Closet Pony

by DouglasTrotter

July 4th

>>>July 4th, 4:28 pm<<<

"Ah don't feel right." Apple Bloom said. The filly, at one minute till midnight, had placed her hoof on my hand. If there is a word stronger than melancholic, Apple Bloom had that look on her face. In a soft voice, the weathered filly said, "Ah... feel cold, and mah cutie mark doesn't feel right. We gotta get back to Sanctuary."

Though Apple Bloom said that, she knew our attempts to force the portal open had been futile. My watch and her crystal were just baubles, which made no sense. Neither item needed recharging like some stupid battery powered piece of garbage. Apple Bloom's butt pager going off didn't help matters either. Though, to be polite, it should be said her cutie mark glowing/pulsing added to the frustration.

"We gotta think of somethin'." Apple Bloom said.

That's why I searched through the notes on my laptop. My memory might as well be made of Swiss cheese, yet I knew there had to be a clue, some kind of hint in the previous notes. It nagged me to no end with the third time not proving to be the charm. All that existed in the notes were the whinny rants of a pathetic excuse for a human, selfishly complaining about their problems.

I placed my hand on the filly's withers. "We'll find a way back to Sanctuary, Apple Bloom. I know it."

"Can Ah help with somethin'?" Apple Bloom said. Two moments later, the laptop's screen displayed on the TV in the study, walls of text scrolled. There pages upon pages notes to scroll through. Each time we hit the bottom, the next file was opened. We neared the end. Soon, in a firm tone, Apple Bloom said, "Go back. Go back.... Stop. There. Right there," Apple Bloom pointed her right hoof inches away from the TV, "ya said somethin about usin' your watch to get to the garden?"

"My watch? What's so special about my watch?" I said. I looked at my wrist, and then at the notes. Apple Bloom's second set of eyes found the answer that eluded me. My silver watch held the potential golden ticket, but it was an incredible long shot. Two problems popped into my head. The first involved the notion of needing Princess Celestia near me to use the 'magic' in the watch to get to the garden. Second, what inhibited the portal to Sanctuary may or may not have influenced the watch's power. We were out of option. "Ok, just give me a second to get ready."

At my request, Apple Bloom remained out in the study. She didn't need to see what I kept in the top drawer of the dresser in my room.

"Are ya ready?" Apple Bloom said as I came around the corner.

I took a slow, deep, deep breath, and then exhaled. "..."

"Ya say somethin?" Apple Bloom said.

"Just a few silent words." I said.

"Magic words?" Apple Bloom said.

"Maybe." I said. I'm not a pious person, but I guess one doesn't need to be in order to have hope or say a few words in hope. "Ok. Let's get this show on the road."

Apple Bloom tapped the watch, "Will ya be ok?"

"Ya, I'll be fine." I said. I patted the filly on the head. "Apple Bloom. Thanks for being there for me."

"Hmm?" Apple Bloom said.

"Been a long time since it felt like someone cared about my wellbeing." I said. The filly smiled. "I don't know what will happen, but I'm going to give it everything I've got. You'll just have to hope Princess Celestia's work is still intact, and, I guess, I'll just need a little faith. Ok, hold on," I placed my hand onto the filly's withers after she latched onto my right leg, "I have no idea what will happen."

The waterfall, the lush trees, the serene beauty, I forced myself to envision the garden, down to every last detail.

I closed my eyes.

"... Wow! Ah forgot how beautiful this garden can be." Apple Bloom said.

No energy surged through my body, nor were there any weird sounds. It'd be akin to someone closing their eyes in their living room and opening them to see a garden. It all happened in an instant. To my dismay, or perhaps it would be better to say to my delight, the teleportation spell worked. It took a few moments before Apple Bloom's words hit me. "You've been here before?"

The water fall drowned out the filly's quiet words. Apple Bloom's eyes gravitated towards the ground.

"Princess Celestia, she gives you and the others therapy sessions?" I said.

Apple Bloom hung her head. She said, "Just me, as far as Ah know."

"No wonder she's so tired lately. That mare and I will have a few choice words when this is over." I said. I sighed. I popped the crick in my neck. "Whatever, time to focus on the matter at hand. Stick close and be cautious."

The water's glow illuminated the garden while faint starlight came in through the windows. Electricity permeated the air as the hairs on both of my arms stood on end. The garden's warning signs unheeded, the fools moved forward where angels would've feared to tread.

At the portal, Apple Bloom pressed her hoof against my right leg. My heart calmed, and the filly at my side gave a firm nod. She pushed a nearby rock towards the other side of the portal.

The garden, the lower floors, every bit of my bedroom remained intact, so we crept forward and out of my bedroom towards the hallway.

Scootaloo's room became the first target. Her room had several, crudely drawn pictures, well crudely drawn but decent for a child, strewn about the place. Each picture appeared the same as the last. They all had some pony figure with a multi-colored mane and tail in some kind of uniform. In the bedroom, the covers had been pulled down on Scootaloo's bed, yet the sheet underneath it remained untouched.

