Episode 89: A Trap Sprung (Battle of the Bands 1)
Down With Chrysalis’s Comment
As the first group takes the stage, you turn your double and his band.
“Alright, so Midnight is definitely gonna notice if we’re out and about, so stick close to the trap. If she comes for you B2, then the peanut butter will catch her unawares and then we’ll have her.”
“I still don’t understand the logic of this. This girl isn’t a wild dog,” Luna says still mystified by your plan.
“Hey, you’d be surprised how often this has worked for me,” you say as you start to don the hobo clothes.
“It has? Multiple times?” B2 asks with a raised brow.
“Well, it was twice, and it was the same stallion…and Caramel isn’t exactly the standard for ponies anyway now that I think about it,” you say with a finger on your chin remembering two of your successful hunts.
“Who?” asks Humbra.
“Some Earth Pony guy back in the real world who me and my daughter tormented multiple times for reasons I can’t really recall right now,” you explain before donning the bandana. “But that’s not important right now. You guys stay here with Sunset and everyone else, and I’ll scope the grounds.”
“Dude, if you’re dressed like that security might throw you out for looking like a dope fiend,” B2 advises but you wave him off.
“Better I look like some filthy hippie than the guy who pissed off the unstable magical girl for three months in a time loop.”
“…Fair point,” he concedes before putting a hand on your shoulder. “Just be careful out there man.”
“One can only hope,” you snark as you pat him on his shoulder. And with that, you slip off backstage and make your way into the hustle and bustle of the Sports/Music Festival.
You know, it’s still pretty amazing that we were able to combine these two events. It’s like a mini Equestria Games mixed with a reality tv talent show, you think as you see some girls from Crystal Prep shooting arrows at targets.
It’s rather contrasting when you think about it, Selena muses.
Which no doubt upsets the crone of that preparatory school to no bounds, Sombra adds as you all catch sight of your former employer Principal Cinch. And despite the festive atmosphere, she still looks like she’s permanently disgusted with everything around her, even as her group wins a contest. When she happens to glance in your direction, you duck down fast into the crowd and move about like a hobo assassin.
Let’s just avoid her general area like the plague. If Midnight just so happens to target her then…well, things happen, you rationalize as you move with the crowd.
Sounds rather callous, Selena points out.
Hey! That wrinkled prune fired me for no good reason! I’m deserved a small bit of payback for that! you mentally grunt as the group skirts the outer edge of the stage.
And as you do, you see one of the groups from Canterlot take stage and you pause for a moment.
Hey, aren’t those the humie versions of those fat and skinny colts that worshipped Trixie?
I do believe they are…and if I remember correctly, Sunset mentioned something about them working for her, Selena remarks as the two pick up their microphones wearing what you assume are hip hop clothes. Your hypothesis proves true when they start doing a rap battle against one another.
Huh…I mean, this is bad, but it’s entertaining, you critique as the two lackey’s sing off.
I find it somewhat humorous actually, Sombra says as you watch the two making hand signals at each other.
You two must be tone deaf then because this is atrocious, Selena says in disgust. Also, this is supposed to be a competition between the other bands, so why are they battling each other?
Shush Selly! I wanna see who wins this one, you respond and she gasps.
Don’t you shush me! She pouts, but then even Sombra adds in a shush and she groans in frustration.
And as the two finish up their epic rap battle…they get booed off the stage.
“Hey now, come on humies, they’re just stupid kids, give them a break,” you try to speak up, but they’re not having any of it. Human Snips and Snails run off backstage while the announcer calls up the next band. All the while though, you notice as the hostility towards the rap battle has been siphoned and congealed behind the stage where the Dazzlings are stationed.
Well, at least that gave us more magic, you shrug.
Wait, who lost then? Sombra asks.
We all did you imbeciles, Selena sighs. We all did…
“You know, it’s on days like this that I’m glad Shimmer stole those two lackey’s from me,” you hear a very familiar voice mumble next to you and suddenly the hairs on your neck stand up on end.
And as Bulk Biceps takes the stage with a violin and begins playing a classy tune, you look to your side and see Human Trixie eating a bag of popcorn and watching the stage.
Adrenaline spikes through you as a sense of dread and guilt come over you. Sure she may not be the real Trixie, but you were caught off guard with having her so close and you flinch backward. This of course is seen by the human girl who looks at you strangely before her eyes widen.
“Wait a second, aren’t you…?” she starts and sweat starts to bead on your forehead.
The guy who pushed your doppelganger into depression and despair? The one who still hasn’t seen her awake in over a year and only visited her dreams the one time? Yes! I’m all those things! I’m scum! I’m-
“You’re the Hooded Offender!” she gasps, but not in accusation, rather in gleeful surprise.
“Uh…”
“Oh My Gosh! So it really was you and not a double back at the cafeteria!” she squees with stars in her eyes, and suddenly you feel nervous for a different reason.
Oh no, she’s a fanfilly, you think in dread.
FanGIRL actually , Sombra corrects smugly and you mentally groan.
“Oh, wait, you’re not in costume, you’re just trying to enjoy the festivities right now aren’t you?” she says suddenly holding her hands over her mouth and looking around. Thankfully it seems, no one has taken notice of your conversation. “I’m so sorry about that, I just got really excited.”
“I-it’s alright, heh heh,” you try to placate as you too look around, hoping Midnight wasn’t around to hear. “But yeah I’m just hanging out until the competition’s over.”
“I understand completely,” Trixie nods before suddenly getting bashful and looking down. “Actually, I’m in the competition as well.”
“Oh really?” you say with intrigue and she nods.
“Yup. My other two band mates and I are just waiting for our timeslot…but I hope you like what we have planned.”
“Oh, I’m sure I will,” you say with a gentle smile and she gets giddy again.
“M-my name is Trixie by the way, and while I plan on winning this competition, if for some reason I don’t, can I just say that I’m really a big fan of yours?” she stutters and you smirk as the atmosphere feels a lot more comfortable now.
“Really? I couldn’t tell,” you jest and she chuckles in embarrassment.
“Heh heh, well, yeah. My mother had many of your records, so I grew up listening to you guys. No Hope Without Despair actually got me out of a dark place in my life a few years ago,” she admits seriously and you are taken aback. Noticing the mood swing she waves her hands. “B-But yeah, I really love your music, and the costumes and pyrotechnic shows you put on actually inspired me to take up stage magic.”
“Oh, well, I hope it brings you joy putting on a show,” you say giving her a warm smile you wish to give to your Trixie and she beams.
“I do, I do! I’ve incorporated a few tricks for the song I’m going to sing and-Oh, well I won’t spoil any more. I hope you enjoy it!”
“I’m sure I will,” you nod and she holds in a squee.
“Right, right…and Mr. Offender, I don’t know if it’s too much to ask, but may I trouble you for an autograph?” she asks humbly.
“Sure, no problem,” you nod. “But let’s wait to meet with King Sombra and Nightmare Moon backstage, that way we can all give ya one at the same time.
She fails to suppress another squee at that at the prospect of getting multiple autographs.
“Alright! See you then Mr. Offender,” she chirps before waving and skipping away.
You watch her disappear into the crowd of stalls and people as Bulk finishes up his tune and everyone applauds, and you feel a strange sense of peace.
I…I wonder if the real Trixie will ever be like that again? Skipping for joy and smiling, being optimistic about her magic…
She must first be given the chance Bugze, and as we’ve seen, our doubles in this world do have more than a few similarities, Selena encourages and you nod.
And she will be given that chance once we get back home, you think in determination. Though I think maybe we could do without the whole fanfilly worship like this humie one’s got. Reminds me too much of how I used to idolize Sapphire Shores.
Indeed…Selena trails off and you hear a bit of a growl towards the end to which you chuckle nervously.
You then see Human Octavia get on stage with her Cello.
Alright, the mana gathering is going well, so let’s mosey on into the rest of the activities shall we?
Loganic’s Comment
And so you do. This time though, no one else recognizes you as you make use of the face covering for the hobo outfit. You skirt around a few security guards here and there, but for the most part, you pass through the activities unseen.
You spy on some of Crystal Prep girls that you rescued from Fazbear’s. For the most part, they seem alright, if a bit miffed since they lost a dirt bike relay earlier in the day, but you like knowing their location in case Midnight targets them.
You also see plenty of camera crews, and reporters taking in the sights and sounds, and of course, plenty of food. The food booths though, you are more than certain that more than a few of them have been taken directly from the Carnival you spent so much time trapped in.
You theorize that it only makes sense since Wallflower’s cousin helped organize both events, but still you hope beyond hope that no other time shenanigans happen.
But there are other shenanigans to pass the time.
“Hello Mr. Would you like some Ice Cream?” Pinkie Pie says with her hair in a pony tail from behind a food counter.
“Huh? Pinkie, what are you doing behind the counter? Shouldn’t you be getting ready?” you ask perplexed and suddenly the girl starts to sweat.
“Whaaaat? I’m not Pinkie Pie, my name is Myla Telhumon, heh heh…” the pink girl says with shifty eyes.
“Are you serious?” you deadpan and she starts to scratch the back of her neck.
“Yup yup! Totally serious! I’m totally not a clone that fell into a glowing crack in reality which changed my species,” she denies and you roll your eyes.
“Uh huh, nice prank Pinkie. Give me a scoop of Rocky Road, but then quit fooling around,” you order and she nods profusely.
“Right! Whatever you say Mr!” she salutes, before giving you your cone. After giving her the correct coinage, you walk on.
“I know it’s in her nature to be silly, but she’s really pushing it with how narrow a time our plan can work,” you shake your head before you get a text. Looking at your phone, you see it’s a selfie of Pinkie and the others in full costume right as they’re about to go on stage.
“…Wait a second,” you say as you turn back to the ice cream stall, only to see no one behind the counter.
Bugze? Selena questions.
Uh, it’s nothing, I think, you excuse as you shake your head at the ridiculous notion that it might have been one of the wayward clones. Just Pinkie Pie being Pinkie Pie. Yeah…
And as you walk away further, the ice cream girl pops back up from behind the counter with a fresh tub and wipes her brow.
“Boy is it hard to get used to these finger thingies…”
Down With Chrysalis’s Comment
Awhile Later
After sleuthing around for a few hours, you have seen no sign of Midnight’s presence. The competitions themselves have all ended by this point, with Canterlot and Crystal Prep being tied, so now all eyes are on the Battle of the Bands. And thanks to your group’s machinations, The Rainbooms and Dazzlings have made it to the final rounds, but so too has Trixie’s and Flash’s band.
The Wanted are on their toes in anticipation, especially B2 as you see him itching to play a guitar after giving Trixie an autograph, but everyone else is laser focused on their duty. Everyone that is except for Sunset.
You had hoped that she’d have calmed down and gotten more self confidence enough to join the Rainbooms on stage, but it seems that time has only led to the opposite.
“Sunset come on, there’s only a few more songs left, why don’t you go out there with your friends?” you encourage but she bites her lip and looks down.
“With everyone out there getting their emotions riled up and manipulated, I think the last thing anyone wants is to see me. Most of the school still hates me…as they should,” she says in melancholy and three sets of hearts break. Yours, Selena’s and Sombra’s.
Oh come on now! Sombra bellows.
My sweet little girl! Bugze! Comfort Her! Selena orders.
Of course I will! You respond sadly as that poor pitiful kicked puppy look reminds you way too much of your own high school/army experience. Placing your hands on her shoulders, you take her aside and make her look you in the eye, which surprises her.
“Sunset! Don’t go saying bullspit like that! You don’t deserve to be hated! No one does!”
“I beg to differ,” she says degradingly. “All of this is my fault.”
“No it’s not, it’s mine after all I-“
“I started all this the minute I stepped through that portal and decided to build an army to spite Princess Celestia!” she interrupts with conviction.
