A white unicorn looked up at the dark sky over Canterlot, grinning. He'll be jolly well fascinated at this, old bean!
He magically adjusted his monocle, looking back down, and knocked on the door before him. There was a doorbell glyph nearby, but knocking was louder.
No response.
The gray-maned noble knocked again. “I say!”
He heard grumbling, and what sounded like somepony walking slowly towards the door.
Jolly Spiff knocked again, louder. “I say! Chaps? Chapettes?”
The door opened. A weary Fancypants stood before Spiff.
“I say, chap,” Jolly said, tipping his derby, “you look bloody well awful! Where's your monocle?”
“Jolly Spiff.” Fancypants did not return the hat-tipping. Perhaps nightcaps were not designed to be tipped, Jolly Spiff reflected.
“Jolly spiffing, eh wot?” Jolly grinned.
“What is it, old boy?” Fancypants rubbed his eyes. He was dressed in a white bathrobe, and looked simply dreadful.
“You look simply dreadful, old bean!”
“Jolly Spiff.” Fancypants scowled. “If you haven't anything to excuse this late-night--”
He paused. “I say, look at that.”
Jolly nodded, not turning to the clock tower at his back. “Yes, good sir! The clocks have been bloody demented! They say it's morning, but look!”
Fancypants stepped outside and looked around. The night remained dark, without even a hint of the sun. The stars and moon shone brighter than ever, though.
He frowned. “What's the meaning of this, Jolly Spiff?”
“It's abominable, I say!” Spiff shook his head. “The ragamuffin responsible will surely--”
“What has the princess said?”
“Hm?” Jolly considered it. “What a turn of the subject, as it were! It's funny you should ask. One would think that that most magnificent monarch would have made a statement. I do wonder where Celestia has got to!”
Eyes narrowed, Fancypants pointed up at the sky. He wasn't even looking. “I didn't mean Celestia, old boy. I say, is the Mare in the Moon back in its old place?”
Jolly looked up. Sure enough, the moon's famous marking had returned. “I say, you're right!”
“And Celestia has not been heard from.”
“I say, she hasn't!”
Fancypants rubbed his forehead, sighing. “Would you stop saying--”
“I say, what's the jolly matter, old chap?”
Fancypants didn't say anything.
“Anyway, sir, it seems like a jolly well predicament! I do believe we'd better--”
“Princess Luna has been possessed, and trapped Celestia in the moon.”
Jolly blinked. Fancypants sounded very sure. Not only that, he sounded almost bored. Actually, he sounded almost annoyed.
For some reason. “Really, chap?”
Fancypants pushed past Jolly. “Explain otherwise, Spiff. Perhaps the Nightmare worked out the binding spell Celestia employed, or perhaps something else is to blame, but it is plain that the night is not gone and Celestia is. And since Luna has not seen fit to take over the sun-raising duties for her dear sister...”
“Then—where are you going, old chap?” Jolly hurried after his fellow noble. “I say!”
Fancypants rolled his eyes. His horn glowed.
Jolly found his own monocle flying off, coming to rest on Fancypants's proud visage. “I say! What is this--”
“We're off to have a discussion with the citizens of that quaint little village, Ponyville.” Fancypants's horn began to glow again. “And I need a monocle. I suppose you may come along.”
Jolly blinked, trying to adjust to the loss of his treasured eyepiece. “I...why Ponyville, old boy?”
Fancypants's horn gave a brilliant flash. The two unicorns vanished from Canterlot, just as a dark shadow descended upon where they had been standing.
Nightmare Moon was too late to intercept Fancypants and Jolly Spiff. But she did hear their words, lingering in her cool night's air.
“The Elements of Harmony, old boy. Spiff, I do believe we're off to save Equestria.”
“I say! What a jolly--”
Fluttershy quailed. “Wh-what are you?”
You know what I am, little pony. The voice echoed in her mind.
The sphere of shadow before her vibrated. Two violet eyes appeared, glaring at her. You know very well, I'm sure.
