//------------------------------// // Old Frienemies // Story: Luna Rising // by AstonMartinLover //------------------------------// Chapter 7: Old Frienemies Luna continued on through the forest. The apparition had disappeared again. A few hours ago, she had asked the apparition why she could not simply disappear and never come back. Nightmare had replied with a very complicated answer involving dream thresholds, the power of certain ideas, and most of all the threat that without her choosing, she could be forced back into Luna's plane of vision at any future time. Luna had been confused, but she had patiently sat and nodded at everything the night demon had said. She still wasn't sure if she could trust her. But at least she had stopped tormenting her, as she had done the first few days. The spirit returned. "How are we holding up?" "We are doing just fine." Luna replied. "A bit cold, and getting somewhat tired of looking at snow for so long, but otherwise fine." Nightmare nodded. "Very good. Now we are not far, but there is a somewhat dangerous obstacle in our path." "What?" "A frozen lake. But it is not...quite fully frozen. It could be rather treacherous." Luna closed her eyes and breathed a heavy sigh of frustration. "Well it couldn't be too easy could it?" Nightmare smirked. "Of course not. Trust me. We can handle it." Luna trudged onward. The icy air had become a comfort for her. Another difference she and Celestia had. Celestia loved heat. She would rarely ever turn on the palace air conditioning unit, installed only a few years before, because there was no temperature she considered 'too hot'. Luna hated that about the palace. She loved the cold, the way it made her feel alive, and the way it seemed to match with her beautiful nights perfectly. And her energy seemed to build with every step she took into the snow. "Luna, may I ask you a question?" "I guess." Luna replied. "You don't seem to like our subjects very much. So why then do you care to change their image of you?" Luna thought over whether or not the spirit was toying with her. "I like our subjects just fine. They do not like me. Such is their right." Nightmare Moon didn't seem to think much of that idea. "If our sister had listened to me, there would have been punishment's for such dislike..." "Well I am grateful my sister never listened to me." Nightmare's face hardened. "You know, I should take offense to that. In fact, I think I will." Luna closed her eyes and pushed onward. No reason to get into an argument with a floating thought bubble. "You blame me for so much. I am only what you made me to be. Should you not love me, as though I were your child? Your creation?" Luna continued onward. "I need not answer that..." The spirit reformed in front of her. "OH NO?!!!" Nightmare drew herself up to full height, dwarfing the small alicorn. Even though she knew the spirit could not physically hurt her, Luna still shrunk back in fear. "I know where the mountain is! You don't! I have been generous enough to give you the opportunity to get rid of me! An opportunity, you should rightfully be begging for!" Luna whimpered a little. She suddenly felt like a foal, sitting here taking a particularly angry lecture from Celestia. Nightmare's eyes cut into her like daggers, barely containing the monstrous rage held within. "I-I apologize..." "NO! DO IT! GET DOWN ON THE SNOW AND BEG!! BEG FOR MY FORGIVENESS!!! CAN'T YOU SEE, YOU PATHETIC WELP?!! I CONTROL YOU NOW!!! I COULD DESTROY YOU AND YOUR PUNY MIND, ON A WHIM!!! YOU WILL RESPECT ME!!!" Luna was shaking. "P-Please..." "BEG!! BEG FOR MY FORGIVENESS YOU WEAK FOAL!!!" "Please...forgive me..." Luna whispered. "Get up!" Nightmare shouted. "You make me sick." Luna shakily got to her hooves. Nightmare was furious. However as she floated there, her expression betrayed the slightest new emotion. Desperation. "You...You think you can just shut me out? I spent a thousand years alone on that moon. Never again." Luna breathed deeply. "I can see now how I struck so much terror into the hearts of my subjects." Nightmare's ears flattened. "I...I think I understand now why you wish to get rid of me so dearly." Luna chuckled. "You understand NOW?" Nightmare Moon looked down at Luna, her judgmental eyes boring into her. "I see now, you have a problem." Luna looked up at her. "Other than the demon spirit that only I can see, yes, do tell, what is my problem?" "You are afraid." Nightmare said sternly. Luna frowned. "Afraid? Do tell, what am I afraid