//------------------------------// // Dusk to Dusk // Story: Every Night After // by Lynked //------------------------------// The aching of Twilight's limbs was unbearable. She wanted relief, oh how she wanted it badly. But there would be none for her. The tall, ornate chair upon which she slumped had but one cushion on the seat, a thin crimson velvet thing that couldn't comfort her stinging plot any more then the marble floors. Her head was free to list whichever way her weight took it, swaying left and right, and sometimes even landing on one of the golden armrests and their thin, stone-like cushions. Past the pattering of heavy nighttime rain on the multi-hued windows, and through the flickering torches that kept the elongated room alight with a soft orange glow, Twilight was in noticeable disarray. Her mane was frazzled, ruined. Her eyes were sunken, darkened. Her coat was matted and oily, reeking of two days filth. Exhaustion was slamming at her like a thousand stones. Soon, she could hardly keep her mouth closed, little strands of saliva glimmering as the slipped down her chin. The sound of dual waterfalls on either side of her was lulling her away with their gentle roar. Suddenly a knocking reverberated the archaic room. It had come from the opposite side of where Twilight sat, behind two large golden doors. The unicorn shot up, her eyes wide as ever. Wiping the spit from her chin, she searched around frantically, until she finally found her objective. A guard, white coat adorned with dull gold armor sat beside one of the many marble pillars that ran on either side of the room. "You," she said to him, "Go get the door." He snapped aware, nodding to Twilight and then trotting off to the doors. He took hold of the large bronze hoop with his mouth and tugged it inward, opening the throne room for a shaded figure. Twilight knew who this was; no one got in to see her without an appointment. As the guard scattered back to his post, the figure stepped into the waving lights, setting her orange coat aglow. Her mane, blonde and well tied, followed swiftly behind her as she trod down the scarlet central carpet. Atop her head was that signature brown Stetson hat that never fell from her head. Twilight watched her approach with light eyes; she'd been looking forward to this all day. "Applejack!" she said with a genuine smile, "It's so good to see you! How have things on the farm been?" "Well, eh, not so good, ya see. But shoot, it's good to see you too Twi," the mare said as she approached. Not once did she attempt eye contact with Twilight. In fact, she seemed to be avoiding the unicorn altogether, her head turned away with her hat tipped down. She stopped in front of the throne to bow politely, before falling to her haunches. "Why not? Is something wrong?" "Oh, yeah, um, ya see, that new magic growth stuff of yers just...well it's doin' the job and all..." Applejack kicked the thin carpet beneath her, bowing her head. Her tone was hushed and thick with nervousness. "If it's doing the job, then what's the problem?" Twilight asked. "I'm really busy, and should've been asleep a long time ago. I waited four hours for you Applejack, this better be good." Her voice held a warning ring. Her eyes squinted and the tiniest glint of a snarl flashed on her lips. Applejack, please watch what you say. I don't want this meeting to go sour... "Uh, w-well, ya see it's making things wrong. Like, they ain't growin' normal. All my apples taste terrible! Ponies don't like it, so it's really runnin' the business down, and-" "Is this your complaint? Is this seriously your complaint? I have much more important things to worry about than your stupid apples! Do you know how full my plate is? Of course you don't - you have no idea!" Twilight spat into the fountains, her face flush with anger. Making sure to maintain her darted glare and harsh hoof movements, she continued by saying, "I had our top unicorns work on that stuff, and that's what they came up with. You should be happy they even came up with anything at all! It's not easy, when you've dealt with a full year of night! And you know what, you ungrateful farmer? It's not getting any better!" Applejack was taken aback. "U-Ungrateful? Twi, what happened to ya? C'mon sugarcube, we used to be friends. What happened? You were nice..." "Oh, I don't know Applejack, I suppose I'm just bipolar. What do you think happened? Look out this window behind me." Twilight jerked around in her chair to face the large, arching stained glass windows that depicted the great Princess Celestia as she raised the sun across a vast expanse of green hills and mountains. It should've been glowing. Shiny. Exuberant. "Do you see how dark it is out there?" "Twi, I know-" "And do you