The Return of Nightmares

by Downunda Thunda

Chapter 1

“But… What could it mean, Sister?” The purple alicorn of Friendship looks up to her older sister, the high princess of Equestria, Celestia. She furrows her brow in thought.

“I don’t know, Twilight,” Celestia replies, “But if it’s anything, it can’t be anything good. Perhaps you should summon the elements of Harmony as a precaution.” Twilight gives a short nod, as her horn lights up. Before too long, five balls of light appear, each a different colour. Pink, Yellow, Orange, Blue and White. These balls soon took on shapes of ponies. Two earth ponies, two pegasi and one unicorn.

“Elements” Twilight said. “Equestria has need of your aid. We have been threatened. Prepare to do your duty.”

“Yes, Princess.” The five elements of harmony responded in unison. The Elements then dissipated, and Twilight turned back toward Celestia.

“We are ready, Sister.” Twilight said.

“Good.” Responded Celestia. “We must be ready for whatever this may be.

The next few days, everypony in Canterlot was on high-alert. The Royal Guard’s patrols were doubled, and even daily court with the Princesses was stopped. Every chance that anypony had to get to either of the Princesses was eliminated.

But it still wasn’t enough. One night, Celestia was in her chambers, ready to go to sleep for the night, when she heard a voice, that while was strange, struck some sort of familiarity deep within her memory.

“Celestia. Have you forgotten me? Of course you have. You’ve let somepony else into my place. You have most certainly forgotten who I am. But this is no matter. For soon, I shall return. Be ready, Celestia. Make sure your sister is ready. Make sure Equestria is ready for my return.”

The voice vanished, but it bugged Celestia as to how familiar it felt. And why did it say “Sister” so venomously? And what did it mean that she had let somepony else into it’s place? These were the questions that let Celestia sleepless for the entire night, tossing and turning, with a mind that will not rest. She would tell Twilight about this tomorrow. Hopefully, she can provide some answers.

The next day, Celestia approaches Twilight. “Twilight, last night, I was visited by a voice…” Before Celestia could continue, Twilight stopped her.

“I know, sister. I was visited by the same voice.” Twilight said.

“Do you have any idea what it could mean?”

“No… And it worries me.”

“Me as well. I can’t shake the feeling that I know this voice from somewhere before.” Celestia said, worry visibly crossing her face.

“I have the same feeling.” Twilight said, mirroring Celestia’s look.

The next few days went without incident, and without the mysterious voice returning. Until, late one night, as Twilight was headed to her chamber, she found two of the royal guards on the floor, bleeding heavily. They were still weakly breathing however.

“No…” muttered Twilight. “GUARDS! COME QUICK!” Twilight stared in horror at the two before looking around for possible escape routes the assailant took. Too many. The guards were attacked in an intersection of hallways. Usually quite crowded with Castle Staff, but at this time at night, only the occasional patrol passes through. Twilight’s horn glowed brightly for a moment, before she released a breath that she didn’t realize she was holding. The only ponies in the area she could detect were the guards racing to her cry and the two on the floor. Knowing they were now safe, Twilight went to tend to the wounds of the guards. Both of them had near identical 1 ½ foot gashes in their back. Sliced right through their armor, as though it was nothing more than cardboard.

Twilight used what little healing magic she knew to try and close the wounds, and stop the bleeding. After what seemed like a near eternity, two guards, as well as Celestia appeard around a corner.

“Twilight? What’s…” Celestia started, but she stopped herself when she saw the two guards in Twilight’s magic, “No… A-are they…?”

“They’re alive.” Said Twilight. “But only just. I’ve stopped the bleeding, but I don’t know if I was too late to save them or not. They’re going to be extremely anemic, in any case.” Celestia just nodded.

“Go to your quarters, Twilight. I’ll take these two to the Castle’s hospital. I will let you know if I find anything out.”

“Sister, please. I wish to tend to them myself.” Twilight pleaded. “I found them. I can’t help but feel… a sense of responsibility.”

Celestia thought for a while before speaking again. “Very well, Twilight. Stay with them. I’ll take a detachment of guards to search the entire castle from top to bottom. If the attacker is still within the castle walls, we’ll find them.” The two regal ponies then parted ways without further conversation. But unbeknownst to them, high above in the shadows of the ceiling was a dark blue, almost black cloud of smoke which was hovering there unnaturally. As the two left, a toothy white grin appeared in the cloud.

