//------------------------------// // Hope almost lost [Rewritten] // Story: Nightmare Sparkle // by Twilight Star //------------------------------// In the dungeons of Nightmare Sparkle Castle, each was teleported to a cage. No one was together at the cage, everypony and the dragon were apart. They couldn’t save Twilight from Nightmare. Did they really fail or was there still a chance of Twilight being saved? But how would they save her? Without Twilight, the Elements of Harmony wouldn’t work.  “She arrested you too, guys?”  Those who had just arrived in the dungeons looked left and they saw Rainbow Dash and nodded.  “I want to punch her so badly!” Rainbow slammed her front hooves as if she was ready to hit somepony.  “Rainbow, we can’t do that,” said Fluttershy.  “And why not, Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash looked at Fluttershy. “She’s evil.”  “Did you forget, Rainbow?” Applejack asked in an unhappy way. “If we hurt Nightmare Sparkle, we’ll be hurting Twilight Sparkle.”  Rainbow Dash remembered, but tried not to admit that she was wrong. “I already knew.”  Applejack rolled her eyes at the answer. She couldn’t stand the pegasus’s ego. “Rainbow, can you stop being proud for a while? Can’t you even admit you’re wrong? Damn it…”  Rainbow Dash was annoyed. “Now you want me to act the way you want? Go pick apples.”  Applejack was annoyed by what Rainbow told her. “I’m just being honest!”  “No need to throw it in the face, right?!” shouted Rainbow Dash.  “Why don’t you let that pride go and admit you’re wrong?” asked Applejack.  Fluttershy decided to interrupt the fight. “Girls, stop fighting, please. Fighting won’t solve the situation at all.” Rainbow Dash tried to not show her regret, while Applejack demonstrated the opposite and took off her cowgirl hat.  “I’m sorry, Fluttershy,” said Applejack.  Fluttershy smiled. “It’s alright Applejack.”  Applejack smiled at being forgiven and put her hat back on her head. But her smile fell when she remembered where she, her friends, the stallion, the dragon and the three princesses were.  “And now, princess? What will we do?” Applejack asked. “We can’t let Nightmare Sparkle dominate Equestria.”  Celestia looked at Applejack. She wanted to say that everything would be all right, everything would work out, it would end well and that they could save Twilight Sparkle from Nightmare. But how would they do it? Everypony and Spike were trapped in separate cages.  Celestia’s ears dropped and she let out a breath. “I don’t know, Applejack.”  “Come on, princess. I’m sure we can punch Nightmare’s ass and save Twilight,” said Rainbow Dash.  Applejack became angry again. “Did you happen to forget what I said to you, Rainbow? If we hurt Nightmare Sparkle, we’ll be hurting Twilight Sparkle.”  Rainbow Dash was grumpy and cross-hoofed. “It was just a way of saying…”  Celestia began to cry for her student. She still blamed herself for not hearing Twilight's Warning. Everypony heard Celestia’s cry and saw the princess lying, crying.  “It’s all my fault. It’s all my fault.” Celestia told herself.  Fluttershy wished she wasn’t far from Celestia, because then she could comfort the alicorn. “Princess, don’t blame yourself.”  Celestia looked at Fluttershy. “It’s my fault, Fluttershy.”  “In fact is my fault, princess,” said Shining Armor.  Everypony and Spike looked at Shining Armor, even Celestia, but there were still tears in their eyes.  “It was my fault for saying that ‘Cadence’ was that way because of stress,” said Shining Armor. “If I hadn’t said that, I would have made sure that you would all stand by Twilight.”  “Love, it wasn’t your fault,” said Cadence. “It was from Chrysalis. She fooled you all.”  Shining Armor seemed to want to believe the words of his future wife, but he still felt guilty about everything. He knew that maybe the reason he got mad at his little sister was because of Chrysalis’s spell. But what if it isn’t? What if he said that because he wanted to? Tears began to fall from his eyes and he lay on the floor as he wept with guilt. The others could do nothing but watch, because they were in separate cages.    