//------------------------------// // Luna vs. Tracer // Story: Concealed darkness // by Neobreaker10 //------------------------------// Chapter 12 ============ Luna vs. Tracer ============= “Ugh” Luna grunted as she reappeared in another portion of the castle in what looked to be an armory. “Nightmare, you may have separated us but I will find my way” she boldly proclaimed. “How touching” Luna spun to see a dark grey Pegasus at the other side of the armory. “It would bring tears to my eyes if I had such emotions” he continued, “who are you” Luna demanded. “Heh” the Pegasus chuckled before melting into shadows, “what!?” gasped Luna in shock. “I’m Tracer, one of the nightmares subjects” he cackled from the darkness. Luna searched the room with her eyes until she looked in a mirror; she stepped back and scowled, for in the mirror she did not see her own reflection, but the reflection of Nightmare Moon. “Dear Nightmare Moon” Tracer continued, speaking through the mirror. “LIES!!!” Luna shouted, “I am not one of you”. “Were you?” Tracer smirked as he walked out of the mirror in his true form; he now was as tall as Celestia and wore black battle armor with a new moon as the mark on its chest, his eyes were now a light blue and similar colored steam seeped out of them. But what stood out to Luna the most was his mane and tail; which were now steel grey and translucent, speckled with white glimmering dots; Tracer looked like a male doppelganger of Nightmare Moon. “Why do you look like HER?” demanded Luna. “Let me explain” Tracer smirked, knowing that Luna would want to hear what he had to say, “Fine” Luna grunted reluctantly. Tracer began explaining, “After the nightmares fell and the one was imprisoned he spent his time trying to magically create more nightmares, he only managed to make 2 incomplete nightmares who were in a gaseous state and needed mortal bodies to possess in order to walk among us. The third one however was different; it had a physical form and yet could assume its gaseous state. That nightmare gave the original an idea, to send this “pseudo nightmare” to cover the land in darkness, it crept into the mind of a young alicorn possessing her and covering the land in eternal night” he finished. Luna was shocked, she had no idea what the nightmares were truly capable of. “I see” she remarked, “but what does this have to do with me?” “You still don’t get it do you?” Tracer growled, “I was the nightmare, I am the true Nightmare Moon!” That triggered it, Luna’s shock turned to rage and she fired a lightning bolt at Tracer who quickly dodged it. “You mean that all this time” she fired again, “you were the reason I have been kicking myself?” she shouted furiously, “that you were why I tried to shroud my subjects in darkness?” bolts flew left and right, “I will not stand for this” she started charging a blast, “I’LL KILL YOU!!!!!” Luna roared, eyes glowing white she fired and blew the entire chamber into a crumbling ruin. When the dust settled Luna still had a furious look on her face, she heard a chuckle from the darkness. “Why are you still alive?” she growled, “Bravo” Tracer chuckled. “Why are you encouraging me?” Luna asked. “Ah Luna, so clueless” Tracer grinned, “such violence is just what I would expect” he paused, “from a nightmare” he ended in a smirk as Luna looked in the mirror, although Tracer no longer possessed it she could not see herself; just Nightmare Moon grinning at her. Luna stumbled back and collapsed with tears in her eyes. “How could I be so stupid” she choked, “how could I let you make me do this?” Luna was practically crying now, “I’m a fool” she thought, “do I even have the right to be called a princess when all I am inside is a monster?” Luna thought a little bit and then realised something; she had done far worse as Nightmare Moon, and she had still been forgiven. Tracer smiled at his accomplishment of turning the once proud Luna indo a crying mess. “I’ve had my fun” he exclaimed, “time to end this” he walked up to Luna, horn glowing. “I couldn’t agree more” Luna replied, “It’s over”. Tracer’s eyes widened as Luna stood up glowing with the moons light. “IMPOSSIBLE” he shouted, “even after all I’ve done you still find the will to fight?” “Put a sock in it” Luna snapped back, more confident than ever, Tracer fired magical blasts at her but each one seemed to just bounce off. “It’s over foul nightmare” she angrily commented, “give my regards to Tartarus” she finished as she launched a bright white beam from her whole body engulfing Tracer. “Mark my words princess” he shouted as he slowly shattered, “the nightmare will never end” his words soon became a voided echo as all that was left of him was a new moon crest on the ground. “Never again” remarked Luna as she shattered the mark before leaving to find the others.