Star Trek: Equestria: Starfleet Academy Season 1

by Captain_Cosmos

Episode 14: Reactions and Actions

"So let me see if I have this right." Shining armor paced back and forth the room that he, Cadance, Flurry playing with the CMC, Moondancer, the CMC, who were still listening, Spike, Jessica, Twilight, and the rest of the gang were in. Jessica and twilight having just finished telling them that Nightmare Moon was indeed back. Shining armor stopped and pointed a hoof at Jessica. "You've been hearing Nightmare Moon—the worst villain in Equestrian history, who was banished the to moon and then seemingly defeated for good 3 years ago—in your mind for the last month, and you only said something NOW. Did I miss anything?"

Twilight and Jessica shook their heads. "No."

"You're pretty much spot on."

Luke shook his head. "And you're reason, Jessica, is that you didn't want to put anymore stress on the Equine since at the time they were adjusting to starting school on a strange new world. Ok, that I can see where you're coming from. Why didn't you tell ME?! I could've at least started helping you. Whatever happened to us telling each other everything?"

Jessica sighed. "Because I didn't want the Equine to find out by accident and think me crazy without first getting some hard proof. And while I knew a brain scan spell existed, I don't know if anypony here could cast it. I'm sorry luke."

Luke let out a heavy sigh. "Fine. Whatever. whats done is done, the important thing is that it's known. So, what do we do to get Nightmare Moon out of Jessica? There has to be a way to do that right?"

Rainbow nodded. "We just need to get the Elements of Harmony. Blast Jessica with them. And bing bang boom, Nightmare Moron is gone."

Twilight sighed. "If it were that simple rainbow. But are a number of factors that need to be considered here."

Moondancer nodded. "Indeed. Sure, we could blast her with the Elements of Harmony, but there's no way to know what would happen to Jessica as they never were fired upon a human before."

Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow. "But they were used against Sunset. And she turned out fine."

Sunset shook her head. "Sure, I looked like a human then, but my species is pony through and through. Jessica is full on human."

Starlight nodded. "Plus, even if Jessica came out fine, we couldn't be sure if Nightmare Moon was really gone. For all we know she could just go into another mind."

"Oh yeah, that I can DEFINITELY do." Nightmare Moon suddenly faded in right in the middle of the room, causing the CMC to shriek and shining to immediately jump in between her and Flurry. NM saw the reactions and chuckled. "Why thank you for the meal just now. The fear was delicious."

Shining growled. "Alright you demon, how are you still around!"

Rainbow dash nodded. "Yeah! We blasted you out of Luna 3 years ago, where've you been hiding all this time?"

Nightmare moon chuckled. "Wouldn't you like to know."

Rainbow's jaw dropped. Did Nightmare Moon just sass her? Confirming that she did, Rainbow growled and went to tackle the demon, only to phase right through her. Falling to the floor. "What the?!"

Nightmare moon chuckled again. "I'm only a spirit. You can't hurt me."

Twilight charged up her horn. "But I can." She sent one shot at the demon and sent her flying across the room. Nightmare moon hit the back wall hard, not enough to crack the wall, but enough to send a lot of pain through the demon's body.

Nightmare moon got up and growled. "That was uncalled for you brat!"

Twilight shook her head. "And you invading Jessica's mind was uncalled for, yet you still did it." Twilight enveloped nightmare moon in her magic and immobilized her. "Excuse me for a second." Twilight teleported away with Nightmare Moon, leaving everyone else to wait for her.

Jessica groaned. "Get used to her randomly appearing everyone, because there's currently no way to stop her from doing it."

Rara arched an eyebrow. "Twilight doesn't have some sort of spell that can do it."

Jessica shook her head. "I asked her last night and she said she didn't know."

Cadance sighed. "And here I was thinking that you and twilight were going to have a storybook romance. And now you two won't be able to do anything together without being interrupted by her."

Rarity let out a dramatic chuckle. "Don't be so sure about that princess. I have a theory on how we can keep that from happening. If only just for one night."

Twilight popped back in puffy cloud of purple smoke smiling. "Oh did that feel good. Anyway, back to the matter at hand."