In the sky, creatures known as the Nightmare Forces come out of the moon. Nightmare Sparkle was on the balcony of her castle watching them reach her.   Shadowfright went to Nightmare Sparkle to kiss his queen’s hoof. “My queen. You’re in the body of the bearer of the Element of Magic!”   Nightmare Sparkle smiled. “Yes, Shadowfright. But I am in control of my body, not Nightmare.”   Shadowfright smiled back. “And was it easy for Nightmare to convince you?”   “Well, at first I didn’t accept it, but it didn’t take long for her to convince me,” replied Nightmare Sparkle. “And I must confess, I was a lot easier than Luna.”   “I agree, my queen,” said Shadowfright.    “Anypony have any idea how we’ll get out of here?” asked Rainbow Dash.  Applejack had an idea. “Rarity!”  Rarity looked at Applejack. “Yes, Dear?”  “Can you teleport?” asked Applejack.  “I can try,” Rarity tried to use her magic, but unfortunately, it didn’t work. “I can’t use my magic.”  “They’re kind of clever for a bunch of monsters.” was all Rainbow Dash could think of to say.  Suddenly, they heard a snoring sound and saw a Nightmare Force sleeping right in front of the door. The ponies and the dragon would like to have the key. But how would they have?  “Guys, see!” pointed Pinkie Pie to something that was under the Nightmare Force.  Celestia recognized the item. “The key!”  “But how do we get it, princess?” Rarity looked at Celestia. “My unicorn magic doesn’t work.”  “Does alicorn magic work?” Celestia decided to try her magic, but it didn’t work either. Celestia didn’t know what to do. “I can’t use my magic either. And now?”  Pinkie Pie had an idea. “I already know what to do. Have no more fear, ponies and dragon. Pinkie Pie knows how to solve the situation.”  “What’s your idea, Pinkie?” asked Applejack.  “Just watch.” Pinkie Pie spun a part of her mane before she started digging. Near of the Nightmare Force, Pinkie Pie came up, took the key with a hoof, put it in her mouth before going to the princesses and their friends were. Although everypony was still confused as to how Pinkie Pie spun her mane, they decided to not question.  “We did it! But how do we get past that guy?” Rainbow Dash pointed to the Nightmare Force blocking the dungeon’s entrance and exit.  “How about we talk to him?” suggested Fluttershy. “I’m sure we could talk to him.”  “Fluttershy, this thing is loyal to Nightmare Sparkle, also known as Nightmare. He will never join us,” said Rainbow Dash.  “But that doesn’t mean we can’t try, Rainbow,” said Fluttershy.  “I have a better idea. Why don’t we fly over him?” suggested Rainbow Dash. “Me, Fluttershy and the princesses can carry those who don’t have wings even outside the dungeon.”  “That’s a good idea, Rainbow,” said Fluttershy. “But let’s take it one by one or it will be all at once?”  “It’ll be one by one, Fluttershy.” Rainbow Dash began to stretch to get ready.  “Dashie, what will we do after we leave the castle?” asked Pinkie Pie.  “We’ll punch Nightmare Sparkle,” replied Rainbow Dash.  “How many times do I have to tell you, Rainbow?” Applejack asked angrily. “If we hurt Nightmare Sparkle, we’ll be hurting Twilight!”  “Applejack, please. Don’t scream. You’ll end up waking the Nightmare Force,” said Fluttershy.  Applejack remembered that, and took off her hat. “I’m sorry. I forgot. But what will we do after we run away?”  “We don’t have a plan on how to defeat Nightmare Sparkle yet, so I’m afraid we will have to stay hidden in the Canterlot Castle until we come up with a plan,” said Celestia.  “Princess, what if Nightmare Sparkle attacks Equestria with the Nightmare Forces?” asked Rainbow Dash.  “Then I fear we will have to act fast and have a plan in mind. But first we need to get out of here.”