EoH Evolution: Season 3

by Bahamut0

Episode 9: Rejection and Acceptance

Queen Chrysalis was not happy. Her hive was practically deserted due to most of the changelings defecting. And it was all because her entire plan had fallen apart because of two people. Twilight Sparkle and Burst Stream. "That day was supposed to be PERFECT!" Chrysalis screamed! Her angry cry practically echoing through the hive! "First Twilight Sparkle exposed me. Then Burst Stream humiliated me by pushing me to the edge of defeat! And to top it all of, I was not nearly powerful enough to handle that blasted Celestia!"

"Yet even if I did face them again, I would make little progress." Chrysalis growled. "The Elements of Harmony are still in play. Even if I had managed to continue my attack, they would have been unleashed! And that pest Twilight Sparkle is one of their bearers!" Chrysalis then paused for a moment and noted a tidbit of information that seemed insignificant at what was supposed to be the changeling queen's crowning victory. Applejack, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash had been quite attached to three certain little girls. A wicked smile spread across Chrysalis's face. "Unless of course, I persuade them to forfeit the elements."

A drone then buzzed up to Chrysalis, and informed her of Nightmare Moon's return. "It couldn't hurt to have some extra help." Chrysalis thought with a smirk. "What better way to win over a fallen princess than with an offer to rise once more?" Chrysalis sent out her drones to abduct the Talent Crest Crusaders.

Spike was with the three young girls when a small squad of changelings appeared! Spike tried to fight, but he was easily overpowered. The squad of changelings left a ransom note on the ground before initiating a group teleport! "Sweetie Belle. . . " Spike gripped the note tightly, and ran back to the Golden Oaks library! Frantically waving the ransom note in Twilight's face!

Twilight's eyes narrowed, and she called for the Main 6 to assemble. "To the Elements of Harmony." Twilight read. "I have the three girls who hold large places in your hearts. Unless you want there to be absences where they once stood, surrender the elements of harmony! I await to hear your decision at the Castle of the Two Sisters."

"That no-good, hole-filled, witch!" Rainbow Dash screamed! "If she thinks for a second that we're just going to rollover and fork over the Elements of Harmony, she's wrong! DEAD wrong! It was low when she nearly wrecked Princess Cadence's wedding, but she just made this personal by taking Scoots!"

Applejack clenched her fists. "I swear if that sorry excuse for a queen's laid a hand on Apple Bloom. . . "

"It's disgusting she even CONSIDERS herself royalty!" Rarity fumed! "Abducting Applejack's and my litte sister, and Rainbow Dash's surrogate sister! THE VILLAIN DESERVES DEATH!" Everyone was a little shocked at Rarity's outburst. But considering her sister had just been abducted, it was well within reason.

"There's more." Twilight said as everyone had calmed down a bit. "I also extend an invitation to Nightmare Moon. There are certain matters I'd like to discuss with her. Royally yours, Queen Chrysalis." Twilight sighed. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Twilight, you're not seriously going to tell her about this, are you?!" Rainbow Dash protested! "She's still reforming! There's a good chance she'll turn on us because of whatever Chrysalis wants to talk to her about!"

Twilight frowned at Rainbow Dash. "Rainbow Dash. You KNOW Nightmare Moon doesn't have any vengeful intent. She even told us that when she made herself known! And Applejack! Did you pick up on any hint of lies when she told us that?"

"Nope." Applejack said with a shake of her head. "I couldn't find even the tiniest trace. Seemed like she really wanted to change."

"Then we'd better see how much she holds herself to making that change." Twilight said with a nod. She rushed over to Burst's house, and knocked on the door. "Burst! I need to speak to Nightmare Moon! It's urgent!"

A few seconds later, Nightmare Moon and Burst had opened up. Nightmare Moon stepped outside clad in all her armor. Holding her helmet at her hip. "You called for me, yes? I even fully equipped my armor."

"Yes. It's an emergency!" Twilight said. "Queen Chrysalis, ruler of the remaining changelings, has kidnapped some young girls who are closely tied with some of my friends. They're being held in the Castle of the Two Sisters. The price of their return is the Elements of Harmony, and an audience with you." Twilight sighed. "I know nobody's exactly given you a chance, but they're starting to come around after you dealing with Trixie! Please! Help us! If you help us rescue Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo, everyone will think better of you!"

