• Published 8th Apr 2013
  • 24,204 Views, 182 Comments

The Night, which everything changed - Ecko7



Nightmare Moon beat Twilight and her friends, before they could use the Elements and Twilight must face something, that would Change her Life forever!

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Prologue: The unknown Secret (Edited)

Prologue: The unknown Secret

Nightmare Moon grit her teeth. ‘This can't be happening!’ The Elements were destroyed, yet here they were, shining in all their glory on the necks of the mares before her. Just as the final element appeared she decided on what to do. Attack!

"Oh no, you don't!!!" Bellowed the dark alicorn, before she launched herself into the group of mares, releasing several intense blasts of magical lightning. The six mares screamed in agony, before dropping to the floor paralyzed. Silence fell over the former throne room, before she chuckled.

"You really thought those artifacts would catch me off guard again? No! I will not let the Elements have a chance of defeating me again!"

Nightmare Moon lit her horn, her aura covering the Elements in turn as she lifted each of them off the six unconscious mares. But she took a longer look at the Element of Magic, her gaze then wandering down to the lavender unicorn.

"You must be quite powerful if my Element of Magic is willing to work through you. I could use a pony with such a talent, but no matter how much I'd like that, you and your friends are still a threat to my rule, should you ever get your hooves onto the Elements again."

Nightmare stepped closer to Twilight and raised her right hoof over Twilight's head. "You are a brave mare. May the ancestors guide you safely to the afterlife. Forgive me."

She raised her hoof higher, so she could break Twilight’s skull on her first attempt and make it quick for the young unicorn. Nightmare Moon believed that Twilight and her friends deserved a quick and more or less painless death. But suddenly her hoof stopped a couple of millimeters from Twilight's head. The jet-black alicorn raised an eyebrow. Why did she stop? Something was not right here.

"Huh, I could swear..." Nightmare stepped a bit back and lowered her head to Twilight.

"Something... isn't right with you. There is something familiar, but that is impossible!" She closed her eyes and cast a spell, which allowed her to see, which pony this young mare was related to, by the way of the pony’s magic. She dove in, looking for some answer why this young unicorn felt so familiar to her. Ah, there was something!

Suddenly, Nightmare's eyes shot open and she backed away, shocked, her eyes wide!

"No! This can't... how is... that is impossible!!!" Tears started to appear in the corners of Nightmare Moon's eyes, as she realized what had nearly happened. Then, she screamed on the top of her lungs;

"CELESTIA!!! HOW COULD YOU?!"




Twilight slowly opened her eyes. She was laying on the bed in her temporary home in the library. She could feel that something was wrapped around her midsection. Curious, she took a look and gasped. ‘Fresh bandages?’ Weakly, she tried to stand up and called for her friends.

"Spike? Fluttershy?" Nothing...

"Rarity? Pinkie?... Okay girls, this was funny, so please come out! Applejack! Rainbow!" Again, there was only silence. Twilight began to worry. Suddenly, loud knocking was heard from the library door. Surprised by this, Twilight cantered as fast as her injuries allowed, towards the door and opened it. She was hoping to see her friends, but all she saw was only Applejack’s little sister, Applebloom. The filly was crying.

"Miss Sparkle! Please! Ah need some help with mah big Sis! At the... Town Hall... please!" ‘Applejack is in Trouble?’

"What happened?" But as soon as Twilight asked this, her eyes widened. It was bright as the day, but at the same time it was still night. A new, light blue sun was up in the sky! "Forget my question, let's go!"

Twilight rushed through Ponyville, but she was forced to stop and lift Applebloom onto her back, the poor filly being unable to keep up with her. Some ponies, who were not terrified or confused about the whole new situation, stared at the lavender unicorn as she passed them, but Twilight ignored them. At the moment it was only important to help her friends.

After a short sprint, Twilight reached the Town Hall and gasped at what she saw. All of her friends were trapped inside a large cage out the front of the Town Hall. Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow and Spike, but Pinkie was not with them!

"Girls! Spike!"

Applejacks ears twitched as she heard the familiar voice!

"Twi? Is that you?"

Twilight galloped towards the cage. As she arrived, Applebloom jumped down from her back. But Twilight was confused by the looks her friends gave her.

"Are you alright girls?"

