The Moon Shall Rise From Hell's Ashes

by TundraStanza

Ch. Extra The 2nd: Something About This... Is Very Wrong

---{Dilan Shier}

I had the weirdest dream last night. I was trying to swim against a really strong current. The stream was full of hourglasses and wristwatches and a few sticks that reminded me of the Hippocrates twin-snake symbol. It could only mean one thing, and I woke up with a frantic gasp.

"Bathroom!"

As soon as my blanket was shoved to the side, my hooves were pounding along the floor. In that moment, there was only one immediate need I had. I could not let it end with soiled bed sheets or a wet floor. I had to make it. I just had to.

When I shoved in the most sacred of doors that I had memorized, I was baffled as to how different it looked. Actually, it kind of looked like the mess hall. But I thought for sure... I shook my head and sighed exasperatedly. My little girl parts were not going to wait forever until I regained proper navigation of this castle.

With invigorated panic, I galloped through the hall. I checked behind every single door that I passed. It had to be around here somewhere. Where the heck was it? Surely Princess Celestia and Princess Luna hadn't restructured their entire castle while I was still sleeping in it. Well, maybe Princess Luna would have. But that should have taken at least two days to pull off, and I was not that heavy of a sleeper.

During my haphazard door opening, it dawned on me that it was still pretty dark in these halls. I wondered if I could... A mere thought was enough to tap into Posh's Shadow Sprint spell. As one with the shadows in this entire hallway, I instantly found some place that resembled what I was looking for.

I exhaled loudly as I sat down and relieved myself.

...

Feeling much better, I opened the restroom door with a tired smile on my face. Now I could go back to bed and not worry about that urge for the next several hours. That would give me plenty of time to get back through this dark... indigo... hallway. I looked around as my tired eyes slowly opened wider.

"W...Where am I?" This wasn't the Canterlot castle. I had no idea what it was.

"Your Highness!"

The new voice caught my attention back to about eye level. A pony in the Night Guard armor was quickly stepping over toward me. I didn't recognize this guard. Yet for some reason, she also seemed... really familiar. I couldn't place it.

"Princess, why are you walking around without your garments?" she asked.

"Well, I didn't really have time to grab my armor in my bathroom rush a-" I did a double-take. "Wait, what did you say?"

"Why are you walking around-"

I shook my head. "No, before that."

Dark pink eyes blinked back at me. "Uh... 'Princess'."

...

"Could you go fetch my armor? I'll just wait right here."

The guard saluted. "Right away, Your Highness."

She turned around and stepped lively away. That's when I saw her tail. It was red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. But... that was impossible. It couldn't possibly be her. I thought she had a very different dream career. Why would she be wearing the Night Guard uniform?

I stood there for a while and held a bare hoof against the side of my head. I denied what I thought I saw. It simply could not be. There was no conceivable way for that to be. So then... why had I seen that?

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

The uncannily similar look-alike to that other pony came back. She dropped the anklets and chest plate on the ground and held the helmet up toward me. I was still lost in my impossible thoughts as I slid my headpiece down over my horn. I had put these armor pieces on so many times that I wasn't even thinking about my mane's grasp as I positioned my chest plate and anklets on tightly.

"Forgive me, soldier, but what's your name again?" I asked, taking a chance.

Again, dark pink eyes blinked at me through her helmet's view hole. "I am Rainbow Dash your sworn subject, Princess Nightmare Moon."

Now my ears were conspiring with my eyes. Either I was in a completely different reality, or someone was using extremely powerful magic to warp at least two of my senses... and I was not okay with that. If all of this wasn't right, then what else was messed up?

"Permission to speak freely, Your Highness?" Her voice shoved me out of my internal dialogue.

"Uh, sure, go ahead."

I cast glances to either side, hoping to catch at least glimpses of either Discord or Princess Luna. Call it a safe bet, but their history with using magic at me or around me spoke for itself. After all, she still had misgivings about me. Him, though... Well, there was no telling what he would do for kicks.

"You seem to be acting very differently than usual," said the self-proclaimed Rainbow Dash. "Are you okay?"

I sighed as my legs shuffled me forward and around her. "No. No, I'm not. Rainbow Dash, would you mind humoring me for a while?"

"Complying with your orders comes with the job, Your Highness," she assured me while trotting beside me.

"Okay, well... Please start by not using any fancy titles and just..." I shook my head. "Just call me Nightmare for now."

I swear I saw her about to trip, but she kept on walking as if she didn't. "I guess I can do that, P... Night...mare?"

Yeah, there's no need to confuse the girl any more than that by trying to have her say my actual name. "Next, I'd like you to pretend I've been living under a rock and summarize the events of the past few years in as much detail as you can remember."

She actually halted her trot for a split-second before quickly stepping forth to keep up the pace. "Sure thing."

---

"After you banished your older, foolish sister to the beautiful moon, you immediately set the peasant ponies up to repair the entire castle to reflect your amazing image."