of?" "So many things Luna. You fear your subjects. You fear your sister. You fear your past. Namely me. You fear yourself." "I do not fear any of those things. I simply resent them..." "You resent your sister?" Nightmare asked pointedly. Luna's tongue tangled itself up. She had been caught in Nightmare's web. "I don't...I don't resent my sister. If anything I fear..." She trailed off. Nightmare smirked. "You fear AND resent her? Wow. I merely resented her. You have problems." Luna's ears went back. She stormed right through the spirit. "We have an anger in us Luna. To go along with that fear. If you could find your own inner balance, perhaps you could be an even greater ruler than Celestia..." Luna looked back at her. "You still try. You still try to turn me into you. I thought you respected my wishes." Nightmare nodded. She made a zipping motion across her lips. "You are right. I am done." Luna continued on. The spirit was acting strange. She had displayed very erratic behavior since this morning. So many mood swings. "You know...you are afraid as well. Perhaps even more afraid than I." Luna sneered. Nightmare Moon's eyes became slits. "I? I am afraid? Pray tell, what am I afraid of?" "You fear being alone. That is the fear that created you. Is that why you decided to haunt me?" "Well...no...not exactly...I...ugh." Nightmare had been tangled up. Luna smirked at her tiny victory. She had shut the creature up. For now. "Well...I will be alone in death, will I not?" Nightmare Moon asked. Luna shrugged. "Perhaps." Nightmare suddenly looked a lot less confident in her decision. She looked off in the direction of the mountain. "Perhaps flying would serve you better eh? I am getting impatient." She whined. "Why art thou so enthusiastic to go to this place? Can you not stand me, just as I cannot stand you?" Nightmare Moon chuckled nervously. "Not at all child. You've been a delight. But I know you wish me not to torment you further. And I also know that when I go into the fountain, I am killing myself. And frankly, the less time I have to think about it, the less likely I'll be to change my mind. So please. Chop chop." Porthos touched down on the balcony of his private quarters. He removed his battle armor and headed down to the armory. His pupil was waiting for him. "Did you find her already?" Shining Armor asked. "Celestia yes. Luna no. She is staying in the forest, to continue the search." "And she sent you here? Why? Does she plan to...kill her sister?" Porthos smiled. "Shining Armor, I will give you a great bit of advice when your princess is acting like Celestia is now. Don't ask questions. Don't make eye contact. Don't get shot to the moon. You want to write all that down?" Shining Armor gently polished his armor. "Really? That bad?" "I was almost afraid myself. And she was the best mare at my wedding. Yeah, it was bad." "Oh boy. So what are we to do? We have no princess to rule us." Porthos smirked. "She put me in charge." Armor's face lit up. "No way! I'm jealous." "You want it? You can have it. Leading Equestria was not in my job description." "Kidding. Don't want any part of it." Shining Armor replied. "I'm just here to bash stuff." Porthos laughed. He gestured to the other guards in the other end of the armory. "If I can handle these losers, Equestria'll be a piece of cake." As he got to the main chamber, an attendant ran up to him. "Sir, the representative from the Equestrian Justice Department is here." Porthos rolled his eyes. "Oh boy. Stick around. This oughta be fun." The attendant did not. She quickly left the room. A very neat, slick looking pony trotted into the room. "Hello there. You don't appear to be Princess Celestia." The earth pony pointed out. "Well, your sense of reality is quite secure." Porthos replied. "Good for you. Sit down, will you?" The two sat at a table in the lobby. "So what are you here for Mr...?" "My name is not important." The earth pony replied. "I am here because your forty eight hours are up. I am here to collect Nightmare Moon." Porthos chuckled, trying to hide his disgust for the pony. "She prefers Princess Luna." The pony whose name was not important rolled his eyes. "Does she? Well, frankly it's not my job to judge what she's done in the past. But I believe that after attempting to enslave and or kill all of your own subjects, you deserve a bit more than instant forgiveness and a slap on the wrist. I lobbied hard with Princess Celestia to have Luna detained immediately after her supposed 