Nightmare Moon's face held a stoic expression as she listened to Twilight's plea. "I will go. But I have one condition." Twilight's eyes brightened up and immediately went dim again. "I will rescue those girls. And I will face Chrysalis. But I will do it alone. Don't even think of turning over your best defense so quickly."

"But. . . why are you going alone?!" Twilight protested! "My friends and I have faced her before! We know her tricks! We've taken on her minions and we've won! Do you really think that we won't be able to give you any help?!"

Nightmare Moon sighed. "You bested me upon my return Twilight Sparkle. I know full well that you and your friends are quite capable. Together, you are unstoppable. I would say this is a meeting between royals, but I haven't earned the right to call myself as such. No. This is something I need to do for myself. Will I triumph over my past? Or will I fall once more?"

Nightmare Moon just looked ahead as she slid on her helmet. "Upon my return, we'll both have the answer to those questions." Nightmare Moon spread her wings, and flew towards the old castle! I'll give the changeling queen this. She certainly has a sense for staging.

Meanwhile, inside the castle, Chrysalis sat on the ruined throne with a smirk. She then turned her attention to the Talent Crest Crusaders struggling in their gooey bindings. "You're not gonna get away with this!" Scootaloo cried out! "The Elements of Harmony, or the Elements of Heroism, either one of them are going to come and kick your buggy butt!"

"How adorable." Chrysalis said in a sickly sweet tone. "You think that your heroes will come storming into the castle. That they'll swoop in at the last minute to save you and never yield to my demands. Let me make your situation very clear." Chrysalis walked over to the TCC, and slightly knelt down to their level. Sneering at them. "They will agree to my ransom terms. Or they will hold onto their precious elements because they think you're not worth giving them up for. Either way, NO ONE will come to save you."

"What a load a hooey!" Apple Bloom spat! "Even if they didn't come for us, we'd understand! It's better than letting you get your filthy hands on our home!"

Chrysalis was about to slap Apple Bloom across the face when she heard a voice! "Well, you're half right. Neither of the teams of elements will be coming here." The sounds of armor clinking and the cries of changeling drones being thrown about or blasted could be heard from the nearby corridor! "Because they don't need to come. . . " Nightmare Moon fully emerged from the corridor. "Not when I am here."

"Ah. Nightmare Moon." Chrysalis said with a smirk. "Perhaps the absence of both teams of elements is for the best. Now you're free to make you own choice about my proposition. I think you'll find it will grant both of us what we want."

Nightmare Moon's face remained stoic as she stared at Chrysalis. "And just what does this proposition entail that can get me what I want?"

"It's quite simple. Join me." Chrysalis said with a devious smile. "I too have known utter defeat at the hands of Celestia. I was humiliated. Most of my people deserted me. Victory wrested from me at the very end! You were beaten twice by the Elements of Harmony. The two of us on our own have failed. But together? Imagine what we could accomplish!"

Chrysalis got up from the ruined throne, and took a few steps towards Nightmare Moon. "I disguised myself as the Princess of Love during the Castalot Wedding. None were the wiser to my scheme. That is, until Twilight Sparkle and Burst Stream unmasked me. And you were able to bring seal Celestia in her own sun! One royal to another, I think we could do something great."

"So what do you say?" Chrysalis said with a smirk as she extended her hand. "Shall we unite our powers and claim what should rightfully be ours?"

Nightmare Moon was silent for a moment. She then slowly smirked. "You have a good offer. But there's just one problem. I'm not Nightmare Moon."

"Excuse me?!" Chrysalis asked. "I find that hard to believe. Your description matched the one told in your legend. How can you not be her?!"

"Oh, I am her." Nightmare Moon said with a chuckle. "Just not the one you were expecting to snag with your offer. You should realize that you're doomed to fail with such a worthless motive like vengeance. Twice I've tried that and all it got me was tanking a rainbow to the face. Let me give you some advice: Just drop your revenge plot. It's only going to dig you into a deeper hole." Nightmare Moon removed her helmet, and tossed it away!

Chrysalis scoffed. "Haven't you ever heard of the phrase 'third time's the charm'? Don't you want to get back at those who have beaten you?! Did your defeats have no effect on you?!"

