//------------------------------// // Recurring Night Mare // Story: Luna, Eclipsed // by Bluecatcinema //------------------------------// As the resurrected Nightmare Moon approached the royal podium, Princess Luna gazed in disbelief. "This can't be happening." She declared. You can't be you. I was you." "I was never you!" Nightmare Moon snarled. "I existed long before you, or your precious Equestria! Once, I was naught but a living shadow, with no solid body of my own. Then you came along. Your bitterness and resentment made you the perfect host, my dear. I forced my way into your mind, and subtly influenced your thoughts. I manipulated you into turning on your sister, and when I had gathered enough strength, I altered your form into something more... fitting for the future ruler of this world." "You... were in my head?" Luna whispered disbelievingly. "All that time?" "Yes, I was." Smirked Nightmare Moon. "And no-one ever guessed, not even your beloved sister. They all believed you had gone bad." She paused to chuckle darkly. "But, just as things were going so well, Celestia used those blasted Elements of Harmony to imprison us inside the moon. And as if that wasn't humiliation enough, barely hours after our escape, we were torn apart by those same confounded Elements!" "But you survived." Luna declared. "Yes." Hissed Nightmare Moon. "Enough of my essence remained to slowly, very slowly, reconstitute myself, gaining just a little more strength with each passing night. It would taken me even longer to retore myself, if the lunar eclipse hadn't occurred. It's unique light invigorated me enough to once again take this form, which I must confess, I've become rather fond of. " "And now?" Luna asked. "What is it that you want?" "What I've always wanted." Nightmare Moon smirked. "To make the night last forever!" "But you will not succeed!" Princess Celestia declared, her horn glowing brightly. "Oh, please." Sneered Nightmare Moon. As her own horn glowed, Celestia suddenly froze. "I trapped you once. What made you think I could not do so again?" "Stop this!" Cried Luna, before she succumbed to Nightmare Moon's freezing magic too. "Come along, you two." Nightmare Moon grinned. "We have places to go, and things to do." As the Pegasus guards attempted to capture her, Nightmare Moon enveloped herself and the Princesses in a cloud of shadowy mist, which then swirled up into the sky. The pony crowd started to panic. "Nightmare Moon has returned!" "She's taken the princesses!" "What can we do?" "I know what we can do." Twilight Sparkle declared. "We need the Elements of Harmony." After the battle against Nightmare Moon in the Everfree Forest, Princess Celestia had taken custody of the Elements of Harmony, storing them within the palace, lest they were ever needed again. "Yeah!" Whooped Rainbow Dash. "The Elements already stopped her twice. It's time for strike three!" Twilight turned to one of the Pegasus guards. "Bastion, we need you to bring us the Elements of Harmony." She declared. "Yes, miss Sparkle." Bastion nodded. As Bastion and Stoic flew into the castle, the Twilight started formulating an attack plan. "I think I know where Nightmare Moon is headed." She pointed towards the top of the mountain the castle had been carved into. "Sky High Peak." "What makes ya so certain, sugar cube?" Applejack asked. "Nightmare Moon said she gained strength from the eclipsed moon, and whatever she's up to, she'll probably be wanting more." Explained Twilight. "Sky High Peak's the highest point in Equestria, and as close to the moon as you can get." "Well, that certainly makes sense." Nodded Rarity. At that point, Bastion and Stoic returned with the Elements, and each of the six ponies donned their respective jewelled amulet. "Come on, guys!" Smiled Pinkie Pie. "Let's go teach Queen Meanie a lesson!" "I'm with ya, Pinks!" Smirked Rainbow Dash. "Can we come, AJ?" Applebloom asked her big sister. "What the hay are you talkin' about?" Gasped Applejack. "Yeah, we could be... Cutie Mark Crusader Nightmare Moon fighters!" Chipped in Sweetie Belle. "I should say not!" Declared Rarity, horrified. "It's far too dangerous. You three are to stay here, where it's safe." Aw, come on!" Pouted Scootaloo. "Sorry, squirt." Rainbow Dash consoled her. "It's for your own good." "Spike, keep an eye on these for us, would you?" Twilight asked her loyal assistant. "You got it, Twi." Spike snapped a salute. "Just be careful out there, guys." "Fluttershy, are you really going to do this?" Forrest asked worriedly. "I have to." Fluttershy told him. "I wield the Element of Kindness. The others need me." "Yeah, but..." Forrest mumbled. "I don't want to lose you!" "It's okay." Fluttershy kissed him. "You won't. We've beaten Nightmare Moon before, and we'll do it again." "Well, when you put it that way..." Forrest smiled, before kissing her back. "For luck." "Okay, enough of the sappy stuff!" Rainbow rolled her eyes. "How exactly are we gonna get up there quick enough to stop Nightmare Moon, anyway?" "Perhaps we can be of assistance." Declared Stoic, as he and Bastion pulled the Royal Carriage, usually reserved for carrying the Princesses to visit other cities, towns and villages in Equestria. "Excellent." Smiled Twilight. "With your help, we can reach the top in a matter of minutes." "All aboard! Whoo-whoo!" Cheered Pinkie Pie, hopping onto the Carriage. Twilight, Rarity and Applejack followed suit. It was a tight squeeze, considering the Carriage was only meant to carry the two princess, but they all managed to climb aboard, while Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy elected to fly up under their own power. "I know this is hardly the time, but... I cannot believe we are actually riding in the Royal Carriage!" Rarity squealed. Spreading their wings, Stoic and Bastion, joined by two other pegasus guards, galloped across the town square, building up steam. They then lifted the Carriage into the air, unaware that a gray-coated unicorn had hitched a ride on the Carriage's back...