see how the moon's still up there? How it's still visible through the clouds?" Twilight resettled in her seat, her tense gaze softened to a somber frown. Her eyes had gone back to their sunken state, and her body slumped like her smarty pants doll. Harsh...All right, Twilight, calm down. You're tired, is all. "It's midnight, but my advisors tell me it's noon. So I hope you can understand that I have bigger things to worry about than the taste of your food." Just then, the metal doors swung open, and a tan stallion, bearing a mustache, a tuxedo, and a large silver platter on his back entered the room. The plate was covered with a shiny metal dome that gleamed in the torches, boasting of its ornate, inlaid inscriptions. Two guards - clad in the same attire as the one that was now slumped on the pillar - followed curtly behind. The stallion brought the platter forward, up the few stairs to the throne, and placed it at Twilight's hooves. After lifting the dome and setting it aside, he bowed, turned, and swiftly exited the room. Once he and the two guards had shut the large doors behind them, Twilight glanced down at the tray. On it was a steaming faux omelet, garnished with spices and seasonings. Beside it was a crisp piece of buttered toast, and beside that was a class of crisp apple juice. She had requested the meal brought here, instead of the dining hall, because she just didn't have the energy for the walk. Oh dear. "Twi, how is that fair? There are ponies down there starving, and yer eatin' like royalty! I'm gonna be starving soon, and Applebloom, and Granny Smith and even Big Mac. We ain't gonna hold out long without the farm." Across Applejacks strong face were streaks of torn worry, tears beginning to well in the corners of her eyes. "As far as anypony's concerned, I am royalty! I could have you executed for this! I could execute you all for anything, that's how 'royal' I am!" Twilight used her magic to raise the toast, crunching into it with purposeful brutality. But, seeing the cringe, the fear in her friend's eyes, she lowered the bread down, sighing and letting her head drop. "Applejack, look. I'll try, alright? I'll try to make it better, but I can't promise anything. We have bigger problems, you know. If your farm fails, go to Rainbow Dash or Pinkie, or even Fluttershy. They'll help you, I'm sure." "No, they won't. Ever since ya left, Pinkie's been switchin' moods faster than I can buck apples. R-D's just mad at'cha, and she ain't hardly coming down from Cloudsdale anymore. Twi, I understand yer busy, but please...this is serious." "I...I'll deal with it Applejack. Now go. I'll need some time." She waved her hooves in a shooing motion, turning down to her meal and ripping into the toast yet again. Applejack gave a curt bow, saying, almost forcibly, "Thank you, chancellor." ~~~ "And? It's not as if I care," Twilight said, reclining on her former mentor's expansive bed. The huge semicircle lodged itself onto the bright white wall, and was covered in a large white sheet that depicted a burning sun in its center. The rest of the room's theme stemmed from this: the white walls, golden curtains, large mirror and vanity, atop which sat a neatly folded star-spangled cape and dark blue hat. Other than that, it was practically plastered 'Princess'. "You should," the blue unicorn grumbled as she slowly massaged Twilight's damp back. She pressed hard, cracking the knots and sores that were splotched up and down the mare's back. On her neck was a black leather leash, it's tether in Twilight's mouth. "Shut up and massage. The guards can take care of it," she said letting loose a long sigh. She nuzzled her face deep into the silver pillows that the bed held, their feathery fluff an ample source of relaxation. Her mane was still a bit wet from her luscious bath, tiny water droplets trickling down her sides. A tiny smile graced her lips. The collared unicorn growled. "The Great and Powerful Trixie finds this humiliating." "Yeah, yeah Trixie, keep grumbling. You're not getting out of that collar." ...unless you're fine watching your head roll around Ponyville... "Trixie does not care about that. She finds it humiliating that you won't even stand up for yourself," she said. Pressing hard between her owner's shoulders, cracks echoed around the room, followed by a deep moan of relief from Twilight. "I can stand up for myself. These riots are just petty, though. Like I said, the guards have control of the situation." "And what of Nightmare Moon? What will you do when she returns, hmm?" Trixie shook her head and sneered, careful to not let Twilight see. "Trixie, the guards have been training for a year now. She's not gonna do a thing. And as long as we can keep the crops growing, we'll be