//------------------------------// // Chapter 6 // Story: Wings of Darkness // by Strange Charm //------------------------------// Luna screamed, bolting awake from her sleep. "Tia!" she shouted. Celestia quickly arrived at her room. "What is wrong, sister?" Celestia asked, frightened by her sister's piercing scream. Luna turned to her sister, an expression of pure horror across her face. "She's coming, sister." ========================================== Twilight Sparkle's horn glowed as she sped through the sky. Rainbow Dash followed close behind. "Okay, Twilight, I need some answers. You said Nightmare Moon is back, and then just zip off! Where are we going?" Twilight was concentrating intently on something as her horn lit up with magic. "I'm tracking that dark magic Nightmare Moon left behind; it left a very distinct, dark trail, and we need to follow it before it fades." Rainbow Dash didn't look satisfied. "Nightmare Moon? Wadda mean? I thought we defeated her." Twilight took a second to respond, as her attention was mostly taken by her magic. "Well, yes. I mean, no. I mean... it's complicated. Nightmare Moon. Pegasus. Ponyville. Evil. Ok?" "What?" Rainbow Dash said. "Just keep up with me!" Twilight yelled as she zoomed ahead, desperate to catch up to the mystery pegasus who had Nightmare Moon inside of her. ========================================== Celestia's eyes widened. "Sister... you mean that... she... here?" Luna shuddered and nodded. "I can feel her getting closer every second. She's headed straight for Canterlot." Luna shook her head. "I just couldn't bear it if she returned. She is a vile part of me that I wish I had never begotten." Celestia put a wing around her sister. "Luna, we must face her. You and I, together. We must protect our people, and defeat this creature of hatred once and for all." Luna's face turned adamant. "Let us go, sister. Let us go and shine through the darkness of the Nightmare." ========================================== "There she is!" Twilight shouted. Up ahead, they could see the small outline of a pony flying away from them. "Quickly! We have to catch up to her before she gets away!" Twilight flapped her wings harder, gaining speed until she had strained all she could. "I can't go any faster!" she yelled. "I don't know if we'll make it to her before she gets to..." She looked around, and gasped. "Canterlot! She's headed for Canterlot!" Rainbow Dash gasped. "What if she destroys the city?" Then she grinned smugly. "Well, we won't let that happen, now will we. Hold on, Twilight!" Rainbow Dash grabbed Twilight and dashed ahead, breaking the sound barrier and performing a sonic rainboom. Twilight held on for dear life. "Ahh! Rainbow Dash, warn me next time!" The skin on her face felt like it was going to peel off from the air resistance. "Sorry, Twi, but we're almost caught up to Nightmare Moon! Or rather... Scootaloo?" As the two approached the distant figure, they could see Scootaloo's distinct purple and orange colors, and the small size of a filly. But behind her, she left a trail of dark shadow as she zoomed through the sky. "Wait," said Rainbow Dash, "How is Scootaloo flying? And what is that dark stuff?" "Nightmare Moon, remember?" said Twilight. "She has all kinds of dark magic. Flying by that dark power means that you leave a vile, dark trail behind you." As they caught up to Scootaloo, they slowed down from their mach pace to match her's. "Scootaloo!" yelled Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo turned her head to glare at them, without slowing down. Twilight and Rainbow Dash gasped. Scootaloo's eyes were pitch black, with blood red irises that were full of hate. Not only that, but she had a long, black unicorn horn that looked like it had pushed through her skull sitting on her forehead. "It's you!" she said with loathing. Her voice was layered, like there were two people talking at once: Scootaloo and Nightmare Moon in sync. Scootaloo stopped flying and turned to face them. Rainbow Dash and Twilight stopped and hovered, facing her. "What... what happened to you, Scootaloo?" asked Rainbow Dash. Scootaloo cackled. "Scootaloo? She's hardly even here anymore. She's been so consumed by her hate that the only one really left is...," she grinned, "me." Twilight had a look of horror on her face. To confirm her worst fears, she asked, "Who are you?" Scootaloo, or at least, Scootaloo's body, grinned evilly. "Oh, I think you know already, Princess." Rainbow Dash became angry. "What have you done with Scootaloo, you monster?!" "Monster? I'm not a monster. I've only kindled the flame of Scootaloo's passionate hatred." She cackled. "And it is delicious!" Rainbow Dash yelled and rushed Nightmare Moon to tackle her. Nightmare Moon's horn lit up and it's blue-black magic enveloped Rainbow Dash, stopping her mid flight. "Tisk, tisk, Dashie," she said. "Don't you know that your anger only makes me stronger?" Rainbow Dash screamed in frustration, struggling against the magic. As she struggled and kicked, waves of red energy radiated off of her and floated towards Nightmare Moon's horn. Nightmare Moon smiled as the red was absorbed by her horn, and her eyes glowed an even brighter red. She licked her lips. "Rainbow Dash, stop struggling! Your rage is feeding her energy!" Twilight yelled. Rainbow Dash breathed in slowly and stopped struggling. She relaxed and tried to calm her outburst of anger. "You won't get the best of me, Nightmare Moon!" said Rainbow Dash. "I have enough self-control to reign in my rage." Nightmare Moon laughed. "Don't worry, I've gotten enough energy from you for what I need," she said. "Oh, yeah, what's that?" Rainbow Dash said defiantly. "Mmm, you'll see." Nightmare Moon released her magic from Rainbow Dash. "I'm going to need all my magic for this." Her horn lit up again, but this time it glowed purple and orange, like Scootaloo's main and fur. She looked at Twilight. "Pay attention, Princess. You might want to take notes." As she said this, the magic around her horn began to spread across the rest of her body, enveloping her in a whirling mass. Tendrils of black began to creep from her horn and overtake the purple and orange color, until her whole body became black. The black solidified and became hard and shiny. Suddenly, cracks began to spread across the black shell, and pieces began to fall off and evaporate into shadow. Only a black helmet remained, as well as a black breast piece and gauntlets. Red eyes opened beneath the helmet, and a grin revealed sharp, pointed teeth. Her black wings unfurled, and her mane and tail spread out around her as purple and orange clouds. She laughed, cackling at her new body. "Behold, I have returned! I am Nightmare Scoot!"