Spike and Moondancer arched an eyebrow. "Uh, where did you go?"

"And what did you do with Nightmare Moon's construct?"

Twilight smiled. "I went to the roof of the academy and promptly ejected her construct into space. Until we can get rid of her permanently, or at the very least stop her from appearing randomly anytime she wants, that's how we'll get rid of the construct."

NM growled. "And you will cease that action or you shall face my wrath!"

Jessica groaned. "Don't project your image beyond my mind and we won't have a problem. It's just that simple."

All of a sudden, the door to the room they were in opened and Commandant Forrest stepped in, and judging by the look on his face, he wasn't happy. "Everyone out, now! I need to speak with cadets Sparkle and Cosmos, alone!" Everyone in the room, even the CMC and the non cadet sparkles, knew that there was no arguing with Forrest, so swiftly, they all vacated the room, leaving Forrest with Jessica and twilight. Once the room was empty, Forest crosses his arms. "You two have some explaining to do about what happened last night."

Jessica and twilight looked at each other. This was the conversation that they were not looking forward to.

"Hay burger, extra hay. A hay burger appeared in the hole in the wall and Moondancer enveloped it in her magic, walking over to the table she and her friends, old and new, were sitting at for lunch. As she walked closer to the table, she could hear spike voicing his concerns.

"Ok, so does anypony have any sweet clue or theory on how Nightmare Moon is still around? Because the fact that she is just seems impossible even by Equestria standards."

Starlight shook her head. "The only POSSIBLE explanation to how she even got here is that she hitched a ride, but who knows who's mind she's been hiding out in before Jessica."

Sunset nodded, then got an idea. "We could do a brain scan for residual dark magic. That could tell us who brought that demon here unwittingly."

Applejack shook her head. "It doesn't matter who brought that vermin here. What matters is that we keep an eye on her until we can get rid of her for good."

Pinkie nodded, and started bouncing up and down. "And in the meantime, we still need to throw Jessica and twilight a dating party!"

Everypony chuckled. Of course pinkie would suggest a party right now. Rarity wrapped an a foreleg around her marefriend. "We can have that party after Twilight and Jessica get done with Commandant Forrest.

Silver spoon arched an eyebrow. "That guy who kicked us out of the room back there?"

Rainbow nodded. "He's basically the head honcho around here. He's the guy you typically talk to if you're up to be punished."

Fluttershy squeaked. "Oh, I hope Jessica and Twilight aren't in any trouble. I'd hate for them to be sent home over this."

Back in the room commandant Forrest raised an eyebrow. "So this, Nightmare Moon, as I've heard the demon identified, is bent on destroying the sun and bringing eternal night to the galaxy, and until recently, it was though destroyed. Did I get that right?"

Jessica and twilight nodded. "Yes sir."

"We aren't sure how she's still alive, nor are we sure how she could've gotten here, but now that we know she's still around, we won't rest until Nightmare Moon is gone, for good this time."

Forrest nodded. "And you, Cadet Cosmos, withheld this fact from cadet sparkle and the Equine for a month, because you didn't want to put anymore stress on them then they already had due to this being their first time offworld."

Jessica nodded. "And I also believed they would think I was crazy admittedly."

Forrest reached up and rubbed his forehead, trying to make sense of what the girls had just told him. "Cadet you said that this demon is currently inhabiting your mind and that it is able to project itself in the physical world, right?" Jessica nodded. "Any chance she'll come out and talk?"

"Oh I'm always up for a nice chat with a new face."

Forrest jumped and turned to see a black tall pony in blue armor suddenly appeared behind him. After he got over the initial shock, he shook his head, making sure he wasn't seeing things. "That her?"

Jessica and twilight nodded. "Yep."

"Just say the word and the construct will be on the express train to space, via magical blast."

NM rolled her eyes. "At least now you have to wait for the Commandant to give the word this time you pest." NM focused on Forrest. "Now, you wanted to chat with me."

Forrest nodded and cleared his throat. "I am Commandant William Forrest of the United Federation of Planets. I've heard quite a bit about you Nightmare Moon."

