It had been a very busy day at Mane Melody. After a shaky start, Pipps latest line of treatments had started selling well. So well in fact that both Jazz and Rocky were finding themselves run off their hoofs. Especially as Pipp hadn't had much time to be there recently.
“Are you sure I can go?” Rocky asked.
“That’s the fifth time you’ve asked,” Jazz chuckled. “I told you it would be fine, go make sure your parents are okay.”
“But there’s still…” Rocky started.
“One customer,” Jazz finished. “I know but it’s only a hooficure, I’ve got it covered.”
“Thanks Jazz,” Rocky smiled appreciatively as he opened the door. “I’ll make it up to you.”
“Get out of here!” Jazz chuckled as she shooed him with a hoof.
With a grateful smile, Rocky went through the door and immediately took to the air. Jazz sighed as she continued cleaning up. It wasn’t long before the bell above the door tinkled as her last customer of the day entered.
“Evening Posey,” Jazz smiled. “I understand you’re wanting a touch up.”
“Yeah, I managed to get a chip at work,” Posey sighed. “Hey, have you heard Pipp’s latest song?”
“The one she sang from the rooftop at Zephyr Heights?” Jazz asked. “Of course I have.”
“It’s too catchy,” Posey complained. “It’s going to be stuck in my head for days.”
Jazz chuckled as she showed Posey to her seat. However, no sooner had Posey sat down the door was thrust open.
“HELP!” Peach Fizz cried, looking terrified. “They need help!”
“Peach Fizz,” Jazz gasped as she hurried over to the panicked looking filly. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Glory and Seashell,” Peach Fizz cried. “They’re in trouble.”
“Well, have you told one of the Guards?” Posey asked as she walked over. “That’s what they’re here for as Sheriff Hitch is never around.”
“I couldn’t find any of them,” Peach Fizz said as tears welled in her eyes. “Please, you’ve got to come.”
“Lead the way,” Jazz replied.
“Seriously?” Posey frowned. “I thought…”
“Yes, but how can you say no to fillies in need?” Jazz retorted.
Posey furrowed her brow further before groaning. “You’re right I can’t. Lead the way Peach Fizz.”
“This way,” Peach Fizz replied as she hurried through the door, the two mares following closely.
Jazz and Posey gasped as they tried to keep up. Peach Fizz led them around corner after corner, before long they’d lost all sense of direction.
“Slow down,” Posey gasped. “How can we help if you lose us.”
Suddenly, they followed Peach Fizz around a corner and gasped when she wasn’t on the other side. They looked around the square they now found themselves in with confusion. They couldn’t see Peach Fizz anywhere, it was like she had disappeared.
“I…I don’t get it?” Jazz gasped. “Where are we?”
“I’m not sure?” Posey answered. “I’ve gotten all turned around. Everything starts to look the same in the dark.”
They continued to look around, each looking in different directions and walking in a circle.
“Peach Fizz?” Jazz shouted. “Where are you?”
“Seashell?” Posey shouted. “Glory?”
“Which way’s the sea?” Jazz asked.
“N…not sure,” Posey replied. “It’s so dark, I didn’t think the sun had set yet.”
Suddenly, two dragons landed on either side of the square, cutting off the two ponies. One was a dark red, the other light pink. Their eyes were an odd shade of purple whilst their irises were faded.
Jazz and Posey jumped in fright and began to cower in the centre of the square. Their eyes widened in fear and still panting with exertion from the running.
“W…what do you want?” Posey asked.
The two dragons said nothing, they bared their claws and opened their wings wide. Then, the light pink one started to move and opened a gap between her and an exit.
It was all the invitation that Posey needed. “Run,” she gasped.
Jazz squeaked as she felt Posey move from beside her. She whirred around and desperately tried to keep up. They both just made it through the exit and into another alleyway, but the light pink dragon wasn’t far behind. The dark red dragon snarled and also began running after the fleeing ponies.
“H…hurry,” Jazz urged as they galloped along the alleyway.
“I’m trying,” Posey replied.
They turned a corner, then gasped at what they saw ahead of them. “I…I can see the sea,” Jazz gaped.
“Really?” Posey blinked. “All I see is the setting sun.”
“The sun sets over the sea,” Jazz explained.
The sun was indeed setting over the sea and was right ahead of them. It’s very last rays were shooting straight down the alleyway and directly into the faces of the two ponies, practically blinding them. Despite this, they continued to gallop as they could feel the two dragons snapping at their hind hoofs.
Suddenly, a shadow streaked from the sky and landed directly in front of them.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Jazz and Posey screeched to a stop, eyes wide and panting hard. They couldn’t properly see the figure ahead of them as it was back-lit by the setting sun. However, Jazz thought she recognised the voice.
“S…Sunset Shimmer?” Jazz asked hopefully.
“No,” Nightmare Shimmer chuckled. “I am your nightmare.”
Nightmare Shimmer’s horn flared, and Posey and Jazz cried for help as they found themselves enveloped in purple flames. All too quickly, they were struggling to breathe and collapsed.
“Too easy,” Nightmare Shimmer sighed.
“STOP!”
Nightmare Shimmer turned at the sound of a voice and smirked when she saw Skywalk, Sprout and another Guard stood at the entrance to the alleyway.
“Release those two ponies and come quietly,” Skywalk ordered.
“If you do, there’ll be no trouble,” Sprout added.
“Oh, but I like trouble,” Nightmare Shimmer smirked. “Lava, Jade, take them. I’ll deal with these three.”
Lava and Jade said nothing. They each picked one of the pair of prone ponies up in their arms before they jumped into the air.
“HALT!” Skywalk shouted. “Frost Wing follow them. Sprout, with me.”
Frost Wing nodded and jumped into the air to follow the dragons. However, he didn’t get far as Nightmare Shimmer grabbed him with her fiery levitation magic. She effortlessly threw the surprised Pegasus down the alleyway where he collided with a wall.
Skywalk and Sprout leapt forwards towards Nightmare Shimmer, going opposite sides and hoping to flank her. However, Nightmare Shimmer laughed.
“You really believe you have a chance against me? Even Starscout couldn’t do anything to oppose me. Oh well, may as well have some fun.”
Skywalk gasped as Nightmare Shimmer stepped in front of her and spun around. In response, Skywalk leaped and spread her wings but couldn’t prevent Nightmare Shimmer from planting her hind hoofs on her breastplate.
Skywalk cried as she was thrust upwards, gasping as a bolt of fire quickly followed. She angled her wings to dodge this, but the alleyway was narrow. She collided with the eves of one of the buildings.
Sprout meanwhile delivered a buck towards Nightmare Shimmer. He winced as Nightmare Shimmer teleported, his hoofs sinking into the fireball that erupted around her.
Suddenly there was a whump beside him as Skywalk came crashing to the ground. Sprout’s eyes widened as he looked directly at Skywalk and didn’t see the bin that was floating behind him.
Nightmare Shimmer laughed as she poured the contents of the bin over Sprout. He cried in dismay and disgust before shrieking as she slammed the now empty bin down on top of him.
“Oh, that was fun,” Nightmare Shimmer laughed. “I hope we can play again some other time.”
With that, purple flames enveloped her as she teleported away.”