Sweetie Belle's room came next, and it had a stark contrast to Scootaloo's. Each object had been put away in an intricate, meticulous manner. On the table near her bed existed a single piece of artwork constructed from misc. art supplies. The collage depicted a mare surrounded by several equine shaped figures, which looked like mannequins. It seemed Sweetie Belle wasn't so different from Scootaloo as both of them had their idols, though Scootaloo appeared more like an obsessed stalker/fan than an outright admirer.

"Mind If I ask a question?" I said, closing the door to Sweetie Belle's room.

Apple Bloom's ears perked up.

"Why are all of you opposed to leaving Sanctuary? I mean, can't Princess Celestia just make a new home for you somewhere else?" I said.

"Would it be so easy to leave yer home?" Apple Bloom said.

"Touché." I said in a soft voice.

"Look, Ah know Princess Celestia can make us another place to live. But when she called Sanctuary our 'home away from home,' it, it gave me a sense of being back in Equestria. It just made me so happy. Ah don't want to lose mah home. Not again." Apple Bloom said. The filly stuck close. "It's not easy for somepony to lose their home. Right now, bein' away from mah real home for so long and fearin' Ah may never get back to the Apple Family farm, Ah kinda get a sense of how Twilight felt when she lost her home."

"Hmm?" I said.

"This big baddie named Tirek escaped from Tartarus and nearly destroyed Equestria. Though mah big sis, Twilight, and the others saved Equestria, Tirek destroyed Twilight's home." She said. The filly gave a weathered smile, and then sighed. "Can ya keep this to yerself?"

I nodded.

"Ya promise? Ah mean really promise." Apple Bloom said.

"Yea," I said.

"After me, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo earned our cutie marks, Twilight hosted a slumber party for us at her house. Durin' the slumber party, Ah got up in the middle of the night cause Ah heard somethin'. That night, Ah saw Twilight in her room. She had laid her head in her hooves, and then looked up. Twilight just cried while she gazed off towards Ponyville, like where her old home use ta be." Apple Bloom said. The filly shook her head. "Never told Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, or the others about it. Between you and me, Ah can't imagine how much weight Twilight's carryin', what she's been through. Ya know."

I rubbed the back my neck. Apple Blooms words clung to me. It is hard to imagine what this Twilight individual has been through in her life. Though I've faced a lot of adversities throughout my life, I'm thankful I never lost my home or what's precious to me about that home. "I can't imagine either. What helps her cope with all of it is the fact she has some good friends and family by her side."

"Sometimes the best thing to do is just to be there for your friends." Apple Bloom said.

It's easier said than done. You want to give your friends, your family the space they need while letting them know you're there for them. The right touch is the key, and I don't know if I ever had that right touch.

"Ok, you ready?" I said, the door opening without a sound.

"Why is it so dark in here?" Apple Bloom said.

"Here, take my flashlight." I said. The button clicked, I gave the flashlight to Apple Bloom.

"So, strange question here, but why ya got a flashlight with ya?" Apple Bloom said.

"No reason," I said. Yea, that's totally not a lie. It came off of the thing I got from my dresser drawer. "Ok you got the light -- holy crap,"I fell to the floor and scrambled backwards, "did Princess Celestia get turned to stone?!"

"That's Princess Luna, Princess Celestia's sister." Apple Bloom said. She scratched her head, "But... why is there a statue of Princess Luna in here anyways."

"Ya got me." I said, dusting myself off as I got up.

"Hey, there's Princess Cadence and Prince Shining Armor, and Flurry Heart too. Princess Celestia even has a statue of Twilight." Apple Bloom said. The filly ran her hoof across each statue. "Did she make these herself?"

"I guess a picture wouldn't suffice." I said. Beyond the five statues, what astonished me is the fact nothing elaborate or opulent made Princess Celestia's stand out from Scootaloo or Sweetie Belle's room. You'd think with her being royalty, she'd have made something more regal. Whatever, my taste is about as high-class as ordering a two-dollar burger off a value meal. "Mind if I have my flashlight back?"

"Kinda small for a flashlight, I mean, compared to that other one in your bedroom on Earth." Apple Bloom said. She squinted at me, "What do ya have there?"

"Something that I probably shouldn't have brought, or perhaps something that wasn't needed." I said. I made sure to keep it out of sight from Apple Bloom. The filly didn't need to see it. "Anyways, I think we're done here. Let's check the main garden."

With the bedrooms done, the two of us went room-by-room, remaining together, while searching every inch of Sanctuary.

"Did they go back to Equestria?" Apple Bloom said. We stopped in the dining room. I knelt down. As the filly pressed her head into my chest, Apple Bloom, in a muffled tone, said, "Did, did they leave me behind?"

"No, they wouldn't have done that, trust me. You've got some awesome friends who would be there for you no matter what. Not to mention Princess Celestia doesn't strike me as the type of person, well, the type of pony who would abandon someone." I said. I patted Apple Bloom on the head, and she gave a quick "thank you" to me before the two of us continued forward. "Ok, trying to get our minds off things. I got a question for you. It's a little out of the blue here, so I'm just going ask about this house you mentioned. How big is Twilight's new home anyways? We talking like normal sized compared to my house, or something huge like Sanctuary?"

"Can we talk about that later." Apple Bloom said. The filly pointed down the hallway.

"Sorry." I said.

