//------------------------------// // Special Episode: Nightmare's House II // Story: Pony POV Series Season Six: Dark World/Shining Armor // by Alex Warlorn //------------------------------// My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic Pony POV Series Optional Canon Nightmare House II By Alex Warlorn "AJ, I can't help but notice you have an orange tree in your grove," Said the purple unicorn with the color inverted cutie mark. "Yea. Ah do." She waited for a deeper answer but got none. "I thought you were part of the APPLE family?" "Ah've lost mah right ta be a part of that. But that ain't why. The truth is there's more fruit in the world than apples. So why should Ah limit mahself to just one kind?" "Ah. True, overspecialization is a weakness." "Ain't that what ya do?" "Oh you silly pony AJ! We're not overspecialized, we're purified." "Ya mean like how ya keep wipin' out ponies and sayin' nothin' was lost?" "Applejack, there's silly and then there's just absurd. They aren't ponies, they're just temporal constructs. Replicas made by the forces of the time-space loop. They're copies made from time magic, no different than say clones made from mirror magic. Not alive, you can wipe out a million of them, it doesn't matter as long as you don't hurt the original." "Then wouldn't that make me not the original?" She smiled at the orange Earth Pony, "You're my friend. That's what counts." "So Ah was a prop and suddenly Ah'm not?" "Clay in the dirt has the potential to be a pot, but that doesn't make it a pot does it? It doesn't mean you're destroying pots when you dig. You aren't killing a tree when you crush a seed right? So what difference does it make if I 'destroy' some copies that have the potential to become ponies? We don't kill ponies cause they might cause potential death. So why should we spare props over potential life?" "Aren't we doing all this over the 'potential' of a golden world?" "It's not potential, it's certainty. Besides. They all just reset. It's not like they're actual dying. They're just starting over from the beginning, so once I understand fate and magic well enough, we can all create the Golden World. And they will be alive." "And what part of torturin' Discord got ta do with that?" "It is nothing less than he deserves, has deserved, and will always deserves. He shall suffer and will always suffer, his is a Tartarus without end." "That ain't what Ah asked." "Oh AJ don't worry about it. I don't tell you how to farm, or the differences between an apple tree and an orange tree, so just trust me with the time magic. Why should it have to do with it? Besides, the Shadows-who-watch demand an equal amount of suffering, effort, and sacrifice for all happiness, and without the shadows-who-watch, our universe would stop. So, you could say Discord's doing (almost), doing the universe a favor, well, not really, it's more the way a cog does a the machine it's a part of 'a favor.' He's still as worthless and evil and sick as ever." "Then why do ya have'ta copy and paste parts of old loops so he still makes ponies hateful and miserable?" "They're still his actions aren't they? And you know fundamentally awful people never actually change. It's like the story of The Howling Pony. Morning Star was imprisoned and pretended to be a wrongfully persecuted captive so a well meaning pony would let him out. Only an idiot would be fooled by his game of pretend. And only a complete lunatic would feel sorry about them instead of their victims." "What if he isn't lying?" "Oh Applejack, no wonder so many of your fakes become the Element of Kindness. He might even be able to fool himself so he's not technically lying. But he can't fool those who know him backwards and forwards." "Like you?" "Like me. This is good cake, wanna share some with the others?" "Ah haven't not yet." The purple unicorn cringed at the palomino's grammar. "Okay. After you."   