Nightshade ran up the stairs to see all of her team in the room, along with the Wonderbolts still bounded. Spitfire was placed down with the others and glared at Nightshade as she entered the room.
“What’s happened so far?” She asked.
“Nothing yet, captain,” answered the colt she kicked earlier. Nightshade walked over to the window and stared at the moon. She then saw a familiar sight.
“The stars are coming together. She’s coming!” Nightshade alerted.
“Who’s coming?” Spitfire asked. Nightshade turned to her and grinned deviously.
“Princess Luna.”
Spitfire gasped along with the rest of her team. The thought of disbelief slowly sank in with shock.
“What? How?” Spitfire asked. Nightshade merely laughed along with her team. “Wait a minute,” Spitfire said under her breath. “According to our history books, Celestia sent Luna to the moon. But she wasn’t Luna at the time…she was-”
A vast wind struck the ruins and flew open all the windows. Everypony found their balance and did their best to stay standing.
There it was. That familiar voice, expressed through the ruins as a menacing laugh. Nightshade looked and saw the aura she’s been conversing with for so long now. It spun in a tornado before a bright light flashed throughout the entire room. Suddenly everypony felt like they were falling when they slammed into the hard floor beneath them. Nightshade rubbed her head and looked around to see she and everypony else were in the room that held the five stone orbs.
“How’d we get down here?” Nightshade wondered. Finally the same vast wind hit again and the same tornado grew in the room before finally bursting out of its form. Revealing the dark alicorn.
“Nightmare Moon,” Spitfire said in terror.
The alicorn laughed again. Nightshade bowed quickly and her team followed.
“Ah. How good it feels to be back!” The alicorn said. She walked over to Nightshade and smiled down at the mare.
“My Princess, it’s an honor,” she said.
“Indeed it is. Rise my Shadowbolts,” she said. They did so and finally got a good look at the mare that lived for so long on the moon.
“Wow,” Nightshade said in a hush tone. Nightmare Moon laughed. Her mane the same aura Nightshade has seen before. The aura picked Nightshade’s chin up to face Nightmare Moon.
“You have proven of good use to me, Nightshade,” she smiled. She turned to look at the Wonderbolts in binds. “And you’ve done exactly what I commanded you to do.” She walked away from Nightshade and examined the Wonderbolts, Spitfire in particular. “My sister’s pitiful effort at creating a team like yourselves will all be in vain once she witnesses my vast power,” laughed the alicorn.
“You’re not powerful! You’re nowhere near as powerful as Princess Celestia! You’ll never be half the princess she is!” Shouted Spitfire. Nightshade’s eyes widened at the possible consequences that could come out of her actions. Nightmare Moon chuckled.
“Oh you want to see power? You want to see what I’m capable of!” Nightmare Moon’s voice echoed in a terrifying roar. Nightshade gulped and stood on her hooves, ready to act if necessary. Spitfire stood strong but couldn’t help but shake in fear.
Nightmare Moon’s eyes glowed and soon the entire ruin began to shake. The Shadowbolts continued to fall and so they hovered in the air to avoid the rough shake. The shaking was so intense that the remains of the ruins roof began to cave in, windows shattered and the room up stairs collapsed to the ground in pieces. Parts of the ceiling began collapsing all over the Wonderbolts. Nightshade acted quickly and flew over to Spitfire. Spitfire laid on the ground, still tied. The shaking had caused her to shut her eyes and pray nothing would collapse on top of her. She opened them when she felt something stand over her. She looked and saw Nightshade using her body to shield Spitfire from any damage, her wings extended out to give her full cover. Finally the shaking came to a full stop and the dust began to clear up.
“Ha! How’s that for power?!” Nightmare Moon laughed. The dust cleared and she looked down to see Nightshade shielding Spitfire. She gasped. “What? What is this?”
Nightshade looked quickly to her ruler and then at everypony else. She quickly hovered in the air and flew away from Spitfire.
“Princess-I,” Nightshade mumbled.
“What were you trying to do? Protect the enemy?” Snarled the princess. Nightshade gulped and thought quickly.
“No! Of course, not! I just wanted to make sure she stayed alive so I could-,” Nightshade looked over to Spitfire then to Nightmare Moon. “So I could finish her myself!” She concluded. There was a small pause before Nightmare Moon smiled.
“Oh. I see,” she chuckled. “Well that’s very logical. I can’t hold it against you if you want the pleasure of disposing this trash yourself,” she laughed. Nightshade smiled and nodded.
