> A Moonlights Lullaby > by LemonCake > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > There is more than meets the eye > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -;- Chapter One -;- There is more than meets the eye "C'mon guys!" The Mane 6 ponies were galloping towards The Crystal Empire, eager to step through those crystal doors. The grand Galloping Gala was tonight, and excitement was in the air. "Twi, are you sure I can't wear my hat?" Applejack said nervously, still galloping with the rest of the gang. "I'm sure Applejack," Twilight said with a warming smile. " This is one of the most fanciest Galas around!" Applejack huffed and tucked the hat into her dress pocket with her mouth. "And the only one!" Rainbow Dash said with a cocked smile on her face, whipping past her friends. " Now Rainbow, you don't have to have an attitude about it." Rarity said with a frown. "As usual, Rainbow Dash just kept soaring. "I just hope they have cupcakes!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, bouncing in rhythm to the soft muzzled music coming from the castle. "I really hope they have animals in the garden," Fluttershy said with a soft smile. "Maybe the animals won't be so anxious like last time." As the ponies kept the chatter, they slowly arrived to the two tall doors. With the ponies looking there best, they stepped through the doors, and entered the castle. . -;- . -;- . -;- . The Crystal Castle was decorated with crystal studded streamers, crystal chandeliers, ivory tables, everything to a pony's desire. "This is just gorgeous!" Rarity beamed. Just above them sat Princess Celestia, and Princess Luna. "Hello girls." Princess Celestia said with a faint smile. "Hello Princess!" everybody said in sync. "Princess Luna and I are so happy that you could make it." Luna nodded, smiling a smile that you could only see up close. She was the type of Alicorn that didn't smile much. They stood there, watching the band play a catchy tune, until Princess Celestia whispered quietly to Twilight. "Twilight, would you do the honor of announcing the Waltz of the Colts?" The Waltz of the Colts was a special dance of all gentle colts would participate in. It was the Gala's tradition, and frankly, Twilight couldn't help but take the offer. "Of course I would!" Twilight said with an exciting smile. When the song ended, Twilight Sparkle walked up to the center of the stage. "Ladies and Gentlecolts, I am honored to announce the first dance of the night. Now, I give to you the Waltz of the Colts!" The crowd applauded with glee, as the colts lined up for the dance. Twilight sat down with her friends, as the instruments were being tuned. As the soft melody of the song began to play, the crowd watched the dancing colts. Twilight watched joyfully, until a quiet growling voice came into her head. "Arise." Twilight turned to see if anyone was behind her, and saw nothing. "Come Closer." Twilight started looking around the ballroom anxiously, trying to pin where the demonic voice was coming from. "I'm giving you a Warning." Twilight had a worried look on her face, now standing, hoping for anything to show itself. Celestia broke the voice inside Twilight's pounding head, and whispered in her ear, with a concerned tone. " Everything alright Twilight Sparkle?" Twilight hid the worried expression lurking on her face. "Yeah.. I mean, yes! E-Everything is great. I just need to get some air. I-It's quite drafty in here." Twilight quickly slid out of the crowd, and quietly escaped to the corridors of the Crystal Castle. She quietly sat down on a velvet bench. Was what she hearing real? Or was it just her imagination? " Almost There." She started to panic, looking all around hopelessly for a sign, an answer, anything. "Who's there?" Twilight said eagerly. Suddenly, the voice spoke a word that got her horrified. " Twilight." Twilight had had to much of this nonsense. She slammed one hoof down on the crystal floor and shouted, "Look. I don't know w-who you are, or where you are c-coming from. But stop following me. Y-you are just my imagination... Y-you are nothing! Out of no where, a horrific swarm of scarlet smoke rose from the floor. It surrounded Twilight, making her drop to the floor and try to breathe. It got harder and harder to breathe, every breath got shorter. She cried for help, wondering how to get out, until a familiar figure with glowing eyes shadowed down on Twilight. "Oh Twilight. There is more to me than meets the eye." . -;- . -;- . -;- . Princess Celestia, with anticipation, started wondering where Twilight was. She had a concerned look on her face, hoping for a sight of Twilight. After what had seem ages, she sighed, and turned to the girls. "Girls?" The five turned and smiled at Princess Celestia. "Yes Princess?" Rarity said happily. "Twilight has been gone for sometime and... I would really appreciate it if you could go and try to find where she could be. Could you do that for me girls?" She said with a nervous, yet calm smile. "O'course Princess! We'll just be a minute 'r two." Applejack said with her warm country voice. As the ponies stood up, they trotted off to see where