NM smirked. "But of course you have peasant, I was listening in on the conversation just now."

"And I've been made to understand that you've been defeated in the past and presumably destroyed. Which raises a few questions."

"I'd imagine so."

"So start talking. How are you still around, and how did you get to earth?"

NM chuckled. "To be honest Commandant, I am uncertain myself as to how I am still around. As for how I got here though..." NM suddenly disappeared, then reappeared right now to twilight, immediately wrapping a wing around the startled Alicorn. "...Lets just say this one was very instrumental in my arrival. She made a good anchor for my spirit until little miss Cosmos came along."

Twilight froze, processing what NM just said. "Wait, WHAT?!"

Before anyone else said another word, NM disappeared. "All I will say is thank you, Ms Sparkle, for you hospitality and lack of competence where I be concerned." NM's following maniacal laugh faded away. Leaving behind silence, and a horrified Alicorn.

Twilight processed what NM said, and what she implied. "No, no it can't be, I couldn't have brought her here!" Twilight lit her horn and cast a spell on herself.

Twilight looked frantically around her mind, trying to find any residual dark magic that Nightmare Moon would've left. "If she was in my mind for 3 years, the residual magic she would've left would still be here after a month." Her eyes came across a large amount of purple and black energy, a color combo she knew represented dark magic. As soon as she confirmed it, her heart sank. "I brought her here."

Twilight came out of the trance with a clearly horrified look on her face. "I, brought her here." She said in a whisper.

Jessica saw the horrified look on twilight's face and knew what was coming. "Twilight—" without any warning, Twilight popped away in a giant explosion of purple smoke, causing Forrest and Jessica to gag.

"What the karablast just happened, where is she?"

Jessica cleared the rest of the smoke away. "She just teleported away." Jessica called up the tracker app and immediately saw twilight's location. "And she went straight to our dorm. Computer, soundproof dorm 321. And keep it that way until further notice." The computer made bleep sound to signify that it complied Mx

Forrest arched an eyebrow. "You said she was in dorm 321?"

Jessica nodded. "Yes sir, and before you call security—" she quickly said when she saw Forrest go to press his combadge. "—She just learned that she carried a dark entity within her mind for 3 years. For 3 years she was an unwitting host to Nightmare Moon. Something like that would be a crushing revelation for anyone, correct?"

Forrest nodded. "I suppose so."

"Twilight tends to make a bigger deal out of things then others, I saw this firsthand a few weeks ago, and after this, there's only two people in the galaxy who can calm her down. And neither are security officers."

"Your point being cadet?"

"Taking her into custody won't do any good sir, she's probably the best person to figure out a solution to our problem. In fact I'm sure taking her in will make it worse."

"Who's to say that she didn't bring her here intentionally?"

Jessica's mouth nearly dropped. "Sir, do you have the faintest idea of who twilight sparkle is?"

"An Equine cadet at Starfleet Academy."

Jessica nodded. "Also the personal protege of Princess Celestia, the bearer of the Element of Magic, and a savior of Equuis, SEVERAL times over, does that sound like an agent of evil to you?"

Forrest shook his head. "That could just be a cover for her true intentions."

Jessica sighed. "Look, if you want me to bring her to be hooked up to a lie detector, fine, I can do that. But I'm not going to be able to get her to do anything until she calms down. So I'll do just that, and when she calms down, I'll bring her to your office, where you can interrogate her and find for yourself that she didn't have any prior knowledge of Nightmare Moon being here."

Forrest looked at Jessica right in the eye. "You can vouch for her cadet?"

Jessica nodded. "When you room with someone who has similar interests to you, you come to develop a high level of trust rather quickly. Plus, as far as anyone is concerned, Twilight is cadet Spike's legal guardian. I know from personal experience that not all legal guardians are good, but has there been any incidents with Spike since he came here?"

Forrest had to admit that Jessica made a good argument. And she also made a good point that the Equine were their best defense against the demon. Finally, he sighed in defeat. "Alright, fine. I won't set security on her, and I'll work to keep this under wraps, because I also heard something about the demon feeding on fear."

