//------------------------------// // Nightmare:Arc 2, Chapter 3 // Story: New Reign // by Dream Seeker //------------------------------// "Twilight? We need to talk." said Luna, back at Canterlot. "Leave me alone! Fluttershy just died from my mistake." "I suspected as much. You are beginning to lose yourself to the Nightmare." "At this point, I DON'T CARE! MY FRIENDS ARE DYING AND I CAN'T STOP IT!" "Not all of them are dead yet. Rarity, Rainbow Dash, and Applejack are still alive." "But what will they think of me now? I killed who knows how many ponies when I knocked the top off of Mount. Canterlot!" "Ah fergive yew, Twi." said Applejack, entering the room. "I do as well. It was an accident, was it not?" said Rarity, close behind Applejack. "Me too! It was just a mistake." said Rainbow, also entering. "But I just killed Fluttershy! Who knows how many other ponies were buried under the rubble, that I also killed?" "We forgive you. It was an honest mistake. Just try not to cause any more explosions, please." replied Rarity, smiling. They just don't want you to kill any more of them! They're scared of you. They no longer trust you. hissed the Nightmare. "We'll still be your friends, even if you make mistakes." said Rainbow. Even if they are your friends, you'll still end up hurting them. Being their friend will only serve to drive them further away. claimed the Nightmare. "Goodnight, Twilight. Your duties resume in the morning." Luna smiled. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Twilight awoke unable to move her left hind leg. Panicking, she fell right out of bed, to find that her leg was moving. It just wasn't doing what she wanted it to do. The Nightmare had control of it. She walked outside, finding her new leg was keeping up with the others with only a slight limp. If you weren't looking for it, you wouldn't even notice it was there. She looked in a mirror, and gasped. The picture in the mirror was almost unrecognizable. She was so, tall. Her mane was rippling slightly as well, just like Celestia's used to. For a fleeting instant, she wondered what her friends would think. They'd think that you stole Celestia's power and killed her like you killed Fluttershy! You don't need them. They left Pinkie Pie to die! whispered the Nightmare, and Twilight lost control of her back right leg. Twilight's gaze moved to her legs. Both of her back legs appeared to look darker, almost shadowy. Like she imagined her Nightmare's legs to look. She quickly cast a spell to disguise them, then thought better of it. She cast a spell that would make her look normal on her regalia, so whenever she wore it she would look normal. She opened the door, and saw Luna standing there. She distrusts you. She thinks you'll try to kill her and the rest of your friends. with the Nightmare's comment, Twilight felt more of her body become useless. "Are you alright?" asked Luna, concerned. "You don't look so well." "We just killed one of our best friends. What do you think?" Twilight shot back, her back hooves stomping the ground so hard they made cracks. Luna looked even more worried. "We killed? Our friends?" "I killed, My friends." "Do you want me to take over day court again?" "NO! WE CAN HANDLE THIS OURSELVES!" yelled Twilight. Her corruption spread, almost to her front hooves. "Twilight. Your Nightmare is taking over. Let me just get your friends, and gather the Elements. Can we trust you to not move, or should we detain you?" Luna asked calmly. It was exactly the wrong thing to say. "WE KNEW YOU COULD NOT TRUST US!" boomed Twilight. "WE WILL RULE ALONE, WITH NOPONY TO DOUBT US! "What would Celestia say?" Luna cut her off. For a moment, Twilight slipped back through. "Help me, oh my helphelphelp! I can't control it!" she seemed to be panicking. "Stay calm, Twilight Sparkle. Your friends are on their way." "Don't call us that anymore... We are Nightmare Ether! Nightmare Ether said with a mocking laugh. "You stand no chance against us! Twilight's friends burst into the room, gasping in horror. Nightmare Ether had taken her regalia off, and revealed her new form. Her former friends grabbed their elements, leaving Luna with the remaining three. Nightmare Ether bucked Applejack across the room, where she lied limp. "How dare you disobey us? We are more powerful than you could ever dream of!" the Nightmare walked over to Applejack's barely breathing body, and began absorbing life force from her until she breathed no longer. "What a foal you are, Luna. Not only have you given up your Nightmare, you also kept this method of gaining power from Twilight! It just shows how little you trusted her." Luna flinched at this, and while she was distracted Rarity walked up to the former Twilight. "This isn't you, Twilight. Come back to us, please." she sounded heartbroken. "You're right, Rarity." said Twilight, reverting to her old form. "Thank you for saving me." she reached out to hold Rarity in a hug, which Rarity returned. "What a pity I'm not Twilight Sparkle, then, isn't it?" whispered Eclipse in Rarity's ear as Rarity went limp from the life force being drained from her. When Rarity stopped moving, Ether returned to her Nightmare body. "You're killing her! I can't let you do that!" yelled Rainbow Dash as she flew in at near-rainboom speeds. Eclipse merely stepped out of the way, growing a sharp crystal in her place. Rainbow impacted the crystal with a sick thud, before being drained by the Nightmare. By this time, Luna had managed to wield the Elements herself. "I cannot allow this to continue. For a thousand years, you are banished, Nightmare Ether. To the MOON!" the Elements charged up, and Nightmare Ether felt fear for the first time. To her surprise, the face of Luna, who was banishing her, was not contorted in rage, but crying in sadness. She saw the loneliness in Luna's eyes, as she realized that she would be very lonely for the next millennia. A thousand years is a long time to wait for a friend. "I'll wait for you." Luna whispered as Ether hurtled into the rising moon. A single tear streaked across her face. "I'll wait a thousand years."