//------------------------------//
// Nightmare 
// Story: Rarity vs. The Hat: RotE Episode 4 
// by Dream Volt 
//------------------------------//

	The vines burned away to nothing.  The trees had met a similar fate.  Nothing would stop me, and with the power I now possessed it was almost too easy.  When the animals came with a thought they were floating up in the air.  No point hurting them if I could avoid it.  The cottage was just ahead of me.  Fluttering forward on my fantastic wings made me an elegant and beautiful avenger of the right.  The hat surely cowered upon Fluttershy's head, seeing his end come to him.

"Now stop right there sugarcube."

I sighed.  "So it got you after all."

I turned just as Applejack was charging me.  She joined the other animals, quite helpless off the ground.  I'm not sure what she could have done if I let her even remain in contact with the earth, but thankfully I didn't have to find out.  Applejack seemed to be staring at me for some reason.

"Perhaps you're still fighting it?  Don't worry Applejack, this will all be over soon."

"You bet it will."

I simply teleported to the right a few ponylengths.  Dash slammed into the ground fairly hard.  She got right back up, but I then had her in the grip of my telekenesis as well.  She flapped her wings, but of course it was pointless.

"Come now Rainbow, surely you can see that…"

She was staring too.  I haven't seen myself in the mirror, but surely I can't be that hideous.  In fact I feel more alive and awake than I have in days.  I turned back to the door, and with a wave of one hoof, purely for show of course, the door was thrown from its place, along with a good portion of outer wall.  Clearly it had been reinforced by Twilight.  She and Pinkie Pie were inside on either side of Fluttershy.

The hat finally was clear to me.  I don't know why I didn't see it earlier.  The shadowy evil circled around it like a fog, clinging tightly to its slave.  It was all too clear how the hat stayed on.  The teeth were well hidden, but clearly just under the edge of the hat if you knew where to look.  It had no eyes or mouth, but maybe it needed none.  Was the vile thing even truly alive in some fashion, or just a stitched abomination?  The three ponies were staring at me just like Dash and Applejack.

"I don't know if you can hear me Fluttershy, but I will free you from that hat's evil grasp."

"Oh you're kidding me?" said Twilight   "Pinkie was right?"

"I told you." Pinkie said in a singsong voice

"This is really all about the hat?  Really?"

"Of course it's about the hat.  I never would think it could influence you Twilight, but clearly it has.  Fight it if you can, then I can end this without hurting you."

"See.  Completely loco in the coco."

"I see Pinkie."

Twilight was charging some spell, but I couldn't have that.  I doubt she even understood what the flaming gem was before it struck her horn.  The flash blinded her, and also shorted out her magic.  I wasn't sure how long it would last, so should hurry.  I turned to see Pinkie whacking herself with her own hooves.

"I'm fighting it see."

"Yes, thank you for trying so hard Pinkie."

I smiled and turned back to my true target.  Pinkie couldn't even wage a mental battle normally.  Fluttershy had backed into the wall behind her.  Clearly it was even beginning to control her actions directly.  I shudder to think what would happen if I waited much longer.  I tried to simply pull it off, but the teeth held firm.  Then I had an idea.  I floated her into the air, and held her upside down.  Still the hat would not release.  I looked at the hat, it beginning to smoke, but Fluttershy cringed.

"No you vile thing.  You will not make me hurt her."

Then suddenly on a whim I engaged my mage sight.  Normally for any spell you know it's not very useful, and can in truth be quite distracting.  The flowing colors of magic can be quite the inspiration, but have caused me to get behind in my work more than once.  I should have tried this sooner.  The hat still appeared to have no aura to speak of like most objects, but I saw it this time.  There was some magic countering my efforts.  It was powerful, but lacking in skill.  Once I really focused it was easy to overcome.  The hat fell to the ground it instantly went up in the same black flames as the corrupted plants.  I let fourth a laugh of victory.

"You thought you could win, didn’t you, but it's all over now.  Everything is back to normal.  My friends are free of you."

Then I looked around.  They still looked afraid.  I had of course let Applejack and Rainbow Dash go, but all of them, including, no especially Fluttershy looked at me with fear in their eyes.

