Dash simply gave an annoyed look as she attempted to swat away a bat that was flying too close to her, but couldn’t due to her arms bound together.
“...man I’m bored,” Dash admitted as she turned to Platinum Knight, “What do you do for fun around here?”
“That is none of your concern,” Platinum Knight replied coldly.
“Okay okay… jeez. Trying to make a conversation here,” Rainbow Dash muttered.
“Would you stop talking? You’re voice is so annoying…” Platinum Knight told her.
“And there he goes with the insults,” Rainbow muttered once more, her eye twitching a bit.
“How that princess finds you at all attractive is beyond me… you’re just some flat chested, crude tomboy.”
“Hey!” Rainbow snapped as she glared at him, “Twilight loves me for who I am! And I am carrying her child!”
“...Impossible. You two are mares,” Platinum Knight frowned, “It’s impossible for two mares to conceive a foal.”
Dash was about to respond when she heard the sound of high heels echoing in the area. She managed to look over her shoulder to see somepony coming in from the shadows. One thing she did note...was she saw a familiar tuft of pale pink hair.
“Fluttershy?” Dash smiled hopefully.
“Hello… Rainbow Dash,” Fluttershy’s voice replied as the pinkette walked out of the shadows. However...her outfit was drastically different than the previous one she had on before. Her outfit was a rather skimpy black top, showing off a lot of Fluttershy’s curves, especially her chest area while the rose skirt of the outfit stopped at her upper thighs. She also wore a pair of black and rose red stiletto shoes. Her hair was pulled back into a pony tail, but kept a bit of it free so it would hang over her left eye.
“...F...Fluttershy?” Dash gasped a bit.
---
Unknown to them, Twilight was hiding inside of the wall and was observing from a hole in the wall, the Alicorn doing her best to keep quiet as she watched.
“...what?” Twilight whispered as she saw Fluttershy’s new look.
---
“Do you like my new look? It’s dark… demanding… dominating… all the qualities of a future mistress over so many ponies,” Fluttershy smirked, “Wouldn’t you agree, Rainbow Dash~?”
“...Fluttershy...is that really you, or is it that bitch just using your looks to hide herself from me?” Rainbow Dash asked with a slight frown, not buying that Fluttershy would act like this.
The pinkette’s expression remained calm and cool as she walked over to the tomboy.
“Oh it is me, Rainbow Dash. Or rather…” Fluttershy paused before leaning in and whispered into Rainbow’s ear, “The real me~”
“...real you? What do you mean ‘real you’?” Rainbow asked, “The Fluttershy I know is a sweet, kind caring mare who-”
“Who had to put up with all the stupid things you and my other ‘friends’ made me do,“ Fluttershy stated with a frown, “I’m tired of being the doormat… I’m gonna be a dominator… and I know for fact without me, there’s nothing you can do to stop my plans.”
“Mistress…” Platinum Knight whispered in amazement.
“No… what happened to her? Did...did Flutterbat do something to her?” Silver Hawk whispered in a mix of shock and horror, “...let me out. Let me out so I can get to her!”
“Nope. You’re not leaving…”
“Damn it! I said let me out!” Silver Hawk shouted as Platinum Knight struggled to stay in control.
“I’m going to be in charge of Equina… a dominatrix mistress… and I would enslave you, but you are my way of making a deal with Princess Twilight…” Fluttershy told Dash, walking in front of the tomboy so she could lean down and look her in the face, “You will be my bargaining chip, Rainbow. And with your help...I’ll change Equestria for the better~”
“You’re sounding almost like Starlight…” Dash stated.
“...touche,” Fluttershy shrugged.
---
Twilight’s horn began to glow a bit as she used a sort of analysis magic to look at Fluttershy, seeing what looked like pink and black energy around her and it was starting to mix.
“...They’re mixing and… Flutterbat’s side is overpowering Fluttershy’s…” Twilight muttered, “How’s this happening? Flutterbat couldn’t have that much power...unless...no no. That’s impossible. Me and the others got rid of it years ago.”
Twilight gave a very nervous gulp as she listened in on what Fluttershy had to say.
---
“...What do you want from Twilight?” Dash demanded to know.
“I won’t tell you… at least, not until your little princess marefriend shows up,” Fluttershy stated as she began to walk away from Rainbow dash, the pinkette still looking at the tomboy as she walked towards Platinum knight.
“...Oh yeah, well there’s something you didn’t take account for...the others,” Rainbow stated with a slight smirk, “I’m sure they’ll be here soon enough once they find out me and Twilight are missing.”
