Celestia was not happy. Something that all the inhabitants of the castle had never seen before. This was the first time any of them had seen the solar princess scowling. Twilight should get here soon with her friends and Burst's team. The sooner they're here, the sooner we can get moving to the old castle. Celestia returned to her room, and grabbed the scabbard containing her flaming sword. She slung it on her back, and changed into what looked like a mix of a dress and light combat armor.
"Sister!" Luna cried as she nearly knocked down the doors to Celestia's room! "Are you going to face Nightmare Moon alone? You can't possibly think of going against her without me! This is a problem I made!"
Celestia was still for a moment. "You're coming too Luna. She's a source of trauma and regret for you." She then met the gaze of her sister. Fire present in the sun goddess's eyes. "What better form of therapy than to destroy the personification of all that negativity?" Not long after, the Main 6 and the remaining Elements of Heroism had gathered at the royal castle. Both teams of elements armed and ready with their Harmony Keepers and Duelist Arms.
"We came the instant we got your message!" Twilight said as she gripped her magician's staff. "But how is Nightmare Moon even alive?! She was hit with the Elements of Harmony! Is it even possible to come back from that kind of magic?!"
Celestia raised her hand for silence. "There's no mistaking it Twilight. Nightmare Moon has indeed returned again. Luna sensed the her magic flaring just last night. And that's not all." Celestia brought out an black envelop with a seal modeled after Nightmare Moon's talent crest. "It seems she wishes to speak with me and Luna. Not only that, but it appears she has Burst Stream."
This made both teams of elements tense up. "But it does not seem like there is any need to worry about him. He is unharmed. And there will be no need for the Elements of Harmony this time." Celestia gripped the handle of her sword tightly. "This time, Luna and I are going to put an end to this nightmare from our past." Celestia's magic flared to life. "All of you stay close together." Celestia initiated a group teleport spell, and the party soon arrived in front of the ruined castle.
However, Celestia's heart fluttered when she saw who was waiting for them at the entrance. Burst Stream had noticed the group, and waved at them. Celestia flew right at Burst, and nearly tackled him when she hugged him! Burst smiled as he returned the embrace. "I missed you too Celestia."
"I was worried sick about you." Celestia said as she let out a sigh of relief. Gradually loosening her hold on Burst Stream. Her grip then tightened. "If she threatened you in any way-"
Burst slightly distanced himself from Celestia. "She didn't. In fact, I was in pretty bad shape before Nightmare Moon healed me. Some weirdo with a katana attacked me the second I got to the castle. He kept calling me a mistake, and stabbed me in the gut. Leaving me to die from blood loss. I was stumbling my way through the old castle before Nightmare Moon found me and fixed me up."
"Perposterous." Luna said with a scoff. "She healed you did she? Nightmare Moon is capable of no such action! I should know! I was her! All that is at her core is anger and jealousy! Everything that made me want to take what my sister had! Everything that tore me from my home and family!"
"And ultimately, your unity with your sister is stronger than ever as a result." Nightmare Moon's voice called out from the entry hall. The sound of her armor clanking could be heard. And soon enough, she came into view. "So you've come." She then noticed the Main 6 and the Elements of Heroism. "And it appears you've brought a few friends along. Perfect." Everyone tensed up when they saw Nightmare Moon's arms move forward, but were surprised when she was just holding her arms out. "Well? Don't you recognize a gesture of surrender?"
Needless to say, the entire group save for Burst was stunned! "I'm sorry. . . what?" Twilight asked in disbelief. "Don't you want to boast about how you won't be stopped this time? How we won't stand in your way? Or proclaim that the night will last forever?"
"Oh please." Nightmare Moon said with a smirk. "I already went through this with Burst Stream last night. I won't be stopped and none of you will stand against me because I don't plan on doing another stupid revenge plot. Think about it. I've been bested two times. And I had a thousand years to plot up on the moon with Luna. What did it get me? Tanking a blast of friendship and rainbows to the everything. Also, I've heard of your recent triumphs from Burst. How could I possibly think I stand a chance when you bested Discord?"
Celestia and Luna then stepped forward. "If you don't wish for revenge, why are you here? And more importantly, how have you returned?" Her gaze towards Nightmare Moon was fiery while Luna glared coldly.
"I suppose you can thank the Elements of Harmony." Nightmare Moon said with a shrug. "In all their past uses, have any of you actually SEEN the elements destroy the target of their power? I was banished. Discord was imprisoned. No one knows what would have happened to Queen Chrysalis, but I'm certain it would've done one of those two."
