> Final Crisis of Equestria > by zodberg > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > DECAY > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Nightmare essence was banished once again, the radiant friendship of Twilight's new friends escorted the malicious intent to banishment on the moon like it had spent the last thousand years. But without a host, the evil would not be contained. And so it passed through the ether of godspace until it looped around and, roughly on month later, it found a willing host. ------- Trixie's eyes glowed with hatred, she now had the willpower to act upon her grudges and express her resentments with the suffering of a kingdom. ------- Pinkie Pie had a premonition stronger than she's ever had before, her cutie mark vanished with the last vesige of sanity. To fill the gap where her mind was, she adopted belief in Anti-Life. ------- Nobody knew the specifics of how it was happening, but by the time the astonomers had discovered that Celestia and Luna were banished to the moon, it was too late. ------- Gilda grabbed a bullhorn and addressed Equestria, Trixie silently standing behind her. Gilda's shouting would represent the start of the Darkest Hour. "I know you think this gathering might be foalish, you might be eager to leave your grudges behind. But Poniville is no longer going to be the center of the world, it will be the end of it. Your new brand: Friendship is Anti-life. This isn't a twilight of the gods... there won't be Twilight Or Gods or anything but chaos and pain and those ponies will be put into their place. WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE." ----------- Hoity Toity, Photo finish, and Fancy Pants all indulged in a new level of hedonism. Silver Spoon and Diamond Tiara followed Filthy Rich into a lifestyle of decadent hatred. Their new ideal: "Evil is fashionable" ---------- Green Apple Acres was suddenly a place of rotten flora. Big Mac poured our delicious cider to create a new kind of Apple Juice which would only barely nourish the drinker's lives. Flim and Flam also contributed to the intentional removal of flavor from the nations resevoirs. A confused Applebloom saw the way the adults were acting and gave up hope on her family, instead running to find help elsewhere. ----------- Cheerilee was with her students when Applebloom joined them. She took the students underground to caves she imagined would be safer from the atmospheric effect. "These caverns go underneath all of Equestria, here we'll be protected from whatever is contaminating the sky." But soon as the teacher and her students throught they were safe, Applebloom understoof the true nature of the sickness."You don't get it, this isn't a weather condition, it's an uprising. Our crusade is over, there will be no more cutie marks. We don't need our flanks to be marked when our souls become marked by the will of Nightmare." And that is when the Diamond Dogs emerged from the shadows ready to enslave Cherilee's young students. --------- Cranky Pants was mostly unaffected. --------- In a custom-made costume, Rainbow Dash joined the team of Shadowbolts who were dragged stormclouds across the sky. "I'm here to join the Shadowbolts, if there's action, I want to be in front." ------------ With no more ambient love in the universe, there was nothing for the Shapeshifter Horde to feed upon. So instead they fed on hate and found it just as nourishing. ----------- Shapeshifters and Shadowbolts began the frontal assault on truth and love. > RESIST > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- One of the royal staff reported to Princess Cadence, the highest ranking figure in Equestria. "The royal guard will protect us for a while, but this is impossible. We're being invaded by a living mood-swing on a planetary scale. No magic in the Kingdom is working" "Tell the Wonderbolts they're overdue to take some action, and ... We need my sister-in-law and her friends." ----- Zecora had considerable survival skills, which allowed her to avoid the Diamond Dogs who were chasing her. She knew with the right concoction she might be able to ease the emotional state of all the ponies. But only if she avoided her pursuers. When one of the dogs was about to sick his paws into her, Zecora ducked and a grey blur knocked the Diamond Dog unconscious. Derring-Do helped Zecora to her feet. The Zebra smiled "I thought you were a fictional, but it seems you are a pal." Derring Do positioned her back-to-back with Zecora so they could help defend each other from the rest of the dog pack. "I thought you were an evil enchantress, so today is full of surprises." ---------------- Twilight thought she was just sheltering her neighbours from the invasion, but ended up receiving a