'revival'. And this case of missing armor just proves my point. Now where is she?" Porthos leaned back in his chair lazily. "Now you look like the type of pony who reads the paper. So you know full well, Princess Luna escaped from this palace two days ago." The pony nodded, looking out one of the stain glass windows. "You're right. I do. My question is, how is that possible? Princess Celestia's palace? This place is a fortress. Those cells in the dungeon are pretty much impenetrable." Porthos leaned over the table and looked into the pony's eyes. "I guess they aren't." The pony whose name was not important chuckled. "You see, you say that. But I have it from a good source, that Princess Luna wasn't even held in the dungeon. Apparently, despite the EJD's suggestion, she was detained in her own bedroom. Now that seems like a rather large lapse in security, wouldn't you say?" Porthos gritted his teeth. "An argument could be made." "And you wouldn't know much about security would you Mr. Porthos? I mean, from what I hear, your boys go through less training than the Canterlot Circus..." Porthos leaped onto the table and slammed his hoof down in front of the sleazy earth pony. "You listen here son. I was protecting this palace from grave threats, while you're silly little foal ass was learning how to walk on all fours. So don't you dare insult my security." The pony put up his hooves. "I'm not here to criticize your security. I am only here to collect Princess Luna. Since she's not here, I guess I'll have to go back to the EJD empty hoofed." "Ain't that a pity." Porthos replied, his voice dry. The pony eyed him suspiciously. "You know, it amuses me. This princess goes rogue, tries to kill all of her subjects, gets banished to the moon, and then returns. And the same royal family that banished her there, suddenly becomes so protective. You can't protect her, soldier. She's a menace to Equestria. To the world. To our sun. The citizens know it. They've signed petitions to have her locked away. But you and Celestia, you still insist she's good. And you continue to protect her." Porthos eyed the pony with growing anger. "You don't know her." "Look at you. Don't you see? They think, because they wear a crown on their heads, that they are above the law. That they can do what they please, to hell with their subjects. This cannot stand. Not in my Equestria." "This isn't your Equestria." Porthos hissed, a warning tone in his voice. "No. But Celestia isn't gonna be around forever. And the traitor's got a one way trip back to the moon at this rate..." Porthos stood up and straightened himself out. It was all he could do to keep from clocking the pony in the face. "Well, it's been a good talk. I'll allow Ruby here to show you out." The pony nodded. "I suggest you bring that depraved alicorn in Mr. Porthos. Otherwise I'll have to." He turned and stormed out. Porthos let out a deep breath. "That went well." "Excuse me! I'm here to see the Princess!" A mare's voice called out. "Stand down miss." A guard replied. "Nopony sees the princess." Porthos came around the corner. Twilight Sparkle was wrestling with the guard, trying to get past. "Excuse me. Let her in. That is Celestia's personal student, soldier." The guard stood down. Twilight Sparkle trotted forth. "Hello Porthos." "Miss Twilight Sparkle. Always a pleasure." Porthos replied cheerfully. "What is the nature of your visit?" "I'm here to see Princess Celestia! I read the newspaper and it was saying the most terrible things about Princess Luna, and I knew things were bad, but I didn't know how bad, and I just need to know..." "Calm down Miss Sparkle." Porthos said. "I am afraid to say Princess Celestia is not here." "What? Where is she?" "I cannot tell you." Porthos replied. Twilight replied with an exasperated expression. Porthos sighed. "Okay. She is in the Everfree Forest. She is looking for Luna." "What's going on with Princess Luna?" Twilight asked. "She's had a bit of trouble adjusting. We believe she began seeing visions of Nightmare Moon. Then it...tried to possess her a couple times. We held her in her room, but she escaped. Celestia had tracked her down in the Everfree Forest, but she's loose again." "Oh boy. Things are about to get crazy then." Twilight replied, making small circles in the floor with her hooves. "Why?" "My friends are already in the forest." Luna stopped to take a breather. She was standing just before the ice lake. The spirit had gone again. Luna was definitely troubled by