//------------------------------// // Just a Distant Memory // Story: Solstice in an Eclipse // by -Brutus //------------------------------// It was just some distant memory now. Servants of the castle cringed and scurried off to do their business as they allowed their Queen through, darkened purple unicorn in tow, just walking in monotone, just staring straight ahead at nothing. All of those ponies that they had just left behind for dead near Manehattan were just part of some distant memory to this purple mare. As she was going to take another trot, the astral blue tail stopped abruptly. Out of fear, reflex, and experience, she froze at the spot while a chill went through her spine. She wanted to let out a whimper, having to use all her mental strength not to. Nightmare Moon just looked at her, smirking as she turned another way into her personal royal chamber. Quivering for few moments, she realized that she was spared...for now. She climbed long, spiral staircases, repeating her previous actions. Small windows spaced apart on the way up occasionally flashed a bright moon, with millions of stars twinkling silently in the background. She didn't care anymore, nor could she stand to look at it without reminding her of what exactly she went through. Leaning against the wall, shuddering, yelling at herself mentally for bringing it up. Holding back tears, she exhaled slowly as she once again resumed her long trotter. A loud creak announced her presence around the room, although the only inhabitant that could have acknowledged her was a fly sitting on some torn and raggedy curtain. The only bare materials in the room were a small wooden table and a simple stiff bed equipped with a thin sheet. A large window filtered moonlight in, making her bed glow slightly grayish. Her horn started to hum in an aphotic lavender color as she started to climb into bed with her door closing by the surrounding dark purple aura. Slowly picking up the blanket with her forehoofs and pulling it over her, she felt moderately successful with shutting herself down, away from Equestria and the rest of the land, one hundred percent certain that she was alone, in her own world inside that heap of blanket. Silent tears fell, gradually upgrading to stifled sobs to full out crying. Fighting a strong mental and emotional battle once again, she hated herself. Even more so because she was responsible for a few of the ponies' end earlier in Manehattan, as well as in previous endeavors. This unicorn was getting used to killing, and it scared her to her core, but that didn't mean she had come to like it. Her first experience on the battlefield surfaced in her memory: it was the conflict near Fillydelphia. Vividly, she recalled how long it took to strangle someone with magic: it was slow and painful for both sides. It was some gray-coated stallion who opposed Nightmare Moon's rule and saw her as an enemy, causing him lunge at her during the course of the battle. The purple unicorn had no choice as she saw it, clenching her eyes shut as she grabbed a hold of him. Her purple aura enveloped him, with the area around his neck darkening. She cried as she could feel less and less of his flailing through the sense of her magic. She let go, hearing a dull thud as the purple aura around him dissipated. At that moment, she changed – something inside of her had been thrown away and buried. She was sickened with grief as she looked at dead stallion’s lifeless eyes.  One tear came out of his left eye. Snapping out of her swirling head, panting, she heard ‘enough is enough’ ring through her head. She slowly climbed out of bed, leaning over the window and slowly looking up at the moon. “...why did this happen?” the unicorn finally spoke with a tear breaking out of her eye as she started to recall the event that triggered this cascade of events. *** An image slowly came into her head: she remembered sitting under the shade of a tree on a beautiful day, reading the legend of the Elements of Harmony, which led her to read briefly about the “Mare in the Moon.” As she did, she learned it was that year when Nightmare Moon would break out of her moon prison, and return to take revenge against Celestia. This compelled her to tell Spike to write a note to Princess Celestia. For some reason, she could recite what she said, exactly. “My Dearest Teacher, My continuing studies of pony magic have led me to discover that we are on the precipice of disaster.” Spike butted in, having difficulty writing those words. She attempted to simplify it for her little dragon assistant. “Threshold?” “Er, brink…?” With a sigh, the young unicorn finally laid it out. “That something really bad is about to happen! For you see, the mythical Mare in the Moon is, in fact, Nightmare Moon, and she's about to return to Equestria and bring her eternal night! Something must be done to make sure this terrible prophecy does not come true!" I await your quick response. