//------------------------------// // Confrontation // Story: A shell, a spell, and...wait, what the..?? // by MrWriterWriter //------------------------------// Twilight coughed as the smoke finally cleared. What she saw when it did, however, didn't help the situation. She was now in a different chamber of the palace. Where exactly, she wasn't sure, but that was a moot point right now. Her real concern was the other occupant. Less than a hundred feet away stood Nightmare Moon, with the Elements of Harmony floating around her. "You really think I'd let you activate the Elements THAT easily?" Nightmare chuckled darkly before setting them on the ground, "Once I destroy these, my rule will be absolute. But first..." She smirked as a dark miasma coalesced around her horn, "Something to keep your little friends occupied." With that, the vapor rocketed out a nearby window. --------------------------------- "Where'd she go!?" Fluttershy yelled as she and the other looked around frantically. "Up there! Look!" Rarity called out , pointing out the window to a nearby tower. An eerie bluish light could be seen shining from every opening. Before she could turn to see if the others had heard her, however, a clawed black hand reached out for her from under the window. It almost snagged her mane before she managed to leap back, almost knocking Pinkie over. Her answer came in the form of the hand being followed by...something vaguely resembling a pony, but its body was a gnarled, shadowy mass. In place of its other arm was a writhing tendril, twisting and whipping at anything close. The head faced them, the sickly purple eyes stared unblinking before letting out a grotesque snarl and scrambling into the room... Followed by dozens more like it. Some clamored after the first, others clawed their way long the walls, scurrying around like some kind of large, Tartarus-born insect. "WHAT ARE THESE THINGS!" She screamed, looking around in fear and revulsion. By this time, they had filled most of the chamber, assaulting the air with a cacophony of grunts, shrieks and howls. "Whatever they are, they sure as heck ain't friendly-lookin'!" Applejack said as she and Rainbow slowly took up fighting stances, "Wouldn't be surprised if Nightmare Moon called 'em up!" "Eeww, dey stink, tu!" Pinkie muttered, pinching her nose shut as she did. One by one, the creatures began stepping closer to them, malice plainly visible on what their faces and forcing the group to press in tight together. Spike looked around, seeing just how many of the creatures were there before saying something, "Any of you see a doorway aside from the one we came in?" "There's one over in the corner near where I was looking out." Rarity said, "But they already have it blocked off." "Ok, I'm going to count to three, and as soon as you hear it, I need the five of you to get through as fast as possible." The appearance of an emerald green glow brought the girls' attention downwards. He was palming a fireball. "But...but...what about you??" Fluttershy whispered, shivering slightly as the creatures stepped closer. "One of us'll have to keep em busy. Don't think their just gonna stay here and pout while we make a break for it." "WHAT!? You can't be serious!" Rainbow was the first to protest, "There's no way we're leaving you alone!" "And right now Twilight's alone with Nightmare Moon!" He replied, "Look, I appreciate it, but helping her is a bigger priority than these guys. I'll be ok." He said, cutting out any further protests, "My hide's thicker than it looks. Besides, " He grinned as the fireball grew bigger and his horn lit up, "I doubt these guys are fireproof." The girls looked at each other uneasily for a few moment before Applejack spoke up, "All right." She said, before giving him a stern look, "But you better make it back to us in one piece, Mister!" The others immediately nodded their agreement at that He simply grinned, "All right...one...two..." He whipped around and lobbed the fireball at the ones blocking the doorway. It detonated on impact, knocking at least three over and sending the one it hit directly shrieking as it went up in flames, "THREE! GO! GO! GO!" He yelled. With that, the girls performed a mad dash out, not really caring about the prone one they trodded of in the process. Of course, before they ran, Pinkie and Fluttershy made it a point to quickly hug him and whisper, "Be careful!" As soon as they were out, Spike set about getting more of the creatures' attention by firing off a beam from his horn into a thicker group of them, "All right, uglies!" He yelled, summoning up two more flames, "Normally, something like this calls for a pre-flank kicking one liner; but I can't think of anything right now. So come on!" Whether from surprise or anger at the attack, the creatures responded by letting loose with a screaming charge towards him. --------------------------------- "Face it, filly." Nightmare Moon grinned, "I've won." Twilight scowled, "Not if I have anything to say about it!" She muttered before talking off into a straight run at the alicorn, her horn lighting up. Nightmare stared, her eyebrows raising slightly, "You're kidding, right?" She said, a hint of disbelief in her voice at what she was seeing, "You're really..." Twilight showed no sign of slowing, much less stopping. The glow of her horn increasing with each step. "Humph." Nightmare snorted, "So you want to try and play with the big mares, huh? Very well," With a flap of her wings, she shot towards Twilight, her hooves skimming above the floor, "I rather enjoy the hands-on approach, to be honest!"