Martin: Dark Inferno

by CrypticMetaphor

Chapter 10: I Can't Live Within You

Alan and the rest of the humanized ponies were all shocked at what Twilight had told them, “Your saying that THING in his head is…”

Twilight slowly nodded

Alan looked at the unconscious bodies of Martin & Applejack who had been moved to Martin’s bed and were lying side by side, “I hope they make it out in one piece.”

*

Applejack landed hard on the ground but barely felt the impact. She managed to stand up and glanced around her surroundings. She saw she was in a gigantic room composed of black and white tiles for the floor, no roof, and mirrors for walls.

Applejack looked at each mirror and trembled as the reflections stared back at her with smiles. She was looking around frantically trying to find a door but to no avail as her reflection continued staring and smiling at her. AJ accidently backed into one of the mirrored walls and was pushed to the ground by something behind her. She turned her head as her eyes widened in complete surprise at the thing that pushed her.

The being was her except she was completely grey with green AJ’s green eyes, “Long time no see.”

Applejack pointed at her double, “You…how are you…”

Discord AJ approached her gesturing around, “Ah never left ah was merely suppressed in the back of yer mind and let me tell ya it’s very cramped in there.”

Applejack stood fast and readied herself, “Alright you dark reflection where in the hay am ah?”

Discord AJ just laughed, “You’re in HIS world.”

Applejack looked around once more, “Whose world?”

Discord AJ was then broken to pieces by a talon like claw swipe revealing Dark Martin as he coldly stated, “MY WORLD.”

His skin was much paler then before and his hair had become jet black as he cackled at the frightened human who immediately ran toward the farthest wall. AJ saw the mirror approaching and put her strongest side forward as she smashed through it and into a hallway as the mirror reassembled behind her plunging the hallway into complete darkness. Soon a pair of glowing red rings appeared behind her followed by a chorus of bone chilling laughter causing her to run. Not once did she glance behind her as she ran down the never ending tunnel of blackness.

Applejack then yelled out as loud as she could, “SOMEPONY! ANYPONY! HELP ME!!!!”

*

Martin was sitting in a completely dark space with only a pane of reflective glass as his company. He couldn’t see out of his prison, he could only see himself and his prison in a continually moving picture. He sighed once more until a shape appeared in the glass which caused him to look up and stand.

Dark Martin smiled, “Like the accommodations?”

Martin glared at his dark half, “What do you want?”

Dark Martin breathed a sigh of relief as he raised his hands in the air, “You’ve finally asked the right question.”

Martin crossed his arms, “Well?”

Dark Martin paced, “Well for starters I was thinking of taking over this meat suit and reeking untold havoc as per-usual when I find a host. And probably get “friendly” with that cow girl, after all a king needs a queen.”

Martin flung himself at the mirror, “YOU STAY THE HELL AWAY FROM HER YOU BASTARD!!”

Dark Martin trembled, “Ooooh I’m so scared. You’re in no position to be making threats boy,” he then made a window appear beside his head revealing AJ running from an invisible foe; “I hold all the cards.”

Martin banged on the glass, “When I get out of here I’m going to…”

Dark Martin smiled, “You’ll have to catch me first Marty. When I’m done with her and the rest of the world, Darkness and The Night will RULE OVER ALL!!!”

Dark Martin then began laughing as he vanished; Martin then punched the mirror with all of his might causing a hairline crack to appear.

*

Applejack kept running as fast as her legs could carry her but she was losing her breath until she noticed light coming from underneath a door crease far ahead of her. She managed to grab the knob and wrenched the door open and slammed it shut behind her. The room she was in was well lit and seemed to have black walls and a roof with polished marble tiles. AJ breathed a sigh of relief only for it to catch in her throat as Dark Martin appeared in front of her and pulled the humanized pony close to him. He was now sporting a black zoot suit with a pair of red tipped ram-like horns protruding from the sides of his head as jazz music began playing and he then sung softly.

“Why'd you run away?
Don't you like my style?”

His black zoot suit became a white tuxedo with a blood red dress shirt and black bowtie as he stepped away and beckoned for her to approach him.

“Why don't you come and play?
I guarantee a great big smile!”

AJ looked down and saw she was dressed in a black ball gown as she suddenly found herself in Dark Martin’s arms and they began to dance in rhythm with the beat.

“I reside in this imagination
And I'm here strictly for your exhilaration
So what do you say?
Why don't we dance awhile?”

AJ then slapped him causing Dark Martin to playfully growl as AJ bolted for the door only for it to vanish. She turned and saw Dark Martin playfully advancing on her. Soon she pressed herself against the wall as Dark Martin traced his talon like finger along her right cheek.

“I'm the hottest swing
I'm the twist and shout.”

AJ grabbed his hand in anger only for him to twirl her on her feet into a leaning position on his arms.

“When you gotta sing,
When you gotta let it out
You call me and I come a-running
I turn the music on; I bring the fun in
Now, we're partying
That's what it's all about.”

Dark Martin leaned forward and sang in a more seductive tone.

