Ah, the old discuss-the-plan-and-then-mindwipe-everyone plan. A classic.

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I cannot express how much bad-juju I have now, at the end of this.

Great to see an update to this story.

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Yeah... I'm not getting warm fuzzies here. Lol...

I understand why the mind magic is necessary. If the Nightmare can touch dreams, then anyone could give the plan away when they're sleeping. But it's still really uncomfortable.

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Well it worked for The Doctor...

I swear, sometimes this story is only slightly more warm-and-fuzzy than Triptych. Not that I'm complaining, because I'm not. Among other things, I'm very thankful that Celestia at least directly asked for permission, and obtained it without coercion or deception. I'm never a fan of mind magics, but when you're dealing with a foe that reads minds, that's just one of the unpleasant measures you have to take.

Always had a head cannon the Nightmare didn't have full control, and Luna was influencing her choices to facilitate her defeat. Like making the challenges the Man 6 faced being tailored specifically to be defeated by one of the elements. Nightwatcher seems like it will function in that capacity, Nightmare not haveing full possession of Luna who is still fighting it despite her possession. Luna's journals see to indicate she was trying to figure out how to beat the Nightmare after all.

Also Humm could you teleport somewhere if a person your strongly connected to is there? Like could Cadance get to Panthera if she targeted Shining instead of a location? Figuring that out at a important moment would be interesting.

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No performance anxiety if you don't know your performing? Also would prevent a mind reading enemy from getting your plan from them, if they are acting out thier part with out thinking about it.

Oh dear... Wow. I mean, I understand the necessity, but wow. That's painful.

I think Celestia just 'scrubbed' Twilight a little bit. Removed some of the nastier history, rewrote it a bit so as to make her more 'acceptable' and malleable towards being the Bearer. She may still have had the necessary traits to wield Magic, as damaged as she was. But that doesn't allow her to form the connections required to integrate with the others. Even if they had a few years yet, it's doubtful that it would have been enough time to heal her completely.

Though, I expect this will come a cropper at a majorly inconvenient time, or possibly after they pop the rainbow.

May Celestia rot in Tartarus and Twilight go back to normal and seek ultimate revenge

You just know this is going to backfire horrendously down the line.

Celestia pressed on, "I have roles I believe suitable for each of you in the coming conflict, and ways we will prepare the battlefield to suit each of you." Her eyes flick to Queen Myrantia, the pair sharing a significant, long look before Celestia wipes the blackboard clean, beginning to sketch out a pentacle.

jumping between tenses much?
should that not be wiped?

"Well," He says, "Magical transportation in general is tied up in the meaning and material of places. So... If you were, to say, try to teleport to a cavern that you are familiar with, then you could use your personal connection to the stone there to tether your intent. If you were to try and teleport to, say, a cavern you had only seen in a picture - then you might inadvertently end up at the one you were familiar with, or a different one entirely. The same is true of portals, but my experiments are in limitless-mass wormholes powered through magical energies. The issue we run into is the same, where we have to carefully prepare each end of a ritual circle." He barely seems to breathe as he launches into a near-lecture, "For example, if you wanted to create a portal across a field - limitless mass or limited - you would find the task far easier to do if you took large portions of dirt from both sides, and put them on either end of the portal. Giving each end a tether to the other, in terms of the magical imprint of that piece of ground."

i believe this entire paragraph to be in the wrong tense because of one little word.
launches instead of launched.

Rarity knew that look. It's the same her uncle got when speaking of Princess Celestia's divine radiance, as he was an avid devotee of the Solar Cult.

Same Problem with the tenses again.
should be "it was" instead of it's

As one of the ponies closes to the front, Rarity saw Captain Steel peel away from the Royal Guard and meet a Senior Centurion just within the gates, the pair exchanging words. She strained to listen, curious.

Again. should be closed instead of closes.

Cadance watched the various attendees of the meeting shuffle out, the Sun having begun to set, out of direct view of the window that dominates the meeting room.

and again tenses jumped. should be dominated instead of dominates.

She took her time in watching her Aunt, who seems strained after the conversation, silent weight on those alabaster shoulders that had nothing to do with the golden peytral.

You really need to get a grip on that.
seems is wrong, should be seemed.

Between last chapter, and this one, how much time has passed since the coup attempt?

Did Celestia erase or seal memories? That's a bit dark...

I guess that the plan is going to be a surprise even to us!

Curious how Shining will be when he wakes up...

Holy mackerel. This chapter took a while, but was quite well worth the wait. Definitely liked the work that went into the exchanges, characterizations, slight world-building and future chapter set-up in all the right places. Certainly have to respect the work that went into arranging security for that meeting (as well as the logical detail of a Changeling hive allied with Equestria). Also appreciated the detail Celestia went into concerning Nightmare to the team as well as the check-up with Rarity and Shining Armor. And, well, as uneasy as the thought of that sort of mind magic makes me, I can respect how circumstances might have made it necessary and, even though it's very likely to bite Celestia in the flank later on (good intentions or not) why it might be needed to be used on Twilight.

Definitely looking forward to more of this.

Ohhh! Dat cliffhanger ending!

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Call it Ol' Reliable.

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You'sa in big JuJu now.

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:)

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What about messing with someones mind could possibly be uncomfortable? :O

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It is certainly one possible measure when dealing with potential threats.

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You'll be learning alot more about the mechanics of mind magic and what was done soon.

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Maybe.

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Went through and fixed all of those - thanks! I thought I had a better handle on it.

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Thanks! That comment really does lift my spirits. I'm glad you enjoy it so much.

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It should surprise you. I hope.

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Always great to see your comment! Yeah, if you're going to make ap lan to fight something like the Nightmare, then people need as many facts as can be given to prepare.

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:)

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It is somewhat unclear, so I went back and adjusted it. Thanks!

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I look forward to it then good author.

Oh, Celestia.

I hope that was a voluntary memory block, because otherwise, you just poked Honesty with a sharp stick.

Hmmmm well I am highly intrigued

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GIlda does exist! Just not in the same place she was before. You'll see her eventually, but it will take awhile.

Oooh boy...Celestia you better be careful...

Also yay!!!! Updates!!!

Love this story and can't wait to see what the soldiers think of shining armor when he wakes up!

Darn it. All caught up with the reread. Thanks for the roller coaster seat.

I love this story, I find it both modulating and endearing to see how even through the mane 6s struggles and trauma they are becoming stronger.

I also love how much better and more real Celectia feels and acts in this story. Not only truly seeing how much her sisters fall hurt her but in the fact that she cut herself away from equestrians in her pain and isolation.

I really hope I have not reached such an amazing work that may never reach it's proper end. But even so it is a wonderful story non the less. Here's to hoping that we all get to see the end.

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It's not dead, life has just been pretty difficult this last year. I've just left a soul-sucking job and begun working on a new chapter for this. The hope is to put it out soon.

This isn't something I really consider abandoning, even during long breaks. I think about it all the time. With some unemployed time I expect I can pick up the pace a bit.

great chapter, hope for more soon

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You doing good?

Love the alt-history fics,really well done!

Hope things are going well for you in these crazy times.

This is amazing, I cried during parts, please continue this masterpiece!

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Fan love. ❤️

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The first story I put back on my watch list after remaking my account. Really hoping this gets picked up again.

Really love this story and I hope its still updating.
Would be a shame to see this one fade into nothingness too.

I story is amazing! Are you still working on this?

Huh it’s almost 3 years since the story last updated. Author either lost interest in the fandom or RL kicked their ass hard