Nightmare Moon noticed the contemplative expressions on both sets of elements' faces. "Back to the topic at hand. I was separated from Luna when the elements hit me. After that, I was essentially just a sentient pile of essence. A little while later, I soon became a spirit. Wandering the halls of these ruins. Reflecting on my past failures and the consequences of my existence. Then I looked back at my losses. In particular, what had led to them."
"My first defeat was brought on because I essentially had the logic of a child. I wanted to make everyone love Luna's night, so I'd make sure that morning never happened." A bitter chuckle escaped Nightmare Moon's threat. "I guess you could say that lead to the ultimate time out. Then we have my second defeat. I was an ignorant fool who paid no mind to the sorrow and pain I'd inflicted upon Luna. Something that only became clear upon the elements hitting me."
Everyone, even Celestia and Luna, felt a slight tug in their hearts when they saw a glimpse of actual sadness in Nightmare Moon's eyes. "To think. All I wanted was to make Luna happy. To fulfill the purpose she had intended to create me for. And all I ended up doing was causing more pain than I thought possible."
"Lies. Lies! LIES!" Luna screamed! "I never made you! You are nothing more than a part of me!" Luna drew her katana! "The darkest, worst parts of me given form!" She then flew at Nightmare Moon! Her blade aimed at Nightmare's heart! "Your existence has wrought nothing but pain and sorrow! SO YOU SHALL EXIST NO MORE!" Luna plunged her blade right into Nightmare Moon's heart! "And so, the nightmare ends." Luna pulled her blade free from Nightmare Moon, and watched as her body fell to the ground. "At long last, closure. . . "
As soon as Nightmare Moon's body hit the ground, it shattered! Everyone was shocked, but they were soon surprised even further. The shards seemed to converge and form a pool of pure energy! The pool then began to morph and condense into a familiar form. Nightmare Moon stood before them completely unscathed! "I wouldn't say I've been ended." Nightmare Moon said with an annoyed look on her face.
She then looked at the jaw-dropped crowd before her. "I suppose you'd all like to know how I reformed?" Nightmare Moon then pointed at Steel Edge. "You're new to being an Avatar, right?" Steel nodded, and Nightmare smirked. "Well then, you should know exactly how our immortality works. At our core, we gods and goddesses are pure energy coupled with an indestructible soul. When our physical form is destroyed, we revert to our primal essence. Regeneration is usually instantaneous. So while we can't be killed, 'dying' still hurts a lot."
"Then it appears we can't vanquish you." Celestia said as she calmly stepped forward. "But we can't very well banish you given the fact that you have no ill intentions." Her gaze then steeled as she saw Luna trembling. "However, I can't let you just go free. Especially after all that you've done."
Nightmare Moon's face took on a knowing expression. "That's something I've already intended to do. But make no mistake. I don't plan on earning you or Luna's forgiveness. This is something I want to do for myself." She then spared a glance at Luna. "And Luna is wrong. She did make me. Long ago, she wished for a friend. One who loved the night as much as she did. Someone who would spend time with her while you were busy. But all that anger and jealousy with her poured into me while she was creating me. It twisted the way I thought about my purpose. And one fateful day, Luna and I merged when I wanted to grant her wishes."
Celestia was about to offer some form of apology, but Nightmare Moon raised her hand. "Don't waste an apology. The fact is neither you, Luna, or me is completely free of blame. All three of us share responsibility for what happened. You were so busy running a nation you barely had time to give Luna attention. Luna got so jealous of attention you barely wanted, and couldn't understand that her night was already enjoyed. Just not in the way she thought they should. And me? I wanted to make Luna happy without thinking of the consequences."
"You truly have thought about this." Celestia said calmly. "You said you wished to make up for what you've done?" Nightmare Moon nodded. "In that case, I suppose I can have you undergo rehabilitation in Unityville. That is, if the element bearers are willing to put a roof over your head."
"No." Nightmare Moon said. "I will spend time with the element bearers for my reformation. But I have no intention of staying with any of them." She then pointed at Burst Stream. "I'll be staying with him. Because he's one of the few who prioritized saving Luna over defeating me. Not only that, but he attempted to reason with me. Unlike your student who simply stated my motivation to the whole town."
Celestia tensed up a little, but sighed. "Very well. I shall make an announcement later today. But mark my words. You hurt him in any way, I won't hold anything back."
"Honestly?" Nightmare Moon said with a sad smile. "I hope that's something I won't do."