Transformations and Nightmares

by QueenLunaMoth

4 Darker Times Ahead

The moon was high and the hour was late after the party had ended and the mess all cleaned up almost as fast and mysteriously as it had been set up though Twilight was glad for that but with nothing to do now the dread that had been gone most the day whenever she talked with these new ponies was coming back. Spike was asleep and she didn't want to turn the library upside down for any information on the Elements of harmony. Sure it was late but there was no way she was going to sleep tonight with all this worry. She trotted down to the front opening the library out into the night. Perhaps a nice walk was in order she doubted Ponyville had anything to worry about like back home Closing the door behind her quietly with a simple muffle spell she begins to walk out into the night.

The walk doesn't get very far before an intense dread, pain and what could only be described as violation like something was stolen of being used, something like that wouldn't bother her but this felt powerfully strong. Her head felt like it was in a vise the pain was so intense she stopped in her tracks gasping for air. Everything felt wrong her magic felt like it was being drained...or taken it was unpleasant, heart-wrenching but no sooner did it begin does it fade. The wrongness the dread all...lift. It would be relieving if the pain didn't linger making her cry out. "S...stop!" barely above a croak. But soon a wave of energy, or so it felt not too dissimilar to the day she got her cutie mark. It felt like a wave of energy washing over her very being. She saw many of the magi-lights most homes often had forcibly flicked on. As a wave of energy washes over the town, if not Equestria itself. Twilight can't help but run towards Canterlot, there was no way she'd get there but she wanted to be there. So she ran

However not a minute later a swirl of purple mist coalesce in front of Twilight. She slams into the mist as it turns solid. It was a large black mare her eyes slit like a dragons or cats. Her mouth full of sharp predatory teeth that gleam in the night light and her purple and sparkling etherial mane. She towered as tall as Celestia in size and build, her large wings flared out at the impact of the smaller mare they were large, imposing nearly stretched the width of the road with their bat-like expanse. Her shimmering blue armor shown brilliantly blue in the light of the moon from helm to her spiked bracers on her hoofs and legs and clear glinting sharpness of it all. "Well well well what have we here a pony outside in my beautiful night. Are you fleeing from something...perhaps me?" she smiles those sharp teeth gleam like daggers.

Twilight back up and instinctively bows, her mind rushing at a mile a minute she manages to form some...semblance of a plan to save her flank from Nightmare Moon who stood before her she just hopped those acting classes and years of political training paid off right this second. "N..no my queen. I..I knew of your return this day none believed me Celestia herself banished me to this small town once I told her you were returning. I..I simply was well...to be unfortunately honest my Queen I was worried about you...I know I shouldn't have been but after SHE made a fool of me for thinking you were arriving I began to hope that you would just to show her up...so when I felt the huge blast of magic I feared you had arrived but had been turned back to the moon....forgive me for assuming you could not defeat your former sister."

"Indeed you are smart but perhaps too smart." she narrowed those predatory eyes down at the small unicorn. "Hmm, I sense great power in you young unicorn tell me what you were before your supposed banishment to this town."

"C..Celestia's personal student she took me on as such because I hatched a dragon egg that she could not."

"My my you are powerful but you didn't stand up to my fool of a sister..why?!" The Alicorn demanded

"I...I wanted to bide my time I knew you were returning but I had no clue when I had hoped that you would be returning for the festival she had planned for this town and if you had I'd be able to assist you...I'm sorry my Queen I should not have thought so highly of my skill to think I could aid one so powerful."

"Silence your apologies will serve you no longer hmm if you truly mean all you say I have an offer for you my young unicorn servant. I will turn them into an Umbral a dark version of a unicorn just like my Thestrals in the past pray tell are they still around. And What of my hounds and of course my greatest creation of all the star beast I RIPPED from the Sky." The alicorn smiled with a vile glee as she recounted her creations not noticing Twilight shudder at the mention of star beasts.

"Y...yes my queen I am yours." she bows low, she knew she had no choice in the matter she just prayed that whatever this magic she was about to use was not mental magic if it was she was about to lose herself to Nightmare. But should she say no she doubted that she'd leave this spot alive? The aura that the alicorn exuded was terrifying, to say the least.