fine." She turned back to give her 'pet' a harsh gaze, before gripping the largest pillow and holding it close to her cheeks. "So you say, but Trixie does not think so." "Well Trixie isn't here to think, is she?" Twilight snapped. There was silence for a moment, Trixie's tongue ever so close to spewing her hate. But a quick glance down to her flank silenced her. Her cutie mark was sliced up, lines and lines missing due to pale reminders of countless lashings. "I'm sorry...my lady..." "Of course you are. All of Equestria is," Twilight began. Trixie rolled her eyes, slumping her shoulders. She knew where this was going. "So sorry that their Princess is gone. So sorry that I'm not as good as she was. So sorry the taxes are higher, so sorry the crops are tasteless. I'm working my flank off - hay, I've gone days without sleep - and you know what, all ponies ever do is complain! I have control of this! And you know what else? Maybe, just maybe, if I got a bit more appreciation, I'd be willing to help more! But no, it's always 'I want this', or 'Go fix that'. I'm only one pony Trixie!" "Trixie understands, of course," she said with a sigh, continuing her circular hoof movements. There was a thick silence after that. Neither said a word, barely even letting their breaths become audible. "Trixie, I'd like to get some sleep, alright?" Twilight eventually said. "Yes, Trixie could use some too she supposes." The unicorn propped herself off of Twilight's back, rolling away and dropping to the floor. Her leash followed lifelessly behind her as she made her way to the opposite corner of the room, where a small cot of spare sheets and a lone pillow was laid out for her. She dropped on it, not bothering to ease herself down. Exhaustion was deep in her sunken eyes as well; Twilight had kept Trixie up with her, and by now, both were tired, snappy, and distant. Twilight lifted Trixie's leash with her magic, snapping it into a metal clasp on the wall by her cot, fixing it into place with a tiny clink. Then, she killed the few candles that lit the room, and rested herself back on the bed, sinking into its plump body as the darkness unfolded. As soon as her burning eyelids shut, she was out like a light. ~~~ It worked! She could taste joy of success! Nightmare moon had not only been defeated by the Elements of Harmony, she was gone altogether! No trace of her, no sign anywhere. She was gone completely! Twilight turned around to face her friends. Their faces held such jubilance in those five smiles that she almost cried. All the fear was gone now, giving way to an air of love and harmony at last. But as they began commenting each other's jewelry, and Rarity's newfound tail, Twilight noticed something that churned her gut. The moon was still high in the night sky, and not even a hint of golden day was touching the sky. Outside the many shattered, crumbling windows of the decaying fortress, not even a speck of sunlight tipped over the horizon. Upon turning back to tell her friends, she found there to be no need - they had realized this on their own. Where was Celestia? What happened when the Elements hit Nightmare Moon? There was a scream, a bright light, then nothing. She was just flat out gone. But then, in a brilliantly blinding flash of black, the evil alicorn hovered above them again. Her face bore a hideous smile, displaying her two devilish fangs in a manner more than disturbing. A deep light was awash on her horn, and one by one, the elemental necklaces were ripped from their owners. First Pinkie, then Fluttershy, and so on. It seemed painful - they snapped away with loud pops that were not metallic - they were organic. These were sickening, gut twisting cracks that reverberated throughout the room. Soon the element of magic was torn asunder, lashing from Twilight's brow and shooting into the air. All six pieces of harmony spun around Nightmare Moon as she let out a hearty laugh. The twirled around in a mocking dance, all in the grasp of her blackish magic. "Hello Chancellor," the alicorn spoke with a grin. This wasn't right. This couldn't have been right. She wasn't chancellor at the time. Logic said this wasn't right. But for some reason the dream played like a film, as though it had happened, was happening. "W-What?" "Why Chancellor, I'm simply saying hello," Nightmare Moon said - hissed, in fact, with an awful laugh rang as a chorus of bittersweet chimes. "I know, it's a bit early for introductions. But if we're to be meeting soon anyways, I suppose I should say hello. Is that so bad?" "What are you talking about? Return the Elements!" Twilight demanded, stomping her hoof down. Looking to her friends for support, she found them to be lying limp on the ground. "You ponies are more difficult in your