Chapter One - Exposition Galore

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"Alright, I think that's the last of the fires put out," panted Applejack, as she walked into the throne room of Twilight's castle.

"We were lucky those rain clouds happened to be nearby and ready to go," said Rainbow Dash, then shot a look at the head of the table. "Of course, we wouldn't have needed them if someone hadn't been shooting beams of sunfire all over Ponyville."

"'Oh, by the way Princess, not only did we accidentally turn the ponies you love most to stone, but your worst enemy—one you still have nightmares about—has been given physical form,'" mocked Celestia, waving her hooves. "'But don't worry, she apparently doesn't want to bring about eternal night anymore, so there's no reason to attack her.'"

She looked around the room with narrowed eyes, glaring at Shining Armor and the five ponies still glowing with Rainbow Power. "Would that have been so hard to say?"

"'Dear Twilight Sparkle, my most faithful student, Queen Chrysalis also apparently isn't evil anymore, and she likes to make kissy-faces with my sister,'" shot back Rainbow Dash. "Would that have been a hard letter to write?!"

"Okay, listen here—!"

"You both have good points," said an echoing voice.

"You don't get a say in anything that's happening!" snapped Celestia, glaring at the other end of the table.

Nightmare Moon, still sans armor as she had been since her reappearance, looked back with an expression of hurt. "What did I ever do to you?"

"Pbbbltffftft!" Celestia's efforts to talk turned to sputtering, before she finally managed to get some words out. "Existing was enough! And now you're existing again, but physically this time! How did that even happen?!"

"I don't know!" Nightmare Moon smiled cheerfully, exposing her pointed teeth, and shrugged. "One moment I'm sitting in the back of Luna's head, plotting my revenge, and the next I get blasted by a bunch of rainbows—again—and I'm standing there actually looking at her instead."

She looked around at the worried and confused ponies, smile widening. "And, I have to say, feeling awfully... happy about it."

"Do you know how that happened, Rarity?" Pinkie Pie turned to the fashion pony, who began sputtering in a decent impression of Celestia.

"How should I know?!"

"Well, it's magic, and you're a unicorn..."

"That doesn't... I am not that kind of unicorn. For a question like that, you need to ask—" Rarity stopped, and the mood around the table suddenly went cold.

"We'd need to ask Twilight," finished Fluttershy sadly.

"Ahem." Despite the pain the mention of Twilight had put on her face, Celestia still looked insulted. "Did you forget who taught Twilight?"

"Ooh! So then, what happened?" asked Pinkie expectantly.

"Oh. Um. Well..." She looked over at Nightmare Moon, murder not in her eyes for once while considering the midnight black pony. "If she really is different from Luna—somepony Luna created to act out her dark thoughts—then technically, I suppose, the Rainbow Power that turned Luna to stone wouldn't affect Nightmare Moon. Since it couldn't affect one without affecting the other, it must have... separated them, giving her a real body."

Celestia's expression of neutrality dropped as she kept staring at Nightmare Moon, and her voice turned bitter. "Of course, a far more reasonable hypothesis would be that the Tree of Harmony simply couldn't stand to touch the Nightmare for a third time, so it just booted her away."

"You always were able to come up with such good explanations for these kinds of things," said Nightmare Moon, clapping her hooves excitedly. "Remember when I was trying to kill you, and you figured out right away that I'd been born of Luna's anger and jealousy?"

Once again the mood around the table hit arctic levels.

"So, um, why aren't you trying to kill her now?" asked Fluttershy meekly.

"Trying to kill me yet," muttered Celestia.

"I don't know," mused Nightmare Moon, a smile creeping across her face. "Maybe I'm just... biding my time. Or maybe that was all Luna."

Everyone looked to Celestia again, who sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, there's a pretty good chance a lot of that was Luna. She tends to be... brooding. It comes with being the Princess of the Night. I've always suspected that the Nightmare was more than a mere extension of Luna. Nightmare Moon is somepony she created who could channel her darker thoughts, the ones she would never acknowledge or act on. Which means that technically, without the... er, 'evil' from Luna, she should be harmless. Unless this is just a ruse to get us to lower our guards."

"Oh, come now, sister, don't be that way—"

"We are not sisters!"

The other ponies around the table cringed back from the explosion of fury as Celestia slammed her hooves down on the table, nearly cracking the crystal. She looked around at their fearful faces, and for once, that sight wasn't enough to calm her seething rage.

"Okay, touchy subject." Nightmare Moon nodded, almost to herself. "Anypony have something else they want to talk about?"

"Um..." Shining Armor, off to one side of the table, raised a hoof. "I'm a bit concerned about the fact that my wife, sister, and two aunt-in-laws were turned to stone."

That took the wind out of Celestia's wings, and she collapsed onto the table.

"That's my family..." she looked up, face miserable. "That's my entire family... Please, can you give me any more details about what happened?"

Nightmare Moon just shrugged, and the five friends looked uncomfortable and nervous, so it was Shining Armor who finally sighed and leaned forward on the table.

"There's not a lot more to tell you. When we teleported here and Twily came out of the castle, she was... not happy to see Queen Chrysalis. Which is unsurprising; we really should have warned her in advance. But, well, I don't think any of us thought she would immediately call up the Rainbow Power and summon all her friends.

"Luna and Cadance were keeping them calm—well, calm to the point where all they were doing was yelling and screaming. But I guess Twilight finally had enough and tried to take Chrysalis out, and, well... apparently Rainbow Power splashes a bit."

Celestia stared at him, eyes narrowed. "And where were you during all this, my Captain?"

He snorted, not intimidated or ashamed. "While being in the middle of four Princesses and/or Queens sounds like every stallion's fantasy, that would be both pointless and hazardous to my health when they're all pissed-off alicorns."

Celestia continued to glare, but finally dropped her gaze. "Okay, fair point."

She then turned to the other ponies. "And you five? What were you doing? Aside from helping turn all my loved ones to stone, that is."

Without looking, Pinkie Pie slapped her hoof across Rainbow Dash's mouth, turning the string of curses into mere muffled grunts.

"With all due respect, Princess, what did y'all expect us to do when Queen Chrysalis showed up out of nowhere?" asked Applejack crossly. "And you're talking about someone we know can use mind-control. We couldn't exactly trust either of the Princesses or Shining Armor."

"You could have at least—"

"At least what, let her hypnotize all of us and stick us in cocoons?!" cried Rainbow Dash, finally breaking free of Pinkie.

"I hate to say it, but attacking her was the safest option, dear," said Rarity apologetically. "Once we had her under control, we could decide if she actually was a threat or not."

"That's not—"

"We're soooo sorry!" wailed Pinkie from Celestia's side, throwing her forelegs around the monarch. "We didn't mean for all this to happen!"

"I—"

"It was a terrible accident," sniffled Fluttershy, hugging her from the other side. "C-can you ever forgive us?"

"I... you all..." Celestia looked around the table, then dropped her head with a sigh and a smile.

Even when you aren't around, your friends keeping spreading the magic of friendship, she thought, a small tear leaking from the corner of one eye.

"You are all correct," she said, wrapping her wings around the two ponies on her sides and smiling at the others. "What happened was no one's fault. You did everything right, and your reactions were perfectly natural. It was just... an accident."

She gave one last squeeze to the ponies under her wings, then stood up, radiating confidence and serenity once again as she began to walk around the table. "So, the question is... what are we going to do about it? Despite my many years of experience, I have to admit to being in the dark about how to proceed. Luckily, we have both my library and Twilight's at our disposal. With a bit of assistance in researching the matter, I believe—"

Celestia paused as a thought struck her. "Has anyone seen Spike lately? Oh, I hope the little dear isn't taking this too hard."

"No worries about that, Princess," Applejack said with a grin. "When he found out, he just sighed and said 'again?'. Then he went to get what he called his 'Twilight got herself turned to stone again' cart, and he and Big Mac wheeled them all into the castle for protection. From what he was sayin', this definitely ain't the first time this has happened. Or the fourth or fifth."

"Ah. Yes, Twilight does tend to have… accidents when it comes to her experiments. I'm not surprised she and Spike set up contingencies for these kinds of situations. That takes a weight off my shoulders, at least."

She peered around at the gathered ponies. "But back to the matter at hand. I see you all still have your Rainbow Power active, even without Twilight. Can you use it to reverse this?"

"I don't think the Rainbow Power is going to help, as much as I enjoy this mane," said Rarity.

"Speak for yourself," snorted Rainbow Dash. "I should be faster than ever like this, but my mane is such an aerodynamic drag now that I can't even get close to the required velocity for a Sonic Rainboom."

She looked around as she realized everypony in the room was staring at her. "What? Twilight taught me some flying terms."

"Well, I agree with Rarity! I like being like this too!" cried Pinkie, bouncing up and down around the table. "I've already thrown three parties today, one in Appleloosa, one in Canterlot, and one in Manehattan."

"How'd you do that?! Even I can't fly between all those cities that fast!" objected Rainbow Dash.

"And y'all were here the whole time, helping us get the two Princesses—"

"AHEM!"

"—the Princess and Nightmare Moon—"

"Sister, please—"

"What did I say about that?!"

"—to stop fightin', and then helped us put out the fires," said Applejack, despite numerous interruptions. "How could y'all have been doin' all that and throwing three parties in random parts of Equestria at the same time?"

"Like I said, I really like having Rainbow Power!"

"Um, I like it too," said Fluttershy. "With my mane so much bigger, I'll be able to carry even more of my animal friends around with me."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I have to say I'm in the 'not liking it' camp too," said Applejack. "I tried to buck a tree earlier, and I'm still not sure where it landed." She winced, and cast an apologetic glance at Celestia. "Y'all might be getting an angry letter from the Griffon Kingdom at some point. It looked like the tree was headin' in that direction when it went over the horizon."

"You are all truly trapped like that?" asked Celestia. "But at the same time you can't actually access the full Rainbow Power?"

"We're faster and stronger, and our natural talents seem to be more powerful, but that's it," said Rarity. "And yes, we can't seem to, um, 'turn it off' either."

"It must require all six of you to wield the power. And, for whatever reason, to shed it as well." Celestia sighed and frowned. "Without Twilight, you may be stuck this way the rest of your lives."

"That would be awful!" cried Rainbow Dash, then coughed. "I mean, relatively. Obviously the whole... being turned to stone thing would be, uh, worse."

"Can you do anything for Twilight and the others?" asked Rarity, turning to Celestia. "Heaven knows you are quite powerful."

"Yes, that's right!" cried Pinkie Pie, leaping out of nowhere to bounce up and down next to the Solar Monarch. "Use your alicorn powers and be all like 'Vooom! Bzzaaap! Ka-pwing!' and turn them all back!"

Celestia let out a chuckle. "I'm sorry, but while I may be strong in certain areas of magic, even an alicorn cannot turn stone to flesh, or vice versa. If we could, we would not have needed the Elements to deal with Discord."

"Speakin' of which..." said Applejack, raising hopeful eyebrows at Fluttershy.

"Sorry, but he went off on a vacation yesterday," replied the yellow pegasus. "He said something like 'that would be cheating' and left."

"What can we do, then?" said Shining Armor dismally. "We have all this magical power at our hoofs, and it's all useless."

"Then we need to find something else," declared Celestia. "Luna and I found the Elements once, long ago. We just have to find some similar artifact, some new magical power."

"Like what? Where do we even start looking for something like that?"

"I... I don't know." Celestia's ears folded back, her head dropping. "We've always kept an eye out for even rumors of powerful artifacts like the Elements—especially during the time between when they were returned to the Tree and when you six unlocked that box—but there hasn't been a hint of anything else. Even the Royal Library is useless; I know every book in there, and we tracked down every lead they have and found nothing long ago. I have no idea where to start looking."

"I do."

All eyes turned to the doors, as they cracked open and an aqua-colored pony came stumbling in, wobbling as she moved towards the table.

"Lyra?" said Rarity, blinking in confusion. "Why—"

Before she could finish, green fire swept across the mare's body, revealing black chitin, translucent wings and green eyes.

Shining Armor stayed neutral, and the other five ponies recoiled back, but Celestia ran forward.

"Ka-klack! What are you doing here?"

"S-sorry it took me so long," said the changeling, swaying in place. "I was still in Canterlot, but I came as soon as we got the message."

"What message? From whom?"

In response, green fire crossed the changeling's body again. But rather than the usual smooth flames, these were sick and dull, nearly sputtering out in some places and momentarily flaring up in others.

His body was trying to grow, but something was holding it back, leaving his limbs long and brittle-looking. His horn became longer as well, stretching rather than actually growing in size, making it to look as though it were going to break into pieces from how crooked it became. Long turquoise hair grew, but just from one side of his head, leaving an eye covered—even as both eyes changed, becoming more like pony eyes except for their double irises.

"From me," said the stunted, twisted Chrysalis.

Author's Notes:

And we're off again!

It's only been, what, two years since I last started a new story here? A real story, at least, not an April Fool's joke.

I'm planning on a chapter a week, but that also depends on how quickly we can finish up proofing on each chapter. I don't see it being a problem, as there are several chapters ready to go now, and the rest are essentially done with no major changes needed.

I'll try to do fun facts about each of these chapters, so, let's see...

For this one, Nightmare Moon was originally conceived much differently. She was going to be a mix of Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy, with the explanation being that Luna was the one who had been upset at Celestia, so without her Nightmare was perfectly cheerful and friendly.

I changed my mind about that the more I planned out the story and everything that's going to follow, and now we have a more classic Nightmare Moon.

Chapter Two - My Little Queen

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"Thank you," said Chrysalis, folding her legs under herself and shifting around, trying to get comfortable with both her smaller body and her seat on the table.

"You're… welcome," replied Celestia as she moved back, gazing at the small Queen with a furrowed brow.

"I'm sorry," said Chrysalis nervously, "is something wrong? Is it something I did?"

"No, it's just, well…"

"You're usually kind of a bitch," said Applejack flatly, then looked around at everypony else in the room. "What? Element of Honesty, remember?"

Chrysalis surprised them all by letting out a small giggle. "I suppose I might be. Things always seem… different, when this happens."

"You've fallen in love with a Princess and then been turned to stone and then come back as a midget version of yourself before?!" gasped Pinkie Pie.

"Not exactly. But this isn't my first time returning to the Hive, not by far."

"I don't understand," said Shining Armor, puzzled. "Aren't you always with your hive, through the hivemind?"

"The Hive never dies," said Celestia suddenly, as things clicked into place.

"That's right," said Chrysalis, nodding. "Where did you hear that, exactly?"

"Ka-klack and Sqwuark said it, when we were… working together." She glanced over at Shining Armor, not wanting to elaborate. "I've seen it mentioned in what little changeling literature we've gotten ahold of as well. I know you've been around for a while, but… you're not really immortal, are you?"

"The Hive never dies," said Chrysalis, echoing Celestia. "No, I am not. While I may be nearly as hardy as you, immortality seems to be a gift largely reserved for alicorns."

"Then what are you right now, exactly? And how have you survived hundreds… thousands of years?"

"I will not attempt to describe the hivemind to you in detail," said Chrysalis, shifting slightly to a more comfortable position. "I doubt mere words, and pony words at that, could do the experience—the feeling—justice. But the hivemind… is not just a shared consciousness. Each of us, every changeling, exists both in the hivemind and in our bodies. Our memories, our minds, our souls… whatever you want to call them, they are in the hivemind.

"Death has come to mean little to us. We simply return to the Hive—the hivemind—to await birth in a new body. As unpleasant as dying may be, it is a mere inconvenience to us."

She looked up at the gathered ponies solemnly, eyes flat. "As long as one changeling who shares our hivemind lives, so do we all. And so, the Hive never dies."

"Incredible," breathed Celestia softly.

"Sounds like cheating to me," grumbled Rainbow Dash.

"Um, does dying… well, does it hurt?" asked Fluttershy, trembling.

Chrysalis looked at her for a moment, then grinned widely, fangs practically dripping venom. "It does. Very much so, in some cases. Never let anyone tell you that there is such a thing as a painless death."

With a squeak, Fluttershy disappeared under the table.

"Chrysalis, that was uncalled for!" snarled Celestia. "Do it again, and I might send you back to the Hive myself for once."

"For once?" Chrysalis raised an eyebrow. "Do you remember the first time we met, all those hundreds of years ago?"

"Of course," Celestia snorted. "You went running off the moment you got hurt and took all your minions with you. We never even had a proper fight."

"My wounds may have been a bit more… fatal than you thought."

What color Celestia's face had drained away, and a hoof went to her mouth. "You mean I… you..."

"Several hours later," confirmed Chrysalis. "In agony."

"Oh Goddess… I-I'm sorry—"

"Not important," said the Queen dismissively, waving a hoof. "Like I said, not the first time. And it wasn't the last."

Celestia seemed to be struggling with the news that she'd killed Chrysalis once, so Shining Armor cleared his throat.

"Are you… going to help us, then?" he asked, clearly still finding it uncomfortable to be asking for assistance from the Changeling Queen. "Is there something you can do?"

"I am going to help you along your way, but I will not be helping you myself, physically. I can't," she replied.

"What do you mean?"

A series of conflicting emotions crossed Chrysalis's face, and finally she sighed. "I'm mostly here to ask for your help, and let you know there is a… time limit of sorts on how soon you need to free me from that stone prison."

"But… you're here right now," said Applejack, puzzled. "Aren't ya just going to get born again with that fancy hivemind thingy and get a new body?"

"No… no, I can't let that happen! You don't understand…" Agitated, the small Changeling Queen got up and began to pace about on unsteady legs.

"Just relax," said, surprisingly, Fluttershy, coming out from under the table to give the Queen a hug with one wing. "Explain it to us. We can understand, and then we can help you."

"Yes… thank you, Fluttershy." Chrysalis gave her a smile, then closed her eyes and took a deep, calming breath.

"I'm still in that stone statue," she said, opening her eyes. "If I come back in a new body while I'm still there, and then you free me… the other me from that stone, I don't know what will happen.

"I suppose it's possible that there would be two of me running around—I'm sure Luna would love that—but I don't think that's likely. I don't even know how the hivemind would react to that. It might create a schism, splitting the hivemind apart, causing internal factions to form, leading to one side warring against the other for control… not good, in other words. That's the best-case scenario I see if I am reborn before you free me."

"That's the best case?!" cried Rainbow Dash. "I mean, I'd love to get in the middle of a big changeling war again, but I don't know if I'd call that good."

"Because the other option, the more likely option… is that the body that was turned to stone will be dead when you free it; with my mind in a new body, the old one will be empty."

"Still not seeing how that's worse. I mean, you don't care about that kind of thing with your hivemind and all, do you?"

Chrysalis closed her eyes, hunching down and cringing. "Luna had her hooves around me when we were turned to stone. You can move us, but you can't separate us. How will she react if you undo what's happened, and she finds me dead in her hooves? She doesn't know about the Hive, doesn't know that I can die and come back… what will she think… how will she feel…"

Her eyes suddenly sprang open and she gasped, as Princess Celestia embraced the changeling's small form with her wings.

"Oh, you sweet little thing!" cooed Celestia, nuzzling up against the Queen's head. "All this is just for Luna, isn't it?"

"I… I just… yes it is." The changeling blushed, squirming in Celestia's hug. "I know she wouldn't be too traumatized by what might happen, but still… I want to spare her that."

"Oh, that's so romantic!" squealed Rarity.

"Ugh, mushy stuff," complained Rainbow Dash, sticking out her tongue in disgust and looking away.

"I guess y'all were telling the truth about her being refor—different than we thought," said Applejack, embarrassed, looking over at Shining Armor. "Really wishin' now that we'd listened to you from the start."

"Don't worry about it. They had to throw me in a closet and tie me up when I first found out," he replied. "But then I spent a whole day with her and, well, it's hard to watch her with Luna and still remember everything she did."

"I have another reason for wanting to be freed before I'm reborn as well," said Chrysalis, once she'd been released and spent some time preening and generally attempting to regain her dignity. She looked over at Celestia. "Luna told me you knew about the changeling love-bond beforehoof."

"Ah, yes." Celestia shifted nervously. "I'm really sorry about that. I hadn't thought much about it, didn't realize how much it would be like I was playing with your emotions—"

"It's alright," said Chrysalis gently, laying a small hoof on Celestia's shoulder. "I have no objections to what you did. You gave me a love to call my own. Which is why I'm worried about what might happen if I am reborn so quickly after the bond has been formed.

"In it's own way, it is as much a mystery to us as it is to you. I've never managed to bond with a partner who, well, survives the experience. But I do know that while the bond affects the Queen's emotions, it has no effect on the partner. Luna's love for me is entirely real and natural."

She frowned, deep in thought, worried. "But mine isn't. Something is there, or was there, which is how the bond formed in the first place. It was merely... amplified. And I don't know what will happen if I form a bond and then am reborn so quickly. It could be that without enough time to 'set', it will disappear entirely.

"I don't want that. I don't know how long I have until the hivemind will force me to be reborn, so you have to hurry. I love Luna so much now… the thought of losing that love, even if I wouldn't miss it, wouldn't even know… it scares me."

She hunched down, looking so miserable that, even if they didn't realize it, the first barriers towards accepting the Queen broke down in even the most hard-hearted pony in the room.

"I am never going to let you forget this," said Celestia, grinning widely. "You know that, right?"

Chrysalis rolled her eyes. "I open myself up to you, and this is the reaction I get? And you wonder why I thought an invasion was better than trying for a peaceful coexistence…"

"Ooh, an instant snarky response. You'll fit in well."

Giggles came from the other ponies around the table.

"Are y'all sure it's Luna that's in love with the Queen?" snickered Applejack. "Kinda looks like it might be you, Princess."

"You two do sound a bit like an old married couple," said Rarity apologetically.

"It's not like that at all!" protested Celestia, a slight blush on her face.

"That's right, Twilight's the one she wants to bang," said Chrysalis airily.

Celestia sighed and put a hoof to her forehead. This was going to take some time to explain. Especially since she had to wait until all the yelling died down.

"Is this really what you wanted?" she asked, gazing at the small Queen with lowered eyelids.

"You did say you were never going to let me forget what I said," replied Chrysalis, stretching out on the table and grinning. "And I've always preferred to get my revenge in early whenever possible."

"So… romantic…" gurgled Rarity, still slumped over in her chair. Everypony ignored her.

"You know, I thought today was going to be cool when Chrysalis showed up," grumbled Rainbow Dash. "Instead, some of our best friends got turned to stone and now we have to deal with all this lame lovey-dovey mushy stuff. I don't know which is worse."

"Really, Dash?" Applejack raised an eyebrow. "I seem to remember reading a certain story you wrote that seems awfully similar to this situation."

"AJ!" cried Rainbow Dash, face burning red. "I show you those while we were together in private!"

"I think this is great!" declared Fluttershy. "I'm so happy for you two!"

"HUUUUUUUNNH!" Pinkie suddenly let out a loud gasp. "That means I have to plan TWO 'Congratulations You're Getting Married' parties, one for Lunalis and now one for Twilestia!"

"I-it's not like that!" cried Celestia, face flushed. "I haven't even talked to her about it. She has no idea how I feel… she might say no."

"Really? This again?" said Shining Armor dryly.

"That would never happen!" Rarity suddenly shot upright. "The very concept of romance itself would simply not allow such a tragedy to occur!"

"Absolutely not!" agreed Fluttershy firmly.

A babble of agreement came from every pony in the room, even Chrysalis, until Celestia finally tapped her hoof on the table.

"Are we done discussing my love life?" she asked pointedly, trying to pretend her face wasn't currently flaming crimson. "Good. Because I would like to have one, and that means freeing all of those ponies from stone. Chrysalis, you said you could help us with that?"

The changeling, who had been watching everything with an amused expression, sat up straighter and nodded.

"I can, possibly. You said you had no books, no leads to follow on anything that could help. But I might. Countering and undoing the effects of the Elements of Harmony is—ahem, was, somewhat of a priority of mine."

She gazed at Celestia for a moment, then seemed to reach some internal decision and nodded slightly. "I will allow you into my hive so that you may browse the artifacts and tomes we have gathered over the centuries."

"That's… thank you, Chrysalis. I know how much you must be trusting me to let me enter your hive. I don't think anypony has ever entered with your consent, have they?"

"No. Well, not voluntarily and outside a cocoon." She grinned widely. Celestia glared at her, but the smile stayed on her face, uncaring.

"I will, for the time being, not press that statement," said Celestia graciously, ignoring the changeling's chuckle. "I believe your hive is in the Badlands, yes?"

Now Chrysalis laughed gleefully. "Rumors are such useful things, aren't they? No, it's not, but it is somewhere nearby, where we can watch to see who might be looking around the Badlands. My hive is in the abandoned mines under Appleloosa."

"WHAT?!"

Chrysalis chortled and chuckled as Rainbow Dash, Pinkie and Shining Armor struggled to hold Applejack back.

"I'll tell Braeburn you said hi next time I feel like having a bite to eat," Chrysalis said just as Applejack calmed down, sending her into another outburst of rage.

"Chrysalis…" said Celestia warningly, glaring at the changeling, glad for the years of experience that let her keep a straight face.

"Oh, let me have some fun," complained Chrysalis, rolling her eyes. "It's not like I'm going to be able to have any for quite some time."

"Oh." Celestia frowned. "You really aren't going to come with us?"

"No. My changelings know you'll be coming and that you're to have access to anything in the hive you wish. But I'm not going to take Ka-klack's body away from him just because I lost my own. He will accompany you, though. Consider him my direct representative."

"Thank you, Chrysalis," said Celestia, touched. "He is a very capable changeling. I'll be glad to have him with me."

"Yes, and he seems to work well with you. No matter if the situation involves placing you into a cocoon or, say, robbing a vault…" Shining Armor looked up sharply at that, eyes narrowing. "Well, it seems that just about anything involving you two tends to be a success. I hope this venture is as well."

"Yes, thank you," replied Celestia through gritted teeth, trying to avoid Shining Armor's accusing eyes.

Chrysalis stood up, looking around the room with warm, happy eyes. "Before I go, I want to thank all of you for accepting me so readily today, and for being willing to give me the help I need to free myself—and the others—before something awful happens.

"And… and I just want to say…" the small Queen paused to wipe a tear away, "that… I will remember you called me a bitch, Applejack. You'd better not sleep."

"W-what?"

Instead of responding, green fire swept over Chrysalis and she shrunk down, leaving behind a wobbling changeling who, in the end, fell over onto the tabletop with a thump.

"Are you alright, Ka-klack?" asked Celestia, concerned, trotting up next to him.

"Yeah, it's just… ugh, I have such a headache." He put a holed hoof to his forehead, rubbing just below his horn. "I knew that channeling another mind through the hivemind hurts, but I didn't think it was going to be this bad. I wish—"

Ka-klack stopped, as a golden glow surrounded his head and the pain began to fade. Tracing the golden glow back to its source, he stared wonderingly at Celestia as she smiled gently at him.

"T-thank you," he stammered.

"Now, I can't have my assistant not feeling up to the task, can I?" she asked teasingly.

"You're really doing this, Celestia?" asked Shining Armor in a low voice. He glanced at the changeling, but kept talking. "I know what I've said about Chrysalis, and what she just said to us… and there's her and Luna's relationship to consider, but… I still don't trust her."

Celestia started to answer, then paused and looked over at Ka-klack. He looked back at her for a moment, then shrugged and nodded for her to go ahead.

"I trust her… more than I used to—which, admittedly, still isn't much—but not enough to go waltzing straight into her hive," she said softly. "At least, not normally. But whatever information is at her hive is the best lead we have right now. There's not much choice but to check it out.

"Also… she did bare her heart to us. I don't think any of what she said was a lie. If she really had some scheme in mind, the best thing to do would have been not to tell us about the Hive, and instead let herself be reborn and attack while we were unprepared and all of the other Princesses are stone. She's already beaten me once, and that was in a desperate head-on attack. If we were to fight on her terms, well, I doubt I'd even know about it until after I'd lost."

"Yep," said Ka-klack brightly, then flinched as everypony in the room glared at him.

"I'm not ruling out that this isn't some even more elaborate plan—her capacity for subterfuge is frightening—but it doesn't feel like that. In fact, I'm sure going into her hive isn't a trap, because the hivemind, and therefore Ka-klack, would know if it is. And I don't think he would be leading me into a trap."

"You really trust me that much?" he said, looking up at her.

"Of course not, silly," she replied, ruffling the frill on his head with a hoof. "But you're going to be right next to me the whole time we're in that hive. Which means you'll be the closest changeling to me if there's even the slightest hint of an ambush."

Ka-klack gulped, and she leaned down closer, still smiling. "Now that I know how… expendable you consider your bodies, I have a lot more leeway in what I can do. You might not care about dying, but please remember that I can make it an exceedingly unpleasant experience. Only if I'm forced to, of course. Just… something you may want to keep in mind."

She straightened back up, away from the quaking changeling. "With that out of the way, I suggest we retire back to our respective residences for the night. Tomorrow we can work out a plan of action. If you'll excuse me now, I believe I am a bit late for lowering the sun and raising the moon—"

"Hmm?" Nightmare Moon, who had been lost in thought, looked up. "Oh, I took care of that for you when it was time. Don't worry about it."

It took all five Rainbow Powered ponies, plus Shining Armor, to hold Celestia back. Even then she was stretched out on the table, moving forward inch by inch as she pulled herself along on her wings.

"You had no right!" she howled, hooves flailing ineffectually as she tried to reach Nightmare Moon.

"I… I was trying—"

"You are a monster!" Celestia got her hooves under herself, standing up and throwing the ponies who had been holding her down aside like ragdolls. "If you ever touch my Sun or Luna's Moon again, I'll banish you to someplace you can't come back from!"

"I—" Nightmare Moon stood suddenly, tossing her head and rearing back. There was a soft noise, almost an explosion of soundlessness, and the light in the room dimmed. She slammed her hooves down on the table, and for a moment she looked like the old Nightmare Moon, even without her armor.

"I want to rule Equestria too!" she bellowed, face full of rage and desperate unhappiness. "That's all I've ever wanted! But you just take it all on yourself, you think you have to deal with every single bit of responsibility that pops up! You call me jealous and selfish, while taking everything for yourself! You… you always…"

This time she did explode, turning to a shadowy mist and fleeing the room in every direction, through whatever cracks were available in doors and windows and walls.

Celestia stayed up on the table for a few seconds, face thunderous with rage. Finally, moving slowly and carefully, she made her way down to the floor.

"Did—" somepony tried to say, only to be cut off immediately.

"Get some sleep," said Celestia, voice cracking harshly. "There is going to be a lot happening tomorrow." She opened the doors to the room, slamming them into the wall, and strode out.

The other ponies looked at each other, then, without a word, filed resignedly out of the room. Behind them, Applejack still sat at the table, looking around forlornly.

"Um, ain't none of y'all concerned that Chrysalis just vowed vengeance on me?" she asked in the general direction of the departed ponies. "Anypony?"

There was no response. A creak came from one of the nearby walls and Applejack jumped in her seat, then laughed nervously. When another sound came from behind her, she scrambled to her hooves and ran from the room.

"W-wait for me, y'all!"

Chapter Three - Team Up

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Her Sun, Celestia was happy to note when she awoke, was patiently waiting on the horizon for her to raise. Well, it wasn't that she was happy to note it, more that she wasn't filled with blinding rage that it wasn't there.

She sighed, as she began making her way through the halls of Twilight's castle. Something would have to be done about Nightmare Moon, immediately. That mare was devious, and up to something, and Celestia for one was not about to fall for this 'not wanting to bring about eternal night' nonsense.

Had she only known the Nightmare had been lurking in Luna's head all this time, waiting for a chance at vengeance…

Celestia grimaced. Well, now she knew Nightmare Moon was still around, and the monster was free, to boot. Which might actually work out to her advantage, she mused silently. If the Nightmare had still been inside Luna, they would have had to figure out some way to remove her without hurting Luna. But now that she was running around free, it would be much easier finding a way to deal with her that was more....

Permanent.

Celestia shook her head as she entered the kitchen. She had more important things to be worrying about now—well, only slightly more important—and nodded to the unfamiliar stallion who was looking through a cupboard.

"Um, hi," said the stallion. "Nice to meet you finally, I'm one of Twilight's servants—"

"Oh, hi Ka-klack," she replied, pulling out the tea kettle from its familiar place and beginning to look through Twilight's tea selection.

"You... how did you—"

"For one, Twilight has yet to hire any servants. She's humble, it's one of the things that makes her so cute." Realizing what she had just said without thinking, she blushed but continued on. "Also, you and I are... acquaintances, I suppose would be the term. I know you well enough to recognize your body language. I probably wouldn't have even thought about it if I didn't know about the servant thing, though, so you can patch your ego up."

"Sorry," said the embarrassed changeling. "It's just... I've been spotted before, but being called out by name is a horse of a different color. No offense."

"Well, I'll try not to bring it up next time."

There was quiet as Celestia made her tea, not quite the silence of two friends who had nothing to say to one another, but not uncomfortable either. Pouring the tea into a cup—one, she noted with a pang, that had her own cutie mark on the side—she took a seat at the table across from Ka-klack. Sipping her tea, she let out a sigh as the liquid gold hit her system.

"You miss her, don't you?" asked Ka-klack suddenly.

Celestia looked at him for a moment, then nodded. "Of course I do. I have... very deep feelings for her. But even if I didn't, she would still be my friend. My closest friend, one I've known nearly her entire life."

"Do you want me to... I mean, I could be her—"

She cut him off with a sharp, almost angry shake of her head. "No, Ka-klack. That wouldn't be right. She's... what she means to me..."

"I know you love her. If you're worried about me feeding off that love, I wouldn't. You just seem so..."

"How do you know about that exactly?" asked Celestia, narrowing her eyes.

"Queen Chrysalis knows. That means we all know," he replied.

"Of course, of course." Chrysalis knows. Obviously they'd refer to her in present tense still, Celestia mused idly.

Out loud, she said, "While I do appreciate the thought, that isn't something you should go around offering to do for ponies. Some might not take it as well. It's... well, it's complicated. You can't just replace a pony's loved one."

"Then... what's going to happen to us?"

Celestia realized her mistake, but there was no going back. "That... I didn't mean—well, I did, but—"

"The Queen and your sister were talking about us integrating into your pony society, but that involved us still being able to feed as we normally do. If you don't want us to do that... if you won't let us, then..."

"I'll figure something out," promised Celestia. "I've always taken care of my little ponies, and if I have to do the same for my little changelings too... then I will."

"Do you really mean that?" asked Ka-klack, a look of wonder on his face. "I mean, I taste that you do, but still..."

"Of course I do. All the citizens of my land are my responsibility, no matter what their species."

Celestia jerked back in surprise, suddenly finding herself being hugged by the disguised changeling. "It's a shame you don't feed on love too," he said, gazing up at her. "You'd be getting a pretty good meal right now."

She giggled, wrapping a wing around him. "Trust me, knowing I've helped my subjects, that I've made them happy, is more important to me than any meal."

She stood up, gently disengaging from Ka-klack. "I must thank you for this time we just spent talking," she said, moving towards the kitchen door. "While I may not be able to feed off your love, I can feel it, and I'm going to need that feeling to get through what is coming."

The changeling cocked his head at her. "You don't think going to the hive is going to be dangerous, do you? I've already promised you everything Queen Chrysalis said was sincere."

"I'm not talking about that," said Celestia darkly. "No, this is going to be far more difficult and dangerous..."

"Because it's CRAZY, that's why!"

Hovering in the air, her hooves thrown out in frustration, Rainbow Dash was nearly vibrating with indignity and anger.

Celestia gazed back, unimpressed by the outburst. "No, it is the only logical thing to do. Leading an entire army, as you seem to be suggesting, into Chrysalis's hive would draw far too much attention to our current situation. I would prefer not to point out that I am currently the only Princess left in Equestria."

"That's exactly why you need more guards!"

Murmurs of agreement came from the ponies (and changeling) seated around the map table in Twilight's throne room, and Rarity leaned forward.

"I know you place great trust in our dashing Captain, but one guard isn't anywhere near what you should be taking with you to be safe, even with the five of us along and with our Rainbow Power still active."

"Still have Rainbow Power. Must throw more parties. Can't sleep." Pinkie Pie, eyes wide and staring, was sitting in her chair with her forelegs around her knees and rocking back and forth. Every once in awhile she seemed to blur, and occasionally the faint sound of distant cheering and confetti cannons going off could be heard.

Celestia took a deep breath. This was going to be the hard part.

"You don't have to worry about keeping me safe. Because you five are staying here."

The following outburst was predictable, aside from its volume. Whether it was from the Rainbow Power or out of sheer indignation, the five ponies combined managed to do a credible imitation of the Royal Canterlot Voice.

"I will have quiet," she said casually, once she had finally tired of the noise. Her horn glowed, and there was silence as the ponies found that while their mouths might move, no sound came out.

"Good."

She stood, pacing about the room. Lecture mode came to her naturally, particularly when what she was doing was actually lecturing.

"I have the power to appoint temporary regents to the throne," she began, frowning slightly as she tried to organize her thoughts. "You most likely did not even notice the last few times I did so. For the record, they were after Luna came back, after the changelings' attack on my city, and after Twilight became a Princess. I try to save such 'vacations' for only when they are necessary; to wit, recovering from injuries or spending time with... ponies who are important to me.

"My usual regent for the past few years has been Prince Blueblood—don't make those faces, he is actually quite in his element when he has power and responsibility."

She sighed. "But in this case... I can't risk it. Should something happen that requires a more authoritative response, I will not be mere moments away as I would normally. I trust Blueblood to rule in normal times, when I am available as backup. But this situation is somewhat different.

"There are certain factions in Canterlot, and around Equestria, that would prefer it if, say, there were no more Princesses in control of the kingdom. I doubt very much that they would ever take direct action, but if word were to get out that three Princesses had been turned to stone and the fourth is out adventuring... a coup d'état wouldn't even be hard to pull off in this situation. And if they're quick enough to form some sort of parliament or senate before I get back, I can't just disband it and proclaim myself ruler again, no matter how obviously corrupt the new government is. The backlash against my dissolution of 'The Republic', or 'The Pony's Democracy', or whatever name they come up with for their mess would be too much.

"And should anything else threaten the kingdom while I'm gone, say another changeling invasion or the like–yes, Ka-klack, I know, it was merely an example—I need more firepower than just the Royal Guard in place to fight it off—yes, Shining Armor, I know, but the guard can't handle every situation."

Celestia stopped pacing, to look around the table at each pony that sat before her. "You five have exactly the qualities I'm looking for," she said softly. "You are already respected and well known throughout Canterlot, as the heroes who have saved Equestria many times over. That gives you an authority not even Blueblood can match.

"You would also be much harder to overthrow in a coup than he, not to mention that any plotters would have to modify their plans in a hurry to deal with five regents rather than one. I'm sorry if that makes it sound like I'm purposefully putting you in harm's way, but I wouldn't do so if I thought there were any true danger.

"And the same thing that makes you hard to replace in a coup makes you capable of dealing with any larger threats–namely, you all have continuous access to your Rainbow Power. Even with just the five of you, that should be enough to deal with anything that might conceivably pop up."

Her horn glowed again, dispelling the magic that had kept everyone else in the room silent.

"I have one last thing to say. For the past thousand years, never once have I truly been off the throne. No vacations, no personal days, no sick days, nothing. Always I have remained ready to resume my responsibilities at a moment's notice. This is the first time I will be doing so. And I am trusting you five to handle those responsibilities for me while I am gone. I wouldn't be doing this if my trust were not full and complete."

Even with the spell gone, the room was still silent. Finally, Applejack spoke.

"It's not that we don't trust ya, Princess," she said quietly. "It's just... we don't believe in ourselves. Running a kingdom ain't the kind of thing we know how to do."

Murmurs of agreement came from the other ponies in the room, and Celestia smiled gently.

"Then don't believe in yourselves. Believe in the fact that I believe in you."