how much she had in common with her evil side. And how bizarre the spirit had been acting in the past hour. She had flown the last mile. But in this cold, her fragile wings seemed incapable of maintaining altitude for long. And so she rested her aching wings and legs, contemplating simply sucking it up and flying across the lake, as opposed to crossing it. Her thoughts were soon to be interrupted. "Jump her!" A rough, crackly voice called out. Before she knew it, five different colors had flooded her vision. She tried to move, but the five ponies had pinned her down. "Hey there Nightmare! Remember us?" Rainbow Dash taunted. Luna frowned. "What is this?" "This is the end of you Nightmare Moon!" Rainbow Dash said proudly, planting her leg on the alicorn's chest in victory. She let out a glorious laugh. "I have defeated you! Bow down to your master!" Rarity looked up at her and frowned. "Oh? JUST you?" Rainbow giggled nervously. "Well nah...you guys did good too..." "I'd say WE did at least ninety percent of the work here." Applejack pointed out. "All you did was flap your gums." Rainbow rolled her eyes. "Well look, girls, if I wasn't here, this group dynamic would fall to pieces. Everypony knows that. I'm like the glu..." She trailed off. "Nevermind." Luna looked from one pony to the next, completely bewildered at the current situation. "Hey now. Don't take it personal." Applejack said as nicely as she could. "This is for your own good. So just come along with us now, your sister's waitin for you..." The alicorn's eyes narrowed. "Dost thou know who thou art dealing with?" Rainbow Dash got up in Luna's face. "Dost...you know who YOU'RE...are...thou...done...dealing with?" Luna knew exactly who she was dealing with. The great, the proud, the arrogant, Rainbow Dash. And she knew just the thing to set her off. "Sadly, your face does not strike me as familiar." Rainbow's face wrinkled up. "What? Sure you do. Remember? Elements of harmony? Best young flier? Rainbow Dash?" "Well, Miss Rainbow Dash. I will give you to the count of five for you and your friends to remove yourselves. Then I will make you. Understood?" Rainbow smirked. Luna could see the arrogance in her eyes. "Try it." Luna didn't even bother counting. She summoned up her strength and sent the ponies flying in all directions. "I am an alicorn. I am far stronger than all five of you combined." Rainbow and Applejack got up, ready for a fight. Rarity powered up her horn. Luna laughed as the five ponies did their best to look intimidating. "Oh...tis...tis adorable." Rarity fired a weak blast. Luna deflected it. Applejack charged forward, spun around and tried to buck. Luna grabbed her leg, and sent her sprawling backwards. Rainbow Dash let out a war cry and charged. Luna closed her eyes and transformed into cloud form. Rainbow Dash went right through her, crashing rather painfully onto the ice. Luna reformed and brushed herself off. "I think I've made myself quite clear." Rainbow got up. "Oh no. We're bringing you in. Even if we have to drag you. For Princess Celestia!!" Luna eyed her with fury. "As your night princess, I command that you leave me alone." "Where's your crown Princess?" Rainbow asked, scorn in her voice. Luna remembered, with a bit of annoyance, that her crown was long gone. Ever since Celestia had relieved her of her princesshood. Damnitt Celestia. Luna turned and got onto the ice. She extended her wings to take off. She felt something crash into her back. She was sent skidding down the slippery ice. Rainbow Dash charged into her, hooves flailing madly. "Alright Nightmare, seriously, I don't want to hurt you. Not seriously anyway. So why don't you just come with me..." Luna deflected her punch, then bucked hard. Rainbow yelped, before sprawling back onto the ice. "Leave me be, rainbow foal. If you continue, I'll have little option other than to seriously injure you..." Maybe Rainbow heard her. If she did, she paid it no mind. She charged at the alicorn again. This time, Luna turned, ready for the attack. She grabbed the pegasus mid flight and pinned her to the ice. She wrapped her hooves around the pegasi's neck and began to squeeze. Rainbow gasped, the constriction on her airway having an immediate effect. The others rushed out onto the ice to help. Luna turned and fired a force field spell in front of them. "No!" Rarity shouted. "Let her go! Please!" Fluttershy shouted. "She'll die!" Nightmare Moon's voice became audible in Luna's ear. "Do it. Finish her. She was