The two ponies walked through the farm house, the purple pony telekinetically carrying the cake. They came to a closet door, the earth pony took a key out of her hat, unlocked it, and the two stepped through, like stepped through two sides of a mirror, the Nightmares' assumed their Alicorn-like shapes as they entered what counts as the tiny cluster of pocket realities 'living room.' "Hey guys," said Nightmare Eclipse to the four Nightmares currently on the couch playing video games. "Hey Twilight!" Said Nightmare Manacle looking up from her game. "Hi hi hi AJ AJ AJ!" "Howdy . . . Pinkie Pie," said Nightmare Mirror. "Dash, don't go messing with my house okay?" Said Nightmare Banneret, as Nightmare Manacle continued to play Animal Town. "I'd NEVER betray your trust like that!" Manacle said insulted as she traded some plaid wall paper for a second rainbow cloud couch with her virtual neighbor whom she had a 100% friendship rating with. "Just don't go blowing up the machine if one our neighbors moves away without telling us. And remember the 'gift' Pinkie Pie did remaking my house?" "Oh oh oh! I do I do I do! I bought everyone in town polkda-dotted heart wallpaper! And used a cheat code to make it rain glitter for a week!" "Cheating is wrong Pinkie," Manacle said, "Miss White The Wolf said the glitter was hurting her flowers." "Oh the poor dears," Whisper said. "I had to cut off work time at Mr. Nookie's store to clean it all up." "I helped too," Banneret added. "You guys should have just used another cheat code to clean it all up," Granfalloon offered. "No!" Manacle and Banneret said together. "Sorry." "It's okay Pinkie Pie, I give you my forgiveness," said the generous Nightmare. Nightmare Eclipse could appreciate their worry, she remembered when Nightmare Granfalloon had gotten her hooves on her save file of SimPonies and hacked them all into Lost Age Ponies. Speaking of which. She casually opened up the game on her iPony, created a new SimPony named 'Discord', then removed all the doors in or out of the house, and set everything on fire. Nightmare Mirror shrugged and booted up and did some quick progress on Pony Wright: Harmony For All. "Oh Papa you have raised me to be a beautiful Princess," said the virtual Princess on Nightmare Banneret's game, Princess Rarity the MMMMMCXVI living virtually happily ever after, and giving birth to Princess Rarity the MMMMMCXVII for the new game plus. "You welcome my beautiful daughter." Nightmare Banneret grinned. As for Nightmare Granfalloon and Whisper. "Gotcha now!" MegaPony closed in for the kill. "Oh no you don't!" Princess Apricot grabbed the Smash Ball, causing all characters on the screen to fall asleep to her lullaby. She gently picked up Megapony and carefully dropped her off the edge of the screen. Winner! Princess Apricot! The game declared proudly to virtual clapping. Player Whisp PACIFIST BONUS 5000! Appeared on the screen as normal. "Great game Fluttershy!" Nightmare Granfalloon cheered as if she had won not feeling the least bit sore. "Hey girls! Who wants cake?" Nightmare Eclipse said bringing everyone's attention back to the sweet confection. The Nightmares turned off their games and there was most rejoicing. The Nightmares divided up the cake, which seemed to last a lot longer than you think it would have and made idle chit-chatting. Eventually, their eyes fell on the mobius loop shaped mass of stars in the glass sphere on their table. "How many ways have we utterly humiliated that jerk now?" Manacle grinned. Eclipse opened her mouth. "Rhetorical, Twilight." "Wow! A big big big word from Dashie Dashie Dashie!" "Watch it." "Just kidding!" "I know Pinkie," they hugged. Discord had tried so many tricks and schemes to try and cheat the scenario and actually win, he should have realized by now Evil Overlords EXISTED only to lose. "I loved when we turned his cheese danish army against him!" Granfalloon remembered. "Then there was the exploding cake! And remember when he started trying to marry each of the incomplete us', each loop? Queen Pain Pie, Queen Fluttershade, Queen Tragedy, oh oh oh! And Queen Smarty Pants!" A part of Nightmare Mirror wondered what was wrong with her and Nightmare Manacle, weren't they bride material? Well, if the rest of the herd got a chance . . . "I wish you hadn't eaten him when he tried to marry Rarity Spike," Nightmare Eclipse said. "I said I was sorry. I admit now that I should have been much more generous and let it happen if it happened. If that Rarity was going to be happy with  . . . him. I spat him out and stitched him back together for her remember?" "And when he turned himself into a girl that one cycle and renamed herself Eris and tried to marry Spike was my favorite!" Nightmare Granfalloon giggled. "That Fluttercruel I think liked having you for a father," Nightmare Whisper smiled at the dragon. "Did you have to end the cycle early and blast him to ashes when he tried to marry Cadence Twilight?" Granfalloon asked. "There are insults that I will not bear witness to, even when Discord does it to an image of Cadence. . . .  