“Daddy! Daddy! Daddy, wake up!”
Water then splashed over Discord’s face and he sputtered awake. He exclaimed, “What are you trying to do?! Drown me?!” He looked around the room and saw his sweet Screwball on his right. He smiled, “Screwy! You’re back so soon? Huh. Thought the Faire lasted longer the last time.”
When Discord saw the expression of urgency on Screwy’s face, he knew it couldn’t be good.
She said, “Dad, we have a major problem! The sun’s not out!”
He scoffed, “Of course it wouldn’t be. It’s not dawn yet. Now go back to sleep until morning.” He turned to the left and pulled the blankets up. When Screwball tore the blankets away from the bed, he cried, “Hey! Do you want to give your old pop pony-monia?!”
Screwy said, “Daddy, you’re not sick anymore.”
He looked at himself and saw that he had his normal coloring again. “Huh,” he said. “I suppose Zecora’s remedies do work after all. A little bit of rest will chase the sickness away. Now let’s keep that up by going to bed, shall we?”
His daughter groaned before she said, “Dad, look at the time.” She conjured up a wristwatch and to Discord’s surprise, it said 7 o’clock…AM!
He took her hoof and inspected the watch as he said, “What? That can’t be right!”
Screwy said, “Dad, I checked the animals in Mom’s garden. The rooster never crowed.”
This time, Discord was truly in shock. He managed to sputter, “But – But – But Ol’ Henpeck usually crows when it’s dawn! It couldn’t still be night!” He went to the curtains and parted them. There was only the moon and the stars in the sky. He whispered, “Oh, my…” Then he shouted, “Your grandma had one job – one job – and she blew it!” He scoffed, “I think retiring from ruling Equestria softened her brain.”
Screwy suggested, “But what if something happened to her?”
Discord rubbed his goatee, “Hmmm…You’re right. Celestia would never royally mess up like this…unless something did happen to her.”
“Like with everypony?”
“Everypony?”
“They won’t wake up. I think they’re dead.”
Discord’s heart stopped at the thought and he shouted out, “DEAD?!”
Quickly, he grabbed Screwball and whisked the both of them to the Crystal Empire. They flashed before the doors to the conference room and slammed them open. The whole room was dark, so Discord snapped his fingers and ignited the lights. Most of the royals were lying on the floor as still as stone. Discord directed his attention to Fluttershy, whose face was radiated by the moonlight outside the window she was near.
He picked her up and pleaded desperately, “Flutters?! Flutters?! FLUTTERS! Please wake up! PLEASE!” But when his pleas fell on deaf ears, tears began to spill on his face and land on Fluttershy’s beloved features. He sobbed, “Oh, no…No…”
He dug his face into her beautiful coat as he mourned the loss of his wife. It was the first time Screwball had ever seen her dad cry, and it broke her heart.
A tear or two had left her eyes when a strange voice said, “They’re not dead.”
Both father and daughter looked around in surprise as Screwy asked, “Huh? Was that a ghost?”
“I’m on it!” In an instant, he flashed into Ghostbuster attire and held a big ray gun in his claw. He and Screwy slowly walked out in the hall as he whispered, “Where are you, ghostie? Come out, come out wherever you are.”
“I’m right here!” the voice shouted.
Discord yelped and aimed the ray gun at the mirror.
The voice said, “Easy, easy! It’s me, Pip!”
Screwball and her father looked at the mirror in shock as they both said, “Pip?”
Indeed, it was Pip. They recognized his humble yet strong features anywhere.
Screwy asked, “Uncle Pip? Is that you? Are you…?”
Pip answered, “No, I’m not dead! A siren trapped me in the mirror realm just after the children left.”
Just then, the doors opened and they revealed Sunset Shimmer, Spike, Snow Pea, and Apple Jewel.
The fillies cried as they ran to Screwball, “Screwy!”
They all embraced each other as Apple Jewel said, “We thought you were kidnapped!”
Screwy said, “Well, I thought you guys were dead!”
Sunset chuckled as she ruffled Screwy’s mane, “We’re sorry we scared you there, Screwy. We didn’t know where you went.”
