The Eternal Night
That night, the loft of the Golden Oaks Library.
The music thumped loudly, the guests laughed, chattered and cheered happily and their voices raised and lowered to match the current status of the games in progress downstairs. Up in her loft with Rainbow Dash watching from not far away, Twilight had a pillow covering her entire head and her face buried in the mattress of one of the room’s two beds. Rainbow lowered her gaze despondently, remembering how agitated Twilight had been to figure out that a welcome party was being held in the library be Pinkie Pie. She had stormed off upstairs pretty much as soon as the music started, which was only an hour after she had arrived.
Rainbow, of course, knew exactly why Twilight was so frustrated. Slowly, she made her way to Twilight’s side, her keen eyes determining that Twilight had calmed herself, based on her breathing. Gently, oh so gently, Rainbow tapped her fillyhood friend on the shoulder. Twilight flinched in response before shifting to look at Rainbow without having to remove the pillow from her head. Adorable as the image was, Rainbow couldn’t smile. “Twilight, take off the pillow.” She said carefully.
Reluctantly, Twilight did as she was told and sat up on the bed to look at Rainbow. “What?” she asked sharply, though quickly wilted when she heard the bitterness in her own voice. “...I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Rainbow interrupted her gently, resting a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “You’re upset, I get that. I mean, if some crazy pony started throwing a gigantic welcome party for me when I was trying to read the next Daring Do book, I’d be a little irked, too.”
Twilight grunted and looked away. Rainbow frowned and tightened her grip.
“Twilight, I’m gonna let you in on a little secret of mine, okay?” she started, drawing a slightly curious glance from the lavender mare. Rainbow took a deep breath and opened her mouth to speak. “I… I believe y-”
“Hey, guys!” Spike’s voice suddenly cut them off as he walked into the room, the loud music from downstairs thoroughly obliterating Rainbow’s ability to finish off what she was saying. “It’s time to go to town hall for the sunrise! Come on!”
Rainbow shot Spike a glare as hot as lava. “...We were kinda having a moment here, Spike,” She snorted out in agitation before sighing heavily. She then looked back to Twilight and gave a reassuring smile. “I guess we should get a move on, huh?”
Twilight reached out a hoof and grabbed Rainbow by the tail as she was leaving. Rainbow looked back at Twilight with an irked glare before Twilight spoke. “Rainbow… you believe what?”
Rainbow paused for a moment before glancing back down to where Spike was still waiting, albeit looking a bit more unsettled. She then sighed and tugged her tail out of Twilight’s hoof. “I’ll tell you later. Let’s go, alright?”
Twilight gave a very small and unsure nod before slipping off of the bed and trotting alongside Rainbow Dash out of the library.
The stars were shifting.
Rainbow had first noticed it when Twilight kept casting nervous glances up at the moon on the way to town hall. The stars around the moon were slowly closing in on it, there light flickering as they did so. A small detail, taking quite some time to progress. Were one not actively looking for it, they would have missed it completely. Twilight was looking gradually more and more worried as the stars moved. To be fair, Rainbow was equally worried. A visual timer until Nightmare Moon returned, if she had to guess.
Presently they were standing roughly near the center of the large crowd in the center of Ponyville’s town hall. The banquet that Applejack had prepared was spread out on four long tables that were arranged at the sides of the room, and all of it filled the air with a pleasant and mouth watering aroma. The time was drawing close, now. Fluttershy and her songbird choir were getting ready to play the introductory fanfare and Rainbow could see the mayor occasionally peeking out from behind the curtains on the stage.
For a moment, Rainbow considered heading to the upper balcony, knowing that Celestia would be up there, getting ready to make her appearance and speech. She decided not to, however, when she remembered Celestia’s request.
“If I remember her as well as I think I do, she’ll strike suddenly and with no warning… if she strikes out at me, I want you to keep Twilight safe.”
Despite how much it was bothering her, especially without knowing why Twilight was important here, Rainbow had agreed to protect Twilight and she was going to do it.