The five looked at each other, doubt warring with the bit of inspiration Celestia had been able to provide.

"I'm not even worried about that," said Rainbow Dash. "I know I'm awesome enough to run Equestria all by myself. My problem is that you're going off by yourself with just a changeling and Shining Armor to protect you. Not that you aren't almost as tough as me, but that's not very many ponies to take along on a dangerous quest."

"I get the feeling that last part is more what you're concerned about," said Celestia slyly.

Rainbow Dash crossed her forelegs across her chest and turned away. "Well, okay, maybe I want to go on the awesome dangerous quest too, but that's beside the point."

"We'd just feel better if you had more protection," said Fluttershy softly. "We know how strong Shining Armor is, and I'm sure Ka-klack will be a help as well, but two ponies isn't much."

Celestia sighed. "I'd take some of you if I could, but I'd feel better with you all together here, protecting all of Equestria instead of just me. I could take a squad of guards with, but they aren't exactly subtle, as I mentioned earlier. Plus, it would take a day, maybe more, to organize everything."

She shrugged. "If any of you know a strong pony who wants to tag along, let me know and I'd be glad to have them."

"Such a nice invitation," said a teasing, echoing voice. "I think I'll take you up on it."

The shadows in the room darkened, and out of them stepped Nightmare Moon. It was her in all her glory this time, silver-blue armor glinting in what little light was left in the room, eyes narrow and hungry, pointed teeth on full display in a wide grin.

"Or, I can stay here and help rule Equestria!" She lowered her head, leering up at Celestia from under the edge of her helmet. "And you know, they both sound like so much fun, I'm just not sure which one I prefer. Why don't you decide for me, sister?"

Slowly, the other ponies in the room turned to look at Celestia, following the sound of growling. Seeing them all stare at her, she closed her eyes, letting out a long, deep breath. Opening her eyes again, she let time come to a stop as she considered the situation.

Okay, option one: kill Nightmare Moon where she stands.

Technically, not an option at all. The Nightmare was nowhere near the level of power she'd been at the last two times they'd met, but the battle in Ponyville had proved the two of them to be equals now. Any attempt at a fight would end in a similar stalemate, with the possibility of causing severe collateral damage to the town. Again.

Option two, then: take her with.

Not a great option. Having a bodyguard that had vowed to kill her was very low on Celestia's list of good ideas. Being murdered in her sleep would be a distinct possibility, right behind Nightmare Moon betraying them all at the first sign of trouble. And the odds of her stealing and/or destroying and/or corrupting whatever power or artifact they found in the end were near one hundred percent.

Finally, option three: leave her behind.

Possibly an even worse idea. This would, most likely, give her exactly what she wanted. The five ponies and their Rainbow Power only might be a match for the Nightmare; the odds of coming back to find Equestria shrouded in eternal night were, again, nearly one hundred percent.

And now come the mind games.

What did Nightmare Moon want Celestia to do? And what didn't she want her to do? She wasn't even trying to pretend she wanted one option over the other, she was just presenting the choices and letting Celestia decide. She'd know exactly what Celestia was thinking right now and was probably laughing her head off, imagining what her nemesis was going through.

Did she want to be brought along, so she could stab Celestia in the back at some point? Or did she want to be left in Canterlot with the five ponies who had defeated her before, to get revenge and claim Equestria for her own? Or did she even have some third scheme in place, and it didn't matter what Celestia did, and this was all just misdirection to leave her vulnerable to the real attack?!

She took a deep breath to calm herself—a metaphorical deep breath, since a real one would have taken hours at the rate she was currently experiencing time—and made her decision.

"Why, if you wish to come with and help, who am I to deny you?" she said sweetly, as time began to flow at its normal speed. "Any assistance on my quest would be welcome. Even from you, dear sist–Nightmare Moon."

Even sarcastically, she wasn't going to call that monster her sister.

"Oh, goody!" Metal clanged as Nightmare Moon clapped her hooves excitedly. She gave a smile that caused Fluttershy to duck under the table. "I can't wait for some bonding time. I've been wanting to get... close to you again for quite a while."

They stood, glaring at each other in mock cheeriness, until Pinkie Pie suddenly attached herself to Nightmare Moon's neck in a hug.

"Yaaaay, we're all friends now!" she cried, as Nightmare reared back in surprise. "And you two lucky dogs get to go on a roadtrip together!"

"W-what is this thing?!" cried Nightmare Moon, twisting her head desperately in an attempt to remove the pink pony. "Get it off!"

Celestia watched in amusement and awe as Nightmare Moon ran about the room, trying futilely to dislodge Pinkie Pie. The pony's rodeo skills were quite impressive; try as she might, the black alicorn was unable to buck off the smaller pony. Maybe she had been wrong in her decision; with Pinkie Pie there to watch over her, Nightmare Moon might not have a chance to try anything if she were left behind.

"Don't say anything," Celestia said quietly as Shining Armor, standing next to her, opened his mouth. "I know. Trust me, I know far better than you. But it's the best out of many bad options. I decided I'd rather have her where I can watch her, than having her running about on her own. She's my problem and my responsibility, and I will deal with her."

Shining Armor just sighed and closed his mouth with a shake of his head, and went to try and separate Pinkie from Nightmare Moon before the latter remembered she had magic and vaporized the former.

The amusement faded from Celestia's face as she watched Nightmare Moon with an intensity that would have frightened her guard captain, had he still been nearby to see it.

"Trust me, I will deal with her. For good, this time," she hissed under her breath.

Then she let out a loud squawk. So intently had she been focusing her hate on Nightmare Moon that she had failed to realize what said pony's rapidly increasing nearness meant, until the fleeing Nightmare slammed into her and the two went crashing to the ground in a tumble of legs and wings.

"Wow, that looked like it hurt," said Pinkie from the opposite side of the table, once again sitting in her seat as she watched the two alicorns thrash about on the floor.

Chapter Four - Trains, Dames and Nightmares

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"What a fascinating contraption," muttered Nightmare Moon, walking alongside the train. She reached out, tapping a piston with one hoof.

"You've never seen a train before?" asked Rainbow Dash, hovering just above the small unicorn Nightmare had disguised herself as.

"We did not have such things in my time," she replied, "and while Luna saw a few during the years I was imprisoned in her mind, she never concerned herself with them much. You say they are used to transport ponies and goods at high speeds?"

"That's right. Well, not as fast as me, but still fast."

"Hmph." Nightmare Moon let out a snort. "You're awfully proud of your supposed speed for a mere pegasus. I doubt you can even compare to an alicorn such as I."

"Wha-bu-pffpth!" Dash started sputtering so hard she almost fell out of the air. "If we had time, I'd take you on in a race right now! I'd enjoy wiping that smile off your face!"

"I'd enjoy searing the flesh from your bones."

"W-what was that?"

"I said, I'd be glad to accept your challenge of a race."

"Oh." Dash looked confused for a moment, but shrugged it off. "Any time you want then, babe. I'll show you how fast a 'mere pegasus' can be!"

"Let's see how fast you are without any flesh on your bones."

"What?"

"I look forward to the race."

"Hey!" Both ponies looked over to the other end of the platform, where Shining Armor was waving to them. "Looks like Celestia is coming. We'll be ready to go soon."

They walked over to join the other ponies, which included everyone but Celestia, Rarity and Applejack. Stopping next to Shining Armor, Nightmare Moon looked down the street and spotted the small group trotting to meet them.

Celestia—or 'Sunny Skies', as she called herself while in her pegasus disguise—saw Nightmare Moon at the same instant, and froze in place. After a moment she resumed walking, one eye twitching, the air around her shimmering slightly.

"It looks like she's calmed down a bit," noted Nightmare.

Shining Armor watched as a row of potted plants briefly ignited at Celestia's passage, and nodded.

"Yeah, she's doing a lot better."

"I don't see why I must go in disguise at all!" cried out Nightmare Moon, stomping around Twilight's library.

"Did you completely miss Celestia talking about the need to do this quietly?" asked Shining Armor. "I thought you were in the shadows, watching everything. We want to draw as little attention as possible to the fact that three of the Princesses are gone, and 'The Return of Nightmare Moon' kind of goes against that."

"Would that not make an excellent cover for why they've been turned to stone? It is one of the plans I'm considering. Was. Was one of the plans. Past tense."

"No, that would be a bad cover, because then all of the Royal Guard would be after you!" Shining Armor rubbed his temple with one hoof. "Look, is this about the armor? Are you scared that you won't be wearing it while disguised or something?"

"Scared?! You impudent little foal!" Nightmare Moon turned, rearing up as lighting crashed through the sky outside and thunder shook the castle. "I should flay you where you stand—I mean, no I am not scared. There is little I fear. Besides, the armor is… a part of me, in a way. Disguising myself will have no effect on it."

"'There is little you fear'?" Shining repeated, cocking his head to the side. "Does that mean there is something you're afraid of?"

"There is nothing aside from Luna's—there is nothing." Nightmare Moon turned away, shoulders tensed.

"Well, if you're afraid to talk about it…"

Shining Armor made the mistake of trying to deal with Nightmare as though she were his own little sister, and immediately regretted it. Nightmare Moon exploded into a black mist, swirling around him like a tornado, except it was a vortex of ice-cold air that raised a deep fear in him, a dark, primal fright greater than anything he'd ever experienced before. Finally, she reformed, towering over him.

"Fine, you wish to know what I fear? It is being returned to Luna's mind." She shoved a hoof into his chest, sneering down at him, sharp teeth exposed in a furious grimace as magic crackled around her horn. "Have you ever been locked in someone's mind? Able to see and hear everything but do nothing? Just sitting there, brooding, your failures rubbed into your face with every sunrise, with every smile from Celestia…

"And there were… worse things in there…" she trailed off.

"Okay, I'm… I'm sorry," said Shining Armor as she turned away again. "I shouldn't have asked."

"Hmph. This disguise idea should never have been brought up."

"Well, it was. The whole plan relies on us not drawing attention to ourselves, and we can't do that if everypony recognizes you and Celestia. I suppose you can stay behind, if not disguising yourself is so important. Though I'd expect you'd have to stay out of sight in that case."

"Stay behind…" Nightmare Moon frowned at a bookcase. "No, I can't do that. You might need me, yes? To… help."

"It would be a help, yes, even if I don't exactly trust you," said Shining Armor, nodding. "Celestia is confident that she could even do this alone, but I'm not. And we can't risk those four being trapped in stone forever."

"No, no… can't have that…" Nightmare Moon, still facing away, grinned. "Why, that would ruin … everything."

She strode out to the center of the library. "Very well! Prepare to witness my power, and the glory of my… ugh, normal pony form."

Magic glowed in her horn, bolts of power arcing out and growing to envelope her entire body. Her head tilted back as she was lifted off her hooves, and the light began to shift, shrinking down, her wings vanishing, until she disappeared completely in a cloud of black smoke.

"You know," coughed Shining Armor, waving a hoof in front of his face, "when the others do that, it's just a flash of light."

"That's because they don't understand what it means to wield true power," declared Nightmare Moon, emerging from the smoke. She sniffed, and angled her head to the side to peer down at him out of one eye. "Behold, and bask in my—"

She stopped, realizing she was staring at his hooves. Tilting her head back to look up at his face, she let out an indignant cry. "What mockery is this?!"

"Uh…" Shining Armor began to back away nervously from the small unicorn, who was barely half his size. "I think I see your point about this being a bad idea…"

"I can't believe this," griped Nightmare Moon, glaring down at her body. "I am the Queen of Nightmares! I should not have a form that looks fit for a filly, even as a disguise!"

Continuing to complain, she didn't see the library doors opening. Shining Armor noticed, and, seeing the worst thing that could possibly happen entering the room, quickly threw a shield around himself and Nightmare Moon. Instantly the unicorn went into a battle stance, igniting the magic in her horn.

"Hah! Now you show your true colors!" she cried triumphantly, not noticing as something thumped against the shield behind her. "You think to defeat me while I am small and weak? To trap me in your pathetic idea of a shield? I'll rip it, and you, to shreds!"

"I'm not attacking you," said Shining Armor, pointing with a hoof. "I was protecting you. From… that."

Nightmare Moon turned. Standing on her hind hooves, spread-eagled against the shield, was Celestia. Luckily she was in her Sunny Skies disguise, otherwise Shining Armor would have had no chance keep the shield up; he was straining as it was. Celestia's forelegs worked incessantly, pounding and clawing at the shield. Her face was hard to make out, due to the fact that her mouth was constantly opening and closing, but even Nightmare Moon at her worst had never looked more frightening.

"Oh." Nightmare tilted her head, watching Celestia's frantic efforts to get through the shield and, presumably, wrap her hooves and/or any other convenient nearby object around the small unicorn's throat. "What's that about?"

"Well, this, probably."

Shining Armor held up a mirror. Nightmare Moon took a look in it, froze solid for several seconds, then fell to the ground rolling in helpless laughter.

Her hair was a light, silvery blue, cropped close to her head, a few loose bangs falling down above her eyes. Her coat was a deeper blue, more violet, and her cutie mark was a moon on a black cloud. And, of course, she was small, significantly shorter than the average mare.

She looked for all the world like a young Luna.

"Oh, this is too good!" she howled, unable to stand, pounding the floor with her hooves. "It's so perfect! I couldn't have planned things better if I'd tried! I just… I just wish I could hear what she's saying right now."

"That is odd, there's no reason sound shouldn't be carrying through the barrier." Shining Armor frowned and peered closer at Celestia as her mouth moved. After a moment, he backed away from her as far as he could, bumping against the inside of the shield. "Is she… is she gnawing on the shield?"

That sobered Nightmare Moon up in a hurry, and she quickly joined Shining Armor on his side of the shield.

"Okay, I'm the Queen of Nightmares, and that's even freaking me out." She gave Shining Armor a grudgingly appreciative look. "Thanks for the shield, I guess. I'd rather not tangle with… whatever that is."

"Well, Celestia told me to guard you. That means stopping you from hurting anyone, and it means stopping you from getting hurt. It also means not letting the two of you get into an all-out brawl in the middle of Twilight's library."

They were silent for a moment as they scurried back to the center of the bubble and away from the snarling beast that was now stalking around the perimeter of the shield, foam dripping from its mouth.

"So, how long do you think it's going to take her to calm down?" asked Nightmare Moon.

"Big Sis!" cried Nightmare Moon happily, bouncing up to 'Sunny Skies' as the disguised Princess climbed onto the station platform. "You made it!"

She threw her hooves around the surprised pegasus, nuzzling up against her chest. "I missed you so much," she said in a trembling little voice, staring up at the larger pony.

"Whyyyyyy?" moaned Shining Armor, burying his face in his hooves.

Celestia's lips curled back from her teeth. She shoved the smaller unicorn away, a shimmer forming in the air where her horn should be as she prepared to erase Nightmare Moon—and possibly a good portion of Ponyville—from existence.

"Oh! Excuse me."

Celestia's rage was interrupted as a mare bumped into her. This new pegasus wore a saddlebag on her back, with a lavender-colored flower as her cutie mark. Her coat was a deeper purple, and her mane, worn up in a complex braid, was light blue, shot through with darker streaks.

"T-that's quite alright, miss…?" Despite her earlier anger, Celestia recovered quickly, defaulting to politeness.

"Lavender Blossom, ma'am," said the pretty little mare, with a dimpled smile and quick half-curtsey. "I must say, it's surprising to see royalty such as you here today, Princess Celestia."

"Well, my duties often require me to travel to many parts of Equestria—" It took a moment for Celestia's brain to catch up with her automatic Princessly response, and she halted, struggling to understand what had just happened. "What… how…"

She blinked, staring at the smirking pony, and then leaned closer. "…Ka-klack?" she ventured after a moment.

"In the flesh. Well, the pony flesh," Lavender Blossom replied, and her grin widened. "Seeing through someone's disguise isn't quite as funny when you're on the receiving end, is it?"

Celestia stared at him/her for a long moment, then finally blew out a breath and laughed. "Alright, you got me," she said, shaking her head. "I'm going to remember this, though."

She took a closer look at the disguised changeling, who showed no shame in preening and parading around. This close, she found the imitation uncanny; 'Ka-klack' was, for all intents and purposes, gone, and a new pony stood in front of her.

"Your disguise is impressive," she admitted after a moment. "Do you… ah, transform like this often?"

"Oh, Lavender Blossom is an old character," replied the changeling nonchalantly. "Comes from a well-established family in Appleloosa. She travels a lot, too, so she can come and go as she pleases."

"Wait a minute…" said Applejack slowly. "Lavender Blossom… from the Bloom family? Lavender can't be a fake! Her ma, Lily Bloom, used to foalsit me and Braeburn—"

Applejack stopped, staring at Lavender with wide eyes, and the changeling smiled sweetly. "You were such a good little filly. A tad rambunctious, though. Why, when I remember the trouble you got into at the Saddleback's ranch that one time—"

"Okay, okay, that's fine," said Applejack nervously, backing away. "No need to go diggin' up a bunch of old messes."

She paused, then, blushing, said, "But thank you for all the candied apples."

"Shucks, warn't nothin' but a little down-home cooking, sugarcube," replied Lavender with a wink.

"That's not exactly what I meant," said Celestia slowly, and the changeling turned her focus back to the Princess. "It's just… do you often… I mean, normally you're a…"

She trailed off, then decided to just drop the subject. The changelings were a race that, with one exception, seemed to be comprised solely of males. Or at least they seemed to have mainly male characteristics; she'd never exactly had any reason to find out how far those characteristics extended, anatomically speaking. Considering the number of mares compared to stallions in Equestria, in order to feed… well, Ka-klack seemed happy enough as either a male or a female, so who was she to question him? Or her?

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay using this disguise to sneak us into your hive," Celestia said instead. "There is some risk of discovery bringing in outsiders, however careful we are."

"No worries," said Ka-klack, with a shrug. "There are, um… precautions, around the hive. Enough to deal with anyone who might come wandering around."

"I get the feeling I may not approve of these safety measures," said Celestia dryly, staring at the mare with lowered eyelids.

"Um… how do you feel about memory-wiping spells and strong suggestion charms?" she asked weakly. "Maybe… a deathtrap, or two. Only deep in the hive, I swear…"

"Not happy," Celestia growled, the let out a groan. "But not surprised, either. And in theory, at least, that kind of thing won't be needed anymore. So, once again, I will forget I heard anything."

She gave a long-suffering sigh. "The things I do for my sister…"

Eyes closed as she sighed, Celestia missed the look Nightmare Moon gave her—one filled with surprise, and a deep sadness, but mostly with an unimaginably furious rage.

"Now that we're all here, there's just one last thing to take care of." Celestia reached back with one wing, fumbling around until she was able to pull a scroll out of her pack. She unfurled it, and the gathered ponies gasped as one as a brilliant golden light shone out of it. The only pony that didn't look on in awe was Nightmare Moon, who shuddered as though her skin crawled everywhere the light touched it.

"This scroll bears my personal magical signature," Celestia explain, rolling it back up and presenting it to Applejack. "It is undeniably from me, and its orders are not to be questioned. Present it to my Royal Advisor. He will take care of ensuring you five are given the powers and authority you require as my regents, and will come up with a suitable cover story as to why you need said authority. Something about my needing a few personal days, perhaps. Or maybe giving the 'Heroes of Equestria' a bit of leadership experience."

Applejack reached out and, hesitantly, took the scroll. "If you're sure about this…"

"I am," Celestia replied softly, with a nod of her head. "I place my trust in you now, as I have so many times in the past."

"Alright, then, Princess. We won't let you down," said Applejack, and gave a bow. Her other friends gathered themselves up and bowed as well, giving their own chorus of agreement to Applejack's statement.

"I know you won't," said Celestia, returning their bows and then heading towards the train with a last wave of her hoof.

"I was just thinking…" Shining Armor said hesitantly, as they waited in line to board behind the other two. "What happens if somepony wonders why the Prince of the Crystal Empire is wandering around Equestria? I know I can't do the whole transforming thing you three can, but don't you think I should have some kind of disguise? Or at least a cover story?"

"I doubt anypony would recognize you on sight," said Celestia breezily, then giggled at Shining Armor's expression. "Alright, alright, just kidding. Here…"

Her wing reached back, digging through the saddlebag again, then came back out and plopped a pair of dark sunglasses and a hat on Shining Armor's head.

"There," Celestia said with satisfaction. "Now you're completely incognito."

"You can't be serious."

"Didn't you ever wonder how I used to sneak out of the castle whenever I wanted to run a few personal errands?" asked Celestia slyly, glancing sideways at him. "Despite you and your guards knowing about Sunny Skies?"

"That's not…" Shining Armor trailed off. "Really?"

Before Celestia could respond, there was an explosion from in front of them.

"You want me to give you a ticket to ride this train?!" shrieked the small Nightmare Moon at a stunned conductor. "This is MY train! The tracks it rides upon belong to ME! This KINGDOM belongs to—"

"Okay, let's all calm down here," said Celestia hurriedly, placing a wing upon Nightmare's back and shifting the unicorn slightly to the side. She pulled a pair of tickets out of her bag and handed them to the still slightly shell-shocked conductor. "I'm sorry about that, the little one hasn't eaten yet and she gets cranky when she's hungry."

"Ah, say no more, ma'am," said the conductor, with a smile and tip of his hat. "I've got a few daughters of my own, and I know how they can get."

"You DARE—" Nightmare Moon's lips started to curl back in a snarl again even as Celestia tried to usher her aboard the train.

"Come on, let's go find you a snack," said Celestia brightly. "I'm sure you'll feel better once you've had something to eat, Moony."

"Moony?!" cried Nightmare in dismay, and Celestia took advantage of her stupefaction to shove her onto the train.

Chapter Five - The Not-So-Great Train Robbery

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Despite the need to travel undercover, Celestia had been unable to resist the urge to splurge and had bought tickets for a private room in one of the passenger cars. She had, however, decided to pass on the first-class car, and while she might miss her usual cake service, this room was pleasantly lived-in. The carpet and seats might be a bit threadbare, but they were worn and comfortable. She actually didn't miss the first-class room decorations at all; she got enough marble columns, inlaid gold filigree, and silk everything in her palace.

As they waited for the rest of the passengers to board, there was silence in the small compartment. Aside from the loud chewing and gulping sounds coming from Nightmare Moon, that was.

"This food is pleasing," she admitted grudgingly, taking another loud swallow. "It makes for a fitting repast, at the least. What did you say it was called?"

"Uh, fruit snacks," answered Ka-klack.

"Hmm."

Nightmare Moon shook the last few pieces of gummied fruit out of their foil packaging and onto her hoof, then frowned as she inspected them. Most of the snacks were shaped like gems with six sides, in a variety of colors. There were also a few pieces that were larger, six-pointed gems in the form of a starburst. There was something about those shapes she didn't like… but they were delicious, and that was all that mattered, so she popped the last hoofful into her mouth and chewed noisily.

"Those 'fruit snacks' are most delicious," Nightmare declared after her last swallow, crumpling up the package and throwing it at Ka-klack. "I would have more of them."

Ka-klack inspected the box of snacks, and the pile of empty packages on the seat next to her. "I think you've had enough," she said, moving the box back behind her body.

"Excuse me?" Nightmare Moon stared at Ka-klack, eyes wide, jaw slack. "You are refusing me that which I have asked for? You insolent little insect! If you don't give me more this instant, I will rend you apart! I will visit such horrors upon you that you will beg me to put an end to your pathetic existence!"

"I'm sorry, but you can't have any more," Ka-klack said with a shake of her head. "They're supposed to be snacks, not a full meal."

"You…" Power began to crackle along the little unicorn's horn, but before she could even begin to make good on her threats, laughter rang out in the compartment.

"Oh, yes, Ka-klack!" chortled Celestia. "Unless you wish to suffer the fearsome wrath of Nightmare Moon, you will give her… the fruit snacks! Wooooo!" She began waving her hooves around, continuing to make mocking sounds.

Nightmare Moon stared at Celestia, raw hatred on her face, then finally sat back. "Hmph," she grumbled, letting the magic fade from her horn. "I suppose you may have a point. I will leave the snacks… for now. But keep them close by; I will desire them later."

"I really wish you'd stop antagonizing her," sigh Shining Armor from next to Celestia, rubbing his forehead with one hoof.

"Me antagonize her?!" Celestia threw her hooves out towards Nightmare Moon. "She's the worst villain Equestria's ever seen! She's the bad guy! She is literally an antagonist!"

"Oh, why, thank you," said Nightmare Moon proudly, a smirk on her face as she basked in what she imagined to be praise.

"What if we all just sit quietly, okay?" Shining Armor asked, nearly pleading. "It's a long trip to Appleloosa, and it's going to be even longer if we're just arguing the whole time."

"The trip length does concern me," said Nightmare, looking around the small compartment. "Where shall we be sleeping during the next few days?"

"Days?" Ka-klack looked over at Nightmare, furrowing her brow. "It takes a few hours, at the most. We should be there this afternoon."

"You jest!" declared Nightmare Moon hotly. "I will not fall for your attempts to make me look like a fool."

"I'm… not trying to fool you?" said Ka-klack warily. "That's just how long the trip takes by train."

"There is no possible way this hunk of metal can move at such speeds," argued Nightmare. "Do not think to mock me with such obvious lies."

A loud whistle echoed from the front of the train, and Ka-klack shrugged. "Well, we're about to get moving, so you'll see soon enough."

"Hmph."

Nightmare Moon looked ready to continue the argument, but her curiosity got the better of her, and she leaned forward to press her face against the window.

Steam billowed out from the engine, washing over the platform and the few ponies left on it who were still waving farewell to their loved ones on the train. Slowly, almost struggling, the train pulled out of the station, gradually gathering speed as it got underway.

"So long," muttered Nightmare as she watched Ponyville pass by. "You know, I think coming to this town was the worst mistake I ever made."

She continued to gaze out the window as the town gave way to the countryside, but the faster the train went, the more she began to fidget, until finally she turned to the other ponies in the carriage.

"Hey," she said, eyes wide and nervous. "I think there's something wrong with this train. I-it's out of control!"

"Hmm?" Celestia raised her head from a newspaper, glancing first at Nightmare Moon and then the window, where the plains were rolling pleasantly by. "What are you talking about?"

"The train! They've lost control of it or something!" insisted Nightmare. "We're going too fast!"

Celestia glanced out the window again, then sneered at Nightmare. "Pffft," she said, raising her paper again.

"You… this is some plot to kill me, isn't it?! You intend to crash this train, relying on your guard to protect yourself and the bug while leaving me to die! That's what this is, isn't it?!"

"Everything's fine, Nightmare Moon," said Shining Armor nervously, trying to sooth the panicking embodiment of darkness. "Trains go this fast. In fact, we're not even up to cruising speed yet. The freight trains actually go even faster, because they don't have to worry about how comfortable passengers are. And we're on rails, so the train couldn't even crash if we wanted it to."

"You're lying!" shrieked Nightmare Moon, leaping from her seat to stomp on the floor. "Where is the pilot of this contraption?! I will force him to stop!"

"Or... " Shining Armor grabbed the window shade in his magic, gently pulling it down to cover the view outside. "We can just not look. There, see? Everything's better."

Nightmare Moon glared at him, but Ka-klack's indifference, along with Celestia's sneering and sniggering, made her hesitate. Looking around suspiciously, she slowly moved back into her seat, trying to appear nonchalant. The fact that she still jumped every time the train rocked slightly or went over a small bump gave her away, though, and Celestia's giggles when it happened only made Nightmare more and more furious.

The first part of the trip passed quickly. Celestia and Shining Armor spent their time reading the newspaper, and discussing the loss of their loved ones in low tones. Ka-klack brought out a pack of playing cards, and in a stunning display of naivety took Nightmare Moon at her word that she had never heard of poker. The changeling had also fallen for Nightmare's seemingly-innocent suggestion that they use fruit snacks as chips, and now the small unicorn was gorging herself upon her winnings.

"For a race that depends on subterfuge, you sure are gullible," observed Nightmare Moon through a full mouth.

"I was trying to be nice to you," grumbled Ka-klack, sitting with her forelegs crossed.

"Ha! Well, then you've learned something today," Nightmare said smugly. "Being nice gets you nowhere."

Ka-klack just let out a snort, and Nightmare looked over at her for a moment, then sighed. "Look, I don't want you to think I'm ungrateful," she said, putting a hoof on the changeling's shoulder. "I promise, I will do you a favor in return."

"Really?" asked Ka-klack, looking at her with hopeful eyes.

"Yes. When the time comes, I will ensure your death is swift, unlike the end my sister shall suffer."

Ka-klack groaned, and now it was Celestia's turn to snort. "If you're trying to eat, that's a dry well," she told the changeling flatly.

"The only reason it's empty is because somepony drank all the water without giving any in return," shot back Nightmare heatedly.

They glared at each other, the tension in the room ratcheting up, until the standoff was broken by a sharp report from the other end of the train car.

All four looked at each other, confusion on their face.

"Was… that a gunshot?" asked Shining Armor finally.

"It's been a long time since I've heard one, but it sure did sound like it," Ka-klack replied.

"Impossible," insisted Celestia. "I banned all guns from Equestria even before Luna was banished. There's no way—"

A fusillade of shots interrupted her.

"Okay, maybe it was a gunshot," she admitted with chagrin.

"Gunshots?" Nightmare Moon suddenly perked up, eyes wide and mouth snarling. "Is this a robbery? On my train? Someone is trying to hurt my ponies?!"

"No!" cried Celestia. "Don't you—"

Her protests were futile. Nightmare Moon burst into a shadowy mist, swirling around the room before streaming out through every available crack.

"That… was bad, wasn't it?" asked Shining Armor after a moment.

"For the robbers, maybe," sighed Celestia, leaping from her seat. "Who are still ponies under my rule, and deserve to face justice, not… whatever Nightmare will do to them. Come on, we need to put a stop to this before—"

The door slid open under her hoof, to reveal a large gun pointed straight at her face. The pony behind it, a large, rough looking earth pony, shook his head and made a tsk-tsk sound.

"Now, now, none of that," he said, gesturing with the gun. "Back in the compartment, the lot of you. We'll be coming around to take your valuables soon enough, there's no need to try jumping in line—"

He stopped, suddenly realizing he was staring down the barrel of his own gun, which was now in the hooves of Celestia.

"Good news," she called back over her shoulder. "It looks like this thing is an antique. They must have just found a cache of them somewhere, maybe in the attic of someone's grandfather. We won't have to go looking for illegal underground gun manufacturers after all."

She turned the gun back and forth in her hooves, inspecting it with an expression of interest on her face. The butt of the stock was a curved section of wood that fit against her chest. Her foreleg rested comfortably in a metal tube that ran parallel to the barrel of the gun, holding it up and letting her aim while leaving her hoof free to press the trigger plate.

"This is a Stronghoof, isn't it?" she asked admiringly. "He always made some of the best firearms of the time. Of course, he was a bit miffed when he had to start building farm machinery instead, but he knew it was for the best."

Her leg suddenly snapped up, pointing the gun straight at the robber pony's forehead, and she fired. With a thump, the pony fell to the floor amid a shower of broken glass from the window behind him.

Celestia shook her head. "The only real flaw he had was he never seemed able to make sights that were a hundred percent accurate. They were always slightly offcenter."

She threw the gun over her shoulder to Shining Armor, who, after a moment of juggling, managed to get a firm hold on it. Grabbing the shoulders of the shaking robber—who now had a rather singed hairdo on the right side of his head—she slung him into the compartment and closed the door.

"Now, what should we do with you…" Celestia chuckled sinisterly, as the robber cowered in one corner of the room and was surrounded by the other three ponies.

"Oh, I have an idea."

There was a flash of green fire and suddenly a changeling was staring the robber in the face.

"I need to eat after all!" Ka-klack snarled, and snapped his fangs shut an inch away from the muzzle of the robber, who promptly fainted.

"Excellent work, Ka-klack, that will…" Celestia trailed off, as the changeling began to siphon a green mist from the robber's head. "Um. Is that really necessary?"

"It will make sure he sleeps for a few hours," replied Ka-klack, changing back into her pony disguise. "And I was actually hungry. I can put him in a cocoon too, if you want!"

"Um. No, no, this is fine," Celestia assured the eager changeling.

"We need to find the rest of these scumbags and make sure they don't hurt anypony," said Shining Armor, face set grimly, "and make sure Nightmare doesn't hurt them either. Where do you want to start?"

"I figure we can just follow the sounds of screaming," replied Celestia dryly, cocking an ear towards the part of the train the gunshots had originally come from. There was the sudden sound of a massive explosion, muted by distance and the train car walls. "We should also probably head for whatever that was. I'll go on point, you stay a car back as I clear things to make sure I got them all."

"I'm not a big fan of that plan," muttered Shining Armor, and Celestia giggled.

"While I know your job is to protect me, you know that it takes more than a bullet to hurt me. And in any case, they'll be so shocked to see a Princess that they won't even get a chance to do anything."

She dropped her disguise, blossoming into her full glory with a blaze of golden light. Then she looked back at Ka-klack and Shining Armor, who had been flung into the sides of the compartment when it had suddenly become filled with more pony than it could comfortably contain.

"Sorry about that."

The first car went fine. There was one robber keeping an eye on things, but unfortunately for him, he was keeping that eye on the wrong door. Celestia manifested more of her alicorn power than she usually did, gliding silently down the corridor just above the carpet with her wings barely twitching. As she alighted silently onto the floor behind him, she used a gentle application of her magic to take hold of the trigger mechanism of the robber's gun, then placed her mouth very carefully next to his ear.

"Boo."

The robber's hoof clamped down on the trigger as he whirled around in surprise, but her magic prevented the gun from firing, and he finished his spin with Celestia's hoof on the side of his head and crashed to the ground.

"Really?" asked Shining Armor, trotting up behind her. "I've seen you hit Luna with a sleep spell from halfway across the gardens."

"Heh. That taught her not to slip a fake moustache onto my muzzle just before day court."

"The point is, you didn't need to do any of that. You could have taken him out with getting into hoof-to-hoof range."

"Oh, let me have my fun." She gave a nod of her head, indicating her side of the train car. "I'll take this side, you take the other. Make sure everypony is calm and knows they're safe now."

Celestia moved quickly down her side, assuring ponies that everything was under control. It was hard to do so quickly, as she wanted to spend more time calming her ponies down—and, truth be told, she did enjoy basking in their praise as they thanked her (only because she was happy to be doing her duty, of course)—but she tried to force herself to keep moving.

She did so—significantly faster than Shining Armor—and trotted through the door into the next car.

In deference to her captain's wishes, she struck the robber directly in front of her in the chest with a stunner spell. As he went down, however, a second robber further up the car was revealed. And this one was also staring right at her.

With a curse, she snapped her head to the side, touching her glowing horn to the car walls and isolating all sound to this one corridor. As she did, the thug at the other end finished raising his gun and fired. Which, all things considered—especially considering that he had to have known he was firing at a Princess—was a monumentally stupid thing to do.

Grunting, Celestia caught the heavy slug in her magic just before it struck her in the neck. A piece of luck, that; she never would have been able to get Shining Armor off her back if he'd come along and found her on the floor bleeding out of her jugular and waiting for the hole to heal itself closed.

Casually, she used her magic to send the bullet zipping back down the corridor, though with much less force than it had had on the initial trip. It struck the robber pony directly between the eyes, and he flipped over onto his back, crashing to the floor and sliding several feet before coming to a stop.

"Whew!" Celestia let out a small breath of relief as she surveyed the now-peaceful corridor.

"You know, you're lucky," she said to the guard who'd fired at her. "Technically, what you just did was attempted regicide. But since it was just between us, I think I can let it slide."

Moving back down to where she'd first entered the train car, she carefully slid the door open.

"Hello there, I just want to let you know—"

Celestia stopped, staring at the scene before her. The two ponies entwined on the seat stared back.

"Oh. Um. Oh my. You two seem, um, busy, so… hey, I took care of those robbers… um, nothing to fear… I'll just leave you alone now, yes?"

Blushing, she quickly closed the door, then stood there staring at it for a moment. Walking stiffly, she made her way to the next compartment.

"I hope you weren't too upset by these events, my little ponies—" She slammed the door closed this time, face going red, and hurriedly moved on.

"I was—oh! E-Excuse me." Door slam.

"There's nothing to fear—I apologize for interrupting." Door slam.

"The robbers have—pardon me." Door slam.

"I—sorry for disturbing you, ma'am. Sir. Sir. Ma'am. Sir. And Ma'am." Door slam.

By the time Shining Armor caught up, she had gone through every compartment in the car, and was now wore a deep blush and was shaking slightly.

"Everything clear here?" he asked, eyes drawn, as if by some sixth sense, to the robber who'd shot at her.

"Y-yes Shining Armor, I was just… that is, I've finished checking…" She trailed off, gesturing uselessly at the compartment doors.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow at her.

"Yes… no… it's just, I walked in on some ponies who were… um, engaged with each other…"

"Oh." Shining Armor averted his eyes, giving a little cough, then chuckled. "I saw the same once or twice back there. It happens in high-stress situations. Plus, this is a long trip, and some ponies like to… pass the time."

"Yes, but… all of them? Every single pony in this car?" Shining Armor cast a considering eye at the doors, eyebrows rising, before Celestia continued. "Shining Armor… is this a sex train?"

"A sex… Princess, those aren't real—"

"Don't you lie to me, guard captain!" Celestia pointed a shaking hoof at Shining Armor. "Did I take a changeling and my nephew-in-law—oh Goddess, and Nightmare Moon—on some sort of perverted train cruise?!"

"Celestia, that's just an urban legend. There are no train trips you can buy like that."

"There are! I've read about them in the newspapers!"

Shining Armor sighed, putting a hoof to his head. "Alright, I'm going to have the Royal Guard review exactly what you've been reading when we get back to the castle. In the meantime, I can assure you that this is not a train booked for... bedroom adventures. I… double checked to make sure it wasn't before I bought the tickets, okay? Please, let's just keep moving and discuss this later."

Celestia glared at him for a moment longer, then closed her eyes, took a deep breath and nodded. Turning to the door to the next car, she gave it a considering look.

"I think this is going to be the last car," she said after thinking things over for a moment. "That blast we heard, and that initial round of gunfire, came from about this many cars ahead. That means Nightmare Moon is most likely in there… but I don't hear anything."

"Definitely ominous," agreed Shining Armor. "Well, after you, your highness."

She turned back to him, lips pursed and eyes narrowed as she gave him a look, and he shrugged. "That was your plan, wasn't it?"

Celestia stared at him for a moment longer, then gave a whinny of amusement and faced the door once more. After a pause to take a breath, she burst through it.

She immediately blanched and stumbled to halt as she took in what had once been the dining car, her hair suddenly whipping in a fierce gale.

From roughly the height of a pony up, the walls of the car were gone, along with the roof, no doubt annihilated by that explosion they'd heard earlier. Civilian ponies cowered under dining tables and behind chairs amid the wreckage. One robber lay against a wall, what was most likely both his gun and the instrument that had incapacitated him broken on the floor next to his slumped form. Another lay draped across a chair. And a third was currently in the air, suspended by Nightmare Moon's armored hoof as she hovered above the floor of the train car.

"Criminal scum!" she snarled at the pony. "You seek only to enrich yourself, not caring a whit for the ponies you prey on. They call me a monster, but you? You aren't worth calling anything, because you are less than nothing."

"Put him down!" shouted Celestia, raising her voice to be heard over the rushing wind.

Nightmare Moon turned her blazing eyes to Celestia, gazing at her for a few seconds. Then, without breaking eye contact, she threw her foreleg to the side, flinging the hapless robber from the train. He hit the canopy of a tree, and his scream faded into the distance as the train rushed on.

"Bah!" declared Nightmare loudly, descending to the floor. "These degenerates aren't worth my time anyway."

She trotted over to an overturned table, moving it aside to reveal the ponies that had sought cover behind it. It was a small pegasus family, two parents and a child.

