//------------------------------//
// Luna's Advance 
// Story: Conclave of the Clairetti 
// by Talidin1337 
//------------------------------//

Chapter 3: Luna's Advance

It took an entire day, but Luna finally made it to the Everfree Forest. With a thud to the ground, Princess Luna landed at the border between the Lunar Republic and that great and mysterious forest. From here on, they will travel by foot, until they reached the other side.
The sun was setting, it literally taking from sun up to sun down for them to get as far as they did, but they weren’t done yet. For half of the Night, or about eight hours, they will travel from one end of the forest to the other, keeping up as much stealth as possible in order to maintain their element of surprise.
“Well, we’re here Nightmare, this is the Everfree Forest”, Luna said.
“Fantastic, let us continue, the day is nearing an end.” Out on the horizon, the Moon slowly crept up the sky. It was barely visible, considering that the sun was still in the sky. But in no time at all, the Moon will take its place in the sky, where it shall remain forever, and yield no more to the Sun.
Luna was filled with duty, courage, and will, to where she ran into the Everfree Forest unafraid, and un-waning. Luna passed by trees, stepped over tall grasses, and slowly grew in speed the more the Moon arose in the sky. In not very much time, when the Moon finally began to show of its luminance, Luna was running/gliding with the speed that she flew with. If she had been flying right now, she would rival Rainbow Dash in shire speed.
Only a few hours later, Luna had traversed the extent of the entire Everfree Forest, and only stopped briefly when they had made it to the boarder. From a distance, she could watch, and wait for the right moment to strike.
“Nightmare, it’s time you take over.”
“Of coarse Luna, leave this night to me, all will be well when Celestia is defeated, and the sun doesn’t rise.” Then, with a flick of a second, and a flash of light, Luna turned into Nightmare Moon. The taller, all black mare now stood proud, her fangs showing in a grin. “All in due time Celestia, all in due time” She said, waiting for the final cycle of night and day to end, and begin an era of eternal night.
A feeling had brought them to the outskirts of Ponyville, Luna had been following the influence that her sister had left. Celestia was here in this small town, and they will be ready when the time was ripe.

After some time later, the sun was peak to rise, the night almost ending. Nightmare took one quick look at the moon; it was stronger than any other night it had ever been. Now looking at the sky, four stars started to move towards the moon; one from the East, one from the South, another from the West, and one from the North. They were moving slowly, but it was the final countdown till eternal night. And, it was her signal.
Nightmare Moon turned into the ghostly mist she is well known to be, and darted right into Ponyville. She moved quickly, trying to find Celestia.
She zoomed past one building, than another, and another, following the feeling of Celestia’s presence until she found the city hall. Celestia, she felt, was in that tower. Nightmare Moon then flew up to the roof, and very slightly peeked through the window. Celestia was there, waiting, she was about to get ready to open the door and walk out through a curtain, but Nightmare waited for the stars to reach the moon. Nightmare starred at the Moon, the stars creeping ever so slowly towards the big, round, glowing piece of heaven floating above her head. Then, finally, the stars reached the moon, and the Mare in the Moon disappeared. Immediately, Nightmare was filled with such incredible power, that her heart almost exploded from the overwhelming feeling. But it didn't stop there; Nightmare's body kept getting filled with heavenly power, so much that it threatened to tear her skin apart. Her mouth crept into a smile that had never been seen on her's or Luna's face, her eyes starting to glow brightly into the sky. When the power was finished transferring to her from the moon, Nightmare's body glowed with a bright light briefly, and then it seeped back into her body. She felt dense, but weightless. Power surged through her like a mighty lightning storm, but didn't destroy her body. She vibrated slightly, but only because her body was trying to get used to this power. 'Is this what Celestia feels?' she thought to herself, 'no, because we are now stronger than Celestia!', she continued to think in her head.
Then with no time wasted at all, her eyes simply curved into the direction of the window while a very large grin crept onto her face. Within the amount of time it takes to blink, she bolted into the building. Celestia was unaware of what had hit her; her mind was simply to slow, and couldn't register at all what had happened. She was knocked to the floor, knocked out briefly from the impact of Nightmare crashing into her skull.
"For Shaddow Sun!" Nightmare said in a whisper, then crouched her head towards the direction of the solar princess with anger, and lit her horn. The spell she casted put Celestia into some kind of a vegetable state, where she was alive, but consciously was not there. An eternal sleep. She then casted a second spell, one to lock her away into another realm where she will never be seen again. Victorious, Nightmare laughed with glory. "I have done it!".
Looking around very briefly, she noticed that there was a celebration going on, and Celestia was supposed to make an appearance. "Well, might as well make an entrance" Nightmare stated.
All could feel it, a feeling of "discomfort", but it was actually the unfamiliar comfort that bothered them. The ponies of the Solar Kingdom had never felt this feeling, and they feared it. Nightmare assumed they would get used to it, and accept this freedom she had given them.