“Ooh! Isn’t this exciting?! Oh, are you excited? ‘Cause I’m excited! I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited!” Pinkie Pie suddenly said from next to Twilight, having appeared out of nowhere.
“Gah!” Twilight yelped before calming herself and frowning at the pink menace.
Then the songbirds began to sing, whistling out there tune alongside a line of ponies playing a fanfare on their trumpets. A spotlight tilted down to shine on the stage, revealing the mayor of Ponyville standing there, adjusting her glasses. She cleared her throat and began to give her speech. In truth, neither Rainbow or Twilight were really listening, for both of them were trying to subtly keep track of the stars that had almost touched the moon.
Then the stars reached their destination. In a heartbeat, the crater pattern of the Mare in The Moon flickered and vanished from the surface of the celestial object. Rainbow felt a chill run down her spine and Twilight, too, began to look distinctly uncomfortable, having just gulped heavily.
“And now it is my great honor to introduce to you the ruler of our land,” The mayor continued, oblivious to Rainbow and Twilight’s turmoil. “The very pony who gives us the sun and moon each and every day, the good, the wise, the bringer of harmony to all of Equestria…”
Rainbow felt the fur on her neck stand on end. Her hooves tingled and she felt her heart hammer against her ribs as if it wanted to escape.
“Princess Celestia!”
The curtains were pulled back, the fanfare played.
Princess Celestia was nowhere to be seen.
“Oh, no… this can’t be good.” Twilight whispered despairingly, shrinking away with frightened eyes.
Rainbow’s eyes were wide open and dilated. “She… what… Where is she?!” She demanded, taking to the air immediately and peering at the balcony. Already, the ponies in the room were worried, muttering to themselves and looking around. Rainbow could hear the mayor trying to calm them, but it clearly wasn’t having the desired effect.
Rarity gradually emerged onto the balcony Celestia was supposed to be on and looked out with fearful eyes. “She’s gone!” She called out, drawing frightened gasps out of the crowd. The gasps then began to turn into alarmed cries and shouts when blue smoke began to rise up out of the floor of the balcony.
Down below, Twilight shrunk even more, her worst fear coming to life right before her eyes. “Oh, no…” she whispered as the smoke took shape.
The smoke then parted and swirled away to reveal, standing at it’s center, a pitch-black alicorn mare wearing midnight blue regalia and deep blue eyes with slits for pupils. Her mane and tail were swirling masses of aetherial magic, sparkling with millions of tiny stars.
“Nightmare Moon…”
From where she hovered, Rainbow could feel her blood run cold. Celestia… where is Celestia?! First she felt fear, then worry, and then her eyes narrowed as anger consumed everything else. Nightmare Moon smirked down on the ponies below her, smug contempt and superiority filling her expression. “Well, well, well, my beloved subjects… it has been so long since I’ve seen your precious little sun-loving faces.”
“Don’t give us that!” Rainbow suddenly snapped, zipping down from her elevated position to be at eye level with Nightmare, drawing her attention. “Where is Celestia? WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY MOTHER?!” she shouted furiously, her words echoing off of the walls and windows. The entire room went silent.
Twilight watched from below tensely, not even daring to breath. Nightmare Moon already looked rather annoyed by the sudden interruption and confused by the question.
A smile slowly formed on Nightmare’s face, after a moment. “Your ‘mother,’ you say?”
Rainbow shifted back a bit, ready to dodge if any attacks came her way. “Yeah, that’s what I said! Now answer me!”
A moment passed before a deeply amused chuckle emerged from Nightmare’s throat. “Tell me,” she said a moment later. “What is your name, my niece?”
“Rainbow Dash.”
“Hmm hmm hmm… well then, Princess Rainbow Dash, I suppose you have the right to know, more so than the rest of this… common rabble,” Nightmare said with venom dripping from her tone as she referred to the rest of the crowd. “Your mother dearest is currently on her way to the moon’s surface, where she will spend the rest of her days.”