"It is safe now, fair citizens," she said, holding her hoof out to them.

They scrambled back, pushing themselves across the floor to the wall of the train car, the mother clutching her young filly to her chest.

"No, it's okay!" cried Nightmare Moon, concern on her face, taking a few steps forward. "Please, there is nothing to fear!"

The ponies just cringed back again, and Nightmare turned away in confusion, seeking out another hiding pony.

"Please—" she managed to say, before this pony galloped away, diving behind a different table. "I don't understand. I helped you! I am your savior!"

Nightmare Moon looked around the dining car. As her gaze swept the wreckage, ponies shied away, or cowered in their hiding spots, or in some cases even attempted to flee the car. She held out her hoof imploringly to one group of diners, and they flinched back like somepony had just lowered at spear at them.

"I defeated your enemies! I saved you all! ADORE ME!" she bellowed, stomping her hoof, and lightning flashed across the sunny, cloudless sky, followed by a rumble of thunder.

"Okay, good work saving everypony," said Celestia, trotting forward to put a calming—and warning—hoof on the shoulder of the heavily-breathing Nightmare. "You should all be thankful to Luna for helping to subdue these robbers, even if she may have gotten a little carried away and taken the form of Nightmare Moon. By accident. Because she cares about you all so much."

There were murmurs from the ponies that sounded at least a little understanding, and Celestia took that opportunity to drag Nightmare back out of the car.

"Change back into your disguise, you fool," she hissed, doing so herself.

Head down, not even acknowledging the insult, Nightmare Moon disguised herself with barely a flash of light to mark the transition. She never looked up, not when Shining Armor met them to return to their car, nor when they passed a group of security ponies rushing past. Back in their compartment, she curled up in her seat, facing the back, and didn't say a word for the rest of the trip.

Chapter Six - Looking to the Future

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Weeks passed. The time felt like an eternity to Celestia, but now, finally, they had done it. Chrysalis's hive had given them all the answers they needed, and after a time that had seemed far too long, Celestia, Shining Armor, Nightmare Moon, and Ka-klack had managed to locate a spell deep in the ruins of Old Griffonstone that could reverse the effects of petrification. Celestia had learned it quickly—she was motivated, after all—and now the moment had come.

Power crackled along her being, and a beam of sun broke through the clouds over Twilight's castle and enveloped her in golden light. Lowering her head, she let the magic flow freely, and a dome of magic encompassed the four statues.

When it faded, all four ponies stood in place, blinking in surprise. Twilight was quickly buried under her friends, and Cadance swept up in an embrace by Shining Armor, but Luna was all for Celestia. Well, and Queen Chrysalis, but she still even gave the changeling a friendly pat on the back.

Finally, after all the explanations, apologies, and thanks had been made, Celestia found herself alone with Twilight inside the castle.

"I'm really glad you're safe," Celestia said quietly, looking at the smaller Princess from across the table they were sharing tea at.

Twilight smiled back. "Of course I am," she said. "It may have been a bit boring trapped in stone like that, but I was never afraid. Because I knew you'd save me. You're always there for me."

"And I'll always be there for you, Twilight," said Celestia earnestly, putting a hoof to her chest. "You mean so much to me. I couldn't bear to lose you."

"Thank you," said Twilight, with a shy smile. "You mean a lot to me, too."

Celestia took a deep breath. "That's g-good," she said, managing to steady her voice after a moment. "Because… well, I have something really important I want to ask you."

"Go ahead!" Twilight said cheerfully. "After what you just did for me, I think I'd do almost anything you ask!"

"Well, you see… Twilight, I've known you for a long time. A-and in that time, I've seen what an amazing pony you've grown to be. Smart, friendly, brave… you are, truly, one of the most wonderful ponies I've ever met. I just… Twilight, I love you. I know we were already going to spend eternity together as friends, but I want more! I want to share your whole life with you, win when you win and lose when you lose. I want to experience that eternity with you, not just near you. I want to be by your side forever."

"Oh! …oh." Twilight shuffled her hooves nervously on the tabletop, averting her gaze. "Remember when I said I'd do almost anything you wanted?"

Celestia's heart broke.

"It's not that I don't care for you," Twilight said, her voice dim and far away. "You'll always be one of my closest friends. But… just that. A friend. I'm sorry."

"I-it's okay," said Celestia, watching, detached, as the world around her faded to a dull, sepia-toned blandness. "I understand completely."

"And, well, there's another pony I think I might have feelings for anyway. One I just met," Twilight continued, a blush on her face. "This might be inappropriate to ask, but I was wondering if you could help introduce us? You know her better than I do."

"Anything you want," Celestia replied numbly.

"Oh, thank you so much!" gushed Twilight, getting up from her seat to dance happily around the table. "This will probably be awkward, but it's Nightmare Moon! Isn't she just the dreamiest pony you've ever seen?"

Celestia's eyes came back into focus, and she slowly raised her head.

"Her coat is such a pure shade of black, and her voice is so commanding. And her flanks are just—"

A burst of magic leapt from Celestia's horn, wiping away Twilight, the table, and the room. When the light faded, Celestia stood upon an inky, murky blackness that extended infinitely in every direction.

"Nice try," she said into the darkness, glancing around. "I'll admit, you had me going there for a bit. I guess you've learned how to be at least a little subtle. But you pushed it too far there at the end."

"Well, pride and hubris have always kind of been my thing," said Nightmare Moon with a grin, materializing out of the gloom behind Celestia. "Besides, what fun is a nightmare if it's too realistic?"

"Only somepony like you would think that kind of nightmare is fun," snarled Celestia, turning to face her. "But since you're asleep too, let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine."

Her horn lit up, but only threw off a shower of sparks, and she looked up at it, blinking.

"Have some trouble there?" mocked Nightmare Moon, prancing around the other Princess. "I was as surprised as you. Yes, I seem to be fully in control of the Dreamscape now. Apparently when I left Luna, I took that with me. Now all the dreams of Equestria bow to my commands!"

"You monster…" growled Celestia, eyes squeezing shut as her mind was flooded with images of the horrors her little ponies were no doubt being forced to experience in their dreams at this very moment. "If you hurt any of them with your sadistic, twisted nightmares…"

There was no response, and Celestia turned to where Nightmare Moon had stopped. The Nightmare stared back at her, eyes flat, mouth drawn into a thin line.

"You never understood, did you?" Nightmare said finally. "You think I do everything because I'm some monster, because I'm evil. But you've never stopped to think that I do it because of you.

"All I ever wanted was to be loved as you are, and to be loved by you. To have my ponies—our ponies—love my night as they do your day. I wanted to do my duty, and have it be appreciated. But you didn't care, and the ponies of Equestria didn't care. So I did what I had to, to get what I deserve. And even for that, I was spat upon. For that, you turned me into Equestria's greatest villain, a pony so evil I was but a legend when I returned.

"I saved those ponies on the train. I smote their foes most justly, saving the purses and possibly even the lives of my subjects. Was I met with love? With gratitude? No; they looked at me like I was a monster. Nothing's changed since they rejected Luna and me for bringing their nights a thousand years ago… and it's because of you."

She glowered at Celestia, taking a step forward. "And now, you think I would shirk my responsibilities out of some sense of spite?" Nightmare Moon let out a snort of rage, stomping one hoof upon the nebulous ground she stood upon. "Rest assured, I do not take my duty lightly. All the ponies of Equestria that deserve good dreams shall have them. And the ones that deserve nightmares shall suffer those as well. As you just did."

Celestia glared at her, before finally saying, "What are you doing? What's your plan here? You obviously can't just lock me away again, but why go through all this? You can't seriously want to free three more Princesses, let alone Luna. So what's your endgame?"

Nightmare Moon threw her head back and cackled. "Just going to ignore any opportunities for self-reflection, are you?" she sneered. "How typical. But as for my plan… you'll just have to wait and see!"

Celestia's lip curled back with a small growl, and for a moment the mocking glee dropped off Nightmare Moon's face.

"I want you to believe me about this, though," she said, voice earnest and serious. "I really do want to free all those ponies trapped in stone, and I will do everything in my power to help you. No backstabbing, no double crossing, no trying to steal all the power for myself. The only thing I care about is freeing them."

She let out a chuckle, back to her normal self. "Of course, you may not like what happens afterwards," she sang tauntingly.

Celestia continued to glare, but then a smile twisted its way across her face.

"Okay, Nightmare Moon," she said graciously. "Since you've been so kind as to tell me you plans, I'll let you in on mine. Specifically, what I intend to do to you once all of this is over."

"Oh, do tell!" Nightmare clapped her hooves together. "Turn me to stone? Send me back to the moon? Turn me to stone and then banish me to the moon?"

"Oh, no." Celestia's voice was soft and sinister, like an invisible gas leak. "I'm just going to put you back into Luna's head."

Nightmare Moon froze. For a split second, her face held an expression of utter terror and horror. She shook it off quickly, but Celestia saw it. Worse, Nightmare knew she had seen it.

"Oh no, not that! Anything but t-that!" Nightmare Moon gave a snort, trying to look as though her slight stammer had been merely something caught in her throat. Then she sneered. "It only took me a hoofful of years to escape from there once. Do you really think I'll have any trouble doing so a second time?"

"I do," Celestia said confidently. "You didn't escape this time. The Tree of Harmony, through the Rainbow Power, let you out for some unfathomable reason of its own. Hopefully so that I can take care of you once and for all. But you see, it doesn't matter anyway. I know you can't escape by yourself. Because I know being returned to Luna is the one thing you fear more than anything else."

"That traitorous little guard captain," spat Nightmare, glaring off to the side.

"Now, now, don't blame him for your own loose tongue," chided Celestia. "You know he's loyal to me beyond all else, except maybe Cadance. It's not his fault you went around spilling your secrets."

"Fine, so you're putting me back inside Luna's mind." Nightmare Moon rolled her eyes. "I hated it because it was boring. So what?"

"Ah, but that's not why you're scared of it." The Nightmare gave her a nervous glance, and Celestia's grin widened. "It was the Tantabus, wasn't it?"

Nightmare Moon quailed, her ears pinning back, and she stumbled backwards a few steps. Celestia let out a bark of laughter and slid lithely forward, matching Nightmare's retreat.

"I thought so. You probably didn't even notice you were getting weaker at first, did you? It would be hard to, trapped without a physical form and barely even a spiritual one. You must have known something was wrong, but there was no way for you to figure out exactly what was going on. And then the Tantabus came.

"I'm sure you were happy to see her at first. A real sister for you, not to mention all the anguish it caused Luna. Every night that Luna went to sleep and tortured herself with nightmares over what you did must have been like a pleasant dream for you."

Celestia crept forward a few more steps, towards the frozen Nightmare.

"But… what happened when Luna didn't need the Tantabus anymore, Nightmare?" Nightmare Moon flinched, breaking eye contact and slinking backwards again, and Celestia grinned ferally. "She took the Tantabus back into herself, didn't she? She created it out of her mind, and when its purpose was gone, she took it back. That's when you realized it. Why you felt so weak. Why you were struggling more and more to influence Luna. And that's why you could only fight me to a standstill when you finally escaped, rather than overwhelming me as you have before.

"It's because Luna's been eating you.

"Piece by piece, as she came to realize how much things had changed, how much Equestria needed and loved her, how much I love her and how sorry I am for what happened, she took your power back. Just as she took the Tantabus back into herself when she absolved herself of her guilt, she started taking you back as her jealousy and anger faded. Taking you back and making you a part of her mind once again. No more Nightmare Moon and Luna… just Luna, with an angry side that's a little bit darker than most. And that, once upon a time, had been its own person."

Nightmare Moon had lost the ability to stand up, and now cowered upon the nebulous ground, gazing fearfully up at Celestia, who stared back with a death's-head grin on her face.

"So… that's what I'm going to do to you, Nightmare Moon," Celestia said softly, almost sweetly. "I'm going to put you back into Luna's head, and then I will be the absolute best big sister I can possibly be. I'll shower her with love, give her little gifts every day, let her know every waking hour how much I cherish her. I'll declare a national holiday to celebrate her night. I'll redesign the Equestrian flag to make her side of the diarchy more prominent than ever before. I'll make her more beloved than any leader has ever been.

"My only regret is that I won't be able to see inside her head. That I won't be able to watch you getting smaller and smaller, I won't be able to hear your voice in Luna's ear getting fainter and fainter, and I won't be able to watch when one day… poof! You'll be gone. Just a pile of bad memories in our heads that, Goddess willing, will one day fade away. Just… like… you did."

Celestia bent down, towering over Nightmare Moon, and her grin became a kind smile. Which just made it even worse.

"And do you know what the best part is? I'll never be able to fight with Luna again. Anytime we have an argument, anytime she starts to get mad at me… all I'll be able to do is laugh, and give her whatever she wants. Because I'll look into her eyes, and see a tiny spark of anger… and know that is all that is left of you."

Nightmare Moon shook where she sat, staring up at Celestia like a pony facing down Death himself. She licked her dry lips, mouth working silently as she tried to come up with a reply, and finally a few words managed to escape her throat.

"And you call me a monster," she said hoarsely.

"ONE THOUSAND YEARS!" howled Celestia, tackling Nightmare Moon, slamming her onto her side and beginning to swing at her with her hooves. "You took my sister away from me for one… thousand… YEARS!"

"Do you think that's what I wanted?!" Nightmare bellowed back, bucking Celestia off and striking back with her own hooves. "I was just trying to get the respect I deserve! I never wanted to hurt you like that!"

They flailed at each other, rolling back and forth on the ground, neither managing to actually land a telling blow. Finally, they broke apart, standing several paces away from each other, both panting. Celestia's grimace slowly turned into a full out snarl, and in a burst of golden light she vanished.

Breathing hard, Nightmare Moon stared at the spot where Celestia had stood, then threw her head back.

"I missed you too!" she screamed into the empty Dreamscape. "I hate you more than anything else, but you're still my sister!"

And with that, she disappeared from the Dreamscape as well.

Shining Armor and Ka-klack sat at the bar, doing their best to pretend they weren't both immensely uncomfortable with the other occupants of the small dining area. The Restful Ranch ("Come for the ranchin', stay for the brunchin'!"™) wasn't the most high-end hotel available in Appleloosa. It was, in fact, a run-down tourist trap, complete with cheerfully smiling ponies with dead eyes to greet them and so much kitschy junk hanging on the walls that you could probably remove the actual walls and the building would stay up. But, most important of all, it had been the first place to sleep that they had seen after their much-delayed train pulled into Appleloosa late in the night.

"So…" said Shining Armor, trying to pretend there weren't two disguised Goddesses sitting on either side of the room shooting furious glares—and, when nopony from the waitstaff was watching, the occasional bolt of magic—at each other. "This is, um, awkward."

"Yes, they seem upset about something," Ka-klack agreed. "I'm going to guess it has to do with whatever happened last night, while we were asleep."

"Something happened?"

"I don't know about you, but I had some really weird dreams," Ka-klack replied with a shrug. "I assume Nightmare Moon had something to do with that."

"That's strange, I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary myself," mused Shining Armor.

"In one, I was drowning in a pile of fruit snacks," Ka-klack said, then paused. "I'm actually not sure if that was supposed to be a good dream or a nightmare."

"Well, whatever she did to Celestia, it must have been a doozy," muttered Shining Armor, glancing back at the pegasus as she fire another shot of magic across the room with her invisible horn.

"No doubt. She's very spiteful. And quite powerful. She's actually one of the most powerful wraiths I've ever heard of. Which isn't surprising."

"A… wraith?" Shining Armor looked at the changeling in puzzlement. "Wait, you know what she is?"

"They're called wraiths. They're… emotional spirits," explained Ka-klack. "Very intense emotions can create them. The weakest ones are what you'd probably call poltergeists. That's why they tend to be found around teenaged ponies. It's all those hormones and emotions going out of control.

"If you've ever heard legends of ponies being possessed by demons, that's a wraith so strong it can actually take over the pony who created it. That, fortunately, is extremely uncommon. And not as dangerous as it sounds. It's rare that any of them can focus enough to do any harm, and they tend to quickly burn out.

"But Nightmare Moon…" Ka-klack shook her head. "It's rather unfortunate that Luna created a wraith. With her being an alicorn, it's not surprising that something that came from her mind has such unprecedented power. And now that the Rainbow Power has made Nightmare Moon, well, real… I don't think she even is a wraith anymore. She's just a normal pony. I mean, she's an alicorn with crazy darkness powers and all that, but still just a pony."

Shining Armor let out a long sigh, then drained the last of his mug of cider. "Well, that's just great. Like there wasn't already enough wrong with this whole situation, it turns out now we're dealing with a spirit that's been given a real body. A spirit of… what, vengeance? Rage? Jealousy?"

"Passion."

"Pas—" Shining Armor blinked, turning to the changeling. "Really?"

"Sure. Can't you taste it?" Shining Armor gave her a look, and Ka-klack shrugged. "Oh. Right. But it is passion. Luna loved Equestria so intensely that she created Nightmare Moon when she was rejected, when her efforts and love were ignored by its people. I can't say for sure what happened between Luna and Celestia back then, but any fights they had would have only fed into Nightmare's birth."

"So…" Shining Armor frowned down at his mug. "Now we have a spirit of passion running around… and her passion makes her so angry that she wants to destroy anything that stands in the way of her taking control of Equestria… so that she can love it and be loved by its citizens. And along with that, she's focused on getting revenge on Princess Celestia for ignoring her."

"That pretty much sums it up," agreed Ka-klack.

"Well…" A bolt of bright turquoise magic shattered his mug, and Shining Armor let out a sigh. "Fantastic."

Chapter Seven - Changelings Actually Eat Orphans

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"Ah, what a lovely day!" declared Nightmare Moon, trotting happily down the Appleloosa street. Wood-slatted buildings lined the dusty street, marching past as they made their way through the city center. A general store, a saloon, the town hall, several other generic Old West buildings—Appleloosa had it all.

"It's actually almost completely overcast," pointed out Shining Armor.

"Yes, exactly," Nightmare purred smoothly, with a sneer back towards Celestia. Who completely ignored her, preferring to focus on her conversation with Ka-klack.

"I don't mean to pry, or seem like I'm trying to sneak confidential information out of you…" she said, with an uncomfortable gesture, "but… how did you manage to build a hive under Appleloosa without anyone noticing? I mean, even with the mine tunnels already there…"

"The mines aren't exactly under the town," replied the changeling. "We actually had to build quite a long series of connecting tunnels to reach it. And the mines themselves aren't really there anymore, either. We collapsed most of the tunnels to give us open space to work with. What's left is just there to serve as escape exits in the event that… um, that you… attack us."

"Ah. Out of curiosity—"

"The things Queen Chrysalis would do to me if I told you our contingency plans, even if she is marrying your sister, would make anything you can imagine pale in comparison."

"Yes, I suppose that's true." Celestia walked in silence for a moment, then glanced over at Ka-klack. "What is she like? Queen Chrysalis, I mean."

"Mean, cruel, spiteful." Ka-klack shrugged. "Just your typical Queen, really."

"You know, you're not instilling a sense of confidence in me as far as your Queen's marriage to my sister is concerned," said Celestia dryly.

"Well, she has a soft side. It's just under a lot of hardness. Like, a lot. But never doubt that she loves your sister with everything she has. I've felt it through the hivemind, and… well, it's actually scarier than her anger. And I may have overstated her... 'evilness', if you will, a bit. As long as you do exactly what she wants, she's perfectly fine. She just always needs to be in control. I mean, she is a Queen, after all."

They reached the end of the street, and Celestia stopped in front of a building, letting out a snort. "She's also apparently completely depraved," she said, practically glaring at the sign that hung overhead, and the read it out loud. "'The Pink Princess's Plot'."

Ka-klack was staring at her in puzzlement, and she rolled her eyes at the changeling. "I mean, I know you need love and all, but building the entrance to the hive under a brothel? I expected… I don't know, more class out of Chrysalis, I guess."

"Um… I didn't say this was the entrance," said Ka-klack slowly, then gestured with her head. "It's over here."

"But…" Celestia stared as the pony-disguised changeling trotted away, and her face turned red. "I just assumed… w-when you said it was at the end of the street…"

"Yes, over at this end." Ka-klack walked across the street and around the corner to a building that stood facing the open desert.

"'Welcoming Hooves'?" read Shining Armor as they took in the front of this building. It was well maintained, despite its exposure to the elements, and the brightly painted shutters and cheery awning gave it a pleasantly homey feel.

"That's right." Ka-klack trotted up to the door, then paused, her hoof on the handle.

"Listen," she said, shuffling her hooves nervously and avoiding eye contact. "The ponies in here are… important, to me. To us. So just be on your best behavior, okay? Please."

"Is she embarrassed by us?" hissed Nightmare Moon indignantly, looking over at the others.

"Well, after what you two did earlier... " said Shining Armor.

"Oh please, we didn't do anything embarrassing," sniffed Celestia dismissively, not seeing the look Shining Armor gave her with half-lowered eyelids. Then she gasped. "Wait… what if the changelings are the ones running the sex trains?! And Ka-klack thinks we might spoil the whole thing by drawing attention to it?!"

"Celestia, just…" Shining Armor put a hoof to his head and groaned. "No more, please."

They climbed up onto the small porch, following behind Ka-klack as she walked into a small room decorated with paintings and filled with various pieces of mix-matched seats. Much like the exterior of the building, this room was worn, but in a comfortable way. It wasn't rundown, it had just been lived in, apparently quite a bit. The changeling glanced back at the them, then cleared her throat.

"Guess who's back?" she called out cheerfully.

"Lavender Blossom!"

Immediately, a herd of foals swarmed her, pouring in from the doorway on the other side of the room. They were of every race, earth, pegasi and unicorn, their coats forming a rainbow of colors, and they ranged in age from barely able to walk to nearly teenage. A full grown pony or two followed them in, smiling at the sight and giving knowing looks to the three standing in the entrance.

"Well, it's nice to see you all again too," giggled Ka-klack, doing her best to hug, ruffle the manes of, and otherwise greet every single little filly and colt.

Celestia, Nightmare Moon, and Shining Armor watched the display with open mouths.

"Are… the changelings running an orphanage?" whispered Shining Armor finally.

"I think so," Celestia managed to say after a moment, sounding like she'd been hit on the head. "I can't decide if I think that's sick, or an absolutely brilliant way to work the changelings into our society."

Meanwhile, the fillies and foals had turned to a more immediate concern: presents, and their current whereabouts.

"A present?" wondered Ka-klack, proving her acting skills by pretending to be a pony that was an absolutely horrible actor. "Why, I haven't the foggiest idea what any of you are talking about!"

"You always bring us back a present!" declared one little pegasi.

"Yup, everytime you leave, you have a present for us when you return!" declared a unicorn with glasses.

"Why, that's right!" Ka-klack exclaimed, one wing reaching back into her saddlebags. "And I believe the pony who gets one this time is… Boulder Smash!"

She brought out a brightly colored box, smiling widely as she passed it over to the beaming colt.

"Is it really…" he trailed off, speaking in hushed tones.

"That's right," nodded Ka-klack. "The deluxe Princess Celestia action figure, with battle armor and kung-fu kick."

He looked at it, tears welling up in his eyes, and then, to the surprise of the three watching ponies, he pushed the box aside to run over and embrace Ka-klack. "Thank you!" he said happily, and if the changeling hugged him back with a bit more enthusiasm than a pony might have, well, the ponies watching the scene would have still had a hard time saying it was wrong.

"Now, remember the rule, everypony," Ka-klack called out as she released the colt and he rushed off, box in tow. "Boulder Smash gets the present for the rest of the day, and then it's fair game for everypony after that!"

"I'm next, right Ms. Blossom?" asked a shy little unicorn.

"That's right, Ink Pot!" answered Ka-klack.

"I thought so!" beamed the filly. "Look, I made a list to keep track of who's been getting what…"

The two continued to talk, Shining Armor watching with a small smile on his face, but Nightmare Moon trotted off after the colt who had gotten the present. Eyes narrowed, Celestia followed behind quietly.

The colt was sitting in the middle of a room full of battered but much loved toys, carefully opening his new action figure and laying out the accessories piece by piece.

"So," said Nightmare Moon suddenly, nearly making the colt jump. "You like Princess Celestia, do you?"

"Of course," said the colt, nervous and puzzled. "I mean, she's the Princess, right? She raises the sun and brings the days we all enjoy so much. I can't think of anypony who doesn't like the Princess."

"Oh, you'd be surprised," hissed Nightmare quietly. "Sure would be a shame if anything happened to that new toy of yours, wouldn't it?"

"Definitely," agreed Boulder enthusiastically, as Celestia tensed up to defend his gift from whatever horrible intentions Nightmare had. "That would mean there wouldn't be anyone for Nightmare Moon to fight!"

He trotted over and opened a toy box, coming back with a similar action figure held in one hoof, and Celestia heard the sharp intake of Nightmare's breath.

It was a Nightmare Moon action figure, and if the rest of the toys in the room were 'battered but much loved', this one had seen enough love to fuel a dozen more changeling hives. The moon on the toy's chestpiece was nearly imperceptible, the paint long ago having worn off. Her horn was bent, one hoofcuff was missing, and its tail seemed to have lost half its hairs. And to top it all off its left wing seemed only partially attached and swung idly as Boulder carried the figure over to the new one.

Despite all that, he held it with a reverence usually reserved for holy objects, and he beamed happily as he set it down next to the Princess Celestia figure.

"That's… why you wanted the Celestia action figure?" asked Nightmare Moon, her voice full of wonder. "Just so you could have someone for Nightmare Moon to do battle with?"

"Of course!" said Boulder happily, picking up one toy in each hoof. "Nightmare Moon wants to bring eternal night so she can be worshipped by everypony. But Princess Celestia wants to make it daytime all the time, so everypony will pay attention to only her!"

He stopped, blushing. "I-I know that's not exactly how things were, but…"

"Actually, you're pretty much dead on," said Nightmare with a giggle, as Celestia puffed out her cheeks in annoyance. "But is Nightmare Moon going to win any of those fights? Is eternal night really something you wish to have upon this land?"

"Well, she'll win some of the fights, and Celestia will win some too. But of course I don't want eternal night. Nopony does." He missed the spark of anger in Nightmare's eyes as he turned to the playroom's window. "The daytime is beautiful, and with all the light we can play outside, and go swimming when the sun makes things warm, and the sunlight helps farmers grow all the crops we need to eat.

"But the nighttime is beautiful too, with the stars and the moon shining in the sky. We might sleep through most of it, but that's only because it's so restful. It lets everypony relax after a hard day of work, and if it wasn't so peaceful and dark we couldn't do that.

"So of course I don't want eternal night," concluded the colt. "We need the day and the night, equally. That's what Nightmare Moon taught us. And only a crazy pony would really want it to be nighttime forever."

"Oh," said Nightmare softly, head down, staring at the playroom's rug with unseeing eyes.

"But Nightmare Moon will win most of the time," continued Boulder, holding that figure up higher with one hoof. "Because she's so much cooler than Celestia."

Nightmare's raised her head, blinking in surprise, and then she grinned and ruffled the small pony's mane with one hoof. "Damn straight, kid," she said with a chuckle.

"MOONY!" shrieked Celestia indignantly, making them both jump.

"Does 'Lavender Blossom' really bring a present for the foals every time?" asked Shining Armor quietly, as he and Ka-klack waited for the other attendants to gently clear out the group of orphans still surrounding her.

"She travels quite often," replied Ka-klack. "The gifts make them question when she's going to be back, not where she's been. Giving gifts is an extremely efficient way of extracting a lot of love, as well."

There were a number of ways Shining Armor could have reacted: anger, disgust, indignation. Instead, he simply raised one eyebrow, a skeptical look on his face, and Ka-klack blushed.

"Lavender Blossom… might also travel more than she really needs to, sometimes," she admitted, head down. "We just like seeing them happy. Which is good for the hive, because the happier they are the more love we get!"

"No need to explain yourself to me," said Shining Armor with a smile, as the other two finally returned.

"Ow! Ow owowow! S-stop it! Let me go!"

Nightmare Moon was whining and dragging her hooves, but she had no choice except to follow Celestia, seeing as how the pegasus had one of her ears clutched firmly in a wing.

"Sorry about that," said Celestia disdainfully, a last flick of her wing forcing Nightmare to scurry forward into the room. "But I caught Nigh—Moony using inappropriate language around one of the foals."

"Hmm." Ka-klack glanced at Nightmare Moon, who just rolled her eyes. "Well, I'd better not hear any of them repeating whatever words they might have heard. I don't think you want to see what happens when the orphanage's caretakers see a threat to their little ones."

Nightmare just snorted, still refusing any eye contact. After glaring at her for a moment longer, Ka-klack beckoned them all to follow. She lead them through a series of rooms, into an office that was dominated by a large bookcase on the back wall, and then carefully locked the door behind them. After taking a moment to ensure they were truly alone, Ka-klack dropped her disguise, and with a brief glow of his horn the bookcase swung back from the wall.

Behind it was a spiral staircase leading downwards, and they followed Ka-klack as he descended the stairs. They wound around and around, heading deeper and deeper into the earth, until finally they reached a tunnel that led away into a green-tinged darkness.

"Here we are," said Ka-klack with a wave of his hole-ridden hoof, as Celestia walked up beside him. "This is our main entrance to the hive. Well, the main entrance for individuals. Obviously we can't justify a couple of dozen ponies walking into our orphanage and then not coming out."

"You're not worried about any of the fillies in the orphanage getting in here?" asked Celestia curiously.

"Oh, no. The bookcase can only be operated by changeling magic. Even you wouldn't be able to move it with pony magic. And aside from that, we have various other defenses, including forcefields that don't work on changelings but keep ponies out—"

He stopped talking at a thump and muffled groan from behind him. Celestia stood, pressed up against nothing, the glare on her smooshed face directed squarely at Ka-klack.

"Ah-ha. Um. Sorry about that." Ka-klack's horn lit up, causing a barely noticeable gemstone on the wall to glow, and Celestia stumbled forward. "It kind of, um, slipped my mind until I said it."

"Hahaha!" Nightmare Moon fell to her haunches, holding herself as she laughed. "I'm going to start calling you 'Princess Pancake' from now on!"

Celestia's glare turned to her as Shining Armor walked past. And just as Nightmare Moon, hardly able to see as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, walked up to where the forcefield was, Celestia shot her own beam of magic at the gem Ka-klack had used. Which caused Nightmare to walk directly into the forcefield as well.

"Ooooops, sorry about that," sang Celestia, turning the forcefield back off after taking a moment to enjoy Nightmare's flattened, furious face. "Maybe I'll start calling you "Nightmare Pancake' now."

"You insolent little—"

Nightmare's horn started glowing, and was immediately matched by a glow from the surrounding walls. Runes lit up around her, and then more runes further down the tunnel from those, and then more, a solid gridwork of magical runes that stretched into the distance, all connected by lines of power and thrumming with such unreleased devastation that they almost seemed eager. So bright was the glow of their magic that it even overpowered the light from Nightmare Moon's horn.

"Okay," said Ka-klack softly, voice calm as he held up one hoof. "Let's all just… relax, yes? And let's definitely not do something like, say, casting any kind of offensive spell, yes? Not even something that might look like an offensive spell. A spell that would lightly tap somepony on the shoulder might even be too much, understand?"

Face screwed up in anger, the Nightmare started to respond. A second glance around at the runes seemed to change her mind, however, and she carefully powered her horn down.

"Thank you," Ka-klack said, wiping a bead of sweat off his brow as the runes faded away once more.

"I was tempted to attack anyway," Nightmare said, voice defiant. "It would have been worth it to make Celestia pay. I'm sure whatever spells you insects managed to enchant this corridor with would have been nothing to me."

"Those were defensive runes cast by Queen Chrysalis herself," replied Ka-klack fiercely. "Using a full season's worth of the hive's surplus love. 'Catastrophic' would describe a tenth of them being activated. 'Unimaginably devastating' would apply to what would have happened if a pony as powerful as you had been detected using offensive magic in this tunnel. As in, 'things used to be able to live in this tunnel, before reality inside it was ripped apart'."

Nightmare Moon looked sufficiently cowed for a moment, then shrugged it off as usual and tried to act like she didn't care. Celestia, however, marched up next to Ka-klack as they continued on, her face severe.

"That's the kind of defenses you have built into your hive?" she growled at him. "What happened to memory wiping spells?"

"In the event of a real attack, these would be manually detonated," he replied meekly. "But they're still on defense mode right now, which was meant to guard against, well, a surprise attack. By alicorns, specifically. I believe the thought was that if you were in the hive and attacking us directly, the hive was already lost. In which case… it would be better if we made sure you went with it."

"You have some rather upsetting ideas of what constitutes home defenses," Celestia said after a moment, deciding to settle on snark as a reaction to these revelations. "And while I can understand the need to defend your kingdom… well, I actually find the fact that all your defenses are targeted at ponies to be kind of insulting!"

"We did build this hive under a pony city, in a pony kingdom," shrugged Ka-klack. "Considering the debacle at the wedding, along with the fact that you've been our main prey for the last several decades, it made sense that we tailor our defenses to keep out all ponies."

After a moment of silence he continued, his head tilting to one side as his voice increased in pitch. "But that will be changing soon, at least slightly. After all, we can't have such a magnificent and beautiful pony as my dearest Luna being kept out of her own kingdom."

Celestia glanced over at him, as he blinked a few times and shook his head. "Was that…"

"Queen Chrysalis," confirmed Ka-klack, nodding. "We're in the hive. She's going to be keeping a close eye on you now. Well, eyes. You can expect her to be watching you from every changeling you see. And especially the ones you don't see."

Celestia started to point out how creepy that sounded, then, in the name of diplomatic relations and familial harmony, decided to let the subject drop.

Instead, she said, "So… your cover here is an orphanage, that you staff entirely with changelings? How did that come about?"

"Well, we need to eat." Ka-klack gave a shrug as they walked along. "Raiding villages on the outskirts of your kingdom is fine—um, sorry—but it's not a terribly consistent source of love. A few bad raids and we could be in a lot of trouble. And we couldn't put together a more major attack since we were building up our strength for… um, friendship?

"A-anyway, we came up with this as a constant source of love, to ensure we'd always have at least some on hoof. The Queen was actually against it at first. She said any plan that didn't involve kidnapping ponies was beneath us. But we need love, so eventually she let us try it. Of course, she won't admit how well it's worked out, but the fact that we moved the hive here is enough of an admission."

Celestia glanced over at the changeling. "You aren't too… kind to the orphans are you? I-I mean, not that that would be bad, I have no issue at all with you making orphans happy and raising them well, it's just… they're children, and impressionable, and, well, if they really do love you, then they could… well, you could… the way you could raise them..."

Celestia couldn't quite manage to get the words she wanted to say out in a way that wouldn't sound insulting to Ka-klack, which she wanted to avoid both because he was fast becoming a friend and because they were heading into a hive full of other changelings who would know exactly what she had said. After a few moments of her stammering, though, Ka-klack looked over at her and raised an eyebrow.

"You're worried that we're building some sort of fifth column?" he asked quietly. "That we're going to raise these foals to be on our side, to see us as their true family, and turn them against you?"

"Well… yes, that is the gist of what I was just thinking," she admitted with a wince, and Ka-klack shrugged.

"It wouldn't work. At least, not very well. The whole point of what we do is that we do it in disguise. We couldn't take the chance of letting the orphans know we were changelings, just in case they let something leak. Maybe that will change now, though. And, obviously, we couldn't just come out and say 'hey, guess what, we were changelings all along!' after a few years. Our habit of replacing your loved ones is too well known for that to be believed, even if it is the truth.

"Although…" Ka-klack mused, pausing in his stride for a second to rub his chin with one hoof, "What we could do is raise the orphans to see changelings as their benefactors. As… well, friends. We could train them in all the skills they would need to be captains of industry, high placed government workers, important members of the media, and then use our skills and disguises to see that they obtain these positions. Of course, we'd need a lot more orphans for this to work... but those are easy enough to make. Accidents do happen, after all. And then once the top of Equestrian society is filled with ponies sympathetic to the changeling cause, ponies who recognize our natural place as their overlords, ponies who can easily get in close to certain Princesses who, trusting in these ponies before them, will let their guard down—"

"Chrysalis," said Celestia severely, "I was talking with Ka-klack. I don't mind you listening in, but please don't interrupt our conversation. And need I remind you, again, that you are soon to be one of those Princesses who rules Equestria?"

"Oh. Right. Old habits." Ka-klacksalis rolled his/her eyes. "Though we really should discuss you and Twilight abdicating after this little mess is cleaned up. Five Princesses are a little much, don't you think?"

He/she fluttered his/her eyes at Celestia, who just glared back. Then the changeling shook his head, and was just Ka-klack again.

"Oh, I can't wait for all this to be over," he muttered off to the side, then straightened up. "In any case… we do treat them well. Extremely well, in fact. It helps that we don't have to pay our workers, since they're literally working for their meals. So that gives us quite a bit more budget to work with."

"That's… good to hear, I suppose," said Celestia hesitantly. "But I hope you don't mind if I send some inspectors out here just to make sure conditions are… proper, for the children."

"Well, you could do that, if you want," said Ka-klack, smirking. "Or… you could just review the annual reports you get on orphanages for all of Equestria. Say, the last five years worth or so."

"Orphanage quality on the whole has been on the rise," recited Celestia, pulling the data from her memory. "Child happiness, health and education have shown a marked increase over the last several quarters, and while it is too early to predict long-term trends, current evidence shows greater success post-adoption—"

Celestia suddenly stopped, mouth dropping open. "That's you?! You affected the national averages with one orphanage?!"

"We never said this was our only orphanage," Ka-klack replied smugly. "We currently own or have controlling interests in almost twenty-five percent of the orphanages in Equestria, with another ten percent or so having at least one changeling as a staff member. Any orphanage we're affiliated with sees an increase in how happy the children are, since we get 'paid' more the more the orphans love us."

Celestia didn't say anything for a long moment. On the face of it, the entire idea was absurd. Changelings, the enemies of Equestria, monsters who feed on love, taking care of children?

On the other hoof, the children in this orphanage had been genuinely glad to see Ka-klack, even if the 'him' they were glad to see wasn't really him (and was also a her). And he hadn't been lying when he'd said there had been a noticeable increase in the quality of the orphanages across Equestria. If that was due to the changelings…

Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing after all. Giving love to get love was, well, how love works. Luna might have actually had a point when she compared the changelings attitude towards ponies to Applejack and her apple trees. Applejack was well known for the care and love she showed to her trees; maybe it wasn't so bad if the changelings acted the same way towards ponies.

In the end, ponies and changelings needed love. Did it matter if the changelings needed it as food?

She glanced back towards Shining Armor, considering asking his opinion, but then she caught sight of him. He appeared to actually be trying to hold a conversation with Nightmare Moon. She seemed to only be responding in short sentences, but she was still participating.

So that was it, then. Celestia's mouth hardened into a thin, flat line. Even her guard captain couldn't be completely trusted not to fall in with the enemy. Well, that was unexpected, but she supposed it wasn't his fault. He'd only known the stories of Nightmare, not what she was really like. And in the end, it didn't matter. Celestia had led her kingdom by herself for a thousand years; there was no reason she couldn't work alone on this problem.

And the answer was that, for now, the changelings didn't matter. The status quo was fine the way it was; she'd have time to sort everything out after this was all over. Once Twilight, her sister, and all the others were free, she could finally get back to what mattered—ruling over Equestria, ensuring everything went the way it was supposed to.

"I'm… not too happy about this," she said finally, turning back to Ka-klack. "You are, technically, an enemy kingdom raising some of our children. But… you seem to be doing a good job. We'll have to start a review process after this, maybe set some regulations for how you run these orphanages—maybe we can even see about having you expand into other areas, such as school teachers. I will say, though, that it seems as though we may have found the changeling's niche in Equestria. You seem particularly skilled at handling foals."

