A Ghost of a Nightmare

by Wildcard25

The Nightmare Ends

It was nighttime in Equestria, in front of Ponyville's castle stood the Ghostbusters, their pony friends, Spike, Luna, Discord, Slimer, and Rook. Each of them was equip with a ghost catching tool, and were ready to head out.

"Ok, is everypony ready?" Egon asked.

"Ready as we'll ever be, Egon." Twilight answered.

Peter turned to Rook, "How about you, Rook, you up with this?"

"If I wasn't I wouldn't be here, Dr. Venkman." Rook answered.

"We better get a move on." Luna suggested.

"Let's go!" Ray said, as they started off before entering the Everfree Forest.

As they trekked along the path, Winston spoke, "Boy, this place sure is dark."

"I can shine some light for us." Twilight offered, but was stopped by Luna.

"Too risky, Twilight. The last thing we need is to give ourselves an opening to Nightmare and her forces."

"So what do we do?" Rook asked.

"Being Princess of the night has more benefits than being able to control the moon and enter dreams. I can also see through the dark of the night." she explained.

"In that case you better be up front with us." Peter said, as the Princess walked along side the Ghostbusters.

"Keep your eyes peeled, you never know where anything could strike." Ray warned them.

As they continued on, Rook was looking around suspiciously while levitating his proton gun at his side feeling prepared. Suddenly he heard some leaves in a tree before him rustle. Acting on impulse he aimed his gun up there and fired his proton beam taking his allies by surprise.

"Whoa-whoa-whoa!" Peter made him turn his stream off, as they looked seeing his blew the leaves off the tree. What they saw in it was a trembling squirrel.

"Oh, my goodness! The poor thing." Fluttershy gasped, as she flew up to comfort the critter.

Rook looked sheepish as he saw, Applejack and Rainbow Dash glaring at him, "Will yall stop messin' around?" Applejack asked.

"Applejack's right. We're on a mission here." Twilight added.

"Sorry, girls. I'm just on edge." Rook explained.

"We all feel that way." Ray replied.

"Let's just keep moving." Egon instructed, as they pressed on.

Spike looked up at the tree and spoke to Discord, "This was actually something I'd expect from Pinkie Pie."

Pinkie walked past the two looking dismal, "That was something I really wanted to do."

They continued on, while looking up at the sky hoping nothing was going to come down on them. Suddenly Slimer stopped looking scared, "What is it, Slimer?" Ray asked.

"Oh, no. Look!" he pointed ahead.

They looked ahead seeing the three Ghostly Shadowbolts, "So you've finally come?" Haze asked.

"You bet we have." Rainbow answered.

"Where's Nightmare?" Twilight demanded.

"You want to get to our mistress so badly, you'll have to go through us." Descent answered.

"Your call." Peter replied.

"Start 'em!" Ray called, as they readied their packs and started blasting at the three ghosts who started flying around.

The three Ghost Shadowbolts started blasting their ecto energy to counter the blasts of the proton beams., "Rainbow, on your left!" Peter called, as the rainbow maned pegasus fired her beam at Nightingale, who got zapped.

"Bulls eyes!" Pinkie cheered, before bouncing away at an incoming Descent.

Rook was dodging ecto rays from Haze, before using his magic to levitate his gun and aim, "Not this time!" he started blasting at Haze, forcing him to fly away from him.

"Not bad, rookie." Winston said, as he and Applejack were blasting at Nightingale.

Fluttershy was galloping away from Descent, before Slimer flew in spitting up on the ghost pegasus, "Ugh! You little spud!" he tried blasting at Slimer, only for him to get blasted by Discord.

"Nopony zaps my little buddy!"

"Thank you both." Fluttershy thanked them, as Slimer gave her a thumb's up.

Twilight and Luna were flying around using both their magic and proton beams to fend off against Haze and Nightingale. The two ghost Shadowbolts flew to Descent's side, as Descent spoke, "I think it's time we gave them a challenge."

"Right." his comrades agreed, as they started multiplying into a whole swarm of ghostly Shadowbolts.

"Wow, I did not see that coming." Pinkie looked with an agape jaw.

"Attack!" the multiple Descents ordered, as they started swarming around the Ghostbusters and their allies.

"Ya think our ghost trap can hold this many?" Applejack asked Egon, while blasting at some of the ghosts.

"I don't think that will be a problem." Egon answered.

"What do you mean?" Rainbow asked, as she was blasting some of the ghosts.

"Only three of them are real. The rest are all illusions." Egon explained.

"So how can we tell the real ones from the fakes?" Rook wondered.

Peter smirked, "Simple. We blast them all!" he started opening fire on all the closest ghosts around them causing them to vanish.

"For once Peter's plan makes sense." Egon said in disbelief, as they all started blasting the illusions causing them to vanish.

Discord poofed himself in an army uniform and spoke, "Here's looking at you, pilgrim." he started blasting the illusions that started dropping like flies.

Soon all of the illusions vanished leaving behind the real Descent, Nightingale, and Haze, "There they are!" Ray called.

"Zap them!" Twilight called, as they opened fire on the three catching them.

"I can't move!" Haze struggled.

"They got us!" Nightingale called.

"Quickly, the trap!" Egon called.

"I got this!" Rook rolled a trap under the three while they were being lowered down.