dreams than in your waking hours," the hovering mare spoke. A sudden chill overtook Twilight. "Dreams?" she asked, her fur standing on end. "Any other day, and your idiotic questions would set me off. Just a warning," Nightmare Moon said with a wink, her grin still etched onto her face. "What do you want?" "Me? Once again, your questions, they...annoy me. I'll tell you this, 'chancellor', enjoy the days you have left." "My days? You...you don't control my life!" she spat. Snarling up at the alicorn, she continued, "I have control of my life! I have control of Equestria! We'll see what happens when you try and take it." "Oh, dear Chancellor Twilight, so high and mighty. We shall see just who is in control of your life soon enough." At that, a hazy, diluted black beam shot forth from the tip of the black alicorn's horn, shooting down and zapping Twilight with a large gash down her cheek. The unicorn shrieked as an invisible fire crept up her legs, mane, and tail. Tears welled in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks; the pain was unbearable. "Your days are numbered Twilight Sparkle, this you shall not forget." The pain materialized, morphing into a sort of fluid darkness that overtook her legs. It burned as it attached, sinking deep into her skin. It ran up her legs, ending at the beginning of her shoulders in a sort of tattered array that mocked sliced tapestry. All the while, Twilight screamed. She cried, shrieked, wailed, all in the awful agony of corruption. Her legs betrayed her as she collapsed to the ground. The corruption had stopped now, having sunken in and turned most of her forelegs and all of her hind legs a thick black, the only kind of darkness one could see when glancing into space on a clear night. Her cutie mark was barely unscathed, the darkness blotched around it as it faded off. She did something strange now, something she didn't even see coming. She laughed. Small, hardly able to be classified a giggle, but she still laughed. Looking back up, she saw that Nightmare Moon - as well as the six elements of harmony - had vanished. All she could do was laugh. ~~~ "Chancellor!" A voice, rough and gruff, drew her from the darkness of sleep. Her eyes shot open, letting the harsh light of a close candle invade them. She snarled and recoiled, burying her head in the mountain of satin pillows she had amassed during the night. "Chancellor, are you alright? Where is Trixie?" That got her attention. She shot up, tossing the pillows in any direction. A dark grey pony bearing white armor gave her was giving her a concerned look though deep blue eyes. The unicorn's groggy eyes slowly shifted right, landing upon the bare and empty mass of bedding. Her eyes snapped wide, a scowl burning on her lips. "You tell me! I left her right there." Twilight pointed at the empty cot, where the leash, still clasped to the wall, hung onto an empty collar. That wasn't the only thing to grasp her attention, though. A searing pain lashed through her jaw, riveting her mind. She groaned and clasped her cheek. There was a line, swollen and red, with small warm droplets trickling down. "Where were the guards?" she snapped, lowering her hooves from her injury. "We, uh-" "What is wrong with you ponies? Go! Find Trixie! When you have her, bring her here. And bring me Captain Armor, now!" "But chancellor, it's late, and-" "I'll drop your plot in Tartarus if you don't get going," Twilight said with a sneer. She made a movement, drawing her hoof across her neck in a slicing motion. The guard gulped, spinning on his hooves and darting out the door. Twilight sighed, her face relaxing. Across the room, she rested her gaze on the empty mass of bundled sheets. The black leather collar was still empty, no matter how many curses her mind could create. Yet it was strange; the vanity next to her tiny cot still held her few belongings. The unicorn remembered very clearly how they were all she had left after the ursa incident that left half of Ponyville in ruins. She had to order a detachment of pegasus guards to go and put the thing down. And they'd almost killed her too, violent nuts. So why would Trixie leave them? "I'll just have to ask," she muttered, kicking the rest of her sheets away. The gash on her face retaliated in the small gust of wind, a burning sensation sinking into her. She grimaced and grunted, but did no more. There was no more she could do. So, she stood from the bed, turning away and heading for the door. There would be no more sleep for her. None at all. ~~~ In Celestia's office was where she found herself now. Hungry with no appetite, and tired with no will to sleep, she simply skimmed through the next document from the stacks upon stacks of complaints and queries. Things were