The ponies where free; free to once again commune with their sub-conscious mind. The sun was defeated, and the night had rightfully taken its place. Peace will reign forever… or shall it?


***

(Before Celestia's defeat, when the moon still had the form of a mare on its face, the Summer Sun Celebration about to start)

Celestia paced and waited, in five minutes she would walk out of the curtain to an army of screaming ponies. She was well loved in the Solar Kingdom.
Yes, Celestia had gotten Twilight's warning about the prophecy, but that prophecy was made a small tribe who, back then, foolishly worshiped Queen Galaxia. There was no Galaxia! Because if there was, Celestia wouldn't feel all the pain she feels. She was supposed to be Galaxia's favorite, but in a time of most need, she was abandoned. Celestia on that day decided that one cannot rely on another being. If she was to be the guardian of this world, and protect it, she would do it her own way.
Thus was the commenced the pre-war between Luna and Celestia, where arguments were the form of weapon. Celestia tried to convince Luna that Galaxia doesn't exist, and that they needed to create their own haven for ponies. Luna disagreed with the plan Celestia presented, for it would entail that they brainwash the lives of their precious ponies. "To protect them! Do you want them to get hurt?!" Celestia petitioned, 
"Of corse not sister! But we can't do that! It would be an act of evil!"
"No, it would free them from strife, from pain, and you consider that to be evil!"
"Yes! What would Mother say?"
"Mother? We don't have a mother!"
"Galaxia, you don't remember Galaxia?!"
And thus would be their arguments for many days, until Luna had to separate herself from Celestia and create a haven of truth. A war began between them over territory, and it ended with the Everfree Forest. Luna had enchanted it to be free of both influences, a force of its own, a liberated landscape, and Celestia feared what she might find there, what Luna was hiding. Many years later, Luna allowed Celestia to have the Everfree Forest, as a peace offering, but it continued to fight any form of influence, and was immune to the Day.
Celestia, in short, abandoned Galaxia, and rebelled against her already set plan. Celestia decided to make her own salvation, and disregard all that she had learned that 'came' from Galaxia. She made the Day, an enchantment to separate the conscious mind from the sub-conscious mind, and make logic the master of her world. Thus was born a very unaware, but safe world. The ponies still felt emotions, but they were created by their conscious mind. Celestia herself became victim to her own enchantment, a side effect she was willing to take. But she had gone the extra mile, and took the effort to actually destroy her sub-conscious mind, thus the death of Shaddow Sun that Nightmare mentions every once in a while. 
Celstia disregarded Twilight's notion when it was presented, believing so solely that she had one that fateful day and banished Luna to the moon forever by using the Elements of Harmony. Luna, in their final battle, had somehow freed her sub-conscious mind, and used it as a weapon. But no matter, Luna was gone, and she could go on towards taking over the rest of the planet in her Day, if it wasn't for that Forest.

The Elements can be used by anyone who is in harmony within themselves. Celestia, after banishing Luna, could not use the elements ever again, forever disconnected from their power. She then banished them to the Everfree forest where she would never have to look at them again.

It was almost time, the curtain will open, and the ceremony will begin. Only a few seconds left… when Nightmare came rushing through the window and attacked Celestia. As like before, Celestia knew nothing of her assault, she was hit too fast.


