“No, no, NO!” Twilight muttered furiously to herself, picking up one book to skim it’s pages before discarding it for another. “Come on, there has to be a reference somewhere!” another book came to her face, flipped open and was then promptly hurled off to one side with another already taking it’s place. She had to hurry. For every moment she wasted trying to figure out where to find the elements, Rainbow Dash was possibly being subjected to all sorts of mind games and deceptions.
It had been a mere half hour since Nightmare Moon appeared in town hall. Twilight had started off petrified for a time, unwilling to truly comprehend what had just happened. More than once, she looked to her sides, expecting Rainbow to be standing at one of them to give her comfort and reassurance with that contagious cocky smirk of hers. But she was still gone and Twilight’s mind was breaking down with panic and frustration. She had returned to the library at a full sprint shortly after.
Now, she let out a frustrated snarl before dropping the most recent book to the ground with an echoing ‘thud.’ It was then that she noticed that she had an audience. She shifted uneasily at the sight of Fluttershy, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Applejack standing before her, all wearing uneasy expressions of their own. “Wh… what do you all want?” Twilight finally choked out, her voice trembling.
“Um… we want to know if there’s anything we can do to help… that is, I mean, if that’s okay.” Fluttershy said meekly before shrinking away behind her mane.
Rarity nodded along solemnly while resting a hoof on Fluttershy’s shoulder to comfort her. “Exactly. I may not know you very well, Twilight, but I get the feeling that you’re the pony we should go to.” she said simply.
“Ah agree. And truth be told…” Applejack started before adjusting her hat slightly on her head, her lips drawing into a thin line in thought. “Ah wanna know just what in tarnation mah hallucinations are all about. Ah mean, ah just had another one on the way over here.”
Pinkie looked at Applejack with a small smile on her face. “You’re not the only one~!”
Applejack shot Pinkie a look before continuing. “Ah wanna know, and Ah get the feelin’ that figurin’ it out is gonna have somethin’ to do with y’all.”
Twilight looked between them all for a moment before standing straight and clearing her throat. “R-right… okay. First, I have to know something,” she began before looking down. “We’ve all had ‘flashes,’ - those weird visions, or hallucinations - on several occasions, right?”
There was a general murmur of agreement from everypony present.
Twilight’s gaze hardened a touch. “Tell me: have any of these visions come up that excluded any of the ponies in this room right now?”
Nopony spoke and nopony raised a hoof to say anything.
Twilight nodded slowly and closed her eyes. “That pretty much confirms what I’ve been suspecting all day. It seems that the ponies having the flashes will almost always see visions of other ponies experiencing the same phenomenon.”
Pinkie made an ‘o’ with her mouth. ‘Ooooooo… so we’re flash buddies now?”
Twilight winced upon hearing Pinkie Pie’s use of that painful label. “Er, I wouldn’t say that. I don’t know what these flashes are or what’s causing them, but I get the feeling they’re important in some way. Plus… if we keep seeing each other, but we’re the only ones having them that we know of… I don’t know. My gut tells me it can’t be a coincidence…”
Applejack nodded slowly. “As farfetched as it sounds, Ah’m inclined to agree with ya on this. Just feels too… convenient to be an accident.”
Fluttershy gave a quiet ‘mhmm’ to voice her agreement.
“Yes, that is all well and good,” Rarity piped up. “But as fascinating and eyebrow raising as these flashes are, how exactly do they at all relate to what’s going on now? How does it play into stopping Nightmare?”
Twilight paused and shook her head. “...It doesn’t really, not from what I can see. I just felt the need to clear that up. Now, back to the matter at hoof…” she then turned and lit up her horn, pulling several more books from the shelves. “I’m looking for information regarding some sort of ancient artifacts called the Elements of Harmony. I read all about the predictions and prophecy of Nightmare Moon, and those writings mentioned these Elements at least one time. However, The book never elaborated on what they were, where to find them or even what they actually do. But based off of what I read, they are the only things that can stop Nightmare Moon, at least that we might be able to find.”
“Oh! You should check ‘The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide’ over there under ‘E.’ I’m sure it’ll help.” Pinkie chirped while pointing enthusiastically at the ‘e’ section of shelves. Twilight’s jaw dropped.
“Wha… how did… ugh, nevermind,” she spluttered before calling the book forward in her magic. She flipped it open and skimmed the first few pages before an ‘aha’ escaped her lips. “Here’s something! There are six Elements of Harmony, though only five are known. Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said that the resting place of the five known elements is in the Castle of the Two Sisters, which is located in what is now the… Everfree Forest.” Twilight’s voice fell a bit with dread and fear upon reading off the last two words.
“Oh, boy…” Applejack muttered nervously, adjusting her stetson on her head again.
“The Everfree Forest?!” Rarity shrieked out dramatically before resting a forehoof on her forehead. “Oh, heavens NO! Anywhere but that! We’re doomed!”
“Calm down, Rarity. It’s not so bad once you’ve stored some binoculars in the trees!” Pinkie said reassuringly, though she began to look confused when she saw everypony else staring at her in equal measures confusion and frustration. “What? It’s in case of binocular emergencies.”
“Uh-huh…” Applejack said dryly before turning her attention back to Twilight. “Well, are there any other specific directions in that old book, Twilight?”
“Yes, I think I could find a way through to the castle thanks to this. They’re loose instructions, but they should be good enough for now.”