Jessica smiled. "Thank you sir."

Forrest wasn't done. "But, Don't think that I'll forget about this any time soon. I still want you two in my office as soon as possible to discuss possible ways of defeating Nightmare Moon."

Jessica nodded. "Yes sir."

"And if possible, try to make it so Nightmare Moon can't hear us."

Jessica sighed. "I'll talk with twilight but last night she said she didn't know any way to stop her from appearing at random so I doubt there'll be a way to stop her from listening in."

Forrest sighed. "Fine. Go calm her down, then report to my office as soon as possible."

Jessica nodded and left, leaving Forrest to consider everything. "Candy colored talking magical ponies come to Starfleet Academy, and they brought with them a demon bent on covering the galaxy in eternal night. I must be losing my mind."

Jessica exited their turbolift and immediately noticed the large group gathered outside dorm 321. 'They must've just got here.' Jessica walked up to the group. "Hey guys."

The group turned their heads to see Jessica coming toward them. Spike smiled. "Jessica. Thank goodness you're here."

Sweetie nodded. "Twilight locked herself in your guys's dorm and won't let anyone in."

Jessica nodded. "Fortunately I know how to unlock it. Everyone stick around out here. Just in case I need help. I'm gonna talk to her."

Applejack lifted an eyebrow. "What's got her all upside down anyway?"

Jessica sighed. "Nightmare Moon came here via TWILIGHT's mind."

Everyone gasped. T'Nea looked at the door. "Yep, that'll definitely screw someone up."

Jessica nodded. "And to add insult to injury that's where Nightmare Moon's been hiding for the last 3 years."

Everyone's eyes widened in further shock. "And Twilight had no idea?!"

Cadance and Moondancer looked at the door. "How did she go unnoticed this whole time?"

"That's why twilight's lost it this much."

Jessica nodded as she moved to the door. Knowing that she wouldn't be able to hear a response due to the room being soundproof, she just forgoed the chitchat and just punched in a code. A second later, the door slid open with ease, and everyone was met with very loud sobbing.

Nightmare Moon groaned. "Grah. That whining, it's hurting my ears."

"This was your doing! Next time keep your muzzle shut!"

Jessica stepped inside and the door immediately closed behind her. "Twilight?"

Twilight didn't seem to hear her.

"Twilight, it's me, Jessica. Talk to me, please?"

Twilight's ear perked up at Jessica's name and immediately erected a rather large purple bubble around herself, a bubble that Jessica couldn't get through. "N-No, s-stay away."

Jessica's heart sank when she heard that. "Twilight, please, talk to me. I want to help you."

Twilight started mumbling. Jessica was able to pick up bits a pieces, like 'monster, my fault, and a ton of sorries'.

Jessica sighed. "Twilight, this isn't your fault. You didn't know Nightmare Moon was in your mind, please, let me in?"

For the moment, no one said a word, then, the bubble disappeared. Jessica took that as a good sign as she slowly made her way to twilight's bed. Sitting down next to the purple slump of fur and feathers that was her new girlfriend. "Twilight. You had no idea Nightmare Moon was still around, you had no reason to suspect it."

Twilight sniffled. "How?" She said barely whispering.

Jessica didn't quite catch it. "What?"

"How?"

"How what?"

"How can you say that? How can you not think it's my fault. Because of me you've suffered for a month. And will likely suffer many more months because I don't have a clue in Tartarus how to get rid of her! How can you even consider still being my friend, much less my girlfriend, after this?!"

Jessica reaches out and wrapped her arms around twilight, coaxing her closer. Twilight didn't resist as she instinctively snuggled into the embrace. Jessica stroked her mane rhythmically to calm her down. "Because I know that you never meant to hurt me, or anyone Twi. I can't blame you for something that wasn't your fault."

"But it is though. I've done brain scan spells on myself before during the three years since the Elements of Harmony defeated her. But I never even saw it coming."

"She's well versed in dark magic. For all we know the residual dark magic left in you're mind could've just only appeared when she jumped ship into my mind."

NM suddenly appeared right in the room. "That's exactly the case. And it was fun watching you meander around and completely ignore me for three years."

