//------------------------------//
// Freed 
// Story: Goodbye 
// by Hazel_Hester777 
//------------------------------//

Luna had known something was up when several ponies had gone missing. 

For a long time back before she became Nightmare Moon, there was a lot of tales of those who would often fear the night. Not for the darkness itself, but for what it may hide. You never know what could be hidden under the cover of black. 

But in this era from the thousand years she had been away, things had changed. People relished her night. Some even stayed up late to simply enjoy it. And some even watched the sunset to be the first to see the stars when they came out. 

She didn’t think this would happen however. Several ponies had gone missing, but these weren’t the ordinary ones. These were the Mane Six, the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Spike, Bunny, and a few others who may seemed rather small but their roles in the disappearance weren’t looked over as a small matter. The next thing she knew, even her sister had gone missing. 

One moment, she was raising the moon as she lowered the night. The next thing, she was gone. She thought it was maybe some sort of silly prank to tease her a little, have some fun, or was simply at a meeting. Then it got worse and she thought it may have been a fight. She knew something was wrong when she was at her post to lower the moon but her sister was still nowhere in sight. 

And Tia never missed out on her duties. 

She knew how to raise the sun as well, but only in emergency cases like these. She had to make sure the citizens wouldn’t panic at first. But as soon as it was taken care of, the search began. It took quite a while to find out what had happened, but now she had her answers. They were the most frightening she could’ve conceived of. 

Something had come in the form of a mirror and had taken those that had gone missing. It had somehow merged their souls with that of deceased Monsters from its own world and caused their merged forms to go mad and start causing chaos. 

She didn’t think this could happen to them. Soothsayers, seers, and clairvoyants form the olden days could’ve have predicted this. But it all came true right before her very eyes. 

She spied from afar, careful not to get involved lest they find her out. It hurt every single time she saw the damage each one could do. She was looking into a stranger possessing the bodies of those ponies who knew her, helped her, freed her, and loved her. Her own sister, most especially. 

And in her observations, she had learned there was a chance to stop it. Every now and then, they would revert back to their former selves. It only reached for mentality and sometimes voices, but she could tell they were still in there. They just needed something to bring it back out. 

She gathered whatever forces of help she could get. She gathered a representative that meant something very significant in their lives. She had to cast enchantment spells on each one in case this world tried to take them too. She then did so on herself. Finally, all were ready to confront what they were getting at. 

Still, it felt like going to war with everything that they had to do. Night was the time these creatures were most active and for this, she had to make sure they were all adjusted to being nocturnal for a while. 

For a moment, each one recognized their old friends and families. Each one’s eyes growled back to the calmer versions they had when they were their old selves. Each one’s voices softened back into the old ones. Each stared at them, yearning to be with them again. 

But war broke out. 

Now, she was stuck in this battle as were all of them. From down below, she could see how everyone else was faring. 
The former Mane Six, now called Elements of Insanity, were each battling against a member of the Pillars. Meadowbrook was against the formerly sweet and gentle Fluttershy, now changed into insane Fluttershout. Rarifruit was giving the elderly-looking Mistmane her all. Flash Magnus was forced to confront Rainbine. Rockhoof knew he had to battle pill-loving Applepills. Somnambula went against Pinkis Cupcake, dodging her every attempt to eat her. Starswirl, with a heavy heart, knew he had to stop Brutalight Sparkle, no matter how much there was left in her appearance of Twilight. 

The Cutie Mark Monsters, former Cutie Mark Crusaders, went against Diamond Tiara, Silver Spoon, Rumble, and Pipsqueak. The fillies and colts couldn’t believe what had become of their old friends. 

Depigun went against Doctor Hooves. AssSpike and Bunochius were along side by side against Stygian and Zecora. Sunburst had no choice but to engage in a showdown against the remains of his old friend, Painset Shimmercakes. Magic Mare was going up and about with Maud Pie. And she could see many others in their own battles. 

In the midst of the brawl, Flash Sentry had come around and when he was given the information as to what had happened, he reluctantly joined in the fight. It seemed his sword was the only thing that the Pony Freak were scared of. Bunochius glanced up to find the prophecy behind the weapon unfolding before she returned to her own battle. 

She herself had to go against her sister, or what was left of her. She used to play jokes with her when they were fillies like painting tone another in the other’s color. Their mother had lost count of the amount of times she had to wash the dye out of their fur. Now, this was no dye job. This was real fur color, so long as that Monster shares her sister’s body. 

Everyone had given it their all, and yet it still wasn’t enough. They were soon subdued, as they were more powerful than them. They had tried in vain to make them just like them as well, but each failed because of the spells. When it came to Luna’s own turn, it took another surprise. 

Out of her body an old face emerged. The one she never thought she would see again. The one she was imprisoned with for a thousand years. The one that had stricken fear and terror into the hearts of many, haunting their nightmares, including her own. 

“She’s already mine” Nightmare Moon declared. 

Before their very eyes, the old villain gathered up all of the Monsters together into one large cluster. They tried in vain to sue whatever abilities they had now, but she proved far stronger. Her horn began to light up with a new spell and they were all caught off guard as they felt it seep in. Flash’s sword then was levitated over the cluster as the spell also entered it. It glowed brightly to pure white and she drew it over them all. That was when Luna and her army saw it. 

Nightmare Moon was splitting the souls. 

It was a painful process for the creatures from the looks of how each body was trying in vain to escape and let out wails of pain whilst at it. The souls fared no better as their friends were finally waking up from the holds of each ghost and contributing by fighting them off the best they could. 

Luna then turned her gaze to her old demon, and felt fear and worry for her. Nightmare was using all her magic into this one spell and it was taking a heavy toll on her. She could see little droplets of blue coming from her eyes as she grit her teeth and forced herself to keep going. 

Finally, the old manifestation looked up to her host, and for that moment, Luna could feel her at peace. She watched as her lips curled up into, not a sneer, grin, or smirk, but a soft smile. 

“I’m proud of you, Luna” 

There was a snap heard and it all went black. 

When Luna regained consciousness, she could see that everything seemed the same. But then she spotted the familiar pieces of armor on the ground. The body holding it had dissolved, as if it never existed. She looked around to the rest to find them all unconscious, but unharmed, and her eyes traveled back to the monsters. 

Everyone had been restored. They were back to normal. All that was left around to show proof that they ever were those creatures were the objects like hats that began to crumble or other possessions. Even Derpigun’s mechanical eye and Rainbine’s ear pieces had fallen off of Derpy and Rainbow Dash. And she could see that among them, Celestia was back to her old self. 

And they were all back in Equestria too, it seemed. 

The Night Princess looked up to find Nightmare Moon, or what had remained of her, floating right above. She was see through, with stars patterned around to give her the appurtenance of a constellation. Still, she gave off that same smile. 

“Nightmare…I…” she fumbled for words. “…thank you…” 

She nodded. And then, she was no more. 

Luna could only stare as the constellation of her former self drifted up to the sky above and formed a new constellation. For once, she didn’t fear her monster. No, she had made peace with it. 


________________________________________


Hester let out a sigh as she flopped down to her Partner’s side. Hazel had almost fully recovered by now and was simply taking another doze. The Familiar hadn’t felt this exhausted about making a story in a while. Then again, it had been a while since they picked up their pens. She knew the next one would require them both to be there like a tango and knew she had to be in good health just as well. 

Placing the book down, and knowing Bunochius will be updated in a moment, she settled herself beside her sleeping Partner, placing a kiss on her forehead. 

“To us, my dear Hazelnut”