//------------------------------//
// Nightmare Wins!  Friendship? 
// Story: There's Nopony I'd Rather Be Than Me 
// by Tatsurou 
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	As Nightmare Moon wept, she was rather surprised to feel three small forms glomp onto her from above.  Turning, she saw that the Crusaders had leapt from the cage to snuggle her, apparently trying to offer comfort.  They couldn't possibly understand what she was going through right now, but they knew she was sad and wanted to try and help her feel better.

She was also somewhat surprised when Celestia mimicked their actions by wrapping a wing around her.  Without thought, she buried her face against the white coat.

"Wait a minute!" Twilight shouted.  "Princess Celestia...how'd you get out of the cage?"

Celestia blinked in surprise.  "I...I'm not sure.  I saw her tears, needed to offer comfort, and just...went."

"Well, it was only designed to keep anyone from freeing her," Nightmare Moon pointed out.  "I thought this was a video game.  I figured she was programmed to stay in the cage once captured until freed, or something like that."

Applejack's jaw dropped.  "Are ya sayin'...that the Princess coulda walked outta that cage at any time?"

"Not at any time!" Pinkie called out.  "Only when it was funny!"

Nightmare Moon managed to laugh through her tears.  "At least that's something familiar," she murmured, remembering one of Stan and Lauren's favorite movies.

"Luna," Celestia began, "please...tell me what troubles you so.  I failed to help you all those years ago.  Let me help you now..."

Nightmare Moon stared at her.  "...you could start by telling me what the hell you're talking about.  What happened 'all those years' ago?  I thought I was a video game villain, remember?  And why do you keep calling me Luna?  Who's Luna?"

That would be me, the voice from inside told her.

Celestia, having not heard that voice, whimpered slightly.  "You truly do not reme-"

"Shush!" Nightmare Moon cut her off.  "Voice in my head is talking.  Says her name's Luna."

And please be less rude to our sister, Luna told her.

"Sister?" Nightmare Moon gasped happily.  "You're my sister?" she turned sparkling eyes on Celestia.

A wide smile greeted this statement.  "Yes.  I'm your older sister-"

She was cut off by a crushing embrace.  "I still have family..." Nightmare Moon whimpered.  She noisily blew her nose, belatedly realizing she blew it in Celestia's multicolored mane.  "Oh, sorry..."

Celestia chuckled.  "Hardly the first time, and won't be the last..."

Tia...

So, care to explain what's going on, other me? Nightmare Moon asked silently.  Something tells me you'll have more accurate details than she will.

Jealousy and loneliness festered in my heart because it seemed our subjects loved Celestia so much that I didn't matter at all, Luna replied.  After a time, that combined with my dark magic and created you, a split aspect of my being to keep me company...until you eventually took over and tried to make Eternal Night, to force our subjects to love me.

That would have worked wonderfully, Nightmare Moon thought with a roll of her eyes.

Says the tyrant who had to order her conquered subjects to not kill the adventuring heroes before they could fight her.

...touche.  So what happened then?

Celestia banished us using the Elements of Harmony to protect the kingdom.  We didn't think to add the warmth/growth spells to moonlight the first time around by drawing magic from the sun through the moon.

Then how'd we end up a foal?

The Elements meant to seal us in the moon...but Celestia has terrible aim.  She missed.  In order to keep us alive until we reached a viable arrival point to accept the magical data stream, the spell fed on our magical power and life force, resulting in us becoming a foal and losing most of our memories.

So you've been in there with me all along?

Yes.  Daddy had two daughters instead of one.

But how come I haven't heard you?  ...more often, I mean?  Why didn't you ever fight to be free of me?

Because by the time I had the strength to do so after our arrival, you'd come to two conclusions.  One, that there wasn't a world for you to conquer.  And two, that villains - such as you believed yourself to be - had a real raw deal.  In fact, I awoke as you came to that second conclusion.

When I watched Daddy do his game role that first day?

Indeed.  After that, we were in such sync in our thoughts and feelings that you never noticed me, except when you needed emotional support at times of great stress.  As you were the split portion of myself that kept me company here in Equestria, I became the split portion that supported you in the Arcade.

Then how come you're talking so much now?

Because that situation is coming to an end.  It's the nature of the Element of Harmony to restore the natural balance of those things they effect when used in conjunction.  When Celestia used them against us, neither of us were willing to return to a single being.  I rejected the darkness you represented, and you refused to fade away.  But this time...we accepted it.  The entirety of ourself, and our role.  As such...we are becoming one again.

Becoming...one?

As we had been before this all began, Luna explained.  As we always should have been.  We will become I again.  After all...there's nopony we'd rather be than we...soon to be 'me'.

So...does that mean we'll be Luna again? Nightmare Moon asked.

Not exactly.  We've changed so much.  Part of why I'm speaking so much now is preparing our mind to remember what we need to know to reclaim our life, however we choose.

So...we're Nightmare Moon?

Think about that for a minute.  Is that really who we are?  Or just a name we found cool and intimidating?  Who were we to those we cared about?

Nightmare Moon's thoughts were silent for a time.  ...how come the others haven't reacted to how long I've been silent?

Stretched time sense.  It's only been three seconds.

And with that, the voices of Luna and Nightmare Moon within the mind of the Moon Princess ceased to be distinct, sinking into each other as, like they had been in the beginning and were always meant to be, they once more became one.  She opened her eyes.

