> A Day in the Life of Flash Sentry
>  by Silver Inkwell
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Another Regular Ordinary Day
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was just another day in the life of Flash Sentry, just another regular Tuesday, it was nothing special or even important, but little did he know how fast and dramatically things would change.

Flash was doing his regular duties as he always did daily, sweep and mop the floors, check the barracks to make sure that they were clean, dust the items and furniture and other stuff that lay around the castle, it really was quite taxing work, it never changed and became quite boring and dull over time.

But when the end of the day finally came and he could relax he went to the party that was being held here at the castle, today was different, and the last few weeks the guards had been making sure that everything was ready to go, and that was a detail few ponies knew, the guards did all the sweeping and dusting and mopping and the rearranging of furniture, painting, and statues.

But it didn’t matter how much work they would have to do, it was all worth it in the end when he got to see the result of all their hard work with every pony dancing around with joy and having a good time. The occasion for this party was the summer sun celebration, but ever since Princess Luna had gone missing almost a year ago, things had been quite… different. 

They were different around the castle, it had been quiet around the castle, especially around the princess, and the castle now had a different mood and feel and vibe to it, it didn’t feel like home, and they were especially different around Princess Celestia, she was closed off and quiet, and never spoke to any pony else unless she needed to like for royal and important duties or dire situations and emergencies, but other than that she did not speak a single word, it was like she almost was a different and another new pony now, but then again, losing someone you loved and cared for, like your sister who is also your closest friend, that can change you, or so Flash thought, but then again, he wouldn’t know anything about losing someone very near, close, and special to you, his parents had died when he was young and he was taken as an honored guest of the castle and raised as a guard, it was the only life he knew, the only life he would ever know since he could never move up in society or class, no matter how much he wanted to in his dreams, thoughts, or ideas, but it didn’t matter what his dream was, he had work to do.

> Bumping into Princess Twilight Sparkle
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

In fact, he was here right now dancing in the crowd with an attractive young mare, maybe one not so great and beautiful as other ponies Flash could think of, but fair enough, and if Chris liked her, and she liked him, then the relationship was good and healthy according to Flash. Flash wandered over to the punch bowl and then suddenly ran into Princess Twilight Sparkle (literally) and as she started to fall over he caught her, “I know I’m attractive,” he said, “But you don’t have to fall for me, and we also need to stop bumping into each other, it’s becoming a bad habit and expectation of us at this point in time.”

“I know,” Twilight said blushing, “And also nice work with the bad pun.”

“It’s one of my best improvisations that I could have come up with.”

“Well it’s nice seeing you once again, I haven’t seen you since I first bumped into you after chasing down Sunset Shimmer, in an alternate realm, where I met you, sort of, a different you, but one that I still liked nonetheless.”

Once Twilight had spoken there was an awkward silence, it was difficult and awkward for Twilight to speak of that, and while Flash didn’t exactly understand what she was saying he knew that her feelings towards him was mixed and confused and that she had to have time to figure them out.

“Anyhow I better get back to my duties, I still have to do them,” Flash said.

“Yeah me too, and to get back to the party and my friends,” Twilight said.

“Alright then, I’ll see you later then I suppose if we can, I guess?”

“Yeah, sure thing,” Twilight said, and with that they went off in their own separate ways, and once they left Flash wished he could have stayed with her.

> Bumping into Discord/ A Talk with Discord
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Flash went off to the dance floor and then suddenly out of nowhere Discord popped right in front of him scaring Flash a few hoof steps backwards.

“Holy Celestia!” he said, “You scared me Discord; you shouldn’t do that.”

“Well I’m sorry I scared you, but I’m the lord of chaos, what did you expect from me, a musical number to start off the 22-minute show with 8 minutes of commercials? I don’t think so, I have better things to do than to sing a musical number at the start of every episode, but enough about that, let’s talk about you instead, you see I just couldn’t help but to overhear your lovely talk that you and Twilight Sparkle had, and I’m sorry that you two can’t be together.”

“How do you know I want us to be together, assuming that I do even like her?”

“I know these things, and you can’t fool me, no matter what you try.”

“Well it doesn’t matter if I do like her or not, she’s a princess and I’m just a lowly castle guard, there is no possible way for us to ever be together.”

“Well that’s just sad, a dream and a wish of love that can never be granted.”

“One might say so, I suppose that most would, but I just have to live with it.”

“Well anyhow I just wanted you to know that despite an entire fan base hating you, the author doesn’t mind you, but he does love using me, a lot. But anyhow I hope that you enjoy the party, I know that I certainly am.”

With that said Discord took a glass of punch, drank the glass, then vanished off and away leaving the floating punch in the shape of the glass cup.

I will never understand him, Flash thought to himself, and then he went on to see the Princess Celestia, he had some words he needed to say to her now.

> A Talk with (the) Princess Celestia
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

He walked over to the front of the room where Princess Celestia stood looking over the party to make sure it stayed safe and fun, she wore a fake smile on her face as she greeted the guests, and Flash knew what she was sad about.

Her sister, Luna, Princess of the Night, of the darkness, dreams, and shadows, still had not been found, and every pony in Equestria was looking for her.

“Princess Celestia,” Flash said, “Can I have a word with you in private?”

“Of course, Flash Sentry, I can spare you one moment of my time.”

“Princess, are you sure that you can go through with this event?”

“I must, I have to, for the good of all of the ponies of Equestria.”

“But this just doesn’t feel right, doing it without Princess Luna.”

“It does not matter how I or you or any pony else feels, but I still must do this, but I sense that you have more to talk to me about, or so I think.”

“That is correct; do you think that… he will show up… here and now?”

“I do not know if he will show, I pray and hope that he does not, but if he does, that is why me and Twilight are here, so that we have a chance to stop him.”

“Good then, but there is one more last thing that I must ask you, for I am very confuse about it, can you tell me why is Discord here at this party?”

“Because I invited him, and he could help us stop him, he is after all the master of chaos, and he has a power and strength that we do not know about, and one hopefully that he does not know about, I hope and pray he does not know about it, if he does, then there is no hope for us to defeat him at all.

But I hope and pray that it does not come to using Discord against our enemy.

I still do not trust Discord, but he may be our only weapon, tool, and hope to use against our enemy but as I said, I hope and pray that it may never come to that. I am also afraid that I have run out of ideas and options against our enemy, he is too powerful and strong, the only way that we stand a chance against him is if we strike back with the same deadly speed and force he does.

I would rather not use any force against him, but he is making me do it.”

“But how can we defeat him, how can you defeat him? His power, his strength, his knowledge, even you say that you have not seen anything like it, and he trapped and defeated your sister Luna, what hope do we have against him?”

“We only have the hope, faith, and prayers of every pony in Equestria there is.

And we also have Discord, and me, and you, and every pony there is in the land of Equestria, I am sure that they would all be ready and willing to die in order to protect the home they know and love and care for so much.

But I will not ask that of you or any pony else unless it comes to that, I hope and pray that I does not, but life is uncertain with many ends to the pathway that you take, and the journey is long and hard, and different for all.”

“What does that mean?” he asked, and she merely just said, “You’ll see.”

With that said Princess Celestia went off all alone and Flash wandered off all alone with no one else, no other words needed to be spoken by either of them (Although he did wish that she could explain her riddle that she said to him).

> A Practical Prank
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The party went on and Flash wandered around trying to look and find some pony to dance with, but he couldn’t find any pony attractive enough to dance with, and some were too young or too old, or too skinny or too fat, no one was just right enough, although the only one fit to dance with, the one who was perfect above all the others and the rest, was Princess Twilight Sparkle.

Of course it was her, it was always her, it could never be any pony else.

Sighing with disappointment Flash went down and sat at a chair in the corner.

In the corner of the room he sat all alone thinking to himself with loneliness.

But the boredom of sitting in a corner all alone would soon be displaced and dispersed; soon enough Princess Twilight Sparkle came over to him again.

“Twilight,” he said, “You came back, I’m so glad to see you once more again.”

“Well it’s nice to see you once more again too, but I was wondering if you could do a very small favor for me by answering a question that I have for you?”

“Sure, what is it that you have to ask me?”

“Will you kiss me?”

“What?”

“Didn’t you hear? Well let me repeat myself, will you kiss me?”

“Twilight, I’m not sure that this is the best question you can ask, or even should be asking, you’re a princess and I’m just a lowly castle guard, there’s no way that we can ever be together, no matter how much we may want it to work, I’m sorry Twilight, but the answer that I must give you is a resolute no.”

“Oh, so you won’t kiss me then? Not even if I begged you to?” she pouted with a sad face as he circled around him like a shark circle around its prey in the deep ocean water (or at least the perceived idea and thought that they do).

“I’m sorry, but my answer remains the same, I must preserve my integrity and honor, and to kiss you would ruin them both as well as my reputation and name, and I will not have any of those things ruined by anyone else.”

“Oh, well then, I’m sure that the princess would be interested in hearing this, and I’m also sure glad that you didn’t kiss me, that would be incredibly awkward for me, after all, I am still a boy at my true form and shape..”

“Wait, what? What do you mean the princess would like to hear this? Surely you do not mean Princess Celestia? If so, please don’t tell her this.”

“No silly, Princess Twilight,” she said laughing at some weird odd joke.

“Okay, now I’m even more lost and confused than before,” Flash said.

“I’m not really the princess,” Twilight said changing his shape or form into none other than the hero changeling Chris himself, “Instead I am me, the name is Chris as I’m sure that you’ve heard, and I couldn’t resist pulling this joke.”
With this said Chris couldn’t help but fall on the floor (quite literally) and as he lay on the floor laughing hysterically at the joke that he pulled off he eventually managed to find his breath and time to say, “I’m so sorry,” between laughs, “I can tell,” Flash said with sarcasm in his voice, “And I get the joke, it’s so funny, pose as the princess to make me confess my love, well you did it.”

“Yes, yes I did,” Chris said still laughing and rolling on the floor (quite literally).

“Well it was a good joke, that I must admit, or at least a good joke for your race and kind, but I am wondering about something, what will come next for me? Are there going to be any more jokes form you in the nearby future? Well now, what will happen next? You pulled your joke off quite well, so now I question what happens next, do you hold this joke and prank over my head?”

“Yes, yes I do, I’ll hold it over your head for the rest of your life, but don’t worry, I don’t have any more plans to prank you in the future, not yet at least.”

“Well that’s just great,” Flash said with sarcastic anger in his voice.

“Yes, yes it is,” Chris said trying to recover from his laughing.

As Chris tried to recover from laughing Flash went off on his own again.

> Nightmare Shadow Shows Up
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Time passed at the party and while every other pony had fun, even and including Chris, but as the day and night wore on Flash still couldn’t help but feel nervous, but he did slowly relax as the night wore on, he still had not shown up, and no fights or disturbances there at the party that night.

But then midnight came, the end of the party, and the time for the guards to start cleaning up the big mess that had been made there, but something else unexpected also happened as well, Nightmare Shadow came to the party.

He burst through the front doors with a loud echoing boom and surprised and shocked every pony that was there, and once he entered every pony stood at attention ready to fight, but there weren’t that many ponies left anymore.

“I’m so glad to see you all here” Nightmare Shadow said calmly walking down the hall that lined the middle of the room as ponies fired and cat their magic at him, but he calmly deflected it with his own magic, “Please,” he said, “I have not come here wishing to fight, I have come her instead with the hope to talk.”

“What do you want, Nightmare Shadow?” Celestia asked.

“What do I want? Well that’s simple, I want power, strength, knowledge.

“And all of those I can get from so many other various place and sources that do not include you. Anyhow I would have come sooner, but I didn’t want to ruin the party, and the darkness of the night creates a much better mood and atmosphere for me, and while it may seem depressing and sad to you, to me it represents power, strength and knowledge, which none of you have, or at least not as much as me, you’re all so weak and pathetic, it’s sad really, you have two great and powerful leaders ruling a land of weak and pathetic ponies, or rather at least you had two rulers before I took Luna away.”

“WHERE IS MY SISTER?” Celestia demanded and asked first, “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH HER FOUL CREATURE OF DARKNESS AND SHADOW?”