No, no, no, this is all wrong. I bit my lip as she kept going and throwing in a bunch of adjectives. It was like she was trying to kiss up to me, er... to Nightmare Moon. These current events... none of this happened. Rather, none of it was supposed to have happened. Yet, when I peered at the moon out through the upper part of a window, there were Princess Celestia's mane colors painted all over the moon's face along with the dabbed in picture of an obscure pony.

Rainbow Dash was still going. "And Rarity was privileged to be your most recent servant in charge of dusting and adjusting the wonderful tapestries of your stellar throne room."

"Th-Thank you. That will suffice." I said while slightly waving a hoof to dismiss the rest of the speech.

"A thousand apologies, Nightmare." She closed her eyes and bowed her head slightly.

There was a sudden gasp. Two more ponies in the Night Guard armor galloped over and glared at Rainbow. They seemed really familiar, yet I was fairly sure I had never seen them before now.

"You dare address the Princess without using the proper title?" The one on the left was standing on just her front legs.

"I smell insubordination," said the one on the right with a more even tone than the other.

"W-Wait!" Rainbow waved her hooves defensively. "It wasn't like that!"

It was by my request that she had stopped calling me 'Princess'. She wasn't at fault. Yet the way these two other guards were telling her off, it was like they thought she had just promoted Kony's efforts in 2012.

"Enough!" I yelled.

I had to put my hoof down, and it just so happened to be Nightmare Spectrum's. In a flash of two waves, these newer guards were surrounded in electrical sparks and shook in place. I made my steps overtly audible as I approached the pair. They slowly turned their heads to look at me. Their expressions were absolutely terrified.

"The punishment for my subjects is mine to decide," I said while baring my fangs. "You two will not overstep these bounds again. Is that clear?!"

They both slammed themselves against the floor and groveled. It was difficult to tell what they were saying since their words were muffled between their front legs and the floor. But, I think they got the message. I heard some hasty apologies and pleas to be spared somewhere in the midst of their scared ramblings.

"Good." I nodded once. "Now... get back to work."

"Yes, Your Highness!"

"Yes, Your Highness!" They both quickly galloped up the hall.

That left me with the slightly shaking Rainbow guard. I closed my mouth and breathed deeply. I shivered once involuntarily. Just when I thought I was finished scaring myself, I came up with a new surprise. But I digress.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

"I... I don't understand." Her dark pink eyes were filled with curiosity. "Why are you being so... nice... to me?"

I turned my wrist over to look at Nightmare Spectrum's hoof. Even though her colors were absent from my gauntlet, I could still feel a faint presence. I still remembered the cyan pony that I had very nearly suffocated to death all the way back then. This wasn't exactly a favor repaid. Somehow, I'd have to make it up to Rainbow for real. But for now, I had to look for a way out of this alternate existence.

"It was just something I had to do," I replied as I set my hoof down. "Maybe it's best if I return to you the permission to say titles as you see fit. How's that sound?"

"I am unworthy yet grateful, Princess." She placed a hoof against her chest piece.

"Alright, so..." I smiled sheepishly. "What do I usually do at this hour again?"

"You stand in the darkness of your throne, waiting for a foolish pony to walk up to try their luck against your unstoppable power." She held a hoof to the side. "Shall I escort you there?"

"Please do," I said with a nod.

We continued our trot down the hallway. I swear some of the portraits on the wall were shooting disapproving glares as we passed. Could pictures snitch? I wasn't ready to take any chances and held my silence until the only thing that lined the halls were banners.

---

Oh, no. I sat in the spot that was darkest to any onlookers, but still provided me a clear view of what one of the guards called "tourists". No. The poor, dejected dragon only confirmed that his care was one and the same. No, no, no, no, no. I bit my tongue to avoid screaming as she came closer.

The most intimidating pony I had ever met was here. For this, I berated myself for never looking into how ponies could teleport themselves. There was no way to sneak out, either. The rest of this room was brightly lit with blue flamed torches. Maybe... I could try my Shadowride on Nightmare Moon's throne and just wait until she left.

"... changing the past, because every present I come to is worse than the last!"

Wait... what did she say?

"Time travel?" I blurted out.

Could returning to the reality I was supposed to be in be as simple as that? My unspoken prayer had been answered in the form of this lavender monster. Something cracked within me and I smiled... wickedly... with all of my fangs visible to an outsider. I don't why, but I just found the whole situation so funny that I laughed.

"Now that's something I'd be interested in seeing." I flapped my wings, leaped forward, and slammed down in front of the pony version of fear. "So tell me, how does this time traveling magic work?"

It was almost... satiating to watch Princess Twilight squirm at the sight of me instead of the other way around.

"The princess asked you a question!" reiterated Rainbow forcefully as she took off her helmet. "And unless you want to end up in the dungeon, you'll tell her everything she wants to know!"

If and when we get through this, I am going to figure out some way to reward you, Rainbow Dash. "The only pony who should be able to wield such a powerful magic in my kingdom is me."

"Your kingdom?" the dragon asked skeptically.

"Who else?" I practically scoffed at his disbelief.