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle” She blinked as that scene floated in her mind. This was the letter that led to a quick response from Princess Celestia that sent her to Ponyville to check on things – but, more importantly, make friends. The Summer Sun Celebration. Drooping her ears, she recalled of how she met five ponies during her time there. Pinkie Pie was the first; then Applejack; and then Rainbow Dash. Slowly, the last two crept into her head: Rarity and Fluttershy. Her memory skipped ahead right to the duel that the Elements of Harmony had with Nightmare Moon after having already defeated Princess Celestia, banishing her to the sun. The Elements of Honesty, Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Loyalty and Magic were Equestria's last hope. After giving Nightmare Moon a lecture about the power of friendship, they sent a rainbow energy blast toward Nightmare, infused with power of friendship. Twilight's eyes glowed white as Nightmare Moon screamed, “Noooo!” which turned to sarcastic low pitch of “Noooo...” before the air filled with a mocking and insane laughter, as the astral magic around her seemed to disappear, only to reappear and reconstruct her form. After a moment, the laughter subdued. Fluttershy whimpered; Rainbow Dash gasped; Applejack was trying to figure out what happened while Rarity fainted. Pinkie Pie just simply looked around with bewilderment on her face, random thoughts ringing around her head. Nightmare Moon’s astral magic swirled around the room, as she was about to start her counter-assault on the element-bearers. Out of concern for her new friends, Twilight didn't think the plan out. Flicking her head, she threw the Element of Magic tiara onto the floor causing it to clatter. She started to sprint, running toward the dark alicorn, then jumping as her horn hummed brightly as soon as Twilight reached her target. Bright white light filled up the room that they dueled in; then, with a loud crack and a secondary flash, they were suddenly gone, leaving the rest of Mane 5 with shocked and quizzical faces. *** Twilight slowly looked down at her forelegs, then her chest and belly. Some fresh scars started to show as the moonlight shone on it; tears came up again, suppressing her grief. Slowly slumping on ground, she ran her hoof over some of it. The window that she was near suddenly seemed like a very good friend, and a welcoming one at that. She then began to recall the occurrence between herself and Queen Nightmare Moon. Burying her head in her forelegs, her mind rewound to the moment where they got out of the teleportation spell, and of what happened afterward, up until now. *** Shaking her head out of a daze, she looking up when her vision went straight. Anger was slashed across Nightmare Moon's face as she picked Twilight up by her hind leg with her astral magic. Flailing around, Twilight tried to fight back with her magic, but it flickered, and only sparks came out because she was in panic. Turning her head up while she was upside down, what she saw sent a chill through her spine. Finally, the alicorn had a sadistic smile; there was no hint about what exactly Nightmare Moon was thinking. Slam, slam, crash, slam; an impact, then a sweep. Twilight moaned and groaned from the pain. Nightmare Moon coordinated her assault, sending waves over Twilight's body, sending the purple unicorn into trees, the ground, rocks, and anything that was available for her to use. The last thing Twilight could remember, as she was looping in the air with a few bones broken, bleeding from her face and body, was that she sliced through the air before sliding on the ground. “FROM TODAY ON THOU SHALL BE ENSLAVED TO DO WHAT I COMMAND. IF THOU DON'T DO WHAT I SAY, THOU SHALL MEET YOUR DEATH!” Nightmare Moon shouted at the unmoving but alive unicorn, knowing that she had heard that before she drifted into world of unconsciousness. A few hours later, she found herself shackled in a bare room in the highest tower at the castle where the former Princess Celestia used to reside, now currently occupied by Nightmare Moon. Chains that were bounded to her hind legs seemed to be magically enchanted. Groaning, she became aware of the pain in her legs and chest; evidently, they were still broken and heavily bruised. She nonetheless started her attempts at escape. She first tried to pull with raw power, hoping that she could just slip out of her restraints. Clenching her teeth, she fought through the pain: this was her first experience with the pain that came with broken bones. After a few clangs, it was unsuccessful. “COME ON,” she screamed, terror dripping from her voice. Staring intensely at the door, she repeated her attempts at escaping. “COME ONNNNNNN, BUCK IT!” She composed herself with deep breaths – in and out, in and out. Deciding to try something new to escape, her horn flicked on, a sharp wave of headache shooting through her head. She fell to the ground, assuming the fetal position as she clenched her head with her forehoofs. Evidently, that enchantment was one of the ways to prevent her from using her magic, in case she tried to exploit it to break the chains and shackle. After a few minutes, she got up. It felt like hours! She was getting weak and tired from continual attempts at running away. She relaxed for minute, composing herself. Then, a clattering sound started to fill up the room as she gave it her all.   Footsteps could be heard beyond the door, and Twilight got deathly silent as she figured if it was coming toward or going away. However, she had her answer as a black flash beamed across the room. In front of her was Nightmare Moon, her face stoic as she stared down the chained prisoner. Slowly, she grinned, and said, “DIDN'T I SAY IF YOU TRIED TO ESCAPE, THAT THOU WOULD BE PUNISHED ACCORDINGLY?!”  