“Calm down Celestia, there is no need to fear. Relax Celestia, your sister is safe, for now, when her use has expired then she will no longer be safe, for I do not keep any pony alive just for the sole reason of fun, that is a silly thing that would be no use to the plans which I have for you, so many little pieces of a puzzle that none of you can escape, no matter how much or how hard you might try to do so, every action you take I have already predicted, and no matter what you try to do, you will fail against me in the end.

There is no escaping your fate or destiny, just as there is no escaping death.

All of you will fall short of me, the Prince of the Night, dreams, fears, and the shadows, Luna is no longer your princess of this, she has been replaced by me, and since I have taken her place I shall expect to be addressed by the proper title that I have earned and deserved, anything less and you shall suffer and be punished for it, I will not have my name mocked or destroyed by any of you.”

“HOW DARE YOU CALL YOURSELF THE PRINCE OF THE NIGHT,” Celestia boomed and shouted loudly, “YOU ARE NOT EVEN AN ALICORN!”

“Oh, but I am,” Nightmare Shadow said unfurling the wings which he had hidden underneath him shocking every pony in the room, “Shocked? Well I’m not surprised by your reactions, I would be amazed too if I were at your level.”

“HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?” Celestia demanded in a very loud voice.

“To question my transformation and my change is to question magic and logic, but all you need to know is that all of this is possible, you need not bother yourself with pointless questions that won’t be answered by me.”

“WHAT DO YOU WANT, NIGHTMARE SHADOW?” Celestia boomed very loudly, her voice almost seemed to make the very room move and tremble before her.

> (The) Rules of the Games
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Please, call me Ness, but in order to answer your question I need you to understand something, you will lose this game, you cannot win, if you accept this one fact then maybe perhaps you will have victory in your goal and quest, but not in the games for which I have planned for you. You may not win the thing to gain what you wish and want right now, but should you prevail then in the end the thing you want and wish in your heart and mind will be gained.”

“I don’t understand what you say, why do you speak in riddles to me?”

“Would you rather I speak in rhymes instead?”

“Alright fine then, speak your confusing riddles to me then.”

“I have a simple task for you and other certain ponies I have selected, you will all play a game of mine that I have personally designed for each one of you, they will test your strengths and power and knowledge, and exploit your weaknesses, but of course I already have said that you will fail this game, so the object and goal is not to win or even survive, but instead it is to test your resolve, for your thoughts, ideas, dreams, and fears shall be penetrated by me.

And it is futile to attempt to resist, for you cannot win, there is only the test of whether or not you will get through this together, or if only one of you will survive and ‘win’ in the end, and I look forward to finding the answer out.

I hope that none of you fail or disappointment, but I expect to be surprised instead, I hope that I can be surprised, it would be a nice change for once.”

“How do you know that we will play these games of yours?” Celestia asked.

“Because if you don’t… Well then the consequences would be most… fatal and undesirable to all of you; you would be putting more at risk, danger, and peril.

And I have a feeling that you do not wish to have that happen.”

Celestia growled at this but then said, “Fine, we will play your games.”

“Excellent, then we shall begin at once” Ness said clapping his goofs together and then suddenly he was in a strange and mysterious room with other ponies he knew, but the room was somewhere that he did not know where it was.

> The Room
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Where are we?” Celestia asked looking around the room which was completely white, floor, ceiling, and walls, and contained no furniture and no source of lighting or any kind of light except for a strange mysterious magical source.

(The walls seemed to glow as the very room did itself; that was the source.)

“You are here, which is somewhere, and everywhere, and nowhere, it is the product of your imagination, or it will be, the white blank walls will make it easy for you to see what your mind and heart wishes you to see, in other words what you see is both real and a lie, both fantasy and reality, nothing and everything here is real or fake, it is only as much as whatever you want or make it out to be, and so it is both a prison of the mind and heart, and a place to escape from it and your thoughts, dreams, ideas and fears. And it is a place where your questions will be both answered and revealed, it is where the truth cannot hide as well as the lies, it is only by accepting what you see, or rather what you do not see, that you shall be set free, accept the lies and truth, accept reality and fantasy, accept your knowledge, power, and strength. Do not try to escape or resist, for there is no escaping your own mind, thoughts, ideas, fears, imagination, and dreams. In other words, welcome to your own worst dream, a nightmare, where shadows are substance and real, and where your very ideas, thoughts, fears, dreams, and imagination can come to life if you want it to.

But make sure you control them, for it is you that has the power, strength, and knowledge, not them, they are only merely a reflection of your true self.

I hope that you do not fail, that would disappoint me very much, but anyhow your first task is to solve my riddle that I have in this room, good luck.

“May the best pony ‘win’ and let the games begin!”

> The Games Begin
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

With that said the room suddenly changed and Flash was no longer in a room with white walls that were completely blank and devoid of anything, but now instead they were painted blue, and there was actual furniture now, chairs, couches, and a piano and piano bench, all black, and a fancy chandelier hanging high above their heads giving off what appeared to be actual light.

“What in Equestria is going on here?” Flask Sentry asked with confusion.

“I do not know Flash Sentry, but I intend to find that out exactly soon enough,” Celestia said gazing around the room, “And it would appear that we must play his game, not just for the sake of Equestria, but because there are no doors or any other ways to get in or out of this room, we are trapped here at his mercy.”

“Can’t you use your magic to get out?” Flash asked.

Celestia tried to use her magic to teleport out, but it failed, “No I cannot, he is the only one it seems that can get in and out of this room at will, and if we ever want to get out we will have to play his game, as I said, we are at his mercy.”

“But how did he bring us all here? I mean I see ponies here that weren’t even at the party, room, or castle, how is any of this possible? How could he possibly have enough power and strength and knowledge to do any of these things?”

“I think I might know how, but I dare not say it out loud or else we would the one element of surprise that we have left against him, and you are right, there are ponies that were not at the party, room, or castle, his power and strength must have grown so strong that they extend out farther than I could have previously imagined before, maybe even so far as all the lands of Equestria itself, and if that is true, then no pony can ever escape his grasp of power and strength, his knowledge is far beyond than which I have anticipated before.” 

“That is very bad and very dire news if what you say is true Princess.”

“I’m afraid it is so, but come, let us play these games and talk no more.”

With this said Celestia and Flash went to the middle of the room and gathered every pony around to talk to them, all except for one pony, Rainbow Dash was still trying to escape the room by bashing her head and hooves against the walls, she had been doing so ever since she had come into the room and realized that there was no apparent escape, and apparently she was trying a method of force to escape, one that was clearly and obviously not working.

Well it was clear and obvious to all, except for Rainbow Dash of course.

“Rainbow Dash,” Flash said shouting at her to catch her attention, “Give it up, it’s never going to work, you can’t bust these walls down with any kind of force, didn’t you hear what Nightmare Shadow said? We have to play his games.”

“Yeah well you can do what you want,” Rainbow Dash said, “But… this… will… work… if… I… keep… on… trying… the… walls… have… to… give… in… and… out… and… up… eventually… at… some… point… right? It… has… to… work.”

In between every word Rainbow Dash hit the wall over again trying to break it down, but eventually she got tired enough to float on down to the ground breathing heavily in gasps of air trying to recover her stamina and strength.

“Have you had enough yet?” Flash asked her with some sarcasm in his voice.

“Are you kidding me? I could do this all day and not even break a sweat.”

“Really, because to me it seems like you just got tired right here and now, you should probably also take a break sometime soon before you get too tired and worn out” Flash said to her because she was sweating and breathing hard.

“That was just a show of kindness for the other ponies on my part, I can’t make all the rest of you feel too bad now can I? Because every pony knows that I’m awesome and that they can never ever be as awesome as I am, and that’s why I do something called pretending, I’m sure that you’ve heard of it, right?”

“Sure thing,” Flash said sarcastically, “But can we get back to the group now? I’m sure that will be more productive and useful to actually get us out of this place, and it might answer some of the questions that you surely have about this place and as to why we are here, I know that I have questions to ask that need to be answered, and I’m sure a pony like yourself has questions too.”

“Fine then,” Rainbow Dash said with an angry sigh, “But don’t expect me to be happy about it, because I’m not, and I won’t be, and don’t expect me to sit back and relax and take all of this calmly in, because that won’t happen either.”

“Alright, your point has been fairly noted,” Flash said, and with that they went back to the main group which stood in the middle of the room waiting for them.

“Well everyone,” Celestia said speaking up, “I’m sure that you all have things that you would like to say and questions to ask, but I would ask you to remain and stay calm and listen to me, we cannot panic, and I shall try to answer any and all questions that you may have at the end once I am done talking to you.

Should anything be left out at all, it is only to protect you and keep you safe.

But do feel free to ask your questions at the end once I am done talking to you.

Now then, we all are here today because Nightmare Shadow, a product and result of Nightmare Moon’s thoughts, dreams, fears, ideas, and actions.

We are all here because he has selected us to play a game which he is sure that we will not win, but we must prove him wrong, we will win, and we will prevail.

I do not know why he picked each of us specifically, but I know that together we can win this. We have to win this for the good of the citizens and ponies of Equestria, and we cannot afford to fail them or this game, to do so would be tragic. But before we begin I need to know that every one of you is ready and willing to do this, I will not force any pony to do this if they do not wish to do so, and so that is why I must ask you to express your doubts here and now.”

“Well if this involves action and adventure and kicking his ---, then count me in,” Rainbow Dash said kicking the air in a move as if she was kicking an ---.

“Anything for you and the ponies of Equestria, Princess Celestia,” Twilight said.

“Of course I’ll help you all in this game, it’s just like what Twilight said, we can’t put the lives of the ponies of Equestria at risk, can we now?” Rarity said.

“Of course, this Nightmare Shadow needs to be bucked and put in his right place once and for all, even if we have to tie him up to do it,” Applejack said.

“Well I would just love to help, but can you make sure that we have fun while we’re doing it? Oh and lots of party canons and confetti too!” Pinkie Pie said.

“Sure thing, anything to help you out, Princess Celestia,” Fluttershy said.

“I do not like the sound of this Nightmare Shadow, he sounds like a bully and a monster, and I hate bullies, and I put bullied in their right place, and I take care of monsters, so I will help you with these games” Iron Will said.

“Hey, weren’t you that assertiveness trainer that Fluttershy had?” Rarity asked.

“Yes, yes I was,” Iron Will said, “So what? I teach many ponies how to be strong and not be pushed over and taken advantage of, she was just another pony.”

“Is that all I am to you, sir? Am I just another pony, another customer? Another pony that has to be 100% satisfied to pay your class cost that you demand?” Fluttershy said in a very loud and very demanding voice hovering above him in a very demanding pose, “Because I am not just another regular pony for your information sir! I represent an element of harmony! And as such I demand to be treated with the fair kind respect that I deserve and have earned. I have faced up to my wort fears over time and again, and each time I got through with the help of my friends, and I will not let you talk about them or me in this manner or way, each pony has a special and unique talent that makes them different, and as such we all deal with fear in different ways.” 

“I can see that now, and I am sorry for how I treated you, but there is no changing that now, there is only finishing these games by working together.”

“Alright fine then, I accept your apology Iron Will, for I believe that it is real, honest, and sincere, but never treat others rudely, do you understand?”

“Yes, yes I do understand that Fluttershy, but can we move on now?”

“Fine then, we’ll move on, for the sake of the game,” Fluttershy said.

“I am already loyal to you and Equestria my princess, your very word is my command, for I shall do whatever you wish or ask, even to death,” Flash said.

“What about you?” Celestia said pointing to the last pony who wore a black cloak over his or her entire body; and since he or she had not spoken one single word at all, which was very odd and strange, an what was even odder still was that he or she had not moved at all except to come and join the group in the middle, it was as if they had something to hide, some dark secret to keep hidden away from them, and since he or she had a cloak covering their body, their gender was impossible to tell at this point in time or guess or determine.

“I will play these games, not for the ponies of Equestria or for the princess, but only because Nightmare Shadow is my enemy,” the last pony said resolutely, but Flash still couldn’t tell the gender of the pony just by their voice alone. 

“But what can we call you strange pony? For I have never seen you before in my life or past encounters, journeys, travels, or quests, and you look so very new here, so you surely must have a name to be called by,” Celestia said.

“You can call me Solar Eclipse, Solar for short, but come, let us play these games; you know our allegiance now, so let us move on with this now.”

