Celestia and Luna quickly reached Canterlot, flying up to the tallest tower in the capital and landing on a balcony near the top. They entered a large hallway lined with stained-glass windows, a long carpet on the floor and an imposing door at the far end with a sun pattern painted over the center and a keyhole in the hub. Celestia trotted forward to the door, bent her head down and inserted her tip of her horn into the hole. Electric-blue light radiated from the hole and spread through the tips of the sun's rays. The door split open, revealing a gem-covered box on a dais.
The box floated out and the lid opened, revealing the Elements of Harmony. They floated out while Celestia glanced at Luna over her shoulder. “Are you sure about going with her to this alternate world?” She turned around. “This other Equestria needs help, yes. But Nightmare Moon's help? Wouldn't that be worse?”
Luna locked eyes with Celestia, holding a steady gaze. “If we use the Elements of Harmony on her, she'll be severely weakened and might not trust us. An ambush and attack is not exactly something that would engender cooperation.” She stepped up to her sister. “This other me, she will need all her strength to aid me.”
Celestia shook her head. “I don't like it.”
The box floated up to Luna's side, taken by the dark alicorn's telekinesis. “Neither do I,” she responded. She sighed and her wings drooped. “And I was to cut the ribbon to the Manehattan Train Station next week, too.”
Celestia bit her lip. She reached up with a foreleg and gently stroked Luna's back. “I'll have a talk with the officials and maybe push the opening date back,” she said, winking.
Luna glanced away. “No,” she said. “It wouldn't be right.” She trotted up to the balcony. “Come, sister!” she cried out, spreading her wings. “To the Everfree!” She leaped into the air, flying off with the box of Elements trailing behind, enshrouded in her magic.
Celestia rolled her eyes, but jumped up, following Luna across the sky and back to the Everfree Forest.
Nightmare Moon sat in the field, completely still save for her tail and mane. Her eyes slowly moved up to focus on a lone cloud floating above. “I can hear your heartbeat, pegasus. Come on down and talk if you're able.”
The cloud exploded into fragments as Rainbow Dash zoomed down, a multicolored contrail behind. The pegasus had a pair of saddlebags slung around her withers, each one full to almost overflowing. She threw out her hooves, skidding to a stop right above Nightmare Moon's muzzle. “Don't think I won't be keeping both eyes on you, Nightmare Moon!” She jabbed a foreleg at the alicorn. “If you try anything with my friends, I'll buck you so hard-”
“-You'll shatter your hind legs in the attempt,” the alicorn said, interrupting Dash. She arched an eyebrow. “What, do you really think useless posturing will impress me in any way, especially since we both know your threats are hollow?” She slowly stood up, smiling as Dash inched away from her. “Still, if you'd like to try, go ahead. You don't need your legs to fly, after all.”
Dash's lips curled back. She flew around Nightmare Moon's head and body, making quick changes in direction. “It doesn't matter, Nightmare Moon!” She flew up, stopping suddenly and turning around. She dove straight at the alicorn's back, stopping at the last possible second and flying around back to stare at Nightmare Moon's muzzle. “No matter what, I won't let you hurt my friends or betray them in any way!”
Nightmare Moon's body remained still, but a genuine smile crept its way across her mouth. “I see Loyalty found itself one quite suited to wielding it,” she said, her head slowly nodding. “I would still crush you in a fight, but there would be... regret at turning one such as yourself into a red mist. You have my respect, Rainbow Dash. At least in that regard.”
Dash's mouth opened for a moment. “Yeah, well... thanks, I think?” She cocked her head to the side. “So, even if you're from another dimension, the Elements of Harmony still feel the same?”
“At least Loyalty does, even though it's been a millennium since I wielded it,” Nightmare Moon responded. She broke eye contact with Dash, her gaze wandering up to the blue sky above. “I remember, long ago. Celestia and I wielded the Elements against all forces of evil. Discord, Sombra, the Smooze, Grogar and even the Changeling Queen herself fell before us. For a time, I felt at peace... and then the ponies betrayed me, casting me aside and my glorious night!” Nightmare Moon's wings shot out and arcs of electricity traveled up and down her horn. Her eyes turned white. "And they shunned me, turning away from my gifts and siding with Celestia, when all I wanted was appreciation for my hard work!” She focused on Dash. “Tell me, is it fair? Is it nice at all to do THAT?” she shouted, stomping the ground and cracking it.
