//------------------------------// // Chapter 11 // Story: Lunaverse: Galaxy Rangers - Eternal Night // by Rixizu //------------------------------// “You displease me. I expected better.” Nightmare Moon said. Her Ranger Killers spread out to surround the Rangers and their allies. “Raindrops, Carrot Top, you pledged yourself to capture my traitorous student. I made you my personal knights. Yet here you are, helping her conspire against me.”  “Like I would ever join you!” Carrot Top said, glaring daggers. Raindrop said nothing and only gave a solemn nod. “It looks like your employment benefits aren’t as great as you thought!” Trixie said, her tone mocking. Inwardly, her eyes darted around, searching for the best escape route.  “You will pay for your insolence, Trixie Lulamoon!” Nightmare Moon spread her wings wide, teeth bared. “You and the rest of your traitorous ilk.” The mad alicorn’s anger soon subsided, and a cruel smile formed on her face. “But I understand my ex-student’s cunning and dangerous allure. I will offer you a single chance to join my side, and I will forgive all trespasses. Raindrops.” Raindrops jerked when the queen mentioned her name. “What is it?” “Join me, or your precious little brother will suffer the same fate as Dinky Doo. A lawn ornament for all eternity!” Nightmare Moon’s smile was merciless and unforgiving. “You care about him, don’t you? You’ve always been a good older sister, always protecting your special little brother. Why not join me and ensure he stays safe?” Her mane flared to life, fluttering in an invisible wind. “Or else suffer the consequences!”  “I…” Raindrops’ breath caught, and indecision wracked her face. Trixie saw the suffering tormenting her friend. It left Trixie lost on what she should do next. She wanted to defeat Nightmare Moon, but not the cost of her precious brother, Snails! I have no choice. I can’t allow her to sacrifice her brother for me! Yet Raindrops, the Black Hercules Ranger, already had her answer. She held her morpher in a hoof and stared down at it. Her expression turned hard, filled with determination.  “When I got this power, it was because I became the Element of Honesty.” Raindrops said. “It is my burden to always stay truthful. Not only to others but also myself. It’s morphing time! Hercules!” The Black Ranger summoned her axe, pointing its sharp tip towards Nightmare Moon.  “What is this?!” The alicorn stomped her hoof hard enough to break the tile beneath her. “Though my heart is telling me to protect Snails, my soul tells me I can’t allow your evil to continue. Else other brothers will get hurt. Trixie’s my best friend, and there’s no way I’d ever turn against her. That’s my answer! I’m protecting both my brother and the world from you, Nightmare Moon!” “Raindrops.” Trixie teared up, lost for words. She was glad, yet saddened her friend was willing to make such heavy sacrifices for her.  “I’ve always got your back, Trixie.” Trixie heard a smile behind Raindrop’s helmet. “That’s the honest truth!” “Yeah, my answer’s the same.” Carrot Top pulled out her morpher. “I’ll sacrifice anything for my friends! It’s morphing time, Scorpio!” A smirk grew on Trixie’s face. “Ha, see! You can’t break us apart, Nightmare Moon! It’s morphing time! Ursa!” “Hey, I’m here too!” Lemon Hearts said. “I don’t have a speech, but prepare to get your flank kicked, Nightmare Moon! It’s morphing time, Pluto!” “You will pay for this betrayal, Raindrops!” Nightmare Moon’s mouth twisted into a snarl. “Once I turn your brother to stone, I’ll shatter him to dust! Get them!”  Here goes nothing. I’d never thought I’d face off against Princess Luna. Trixie’s hoof shook momentarily but hardened her resolve. There’s no other course. I have to beat her, to save her. She readied her sword as the six Ranger Killers swarmed towards them.  Trixie jumped back as three maces flew towards her face in unison. Unlike the last Ranger Killers, these fought in unison, and Trixie hissed as a spike scraped her armor and rolled away. Her friends weren’t doing much better, finding themselves overwhelmed by their opponents. It was all they could do to dodge and parry the incoming attacks. With her mighty shield, Carrot Top blocked a strike meant for Lemon Hearts’ head. She yelped in pain as a Ranger Killer suddenly switched its target from Raindrops to the Yellow Ranger.  