"Whatever is wrong girls?  I saved you all from that awful hat and…"

Then I paused, looking down at the pile of ash on the floor and charred stain on Fluttershy's carpet.  It all started with the hat right?  I saw thought it's plot and stopped it.  It was more than just a normal hat right?

"Oh dear, I think I may have done something foalish."

"May have?" yelled Dash

"Well it sounds like you might not be quite so off your rocker no more, but I don't know.  What do you think Twi?"

"That I really should have not have taught her that fire gem spell."  She held a hoof to her head.  "Ow ow ow.  That really hurt."

"Why would you do a dumb thing like that?" asked Dash

"It didn't seem that bad an idea at the time."

"Isn't that how we got into this mess." Said Pinkie.  "I mean I totally thought it was a bad idea at first, but then Rarity said…"

The gem that appeared in her mouth worked out to a very effective gag.  I felt a little bad about doing it, but none of the others glared at me any more.  Pinkie did, but of course that is only to be expected in this case.  Fluttershy wouldn’t meet my eyes.  She was upside down, her hair hanging down, but she still could have been.

"Oh, I'm ever so sorry dear, let me get you right side up this instant."

Fluttershy smiled widely.  "Oh no, that's alright, I'm fine like this.  It's fun.  Just leave me like this.  It's better being upside down, really."

Everypony was then staring at her.  I thought for a moment of honoring her request, but instead decided I already had enough to apologize for so simply flipped her right side up and then used my magic to bush her hair down.  She then recoiled, the stares inevitably getting deeper, but I was so focused on her I couldn't be sure.  Fluttershy had a pair of antlers sticking out of her head.

"What the hay."

"Oh.  They're not that awesome, but not bad either."

I beamed.  "They're wonderful."

Of course I wasn't sure how well they really looked on a pony, but they were certainly beautiful in their own way.  They looked more like wooden branches than antlers, but they were smooth and looked polished, the grain of the wood clear.  They were delicate and smaller than I'd ever seen before, but they fit Fluttershy perfectly.  The curling tines almost made a sort of halo.  I fluttered forward and Fluttershy backed back into the wall.  I stopped.

"Oh dear, are you still afraid of me?  I'm much better, really."

"I can tell, but, uh…"

"You know, I expected only one, and for that matter horns rather than antlers." Said Twilight.  "I'll have to look up deer magic.  There are some key differences and if I'm going to help you I will need to know…"

"You mean…" I interrupted.

"Oohhhhh.  Now I get it." said Pinkie  "But why didn't you girls know Fluttershy was growing antlers.  I thought everypony knew that.  I mean why would she hide that?"

Everyone looked at Pinkie Pie.  She had known the whole time?  Then what in Equestria did she think Fluttershy could possibly be hiding?  How did she know?  Then I sighed.  Why am I even bothering to consider this?

"Now hold on there sugarcube.  I knew something was up, but you knew about them there antlers the whole time?  How exactly did you manage that?"

"Uh…"  She put a hoof to her chin  "Hmmm, that's a good question."

"Hay, wait a sec, Twilight, you knew too?" said Applejack

"Not exactly obviously, but the feather was all the clue I needed.  Phoenix feathers have various magical properties, including increasing magical output, which was somewhat detrimental in Fluttershy's case as she couldn’t control what she already had."

"So if she hadn't been wearing that feather, all this plant business wouldn't ah happened at all?"

"Well, maybe not at all.  But of the various effects, only one is preventative."

"Twi, sometimes ya really gotta think about using smaller words."

"In this case it means it prevents discomfort from horn growing pains.  It actually can prevent all sorts of growing pains, but it's most effective for that caused by a rapidly developing magical matrix in a horn.  Or antlers in this case it seemed."

"So, Fluttershy really did need the feather?" I asked

"It hurt so much but then I remembered something from that book on Phoenixes I was reading.  I wore the hat because…"

"Ya'll were being a silly filly and worried about what we'd think for some foal reason."

