"Can ya hear me, Pinkie?" Applejack asked. She was worried. All of them were. Both her friends and Cakes. Pinkie was curled into a small, but very stiff ball. Shaking, probably in fear, since it wasn't cold and she didn't have a fever nor anything, she was hugging a rock and quietly humming a song that kind of sounded like a lullaby, though it sounded creepy coming out of her dry, shuddering mouth. She was looking in front of herself and it was obvious that she was with them only physically. "Since when has she been like this?" Twilight Sparkle asked anxiously, wondering how long was Pinkie suffering like this. "I think that it started some time after the party ended," Mrs Cake answered. "Has she said anything since then?" Twilight asked another question, wanting to find out as much as possible abot the problem. She won't be able to solve it otherwise. Mrs Cake thought for a moment. "Nothing. Except that she is sorry. And that she failed someone." Rainbow Dash, who had been flying until now, landed on the floor. "What's she sorry for?" she asked. There wasn't really something Pinkie should be sorry for, right? After all, she was such a nice, kind and cheerful pony who liked partying and making other ponies laugh or at least smile. Mrs Cake shrugged. "She didn't say. But she couldn't sleep the whole night. My husband and I were keeping an eye on her in shifts." Rarity raised her head to look at the mare. "I can't possibly imagine Pinkie Pie doing something bad," she said. "Me neither," Fluttershy added quietly. She was gently patting Pinkie's upper back in attempt to help her calm down, but with no avail. Pinkie din't seem to even feel the hoof on her back.
"Did she say anything else?" Twilight asked. Mrs Cake shook her head. "No, dear. She hasn't said a single word except for what I already told you." Twilight exchanged worried looks with her other friends, before looking at Mrs Cake again. "Did you notice anything unusual before the incident happened?" Suddenly, a thought bolted through Mrs Cake's head. "Oh, right. She had a nightmare the night before she even organized that party. Maybe she had another one yesterday?" "It could be possible," Twilight said. "But, what are we going to do about that?" Rainbow asked. Twilight sighed and looked at her unfortunate friend who was still in the same position. Pinkie was in such a bad state. She doubted that she had ever seen her like that. She didn't want to disturb Princess Celestia, but this was important. She needed her help on this subject. That was the only way to help Pinkie. The purple alicorn turned and looked at all of her friends, who were impatiently waiting for her instructions. "We are heading toward Canterlot right away," she said.
The carriage soon appeared in front of the Sugarcube Corner, drawing attention of all ponies that were on the street in that moment. Rainbow and Fluttershy tried to pick Pinkie up, but Pinkie pushed both of them away and tried escaping. "Wait, Pinkie! We are your friends," Fluttershy tried to explain. Twilight saw that there is no other choice. Pinkie won't come willingly. She obviously didn't even know where they are heading, but she just didn't want the two pegasi to carry her. Twilight levitated her with her magic and gently put her in the carriage. Then the other five ponies entered it. Pinkie was calm again. That it, as much as she was when they found her today. At least she didn't try to escape again. "To Canterlot," Twilight told the pegasi that were pulling the carriage. They nodded and started flying, lifting the carriage into the air. Fluttershy swallowed the lump that formed in her throat when she saw the height, but tried to concentrate on helping Pinkie calm down. The others were trying to help as well. But, Pinkie didn't say a single word and they weren't able to comfort her. She was just singing the lullaby, seemingly for the rock or something that rock presented and looking in front of herself like she can see a ghost standing or flying there.
After some time, they arrived to Canterlot. The carriage landed right in front of the castle and Pinkie was soon brought in front of two princesses. Princess Cadence was in Crystal Empire. "What did you need me for, Twilight?" Princess Celestia asked in her usual gentle voice. "First off, I am sorry for bothering you like this. But, it's an emergency. Pinkie Pie is in a really bad condition, and we have almost no idea why. Mrs Cake said something about her having nightmares, but we aren't sure if that is what caused her..." Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes while they were waiting for Twilight to explain everything. She wanted to act now. It didn't matter how. She just wanted to something. Just when Twilight finished, Princess Luna stood up with determination. She was healed by Celestia's magic, but she was still a bit weak. She looked at Celestia. "Sister!" she called to draw her attention. When she succeeded, she continued talking. "I know what might be the problem. But, I have to be sure." She looked at the ponies that were staring at her, trying to find clues about what is wrong, but her mysterious eyes and almost blank face didn't reveal anything. "Bring her over to my chamber," Luna commanded the guards.