“But that’s in the past Shimmer, you aren’t-“
“I’m not like you Bugze,” she says downtrodden. “Your adventures and mishaps, being labeled as a villain, it was all things outside your control and lots of miscommunication. Me? I was a true villain. I turned friends against one another, I schemed and manipulated myself to power, and the only reason I didn’t succeed was because I was defeated.”
She then looks out as the Rainbooms continue their performance.
“They offered me a chance to turn a new leaf and I accepted, because what other choice did I have? But it’s only been a month and I haven’t earned such forgiveness. Even if we save Human Twilight, what if I can’t open that portal for you? You won’t get to see your daughter for three years and-“
“I believe in you,” you interrupt and she stops midsentence. There’s no exaggeration, no over the top conviction, or silliness behind your words. These four simple words are direct and to the point, and most importantly are the truth. They are four simple words that you wished someling had said to you when you were alone in The Hive.
A range of emotions flash across Sunset’s face as you say nothing more. Surprise, fear, shame, guilt, happiness, and finally determination shifts through her expression and demeanor and this causes you to smile. You step back as Sunset collects herself with a few deep breaths before giving you a confident look.
“Thanks for that,” she says gratefully. “I’m, uh, I’m sorry for being such a mess.”
“Don’t worry about it, we’re all a bunch of messes after all,” you say with a smirk. “The important thing is, we’re willing to clean ourselves up.”
She smiles at that and nods.
“You really think I can pull this off?” she asks and you nod.
“Of course I do.”
She nods again to herself before taking one last breath and looking up.
“Thanks Bugze. I may not feel as confident as you are, but I’ll believe in the you that believes in me,” she says before pulling you into a surprisingly warm hug. “Thank you…”
“Any time Shim Sham,” you say as you pat her head and she giggles.
Awwwww, Bugzeeeeee, Selena coos as if she’s just seen the most adorable thing ever.
Yeah, yeah, I know the situation is cute and heartwarming, you snark through the warm feeling you have.
WE HAVE TO ADOPT HER NOW! Selena shouts ecstatically and your eyes widen.
“What?!” you exclaim and Sunset flinches and looks to you in confusion.
“Huh?” she questions as you awkwardly get out of the hug.
“Sorry, I gotta take this call,” you chuckle nervously before turning around and staring off into space.
“Oh right, I’ll leave you to it then,” Sunset waves off good naturedly as she wanders closer towards the stage to watch her friends.
Selena, what the buck?! We’ve talked about this!
Yes because it bears repeating! She will make the perfect big sister to Nightshade!
She’d make a perfect big sister to me! I was still a kid when she crossed over! You counter.
But thanks to the time manipulation, she is the perfect age and unlike Adagio, Aria and Sonata, she doesn’t have parents to return to! She argues stubbornly.
Maybe the “perfect age” in THIS world, but if she crosses over with us, we’re gonna be like the same age! And I don’t think adults can legally adopt other adults! You whine.
If I can weigh in, I really don’t see the problem, Sombra interrupts. Your wife is a thousand years old, so why draw the line at an older daughter?
B-Because that’s clearly two separate things Smokey! You argue back in bafflement before blushing. A-and we’re not married!
Correct, not yet at least, Selena agrees.
Yeah, we-Wait, what? You double take but she keeps talking to Sombra.
And though I agree with your assessment, I’m technically not that old seeing as how I was in a limbo state on the moon, and Luna hadn’t passed her first century before being sent there.
Ah semantics, Sombra rolls his eyes. Who knows, maybe her age will regress upon crossing over and this matter will become trivialized.
If only we were so lucky, Selena says wistfully and you groan.
For the last time! I’m not adopting Sunset!
But Bugzeeeee, Selena whines and you facehoof.
Alright, look, we can discuss how this family you’re proposing will work later! you beg as you look out towards the stage as the Rainbooms walk off and the Dazzlings step up again.
Hmmph, fine, but I swear to make Sunset someone I can dote on with you, Selena relents and you sigh in relief.
And as the Sirens begin another haunting melody, and more wisps of green mana bleed off the crowd, you notice something peculiar. Some members in the audience aren’t contributing to the magic pool.
Huh? What’s up with those guys? Do they not have emotions? You wonder as you look over the interspaced blanks in the crowd. There are a good many of them, and aside from the lack of magic bleed, they also just look…off. They stare straight ahead, almost as still as statues.
Wait a moment, I think I see a pattern, Sombra speaks up.
You do? Well what is it? You ask as you can’t make heads or tails of the situation.
The ones not being siphoned appear to have a twin that IS being drained, he says directing your vision towards a green girl with orange hair who is standing still, and then across the mob to a near identical girl who has green mist coming off her.
Do…do humans have a lot of twins? You think perplexed as you see more twins within the crowd.
No more than any creature I believe, Sombra trails off and Selena gasps.
Bugze, those aren’t twins. Those are doubles! she says in alarm and your eyes widen. Sure enough, every set of “Twin” has on the exact same outfit, and their faces are mirror copies, except for a glint in their eyes.
What? But...Changelings? you guess at first before shaking your head. No, not Changelings, the eyes aren’t right. They’re more feral and brownish like…
It then hits you where you recognize those eyes from.
“Monkeys!” you gasp in horror. Your own eyes then dart back and forth across the crowd…until you see her.
No demonic body or seeping dark magic, Twilight stands at the center of audience in her lab coat and holding a clipboard…and she is looking directly at you. A mountain of dread hits you as she notices you staring and gives you a small, tiny smirk, before disappearing.
It’s then that you and your two skull mates realize something big. This was no longer a trap for midnight, but a trap for you!
You don’t bother to think about how long she knew about the plan as you try to rush on stage, but it’s too late.
A hand lands on your shoulder from behind.
“Nice try Bugze,” Midnight whispers and suddenly everything goes dark and quiet.
Grey Rebl’s Comment
“Oof!” You cry out as you ram into a set of bookshelves, toppling it and everything it held as you crashed into the carpet.
“Aaargh… W-what the...?” You grunt as you quickly push yourself up. Rubbing your head, you look around. “The buck? The school library?”
Bugze!
Your eyes widen and you dive to the side, barely dodging the beam of magic that sails right where you were. Back on your feet, you twist toward the perpetrator, a hand inside your inventory until…!
“Too slow!”
You hear it before you feel it: the crackling of magic and chains. They hit you like a sledgehammer, bending you over your stomach and lifting you off your feet! Somehow, your rear perfectly strikes the cushion of a nearby seat that had been perfectly aligned to catch you, which takes in the final lengths of the chain as it tightly wraps and wraps around both your torso and the backrest. Two more chains follow before you can kick around, binding your remaining limbs to the chair’s legs. Now, you can no longer move, your position so awkward and restricting that it reminds you of your time in the Arkhay Asylum.
You try to wrestle free, maybe break the chair itself, but with the faint glow of magic seeped into the wood, you know it isn’t so simple.
She was ready for me from the start!
The girl herself steps out of the darkness. With a book in hand, glasses on her face, and a lab coat over her arms, she looks as amicable and normal as she used to be, but the intense purple sparkling on her open palm poised your way tells a different story.
“Midnight...” you growl as she stares you down.
“Bugze,” she says simply as her fingers tighten, as does the chains.
“Grrk!” you grunt as you practically hear your muscles and bones creak, pinning your arms awkwardly in place like a straight jacket and keeping your hand stuck inside the Inventory.
Gah! I can’t pull anything out like this! you think as you uselessly struggle and Midnight tuts at you.
“I’ve learned my lesson from the Carnival. 3 Months worth of lessons!” she emphasizes with a scowl. “Out of all your group, you’re the most troublesome and I can’t have you messing up my plans again.”
“Ugh…” You bang the back of your head against the chair to no avail. “What gave the plan away?”
“It’s simple, really. I know that Spike had been altered by this magic and that he helped you fish around in my lab back at Shining’s place,” she says bitterly. “And after that, I activated the audio module I had installed on his collar.”
“What?! That dog was bugged?” you say in surprise.
“Yes. It was actually one of your ideas originally. Getting my bullies recorded saying horrible things about me. Everyone would look for a phone, but not at a puppy’s collar,” she says smugly before frowning at you. “And guess what, it worked.”
“B-But he hasn’t been around us that much since Fazbears! We left him with…with…” your eyes widen as you realize the blunder.
“With Cadence and Shining,” she finishes for you. “This whole Battle of the Bands tripe couldn’t have been possible without someone from the inside convincing Principal Cinch, someone like my dear Sister in Law. And I was right. I heard her telling my brother everything.”
“Oh Gorramnit!” you curse and she just glares at you more and shakes her head.
“First my dog, and now my sister-in-law. You’re driving the people I know to conspire against me….Not to mention you,” she sneers. “You, who told me to stand up for myself. You, who had shown and gave me all this power, only to then try to take it away. I thought you understood, but I guess I was wrong.” She huffs, caressing the bumps and creases of the pages neatly assembled in her tome. “At least books haven’t betrayed me yet.”
You have nothing to say to that. She had her books while you had your video games. Your choices and preferences may differ, but your circumstances are still similar. Had this been in the real world, had the events been different, you wonder…
Was this how the Twilight of your world felt back then?
“But I digress,” Midnight waves off dismissively. “Did you really think I could be caught in such an obvious trap? Lure me with all this magical energy and fight me head on while you power up? I had already figured it out, you know. Those sirens invoke their powers through their voices, not just through those magical stones. I’m not about to take on all three of them out in the open when I had already struggled with just one before.”
She lifts her arms and gestures around, at the books, at the tables, at the shelves. “But here? Here it's quiet. It’s the number one rule of all libraries, after all. There’s no way that their power will reach me. This will be settled on MY terms.”
“Then, those clones…the monkeys” you mutter.
“I had a lot of practice in all those months in the Carnival. Lots and lots of practice. Not just in imparting magic into others...but taking it back from them as well. I just needed a secure and discreet way to harvest all the power you’ve been hoarding.”
Walking batteries then, Sombra theorizes.
Or even walking bombs, Selena adds worriedly. Midnight smiles, seeing your disturbed expression.
“Don’t worry. I’ll use the monkey clones to cause a commotion to orchestrate my escape, at the most. As for if things go my way? I’ll just be sitting in here, waiting while the show goes on without the appearance of their special guest. No derailing, no shenanigans. And once the event is all over, I’ll just have the clones of pure magic quietly leave with the rest of the audience and then pick them up later. Free for the taking, hahaha!”
Her giggles echoes around the room, taunting your ears with the sheer abundance of confidence.
But you can’t help but ask...
“You haven’t had anyone to talk with for a long while now, haven’t you?” you ask in a tone filled with pity
And just like with all libraries, things go silent. Her laughs are swallowed by the books around you. She looks to you taken aback at your look of pity and she snarls.
“...Shut up.”
“I get how lonely it can be when there’s no one else around,” you continue and her face twists.
“Shut Up!” she growls again.
“The paranoia and anxiety, you feel like the whole world is against you, you even convince yourself of that. But that’s not the case!”
“Shut up shut up shut up shut up!” she shouts as a vortex of raw power swirls around her, howling through the bookshelves and smacking your face with the violence of the wind. “What do you know?! Revenge! Power! They’re everything I ever wanted, all I ever cared for, and now I have it all! No more Principal Cinch, no more of those bullies at Crystal Prep! For once I am in control of my own damn life! I’m not someone you can just, just push around anymore! I don’t need you! I don’t need anyone!”
“That’s a lie and you know it! Otherwise, you wouldn’t be taking the time to tell me your plan like some super villain as if you can’t bear being alone in your own head!” You look her in the eye, unflinching to the brewing storm. “But it doesn’t have to be this way. You still have a home to return to!”
“You can’t confuse me! I know what I want!” Midnight lashes out, striking the wind against your defenseless body. “Once I get the power I need, once I complete my prototype, there will be nothing left to stop me! I’ll have ALL the magic!”
