Chapter 4: Lockdown
"I'll show that gimpy stud how flying's really done..."
"This gimpy is no longer gimpy...haha..."
"GAH!"
"A little clammy and none too fresh after that rave, but no longer gimpy... See?"
"S-sorry you had to hear that..."
"What? The gimpy thing? Pff...forget about it..."
"Y-yeah...let's go with that..."
Rainbow tossed and turned in her bed as what sounded like drum beats started echoing in the town below.
"Okay, you feel these?"
"Yeah?"
"Delicately, but with a slight amount of power, do what you did when I saw you coming out of the forest, but flex them both at the same time."
"Got it..."
"And over and over again to get a flapping motion so you can stay up."
Rainbow Dash groaned in her sleep as the drumbeats slowly got louder; she began tossing and turning even more.
"What'd ya...what'd ya think, Ace?"
"What did I THINK? The question is what DIDN'T I think! Haha! I've never seen anything like it! I didn't even know it was possible to go that fast!"
"Take me home, Ace..."
"What?"
"The Sonic Rainboom takes a lot outta me... Heh... I can barely fly straight..."
"Haha! What, am I your designated flyer now?"
"No... Just for tonight..."
The drumbeats were getting louder and louder. Dash started to clench her teeth and grab the covers of her bed tightly. A tear slid down her cheek as her dream continued.
Impulsively, not knowing why, he bent down and kissed her cheek.
Dash yawned and stretched a little in her sleep, a little smile forming on her face.
"Goodnight Dash..."
"Hey, mom! Wake up!"
"Gah!" Rainbow Dash sat up suddenly in her bed, panting heavily. She rubbed her eyes and looked at her door. Blazing Dawn was standing there, his mane ruffled from sleeping and a concerned look on his face. The drumbeats still reverberated from the town below.
"What's going on, son?" Rainbow asked in a crackly, I-just-woke-up voice.
He trotted forward and leaned on her bed, "I don't know..." He looked behind him towards Lunar's room, "Lunar is gone. I don't know where he is. Maybe he already flew out to see what in the hay is happening down there..." He growled, "I swear to Celestia, I'm gonna beat down whoever ordered those stupid drums..." He put a forehoof to his mouth and yawned.
Rainbow shook her head and and slid out of bed, "C'mon, let's go see why Royal Guard drums are booming through the town..."
"Royal Guards? Those are their drums?" Blazing Dawn looked surprised as he followed his mother out of her room.
"Yep." Rainbow gave her trademark evil smile, "Still wanna beat them down, son?"
"N-not so much..." Blaze stammered, blushing a little.
"That's what I thought..."
A large platoon of at least thirty royal guards or more stood at attention, some holding torches, while others kept lookout. A crowd of Ponyville citizens began to mumble amongst one another, rubbing their eyes with sleep and others were still in their nightwear. What many didn't notice was a heated conversation taking place further away from prying eyes or ears between the captain of the Royal Guard, Shining Armor, dressed in his armor, and Lunar Eclipse.
"I demand that you take your guards and leave immediately, Shining Armor! Their presence here does them and everypony else in this town more harm than good! And besides, we've already got two Red Hooves here! That's more than enough!" He nearly growled at his friend, the frustration beginning to boil intently in his veins.
Shining Armor sighed imperceptibly, "By order of Princess Celestia herself, I have been tasked with protecting the town of Ponyville at any cost." The Captain responded cordially.
"I don't care if the order came from my bucking mother!" Lunar yelled angrily, "The Nightmare is too powerful!" He insisted once again.
Patting Lunar's back, Shining Armor responded with a confident grin, "Believe me, Lunar Eclipse. We here at the Royal Guard have the situation under control."
Lunar Eclipse pulled away from the friendly pat and growled, "The Nightmare could take over any of us at any given time ,and stab Rainbow Dash and Blaze in the back! Is that what you want? Put the blood of not only the innocents of this town, but of the Element of Loyaltyon your hooves?" He questioned rationally, trying his best to keep his explosive anger in check.
"Lunar, I insist to you, my friend, that we willhave things under control as soon as we finish setting up." Shining Armor insisted.
The flapping of two distinct sets of wings caught their attention, distracting them long enough for them to take note of Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn setting foot on the ground nearby.
