Luna escapes back to Ponyville on Twilight's suggestion. Nightmare Rarity turns out to be a very cold and efficient villain, resisting everyone's attempts to help to get through to her and quickly capturing the Mane 5 so they cannot interfere. However, before the ponies can ask more about it, the miasma pulls back to reveal their new Nightmare Moon: Nightmare Rarity.īack on Earth, Celestia is preparing things to defend Ponyville from the Nightmare Forces, just in time to see darkness spreading through the land and the unfamiliar shape of the new queen of Nightmares appearing on the moon. The miasma speaks to the group, taunting them and alluding to a secret that Luna has been keeping from the other ponies. On the moon, the miasma takes control of the ponies' nightmares from before, but with Luna and Spike's help, each of them recognize their nightmare as a fake and dispel the illusion. However, when Spike tries to come along in full armor, the rope snaps, but Luna and the pegasi act quickly to save them all, including Spike's Fire Ruby gem that he had also brought. The Princesses' combined magic is used to lasso the moon closer to the ground to make the journey less perilous for Twilight and her friends. While Celestia promises to wait and help protect Ponyville and Equestria, Luna, the Mane Five, and Spike prepare to set off to rescue Rarity, who is currently imprisoned in the lair of the force, slowly having her will whittled away by the creatures of darkness that inhabit this domain. Luna surmises that the force now wants to take the Element bearers as its own subjects as to create its own nightmare kingdom for itself and its Nightmare creatures. When the Mane Six had defeated her, the evil force retreated to the Nightmare Dreamscape on the moon, laying in wait. Princess Luna reveals that the substance that took Rarity was the same force that had converted her to Nightmare Moon, preying on her desires to please her subjects. Regrouping at the library, Twilight sends a letter to the Princesses, who arrive shortly. Finding Rarity the weakest, the miasma grabs her away from the others, much to the distress of Spike and even Rainbow Dash is too slow to save her!
Pinkie offers to host a sleep-over, hoping the party will chase away the dreams, but they only get worse as a black miasma seeps into the room and gives the six more nightmares.
The Mane Six have been suffering nightmares for a week with no explanation. Written by Heather Nufner, Drawn by Amy Mebberson, Colored by Heather Breckel