The memory Sanctuary's beautiful ambiance came back the closer we came to the entrance. From the marble floors and columns, and the majestic water fountain in the grand entrance, Sanctuary oozed royalty and regality. Above all else, what made Sanctuary unique is the fact it gave an auspicious sensation of welcoming all who entered. Every last bit of it felt wonderful. It's sad to say none of it existed when Apple Bloom and I came to a standstill. Ten steps away existed a place that would put many gothic fantasies to shame. Sanctuary had been turned into a dark cathedral that loomed over all who laid eyes upon it. With cliché purple flamed sconces floating close to the walls, half of me expected some organ pipe music to start playing.

The whole event started when a cold wave of darkness rushed by; the black mist appeared alive the way it raced down the halls, transforming everything in its wake. The hallway Apple Bloom and I had traveled down morphed into something that matched the style of the entrance.

"Sweetie Belle! Scootaloo! Princess Celestia!" Apple Bloom said, screaming at the top of her lungs. She struggled, "Let me go. Ah gotta, Ah gotta go find em."

"Apple Bloom, please, you have to calm down. I can't do this by myself. 'I' need you." I said. The filly wriggled loose. "What. Is that?"

Apple Bloom backed away, "It can't be."

Wisps of dark smoke emanated from dark stone ground. Each faint wisp merged into one another. The creature turned solid and took on the form of an equine. It's mouth opened. The dark entity let loose with an ethereal wail that resonated throughout the former beauty of Sanctuary.

The tall mare came to a stop ten feet away from us.

"Apple Bloom, don't. They don't have cutie marks. They can't be the others." I said as three silhouettes appeared behind the creature. The silhouettes twitched about in a disjointed manner.

The creature looked at the silhouettes, sneered at them, and illuminated its horn. The three shadows melted back into the floor.

"Apple Bloom..." a familiar voice said.

"Are they real?" Apple Bloom said. Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Princess Celestia materialized from the darkness, off to the right of the creature. Apple Bloom looked at the mark on her flank then towards her friends. "We gotta help them."

"Go." I said. Apple Bloom dashed towards her friends, warning me not to mess with the creature. In all honesty, her warning wasn't needed. I remembered what the filly had told me about the princesses, how these alicorns held powerful magic. Princess Celestia was a freaking demigoddess from my understanding, if not a goddess. If this thing were indeed similar to Princess Celestia, she no doubt held the same kind of power. Perhaps the creature who stared me down was even stronger. If I can't even beat some stupid internet troll, how do I beat a deity? "I, I gotta..."

When the creature lifted up its right hoof, fear took hold.

I screamed. I retrieved the item from my waistband. I thrust it forward with both hands, my arms quaking.

I didn't even see Princess Celestia bolt towards me. Her gentle hooves cradled my hands. I only remember how she turned over my left hand, let go of it, and then examined my right. I yanked my right hand away from her, and then tore part of my shirt into a strip, wrapping it around the cut. Though I'd be fine, this creature from another world terrified me. In less than five seconds it did what would have taken a hacksaw well over five minutes. Hardened steel alloy had been cleaved apart like someone ripping tissue paper in half.

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo charged towards me and Princess Celestia.

"Be brave my little ponies." Princess Celestia said. She extended wings. Her large, feathery shield blocked us as she faced the powerful creature. "The elements of harmony defeated Nightmare Moon. How are you here, sister?"

The creature flashed a wicked smile that exposed her fangs. Her pupils dilated, and then focused. A wicked glare and a sharp hoof pointed at us, the creature said, "I'll see to it you never betray me again."

The room went silent. The creature's horn started to glow in a dark light.

I latched onto Princess Celestia, "Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo. Grab onto me!"

"What are you doing?" The creature said. It gazed at us. Its right eye twitched. "Hugs? You're going to defeat me with hugs?"

I smirked. I closed my eyes. "Bye."

Swear I could hear that creature's scream resonate across Sanctuary.

"O man. I-I guess... heh, I guess there's a limit on magic, huh." I said, finding myself gazing up towards the garden's ceiling. It hurt to talk. It hurt to laugh. This had to be proof as to why humans never used magic, or why we stopped using. "Ok. Owe. Owe. Injured human here."

"I can't believe you pulled such a stunt. What were you thinking?" Princess Celestia said. She let out a loud, horse-like snort after levitating me onto her back. "When we get out of this, I'm giving you the most stern lecture imaginable."

That should have been my line, but, if I had to be both blunt and honest, I did pull one heck of a stupid stunt. The situation could have ended way, way worse than that weapon turned into a bifurcated, now worthless hunk of metal and scraps.

The garden's tranquility shrouded the danger that lay beyond its walls, for outside of the garden existed a nigh-unstoppable creature that rampaged throughout the once beautiful Sanctuary. Somehow, this thing from another world corrupted every bit of Princess Celestia's meticulous effort and magic.

The five of us stopped at a small, secluded area inside the garden.

"We'll make camp here." Princess Celestia said before she levitated me off her back. The princess acted as a sturdy, yet soft pillow, allowing me to lean against her after she sat down. "Apple Bloom, I cannot thank you or our friend enough right now. Your actions not only freed us, but have the added benefit of buying us precious, much needed time."

The campfire's light reflected off Apple Bloom's eyes. She rubbed a shaking hoof against her shoulder. "What's goin' on? How is Nightmare Moon here? Why is she here?"