"Well, I mean, maybe," said Ka-klack, a smile on his face as he turned away in embarrassment. "We always tend to replace adult ponies, so I suppose it's only natural children would have grown on us. They do tend to be where most of our love comes from when we raid a village."

"Aaaaannd now you've ruined my epiphany. Good work."

Ka-klack started to respond, but the green glow at the end of the tunnel caught his attention.

"Ah! We're here!" he said, and trotted quickly ahead. He stopped at the mouth of the tunnel, nearly disappearing into the green glow. For a moment he just stood there, looking back at the ponies who had followed him, then moved aside, letting them step out into the hive proper.

Multiple levels spread out below them in the enormous chamber, tiers of progressively smaller rings connected by ramps at various intervals, all of which led down to a central plaza. From it rose a titanic stalagmite studded with smaller spikes, reaching nearly to the ceiling of the cavernous space. From where they stood, they could see a set of massive doors built into its side, shaped like the wings of a scarab. More tunnels, counterparts to the one they had entered from, led off from various points around the different levels of the cavern.

While the cavern had obviously been carved out of the living rock, that wasn't apparent at first glance. What seemed to be an organic substance of some kind coated everything in sight, starting from just inside the tunnels. It was hard, gray and dappled with specks and bands of various shades. Shallow divots of various sizes were scattered throughout its surface, from about the size of a bit to larger than a pony's head. Green slime dripped from the walls and ceilings in seemingly random places, and were matched by equally green orbs affixed to equally random spots on the walls and ceilings. Some appeared to be eggs, others disturbingly close to the cocoon Celestia had been imprisoned inside during the wedding—these, thankfully, were empty—and others were just clusters of spheres that served no immediately apparent purpose. Everything green, though, shone with an emerald light. It bathed the chamber, the glittering green glow making the sight both eerily alien and beautiful at the same time.

And changelings were everywhere. Clinging to the ceiling, tending to the various orbs, flitting about from one level to another, or just standing on guard in front of the central pillar. Groups moved purposefully from one tunnel to another, moving in sync with a sameness of gait that was disconcerting. The changelings that seemed to be performing more individual tasks, though, stopped what they were doing as the ponies entered the chamber. They turned as one to face these… well, hopefully they were viewed as guests. Some even peeked out from around the stalactite to get a better view. After a moment, they went back to what they had been doing, though a few seemed to be murmuring to one another, and many of them continued to watch the ponies with curiosity plain on their faces.

"Welcome to the hive," Ka-klack said softly.

Chapter Eight - The Hive Blinded Me With Science

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"It's very… pretty," said Celestia after a moment. She watched a squad of changelings fly past, execute a turn in perfect formation, and then begin to work industriously on… some sort of task on the far side of the chamber. She did her best to hide a shudder. There was something about the synchronization of their movements that was… unsettling.

"But it's not beautiful," Ka-klack said with a small, almost sad, smile.

"Well, it's not that, I-I just… your hive is…" Celestia stomped nervously at the ground a few times. "It's a lot different than what I'm used to," she said finally. "You have a very… organic living area here."

"Yes, especially compared to pony cities. All those straight lines and hard surfaces? I can still remember how disgusted I was the first time I saw one." Ka-klack looked over at her, smirking.

"And yet, you managed to get over your disgust to the point where you decided to invade and claim them as your own." Celestia returned his smirk, and then her expression softened into a smile. "It is beautiful, Ka-klack, even if it is different. I'm sure Luna will think so too."

"Thank you," said Ka-klack, a female voice echoing behind his words.

"That's an awfully impressive structure," noted Shining Armor, waving a hoof at the spire with its scarab-shaped doors in the center of the cavern. "Thick, heavy doors, several squads of guards out front… would that be…?"

"Queen Chrysalis's throne room," Ka-klack confirmed with a nod of his head. "We, ah, won't be going in there on this trip."

"The Queen values her privacy, huh?" asked Shining Armor with a raised eyebrow, and Ka-klack gave a little shudder.

"That's one way to put," he said, looking off to the side. "No changeling ever made that mistake again."

"So, you seem very disciplined here," said Shining Armor after a moment, trying to change the subject. "I'm very impressed by the formations your squads here move in. It reminds me of my days training in the Royal Guard. I noticed the same thing with the changelings during the, ah, invasion."

"Oh, you're talking about those groups flying around?" Ka-klack waved out at the open cavern. "Those aren't changelings, they're just drones."

He looked back at the ponies who were giving him various degrees of quizzical looks. "I'm really bad at this, aren't I? Sorry. I've done a lot of different jobs over the years while infiltrating cities, but I've never been a tour guide. I've also never had to show anyone around the hive before…"

"You're doing a wonderful job, Ka-klack," Celestia said with a brilliant smile.

"It's not like being a tour guide in one of Equestria's cities would have helped you anyway," Nightmare Moon smirked. "'This is our town, it's full of sunshine and brightness because we all worship the sun and brightness and daylight and blah blah blah!'"

"'Welcome to Nightmare Moon's Equestria,'" growled Celestia in a low monotone voice. "'Everything is dark and gloomy because we're just soooo angsty and full of sorrow that all we want to do is sit around writing bad, depressing poetry about the night and darkness and night time and how dark everything is.'"

"How dare you talk about my poetry that way!" Nightmare reared up, her horn almost scraping the low tunnel ceiling, and then she smashed her hoofs to the ground. "You never liked anything I did, even when I was just trying to express my feelings!"

"You wrote a twenty page poem about hurling me into my own sun and then collapsing it into a black hole!"

"It was art! You just didn't understand it!"

"Ahem." Both alicorns turned to find Ka-klack gazing at them disapprovingly, one eyebrow arched. "If you're done squabbling, can we continue? This was somewhat of an urgent manner, I thought."

Celestia and Nightmare Moon glared at each other, cheeks puffed out, then turned away with matching snorts.

"She started it," muttered Celestia petulantly.

"Yes, because I'm the one who ignored my sister a thousand years ago," shot back Nightmare Moon.

"Well, I'm ending it," declared Ka-klack firmly, shooing them all ahead of himself.

"I kind of feel bad for those orphans," chuckled Shining Armor softly to Ka-klack, watching the alicorns pout as they walked along.

"Fun is one thing, but I will not tolerate nonsense," he replied, head held high.

"Now, back to what we were talking about…" Ka-klack waved a hoof out at the cavern as several small swarms of changelings flew past. "Most of the changelings you can see here are just mindless drones. Whenever we die, our… well, souls, I guess, just wait in the hivemind until a new body is ready for us.

"We can also hatch the bodies early. They won't have minds, but we can control them through the hivemind. One changeling can control a multitude of drones, and perform a variety of complex tasks. I mean, I can't take over a dozen drones and have each of them writing a different novel, but I could, say, control them in combat."

"Fascinating…" mused Nightmare, looking around the cavern with an unexpectedly impressed expression on her face. "I can do something similar, splitting myself into several clones. Though, I have trouble with more than a hoofful at once."

"It's impressive you can do it at all," Ka-klack said graciously. "We've always believed that some function of our hivemind is what allows us to split our thoughts so effectively. You must have quite the powerful mind to handle something like that."

Nightmare Moon smirked, holding her head high and preening. She looked out at the cavern with a much more appreciative eye, and finally turned back to Ka-klack.

"I may have actually underestimated you changelings," she said cheerfully. "Perhaps I won't kill you all. Tell me, how would you feel about acting as shock troopers in another invasion of Canterlot?"

"Well, actually…"

Ka-klack caught Celestia's eye, and took a step back. "You know, we don't really—"

Now he caught Nightmare Moon's eye again, and shrank back once more. "Um… can I pass on that question?"

The Nightmare glared at him for a long moment, and then suddenly there was another Nightmare Moon glaring at him from a distance of three inches, having extruded a copy of herself from a shadow on the wall.

"I will table the question… for now," the clone hissed, then slowly sank back into the shadow.

"Ah-hahaha!" Ka-klack chuckled nervously, taking a step away from the wall and wiping at his forehead with a hoof while Nightmare Moon smiled pointedly at him. "That is... definitely impressive. And also much more terrifying than anything we do."

He took a few more steps away from the Nightmare before resuming his escort through the hive.

"In any case… the drones provide a much needed multiplication of changeling power for us. Just maintaining the hive, which takes several dozen drones, can be handled by just three or four changelings. It's also what lets us spread ourselves so widely across Equestria on all the various espiona—er, friendship building excursions we are constantly running. After all, if we could only rely on the five hundred of us, we'd barely get anything done!"

"Five… hundred?" Shining Armor gaped at him. "There's only five hundred changelings?! And you conquered Canterlot?!"

"Well, give or take. As for Canterlot, we had a good plan, and Queen Chrysalis had personally infiltrated the highest ranks of your royalty. When you throw in a few hundred changelings controlling a few dozen drones—drones that can move in perfect coordination, obey orders without question, and don't fear death or injury—things are a bit more balanced." He shrugged. "Really, we had enough of an advantage that even with Twilight's meddling we came within an inch of winning."

Celestia was able to keep her face calm, but it was difficult. Five hundred changelings, she thought numbly. Just five hundred of them, and they managed to cause so much chaos, become so threatening. Sure, there's Tirek, Discord and Sombra, and Nightmare Moon… they did much the same. But they didn't build cities, entire industries dedicated to bringing Equestria to its knees. Although now that they're on our side—at least theoretically—all that productivity is at our disposal. Why didn't I think of reaching out to them before?

A memory came to mind, of hanging upside-down in her own throne room while encased in a slime-filled cocoon. Oh, right.

"So you're telling me that if you displease me, I need only eliminate five hundred of you?" Nightmare Moon grinned. "Well, that will make things much easier for me. Try to keep that in mind as we build our alliance."

"I'm not endorsing anything she just said, but that does seem like somewhat of a weakness," said Shining Armor, looking towards Ka-klack. "Is that really something you were supposed to tell us?"

"Uh…"

"No, it wasn't," snarled a passing Chrysalis.

"And yes, he is going to be punished for it," added another one as Ka-klack's head drooped..

"Please don't be too harsh." Not knowing what else to do, Celestia directed her plea at Ka-klack himself. "If we're allies now, then your weaknesses are our weaknesses. And we can use our strengths to compensate for those weaknesses, as you can for ours."

"Hmph." Ka-klack frowned at her, eyes narrowed. "I'll… consider it. But watch your mouth, Ka-klack." Chrysalis jabbed a hoof at him for emphasis, meaning that after he blinked a few times and took control of his body again he found his own hoof pointing at his face.

"Did I just threaten myself?" he wondered.

The atmosphere of the tunnel changed as they moved further into the hive. Changelings, of course, continued to walk past, going about their duties. The green lighting was still there, omnipresent as it was throughout the hive, but rather than shining from bright orbs of light it existed as more of a diffuse glow that hung in the air. With the darkening of whatever mysterious material the tunnel was made out of, the mood should have been oppressive. Which it was, but there was also an air of something that was almost reverent.

"This is what you'd probably call the 'academic' wing of the hive," said Ka-klack with a little wave of his hoof as they walked. "This is where we have the library, the hall of records, the museum… and of course it's where we store all the artifacts that we're here to see.

"The other wings house various other facilities the hive uses. The northwest wing is where the torture chambers are located—um, I mean, the… friendship-making chambers. And the south wing has all the rooms where we plan and train for invasions—um, where we plan… friend-making parties—"

"Ka-klack," said Celestia gently, "Maybe it's better if you just… not tell us what goes on in the rest of the hive? How about this, we can come back in a year or two, after you've all had a chance to get acclimated to life in Equestria, and then you can give us a tour."

Ka-klack opened his mouth. "Well, actually, right now we're building—"

DO NOT TELL HER ABOUT THE NEW HIVE UNDER HER CASTLE! a hundred voices chorused in his head at once, one very emphatic voice echoing with dual tones, and he winced.

Closing his mouth, Ka-klack decided to just stick with nodding. Safer that way.

"I'm definitely starting to come around on you changelings," declared Nightmare Moon. "I mean, you're black, you're evil, you want to conquer Equestria—what's not to love? As a bonus, I don't have to hear any of that annoying talk about 'friendship' and 'kindness' that ponies are always going on about—"

"Ohmygosh, it's the visitors! I'm so happy to meet you!" squealed a passing changeling, a large, cheery smile on his face. "Oh, I hope we can all be friends!"

"Of course," sighed Nightmare, rolling her eyes.

"Is it true that Equestria is full of ponies who just want to be friends with everyone they meet? And you have a whole empire that radiates love for anyone to just eat whenever they want? Oh, I can't wait to visit and meet all the ponies there! Do you think—"

"Okay, Thorax, I know you're excited to meet the ponies, but we have something really important to do," said Ka-klack. "And you're in the middle of work too, aren't you?" He gently shooed the changeling towards the main chamber.

"Oh, right, I was just so happy—anyway, it was great meeting you all! I just know we're going to be great friends!" Looking over his shoulder, the changeling continued on his way down the tunnel, waving one hoof enthusiastically in farewell as he went.

"Well, he certainly was a friendly little changeling!" declared Celestia cheerfully, as Nightmare made gagging motions.

"No offense, but I kind of wish more changelings were like him," said Shining Armor with an apologetic smile.

"Yeah, that was Thorax," said Ka-klack, sighing and shaking his head. "We… we try not to let him out of the hive much."

"Have you considered flaying the skin from his body?" inquired Nightmare Moon. "I find that helps with insolent subjects."

"We, uh, don't have skin," said Ka-klack, making the worst reply possible. "We have chitin."

"Hmm…" Nightmare peered at him with narrowed eyes, leaning in far closer than he was comfortable with. "I'm sure the principle would still be the same…"

"Oh look, we're there," the changeling said hurriedly, buzzing several dozen yards down the corridor and landing in front of a large stone door.

"That's quite the door," observed Shining Armor once the ponies had managed to catch up. "I suppose you'd want that in case any of the artifacts inside got activated by accident, though."

"What?" Ka-klack looked back at Shining Armor. "Oh. Yes, I suppose we'd also want a door like this if there were ever any accidental activations."

He pushed the door inwards, a counterweight mechanism behind the door grinding as it swung. Bright white light, as opposed to the standard hive-green, flooded out, and Ka-klack slipped around the doorframe and into the room. After a moment the ponies followed, finding themselves in an enormous, low-ceilinged cavern that stretched as far as their eyes could see. Which, admittedly, wasn't very far, as the chamber was stuffed various items. On shelves, stacked up to the ceiling, sitting on the floor, or even rather casually placed on a table, the room brimmed with powerful magical artifacts.

Or, as Celestia decided to think of them, 'powerful magical artifacts', with heavy emphasis on the sarcasm quotes. Spotted throughout the clutter was the occasional interesting looking possibilities, but the majority seemed to be junk. Knickknacks, curios, and other random bits of nothing that the changelings must have stolen down through the centuries, then stored here on the off chance that they actually held a power of some significance.

A number of statues reared up from the piles throughout the room, no doubt claimed from various raids on pony cities. A number seemed like cheap storefront decorations, one was clearly an inflatable pony from a used-wagon lot, and another… disturbingly couldn't be described at all. It wasn't that she couldn't decide what it was supposed to be, it was just that whenever she looked at it, all she knew was that she was looking at a statue. It wasn't so much a physical statue as the idea of a statue that seemed to exist in physical form.

One wall, that stretched away behind a pile of plates that jumped and clattered by themselves, was filled with books. Books that moved, fluttering through the air around their shelf, hopping up and down in place, or just sitting quietly and rustling their pages to themselves. Others glowed with unearthly lights, made horrible moaning sounds, or leaked unidentifiable fluids. Overall, it was rather unimpressive; Celestia had a whole wing of books like that in the Royal Library back in Canterlot.

The rest of what they could see was easily classifiable as 'random junk'. A chess set with Celestia as the white king and Nightmare Moon as the black, a group of small orbs that rolled around on their tabletop by themselves and seemed to be keeping some kind of incredibly complicated orbit with each other, a windchime of nearly transparent crystal that hung unsupported in the air and chimed in the absence of any kind of breeze, several tubes of that magical anti-wrinkle cream she had gotten from a shyster pony several decades previous which she had absolutely bought as a joke and definitely not because she had thought it would work and she had spent a period concerned that the centuries had started taking a toll on her looks, forty-seven identical replicas of Starswirl the Bearded's hat, and a partridge in a pear tree. An actual partridge sitting in a pear tree, neither one seeming concerned that they were currently underground in a changeling hive.

"This is… um... " Celestia trailed off, unsure of what to say.

"It's a giant pile of junk," Nightmare finished snidely for her. "It looks a second-rate magician sneezed at a garage sale, and then you just threw it all into a room."

"Yes, thank you," sighed Celestia, rolling her eyes.

"I know how it looks, but trust me, there are some real artifacts here. Powerful stuff." Ka-klack gave a shrug. "As for the mess… they say that's how they like it."

"They?"

"Are those ponies?!"

The group turned. Behind and to their side was a long series of workbenches, backed by shelves filled with books. Books that behaved themselves, unlike the others in the room. A changeling head had popped up over a counter, staring at them with wide, excited yellow eyes. Several more heads followed his, and then what seemed like an entire swarm of changelings poured forth.

"Finally! Now we can test some of this on proper subjects!"

"I thought Chrysalis said we couldn't have ponies anymore?"

"That wasn't my fault! I mean, a test subject blows one little hole in the hive and escapes with half our captive love supply, and suddenly you get the blame for giving her what turned out to be some kind of portable lightning generator."

"I thought the problem was more that Chrysalis didn't want us wasting food. You know how flammable ponies are."

"Of course I do! I kept notes."

"But look! Two of them are alicorns! That means they won't break when we use them for testing."

"And if they do, that's even more valuable data!"

All three of the ponies retreated until they were against the wall, unsure of how to react to this whirlwind of enthusiastic changelings. Changelings who all seemed to be wearing labcoats, a distant part of Celestia's mind noticed.

"Hey! Hey!" Ka-klack's shouting managed to get the changelings attention enough that they landed, forming a semicircle around the three ponies with Ka-klack in between. Now that they were standing still, Celestia was able to see that they all had yellow-tinted eyes of some kind, ranging from a light, almost seafoam green to deep amber. And unnervingly, those eyes never stopped moving, constantly scanning her, Shining Armor and Nightmare Moon.

"These are the guests, remember? The ones who are here to look through all this and see if there's anything that can help our Queen?"

The changelings stared blankly back at him for a moment, then exploded into chatter.

"Oh, was that today?"

"I could swear I wrote that down somewhere…"

"I can't believe the guests are here already! And here I am in my ratty old labcoat. This one doesn't even have bloodstains."

"Oh, right, here it is in my schedule. I forgot, I accidently reversed its temporal polarity the other day, so now I can only see my appointments after I have them."

"I know there's a rule against using the ponies in pods as test subjects, but there isn't one against using guests, is there? We've ever had visitors before, so there probably aren't any rules, right?"

"SO SINCE WE HAVE GUESTS," Ka-klack continued loudly, momentarily silencing them, "and since they're here looking for artifacts, you should introduce yourselves and let them know how things work around here."

"Snarlk!"

"Pincer!"

"Graalk!"

"Kra-klam!"

"Pedipalp!"

Role call done, the five changelings stood still, smiling.

"And what about helping us find what we're looking for?" Ka-klack sighed.

"Oh, right!"

"There's a really simple mnemonic device we created to keep track of everything, it's MKDIGHDUDNG—"

"No no no! It's MKDIGJDUDEH—"

"Wait, why don't we just get them the index?"

"Oh, the index, of course"

"Here, let me—"

Without warning, one of the changelings burst into flames. Two of the ponies watched in horror, the third in amusement, until the fire died down, leaving behind only scorch marks and a perfectly preserved brass pin. The remaining four changelings stared at the pin for a moment, then all began talking at once.

"It does work after all! It wasn't just a fluke!"

"How long was that?"

"I think he was the one keeping track."

"What do you think activates it? I've been working on a theory that it's number of words said divided by the number of syllables."

"That's ridiculous! Why would it be divided by syllables instead of letters?"

The door opened, and an exact replica of the combusted changeling trotted in, pulling on a labcoat and still dripping with slime. Picking up the pin, he brandished it proudly at the others.

"You see?! It needs to be worn by a living creature! It took a week that time. Now we just need to figure out the triggering mechanism, and then—"

Celestia watched in horror and disbelief as the changelings continued to argue, then leaned down towards Ka-klack.

"This is the help you're getting us?"

"I… I know how it looks," admitted Ka-klack, rubbing the back of his head with one hoof. "But even though they may seem disorganized and chaotic and… completely unprofessional, they actually do really good work when they get focused. You'll see. We'll be done here in no time."

"Oh, Twilight! I'm so glad I saved you! Mwa mwa mwa mwa! My little bookworm, don't you ever leave me like that again!"

"Celestia, my gigantic love marshmallow, I'm so glad you were the one to save me! Let me thank you with my tongue! Mwa mwa mwa!"

Celestia and Twilight continued to mash their faces together messily, until a wall of shadow dropped down over their corner of the room.

"Twilight Sparkle has been freed from her stone prison and the new lovers are reunited at last," announced an echoing voice. "But how will they face the first real test of their relationship? We go now to the library of Twilight Sparkle where, to her horror, she has found that Celestia's big fat butt cannot fit through the door! Which love of her life will she choose—Celestia… or books?"

"NIGHTMARE MOON!" Celestia slammed her hooves onto the table she was sitting at. "If you're not going to help, can you at least not help quietly? And leave those changelings alone! They have better things to do then put on your annoying little skits!"

"Stop repressing my artistic drive!" Nightmare Moon reformed out of the shadows, then huffed away into the stacks of 'artifacts'. The Celestia and Twilight she'd left behind changed back into changelings, quickly fleeing the room, and Celestia turned back to the index, flipping angrily through the next few pages.

"She's really getting to you, huh?" asked Shining Armor, quirking an eyebrow upwards.

"Three days, Shining Armor. Three days of searching through this—" she jabbed her hoof at the thick book, full of dog-ears, bookmarks and margin notes that contained the changeling's index of every item they had in storage "—with nothing to show for it. And now Nightmare has the changelings doing plays to mock me!

"She's not that bad," said Shining Armor, a small smile on his face as he looked in the direction Nightmare had stomped off. "In fact, I kind of like her. She reminds me a lot of Luna. And she has a great sense of humor."

"Remind me to get your head checked after all this is over," muttered Celestia, doing her best to slam a single sheet of paper as she turned another page in the index. "There's clearly something wrong with you if you're starting to think she's anywhere close to being likable."

"This isn't about her, though, is it?" asked Shining Armor quietly, and Celestia sighed.

"No, it isn't. Well, aside from when she fired that arrow into my cutie mark yesterday."

"Lucky thing that alicorn-slaying bow and arrow wasn't, I suppose."

"Yes." Celestia snorted, then let her head drop. "It's… about Twilight. And about whether I want to pursue this relationship at all."

"This song and dance again?" groaned Shining Armor.

"It's different this time! I've just… been thinking. I've lost Twilight right now, even if it is only temporarily. But if she doesn't return my love, it won't be temporary. There would always be some part of her that would be closed to me from then on. Even if there might be a time in the future when she would come to love me, I'll lose it if I push her too far too soon. I know I'd never lose her as a friend, no matter what, but… that rejection will put something between us, something that isn't there now.

"So… maybe I shouldn't push my luck. Maybe I should just be happy with what I have, and… hope I get more someday? No matter how long it takes… I have time. We have time. She might fall for me on her own someday. And even if she doesn't, losing her like this has opened my eyes. I can't afford to lose any part of her once she's free again. If that means we can't be any more than we already are… then so be it."

"Celestia—"

"There's more, Shining Armor. There's… Equestria." Celestia let out the longest sigh yet, shoulders drooping as she stared down at the table. After a long moment, she raised her eyes.

"It's my duty, my responsibility, to rule my kingdom. To ensure all of my little ponies are safe and happy, that they have jobs, food, and a warm place to sleep. To make sure they can all live in peace with each other, to protect them with laws and guidelines. To keep all the monsters outside the gates… and sometimes to let those monsters in when we can work together."

She raised her head to look around the room deep inside a changeling hive, with changelings working busily to help her, and smile briefly.

"But to do all of that demands my full and total attention. For the full one thousand years Luna was away I took no rest, and the same was true for the one thousand years before that. My ponies need me there, sometimes telling them exactly what to do, sometimes providing a guiding hoof… and sometimes just lending them an ear to tell their problems too.

"If I were to start a relationship with Twilight… I would have to split my time between her and Equestria. That's not fair to her, and it's definitely not fair to Equestria. Ponies could suffer if I'm not doing my best. They could die. How could I be so selfish as to hurt them for my own pleasure? To put my happiness above my subject's own?"

She let out another sigh, this one long and shuddering. "I'm not a normal pony, Shining Armor. I have to consider the feelings and lives of every other pony in Equestria. And I think the best thing for all of them… might be for me to let Twilight go."

Shining Armor stared at her, his eyes narrowed. "So this is what you've been so worried about over the past few days," he said finally. "You are a fool, Celestia."

"What?!"

"Do you think I don't know what it takes to rule a kingdom?"

"I-I know you and Cadance have been working hard in the Crystal Empire, b-but—" Celestia started to stammer.

"But nothing. Do you think your subjects would enjoy seeing you haggard and miserable? Do you think that would make their lives more enjoyable?"

Well, no—"

"And what of you? Would you be at your peak, making the best decisions for your people if you have to drag yourself out of bed everyday, dreading every miserable little second of your existence?" Shining Armor leaned forward, pounding one hoof on the table. "There's a difference between being selfish and taking care of yourself, Celestia. Your subjects want you to be happy. And you'll be able to rule them better if you are happy."

"I can be happy in plenty of other ways," replied Celestia stubbornly. "And those ways won't take time away from my duty as ruler of Equestria."

"How much time could ruling Equestria possibly take?!"

"Plenty! I need to oversee everything, in case anypony needs my help! I need to review laws before the legislature passes them, I need to advise the tax board on how much they collect from my subjects, I need—"

"Did you never learn to delegate? Those are the jobs minions take care of—civil servants, what have you. You don't need to give personal input on every little thing that happens. Just find servants you trust and have them do it."

"It has to be me," said Celestia firmly, stubbornness going up a notch. "Someone else might get it wrong. And even that would still be my responsibility."

"What about your sister?" replied Shining Armor with deadly calm, and Celestia jerked in surprise. "She's supposed to be ruling Equestria with you, isn't she? That Nightmare is walking around because of exactly how you're acting right now. And don't forget Cadance and even Twilight Sparkle herself. Any one of them would be more than happy to take some of the burden off your shoulders."

"I… I just…" Celestia looked away for a moment, trying to calm the sudden roil of emotions that had sprung up inside her. "And how well will I lead Equestria if Twilight rejects me?" she said, deciding to change the subject rather than confront those feelings.

"Oh, Celestia, you poor, naive little thing." Shining Armor shook his head, then smirked at the shocked look on Celestia's face. "Your love for Twilight Sparkle is like a burning beacon of light, one that could light up the night sky of the entire world. One glimpse of that and Twilight will fall for you so hard it will make the earth shake. She'd have to be a bigger fool than even you not to.

“And as for Twilight herself…" he shrugged. "You inspired her to study magic, earning her cutie mark. You taught her yourself personally for the vast majority of her life. You showed her the way to her destiny, and even made her into a Princess. Why do you doubt that she worships the ground your hooves trot upon?

"Her love for you is wrapped up in iron chains. I don't know why; perhaps it's as I said, she feels that the age difference, your past together, somehow precludes any chance at a romantic relationship. But she loves you, and I feel that you may have been her first crush, and her first love, many years ago. And though her love may be locked up, I don't doubt that it burns with the fury of your own sun."

"Shining Armor…" Celestia gazed at him through wet eyes, giving a few blinks to clear away the tears. "I-I won't say I've changed my mind, but… you've definitely given me a lot to think about. Thank you. Thank you for caring about me so much, and for trying to set me right." She reached across the table to lay her hoof over his, smiling.

"Food's here!" called out Shining Armor, a bag held in his magic as he pushed open the heavy door to the room. "I just decided to get some fast food today, so it's hot dogs and hay burgers for everypony!"

Slowly, Celestia turned her head to stare at the Shining Armor still in front of her.

"Aheh. Ah, heh heh…"

There was a flash of green flame, and suddenly the hoof under hers was full of holes.

"Well, um, that was a nice talk…" Queen Chrysalis smiled sheepishly, eyes darting around and refusing to make contact with Celestia's burning gaze. "But, um, I, um… oh, look at the time! I need to go terrorize Applejack some more, bye bye!"

Another flash of green flame left a dazed Ka-klack sitting in front of her. Seeing Shining Armor marching over, the changeling quickly fled.

"And what was that about?" demanded Shining Armor, taking the seat 'he' had previously been sitting in.

"I… think that was Queen Chrysalis giving me relationship advice," Celestia said wonderingly.

"Well, that sounds… absolutely horrifying."

"It was surprisingly good advice. It's actually really touching that she would do that for me."

"How's everything else been going?" Shining Armor asked, as Celestia scooped up a pile of fries in her magic and shoved them into her mouth.

"Oh, the usual," she replied once she'd swallowed. "We're still stuck at zero, so at least we haven't gone backwards. At least not yet."

"I kind of regret agreeing not to bring anyone else," said Shining Armor, casting a look over the piles and stacks of objects occupying the majority of the room. "This might go faster with more ponies."

"I doubt it. This index should be all we need, and more ponies might just get in the way with how close quarters are in here." Celestia let out a snort. "Although Pinkie Pie might have been useful. She'd just say something like 'we're never going to find anything in here!' and then the next thing you know—"

ZZZZZAPP!

"Yowch!"

Shining Armor and Celestia stared at each other for a moment. Then, realizing the implications of what they'd just heard, Celestia exploded off her chair in a frenzy of limbs and wings and wavering ethereal mane.

"You insolent little trinket, which of you was that?!" snarled Nightmare Moon, poking around in a pile of apparent junk. Then she reared back, horn beginning to glow. "Well, no matter, you shall all pay for this one knick-knack's folly—"

"DON'T!"

Celestia appeared out of nowhere, tackling Nightmare Moon and sending her flying into a pile of glowing decorative spoons. The spoons melted and then vaporized a moment later as Nightmare leapt to her hooves.

"You backstabbing traitor!" she screamed, advancing on Celestia. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Just think for a moment! You reached into this pile and something shocked you, yes?" Nightmare Moon nodded, eyes narrowed and wary. "If it hurt you, then that means it's probably good!"

Celestia began to dig into the pile, as the Nightmare watched her with a silent snarl on her face. Just as Shining Armor and Ka-klack trotted up, Celestia stopped. She and Nightmare both gasped sharply, Nightmare moving forward as Celestia began to search more frantically.

Finally, they moved back, three objects held in Celestia's magic. She and Nightmare Moon stared at them in silence, shock radiating from their faces.

"What?" asked Shining Armor finally. "What did you find?"

"You fool!" hissed Nightmare Moon, turning on him with a snarl. "Don't you realize—"

"No, Nightmare," Celestia cut her off with a gentle shake of her head. "They wouldn't know. We're the only ones here who ever saw them when they were whole."

In her magic were three identical, six-sided gems.

"They're Elements of Harmony," said Celestia in a hushed voice. She turned the gems around in her magic, letting the light shine through their almost invisibly clear surfaces. "But… they look empty."

"Well, that sounds like a problem" noted Shining Armor as they all trotted back into the main room.

"I'm more confused about the fact that we only have three." Celestia laid the gems down gently on the table, and the group, plus five chattering changelings, gathered around to consider them. She turned to the scientist changelings. "What can you tell us about these?"

"...and they don't taste like anything!"

"You can put magic into them, but they reject it rather quickly. Blew Graalk's head right off!"

"All five times, too. I kept testing just to make sure."

At a gesture from Celestia, Ka-klack led the changelings, still talking, to the other side of the room.

"Okay, what did we gather from… all that?" she asked, turning to Shining Armor and Nightmare Moon.

"They're empty, but they can accept magic," mused Nightmare Moon quietly. "We just need the right kind of magic. Harmony magic."

She shared a look with Celestia.

"The Tree of Harmony?"

"Bingo. But how do we get the magic from the tree to the elements?" wondered Nightmare.

"I'll just… ask." Celestia shrugged. "The Tree owes us nothing. After all, we've done nothing but take from it. But it does serve harmony, so maybe it will help."

"We still need all six, though," pointed out Shining Armor, then gestured to the map in the index. "We know where they found these three, but don't know where to find the others."

"Right there," said Nightmare Moon and Celestia simultaneously, pointing at two different spots on the map. They looked up, blinking at each other in bewilderment.

"How…"

"We both have a deep connection to the Elements," said Celestia slowly, exchanging glances with Nightmare Moon. "I've used them myself several times…"

"And I've had them used on me," growled Nightmare Moon. "Twice."

"Well then." Shining Armor looked down at the map, at the two points Celestia and Nightmare Moon had indicated. "I guess the only question now is… where do we start?"

Chapter Nine - Swamp Things

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"Of course it would be in a swamp."

The Hayseed Swamps weren't the most hospitable place in Equestria, but they were at least somewhat livable. There was one settlement Celestia knew of, which had been here for some time, and no doubt there were others as well. Compared to a place like the Everfree Forest, it was practically paradise.

Assuming, of course, that your idea of paradise included slumped trees that dripped with slime, foul-smelling fog that filled the air, various types of insect and animal life that seemed absurdly dangerous and bizarre even by the high standards Equestria set, plants that were undoubtedly poisonous, occasionally carnivorous, and, Celestia thought privately, maybe even secretly mobile… and mud. Lots and lots of mud.

"This. Is. Disgusting," moaned Nightmare Moon, nearly losing one of her hoofcuffs as she pulled her leg up with a long shhhlluuuurp. "The first thing I'm doing when this kingdom is rightfully mine once more is coming here and burning this place into a desert. Admittedly, that's not much of an improvement over a swamp, but at least it's dry."

With an effort, she managed to leap out of the mud and take to her wings. Celestia looked up just in time to see the dark alicorn drawing her legs up in preparation.

"Don't you dare," she snarled up at Nightmare.

Nightmare Moon glared back at her for a moment, but then slowly lowered her legs again rather than shaking them and sending mud flying in all directions. Instead, she dissolved into a cloud of mist, letting the mud fall back to the swamp. Celestia got her wing up just in time to block the splash—which, of course, left her with a mud-covered wing.

"Still better than what she wanted to do," Celestia muttered, shaking her wing to clear off as much of the muck as possible. She watched as the black mist flitted off further into the swamp, then turned to her other two companions.

Shining Armor didn't seem to be having any issues. Then again, he was a stocky stallion, and one who had been in the guard most of his life. Just off the top of her head, Celestia had been able remember the Royal Guard heading off to train in the Badlands, the Frozen North, and the Smokey Mountains—not to mention the one time they'd tried the Everfree Forest and she'd had to get personally involved. It had turned out that these swamps were also on the list of places he'd visited, so it was unsurprising he'd be taking everything in stride.

Ka-klack, on the other hoof, did not seem to be having such a good time. The holes in his hooves had sucked up extra mud like buckets, so he'd removed them with a simple transformation, but he was still struggling with every step. On top of that, he wasn't watching where he was going, instead constantly looking around, apparently trying to keep a 360-degree view of his surroundings at all times. So along with fighting just to move, he was stumbling over every obstacle in his path.

"You don't have to keep walking in the mud, you know," she said, dropping back to walk alongside the changeling. "Feel free to fly. Shining Armor won't mind."

"Are you kidding?!" Ka-klack yelped, then immediately clamped his mouth shut and glanced around fearfully. "Why would I want to be in the air where I'd be the perfect target for a giant frog?! And I'm pretty sure I saw some venus changelingtraps growing on one of those trees back there. What if I just flew right into one?!"

"Aren't they called venus flytraps?" corrected Celestia gently.

"Nothing that big eats insects as small as flies," he replied with a shudder. "This whole swamp is just full of plants and animals and probably even other insects just waiting for a big juicy meal like me to fly into their mouths or tongues or webs or… or something even worse. So I'll stay on the ground, thank you. Or, well, in the mud. At least here all I have to worry about coming at me from below is mud snakes."

"Mud snakes?"

"Like water snakes, but they live in mud."

"I, um, I'm not sure that's a real animal."

"Well, of course not, you don't have any reason to learn about everything in swamps that can eat you. You're an alicorn, the top of the food chain! Nothing eats you! I'm just a crunchy snack walking around in a chitin wrapper."

Ka-klack stopped his constant scanning, hunching down and looking so miserable that Celestia couldn't help moving closer and draping a wing over his shoulder.

"It's okay, you don't have to be afraid," she said soothingly. "Remember, we're here for you. Anything that wants to get to you will have to go through us first."

"You'd… really do that for me?" he asked, glancing up at her with nervous eyes.

"That's what friends do, Ka-klack," she replied, nodding, then cocked her head to the side as a thought struck her. "Wouldn't you just come back anyway if anything did happen? Through the hivemind?"

"Yeah, well, you ever been chewed up? I'd like to avoid it."

Ka-klack continued to glance around as they marched, but his stride had more confidence, and when he caught her eye again he smiled. She smiled back, then turned to Shining Armor, who'd slowed his pace as well and was now at her side.

"Any thoughts?"

"About what?" he asked dryly, letting out a sigh. "About wandering around in a swamp with no more direction than you and Nightmare Moon saying 'it's probably over there somewhere'? Or about doing it with a bunch of untrained civilians? Two of whom are immortal, yes," he continued as Celestia opened her mouth, then he sighed again as Ka-klack opened his. "And yes, the other is technically a soldier as well."

"Pretty sure we beat your precious guard," muttered Ka-klack, then his expression froze as Shining Armor turned to glare at him. "Um, oh no! Queen Chrysalis! Stop taking control of what I say like that!"

Eyes narrowed, Shining Armor let out a snort, but faced forward again. As he did, Celestia's ear twitched.

"But isn't that what you would've said?" she heard Ka-klack murmur, so softly nopony but an alicorn could have heard it.

"In any case…" Shining Armor began trudging forward again. "There aren't many landmarks here, so we're just going to have to hope the element is at one of them. We can probably avoid the main settlement; there aren't many ponies there, and I think it's unlikely they'd have a magical artifact just sitting around. Plus, it's a little bit off the direction you two have been pointing in.

"So, that only leaves a few options: the ruined lighthouse, the Forbidden Caves—mostly forbidden because going below ground in a swamp is a really bad idea—the old mage laboratory, the strip club, the—"

"Wait, mage laboratory?" Celestia gave Shining Armor a glance. "Why was that not first on the list?"

"Well, it was pretty much completely destroyed a long time ago." He shrugged. "You know, magical experiments and all that. The local legends say that a great evil was released there, all who go there are doomed, going anywhere near will curse you for life, et cetera, et cetera."

"And that's exactly the kind of thing that might happen if someone experimented on the element!" declared Celestia enthusiastically. "You heard what the changelings said happened when they tried to put magic into it. That was probably the first thing those mages tried."

"And the rumors about a great evil occupying the remains of the lab?"

"Just that: rumors. Superstitions." She waved a hoof nonchalantly. "And if there is something evil there…"

There was a crash from ahead of them as one of the enormous swamp trees slowly toppled over amid a beam of turquoise magic and a gout of fire. Triumphant, spiteful laughter rang out, followed by the buzzing of angry insects, the crackling of electricity, and finally the flapping of panicked wings.

"Well, we've got something worse," finished Celestia, a rueful grin on her face. "We'll just throw the Nightmare at it."

"But they're sooooo adorable!" cooed Nightmare Moon, cradling an unfathomable horror in one foreleg. Celestia and Shining Armor flinched back as a second one crawled up her neck and across her face to disappear into her mane, but Ka-klack sat unmoved.

