The next day, Burst and the guys went to check up on Ace. They had expected Ace to be surprised to see them, but he was actually expecting them. "I was wondering when you'd all show up. Have a seat. And you better tell the girls about this when I'm done." The group headed inside as Ace took a seat and sighed. "As you may have all guessed, I have some relation to that guy who attacked last night. The one who summoned those weird creatures. His name is Dark Ice. And he's my older brother."
"So...how'd he become that thing?", Burst asked. "I'm pretty sure he wasn't born like that."
"If you want answers, I should start at the beginning. When me and my family lived in Cloudsdale." Ace's mind drifted to his past. "I was the middle child of three brothers. My little brother, Shadow Thunder. And my older brother Dark Ice. We were a pretty happy family. But one day, a storm went out of control and Shadow and I were in the house when it got close. Ice ran in to find us, but he was frozen when the storm hit. At that time, I unleashed my ice powers to put up a barrier around us. Our parents were relieved that we were alright, but Ice was shaken up pretty badly after that. He left soon afterward and I haven't seen him since. That is, until last night." Ace sighed. "And that's my story. Ice couldn't stand to be a coward like he was, so he's taken the path that led him to become what he is now. A nightmare creature." Ace then looked to his Duelist Arms that sat on his table. "And after our encounter with him and Nightmare Stinger, these things showed up. From their design, they're Duelist Arms like the ones you and Inferno have. The sword and shield speak for themselves, but the scarf's a complete mystery to me. And that's about everything I know."
Burst scratched his chin. "I think now's a good time to inform Twilight and the girls about this. They need to know about this attack. Hopefully, Twilight can contact the princess. She might have experience with whatever's making Ice act the way he is. We're gonna set things right Ace. Trust me."
Ace sighed. "All I care is that you're willing to try."
Fortress of the Nightmare Forces...
Dark Ice was kneeling before Lord Night Terror. "You failed Dark Ice.", Night Terror said flatly.
"Forgive me Lord Night Terror.", Ice replied. "I underestimated the strength of Burst and his friends."
Night Terror scowled. "You say that. Yet you did not engage them and left your minion to do the job. And the results of that speak for themselves. Why did you refuse to attack them? Why did you retreat?"
"One of those who opposes us is my brother.", Ice said nervously. "He's my family. I can't bring him into this."
"You can. You WILL.", Night Terror boomed. "Your brother is an obstacle to our goals. And we either persuade our obstacles to join us, or we CRUSH them and move along. If you cannot do the first, you will do the second. Let us hope that your brother makes the smart choice. Approach him when you feel you can get to him while he's alone. Are we clear?" Ice shivered at Night Terror's ultimatum.
"Crystal....my lord." And with that, Ice retired to his quarters. I know just the time to meet with you Ace. I just hope you'll make good use of that big brain of yours. Back at Ponyville, Burst and the guys had just finished recounting Ace's story to Twilight and the Mane 6.
"That's so horrible!", Twilight said in shock. "Spike. Take a letter immediately!" Twilight listed off the events as Spike wrote them down and sent the letter via dragon fire. "So can we expect another visit from Dark Ice soon?"
Burst shook his head. "I don't know. But from what Ace said, Ice is doing this because the Nightmare Forces promised him the power to overcome fear. But they've really given him is merely the ability to inflict his fear on others. I just hope Ace can get him to realize that." Twilight rubbed her brow when Spike burped up a letter from Princess Celestia. Twilight levitated the letter over to her hands with her magic. "What's it say?"
"Princess Celestia says that '....only the words of a heart close to one chained by the nightmare can free them. Either that, or the one under the nightmare forces' influence must wake themselves up if they have a strong will.' But that's about it.", Twilight said with a sigh.
Burst let out a sigh of his own. "Then it looks like it all falls to Ace's family, or Ice himself realizing his mistake."
Winter Wrap-Up...
Ace was sound asleep, and dreaming peacefully. Or at least, he was. In Ace's dreams, a familiar presence had manifested. "Told you I'd see you around.", Ice said with a smirk. Ace spun around to face his brother! "Good to see you bro."
"Ice?! How are you here?!", Ace demanded.
"One of the benefits of joining with the Nightmare Forces. I can travel in the dreamscape and enter other people's dreams."
"Okay. One more question. WHY are you here?"
Ice frowned. "I want to talk to you. In private. That way your little group of friends can't interrupt."
"Let me guess.", Ace said with a scowl. "Your bosses are recruiting?"
Ice chuckled. "No wonder Mom and Dad said you were the wise one. I'll be waiting in the forest. See you then..." Dark Ice faded out of Ace's dreamscape and returned to his own body. Ace woke up with a start and got dressed. He then looked to his new Duelist Arms and equipped them. At the same time, Ice had opened his eyes and smirked. "Now all I have to do is wait." Ace took a deep breath before heading outside. Winter Wrap-Up was underway, and that granted Ace the chance to slip away unnoticed. Ace made his way over to the forest treading lightly.
Ice's body's been altered since he joined the Nightmare Forces. No telling what kinds of new and weird powers he has now. Best to keep my guard up. Ace soon found an open area. And sure enough, he saw Ice sitting there with a smirk on his face. "I came like you wanted. So just what do you want?" Ice got up and sighed.
"Right down to business. Typical of you Ace. It's simple. Thanks to the Nightmare Forces, I'm not chained by fear anymore. Their power FREED me. And maybe they free you from your chains too. You're always going on about how you wish you could pick up more girls. Maybe they can give you quite the confidence boost."
