> THE CRUSHING MOON > by The oracle > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Return, and rowdy nightmares > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As twilight scrambled out of the crackling, purple portal that opened up outside of her castle, she quickly closed it behind it behind her. She got up and saw her friends rushing towards her, bombarding her with questions like ' Where have you been twilight' and ' why have you been gone for six months?' She gasped for air and rainbow dash told all of them to back up. Twilight opened the doors to the castle and said " I will explain everything at dinner. I need some time to rest." As they helped her inside the castle, what they didn't notice was the small black portal opening up for a second, or the figures slinking in the background. THREE HOURS LATER As they sat at the table, celestia and luna arrived and asked if twilight was alright after her journey. Applejack replied " I don't know princess. She said she would explain at dinner, and that's about an hour away." They heard the faint whoosh of magic and saw a feast on a long table. They both looked at Luna who simply said " Dinner is now. Please go wake her up." After she was woken up, and they sat at the table, Celestia decided to deal with the elephant in the room. " Twilight," she started " I know your journey has been a long and tiring one, and after dinner I fully support you getting some rest, but we need to know where you have been the past few months. Luna has already explained what caused you to leave, saying it was a dimension spell gone wrong, but where have you been I believe is the question." Twilight yawned and said " Alright, I was in a dimension where Nightmare moon ruled Equestria with an iron hoof." Rarity gasped and said " That must have been horrible to see to see all of those poor ponies suffering." Twilight said " Strangely, none of them were unhappy with her rule. The only reason I regretted it was because for some reason, this nightmare fell in love with me." The spitting of 7 various mouths could be heard. She said " Yeah, that was my reaction as well, and when I told her to buck off, she would just laugh, and say something about not losing me again. Eventually, she grew kind of clingy, and just stayed with me at all times. When I escaped, she yelled that she would follow me no matter where I went. But she should have trouble doing that seeing how I closed the portal before she came out. Besides, Its not like she can just follow me out of her dimension right?" Luna wrapped a comforting wing around twilight, and said " No, that would require that she have someone on this side of the portal, so you should be safe." Just as if fate decided to laugh in their face, they heard a deep gruff voice from the other end of the room they were in, saying " Or we just need a tracker device on the object we are trying to find." They turned their heads towards the source of the voice, with twilight whispering to herself " No, it cant be. He shouldn't be here." A figure in dark armour with a cresent moon on the breast plate stepped forward. Twilight fearfully whispered, " Shadow sentry." He took off his pitch black helment, and said with a sadistic grin " I am afraid that the queen requires your presence, Twilight sparkle." She teleported in front of shadow, and yelled " I am never going back! Do you hear me! Never!" A voice called out from the dark, " Twilight, twilight, twilight, you think you have a choice in the matter. I must say, it's quite cute." Three mares stepped out behind sentry, and twilight turned pale. " No, she sent you four?" she whispered. He said " Did you really think she would send anypony but the best to get you back? If you did, you are a fool." Luna looked at twilight and asked " Twilight, who are they?" Twilight glanced at her and said in a wavering voice " They are nightmare's personal guard, known as the shadow four." As one of them flew forward, she took off her helmet, revealing a familiar rainbow mane. She looked at her and said " You surprisingly weren't hard to find. I thought it would take us a couple of weeks to find you, but heh. U'll take an evening over a week." She looked next to twilight and saw this worlds rainbow dash rushing towards her. She smirked and stopped flying. When rainbow dash flew over her, she gave a quick buck in the stomach, sending her towards the ceiling. As this worlds rainbow fell to the floor, shadow dash looked at her with scorn, and said " Not even military trained? How pathetic." She turned her head, and yelled "Commander Rarity, your orders?" A mare with three stripes, and a crescent moon on her helmet stepped forward, and spoke in a regal tone, " Twilight sparkle, I have been ordered Queen Nightmare to bring you back with no life threatening injuries. I have also been told to try to talk you into coming back, but if I need to, I have been permission to to use force. Will you come willingly or not?" Twilight sighed, and was considering stepping forward so her friends would be spared from being injured in a fight, but she heard her friends rising from her chair, and saw pinkie stand beside her. " Are you crazy? We would never let you take twilight!" Shadow rarity smiled, and said" I thought you would say that, so I made sure to have all the shadow four. Pinkamena, please show your counterpart some manners." A earth pony with straight hair stepped forward, and took off her helmet. As she stared at pinkie pie, she said out of the blue, " So, are you a element