When Twilight arrived at the palace, she stormed into her room, woke up Spike and ran with him into the library. While Spike woke up slowly, Twilight began to write immediately. She eradicated many of her changes and replaced them with Starlights. But at such a pace that her feathers broke every minute and Spike was hardly able to find new ones.
She put the last point. It was done. The spell is ready and she can finally go home. All that she had to endure for this spell was behind her now.
"You did it, Twilight. I knew you could!"
Twilight and Spike hugged each other for joy.
But then a strange blue light began to shine in the room. It came from Starswirl's spell. The duo looked at the source of the light and froze in shock.
Nightmare Moon's symbol glowed inside the spell. The scroll began to magically float and disappeared before their eyes.
Twilight and Spike continued to stare into the air, where the spell was a moment ago. Then they both started running. Please do not let that be true, both thought!
But in the throne room, their worst fears were confirmed that they saw Nightmare Moon sitting comfortably on her throne. And she hold the spell in her hooves!
Twilight and Spike stood rooted on the spot and didn't know what to do. Everything in Twilight screamed to run but she couldn't. She knew exactly that she could not escape.
A minute passes that felt like an eternity. But Nightmare Moon read calmly and ignored her. Twilight cautiously took a step in her direction.
The queen looked up. Twilights blood froze as their eyes met. But Nightmare Moon lowered her eyes again and went on reading the spell. Twilight noticed a drop of sweat trailing along her temple.
What is this?!? Why isn't she saying anything?!? She gathered her courage together.
"M ... master? ..." Twilight asked stuttering.
"Stop the act! I knew it from the start!" Came abruptly in response.
Twilight and Spike looked at each other questioningly.
"So you knew what I was up to? But why the trap? Why not destroy the spell right away?" Twilight chipped cautiously,
"Because it doesn't matter if you complete the spell now or make a new in a few years, you would have done it anyway ... but that's not important right now."
Nightmare Moon put the spell aside and looked Twilight straight in the eye.
"Much more important is, whats going to happen now?"
"How can anything go on after my betrayal?" Twilight asked carefully.
"Betrayal?!?" Nightmare Moon frowned. "Betrayal is a tough word for this whole thing, let's just call it ... a choice."
"A choice?!?" Twilight and Spike raised an eyebrow at the same time.
"Yes, Twilight, a choice you'll make on your own." While Nightmare Moon spoke, she used her magic to grab the scroll and give it to the puzzled Twilight.
"But before you decide, I have something important to show you."
Twilight and Spike slowly moved to the queen, but Nightmare Moon held her hoof in front of Spike.
"I'm sorry, Spike. But what I'm going to show Twilight is only for the eyes of an Alicorn!"
"What was your speech about: "Trusting me as much as Twilight?!?" Spike crossed his arms furiously. "I'm not sure I'm sitting around here, while you put your nonsense in her head!"
Twilight whispered to him to stop too late, Nightmare Moon just looked at him dumbfounded,
"Put nonsense in her head?!? Please, that you think so low of me, Spike. But you don’t mind eating my gems, but as you wish!"
The queen turned to Twilight. "Twilight, if you hold the opinion that your dragon can guard such a grave secret, then he should accompany us."
"I assure you that my dragon will keep the secret to himself." Although Twilight didn't sound very confident, Nightmare Moon said nothing. She just started to do her magic.
"Hold your breath and no matter how much it hurts, do not exhale!"
Twilight and Spike both did not understand what was happening but did as ordered, and Nightmare Moon teleported them away.