Discord scoffed, “She was scared?! I was terrified to bits when I saw Fluttershy and the others on the floor! Can anypony tell me what’s going on?!”
Sunset explained, “There’s a sleeping curse that’s affected the Crystal Empire and possibly all of Equestria.”
Spike shrugged, “But we still don’t know why only the moon’s out.”
Pip spoke, “I do.”
Discord said, “Huh. I guess you are quite useful as a magic mirror. Well then…” He cleared his throat before continuing, “Mirror, mirror on the wall, what is going on at all?!”
Pip looked to the side in unease and slowly asked, “Are you sure you want to know the truth? It may be a bit hard to swallow.”
Sunset said, “There’s something more to this, isn’t there?”
Discord crossed his arms and asked in a low tone, “What aren’t you telling us, Pip?” When Pip didn’t answer, Discord grew more insistent. “Pip? Pip!” Then he shouted, “Show us, Pip!”
The tone in her father’s voice made Screwball jump. She knew then never to cross her father like that.
At Discord’s demand, Pip reluctantly stepped back and let the mirror ripple before showing the group the scene that had happened hours earlier.
An ominous castle came into view and three ponies were walking in the strange environment. The Pegasus had a bag around her neck while the unicorn had a pack over her body.
The blue Earth pony put a hoof to her head and remarked, “Boy, all these smoke effects are making me dizzy!”
An ominous voice warned, “I wouldn’t speak ill of the décor if I were you…”
The three ponies turned to see a shadowy mass appear before them. The first to appear from the smoke was Princess Luna, who was unhappy to be taken captive. Then, the shadow formed itself into an intimidating unicorn princess. Her coat was as very dark gray as her soul and her smoky mane covered her hindquarters like a skirt. It was difficult to tell where the mane ended and where the tail began. Her silver shoes had a design that matched the symbol of the Umbrum, and her neckpiece was V-shaped in the middle with two black pearls surrounded by red zigzags. Her crown was silver with two spikes on either side and a diamond-shaped decoration in the middle that was flanked by a curve on either side. Finally, she had fangs and a long, red horn that was curved.
The unicorn exclaimed as she and the two other ponies bowed down, “Princess Belladonna! Your Highness! We have retrieved the items you requested.”
The Earth pony gasped, “You brought a princess! Or is it the other way around?” The Pegasus jabbed her accomplice in the arm and the blue pony cried out, “Ow!”
Belladonna gestured to Luna and said, “She had agreed to be taken…with some incentive.”
Luna scowled, “As long as you leave my family be, I will do as you say.”
“Then I will ask you to stand still.”
“What?”
In a moment, Belladonna aimed dark rays at Luna, who struggled and writhed as she was enclosed in a dark sphere. After several seconds, a new form emerged from the darkness. Her mane was now a brilliant phthalo blue, her coat now a very dark cornflower blue, and her eyes now catlike. Her sinister laughter sent chills up the spines of the three ponies.
Belladonna asked, “So do you like your new look, Princess Luna?”
The newly-transformed princess replied, “I am no longer Luna. I am Nightmare Moon.”
The Umbrum princess smiled maliciously, “I was hoping you would say that. Since I will be keeping our deal, what do you suggest we do with the citizens of Equestria?”
Nightmare Moon pondered as she said, “My sister and niece will be too powerful to defeat. We will have to put them and all other ponies under a sleeping curse. This will leave only the other species under our rule. But it will be a difficult spell to cast.”
“If you’re looking to enhance the curse, look no further than these three.” She turned to the ponies and said, “Ladies.”
The three ponies smiled evilly and then sang, “Laaaaa…”
Their pendants glowed and enveloped their owners in a red light. When the glow died down, the ponies were back to their original forms as sirens.
The yellow siren sighed, “It is good to be back in this body.”
The purple siren agreed, “Yeah. I hated being a pony.”
Belladonna gestured towards the sirens, “Nightmare Moon, may I present Adagio Dazzle, Aria Blaze, and Sonata Dusk.” She said to the sirens, “Girls, go outside with Nightmare Moon and help her amplify her sleeping curse.”