You could only grunt, trying to endure as your head blasts back from her power.
She won’t be having a change of heart anytime soon, Sombra grumbles. Not when she is so certain of victory.
Then we’ll simply have to steal it from her. Isn’t that right my bug? Selena says confidently and you merely nod.
Back at the Stage
“Hey guys?” B2 calls, walking over to the rest of his backstage companions. “Have any of you seen Bugze? He’s supposed to be around for whenever Twilight arrives.”
“Hell if I know,” Humbra shrugs. “That guy always does whatever.”
“I’m...sure it’s for a good reason,” Sunset Shimmer says anxiously and B2’s leg rapidly bounces in place.
“Dang it, but why now? The performance is about to end, and I don’t know about you, but the air is starting to get a little...stiff from all that magic they’ve built up. Surely, Twilight has taken the bait by now?”
“Judging by what I’ve heard,” Luna says, “she would find all this magic to be too good to pass up. We just have to wait.”
“Maybe she saw the obvious trap for what is and pissed off?” Humbra brings a girl scout cookie to his face and eats it, chewing thoroughly even while he speaks. “I know I would. I mean, free stuff is sometimes just too good to be true. Like these cookies. So bland and cheap-tasting. Who knows what they put in it to make people keep buying or eating this crap,” he says as he picks up and eats another, and another, and another, and another…
“Dude, you’re not helping your case you know?” B2 points out.
“You guys cleaned out my fridge, okay?! So excuse me if I’m trying to stuff myself for what may as well be my last decent meal for the next month!”
Sunset Shimmer pauses at that. She peers at the clipboard in her hand, which details the order in which the bands must play, and then at the Rainbooms, the supposed to be second place winners who are with them. She bites her lip and B2 notices.
“You look like you got an idea.”
“I do, but… I-I not sure if I should…”
I believe in you.
“...”
“Sunset?” B2 asks.
“A tie,” she says as she lifts her head. “We’ll make it a tie. People are going to get riled up, and we’ll force an encore to decide the winner. The event will be extended this way.”
“But that just leaves out pretty boy’s band,” Humbra says pointing at Flash.
“They did beat Ms. Lulamoon’s band, how does he factor into it,” Luna asks and Sunset bites her lip again.
“...I’ve got a dumb idea, but if it all goes right, the audience will be even more bloodthirsty for a finale.”
She then walks over to Flash and begins talking to him out of ear shot from The Wanted.
“You want me to What?!” he exclaims.
Master of Shadow’s Comment
subhumandegenerate’s Comment
A few moments later, and in front of the entire crowd Principal Celestia stands up on stage.
“Alright everyone, I have just been informed that The Stealers have forfeited the final battle despite coming this far,” she says sounding somewhat perplexed, as does the audience. “Which means that The Dazzlings and The Rainbooms are tied.”
Cheers are met at that and the chanting for more which makes the miasma in the air thicker.
“But before that, The Stealers wish to play one more song before signing off,” she announces and the audience groans, wanting the finale to begin already.
And with that, Celestia exits and Flash’s band takes the stage, looking very, very nervous. Flash looks over apprehensively to Sunset who smiles guiltily and he sighs solemnly before looking to his bandmates like a man on death row.
“I’m sorry guys. I’m so so sorry,” he apologizes, but they accept their fate.
“I can’t believe you convinced him to walk into Tartarus like this, “ Adagio says to Sunset, knowing what evil is about to transpire. Sunset looks down guiltily and says,
“I’ll make it up to him.”
“Girl, you better be buying him a Playstation for what he’s about to do,” Pinkie says in dread.
“Or better yet, marry him!” Rarity shudders.
“…I’ll make it up to him,” Sunset says biting her lip as all goes quiet.
With one final sigh, Flash nods at his bandmates…
And begins singing the most cursed song in existence.
Everyone backstage cringes as Flash sings the annoying upbeat tune, but the crowd goes feral.
Boos ring out, as well as grunts of annoyance and rage. Snacks and drinks are thrown towards the band, and even some of the clones/monkeys begin to cry out in anger, but Flash keeps trucking through to the end.
“I feel really dirty witnessing this,” Sonata says sympathetically as Flash continues to Rick Roll and the audience bays for blood.
“Yeah I know what you mean,” Aria nods. “Sure the magic has increased tenfold, but at what cost?”
“A poor boy’s dignity…” B2 says sympathetically as he raises a tearful salute to the sacrifice being made, followed shortly by everyone else.
When the song finally, blessedly comes to an end, Flash starts thanking the angry audience as if he’d just pleased them…and then just to add insult to injury, one of the stage lights falls from above and strikes him to the ground.
And while your group gasp and run to his side to help him up, the crowd goes wild with cheers at the harm to the poor teen.
“Flash, are you okay?” Sunset asks after he is dragged backstage.
“Hey Sunny, your hair looks like bacon,” he says with a loopy grin as his eyes still spin.
“Well, seems he’s unharmed,” Humbra dismisses and Sunset gives him a glare.
“Right…well I don’t really understand why any of this just happened so I’ll just…” Celestia excuses herself and stands once more in front of the riled up crowd.
Grey Rebl’s Comment
With You
Even through the howling winds, your ears pick up the shouts and cries of the audience, and you can feel the increased buildup of magic. Also, the dampened music prickled at you for some reason, but after it’s all over, the cheers of the crowd once more turn to barely contained hype. Midnight’s face flashes with uncertainty at this.
“The output has increased?” she asks puzzled and you sigh.
So it really has to come to this, huh?
Well, what did you expect? It’s just how it usually goes,
True, and that’s why we have the advantage, Selena agrees and you nod.
“I’ll admit, Midnight. You almost got me. Almost.” Instantly, Midnight’s power dies down, her expression folding into disbelief.
“...What?”
“You see, you’ve made one teensy, tiny miscalculation…”
When the music resumes, emotions run wild as the crowd cheers and jeers with competitive spirit, the magic wafting from their very beings. Wisps of power flow in all directions, fading alongside the pyrotechnic smoke.
After that build up of hatred there is so much. There’s so much magic that not even the Siren Trio can keep up with the intake as they sing and sing against the Rainbooms. Not even the monkey doppelgangers can house it all.
The fog floods all over, covering every inch of the school grounds...and leaking into the building itself.
Through the entrance.
Through the halls.
Through the rooms.
Until finally...
“If you really did see through my plan, you wouldn’t have played the game at all. You saw the obvious trap, but still you couldn’t resist taking a lick of the peanut butter,” you say, shaking your head in mock pity. “And now, you’re here. That’s all we need while we set up the stage.” Midnight’s eyes narrow.
“Set up the stage? You’re bluffing. What could you possibly—?”
That’s when she notices it, the smoke pervading the library; spilling in through the cracks of the locked doors, tainting the very air. Her eyes glint dangerously, brimming with magic, as they flicker left and right. “No… No, it couldn't… You expected everything to escalate?”
"This is me we're talking about. Things go from 0 to 100 real bucking fast," you say with a smirk as all around you the fog of mana swamps the room, seeping through the gaps in the books and the bookshelves and hovering along the cold, cold floor, and finally your bound figure. Midnight growls, backing away as her demonic form shifts over.
“The magic wasn’t just the bait, it’s also the trap itself!”
“That’s right,” you say as your eyes begin to glow orange and red with purple mist ebbing out. “And it’s time to spring it!”
“MUDA!” Selena shouts as her spectral hoof strikes Midnight, throwing her backwards.
“Gyah!” she cries as she hits a bookshelf, and loses concentration in the chains which slack. With this opportunity, you are able to grab the Boom Stick out of the inventory and it’s gem glows as you strike at the chair beneath you.
*BOOM*
An explosion rings out as the chair splinters and the chains fall slack around you.
“And now noling is in the way…” you say with a twirl of your weapon.
Ello Calebero’s Comment
Twilight extracts herself from the bookcase and looks to your fog shrouded form as an aura of menace bleeds off of you.
“Twilight, I know you’re still in there, so please forgive me for what I’m about to do,” you apologize as Midnight growls and holds up a palm of magic, but again Selena’s hoof hits from the side and you rush forth with the Boomstick and strike her back into a wall.
“Forgive you?!” she screeches as she throws a burst of magic your way which knocks you up onto the ceiling. “After everything you’ve done, you want me to forgive you?!” She then flies up and holds you against the cracked ceiling.
“No! Not You Midnight! I Want Twilight To Forgive Me!” you exclaim, shoving the Boomstick to the ceiling and propelling you both to the floor with you body slamming her.
“Gah!” she coughs out as the wind is knocked out of her, but she can’t even get a breath as Selena’s hooves rain down upon her. Grunting in pain, Twilight slams her palms to the ground and dark energy swirls out and strikes both you and Selena back into a wall.
“I AM TWILIGHT!!!” she yells as her eyes blaze with fury and she pants. “I am the Twilight that THEY made. The one that YOU encouraged me to be! And It’s Great!”
Several bookcases are lifted up in her magic and tossed at you, but you break them apart with both the Boomstick and Second Law. Book and wooden debris fill the air as you glare at her with your burning eyes.
“Are you sure about that?! The real Twilight would never allow a library to be destroyed like this!”
“Books can be replaced! This magic, this power…It must be pursued!” she howls before more magical chains burst from the ground and try to entangle you, but Selena is able to deflect them and you get an opportunity to throw them back at Midnight.
“AGH!” she cries as her own chains hit her. You rush forth and aim Second Law right at her face, but she uses her magic to push it upward, and the blast hits the ceiling where you’d collided before. This causes the already weakened material to crumble and both of you are struck by the debris.
“Ah! Stupid Ceiling!” you cough as you push the plaster and wood off of you.
“GRAGH!” Twilight roars as the debris is blasted off of her in a sphere of magic and she holds her clenched fists outstretched. “I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THIS!”
The whirling winds then start again, and you lose sight of her in the fog. Then from the swirling mass, fists made of debris strike striking out at you fast, hitting you from your face down to your toes, and without your precious chitin, it hurts!
“Ah, Oh, Ek, Ug, STOP IT!” you shout as you cover your face.
“MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA!!!” Selena cries out as she strikes out at as many fists as she can, but you are still getting pummeled.
“I’m not stopping what you started Bugze!” Midnight’s voice calls out from the fog.
“Fine! I’ll do it myself!” you yell as you pull out a stink bomb, take a deep breath, and smash it within the swirling winds. At first, nothing happens as the magic fists still pummel you, but then you start to hear a gagging and coughing.
“Oh what the hell?! Blagh!” Midnight retches as the winds stop swirling, and you see her instead trying to push the stink clouds away from her.
Removed From The Inventory
1 Stink Bomb
Taking your chance, you slam the Boomstick onto the ground kicking up a large pile of debris in front of you, and before gravity takes it back to the ground, you aim Second Law at the pile and pull the trigger. The debris flies forth, crashing into the coughing teen who crashes through the library doors, taking them off their hinges. You then rush into the hallway after her.
Groaning, she lifts herself off but you pin her to the wall with your elbow at her throat.
“Stand Down Midnight! Give Back Twilight!” you order.
“You said that so many times in the loop and it never worked!” she grunts and grips your arm to keep from choking.
“Well maybe you should have! You nearly tore the world apart!”
“ME?!” she exclaims and her eyes flash again blast forms between you and you are sent flying back into the opposite wall. “All you had to do was let me get the damned artifact and none of that would have happened!”
“Oh yeah? And look what you’re doing right now!” you accuse. “What are you possible gonna use all this mana for?!”
“Advance the field of science! This energy source will change everything and I will be the head of it all!”
“All it’s gonna do is further your ego. You’re not gonna share it for the betterment of all humies!”
“Well it’s better off in my hands than a backstabbing liar like you!” she shouts as she flaps her wings, grabs you and starts dragging you across the hallway, striking every locker along the way. Selena attempts to strike back, but inky tendrils flare from Midnight’s wings and block the punches.