"Now!" Ray called, as Rook opened the trap that started assimilating the three.

"NO!" the three ghost Shadowbolts cried, before they were sucked in and the trap was closed.

"Three down." Spike said.

"Yes, but the real trouble is up ahead." Luna said, while motioning to the remains of her and her sister's former castle.

"You sure she's there?" Winston asked the princess.

"Yes, I can feel it." Luna nodded.

"Ok, everypony. It's now or never." Twilight said.

"Let's go!" Pinkie cheered, as they hurried.

Upon entering the old castle, Peter whistled, "This places looks about as creepy as any haunted house we've busted any ghost in."

"This place used to be so full of life a thousand years ago." Luna sighed.

"Oh, yes. Such a shame it fell into ruins." Discord said, while looking around.

Egon levitated the PKE meter up indicating Nightmare was indeed in the castle, "Nightmare's in this very room."

"I know." Luna nodded, until they saw purple wisps of smoke come from the walls before forming into Nightmare Moon who laughed.

"Welcome, everypony!" she greeted them.

"At least she's hospitable." Pinkie told her friends, who rolled their eyes.

"So that's Nightmare Moon?" Ray asked.

"Oh, yes. Dreadful isn't she." Rarity answered.

"I don't know, from this up close she looks rather gorgeous." Peter said, causing all eyes to fall on him.

"You're joking, right?" Rainbow asked, Peter shrugged his shoulders.

"So these are the infamous Ghostbusters who did away with Sombra's ghost?" Nightmare looked around at the four, "To do such a task you must be very strong and resourceful. But those skills will not be enough to protect you from me."

"We'll see about!" Rook said, as he was about to open fire, only for Nightmare to use her magic to push them all off their hoof or Spike's case feet. They all crashed onto the floor groaning, "Well that went well." Discord said in sarcasm.

They all got back up, as Peter frowned, "Ok, forget gorgeous. This alicorn witch is toast!" they started forward, "Got your stick?"

"Holding!" they each took hold of their proton guns, while the others aimed their compact blasters at Nightmare who stood her ground.

"Heat 'em up!" Peter called.

They started their packs up, "Smokin'!"

"Make 'em hard!"

"Ready!" the group called.

"Now let's teach this ghost of a nightmare what bustin's all about. Throw it!" Peter ordered, as they opened fire on Nightmare Moon.

The ghost alicorn flew up to avoid the blasts, before flying above them, "Throw this!" she blasted at them with her own ecto magic.

"Look out!" Egon called, as they jumped aside to avoid the impact.

They opened fire again, as Nightmare was taking a few hits throwing her off balance, before releasing a surge of magic knocking them back again.

"She's a powerful one." Egon said.

"Yeah, we already knew that." Rainbow noted.

"I'll distract her, you all focus." Luna ordered, as she flew up to face Nightmare.

"So Luna, we meet again." Nightmare Moon chuckled.

"Unfortunately." Luna frowned.

"Why give me a face like that? Have you forgotten all the fun we had when we were one?"

"Fun? You call trying to make nighttime eternal and bringing torment onto all of the ponies of Equestria fun?!"

"Don't deny that you wanted it!" Nightmare retorted.

Luna bore a look of guilt, "I admit. My pride and jealousy drove me into wanting Equestria all for myself," her look of guilt shifted to firm as she glared at her former dark half, "But then the elements of harmony opened my eyes to the truth and showed me just the kind of creature I became all because of jealousy!"

Nightmare could only shake her head in disappointment, "Without me you have gone soft, Luna! Has Equestria really changed it's opinion on us?"

"There's no us, only me," Luna corrected her, "And yes. The ponies eyes have opened up to me and saw I am just as much important as my sister is."

"And you fall for their act of kindness?"

"It is not an act!" Twilight called from below, "Princess Luna is more than just our princess of the night. She's also our friend!"

"Friend?" Nightmare asked.

"That's right!" Applejack agreed, "And like any friend of ours, we look out for them!"

"And I learned just the same how much friendship can change one for the better!" Discord added.

"So all we got to say to you Nightmare, is Friendship is the strongest force here!" Peter called.

"Now!" Rook called, as they all opened fire on Nightmare with the proton beams wrapping around every part of her body restraining her in mid air.

"No! Unhand me you foals!" she demanded.

"Luna, would you like to do the honors?" Ray offered.

Luna smiled, "Gladly." She flew down and launched a trap under Nightmare.

"No, wait!' Nightmare cried, as she was being lowered down, "Luna, don't be foolish! Nopony will every cross you with me in charge. I'm a part of you after all." she tempted Luna.

Luna answered, "Yes, yes you are. A part of me that I no longer need. Goodbye, Nightmare Moon!" she stomped onto the pedal opening the trap up.

Nightmare was getting assimilated, "NO! NO! THIS IS MY TIME! LUNA!" she screamed while being assimilated into the trap, that Luna closed.

They all looked over at the trap that had caught Nightmare. Luna trotted up to it and tapped it with her hoof, as it released a small surge, "The nightmare is over." she told her friends with a smile, and they smiled back.

Comments

[Hopeful Soul]

Awesome way to finish her and I liked the final words between Luna and Nightmare Moon

[Marcthelightspark2004]

Epic!