Under normal circumstances, stumbling upon an open portal between Equestria and the Nightmare Realm would be… unpleasant, at best. The bones scattered around the shattered ruins of the old laboratory, which Celestia had purposely decided not to examine too closely in case some of them turned out to be pony bones, held testament to that.

But under normal circumstances, the literal Queen of Nightmares wouldn't have been there with them. Ignoring the other ponies, the nightmare creatures had flocked to Nightmare Moon like puppies and, adding horror on top of horror, she had proceeded to cuddle them.

The creatures were identical, if you were able to focus on them long enough to realize that without your eyes starting to water from their sheer unreality. They resembled beetles crossed with crabs; a low, flat shell with six spindly legs and a large pair of claws jutting from the front of their carapace. Each one was roughly the size of a crab as well, but scurried about like a beetle, which included the ability to climb vertical surfaces. While that was somewhat unsettling a thing to see in a creature of their size, that wasn't what made them so disturbing.

It was the eyes, Celestia decided. Of course, it wasn't a hard decision, considering the hoof-sized eye each bore on its back. Even that wouldn't be so bad if the eye wasn't rolling constantly, jerking to point in different directions at random. The eye also had an unnerving habit of just suddenly deciding not to exist, apparently their form of blinking. Except when they did that, multiple smaller eyes sprung up on their bodies, sometimes bulging out of a leg, sometimes merging together into one abominable siamese-twin of an eyeball. Just to drive the point home, the eyes were identical to Nightmare Moon's eyes.

And, on top of all that, the creatures were pitch black, with barely visible features. Almost more holes in existence than actual physical beings. A constant black smoke wafted from them, sometimes so thin it was barely visible, sometimes almost obscuring them in a dark cloud.

"Oh, yes, they're, um, cute," replied Celestia, centuries of experience allowing her to hold a strained, cracking smile on her face, "but they don't belong here, do they? I'm sure they'd be happier in their home."

"They're bottom feeders over there, you know," said Nightmare Moon, pausing to scratch one under its… chin? Mandible? "Strip a pony to the bones in seconds here, but they have to live on scraps in the Nightmare Realm."

Unbidden, Celestia's eyes sought the bones upon the ground before she was able to jerk her gaze upwards.

"Yes, Nightmare, but, well…" Celestia took a deep breath. Every fiber of her being wanted to be sick at what she was about to do, but she had no choice.

"But they don't belong here," she said, forcing herself to take a step forward. "They have a place where they do belong, but it's not here. It's better for everypony if they go back to the Nightmare Realm. And… as the Princess of Nightmares and Dreams, it's your duty to ensure that they stay there. Keeping the balance and protecting Equestria is part of your royal duties."

The Nightmare stared back at her, the fury in her narrowed eyes almost a physical force.

"I can taste the lie in your voice when you call me a Princess," she finally hissed after an interminable pause. "You would rather cut off your own hoof than admit me into your precious little club. Everything you just said was to trick me into sending these darling little creatures away because they offend your sense of what should live in Equestria. Only light here; nothing of the dark is allowed."

She turned her back, head drooping down to the crowd of creatures who waved their claws at her in joy. "But… you are right. They don't belong here. They may eat better, but they are lesser here than they are, even as bottom feeders, in the Nightmare Realm. It hurts them just to exist here. And you are correct that if they stay they may harm any of our subjects unlucky enough to get close. I shall send them home… just give me a few moments to say farewell."

Celestia let out a sigh of relief, that turned into a shudder as Nightmare lay down upon the ground and let the nightmare creatures swarm over her.

"I told you having her here would help," she said to Shining Armor, who only nodded mutely, unable to take his eyes off the skittering horrors.

"You seem remarkably unaffected by those things," she said, turning to Ka-klack so she could focus on anything besides Nightmare Moon and the creatures.

"It was a long time ago, but I grew up with hundreds of love-sucking, shapeshifting insects as my family—and we don't get good at the shapeshifting thing for a few years," he replied dryly. "Have you ever seen a changeling nursery full of grubs that can only halfway transform into ponies? This is nothing."

Celestia turned back to Nightmare Moon, who by this time had gotten to her hooves. That seemed a better option that letting her traitorous imagination try to picture a changeling nursery.

"Come on, little ones, it's time to go," the Nightmare said sweetly, ushering the beetle-crabs back through the swirling shadows that led to the Nightmare Realm. Once they had all entered, she sealed it shut with a gentle beam of light from her horn.

"I think you were right," she said, a grateful smile on her face as she turned back to Celestia. "They will be happier in their true home."

Celestia blinked a few times, but managed to get a real smile on her own face as well. "I'm glad." Then her face fell and she sighed. "But we aren't any closer to finding the Element now that we were before, except that we've eliminated our most promising lead."

"Oh, it's at the old lighthouse," said Nightmare Moon with a shrug, gesturing over her shoulder.

"What?! How do you know that?"

"They told me," Nightmare responded with another backwards gesture, this time at the spot where the portal had previously stood. Then she grinned widely. "The shadows know all."

"Oh. Well… thank you." Celestia had to blink a few more times to give a sincere thanks to Nightmare Moon, but she managed. Of course, Nightmare immediately ruined the effort with a smug smile.

"Shining Armor? Lead the way," announced Celestia with a sweep of her hoof, and they headed off once again, Shining Armor in the lead, Celestia and Ka-klack walking side-by-side, and Nightmare Moon trailing behind.

"Skree?" chittered a voice questioningly, poking a pure black head covered in too many eyes out of Nightmare's mane.

"Hush, James," she replied quietly, pushing the nightmare creature back out of sight. "They haven't even gotten used to my being around yet. It will take even more time for you to be accepted."

"…and the thirty-seventh way a hydra can kill you is simply by trampling you. Now, thirty-eight through forty-six all involve a hydra's venom, but there are differences—"

Ka-klack stopped talking at Celestia's not-quite-stifled-enough groan. He looked at her, expression hurt, and she gave him a sheepish, apologetic smile.

"I'm sorry, Ka-klack. It's just… well, I don't mean to disparage your knowledge of hydra physiology, but I find some of what you've said hard to believe. A hydra is larger than a house! Half of your ways they kill were just variations on crushing. What possible use could a ten-ton lizard have for venom?"

"That's how they get you," replied Ka-klack, nodding knowingly. "You're focused on their size, then bam! Venom in your bloodstream, and you're done. They're surprisingly subtle creatures."

"Uh-huh… that would explain your description of them as ambush predators. Ambush predators who shake the ground with each step and tower over trees."

"They're masters of stealth! That's all part of what makes them apex predators."

"I don't… that's not what…" She looked to the others for help. Shining Armor just shrugged, and Nightmare Moon was laughing at her, so with a sigh she gave up. "Well, okay, Ka-klack. I'll just take your word for it. At least we don't have to worry about one sneaking up on us here, though."

The ruined lighthouse, to the relief of all, sat in the middle of a large clearing, on top of a rocky hill that thrust out from the swamp. That relief had immediately been mixed with dismay when they realized that still meant it was surrounded by a vast field of mud. And without trees around to provide a stable system of roots, the mud was deep and thick. The lack of trees did mean a hydra would have trouble sneaking up on them, though. Something which Celestia thought of as a mixed blessing at best.

Sighs of relief went around as they reached the outcropping the lighthouse stood upon. By unspoken consensus, they stopped for a well-deserved rest after that painful slog through the mud.

The ruined lighthouse sat in front of them like a… well, like a ruined lighthouse, Celestia thought with a snort of amusement. Really, it was just a pile of stones covered in moss. Any semblance of form it might have kept after collapsing had been worn away by time and the swampy environment. It was nothing but rubble now.

"You're sure this is the place?" asked Shining Armor, looking over at the two alicorns.

"Definitely," Celestia replied, nodding. "I feel the Element's presence, like… like…"

"Like an itch," said Nightmare, a small grimace on her face. "All over your body, that you can't scratch."

"I was going to say like the warm glow of the sun," said Celestia smugly.

"Yeah, that's what I said."

Leaving Shining Armor and Ka-klack at the edge of the island to rest, Celestia and Nightmare Moon flew up to the collapsed lighthouse and began searching. This mostly consisted of poking around the various piles of rubble; so close to the Element, any ability they had to sense its location was drowned out by its proximity.

"Look, I found it!" cried Nightmare Moon excitedly after several minutes, holding an object in her outstretched hoof.

"That's a rock," snarled Celestia, lips drawing back from her teeth in a grimace. "It was a rock the first time you did this, it was a rock the last time you did this, and when you do it again in the next few minutes? It will still. Be. A rock."

"But look, it shines with all the colors of friendship and harmony," said Nightmare in a voice hushed with awe, holding the dusty piece of rubble up to her face. Then she pouted as the rock was vaporized in a flash of golden light. "Aww. Well, looks like you just destroyed harmony. Just like you did a thousand years ago when you helped create me. You really need to stop making a habit of this."

"Okay, that's it." Celestia stomped over, slamming a hoof into the chest plate of the innocent-looking black alicorn, who gasped in feigned shock. "What are you doing here? What is the point of all this? You're barely helping, but you aren't actively trying to stop us either. So just what is your endgame in all of this?"

"Oh, I can't help my sisters out in their time of need? You know how much I love my family."

Celestia let out a humorless laugh. "The only love you'd ever have for us would be posthumous. So again: what are you doing?"

"Um, Princess Celestia?"

"Not now, Ka-klack. We're having this out once and for all, right now." She spared a glance at the little changeling, standing with Shining Armor in the shade of a tree, then turned back to Nightmare. "Well?"

"You still think I act from my own selfish desires." Nightmare Moon shook her head sadly, rolling her eyes up to the sky. "Oh, what did I ever do to put such an impression into your head?"

Celestia started to growl, a spark of anger flaring in her eyes, but Nightmare suddenly darted forward until their muzzles were nearly touching.

"I want only what is best for Equestria," she said softly. "Destabilizing everything by having four Princesses disappear followed by my murdering you does not serve that goal. Rest assured, I am helping you. If I wasn't, you wouldn't be around to notice."

"You're kidding me. You actually expect me to believe that you want to bring back four alicorns who will want nothing more than to be rid of you as much as I do—possibly more?"

"Do they?" asked Nightmare Moon, a slow, wicked grin spreading across her face.

"Of course they—no. You can't tell me you honestly expect Queen Chrysalis to abandon Luna and join you?"

"Princess Celestia, you need—"

"Not now, Ka-klack!"

"Maybe." The infuriating grin still on her face, Nightmare Moon began to saunter back and forth in front of Celestia. "Or maybe I want to rejoin with Luna, merging her power and mine to regain my former glory. Or maybe I want to convince little Twilight Sparkle that I'm her friend and woo her to my side. Or maybe I expect Cadance to see the true love for Equestria that I hold in my heart, and that will convince her to join my quest for the throne. So many possibilities…"

"You're even more insane than I thought you were if you believe any of that is actually realistic," growled Celestia.

"And what about you?" Nightmare cocked a smug eyebrow upwards at Celestia. "What are your plans for me? You don't think I'm foolish enough to expect this all ends with a warm hug and a heartfelt 'thank you' from you, do you?"

She slid closer. "How will you do it? Head on, like when we fought Tirek all those years ago? Or a stab in the back, a shot while I'm distracted like with that fool Discord? Or… are you planning on turning the Elements against me once again when we have this new set united? A rather silly plan, considering they seem to at least be tolerating me at the moment…"

Celestia's lips tightened as she glared at the shadowy mockery of her sister leering at her. Enough. That was the only thought echoing in her mind as she gathered herself to attack—

"Princess Celestia, this is really quite important."

Ka-klack's calm, urgent voice finally got her attention, but not in a good way, and she spun around, seething.

"What?" she snapped.

Ka-klack didn't respond, standing next to an equally frozen Shining Armor. Instead, his eyes constantly flicked upwards and back, as though he were trying to point at something above him with just his eyeballs.

Celestia gathered her anger, preparing to tear a verbal strip off the changeling. He'd done nothing but sit in the cool shade of a tree while she'd had to dig through piles of rubble, dealing with the infuriating antics of the pony she hated most, all so she could—

There weren't any trees in this part of the swamp.

Her eyes shifted focus to look past the changeling.

And trees didn't have scales.

Her eyes moved upwards.

And they definitely didn't have four heads that were trying to decide which snack to eat first.

"They really are very stealthy," Ka-klack said quietly.

Afterwards, Celestia could only recall the next few moments as a blur. She remembered dashing forward as Ka-klack and Shining Armor began to flee in different directions. And she remembered seeing the hydra finally make its decision and spin around, its tail arcing through the air like a scythe—way to kill number sixteen—as she tried to put herself between it and Shining Armor and Ka-klack.

Then suddenly she was on her back, staring up at the sky with an enormous pain in her head.

Sitting up woozily, she found she was back in the pile of rubble that had once been a lighthouse. A hoof to the back of her head that came away bloody, along with the splash on a rock behind her and the ache in her ribs, told her all she needed to know about who had taken the blow from the hydra's tail.

She stood up, wobbling on her feet, her vision blurry. She didn't taste purple violin music like she normally did after brain damage, so it was unlikely she'd actually fractured her skull. She definitely had a concussion though, because, looking down at hydra, she swore it almost looked like Nightmare Moon had just swooped in and deflected a blow that had nearly crushed Ka-klack. Had to be some kind of brain injury at the least.

With a shake of her head her body finished healing, and the scene before her came into focus. Nightmare Moon was nowhere to be seen, but Ka-klack was off to her left, scrambling up into the rubble. The hydra began to move forward, so with a flap of her wings she soared through the air, landing on the edge of the little island near where Shining Armor was standing.

"Well, this shouldn't be too much trouble for the two of us," she said with a grin, eyeing the hydra. "After all, we—"

"Gah!" With a cry, Shining Armor fell over into the mud and began to thrash about.

"What…?"

"A mud snake's got me!" Under all the mud and flailing of Shining Armor's limbs, Celestia could indeed see a long, vaguely serpentine body.

"What?"

"Don't worry, I can handle this! You take care of the hydra!"

Celestia groaned, looking up at the hydra as it thundered closer. "Oh yes, 'take care' of it. That's so easy without anyone to back me up."

"Oh? Who said there wasn't anyone around to back you up?"

Celestia yelped and jumped back as her shadow grew and took on form, becoming Nightmare Moon.

"Don't do that!"

"Oh, stop being so dramatic."

"Stop being a nightmarish monster!"

"See? Dramatic." Nightmare Moon eyed the hydra, which eyed her back, having stopped its advance upon the appearance of a new pony. "Do you really need my help for something as piddly as this beast? Just do that thing where you call down a pillar of sunfire and burn all your enemies to ash."

"I did that once," huffed Celestia. "It's not like I've made a habit of it. And I'm trying to avoid killing this hydra. Apex predators are incredibly important for an ecosystem, and one as fragile as this swamp could be devastated if—"

Eyes half lidded, Nightmare Moon summoned a floating sword as black as the night and glowing with ethereal blue magic, and cut off the hydra's rightmost head.

"Look, we're a quarter of the way done," she said proudly, just before two heads sprouted from the one stump.

"Plus, hydras are incredibly hard to kill," snarled Celestia, body tensed up with fury. "Since, for example, they grow two more heads for each one they lose."

"Oh. Right."

The hydra stood its ground, shuffling in disorientation as the two new heads tried to get their bearing. A moment was spent as the old heads greeted their new brothers, letting them know they were welcome, laying down some ground rules for sharing this body of theirs, and discussing various topics important to hydras, such as where the best places to eat were. Determined to make this one of those places, the hydra refocused on the arguing alicorns before it.

"A tad rusty for someone who claims to have all of Luna's memories, aren't we?" Celestia giggled, putting a hoof to her mouth. "Why, we used to fight ten monsters like this before lunch each day."

"Says the pony who wants to coddle the overgrown lizard like some kind of pet," shot back Nightmare.

"Sorry for not wanting to destroy the biodiversity of an entire biome in my kingdom!"

"If this swamp so important to you why haven't you sent it to the moon yet? That's what you do with everything else you claim to love!"

"Oh, not happy with the moon?! Then you can just go to—"

Celestia stopped as Nightmare Moon disappeared into the maw of one of the hydra's heads, its jaws snapping shut with a sound like a guillotine.

"I was going to say you could go to Tartarus, but this works too."

Before the head even made it halfway upright, it began coughing and hacking. A thick black smoke poured from its mouth, reforming next to Celestia as a disgruntled Nightmare Moon.

"Well, that was unpleasant. Better than the swamp though."

Celestia let out a sigh. "Oh darn."

"'Oh darn?!'" Nightmare turned to Celestia, her expression furious. "Your sister nearly gets devoured by a hydra, managing a miraculous escape only due to her own power—with no help from you—and all you can say is 'OH DARN'?!?"

"You're not my sister!"

Nightmare Moon stared back at Celestia, eyes narrowed, mouth tight.

"Fine…" she growled, with a little tremble of her lips, and disappeared in burst of dark smoke.

"You've got to be…" Celestia trailed off, grinding her teeth in frustration. After all, she had no one to blame but herself. She'd asked for help, gotten it, and then had immediately driven it away out of spite and bitterness. For a moment—a moment of time so infinitesimally brief not even the greatest pony scientist could have measured it—she felt a tiny bit of guilt for how she had just treated Nightmare Moon.

Then it was gone. After all, she had a problem in front of her to deal with, and when your problem is a hydra, you have a lot of problem.

She charged up her horn, firing a stinging blast of magic into the hydra's hide. It roared in surprise, shocked to find this tiny meal could cause it even a bit of pain, and backed off a step.

Celestia grinned. That was it; she just needed to keep up the pressure on the beast, drive it back and convince it there were easier meals it could find.

The problem for Celestia was that to a hydra, all meals were equally easy, in that all could be rather easily flattened in one way or another. It whipped its tailed around like a scythe, but this time Celestia was ready. She deftly dodged the tail, spinning to give the scaly appendage a buck that sent it on its way faster than it had come.

The hydra wobbled, off balance, and she used that moment of opportunity to leap forward and strike its stomach with a pair of blows from her front hooves. That was a mistake, as the hydras massive gut absorbed her strikes like they were blows from a feather.

A head darted down, and Celestia gave a leap into the air just as it crashed down where she's been standing. She kicked out, bashing it on the nose and propelling herself out of its range again. With one head whimpering and trying to clear the mud from its face, the hydra retreated a few more steps.

That minor victory looked to be short-lived, however. The hydra shifted its bulk downwards, digging its claws into the mud. Clearly, it intended to charge her, bulldozing her under with its superior bulk and, no doubt, surprising speed.

Not wanting to lose the ground she'd gained in forcing it back, and out of options, Celestia did the thing she'd told Nightmare she didn't do anymore.

Calling down the power of her sun, she lit herself up in a flare of enormous power. The hydra reared back, roaring in surprise as it was nearly blinded by the intense light, and started to retreat.

However, after just a few steps it stopped, turning to face her once again. Once the shock of such a bright light had worn off, the hydra had clearly decided she wasn't much of a threat. Dismally, Celestia realized its thick scales were blunting the heat she was putting off, and she didn't dare increase the power out of fear of hurting the creature too badly.

She saw a few of its eyes flick past her, to the island where Shining Armor and Ka-klack still remained—not to mention the Element. Clearly deciding she was merely an obstacle, the hydra tried to lumber around her and go for easier prey.

Celestia quickly matched its movements, and it hissed in frustration as she once again blocked its path, the heat of her magic causing the mud around her to bubble and steam. The hydra glared at her in fury and frustration, yellow eyes narrowed, then seemingly turned to leave.

Except, Celestia realized, that wasn't what it was doing at all. With one head keeping an eye on her, the hydra lifted its tail, clearly intending to smash her down into the mud. It had apparently decided that if it could hit her hard enough and quick enough, and with a part of its body far away from its main bulk, then it could take her out despite the heat.

Desperately, Celestia turned her power up another notch, nearly obscuring herself in the rising steam. The hydra flinched, but its tail continued to rise, holding in place for a moment to steady its aim before crushing the Princess before it.

Before it could, another pillar of fire leapt out of the mud off to Celestia's right, this one burning with a cold blue flame.

Celestia gaped at Nightmare Moon, who smirked back, then moved forwards towards the hydra's front side. It roared in anger, retreating a few steps and turning to bring its tail down on the new threat.

But when it did, Celestia moved forward, bringing her power to bear on the vulnerable side that had been exposed when the hydra turned. When it retreated and focused on her again, Nightmare Moon repeated the advance on the hydra's other side.

Slowly, a few steps at a time, they forced the hydra back. When they had reached almost halfway to the edge of the mudflat, Nightmare and Celestia gave each other a look, nodded, and shut off their power.

As one they struck, two beams of energy blasting the outermost heads, and they roared in anger and dove towards the ponies who had attacked them. Taking to their wings, Nightmare Moon and Celestia flew at each other, passing within inches. The two heads that had focused on them tried to follow, colliding with a loud CLUNK! as they struck each other in the middle. With a howl of pain, the two heads pulled up, shaking.

Fully enraged, the two heads darted towards the ponies that had hurt them, only to be met with a set of hooves that bucked their snouts with the force of a cannon. Both heads flew back, colliding with the next set of heads, and sending those two straight into the middle head.

Howling with pain and anger, but mostly frustration, the hydra staggered away. It shook its aching heads, glaring at the ponies who stood defiantly before it, but finally turned and retreated back into the trees, its snarls of anger echoing long after it had vanished.

Celestia and Nightmare Moon cheered as it retreated. When it finally disappeared among the trees, they turned to each other, almost—for just a second—reaching out to bump hooves. But they caught each other's eye, just enough to cause a moment of hesitation, and that killed any sense of camaraderie.

Side by side, but several feet apart, they began walking through the mud back to the island, not looking at each other. And even that little bit of civility broke after a few seconds.

"You're welcome, by the way," muttered Nightmare.

"Oh, yes, for abandoning me to be killed by a hydra? Thank you so much," replied Celestia snidely.

"Why, I never would have let it kill you. That's my job. I just wanted to see it smack you down into the mud a few times."

"Wow. And you were honestly expecting praise for that?"

"Considering all the things you've done to me, I felt it was quite lenient. A simple thank you seems more than justified. Perhaps a medal or ribbon of some sort, even."

That got an angry snort out of Celestia, and she leapt into the air, a powerful flap of her wings spraying mud all over Nightmare Moon. The Nightmare glared after her, mud dripping off her snout, then simply dissolved into a shadowy mist before reforming on the island just as Celestia set down near Shining Armor.

"Shining Armor! Are you okay?" Celestia anxiously asked of the mud-covered pony.

"Hey, I told you, no problem." He gave a cocky grin, then gestured to the mud just off the shore of the island. The mud snake lay there, wriggling happily in the ooze. "You just gotta rub their belly a bit and they turn into puppies. The only problem is finding their belly under all that mud."

Celestia blinked a few times. "Um. Okay." A thought struck her. "Ka-klack! Where is he? Has anyone seen him?"

"Right here…" called out a hesitant voice. From small hole in the rubble of the lighthouse a black figure crawled, and the changeling stood upright.

"Ka-klack!" Celestia rushed over to give him a quick embrace. "Thank goodness you're alright."

"Oh, yeah, I, um, hid as soon as I could get away from the hydra." He looked up at her for a moment, then turned away, lowering his head. "Sorry about that."

"Sorry?" Celestia shook her head. "No, Ka-klack, you don't have anything to be sorry for."

"But I left you! You needed help, and I… I just hid."

"No one expected you to fight a hydra," Celestia said gently, placing a hoof on the changeling's shoulder. "Having you stay safe is more important than that."

"If you say so…" Ka-klack looked uncertain for a moment, then his ears perked up. "I did find this, though."

Diving back into the hole, he emerged a moment later, a clear crystal gem held in one foreleg.

"The Element!" cried Celestia thankfully. She rushed over, taking the gem as the changeling held it out to her. "Thank you, Ka-klack. See? You had an extremely important part to play in this too, even if you feel like it wasn't as important as you wanted it to be."

"I guess…" he muttered, head still down.

"How come he gets to hold the Element?" growled Nightmare Moon unhappily. "He actually helped conquer Equestria. All I ever did was lock Celestia away for a bit, and the Elements treat me like a lightning rod."

"And the part where you tried to kill me the first time you manifested?" asked Celestia dryly.

"A minor detail."

"Um, it did kind of tingle a bit," said Ka-klack helpfully, which only earned an angry snort from the black alicorn.

Celestia held the Element up, letting the gem refract the light of her sun into a rainbow pattern that shimmered across the island, and for a moment they all just stared at it. Even Nightmare Moon felt a bit of peace at the sight, though simply looking at the Element still sent a bit of a shiver down her spine.

"Well, onto the next," said Celestia, lowering the Element and breaking the spell. "Though I don't know what we're going to do after that. We still don't have a clue where the final Element is."

"If we gather the first five, we'll probably get some clue to its location," said Shining Armor with a shrug. "I mean, that's usually how these things work."

"The first three did show us where these were, but I wish we had something more concrete to go on than a hope." Celestia sighed. "In any case… we're this much closer to saving Twilight and the rest."

"And then you can finally tell Twilight how you feel!" said Ka-klack happily, as Shining Armor nodded in agreement. "The love from the two of you would be able to feed us for years—I mean, you'll be able to be with the pony you love."

"Right, right." Celestia nodded, careful not to let any of her doubts about the viability of being both a ruler and a marefriend show on her face. "But we need the rest of the Elements to do that, so let's get going—"

She raised her hoof to point back to town, which only serve to remind them all that they had several miles of muddy, parasite-swarming, predator-filled, murky swamp to trudge through before they reached their hotel.

"Oh. Right."

They all stared at their inevitable mud-filled future for a moment, and then Nightmare Moon dissolved into an inky-black puddle and began flowing into the shadows of the ruins.

"Have fun with that," she called out, before disappearing completely.

"HEY!"

Chapter Ten - A Glimmer of Starlight

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The moon shone down over a rocky landscape, gently illuminating the two rows of buildings that made up this village on the northeastern edge of Equestria. It didn't illuminate it too brightly, however; a cloud blocked much of its light. An observant watcher might have found it strange to realize that the moon actually seemed to be following the cloud. And a very observant watcher might have noted that the moon seemed to be maneuvering back and forth behind the cloud, causing the shadows to leap and dance around the village.

"I don't like this," muttered Celestia darkly from the ridge where she spied upon the village below.

"Ka-klack and Nightmare are our best bet to get the Element without anyone noticing," said Shining Armor, deciding to reply to what was most likely just Celestia talking to herself. "They're both extremely skilled at sneaking around. Nightmare can step through the shadows and turn into mist and all that, and Ka-klack is a shapeshifter who's entire life is based around infiltration."

"Yes, they're the perfect pair to commit burglary, captain," said Celestia sardonically.

"They are requisitioning a powerful and potentially dangerous magical artifact for the good of Equestria," replied Shining Armor stiffly. "And stop bringing it up or I will be forced to do something about it. I can charge even you with breaking the law, you know."

"But aren't you an accessory to this crime?" asked Celestia innocently.

"I said stop bringing it up!"

They went back to watching the village, which lasted for all of ten seconds.

"I just don't like this," muttered Celestia again.

"It's the moon thing, isn't it?" sighed Shining Armor.

"Yes! That's not her moon, no matter what she thinks! Letting her control it for even just this is a dangerous, slippery slope."

"Well, do you want her and Ka-klack to get caught and potentially blow our cover, or do you want her to manipulate the moon to provide them with the shadows they need to sneak around?"

"Getting the Element is more important than anything else at the moment," said Celestia, jaw clenched. "So if this is what it takes, then I'm willing to make the sacrifice."

They watched the village in silence again.

"I just don't like this."

Shining Armor groaned and let his head fall to hit the rocky ground. When he looked up again, Celestia was staring at him.

"What do you think of her?" she asked.

"Nightmare Moon?" asked Shining Armor, and Celestia nodded.

"Well—" Shining Armor took a deep breath. "Now that I've actually met her… I understand your feelings about her. She is extremely unpleasant to be around. At best, she's neutral. Sitting around quietly is the best mood I've seen her in, aside from mocking and laughing at ponies. Violence and anger seem to be her default response to anything, no matter how trivial.

"And she's clearly a danger to the kingdom. Just her threats against you are enough to put her in that category, leaving aside the fact that she hasn't exactly been shy about announcing that she wants to stage a coup and seize the throne. Beyond that, she tore that train carriage apart, and it sounds like she nearly killed one of the robbers she threw from the train. She seems to have no respect whatsoever for anypony she meets.

"Add in her powers and the fact that she's just plain terrifying, and I have to agree with you. Something needs to be done about her."

"Exactly!" Celestia pounded a hoof on the rocky ground, forgetting in her excitement that they were supposed to be hiding. "If you distract her after we have the Elements back and powered up, I should be able to blast her head clean off—"

Shining Armor held up a hoof. "I wasn't done yet. She's… not happy, Celestia. She's not like Queen Chrysalis or Discord. None of what she's doing really brings her any pleasure. And I think you know why that is."

Celestia's aggressive lean forward and narrowed eyes were off-putting, but he pressed on anyway. "Whatever you might think of her, she is your sister. She's a copy of Luna, a… a dark reflection, but she was still Luna at her core when she was, well, born.

"And she does love Equestria. In a bit of a twisted way, perhaps, but it's still love. Ka-klack called her a spirit of passion, and I think he's right. It's just a shame that her passion has corrupted her so badly that she sees everything in the dark, because with her power she could do a lot of good for Equestria."

"What are you saying, my captain?" Celestia's voice was like ice, an effect made all the more chilling when compared to its usual warmth. "Are you honestly telling me to forgive and forget with Nightmare Moon? The pony who's first act was to attempt my murder? The pony who stole my sister away for a thousand years?"

Shining Armor let out the breath he'd been holding. He wasn't on fire; that was a good sign, she was showing restraint.

"No. She's done too much, pushed things too far. I know this is a terrible thing to say—and Twilight would lecture me for a month if she heard me say it—but she's irredeemable. The fact that the Elements of Harmony don't seem to have any effect on her other than to suppress her is proof of that. If they can't fix her… nothing can.

"It's a tragedy, and I wish things could be different, because she's hurting inside. Whether or not you want to believe that, it's true. Helping her would be the best outcome to all of this, but… what she wants just isn't possible, and there's no reasoning with her. In the end, I'm loyal to you and Equestria, and that loyalty takes precedence over everything else.

"So… whatever you want to do to her, whether its locking her away in the moon again or something more… permanent… I won't stop you."

"Perfect," grinned Celestia.

"But." Shining Armor held up a hoof. "I heard what you want to do to her, what putting her back in Luna's head will mean for her. And I won't let you do that."

"Excuse me? You won't let me do something? And how did you find out about that, anyway?"

"She talks, and you told me to guard her. So I've had to listen to her a lot. You can send her to the moon, you can even kill her—if you think that's absolutely necessary—but putting her back into Luna? That's not just killing her. That's destroying her—body, mind and soul. I won't let you do that, Celestia. No one deserves a fate like that. That's something a villain would do."

She glared at him, with all the fury of her Princessly might, but he held a steely gaze and she finally turned away.

"Fine," she said in a deep, guttural growl, before sighing and continuing in a normal tone of voice. "You're right. That was my emotions talking. I want her to suffer, the way she made me suffer, but that's not the right thing to do. Thank you for saving me from myself, captain."

"Hey, part of the job."

The sound of metal on rocks caught their ears, and they turned to see Nightmare Moon come strutting out of the gloom, a cocky grin on her face. Ka-klack followed behind her, the object held in one of his hooves glinting in the moonlight.

"You got it?!" Celestia brushed by Nightmare to stand in front of Ka-klack, who proudly held up the shining gem.

"Piece of cake," he said in a totally normal tone of voice, his eyes barely darting towards Nightmare Moon at all.

"Oh, you wonderful little changeling!" Celestia cooed, sweeping him into a hug that more than made up for any energy he might have spent sneaking around the village.

"Nothing for me?" Nightmare asked casually as Celestia tried to walk past with Ka-klack and the Element in tow.

Celestia snorted. "I suppose you do deserve some sort of reward for not just flat-out leveling the town." She leaned forward, peering at Nightmare Moon with suspicious eyes. "You didn't do anything like that, did you? If I go down there and find a pile of corpses, I'll be upset."

"Sister, please!" Nightmare Moon held a hoof to her chestplate, orange light flickering off her armor. "The mission was to go in, locate the Element, and leave with it in our possession. That's all I did, and no more."

"Well, if you say so—"

Celestia stopped mid-sentence. The orange glow surrounding Nightmare had gotten brighter, and in the distance were the faint sounds of a commotion. Pushing Nightmare Moon out of the way, she ran to the edge of the ridgeline to look down on the village.

At the head of the two rows of buildings was another, larger building, seemingly a dwelling for one pony. It was now fully engulfed in flames, and ponies were beginning to pour out of the other buildings as they fought to control the inferno, or at least stop it from spreading to the rest of the village. Slowly, mouth agape, Celestia turned to the innocent-faced Nightmare.

"What?"

"With all five of the Elements together, we should be able to find some clue as to where the last Element, the Element of Magic, is," said Celestia, the case they were keeping the gems in tucked under one wing as she trotted into the room at the inn. "We just need to get them together and—GAH!"

Nightmare Moon, upside down due to extruding half her body from a shadow on the ceiling, turned to give her a questioning look. Celestia opened her mouth, starting to speak, then just shook her head and went about setting up the Elements on the floor of the room.

Nightmare turned to Ka-klack, who was clinging vertically to the wall nearby. "What was that about?" she asked, but the changeling only shrugged.

Celestia pulled each gem out of the case one at a time, arranging them on the floor. After some thought, she decided to go with a starburst pattern, the bottom of each gem nearly touching each other, and spent several seconds carefully positioning them. Finished, she sat back expectantly.

After a moment, she leaned over them, Shining Armor joining her.

"So, um, is that it?" he asked.

"I… guess?" She gave one of the Elements a poke with the tip of her wing, producing exactly no result. "I'm not sure what to do now. I kind of thought just getting them together would produce… well, something."

"Hmmmm…" Nightmare Moon peered at the Elements, leaning out from under the nearby bed. Celestia glared at her, then did a double-take. The Nightmare Moon on the ceiling was still there, watching nonchalantly.

"Try giving them a hug. That might give them the 'friendship' and 'harmony' they need to activate," Nightmare sneered. "Or maybe we just need to break them open to let the happy flowers and sunshine out."

Before Celestia could stop her, she reached out and gave the closest Element a sharp rap with her hoof. There was the expected bursts of electricity, and Nightmare grimaced.

But that little bit of blue light didn't disappear. It stayed in the Element, rolling and crackling. Nightmare blinked at it, then ducked back into the shadows under the bed and remerged with her other self on the ceiling. The electricity in the Elements pulsed for a moment longer, then spread out, forming a crackling web of light linking all five gems. A beam rose from their center, and lines of light began to crawl out from it along the floor.

"What are they doing?" wondered Celestia, backing up as the light spread across the room.

"It's a map!" Shining Armor pointed a hoof. "Look, isn't that Horseshoe Bay?"

"Then that must be Dodge City and Appleloosa to the bay's west," said Ka-klack.

"So if the beam of light is where the last Element is, it's in… the Badlands?!" Celestia groaned.

Up on the ceiling, Nightmare Moon began to laugh uproariously.

"Not just the Badlands, the center of the Badlands," mused Ka-klack, his voice taking on a distinctly female pitch as he buzzed down to hove just over the map. "Pedipalp, didn't one of our expeditions find odd magic in that area?"

"Oh yes, and definitely out of place for the middle of a wasteland." Ka-klack's voice changed again, becoming faster and more enthusiastic. "It was almost half a friendship's worth—"

"I told you to stop measuring magic that way!"

"But friendship is m—"

"Finish that sentence and I'll have the others use you as a permanent test subject."

"… in any case, the magic we detected in that area was much higher than the usual background levels. I believe the expedition didn't find anything out of the ordinary, though. There was a mesa there and they tried tunneling into it, but still found nothing after a hundred feet so they gave up and just marked it as an unexplained anomaly. But if you want to go further I have plans for a drilling machine that—"

"No, Pedipalp, that will be enough. Thank you for the information. Apidae, what did your team find during the exploration?"

"Very little," announced Ka-klack in a third voice, this one deeper and more formal. "The surface was identical to the nearby area as it rose up to the mesa. Air and soil samples came up normal; there were no plants or any significant animal life nearby to test, though that's normal for the Badlands.

"Tunneling into the mesa provided us with no further information. The only oddity was the discovery of a few stones that appeared to have been worked by hoof at some time in the distant past. They were barely identifiable as such, however, and were so few in number that we decided it wasn't significant. The conclusion we ultimately came to was that it was the former site of an ancient temple, and the magic readings were simple fading remnants from that time."

"Thank you, captain, that will be all."

"We live to serve, ma'am." Ka-klack gave a salute, staring up at nothing, then turned back to the map.

"An artifact of such power, right in my hive's backyard," he mused in Queen Chrysalis's voice once again. "I can't say I'm happy about that. Why, if I'd found that before the attack on Canterlot…"

A number of glares came at him/her from around the room, and he/she smiled. "Forgive me for old habits, yes? In any case… thank you for finding this. You're that much closer to freeing me—to saving us. If you require anything else for your trip to the Element, feel free to stop by the hive."

Ka-klack gave a little shake, then looked around, blinking. "Back to Appleloosa and the hive, then?" he asked, and was rewarded with multiple groans.

"Now, now, no need to be like that." Celestia lifted the Elements in her magic, placing them back in the case. "We're on the final leg of the trip now! I'll go get us tickets for the morning train, and we'll be in Appleloosa before you know it."

"OH GODS, THE TRAIN IS OUT OF CONTROL! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"

"What the—who let her near the window?!"

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHH—"

"But you see what I'm saying, right? I can admit that I made a mistake when I said I wanted to blast that swamp into a desert. Now that I'm actually in one, I think this sunny, burning hellscape may actually be worse than the swamp.

"The difference is, this is fixable! The cost in lives will be high, yes, but the benefits of a canal providing water to this region are immense. The public works alone will bring prosperity to the Equestrian economy as we employ thousands upon thousands to dig the canals, and once that is completed we will have converted this entire vast wasteland into fertile farmland! My ponies will never go hungry!"

The soft snort from Celestia was ignored.

"I understand that, I just don't see the need," said Shining Armor. "There's no shortage of food in Equestria as it is."

"Well, not now, but once Celestia is dead and the night reigns supreme, farming is going to become a bit of an issue. There are various crops that do well enough in moonlight, but their yield is low. To use one example, mushrooms are an acceptable substitute, but the acreage of land needed to feed one pony is much greater than for, say, apples. That's why it's so vital we get started on this now, for the future generations that will come after my rule begins."

The icy pall that fell over the group provided a brief respite from the searing sun as they marched through the Badlands.

"I think I'm going to have to pass on this particular public works project," said Celestia finally, in a bitterly sarcastic tone.

"But think of my subjects!"

Rocks and brush went past as they made their way towards the mesa that Ka-klack assured them was the one the Element's map had shown. The landscape wasn't exactly dull—the mesas were plentiful and picturesque—but there was a sameness to it all that dragged on when you'd spent a full day hiking through it, especially under a brightly burning sun. Even Celestia was privately beginning to think about lowering it a few hours early.

"Better than the swamp, eh?" asked Shining Armor, giving Ka-klack a grin.

"Oh, for sure!" the changeling replied cheerfully. "We used to go on patrols out here all the time, when we still thought you were looking for us. It's like being in my own backyard."

"Not worried about desert hydras or sand snakes, are you?" teased Celestia gently.

"Oh, no, you don't get sand snakes up here. This is hardpan desert, they can't tunnel through it. Down south, where you get soft sand and dunes, is where the sand snakes live."

"Oh, um, yes. Of course."