The Large alicorn chuckles darkly smiling with her sharp teeth, cackles darkly, "Wise decision. As a reward once I'm done with you. You will be my first Legate of the new Lunar Guard and Soldiers revile in the power I am to grant you young one." The Alicorns horn cackles and sparks alight with a black and blue lightning esk aura clear sign of dark magic and before Twilight can even panic at the sight of the vile magic it strikes her very being.

The change happens fast her coat darkens from it's light lavender to a dark purple her eyes turn to draconian slits like the Queen herself her teeth sharpen her tail grows longer and thinner like a griffon even ending in a now smaller tuft of a tail. Her mane shrunk and altered to a more militaristic bob cut darkening to almost black with a vibrant blue stripe instead of her signature pink she once sported. And ethereal mist from the alicorn forms into solid around the unicorn forming a strong dark armor helmet to gauntlets just like her Queen.

She almost jolted in shock when she thought of Nightmare as her Queen she felt stronger, more confident, that almost crushing fear exuding off Nightmare was gone her magic also felt more powerful something the young unicorn certainly didn't need after all it took so long to learn to control the first time and now with more power she hoped it'd not be a process she'd need to repeat. Her mind went blank only for a few moments before she remembered herself and came back to focus. She found herself bowing before the Nightmare Queen she'd have shot straight up in terror once more if not for the other changes she feels. So she played the part.

"I live to serve you my Queen hat is your first decree for your Legate." she said sharply with vigor and zealotry.

The Dark Alicorn chuckles darkly, "Good good your first order is to cover your ears for I have an announcement to make. The new Umbral complied flattening her ears even placing a small muffling spell on herself. Before a loud thunderclap of voice booms out "CITIZENS OF PONYVILLE AND EQUESTRIA, I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS DAY FOR IT WAS YOUR LAST. I HAVE BESTED CELESTIA UPON MY RETURN BOW BEFORE THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT NIGHTMARE MOON! THY TOWN IS NOW UNDER THE COMMAND OF MY FIRST UMBRAL UNICORN YOU WILL TREAT HER AS YOU WOULD ME OR YOU SHALL FACE BOTH HER AND MY WRAITH. I TAKE MY LEAVE NOW MY NEW SUBJECT SHOULD THEE BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO SEEK AUDIENCE WITH ME YOU WILL FIND ME IN MY OLD CASTLE IN YOUR NEIGHBORING FOREST!"

The boom of the alicorns voice finishes "Speak thy name my new Legate so I may know whom serves me and now commands this town for me until it becomes my new capital for my old Castle is so close once it is rebuilt this town will rival that pathetic Canterlot."

"I am Twilight Sparkle your majesty Lady of house Twilight former student to Celestia yours to command."

"An old house indeed it warms my heart to know that one of the houses that stood against me now stands with me at least their outcast. So Twilight your first order is to scour this town for any and all information on the Elements of Harmony find them if you can if you can not deliver the information to me forthwith."

"Of course my queen. I shall recruit any locals whom wish to serve thee and bring them to you while I have no doubt my Queen can deter any foe but a guard rank would keep any would be fools from making so grave a mistake and assaulting you."

"A wise decision my Legate make sure they are truly loyal to us use any means you deem fit I must go should I spy you with a group I shall assume you have what I desire do not fail me or I will show you what happens to those that displease me."

"Yes, my Queen." Twilight bows again as the tall dark alicorn turns to a purple sparkly mist once more and soars off towards the infamous forest. Not long after the shadow mist left Twilight finally relaxed shaking her odd armor barely even rattling as she collapsed in mild fear. "Sweet maker I...can't believe...I'm alive." she pants softly standing back up. "Ok, I need to get to the library." She trots off back towards her impromptu home unaware of all the eyes on her as she ghostly drifts through the town her armor eerily quiet as she walks.

The library was quick to get to unaware of her own increased height, now on par with Applejack in height maybe even a bit larger entering the library she can't help but smile toothily closing the library door behind her, "Ha who know it'd take getting turned into a monster and the usurping of Celestia to get me some alone time to study what I wanted to....and now I'm talking to myself....again." she huffs and gets to work searching starting in the M section for mystical artifacts she could have started under E for Elements of harmony but there was no way it was that easy.