In truth, she never said it in any earlier encounter with the unicorn – she simply felt like saying it. Searching around the room, Nightmare Moon spotted something that would do – for now – and picked it up with her blue aura. It was a large, wooden post that was snapped off the bed, floating just above her. Before Twilight could react, Nightmare Moon beat her with it, striking her over and over. At first she resisted, but with new injuries stacking on her previous ones, her body just gave up as Nightmare Moon tortured her for a few minutes before leaving, bored with her already. She just laid there... Battered. Crying softly, unmoving. This repeated for few weeks, with various objects. What finally broke her was the whip: that device was responsible for all of the scars on her body. Whimpering as the alicorn beat her with it,  something inside Twilight snapped, and she threw and buried another part of herself; it could be described as getting used to the pain. Dead but yet alive, she just laid there as she took the beating. New slashing lines crossed, going parallel, zigzagging, staying on her across her coat and skin. One night, however... Physical beatings suddenly became uninteresting for the dark ruler, so one night she went into Twilight's room as usual. She looked down at the shaking unicorn, her horn glowing in a dark blue hue that started to levitate Twilight into the air, the dark alicorn's eyes starting to glow black. Both of their horns finally linked as Nightmare Moon pushed the purple unicorn into deep sleep, and then forced an involuntary dream. A filly purple unicorn woke up in her own dream, as various objects and ponies began popping up. She mellowed out when the realization hit Twilight that this was the day of the entrance exam, when she was just filly. For a time, even though it was a dream, she was content and happy there. Away from reality that she learned to know, she bounced around a little as the memory started to play out exactly as she had remembered it. Looking upon on the egg, she proceeded to act out the memory. But then, time started to slow down as the room got fuzzy. Her parents got fuzzy, everything started looking dark, and the room started to melt as the dark magic of Nightmare moon seeped in. The memory flickered, then started to replay, but with a more twisted path. Outside of the dream, Twilight's legs and body went stiff at first, but then started to thrash around loudly as various memories of hers got tampered with. Tears streaked out of her eyes as the night alicorn chose the memory that Twilight treasured the most: that of the entrance examination to Princess Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. When the Sonic Rainboom cracked through the air, Twilight lost control of her magic. But instead of turning her parents into pots and making the four inspectors float in the air while making Spike a giant dragon, something else happened. Twilight was floating in the air, her eyes glowing white as the room melted down around her. Something forced her to look in the directions of her parents, floating and struggling in the air with the purple aura holding them up. Raising her forehoofs, a sick crunch resounded around the room as her parents screamed in an indescribable cry as Twilight's father’s hindlegs slowly got ripped off while her mother looked on in terror. She turned around and managed to say aloud, “TWILIGHT, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? YOU… Y... YOU M-M-MONSTER!” Twilight recoiled from this, and her mother added, “YOU AREN'T MY DAUGHTER ANYMORE!” But then, before anything could be said or done, blood splattered around the room as pieces of white coat and purple hair floated down. The blue stallion let out a tear as he turned his head away from Twilight; he too met same fate. The room then melted away before the rest of memory would play, where Princess Celestia came in and helped to put the little filly's raw magic under control. Voices taunted Twilight about how weak she was, about how she killed her parents, over and over. Shaking all alone in that room is all she could do; then the room melted again. Sobbing, Twilight tried to tell herself the same thing over and over: This isn't real, this isn't real. However, this was a memory that was played out like a dream. It was real; it must have happened. NO, NO, NO! Twilight banged her head on the white wall, finally dropping and sobbing in her own dream. Her eyes blurred as she awoke from the illustrious nightmare, fighting with herself, wondering if she was still in her own memory or back in reality. She took a slow glance around the room: the wooden table, the stiff bed, and the wooden floor with door in front of her, slightly open. Slowly raising her head, her stomach churned for few moments before she vomited what little food she had eaten earlier. “I... I…  killed my parents?” Holding her head with her forehoofs, she got into the fetal position and cried. She attempted to figure out if it was real: did she really kill her parents in that way, or was it just a twisted memory that Nightmare Moon implanted into her? Whimpering, she started to sob deeply. Twilight didn't care anymore, not even about herself. Nightmare Moon cracked a laugh; she had broken the greatest magic user since Celestia herself. Satisfied, she teleported out of the room. Wrenching moments of silence passed; minutes became hours as she laid there crying. After a few days, Nightmare Moon let her out of her shackles and the room for the first time. Twilight Sparkle's personality could barely be recognized: her looks had changed from their normal cleanliness, turning from a bright purple coat with a dark blue mane, where two pink stripes ran over her head, into a scarred Indigo unicorn, her eyes still purple but, where a very light gray shade took precedent, and her two pink stripes turned into black while her hair was very close to black, yet still shaded blue. Slowly, she walked right behind Nightmare Moon, making sure to keep herself silent. *** Looking around, Twilight slowly snapped back to reality. Slowly looking up at the window, she realized that she had had enough, enough of this. Balancing herself on all fours, she slowly walked toward the window. Tears finally streaked down her face as she considered it. The former Twilight Sparkle wouldn't have even consider it at all; she felt like she had finally lost all hope. Slowly taking steps, it got closer and closer. The hard bed that was getting smaller and smaller seemed like a distant object now. As she was halfway there, she heard a noise. Thanks to Doom Pie for proof-reading and edits once again!