“I didn’t lie to you to hurt you!” you growl as the back of your jacket starts to fray.
“Well that backfired then didn’t it!” she yells and slams you through one of the lockers. A heavy textbook and a half eaten sandwich in a bag fall in your lap, so you pick them up strike her in the face with them, causing her to back up.
“I’m sorry, I just wanted to help you!” you say as you grab the broken locker door off it’s hinges and strike her across the head with it.
“Help me?! Help me how? Getting me in trouble at school? Burning down a pizzeria? Turning my family and puppy against me?! That motherf***ing CARNIVAL?!” she roars and summons several balls of magic above her head and starts chucking them at you, but you run down the hallway as they strike the lockers after you. “If you wanted to help me you should have just told me who you were from the start!”
“You would have thought I was nuts!” you call over your shoulder, which allows one of the magic balls to strike you from the side and throw you through the cafeteria doors.
“I thought that anyway,” she says as she walks menacingly through the door. “But now you’re just a nuts alien betrayer of trust…”
And with that she summons more lances of energy and start chucking them at you as she begins to sing.
“You’re buzzing round and round and round my plans
Stopping all my attempts to understand.
This is it I gotta know
One of us has got to go!”
She sings as she blasts all around you as you dodge through the sea of lunch tables.
“Show me the truth
Is it gonna be me or you?
Is it gonna be me or you?
Is it gonna be me or you?”
After one of the lances strikes a table in front of you, it flies up in front of you, and using both yours and Selena’s strength, you lift it up, spin around and toss it towards Twilight. You then start launching more at her with the Boomstick as a counter attack as you start to sing as well.
“I know that yo’ real mad
The feelings that you thought you had
Was for the magic guy
Well I’m that tragic guy
I was just a sad bug, camouflaged before your eyes
But you knew my antics were the key to see the other side
I should have told you but I never had the courage
And I thought you really wouldn’t understand (No!)
And now I’m out here just to let my feelings surface
Apologizing for disguising who I am”
Before you can send up another table, she surges forth, tackles you off the ground and slams you into a wall. A window nearby shows the lights and sounds coming from the Battle of the Bands and she points out it angrily.
“Tell me are you who I thought you were
Or who I wanted you to be?
Did you do it all for them!
Or were you only playing me?!
You bash her arms away and get behind her, trying to choke her out with the Boomstick.
“I did it for you
But I couldn’t see it through
Twilight I'm sorry.”
Growling she floats up and begins to spin really fast, causing your legs to flail. You eventually lose your grip and are sent flying into the kitchen itself, crashing into the stove.
“You just keep on playing me round and round and round like some game!
Do you not have any shame?!
You wanted to protect me, HOW?!
This is all my power now!
Tell me the truth
Did you ever care about me and you?
With all of your lies and your secrets too!
Is that what friends should do?!”
She roars as she animates all the appliances in the kitchen. The refrigerator starts shooting leftovers at you, the sink sprays hot water, and the dish washer pelts you with trays, all the while she strikes you against the stove, denting it over and over again.
“You’re all they never saw in me
A kid stuck in the shadow in the background
But I’m out now
People were all this and that
Saying I’m a monster and they were scared
Everything that happened, I wasn’t prepared,”
You then use Bucking Bronco Plasmid which lifts her and the appliances in place and breaks two of your fingers.
“So I hid my magic and chose words instead
Trying to avoid everything I caused and dread
Then you went ahead and took off my mask
Please give me a chance, that’s all I ask,”
“What were you expecting me to do?
First, you were my friend and now you’re you!”
She shouts, flailing in the air.
“Now it’s just me
And you got me begging, please!
Twilight, I'm sorry!”
You apologize as the musical number comes to an end and you lean against the broken, hissing stove and pant.
“I did want to help… to make sure you didn’t end up like me,” you tell her truthfully.
“What?” Midnight says in a deadpan tone
“Back in my world, I was just sorry bug trying to move on with his life. I was all alone in a world that had it out for me. I was alone and scared and I panicked. I ended up doing a lot of bad things, and by the time I realized what I was doing… It was already too late to turn back. The world wouldn’t let me, and every time I tried I just made things worse. I saw you and I remembered how my world’s Twilight acted. I didn’t know what to do. Then I looked a little more and saw a lot of myself. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t end up like me…” You confess before looking around at all the destruction around you and wincing.
“A lot of good that did,” she says bitterly and you sigh again. You then look her dead in the eye.
“I'm sorry…”
Her expression is still grim and malicious, but for just a moment you see a dimming of her eyes and a softening of the posture, but it is quickly swept away. She holds a hand up with another bolt of magic.
“You should be,” she says coldly.
“And I’m sorry for this too,” you say as you pull out the Hoverboard and toss it behind you. Midnight looks to the hunk of plastic that strikes the stove, and it’s then that she hears the hissing of gas. Her eyes widen as the hunk of junk catches flame.
“Oh Son of A-“
*BOOM*
The gas ignites and everything burns as the two of you are violently thrown from the kitchen through the wall where you land on the open grounds of the Battle of the Bands and you hear several gasps of alarm, even as music still fills the night.
Your clothes are burnt, your skin is crisped, and for the first time in a long time, you remember why you have a love-hate relationship with the magnanimous fire.
Bugze! What in the Tartarus were you thinking?! Selena scolds in worry.
I wasn’t…clearly, you groan as you lift your head and look to the singed, yet still in better shape than you Midnight who looks extremely dazed with her smoking hair and wings.
Well we’ve survived for now, but it seems her magic was more protective, Sombra observes.
Kichi’s Comment
You hear a crowd starting to murmur and clamber their way towards you two and you see Midnight’s eyes gaining clarity again as she groans.
Well this trap was almost successfully sprung, you think somewhat sadly as you see her starting to lift her head. But she’s gonna escape at this point.
Not yet she’s not! Selena says in determination. Bugze, with all this magic in the air, we need not fight her in the waking world.
It takes a few moments for your misfiring brain to figure out what she’s getting at, but once you do you smile.
The three most beautiful words in the Equestrian language? You snark and she smirks in acknowledgement. Well alright then.
Groaning, you crawl your aching human body closer to Midnight and place your broken hand upon her head.
“Wha-What’s going on? I-“ her pupils shrink as she sees you leaning over her. “YOU! What are you-“
Her words die in her throat though as your eyes flash green and your legion voice says,
“ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL.”
And suddenly, both yours and her vision go white.
In The Dreamscape
When your vision clears, you find yourself in Twilight’s mind palace. It is an unsettling landscape of a labyrinth made up of bookshelves and science equipment. Overhead storm clouds swirl and thunder crashes and everything is tainted by a dark purple hue. But aside from the landscape, the biggest thing you notice is your body.
“My Hooves!” you exclaim in absolute glee as you are once more in your true, beautiful changeling bod. You then begin to laugh giddily as you feel yourself up and down. “Ha, ha, ahahahahaaa!!!”
You trot in place, you kiss your forelegs and fingerless gloves and appreciate your smooth, protective chitin that you’ve so dearly missed.
“Oh this is wonderful! How did this happen?” you ask with tears in your eyes.
“Because this is your true self, and how your subconscious sees you,” Selena’s voice says from the side and you look over to see her standing there.
“Selly! You came with me inside Twilight’s mind?” you ask both in confusion and happiness.
“It would appear so,” she says looking at her own hooves and testing the ground of the library like maze. “Though I am baffled as to why, this didn’t happen the last time we took down the Hive Mind.”
“You’re telling me,” Sombra says from behind you which startles you.
“What?! You too?!” you exclaim in surprise.
“I guess,” he shrugs as he looks around mystified. “And I’m all for a change in scenery from your mentally defunct mind, but this…this is not pleasant.”
“Yeah…it’s almost like Twilight’s mind is being corrupted,” you observe as the Midnight purple tendrils wrap around several shelves, warping them at odd impossible angles.
“Perhaps that is the reason we are also here,” Selena says as she walks to your side. “With the scarcity of magic in this world, she is still like a beacon in the midst of the Siren’s fog.
“Well whatever the case three heads are better than one,” you say before cracking your neck. “So, now that we got six eyes, keep a look out for Twilight. It may be hard within this maze but we-”
“There she is,” Sombra interrupts pointing down a twisted corridor. Sure enough you see human Twilight, without the wings, without the dark color scheme in her usual attire and glasses…and she’s struggling against Midnight herself.
“Ugh! Why won’t you stay down?!” Midnight curses at Twilight as the two struggle in a test of strength.
“Because I don’t want to be a bully like this!” Twilight shouts back, even as Midnight overtakes her.
“It’s better this way! No one will laugh at us now!”
“But at what cost?! You’re hurting so many people!”
“No I’m not! Monkeys are used in lab experiments all the time, and Bugze is an interdimensional invader!” Midnight barks back.
“He’s still a person! What’s next, are you going to dissect him?” Twilight accuses.
“I mean, it would be prudent to figure out why cross dimensional travel would cause such extreme body manipulation like his so…”
“Oh for-NO! You can’t do that!” Twilight shouts back, but she is still being overtaken by the winged girl.
“Don’t let your emotions get in the way of science!” Midnight orders.
“You’re the one letting her emotions control her!” Twilight counters and Midnight sneers.
“Maybe I am, but I’m using those feelings of betrayal proactively!”
“But this has nothing to do with him! This is between you and I!” Twilight exclaims.
"Au contraire, it's all thanks to him that we are even like this! Without his lies and idiocy we never would have discovered magic in the first place!”
“B-But he…”
“Even now he’s butting in!” Midnight says pointing towards you, Selena and Sombra and suddenly you are all directly in front of the two.
“Uh…” you trail off not having expected to see such a struggle of the mind. “I guess I was right, the real Twilight’s still in here.”
“We’re both the real Twilight. Two sides of the same coin,” Midnight growls at you before raising an eyebrow. “And is this seriously what you really look like? I mean, I don’t know what I expected when you described a cross between a bug and a horse but…yeesh.”
“Don’t you yeesh me! I’m more attractive then you filthy humies!” you bark back in offense.
“Yeah, keep telling yourself that,” Sombra mutters.
“Quiet you!” Selena scolds.
“Bugze?” Twilight says in surprise at seeing you.
“Hi Twilight, we’ve come to set you free and all that,” you say giving her a wave.
“Y-You shouldn’t be here,” she says looking between you and Midnight nervously.
“I’ve been saying that ever since I got to this stupid planet, but here I am!” you smirk at her before glaring back at Midnight. “Now let her go!”
“Funny you should say that, we’ve just been having a little “debate” on who should take the reins,” Midnight says cruelly. “Though the arguments for forgiveness aren’t doing so well.”
“That is your opinion!” Twilight growls back before looking to you. “But she’s right Bugze, it’s not so simple as getting rid of her. She IS me. She just so happens to be the one running things right now.”
“Hold then, are you saying you are not a separate entity?” Selena asks in surprise.
“Yes, unlike you dear sweet Selena, I am not some parasite upon another goddess’s brain,” Midnight insults, and while she frowns, you gasp.
“Wait, how do you know…?”
“Don’t go wracking your pitiful brain Bugze, it’s my job to find answers after all,” she says in faux cheer. “I represent all the curiosity, the want of power and betterment, and the pursuit of knowledge. I’ve always been at the forefront of our mind. All the magic did was give us more purpose.”
“And I’m what you could call the conscience,” Twilight speaks up. “The one who still acknowledges the guilt of these immoral actions we’ve been taking. The one who wants acceptance and acknowledgement.”
“Yeah, all the weak unnecessary things,” Midnight chides and Twilight purses her lips. “You stayed quiet and in the background long before I took over, and you were glad to stay asleep as we pursued this research.”
“And that was a mistake! You can’t just keep me silent! To deny me is to deny your humanity!” Twilight argues.
“You know, not to play advocate or anything, but I understand Midnight’s POV completely,” Sombra says and she smirks.