monolog... "You fought me as Discord, that was just recreational chaos that proved to me you're the one Equestria needs right now. I used to be known as Star Swirl The Bearded, and I can help you, save everything. But (and I'd never thought I'd say this) we're running out of time, so just call me The Doctor." And that was the start of Twilight's role. ------------ The Wonderbolts and the Shadowbolts battled each other in the sky, matching each other almost perfectly. They cut through the air and tried to trap each other in their jetstream's. But with Rainbow Dash having joined the Shadowbolts, it was obvious which side would win the dog fight - until a Sonic Rainboom knocked the Shadowbolts out of the sky. While the Wonderbolts recovered, Rainbow Dash explained her motives, "Soarin, listen to me, I just joined the Shadowbolts to avoid capture and find out information, this is where we can turn the tide" ------ "Unearth the smooze" cried Applejack, having been recruited into the hivemind. Most of the high society of Canterlot had no issues conforming to the doctrine of hatred and ignorance. Rarity was among those who became sycophants to the new world view. But no matter what kind of viral evil infected the world, in her heart she would also retain some self-respect, and it was that part of her that stung when she saw Green Apple Acres converted into a mining site. "I can understand a bad trend in the fashion industry, but seeing the landscape ruins is quite literally the worst possible thing, I guess....it is on!" and from a sidebag nobody noticed she was wearing she pulled out a fashion accessory "Applejack, you need this!" And when her trademark hat landed on her head, Applejack remembered who she was. ------------- Mare-Do-Well stood atop a building, the mask pulled over sharp facial features and her cape hanging between her large wings. she gave her intelligence to Rainbow Dash. "It's Trixie who started all this. She's the key. Displace her quickly enough and you might be able to end this. She's radiating fear and loathing through the air. you'll have to move quickly before you're affected yourself." Rainbow Dash listened. "I can do that... but who are you?" All Mare-Do-Well had to answer with was "I... ...Thank you... ...and I'm sorry.." ----------- Nobody could perceive what was going on. Everybody thought Pinkie Pie was arguing with a pile of props. But anyone in touch with Pinkie's senses would hear the props talking back. Rocky told the neon pony, "Pinkamenia, We'll always be with you, but your friends need you too. Without you. You need to help awaken the king." That was when the tide turned. ----------- In a regular room on the regular world, humans slept, but one person had to wake up to meet their dreams face to face. soon as she saw the girl in her room, it reminded her of her greatest adventure. "My name is Megan, I've been trying to get somebody to believe me about when I met ponies. Ever since I was seven years old." "My name is Twilight Sparkle, I'm ready to believe you." > WAR > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Fluttershy knew what to do, the only way to preserve her menagerie was with the hardening gaze of the Cockatrice, not just one, but an entire flock. For this winter, the world was to be wrapped in stone. ----------- With Derring-Do, Applejack, and Zecora all working under the guidance of Princess Cadence, the Diamond Dogs were defeated. An old dog was tamed (He would have preferred to just listen to Rarity's whining). Cherilee's class were beginning to shake off the effects of the Anti-Life mindset when Rainbow Dash met up with them "Come on Scootaloo... in order to stop Nightmare well need to be.. two hundred percent cooler." Scootaloo didn't hesitate, "I can do that." ------------ In the caldera of a Volcano, Spike was surrounded by all the other dragons and hydras, a single convergence of mythical monsters. Despite his size, he spoke loudly and the horde listened to him. "I am a dragon, I now know that I need to embrace my greed, my desire, my avarice. What I crave is absolute and limitless. I want the best of all worlds, and the best role in it." ---------- The Smooze leaked over the landscape, covering everything and expanding without limit. The only thing that could contain it was the hunger of the para-sprites, able to fly around it and devour it. And the only thing capable of controlling the para-sprites was the music of a single pony who was nursed back to sanity by her imaginary friends. ------------- Things were not going to plan. Despite her evil bleeding through the sky and corrupting the masses, there were pockets of hope persisting in the world. Trixie began to recite the incantation that would begin the death of joy. "I am