"No... No... No..." Twilight tossed book after book from the shelves, looking for one in particular. It seems that the new Librarian had re-arranged everything since she took over. With Spike still at the hospital, she had to sort on her own.
Fluttershy flitted from bookshelf to bookshelf, trying to help, but didn't know much about a library's organization and thus wasn't much use. Rainbow Dash may have been faster, but she was watching the door after making up an excuse to kick the Librarian out. She had said something about 'Official Guard Business' and the place was theirs for the moment.
So glad she was brought along...
Twilight agreed, as she sorted through a section, finding the old book on the Elements of Harmony. "Finally!"
Really shouldn't be here, this is taking too long, and it would probably be better to hoof it out of town. The Princesses will learn sooner or later.
Quiet, voice, I need to figure this out... this talking to oneself is really getting out of hand...
Well, I am the one whom was tortured by a ghost for over a year.
Touche`.
"How much longer, Twilight?" Rainbow asked while peering out a window by the front door.
"I don't know... research like this can't be qualified into a specific timeframe." She flipped through the book with her magic. "I don't know what was done to me, much less how to fix it..."
"Um... maybe we should just head back. Grab a few likely books to read back at the hospital where nopony would get suspicious?" Fluttershy hovered before the stressed-out unicorn.
"No, Fluttershy. As much as I appreciate your help in this, I need to know. If not for my sake, then for my foal. If you want, you two can head back."
"No. No way." Rainbow turned from the window a dark scowl on her face. "I left you alone once, I'm not going to do it again."
Loyal and Stubborn. A useful trait in a minion.
Twilight looked up at Rainbow with a frown. Now where in Tarterus did that come from???
Rainbow glanced back out the window and started. "Uh-oh... Looks like Princess Luna figured us out. She's heading up the main street with what looks like all of fourth squadron. E.T.A. is about 30 seconds, Twilight."
Fluttershy watched Twilight rush from bookshelf to bookshelf. "Calm down, Twilight. Panicking won't be good for you or the foal..."
Need to run. Get away before the Princess decides letting the foal live is too dangerous.
But she's my friend!
To her, Twilight Sparkle is no more... dead, remember?
"TWILIGHT SPARKLE! WE KNOW THOU ART IN THERE! COME OUT PEACEFULLY! The Royal Canterlot Voice shook the library gently.
"I'll try and stall her." Fluttershy swallowed hard. "I'm your doctor, and should know best."
"Good luck, 'shy." Rainbow smiled.
Twilight, ground her teeth together. They were her friends, trying to protect her. But the voice kept going on about how she should run. She can't abandon her friends, not after just getting them back together!
They would do it for you, and your unborn. The voice insisted. In fact, they are doing it now. Offering up themselves to protect you, their friend.
Twilight tried to find a retort as she looked out a window. Fluttershy sat outside before the Princess while talking to her as the guards spread out, surrounding the treehouse library.
"Twilight!" Rainbow looked back, worried as her friend hasn't moved in over a minute. "Any ideas, egghead?"
Trust in me, you are a powerful unicorn, and could easily fend off the Princess if it comes to a fight. You have the element of surprise, and the backing of good friends.
Fight Princess Luna? That's insane!
But it might be the only chance to protect the foal.
Protect the Foal... the thought echoed through her head again like the tolling of a bell.
"Twilight? Why are your eyes changing color?" Rainbow fluffed her wings out, a worried look on her face.
Before she could respond, the door opened and Fluttershy walked in, a worried look on her face. "Princess Luna wants to run a simple spell, to check your foal, Twilight..."
The foal... must protect the foal...
Protect the foal...
Twilight shook her head to clear the seemingly random thoughts. She sneered, a dark look coming over her face. "Yeah, right. She wants to take my foal from me."
"Twilight, that's not true. She's worried about you and wants to check something real quick." Fluttershy insisted.
It's a lie. Too obvious, isn't it?
"She's lying. She wants to kill my unborn foal." Twilight glowered.
"Twilight?" Both Pegasus mares blinked in shock.
"I know her game. She thinks I'm 'tainted' or something, and that the foal is the source of the taint. So, she plans on killing my unborn. Well... I'm not going to let her..." Anger built up in her heart.
"Twilight, we would never let her harm the foal. Just let her run the simple spell and we'll be done." Fluttershy insisted.
Protect the Foal.
"Protect the Foal." Twilight muttered softly, then shook her head. "I don't believe her."
"Twilight..." Rainbow looked on, worried.
Time to leave.
Twilight took the book and shoved it into a saddlebag. "I'm not letting her near me or my foal."
"She's not going to just let you walk away." Fluttershy glanced out the window then back at the glowering unicorn.
Then go right through her.
"Then I'm going right through her." Twilight smirked.
Rainbow Dash saw the gold in Twilight's eyes intensify; "Fluttershy! Her eyes!" She backed toward the door.
"What... what is going on!" The butter coated Pegasus backpedaled in surprise.
"Th... that's not Twilight!" Rainbow Dash yelped in panic, reality crashing down around her. She snapped Fluttershy's tail in her mouth, yanking her friend out the door.
Twilight didn't notice, nor care, as she stood in the middle of the library. She had spotted through the half-open door the dark Alicorn who stood between her and her foal, glaring right back.
This is it. Trust me. Relax. This is the only way to protect your friends. Your foal.
A soft golden glow in her eyes stared ahead as the Nightmare's spell took hold. With her magic, she shoved the half-open door off it's hinges and stormed out to confront her adversary.
"Rainbow! What's going on!" Fluttershy whimpered as she was handed off to two guards who pushed her behind them protectively.
"Twilight Sparkle has been possessed by the Nightmare." Luna responded flatly, assuming a fighting stance. As one. the guards flanking her did so as well. Rainbow Dash took her place in the line to Luna's right, conflicted at the thought she now had to fight the friend she just got back.
The unicorn in question just grinned. Shows what they know.
Foalish! They do not know that possession isn't involved! You are doing this to protect your foal.
The thoughts came unbidden: I am doing this on my own. To protect my unborn foal from this ignorance.
You are a good mother.
"I am a good mother."
Protect the foal.
"Protect the Foal." Without thinking she whispered the mental commands in response. Her coat and mane darkened as she embraced the voice. Her pupils narrowed ever so slightly, the violet in her eyes now totally consumed by the gold, as magic began to swirl around her.
The guards pawed the ground nervously as the darkness swirled around the unicorn. Both Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy glanced nervously up at Princess Luna who just stared, confronted once again with the living manifestation of her nightmare.
The transformed unicorn stared right back. Twilight was curled up in the back of her mind, whimpering, wanting all this craziness to end.
It is okay, my love. I will care for you. I will make it better. All you have to do is obey.
Just... obey?
Yes. You will kill to protect your foal.
Once again, at least in Twilight's tortured mind, the voice made perfect sense.
Twilight obeyed.