“...we may as well speed this up a bit…” Fluttershy sighed.
“Beg pardon?” Platinum Knight asked.
Fluttershy walked over to a lever by a window and pulled it, causing the wall that Twilight was hiding behind to rotate around, revealing the Alicorn as she jumped back a bit in surprise.
“...how did you know?”
“I heard you mumbling… my ears are still bat ears at the moment,” Fluttershy informed.
“What do you want from me?” Twilight demanded to know.
“...a trade,” Fluttershy smirked as she walked over to Rainbow, “Your little tomboy here...for Sunset Shimmer.”
“...Sunset? Why Sunset?”
“Nothing you need to know about,” Fluttershy countered, ”But if you want your precious marefriend back...you’ll give me Sunset.”
Twilight was silent for a moment as she considered her options. If she gave her Sunset, then not only would Sunset’s trust in her be shattered, but who knows what else Fluttershy, or if this really was her shy friend, had planned? But if she denied...then there’s a risk she’ll never see Rainbow Dash again, or her unborn child.
“Don’t worry about us…” Dash told Twilight, “...me and our child will be fine!”
“...I’m sorry Rainbow… but it’s just not worth the risk to you two…” Twilight sighed, “...I accept your deal.”
‘Twilight...no,” Rainbow whispered.
“Good choice… but I know you’ll need to talk with her. So take your time,” Fluttershy informed.
“...huh?” Twilight blinked.
“You can take all the time you need to get her ready. In the meantime, I’ll hold onto Rainbow Dash here for safekeeping,”
“...alright,” Twilight nodded, “...don’t worry, I’ll be back for you soon,”
---
The alicorn teleported out, only to see it had begun to rain, the pitch dark clouds in the sky making it impossible to see the sun. Her wings were soaking wet and she had to run home. The alicorn began to run, lighting booming as she did so.
‘I’m such an idiot…’ Twilight thought, ‘How could I let something like this happen?! Fluttershy’s at the risk of being gone forever, Silver Hawk has no signs of improving, Rainbow Dash and Midnight Glow are in danger… and now I need to trade one of my friends to save the mare I love and our unborn daughter… how...how can I call myself the Princess of Friendship after all this?!’
Suddenly, Twilight tripped on a tree root, causing her to scream a bit as she fell face first into the mud, dirtying her clothes, fur, and mane. The Alicorn didn’t seem to get up as she began to sniffled a bit, tears forming in her eyes.
‘...I’m useless. I’m a failure...I...I shouldn't have moved to Ponyville in the first place…’ Twilight whispered mentally. She took a moment to look at her wings, which were wet and stained with mud, ‘....I don’t deserve these damn things!’
She watched as blood dripped down from the still recovering body parts, the Alicorn’s hands starting to ball up into fists. She was about to get up before…
“There she is!” a male voice shouted. Twilight looked up to see Spike, Philomena and Sunset running over to her, “Twilight!”
“...Sp...Spike…” Twilight whispered.
“We’ve been looking for you. You and Dash have been gone for hours,” Sunset informed, before she noticed Twilight’s wings, “Don’t worry, I can wrap those back up for you and-”
“Don’t bother…” Twilight replied in a emotionless manner, “I was about to tear them off anyway.”
“What?!” Spike gasped at that, “Why would you want to do that?! You worked hard t-”
“I don’t deserve these damn things!” Twilight snapped, “...if anyone does… it’s Sunset,”
“Twilight…” Sunset whispered.
“But you’re a princess Twilight! You’ve done so many good things t-” Spike began once more.
“I don’t want to be a princess if it means my friends would get hurt!” Twilight snapped, “Because of me, we’re at risk of losing Fluttershy forever! It was my stupid idea to have her use that stare on the fruit bats and brought Flutterbat into existence...”
Sunset was about to respond when Twilight smacked her hand away.
“...I’m done…” Twilight whispered as she managed to get back up, “I’m done with it all…”
Sunset’s expression gained more anger than she ever had before in her entire life and she let out one good slap to Twilight, knocking her down into the mud. The alicorn looked in shock as she looked to Sunset, who’s eyes were covered by her red and yellow hair.
“Don’t you dare…” she told her, “Don’t you DARE consider suicide!”
“Woah! Sunset!” Spike gasped.
“Twilight...you’re one of my best friends...you helped me out of a very dark place…” Sunset whispered, “...my emotions had a very strong hold on me before we met… and… after the Fall Formal… I was attacked… and… I did attempt to end my own life…”
Twilight let out a gasp, the Alicorn looking up at her friend in complete shock.