arrogant and stupid. Make her pay the price." Luna gritted her teeth, tightening her grip on the pegasus. "I ordered you to leave me alone. You disobeyed. This is your punishment." Rainbow's big eyes were pleading. Luna gritted her teeth tighter. The purple alicorn felt Nightmare taking over. "LET HER GO NIGHTMARE!!" Applejack shouted. Sometimes all you need, is to have it said out loud. Luna stopped shaking. She slowly loosened her grip. "I-I'm sorry. Just...leave me be." She released the rainbow pegasus and turned to leave. "Fool." Nightmare's voice hissed in her ear. "You'll soon pay for letting her live." She was cut off as a cyan blue hoof kicked into Luna's back. She let out a roar, then turned and punched the pegasus hard in the face. "I said leave me be!" She shouted. "Not a chance. You're dangerous. I'm bringing you in, if it kills me." Rainbow declared boldly. The force field disintegrated. The other four ponies ran onto the ice, adding to the fragility of the lake. Luna felt the rage tickling at her again. "Do you not understand me you thickheaded fool? My fight is not with you. Leave me in peace." Rainbow Dash hurled herself at the night princess. The princess closed her eyes and once again became a starry cloud. Rainbow went through her, and got a face full of ice. "You seem to enjoy pain pegasus." Luna said. Rainbow got up and growled. "Oh just you wait..." Before she could finish, the ice cracked. Rainbow looked down in horror. Water splashed up in her face. It was ice cold. Then the ice gave way. Rainbow let out a yelp as the freezing water consumed her." The voice of Nightmare kicked in again. "Fly away. Now. They will be too distracted trying to save their friend. Go!" Luna ignored her. She gritted her teeth and dove headfirst into the hole in the ice. She had always loved the cold. But she now knew there was such a thing as too much. This water was beyond freezing. It burned into her coat, threatening to send her into shock. Luna opened her eyes. She could see the rainbow pegasus desperately flailing. She reached out and grabbed her hoof. The pegasus looked up at her, all that prideful anger gone, replaced with sheer terror. Luna pulled the pegasus into her chest and began rising to the surface. The pegasus did not struggle. It appeared she had finally gained some good sense. Either that, or she was frozen. Luna powered up her horn. She could not find the hole in the ice. She began blasting up at it, trying to make a new one. She continued firing, the pressure on her lungs building. The grip the pegasus had on her grew tighter. She was running out of air as well. Luna continued firing, desperation taking hold. She began punching at the ice with her hoof. Finally, she had made a large enough hole to exit. As she lifted, she realized just how much energy she had lost. Her muscles could not lift her body, or the pegasus out of the hole. The pegasus. Such dead weight. Her own stupidity had gotten them both in this situation. Luna considered dropping her, saving herself. She quickly shook it off. No princess allowed the death of a subject. Even the more obnoxious ones. Celestia would approve. She looked up at the hole and reached out her hoof. Another hoof grabbed hers. Before she knew it, she had been lifted up out into the sunlight. She collapsed onto the ice, coughing up the ice water, and rubbing her chest desperately, in an attempt to get warm. Rainbow Dash sprawled out in front of her. She was shaking. Luna realized that she was shaking as well. Applejack retracted her hoof. "You gave us a bit of a scare there RD." Rainbow Dash looked back at the princess. She spoke no words. Luna was shaking both from the cold, and from the building rage she felt toward this pegasus. "You could have gotten us killed." Rainbow Dash shook herself as she got up. "You didn't need to jump in after me." Luna got up, the cold overcoming her as she tried to shake it away. "Yes, I did." She could feel the water freezing her mane solid. Wonderful. As if her mane didn't look disastrous enough. "Alright. Let's head back." Applejack declared. "Rainbow needs help, fast. How about you Nightm...princess?" Luna shook her head. "I told you, leave me be. I can handle myself. Return home, get her to a hospital." "Now just a second. We're not leaving without you. You're the reason we came out here." Rarity said. Luna looked at the five shivering ponies, one of whom looked near dying. "You can try and stop me. Or you can save your friend. Your choice." She