"I don't know, Apple Bloom. Honest. One second, I was in my room, drawing the most awesome pony in all of... I mean, I was getting ready for bed, and then, BAM, instant darkness. Everything after that is just a blur." Scootaloo said.

"Same. Well, minus the drawing. I had everything ready, and that's it. The rest is blank." Sweetie Belle said.

"Like Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo, I too have little recollection of what transpired before our capture." Princess Celestia said.

The fire crackled and popped. Shadows danced around by the fire's light.

"Sorry for believin' ya guys went back to Equestria without me." Apple Bloom said. She draped her hooves over her friends. "Cutie Mark Crusaders forever."

"Cutie Mark Crusaders forever, we always stick together." Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo said to Apple Bloom.

"Sorry," I said.

"For what?" Sweetie Belle said. The filly levitated another stick onto the small fire.

"Yea, you and Apple Bloom saved us." Scootaloo said.

"I did something rather stupid I kind of regret. Not to mention, I feel bad for going into your rooms without your permission. Feels like I violated your privacy." I said. Though I was told to not worry about the privacy thing, it did bother me. I don't like invading the privacy of others, nor prying into their lives. "I was kinda worried Princess Celestia had been turned to stone."

"..." Princess Celestia looked at me and raised an eyebrow.

"That collection of statues in your room. Those five statues have a lot of detail in them. Mistook the statue of your sister as you." I said.

"Heh, you were scared, admit it." Apple Bloom said.

"Well yea, I thought she had been turned to stone." I said.

While Apple Bloom laughed along with her friends, Princess Celestia remained silent. Her blank stare would have unnerved the most hardened of hearts. For a second, the princess appeared as though she would let loose with fire and fury the likes of which would make a biblical plague seem tame, but her wrath never came. The princess just turned her gaze toward the stars and the blue orb amongst them.

"What do we do about Nightmare Moon?" Scootaloo said.

"I'm not sure, Scootaloo, and I fear humans do not possess the means to defend themselves against the nightmare we've unleashed upon their world." Princess Celestia said.

"Short of the 'nuclear' option, I'd have to agree." I said. Of course, even if Princess Celestia could conjure up Castle Bravo or Tsar Bomba, I wouldn't let her use either.

Princess Celestia turned her gaze towards the Cutie Mark Crusaders, "My little ponies, from the bottom of my heart, words cannot express the regret I have in knowing you must face this tribulation. Though I do not know how this has happened, I promise to protect you with every last ounce of strength and magic in my body. If I do fail in that endeavor," Princess Celestia knelt down near me,"you must promise me something."

"Hmm?" I said. The golden aura that surrounded Princess Celestia's horn moved onto my watch. "Whoa, I'm not leaving you to face that thing alone. I may be scared out of my wits, but I won't abandon someone."

"We aren't leaving either." The Cutie Mark Crusaders said in a strong tone. The three fillies put their right hooves forward.

The golden aura dissipated from around the watch. Princess Celestia raised her head. She didn't give her trademark, cheery eyed smile. The princess stood me up, and then towered over all of us. With a stern look she said, "If it weren't for the Elements of Harmony, there is no way in Equestria I could have defeated Nightmare Moon. Even if the slimmest of chances existed that I could have done it, there would have been dire consequences. Without the elements -- and my magic feeling drained -- there's no doubt I stand little chance against her. I can't," Princess Celestia's wings quivered, "I can't let all of you suffer because of my mistake."

"You've gotta believe in us." The Cutie Mark Crusaders said in unison.

Apple Bloom stepped forward from the group of fillies, "We ain't alicorns, but we'll think of something. Ah know we'll defeat her."

"Now how are you going to accomplish that task?" a voice said. The shadows lengthened. Two eyes appeared in the darkness. "Know what I think? I think it'd be most appropriate to leave the lot of you trapped like the rats 'you' are in a prison of Princess Celestia's design."

A dark blue tendril latched onto my wrist. It dragged me towards the shadows, on the edge of the clearing. The unknown entity squeezed to the point it felt like my bones would break.

"Let our friend go!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders said.

"Hmph," The creature said, causing the tendril to squeeze harder. She ripped the watch off my wrist. Her eyes locked onto the jewel inside. Red light, from the watch, gleamed off her exposed fangs.

"Give our friend back!" The Cutie Mark Crusaders said.

"Silence," The creature said, slamming her hoof down. She turned her back to the others while I dangled from her grasp. "You know how long it took to find all of you? I loathe hide-and-seek. Such a ridiculous, infantile game."

Princess Celestia's multi-colored mane flowed in the windless room. Each step she took caused heavy depressions to form in the solid stone beneath her hooves. She stopped and glared at the creature in front of her. "Release our friend. Now."

The creature leveled several tress around her before disappearing into ethereal darkness. "Ta"

"Please be ok, please." Princess Celestia said. She lifted up my shirt. "This is unthinkable. My sister never behaved this way to any-pony. Even as Nightmare Moon she never displayed this level of viciousness."

"She just. Got the key. Didn't she." I said between coughs. Princess Celestia placed me on the ground, folding up my shirt as a makeshift pillow. "What was that tendril back there anyways? It's like the one that attacked me in my dream."