What gives? Now they can fight together? Trixie noticed the mischievous glint in her mentor’s eyes, realizing the alicorn must have the power to control her pawns with her mind. Besides that, Nightmare Moon stood before the doorway, making sure nopony could escape. She eyed Greengrass and his cohorts, watching for any trouble or heroics. Fisher crossed his legs and glared. Greengrass remained stoic, while Vinyl cheered the Rangers on, eager to see them kick flank. Trixie blocked a blow with her sword, but sparks flew as another steel ball struck her chest. The Ranger Killers had them completely boxed in, leaving them no room to retreat or dodge. She rubbed her sore chest, knowing they couldn’t survive much longer if they didn’t do something.  “We’ll just break our way out!” Trixie swung her body under a blow, allowing the Black Ranger to smack a Ranger Killer in the face with her weapon. “You have a plan?” Raindrops asked.  “You aren’t going anywhere.” Nightmare Moon’s monsters increased the ferocity of their attacks.  “Oh, ponyfeathers!” Pure panic filled Lemon Hearts’ voice as several spiked fists impacted her armor. “Typical.” Trixie only rolled her eyes. “No matter. We’ll burst through this! Ready?”  “As ever!” Carrot Top rolled away from an attack and joined her fellow Rangers, standing back to back. The three Galaxy Rangers formed a defensive ring. Unfortunately, two Ranger Killer swarmed Lemon Hearts, pushing the Pluto Ranger back, distancing her from her allies. The remaining four focused their attention on the Galaxy Rangers.  Together, they batted away and deflected the four Ranger Killers’ attack as they surrounded them. They worked together to cover their friend’s weaknesses, leaving no vulnerable points to exploit. Together, no attack could pierce their defensive formation.  “Foals!” Cried the creature that had once been Princess Luna. “You really believe you can defeat me! Your teamwork is nothing compared to the might of Queen Nightmare Moon!” She extended a hoof, and a scythe appeared in it. It was Luna’s famous weapon, Nightbringer. It was an unassuming weapon, a single silver curved blade attached to a black shaft. But Trixie had seen her mentor train with the weapon and knew of its simple, but deadly effectiveness.   In a blink of an eye, Nightmare Moon was everywhere, yet nowhere. She moved so fast it was impossible to keep track of her. Trixie wasn’t sure if this was super-speed or an illusion. Carrot Top screamed in pain as a slash threw her aside. Raindrops was the next victim. They both unmorphed as Nightmare Moon bombarded them with slashes.  “What should we do?” A panicked Lemon Hearts asked before unmorphing after suffering a blow to the head. Trixie cursed and froze when the trip of Nightbringer pressed against her neck. “I’ll show you what I do to traitors, Trixie.” Nightmare Moon’s voice said, purring in the Red Ranger’s ear. Trixie screamed in pain as the scythe slashed across her chest, causing her to unmorph and crash against a wall painfully. “Pitiful, you are no match for me.” The Planetary Gems around Nightmare Moon’s neck glowed as she spoke. Pain erupted through Trixie’s body as she struggled to her hooves. A weak chuckle escaped her lips. “Maybe, but I’m not finished yet!” She pulled several pellets from her cape, which filled the room with smoke.  Nightmare Moon snarled and, with a flap of her wings, blew the room clear of smoke. But Trixie and her friends had already fled the room, running up the stairs. Trixie limped along but made good time. Fisher was too weak to run fast, so Raindrops had thrown the ex-archduke onto her back and took to the air. The rest of her allies were somehow keeping up.  “You can’t escape!” Nightmare Moon flew after them, scythe ready to kill.  “Why are these stairs endless?” Trixie said in frustration, watching the mad alicorn quickly gaining on them. She’d be upon them in moments. Trixie pressed some buttons on her morpher, trying a feature she’d never needed before. It’d cause her some damage, but the situation was dire. Nightmare Moon ignored the rest of the Rangers and focused her wrath on her traitorous student alone. Trixie yelped as the scythe flew towards her face. There was a loud clanging sound as Carrot Top summoned her shield and blocked the deadly weapon. Carrot Top screamed in pain as Nightmare Moon delivered a powerful kick to her sternum. Her friend collapsed to the ground, her breathing a pained wheeze as blood oozed from her mouth. “Carrot Top!” Trixie’s eyes widened in alarm, terrified for her friend. Nightmare Moon pointed her blade’s edge towards the Red Ranger, indicating she was next on the chopping block.  I need more time. But what could she do? They couldn’t defeat Nightmare Moon by themselves. They needed some distraction. But what? “Push forward!” Trixie told her friends while summoning her sword. “I’ll keep her attention.” “But!” Raindrops said in alarm. “We can’t leave you!” Lemon Hearts’ eyes widened to saucers.  “Don’t worry. It’s me she wants.” Trixie pointed her blade at her mentor. “Just get to the first floor.” Trixie hissed as she blocked a blow from Nightmare Moon with her sword. It sent a painful bone-rattling tremor that surged through her entire body. From below, she heard the Ranger Killers clambering up the stairs after them.  “Go!” Trixie’s friends reluctantly nodded and ran up the stairs, leaving the Red Ranger alone with her mentor. Nightmare Moon gave a slight nod of acknowledgment. “Brave, but foolish. More Ranger Killers are above to finish your friends.” She yelped as Trixie left a nip in her ear. Much to her relief, the slight illusion the Red Ranger had created had fooled even an alicorn. She’d made it appear like she’d been moving in one direction, but was really moving the other in reality. Trixie smirked. “I’d worry more about yourself if I were you! It’s morphing time, Ursa!” “Trixie!” Nightmare Moon darted towards the Ranger with her scythe. The two fought up the staircase, their swords clashing. Trixie realized how much Luna outmatched her in both skill and power, so she focused on evasion instead. She used minor illusions to keep ahead of her opponent. Not that it protected her from the alicorn. Despite Trixie’s skill at evading, Nightmare Moon gave the Red Ranger a beating, breaking through her defenses time after time. Trixie wobbled on her hooves, but somehow reached the top of the stairs. Trixie screamed in pain when a sword slashed her black, and a kick sent her across the room.  “Trixie!” Carrot Top cried out in alarm as Trixie unmorphed upon hitting the floor. Her friends were busy fighting off guards and Ranger Killers. They weren’t performing much better, overwhelmed by their enemy’s superior numbers.  “One last chance, Rangers. Surrender, and I may be merciful.” Nightmare Moon said, emerging from the stairwell. Her mane fluttered behind her, sword raised to strike anypony who dared oppose her.  Trixie’s friends retreated towards her, checking if she was okay. The Red Ranger had suffered serious injuries, unable to even stand on her own power anymore.  Fisher cursed. “We have little choice. We can’t win this fight.” “No, we can’t give up!” Lemon Hearts replied. “Or else we’ve fought this hard for nothing!” A grimace formed on Greengrass’s face. “Life isn’t that simple. Some fights are just impossible.” Raindrops and Carrot Top helped Trixie to her hooves. “Impossible? Ha! Do you realize who you’re talking to? I’m the Great and Powerful Trixie! No situation is impossible for me to escape!” Greengrass and Lemon Hearts stared at Trixie like she was crazy.  Fisher snorted in amusement. “Is that right?” “Surrender!” Nightmare Moon said, offering no compromise. “Or these will be your last breaths!” “Nah!” Trixie dropped smoke pellets from her cape, filling the entire room with smoke. The castle shook as a giant paw crashed through the ceiling. The impact threw aside ponies and Ranger Killers alike, totaling the room. Rubble destroyed priceless pieces of art, but Trixie had little choice. When the smoke and dust cleared, the Red Ranger and her friends had disappeared, spirited away by Trixie’s Zord.  --- Ditzy sat at the edge of the barrier around Celestia’s castle, gazing towards the burning moon, and wondered how things had gone so wrong. Tears stained her eyes, and her misery went unchecked. Starting today, she doubted she’d be strong enough to face her friends again.  “Dinky.” Worse, she might lose her muffin forever. How could she ever face Dinky’s father, Castor Cut, again? And Amethyst Star too? The half-sisters had a rocky relationship, but deep down, they loved each other.  “What a pathetic mess I am!”  During her life, Ditzy only seemed to make the wrong decisions. First, she’d fallen for an older married stallion, foalishly pursuing a relationship with him. What a disaster that had been. Then, she’d abandoned any higher education to take care of her daughter. She actually had considerable talent in weather magic. Her flying skills back in the day weren’t anything to sneeze at either. Now, she worked a dead-end job, just barely making ends meet. Last, she’d failed as a mother, Ranger, and a friend. “I’m a failure. I’ve ruined everything I’ve touched. Like always.” Ditzy gasped in shock as Trixie’s Zord flew down from space and crashed through the top of Celestia’s castle. The building was crafted from sturdy stone but offered little resistance against the giant robot. The massive bear scooped something up with its claws and moments later, flew back towards space. This left Ditzy momentarily stunned before she ran down to the castle to help any injured ponies. Ditzy might be an utter failure, but she always helped ponies in need. “Typical Trixie, like a bull in a china shop!” Moments later, she arrived at the castle entrance. Guards were running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Rubble was everywhere, and a large section of the ceiling had collapsed, and Ditzy pushed a wooden beam off a trapped guard. While bruised, their injuries were minor thanks to their armor, thank Luna. She ordered the guards to assist her with another beam. Thankfully, her command restored some calm to the guards, and they helped push it off a scientist pony. This pony had a broken leg but otherwise seemed fine. “There’s one over here too!” Ditzy noticed movement under a pile of debris. But before they could help that pony, it exploded to reveal a familiar alicorn. “That traitorous student of mine!” Nightmare Moon’s face turned into a snarl. After a moment, she regained some composure and looked directly at Ditzy. “Nightmare Moon.” Sweat formed on Ditzy’s neck. What was she doing here? “Glad to see you’re safe!” “No thanks to you.” The alicorn snorted. “Trixie’s strong.” Ditzy looked down. Now she’d face Nightmare Moon’s wrath. She closed her eyes, hoping her end would be quick, but the retaliation never came. Instead, the queen studied her before a smirk appeared on her face. “I’m glad at least somepony remained loyal to me.” Nightmare Moon said. “I reward loyalty. You have nothing to fear from me.” “I see.” Hey, maybe there was still a chance to save Dinky! “But! You are correct. My traitorous student is powerful and resourceful. The Ranger Killers aren’t enough.” Nightmare Moon paced in the ruined castle. A light of dawning realization hit her, and a cunning smile grew on her face. “You are powerful. But not strong enough to fight Trixie and her cohorts. I can change that, however.” “What do you mean?” Ditzy didn’t like the direction the conversation was turning. The alicorn’s horn flared with magic, and a small box appeared before her. Ditzy gasped when she saw its contents. It was Notary’s Planetary gem! Why did the alicorn have it? Luna had locked it up for the safety of everypony! “I have been considering how best to use its power, but I finally found a use for it.” Nightmare Moon said. “Combine your Pink Ranger powers with it, and you’ll be unstoppable.” “But!” Nightmare Moon slunk over to her like a serpent and whispered into Ditzy’s ear. “You’re a good mother, right? Take this, I promise to free your muffin once Trixie has been captured.” She floated the box before Ditzy’s face. A million thoughts rushed through her mind. What was the right thing to do? Could she do this? She knew the cost of taking this power for herself. If it shattered, it would steal away her youth forever. She feared the possibility the stone might corrupt her like Notary and Night Light. But if it meant saving her muffin… “I’m a traitor to the other Rangers already.” Ditzy took the stone, accepting her fate and the terrible cost this decision took on her. “I must protect Dinky, no matter what. Nothing else matters.”