***

(Again, back before Celestia was attacked, the sun about to raise)

Twilight made it to the City Hall along with all the other ponies, the sun was about to be raised.
"Isn't this exciting? Are you excited, 'cause I'm excited, I've never been so excited-- well, except for that time that I saw you walking into town and I went [deep gasp] but I mean really, who can top that?" Pinkie Pie said enthusiastically. The birds started singing with Flutter Shy as their chorister in a big harmony of sounds to welcome Mayor Mare into the room. The spot light trailed all the way down to the ground floor where the Mayor stood,
"Fillies and Gentlecolts" She opened, "as Mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!" All the ponies in the building started cheering. "In just a few moments, our town will witness the magic of the sunrise, and celebrate this, the longest day of the year!" As the Mayor continued in her introduction, Twilight glanced up at the Moon. She saw four stars touch the moon and then the Mare on the Moon disappeared! A sickening feeling entered her as she waited for what may come next. "And now, it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land, the very pony who gives us the sun and the moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria, Princess Celestia!" The birds started singing and Rarity pulled the curtain open, but Celestia wasn't there!
Everypony looked confused, what was happening? "Stay calm every pony, there must be a reasonable explanation" the Mayor stated,
"Ooh! I love guessing games! Is she hiding?" Pinkie Pie said as she started to bend her head in different directions, supposedly looking for Celestia.
Rarity came back out from behind the curtain with bad news, "She's gone" she said with some surprise. The other ponies gasped.
"Ooh, she's good" Pinkie said, then screamed at the sight of a mysterious fog begin to form. All the other ponies looked at it in fear as well.
"Oh no" Twilight whispered, and then the fog formed into the one pony capable of defeating Celestia, "Nightmare Moon" Twilight still said, terrified that the prophecy was true, but was sad that the Princess had not listened to her. All the other ponies starred in fear.
"Oh my beloved subjects, it's been so long since I've seen your precious, little, sun loving, faces" She said with emphasis, her hatred for Celestia hadn't died out yet, and she unwillingly was sounding cruel to the ponies she had liberated.
"What did you do with our Princess!" Rainbow said when she started to fly away, but Apple Jack stopped her mid flight by biting onto her tail. Nightmare only laughed,
"Why? am I not royal enough for you? Don't you know who I am?" Nightmare said,
"Ooh Ooh! More guessing games! Um, Hokey Smokes! How about… Queen Meanie! No! Black Snooty, Black Snooty!" Pinkie began to say, but was cut off by Apple Jack shoving an apple into her mouth. 
"Does my crown no longer count now that I've been imprisoned for a thousand years? Did you not recall the legend? Did you not see the signs?" Nightmare continued to speak, but was cut off by Twilight with a fearless
"I did, and I know who you are. You're the Mare in the Moon, Nightmare Moon". All the ponies gasped some more.
"Well well well, somepony who remembers me. Then you also know why I am here." Nightmare said hopefully.
"You're here to…" Twilight shied down. Nightmare began to laugh some more, somepony who actually believed that this day would come.
"Remember this day little ponies, for it was your last" Nightmare said, trying to give good news, "From this moment forth, the Night, will last, forever! HAHAHAHAHA!" Nightmare laughed, happiness was filling her to the rim, and she thought the other ponies would be excited as well, but they seemed to be so frightened. Regardless, Nightmare's mane and tail began to swirl with power, shooting bolts of lightning from the center. Nightmare truly was powerful.
"Seise her! Only she knows where the Princess is!" Mayor Mare ordered, and the Royal Guard took action. Nightmare was a little surprised at the notion,
"Stand back ye fools!" She said. She couldn't believe that these ponies actually thought that she was their enemy. With little effort (she didn't even have to light her horn), she sent bolts of thunder into the soldier's path. It knocked them back with a force they had never felt before, this being the first time they had to face against a real foe. Nightmare then realized what really was going on, the ponies loathed her, and they wouldn't stand for her to be their leader. 'Damn Celestia, what have you done to these ponies?'. She turned back into a mist and bolted out the door.
