A/N: Hey fellow bronies, it has been a while since I wrote a chapter for Princess Luna vs Nightmare Moon. I believe that this is the second last chapter for the FanFic so I hope you enjoy and hope you enjoyed reading as much as I have writing it.

Thanks. Darknessovertheforest

Celestia looked towards the moon she knew what time was approaching, the end of the month and that meant that Nightmare Moon will return, she estimated that it should be about a week until Nightmare returns, Celestia had not slept in the past few days in fact she couldn't remember the last time she slept, she felt her eyes grow heavy and unfortunately she had to raise the sun to begin another day, she sighed and said to herself, "Another night without sleep," she could not rest now, she had royal duties to attend to. The day was long and lonely for she had to attend to her royal duties and Twilight and the others had returned to their homes to alert their loved ones of Nightmare Moon's short return.

Meanwhile...

Nightmare Moon was standing on her balcony looking towards the earth muttering to herself, "Only a week to go until I get my revenge on those foals of Equestria," she now began to pace back and forth in her room, she was clearly agitated with something, she began to speak to herself again, "I will defeat Celestia, she is weak and I am growing more powerful each day, soon I shall return to take my rightful place at the throne of Equestria, I shall plunge it into an eternal night and my subjects will love me not shun me," she was pacing in front of the mirror and as she did she caught a glimpse of something, "You! Leave me alone, you know that you have no power anymore, so you cannot do anything to stop my return," Luna stared back at her and spoke using her royal voice, "NIGHTMARE MOON YOUR REIGN IS OVER AND I WILL NOT BE TAKEN FOR SOME FOAL SINCE I HAVE FORGIVEN CELESTIA AND ALL SHE HAS TO DO IS GIVE ME THE HUG OF TRUE LOVE THEN YOU SHALL DIE," Nightmare Moon turned away from her mirror and climbed into her bed and slept.

Celestia was readying herself for a battle to end all battles between her and Nightmare Moon, she was in the blacksmiths all day having armour made for her since her previous armour had been damaged in her previous fight with her sister, the armour would take a few days until it would be completed, which gave Celestia, she had asked her adoptive niece Cadance to take over her royal duties temporarily, so she could have time to rest for the up and coming battle, the only thing that Celestia had to do was raise and lower the sun and moon. Three days passed and Celestia's armour was completed, the armour was gold, it was made of the strongest and lightest metal that could be found, the armour covered her entire body except her wings which had to be free so she could fly, a helmet was made to fit over her horn and protect most of her face, when she put it on she looked ready for war, she saw that there was a weak spot by her neck and she decided to wear her sister's birthday gift to her, the necklace that had a yellow gem in the middle of a sun shaped emblem, Celestia began to cry slightly, soon the day was near to ending and Celestia knew that within two days Nightmare Moon would return for the final battle that would either set Luna free or kill them both and Nightmare Moon manifests into her own being. Celestia lowered the sun once again, then began to rise the moon, seeing the mare in the moon again, she left the balcony and placed her armour on its stand and she went to bed.

Her sleep was restless, every time she tried to sleep she had the same dream over and over again, she is lying on the ground having been defeated by Nightmare Moon and seeing her as her own being and seeing the lifeless body of her sister Luna for they both were destroyed because the curse had not been broken, she then sees all the turmoil and chaos within all of Equestria and seeing Cadance beeing killed in front of her then seeing Twilight and her friends being defeated and killed, she awoke again seeing the dim light of the moon shining into her room, she walked out to the balcony again still restless from the nightmare, she sighed to herself, she then heard a knock on her door, she answered, "Come in," the door opened, but, Celestia didn't turn to see who it was for she was still gazing at the sky, she heard the familiar voice of another certain alicorn, "Celestia are you alright?" the young alicorn asked, Celestia glanced towards Twilight and said to her, "No my dear student I am not, I am worried for Luna's wellbeing, if she does not return I do not know what I will do," Twilight tried to console her, "Celestia I'm pretty sure that she will be alright, like you said, as long as she has forgiven you then Nightmare Moon will cease to exist forever," Celestia sighed and said, "Twilight I only care for Luna at this stage, I don't care about my wellbeing, as long as she is safe and free from Nightmare Moon I shall be happy," Twilight did not want to bring this up, but she felt she had to, "Celestia I did some more reading about what you discovered a few weeks ago and I read that if the curse is broken and you do not get away quick enough from the destruction of the nightmare then you might..." Twilight did not want to finish her sentence, but, she knew she had to, "you might die," Celestia only looked towards to the moon and spoke, "I do not care for my wellbeing, no price is too high for me to save my sister, if I must sacrifice myself to do so then I shall," Twilight hung her head low as she realised that Celestia would go to any length to save Luna from Nightmare Moon.