bearer, cause you don't look the part. You look more like a overweight baker than a hero. I bet the moment they called on you to fight a villain, you immediately started snacking to hide your fear. You are nothin." she finished with a growl. Pinkie started to make a sobbing noise in the back of her throat, and burst into tears, and said " You're meanie!" Pinkamena snarled and said " Life is tough. Get used to it." Shadow rarity patted her on the back and said" Thank you pinkamena." She looked at twilight and said " If you don't want us to continue, then just take one step forward. If not, stay where you are." As twilight was about to make a decision, Celestia spoke up. " You will not take my student, no, my friend from me." Shadow rarity tossed her hair to one side, and said in a menecing tone " So be it." The rest of the shadow four lined up next to her as she barked out a order. " Shadow squadron, attack!" > Battle for Twilight. > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rarity threw a small rune, shaped like a beetle. It landed between Celestia and Luna, and conjured up a bubble shield. As they tried to break free, a large timer appeared on the outside. " That will hold you, just long enough to complete our mission." As Rarity charged her counter part, she saw a beam of magic and moved her head to the side. " What are you, some kind of tailor? I mean, I bet you don't even know a single defense spell." After that little quip, Rarity gave a huff of anger, and let loose a beam of magic. Shadow Rarity merely gave a chuckle and stepped to the side. Imagine her surprise when the beam split in three, and one of them hit her face. As she rubbed the sore spot on her face, she growled and said " Ok. Now you made me angry darling." With that, she lunged at her. Meanwhile, Rainbow was locked in an aerial duel with her shadow counter part. As they looped, dived, and barrel rolled their way through the air, Rainbow was starting to tire. She had never been in a duel with someone who could take the hits she gave, much less deal out a harder one. Sensing that her opponent as tiring, Shadow Dash gave one last buck to the face, and watched with a content expression on her face as Rainbow crumbled on the ground. ' Discipline beats raw talent any day.' With that, she rushed to her commanders side. As Shadow Rarity was blasting away at her opponent, she saw that shadow Dash was charging. With a smile on her face, she jumped into the air and let Rainbow smash into her counterpart. " You should pay more attention." As she looked around, she saw that herself and Rainbow had come out almost unscathed. " Do any of you have military training? I thought this would be a tougher fight!" As if to give her her wish, she was blasted in the side of her head with pure solar magic. " If you want my student, you shall have to fight me for her." Celestia stood, wings flared, horn lit up, and a look only a pissed off mother could give. Luna stood next to her, rage written clearly on her face. " Oh crap, i forgot about them. OK, we may need reinforcements, and the queen. The queen is a must." She turned to her remaining squad mates. Pinkimena had been dueling with Applejack, though the word toying would have been more appropriate. Shadow sentry was dealing with this worlds pinkie pie, and was starting to get very annoyed, as she kept disappearing and reappearing where she wasn't supposed to be able to. " Shadows, it's time to slink out. We need reinforcements." As Pinkemena jumped out of Applejack's charge on more time, she said with a monotone voice " Next time cowgirl." As Flash sentry was about to join his teammates, he felt his wings being pinned down by magic. He quickly turned his head to find Celestia burning her eye color into his memories. " You are not going anywhere." She growled. He tried hitting her with his wings, but failed to reach her as he was thrown onto the dinner table. He looked desperately at his team, but only heard shadow Rarity yell " Just stay tight. We'll be right back." As she jumped through a portal that had opened up behind them, he turned to see the defenders. He was faced with three alicorns, two pissed off earth ponies, the fastest flyer in recent equestrian history, an animal whisperer, and a seamstress. With a growl, he said " Alright, i'm not an idiot. I can tell i wouldn't win this fight. I surrender." With a quick flare of her horn, Luna melted the utensils in the room to form a pair of hoofcuffs. After a quick debate in her mind of how cruel she felt like being, she decided to cooled down the scalding metal, and attached it to his hooves. With a puff of magic, he was teleported to a cell in canterlot. Twilight rushed to find Rainbow partially stuck in the ground. She tried using her magic to pull her out, pull wasn't able to. She simply opted to pull the chunk of floor she was in out. After a couple seconds of shaking her, Rainbow fell out, landing in a heap on the floor. Twilight helped her to her hooves, looked at her friends, and said " Ok. We need to have a talk." > History lesson > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As the bearers of harmony and alicorns walked down to the dungeon that held shadow flash, Twilight was speaking to them. " Now, we need to be careful. He is a very dangerous solider, and if he gets loose will try to take one of us hostage, so don't get too close to him." They opened the door to find him playing poker with his guards. " Royal flush!" He announced, and cackled as the guards groaned. He then noticed