"Come back here!" Rainbow said, flying after but shopped because she realized that Nightmare was faster than her. "Night time, forever?" Rainbow said, not sure about her feelings on the thought. The Night was trying to free her mind, and it made her calm, but the Day was still strong within her, so she didn't like the night. She then noticed Twilight her out of the building full sprint, "Where's she going".
Twilight rushed into the Library and quickly put Spike to bed, she was about to do something no pony should ever try. Twilight started rushing through as minay books in the library as she could, looking for something, anything on the Elements of Harmony. "Elements, elements, elements! Ugh! How can I stop Nightmare Moon without the Elements of Harmony?"
Rainbow had somehow snuck into the library and was now confronting Twilight, " And just what are the Elements of Harmony? And how do you know about Nightmare Moon, huh? Are you a spy?" Apple Jack dragged Rainbow Dash to the floor.
"Simmer down, Sally. She ain't no spy. But she sure knows what's going on." The other ponies Twilight met that day were all approaching slowly, "Don't you, Twilight?" Apple Jack said,
"I read all about the prediction on Nightmare Moon. Some mysterious objects called the Elements of Harmony are the only thing that can stop her. but I don't know what they are, where to find them; I don't even know what they do!"
"The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide" Pinkie read off a title of a book on the shelf. Twilight bumped her right out of the way,
"How did you find that?"
"It was under 'E'!" Pinkie said, bouncing around happily.
"Oh." Twilight said, they flipped the book open. "There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It said, the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient castle of the royal pony sisters. It is located in what is now the Everfree Forest".
"The Everfree Forest!" The other ponies said in fear. Little did they know that Nightmare Moon was outside their window, listening in at their conversation. Nightmare rushed off into the Forest to find the Elements. If she could get them first, then the night truly would last forever. The Elements where the only thing that, even after her great advancement in power, could defeat her.
The six ponies made it to the entrance of the forest, but where almost to afraid to go in, well, except Pinkie Pie.
"Whee! Let's go!" The pink mare said,
"Not so fast" Twilight intervened, "Look, I appreciate the offer, but I'd really rather so this on my own."
"No can do, sugarcube. We sure ain't let tin' any friend of ours go into that creepy place alone. We're stickin' to you like caramel on a candy apple." All the other ponies agreed with a nod and continued on trotting into the Forest.
"Especially if there's candy apples in there. What? Those things are good." Pinkie said, a little behind the group, but continued on anyway. Twilight looked at them with amazement. First off, they thought she was their friend, and second, they would actually risk their lives for her. Twilight began to like them a little more then she had. Over head, the stars stated to twinkle with delight, Galaxia was pleased with Nightmare's actions.
"So have any of you been in here before?" Twilight asked as they walked through the forest.
"Oh heavens no. Just look at it, it's dreadful" Rarity replied,
"And it ain't natural. Folk say it don't work the same as Equestria." (Little did they know that the Forest was the most natural thing they had ever seen in their entire lives).
"What's that supposed to mean?" Twilight asked,
"Nopony knows" Rainbow started to say with a creepy voice, "You know why?"
"Rainbow, quit it." Apple Jack said unamused. Nightmare was just passing by when she saw the six colorful ponies on their quest to stop her, so she took a quick turn to stop them. She could have destroyed them, her magic was beyond powerful enough, but they were her subjects, they were ponies she was trying to free, why then would she permanently harm them like that? She had to stop them anyhow. So, Nightmare phased into the cliff side and prepared to bring it down.
"'cause every pony who's ever come in" she said, creeping around near the floor, "has never, come, out!", right as Rainbow said that, Nightmare destroyed the cliff side and sent four of the six ponies down to the ground, the other two simply flew because they where pegasi.
