He is dragged through the side-door which closes behind him as the remaining ponies examine the throne room.

"What a mess." Cadance's eyes fall on her nemesis' still unconscious body. "What do we do with her though?"

Scootaloo chuckles lightly. "I have some ideas."

Six hours later, the Crystal Palace's Dungeon

Queen Chrysalis sits up with a groan and shakes her head, Whoa, what happened? The last thing I remember is- She inhales sharply and puts a hoof to her horn to find an inhibitor ring around it.

"Welcome to the Crystal Empire, Chrysalis."

Chrysalis most certainly did not jump at the sound of Queen Void's voice and will tear you apart if you claim otherwise. "And what do you plan on doing with me 'your majestic highness?' Go ahead, execute me and prove your true colours."

The monarch chuckles. "I plan on doing nothing."

Chrysalis looks at her incredulously. "Queen Void, Nightmare Moon, the usurper, is planning on doing nothing to one of her nation's greatest threats? Even as you stare her down in captivity after she failed to assassinate you?"

Void just returns the foul look with a righteous smile. "I said that I won't be doing anything to you." The door behind her opens and she turns to leave. "I said nothing about anypony else."

As Chrysalis takes that in for a moment, Princess Cadance and Shining Armour enter and glare at the Changeling Queen. "Good evening, Chrysalis. Before we get started, you'll be happy to know that your hive is back up and running no worse for wear."

Although easy to miss, a small sigh of relief visibly leaves the Queen but her hateful expression doesn't change. "It's a real honour, Cadance. How's the marriage? I see you found yourself a new husband. Get tired of your old one?"

The two co-rulers shake thier heads and look at Chrysalis forlornly. "Chrysalis, why do you hate us so much?"

The Queen just stares. "Did Void do something to your minds?! You two, more than anypony else, already know why I hate you and especially your beloved sister."

Shining Armour face-hoofs. "What we meant is that you've always shown disdain for ponykind as if they are nothing more than sustenance for you."

Chrysalis gives them a predatory smile. "The closest thing to compare it to would be a cat and a mouse. You ponies are little more than a food supply for us and that's all you'll ever be."

Cadance sighs. This is going nowhere. "And the reason why you attacked our wedding was to gather enough energy to defeat Princess Celestia and take over the country so you could create a never-ending food supply for your people."

Chrysalis looks at them with disdain. "Congratulations, you're both not as dense as I thought." They perk up at seeing something sad in her eye. "But more than anything else, it was to help my starving people. 'One final push, one final attack and we will never go hungry again' is what I told now." She looks down with shame. "Now look at us; sealed in our hive with 24/7-armed surveillance and only barely able to survive off of the ambient love passing across the Badlands from Yakyakistan. I guess you would call it rationing."

Before the two can press the subject, Chrysalis lies back down on her bed. "Now go away. I need to rest."

The two monarchs exchange a look before leaving; having accomplished nothing but learnt a lot. Once outside, they bump into Void. "Anything?"

Cadance shakes her head. "She's still her normal defiant self but we learnt something very important."

Void smiles curiously. "Oh?"

The next afternoon

After finishing thier daily duties, Cadance and Shining enter the dungeon to find Chrysalis sitting expectantly. "I know exactly what you are trying to do." An extremely arrogant smile adorns her face. "You're trying to make me see the error of my ways so you can reform me like you ponies did with Luna, that insane abomination and that ridiculous magician. The Lame and Useless Pixie? Well, you can forget it. As far as I'm concerned, I've done nothing but try to help my family survive."

Becoming frustrated, Shining steps forward to glare at the defiant Queen. "You don't think usurping a Princess, crashing a wedding and brainwashing me was wrong?"

Chrysalis returns his glare with a shrug and a grin. "A means to an end. If your mother was ill and dying with the only way to save her being to overthrow Celestia, wouldn't you at least try?"

The Dread shivers. "For a Queen who was so arrogant and sure of herself the last time I saw you, you've certainly mellowed out a lot."

The Changeling rolls her eyes. "Why waste energy when I need all the energy I can get for when my subjects inevitably break me out of here?" Her smirk returns. "And besides, you two are the only good entertainment so why bother tiring myself out when I can have so much more fun calmly ripping into you?"

The two royals exchange a weary look as the Queen once again laughs. They've only been here three minutes but it already feels more like a month. "Why won't you admit that what you did was wrong, Chrysalis? You claim to be a loving mother but look where it's put your family."

She looks at them angrily. "Do you seriously think that I believe anything I did was right?! I'm not stupid, Cadance. I said that it was justified, not correct." The sad look returns from the day before. "And you think I like what has happened to my family?! We're trapped in our hive and very, very, very slowly starving to death whilst any of my children who managed to escape are being hunted down and brought back to the hive if they aren't killed on the spot. I did what I had to do."

Before they can reply, Chrysalis stamps the ground hard enough to crack the stone. "Now leave me alone. I'm done speaking for today and you won't learn anything else from me. I intend to stay here until my family comes after me."

"And if they don't?" The Queen doesn't answer.

Outside, Void is once again waiting. "How'd it go?"

Shining Armour sighs. "She hides it well but she regrets what she did on some level. She doesn't regret the action but believes that she did what she had to do for her hive and knows that it wasn't right. She is refusing to speak anymore."

Void sighs; she really is a hard villain to work on.Hey Penumbra? I might have an idea.

Slightly surprised, Void allows her to take control. Well Scoots, we're all ready to hear it.

That night

As Queen Chrysalis tries to sleep on the rock-hard mattress, her ears perk up at the familiar sound of buzzing outside her window. Took them long enough. Looking outside, she sees her trusted drone Pharynx flying outside with two Praetorian Guards.

Seeing as the inhibitor blocks her from the hive-mind, Pharynx gestures for her to stand back before he blasts away the windows and Chrysalis takes flight outside just as the door slams open. "SHE'S ESCAPED! SOUND THE ALARM!"

Before the other Guard can react though, Chrysalis and her escort are already far in the distance. "Good work, Pharynx. Remind me to make you a Praetorian if we get through this." The Changeling in question nods before they concentrate on making it back to the hive.

The Badlands Hive, Throne Room

The five Changelings manage to reach the hive just before sun-break though they soon collapse as Chrysalis feels the inhibitor ring get shot off. "My Queen, you escaped!"

Chrysalis looks at Pharynx like he's an idiot. "Of course I did. You broke me out of prison last night!"

Pharynx doesn't respond as he stares over at the nearby figure of... himself. Wait, how are there two of him? That's not- Chrysalis bares her fangs and fires an energy blast that is stopped by a shield. "SHOW YOURSELVES!"

At once, all three "Changelings" drop thier disguises to reveal themselves as being Dreads. All black but with pink-red, purple-white and purple manes. Despite everything, Chrysalis can't help but be surprised. Why would Void send fillies after me? Maybe she's finally flipped her lid. She suddenly gains a very happy smile. But now, we never have to worry about starvation ever again. Three immortals filled to the brim with love and happiness. "Seize them!"

As her Changelings advance though, they are knocked back by a shock-wave as Void flies down through the main entrance. "Good morning, Queen Chrysalis. I take it you had a pleasant journey back." Chrysalis is just left wondering if Nightmare Moon really has snapped; she's talking about her prison escape in the same tone with which you'd talk about the weather.

Getting no response from the Queen, Void nods at Scootaloo who encases herself and the Crusaders in a forcefield just in case things get ugly. "What now, Void? Can't you see we're already dying without you busting out your own prisoners and then storming thier home?"

Nightmare chuckles pleasantly. "I orchestrated this since I felt you'd be more receptive in your own home."

Chrysalis stares at her. Yep, definitely lost it. "You thought that the safest place to talk to me was in my home, surrounded by my children?"

Void shakes her head. "If I needed to, I could burn this entire hive into ash and not even break a sweat but I would rather not have to." The Changelings that have been gathering in the room take a decidedly big step back. "And besides, like you said, you only do what you feel is best for your hive. Fighting one of the oldest beings in Equestria is a fight you know they can't win."

Finally having had enough, Chrysalis slams her hoof down on her throne. "Get out of my hive or we'll throw you out!"

Void just watches on serenely. "Direct and to the point then, Queen Chrysalis. Put simply, I have come to offer you a solution to your hive's starvation."

The Queen's eyes roll so hard that it looks painful. "Yeah and I'm Princess Luna."

Void chuckles. "There is a place where you can take your hive and you would never want for food again. Where you can have a chance to live in peace with the inhabitants for the rest of your lives."

Chrysalis sighs. Queen Void truly is a lost cause. "If there was such a place, we would have found it years ago. And believe me, we tried."

Void shows her a smile. "And what if the reason why you never found it is because it only came back into existence a year ago?"

Chrysalis looks confused for a moment. "You don't mean..." Void nods but Chrysalis laughs insanely. "Forget it, we're freaks of nature and they'd never accept us after what we did to thier beloved rulers. I've heard of the Pure Heart before but never realised it was real until I was captive in that cell and felt its energy rejuvenating me. We can't stay changed permanently and pose as migrants either because it would put too much of a strain on our bodies and kill us anyway."

With Chrysalis clearly defeated, Scootaloo allows her shield to drop as she approaches. "Isn't it at least worth a try? Because the only alternative is wasting away here until your species goes extinct."

Chrysalis' head snaps to her. "What do you know? You're little more than a nymph." Scootaloo smiles before merging back into Void and back out though Chrysalis looks impassive.

"I thought I’d heard rumours about a filly being Nightmare Moon's new host. Figures it would be the wannabe relative of that show-off." She finally sighs. "I guess I really have no choice, do I?" Void shakes her head and extends a hoof. "If this backfires, Void, then prepare for a real fight." Both Queens shake hooves as history is made.

Two months later

Queen Void teleports into the caverns under the Crystal Empire, once a hiding place for King Sombra but now the new thriving hive of Queen Chrysalis. As she walks, she sees Pinkie Pie manage to appear out of a nearby wall; squealing about a "two months since the Changelings came to the Crystal Empire" party and scaring the hay out of two nearby Drones. Dread or no Dread, Pinkie will always be Pinkie.

It isn't long before she reaches the "palace" in the middle which is in reality just a hollowed out side-cavern where Chrysalis takes her court. The first few weeks were hard for the Changelings; as predicted by the Queen, they received a passive at best welcome to the Empire though fortunately no-pony has tried to attack them.

Chrysalis gazes up from a mountain of paperwork to see the Equestrian ruler. "Ah, Queen Void." Though she retains her arrogant and over confident personality, the Queen has mellowed out very slightly over the last two months without having to worry about starvation and outside attacks.

Void bows her head respectfully. "Good morning, Queen Chrysalis. I trust that everything is going well?"

The Changeling Queen nods even whilst eyeing her stack of work still yet to be finished. "Indeed. My hive has never been healthier and the Crystal Ponies seem to have mostly accepted our presence. I've had to be extra careful not to let my children do anything wrong though. The last thing I want is for them to have an excuse to rally the entire Empire against us."

Void chuckles. "Isn't that what all parents want?"

Chrysalis manages a very small smile before Void speaks again. "So, can I offer you a celebratory lunch at the palace?"

Her counterpart shakes her head and gestures at the paperwork. "Sadly, no. As you can see, I have a lot of work to do today and this all needs to be done in time for Pinkie Pie's party. See you there."

Void nods with a smile and waves goodbye as she leaves to go the Crystal Palace. With all of Equestria's threats now either sealed away once again or reformed, most of the kingdom’s major issues have been resolved.

Offers and Alliances

Late one night, Scootaloo returns from a meal at Sweet Apple Acres to find Penumbra pacing the floor like a pony possessed. "What's wrong?"

Her co-ruler sighs as she looks over at her friend. "We've saved Equestria from the likes of Blueblood and Tirek, even formed an alliance with Chrysalis and stamped out foal abuse with an iron hoof. And yet, Equestria isn't perfectly safe."

Scootaloo gestures for her counterpart to continue. "Tirek could escape at any time and dragon attacks are still rampant. If we can't stop this, everything we've done will be in vain. Twilight and our friends are powerful but even they can only do so much, especially if one attack is immediately followed by another. This was, after all, a major reason why I came to be nicknamed Nightmare Moon; Luna was worn down by fighting Sombra and then Discord and then Celestia got all of the credit than her sister. Combined with her already growing resentment over how ponies act during night-time, it pushed her over the edge."

Scootaloo shakes her head sadly. "We can only do so much for our people. Unless..."

Penumbra peaks up at the familiar sound of contemplation. "What're you thinking?"

Scootaloo looks at her friend curiously. "Do you happen to have a history with the dragons by any chance?"

Penumbra nods after a moment. "A considerable one that is considered legendary among the dragons but how will that help us?"

Scootaloo beams at Penumbra. "We first need some parchment and Spike." After a moment of looking at her co-ruler strangely, Penumbra summons the necessary equipment. None of Scootaloo 's ideas have failed yet; why stop trusting them now?

The Dragon Lands

Dragon Lord Torch sits atop his throne basking in his own hoard. "Hmph, another day and another long wait for nothing. Maybe Garble has gotten into another fight with that domesticated dragon Skyke or whatever his name is." As he thinks that though, a scroll appears in a puff of green flames and smacks him on the snout. "Grrrr, who dares?"

He rolls his eyes as he recognises the Seal of Equestria. "Hmph, what could those ponies want now? Another plea for me to stop my people from doing what comes naturally to them?" With a chuckle, he slices open the scroll and reads.

