//------------------------------//
// Part 7 The Future: Two Monsters 
// Story: Facing the Future 
// by Zephyr Spark 
//------------------------------//

	Spike searched the kitchen for anything for Twilight to eat so she could regain her strength, but did not particularly care to feed Twilight spiders or maggots. Rummaging through the shelves he finally found a box of rations that seemed relatively safe for consumption. He assumed the ponies below ground must have brought it to her at some point. Of course, he tasted it to make sure it was safe.
He raced back to Twilight with the box, as well as a fork and spoon. She was too feeble to lift a utensil without her magic, which was already weak enough, and too depleted to chew. Nevertheless, Spike mashed up the food into miniscule bites and carefully fed Twilight. With each bite, the alicorn’s eyes regained their purple luster and strength flowed into her body. After finishing the entire box, Twilight rose to her trembling feet and together they went to the library.
Spike and Twilight quickly went to work, pulling out her old spell books, which were tattered and withered but miraculously legible. Twilight explained that she had to regain her strength to properly cast a transformation and time travel spell, so she set about regaining her neglected magical skills. Within the hour, Twilight had at least passed her magical powers as a mere unicorn. Hopefully within the next hour, she could recover her power to an alicorn level
Suddenly, the room went dark. Spike felt palpable fear tingle down his spine.
“Hide now,” Twilight whispered to him. Without a word, Spike threw himself into an open dresser and closed the doors.
“Well, well, this is certainly an unexpected sight,” a voice resounded throughout the room, one that Spike had not heard in years, “after centuries of staring vacantly through the window, Twilight Sparkle finally awakes to practice her magic.”
Spike peaked the drawer open slightly and stared at Twilight. From the darkness, a black helmet and horn emerged, followed by a mane trickling with the night sky. Spike raised a hoof to his mouth as he recognized Nightmare Moon spread her wings and open her piercing eyes.
“Hello, Princess Luna,” Twilight smiled, feigning kindness.
“You’ve been dormant a long time,” the mare hissed at the name, “I go by Nightmare Moon, now. Or Queen Luna.”
Twilight bowed her head as the night pony crossed to her desk and examined her books, “so what finally woke you from that pathetic state, I wonder?”
“I was just tired of doing nothing,” Twilight lied, resisting her temptation to glance at Spike’s hiding place, “my mind finally awoke and I returned.”
“How convenient,” Nightmare Moon mocked her, sounding neither pleased nor convinced. “What shall you do now?”
“I have no desire to take the throne,” Twilight mustered as much self-loathing in her voice as she could, “after I failed Equestria, I am unworthy to rule it.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” the dark alicorn turned to stare directly into Twilight’s eyes with a sly chuckle. “If not for you, that beast might not exist. Besides, who’d want to rule Equestria anymore?”
“What brings you here Luna?” Twilight asked as beads of sweat rolled down her head.
“Two things, actually,” Nightmare Moon paced around Twilight like a wolf eying its prey, “now that you’re back, you shall join me in our quest to vanquish the beast once and for all.”
“I’m sorry,” Twilight quickly spoke, “I have spent so much time dormant that much of my magical power has faded. I’m afraid I would be nothing but a hindrance to you.”
“Of course,” Nightmare Moon’s agreement unnerved Twilight and Spike as the deranged alicorn continued circling her, “you need time to recover your strength. Read your musky books. Learn your spells. But when I return, you will obey your queen or suffer the consequences. Do I make myself clear?”
Twilight nodded as the queen’s words slithered across her ears like a serpent, “Yes, Queen Luna.”
“Secondly, I thought I’d share a little story with you.” Nightmare Moon faded into the darkness but her voice remained, circling Twilight. “Recently my scouts found a pegasus filly wandering the ruins of Ponyville. He was seen outside your castle, calling your name.”
“I had yet to recover my mind,” Twilight responded with the truth, “I heard nothing.”
“Hmm,” Spike could see Twilight shiver at the bodiless voice. “All too convenient.”
“It’s the truth,” Twilight firmly spoke, “he was probably some filly taking a dare.” There was no response for a full minute and Twilight was wondering if the Queen had vanished. Unlikely, she could still sense the Queen’s presence.
“Then this filly proceeded to your deceased friend’s clothing shop, another one of your deceased friend’s sweet shop, and finally your deceased friend’s animal shelter,” the voice spit the words “deceased” and “friend” in disgust, probing Twilight for a reaction.