Meanwhile...

Rainbow Dash could not sleep either, she could not stand the wait for Nightmare Moon she needed to talk to somepony, she then figured out who to go to, she flew out of her cloud house and headed to a location that she had visited often a few times now, she was flying in the dim light of the moon, it was at least enough light to see where she was going, she arrived at her destination, Sweet Apple Acres. She flew to Applejack's bedroom window and tapped on it, she heard murmuring, she then saw a drowsy orange mare with a blonde mane and tail, approach the window she looked out of it sleepily and saw that her friend was outside, she opened the window so Rainbow Dash could fly in, Applejack asked tired and slightly agitated, "Rainbow Dash what in the hay are ya doing here this time o' night?" Rainbow Dash was now standing on the floor, she turned to Applejack and said, "Sorry AJ I just needed to talk to someone," Applejack lit a candle and place it on her bedside table and gestured to Rainbow Dash to join her on the bed, she then asked, "What's on ya mind sugar cube?" Rainbow Dash siad to her, "Well I'm kinda nervous for the return of Nightmare Moon, I mean what if she defeats Celestia and we can't do anything to stop her, since the elements of harmony were destroyed, what can we do against a pony like her?" Applejack saw the concern in her brave friend's eyes, she spoke, "Listen Dash if ya that worried then ya can stay here with me if ya want, Ah really don't mind," Rainbow Dash turned towards her friend and looked into her eyes and said, "Thanks AJ, but, I really shouldn't, I mean I have to meet up with Twilight about something and then I have to do weather duties and then..." she was silenced by her friend who had put her lips to her friend's, Rainbow Dash was shocked, she pulled away and looked at Applejack with confusion, then Applejack realised what she had just done, "Oh no... uh... Ah am really sorry about that, I didn't mean to... Ah mean... Ah... Ah really am sorry..." she was lost for words she couldn't explain she just said to Rainbow Dash, "Feel free to stay, Ah really don't mind at all," she climbed into her bed and pulled the covers over her, Rainbow Dashed remained sitting there for a while, she then blew out the candle and climbed into bed with Applejack, who was now probably sleeping and Dash leaned over and kissed the cheek of the orange mare which she assumed was asleep.

Twilight was in her room at Canterlot castle trying to sleep, but like Celestia she could not, she kept having nightmares about her mentor being killed by Nightmare Moon before Luna is freed from the curse or even Celestia never even got the chance to try and break the curse because Nightmare had struck her down, Twilight awoke yet again after having her nightmare again, she saw that dawn was soon approaching and she knew that it would be at least two days until Nightmare Moon's return, she left the castle just as the sun had begun to rise, she caught a train back to Ponyville and she arrived there at about ten o' clock in the morning, she went to her house which was the Ponyville library, she tossed her bags with her magic towards her desk, then she walked up her stairs and went to lie down on her bed.

Yet she could not sleep even in the day she was just too tired to sleep even, she just couldn't get it out of her head, what Celestia said, the words replaying in her head "No price is too high for me to save my sister, if I must sacrifice myself to do so, I shall," Twilight knew she heard the sincerity in Celestia when she said that and this made Twilight feel more sad than anything, she knew that if Celestia knew anything about sacrificing herself to save her sister she knew that Celestia would do it without a second thought, but, Twilight knew there was such a thing and she didn't want to tell Celestia because she could not bare the loss of her mentor who taught her the ways of magic and how to control it, Twilight sat up again feeling that she could not relax at all, she went back downstairs, leaving the library to see a dear friend of hers. She walked towards Rarity's boutique to ask her something, she entered the boutique and Rarity was busy sorting out some material, Rarity had heard the bell jingle and she turned around and saw her friend, "Oh Twilight darling it's wonderful to see you again, how have you been?" Twilight smiled weakly and Rarity noticed this and said, "Twilight how about I close up the shop for a bit and we can go to the spa for a while and then you can tell me what's on your mind," Twilight nodded her head and they left after Rarity had locked up the shop and put up her, "Be back later" sign.