As the ponies went down, they screamed in fear. "Flutter Shy! Quick! Rainbow said as they both rushed down to save the other ponies.
Rainbow dash picked up Pinkie Pie, Flutter Shy got ahold of Rarity's tail, and Apple Jack bit onto a root, but Twilight was still falling down to the cliff's edge. Twilight was just barely hanging on, half of her body hanging over the edge, when Apple Jack slid down to help her. "Hold on! I'ma comin'" she said as she went down to help Twilight.
"She grabbed onto the lavender mare's hooves and tried to pull her up, but she wasn't strong enough. After a while, Apple Jack told Twilight to let go.
"Are you crazy!" Twilight said,
"No I ain't, I promise you'll be safe."
"That's not true!" Twilight said.
"Now listen here. What I'm sayin' to you is the honest truth. Let go, and you'll be safe." The Night pried into Twilight's heart, and allowed her to know that everything was going to be alright. Twilight's sub-conscious mind was starting to awaken, as where with the other ponies.
Twilight did let go, but screamed the whole way down to the bottom. She luckily was caught by Rainbow and Flutter Shy, and was gently brought to the ground. Trust was built between them. Flutter Shy though started wobbling a bit,
"Sorry girls. i'm not used to holding anything more than a bunny or two" She said, but succeeded in bringing Twilight back to the ground.
Nightmare saw the outcome, and rushed to solve it with something else. She decided to anger a Manticore, and let it loose on the ponies. If she knew anything about day dwellers, they would just run away, and not actually get hurt.
"And once Pinkie Pie and Rarity were saved, whoosh... me and Flutter Shy loopdee looped around and WHAM! Caught you in the nick of time" Rainbow Dash stated.
"Yes, Rainbow, I was there, and I'm very grateful, but we gotta…" She was caught off by the sight of the Manticore. It roared in their direction. "We gotta get passed him" Twilight said,
The Manticore then jumped into the air and attempted to smack the daylight out of rarity, when she ducked under it's fist and flipped around to buck him square in the face.
"Take that you ruffian!" Rarity said victoriously, but the Manticore only got even more angry and roared directly in her face. It ruined Rarity's hair style, and that alone sent her off running. Flutter Shy tried to tell them to wait, but she was too quiet.
The Manticore chased after Rarity, but Apple Jack hoped onto it's back. "Yee Haw, get along little dogie" Apple Jack said, riding the back of the manticore as if it were a bull. Fluttershy once again told them to wait, but she was still to quiet to be heard. The manticore succeeded in throwing Apple Jack of it's back though.
Rainbow dash then whooshed in and started flying laps around the manticore. Flutter Shy told them to wait again, except she was a little louder, just not loud enough to be heard still. The manticore timed it just right to knock Rainbow away with it's scorpion tail.
They all then started to charge at the manticore, when Flutter Shy jumped into their way and screamed, "Wait!", and they all stopped. Flutter Shy then approached the manticore. It was about to attack her, but she calmed it down by showing that she was gentle. The manticore melted into her hooves, and showed her a stick that was stuck in it's paw. Flutter Shy then very kindly yanked it out, and the manticore picked her up and started yelling at her.
"Fluttershy!" The othe five ponies said, but soon discovered it was ok because the manticore was actually licking Fluttershy's face.
"Hehehe, Aw you're just a little ol' baby kitty, aren't you? Yes you are, yes you are." She said nicely. All the other ponies felt a little safer as well, and continued to walk passed the manticore.
"How did you know about the thorn?" Twilight asked,
"I didn't. Sometimes we all just need to be shown a little kindness". Twilight melted from the statement, and continued to walk with a good feeling in her heart. She was starting to really like these ponies.
Nightmare Moon saw the whole thing, she being the stick in the manticore's paw. She was both happy and distraught at what had happened. First of all, the ponies proved that the Night was starting to influence them, because they actually stood up to the manticore instead of run away from it. As great as it was to see them break off from the influences of the Day, they continued on their quest to defeat her, and she couldn't allow it!