Twilight brought the stricken guards to the Castle’s infirmary. As soon as she opened the doors, several medical ponies came to her aid, and took over the burden of the weight of the bodies. Twilight surrendered them to the medics, and let her magic stop. Once they were taken into another room, Twilight spoke up. “Are they going to be alright?”

“I don’t know, Princess.” One of the doctors replied. “We’re going to need to run some tests, and then hope for the best. It would help if we knew what happened to them.”

“I wish I could tell you, the Princess replied with a sigh. “All I know is I found them in the hall with deep wounds in their backs.”

“Well, thank you, Princess.” The doctor said after a moment of thought. “We’ll take it from here. You should return to your room and try and get some sleep.”

At the mention of sleep, Twilight yawned deeply. “Yeah, that sounds like a good idea.” She replied, her voice starting to slow down, exhaustion finally getting to her.  

As she was walking through the halls to her room, Twilight heard a faint cackling, echoing through the castle. “Wha… Who’s there?” Stuttered Twilight. “Show yourself!”

“Now then, that wouldn’t be much fun, would it?” A voice replied. Twilight recognized it as the same voice which visited her and Celestia a week beforehand. “All you need to know for now, is that I am where I belong. You’d best ready yourself, Princess Twilight. I’m coming for you.”

The voice suddenly stopped, as Twilight heard hooves on the floor behind her, she spun around, horn aglow, ready to attack, only to frighten a Castle maid who was coming up behind her.

“Oh, P-princess.. Sorry if I startled you.” The maid said, apologetically.

“It’s okay. I thought you were…. Someone else, is all.” Twilight said, lowering her defences, eyes darting about the hall. “Return to your duties.”

“Yes ma’am.” The maid said with a curt bow, before continuing to make her way down the hall. Twilight stayed behind for a while, looking around the hall, but there was no sign of whatever, or whomever spoke. Defeated, Twilight turned around once more and continued toward her room. As she opened the door however, she could have sworn she felt a breath on the back of her neck. Horrified, she froze up. Not being able to move. Her eyes darting to the side, trying to look behind her without turning her head. She couldn’t, so she slowly turned until she came face-to-face with a dark-blue smoke monster, with the vague shape of a pony. She tried to scream, but her voice caught in her throat. Without breaking eye contact, she teleported into her room, and slammed the door closed, before enchanting it as to not allow anything through until she broke the spell. Once she was sure she was safe, she let out a sigh of relief.

The next morning, Twilight went to Celestia to tell her about her encounter the night before. “This is most disturbing, Twilight.” Celestia said. “Why do you think this creature has singled you out more than anypony else?”

“Creature? Is that all I am to you now?” The voice boomed through the throne room. “You and I were meant to rule together, Celestia. But ever since you made Twilight a Princess of Equestria, you pushed me aside. Now you don’t even remember your own sister’s name! Your REAL Sister!”

There was a pause as Celestia went back through her nearly 3,000 year long memories, before a look of realization crossed her face.

“What do you mean, Voice! I am Celestia’s real sister. We have been together for as long as I can remember.”

“As long as you can, perhaps…” Celestia said slowly. “But… There’s something that’s coming up in my memory…. Luna?”

When Celestia said Luna, the smoke creature which Twilight saw the night before appeared before them. As they watched, the creature gained shape and solidarity, when in front of them, there was a dark-coloured Alicorn.

“Not Luna. Not anymore, Celestia.” The Alicorn spoke. “My name is Nightmare Moon.”

“What do you want with us, Nightmare Moon?” Celestia said.

“I want what you took from me!” Nightmare Moon retorted. “I want my throne! I want my rule back! Now who you call sister is sitting in the throne which was meant for me. Twilight Sparkle is no Princess. She was your student! You made her a princess once she showed exemplary skills in the field of magic.”

“Now, Twilight!” Celestia ordered, to which Twilight’s horn flared up in response, as the five elements of harmony appeared around Nightmare Moon. Twilight also went up to join the circle.

“Elements!” Said Twilight. “The time has come! Defend Equestria against an evil.”

“Yes, Princess” The elements replied, before each of them began to glow brighter and brighter, until it was almost blinding to look at them.

“NO!” Screamed Nightmare Moon. “I’ll be back before long! You may have won this round. But you haven’t defeated me. Not by a long shot.”

Before the Elements could attack, Nightmare Moon dissapeared in a puff of blue smoke.

“I’m sorry, Sister.” Twilight said. “We were unable to stop her.”

“Don’t fret, Twilight” Celestia said. “You will get another chance. Something tells me this is far from over.