The image in the mirror dissolved and was replaced by an image of Nightmare Moon and the sirens on the peak of a snowy hill.
“All right, Your Grace,” Adagio Dazzle said, “sing.”
The sirens began to circle Nightmare Moon as the three vocalized. When their pendants were glowing, Nightmare Moon activated her horn and began to sing, “Trust in me…just in me…Shut your eyes…and trust in me…”
The rays of NMM’s magic touched the pendants and created a blue-green mist.
Adagio then sang, “You can sleep…”
Sonata sang, “…safe and sound…”
Aria sang, “…knowing we…”
Then all three sang, “…are around…”
By then, the mist had begun to spread and crept beyond the Frozen North.
Aria, “Slip into silent slumber…”
Sonata, “Sail on a silver mist…”
Adagio, “Slowly and surely your senses will cease to resist…”
Nightmare Moon then sang again, “Trust in me…and just in me…Shut your eyes and trust in me…”
The image then faded and a remorseful Pip reappeared in the mirror. The group of royals was shocked by the events that were replayed before them.
Discord had his mouth covered before he put down his hands to breathlessly whisper, “Lulu…”
Snow Pea shook her head and uttered, “No…No…”
Spike asked Pip, “Is there any way to break the spell?”
Pip only sighed, “Unfortunately, I don’t know.”
Suddenly, Screwball began feeling drowsy. She said, “Daddy…I’m starting to get tired…”
Sunset gasped, “She and Apple Jewel are half-ponies! They’re not completely immune to the sleeping curse!”
Snow Pea asked, “But how come we’re immune, Aunt Sunny?”
“I think it’s the jewelry. They might be protecting us from the curse.”
“That’s pretty powerful magic like Aunt Twilight said.”
Discord scooped Screwball up and said, “When we get back to Everfree Castle, I want to know what you girls are talking about.”
Apple Jewel yawned, “Wasn’t Zecora baby-sitting you before…the curse happened?”
“Well, I wouldn’t know about ‘baby-sitting’, but…” Suddenly, an idea flashed in his head. “Zecora! That’s it! She’ll be able to help us!”
He snapped his claw and teleported the group and the dozing Canterlot Royals to Everfree Castle. The group all landed in a big pile at the castle.
Spike grunted, “Don’t suffocate us before we find a way to break the curse!”
As soon as the sleeping royals were laid in peaceful positions, Discord called out, “Zecora! Zecora, we need you!”
The royals who were awake went to Fluttershy and Discord’s apartment and opened the door to find Zecora sleeping on the couch.
Snow Pea ran to her and pleaded, “Zecora! Zecora, wake up!”
Spike said, “Oh, no. She must not be completely immune to the sleeping curse either!”
Discord held up a paw and said, “I’ll handle this.” He went over to Zecora and blew a horn at her.
Almost instantly, her head shot up and her weary eyes opened in surprise. She said, “Huh? Wha…? I was only getting my beauty sleep. Why did you wake me from slumber so deep?”
Sunset walked up to her and said, “Zecora, I know we’ve never met, but I’m Sunset Shimmer, Twilight’s twin sister.”
The zebra exclaimed, “Oh, yes, yes! I’m glad your return was a success.” She put a hoof to her head and groaned, “I’m sorry. Something must be wrong with me. Either I’m getting ill or I’m under a strong spell.”
“There’s a sleeping spell that’s affected all of the ponies and half-ponies in Equestria.”
Snow Pea asked, “But you’re a zebra. How can you be part pony?”
Zecora answered, “I am an equine, this is true. I can get pony pox or the flu. But since I am from somewhere far away, I am not like other ponies in most ways.” She sighed wearily and then continued, “All this talk is making me weary. The spell is making my eyes bleary. Go to my hut and find the recipe that will benefit the girls and me.”
Spike said, “I’ll go!” But just as he turned to leave, he stopped and faced Zecora again. He asked, “Uh…just what kind of recipe is it?”