To Torch, Dragon Lord Almighty and ruler of the Dragon Lands.
We have never personally met but you know me as the one who helped your great, great grandfather Cinder to unite the dragons. You have called me many things; Unifier, Peacemaker, and Guidance but my true name is Penumbra also known as Nightmare Moon. You have most likely learnt of my takeover of Equestria a year ago and I write to you in order to propose an alliance between our species. An alliance that will greatly benefit both of our nation's equally. If you agree to discuss the terms, please send a representative to Canterlot Castle.
With respects
Queen Void.

Torch huffs. At least she had the decency to call me by my true title but to claim that she is the Unifier? What an absolute disgrace. Having been in power for four hundred years, and alive for well over six hundred before that, he's heard plenty of stories about Nightmare Moon and her actions against the pony princess Celestia. He doesn't care for the ponies and thier petty wars but does follow any new conflicts closely in case they pose a threat to his people. It's not that he hates the ponies or wants them to suffer; it's just that the dragons' naturally greedy tendencies usually pit them against thier neighbours and he has to put his subjects' needs first and foremost.

As he looks down at the scroll though, he notices some familiar hallmarks associated with the Unifier; her official greetings in paperwork that put even the former Princess Celestia to shame (she always did just address him as simply Lord Torch on the extremely rare occasions that they ever needed to communicate), the appealing offer and her cunning way to appeal to his greed driven curiosity.

Lord Torch decides that he can't pass up a possible way to improve his subjects' life and possibly lower anti-dragon sentiment. With a groan, Torch decides that he can't afford to send any regular dragon given how... excitable several of them are. As much as he hates it, he can only trust one dragon with such an important mission.

The next day, Canterlot Castle

Queen Void sits atop her throne waiting for the dragon ambassador to arrive. Though she had initially worried about the offer being rejected, reports of a dragon heading for Canterlot have confirmed that the offer has been accepted. Before long, one of the Guards marches into the room and bows. "Presenting Princess Ember, daughter of Lord Torch of the Dragon Lands."

Void smiles slightly at the sight of the stern looking blue dragon entering the throne room. Figures that Torch would send none other than his own flesh and blood. Other dragons may be overcome by greed on the way and he can't come in person or he'd leave his people leaderless.

The dragon princess takes one look at the Queen and scowls deeply. "You've got to be kidding me. I fly all night and the almighty Queen of Equestria is a hatchling?!"

Realising what she said, she Princess hopes she hasn't ruined any chance for the negotiations but the monarch just beams cheekily at her. "Emotional maturity isn't everything you know." Ember rolls her eyes. I already want to go home.

Much to the Princess' relief, the negotiations don't begin until much later that evening after the Queen insisted that she have a rest which she happily agreed to. "So Queen Void, you claim to have a special proposal for my people that we couldn't afford to pass up. What could you ponies possibly have that we can't just take for ourselves?"

Void flashes the Dragon Princess a smile. "Friendship."

She forces back a smile at the look of utter disbelief on her counterpart's face. "You're joking, right? Your massive, international relationship changing proposal is to offer us... your hoof in friendship?"

"Yep."

Ember is silent for a moment before laughing. "The ponies are offering the dragons, who raid and pillage thier homes, peace and friendship? I've heard it all now." When she sees the steadfast look on Void's face, she stops and goes back to looking neutral. "You are serious."

Void nods. "Why are you so opposed to the idea of friendship, Princess Ember?"

The dragon rolls her eyes. "Because you're asking one of your oldest and most recurring threats to work with you. That's not just stupid, it's dangerous." She gets up from the dinner table and heads for the door. "If you aren't going to take this seriously then I am no longer needed."

Before she can leave though, Queen Void teleports in front of her. "Princess Ember, you know that you can trust the Great Unifier can't you?"

The Princess glares back. "As far as I'm concerned, you have yet to provide any proof beyond the words of a usurper."

"And what if I can prove that I am who I say I am?"

The Princess crosses her arms. "Do it then." The Queen gestures to sit and they do although Ember continues to look on blankly as Void begins her tale.

Two thousand years ago

The Dragon Lands were little more than a volcanic wasteland where the dragons shared a common kingdom but were constantly fighting for territory and only small groups of dragons stayed together for long to maintain a collective hoard. In the midst of this chaos though, there was a young green dragon named Cinder who had a true ambition to unite all dragons and finally end the conflicts. He never had the power or confidence to do this though until one faithful afternoon.

Cinder finishes eating an unfortunate sheep who wandered too far into his territory when he spies an unusual darkness wafting in. "Who's there?!"

He hears a strange ethereal voice on the wind. "A being who can help you to easily accomplish your greatest dream, Cinder."

The dragon glares. "Yeah, right. This is all a trick to let you into my body so you can do whatever you want to me."

The being chuckles humorously. "You're partially right, Cinder. I must merge with you for this to work but I promise you, I mean no harm whatsoever. If anything, you'll thank me for it once you become Dragon Lord."

Cinder huffs. "And I'm just supposed to believe you?!"

The being chuckles. "Do you really have anything to lose?"

Cinder thinks for several moments and realises that he doesn't. He is a lonely, mateless dragon barely scraping together an existence and trying to avoid being pulverised by those that want his land. "Fine."

The shadowy being chuckles. "Thank you." She merges with the dragon whose scales immediately turn black as he grows substantially with his wingspan easily surpassing thirty feet and his already incredible strength becomes insurmountable.

After the aches of the transformation die down, Cinder opens his eyes in disbelief. "I-I'm still...me."

He hears a familiar voice in his head. I told you, Cinder. As you will have noticed, you are now much stronger and more powerful than ever before but still very much yourself. In exchange for your body, I have made you the strongest dragon to ever exist. You shall easily be able to gain leadership of the dragons now. Smiling gleefully, Cinder nods before taking flight and launching towards the prime dragon territories.

Present

"And afterwards, Cinder was able to defeat the tyrant Syndus and unite the dragons under thier first leader whose bloodline still remains in-power today. Many have tried to become Dragon Lord but none outside of the family have yet succeeded."

As she finishes her story, Queen Void chuckles at the shocked look on Princess Ember 's face. "H-how? That story is known only to the dragons and you can't have learnt it from that domesticated dragon."

Void looks imploringly at the Princess. "I'm the great Unifier and you can feel it, can't you? Please, have your father consider my offer."

Princess Ember shakes her head. "I believe you but our species are truly incompatible. We will always covert what you ponies have and attempt to take them by force."

Queen Void looks thoughtful for a moment. "Why do you need to take anything at all?"

Ember looks confusedly at the suddenly much more childlike energy from the up until now stoic Queen. "What?"

The Queen chuckles childishly. "Just because dragons covert possessions and hoard valuables doesn't mean that they have to take them by force. We can make whatever thier instincts demand."

Ember looks thoughtful for a moment before turning to leave. "I shall speak to my dad but I can't promise anything."

Void nods and waves goodnight. "I'm sure you will, Princess Ember."

Just as Ember leaves for the night to get ready to leave by morning, Rainbow Dash enters through an open window. "How did it go?"

Void smiles knowingly. "All is going according to plan. Now we just have to take care of our other problem."

Rainbow Dash scowls. "Do we really have to? He deserves everything that he gets."

Void nods grimly. "We don't like him either Dash but he's our biggest remaining threat. We have to try."

That evening, Tartarus

A cloaked figure lurks in his giant cage when he suddenly hears familiar voices approaching and comes face to face with the Queen of Equestria. "Can't you ever just leave me alone? Even when I'm contained, you feel the compulsion to come and harass me."

Queen Void rolls her eyes. "I came to talk about the future, Tirek."

The frail centaur looks at his creation with boredom. "What future? My future in here or my future of trying to conquer Equestria?"

Void looks back frustratedly. "The future potential of you being released, Tirek."

The centaur huffs dismissively. "That's your great plan? To turn me into another one of your obedient citizens like you did Chrysalis? Forget it. I don't have a guilty conscience or a great responsibility to look after like that pathetic Changeling. I know what I've done, I know that it was wrong and I don't care. I will keep on attacking Equestria until either I win, am destroyed forever or everything ceases to be."

Tirek looks sadly at Void. "You know, when I heard what you did to Luna and how you managed to defeat Celestia, I was genuinely proud of you. I thought everything good that you did before was just to survive before you could really take what you wanted." The look turns to one of absolute disgust. "But now look at you; befriending a filly and being friends with those you once hated. I have nothing more to say to you, Penumbra."

Tirek turns his back on the Alicorn and waits for her to leave. "That's not true and you know it." Tirek rolls his eyes. They really have done a number on her. "When you created me and held me before letting me out into the world, I could tell you cared about me. Not in an evil way but like a father would cradle thier own child."

Tirek chuckles. "You really have gone soft, Penumbra. I hope you enjoy your new life whilst it lasts. Once I get out of here, you'll regret ever turning against me." Sighing sadly, Void turns and leaves as Tirek watches her go disappointedly.

Several days later, Canterlot Castle

For a few days, Penumbra is upset so Scootaloo takes over many of thier responsibilities. She knew that Tirek would most likely never turn to the right side but she had a slight hope in her soul that she would somehow be able to get through to him. In spite of Tirek's evil nature, she still cares about him much like a child would about thier father but she slowly manages to come to terms with the truth.

Her thoughts are soon broken by a loud and confused commotion from outside the throne room. What the hay is happening? Scootaloo chuckles. "Lord Torch has arrived to reveal his decision." As she speaks, the same Royal Guard from before nervously enters. "Presenting Lord Torch of the Dragon Lands."

With that, the extremely tall dragon enters flanked by two massive armed dragon guards. "Welcome to Equestria, Lord Torch. It's an honour."

The dragon eyes the tiny pony sitting on the throne before shaking his head. "My daughter tells me that you are the Great Unifier of the Dragon Lands; the one who enabled Cinder to unite the dragons and brought around a golden age. And yet, I am looking at a mere hatching pretending to be a mighty ruler. I see Ember was clearly mistaken." He turns to leave.

"The Dragon Lands may one day fall but dragons will stay together no matter what. That is the power of the Dragon Lord."

The Dragon Lord's neck snaps around. "What did you just say?!"

Void smiles at him. "Those were Cinder's final words, weren't they? Information known only to the Dragon Lords and the Dragon Elders?"

Torch glares at her. "How would you know that?"

Void sighs sadly. "I was still a part of him when he died and he was a truly honourable being." The Dragon Lord takes a moment to digest that information but Void speaks up. "We don't need to make the decision today, Lord Torch. We can settle this somewhen else if you need some time."

Torch nods before a Guard leads them towards the largest bedrooms in the Castle; specifically designed by Celestia to house dragons in the event of such an agreement being possible.

Twilight quickly enters and bows though Void gestures for her to not bother. "How'd it go, your highness?"

Void smiles. "The meeting went slightly differently than I expected but I have a good feeling that good results will come from this,, Twilight. A very good feeling indeed."

Returning to a different world

100 years later, the Moon's surface

Princess Luna patiently but anxiously waits for the Moon to go down for the day. Since the Sun and Moon still rise and fall every day, she can only assume that Nightmare Moon was defeated by Celestia but still sighs sadly. Everypony I've grown to know and care about are gone besides her, Cadance, Twilight. However, I managed before and I'll manage again.

After some more contemplation, she feels the magical bond keeping her on the Moon slightly loosen before fading away entirely. "Here we go." Using the same powerful teleportation magic that she used as Nightmare Moon one hundred and four years earlier, she teleports down to Canterlot although she finds herself on the outskirts of the city rather than in the throne room as she intended. That's... weird. Maybe it's an anti-teleportation field? I hope everything's okay.

As Luna walks into Canterlot, she isn't surprised to see that the surrounding area is much more vibrant with even fully grown dragons flying around. Celestia always has had a knack for diplomacy and it's doubtless that Twilight and her friends helped with that.

As she enters Canterlot Market though, she stops abruptly as she spies undisguised Changelings calmly placing an order at Donut Joe's shop. As she prepares to blast them into next week though, she notices that they're laughing with the employee like old friends. This isn't good. Chrysalis' off-spring must have infiltrated Canterlot. I can't cause a scene or innocent ponies could get hurt.

Before she can leave though, Donut Joe himself leaves his shop to talk with the Changelings and her eyes go wide. She can tell from the familiar orange mane and unmistakable voice that this is the one she knew and not Donut Joe II or something but what's truly alarming is the completely black shade of fur that he has rather than his normal brown shade.

Having been bonded to a certain being for one thousand years, she is well aware of the process right before her. No! I-i-it can't be! Her mind immediately rushes through multiple scenarios but settles on one particularly horrifying scenario. If Nightmare Moon proved herself to Chrysalis by showing the captured Element Bearers... I have to be sure. She bolts for Canterlot Castle only to suddenly disappear.

After a few moments of disorientation, Luna finds herself in the "familiar" realm of Chaosville and face to face with the even more familiar God of Chaos. "Nice to see you up and about again, Moonflank."

The Princess of the Night ignores her former enemy. "What did Nightmare Moon promise you, Discord? Eternal chaos? A portion of Equestria to turn into your own playground?"

The Draconequus looks crushed. "Such accusations! You wound me, Princess." He becomes a crocodile, bites his own tail hard and proceeds to wipe off the tears but Luna only rolls her eyes. Getting no reaction out of her, the God of Chaos pouts. "Phooie, you're no fun."

Luna's glare continues. "I'm surprised, Discord. I thought that you cared about Fluttershy and I heard you were dating her. I guess your desire for chaos outweighed your love for her and you were happy to see her die."

The look of anger on Discord's face surprises her slightly. In all of the time that she has known the Draconequus, through his many failures and disappointments, she has never seen him angry. "You think I would let Flutters die just for the sake of some small chaos?! She's even better than ever. And besides, Nightmare Moon has a new name now; Void."

Luna drops her head. "Scootaloo, I'm so sorry."

The God of Chaos laughs at her. "Oh, oh you have so much to learn Lulu but it's best to learn first-hoof. TTFN."

