“Remain calm everypony, there must be a reasonable explanation.’
Fear was gripping Sunlight’s heart like a foal grips candy. The seconds dragged by and no regal alicorn appeared on the balcony apologizing for his lateness. Behind her Breadurn shifted nervously and leaned closer to Sunlight.
“Somethin’s not right here--you know the Prince, is somethin’ going on? Is he runnin’ late? Is there something goin’ on? Is he hidin’?”
“He’s gone!”
Fleur’s fearful cry echoed through Town Hall as everpony gasped at the exclamation.
“Did you double check?”
She turned back and poked her head behind the curtain, once more, scanning for a hint of blue mane or a flash of white coat, but there was none. Returning to the balcony, she shook her head solemnly.
“Did you tripaaaagh!”
The stallion’s mood went from smiles to horror instantly as a cloud of purple smoke floated from the darkness.
“Oh no.”
With a great puff the cloud took the form of a lavender alicorn. Her Byzantine mane hung limply to the floor and around her neck was a steel breastplate emblazend with her cutie mark. Her violet draconic eyes scanned the cowering crowd and she stomped a steel horse shoe to silence their whimpering.
“One thousand years, my subjects, one thousand years on the moon. One thousand years plotting my revenge and now, thanks to my unloved stars I have returned to plunge you insolent foals into eternal twilight!
And there is no one left to stop me.”
From the shaking crowd, Lightning Dust burst forward, as if she was ready to take on the sinister mare all by herself, only to be stopped by the iron grip of Ms. Cheerali’s bite on her tail.
“What have you done to the Prince you ugly goat!”
The lavender alicorn seemed unaffected by Lightning Dust’s insult. Instead she chuckled maliciously and smiled a shark toothed grin.
“Why, am I not royal enough for you, Lightning Dust? I am, after all, a Princess. Can’t you see my wings and my horn? Can’t you feel my power?!”
Lightning Dust recoiled when Nightmare Twilight spoke her name, how had she known? As if reading her mind (which was quite likely considering she was an all powerful alicorn) Nightmare Twilight’s smile grew.
“How do I know your name? Well it’s quite simple…
I am the most powerful being IN THE UNIVERSE!! MUHAHAHAHAHHAHA!!
“If you’re the most powerful being in the universe, then how did the Elements of Harmony defeat you?”
“T-That’s not the point I am-!”
“And if you’re all powerful couldn’t you have escaped the moon whenever you wanted?”
“THAT IS NOT THE POINT!!”
*Crash*
Nightmare Twilight uses the royal Cantorlot voice; it is very effective.
“DOES MY CROWN MEAN NOTHING TO YOU! DON’T YOU KNOW WHO I AM!!”
“I know the legend, I saw the signs! I know who you are!”
Nightmare turned to the crowd where Sunlight strode shaking in front of an unconscious Phila. Her eyes were huge saucers, just as surprised by her outburst as Nightmare Twilight.
“So, one among you knows? Well then, cowering foal, who am I?”
“You’re-you’re Nightmare Twilight!”
“ NIGHTMARE MOON?!”
“Nightmare who?”
“Oops, sorry, wrong script. NIGHTMARE TWILIGHT!”
“If you know who I am, then you also know why I’m here.”
Sunlight stepped several paces back, but her eyes remained locked on Nightmare Twilight.
“Y-y-you’re H-here to-to-*gulp*”
Fear finally over took her and she lowered her head in defeat.
“Hahahahaha, remember this day little ponies, for you have been in the presence of a true goddess! And now, to bring eternal Twilight forever more! AHAHAHAHAHAHaghhoo blaargh swallowed a bug, that always ruins a good evil laughter.”
The Mayor at last spoke crying “Seize her! Only she knows were the Prince is!” before diving back stage for cover. With a great WOOOSH several pegasus guards flew full speed ahead towards Nightmare Twilight.
“Stay back you idiots!”
Her eyes blazed a burning pink (very threatening) and a wall of pure energy slammed the soldiers across the room to crash to the floor in battered heaps of dented gold armor.
Transforming once again into a cloud of purple smoke, Nightmare Twilight burst through the doors and into the twilight.
Chaos ensued as ponies panicked and with a final pull Lightning Dust burst free from Cheerali’s grip and zoomed out the door, bent on chasing Nightmare Twilight and personally making the villain tell her where the Prince was.
Plus, kick her flank a little on the side.
But the cloud was already gone and her opportunity missed. For a second, she merely hovered, her tough mare act melting away.
“Twilight, forever?”
From below, a flash of white and pink caught her eye as Sunlight went racing down the street, a sleeping baby dragon balanced on her back.
Now what was she up to?
“We gotta stop Nightmare!” Phila mumbles before dropping off to sleep, a beige blanket laid carefully over her sleeping form.
“You’ve been up all night Phila; you are a baby dragon after all!”
The lights flick off and the door closes.
*CRASH*
“ Elements, elements ugh! How can I stop Nightmare Twilight without the Elements of Harmony!”
Speeding through book after book with her golden magic, Sunlight became more and more desperate as imformation on The Elements of Harmony remained ever rare. She was a library for ponies sake.
“And just what are the Elements of Harmony!” The face of Lightning Dust filled her vision.” Are they some sort of secret weapon? Can we use them to stop Nightmare Twilight? Where are they? How can we get them?”
A gentle pull from Octavia removed Lightning from her face and with a sigh Octavia spoke in a much quieter tone.
“Calm yourself, my friend-- she obviously doesn’t know if she was searching so vigorously. But, she does know something, don’t you Sunlight?”
Behind Octavia four other ponies looked expectantly.
“I-I read all about the prediction of Nightmare Twilight. Some strange objects called The Elements of Harmony are the only things that can stop her. But I don’t know what they are! Where to find them! I don’t even know what they do!”
“The Elements of Harmony, a reference guide!”
From across the room Breaburn held up an old looking red book. On its cover was the ancient symbol for the alicorns surrounded by six gold diamonds. A flash of magic later, the book was in front of Sunlight and Breaburn was on the floor.
“How did you find this?!”
I-It was under e.”
“Oh”
*Facehoof*
Looking down at the floating book, Sunlight begins reading.
“ There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are known. Kindness, loyalty, Honesty, Generosity, and Laughter. The sixth is a complete mystery. It is said that the last known location of the five elements was in the ancient library of the royal pony siblings. It is located in what is now th-th-the Everfree forest!!”
Little did they know that a cloud of sparkling purple smoke was listening right outside the window.