Blazing Dawn spoke first, "What the hay is going on?! Can't a pony get some darn shuteye?" He complained loudly as he rubbed away at his eyes.
Rainbow Dash just sighed, "Yeah...What gives? Is an attack about to happen or what?" She questioned with narrowed eyes in Shining Armor direction.
"It's of no concern for you, Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn; I assure you that," He paused as he called out a guard with a swift motion of his eyes, "Please take our visitors back to their lovely home and make sure they stay safe, please." Although it sounded like a genuine statement of concern, the guard knew better than to question his motives and acted directly on the disguised order.
The guard approached Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn and began to escort them away, preparing to fly them back to their dwelling. Stubbornly, the two tried to free, only to be forced into submission when more guards poured in to restrain them.
"Hey!" Rainbow Dash fluttered her wings ecstatically, "Let. Me. GO!"
"WHHY?" Blazing Dawn growled, his horn glowing. He teleported out of the group of guards, but was quickly tackled again, "Why can't I just sleep!"
Lunar trotted forward briskly and clashed his head against Shining Armor's helmet. Both stallions gritted their teeth as they stared each other down.
"WHAT THE BUCK!?" Lunar shouted, causing Shining Armor to close his eyes from the force of the yell, "How is this protecting them!? Where in the hay are the Red Hooves, anyway?!"
Shining Armor was irritated now. He shoved Lunar Eclipse off of him and scowled, "The Red Hooves, Commander Blue Arrow and Corporal Papyrus, have been reassigned to guard the town from overhead..." Shining Armor paused and glared at the alicorn, "Security of these two..." He gestured over his shoulder, "Is now in my charge..."
"THIS IS CRAZY, SHINING ARMOR!" Lunar barked loudly in a similar fashion to that of the Royal Canterlot Voice. "Let them GO!"
Shining Armor shrugged Lunar off as if he were not there, turned, and wove his hoof around in the air towards his troops. At once, they broke formation and galloped all around Ponyville. Primarily, guards ushered tired residents back inside their houses and dwellings. Some flew to the rooftops, others, in camouflaged gear, took to the trees and bushing, preparing crude, experimental pistols. Guards took up positions around key buildings around town as well, such as Town Hall, Sugar Cube Corner, and Twilight's Library. Several guards took up positions down below and around Rainbow's cloud as well.
At the library, the door burst open. "Hey!" A disgruntled Twilight snarled at the pair of guards in front of her doorway, "What the hay is going on?"
"Ma'am, go back inside." One guard said, turning around, "We're putting the town on lockdown."
"On whose authority!?" Twilight was shocked.
"Captain Shining Armor, ma'a-HEY!"
Twilight didn't need to think twice when she heard her older brother's name. She galloped past the two guards and ran towards the town square with all the speed she could muster.
As she saw the state of Town Square, the guards, Rainbow Dash and Blaze, Lunar, and-
"SHINING ARMOR!" Twilight's nostrils flared as she tried to see over the line of guards that blocked her way.
"Twily?" Shining Armor looked over in her direction.
"Miss!" A guard in the line stopped her, "I'm sorry, but you must go home. Now."
"I am a member of the Royal Hierarchy!" Twilight stomped a hoof down, "And you will do as I say!"
The guard stuttered, "O-oh! Of course, Representative Sparkle! The light's just..." He stood aside, "Really bad..."
"I'm sure..." Twilight said dryly before stomping up to her older brother.
"Twily!" Shining Armor smiled, "How are you?"
"Don't 'Twily' me right now!" Twilight barked, gesturing over at the struggling rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn, "What in the hay do you think you are doing, you idiot!"
Shining Armor smiled awkwardly, trying to ignore the insult, "Twily, please. Celestia ordered me and my platoon here to Ponyville for your own protection against the Nightmare."
"I don't care!" Twilight pointed sternly at her older brother. Since he was much larger than her, the sight was rather odd to view, "Release them, now!"
Shining Armor sighed, turned his head towards the guards restraining Rainbow and Blaze, and nodded subtly.
Reluctantly, the guards obeyed, dropping Rainbow Dash and her son to the ground. Rainbow got up and stuck her tongue out at the guards, while Blazing Dawn shot the guard holding his front two hooves a dirty glare.
"Thanks, Twilight..." Rainbow said, nodding to Twilight. Twilight nodded, then turned to her brother again.