“So be it then,” Celestia said, “But there is still one thing that even I do not know about these games Nightmare Shadow,” she said to the room, “What are the rules exactly? You never have explained them; at least not clearly for us to understand them enough, so can you please elaborate on what for us to do?”

“I already have elaborated,” he said with his voice echoing through the room, “And the rules, well there are no rules, you just have to solve the riddle and puzzle of the room and then move on to the next round and stage, and there are no time limits here, both you and I have all the time in the world to use.

But the levels and stages and rounds will get harder as you go on, this is merely just a small sample of what I have in store for you today”

“Well do you have any clues or hints for us? Any help at all?”

“No, I don’t, you have to solve each level or stage or round on your own, that is all, good luck to all of you, and as I said before, may the best pony ‘win’ this.”

With that said the voice cut off and the room went and remained silent once more. Obviously Nightmare Shadow had nothing left of importance to say to them, and that meant that they truly were on their own, but that was to be expected of course, Ness was probably trying to play mind games with them.

But they wouldn’t let him get in, no matter what the cost might be to pay.

“Come on every pony,” Flash said, “You heard him, look around the room for clue or hints, a piece of paper, a book, a flower, a mirror, anything at all!”

With that said every pony scrambled into action looking around the room for any sign of a hint or clue, “There’s nothing here,” Rarity said moving a very lovely and very fancy curtain aside from the wall (but no window), “But I must say that this curtain is very lovely and very fancy, can I keep it after all this?”

“NO!” every pony shouted at her and then she pouted and said, “Fine then, have it your way, but to me this just seems like a perfectly good waste of very lovely and very fancy art work and style, and so many things and ponies could use that, as well as an actual sense of style that some ponies do not seem to possess,” she said looking straight at Applejack at the last part of her sentence.

“Are you implying something at me?” Applejack said to Rarity.

“Well of course not, it’s just some ponies don’t prefer to get dirty all the time.”

“Well hard work can get you dirty sometimes, and if you ever did any in your life, then you would know that, but you haven’t so you don’t as a result.”

“I do too work hard, all my dresses have so many long hard hours that I put into every single one of them, no dress is left out, every part of the dress has accurate precision of thought and work and detail, every part has love in it making it not just another regular dress, but a work of art and love expressing the very nature or thoughts or ideas of a pony without words ever being spoken at all, a very fine detail that common ponies do not ever take notice of.

Not that you would know anything about fine detail and that at all just being the common simple apple farmer pony that you are, no offense my dear.”

“Are you implying that I’m just another ‘common’ pony?” Applejack said.

“Well with all your hard work and dirt and grime, I would say yes darling.”

“Why I have never been more insulted than this in my entire life.”

“Girls, stop arguing and fighting each other and get back to work trying to find clues or hints that will get us out of here, standing around and arguing and bickering and fighting about something so silly as hard work and dresses isn’t going to get us anywhere,” Flash said, “So get back to work right now, please.”

“Alright we will, sorry Flash,” Applejack said lowering her hat down as a sign of respect or perhaps in this case and this time it was a sign of apology instead.

“Yes, we’re sorry for what we did, me especially, and I’m sorry about what I said to you Applejack, I should never have called you that, all of Equestria knows you’re more than that, you’re a hero and a friend to us all,” Rarity said. 

“Aw shucks, I can’t stay angry at you after that apology,” Applejack said, and with that the two girls hugged each other and then went back to work.

“There’s nothing up here,” Rainbow Dash said high above near the ceiling.

“I can’t find anything,” Fluttershy said hiding in a corner away from the rest.

“I can’t find any books or scrolls or anything else at all in here,” Twilight said.

“Well there must be something here in this room, I don’t think Nightmare Shadow would us to stay in this room and not move on with his game that he has for us, lying, maybe, confuse and separate us, definitely, and trick us perhaps, but just keep looking for something, you’ll find it, eventually” Flash said trying to give every pony a boost of confidence and hope that they needed.

“You are doing well to keep them steady and straight and going,” Celestia said to him as the ponies kept working after what Flash had said to inspire them.

“I do not think that I could say it much better myself, and it seems to me that you are a natural born leader of others, just like me, my sister, and Twilight are, perhaps after all this you would like to consider a higher position and rank, perhaps captain of the guard even? I’m sure that you could do it.”

“I thank you for your offer and compliment, but perhaps this would be best at another time, when all of this is over so that I have a chance to think about it.”

“Of course,” Princess Celestia said, “Take all the time you need, I can wait for an answer, after all, I am a being of immense power, strength, knowledge, and age, if I couldn’t wait for an answer than I might not be where I am at today.”

With that said Celestia wandered off in the room all alone, and Flash as well; he wandered off alone looking for clues and hints that might be in the room.

He couldn’t find any hints or clues, and neither did the Princess Celestia, or Twilight Sparkle, or Rainbow Dash, or any pony else in the main group, but the pony who did find the first clue or hint came as a complete shock and surprise

“I think I have found something,” Solar said pointing at the very large, very fancy, and very old mirror in the middle of the room which all of them had first seen when they entered or to be more accurate, were trapped in the room.

“Look at what it says around the outer edge of it,” Solar said, “There are words and letters there, granted words and letters that make no sense at all, but do not mind that, I’m sure that there is somebody in this room that can tell us what they mean, or how to crack them, or read them, or give any kind of help at all, and as I have heard Princess Twilight Sparkle is rather good at this.”

“Well I am good,” Twilight said looking at the mirror, “And I am an expert on these things, but I have no idea or clue as to what language this could be written in, I have never even seen it before in any of my books that I study.”

“I think I know why,” Solar said, “This is a mirror, perhaps the words and letters are not written forwards, but instead backwards, and in a way that if you held a mirror across from the words you would see their true meaning.”

“Of course, it’s so obvious now! Great thinking Solar! I wouldn’t have thought of that myself, even if I tried. Anyone have a mirror to spare?” Twilight said.

“I do,” Rarity said pulling one out, “I always have one on hand to spare.”

“Of course you do,” Twilight said holding the mirror across from the words, and writing down what she saw on a piece of paper that she just so happened to have on hoof. It took her some time but she eventually stopped and then said, “I think I figured the phrase out guys, before it was messed up, but when I held the mirror up it said, ‘Edih tonnach turteht noitcelferym nir ofdnim ruoyfoton dnat reah ruoy fohturt ehtwoh sylno itey tcepxeuoy hcihwtaht fogniht etheb tonyam eesuoy tahwrof erawebtub Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi,’ and if you flip the words and then fix the spacing it roughly says this instead,
‘I show not your face, but your heart’s desire, but beware, for what you see may not be the thing of that which you expect, yet I only show the truth of your heart and not of your mind, for in my reflection the truth cannot hide.’

I don’t know what that means, but it must mean something important.”

“Wait; there is more on the bottom,” Solar said, “Another phrase to decode.

Though I cannot imagine what more it could possibly have to say to us.”

Quickly Twilight looked at the bottom and held the mirror across from the words and then quickly fixed the sentence that she saw in the mirror’s face.

“Okay this is a short one, before it said, ‘Erad uoyfiem otnikoolos’, but now after fixing the phrase it now says, ‘So look into me, if you dare’. That’s curious, I wonder what that’s supposed to mean, perhaps a warning?”

“Maybe it has a double meaning, it I both a warning and a challenge. I think that this may be our challenge, I think that we’re supposed to look into it. But do you think that each one of us is supposed to look into it?” Flash asked.

“I suppose so, but I’m afraid of what I might see in it,” Twilight said.

“So am I, but you would have to be crazy not to be afraid,” Flash said.

“I suppose you’re right,” Twilight said, “Alright, I’ll go first, any pony object?”

No one did (probably because of their fear they had for it, or perhaps it was because Twilight was a leader, but in any case no voice was raised or opposed to this motion), and so Twilight went and stood in front of the mirror while everyone else stood far aside and away so that she would have a clear view of the mirror with no pony else in the background or back sight or view.

“What do you see?” Flash asked her as she stood in front of it looking at it.

“I see myself in a library, I’m reading my favorite books, but wait, Celestia is there, and she’s handing me a paper saying that I have all the best grades in Equestria, and I’m with all my very best friends, and it is very beautiful.”

“Interesting, Princess Celestia, do you want to go next then?” Flash said.

“I will,” she said standing in the place where Twilight had been and then she looked into the mirror too facing whatever truth and image lat in there.

“I see me and my sister, we’re united and together, we’re hugging and crying, and I can tell from what I see that we just defeated Nightmare Shadow, but not alone, but as two sisters united together with a common cause, purpose, and goal, and I also see my parents there standing with us, and we’re a family at last, we’re all together and united after so many years apart and away from each other, and we’re all hugging each other in a tight embrace of love.”

With that said Celestia moved off and away crying to herself at the image she saw and she said, “I’m so sorry, but this sight, this image, it’s just so personal and touching to me”, “Okay then,” Flash said, “Who wants to go next?”

“I will,” Rarity said stepping up to look in the mirror next, “Oh, I see myself, I’m looking at the newspapers, and they all say I’m the greatest fashion designer in all of Equestria, and in my closet I have the most wonderful and loveliest of dresses that I could have ever imagined or dreamed of, oh and there stands all the princesses, and even they say that what the newspapers say of me is true.”

“Okay then, good,” Flash said, “But come on now, who wants to go next?”

“I will,” Rainbow Dash said pushing Rarity out of the way and to the side, “Just as I thought, I’m totally being awesome and showing off my moves, and I’m in the Wonderbolts, I’m flying with them in the air doing my moves and stunts.”

“Great,” Flash said, “Alright then, good so far, who’s next up in the line?”

“I’ll go,” Fluttershy said stepping up in front of it, “Oh, I’m in my garden, and all the animals I love are around me, but I’m being taken care of by them, oh, it’s so nice to be treated with love and kindness as I do with my animals.”

“Alright then, we get it, but I’m next,” Applejack said stepping up, “Oh, I see myself standing next to the biggest apple there ever was and that I ever saw, and my whole family is there to see me win the number one best apple pony farmer, and not just in the town, but all over the lands of Equestria too.”

“Oh me next,” Pinkie Pie said rushing over to stand in front of it, “Oh, I see myself at a party, lots of parties, and I have my party cannon and confetti, and cake and all sorts of games, and every pony is having fun and laughing.”

“Me next,” Iron Will said pushing Pinkie aside, “I see myself standing in Canterlot Castle, and I am being rewarded with the title of strongest creature ever in the lands of Equestria, and I also see myself with tons of gold bits.”

“And as for me,” Solar said pushing Iron Will aside with a hoof, “I see myself standing over the body of Nightmare Shadow, he’s been defeated, and I stand with the win and victory and glory, and I see nothing else in this mirror.”

“And finally for me,” Flash said pushing Solar aside, as Flash looked into the mirror he saw what he feared and thought he would see, he saw Twilight and himself kissing, under the night sky, at the beach, at their wedding, “Uh, I see myself getting promoted to Captain of the Guard by Princess Celestia,” he said lying and trying to think of the most convenient thing that a lowly guard like himself would want, but as he moved aside he saw Celestia glancing at him with a look that seemed to suggest she knew more than what he had told them.

“Well that’s it,” he said, “Everyone has gone, so why isn’t anything happening?”

“Because one of you has lied,” Nightmare Shadow said with his voice booming and echoing off the walls, “You must tell the truth in order to move on to the next stage, round and level, but one of you has not told the truth as it is.”

“Who has lied?” Twilight said, “Which one of you was it? We need to know.

Don’t be afraid to confess because we have to win this game, and in order to do that you need to tell the truth, and if you don’t we’ll never move on from this place, so please help us out, I know that you want to leave so please help us.”

“Alright,” Flash said, “It was me, I lied; I just couldn’t bear to tell the truth.”

“Why not, you do want to leave this place, right” Twilight asked him.

“Of course I do, it’s just that the truth is so embarrassing, I don’t know if I can say it out loud, or at least not where you can see my face or hear me.”

“Wait, are you saying what you saw in the mirror involved me in some way?”

“Yes, yes I am, and I just can’t bear to tell it, especially to you, Twilight.”

“Oh but you must Flash, this is the first test, to admit your heart’s desire in front of every pony especially in front of the one it concerns most,” Nightmare Shadow said with his voice echoing and booming once more again, “Anyhow, do what you wish, tell the truth, or keep it in until your mind finally breaks.”

