//------------------------------//
// Prompt #431-A Different Kind of Nightmare 
// Story: Ponywatching 
// by ThunderTempest 
//------------------------------//

Twilight Sparkle dived into the whirl of magic that Nightmare Moon used to teleport the Elements. Shaking her head once back on firm ground, and no longer surrounded by the dark blue magic, she got back up onto her feet.

“Oh my gosh,” said Twilight, “You really are Nightmare Moon. At first, I thought it might have just been Princess Celestia in drag again. She dresses up as you sometimes, you know. Therapy or something. But the actual Nightmare Moon! You terrified an entire generation into not sleeping!”

“What are you babbling about, foal?” said Nightmare Moon, “Could it be that you agree with me? That the Night should Last Forever?”

“Oh, no. Of course not. I’m just a really big fan of yours. But I’m going to need the Elements now,” said Twilight, and began casually walking towards Nightmare Moon, “I may not be able to scare as many ponies as you, but even you have fears. And there’s a new spell that I’m dying to try out.”

******

When Applejack and Twilight’s other friends arrived, they found Twilight calmly sitting on a fallen pillar, the Elements at her hooves, and Nightmare Moon scrabbling at the far end of the room, in a desperate attempt to get as far away from Twilight as possible.

“Oh, girls, I’m so happy to see you!” said Twilight, throwing her hooves around Applejack, as a glimmer lit up her eyes. The Elements shattered, and reformed into necklaces around Twilight’s five friends, and the crown lowered onto her own head, resting nicely above her horn.

“Let’s purge Nightmare Moon.” And with that statement, the elements powered up, and shot their rainbow out towards Nightmare Moon, surrounding her with a whirl of colour and light. Nopony but her ever heard the sibilant whisper in her ear in Twilight Sparkle’s voice.

“I’m watching you.”

***TIME***

After Princess Celestia arrived, and went to comfort her newly reformed sister, amidst the constant repetitions of ‘I’m sorry’, the elder princess caught one sentence that was very much out of place.

‘Keep her away from me.’ At first listen, it could be referring to the spirit of the Nightmare, but Celestia had her own suspicions about who the ‘her’ was. There had been two nightmares in the castle that night. Only one could be cured.