//------------------------------//
// For want of a moat 
// Story: Prank War! 
// by Ashfur 
//------------------------------//

The whole of the crystal empire was on edge.  Even Twilight had been called in to help, as Celestia had been very busy.  Which of course sent the Purple princess into a panic as she went over who could have even her former mentor worried.  But the royals weren't the only ones planning on how to deal with the coming threat.

"Crud, I'm gonna have to fix this aren't I?  Otherwise Sparky's gonna panic the army into doing something stupid."

"Unca Nik?  Will you tell Fwurry bedtime stowee?"

"Sure, little one.  Once upon a time..."  He stared to tell a story, but stopped and thought for a moment.  "Actually...  wanna play a game of dress-up first?"

"Yez!  Fwurry wanna dwess up as Unca Nik!"

"Hehe, I suppose we can start with that.  Let's see..."

It was only a matter of time before Celestia herself was called in to help.  She took one look at the letter, and scowled.  It only took an explanation of the letter's true contents before the only possible culprit became clear.  And so, the royal family called for the guards to stand down and angrily marched to Flurry's room.

As soon as they opened the door, they were met with a menacing glare.  "Muahaha!  Welcome, heroes!  It is I, the villainous Dark Nick!  I've been waiting for you."  Nick spun around in his chair to face them, wearing a full suit and wearing an eyepatch.  In his lap sat the little princess Flurry, who Nock was petting.

"Uhm... cat noisez! Meyow!"  She looked up at her foalsitter.  "Was dat good, unca Nik?"

"Perfect, my little snowflake."  Ki kissed her on the forehead.  "Now you go scurry off to bed, I'll tuck you in shortly."

Flurry got to her hooves and scampered towards her bedroom.  "Goodnite unca Nik, I wuv yoo!"

"Love you too, sweetie!  Ahem,"  he cleared his throat.  "Now, where was I... ah, yes!  My evil plan.  So you heroes think you can stop the mighty Dark Nick?  Your elements of harmony are useless against me.  My plan is coming together!  Muahaha, at last! But winning isn't fun if I don't give you a fair fight. 
So let me tell you a story.  For the want of a nail, a horseshoe was lost.  For want of a horseshoe, the horse was lost.  For want of a horse the courier's message was lost.  For want of a message the reinforcements were lost.  For want of backup the battle was lost, and for want of a battle the kingdom was lost.  All for the want of a horseshoe nail.
You must find the proverbial nail and figure out what you're missing, or you will face destruction as my magnificent plan-"

"Unca Nik, can you check undah my bed for monsters?  I'm scawed... "

"Excuse me a moment, heroes!  The mighty Dark Nick still has a job to do."  Nick left the room, and they heard rustling as he moved around the bedroom.  It was a few minutes before he came back out.  "...and remember to always use that nightlight!  I still use one sometimes.  Now then, TREMBLE-"

"There's not a moat to throw you in, so we can't technically stop you.  Right or wrong?"  Demanded Twilight.

"Exactly!  And because of the lack of my weakness, you will never be able to defeat the one, the only, THE INVINCIBLE D-"

Nick was immediately teleported and hurled into a massive snowdrift outside of town.

As the rest of the ponies gather next to it, the irate human rose out of the snow.  "Curses!  Foiled again by the frozen form of my weakness!  But mark my words, I will have my revenge upon y-"

Another snowdrift was dropped on top of Nick.