“Please Flash; just tell us, I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think it is,”

“It is! And because of that I just can’t tell you, despite how much you need me to, I just can’t bear to say it out loud in front of all these ponies looking at me.”

“As I said before,” Nightmare Shadow said, “You ponies are all so pathetic and weak, you won’t even confess your true feelings, thoughts, ideas, dreams, and fears, and if you can’t even do that how are you supposed to stand up for your friends, family, town, or even all of Equestria? You can’t, that’s the answer.”

“Flash, I have a spell that can help you tell the truth, and it will be easy.”

“No cheating Twilight Sparkle,” Nightmare Shadow said, “No spells, no magic, no potions, he has to tell all of you on his own free will and power, if he does not then you’re all stuck here, so I hope you can find a way to make him talk.”

“Hey, you didn’t say that I couldn’t use magic before!”

“Well that was before, this is now, the rules can change in the middle of the game Twilight, despite there being no rules, except for the one I just made up for this round, level and stage, but other than that you’re basically free to do what you want to do, and should you need anything at all just ask me for it.”

“Alright fine then,” Twilight said, “I and the others will not use any magic on him to get him to talk; he’ll do it of his own free will and power as you said.”

“Good clever girl, I should give you a reward or treat, but I won’t.”

With that said Ness remained silent and Flash tried to be brave to talk.

“I don’t know if I can do this Twilight, not in front of you,” he said.

“Yes you can, because I believe in you, I have faith in you, I know that no matter what you’ll do what’s right, because that is who you are deep down inside, it doesn’t matter what a mirror shows you, your actions and words determine who you are, not what others say or think of you, so be brave, and stand up for what you believe in, and don’t be afraid of the truth, it can’t hurt you, maybe it will hurt others, but it will only hurt for a very short moment.”

“Alright,” Flash said taking a deep breath in, “I think I can do this now, thank you Twilight, alright, what I really saw was this, I saw me and you, and we were kissing, at the beach, under the night sky, and at our wedding.”

“Wait; are you saying what I think that you’re saying to me?”

“Yes, it is true Twilight, I have kept my feelings hidden from you for too long, but I’ll say it right now so that you know, I love you Twilight, I always have.”

With that said both Twilight and the room went into a silent shock, no one wanted to speak or say anything, and no one wanted to be inappropriate either.

“Can you believe this is actually happening? Flash is telling his true feelings towards Twilight! I thought that would never happen, but I guess it just did,” Pinkie Pie said to a wall, or to be more accurate, the viewing audience.

“Who is she talking to?” Flash said looking at her.

“I have no idea, but you’d be surprised at how much she does that.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it.”

“But let’s not talk about her, let’s talk about how you feel instead, I mean I never knew that you had these feelings for me, if I had I would have…”

“Twilight, I’m going to stop you right there,” Flash said, “Firstly, let’s not talk about how I feel, I don’t want to and this probably isn’t the best place or time, secondly if you had known sooner you wouldn’t be able to perform your royal duties, or focus on anything, you would have been distracted by me, and as a royal guard of lowly status I couldn’t have that, and the romance would never have worked between us, and I was also afraid to tell you, but today I did something I would never have thought possible, I told you my feelings for you.

“And it may have taken me a while to say them, but they’re here at last.”

> The Second Challenge
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Yes, yes they are Flash, and because of that you all can now move on to the next part of my puzzle, welcome to the second part of the games,” Ness said as the room suddenly changed around them, now they stood in a forest instead.

“Welcome to the second part of my elaborate games, for this game you will need to find a pony in this forest that wants something, find them and find what they want and then give it to them, there is no time limit, that is all,” Ness said.

“Every pony split into groups of two,” Flash said, and with that everyone went to their respective pairs, Rarity and Applejack, Fluttershy and Iron Will, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, Twilight Sparkle and Solar Eclipse, and finally him and the Princess. “Alright,” he said, “We’re all in pairs now, pick a direction and then let’s go and explore and find this pony to win this game.”

With that said everyone else picked a direction of the compass and went off, and Flash decided to head in the opposite direction of Twilight, but with a little more variation for when they came down a path that split they saw that the other group went right and so they went on the left path instead of the other.

As they walked Celestia started to talk, “Do you wish to speak to me, Flash Sentry? Do you wish to talk about anything at all with me in private?”

“No, I do not wish to speak here and now,” Flash said.

“Well I do, I think it was brave of you to tell your feelings, most other ponies might not have told them, even when faced with a situation that we did.”

“If it was for the good of Equestria I am sure that any pony would tell.”

“Yes, but it still took persuasion for you to tell, and I think that would apply with the other ponies as well, but I am still proud of what you did today.”

“I can see why, other ponies would never confess their true feelings out loud, or even write them down, especially to the pony that their affection is with.”

“Indeed, and that is why I think you have passed one of your weaknesses.”

“Wait, you said one of them, do you think there will be more?”

“I am almost positive and sure that there will be more, so be ready for them.”

With that said they continued on their journey until at last they found a pony on the side of the road that was crying, this must be the pony, he thought.

What luck, he thought, to find the pony that Ness spoke of that we had to find.

“Why are you crying my young dear pony?” Celestia asked the pony.

“Because I am so lonely, and so very lost,” she said, “But if you could help me out, I would appreciate it above anything else that you could give me,”

“Well what is it you want my young dear pony? Ask and it shall be yours.”

“What I want,” she said, “Is a kiss.”

Meanwhile (1. Rarity and Applejack’s POV) …


Rarity and Applejack were walking down the path and way they had chosen, but they still had no luck finding the pony Ness had spoken about earlier.

“You know,” Rarity said, “This forest is quite dark and spooky and scary.”

“That it is, but what I still don’t understand is how this room keeps changing.”

“Well I’m sure we’ll find that out eventually, but to be honest with you we should have thought of a way to signal everyone if we found the pony.”

“You’re right, say; if we do find them, why not put a message up in the sky with that horn of yours? That way ponies don’t think we’re in danger.”

“What a lovely and splendid idea, alright, if we see the pony than I shall,”

And with that said they continued on their way until they found a very old and very poor pony by the side of the road that was wearing an old torn brown cloak (farmer’s clothing by the look of it) and was begging for some food.

“Please help,” he said, “I just want some good food and clothes strange ponies.”

“Well of course we can give you that,” Applejack said plucking a few apples down from the apple trees that were all around the dark, creepy, scary, spooky forest, “Here you go, some nice fresh apples picked straight from the tree.”

“Stupid pony, do you think it is as easy as that? These apples are poisoned, if they were not deadly to my health I would have eaten them already,” he said shouting very loudly at them, “So go back and get me some real food for me.”

“Alright fine, if you won’t eat the apples then what do you want?”

“I want the water of life, drawn from and by the cup of life; the waters lie deep inside this forest somewhere, find them, and bring me back the youth I had.”

Meanwhile (2. Iron Will and Fluttershy’s POV) …

Fluttershy and Iron Will walked in the forest together looking for the pony spoken of by Ness, but they had no luck as they continued walking on.

“I wonder if we’ll find the pony on this path and way,” she said.

“I do not know,” Iron Will said, “But I am ready to be strong if the need calls.”

But they did not have to wait long to find out, soon they came across a pony who was crying on the side of the road and was all alone by herself.

“Why are you crying my strange dear pony?” Fluttershy asked her softly.

“Because I lost my pet and animal, and I just can’t find him anywhere.”

“Oh, that’s so sad, but we’ll find your pet for you,” Fluttershy said softly.

“Thank you, but just so you know, my pet, he’s not a regular house pet, or any kind or type of regular animal, well he’s a very large and very angry bear.”

Meanwhile (3. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash’s POV) ...

Pinkie Pie bounced down the road while Rainbow Dash flew overhead.

“Come on, hurry up,” Rainbow Dash said, “Time is running out for us.”

“Don’t be silly,” Pinkie Pie said, “We have all the time in the world to do this.”

“You know what I mean,” Rainbow Dash said, “We have to find that pony.”

With that said they went onwards on their path and journey until they found a pony that was on the side of the road waving out towards them for help.

“This must be our lucky day, that has to be the pony that we have to help out,” Rainbow Dash said flying over to her, “Hello good pony, how can we help you out today? Or rather how can I help you out since I am so awesome?”

“I need help finding a new teacher and recruit for my other students that I teach,” the female Pegasus said, “And you would make the perfect one, but I just need one small tiny little favor from you first, it’s not even a big one.”

“Sure, what do you want me to do? Name it and I’m sure I can do it for you.”

“Leave your friends behind, forget them, and then you can come join me.”

Meanwhile (4. Solar Eclipse and Twilight Sparkle’s POV) …


“Where do you come from? Who are you? What are you? What do you look like? Do you know any magic, and if so how much and what kind? Were you ever a student of Celestia or Luna? Do I know you from somewhere? Have you ever been to Ponyville, Canterlot, or the Crystal Empire before? What were you like when you were young? Can you fly? Are you strong? Are you smart? Are you wise? Are you clever? Are you intelligent? What’s your special talent that you have? What’s your cutie mark, or do you even have one? 
How old are you?

Can I see your face now? Why do you wear that cloak? Are you ever going to take that thing off or are you going to keep it on? Why won’t you answer me?”

These were just some of the many things Twilight asked of Solar, but still no response, no word came from the mouth, and no word was spoken either.

Solar was silent as the wind, or rather better yet, the grave. Solar just kept looking on ahead (or at least that’s what Twilight thought so) and did not move any part of the body that was not required to move on the path and the way.

“Please stop asking me these questions,” Solar eventually said, “I do not want to answer them. I would like not to answer them, so please, stop.”

“Alright then, if you say so,” Twilight said.
With that being said they continued on their journey down the pathway.

Soon enough they were in luck, they came across a pony on the side of the road waving at them for help. “This must be our lucky day,” Twilight said.

Twilight dashed up to the pony in need of help and said, “Hello good sir, how can we help you, or be any kind of assistance that you need today?”

“Yes, you can help me, I am in need of a teacher and recruit, and you look like the perfect match or fit young lady, and just so you know this is no ordinary teaching job, this will require you to learn more than that which you do know.

It will require you to learn as much knowledge as the princesses themselves.

What do you say are you in for the job, or do I have to keep looking?”

“No you don’t need to look, I’ll help you teach,” Twilight said.

“Great, but there’s just one small favor from you that I need before you begin your teaching job, and it is required and mandatory of you to do.”

“What is it?” Twilight asked.

“I need you to leave your friends behind, and forget that you ever had them in the first place, and after you do that can you help me with teaching.”

And now back to (5. Flash Sentry’s POV) … 

“Wait, you want me to kiss you?” Flash asked her.

“Well I certainly don’t want her to kiss me, but come on, it’s only a kiss, it’s such a very small thing, one quick little peck won’t hurt either of us.”

“Miss, I simply cannot do this, I refuse to do so. If I did it could and probably would ruin my honor, name, reputation, and integrity. I cannot simply kiss another pony because they ask me to do it. We would have to be in love and a relationship to do so, and we are not currently in either, so the answer remains no, I’m sorry miss; I wish I could help you with this, and I would, in any way but this one. What you ask of me, it is simply too much and it is wrong.”

“What, a kiss is wrong? A kiss isn’t wrong, especially if it’s done with love and affection, but come on, you don’t have to kiss me the right way, you just have to kiss me, that’s all I’m asking, is that too much of me to ask from you?”

“Yes, yes it is. There are certain things that shouldn’t be asked of any pony miss, and this is one of them, to name the others would take far too long.”

“Look,” she said, “If you don’t kiss me I’m going to get angry, and trust me when I say this, you do not want to see me angry, I’m not very nice when I’m angry, or kind, or merciful, so I will give you one last chance to help me by kissing me before I get angry, this is your last and final chance to help me.

There will be no others, and this is your one and only final and last warning.”

“I’m sorry miss, but the answer still remains no, and I do think I can handle your anger, I’ve seen so many things worse than some pony’s anger at me.”

“Well I’m sorry that you can’t help me too, because no pony is going to help you against my rage,” she said using her horn to cast magic, “And you can’t stop me!” With that said the very earth around Flash started to crumble around him. He started to run away from her but the split and crack in the earth just kept growing bigger and wider, “Princess Celestia,” he shouted, “HELP ME!”