Twilight had only been searching for a few moments when the front door was violently bucked in by an angry, snorting Applejack. Wood and splinters flying onto the floor from the cracked hinges, a large shard of wood missing Twilights head by scant inches. Before the farmer could enter she was beaten by a rage-filled polychromatic cyan blur. Before Twilight could blink, Rainbow got right in her face, the next moment Twilight felt a blow then pain, as she received a speeding hoof to the face. Her new helmet took most of the blow, but she still heard a small crack, not from her but from Rainbow sure Twilight now sported a nose bleed but it looked like Rainbow had actually cracked her hoof on Twilight and this was a weather mare she dealt with wild and normal weather those hooves should be pretty tough.

"Who the buck are you and what was that?! Tell me the truth...AJ here will Applebuck you till you do! Right AJ?". The Apple farmer had entered and simply nodded, answering with a stern "Eeyep".

She was quickly followed inside by a scared looking Fluttershy and a less poofy maned Pinkie Pie.

Twilight's anger flared for only a moment before her new eyes caught sight of the injured hoof, "You'll need that fixed." she stated calmly her horn glows and both mares ready to attack only to be instantly locked in place in Twilight's magic aura. "Relax you two I'm healing Rainbow just two seconds THEN you can beat the tar out of me," she comments not really sure what to say or do at the moment but she didn't want anyone but her hurt her basic healing spell was enough to fix a cracked hoof before releasing them from their music binds only to have both mares rocket towards Twilight ready for a fresh beat down only to have somepony step in

"WAIT!" came a sharp yell and a blue of yellow steps in the path of the two charging ponies only to have them come to a screeching halt. "Fluttershy move that their pony is in cahoots with that Nightmare she's gonna lie and do anything to win us over so we don't beat her senseless like we should!" came the gruff and angry tone of Applejack

"Yeah get out of the way Fluttershy so we can beat her to a pulp."

"No....NO! She has done nothing against us nor have either of you even let her speak other than when she FORCED you two still so she can heal Rainbow and she hasn't even taken care of herself." Fluttershy motioned the still bleeding nose of Twilights she gently cantered up to the mare and placed her hoof against Twilight's nose to stem the bleeding. "We just have to show her some kindness and maybe you'll be surprised. She may look scary but she may be really very sweet."

Twilight smiles feeling her face warm a little happy to be defended by this meek pegasus whom she just met showing her some...kindness, thinking on it she felt another tinge of warmth fill her chest as she pulls her head back gently lighting her horn again to stem the blood and heal it as well as clean the blood from Fluttershy's hoof. "Thanks, Fluttershy." she smiles softly careful not to show her new teeth ad she levitates the helmet off. "It's me Twilight."

"TWILIGHT!" came an outcry in unison from every mare in the room. Making the mare flinch Rainbow Dash and AJ glare again seeming ready to attack. But RD was vocal of the two first.

"So hat where you a spy, a traitor did you come here just to get back at Celestia."

"What no Celestia's my teacher I'd never do anything to hurt her if it could be helped and I'm the only one who KNEW she was coming it seems I honestly was beginning to think it was as Celestia said and just a tall tale before well I ran into the Mare herself... and it was either let this happen....or hope she's...HOPE she is merciful enough to spare me for turning her down...I kinda doubted the latter considering she attacked Celestia in the past."

"So...what yer saying is ya let yourself get hurt just to have a chance at savin the day...wow sugar cube that's pretty tough and brave....so what are you looking for ah wanna help anypony willing to go to risk their life for Equestria is good in mah book."

"AJ." Came Rainbow Dash still not trusting the mare before them was Twilight. "How can we believe her? She could be lying."

"Well, I plan on telling you what we need to find to defeat her that the Nightmare asked me to find. Twilight replied calmly, however internally she was beginning to feel the edges of her younger panic-filled days then again all day has practically been a ball of panic and worry.

"Ok...not saying I believe you but what are we looking for," Rainbow asked cautiously

"A book on the Elements of harmony those are what defeated her last and 'the queen' herself asked me to search for any information on them...ok asked is a strong word more like ordered." Twilight corrects trying to lighten the tone of the room With RD still on edge and the others minus Fluttershy where still on edge around Twilight. Suddenly Rarity bursts into the now broken door of the library.