Dash flinched at the stomp, but held her place in the air. She sucked in a deep breath. “It wasn't like that,” she said. “Princess Celestia tried to talk to you – well, the 'you' from this Equestria. But you, well the other --” Her eyes crossed slightly. “Oh, buck it this is confusing.” She shook her head. “Well, if my reality is as close to yours as we think it is, then didn't your Princess Celestia try to talk to you?”
Nightmare moon's head shot up. Her nostrils flared and she snorted, physically pushing Dash away. “You weren't there,” she stated, her voice unnaturally even. “How would it feel to you if everything you worked on, everything you slaved over was rejected? All those beautiful nights, all those jewels hanging in the sky. I did it all for the little ponies.” Her eyes faded back to normal. “And they stayed inside during my nights, waiting until daybreak and my sister's return.”
A slow wind blew through the field. Neither Dash nor Nightmare Moon spoke for a few minutes. Finally, the pegasus cleared her throat. “So... guessing you were also Generosity?”
Nightmare Moon's head slowly turned away from Dash. “I gave them all I could. I protected them, and they betrayed me and rejected my gifts.” She turned her head back, her mane whipping about like in a hurricane. “And now they suffer under the Tyrant Filly, while my sister lies at death's door.” The corners of her lips twitched, almost as if she wasn't sure whether to smile or frown.
Dash shook her head. “Yeah, they so deserve it.” She flew up, spinning around in a circle, gathering moisture and dust particles up. Within seconds, a small cloud had formed. She swooped up and over, doing a backflip before settling down on it. She stretched her forelegs over her head, but paused. She turned over and looked back down. “What was the other one?”
Nightmare's Moon's eyes flicked upward. “My 'other' what?”
Dash groaned, blowing out a breath and tousling her mane. “Your other Element of Harmony, duh!”
“Honesty.”
Dash blinked. She turned back and looked up at the sky once more. “That... makes sense.”
This is like, the third fic that I thought was dead that suddenly updated in the past week and I love it.
Ending was a bit abrupt though.
784913 Nightmare Moon would think it least of all.
810846 Okay... they're two different Twilight's. One is the canon version, another is an AU version who sucked away Celestia's powers. They're different dimensions, not time periods. As for accents, the characters speaking aren't entirely mentally stable. That's used to reflect that. As for ED... I don't really care much anymore about getting posted there, to be honest. Thank for the review, though.
924349 ... Gee, thanks.
1188848>>1188913 I'll get to fixing those, thanks.
1602453 Yeah, different realities.
Welp.
The start was aleetlerough but the concept drew me in.EDIT: Read it again, I din't know why I said it was rough. I guess I was misremembering; it's jarring and a little scary seeing Twilight behave like that - I guess she's basically trapped at the mental age she was at when the accident happened.That's going to make for a very interesting antagonist.I kinda like stories that have NMM being something of a good guy rather than just cackling evil.
Hmmm....I like this so far. You get a like, fav and a watch
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Holy smokes, an update! *squee*
I find it interesting that the sister's roles seem to be reversed from the norm. Celestia is hesitant about helping Nightmare Moon, while Luna is all for it. I'd think Celestia, in her infinite patience and wisdom, would be more receptive. Then again, she lost her sister to the darkness once, so...
And Dash and Nightmare share a little heart-to-heart. I gotta say, I'd be pretty peeved if, after saving the world countless times, people started avoiding me. I understand Nightmare's feelings. Still doesn't excuse a potential apocalypse, but...
Just found this. Glad you're deciding to finish, but damn that was abrupt.
i wub you
Good chapter so those were Nightmare elements make's sense if you think about it.
Hmm. That would give Celestia Kindness, Laughter, and Magic. Yeah, seems legit.
In any case, this is a fascinating idea, and it's being executed quite well. I look forward to alternate Twilight's reaction to seeing herself. Er... you know what I mean.
If luna is loyalty , generosity and honesty
that makes celly kindness ,laughter and magic?
