The night held her gentle sway as the moon's light had pierced the center window above the throne. The cascade of the light landed upon the pony in which sat upon her throne, causing her eyes to open and look up. The light was beautiful yes, but what made the moon's light, in her personal opinion was the fact that it carried 3 distinct colors of red, blue and green. All the colors of what once was the proud Alicorn Princess, Celestia, whom was now banished to the moon, just like she was for a thousand years. Nightmare Moon gave a small satisfactory smile. She had done it. She had won. She beat her sister, removed any threats in her way and held her title now as Queen Nightmare Moon of Equestria.
Queen… no sisters to appose her titles, no other royalty to take over her. The other 's whom did have some royalty were either stripped of their status or kept their titles but always remained below her.
Cadance or Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, did keep her title but she remained a… advisor… with much limitations since she was the adopted niece of her once beloved sister. Though Nightmare knew she could find some practical uses for her later.
That left another Royalty to deal with but she wouldn't consider him royalty now, would she. Princess Amadius Blueblood the 20th.
Just saying his name caused her to gag. The low life of Prince was hardly worth his title let alone his name sake. The Blueblood's of her time were true stallion with honor and despite her distaste of her sister, they both shared some ground that Blueblood the 1st was a truly remarkable stallion.
Apparently when they where adopted by Celestia a few centuries earlier somewhere along the line, they either got really stupid or greedy or both. They became brash, arrogant, self-absorbed and considered themselves close to Alicorn status as possible.
Well Nightmare Moon made sure they were no longer close to anything of that. Word hit of Nightmare's return, he tried taking the throne in Celestia's absence and to make a long story short, his status was removed, much to the joy of many Canterlot nobles and was now considered a commoner as the person down the street.
After that, everything fell into place. Resistance formed but was quickly dealt with by her guards. Mass hysteria across Equestria rose only to quell when Nightmare herself came to deal with them and world leaders came to conquer, only to be easily vanquished or be threaten with exile, a place with less… breathable circumstances.
Any who held Celestia still in their hearts where thrown in jail or publicly outsized. Any assassination attempts have been useless and any loyal guards to Celestia were either seized or easily bribed for their services.
Her rule would have been absolute if not for the fact an Alicorn had appeared along side a baby dragon. Yes, she would have no fear if not for her. The fact that she mentioned Time Travel and got away irked her beyond anything. She said she would change the pass yet, everything remained the same. Her rule was still universal, her night never fade to light and her Rule remained unopposed. Maybe she had failed in her conquest and is now somewhere else in time or she is possibly dead to to the magic used to travel through time. Either way, she knew that she was the only thing stopping her, but something told her, that Alicorn won't be coming back.
“My queen!” Her throne doors flew upon as a guard flew by, disturbing her train of thought.
Her two base guards stood by waiting for any surprise if it arose as the guard flew to her. He quickly landed at the base of her throne.
“What is it?” she half snapped.
“Intruder my queen!” he spoke quick and loud. “An intruder has been spotted heading towards the castle!”
Nightmare snarled.
“So take care of it!”
“We tried but...” he gulped. “She is taking out our guards with powerful magic. We haven't been able to stop her and she is heading this way!”
Nightmare jerked back before her snarl turned to a growl.
“A single pony, a mare at that, is taking out your entire guard and you cannot stop her?!”
The guard's ears went flat and he lowered himself.
“I am sorry your majesty but she is… powerful.”
Nightmare was about to lash out when the doors flew open and 10 guards appeared.
“My queen!” One of them yelled. “The intruder is coming this way! We believe she is an assassin!”
An assassin? Again? And she is taking out her guards? Didn't she deal with these already? No matter.
“If she is coming then take her out!” Nightmare yelled. “Bring more guards but so help me she comes anywhere near me, I will use you all as a body shield and a bludgeon! Now form up! If she is powerful well then she will be no match for me!”
With that, at least either more guards came from the sides plus her two personal guards, made at least 21 guards this 'powerful assassin' will have to deal with, plus her. Nightmare had no worry, she had no beating heart and she remained calm. It was just going to be another day for her at work.