Ace hardened his gaze. "The answer's no. I'll get a girl in time. With who I am and not some distorted version of me. What makes you think you're not chained by your fear now? You rushed into the house because you were scared for me and Shadow. You didn't let your fear keep you from searching for us in the house then!"
"AND WHAT DID I DO WHEN THE STORM WAS UPON US?!", Ice snapped! "NOTHING! I WAS FROZEN IN PLACE LIKE A STATUE! MY FEAR MADE ME POWERLESS TO DO ANYTHING THAT WOULD GET YOU TWO OUT OF THERE! DON'T YOU GET IT?! I WAS WEAK!" Ice was breathing heavily as he recovered from his rant and slowly regained his composure. "But now? Now I'm strong. I'm not held back anymore because I'll make others suffer the same feeling of dread I endured that day! Then it will longer have any power over me! You're the smart one of us. So make the wise decision."
Ace took a deep breath before answering. "I already did." Ace gripped the handle of his sword. "I'm standing by the people I love Ice. It's not too late to be among them. I don't want it to come to this. Please."
Ice simply frowned. "I was hoping you'd have agreed. Now?" Ice summoned a claw made of darkness and slashed at Ace! "Now you'll have to be eliminated!" Ace drew his sword and readied his shield! Ice charged at Ace with his bat wings and readied his shadow claw for another slash! Ace raised his shield to block just in time! Ace then slashed at Ice with his sword! Ice cringed as the blade struck him! No blood leaked from his wound, but darkness was flowing from it. At the same time, a crack of light was seen coming from where Ace had struck! Ice noticed his wound and willed himself to push on despite it! "Your new toys pack quite the punch!" Ice then flipped over Ace and slashed at Ace's wings before landing behind him!
Ace cried out in pain! "AGH!" Ace noticed that his wings had scratch marks. Ice had grounded him! And Ice took full advantage of this weakness! Ice took to the air, and dove down at Ace! Slashing at him any time he could! Ace raised his shield to block, but Ice's shadow claw struck with great force! He's got me pinned! If there was any time to figure out what this third Duelist Arm does, now would be pretty good! Ace noticed Ice coming back down for another dive! In desperation, Ace leaped into the air with closed eyes and tried to flap his wings! To his surprise, he was actually flying! Ace then looked down and saw that his scarf Duelist Arm had turned into a pair of navy blue dragon wings! "The fight's just about even now!" Ace then noticed his sword's blade glowing with a teal light! Ace slashed at the air, and a wave of energy knocked Ice to the ground! Ace dove down and continued his assault! Ice raised his shadow claw to block Ace's strikes, but the shadow claw was destroyed with one final strike from Ace's sword! Ice was then knocked back when Ace rammed him with his shield! Ice fell to the ground, and Ace used his sword to prop himself up as he caught his breath. "Tell your boss...I respectfully decline..." Ice simply groaned as he opened up a portal that led back to the Nightmare Forces' Fortress. Ace slowly walked home from his battle and set to work tending to the wounds he had been inflicted. Ice. If only you understood. When you rushed in to look for me and Shadow that day, that was you pushing past your fear for the sake of your concern for us. That's when you had true courage. Not the lie the Nightmare Forces have given you. Ace then sighed. And they seem to be true to their name. They've seen fit to exploit your worst fear and have used it to chain you. But what was that light coming from your wound? Whatever it was, it sure felt like the real you. Ace then looked to an old photograph of him, Ice, and Shadow. "Maybe it'll take more than just me to wake you up." Ace then lay down on his bed. Hoping to sleep this day off like a bad dream.
Fortress of the Nightmare Forces...
Ice sat in his quarters fuming. "BLAST! Why can that idiot be the smart one?! He refused a chance to be freed from his chains! Free from his fears! And for what?! His friends?!" Ice scoffed. "Maybe he just doesn't want to admit that I was right about the Nightmare Forces. That I'm not controlled by my fear anymore!"
"Or maybe you've traded your old chains for new, stronger ones.", a voice said. Ice sat up and got into a fighting stance!
"Who's there?! Show yourself! I'm not scared of you! I'm not scared of anything! Not anymore!"
The voice sighed. "But you are Ice. All you've done is run away from your problems and hoped that they would just leave you alone. All that's done is let your fear gain greater power over you. That's what's led you to allign with these creatures. You've become an even bigger coward than you were originally because you now inflict fear on others."
"SHUT UP!", Ice screamed! "I don't know who you are, but listen up! You don't know me! So stop trying to say otherwise!"
"Very well. But know that you will hear from me again. When you're ready to wake up from this nightmare." And the voice vanished leaving Ice alone in his room. It was then that Night Terror came into Ice's quarters.
"I take it your efforts and persuasion were unsuccessful?", Night Terror asked.
Ice nodded. "Ace didn't bite at the offer. And he isn't destroyed. He busted me up good. I couldn't destroy him."
Night Terror frowned. "Or maybe you held back because he was your family. Either way, you disappoint me Ice. Next time you meet, show him no mercy. Otherwise..." Night Terror leaned in to Ice's face and stared almost directly into his soul. "I'll make sure you live your worst nightmare every waking moment." And with that, Night Terror left. I was created to be your king. And now you've been taken from me. Night Terror then looked to a picture of Nightmare Moon. "But where you fell, I shall rise! And those that stand in our way shall know true fear!"
The Castle of the Two Sisters...
A blue mist was trailing along the ground. Then it made a vibrating motion before continuing on its path. Odd. Nightmare Moon thought to herself. Felt like someone was talking about me just now.