//------------------------------// // Entry 1, Part 7 (Makes it All Complete) // Story: The Poisoned Barb's Tale // by ManlyDerp //------------------------------// The room that had been converted into Dusk Shine’s bedroom obviously didn’t start out as one. With an inner sanctum two floors high, a lack of closets or decently sized drawers, and the fact that the bathroom couldn’t be any further away if it tried; it’s clear to see that comfortable lodging was not the first thing on the creator's mind. What was on their mind is pretty evident to see though. Hold on to your hats; it’s books. Shocking I know. While there’s no amenities for actual day to day survival, there is plenty of essentials for writers and readers alike. There’s desks with tiny flat drawers, walls lined with shelves for books both old and new, and even a fireplace to both help keep the place nice and warm during cold nights and to banish less savory creations into the fiery pits of hell! Boy I would have loved to have that option in my old writer-for-hire days. With these key features in mind, this room sure as heck beats my old (wo)man cave in the writing and reading departments hands down… That’s all it beats it in, though. Unlike my old little office space-shaped slice of heaven back on Earth, this work nook isn’t connected to an actual livable home to help offset the aforementioned living shortcomings. More gimmick than house, it’s certainly not the Canterlot Spire Dusk and I spent the better half of the last two years in. I seriously had my doubts that this library could ever serve as our future home. These fears were quickly put to bed, however, when BB and I discovered the fully equipped kitchen hidden in the back and swiftly proceeded to put it to good use. Home is where the icebox is empty and there's cupcake batter on the ceilings, after all. Backing things up here for a sec, to the earlier talk of bedrooms; that’s where I now find my Dusk Shine currently sulking. As I enter the room of questionable bed worthiness I can tell, with books scattered haphazardly around and with a pillow firmly planted over his head, that he has finally given up on his struggles in uncovering the truth. This is a good thing. Firstly, I was half afraid that the stress was going to give him an aneurysm. It didn’t happen on the show, but neither did Pinkie Pie get anypony drunk (allegedly), so who can really say anymore? Secondly, I’m glad he didn’t decide to, like, leave the party or anything. I was thinking he might try to run off to see the Prince and make one last ditch effort to convince him that the prophecy is true. How that would have affected things is anyone’s guess. I’ve been glancing over at his door all night in paranoid fear as a result, making sure he didn’t attempt to escape. After awhile I had the realization that he could have easily snuck out the window without me being the wiser, or even attempted that teleportation spell he’s been practicing, hence why I’m checking in on him now. Thirdly, it’s a good thing he’s given up because maybe now he’ll actually take me up on my offer. “Hey Dusk!” I shout over the booming party music as I enter. I then add, as I lift up the lampshade still fixtured to my head, “Bubble Berry’s starting pin the tail on the pony! Want to play?” Equestria doesn’t have electricity widely available yet, but lamps still exist here thanks to magically charged batteries. Thus, party lampshades. Amazing. “No!” And Dusk is still a grumpy pants. Not so amazing. “All the ponies in this town are bucking crazy!” he screeches at me from the second floor, his eyes narrowing into a scowl as he does. In the past, before actually getting to know these ponies, I probably would have argued against this point and tried to insist that he’s just exaggerating... … Now though, after having bared witness to a ditzy pony eating ten baked goods, at once, while simultaneously chugging Bubble Berry’s custom Brew upside down to thunderous applause... it’s safe to say that I would no longer have a leg to stand on in such a debate. This town’s ponies are crazy, outgoing, loud, collectively weird, and most important of all… they’re an entirely different brand of crazy from Canterlot’s own. I love it here. “Do you know what time it is?!” Dusk’s rant continues on uninterrupted, preventing me from calling him out on his use of such bucking inappropriate language. Not allowing my friend’s bad vibes to keep my good (most likely candy fueled) mood down, I cheerfully give his simple question a simple answer. “It’s the Eve of the Summer Sun Celebration! Duh! Everypony has to stay up now or else they’ll miss the Prince raise the Sun!” Seeing Dusk roll his eyes at this, I pause for a moment to reign in my sugar high before adding, “You really should lighten up, Dusk… It’s a party!” Dusk mumbles mockingly under his breath, but I pay it no mind as I tip my hat back down and rejoin the festivities. Not going to let him ruin my fu- “Yaaaawwwnnn~” … … … Wait, what was that? A