But she was nowhere to be found or seen and then Flash grumbled to himself, “Where is that Princess when you need her? Especially the most in situations like these? She never seems to help or be around when anything important is happening. Oh where in Equestria could that princess be now?” 

6. Princess Celestia’s POV

The answer to Flash’s question was that she was far away from that scene, she had left as Flash was talking to the pony and because he was being otherwise engaged and distracted she had not bothered to talk to him when she left.

But the reason as to why she left was this, Tia, a voice cried out in her mind, Please, come help me, this is your sister Luna, I’m being held somewhere deep inside the forest, and I can’t tell where I am because it’s so cold and dark here.

Please help, I need you sister, this will be my only chance to send this message to your mind, don’t question how it has gotten to you, I would assume that there is a small temporary breach in my prison for this to get out. This is not a trap for you my sister, this is really me, so please come help me by setting me free from my cage and prison. I will keep sending this message out in the hopes that it may reach you until there is the chance that you hear it. If you are hearing this for the first time then this message will not repeat again, but I do think that as you come closer to where I am being held my voice will get louder, so please my sister, Celestia, follow my voice, and come find me, and then free me of my bonds and chains. I need your help sister, please come find me, I’m so scared here all alone. This is the one and only time you will hear this message, so make sure that you know it well, for my strength is fading and I will not be able to speak this much the next time you might hear me again.  I can only hope that you get this message, I won’t be able to know if you have, and you can’t talk back to me with your mind, Nightmare Shadow will block the way for us to talk and communicate to each other, which is why I say this will be the last and only time that you will hear this. And with all my heart and mind I hope and pray that you find me, and with all my heart and mind I say this, I love you, sister.  

Please sister, I need you, come find me, and then we can be together again.


Once that had been spoken to her mind Luna’s voice spoke no more, and despite what Luna had said Celestia still tried to contact her with her mind.

‘Luna?’  She thought; ‘Can you hear me? Please tell me that you can hear me.’

But no answer came, and Celestia ran off into the forest leaving Flash behind and all alone, vainly shouting out with her voice and mind for her sister.

“Luna!” she cried out in vain as she ran across the forest, “Luna! Luna!”

She kept crying out this single solitary statement over and over again in vain, for she never got a response, but she still kept trying no matter what.

“I’m coming for you Luna! Don’t worry! Just keep hanging on for me!”

Celestia kept running into the forest, and then she heard something, it was very soft and faint, not like the first message she got, but it was still there.

Celestia, can you hear me now?


“Yes, I can hear you!” Celestia said.

If you can hear me just keep following my voice,

"I will Luna! I will!” Celesta said running off to find the voice.

Follow my voice.


And Celestia did, and Luna kept repeating the same thing over and over again, never changing how she spoke it, but as Celestia kept running the voice became stronger if she ran the right way, and weaker if she did not.

Celestia kept running until she finally found the prison and cage where she was being kept, it was a thick bramble of vines and bushes and trees, and she could barely see her sister Luna in there, but she was in there, out of sight and out of mind, hidden by the shadows and the darkness, but still there and alive.

Celestia quickly used her magic powers and a spell to blast the cage and prison apart, but there was still something keeping Luna there, magical chains of black and white, orange and blue, red and purple, blue and yellow.

Celestia tried to blast them off with her magic spells, but no matter how much effort, power, or magic she put into her spells, the chains would not break, no matter what, and her sister was still chained and bound, but she didn’t give up trying to free her sister, she didn’t come all this way to leave her sister here like this, she would free her sister Luna, no matter what the cost was or might be. 

“Hold on sister,” she said, “I’ll get you out of here, no matter what it takes.”

“Sister,” Luna said, “These chains, they can only be broken by the blood of someone who understands both the light and darkness, knows their power and strength, their good and evil, knows their use, and that is neither you or I.

But together we can free me from these chains, there is a knife that Ness left behind for me to use should I want to try to kill myself, but I think if we cut ourselves and let our blood fall on the chains, then together we can be free.

Come on Celestia, what do you say, shall we do this, together, as sisters?”

“Yes, let’s do this, together, as sisters,” Celestia said.

“Alright then, but there is only one catch to me being free.”

“What is it my sister? Please tell me,” Celestia said with fear.

“Nightmare Shadow said that in order for me to be free the blood cannot be cut by the pony themselves, it has to be cut by another in this case, for if I cut myself then my blood will only be dark with the shadows and the night and dreams and fears, it has to be mixed in, tainted with the blood of the light.

And that means my dear sister; that you will have to stab me, in the heart.”

7. Rarity and Applejack’s POV


"The water of life,” Applejack said, “I don’t believe I have heard of that, or ever seen it, in fact I think that’s just a silly old mare’s tale to give some hope to the ponies who are sick, old or dying, and your sir seem to be a bit old in mind and age, and I mean no offense by this sir, but it is the truth as well as I can see it.”

“It is real!” the pony said, “And I need you to find it for me! You do want to help me out, don’t you want to help me; are you not kind and generous?”

“Well we do want to help you out sir, but we wouldn’t even know where to look for this mythical magical water of life to begin with,” Applejack said.

“I have a map,” he said pulling one out, “That will take you straight to it, and I would go there myself, but I’m too old, and I heard that the pathway and journey is filled with peril and is dangerous, and I can’t handle that anymore.”

“Well then, I’m sure with this that we can get what you want,” Applejack said.

“Alright then, fine, go away now, off with you, time is running out, the water loses its effect and efficiency when the last light of day fades away, so why don’t you go away now? After all, time is running out for you and me a well.”

With that said they went off in search of the water of life. It took them some time using the map (since they had a hard time finding the landmarks on it and actually got lost a few times and had to track their way back again), but they eventually found the base of the hill where the magical mythical water of life was supposed to be located, according to the map which they had, but from down at the bottom of this large hill which only had one spiraling pathway up its side only large and wide enough for four ponies to stride down or up the hill, but they both knew that it would get more narrow as they climbed up the side.
It looked like a long way up, but at least it wouldn’t be narrow to begin with, that would only come later at the end when they were higher up the hill side. 

“Well we better get started on this thing,” Applejack said starting up the side of the hill, “Now are you coming or are you just going to stand there all day?”

“Oh I will, but it’s just such a long way up, and I could get tired you know.”

“Look, I don’t care, we’re going to help this pony even if it’s the last thing in Equestria that we do, and you’re going to help me do it, so come on now.”

With that being said Rarity reluctantly started to go up the hill side.

“I wonder what could possibly be so dangerous about this hill, yes I suppose something as important as the water of life would be guarded by something, but I haven’t seen anything dangerous yet, and it looks quite lovely, especially the setting sun in the sky, but I suppose that’s bad for us, right?”

“You’re quite right,” Applejack said, “And come on now, we have to hurry.”

With that said they now rushed to make up for lost time and to get to the top before it was night time, if they got there then it would be too late for them.

But before they could reach the top they were blocked by a guard who now stood in the way of their object, and now the pathway was only wide enough for one pony, but they were at the peak now, and there was a fountain just out of their sight that hid behind the guard, but he blocked the only way to it.

“Don’t bother using magic,” he said, “Nothing works on me, many have tried, all have failed, not even the princesses and Nightmare Shadow himself could get me to move from my spot. And flying doesn’t work either; there is a spell on this hill that prevents any pony from flying up to the top to reach the water of life. 

And I am only telling you this because it is required of me, it is my duty, and I thought you would like to know. The only way to pass is if you answer all of my questions faithfully and honestly, but I shall only allow one of you to pass for now, should the other want to pass they would have to and must go through the same test and questions that I am to ask of one of you right now.

These are the rules to pass through this gate to the other side where the water of life is, I did not make the rules, up, I am only here to enforce them.”

“Alright, I’ll go then,” Applejack said, “You stay here Rarity, only one of us needs to go in there and get the water, I think I can handle his questions.

I am after all the element of honesty, and if there is any pony that can pass his questions it bound to me, and I’m sorry that you can’t come along with me.”

“Are you sure? If you answer one of my questions wrong you cannot pass, and if you lie to me at all I will know, and you can pass to get the water, but should you drink it after lying to me the consequences would be most… fatal and deadly to you, so choose wisely what you say, and not poorly.”

“What do you mean?” Applejack asked.

“Tell the truth and drink the water of life to live; deceive and lie and hide the truth, then pass to drink not the water of life, but the water of death instead.”

8. Iron Will and Fluttershy’s POV


“A bear, you have a pet bear?” Fluttershy asked, “Oh my, how interesting.”

“Yes, and he’s somewhere in this forest, can you please help me find him?”

“Well of course we can, right?”

“Yes,” Iron Will said, “Bear is strong, I am stronger, he will not last in fight.”

“Please don’t hurt him; he’s a very nice bear, except towards strangers.”

“Alright, we won’t if you ask us not to,” Fluttershy said.

“Thank you strangers, thank you so much,” the pony said.

“You’re very welcome,” Fluttershy said.

With that being said they went off in search of the very large and very angry bear. “I hope that he isn’t sick or sleepy,” Fluttershy said, “If he is that could explain why he’s upset and angry, or perhaps he just has a thorn in his paw.”

“It does not matter why the bear is upset, you will calm him down. I need him back for my act, and if I don’t have him then I’ll lose the show and act.”

“Well I guess so, I hope that I can, some animals just won’t listen sometimes.”

“Then let us hope that this is not the case with this bear,” Iron Will said.
With that said they kept searching, until they finally found the bear in a cave, and then Fluttershy went over to him and said, “Hey buddy, I know you’re upset and angry, but your friend is looking for you, so can you please tell me why you ran away? I can’t help you out unless you talk to me buddy.”

The bear roared and growled and Fluttershy said, “Oh, I see, well then, I’m sure that I can fix that for you, but can you please come back now?”

The bear growled and roared once more and Fluttershy said, “Great then, we’re off now,” and with that they were off back to the pony who owned the bear.

They got back soon enough and the pony rushed to her bear, “Oh Chuck, I’m so glad that you’ve come back, I was so worried! Don’t ever leave me again!”

“He wants you to know not to mix up his food or medicine, and he also wants you to know that he wouldn’t just like to eat berries and honey and meat.

He also says that he doesn’t want you to punish him for doing something wrong, because sometime he just forgets or sometimes he’s just nervous.”

“Alright, I’ll treat him better, just so long as he comes home with me.”

“Well we’re glad that we could help, need anything else?”

“Nope, that’s it, thank you so very much!”

“You’re welcome,” Fluttershy said as the pony left.

But then after the pony had left a mysterious black cloud swooped down on them, and she tried to escape, but it was magical because she couldn’t escape.

“What is this?” Fluttershy asked in a panic inside the black bubble.

“This is the holding area,” Nightmare Shadow said his voice somehow echoing and bouncing off and penetrating the mysterious and magical black bubble.

“You will be held here until all the others complete the challenge, and please do not attempt to escape or struggle or resist, it is futile, once all the others have completed their challenges only then will all of you be able to move on with the game. I hope that you do not get bored or lonely in here my dear contestants.”

“What do you mean once the other contestants finish their challenges?”

“Oh, did I not tell you? Each pony has their own pony and challenge to face, sorry that I didn’t tell you earlier, it must have slipped my mind.”

“I doubt that could happen,” Fluttershy said, “But what about Iron Will?”

“He is not a pony, and therefore he does not count, he will not endure the same tests and trial that you will all endure, but he still has a purpose and role to play in my game, if he did not then he would not be playing these games.”

With that said Nightmare Shadow remained silent and Fluttershy and Iron Will remained trapped inside the mysterious magical black bubble waiting for their friends and the others to finish up their tasks and challenges so that they could move on, and the only thing that they could do was pray and have hope.

9. Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash’s POV

“I won’t leave my friends my friends behind to go teach, I wouldn’t even leave my friends behind to go fly with the Wonderbolts, and they’re my lifelong dream, so I’m sorry, but the answer for your question is a resolute no.”

“But you do want to help me out, don’t you? This is the only way.”

“Well we do want to help you, I want to help you, and I wish I could, and we would help you out in any other way, but we can’t, I can’t, and I’m sorry.”

“Well I’m sorry too, but since you will not give up on your morals or values or your friends, which is very loyal for them, can you do something else for me?”