Later, somewhere deeper into the forest.
"My eyes need a rest from all this icky muck." Soon after Rarity said that, they walked into a dense expanse of trees that blocked out the moonlight, "Well, I didn't mean that literally".
"The ancient ruin could be right in front of our faces and we wouldn't even know it." Twilight stated,
The ponies started bumping into each other as they walked through the darkness. Nightmare took the advantage of the dark space in order to control the trees. Maybe if they wouldn't run from danger, they would run from spooky things. So, Nightmare entered into the trees, and tried to make them look as scary as possible.
The first to notice was Fluttershy, who screamed at the sight of the tree. As the others realized what was going on, they too also screamed. But then, Pinkie Pie came along, and was simply laughing at it.
"Pinkie, what are you doing, run!" Twilight said,
"Oh girls, don't you see?", Pinkie started to sing a song, dance around, and the more she did it, the more the ponies felt relaxed. Eventually they all were laughing at the "Ghosties" and were walking right through the forest as if the spooky trees weren't there.
Nightmare continued to be impressed, but she started to panic as to what she was going to do about these ponies. Looking ahead for ideas, she found a raging river that the ponies wouldn't be able to cross anyway. 'HA'. Nightmare then went about heading to her old home, the Elements must be destroyed.

Nightmare made it to the castle, finally, but then she heard one of the ponies behind speak loud enough that she could here,
"There it is, the ancient ruins, we made it girls!" Twilight Sparkle said, her tone muffled out in the distance. Nightmare's spine tingled with the realization that the ponies had somehow crossed the river, and made it all the way to the castle. The bridge was broken, yes, but there where two pegasi that could just fly down and fix the bridge, so she had to think of something. Then finally, and idea entered her head. Judging form the cyan pegasus's personality, she was probably a Jock that dreamed about being in a professional sport. Since her cutie mark was a lightning bolt, she assumed that the blueish pegasus liked to fly, and fly fast. Maybe, just maybe, she could convince her to abandon her friends, for the sake of fame. Nightmare waited on the other side of the canyon to see what happens
Like she predicted, the rainbow maned pegasus flew down and grabbed the other end of the bridge. She then flew up to the other side where she was waiting for him.
"Rainbow" Nightmare said in a mysterious tone.
"Huh, who's there?" Rainbow Dash said,
"Rainbow" Nightmare continues to say. Rainbow Dash stopd up in a fighting pose,
"I ain't scared of you, show yourself!" She said,
"We've been eagerly awaiting the best flyer in all of Equestria" Nightmare said. Rainbow looked confused,
"Who?" 
"Why you, of coarse"
"Really?! I mean, yeah, me. Hey, you wouldn't mind telling the Wonderbolts that would ya? 'Cus, I've been trying to get into that group like, forever." As Nightmare predicted, Rainbow was dreaming of becoming a first class flyer, and she knew exactly how to react to that. Nightmare then transformed into a group of three Shaddowbolts, in order to act as if she was a rival team against the Wonderbolts.
"No Rainbow Dash, we want you to join us" Nightmare said, then ran out from behind the fog to present herself, or selves, "The Shaddowbolts. We are the greatest Airial Team in the Everfree Forest, and soon we will be the greatest in all Equestria. But first, we need a captain." Rainbow luckily perked up from the supposed invitation, like she predicted, "The most magnificent"
"Yep"
"The swiftest"
"Yes"
"Bravest flyer in all the land"
"Yes, it's all true" Rainbow was visually really happy. Good.
"We need, you" she whispered in her ear.
"WOHOO, sign me up!" Rainbow said happily and hopped into the air. This pleased Nightmare. "Just let me tie this bridge first, then we have a deal. PANICK TIME.
"No! It's them or us." Nightmare said desperately, hoping that all she had said worked.
"Rainbow! What's taking so long?!" Twilight yelled from across the cliff. Twilight then saw the Shaddowbolts from across the way, and Nightmare moved the fog back into place to conceal them. "Rainbow, don't listen to them" Her voice was muffled so they couldn't hear.
"Well?" Nightmare pushed. Rainbow Dash looked very conflicted,
"You" she said. Nightmare believed she had one, at least against the first pegasus. "Thank you, for the offer I mean" Rainbow corrected. Nightmare's heart sunk. These ponies must not get the Elements! "I'm afraid that I'll have to say no" Rainbow finished as she tied the bridge, and flew back across the way.
'What to do! What to do!' Nightmare thought. She couldn't destroy the bridge, because the ponies would be on it by that time. She couldn't push them back herself, because that would cause physical pain to them, and she refused to even think about doing that. There was only one option, quickly get to the Elements first, and destroy them. She entered the castle shortly enough, but flew right passed the actual elements, thinking that it was just decor for the main entrance.
But in the other room, she could hear them cheering, and moving what sounded like heavy blocks. Had they found them already?! Or did they know where they were before hand?! Nomatter, she had to get to the elements, and do it fast.
"Come on y'all, she needs to concentrate" Apply Jack said, herding the other ponies out the door while Twilight attempted to cast the spell she was thinking of. The Elements lay in front of her in a circle.
Nightmare moved in quickly, and creating a light tornado out of her power, she picked up the Elements, they now being in her possession, not the pony's. Twilight was slow to realize what was going on until she finally looked up.
"Ah!" She screamed as the wind sped up.
"Twilight!" The other ponies screamed with concern from outside.
Right when the other ponies finally made it inside, Nightmare Moon vanished with the elements. Twilight had jumped up at Nightmare when it happened, and they transported to a far off tower within the castle. Nightmare had the Elements floating around her.
"Hahaha" Nightmare laughed, more bolts of lightning shocked around her. Twilight gasped, but bent down to prepare for a charge at Nightmare. "You're kidding. You're kidding right." 'Enough of this, you will not get the Elements!' she thought, then charged at Twilight to parry whatever it was Twilight was thinking about doing. The lavender unicorn lit her horn was she ran after Nightmare. When they were about to crash into each other, Twilight teleported from where she was, to back over next to the Elements. Twilight then quickly tried to light a spark with her horn. Nightmare, with a speed she had never traveled with before, darted towards the Elements. Twilight had just made an electric current that not only pushed her back, but succeeded in bouncing from one Element to another. Nightmare stood in it's presence with fear. "No! No!" she said in a panic, but then the Elements stopped powering up, and went as limp as they had been only moments ago.
"But, where's the sixth element!" Twilight said, her turn to painc.
"Hahehe, Aha ha, Hahahahaha!" Nightmare laughed. 'This is your chance, destroy them now!' she told herself, then stood up high, and brought her hooves down with a force that broke all of the Elements into shards. Pleased that she was now safe, Nightmare basked in her victory. "You little foal! Thinking you could defeat me!" Twilight backed down with defeat, "Now you will never see your princess, or your precious sun. The Night, will last, forever! HAHAHAHA!" Nightmare said, in order to repeat herself from before, still thinking that it was good news to the ears of a Day dweller.