"My defeats have affected me Chrysalis." Nightmare Moon said with a sad smile. "Because I learned to do the one thing you might never learn to do. Admit that I was wrong. For a queen whose race contains the word change in it, you refuse to change yourself."

Nightmare Moon noticed the growing scowl on Chrysalis's face. "But even if I were still vengeful, I would never side with the likes of you. I don't like how you operate." As she spoke, Nightmare Moon's gaze slowly turned into a glare. "You've abducted children. Hide behind hostages to get the outcome you desire. Relied upon deception and toying with hearts to work situations to your favor. The tactics of liars and cowards. Methods that I despise. But that aside, I would never join you because you are not a leader."

"You DARE to insult me like that?!" Chrysalis hissed. "The crown I wear is my own! It signifies my right! And I shall take Celestia's! Then the world shall be rightfully mine!"

Nightmare Moon maintained her glare, and smirked at Chrysalis. "You can try, but you will fail. Because NO ONE will follow you. Celestia's subjects follow her because they want to. They love her. And they will fight for her. She's more of a queen than you could ever hope to be. But you seem to forget something. Before the likes of Celestia, Luna, or me? You. Are. Nothing. Ultimately, what is a queen to a goddess?"

"You. . . " Chrysalis hissed! "I WILL NO LONGER STAND FOR THIS!" Chrysalis flew at Nightmare Moon! "YOU DARE TO INSULT ME?! DIE BI-"

Nightmare Moon slapped Chrysalis to the right side of the room! "Mind your language. There are children present." She then summoned her broadsword! "I won't kill you Chrysalis. But I WILL humble you. Just as Celestia did." Nightmare Moon slid out of the way as Chrysalis charged at her with a scimitar construct made of magic! "How careless." Nightmare Moon slashed Chrysalis across the back! The changeling queen hissing in pain as she staggered away! "Not so tough when you're on your own, are you?"

Chrysalis just hissed and fired a beam of magic at Nightmare Moon! Nightmare just smirked, and plunged her blade into the ground! Making a shield of stardust appear around her to block Chrysalis's beam! She then countered with a lightning bolt she summoned with her magic! The strike paralyzing Chrysalis! Nightmare Moon flew up to Chrysalis, and threw her into the air!

Nightmare Moon then readied her blade. "Nightmare Rush." In a flash of black feathers, Nightmare Moon disappeared and reappeared! Slashing at Chrysalis each time she popped in and out! her attacks were simultaneously violent and graceful! It was almost like she was dancing in the air with her broadsword! Nightmare Moon ended her attack by smacking Chrysalis to the ground! Nightmare Moon finished her assault by firing a massive beam of magic at the grounded Chrysalis! When the blast was done, Chrysalis's body was smoking in a crater! All the beaten changeling drones filed into the room, and gasped when they saw the state of their queen. "Leave. And never return."

The drones were so scared at the thought of what would happen should they stay, so they picked up Chrysalis and warped back to their hive with an emergency teleport! "Hopefully we'll be rid of that parasite soon." Nightmare Moon then turned her attention to the CTT. A small smile crept across Nightmare Moon's face as she noted their awed faces. "If you get into anymore trouble, I just might have to babysit you."

After freeing the girls, Nightmare Moon flew back to Unityville with them in tow. Upon landing, the TCC rushed to their respective sister/sister figure. Twilight stepped forward. "It looks like you passed your test Nightmare Moon. You know, I don't think we can thank you enough for what you've done."

"You don't owe me anything." Nightmare Moon said. "Not your friendship, and not your acceptance. Like I said, this was something I had to do for myself. And now I can accept myself." And with that, Nightmare Moon left and returned to Burst Stream's house. Telling him about her recent adventure.

"That's awesome!" Burst Stream exclaimed. "You know? I bet this will get people changing their minds about you. I bet it was pretty hard to say no to Chrysalis."

Nightmare Moon chuckled. "Actually, it was pretty easy. I don't like the way she operates. But. . . there was something else." The warm feeling Nightmare Moon had felt before had returned. "You believed in me when no one else did. That went a long way. Especially today."

"Gee. . . I didn't know I'd have that much of an effect on you." Burst said with a bashful smile. He then saw a text message icon on his phone, and decided to read the new message. "Hey, Nightmare Moon? We gotta get to Sugar Cube Corner. It's pretty important."

