Essays Index
Remarked Timelines series: Part 1 - Overview | Part 2 - Sombra | Part 3 - Chrysalis | Part 4 - Nightmare | Part 5 - Tirek | Part 6 - Discord | Part 7 - Flim & Flam | Part 8 - Wasteland

The Nightmare timeline:
The main divergence of this timeline is that Twilight Sparkle and Starlight Glimmer have a very flashy and public magic duel in the middle of the flight camp. While Dash, Dumb-Bell, and Hoops have already begun their race by this point, they stop so that they can watch the fight, which interests them enough to make them forget about their previous concerns. They are all disappointed to see the fight end, but are greatly inspired nonetheless.

The incident causes a minor blip, as word gets to the adults running the camp about what happened, and ponies attempt to track down both Twilight and Starlight for questioning. Since Twilight is just a filly at this time, and the teenaged Starlight Glimmer lives in a remote, far away village, neither are ever found, and the case is eventually forgotten. The detail of Twilight being an alicorn is noted in official reports, but dismissed as a figment of the foals' overactive imaginations.

For Dash and Dumb-Bell, life doesn't continue as normal, as they both become obsessed with the fight they saw, and start thinking more about fighting. Just as in the Sombra timeline, Dumb-Bell is inspired to take a military career instead of an athletic one. Dash decides to do the same, still aspiring to eventually join the Wonderbolts, but approaching it from the angle of a military career rather than stunt flying. She still leaves Cloudsdale with Fluttershy and takes up living in Ponyville, but she spends most of her time away in Canterlot, as she too becomes enrolled in the Royal Guard.

Rainbow Dash naturally impresses everypony in the Royal Guard, and just as in the Sombra timeline, Dumb-Bell also distinguishes himself with his strength and fighting skill. The two still don't get along, but are able to be professional about it at least while on the job. As Shining Armor assembles the team to face Nightmare Moon, both Rainbow Dash and Dumb-Bell are considered and ultimately chosen.

Alongside Shining Armor and Celestia, Dash and Dumb-Bell are on the team when the time comes to face Nightmare Moon. Rainbow Dash is a much better fighter than the pony who would have been chosen in her place in the other timelines, but Nightmare Moon still has a moment or two of near-victory when Celestia's life appears in danger. Just as in the Sombra timeline, Dumb-Bell ignores his orders and stops holding back.

This time, however, Rainbow Dash is there to stop him. When he doesn't stop his aggressive attacks after Dash reminds him that they need to take Nightmare Moon alive, Dash uses a non-lethal blow to attempt to quickly knock Dumb-Bell out of the fight, or at least knock some sense into him. Dumb-Bell instead takes this personally, and he attacks Dash back. She is forced to defend herself, and the ensuing fight between them throws the entire rest of the team out of alignment. Celestia is defeated, and most of the Royal Guard team are killed, including both Shining Armor and Dumb-Bell.

Nightmare Moon banishes Celestia, just as she herself was banished, and then appears to the public at the Summer Sun Celebration to announce her new rule. She declares that from now on, the night will never end, and that only by her power will ponies survive this eternal night. She begins draining magic from the sun, and using it to empower the magic of the moon, such that it too can keep the plants alive and the atmosphere warm. The other side of the planet, stuck in eternal daytime, she keeps from burning to death by dimming the sun. The rest of the Nightmare Forces soon rally to join her, and they consolidate their power in Canterlot.

Enraged by the death of Shining Armor and the banishment of her dear aunt, Princess Cadance leads the only organised rebellion against Nightmare Moon, marshalling as many loyalists from the military as possible, as well as any civilians willing to fight. Prince Blueblood and Twilight Sparkle are included amongst the ranks of this rebellion, and they receive great support from Equestria's overseas colonies and protectorates.

However, it is not enough. Nightmare Moon commands power over the heavenly spheres, and is able to freeze or burn entire armies. She is a dreamwalker, and can enter the minds of her enemies to drive them mad. She is supported by countless nightmare spirits like herself, all able to possess the bodies of others and turn them into weapons. And perhaps worst of all, she has the memories of Luna, a mare who in ages past was considered a war goddess. Cadance's rebellion is crushed with ease. Twilight and Blueblood both die ignoble deaths and aren't spared a second thought by their enemies. And Cadance is brought in chains before Nightmare Moon in Canterlot and made to host a nightmare of her own.

After this, there is very little in the way of further rebellion, and everypony falls into line. The government in Canterlot is forced to recognise Nightmare Moon's legitimacy as the ruling princess, the military stands down and submits to the new regime, and the common folk are left too terrified to contemplate further disobedience. Out of a sense of nostalgia, Nightmare Moon begins rebuilding the Castle of the Two Sisters in the Everfree Forest as her new seat of power, and also attempts to recreate the Night Guard of her day, recruiting from the modern Royal Guard.

Among those she chooses for this honour is the disillusioned Rainbow Dash, hospitalised and imprisoned at the time Nightmare Moon approaches her. Although Dash fought against her alongside Celestia, Nightmare Moon still sees value in Rainbow Dash, recognising her for her loyalty and obedience. She points out to Dash that her previous ruler is gone forever, along with all other opposition to Nightmare Moon's reign, and that Dash has nobody left to be loyal to. She then offers Dash amnesty for her previous actions, if she will instead swear allegiance to her now. With nothing to lose and no future otherwise, Dash agrees, and joins the Night Guard.

Construction on the new Castle of the Two Sisters is soon completed, and Nightmare Moon's reign is fully established. To maintain her castle, Nightmare Moon hires staff from the local population, Rarity among them, and then goes about the usual business of ruling an Equestria wreathed in darkness.

For the same reasons as in the Chrysalis timeline, neither Discord, King Sombra, nor the plundervines ever become threats. Sunset Shimmer similarly stays well away from events in Equestria, still desiring power, but not wanting to become a slave of the Nightmare Forces like Cadance did. The Flim Flam Brothers, just the same as many other citizens in Equestria, are forced to forget their personal ambitions in the face of the new state of life. And as Equestria rapidly becomes a miserable and depressing place, with love being less and less abundant, Queen Chrysalis and her changelings abandon the country.

All the same, Lord Tirek still escapes from Tartarus and wanders the kingdom, attempting to gradually build strength in preparation for his eventual uprising. The Nightmare Forces are actually very little threat to him, as he can simply eat them, just as the changelings can, but this makes him enough of a nuisance to warrant Nightmare Moon's personal attention. Not desiring to take any unnecessary risks, Nightmare Moon tracks him down, and has him shot and killed from a distance with an enchanted ballista.

Acknowledgements:
-Nightmare Moon killing Tirek by just shooting him from far away is an homage to Inexcusable by cleverpun, a story in which Nightmare Moon kills Tirek by just shooting him from far away.