getting ugly as of late; on the huge marble desk, lit by one measly candle, a huge stack of organized folders sat, waiting for her to read them. And this was after the bureaucratic work division was set up. These were apparently the most important, sent up from the division itself, which managed to lodge itself in the castle bowels. The current folder in front of Twilight read in block print Grand Galloping Gala. Before opening it, she let slip a long sigh, her eyes and mind drooping alike. Instead of beginning, she took a moment to observe her dark surroundings. To either side were two massive bookshelves that ate the entirety of the walls. Most were thick and contained tax reports or referencing codes. It would be a lie to say she didn't use these often. Behind her was a large circular window that fed out to the vast hills beneath Canterlot. They were dark, drenched with the pegasus's storm. The clouds had grow so thick as to block out the pale moonlight, creating a barren, black wasteland, despite the distant lights of Ponyville. The sights of the forlorn lamps and distant houses made her sick. Sick with grief, anger, sadness, loss, and possibly most of all, happiness. Turning back around on her - formerly Celestia's - large scarlet cushion, she faced the folder head on. How was the Gala even close to important right now? The ponies down at the bureaucratic division needed to prioritize, and soon. Even still, she flicked open the front page with her blackened hoof, the reminder of her nightmare churning her gut. The folder read as any other normal complaint. The Grand Galloping Gala was normally in a week or so, but nothing was scheduled, so now ponies were complaining. "Of all the things..." "Sister," a voice called for her. The once closed oaken door was thrust open, and a tall white stallion with a flowing blue mane barged in. Twilight gripped her chest, gasping for air as her face turned a deep red. "You...You should knock," she said as she sucked in deeply. "My apologies. But I was told that you were injured, and-" "I'm fine Shining." Twilight kicked the pillow with her hind hoof, a soft thud as the result. She pushed away the pointless folder, heaving it off the desk and into a pile of scattered papers, reports, and other complaints that had met the same fate. "Then what did you need? Cadence is on her way, and there's a lot to be done before the wedding," he said, taking a seat before the desk. He bore no armor now - an unusual look for the captain of her guard. "Trixie's gone missing. I want you to have some of your guards find her, and drag her back into my room. That's the first thing. The second, is, um, this." She tapped her cheek with a hoof. "What happened?" the stallion asked, up on his hooves immediately. His eyes were wide, and his mouth was snarled. "Were you attacked? Did she finally rear her ugly head? My ponies stand ready!" "Oh would you calm down," Twilight sighed. "The answer to your question is a yes and no. I was asleep, and had that dream again." "The one with the elements?" "Yeah," she said, pulling a new folder from the stack with her magic. "And of course, she was there. But this time, she spoke. She said my days were numbered. Then...this." "I'd say it was simply a dream..." "Then how would you explain this?" "I'm...I'm not sure. Does it hurt?" Shining inspected his sister closely. "No, not really," she sighed, "At least, not anymore." There was a pause. "So she's got a plan on your life, huh? Well she can think again. No one lays a single hoof on my sister," Shining said, once again puffing his chest out and standing tall. "I've got to hoof it to you, you're loyal. Now...go. Please. Set the guards up in any way you want, and find Trixie. But for now, go. I've got things to do." Shining Armor dropped his heroic stance, nodding to his sister and walking off with a sigh. "Do you need anything else?" he asked as he stepped through the doorway. Twilight shook her head, not looking up from the new folder once to say a thing. The guard sighed, continuing his exit and closing the door behind him with a blue aura. With him gone, the unicorn opened this new folder. Its front label read Ponyville Riot. This was actually something important. A wave of guilty relief washed over her; finally, she could actually do something instead of just saying no. Her eyes traced the first lines of the paper, and a sudden disappointment washed over her face. This was no riot. This was suspicion, mere paranoia. Somepony had an idea stuck in his head that Ponyville was going to riot, and decided to send it on up. Grumbling, she kicked the folder away, snatching the next one and cracking it open. Right before the thin flap of parchment hit the desk, Twilight's eyes