“-but I am far too busy to entertain some cosplaying tourist's ridiculous fantasies!” Rarity sniffed. “What are you even meant to be, anyway? The third alicorn sister who brings her siblings together and everypony loves? Please, it's not even Nightmare Night,” Rarity drawled, her horn beginning to glow, “although the wings are very realistic.”

“Eeek!” I squeaked, as her magic ruffled my feathers in a very intimate way.

“How did you make them?”

“Rarity!” I snapped, tugging my wing free. “I don't have time for this. I have to get back to the map, so I can stop Starlight from changing the past, because every present I come to is worse than the last!”

“Yes, but-”

“Your friend is a true alicorn, Sensechal Rarity,” the voice was deep, powerful, its booming echo resounding in the hall despite the tapestries, yet unmistakably feminine - and passionate. “Alicorn of Time, I think, who completed one of the four fragmented spells of Starswirl, and so earned her apotheosis. Welcome to my Equestrian Empire,” she paused. “I will not allow you to destroy it, nor harm one hair on the head of My Little Ponies. Or shall I banish you? Again.” Nightmare Moon said, and I glanced up and out. There was a mare in the moon, once again, and half its surface was the brilliant white of Celestia's coat.

The other half was a pale lavender.

Of course. Of course there was another Twilight Sparkle, and she too had fought Nightmare Moon – and without our friends, had failed.

“The moon is a lonely place, Twilight Sparkle,” the Nightmare continued. “I am not so cruel as my sister, to sentence her there alone. I wonder what you and she are doing up...” the Nightmare smirked. “It's been weeks since their – your? - last escape attempt. A few hundred years of that will mellow even Serioustia,” she sighed, and if I'd had to name her expression, I would've called it wistful. “I wish I'd had someone to be banished with.”

Oh my.

“I almost believe you could defeat me,” the Nightmare's eyes flickered. “It's been a long time since I enjoyed a serious fight with a serious opponent. But even if you slay me, my guards and my sensechal shall stand before thee in Equestria's defence, and we will not die without greatly weakening thee.”

Rarity coughed. “Majesty,” she murmured. “You're doing it again.”

“We were?” Nightmare Moon said. “I mean, I was, I mean, blast.”

She even looked embarrassed.

It was just so horrifyingly normal. The world had been unmade, and, and... it should've been like the Sombra war-world, or Chysalis's conquest, not, not this.

“I'm not going to hurt anypony!” I screamed. “I just want things back! The way they were! Nopony's going to die!”

“All these ponies,” the Nightmare's hoof encompassed her throne room – and beyond, “will still be alive?”

“Yes!”

“Their lives, these lives, the ones they're living, right now – they'll go on living them?”

“No!” I shouted. Then I blinked, as I heard what my own voice had just said. Even Spike looked shocked. “They'll have new lives! Happier! Free of you!”

“Twilight Sparkle?” Rarity said. She didn't know my name, not for sure. Didn't know who I was. Who she was to me, and I to her. “I do not consent to this. I am very happy with my life, and you do not have my permission to destroy and remake it,” Rarity paused, “no matter how fabulous the makeover.”

“If you think I can't stop you, alicorn or no,” one of the bat-winged guards said, and I was barely surprised to see Rainbow Dash's brilliant mane emerge as she slipped free of her helmet, “filly, you've got another thing coming.”

“Will you fight them? Destroy them?” Nightmare Moon asked. “Incidentally, Alicorns are Princesses of Equestria. Regardless of the order in which they ascended. In fact,” the Nightmare coughed, “the legitimacy of my rule derives from it.”

Rarity and Rainbow Dash looked at me. Spike looked at me.

There was no guarantee I'd even be able to pull it off, in the face of Nightmare Moon.

What the buck was I going to do?

I blinked. “Your castle is open to tourists?”