“I...everything's so strange here.”
Of course it is, you little idiot. Strangeness is all this world knows.
Fluttershy looked around. The ground was flat and gray, with little substance. The sky was white. The air felt strangely empty. She saw things on the horizon, but they were too far to distinguish from here. “Wh-where am I?”
The world within.
Fluttershy blinked. “I...”
She heard a sigh. You lost the powers you once bore. You were too closely bound to them, so you followed after. This is where magic goes when it's not remembered, little pony. Your magic is gone.
Fluttershy shuddered. “It's...awful.”
It is your own fault. The sphere pulsed. You sent me here. Now you join me. Your powers are nothing here.
“I, um...” Fluttershy looked at the sphere. “I didn't send...are you Nightmare Moon?”
She tried to recover her courage. She tried to speak clearly. But the question came out as a squeak.
Nightmare Moon was a name, given to what I became. I am fear, little fool. I am darkness you don't want to illuminate.
“Um, that's a yes.”
The eyes narrowed. Well, I was all that. Then I came here.
Fluttershy cleared her throat. She tried to remember. Remember the lessons she'd learned.
She stood up straight. “My Element.”
It has left you.
“I...” Fluttershy looked at her feet. She felt like she should cry, but the tears wouldn't come. Perhaps a trait of this world. Perhaps she had cried enough already. “I failed them. I...I ran. I let them die. There were so many...so many monsters.”
They are not dead.
Fluttershy looked up, eyes widening.
They are here. Each of you abandoned your Elements. Truly. Legitimately. Through every fault of your own. Now, you are closer than ever. You're one with their home. The home they claim when they have no bearer to cling to.
Fluttershy looked around. Things were beginning to rise out of the ground. The air was becoming fuller.
This is a world of truest magic. Welcome. You will never leave.
Fluttershy hesitated.
Was she truly trapped forever?
She had given up. Their friendship had weakened, and she...
She...
She glared. “My friends are here.”
They are as lost as you. You gave up on them. When the last Element fails, all is lost. Loyalties divided. Insincerity required to maintain stability. Despair wearing at the smiles. Apathy wearing at altruism. Grudges tearing into the spark. Your cowardice meant the end of Kindness, the final blow. A surprise to all, I'm sure.
“We are not lost.”
Don't be a fool. There is no way out.
“I'm going to find my friends.”
A jungle had grown around Fluttershy. The world had gone dark.
You will never find them.
“They must be so scared,” Fluttershy said to herself. She didn't even fully hear the Nightmare's warning. “They've been alone for so long. And now they really have nopony.”
This world is great and terrible, and some of your 'friends' will not want to be found.
Fluttershy stepped toward the sphere. The world had no light left, but she could still see those shining violet eyes. “You're going to help me.”
Idiocy.
Fluttershy reached forward, and rested a hoof on the sphere. To her surprise, it was solid. “And I'll help you.”
You are a foal. There is no way out.
Fluttershy gave a weak smile. “The Elements, little one.”
Do NOT patronize--
“They'll help me.”
The voice was silent a moment. The Elements are gone. You had only Kindness, and it has abandoned you.
Fluttershy looked around at the black. “I won't give up on them. I'll...I'll sacrifice what I must. I'll admit what I did. I...”
She forced a smile. “I won't lose hope.”
She turned her wide smile on the violet eyes. “Come on, little shadow. You're lost, like me. But I've got all the Elements I need.”
You still haven't Magic! You're no unicorn.
Fluttershy paused.
The eyes waited.
“Maybe Magic isn't about spells...or weather. Or farming.” She started trotting away. “Maybe Magic means something more.”
Foal. What is Magic, then?
“Friendship?” Fluttershy didn't pause in her stride. “That spark everypony's, um, always mentioning?”
She heard only silence behind her.
Then, she felt movement to her side. The two eyes floated there, keeping pace. Then let us test this friendship of yours. If it means a chance at...well, let us test that spark.