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1739117
Benevolent troll with lots of magical power? Seems about right.dl.dropbox.com/u/31471793/FiMFiction/emoticons/lolface_Celestia.png
Finally an update!!!! Also when will united we stand be updated?
THE SMOOZE!!! I have no idea what that is
1739254
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CnOysetlQw
1739254
Horey sheet. I await more.
1739307 poor ponies
I hope firefly survived she was (if this is even possible) my favourate G1 pony
Just so you k ow I've only seen the first like 20 mins of that movie
Huzzah! Updates! A bit short though... a nice portait of sympathetic nightmare moon.
1738792
Well, not really canon Twilight; I'm pretty sure we'll never see canon Twilight team up with alternate universe Nightmare Moon to defeat alternate universe herself. I'm not really sure what a better name would be, though.
Fractal multiverse theory, why u so difficult?
The only complaint I have so far is about NMM in this chapter. Surely she would know both her sister and herself better than to think that they would attempt to usurp her throne? From the reactions of everypony here, it does seem as though they all recognise she wouldn't be a _cruel_ ruler (culture gap notwithstanding).
As for the Tyrant Filly... I really don't think she deserves the negative image she seems to have. She is doing what any five year old would do, were they given absolute power. Except she is clearly trying her best to be a good ruler. She simply has no idea _how_ to rule.
So, we need to talk an omnipotent five year old prone to temper tantrums into allowing others to help her fix her mess. Why has no one thought to bring Cadence along? Surely as a babysitter, she would have experience of a useful sort? In fact, as Twilight's former babysitter, she is eminently qualified for this.
Anyway - carry on, ser.
That was short.
And didn't really advance the plot
1738792cdn.memegenerator.net/instances/400x/24899208.jpg
Not bad. Interesting concept, though it's a bit odd knowing that NMM and Luna are basically the same pony.
Me gusta this story.
Moar Please.
MOAR plz
So I was just beginning to think Nightmare was out of character, then BAM! You totally nailed it here.
Twilight sucked Celestia's power
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I read this sooo long ago, and after so much time just 1 new chapter.
I got impression you gave up on this story.
1738820 yeah, the Tyrant Filly is... odd. She's a child with the power of a Goddess, but honestly wants to do the right thing. She simply has no idea how to.
1738825 Thanks!
1738870 You win fifty internets for that image. :D I think Celestia sees another Luna to be saved, for the most part.
1738899 Thanks. This was more a 'still working on it' update than anything.
1738904 One debate I've seen was which Element each Sister wielded. I hope this distribution makes sense.
1739060 I know what you mean.
1739193 It's coming...
1739254 As the video shows, a sapient blob that sings. G1 was truly messed up sometimes, but I still love it.
1740119 Well, if it wasn't, we'd all be crossing different realities all the time!
...
Wait, that's not a bad thing at all!
1740172 I never felt Nightmare Moon was fully right in the head. Corruption does that. As for the Tyrant Filly, she's trying in her own way, but it's still left a devastated Equestria in its wake.
1741455 Wasn't meant to. ;) It was simply an 'it's alive!' post.
1742398 Coming right up, Thor!
1745660 yeah, except one still effects the death metal look.
1746600 Thanks.
1751379 Really? Okay, legit question. What is Nightmare Moon's character? We didn't see much of her at all. And it was mostly cackling madmare.
1801063 I am slow, but I'll get there. Thanks!
If Nightmare thought "eternal night" was a good idea then she must have been a horrible "honesty". Those beliefs kinda require a whole lot of self deception...
Great interaction between Dash and NMM! I like how you give Dash bravado, but don't make her a "dumb jock". She would do anything to protect her friends, but she knows she can't actually defeat NMM on her own (and is obviously hiding some fear because, Nightmare Moon).
Huh, I figured Celestia would be generosity. I mean, she does kind of have a gem of the same color and shape in the thing around her neck.
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Doesn't mean the gems aren't malleable. I mean, look at the gem of kindness - first image shows it as green. But what happened when it tied itself to Fluttershy? Turned into a pink butterfly.
In the season four premier Luna is wielding Honesty, Kindness and Laughter...just saying.
~Leonzilla
5953273 I thought it showed her using Honesty, Laughter, and Loyalty
I feel so warm about this chapter. The flow feels so nice, foreseeable but not cheesy.