yawn? Was that… me? Did I just yawn? … Oh good Lord that was me! I just yawned! T-that can’t be right though! It’s not that late! It’s only… four in the morning… the Eve of the Summer Sun Celebration like I just told Dusk… Waaaaayyy past baby dragon bedtime. Crap crap crap! I promised myself! I promised myself that I was going to take a nap before I got too tired; so I could be awake to help the boys out tonight! I got so dang carried away partying, trying to forget about my day, that the most important thing slipped my mind! Argh! M-maybe I can still fix this? Maybe a couple more cupcakes, or or maybe if I down the whole bottle of hot sauce! Or mayb- “Yaaaaawwwnnn~” YOU’RE NOT HELPING, STUPID UNDERDEVELOPED BODY!! Damn it all I’m not a kid! I’m a full grown woman… when it best serves me… and I am perfectly capable of staying up late like the big girl I am! Yeah you tell her, me! … Wait “Is Dusk coming down?” Thankfully distracting me from myself, I turn away from my panicked thoughts and see Bubble Berry waiting at the bottom of the steps to Dusk’s room. He hops in place as he waits eagerly for my answer. Sadly I have to disappoint him. “No he isn’t, BB. I’m sorry.” “Ahhhh! Bummer,” the stallion pouts. “That might be for the best,” Elusive then chimes in as he approaches us. “The sunrise is almost upon us gentlecolts… and Barbara.” With a grunt, Butterscotch makes himself known to us as well by pointing out, “Ponies are leaving.” BB gasps. “You’re right! Oh we don’t want to be late for that!” He then wails at such a volume that I have to cover my ear-fins, “PARTIES OVER, EVERYPONY! YOU DON’T HAVE TO GO HOME BUT YOU CAN’T STAY HERE!” With a few grumbles and groans, the patrons to the welcome party start to shuffle out and head for (what I can only assume) town hall where the Prince is supposed to be situated. “T-time to leave already?” asks a woozy, yet undeniably perky voice. I turn towards the voice’s source and discover in shock that it belongs to a much battered looking Rainbow Dash. His pretty flowers are long gone, as are a few nonessential feathers. There are bruises here and there, and it seems a black eye is forming, but otherwise he doesn’t seem too damaged. He’s also still in high spirits. “H-has anypony seen mah hat?” The second voice’s owner is equally as exhausted sounding as the first’s. Beyond the lost cap, Applejack’s seems to be the one who handled the beating the best of the two. There’s scratches, and a few hairs are missing from his no longer bound goatee, but overall he seems to have come out of the melee as the more presentable pony. I assume it’s because of this fact that Elusive, after taking a single look at both of these stallions, ultimately decides to approach Rainbow Dash instead of Applejack. “My boutique is on the way there,” he offers to him as he leaves the library for town hall. “I have a first aid, and makeup, kit we can use, Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow Dash smiles softly at the offer as he follows behind the generous pony upon battered wings. “You’re the best, Elue,” he praises. “I assure you, I am well aware.” After watching the two depart, BB slides up next to Applejack and extends him a slightly beat up stetson. “Your hat, sir?” he asks playfully. Applejack groans at this. “I reckon,” he answers unamused. BB then slips a bag of ice into the accessory before hoofing it back to its owner. This act results in a much improved response from the bruised pony. “Thank you kind-” he starts to say as he lowers the cap back onto his head. He winces and hisses as the frozen object touches his cranium, but the pained cry soon morphs into one of relief as he lets it sit there. “Ly,” he finishes after a second. Content with the results, Bubble Berry waves goodbye to Applejack as the latter decides to exit as well. BB then proceeds to offer the same courtesy at all of the departing guests. This includes Butterscotch, who silently slinks away once the crowd thins out enough for him to navigate through. I, meanwhile, head back upstairs to grab Dusk Shine. It’s time to have a… “Yawn~” … a Nightterror. _______________________________ It took more convincing than I thought it would to get Dusk moving out of bed. Threats of disappointing me and his new friends proved futile, and he made a compelling argument about being in a fortified structure for when all Tartarus breaks loose (which almost won me over), but ultimately one mention from me about letting Prince Solaris down was all the motivation he needed to start galloping out of that library like his life depended on it. I was fortunate enough to grip his mane at the last possible second and use the momentum to swing myself onto his back; without his assistance I would have had to rely on my stubby legs to carry me all of the way there. In the time that would have taken there would have been no conceivable room left for me. Right now the town hall is, and I’m not trying to be funny by describing it this way, a zoo. Although