"Uh..." He hesitated before saying, "Celestia, of course."

I laughed again, a bit more loudly than I had intended to. He was just so cute and naive that I couldn't help it. Sadly, I had to break the news to him about the reality that we currently occupied.

"My sister has been imprisoned in the moon for years!" I motioned dramatically to the artsy moon in the sky. "After all, she would have submitted me to no less a fate." I harrumphed as I fixed my gaze on Princess Twilight. "But you've stalled for long enough. Show me the source of time magic!"

The various Night Guard ponies had her surrounded. Me, I could understand, but could she really bring herself to attack and kill all of these ponies just because of who their apparent leader was?

After holding her eyes shut for a bit, she relented. "... Alright."

"Twilight, no!" pleaded the dragon.

"We have no choice, Spike." She hugged him, but ultimately pushed him to the side. "I can take you to it, but you'll have to get past the timberwolves."

I fought to hold back another round of laughs. Why was I so easily amused today? "Do you honestly think the power I already wield would be unable to deal with timberwolves?"

"No," she admitted with a straight face. "I know you can." She turned around, fully prepared to walk into the forest.

"But before we go," I interrupted, "there's just one thing that needs to be addressed." I leaned over to about Spike's level and whispered, "Do you want a ride, little dragon?"

"W-What?"

"Play along or we're all dead," I hissed before grabbing the top of his head and plopping him on my back. Then, I looked back at Twilight. "Take me to that source."

---

I had never been hunting before. It felt so... surreal as I watched the timberwolves get crushed in a variation of Reflect Sun's orange shield. Apparently, she could conjure a large amount of fire along the edge and burn the victims within. I don't think the wooden wolves even felt anything... or even knew what happened. As far as they were concerned, their lives simply ended in an instant.

Princess Twilight showed me something that looked like a table and some broken throne seats surrounding it. Had some variation of King Arthur come and gone? Upon further examination, it almost looked like a three-dimensional map. But it was a bit limited since I could barely identify anything besides a large, forest-covered area.

"I'm intrigued by the idea," I said. "Now, you will show me how it works."

"No deal, Nightmare Moon!"

I sharply turned to look at her. "What?"

"In my world, it is my friends and I that will use the Elements' magic to stop you, and we're going to make sure that timeline is saved."

Where did all of that sudden confidence come from? I felt myself trembling. Before I knew it, she had grabbed Spike, put him on her back and appeared right on top of the map. She magically forced myself and the Night Guards away before shooting a scroll at the table. A sudden white dome with a greenish-blue bottom appeared right above her and sucked the two of them away.

I was going to be trapped here! "NOOOOOOOOO!"

In a flash of white light... everything I could feel faded away. Though, I could have sworn that Rainbow Dash flew up with her back toward the magic explosion and positioned herself right in front of me.

---

Man, I had the craziest dream last night. A bunch of different versions of the Nightmare were paddling boats around me. Some of their decorations looked like analog clocks, New Year's Eve countdown timers, and a red cross or two. It could only mean one thing, and I woke up with a gasp.

"Bathroom!"

I had only one immediate need, and I shoved the pink blanket away to get to it. My galloping echoed as I traversed the large, gold and white hallway. After finding the door that I had memorized, I was relieved to find the contents of a most sacred place.

...

I sighed in relief as I exited the restroom with a tired smile on my face. Though, it quickly dropped as I spotted Princess Luna trotting by.

"Dill Anne, you're naked," she told me flatly before going on her way.

I felt my face scrunch up as I muttered, "Thanks a lot, Princess."

I begrudgingly walked back to my bedroom and put on the armor pieces. The colors that were supposed to be mismatched were. A quick look in the mirror showed that my eyes, mane, and tail had their properly diverse colors. Everything seemed normal. Yet, there was something nagging me in the back of my mind.

I decided to take up the matter in Princess Celestia's presence directly.

"Good morning, Dilan Shier," she greeted. "May I help you?"

I nodded once. "Do you know where I could find Rainbow Dash? I'd like to get her a gift basket... or wine? No, make that a gift basket with wine."

---

Author's Note:

I thought I'd give my followers at least something to look at before I got bogged down in the semester's studies.

Comments

[Amethyst Blade]

......So next 3 months will have no update?

[Scarheart]

I have in my Last Will and Testament a requirement for the next chapter to be read over my grave by my oldest child, who has yet to be born. There will be a violin playing in the background as the words are read...

It will be a beautiful day.

[Kye Belmont]

I loved it!

[rikusorasephiroth]

Nice TFS reference.

[SomethingGeneric]

I hate semester exams.

[Ocean Man]

Hope you continue with this. I also like the romance thing going on between her and that guard. What ever his name is. And three last things if you could go into what she looks like now more i would like that. and i kind of wish she would pull jokes on the other people. Lastly i don't know if its just me but i think that she needs a new name than just being called Dillian. Unless she is okay being called Nightmare.

[Guard Crimson Blaze]

This chapter was just so awesome! I loved it!

[VikingOtaku6]

I'm loving the slew of TFS references!