The long, inevitable journey to the Canterlot Castle was uneventful as Twilight peered her head over the side of the chariot to see the landscape way down below her.
"Why are we being asked to come to Canterlot anyway?" Rainbow Dash asked, breaking the awkward silence.
"Ah must say," continued Applejack, "Ah'm a bit mustered by this as well. How come we gots to go there? Did somethin' happen?"
Twilight dragged her head from the side of the chariot over to face her friends. Sighing, she gazed upon them and proceeded to answer their questions. "Flash Sentry and Port Transit told me that Luna was taken late in the night."
"What!?" Pinkie Pie screeched.
"What abomination could've done such a inhumane thing like that?" Rarity questioned.
Twilight looked at the fashionista straight in her eyes and told her, without any trace of emotion, "Nightmare Moon."
"Wait a minute!" Applejack replied. "Lemme get this straight: Princess Luna was taken by Nightmare Moon?"
Twilight turned her head towards the hardworking farmer and nodded slowly.
"But how is that possible?" Fluttershy asked.
"I thought Nightmare Moon 'was' Luna." Rainbow Dash added.
"She is, err, was." Twilight answered.
"So how could she take herself?" Pinkie Pie asked.
Twilight shrugged. "Beats me, but according to them, that's what happened and that's why the Sun isn't up yet."
"I thought so." Rainbow Dash concluded, referring to the everlasting night.
"Here we are!" Port Transit called out.
"Canterlot Castle!" Flash Sentry added. "Allow us to escort you into the throne room so that you may speak with the Princess."
"Thank you, again, sirs." Twilight said as they started making their way into the castle. They've been here plenty of times before but it always seemed bigger on the inside than what it actually was.
It didn't take long to reach the throne room but once they did, Twilight and her friends proceeded inside while the other guards left, closing and locking the large double-wide doors behind them. Celestia was inside along with her niece, Princess Cadence, and Twilight's brother, Prince Shining Armor. Celestia rose from her throne and met Twilight halfway.
"I want to thank you for coming here on such short notice." Celestia started.
"Our pleasure, Princess." Twilight answered.
"I'm sure, by now you've all been wondering why I've gathered you here today."
"We know," Twilight continued, "it's about your sister's disappearance."
Celestia nodded. "And do you know who took her?"
Twilight nodded back. "Nightmare Moon."
"Very good, Twilight." Celestia praised her most faithful student.
"It just doesn't make any sense!" Rainbow Dash said. "How could Nightmare Moon take Princess Luna? They're the same pony, for pony's sake!"
"I may have a theory." Celestia replied.
"What do you mean?" Shining Armor asked.
"Earlier," Celestia continued, "Luna asked me to rid some voices that were lodged inside her head. Upon doing so, I managed to free those voices that were bothering her and banish them, at least that's what I though I did."
"Maybe those voices took the shape of Nightmare Moon!" Cadence suggested.
"It seems unrealistic, but that's what I believe as well." Celestia said. "Luna did tell me that those voices were trying to convince her into becoming Nightmare Moon once more."
"So how do we stop them?" Twilight asked curiously.
"We have to find Nightmare Moon first." Celestia answered. "Only then can we track Luna and attempt to get rid of Nightmare Moon once and for all."
"Should I retrieve the Elements of Harmony then?" Twilight asked.
"Yes." Celestia said. "In the mean time,
Princess Cadence and I will search for Nightmare Moon and Luna along with Shining Armor. We'll contact you as soon as we can if and when we find them."
"Sounds like a plan." Twilight replied, hustling out of the throne room with her friends in order to receive the Elements.
"I sure hope she's alright." Cadence told Celestia.
"That makes two of us then." Celestia responded.