Twilight started to hear her friends walk up from the stairs, and then a spark lit into her eyes, and she realized that she had not yet lost. "You think you can destroy the Elements of Harmony just like that? Well, you're wrong, because the spirits of the Elements of Harmony are right here." Twilight said as the other ponies stepped to her side.
"What?" Nightmare said with disbelief as the Elements started to float up off the ground by themselves, still in broken shards. Nightmare began to fear exceedingly.
"Applejack, who reassured me when I was in doubt, represents the spirit of… Honesty!" Twilight said, and then the shards of the Element of Honesty flew is and floated around Applejack. "Fluttershy, who tamed the manticore with her compassion, represents the spirit of… Kindness!" Twilight continued to do this with each of the other elements, revealing next Laughter, then Generosity, then Loyalty, until they all had elements floating around them. Nightmare was slightly hopeful, because they didn't have yet the sixth element. "The spirits of these five ponies got us through ever thing you threw at us."
"You still didn't have the sixth element! The spark didn't work!" Nightmare stated, still afraid of what might happen.
"But it did, a different kind of spark" Twilight said, then turned to see her new friends. "I realized it the very moment on how happy I was to hear you. To see you. How much I cared about you. The spark ignited inside me, when I realized that you all, are my friends!" Twilight said as she turned back to face Nightmare Moon, but then the sixth element, the Element of Magic, magically appeared above twilight, and floated down to her. A bright light emanated from their direction, enough that Nightmare had to shield her eyes. "You see, Nightmare Moon, when those Elements are ignited by the… the spark, that resides in the heart of us all, it created the sixth element: The Element of Magic!" Nightmare Moon ultimately was in terror, but she couldn't help but feel slightly sympathetic that those ponies had discovered one of the strongest magics of all, the Magic of Friendship. Because of that connection, it won't matter what the Day may try to do to them, they will be completely unaffected, and able to live their lives freely with their sub-conscious minds. If all else failed today, these six ponies alone would be free from the curses of the Day. But again, Nightmare was ultimately terrified.
The Elements then formed into the shapes of each pony's cutie mark, and attached itself onto their necks. Twilight's though, formed itself into a crown, and placed itself on her head. As this was happening, the Elements charged up with power, then shot a rainbow of color into the air, then back down towards Nightmare Moon. It hit it's target.
"Nooooo! NOOOO!" Nightmare screamed. She felt herself be torn apart, the pain of it too powerful to bear. Something was being pulled out of her body, and it was… it was… Luna! Luna was being pulled out from her body! When Luna was fully out of Nightmare, now standing with as much pain as Nightmare. Then with a force to rival any blast of a canon, Luna was shot into the room, while Nightmare was shot in the opposite direction out through the window, and somewhere into the Everfree Forest. The power she had received from the Mare in the Moon was separated evenly between her and Luna, and now both only had a half of the power given to them. Nightmare, now without a conscious mind to help filter her emotions, felt a hatred that has never, nor ever will be, surpassed by any hatred felt from the past, and the future. Nightmare became epitome of no-self-control.
Luna, nearly unconscious, remained on the floor. Because their power had been separated in half, they didn't have the strength to keep running the spells Nightmare put on Celestia, and thus, the Princess of the Sun was free. Celestia now knew what it was that attacked her, and she also knew how she had escaped.