"What do you mean by-"

With a loud crack, Luna suddenly finds herself standing in the middle of an unfamiliar building though it doesn't take a genius to recognise Rarity's typical stylings. She's never personally been to Rarity's Boutique but what other pony could have such a... unique way of expressing thier love for fashion?

"Coming, darling." Luna freezes before turning to see Rarity emerging from a side-room. "Good morning and welcome to Rarity's Carousel B- PRINCESS LUNA! It's a pleasure to see you." Luna doesn't respond as she stares in horror at the Element of Generosity. No, no, no. She can't have done it. I have to be hallucinating. There's no way even she would ever do something this barbaric.

Following the Princess' gaze, Rarity chuckles as she gestures to some chairs to one side. "I see that you've noticed Queen Void's... rather unique punishment."

Finally finding her voice, Luna forces herself to look at Rarity's face. "Pardon my language but what the hay happened to you?"

Rarity sighs as she levitates over some tea. "It's not just me, darling. All six of us are Dreads now and even some other ponies have joined us for thier own reasons."

Luna shakes her head in disbelief. "What about the Elements of Harmony? What happens if Sombra returns? What if Chrysalis finds a way to attack us? I've already seen some of her Changelings in Canterlot."

Rarity looks contemplative for a moment. "A funny thing that we discovered about the Elements of Harmony; we can still use them perfectly well. They operate based on the pony's heart, not on what they are."

Luna releases a slight breath; at least the kingdom has been protected for the last century. "Wait, if you can still use the Elements of Harmony, why didn't you try and free Scootaloo from that monster? And why weren't you worried when I mentioned encountering Changelings in Canterlot?"

Rarity sighs. "Please make yourself comfortable, Princess Luna. This will take a while."

One long conversation later

By the time that Rarity's explanation has finished, the sun is setting and Luna is silent after the multiple bombshell revelations. "B-b-but that would mean that-" She shakes her head thoroughly. "How do I know that I can trust you? Void could have brainwashed you and be using you to manipulate me."

Rarity sighs. "Void knew that you'd say that so she told me to give you this." She hands Luna a scroll before getting up and heading for the stairs. "You'll find what you want in that scroll but you'll have to forgive me for leaving, darling. A fashionista needs her beauty sleep after all." With a final wave, she heads upstairs and Luna opens the scroll.

Dear Princess Luna.
If Rarity heeded my request, this letter will reach you after you are sent to her Boutique by Discord. It's good to see you again, Princess Luna. I understand that you'll be confused and angry but I ask that you please give me a chance to explain. You will surely have noticed your inability to access Canterlot Castle earlier today and I'm sorry but I couldn't allow you to enter without first getting some context. When you decide to meet me, come to the place where your new life began and I was reborn.

Signed your old friend.
Scootaloo.

Luna takes a moment to take in the message. It's much more formal than she would have expected from Scootaloo but she hopes that it is just because she is over a century old. After taking a few minutes to collect her thoughts, she decides to first take a look around Ponyvile before she meets Void in person. She needs to ensure that her former subjects aren't being horribly mistreated first. With that in mind, she folds the scroll up and quietly leaves.

By the time that Princess Luna has satisfied herself that Ponyvile is okay, it is well after midnight when she reaches the Golden Oaks Library. When she does, she smiles as she sees a light shining in an upstairs window. The more things change, the more things stay the same. Straightening her posture, she politely but firmly knocks on the door. "Please get that, Spike.” After a few moments of waiting, the door opens to reveal Spike though he has changed.

Though Dragons age at an incredibly slow rate, and he is barely considered a two-year-old by Dragon standards at age 116, Spike is not only as big as the door but on all fours and she can tell something has... changed inside his mind. The warm and very welcoming smile that emerges when he sees her though is reassuring. "Welcome back, Princess Luna. Twilight has been desperately waiting for your return. Come in, come in."

Princess Luna follows Spike into the castle and sees that little has changed besides several new and clearly more modern additions. As she gazes around, she sees two very notable shelved books; the first being The Correlation Between Magic and Friendship by Princess Twilight Sparkle. Despite everything, Luna can't help but smile. Twilight has always wanted to have a book published.

Filed close by though is a book labelled The Rise of Modern Equestria with the author given as Void. Shaking it off, she heads upstairs where Spike ushers her in as he leaves to sleep at Rarity's. Speaking from personal experiences, he knows that conversations with Twilight can get loud and last all night.

Taking a breath to steady herself, Luna enters Twilight's bedroom to find the mare mane deep in a book regarding expanding the limits of your own magic. "Good evening, Twilight."

The book falls to the floor with a hard thud and Twilight's neck shoots up with a snap to reveal a huge smile. "LUNA!" She gives her fellow Princess a strong hug which is swiftly returned. "How've things been?"

The Princess of the night bows her head sadly. "I never heard from Tia in all those years and I had hoped that she defeated Void and just couldn't find a way to free me. Coming home and finding everything has changed this much is..."

Twilight gives her a sympathetic look. "Déjà vu?"

Luna nods before shooting her friend a worried look. "Twilight, I know that Void got to your friends but you're an Alicorn. You have to have resisted her control. We can work together to finally bring an end to that monster."

Twilight shakes her head forlornly. "I'm sorry to say this but everything Rarity told you was 100% categorically true. Everything that happened to Scootaloo, the death of Bad Winnie, what eventually pushed her too far, our torture and eventual transformation, the foal abuse we've worked extensively to worm out, the alliances. All of it is true."

For a few moments, Luna is silent before shaking her head. "I see that I was wrong. Don't worry Twilight, I'll take care of her myself and save everypony."

As she turns to leave though, the door slams shut and is magically held shut. "Twilight, please let me-" She suddenly finds herself able to access Twilight's mind and gently combs through her memories. To her horror, she finds no trace of mind control at all and finds that all of the memories are true. "H-how can this be?"

Twilight shakes her head sadly. "You need to talk to Queen Void. She will explain everything." Princess Luna nods but Twilight smiles at her. "But it's much too late to go out to the Everfree today. Can I offer you a place to sleep?"

The Princess of the Night breathes a sigh of relief and nods. "Thank you, Twilight."

Later that night, Canterlot Castle

Scootaloo heads back to her room after a dinner with the other Crusaders when a Royal Guard approaches. "Your Highness, we've received from Princess Twilight that Princess Luna returned as expected and is staying the night before moving to the rendezvous."

Scootaloo smiles. "Excellent, private. You can expect a promotion in the near future."

"Th-thank you your majesty." He salutes as Scootaloo walks into her room to find Void waiting.

As she heads to her bedroom for the night, Scootaloo casts a smile back at Penumbra. "We were right. Luna returned and is staying the night at the Library."

Her co-ruler beams brightly. "Excellent."

A Less Than Friendly Conversation

Bright and early the next morning, Princess Luna reaches the Castle of the Two Sisters but is taken aback. What was before a ruin infested by vermin and bad memories has returned to being a thriving palace. Even more surprisingly, it is virtually identical to how it was 1000 years ago aside from some more modern architecture. If she didn't know better, she'd say that she had been sent back in time.

As she approaches the hardened oak entrance, she finds see two of her personal Guards before the entrance who immediately bow. "Princess Luna, it is truly an honour to see you again." The Night Princess is only slightly surprised to recognise them as those who took her to Ponyvile for Nightmare Night oh so long ago. Once Royal Guards become Lunar Guards, they gain longer life-spans that typically span several centuries.

Before she can respond, the speaker turns his head to the battlements. "OPEN THE GATE!" With a loud clunk, the gate slowly opens to reveal an incredibly faithfully recreated entrance hallway that the Guards then gesture to. "Queen Void will meet you in the throne room, your highness." After a respectful nod, Luna makes her way tentatively into the castle.

Queen Void calmly sits atop her throne, gazing expectantly at the throne room doors. For the time being, Penumbra herself is in charge since Scootaloo has taken the time to hang out with the other Crusaders until her presence is needed. As she collects her thoughts, the Guard stationed outside enters with a bow. "Presenting Princess Luna, former Diarch of Equestria."

Moments later, the Princess of the Night enters in awe at the restored architecture that perfectly replicates its former state. "I'm glad you like it. It took over fifteen years to get perfect."

Luna jumps slightly as she turns with a scowl to see the familiar dark Alicorn beaming down at her. "Which one of you am I addressing?"

The Queen laughs before turning into mist that encircles her former host for a moment before reforming before her. "Take a guess."

Recognising the mist ability as a sign of deep corruption, Luna looks imploringly at the Alicorn. "Please Scootaloo, fight this. For the sake of yourself and everypony in Equestria, please fight this."

She gets goosebumps as she realises that she can't see the Pegasus in Void's eyes before flaring her wings in anger. "You... You... You killed her!!! Nightmare, you'll pay for this I-"

"Oh, Scootaloo? Luna wants to see you."

Luna continues staring into the Queen's eyes but hears a side door open and is shocked to see Scootaloo enter, clearly an Alicorn. "Nice to see you again, Princess Luna. I hope you had a safe journey." Luna can't respond since she is much too shocked at the young Alicorn standing calmly before her. She had expected to find Scootaloo consumed and beyond all form of help or begging for help but here she is standing before the Princess happy as a lark. Scootaloo approaches with a cocky smile. "Surprised?"

Luna finally finds her voice again. "Please Scootaloo, this has to end. Nightmare Moon has done too much damage and destroyed so many lives. Look at what she did to Twilight and the others! Look at how she allowed Equestria's enemies in unchallenged!"

Scootaloo returns the look with a confident smile. "Everything we've done is in the best interest of everycreature. We've stamped out abuse, the economy has never been better, we're experiencing peace not seen in a millennia and we have turned our greatest enemies into our friends. I'd go as far to say that we've done a better job running Equestria than you and Celestia did."

Luna finds that, despite everything, she can't find a fault in her logic after everything she's seen. "But you're forcing ponies to become Dreads against thier will."

Scootaloo chuckles. "Go and ask Joe, Soarin, Spitfire or Cookie Crumbles and Hondo Flanks yourself. They'll tell you that they asked for the changes themselves. Joe enjoys making ponies happy too much to simply wither away, Spitfire asked so that she could help guide the future Wonderbolts, Soarin asked since he's been dating her for a while and Hondo and Cookie didn't want Rarity and Sweetie Belle to watch them die either."

Luna tries thinking of new ways to make Scootaloo see reason and finds her trump card. "But look at what she did to you. She destroyed any chance of you living a normal foalhood and now you've had to watch your friends die around you."

Instead of seeing Scootaloo stop with realisation, she finds herself unsettled by the filly's happy smile. "Hey, Apple Bloom? Sweetie Belle? Princess Luna wants to see you."

Luna is horrified to see the two Dreadified Crusaders emerge through the side door and stand beside the former Pegasus with what should be very warm smiles. "Welcome back, Princess Luna!!!"

Scootaloo sighs as she watches the Princess of the Night back away in horror. N-no, this can't be happening! She can't have! Not even Nightmare Moon could steep so low! I need help. She blinks away as the four other ponies in the room look on.

Seconds later, The Crystal Empire

In her haste to escape, Luna ends up locking onto a familiar magic signature and teleporting straight to them. Unfortunately for her, she also ends up muzzle to muzzle with Queen Chrysalis who happens to be enjoying some sunbathing after scheduling some rare time off.

Unfazed by Luna's sudden arrival, Chrysalis rolls her eyes. "Do you mind?!"

Recognising the familiar monarch even after all these years, Luna rears up and takes flight. "I might have known you'd be helping Nightmare Moon, Chrysalis. She gets Equestria and you get the Crystal Empire, home to all the love that you'd ever need."

Instead of her usual maniacal self, Chrysalis just looks at the Princess of the Night blankly. "You really have no idea, do you? Or do you just refuse to accept the truth? How pathetic." Even after all these years, though scaled back significantly, her biting comments and snide nature remain as strong as ever.

Luna meanwhile is considering her next move, knowing knows just how powerful Chrysalis was during the wedding. She defeated Celestia with little effort after just a few days of being exposed to Shining Armour's love. How strong must she be after a full century of constant feeding? "How are you even alive, Chrysalis? You're at least a hundred years old."

Chrysalis lets out a familiar cold laugh. "Unlike ponies, Changelings can't die of old age. The love we absorb constantly rejuvenates us so our bodies won't break up. We can die only from brute force, starvation or the ascension of an heir in the case of a Queen. I was already three hundred years old during my coup. As you can imagine, it works wonders in creating a lineage and helping other creatures with thier problems."

Trying hard not to let her discomfort show, Luna takes a look around. All around her, undisguised Changelings go about thier day as ordinarily as if this were any other day of the week.

She is unsurprised to see the Crystal Ponies and many other species talking happily with the Changelings from what just be coercion or a trick. But then why can't I sense any fear or forced emotion? They feel and are acting like neighbours and old friends, not indentured slaves. And if they're disguised Changelings then why maintain the illusion when there is nopony else around besides me? Chrysalis would have no trouble defeating me.

She is cut off by a proud laugh from Chrysalis. "It's nice to not have to force ponies to give us what we need. Even better, my role is merely administrative rather than a desperate monarch."

Luna rounds on the Queen. "I'm just supposed to believe that you've turned over a new leaf, Chrysalis? After everything you did to Princess Cadance's wedding? To Celestia? That was barbaric."

The Queen replies with a foul look. "Tell me 'Princess' Luna, if your subjects were starving and the only way to save your entire race from extinction was to do unspeakable acts, would you sit by and watch them die slowly and painfully?"

Luna is outraged. "At least I never brainwashed and kidnapped a royal couple on the lead-up to thier wedding day during an attempt to conquer the world." Chrysalis gives her a doubting look before rolling up her towel and standing. "And where the hay are you going?!"