it looks large enough to hold a sizable chunk of Ponyville’s populous on any given day, the entire town is kinda pushing it. Thankfully the pegasus ponies can fly to free up space, and I can see that both Butterscotch and a cleaner looking Rainbow Dash are opting to do just that, but this doesn’t change the fact that this town was primarily an earth pony settlement back in the day. What that means is that what little balconies this place has aren't meant for the general audience, and instead are for lighter guests such as Butterscotch's birds or the sole speaker on the central stage. Unicorn and pegasi architecture tends to include more sturdy vertical options, but with that being neither here nor there us ground stompers will just have to make do with what little standing room is left for now. Well... Dusk does, at least. I, on the other hand, get to use his back to boost myself up and actually get a chance to see what’s going on. It's the embarrassing equivalent of a child being hoisted up onto their mommy or daddy's shoulders, but hey if it works it works. No forest of knees for me tonight, thank you very much! And it looks like, despite the crowd, we’ll have a guest with us this evening. As he has proven time and time again since we met him, crowds mean little to Bubble Berry. He goes wherever the heck he wants to go, personal bubbles be damned, and right now the one place he wants to be is right here next to Dusk and I. “Isn’t this exciting!?” He asks Dusk as he slides up next to us. I grin a little at this as I raise myself higher on Dusk’s withers and remain quiet. Having gotten to know BB a little better, I’m now aware that this party pony has a ton of different options for who to stand next to tonight. He has long time friends and foalhood acquaintances all gathered here in this room right now… but out of all of them he decided to saddle up next to the one pony who needed a new companion the most. This was a conscious decision, despite how silly and random the pony who made it seems… … The sugar is making me ramble. In summation; BB is awesome. That is all. “‘Cause I’m excited! I’ve never been so excited! Well, except for the time that I saw you walking into town, and I went gasp! But, I mean, really; who can top that?” He might also be just as hopped up on our lord and savior Sugar Rush as I am right now, but I don’t think I have enough evidence to prove that. Before my derailing thought train could go off on another mindless tangent, the sound of avian music filling the silenced halls takes a hold of my attention and keeps it in a vice grip. Other ponies join me too including Dusk, and soon our eyes are directed towards the source; the conductor Butterscotch and his bird choir. We, the audience, linger on this pony for only a moment before a spotlight redirects our sight towards the center stage. Long dormant memories within me stir as the scene begins to inch closer and closer towards Friendship is Magic: Part One’s climax. As another yawn tries to escape out of my mouth, I fight back against it by steeling my gaze on the stallion who now takes center stage. A tiny mantra of ‘Stay awake’  repeats itself over and over in my head as the battle against my internal clock rages on. “Fillies and Gentlecolts!” announces loudly the pony with the monocle and green necktie. “As Mayor of Ponyville, it is my great pleasure to announce the beginning of the Summer Sun Celebration!” Though everypony cheers, and a few of those on the ground stomp their hooves in celebration, Dusk doesn’t join in. From my perch I can see a look of concern slowly forming, one that perfectly mirrors the one on my own face. He doesn’t need ‘seer’ powers like me to sense that this isn't right. The Mayor’s speech about this being the longest day of the year and about how honored Ponyville is to host it goes ignored by Dusk Shine and myself as my oldest friend’s head swivels about in a desperate attempt to spot the coming storm. As I watch the stage… “Yawn~”... c-closely for what’s about to come, I spot out of the corner of my eye as a shape towards the skylights catches Dusk’s attention. Whatever it is, it causes his ears to droop and for his back to tense up in fear. My heart pounds in my chest as I feel the anxious energy within my little pony radiate outwards and into me. I painfully bite my lip to keep my own nervousness in check as the birds’ music reaches the apex of their performance and as the speaker’s speech reaches its close. This is it. This is what seven years of life on this planet has led me to. This is where I prove I’m not Spike, but instead Barbara The Dragoness! “... the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria!” declares the Mayor one final time before the spotlights switch to the closed curtains on the balcony above him. “Prince Solaris!!” Elusive, having been given the honor for his part in decorating the hall, uses his teeth to grip onto the rope keeping the concealing drapes together and then uses his