"There is no visible injury, thank Equestria." Princess Celestia said. The glow around her horn faded.

I sat up and looked at Princess Celestia, "We've got to get the watch back before that thing uses it to get to Earth. What do we do?"

"Are you serious? 'What do we do?' is your reply. If it weren't for the shield I formed around your chest -- right now, 'you' will rest right there. Though you appear unhurt, I cannot be certain there aren't internal injuries." Princess Celestia said. She slammed her hoof into the ground. "Horse apples!"

"I guess that's a swear, huh." I said, seeing the reaction of the three fillies. It took some time, but I came to my feet. I grabbed my shirt off the ground. I placed my hand on Princess Celestia's back, "Listen, I know those three fillies are strong. You know it more than I do, but we must remember that Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, when it comes down to it, they are children. They'll lose hope if they see us breaking down."

Princess Celestia bit down on her lip.

"Look, we've got to be strong right now." I said. My body felt like a bag of cement after being bucked in the chest, tossed backwards like a ragdoll. I forced my legs to stiffen up. "Always remember, the only thing needed for evil to succeed is for good to do nothing."

"..." Princess Celestia raised her head. She placed a hoof over her mouth, and then the horse-sized pain in my butt snickered at me. "O my."

"Wow, and here I thought Spike's comic books had bad writing." Scootaloo said, trying to contain her laughter.

"Hmph, last time I try to make a speech to stir all of you up." I said. My legs gave out from underneath me, but Princess Celestia helped to steady my body. She helped put my shirt back on. "Whatever. I 'kinda' stand by what I said."

Above us, the Earth came into full view.

I could feel something ruffle the hairs on my head.

"Thanks." Princess Celestia said. The princess retracted her wing. She turned towards the fillies. "Apple Bloom. Sweetie Belle. Scootaloo. Get on my back. I'm flying us towards the portal."

"And me?" I said.

"You're injured, and 'I' want you to stay put." Princess Celestia said, and then she lowered herself to the ground. "However, you'd no doubt find a way to come after us. Not to mention there's no time to argue about the matter. All of us will find a way to defeat this nightmare."

I smirked.

In two wing beats, all of us were at the portal in the back. To our amazement, it was still intact.

"Hold on!" Princess Celestia shouted. She forced the portal to open. The princess bolted forward. Her passengers hung on for dear life. We raced down the hallway towards the entrance. "We must reclaim that watch. With enough magic, she will corrupt it. Just like. Sanctuary."

"What's wrong?" I said.

"Impossible," Princess Celestia said. Her continued to hang on for dear life. "Why did she take the watch? How did she know about the garden?"

"What?" I said. I tightened my grip. "What are you talking about? Do we even have a plan?"

The princess galloped at full stride. Her hooves pounded against the marble floor. Sconces, corridors, and doors raced by us.

"There's no mistaking it." Princess Celestia said. Her hooves dug into the ground. She screeched to a halt in the entrance. In a firm, regal tone she said, "Sanctuary, stop!"

The creature turned. "What did you call me?"

"Princess Celestia, that's Nightmare Moon. That's your sister, isn't she?" Sweetie Belle said.

"I didn't piece it together until now." Princess Celestia said. She stood firm, maintaining eye contact with the adversary in front of her. "Our friend was right. Sanctuary is alive."

"How can Sanctuary be alive?" Apple Bloom said.

I lowered myself off of Princess Celestia's back. The creature and I soon stood ten feet from one another. "It's not hard to believe Sanctuary gained some form of sentience. Princess Celestia poured her magic, her very heart and soul into this place. It's saddening to see --"

Princess Celestia shattered the spike that pinned my hand to wall. "How dare you, how dare 'you' hurt my friend!"

"I don't care." The creature said. Her eyes darted about. She scanned the floor. Two furious eyes locked onto our group. "What did you do with 'my' watch?"

"Your ticket is gone. It's teleported out of this place." Princess Celestia said. A golden aura enveloped her horn. A spectacular, frightening light-show ensued, for, in an instant, a brilliant beam of white, intense magical energy shot forth. As Princess Celestia and the creature clashed with one another, sparks erupted from their horns, lighting up the room. "Why do you hate us so much, Sanctuary?"

"How does it feel having your own magical energy drained and turned against you. How does it feel having your own power turned against those you care about." The creature said.

"Sanctuary, stop this. Princess Celestia cares about you. We care about you." Apple Bloom said.

"You lie," The creature pointed a sharp hoof at the filly.

"It's true." Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle said in unison.

"Shut up. Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut. Up! I will not be betrayed again. Not by you, not by this princess, and certainly not by that disgusting 'thing' you call your friend." The creature said after she landed with a loud thud. Spikes jutted forth from the ground as her horn began to glow, and then a dark void engulfed her. Two wings shot forth from the darkness. A powerful entity, one that controlled the very ground we walked on, came into existence. "I am not Sanctuary. I am Nightmare Sepulcher, and this place you love so dearly will be your tomb."

The spikes that surrounded the nightmare shot forth. Princess Celestia bolted into the air. She zigzagged. Sharp spikes rocketed towards the airborne target. Columns, walls, and other, misc., random object were damaged in the barrage. Each solid missile crumbled as it missed its target.