It was quite as all the guards around her remain vigilante and combat ready, waiting for anything to happen. Outside, the sounds of broken glass and screams of pain could be heard. Then it stopped when a single pound on the door had all the guards face forward, ready to attack.
“Foolish,” Nightmare commented. “Attack from the front. So foolish.”
Yet, that proved to be wrong, for the next second the glass above exploded to millions of pieces as a form, the assassin, who wore a cloak came through the ceiling and fell straight down. The guards were caught unaware and shielded themselves from the falling glass.
Nightmare quickly used a shield to protect herself from the glass. As the mare fell, Nightmare caught a glimpse and saw that she was purple. Eerily, the color was similar to another pony she had just encountered.
The distraction was all that was needed as the mare launched a spell at the floor. When she landed, it caused a shock wave that sent the grounded guards, the unicorns and earth ponies to either go flying back or knocked off their hooves. The pegasi remained unaffected.
Nightmare growled as the mare adjusted herself and stood before Nightmare. Her face was concealed in her black cloak but her legs and horn weren't and she saw that oh familiar color returning to her. It couldn't be…
Instantly, the pegasi flew after her but with a single blast from her horn, she created a magical repel that blasted away the pegasi, stunning them or knocking them out. The guards that managed to get back up, shock off the blast and quickly charged towards the Assassin.
Just as they got close, she teleported away in a purple flash causing a few to crash into each other while the others stopped and looked for her; just in time for her to deliver a mid-air buck to two guards in the face and blasting the rest away with her magic.
Nightmare was now angry and in a bit of a panic. This assassin not only took out her guard like they were foals but her magic was strong, incredibly strong and that made her nervous. But seeing enough of the display, Nightmare got up from her throne and fired a spell towards the mare.
The mare saw it coming and quickly ducked it before facing Nightmare. Nightmare glared at the mare, the feeling knowing she knew who she was. But this time, she was prepared.
“All your tricks and you have yet to attack me directly.” Taunted Nightmare. “Are we going to have a duel or is this for show, little mare.”
The mare spoke out and despite Nightmare knowing who she was, the voice was different somehow. Harsh, cold and with an edge.
“No duel.” she spoke. “Only your death! Your death just like what you are doing to the ponies and this planet.”
Nightmare gave a snort.
“I have yet to kill a pony, Assassin. I never once shed a drop of pony blood, but for you will make an exception, seeing as how you made quick work of my guards. Other assassin's have tried and failed to kill me before. They may not be dead but they are being tortured. That is my doing. But you, I will make a demonstration out of you and show the world what happens when you mess with me.”
“And here I thought you weren't a monster.” quipped the Assassin. “You took out Celestia and banished her. You say you never killed anypony but you did and you are slowly killing us all by letting the food and plant life die!” she spat on the ground. “You considered yourself a merciful tyrant because you don't kill but in the end when the life dies out by the cold, then you are no different then the worst monster in history! You might as well stayed on the moon if you want everything cold and dead!”
“YOU DARE!” roared Nightmare. “I am no monster! I am a Queen! I have saved these ponies from my sister's idiotic rule! She wanted peace between us yet she never knew when to fight back! It was I who fought most of the battles! I defeated Kings, conquers and the monsters themselves! Yet, where was my light? History knew me as the monster of the night, as nothing more than a foal's nightmare when I fought. When they all went to sleep, they forgot I was the one who protected their dreams. I was the one who protected them from the dark.
“And now you covered the world in darkness.” spoke out the mare, harsh and cruel. “You fought the monster and you let yourself become the one thing you fought! Not only that but you let your jealousy get you! Jealousy that your sister was in the light while you were in the back, letting your personal emotions get the best of you.”
“And what would you know, Mare!” lashed Nightmare. “You know nothing! You were not there when I was cast as the shadow of my sister. You were not stood aside as someone your equal was seen as the savior and yourself as the lesser! You, an assassin! Or better yet, the mare who tried to change the past! The mare whom traveled through time and tried to change the future! Do not hide your face from me no more! I know who you are!”