wandered, leading them to a little unsealed scroll that sat at the corner. It was old - a year old, actually - though it was just as important as ever. She squinted to see the thing better in the layered darkness. It was worn, beaten and dusty. A popped wax seal remained on its front, bearing the seal of the sun goddess herself. Twilight enveloped it in her lavender aura and levitated it close to her face. She cracked it open with a crinkling sound, exposing the blotched ink font. It resembled chicken-scratch, though perhaps a bit more sloppy. Definitely something a Princess would not write, unless she had been in a hurry. It read: In the event of my permanent absence, I, Princess Celestia, hereby appoint my most trusted and faithful student Twilight Sparkle to the position of High Chancellor. Her signature was scrawled at the bottom, completely unreadable and unrecognizable. Even still, this document was unfortunately legitimized, and now, as Twilight Sparkle sat alone in the cold office, she had become one of the most powerful ponies in Equestria. And the worst part of it was: Celestia had seen it coming. ~~~ Shining Armor trotted down the central halls of Canterlot. Only the dim torchlight to guide him down his carpet laden path, he maneuvered through the various bends and turns, the sound of pattering rain following him incessantly. He was now in a long hallway that spanned one side of the New Canterlot Wall, as it was called. The wall, being constructed soon after the Nightmare Moon incident, stretched around the actual castle, a large barrier of pure stone and metal that could hold an army at bay. The arched corridor had small fogged windows on its left, and Shining found himself staring out these as he walked. Being on the top level of the wall, he could clearly see down into Canterlot City, who's dim streetlights and lonely houselights were kept in check by the torrents of rain and wind. He strode out the hall, through a series of vaulted archways, down a set of spiral tower stairs, and out into another hall that was diagonal to the first. This hall was different, though, for at its end was a rectangular cast iron door with a large bronze plate on its center, reading Guard Grounds. At the door he stopped, waited, listened. The soft sound of raindrops slamming against the courtyard muck seeped through the few cracks Shining threw it aside with his magic, stepping into out from the hall, and shutting it again. His hooves sloshed in the mud as he made his way through the soaked yards. Platoons upon platoons of guards maneuvered left and right throughout the mud, sergeants at their fore snapping orders left and right. Shining Armor swerved around them, nodding to the armored stallions. They nodded back, continuing on their marches. Drills like this were increasingly common as of late. Galloping now, he ran through the rain to a large, onyx spire that sat in the middle of the grounds. Huge golden columns spanned it's sides, a huge iron door severing a particularly large pair. Shining tossed this door aside, revealing a dry, open room with a lone oak table at its center and four dim torches on the black walls. Around the table sat four loosely constructed chairs with no padding whatsoever. Only two were occupied, one with a large black mare who donned a golden cap, and another by a white stallion adorned in the standard golden regimen. They were bickering, slinging their cases at each other over an unfurled map of Equestria. The white guard stallion flung his arms about, shouting, "More! I don't care what you think! We need more troops in Manehattan!" "We can't send more troops, how many times do I have to cram that into your thick skull? Commander, Canterlot is more important that Manehattan, and you know that," the mare said, snarling and shaking her head. "Take some from Trottingham! It's not like that happy little backwash town needs them!" "Yes," the mare said, slamming her hoof down and squinting, "Things are fine in Trottingham. And, while I'm not so sure about you, I'd like them to stay that way. Manehattan had one little revolt. It was a group of five ponies - let me repeat that, five ponies." Now the guard slammed his own hoof down. "The latest revolt was, yes. But this has been the sixth one in two weeks! Let me repeat, general! Two. Weeks!" "Ladies," Shining said, smirking and winking to the stallion. The guard's cheeks puffed and his face scrunched. "Hello, sir," he said, slowly dragging his hoof off the map. The general beside him only nodded, a hint of a smile on her lips. "Anything new?" Shining asked, taking a seat of his own across from them both. "Nothing yet-" "There's been problems in Manehattan," the stallion said, glaring at the general. "So I hear," Shining said