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo dragged me to safety. The fillies hunkered down next to me in a small alcove.

"We've got to help out Princess Celestia." Scootaloo said. The four of us watched Princess Celestia forced from the air down onto her knees, sweat pouring from her forehead. The pegasus filly stood firm as the ground began to quake. Several small lights lit up the tiny alcove all of us took shelter in. Scootaloo glanced behind her. She pointed pointed her hoof at Apple Bloom and said, "Hey, why is your cutie mark still glowing?"

"Not just mine, Scoot." Apple Bloom said. Her eyes, along with Scootaloo's, began to drift. "Yours is glowin' too, Sweetie Belle."

Sweetie Belle, having propped me up, stood near her friends. "Feel that?"

"Yea," Apple Bloom and Scootaloo said.

The fillies emerged from the alcove. They put their right hooves down and forward in unison. The Cutie Mark Crusaders charged into battle. All of them gained enough moment that they raced along the ground, almost flying through the air towards their target.

Nightmare Sepulcher slammed into the back wall. The shaking stopped. The ominous creature snarled.

Princess Celestia gazed on in awe.

"It is by our bonds, by our friendships that we are not just Cutie Mark Crusaders. We are the sisters of Harmony, and we will protect those we cherish." The Cutie Mark Crusaders said in a unified voice. The three fillies held each other's hooves. A sphere of pure white light enveloped them. The sphere shot a beam of light towards Nightmare Sepulcher.

Princess Celestia ascended into the air. She entered the sphere and joined the Cutie Mark Crusader. "You're not a nightmare, Sanctuary. You're our friend."

"No. You're wrong." Nightmare Sepulcher said. A dark shield materialized around her. "I will not let you hurt me again."

As The Cutie Mark Crusaders and Princess Celestia gained ground, they lost it. Neither side relented.

I clutched onto the watch Sweetie Belle had lifted from the creature, having given it to me.

"Stop, don't get any closer. This magic could rip you apart." Princess Celestia said.

"Sanctuary, " I said while putting my hand up and yelling towards the corrupted mare, "I don't hate you."

"Liar." Nightmare Sepulcher said.

"It's true. Our friend told me how happy they felt when they first saw you." Apple Bloom said.

"You're both liars!" Nightmare Sepulcher said.

"Mah big sis is the element of honesty. Ah ain't lyin' about it." Apple Bloom said.

"Then why did that human reject me?!" Nightmare Sepulcher cried. Cracks formed in the dark shield. The glass-like fragments shattered on the ground. Tears streamed down the mare's cheeks. "Then answer me. If you knew I was alive, would it have changed anything?"

"No, it wouldn't have changed my decision. It wouldn't have changed the fact it frightened me to accept something, even if that something meant a friend." I said.

Nightmare Sepulcher's eyes widened. Her expression turned to that of melancholic acceptance as she closed her eyes and raised her head. What remained of the dark shield shattered on the marble floor. The beam of magical energy slammed into Nightmare Sepulcher. A powerful, blinding light radiated outward from the light that engulfed the corrupted mare. As the intense light vanished, so did the corruption. Sanctuary itself had returned to normal.

"Sanctuary... " The Cutie Mark Crusaders said. The fillies and Princess Celestia floated to the ground. A stone statue -- in the form of Princess Celestia -- stood in the creature's place. One-by-one, Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo crept towards the statue. The three fillies hung their heads.

"Princess Celestia? Why does it feel like we lost?" Scootaloo said.

Princess Celestia hovelled towards the Cutie Mark Crusaders. She extended her wing, "I'm sorry my little ponies. This is a lesson no pony should ever learn, but there are times where even victory has its price."

Those words left me speechless. When my hand graced the statue's cheek, it didn't feel warm or alive. What stood in front of us was just another mundane item amongst the menagerie that Princess Celestia had created. All I could do was apologize in a silent voice. My ridiculous fear, my own stupidity blinded me, and that foolishness cost Sanctuary her life.

"Apple Bloom? Why is your cutie mark still glowing?" I said.

The ponies looked at each of their marks.

Princess Celestia turned around. "Get behind me. Now."

"..."

"What is that?" Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle said.

A dark mist radiated from the fragments of the shield that surrounded Nightmare Sepulcher.

"It won't end, not like this. I won't allow it!" The mist said.

"How can this be?" Princess Celestia said. She shielded all of us with her wings.

Two yellow eyes formed. The mist said, "Your interference cost me my host!"

"Answer me. How did this happen." Princess Celestia said.

"Hmph, if you must know, 'princess,' after my defeat at the hooves of the Elements of Harmony, I laid dormant till your dear little sister's delicious nightmare helped me recuperate." The mist said.

"But the Tantibus never made it to Equestria." Apple Bloom said.

"When the Tantibus ripped that portal open, all it took were those few, brief seconds to give me strength." The mist said. Its eyes narrowed, "Now, I will take what is rightfully mine, and without your precious elements, there's nothing to stop me. Darkness shall reign, forever."

Dark tendrils rocketed forth from the dark mist. Each one rammed into its target. The fifth and final tendril latched onto its victim. The ethereal vine constricted.

It felt agonizing to be lifted into the air, being at the mercy of this magical thing.