Rainbow felt an eye twitch. “You… you’re no aunt of mine!” She shouted hatefully before launching herself at the alicorn before her. Nightmare Moon merely scoffed. Her eyes lit up, as did her horn. Before she could react, Rainbow was struck in the chest by a lance of electricity that emerged from Nightmare Moon’s aetherial mane. She toppled back down out of the air, crying out in pain.
“RAINBOW!!” Twilight screamed out, galloping over to her friend’s side. The entire crowd had gone frozen in terror, watching the scene unfold. As she slid to a halt next to Rainbow to look her over, Twilight’s ears swiveled to listen to what Nightmare had to say.
“Hmph. Such a cold greeting. Does my crown no longer count? Have I been gone for too long? Must I re-assert myself?!” Nightmare growled before her horn sparked angrily. She then closed her eyes and visibly relaxed. “Does anypony here even remember me? Did you not see the signs?”
Twilight looked at the alicorn for a moment, before shifting her attention back to Rainbow. She’d be fine, most likely. The point of impact wasn’t serious, but it would bruise a bit, no doubt.
“No? Well, then, I suppose a re-introduction is in order!” Nightmare shifted back and flared out her wings, a sadistic grin splitting her face. “Remember this day, you little ponies, for you shall never see another! I, Nightmare Moon, the new ruler of Equestria, hereby decree that the sun shall never rise again! From this moment forth, the night shall last forever!” Nightmare then began to laugh loudly, her mane swirling above her, crackling with electricity and booming with thunder, drowning out the fearful whimpers and terrified screams of the ponies in the town hall.
Twilight glared up at Nightmare Moon, disgust forming on her face. No, it won’t! She thought to herself. I’m going to find the Elements of Harmony, I’m going to use them to stop you and bring Princess Celestia back!
Nightmare Moon then gazed down into the crowd and her eyes locked on a still unconscious Rainbow Dash. Her sharp teeth became visible in a grin. “Now, I must take my leave. There is much to be done…” her body disintegrated into a cloud of blue smoke before it shot down to rematerialize before Twilight and Rainbow. Twilight shrieked and flailed back from the abrupt movement. Nightmare Moon was at least twice as tall as she was and radiated an aura that froze Twilight in fear. “...and I have some catching up to do with the newest addition to the family.”
“NO! Don’t touch her!’ Twilight shouted, throwing herself to grab Rainbow and run, but she was too slow. The blue energy of Nightmare’s mane swirled once more, this time taking Rainbow Dash along with Nightmare Moon. The two disappeared before the blue cloud shot off through the front doors of the town hall.
For several seconds, there was silence. Nopony dared move a muscle. At last, Twilight was the first to move, breaking into a gallop before stopping to look out at the night sky from the open door. “No… oh, no no no no…” she whispered with dread before falling to her knees.
“Rainbow… don’t go…”
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Holy mackerel. That was one doozy of a chapter (and one heck of a way to raise the stakes for the final arc). Nightmare Moon has returned and foalnapped Rainbow Dash, which means Twilight will not only be trying to save the world, but her friend as well. Of course, only having five ponies on the team in this version instead of six will make certain things tougher, but that's just going to make things much more interesting.
I'll very definitely be looking forward to more of this, but will also be very willing to be patient.
The shit really hit the fan this time.
their
their
Return!!!
The ghastly Nightmare Moon returns from her thousand year imprisonment on the moon. And now banished Celestia to her the same prison she've been held in. Overcome with righteous fury Rainbow Dash attacks the twisted Alicorn, though valiant in her actions proves futile to the young pegasus as she was quickly overpowered.
Seeing her fillyhood friend captured, Twilight now seeks the power of the legendary Elements of Harmony, will she ever find or will the once peaceful lands of Equestria will fall victim to eternal darkness ?!!
Find out net chapter of Little Glimpses!!!