The Changeling Queen rolls her eyes. "Home. Unlike certain Princesses, I still have duties to attend to. In the meantime, I suggest that you go and speak to Cadance." With that, Chrysalis walks away as Luna glares after her.

A few minutes later, the Crystal Palace

After being admitted, Princess Luna soon finds herself outside of the throne room where she can hear Void's voice as well as Princess Cadance and- No, he surely wouldn't have. I know he was desperate to keep Cadance company but he would never...

Swallowing her pride, Luna enters after being announced to find Void, a Dreadified Rainbow Dash, Cadance and a figure that makes her stop. A very clearly Dreadified Shining Armour shoots her a sheepish smile before she is almost bowled over by a pink mass. "Auntie! You're back!" Luna returns the hug, using the younger Alicorn's magical signature to determine that this truly is her niece and not a disguised Changeling or a shadow clone. It's nice to have some constants in this world gone mad.

Before long, she breaks the hug and stares at Shining who shifts nervously. "You know, Luna. It's rude to stare at your hosts after they invite you into thier home."

In all the excitement, Luna forgot that the current ruler of Equestria also happens to be in the room. "So this was your game all along then, Void. Take over an innocent filly by manipulating her feelings, dispose of me and Celestia, corrupt the Element Bearers so they can't oppose you, turn your host's friends into Dreads to keep her compliant, and turn the co-ruler of the Crystal Empire into a Dread to prevent an uprising. You haven't changed, you've just gotten more underhanded."

Despite the disgusted tone in Luna's voice, the smile never leaves Void's face though Cadance is visibly frustrated. "Why must you always assume the worst about her, auntie?"

The look on Luna's face could peel paint. "She says that she means well, she says that she has made Equestria better but look at what has happened." She gestures at Void, out at the Changeling guards and then at the Dreadified Rainbow Dash (looking ready to slam into Luna) and Shining Armour. "She can say whatever she wants but actions speak louder than any words. I can't oppose you now but, when Tia returns, we won't make the same mistakes as last time."

Cadance sighs disappointedly. "Why do you refuse to accept the truth?"

Luna looks at her niece sadly. "Because I've experienced Nightmare Moon first-hoof and I know what she is capable of. Everything she does, she does for her own gain and any positive impact to any-pony else is either entirely accidental or manipulation. There isn't a single redeemable part of her entire being."

Void sighs in defeat before Scootaloo materialises with a friendly look. "Princess Luna, I feel like we could do with a few minutes to clear our heads. Would you care for a trip around Equestria?"

Luna allows herself a slight smile; Maybe, isolated from Nightmare Moon's influence, I'll be able to finally get through to Scootaloo. If I can get her to fight from within, Nightmare Moon will be unable to fight as effectively. "Sure."

With that, they teleport away as Cadance looks on forlornly. "Why is Aunt Luna so unwilling to accept the truth?"

Void lowers her head sadly. "When I bonded with Princess Luna a thousand years ago, jealousy festered within her. Among... other reasons, she saw her sister as getting the glory for victories against the likes of Sombra, Discord and Tirek and felt that she ruled over an astral body that nopony cared about compared to the Sun. These were of course untrue as I saw from her memories that Celestia was trying to make her feel just as appreciated but her resentment ran too deep."

Taking a moment to remember the past, Penumbra continues. "Losing somepony very important to her led to my bonding with her but my inherent darkness and her anger combined to create Nightmare Moon. I was stuck with her as my host until Twilight and her friends purged me from her on the fateful night of the Summer Sun Celebration. Unfortunately, it left me near death as nopony wanted to bond with a foreign presence after what happened with Nightmare Moon and I soon faded away without some-creature to sustain me. A year later, I was saved by the Nightmare Forces but you know how well that ended."

A Very, Very, Very Overdue Conversation

Luna blinks as she and Scootaloo walk towards the outskirts of Canterlot. "But how did it survive? Nothing could have withstood that purge."

Scootaloo shakes her head. "She almost didn't. The Elements of Harmony merely purged her from Rarity but the resulting strain combined with her separation from you exhausting her almost made her cease to exist. She only survived by absorbing the surrounding shadows long enough for me to find her and you know the rest, What I don't understand is why you hate her so much. She's been kinder to me than most of my other 'friends' ever were."

Luna shakes her head. "She's kind at first but, once she has what she wants and has little to no chance of being stopped, she will turn against you. If we had known that she survived Nightmare Rarity, Celestia and I would have exterminated her on the spot. She acts kind and caring only for as long as it suits her and having a powerful host resisting her will only hinder her plans. Eventually, she will consume you to take your body as her own forever."

Scootaloo finally stamps a hoof in frustration. "That's not what she's like! I've seen inside her mind, seen her memories and felt her pain. What you did was driven solely by your own actions and resentment, not pure evil." Luna shakes her head anyway but Scootaloo has another idea. "What if I can prove to you that Penumbra truly is good hearted and motivated by whatever everycreature needs to be happy?"

Luna looks at the monarch confused. "Penumbra?"

The look is returned with a smirk. "Nightmare Moon is just the name she gained after joining with you but she's had many other hosts and names. Penumbra is her real name."

Shaking off the confusion, Luna shrugs, Why not humour her? Fighting Penumbra before Celestia's return is too risky, especially now she has Chrysalis and the Elements on her side. "Okay, let's see if Penumbra truly is a good pony."

Scootaloo beams. "Believe me, Princess Luna; you won't regret it." They teleport away.

Princess Luna is unsurprised to find herself transported to Fluttershy's cottage. She's never been there in person but it's impossible to miss the dozens of animals living nearby and she expected to visit the Dreadified heroes first anyway. Much to her surprise, the animals don't react to the sudden materialisation of two ponies at all. "A small invisibility and silence spell is very useful in visiting my subjects without interrupting thier day."

Before Luna can respond, the door to the cottage slowly opens to reveal the Dread Fluttershy hoof in claw with Discord as she gathers her animals for lunch. To Luna's surprise, Discord is... smiling. No, that's not quite correct since he has smiled thousands of times before. In all of the time she has known him though, he has only ever smiled playfully but this... This is a genuinely happy smile. The kind of smile where you have everything you could ever want in life and you feel truly fulfilled.

Scootaloo chuckles. "It's amazing what granting somepony a never-ending lifespan can do for thier love life."

Luna tries to hide her disdain at the proud tone eerily similar to Celestia's. "I don't understand. Discord was always closer to Fluttershy than anypony else and I heard that they were dating. Why would he be so blasé and even happy about this?"

Scootaloo turns to the older Alicorn with a smile. "Because the Fluttershy that Discord fell in love with is still there and always will be. All that has changed is her appearance and the fact that she will now live for the rest of time as with all Dreads." She chuckles at seeing the two embrace. "A fact known only to Twilight and the others is that she and Discord had been dating for well over a year before her Dreadification. They wanted to become engaged but Fluttershy always refused. They adore each other but she was doomed to die long before him and he would be left heartbroken. With that no longer a concern, they have been happily married for ninety five years now."

Even after everything that has happened, Luna can't help but smile. It's always glorious to see my little ponies get thier happily ever afters. Scootaloo chuckles at her smile so she recollects herself. "But didn't seeing all of her animals dying around her crush Fluttershy?"

Scootaloo looks on forlornly. "The unfortunate fact of life is that she was always going to outlive them anyway so she had come to peace with that fact even before she was changed. Now, let's leave them in peace." With that, they teleport away once again.

Princess Luna is not surprised to find that thier new destination ends up being the dungeon. What she didn't expect is to find a Dreadified and clearly traumatised Prince Blueblood coated in the most grime that she has ever seen. "What the hay?!"

She is not reassured by the foul look that Scootaloo gives the prince who shudders even though he can't see why. "The Prince decided that it was a very, very good idea to conspire with Chrysalis and Tirek to conquer Equestria. Fortunately, many of his friends either feared me or were easily bought so we anticipated and defeated the attack."

Luna shakes her head in denial; she knows of Blueblood's past actions but he'd never turn traitor. Before she can speak though, she sees Blueblood perk up. "Princess Luna!!! Oh, thank Celestia!!!" Realising that Scootaloo dropped the spell on her, she approaches the cell containing the positively beaming royal. "It's a miracle you're here! Just look at what she did to me!"

Luna rolls her eyes before fixing her cousin in law with a nasty look. "A little birdie told me that you conspired with Chrysalis and Tirek to conquer Equestria. Is that right?"

Blueblood splutters indignantly but she can see the truth in his eyes. "What?! No, I would never-"

"You did, didn't you?"

He looks at her defiantly. "Fine but so what if I did? Would you rather that monster rule instead?! I did what was best for everypony!"

Luna gives Blueblood a foul look. "Under no circumstances is it EVER justified to conspire against Equestria!"

With a final nasty look, she turns to leave. "Wait! You can't leave me here!"

Luna stops for a moment before answering in a cold voice that makes Blueblood shiver. "Whatever Celestia and I choose to do with Void, your sentence will be sustained for treason and crimes against Equestria. Have a good life, Blueblood." With that, she vanishes in front of the disgraced former prince.

The two then appear in a cave system though the substance it's coated in and the figure on a raised throne-like platform tell Luna who lives here. "Why're we here?"

Scootaloo chuckles. "To convince you that what you saw wasn't some act put on by the Changelings. I'm sure that you think everything was staged to make you trust in Chrysalis' redemption." Luna hides her frustration by turning to watch Chrysalis.

As she does, the throne room door slowly opens to reveal a couple that surprises Luna slightly. None other than what appears to be Flash Sentry enters with a female Changeling. The way they are pressed together and holding hooves though suggests much more than friendship. They bow before the beaming Queen. "Good afternoon, my little subjects. What can I do for you?"

Flash looks up and Luna can immediately tell it's him just from the look in his eye. "Emerald and I wished to thank you for our wedding boon, your majesty, and to also tell you that we're expecting."

The looks on Luna and Chrysalis' faces are priceless. "Excellent! Know that you have my full blessing and that the entire hive is at your disposal if you need us."

"Thank you, Queen Chrysalis." With that, they bow again and leave the throne room.

Scootaloo smiles proudly. "Flash and Emerald must be proud. They're going to have the first cross-species Changeling in history."

Luna blinks confused. "How did this happen? I can understand becoming allies but lovers?"

Scootaloo sighs happily as she reminisces. "They first met whilst Flash was eating out with friends after she was stood up by a date. He went over a comforted her and they soon began meeting regularly as close friends. Eventually, it developed into something more so he mustered up the courage to ask her out. After ten years, they married but have always been genetically incompatible so I guess they got lucky."

Luna struggles with multiple questions but the weirdest comes out. "How is Flash still so young? He was thirty six when everything went wrong."

Scootaloo laughs pleasantly. "It turns out that long-term exposure to Changeling magic and the Pure Heart can significantly expand a pony's lifespan though by how much is unknown. For his honour and service to the Crystal Empire, I'm considering offering to make him into a Dread."

Before Luna can respond though, the throne room door is thrown open as two Changeling guards drag a chained-up Crystal Pony stallion with a blue mane and shining gold coat. Luna moves to stop this but Scootaloo shakes her head as she gestures to the group. To Luna's surprise, a look of hatred unlike anything she has even seen adorns the Changeling monarch's face. "So, 'Everlasting Shine' is it? How long did you think you could hide from the beings that can pose as anypony they want and infiltrate any place they want?"

Everlasting Shine, having been staring at the ground straining to use his magic through the inhibitor, finally looks up to at Chrysalis and Luna's blood runs cold. No way. It can't be him! He's gone! Sure enough, the familiar scarlet eyes with purple streaks glare up at the Changeling Queen as he drops his disguise to reveal a far more familiar visage.

"You think you've won? I was destroyed once and I'll return every single time. I'm the embodiment of darkness and-"

"As long as good exists in Equestria, so will you. Yes, you said this the last three times." Sombra snarls at getting interrupted. "Queen Void will decide what to do with you." He is teleported away even as he tries to strike her.

Luna looks over at Scootaloo who is smiling proudly at the Queen. "Impressed?"

Luna shakes her head. "Locking away a threat to her kingdom proves nothing." The younger Alicorn chuckles as they teleport outside and Luna finds the Crystal Ponies happily speaking to the Crystal Ponies. Before the Princess of the Night can mention them clearly being planted Changelings, Scootaloo gestures to her horn so Luna scans thier signatures.

Sure enough, the Changelings and Crystal Ponies have completely different magical essences. "You have my thanks and congratulations but this proves nothing. You reformed Chrysalis and her Changelings when all they needed was a true source of love energy." Scootaloo nods before they are teleported away again.

When they rematerialise, Luna finds herself in the Dragon Lands where they spot ponies walking side by side with dragons. Before, ponies and dragons would never have been seen together; ponies because they fear dragons and dragons due to thier pride and general disdain for ponies as weaker beings. Now though, they walk as friends and some are even together given how some ponies and dragons hold claws.

Scootaloo smiles proudly at the passers-by. "Penumbra and I found a way to make it possible for ponies and dragons to live together in peace."

Luna can't help but stare since the truth before her is undeniable. "How?"

Scootaloo smiles happily. "By giving the dragons whatever they desire. The only reason that dragons are dangerous to ponykind is because thier instincts cause them to covet thier hoards above everything else including morality. By giving them what they instinctively desire, they have no reason to attack ponykind as they never did it out of malice. If they want mates but can't find the right dragon for them, they can hook up with ponies. If they want friendships, they have plenty of new neighbours. If they only want treasure and nothing else, I have our treasury printing thousands of gold coins a day that will never enter circulation and affect the economy."