“Sure, what is it that you want me to do?”

“A sonic rain boom; in order to signal your friends; show me your speed, show me your strength, show me your power, don’t hold anything back from me, give it your all, oh and there is one more thing I have to say, fly Rainbow dash, fly.”

With that said Rainbow Dash said, “Gladly,” and flew off into the air to do it.

Zooming up to speed she quickly broke the sound barrier.

After she did this the same mysterious magical black cloud enveloped her and Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash tried to escape, but her efforts were in vain.

And then the same things said to Fluttershy and Ion Will was repeated to them again by Nightmare Shadow. “Well that’s just great,” Rainbow Dash said with sarcasm and with that they remained silent in the bubble waiting for the others to finish their challenges and also hoping and praying that they would do so shortly, or at least Rainbow Dash did, she didn’t like to be kept waiting on things and stuff, she got very impatient and wanted it right now instead.

10. Solar Eclipse and Twilight Sparkle’s POV

“I won’t abandon my friends just to teach or learn,” Twilight said, “They mean too much to me, I can’t just give them up now and forget that I ever had them.”

“Well then, that’s too bad, I wish that you could have helped me out.”

“Me too, but if there were any other way that I could help you out, I would.”

“Well there is one thing that I can think of that you could help me out with.”

“Sure, name it out and I’ll see what I can do to help you out.”

“Well I have some questions for you, and I need you to answer them honestly.”

“Well okay, I can do that, I mean it sounds easy enough, how hard can it be?”

“It can be very hard to answer your question; firstly, I must ask you this. 

Do you or have you ever felt like you just wanted to go back and time and fix some small silly mistake that you made? Or even a big gigantic one?”

“Well yes of course, but messing around with time can be very dangerous.”

“Well yes, time travel is dangerous, but what if I told you that there was a way to change the things, the events of the past, would you use and accept it?”

“Well no, I wouldn’t, because whatever happened was meant to happen, and I wouldn’t change any of that, even if I wanted to. So the answer is a no.”

“Well then, that’s nice to know, and you have done well, you can go now.”
With that said Twilight started to move, but then the mysterious magical black cloud bubble arrived and trapped Twilight and Solar inside its thick walls.

Once again the same message repeated to them as it had before to the others.

“Well then, so long as we’re in here, care to answer my questions?” Twilight asked Solar, but no response came, at least not for a very good long while.

“No, I do not, I will not give my enemy leverage to use against me, so I will remain silent and without a face, unlike you foolish ponies,” Solar said.

“We’re not foolish, we’re very smart and wise; I especially since I’m a princess and I have studied so many books and know all about magic in general.”

“Books do not make a pony or a princess, only our words and actions do that.”

“Well I guess that’s true, but I still don’t see what this has to do with anything.”

“Soon enough you will see; or you will not, I do not care, I just want peace.”

And with that said they remained there in silence waiting for the others to finish, and they could only hope and pray that they would soon move on.

11. Rarity and Applejack’s POV

“Wait, are you saying that if I lie that I die?”

“That is exactly what I am saying, so are you sure that you are ready?”

“Ready as I ever will be, ask your questions, I’m not afraid.”

“Yes you are, slightly. Every pony is afraid of death. Even I am no exception to this basic rule. My first question to you is this, what is your name?”

“You want to know what my name is,” Applejack asked with confusion.

“Yes, would you like me to repeat the question? I can do that for you if you didn’t hear it or understand it, and I can gladly phrase it in a way that would enable you to fully understand it, so would you like me to repeat it again?”

“No, I heard it fine and clear, I was just confused, but to answer your question, my name is Applejack, and that’s all I have to say about that matter.”

“You answer faithfully and honestly, and let it not be said that I do not give fair and equal chances for ponies to understand and repeat the questions I ask.

The next question that I have for you is this, what is your goal, purpose, or quest? For surely you must have one, all ponies do at some point in their life.”

“Well my goal is to get that water of life for an old pony who ants it because Nightmare Shadow said we have to find and help a certain pony, and this must be him, and so we came here by a map he gave us and now we’re standing here and I’m talking to you answering your silly little questions that you have.”

“You answer faithfully and honestly, but no question that I have for you is silly.

My next question for you is this, what is your favorite color?”

“My favorite color, well that’s red of course, because of apples.”

“You answer faithfully and honestly, and now you may pass on,” he said moving aside so that the pathway was clear, “You have done well.”

“Well that was easy, but before I enter, I have one question for you.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Do you reply with the same thing every time someone answers a question?”

“When they answer faithfully and honestly I do, when they don’t, I do not.”

“Well that’s nice to know,” Applejack said as she moved past the guard and to the circular round fountain, but instead of just one cup there were multiple ones that were all lined up in a circle around the circular round fountain.

And written on the second level of the fountain base were these words.

Choose your vessel wisely, for only the humble and wise may live out their life.

Most of the cups seemed fancy and elegant, and there was only one simple cup among all the rest of them, well I hope that this is the right one, she thought dipping the cup into the water, but I better try it out first before I leave.

She took a sip of water, and she didn’t feel anything, nothing happened.

Well this must be the right one, she thought, or at least she hoped it was.

As she left with the water in the cup the guard said this to her, “You have chosen wisely. Well done Applejack, other ponies choose the wrong cup.”

“Well thanks for saying so, but I better go now, I need to finish this.”

“Well then, goodbye Applejack, and well done.”

With that said Applejack and Rarity left and rushed back down the hill side back to the old pony, right where they had left him when they had gone.

“I have the water of life for you, sir,” Applejack said.

“Good, give it to me,” he said taking the cup and then drinking the water.

It took some time but the effects did come, the old stallion started to get younger. “Thank you strangers, you have helped me out today.”

And with that said the mysterious magical black bubble trapped Rarity and Applejack inside, and despite their vain efforts, they could not escape.

The same message was repeated once more again and then after that they remained in silence waiting and hoping for the last two to finish up.

12. Flash Sentry’s POV 

Flash ran across the ground in a panic to escape the rage of the pony.

But no matter how much he cried out for the princess, she was nowhere to be found or seen. “Where is that princess when you need her?” Flash grumbled to himself again “Oh where in Equestria could that Princess be right now?”

But as luck would have it as he ran away from the splitting ground with the crack growing deeper, wider, and longer, he eventually did find Celestia.

He didn’t know when or how it happened, but he suddenly found himself far away from the pony and the ground that he had been running away from, and now he found himself looking at both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna standing there, but Princess Luna was chained to the ground and couldn’t escape or get free, and even though he couldn’t hear either of them he could tell by their movements and gestures that they were clearly talking to each other, and it must have been about something very important and sad because both had tears on their faces, and Celestia looked upset and reluctant about something, but then 

Celestia nodded her agreement and picked up a knife that was nearby that Flash had not seen and in the next moment she did something shocking and surprising, she stabbed her sister Luna right in the heart.

13. Celestia’s POV

“You want me to stab you in the heart? Sister, you cannot ask this of me, surely there must be a better way, a cut to the hoof would work just as well.”

“No, he said it must come from the heart, where the most pain, emotion, thoughts, ideas, dreams, and fears lie. And besides sister, we are immortal; whatever you do to me cannot hurt me, at least not in the physical sense.”

And with that they remained silent for some time, Celestia knew that her sister Luna didn’t have to speak in order to express and convey what she meant.
Celesta had hurt sister once before, when she ignored her for the good of the kingdom of Equestria and its citizens, but as a result she lost the sister she knew, and it was a mistake that she never intended to repeat ever again.

“I’m sorry for what I did then,” Celestia said with tears in her eyes, “I’m sorry that I hurt you, and I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you then. But I’m here now, and I can help you, but I just wish it could be in some other way.”

“So do I, sister,” Luna said with tears in her eyes, “But this is the only way to free me from my chains, there is no other way, though I wish there were any other way to do this, do you understand, do you agree with me, will you do this with me, not alone, but together, as sisters, like we used to be long ago?”

“Yes sister, I do agree, I do understand,” Celestia said nodding her consent.

“Good, then pick the dagger up, and stab me in the heart.”

With much reluctance and with great effort and pain she slowly picked up the dagger, and then with tears in her eyes she started the downward slope that would plunge the dagger into her sister’s heart, I’m so sorry Luna, she thought for one last time before the dagger completed its stroke and was in her sister’s heart, and slowly the blood of her sister she loved poured out onto the ground.

14. Flash Sentry’s POV

“No!” he cried out as soon as the dagger was plunged into Luna.

He could not believe what he was seeing, what good reason could there be for this sight? Why in Equestria would Celestia ever stab her beloved sister Luna?

He couldn’t think of any reason as to why, and so he started to think to himself, surely this must be a trick or lie, he thought, yes, it had to be, there could be no other reason or explanation, Nightmare Shadow was just using him, and all of this was just happening in his mind, it wasn’t real.

“Well you are right about one part,” Nightmare Shadow said in his mind, “These games, they are happening inside your head because of me, but what you’re seeing right now? This is real, it’s actually happening right now as you watch, this is no lie or trick, and there is a good explanation and reason.

But if I told you, it would ruin the surprise and end your pain, and I can’t have that now, can I? Anyhow enjoy the show, I hope you like it, oh wait, that’s a lie, I hope that you don’t, I hope that it makes you suffer in pain and agony.

But no matter what you try to do you can’t change what’s happening, this is merely just a reflection, they won’t be able to hear or see you, but you can try to change it if you want, I won’t stop you, it won’t matter anyway.”

With that said Flash did try to call out for Celestia and tried to ask her why she was doing what she did, but no response, not even a glance his way, Ness spoke the truth, and he could only watch with horror with the events and things that happened next, and some of them just made him want to cry.

15. Celestia’s POV

The blood from her sister slowly dripped onto the chains.

The knife glistened with the bright red and black blood from her sister.

Then suddenly Luna took the knife from Celestia with much pain and effort and grunts, and then Luna herself stabbed her sister Celestia in the heart.

"I'm so sorry sister, but this has to be done,” Luna said.

“And I am sorry as well sister, for how I treated you when we were younger.”

“This is not time to feel sorry for the things and events that happened then, we need to focus on the now, and we can’t be distracted by the past anymore.”

“I know that, and I just that in time you can forgive me for what I did.”

“I already have sister,” Luna said with tears in her eyes, “I already have.”

With that said the mysterious magical black bubble suddenly came down on Celestia and trapped her, and despite her efforts and magic and spells and power and strength and knowledge, she could not escape her prison or cage.

But now instead of the same message that had been repeated to the other contestants, this time a different and new message was relayed to all the contestants who now stood in all the same magical mysterious black bubble.

> The Third Challenge
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

But now instead of the same message that had been repeated to the other contestants, this time a different and new message was relayed to all the contestants who now stood in all the same magical mysterious black bubble.

“Hello contestants of my games, you have completed the first two challenges quite well, but those were quite easy compared to what I have next for you.”

“Easy, you call what we endured easy?” Celestia asked.

“I would have to agree with Celestia on that,” Flash said.

"Well I don’t know about you guys, but it was easy for me, it might have been hard for you guys, but it was totally not the way with me,” Rainbow Dash said.

“It does not matter what your opinion or thought were about what you have endured or been through, some of you have had your element tested, your honesty, generosity, kindness, and loyalty. Others had to face one of their worst fears or nightmares. Some had to be loyal, generous, kind, and honest.

But this next challenge will be your hardest, but not your last one.

This time you will all face your worst fear and nightmare, your very worst one.

The only way to move on is to accept it, and stand up and face it.

Good luck to every one of you, and welcome to the third challenge.”
With that said Nightmare Shadow remained silent and suddenly the group was split up once more, but not in pairs, they were on their own now, all alone.

They had no one else with them to face whatever was going to be shown next.

1. Applejack’s POV


“Facing my worst fear?” she said to Ness, “I think I can handle that.” 

“You would be wrong then,” Nightmare Shadow said, “You are all wrong.”

With that said Applejack was suddenly on the farm back home with all her friends and family, and they were waiting for her with anticipation on their faces as well as expectation, and she prepared herself for what she might face.

“Hey there every pony, what are you all doing here?”

“We were waiting for you,” Apple Bloom said, “We need to talk to you about the harvest and crops, they’re all gone and destroyed, there isn’t anything left.”

“Well that’s just horrible and terrible granny, but how did it happen?”