"Are you brain-dead? C'mon, I thought you were smarter than this!"
"Twily, c'mon!"
"Married life has made you stupid, or something!"
"I seriously doubt that!"
Rainbow trotted up to Lunar Eclipse with Blazing Dawn in tow. She rubbed her eyes tiredly before shaking her head and saying, "What...is happening? I'm still thoroughly confused..."
"I'm just tired..." Blazing Dawn muttered before sitting down on his haunches.
"I'm so sorry, Dashie..." Lunar sighed, looking over all the guards as they put Ponyville into lockdown, "I tried to convince him to do this differently before we came here, but...he wouldn't listen to reason." He looked down at the ground and scowled, "Shining Armor should know how to handle a situation like this better, given the circumstances...and his position..."
Blazing Dawn gazed warily around the town as guards continued to take up positions, hiding on roofs, in alleyways, and standing in front of houses, wondering how the hay they could be up and about with this much energy at this hour.
"His orders are to lockdown Ponyville..." Lunar continued, gazing around and stopping to watch Pinkie Pie and the Cakes get ushered into Sugar Cube Corner, "His soldiers have set up barricades on major roads and have fliers patrolling overhead. Their orders are to not let anypony in..." He paused, "Or out."
"We can't leave!?" Rainbow's eyes widened.
Lunar just shook his head. "Nope." He growled, "Which makes things worse. Their presence here will only attractthe Nightmare! GODS!" He stomped on the ground in anger. "I wish Celestia would've been more specific!"
"I agree..." Rainbow scowled, "Can...can Twilight do anything?"
"I seriously doubt it..." Lunar rolled his eyes, "If they won't listen to the bucking Prince of Death, I doubt they will listen to a hierarchy member..." He pawed the ground, "And Shining Armor's as stubborn as an angry Gryphon..."
At this point, Twtilight trotted over from tearing her brother a new one, and sighed, "I'm so sorry about my brother." She smiled sheepishly, "I'll...I'll try to fix this..."
"Gee, thanks, Twi..." Rainbow responded dryly before Twilight turned and trotted back to Shining Armor. Rainbow heard a loud yawn behind her. She turned and chuckled upon seeing Blazing Dawn sprawled out on the ground, groaning, "Can we go home now?"
Rainbow giggled and helped her son up, "We're going home, Blaze. Sleep is almost within reach. Haha." Rainbow turned and winked at Lunar, "Try and keep these guys in line, yeah?"
"I will try..." Lunar growled, "It will be difficult to keep them in line, but...I will do my best..."
"For Luna?"
A light blush kissed his cheeks, "For the town's sake."
"I'm sure."
An hour later...
Ponyville was a spot of light in the darkness that night. It was eerily quiet as guards stood guard and hid around town, shifting uneasily at their posts and in their hiding spots as they waited for the Nightmare to attack. In Rainbow Dash's cloud, Rainbow and her alicorn foal were sound asleep, as if they were blissfully unaware of the guards patrolling around their cloud. Blue Arrow, Papyrus, and Lunar Eclipse soared through the sky silently as Earth stealth bombers, carefully watching out for anything suspicious. Down below, in the Town Square, Twilight Sparkle and her brother were sitting on a park bench, gazing up at the trio of fliers as they flew overhead. A pair of guards flanked nearby them as they sat there.
"I'm just worried that The Nightmare could take a guard over easily and cause mayhem." She sighed, "I mean, just look at what happened to Noteworthy!"
"Twily..." Shining Armor sighed heavily at his sister's worry.
"What scares me even more is that it's night!" Twilight threw her hooves up in the air.
"Twily, there's no need for worry!" Shining Armor sat up and smiled, gazing at his sister, "I assure you, no pony can get in or out of this town without me knowing about it!"
Just then, the sound of galloping was heard from the direction of one of the road blockades, "Captain! Captain!"
Shining Armor stood up and turned to address the soldier, "Yes, soldier? What is it?"
"Your wife..." The guard managed to get out through his pants as he skidded to a halt in front of him, "Princess Cadence... is here..."
Twilight stood as well. She cocked an eye, "Cadence?"
Shining Armor was shocked, "What...what in Equestria is she doing here?"
The guard shifted in his armor as he looked on nervously behind him before answering, "I'm not quite sure, sir...she just said she wanted to see you and nothing more."