glistening neck muscles to tug it. What follows next could only have been predicted by those who gaze into the future such as Solaris and I, or those as smart and dedicated as Dusk Shine. … If we had not known better, Dusk, the Prince and I probably would have told you that we believed you long ago. Though I joked about it in the past, to selfishly ease my own guilt, I took no joy in keeping this from you and I’m sure neither did Solaris. Watching as somepony’s worst fears are proven true; watching as their stomach drops and the air is stricken from their lungs leaves not a feeling of satisfaction within me. Instead I feel anger; anger that I had to intentionally hurt him by playing dumb. Anger that I’ll most likely have to do this again in the future. As the herd gasps over the curtains revealing a blank spot where a Prince was supposed to be, and as Dusk utters in a low tone to himself, “This can’t be good,” I find myself now more alert than ever. I also find myself briefly reflecting on my earlier promise, the one about going into the woods tonight with these six stallions to insure Dusk’s safety, and only now realizing that I’ve been lying about it the whole time. This isn’t in penitence for me screwing up Dusk’s life. This is in penitence for me having to hurt him like this. Determination flows into me as I finally set my path straight, and as the Mayor attempts to calm the steadily growing fear of the masses. Bubble Berry starts to make wild guesses about the Prince playing hide and seek, which on a normal day I wouldn’t put past him, but as Elusive returns to the stage from his search to announce “He’s gone!” did it finally truly dawn on everypony that things are seriously amiss. “Oh he’s goooood!” Everypony but Bubble Berry, obviously. Hey I said he was smart, not observant. That said, even BB struggles to hide his shock behind his normally playful facade as bluish smoke overtakes the stage and engulfs it in it’s swirling vortex of stardust and magic. We're not spared from the assault either, and an ominous air from the arcane whirlwind sweeps over us all. This back-draft startles us all, causes the smaller foals to seek shelter behind larger ponies’ legs, and it forces my eyes to shut tightly against my will. I curse my weakness as I grip Dusk’s mane tighter and urge myself to open my lead lined eyelids once more. I manage to reopen them just in time to see an equine shape begin to form from the screeching maelstrom. The alicorn now present in the room stands as tall as his brother Solaris. With coat as black as a starless night, horn long and visibly sharp, and mane as alive as it is enriched with wild magic; the dark stallion stands silently over the citizens of Ponyville and watches each and every one of us through dragon like eyes. “Nightterror Nebula,” Dusk breathlessly gasps. I gasp as well... … as I triumphantly give destiny a big old middle finger by simply, staying, awake. I remember this part. This is the part where Spike faints in the show. Instead, this is where I stand. … Well, technically next to Dusk Shine is where I stand. A combination of him rearing up slightly in fear, plus my weakening grip, caused me to fall off of his back just like Spike did in the show. It was almost a pure recreation too, as the ground was feeling extra soft and comfortable today thanks to my sleep deprived mind, BUT I FOUGHT THE URGE! Now I stand here, awake, and ready to do… something! Something involving this terrifyingly armored manifestation of everypony's deepest darkest fears that even the pony who moves the sun couldn’t do anything about! ... … I might have not thought this part through enough... Despite having been prepared for this moment for literal years, actually seeing The Nightterror face to face is filling me with the same sense of fear and urge to run as everypony else right now. His appearance is not as one-to-one to his mare self as I was expecting; while his body’s features and colors are about the same to Nightmare Moon’s, his armor is an entirely different story. A open helmet, metal shoes, and a simple breastplate was all that Princess Luna’s alter ego adorned in the show.  It was enough to give the viewers the impression that she was a sort of warrior princess kind of villain. In contrast, only one word comes to mind when I look at this stallion’s choice of attire. Warlord. His helmet covers his entire muzzle, leaving his eyes the only thing visible. Pointed spikes line the bottom half of the headgear as if to form a threatening metallic stubble, and the rims of his horseshoes bare this same aesthetic. His breastplate now covers the entirety of his chest and back leaving only his legs and wings bare, save for the sharpened pieces of metal that have split themselves off from the main back plating and now run along the length of his feathers. At his wingtips they stop, stretch, and fold along with the fallen’s Princes’ movements, giving the illusion that they’re a natural part of him. To complete his horror