BY the way guys, thanks for helping her complete self in that one timeline outside of the loops." The ponies all smiled and sincerely nodded. Nightmare Martyr had been fun to be around. "And having her stabbed a million times by black rods is okay?" Mirror asked. "Needed for incomplete-Twilight to fully understand that Discord has no lines he won't cross. It's a sacrifice I'm sure Cadence is willing to make for all of us. She's harmony, she knows DISHARMONY must be punished." "My favorite is when you let me set grenades around his statue before he broke free," Manacle said. True, all it did was make Discord possess a poor innocent Guard Pony who had almost been on Cadence's world tour . . . what was his name again? Jerk-Earnings? Of course, once reset, Discord was back in that pegasus mare's stolen body, whatever her name was. "Ah thought yer favorite was when Twili' Unicorn had a sword fight with old Discord, when he had already lost his arms and legs and was holdin' the sword with his tail!" "Close second." "Then there was the time pre-complete me tried to use the memory spell on me . . . it completed her right on the spot!" Nightmare Eclipse remembered happily. "It felt so wonderful! Like I got to experience my own completion again for the first time! It was wonderful!" "Wonderful to hear Twilight," Nightmare Whisper said. Banneret chose to add his say, "My favorite was when he turned into a giant tower that pierced the atmosphere and was made of random monsters and stuff, 'Prancing Mad' made great background music!" Manacle and Granfalloon planted themselves on other side of Nightmare Whisper. "So Fluttershy? What's your favorite?" "Oh yes Fluttershy, what is your favorite?" Nightmare Eclipse asked. The Kindest of Lies looked very uncomfortable. "Uh, Twilight?" "Yes Fluttershy?" "I was just wondering, that is, I know it's not, but it's just, but you really, or rather maybe you should at least consider, but maybe you already have, but I don't know, but it would be rude if you have, but I really really really-" "Fluttershy, you can tell us." " . . . Uh... dontyouthinkDiscordsbeenpunishedenough?" . . . The entire chamber fell silent. There was not even the sound of molecules of dust hitting each other. . . . The other Nightmares all held their breath. The Kindest of Lies looked tiny. Nightmare Eclipse loomed over her. "Oh silly pony," The Walker Of the Endless Cycle smiled like Celestia, "revenge is never settled." her black words boomed shaking the entire chamber though she never actually raised her voice. "But... that is... " "Oh Fluttershy, Fluttershy, Fluttershy," Nightmare Eclipse warmly put a wing around the yellow Nightmare. "Don't worry. You're kindness, I guess there might be something wrong with you if you didn't think Discord should be put out of his misery. But you need to understand. Would that be the kind thing to do to all those who want to see him give for everything he's taken?" "... No." The yellow Nightmare sighed sadly. The others hugged her. "But it's not the kind to him," She whispered lower than Eclipse could hear. "Don't worry, I'm sure sure sure that once Twilight fills up her head to the brim so she can remade EVERYTHING, that I can fix'em up up up to be a fun fun fun pony! It's all just a prank on him after all. Don't you hear Twilight laugh every time?" "It's okay, Fluttershy, we'll never abandon you just cause you think of a different point of view," Manacle said. Whisper and Manacle silently nuzzled and folded her wings around each other. The dragon stretched, "Sorry guys, I think I'm gonna check out for a bit, see ya." They each gave The Beautiful Fury Of the Generous Green Flames a hug and a nuzzle before he lumbered into his cave (flanked by flawless statues of Rarity, Twilight, and others), closing the door behind him. "RD," Nightmare Mirror whispered. "Yeah AJ?" "Ah wanted ta ask ya somethin'." "Fire away!" "Ya KNOW that Twili' been copyin' and pastin' parts from earlier loops ta keep Discord on track right?" "Yeah so?" "So, that means sugar that whenever RD is forced ta kill Scootaloo, that means it's Twili' now whose makin' it happen. Not Discord." "Yes." "An'?" "And what?" "And whaddya think?" "If Discord is going to pretend that he's changed so he think we'll somehow forget all the horrible things he's done, I need to make sure our complete selves don't forget or are fooled." Eclipse said matter of face spreading her wings grandly. "I think AJ, that I'm loyal to you guys, and nothing