"GET OUT!!!!!" Jessica growled as she reached into her pocket and pulled out the GL ring from her Halloween costume. She slipped it on and captured NM in it's zero point energy. She then went over to the window, opened it up, aimed upward into the sky, and with a burst of energy, sent NM blasting off into space. "AND STAY OUT!!" She slammed the windows shut, huffed, and returned to her position on twilight's bed, with her arms wrapped around the Alicorn. "Sorry about that Twilight."

Twilight sighed. "I should be the one apologizing Jessica. I'm the one who allowed Nightmare Moon into her mind, the one who didn't think she could come back. You said last night you didn't deserve a chance, I'm the one who doesn't deserve it."

That sent a dagger into her heart as Jessica tightened her grip on Twilight. "Twilight, look at me." Twilight lifted her head to stare into Jessica's magnificent blue eyes. "Don't you ever say that you don't deserve a chance with me. Look, I figured out that NM got here via your mind last night before the dance. With plenty of time to call off my plan to serenade you, and what happened?"

Twilight's crying had calmed down to sniffles at this point. "You went through with it anyway, eventually."

Jessica nodded. "I did, because I never once blamed you for NM occupying my mind. And I never will. I've seen the kind of pony you are. Kind, caring, compassionate, smart, and you're always there for your friends when they need you. That's the Twilight Sparkle I know. The twilight that I love with all my heart."

Twilight sighed. "And I love you Jessica, but I just don't get how you aren't angry about any of this."

Jessica chuckled. "Oh don't get me wrong, with everything NM's put me through and almost ruined for me, I'm furious. But none of that anger will ever be directed towards you. It's all directed squarely towards the demon."

Twilight let out a weak chuckle. "So you really aren't angry with me about any of this?"

Jessica smiled and leaned in to kiss twilight on on her forehead. "Never twilight. You're far, far too nice for this to be intentional on your part."

Twilight giggled and leaned forward to wrap her forelegs around Jessica. Sighing in content. "I'm sorry for probably overreacting and thinking you wouldn't want to be with me anymore Jessica. Forgive me?"

Jessica smiled. "You don't need to apologize to me Twilight. It's not your fault you blow things out of proportion. Although, I do think you owe Forrest an apology. After all you did kinda leave the room before he dismissed us."

Twilight's eyes widened. "Oh no, I did! Oh no, oh no no no no. He's going to dismiss me from the academy isn't he!"

Jessica shook her head. "Don't worry Twilight, I've talked him out of taking any action against you. On the basis that we need you if we're going to get rid of the demon."

Twilight giggled. "I admittedly can't argue with that."

Jessica chuckled. "Come on. I told him we'd be in his office as soon as I pulled you back from your panic attack. And there's a big group out in the hall who're worried about you."

Twilight sighed. "Do they know what caused my latest panic attack?"

Jessica nodded. "I told them when I first got back here."

"Are they mad?"

Jessica shook her head. "They know you didn't know. They'll just be happy to see that you're ok."

Twilight sighed. "It's admittedly going to take about longer for me to convince myself that this isn't my fault. I still feel guilty about being so ignorant."

Jessica have her a reassuring smile. "It's ok twilight. I'll be here for you. We all will."

"That's right darling." Jessica and twilight turned their heads to see their friends standing in the doorway, all of them with reassuring smiles on their faces.

"Sugarcube. Nightmare Moon got the drop on all of us. Not just you."

Moondancer nodded. "And what reason would we have had to suspect something was up? You still acted like yourself. She never changed your personality."

Pinkie nodded. "Yeah! You're still our best friend that we love to party with! That meanie demon just used your mind to get in at all my parties when she wasn't invited."

"Wouldn't have wanted to be invited anyway, your parties stink."

Everyone let out a loud groan. "That's going to get annoying real darn quick."

Sunset nodded. "Welcome to my world, population, me and my own demon, Sunrise Shimmer."

Spike's eyes widened. "Don't tell me we have more then one demon trying to take over the world here."