Twilight was. "I hope Twilight didn't go far, it can be really dangerous out here all alone."Fluttershy said with concern. "She couldn't of gone far," Rainbow exclaimed, looking around the corridors, "Twilight's not the person to run off somewhere." "Yeah! She wouldn't miss anything for that fruit punch!" Pinkie said cheery, as usual. "Pinkie, I think you're talking about yourself, dear." Rarity said, looking back at the bouncy pony. "Oh. I guess I am!" Pinkie said with a giggle. Once they got to the dead end of the corridors, Fluttershy sniffed, and smelt something funny. "Uhm... girls....," Fluttershy said softly, "Do you smell that..? It almost smells like.." "Smoke..." Rainbow said as she breathed in the air and coughed. "I don't know why Twilight would do anything with smoke at this time..." Rarity exclaimed. But then, suddenly, A horrible feeling hit Applejack in the gut. "Guys..... this might sound mighty darn crazy..... but d'you think maybe Twi was..... captured?" Applejack said, looking around the room with a worried look locked in her eyes. All the ponies turned behind them, and saw the remains of Twilight's dress torn on the cold floor. Rarity stood in horror at the sight. "I think she was more than just captured girls...." End Of Chapter One > Once you open your eyes > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- -;- Chapter Two -;- Once you open your eyes Twilights eyes fluttered. she opened her eyes slowly, to see that she wasn't at the Grand Galloping Gala. Neither was she at home. She didn't know where she was. Twilight pushed her legs, hoping that she could be able to stand. Unfortunately, her body crashed onto the ground before she could try. She looked around. Twilight was in a room filled with potions she's never seen, cauldrons, dead bodies. She flinched at the sight. She slowly tried to get up one last time, and to her surprise, she was able to stand without falling over. Walking with wobbly hooves, she made her way over to a wooden desk, filled with sketches of natural disasters, and one that met her eye. "The war of the Crystal Empire." she was stopped by a voice from behind her that made her frozen. "I see you've found my desk." Twilight turned to see a grey colt with electric green eyes, and a shiny black mane. He had a cocky grin, that couldn't fool anybody. She started breathing with difficulty. King Sombra. Twilight gulped down hard, and said in a aggressive, yet shaky voice. "W-what do you want from me. Spill i-it." "What do I want from you? That's quite basic. A pony like you should be able to know." King Sombra said with intelligence. Twilight gritted her teeth, getting in the position to charge. She aggressively swiped her hoof into the ground, making dust fly behind her. "Now now Twilight, we don't need to get aggressive do we." Twilight charged at King Sombra with speed, but flew backwards with a thud. King Sombra had used an orb to reflect her. Twilight, desperately trying to stand up, collapsed to the ground. Tears welled up into her burning eyes. "I s-said...what do you want from m-me." King Sombra walked up to Twilights collapsed body and looked down to her. "I want your power." Twilight flinched at his echoing voice, and looked at him aggressively. "You'll never take it." Twilight's horn lit up in a quick second and sent Kind Sombra soaring to the other side of the room. He smashed into a rock wall, causing him to fall onto the ground. He got up quickly, and charged over to Twilight. "This is it Twilight. You're done for. Why did you fight back, you should of just stayed where you were. Get up. Twilight slowly closed her eyes, awaiting her painful death. . -;- . -;- . -;- . "Twilight?" Pinkie pie said, lifting up a bush, searching for the purple pony. Applejack was pacing back and forth, mumbling nervously. Rainbow Dash was soaring through the sky, keeping watch for anything suspicious. Fluttershy and Rarity were galloping up and down the Crystal Empire corridors, hoping for a sight of Twilight. Rainbow Dash cam soaring down from the sky with a stomp. "This is useless Applejack. She might be out of Equestria by now." Applejack rolled her eyes in annoyance. "We have to keep looking Rainbow. I'm not giving up on Twilight until I find her." "Applejack, what if she's dead." Applejack froze. The thought of Twilight Sparkle dead, made her panic. "Applejack?" Rarity said to her with a shaky voice. "The others and I are going into the Evergreen Forest to search more. Come and catch up If you'd like to." Then Rarity and the others quickly set off into the darkness. Applejack turned slowly, narrowed her eyes, and glared at Rainbow. "Listen Rainbow, If you don't give a damn about Twilight, thats just fine with me. Leave, if you must. But I'm not stopping until I see Twilight next to me, you hear?" and with that, Applejack, galloped off into the darkness. "Care? Of course I care about Twilight. Why would she expect I didn't care?" Rainbow Dash opened her mouth, but no words came out. She closed her mouth, and narrowed her eyes. If they were going to find twilight, she knew the others were searching in the wrong place. End of Chapter 2