Rainbow blinked a bit. "Geez Twi, were you always that tall?"

"What are you talking about? I..."

Twilight took a look at her body, to make sure that all was normal, but she was shocked at what she saw instead. She was much taller. Her legs were longer, her muzzle too and her body was slicker. Her mane and tail were also slightly longer. Even her horn was a good couple of centimeters longer. All in all, she was looking a lot like the famous Fleur-de-Lis.

"What in Celestia’s... a side effect of the Elements perhaps?"

"Um... Twilight darling... I don't want to be rude, but... could you please release us?" Came the half whinny from Rarity.

"Oh, sorry Rarity. I’ll get you out of there, just hang on a second." Twilight stepped closer and her horns started to glow.

"Hey, where is Pinkie?"

Suddenly, Twilight was surrounded in a dark blue magical aura, before she vanished in a bright flash.

"TWILIGHT!!!" Came a shocked exclamation from her friends and Spike...


Twilight reappeared in a different place and fell onto a pile of pillows.

"Oof!"

"Ah, Twilight Sparkle! I was curious how long it would take you to visit me."

The voice came from right next to her. She knew the voice, though there was a lack of arrogance and malice, so it sounded almost friendly. Twilight stumbled to her hooves and turned to face Nightmare Moon, quickly glancing at her surroundings as she did so. It looked like the bakery of Ponyville, Sugar Cube Corner! She also saw another pony sitting behind a table. It was Pinkie, but her mane and tail were flat and her coat looking less colorful.

"Pinkie, are you alright?" Asked a worried Twilight.

"She has been in this state since I defeated you at the castle ruins. I was also not surprised, as she touched the cage bars and the security spell teleported her to me. Actually, it was only cast for you, Twilight." Nightmare Moon spoke. The earth pony didn't even answer. Twilight glared daggers at the Dark Alicorn.

"You let my friend go! Or I swear by Celestia, that..." Twilight was cut off by Nightmare stomping her hoof on the ground, printing a hole into the floor.

"Don't you ever... ever, dare speak of her!" Growled Nightmare, before taking a bite out of a cupcake. Her eyes widened. "Mmmm, delicious! Who made this?"

Slowly, Pinkie Pie raised her Hoof. "I... I made them yesterday..."

"They are really good! I would dare say that they are the best sweets I have ever eaten! And I have been alive for a long, long time."

"You... you really mean that?" Pinkie looked curiously at Nightmare Moon, who nodded and gave her an honest smile. Suddenly, Pinkie's mane and tail puffed up again and she let out a loud "Awesome!". Nightmare gave the now happy earth pony a confused look, before speaking to Twilight.

"Is she always like that?"

"I’m surprised it even concerns an usurper like you." Muttered Twilight.

"What was that? I am not the usurper here! I liberate this land!"

"From what, exactly?"

"From my sister Celestia of course!"

"Ha, thats a good one! Princess Celestia is not a tyrant and... Wait, what?! She is your sister?" Shocked, Twilight sat there with mouth agape while Nightmare Moon let out a chuckle.

"Of course! Don't tell me nopony knows that." The expressions of Pinkie and Twilight said otherwise.

"They didn't?! Do they not even know that I exist?" At this question, Pinkie suddenly pulled a book out of thin air and shoved it in the dark alicorn's face. Twilight tried to figure out where she got the book from, but gave up. Heavy things tended to fall on her when she thought about it too much.

"Oh! Oh! There is this old ponytale! Was it really you, who was so jealous of Celestia? And is the Nightmare Night myth true, that you eat foals?"

Nightmare Moon blinked, before she tore the book away from Pinkie and started reading.

"What? This is not true! I never was jealous! Who wrote down these lies? And who said I eat foals? I love foals!” Twilight and Pinkie saw something they had not expected. Tears appearing in the corners of Nightmare Moon's eyes.

“That... old... selfish... whore! Why... was it not enough for her to destroy my family?” Twilight and Pinkie gasped. Nightmare Moon... she had a family a thousand years ago? And Celestia had destroyed it?

“You... had a family... back then?” Asked Twilight carefully.

“Yes... a loving soon-to-be husband... and a foal...” she said, her voice unstable, shaking and sad. Then she grit her teeth, “Until my bitch of a sister had become jealous and foalnapped my daughter!” The two other mares gasped again.