Before Luna can respond, her attention is captured by a passing dragon hoof-in-claw with a Dreadified Pegasus. Scootaloo follows her gaze and watches happily. "A common request made by my subjects who have gotten more intimate with the dragons. Dragons evolved to mate for life a very long time ago since otherwise they'd constantly be fighting each other to protect thier hoards. Even if thier mate was to die, they would never be able to find another and remain lonely and reclusive for the rest of thiers. Many ponies have fallen in love with dragons who have virtually unending life-spans so this is the perfect resolution."

As Luna turns back to the Dreads, she spies a vaguely familiar blue dragoness walking towards them holding the Dragon Scepter and flanked by two guards. "Not long after our alliance was formed, the dragons fell into conflict over whether or not to accept our proposal so Lord Torch stepped down and initiated a Gauntlet of Fire. With Spike's help, Princess Ember managed to win the trials and accepted the alliance as she eased her people into coming to terms with it."

Luna smiles proudly at her friend. "I have to congratulate you, Scootaloo. You did something neither I nor Celestia ever managed to do. However, none of this justifies what you did to us or Twilight and the others."

Scootaloo looks at her sadly. "I'm sorry that it came to this but you leave me no choice." Luna braces for an attack but they instead both immediately teleport away.

The final location that they appear in Luna has never visited but it is easy to tell that they are in an orphanage. To her slight surprise, she watches a Dread escort an orphan to a new family who embrace and carry him away. "Meet Foggy Day, Princess Luna. A caretaker who loves her charges very dearly but was brow-beaten into submission by a complete monster named Signed Papers."

Luna feels ill just looking at Scootaloo's expression. "One of her orphans had the courage to tell me what happened and I brought him in but he was unfortunately able to kill Foggy first." A happier smile soon adorns her face. "Fortunately, we were able to turn her into a Dread at the request of the orphans and she will now be looking after other orphans for a very very long time."

Luna is silent for a moment before her face turns to disbelief. "There is no way that Celestia would ever allow such-"

Scootaloo raises her hoof calmly and points to Foggy Day as she files paperwork in her office. "Why take my word for it? Go ahead and read her memories; you'll soon see the truth."

Luna does so with a slight grin. Finally, I can poke a hole in Void's story and maybe get through to Scootaloo. There is no way that Tia would ever- Her face turns to horror as she reads through the memories in moments. No way, there have to be some implanted memories or mind control. Unfortunately for Luna, she can clearly tell that there are none and she shakes whilst Scootaloo sighs sadly. "Let's get back to Canterlot." They teleport away again.

Two nights later, the Canterlot Castle Gardens

After spending several days shut away in her room thinking, Princess Luna stares up at her Moon forlornly. After learning of how everything was improved by her nemesis, and how tolerant Princess Celestia was, she needed some time to de-compress and finds nothing more comforting than the light of her astral body.

"It's nice to see you out again, Luna." Luna spins around to see a gently smiling Queen Void though the look in her eye tells her this is Penumbra. "We're sorry about everything that we did to you and everything that you had to see." Luna sighs and looks upwards again as Penumbra sits down beside her. "How are you feeling?"

Luna continues looking up as her eyes glaze over in thought. "What happens now? You have Equestria in your grasp, you have corrupted our greatest heroes and Celestia is still gone but everypony is... happy. Genuinely happy. Knowing that, even after everything we did, the fact that it took Nightmare Moon to finally unite Equus... It hurts a little."

Void wraps a wing around her. "You knew no better at the time and no creature can blame you for that. Your greatest injustice is over a thousand years ago and, though that will likely hang over you for the rest of time, everypony that still cared has long since forgiven you in the time that you were away."

Luna looks sadly at Void. "How could I be truly forgiven? I nearly plunged Equestria into eternal night. Even when I tried to do good, ponies still suffered without me knowing. YOU still suffered and I had no idea!"

Void's eyes change slightly. "I don't hate you, Luna. You could never have known that I was suffering. Bad Winnie had a dream catcher to prevent you from seeing my nightmares and I had no other way to talk to you. There's nothing you could have done."

Luna looks sadly at the corrupted filly. "But look at what happened to you. You're slowly merging with Penumbra and we have no way of knowing what will happen if you fully merge."

Scootaloo shakes her head dismissively. "Whoever is formed when we merge will be better than either of us. Penumbra believes that it will simply be me but more mature with her memories and knowledge as my own. Even if we're both lost when we merge, the new pony will have the best parts of myself and Penumbra inside her so I know she will be the perfect ruler." She adopts a wide smile. "You can't get rid of us that easily."

Luna finally laughs before turning solemn again. "So... Now what? I expected to come back to see Tia in charge and almost everypony I've ever known gone. I then thought that I'd have to stop you. After seeing how happy every creature is though, I can't bring myself to stop you."

She looks deep into the ruler's eyes. "And, for what it's worth, Penumbra, I forgive you."

A small tear goes down Scootaloo's face. "So, what will you do now Princess Luna?"

The Princess of the Night looks down. "I have no idea. Being a Princess is all I have ever known and my special talent is raising and lowering the Moon every day. Maybe I could go into retirement or teach magic somewhere."

She stops thinking her options over when she sees the smile on Void's face. "Why not work with us to make Equestria even better? Our work will never be finished and you were a good ruler. We can be co-rulers like you and Celestia were once."

Void turns to go back inside. "Whatever you decide to do, you know where to find us and we will always help you in any way we can."

With that, Queen Void moves back inside and leaves Princess Luna contemplating her future on the lawn outside Canterlot Castle.

Lost and Found Again

Several weeks after her return, Princess Luna takes an early morning stroll through Canterlot. Eventually coming to the Canterlot Orphanage, she finds Foggy Day filling some adoption papers. "Good morning."

The orphanage owner turns with a smile. "Good morning, Princess. What can I do for you?"

Luna returns it. "After everything that's happened, I needed a break. After hearing what you went through, I thought you could need some help."

Foggy nods. "I've still got to wake them but you're welcome to join us. Everypony's in a great mood after yesterday. You should have seen Art Crafts' face when he heard that he had been adopted."

Luna suppresses a giggle at the thought as Foggy leads her deeper into the building. Needless to say, the orphans are very surprised to be woken up by a Princess. When they reach the last room though, Foggy gestures inside with a smile. "You can take this one."

Smiling, Luna gently opens the door to find herself in a strangely designed room. There are visible grooves at key points in the wall and some furniture, each distinctively different in depth and curvature, and any sharp or pointed surface like the dresser has either been filed into bluntness or covered over. Ignoring the weird design, Luna walks over to the bed. "Time to get up, little one." When the lump in the duvet grunts but doesn't move, she chuckles and gently pulls back the cover. "I know you're tired but it's 8-"

When she looks down at the very small Pegasus, Luna’s voice dies in her throat and the colour drains from her face. No, I'm dreaming. I have to be dreaming. This is all just- She casts a spell to dissolve the nightmare but nothing happens. It's just a coincidence, she just looks like her. Plenty of ponies can look like each other. There's absolutely no way that it's- When she checks the Pegasus' magical signature though, Luna can’t stop shaking as tears involuntarily drip from her face. What... What the buck is this?! Am I finally losing it?! Is this another of Discord's sick jokes?! As if she's telepathic, the Pegasus opens her dark blue but completely clouded over eyes. Princess Luna's heart skips several beats. She can’t breathe.

The filly's eyes seem to focus in Luna's vague direction. "Hewo, miss. I don't think we've met. Are yew a friend of Foggy?" Luna just barely holds in a sob when the filly speaks in a voice she never thought that she'd ever hear again.

At that moment, Foggy enters the room with a smile. "Ah, I see you woke up-"

"Midnight Breeze."

Foggy blinks. "Yes. Have you met?"

The sight of Princess Luna herself crying turns Foggy’s stomach. "I-I-I... I'm sorry to leave so soon but i just remembered that Queen Void asked to see me after breakfast. Please have a good day." Princess Luna quickly shakes Foggy's hoof before flying away as fast as possible.

An hour later, Luna's Tower

Scootaloo looks confusedly at the magically sealed door. "Any idea what happened, Penumbra? What could shake Princess Luna so badly? I've never heard of her getting like this."

Penumbra looks at the door with equal worry. "We'll find out shortly but what she really needs right now is somepony to talk to."

Nodding, Scootaloo gently knocks on the door through which they can hear barely audible mumbling and the sound of intense pacing. "Princess Luna?"

At that, the pacing and mumbling stops as the door slowly opens to reveal Luna with a very forced smile. "Yes, Scootaloo? What can I do for you?"

Scootaloo gives her a concerned look. "We saw you rush up here in a panic. Are you okay?"

Luna flashes a disarming grin but Scootaloo clearly isn't buying it. "Please come in." They do so and take a seat as Luna looks at Penumbra. "Do you remember Midnight Breeze?"

A look of dawning realisation, worry and confusion passes over Penumbra's face. "Of course I do."

Luna becomes visibly nervous. "I-I saw her in the orphanage. She looks just like she did back when..." She trails off for a moment. "I thought it was just a dream but it wasn't. I thought it was just a coincidence that she looks the same but her magic's identical and she even has the same name. Once she opened her eyes and spoke though, I knew it was her. I don't know how s- I didn't think I'd ever- After she-"

Luna repeatedly chokes on her own voice so Scootaloo looks at a completely shocked Penumbra. "Who is she? What happened?"

Penumbra looks at Scootaloo sadly. "Remember how I said that Princess Luna had other reasons for going insane than just jealousy?" The filly nods. "There's a reason why I never showed you exactly what I meant. It's a deeply personal reason for Luna and it wasn't my place to say. What happened to Midnight Breeze and how it was handled finally pushed her over the edge."

Scootaloo's eyes go wide as Luna swallows. "I guess it would be best if I explained, wouldn't it?" She takes a deep breath before starting.

One thousand, one hundred years ago

The Castle of the Two Sisters

After another day's sleep, Luna stretches out to prepare for another night and heads downstairs. Upon entering the throne room, she finds Princess Celestia wrapping up day court and being thanked for saving Equestria. A very strong sense of anger flairs up in Luna for a moment until it calms as Celestia turns with a very happy smile. "Good e'en, Lulu. Is it that timeth already?" Luna rolls her eyes as they head to the dining room.

Four hours later, the edge of the Everfree Woods

After another long and tedious night court, Luna forgoes her usual dream patrol as she storms into the Everfree. Calling us, US, a tag-along assistant to Celestia. An we could just get our hooves on him, we'd- She stops and stares at a bizarre sight before getting closer. Sure enough, a small dark blue Pegasus filly that can't be any older than three is sitting on the edge of the Everfree staring up at the Moon with unmistakable wonder. "Excuse us, ist thou sure that thou should be-"

She stops abruptly as the filly turns and holds back a gasp at the unfocused, completely misted over eyes that stare back at her blankly. "Hewo mwiss, are yew havin' a good night?"

Recovering from her surprise, Luna approaches the blind foal as she turns her gaze back to the sky. "'Tis not a bit late for thou? 'Tis gone midnight. Thou should art asleep."

The Pegasus giggles. "I no but I woke to sneak ow-tat night too enjoy nuh moonlight. I carn't see it but's nice to know it's there evewy night."

Princess Luna is taken aback but an enormous happy smile grows across her face. Finally! Somepony that appreciates our night for the beauty it is! Before she can speak again, the Pegasus stretches out and gets up. "I gotta get back hwome, miss. I don't want them worryin' bout me and stoppin' me fwom enjoying the night."

Luna nods. "Where doest thou live?"

"The Everfree Orphanage." Luna's face falls but the filly smiles. "I'm Midnight Bweeze. Wot's your name?"

Luna thinks for a moment about how to answer. "We are Luna."

The following night

As with the night before, Luna storms out of the castle after another backhanded insult to return to a clearing with a perfect view of her astral body. To her surprise, she finds Midnight also there looking into the sky as before. As she approaches, the Pegasus turns her head wistfully at the sound of her hooffalls. "Back agwen, Luna? I thought yew woodst be. Yew seem to wike the night two."

Luna walks over to the orphan and sits down as well. "Thou could sayest that. Pray tell, what caught thy eye about the night so much?"

She winces at her poor choice of words but Midnight giggles. "I guess, I can just... understan' it. Evah since I was weelly wittle, I've only known darkness so I feel cwose to it."

Luna feels her heart bleed for the filly but Midnight speaks again. "Dew you think Pwincess Luna would wike to know about this?"

Luna smiles. "We know that she would art delighted to seeth somepony that enjoys her night." The filly giggles as they look up at the Moon together.

A few days later

After a few more of thier midnight meetings, the two have become close friends though Luna still hasn't disclosed her royal status yet. "And to thy immediate left is Lion Sword, a constellation invented to showcase the impressive abilities of the greatest swordsman in history."

Midnight ooes as she imagines what it could look like but soon sighs as she gets up to leave. "Goodnight, Luna."

As Luna returns the farewell and Midnight makes the short journey back to the Orphanage, the Princess of the Night jumps as she hears a familiar chuckle. "We trust that thou hast been having a good night, Luna?"

She glares upwards at Celestia who smiles cheekily. "Should thou not art in bed? 'Tis past thou's own bedtime as well."

Her sister just laughs. "We overheard the Royal Guards talking about thou leaving in between night court and thy dream duties and not returning for over an hour. We decided to investigate and we think it is sweet."

Luna scowls. Note to self; reinstate decimation as a punishment for gossiping about our private business. "What we doeth in our spare timeth is none of thy business. We simply found somepony that appreciates our night for what it is."

Celestia just laughs harder before landing beside her sister. "We seeth that she doth not know who thou really are."

Luna shakes her head. "We did not want her to fear us or treat us differently just because of our status. To her, we are just a normal pony."