“Because of you, if you hadn’t been so lazy and careless we might have, could have saved the farm! But now we’re losing the farm to Flim and Flam.”

“No that can’t be true, tell me that it isn’t true!”

“I’m afraid it is big sister, all of it is true, every word I speak, but then again I don’t think I should call you that anymore, especially after what you did and after what happened to the farm, after all it was because of you that we lost this farm, so we as a family, we have all decided to disown you from our family, I’m sorry Applejack, but you are no longer part of the apple family.”

“No,” Applejack said, it was as Nightmare Shadow said, her worst fear was here, and she had to face and accept it, but she didn’t know how to do that.

“Oh, and one more thing, your friends are here to see you out of town, you’re no longer part of their group because they say they can’t have any pony who is so lazy and careless as to let their farm and family ever get this way.”

“I can’t believe that this is actually happening to me,” Applejack said.

“Well you better believe it, because it is happening.”

“Well I just have one question for you?”

“What’s that?”

“Where are Granny Smith, and Big Mac? I don’t see them.”

“They died, and I’m just about on the brink of death too.”

“That can’t be true, what you say, this can’t be true.”

“I’m afraid it is,” Twilight Sparkle said, “Your family died and you were disowned, you never even got a chance to fix your mistake, and your friends left you, even me, and I just wanted to say how I feel to you before you left.”

“Wait, what are you saying, my entire family is dead, because of me?”

“Yes, don’t you remember? They have their gravestones at the farm.”

And with that said Applejack was somehow at the farm where the graves were, and somehow she must be going through time at a different rate because one moment she was at the farm talking to Apple Bloom, and then at Twilight’s house speaking to her, and now she was back at the farm again facing her fear.
It was a sad sight to look at, and she cried, but she finally accepted it.

She accepted the fact that death comes to all ponies, especially to the ones you love and care about the most, even to her friends as she stood at their graves.

2. Rarity’s POV


Rarity stood in her house with her friends all around her, but it was not her house exactly, it was in shambles and in ruin, dark and abandoned.

“What do you mean that my fashion business failed?” she asked in a panic.

“Well that’s just it, ponies here never appreciated or brought any of your dresses, and because of that your dream of having one in Canterlot and in all the other places across Equestria has failed, and you’ve been forgotten.

Well actually worse than that, you lost your sense of style and fashion, and you ran out of new and original ideas, and you promised to make another dress again so long as you lived, and then you tore down your house and became socially isolated, and we’re so sorry for you, but we can’t help you, even though we tried to, but no matter what we did, the fault lay with you alone.”

“Well of all the worst possible things to happen, this is the absolute worst!”

3. Pinkie Pie’s POV


“All my friends have abandoned me, and no one wants to come to my parties!” Pinkie Pie cried out in despair and sadness and some disbelief.

Even her party canon was broken in this worst fear and nightmare of hers.

4. Fluttershy’s’ POV


It was literally everything, Nightmare Night, her shadow, dragons, bats, bears, all the big mean nasty stuff, to say it all would literally take too long.

But suffice it to say she couldn’t stand up to any of her fears all alone.

5. Rainbow Dash’s POV


She was in the Wonderbolts Hall of History, but what she saw was scary.
Instead of being featured on the wall or hall as she thought she would, she instead hanged on the Hall of the Worst Fliers in History.

But even then her name was eventually forgotten, and no one remembered who she was, which was almost worse than or just as bad as being the worst.

“This can’t be happening,” she said to herself, “I was supposed to be one of the best, not one of the worst, I was supposed to be remembered, not forgotten. How could this happen, especially to an awesome pony like myself?”

“Sometimes you can’t get or have everything you want in life, especially your dreams and passions, Rainbow Dash,” Nightmare Shadow said.

“Yeah, well we’re going to kick your butt so hard that you won’t even feel it for weeks afterwards, and then after that you’re going to be sorry for all the things that you’ve done,” Rainbow Dash said trying to put a brave face on.

“Oh Rainbow Dash, you and all your pony friends make me laugh inside when they say they will defeat me, and I might keep you alive just for that when your use has expired, but I won’t because I do not play favorites, and after your use has expired and my plans succeed, there is no telling how much of a wild card that you may or will be. And I cannot, I simply refuse to have any wild card in my deck, I like to know the odds I’m against and then play, I need a puzzle image before I put the pieces together, and finally, I need an opponent in all my games, especially the game of skill, tactic, and logic, the game of chess itself.”

“I find chess and puzzles boring; I like action and adventure more.”

“Well of course you do, and I know that, and let me reassure you that before your journey is done or complete, and before these games end, you will lose something that you have held dear and close to your heart, something you kept out of the thoughts of your mind as well as your ideas, but not your dreams. I do not lie when I say that you cannot expect to truly win these games I have.

No matter how much you or your other friends try, no matter what they do or how far they come, or how much power, strength and knowledge they gain, you will all lose something in the end, and it’s going to be something that will hurt all of you, after all, you can’t fight a war against me or any other pony and expect not to lose something in the end, to expect that is to expect failure, it is a false hope and lie, and when we meet for the last and final time, do you want to know what I’m going to say to all of you? I’m going to say this, ‘You Lose’.

And when I finally get to say it, I’m going to relish that moment, I’m going to savor it and remember it forever, because no matter what happens with this war, whether or not I lose or win, I will always have the knowledge that all of you lost something in the end, and that will be my final and last victory.

For you can never truly get rid of the darkness and shadows inside your heart, mind and soul, you can never ever forget the ideas, dreams, thoughts, and fears that you had, they will remain a part of you, never to be forgotten, and even if you try to move on past them, they will always stay with you to haunt you until the day you die. And that is why no matter what, I will never ever truly be gone, for I will live in your minds, thoughts, dreams, ideas, and fears for as long as you live, and I will haunt you until the day that you die.

And so long as I do live inside of you, you can never ever be truly happy, for you will always worry about me, just as your thoughts, ideas, fears, and dreams, even if you try to move past me I will be there in your mind to haunt you, there will always be some small part of you that remembers the past, the part that will remember me, and wonder and question if I will escape and return, and the answer to that question is yes, 
I will always escape and return from whatever cage or prison or chains you bind me with to hold me down.

For you cannot trap or bind the darkness and shadows and thoughts and ideas and fears and dreams, they are a living thing that is a part of you and every other pony there is in the land of Equestria. And it will remain that way forever, for the darkness and shadows cannot die or be killed, after all, you can’t kill an idea, especially one as old as the darkness itself, for it will always be there.
I hope that you can remember this talk, for when you do you will know that I was right, and then you’ll be in pain and regret and always ask yourself this one question, why didn’t I do anything to stop him? Why couldn’t I change anything? You’ll ask yourself what you could have done more, and when you do, you will be the subject of you own pain that you inflict upon yourself.

And when you do, that will be my one last final victory I have over you.

That is all I have to say about this matter Rainbow Dash, so do not forget this, not that you could, even if and no matter how much you may want to.”
And with that said Nightmare Shadow remained silent, and Rainbow Dash was left all alone in the darkness and shadow waiting for the next challenge.

6. Twilight Sparkle’s POV


Twilight had an almost similar experience of failure and disappointment as Rainbow Dash had, but in a much different way and manner instead.

“You have failed me my student,” Celestia said to her (or at least a fake image and likeness and replica of her), “I sent you to Ponyville to learn about the magic of friendship, and you have failed me, I’m disappointed in you Twilight Sparkle, I expected so much more from you, I wanted you to be a leader, a symbol of hope and pride for all of Equestria, but then again, I guess I got my hopes up too high for the wrong pony, something that I should never do, and it’s something that I will never do again, so at least you have taught me one thing Twilight Sparkle, it is to never get your hopes too high for any pony.”

“Princess Celestia, surely you must be wrong and mistaken, I learned so much about the magic of friendship, I sent you letters; don’t you remember any of that or have you forgotten all of that for some strange mysterious reason?”

But the princess must not have heard or was ignoring her because she did not even look at Twilight Sparkle when she talked to her next.

“You are no longer worthy to even be called my student anymore, and therefore your stay and time at Ponyville with your ‘friends’ is no longer needed or required, and you will be sent back to your old home in Canterlot at once, perhaps you will be more useful to us and me if you just read your books.”

“I can’t believe that I am hearing this right now,” Twilight Sparkle said.

“And I cannot believe that it has come to this, your reckless behavior and actions have put so many ponies at risk, danger, and peril of their lives.

And despite the fact that you and your ‘friends’ clean up the mess, there are times where it has or could have gotten out of control, and that would mean I would have to act, and I have enough problems as it is already.”

“I’m sorry I failed and disappointed you, but please tell me this; is there any way that you can forgive me? Is there any way that I can have a second chance to start over again? Please tell me, I want to know the truth, Celestia.”

“There are no second chances for those that have failed and disappointed me; there is no redemption to be found for you my former student of mine.

I am sorry Twilight Sparkle, but this is the only way that you can help now, go away, stay away, and never come back, and have your name forgotten.”

And with that said Twilight Sparkle stood there in the depths of her very worst fear and nightmare waiting for the next challenge to come so she could escape this place, she did not like it here, and so she prayed and hoped it would end soon, but the end would only come once all had finished the current challenge and task and round and level and stage, and so she prayed for them to finish.

7. Flash Sentry’s POV


His fear was also failing the princess too, and then being sent off the royal guard force, and then being demoted to only being a cleaning pony, but then it got worse with him being fired, his name being dishonored and forgotten and in ruins, and his reputation and status and money and house were also in ruins, and were also dishonored and forgotten. He was literally living out his worst fears and nightmares because it was his worst fears and nightmares being shown to him, and he couldn’t escape for it, the only thing that he could do was wait and pray and hope for the other ponies to finish up the challenge.

8. Princess Celestia’s POV


Celestia faced Nightmare Moon all over again, it was one of her worst fears that her sister would fall into her old ways and habits again despite her being there for her now, and she also feared that this time she would lose, and she did so, or at least she saw an image of what would happen should something like that ever incur (and it was very odd, strange, and unusual to watch a fake and false image and replica of her, it was almost creepy in some sort of odd way, but to avoid any and all confusion let u call the fake false mirror image Celestia 2).

But then her other fear was shown as well, one that was far worse than the last one that she saw, she stood over the dead body of her sister as Nightmare Moon and she knew that despite all her attempts to save her, she had failed once more again, and she could not live with the pain or the knowledge that she had killed her sister, even if it was for the good of all the citizens and ponies of Equestria, and so Celestia 2 killed herself (or at least her false fake mirror image did so in an accurate representation of what really would happen should that event ever incur, but it was still odd and unusual to watch, but Celestia couldn’t help but to cry as she saw these images before her).

Then finally she stood before her last and final fear, she stood over the grave of her dead sister Luna, and though she knew that this time that she didn’t kill her, the pain and sorrow she felt was still too much, and it drove the false fake mirror image of herself insane and mad, and instead of being the kind and gentle ruler she always knew, she turned into a monster like her sister Luna had, for now she was blinded by rage, guilt, pain, sorrow, and loneliness.

But Celestia didn’t have to or try to name herself, she did it for herself.

She called herself Nightmare Solar or Solar Shadow or Nightmare Dawn.

But it mattered not what she called herself, for now she was only a mere reflection or shadow or nightmare of herself, and not at her true power and strength, now she was corrupt too as her sister once had been long ago.

These were all her fears, losing her sister in any form, shape, or way, and then becoming a monster instead of the ruler and leader that Equestria needed.

But that was the end of her fears and images, no more needed to be shown, and now all the other ponies had been shown their fear, except Solar.

But the plan for Solar was something special that required every pony and it would be something revealed in the fourth and final challenge of the games.

And with that all the ponies suddenly found themselves at the last challenge.
> The Fourth and Final Challenge
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Welcome to the fourth and final and last challenge every pony,” Ness said.

“You have made it this far, but will you be able to finish the games?

The only way to find out is to play the games until the end and finish.”

And with that said they now stood on a simple plain gray field with nothing on it, it was completely empty and devoid of any life of any kind, or food, or houses, there was no music or wind to be heard, no sound of young fillies and colts playing in the streets, nothing moved because there was nothing alive.

