Luna took a deep breath in front of the door. She knew Celestia was suspicious about Nightshade. The problem was her suspicion was right and wrong. After knocking on the door she enters. “Sister we need to talk.”
Celestia looked up on her desk was a set of tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala. “Just a moment sister I’m just finishing some letters to invite Twilight’s friends to the Gala.”
Just as she said that a magical smoke drifted into the office and reformed into a scroll. Both princesses blinked at the arrival of the letter two Gala tickets fall to the desk as well. “Odd it’s not Sunday, wonder what is Twilight writing me about?” Taking the note she reads it.
Dear Princess Celestia,
I've learned that one of the joys of friendship is sharing your blessings. But when there are not enough blessings to go around, having more than your friends can make you feel pretty awful. So, though I appreciate the invitation, I will be returning both tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala.
“Twilight... I wonder why she didn’t think I was going to send her friends their own tickets. After all, they saved you, Equestria, are the bearers of Harmony, and her friends.” Celestia horn glows writing a quick letter and adds enough tickets for them all before sending them back to Spike.
“Twilight does seem to take things literally sometimes,” Luna says as she sits down. “We need to talk about Nightshade. I discovered something very important about her.”
“Oh? What is it you found out? Only thing I notice is she seems highly intelligent, I’m used to it teaching twilight.”
“It’s complicated, the Elements purified me, and it seems they purified Nightmare Moon. Nightshade is the result.”
“You telling me she’s Nightmare Moon? What am I going to do about a filly who... who that?”
“Like I said it’s complicated. She’s don’t even see herself as Nightmare Moon. I was in her dream a direct mind to mind link. The nightmare she was having was her fighting against the Nightmare persona. She has no link to the moon. She not even nocturnal, I even think her magic stronger during the day. There regret in her she broke down crying remembering what happened in the past.”
Celestia stands up and heads to the balcony “How should I treat this Luna? Lock her up for being the scourge history says Nightmare Moon was? It will be chaos if this gets out... some would be up in arms about her being Nightmare reborn, others seeing a foal condemned for crimes no one remembers. How should I see her myself, Luna? Is she my niece or my baby sister?”
Luna moves up beside Celestia “She not fully Nightmare Moon, just like I’m not Nightmare Moon either. Even at the end Nightmare was trying to fix things wrong with me. My anger at the nobles for what they were saying, my sadness of ponies not staying up during the night. It was done wrong like a child trying to make her parent happy, but not knowing how. Even then she was a foal in mind from a certain point of view. A foal in mind, and now in body as well.”
“So the elements freed her from you, and you from her.” Sighing Celestia looked out of the balcony glass door to the Everfree.
“She’s my daughter Celestia. Both of my mind fragmenting, and thanks to the Elements of my own body. She wants to be my daughter.”
“Guess we need to be very careful raising her. Don’t want her developing bad habits.” Celestia smiles and gives her sister a hug. “So what else can you tell about my niece?”
“She going to be gorgeous when grown.”
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The jungle was huge and unforgiving as the three brave explorers ventured into the wasteland. Leading the expedition was Awesome Princess Nightshade. She adjusts her helmet and looks to her partner. “What do you think Cream Puff?”
Cream puff pushes her hat up uncovering her “It’s fun! Oh, look pretty flowers!” She charges forward to bite down on a daisy.
“Cream Puff don’t eat the royal garden!” Buttercream says sitting at the table watching the two fillies play. Cream Puff turns her head the wooden bowl slipping down again over her eyes.
“Oh, that’s so cute.” Luna laughs and drinks more of her coffee. “Those two are really becoming good friends.”
Buttercream moves a chess piece. “They aren’t the only ones becoming friends... oh and checkmate.”
Luna looked down “Um... Yeah, we are friends.” Huffs and starts resetting the chess board.
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Sapphire Sparkle walked along the tunnel to the main chamber before her. There are two large guards on each side of the entrance. A guard on the left moved a spear to block Sapphire “Drop the disguise. You know our queen despises ponies.”
“Of course” A flash of green fire and she returns to her normal form. The changeling infiltrator 49 entered the chamber and bows before the throne before her. “Forgive me, my queen, I failed to secure the post of the nanny.”
Crystalis leans forward “What is the reason for your failure?”
“Lack of proper intelligence, there wasn’t enough time to know the moon princess personality.”
The queen changeling hoof slams her hoof down “What can you tell me. Make it good 49.”
“Princess Luna hides it but there a lot of guilt in her scent. There also something odd about her feelings to her daughter.”
“Odd? How?”
“The emotional connection of a mother to foal isn’t there. Luna emotionally doesn’t see the little princess as her own.”
Crystalis stands up and starts pacing. “Guilt and lack of emotional attachment to the foal? Hmm, we could use the guilt baiting that blue princess away when we strike. You are right we need more intelligence about Princess Luna. You are forgiven.” Then Crystalis head snaps to the entrance. “What are you doing in that pathetic disguise!”
The pony that walks into the chamber brushes his bloodred mane with his batwing and smiles his yellow eyes twinkling. “Bad habit I have such good news I forgot to drop it.” Mixer appearance disappears as the changeling magic returns him to his true form.
“Captain Shining Armor finally proposed to Princess Cadence. She already making sure she has a reservation at the Club Arcane for her Bachelorette party. Such a party in a location we have full control of...”
Crystalis smiles and interrupts the changeling Mixer “It be the perfect place to replace the bride and bridal party!”
The laughter of the changeling queen echoed throughout the hive.