Celestia looks at her sister sadly. “We are afraid that that wilt not last for long. Everfree Elementary is visiting the Castle tomorrow and shalt be meeting the both of us. Midnight Breeze’s name is on the guest list." Instead of receiving a response, she watches Luna flinch and bolt.

Late afternoon, the Throne Room

After a few extra hours sleep, both Princesses sit on thier thrones awaiting the school trip. Luna however is looking antsy despite trying to hide it behind a calm expression. "What is wrong?"

The Sovereign of Sleep sighs. "We hast been lying to Midnight for almost two weeks. We doeth not know how she wilt react when she finds out who 'Luna' really is."

Celestia chuckles. "She wilt art fine. Thou art still the same pony she befriended; thou just haven't been telling the entire truth."

Luna nods doubtfully as the throne room doors open to reveal the procession of ponies with Midnight visible directly behind the teacher. "Good afternoon, mine little ponies. We trust that thou hast had a good day so far." All thirty foals nod happily.

Princess Luna steels herself. "Princess Celestia and ourselves wilt lead the tour. Please doeth not wander off. We doeth not want to hast to looketh for thou." As Celestia takes the lead, Luna looks over at Midnight to see a look of unbridled shock on the filly's face.

As the tour continues, Luna doesn't get a chance to pay much attention as she is busy helping guide the tour. When it comes to an end though, Midnight briefly stays behind instead of going home so Luna walks over. "Yew wied to me." It isn't a question.

Luna sighs. "So many ponies judge us just because of who we are that we were afraid of how thou'd react. Thither are not many that admire our night and most shun it. I was worried that our reputation would scare thou aroint." She hangs her head. "We art sorry."

Midnight giggles. "I may not be able to see but I noah good pony from a bad wun, Pwincess Luna. See you tomowow night." With that, she rejoins her class with a newfound spring in her trot.

A month later, the Castle's Dining Room

For the first time in a while, the two Princesses are able to enjoy some time to themselves as they enjoy a nice tea together. When Celestia catches Luna counting down the hours, she giggles. "Somepony is excited."

Her sister lets out a happy sigh. "Every since she learnt who we really are, Midnight and ourselves hast only gotten closer." She frowns confusedly. "For about three weeks though, we've just had this strange feeling liketh we need to protect her. She has told us stories of how ponies develop an interest in adopting her but they move on after learning of her disability. They doeth not e'en bother meeting withal her first, they just pass her over without a second thought. 'Tis crushing us inside and we want her to hast the life she deserves."

Celestia laughs fondly. "Thither is always the chance that thou could adopt her thyself, Lulu. Thou art more than capable of caring for her."

Princess Luna sighs. "We cannot. Between our duties and our sleep schedule, we would ne'r art able to give her the attention that she deserves."

Celestia gives her a sly smirk. "Thou could always cancel night court. ‘Tis mostly nobles complaining and begging for thier own benefit which is nought that we cannot handle ourselves. Thou can still use night-time to protect our little ponies' dreams as Midnight is asleep."

Luna looks down. "E'en an we did, 'tis possible that this is not right for her. Being the youngest royal, as well as the only one of us not to art an alicorn, wilt draw her much unwanted attention and we hast nay experience withal motherhood."

Celestia wraps a wing around her sister. "The fact that thou art thinking of all these things solely for her benefit proves that thou would'st make a fantastic mother. Thou love her and she clearly admires thou so it would art an excellent gift. It is thy decision Luna but we wilt help thou however we can." With that, she goes to bed and leaves Luna with her thoughts.

Four months later

Princess Luna signs her name on a thick stack of forms before a judge. "Congratulations, Princess Luna. Thou art officially Midnight Breeze's mother."

Luna holds in a squeal of delight, wipes away some tears, takes the papers and bolts for the Everfree Clearing where she finds Midnight waiting. "Good evening, Pwincess Luna."

Luna sighs regretfully. "Good e'en to thou too, Midnight. We art sorry but we are not able to seeth thou again for another week."

Her heart strains as she sees the disappointed look on the filly's face. "W-eye?"

Luna is thankful that her daughter can't see the scowl on her face. "Celestia asked us to act as Equestria's voice in a talk withal the Griffons. An thou art going to still come out hither at night, please art careful."

Midnight smiles. "I understan' Pwincess. Pwincesses need to look after us." She looks up at Luna. "You're a gweat friend Pwincess. I don't know why everypony else doesn't wike yew. You make me swo happy." Before Luna knows what's happening, she finds herself tightly hugged by her daughter. "I love yew, Pwincess Luna." Before she can respond or return the hug, Midnight is already gone; leaving her mother standing there with a tearful smile.

The present

Scootaloo gazes in awe at Princess Luna who looks absolutely miserable. "Those were the last words she ever said to me. I wanted to leave her adoption as a surprise for the next day at the orphanage but it was delayed by the negotiations. When I returned-"

She violently chokes on her own voice before she can continue so Penumbra steps in. "I think I should take over from here, Princess." Luna nods so Penumbra continues for her.

One thousand, one hundred years ago

The entrance to the Castle of the Two Sisters

After the week long negotiations with the Griffons that ultimately went nowhere, Princess Luna strolls back into the Castle with an indignant scowl. A week aroint and all I hast to bewray for it is a sore throat. Pathetic. An i could hast just- She stops as a Lunar Guard hurries over. "Princess Luna, Midnight is in hospital. She-" Before he can finish, Luna is already gone.

Presently, the Everfree Hospital

Nurse Aider is manning the front desk on a very slow night when Luna bursts in. "Where is Midnight Breeze? Is she okay? What happened?"

Knowing that speaking will only waste time, Nurse Aider leads Princess Luna to a room. "She is inside." After taking a medical file from the nurse and nodding her thanks, Luna enters slowly.

The room itself is unremarkable as far as hospitals go but Luna is too focused on the ventilator bound filly on the bed. She feels her breath catch in her throat as she looks over her unconscious daughter and sits down beside the bed. "We-we are sorry that we were not hither when thou needed us most. We should hast been but our sister decided to waste our timeth. We promise, when thou pulls through, we wilt make thou the happiest filly in equestria. Thou wilt ne'r want for anything ever again." Of course, her daughter doesn't respond so she takes the time to read the medical report.

Patient Name; Midnight Breeze.
Race; Pegasus.
Sex; Filly.
Parents; Unknown (Orphan). Princess Luna (Adopted Mother).
Birthdate; August 28th 996 ADC.
Age; Three years, four months.
Height; 2 hooves.
Weight; 180lbs.
Home address; Everfree Orphanage.
Assigned Doctor; Dr. Blood Bank.
Diagnosis; Stage 1 Wing Rot.

Luna feels violently sick at the last sentence as all colour leaves her face. P-please, d-dear C-Celestia n-no. A-anything b-but t-that. She has seen the effects of Wing Rot first-hoof and watched it reduce some of the strongest stallions that she has ever known to lifeless husks fighting to survive. The only cure is immediate amputation of the wing at the joint and then just hoping for the best. Stage 1 is the worst kind of Wing Rot because it's already beyond curing by the time that it's detectable since the poison will have already spread to the bloodstream. Only Commander Hurricane has ever been known to survive it.

"I'm sorry, Princess." Luna jumps as she looks up to see Nurse Aider standing over Midnight, checking the equipment. "She was found liketh this three days ago by Princess Celestia. We hast given her what we can but nought worked."

Luna nods as she sees the telltale mould-like growth subtly climbing across her daughter's stomach and chest. "We-we were going to tell her that we adopted her, that she finally had a mother that loved her, that she would ne'r art alone again but were sent to Griffonstone before we could. We only returned fifteen minutes ago and now looketh at her." Sensing that she needs some alone time, Nurse Aid quietly finishes her final checks before leaving them alone.

As hours pass, nothing changes with Midnight staying unconscious and Luna stroking her hoof through her daughter's mane mournfully. Even as dawn approaches and the time to lower the Moon grows closer, Luna pays it no mind as she watches her daughter desperately fighting for her life. We hast tried every spell that we know but nothing's working. We cannot lose her, w-we don't know what we'd doeth an she...

As she bites back tears, she watches a strange shadowy substance ooze under the windowsill. Immediately suspecting Sombra, she gets into a protective stance and her hoof goes for the nurse call button. "Nay need to overreact. I am hither to help thou."

Luna glares at the vague silhouette of a mare's head. "And wherefore would we accept help from thou? Begone!"

The presence looks meaningfully at the young Pegasus who's now grunting in pain and visibly straining. "Because what I offer wilt save her life. All we hast to doeth is merge together."

Luna charges a magical blast. "How stupid doeth thou think we are?! Thou wishes to use us just as a vessel to doeth evil. Leave or thou shalt regret it."

The shadow sighs. “I am sorry for thy loss." With that, the substance drifts back out through the window as Luna glares after it.

When she turns back to Midnight however, Luna begins panicking at the sound of an alarm. ”NURSE!!! NURSE!!!!!!!!”

An hour later, the Throne Room

Princess Celestia has just settled down for day court when the throne room doors are thrown open to reveal a distraught Princess Luna. "Luna? What 'tis wrong?"

Luna doesn't even look up and just thousand-yard-stares at the base of the throne. "Midnight Breeze... She... We..."

Celestia's face falls into a mournful frown. "Luna, we are so sorry."

As Luna thinks though, she remembers Nurse Aider said. She was found like this three days ago by Princess Celestia.

As Celestia seems to realise what she's thinking, Luna turns her gaze to the solar monarch who cringes at the intense pain visible in her sister's eyes. "Thou-thou knew all along what was happening. Thou knew she was potentially minutes aroint from death and thou ne'r told us." Tears begin to drip from Luna's eyes as pain creeps into her voice. "Thou did not e'en send a message telling us what was happening. We only found out from one of our own Guards."

Celestia looks at her sister regretfully. "Luna, I thought that thou would'st not hast been able to get hither before she passed. Thou had such a long way to come and those negotiations were im-"

"THOU NE'R E'EN TOLD US THAT OUR OWN DAUGHTER WAS DYING!!!"

Celestia flinches at the full use of the Canterlot Voice as Luna heaves with anger. "And what was thou doing instead?! thou slept whilst thou's own niece layeth dying. Thou slept instead of trying to find a way to help thou's own flesh and blood. Thou slept as thy own family was taking thier last breaths from a horrible disease. Thou slept as thou's own sister's life fell apart before her eyes. Thou slept and hid thy niece's condition from thou's own sister!!!"

After a few deep breaths, Luna's face becomes dangerously neutral. "Thou know what the last thing she said to us was? she said that she loved us. an we had been hither, and not wasting timeth withal negotiations that thou knew would hie nowhere, we could hast helped her. We could hast saved her and given her the life that she rightfully deserved."

Although her sister's tone is even, the intensity behind it worries Celestia even more. "Luna, thither is nought either of us could hast done. Nought could hast saved her e'en an we had years to search."

Luna glares at her sister. "Thither was a way and thou know it."

Celestia doesn't respond; knowing that nothing she could say will do anything other than make Luna angrier. Her silence however causes Luna to let out a slightly unhinged laugh. "Oh, but that is it not it? thou would not e'en save those thou supposedly care about because thou art afraid of other ponies judging thyself. Of them thinking that thou has favourites. such a shame that thou wilt not e'en help us just so thou can maintain thy own image."

Luna's eyes fill with anger as Celestia begins to realise how big a mistake she made. "And now, we hast to art lonely and miserable for the rest of timeth because of thou's rules. And whilst we're miserable, thou gets everything thou could ever want or need. thou gets all the recognition whilst we're barely acknowledged, thou's day is loved whereas ours is ignored, thou gets to art loved and respected whereas we're feared and hated, thou gets to art happy whereas we just hast to sitteth and rot whilst nopony cares!"

Celestia looks at her own sister warily. "Luna, thou know that we cannot control-"

"Only because thou decided to give aroint that power." She takes a breath but her next words sound broken. "Perchance we should just accept that nopony besides midnight gives a buck about anything we wilt ever doeth? That nopony likes our beautiful night? that thou could hast saved thou's own niecefrom a horrific death but did not because of some rules thou invented? Because thou decided that we shouldn't govern who is worthy of ascension and we've lost hundreds of fantastic ponies? That we clearly doeth not deserve to art happy and should just hie and die in a hole somewhere? that nopony cares about us in any way whatsoever?" Before, Luna would have realised the absurdity of her c!aims but her longstanding jealousy and resentment have boiled over into her grief to make her irreconcilable.

Celestia tries to approach her younger sister who is in very visible pain. "Luna, we care about thou."

She is stopped almost immediately when Luna looks up with absolute pure hatred in her eyes. "Yeah, thou cares about us so much that thou destroyed any chance of us ever being verily happy. All thou care about is thyself and thy own power. Thou wilt e'en let thy own family suffer an it means that thou keeps us all under thy hooves forever. we refuse to hark to thou's lies anymore!"

Princess Celestia watches in horror as an oily substance slinks in from underneath the door and merges with Luna who suddenly grows to be just as big as her. As her deep purple fur turns black and her wings more bat-like, her set of armour floats down from her tower and fuses to her. When Luna opens her eyes again, all Celestia sees is pure insanity raging within. "L-Luna?"

Her sister? throws back her head with a long, hard cackle. "Thou killed Luna when thou killed Midnight. We are Nightmare Moon, the real Princess of Equestria. The one who deserves to rule Equestria without thyself."

Celestia's heart sinks. "Luna, please doeth not doeth this. I know that thou art in pain but i can help thou. Thou can get through this."

Nightmare Moon releases a chillingly cold chuckle. "Wherefore doest thou think that we want thy help?! Looketh at where we got the last timeth we listened to thou's counsel. We hast ne'r been doing better now that we do not hast to hark to thou ever again."