Finally they came to the base of the mesa, and began to climb the slope. It was a gentle incline, at least, making the going easy. Ahead, in the wall of the mesa, they could see the black square of the tunnel the changelings had dug. And then, at last, they stood in front of it, the end of their journey.

"What a dump," said Nightmare Moon, with a sniff.

"Be nice," scolded Celestia.

"Honestly, she has a point," Ka-klack said, shrugging. "I'm kind of surprised it hasn't caved in yet. It was never built to last, and we dug it quite a while ago."

"Fantastic. So, who's coming with me into the possibly cave-in prone tunnel?" Silence greeted her. "Shining Armor? Not even you?"

"I-I thought I was okay, but now that I'm here, I don't think I can go in." Shining Armor let out a gulp. "I, um, don't do well in caves."

"Seriously?"

"Well, it's not like it ever came up when I was captain of the guard in, you know, a city!"

Ka-klack started to raise his hoof, then stopped, peering at the pitch black opening of the tunnel nervously. After a moment he looked away, eyes downcast, and slowly lowered his hoof back to the ground.

"Okay, that's fine. This whole mess started because of a mistake I made, so I should be the one to end it. And if the tunnel does collapse, we're better off if it's just me in there anyway. If I have to, I can crack the whole mesa in half to escape."

"Ah, wanton destruction. That's more like it." Nightmare Moon grinned at Celestia's scowl. "Don't worry, I'll go with you. No, no. No need to thank me. You are welcome, though."

But at the entrance to the tunnel she stopped, hooves shuffling nervously in the hard packed dirt. A faint aura of static electricity hung around her, crackling and sparking off her coat.

"Not allowed, huh?" Celestia gave Nightmare a smug smile as she continued past into the cool shade of the tunnel.

"I could if I wanted to," Nightmare Moon replied petulantly, but her words echoed hollowly back to her. Celestia was already out of sight.

She lit her horn after a few paces, as the light of her sun faded away. The tunnel had clearly been built to be as temporary as Ka-klack had said; the walls were rough and uneven, the floor treacherous and covered in loose rock.

She paused to examine some of the stones upon the ground. A number of them were grey and smooth, out of place amongst the browns of the Badlands. Their smoothness argued for them to have been worked by hoof at some point in the past, as Apidae had said, but it just as easily could have been the result of erosion.

The end of the tunnel came up abruptly, simply a rough rock wall marked by digging implements. Celestia examined every inch of it thoroughly, but saw nothing other than an ordinary cave wall.

"Is this it?" she wondered out loud.

She didn't notice the whispering at first, until she saw the dust moving under her hooves. She quickly pranced back, watching cautiously as the flowing dust seemed to move on its own. As the movement continued, the source became apparent: a stone slab slowly sank beneath the tunnel floor, revealing steps leading further down into the mesa.

"Hmm… " Celestia studied this new tunnel for a moment. "Well, either this is an invitation or a trap. Either way…" She started down the steps.

After a surprisingly short distance, the steps ended in a new tunnel, this one lined with that same grey stone she'd seen back in the original tunnel. And not too long after that, she found herself in a small chamber.

At some point, it had been no more than a simple box carved out of the surrounding grey stone. But cracks had formed along the edges of the room, letting in what looked like tree roots that now carpeted the floor. These tree roots weren't wooden, however. Instead, they were gleaming light blue crystal—the roots of the Tree of Harmony itself. The roots crept along the chamber floor, reaching from all sides of the room towards the center. At that focal point was a simple square block, upon which rested a translucent gem shaped like a six-pointed star.

"There it is," Celestia breathed quietly.

She started forward, but after a mere two steps found she could go no further. Nothing was holding her back, it was just that whenever she lifted a hoof and moved it forward, it invariably ended up back where it had started. The sensation was rather discomforting, and she gave up after a few moments.

Her magic proved equally unable to gain purchase on the Element, hitting that same invisible barrier. She studied the room for a moment, then shrugged and did the simplest thing possible.

"Excuse me," she called out into the empty chamber, "but I don't suppose I might have that Element? I can bring it back after I'm done if you wish."

Silence was the reply. And then…

It felt like the gathering of some ancient will, a mind slowly waking up after eons slumbering. A whispering breeze turned in the sound of a multitude of insect legs scratching upon stone, turned into the groaning of a collapsing mineshaft, turned into whispers again, answering her question in a voice that defied categorizations like gender and tone.

Why do you desire harmony?

"My…" Celestia licked her suddenly dry lips. "My friends and loved ones fell victim to an unfortunate accident involving the power of harmony. I wish to return them to normal."

Who are you that desires harmony?

"I am Princess Celestia Dawnbringer, leader of Equestria. I once wielded the Elements of Harmony myself, before… before a misunderstanding caused me to lose my link to them. I merely wish to use them once more, just one time more, to save the ones I care for."

And do you deserve to be the champion of harmony?

"I do." Celestia took a deep breath. "I have led Equestria by myself for a thousand years. During that time, I thought of nothing but the good of my people. I strove to provide for them as best I could, to build them a land of peace and harmony. As a result of my sacrifices, I made Equestria into a happy, prosperous kingdom. I gave up everything, even my own happiness on occasion, for my ponies. For their happiness. And I succeeded.

"As far as harmony goes, I embody it as much as a living being can."

There was another long silence. This time, it was broken by the sound of an indrawn breath. Not just any indrawn breath, though. This was the entire mesa, perhaps all the land around it, taking a breath, gathering itself to pass judgement. It rumbled up through the floor, a sound so low and deep and impossibly ancient that it was more a rumble felt in the bones than an actual sound. Slowly it built up, and up, until it seemed the mesa would collapse from the vibrations. Then it faded away, and the voice spoke.

Wrong.

There was a flash of white, and then darkness.

"Because if I was waiting in ambush, I wouldn't just be standing next to the tunnel!" protested Nightmare Moon. "And neither of you would be around to interfere!

"I mean, I'd kill you both. I'd probably possess Shining Armor, sneak up behind you, Ka-klack, and snap your neck. Then use my powers to fly to the top of the mesa, throw myself off, and abandon Shining's body just before it hit the ground. Thus leaving me free to attack Celestia as soon as she came out.

"Or I'd take Ka-klack's body, using his shapeshifting powers, augmented with my own, to turn into some horrible, unthinkable shape. Assuming the sight of such a thing didn't instantly liquify Shining Armor's mind, he would still be in no position to stop me from ambushing Celestia by using Ka-klack's shape to avoid arousing suspicion, blaming 'Nightmare Moon' for what happened to Shining Armor, and then striking when she goes to check on his lifeless corpse."

"And the fact that you've planned all this out in detail is supposed to make us feel better?" asked Shining Armor, mouth hanging open.

"They're hypotheticals! Who doesn't idly plan the murder of everyone around them when they're bored? It's not like—"

A sound came from the tunnel, a long scraping noise followed by the clatter of rocks.

"Look, here she comes now, and I am standing directly in front of the tunnel, in plain sight, obviously not planning any sort of ambush—"

A white shape came hurtling out of the darkness, straight at Nightmare Moon. She managed to get her forelegs up just in time, catching Celestia around the barrel, the force of the impact sending them both sliding back several feet in the sand.

"Ha! You see that? She tried to attack me! I'm sure… she…" Nightmare Moon trailed off. What she held in her forelegs wasn't the living, breathing body of Princess Celestia.

It was a stone statue, Celestia's face frozen in shock.

Another white figure burst from the cave in an explosion of fire, this one moving under its own power, white wings beating furious as it took to the sky above.

Mouth dropping open, Nightmare let the petrified statue of Celestia fall to the ground. In her confusion, she fell back, huddling with Shining Armor and Ka-klack as they tried to make sense of the figure that hovered above them.

Metal lined the flapping wings, metal with a razor sharp edge. Orange and gold armor wrapped around the figure, shining in the light of the sun. The figure's mane crackled around them like living flame, popping and sputtering in the dry air. Yellow eyes, burning like the pitiless heart of the sun and with pupils slit like a dragon's, peered down at them out of magenta orbs. Below those terrible eyes, a fanged mouth grinned widely. A crown like a warrior's helm sat upon the figure's head, and at the center of their chestpiece gleamed a translucent six-pointed gem.

"Well, well, well," said Daybreaker, her tongue snaking out to wet her lips in anticipation. "What have we here?"

Chapter Eleven - Night Versus Day

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Daybreaker wheeled and danced across the sky, looping and diving for the sheer pleasure of the act. A long, lazy loop turned into a spin as she fell straight for the ground, only to pull up with an exultant yell. A few clouds had the misfortune of being in her path, and she kicked them apart, laughing with glee.

"Oh, this is so wonderful!" she cried, buzzing over the heads of Shining Armor, Ka-klack and Nightmare moon, and then giggled as they scampered out of the way of the cloud of burning sparks that showered over them as her mane snapped past.

"You don't know how good this feels!" she crowed. "To be trapped inside that boring, plodding mare's mind for so long and now finally be free! Can you even imagine how I feel right now?!"

She paused, tilting her head to peer down at Nightmare Moon. "Well, you can, I suppose."

"I—you—" That little barb was enough to goad a response from Nightmare Moon, though it took her a moment to move on from just sputtered words. "What is this? What are you?!"

"Aww, upset you aren't the only physical manifestation of a Princess's subconscious pain and angst anymore?" Daybreaker clutched her hooves under her chin and fluttered her eyes, then sneered. "Well, don't worry. After I'm finished, there won't be anyone left to notice."

Nightmare's eyes went wide. "What does that mean?!"

"Why, I'm going to destroy Equestria, of course."

"You lay one hoof on my kingdom and—"

"Oh, calm down, calm down." Daybreaker flipped over, languidly flapping through the air on her back. "'Destroy' may have been an exaggeration. I'm simply going to turn everypony—and everydragon, everygriffin, everychangeling, so on and so on—to stone. Just like my former prison over there."

"Why would you do something like that?" Shining Armor took a step forward, confusion evident on his face. "You're the Princess! You're supposed to protect Equestria!"

"And that's exactly why I'm turning everyone in it to stone! They'll be safe, and I… I'll finally be free!"

She flew around in circles for a moment, giggling, then suddenly snapped up right.

"One thousand years!" she snarled, burning eyes fixed on Nightmare Moon. "I spent one thousand years ruling Equestria by myself because of you. No breaks, no vacations, no thought of anything but my 'royal duties'. Only you, Nightmare, can even come close to imagining what that's like. And at least you could choose how to spend your day, limited though your options may have been while locked in the moon.

"But me? I wasn't trapped in the moon… I was trapped in a kingdom. Schedules to keep! Rules to follow! Ponies to lead! 'How will we protect ourselves from the manticores, Princess?' 'What crops should we plant, Priiiincessss?' 'How much should we collect in taxes, Prrrrriiiiiinnncceeeeeessss?' On and on and on for a thousand years! After a thousand years of nonstop routine, nonstop planning for the future of an entire kingdom, nonstop sacrifice on my part again and again and again, what is even left of me?

"I fell in love with a pony, and I found out I had sacrificed so much of who I was that I couldn't even let myself feel that love.

"So… I'm taking it back. All of it. I'll take back all the prosperity I gave Equestria, all the safety, all the life… and then maybe I can be a pony again."

She stared down at them, chest heaving as she huffed, then suddenly rolled her fiery eyes skyward. "Although at this point I'm so unsure of what I even want to do that I'll probably need to take some time to, as the kids say, 'find myself'. Probably a century or so, at a minimum. Ooh, maybe I can travel. I've always wanted to see Prance. On more than just a diplomatic tour, of course. Everypony being stone may dampen the mood a bit, but I'm sure on the whole—"

"Enough of this!" snarled Nightmare Moon, her own eyes burning. "Do you really expect me just stand idly by while you destroy Equestria? My kingdom?!"

"Oh, puh-leeeze!" Daybreaker waved a dismissive hoof. "What, is turning everypony to stone too fast for you? I suppose you think letting them starve to death while the crops wither from a lack of sunlight is somehow better, dear sister?"

Ka-klack and Shining Armor took a step back as Nightmare Moon's lips curled back from her pointed teeth. A bolt of power leapt off her horn with a sharp crack, zipping past Daybreaker. "You are not my sister."

"Are… are we really doing this? This is actually what you want?" Daybreaker's own sharpened teeth were exposed as a grin stretched across her face. "Well, I was going to save you for last, but… how about a little preview?"

Magic surged from Daybreaker's horn, a torrent of red fire that leapt straight for Nightmare Moon's heart. Deftly, the midnight black alicron dodged the deadly beam, landing several steps to the side.

"If you—" she started to say, as a gust of wind grabbed her mane and began pulling it back.

Eyes wide, she turned to where the beam had struck. A small crimson fire burned there now, surrounded by a vortex of air. Even as she looked, it intensified, yanking her towards it. She struggled against its pull, but her half-ethereal nature betrayed her, wisps of her body beginning to stream towards the fire. She managed to hold her ground, but a black shape suddenly came tumbling out of her mane.

"Keeeeeeeeee!"

"James, no!"

The nightmare creature went bouncing across the ground, just out of reach of Nightmare's hooves, and was sucked into the fire with one last little cry. A moment later the flames flared and disappeared, leaving her staring at the scorch mark on the ground and breathing heavily.

"What… what was…"

"Did you forget what I said I was going to do to you?" Daybreaker peered down at the shaking Nightmare. "Whatever that disgusting creature was, it's in Luna's head now. Which is right where you're going to go if you insist on standing in my way."

"N-no…" Head down, ears back, Nightmare Moon started backing away.

"You said you wouldn't do that to her!" yelled Shining Armor furiously. "You're going too far! The only one who would do something like that is a—"

"A villain?" A grin spread across Daybreaker's face once more. "Imagine that."

She shifted her attention back to Nightmare Moon. "To be honest, given that Luna is currently a lawn ornament, this might not even be that bad of a deal for you. You'll just be trapped in whatever limbo ponies turned to stone are in, the same as Luna. I doubt there's much thought going on there right now, so her mind probably won't be trying to devour your very essence. On the other hand, if I decide to let you all out after a few millennia… or if she's dreaming…"

Daybreaker peered down at the cowering Nightmare, one corner of her mouth lifting in a condescending sneer. "I'll tell you what, I'm a reasonable pony. I'll make you a deal. Leave. Now. Find some dark shadowy hole to crawl into and don't come out. If you do that, if you don't try to stop me, then I'll be merciful: I'll only turn you to stone when I find you. Otherwise… you're going to find yourself getting a lot closer to Luna than you want to be."

Nightmare Moon stared back up at Daybreaker, and Shining Armor felt a sense of dread begin to crawl up from his belly. There was none of her usual anger in her face, no hate, no contempt. She just looked like a scared pony.

Lowering her head, Nightmare began to melt into a shadowy mist, tendrils spreading out across the ground and disappearing into whatever bare shadows existed underneath nearby rocks and brush.

"No…" moaned Shining Armor. Nightmare Moon looked back at him with something like an apology in her eyes, but she didn't stop, the last of her body turning to shadow. She sat there for a moment, an inky cloud squatting upon the desert floor, and then began to spread out, fleeing towards safety.

"Please," he begged. "Please. No one else can stop her. We need you. Equestria needs you."

For a moment he thought she was gone, vanished along with any hope of stopping Daybreaker. But then he saw them, a bare few wisps remaining on the edges of the shadows, twisting in place like strands of smoke. Shining Armor held his breath as the longest moment of his life passed… and then, slowly, the wisps of shadow flowed back out, reforming into a Nightmare Moon who glared defiantly up at Daybreaker.

"Thank you," whispered Shining Armor. Nightmare Moon's ear twitched, but that was the only acknowledgement she made.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." Daybreaker shook her head sadly. "What a foolish little pony. Well, you know what they say—"

She cut off with a squawk as a bright turquoise beam, brimming with power, struck her square in the chest and blasted her from the sky.

"You can do whatever you want to me," growled Nightmare Moon, advancing on the other alicorn who was struggling to stand back up. "But you will not hurt my little ponies!"

"It's kind of like watching fireworks, right?" said Shining Armor.

"Oh, yes, fireworks," replied Ka-klack. A stream of fire splashed off the shield Shining Armor had put over the two of them, melting through a nearby boulder. "Horrible, deadly fireworks."

Nightmare Moon zipped across the sky, zagged between two blasts of magic, and unloaded her own beam at Daybreaker. The other alicorn's shield took most of Nightmare's attack, but then the shield shattered, letting the beam strike her along one wing. Daybreaker grimaced, but then her face took on a snarl, and she launched a stream of fiery missiles that spiraled towards the other alicorn.

Nightmare Moon flipped around and took off, the fireballs in hot pursuit. She weaved and dodged, but they stayed on her like glue, slowly gaining. Just when it looked like they would reach her, she burst into a cloud of mist, dissipating and then reappearing behind the missiles, making her way back towards Daybreaker. However, she didn't see the missiles looping back around, her only warning coming when the hissing noise they made as they flew caused her to turn and spot them almost upon her.

Desperately, she rolled. Most of the missiles missed, but a hoofful struck her in the back and exploded, the shockwave destroying the rest. For a second Ka-klack and Shining Armor feared the worst, but then Nightmare came hurtling out of the cloud left by the explosions, body limp. She got her flight under control, and, smoking, headed back towards Daybreaker, who was already taking potshots at her with her horn.

Gathering herself, Nightmare let loose with a massive blast of magic that made the skin of the watchers below begin to tingle, despite the distance. But her magic was met by an equally powerful beam from Daybreaker, and the resulting clash of power flared as bright as the sun.

"You know, it's a good thing we're out in the middle of nowhere," observed Shining Armor, as his shield strained under the stray magics being thrown off by the struggling beams. "I mean, if this was over a city—"

"Shining Armor," interrupted Ka-klack, his voice flat. "She's not going to win this."

"W-what? Of course she is." Shining Armor let out a nervous gulp. "I mean, this is Nightmare Moon we're talking about. Celestia's only been beaten a hooful of times in the last millenia or so, and two of those were Nightmare. If anyone can beat an evil Celestia, it's—"

"That was Nightmare Moon fighting a Celestia who was desperately trying not to kill her sister. I don't think Daybreaker suffers from that particular handicap." Ka-klack looked up at the battle overhead, where Nightmare's beam was slowly starting to be pushed back. "And that was a Nightmare Moon who hadn't just spent years having her powers slowly reclaimed by Luna. She can't win this fight."

The beam had nearly reached Nightmare now, and she was struggling to both maintain her side of the battle and keep herself in the air. Even as they watched, she dipped down, the beat of her wings faltering for a moment. She pulled herself back up, and in desperation pulled power from some hidden reserve, pushing Daybreaker's beam back. But after a moment that movement slowed, and the beam resumed its slow approach to her horn.

"Well then what are we supposed to do?" asked Shining Armor quietly. "I'd shield her if I could, but then any random bit of stray magic could fry the two of us. And that's assuming that Daybreaker wouldn't blast us the moment we interfere."

Ka-klack was downcast, studying the ground beneath their hooves, chewing on his lips in thought. His hooves shuffled nervously, his ears were pinned back, and he kept throwing glances behind himself, as though looking for a path of escape.

A sudden flare of magic from Daybreaker pushed Nightmare back, causing her to let out a grunt of exertion, with a bit of desperation add in. Ka-klack flinched at the sound, then gritted his teeth, took in a deep breath, and slowly raised his head.

"There is… someone else who beat Celestia, once."

"Well, they aren't here, so—wait. No, you can't be serious."

"Queen Chrysalis," said Ka-klack with a nod. "She was able to gather enough power to not just beat Celestia, but to make it look easy."

"Well, like I said, she's not here right now, is she? I know you can channel her, but that isn't the same as her having her physical body here."

"It doesn't matter." Ka-klack marched forward, swinging around to look Shining Armor in the eye. "Any changeling can do what she did. As far as magic goes, we're… we're buckets. Ponies are lead weights; you always weigh the same no matter what. But we can change our weight, change how much power we have at any given time. And with the right source, we can be stronger than any pony."

"And where are you going to find a source around here?" demanded Shining Armor. "I'm the only one—"

"Yes. Your love was what let our Queen defeat your Princess. With that same love, I can do it again."

"You're insane! Chrysalis took days to gather that much love, so even if I let you—"

"Exactly. Let me. Queen Chrysalis took so much time to gather that love because you fought her every step of the way, even with her hypnosis. If you give me your love willingly, I can get that much in seconds."

"I—you—" Shining Armor looked down at Ka-klack with wide, disbelieving eyes. "How? Even if I wanted to, how could I possibly give you that much love? After everything you and your Queen did to me… I could barely even tolerate being around her, even when she wasn't trying to kill everyone I love. You're… okay, I guess, but…"

"I know. I can feel how you feel." Ka-klack took a deep breath. "And your love for me wouldn't be enough anyway. I need the love Queen Chrysalis used to defeat Princess Celestia. I need… your love for Cadance."

"…What?"

"I'll turn into her. I'll hypnotize you, have you give me your love. All you have to do is not fight it."

"You really are insane," marvelled Shining Armor. "Do you really think—"

An explosion cut him off. Nightmare Moon's magic had finally failed her, and the blast of Daybreaker's beam sent her tumbling back, spinning out of control and headed straight for the ground. Her form was unstable, parts of her body fading into mist and then solidifying again. Ka-klack and Shining Armor held their breath as she neared the desert floor… and, at the last second, opened her wings, swooping around in an unsteady, zigzagging arc.

She was clearly on her last legs, her wings barely able to flap, her breastplate cracked and one hoof cuff missing. Something seemed wrong with her left eye; it wasn't open. And bits of magic, clearly uncontrolled, were leaping off her horn. Still, she headed back into the fight, climbing steadily, but slowly, towards Daybreaker.

"Do you still think she really has a chance?" asked Ka-klack quietly.

Shining Armor stared up at Nightmare Moon, who begin to take hits from the small beams Daybreaker was firing. It was clear the attacks weren't meant to do anything but cause pain; the fiery alicorn was just toying with her now.

"No," said Shining Armor, lowering his head.

They stood in silence for a moment.

"So, how does this work?" asked Shining Armor finally. "Do I just pretend you're Cadance, or…"

"I'll take her form and hypnotize you," explained Ka-klack. "You won't know I'm not her. You won't even realize she shouldn't be here; as far as you'll be concerned, everything will be as it should be. Your shield should stay up to protect us, too; at least, it did during the wedding. And then, I just have to ask you to give me your love, with a little nudge from the hypnosis. All you have to do is accept it. Don't struggle."

"Okay, but…" Shining Armor shuffled nervously, then took a deep breath. "Alright, look, I'm just going to ask it: will this make me gay?"

"That's what you're concerned about?"

"It's just, well, I'm a guy, and you're a guy, even if you're in Cadance's form…"

"Shining Armor—"

"I just don't see myself that way. It's not that I have a problem with it! I mean, I did just spend the better part of a week trying to get my sister together with another mare. And Cadance has brought up the idea of spicing up our love life by… um, well, inviting some other… well, I'll admit I had some curiosity about what she suggested. Obviously I'd have to… you know… work up to it, can't just dive right into that kind of thing… although…"

"Shining—"

"Actually, if you're in Cadance's form I suppose there isn't anything I should feel conflicted about. Not that I do, though, I'm very open minded. But if you have the body of a mare, and that's how you're currently self-identifying, even if it is only temporary—"

"Oh, for the love of the Queen! SHINING ARMOR!"

"What?!"

"Do you love me?" asked Cadance, her eyes like pools of liquid green fire.

"Of course, Cadance! Do you even need to ask that?" The fire reflected off Shining Armor's eyes, and his eyelids drooped, but his gaze remained fixed on Cadance's face.

"How much do you love me?"

"With all my heart, Cadance." Shining Armor put his hoof to his chest. "Come on, you don't need to ask that. You know I'd do anything for you, anything at all!"

"Can you show me?" asked Cadance, beginning to glow with an emerald fire. "Can you show me your love, give it to me, all of it, with no reservations?"

"I can, Cadance. You mean everything to me." They linked hooves, moving towards each other. "There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you, no mountain I wouldn't climb, no enemy I wouldn't defeat."

"Show me. Give me your love, Shining Armor." Cadance leaned down, her lips nearing Shining Armor's. "Show me that you love me with all your heart."

"I love you, Cadance," murmured Shining Armor.

Cadance exploded.

"You know, it's almost kind of sad."

A flurry of bolts struck Nightmare Moon's side, and she grimaced in pain. She fired a shot back, but Daybreaker danced aside with a laugh.

"All your threats, all your boasting, and this is it? I'm not even having fun anymore!"

Nightmare fired again, this time striking her target. But her blast hit the Element embedded in the center of Daybreaker's chestpiece, and went ricocheting away.

"So this is it then." Daybreaker lashed out, a hoof striking Nightmare Moon in the chest, driving her back. Nightmare swung back, but Daybreaker was already gone, landing a blow on her wing that nearly crippled it and sent her plunging down.

"This is how the night ends!"

Daybreaker dove, one hoof extended to break open Nightmare Moon's head. Nightmare stared upwards, unable to dodge or fight back, but with a defiant snarl on her face to the last.

Before the blow could land, a hoof riddled with holes stopped it.

"What—" Daybreaker managed to say, before a burst of green magic sent her tumbling away into the distance.

Nightmare looked over, breathing hard. A changeling hovered in the air next to her with his wings buzzing, tall and proud.

Ka-klack had, in fact, actually gotten taller; his legs were lankier, his neck longer. The frill on his head stood up straighter, and there was a lustrous sheen to his tail that hadn't been there before. His horn had grown as well, and now had a slight kink at its midpoint. Even the holes on his hooves seemed somehow holeyer. To top it all off, a dim green aura surrounded his body, pulsing gently.

"You know, tall i-is a… good look for you," NIghtmare wheezed hoarsely. Ka-klack turned to look at her, and she blinked. His eyes were different as well, his gaze somehow sharper.

"While bantering with you would be a rather enjoyable way to spend some time, I'm a bit more concerned about the avatar of fiery death hurtling towards us," he said, with a nod at the furious Daybreaker. "So maybe we can table that for now?"

"In all seriousness, this more assertive version of you is an improvement. I think I actually don't mind you like this." She cocked an eyebrow up at him. "Exactly what happened to you?"

"Well, let's just say I realized that there are some ponies, like you, Shining Armor, and Princess Celestia, who are worth fighting for. Friends, in other words."

"Oh. Then forget everything I just said." Closing her working eye, Nightmare gathered her strength, her body mostly reforming. "What's our plan? I… I don't have much left in me."

"And I have plenty, but… it's limited. I can still hit her hard, though. Back me up?"

"Sure thing."

With a scream of rage, Daybreaker finally made it back into attack range and let loose with a beam of deadly energy. Nightmare and Ka-klack split apart, flying up the path of the beam, spiraling around it and dodging as Daybreaker swung it back and forth. Nightmare Moon fired a volley of bolts at her, which simply pinged off her armor. Realizing the Nightmare still wasn't a threat, Daybreaker turned on Ka-klack, firing a wider beam of energy straight at him.

He met it with his own, coming to a halt as he struggled to push back her beam with his own. He wasn't able to… but hers didn't move either. They stayed locked in their stalemate until Nightmare fired another series of magical bolts. Taking advantage of Daybreaker's concentration on the changeling, she aimed carefully, striking Daybreaker square in the face.

She cried out in anger and pain, and her beam wavered. Ka-klack bore down on his, slamming it back and into Daybreaker's horn. The blast sent her tumbling once more, except this time she was intercepted by an enraged Nightmare Moon, smashing into her from above in a dive.

Snarling incoherently, Nightmare pounded at Daybreaker, hitting with her hooves, her elbows and knees, her head, anything to cause as much damage as she could. Daybreaker came to her senses after several seconds of pummeling and began to struggle back, but Nightmare's fury was at full power. She took all the blows Daybreaker dealt and gave them back double.

"E-enough!" cried Daybreaker finally. She blasted Nightmare with her horn, sending the other alicorn flying. Before Daybreaker could even try to recover her bearing and balance, Ka-klack struck her from below with a powerful beam.

Nightmare Moon came up alongside him, and they they blasted Daybreaker again and again, driving her upwards, juggling her between their magic. Nightmare may not have had much power left, but her anger leant her strength, and she placed her shots with deadly accuracy. Ka-klack fired slower but far more powerful blasts, taking advantage of Nightmare's shots keeping Daybreaker off balance.

It couldn't last, though. With a grunt of exertion, Daybreaker managed to produce a shield around herself. Panting, she stared at the two defiant foes before her, a glare of pure fury on her face.

"You…" Her lips, trembling from the snarl on her face, slowly turned upwards into a grin. With a flash of fire, she disappeared.

"Where—" Nightmare started to wonder, then turned as she heard a gasp of horror from Ka-klack.

"No!"

Daybreaker hovered barely a hundred feet from the surface of the desert, a searing light shining on her horn. Below her, Shining Armor stood, his shield glowing strong but fear on his face.

Green fire wrapped around Ka-klack, and he disappeared as well, only to reappear in the air between Daybreaker and Shining Armor.

"You fool!" Nightmare Moon called out, as Daybreaker fired.

She was, clearly, done playing around. This attack shone brighter than the sun, a solid beam of plasma so hot the thermal bloom alone caused Shining Armor's shield to flicker. For half a mile in every direction the wasteland shrubs caught fire, some of the closer bushes instantly turning to ash. Any thought Nightmare had of firing on Daybreaker while she was distracted went out the window; the sheer aura of power around her would have overwhelmed any attack Nightmare could produce. To say nothing of the fact that the shimmering of superheated air around her made any long-range targeting chancey, at best.

Daybreaker's attack was devastating, unstoppable. And yet, Ka-klack stopped it, meeting with a beam of his own and holding it halfway between them.

"What are you doing?" growled Nightmare, appearing beside him.

"I-I can't let Shining Armor get hurt!" he yelled back, straining with the effort of holding off Daybreaker.

"You can! You absolutely can! It's really easy!"

"He's my friend, Nightmare. You don't let friends die."

"I wouldn't know, I've never had one." She looked back at Shining Armor, straining himself as he attempted to hold back the secondary effects of Daybreaker's attack, and frowned. "Although… he did stand up for me once or twice…"

She looked back and forth between Daybreaker and Shining Armor, and finally groaned and flew up beside Ka-klack. She was running on empty, her horn fading and sputtering, but she still lit it up as she joined him.

"And what are you doing?" he asked, not turning to face her and instead keeping his concentration on Daybreaker.

"Let me help you," she said, voice reluctant. "I don't have much left, but—"

"No," Ka-klack said sharply. "There's something better you can do with that magic. Do you think you have enough to take her out?"

"I-I don't know… maybe? If I could get her from point-blank…"

"I thought so." Ka-klack took a deep breath. "Be ready to sneak up on her, then. I'm going to put everything I have into this, and push towards her."

"You can't be serious! She'll overwhelm you, and then—"

"And then you'll have that shot at her." He turned to her, face hard, eyes narrowed. "Make it count. I don't want to do this for nothing."

She stared back at him, uncomprehending. "Why?" she asked finally.

"Because… I think I finally found out what friendship could be."

"The first thing I'm going to do after all this is over is punch Twilight Sparkle in the face for putting those kinds of thoughts in everypony's head," declared Nightmare with a growl, but she faded away into mist and disappeared.

Ka-klack turned back to Daybreaker, or at least what little he could see of her through the clash of their beams. Taking a deep breath, he held his hooves up in front of himself.

"Okay," he said to himself, definitely managing to ignore the tremor in his voice and the shaking of his hooves, because neither of those things was happening and he had no doubts about this whatsoever. "Let's see what this magic of friendship can do."

He summoned up all the power Shining Armor had given him and wrapped it around himself. Daybreaker's beam flowed around him, but the shield held, and he began to move forward. Struggling against her power was like trying to swim upstream in a whitewater rapid, but he fought his way forward.

On the ground, Shining Armor let out a yelp and dodged aside as Daybreaker's beam began to carve a path around the desert. The beam was weaker, attenuated by Ka-klack's presence in its center, but what got past him was more than enough to make Shining Armor sweat even through his shield. Slowly, as Ka-klack bent and distorted the beam, it lifted off the ground, disappearing up into the sky.

Ka-klack was also sweating at this point. The edges of his wings were smoldering, and his tail seemed to be at least partially on fire. The worst part was there was an uncomfortable softness in his limbs, which he was pretty sure was his exoskeleton melting. Well, no, the worst part was his magic starting to flicker and fade. Still, he was close enough to make out Daybreaker's face by now, and so he pushed onwards.

The fury on her face was more than evident, growing as each buzz of his wings brought him that much closer. Maybe… I can actually do this, he thought.

Then Daybreaker's eyes narrowed viciously, she gritted her teeth, and the size of the beam suddenly doubled.

Well, it was a good try, thought Ka-klack with a sigh. I just hope my friends—Daybreaker's face, and his thoughts, disappeared along with the last of his power, and the beam overwhelmed him.

"Oh, no," whispered Shining Armor, as the light from Daybreaker's final pulse of magic faded. Desperately, he searched for any sign of Ka-klack… but only the burning alicorn remained. An alicorn with a swirling darkness beginning to form behind her wings.

"Too bad," Daybreaker called down to Shining Armor mockingly. "You know, the worst thing is how much effort I had to waste just now. If only I'd had a flyswatter…"

She stopped, ears twitching, then turned with wide eyes.

"See, here's where you made your mistake," hissed Nightmare Moon sibilantly, snout pressed up against Daybreaker's. "I actually kind of liked that little bug."

"NO—!"

Nightmare Moon put everything she had into her attack, anger pushing her far past what she'd thought her limits were. Magic cracked like thunder as she hit Daybreaker again and again; unable to actually sustain a full beam, rapidfire bursts leapt off her horn. They slammed into Daybreaker, sending her spiraling down with a scream.

With a scream of her own, Nightmare pulled out the absolute last of her magic and hit Daybreaker with a final devastating blow. The alicorn burst apart into a sheet of flame, which began drifting gently downwards.

Nightmare started to follow it down, so weak she was barely able to hold herself aloft. In fact, as she found to her dismay, she was having trouble keeping her physical form together. It kept wanting to turn into mist and just float away on the breeze. Which, admittedly, did sound like a simply wonderful idea at the moment.

This is what the 'magic of friendship' is supposed to be about? She groused to herself, sparing a moment to focus on her forelegs as they tried to fade into shadow. I'd better at least get a massage out of this. Maybe a vacation on a sunless beach somewhere, all expenses paid. Or Equestria's throne, either one.

Then, with a groan of desperation, she forced her wings to keep her level; the fire down below was moving.

The clumps of flame spun into a vortex, crackling and sparking. Growing larger, it flew upwards, encircling Nightmare Moon. She hung in place, trying to hide the fact that she was panting for breath and struggling just to keep her body solid. Her eyes darted back and forth, awaiting an attack, but it didn't come. Instead, the fiery tornado slowed, splitting into three separate parts that each coalesced into a copy of Daybreaker.

"W-what…"

All three Daybreaks grinned simultaneously.

"Come, now, sister. You didn't really—"

"—think that you were the only one—"

"—who could do this trick, did you?"

Nightmare's wings tensed, as she prepared to throw herself out of the way—but she'd given too much, pushed herself too far, and no longer had the strength to move.

Two beams of magic pierced through her barrel, transfixing her where she hovered. She let out a strangled gasp, choking and struggling to escape, as the third Daybreaker smiled in her face and lit up her horn.

The exploding flare tossed Nightmare Moon's body down like a colt carelessly discarding an action figure, black mist trailing behind her as she fell. Her helm was gone, vaporized by the power of Daybreaker's attack. One of her wings was missing as well, nothing but a plume of shadowy smoke. She also seemed to have lost at least one leg, though with how she tumbled as she fell Shining Armor couldn't tell which one or how many as he ran to catch her.

He almost made it, too. He managed to get the barest of shields around her before she smashed into the earth, digging a furrow as she rolled across the dry desert ground, spraying rocks and soil in all directions.

Panting, he stood in place, not daring to move closer. He'd failed… Nightmare was gone, along with Ka-klack and Princess Celestia. All that was left to face Daybreaker, a psychotic alicorn with all the powers of Celestia and none of the restraint, was a single guard captain who only really knew how to cast shield spells arrrgh why didn't I learn more than the most basic attack magic?!

But suddenly… movement. And Nightmare Moon stood.

Both of her wings were gone now, just tendrils of black smoke that whipped and twisted like angry snakes in their place. And, yes, one of her forelegs was missing. But for the Queen of Nightmares, that was barely an inconvenience; she stood upon the shadow where it should be instead. Other parts of her seemed to be missing as well, her body riddled with more holes than a changeling, all of them streaming smoke.

A snarl on her face as she glared up at Daybreaker, she took a step forward. Then she wobbled. She started to cough, a thick black liquid leaking out of her mouth. Hissing and bubbling, the ichor splattered before her hooves, acrid smoke wafting up as it burned into the desert floor.

Slowly, she fell over.

"I hope you're happy," seethed a dark voice.

Shining Armor gulped, looking up to where Daybreaker hovered high above him.

"I was going to be kind, I was going to be merciful," she spat, face red with anger. "But now? After you threw my gracious offer back into my face? Oh, no. There's not going to be a single pony left after I'm done!"

Magic started to flare in her horn, the same blinding light as before. "So when they ask you why Equestria is nothing but a flat sheet of glass, you can tell them it was your fault. Because you couldn't accept my generosity and take the easy way out. And you can tell them—"

She cut off with a squawk as, once again, a beam of magic blasted her from the sky. This time, however, the beam shone with a soft golden light.

Holding his breath, biting his lip, not daring to hope, Shining Armor slowly turned.

"I think you need to take a little break," said Princess Celestia, brushing the last bit of stone from her mane.

Chapter Twelve - Sol Invicta

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Darkness.

The thing was, contrary to most ponies' expectations, Celestia quite enjoyed the darkness. Which might seem quite an ironic preference, until you remembered that darkness was the realm of her sister. To be wrapped in the dark was the next best thing to giving her sister a hug. It was this thought, thought often and hard, that had been one of the few things to keep her sane during the thousand-year wait for her sister's return.

Out of the darkness came a glimmer of light, after some interminable time waiting in the nothingness. Celestia watched the light, unaware of her surroundings—if there were any at all besides the neverending darkness before her—as it slowly faded.

When the last bit of sunlight had slipped below the horizon, Celestia turned from the window of her office with a sigh.

Where had she left off when the sunset had began? She couldn't quite remember… then again, with the mountains of paperwork on her desk, it didn't really matter. Picking one, she got back to work.

Ah, yes, the manticores. Some of the outlying villages had been having issues with them. Nothing too bad so far, thankfully, but it was only a matter of time before somepony got seriously injured. Unfortunately, she herself couldn't be there to protect her ponies, as much as she'd like to. But finding a way for them to protect themselves was not only the more realistic solution, it helped them to grow and learn on their own, traits she sought to encourage. They would still need her to provide that first guiding push, though, and to keep things running smoothly, so… a guard force for Equestria, perhaps… with a set amount based on village size, adjusted based on where the village was located… funds would have to be set aside for the guards, too, and training schedules made up, requirements for recruitment set…

That last bit of sunlight had long passed, but Celestia remained at work. Equestria depended on her, after all. No one else could help her ponies. She had just started to finalize the first draft for the village guard force when she heard her door open.

"Who is interrupting me?" she asked testily, rising up from the walls of paper around her desk.

"Me, silly!"

Celestia froze, then blinked and shook her head.

In the doorway stood Luna, smiling eagerly.

But also in the doorway stood Twilight Sparkle, a beaming smile on her face.

They didn't stand side-by-side. There was one pony in the doorway. It was Luna, it was definitely Luna… but it was also Twilight. She couldn't seem to separate the two. Looking at one brought the other into focus, but then looking at that one just made the other come into the foreground. She swayed, trying to reconcile the fact that both ponies were one.