“I believe their names were Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Fluttershy,” Twilight kept her voice calm and her body motionless.
“I didn’t ask you,” the voice snarled with savage delight as Queen Luna briefly appeared and whispered inches from Twilight’s ear, “to burden me with their insignificant names. They are but a mere speck amidst the billions of ponies lost.”
The queen faded into the darkness with a sadistic laugh, enjoying her ability to lord her power over Twilight, who trembled with suppressed rage, “Please get to the point Queen Luna.”
“Ah yes, silly me. The little filly met that pathetic mess who once called himself Discord and he told the filly everything that had happened since your little beast left you centuries ago. My incompetent scouts could not make out much of their conversation, but they saw the little filly faint as though he was hearing this history for the first time. Curious, no?”
“Who wouldn’t be frightened by a first-person account of the war?” Twilight stood her ground, determined to remain impassive.
“Good question,” Nightmare Moon sounded like Twilight had finally said something she had been driving towards, “and the only answer I can conceive is an individual who has not heard this history.”
“How could that be possible?” Twilight asked praying the queen could not see into her heart. “The only ponies who would not know would be young fillies still learning how to walk.”
“Perhaps so,” the voice continued circling around Twilight, relishing every second. “They took him prisoner and left him to rot in a cell.”
Spike was sweating as his panic rose. One of the trio from before could have squealed on him, and revealed everything he had said. He could only pray they had not told her too much. They seemed somewhat sympathetic to Twilight, so perhaps they did not reveal who he claimed to be. Considering his bad luck, he really didn’t think that was likely. The ground trembled once more and a distant roar from before sounded in the distance, nearly shattering Spike’s eardrums.
“Your foe approaches, Queen Luna,” Twilight spoke as the roar faded. “Perhaps you’d like to postpone this discussion and protect your citizens.”
“My slaves can burn for all I care,” the voice chuckled, “they are merely tools, little alicorn. And what makes you think I would postpone this interrogation for anything?”
“Interrogation?” Twilight repeated with a condemning scowl, “Slaves? Tools? I can only wonder what Celestia would think of you if she saw you.”
Suddenly, Twilight was levitated into the air by black magic and flown across the room, through shelves, until she was pinned against the wall. Spike wanted to scream her name and rush to her side but he knew better than to give himself away.
“Don’t you dare speak of my sister!” Nightmare Moon appeared inches from Twilight’s face with a magical scythe construct poised against her throat. “She is of a time long gone. To survive now, we must abandon the old ways. Forget mercy. That’s what kept her from slaying the beast when she had the chance!”
The Queen and scythe vanished and Twilight was violently thrown to the ground, creating a crater in the floor. She rose to her feet and bowed her head once more in submission and apology. Spike watched all of this, burning with hate. How dare she treat Twilight this way? How dare she threaten his friend in her own home? But once again, he knew better than to give himself away.
“Now where was I?” her voice spoke casually as though her emotional outburst had never occurred, “Oh yes. One of my scouts betrayed me and freed the prisoner. She would not reveal his location no matter what tortures I put her through.”
Spike eyes widened. He could only assume Nightmare Moon was referring to P, the friendly half-pony, half-dragon hybrid that helped him escape prison. Before he lost sight of her forever, she called him father. If Nightmare Moon hurt her, so help him. Spike would go to the ends of Equestria to avenge her.
“In the end, I’m afraid her fragile mind simply broke under my nightmares and she went insane. Terrible tragedy, really, but that’s the only fate for a traitor, particularly the offspring of the great traitor.”
Spike clenched his teeth in rage, wishing he had hands to strangle this queen. Of course, he recognized there was nothing he could do to save her but rewrite the past, and he stood little chance against Nightmare Moon. So he quietly seethed in anger behind the dresser doors.
“What do you mean ‘offspring of the great traitor’?” Twilight narrowed her eye hoping the queen was not referring to—who she thought she was referring to.
“You recall when your disgusting dragon visited Ponyville before he betrayed us all? In that time, he mated with that idiotic dead friend of yours and spawned a half-breed. I’m afraid that half-breed revealed her true colors and betrayed me.”
“You didn’t have to hurt her,” Twilight impulsively answered, barely suppressing her anger and despair.
“I know,” Spike saw pointed teeth flash a grin in the darkness before fading as the voice spoke, “But I took particular satisfaction in doing so. If only it would have hurt her father to see his daughter’s mind crumble to dust.”