Nightmare Moon was puzzled as she walked alongside Burst. They had arrived at Sugar Cube Corner, but all the lights were out! Burst motioned for her to open the door. When she did, the lights were switched on and she was met with a volley of confetti! "SURPRISE!" The Main 6 and the other Elements of Heroism cheered! The banner hanging read: WELCOME TO UNITYVILLE/THANKS FOR SAVING TOWN & THE TALENT CREST CRUSADERS!

"I. . . I don't understand." Nightmare Moon said as she tried to take everything in. "Why are you doing all this? And why for me?"

Pinkie just waved off Nightmare Moon's questions. "C'mon! You said it yourself! You've never had a party before! Sooo, I decided to throw you a 3-in-1 party for all the cool things you've done!"

"You said that we don't owe you anything." Twilight said with a small smile. "But that doesn't mean you don't deserve our acceptance and friendship. Especially since you've worked so hard to be better than who you are. Could we all see your phone please?" Nightmare Moon handed Twilight her phone. Twilight added her number to Nightmare Moon's contacts, and then handed it to the other party guests. Each of them adding their number to Nightmare's contacts list as well. "We're proud to call ourselves your friends. And you ours. We're only one call away if you need us."

Nightmare Moon could feel that warm feeling in her heart streaming through her entire being! Never before had she felt this warmth before! She was snapped out of her new state of being when Rarity handed her a couple boxes and some bags. "It's the new outfits I was making for you darling. I do hope you'll like them. The first one I put together with you in mind. I've also prepared a few undergarments for your wardrobe."

"Thank you." Nightmare Moon said with a nod. "Would you excuse me? I think I'd like to try that outfit on." Nightmare Moon headed to the restroom, and stripped herself of her armor. She quickly opened the first box, and put on some of the undergarments. Once fully dressed, she exited the restroom and set the other bags aside. All the party guests were in awe of her new look.

Nightmare Moon's new outfit consisted of black high-heel boots, blue jeans, an azure top, and a black leather jacket with her talent crest emblazoned on the back. "Well, how do I look?"

"Like a hot badass!" Rainbow Dash remarked! "Rarity really got the dangerous part of your appearance down! Not to mention how sweet that jacket looks on you! Kinda like Burst's coat!"

Nightmare Moon then did something no one expected. She actually smiled. Not a cold, or malicious smile that she had given in the past. But a warm, genuine smile that seemed to radiate the happiness she was feeling. "Well Burst? What do you think?"

"It looks perfect on you." Burst said with a smile. "And it fits the situation. You've changed. You're not the same person you were before Nightmare Moon."

Nightmare Moon smiled warmly at hearing this. ". . . Moon." This made many of her new friends raise an eyebrow at this. "Please. Call me Moon."

Everyone smiled and raised a soda to Nightmare Moon! Burst did too, but stopped when he felt his phone buzz. He looked to see another message from Celestia. She had been checking up on him more and more frequently. It was starting to get a little crazy, so Burst decided to turn his phone off. He was fine the last couple of times. And he was feeling fine now.

That night, Burst decided to cook some steaks to celebrate Nightmare Moon's reformation. "Here's to your new life Moon. Dig in!" The two happily ate away at their meal.

"You know? I just realized something." Nightmare Moon said with a giggle. "Each time things looked dark, you were always there. And because of you, light was shed on my past as I reflected what I'd done. Even when that annoying woman intruded during my first night, you stayed by my side." She then smiled at Burst Stream. "It's pretty hard not to grow fond of you since you brighten up my life."

Burst blushed at hearing this as he polished off the rest of his food. "I, uh, think that I'll get ready for bed now." Burst got up to clean his and Nightmare Moon's plates, but was surprised when Moon wrapped her arms around him.

"I'll be off to bed as well." Nightmare Moon said with a smile. She then leaned into Burst's ear, and whispered to him. "Sweet dreams My Precious Light."

Burst gulped a little. ". . . Goodnight Moon."

Comments

[Bahamut0]

9066732
Next chapter's up!

[ArcticAce01]

9067534
This was really great chapter I enjoyed every moment of it

[MasterPhoenix93]

Great chapter.

Chrissy got BEATEN DOWN!!!

Moon is a bit more (if not significantly more) accepted now...and she's still flirting (somethings never change)

[oddmin]

and crissie thought she would beat nightmare moon please