"I-I…"

"Did you forget? You said you were going to watch while I create a new constellation tonight!"

"Did you forget? You said we were going to go out for a romantic dinner tonight!"

"Oh… o-of course…"

Celestia pushed back from her desk, starting to slide off the chair onto the floor… then paused. There was a lot of paperwork to take care of still. Her kingdom, her ponies, they were all depending on her. She looked at the pony—ponies—in the doorway, then at the mounds of paper. After a moment, she dropped her head and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Lu—Twili—I'm sorry. But I don't think I can make it out tonight." She waved a hoof around the office. "I'm just so busy…"

Both ponies' ears drooped, disappointment clear on their faces, but they still smiled.

"That's okay. I understand. Another night, maybe?" With a smile at Celestia's nod, she/they departed.

This was the right choice, Celestia decided, pulling herself back up to her desk. When she needed to eat, she could just order food to be brought up to her here in her office. And when she had time, she could go and see Luna's new constellation. It was stars in the sky, it wasn't going anywhere. Neither was Twilight.

And, especially, neither was this paperwork, nor her duty to Equestria.

There were bills to sign into law, treaties to sign, diplomats to woo, parties and galas and balls to attend. And she'd have to do all of that year after year, as her kingdom grew around her and new ponies replaced the ones she had known. It was a never ending cycle, but it was one she was glad to be a part of, because she knew how much it meant to those she cared most about: her subjects, her little ponies.

Along with everything repeating itself came a kind of blurring, a loss of focus on exactly what she was doing at one time. When every day was the same, you tended to lose track of exactly which day was which and how many had passed. But, once again, she found herself behind her desk and in front of a mountain of papers, folders and binders.

With a sigh, she got to work. This time the subject was the amount of crops to plant. Bemusedly, Celestia recalled a time when she did not know about crop rotation, soil exhaustion, irrigation techniques, calorie density vs harvest yield, and so many of the other aspects of farming she had picked up over the centuries. At this point, she could be a farmer herself!

A knock came at her door again. She looked up, grimacing as her vision doubled once more. The pony that was both Twilight and Luna stood at the entrance to her office, looking at her expectantly.

"Oh, yes, hello…um... Hello. It's wonderful to see you."

"I'm surprised you can see me, with all this mess blocking the way." Twilight/Luna sauntered a few steps into the room, peeking at a bit of the paperwork. "How did you even get all of this up here? You should really let me handle some of it. It would give us more time to spend together."

"Yes, I know I'm overworked, but… I need to do this. It's my duty." She gave a sigh. "I know you could work on it as well, but this is for me to deal with."

"Well, not today!" declared the dual pony. "Come on, let's go do something fun! You need a break. We can walk in the gardens, or go see a play… or just sit in the library. We used to have so much fun discussing literature before… before all this happened."

"Well, a break would be nice…" Celestia started to move away from her desk, but then stopped. Something was tugging her back. For a moment, it felt like a chain attached to her peytral; she could almost hear its rattle. She looked at her desk, then back to Twilight/Luna. Already she could see the disapproval on those ponies' faces… she looked to her desk once more, and dropped her head.

"I-I'm sorry, but—"

"It's okay, Celestia." Twilight/Luna seemed disappointed, but not surprised. "I know how important Equestria is to you."

Celestia turned back to her desk, hearing the slow clopping as the ponies walked out, along with a last few words.

"Sometimes I think that's the only thing that's important to you."

She walked back to her seat slowly, jerkily. Part of her resisted the pull of her duty… but most of her welcomed it, settling into its cold, comforting embrace the same way she settled down into her well-worn chair and got back to work.

What had they meant by that? Of course Equestria was important to her. It was her kingdom! She was the Princess! What could possibly mean more to her than leading her people to prosperity and happiness?

Nothing. Nothing was more important than Equestria. Not her, not her happiness, not any one, or two, or three ponies. The kingdom and her duty mattered, and that was all. She would sacrifice herself, her very soul, for the good of Equestria. She would give everything she had and more for her duty.

And what was more of a sacrifice than working on the tax code? She dove into it, swimming through regulations so dense they could serve as building foundations, following webs of loopholes to their conclusion and closing them off. Taxi services could make money by not working? Not anymore! A bushel of apples being taxed so highly it was actually cheaper to import them from Griffonstone? Now there's a tax credit for growing apples instead!

That was just the tip of the iceberg, too. The marginal tax rate system in place for Equestria was so complex she was in the middle of calculating the derivative of a curve before she realized what a mess it was, and scrapped the whole thing to start over. The tax collection agency was a flaming disaster as well, rife with inefficiency and corruption, and that all had to be reformed before any meaningful progress could be made. And that led her to overhauling the postal system, along with the entire bureaucracy of the public services…

It was hard, grueling work. She'd said she would sacrifice her soul for Equestria, and working with the tax system made her feel like she was. But it was worth it. Because Equestria was better now.

She was haggard, eyes drooping, mane a mess, and still working at her desk when the door opened again.

"Why do you keep ignoring me?" growled/pled the pony who marched into her office.

"Luna? Twilight? W-what do you mean?" she asked blearily, pushing herself up with one hoof.

"I'm your sister! I'm a Princess too, and I deserve to rule Equestria as well!"

"I'm your marefriend! I know we're Princesses, but we're supposed to make time for each other!"

"I-I know, but…" Celestia trailed off, jaw clamped tight.

Didn't they understand? Celestia was the Princess! Yes, Luna was a Princess too, yes, Twilight was in a relationship with her, but Equestria was what mattered here. Celestia had to lead Equestria, had to be there for her ponies! As much as she might like to foist the responsibility off on her sister, as much as she might like to spend time with ponies she loved, she couldn't. Not while Equestria needed her.

"This is what's for the best," she said finally. An icy demeanor overtook her, and she stood, her earlier tiredness forgotten. "I know you want to do more, I know you want to spend more time together, but Equestria comes first. Period. And right now, that means I spend my time guiding it in the right direction. Maybe later…"

"Later when?!" demanded the superimposed ponies. "You've been the one in charge for centuries! There's always going to be more to do, so let me help!"

"I said I am what's best for Equestria!" declared Celestia, stamping a hoof. "Letting other ponies do my job would be shirking my duties! And you both have enough to do with ruling Equestria as it is. I would suggest you remember that."

Twilight/Luna glowered at her, anger and disappointment in their eyes. Finally, with a huff, they turned away.

"Fine," they said, and were gone.

Something was wrong. There was a hole in Celestia's chest, something missing, and she didn't know what it was. So she did the only thing she could do: she went back to work.

Late nights became a thing of the past, because when all nights are late they stop being late and start being the norm. Her hoof ached from holding her quill, so she switched to her horn, and when that started to hurt as well she switched back, alternating between the two every week or so. All her meals were taken at her desk, whatever they were; she'd stopped noticing what she was eating or how it tasted long ago, just fueling up so she could keep going.

And go she did. Bills flew off her desk, treaties were made, government departments forged, consolidated, merged and disbanded. Land ownership disputes in downtown Canterlot? She was on it. A museum opening in Baltimare? She attended it with a smile plastered on her face, and was back at her desk signing royal guard travel expense reports by that evening. Equestria flourished and grew like a beautiful flower, which she could only admire in passing as she worked to keep it healthy.

On and on and on it went, and then her door opened one more time.

"I think it's pretty clear things can't go on like this," Twilight/Luna said quietly/hissed angrily.

"W-what do you mean?" Celestia pushed herself away from her desk in… she didn't even know how long. Her steps were unsteady, like a newborn foal walking for the first time, as she tried to remember how her limbs worked.

"It's obvious there can only be one Princess in Equestria!" declared Luna.

"It's obvious you aren't committed to this relationship at all," sighed Twilight closing her eyes.

"No… no, wait…" Celestia held out one hoof imploringly.

"And that Princess shall be ME!"

"So I'm done. I'm leaving you, Celestia."

Luna disappeared into a sphere of darkness that burst, revealing Nightmare Moon. Twilight turned slowly and began to walk down the hall.

Celestia stumbled, body shaking, as she tried to back away from Nightmare Moon and follow after Twilight at the same time. Didn't they understand how important Equestria was? She'd thought they had… but it was clear Luna cared more about herself and her prestige than her duty. And Twilight seemed to think Celestia and romance came first. What a waste.

"Then you leave me no choice but to use these, sister," said Celestia, rearing up and summoning the Elements of Harmony to herself.

"If that's the way you feel, then there's no other choice," said Celestia, one hoof on the door frame as she watched Twilight walk away.

Nightmare Moon let out one last scream of defiance as the Elements blasted her into the sky and locked her into the moon, not to return for one thousand years.

The door slammed behind Twilight as she left the anteroom to Celestia's office, never to return again.

And Celestia…

Sat back down behind her desk. There was work to do, and it was clear she was the only pony up to the task. The others lacked her attentiveness, her dedication to duty. They thought only of themselves, and their own selfish desires for recognition and love. What fools. She was better than that, stronger than that. Because she did everything for one reason and one reason only.

For Equestria.

She got to work, papers flying, quills being worn down to nubs, ink being used by the gallon. Towering structures of paperwork formed government departments, which were torn down and reconstructed as better solutions provided themselves. Equestrian citizens prospered and grew happier, she just knew it, as their kingdom became more and more efficient and well run.

For Equestria.

The ponies needed to see their Princess as well, however. She made sure to go out among her citizens, asking them their needs, letting them know she was there for them. It took a toll on her, of course. Even an immortal alicorn needed to eat and sleep, and her work left little time for that. Slowly, she became more and more weary, though she never let that show.

For Equestria.

The paperwork never stopped. She went through reams of paper, entire forests being felled to feed the insatiable papervore that was Equestria's bureaucracy. It never mattered, though. She might move a mountain of paper from her office, but two mountains would just spring up after it. Still she worked, pushing that boulder of paper up the hill day after day.

For Equestria.

Her hooves… hurt?

Physical sensation had been dulled for her for so long that it took her days to simply register the pain. She put down her quill, a new throb of pain traveling up her foreleg as she released it, and looked at the bottom of her hoof. It was raw and red, an indentation marking where she had been holding the quill, and the sole was soft and dry.

She raised her head, gaze traveling around the room. Paperwork, as usual, lined every available surface. She had filled out so many forms, signed so many documents… and they still kept coming. No matter how hard she worked, no matter how many meals she skipped, it would never go away.

Was this all she had to show for working herself to the bone? More work, a never ending torrent beating her down day after day?

No more… no more. She just couldn't stand any more, she needed a break, even if it was only for the barest second. She pushed herself back from the desk, rising on sore hooves, and stepped away.

Then she turned back, as the sound of writing resumed.

In horror, she watched as her body continued to work on the bills and contracts and treaties piled up around it. Its hooves moved smoothly, mechanically. On its face was plastered a wide smile. And with every piece of paperwork it finished it said the same thing.

"For Equestria!"

Celestia held up a shaking hoof in front of her face. It was dim, faintly translucent. She swung it at a pile of papers, and watched with no surprise as it passed right through.

"For Equestria!"

She gritted her teeth as her body kept repeating that damn phrase over and over again. She marched up to it and tried to push it out of the chair, finding that it, at least, was actually solid to her touch. But it resisted her efforts to move it from its seat, staying in place like a rock and signing page after page.

Celestia sat back, staring at her body. Well, she'd always said she would do it, and it would seem she now had. She'd given up her soul for Equestria.

Her body got up eventually, and with nothing else to do, Celestia followed behind as it went about its day, meeting with all the various officials and important ponies Celestia always met with. It said nothing except "For Equestria!", but nopony seemed to mind. If anything, simply hearing those words from what they thought was Celestia seemed to solve all their problems.

"For Equestria! For Equestria! For Equestria!"

It was tireless, marching across Canterlot and back again, spouting that phrase nonstop, taking care of all the ponies it met along the way. It never stopped, moving on to the next problem as soon as one was solved without a break for food or sleep or entertainment. Even when there was nothing left to do it went to the throne room, climbing onto the seat and sitting there with the same vapid smile on its face, and waited for more work while Celestia paced back and forth in front of it.

"For Equestria! For Equestria! For Equestria! For Equestria! For Equestria! For Equestria! For Equestria! For—"

"WILL YOU SHUT UP?!" Celestia screamed finally, grabbing her body by the shoulders, tears clouding her eyes as she shook it. "Just… just stop! For one second, please, please, just—"

Her shaking caused her body to overbalance, and it fell, striking the steps leading up to the throne and shattering like porcelain. Most of her body came to rest as unrecognizable chunks, aside from a hoof there and a wingtip there and over there—

Oh my, I've never seen that from this angle before. Celestia turned her head from side to side as she inspected the sight before her, reaching out with one hoof to touch it gently. I don't see why everyone makes such a big deal out of the size of the thing. It's perfectly shapely, after all. And plenty of stallions—and mare's—like it when it's big anyway.

She looked up from the broken-off horn at the sound of her own voice. The rest of her copy's head had stayed in one piece, rolling to the bottom of the stairs and landing upright to stare back at her.

"For Equestria," it said, voice hoarse. "For… Eques…"

It fell silent, and after a moment Celestia approached it, breath harsh and tight in her chest. She bent down to inspect it, and recoiled as she caught sight of her reflection in its eyes.

A crown more akin to a helmet sat upon her head, her eyes blood red and burning bright, and her mane was a wild stream of fire. In the bare second she had when she gasped, she caught sight of sharpened teeth.

After getting her breathing back under control, she cautiously bent down once more, turning her head this way and that to get a better look.

"Could be worse," she muttered. "I look better than Nightmare, at least."

"But is that truely the pony you wish to be?" boomed out a voice, and Celestia scrambled to her hooves before falling back onto the stairs.

The throne room doors had opened, letting a fog seep in that obscured the hall beyond. Deep in the fog, barely seen, a figure lurked, huge beyond measure.

"W-who are you? What do you mean?" asked Celestia.

"You've always said you would give up your soul for Equestria, give up everything you are. If you did that… what would be left of you but a monster?"

"That's not right!" Celestia protested. "I'd give it up for Equestria! For the good of everypony! Why would that make me a monster?!"

"Because you're forgetting about one very important pony: you. How can you take care of others if you can't take care of yourself? How can you lead your ponies properly if you work yourself to the bone? Equestria is important… but so are you."

"I have to do that! If I stop, if I don't make everything perfect, that means I've failed my ponies!"

A gentle chuckle drifted out of the fog. "Not everything can be perfect, Celestia. Taking a vacation every now and then won't cause Canterlot to fall off the mountain. Besides, don't you always say you'd rather teach your ponies to fend for themselves?"

"I do, but... but…" Celestia scuffed a hoof at the ground. "But they need me."

"Indeed they do. But they need you as a leader, as guidance. Not as the sole arbiter of every decision they have to make."

Celestia stared at the ground, head low, then looked up. "Who are you to tell me what to do?" she demanded. "I am Princess Celestia. I rule Equestria, I protect its citizens. I've defeated countless threats to their safety, and wielded the Elements of Harmony. In all the world, there is no one who represents peace and harmony more than I."

"That's funny."

The figure moved forward, out of the fog, and Celestia retreated up the stairs to her throne, mouth falling open. Standing in the doorway to the throne room was… herself. This Celestia was as tall as a building, her horn scraping the ceiling of the vaulted throne room, and she glowed with a gentle light. She took a few steps forward and stopped, raising her head to peer down at Celestia with an impish grin on her face.

"You know. Considering."

"I… I…" Celestia fell down onto her haunches. "You're… me?"

"I'm the you that touched the Elements of Harmony, and is still connected to them and the Tree by a thread. The you that you wish to be, and that your subjects see you as."

Celestia looked up at her towering doppelganger, who shone with perfection, grace, and all-around goodness.

"They… see me like you?" A thought struck her. "Is that how Twilight sees me too?"

Uber-Celestia chuckled. "If I showed you how she sees you, even you would go blind from how brightly you shine."

"Why are you doing this to me?" Celestia asked, after taking a moment to digest that bit of information. "I needed that Element to free my sister, Twilight, and the others. And I am harmonious! Look at everything I've done. I've brought peace and safety to a land that was once filled with monsters and demons. I've done my best to remove every bit of chaos from the lives of my people I can. And you're telling me that isn't enough harmony to be acceptable? How much more order do I need to bring to Equestria?!"

"Order is… a strange goal to strive for. Particularly if you want to make a world of complete order. Can you imagine anything more boring than that? Nothing ever changing, everything the same day after day? Sometimes, well, you just need to let things go and sit back to see what happens."

"This is ridiculous," declared Celestia. "You're claiming to be an actual living embodiment of harmony, and you're telling me to… to… to not seek safety and security and order for my ponies? To just shirk my duties and let whatever happens just… happen?"

"Exactly." Uber-Celestia smiled. "Maybe you've forgotten what harmony means. It's not about 'goodness' or 'order' or any such nonsense like that. It's about many things, with all kinds of different qualities, coming together to form something greater than their sum. For harmony, you need order and discord—"

"'Be a hell of a lot more harmony without at least one Discord I can think of," muttered Celestia, but was ignored.

"—and you need night and day. Something which you've already learned once."

"So, you're telling me… to be selfish?"

Uber-Celestia laughed and clapped her hooves excitedly. "You got it! Now, I'm not saying you need to take those bits you have stashed in that secret anonymous account and head off to the Bridle Islands like you always fantasize about, but there's nothing wrong with taking a bit of time for yourself every once in a while."

"How do you know about—! Oh, right."

Uber-Celestia motioned with her head, and the two moved forward side by side, the throne room dissolving around them until they were left walking in a featureless void.

"It's just such a foreign concept to me. I need to help my ponies, make their lives better. How can I do that if I'm being selfish?" wondered Celestia.

"Again, I'm not saying you should build yourself a palace of gold, have servants fanning you with palm fronds and feeding you grapes, and reopen the harem with a mandatory service of two years for every pony in Equestria when they turn eighteen. Nothing like that.

"But you can be a little bit selfish. Take some time for yourself! Be lazy every once in a while. You were making good progress after you finally noticed you had feelings for Twilight, but the simple realization that you were doing something for yourself rather than the good of Equestria started to make you decide to throw away what could be the best thing in your life. You were on the verge of losing yourself. That's why the Tree decided to intervene the way it did. And trust me, it was a whole mess—turning all those good ponies to stone, freeing Nightmare Moon, making sure you found all those vessels that were scattered around Equestria..."

"Just… take a day off?" Celestia chewed her lip in nervousness. "But what if something happens? What if my ponies need me? If I'm not there—"

"Someone else will be," soothed Uber-Celestia. "You have so many choices to take your place now. Twilight, Luna, Chrysalis, Cadance—"

"Hold up. Are you actually telling me to let Queen Chrysalis have sole control of Equestria while I'm off on a beach somewhere?"

"You might be surprised to find how she can act when she cares about something. She did invade Equestria and go one-on-one against you even when she didn't believe she could win, all for her hive."

Uber-Celestia gave a snort and rolled her eyes. "But, I mean… keep an eye on her, you know? Otherwise you're liable to come back from vacation and either find the locks to the palace have been changed, or else find that the Griffin Empire has become part of Equestria."

They walked in silence, covering quite some distance (as far as something like that could be measured in a featureless void) and finally Celestia sighed.

"Okay. I'll… I'll give it a shot."

"That's all I ask," replied Uber-Celestia, a warm smile on her face. "And as for our little Twilight Sparkle…?"

"Nothing will stop me from pursuing a relationship with her," said Celestia, raising her chin, determination in her eyes. "She means so much to me, and I want more."

"'You' want it." Uber-Celestia nodded approvingly. "Making progress already, I see."

"If anything will help me make progress on this, it's her." Celestia let her head drop. "You showed me what will happen if I don't."

"I only showed you what would probably happen," Uber-Celestia said gently, placing a hoof on Celestia that was probably meant to rest on her shoulder but instead lay across her entire back. "Even the Tree of Harmony can't see the future."

With a wave of her horn, Uber-Celestia opened a rectangular door in the nothing. Bright light flooded in, revealing the desert of the Badlands and Nightmare Moon fighting with Daybreaker in the sky.

"So she is real," said Celestia, then glanced down at herself to see that her usual regalia had reappeared.

"Yes, and she has the final Element vessel you need. I think you know how to deal with her, though."

Celestia stared out the doorway as an unseen force began to pull her towards it, then nodded. "Yes, I do. And I know exactly how I'm going to deal with Nightmare Moon after all this is over, too."

"You should be more lenient with her," Uber-Celestia admonished, with a disapproving cluck. "What she did was terrible beyond measure, but she's changing, even if she might not seem like it. Or even realize it herself. The Tree foresaw something like this could happen, and that's why it saw fit to give her a body of her own. Even she deserves forgiveness, and a second chance."

"Oh noooooo, I didn't hear what you just said because I'm being drawn back into the real world!" cried out Celestia from the doorway. "Goodbyyyyyee!"

Uber-Celestia sighed and shook her head as the door closed.

"Well. I guess that can be a lesson for another day."

Shining Armor gulped, looking up to where Daybreaker hovered above him.

She cut off with a squawk as, once again, a beam of magic blasted her from the sky. The difference was, this time, the beam shone with a soft golden light.

Holding his breath, biting his lip, not daring to hope, Shining Armor slowly turned.

"I think you need to take a little break," said Princess Celestia, brushing the last bit of stone from her mane.

She trotted across the desert ground, checking Shining Armor over and making sure he was still all in one piece. Then she shifted her gaze, scanning the nearby area. Her lips tightened when she saw Nightmare still collapsed on the sand, but her eyes kept moving, finally coming back to rest on Shining Armor.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"A little tired, and a bit banged up, but nothing serious," he said with a nod.

"Good. And… Ka-klack…?"

Shining Armor lowered his eyes. "I'm sorry, Celestia, but… he's gone. He sacrificed himself trying to save us."

Celestia dropped her head, breath harsh and fast. Shining Armor stayed silent, and eventually she looked up again, her jaw tight and eyes hard.

"He was a good friend, in the end," she said gently. "I won't forget him. And… I think I've been misjudging the changelings. If they can produce someone as wonderful as him, then they're definitely worthy of being our allies. Once we've freed Chrysalis and the others, I'll welcome her and her hive into Equestria with open hooves. It's the least we can do to honor Ka-klack's memory."

They both bowed their heads, standing in silence. And then there was an explosion.

Daybreaker rocketed back into the sky on a trail of flame, seething and grinding her teeth, a large scorch mark on her chestplate.

"I am really not having a good day," she ground out between her clenched fangs. "Get up here, Celestia, so I can fix that by killing you."

"Ah." Celestia looked over at Shining Armor. "Would you excuse me? I have to take care of this real quick."

She burst off the ground in a cloud of feathers, meeting Daybreaker's attack halfway with one of her own. The two beams clashed in a massive flare, light and heat exploding outwards in a plume of excess power.

Shining Armor winced and shielded himself again as sparks poured down from above. Embers spun through the air as Celestia and Daybreaker fought for dominance, pushing the meeting point of their beams back and forth. The sheer power being put out caused fierce winds to spring up, whipping the embers about in a vortex.

Hearing a moan, Shining Armor looked over. Nightmare Moon lay on her side, twitching slightly as the embers rained down upon her. After staring at her for a moment, he moved over, bringing her under his shield.

"Thank… you…" came her voice faintly.

"Don't mention it," said Shining Armor quietly. "After everything you've done today…" He trailed off, not needing to finish that statement.

Up above, Daybreaker suddenly broke off her attack. She swept herself to the side, Celestia's beam nearly grazing her back, and exploded into a plume of fire. The flames rushed about, reforming into nearly a dozen copies of Daybreaker englobing Celestia. As one, they launched a volley of fireballs.

Celestia threw herself into a spin, flipping and twisting through the firestorm of attacks. Her horn began to fire in all directions as she spun, striking Daybreaker after Daybreaker. As they were hit, they burst apart, merging back into one. That one flapped in the air, panting and growling, as Celestia steadied herself and turned to face her once again.

"Above you!" Shining Armor called out, and Celestia jerked her head upwards.

The last Daybreaker copy was diving towards her, head lowered and one hoof out in front. With a snarl and a grin, the other Daybreaker turned into a torrent of fire and merged with the diving Daybreaker, who burst into flame and gave one last vicious flap of her wings.

Celestia looked up at the oncoming Daybreaker and simply tilted back, spreading her forelegs wide.

They crashed together in an explosion that knocked Shining Armor, even under his shield, off his hooves. Celestia caught Daybreaker, wrapping her hooves around the snarling alicorn, and together they plummeted to the ground as a fiery meteor.

The impact when they hit was almost anticlimactic compared to the rest of the fireworks of that day. Dirt and rock blasted up in a fountain of debris that rained back down, pinging off Shining Armor's shield. As the shower stopped, Shining Armor stepped forward hesitantly, trying to see through the fading cloud of dust that obscured the impact crater.

At its bottom lay Princess Celestia, on her back. On top of her was Daybreaker, with Celestia's hooves still wrapped around her. Daybreaker had her face buried in Celestia's chest, as she wept.

"I-I'm just so tired," Daybreaker sobbed, voice shaking.

"I know, I know," soothed Celestia, gently patting Daybreaker's back with one hoof. "I'm so, so sorry. I put Equestria over everything else in our lives. It's important, being Equestria's leader… but it can't be the only thing we are."

"T-There were… t-there were so many meetings, and they never accomplished anything. And we had to sign papers everyday, for hours, and make all that fluff talk with foreign dignitaries, and-and-and—"

"Shhhh." Celestia gave Daybreaker a squeeze. "There's going to be a lot less of that. We can let Luna, and Cadance and Twilight and even Chrysalis, take the load off us. We'll take vacations, too. Real, honest-to-goodness vacations. And… spend time with Twilight."

Daybreaker kept her face up against Celestia's chest, shaking, and then finally raised her head to meet Celestia's eyes with her tearstained ones. "Do you promise?" she asked, voice hoarse.

"I promise with all my heart."

Sniffing, Daybreaker held her gaze, then let her eyes close. "Okay," she said softly.

They embraced, a white glow enveloping their bodies. When it faded, Celestia was pushing herself off the ground. Daybreaker was gone, but the Element from her chestpiece remained, held in Celestia's hoof.

"You did it," breathed Shining Armor softly, as Celestia climbed the slope of the crater. "You actually did it!"

"Yes." Celestia bowed her head, closing her eyes. "I just wish… I'd realized some things sooner. Many, many things. There's so much trouble we could have avoided, and so much loss that could have been prevented. But, at least, we have what we came for. Now we can finally free the others."

"Hooraaaaaay," croaked Nightmare Moon, hobbling over. Her body was mostly back in one piece, though parts of it were still ethereal and misty.

Celestia shot her a glare, turning away to face Shining Armor.

"We should head for the Tree as fast as possible," she said, holding up the Element to inspect its nearly translucent surface. "It will lend us a portion of its power, enough to do what needs to be done.

"And then we can finally put all this behind us. It's been rough, and Ka-klack had to pay a high price—" there was an amused snort from Nightmare "—but we got through it. We'll save Luna, Twilight, Cadance, and Chrysalis, just like he would have wanted. We'll make sure no one ever forgets his sacrifice."

Nightmare Moon snickered, and Celestia turned on her in fury.

"Is there something funny about that?" she snarled, horn crackling with magic. "Ka-klack gave his life for us. For you. He died protecting everyone in Equestria, and you think that's funny?!"

"You-you mean you don't… you actually think…" Nightmare burst into laughter, parts of her body wavering as she lost her concentration and they started becoming less real. "Oh! Oh, yes, I think that's hilarious!"

Celestia seethed as Nightmare Moon laughed, clenching her teeth and tensing up her muscles, getting ready to charge the dark alicorn. But, with a deep, shuddering breath she managed to hold herself back, thanks to one thought.

"Well, laugh it up then," she said. "I hope you're enjoying yourself now, while you still can." Celestia held the Element up before her face, viewing Nightmare Moon through its surface, and smiled.

"In the meantime, let's go home."

Author's Notes:

Fun fact:

Originally, as I may have mentioned, Daybreaker was actually Nightmare Star—evil Celestia from the trading card game, before Daybreaker came along. And to be honest, it's tough to choose between the two, but Daybreaker looks more like Nightmare Moon so I went with her. Plus she's 'canon'.

Also originally, Nightmare Star was supposed to stay separate and become a character, like Nightmare. Oh, and the two were going to fall in love.

That was back in the planning stages, when Nightmare was all nice and sweet. When I went with the more traditional Nightmare Moon, that relationship didn't make sense anymore, so Celestia and Daybreaker ended up forgiving each other and becoming one again.

Besides, I have a much more interesting relationship in mind for Nightmare.

Chapter Thirteen - A Dream Comes True, Redux

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The red-eye clacked on towards Ponyville and points beyond, gliding lazily but steadily along the tracks. Aside from a bare staff, most of the ponies on board had long ago bedded down in the sleeper cars, sleeping through the night until the train reached its destination.

Most of them.

A shadow slid silently into one of the rooms, carefully skirting the magical wards that had been placed around its door. Inside, it paused for a moment, inspecting the surroundings. The room was lavishly appointed, but not to an extreme, with thick plush carpet and well polished hardwood accents. A unicorn and a pegasus slept in bunks on opposite sides of the room, one of them snoring rather noticeably—the female, the shadow noted with a snicker to itself.

There were closets on either side of the room as well. Both had similar protection spells as the door to the room, but only one of them glowed so brightly that the shadow flinched away. It slid a bit closer after a moment, carefully studying the closet… then moved to the less protected one.

You can have your own room, Nightmare. Look at all the protections on this closet, Nightmare, thought Nightmare Moon as she sized up the closet before her, and snickered to herself again. You were always so predictable, Celestia. These protections were still powerful in their own right, a complex layering of wards and alarms that would require skill and delicacy to thread through.

Except Celestia had apparently forgotten that Nightmare had gained all of the powers of Princess of the Night when Luna had been turned to stone. There was plenty of darkness and shadows among the cracks in the walls and floorboards for Nightmare to ooze her way inside the closet without ever coming close to its protections.

She slid the upper part of her body out of the shadowy puddle, grinning as she reached out with a hoof and pulled the heavy case that rested on the floor of the closet towards herself. Glass clinked as it moved, its contents bumping against each other.

Not one to take things for granted, she carefully opened the pack, inspecting what was inside. The Element Vessels gleamed, the darkness of the closet as bright as day to Nightmare Moon, and her grin widened.

As she moved to close the case, the gems shifted once again. There was another clinking sound as one of the Elements fell against her hoof… and that was all.

Nightmare blinked, staring at the Elements with wide eyes. She lifted her hoof, causing the Element to move slightly, but otherwise there was no reaction at all. One by one, she touched all the Elements, finally giving the gem that represent the Element of Magic a long stroke that was almost a caress.

Taking her hoof back out of the case, she stared at the Elements for a long, long time.

Finally, she closed the case, carefully moved it back to its original position, and slipped back through the shadows into her own cabin.

"—and while I don't know what your troops look like, I assume they're all big and scary and mean."

Fluttershy let out a little gulp, but continued. "But the Yaks are really big too, and really hard to stop, and I don't think they'd like it if we got invaded. We're friends, and they'd come to defend us, and they'd probably go through your infantry like bulls in a china shop. Even though bulls are actually really gentle souls most of the time and I don't think they'd do anything to hurt all that poor, defenseless china. But, um, it's a saying that emphasizes how much damage they can do.

"I suppose you could always stay up in those airships you say you have, and the yaks couldn't reach you there. But we're friends with the dragons, and the griffins, and even the changelings now, along with our own pegasi and batpony forces, and, oh! The things they would do to you up there! I-I don't even want to think about it, but if you attacked us, well, we wouldn't really have any other choice except to send them…"

A blue blur passed by the frosted-glass conference room doors, then zipped back, and Rainbow Dash stuck her head in. Her Rainbow-Powered mane seemed more under control now, done up in a thick braid, but zooming about Canterlot Castle was making the bands holding it in place work overtime.

"Yo, Fluttershy!" she called out urgently. "Come on, we need to go! We've got a, um, 'code stone free', if you catch my drift!"

She flew away again, and Fluttershy turned back to the foreign delegation she'd been addressing.

"Oh my! Sorry about this, b-but I really have to go. Please, think about what I said. And feel free to help yourself to any of the refreshments before you leave. Thank you, it was a pleasure meeting you."

With a cheerful smile and wave, Fluttershy trotted from the room.

"So, ya want me ta call in the fleet?" asked Grubber, reaching across the table and pulling an entire tin of pie towards himself.

"Are you insane?!" cried Tempest Shadow, turning towards him with her mouth gaping. "Did you hear what she said they'd do to us? And she's supposed to be the nice one!"

The broken-horned unicorn wrapped her hooves around herself, shivering. "However angry the Storm King gets over our 'failure' here, I'd rather deal with him than anything that pony just described. I'm sure we can find the power he wants somewhere else. Somewhere far, far away."

"You know, I've never actually been here," said Shining Armor in a hushed tone.

The Tree of Harmony sparkled brightly in the dark cave, gentle shafts of light emanating from its branches. The path leading up to its trunk was wide and flat, but still Shining Armor took his time, walking slowly. Celestia could appreciate that; The cave was like a cathedral, tall and empty, seeming to exude a sense of reverence.

"I still remember the first time Luna and I came here," she replied in an equally quiet voice. "We had come seeking a weapon, but what we found was more of a tool that could fix problems. Admittedly, the way it fixed problems tended to be by locking them away for a thousand years until Twilight could deal with them, but it worked."

She walked up to the Tree, Shining Armor having stopped several paces back both out of respect and wariness.

"Are you sure you know what to do?" he asked.

"Of course. The Tree just wants to help us. So the simplest thing we can do… is ask."

She opened the case, lifting the six Element vessels in her magic. Holding them in front of herself, she took a step towards the tree and raised her voice.

"Please help us," she called out. "I know you know what happened, and what we went through to retrieve these artifacts. So please… please help us."

A gentle, musical hum filled the cavern, as the Tree's glow intensified. The six gemstones on the Tree flashed once, then began to blink faster and faster. One by one, each shot out a beam of light, striking an Element and sending colored light spilling across the cavern. Finally, the last gem on the Tree, the one shaped like Twilight's Cutie Mark, fired a beam into the central gemstone. There was one last high pitched note from the Tree, and light filled the cavern.

When it faded, each of the Elements in front of Celestia held a small ball of colored light that pulsed slowly. Celestia looked down at the gems and smiled, then began to pack them away again in the case.

"Thank you," she said softly. The Tree seemed to sparkle brighter for a moment, and with a nod of her head Celestia turned away.

"That's all?" asked Shining Armor, joining her by her side as she walked back along the path.

"That's all," confirmed Celestia. "The Tree only lends us its power. Using it is up to us."

They emerged from the cave, seeing Nightmare Moon up on the edge of the canyon, sitting and waiting patiently. She had, most likely wisely, decided that was as close as she should get to the Tree of Harmony.

Celestia looked up at her and smiled widely. "So, come on. Let's go use it."

"You're still thinking of using the Elements on Nightmare, aren't you?" asked Shining Armor, refusing to follow as Celestia took a step along the path towards the cliff.

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean, Celestia, and you know I've changed my mind." Shining Armor took a step closer. "She saved us, Celestia. She put everything she was at risk to protect Equestria. If she hadn't, it would have been gone by the time you came back."

"And so… what? That absolves her for everything she did to me? Everything she did and tried to do to Equestria?" Celestia took a step towards him as well, towering over him."And how does it stop her from doing what she wants to do to me and my sister, and Equestria?"

"It doesn't," replied Shining Armor quietly. "But… it should give her another chance. A chance to be better, the way she proved she can be when she protected us."

"Explain how giving her that chance will stop her from destroying everything you and I have both sworn to protect, Captain. Because that's what you want to risk."

"It will stop her the same way Luna's love will stop Queen Chrysalis trying to destroy my life again," snarled Shining Armor, his ferocity making Celestia take a step back. "Do you think I really trust her? Do you think I want that… that monster marrying a Princess of Equestria and becoming part of our family?

"Because I don't… but I'm willing to give her a chance."

Celestia glared down at him with all of her Princessly fury, but he was resolute, his face stone. Finally, she let out a snort.

"I refuse to give her another chance," she said, turning her furious gaze to the canyon edge where Nightmare sat far above them. "But what we're doing here is too important to risk wasting the Elements on a distraction. So freeing our family will be my first priority. After that… I'll do things my own way."

There was a sigh from behind her.

"I thought you'd say that. I suppose it's too much to ask you to forgive her already. Especially with the way she's been acting. But hopefully, I can change your mind."

"You're welcome to try," replied Celestia curtly, and they began making their way up the path.

"Oh, yeah, nobody help me," grunted Spike, pushing the handcart forward. On it lay the stone form of Cadance, unceremoniously resting face down. There had been some objections to that undignified position, but it had proved to be the most stable position for transporting her. "It's not like I'm just a small dragon trying to push around Princesses and Queens. This is no trouble at all for me."

He went ignored by the ponies gathered in front of Twilight's castle, as they admired the Elements Celestia had brought out to display.

"They're so lovely," cooed Rarity, watching the small balls of light inside each Element pulse and glow. "I wish I could incorporate something like that into one of my dresses."

"HuuuuuunnNNNHH!" Pinkie let out a loud gasp, vibrating in excitement despite the large bags under her eyes that several sleepless days and nights of nonstop Rainbow-Powered partying had left. "That would be great! And it gives me a great idea for party decorations!"

For a moment, she flickered. "I was right! They were amazing!"

"You're sure we can trust these things?" Applejack gave one a tap with her hoof. Its glow brightened briefly, and it let out a sound like a chime. "I mean, Tree of Harmony and all, I get it, but you did get them from a changeling hive."

Her eyes narrowed, and she stared daggers at the statue of Chrysalis. "And I know what them critters can be like, let me tell you."

"Yes, I'm sure of it. Among other things, we… we lost Ka-klack retrieving these." Celestia bowed her head briefly. "I have complete faith in the changelings, and in these Elements."

"Ah." Applejack coughed and shuffled nervously. "I'm sorry. I didn't… I didn't know."

"The poor little thing," sniffed Fluttershy, tears running down her face.

"What color balloons do you think he wants for his 'Thank you for dying for us' party?" asked Pinkie excitedly. "Ooh, we should tell Chrysalis to have him come back pink! I have some yellow and blue balloons that would go great with pink, plus then we'd match!"

"Pinkie Pie, what are you…" Celestia started to say, brow furrowed in confusion as she attempted the perilous task of following Pinkie's thoughts.

"I knew I should have gone with," said Rainbow Dash mournfully from her other side. "If I'd been there—"

"If you'd been there, you'd be a pile of ash, along with that little bug," interrupted Nightmare Moon gleefully, sliding up to the group. They glared at her, and she smiled back. "But don't worry, you might still get the chance if you try to get between those two."

She gestured at the tableau Spike was finishing setting up in front of the castle. He'd managed to get all the statues out and upright, even putting them in the positions they'd originally been in—which put Twilight and Chrysalis at each other's throats.

"Sparkle is going to fry that big bug when she gets free. Or maybe the bug will blast her. Either way, should be fun to watch!"

"Hmm. Good point," admitted Celestia grudgingly. "Oh Spike! Would you mind moving the statues? Put them far apart. And not facing each other, either. Thank you." Angry grumbling and green flames greeted her request, but she'd already turned back to the group.

"Speaking of not trusting ponies…" Applejack let her sentence trail off into an angry silence.

"Oh, come now, Applepony." Nightmare rubbed a hoof on Applejack's head, an action that would have gotten her bucked to the Crystal Empire if her body hadn't simply burst into a shadowy mist upon impact before quickly reforming. "I was the hero of this story! If I hadn't been there, Celestia's version of me would have burned this kingdom to the ground before she got her act together. Isn't that right, dear sister?"

The five ponies turned to Celestia, who looked back with a face full of innocence.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Nightmare Moon."