"Girls Girls is Twiiiiiii um.....hmm I must say, darling, the new look while a bit frightening certainly suits you at least it makes you look dark and mysterious...why are do you look like that Twilight isn't it a bit early for...ah yes right I heard the booming voice from the Boutique. What is going on?!"Rarity shouts now refocusing drawing deadpan looks from most everyone but Pinkie who was now searching the library shelves and Twilight who looked shocked and surprised.

"Rarity you could tell this was me...well uh anyways long story short I sacrificed my body, because truthfully I don't think this can be undone, in hopes of gaining a bit of support from Nightmare Moon who you heard shouting I FELT her arrive and then the wave of magic I was running towards Canterlot practically on instinct until I ran muzzle first into her." she gasps and shudders softly remembering her rotten luck despite it just happening not too long ago she was still shaken. "We're looking for any information on the Elements of Harmony."

"The Elements of Harmony a reference guide." came Pinkies all to chipper voice bouncing over to Twilight with the Book on her head. "It was under Eeeeee~" she sing songs

"Well...ok go figure, of course, it's THAT easy." Twilight huffs remembering her earlier search in the wrong section. She levitates it over to her opening the book soon having the other gather around her.

"The Elements of Harmony ancient relics found by the regal sisters before the defeat of the maniacal chaos lord Discord. The elements of harmony are Kindness, Generosity, Laughter Honesty, and Loyalty. The final one is thought to be Magic however during the dark rebellion knowledge of the final element has been lost. The Elements of harmony last known location after the fall of Nightmare was in the now ruined Castel of the Two Sisters which resides in the now infamous Everfree forest."

Twilight can't help but turn pale as she finishes reading. "That's not good...Nightmare said she was heading there I need to get there as fast as I can." She drops the book and moves to run out the door only to be stopped by AJ.

"Now Listen here sugar cube we still don't fully trust ya plus the more ponies ya have with ya the safer that forest is less yer Fluttershy. We're coming with ya whether you like it or not."

"Hey, I don't want anypony getting hurt this is dangerous. I already was forced to change my very being for this I don't want anypony else having to do anything like that."

"Well it ain't yer choice it's ours and to be honest sugarcube now we've hurt ya and you've told us all of Equestria if not the world is depending on somepony stopping her so ya need all the help ya can get."

Twilight groans softly. "Fine, we don't have time to argue we need to get going. Anypony Staying behind stay here stay safe everyone else let's go I don't know where the ruins are but we need to hurry none the less least Nightmare finds them first."

Everypony nods in agreement as the now 6 strong group rushes out of the Library Twilight only stopping long enough to put back on the helmet who knows if she'd need this type of armor in the woods but better safe than sorry. With Rainbow Dash, Applejack and Twilight more or less all tied in the lead the other three right behind them as they make quick time to the edge of the dark foreboding forest. Screeching to a halt at its edge all the group shudders to enter one more so than the rest.

"Ah should'a known this was gonna be hard," AJ mutters.

"Applejack are you ok?" Twilight asks not wanting to force the Apple farmer to follow if she was already unsure despite her earlier commitment to helping. Twilight certainly wouldn't blame her.

"Honestly Twilight...no I'm not but ah gotta be true to mahself and what's right. Mah pa was....well let's just say he met the teeth of a Timberwolf and didn't make it outta the forest ah know this forest is dangerous it brings back bad memories fer me since me and bloom and Ma were with him." She didn't show it but her she was fighting back tears her voice wavering slightly before stiffening up. "But we've got ta save Equestria no matter the risk." AJ was the first to boldly enter the forest followed by the rest with Twilight lagging behind as she paused in reflection of the farm mare statement.

"Honest to herself and to others she's ether very brave or stubborn or both." Twilight chuckles softly feeling another pang of warmth was through her chest like earlier before wading into the dark forest full of danger and monsters of the night.

Author's Note:

Sorry for the long delay I literally lost all of my stories if not for the fact I had posted the previous chapters already I'd be starting from scratch which would not have been fun still rewriting this has been interesting for sure trying to take it in a different direction than in the show. The next chapter hopefully shouldn't take near as long t do.

Comments

[Commander Darklight]

Interesting i shal be watching ..... even despite the bad grammar