Act One: Creatures of the Night
Chapter Two
"My..."
"Help, yes. Must I repeat it?"
Twilight blinked in confusion at Nightmare Moon's request, nay, demand for help. The black alicorn turned her attention back to Spike, a scowl on her regal features. If Twilight didn't know better, she could have sworn that the dark alicorn was embarrassed.
"Why?"
Nightmare Moon glanced back at the unicorn. "I have just now emerged from my millennium prison. Such a feat, even for somepony such as myself, is extremely taxing on one's magic. I may have succeeded but at the cost of.... Simply put I am not at my best." She growled threateningly and added, "Don't misunderstand me, I'm no foal. I'm still powerful enough to face you down, let alone this baby dragon. I merely need to bide my time and recover my full strength so that I may face Celestia myself, though this sunlight is certainly not helpful."
The black alicorn shifted her wings slightly. "Until I can return with my full might and an army supporting me, I need somepony to keep me hidden."
Twilight shook her head disbelievingly. "But why me? Why me?"
Nightmare Moon sighed and looked away thoughtfully. "It's difficult to explain. Just accept that right now you are the only pony in this town that I can possibly hope to trust." Twilight opened her mouth to retort but Nightmare Moon raised her hoof threatening over Spike's bed. "And keep in mind that I hold your precious familiar's life in my hooves."
Twilight remained still, thinking her situation over. I could try to fight her if she's really weak; she could be underestimating my own talent. But what if she's not? I can't risk Spike, but this is...
"You will help me."
Twilight could sense the desperation and pleading behind the imperious veil of the Night Princess' declaration. Carefully, she nodded her head and replied quietly. "How long?"
Nightmare Moon smirked triumphantly. "I should be ready to reveal myself to the world by the Winter Moon Celebration. That is, if it is still celebrated."
Twilight jumped in shock. "But that's...."
"As long as I need, and I expect your cooperation for at least that long." Nightmare Moon's smirk widened into an evil grin. "Perhaps even longer."
"Six months...." Twilight scowled. "I'm not helping you any more than I have to."
Nightmare Moon settled back comfortably. "We'll see."
Twilight stared at the evil princess, who merely returned her gaze. The latter raised an eyebrow questioningly. "This is my bedroom." Twilight explained.
Nightmare Moon cocked her head. "I could have sworn you ponies slept during the night, or has society really changed that much since I have been absent."
"It hasn't," Twilight shot back. "I've just had a long, sleepless night. If you would mind..."
"I'm not using your bed." Nightmare Moon gestured towards the unoccupied bed.
Twilight stared at her for a few seconds and turned around. "I'm going to do some reading."
"Remember Twilight," Nightmare moon cautioned, her voice dropping coldly, "I'm watching you. If you do anything..."
"I know." Twilight muttered and trotted back down the stairs, taking her light with her. Satisfied, Nightmare Moon rose unsteadily to her feet and slowly walked over to Twilight's bed. There she curled up into a tight ball and laid down, taking up the entirety of the purple unicorn's bed. With her eyes, she watched the slumbering dragon while her mind remained concentrated on the sparkling white aura that now paced in the library below.
"Hrk...Gh...Huh?"
Nightmare Moon turned her full attention to the purple dragon baby that now stirred in his bed below her. The dragon snorted and rubbed his eyes. Blinking, he groaned, "Did I really sleep all day?"
"Hardly."
The purple dragon jumped in shock and looked around the pitch-black room. "Wh-Who's there?"
Nightmare Moon grinned mischievously and leaned over the bed, whispering in the dragon's ear. "Your new foalsitter."
The dragon froze and fainted, causing Nightmare Moon to chuckle in villainous pleasure.
- - - -
Twilight tried to calm down and read something, anything, but her mind was still racing, trying to find out a way to break Nightmare Moon's hold over her. I need to get Spike away from her, but she's too smart for that. Maybe I can claim I need to go shopping for... quills? No, she'd never buy that. Maybe a secret... no, she'll see through that. Maybe... I don't have enough time alone for that...
"...you are the only pony in this town that I can possibly hope to trust..."
Twilight stopped pacing. How can she trust me? Does she even know who I am? She looked up at the ceiling, thinking she heard a thud from upstairs, but dismissed it as her new houseguest. I can't be helping Nightmare Moon. I mean, I'm Princess Celestia's personal student, I have to be able to find a way to stop her.
"Of course..." She muttered softly, and turned her attention to the bookshelves that lined the room. "Elements... Elements... there has to be a book on them around here somewhere."
A sudden knock on the door caused her to freeze in shock. "Hello? Is anypony in here?" Twilight grimaced at the sound of Applejack's voice and stood still in the middle of the room. Maybe if I stay still and don't make a sound, she'll go away...