The assassin in question, didn't speak. In fact all she did was tilt her head before slowly pulling her hood back to reveal her face.
Nightmare would have been smug if not for the fact that despite this looking exactly like the Alicorn that traveled through time, there was something way different from her. The lack of wings showed that she was no alicorn, just a regular unicorn. Along with that was the number of scars that encompassed her body with a few patches of fur missing. And was most notably was this mare had a different expression. Confusion was on it for now, but Nightmare saw through her eyes and saw that this mare experienced hardship, anger, loss and most importantly no hope to vacate them.
The Alicorn that had come by was confused, saddness and a bit anger but there was not malice, hatred or anything that this mare had on her. Its as if these to ponies where to completely different ponies.
With a steady voice, she spoke out. “Who are you?”
She blinked, before seeing Nightmare lower her guard. “Your death!” she cried!
Her cloak exploded as sliver blades flew towards her at blinding speed.
Out of reflex, Nightmare Moon flinched and raised a shield to protect her as the projectiles came for her. However, something caused her pain as backlash from her magic.
When she opened her eyes, she looked towards the mare who had her horn lit. Nightmare saw that her shield… her own shield have been pierced, which explained the pain and that now, the blades surrounded her neck, slowly circling around.
Nightmare gasped. How? How could they go through her shield? She was the most powerful caster and she put up the strongest shield. Yet, the blades had easily sliced right through and now, now they were less than an inch away from her neck. She could be dead and by all rights she should be dead.
Something snapped and Nightmare felt cress fallen. Sadness and anger encompassed her as she realized that her rule would have ended. She could have lost her life and that would be it. She wanted to scream, to shout, to cry… knowing how close to death she could have been. She maybe an alicorn and could survive a number of injuries but these blades, they went through her magic like nothing and could have taken her head right off.
There is no coming back from that. Not even for her. Tears threaten to swell at the edge of her eyes but she growled and held back as she looked towards the mare. She held her magic but her demeanor was calm.
“Sol Steel,” she simply said.
Nightmare's eyes went wide. Of course. Her sister's infused magic with metal. Only that was rare and was only used for weapons by her to kill monsters unworthy of Tarturas. She had her Lunar steel but… only had one blade made from it.
Her sister, despite being on the moon, still would come back to haunt her. A mare no less, had gain her precious metal and was just about to end her life. So, she should be dead by all accounts. Yet she wasn't… why?
She gazed at the mare, her burning question through her eyes.
She stared back at her though the anger had remained, their was a calmness around her.
“My job was to kill you. I was supposed to end your life and your reign of terror would be over!”
Nightmare was literally staring death in the face but, she knew this mare wouldn't kill her.
“So why don't you?” she almost taunted. The gulp she made was almost audible. “I am no match for Sol Steel and you can end me here and now. I wouldn't be able to make a move before those blades enter my neck.”
The mare stared at her, trying to find any deception in her words.
“You may not have killed a pony before but neither have I. I was trained for 3 years, ever since you came back from your exile, to be the one to kill you. I figured in that time, others would succeed so I didn't have too. When they all failed, I realized my time was coming up.” She paused. “There was chaos, violence and all that when you came back. You couldn't quickly solve all the problems of crime so that left my family vulnerable. My brother was in the guard and I was still in school...” Her voice faded, sadness taking over. “My parents got robbed in our house and they were attack by some crazy stallion who believed that this was the end of times. He barged into my home, quickly attacking my family, killing my dad and hurting my mom before stealing all the food and supplies so he could survive.” No tears came from her face, almost as she had no more tears to shed. She growled and stared hard at Nightmare. “By all accounts its your fault!” She yelled.
The blades moved close and where pushing hard against her neck, barely pushing the skin. Nightmare's neck stiffened and she held her breath.
“If you hadn't come back, my parents would still be here! My dad wouldn't be dead and my mother wouldn't be in the hospital! My brother and I could have protected them! I could have protected them! I could have...”