"What could she be doing here, bro?" Twilight asked her brother, squinting into the distance. Sure enough, the form of Princess Cadence was slowly walking towards them down the street from the barricade on the road.
Shining Armor shook his head, "I...I don't know, Twily..."
Brother and sister watched as Princess Cadence approached, her head looking down at the ground steadily, as if she were sad. Shining Armor began to trot over to his wife with an awkward smile on his face, "Honey! What are you doing here? I told you I had work in Ponyville tonight..."
As Cadence got closer to her brother, Twilight widened her eyes, as the realization of what was about to happen hit her like a brick. "SHINING ARMOR! NOOOO!"
Cadence's head snapped up, and what Shining Armor saw made him gasp in terror. Her eyes were serpentine.
She was under control of The Nightmare.
Before Shining Armor could do anything, she leaped forward and tackled Shining Armor to the ground. As she stood over her husband, she grew in stature and mutated further, growing bat-like wings and a longer, more menacing, horn.
Guards in the square all turned to see what was going on, but it was too late. The controlled Cadence was already upon them. A guard cried out in pain as she impaled him with her horn, and another one could only shout as he was vaporized by a spell from her horn. The guards were being routed, as they did not know how to fight a royal family member.
As the guards tried to incapacitate Cadence, Twilight galloped over to her brother and helped him up, "Bro! Are you okay?!"
"That...thing..." Shining Armor snarled as he stood up, drawing his sword, "Took over my WIFE!"
Twilight clenched her teeth and nodded, "The only pony you'd let through the barricade!"
Still snarling at Cadence, his horn started glowing with magical energy. "Attention, all units! Attention all units! We are code red! The perimeter has been breached! The Nightmare is inside! Do not let ANYPONY leave! Not even me! Or Lunar! Code Red!"
Twilight kept her eyes focused on Princess "Cadence" as she impaled a guard, throwing him through a second story window of nearby residential home. She jumped in after him, the screams of an innocent family contrasting with the groaning guards who laid in different states of health.
"Twily..." Shining Armor said in a serious tone, "Gather the Elements of Harmony and go find somewhere safe to hide..." He gulped quietly to himself, "I'll deal with this...thing..."
"Can...can you fight your...wife!?" Twilight was shocked and looked worriedly at her brother.
"I can try..." Shining Armor galloped forward, sword at the ready with magic, and leaped through the shattered window after "Cadence."
Twilight gulped audibly before nodding at him and running off in her desperate attempt to gather the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.
Shining Armor leaped through the window, weapon at the ready. Looking around, he quickly found the victims of The Nightmare's sudden attack. A family of three sat cowering in a corner, their filly huddled just behind her parents. In front of them laid one of his guards, dead. Clearly he had taken a fatal blow to protect them, blood pooling on the floor. Nodding in respect, he approached and put on a small, comforting smile.
"Did you see where Princess Cadence went?" He asked curtly, hoping that they would be able to co-operate with him.
The mare raised a shaky hoof, pointing down the hall next to him.
He leaned slightly to the right and saw the furniture neatly placed, some family photos, and other assortment of things spread about. Slowly he approached the living room, making sure to keep his hoof steps silenced. Nothing was out of place or even remotely touched. He sighed quietly and went onwards, checking all the rooms. After checking all the nearby rooms, he noticed an extra hallway just out of view and steadily made his way over to the opened room. Just as he walked in, Princess "Cadence" crashed through the ceiling, tackling him straight to the ground and knocking the sword outside the reach of his hoof.
The two of them grappled expertly. One through military skill. The other through being possessed. Shining Armor gasped as he looked into her hateful, serpentine eyes.
"Please Cadence, snap out of it! This isn't you! We love each other waytoo much to just senseless try to kill each other, honey!" He pleaded, hoping that somewhere deep inside her mind, she'd hear him and try to fight with all her strength.
She merely laughed maniacally before snidely replying, "I am not Cadence, but I am certainly your undoing."
Shining Armor flinched at the way her voice sounded, letting down his guard momentarily, "Cadence..."
A wide grin overcame her features as she lifted him up with her magic before proceeding to throw him through the wooden wall and onto the street below, sending wood and splinters flying everywhere.
He grunted as he stood back on his hooves, and snorted angrily.