Before Celestia can respond, her sister grins insanely. "What better way to honour Midnight than by making night eternal? She loved the night just as much as we doeth and other ponies wilt hast to enjoy it then."

Celestia stamps a hoof firmly. "That is enough! Thou art hurting but thou can not make our little ponies suffer for it!"

Nightmare Moon just gives her a dirty look. "The same ponies that shunned our night? That shunned us? That hate us for who we are? That shunned our daughter and refused to love her just because of her disability? They deserve what is coming to them. We wilt give them a reason to fear us."

Princess Celestia gets into a cautious stance. "Please Luna, stop. This is not what Midnight would hast wanted. She would want thou to art happy."

Instead of her sister seeing reason, Celestia has to jump aside as Nightmare Moon unleashes a blast powerful enough to leave a five foot crater and annihilate the throne.

"NEV'R MENTION HER NAME AGAIN!!! THOU KILLED HER SO WE WILL RETURNETH THE FAVOUR!!!"

Nightmare Moon's anger and hatred is so strong that it begins to manifest as midnight black shadows that plunge the room into complete darkness. As this happens, the door bursts open to reveal the horrified Captain of the Guards accompanied by the two door guards. "P-P-Princess?!"

Celestia turns her gaze to the unicorn. "Evacuate the castle."

He bolts just as an energy blast nearly takes off Celestia's wing and only misses when she rolls. "What 'tis wrong, dear sister? Can thou not bring thyself to fight the one whose life thou destroyed?" Celestia's heart sinks as she realises what she has to do and bolts for the side entrance. "Pathetic."

And so the chase begins, Nightmare Moon trying to repeatedly take out Princess Celestia's various limbs which are only evaded by countering blasts or dodging. As they go, the Castle of the Two Sisters is gradually reduced to a barely standing ruin around them. Eventually however, the chase terminates in a special chamber where Nightmare Moon seals the windows shut. "Thither, now thou hast got nowhere to run." When Celestia hesitates for a moment, Nightmare blasts her backwards into the wall. "FIGHT US!"

"I am sorry that i hast to doeth this, Luna." As Nightmare Moon builds another blast, Celestia reveals six very recognisable items from a tree painting behind her. When the blast is unleashed, a protective field around Celestia deflects it out through the wall. "Please doeth not make us doeth this."

Instead of finally seeing through the madness, Nightmare Moon just snarls. "Thou hast not got it in thyself to permanently banish us, Celestia. Someday, we'll returneth and finally makest thou pay."

Celestia looks at her corrupted sister with tears in her eyes. "We promise Luna, we wilt find a way to save thou. We hope that, one day, thou wilt art able to forgive us."

As the Elements charge up, Nightmare Moon closes her eyes with tears beginning to drip down her face. Midnight, we are sorry.

The present day

By the end, Luna has completely broken down. "I-I failed her. I failed my own daughter, I failed Celestia and I failed Equestria. I let my anger and grief get the better of me and it nearly cost everypony everything." She looks out the window in the direction of the orphanage. "I guess it was for the best in some ways. If she had found out who I became, I don't want to imagine her r-reaction."

Scootaloo looks sadly at her friend. "But she's here now, you saw her. You can make things right."

Luna shakes her head. "There's no way it could have been her. I watched her d-die right in front of me. I watched her take her last breath as I sat there being absolutely worthless. It's just a coincidence that they look the same; it's bound to happen over a thousand years. Maybe I was mistaken when I searched her magic signature and it was just me seeing what I wanted to see." She swallows a lump in her throat. "Maybe fate finally decided to give me the punishment I deserved. An eternity of mourning and regret followed by eventual banishment to Tartarus. I spent so much of my life making everypony miserable so I'll never see Midnight again and be able to tell her how close she came to having a family."

Penumbra approaches with a smile. "Luna, that filly you saw is Midnight Breeze."

The Princess of the Night's neck audibly snaps as she stares at the being. "What did you say?"

Penumbra adopts a mystical look. "In all the time that I've existed, I lost many creatures I came to care about. Over time however, I found them again whether they were in the bodies of Ponies, animals, Dragons, Donkeys, Griffons, Minotaurs, Zebras, Yaks or Changelings. Starswirl eventually helped me to understand that bodies decay and die but a pony's inner magic is eternal; it can't ever truly fade. The body can change but who they are on the inside doesn't. She won't remember her past life but that is your daughter."

Luna looks down. "I tried to kill Tia because of one mistake that she made and things completely outside of her control. Midnight must hate me."

Scootaloo walks closer. "If she knows what you did then she knows that you've changed. You're not the same pony you were when you tried to hurt Princess Celestia. Look at how you helped me for example when I was having those nightmares. If you were the same as you were back then, you'd have just gone through the motions but you didn't. You could have just dispelled the nightmare out of obligation and left but you didn't. You offered kind advice that ultimately changed my life forever."

Luna looks regretful. "Even so, the entire reason that I came to love her was incredibly shallow. She loved my night and I clung to that in the worst part of my life. i only wanted to adopt her so that I'd never be without that feeling. It wasn't love, it was selfish and pathetic greed. I'm not the mother she deserves. She deserves somepony who will never stop loving her. She needs somepony that will always have her best interests at heart and will do anything to look after her until the day she dies."

Scootaloo looks at her reassuringly. "The fact that you reacted so strongly when she died, and your reaction earlier, say otherwise. It may have started as desperation but you grew to love her much more than that. What you felt was the grief of a loving mother, not a completely irredeemable monster that was one step away from snapping. If you didn't really love her, if she was just an escape from your depression, would you have reacted so strongly today? When you know you have ponies who care about you and your night?"

Luna thinks in silence for a moment before shaking her head as Scootaloo smiles. "You'd make an incredible mother, Princess Luna. Above all else, Midnight needs a mother that will always love and protect her; you're perfect."

Luna smiles as she gives Scootaloo a hug. "Thank you, I needed that." Her expression turns contemplative. "I wonder, if she's still the same pony she was a thousand years ago..."

Penumbra smiles. "Only one way to find out."

Later that night, the Everfree Forest

Even after so long, Luna remembers her way to the clearing by instinct. Despite being surrounded by trees on all sides and overgrown, the spot still has a wide parting in the canopy where the Moon is plainly visible. Luna feels her heart soar as she sees a familiar figure sitting directly in the moonlight. "Hewo again, you're the one from this morning awen't yew?"

Luna trots over and smiles. "Yes, I'm sorry if I was rude this morning. I thought that I... saw a ghost."

Midnight lets out a familiar laugh. "Wot's your name? I'm Midnight Bweeze."

Princess Luna's smile gets even wider. "Call me Luna."

The Downfall of a Diarchy

Late one evening, Queen Void lowers the sun and raises the Moon with a sad sigh. "Your Highness?" She turns with a smile to find a worried looking Twilight behind her. "Is everything okay?"

Void turns back to the Moon with another sigh and gestures for Twilight to sit next to her. "Twilight, I never told you what happened to the Princesses did you?"

Twilight looks confused. "You said that you bound them to the Sun and Moon for at least a century."

Void nods before sighing again. "It is something I wish I never had to do but they both left me no choice." Shaking her head sadly, she turns to Twilight. "Would you like to see what happened?"

Twilight looks slightly surprised. "Sure but how?"

"Using the same spell that I used to show you what led me down this path." Cringing slightly at the reminder, Twilight nods before Void presses her horn to Twilight's head who allows herself to drift off to sleep.

Eleven months ago, Ponyvile's Dragon Cave

As she waits for Twilight to wake up from her magic induced sleep, Void sits in the sunrise. The Princesses are going to come looking for them once they learn what happened. Scootaloo nods. "Why keep them waiting? For our plan to work, we need to take completely unopposed control of Equestria one way or another. But how to make ourselves known?"

Scootaloo thinks for a moment before smiling. "Hey, Nightmare? Do you still have some control over the Moon?" Yes but we can't force the sun from the sky yet. Scootaloo smile becomes even wider. "Don't worry, I have an idea."

Half an hour later, Canterlot Castle

Princess Celestia has just enjoyed her breakfast and is preparing for day court when everything starts getting noticeably darker. Calmly, she looks outside and is very surprised to see a lunar eclipse starting. That's odd. There isn't supposed to be an eclipse until next month. Once the eclipse is full though, a horribly familiar visage appears on the Moon's surface. It can't be!

At that moment, a Royal Guard bursts into the throne room. "Princess!" He bows. "We've received word that Princess Twilight and the other Elements are missing. They haven't been seen for two days and search and rescue missions have failed."

Celestia freezes for a second as her worst fear is realised. "Please tell the other Guards to prepare to once again do battle with Nightmare Moon. If I have to banish Luna to save Equestria, I will."

The Guard looks even more worried and visibly starts shivering. "I'm afraid that Princess Luna is not the host, your majesty. She’s been accounted for in her bedroom, still fast asleep."

For the first time in known history, Princess Celestia's legendarily deadpan breaks as she grows worried. "Is there any word on who that poor pony could be?"

The Royal Guard shakes his head. "No-pony has seen them, Princess. It's believed that Nightmare Moon struck whilst Princess Twilight and her friends were at the Castle of the Two Sisters though why they were there is unknown."

Celestia nods grimly. "Please summon Princess Luna immediately and assemble the Guard."

The Guard bows. "At once, your highness."

Celestia tries to keep a calm face as she waits for Princess Luna in Twilight's former bedroom. In all my time as Princess, only two beings have ever managed to defeat me; Chrysalis and Luna. If the Nightmare has taken over any of the Elements, Equestria will face a war not seen since Discord.

Before her ruminations can continue, the door to the room bursts open and a very tired and very angry looking Princess Luna storms in. "Sister, what is the meaning of this?! It's 10AM and I need to get my rest if I am to rule." Her anger subsides as she sees her sister's uncharacteristically worried expression. "Tia, what's wrong?"

Celestia braces herself to break the news. "Twilight and the others have been captured and we don't know where they are."

Luna's face turns to one of horror. "Who could have taken them? Chrysalis? Sombra? Tirek? Has Discord gone back to being evil?"

After taking a moment to brace herself for what she knows is coming, Celestia looks at her sister sadly. "It's back, Luna. Nightmare Moon is back and it has Twilight and the others."

Princess Luna's face turns to immediate dismissal. "That's not possible. It was destroyed when it possessed Rarity. It was destroyed when they..." As the truth sinks in, Luna's fur turns a much lighter shade of indigo for a moment as fear, horror and shock pass over her features but they are quickly overtaken by anger and absolute hatred. "It has gone TOO FAR this time!"

Luna immediately races to the balcony. "Please Luna, we can't rush into this. We need to work together and form a plan."

Luna looks at Celestia with a dangerously calm expression. "For all we know, the Nightmare is torturing our friends as we speak. By the time that we're ready to confront it, it could have... they could be..."

With a yell of anger, Luna takes off for the Everfree as Celestia can only watch with worry. I wish I could follow but I need to organise a defence. If Nightmare Moon defeats us, nothing will stop it. Please be safe, Lulu.

Fifteen minutes later, the plains outside Ponyvile

Soon after, Void makes her way towards the flat plains surrounding Canterlot. Although she would normally just use her newfound ability to fly, she decides to walk and stop along the way to fight creatures. She needs to get some battle experience to fight the two most experienced warriors in Equestria after all. Your powers are coming along very well Scootaloo. "Thanks, Nightmare. Now we just need to-" SCOOTALOO! SHIELD! Scootaloo generates one just in time to avoid being blasted back into the forest by an indigo energy beam.

"NIGHTMARE!!!" Void looks into the sky to see Princess Luna herself flying above them with the most angry expression Scootaloo has ever seen. "HOW DARE YOU DARKEN EQUESTRIA WITH YOUR PRESENCE AGAIN?!"

Void chuckles, Scootaloo letting Nightmare take control. "It's nice to see you too, Luna."

The Princess of the Night fixes her nemesis with a level but furious glare. "Since I am fair, and you brought Twilight and her friends together, I will give you one chance. Leave your host, release the Elements of Harmony and I shall allow you to live."

Void cackles. "Why would I do that? We have plans for a new and more prosperous Equestria than you or Celestia could ever hope to create."

Livid, Luna prepares to banish the being on the spot but stops as she more closely examines the Nightmare. Though clad in Nightmare's armour and an Alicorn, the host is very clearly a filly. A filly that looks horribly familiar. "Foul creature, who is your host?"

Void beams. "Everypony has fears. Everypony must face them in their own way. But they must be faced, or the nightmares will continue. That was what you told me, wasn't it?"

Luna's eyes go wide. "Scootaloo?!!!"

Scootaloo laughs. "Nice to see you again, Princess Luna."

Luna quickly recovers from her shock and glares into Scootaloo's eyes. "Nightmare, I am only going to tell you this one more time. Leave Scootaloo's body and Equestria forever or may the Sun have mercy on your soul."

Scootaloo just grins. "Who said that I needed saving? This is so much more fun."

Luna gives Void a pleading look. "Scootaloo, we can help you to fight her influence and destroy the Nightmare for good."

Void rolls her eyes. "Princess Luna, I already told you that I'm fine. Nightmare is my friend and we're going to make Equestria a better place for everypony."

Luna's expression is one of surprise for a moment before returning to a pleading look. "Scootaloo, please listen to me. Its promises of friendship and equality are all lies. She promised me the same thing and I nearly turned Equus into a wasteland."

Void laughs long and hard. "You couldn't be more wrong, Princess Luna. Nightmare is a kind and loving friend, the kind you only find once a lifetime."

Luna is surprised for a moment before her expression turns grim. "I see. Nightmare has poisoned your mind and there's no getting through to you now. I promise Scootaloo, we will find a way to save you but I cannot allow this to continue."

