Chapter 3: Confrontation
The first thought to run through Midnight's mind as he regained consciousness was, ouch. Not only was his head throbbing, but his back felt like he slept on stone. The fact that he had was not lost on him. The groan beside him told him Twilight wasn't fairing much better.
Finally, he managed to crack open his eyes to find an unfamiliar stone ceiling. His mind went back to prior events. He knew something was off with Applebloom almost immediately, but he didn't expect his young friend to suddenly sprout a horn and blast him in the face.
“M-Midnight,” Twilight's voice called.
He looked over at her to see what had caused such worry in her voice. The chain around her neck and ring on her horn made him aware of similar restraints on him, though the pressure on his forehead felt like a plate. Regardless, that wasn't what his wife was focused on. He followed her gaze to find Applebloom sitting on a stone bench just in front of their position on a raised platform.
Midnight narrowed his eyes, a scowl forming on his face. “Who the hell are you, and what have you done with Applebloom?!”
'Applebloom' smirked. “Don't worry, she's safe. I'm just borrowing her body for a little while.”
“Who are you?” Twilight asked.
“I go by Nightshade. I'd tell you my real name, but I don't remember it. As for why you're here, there's two reasons, actually.” She stood up and climbed the few stairs to the dias. An ethereal horn appeared on her forehead, glowing with an amber light as two cups levitated over. “Here, it's just water.”
“How do we know it's not poisoned?” Twilight asked.
“If she wanted to poison us, she could force us to drink it,” Midnight reasoned, accepting the drink.
Twilight hesitated a moment more before following her husband's example. After they had both finished, the cups were levitated away.
“How did you do that? Magic, I mean,” Twilight asked.
“I was a unicorn before I died,” Nightshade answered, nonchalantly. “Since magic is produced by the body but focused by the soul, I can focus Applebloom's magic like a unicorn. Though, I'm pretty sure my magic used to be light blue.”
“Before you died?” Twilight scoffed. “Don't insult our intelligence. Ghosts are just stories told around the campfire. You're just some monster, possessing ponies and using them like puppets.”
“You're right about that last part. I am a monster, but you two should know that sometimes it takes a monster to fight a monster,” Nightshade said, almost regretfully. “But that's not why I woke you up early. You see, I may have lied to Applebloom about a lot, but I'd at least like to keep one promise to her.”
Nightshade took a deep breath and looked back at the stallion. “To answer your previous question, Midnight, I convinced Applebloom to let me use her body and then bound her in her own mind. She's okay, and I'll be giving her body back by the end of the day.”
“And what are you going to do with her body?” Midnight asked, forcing his anger down for the moment.
“First, the three of us are going to have a little talk.”
“About what?” Twilight asked, skeptically.
“Mostly about you, Twilight,” the Applebloom's possessor said, plainly. “Specifically, about your little issue with herds.”
Twilight recoiled in confusion and shock at that. “Wait, what?” Twilight stared at the mare posing as Applebloom for a moment before it dawned on her. “Are... Are you trying to convince me to let Applebloom join us in a herd? Why? What do you get out of it?”
“Nothing,” Nightshade replied. “I consider Applebloom a friend. I doubt she'll want anything to do with me after all this is over, but I still want her to be happy.”
“So you steal her body and foalnap her friends?” Midnight asked rhetorically.
“Sometimes ponies have to sacrifice their own happiness for the greater good.”
“And who are you to make that decision for her?!” Twilight yelled. “Why should Applebloom sacrifice anything for you?!”
“Applebloom?” Nightshade laughed. “All she's losing is one of her many friends and spending half a day locked up. I'm the one sacrificing everything. Unless I cross over after this, I'm going to spend eternity alone and hated. Maybe after a few hundred years I'll be able to make a new friend, but I doubt my sanity will last that long.”
“Why would you be so hated?” Midnight asked. “It couldn't be just because you took us. What are you really planing?”
“Don't worry about that right now,” Nightshade said. “Right now, I want to know why you,” she pointed an accusatory hoof at Twilight, “have such a problem with herds. I've seen plenty of wonderful, loving herds.”