Sunset shook her head. "Unlike NM, Sunrise really can't get anymore powerful. She's stuck in my mind permanently."

Spike let out a sigh. "Thank celestia."

Everyone chuckled. Twilight nudged Jessica. "Come on Jessica, lets go visit Commandant Forrest."

Jessica nodded as she and twilight headed out.

Several hours later, after Commandant Forrest had finished with them, everyone had gathered in the shuttlebay to send the sparkles and the CMC off back to Equuis. The CMC were saying goodbye to their sisters.

"Now take care of yourself you hear AB?"

Applebloom nodded. "I will. I'm gonna miss you two."

"We'll miss ya too Applebloom. Now be good for Big Mac and Granny. We'll see ya around Hearths Warming."

Applebloom nodded while over a little ways, sweetie Belle was saying goodbye to her loved ones. "I'm really gonna miss you Rarity, pinkie."

"We're glad you were able to come this week."

"Sorry last night's party was a bust with that meanie demon appearing."

Sweetie chuckled. "Don't worry, I still had fun. And hey, Jessica and twilight are FINALLY together. I call that a win for everyone."

Spike nodded. "Though now I'm stuck knowingly living with Nightmare Moon. Never thought that would fly out of my mouth."

Sweetie chuckled. "Well, at least she's only a spirit for now. If she does anything. Let me know and I'll make her regret it."

Spike nodded. "Take care Sweetie Belle, I'll see ya on Hearths Warming. Hopefully."

"Make that definitely." Sweetie Belle leaned in and captured Spike's lips with her own. They parted after a few seconds. "I'll write you when we get home safely."

Spike nodded. "I'm sure a lot of ponies here will appreciate that."

Sunset, starlight, Luke, T'Nea, and Ivan were with Diamond Tiara and Silver Spoon. "Thanks for helping us put together our research papers on earth Luke. Miss Cheerilee is sure to love them."

Luke chuckled. "Anytime girls. It was nice to meet some of Spike's friends from Ponyville."

Diamond and Silver nodded. "It was nice to meet you guys too. Earth really is a beautiful planet."

Luke chuckled. "Yeah. It may not be as beautiful as Equuis, but it's home." Luke smiled and reached out to ruffle diamond and silver's manes. "Now, you two take care of yourselves. And pay attention in school."

Diamond and silver chuckled.

Jessica and twilight were over with Moondancer, Cadance, Shining, and Flurry heart, who was flocking Jessica while giggling. "It was nice to meet you Jessica. I can definitely see why Twilight thinks highly of you."

Jessica let out a chuckle as she felt Flurry's wing brush against her side. "It was great to meet you guys too. Hopefully Nightmare Moon didn't ruin your vacation too much."

Cadance chuckled. "I admit I didn't see that demon coming."

Moondancer nodded. "However. That didn't ruin our vacation. Especially when we got to be here for the magic moment where our twily finally found the mare of her dreams, er, girl of her dreams. Oh celestia that's gonna take some getting used to."

Twilight chuckled. "I'm glad you guys were able to come visit. And I'm also glad you guys approve of my relationship with Jessica."

Shining chuckled. "She May have a demon in her head. But I've seen enough this week to know that she's perfect for you."

Moondancer nodded. "However, that doesn't mean that shining and I..." she turned her attention to Jessica, who was cradling Flurry by that point. "...won't blast her into space if she hurts you. Barring demon influence of course."

Jessica, having heard Moondancer, saw her and shining eying her, which made Her stiffen up a bit. "Don't worry guys. Twilight's safe. I'll never hurt her. And I'll keep Nightmare Moon in line too."

Nightmare moon suddenly appeared out of nowhere laughing. "Yeah right, because I'll take orders from you. If anything you should be under my thrall. In fact you will be in—" she was interrupted by Jessica once again capturing her in Zero point energy and launching her into space with a burst of energy.

Jessica sighed. "I swear, by now she isn’t scary, just extremely annoying. Looks like this GL ring is gonna be seeing a lot more use then I originally thought."

Twilight chuckled as she wrapped a wing around Jessica's waist, pulling her closer to her side. "Seriously Jessica, you have to let me take that thing apart some time. I still can't believe how much power is packed into such a tiny frame."