“Thank you Sombra Pony…you’re a lot edgier looking than I imagined,” Midnight says and he just shakes his head.
“But on the same point, Twilight is right. You can’t rid yourself of that little voice that tells you things are wrong, no matter how much you try to smother it. Believe me, I tried. All it did was gather strength till a special little filly broke it free again…and it’s painful,” he says looking right at Midnight. “When that little voice becomes a roar, you will lose whatever path you set yourself upon and you will be lost. The guilt that never before came will consume you...and it will never leave.”
Midnight is taken aback by this, but so too are you and Selena. Both of your jaws are dropped at the eloquent words of wisdom that have spewed from the former dictator’s mouth.
“Dang…Sombra, you okay?” you asks cautiously and he grunts and looks away from you.
“I haven’t been okay since the day I killed Princess Amore…and it’s Nightshade that made me realize that,” he says hollowly. You and Selena look at one another with worried expressions and you are about to reach a comforting hoof to the Umbrum, but Midnight interrupts.
“I am not like you! My goal is not to kill but to control! In a world that neglected my genius, they’ll finally see and realize my worth!”
“Then you are more like me then,” Selena says stepping forth. “You may call me a parasite, but when I came to Luna I was born out of the want of love and acceptance. We went about it in the wrong way though, just as you are doing. They will not love nor respect you if you try to take it by force! I denied this truth for so long and it twisted me.” Selena then looks at you. “And it took the love of a goofy bug and our wonderful child to pull me out of that darkness.”
You smile back at that before facing the unsettled Midnight. “The guilt will always remain, but it can be managed with the help of others.” Sombra looks towards you at that declaration and you continue. “It’s not too late. Become the true Twilight again Midnight, be smart but temper this hurt with those that will care for you.”
Midnight looks at all three of you with a weary look and you can feel strength flowing into the Twilight side.
“They’re right. Please, let’s just end this already,” Twilight pleads to her darker half.
Midnight looks between her lighter side and your group and you can see the doubt flooding her mind. She begins to pant a bit before she looks back to you and pauses…
Down With Chrysalis’s Comment
“I can’t…” she says softly before snapping her fingers. The dark shadowy corruption within the place suddenly ensnares and suspends Twilight up in the, covering her mouth to keep her from speaking.
"Twilight!" You call out in concern to the trapped teenager before turning to her darker half…and you see tears in her eyes.
“I am still the logical half and logic dictates all,” she says despite the tears as she floats up next to her other half. “There is only a 0.000000001 percent chance of failure due to your interventions. I cannot let that factor increase by accepting your emotions. I can’t! I’ve come too far!”
And with that, the darkness surrounds you, Selena and Sombra like a storm.
“Twilight Please!” you beg. “It doesn’t have to be like this!”
“But it does if I am to succeed,” she says a little more maniacally as she turns from her conscience. “You wanna know how I knew the names and history of those in your head? I saw many, many things within that time tornado with you Bugze. I saw so many wondrous, terrible and intriguing things about your world, but most importantly, I understood you. I know how far you will go and what you’re capable of!”
“Twi-“
“And that’s why I know that all three of you have lied and manipulated so many in the past. You may honey your words, but logic dictates I can’t trust you. I know what you three are capable of!” she sobs and wipes at her leaking eyes.
“You only saw a glimpse though! We’ve changed Twilight!”
“It’s true! I am no longer the monster I once was!” Selena calls out.
“I…I still am a monster, but I seek my lost equinity,” Sombra admits to her.
“Lies! People don’t change! And neither do I! This is who I’ve always been…who I was always meant to be!” she says in a deranged tone before snapping her fingers and the swirling inky darkness begins to have forms within it. “And I know how to stop you!”
In the Waking World
A large crowd has gathered over yours and Midnight’s unconscious bodies. Those at the head are The Rainbooms, The Dazzlings and The Wanted.
“Bugze! Get up man! Don’t go dying on us!” B2 orders as he shakes your body.
“They’re not going to die right?” asks a worried Sonata but her sisters put hands on her shoulders.
“No, they’re both tougher than that,” Adagio reassures.
“They’re just unconscious,” Aria adds.
“Well what do we do now?” asks Rainbow as she looks at the concerned crowd who still have the miasma wafting off of them.
“Yeah, Midnight can’t exactly listen to any music if she’s down for the count,” Applejack points out.
“Perhaps we should take them to the hospital?” Rarity suggests but Fluttershy shakes her head.
“It’d be too dangerous if they awaken,” she advises.
“It’s dangerous right now! The school’s on fire!” Celestia shouts pointing towards the flames in the kitchen.
“It’s only a little on fire, calm down Tia,” Luna waves off.
"Is everyone on drugs?! What's happening?!" Trixie exclaims as she looks at all the dazed people.
"Yeah, it's a long story..." Flash says covered in tomato juice.
“Well, the plan may have deviated but it’s all up to Sunny right?” Pinkie says and suddenly all eyes are on her.
“Me?” she says taken aback.
“Yup, you’re the one who has to save Twilight right?”
“R-Right,” she says with a nod, remembering your words of encouragement. “It’s just…I think she should be awake for th-“
Suddenly monkey howls fill the air as the stationary doubles drop their form. All the humans look to see the simians all howling to the sky as if in response to some command, and suddenly, a lot of the swirling miasma is pulled into their general vicinity.
“What in the hell?” Humbra exclaims as the swirling ball of emotional magic congregates in the middle of the monkeys.
“Hey! That’s ours!” Adagio yells, but the monkeys do not respond. Instead, after howling nonstop, each one of them warbles down as they all fall to the ground and begin to sleep. The ball of energy then shoots into the air above everyone and tendrils of energy snake their way into the unconscious Midnight…who’s body begins to rise.
Everyone not affected by the Siren’s magic back up from this display as her body begins to glow and forms sort of a star at the center of all the rest of the Siren’s miasma.
“She took a chunk for herself!” Aria says in shock.
“But how?! She’s still unconscious,” Sunset says in panic.
And as Midnight’s unconscious form reaches the center of the ball, an astral purple dragon begins to encircle it. Through the rest of the Siren’s miasma, a scene starts to unfold.
“Bugze?” Sunset says in surprise as projected through the miasma is the view of a changeling with spikey orange hair, within the center of tornado, standing back to back with a gray unicorn with black hair, and a pitch black alicorn with a night sky waving mane. The girl who is now protected by the literal dragon ball is also present within this projection at the eye of the storm.
"This is my mind Mr. Bugze, not yours. I know everything about you. All your fears, all your hopes and dreams, everything you've experienced so have I! And you know what? You Nightmares Are No Longer Just Yours!"
All the humans watch as the tornado pulsates as the three at the center take defensive stances. Sunset then looks up at the purple serpent growing larger around the ball of energy before looking to the others.
“We have to keep singing!” she says.
“What?!” everyone else guffaws.
“That dragon thing up there is made from the same material as the Dazzling’s magic, which means only magic can hurt it. During the last battle, the energy was radiating off of all of you, Rainbooms and Dazzlings alike,” she explains before taking off her jacket dramatically. “If we even want a shot at stopping this and helping Bugze, we’ve gotta sing now!”
The whole group looks to one another before B2 breaks the silence.
“Ah what the hell,” he says as he lifts Bugze’s body in his arms. “Couldn’t ask for a better comeback stage then the end of the freaking world!”
And with that, the humans all rush back to the stage past the mesmerized audience. As all three bands set up with their equipment, Sunset looks to the projections on the mist towards you.
“You said you believed in me, well let’s see if I’ve earned that trust…”
"Alright you little bastards, none of that poppy feel good stuff," Humbra orders.
"Yeah, If we're fighting a soul dragon, we're going Metal all the way!" B2 says dumping your body at his feet.
"Okay, fine, what do you have in mind?" Sunset asks. B2 pauses, looks to Luna in her get up...and they both smile at each other.
It starts out slow, but soon picks up in tempo as B2 and the Dazzlings step up to the microphone. And as they begin to play, energy radiates off the stage, the serpent takes notice, the mist's atmosphere becomes dire, and cracks begin to appear sporadically across the sky.
Back In The Dreamscape
As you, Selena and Sombra stand back to back, facing whatever threat Midnight has promised in her unhinged state, you notice a shape begin to appear in the mist. Something round.
“Amore?! What are you doing here?! I killed you!” Sombra exclaims. Looking over you see a tall unicorn figure emerging from the mist.
“Luna?! How…?” Selena gasps, and looking to her line of sight, you see the outline of the Lunar Princess starting to emerge.
“Your Nightmare’s Are No Longer Just Yours,” Midnight’s words echo in your head and your blood goes cold.
“Sombra…your reckoning is at hand,” says the shadowy “Princess Amore” and he starts to breathe heavily. Even with your limited historical knowledge though, you can tell something is off. Her color is dark and she seems to be made of inky darkness. Just as you realize that another figure emerges next to her, a smaller unicorn with a medical symbol as a cutie mark, still sporting the same color scheme.
“Hope?” Sombra pants.
“I died old, cold and alone Sombra…old, cold and alone…”
“Thou shalt finally be eradicated parasite!” Shadow Luna says to Selena just as another figure steps beside.
“Together, we will put the past behind us sister,” a dark colored Celestia says.
“I don’t want to fight you anymore!” Selena bellows but the “sisters” do not waver.
Looking between these aberrations you look back into the sky at Midnight. Her face is filled with grim determination, but the tears still flow and her back is to her bound conscience.
"EX..." the shape in front of you says and your pupils shrink as you tear your gaze from the corrupted teen.
“Oh buck no…” you whimper, but it doesn’t change the truth. Coming out of the tornado in front of you is something you wished never to see again.
"EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!" three Daleks cry out as they head towards you.
“Mother Bucker!” you scream as you pull your Boomstick out...but they aren’t the only the only things to emerge for you.
"Get the Offender! He's right there!"
"For the Crimson Knights! Down with Celestia, DOWN WITH EQUESTRIA!"
"We're being paid to cause destruction boys! Let's do our best and make it all look like an accident!"
"FOR THE HIVE! FOR QUEEN CHRYSALIS!"
Changelings, Stained Shields, Crimson Knights, Royal Knights, all manner of factions you've fought in the past suddenly appear from the dark clumps. Their eyes glowing an eerie yellow while dark magic wisps off them. They all stare at you with cruel smiles full of malice.
“For Equestria! You Must Fall!” two voices declare as Princess Luna and Celestia join the crowd.
“This isn't...this can't be...” Your breathing begins to quicken as panic starts to take over, the sight of all these former enemies overwhelming you completely.
“Oh but it is varmit,” Applejack says as she steps forth.
“You know it would always come to this,” Rainbow continues.
“After all the cruelty you enacted upon us,” Rarity adds.
“How else did you think this was going to end?” Pinkie Pie finishes.
Then from between them step Fluttershy and Princess Twilight.
“You can’t save Twilight, you’re useless,” Fluttershy scolds.
“You can’t save anyone you monster,” Twilight adds and the tears start to flow down your face.
“You will never be a hero,” Trixie says as blood gushes out her chest and your heart sinks.
“You will always be just a murderer,” Flag Burner says, is face bashed in and bleeding.
“A murderer that must be brought to justice,” the Crimson Knight Generals say in unison as Pyramid Head steps out.
“This is…This is…” you choke on your words as panic wells inside and you try to back up…only Selena and Sombra are no longer there.
“Selena! Sombra! Where Are You?!” you call out to the darkness. There is no sign of them or the shadows that appeared in front of them.
“They are engulfed within their own Nightmares,” Midnight says from above you. Still with that solemn face, she closes her eyes and looks away from you. “And now so to will you.”
"ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR"
And just like that any attempts to keep a calm mind leave you. In fact any kind of will you had just vanishes as you crumple to your knees, fear and panic washing over you completely.
