Everlasting Night: If Nightmare Moon Ruled

by Violetkat

A Nightmare come True

Twilight Sparkle watched as, hesitantly, the two ponies charged at Nightmare Moon. Glittering's brown eyes glowed with determination, as she shot up into the air. Nightmare Moon chased after her, and shot a beam out of her horn. Twilight's heart leapt as Glittering dodged.

Meanwhile, Melody was on the ground, trembling. "Melody!" Twilight yelled. "You have to get in there and fight, with or without your alicorn magic!" The sky blue unicorn nodded weakly, and charged a powerful beam with her horn. She shot it at Nightmare Moon, and it hit. However, the evil alicorn didn't even flinch. Distracted from Glittering, she counter attacked Melody Jayheart, and it hit the mare right in the head. Melody let out an agonised scream.

She has to get back up!

Beside her, Fluttershy was quivering. Applejack whispered. "We have to go help them!"
"But how, exactly?" Rarity inquired. "We're not strong enough to get out of this blasted cage."
"Rarity's right," Twilight replied. "We can only watch."

Twilight wished she wasn't so helpless. Melody and Glittering Moon were far from ever being her friends, but she was meant to be beside them, saving Equestria, not just standing here. Twilight glanced at Amber. The land pony's eyes were emotionless. It was hard to know what she was thinking, but Twilight guessed she was just as terrified as anyone else on the inside.

Nightmare Moon was nearing Melody. Glittering landed, and with a blinding flash transformed into a land pony. She raced behind Nightmare Moon, and aimed to kick her, but the mare was too fast. Glittering Moon transformed again, this time into a unicorn. She attacked with a beam, which appeared to hurt Nightmare Moon just a little. A drop of blood splashed off of the wicked mare's body, but she ignored it.

Twilight could sense Melody's panic, it was burning brighter and brighter. Her blue eyes were huge, and there was sweat glistening all over her body. She looked as though she was about to pass out. The small unicorn could barely get up on her hooves. Suddenly light begun to swirl around Melody, and Twilight gasped as she made out the shape of Melody's wings.

The light faded away, and Twilight saw Melody in her true form for the first time - still small, still shocked, but with wings. "There you go!" Amber shouted out. "Go for it!"
"We trust you, Melody!" Twilight added. Rainbow, Rarity, AJ and Pinkie nodded. Twilight stared at Fluttershy, who looked doubtful.

"Look how tired she is," the pegasus insisted. "And remember, she can't really fly all that well."
"Why, she'll be fine!" Rarity exclaimed. "She'll get the hang of it! And must I say, she looks so much more gorgeous and divine with those wings! It's quite the transformation! No offence to Amber, of course... she's very special too."

Melody Jayheart struggled towards Nightmare Moon. "You sure... you want to fight me?" she panted. "Do you want me to rip you apart?" Nightmare Moon shrugged. "I'm not stupid. You look rather pathetic. I think I'd rather fight your friend instead!"

She turned around, and began to battle Glittering. Twilight could see that Melody's friend was putting up a good fight - but whether it would be enough against someone like Nightmare Moon, she wasn't sure. "Oh, they'll get through it!" Pinkie bounced up behind Twilight. "They have each other! They can win..." suddenly, the pink pony's voice grew quieter. "I hope so."

Melody Jayheart was flapping her wings, hovering just a little above the ground. She looked exhausted, but Twilight shook her head. This was no time for sympathy. Melody had these powers for a reason, right? The alicorn carried on trying, before collapsing to the ground again. Immediately giving up, she tried a different approach - an attack with her alicorn magic. Twilight sighed - perhaps this would work.

Glittering Moon had switched back into her unicorn form, and was locked in intense, magical combat with her fellow 'Moon'. Even without transformation consequences, Glittering had slowed down, and was showing less enthusiasm to be battling than ever. Nightmare Moon was aiming what looked like a fatal blow towards the blue unicorn.

Applejack tensed. "This might be the end." She whispered.

Suddenly, a huge beam shot Nightmare Moon in the back. The black mare cried out in pain, a giant patch of blood now upon her. She swung around, away from Glittering, to face her attacker, Melody. "Ah, so you do have some power left in you," she noted. Nightmare Moon glanced at the locked up ponies. "I guess I will have to extinguish your last spark of hope."

"Don't try it!" Rainbow Dash yelled. Twilight turned to Rarity.
"Maybe we could trying firing attacks from up here," she told her. She could heard disturbing screeches of agony down at the battlefield. "Melody's shockingly powerful with her alicorn magic, but she's small and young, and very tired."
"She most certainly is going to need some help." Rarity agreed.