the princess, and said " Huh, looks like we got some real life poker here." The guards quickly turned around, and started sputtering excuses, but where silenced by Lunas hoof. " Leave. We will have your punishment later." After the guards slink lut, Celestia closed the door, and growled " Why where you here?" Sentry gave a bored yawn, and said " I think we said why already. Please listen next time." Luna said " Ok, why is your nightmare so obsessed with Twilight? Is that a better question?" " Better, but also much more complicated. If your going to listen to this story, you may want to get comfy." As the Princess sat down, he began his tale. ------------------------------------------------------------- "Long ago, there were two sisters. One of day, and one of night. The one of day was called Celestia, and she would smile happily as her ponies would frolic through her day and Dawn. The sister of nights name was Artemis, and she would lovingly watch over her charges at night, making sure that no fell beasts came for them. As time grew on, the Solar sister grew vain and prideful. She believed she was a goddess, and was the wisest, fairest, and most beautiful in the world. Artemis at first did not say anything to her sister, since she thought it was a phase, and would pass in time. As time went on however, she noticed her sisters madness was growing worse and worse. One day, she led a rebellion with her followers against Celestia, who in the midst of battle declared herself Solaris, queen of the world. She offered her sister a place at her side, but was refused. They fought, and the solar nightmare was defeated, locked in the sun, though at the cost of nearly half the empire. As time went on, she became lonely and took on an apprentice. She was a gifted unicorn mare, with a penchant for learning and a curiosity that seemed unsaitable. In time, they came to love each other, and married.Artemis bestowed upon her some of her power, making her an alicorn, just like her. In that moment, they were more they just lovers, they were soul mates, each with a tiny part of the other with them. When Solaris returned, she went to her Griffon allies in the north. Another war was waged, and in the final battle Artemis struck down the suns shadow. But it was a bittersweet victory, for Solaris had killed Twilight Sparkle. A part of our Princess died that day. When the battle was won, and her lovers corpse found, Artemis killed all griffons in the empire, putting them to the sword or gallows.. Even now, they are wary of us. In her isolation, Artemis began researching portals. One day, she came out to hs, and said that she was convinced that Twilights soul was still alive." He picked up a cup from the table, and sipped from it." So now, we do our queens bidding, and help her look for the rest of Twilights soul. And now that we have found you, we won't let you get away a second time." He thought back to why he was here. " Well, third." Cadance had long left the room, saying something about the bathroom before galloping out. Celestia just sat there, not showing any sign that she had heard the story. Luna had gotten up, and was pacing. As for Twilight, she had a strange look on her face that no one could really identify. " So, you think our Twilight is yours." Everyone turned, suprised to see that Celestia was now talking. " Yes." Celestia stood up. " Then why isn't your Princess here? If she believes that our Twilight is her lover, then why not come here herself?" " Because she couldn't at first. She needs any price from our world to stay here for at least an hour before she can come herself." He then gave a horrible grin. " Why do you think me and my armour were left behind?" With that statement, the Temperature fell ten degrees. " What do you mean?" " I was told that if we failed, I would be left behind as to make a portal for our queen, and other reinforcements." Just then, the door was thrown open, and a guard ran through. " Princess! Nightmare Moon has returned!" He noticed Luna sitting down. " Princess luna? But, if your down nere, and Nightmare Moon is in the court room..." Celestia got up and practically whispered, " Take me to her. > A talk > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Celestia walked down the hallway to the throneroom, she saw that where her throne usually was there was a table with two chairs, one being filled with Nightmare Moon. On the table there was a cup filled with something, probably tea. Nightmare was already drinking from hers. " So, I have come for your surrender." A giant mustache appeared. " And for your cake." A angry Celestia roared " NO, YOU WILL NOT HAVE MY CAKE!" A giant glove appeared and slapped Nightmare moon. She growled and poofed her own glove, and proceeded to viciously slap Celestia. " I challenge you to a duel for the Twilight flavored cake then!" They teleported to a giant courtyard with a strange bipedal creature who had a sword stuck in his stomach. He wore clunky armour and held in his hand a massive halberd. In a cage behind him stood other creatures covered in shadows. " Whoever dies first loses." Nightmare shook her head in agreement and pulled the sword from his stomach. As they backed up, he rose with halberd in hand and walked toward them. A red bar with his name present, Iudex Gundyr swung at the challengers. They ducked underneath and used their magic to form swords. They then started to hack and slash at him, all the while dodging his attacks, quickly sending him into a rage. Once the red bar only had a third