Her voice dropped and she softly wept. The blades still pressed on Nightmare's neck so she dared not moved nor plan anything. Yet she couldn't, the mare's story somewhat affected her.
She unintentionally killed a pony. A pony that didn't deserve it. A pony who would probably worked night or day to get his daughter to school. How many more ponies died unintentionally because of her? How many suffered, while her jealousy got the better of her?
Why did this mare, this single mare make her question her motives or goals? Why did she suddenly care? Was it the knifes inching at her neck? The lack of knowledge of what really happened upon her sudden reign?
For the first time in a long time, she let out a equine sigh.
“I am sorry.” she said softly.
The mare's ear twitched when she heard it. She slowly raised her head and looked towards Nightmare. Her eyes held anger but also wanted to make sure her ears didn't deceive her.
“I am sorry… for what has happened.” She repeated. She gazed upon the mare. “I never meant to get anypony killed. Just like my sister, I loved my fellow ponies. I would do anything for them.”
The mare looked for any deception, any trick to her words, yet found none. The words were generic and true.
The blades slowly retreated from Nightmare's neck and flew back towards the mare. She latched them all to her body before looking at Nightmare.
At any moment she could be attacked by Nightmare and really have a reason to throw them back at her. But she didn't. Either because she knew that or she was really regretting her choices.
The mare saw that her guards were slowly rising. Releasing this is her cue to leave, she charged her horn to teleport. However, she gave Nightmare a once over.
“You can start by making sure no more ponies die… we won't survive without the sun for very long. You and I both know that.” And with that, she disappeared in a flash.
Her guards rose up and surveyed their surroundings before quickly looking to Nightmare.
“My queen? Are you well?” one asked. She remained silent only staring blankly where the mare once stood. “My queen?”
The others looked at her worried, before the leader, quickly looked towards the others.
“All of you! Scout around for the Assassin! Find any traces of her and bring her back! She clearly has affected her Majesty! Get patrols on around the clock. Move it!”
“Sir yes sir!” They all saluted before scattering to different locations. Nightmare remained stoic and unresponsive. Even as the guards scrambled around her, she didn't hear them. Her mind was a million miles away yet she has never felt so confused or troubled.
With a small sigh, she lifted her head towards the moon. She saw the Mare on the Moon that was her sister. A touch of sadness entered her heart. Her horn glowed… the moon began to shine and move.
This should definitely be continued
although, i have to ask? What was the romance tag for? There wasnt any romance
6834452 Considering the groups it's in and the fact that this is only the first chapter, I'd guess it comes later into play.
I hate you. Not really, but my fic https://www.fimfiction.net/story/307508/the-nightmare-that-came-from-above#comment/6831238 has the SAME cover art, and made me think it was featured. Then I saw the name XD
I didnt read yet but take the upvote :)
6834452 perhaps there's some MoonLight planned later.
6834645
6834658
but it was put in the "Non-Romance" folder of the group Moonlight 2.0
Uhm... you were kinda useless against Discord until Celestia found the Elements... and the Elements stopped Tirek too... and you BOTH fought Sombra.
Sayyyyy, care to name one thing you fought on your own?
*NMM fumes silently as the indestructible Alondro taunts her*
I thought so. Sheesh, what are you competing with Kim Jung Un for the 'Most Delusional Tyrant Award' or something? Oh, and by the way, allow me to reintroduce a little something your timeline somehow forgot. *snaps fingers and Discord's statue appears* Have a blast... *he cackles as vanishes as the statue chuckles ominously and begins to crack.
NMM erfs, "Oh, yeah... Discord was a thing... buck me..."
6834969 I think at this point i might have to mention that, thanks though
6834645 Gonna create my own cover art or change it, just temporary for now.
6834988 You mean there IS a Most Delusional Tyrant Award?!
6834993 nice :D
There have been many interpretations of what would happen if Nightmare Moon won. Would Equestria freeze and die? Would the whole world freeze and die? (Or would half freeze while the other half bakes??) Is "endless night" just a euphemism for extinction, or would Nightmare Moon have some magical way to make it survivable?