A shadow fell over a curtained window and an orange pony appeared through a crack. Twilight watched as the newcomer peered into the dark room, her eyes eventually falling on Twilight's still form. "Hay there, anypony in there?" Applejack repeated, knocking on the window, "Is that you Twilight?"
Twilight sighed and did her best to put on a smile and opened the door with her magic. The orange pony reappeared at the door shortly after and trotted into the room. "Hiya, Twilight! Gosh," Applejack remarked and looked around the darkened room, "awful dark in here, isn't it?"
"Well, yes, yes it is." Twilight nervously laughed, "It's just that... I... wait!" She suddenly sped over as Applejack tried to open one of the curtains.
"Well what's wrong Twilight?" Applejack asked with one eyebrow raised.
"It's just... I've been up for too long." It was a half-truth, and that was good enough for her. "I'm really tired, and I really need to get some sleep."
"Well, sorry for bothering you then sugarcube," Applejack apologized abashedly, "It's just that I could have sworn I left some cider here from last night's party."
"It's okay." Twilight's nervous smile returned in full force. "There's no problem." She looked around the dark room: most of the party decorations and paraphernalia from last night had been taken away by the time she arrived, most likely by Pinkie Pie. "I don't think it's here, though."
"Shucks, I should've tried Sugarcube Corner first. Sorry again Twilight." Applejack turned back to the door, missing the purple unicorn breathe a sigh of relief.
A loud creak from upstairs caused Twilight and Applejack to freeze.
"Uh, Twilight?" Applejack asked, slowly turning around, "Is anypony else here?"
"Nope, nopony else." Twilight's smile widened to unrealistic proportions. It's certainly not Nightmare Moon holding my number one assistant hostage.
Applejack's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Nopony?"
"No. Well," she conceded as she looked away from Applejack's accusing glare, "just me and Spike. That's it, Spike, he must be up. Spike, is that you!?"
There was no response from upstairs. Applejack carefully approached Twilight and peered up the stairs. "Twilight, is everything all right?"
"Of course it is." Sweat was slowly starting to soak through her fur. "Why shouldn't it be? Everything's all normal here. Spike?!" she called up again. "Are you up Sike?"
Applejack's eyes narrowed again as she approached the staircase. "Are you sure everything's all right Twilight?" She said over her shoulder.
"I don't..." Twilight stammered, more worried for the orange pony than anything else.
"MORNING TWILIGHT!"
Spike's sudden cry and appearance at the top the stairs caused both of the ponies to jump into the air. The purple dragon stood firmly like a board, a smile nearly identical to Twilight's plastered on his face. Blinking far too much to be normal, Spike descended the stairs stiffly.
"Spike!" Twilight said relieved, "That was you up there, right?"
"Yep, that was me." Spike chuckled, "Nopony else. Just me. All me."
Both Spike and Twilight turned to Applejack, who was taken aback by their eerie smiles. Awkwardly, she took a few steps back towards the door. "Er, are you two...?"
"Tired." Both said simultaneously. "Long night."
"Er, well," Applejack replied as she nervously backed out of the library, "get some sleep you two. And, er, good day."
When the door finally closed shut, Twilight and Spike breathed a sigh of relief. They looked at each other, their eyes both heavy with weariness. "Twilight, why is Nightmare Moon in your bedroom?" Spike moaned.
"Apparently she needs me to look after her for a while."
"And you're doing this...?" Spike asked, waving his claw in the air
"Because she'll kill you otherwise."
"Ah," Spike replied flatly. Looking around nervously, he began to sprint for the front door, only to be caught in a halo of clear blue energy. The baby dragon was pulled back upstairs with a yelp and landed at the hooves of Nightmare Moon, who appeared at the top of the stairs. Taking the dragon in a hoof, the alicorn raised Spike into the air and scowled at him.
"You are both terrible liars." She sneered. "If I didn't wake your assistant for you, you'd be facing Princess Celestia's wrath... and mine."
"I'm sorry if I hadn't any reason to lie to anypony until now." Twilight scowled back.
Nightmare Moon scoffed and turned back into the bedroom, taking Spike with her. "One thing you'll simply have to learn, then... Twilight." She chuckled. "What a fitting name, the last light before nighttime."
Twilight trotted over to the base of the stairs and called up, "I'm not doing this because I want to!"
Nightmare Moon poked her head back down the staircase, causing Twilight to back up slightly. "Little Twilight, did I ever say you were? Who are you trying to convince if not me?" She smirked and returned to the black room she now used as her home.
Twilight didn't reply and instead turned back to the bookshelves, searching for the one book that could possibly be of any use to her.
But there was a knocking at her door.
Twilight twitched and turned back to the door, finding another pony waiting outside. "Who is it now?" she muttered, and trotted over to the door, opening it telepathically as she did. Standing in the awfully bright sunlight was a familiar white unicorn.