of it's health back, he gained a reptilian look as dark tendrils surrounded him. They easily defeated him like this as well. On and on they faced monsters and hollows alike, both almost dying at the hands of the Abyss watchers. They panted in exhaustion as the soul of cinder approached, armour and weapon aflame. They sat up tiredly, and were caught unaware when he suddenly swung his sword. It was a mighty battle, and all fought honorably, but the challengers fell to him in the end when they got too greedy and charged. He kicked Celestia and stabbed Nightmare. They werereturned to the castle by Discord who was laughing at them. " You lost at the same time! Ahahahahahahaha!" Just then, they heard a deep voice yelling out " THE SOUL OF SWAG HAS NOT GIVEN YOU PERMISSION TO LEAVE." He suddenly appeared and faced the two alicorns. A giant similar to the soul of Cinder looked at them, though with several key differences. He wore a heavy chain with a orange jewel shaped like a dorito, and a green and black hat adorned his head with the mountain dew logo. Instead of a sword, he wielded a heavy blunt. In a irritating.you high voices " Get the fuck out my castle, I'm playing Dark souls!" The alicorns screamed and ran away from the monstrosity. Discord turned to his left and said " What, were you expect something serious? Did you forget the date?" He then commenced to laugh. " HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" > The Actual Talk, > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- As Celestia walked down the hallway, she noticed that her servants were cowering in fear and whispering amongst themselves. She opened the door to the throne room she saw Nightmare was sitting in a black wooden chair with a crescent moon on it, sipping tea from a cup. There was a pure white chair with a sun on the back. " Come, sit down." Nightmare said with a smile. " I wish to talk." Celestia pulled out the white chair and sat down, carefully sipping the tea and narrowing her eyes at the flavor. " Grey Earl, my favorite." Nightmare smiled. " I know. Twilight told me a lot about you during her stay with me." " I see. And what else did she say about me?" " That you were kind, loving, and we're like a second mother to her." Nightmare paused for a second and looked at her. " I must admit, even if you aren't my sister, it is nice to see what she could have been. Tell me, do you have a thing for cakes?" " I think your trying to change the topic." Nightmare sighed. " I was hoping to talk a bit more but I guess we should get down to why I'm here." She closed her eyes for a second and reopened them, staring into Celestia's eyes. " I came here because I want Twilight to stay with me." " and my immediate answer is no. You took her from me, kept her Hostage for several months, and and now have attacked her in her own home! " Celestia didn't realize she was yelling until she was out of her chair, her front hooves smashing the table. Nightmare gulped and took a deep breath. " Ok, yes, I'll admit that wasn't the way to go about it. But I love her and-" Celestia glare, her patience already snapped. " I don't give a flying feather about how you feel or what you want! I want you out of my world and for you to never return!" Nightmare glared. " Please, be reasonable. I came here to have a peaceful talk. I don't want to fight." Celestia glared. " You said she compared me to a second mother correct? Well I view her like a daughter. Honestly, I want you to fall in a pothole and snap your legs, so you can rot and die. But, I'll settle for you and your goons leaving and never coming back." She picked up the remains of the teacup. " By the way, you make a terrible Earl Gray. It tastes like piss." She smashed the cup on the ground, quickly walking out of the room. Nightmare just sat there for a second as she took in everything that had happened. Then with a sudden snarl, she flung the table against the wall, shattering whatever was left. Then she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She summoned what looked like a small red gem and sent a pulse of magic into it, watching it shatter. She then patiently waited. A few second later, a small white worm opened up a hole in the group discussion and crawled out. It spoke in a gravely voice " You called?" Nightmare sighed and nodded. " You were right. They won't let me take her back." " Well, of course I'm right. You know," it crawled up to her," you can ask for help, let me change you~" She scowled. " I've seen what your ' help' does worm, and I have no intention of falling that low." It crawled away from her. " Fine, then what do you want?" " I don't want your powers, but I will need some of your warriors. The ones you told me could level cities." It gave the best grin it could, it's razor sharp teeth showing. " Ah,you want the fire starters." She nodded. " Just as a last resort if I can't talk her to my side again." It nods, it's pale blue eyes blinking. " I'll let commander Sulfur know to be on standby." It grins. " you know there is still a price for our services." She nodded. " Just ask, and if it's reasonable, I will provide." It grinned. " I want to talk to Twilight for ten minutes, alone." She raised an eyebrow but nodded. " Very well, you shall have your ten minutes. Anything else?" " Just that. " It turned to leave but was stopped. " wait, how will I contact you Lliw? The gem shattered." It chuckled. " Trust me, I'll come to you when you need help." It then went into the hole, dirt filling it in as it went further down.