The only problem I see here is. . . If endless night was, in fact, going to freeze Equestria and kill everypony, it wouldn't take three years. Surely it would have happened by now. The alternate Equestria we got a glimpse of in the TV show seemed to be doing fine, at least physically. It was a cold and harsh society under a cold and harsh leader, though.
6835098 True but if you pay attention, Nightmare said that her sister 'has been imprisoned in the moon for years now'.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-14_gf2XHAw
Roughly, the time she came back on the 1000th year till Twilight's castle. So we already know that episodes 1-3 its been a whole year since then since its stated. 4-5 would be roughly another year or so since winter wrap up and Nightmare night came. At that point something should have happened but didn't. I know the show wont get much darker because its a kid show but i am pretty sure if they could, they would either mention failed crops, cold weather and such.
Not to mention that Discord has been ruling for years... where day and night cycle screwed up. No plants would grow.
Tirek absorbed all the magic so same with trees and plants.
If chrysalis was successful, would celestia be imprisoned in the pods, then would would control the moon and sun?
Not everything can be really hand on check but i get what your saying so i will work my way with it.
6835129
For whatever it's worth: In Past Sins (and the immediate sequel Point of No Return, which was also an alternate world!) the scenario we were given was: There would be new crops that can grow in darkness. (Mushrooms? Dreamberries? Bodark apples?) There would be new magical lights that would warm the towns and let ponies live and work without stumbling around in abject darkness.
However, Nightmare Moon and her followers hadn't really thought through all these ideas fully or prepared the new items for distribution all over the country as they should, and the whole plan began to fall apart. So, even if you don't emulate those stories, the point I'd make is that there are ways it can go that fall somewhere in between "everything is fine" and "everything is dead".
6835157 Read it and true enough looked into that. Like i said, i will mention this and even though i know i can't cover everything, i will tryi to find some solutions or alternatives.
6834969 Um the EOH werre not mentioned in the first defeat of Tirek. Luna did help take care of Sombra.
In this universe Chryssy likely didn't invade. She had beaten Sombra so the Emprie is under her control, Discord still in stone, and Tirek likely didn't escape.
I do wonder about Sunset?
Please continue. this has great potential.
6835098
I have a simulator that can test that. I'll get back to you after I've tested it.
6835521 But that's just it, Luna HELPED. She never beat anything by herself.
Celestia kept Equestria at peace for 1,000 years ALONE.
The record kinda speaks for itself.
As for Discord still being in stone... why is he? We've already seen another world where he got out even though there were no Bearers, so the hypothesis that the Bearers taking the Elements broke the spell on him is disproved by the episode itself. Therefore, he should have escaped in EVERY SINGLE ALTERNATE TIME LINE, perhaps even more quickly if his escape was aided by disharmony among ponies... of which there would be much with NMM in charge.
In fact, the future where he's free and ruling chaotically is the single most likely future out of them all. Without the Elements, there's literally nothing that can stop him... save for Tirek sucking his magic out... which would only happen if Discord allowed him to have all the ponies' magic... which Discord would have absolutely no incentive to allow if he's already in control.
Which, as I've mentioned repeatedly since the finale, is one of the weakest points of the episode: the alternate timelines never properly utilize event continuity and causality. NMM, Discord, and Sombra would ALWAYS happen, as their appearance and actions take place independently of the Bearers. Chrysalis might have second thoughts with the other villains around, and Tirek might either not escape or might be afraid of the other villains in his weakened state since there's no way any of them would work with him. NMM and Sombra would never trust him, and Discord would have no need of him.
6835568 Frankly the other timelines should have existed. Nightmare will always beat Celestia. NMM has a drive in that and Celestia lacks that.
What triggered Discord's release? Best bet the reconstitution of the Elements and healing Luna drained them and weaken his prison. If Celestia knew it would fail at some point then why have it in the garden?
Chryssy was after love for her subjects. With NMM in control i doubt Equestria has the same love generation that prime does thus no invasion.
