//------------------------------// // Betrayal. The Birth of a New Warrior! // Story: These Strange Creatures // by Dramatic Stories //------------------------------// Days later, Luna was returning from a magic training session with Cadence, and Twilight to find Celestia pacing the halls of the castle with fear and worry written all over her face. Twilight and Cadence, both covered in sweat, removed the helmet armor they had worn while training. Luna kept hers on, and had seemingly forgotten about it. "Princess Celestia," Twilight called, "Is everything alright?" Celestia turned to them trembling in fear. "No...our greatest fears, I'm afraid, have become true." She replied, "Discord has joined forces with Tirek, and he is gaining strength faster than ever." Everybody gasped. Celestia sighed and continued, "I was a fool to believe he would help us...I couldn't think of anything else to do." "There has to be more we can do Celestia. We can't just let him win!" Cadence spoke. "There is nothing more we can do...we must give up our magic for the good of Equestria." "But...where will our magic go?" Twilight asked. "Perhaps I should clarify. Releasing our magic blindly into the open world will cause destruction. We must instead give it to somepony who can wield that magic, and hold it from Tirek." Celestia explained. "I understand...I'll give up my magic." She said. "No Twilight...it must be you whom we give it to." Celestia said. Again, everybody gasped. "M..me?! But I-I've barely learned how to control my own alicorn magic. How in Equestria will I be able to control the power of three more?" "I have faith in you my student...for Tirek does not know of your presence as an alicorn. If we give it all to you, and you flee, Tirek will be left with no where to go." "B...But-" "It is the only way." Cadence said. Celestia turned to Luna, and looked upon her. "Sister, are you ready?" She said. Luna did not answer, only stared at the ground. "Luna...Luna?" She snapped out of it. Celestia used her magic to take her helmet off. "Let me take this off...you look like Nightmare Moon with that thing on." Celestia placed it on the ground. "Wait..." Luna interrupted, "I...I know another way we can do this." She picked the helmet back up with her magic, and put the helmet back on. "Luna...what are you doing?" Celestia looked at her with fear. "Twilight is right. She will not be able to handle the power of all of us. We need an alicorn with experience handling alicorn magic. The other night in the dreamworld, I saw your friend, Twilight." Luna explained. "The visitor from Earth. Goku." "You did?" Twilight asked. "Yes. I saw him fighting a strong opponent. I watched and observed his fighting skill. His technique. I didn't tell any of you earlier, but I was using some of what I saw for myself against you and Cadence." "So that's why you were so difficult today...I thought you were just getting lucky. Neither Twilight or I could touch you." Cadence thought back to their sparring not so long ago. "Luna, are you suggesting we give you our power?" Celestia asked. "Yes...but not this form." Luna said. "I had an epiphany while in the dream world that made me realize something, sister." Suddenly, Luna's pupils changed to that of a cat. A thin black piercing line through her blue eyes. "Luna...No, you mustn't!" Celestia said, begging Luna not to transform. A black aura erupted from Luna as the moon brought itself high in the sky. Her wings, and her fur turned an empty black. "LUNA!" Celestia dove toward the dark alicorn, but was suddenly pushed back by her magic. "NO!" Celestia began to cry. "Sister..." It spoke, "Have faith in me, for we are one. We are the same." The black aura began to retreat, as her transformation completed. Standing before them, was none other than Nightmare Moon. "What have you done with Luna!" Twilight began to cry as well. Nightmare Moon stood above her as she began to tremble, and reached a hoof out. "Don't touch me!" She hissed. Nightmare Moon ignored her, and softly stroked her purple mane. Twilight's trembling stopped as she looked up at the dark princess. "Girls...I did say have faith in me. For I am Nightmare Moon. I am Princess Luna. I am the night! We are one, and one and the same. Equestria needs my power, and with your powers combined, we have a chance at defeating the evil that is Tirek." Nightmare Moon explained as she walked over to Celestia. "I can assure you sister. It's me under this dark form." "How can we trust you? We already trusted Discord and he betrayed us!" Celestia shouted. "Because the ponies of Equestria are my responsibility just as much as they're yours!" Nightmare Moon looked out the window nearby upon the land, covered in darkness from the moon covering the sun. Nightmare Moon then lowered the moon, uncovering the sun once again. "You know I'm stronger than all of you. Sister, you needed the elements to defeat me. Think about it!" The four alicorns stood in silence. "There isn't much time." Celestia sighed, "She's right." "Celes- "She's right, Twilight." Cadence cut Twilight off. "We must give it to her." Twilight gulped, and quietly nodded her head. "Quickly girls, there isn't much time." Celestia spoke, leading them to the throne room. Nightmare Moon took a deep breath, as the other three alicorns stood around her, forming a triangle. Slowly, each one of them pointed their horns above her, and quickly began pooling their magic together. A ball of colorful, pure magic quickly began to take form above Nightmare Moon, and grew larger and larger. The three alicorns quickly tapped out, and fell to the ground. Nightmare now absorbed the magic for herself, and immediately felt the effects as the ball grew smaller and smaller, with a stream of magic going to her horn. The ball disappeared, and the ground began to shake as a mysterious wind suddenly blew the three alicorns the ground. Nightmare Moon had done it. Her magical aura burst out from within her, and she began to float in the the room they were in. "AAAAAAH!" She yelled. "What's happening!?" Twilight yelled. "I don't know!" Celestia shook her head, and could only watch. The stained glass which told the stories of Equestria were blown out by sheer force from Nightmare's new found power. Her aura now took form of a sphere around here, and spun rapidly as she hovered in the air. Miles away, a napping Goku snapped awake. "What the...what the hell is that?" He could feel an incredible power coming from Canterlot. "Fluttershy, get far away from here!" He yelled. "I need to go!" He could feel the planet shaking below him, as he ran out the front door, and took off towards the direction of the immense power level. Back in Canterlot, ponies screamed in fear, yelling "earthquake!", "Get to the shelters", and so on. Little did they know, it was Nightmare Moon in the castle nearby. Twilight attempted to stand up, but was knocked back down instantly. "Stay down Twilight!" Celestia pleaded. Nightmare Moon continued to power up as lightning now struck the castle. A beam of dark blue light suddenly pierced the ceiling from the sky above, surrounding Nightmare Moon in it. In that moment, the shaking, the wind, and the terror halted. The beam of light from the sky vanished, and Nightmare Moon lowered herself to the ground. Electricity was flowing all around her now, as she opened her eyes. Her mane was now a burning blue fire, along with her tail. "L...Luna?" Celestia called out. Nightmare Moon moved her eyes to her, and stared. "Thank you, sister. Thank you all. With this power, Tirek will stand no chance." "He'll know we are here now. You need to go, now!" Cadence said. Nightmare did not respond. She only spread her wings and shot up into the air through the hole created by her powering up. "Good luck, Luna!" Twilight spoke. "Equestria is in your hooves now."