Fluttershy just nodded.  "I, guess it was silly, also…"  She looked over at me.  "It probably would have been a good idea."

I looked away.  "Sorry.  Uh, just to make sure, the hat wasn't evil, was it."

"Hats can't be evil silly." Said Pinkie

"Like you're one to talk about knowing the difference between the inanimate and…"

Dash broke off, Pinkie outright glaring at her.  Then just like that she was smiling again.  Dash sighed.

"Yea, never speak of it.  Got it."

"And what exactly…"

"Trust me, you don't need to know."

"Rarity, you don't know what you look like, do you?" asked Twilight

"Well I must look a dreadful mess other than my wings, but what do you mean?"

"Look down at your hooves while I try to remember this spell."

"What do you mean by…"

I was wearing some metal slippers.  The were the darkest black, a lovely contrast to my own tone, and with a purple gem shaped like my cutie mark set in each.  They were etched with amazing detail, but also sharpened to a deadly edge.  I remember sketching something out after making Sky's armor, but I don't remember making this.  Then something began to shimmer in front of me.  With a flash it became a mirror made of nothing.  I gasped.

"Oh my, that is a bit frightening, isn't it."

I think I saw a few heads nodding, but I could not be sure.  The armor was all of the same style, covering much of my body.  There were a few more purple diamonds on the armor, three replicating my cutie mark most notably.  I did not have a true helmet.  It was little more than an armored mask that barely covered my eyes, leaving me free to breathe, and my hair to flow freely. Except other than it's deep purple color it was much changed, maybe not even hair.  I think I pulled off the look of a gently flowing purple inferno for a mane and tail quite well, but as stylish as it was it was most certainly not comforting.  As I watched it seemed to quiet somewhat.

Yet most amazing were my wings.  I knew they were there, I could see snippets of them, but until now did not understand how different they truly were from those Twilight cast.  They were much the same in shape, as if from some butterfly, but by no other means similar.  They were like stained glass windows, but there was a certain sparkle, a crispness to the pieces.  That was no glass, but a multitude of gems shaped to become my wonderous wings.  Logically that should make them ludicrously heavy, but I was suddenly quite sure that didn't matter.

I laughed.  "Oh if these wings are permanent I shall be most pleased, even if they would be even more of a pain."

"Hay, you mean pegasus wings when you say that, don't you?"

"Of coruse.  I mean sudden protrusions that stick out of the middle of the back of all places?  Nothing I'm not used to, but still, unicorns and earth pony fashions are considerably easier because of that."

"Uh, Rarity.  Could you maybe, uh, turn back to normal."

"Or at least land.  That light your wings is flipping about is buggin' me." Said Dash

"I wouldn’t suggest that." Said Twilight  "Landing would likely result in you feeling the full weight of the wings, or alternately canceling the spell entirely."

"Yes, I'd rather enjoy them for at least a little longer.  Maybe if I move to the back of the room they wouldn’t catch the light quite so spectacularly and…"

"Rarity, you will stop this."

All heads turned to Luna standing in the doorway flanked a large number of guards.  Silent Sky was of course in the lead.  She really did look a great deal like Fluttershy, even in the fancy version of silver armor I had created for her.  Though her commanding stance and black coat were most unlike her sister's, and her hair neon pink rather than Fluttershy's pale shade.  Then Luna and all her guards blinked, tilted their heads slightly to the side, and raised one eyebrow in unison.  Amazing.  I doubt they could have possibly planned that.

"And clearly I needn't have bothered because despite the major disturbance to the ether that stopped me from teleporting too close, your own aura is nearly back to normal."

"Uh, Pincess Luna, how did you know?" asked Twilgiht

"Oh, Steven came to tell me.  He was looking for my sister, but once he finished his overly long apology for not coming to see me sooner he told me what was going on.  I was ready just in time to feel the decent."

"The what now?" asked Twilight.

"You mean me?" I asked

"Yes.  Though apparently your stint as Nightmare Rarity was blessedly short for some reason.  Though I don't know all the details so…"

"It was all the hat's fault." Said Pinkie

"What?" asked Luna, blinking.