“Something that you must make certain will lift the tiring curtain. It is a potion that can boost one’s energy without having need for roost.”
Discord held a small translation device while mumbling to himself. When the device dinged, he exclaimed, “Ah! She’s saying that there’s a magic potion that can ward off the effects of the sleeping spell.”
Spike said, “Gotcha! Be right back!”
As the royals and Zecora decided to have breakfast, the wise zebra, Screwball, and Apple Jewel dozed off for a few moments.
When Spike came back with the ingredients, he had a look of concern on his face. He said, “Uh, guys? There’s a weird shadow on the moon.”
The royals opened the curtain and saw a small triangular shadow at the bottom of the moon. The shadow’s base was curved to match the curve of the moon’s bottom. If that wasn’t enough, the night sky became a little darker.
Zecora said in a tired voice, “It is important, this I know. But this spell is tiring me so.”
Sunset said to Spike, “Here, I’ll help you make the potion.”
After they brewed the potion, they poured three cups – one for Zecora, one for Screwball, and one for Apple Jewel.
Screwy exclaimed, “Wowee! I feel better already!”
Apple Jewel said, “Yeah! I feel like I can bounce off of walls!”
Zecora smiled, “Thank for the potion you brewed. Our energy has been renewed.”
Discord said, “Right, right, right. Now about the shadow on the moon?”
Zecora said, “First tell me everything there is, then I’ll be certain about what is amiss.”
And so the royals told Zecora everything that happened, including summoning Pip in the mirror as proof.
She put a hoof to her chin and said, “Hmmm…It seems to me like a prophecy long foretold. It is one that’s in every Umbrum tale of old.”
Sunset asked, “What kind of prophecy?”
“An ancient promise made by those dark creatures. It was foreseen long before they were captured. They tried to fulfill it with their invasion, but they were banished to a place of aversion.”
“Wait. I read about that. The Umbrum invaded the Crystal Empire decades before, but many years ago, a pony of dark magic revived them and took over the kingdom. When my parents stopped her, they trapped her in a dark crystal in the Arctic Wastes.”
Discord grumbled, “Oh, great. Now you’re sounding like Twilight.”
“Well, I am her twin.”
“No kidding.”
Zecora said, “Yes, yes, you are correct on the tale, but a crystal like that is where they hail. The prophecy of their rule still existed, so again and again they persisted. Now it seems all is coming to pass, and the Umbrum will be free at last.”
Spike asked while chewing his gems, “But we can still stop them, right?”
“It is possible, but difficult. You must find their one and only fault. Unfortunately, that won’t be simple. I’m afraid your journey will be uphill.”
Snow Pea asked, “But what about the jewelry Aunt Sunny and I are wearing? Dad and Aunt Twilight both said that the tiara and bracelets have powerful magic.”
Zecora inspected both the tiara and the bracelets and said, “What you wear is powerful jewelry. Make sure to use their magic carefully.”
Apple Jewel asked, “But do you know anything more about them?”
“The answer lies within something of lore: a forbidden book you have used before.”
Discord gawked, “Wait. You can’t seriously mean…?!”
She nodded, “The Ancient Book of Secrets will help you through if the sun’s rays are to flood the land anew. For as long as the moon is in the sky, the shadow will creep up as time goes by. That shadow is the emblem of the dark and cruel Umbrum. If the days still had the sun and the moon, the shadow will be in full view two nights soon. As the moon grows darker by the hour, your journey will be even more dour. I suggest you hurry and soon before the shadow covers the moon.”
There was an ominous pause until Spike spoke, “Well, on that cheerful note, shouldn’t we get everypony to bed?” At that moment, they heard snoring coming from the main hall.
“I’ll take care of that,” Discord said before he snapped his talon. In a flash, his wife was in his arms and Applejack was in Spike’s arms.
Sunset said, “Um…What did you do with…?”
“Relax, your twin and the rest of your sisters are with their families in their own rooms. Go see for yourselves.”
Sunset took Snow Pea out of the room and Spike and Apple Jewel followed behind.
Discord turned to his daughter and suggested, “Screwy, how about you help me tuck Mommy in?”