“Well, then what’re we waitin’ for? Let’s get a move on!” Applejack said, determination burning behind her eyes. Fluttershy shivered nervously but nodded in agreement.
“While I would hate to ruin the hooficure I received earlier with all of that icky dirt and mud, but for the good of Equestria… if i must, then I must.” Rarity agreed as well.
“Hold on!” Twilight interrupted sharply, looking between them all uncertainty. Everypony looked at her expectantly and she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. “Are you… I appreciate the offer, everypony, but… I’d rather make the trip myself. I don’t want to risk any more ponies if I can and… Rainbow Dash is… she’s like a sister to me. This is personal, now.”
“Maybe,” Applejack nodded slowly before frowning in disapproval. “But Rainbow Dash is a princess, in case you forgot. Adopted or not, Equestria’ll need a leader against Nightmare Moon and right now she’s next in line.”
“I know that… but-”
Fluttershy moved in front of Twilight surprisingly quickly before putting a hoof to her mouth and silencing her. “Twilight… Rainbow Dash is my friend, too, remember? This is personal for me as much as it is for you. I… I want to help.” She managed to say in a nervous whisper.
Rarity smiled softly while coming closer. “I may have only ever met her the once, but Rainbow seemed like a nice filly all those years ago. I’d be remiss if I didn’t do my part to help her. The fact that she is royalty is just a nice bonus.”
“Plus!” Pinkie said while hopping in from the other side. “Rainbow has been in a lot of my flashes! I would love to get to know her better face to face! She seems like a fun and fun-loving sort and I love fun!”
“Ya ain’t goin’ alone, sugarcube,” Applejack finalized, stomping the wooden floor with a hoof for emphasis. “Besides, safety in numbers, right?”
Everypony nodded in agreement before turning to look at Twilight expectantly. She took a step back and shrunk away slightly, unsure of how to respond. Finally, though, Fluttershy leaned forward slightly, her sad eyes boring into Twilight’s. Oh… I can’t say no to that.
“Okay… you can come. If you need anything - supplies, equipment, anything - get it now and meet me by the old path going into the woods as soon as you’re ready.” Twilight instructed, silently relieved that they had left her no room for argument.
Everypony enthusiastically voiced their approval for slipping out of the library to get what they needed for the coming journey.
“Rise and shine, little one…” the arrogant voice of Nightmare Moon slithered it’s way into Rainbow’s ears like a malevolent snake. Instantly, the prismatically maned pegasus sat up and looked around wildly, her breaths coming in rampant gasps. She then winced and cradled her lower chest, where her skin burned and throbbed in protest to her sudden movement. She remembered a blast of lightning and cursed her stupidity. Looking up, she saw Nightmare Moon standing over her with a smug smirk on her face. “Rest well?”
“Buzz off!” Rainbow snapped angrily before groaning in pain.
Nightmare lost her smile to an impatient scowl. “Mind your tongue, little princess, or you’ll never get to see your mother again.”
Rainbow glared up at the alicorn hatefully. “Nice try! She’s gone already! Or did you forget that little detail?”
“SILENCE!” Nightmare snapped, the entire room quivering and shaking from the force and volume of her command. It was then that Rainbow took a moment to analyze her surroundings. Ancient and crumbling grey bricks made up the walls and pillars of the ancient room. Shredded tapestries hung over a dusty and moss-covered floor which reeked of centuries of neglect. A few drops of moisture struck some distant surface in a rhythmic beat, accentuated by the sounds of wind howling through the holes in the walls.
“Where are we?” Rainbow finally asked nervously.
“We are in my old castle, which my sister so cruelly left to crumble and rot away after she banished me,” Nightmare replied in a cold voice. Her eyes trailing slowly over the ancient and forgotten structure before she looked back down at Rainbow again. “This shall be the new seat of Equestria, where we shall rule.”
“We?” Rainbow snorted derisively. “Don’t make me laugh. I’ll never work for you!”
“You misunderstand, little one,” Nightmare replied, a toothy grin appearing on her muzzle. “I do not intend to rule you. I intend for you to rule beside me.”
“Again; not happening!”
Nightmare Moon huffed and leaned down to stare deeply into Rainbow’s eyes. “Let me be perfectly clear, my niece... “ she started slowly, looming over the now trembling pegasus ominously. “Your mother is to suffer the same sentence I did. I took her place away from her when I was released and she was sent hurling to the frozen misery she had confined me to a thousand years ago. I am the only one who can set her free, the only one who can let others speak with her… the only one that can reduce her suffering.”
Rainbow’s eyes widened as Nightmare leaned back. “Huh…?”
“Take a throne by my side and I will grant my sister a mercy; I will allow you to speak with her once a year. The presence and promise of one she cares for so dearly will no doubt ease her pain…” Nightmare continued before her eyes narrowed and her wings snapped open. “But I will only show her this mercy if you agree to my terms. Otherwise she will spend the rest of her days cold, frightened and alone.
“So, what’s it going to be, my niece?” Nightmare asked before her horn lit up. A cage magically appeared in a flash around Rainbow before she could move, trapping her. “I will leave you on your own for a time to think on your answer. Join me and spare your mother so much pain and loneliness… or refuse my generous offer and become no more than the peasants around you.” Nightmare’s mane swirled around her, taking her physical form away to some other place, but leaving her voice behind to echo in Rainbow’s ears.
“The choice is yours…”