"Release my wife...NOW!" Shining Armor demanded. With a slight nod, five guards came out of nearby hiding places and stood their ground by their Captain.
The Nightmare possessed Cadence merely laughed, "You pathetic ponies are FOOLS for trying to mess with me." Suddenly, the Nightmare exited her body before hurling Princess Cadence forward through the air towards the group, impaling another guard with her shrinking horn, though luckily not killing him.
Before Cadence could fall to the ground, Shining Armor rushed forward and caught his wife in his forehooves. Shining Armor shook his wife, gently stroking her mane, "Cadence? Oh Gods, Cadence! Are you okay? Please be okay..."
"You should be more worried about yourself..."
Before the Royal Guard captain could do anything else, the cloud of gas shot down from the sky and flew into Shining Armor's muzzle. The Unicorn stood up, holding his forehooves up to his throat, "NOOOOOO!"
He then mutated like the rest of them. Bat-like wings sprouted from his back, tearing the fine cloth on his armor asunder. He grew in stature, his horn grew longer, and his eyes turned to the serpentine eyes of Nightmare Moon. Shining Armor's eyes snapped open and he looked up, taking in a breath of air.
"This body should last all night..." The Nightmare chuckled, looking itself over. "Interesting..." It smiled, "It is indeed powerful enough to destroy Loyalty and her spawn in a matter of minutes...hmhmhmhm..." It smiled, "My powers are far superior in this body...perhaps I shall keep it...for now..."
"FREEZE!" A voice shouted from behind the Nightmare.
The Nightmare hesitated briefly, before turning around to face the guards Shining Armor had called to his aid a few moments ago. Their weapons were all drawn. The one who spoke up was the one Cadence's horn and impaled. He growled and barked again, "Release our Captain, and stand down!"
The Nightmare stared at them before laughing maniacally and lowering his head, aiming his horn at the group of guards, and blasting mysterious bursts of dark energy at the guards. They looked like small clouds of gas.
"Excellent...bwahahaha..." The Nightmare chuckled while listening to the sounds of the guards suffocating.
"Dash...argh! Cough...cough..."
"Ace...y-you saved me..."
"Y-yeah...rrrr...what...what happened, anyway?"
"You did...a Shining Rainboom... You...haha...you went a little bit less faster than me when I do my rainboom..."
Bang bang bang!
"Rainbow! Rainbow Dash! Wake up!
"Why...why didn't I end up in the crater...l-like you?"
"Rrr...I th-threw you down into the...ARGH...canopy shortly before I...I hit...COUGH...ack...Because I...I knew if we both hit...then we would both...GAH...die..."
"N-No! D-don't say that, Ace! I-I'll go g-get help! I can-"
"It's...grrr...it's too late...hehe...I'm not sure...what, but...grrr...I think that rock punctured something i-important..."
Bang bang bang bang bang!
"Rainbow! Seriously, girl! Get up! You're in danger!"
Fallin' down...
Ace then leaned up with all his strength, and kissed her.
"RAINBOW!"
Bang bang bang bang!
As I fall...to...sleep...
As I fall...to...sleep...
Ace leaned his head back in her forehooves, and his breathing stopped. For all intensive purposes, the musical pony was dead.
"NOOOO! Nonono no! Celestia, please! Noooo..."
"RAINBOW!"
"ARGH!" Rainbow sat up abruptly in her cloud bed to the sound of the banging on her door. She groaned, rubbed her messed-up mane, and sighed.
"Who's there?!" She shouted.
"Papyrus! Rainbow, open up, quickly!" Papyrus' voice responded.
Rainbow didn't have to think twice. Instantly, she zipped out of bed and flew to the door. Upon opened it, she gasped. The Red Hoof Corporal stood there with a black eye, blood dripping from his muzzle and mouth, and his armor was all banged up.
Rainbow was shocked, moving to catch Papyrus as he swayed slightly, as if he was about to fall over. He steadied himself however, and shook his head, regaining his composure. "What in Equestria happened to you!" Rainbow asked worriedly.
"The Nightmare!" Papyrus exclaimed suddenly, his good eye started twitching. "It attacked in the body of Princess Cadence!" Rainbow gasped before papyrus continued. "That's how it got through the lockdown! It's chaos down there!"