They launched their attacks from through the bars, but missed Nightmare Moon easily. After a few more attempts, Twilight sighed. "Never mind, this room's too big. Even I'm not accurate enough to touch her."

The fight was at a standstill. Melody and Nightmare Moon were both loading their horns with power, whilst Glittering Moon was uselessly attacking from behind. Suddenly, Nightmare Moon unleashed her power, pummeling Melody right in the stomach.

Melody Jayheart collapsed.

"Melody!" Glittering screamed, galloping over to her best friend. "No, no, no!" Melody's body shone, and then she was a unicorn again. Glittering lowered her head over the bloodstained body. She then turned around with fire in her eyes, glaring at Nightmare Moon. Then a small sob escaped her. "The battle's over."

"Too weak even to fight till the end, huh?" Nightmare Moon smirked. "Well, then, I guess I'll just kill your pony friends."
"Don't you dare!" Glittering snarled.
"Let her kill us!" Fluttershy called out. "We're not worth it!"
"No," she replied. "I'd rather die than watch any of you seven suffer."

"Don't worry, Glittering Moon," Twilight gulped at Nightmare Moon's creepy smile. "You've been through enough tonight. No... I plan on killing your pathetic friends. However, there is one way to save them..."
"What is it?" Glittering narrowed her eyes.
"Fetch the prisoner!" Nightmare Moon ordered a blackish green pegasus.
"Hehe, of course." He replied in a raspy voice, and flew down a corridor that Twilight hadn't spotted before. She flattened her ears. Who was this prisoner, and what did Nightmare Moon plan on doing to them?

A few minutes later, the pegasus returned, dragging a body behind him - purple, with green scales. Twilight's heart skipped a beat.

Spike.

She felt faint. Fluttershy let out a horrified gasp. Rainbow began to hurl insults at Nightmare Moon. AJ and Rarity stared at eachother, before backing into the corner of the cage. "Spike!" Twilight shrieked.

Spike slowly lifted his head. "Twiiii-light?" he croaked. "Twi-i-light, where are you? Why are you leaving me? Where are you g-going?" His head flopped down again. "I'm right here Spike!" she called out weakly. "Everything's going to be okay!"

"What do you want with him?" Rainbow yelled furiously. "He's just a baby - let him go!"
"Here's the deal," Nightmare Moon chuckled. "If you all watch me kill this stupid dragon, I'll let you live. You can all live as my servants. Alternatively, he can survive... and I get the pleasure of destroying all seven of you."
"What about Glittering Moon?" Rainbow Dash and Amber Glimmer asked in unison.
"Hmm... she'll die too," the princess decided bluntly. "But you see... what happens. It's going to be her decision."

Twilight's heart lurched.

"So, what will it be, Glittering Moon? You and your little ponies, or the dragon?" Glittering whimpered slightly, then spoke loudly and clearly.
"I do not know Spike. He is young. He is innocent. But I do not know him. There are eight of us, one of him. I'm sorry, everypony, but this is what I have to do," she took a deep breath. "Kill him, Nightmare Moon. Just make it quick."

Those words made Twilight feel as if she were dying inside. She lay down, head in her hooves, and closed her eyes. She couldn't watch. Not this. Then she heard Nightmare Moon. "Oh, Twilight - don't you remember? Watching was part of the deal."

Twilight shook her head. She then felt hooves shaking her, and looked into Amber's eyes. "What?" she snapped. "What's your problem?"
"Just watch. You need to stay with Spike till the end. He would want that." Twilight didn't reply - she stared emotionlessly as Nightmare Moon charged at Spike.

She slammed into him and tossed him in the end. "Twiliiiight! What are you doinggg?" Spike howled. Twilight trembled. What was the dragon thinking? In his mind, was she killing him? What sort of brain damage had he been suffering? How long had he been imprisoned? And... could letting him die actually end his pain?

Nightmare Moon flew high up into the air then shot down at him, ripping his head in half with an air slash. Blood splashed all across the floor, but the evil mare whinnied with delight. Twilight shivered.

Celestia, if you're out there and you can see Spike now, please help him! She mentally begged her mentor.

But inside... she knew it was too late.

Nightmare Moon raised her horn, and aura shot from it, tearing the dragon's tail off. She then stood very still, charging her power. Many minutes passed, then suddenly, she let go, firing at Spike. Twilight was blinded.

When she could see again, the entire room was covered in blood and organs, and there was nothing more than dust where the dragon had been.

"Spike..." She whispered, feeling her sanity vanish. But what could she do now?

It hit her. This was how Rainbow Dash was feeling. And it felt like... a nightmare come true.