I looked down, then laughed.  "I'm sorry your majesty, but it's true.  I became obsessed with an out of season hat Fluttershy was wearing and, well…"

For a long time Luna was quiet.  The guards behind her looked considerably less stoic than I was used to, looking around randomly.  Some even looked bored.  Yet they stood in formation saying nothing.  Luna then let out a long sigh, and hung her head.

"Just to be clear.  I became Nightmare Moon after on top of a great deal of anguish from various sources, frustration mostly from Celestia and the nobles, and finally the jealousy and sorrow of being ignored.  Yet for you?"

"It was just a hat, yes."  I felt myself begin to tear up.  "I'm so sorry princess.  I know it's utterly petty, but I care a great deal about fashion.  It's my cutie mark after all."

"Hold up." Said Dash  "You mean this whole time, it was really just the hat, and didn't have anything to do with missing the spa appointments."

"Or nothing to do with the lying…" said Applejack

"OOOO, so the hat really was making you not have fun."  Pinkie giggled.  "That means even if it was only bad to you, it was bad."

"So, you didn't think I was being mean?" asked Fluttershy

Luna blinked.  "Now that was interesting."

"What ever do you mean?" I asked

"Well they all saw the issue as in relation to their own element."

Twilight sighed.  "I still barely know what's going on.  I've just been so busy lately.  I'm really sorry, if I had been a better friend we could have avoided this whole mess."

Luna smiled.  "And there's the last one.  Okay Rarity, we certainly can't have you going around like that, so lets see what I can do to reverse it.  But lets do it somewhere a bit safer.  Ladies, do what you can to clean up this mess."

"Yes mam." Said Sky, then saluted with one wing  "You heard her girls."

"Hmmm."  uttered Twilight.  "I think I know a spell that might fix the door but maybe it would be best if…"

"No, I'm sure it would be best if you did.  I have a little something for Fluttershy I need to finish anyway.  By the way Fluttershy, while you should have told your friends, hiding your growing antlers was a good idea."

"Oh come on, no pony is going to care if…" began Dash

"It's not that they'll care, it's that a famous fashion model growing antlers will gather attention, and she doesn't want that."

Fluttershy just nodded in response.

"So, she really just wanted to avoid the attention and nothing else?" asked Dash

"I know you have some trouble with that idea Rainbow, but…" I began

"Yea, yea, Fluttershy isn't like that.  I get it."  She rolled her eyes.  "I've known her longer than you ya know."

"Now, lets go.  I can still teleport out of this mess at least."

I suddenly found myself on some horrid grey landscape.  I was briefly confused, then looked up.  A blue and green orb filled the sky.  I couldn't help but stare.  Then I tried to hold my breath, realization creeping in.

"Don't worry, this is my moon, and I have a great deal of power here.  Including having an atmosphere if I so choose.  You won't suffocate."

"Oh, uh, thank you.  Though doesn't this mean that if you did so choose you could instantly remove it."

She nodded.  "Oh yes.  I doubt such a thing is needed, it's mostly because I'm not entirely clear what I'm dealing with here, and there is nothing to hurt with random magical eruptions.  Plus the low gravity might help with the wings."

"But you're here?"

"I meant what I said."

I blinked.  Most of the time Luna seemed almost as mild mannered as her sister, but there was a certain harder quality more obvious than Celestia.  I knew my history enough to know it was there in Celestia as well, but she almost never gave any sign of it.  Luna was a little more obvious in it.  She was once again smiling, looking at me quite intently.  Then she laughed.

"Now this is quite a puzzle.  You might want to try to get comfortable.  This could take quite some time to figure out.  Detailed matrices are all well and good, but this is just ridiculous.  I almost have trouble believing it."

I wasn't sure what to say to that so said nothing.  I just gently flapped my wings and waited.  Then I looked up again, our world filling my view.  I was about to look for Equestria, but I knew it was day, so I would not see it's ponylike shape from here.  I don't think my knowledge of geography was good enough to make out anything else.  I also wasn't sure what else might even be visible from the moon.  Still, the sheer beauty of the sphere itself required no knowledge to enjoy.