by neorenamon
"Well well Princess Celestia," gloated Discord as he appeared in her cell with their new prisoners, "It looks like your rescue was a bust. Pity one of them managed to escape, but I doubt it won't be long before they join you as well."
Celestia blinked as she looked around at the humanoids bound by chains. While they were rather alien to her, she somehow got the feeling that she knew them as well. It did seem consistent with Luna's transformation from Nightmare Moon into Nightmaretron. But she just didn't know the ponies well enough to know who they were until she saw the cutie mark of the violet prisoner.
'TWILIGHT?!' she thought.
"Your rescue has failed, big sister!" gloated Nightmaretron as she walked into view, "It's only a matter of time before the night... will last... FOREVER!"
'Drama queen,' she thought back.
"But now that your bungled rescue is here," she hissed, "Perhaps it's time to show them what they feel will save them!"
The five inert Elements of Harmony rolled into the cell with them and Discord. They all struggled against their chains to try and grab at least one of them on the off chance they could activate it.
"When my power is at its peak," she hissed, "I'll destroy the Elements of Harmony before your very eyes!!"
They looked on in wide eyed horror at the notion of what Nightmaretron just said.
"Yes," agreed Discord, "Destroying our one true weakness will help us both immensely. Once that little detail is out of the way, I can go my own way and sew chaos in my own kingdoms. You can rule this one as you see fit."
"Oh yes," she hissed, "Your contribution to the defeat of my big sister will not go unnoticed or unrewarded."
"Do you think the blue coward will let her friends rot in here?"
"Oh I think she'll come back to try and save them," she replied as she laughed, "Her ego won't allow her to admit she failed. She thinks she can do alone what they couldn't do together."
"You don't really need ALL of them, do you?" he asked as he looked the struggling prisoners over.
"Other than Twilight and my big sister," she hissed, "You can take any of the others for your own toys. All I ask is that they see the destruction of the Elements of Harmony first. I want to see their eyes when their only hope is dashed right in front of them."
His talon stroked Pinkie's chin as he mused, "Oh I definitely want this one. I'm sure we can have a whole lot of fun together." It made her squirm as she fought against the chains. "Don't be like that sweets," he cooed into her ear, "Once I... adjust your personality... you'll be all to happy to serve me in any capacity I choose to." He continued to stare at her as he added, "Oh, I'll really enjoy taking that defiant look from your eyes, my dear."
"But the suffering of big sister will be the most delicious thing to me," snarled Nightmaretron, "But would you be a dear and see if Princess Megatron needs help destroying the Autobots? I don't like surprises and I don't know enough about them to make sure that doesn't happen. I also don't want any surprise returns from that blue coward."
"Of course I can," he said as he snapped his talons and vanished in a flash of light.