Scootaloo sighs disappointedly. "Princess Luna, please listen to me. We only want what's best for everypony. We know that you're a reasonable pony who means well so, from one friend to another, please step aside and let us pass."

Luna shakes her head as she ignites her horn. "Never. I won't let you go any further, Nightmare. Here you fall."

Void watches as Luna charges a massive amount of magic into her horn for a single powerful but focused blast to instantly knock her out. Evidently, she believes that Nightmare stands no chance of dodging in time with such a young host that has no experience with her new-found power. Void grins even as Princess Luna unleashes a completely devastating magic blast which she easily avoids by instantly teleporting into the air beside the monarch. "What?"

Instead of attacking, Void teleports them both to the ground where she uses her magic to restrain Luna's wings. "Scootaloo, please fight this. Nightmare Moon is feeding you lies."

Void scoffs. "Scootaloo is dead, now there is only Void. Her 'friends and saviours' killed her in cold blood when they abandoned her with an abusive carer but her rainbow maned sister was the one to ultimately kill her."

Luna is visibly surprised at the venom in the Alicorn's voice before her face once again becomes angry. "Scootaloo, I am so, so sorry for what Nightmare has done but this has to end." She charges all of her magic into a single incredibly powerful blast. A blast strong enough to send Scootaloo to the Moon for a hundred hears. Although it will exhaust her for several weeks, she will gladly endure it to finally remove Equestria's greatest threat.

To her slight surprise, Void isn't angry or arrogantly proclaiming her invincibility like Nightmare Moon would have but instead giving her a wary look. The kind that somepony gives a friend who is about to do something insanely stupid. "I really don't think that is such a great idea, Princess Luna."

Ignoring the comment, Luna's eyes glow white. "BEGONE!" With that, she fires a single devastating energy beam that hits Void square in her smiling face with a massive explosion that throws Princess Luna back.

Almost immediately, she stabilises herself with her wings before collapsing in exhaustion. It is done. Nightmare Moon is no more. She lowers her head in mourning. "Goodbye, Scootaloo. I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, Princess Luna."

Luna, Princess of the Night, the former Mare of the Moon, co-ruler of Equestria and protector of dreams goes deathly pale when she sees a still smiling Void step calmly out of the settling dust cloud. "IMPOSSIBLE! Nothing could withstand that!"

Void throws her head back and roars with laughter, Nightmare once again in control. "Princess Luna, do you honestly think that I learnt nothing after living for many thousands of years before bonding with you? Have you ever heard of Star Swirl the Bearded's shadow portal spell?"

Luna is shocked. "That spell was never finished and neither I nor my sister ever found a way to complete it. How did you-"

"Know it? I'm the one who taught him how to use it! I have had thousands of hosts before you but Scootaloo is my final host and my best by far. Together, we will do what Princess Celestia is too afraid to."

Luna snarls at her former alter-ego and attempts to fire another blast but it fizzles out from exhaustion. "You will pay for what you have done, Nightmare. Whatever you do to me, Celestia will stop you."

Void cackles again. "My dear Luna, you were able to almost defeat your sister a thousand years ago and she only won because she used the Elements of Harmony. You only had a fraction of my power." She flares out her wings proudly. "What chance do you think she stands against a willing host wielding my full power?"

To her credit, Luna manages to struggle to her hooves. "You claim to bring everlasting peace but you have subsumed an innocent filly and kidnapped six innocent ponies for no reason other than revenge. Evil never wins forever, Nightmare. You can win today but somepony will always rise up and defeat you."

Instead of being angered, Void smiles and laughs in her face as Scootaloo reclaims control. "Is it really too hard for you to believe that not everypony has others that love them? You and your sister preach peace and equality but have allowed abuse to continue under the table for years. As long as it's kept under wraps, who cares right?"

Luna backs away for a moment at the bitter rone as her anger returns. "LIES!"

Void shakes her head once again. "I'm sorry to have to do this but you will never listen to me like this. Oh well, what's one thousand years to an Alicorn anyway?"

Luna's eyes go wide with fear as she realises just how helpless she is and tries to force her wings out of Void's grasp to no avail. "Anything else to say?"

One hour later, Canterlot Castle Throne Room

Princess Celestia is donning her golden armour for the first time in over a thousand years when she hears panicked yells and blasts of magic from outside. After attaching her helm, she turns just as the throne room doors are blasted open and her entire battalion of 50 elite Royal Guards are levitated into the room and dumped before her. She checks them over and is relieved to find them uninjured and breathing.

"Don't worry about them, they're just under a deep sleep spell and will wake up again in two hours. After all, thier greatest crime was serving the wrong ruler." Celestia bristles as she looks up at one of her worst enemies strolling into the throne room. Although the host is clearly a young filly, the Princess of the Sun knows better than to let her guard down. Contrary to her usual state though, Nightmare Moon's walk is not an arrogant strut or angry stamp. Instead, it is a casual trot as mundane as if she was invited to tea. "Good afternoon, Princess Celestia. I hope that you're doing well."

Celestia prepares to speak only to have a black object thrown at her hooves. Her blood runs cold as she recognises her sister's crown. "Princess Luna says hi."

Celestia's expression doesn't change but her eyes burn with hatred. "If you have laid even one hoof on her, you had better start running and never stop."

Void looks as if Celestia has deeply disappointed her. "Relax, Princess Luna is fine albeit completely exhausted but she'll have plenty of time to get her strength back."

Celestia charges her magic to intimidate the dark Alicorn. "Where IS she?"

Void just gives a bored look. "You should know, Princess. You were the one to send us there yourself."

Celestia feels her blood boil. "Your quarrel is with me. Release Luna, your host and the others at once."

Void throws her head back and laughs. "On the contrary, my host is the one with the grudge against your precious friends. I merely helped her to get her much deserved revenge. As for Luna, we had no choice but to defend ourselves when she made it clear that she will fight us to either of our ends."

Celestia flares her wings out to try and threaten Void but the other Alicorn does the same. "What pony could possibly hate Twilight and her friends? They're among the nicest ponies in Equestrian history."

Void snarls as Scootaloo takes control. "They left me with an abusive caretaker and ignored the bruises and obvious starvation because Bad Winnie always had a convenient lie at-hoof to tell."

Celestia is slightly taken aback before her firm expression returns. "Impossible."

Not intimidated by the older and larger Alicorn, Void advances until they are muzzle to muzzle. "Really? Is that what you tell yourself so you can sleep at night? That your kingdom is so perfect that absolutely nothing can be wrong inside it? That everypony can only be kind because you have taught them so? That Equestria's only problems are attacks by the likes of Sombra or Chrysalis? You're delusional."

She turns and storms into the middle of the room before pointing out the shattered doors behind her. "Even as we speak, fillies are being forced to suffer under monsters worse than anything else Equus has ever seen. Worse than Sombra, Chrysalis or Discord combined. However, I see that there is no convincing you is there?"

The solar monarch shivers. "When we're done here Nightmare, there won't be enough left of you left for me to send to Tartarus."

Void can only smile. "Come on then Celestia, let's finally settle this once and for all though shouldn't we pick somewhere where we are less likely to hurt everypony else?"

Void can tell the Princess is surprised at the thoughtfulness though she doesn't show it. "Agreed."

Shortly thereafter, the plains outside Canterlot

Princess Celestia immediately fires a large energy beam at Void who grins. Celestia's signature attack in battle has always been to try and overwhelm them with sheer power thus minimising collateral damage. She quickly fires her own energy beam and they meet in the middle which pushes both ponies back a few feet.

Void allows her beam to gradually weaken and let it appear that she is being overpowered. "Surrender, Void." Celestia advances on the faltering Alicorn who slowly sits down as if forced by the strain. "You lose, Nightmare."

Just as Celestia presses her advantage, Void smiles cockily and easily forces back the beam. Too shocked to react, Celestia is knocked down by the recoil for a moment though she soon recovers. "How is this possible?"

Void gives her a look like she just asked the dumbest question possible. "Your incredible power comes from the Sun and the power of light whereas I was crafted from shadow so our powers are equal and should cancel each other out. When you add a willing and kind hearted host into the mix though, the combined light and dark can easily overcome both universal constants."

After taking a moment to recover, and register that her nemesis strangely hasn't taken the chance to do away with her for good, Princess Celestia summons her magic. "You made a very fatal error in your judgement, Void."

Void smiles, knowing what comes next. "Whatever could that be?"

One by one, the Elements of Harmony materialise around the Princess. "I may have passed the Elements on to thier current wielders but I can still use them." Void feints a terrified look as if she has made a serious blunder.

Having calmed down considerably thanks to having the advantage, Celestia gives Void a dignified but taunting grin. "I strongly suggest that you surrender, Void. You've cheated death twice, do you want to risk a third time?"

Rather than surrendering, Void sits down in front of Celestia as calm as can be with an arrogant grin. "Do whatever makes you happy, Celly."

"So be it." Scootaloo watches nervously as Celestia empowers the Elements. Are you sure this is a good idea? What if we're wrong? Don't worry, we'll be fine.

As a massive rainbow-coloured spiral slams into Void, she vanishes from sight as Celestia smiles. That blast will purge Nightmare Moon once and for all and free her poor host who can hopefully help me find the others. And we'll find a way to free Luna as soon as-

"Ah, that felt good." As the rainbow spiral vanishes, a happy looking Void sits there completely unscathed.

"What?!!!"

Void can only laugh. "Are you forgetting the most important thing about the Elements of Harmony, dear Celestia? They banish or destroy evil but I am a truly neutral being. They are as harmless as butterflies to me."

Despite herself, Princess Celestia scowls. "You have taken our six greatest heroes hostage, banished a Princess, attacked me and my Guards, and taken control of an innocent filly without even mentioning your past crimes. How is any of that anything but pure evil, Nightmare?"

Celestia is surprised to see the Alicorn's eyes noticeably shift. Though the change is minuscule, she watches the switch switch from hard to absolutely furious. "As we said, your little cabal of 'kindness' isn't as perfect as you would like to believe. Nightmare is one of the greatest friends that I will ever meet. She's kind, understanding, and protective but above all else completely dependable. As much as we hate you for your inaction, both Nightmare and I respect you for your efforts in unifying Equus so we will ask you once. Please step aside."

Celestia's eyes go dark. "As long as I breathe, I will never allow you to rule Equestria." Celestia unleashes her most powerful attack of all; a massive energy beam channelling all of her natural energy in an attempt to completely annihilate Void.

Void sighs before firing a specialised counter beam which not only overwhelms Celestia's beam but blasts her into the Sun. "We wish it didn't have to come to this, Celestia. When you return, we hope that you'll be more understanding."

With that, Void sits down to catch her breath as she considers what to do next. "We can't just claim the throne, Nightmare. Nopony will believe us, especially when they learn what happened to the Princesses." Before Nightmare can respond though, Scootaloo has an idea by accessing thier shared memories. "Maybe we won't need to convince everypony. If we show ourselves as benevolent and kind rulers before we take the throne, they will accept us without a fight." Good idea, Scootaloo but how? Scootaloo adopts a cheeky grin.

An hour and a half later

The Royal Guards slowly regain consciousness with the messenger from before collecting himself first. "What happened? The last thing I remember is Nightmare Moon returning and-PRINCESS!" They look around to find nopony nearby and the throne room doors destroyed so they begin to worry.

"At ease, Guards. It's over but I have some... very unfortunate news to share with you." They spin to see Princess Twilight Sparkle exit the hallway flanked by a small orange filly.

The Guards adopt fighting stances. "Your highness, look out! It's Nightmare Moon!"

Twilight chuckles pleasantly. "It's okay, it's over. Me and the other Elements managed to escape Nightmare Moon's magic and purged her once and for all."

The Guards sigh with relief only to see Twilight's troubled look. "Is something wrong, Princess?"

Twilight looks apprehensive. "Before we could stop her, the Nightmare sealed away both Princess Luna and Princess Celestia. Until we can find a way to free them, I will act as interim Princess in thier absence."

The Guards bow. "Yes, your majesty."

As the Royal Guards leave to spread the word, Scootaloo follows to rejoin Nightmare. As far as everypony is concerned, Nightmare Moon is gone and the Elements are safe and sound so they won't come looking for them and we have all the time that we need for her plan.

Present

A stunned Twilight slowly comes back to reality as she finds that Void has wrapped a wing around her. "Wh-whoa." Once the shock wears off, Twilight looks up with tears in her eyes. "Is Princess Celestia really a bad pony?"

Void gives her a comforting smile. "No, Twilight. Celestia is simply too set in her ways. The same ways that led to me and countless other innocent foals being abused for the sick pleasure of other ponies but, as long as she could maintain a false image of Equestria, who cares right?" She takes a moment to breathe. "Had we been given the choice, we would have talked things over with her but she would never listen to Nightmare Moon. Besides, when I had to seal away Luna, any tiny chance of peaceful negotiations with Celestia were gone."

Twilight looks apprehensive so Void wraps a comforting wing around her. "What's wrong, Twilight?"

"I'm worried about Princess Luna. She did nothing wrong and now she's spending another millennia trapped on the Moon."

Void chuckles. "Who said she was trapped there for a thousand years?" As Twilight looks up in surprise, Void looks longingly at the Moon. "As you said, Luna hasn't done anything wrong. She attacked me but, as far as she was willing to believe, I was just another poor pony tricked and corrupted by a heartless abomination. She will only be trapped for one hundred years before being released and given another chance since I need time to make the necessary improvements to Equestria.”

Breathing a sigh of relative relief, Twilight hugs her friend before turning to leave. "Goodnight, your highness."

"Goodnight, Twilight." As Twilight leaves, Void looks forlornly up at the sky. "I promise you both that the Equestria you return to will be much better than how you left it."