8521684
Wonder what the alternate loyalty test will be, and how badly roughed up Rainbow will get when she refuses to join Nightmare? Refusing the Shadowbolts was one thing, but Nightmare directly? Then again Rainbow knows Celestia will what she says effect Nightmare's reaction?
8521636
Very possible scenario unless Celestia change how she play the game. But first and foremost, it all depends on how she answer to Rainbow & Twilight after this night is over.
8521636
Firstly, on the topic of the wedding: Informing Twilight of her (Twilight's) brother's relationship status is not Celestia's responsibility. It is Shining Armor's responsibility, and within the context of the episode, that was a really crap thing for him to do by not telling her. Secondly....
8521636 8521844 8521904
Celestia knows something that the rest of the cast and we the readers do not know. I don't know what that might be, and I won't speculate on what it might be (anyone else is naturally free to do so), but all of her behaviors have indicated that she knows something, and that it is related to the flashes and the shape of things to come.
8521702
I'm going with either swearing loyalty to her, or some good old mind games or mind control. Either or it raises a interesting subject what will her test be.
For some reason the damsel in distress thing that just cropped up annoys me. I’ll get over it XD
8523122
I felt like it worked.
8523328
Oh it does, I’m just being a picky butt c:
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cdn-webimages.wimages.net/04eaac1ffb6886687110a99e8cac43906a57f1.jpg?v=3
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I have crapped many a fine weapon in my time
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Show me...
pre09.deviantart.net/93b5/th/pre/i/2013/211/b/5/mlv__20__fluttershy_by_kocmohabt-d6fyb14.png
8523396
Unfortunately I have sold them off over the years, but I can show you a sideways smiley face? c:
8523441
this comment section got weird there for a minute.
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fi.rdn.io/file/nahff-20140731T131019-gbkng7z.png
orig00.deviantart.net/8ba3/f/2011/306/4/2/rainbow_dash_and_fluttershy_by_zlack3r-d4etcw6.png
Is it my imagination, or is RD the most adorable when there's something in her mouth? Let's change that.
i.pinimg.com/736x/cb/21/d2/cb21d2e94c7fbab9b432fa2c62006c82--raimbow-dash-kid-stuff.jpg
3.bp.blogspot.com/-E7Nkscv1jaA/VTHq6kOT-cI/AAAAAAACNZQ/8SeZok2-F_w/s1600/Capture.JPG
Dammit Spike.
Dammit Rainbow.
Here comes Auntie Lulu!
See my second point... Nice of you to give yourself away, RD.
I always had the headcanon that Celestia was watching thing happen from afar, ready to step in if the Mane 6 failed. I mean NM was literally free from the moon seconds before her reveal in Ponyville.
So this is a problem, yeah?
Well........................That's different.
I want to see their intereactions
8524793
considering she already lost one set of parents, losign her adopted mom would be much. and she is impulsive.
8521465
There are changeling mackerels?
It just occured to me that I once made a piece of art for Rainbow Dash's birthaversery that would be (mostly) fitting for her in this fic.
pre00.deviantart.net/30b0/th/pre/f/2016/026/5/a/alicorn_princess_rainbow_dash__plus_lightning_blis_by_darkangelaw1986-d9pfm6h.png
Mwahahaaa!
8526581
Poor Lightning Bliss
Aw, look who just called Celestia "mother".
Me: *imitates baby talk* Who just said "mother"? Who just said "mother"? Was it you? Was it?
Rainbow: *smacks me in the face for being annoying*
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What are you laughing at?
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Oh nothing, pay no attention to that creepy fog by the Bannister...
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Um... ooookkkaaayyy
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lol
Probably laughing cause just got bitchslapped by a sentient candy colored mythical creature straight out of a young girls fantasy for being annoying
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*More annoying baby talk*
Aw... is somepony grump-wumpy? Does somepony need a nappy-wappy?
That is definitely different.
huh what a realistik outcome