"Darling!" Rarity cried with delight, "It's so good to see you again! Oh," she peered around Twilight and into the dark library, "awfully dark, isn't it? You simply must open your curtains."
"No, thank you." Twilight sighed, "I'm really tired and I need a little rest. I didn't get to sleep last night."
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry for intruding my dear." Rarity shook her head apologetically. "I was just wondering if you were willing to join me for some brunch later today?"
"Sorry, but no."
"Dinner?" Rarity pressed hopefully.
"Tomorrow." Twilight looked up wearily. "How about tomorrow for dinner? Too tired right now."
"Oh thank you Twilight!" Rarity beamed. "Oh, you must tell me all about Canterlot, all of the latest fashions, the latest trends. Say, did I see you with the Princess ear-"
But Twilight cut her off, politely closing the door in her white face. Twilight rubbed her eyes and sighed. Wearily, she walked over to the bookshelves, only to find Nightmare Moon glaring down at her from the top of the stairs. "Your majesty?" Twilight asked sarcastically.
"No wonder Celestia's aura is so thick around you." Nightmare Moon looked upon Twilight with a thin frown. "Canterlot-born, and you know the Princess." The last word she spoke with unrestrained contempt.
"I'm Princess Celestia's personal protégée." Twilight explained.
Nightmare Moon sneered briefly before turning around and returning to the bedroom. "The nerve."
"What?" Twilight asked without response from the Princess of the Night. "Hay, I'm talking to you!" Twilight trotted over to the stairs and looked up, "What's the nerve!"
"That somepony like you would be her protégée." Nightmare Moon replied testily from the darkness. "I can understand her reasons, but the act is a brazen insult."
"And what do you mean by that?" Twilight shot back, only to raise her hooves in an exasperated manner shortly after, "Never mind, I don't care."
Sighing, she trotted over to the bookshelves, looking for the one book-
But there was a knocking at her door.
Growling in annoyance, Twilight trotted up to the door and opened it with her magic. "What do you need?" Twilight asked, her eyes narrowed at the bright multi-colored mare hovering in front of her.
"Hay, no need to be so testy." Rainbow Dash said, raising her hooves in annoyance.
"Tired." Twilight repeated curtly. "No sleep. Trying."
"Yeah, I expected, given last night's party." Rainbow Dash nodded understandingly. "So... are you going back to Canterlot soon?"
Twilight closed her eyes. "No, I'm going to be here for a while."
"Oh, okay." Rainbow Dash remarked in a slightly higher register. "Not that I don't want you around, it's just, well."
"What." Twilight replied flatly.
"You're still in contact with the Princess, right?" Rainbow Dash questioned warily.
Twilight stared at the pegasus.
"Well, I heard she and the Wonderbolts..."
Twilight slammed the door in Rainbow's face and turned around quickly, glaring at the bookshelves opposite her.
"Truly if you were to be anyone's student," a thoughtful voice drifted down from upstairs, "you should be mine."
Twilight squeezed her eyes shut and started breathing steadily: in through the nose and out through the mouth
"Given your own talents," Nightmare Moon continued, "and your particular background, it only makes sense. Imagine the things I could teach you Twilight."
"Twilight's Princess Celestia's student!" Twilight heard Spike's retort upstairs, "She'll never even think about-MUMPGH!"
"Little dragons should learn to keep their mouths shut." Nightmare Moon replied, her voice low and cool again.
Twilight scowled and opened her eyes. Grinding her teeth, she turned once again to the bookshelv-
But there was a knocking-
"WHAT?!" Twilight cried in anger, throwing open the door with her magic and glaring at the pony waiting outside.
A soft yellow pegasus with a pink mane sat, eyes wide with fright, cowering under Twilight's gaze. "Oh, I'm so sorry," Fluttershy whimpered, "Is this a bad time?"
Twilight screwed up her eyes, chastising herself over her loss of temper. "I'm sorry Fluttershy, It's just I've been dealing with this stubborn..." she cast a glance at the darkness at the top of the stairs and could have sworn she saw two nightmarish eyes glaring back at her. "...insomnia," Twilight finished, defeated, "and... and I really need to sleep."
Fluttershy looked away and replied, her voice barely above a whisper, "Oh, I'm sorry to have bothered you."
"It's all right, Fluttershy." Twilight replied apologetically, "What can I help you with?"
But the pegasus did not reply. She merely whimpered slightly as a wounded puppy would and crawled away from the door. Twilight stared out the door for a few moments before sighing wearily and closing it shut. The eyes at the top of the stairs twinkled with some unknown emotion.
" I think..."