is ever ever ever EVER going to change that! I'll never abandon any of you ever again even if every entire universe becomes our enemy! Scootaloo won't have to remember any of that when we make the Golden World. Twilight promised. Was she lying?" "... No." "And I think that's a buckass question to ask in the first place AJ!" Manacle finished. "Yes it wasn't very kind to say all!" "I don't really really really get the joke either." "Oh don't worry girls. She's just being true to herself. You can't expect her to be more than that can you?" Eclipse asked, the smile only slightly shrinking. Manacle looked at Eclipse, then at Mirror, and then put a chain-barding hoof on her mirror shined barded shoulder, "It'll be both our redemptions, we'll pay back in interest. Scootaloo will have a Golden World to live her life in instead of the cruddy one she was living even before bastard-Discord." She turned to Eclipse. "Speaking of which Twilight, isn't it time to help Twilight Version One Point Oh, down the path of leveling up to totally awesome super-mare?" "Good point Rainbow Dash. I should. She should be just about ready now to meet with Apple Pie. If not, I can just skip along to earlier or later if I want." "Good luck Twilight," Nightmare Whisper said, thinking of when Twilight was done with Discord and made the golden world, she could start reconstructing his psyche into a proper father for Fluttercruel as she felt he should be. "Yeah! We'll be watching!" Granfalloon cheered grabbing a house sized bag of popcorn and water tower sized soda cup and straw. "Be right here for ya if you need us," Manacle said. "Ditto," Mirror mirrored. Eclipse nodded, then gasped. "Oh my Celestia! I forget! Be right back guys! Got something important to do first!" Without another word she rushed into Spike's chambers. The place Eclipse entered was huge, piles of neatly organized treasure, set up according to size, color, and cutting, just the way Rarity would like it. Statues of her and other ponies all in beautiful poses, their faces pictures of happiness and their mere presence radiated joy. Sculptures of pony-dragon hybrids happily playing with each other were made of every valuable treasure imaginable. None of it was touched by the dragon. It wasn't for him. It was all a welcoming gift for her. A forest of dresses, and of course the finest thread, cloth and sewing equipment prepared to be just perfect for her. There were also mountains of books for Eclipse whenever she wanted them. Endless yarn and cute stuffed animals forming a mountain itself for Whisper. Every piece of Wonderbolt merchandise ever made (and plushies of Gilda and Scootaloo that hugged back). A simple leather covered photo album composed of memories of hundreds of different AJs from cross realities who had lived happy and full lives that could be experienced as if they were the reader's own. And lots and lots of cake and candy. There was a suit and tie made for an adult mountain sized dragon, all cleanly pressed and ready for use. And a heart stone fire ruby set into a ring fit for a goddess with a matching husband's wedding band. Eclipse ignored them all, and her form again was obscured and a unicorn with an inverted cutie mark emerged. She trotted to a small purple baby dragon, shrunk down, curled up in a small basket bed of humble red blankets, sucking his claw in his sleep. The unicorn moved silently, carefully, gently, being careful to disturb nothing, not make even the slightest noise. She knelt down and began to stroke the dragon in his sleep. She sang. "Once upon a time, A little dragon began a big climb. He climbed through the darkness and grim, but his heart's strength was sublime. Listen to my rhyme, Until you hear the morning's chime. Eventually he reached the mountain high Upon the top of the mountain he gained the heart to fly, And he reached up into the high nigh sky. Listen to my rhyme, Until you hear the morning's chime. He found the one treasure for his one true love, His heart fluttered like a dove. The crown of stars that would fit her like a glove. Listen to my rhyme, Until you hear the morning's chime. He flew back to his mate. With a crown of stars but with less than eight. He would save her from loneliness' weight, And together they would alter fate. Never again would they weep, and together they did sleep. Listen to my rhyme, Until you hear the morning's chime." " . . . Goodnight Spike, mommy has to go to work now, she wishes you sweet dreams." ~Begin Dark World