What was I thinking? Why did I go and try to protect her? Why should I care anymore?
Nightmare Moon walked around the room and stopped at the five orbs on the pedestal.
“What are those?” She asked.
“Huh?” Nightshade responded, coming back to reality.
“Those stone orbs. What are they? They survived without a single scratch after all I’ve just done,” she said while examining them.
“Oh, those? They’re nothing, Princess,” Nightshade said while flying over to the alicorn. “They’re just decoration.”
“Ah. I see. Well they’re nothing of my interest then,” she said while walking away. “Well I suppose I should go and make my grand appearance at my sisters Summer Sun Celebration now, shouldn’t I?” She smiled. The Shadowbolts grinned and nodded, mainly because they were too afraid to disagree or not react. “But not before I watch you destroy her,” Nightmare Moon said to Nightshade.
“What?” She asked.
“End her life now,” Nightshade said while pointing at Spitfire. Nightshade’s eyes widened and her eyes connected with Spitfires.
“I-” she muttered.
“Well?” Nightmare Moon insisted. Nightshade sighed and flew over to stand in front of Spitfire. She stared back into the mare’s eyes and couldn’t go through with her next action.
“Well? What are you waiting for? Do it!” Nightmare Moon shouted while stomping her hoof on the ground. Nightshade gulped then sighed. Her head lowered.
“I can’t,” she replied.
“What?” Nightmare Moon hissed.
“I can’t, I’m sorry but their has to be another way to do this. There’s no way it has to end this way,” Nightshade said as she turned to face the alicorn. Her wings flapped open as she grew more and more enraged.
“You dare disobey my orders?” She hissed. Nightshade gulped before raising her head and standing tall. Nightmare Moon looked at Spitfire then at Nightshade. Her furious expression changed to a devilish grin.
“I see you need to be reminded of all I taught you,” Nightmare Moon said.
“What are you-?” Nightshade’s began to say before being covered in the dark glittering aura. Her screams were heard throughout the entire castle ruins. Spitfire watched in horror as Nightshade was buried in the excessive amount of rage, pain, and pure evil that was filled in the aura. The Shadow Bolts all watched in shock as well as the Wonderbolts did. Every ponies jaw was wide open as they watched the display, all except for Nightmare Moon. She laughed softly to herself as she finished filling the mare with false emotions. The aura vanished and left the mare visible to the others.
“There, feel better?” She said. Nightshade laid flat on the ground, her face buried in the floor. Everyone remained silent, out of shock or fear, some even from both. Everyone watched closely as Nightshade began to move. First her left hoof came up and then her right hoof. She slowly raised herself off the ground and stood. Her head raised last, an evil grin stretched across her muzzle.
“Much better. Thank you, Princess,” Nightshade grinned. Nightmare Moon smiled back, pleased with the results.
“What did you do to her?! You monster!” Spitfire shouted, struggling to escape the ropes that kept her from attacking the alicorn. Nightshade flew over to Spitfire and kicked the mare in the face. Causing her to fall roughly to the ground.
“Spitfire!” Soarin said. Nightshade flew over and kicked him as well, rougher than she kicked Spitfire. He too fell down to the ground. Nightshade flew back and landed by her ruler’s side.
“I didn’t do anything to her, silly mare. I simply reminded her of the emotions and feelings she has against you all. One in particular,” Nightmare Moon laughed loudly. Spitfire raised her head slowly to look at Nightshade then Nightmare Moon. She groaned in pain. Nightmare Moon stepped down to be eye to eye with the mare on the floor.
“Don’t worry. I’m sure she’ll reveal all her true emotions to you once she ends your life!” She laughed. Nightshade laughed as well.
“Yeah. I want this to be a challenge though so I can prove how much better I am than you at flying and fighting,” Nightshade laughed. Spitfire glared at the mare then at Nightmare Moon.
“A shame I won’t be able to see it. I must leave if I am to make my appearance in Ponyville. But before I forget,” Nightmare Moon walked over to Nightshade and scanned her from head to hoof with the magic of her horn.
“Princess, what are you doing?” Nightshade asked.
“Scanning you to make a duplicate later. I feel I’ll need it,” she said. She walked over to scan two more colts in their Shadowbolts uniform and did the same.
“Well, ok,” Nightshade said.
“I’m off. I’ll see you all later. Well, I’ll see some of you later,” Nightmare Moon laughed. Insinuating that she won’t be seeing The Wonderbolts alive again. The alicorn bathed herself in her blue aura and then vanished out of the ruins, in the direction of Ponyville.