“This is ridiculous,” Twilight huffed. “You do realize that Princess Celestia will never let this slide. She's likely searching for us as we speak. If you let us go, now, she might be lenient.”
“Ha! Not likely. Answer the question.”
“Honey, just answer the question,” Midnight recommended.
“Oh, so now you're on her side?” Twilight glared at Midnight.
“No, but for now, we should cooperate.”
“'Cooperate'? You mean I should just say, 'Go ahead and take my husband. I'll just go raise our daughter alone'!” Twilight yelled.
“Nopony said you would be alone, Twi, even if you do agree to let Applebloom join us,” Midnight said, sounding concerned.
“Well, that's how it works,” Twilight looked away, trying to hide the tears forming in her eyes. “Only one mare in a herd ever matters.”
“What makes you think that?” Midnight asked softly.
Twilight looked back up at her husband. Seeing the worry and love in his eyes, she sighed and gave in. “Before mom was with dad, she was in a herd with her best friend, Jade Wind, and a stallion named Bronze Armor. Everything was great until mom found out she was pregnant. Jade accused her of getting knocked up to hog all Bronze's attention, and he agreed. Mom tried everything to get them to accept her again. Even after she gave birth, he refused to take her back, claiming he didn't look like him anyway and that she was sleeping around. She and dad were friends from school, so he took her in and eventually fell for each other.”
Midnight pondered that for a moment before responding. “So you disagree with herds because your mother was in a bad one?”
“Midnight, it nearly broke her,” Twilight defended.
“You weren't even there. It might not have been as bad as you think.”
“I saw it, though. I was testing out a time-view spell, and I saw Jade and Bronze saying all those horrible, hurtful things.”
“And you're afraid I'll do the same to you?”
Twilight's eyes shot wide. “Wh-what?! No! Of course not!”
“Then what?”
“I... I just...” Twilight sputtered for a few seconds before slumping to the ground. “Yes... I'm afraid that if a younger, prettier mare joins the herd, you'll forget about me.”
“Twilight-”
“I know it's dumb,” Twilight interrupted. “Logically, I know you would never stop loving me, but emotions aren't exactly rational.”
“First of all, Applebloom is pretty, but she's not prettier than you,” Midnight assured. “You both just have very different types of beauty. She's got that 'country gal' beauty, like Applejack. You, though, have that 'adorkable girl next door' beauty.”
“She's still younger than me,” Twilight argued.
Midnight gave her a deadpanned stare. “You're only twenty-four.”
Twilight looked away and asked the question she was most afraid to ask. “Midnight... do you... want to be in a herd with us?”
Midnight sighed. He tried to run a hoof through his mane, but was stopped by the chains. “I don't really know. I do care about her, but honestly, she's been so pushy about it that I'm not sure.”
Nightshade cleared her throat, reminding them she was there. “That... was my fault. I kind of influenced her to act like that.”
Twilight scowled at her. “So much for caring for Applebloom.”
“Hey!” Nightshade shot Twilight a glare of her own. “This isn't about me right now! This is about Applebloom, and the two of you. Don't hold her pushiness against her. She's a kind, caring pony that you should be glad wants to be a part of your lives. I've met dozens of ponies that could see me – I mean the real me, not possessing someone – and only two didn't run away screaming; Luna and Applebloom.”
“Luna?! No... You're Nightmare Moon?!” Twilight shouted, infuriated. “I should have known.”
Nightshade tsked. “I figured you'd catch on sooner or later. Yes I was Nightmare Moon, okay, and no I don't want to make the night last forever. That was a ruse to ensure Luna would be loved and seen as a hero. I just told all that to Applebloom before waking you two up, and I don't feel like going through it again.
“Look, all I'm saying is Applebloom is a wonderful pony. Just, give her a chance, okay.” Nightshade sighed, and turned to look out the window, to the position of the sun.
Twilight stared at the possessed mare, brows furrowed. Could this being, the same beast that turned Luna into a monster, really care about Applebloom that much? She was no Applejack, but she was almost positive there was no deception in her plea.
Before Twilight could formulate a response, Nightshade turned back to them and said, “It's time to go.”