Twilight bit her lip in raging fury. This did not go amiss to Nightmare Moon who materialized in front of Twilight. She towered over the sickly alicorn.
“I tell you this story for a reason. The time will come when your loyalty to me will be tested, and if you fail, well” her eyes glittered with sinister menace, “your fate will be worse than that worthless abomination.”
“Yes, Queen Luna,” Twilight bowed her head submissively once more, “I understand.”
“Really?” Nightmare Moon turned away from Twilight paced into the darkness, where she once again faded. “Did I mention there were two other scouts accompanying that traitor? She may have taken her secrets with her mind, but they,” the queen chuckled, “they told me so much more. Naturally, I tortured them as well. Perhaps it was unnecessary but I dislike them being associated with a traitor.”
Spike and Twilight grew increasingly nervous. Their eyes shifted through the darkness for the queen.
“When my scouts captured the filly and interrogated him, they reported he made some remarkable claims and cited particularly convincing evidence. I myself would not have believed him were his responses to their questions not so thorough and accurate. So allow me to clarify my statement regarding the repercussions of betraying me.” Nightmare Moon appeared inches from Twilight’s face, causing the alicorn to leap back in self-defense, “If you’re aiding my greatest enemy and hiding him from me, I will slowly and painfully torture you with nightmares of everything you’ve ever loved dying at the claws of the beast until you are too broken to ever reclaim your mind again.”
Twilight stared at the queen in panicked fury. Nightmare Moon was onto her. She knew. Spike looked on, trembling with fear. He had worked so hard to get here, to make Twilight wake up from her trance. If Nightmare Moon broke her once more, Spike had no idea what he would do.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Queen Luna,” Twilight answered innocently, “the protective barrier has been up this whole time, no pony could have gotten through.”
“Ah yes, that is true,” Nightmare Moon nodded, knowing she had complete control of the situation, “and even if it wasn’t, the rubble in the tunnel blocks the entrance to this castle, and a little pegasus could not remove so many boulders.”
Twilight nodded and felt optimism. Maybe she could convince the queen she was on her side and buy enough time to strengthen her magic.
“But perhaps a little pegasus could knock down that flimsy door in the tunnel.” Twilight’s optimism died in this one phrase, as Nightmare Moon spoke, “and I noticed that door was knocked inward into the room, and its wood was splintered where something had rammed into it.”
“I suppose the previous tremors shook it lose,” Twilight quickly answered, “some boulders could have collided with it.”
In a heartbeat, she had Twilight pressed against the wall once more with a scythe pressed against her neck. This time she lightly touched the blade against Twilight’s neck and a bead of blood trickled down. The savage queen drew close to Twilight’s ear and whispered loud enough for any in the castle to hear, “I know he’s here, you traitorous brat. If you won’t tell me where, I certain he will.”
She addressed the entire castle, “Hello, Spike. I don’t know why you came from the past or why you’re a pony, but soon neither will matter. You will deliver yourself to me in five seconds, or I cut your friend’s throat.” She turned around with the scythe still poised for the fatal blow, “Fate has presented us with a perfect opportunity to end this madness. If your past self dies, you will never become the beast. Equestria will not be in this sorry state. Your friends will go about their lives happily unaware what would have been. Isn’t that what you came here for? To set things right?”
Spike stopped and considered her offer. It was insane; even if he could trust the queen, which was a big if in itself, and her theory was correct, he would no longer exist. He would no longer exist. Wouldn’t that be for the best? Maybe, he was sent here simply to perish. Was that the best way to save Equestria?
“Five.”
Then he thought about Twilight and his friends. They were so miserable without him. Ponies might go on with their lives without him, but if his most important friends missed him so desperately after a mere day, they might never forget him. If he caused them grief for the rest of their lives, he would never forgive himself.
“Four.”
Equestria would be the better for it, wouldn’t it? If he left the world now by death, he could never become the beast. Equestria would not end up in this mess. His friends would still be alive along with billions of countless lives.
“Three.”
But another threat could always rise. What if his friends went on another quest and failed because he wasn’t there to help? What if his absence simply broke them? He was running out of time.
“Two.”
He had to decide now. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Spike had to save Twilight.
“One—“
“Stop!” Spike emerged from the dresser, “I surrender. Let Twilight go.”
Instantly, he flew through air and slammed into the wall beside Twilight, knocking the air from his lungs. He was pinned down by Nightmare Moon’s powerful magic.