Jessica chuckled. "Maybe when we have a more permanent solution to NM's appearing act other than just ejecting her into orbit whenever she appears."

Moondancer nodded. "Hm, perhaps there's a spell that can contain the demon and not allowed her to project herself in any way shape or form beyond your mind. I'll look into it when we get back and I'll let you know if I find anything."

Twilight smiled as she hugged her twin sister. "Thanks Moony. You're the best."

Moondancer chuckled as she returned the hug. "Hey, anything to help my sister and her new marefriend, er, girlfriend."

Shining chuckled. Then turned to the rest of the room. "Alright, all visitors on the shuttle. We got a long flight ahead of us."

Cadance looked around, then noticed somepony missing. "Hey, where's scootaloo?"

Everyone looked around to see that scootaloo was in fact missing. Along with rainbow and fluttershy. Applebloom raised an eyebrow. "Now what in tarnation is taking them so long? She told us how they were going on her First Flight and all, but shouldn't they be back by now?"

As if to answer Applebloom, the three Pegasi suddenly came in for a landing, rainbow immediately wrapping scootaloo up in her hooves. "That was amazing scoots! You've really made me proud."

Fluttershy nodded. "I'm so happy you can finally fly on your own scootaloo."

Scootaloo smiled warmly at the two Pegasi. "Thanks guys. And, thanks for believing in me."

Rainbow chuckled as Fluttershy got in on the hug. "Of course. We always knew you could do it."

Scootaloo nodded. "Me too. Because I had the best teacher in the galaxy."

Rainbow nodded. "You darn right you did. Now..." the group hug split. "...head back to Equuis and keep getting faster. I'll be looking for a race when we see each other again."

Scootaloo smiled and gave a determinate nod. "You are so on. I'll give you a race you'll never forget." Scootaloo held out her hoof for a hoof bump.

Rainbow extended her own hoof and bumped it with scootaloo's. "I'll be looking forward to it."

"Hey, scoots! You coming or what?" Scoots looked over to see the CMC already on the shuttle.

Scoots nodded. "Yeah, I'll be right there." She turned back to rainbow and Fluttershy. "Thanks for flying with me today. It was just as I had imagined it would be. I'll miss you two."

Rainbow wrapped a wing around scootaloo. "We'll miss you too. See you around hearths warming."

Scootaloo nodded. "Yeah. See ya." Scootaloo walked over to board the shuttle.

Cadance turned her attention to Flurry, who was still cradled in Jessica's arms. "Ok Flurry, it's time to say goodbye."

Flurry heard this and frowned. Her eyes becoming wet as she snuggled deeper into the cradle. Jessica Saw this and gave Flurry a reassuring smile. "Don't worry Flurry. I have a feeling we'll see each other again. But it's time for you to go now." Jessica set flurry on cadance's back.

Cadance smiled as she wrapped her wings around Flurry to keep her from falling. "She's taken a liking to you already it seems."

Twilight chuckled. "That doesn't surprise me. Flurry can be easygoing when she wants to be."

Moondancer nodded. "Yeah. And the 75% of the time that she doesn't want to be, lets just say thank celestia for the Forbearance spell."

The ponies all chuckled while Jessica arched an eyebrow. "What's a forbearance spell?"

Twilight ceased chuckling and answered. "I'll tell you later Jess."

The chuckling stopped and Moondancer hugged twilight one more time. "Take care Twi. And please, write me more often. I miss getting letters from you."

Twilight chuckled. "Alright. I'll write more often. Take care Moondancer. You guys too shining and Cadance."

Shining and cadance nodded. "We'll see you around hearths warming."

"And Jessica?"

"Yes Cadance?"

“Next time we meet, you think you could sing that song you used to serenade Twilight? I was really hoping we’d get to hear it.”

Jessica chuckled as she nodded. “Yeah. I’ll be sure to have my guitar handy. Have a safe flight you guys.”

Moondancer nodded. “Good luck with Nightmare Moon. And Jessica, please keep my sister sane during this. I know from personal experience that Twilight’s episode earlier isn’t the worst it can get.”