“...I didn’t, as you can see… do you wanna know who stopped me and convinced me to give life another chance?” Sunset asked, earning a nod, “...Fluttershy. She...she helped change me into a better mare...I...I owe everything to her.”
“...is that why… you’re in love with her?” Twilight asked.
“It is,” Sunset nodded, “I loved her...but I wouldn’t want to get in the way of her happiness.”
Twilight nodded a bit before looking over at the phoenix flying near Sunset, “...so… why is Philomena here?”
“...I was the one to hatch her,” Sunset replied as said mentioned Phoenix landed on her shoulder.
The Princess of Friendship looked at the three, her hair and clothes soaked from the rain.
“...Come on. Let’s get you inside,” Sunset said as she helped Twilight up.
---
Twilight was soon returned to her castle and was wrapped up in a towel, her hair still a bit soaked as she sat down. She took the time to explain what she knew, while her mother took the time to wrap her wings back up in the casts.
“So… Fluttershy and Flutterbat mixed somehow?” Pinkie asked.
“Yes….that’s right,” Twilight nodded a bit.
“How can that even be possible? Flutterbat is powerful, but Fluttershy has overpowered her influence once before,” Rarity noted.
“I know. But…” Twilight paused as a grim look began to grow on her face, “I think I might know how Flutterbat was able to merge with Fluttershy.”
“How?”
Twilight thought if she should tell them what it was she thought… but she didn’t know for certain if it was really that.
“...It’s a hunch...and I hope this isn’t really true but…” Twilight paused as she took a deep breath.
“‘But’ what?” Pinkie asked.
“...Do you all recall when Rarity became...Nightmare Rarity?”
“...no...Twilight, you’re not saying…” Rarity began, a very bad feeling growing in the pit of her stomach.
Twilight was silent for a moment before giving a small nod.
“No….no not again…” Rarity whispered, a look of shock and fear on her face.
“What? What’s wrong?” Sunset asked out of worry, the unicorn never seeing her friend act so scared before.
“...Sunset, do you recall Nightmare Moon?” Twilight asked.
“Yes, of course,” Sunset nodded, “Why?”
“Well… a couple months after we beat her… the spirit that aided in turning Princess Luna into that form… came seeking revenge. She plagued us with nightmares for weeks… and then… took Rarity and made her become corrupt,” Twilight explained.
“It felt so… so… I can’t phrase it into words…” Rarity admitted, holding her head for a moment, “It...it felt like I was in an endless nightmare… that… that I couldn’t do a thing to help my friends.”
“I talked with Luna a bit about it, and she agrees with your comments… saying she was trapped in her worst nightmare and the spirit… influenced her. While it was a conscious choice… it was sort of like… the Nightmare Queen just replaced your subconscious with herself,” Twilight stated.
“‘Nightmare Queen’?” Rarity asked.
“That spirit that corrupted you and Princess Luna. That’s what it’s called,” Twilight replied, “...and I’m afraid a little bit survived and hid inside Fluttershy.”
“So….that would make her Nightmare Fluttershy then?” Pinkie blinked, “...no no. I doubt her hair did that whole ethereal thing Rarity a-”
“Pinkie, this is serious!” Twilight snapped.
“Wagh… you sure a part of her power didn’t go into you too?” Pinkie asked, slumping a bit into her throne.
“If it did, would I be here right now?”
“...Good point,” Pinkie responded, “...can you blame me for being scared?”
“We’re all scared right now, sugahcube,” Applejack spoke up, “If that...thing really is back, then who knows how scared Fluttershy… our Fluttershy must be feelin’.”
“So… uh… who’s this other captive, mind my asking?” Pinkie inquired.
“Huh?” Twilight blinked.
“You mention… uh… Flutter… mix, I guess… had two captives. One of them is Rainbow Dash, who’s the other?”
“Silver Hawk...or I guess in this case...Platinum Knight,” Twilight replied, “I...I don’t know how, but when ‘Flutterbat’ bit into him, he turned into a Bat Pony.”
“...What are we going to do? Fluttershy’s turned into a...well, Nightmare version of herself thanks to Flutterbat, Silver’s gone Bat Pony, and we have no way of changing them back,” Pinkie sighed, “I mean, we need Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash to activate our Rainbow powers, and...well, Fluttershy’s not herself and Rainbow is a captive,”
Velvet looked at her daughter and her friends, the older Unicorn couldn’t help but listen in on their conversation.