The mob parts in the middle as another figure begins to emerge. It’s size is smaller than you remember, and purple magic bleeds off it instead of the original midnight blue, but you recognize it none the less with it’s glowing orange eyes. With it’s sharp tusks and horns on display, it is a figure that you will never forget in this life or the next.
It is your greatest fear, your greatest failure, and above all, your worst enemy.
It is You, or rather, the You you could have become.
The Nightmare emerges amidst the crowd of enemies and smiles at you.
“You’ve come to the wrong neighborhood motherbucker,” he says before laughing insanely.
“B…Bu…” you try to say the words, but fear fills your every pore.
“Buck You Lady Luck!!!” All of them say together unnervingly before laughing at your misery.
And then, with one last roar from the Nightmare, they all begin stalking towards you in unison.
WHAT DO YOU DO?
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Pour a healing potion on Boomstick, then smack him in the head. Foolproof.
The sudden appearance of so many of your past enemies and the alternate you send your body rigid. Pure terror and guilt rush through you as your assault both physically and verbally, your conscious locked in a cationic state eerily similar to when Sombra overwhelmed you with guilt after the Trixie incident.
So lost in your guilt and fear you do not even realize that Midnight has lost her prior sadness and has gained a crazed grin with accompanying evil laughter, the sight of your body being flung to and for while you scream in pain and guilt amusing her. Or at least the the surface it seems that way, but from the continued struggling of Twilight it’s easy to tell your suffering is only hurting her mora half.
Unknown to you, Midnight has begun displaying your torture to all those attending the festival. Her hope was to crush your friends spirit by the sight of their leader falling, however she did not account for one thing. For as much as such a sight can break a person...so to can it enrage them.
While plenty of the more soft hearted among your group are crying out to you and can barely stand seeing you in pain, others are enraged by your pain. While some fear and are confused by the creatures kicking, more like Rainbow and Aria are pissed off and try to help by charging at the sphere.
Sadly there is some sort of defense mechanisms going on as the two are flung back by some dark tendrils. Of course this doesn’t deter Dash who tries to charge again, but is held back by Applejack.
As everyone argues about what to do Fluttershy notices that Sunset is very silent. When she tries to talk to her she eeps back drawing the attention of the others. After all Sunset had what was probably one of the scariest looking faces she had ever seen.
Her knuckles where practically white with how tight she was squeezing them and she was practically growling in pure rage. The others tried to calm her down, but as soon as the nightmares before her bring up Bugze’s family...
“Get the HELL AWAY FROM MY DAD!”
Needless to say even Midnight is caught off gaurs from this outburst, and Selena feels a strange sense of accomplishment despite her nightmares before her
Changeling form again? Aka bug control plasmid on the changelings. Aka a good chunk of enemies just became allies. Including the Nightmare? (Do your plasmids work on you? (Technically he is a changeling.))
They all scream in terror and bugze, selena and sombra face their nightmare version of their loved ones and enemies while being bombard of the guilt and sins they have done in their life
Bugze, selena and sombra as they are being broken down by the nightmares start to laugh, which confuses midnight untill they all start attacking but this time they lost their mind and they mindlessly start attacking the nightmares untill they disappear not caring of the screams of anger and pain the nightmares releases
Triple boss battle time YEAH
Whats the best way to break out of a nightmare?
LobotomiesTo be so thoroughly uncaring for the fear, that the nightmare just feels average. We have taken each and every one of their asses, and shoved them so hard up it, that the only way to truly fear this is in a bad dream.
tldr Pump yourself up
“Get the HELL AWAY FROM MY DAD!”
These words, while satisfying to Selena sends a mental image to the Selena, Bugze, and Sombra. The mental image of Nightshade. This mental image reminds them that if they want to see her again they're going to have to battle this out against all of their nightmares. Rallying together the three realize the difficulty in fighting their own Nightmares and trade opponents. The Nightmare hanging back and watching with some amusement as the nightmare versions of those who had wronged him are taking beatings, alongside the heroes of course. Maybe The Nightmare can prove itself to be a powerful enough entity or idea that it starts to take a persona of its own and attempt to steal control of Midnight's body to rampage in humie world as well.
Maybe we could see some Nightmare Cloak during this fight? That'd be neat.
10528565
Well... I've done it.
I've written the longest comment of my life.
It's not completely punctuated.
I'm pretty sure that it could flow better by moving a segment or two.
It probably won't even get picked because of how large and 'final' it is.
Maybe it'll get shafted because of character inconsistency.
but I already wrote it so... here you go.
____________________________________________________________________________
Sunset's cry, while inherently different, remind's bugze of why he put up with everything in the first place.
Every hit he took, every enemy, every life-ruining trauma was all for this.
He gathers his courage and tries to stand, but comes face to face with the monster he could be... and he gets up.
"Don't think they can help you, there's no way they're getting in." Midnight chides
"And even then what's she gonna do, she's just another failure like everything else in your life.
Bugze says in a low voice.
"She already did."
"What?"
Nightshade she asks sarcastically.
"Does she make you feel better about yourself? Remind you of daddy's little girl."
She goes ahead and shows an image of nightshade bloody and beaten on the ground. She shows nightshade shouting about how much she hates being in the bag and how she hates him. An image appears showing how she's running away with spike. These and hundreds of other images of nightshade turning against him.
She cackles maniacally and says in a playing voice.
"Oh what's that got nothing to say."
"She made me realize something..."
"You mean like how pathetic you are! Needing support from a powerless reject like her!"
"Yeah..."
She stops in disbelief.
"You were right. I'm a lousy good-for-nothing bug that only makes everything worse for everyone
"That's what you wanted to say? How p-"
"That's why."
"huh."
"That's why I move forward!"
A nightshade appears, but this one is nightshade from the first time you see her.
"Hi Daddy."
"What?
Midnight says as she makes the image disappear
Another image appears from when you came back to ponyville because of the Doctor's letter
"Daddy... are we in delicious heaven?"
"Stop it!"
She yells as another nightshade disappears.
Another one when they were going through her lessons.
“Twilight said that any unicorn in Ponyville that doesn’t know how to fire offensive magic is just asking for trouble.”
"What is going on?!"
One of the images shatters and is replaced with a good version.
"Yeah Get Some!"
And again.
"Thanks, Daddy!"
and again.
"FALCON KICK!"
________________________________________________________
With sombra
An army of dead-eyed Amore's start dragging him down like that scene in toy story 2
When he gets dragged under, he seemingly wakes up only to find himself in a cage.
"Did you enjoy your dream?"
He turns around to find a much younger bugze and Selena.
"I had it made especially for you."
"Wha- but- but midnight and the-"
The two of them start laughing.
"Did you really think that you would ever get out of here?"
"I mean come on! Us becoming friends and working together to save the world!"
"I even added a portal to the one show you liked! It was so obvious."
"Little Humie, Ugh. Scratch that one off the list."
"But we do have something else."
They sang in a singsong voice.
A terrified Sombra was forcefully turned around and what he saw made him pale in horror.
"No, not that! Anything but that!"
"Hello Mark, how is your sex life?"
The room blared in all of its horrifying glory.
"Please I'll do anything! You need my help, right? I'll do anything! Anything but this!"
Selena puts her hoof to her muzzle.
"You know there is one thing."
"What?"
She smiles cruelly and fires up her horn.
From all around them comes Hope's dying voice begging for mercy as the movie continued.
Sombra screams as Bugze and Selena laugh at his misery.
"There is nothing you can do to change our minds."
Bugze says coldly.
Suddenly, Sombra starts laughing maniacally and the torture stops around him.
He tries to say something but he can't stop.
"Sorry. just. reminded. me. of. something. you. would. know. right!
"Well at least he's laughing, right daddy?"
Sombra stops laughing as he turns to look at nightshade.
And he sees another Sombra, Selena, and Bugze standing next to her.
"You mean this?"
The evil Selena says.
"You know Bugze, somedays I wish I could change YOUR mouth just to keep you from saying stupid stuff like this," Selena grumbles while still facehooving.
"Of course I remember."
She said as the image continued.
"You will never have a happy ending, and you both know it. You've seen how ponies are, skittish and violent over the drop of a hat. They'll never accept the emotion stealing monster with the boogeymare inside his head, and you all know it!" Fake Sombra bellows.
"Projecting much."
Nightshade turned towards Sombra.
"It was so hard to get the balance of kindness and stupidity to be juuuuust-"
Sombra saw something hit her in the head.
"What the?"
She turned around and saw nightshade staring her down."
"Your mean."
"How did you?"
Nightshade grabbed the junk jet and said.
"Buck off."
Before blasting evil bugze and selena into the ether.
"Is this another trick? Another fantasy."
Nightshade places the junk jet down and sits on it.
"That depends on you mister Sombra. These are your fears."
Sombra tries to concentrate and everything is gone except for nightshade and a lone door. His door. It opens and a bright light comes streaming out.
"How do I know it's real."
Nightshade shrugs.
"I don't know man, I thought fear magic was your specialty.
And like everything else, she's gone.
________________________________________________________________________
Selena dodges another blast as she runs into the woods Her body being worn down by several times the weight of her old armor.
She would fly but they were made of stone, slowly creeping towards the rest of her.
Every corner she turned and every shadow that passed was a different sin and failure, corralling her in a certain direction for an unknown reason.
Another rainbow blast sent one of her hind legs to a stony prison.
Hobbling a little she kept moving as the screams of the innocent assaulted her.
Running towards some brush, she heard them.
"Found you!"
There went the other leg, as she went through the brush and found herself falling on the other side.
She only had a moment to process this before pain assaulted her senses.
She found something to support her and tried to stan. Her eyes squeezed shut from the pain.
But her legs. How could she stand if she couldn't even feel where they were supposed to be. She did feel lighter though.
She heard wingbeats and clop of ponies landing.
"Finally luna, It is over."
"Careful, thy wretch may still have a trick."
Selena opened her eyes and saw the ruined castle of the two sisters. Celestia and luna stood across the room, with the freaking tree of harmony behind them.
She panicked and looked around frantically, seeing what she was leaning against.
A statue of nightmare moon in full armor.
"Please no sto-"
She tried to beg but the roots of the tree gagged her and held her in place as the sisters charged up the elements.
"Let this be the end..."
Luna said as the elements spun around them.
"Of nightmare moon."
The rainbow blast came rushing towards her.
She closed her eyes waiting for the impact.
three seconds.
five seconds.
ten seconds.
but it never came.
She cautiously opened her eyes.
"Why didn't it work!"
She saw celestia and luna seething with rage.
"Because, dumb-bucks!"
Selena felt the vines disappear as a wave of magic pulsed them off their hooves.
Nightshade, decked in full nightmare armor, landed in front of her.
"The elements only work on the corrupted."
Nightshade grabbed the elements with her magic and whirled them around her.
"So it's free real state"
She blasts the sisters and the tree of harmony so hard, that the 'wall' cracks, revealing a white void.
Selena, seeing all this shakes her head in disbelief.
"How?"
Nightshade gives Selena a hug.
"Because I love you."
Selena, overcome with tears, hugs back.
"I love you too."
And the void engulfs them.
__________________________________________________________________________
And soon all of the images of nightshade break and are replaced with new ones, but even then they keep growing. The images of the nightmares showing good scenes with those people and ponies.
"We may be living in a nightmare..."
"BUT OUR DREAM MOVES US FORWARD!"
You, working together with the deadly six to stop discord. And them actually giving you a chance
Fighting alongside the crimson knights with the pinkie clones.
Celestia being hopeful when you actually stopped nightmare moon from taking you over.
Stopping the changelings.
Teaming up with aqua
Seeing Grandbuggy alive.
Mangle.
Cadence.
The CMC.
Braeburn
(The real)Flash
The magic just kept on welling and started to affect the real world, saturating the area and causing people to notice from across the multiverse.
aka(the pillars, the outcasts ect.)
"What's happening?"