Screwball smiled, “Sure, Daddy!”
Discord gently laid his wife in the bed they shared during twelve years of marriage. He ended up staring at her beautiful face. Using her magic, Screwball drew the covers on her mother and sadly looked up to her father.
“Daddy…will Mommy be okay?”
“Of course she will! You know your mother is one tough cookie!”
“But how come you thought she was dead when you first saw her like this?”
“Um…Uh…” he stammered before he quickly changed the subject. “Uh, here! Let’s redecorate the room while she’s asleep!” He started snapping away.
Meanwhile, Spike had laid his wife in their own bed with his daughter looking on in worry. She whispered, “Mommy…”
Spike reassured her, “Mommy’s going to be okay. I promise.” But he knew that was easier said than done. However, he had to keep a brave face for his daughter. He looked back at Applejack’s peaceful face and knew that was what his wife would’ve done if their positions were reversed. He leaned in and kissed her on the forehead with a tear in his eye. He whispered, “I love you…”
Sunset and Snow Pea had checked rooms and found their family members asleep with their intimate families in the same bed. Twilight, Flash, and their children slept together and so did Rarity, Fancy, and their children. Pip appeared in a mirror that was in the room where his family was. He put a hoof against the surface that separated him from the world while trying to fight back tears. It was the same for all the royals as they found Sweetie Belle and Little Button together. Snow Pea stared at them and was on the verge of tears. Sunset had to wrap her hoof around her in comfort.
Snow Pea asked, “What happens to me if they don’t wake up?”
“That won’t happen.”
“But what if it is?” she asked once more as she gave off big, round, sad eyes.
Sunset vowed, “Then I will take care of you. That I swear.”
“But couldn’t we just use the tiara and bracelets to undo the spell?”
“We don’t even know what they do yet until we read the book.”
Screwball looked around the room in wonder. There were flowering vines decorating the room and almost all within it. There were also stars that shined on Fluttershy and brought a certain glow to her beauty. She then looked at her father and could see he was deeply in pain of having his wife in this condition.
Discord whispered, “I’m sorry, Fluttershy. Had I been there with you and Screwy, I could have helped prevent this from happening…”
“It’s not you fault, Daddy…”
He sighed, “I know…” He then summoned a single rose and carefully placed it between his wife’s arms, which were crossed at the wrists, and her body.
Back in the Umbrum world, Sonata Dusk grunted as she pulled two crates into the castle.
Aria growled, “Come on, Sonata! The princesses don’t have all day!”
As soon as Sonata stopped, she collapsed to the floor and panted heavily. She gasped, “You…try…pulling…two huge crates…at once!”
WHOOSH!
The sirens turned to see Belladonna and Nightmare Moon coming from the shadow.
Belladonna snarled, “We care not about your whining, Sonata. All we care about is the jewelry.”
Sonata nervously chuckled as she rose from the ground, “Right. I’ll get them out.” She opened a crate and pulled out a crystal ball. “A crystal ball?” she said.
Adagio snapped, “That’s my crate, Sonata!”
She smiled awkwardly, “Oopsie! My bad.” She opened the next crate and dug into it. Growing impatient, Nightmare Moon used her magic to tip the crate on its side. Sonata timidly said, “They’re supposed to be in the boxes with the question marks.” NMM then sorted through the crate and levitated the mystery boxes. She opened every box, but all that came out were packing peanuts.
Nightmare Moon demanded as her eyes glowed white, “WHERE IS THE JEWELRY?!”
Aria rebuked, “Sonata, don’t tell me you lost them!”
Sonata answered uneasily, “I didn’t so much as lose them as…give them to some ponies.”
NMM shouted, “WHO?!”
“I couldn’t help it! They were two princesses! I had to let them win!”
Belladonna asked, “What were their names?”
Sonata gulped, “Princess…Sunset Shimmer and…Snow Pea.”
Nightmare Moon turned to Belladonna and said, “Sunset Shimmer is the twin of Twilight Sparkle and Snow Pea is the heir to the throne of Marendelle.”