Rainbow looked at Ponyville down below, and gulped when she saw a few small streams of smoke drifting up from a few buildings, "Where are Blue Arrow? And Lunar?" She turned back to Papyrus, inquiring about the few ponies they could trust.
"I don't know!" Papyrus growled in pain at one of his wounds, "Argh...I got separated from them when Cadence...erm, the Nightmare attacked! But..." He stood up as straight as he could, "I'm here to make sure that you are safe!"
"WHAT the CUUUUD?" An adolescent voice groaned from behind Rainbow. Blazing Dawn was out of bed again, floating lazily in the air and rubbing his eyes tiredly, "What in Equestria is SO bucking important as to wake me up? AGAIN!" He stopped short, however, when he saw the bruised and bleeding Papyrus, "Oh..." He gasped, "The Nightmare!?"
Rainbow, before saying anything else, trotted behind her son, and nudged him out the door of their cloud, closing it behind them, "Yes, hun. We have to get someplace safer right now..." She growled, "It'll probably check her of all places first!"
"I second that..." Papyrus nodded shakily.
"Why don't we just make a run for Canterlot?" Blazing Dawn asked intently, "We can get the whole dang Royal Army to help us!"
"Impossible..." Papyrus scowled. "Shining Armor put the whole town in lockdown before Cadence...gawl, the Nightmare, attacked and they're not letting anypony in..." He paused, "Or out."
Rainbow Dash swore under her breath and Blazing Dawn sighed heavily, "Idiot..."
"I think, and this is just my professional opinion..." Papyrus inhaled heavily, "That we find a safe house to lay low in until sunrise, like...Representative Sparkle's library?"
"Yes, that's perfect!" Rainbow nodded before gestured to her son, "C'mon, Blaze. Stay low when you fly."
"Okay, mom."
With that, the two Pegasi and the young alicorn took off into the night sky, flying low over the treeline towards Ponyville, hoping that the Nightmare wouldn't see their approach.
Representative Twilight Sparkle paced the first floor of the town library and home, her friends, bearers of the Elements of Harmony stood by quietly, waiting for some output from her. Pinkie Pie got fed up before she started quietly bouncing around the library, her eyes screwed up in concentration as she tried to find some logical way to rationalize what was happening. Fluttershy cowered near one of the barely lit corners of the library, Shadow Breeze, her coltfriend and one of Ace's good friends before he left Equestria, holding her in a safe and protective embrace. Rarity, meanwhile, comforted her younger sister Sweetie Belle, all the while her eyes darting back and forth across the library; keeping a watchful eye. Applejack had long given up on trying to comfort Applebloom, who, for all intents and purposes, refused to interact with anypony, finding comfort in staring out the window. Her concentration was interrupted, however, when two boards floated magically over to the window and covered it up, followed by a hammer and nails. As twilight magically boarded up the window, Applebloom continued to grimace as screams of townsponies could still be heard outside.
"Applejack..." Twilight said to the cowpony after wiping sweat from her brow, "Blow out the candle...darkness is our only ally right now..."
Applejack nodded, and trotted slowly towards the lone candle in the middle of the room. Fluttershy leaped forward and blocked A.J.'s path in an instant; the usually timid pony was growling, "NO! NO DARKNESS!"
"Fluttershy, ah..." Applejack backed away a tad before Shadow Breeze was beside his marefriend, wrapping a comforting hoof around her, "It's okay, Fluttershy. We can leave it on..." He looked over at Twilight. "Right, Twi?"
Twilight sighed, "I suppose there's no harm in it..."
Fluttershy smiled and nuzzled up against Shadow Breeze, thanking him by whispering in his ear.
"Twilight..." Rarity said from her corner of the room, where she was still rubbing the back of a disheartened Sweetie Belle, "What in Equestria has come over the ponies in this town? All hay has broken loose, it seems!"
"It's an evil spirit called the Nightmare. It used to be a part of Princess Luna all those years ago at the Summer Sun Celebration." Twilight took a seat in a chair near the lit candle. "It can take control of ponies and mutate them to look like Nightmare Moon." She gulped, "And it's here to destroy Blazing Dawn and Rainbow Dash because they are screwing up it's powers. It's turning the town inside-out trying to find them, it sounds like." Twilight finished by wincing to the sound of a screaming mare outside.
"So, it can take control of ANYPONY?" Pinkie Pie asked, clearly puzzled.
