“It’s hard to believe it’s been three months, isn’t it, Twi?”
Twilight turned toward Applejack. “No need to be imprecise, Applejack. It’s been three months, one week, and one day.”
A gentle laugh went through the group, and Rainbow said, in her own way, what the others were thinking. “That’s our Egghead.” Twilight simply grinned at the remark.
“So, darling, you said you had something you wanted to say to us?”
Twilight glanced over at Rarity, then back to where the sun was just beginning to touch the horizon on its way to rest. “I do, but it can wait a few minutes. Let’s just finish watching the sunset first, okay?”
As the sun gradually sank below the lip of the earth, the sky began to grow purple, then darker. Finally, the moon began to rise, indicating the end of the day and the beginning of night, and Twilight gave a sigh of contentment. “There. It’s done.”
Applejack looked up at Twilight. “Yeah, sun’s set. What was so important about that?”
“Oh, not the sunset itself, Applejack. The day it ended, that’s the important part.” Everypony looked up at Twilight in alarm as her voice began to change, and a cold wind suddenly whipped through the night air. “One hundred days. Exactly one hundred days have passed since you used the Elements of Harmony and Twilight Sparkle became an Alicorn.”
“Um, Twi? You’re not going down the ‘Great and Powerful Trixie’ route, are you? ‘Cause talking about yourself like that is creeping me out a bit.”
“Who says I’m talking about myself?” They could hear the gloating note in Twilight’s voice, despite the fact her back was turned toward them. At the sound, Fluttershy gave a brief ‘eep’ and ducked to the ground, her hooves over her eyes.
“Twilight, explain yourself. What is all this nonsense about?”
“Oh, it’s simple, Rarity. You used the Elements, as you know. They did, indeed, allow Twilight Sparkle to ascend to becoming an alicorn. But poor Twilight wasn’t as strong as she thought. The sheer power of her new magic tore through her. I’m afraid she only had a few minutes to enjoy her new status before it killed her. How very fortunate for me. I simply had to slip in and take her place. No one, not even that pathetic old dotard Celestia, ever suspected a thing.” She gave a low chuckle, the sound of which chilled her friends to their bones.
“Enough, Twilight! You practically worship Princess Celestia; there’s no way we’d believe something like that from you! Stop trying to scare us!” Rainbow grabbed Twilight by the shoulder, hauling her around. As their eyes met, Rainbow jumped back, a cry of fright on her lips.
The eyes of Equestria’s newest princess were still their same purple color. They weren’t the friendly and open eyes of Twilight Sparkle, however… they were the slitted eyes of a cat.
It was Rarity who took the lead. “Nightmare Moon, I presume?”
Twilight shook her head. “I’m afraid not, although you’re close. I was only ‘Nightmare Moon’ while I was bonded to Luna. Now? Just the Nightmare, please.”
“What’n tarnation makes ya think we’ll just let ya get away with takin’ over our friend, ya monster?”
The Nightmare shook her head, sighing. “You can’t figure it out, Applejack? You won’t stop me with the Elements again because you don’t have them all. But more importantly, in a few minutes you won’t even want to stop me.”
Rainbow flew forward, getting into the Nightmare’s face. “As if! There’s no way we’d let you get away!”
“Oh, really?” The Nightmare grabbed Rainbow in her magic and hauled the pegasus over to her. “Do you know why I’ve waited this long?” she asked, as Rainbow struggled to get free. “If all I wanted was to fight you, I’d have done that the very first day.” The Nightmare shook her head. “No, I have something more in mind.
“One hundred days of watching you train, of swallowing my pride and reading those pathetic ‘Daring Doo’ books with you, of listening to your incessant bragging. One hundred days in which you soaked up my presence, believing me to be Twilight Sparkle. One hundred days to bring you under my banner, would you or no.” The Nightmare touched the tip of her horn to the edge of Rainbow’s throat, directly on the position where her Element’s gem would have lain. “And now it’s time for that investment to pay off. Arise, my Shadowbolt.”
As the Nightmare unleashed her magic, Rainbow stopped struggling. Her hide began to grow pale, and her hair shifted color, becoming a single shade of deep blue. Nopony else moved, frozen in shock at the sight. As it ended, Rainbow Dash settled to the ground and bowed before the Nightmare. “Your orders, my princess?”
“Grab them all, my pet.”
Within minutes, Rainbow had managed to trap the others in a wall of wind, as the Nightmare approached each one.
“Applejack. One hundred days of hauling apples, of helping out with farm work, of aiding you in your finances. Now arise, my Disparager.
“Pinkie. One hundred days of far too many sweets, of foolish parties with more foolish reasons, of your relentless prattle. Arise, my Mocker, and turn your nonsense upon my enemies.
“Rarity. One hundred endless days of listening to you moan about fashion, about Canterlot, about everything under the sun. One hundred days of being used as a dress dummy without letting loose my complaints. Arise, my Herald, and prepare the land for my coming.
“Fluttershy. One hundred days of carrying seed, of hauling water, of caring for your pathetic animals. One hundred days of listening to you cringe and whimper at every slight detail. And still, my power rests on you but lightly. I’ll have to work on that, but until then, arise, my Innocent, and be still in my presence.
“Five hundred days preparations spent between you. And now, it is at an end. Let us begin my reign, my new legion. Poor Celestia and dear Luna won’t know what hit them.”
▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓▓
Princess Celestia, this is Spike. I don’t know if Twilight’s gone crazy or been replaced by a changeling or what, but she’s spouting off a bunch of nonsense about taking over Canterlot and overthrowing you. All of her close friends seem to be egging her on, and they’ve changed, Princess. Please, do something to get ready for when she comes after y
Celestia grimaced as she read the words. The scroll had arrived in the normal manner for a communique from Spike, but it hadn’t been bound; the signet that allowed him to send it to her had instead been pressed into the parchment, which had been wadded up around it. It seemed an impossible warning, and part of her suspected a prank, but she’d learned well the folly of ignoring a potential threat.
“Luna. Gather the soldiers. I’m afraid we’re going to have to go to war.”