The moondncer, twilight, and Jessica all chuckled. Jessica nodded. “Oh believe me Moondancer, we’ve had a similar episode before today. I’ll make sure Twilight doesn’t lose it.”

Nightmare Moon “Oh but it’s so much fun seeing her lose it. Minus the whining.”

Jessica clenched here fists and groaned in frustration. “I’m more worried about ME losing it from having the demon in my mind.”

Twilight chuckled and reached up and pecked Jessica in the cheek with her lips. “We’ll keep each other sane during this. Deal?”

Jessica nodded. “Deal.” They touched hoof and hand in a bump.

Shining smiled began moving towards the shuttle. “Take care everyone. And stay safe.”

Everyone, who had gathered closer by then, nodded. “We will.”

“And Don’t worry. We’ll kick Nightmare Moon’s flanks right out of Jessica. Count on it.”

Cadance chuckled as she boarded the shuttle. “I have no doubt that you will.”

Twilight nodded, then remembered something. “Wait! Can you guys keep quiet about Nightmare Moon to the other princesses? And can you also not tell them about me and Jessica? We’d like to be the ones to tell them.”

Shining nodded. “Sure, we’ll keep quiet about all this.”

Moondancer smirked. “But you have three weeks to tell mom and dad before they get here for their visit, and I suggest you tell luna and celestia sooner rather then later, to avoid them firing on Jessica.”

Twilight nodded. “Got it. Thanks. Have a safe trip home.”

Shining cadance and Moondancer nodded as the door to the shuttle closed. The gang watched as it lifted off and zoomed away.

T’Nea let out a sigh of relief. “Phew. Now I can breath again knowing that Jessica’s safe from the wrath of a princess.”

Sunset chuckled. “From cadance’s wrath, Luna and celestia though, twilight when we see them again I’d keep Jessica inside a shield until we know they won’t blast her into oblivion in an effort to destroy Nightmare Moon.”

That sent a shiver down Jessica and twilight’s spines, the image of celestia and Luna obliterating Jessica. Twilight shook her head clear and nodded. “That’s a good idea. But, let’s try to not let it come to that at all and get NM out of Jessica before they ever get a chance to find out.”

Starlight nodded. “So, who’s ready to wage war with Nightmare Moon? Again?”

“WAIT!!!” Pinkie shouted, leaving everyone to look at the pink pony.

Rarity raised an eyebrow. “What is it darling?”

Pinkie started bouncing in place. “We still need to do something.” Before anyone could respond, pinkie started galloping at Pinkie Pie speed around the shuttlebay, nearly making a tornado in the process. After only a few seconds, the wind and the pink blue that was pinkie stopped, and everyone saw that the shuttlebay was decorated with heart balloons. Purple and navy blue streamers, and a banner that read, in bold capital letters, ‘CONGRATULATIONS JESSICA AND TWILIGHT!!!!’ Everyone looked around and slowly, began to chuckle.

Applejack wrapped a hoof around pinkie. “Of course, a party celebrating Jessica and twilight’s relationship. Only you pinkie.”

Ivan lifted an eyebrow. “Now does not seem like the time to throw a party. Not when we have a demon currently in our mist.”

Nightmare moon spoke again. “Plus, the pink one’s parties are still a bore.”

Jessica groaned. “Can it Nightmare Moron, you chose to inhabit friends of pinkie, and now you have to suffer through any party she invites me to.”

Everyone heard Nightmare Moon groan, and chuckled. “Don’t listen to her pinkie. Your parties are amazing. And thanks for this one.”

Pinkie nodded. “No problem. Now, lets get this party started!”

To be continued.

Author's Note:

And so ends the Nightmare Moon reveal arc. If you’ve stuck with it this far. I thank you for taking the time to read

So, what should be next for our favorite interspecies gang? Let me know down in the comments.

Comments

[raven618]

What's next? How about some space-time? Nothing too fancy, just a space walk or a trip to an orbital station should suffice.

[Captain_Cosmos]

ooh, a day trip to Earth Spacedock. good idea.