"Yes." Twilight nodded solemnly, "Thankfully, one at a time." Twilight sighed, "We need to stay here and wait it out until morning, then we can send for help."
"Can't spike just send a letter ta' the princesses, sugarcube?" Applejack asked with a cocked eye.
Twilight nodded, "Yes, and I am going to do so, but with lockdown in effect, there's nothing even THEY can do...we're on our own..." She gulped, "I just hope Rainbow and Blaze are okay..."
Suddenly, violent thudding on the door to the library sounded across the room. Everypony gasped, and Twilight turned towards everypony and held a forehoof up to her mouth to quiet them. A.J. and Rarity had to clamp hooves over their siblings' muzzles to quiet them and keep them from screaming.
Everything was quiet for a moment, save the screaming, when a familiar voice rang through the door. "Hey, egghead! Let us in, Twi! We're sitting ducks out here!"
Everypony inside breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Twilight opened the door with her magic and quickly ushered in Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn, along with Papyrus inside and slammed the door shut the moment they stepped hoof into the library.
"Oh, awesome!" Rainbow smiled. "You guys are all here! Thank Celestia!"
"Ya'll were worried about us?" Applejack shook her head, unable to stop smiling at the fact her friend was okay. "We were plum worried sick about you an' Blaze!"
Everypony else greeted them as well with similar sighs of relief. Blazing Dawn looked over at Applebloom and smiled. Applebloom looked down at the floor when their eyes met, clearly embarrassed still about their awkward moment near the forest.
Papyrus trotted on over, tightly hugging Applejack, enjoying it before gently whispering in her ear, "Are you and Applebloom holding up?"
Her eyes darted away from him momentarily, " 'Ah am, but Applebloom's worryin' me. She won' answer me or talk ta me. Jus' staring out that window...fearin' for Big Mac." Applejack rambled, tears beginning to well in her eyes.
Papyrus felt bold and kissed her on the lips, "Don't you dare be acting all wishy washy!" He whispered in her ear, "The A.J. I know is a strong mare and she doesn't back down for anypony...well, except me, that is..." He added with a sheepish smile.
She smiled back at him and kissed Papyrus back gently on the lips, "Ya'll right, Papyrus...we all gotta stay strong...if'n we can't rely on each otha', than who can we rely on?" She questioned, her confident grin back on display.
The two hugged each other tightly as Blazing Dawn slowly walked over to Applebloom, who was still looking down at the floor. Blaze frowned and felt pity for the poor cowpony's condition. Her mane was ruffled, and it was apparent that she didn't have time to grab her hat when they retreated from their home.
"Um..." Blazing Dawn gulped before looking down and off to the side and asking, "You...you doing alright, Applebloom?"
Applebloom looked up and nodded. "Yeah...ah'm fine..."
"Good. I'm...I'm glad." Blazing Dawn narrowed his eyes and smiled awkwardly. This caused Applebloom to raise a forehoof to her mouth and giggle.
"You and Sweetie Belle are here..." Blaze looked over at his Unicorn friend before looking back at Applebloom. "Scootaloo?"
Applebloom shook her head, "That's somepony else ah'm worried about...'sides Big Macintosh..."
"Applebloom..." Blazing Dawn sighed sadly before moving froward and embracing her in a protective hug. "I'm sure Scoots is fending for herself..."
Applebloom again found herself blushing at the very touch of Blazing Dawn. She shook her head as they parted from their hug, trying to chase away the feeling.
Twilight cleared her throat before addressing everypony in the room with a serious expression, "Now that the Nightmare's targets are here..." She began slowly, "Their job is to stay here hidden and protected by us until the morning, when we can consult the Princesses on what to do..." She explained straight to the point.
The room remained silent for several minutes as everypony let the information dig in before Fluttershy broke the tense silence, "What about all of our other friends? We can't just leave them out there at...at that thing's mercy!"
"Fluttershy has a point..." Papyrus said, growling, "What about Blue Arrow? And Lunar Eclipse?"
"It's too risky to leave..." Twilight shook her head, "The Nightmare could've take either of them over by now..."
This statement sent a chill down the spine of everypony in the room, and it grew uncomfortably quiet again.
"It can take over Lunar?" Blazing Dawn asked, shocked.
"I'm inclined to believe it can...it is nighttime, Blaze..." Twilight responded.