---
Outside, Kota was running right for Twilight’s castle, carrying the book Luna gave the group and some maps.
---
“And that’s not the worst part…” Twilight stated, “In order to get Rainbow Dash back….I have to trade Sunset’s freedom for her.”
“...Wait, what?” the group blinked, bar Sunset, who had left the room to do something really quick.
“I’m...sorry dear. I think I had something stuck in my ear. But...did you just say you have to trade Sunset’s freedom in order to get Rainbow back?” Rarity asked, making sure she was hearing that right.
“...yes,” Twilight nodded.
“And there’s no way ya agreed to this deal, right?” Applejack asked, earning silence from the Alicorn, “...oh Sugahcube. How could you?”
Twilight didn’t know what to say in response, the Alicorn feeling really guilty about making such a deal with Flutter….no. With the Nightmare Queen.
“You’re a fool Twilight…” Rarity told her, a frown on the pure white unicorn’s face, “How could you trade away our friend’s freedom like that?”
“I never said ‘trade her freedom’,” Twilight stated.
“Yes you did. You said…” Pinkie paused as she gained Twilight’s hairstyle, “‘In order to get Rainbow back, I have to trade s-’”
“Not helping Pinkie!” Twilight hissed in anger.
“...shutting up,” The pinkette meeped as she sat back down, her hair back to it’s normal, poofy style.
“...but it is true. But...I didn’t know what to think at the time, and Rainbow even tried to tell me she’d be fine...” Twilight sighed.
“Now I see why you were all… uh…depressed,” Spike noted, “You even wanted to get rid of yours wings a-”
“What?!” Pinkie, Rarity, and Applejack gasped at that.
“Twilight, is that true?” her mother asked in concern.
“...For a moment, I felt… unworthy of them…” Twilight replied, a sad tone in her voice, “I’m supposed to be the Princess of Friendship, and yet...I feel as if I don’t deserve such a title.”
Silence took a grip on the room, most of the group not sure of what to say really. It remained that way until Sunset finally walked back into the room, the teal eyed unicorn sitting down in a chair pulled up to the map.
“So, what’d I miss?” Sunset asked.
---
The rain continued to pour, making the journey to Twilight’s castle a bit hard, but Kota kept up a steady pace, knowing the info the book gave would help…
---
“Well?” Sunset asked, having not gotten a response when she first asked, “...girls?”
“Well… uh…” Spike began nervously, “...Hoo boy. How do we explain this?”
“...Explain what?” Sunset asked before looking over at Twilight, “Twilight, what’s going on?”
“...uh… we need to make a trade to get Rainbow Dash back…” Twilight began nervously.
“Alright. So… what do we need to trade for her? The Elements of Harmony?”
“...No.”
“Oh… the ancient Alicorn Amulet?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
“...you.”
“...Excuse me?” Sunset blinked.
The room once again fell silent, with Twilight just wanting to head right for the exit, but she gained glares from everybody… well, everypony except for Sunset, who seemed to have a slight shocked look on her face.
“In order to get Rainbow Dash back...I have to trade you, Sunset,” Twilight sighed.
“...Twilight…” Sunset began in a serious tone, “This better not be some sick joke.”
“...no.”
“Please tell me you didn’t agree to these terms…”
Rarity, Pinkie, Applejack, Spike and Twilight Velvet all got up and left the room, making Twilight give an annoyed look at them.
“Girls! Spike! Come on! A little help here?!”
“Yer on yer own,” Applejack told Twilight as she shut the door.
“But…” Twilight began.
“How could you…” Sunset whispered, her hair hiding her eyes as her hand shook in anger, “I… I thought we were friends… I thought you’d be better than this, Twilight.”
“I am… but… but…”
“But what?!” Sunset snapped as she looked up and glared at Twilight, a look of betrayal and anger on her face, “That it would be easy to trade one of your friends away just to get somepony back?!”
“Sunset, you don’t understand. I...I…” Twilight began.
“Understand what?!” Sunset demanded to know.
“THAT RAINBOW DASH ISN’T THE ONLY ONE IN DANGER HERE!” Twilight argued.
“OH! SO YOU DECIDED TO PICK RAINBOW DASH OVER SOMEPONY ELSE?! OH YEAH, YOU’RE A REALLY GOOD FRIEND, TW-!” Sunset began in anger, feeling ready to punch the princess when...
“SHE’S PREGNANT, YOU IDIOT!” Twilight snapped.
Silence befell the room once more as the two looked at each other.