with a sigh. "But for now, as the general said, Canterlot is more important. In fact, we've got a problem on our hooves." The general snapped up, shooting her blue eyes to Shining Armor. "What problem? Everything's fine on our end sir. There's no sign of Nightmare Moon anywhere, and the troops stand ready." "Nothing like that. Trixie's gone missing again," he said. "No big worries, but we do need to find her. You know how Twi gets." The general and the guard both let out long sighs, relaxing from their tight postures. "I can send a search team for her. She couldn't have gotten far," the mare said. "Do that. You." Shining shot his hoof at the guard. "How are the supply lines running into Manehattan?" "Stable, sir," he said. Shining nodded, drawing in a deep breath. "And the situation?" "Small riots. We could use some reinforcements, but I suppose it's under control for now..." "Good. Keep it that way. General, have you seen any sort of activity beyond the walls? It's been a solid year now...I'd be lying to say I wasn't worried." "Nothing sir. Patrols are saying the only thing moving out there are bunnies and stuff of the sort. But...well, sir, patrols are almost always drunk," she said. Her head slipped down with a sigh. "Well, as long as there's no sign of her, we'll be fine. Get some ponies on the Trixie problem. I ought to be going." Behind him, a rain soaked mare, stumbling around and reeking of cheap wine sauntered in. "Sir!" she said in a slur. "What private? Were you...drinking?" He growled, rubbing his temples with his hooves. "No, er, yeah, uh...whatever, look, we saw something!" she said. Leaning on the wall, she hiccupped like a filly. On her face, though, was a look of dead seriousness. All three of the ponies stood from their chairs, glaring at her. Shining Armor stepped forward with darted eyes. "What did you see? Are you sure it wasn't the alcohol?" "Uh, pretty sure," she said with a vigorous nod. "Besides, I wouldn't come huntin' you down while I was drunk if I didn't have to." "What did you see?" he repeated, stomping his hoof down on the concrete floor. The mare's eyes shot wide as she recoiled. "It was, uh, dark. And it was flying too! Really, really fast! It was heading to the main castle, and-" "Enough! General, I want all guards on full alert. Send at least thirty up to the chancellor's chambers, and I mean now. Private, get your drunk flank outta here." The private nodded and scampered out into the storm. Shining Armor shook his head and bit his lip. Making his way to the door, he said, "If you see anything even resembling an alicorn, take it down. That's an order." ~~~ Twilight flipped the flimsy, ghost white page. Still in her office, she was slumped down in the cushion, scanning the block font in front of her with a faint smile. Across the top of the large paper were the words The Good Times, commissioned by Chancellor Sparkle. Six months, she remembered. That was how long this thing had been in circulation. The headline on the new page was Couple gets married in Fillydelphia. Below it was a black and white photo of a bulky stallion with his scrawny wife. Twilight's lips creased up, a slightly bigger smile spreading across her face. There wasn't one hint of bad news in this paper. On the next page was a title of Orphanage finally built, houses 50 homeless fillies. The unicorn bit her lip as her smile spread ever farther. Beneath this one, lit by the faint candle beside her, was a picture of a large brick structure. All of its little inhabitants were standing in front of its lofted doorway with tiny little smiles. A few even had tears in their eyes. Thunder boomed behind her, nearly startling her. She slowly raised her hoof to her chest, rubbing the area in a circle and taking slightly deeper breaths. Her eyes did not lift from the pages once, however. They were busy scanning line after line of black text, soaking in the story of the close-call orphanage and its fillies. After a few minutes of lonely taps of the rain on the glass behind her, a sudden boom bellowed throughout the office as its doors were flung ajar. Her head snapped up with eyes as huge as saucers. In front of her was a tall, slender figure with a light blue mane that seemed almost astral in nature. This figure had two bulging wings on either side and a long horn atop her head. She donned cyan armor that covered her dark black body in sections. Upon her chest piece was the most noticeable thing - a small crescent moon that glowed vibrantly, even in the dim light. "Finally ran out of patience, huh?" Twilight asked, tossing her newspaper aside. She scowled at the figure, standing from her cushion and propping herself up on the desk. Now she was even with the alicorn, her eyes locked with the