Midnight asks fearfully as she wipes wave after wave of images, but more keep showing.
"It's impossible!"
"Lady have you met me?!"
Midnight looks and sees the three of them standing together.
"It is kind of par for the course."
Selena says while gesturing with her hoof.
Sombra snorts.
"Even I have to agree with that!"
"Face it Twilight it's over."
Twilight starts losing it again.
"No, NO! I can't lose!"
She starts gathering all of the magic she possibly can.
MIDNIGHT FRENZY!
From the ball of condensed energy comes spewing out nightmares in a constant writing tide of agony.
The three of them just keep tearing them apart with special moves not only with each other, but with all of the good memories of their friends from before.
Until finally,
MIDNIGHT BEAM
The trio gather up their strength and the strength of all of their new human friends as well.
NIGHT TERROR BUSTING PUNCH!!!
I feel as if I did something like this before, if so, tell me and I edit the post
------------
After a long hard battle, Bugze feel without air and tired while looking at the monster in front of him, and how it seemed to get stronger the more he fighted against it, is then that the big monster began to shiver and transform, as the voice of Midnight began to resound around his head.
"While you fear losing control that is not all, I'm right Bugze?" Say the voice of Midnight
"What are you talking about?" Ask Bugze
"You fear many things, losing control is only a part, I can see your mind like a open book, maybe you remember your time in the Crystal Empire?" Say Midnight
A black cloud envolve Bugze and wake up to find himself in a familiar scene, as he recognized it, the scene of himself in a mountain of skulls with the nightmare tails repeating itself only this time he is not watching it trough a mirror as the scene was around him, he could feel a big killing intent that seemed to make it hard to breath dropping from the 'other' Bugze, he could smell the corpses and the smell of the chained ponies that had not a shower and were tortured in a long time, some droplets of blood coming from Nightshade after being hurt.
"No... This is not real! This is one of your illusions! Not even that, you are just imitating Sombra" Shout Bugze only to find that the 'illusion' of himself was looking at him.
"Who dare to appear in my throne?" Ask the 'other' Bugze approaching him
"You don't only fear losing control, you fear what could happen if you lose the control, if you let the darkness inside you consume you, you delude yourself thinking about good and bad, everyone is evil, only some are better to hide that others, this is not even your world, why do you even want to help anyone?" Ask Midnight
Bugze ignore Midnight and continue the fight, 'Other Bugze' is very strong but even so, he is not above using cheap tricks like throwing the prisoners at him or taunting him with some skulls that have names of some people that he know while telling him the story of how he killed them, throwing shadow balls that Bugze learned to evade as they hurt as if a lighting bolt hit him and making Bugze more and more angry, after getting Bugzee angry, and being hurt during the fight, the 'other' Bugze change strategy as his tails transform into snakes and bite some of the prisoners absorbing their energy and using them to heal himself while others go against Bugze who defend itself and evade them, only to make appear a flying sword that cut the shadow snakes making them retreat into the 'other' Bugze“, is then when Bugze manage to see a opening that channel all his energies to the sword and try to nail it trough his 'other' self only for the Nightshade to jump in the middle and be nailed by it instead protecting the other Bugze.
"No! Nightshade!" Shout Bugze noticing to late to stop himself what he did to Nightshade and trying to help her as blood come out of her mouth and wound.
"Nightshade! Why?" Asked Bugze as he approach her holding her head
"I... I'll not let you *cough* kill daddy" Say Nightshade
"And that is your greatest fear, isn't it, Bugze? Losing your filly from your own hoof, losing control and kill her" Say Midnight as Bugze roar to the sky while a rain of blood began to drop from the sky.
Bugze took the sword and put himself against the 'other' Bugze to fight who at that rate only defended himself laughing at Bugze, but every time his sword cut him or killed him, another appeared in his place, but Bugze continued to fight and kill it in anger, only for the voice of Selena to appear in his head as everything turned gray and time seemed to stop
"Bugze, I don't have much time *Static sound* if you can hear me *static sound* don't fight *static sound* leave... *static sound* not real *Static sound*" The static sound muted some of what Selena was saying only to be stopped and the voice of Midnight Sparkle sound in his ears.
"Damn it... I was hacked, well, let's continue with the show" Say Midnight as everything continued, but Bugzee could feel some clarity in his head and looked around, and instead of fighting the 'other' Bugzee he simply turned his back and began to walk.
"A coward to the end, I guess that the tool was at last useful" Taunted 'other' Bugze while talking about Nightshade making Bugze angry for a moment and stop before he continued walking away.
"No! No! What are you doing?" Asked the voice of Midnight Sparkle and Bugze could find that she was worried for something making Bugze smirk as his guess was correct.
"I'm not going to fight" Say Bugze
"What?" Ask Midnight Sparkle
"Is like Selena said, it's not real... If the voice in my mind that have the knowledge about the Princess of Dreams and her memories inside is not right, then who could be? This is a dream, or a nightmare, you want me to get tired fighting it, or maybe even imprison me fighting forever" Commented Bugze in a sudden moment that his brain seemed to be working.
"Tch" The sound of disdain from Midnight could be heard.
"So, I'm right, you wanted me away and distracted, maybe even tired so I could not help Twilight" Shouted Bugze pointing to the sky
"I am Twilight! I am the best part, and I will not give up the reins, not now, not ever!" The voice of Midnight Sparkle shouting resound around Bugze as the scene around him began to disappear
10529450
Good freaking job.
10530193
thanks
Due to (Reason here) the Monkeys begin to attack people, having shed their clone disguises due to (Same reason) so most of the main human cast have to go deal with that.
10530867
If you need a reason, maybe because Midnight is busy in her mind to control the monkeys or maybe because a monkey general slip a banana and get knocked out or the magic around make them crazy
10531267
Maybe. Or the pinkie pie clone did something. It is technically a being made from magic. So that might make the monkeys go crazy.
10531308
Oh god their going to try and eat that poor Pinkie clone aren’t they! I mean she’s practically a full course magical buffet for them!
10531533
frick. Well too late now. 1 dead pinkie and a possibly mentally broken Twilight coming up.
10531533
I'm just picturing a photoshopped human pinkie pie face on one of those popular person being eating by zombies pics but the zombies have monkey faces photoshopped onto it.
10531537
10531308
10531537
10531547
If somehow the pinkie gets canabalized by monkeys for some reason happens the human versions of these 3 do what they do in the video.
"Light only burns bright so long, but Darkness is forever."
"In darkness, there is only one truth... Death."
Well, if we're having a nightmare battle might as well have the theme of nightmares.
Great chapter brown dog! ON WITH THE SHOW!
10530174
10528565
You groan as the nightmarish apparitions of friends and foes alike beat you down.
“Monster!” A shadowy Mia cries out swinging at you with a large blade.
“Murderer!” Shadow Shining Armor yells firing magical blasts.
“Traitor!” A pissed off Shadow Chrysalis roars.
“Lier!” A raging Shadow Twilight Sparkle shouts.
“Weakling!” Your alternate self mocks slamming you with a shadowy tail. You cry out in pain as you crash against the ground.
“Oh for bucks sake, what is it with my past trying to always kill me?!” You cough as you try to stand up. You legs buckle beneath you from the pain. “Get up you stupid bug! Get up and fight!” You groan, you turn to see the endless hordes of nightmares coming towards you with Midnight hovering above. Her eyes twitching with rage. “Ugh, I may have bitten off more than I can chew.”
“Has that ever stopped you before?” A familiar voice calls out. Your eyes widen as you see a cloaked figure walk towards you. But unlike the other nightmarish beings, this one seemed...welcoming? The figure removed their hood to reveal...
“Shadow?!” You cry out in surprise. Your double chuckled as he stood next to you. His glowing yellow eyes staring down at you.
“Technically no, I’m your shadow. The one you knew was a reflection of your alternate world’s self.” The figure said as he helped you to your feet.
“So you’re real?” You ask in a skeptical tone.
“That or your mental psyche conjured me up to help cope with literally facing a dark reflection of your past,” Shadow replied. “I’m surprised it took this long for that to happen. What with all the crap we’ve had to deal with. But enough of that, you got work to do.”
*Midnight POV*
“Is he....talking to himself?” Midnight asked looking down at Bugze who was conversing with nothing. “Ugh nevermind its bugze of course he’s talking to himself.”
*Back with you*
You turn back and stare at Midnight’s horde as they roar and charge toward you. “How can I beat that? “
“You can’t fight fire with fire, and no I don’t mean actual fire, you pyromaniac,” Shadow said before you could comment. “That’s what created Midnight. She’s Twilight’s cold and unforgiving logic, but she contradicts herself by pursuing revenge. You have to focus on that.”
“And how would I do that?” You ask, Shadow face hoofs.
“Oh for the love of- she’s seen your history but she only focuses on the bad things, show her the good! Focus on the love you have for your family, the love you have for your friends, the hope you have to make a better future for yourself! Use that and extend it out to her!”
Shadow says pointing at your chest. “Do that and you can reach her!”
“But what about Selena? And Sombra?” You say worried about your friends.
“If you can figure this out then I’m sure as Tartarus that they’ve already done the same! Now go save that girl!” Shadow says before vanishing into you. You grin and turn towards the horde and midnight.
“Alrighty then, Twilight, Midnight I’m saving you! Both of you!” You shout charging toward the horde.
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One more thing to add before I forget.
The Nightmare laughs insanely before it pauses for a moment.
“What are you doing? Destroy him!” Midnight shouts.
“Yeah yeah in a sec humie.” The Nightmare replied, making midnight growl in annoyance. “I just realized, I’m finally an actual Nightmare! HAHA! How crazy is that?!” You pause and contemplate that as well.
“Huh, I mean you are a dark conjuration by Midnight’s magic in this dream world to torment me. Guess you really are a Nightmare now. “
“I know right?!” The Nightmare laughs. “Any way where was I? Oh right, smashing your face in!” Nightmare says before backhanding you with its claws.
"You're a wisefilly Twilight, I'll give you that." You say as you weakly get up with a grin.
Midnight smirks down at you with confidence in her eyes, no hint of doubt whatsoever.
"But you made one fatal mistake." You are now fully standing up straight, a little beaten but nowhere close to out yet. "I'm just a normal Changeling... well, as normal as someone like me could be." You say, thinking about your abilities and what you can't do what other changelings can. "My mind is frail, not going to lie to myself about that. This is the perfect way to take me out of the picture." You look down to your hooves with a sad smile, your thoughts traveling to the past. On many occasions, your mind was your downfall. The ones that stuck out the most, was your rage against Trixie, then your mind completely shutting down when you thought she was dead. The incident way back with Flag Burner, when your anger made you murder him. And of course, when the alternate you got his Nightshade taken away from him, he lost himself in insanity.
"However..." You look up at Midnight's smirk. "You're also facing Selena, formerly known as Princess Nightmare Moon, who could control the mind and dreamscape, able to conjure nightmares within anyone with her power. And King Sombra, a fearful Umbra who weilds Dark Magic and is able to force anyone to tap into their fears with a shake of his horn."
Midnight frowned at you.
"In other words. You might have me trapped here. But this?" You ready yourself. "This is their domain."
Tired.
As you are swarmed by the manifestation of every manner of injustice you’ve felt and dealt, you could only recognize that you are tired. Things like physical pain hardly even register. Not in this world. Not in this… Nightmare.
You’ve seen it all before. Over and over again. Every time you look in the mirror, you see the monster that once ravaged another universe to the point of cosmic collapse. Every time you reach deep into your inventory, you would brush against the beaten and worn form of a certain monochromatic stuffed teddy bear. And every time you move, you’d feel the agonizing itch of the hideously grotesque scar that forever remains etched in your chest, where with it came the phantasmal sensation of the countless injuries you’ve accrued throughout the many years.