“Cuz I know, what you feel, girl
I know just what you feel, girl.”

AJ punched him this time as he reeled back in pain, “Listen here ya freak! You may have his face and voice but you are not MARTIN!”

Dark Martin rubbed his chin, “True.”

AJ pointed at him, “How ARE ya here anyway?”

Dark Martin gestured to the heavens as he sang more.

“He brought me down and doomed this town
But when we blow this scene,
Back we will go to my kingdom of dark and you will be my queen!
Cuz I know what you feel, girl”

AJ shook her head,

“No, you see
You and me
Will never be real!”

Dark Martin grabbed her hand once more,

“I'll make it real, girl!”

Applejack tried to pull away,

“What I mean
You’re insane
So, this queen thing's one-sided!”

Dark Martin took on a more aggressive tone,

“I can bring all these cities to ruin
And still have time to get a soft-shoe in!”

AJ wrenched her hand free as she began to back up and sang in a sarcastic tone,

“Well, that's great
But I'm late
And I'd hate to delay him.”

Dark Martin ignored her as he advanced on her,

“Something's cooking, I'm at the griddle
I brought crazy here for a little…”

Applejack cut him off with a faster response,

“He'll get pissed
Here’s a twist
See, my lover’s your “other”...”

Dark Martin stopped as the comment dawned on him, “Martin?”

AJ nodded with a confident smile, “Yuh-huh.”

He then chuckled as he turned away, “Interesting. But he will have to get here fast because….”, he then brought AJ in for a kiss which drained the light from her eyes as her body went limp,

“Now we're partying
That's what it's all about!”

*

Martin had watched the whole dark dance from his mirror which caused him to yell in rage and smash the mirror with both fists causing the mirror to crack more. Martin looked at Dark Martin who seemed to wink at him and picked up the unconscious AJ and carried her through a large set of double doors. Martin continued to smash at the mirror causing the cracks to worsen as he continued his assault. Outside the prison the glass bent outward and Martin blasted through and landed on his hands and knees as he looked up with a look of anger and blasted down the stairs and out the front door.

*

Dark Martin reclined on his throne as he sighed and looked to his right and opened his eyes as the door was busted down.

Dark Martin pointed at the busted door, “You’re going to have to pay for that.”

Martin pointed straight as the dark being and spoke in an angry tone, “Where is she!”

Dark Martin gestured to the far right where Applejack lay on the floor in the same dress she wore during the dance. Martin ran over to her and gently lifted her head; soft breathing was heard from the woman as Martin tried to wake her.

Dark Martin spoke in a deadpan tone, “she won’t wake unless I will it.”

Martin began to approach the throne only for a wall of black flames to spring up as the dark being tsked, “Uh uh, not so fast.”

Martin stepped back as Dark Martin walked through the flames and smiled at him, “Well…here we are again. A hero of Equestria fighting me to stave off certain destruction, seems a little redundant don’t you think?”

Martin looked at him confused, “You say it like this has happened before.”

Dark Martin smiled, “Of course it has after all I’ve been around longer then you.”

Martin shook his head, “That’s impossible.”

Dark Martin shook his head, “Not really. You see I have seen many things and used many a host.”

Martin realized the wording, “WHO are you?”

Dark Martin turned around and kept speaking, “Well I have had many names. In fact one of those names stuck with me because I particularly liked the sound of it.”

Dark Martin turned to face Martin as he wrote words in the air out of black fire that spelled out, “I am Darkness and Fear, I was an Aspect, I was a Princess, I am destruction, I am night itself”.

Martin stared wide eyed as Dark Martin waved his hands causing letters to separate from the sentences and rearrange themselves into one sentence that spelled out one sentence which caused Martin to take a step back, “I WAS AND AM NIGHTMARE MOON.”

Nightmare Moon’s eyes changed to emerald serpentine ones as he smiled, “So nice to finally meet you in person Mr. Fairbridges now that the charade has dropped.”

Martin pointed at Nightmare, “But Twilight and the ponies beat you how are you?”

Nightmare waved it off, “Oh please those ponies and their elements merely banished my presence from that snivelling Princess Luna so I had to go back to my first host Phobos.”

Martin was still confused, “But how were you even created?”

Nightmare shrugged, “To put it simply, I always existed. I merely preyed on the despair and dark emotions of many to further my strength and hold. Eventually I found Phobos and possessed him, some tinkering and I was given shape and form.”

Martin looked down, “And when Luna first became Nightmare Moon you did the same thing.”

Nightmare flicked him on the nose, “Exactly.”

Martin looked at him, “but why me?”

Nightmare appeared behind him, “Simple, it’s because I see untapped potential inside you and all that rage and anger deep down OOOOOH the fun I could have,” he gestured to himself, “Of course the makeover comes free of charge.”

Martin pushed him away, “No deal.”

Nightmare chuckled, “Who said you had a choice in the matter.”