ensemble is one an important piece, and it’s a piece that only became apparent once I noticed the other glaring difference between this stallion and the mare from the cartoon. Nightmare Moon had both a mane and tail that flowed with mystic energy, not unlike Princess Celestia and Luna herself. Nightterror Nebula, meanwhile, has this same mane but not the tail. It exists, but this tail is wrapped up and armored as well; the same as the rest of him. In it’s defensive garb it gives off the appearance of a lion’s tail, one that swishes back and forth uninhibited by the plating. At its tip lies a blackened bundle of fur which completes the lion comparison, but it’s also here in my visual strip-down where my heart just about leaps out of my throat. Attached to the tail’s tip is a one sided warblade. On the tip of the blade drips fresh blood. The imposing pony remains silent as gasps and screams start ringing through the halls as this last part becomes more well known; as more eyes take in his horrific visage. Like the member of royalty that he is, The Nightterror exerts his authority by raising his head up high and training his twisted eyes on the gathered crowd as a whole. His gaze succeeds in silencing all who are unlucky enough to make eye contact. Soon the room is completely still again. After a time, he speaks. “My… beloved subjects,” Nebula rumbles loudly, his voice deep and piercing as it filters through his helm. Chills run through me as he continues, venom ever present in his words. “It has been so very, very long since I’ve last laid my eyes on your pathetic, puny, sun-adoring mugs.” Warning bells blare in my head. This is a lot more aggressive than I remember it being. Quite a number of ponies are slowly backing up now in the face of it and I find it hard not to do the same. I’m shaking; w-what did I just sign myself up into fighting?! “What did you do with our Prince?!” Thankfully I’ll be with ponies braver than myself. Ponies like… … Applejack? With my brain half addled by the sugar crash I am desperately trying to ignore, it takes me longer than it should have to notice the country tinge to those last words. I look over just in time to see the farm pony tilt his hat down menacingly and scuff a hoof against the ground. He gallops towards the pony of terror… only for the tips of a blue pegasus’ wing to grip the goatee at the end of his chin and yank it downwards, painfully halting the charge. “Easy there cowboy,” Rainbow Dash hisses, straining to keep the hearty stallion in line. I… think this is wrong too, but the details are fuzzy. Time and the general slowing of my mind are making things hard to recall. Need… sle- I silently slap myself on the cheeks. Keep it together, Barb. Just a little while longer and Dusk will run back to the tree house. There’s coffee there. We will make this work damn it. At the boy’s earlier outburst, The Nightterror narrows his eyes but ultimately says nothing. No evil laugh, no growl; except for his mane and tail he is as still as a statue. This is almost worse. “... Am I not Royal enough for you?” Nebula starts up again, staring at the aggressive earth pony intensely. “Do peasants not know of my past glories, or the victories I’ve won for this mighty kingdom?” With a flick of his tail, the blood that had been covering the tip of his warblade goes flying and splashes down next to a drape where three little colts were hiding. Yellow, white, and orange heads scream at the sight and retreat further into the cloth’s protective cover. The sight of this causes Applejack's anger to dissipate and for a look of concern to replace it on his face, but this was short lived as The Nightterror interrupts to pose him and all ponies present a single question. “Do you not know who I am?” “Oh oh, more guessing games!” replies Bubble Berry, not missing a beat. Daggers are glared at him by literally everypony in the room as a result, but I feel that I’m the only one who notices his knees banging against each other as he starts randomly guessing names. Hazarding a guess based on future and personal knowledge involving him; he’s as scared out of his little pony mind as the rest of us are right now, but his desire for everyone not to be scared has overridden his sense of self preservation. The result is him being thrust into a sort of party boy autopilot. It’s actually admirable when you think about it. “Um, Hokey Smokes?” Like… really really think about it. “How about King Tyranny?” SUPER hard. “No… oh! Obsidian Snarky, Obsidian Snarky!” … Or maybe I have to take back my earlier statement about him being smart. Really hope that’s not the case. Rainbow Dash thankfully puts a stop to this before it can get any worse by using his remaining wing to shove an apple into his mouth. Crisis averted. “Does my crown now mean nothing?!” Oh. Whoops. I take that back. Crisis is still imminent. All eyes turn back to the corrupted Prince yet again as he raises his voice for the first time since his arrival. With a single