"Shut up." Twilight replied without humor. Nightmare Moon's eyes narrowed for a moment before disappearing into the dark entirely. Twilight sighed and turned away from the door. However she did not go to the bookshelves, remaining where she was and waiting patiently.
And there was a knock at her door.
"Five ponies, five visits." Twilight muttered and stepped up to the front door. She slowly opened the door and asked, "Pinkie, how can I...?"
But she stopped mid-sentence, shocked to see somepony other that Pinkie Pie standing before her. A familiar grey pegasus with a scruffy blond mane stared at her expectantly with two crooked yellow eyes. Thrown over her back was a slightly crooked pair of saddlebags. Her smile, though not as manic or bright as Pinkie's, was no less cheerful as she tilted her head and silently watched Twilight.
"Eh..." Twilight blinked, staring back into the pegasus' eyes.
The pegasus dropped one ear and asked, "This is the library, right?"
Twilight looked behind her and at the shelves of books. "Yes." She replied, turning around slowly.
The pegasus laughed cheerfully. "Oh thank goodness, I remembered! Sorry, I usually get places all jumbled up, but I was here yesterday, wasn't I?" The pegasus poked her head in and looked around. "Yeah, for the party. It's darker now, isn't it?"
"I think I remember you." Twilight replied, carefully leading the pegasus away from going inside. "Your name's... um...."
The pegasus smiled and saluted, "Ditzy Doo, Ms. Sparkle, Ponyville's mailmare extraordinaire."
Twilight blinked. "Um, yes. Do you have...?"
"Oh, right!" Ditzy reached back and retrieved a package from her saddlebags. and carefully handed it to Twilight. "A gift from Sugarcube Corner."
"Thanks," Twilight said, levitating the package from Ditzy.
The pegasus smiled and flapped her wings, taking off into the sky in a slightly lopsided manner. She turned around and waved excitedly, grinning happily. "See you around Twilight Sparkle! See you around Twilight's friend!"
Twilight closed the door and looked down at the package levitating in front of her. She plucked a note that hung from the package and examined the curving pink scrawl.
Heya Twilight, it's me Pinkie Pie. I'm sorry I can't see you myself, but I'm really busy working at Sugarcube Corner right now. Plus I know you need your sleep after that kicking party last night! I know you left early and all, but I know you had a really good time while you were there. I mean there was the hot sauce you accidentally ate, but wasn't it tasty? Oh, you weren't there when I tried the hot sauce cupcakes, boy were those...
Twilight shook her head and put aside the note. She carefully opened the package, revealing a dozen purple and pink cupcakes. A small, warm smile crept across Twilight's face. The ponies here all crazy... but nice. Her smile disappeared in an instant. But still crazy.
"Sparkle?"
Twilight jumped, letting the cupcakes drop to the ground. She spun around to see Nightmare Moon standing mere feet from her. The alicorn was staring at the purple unicorn, one eye raised. "It doesn't do you justice. Sparkle. It's foalish. It's like calling me Nightmare... Glitter."
"How long were you down here?" Twilight hissed, remembering Ditzy's farewell.
Nightmare Moon turned away and walked gracefully towards the bookshelves. "Don't fear for me, the mailmare... Ditzy won't tell anypony about me, and if she did," she turned back and stared at Twilight Sparkle, "would you trust her?"
"I don't know?" Twilight replied, heart still pounding. "Maybe? Everypony's crazy here! The farmers, the weather ponies, the designers, the mailmares."
"The students."
Twilight glared at Nightmare Moon, who had resumed browsing the shelves. "What are you doing down here in the first place?"
The black alicorn turned away and levitated a book from the shelves. Climbing the stairs, she replied, "Some light reading while I rest."
Twilight sighed and followed her upstairs. Nightmare Moon raised an eyebrow as Twilight passed her on the stairs and strode into the bedroom. Spike sat in his bed, eyes focused on Nightmare Moon's every move. Twilight paid Spike no mind as she passed his bed, climbed into her own, and threw herself under the covers.
Nightmare Moon chuckled. "What, do you no longer fear my presence? I must be losing my touch."
"Don't care." Twilight replied flatly. "Too tired. You can see in the dark, right? Shut up, read your book, and let me sleep."
Nightmare Moon scowled at Twilight, but with no other reaction from the unicorn, Nightmare Moon curled up next to Spike's bed, leading the purple dragon to recoil slightly. She placed her book on the ground in front of her. Embossed on the cover was The Elements of Harmony: a Reference Guide. Her horn glowed softly as she flipped open the book and began to read.
She cast a glance over at Twilight's bed, where the purple unicorn had fallen asleep and began to snore. The black alicorn smiled, with only a hint of wickedness or derision in her lips. She blinked and turned back to her book.
Meanwhile a sparkling white aura of magic slowly peeled away from the purple unicorn it enveloped. Underneath, a shadowy web of energy began to stir.