"Ugh, my head" Rainbow Dash said, the cyan pegasus's mind was now being invaded by the Day, but the Element of Loyalty kept her protected.
"Everypony okay?" Applejack asked.
"Oh Thank Goodness." Rarity said, talking about her tail. She had cut it off earlier, and it was now grown back.
"Why Rarity, it's so lovely." Fluttershy said, talking about Rarity's necklace.
"I know! I'll never part with it again." Rarity said, still talking about her tail.
"No, Your necklace. It looks just like your cutiemark."
"What? ooh. So does yours." Rarity pointed back,
"Look at mine! Look at mine!" Pinkie said enthusiastically.
"Aw yeah" Rainbow said, now looking at her necklace.
"Gee, Twilight! I thought you were just spoutin' a lot of hooey, but I reckon we really do represent the Elements of Friendship." Applejack told Twilight.
"Indeed you do" Celestia interrupted, everypony gasped at the sight of their Princess, then bowed before her. Celestia also raised the sun, once again defying the plan Galaxia had previously set forth. "Twilight Sparkle, my faithful student. I knew you could do it.
"But… you told me it was all an old pony tale." Twilight stated
"I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more. I saw the signs of Nightmare Moon's return and I knew it was you who had the magic inside to defeat her, but you could not unleash it until you let true friendship into your heart. Now if only another will as well." Celestia said, filling their minds with lies. Celestia didn't see the signs, she didn't know Twilight would use the Elements, and she didn't know Friendship was so powerful. But the ponies believed it, and loved her for it. "Princess Luna!" Celestia said in order to awake her. Luna looked up and immediately, fear struck into her, and it hit her hard. But she couldn't do anything, Celestia was using her Day in order to cloud her mind, and put her under the same spell she had every pony else on. Without a sub-conscious to protect her, she was helpless to keep it from happening. Luna's fear was fulfilled, as she slowly was transformed into a Day Dweller. Celestia, while invading Luna's mind, found the part of Luna that really missed her sister, and Celestia nurtured that feeling. "It has been a thousand years since I have seen you like this. Time to put our differences behind us. We were meant to rule together, little sister."
"Sister?" The mane six said in shock.
"Will you accept my friendship?" Celestia said, keeping her attention on Luna. Celestia's spell was finally complete, and Luna jumped into her arms.
"I'm so sorry! I missed you so much, big sister!" Luna said, happy that she once again can live with her sister.
"I've missed you, too."
Pinkie Pie somehow found a hanky and was crying at the touching moment, "Hey, you know what this calls for? A party!"


***

Nightmare Moon awoke on the ground, hurt, but still alive. The Sun was raised high in the sky. She then remembered what happened, and screamed out for Luna, but nothing happened. Many emotions ran through her in that moment: Intense fear, hatred, and sorrow. Without a conscious mind, Nightmare was now subject to feel powerful emotions, and have little control over them. But, likewise, she is now immune to the influences of the Day, because she has no conscious mind to corrupt. Luna on the other hand, is lost forever, she being immune to the influences of the Night, because she has no sub-conscious mind to talk to. Nightmare wanted to go back to Ponyville, and finally kill Celestia. But she held back, because now that Luna was a Day Dweller, the Day was officially stronger than the Night. Nightmare barely had as much power as Celestia, but so did Luna, and Nightmare couldn't fight against both Celestia and Luna. And ontop of that, the Elements of Harmony were well and active. She could do nothing.
"DAMN YOU CELESTIA!" Nightmare Moon screamed as these thoughts went through her mind, and tears ran down her face.