With Sombra she like Luna sujested would have gone in right away and NMM being more agrressive then either Luna or Celestia would have taken him down and secure the Empire. Heck under NMM they would have an esier time then Sombra.
Tirek would not get loose for NMM would have tighter security.
While it was fansiating to see these other possiblilites only NMM's would exist. thus my claim that season 5 had overall poor writing.
6835601
Except their is a possibility Nightmare Moon may not be given a chance to do battle with Celestia. In the old Timeline, Celestia had a way, a chance to free Luna of Nightmare Moon. In the other timelines, Celestia would have no option but to do the one thing she need to do to protect her ponies, kill her sister.
That is also assuming she doesn't have backup to things like used magical ruins that of the one time use to send Nightmare Moon to another prision to say Tartarus and whose to say that Elements of Magic could not be worked temporary by Celestia if she never find Twilight and the other five girls.
Just saying I can see the other timelines happening but I am more surprised that its not multiple villains at once, though that maybe why Equestria is a wasteland for it was fought at once by foes like Nightmare Moon, Terik and Sombra as they do seem like the will screw you too if you defeat us.
Very interesting! I hope there will be a second chapter.
6835655 I don't think Celestia is capable of killing Luna or her alter ego NMM. She may have the power to the drive is not there. And all hints lead to Luna being the better tactician of the two.
A face off is unavoidable Starlight didn't change the factors for that face off.
6835685
Except the factor Celestia knew the Elements would not work for her and since she had a thousand years to prepare, she may have other means to deal with her sister but didn't for the Elements was the only way to give her back her sister. And you underestimate how much Celestia love Equestria, the country she kept going for a thousand years, and what she is willing to scarifice to save it.
Besides, she doesn't need to kill Luna if she had the means to imprisoned her.
6835601
ALREADY DISPROVED BY THE EPISODE ITSELF. You seem to have missed the Discord-verse. HE GOT OUT DESPITE THE ELEMENTS HAVING NO NEW BEARERS. Hence, he would have ALWAYS eventually escaped.
Same reason that Celestia left the Elements in the dangerous Everfree Forest and sent 6 untrained mares to fight her homicidal demonic sister all by themselves while she ran off and hid somewhere? (That'd be, little-kid-show-level writing and plot-convenience.)
In a SERIOUS story depicting a more 'genuine' state of affairs, Discord's statue would be buried in the heart of the crystal caverns underneath Canterlot, surrounded by every form of detection and warning spell Celestia could find and the Elements would have been studied like hell to determine what was needed to activate them, plus Celestia would have had a massive army of mages trained over the past thousands years to be ready for NMM's return.
NMM isn't THAT powerful. A direct hit on Celestia only stunned her. Not even close to Chrysalis' power, in fact. Chrysalis actually hurt Celestia significantly! So, again, by the show's own directly demonstrated events, NMM is WEAKER than Chrysalis!
Seriously, don't try to use the show's frequent use of plot contrivances to justify further plot contrivances in addition to speculation. It's too easy to find contradictions.
Maybe the show's writers should, I dunno, PAY ATTENTION TO CONTINUITY MORE OFTEN!!!!! Or, just stop trying to write serious episodes that require more carefully-written story structure.
Then we'd not have issues like this. Just a thought.
6835747 But does she? 1000 years ago she HAD to use the Elements to imprison NMM. She would be willing to sacrifice herself for Equestira but only if she had a replacement. In many fan stories Sunset was that replacement but we know how that turned out.
I think the Sombra would be the second likeliest timeline only because we don't see Luna in it. Yes Celestia may be able to win but odds against her for her track record.
6835755 I consider this a badly written episode for they didn;'t think long and hard on what the Elements not coming together would do.
They jsut thought "Let;'s have all their villains win in these timelines no matter what logic says that's impossible with changing just one point in history.
6835779 That's what I've been saying all along. There was no thought given to the continuity at all. EVERYTHING was wrong with it, all the way down to Starlight's own decent into generic little kid's show villain and her absurd backstory. It was so bad it even makes every villains' comic backstory go up a ranking (taking the new bottom spot!).