agony and sorrow, I am the Ursa Maximum that tramples on your dreams. Prepare, Unicorn, for the cancerous cyst on the fabric of existence is about to become malignant. A rainbow of Darkness, that darkness sends. Now begins the night that never ends. It is the moebius shadow." That's when Twilight Sparkle announced that she had returned to Equestia and broken into Trixie's sanctum. "Sorry, but your mass-produced crisis of faith didn't have coverage in my area. Tirek, I've seen through your tricks The entire Celestial family has come together." With a flash of magic, the Alicorns Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were returned to Equestria. And along with them was Gummi the Gator, Tank the Tortise, and several other animals. Twilight explained their presence. "It's over - finished. The legion of pets is here to distract you for just long enough to finish this sentence." That was when the air shook as Rainbow Dash exploded onto the scene and at incredible speed she and Scootaloo were able to pierce the layer of pure evil around Trixie. A second later she dropped Trixie's dazed body a mile away before bolting back to the scene to lift Twilight off the group for a loving hug. As the pair flew through the air, Dash explained to her best friend, "I knew you would come back for us. You were always way past cool." Twilight smiled back "Dash, I love you - but we only have fourteen seconds to save the Planet!" ------- Where Trixie stood moments ago, Nightmare was realized the purest form. An equestrian shape of lightning and shadow, visible evil. "Separating me from my host won't stop me, with the blinders on half the population, and the smooze poisoning the land, your cronies are useless, I have already won. That was when the ground exploded and the gigantic monsterous form of Spide emerged from the ground to restrain Nightmare in massive claws. Nightmare briefly struggled to get free, it was an entity made of pain and hate and had no mass to grip, yet Spike was keeping Nightmare contained. All the dragon said was "You took my world, I want it back." Nightmare strugged to get free "Primal energies, older than I am.... this dragon force." Twilight saw that her assistant had the enemy literally in-hand. "Thank you Spike, you might wonder why you never found the elements of Harmony, I was able to hide them from you by magically bending Time and Space." As Twilight explained her plan, the Elements of Harmony emerged from the pocket of light she had contained them in and formed a ring around her. "Now here's something else you didn't know about them.. the six elements of Harmony actually represent Happiness, Attachment, Selflessness, Bliss, Righteousness, And Oneness." And with that incantation the sky changed color and the King of Equestria arrived, made of radiant energy, he stood hundreds of feet tall and his skin had the pattern of moving stars. He addressed Nightmare, who was still held tightly within Spike's gigantic claws. "Last time we fought, I was corrupted. This time my essence was sealed inside these trinkets where you wouldn't find it. In elemental form I siphoned off enough power from these ponies. I hope they don't mind me borrowing it, but I need it to do.... this!" With a single spell, Nightmare's own energy changed and had a reaction with itself. The lightning and shadow tore into pieces and Spike had to release the villain for seconds before Nightmare exploded into a pulse of pure happiness that spread out around the universe. Celestia chimed in, "I can feel it, the world is right.... the sun and moon will be able to move on their own now." > LOVE > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The king's energy passed through the world's natural gems and everything started to glow brighter. His highness looked at the Pony who summoned him "Princess Twilight Sparkle, the world is yours." and then the King vanished. As all the ponies breathed a sigh of relief, Rainbow Dash was the first to speak up, "Whatever happened to Gilda? It was her who put Trixie under enough duress that she became the host for Tirek (or Nightmare?) but I don't think she had any idea what she was doing, none of us even knew this kind of evil was possible." Celestia had an answer, "Gilda and Trixie will be fine. I considered banishing them to the moon, but honestly I think I'll let the Sea Ponies serve as their wardens. Spike, returned to his typical stature, gazed up at the sky, the entire sky was a repeating pattern of rainbow from horizon to horizon, and hundreds of nobel dragons filled the air, "Look, the dragon horde are taking the King's Energy too the source of Magic." And as Equestria was left to rebuild, the kingdom never would never know that kind of corruption ever again.