azure draconic jewels across from her. "Coming alone. Not very smart." "Alone?" Nightmare Moon's sweet voice asked mockingly. "Please, by all means underestimate me. Have a look behind you." Twilight carefully turned her head. She quickly turned around, glancing out of her window. For a second, she had begun to turn back around. But she froze, a statue of ice as the air lost all heat. Out of her window, beyond the New Canterlot Wall, a huge wave of dark, shifting ponies marched onwards. They moved so fluidly, so effortlessly, like sand on a windy day. The worst of it all, though; they were armored with silver helms and body pieces, and had long silver swords. They surged upon the city walls, coming on strong and hard. She could see her own guards shooting about the castle grounds and walls as a sort of organized hysteria broke loose. "I come prepared," Nightmare said with a wry chuckle. "You're no match for the guards," Twilight cursed. "They'll crush that little crew of yours easily." "And what if I say I know that? What if all I need to do is knock out the top?" The sound of shifting hooves and clanking armor became faintly audible in the halls. "I come prepared too, you know," the unicorn said, giving her own grin in return. And the victor is... "Don't fool yourself, you insolent foal. How could I come here and not expect you to be prepared?" Nightmare Moon spat to the corner of the room, hissing at Twilight. "A trick up your sleeve?" Twilight jibed, the sounds drawing closer. If she could only keep the mare occupied for a bit longer... "I don't need tricks to wipe out worms like yourself," she said smugly. "Halt!" a familiar voice rang through the halls. A sudden swarm of armor clad guards surrounded Nightmare Moon, all with shimmering blades firmly in the grasps of their jaws. Twilight observed as the alicorn turned from her. Her black horn was beginning to glow with a deep blue light, and Twilight could feel the intensity of the magic in the air. "Now or never..." She heaved herself up onto the marble desk, shooting papers each and every way. Faltering only slightly and doing her best to hold back an aching drawling groan, she leapt forward, charging in at the nightmare. Her own horn began to glow a vibrant pink, a bright light beaconing its tip. Just as she made contact, the spell fired, engulfing the room in a bright light. ~~~ It happened faster than she could have imagined it. She found herself slammed against her desk, a horrible cracking echoing out from her back as she fell to the floor. Her vision faded out as her muscles went numb, letting noises become her guide to the outside world. There was the shrill scream of Nightmare Moon, followed by a hiss and curse of the same voice. Then came the harsh clashing of armor. More screams - deep and gruff, obviously that of a stallion - came. She could feel warmth splatter against her face, making her gut churn and her body tense. There was more clashing. Loud thuds came from everywhere and nowhere; these could only come from something large, dropping abruptly. Something like an armor-clad stallion. From outside, cannon shots, barking orders, and the clash of metal overtook the natural sounds of the storm. A splitting sound bellowed out, followed by the mad ravings of multiple ponies. The sound was terrible, as though something large had caved into itself. She prayed to Celestia - wherever she may be - that it wasn't the wall. Back on the inside, though, a loud thud - probably the loudest of all - sent a shockwave through the floorboards. Now, the sound of metal clashing and screams of dying stallions ceased, abrupt but certainly welcome. They were replaced by long moans, nasty gargles, and soft cries. She did her best to open her eyes. And for a moment, it seemed that she would. But alas, they did not budge a bit. "Four sir," a voice said from the darkness. Twilight tried yet again to pry her eyelids open, but came to no avail. But the comforting voice of her brother soon rang through her head. "That's it? Out of thirty...four left..." There was a soft cough, followed by a hard thump. "Three..." "She's still alive," a new voice said. Another pound came, sounding like something had been kicked. "Let's hope she is. Take her to the medical room, tie her down and but a blade to her horn," her brother's voice commanded. "If she get's antsy, well, you know what to do." There was a sudden jolt of hooves, followed by the sound of something heavy being dragged along the floor. A sudden hoof grazed her side. She felt it, but was unable to respond, no matter how hard she strained her muscles. He seemed to understand though. Grazing his hoof up and down her side, he whispered, "You'll be all right Twi. Just hang on. You'll be all right."