Nightmare Moon cackled sinisterly at Twilight and Spike's statements, "Well, well, some ponies that DO remember me. Then you know why I'm...." She stopped abruptly.
She blinked a few times
Silence reigned.
"Wait.." She looked at Spike, "Did I hear him right?? Did you say 'your mother!?"
He snarled, "I'm not going to ask again." His horn ignited, and a ball of jade green flame manifested between his hands.
"Seriously?" She started to laugh again, "You're tell me Sunnybutt is really a MOM!? Oh this is too rich! I can't believe she actually popped out a sprog! And judging from those wings, she must've been feeling adventurous!"
"ANSWER ME!" With a hard push, he launched the fireball towards her.
Only for it to splash uselessly on the shield she tossed out.
He launched another; nothing.
Charging up his horn, he took flight and let loose with a straight beam of magic. It crackled against her defenses, causing an impressive light show, but little else.
"Well, that was in an interesting display." She smirked, "But your technique is all wrong." With a snap of her fingers, what looked like a jet black marble appeared on the tip of her horn and grew until it was as big as a pony's head. Her eyes slowly scanned the crowd before settling on a certain lavender mare, "Let me show you how it's done!" She hissed, sending the orb screaming towards her.
Twilight froze; it was moving fast enough to still clip her if she tried to dodge, and even if she did avoid it, it could still hit the ponies behind her!
"Twilight!" In a flash of green flame, Spike teleported in front of her and brought up his own shield, reinforcing it with his wings. The black orb shattered the shield and slammed into him, sending the flying over her head for at least five yards before thudding back to the ground.
"SPIKE!" She screamed, running to his prone form. The membrane of the wing it had first struck had a black scorch mark and the wrist joint was already starting to swell slightly. Relief washed over her when she got close enough to see he was still breathing.
"Nnnnhhh.." A dull groan escaped his lips, "Now I know how a golf ball feels...ow..."
"Seize her!" The Mayor shouted to the royal guards, who took off at her, "She's the only one who knows where the Princess is!"
"Stop!" Spike grunted as Twilight helped him up.
"FOOLS!" Nightmare roared, calling forth a bolt of lightening to knock them out of the air. "Remember this day, little ponies." She leered at them, "For it will be your last. From this moment on, the night will be ETERNAL!" She laughed maniacally as she shifted into a cloud and took off into the night.
"Get back here!" Rainbow Dash yelled, breaking free from Applejack's grip and flying off after her, only to see the cloud vanish into the distance, "Eternal...night?' She asked worriedly before spotting Twilight and Spike running out, "Where are THEY going?"
-----------A Few Minutes Later: At The Library-----------
"Elements! Elements! Elements!" Twilight frantically rummaged through books.
"There's nothing here!" Spike yelled in anger, followed by a loud thump.
She whirled around to see him bracing himself against the wall with one hand, his other resting on the shelf he'd just knocked several books off of. It wasn't hard to hear him breathing heavy, "Spike?" Concern laced her voice.
"I'm sorry, Twi..." He responded quietly.
She moved closer to him, "Sorry? For what?"
"Nightmare Moon, the elements, the whole thing! I should've taken you more seriously about this!" He panted, more from the lingering pain than anything, "Now Mom's missing and that...that psycho mare is out there doing who knows what!" He halted when she suddenly appeared in his field of view and wrapped her arms around him.
"There's nothing to be sorry about, Spike." She whispered, "I honestly hoped that I was wrong about it all. Neither of us could have been a hundred percent certain about it."
He was motionless for a few moments before letting out a long, sighing exhale, "Yeah, you're right Twi. I just don't know which I'm worried about more; Mom or what might happen to the other ponies in Equestria."
"Which is why we have to try and find something that'll tell us where the Elements of Harmony are."
"And just what ARE these 'Elements of Harmony', huh!?" Rainbow Dash demanded, zipping up in front of them, "And how did you two know about Nightmare Moon!? And what's this whole business Spike was getting worked up about back there--whoa!!" She yelped as Applejack yanked her back down by her tail, Fluttershy, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie right behind her.
"Simmer down, Dash." The farm mare spoke up, "Getting riled up ain't gonna help nopony, but you're right about one thing." She looked at the pair, "There's a lot more to this than either of ya are lettin' on, isn't there?"
Twilight looked at the five, "According to the prediction concerning Nightmare Moon, some mysterious objects called the Elements of Harmony are the only things that can stop her. But, we don't know what they are, or where to find them."
"We don't even know what they're supposed to do." Spike added.
"The Elements of Harmony: A Reference Guide." Pinkie spoke up, looking at one of the nearby shelves,
Before Twilight almost bowled her out of the way, "How'd you manage to find that!?"
"It was under E-ee!" She replied, bouncing by in a sing-sing voice.
"Oh." Twilight had the grace to look sheepish as she took the book down, "There are six Elements of Harmony, but only five are really known: Kindness, Laughter, Generosity, Honesty, and Loyalty. The sixth is a complete mystery. It's said the last known location of the five Elements was the ancient castle of The Royal Pony Sisters, located in what is now..."
"'The Everfree Forest'!" They gulped in unison.