turned, extended her wings, and flew off. She looked back. Nopony followed. Good for them. Rainbow Dash would survive. She could not fly long however. Her shaking was becoming too much. She felt sick, but a kind of sick she had not felt in a long time. Her wings stopped responding. She flapped, but she could not muster the strength to maintain elevation. She crashed into the snow. The rescue of Rainbow Dash. It had drained her. All of her energy expelled in one useless act of heroism. And now, the cold had become too intense. She could feel herself succumbing to it. She could feel all of her muscles tightening up, stiffening in the frigid temperature. Icicles now hung from her coat, where the water had frozen. Her breathing became shallow. "Oh Celestia...I think I may die today." She said, looking up at the sun. "Please forgive me." She tried getting up. She was too tired. "Come Luna." Nightmare said, appearing before her. "Had you left them to save the pegasus, you wouldn't be dealing with this." Luna pounded her hoof into the ground. "I would prefer not to die listening to a lecture." Nightmare shook her head. "You need not die. There is a cave over yonder. We are close to our destination." Luna's eyes widened. "The mountain, where is it?" "Look up." Nightmare replied. Luna looked up, and there it was. The great snow capped mountain. Magnificent, piercing straight through the horizon. It stood less than a mile away. "I can make it..." "No. It will do you no good to free yourself of me, and then drop dead on the mountaintop. You need rest. Or you will surely die." Luna stumbled through the snow. She came across the cave. It's dark interior made her smile. Oh how she loved the darkness. "Go inside. Make yourself comfortable." Luna lay her head down on a rock. It was not comfortable at all. But it would have to do. Nightmare looked over her. "You came so close to death, you had me frightened." "Why dost thou care?" Luna asked. Nightmare turned away. "It may surprise you, but I do care what happens to you. I apologize for my threat earlier." Luna chuckled as she rested her eyes. "You know, having a demonic madpony in my head hasn't been as bad as I originally expected." Nightmare laughed. "I'll take that as a compliment." Luna looked up at the sky. "It is soon to be night." Nightmare looked up as well. "Oh. I am certain Celestia can raise the stars and the moon." Luna shook her head. "No. I must. Every night." Her horn powered up. She waited until the sun fell. Then, summoning up the last of her energy, she willed the moon into place. Nightmare watched proudly as it reflected beautifully off the snow covered mountain. "Oh. I remember our first time. What a wonderful night that was." Luna smiled. "Yes. I remember it as well. As though it were yesterday. One of my happier days." Nightmare hovered next to her. She noticed how distraught Luna looked. "You are soon to be rid of me. Why do you look so unhappy?" Luna rubbed her hooves against her temples. "Tis...Tis Celestia. She won't forgive me, will she?" Nightmare floated around and came to a stop in front of her. "Luna, she loves us. We are her baby sister." "Tis true. She loved me. Long ago. When I was young. Incorruptible. Before I decided to make mountains out of molehills..." "She neglected us Luna. It was not our fault..." "Be that as it may, she can't possibly love us anymore." Luna replied, still trying desperately to warm herself. "We revealed our true colors." Nightmare took a deep breath and looked around the cavern. "I wish to show you something." Luna frowned. "What?" "Come here." Nightmare Moon commanded. Luna edged nervously towards her. Nightmare put her hoof up against her head. Luna's initial reaction was to recoil. Nightmare shot her a stern glare. Luna shuddered, then complied with her request. The night demon closed her eyes. Luna stared back at her. She felt nothing where the hoof was touching her coat. "Hold on." Nightmare said. Suddenly an image was flashed across Luna's mind. She closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she was in a different world. The moon. So cold. So desolate. So breathtakingly boring. Nightmare Moon sat there, fiddling with moon rocks, babbling to herself. "The key is the sun. The controller of the sun controls the moon. The controller of the sun and the moon controls the earth. Controls the world. Controls the subjects. Ignorance must be punished. Celestia must..." The demon trailed off. Tears formed in her eyes. "Celestia." She