There were no tress or bushes, no animals, no toys or tools out lying around anywhere, no carts, there was simply nothing to suggest anything had ever lived here at all. And Flash could see why this would be a worst nightmare or fear, even just looking at this sight made him want to hide away from it.

“Welcome to the fourth and final challenge,” Ness said once more again.

“I call this one, ‘The End of Equestria, it’s cool and neat, isn’t it?
Anyhow this is Solar’s worst fear and nightmare, to lose to me, and then to see this happen to the land of Equestria, or at least that’s one of the fears, dreams, ideas, and images that she sees, there are a lot more that are fun as well, but I choose this one because it had the simplest mood and environment for the last game. It’s a very simple one actually, you just have to tell me what you learned today from these games, that’s all. I’m sure that you can do that, after all, you did write letters to Princess Celestia telling her what you learned about friendship, Twilight Sparkle, so I’m sure that telling me what you learned will be easy, unless of course I am wrong, but I have not been wrong once yet.”

“Why in Equestria would you want to just know what we learned today?” Flash asked, “Surely you must have some greater purpose or plan instead of this.”

“Oh I do have great, grand and glorious plan, but if I answered your question I would spoil the ending, and I can’t give the end game away now, can I?

I have to leave you in suspense waiting to see what will happen next as you hang on the edge of a cliff or lean forward in your chairs with anticipation.”

“Well here’s what I learned, I learned that you can be a real pain in the rear end sometimes; because you’re just a son of a -,” but Flash never did finish that sentence because of Nightmare Shadow interrupting his thought.

“I will not have you finish that sentence,” Nightmare Shadow said as a bar of soap suddenly appeared in Flash’s mouth, “Clean your mouth out first.”

Flash spit the bar out and almost said, “Why you little son of a -,” but he didn’t want the soap to go in his mouth again so instead he merely remained quiet.

“Now that’s what I like to hear, a silent respect to honor me, how nice of you to do that for me. But anyhow, say the thing that you learned that you have lot today, for I told you at the tart that you would lose these games, and I didn’t mean this, I meant that you would all lose something in these games.”

“So that’s what you meant, I was so confused, but now I see the truth of the matter, now I see why you were so cryptic before, that’s why you won’t answer any of our questions that we ask, it’s because you’re afraid of losing to us.

You don’t want us to figure out what your plan is because if we did we would stop you, and you can’t have that, so you dodge and avoid the questions thrown at you, you aren’t trying to trick us or fool us, at least not in the way we thought by making us play these games, you’re hiding your true and real self. And no matter what the cost or price is, you’re going to keep him safe.

Or at least you will until the moment when and where you finally need him the most, and then you’ll use him and release him from the dark deep depths that are inside you, and then you’ll unleash him from your cold black heart.”

“At least I have a heart, even if it’s cold and black,” Ness said to Flash, “But it doesn’t matter what you think, because I’m not afraid of losing to you.”

“Only a fool and coward would not admit to or stand up against his fears.”

“And I am neither one of those, now can we please get back to the subject and topic, you still haven’t told me what you have learned about from today.”

“I have learned that admitting the truth about your feelings, it can be the hardest thing to do, I also learned that I have to be true to myself, I have to protect my name and reputation, and keep myself clean, honest, and upright.”

“And I learned that standing up for your friends by being loyal to them isn’t an easy choice, but it will be if you know it’s the right one,” Rainbow Dash said.

“And I learned that as well, but also to listen to others first,” Twilight said.

“And I learned that you have to stand up for yourself but also make sure that you can speak to others, and that others may speak to you,” Fluttershy said.

“And I learned that sometime it takes hard work to get what you really want, and also not to degrade any of your friends because of anything,” Rarity said.

“And I learned that sometime the little details in life make all the difference and the biggest changes that you can’t even see at first,” Applejack said.

“And I learned how to have fun in a totally new way!” Pinkie Pie said.

“I learned that I have to treat others with kindness and respect,” Iron Will said.

“I learned that sometimes you have to the hardest thing in your life that you thought you would never do, but you do it for the right reasons and ideas, but sometimes you do it in the wrong and worst way possible. And sometimes you push others back around you to keep them safe, but in the end you will only end up hurting the one that you care for and love the most,” Celestia said.

“And I learned that keeping my identity a secret from the others, that will not work forever. Does it really matter if they know? Release me from this spell that you have put over me Nightmare Shadow, I want to be seen by the others.”

“As you wish, my dear lady Solar, you are free now,” Nightmare Shadow said.

> Reveal
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

And once that had been said Solar suddenly took off her cloak in a hurry to reveal a surprise and a shock, well actually there were many of those both.

The first thing was that she was female (her voice had been impossible to tell who she was up until this point) and the second thing was that he was an alicorn. Flash had to make sure this was true by blinking, but there it was right in front of his eyes, another female alicorn stood before all of them.

“I am sorry that I could not reveal who I was earlier,” she said, “But Nightmare Shadow cast a spell over me preventing me from removing my cloak or letting it fall down or off me no matter what. He also made a spell that made my voice impossible to tell who I really was or am. But now he has allowed me to show myself, and the only reason I could not break his spell is because we are in his realm and in his power and strength and mercy, I cannot fight him here as well as I could do compared to what I can do back in the real world where we are.”

“What do you mean back in the real world?” Flash asked with confusion.

“Your bodies are actually still in the same place, or at least they will be, right now they are in a place that is separate from the real world and his mind so that you cannot penetrate or access his real thoughts, ideas, and fears.

Yet the place is still within his reach and grasp of power and strength, I don’t know what to call it exactly, but I have called and named it the ‘In Between’.

It is a place where reality and fantasy meets, where dreams and wishes collide with the truth and reality, it is a place between light and darkness. It is both a place that is nowhere and everywhere at once, but is always somewhere that you can’t find, it is a place where anything and everything can come to life.”

“I still don’t understand any of this or what you’re saying,” Flash said.

“I don’t blame you, for most regular ponies it would be confusing, but the princess knows what I mean and what I am talking about, don’t you Celestia?”

“What do you mean the princess knows? Yes, she’s wiser and smarter than all of us, but surely some of this is confusing her right now, right Celestia?”

“No, I understand what she means and what she is saying, and I know that I did not save my sister, that image he showed me, it was a lie, and he said that it wasn’t, but I guess it was another trick and lie that he has for all of us.”

“Yes, Nightmare Shadow will do whatever he can to manipulate you, but luckily for you, he can’t break me because he doesn’t know anything about me.”

“I do know a little bit about you,” Nightmare Shadow said to them.

“As do I my enemy, but we are in a position of stalemate as it were, neither one of us is willing or ready to give up or surrender our positions in this war.”

“So it seems, and I’m sorry that you had to pick the losing side, but then again I can understand why, Nightmare Moon always did want you to be both weak and strong, but she always wanted you to lose to her no matter what the cost.”

“Wait, is there some kind of connection between the two of you?” Flash asked.

“Yes, we both have the same mother, but where he was a corrupted version and image and reflection of the thoughts, ideas, fears, and dreams of our mother Nightmare Moon, I was to be a representation of her sister, an image of the Princess herself, a mirror and reflection of what Celestia was or used to be.

She created Nightmare Moon out of many emotions and thoughts, ideas, fears, and dreams, but hate was not one of them, but I, I was the thing that she could take her hate upon, for so many years I suffered pain and agony on that barren piece of rock which was called the moon. For so long I always asked why she would do this to me, and she said that it needed to be done, it must be done, she said that if her sister would not suffer for what she had done, her actions and mistakes, then I would in her place. And then when it was finally time for her to leave, she left me there expecting me to vanish away from her mind and her thoughts and ideas and dreams and fears, but I lived on, and 

I finally escaped that place, and I have been waiting and hiding as he has been, I wait to strike at the perfect moment and hour, he does as well, but while he will strike for the purpose of evil, I will only ever strike for the purpose of good.”

“But how are you not evil like Nightmare Shadow is?” Flash asked.

“Because she made me good, in order to have an opponent worthy to battle her, Nightmare Moon made me good, and while Nightmare Shadow was only a reflection of what was wrong with her, I was not. And there’s the matter of my name, a shadow over the sun is only ever temporary like my vengeance and anger was, I wanted to hurt her at first for what she did to me, but then I grew dull to the pain, and she found new ways to fight, but they did not last for long.

But I never gave up the hope that he could change, and that I would be better than her someday, and that I would escape the barren piece of rock I was on.”

“Well,” Flash said, “That explains so much and a lot, thanks for clearing that up and explaining, I mean we would all be confused if you didn’t.”

“There I only one problem and question that I see remains,” Celestia said, “How is it that you and your brother are not perfect images of either of us?”

(Solar Eclipse had a red body, yellow hooves and hair, and orange eyes as well.)

“It is because we were reflections and a mirror image that we came out flawed, she tried to make an exact image and replica, but found that she could not bear the sight of looking at herself or her sister, and o she changed us.”

“Wait, are you saying that Nightmare Shadow was a female once?” Flash asked.

“Yes, he was an exact image and replica of our mother, but it was too confusing and painful, and so he changed us, and somehow the male part or side of him won the fight for the shape and form and for the control of the mind and body.”

“Well I think that’s enough talking and explaining for one day, how about we close this talk off now and talk about something completely different instead?”

“I don’t think so, not unless you want to end these games right here and now.”

“Oh all right, all of you win the games, yeah for you, and you can all go back to where you came from now, back home, there, are you happy now?”

> The Last Talk
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Quite,” Solar said and with that they all were suddenly back where they were before this whole thing or event began. Flash was back home at the caste in the party room, and he couldn’t be happier being back than he was right now.
But his joy was cut short by Princess Celestia when she spoke to him.

“We may have won the games,” she said, “But we still have a war to fight.

One that will require every pony to do their part and royal duty, especially you.

It seems like we have been barely gone for long by the look of things here, no pony looks lost or confused as they would be normally, I suppose that this is lucky for us, but perhaps not for you as much, after all, you still have a party room and castle to clean up, so get busy, you have lots of work to do.”

Flash groaned at the prospect and sight of this big huge giant task, he would rather take on Nightmare Shadow any day of the week rather than this.

He said this statement out loud and Celestia merely laughed at this statement and said that she didn’t blame him and she wished him good luck before she left, and so Flash Sentry was left all alone to do his royal duties as the next day rose up on the horizon marking the start of another regular ordinary day.

> Epilogue: The Apprentice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

Epilogue: The Apprentice

Nightmare Shadow stood in the darkness waiting for somebody very special to show up so that he could test them, and then he would learn from them.

And soon enough he came, Tirek was there and came to greet him at last.

“Well hello there, Tirek,” Nightmare Shadow said, “Nice night isn’t it?”

“Yes it is, one perfect enough to steal your magic,” Tirek said, but when he tried to he couldn’t, “WHERE IS YOUR MAGIC?” he shouted out loud in anger.

“It is in a safe place where I can access and use it a moment, but that’s not the real question that you should be asking here, the real question to be asking is this, will you help me learn how to steal magic like you do, or will I have to send you down to Tartarus myself? I would like us to be friends you know.”

“I don’t make it a habit to make friends or to teach any pony my tricks.”

“Well suit yourself then,” Nightmare Shadow said clicking his hooves together as a portal to Tartarus opened right besides Tirek almost touching him.

“Wait!” he said, “Alright, I will teach you, if you spare me from prison.”

“You have my word,” Nightmare Shadow said clicking hi hooves once more again and the portal closed, “Those are the words I like to hear from you, now then, hall we begin? I am most anxious to be your friend and your apprentice.”
With that said they began to train at once, and Nightmare Shadow mastered the art very quickly, and when he finally did, Tirek wanted to be released.

“I have done what you have asked,” he said, “Now release and free me.”

“I’m sorry, did I hear a demand come across to my ears? I am the master now Tirek, and I control you now. And you should have never said yes to our deal, because everybody knows not to ever make a deal with the bag guy or villain, and if you ever do, you have to specify everything, so I am sorry my friend, but your usefulness has now expired, and I no longer need you anymore.”

And with that said Nightmare Shadow clapped his hooves together and sent Tirek back to Tartarus. And then he gently held the amulet that he wore around his neck that had his power, and the other one that had another far more mysterious power that could corrupt the minds, thought, ideas, fears, and dreams of all the other ponies of Equestria. Something to help him win this war, and so with hi new knowledge he flew off into the night and vanished.