"But..." Twilight was about to protest. "It's alright, Twilight. I just need to concentrate," Luna assured her. Twilight nodded. She believed that Luna will do her best to help Pinkie. She trusted her. But she was just very concerned and worried. The guards picked distressed Pinkie, even though the pink pony tried resisting again, and carried her to Luna's room. Luna waved Celestia over and the two sisters followed them together. All Pinkie's friends could do now was wait. Rarity sat down and took a deep breath, trying to relax. Rainbow was impatiently walking around in circles all around them. "Do you think she's going to be alright?" Fluttershy asked Twilight. The alicorn shrugged. "I don't know. We can only hope," she said honestly. "She has to get better! Without her..." Rainbow started, but stopped. Her voice was almost desperate. She sat down as well and looked at her own hooves. "Don't ya worry, sugarcube. I'm sure that she'll be alright," Applejack said, trying to sound convincing, though it was obvious from the tone of her voice that even she isn't convinced. So how would she convince the others?
Pinkie was now lying on the floor in Luna's chamber. She was still trembling and squeezing the rock with all her might as if her life depended on it. Luna stood next to her. Celestia was also standing next to her, but on the opposite side. Pinkie didn't even seem to notice them. She was still fully concentrated on her rock and the lullaby she was humming with some obvious mistakes she didn't care for or she didn't even know because of her state. Luna closed her eyes and concentrated on the spell. She was well aware of what might be awaiting her, but she was prepared. Just one free day in a while, and her head was already clearer. Celestia knew exactly what did Luna want to do. She touched the tip of Luna's horn with her own. If Pinkie was aware of what was happening around her, she would have noticed that everything in front of her eyes is quickly fading to black as if she was passing out.
Luna's eyes narrowed when she saw her old "friend" in Pinkie's mind. "I knew it was you. I just knew it," she said with bitterness in her voice. Nightmare Moon laughed. "You are still mad at me for what happened two nights ago?" she asked. Luna frowned. She wasn't going to let that crook distract her from what was she going to do. "What did you do to this pony?" She doubted that she will find out, but Nightmare Moon could often brag with her evil deeds, so there was a slight possibility. The laughter echoed through the space they were in once again. "I did nothing, little Luna. I just reminded her about somepony she had forgotten about long ago. Just like you had forgotten about ME!" Nightmare Moon raised her head with a smirk on her face. "That's not nice of you," she said, pretending to be hurt. "It is not your job to remind ponies about ponies from their past. The likes of you should be defeated and forgotten for the eternity." But her words didn't bother the black mare at all. "And you think that you can defeat me?" "Celestia has given her power to me. Because of that, I will be even stronger than the last time we met. Surrender now and leave once and for all or I will be forced to use it!" Nightmare Moon smirked. "Even if you could win against me, you still wouldn't have accomplished much. Because the guilt in that pathetic pony's heart will make sure that she never, ever, ever laughs again, no matter what." "Stop trying. Your little tricks won't fool me," Luna said as she took her battle stance.
Nightmare Moon waved it off. "I'm not trying to fool you. You can even feel it. Her pain, her despair. It's so sad. All because she was dumb enough to forget about her own sister. Just like Celestia had forgotten about you that time. She was enjoying her glory so much that she probably didn't even remember the sister she left behind. Alone and broken." If Nightmare Moon didn't make her remember what happened between her and Celestia, Luna would have attacked right away. This way, she just stepped back and pressed her teeth together. "It's not true, Luna. Don't listen to her. You know that you are my precious sister and that I love you more than anypony else," Celestia's kind and gentle voice could be heard even though Celestia wasn't here with her. "Hmph. Whatever you say, traitor. As for you Luna... see it with your own eyes." Countless images started flickering around them. Of Pinkamena Diane Pie and Pinkamena Dolores Pie trying to talk while working on their family rock farm, only to be scolded by their parents and told 'less talking, more working.' Of the two of them hugging each other and crying in their room. All of those images obviously contained Pinkie's memories. "I don't see your point," Luna finally said after glancing at some of the images, seemingly not amused.
"I don't know. Maybe you actually do see it, but you are not yet aware of that?" Nightmare Moon shrugged innocently, though she had a twisted grin on her face. "But I do know one thing. It hurts a lot when your sister forgets about you, doesn't it?" Luna was loosing her patience. "For the last time, you will not turn me against Celestia! And you will not terrorize anypony else! I won't let you!" Luna finally did what she was planning to do all along. She attacked Nightmare Moon. She tried to pierce her body with her harp horn. But, before she could even touch her... Nightmare Moon disappeared into thin air, breaking the link at the same time. Luna found herself in her regular body. She rubbed her aching temples and bliked a few times. "What happened? Did you get her?" Celestia asked. "No. She escaped. Honestly... I think that she had grown even stronger. She managed to break our link." "How did she..." Celestia started, but they were interrupted when Pinkie Pie suddenly got up and tried to escape, even though she didn't have the strength. Luna stopped her with her magic. "Don't be afraid, child. You are safe here. We are your friends," Celestia said. Pinkie was released after that, when the princesses made sure that she won't try to escape again. She curled into a ball once more after grabbing her rock. "Friends..." she repeated. "Yes, friends," Luna said softly and lied down next to her and covered her with one of her wings. "Sleep, little filly. I promise that no nightmare will hurt you now," she whispered.