lowered her head. "Celestia, one day, you will have to forgive me. You would not leave me here. Not your dear sister. Not forever." Hours seemed to pass. She sat there, babbling to herself. Suddenly, a flashing light before her shattered through the monotony. She glared up at it, powering up her horn. And there she was. Nightmare had almost forgotten her appearance after all these years. But she could recognize that face anywhere. She prepared to fire a deadly volley from her horn. Before she could, metal rose up from the moon's surface. Nightmare cried out as her hooves were shackled together, her horn covered in a metal cone. She glared up at her sister with those thin, devious eyes. "Tis not enough to imprison me upon the moon? You must bind me as well?" Nightmare immediately felt the warmth flow over her as her sister approached. Her expression was stern, but not angry. "Hello again Luna." Nightmare shook her head. "Do not call me that insulting name! I am no longer your sister." Celestia sat down rather uncomfortably upon the moon's bumpy surface. "Tis your birthday." Celestia said. "I did not know the dead could have a birthday. Tell me Celestia, did anypony of good status attend my funeral?" Celestia looked into her cold eyes. "Tis pointless to hold a funeral for the living." Nightmare snorted, then chuckled. She looked around at the her lunar residence. "You call this living?" Celestia closed her eyes. "You must understand Luna, this had to be done..." "Has it kept you awake at night, eh Tia? Knowing that you banished your own flesh and blood to a fate worse than death..." Celestia looked away. She reached into her saddlebag. "I brought you a gift." "Is that why you came here? Were you hoping, after all these centuries, that I had forgotten who sent me here in the first place?" Celestia sighed. She pulled out a bracelet. A very old, worn out bracelet with a tiny golden sun. Nightmare Moon looked down at it and wrinkled her nose. "Why have you brought me this?" Celestia tossed it at her hooves. "I still haven't forgotten the day you made this for me, Luna. I still haven't forgotten the pony underneath all that hatred and armor." Nightmare looked down at it, and her features softened. She looked back up at Celestia. "I made this...for you..." "I want you to have it." Celestia said. "You need it more than I." Nightmare Moon lowered her head. Celestia moved forward and nuzzled her gently. Nightmare's wall of defense was falling. The little bit of Luna still inside her was screaming, yelling at Nightmare to beg. To beg Celestia for forgiveness, to find some way to talk her way out of spending another moment on this hellish rock. Celestia shed a tear. "How long has it been, sister?" Nightmare Moon asked. Celestia closed her eyes. "It has been over five hundred years since we last saw one another." Nightmare glared at her. "You came here, hoping I'd changed. Hoping to find your pathetic little puppet sister. Sadly, she is long gone." Celestia gave the night demon a kiss on the head. "I love you, Woona." "You think you've beaten me. I will return. I swear it." Celestia got up and trotted away. She opened up the portal with her horn. "And I will be waiting. With open arms, dear sister." She turned and made a gesture with her horn. The chains disintegrated, freeing Nightmare from her shackles. She got up and charged towards the portal. She pumped her black wings and hurled herself at it. It closed just before her hoof could touch it. She was sent crashing back to the dust. She looked down at the earth. "YOU CANNOT IGNORE ME FOREVER CELESTIA!!! ONE DAY, I WILL FINISH WHAT I STARTED!!! AND YOU WON'T IGNORE ME THIS TIME!! I WILL HAVE VENGEANCE!!" She looked down at the bracelet, lying there in the dust. She began shaking. She lowered herself down to it and began cradling it in her hooves. The moon disappeared. Luna was back in the cave. Nightmare removed her hoof. "Forgive me. I did not wish to...intrude upon your mind again." Luna shook her head. "No...No thank you. It..." She faded away as she laid herself back down on the rocks. "If she loved me then, I assure you, she loves you now." Nightmare said. "Now I must depart. Sleep well Luna. Tomorrow, we will part ways." Luna rolled over on her uncomfortable makeshift bed. Were she not exhausted, she probably would've cared that the bed was a couple of rocks thrown together. She also might have cared that the rocks were likely to do a number on her back. But instead, she was quickly asleep.