“This... this can't be true! Princess Celestia would never do something like that!”

“Oh she had done it! I was hoping to never see her again before I banished her to the Everfree Forest, but I think it would be very enlightening for you...” It was obvious that Nightmare Moon hated Celestia for what she had supposedly done a thousand years ago. But just as Nightmare stood up and began walking towards the door, the door burst open and two dozen Royal Guards stormed into the room, surrounding the dark alicorn. Twilight gasped seeing her big brother, Shining Armor, standing in the doorway and pointing his spear at Nightmare Moon.

“Stop right there, Nightmare Moon! Give up now and release Princess Celestia and my sister!” Nightmare blinked, surprised by this, before she chuckled.
“My, my, such a brave young stallion, and so loyal!” Nightmare spread her wings and lowered her horn, which started to glow dangerously. Twilight's eyes began darting between the guards, Nightmare Moon and her brother, her mind creating all kinds of scenarios.

'Don't do something stupid! Don't do something stupid!' Twilight repeated in her head, as if hoping the mantra would stop the inevitable.

“Seize her!”

“Bad move!”

What happened was far too fast. Twilight and Pinkie had to shield their eyes, so forceful was Nightmare Moon's defense. As Twilight lowered her hoof, she gasped. Each one of the guards were laying unconscious at the walls and Nightmare Moon held Shining Armor in her magical grip.

“Brave, but too vigorous! You have so much to learn, young captain! You should serve me.”

“Only... over my... dead body! I’ll never serve... you!” At these words from her brother, Twilight rushed forward to snatch her brother out of Nightmare Moon's grip. The Alicorn was not at all surprised at all by this action, and merely watched Twilight as she stood protectively over her brother.

“Don't hurt him! I’ll do anything you want!”

“Twily, no!”

Nightmare Moon just continued standing there and said nothing. It was hard to say what she was thinking behind her blank mask of expression. Then she started laughing. Not the terrifying laughter from the Summer Sun Celebration. No, it was heartfelt laughter.

“Very well, since you ask so nicely, then I shall spare him, and the others of course. Actually, he and his guards will come too.”

The Alicorn then turned herself, Twilight and everypony else in the room into a purple mist and shot out of Sugar Cube Corner. Half a minute later, they all reappeared at the Town Hall. Her sudden appearance caused a stallion before her to turn around... And then a bright flash blinded her.

"Ahhhh! My eyes! Who dares to attack me?" Bellowed Nightmare Moon, her gaze wandering over all the ponies before her eyes locked onto the stallion cowering before her.

"Please don't hurt me! You startled me and I hit the camera button!”

“What in Faust's name is a ‘camera’? Who are you anyway stallion?” Before he could explain, she snatched this ‘camera’ away from him to take a closer look at this strange device.

“Well... it is a device that allows me to easily make a picture of something. I need it for my job. My... My name is Quick Story, I'm a reporter from the Canterlot Times, one of Equestria's most important newspapers. Well... I saw that the Royal Guard was moving out and I was thinking that it could be a good story.” Nightmare listened to him. Newspapers? Something like this was not allowed by Celestia a thousand years ago. Maybe she could use him to spread the truth. She give him his camera back.

“Very well, then you may be interested in a real story! I hope you will be taking notes.” She strode past him and began speaking to the crowd.

“Hear me my subjects! Tonight is a great night for Equestria! Tonight a new age of peace and harmony will start! Tonight is the night, where the truth will be revealed!” Nightmare Moon's horn glowed as she spoke and the cage holding Twilight's friends opened.

“Tonight, a thousand years ago, a tyrant banished me from the land and ponies I cared about. Banished me, from the family I loved! But tonight you all will hear the whole truth from the mouth of the tyrant herself!”

At these words, another cage appeared before the Town Hall. But inside this cage was...

“Princess Celestia!” Twilight rushed towards the cage and attempted to open it. Needless to say, she was not successful. Twilight looked towards Nightmare Moon, anger clearly written on her features.

“Let her go! Now!”

Nightmare Moon only shook her head. “I’m sorry, but I can't do that.” Nightmare said, trotting over to stand next to the cage.

“Hello sister!” She spat.

“Luna...”