"...What?"
"Rainbow Dash....is pregnant," Twilight sighed, the Alicorn trying her best to calm down.
“...oh,” Sunset sighed.
“...I can’t risk letting my unborn foal being hurt…” Twilight whispered, tears starting to form in her eyes, “I...I didn’t know what else to do. I...I didn’t want to lose Rainbow and our foal…and now...you and the others hate me for agreeing to the Nightmare Queen’s demands.”
“....Twilight…” Sunset began as she walked over and pulled Twilight into a hug, surprising the Alicorn a bit, “I don’t hate you… I was just upset…”
Twilight just sobbed a bit, “...it should’ve been you..”
“Huh?”
“It should’ve been you… you deserve to be a princess, Sunset...not me,” Twilight admitted, the tears going down her cheeks.
“No… it has to be you,” Sunset stated.
“...I’m a failure. Because of me, Fluttershy’s not herself anymore, Rainbow’s been captured, and…” she paused before sighing “...I should just give myself up…”
“...Twilight… you are no failure. You’re an amazing pony that’s done so many good things…”
“And one who’s done a lot of negative things…” Twilight sighed.
“Why are you beating yourself up so much now? You make mistakes. So what? Everyone makes them… Twilight, if there’s something important that I’ve learned, is that you need to learn to forgive yourself for your actions,” Sunset stated, “I learned that… and maybe it’s time for the teacher to be the student,”
---
“What do you think they’re talking about?” Rarity asked.
“I can’t hear anything… I guess this castle must be soundproof or something,” Pinkie replied, her head against the door.
“Well from th’ look of things before we left, Sunset looked pretty miffed,” AJ noted, “..Then again, we’d be miffed as well if Twilight had offered one of us.”
Rarity just gave a nod and then looked over to her reflection being casted in a nearby crystal, a look of thought and worry on her face. If Twilight was right before…
‘...I know you can hear me.’ Rarity thought, starting to scowl at the reflection, ‘...what is happening to Fluttershy?’
There was no response for a few moments, but suddenly, Rarity’s reflection gained a slight, ‘innocent’ smile.
‘Why...whatever do you mean?’ Rarity’s reflection asked.
‘Don’t you lie to me. You know exactly what I’m trying to ask you!’
The reflection let out a giggle, hiding her mouth with hand to cover the smile on her face.
‘You know something… I know you do… it’s you!’ Rarity thought, crossing her arms, ‘You’re the cause of all this you...you...Nightmare!’
‘...Guess you’re starting to figure it out then,’ ‘Rarity’ noted, her smile changing into a frown as teh reflection rippled a bit, showing ‘Rarity’s’ changed appearance. Her body turned black, her eyes got a tiny bit bigger, her mane and tail both turned ethereal, and her clothes changed into something both regal and majestic, but also had a bit of a scary feel to it.
‘What is happening to her?’
‘Isn’t it obvious? She’s changing.’
‘Changing into what exactly?’
‘Into what you...no. What we were once. Seems this… ‘Flutterbat’ found the fraction of energy I left in her...’
‘....What do you mean ‘left in her’?’ Rarity demanded with a frown.
‘I was originally going to convert her, not you. Then… you got my interest… yes, you annoying ponies destroyed me… twice, but I’m pretty sure that she may just keep this change once it’s fully complete,’ Nightmare Rarity smirked.
“...we need to do something to fix Fluttershy, fast,” Rarity told the group.
“How exactly do ya propose we do that?” Applejack asked.
“Our friendship powers the Elements of Harmony left in us may not be enough this time,” Pinkie added.
“...the what powers the what left you in?” Twilight Velvet asked.
“Long story,” Pinkie told them.
Suddenly, the doors burst open, revealing a wet Kota, the pegasus panting as he dropped the book and the maps he brought with him.
“Oh, hey there,” Pinkie waved.
“Kota, what’s wrong?” Applejack asked as she ran over ot him, checking to see if he was alright
“Found… the location… of the… cure…” he told them as he quickly ran into the throne room and set the book down on the table where the inactive Cutie Map was.
“...Come in?” Twilight blinked.
“I...I think… I think I found...hoo boy!” Kota wheezed as he fell on the ground flank first, “...the cure…”
“What?” Twilight’s eyes widened at that before she ran over to him, “Where?! Where are they?!”
He got up and moved the book over and then spread out a map of Neighpon.
“While… the geography has altered slightly… the location is a match… the cure you need to find… it’s in Osaka,” Kota informed as he lined up the map and the location in the book.