flap of his wings, Nebula soars through the air and lands harshly on the balcony next to Butterscotch. Though he is his equal in height and stature, the pegasus’ body shivers as he tries to slowly float up and away from the coming verbal assault. “Has my imprisonment for a thousand years stripped me of the Honor I have rightfully earned through tears, sweat, and blood?!” he roars into Butterscotch's face, sending tremors through the entire room. Town Hall is soon assaulted by another quake as the scare factor alone causes the poor yellow pony’s wings to give out, making him plummet to the ground. My blood then boils as the terrible alicorn next turns his attention to Elusive, who is still frozen in place on the stage where Solaris was supposed to appear. No. No no no no NO! “D-Dusk!” I whisper fiercely into my charge’s ear, trying to prompt him into action early. This whole situation is quickly spiraling out of control and I don’t know what’s going to happen anymore! Things aren’t matching up exactly, and this pony is so much scarier I… I-I don’t know what to do! “Dusk!” I again hiss into his ear. My words go unheeded as Dusk continues to gape at the pony of legend now in his mist. His legs wobble as he does, the same as everypony else's, but I can see his teeth starting to clench. I know that look; he’s on the fence. He needs to take a step forward into action, but he doesn’t know what. He’s not going to act without a plan, but time is of the essence! My own teeth clench too as I turn my head back and forth between him and the stallion slowly approaching the one pony I’ve found in this world that might be like me. I don’t want to lose the one possible connection I might still have to my old life! I can’t lose him again! Come on... come on! I try to reach out for Dusk one last time. “Du- “Yaaaawwwwnnn~” A yawn slips out instead. The result is like I fired a gun in a library. Now all eyes were on me; Dusk’s and his friends’ and most of the town. I was the one who just interrupted the monologuing maniac, after all. You remember... the one who has us all rooted in place out of fear? The one whose eyes are now drilling into me as well? And drill his unnatural eyes did; burning holes into my soul. Sweat drips from my forehead as he stretches up so that he may better leer at me. I take a step back reflectively as he bares his altered wings up fully for all to see. I fall onto my tail as he next leaps down from his perch and lands roughly mere feet away. It was only now that I could see that I barely measure past his fetlock in height. “No no no,” I uncontrollably whimper as I crawl backwards, away from the approaching monster. One tiny step is all it would take, o-or a swish of that tail; only the smallest amount of effort would be necessary for him to snuff me out. “No no no,” This wasn’t how it was supposed to go! “S-stop it!” A frightened voice calls out, it’s owner taking a step forward and placing himself between the two of us. Though he quivers just as violently as me, unlike myself Dusk Shine remains standing as he glowers upwards at the being threatening me. But his defense proves futile as The Nightterror, with his far superior height, continues to glare at me. Ponies begin to call out both our names fearfully, begging us to get out of here, but my stupid legs won’t budge. Just when I thought I couldn’t be anymore afraid, the alicorn’s horn suddenly bursts into life. A bluish aura, tinted with shades of the night itself, envelopes the appendage with such intensity that it threatens to suck the light out of this room. Not a second afterwards, this same aura envelopes my body fully. And unfortunately I’m not alone. With a turn of his head to survey the room, Nebula's evil magic finds itself locked onto a handful of other victims out of the many. One by one we each find ourselves forcefully levitated up into the air and brought forward towards the blackened beast. Shouts and angry screams from friends and loved ones alike fill the air as the horrific act proceeds. In terror I grip my purse and breathe heavily in my hold as the others who had been captured cry and wail around me. The noise is so high pitched, and the emotions so raw... It’s only as I force my head up, resulting in me locking eyes with the equally scared unicorn colt next to me, do I realize why this is the case. “I have a fondness for children,” Nightterror Nebula explains himself as his wandering eyes soften for a fraction of a second… … only for them to then harden once again. “But they’re better off seen and not heard.” With one final pulse of light from the monster's horn, a shock wave covers all his hostages and instills in me a feeling not unlike an electrical current running havoc under my scales. The magical aura around me fades away as the tiredness I once felt returns with a vengeance; intensifying itself to levels I can no longer hope to have control over. Dusk calls out for me one last time before I hit the floor and everything fades to black.