“Don't call me that name again. You destroyed Luna, it’s only me now.” Celestia averted her gaze shamefully away from Nightmare Moon and Twilight.

“I'm sorry...”

“I don't believe your words, especially after all you have done. But tonight you will show everypony your true face. Now then, tell them what you did, how you destroyed my life! Tell them, now!”

Celestia looked at her sister with sorrowful eyes and at the crowd of ponies behind her. Then her eyes rested on Twilight, who stepped closer to the cage.

“Princess... Nightmare Moon says you foalnapped her daughter... please... tell me she is lying. You are not a monster like this... right?”

Silence.


“Princess?”

“Twilight... I'm sorry... but it is true!” At this, Twilight and everypony else gasped.

“Yes, it is true. I'm not a saint... A thousand years ago, I was not kind... I was... a tyrant.” Tears started to fall from Twilight’s eyes as she shook her head.

“No... no! That can't be true! Nightmare Moon must have put a spell on you! I can fix that!”

“Twilight Sparkle... she did nothing like that. It is true. I was selfish, unfair... even cruel. I even claimed things as mine, which belonged to ponies who needed them badly...” Celestia began telling them every one of the sins she had committed. About the abuse of her position and might. The white alicorn started sobbing as she continued. Meanwhile, Twilight slowly backed away from the cage, still shaking her head. Everypony else was also shocked by everything that Celestia was saying. Nightmare Moon observed the crowd of ponies. She could see their disbelief, their anger and their sadness.

Twilight was surrounded by her friends, who tried to comfort the crying unicorn. Nightmare Moon took a step towards Twilight, but the unicorn was looking at Celestia with tear stained eyes.

“Why did you take her foal?”

“Because... her daughter was an Alicorn... ” Celestia stood up, but held her gaze low.

“It was and it is still so rare that an alicorn has a foal that is an alicorn too. It is more common that the foal would be a pegasus, earth pony or just a unicorn. I was so angry that my last foal was a unicorn. When I heard my sister had given birth to an alicorn foal, I became so jealous and furious... and one thing lead to another...”

Nightmare Moon said nothing the entire time, but everypony could see that she was gritting her teeth at every little word. Then she took a silent look towards Quick Story. The reporter was taking his notes as fast as he could. The dark alicorn stepped up to the cage again.

“Tell them why you banished me and what happened to my foal.” Celestia hesitated at this. She was also crying. But then she continued.

“I used the Elements on my Sister, as she came to the castle to rescue her daughter. She defeated me in the first place and was already standing by the bed where her daughter was sleeping as I used the Elements... but after that... I realized that her daughter had been awake the whole time and had seen everything. That was the first time I realized what a monster I had become... That my sister’s daughter would see me only as a monster, who took the most important pony in her life away from her.....”

Celestia sniffled a bit before she spoke again.

“So I used a special spell on her, which hid her wings and made her sleep. I made her sleep for nine hundred and eighty three years before I was brave enough to ask a loyal couple of ponies to take her as their foal.....”

At that point, Nightmare Moon cut Celestia off.

“Have you ever told these ponies who this foal was? Or even the foal herself?”

“No...”

Nightmare Moon snorted, before walking away from the cage.

“Very well, then I think it is time to tell this foal who their real mother is. Don't you think so Twilight?”

“Huh? Why are you asking me? I barely know more than the wrong legend of you from this book, so why should I know which pony is your child?” Twilight growled as Nightmare Moon stopped in front of her.

“Oh, I think you know her pretty well Twilight Sparkle....” The horn of the alicorn started to glow and her dark magical aura wrapped around the bandages covering Twilight’s midsection.

“...Because you are my sweet, little daughter!” Everypony gasped as Nightmare removed the bandages, revealing large, lavender wings on Twilight’s back! Twilight was also shocked, but mostly because of the fact, that her whole life turned out to be a giant lie. She looked back to Nightmare Moon, who was sitting on her haunches directly in front of her, tears running down her cheeks as she offered Twilight a hug.

“Would you like to share a hug with your mother, my wonderful, little Twilight?”

Author's Note:

Dlowden take a look on the first Part and spend some time editing on it. But for the record, I still want to work with my two other editors to.




Angel_Bunny have take another look on it and I think it is now mostly error free!.