The dark mist squinted. Its tendril tightened further. "You 'filthy' human. You've cost me everything. I refuse to inhabit your body, and those ponies are being protected by some magical aura. If I can't regain what I've lost, I'll at least have my retribution on you."

"Let our friend go!" Princess Celestia said. As I squirmed, grasping at the tendril around my neck, she fired off a quick blast of magic.

"Ah, Ah, Ah, temper, temper. You're tapping into the embers of a dying flame, princess." The mist said. It turned its gaze back towards me, "Now, for my retribution. On the count of three. One -- gah!"

They say your life flashes before your eyes in critical moments. It happened when I fell from the mist's grasps. There had to be some guardian angel looking out for me when I landed on something soft. Things appeared hazy. I looked up and said, "Thanks for the save. Princess. Celestia?"

A soft wing had caught me, however, the wing had come out of the statue. Another one shot out from the statue's side.

"You will not harm my mother or my friends." The unknown mare said. Stone flecks fell to the ground from the statue. The unknown mare placed me on the ground in a gentle manner. Her horn emanated a strong light. Two halves of a sphere erupted from the ground, and then slammed against each other, encapsulating the creature. " You will 'not' harm my family!"

Princess Celestia moved on determined hooves towards her counterpart. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo stood between me and the two mares.

The gaseous entity ruptured the stone sphere. It slammed into Princess Celestia's magical barrier. Dark tendrils spilled over. The unknown mare pulled me out of the way. A divot formed where the tendrils slammed into the ground. Again and again the mist formed and reformed, only to be swatted away. It slammed into columns; it was flung against walls; the unknown mare thrashed it about and pounded the mist into the ground. Soon, the gaseous entity formed itself into the shape of a giant equine, which charged toward all of us.

"You witch. What did you do?!" The dark mist bellowed. The ethereal creature plowed into the watch Princess Celestia and the unknown mare had taken from me. Its ethereal hooves dug into the marble floor, scraping across the ground while being pulled into the watch. "Don't do this, please. You need to listen to me. They're all liars. They'll betray you."

"No. You betrayed me. You poisoned my mind." The unknown mare said. She stood firm with the others beside her. "You care for nothing but yourself. You're just a parasite. Dwell in darkness for all of eternity!"

No final scream nor do dramatic "no" happened. The silver watch fell to the floor where the unknown mare encased it inside a solid piece of dark crystal. Princess Celestia surrounded the crystal encased watch with a magical barrier.

Silence greeted every ear within that place, and, with that silence, the end had finally come. All of us endured one horrible nightmare. Between Princess Celestia's magic being drained and used against us, and that creature almost turning out my lights, it overwhelmed all of us. Reality hit hard in that quiet moment. After what I endured, after surviving that ordeal, all of it proved just how weak I am compared to every human on Earth along with proving how weak humans are compared to these super powered, dangerous equines.

"Did we win?" Scootaloo said.

"I think so, I mean I hope we've won. I'm beat." Sweetie Belle said.

"Feels like I went for fifteen straight hours buckin, haulin, and pickin apples in the field." Apple Bloom said.

"Yea, I'll second that, Apple Bloom" I said.

Exhausted, I sat hunched over on the ground. Apple Bloom collapsed onto her back. Sweetie Belle stood near Scootaloo, the pegasus filly helping her friend to stand up. When I looked up, I saw Princess Celestia and the unknown mare face each other. Aside from the obvious difference of Princess Celestia's flowing, multi-colored mane and tail, it felt like I was looking in a mirror; the unknown mare sported a silvery, marble colored coat with wings and a horn to match.

"...Daughter?" Princess Celestia said before her voice trailed off. She collapsed onto her flank. Her hooves pressed against her mouth.

The unknown mare closed her eyes and smiled. She lunged towards Princess Celestia's now open hooves. "I'm so, so sorry. The darkness, it just, it just took hold of me. I tried to fight it. Please don't leave me. I don't want to be alone."

"Don't cry. Everything will be alright. I'm here for you. 'We' are here for you." Princess Celestia said. Both of them shared the most tender, most clichéd mother-daughter moment if one could exist.

I rolled my eyes. Every tooth in my head ached. The sappy, disgustingly sweet made me want to gag, however, I'd take a sappy, happy ending vs. the bitter one that could have happened.

The unknown mare removed herself from Princess Celestia's grasp.

"So," Scootaloo said.

With some coaxing from Princess Celestia, the unknown mare came forward. She bowed, and then smiled. In a quiet voice, the unknown mare said, "Please, call me Sanctuary. I hope, I hope that we can still be... friends."

It must be some kind of natural sense for the Cutie Mark Crusaders. Perhaps all of it had been ingrained in them by their big sisters who are the "Elements of Harmony," or whatever they called it. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo looked at each other. The fillies just smiled at Sanctuary. Each one moved towards her, latching onto their new friend.

The moment grew even weirder when a flash of light came from Sanctuary's flank. Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo grinned while Princess Celestia appeared elated at the mark that appeared on Sanctuary's marble colored coat.

Sanctuary took the praise in stride while she stayed close to Princess Celestia. The mare smiled at her friends, and then looked at me. In a quiet voice she said, "Will you forgive me?"