The ethereal horn lit up, wrapping Twilight, Midnight, and Nightshade in Applebloom's usually internal amber magic. In a flash, the ruined chapel was once again deserted.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
“This is a very bad idea, Princess,” Applejack insisted again. “You should take us with you.”
Celestia gave the apple farmer a questioning glance. “And how, pray-tell would your presence benefit us?” The slightly scolding tone made AJ wince a bit, but the nation's ruler quickly softened again. “I understand that you wish to be of assistance, but you are too emotionally attached to this situation. For the same reason, I would prefer not to take part in these dealings, but I have no choice.”
“Then at least take more'n just three of us,” the country mare pressed.
Celestia sighed. “I'm sorry, Applejack, but any more and we risk Nightmare running before negotiations can even begin. The only reason I'm even taking who I am is because their skills could be useful. I'm hoping to end this without violence.”
“Then why are ya takin' Scootaloo?” Applejack asked flatly.
“Just because I don't want a fight, doesn't mean I am not so stupid as to not prepare for one, and Scootaloo is the only one that could subdue your sister without hurting her too much. Besides, if this is a trap, she would be the first to see it.”
Celestia looked at the nervous mare and sighed. “I know you're worried, but I promise you we will get your sister back.”
Applejack wanted to protest. She wanted to argue that she needed to be there, but she knew the princess was right. And so, the apple farmer resigned herself to wait with the others a short distance away to await the signal to move.
Every minute felt like a day as everyone waited in tense silence. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a flash of amber light filled the clearing. When it cleared, three figures waited at the edge of the Everfree; The possessed Applebloom, and the bound Midnight and Twilight.
“I'm here, Nightmare,” Celestia announced. “Now, what do you want?”
Nightmare sneered and said in her best 'villain voice', “I'm actually surprised you showed.”
Both Twilight and Midnight recognized the extreme shift in Nightshade's mannerisms, but they were both gagged and couldn't voice their observations.
“You foalnapped my dear friends,” the sun princess countered. “Of course I would come.”
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
While the princess spoke with Nightshade, Midnight shifted and squirmed, hoping to find a weakness in the magically constructed bindings holding him. He knew it was likely pointless, but he had to do something.
It was then a shadow in the woods seemed to shift, sliding away from the tree that cast it. Only it was no shadow. Moving silent as a ghost himself, Storm Feather, Scootaloo's coltfriend melted from the cover of the forest, a bright pink stone clutched in his hoof. Midnight instantly recognized it as Pinkie's namesake, pinkamenum, a mineral known for it's ability to over excite mana causing woven spells to unravel and dispel.
The colt held a hoof to his lips, shushing the two as he carefully made his way to them.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
“What is it you want, Nightshade?” Celestia demanded.
“Ah, so you've finally learned my name, have you? Congratulations,” the ghost filly replied, her old Equish accent sounding alien coming from the country mare whose body she was using. “What I want, though, is a brighter future for Equestria, but that won't happen as long as you're on the throne. You may have this whole country fooled, princess, but I know what kind of pony you really are.
“You're the kind of pony that let's her favorite ponies rape and murder innocent fillies, only to reward them with titles after. You're the kind of pony that runs and hides whenever trouble shows up and sends good ponies to die in your place.
“No more. I'm ending it!”
Wasting no more time, Nightshade suddenly sprang forward, the ground under her cracking under the force of her launch. Celestia's eyes widened in shock and fear as they met her attackers. There was no time to act. There was barely time to think. All she could do was hope something happened...
And something did, indeed, happen.
Something impacted her shoulder, launching her painfully to the side just before the Nightmare struck, sending stone and dust everywhere.
Celestia took a painful breath, feeling the bruises already starting to form on her ribs and shoulder. To her side, the sound of wailing pierced the ringing in her ears.
Forcing herself to look back, she could see the Nightmare staring in wide eyed shock at the place Celestia had been standing just seconds prior. In her place, she could see Twilight holding a blue and red figure.
Her students cries of distress soon cut through her disorientation. Just before Shining Armor latched onto her and flashed her to safety, she heard her beloved student's cry of despair.
“Midnight!”