Adagio smirked as she pulled out a hoofheld mirror, “And I know just the colt to call…” She singsonged into the mirror, “Oh, Prince Pip!”
Within a moment, the surface of the mirror began to ripple. After a few seconds, Pip came into view. Nightmare Moon and Belladonna were surprised at this.
The prince said in an unenthusiastic tone, “You summoned me?”
Adagio turned the mirror so that he could face the princesses and said, “Princesses, may I introduce Prince Pip.”
Nightmare Moon remarked, “You trapped a prince in a mirror?”
Belladonna smirked wickedly and said as she walked towards the siren, “Yes…I believe we can use this to our advantage.” She commanded Pip, “Colt! Show me Princesses Sunset Shimmer and Snow Pea.”
Reluctantly, Pip complied and showed her the image of Sunset Shimmer and Snow Pea eating breakfast.
Belladonna exclaimed, “The fools! They are wearing the jewelry! This will make it far more difficult to completely take over Equestria.”
Sonata suggested, “Why not just take the jewelry while they’re asleep?”
“You fool! Once someone, a pony or otherwise, wears a piece of the Elemental Jewelry, it becomes stuck on them in times of danger. It protects the wearer from harm, so I cannot touch them!”
“But what if you brought them here?”
There was a pause until an evil smile spread across Belladonna’s face. She said, “Hmmm…Kidnap one or both of the princesses…turn them evil…Sonata, that might be just brilliant!”
The sirens were amazed by this and cried, “It is?!”
Nightmare Moon argued, “But how would that be possible? You said so yourself that the jewelry protects the wearer from evil!”
Belladonna turned to the princess and explained, “I know what happens when a wearer turns evil…willingly. The piece of Elemental Jewelry turns dark with them. So if I kidnap one or both princesses, perhaps I can convince them to join our cause!”
She then began to sing, “In the dark of the night, I was tossing and turning…And the nightmare I had was as bad as can be…It brought me so much sorrow…A mare being shadow…then I open my eyes and the nightmare was me!
“I was once the most adored pony in the kingdom…When the royals betrayed me, they made a mistake! My curse made each pony pay, but two princesses got away! They both need to beware because I’m awake!”
The sirens and Nightmare Moon sang, “In the dark of the night, evil will find them…In the dark of the night when there’s no dawn…”
“Revenge will be sweet…”
The five all sang together, “When the curse is complete…”
NMM and the sirens then sang, “In the dark of the night…”
Belladonna sang, “They’ll be gone!” After the sirens and NMM vocalized, the Umbrum princess continued to sing, “I can feel that my powers are slowly returning…Tie my sash and a dash of perfume for that smell! As the pieces fall into place, I’ll see them crawling into place! Sayonara, Your Highnesses! Farewell!”
NMM and the sirens sang again, “In the dark of the night, terror will strike them…”
“Terror’s the least I can do!”
“In the dark of the night, evil will rule…"
All five of them sang, "Soon they will feel…”
Belladonna then sang, “…that their nightmares are real!”
“In the dark of the night…”
“They’ll be through!”
The sirens sang, “In the dark of the night, evil will find them!”
Nightmare Moon sang, “Find them!”
“In the dark of the night, terror comes true!”
“Doom them!”
Belladonna then sang, “My dears, here’s a sign…"
All five of them sang, “It’s the end of the line!”
The sirens chanted, “In the dark of the night…in the dark of the night…”
By that time, the five of them went out on a balcony. Belladonna stepped towards the railing and lit up her horn in a haze of black, purple, and green. Her mane and tail rose up in the air as she summoned forth the Umbrum. Her eyes glowed and scarlet smoke trailed from them as she sang, “Come, my minions, rise for your master! Let your evil shine!”
The sirens continued to chant, “In the dark of the night, in the dark of the night…”
“Find them now, yes, fly ever faster!”
“In the dark of the night, in the dark of the night, in the dark of the night…”
“They’ll be mine!”
Belladonna sent the Umbrum towards the outside world, but Nightmare Moon caught a glimpse of a skull-and-crossbones cutie mark on the Umbrum princess’s flank.