Blazing Dawn gulped and trotted over to his mother Rainbow Dash, who wrapped a forehoof around him.
"No pony, under any circumstances, is to leave or peek out of openings." She started pacing in front of the group, "You must all stay quiet. And if somepony knocks on the door, do not open it unless it is my brother." She nodded and smiled slightly, "We can trust him."
"What if he's...taken over, darling?" Rarity asked, raising an eye.
"I'll be able to tell, Rarity..." Twilight smirked, "He is my B.B.B.F.F., after all..."
There was a quiet murmur of agreement throughout the room, with Blazing Dawn asking what in the hay B.B.B.F.F. stood for.
"Again..." She nodded sternly to everypony, "Do not let anypony in. Now..." She trotted over to her desk, "I suggest you all get some rest. Don't go to sleep. We all need to be awake."
"I'll go upstairs..." Papyrus said from beside A.J. "And take watch from the balcony." He waved a hoof at Twilight after she shot him a questioning glance, "Relax, I won't be seen..."
Twilight sighed and nodded, gesturing for him to go upstairs. Papyrus nodded and flew swiftly and quietly up the stairs.
"Twilight..." Spike, the bigger dragon, entered with a quill and a parchment, "Here's the stuff you wanted...to write a help letter..."
"Thanks, Spike..." She took the items with magic, "Go upstairs and help Papyrus keep watch..."
"Alright." The dragon silently walked up the stairs after the silent Pegasus.
One by one, the denizens of the room started hunkering down around the single lit candle in the middle of the room. Fluttershy and Shadow Breeze were cuddling in a corner, Rarity and Sweetie Belle picked up a book from Twilight's shelf, one of the Daring Do books, and began to read to get their minds of their situation. Applejack and Applebloom found a blanket from the couch and spread it out, laying down on it near the candle. Pinkie Pie, unable to stop bouncing, had to be pulled down by the tail by A.J, who then shrugged and hunkered down on the blanket as well. Rainbow Dash and Blazing Dawn were huddling near the boarded up window, listening as the screams of chaos started dying away to near silence.
Rainbow looked down at her son off to her side. He was staring into space, and looking very disheartened and scared. She was puzzled. She'd never seen him this way before
"Blaze..." Rainbow Dash nuzzled her son, "We'll be okay. There's nothing to worry about." He looked over at his mom's magenta eyes and she smiled back at him, "We will be safe, I promise."
"I've..." Blaze started to talk quietly, but stopped, gulped, shuddered, and continued, "I've never been so genuinely scared for my life before, Mom..." Blazing Dawn said sadly, sniffing.
Rainbow gasped quietly. She was right. Her son was terrified. She could feel it. Perhaps it was her mother's intuition talking.
"Why is it scary, hun?" Rainbow asked gently. Applebloom, who was huddled down nearby, turned her head and looked over at Rainbow and her son as they talked.
"It's...different..." Blaze responded, shuddering, "Because I could be killed by...by Aunty Twi...Uncle Armor...or..." He tried to lower his voice, but Applebloom still heard what he said...
"Applebloom..."
Applebloom sniffed sadly. She felt bad that the strong-willed alicorn she had known her whole life had feelings that were finally bubbling to the surface.
"I...I..." He started crying slightly, "I don't know how much more I can take, Mom..."
"I...heh...imagine how your mother feels..." Rainbow Dash smiled and nuzzled her son again, ushering him closer to her. He cuddled up right next to her torso, "Sleep, Blaze. I won't let anything happen to you..."
"I want my dad..."
Rainbow gasped quietly. She looked down at her son, who was burying his muzzle into her fur. She sighed, wrapped a protective wing around him, and laid her head down on the floor as well. A single tear fell from her face.
"I do, too..."
Applebloom stared at Blazing Dawn and his mother for a few moments until they were both asleep. She sniffed and turned, curling up with Applejack near the candlelight.
"Ya'll gonna be okay, sugarcube?" A.J. asked, concerned.
"Ah'll be fine..." She muttered, frowning and staring at the dripping candle, "Ah'm more worried about...them..."
Applejack sighed and nuzzled her sister.
"It'll be alright, sugarcube..."
OCs:
Blue Arrow, Papyrus, and the Red Hooves (c) QTXAdsy
Shadow Breeze (c) AnonJ37