So many enemies, so many fears, all suffocating you on all sides, like despair the deep, deep see. From Appaloosa, to the Grand Galloping Gala, to the Fillydelphia Massacre, and to the Nightmare Universe. Just like now.
In a twisted way, the familiar feeling is comforting. Because you know how it would always go down. That no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, things just don’t change. You don’t have to change. Run and fight and survive. Abandon your name, abandon everything—just like you’ve always done.
Hooded Offender.
Baker Sylvester Tenant.
El Hunko.
Crimson Vengeance.
...Bugze.
Each embodied a phase in your life, but in the end, they’re all you: personas marked by all the resentment and fear and anger toward all the unfairness in the world; and you could feel it, the latent power aching inside your chest. That power could be yours. All you have to do is let it break free. But...
“...hate against hate, huh?” You couldn’t help but chuckle self-deprecating. “Honestly… Just how many times are we going to go through this?”
You stare up at your nightmare self, one of the many shadows pinning you down and crushing your being. Forced to see the same lessons over and over again, but still you’re as weak to these fears as ever. And such familiar eyes… For a changeling, you aren’t too different from this face, now are you?
You’ve always wondered: Good or evil, at your best or your worst, which you is stronger? When you were against your other self, it was only just barely to a standstill. Never was there a decisive blow, and you’ve only won because your other self was already dying from the very start. As for your own victories, you yourself never truly prevailed. And so, somewhere down the line, you drew conclusions without really knowing. You’ve just equated strength to corruption, murder, evil.
Absolute power corrupts absolutely…
But maybe… Just maybe it doesn’t have to be.
You, Selena, and Sombra… Together trapped like sinners sharing the same cell. And together, you’ve all done a lot of good, haven’t you? You’re not alone this time. Not anymore. They’ve taken the steps to accept themselves. So it’s perhaps time to start accepting yourself.
After all... You've been afraid all your life. This much should be nothing.
I art thou.
Thou art I.
And this too… Shall pass.
Thus, your hoof pierces through the darkness.
The magic of the song beholds strange and mysterious powers. The Sirens can amplify and turn negative emotion into greens mists of mana, projecting their inner selves with simply their voice. The Rainbooms can turn harmony into an all-encompassing light that purifies all that it touches. Together, the magic in the air has become so potent and pure that the world seems to have more colors than it originally should.
But the Horde? B2, Principal Luna, and Humbra? Their music stoked the fire that lay pent up in each and every one of the people in the audience. All their frustrations and grievances of daily life, all the things that people hold back, they break away and let forth what once lay behind to the forefront.
One by one, the hypnosis began to break down. They snap out of it and see the mystical dragon floating up in the air. The gasp, whisper, and point at a holographic-looking screen, at the vaguely familiar, bug-horse who is clawing his way out of a mountain of shadows. And when they see the trio on stage, recognize who they are, energy boiled throughout the atmosphere in almost an instant.
Their voices couldn’t pierce through at first, deafened by the music, but as more broke through the spell they cheer, scream, and cry for the return of the once legendary band of those years ago, shouting words of love and hope toward their caricatures in the floating screen above. Toward you.
But unlike the Sirens and Rainbows, the Horde doesn’t absorb, amplify or purify emotions. No, this is something far more mundane, something that any inspiring band can do. Stripping away the inhibitions of society, they allowed their audience to be free, to be real, to be…!
“This is how to be, this how to be…
This is how to be… a human~!”
And as a changeling, those are the sweetest emotions you’ve ever had.
A blazing tower erupts from the center of the countless nightmares and blows them all away!
Midnight gasps and brings up her arms, braced against the immense pressure of the flames that sweeps across the mindscape in an instant! But it doesn’t burn. It doesn’t burn anything. Instead, they enveloped the books shelves, the floor, and the ceiling like an aurora borealis, warm yet unrelentingly alive.
As the bodies of the nightmares crash against the walls and shelves, Midnight peeks past her wrists…
Just in time to catch a giant fireball torrenting her way.
“Ooof!”
Your head smash against her stomach and feel her lungs cave. With the hit confirmed, you wrap your forehooves around her torso and crank up the flames to eleven, powering your back hooves as they thrust you both across the dream like a jet for what feels like miles!
Through the History, through Language, through the Religion, through the Sciences—every library section you could think of, you sear and barrel through them all, while Twilight just screams as she’s dragged along for the ride.
After you feel like you’re far away enough from your nightmares, you punt Midnight to a nearby wall. This time, she is ready. A quick flap of her wings, and she rights herself without missing a beat, disobeying the laws of inertia as she instantly stopped to still. Scowling, she snapped her fingers, then Twilight’s imprisoned teleported behind, right where she belongs...and as well as your nightmares when they bleed out of the bookshelves.
The roar of your Nightmare self came first, and the raging monster charged with the intent to skewer you with his tusks. But you do not move, not even when he is ten, five, three feet away…
...Until, the rev of a chainsaw slashes through and parries the tusks aside.
Pink fur, straight hair, and scarred body; Pinkemena Diane Pie snarls as she locks the Nightmare to a grinding halt, reenacting the battle that occurred one parallel universe ago.
You need not turn around when two portals broke the fabric of the dream. Sombra and Selena have rejoined you in battle, and with them… An army.
Aqua, Greta, Braeburn, Flash Sentry, the Doctor, and the reformed Crimson Knights. All of the people you’ve met who’ve brought you to this point, the one’s you’ve been able to do right after all your blood, sweat, and tears… You’re allies: they’re all here.
The bad you’ve done versus the good you’ve done. Now let’s see which is heavier.
One last thing that came to mind lol
“Celestia!” A voice shouted over the crowd. Principal Celestia and the others turned to see an angry and confused Principal Cinch march through the crowd, followed by a group of scared Shadowbolts (you know the ones (also I can’t remember their names)), confused unaffected Canterlot high students (Trixie and her bandmates, Wallflower) and confused staff members. “What in the name of all that is scholarly is going on here?!”
“Miss Cinch, please I know you are confused but I need you to stay back and-” Celestia began before being cut off.
“No Celestia, I’m done with your little games. First, you want to change the Friendship Games into some kind of punk rock concert, then I discover my former janitor Mr. Bugze is suddenly working with you and his so-called ‘daughters’ which I might add never appeared on his background record nor have they ever enrolled in Canterlot high until recently.” Cinch ranted as she marched up toward her fellow Principal, some of the nearby students and visitors look over too see what the commotion is. B2 and Sunset look to each other in worry as Cinch makes a scene despite a literal vortex of magic appearing overhead. “Then I find out you’ve roped my vice principal into your schemes and discover that Mr. Bugze is the former lead singer of that barbaric rock band ‘The Wanted’, a band that your younger sister participated in during her delinquent years and is now in a relationship with Mr. Bugze?! To top it all off your student body has been acting out of control since I’ve arrived here, and has started to affect my student body! Then one of my top students who has been missing for weeks is sent hurling out of your now BURNING school WITH WINGS chased by Mr. Bugze’s twin brother?! I DEMAND AN EXPLINATION FOR THIS AT ONCE AND THE IMMEDIATE EVACUATION OF THE STUDENTS FROM THIS INSANITY, AND DON’T YOU DARE TRY TO PULL ANY STUNTS, THIS IS ALL BEING TELEVISED IF YOU HAVEN’T FORGOTTEN!” Cinch shouted pointing to the various camera crews filming everything along with the numerous people taking photos and videos with their phones. “SO EXPLAIN YOURSELF THIS INSTANT OR I WILL HAVE YOU FIRED AND ARRESTED FOR ENDANGERING THE STUDENTS AND FACULTY HERE!” Cinch roars as her cold calculated demeanor is stripped away from the insanity of the situation. Before anyone could say a word Humbra groans and steps in between the two principals.
“Alright ma’am, I understand that you are stressed out by this situation, but do you really think that throwing a tantrum will solve anything,” Humbra said trying to defuse the situation, “We’re doing everything we can to get things under control, so perhaps you can help us by getting the students to a safe distance and call the fire department?” Humbra said giving Cinch a hopeful look. But before either of them could react a nearby ‘student’ convulses before transforming into a crazed flying monkey with glowing eyes as it overloads with magic. The screaming animal then fires off a magic beam from its mouth, blasting off Humbra’s ‘hair’ returning his bald scalp.
“GAH DAMNIT!!” Humbra shouts as he holds his head in pain. “GOD I JUST GOT MY BEAUTIFUL HAIR BACK!” He cries as he raises his hand to his head pulling back to find a few strands of hair left with glue. “Wait glue?! SO IT WASN’T EVEN REAL TO BEGIN WITH?! WHYYY?!!” Humbra cries as he runs back to the stage. Principal Celestia facepalms herself before she turns around and walks back to the stage.
“I should’ve allowed alcohol to be served, I can not deal with this sober right now.” Celestia groans as various flying monkeys drop their disguises and cause havoc firing off excess magic from their mouths.
“Celestia! CELESTIA GET BACK HERE! WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE?!” Cinch shouts as she ducks from a stray magic beam. Celestia comes back with a baseball bat and a twitching eyes. She gives off a menacing aura as her hair almost appears like fire.
“Cinch do me a favor and shut up. Get the students to a safe distance.” Celestia says walking past the baffled principal.
“Sister, are you alright?” Luna asked worriedly.
“Oh I will be Luna, I just got to work out some stress,” Celestia says giving her sister a loving smile. She then turns to the nearest monkey and slams it with her bat. “GET AWAY FROM MY STUDENTS YOU DAMN DIRTY FLYING APES!”
This flashed my head while watching the third movie of Sharknado
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P.O.W Lyra Heartstring and Bon Bon
As Sunset Shimmer and the others try to do what they can against the monkeys attack, Lyra and Bon Bon look at each other.
"I told you it was going to happen, after Sunset Shimmer you assured me that everything was under control and no more magic chaos was going to happen, that the stories of a crazy megalomaniac with magic were not true and the strange time loops was my imagination and that we should do nothing, well then, tell me, my dear girlfriend Bon Bon also known as secret agent Sweetie Drops... Is this also something I should not worry?" Asked Lyra as she took a harp from her school bag and used it to hit the monkeys and make a way to walk around.
"I... Maybe it's time to inform my superiors, but don't worry, surely there will be nothing to worry, after all, while Princess Twilight is not here, they have a interdimensional bug-pony and some sirens from the same dimension helping them" Say Bon-Bon only to put her hands in the mouth.
"And when did you plan to tell me anything like that?" Ask Lyra
"Well... You know how it is in Torchwood, The Doctor want to keep all the magical and alien things hidden in the warehouse 13 at area 15" Say Bon Bon
"You know that means you are sleeping in the couch for the next month, right?" Ask Lyra just as they watch a group of monkeys with feathers in the head doing a strange dance, only for a tornado to form in the middle and suck them
"Great... It was not enough with the crazy magical girl, now we have a Monkeynado" Groan Bon Bon as they watch the flying monkeys that seem to be in control of the tornado
As Lyra and Bon Bon run away from the tornado, Lyra look at Bon Bon.
"Make that Two Months" Groaned Lyra
Idea that just popped up in my head
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MEANWHILE IN EQUESTRIA
While Celestia struggles against her plant restraints she’s suddenly overcome with a wave of relief as she feels part of her pent up frustration fade.
“Why do I suddenly have the urge to attack monkeys?” She thinks to herself. “Ugh all of this insanity is getting to me. Perhaps I should take a few days off when this is over.”
“Find Nightmare Moon and bring her too me! Leave no stone unturned! Tear down this whole stadium if you have too!” Flag burner ordered.
“Make that a few weeks.” Celestia deadpanned.
I keep having ideas and I don't like it.
If The Pinkie pie clone somehow survives the monkey's attempts to punch Midnight/Hulight in the face because of what Twilight did to her sisters. Repressed rage maybe,
I had another idea but I'm not gonna say it. It was stupid.
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I say this as a compliment to the story, but no idea is too stupid for this story, so comment away