"Luna?" Celestia asked hopefully.

"We are Nightmare Moon and Luna," she replied.  "The sum of everything we are together, everything we should have been.  Both, yet neither.  We are me, and I...am Moony."

As Celestia blinked in surprise, Fluttershy squeed.  "Aww, how cute!"

"Hey!" Moony countered.  "Keep in mind you haven't actually overthrown me yet!"

"We were so kicking your flank!" Rainbow countered.

"Tell that to the army of Changelings-turned-Cybugs in the Crystal Caverns Bonus Dungeon," Moony countered.  "I caught their Queen trying to pull a body swap on Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, and offered her a choice between death or servitude.  Her soldiers now work for me, enhanced, and so does she."

"It has better dental, if nothing else," a maid commented as she served tea, her eyes briefly flaring green.

Celestia stared after the maid nervously, though Rainbow looked intrigued, and Pinkie was giggling along with the Crusaders.

"And...why are the fillies here?" Twilight asked.

"If'n you've hurt my little sis..." Applejack began.

"Oh, they work for me," Moony replied easily.

"What?" all seven heroes shouted together.

"They came in here in that tank, waited in the petition line, and then burst through the doors proclaiming 'Cutie Mark Crusaders Nightmare Slayers'," Moony explained.  "When the tank destroyed everything except me, I suggested they serve me instead."

"No Nightmare Soldier Cutie Marks, though," Scootaloo pouted.

"Not even Royal Stylist ones after we gave Princess Celestia a makeover!" Sweetie Belle complained.

"I...wasn't going to say anything," Rarity commented dryly, trying not to look at a now grinning Princess Celestia's 'new look'.

Celestia chuckled as she sat down for tea.  "So...now what, Moony?  Do you still want to be sole ruler of Equestria?"

"What?" Twilight demanded.  "You're...you're just going to let her keep Eternal Night going?"  Realizing she'd just yelled at her mentor, she wilted in on herself.

"Why not?" Celestia asked.  "The crops still grow, ponies still live their lives, the government's been restructured to the point it runs so smoothly, we haven't had a meaningless petition in weeks - and those petitions we do still receive get the attention they deserve, not to mention the whole petition process being streamlined - and the nobility and commoners alike have become so pleased with the new workings of the government that she had to enforce a curfew to keep the citizens of Canterlot from trying to kill you to keep you from overthrowing her."

"Most awkward moment of my rule," Moony confirmed.  "No, don't kill the heroes.  I'll do it myself."  She shuddered.  "I actually felt dirty saying that.  Such an amateur mistake for an Overlord, but it was the only way I'd get to face you at all."

The mares before them simply stared at the Princess in shock.  Spike blinked.  "So...what now?"

Moony smiled.  "In truth...I don't know.  If this is a Player World and not a Game World, I don't think I want to keep being a villain..."

"Then couldn't you be a reformed anti-hero, still full of all your dark powers and being ruthlessly efficient in your methods, but choosing to fight for a different side due to a personal epiphany?" Spike suggested.  "I always love it when that happens in the comic books."

Moony blinked for a bit.  "That could work."

Celestia chuckled.  "Does that mean it's time to bring back the day?"

Moony smiled.  "I suppose it does...sister."  I could get used to that, she thought to herself.

Focusing their magic, Celestia and Moony disentangled the moon and sun's magics from each other, ending the eclipse of Eternal Night.

"3...2...1..." Celestia, Moony, and Pinkie counted together.

The doors would have burst open dramatically, but they still lay on their sides from when the bunny tank had charged through, which just goes to show that reality has no consideration for proper drama.  "What have you done with Her Majesty?" the angry mob of Canterlot citizenry - commoners, nobles, and merchants alike - shouted, waving their torches, pitchforks, and Nightmare Supporter banners.

"...you weren't kidding," Twilight murmured after she was able to breathe.  The sight of Moony sitting their calmly had taken most of the wind out of the mobs sails.

Moony stood up.  "My little ponies," she called happily, amplifying her voice so all could hear but none were blasted off their hooves, "it does my heart good to see you come so staunchly to my aid in my perceived hour of need.  And I bring you all good tidings: the war is over!  Equestria is at peace once more!"

Many of the members of the mob looked confused, though all lowered their weapons.

"Having faced off against the Bearers of the Elements, I realize that I cannot protect and rule this country properly on my own.  As such, I have chosen a different path.  Having made up with my sister, Celestia-"  This cause a lot of murmuring.  "A reformation of the government is in order, to better reflect the new structure and our places here.  Allow me to reintroduce myself, for I am no longer Queen."  She bowed her head.  "If it is the will of my subjects, I am President-for-Life Moony, of the Feudal Republic of Equestria."  Vanellope was right, she thought silently.  That title feels so much better.

A united cheer went up from the entire city, nearly bowling Moony over.

"But what about Princess Celestia?" someone called out.  The entire mob murmured to itself, shifting nervously.

Celestia smiled as she stood up, pleased to see that her little ponies did still care for her.  "Don't you mean Vice-President Celestia?" she asked, startling a gasp from Twilight.

The citizenry accepted this happily, turning to go back to their day to day lives and adjust to there being a day again.  Stock in the sunglasses market briefly soared.

"Really, sister?' Moony asked.  "Are you certain?  We are supposed to be equals, after all..."

"And this all started because you were trapped in my shadow," Celestia replied when her sister's voice trailed off.  "Come, sister.  We have work to do."