"No." I said

Sanctuary hung her head. She said, "I see. I understand if --"

"Hey, why not?" Apple Bloom said.

"Yea, it's not her fault." Scootaloo said.

"That's not nice. You need to forgive her." Sweetie Belle said.

Princess Celestia, the ever protective parent, gave one nasty glare.

"If you three would let me finish," I crossed my arms, "I was about to say I will not forgive her 'because' there's nothing Sanctuary needs to seek forgiveness about. She had every right to be upset, and I don't blame her for that thing's actions." I said. Sanctuary received a nod from Princess Celestia before she came forward. The mare towered over me, being the same height as her mother. Sanctuary rested her head on my shoulder, wrapping a soft wing around me. My left hand shook, but it soon found its place on Sanctuary's soft mane. "In all honesty, I hope you'll forgive me. I'm sorry if I hurt you, Sanctuary."

For the briefest of seconds, I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I woke up, remote firm in hand, to the static of the TV in my room.

It's all so surreal. I remember how soft Sanctuary felt, how warm she felt. It's disheartening to say the rest is just a blur.

When I grabbed my phone and hit the button, and saw the display read 1:30 pm, time had eluded me. There's no way to tell how long all of it occurred. All I could do was gaze at my phone. There's a part of me that believed it to be a dream. Nightmare may be the more appropriate term. I half expected the whole ordeal to be a dream with the thought of alien ponies, nightmares coming to life, and being terrified out of my mind to be part of some massive hallucination, dream, or other illusion of the mind I'd either consciously or subconsciously conjured up. Though I thought that, the tear that crawled down the corner of my eye said otherwise.

There was another part of me who hoped all of it was real because my house felt so empty. After my mother passed away, there were times I stayed out of the house, having to force myself to come back. Those equines, those ponies gave me something special in my mundane little life.

While I gazed up at the ceiling, I watched the time crawl by on my phone. Two minutes came and went, so I got up and flung the covers off of me. It seemed the latter part of me got his wish. The light that came through the window, on Earth, illuminated something that stirred underneath the covers I'd tossed off to the side. Two hooves moved the covers aside, and then two eyes peered at me.

"Ow. Ow. Ow! Injured human here." I said. The teary eyed filly had lunged at me. If it wasn't Apple Bloom's strong hooves wrapping around me, it had to be her mane almost smothering me. "Uncle. Uncle. Uncle! Can't. Breathe."

"W-We thought," Apple Bloom sniffled, "we thought we had lost you."

"What are you talking about, Apple Bloom?" I said, finally released from the filly's strong grasp.

It took several minutes for Apple Bloom to compose herself. She leapt off the bed. "Wait right there, I'll go get the others."

Easier said than done since I had to hit the toilet, quick.

When I opened the door to the bathroom, my business finished and after washing my hands, three teary eyed fillies greeted me.

"No, wait. Wait. Wait!" I said. I held out my hands. The fillies knocked me to the ground. "... ouch."

"Thank Celestia you're alive." Sweetie Belle said.

"You scared the pants off of us. Well if we wore pants." Scootaloo said.

It seemed I was overdue for a long, long, long story behind what happened. The issue with that overdue story came from one missing, horse-sized pain in my butt, and, as of now, I'm still overdue for that story.

It's taken me quite some time to compose my thoughts for this entry. I needed a lot of time to write up the events of this day, night, or whatever it should be called. I hope the part of me that wished these ponies were real is happy. What an unbelievable nightmare. I'm going to have a bruise for sure after Apple Bloom gave me that death hug. Heh, unbelievable, getting a death hug from a magical powered, super strong, alien pony. Whatever. If I have to be honest with myself, not willing to admit it directly to these ponies, I'm kinda glad they're here right now. These ponies have given me something special in my mundane little life, a thing I can cherish. Not to mention that right now, I can't believe I'm gonna type this up, I don't feel so alone anymore. Thanks to these equines, the world doesn't feel so bad.

---End Entry---

Author's Note:

I sincerely apologize about the long overdue update for this story. The intention is to crank out a chapter at least once every three to six weeks. The story was finished about a month ago, and then, when I looked at it, the story just looked horrible. I had to start almost from scratch to get things just right. I do want to thank the people who helped me to decide on the antagonist's name.

As a bit of trivia, her name kinda "came" to me after I thought about Skyrim and the Thieves' Guild quest line. After some research, it felt more appropriate.

Anyways, as always, I'm up for suggestions, ideas, or a heads-up on something that might appear off.

Also, woohoo the story is near 60% completed.

Comments

[Theboxcatgamr]

:)

[Emperor]

Huh. This story took a little bit of another bizarre genre shift for a few chapters.

When it was revealed Sanctuary had manifested herself as a pony spirit and everyone assumed she was the new Nightmare, I was thinking to myself, "But that nightmare the protagonist had took place long before Sanctuary was built." So I wasn't caught off guard by the Nightmare spirit coming out. I was surprised the Nightmare had enough juice to go for a second round after being sucked out of Sanctuary, but it looks like she's been effectively neutralised.

On a side note, it's a good thing they're finally growing their own food. And with a mini-oven, maybe the human can go down to the store and buy some frozen pizzas so the CMC aren't racking up hundred-dollar bills every night