“Loyalty,” Queen Luna raised a new scythe towards Spike. “It truly is the death of us all. Twilight and my sister were loyal to you even after you became the beast, and when the time to vanquish you came, they both hesitated and failed Equestria. When I threatened her life, you foolishly reveal yourself.”
“Just let her go,” Spike coughed, “she’s suffered enough.”
“NO!” she shrieked with fury. “She has not begun to suffer enough for bringing a monster like you into the world!”
“You promised,” Spike choked on his own words as he gasped for air.
“I lied.” Nightmare Moon raised both scythes for the fatal blows. Twilight and Spike looked into each other’s eyes. They had done so much together. Now, it would all end here. “Besides, if this fails and the beast lives, eliminating a competitor for the throne will be essential.”
“Is that all this is to you?” Twilight screamed, “obtaining power for yourself?”
“This is about doing the right thing.” The scythes descended, “This is justice.”

***

The second Twilight sensed Nightmare Moon she told Spike to hide. Once he had, she secretively continued practicing her magic by tampering with the barrier surrounding her home. It was difficult and took time but fortunately the queen took her time to accuse her, gleefully lording her dominance over her. It certainly was humbling, but it gave Twilight more than enough time to lower the barrier. She then rose it once more and lowered it, feeling her magic strength return with each successive effort. The second time Nightmare Moon shoved her into the wall with a scythe under her neck, Twilight had begun to surpass her magical powers as an alicorn. She was strong enough to send Spike home. When the queen pushed her against the wall, she had quickly lowered the barrier before Queen Luna’s magic sealed off her own magic. She could only hope her crazy plan would work.
The scythes were a mere inch from splitting their heads when the castle shook violently, disrupting Queen Luna’s constructs and her hold on the two. The ceiling blew away in a vicious hurricane, more powerful than any hurricane Spike had ever seen, and every structure besides the room they stood in crumbled into dust. Twilight instantly grabbed him and flew away.
Spike heard the deafening roar and looked up. It was the creature from his nightmare, only larger, more terrifying, fully realized. It was no longer a pathetic dragon. This creature had grown large enough to eclipse the entire sky. Its broad wings alone cast a shadow over the entirety of Ponyville. Spike could not see where it ended or began. Its scales were larger than a house. The creature lowered its head to snarl at Nightmare Moon. Its teeth were stained crimson and its eyes had no pupils. Boney spikes protruded unnaturally from its spine, and Spike knew this was it. This was the beast that destroyed everything he had known and loved. This would be him.
“No, not now,” Nightmare Moon howled in fury as the beast released a torrent of flames. Twilight cast a protective bubble around them both, but they still felt the creature’s flames singe their bodies as it reduced the already barren Ponyville to ash. Dark magic surged from Nightmare Moon’s horn towards the creature, staggering it only for an instant. The two titans exchanged violent blows, cracking the earth and splitting the wind. Both monsters were more than capable of destroying everything. Except each other, Spike realized with sickening despair, that’s why this fight can never end. That’s why this world means nothing to them. Even if it fell, they would survive and continue their fight across the cosmos for eternity.
The impact of an attack knocked Twilight out of the air and she and Spike tumbled into the ground, lightening their impact only with a last minute barrier. She gazed at Spike and wrapped her hooves protectively around him, using her body as a shield, while her horn glowed with magic. Behind them, Spike could see Nightmare Moon launching a single concentrated beam of magic that the beast met with a torrent of white flames that burned Spike’s retina even though he did not face it. The shockwaves generated by these colliding energies threw waves of violent energy through the air and the ground. The shockwaves soured towards them but Twilight set herself between Spike anything that came their way. The result was a brutally scarred back and vicious pain. She didn’t cry or scream even though Spike did just to see her suffer. She merely focused on her magic.
“Spike,” she spoke physically weak but completely determined, “what Luna said before, it’s not true. If I went the rest of my life never seeing you again, I would die. I know because I already had.” 
Her horn’s white magic enveloped Spike, and he stared into the eyes of his greatest friend, even as they lost life. 
“Spike,” she said as they faded from each other’s view, “set things right. The way we know it should be.”
Spike was hurtled through the air and felt sharp a familiar pain wash over his body. Even with his eyes clenched shut, the light pierced through his eyelids and blinded his sight. But he knew what he had to do. If this pain was a side effect of getting home, so be it.