"What–you–but—" Nightmare glared at her in fury, then suddenly threw her head back with a laugh. "That's more like it! Now you're getting it." She pranced away, to harass Spike as he moved the statues.

"That must have made for a delightful trip," said Rarity dryly.

Celestia sighed. "It was… taxing. But we found these Elements. And they took care of her twice before, so hopefully third time's the charm."

"Speaking of that, how do we turn these things on?" Rainbow Dash began poking one of the Elements repeatedly, causing it to respond with a series of chimes that, against all logic, began to sound more and more annoyed. "I mean, usually we just get them together and they go."

"I'm… not sure, actually," Celestia said with a frown. "As you said, they normally tend to activate themselves. I'd assumed you five would wield them, perhaps with me as the Element of Magic, but they don't seem to be doing anything."

She glanced around the open field next to Twilight's castle. Spike, sweating, had finally gotten all the statues set up well apart from each other. Now he stood near the group, next to Shining Armor, and was warily eyeing Nightmare Moon as she lounged languidly upon thin air.

Celestia looked back down at where the Elements rested upon the grass. "Okay, all good to go!" she said cheerily. The Elements responded by laying on the ground like several gem-shaped pieces of glass. "Um… please?"

"Ooh! Maybe they need a song?" asked Pinkie excitedly.

"No singing," snapped Nightmare Moon.

"Well… if we did start singing…" Fluttershy ventured.

"No!"

"The Elements only worked when all of us were around, right?" asked Applejack. "And these Elements probably need different ponies to use them, since Twilight's a statue. So maybe whoever supposed to use them just ain't here?"

"Well, I assumed we were the ones who were supposed to use them, or even just me alone as before, and they'd activate when we got them together with the statues," Celestia replied. "But if not us, then who—"

The Elements suddenly shook in place, their glow brightening. One, the largest, leapt up to float in the air before them.

"Ah, there we go!" exclaimed Celestia. "The first is the Element of Magic, and Friendship. And it goes to…"

She trailed off, as the Element shot over their heads. Turning, they followed its flight, watching as it swept down and slowed to start rotating about the black figure that was trotting up the road to the castle.

"It goes to a changeling who maybe learned a few things about friendship," said Ka-klack with a smile. "Sorry I'm late, I was—"

"Ka-klack!" Celestia raced over, sweeping the changeling up in an exoskeletoncrushing hug. The Element, blocked from orbiting Ka-klack, bumped against her shoulder, chiming in annoyance. "You're okay! How… how…"

"The hive never dies, Celestia." He gave her a perplexed look. "You didn't remember that I can just spawn in a new body? Wait, is that why you didn't stop to pick me up in Appleloosa—"

"AHAHAHAHAHA!" Nightmare Moon began rolling around in the grass, chortling whenever she managed to draw enough breath. "H-He was your friend… and… and y-you thought h-he was dead! You all forgot he was as immortal as us… a-and you… you…" She trailed off, only able to pound a hoof on the ground as she giggled hysterically.

"Wow," said Applejack, watching Nightmare's display with a slack jaw.

"That's not funny ha-ha," Pinkie said with a large frown. "That's more like funny awwwww."

"She knew the whole time, didn't she," Celestia growled, her teeth clenched and grinding. Shining Armor gulped, more afraid of Celestia than he was upset at Nightmare, but he nodded.

"I'm going to—" Celestia's voice started to build into a shout, only to be interrupted by Ka-klack.

"Ha!" he said, pointing at Nightmare. "That is rather amusing. Not surprising, considering how much she shares with Luna."

"What—oh. Hello, Chrysalis."

"Hello. I'm glad to see you've found a way to free us, even if you did have to corrupt Ka-klack to get it done. Now—" She stopped with a yelp, as the Element orbiting her borrowed body sent a shock into her flank. "Hey, you're supposed to be helping me! Stop it!"

The Element continued zapping her until she lit up her horn and surrounded it with a bright green orb of energy.

"Hmph. Annoying little things." She turned back to Celestia, the orb shaking violently as more and more sparks struck it. "I'm not sure how much time I have left in the hivemind, so… hey, maybe free my body so I can go back into it? You know, if that's not too much trouble. Please try not to ruin any more of my changelings while you're at it, if you would."

Chrysalis disappeared, along with the sparks, and once again Ka-klack was looking back at her. He gave her an embarrassed smile and shrugged, and she smiled back before turning to face the statues again.

"But… thank you for everything."

Celestia looked back. Ka-klack was blushing a bright green, and his voice had been distinctly feminine.

"And if you ever tell anyone I said that, I'll have three full legions of changelings in Canterlot within the hour."

"Aww," cooed Celestia, making the changeling's cheeks puff out in anger as she let out an angry snort. "Don't worry, I won't. And you know what? I kind of like you too."

That got an angry hiss from the Queen, and Ka-klack reappeared once more. Side by side, they walked back to the gathering of ponies

"Well, we still have the rest of the Elements to hand out," said Celestia brightly, inspecting the gems. "Let's see, next looks to be"

Sparkling light ran along the Elements, flashing in a quickly accelerating sequence. Two, blue and red, flashed brighter than the rest. There was a pause, and then they leapt up into the air, spinning in place slowly. Motes of light fell from them, drifting gently downwards before fading away.

"Ah, the Elements of Laughter and Loyalty," Celestia said as she inspected the gems. "And these go to—hey! NO! Get back here! Don't you dare—!"

Heedless of Celestia's objections, the two Elements swept through the air in a gentle arc. They passed over the heads of Twilight's friends, Shining Armor, and even Spike before coming to a stop. They paused, hovering in the air for a long, drawn out moment, then, slowly, almost hesitantly, they floated down to spin around a wide-eyed Nightmare Moon.

"For… me?"

Nightmare looked at the two Elements that had chosen her, biting her lip. Faintly, she could hear Celestia ranting in the background, but that was unimportant compared to what was right before her. She glanced back and forth between the Elements as they rotated about her, then finally hung her head.

"I can't do this," she said quietly, speaking to the Elements. "You know that. We both want Equestria to prosper and its ponies to be happy, but… our methods are too different. It's possible that, maybe, your way is better... but I'm not going to change my mind."

Soft chiming emanated from the Elements, smooth and calming. It was a kind of music, and she listened to it like it was, her head tilted to one side. Finally, she sighed.

"Alright, well, if you want to stick around me for this then so be it. I do want these ponies freed, so we're on the same side as far as that goes. Afterwards, though… well, let's just say we'll be going our separate ways."

She reached out a hoof. "I accept your offer," she said, trying to shake hooves with one of the elements. For her attempt, she received a shock.

"Hey!" she yelped, drawing her hoof back. "I thought we had a truce here!"

She glared at the Elements, then let out a snort. "I don't care what you think, we're doing this!"

She slammed her hoof onto the blue Element. It buzzed angrily and sent so much electricity into her that her mane lit up, but she kept it there nonetheless.

"Ha!" she shouted in triumph, the stars in her mane blinking on and off like Hearth's Warming decorations. "You see this, Celestia? The Elements, at least, can acknowledge my heroism!"

"This is completely unbelievable," growled Celestia. "How, in what universe, in what way whatsoever, can Nightmare Moon wield two of the Elements of Harmony?"

"She did stay to defend us, and Equestria, when Daybreaker attacked," pointed out Shining Armor. "Even after Daybreaker threatened to do… that really awful thing you said you wouldn't do. She put her life, and her very being, at risk for Equestria. That sounds like the kind of thing someone who deserves the Element of Loyalty would do."

"And the Element of Laughter, of all things?!"

"I have to admit, her laugh is rather fetching," said Rarity, then coughed into a hoof, her cheeks slightly pink. "I mean, from a purely objective point of view, of course."

"And she does like jokes… I guess," said Pinkie Pie, frowning. "Though the jokes she likes are more like ones about clowns catching on fire, instead of throwing pies or spraying ponies with seltzer."

Celestia continued to glare at Nightmare Moon, who had started preening her wings and basking in the light of the Elements rotating around her.

"Fine," snapped Celestia finally. "I refuse to accept or acknowledge this, but the important thing is to free our friends. So—let's just do this."

Another Element lit up, throwing bright pink rays of light in every direction as it rose up into the air.

"Oh, the Element of Kindness." Celestia rolled her eyes, feigning looking around the open area before Twilight's castle. "Anyone see Tirek? This one's probably for him."

With a short hop, the Element settled down and began rotating around Shining Armor.

"Well… that does make sense, I suppose." Celestia let out a frustrated sigh. "Sorry if I'm being a bit touchy. I just wasn't expecting… that to happen."

"Well, normally I wouldn't forgive you, but as I am now the temporary Element of Kindness, I have no choice." Shining Armor put a hoof to his chest and bowed, which got a snort of laughter out of Celestia.

"I think you make a wonderful Element of Kindness," declared Fluttershy. "After all, you're a guard, and you protect everyone."

"Even me." Nightmare's voice was so quiet and restrained it took everyone a moment to realize who had spoken. "He used his shield to protect me so many times during all these adventures we went on. Even after everything I've done, he didn't treat me different from any other pony. He was like a knight in shining armor."

She paused as a thought struck her. "Do you think that's where they got his name from? It would make sense that—"

"Hey!" Pinkie suddenly popped up in front of Nightmare, causing the alicorn to recoil in surprise. "You might be borrowing my Element, but breaking the fourth wall is my thing, so back off, sister!"

"I… what?" Nightmare Moon looked to the other ponies for help in her confusion. "I was just wondering why his parents chose that name…"

"Uh-huh. His parents. Suuuuuure that's who you were talking about." Pinkie started to back away, then suddenly held up a hoof, pointing at her eyes and then at Nightmare Moon. "I'll be watching you…"

"You know, he was always kind to me, too," said Ka-klack once Pinkie had slipped back into the group, "and he even helped Chrysalis when she was trying to find the pony that turned out to be Luna. Even though he had more than enough reasons to be anything but kind to us."

"It is a good fit, indeed," declared Celestia, then looked down as the last two Elements lit up. "And now for the last two…"

These two Elements barely moved, twinkling upwards to spiral down and around Celestia in a shower of light.

"To me," she said, with a satisfied smile. "Honesty and Generosity."

"Was it honesty when you lied to the other ponies about Daybreaker?" heckled Nightmare Moon. "And as far as generosity goes, the only thing generous about you is your rear end!"

"No, the generosity comes from my having put up with you as much as I have without taking off your head!" shot back Celestia, then yelped as a spark from one of the Elements struck her on the cutie mark. "Oh, come on! Me too?!"

"Hahahaha!" Pointing and laughing, Nightmare Moon started rolling around on the ground, heedless of the flurry of shocks striking her as well. "It's nice to finally see you get what you deserve."

"You all need to learn a little bit about kindness, like me," said Shining Armor with a sniff. "You'll notice I'm the only one who hasn't been shocked."

"Technically I wasn't shocked either," pointed out Ka-klack, then rubbed his backside. "Though I'm still sore…"

"Quick, we'd better use the Elements before Shining Armor's delicate hiney gets hurt too!" chortled Nightmare.

"That was one time and Cadance said she—I mean, yes, we're ready to go, we should free them," said Shining Armor, changing subjects rapidly mid-sentence.

They spread out in a square, Celestia next to Twilight's statue, Shining Armor next to Cadance's, and Ka-klack next to the entwined statues of Luna and Chrysalis. Nightmare Moon took the open corner of the square, standing off by herself. Twilight's five friends and Spike retreated to a safe distance, watching from the castle doors.

The four temporary Element Bearers looked at each other, then as one closed their eyes. The Elements began to spin faster and faster, their glow becoming so bright it nearly hurt the eyes of the observing ponies. Suddenly, they stopped, freezing in midair in front of the pony wielding them. There was a cracking sound, and then all six Elements shattered.

The power inside them surged forward like a living thing, colliding in the center of the square formed by the four ponies. The multicolored ball of energy spun and swirled, before collapsing rapidly into a single point. Then it exploded, filling the field, for a brief moment, with a feeling of perfect peace, tranquility and harmony.

But only for a brief moment.

"Twilight, please, you need to listen—"

"Beloved, please, calm down so we can explain to her—"

"—you try anything, anything, Sparkle, and I'll blaah grrgle brrla."

"—and after I've ripped out your spine, I'll—!"

Twilight stopped, staggering slightly to the side and shaking her head. She blinked a few times, looking around. She'd just been getting ready to defend Ponyville from Queen Chrysalis, and now… there was an empty field in front of her?

"Twilight?" She turned her head, as Celestia moved slowly into her field of vision from the side. "It's okay, Twilight, everything's okay."

"It's not…" Twilight trailed off, then her eyes narrowed. She lowered her head, pointing her horn at Celestia. "You. You're not the Princess. I don't know what you just did, but I'm done falling for you tricks."

"Twilight, I promise I'm not Chrysalis. Look, she's standing right behind you."

"Ha! I'm not that gullible!"

"Fine." Celestia let out a sigh. "Remember when you managed to sneak into the restricted section of the Royal Library and got ahold of the Poninomicon, and accidentally used spell number sixty-three to turn yourself into a—"

"Okay, okay, it's you!" Red-faced, Twilight gulped. "N-no need to bring that up. Ever again. Even if it's an emergency."

She looked around. "Um, but… what happened? Queen Chrysalis appeared, and… oh no, she hypnotized Shining Armor again! And Cadance and Luna! Princess Celestia, we need to—"

"It's okay, Twilight, it's all okay," said Celestia soothingly. "She didn't brainwash them. They were telling the truth, and so was she."

"B-but that means—"

"Yes. She's marrying my sister." Celestia nodded.

Twilight blinked. Then she blinked a few more times, and then put a hoof to her head.

"I-I feel weird," she said, giving her head a slow shake. "Did I have some kind of breakdown? Because my whole body is sore, especially my head, and… and I think I just heard you say that Queen Chrysalis is marrying Princess Luna."

"It's true, Twilight. She's… well, I won't say changed, or different than we thought, but there's actually a decent pony—or changeling, rather—underneath everything we've seen. Far, far underneath, but Luna manages to bring it out.

Celestia let out a little cough. "As for the sore body, well… you kind of overreacted when you saw Chrysalis, activated your Rainbow Power, and accidentally turned all four of you to stone."

"What?!"

"But it's okay! The changelings helped us find some vessels that could hold the power of Harmony, and we went all over Equestria to find them and had all kinds of adventures and it was so much fun!" Celestia let out a little giggle, prancing in place a bit, then stopped and put a hoof to her mouth. "Oh my. Sorry about that. But, well, it's been a long time since I last went on a quest. It turns out I actually missed it quite a bit."

"All the death and destruction can be an inconvenience, but I know how much fun going on adventures to save Equestria can be." Twilight gave Celestia an understanding smile, then a look of concern grew on her face. "Oh no… how long were we…?"

"Only about a week," Celestia hurriedly assured her.

"Whew." Twilight wiped a bead of sweat off her forehead, then looked up at Celestia with a wide smile. "And… you saved us? I hope it wasn't too much trouble."

"Of course not. You know I… I'd do anything for you."

Celestia looked away, blushing, then looked down with a gasp as Twilight's forelegs wrapped as far around her body as they could go.

"Thank you," said Twilight, looking up at her, then giggled. "After all the times I've had you thank me for saving you and Equestria, it feels nice to do it back for once."

"Yes, well, I also think it feels nice," replied Celestia, her face now beet-red. She draped a hoof over Twilight's back, returning the hug. "And you're welcome."

They separated, Twilight moving back a step, and Celestia looked her over with a concerned eye. The small alicorn looked perfectly fine—completely normal, aside from the excessively long mane that now had a yellow stripe running through it, and colored wingtips.

"You, ah, might want to go meet with your friends," she suggested gently. "With you as a statue, they weren't able to turn off the Rainbow Power. I understand that some of them have become quite… weary of it."

"What? Oh geez." Twilight looked down at herself for the first time, realizing what shape her body was in. "I didn't even think of that. Yes, let's go do that."

They turned, making their way across the field to where the others were gathered. Twilight slowed when she spotted Chrysalis, who was currently rocking back and forth and shaking in front of a concerned Luna, but she stayed on her path to her friends. Celestia, however, veered off to check on the Queen.

"Is she… alright?" Celestia asked, after sharing a quick hug with Luna and Cadance.

"Gxblt brff juuust f-fine ne ne," replied the changeling, her head twisting to one side and jerking up and down as a holed hoof made a gesture that might have been a wave of greeting. "Never jdlllf had to reinintegrate w-with a body like this bbefore fore. It's a lllot harder than gggrowing from an egg gg."

"Shining Armor and Ka-klack explained to us about the hivemind," said Luna, giving Celestia a small smile. "And that you were the one to save us."

"Please, sister, you don't really think I'd leave you as a statue, do you?" Celestia sniffed dismissively. "Laying around, cluttering up the place… not to mention the way you looked. The art critics would have eaten me alive."

"You can act tough all you want," said Luna, punching Celestia lightly on the shoulder. Then she pulled her into a tight hug. "But I know you care. Thank you."

"Of course, Luna." Celestia squeezed her back. "You know I couldn't leave you like that. I can't lose you again. Besides, you've got a wedding to be at, right?"

"That's right!" said Luna happily, then cocked her head to the side questioningly. "I don't recall hearing such enthusiasm from you before. Did something happen…?"

"Well, let's just say I've gotten to know the changelings, and their Queen, a little bit better over the past few days." Celestia smiled down at Luna. "I don't quite see what you see in Chrysalis… but I do like some of what I've seen."

"Oh, don't worry, we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other better over the coming years," said Chrysalis, climbing to her hooves. "After all—"

She attempted to fly over to the two, but her control over her body was still incomplete. Only one wing started buzzing rapidly, sending her cartwheeling to the side. Luna was there in a flash, catching her before she could smash into the ground and gently lowering her into a sitting position.

"Perhaps you need more time to rest, beloved?" asked Luna gently.

"Hmmph." Chrysalis pouted for a moment, then looked over at Luna with lowered eyelids. "You know, some love might help me recover faster…"

"Thou needest not even ask," cooed Luna, nuzzling against the changeling's neck.

"Hello, ma'am," said Ka-klack, walking up hesitantly on Chrysalis's other side. "It's good to have you back…"

"Good to have me out of your head you mean, you little traitor?" replied Chrysalis, shooting him a sharp sidelong glance.

"I-I, um—"

"You did good," she said quietly, turning to face forward and stare down at the grass beneath her hooves. "I think you may have gotten closer to the ponies than is good for you, but I suppose I'm not one to talk about that."

She snuggled against Luna, letting out a soft sigh.

"And we're going to need to get closer to them anyway, in the time to come. How would you like to be an ambassador to the ponies? Learn about them, help our people to find their place in this world we're a part of now?"

"Ooh…" Ka-klack trailed off, looking away. "I, uh, appreciate the honor, my Queen, but my duties lie in the hive—"

"Oh, no, I understand. All those kind ponies and all that horrible friendship they want to spread. What kind of changeling would want to be around that?" asked Chrysalis innocently.

"Um, when you put it that way—"

"Besides, you're not really fit for the job. I think I'll send Maxilla instead."

"What?! No offense ma'am, Maxilla is a wonderful guard for the hive, but the bug is an oaf! I asked him what friendship was once and he said it was an 'old, old Equestrian ship'. He thought it was a literal ship! We're a hivemind, how did he manage that?!"

"Well, then I suppose you're the bug for the job after all, eh?"

"Of course I—" Ka-klack stopped and hung his head. "I never had a choice, did I?"

"Of course not, you fool," snapped Chrysalis. "You seem to have forgotten how the hive's hierarchy works. Ponies are nice, and they can be your friends, but I am your Queen above all else. And your number one task as ambassador will be to find a way to make sure the rest of my changelings don't make the same mistakes you have."

"Oh." Ka-klack gulped. "Goodie."

"Well, everyone else seems to have found their loves," said Cadance, redirecting Celestia's attention. The Princess of Love was standing with the foreleg of a beaming Shining Armor draped protectively over her back. "How about you?"

"I-I'm working on it, I promise!" Celestia replied defensively.

"Good." Cadance moved forward, her face darkening. "Because if all of this happened for nothing, if you abandon the love you deserve after putting us through this, you can't even imagine the kind of hell I will put you through."

Celestia opened her mouth to reply, thought better of it, and simply nodded quickly and began backing away. As she did, there was a burst of light from where Twilight and her friends were standing. It faded, showing them back to their normal selves.

"Whew. Nothin' against the Rainbow Power, but I'm glad that's done with," said Applejack, adjusting her hat.

Rainbow Dash leapt into the air, spiraling and looping around the group. "Aww yeah, flying freely again! Getting rid of that mane makes me feel like I just dropped ten pounds of weight!"

"Speak for yourself," Rarity pouted, adjusting her own mane with a hoof. "I didn't even get to try half the styles I wanted to."

There was a sudden explosion of noise from Fluttershy, as, chirping and chittering, a flood of squirrels, mice, sparrows, robins, a snake or two, a possum, and a very confused eagle burst from her downsized mane and fled in all directions.

"Oh my," she said sadly, watching them go. "I hope they can find another home."

"Wheee, that was so much fun!" cried Pinkie, dancing around the group. "I threw so many parties and everyone loved them and I didn't sleep for a week and we should do it again, can we do it again, let's do it again!"

She went up on the tips of her forehooves as she finished, then fell forward onto her face and began snoring.

"We should probably get her to a bed," said Fluttershy, poking Pinkie on the flank a few time with her hoof.

"Nah, I've seen her sleep in weirder places," said Rainbow Dash, shrugging. "Like, I found her hanging upside down in her closet once. Said she was practicing in case she ever became a batpony. She's fine here."

"Well, we're all back to normal," announced Twilight happily, trotting back over to Celestia. "We're free thanks to you, the Rainbow Power is back where it belongs, and everyone's going to live happily ever after. It's all wrapped up and done with."

"That's right," said Celestia, nodding frantically. "Alllllll done."

"Ahem?"

"Ooh, except I still don't know everything that happened!" squealed Twilight, clapping her hooves. "Please, tell us about your adventures! What was the changeling hive like? Where did you find these temporary Elements of Harmony? I want details!"

"Ah, well, if you insist," chuckled Celestia, patting the ground for the smaller alicorn to sit.

"Ahem!"

"It all started when I invited you to a picnic," began Celestia. "A completely platonic picnic, between friends who were once student and mentor."

"Ahem!"

"But, of course, you hadn't—"

"Ahem!"

"—known that Queen Chrysalis would—"

"AHEM!"

"—be joining us, and—

"AHEM!"

"Are you alright Cadance?" asked Twilight, leaning over to give her a concerned look. "Do you need a glass of water or something?"

"Oh, no, thank you, Twilight dear," replied Cadance sweetly. "But I think Celestia has something she wants to ask you. No, something she needs to ask you, right now, if she knows what's good for her."

"What?" Twilight turned to Celestia, facing questioning. "You have a question for me, Celestia?"

"I… I—"

It was too much. She couldn't do it, not right now, not without time to rest and reflect. Say, a year. Maybe two. Celestia looked around desperately, trying to find some way to escape.

Over there, Twilight's friends would let her… wait, why was there a demon from Tartarus in their group—oh Gods, that's Rarity. She knew exactly what Celestia was thinking. But surely Celestia could avoid one little pony, even if they looked like the spawn of hell, right? Except all of Rarity's other friends seemed to be drawing around her, determined looks on their faces, ready to give her their support… she couldn't outrun Rainbow Dash, Applejack might be strong enough to rival even an alicorn, and the Gods only knew what Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy would do if they got their hooves on her.

She turned to the other side. Luna also clearly knew what her sister was thinking, and she had a look of sheer delight on her face, her wings quivering in anticipation. No good going that way; Luna was just itching for a chance to pounce. And besides, next to her was Chrysalis, who, now full of Luna's love, was nearly bursting with power. The only thing more humiliating than being captured by Luna would be being brought down by the Queen. Again. And Chrysalis wouldn't be nice about it, either; her face was a collage of pointy fangs, eager, cruel eyes and razor sharp horn edges.

Then the only other option was—holy crap, Cadance looks worse than Chrysalis.

Celestia swung back, to Twilight's earnest, curious face.

She's so beautiful, thought Celestia, stunned once more by the revelation. Look at her, just waiting for me. So eager to hear what I have to ask, so ready to learn about the world. Why would I ever want to pass up on the chance to have her be so much more to me than she already is?

Celestia took a deep breath.

"Yes, I do have a question, Twilight," she said, managing a smile that was, just barely, steady. "But… it's kind of a private question. A personal one. Do you mind if maybe we…"

She gestured at the open field, and Twilight nodded eagerly.

"Of course," she said, getting to her hooves. "We'll just be a minute, everyone."

Celestia watched her start to trot away, then got up as well, starting to follow.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Cadance's voice came from behind her.

"What—" Celestia turned, to get hit full on in the face by the wrapped book she had intended to give to Twilight as a present.

"Ow!" Fumbling with her hooves, Celestia finally just caught the book in her magic.

"Careful!" she cried, holding a hoof to her injured snout. "You could damage the book! And that hurt!"

"It'll hurt a lot more if you try to run," snarled Cadance. "So you'd better ask her!"

"I will, I will," said Celestia petulantly, trotting away.

She slowed as she neared Twilight, who was waiting patiently with an expectant look on her face. I can do this, thought Celestia to herself, taking a deep breath. I mean, just look at her. She's practically in awe, she worships you… that's going to be a problem. We can't build a healthy relationship on that. Maybe if I give her some time… no! Ask her now. You can just… take it slow for a while. Cadance surely has plenty of advice, as does Chrysalis. Actually, scratch that. A megalomaniacal queen probably isn't the best pony to ask about curbing someone's worship of you.

She opened her mouth to pour out her feelings, and all her thoughts immediately fled.

"Hi!" she said brightly, waving at Twilight.

"Hi?" said Twilight, waving back.

"Boy, it sure is a nice day out today, isn't it?"

"Um, yes." Twilight quirked an eyebrow upward. "Is that what you wanted to ask me?"

"Yes. No!" Celestia spent a moment in full on panic. "I do have something I want to ask you, b-but first… here. I brought you a present."

She moved the wrapped book out from behind herself, presenting it to Twilight. The small alicorn took it with glee, immediately knowing what it was from its shape.

"You got me a book?" she asked, all smiles. "I feel like I should be upset that everypony thinks all I ever want as a gift is books, but I'm not because all I ever want as a gift is books!"

"Well, this is a very special book," said Celestia, the smile on her face growing nervous. "Because I have something very special to ask you, something that makes this a very special occasion."

"Oh?" Twilight looked up at Celestia, but she simply nodded down at the book.

"Open it."

Twilight tore open the brown wrapping eagerly, revealing the book. A Treatise on Harmony was embossed on top of the cover in gilded letters, with the name Starswirl the Bearded underneath in a flowing font. Front and center on the cover was an faded illustration of a large pointed gem, surrounded by five smaller gems.

"Oh." Twilight looked at the book. Her face didn't quite fall, but it took on a puzzled expression. "Um, Starswirl's A Treatise on Harmony. I already have a few copies of this, but, um, it's nice… wait…"

She opened the book, flipping through a few pages.

"Is this the first edition?! But it's impossible to find a copy of this still intact! I didn't even think there were any!"

"I-I found it," said Celestia, red-faced. "For you."

"I… Celestia, I can't take this." Twilight held the book up to Celestia, shaking her head. "This is… this is just far too valuable for me to accept as a gift. It belongs in a museum or something, anyway! The Royal Archives at the least!"

"No." Celestia pushed the book back. "I got it for you, Twilight. Because, I just… I just want you to know how I feel about you. How much I care about you."

"I care about you too, Celestia, but I don't go around finding priceless artifacts for you!"

"I don't mean it like that, Twilight. I… I really like you, is what I'm saying, and… and…"

"I also like you, but again, I—"

"That's not what I mean, Twilight," said Celestia desperately. "I just… you mean so much to me. You've grown up into such a wonderful pony, one who I'm proud to associate with… I just want to do that more. Associate with you, that is."

"Uh…"

"No, that's not right!" Celestia stamped a hoof in frustration. "Twilight, you saved my sister from the darkness that lurked inside her, you brought her back to me after she'd been gone so long. You've saved my kingdom countless times. Everything you've done has been so amazing—"

"It's all because of the help of my friends," said Twilight proudly. "With them on my side, I—"

"No! You're not listening, you're not hearing what I'm trying to say." Celestia groaned. "And I'm not saying it right! Twilight, I really like you… and…"

"I know you like me," said Twilight, starting to grow concerned. "And I said I like you too. You're one of my closest friends."

"But I don't want to be your friend!" cried Celestia, and saw Twilight recoil. "No! Not like that! What I'm saying is, I want to be your friend. Your really close friend, who is also a mare, and we can be friends who are mares together—"

"I don't know what you're saying, Celestia!"

"Twilight, I… you…"

The frustration was too much, and something finally broke in Celestia's head.

She reared up onto her hind legs as her wings unfolded from her back, her hair flowing about her head. The sun shone behind her, highlighting her in its soft glow like the ancient Goddess she was as she pointed down at Twilight with one hoof.

"TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" she boomed, "AS THE SOVEREIGN RULER OF EQUESTRIA, I WOULD HEREBY LIKE TO DECLARE MY INTENTION TO COURT YOU!"

Celestia held the pose for a moment, panting, then slowly dropped back down to all four hooves, wings rustling nervously. Twilight stared at her, face slack. Dimly, the sounds of cheering and hoof stomping coming from their distant audience.

"Celestia…" said Twilight, comprehension dawning on her face. "Are you saying… are you asking me out on a date?"

"Yes," Celestia replied simply, nodding her head.

Twilight stared at Celestia, her mouth slowly falling open as her eyes widened. Finally, with a flash of magenta magic, she disappeared, leaving the book to tumble through the air towards the ground.

Where had she gone wrong?

Over and over Celestia asked herself that question. She pondered it, meditated on it, dissected it, inspected it, and reassembled it. It consumed her every moment, her every thought. She looked at it forwards, backwards, sideways and upside down… but no matter how hard she looked she never found the answer.

Had she come on too strong? The Royal Canterlot voice may have been a touch too much. Or had she not been strong enough? Perhaps all her hesitation when it came time to ask had made Twilight feel as though she wasn't truly committed. Or had they simply been doomed from the start? Too familiar to each other, Celestia too much of a motherly authority figure, Twilight too much of an faithful student and adoring subject?

She at least had time to ponder these questions and try to find an answer. Not that she noticed; time became an uncertain thing to her, ephemeral and untouchable, like her lost love. She hardly noticed its passage anymore, the moments flitting away like falling leaves in the first storm of autumn, each one as dead as her heart.

Finally, she understood the pain Luna and Nightmare Moon had spoken of in their poems. Perhaps she would take up poetry herself. It would be a fitting way to pass the endless amount of time she would now be spending alone, putting her sorrow and anguish down on paper where, hopefully, it would burden her no more.

Perhaps one day she could find it in herself to love again, even if that light would never shine as brightly as it had for Twilight. But that day wouldn't come for decades, perhaps even centuries. And it had been so long already. How long exactly she couldn't say. The seconds and hours and days all seemed to blur into one another, just one long streak of crushing loneliness.

And then, with a popping sound and a flash of magenta light, Twilight appeared before her once more, catching the book before it could hit the ground.

"Oh, geez, I can't believe I almost dropped a book! And this book of all books!" Carefully, Twilight set the book down on the paper it had been wrapped in. "I'm really sorry, Princess Celestia, please don't think this means I don't appreciate your gift."

With a popping sound, she disappeared again.

Then, not even two seconds later, she reappeared.

"Although, you did give the book to me, so it's only right if I take it, right?" she said, scooping the book up in a hoof. Before Celestia could respond, she teleported away again.

Staring at the spot where Twilight had stood, Celestia's ears drooped. Her lips started to tremble, and she took in a shaky breath, and then Twilight reappeared once more.

"And I do really appreciate the gift, Princess Celestia!" she said enthusiastically. "Really, I mean, how could I not? You picked something out with care, and it shows that you really care, and I really care about you too, and I'm saying the word 'care' too much now, and, um, that'sallIwantedtosaybye!"

She disappeared. Celestia felt herself wilting, she felt her heart wanting to wallow in sadness, but the far more rational and cynical part of her brain told her to wait. And a second later Twilight reappeared again.

"Oh, and I should probably tell you—"

"Twilight, please!" interrupted Celestia, stopping the pony with a hoof on her shoulder. "I-I don't care what you say, yes or no, I'll accept it and I promise nothing will change, but please, please just give me an answer!"

"Princess Celestia…" Twilight stared up at her, her eyes moving back and forth minutely as she scanned Celestia's face. "You've been my closest friend for nearly my entire life. Whenever I made a mistake, whenever I needed help, you were there for me. You weren't just my teacher, you were a guide that helped me see where I should go in life. Because of you, I became a Princess. My friends mean so much to me… but you're the one who introduced me to them. Outside of my family, I can't think of a single pony who cares about me as much as you do… or one who means as much to me.

"And even aside from all that, you're Princess Celestia! You're the wisest pony in all the land, you raise the sun everyday and you guide us all. And, well, you're obviously the most beautiful pony there is. I mean, that's not even a competition. What kind of pony would say no to you?"

Celestia felt her heart stop. There was a slight ringing in her ears, but other than that the entire world seemed to have gone silent. "So… you mean…"

"Yes, Princess Celestia!" cried Twilight, smiling widely, her eyes bright.

They crashed together, embracing tighty. Twilight nuzzled up against Celestia's neck, taking a deep breath and letting it out in a happy sigh. Celestia buried her face in the top of Twilight's head, breathing in the scent of Twilight's mane as she felt tears start to leak from her eyes in sheer joy.

After a moment they each moved back, staring into each other's faces, both their eyes wet with tears.

"I was so afraid you'd say no," said Celestia softly, brow furrowed in concern. "I thought we had somehow become too close of friends to ever be anything more, o-or that you just wouldn't think of me that way, that you couldn't think of me like that…"

"Of course I can, Princess." Twilight reached out a hoof, laying it on Celestia's shoulder. "You're the most wonderful pony in Equestria."

She looked away, blushing. "And, um, I've kind of had a crush on you ever since I was a teenager."

Celestia giggled. "I know. Shining Armor told us."

"Oh he did, did he?" Twilight's eyes narrowed, then suddenly went wide and her ears flattened. "What do you mean he told 'us'? D-Does everypony know what we're talking about over here?"

As if on cue, there was burst of light and noise as fireworks started going off over the castle, followed by the sounds of loud cheering, hoof stomping and noisemakers being blown. Even from this distance, a bit of confetti drifted over.

"That would be a yes," chuckled Celestia. "All of us coming from Canterlot knew, of course. They had… helped me with a few things, including working through some of my reservations about even asking you. Your friends found out afterwards, when we were trying to work out what had happened when you were turned to stone."

"Well, so much for my hope that we could have some peace while trying to work on our new relationship," Twilight said, the corner of her mouth quirking up in a crooked little smile.

"With your friends, did you really think that would happen?" Celestia held out her hoof, and Twilight took it, beaming giddily. "No sense in putting it off, I suppose. Let's head back to them."

They stopped part way back to the group, looking down at their hooves.

"I'm holding hooves with my marefriend, Princess Celestia,", said Twilight, sounding slightly dazed, with a huge smile on her face.

"And I'm holding hooves with my marefriend, Twilight Sparkle," said Celestia, a similar expression on her face.

They shared a giddy giggle, moving closer each other and trotting on.

"Well—" said Celestia as they came to a halt, and then jumped aside as Twilight's friends, led by Rarity and Pinkie, dogpiled the purple alicorn.

"Congratulations!"

"Congratulations from me too, Auntie," said Cadance, walking up beside her with Shining Armor at her side. "Aren't you glad you went through with it now?"

"She said yes, Cadance," Celestia said, a large grin on her face.

"We know, Celestia," chuckled Cadance.

Celestia turned to Shining Armor. "She said yes, Shining Armor."

"Yes, Celestia, we heard." He gave her a faux-stern look. "This is the part where I say you'll be sorry if you break my sister's heart… but there's a few problems with that. Number one, I know you'd never do that. Number two, threatening you would be a violation of my guard's oath. And number three… you'd buck me through a mountain if I ever actually did try anything. But still… treat her right."

"As if I could do anything else," replied Celestia, smiling gently.

"I am also glad to see you finally follow your heart," Luna said. Queen Chrysalis still was still leaning up against her as they walked over to join the group, though whether that was from weakness or affection was anyone's guess. "How does a joint wedding sound?"

"No no no!" cried Celestia, blushing. "I… I love her, b-but we haven't even gone on a single date yet even, and…"

"Give her time, my dear," interrupted Chrysalis. "She's a bit of a stranger to love, after all."

Celestia gave the changeling a dirty look, but Chrysalis just closed her eyes, inhaling deeply.

"I must say, the love between these two is simply… intoxicating. I never expected it to be this strong." She gazed at Celestia from under lowered eyelids, licking her lips slowly. "How would the two of you like to visit my hive again, for… dinner? I promise, the days and weeks will just fly by."

"Would that be due to us being in pods while we're sucked dry?" asked Celestia dryly, receiving her answer in the form of the Queen batting her eyelashes innocently while avoiding eye contact. "I thought so. Pass."

"Sorry about that, you know how my friends can go a bit overboard," said Twilight, freed from the pile of ponies. She moved over to Celestia, snuggling up against her side as both beamed happily. "I'm still a bit embarrassed you all found out so soon—before me, even!—but with all the well-wishes you've given us, and the, um, help after what happened… well, I just want to say thanks to everypony. And to Chrysalis. I guess."

"Why, thank you as well, Sparkle," purred Chrysalis. "After all, it's not everyday we get to enjoy the wonderful experience of being a lawn ornament."

"Be nice," hissed Celestia and Luna simultaneously.

Twilight and Chrysalis glared at each other for several uncomfortable moments. Finally, Chrysalis took a deep breath.

"I suppose I shall have to be the bigger mare here," she said with a sigh as she brushed the stray lock of hair out of her eyes. "Sparkle, the love you and Celestia share is a wonderful sight to behold. It is truly delicious. I mean, delectable. I mean… delightful."

"You did that on purpose," said Twilight accusingly, only to be shushed by Celestia. She pouted for a moment, then finally let out a sigh of her own. "Okay… Chrysalis… you and Luna do look really nice together. If you truly make each other happy, then… good for you. I'm glad."

"That's more like it!" said Cadance happily, prancing around the group. "Now come on, biiiiig group hug! Everybody get in here! Don't think I didn't see you turn into a bush, Ka-klack!"

There was grumbling, but all the ponies gingerly embraced enough to satisfy Cadance's demands for a hug.

Two black forelegs wrapped around Celestia and Twilight, squeezing them tightly.

"Hooray, everybody's in love!" declared Nightmare Moon, the large grin on her face showing off her pointed teeth to terrifying effect. "What a wonderful happy ending!"

Slowly, Twilight, Cadance and Luna turned to look at her.

"What?"

"Alright, I think that's the last of the fires put out," panted Applejack, as she walked into the throne room of Twilight's castle.

The End

Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon Team up to Save Everyone

by Codex Ex Equus

Chapter One - Exposition Galore

Chapter Two - My Little Queen

Chapter Three - Team Up

Chapter Four - Trains, Dames and Nightmares

Chapter Five - The Not-So-Great Train Robbery

Chapter Six - Looking to the Future

Chapter Seven - Changelings Actually Eat Orphans

Chapter Eight - The Hive Blinded Me With Science

Chapter Nine - Swamp Things

Chapter Ten - A Glimmer of Starlight

Chapter Eleven - Night Versus Day

Chapter Twelve - Sol Invicta

Chapter Thirteen - A Dream Comes True, Redux

Epilogue One - Aftermath

Epilogue - In Your Dreams

Epilogue - A Canterlot Wedding

Epilogue - The Nightmare Begins