Once they arrived Rarity decided to have the usual when she and Fluttershy went together, as they lay exfoliating, Rarity asked, "Now Twilight darling tell me, what's the matter why are you looking so sad?" Twilight turned her head and said, "Well Rarity it's just that... uhm.. can I ask you a question?" Rarity nodded, Twilight asked her question, "What would you do if you had a secret that involved somepony you care for dearly, but, don't want to tell them for their own protection?" Rarity took the cucumber off her eyes and looked at Twilight, "Well darling if I was in that position I would have to tell them sooner rather than later," Twilight had to ask, "But, what if involved life or death?" Rarity looked at her a bit surprised, Rarity didn't know how to answer that one, she did keep secrets but, not ones that involved life or death, she took sometime before answering, "Well I suppose that's completely different then, why do you ask?" Twilight hung her head, she had to tell somepony, she looked back at her friend, "A few weeks ago Celestia found a way to free Princess Luna from Nightmare Moon, all she has to do is give her the hug of true love, and the curse is broken," Rarity was shocked and excited to hear this, "Well that's wonderful I can't wait to have Princess Luna back to her normal self again," Twilight lowered her head, "But, unfortunately the opportunity only comes around every 1000 years and that opening to save Princess Luna is only open for ten seconds and there is so much that can go wrong," Rarity's expression went slightly concerned, "Like what?" Twilight began to say, "If Celestia is in that opening and the curse is not broken by the time is closed, then both of them will die and Nightmare Moon will manifest into her own being and if the curse is broken and Celestia isn't far enough from the transformation stage she could be killed and Luna will live," Rarity was concerned now ,but had to ask, "So what are you so worried about?" Twilight hung her head and finally said, "I read that if the hug does not work... then Celestia can sacrifice herself..." Rarity was silent, she didn't know what to say, only ask, "How would she do that, if I may ask?" Twilight's eyes began to well up with tears, "The book says that the relative of the host of the Nightmare can destroy the root of its jealousy by killing it and in Luna and Celestia's case that jealousy is Celestia," Rarity was really worried now and finished her friend's sentence, "So that means that Celestia will destroy herself to save Luna if she knew," Twilight broke down into tears and Rarity could only hold her as she cried, Rarity said to Twilight, "Twilight you have to tell her this," suddenly Twilight broke Rarity's hold, "What? I thought you would understand?" her sadness had disappeared and was replaced by anger and frustration, "I thought you would support me keeping this secret," Rarity was feeling hurt but she kept her composure, "Twilight if you don't tell her then she will find out and..." "She WILL sacrifice herself!" Rarity stopped and looked at her, "What did you say?" Twilight couldn't hold it back anymore, "Rarity she has become so determined to save Luna that she told me that she would sacrifice herself to save her, I was there last night and she said that she only cares for Luna and not herself," tears began to flow again and this time Twilight left the spa, Rarity was left there alone with what Twilight said, but she knew in her heart that she had to tell Celestia, even if Twilight wouldn't.

Celestia was in her bedroom when she saw a carriage approaching the castle, she did not feel like visitors at this moment, but she could not turn anypony away, a few minutes later there was a knock at the door, she called to it, "Come in," a Royal Guard was standing in the opening, he said, "Princess Celestia you have a visitor and she wishes to see you in your study," Celestia sighed, "Tell her to wait for me and I will be there shortly," the guard nodded and closed the door behind him, Celestia put on her shoes, tiara and necklace and went to her study, but when she entered she didn't see Twilight Sparkle instead she saw one of her friends, "Rarity what a pleasant surprise," Rarity was standing by the her desk waiting for the Princess, "Good afternoon your majesty," Celestia went to her seat behind the desk and had some tea brought in and asked Rarity, "What are you doing here?" Rarity felt it was best to get to point quickly, "Well you majesty I'm here because of Twilight," Celestia grew a bit concerned, "What happened? Is she alright?" Rarity nodded, "She is very well, but she told me what you found a few weeks ago I believe," Celestia nodded, then Rarity continued, "She told me that Princess Luna could be saved if you gave her the hug of true love and everything that could go wrong, but then she told me that she read something else," Princess Celestia sat up, "What was that?" she asked, Rarity was a bit reluctant in saying this but she had to tell Celestia, "She told me that in the book that you two read, that if the hug does not work then the host of the Nightmare's sister can destroy the root of the jealousy to destroy the Nightmare," Celestia suddenly realised that Twilight had kept a secret from her and said nothing, and eerie silence fell between them, Celestia said to Rarity, "Thank you for telling me this Rarity, you may leave now," Rarity said nothing and left, Celestia remained in her study fro some time before finally emerging a few hours after what she had just heard, she went to her room and said to herself as she rose the moon, "Don't worry Luna you shall be free no matter the cost," she knew that it was about one day until Nightmare Moon returned and her chance to save Luna and if the hug didn't work then she will have on last chance to save her sister even if that meant losing her own life to do so, she said to her self again, "No matter the cost I shall free my sister, no matter the cost," she strapped her sword to her armour and said again, "No matter the cost,"

she began to say an oath that she made herself in those minutes, "No price to high, no matter the cost, the heir to the throne of Equestria shall take her place, even if my life is forfeit, Luna shall be free."