Really, I could have accepted it just a tad more if Starlight had been totally insane and just wanted to destroy Equestria no matter what and Twilight had to throw her into the Time Vortex or something... but that insta-reform and the crummy rationale behind everything Starlight did... sheesh. There's pathetic, and then there's Starlight Glimmer!
6835854 I think we both can agree that this last season had just poor writing for the most part. No clue why but they did. The sad part with just some tweaking it could have been good.
Take the finale for example. Starlight should have run into more trouble with cutie marks to get her mindset where it is. then she alters time and Twilight, spike, AND Starlight end up in the Nightmare Universe and she finally realizes how important Twilight friendship is. Heck have her end up in Pleasantville (My name for Our Town) And let's see the nightmare version of it.
6835896 Yep, only a couple loops were actually needed. And the time travel spell itself should have had side-effects she didn't expect.
That's another problem, which brings her into Mary Sue territory. She does ANYTHING and it always works EXACTLY how she intended, even when she'd never studied it before or tested it.
And she gets Sunset Shimmer-style insta-redemption, which is just an additional slap in the face for those of us who prefer better storytelling.
This is far worse than even Luna's forgiveness. At least with Luna, there is the argument to be made that she was under the control of... something... (God, are they EVER going to get around to properly explaining how NMM happened? It's been 5 years for that dangling plot thread without so much as a whisper of credible material other than the comic, which is quite blatantly alt-universe now.) But Starlight (and Sunset) are forgiven after a few tears.. when they were both close to destroying crap only moments before. Most villains would then smirk and stab them in the back as soon as they turned around... which is the sort of thing villains actually do when they cry and beg to be spared after the hero stops their nefarious plans and the hero's an idiot.
6836291 well i'm not a fan of the parasite thing. But at least with Luna we can say it took time for her to get that way and NMM was a desperate ploy for love an attention.
Sunset has too little known but post EOH you see her like luna struggling to make amends
Starlight is by far the most pathetic villian yet. Heck making easily stand toe to toe with Twilight, and alicorn with a specialty in magic was really stupid.
These issues will be addressed in my storiies that get close to this episode.
I really like this. Please continue.
The story in intriguing and I actually quite like where you have gone so far with exploring what it might be like with Nightmare Moon winning against her sister.
Alicorn Twi I hope to see again. What was it with the time travel too? Many the unanswered questions. They make me want to keep reading.
Upvote and Fave are so far well deserved.
The potential romance I'm hoping is between Luna(Nightmare Moon) and Twilight
Really good intro, nice work.
I'm not even gonna explain the flaws
Um, No. That was Celestias fault. Celestia created a unsustainable utopia and did nothing but shelter her ponies and she never taught them that all things end. She made both the ponies and the guard weak in the misguided belief that harmony was only peace and that she would always be there to protect them. She rewrote history to remove what she didn't want in it and downplayed war and violence. In protecting and sheltering her ponies, she did not prepare them for the one truth Discord kept trying to teach. "All things change" the world moves in cycles, for every era of peace, there MUST be an era of war. Nature forces balance and balance is harmony.
She kept the truth that ponies are fundamentally evil from them and lied by telling them evil was outside. Ponies slaughtered each other for hundreds of years based on nothing more than subspecies. The slaughter and hatred was so bad they made their homeland uninhabitable and fought themselves to the brink of extinction. Think about that, the only reason that they stopped was because they would go extinct.
When you cant clearly see whats going on, you cant prepare, and when your sheltered to the point that you think evil comes from outside, its understandable that the assassins family died. None of that was Lunas fault, and would have happened eventually when Celestia fell as she never prepared her ponies to live on their own.
Pride comes before a fall. The larger the pride, the more devastating the fall.
In my humble opinion.
The Monk
“They may have been a pair of idiots, but the true test of intelligence is how you stick the landing!” -The Dimensional Traveler
This story is just a 'Meh' for me. My major grape with this is that Twilight became a "Mary Sue" in this one.