Nightmare then back handed Martin into a wall which cracked and caved inward upon impact, “You don’t get it do you. During that fight with Phobos I sensed my grip loosening so when Phobos stabbed you I inserted a fragment of my being into you until I could grow back to my full strength.”

Martin slowly got to his feet as Nightmare hurled him into his throne with no effort, “Geez, at least the Princess attempted to resist. This is just a sad excuse for a struggle.”

Martin barely managed to stand until Nightmare slashed him across the chest.

*

Martin’s body convulsed as a bit of blood trickled from his mouth enticing collective gasps from all present.

Alan snapped and yelled at the unconscious Martin, “KICK IT’S ASS DUDE! YOU’RE NOT ALONE!”

*

Martin’s eyes opened slightly, “Alan?”

Nightmare grasped Martin by the throat and plunged his claws into Martin’s stomach enticing a gasp of breath from both him and AJ who woke up and witnessed the act, “That’s right my dear, I want you to watch.”

Black ooze began to surge from the stomach wound and began to cover Martin’s body from head to toe. He looked at AJ before the ooze consumed him and was absorbed into Nightmare who laughed in victory.

He then approached tearful Applejack, “Oh don’t worry my dear. You still have me.”

Applejack then spoke in desperation, “Martin ah know you’re in there. Please fight him ah believe in you.”

Nightmare just laughed, “Your calls are in vain, he can’t hear you. Now once I’m done with you I’ll…,” Nightmare Moon’s hands began trembling as he then clutched his head in pain and yelled, “IMPOSSIBLE I BEAT YOU!!!”

Nightmare’s eyes then changed to Martin’s as his voice also came out of Nightmares mouth, “Get the hell out of my head,” then Nightmare and the entire mental realm exploded in a flash of soundless white.

*

Applejack sat straight up as Martin’s entire body convulsed and thrashed beside her only for his eyes to open and white light to shoot out of his mouth and eyes. This lasted for a few seconds until Martin passed out again.

He woke up a few minutes later and groggily asked Alan, “So you and Dash are an item now?”

Alan smiled as he placed an arm around RD’s shoulders until Pinkie hopped over to the bed, “How did you know that you could beat Nightmare?”

Martin sat up, “I just hung on to a piece of myself and the power that I still had from the elements and released it from the inside.”

Applejack hugged him, “That was stupid and reckless. But ah’m glad you’re safe.”

Martin hugged her back, “Me too.”

*

Hours passed by before all but Applejack headed back to their places of living. Before the mass departure took place however, Sortitus informed them that the damage was fixed and that no one on Earth would remember anything now. Martin thanked him as he and Aequivalere left his house leaving Martin and AJ alone soon after.

Martin sat down on his bed and breathed a sigh of exhaustion, “I need a vacation.”

Applejack sat next to him, “Ah think you mean WE need a vacation.”

Martin nodded, “I would like that.”

Applejack smiled, “We could start right now and ah have the perfect activity took kick things off.”

Martin looked at her confused, “I don’t follow you.”

Applejack rolled her eyes as she threw off her hat and undid her hair as she tackled Martin to the bed.

Epilogue

Ponyville was in the midst of a celebration of being saved and not being destroyed by the convergence. Four individuals were not in attendance however. Both RD, AJ, Alan, and Martin sent a note saying that they were going on a vacation until a day before the ceremony of Martin’s knighting which their friends agreed on. Lupe was being more social and was making many friends and the royal sisters treated her more like a part of the family. However far off from Ponyville past the Everfree forest in a swamp like land with organic looking vegetation with odd green orbs attached to the black branches sat three individuals around a pool of water looking at the celebration.

One with a horn and green eyes with slits looked at the scene with distaste, “Look at them, they celebrate for such menial reasons.”

The other just laughed, “OH but what a surprise they’ll get when WE crash they’re party.”

The third who was wearing a hooded cloak sat in the shadows, “No. Not yet.”

The horned one looked at him, “Why not? Now is the opportunity to strike.”

The hooded one shook his head, “Not yet. Let them celebrate and let them cheer. Once they let down their guard…,” he looked up as gold irises shined ominously in the darkness, “We shall take this kingdom for our own.”

All three villains then laughed as the celebration kicked into full swing

Next is Martin: Endgame, the final martin story. I hope you all enjoy.

Comments

[Thomas R]

Let the end... begin

[Idiot Poster]

This story pacing was a bit all over the place hope the next one slow it down a bit

[CrypticMetaphor]

1329356
yeah sorry aboot that

[The-darkevil101]

Martin: Endgame...

I like it !

[Pen Brush]

2113382
that comment was before the auto clothing

[The Watcher 509]

BattleMartin 3:Endgame

[OnePunchHero]

Honestly I sorta lost interest by the end because I just started to lose track of what was happening.... All in all it was interesting with the first and second one but I will try to reread it eventually....

[Godiswithus3]

I like this third installment. It exceeded my expectations. YOU FREAKIN SCARED ME WITH MARTIN BEING TRANSFORMED INTO A PONY! I WAS ABOUT TO GET PISSED. But everything went well in the end. Great writing.