//------------------------------// // Chapter 1 - Bad Moon Rising // Story: Element Substitutes // by Spiktaro Kujo //------------------------------// Tirek knew what was going to happen next, but he was powerless to stop it. No matter how hard he tried. The princesses were going to decide his fate. But before they could deliver the verdict, Spike made his objections known. He was quite upset at the princesses decision. “Nopony told me that you already reached a decision without me!” Everycreature froze. Unsure what to make of the situation. Finally, Captain Shining Armor decided to break the unnerving silence. “Spike, you’re not a princess. I'm pretty sure you don’t get a say in this.” There was a murmur of agreement. Spike sighed and looked back at the Captain. The drake simply replied, “Chain of command.” A white rabbit scoffed at the retort. “I don’t think that’s how it works.” He said condescendingly.  Tirek wished that Princess Celestia hadn’t cast a spell on the rabbit, allowing it to converse with them. It was becoming more trouble than it was worth. Shining Armor looked as if he wanted to say something, but couldn’t. He just bowed his head and stepped back. “Spike’s got a point, as much as it pains me to admit it.” Princess Luna commented. “Perhaps we should listen to his suggestion?” Princess Celestia shook her head, “We have already come to a decision. Let’s stick to it.” Princess Cadence merely nodded in agreement. “Let’s just hear what Spike-” Princess Luna began again, only to be interrupted by Princess Cadence. “Luna, we’ve just talked about this, we’re sticking to the decision we’ve agreed upon.” “What the hay is wrong with you two?! I’m normally considered the firebrand, but you two are putting me to shame!”  “What about-” Spike began before being interrupted by Princess Celestia. “ENOUGH! We are not discussing this anymore!” “WHY? Because you don;t want to admit that it is your fault that Twilight and the others are gone?” Spike yelled, tears forming in his eyes.  There were shouts of protest from everycreature else in the room. Many tried to get Spike to apologize, while others defended him, only to be silenced by Princess Celestia raising her hoof. “Spike, that was severely uncalled for.” “No it wasn’t! Twilight would’ve said the same-” “Then you don’t clearly know her as well as you think!” Princess Celestia snapped. … The room fell silent as everycreature processed what she just said.  “CELESTIA, YOU IDIOT!” Tirek shouted. Celestia’s eyes widened as she just registered what she had said. She tried to apologize, but it was futile.  Spike was seeing red. “You said I didn’t know Twilight that well, right Celestia?” Spike began venomously.  “Spike I-” “Yeah, I guess I wouldn’t know the pony that I lived with for years, that I cooked for, that I consoled when she got in over her head. Yeah, I don’t know anything about the pony that I was there for, even when you weren't.” He chuckled darkly, “Nightmare Moon, Discord, Sombra, Sunset Shimmer, Tirek. All threats that Twilight had to take care of because you failed to!”   Tears were streaming down his face, but he continued to press on. “You don’t deserve to even say her name! If it wasn’t for you, Twilight and the others would still be here!” After his angry outburst, Spike fell silent. He simply walked out of the throne room, having the door shut quietly behind him. “Celestia, what have you done?” Tirek asked, fearing for the young dragon. “I have made a terrible mistake.” was her reply. Tirek awoke with a start. He found himself in a strange room, where-? Right, he was in the new castle in Ponyville.  ...The one that appeared after Scourge’s defeat.  Tirek sighed, the nightmare still weighed heavy on his mind. He needed some fresh air, but he would have to talk to his parole officer first. If she was still up, that is. Well, there was only one way to find out... “I still don’t see why you wanted to come out here.” Moondancer whined. “I was getting to the good part!” Tirek simply chose to ignore Moondancer’s outburst, “Moondancer, did any of the princesses tell you why I’m currently on ‘parole’ and not rotting Tartarus?” Moondancer frowned, “No, they didn’t. But I fail to see how that is important.” Tirek rubbed his face, “Of course they didn’t tell you.” He sighed before continuing, “It’s because of Spike.” Moondancer raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean ‘It’s because of Spike’?” Tirek fell silent, trying to collect his thoughts before answering her.  “Have you heard about the fight between Spike and Princess Celestia?” Tirek asked, uncertainly. “Wait, I heard that they were just not speaking to each other. You’re telling me they fought?” Moondancer asked incredulously.  Tirek sighed, before explaining what had happened in the throne room to Moondancer. The fight, the reaction, everything. He spared no detail, save for what he couldn’t remember. Tirek chuckled, “I half expected you to call me a lair or something. I guess I was wrong about you.” Moondancer scoffed, “I did, but after taking a moment to think about it, it makes sense. Spike’s unusual cold demeanor, that griffon’s-” “Gabby.” Tirek corrected. “Her name is Gabby.” “-Gabby’s uneasiness around him, well everypony’s uneasiness around him, now that I think about it. As I said it makes-” Moondancer stopped suddenly, as if she had been petrified. It was unnerving. “Moondancer?” Tirek asked softly. “Moondancer? What has you so-” Tirek turned to find whatever Moondancer was looking at and froze himself.   On top of Carousel Boutique, there stood a tall, shadowy figure with glowing red eyes.  Tirek shivered. The figure was even bigger than he was!  “Y-you see it too?” Moondancer whispered. “Y-yes.” Tirek whispered back. “What, what do you think it is?” “No-” Moondancer began, before she was interrupted by a loud screech.  Tirek and Moondancer saw that the thing had a larger wingspan and that it was diving right at them! “Quick, inside!” Moondancer yelped. “Before it gets here!” “You don’t have to tell me twice!” Tirek responded, rushing inside. “Help me barricade the door!” Tirek hissed at Moondancer, while pressing his back against the door. Moondancer braced herself against the door as well, expecting something to try and break in. They both strained to hear on the other side of the door. They didn’t dare to breathe as they didn’t want whatever that monster was to hear them. They expected to hear scratching, hissing, or even the beat of the creature’s large wings. BUt what they heard scared them even more. Silence. Dead silence. What was that thing on the other side of the door doing? Was it trying to listen to them? Did it know that they were on the other side of the door and it was waiting for them to come out? Tirek and Moondancer sat there for half an hour, not wanting to risk letting the creature know where they were. “I think it’s gone.” Tirek whispered. “That or it is very patient.” Moondancer nodded, “What do you think it was?” “I dunno. It’s something I’ve never seen before.” “So, what should we do now?” Moondancer asked, quietly. As if the monster could still be lurking outside. “We should probably go back to our rooms and try to get some sleep.” Tirek suggested. “What?! Do you think we’ll be able to fall asleep after seeing something like that?!” Moondancer exclaimed, keeping her voice down. “Note, I said try.” Tirek grimaced. “Besides, there isn’t much we can do right now anyway.” “I can try to look around in some of the old history books to see what that thing was.” Moondancer countered. Tirek rolled his eyes, “Good luck with that! I was around when those things were written and I don’t know what that thing was! I doubt those historians know either! Still, stay safe. I don’t know what that thing wants, but it can’t be good.” Moondancer nodded, before slowly returning to her room. Tirek sighed. Could this get any worse?